hammy@mit-eddie.UUCP (J. Scott Hamilton) (11/17/83)
Character generation - I will have to tailor my advise a bit, considering the campaign, and the fact that some of the extra rules do not apply. Still, some things still remain fairly consistent. General Allocation - Generally, you want to pay attention to your stats in the following order: prime requisites development stats other stats important to class all other stats (if there are any left) I think that it is difficult to make a general rule for allocation, so I will give a rough guideline according to class. Remember that a lot depends on character conception; if you want to make a woodsmen over a rought, you will be probably concentrating on Self Discipline and Intuition rathern than Strength and Agility. It also depends on what range of stats you get. Ranges of Stats - Lots of low ones - We generally are able to role pretty good characters, so we really haven't had to deal with that problem. If most of your stats are low, it is generally good to use the 90 rule (replace up to two temporary stats for 90s, to be put in your prime requisites). For skills with low d.p. (development point) costs, it is more cost effective to buy another box, then to have a +5 add to to stat. Of course, if your stat modifier is one of the first five, then you win both ways. If you think you only need to replace one stat, generally replace the one that gets you development points. These types of stats are generally good for fighter types. Lots of low ones, with a few good ones - Generally the same rule applies, although these are generally good for semi-spell users, who need at least one good stat in their prime mental stat (for spell casting). If one of the stats is a 95 or above, he would make a decent pure magic users, as this will give him two spell points per level. If one of the stats is a 100 (potential), definitely make him a pure magic user. A number of good ones, no really exceptional ones - Again, pretty much good for a fighter type. At this point, you might want to get a good stat bonus below at the sacrifice of one or two development points above. A number of good ones, a couple of exceptional ones - if one stat 95 or above, again a good magic user. If you have TWO stats above a ninety five, consider making a hybrid spell user. The problem with a hybrid is, if you use two good stats for the lower, mental stats, you usually don't have enough good stats for development points. And if you want at least two spell points per level, it means you won't be junking ANY of your low stats. PO Mostly very good stats - You can make some character classes extremely strong by having good stats. A warrior monk with good stat bonuses is deadly, a hybrid becomes a very interesting character. I would generally not wast a lot of good stats on a fighter type or a semi. Good stats make interesting pure spell users, if you don't specialize on arms, but instead get a lot of the esoteric spell user skills that you usually don't have the development points for. By Class - Pure Arms You usually don't need very good stats in these classes, just concentrate on the d.p. stats. Down below, you want to have a good strength, and usually a good quickness if you have another stat left. Don't bother with an exceptional quickness bonuses unless you are not going to be wearing restricting armor. Fighters Strength, Constitution, and Agility are usually the most important. A high Self Discipline is good for making maneuver roles, and combines with Presence, can help in making Adrenal Move roles. Rogues Most Rogues I play specialize in Stalk and Hide, and Perception. Thus, you want good Self Discipline, Agility, Reasoning, and Intuition. These type of characters make excellent scouts. Or, if you want to make a good horseman, use a high Empathy. Many of my rogues don't use armor, they rely on shield, a good quickness, and a partial parry. I think Rogues are THE optimized character class. Thieves I haven't generated many, so I don't really know. Warrior monks Quickness is a must. Self Discipline is also good. If they dabble in spells, they are generally Mentalist base. Essence Users Because of the restriction of no armor or heavy clothing, I generally give these characters high Quickness, high Empathy, and throw the rest in development. You generally want to have the next best stat in Agility, since this is the only Stat modifier for Elemental Atack Roles (yah, Firebolt!). By virtue of having a high Empathy, Essence users generally are good animal riders (another good reason for having a good agility). Alchemists As far as I am concerned, they should also have good Empathy, in order to have a good Staves/Wands and Runes role. Channelers Channelers are kind of flexible. They can wear