New Design: Wizards...

[Reaper Steve]

So, I reread the 'Tomb under the Tor' playest armed with this new knowledge. Do you think Sasha is a Hidden Flame or a Golden Wyvern? Hard to tell...she wields Fire, but I'm sure that shared across both traditions.

BTW:
1) they should stick with 'traditions' and drop 'disciplines.'
2) I know why I don't like the names...they remind of of the Houses at Hogwarts (Serpent Eye = Slytherin, Golden Wyvern = Gryfinndor, etc.) Not in execution, but they are very similar names...too similar.

 

[F4NBOY]

Actually, summoning was mentioned:

Tome is gone.

 

[Olthynn]

I really don't like the revised article. In the original article, the implements seemed to enhance the purpose and the flavor of the magic. The wizard lunges his staff forward, sending out a bolt of electricity destroying everything in its path. Another wizard focuses the power of his orb and projects a spell to entangle a large group of foes. Yet another wizard invokes the ancient lore in his tome to summon forth a remarkable beast of power.

In other words, in my opinion the implements made sense with the magic they were being used for and therefore they added to the flavor of the magic.

But in the revised article, the implements just seem so arbitrary. The orb can be used for defense and spells of force and thunder? Why? Because it's the tradition of the Iron Sigil? What if I don't have, or want, the Iron Sigil tradition in my game? Sure, I can rename it, but what if I don't have a tradition that combines defense with force and thunder? What if I don't have a tradition that combines frost and acid?

In my opinion, it's like they've put the cart before the horse. My impression of the original system was that it allowed individual spellcasters to make their own choices in regards to their suite of spells and then allow them to use implements that would logically enhance those choices. Under that system, magic organizations and traditions may or may not exist depending on a number of factors.

But with the revised system, it's like they're working backwards. They're starting with those organizations, and then forcing individual spellcasters to decide on their spells based on those organizations and using implements that have seemingly no connection to those spells other than tradition. Organizations and traditions should be the result of a strong, flexible magic system, not attempting to be the underlying cause of one. To me, that's bad design.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't game-breaking or anything. I imagine I'll be able to willfully ignore most of it. But there will always be the thought that the implements now seem to be completely arbitrary (why can a wand channel frost and force but not fire or thunder?) and that they could have been a lot better; in fact, for a few days they were better, in my opinion.

 

[gothmaugCC]

So do you feel hamstrung that the Sorcerer class's fluff text says: "Blood of dragons"? Does that prevent you from having a feyblooded Sorcerer, one trained by a demon, or in the wrong place at the wrong time when an artifact blew up?

I am certain that if your campaign world doesn't have Dragons, you can find another source for sorcerers.

No, but if the sorcerer class had, lets say 3 talent trees, and the dragonblood one was called "Veins of mighty might", which is a special family tree enjoyed by those who are proficient in fire magic, then yes i would feel hamstrung, as any fire based sorcer i created would by default be assumed to be decended from a dragon and belong to this family, as opposed to perhaps a demon.

There is a BIG difference between fluff text given in the flavor entry of the class, and fluff text intregrated into the mechanics of the class itself. Flufff intregrated directly into the class limits your possibilities. This is not a big deal in home games where everyone retools the rules to thier liking, but in a tournament style game (like the RPGA or Arcanis) where you have to follow the rules verbatim, your choices are limited right out of the starting gate.

 

[JVisgaitis]

Um, did they redo the article? Looks like tome isn't there anymore...

 

[Rechan]

Dark Cultist: Great evil overlord, receive the sacrifice of this +2 virgin, on this, the most damned of...
Virgin: Hey! What? +2? No way! I'm at least a +6 virgin! Look at these innocent eyes! Look at the quality of these diaphanous garments--which you tore, I might also point out. I'm totally unicorn bait!
Dark Cultist: Okay, jeez. Receive this +6 virgin, oh dark lord.

*stab*

*invoke dark ritual of evil*

Dark Cultist: Hey, it turns out she really was a +6 virgin. Go figure.

Hahaha.

However, I will say this. That's one thing I never quite got about demons and evil gods. Why virgins? The pure of heart and all that generally don't sin, and thus their souls go to heaven. What you want is to sacrifice someone bad, so that the evil entity gets that soul for themselves. Otherwise that soul could've went under someone else's purview.

 

[gothmaugCC]

Um, did they redo the article? Looks like tome isn't there anymore...

Yep they pulled it and replaced it with a new version

 

[F4NBOY]

Since I don't care about anime, harry potter and wuxia movies, those names looks pretty cool.
I hope they are just names, and we can change tham to fit the campaign flavor, the same way I simply change classes, spells and other game terms names to fit my setting's flavor, no big deal.
Actually I only care for the rules. The fluff part I can handle.

 

[gothmaugCC]

Hahaha.

However, I will say this. That's one thing I never quite got about demons and evil gods. Why virgins? The pure of heart and all that generally don't sin, and thus their souls go to heaven. What you want is to sacrifice someone bad, so that the evil entity gets that soul for themselves. Otherwise that soul could've went under someone else's purview.

Unless of course, by sacrificing them you send thier soul to the entity in which you dedicated the ritual. In that case its a way for demons/gods to get their hands on really pure souls they would otherwise never obtain.

Makes a real good argument for WHY cults exist..doesnt it?

 

[Zurai]

Except that line isnt a classic (as it never appeared in the book). It was cobbled together from information from the Simmirilion for the movie.

Actually, yes, yes it is in the Fellowship of the Ring. Book 2, Chapter 5; The Bridge of Khazad-Dum.

"You cannot pass," he said. The orcs stood still, and a dead silence fell. "I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you here, flame of Udûn. You cannot pass."