Set 3 Open Playtest

[Pytorb]

I know that the proper responses have to be submitted with the playtest document but I thought I'd flag this one up immediately. The Shapeshifter Mage Specialisation mentions the spells small animal form, large animal form and monster form but I couldn't find them in the spell section. Is that an accidental omission or are they not part of the the open playtest? If it is the former could the document be re-issued with the spells included so they can be part of the playtest?

Otherwise looking good on a quick skim read!

And many thanks to Green Ronin for doing the open playtest so we can get an early sight of the rules!

[Jekias]

I have to admit this would be the first time I have actually squealed in delight..

It's going to be a long day at work... I'll be back later to discuss.

ty Green Ronin!

[shonuff]

Might have missed it in my (admittedly quick) skim, but I did not see rules for PC crafting with superior materials.

[Pytorb]

There's a few other things I was hoping to see that aren't there, such as potion crafting for one. They'll be going in the playtest report but I wanted to make a specific mention of the Shapeshifter spells as they seem such an important miss given the way the shapeshifter specialisation is written. There are some wonderful snippets as well, such as what benefit Templars gain from consuming Lyrium...

[Aavarius]

Let me just say, great Cesar's ghost, finally! Also, blimey, there's a lot of neat stuff in there!

[Elfie]

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

[Arimmus]

I just read through most of it, and I must say WOW. The new talents they are thinking about are awesome (FINALLY MOUNTED COMBAT AND POLEARMS!!!!!!) Not to mention the new spells and specializations. They also finally added in human adversary templates and some monsters I didn't even think of. Runes are awesome! Magic items are nice as well. I love what they did for the "epic level" monsters, heck I noticed a few I didn't recognize. All and all I think this was worth the wait. Now it seems i have a lot of new crap to add to my framework.

[Disemvowel]

NERDGASM!!! YES< YES...I mean, whatev man, prolly not that good anyway.

<runs into dark corner where no one can see him reading>

[Scott McFarland]

Nice one Will, thanks.

[Disemvowel]

What are the odds they will release a rules compendium? That would be fan-friggin-tastic.

[Arimmus]

Probably after they are all out. They probably have an adventure or two left in them, and maybe some other neat products to go with it. Who really knows. I just love set three

[Disemvowel]

I read through it...possibly more than once. Goddamn you GR, goddamn you

[Allensh]

The game is Dragon Age...but there are no dragons to fight?? Alas...

Allen

[Jekias]

The game is Dragon Age...but there are no dragons to fight?? Alas...

Allen

One thing in the message on the front page about Set3 Beta..

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So don't fret if you something you were looking forward to in Set 3 isn't in here—we've got a few surprises in store.

So they might be coming, not just yet

[MagusRogue]

Squee!!! Some of the new backgrounds are just absolutely awesome!

As for more material, I sure hope so. We get three different human noble types (Feraldan, Orlaisan, and Tevinter), but no dwarven or kossith noble types. Heck, more kossith backgrounds period would rock.

But, then again, they did mention this is a playtest, so there may be more. I for one am crossing my fingers for what I mentioned missing above, and maybe something for playing an elven Antivan (for all you Zevran lovers out there)!

And there's always the possibility of more books after this as well.

[Haaldaar]

The game is Dragon Age...but there are no dragons to fight?? Alas...

Allen

One thing in the message on the front page about Set3 Beta..

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So don't fret if you something you were looking forward to in Set 3 isn't in here—we've got a few surprises in store.

So they might be coming, not just yet

I agree. There are a lot of Blights to put an end-to out there. Can't do that if the Archdemon never shows up.

[Hellebore]

Looking good. Several specialisations that I've got in the next esoterica and I haven't made a chevalier a specialisation, but I'm liking what they've got.

Still unimpressed with weapon materials though.

Hellebore

[Zapp]

I know they're not looking for editing help or comments on the forums, but one thing is hilarious - it will be interesting to see if this mistake survives into the final document...:

It is meant for completion instead of battle

(They mean "competition" and not "completion", but there is no spell checker in the world that will catch a mistake like this...)

[Zapp]

Still unimpressed with weapon materials though.

Care to elaborate? (What stuff do you want to see)

[Jekias]

Comments about 3 of the stunts for Mage spells:

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Primal Spell Stunts
3SP Thickskin: Your skin hardens briefly and adds 1 to your Armor Rating until the beginning of your next turn. This stunt may not be used if this spell raises your Armor Rating or if you already have a spell cast on your that raises your Armor Rating

I thought about it for a number of hours and then it clicked, you can't use this stunt when casting a spell that increases your Armour Rating (ie you cant use it when casting Rock Armour). Just a wording issue made this one confusing to me at least.. (Oh and the use of the last 'your' is probably wrong - should just be 'you').

