Incarnum interest level?

[derbacher]

My personal interest in Magic of Incarnum is 0.

However, I will be buying, reading and digesting its impact on Eberron. Since it is going to be included in the next version of the RPGA Campaign Standards, I have to be familiar enough with it to run PCs who use it in Mark of Heroes adventures. At least, if I want to keep judging at GenCon, Winter Fantasy, Origins, et al.

 

[Graf]

The immeadiate good news is that its not ingendering the level of dislike that people have for psionics.
I'm wondering if its adaption to Eberron will fix the fluff issues (or maybe even the alignment stuff).

the extremist alignment classes... definitely something that came from James... (a paladin loving gamer).

I haven't seen evidence that would support this. Either that James wrote the two classes or that his love of paladins exists or was a factor.

While his blog makes it clear that he's personally religious I'm not sure that that means anything. He's designed a lot of material over the years and between the two of them the classes in question offer you a chance to be -any- alignment (so long as you're completely extreme about it)

I -do- agree with the sentiment that the alignment decisions were just terrible and bring down the usablilty of the material but it looks more to me like some weird result of "decision by concensus" or just deadlines-met-with-filler than somebody's agenda.

 

[WizarDru]

While we're on the subject, let's make it clear to those who haven't read it:

Incarnum is NOT NOT NOT an alternate magic system. It is, for the most part, an alternate magic ITEM system, with some side-effects that match some Psionic powers. Anyone thinking they can just strip the core magic system out and replace it with Incarnum will be SORELY disappointed, unless they wish to increase personal dependence on magic items/effects.

I like the system because of the fluff, not despite it, like some. I admit some of it is at odds with itself, but it still presents some interesting opportunities. The aspect of shifting your focus around in real-time is an alluring one, as is the idea of being able to periodically change out your magic items. It puts an emphasis back on the players and their abilities, and not their stuff...which is an idea that many have been clamoring for for some time.

 

[diaglo]

I haven't seen evidence that would support this. Either that James wrote the two classes or that his love of paladins exists or was a factor.

While his blog makes it clear that he's personally religious I'm not sure that that means anything. He's designed a lot of material over the years and between the two of them the classes in question offer you a chance to be -any- alignment (so long as you're completely extreme about it)

I -do- agree with the sentiment that the alignment decisions were just terrible and bring down the usablilty of the material but it looks more to me like some weird result of "decision by concensus" or just deadlines-met-with-filler than somebody's agenda.

James has posted many times about his love of playing paladins.

maybe i'm just on too many darn message boards.

edit: he also said it at a talk at Gen Con Indy 03.

edit2: where i said about him writing that section is purely speculation on my part. but it is based on what i have read and heard from James in the past 5 years.

edit3: whenever James mentions(ed) working on the BoED is where he talks(ed) about his favorite paladins the most.

 

[Aaron L]

Incarnum looks ver interesting to me, I'll be buying the book when I can afford it, and I amgoing to make a place for it in my homebrew world, even if I have to tweak some history (actually altering the history is going to be the funnest part.) This is just the thing I've been asking for for two years, more types of supernatural power, and dang right I'm going to use it.

 

[FireLance]

I think it's got interesting new mechanics and decent fluff, and I'd allow it in a game I DM without hesitation.

I don't agree with WizarDru that it's an alternate magic item system, since soullmelds don't reduce a meldshaper's need for magic items. Meldshapers still benefit from magic items, in much the same way that monks, sorcerers, soulknives and psions do.

 

[Dalamar]

Okay. I guess it would do with medium BAB and a few more flavourful soulmelds added then. What about allowing incarnates to select any soulmelds from any of the incarnate, soulborn and totemist lists?

Personally, I wouldn't do that. A much better solution would be to devise more soulmelds approriate to the ones that each class already has. And even if a merger would be made, I still wouldn't make all totemist melds automatically available to Incarnates. Maybe some of them, but not all.

 

[Gold Roger]

I don't have it, but I'm working on a homebrew where it would fit. I'll propably ditch the Paladin and add Incarnates and/or Soulborn instead. A lack of fluff is great if you ask me, that makes the stuff much more adaptable. Incarnum in my Setting would propably not using any soul out there, but weaving your own soul taking energie from the power of your alignmend, so the alignment dependance is alright with me as well.

 

[HiLiphNY]

It's a pretty weak book in my opinion. I will not be using it, or encouraging its use. In many ways, the whole concept of the book seems quite a reach to me. Is the creative well running dry? I hope the forthcoming spellbook is good.

 

[WizarDru]

I think it's got interesting new mechanics and decent fluff, and I'd allow it in a game I DM without hesitation.

I don't agree with WizarDru that it's an alternate magic item system, since soullmelds don't reduce a meldshaper's need for magic items. Meldshapers still benefit from magic items, in much the same way that monks, sorcerers, soulknives and psions do.

Sorry, I should have been more clear; I didn't mean to imply that it replaced the existing magic-item system (though I believe it could, with some minor tweaking), simply that it was an alternate system for handling magic items/effects. My main point was that many people were talking about it (based on what they'd heard) that Incarnum was a full-blown replacement system that could stand in for the existing magic system...and it most definitely can not.