Magic Inert Race

Toddo

Toddo

Knight
NEPA Staff
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Imagine if you will a PC race that is completely incapable of Activating or using magic items bound in physical objects, I'm talking just spirit rituals here if they want to use ritual system treasure at all. They are still effected as normal by spells, but cannot use magic items at all, they just don't work in their hands.

In exchange, this race (I'ma call them the flubberdoops) gets to choose 2 racials a'la wylderkin, and in addition pays the lowest cost on the chart for every skill in the game. They can still be mages, they can even use wands and High Magic, just not other items.

I'd play one. Am I entirely nutso?
 
If I wanted to build an earth templar at some point, I'd consider it strongly.

It doesn't match any of the character concepts I'm currently using or musing over, though.
 
Toddo said:
Imagine if you will a PC race that is completely incapable of Activating or using magic items bound in physical objects, I'm talking just spirit rituals here if they want to use ritual system treasure at all. They are still effected as normal by spells, but cannot use magic items at all, they just don't work in their hands.

In exchange, this race (I'ma call them the flubberdoops) gets to choose 2 racials a'la wylderkin, and in addition pays the lowest cost on the chart for every skill in the game. They can still be mages, they can even use wands and High Magic, just not other items.

I'd play one. Am I entirely nutso?
Click to expand...

You mean they pay "lowest cost" for skills regardless of their class (like Dragons)? Example: as a Scholar I would pay 15 build for a Prof?

And any two racials?

I would totally try one out, yes. Played a Fighter up through 230+ build with 5 or fewer rituals on-hand, I can't see it being too substantially different. Either way I would certainly enjoy the challenge.
 
Indeed, class would follow which skills you bought the most of in that category for calculating body and all skills at the lowest cost for ANY class. (secondary column still double I'd say, but I'm willing to entertain arguments)
 
Subquestions:

A) Is this race too powerful in your estimation?

B) Why do you feel this way?
 
Toddo said:
Imagine if you will a PC race that is completely incapable of Activating or using magic items bound in physical objects, I'm talking just spirit rituals here if they want to use ritual system treasure at all. They are still effected as normal by spells, but cannot use magic items at all, they just don't work in their hands.

In exchange, this race (I'ma call them the flubberdoops) gets to choose 2 racials a'la wylderkin, and in addition pays the lowest cost on the chart for every skill in the game. They can still be mages, they can even use wands and High Magic, just not other items.

I'd play one. Am I entirely nutso?
Click to expand...

I would try it. It would free me from having to worry about things like components and items.
 
So I plugged in this race into my build calculator and came up with the following build:

Skills purchased:

Racial: Resist Command x1
Racial: Resist Magic x1

Read/write
Read Magic
First Aid

OHE
Stylemaster

8x Prof
4x Slay
4x Parry
2x Riposte
2x Eviscerate

4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4

Total build:
Flubberdoops: 305
Templar: 370
Fighter: 512
Scout: 545

Personally, I think that's more utility and a better distribution of magic than having that fighter with no spell tree (212 build) but replacing it with MI's. So it's essentially giving a 212 build Fighter 36 spells.

A Scout build:

Skills purchased:

Racial: Resist Command x1
Racial: Resist Magic x1

Read/write
Read Magic
First Aid

OHE
Stylemaster

8x Prof
4x Slay
4x Parry
2x Riposte
2x Eviscerate

5 Backstabs
2 Dodges
5 Evades

Total build:
Flubberdoops: 305
Scout: 362
Fighter: 418
Rogue: 453

Trying out an Adept Build:

Skills Bought:
Racial: Resist Command
Racial: Resist Magic

Read Write
First Aid
Healing Arts

OHE
Stylemaster

8x Backstab
8x Evade
4x Dodge
2x Terminate
1x Waylay

4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4

Total build:
Flubberdoops: 309
Adept: 378
Rogue: 419
Templar: 530

Of course, you can drop some of those Evades for Formal Magic for a more diverse defensive skill set.

It doesn't make the "pure" classes any more attractive, certainly Fighter less so, but it makes the cross-classes a lot more attractive, though I will say that Scout seems to be perhaps the worse choice because then you really have nothing to fall back on (no life, no prison, no spell shields, no magic armors); all you have is your Dodges and Evades (if you get them).

I'd definitely try it.

Toddo said:
Subquestions:

A) Is this race too powerful in your estimation?

B) Why do you feel this way?
Click to expand...

A) No, I don't think so at this point.

B) You give up a TON of utility by giving up MI's, but make up for some of that in build. Granted, you can kind of make SOME of that back with Racials, but even then that MI utility is boss.

