Topic: Channeling and metal armour

[Hurin]

I'm just wondering how you all handle the Channeling/metal armour conundrum.

In the original RM2 Spell Law, Channeling users in metal armour cannot cast spells (or have high ESF penalties when they do).

In RMC I, however, players were given the option of allowing Channeling users to wear plate armour, since it seemed odd to have classes like Clerics and paladins in leather.

I'm still kind of wrestling with this myself in my current games. Allowing full casting in full plate armour seems a little overpowered, but restricting channelers to leather also seems a little harsh.

Has anyone tried restricting channelers to Chain to make things balanced?

Just wondering how most people handle this.

[pastaav]

IMHO the best solution is to have a Transcend Armor skill...in that way the channeling user must sacrifice DP to get spell casting in armor. If you want the skill only to apply to channling it is only about adding such restriction as an extra house rule.

[rdanhenry]

You can always just change the rules for Channeling. Make up some other rule that puts some restriction on Channeling that fits your world better than the "hampered by metal" rule.

[dutch206]

IMHO, not being able to wear metal armor is the price that channelers pay for being able to cast spells.  They can restore the dead to life, summon creatures, and communicate with the gods.  That more than makes up for not being able to wear plate armor.

[Moriarty]

Historically there is a fundamental assumption in RM that metal interferes with magic use. It's more than simply a balance issue, it's a tradition.

However, you could introduce a special (or magical) metal that doesn't interfere with channeling magic. Obviously armor crafted from the material would be expensive, but Clerics and Paladins might have easier acces to such rare suits of armor, depending on the power of their church/order.

[PiXeL01]

Well if you look into the Combat Companion you will find the Champion, who has spells to help him deal with ESF issue of Armor. Of course that is proffesion base list, but is a way to handle it without added a transcendence skill.
But personally I cant see why you shouldnt allow Essence users to wear armor then. It is a tradition barrier as well, isnt it?

[thrud]

The only channeling profession IMHO where this is an issue would be the Paladin. They're kind of supposed to wear plate armour and wield a big nasty sword. 
We solve this on an individual basis but if you want something that works for all occations I'd agree with pastaav, the transcend armour works.

[Ecthelion]

Doesn't this "barrier" of not allowing some armors for Essence and Channeling spell users also have balancing reasons? It is perhaps not only "tradition".

[dutch206]

If a Magician could wear platemail and throw lighting bolts, who could stop her? 

[vroomfogle]

A better mage with platemail and lightning bolts

[PiXeL01]

a big rock, an ambush or a channeler with an instant attack spell not in plate?

[Hurin]

I always thought it was partly for balance issues as well.

Personally, Essence spells seem to be the best offensive spells in the game. While Channeling and Mentalism users get many very powerful spells, they pale in comparison to essence users (especially magicians) when it comes to elemental attack spells. So I always suspected that was the reason that ICE relented in RCI and eased up the restrictions on Channeling users.

One problem I have with opening up metal armour to channeling users is the Druid. I'm fine with the idea of a Cleric in plate-- I've played so much DnD, in fact, that making a cleric with anything less would seem odd--but I don't like the idea of Druids in Full Plate. So I'm not sure what to do if I follow RCI.

One solution, I guess, would just be to up the costs of the Maneuvering in Armor skill for chain and plate for them.

[rdanhenry]

So... Druids don't wear plate armor for cultural reasons. Problem solved. Not everything has to be that way because it is in "the rules". I also don't see any reason beyond culture not to have Druids in plate armor. Worked and refined metal is no less natural than worked and boiled leather armor.

[Moriarty]

So... Druids don't wear plate armor for cultural reasons. Problem solved. Not everything has to be that way because it is in "the rules". I also don't see any reason beyond culture not to have Druids in plate armor. Worked and refined metal is no less natural than worked and boiled leather armor.

What then, in your opinion, would be less natural than worked and boiled leather amor? Kryponite?

[thrud]

How about replacing natural with organic?

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

I'm just wondering how you all handle the Channeling/metal armour conundrum.

In the original RM2 Spell Law, Channeling users in metal armour cannot cast spells (or have high ESF penalties when they do).

In RMC I, however, players were given the option of allowing Channeling users to wear plate armour, since it seemed odd to have classes like Clerics and paladins in leather.

Personally, Essence spells seem to be the best offensive spells in the game. While Channeling and Mentalism users get many very powerful spells, they pale in comparison to essence users (especially magicians) when it comes to elemental attack spells. So I always suspected that was the reason that ICE relented in RCI and eased up the restrictions on Channeling users.

One thing really needs to be set straight here.

At the old ICE, those in charge of publishing the Companions did so with mindset that anything could be included and if gamers used it, then it was their own fault if it was broken. They never even tried to consider play balance as an issue in regards to the options that were presented in book. Grammer and spelling was the only editing that was ever really done.

It is also recognized that there is an element of power creep that occurs over all of the Companions, with new professions and spell lists and options getting progressively more and more powerful. Of course, this means that the first Companion or two were less inclined to have bigger elements of power creep, but those elements are still there.

This option from RoCoI is not ICE "relenting", it was the author adding in a new option for something that he wanted -- much like you are considering for your game. 

My suggestion -- do not make it a blanket freedom to wear metal armor -- not all channelers will have that capability, make it like some sort of talent that is required to be purchased by members of specific religions, and then only by those religions for which it would make sense.

[Hurin]

Yep, I think I am going to add restrictions.

I think I'll stick with a DnD style and have Druids only able to wear organic-based armour (i.e. Rigid Leather at best). As for the others, I think I'll just up their costs for maneuvering in armor: maybe like 4/* or 5/* for chain and 5/* or 6/* for plate. That should help to balance things a bit.

Thanks for the advice.

[dutch206]

You know, while we're on the subject of druids and armor.....

It has never made sense to me that druids (as "protectors of nature") would wear leather armor (dead cow).  I can see them using agricultural weapons like sickles and scythes, but wearing dead animal skin?

That's kind of like a Vegan ordering a porterhouse steak, IMHO.

[markc]

Note: My comments about Druids are strictly in sense of game terms and not with any real live Druid faith.
dutch206,
 IMO just because you reviver nature does not mean you have to not take of its bounty. By this I mean that maybe the druid only takes skins of dead animals that died naturally. Or it could also mean that the Druid will only were skins that he killed himself before offering a prayer.
 IMO there can be many different types of Druids and they can have many different religious backgrounds depending on your universe and deities. Some types may be allowed to wear armor and some may only wear armor for hunting or religious ceremonies some may even have to wear specific types of animal skins depending on their deity's outlook.

MDC

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

There are some cultures that only kill animals for food (or self defense) and then use every part of the animal that they possibly can.

There is nothing to prevent an order of Druids from believing the same thing...