OOC- Shadow's Dawn: Diving into the past Options

[sabs]

Hence why I was asking (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
No wonder it's taking so long for you to set it all up.
Half magics could be done as an initiate power pretty easily.
You get initiate grade / 2 as a skill bonus for knowledge skills, etc...

[Aria]

I think that we cannot do full earthdawn: I asked back in May and generally speaking people were opposed to the idea of learning a new system and making a character in it. (Personally I love learning new rule systems and making new character...but hey)

So that means I will be giving people cool funky powers lifted straight out of earth dawn, and giving them shadowrun game mechanics. (its this task that's taking me a while)
Example: Air sailing: well its a skill...
Avoid blow/Melee/Durability/...many others: not migrating it
Air Dance: Big bonus on initiative
Great Leap: what it says
Heartening laugh: buff on resisting social interactions / fear
etc

So everyone will probably get 5..10 extra powers.

I'm not planning on migrating half magics or knacks at the moment.

I don't envy you that little task! There are loads of adept powers now and I'd guess most things have an ED/SR equivalent but still... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

I've noticed in my background text that I mentioned Ryl being a lightbearer working with Caimbeul (H!) for a while...I'm guessing I won't be the only one that would like a few ranks in that august institution!

[pbangarth]

I'll wait to post until Bjeorn and Alyena have a chance to answer Li's question. In the meantime, Seth, how do the auras of Room 27A and Angel interact? What is the net background count?

[PoliteMan]

Yeah, plus e-do probably wants to get a few words in.

[Seth]

Well that took longer than I expected. Mostly because I was busy during real world stuff. I'll answer the previous posts shortly. I suspect that next week we will be back to our more normal busy posting rate.

Still here we are: https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet...;hl=en_GB#gid=1

The spreadsheet has two tabs. "Disciplines" and "Powers". The Disciplines page tells you what powers you can have, the powers page tells you what they do. The powers are pretty simple: usually they give auto successes on a die roll equal to the level that you choose to use. To be even cooler you can choose what level power to use after the die roll. If you don't want to think too much about it, pick a discipline, set all the powers to 2, and see if you have any points left.

• You have your character roughly as now (respend skills and attributes as seems fair to you)
• You have 40 points to spend
• A second discipline costs 10 points
• Powers costs one point each from the first group, and 2 points each from the second.
• Maximum power level is 3
• Powers have a drain code of 2 + level that you use (you don't have to use max level)
• Resisted by willpower + body
• Stun will come back at a point a minute.

Spell casting

• Casting raw magic is very dangerous
• Everyone casts spells "through" a matrix.
• Everyone with spell casting powers has a single level 2 item that is a level 2 spell matrix.
• In addition spell casting classes can learn matrices as a skill
• It takes a complex action to "tune" a matrix to a spell.
• The maximum force of a spell is 4 * the level of the matrix

Thread weaving

• If you are a magician, your thread weaving skill is three, otherwise it is 2
• Thread weaving is good for ritual magics

I'll post the Shopping list (it will appear as a third tab on the spreadsheet), and the IC brief shortly.

[Seth]

Also, regarding build, am I reading the critical strike power right? It's limited only by your magic level, so with Magic 9 you could have 9 levels of critical strike? That seems...powerful.

Gulp. Yes it does. I am playing RAW though... I have observed that many people think it should be 0.5/level, but we will stay RAW for now

In the meantime, Seth, how do the auras of Room 27A and Angel interact? What is the net background count?

They harmonise beautifully producing Saintly Golden Beauty 4. This is buffing everyone in the room (which will add to your ritual spellcasting rolls if you go from there)

Sidenote: Alyena and BigFella/Bjeorn have been busy with Scouting/End of term stuff. I will chase them up tonight or tomorrow.

[Alyena]

I'll wait to post until Bjeorn and Alyena have a chance to answer Li's question.

Sorry, have looked back but can't find the question. Could you repeat it? Thanks
(Probably just can't see for looking, haven't quite surfaced, or dried out, after Scout camp. The Cubs at least were as "Happy as pigs in mud"!)

[sabs]

short answer, he said
"who the hell are you people"

[pbangarth]

They harmonise beautifully producing Saintly Golden Beauty 4. This is buffing everyone in the room (which will add to your ritual spellcasting rolls if you go from there)

By 'buffing' do you mean it affects us all as if we were the same aspect as the domain (Street Magic p. 119)?

Hmmm... Ritual Spellcasting. I wonder who the spotter will be? "Oh, look! There's someone who's a natural in the astral."

*******
@all the other players:
If we need to nail the ward separating the third floor from the lower floors, both to allow the enraged spirits access to the upper floors and possibly the opportunity to pester/hurt the Horror, and to allow us to get at the pumps, I believe Mandala is the only one with the Shattershield spell.

Both Alyena and Li appear interested in a Power Pact to share powers/spells. If Mandala does both, and gets a 'level-up' from an attack he can Absorb (he's going to want to cast as powerful a Shattershield as he can), preparation will take the better part of two minutes.

