Grimaldi:
I certainly hope we use powerstones. otherwise being a mage is going to be limited to drinking potions that make ya blind. it's like bathtub gin, all over again! xD
It's called Power items. They've been mentioned several times now. They're arguably
better than Powerstones.
Balir Ironhide:
40,000 posts in and the powerstone question hasn't been decided.
As far as I know it was decided a long time ago, we're using DF/DFRPG rules but allowing off template characters. Just we have new Players that don't seem to have made characters using
DF at all, which I've said a few times is a tremendous flaw in our GM's methods.
It's one thing to 'go off template' but still know what the setting switches of the game are, it's another to make characters wholecloth with no direction from the
DF rules...
quote:
Seems like the first thing any good finger-wiggler would be asking about, because they are very useful caster tools.
Powerstones in vanilla Fantasy are expensive, most Wizards can't afford them at chargen. When they have to make choices between armor, magic staff, other equipment and Powerstones.
Power Items take that hassle out of the equation. If you can afford
any equipment at all you got a Power/Heroic Item.
quote:
Plus, as written in the basic books, powerstones are potentially unbalancing if not managed carefully.
Not really, they're just a pain in the ass to adjudicate recharge times. A 'one shot' pool of FP that you can only recharge in town is a lot simpler on the GM's paperwork.
Ardenas Barehand:
There were changes to the DF rules when the DFRPG set came out. One of those was the elimination of Quick & Dirty enchantment (with the exception of the Staff spell), with the result that even a Cornucopia Quiver of ordinary arrows is now a $1300 item (as I recall -- it's a BUNCH more than the $125 it used to be, in any case). Another was a further nerfing of power storage...
Not quite. In
DF Wizards can't take Enchantment spells, so that was already right out before
DFRPG.
quote:
The underlying reasons, I presume, were balance related...
No, they're genre related. Sean Punch (the creator of
DF) didn't want to run a game for a group of mumptys hangin out in town enchanting items. He wanted PCs heading out into dungeons seeking treasure.
So he removed the entire college of spells that discouraged adventure play.
These choices were further refined in DFRPG... and I think he went too far 9but I do get there were also page count consideration in DFRPG).
quote:
You can have a mana reservoir for your caster; look at "Power Item" in the first DF book. Costs $5/fp to have recharged by Spielgud or the other Guild mage (whose name I've forgotten).
Power item is for spellcasters, costs $5/FP to recharge between adventures.
Heroic Item* (must be weapon, armor, or shield) is for Weapon Masters, TBaM, and Heroic Archers that need more FP to power themselves in fights.
Psionic Item* is for psis.
Endurance Items are for anyone, but that FP can only be spent on completely mundane stuff, marching fatigue, Extra Effort, sleep dep, lost meals, etc. No FP draining attacks. Requires a $1k ritual to turn ordinary piece of gear into Endurance Item. The Item now actually counts as an Endurance Items and is 'enchanted"... kinda? Anyway it's more valuable and you can own as many as you want. The cost $5/point to recharge betweens adventures.
Power Items, Heroic Items, and Psionic Items have no intrinsic value as a "Power Item". Being a Power item doesn't increase it's value, they cannot be 'bought' as Power Items.
And you can only ever own one of each, and must be able to use the power source (Magic, Divine, Psionic, Heroic).
* Heroic items came from DF 18 Power Items and it and Psionic Items use... wait for it... Passive Recharging. Sigh. 1 point per day.
Grimaldi:
oh yeah, suddenly being a mage just plain sucks.
Not even a little.