ED4 Rule Question: Named Spells

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Sushy
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ED4 Rule Question: Named Spells

Post by Sushy » Thu Aug 09, 2018 12:09 pm

Hello All,

in the ED4 Companion the Enchanting Chapter also refers to "Named Spells".
But I can't find the chapter explaining naming Spells within Companion, GamemasterGuide and PlayersGuide.

Can you tell me the rules or the pages where I can find the rules naming spell (making them permanent).

BR
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Mataxes
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Re: ED4 Rule Question: Named Spells

Post by Mataxes » Thu Aug 09, 2018 12:52 pm

There aren't any official ED4 rules for Named spells yet. We're working on them, but balance is an issue.
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Re: ED4 Rule Question: Named Spells

Post by Lursi » Thu Aug 09, 2018 10:41 pm

I dont think one can bring balance into such actions by general rules.

It is more something in accordance with the GM and probably mostly for the evil villains.
Of all things I lost, sanity I held dearest.

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Re: ED4 Rule Question: Named Spells

Post by Mataxes » Thu Aug 09, 2018 10:55 pm

I have... thoughts... on balance as it pertains to game design. There's even the beginnings of a blog post about it.

In brief: Our concerns with balance as it relates to Named spells is not just gameplay balance, but also how it might potentially warp the setting.
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Re: ED4 Rule Question: Named Spells

Post by TheOracle » Fri Aug 10, 2018 6:41 am

There is precedent for powerful named spells used as permanent buffs by NPCs, isn't it? I'm thinking of Alachias "glamour" spell.

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Re: ED4 Rule Question: Named Spells

Post by Mataxes » Fri Aug 10, 2018 12:47 pm

Yeah, but Alachia is a special case. Because of her age and experience it's easy to say, "Player characters can't do this thing Alachia can do." And then you don't provide rules for letting PCs do it.

If you create rules that allow for game-warping effects (Named Improve Karma, anyone?) you need to consider that anybody capable of doing the thing will do the thing, which then sets that up as the new 'baseline'. (For example: Throal's infantry all had max-forged swords.)
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Re: ED4 Rule Question: Named Spells

Post by TheOracle » Fri Aug 10, 2018 1:38 pm

That's something I've never liked. A 15th circle wizard should not have a "he is a player character" barrier when it comes to what he can and cannot do. Such a character should be able to play in a league with the Alachias of the world. For me, this is something that a player whose character has been played for so long and who has survived for so long has earned.

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Re: ED4 Rule Question: Named Spells

Post by Bonhumm » Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:17 pm

TheOracle wrote:
Fri Aug 10, 2018 1:38 pm
That's something I've never liked. A 15th circle wizard should not have a "he is a player character" barrier when it comes to what he can and cannot do. Such a character should be able to play in a league with the Alachias of the world. For me, this is something that a player whose character has been played for so long and who has survived for so long has earned.

I can see arguments for both sides here.

Yes, being a 15th Circle (theoretical limit) should allow you do to anything another adept (of same Discipline) can do but there is also the question of experience, spell grimoire and gear.

Yes Alachia is (I assume) 15th circle, but she had been 15th circle for a few century at least so all her talents most be rank Skull or something, she probably scraped some rare spells from wherever and unique threaded items with unlisted powers so she (and others like her) could pull stuff a 'brand-new' Circle 15 cannot do.

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Re: ED4 Rule Question: Named Spells

Post by etherial » Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:23 pm

Bonhumm wrote:
Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:17 pm
Yes Alachia is (I assume) 15th circle, but she had been 15th circle for a few century at least so all her talents most be rank Skull or something, she probably scraped some rare spells from wherever and unique threaded items with unlisted powers so she (and others like her) could pull stuff a 'brand-new' Circle 15 cannot do.
And from when the magic level was higher and leveraging the Pattern Items of the Elven Nation and...

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Re: ED4 Rule Question: Named Spells

Post by Lursi » Fri Aug 10, 2018 11:17 pm

The key is probably the cost.

If a circle 12 character has to sacrifice 3 permanent damage point for a named spell to take effect permanently, he will think twice to do this more often...
Of all things I lost, sanity I held dearest.

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