Author Topic: Regents, able assistance & other characters  (Read 19500 times)

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Offline DM B

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Regents, able assistance & other characters
« on: September 12, 2008, 09:20:05 AM »
Hi,

RoE II will be less high-powered than RoE when it comes to character levels. So I'll downscale just about everyone, regents, able assistance, NPCs, everything. I also have qualms about changing class level composition.

To give you an idea of what we're looking at:

Low            1-3     Only very young or inept regents
Moderate   4-6      Most regents will be found here
High           7-9     Very experienced regents only; Aruvor Raemel Roesone, Leman States
Very high  10-12  Only the most renowned and powerful regents; Darien Avan, Brandon Boer
Legendary 13-15  Very few (if any) regents of this level; the Warlock, the Chamberlain
Near epic   16-20  Exceptionally rare for any regent; the Emerald Queen (Sielwode)
Epic           21+    Reserved for ages-old awnies; The Gorgon (lvl 30), the Manslayer (lvl 25), the Spider (lvl 21)...
« Last Edit: November 21, 2008, 10:23:49 AM by DM Bjørn »
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Offline DM B

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Re: Regents
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2008, 10:02:54 AM »
Some examples (subject to changes before launch):

PC regents
Carvaloen Diem: Noble 2/Fighter 4
Aruvor Raemel Roesone: Fighter 6/Noble 2
Leman States: Fighter 4/Cleric 5

NPCs
Brandon Boer: Noble 1/Fighter 10
Darien Avan: Noble 10
« Last Edit: September 12, 2008, 10:04:25 AM by DM Bjørn »
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Offline X-MOC/Leman States (Even)

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Re: Regents, able assistance & other characters
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2008, 04:18:00 PM »
As this affects temple and source regents significantly more, have there been some considerations as to how this should be balanced? Or were the realm spell influence just deemed too powerful in RoE?

E
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Offline X-DM Jon

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Re: Regents, able assistance & other characters
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2008, 05:01:06 PM »
All you need is: 1st level Bless Land. The most influential realm spell ever.

 I actually don't think the realm spells are that important, not when you're trying to save every possible action you have for all the other crap. Though that's speaking from a temple point of view...

Offline X-Roesone/ARR (Robert)

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Re: Regents, able assistance & other characters
« Reply #4 on: September 28, 2008, 06:24:43 PM »
I don't think it will unbalance things much. As one progresses in spell levels one gets access to, more or less, more powerful versions of the spells he has at lower levels. First there's a spell that cures 1 hit, later one that cures 2, and all the way to heal which cures a unit of all hits, or the different types of damage dealing spells that range from 1 hit to 3 + rout. However, it is rare that a realm spell will completely reverse the outcome of a battle, like a Wrath of God or some such could. However, this are 8th, 9th level spells which no player-regent is meant to have anyway. Only the elves, the Chambelain, a master of the Wizard Conclave in the Imperial City or the holiest of Haelyn's priests are meant to possess such power (and the awnies of course).

I remember how I was drooling to get 4th level spells so I could cast conversion which basically counts as an automatic contest+rule (stealing a temple level from your opponent), but since I started the game by having this done to me, I had to rationalize IC why the use of such a spell would be abominable (since it was done to me of course ;)) so I figured that, since Haelyn inherited the legacy of Anduiras and Anduiras was immune to enchantment/charm, gaining followers by conversion is a sin in the eyes of Haelyn and even when I got 4th level spells I never learned this one.

You'll find lots of spells that act in such a way, by making a particular action easier or doable in a different way, but no spells below 6th level will have spectacular and miraculous results that would seriously unbalance things.

As for those that do in fact possess such spells (Aelies, Gorgon...) I consider that such characters are powerful and experienced for a reason, and that they know that for each powerful being there are at least 2-3 others who can gang up on him/her if necessary. Even the Gorgon can be laid low if he becomes too big a threat. Tossing spells that raise volcanos and bring about an ice age is a big show of power (and demanding on resources) but it could bring about your downfall.

