The Book of Experimental Might: Now in Print!

[Greg K]

Monte also reverted to the 3.0 buff spells (hours instead of rounds and 1d4+1 instead of 4).

This one I don't like. Its just a preference thing.

Monte replaced all the Cure spells with a new Healing system wherein clerics don't spend an action to heal somebody. Instead, the healed spends an action to get healed. Quite an interesting change. There are many more subtle changes in that area.

So, clerics don't cure at all? I wouldn't have minded limiting it to clerics with the healing domain or such, but I am not sure how I feel about this. I might need to see more.

 

[Starman]

So, clerics don't cure at all? I wouldn't have minded limiting it to clerics with the healing domain or such, but I am not sure how I feel about this. I might need to see more.

I'd have to double-check the exact rule, but with one of the cleric disciplines, allies can heal themselves by taking an action to touch some part of the cleric. The cleric can still cast cure ___ wounds, but this allows the party to gain healing without expecting the cleric to be the one doing most of the work.

 

[Greg K]

I'd have to double-check the exact rule, but with one of the cleric disciplines, allies can heal themselves by taking an action to touch some part of the cleric. The cleric can still cast cure ___ wounds, but this allows the party to gain healing without expecting the cleric to be the one doing most of the work.

That was included? I remember reading on Monte's board about touching the cleric. I didn't care for that idea so I completely wiped it from my mind.

I think at this point, I am most interested in seeing the new spell distribution, how background skills work, Monte's version of second wind, and the new abilities for spellcasters. I like how he did starting hit points and it was what I was hoping for in 4e.

 

[kensanata]

Buffs

This one I don't like. Its just a preference thing.

Well, in effect buffs are only useful before you get into the mid-game. Around level 9-11 you will have enough magic items to provide you the buffs those spells provide. So I'm just looking at levels 3-8 right now. What I find tricky is changes to attributes that happen often, ie. more than once per session. Having the buffs be essentially per day (assuming adventuring while these buffs are active) simplifies book-keeping. Spellcasters give up a spell-slot in exchange for a bonus to a party member. This sort of choice I like. I'm not sure I like 1d4+1 vs. a static +4, but I'm willing to try it first. (I never played 3.0.)

 

[Nellisir]

That was included? I remember reading on Monte's board about touching the cleric. I didn't care for that idea so I completely wiped it from my mind.

It's an option, not a rule. Goes with the divine presence discipline. I liked it because while the cleric is still doing the healing, it puts most of the time/resource cost on the character being healed.

 

[Nellisir]

Well, in effect buffs are only useful before you get into the mid-game. Around level 9-11 you will have enough magic items to provide you the buffs those spells provide. So I'm just looking at levels 3-8 right now. What I find tricky is changes to attributes that happen often, ie. more than once per session. Having the buffs be essentially per day (assuming adventuring while these buffs are active) simplifies book-keeping. Spellcasters give up a spell-slot in exchange for a bonus to a party member. This sort of choice I like. I'm not sure I like 1d4+1 vs. a static +4, but I'm willing to try it first. (I never played 3.0.)

I always thought durations should be either rounds or 12/24 hours, myself. Having something last 7 hours just adds bookkeeping. +4/12 hours, that'd be my houserule.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

I'd have to double-check the exact rule, but with one of the cleric disciplines, allies can heal themselves by taking an action to touch some part of the cleric. The cleric can still cast cure ___ wounds, but this allows the party to gain healing without expecting the cleric to be the one doing most of the work.

There are no Cure spells.

As a playtester, it has worked pretty well (been using this system about six months). There are two different Divine Disciplines that heal. The "touch my saintly robes and heal thyself" discipline (Divine Presence) and the more standard Healing Touch discipline. The Healing Touch heals a bit more, but the cleric must still use his action to heal. Of course, at low levels, the limit on the number of people you can heal can lead to some tough choices!

I built a fast cleric (with the Celerity domain), so I can get to people quickly and heal them. The Divine Presence didn't seem as useful for my concept, but I think it's cool. I took a few advancements for Healing Touch, too, so my cleric can harm undead and heal more (2 dice instead of 1 die).

I have not taken the Turn Undead discipline, and don't really plan to take it, but without it fights against undead are, well, fights. It looks really cool, though, because at high levels you can turn demons and evil casters.

I wasn't sure how I'd like the discipline system at first, but I am really enjoying it in play.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

It's an option, not a rule. Goes with the divine presence discipline. I liked it because while the cleric is still doing the healing, it puts most of the time/resource cost on the character being healed.

I, too, really like the concept of characters who need healing using their own actions to do it.

Except that the front-line fighter, standing toe-to-toe with the Big Bad, can't afford to run over, get healed, and run back into melee--and the party often can't afford that sequence of actions (missing out on two rounds of full attacks).

And since it's a separate discipline from the more standard healing discipline, the cleric has to spend feats on two different healing disciplines as the characters advance in level (if they want the healing to increase and they want the flexibility of both disciplines).

I have not seen it in play, yet, but it would be interesting to see how it all works out in a party. Fights may play out in very different ways if the cleric only has Divine Presence.

 

[Nellisir]

Except that the front-line fighter, standing toe-to-toe with the Big Bad, can't afford to run over, get healed, and run back into melee--and the party often can't afford that sequence of actions (missing out on two rounds of full attacks).

I don't have the book to hand, but I certainly wouldn't rule that the cleric couldn't go over and slap the fighter as usual. It might heal a little less than healing touch, but it still gets the job done.

 

[Jaws]

Edit: Double post