New 44-Page Elements of Magic (Revised) Preview!

[Blue mage for hire2]

Void is basically vacuum, or the absence of matter. The simplest effect of this is that it's kinda like mild disintegration. If you're hit with an Evoke Void spell, you'll have bits of you simply obliterated.

The side effect you can buy with Evoke Void basically sucks the air out of the victim's lungs, since air is the easiest thing to destroy. So Void is sort of a mixed bag of pseudo-antimatter and simple vacuum.

Okay, I saw an attack in a video game that might just qualify as an Evoke Void. In the english version of Tales of Phantasia, (download from its page on www.fantasyanime.com) the main villian releases an attack on the guy who released him from his seal (gee, thats graditude) and his goons. This attack is composed of a large ray of gray/blue/purple streaks that slams into its targets, which remain in reality as a black outline of their former selves for a few seconds, then get wiped out of existence. I first that the vaccumous distentigration of the goons was force-based, but then it stuck me: Thats Void!

Its not a Disentigrate spell, because energy splashes over the target instead of just zapping it out of existence immediately (ala Star Trek phaser blasts). It might be vaccum because of its bizarre visual effects, like it doesn't belong in the world of matter. It might be antimatter because of its eventual destruction of any remains. Does the attack (Dhaos Cannon) count as a visual for Evoke Void?

Also, I'm not sure how to adjudicate "bits of you simply oblitterated." Its got to mean more than say, the 1d6 damage of void damage. I mean, which bits of you? Normally the EoM equivalent of Cure light wounds doesn't fix your fingers disappearing, thats more Regeneration's department. And "a little bit from your middle, a little bit of your thighs, a little bit of your nose, and one of your hairs" seems too unprofessional and made-up on the spot to be taken seriously. Plus, there's only so much nose you can disentigrate before it disappers totally.

So basically, WTH does void LOOK LIKE!!?

 

[RangerWickett]

Imagine the statue of David by Michaelangelo, or any other beautiful statue of a person. Now take a pick to it and chip away tiny bits, pockmarking the face, leaving dents across the skin. You don't actually break anything off, but it's a sort of scattershot effect, flaying tiny bits off you. Are you familiar with the baleful teleport power from the Psionics Handbook?

And the Dhaos Cannon sounds like a perfectly reasonable depiction of Evoke Void. Really, any given element could look like lots of things. Evoke Fire could be a classic burst of flame, or it could simply make the air sizzle with waves of heat that don't actually combust, or it could even cause people's bodies to burn spontaneously from within. Void just happens to be one of the more paradoxical of the elements.

 

[Blue mage for hire2]

First of all, thanks Ranger Wickett for all your help, and to you and all your associattes for making the original Elements of Magic, and now this revised version, Lycean Arcana (did I spell that right?)

You don't actually break anything off, but it's a sort of scattershot effect, flaying tiny bits off you.

Oh, I get it now! So nothings really missing, just tiny heaps of cells break of like spranell!

Are you familiar with the baleful teleport power from the Psionics Handbook?

Sorry, but no. I never did think much about psconics to buy any books, and I've never seen them in any of my games. To be truthful, I just haven't been roleplaying all that I would have liked to, I estimate that I've had about 16 sessions (not the same campaign) all together, but I THINK I know a lot about the game.

Really, any given element could look like lots of things. Evoke Fire could be a classic burst of flame, or it could simply make the air sizzle with waves of heat that don't actually combust, or it could even cause people's bodies to burn spontaneously from within. Void just happens to be one of the more paradoxical of the elements.

Thats pretty inuitive, which is good, but as you've noticed, I've asked a lot about elements. It might be a good idea to dedicate a page of a section thereof to various potential visual effects of elements. Evoke [Element] and Create [Element] both require some idea of what the elements look like, as well as Summon Elemental. Heres a few examples:

Light-Sterotically is a beam of white of golden light, because the element is usually compared with the sun or powers of justice and purity themselves, but light can appear as a rainbow spectum, or even a single-colored laser (circa Star Wars).

Ice-Could be perfect Ice crystals, large blocks of Ice, a cloud of freezing air, or even snow! Also, Evoke Ice could be totally invisible, with you trying to freeze and internal organ or just use your force of will to try to drop your enemies' core tempature to the point where he dies (or rusts, or just stops moving) from his inability to continue functioning.

Lightning- This element either extends from your fingertips or for the sky, and it can be white, light blue or yellow-esqe.

Ooze- Goo, Slime, Mud, Mildew, any kind of filth really. Just remember there's a difference between Acid and Ooze.

Void- Vaccuum, the absense of matter. Causes tiny bits of skin to chip off. Void can be totally invisible or seem like a waterfall of cool-colored energy streaks. The visible energy in such an attack or item might merely be the barrier to keep the antimatter from the matter of empty air, or might be the void itself tearing across reality.

Such an addition might make the system easier to use in the creation of truly artistic spells!

 

[Blue mage for hire2]

Hey, where'd everybody else go? I know the sampler is out, but really! I've been the only one to post lately, and those were just questions about Element types, mainly. Are there really no more questions?

Strange, I only registered here to ask questions about this product a while back, and now I'm the only one whose moving and shaking the topic. It would have just stopped at those questions about magic weapons without me. I seems strange that one person can ever say that.

*just sits there*
* the song "I feel like I saved the world today" plays*







Blue Mage: Hey! Keep it down up there!!!! *whacks the roof with a broom.*

 

[RangerWickett]

I'm a bit against putting in a page with sample descriptions, simply because the book is large enough already. I think we'll make it a web enhancement.

 

[Blue mage for hire2]

I'm a bit against putting in a page with sample descriptions, simply because the book is large enough already. I think we'll make it a web enhancement.

That's fine. It can't be easy with all the new stuff you have to add. Those spellcasting traditions must take up quite some space. Plus, the free download itself was 44 pages, and it still doesn't take anything away from the finished product.

 

[Kavyk]

Lyceian Arcana and The Elements of Magic - Revised are one in the same? I had the impression that there was going to be a Revision and then a follow-up.

Regardless, I eagerly await the release of a finished product. Is there a set date yet?

 

[RangerWickett]

The situation is a little odd. Originally, we planned for the revised Elements of Magic to lead into a print edition, which would combine the revised book with extra material to create The Elements of Magic - Lyceian Arcana. We're still fiddling around with the print situation, though.

 

[Blue mage for hire2]

Out of curiousity, when do you expect Lycean Arcana/EOM revised to be finished?

 

[Blue mage for hire2]

Is there a set date yet?

Oh right. My bad.