My first mage

[MisterD]

Here is my first mage.I want some honest comments and suggestions on the character.One thing I would like to know is if the spells I chose for the character are good spells for a mage just leaving the institution he learned magic from and is about to go out into the world.

Combat Information Page Character Name: Jarred Alternate Identities: Player Name: CHARACTERISTICS CHARACTER IMAGE Val Char Base Points Total Roll Notes 10 STR 10 0 10 11- HTH Damage 2d6 END [2] 14 DEX 10 12 14 12- OCV 5 DCV 5 15 CON 10 10 15 12- 10 BODY 10 0 10 11- 18 INT 10 8 18 13- PER Roll 13- 10 EGO 10 0 10 11- ECV: 3 15 PRE 10 5 15 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 12 COM 10 1 12 11-                             2 PD 2 0 2/12   2/12 PD (0/10 rPD) 3 ED 3 0 3/13   3/13 ED (0/10 rED) 3 SPD 2.4 6 3   Phases: 4, 8, 12 5 REC 5 0 5   30 END 30 0 30   25 STUN 23 2 25     6" Running 6 0 6"     2" Swimming 2 0 2"     2"/1"" Leaping 2 0 2" 44 Total Characteristics Points EXPERIENCE POINTS Total earned: 0 Spent: 0 Unspent: 0 Base Points: 75 Disad Points: 75 Total Points: 150 MOVEMENT Type Total Run (6) 6" [12" NC] Swim (2) 2" [4" NC] H. Leap (2") 2" V. Leap (1") 1" APPEARANCE Hair Color:  Brown Eye Color:  Brown Height:  6' 0" Weight:  200 lbs Description:

DEFENSES Type Amount Notes Physical Defense 2/12 Current BODY: Res. Phys. Defense 0/10   Energy Defense 3/13 Current END: Res. Energy Defense 0/10   Mental Defense 0 Current STUN: Power Defense 0   COMBAT INFORMATION OCV: 5 DCV: 5   Combat Skill Levels: +4 with Magic Spells COMBAT MANEUVERS Maneuver Phase OCV DCV Effect Block 1/2 +0 +0 Block, abort Brace 0 +2 1/2 +2 vs. Range Mod. Disarm 1/2 -2 +0 Can disarm Dodge 1/2 -- +3 Abort, vs. all attacks Grab 1/2 -1 -2 Grab two limbs Grab By 1/2 -3 -4 Move and Grab Haymaker 1/2* +0 -5 +4 DC attack damage Move By 1/2 -2 -2 STR/2 + v/5 Move Through 1/2 -v/5 -3 STR + v/3 Set 1 +1 +0 Ranged Attacks only Strike 1/2 +0 +0 STR or weapon COMBAT MODIFIERS Range 0-4 5-8 9-16 17-32 33-64 65-128 RMOD 0 -2 -4 -6 -8 -10

POWERS Cost  Power END 6 Arcane Bolt: Killing Attack - Ranged 2d6 (vs. ED), +1 STUN Multiplier (+1/4) (37 Active Points); Spell (-4), Increased Endurance Cost 2x END (-1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4) Notes: This is a bolt of pure arcane power 8 6 Arcane Cage: Killing Attack - Ranged 1d6 (vs. ED), Area Of Effect (One Hex; +1/2), Continuous (+1) (37 Active Points); Spell (-4), Only vs targets entering or leaving the cage (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) Notes: This is an elaborate cage made up of arcane energy 4 6 Dismiss arcane: Dispel Magic 12d6 (36 Active Points); Spell (-4), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) Notes: This spell removes the energy that makes up magic, He can dismiss spells but not the effect (A fire blast still leaves a burn) 4 4 Arcane Armor: Force Field (10 PD/10 ED) (20 Active Points); Spell (-4), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4) Notes: Spell surrounds caster in magical protection 2 3 Arcane vision: Clairsentience (Sight Group) (20 Active Points); Spell (-4), Extra Time 1 Turn (Post-Segment 12) (-1 1/4), OIF (Any reflective surface of opportunity; -1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) Notes: Spell allows caster to view far away locations from any reflective surface. 2 6 Arcane healing: Healing 4d6 (max. Healed Points: 24) (40 Active Points); Spell (-4), Extra Time 1 Turn (Post-Segment 12) (-1 1/4), Does Not Work On Magical attacks (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) Notes: This spell infuses a body with arcane energy that greatly speeds up the healing proccess. It does not work against magical injuries 4 3 Arcane Inturpritation: Universal Translator 13- (20 Active Points); Spell (-4), Extra Time 1 Turn (Post-Segment 12) (-1 1/4), Costs Endurance Costs END Every Phase (-1/2), Concentration 1/2 DCV (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) 2 2 Arcane Analysis: Detect Magic 15-, Analyze, Discriminatory (15 Active Points); Spell (-4), Extra Time 1 Turn (Post-Segment 12) (-1 1/4), Concentration 0 DCV (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) 3 Guilty Pleasure: Summon 50-point Female companion from Arcane realm of dreams, Amicable Slavishly Devoted (+1) (20 Active Points); Spell (-4), Extra Time 1 Turn (Post-Segment 12) (-1 1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) Notes: This spell allows Jarred to actually conjure up the girl of his dreams. 2 39 Total Powers Cost TALENTS Cost  Name 3 Absolute Range Sense 3 Total Talents Cost

