Sell me on Arcana Evolved.

[Varianor Abroad]

Everyone's forgetting the art.

 

[Dagger75]

HATED IT!!!!!!!!

The spell system everybodies loves and gushes over really sucked IMHO. I played the stupid caster. Was fun being unconscious for every combat cause I had to heal. Then the damage spell I had required a RANGED ATTACKED followed buy a SAVING THROW. Glad the caster basically has to basically pass to attacks to do lame damage. Mind Stab sucks. If you don't take the Fire Domain casters are worthless. From what was thrown on me Monty wanted to get away from all mages having Magic Missle spell, so he desinged a garbage system where every caster has fire domain and casts like 2d6 fire bursts at first level.

Didn't feel like playing a thunder cat (the lion race) and summoner guy was weak. I wanted to play a normal wizard in the game instead of the stupid Magister after the first game. Was glad we were killed by giant toads and ended the game.

Sorry if I hurt any feelings but thats how I feel about AE.

 

[Nightfall]

Var,

No I said I liked the art, just the color art.

 

[mcrow]

HATED IT!!!!!!!!

The spell system everybodies loves and gushes over really sucked IMHO. I played the stupid caster. Was fun being unconscious for every combat cause I had to heal. Then the damage spell I had required a RANGED ATTACKED followed buy a SAVING THROW. Glad the caster basically has to basically pass to attacks to do lame damage. Mind Stab sucks. If you don't take the Fire Domain casters are worthless. From what was thrown on me Monty wanted to get away from all mages having Magic Missle spell, so he desinged a garbage system where every caster has fire domain and casts like 2d6 fire bursts at first level.

Didn't feel like playing a thunder cat (the lion race) and summoner guy was weak. I wanted to play a normal wizard in the game instead of the stupid Magister after the first game. Was glad we were killed by giant toads and ended the game.

Sorry if I hurt any feelings but thats how I feel about AE.

I give you a 4.5 on the rant-o-meter.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

HATED IT!!!!!!!!

The spell system everybodies loves and gushes over really sucked IMHO. I played the stupid caster. Was fun being unconscious for every combat cause I had to heal. Then the damage spell I had required a RANGED ATTACKED followed buy a SAVING THROW. Glad the caster basically has to basically pass to attacks to do lame damage. Mind Stab sucks. If you don't take the Fire Domain casters are worthless. From what was thrown on me Monty wanted to get away from all mages having Magic Missle spell, so he desinged a garbage system where every caster has fire domain and casts like 2d6 fire bursts at first level.

Didn't feel like playing a thunder cat (the lion race) and summoner guy was weak. I wanted to play a normal wizard in the game instead of the stupid Magister after the first game. Was glad we were killed by giant toads and ended the game.

Sorry if I hurt any feelings but thats how I feel about AE.

First off, your problems are with the SPELLS, not the system. What were you, 1st level? Buff up a few low level spells, its not like it will break the system. By the time you are 5th level, and get sorcerous blast, its all good. Tossing a 7d6 single target blast as its diminished effect (2nd level slot) is great. But you are right. Mind Stab, Blue Bolt, Ice Bolt, Shock, Touch of Disruption etc royally suck.

You dont "have" to heal, you get the OPTION of healing. Thats a big difference. It spreads around the "heal bot" duties to all casters. If you were the only guy supplying healing, you should have rolled a greenbond. And again, its an after battle thing, which I see as a HUGE plus. When making AE adventures, you design combats that dont require massive healing in the middle of them. I've found running numerous lower CR encounters per day more enjoyable than traditional 3.5 combats, with less "save or die" effects being tossed every round.

In particular, I like it better than having clerics in the game, since their massive power is (in theory) curbed by forcing them to take round after round of healing someone else.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

There were some weird things with the system, that almost seemed like Monte Cook hated 3.5 so much he would ignore all of its good points.

The skill Wilderness Survival, for instance. That's even longer than Wilderness Lore!

Or the oathbound, which still uses that weird 3 point iterative system that the 3.0 monk used.

Overall, I think it's a bit better than 3e. I just wish they tweaked some of the psionic "spells" so they would be low enough level that a Mind Witch can use them.

 

[catsclaw227]

First off, your problems are with the SPELLS, not the system. What were you, 1st level? Buff up a few low level spells, its not like it will break the system. By the time you are 5th level, and get sorcerous blast, its all good. Tossing a 7d6 single target blast as its diminished effect (2nd level slot) is great. But you are right. Mind Stab, Blue Bolt, Ice Bolt, Shock, Touch of Disruption etc royally suck.

I agree. I think the problem may have been more about spell selection and how the caster was utilized in the game.

If you don't take the Fire Domain casters are worthless. From what was thrown on me Monty wanted to get away from all mages having Magic Missle spell, so he desinged a garbage system where every caster has fire domain and casts like 2d6 fire bursts at first level.

I disagree, and would show you some examples, but my books aren't with me here at work. Is it possible that you were required to put the character together quickly, and didn't have time to put together what you wanted? How was the character's personality, was there much role-playing opportunity? Did you like the concept of the character you built, but were simply bothered by his mechanics?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I disagree, and would show you some examples, but my books aren't with me here at work.

I'll agree with that.

I don't have my books handy either, but IM(not so)HO, casters in AU/AE are a little more flexible, and the Ceremonial feats that add bonuses to spellcasters are really innovative.

(However, had it been my game to design, I would have maintained the arcane/divine distinction...)

 

[Nebulous]

The magic system alone should sell you. Hundreds and hundreds of spells, (when you add in the new Spell Treasury) and you can add a dozen or so templates to expand their uses. Spells can be cast laden (two slots at once) to activate metamagic, or cast heightened or diminished versions for greater or lesser spell effects. Spells are grouped by their normal schools, but also subclasses like Faen magic, psionic spells, dragon spells, etc. It breathes new life into D&D magic and FEELS similar enough that there's not a huge learning curve, but different enough that it feels completely new.

I've played a 3rd-5th level verrik magister now and i've really enjoyed him. Flame burst has been my staple spell the whole time, although i'm soon to upgrade to some much better stuff, although i have purposely played him as Psionically specialized, and i don't cast any Positive Energy or Plant domain spells. (i wanted to leave that to the greenbonds)

 

[SWBaxter]

There were some weird things with the system, that almost seemed like Monte Cook hated 3.5 so much he would ignore all of its good points.

IIRC, AU was under development at about the same time as 3.5, so Monte didn't have it to react against. I think there's an article on his website where he mentions this.