Druid Discussion and Balance of Value...

The Jackal · Post by **The Jackal** » Wed May 05, 2004 8:34 pm

If a Druid can become and animal, why not a tree or a rock? Druids are more at home with nature as a whole, animals are just a small part of that.

Wyrmwrath · Post by **Wyrmwrath** » Wed May 05, 2004 11:20 pm

The trees and rocks have union rules against it in thier contract. Animals had a crappy lawyer so no such clause in thier contract. Thats what happens in an eat or be sued environment!

Brian G

Tonia Glowski · Post by **Tonia Glowski** » Thu May 06, 2004 1:21 am

Wayne --

First of all, thanks for the work on revising the Druid discipline and inventing the Beastling one. Despite what we all sound off with, your work is appreciated. That being said, I don't like it...

As someone said (Mike or Todd, I think), it seems like this discipline is just a werecreature advantage with basically no disadvantages. I think there is a great propensity to abuse the powers included, as well as powergame with it and frankly, it adds nothing to the game. There's no plot reason, nor rules void that warrant this change. We should all be asking "Why?" with this suggestion first, rather than "how?"

In my opinion, we were beginning to reach a balance with the emulate totem 4th level skill and this just adds up a whole new can of worms with nothing to justify it.

If I'm incorrect and plot is looking to add things to the game, I've got a couple of suggestions, but I thought the idea was to keep this game as uncomplicated as possible...

Post by **GM-Mike** » Thu May 06, 2004 8:34 am

I guess I have the same question Wayne does. How is beastling different than emulate totem other than beastling separates into four skills what emulate crams into one? How is one lycanthropy and the other not? Emulate is starting to look a lot like the surgery skill in that we say, hey that's neat, the healer should be able to do that...eh, let's throw it into the surgery skill. Don't read this as me wanting to change the surgery skill, just making Wayne's point again that we are cramming a lot into the fourth level discipline. So, before I make up my mind, I'd like to hear from the people who are against the beastling but who are for emulate totem so that they may articulate the difference.
Thanks,
Mike

Dallid · Post by **Dallid** » Thu May 06, 2004 9:09 am

Beastling sounds like a werecreature, where as emulate totem is just an animal. A Werewolf is infinitely more fearsome than a wolf. One is of nature and the other is more of a perversion of nature.

Also, I don't see why a tree couldn't be an option for emulate totem. However, other than being hard to kill and being an excellent (though non-moving) spy, I don't see any reason someone would chose Sapling as their totem.

Post by **GM-Mike** » Thu May 06, 2004 9:34 am

so this is a semantic argument?

dier_cire · Post by **dier_cire** » Thu May 06, 2004 9:46 am

So if beastling turned into an animal, there would be no issue? Ie, as mike said, so it's semantics?

Peace420 · Post by **Peace420** » Thu May 06, 2004 10:59 am

I would ask the same question that Tonya posed. Why? If there are lycanthropy path rules and story behind it why create an entire discipline to do the same thing? Granted the emulate is very similiar, but it fits in with the Druid advancement. Pacify works as well, I don't think you would need a new call though just make it sleep, it's already a 4th level skill and it could work on people as well.

For the record, I think the emulate makes for a much, much cooler story and character concept. There's something much more mystical and WOW!!! about a person that is so in tune with nature that he can walk amongst them as one of them. Not so cool that a dude can put you to sleep or make animals not want to fight. I think that part is being lost in this discussion.

Azara Blackhawk · Post by **Azara Blackhawk** » Thu May 06, 2004 11:18 am

Emulate totum is one large logistical nighmere trying to figure out what creatures (animals) do what unless you put them all under one thing. IE...they all get rage or something like that.

What Wayne and Eric are suggesting are really good ideas and actually promote a varying idea on being in tune with either nature (druid) or animals (beastling).

dier_cire · Post by **dier_cire** » Thu May 06, 2004 11:50 am

Actually, that's a really good point. Not one of the druid skills relates to animals except emulate. The only thing other than emulate is the note in the description, which can honestly be ignored. Too bad this point hurts both the idea of pacify and emulate.

Hmm... something to do with trees, maybe. Barkskin, meld with tree, change pacify to prison (ie viney walls instead of affecting mind)...

Then Druid is plant only. Beastling could be animal only...

Azara Blackhawk · Post by **Azara Blackhawk** » Thu May 06, 2004 12:01 pm

You mean like the imprision idea you and I talked about and I wrote awhile back in a post.

See, that is where I see druid going all in tune with nature and all. Moving trough trees, a vine prision, something along those lines. Communication with animal might be feasiable, but taking the shape of one just does not and has not made sense to me.

dier_cire · Post by **dier_cire** » Thu May 06, 2004 12:12 pm

Mike, do you see this? I think she just stole a second idea from me... Frickn' women.

(For note: the original imprison idea was on 1st page of after event questions

)

Azara Blackhawk · Post by **Azara Blackhawk** » Thu May 06, 2004 12:26 pm

Ok, between what we talk about on the phone and all geesh man I foget who said what.

It's all Eric. All the cool nature stuff is all Eric.

dier_cire · Post by **dier_cire** » Thu May 06, 2004 12:55 pm

No nature needed. Everything cool is me!

(where'd my computer go? All I see is ego!)

Azara Blackhawk · Post by **Azara Blackhawk** » Thu May 06, 2004 12:59 pm

*giggles*

Gee I am surprised any of the rest of us can fit on this board with all the Reid ego around.