SKILLS
Cost	Name
3	Bureaucratics 12-
3	Concealment 13-
3	Conversation 12-
3	Cryptography 13-
2	Language: Arcane (basic conversation; literate)
1	Literacy
3	Riding 12-
3	Stealth 12-
2	PS: Researcher 11-
2	PS: Librarian 11-
13	Spellcasting (INT-based) 18-
12	Magic Combat: +4 with Magic Spells
3	Spellcrafting: Inventor 13-
3	Scholar
1	1) KS: Arcane Knowledge (2 Active Points) 11-
1	2) KS: Discipline of the mind (2 Active Points) 11-
1	3) KS: Illusions (2 Active Points) 11-
1	4) KS: How arcane energies can affect the human (humanoid) body (2 Active Points) 11-
1	5) KS: How arcane energies can affect the environment (2 Active Points) 11-
1	6) KS: Arcane devices (2 Active Points) 11-
1	7) KS: Arcane Creatures (2 Active Points) 11-
1	8) KS: Arcane community (2 Active Points) 11-
64	Total Skills Cost

DISADVANTAGES
Cost	Disadvantage
5	Distinctive Features: Wizard (Easily Concealed; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)
15	Hunted: Wizarding community/council 8- (Mo Pow; Watching; PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find; Extensive Non-Combat Influence)
20	Psychological Limitation: Ravenouse learner of arcane magic (Very Common; Strong)
20	Psychological Limitation: Hatred.Dislike of thoes who would use the gift of magic for evil/harmful puposes (Very Common; Strong)
10	Social Limitation: Socially Inept (Occasionally; Major)
5	Rivalry: Professional (Arcane Knowledge seekers), Rival is As Powerful, Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival, Rival Aware of Rivalry
0	Normal Characteristic Maxima
75	Total Disadvantages Cost

Height: 6' 0"	Hair: Brown
Weight: 200 lbs	Eyes: Brown
Appearance:
Personality: Jarred has a hunger for new knowledge of the arcane. He has spent almost his entire life in a library that he wants to learn and use magic in actual real life situations.
Quote:"Mind if I read that when you are done?"
Background: Jarred was apprentice to the librarian of the academy arcane. Jarred was also a gifted youth. He could not only read. He has taught himself the arcane language, both spoken and written.   While those who used the library went over spells and journals of past wizards, Jarred has read thoes and the older books on the theories and aplications of the arcane energies used to create these spells.   This has not gone un-noticed and a wizard of the academy took Jarred under his wing to see if he had the gift for magic, and if he did to see how far he can take this boy with no wizards in his family.   Jarred took to this learning like a fish to water and soon went from apprentice librarian to apprentice wizard, to journeyman.   Like all journeymen wizards he had the choice of going out into the world to learn from his travles or to be cloistered at the academy and master what the academ and library have to offer.   Jarred took is few possesions and headed out into the world.
Powers/Tactics: Jarred is a wizard of growing skill and with his travles he hope good experience. Jarred has learned and developed some spells that he felt would be a good start for his travles and hopes for gaining more knowledge.
Campaign Use:

Character created with Hero Designer (version 1.47)

[sbarron]

Just a couple of comments to start...

 

Why didn't he pay any points for his MP? If that is just how you wanted to make your magic system, then that's cool. But if it is an error, it's an expensive one.

 

His spells seem on the powerfull side to me. Again, it depends on the game you are playing. 4d6 RKA w/ a +1 STUN x is a very powerful attack. That will average 14 BOD and 63 Stun per hit. That will knock out 95% of FH characters I have ever seen with one shot. If it's what you wanted then cool. But if not...

 

I like the cantrips VPP though.

[MisterD]

Originally posted by sbarron

Just a couple of comments to start...

 

Why didn't he pay any points for his MP? If that is just how you wanted to make your magic system, then that's cool. But if it is an error, it's an expensive one.

 

His spells seem on the powerfull side to me. Again, it depends on the game you are playing. 4d6 RKA w/ a +1 STUN x is a very powerful attack. That will average 14 BOD and 63 Stun per hit. That will knock out 95% of FH characters I have ever seen with one shot. If it's what you wanted then cool. But if not...

 

I like the cantrips VPP though.

