Topic: RMFRP&Essence Companion

[Velig]

I'm using RMFRP to run my games but I noticed that in the Essence Companion from RMSS there is many new spell lists for essence users and I thought that I could use them. But the problem is that will these new lists make essence users too powerful compared to other spell users? Does anyone have any experience about this?

Thanks

[Arioch]

I use Essence Companion with RMFRP and I have no problems.
Yes, Essence users have access to more open/closed spell lists compared to other realms' users (even using the Mentalism and Channeling companions) but that doesn't mean that they can develop all the lists they want. Remember that to learn a new list a mage has first to find someone who can teach it to him, and finding someone willing to do so could be not so easy!
Also, the lists introduced in the EC IMHO are not incredibly powerful (except for the Magic Staff list, which is an exception...) so I think that there are no reasons to worry. 

[Temujin]

Doesn't make Essence unbalanced compared to others, imho.  They offer more versatility overall

[Ecthelion]

We required a Background Option to be spent to have access to each four of the additional Open & Closed Essence lists from Essence Companion. Thereby all realms still retain the same "base" number of Open & Closed lists, and only through additional investment during character creation an Essence Spell User can get some more lists.

[Defendi]

I think the warrior mage is LESS powered. 

[yammahoper]

Have used all professions and list since the book came out, and I have never had a problem.

Some spell list will add new abilities to the game that every essence user will always want, like summoning elementals or multiple spell stores in their staves and yet still able to cast other spells, and you might not want that in your game, so be sure to vette each list.

The new list add some really needed spells to the realm of essence.  The training package spell list are perfect for a high magic world with magic using careers/professionals, and believe it or not, are the easiest used or abused by creative players.

lynn

[Joshua24601]

I don't recall Mentalism's companion, but channeling comp. offers some potentially power enhancing rules.  If you use the 'faith points' rule that PC's can gain spell casting bonuses PP regen (I think) and even bonuses to In.  Also PC's can ask their gods for intervention.  These are potentially very power boosting...  Much like the extra lists in Essence, or the alternate spell casting methods.  I don't recall mentalism comp, but it's probably got some things that can boost a mentalist....

How many different schools of magic are the PC's in your group?  If they're all essence, I say, no problem.  If your worried about making the only magic users (essence) more powerful, just throw more effective anti-magic opponents at them.

[Dark Schneider]

I don't think essence users are very much powerfull than others, see that essence should be more powerfull because the armor/equipment limitations that other realms don't have. So it is not unbalanced to think that in magic essence must be a bit more powerfull.

But in this case, the 'powerfull' word means 'versatile', in other realms you have spells not less powerfull (detection, telekinesis and others are more powerfull in other realms), but essence cover more 'range' of situations. I think it only has not healing.

But don't forget that priests can be very powerfull as there are many priests spell lists in CC book, and many of them powerfull and usefull.

Also, the lists introduced in the EC IMHO are not incredibly powerful (except for the Magic Staff list, which is an exception...) so I think that there are no reasons to worry.

I don't see magic staff in that way, it has its limitations, and it has a negative factor (the -20 SCSM if no staff in hand) as balancing rule. Further, it depends on your character view, for example, I have a magician, but I DON'T USE MAGIC STAFF, I really don't like the image of the magic user wearing a robe, with the pointy hat and a staff (I really hate it  ), so my magician don't use robe, don't use pointy hat and don't use staff, he wear clothes as any of us, for example, more yet, I developed some 'transcend armor' if I want to wear some leather clothes as a like-punk style 

I don't know about others, but in RPGs I usually make the character I like, and that is the more important point to me. If we are worried about making the 'optimal' character, then ALL characters would be the same one!.

An example: look at this image
the magicians are in middle and right-bottom, I really don't want to use STAFF 

[yammahoper]

Magic Staff or Magic Wand or Magic Amulet or Magic Boots or Magic Weapon...

The staff could be changed for just about anything, even a familiar (requiring a familiar to use those spells).

Love the list.

lynn

[Dark Schneider]

The staff could be changed for just about anything, even a familiar (requiring a familiar to use those spells).

Could be, but that is a house rule, see that a staff is used because the size. So if you use the staff and don't allow to change it to smaller items, it can be annoying to carry always that large size item (at least for me  ).

[pastaav]

I'm using RMFRP to run my games but I noticed that in the Essence Companion from RMSS there is many new spell lists for essence users and I thought that I could use them. But the problem is that will these new lists make essence users too powerful compared to other spell users? Does anyone have any experience about this?

I have exactly the same experience. The essence users in the group litterally ruled the scene due to spells from Essence Companion.

The greater selection of open and closed lists for Essence Companion overcomes many weaknesses in the essence realm and makes it possible to have essence users that are far better than the ones from the other realms.

The water mastery list is for instance quite game breaking if you ever bring the players to place where they can use the spell. The magic staff list is another example of spell list that is really powerful. The spells for familars also give advantages that pretty awesome.

I think the best solution is to use the lists as Training Package lists or to require background options be speant to gain access to them. The extra spells from Channeling Companion never cause the same kind of problem since the choice of these are subject to if the GM think they are compatible with the relgious order or not.

[markc]

I think Pastav, had an important point. Just because it is in the/a book does not man that PC's can find the spell list. Maybe the list is lost or requires the PC to train with isolationist [read TP], etc.

MDC

[providence13]

I like the Training Package method..

Staff Caster, or Staff Focus perhaps.