Sell me on Arcana Evolved.

[Wystan]

Nope.

My problem is that with the nature of magic in AU/AE, this kind of ambiguity couldn't exist.

Consider that akashic ability I mentioned. By using it, the akashic would be able to discern without a doubt that a particular deity existed. Either the entity would posess the akashic, thus allowing others to communicate with it, or nothing would happen- indicating that such a being never existed.

However:

Memory Possession
The akashic can absorb the memories of any intelligent creature who is alive or who as ever lived for 1 round per level...Akashics use this ability to allow their allies to speak with and ask questions fo the possessing memory... AU p29

Emphasis mine, who says that the god lives the same way we do. Also a god should be powerful enough to say "I refuse to answer that summons" Welcome to more ambiguity.

Especially if we are ruling that they are the source of magic. I mean can an imaginary god create a spell that it cannot ignore?

god<>immovable rock

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

who says that the god lives the same way we do.

The ability doesn't qualify or in any way limit "live."

Also a god should be powerful enough to say "I refuse to answer that summons"

And actually, on a certain level I agree with that- the gulf between divine and mortal isn't something that can be truly bridged from the mortal side.

IMCs, the only direct interactions you get with the avatars of the gods (for which I use the published stats). But in every legend, myth or story I've ever read involving avatars, those avatars are themselves either living beings or clearly manifestations of living beings.

 

[glass]

The main difference that I like is that the Savage Species racial levels must be taken sequentially and in their entirety before taking any class levels. Thus, a creature with +4 racial levels would have to take those 4 levels before taking a single level in Sorcerer or what have you.

No, the main difference is that you are a typical 'creature X' at the end of a Savage Species pregression, but at the beginning of an AE progression. So the AE progression is not a way of playing powerful races at low levels at all, which is the whole raison d'etre of the SS version.

This is something the AU/AE racial levels do away with- a Litorian need not take all or even any of the race's levels.

Exactly.


glass.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Dannyalcatraz
The main difference that I like is that the Savage Species racial levels must be taken sequentially and in their entirety before taking any class levels. Thus, a creature with +4 racial levels would have to take those 4 levels before taking a single level in Sorcerer or what have you.

No, the main difference is that you are a typical 'creature X' at the end of a Savage Species pregression, but at the beginning of an AE progression. So the AE progression is not a way of playing powerful races at low levels at all, which is the whole raison d'etre of the SS version.

You're mostly correct in the reasoning for the difference of the "ground rules" of the 2 books (the giants, after all, don't gain any of their height until they take all 3 racial levels), but you misunderstand my point- my fault because of unclear sentence formulation.

The main difference that I like- the mechanical difference I think that is superior- is that the AU/AE racial levels need not be taken at all. Your PC can be a giant without taking those racial levels, or may take a couple of them, or all of them...and at any time in the PC's development. A Savage Species PC, in contrast, MUST take ALL of the racial levels, sequentially, before taking levels in any character classes. I see the AU/AE as more flexible and thus, superior.

 

[Voadam]

You channel the Imrahel, first prophet of The One, and ask him "did you really hear The One speaking to you, and write down what he said in the books of Ihon-Re?" His answer: "Yes, absolutely." You still don't know if he was truely channeling a deity, or being mislead by some other supernatural being, or a psychotic listening to the voices in his head.

Alternately, he could also give a non-answer such as "that you ask the question indicates you are not ready to hear the answer." I could see these sorts of answers classified as "problems", but probably not in the way you seem to think.

If he says "No" however, then you have learned something definite about the books of Ihon-Re.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I've deleted the two posts that referred to real-world religions, because they had the serious potential to derail the thread.

If you want to repost some of the concepts that you are were attempting to illustrate in a way which doesn't refer to real world religions, that is fine (use Greyhawk or Forgotten Realms or some other pure fantasy example, for instance).

Thanks

 

[SWBaxter]

If he says "No" however, then you have learned something definite about the books of Ihon-Re.

Sure. But the issue that spawned this threadjack is not "is it possible to get a definite answer with this ability", that appears obvious. The issue is "does this ability allow for ambiguity", and I think the answer is a pretty unambiguous yes.