Perhaps for comprehension change the wording to something like,
This stunt may not be used if the if the spell cast raises your Armor Rating...

Minor niggly issue I guess..

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Entropy Spell Stunts
3 SP Vampiric Blessing: The target of this spell loses one Health and you are healed of the same amount. Note this heals damage your have suffered; it doesn't give you bonus Health above your normal amount.

My reading would say it should be something like this-
For each one Health that the target of this spell loses, you are healed of the same amount.

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Spell Stunts
1 SP Arcane Advantage: The target of the spell suffers a -1 penalty to resist your next spell until the end of your next turn.

Isn't this effectively the same as Puissant casting? But weaker? Instead of increasing spellpower, you are decreasing the targets resistance which is essentially the same as putting the spellpower up by 1?

For reference:

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1-3SP Puissant Casting: increase the spellpower of your spell by 1 per stunt point, to a maximum of 3.

Seems redundant having Arcane advantage unless the idea is to have an effective 4 point advantage when casting the spell and trying to resist it.

[empyrien]

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Entropy Spell Stunts
3 SP Vampiric Blessing: The target of this spell loses one Health and you are healed of the same amount. Note this heals damage your have suffered; it doesn't give you bonus Health above your normal amount.

My reading would say it should be something like this-
For each one Health that the target of this spell loses, you are healed of the same amount.

The wording is weird but RAW I would say that it means that as an additional effect to the spell the target loses (exactly) 1 Health and you gain (exactly) 1 health, no more no less.

Isn't this effectively the same as Puissant casting? But weaker? Instead of increasing spellpower, you are decreasing the targets resistance which is essentially the same as putting the spellpower up by 1?

Note that the effect lasts until the end of your next turn. I would say that the Arcane Advantage stunt is intended to be used in combination with a follow up spell on your next turn (or possibly with Fast Casting); the -1 penalty would apply to resisting the next spell you cast rather than the one that generated the stunt.

[empyrien]

Also noticed that the at level 17 the Mage progression seems to be missing a New Talent. I'm assuming its an error.

[La Cipolla]

I won't participate in the official playtest this time, so here a few thoughts.

- I love the fact that HP and Mana rise more slowly now. Also the +3 ist a wonderful (and needed) option for the foci.
- The new Talents are just fucking GREAT, period. The complete Talent grid really works out now.
- The Ranger is NICELY done! Perhaps not the most realistic option, but it works imho.
- I like that the choice of Mage specializations can be taken a bit more serious now (although a second "general" one like the Force Mage would have been nice).
- Generally, good new options for specializations.
- I have two big, essential problems with the stunt system: even at High level, it stays too random (which I generally like, but only for starters!), and the huge choice of stunts is just too much for this kind of game. Although reorganization (as well of effects in stunts as of stunts themselves in groups and tables - thinking of "starter table" and such) and cutting down to basics could help this one quite a bit.

[Zapp]

- I have two big, essential problems with the stunt system: even at High level, it stays too random (which I generally like, but only for starters!), and the huge choice of stunts is just too much for this kind of game. Although reorganization (as well of effects in stunts as of stunts themselves in groups and tables - thinking of "starter table" and such) and cutting down to basics could help this one quite a bit.

I (and many others) hand out extra stunt points that give some degree of control over when and where stunts happen to the players.

Such as "X extra stunt points per play session" (or even per encounter/scene).

Unlike the rule proposed by the playtest, you would be able to spend such extra stunt points even when you don't roll a double (by paying with extra points only). The "+1 to stunt points generated" only applies to when you generated some stunt points in the first place (which obviously retains the randomness).


A huge choice of stunts is probably bad for the beginner, yes. I wouldn't just add upp all stunts in sets 1+2+3 to one humongous table and shove it in front of a player just starting his first character. Once a player has played half a dozen levels, say, it would be fine to have all the stunts become available for his next level 1 PC, though.

[Estoirtoh]

I've got a stunt related question as well. On page 18 of the playtest document it states:

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<h4>Level 20
Epic Warrior: Pick one type of stunt (combat, exploration, roleplaying, or warfare). You gain a +1 bonus when generating stunt points of that type.

'Warfare' stunts seem new to me and they seem to be some kind of warrior thing, since mages and rogues can't choose to get a +1 bonus on warfare stunts. Has anyone seen any warfare stunts in the playtest? Because I couldn't find any other related rules except to the one I quoted. I'm aware of the fact, that it might just not be there, as stated in the beginning of the playtest document. I just want to verify if I overlooked it or if it is indeed not there.