Re: Re Initiates and Devotion

From: Ian Cooper <ian_hammond_cooper_at_MSKzRcZYnKF1RngquCB1txWf5UFylByFsqAd9GPRAucQXa3yegILHPu9t>
Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2007 18:59:21 +0000 (GMT)

I have always used the 10% are specialists model. This number seems a failry good rule-of-thumb in history,and is easy to figure. These people can provide the time commitment to learn deeper forms of magic (devotee, shaman, wizard) and are the people that tend to concentrate their magic. On top of this I am sure that there are some aspirants, who have concentrated in expectation of becoming specialists.

Vary this according to how prosperous you are, or how desperate.

Of course player characters tend to come from these ranks, but this makes them exceptional.

Still in Red Cow, very few people chose to devote, and some of those did so in-game. The game rule advantages are not that great in play. As an example, because you can only augment once with an affinity, initiates and devotees are reasonably evenly matched when it comes to augmenting a primary skill. Indeed an initiate with common magic may have an advantage in the beginning game.

Enforcing the 60% time commitment as 60% of your hero point spend on cult abilities, also tends to make devotion less attractive.  

Ian Cooper  

"Always acknowledge a fault. This will throw those in authority off their guard and give you an opportunity to commit more. " Mark Twain

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