Druid Discussion and Balance of Value...

dier_cire · Post by **dier_cire** » Wed May 05, 2004 5:51 am

I'd probably raise the count slightly on pacify (10 or 15, just needs a play test really to see) but other than that, I give it a big thumbs up.

Nelkie · Post by **Nelkie** » Wed May 05, 2004 6:42 am

I like it. Question. What can pacify work on. ANy natural animal? what is considered a natural animal in the FH world. Will pacify work on all living things. I know it won't work on Golems, undead, or magical constructs.

The time of 10 secs sounds fair and even to me for pacify

The animal transformation looks good as a concept, but a list of skills that can be used while transformed must be written up, or the list of skills that cannot be used. Please do not leave it up to the player to decided. I can come up with a reason for almost any skill to be used in the animal state. Also what about equipment? Can charged abilities be used? For level one ability make it as per spot and if you have spot, well something ele can be figured out. Can you be affected by pacify animal. Can you communicate with the aninmal of your totem?

Ok I'm going to use Arthos as an example of 4th level Beastling
This is what i could do
15 back stab
Flee as per scout
2 short sized claws
nerve pinch
spot
sense magic
transfer life
lesser channel

The beastling would make Arthos a better warrior with all his combat abilities minus pick locks, disarm traps.

Hmm, does this sound over powered?

The Jackal · Post by **The Jackal** » Wed May 05, 2004 7:13 am

Nahhhhh, sounds like a well-rounded 20th level character to me.

Todd · Post by **Todd** » Wed May 05, 2004 7:17 am

I am avidly against pacify. I'll take another look at Beastling, but thus far it doesnt tickle me in the way I like to be tickled.

dier_cire · Post by **dier_cire** » Wed May 05, 2004 7:48 am

Aaron, it's not that bad. I'll still beat you down.

Post by **WayneO42** » Wed May 05, 2004 10:04 am

Todd wrote:I am avidly against pacify. I'll take another look at Beastling, but thus far it doesnt tickle me in the way I like to be tickled.

Give me some reason's you are against pacify. Just saying you are against it does nothing for me.

What is the beastling missing that the druid wouldn't be with emulate totem?

Nelkie · Post by **Nelkie** » Wed May 05, 2004 10:25 am

Eric, you can only beat me down if you can catch me, flee. I guess I need to start running again grin

dier_cire · Post by **dier_cire** » Wed May 05, 2004 11:15 am

I'll just have my freakishly tall elf hit you with a boom from the rear. If that doesn't work I'll pelt you with rocks as you run. Course, once I'm out of rocks I'm SOL.

Post by **GM-Mike** » Wed May 05, 2004 11:28 am

I think I need a better definition of animal as well. If an animal is just everyday creatures we often associate with the word animal, then I am not sure the pacify animal skill is all that great, except during those rare events that are crawling with bears. If we define animal as Aaron suggested as everything living then the skill is way too powerful, every member of the guild of light will be a fourth level druid and the NPC's will be useless against them

It will be fear all over again. On top of that, we would then need to add the damage call for everyone since players could be pacified.

As for the Beastling, I kind of like the idea but we would have to, as Reid suggested, have a list of possible creatures that could be played with their skills ahead of time--if it's not on the list then you can't play it. (I do think the Rooster should be on the list however, how about third level Awaken but only in the morning and fourth level one vorpal peck--just a thought.) We simply do not want to make these skills up on the fly because then things could go wrong and get unbalanced very quickly.

As an aside, while I kind of like the skill, I hate the snake example. Do we really want players swinging vorpal poisons? Doesn't that seem awfully deadly to anyone else? Now, if the druid could pacify the beastling maybe it's not so bad but that goes back to the pacify problem mentioned above. I would be okay with this attack though if the description required the players to fasten a rattle to their asses and they had to shake it before striking...

Post by **GM-Mike** » Wed May 05, 2004 11:30 am

As an aside, Aaron, if you want to flee from Reid, fine, just don't run in my direction. I could do without being trampled, having my groin stepped on, being thrown to the ground, under a table and having a bench fall on my head. Been there, done that...

dier_cire · Post by **dier_cire** » Wed May 05, 2004 11:49 am

I think having the definition of animal (for pacify) being the only issue is fairly nice since that just requires a little wordsmithing to balance the skill. Anyway.

Animal - any creature that occurs in nature. This includes giant and/or mutated versions of said animals. This does not include pc's acting like animals (in or out of game

)

So then this would have benefited us in fights with:
bears
apes
moles
elephants
swamp things (aligators was it?)
turtles
snow fang things
wolves
probably a couple I missed

All in all, it is useful multiple times an event (mostly during travels to and from a location, thus increasing the time reduced via wilderness survival). If it's still underpowered, we can always modify the verbage, which is really easy to do.

On a side note, I'd rather see sleep used for snakes. Same rules as assasin. I like having poison being very limited use. Granted the vorpal attack is nasty but only from the rear. Otherwise, it's parried, so it not that big a deal.

Post by **WayneO42** » Wed May 05, 2004 12:04 pm

The skills listed in the table were just rough ideas. I agree that if we go the beastling route we need to come up with a list of about 10 totems and let the PC's pick from that. If it is not on the list, the PC could submit a write up and the GM staff could review it BETWEEN GAMES.

Azara Blackhawk · Post by **Azara Blackhawk** » Wed May 05, 2004 1:32 pm

I really like the Beastling idea as a path onto itself. I mean granted the animals and what they do need to be worked on, but the overall concept is a good one.

Since the "Pacify Animal" idea was one I had thought of or was it agree with (can't remember at this point) I like the idea and the types of animals it can be used on.

My question is, Todd what is the problem that you have with these ideas?

Post by **GM-Mike** » Wed May 05, 2004 5:07 pm

Just like a woman, taking credit for her boyfriend's idea

Azara Blackhawk · Post by **Azara Blackhawk** » Wed May 05, 2004 7:32 pm

To clarify, he and I were discussing it, he did bring it up while we were talking and I've been totally on board with that idea for it is a good one.

Others may not like it, but in my opinion it is a natural progression of a druid and not to shape-shift or whatever into an animal.

Ok, done with my two cents for the day.

Druid Discussion and Balance of Value...

Yes

Eric