general case: inate magic HQ issues

From: BEThexton <bethexton_at_...>
Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2003 16:55:10 -0000

I've read through the book fairly thoroughly now, and while no doubt I've still missed absorbing a few bits here and there, I think I've been thorough enough to start asking questions. I'm not asking these to be a pain in the posterior, but to get some discussion going on the subjects, and hopefully some rough consensus, so that when new comers have the same questions there is something approaching an answer to give to them.

I'll put each major question into a separate post, so that the discussions have a fighting chance of staying distinct and easier to trace.

First up, inate magic versus common magic versus specialization. This has already been discussed with regards to puma people somewhat.

The book suggests that you create heroes with special magic abilities (page 19, text box at top). I read this, and expect others will too, as suggesting you may want to design a hero with a unique, innate, magical ability. It is elsewhere specified that innate magical abilities should be treated as talents in general, or probably more broadly as some common magic ability if there is good reason to treat it otherwise. Finally, to concentrate magic, as most heroes will eventually want to do, requires that you give up all non-appropriate magic, and there is generally religious pressure to give up all magic not coming from within the religion.

These three seem to be in conflict.

Going through in order, you are inclined to say "Oh, yah, I want my hero to be able to make impossible leaps" Going on through the rules, you find that this should be treated as a talent, so somewhat anti-climatically it becomes a "great leaps" talent in your common magic key-word (although at least it then starts at 17 instead of 13). All of a sudden, if you don't concentrate in common magic, it is only an augment! This is the first conflict—encouraging heroes to have innate magical abilities, then saying they should be treated as talents, really limiting how much they can be used.

Next up, assuming you've come to accept that you are only getting a +2 on your jumping skill, time comes that you want to concentrate your magic, so that you can increase it affordably. Suddenly you have to give up your leaping talent altogether. This is the second conflict. The innate magical ability that was supposed to distinguish your hero has gone from cool, to minor, to non-existent.

Of course, this could be worked around somewhat by specifying that the leaping ability was a feat (assuming a theistic character), this would suddenly encourage concentration of magic into theism. You concentrate your magic, maybe right at hero creation. So you have a leaping feat at 17 (or higher). However your priests take a dim view of it. Further, if you want to devote yourself, you have to give up all magic not coming from your god, so again you would have to give it up.

Of course, this issue comes up very directly with the puma people, as has already been mentioned on the list.

Possible solutions that I see are:
1) Just leave it as it is, by advise players so they aren't set up for disappointment.
2) Rule that a hero can have an innate magical ability that doesn't get treated as a common magic ability if they want. It won't be affected by concentration of magic, but of course, it starts at 13 instead of 17. Also it cannot be taught to others the way that a talent can be.
3) Some other fudge?

Regards;

Bryan