The Witcher setting conversion

[Jaron Mortimer]

So...Ive built this over the past couple days, and it hasn't really gotten the traction I thought it would. Since you just so happened to build a (much nicer looking) version, I'd like to get your opinion on my interpretation.

Keep in mind: based solely off of my experience with The wild Hunt.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?420965-Witcher-Class-(WIP)&p=19388260#post19388260

 

[Quickleaf]

So...Ive built this over the past couple days, and it hasn't really gotten the traction I thought it would. Since you just so happened to build a (much nicer looking) version, I'd like to get your opinion on my interpretation.

Keep in mind: based solely off of my experience with The wild Hunt.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?420965-Witcher-Class-(WIP)&p=19388260#post19388260

Great work! I think it's a worthy first pass, and I like how you included a Bestiary feature. My critique parallels [MENTION=19587]Zen[/MENTION]Bears's - you're versions of Igni and Quen are flat out overpowered. Either you need to introduce some limit to the use of signs or you need to tone down Igni and Quen. Also, granting them Extra Attack (or your renamed version of it) AND +1d8 extra damage vs monsters with silver swords is probably too much.

That said, you've got a very "true to game" version of the Witcher here. I like it. My suggestion would be to read The Last Wish and gain exposure to some of the other source material. There's some inspiring stuff in there. For example, the at-will non-combat Sign uses in my version of the Witcher class are derived from the book.

 

[Jaron Mortimer]

I made a few edits, hopefully those abilities are a bit more balanced. You're right, I really do need to read the books; I really love Geralt's story, and I'd like to see how much has bled over from the novels.

To your point about Extra Attack, paladins get both Extra attack and Improved Divine Smite, which is what this was balanced against.

 

[Quickleaf]

I made a few edits, hopefully those abilities are a bit more balanced. You're right, I really do need to read the books; I really love Geralt's story, and I'd like to see how much has bled over from the novels.

To your point about Extra Attack, paladins get both Extra attack and Improved Divine Smite, which is what this was balanced against.

Ah, I guess that works then. My suggestion would be to do a feature-by-feature comparison of your witcher class to the paladin class. For example, something like what I did for my witcher class compared to the fighter:



It's not a direct 1-for-1 comparison, of course, but an approximation to keep the power level in the same ball park.

 

[MoutonRustique]

Finally!

I wasn't able to post yesterday - the forum wouldn't load the comment box... Maybe it was a "karmic ban" from my sparking that edition fisticuffs in another thread -which was NOT my intention!

But no matter.
[MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION], I'd like to pick your brain about the alchemy portion of the witcher class. I'm having a hard time figuring out how often it is supposed to come into play.

Also, you should really add this creation to your sig. While it's not as awesome as your Planescape conversions - oh yeah, your Planescape conversions are awesome btw - it is really very, very cool.

Annddd... it would be easier to find for me. But, you know, whatever.

 

[Quickleaf]

Finally!

I wasn't able to post yesterday - the forum wouldn't load the comment box... Maybe it was a "karmic ban" from my sparking that edition fisticuffs in another thread -which was NOT my intention!

Haha, yeah just say NO to edition warring.

[MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION], I'd like to pick your brain about the alchemy portion of the witcher class. I'm having a hard time figuring out how often it is supposed to come into play.

I have a very DM-player collaborative style, so I normally am not too worries about pinning down things with exact language. Sometimes that can be a problem! Basically, alchemy has built in limits to prevent abuse: You need an hour to prepare witcher potions, you need to spend gold or monster parts, and you can only consume a number of potions up to Constitution modifier before needing a short rest.

So *how frequently* a witcher PC could use their potions would depend on the pacing of the adventure, wouldn't it?

The only scenario a DM would want to avoid (or change the way Witcher Alchemy works if this is a common situation in their games) is where the party has multiple encounters during a day with a short rest in between most encounters.

Also, you should really add this creation to your sig. While it's not as awesome as your Planescape conversions - oh yeah, your Planescape conversions are awesome btw - it is really very, very cool.

Annddd... it would be easier to find for me. But, you know, whatever.

Done! I put a link to the Google Drive PDF in my sig. Let me know if it doesn't work?