Spells that look interesting: Shape [Metal] from Li and Mob Mind from Alyena.

Well... holy shit. This just occurred to me as I was reading through available spells. For a Free Spirit, the natural maximum for Attributes is his Force. That means the augmented maximum is Force * 1.5, rounded down. When Mandala isn't being stumped by background count, his Attributes can be bumped by the various Increase [Attribute] spells to 13. Too bad they are physical spells, and therefore can't go astral with him.

[pbangarth]

Cool chart, Seth. Troubadour definitely looks the way to go for Mandala. I'll study the chart and the other links this weekend.

[Aria]

Thanks for your hard work Seth (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) just a couple of questions:

So these replace our adept abilities?
Do I still get my drake powers?
And are you planning a light bearer column or is warrior (or another 'class' similar enough?)

Thanks

[pbangarth]

Does Mandala, who is a magician in SR, need to take one of the 'spell caster' classes to be able to cast his SR spells in the ED segment?

In order to have Spell Matrix 3, does one have to have Spell Matrix 1 and Spell Matrix 2 first?

Mandala has Disguise as a SR skill. Does the Disguise ED power do anything different/extra?

Do Mandala's spirit powers stile exist in the ED world? Does exercising them cause trouble the way casting raw spells does?

Just so I have it straight: If Mandala were to take all of the top set of powers under Troubadour at level 3, it would cost him 12 * 3 = 36 points. All of the bottom set of powers at level 3 would be 7 * 6 = 42. Correct?

[pbangarth]

I can't find Etiquette or Arcane Muttering in the Powers page.

[Seth]

Questions
1: "Do these replace our adept powers". Nope you are just going to be crazy hard. These are the properties of having a higher mana, and because you are dreaming into the past you are basically just better than you were back then. (Otherwise its make a whole new character time and we might as well just use the EarthDawn rules)
2: "Do I still get drake powers". See previous answer (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
3: IIRC LightBearers are not a class (I only use 1st edition really) and I had forgotten to do them. I'll make another column today for them. They will be like a class, but only cost 5pts to buy into them
4: "Does mandala need to take a class as a spell caster". Your choice. If you are not a spell caster you get a level 2 matrix (but it is a physical object: typically a piece of jewelry). Your spirit powers are not affected by the Horror Taint. You could always just ignore the problem that if you cast free magic you are likely to be Horror Marked. To tempt you I will say that spirits are generally less attractive to Horrors than metahumanity... What could go wrong...
5: "In order to have spell matrix 3, do you need 1 and 2 first". Each is a separate skill. Perhaps I should have called them Spell Matrix A, Spell Matrix B and Spell Matrix C. You can spend up to three points on each. Each can be "attuned" with a complex action to a new spell. So if you only have one, it just slows you down as you are constantly reattuning it. The Enhanced Spell Matrix actually reduces the drain of a spell that it is attuned to
6: "Does the Disguise power do anything different to the skill". The disguise power lets you add auto successes to your skill roll. So you roll your skill (determine glitches/critical glitches as normal) then the add the auto-successes
7: I think your maths is correct. No one is expected to have all the powers at three. To be honest the drain cost of a level 3 power is high, so I anticipate (perhaps wrongly) that people will mainly use the powers at level 1 and level 2. Level 3 is "I have mastered this power". With a level 3 power, most skill rolls will be a critical success.
8: Etiquette or arcane mutterings: I have added them. Thanks for pointing it out

So outstanding things for me:
1: Shopping list for things to spend you resources on
2: LightBearers funky powers.

[pbangarth]

Questions
4: "Does mandala need to take a class as a spell caster". Your choice. If you are not a spell caster you get a level 2 matrix (but it is a physical object: typically a piece of jewelry). Your spirit powers are not affected by the Horror Taint. You could always just ignore the problem that if you cast free magic you are likely to be Horror Marked. To tempt you I will say that spirits are generally less attractive to Horrors than metahumanity... What could go wrong...

There's the rub. Mandala is a Free Spirit and doesn't project, he dematerializes. So if he goes astral, a material matrix object would not go with him, even if it were like a focus in SR. Either he spends some points on a spell-casting class as well as on Troubadour, or he can cast only raw magic on the astral plane.

Hmmm....

This is kinda fun. I'm in a position similar to that of a spirit just Freed. All this cool stuff going on around me and I have little idea what most of it means.

[pbangarth]

OK, so here's a first pass at Mandala in the land of Earthdawn:

Current abilities: much the same, but remove the two spells related to radiation, and put the 10 karma points into beefing the Influence Group of Skills from 1 to 2.

Earthdawn Disciplines/Powers:

Characteristics of Mandala -- performance, influence, protection, find stuff out, spellcasting. I want him to be able to cast spells in the astral plane, and I want him to be able to resist all kinds of nasty stuff I don't know about yet. Especially since he seems to want to go off by himself a lot. A lot. He is really good already at Disguise, so I don't figure he needs more help there.

So...

