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Dragon Age Arcane Warrior.

Posted by chevalle
chevalle
member, 1 post
Thu 15 Jan 2015
at 04:29
  • msg #1

Dragon Age Arcane Warrior

For the Mage Arcane Warrior Specialization, the Novice perk states

quote:
You learn a new weapon group of your choice, and you can use Magic to satisfy the minimum Strength requirement of weapons. You can also enter Combat Magic mode by taking an activate action. While in this mode, you add Magic instead of Strength to your damage with melee weapons.


On first read I thought this meant an Arcane Warrior can roll Magic for attack and damage like a Warrior rolls Strength for attack and damage. That makes sense, considering the Arcane Warrior uses Magic to satisfy the requirements of the weapon and to deal damage with it. However, a second reading uncovered that it is only damage that is augmented by Magic. This means that an Arcane Warrior needs to dump points into two secondary Abilities to be effective: Dexterity (to meet the Arcane Warrior Requirement) and Strength (to actually hit things). This doesn't really make sense, especially considering the flavor of the specialization and how it works in the video game. Does anyone else think this text is erroneous? Or am I missing something?
ricosuave
member, 113 posts
Mon 19 Jan 2015
at 05:57
  • msg #2

Re: Dragon Age Arcane Warrior

You only get magic to damage. I mean it there in black and white and says exactly that, how much more explanation do you need to understand that you get magic to damage?
chevalle
member, 2 posts
Mon 19 Jan 2015
at 07:20
  • msg #3

Re: Dragon Age Arcane Warrior

Because

1. It makes no sense to force someone to pump three stats. No one else has to do it.

2. It makes no sense given the flavor of the specialization and the rest of the text i.e. use MAGIC to substitute STRENGTH requirements for weapon wielding.

3. It makes no sense given how the specialization works in the video games that this rpg draws from.

And apparently, as the GreenRonin forums indicate, I'm not the only one bewildered by this. But thank you so much for your reply!
Tileira
member, 455 posts
Mon 19 Jan 2015
at 15:19
  • msg #4

Re: Dragon Age Arcane Warrior

Disclaimer: played Dragon Age on the xbox, but I haven't seen the printed tabletop RPG rules.


Honestly, if it's a stupid rule, play the way you think it should work: use Magic for all rolls that use Strength.

I have no idea why an Attack roll would use Strength in the first place. All my other RPG experiences use dex/agility to hit and strength to damage. I would rewrite that rule if I were GMing it.
chevalle
member, 3 posts
Mon 19 Jan 2015
at 16:00
  • msg #5

Re: Dragon Age Arcane Warrior

Some weapon groups use Dexterity like Light Blades, Spears, and Bows. The Arcane Warrior's iconic weapon is the longsword, though, and Heavy Blades use Strength.

(I'm totally inclined to agree with you in any case)

I would definitely house rule it to MAGIC for attack and damage rolls because I think it is erroneous. Was hoping to see if others who have played the game made similar conclusions based on everything above.
Tileira
member, 456 posts
Mon 19 Jan 2015
at 16:13
  • msg #6

Re: Dragon Age Arcane Warrior

I wouldn't class the longsword as a weapon dependent on strength in the same way a greataxe or something is. Maybe just reclass "medium" weight weapons to use dex.

It's definitely an odd quirk in the mechanics, but I don't think Arcane Warrior works if you can't actually hit anything. And it's Arcane Warrior, not Arcane Rogue, it's no good if you're using "light" weapons. So I would rule that AW uses Magic to hit as well as damage.
drewalt
member, 14 posts
Mon 19 Jan 2015
at 17:31
  • msg #7

Re: Dragon Age Arcane Warrior

Tileira:
I have no idea why an Attack roll would use Strength in the first place. All my other RPG experiences use dex/agility to hit and strength to damage. I would rewrite that rule if I were GMing it.


I used to think like that too, but I've started to do some strength training with kettlebells recently, and while I'm certainly far from RPG character strength levels XD it has changed how I think about this kind of abstraction.

I've noticed that as I've progressed to heavier bells and more advanced exercises, not only am I lifting more, but I am moving it around more deftly, with far more control.  I'm able to do snatches cleans and more advanced movements than before.

Has nothing to do with the question the OP had of course, and you can argue abstractions 6 ways to Sunday.
Undeadbob
member, 1834 posts
RPGA member #6004591
Just a little weird
Mon 19 Jan 2015
at 18:24
  • msg #8

Re: Dragon Age Arcane Warrior

In reply to drewalt (msg # 7):

Thats because your performing both Dexterity and Strength training. Let the arguments begin I guess.

I agree that Magic should deal with both the Accuracy and Damage. Or perhaps allow another magic related stat (Willpower? Can't remember if that's a stat in dragon age) deal with accuracy, this way it'll be a stat bump in attributes that are related to magic casting.

However be careful when making house rules like this, who knows what this would actually change in the long run. This could affect 10 rules (to pull a number outta the air) you are not aware off.
DarkLightHitomi
member, 843 posts
Mon 19 Jan 2015
at 20:17
  • msg #9

Re: Dragon Age Arcane Warrior

I would be careful with this. Just using magic allows a mage to have access to two catagories of powers, equipment based and magic, both are very versatile. Requiring str to hit was probably done as a balancing factor to keep the specialty from becoming too overwhelming.

The other specials tend to enhance or support the classes power category, but this one actually allows access to different power category entirely and so balance becomes finicky.

(Normally, fighter gets two, equipment and physical, rogue gets stealth and mobility,  and mage gets magic, what is there to keep an arcane warrior from becoming a better fighter than the fighter? Answer, make it easier for the fighter to be an amazing fighter.

You can also rationalize this as arcane warriors can magically make their weapons sharper and more deadly, but that wouldn't make them more accurate or better at hitting a target.
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