AU - first impressions?

[volcivar]

AU in Northern Virginia

I will be running a DEMO of AU at the Game Parlor near the Potomac Mills Mall on Saturday August 16th, at 1:00 PM. If any of you are interrested come on by.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I think the only bits I really don't like are the dog people and the cat people, not least because they read like sub-standard rip-offs of the Aslan and Vargr from Traveller (even down to the dog-people being the ones which are artificially raised to their intelligent status).

At least Traveller managed to bring some "alieness" into the alien races.

Regarding Runechildren - I like the idea, but I think those would have been better done as a racial level. It could have given no BAB, saves or HD, but opened up the special abilities as per normal - it becomes clearly a case of "purchasing" and ECL with xps, rather than the somewhat muddled approach which is actually used.

Cheers

 

[drnuncheon]

I think the only bits I really don't like are the dog people and the cat people, not least because they read like sub-standard rip-offs of the Aslan and Vargr from Traveller (even down to the dog-people being the ones which are artificially raised to their intelligent status).

At least Traveller managed to bring some "alieness" into the alien races.

I think "alienness" of "alien races" is far more important in a sci-fi game than it is in a fantasy game. For a sci-fi game, part of the attraction is dealing with strange new races and their outlook.

Very little fantasy involves "first contact", on the other hand. Instead, the races are generally better integrated into the society of the game, and are used more as reflections of or a mirror to humanity, often being embodiments of one aspect of culture or personality. In other words, they are archetypes, and as such they are far more "human" than the aliens from sci-fi (at least good sci-fi).

J

 

[Bagpuss]

It just reduces all penalties for fighting with two weapons by 4. Also, it's a prereq for improved two weapon fighting and two weapon defense.

I think you'll find its only a prereq for Improved 2WF.

 

[Negative Zero]

... it becomes clearly a case of "purchasing" and ECL with xps, rather than the somewhat muddled approach which is actually used.

Cheers

ironcally, i started a discussion based on a very similar premise not too long ago. so i guess it goes without saying that i'm all for the idea

~NegZ

 

[Plane Sailing]

I think "alienness" of "alien races" is far more important in a sci-fi game than it is in a fantasy game. For a sci-fi game, part of the attraction is dealing with strange new races and their outlook.

Very little fantasy involves "first contact", on the other hand. Instead, the races are generally better integrated into the society of the game, and are used more as reflections of or a mirror to humanity, often being embodiments of one aspect of culture or personality. In other words, they are archetypes, and as such they are far more "human" than the aliens from sci-fi (at least good sci-fi).

I actually see this as a common and recurring problem in fantasy though. Too many different species (they are more different than races really) sit in the Star Trek mould of aliens. They are humans with funny ears (or noses) and a stereotype. Part of this comes from the strange D&D homogenous settings, where there is a tacit assumption that there is an equal distribution of all human races, all humanoid races, all classes across the entire game world

There is no reason why fantasy races need not be as fully distinct as alien races in a sci-fi game... little of those games are about first contact after all, most sci-fi settings have well-known aliens (sounds a bit like an oxymoron!). I'd fully welcome anything which led players to make PC's from different species more than just "humans with funny ears and power-ups".

Pet peeve, really. Nothing more to see here

 

[drnuncheon]

There is no reason why fantasy races need not be as fully distinct as alien races in a sci-fi game... little of those games are about first contact after all, most sci-fi settings have well-known aliens (sounds a bit like an oxymoron!).

Very few sci-fi games have well known alien races that are truly alien, especially as PCs.

To me, the entire mohj mindset is alien. Give up your gender and your race for scales and the ability to bud kobolds? I'd think that anyone who became a mojh would be a creepy, creepy dude, and probably more alien than most so-called "aliens" in sci-fi, if only because he used to be human.

J

 

[Plane Sailing]

Very few sci-fi games have well known alien races that are truly alien, especially as PCs.

J

No disagreement there! I think that Traveller is the only one I saw that really came close - especially the Hivers and the Centaurs.

 

[EarthsShadow]

impressions and questions

I like the book as I knew I would.

My question (I only have one) deals with magic spells. I understand that you can weave slots... combine 3 lower level slots to use 1 higher level slot... or split up 1 higher level slot for 2 lower level slots. Okay, if you split up a 3rd level slot for 2 2nd level slots in a round of action, do you get the spell energy to cast those two 2nd level slots in the same round, or how does this really work out? I do understand that you can make this decision anytime during the day, and you can't change your mind back.

 

[volcivar]

do you get the spell energy to cast those two 2nd level slots in the same round

If you have the right feats, you can use those slots to power one spell in the same round. So the answer is yes. You cannot use those slots to cast 2 separate spells unless you had the quicken spell feat and 2 more slots as the cost to quicken is double to laden (use 2 slots).