Official ICE Forums
Gamer's Corner => The Guild Companion e-zine => Topic started by: Kristen Mork on June 08, 2011, 03:09:31 PM
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Greetings from the Guild Companion, Issue 148 is available at www.guildcompanion.com.
This month’s issue includes “The Art of Fighting, Part 3,†a discourse on hafted weapons including axes, hammers and maces. For RMSS we offer the “Mystical Archer,†a new profession that specializes in ranged combat and survival in the wild. As always, we’re seeking new submissions, so fire up your keyboards and send your articles to guild-edit@silent-tower.org.
Peter Mork
Acting Guild Companion Editor
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I like the Mystic Bow List.
The Mage in our party has the "Magic Staff" List for his longbow. Our spells are very similar.
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I also like the Mythic Archer but I have to take a closer look at Arrow List as it does seem a bit too powerful to me.
I would also ask again to have a PDF link to the PDF of each article at the bottom of the page as it makes it easy to add to my excellent collection of TGC articles.
I would also ask for the 3 articles that deal with a new way to look at weapons as a PDF as I also think it would be very helpful to may people.
MDC
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Numbing arrow at 3rd level, when a strike auto disables a limb, is very powerful. Even if the duration is 5 minutes, thats longer than the longest fight. Its like getting an "arm/leg useless" crit.
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I like the Mystic Bow List.
The Mage in our party has the "Magic Staff" List for his longbow. Our spells are very similar.
Yes, the "Magic Staff" list is basically only allowed for staffs i.e. a quarterstaff as weapon. The "Mystic Bow" list is meant as a variant of this list customized for an archer-type profession.
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I also like the Mythic Archer but I have to take a closer look at Arrow List as it does seem a bit too powerful to me.
Numbing arrow at 3rd level, when a strike auto disables a limb, is very powerful. Even if the duration is 5 minutes, thats longer than the longest fight. Its like getting an "arm/leg useless" crit.
Please consider that most spells on the "Mystical Arrows" list only work if the arrow achieves a critical and the target fails his RR. Otherwise the spell and the power points were wasted.
In the case of the Numbing Arrow there is the additional requirement that the critical has to indicate a limb being struck. So if the arrow shot results in a critical + the critical indicates a limb being struck + the target fails the RR, then it is indeed quite powerful. But since chances are quite low that all of this happens with a shot, I think the effects of the spell are perfectly acceptable.
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Ah, ok. The RR makes things a bit better.
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Yes, the "Magic Staff" list is basically only allowed for staffs i.e. a quarterstaff as weapon. The "Mystic Bow" list is meant as a variant of this list customized for an archer-type profession.
Although much of the old RoCo's is too powerful for my game, Magic Staff has worked well for us. In the old version, it does state that other weapons are possible. Using this with a long bow, it is powerful but prohibitive at the same time. Most "effects" require arrows and others don't translate to a long bow at all. So the player spent DP for a few empty slots; just like other spell lists. Also, as the bonus to OB is on the 'bow', in my game, the magic is not on the arrow. So if a magic weapon is required to hit a creature, the normal arrow doesn't qualify, even though it may have a magic bonus to OB or x2 hits.
It's worth noting that the player always has his hands occupied with the 'staff', or his spells suffer. The Mage in our group finds that he can rarely put his 'staff' down to even dig through his pack, because of the -20 to cast, just in case something jumps him unawares..
But the player loves it for it's ability to store spells and be always at hand with the Recall ability.
The Mystic Archer List has come along at the right time. :)
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Back in the day when the Druidstaff list first came out (RoCo1?), I decided then that some variation was applicable to any item the user could create himself.
So yes, if you're a follower of the War God, whose symbol is a morningstar, you can have a morningstar that does pretty much all of that stuff... once you get enough skill in weaponsmithing to craft one. For the basic staff spell I'll allow a bonus to the crafting, but it doesn't make it possible for someone who has no relevant skills at all.
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Although much of the old RoCo's is too powerful for my game, Magic Staff has worked well for us. In the old version, it does state that other weapons are possible.
