Blue Mage

[Cynlas]

Oooo... a general "Calculator" Paragon path for any spell-caster would be interesting (even if a little off topic, sorry).

 

[Exen Trik]

Oooo... a general "Calculator" Paragon path for any spell-caster would be interesting (even if a little off topic, sorry).

Well let me think... the calculator in tactics was very powerful, but also very slow. How about a path that lets you spend one minor action a round "calculating" in order to increase the effect of their spells? Say +1 to hit or damage with a chosen power, can stack as many times as their Int mod. Or perhaps benefits involving range or targeting.

Not sure exactly how to do it, but that is probably a good direction to take it.

 

[ff6shadow]

Learning Powers.
It does use the skill check appropriate to the creature.

When I did the math on learning powers, I assumed a 16 in the learning skills stat. It worked out that an at-will power is realatively easier to learn, requireing a roll of 5-6 to learn.

Encounters generall require an 11-12, and recharge and daily powers required a 16-17.

 

[Cynlas]

...

Ok, thanks for the clarification.

However, I still think that any power should be at least Moderate difficulty; as it is, you could have the Blue Mage learn an At-Will power from a critter of a fairly higher level than themselves.

EG: a 1st level Blue Mage with a 16 Int would still only need to roll a 12 to learn an At-Will power from a 10th level mob. (5+3+12 = 20 = 15+5 DC). That is simply too easy. This means learning attacks that are +14 or +15 to hit, at first level, as At Will powers.

Since, at current, this ability allows them to learn any ability used, this means that the surviving blue mage (Hide and Run!) has access to a substantial attacking or spell power that no other character would be able to reach for some time. While this can be controlled by an attentive DM, I (for one) do throw PL+4 or more level creatures at a party for the big battles, which even then would provide more of a boost in power than I'd like, or that fits the Blue Mage's inherent weaknesses, that of using fairly weak (comparatively) monster abilities. Furthermore, if you allow the learning from PCs or non-threatening NPCs, what is to stop them from Hiring a 10th level wizard or cleric to fire off At-Wills until they learn them all (at a tenth level of ability)?

Yes, I realize that "role playing" should be a consideration in this, but it is painfully clear from the direction 4E went with things, that RP and Flavor are no longer used as limiting factors in balancing classes.

Anyway, the difficulty should, imho, go up by +5, and you might want to consider a level cap to what a Blue Mage can actually learn from a mob.

 

[Dragonbait]

bump

Edit - Question: How up-to-date is the pdf?

 

[ff6shadow]

It doesn't include the final update yet, which weakened several power.

Cynlas
I suppose placing a flat level +3 cap would work to keep that in check. How does that sound? Additioanlly, with what we are considering right now, the learning of powers from allied and non-threatening character will probably be removed.

 

[WanderingMystic]

I had noticed the conversations and was waiting to see if another change was going to be made until updating the pdf, it dose not include the 8/14 changes

 

[ff6shadow]

I have massively rewritten parts of the class based on suggestions from both Enworld and Gleemax. Please comment and offer further suggestions.

[sblock=8/30/08 - - 11:01]I completed a massive rewrite of the class based on suggestions from both Enworld and Gleemax. I removed about half of the powers and clearly differentiate benefits based on your chosen tactic. I moved several of the lost powers into the paragon paths. Further more, all ability to learn skills have been moved to class features and a multi-class character can only use this feature 1/day. I created a spellbook feature that can store up to 20 enemy "spells" for the blue mage for future use and permitted them to permanently learn enemy powers after a short rest if they copied them in the previous encounter. Alied powers can still be copied, but only for the encounter. Finally, since the ability to permanently learn powers was moved to the main class, I altered the Mimic Epic Destiny.[/sblock]