Making Characters

Information and discussion for players of the game. No spoilers here please!
Slimcreeper
Posts:1061
Joined:Mon Nov 28, 2016 11:44 pm
Re: Making Characters

Post by Slimcreeper » Tue Aug 29, 2017 7:17 pm

Here it is:

There is a chart on 266 that says the characters get a certain number of skill slots, and a note that says they only get new slots at Tier Advancement at ProRank 2, 5, 9, and 13. (Which I take to mean you must undergo Tier advancement training to benefit from your new rank.)

There is also Tier advancement chart on 269 that seems to duplicate the information on the previous chart, and there is also a sentence that says that advancing a Tier is the only way to get Free Skill Slots. It is a duplication of the other chart, right? You get 2 C/P slots and 2 Free slots when you achieve Novice Tier & Rank 2, not 4 and 4 (2 each from each chart). And you can get Free Skill Slots at ProRank 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, and 15, even though you aren't increasing Tier?

User avatar
Andrew1879
Posts:376
Joined:Sun Nov 27, 2016 2:41 pm

Re: Making Characters

Post by Andrew1879 » Tue Aug 29, 2017 11:22 pm

The table on p269 is a subset of the table on p266, showing the Skill slots gained at Tier advancement. The chart on p266 is the primary source, the chart on p269 an extract. Yes, you get slots for Core/Optional and Free Skills at all Professional Ranks. The sentence on p269 that says you only get Free slots when you advance in Tier is another relic of earlier mechanics that got missed in the cleanup.

Wow, we need to do a second printing. I'm going to try to get all this into the PDF, so that we can at least have a corrected version available.

Slimcreeper
Posts:1061
Joined:Mon Nov 28, 2016 11:44 pm

Re: Making Characters

Post by Slimcreeper » Wed Aug 30, 2017 12:53 am

Meh, I think it's within whatever for 1st edition of a brand new sort of game. I'm really chewing into it because I don't quite have enough time to run a proper game yet, but hopefully will within a month or two (as I've been saying all year ...) so anything I find I'll post. You know I don't mind saying if I don't get something.

You could maybe stick a 1-page correction FAQ in the London book before it ships.

Slimcreeper
Posts:1061
Joined:Mon Nov 28, 2016 11:44 pm

Re: Making Characters

Post by Slimcreeper » Mon Sep 04, 2017 2:36 pm

What are generic magical foci used for? If you have one keyed to your target, I know it gives you advantages in spellcasting. Mages have a magical focus listed among their possessions, but what does it do? It is separate from the grimoire, yes? If it's stolen other mages can use it as a weapon against you, that much is certain.

User avatar
Andrew1879
Posts:376
Joined:Sun Nov 27, 2016 2:41 pm

Re: Making Characters

Post by Andrew1879 » Mon Sep 04, 2017 7:47 pm

Foci are explained in the Players Companion. They can provide bonuses to Spellcasting or Effect Tests, and can be restricted to specific spells or types of spells. Boojums need a specific type of focus (Mana Gathering) to survive in low-mana areas, like Death Valley or the Samsut city-states within range of their naptam-napishtaram. Foci do have to be linked, and as such, can be used for spell targeting.

Slimcreeper
Posts:1061
Joined:Mon Nov 28, 2016 11:44 pm

Re: Making Characters

Post by Slimcreeper » Wed Sep 13, 2017 9:47 pm

What kind of characters can summon what kind of spirits?

User avatar
Andrew1879
Posts:376
Joined:Sun Nov 27, 2016 2:41 pm

Re: Making Characters

Post by Andrew1879 » Thu Sep 14, 2017 11:01 am

There's no strict boundaries in the mechanic. Either the character has Summon or doesn't. Mages can only summon by spell, and thus only work with tasked spirits conjured by specific spells, like the Steno Spirit. Priests and Shamans have Summon as a Skill, and so can call up tasked, ally, ancestral, and elemental spirits. In the fiction, Priests and Shamans deal with types of spirits according to their Faith. Some Shamans will only work with elementals, believing it disrespectful to summon the ancestors. Some Priests will not work with elementals, their Faith stating that those are off limits for doctrinal reasons. Very much a case by case basis, and deliberately left open to player interpretation.

Slimcreeper
Posts:1061
Joined:Mon Nov 28, 2016 11:44 pm

Re: Making Characters

Post by Slimcreeper » Thu Sep 14, 2017 4:54 pm

Very good, I like it. I will think more on how I'll run that.

Slimcreeper
Posts:1061
Joined:Mon Nov 28, 2016 11:44 pm

Re: Making Characters

Post by Slimcreeper » Fri Dec 08, 2017 1:47 pm

Can starting characters choose Journeyman level skills? I think not, but I can't find the reference.

Slimcreeper
Posts:1061
Joined:Mon Nov 28, 2016 11:44 pm

Re: Making Characters

Post by Slimcreeper » Fri Dec 08, 2017 2:37 pm

hmm, on 64 it says at char creation they are limited to language and knowledge skills, which seems to be supported by much of the rest of the text, but not by the character examples.

Post Reply