[.11] Channeling Playtest Experiences

[Mahir]

Was at a playtest event this past weekend, and while channelling was good in general, for me it was pretty hard to use.

I'm a sword+board earth spellsword, so having to use both hands for it effectively cripples it for me- I have to take the time to get my hand out of my shield (stays on because of the strap, but that's still a full 5+ seconds of finagling) and then get and hold my relic, while sword-tucked and still having a shield strapped to me. Maybe that's intended- maybe it isn't supposed to be for me, but that's my experience.

That being said, it seemed effective for scholars for pickups+popcorn healing.

 

[Durnic]

Was at a playtest event this past weekend, and while channelling was good in general, for me it was pretty hard to use.

I'm a sword+board earth spellsword, so having to use both hands for it effectively cripples it for me- I have to take the time to get my hand out of my shield (stays on because of the strap, but that's still a full 5+ seconds of finagling) and then get and hold my relic, while sword-tucked and still having a shield strapped to me. Maybe that's intended- maybe it isn't supposed to be for me, but that's my experience.

That being said, it seemed effective for scholars for pickups+popcorn healing.

There is a pretty good ritual manipulation you should look into specifically for situations like this.

 

[Feldor]

There is a pretty good ritual manipulation you should look into specifically for situations like this.

That requires having enough build for a good chunk of formal magic; and in the other thread he points out he's a lower level player. And for a spellsword, thats 24 XP to get access to, after getting a 9th list spell and enough channel pool to make it worth spending 24xp on buffing it; he mentioned swinging 4s, so for him figure 19th level minimum assuming he's bought almost nothing else in martial skills; and if he's splitting equally between martial & casting, that's high 20s or low 30s... I mean its there, but its a bit of a reach for spellswords who aren't focusing just on casting.


As an idea, since it sounds like ritual stuff is still being discussed, I wonder if there is a place for a "shield enchant" that makes your shield count as your channel focus.

 

[Kitaruen]

The high magic that makes it reduce to a rune on your hand essentially helps a lot. I was sword and shield and channeling worked we'll that way.

 

[Mahir]

Oh, totally. It also means channeling is basically a no go for me for several years- which could be fine as part of the design, but I don't know if that's what people want.

 

[norman b]

That requires having enough build for a good chunk of formal magic; and in the other thread he points out he's a lower level player. And for a spellsword, thats 24 XP to get access to, after getting a 9th list spell and enough channel pool to make it worth spending 24xp on buffing it; he mentioned swinging 4s, so for him figure 19th level minimum assuming he's bought almost nothing else in martial skills; and if he's splitting equally between martial & casting, that's high 20s or low 30s... I mean its there, but its a bit of a reach for spellswords who aren't focusing just on casting.


As an idea, since it sounds like ritual stuff is still being discussed, I wonder if there is a place for a "shield enchant" that makes your shield count as your channel focus.

Your math is a bit off. The formal needed is 3 levels only. That's 12 experience for a Spellsword. That plus two profs and a 4 column is (assuming OHE and shield) equals 189 build for minimum requirements. Now that's one purchase of channelling but you can shave to a teardrop and get more channeling but just going for minimums

 

[Feldor]

Your math is a bit off. The formal needed is 3 levels only. That's 12 experience for a Spellsword. That plus two profs and a 4 column is (assuming OHE and shield) equals 189 build for minimum requirements. Now that's one purchase of channelling but you can shave to a teardrop and get more channeling but just going for minimums

You get half your formal ranks as high magic per logistics period. So you need 6 ranks to use it each day. I assumed that you’d spend as much in the high magic as you spent in the channeling it improved, but that you had only a single 9th spell when I said 19th. A full column with that assumption is around 22nd. Regardless all if these build numbers are no where near accessible to newer players which was my actual point.

 

[norman b]

You get half your formal ranks as high magic per logistics period. So you need 6 ranks to use it each day. I assumed that you’d spend as much in the high magic as you spent in the channeling it improved, but that you had only a single 9th spell when I said 19th. A full column with that assumption is around 22nd. Regardless all if these build numbers are no where near accessible to newer players which was my actual point.

Incorrect. You get formal x 0.5 x number of logistics periods. Also, effects last 5 days or until used. Therefore, only 3 formal needed.

 

[Draven]

Norm is correct.

The Aura High magic can only be used per day, but the channeling one last 5.

 

[Feldor]

Wouldn’t work for a day game (which my local chapter runs as frequently as weekend events), but I’ll agree you can get access for slightly less than 19th level, which is decidedly a good distance from low level.