leather armor, but they can't use hefty metal weapons. Still, that leaves such interesting ones as bola and quarterstaff. I have seen a Cleric build like a fighter, that could really dish it out, and a healer, who usually ended up eating it. Channeling also uses Intuition. This is a good ability to have, as it allows transfer of power points between other channelers (although at a good loss). Other realms can channel, but it is usually extremely costly. By virtue of having a good Intuition, Channelers usually have a good Perception (if they remember to pay attention to Reasoning). Healers What ever the party takes, these guys have to soak up. Therefore, you want to have a high constitution, and buy up Body Development boxes like mad. I would suggest not putting this character out front line. Mentalists As near as I can tell, Mentalist make pretty good martial artists (as a sideline to their spell abilities). Presence is a must, but with a good Self Discipline, they can do well with Adrenal Moves, which are fairly cheap to begin with. Their cost for martial arts boxes is much less than for arms. Seers Don't forget Intuition and Reasoning for Perception. I would forsake a good Intuition to get more development points. Lay Healers As far as I am concerned, Lay Healers make good battlefield Healers, if they are allowed to specialize in martial arts. At that point, buy a lot of boxes in Rank 1, and use partial (or full) parry often. Semi-spell Users Semis generally want a good stat in their Prime mental, and then treat them as Fighters. I generally play Rangers like Fighters, Monks like Warrior Monks, and Bards like Rogues. Rangers We play that perception is used for tracking, although I think we had a skill Tracking, which was 1/3 for Rangers. I think the skill used Intuition, Reasoning, and Memory. Bards We also had a couple of skills for Bards. Singing and musical instruments cost 2/5 (voice training isn't cheap) and was modified by Presence and Appearance (an eleventh stat that we added). They also had a Lore skill, that used Memory as the modifier. NOTE: These special skills are the only ones that I have seen that use Memory as a modifier, unless I overlooked something, no standard skill does. Because of this, I always put my junkiest of the development point stats in Memory. Technically, it can also be used in situational modifiers. Hybrids Ah, a whole chapter could probably be written about hybrids. I consider them extremely versatile characters classes that were c designed to allow a player to come up with some very specific character conceptions. Also, you don't want to learn every spell list (which you can do with other classes), because you will end up learning between forty and fifty lists *for each pick*. Sorcerers These are bad dudes. Since their spells are based on destruction, I tend to think of the them as having an evil bent. Even though many spells are elemental, they are generally not blastems. They make good tactical spell casters. Prime reqs require Intuition and Empathy, nothing else is really critical. Astrologers Q. What do you call an Astrologer with a 100 in Presence and Intuition, and a times three spell multiplier? A. A switchboard. After looking over one of these guys, it seems that they are primarily designed for information gathering and communication. They don't seem very good for melee. They seem to make excellent scouts and spies, especially if the operate at night. Intuition and Presence a must, and Reasoning is needed for a good Perception role. I also think they could use a good Stalk and Hide, so that they can sit in the bushes and "radio in the coordinates". They also make good interrogators. No military intelllegenc team should be without one. Mystics This has to be my favorite class (or at least character). He is the classic "Now you see him, now you don't" character, and he has many ways of doing it. They make good scouts, spies, diversions, confusers, and blasters (with water bolt at fourth, shock bolt at sixth, and fire bolt at nineth). This is one of the few character classes I know that can operate alone, since they have infinite punt capability. They get shape change to other race at third level, and to any other creature at nineth level (including physical, but not special abilities, which is something a animist cannot get until 25 level). They also make reasonable martial artists. Allocation of points would depend on the specialty desired, with Empathy and Presence a must. By Stat - Constitution - Definitely useful, and extremely useful for magic using classes, since they generally can't buy many boxes of Body Development. Self Discipline - Good for ALL general maneuvers, and also figured in to Stalk, Hide, and Adrenal Moves. Elves generally have