Cosmic & Storm Sorcerers: EPIC FAIL!

Remathilis · May 5, 2009

So I finally looked through all of Arcane Power, and got to sorcerers.

I love the two new concepts for sorcerer spellpower. Fury of the storm and the passage of time, space, and the universe. Very cool.

Then, IMHO, they REVERSED the secondary scores needed for these classes!

Storm sorcerers should have been Str: D&D has typically associated the raw power of the the storm with strength (Kord is god of Str. and Storm. Storm giants. Etc). It also would have been a good mix for genasi (who are a str/int race) but neither attribute good for a genasi (storm/chaos) is str based. Grrr...

Onto similar terms; why is Cosmic Str based? I see cosmic as similar to astrology/astronomy with a bit of Zoroastrianism tossed in; a power source for scholars and scribes of yore. I don't often think of them as strong, muscular types, but delicate and careful, if not a little dextrous.

In short: storm should have been Str, Cosmic should have been Dex (actually Int, but I digress).

Anyone see the rationale for Storm/Dex and Cosmic/Str?

Jack99 · May 5, 2009

Seriously mate? Is this what you consider epic fail? What was the bard in the previous editions then?

Piratecat · May 5, 2009

I agree in principle, but for me it's more of a minor annoyance than an epic fail.

Remathilis · May 5, 2009

Its epic fail because I'd love to play a cosmic, but can't reconcile it with Charles Atlas Strength...

...and it gets people to read the thread.

HardcoreDandDGirl · May 5, 2009

When I see cosmic, I think comic books. I think Silver surfer to be honest. So I see str working. I see the ‘cosmic’ players are always strong. Sometimes they are just Large and in charge, other times it is channeling the power cosmic gives them super human str.

I guess if I were going to do it, I would say my character looks like she has a 10 str, but has ‘supernatural’ enhancements so she has a 16 on the sheet.

I can see both for storm, in fact your example of Kord fits well, and would make me think of Thor (This time myth and legend not the comic). But I could see it was more of the wind rider, finesse full weather controller angle too.

Oni · May 5, 2009

I disagree.

I think of wind and lightning have more association with dex regarding flexibility and quickness.

Dexterity is not at all what comes to mind in thinking of the movements of the cosmos, but rather slow steady unstoppable power measured in eons rather than the flash of a lightning bolt.

Sorcerers aren't academics locked away in towers. Their magic is in the blood. They are on some levels a physical manifestation of the magic they wield and as such their stat allotments make sense IMHO.

If you want a frail scholar of the cosmos I would think a starpact warlock or a wizard with a little refluff on the spells would be a much better fit.

chaotix42 · May 5, 2009

I didn't know exactly what to expect out of this thread. Perhaps a bit of complaining that the Storm powers seem to exclusively target Fort - that's where I'd have gone!

I don't have a real big problem with their choice of stats for the new builds. I am annoyed that a genasi makes a better cosmic/dragon sorcerer than a storm sorcerer, though.

Pseudopsyche · May 5, 2009

Cosmic: inexorable force, black holes, Galactus (in the Marvel Universe "the physical, metamorphosed embodiment of a cosmos," and its "most awesome living entity"). Strength.

Storm: weather, butterflies causing hurricanes, chaos, Ororo Munroe ("Storm" of the X-Men, grew up in Cairo as a thief and pickpocket). Dexterity.

'Nuff said.

Obryn · May 5, 2009

I would have rather seen other secondary stats, too.

I think Dexterity works fine for Storm. When I think lightning, I think quickness, and it works for me.

Strength is just bizarre for Cosmic. It just doesn't make any sense, IMHO. I'd rather have it based off Wisdom or something... I understand why they wouldn't want to use Constitution or Intelligence (it steps on the Warlock's toes too much) but I don't understand Strength at all...

Still, I agree with Piratecat that this is more a minor annoyance than an epic fail.

-O