Thus, I believe that players can play with lower levels without worrying that "but they can kill entire armies with a single spell" will be an everyday occurence, or even that it will happen at all. NPC spellcasters also have domains to run, random events to respond to, have to spend RP/GB to do diplomacy and generally maintain their domains. Someone like the Gorgon will probably have enough reserves to blast a portion of an invading army, but he won't have stockpiles of nukes to destroy the world. If he wanted to do it he would have done it by now or been dealth with by other powerful beings.

And in any case, a temple regent has a lot of other possibilities but realm spells. I've cast a realm spell maybe 3-4 times in the entire 12 turns I played HA and I was always hard pressed for actions to do everything I had to do. You can contest, do diplomacy, adventure...

Same for wizards. IMO, a great wizard is the one not flaunting his power or expending it unnecessarily. Mystery is the key to a wizards power. Otherwise he becomes a stage magician.
« Last Edit: September 28, 2008, 06:51:43 PM by Roesone/ARR (Robert) »
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Offline DM B

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Re: Regents, able assistance & other characters
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2008, 06:48:57 PM »
As this affects temple and source regents significantly more, have there been some considerations as to how this should be balanced? Or were the realm spell influence just deemed too powerful in RoE?

E

Spellcasters were too powerful. Nobody actually utilized their spellcasting potential, so it wasn't that big a problem, but it was a potential serious problem. Most csters will now be in the 5-9 caster level range. Which should be just about right - spells will be a supplement, but not too powerful.

We'll also see some changes to certain spells.
DM Bjørn

Offline X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten)

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Re: Regents, able assistance & other characters
« Reply #6 on: September 28, 2008, 08:58:29 PM »
All you need is: 1st level Bless Land. The most influential realm spell ever.

 I actually don't think the realm spells are that important, not when you're trying to save every possible action you have for all the other crap. Though that's speaking from a temple point of view...

Speak for yourself! Shadowward! Shadowward, shadowward, shadowward! There's a reason the RCS had to built temples all the way to Alamie (can't remember if i actually got there, but the rcs sure made a temple-highway through Diemed...)

Offline X-Diemed/Carvaloen Diem (Sheldon)

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Re: Regents, able assistance & other characters
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2008, 03:29:29 PM »
Wasn't some high level spell casting responsible for Robhan of the HA surviving the war in Mhoried?
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Offline DM B

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Re: Regents, able assistance & other characters
« Reply #8 on: September 29, 2008, 03:31:59 PM »
Yes - he has a some selective memory...
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Offline X-Roesone/ARR (Robert)

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Re: Regents, able assistance & other characters
« Reply #9 on: September 29, 2008, 06:51:19 PM »
Yes - he has a some selective memory...

Nope.. "high level" spellcasting was employed by the enemy, "mid level" spellcasting was used by me.... INDIRECTLY....and "low level" directly ;)

I only had access to 4th level spells :)
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Offline X-DM Jon

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Re: Regents, able assistance & other characters
« Reply #10 on: September 29, 2008, 07:32:11 PM »
You forget you had Regien on your side as well. He countered some pretty hefty stuff that day...

Offline X-Roesone/ARR (Robert)

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Re: Regents, able assistance & other characters
« Reply #11 on: September 29, 2008, 07:36:28 PM »
You forget you had Regien on your side as well. He countered some pretty hefty stuff that day...

Regien? How on earth could I ever forget him  :P
Arvour Raemel, by the Grace of Haelyn Baron of Roesone etc, Champion of Cuiraecen

Offline X-DM Jon

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Re: Regents, able assistance & other characters
« Reply #12 on: September 29, 2008, 08:23:01 PM »
Stole his mojo you did!  ;D

Offline X-Diemed/Carvaloen Diem (Sheldon)

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Re: Regents, able assistance & other characters
« Reply #13 on: October 03, 2008, 01:23:39 PM »
I thought I remember looking for a cleric that could cast a heal spell after you almost died at the battle, IIRC Gielbert was several levels too low so we had to find Mairie and have her adventure over to save you.  :D
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Offline DM B

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Re: Regents, able assistance & other characters
« Reply #14 on: November 21, 2008, 10:25:30 AM »
Another change that needs mentioning; some domains had a LOT fo able assistance at the end of RoE. To make room for interresting growth, many such NPCs have been cut.

Maybe you could re-aquire them :)
DM Bjørn