Sorry, I was still in the RMSS/RMFRP context I created the Mystical Archer for. Therefore I thought you were referring to the Magic Staff spell list from the RMSS Essence Companion. And that list AFAIK does only allow a staff to be enchanted and not other weapons.
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To me it wouldn't matter what game system I put the concept into. It's making an item part of your "self", like a familiar or a homunculus. If you don't put the time, skill and labor into making it part of your "self", that kind of magic won't work on it. If you do, it will. The nature of the object or creature is immaterial other than the unique problems and features it presents in becoming part of your "self".
That way yes, the paladin's weapon can be a personalized uber powerful weapon like that... but only if the paladin in question really dedicates himself to it. I doubt most semi spellcasters would make the necessary commitment.
If you really want to be nasty, for the extremely powerful spells of that nature you could require them to go further still. They have to grow the tree from which the staff is cut, they have to mine and smelt the ore from which the sword is struck.
I don't know if it's true, but supposedly the Vikings had a saying: A blade isn't truly yours until it has tasted your blood. There's no end of "dedication" and "sacrifice" you can require for something like this.
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Yeah, I hear some longbows take 20 years to dry. Not so bad if you're an elf, but humans would have a tougher time of it.
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I think what I would like to see for an archer spell list would be some mods for attacking threw combat. But then you would need some rules for penalties for firing through combat as well. I also like the RQ spell multi-missile and think that would be a great spell idea with various interpretations of it. The standard 2 attacks at one target, 2 different attacks at targets no more than X degrees apart and area fire attacks sort of like the fire ball attack spell in the Mystic Archer list or maybe 1 attack roll against every target in a specific area with a specific missile weapon.
For the Mystic Archer I had also thought about requiring the top weapon category to be missile but then I said to myself should that be applied to all in that profession. Will not some have an easier time learning missile weapons than others. I think the variation would be better than requiring the top weapon category be required for the profession.
MDC
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Is it only on my connection that the Indo - persian hafted weapon are missing the stats?
There are no statistics on those weapons what so ever.
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No, there's a whole blank table there. Well, nearly blank: it does have weapon names and types.
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The "Words to the Wise" article says that the weapons article was damaged when they received it and something about not being able to figure out the numbers. To me, the sensible thing would have been to contact the author and get the numbers (and to not publish what amounts to a broken article).
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Utters "Powerword Fix-it True"
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The "Words to the Wise" article says that the weapons article was damaged when they received it and something about not being able to figure out the numbers. To me, the sensible thing would have been to contact the author and get the numbers (and to not publish what amounts to a broken article).
In a perfect world, that would have been the sensible thing to do. However, this being a far cry from a perfect world, that course of action was not feasible. Corrections will be posted as soon as they become available.
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The world is not perfect! Man I have to go change my will.
MDC
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How's that old t-shirt caption go?
"Jesus Saves"
"Everyone else takes damage."
:o
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Jesus saves...and takes half damage.
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The "Words to the Wise" article says that the weapons article was damaged when they received it and something about not being able to figure out the numbers. To me, the sensible thing would have been to contact the author and get the numbers (and to not publish what amounts to a broken article).
In a perfect world, that would have been the sensible thing to do. However, this being a far cry from a perfect world, that course of action was not feasible. Corrections will be posted as soon as they become available.
Actually, in a perfect world, the article would not have come in broken in the first place. ;D
By publishing the article as it was (i.e . incomplete), you make it appear that having a second article to publish was more important to you than the article being complete.
Considering that there have been a couple of single article issues of the guild in the past (i.e. March 2010, and Sept. 2010 -- and Nov 2010 had no articles, just the Editorial), I personally found the choice of publishing an incomplete/broken article to be a very odd choice.
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By publishing the article as it was (i.e . incomplete), you make it appear that having a second article to publish was more important to you than the article being complete.
Clearly that's one interpretation. Another is that we didn't want to disrupt the continuity of the series. It really was not our intention to offend your sensibilities.
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I liked the article about the various historical weapons.. but the inclusion of hand axes in the 1-HC weapon category is beyond me.. unless I'm missing something.
edit: Perhaps they should read as 1HH (One Handed Hafted) instead?. Which would make more sence now that I gone back and re-read the previous article.. ::)
Upon reflection as much as I like the article (so far) I can't imagine changing to it. It would however be nice to have seen a condensed supplement printed dedicated to all the various historical weapons.
