Paths
Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 5:56 am
Josh touched on this briefly in the Earthdawn Companion thread and I wanted to add more, but I don't want to derail that thread into something completely different. So here we are: Paths.
This book has been mentioned and discussed obliquely previously, typically referred to as "Disciplines". That title is shorthand for "the book that addresses the expanded Disciplines from 1E/3E and adapts them to 4E". Which is to say, it does bring most of those Disciplines into 4E, but the end result typically isn't a full Discipline, but instead another implementation of the new framework first used in for questors. I'm being a bit pedantic about that because it's easy to take the development shorthand being used and assume it's a big book of Disciplines. I like to think it's more interesting and useful than that, but I also like to think 8-tracks are going to make a comeback. What I really don't want is to create false expectations.
Most of the content is drawn from Namegivers of Barsaive 3E, though there will be new entries and not everything from Namegivers is going to make the cut. Realistically, I don't see all three windling entries being included when there are opportunities for more varied entries. As Josh indicated, the Horror Stalker design is essentially complete and Tail Dancer in the final stretch. Honestly, I'm pretty excited about Tail Dancer as it provides something of a new direction and style of play for those characters.
The frameworks in relation to this implementation are being called "Paths" right now. It turns out only Josh and myself liked "mystery cults". Something about cults being too loaded of a term. To reiterate some of what he said in the other thread, Paths modify an existing Discipline. I'm not going to discuss the details of how that works right now, but both Horror Stalker and Tail Dancer are Paths rather than Disciplines. From a development perspective, this is a boon for introducing new material. It gives a vehicle for putting groups into the setting without the need for introducing a new Discipline. This means existing characters can benefit from new material without the need for an additional Discipline. Ensuring new material is generally accessible to existing characters is a priority.
This also means we can more freely introduce these kinds of groups which then have a distinctive feel. Josh indicated (and I agree) Lightbearers are candidates for this framework if they comeback. To be clear, Lightbearers are not in this book. But there is a growing list of various groups within the setting who might be good candidates for this kind of treatment. In all, it's a pretty exciting tool for developing new material and gives a new avenue for characters to invest in the setting. Getting the costs right is important. The goal is to have these be interesting choices for the right characters, rather than being something everyone needs to have.
Hopefully this provides some additional information and clears up any possible misunderstandings.
Best regards,
Morgan
This book has been mentioned and discussed obliquely previously, typically referred to as "Disciplines". That title is shorthand for "the book that addresses the expanded Disciplines from 1E/3E and adapts them to 4E". Which is to say, it does bring most of those Disciplines into 4E, but the end result typically isn't a full Discipline, but instead another implementation of the new framework first used in for questors. I'm being a bit pedantic about that because it's easy to take the development shorthand being used and assume it's a big book of Disciplines. I like to think it's more interesting and useful than that, but I also like to think 8-tracks are going to make a comeback. What I really don't want is to create false expectations.
Most of the content is drawn from Namegivers of Barsaive 3E, though there will be new entries and not everything from Namegivers is going to make the cut. Realistically, I don't see all three windling entries being included when there are opportunities for more varied entries. As Josh indicated, the Horror Stalker design is essentially complete and Tail Dancer in the final stretch. Honestly, I'm pretty excited about Tail Dancer as it provides something of a new direction and style of play for those characters.
The frameworks in relation to this implementation are being called "Paths" right now. It turns out only Josh and myself liked "mystery cults". Something about cults being too loaded of a term. To reiterate some of what he said in the other thread, Paths modify an existing Discipline. I'm not going to discuss the details of how that works right now, but both Horror Stalker and Tail Dancer are Paths rather than Disciplines. From a development perspective, this is a boon for introducing new material. It gives a vehicle for putting groups into the setting without the need for introducing a new Discipline. This means existing characters can benefit from new material without the need for an additional Discipline. Ensuring new material is generally accessible to existing characters is a priority.
This also means we can more freely introduce these kinds of groups which then have a distinctive feel. Josh indicated (and I agree) Lightbearers are candidates for this framework if they comeback. To be clear, Lightbearers are not in this book. But there is a growing list of various groups within the setting who might be good candidates for this kind of treatment. In all, it's a pretty exciting tool for developing new material and gives a new avenue for characters to invest in the setting. Getting the costs right is important. The goal is to have these be interesting choices for the right characters, rather than being something everyone needs to have.
Hopefully this provides some additional information and clears up any possible misunderstandings.
Best regards,
Morgan