a tough time (they are so fidgety). Agility - Good for missile, thrown weapons and sweep (martial arts), and essential for Elemental Attacks. It is also very useful in a number of manuevering skills. Memory - I don't know any use for this stat other than character conception and development points. Reasoning - Useful in Perception, Picking Locks and Finding Traps. Thieves like it. Strength - Useful in melee, thrown, and strike (martial arts). I have seen our GM have us use our bonus for opening and forcing doors. Quickness - Used for Movement Rate, Defensive Bonus, and First Swing Staves/Wands. If you go without armor, it is generally a good idea to have a high Quickness. Presence - Used in adrenal moves, and as far as I am concerned, in "winning friends and influencing enemies". Used in the realm of Mentalism. Intuition - Used in Perception, Channeling, Runes, and Staves/Wands. It is a prime requisite for Channelers. Empathy - Used in Riding, Runes, and Staves/Wands. It is a prime requisite for Essence Users. -------------------- One thing to pay close attention. Character development should be done considering the origin of the character. If a society is atheistic, it will not have Channelers. In Umbar, where magic is scarce, their simply are no Magic Users. Also, physical stats should also take into consideration the region, and thus may dictate which character classes are viable. In a cold region (for example, in this campaign), the characters probably had a reasonably high Constitution, or else they would have froze to death. Tough fighters would be more at a premium than frail magic users. Also, I would expect to see more cloth and leather armor, since this protection would also help withstand the elements (ah, but for you hardy individuals, nothing like putting on a COLD set of chain in the morning). Ah well, I think I have been long winded enough. Within time constraints, I would like to help people out. -- J. Scott Hamilton !genrad!mit-eddie!hammy
hammy@mit-eddie.UUCP (J. Scott Hamilton) (11/17/83)
There are a couple of things I forgot to mention... Stats - When I was talking about high stats, I was referring to potentials. Most of what I said should be modified by how crummy a stat is to begin with, although I am inclined to think that in a campaign where every one reaches third or fourth level fairly rapidly, the bad stats quickly even themselves out. You DON't want something like a 26/99 for something like a Spell Users mental prime requisite, the poor fool will have NO spell points until he can get his stat to a 75 or higher. If your temporary is more than 15 away, I would count on getting about 10 points a level, although it is easy enough to figure out what the actual average is. Also, a lot of your decision of where to put the stats are based on your character conception. I have seen a Rogue build into a fighter, thief, archer, scout, ranger, and spy. I have a Mystic who considers himself a well rounded martial artist, even though people could have mistaken him for a Sorcerer, Magician, Monk, Mentalist or Illusionist (granted, he does have exceptional stats). Elemental Spells - One thing to watch out for about elemental spells. They are not easy to come by, and they are fairly costly to cast. If my memory serves me correctly, the following are ways to get elementals. You can check in Spell Law books to be sure. Class or Realm Spell List Level Channelers - Shock Bolt Light Law 7 Mentalists - Shock Bolt Light Law 6 Essence Users - (I don't know if there is any on open or closed, there should) Astrologers - Starfires "Light Law" Disgusting (20?) Mystics - Waterbolt Water Alt. 5 Firebolt Gas Alt. 9 Magicians - Firebolt Fire Law 6 Icebolt Ice Law 6 Waterbolt Water Law 4 Shockbolt Light Law 2 Lightningbolt Light Law 10 Clearly, if you want to specialize in blastems, you must become a Magician. Even then, it is fairly high level before you can cast them. Also, you start out casting one Elemental (as well as other spells) once every three rounds. Shockbolt becomes instantaneous at 8 level, Waterbolt at 10, Firebolt and Icebolt at 12, and Lightning bolt at 16. You can reduce this by using the spell Store, but this means that you had to store the appropriate spell the night before (assuming you have the spell points then), and it must be the next spell you cast, or you lose it. By the way, this is a trick that we use to "carry over" spell points to the next day, and also gives the MU a chance to have a "quick draw" spell. My Mystic carries around a Fear spell in storage (Verbal component is "Boo!") unless he is feeling paranoid, in which case he carries Invisibility (he is sixth level). He could just as easily carry Waterbolt or Shockbolt. -- J. Scott Hamilton !genrad!mit-eddie!hammy