> > > Most newbies are extremely confused about the difference
> > > between an Affinity, a Feat (about -3 AFAIK)
> >
> > No! Affinities are large groupings of magical effects (somewhat
> > like Close Combat). Feats are individual magical effects.
>
> I meant that, in gaming terms, you can improvise a Feat from an
> Affinity and the standard modifier is -3. I know it is somewhat of
> a heresy to talk about these things in game terms, dissociating
> them from the underlying mythology but players need this sort of
> information.
My understanding of the difference is that an affinity is a magical meta-ability of the god while a feat is a specific sub-skill of that meta-ability that was performed in a myth and is well-known and practised by worshippers.
In rules terms, a broad meta-ability has a larger improvisation modifier on its use than a specific, more appropriate sub-skill. As Affinities/Feats are probably the most common instance of metaability and sub-skills, there is a standard -3 improvisation modifier suggested in the rules. However, I can think of cases where a feat would have a larger improvisation modifier than its affinity.
For instance, in a slightly forced example, if a PC tried to use the Orlanth Warrior Enchant Iron feat to augment Spear and Shield combat (and, of course, assuming that there is no iron in either), I would assign a -20 or more modifier. However, if the PC just used the Combat affinity, I would use the plain -3 improvisation modifier.
regards,
Charles
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