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Are you suggesting a compilation of all of the weapon tables from Art of Fighting? That sounds straightforward once all of the weapon sections have been published.
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By publishing the article as it was (i.e . incomplete), you make it appear that having a second article to publish was more important to you than the article being complete.
Clearly that's one interpretation. Another is that we didn't want to disrupt the continuity of the series. It really was not our intention to offend your sensibilities.
It's likely to be the common interpretation since nothing was said about "not wanting to disrupt continuity of the series" when you talked about the article in the editorial - only that you received the article broken, and decided to publish it that way.
Nor did you even mention in the editorial that you would be updating it later. In fact, the only thing you said (after saying it was broken and that you couldn't figure it out) was:
So, we leave it to you, dear reader, to fill in the blanks.
What may appear to be obvious to you, most certainly won't be obvious to your average reader, especially if you are not explicitly clear in describing your motivations for your average reader.
And don't worry, you didn't offend my sensibilities. ;D
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Are you suggesting a compilation of all of the weapon tables from Art of Fighting? That sounds straightforward once all of the weapon sections have been published.
Yes. Though I would want to see illustrations and time-line relative information included, so more of a historical reference as well as just a complied list. I think Palldium did something similar a couple of decades ago. This way, commercially it would have more use to users of other systems. Not that I would advocate playing anything else ;)
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The "Mystical Archer" list "Mystical Arrows":
Level 4, Arrow Ablaze, reads "being to burn" where it should have "begin to burn".
Level 15, Mystical Shot III, states that 'the critical strike will be treated as "Holy"'. Should this be only for attacks on (Super) Large creatures or is the attack actually holy and able to inflict extra damage on demons and undead in general. This seems unlikely given that the Mystical Archer uses Essence magic rather than Channeling, but it is what the description suggests.
Level 20, Mystical Shot IV, similar to Mystical Shot III, is this intended for use only against LA/SL targets or does it allow additional Slaying crits against anyone?
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The "Mystical Archer" list "Mystical Arrows":
Level 4, Arrow Ablaze, reads "being to burn" where it should have "begin to burn".
Thanks for the correction.
Level 15, Mystical Shot III, states that 'the critical strike will be treated as "Holy"'. Should this be only for attacks on (Super) Large creatures or is the attack actually holy and able to inflict extra damage on demons and undead in general. This seems unlikely given that the Mystical Archer uses Essence magic rather than Channeling, but it is what the description suggests.
It should be Holy against LA/SL targets.
Level 20, Mystical Shot IV, similar to Mystical Shot III, is this intended for use only against LA/SL targets or does it allow additional Slaying crits against anyone?
It should be Slaying against LA/SL targets.
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I was wondering if Edits posted here or on TGC website are added to the documents on the website?
Thanks
MDC
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I was wondering if Edits posted here or on TGC website are added to the documents on the website?
Thanks
MDC
I have no idea of the hassles it would involve, but in many ways I think it would be of value for contributing authors to have some ability to edit their work even after publication. Rather like a blog, I suppose. That way, those who solicit (and get) feedback on their work from places such as this can reflect the presence of that feedback without having to take up the editor's time with it, or require readers to chase links to comments and/or updates elsewhere.
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For my last submission, I made the corrections to the original document and resent it in to the editors. They posted the edited copy.
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Well keep in mind, I have no foggiest notion how busy an editor's job does or does not keep him. I'm just thinking of the editor as a communications bottleneck between "Oh BTW, in _______ article, _____ is misspelled/missing/inaccurate/whatever" on a forum somewhere and the correction showing up in the article. To be sure, that bottleneck is quite deliberate, it's there for a very good reason, otherwise editors wouldn't exist. The point I was trying to make was that internet communications should make it much easier to adjust that bottleneck so the editor has the time and resources to do his job with the bare minimum of data slowdown, because things like minor corrections after online publication shouldn't necessarily require him.
Then again, approaching the subject as I am from a position of near complete ignorance, it's likely enough that all the solutions I could imagine were implemented back in the 90's.
:o