Need help for a friend. Incarnum related.

[BRP2]

Usually I'm always the DM, hell I still am, but in another group someone else wants to step up something and I'm quite grateful. He is still looking to me for help though. He wants to make a rather unique type of game, which makes me even more excited, with a lack of magic replaced by Incarnum and Reserve Points(from IH). There is no multiclass penalties. From what he has told me everyone is going to start above level 1, and might be forced to take at least one level in an Incarnum class. He isn't using any of the Incarnum races, but will replace any "magic" benefits from standard races with bonus Incarnum points.

Other things are the basic Power Attack fix(3.0), feats every 2 levels, and use of Complete Adventurer/Warrior + PHBII + Miniatures Handbook only(I think he is allowing feats/PrC and stuff that make sense from other WotC books but I'm sure its limited). Marshall's bonus can't be higher than half its level and it has full BAB. Because of no magic, no Bard, Ranger, or Paladin. Also no psonics. Some of these rules he borrowed from playing in my games(mainly more feats and power attack).

He doesn't go to this site(or any site I believe). Anything I should pass to him? Has anyone done anything like this?

As a player, anything I should know about Incarnum? I've hardly looked through it and only know the basics. I've heard it it was weak, but thats only when compared to full-casters.

So basically:
-Anything important Incarnum he has a DM or I as a player need to know?
-Anyone ever use Incarnum as the only source of magic in a campaign?
-Any house rules that are Incarnum related?
-Can Incarnum make up for the lack of magical weapons or armor?

 

[javcs]

Some of the incarnum stuff is flat broken.

A level 1 human rogue/scout/ninja/etc. can drop upto 4d6 electricity damage on a melee touch attack with two feats Shape Soulmeld (Lightning Gauntlets), and any feat that gives him essentia.


I don't really know that much else about the Incarnum system, nobody in my games have ever really used it much. Something that I plan to change next campaign.


Damage Reduction is going to be very annoying to punch through at higher levels.
Incarnum can't entirely make up for the lack of magic weaponry/armor - it supplements magic.

Dealing enough damage is going to be difficult, AC and Attack bonuses will go down significantly.

It's going to be interesting/challenging for the players.

 

[airwalkrr]

Here is something important to consider: magic item creation. Are you going to assume there are no magic items in the campaign? If not, you have to design an alternate magic item creation system. Either way could work if done right, but remember that character wealth (and magic items) is an assumption of D&D character power curves.

Also, note the non-magic variants of the paladin and ranger in the Complete Warrior before doing away with them completely.

 

[BRP2]

Ah right, I think he knows about those(variants) already, I was just quick to speak ;x.

Hmm, yeah I think I'll have to ask about it. What are good systems that don't involve any magic?

Maybe I can convince him to keep Psionics at least ;x hes new and I'm pretty bad(er, inexperienced) myself at making new stuff balanced. It wouldn't hurt the flavor of this campaign at least.

 

[Sravoff]

Alter the Warlock Flavor. They gain the ability to create magical items at level 12. Just alter their flavor to where they manipulate souls instead of arcane might. Thats what I've done in my current campaign world, it uses incarnum alot, and magic is a strange and alien force. But yeah, warlocks can create any Item pretty much, and swapping them over to incarnum realated favor isn't very hard. Just rename a few of their abilities and such.

Sounds like a cool world.

 

[Amitiel]

So basically:
-Anything important Incarnum he has a DM or I as a player need to know?

Read the rules for it carefully, its written very vague and confusing at times. Also keep careful track of what bonds are chakra bound as that can drastically change their effects.

-Anyone ever use Incarnum as the only source of magic in a campaign?

Yes, But I quickly changed that. Don't make it the only magic system, its incredibly limited, if he wants to have an unusual magic campaign he should have Binders and Truename from tome of magic as well to round it out.

-Any house rules that are Incarnum related?

Yes, and I stress DROP THE INCARNUM ALIGNMENT RULES. The alignment rules in incarnum will choke off any chance of roleplay by making every character a fanatic to an extreme alignment. Since the characters aren't suppose to know what alignment game mechanics are this is very badly explained and reasoned. That Incarnum users are extreme people is possible but make it to an ideal, country, code of conduct, or deity to allow roleplay without straightjacketing your players.

Also if the players want to use their own wording for the soulbonds/melds let them, several of my players have a hard time calling it that without laughing.

See here for why.

-Can Incarnum make up for the lack of magical weapons or armor?

To a point since thats what it does, Incarnum magic is at its core making temporary magic items who's effects can be altered to a degree. I would suggest allowing Tome of Battle feats as well if there are no magic items in game to allow pure combat classes more balance against their magic enhanced foes.