skippy_the_witch
First Post
IK has the absolute best Technomagic rules EVER CREATED. While they are somewhat complex, and the text does have some errata and a few flaws, but once you understand the method to the designers madness, it becomes clear. Like technology is supposed to do, it both widens the availability of a technology (or in this case, magic) while at the same time adding a layer of complexity. With the IK Mechanika rules, a wizard can make damn near any magic item he wants with just TWO Item Creation Feats (Scribe Scroll and Craft Wondrous Items) and TWO skills (Craft [alchemy] and Craft [mechanika]). This is a fabulous developement to the d20 system whose answer in the past has been add a new item creation feat. Even though the IK world is "low magic" in some ways compared to the average High Fantasy campaign such as FR, it is not low in magic mechanika (or technomagic) items, nor in alchemical items and the like.
Consider the +1 flaming longsword. A soldier wants the flaming ability, not the +1 enhancement, in most cases. A +2 sword is much more expensive to make than a +1 sword. In IK, they make just flaming swords (without +1), but it costs charges per day, and if your battery is dead, you are SOL. Plus, in standard DND, adding the ability for said flaming longsword to cast a fireball spell is clumsy and not necessarily easily integrated. IK assumes someone would want to do this, and creates consistant rules for adding such an ability to your weapon. I love this stuff, and extrapolated which spells, CLs, etc were needed to make all of the non-divine special abilities from Arms & Armor v3.5.
I do admit though, that I am not ever planning on running an IK game. I bought it for it's technomagic item creation rules, for that is what my campaign basically is, a pseudo post apocalyptic technomagic world. DND with a gamma world twist. I never did understand why a wizard, when he makes an item, was not required to make some sort of craft or skill roll along with having the feats and the like (in my campaign, I have house rules that deal with most of this). True, if all the spellcaster did was "enchant" a sword, then no roll is neccessary, sincing nothing but the adding of magic was done. But, if the guy is mixing chemicals and stuff for a potion, then he is doing more than just pumping power into an item. He is actually crafting something, and in the case of a potion, he should have to make a craft (alchemy) check to see if he succeeds. My game is run as part of the local college RPG club, and I have found that all of the engineering and science students love the IK rules and a system that requires craft rolls to create magic items, while all of the liberal arts folks don't.
skippy
GM of The Cursed Earth Campaign
Consider the +1 flaming longsword. A soldier wants the flaming ability, not the +1 enhancement, in most cases. A +2 sword is much more expensive to make than a +1 sword. In IK, they make just flaming swords (without +1), but it costs charges per day, and if your battery is dead, you are SOL. Plus, in standard DND, adding the ability for said flaming longsword to cast a fireball spell is clumsy and not necessarily easily integrated. IK assumes someone would want to do this, and creates consistant rules for adding such an ability to your weapon. I love this stuff, and extrapolated which spells, CLs, etc were needed to make all of the non-divine special abilities from Arms & Armor v3.5.
I do admit though, that I am not ever planning on running an IK game. I bought it for it's technomagic item creation rules, for that is what my campaign basically is, a pseudo post apocalyptic technomagic world. DND with a gamma world twist. I never did understand why a wizard, when he makes an item, was not required to make some sort of craft or skill roll along with having the feats and the like (in my campaign, I have house rules that deal with most of this). True, if all the spellcaster did was "enchant" a sword, then no roll is neccessary, sincing nothing but the adding of magic was done. But, if the guy is mixing chemicals and stuff for a potion, then he is doing more than just pumping power into an item. He is actually crafting something, and in the case of a potion, he should have to make a craft (alchemy) check to see if he succeeds. My game is run as part of the local college RPG club, and I have found that all of the engineering and science students love the IK rules and a system that requires craft rolls to create magic items, while all of the liberal arts folks don't.
skippy
GM of The Cursed Earth Campaign
