Rob drags me into the mutterings about common magic by
using the mantra:
"Game mechanics and Game Balance."
Arseholes to game mechanics and balance. "Balance" in
role-playing games is a myth made up by parents that
want their children to grow up to be video game
designers*. Have yourself off to a d20 bulletin board
so you can discuss whether Darth Vader could take out
a Paragon Mind Flayer Rogue/Wizard/Sorcerer.
The true test of what a particular common magic is
should be "what sounds reasonable for where you got
the particular common magic from." So, if you (taking
examples from my own campaign) pick up something from
Flesh Man, it's a talent, if it's from Arfritha (local
land goddess) it's a feat and if it's from Gouger (the
spirit ancestor of the Tusk Riders, a chunk of whom's
bound into the skull near FairJowl) it's a charm.
Cheers,
Ash
*The whole argument about balance explains why RPGs
aren't games, but I end up sounding like a Forgite.
I'll save that 'til I grow long hair, a beard and wear
sandals in summer.
- Rob <robert_m_davis_at_...> wrote:
>
>
> --- In HeroQuest-rules_at_yahoogroups.com, Peter
> Metcalfe
> <metcalph_at_q...> wrote:
>
> > It's all very well describing them in terms of how
> you
> > approach the entity but what if you are making up
> a
> > common magic religion? What does one use to
> > determine whether a given magical effect is a
> spell
> > or a feat?
> >
> > --Peter Metcalfe
>
> Boy am I unqualified to answer, but I have a theory:
> Game mechanics
> and Game Balance. Heortlings (which I am most
> familiar with) HQ
> P.48 - the common magic available is Flesh man
> talents. As we all
> know, Heortlings are primarily Theistic - so when
> they devote or
> concentrate their magic, then the loss of talents
> bites.
>
> Refer to HQ P.108 under the italicised Theism. You
> lose all
> talents, charms, fetishes, spirits, scriptures etc
> etc, only
> retaining affinities or feats from any source. This
> was discussed
> on the list a while back.
>
>
> Regards
> Rob
>
>
>
>
>
>
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