 

[MoutonRustique]

I have a very DM-player collaborative style, so I normally am not too worries about pinning down things with exact language. Sometimes that can be a problem!

It's not one when everyone knows the "idea" of it. I'm just having a hard time "visualizing" it for some reason...

Basically, alchemy has built in limits to prevent abuse: You need an hour to prepare witcher potions, you need to spend gold or monster parts, and you can only consume a number of potions up to Constitution modifier before needing a short rest.

So *how frequently* a witcher PC could use their potions would depend on the pacing of the adventure, wouldn't it?

Ok, so, point form:
- an hour to prepare (*check*)
- how long do they last once prepared (*blank box*)
- consumption limited by frequency of short rest (*check*)
- but if one can store them up, and there's the one that can reduce toxicity to 0, then... (*blank box*)
- the gold/monster part is too hard to plan out, so I'm killing it (not appropriate for the game in which the variant will be used)

I guess my real question is about this phrase :

The maximum number of potions you can prepare at a time is equal to your proficiency bonus.

Does this mean : (1) in that one hour required to craft a potion, you can simultaneously craft a number of potions equal to you proficiency bonus.
(2) You can "have crafted" a number of potions equal to your proficiency bonus - a form of hard limit on how many you can have at any one time.
(3) only pink elephants can fly - the story of Dumbo was a lie, a very sneaky lie. (I don't know where that came from, but I found it funny, so it's staying in.)

Done! I put a link to the Google Drive PDF in my sig. Let me know if it doesn't work?

Thank you very much. And it works!

 

[Quickleaf]

- how long do they last once prepared (*blank box*)

Nope, that's a check. Each potion explains how long it lasts. 1 hour. Just like potions in the DMG.

- but if one can store them up, and there's the one that can reduce toxicity to 0, then... (*blank box*)
- the gold/monster part is too hard to plan out, so I'm killing it (not appropriate for the game in which the variant will be used)

Does this mean : (1) in that one hour required to craft a potion, you can simultaneously craft a number of potions equal to you proficiency bonus.
(2) You can "have crafted" a number of potions equal to your proficiency bonus - a form of hard limit on how many you can have at any one time.

I intended it as #2, a hard limit on the maximum number of potions you can prepare. The narrative justification I use for this is that witcher potions have a shelf life preventing them from being stock-piled. It's not a 1-to-1 map to the narrative explanation, but I think it will work in play.

Since I'm running a PbP witcher game soon, I'll have some actual play reports about how all this works and will adjust accordingly.

- the gold/monster part is too hard to plan out, so I'm killing it (not appropriate for the game in which the variant will be used)

I would think in that case it would be *especially* important to have some kind of hard limit.

 

[MoutonRustique]

Nope, that's a check. Each potion explains how long it lasts. 1 hour. Just like potions in the DMG.

Ah, ha! This is where my incomprehension comes from.

I will use these definition :
(A) how long the potion lasts - how long the potion remains effective w/o being consumed. Its "shelf-life" if you would.

(B) how long the effect lasts - this is how long the effect of the potion lasts (i.e. 1 hour acid resistance)

I was (still am?) having trouble with the first one (A). But I think I've figured out your meaning :
- it takes an hour to craft a potion
- they last indefinitely
- you can have a set number of potions created at any one time

Is this the meaning? If so, then the "usage" becomes ~ proficiency bonus/short rest* (or ~ 2x prof per day)

*the star refers to the fact that the creation requires another hour - so, in a sense, a "two hours" short rest. Of course there will be situation where one hour over two will make a difference, but there will also be plenty of them where it does not - hence the *.

Here's hoping I got it this time.

 

[Quickleaf]

I was (still am?) having trouble with the first one (A). But I think I've figured out your meaning :
- it takes an hour to craft a potion
- they last indefinitely
- you can have a set number of potions created at any one time

Yes, that's how I intended it.

I'd just allow the crafting to happen during a short rest, not require an hour apart from it (unless, of course, they were brewing multiple potions).

Though the hard limit of potions you can have created at a time works for balance, I'm not entirely satisfied with it not mapping exactly to the fiction. Still it should work ok.

Btw, are you running a witcher game? Or are you hacking the alchemy for a class of your own creation?