Troubadour - 13 points Level 1 powers, 6 points Level 2

Empathic Sense (2)
Etiquette (1)
First Impression (2)
Haggle (1)
Heartening Laugh (3)
Impress (2)
Item History (2)

Diplomacy (1)
Performance (2)

Nethermancer - 10 points for second discipline, 3 points Level 1 powers, 8 points Level 2

Matrix 1 (3)

Abate Curse (2)
Steel Thought (2)

[Seth]

Looks good. Not much combat but very Manala-esque

I take your point about the physical item: its a hard choice. Just to tempt you: I was serious when I said that the horrors don't like spirits as much as metahumans. Basically if you do raw magic it will be a magic + edge roll needing 1..5 successes. 5 if you are actually fighting the horror now, 4 if it is near, down to 1 its been here in the past. Most of earthdawn will be 1 or 2 needed. As a spirit I will give you a bonus success, as you are not as tasty. (of course with luck that means you get horror marked in the past, which means...mu ha ha...you are probably just as marked now).

You are probably saying "what is horror marked". Basically it gets buffs against you, you get debuffed against it, it can sense you presence and location, can trash your spending of edge, maybe it can see through your eyes... In EarthDawn horror marked people were usually executed to save the society

[Seth]

Some equipment is now up.

• You get points equal to 10+the amount you spent on resources (so even you get some snort Mandala)
• The base cost gets you the base benefit
• Each extra resource point gets you the next rank of benefits

For people that want to be warrior/wizards please look at the spell sword.

I will add armour/blood charms tomorrow, and do the IC ritual / first post in the past tomorrow.

In the starting embassy ball you will be allowed dress armor, armor you cannot remove, and belt weapons (weapons that fit on your belt).

[pbangarth]

Looks good. Not much combat but very Mandala-esque

I take your point about the physical item: its a hard choice. Just to tempt you: I was serious when I said that the horrors don't like spirits as much as metahumans. Basically if you do raw magic it will be a magic + edge roll needing 1..5 successes. 5 if you are actually fighting the horror now, 4 if it is near, down to 1 its been here in the past. Most of earthdawn will be 1 or 2 needed. As a spirit I will give you a bonus success, as you are not as tasty. (of course with luck that means you get horror marked in the past, which means...mu ha ha...you are probably just as marked now).

You are probably saying "what is horror marked". Basically it gets buffs against you, you get debuffed against it, it can sense you presence and location, can trash your spending of edge, maybe it can see through your eyes... In EarthDawn horror marked people were usually executed to save the society

In a pinch, Mandala just might take a risk. MAG + EDG = 17, and with one bonus success for being a spirit, it doesn't look too hard, does it?

(Is this the kind of thing Horrors like to hear? "I can handle it...")

As a matter of interest, Mandala has that matrix jewelry item anyway, just like everybody else, right?

[pbangarth]

Is a Horror Mark a Curse, as in the power Abate Curse?

[sabs]

A Horror Mark is to a curse what Hiroshima was to a stick of dynamite

[Seth]

As a matter of interest, Mandala has that matrix jewelry item anyway, just like everybody else, right?

Yes. Might as well get someone else to wear it: although only you can use it

Is a Horror Mark a Curse, as in the power Abate Curse?

I'll go with sabs answer.

[Aria]

Ryl’s shopping list

• An air ship – I’m only partially joking (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) …one on loan perhaps from my Master?
• An air ship crew? I quite fancy being elle Capitaine (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
• Elfweave robe (or something similar) with charisma boosting effects – there seem to be similar items in your list, can we use the same stats but describe them differently? As an aside I’d quite like to ‘find’ this again in the 6th World – something like the robe in Attitude that grants the glamour power?!?
• Blood pebble armour (assuming this is absorbed when I shift to drake form – otherwise I’ll have to rethink…)
• Chameleon cloak possibly?

Like Mandala, Ryl has some problems with magical items when she shifts as most won’t be useable and she’ll have to find some way to carry them. Is there a ‘bag of holding’ equivalent? Preferably one with a disguise of scales on the outside? This being ED there may be some ‘one size fits all’ clothing that might not shred when she shifts – although she’d look a bit silly so maybe I’ll just strip and keep spare clothes in a bag (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Seth]

Air ship: No problem. If you have any ship plans link them. Is it a merchant, pirate or military ship?
Air ship crew: No problem. As many mooks with 6 to 8 die pools as you want (up to say 50)
Elfweave robe: absolutely rename the robe, or make one using the kind of guidelines I am using, and I will tweak it and cost it
Blood pebble armour: I am working on how to do this. It would be absorbed when you shift to drake form just like every other armour
Chameleon cloak. Look at forest robes...at higher levels they give you the power to cast physical chameleon. Rename them to be a cloak.

[Aria]

Flying Ship

Is this suitably Earthdawny? It's been a while since I looked at the artwork...although I do remember the flying castles! I was thinking merchant vessel rather than pirate or war ship...

So of my 60 points to play with how much will need to go on ship and crew? It's a sizable investment I would think but should buy some prestige too so worth the cost