Arcane Schools

[Rechan]

Dragon 374: White Lotus Academy

BAM.

I found the first three lines of the article really odd:

Arcane schools are rarely founded. Those that are, rarely last long. They gain reputation just by surviving their first year.

Really? Why?

I think one reason I would avoid the Arcane College campaign or adventure? The Harry Potter jokes. I think I'd let everyone make one, and then start docking Xp.

 

[Nightson]

Uhh,

"A school attracts danger by its very nature. Rivals seek revenge upon the instructors or headmasters for real or imagined slights. Governments feel threatened by the concentration of power. Even the curriculum can destroy the school, when practiced by careless or over-reaching students."

 

[Rechan]

Uhh,

"A school attracts danger by its very nature. Rivals seek revenge upon the instructors or headmasters for real or imagined slights. Governments feel threatened by the concentration of power. Even the curriculum can destroy the school, when practiced by careless or over-reaching students."

Even so, it just seems unrealistic that they'd not last. I mean, military schools/fighters guilds/etc would gather the same amount of threat and danger, since all things are equal.

Anywhere you're going to have a group of wizards in proximity (for the sake of sharing libraries, resources, etc), you're going to have a group who can teach. Not to mention that arcane colleges would be The place to go for collaborative research and theory (the arcane equivalent of academia and scholarly exploration). It just seems to be a natural conclusion, not something that's 'rare' because it's avoided.

The majority of magic is combat focused, right? At least, the spells in the book(s). So, by taking up the mantle of a spellcaster, one is accepting a certain level of risk because they are learning a tool used for combat. To an extent, then, adventuring mages (or at least going into combat) isn't going to be something you can overwhelmingly frown on. Therefore, wizards should be willing to accept the risks involved in Mage Schools.

Besides, outside of arcane schools, the only source of being taught is with mentors. And, I just find it strange that the vast majority would originate from master/student tutelage.

Unrelated question: does the article mention Warlocks? I don't have the time right this minute to comb it. I'd be curious how an academic setting treats the path of Warlocks or sorcerers.

 

[Rechan]

Wow!

Wizard Fury and Star Shackles are nice (as is Masters' Surge). White Lotus Master Riposte is nice and snazzy. The Hindrance feats are definitely appealing for a Swordmage or Bard, for melee purposes.

So much focus on At-Wills. Seems WotC got the message that the Wizard's At Wills seem subpar.

 

[Mengu]

Swordmages get huge boosts from the feats.

White Lotus Defense: +1 to all defenses against what's likely your mark, is excellent for a defender with already good defenses.

White Lotus Enervation: Unlike other arcane classes, swordmages can target AC (well, I guess so can bards, but they have something better for this). It is almost leader-like to help out the ranger, rogue, or avenger strike better.

White Lotus Evasion: Shifting 1 as a minor action after attacking your mark, basically lets you move to another flank, distancing yourself from your mark, which lets you do your job better as a swordmage, especially for assault.

White Lotus Riposte: They attack you they're doomed, they attack someone else, they're doomed. This turns you into a pseudo-striker.

White Lotus Master Riposte just made my jaw drop.

I'm not sure which one of these I wouldn't want as a swordmage.

 

[Rechan]

White Lotus Enervation: Unlike other arcane classes, swordmages can target AC (well, I guess so can bards, but they have something better for this). It is almost leader-like to help out the ranger, rogue, or avenger strike better.

For Bards, combine this with Guiding Strike. Nas-tee.

 

[chaotix42]

@ Rechan: I kinda like the idea that most arcane schools are fated for destruction, more so than martial training centers. After all, it's much easier to blow up a school with spells!

Unrelated question: does the article mention Warlocks? I don't have the time right this minute to comb it. I'd be curious how an academic setting treats the path of Warlocks or sorcerers.

The Blood Stars, a group of star pact warlocks who have all graduated and gone separate ways, left a face to help them communicate danger to their fellows; it is even now weeping blood in dire warning.

 

[chaotix42]

Wow, what a cool article! I love the flavor, especially the bit about the faculty's quarters being hidden and only accessible to them and their guests, found behind doors that otherwise lead to closets or laboratories. I'll be including the White Lotus in my next homebrew world for sure!

Crunch-related: Does anyone else think that PP is awesome? The 20th level daily power is open for some serious abuse. Now to find an arcane encounter power with an extra nasty condition!

 

[Rechan]

The Starlock quote disappoints me. I was hoping for a discussion of how an arcane college would look at the Warlock sense of magic, since it utterly circumvents the typical sources of magic (sans Sorcery).

A place where all forms of Arcane magic are just treated the same, in terms of the setting, is kinda boring for me.

 

[WalterKovacs]

Crunch-related: Does anyone else think that PP is awesome? The 20th level daily power is open for some serious abuse. Now to find an arcane encounter power with an extra nasty condition!

I like it, and it's a simple way to make it stat independent by linking it to powers you have anyway.

Wizard's get Ice Tomb at 17, which entombs and therefore stuns a creature (normally until end of next turn). At 23 is Thunderclap that stuns, and unlike Ice Tomb the party can still attack the target while it's stunned. Don't really see anything else that is as good for the other arcane classes, but that was just looking for 'stunned' or 'dominated' ... in terms of effects (and I didn't check the dragon stuff).