Character creation (traditions)

[Ramiella]

Is there a limit to the number of times you can take a specific tradition at character generation? I am concerned about the number of people who will take starter + 4x tradition, which ruins the idea of diversity IMHO.

Thanks for your help

 

[Morrus]

No, there's no limit. Characters can specialize or diversify as they wish. That said, the GM decides what traditions are available. In a desert campaign, for example, sailing traditions might not be available; and similarly you might say that some higher grades are not available.

You'll always get players who like to optimize their characters for one thing; that's generally OK as long as everybody isn't doing it.

 

[Ramiella]

Well, on that note

Presenting Saraella, the Brilliant Inquisitive Sylvan Elf Mage
25 yo, 6'3", 142 lb

Stats:
STR: 2
AGI: 4
END: 4
INT: 6
WILL: 7
CHA: 4
LUC: 2
MAG: 8

Noble > Herbalist > Cleric > Mage > Mage

Skills:
Survival
Herbalisim
Shortbow
Religion
Healing
Intuition
Hypnotism
Evocation
Performance (flute)

Spell lists: Heal life, Heal animal, compel undead, evoke fire, evoke lightening, create force, create nature, summon plant

Combat tricks: Aim, recklessness

GEAR:
1 set superior quality clothing
High quality herbalism kit
1260 GC (for more gear!)

Derived stats:
Health: 12
Speed: 5
Climb: 3
Jump: 8/2
Initiative: 4d6
Def/Mental Def: 8/14
Natural damage: 1 die
Magic Point pool: 24
Questions:

1) On page 110 it states that heal can only apply to virtues and elements yet the cleric write-up gives heal animal as a spell list, is this a hold-over?

2) The Mage tradition offers concentration as suggested skill, what is this/does it have any special effects on casting. Would this give 1d6 to all casting rolls (as opposed to action specific ones). If so, Would it stack?

 

[Sniperfox47]

1) On page 110 it states that heal can only apply to virtues and elements yet the cleric write-up gives heal animal as a spell list, is this a hold-over?

On the grand unifying spell list chart (in another post) he listed virtues, creatures, and elements all as valid targets for heal so I think that's an error on page 110. He may have already fixed in his copy, because he hasn't commented on it in any of the other threads that mention it.

With regards to taking a tradition multiple times It doesn't really ruin the diversity. Keep in mind, with the current system such a character can only advance once more (to rank 5) while any a character that takes rank 1 of 4 traditions can increase his rank twice for the same cost, and more after that.

Morrus mentioned in another thread that there will be an xp cost for learning a new tradition in the future, but even then as long as the cost is balanced there'd be no benefit to taking 5 ranks of 1, or 1 rank of 4 in the long run.

A character with 4 levels of the mage tradition for example may be very good at casting spells, but what does she do when she goes up against something resistant to magic?
A character with 4 ranks of archer may be really good at sniping off targets, but how does she deal with close quarters combat in the halls of a castle?
A character with 2 ranks of both may not be amazing at either but she can do both well enough that she can use either to defend herself.




Aside: [QUOTE=Ramiella;6294091]
Combat tricks: Aim, recklessness
[/QUOTE]
Does Aim help with the attack roll for signiture ranged magic? Does feint help with signiture touch spells? It says that it applies to attack rolls in that turn for ranged or melee combat, and the magic section describes them as attack rolls. Just wondering.

 

[Morrus]

On the grand unifying spell list chart (in another post) he listed virtues, creatures, and elements all as valid targets for heal so I think that's an error on page 110. He may have already fixed in his copy, because he hasn't commented on it in any of the other threads that mention it.

I can't check right now, but the error is more likely to be the chart. I was working from the PDF.

 

[Sniperfox47]

I can't check right now, but the error is more likely to be the chart. I was working from the PDF.

Well wherever it is there's an issue somewhere. The cleric and ranger traditions give heal animal, the page about heal says only virtues and elements are valid targets, and the chart shows everything as valid targets for heal.

 

[Morrus]

Well wherever it is there's an issue somewhere. The cleric and ranger traditions give heal animal, the page about heal says only virtues and elements are valid targets, and the chart shows everything as valid targets for heal.

Ah, yes, I see what you mean. I'll clear that up ASAP; I think I meant to focus just on creature types in the end, because creatures having element types is slightly problematic with N.E.W. compatibility.

 

[GlassEye]

Ah, yes, I see what you mean. I'll clear that up ASAP; I think I meant to focus just on creature types in the end, because creatures having element types is slightly problematic with N.E.W. compatibility.

It's not so much that the creatures would have those element types in the Type/Sub-type sense we've all come to associate with D&D just that they fit in a general, very broad category. Heal Life is used for most living creatures, Heal Death for undead, Heal [Element] for mechanicals and objects, based on material (Metal, Earth, Nature, etc.). Eliminate Heal [Element] and [Virtue] and you lose the ability to magically repair objects and limit the ability to replicate the clerical channel ability in D&D/PF.

These should work even in N.E.W.

 

[Sniperfox47]

It's not so much that the creatures would have those element types in the Type/Sub-type sense we've all come to associate with D&D just that they fit in a general, very broad category. Heal Life is used for most living creatures, Heal Death for undead, Heal [Element] for mechanicals and objects, based on material (Metal, Earth, Nature, etc.). Eliminate Heal [Element] and [Virtue] and you lose the ability to magically repair objects and limit the ability to replicate the clerical channel ability in D&D/PF.

These should work even in N.E.W.

I have to agree. I'd much rather see you change those two classes to Heal Life and just remove the creature targets than remove the element targets, it simplifies the spell list without the need to simplify the rules for it.

That being said, it might not be good for balance. I don't know how big of an issue casters having access to heal is in the long run, but it'd basically make it super easy for a caster to pick up one spell list so they could heal all their buddies.

Some elements wouldn't fit good with that system, but everything would have an element. Basically "Heal Life" could replace Heal Animal, Fey, and Plant, "Heal Death" could replace Heal Undead (And for healing corpses to keep them from decaying ), and you'd have Heal Earth, Metal, Crystal, and Nature to heal objects and constructs.

Could take Heal...Ooze(?) to heal plastic, or Heal Ice to fix your Ice Castle, but most of the rest would be limited in their potential. Basically you change the list of high priority Heal spells for a caster down from 3(animal/plant/fey)/1(undead)/1(mechanical) (for clerical, necromantic, and mechanistic) to 1(life)/1(death)/2(metal/nature).

I'm not sure how elementals would fit in there though. They might be difficult to heal if they're not one of the material elements, but I'm not clear on what creature type they fall under anyways...