Further, I don't see it as being substantially different than what can be accomplished now with MI's and a Fighter, though the Fighter is doing more consistent damage. I mean, you still have to incant those Spell Shields and with no Cloaks (unless from HM), that makes it a bit more difficult; you're more susceptible to spell double-taps which I can see as being a big negative too unless you're an Adept or Scout*.

The concept is very intriguing to me.


*I don't think I'd play a Scout with this race.
 
In a second.

I don't think it is op based on the current meta game. But if items were ever devalued, then these guys would be I over the top.

I think the real value would be being able to triple class and be a scout witrh a spell column.

An earth templar with a 4 block, 2 profs, 6 back stabs, all the defensive skills, resist poison and resist element would be beast. The fact that they could then just built out their pyramid from that point gets pretty absurd. That guy would be very difficult to take down.
 
RiddickDale said:
An earth templar with a 4 block, 2 profs, 6 back stabs, all the defensive skills, resist poison and resist element would be beast. The fact that they could then just built out their pyramid from that point gets pretty absurd. That guy would be very difficult to take down.
Click to expand...

That's about 296 build (no formals) with this race, assuming OHE/Stylemaster for weapon skills. Add in Herbal Lore and Alchemy 3 and it's 308.

5 Block, 15 levels of Formal is only 378 build (3 dodges, 6 evades, 1 Parry, 2 Riposte).

Crazy!
 
They'd still have no cloaks, spell parries, or banes, outside of HM.
 
And therein lies the awesome challenge! :D
 
I'd play one only if:

"Only damaged by Magic/Elemental/Earth carrier" was removed from the game (i.e. everything has a mundane carrier that it can be affected by) OR Magic/Elemental/Earth Blade became scrollable/potionable.

Otherwise a host of Flubbedoop Panthergasts would be ... Challenging. And Incorporeal undead would be a pain in th rear. Or it would make those blade spells standard issue at those spell levels for all Flubberdoops.


The idea does sound cool. Would a secondary school cost the same as a primary school, like a dragon?
 
I would, without a doubt, try out this race....the challenge really does lie in balancing your spell tree(s), crafting (or purchasing consumables), HM, and spell selection. In addition, you'd need to ally yourself with others at lower levels. As far as progression, I'd look at a single weapon skill, one style, and then build up my Earth tree (maybe a bump of Celestial for scrolls) to get HM (especially Rebirth). From there, adding Profs/Backstabs, getting some Slays/Dodges...Whenever you don't feel like waiting for a big chunk of unspent build, you can throw another spell on your tree or grab a Racial. This race has a ton of versatility and flexibility. Seems like just about every character concept could be fit into this mold.

-Luke
 
Alavatar said:
I'd play one only if:

"Only damaged by Magic/Elemental/Earth carrier" was removed from the game (i.e. everything has a mundane carrier that it can be affected by) OR Magic/Elemental/Earth Blade became scrollable/potionable.

Otherwise a host of Flubbedoop Panthergasts would be ... Challenging. And Incorporeal undead would be a pain in th rear. Or it would make those blade spells standard issue at those spell levels for all Flubberdoops.


The idea does sound cool. Would a secondary school cost the same as a primary school, like a dragon?
Click to expand...

Still double cost for secondary column, negatory on your other requests. Not all pantherghasts are Magic to hit and you can still be a wizard of some stripe. Pure fighter Flubberdoop might have issues, but friends are awesome.
 
Yes, as long as the RP/makeup requirements were also a little steep. Metagame all you want so long as IG there's an interesting race, IMO.
 
Depending on make-up requirement (I am a big sweaty monster that looks BAD when I play make-up races) I would play one in a SECOND. A HOT SECOND.

I don't even need the racials to sweeten the deal. I would RATHER just have all skills cost minimum- including secondary pyramid.


In fact when can I play one?
 
Secondary pyramid still double base cost. :p
 
Flubberdrops would almost universally need to buy Read/Magic so they could resort to being coin operated flame bolt machine's against Magic to hit Pantherghasts.

This would present a significant challenge character build wise and nothing presented here really breaks the game.

With that said... I like the idea of playing this race because I recognize that other people will have the extra stuff around me. Monsters are all but designed with magic items in mind so an entire team of these guys would struggle.

If EVERYONE played one of these guys with no monster card adjustments we may as well be playing the 15-20 rez per weekend perm fests that Toddo write fanfiction about on the side. :funny:
 
Secondary pyramid still double base cost.
Click to expand...

That is your design (and one I still dig).

I am, in the ancient time honored traditioon of these message boards, modifying it.

I want to get rid of the racials and get cheapest cost for all skills for real- including secondary pyramid.
 
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