Re: Affinities Question

From: ian_hammond_cooper_at_...
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 17:20:29 -0000


Jarec wrote:
>initiates can buy feats with HP.

I think this is for single feat hero cults, yo can't get a whole affinity in this case.

> It clearly states somewhere that initiates use feats at -3.

Its by coincidence but I have been rereading TR on this.

AFAIK, The explanation in Thunder Rebels overrules/clarifies this - initiates use affinities and augment their tasks with them, they only use feats (and have to improvise them) under specific and limited circumstances (sorry don't have the source to hand). You don't use an affinity at a minus for this generic augmentation (but the narrator describes the result). For eaxmaple if in OA initiate had a combat affinity of 19, he could use it at 19 to augment his close combat, at no penalty. You do get an improv penalty if you ask for something specific instead of general augment; feats are an example of something specific. So what is the advantage of an devotee having a feat. (1) as Jeff ponted out you can have more than one feat augmenting a skill, so unlike the initiate above a devotee could augment his close combat with mutiple feats (2) They may allow you to achieve specific tasks even if you don't have a mundane skill to do it - it is an ability of that name.

> For instance an initiate trying to jump may not realise why they
> always jump towards the west ('Sunset Leap').

(1) read Javern Spithorn and the Sunset Leap for why this feat is not that lmited. (2) An initiate would have a movement affinity - generally he would ask Orlanth for aid with movement (at no penalty) and get some sort of augment to an existing ability like run or jump. If he wanted to do something specific like leap onto the nearby tower top he would get an improv modifier because he is asking for something specific - improvising a feat.

> Once they learn the feat then they would know why and could try to
>gain more control over their new found link to their god.

Initiates never learn feats.

communal worshipper = worship = help in any diety(ies) field Initiates = affinity = help in a particular field Devotee = feat = specific help.
Disciple = feat only (I think)

Ian Cooper

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