 

The 0 point MP was on purpose

I will keep the 4D6 RKA in mind for change after a few more replys

[Talon]

A lot of this depends on the campaign. Personally, this character is way too powerful for all the FH campaigns I've run, but I tend toward average-low power games. This guy is comparable to a 12th-15th level D&D character -- able to walk through any number of lesser encounters, really only challenged by the tough stuff.

 

I also personally would never allow the 150 point Multiform, since it lets you compete directly with warrior PCs. (My house rule is that the Multiform costs subtracts from the maximum, so a 120 point character would be OK.)

 

The only limit on his spells is END, so he will be able to cast tons of spells each day. (And with the cage being 0 END, he's always got something he can do.)

 

So...if the campaign is high power level, this character seems fine. If it's not, he is probably overpowered.

[MisterD]

I made some changes. See above.

[sbarron]

A couple more things, Mister D...

 

The 5d6 Ego Attack AE Cone is really strong too. That would stun 75% of the FH characters I have seen, and because it is AE, it could stun them in groups. Again, if thats the kind of game you are playing, no problem.

 

100 Active points is way to much for most games. Especially just starting out. You might to tone back those spells to the 45-60 AP range. It will be more in line with most FH games. But that's up to you, it's just a suggestion.

 

I think Jarrod could use some more Heroic skills. I know he is just coming out of school, but he may not be long for this world if he doesn't get some basic adventuring skills. So, as a suggestion...

 

Make his Mage Sight a spell. That will save you about 16 points. Buy him a lesser Mage "sight" if you want, but drop the Discriminitory, analyze, etc. Just make it Sense Magic at Range, and put Concentrate on it.

 

Detect Magic: Detect A Single Thing 15-, Range (8 Active Points) Concentrate (0 DCV) -1/2, Real Cost: 5

 

This way, you can have the Powerful Spell to Figure out what something is, and have the ability to look at things and determine if they are magical or not with your normal vision.

 

In addition, it would save you about 10 points to drop into some adventuring skills like, Stealth, Concealment, WFs etc. And these things make sense for him too. He played hide and seek in the library, he had to find books that had been hidden away deep in the basement, and...well, maybe WF don't make as much sense, but you get the idea.

[Hugh Neilson]

I'm curious what a warrior would look like in a campaign that allows a mage like this. He's getting 50 points for free (the multipower base) plus access to a huge array of spells at the very low slot costs.

 

He pays 2 points for a 2d6 RKA (with a +1 Stun Multiple). The warrior will have to pay 1 point just to be able to fire a bow, and another point to have familiarity with a sword. How does this balance out?

 

Sure, he has to make his magic skill roll - that means his magic bolt "only" activates on a 14- (or an 18- if he puts his magic spell skill levels to work).

 

If the concept is that everyone will be a spellcaster, constructs like this will definitely do it!

[MisterD]

More changes made.

 

See character sheet.

[rayoman]

IF I was creating a warrior for this campaign then I would have a 0 cost MP with a 60 AP cap for Martial Manuevers. IF the GM disallowed it then I would probably go play elsewhere.

 

IMO, there is no need for MP for Mages. FH suggest dividing the spell's real cost by 3, 5 or even 10 and the character using that many CPs to buy his or her spell. I like that way and you can make spells that use the MP construct.

 

Originally posted by Hugh Neilson

I'm curious what a warrior would look like in a campaign that allows a mage like this.

[Guest zarglif69]

hmmm... I like that "guilty pleasures" spell... Where did he LEARN it?!? I have got to learn that myself...

[BlueBuddha]

Originally posted by zarglif69

hmmm... I like that "guilty pleasures" spell... Where did he LEARN it?!? I have got to learn that myself...

 

I'm just wondering why she needs to be 75 points....

 

BlueBuddha

[MisterD]

OK.

 

Redo again.

[Talon]

Originally posted by BlueBuddha

I'm just wondering why she needs to be 75 points....

 

BlueBuddha

 

Gotta have points for ah, certain skills.

[Shaddakim]

The current version (8/23/03) has a good mix of spells and knowledge skills, something vital for a wizard character IMHO. I do have some comment/questions about the spells:

 

What does the -4 limitation "Spell" cover? (i.e. what limitations on the powers does it inflict?) That is an amazingly high limitation that seems to have no downside. Is it a single limitation or a summation of multiple smaller limitations?

 

I like the Guilty Pleasures spell and may include it in my game as a secret spell the players can run across. Hee-hee! I can't wait to see their faces. Does it always summon "the [person] of the caster's dreams" or can it summon someone different each time? How much control does the caster have over the looks of the summoned person?

 

I might also suggest combining the two attack spells into a single spell using Variable Advantage. This would make him much more flexible and simulate the caster knowing a variety of attack spells at the same powerlevel while using a simple game mechanic to pay for them.

[Citizen Keen]

I'm curious about that too. Spell (-4) seems a little weird. Any explanations?

 

-cK

[Talon]

I think it's an implementation of a "spells are cheaper" campaign rule, like the way Turakian Age spells (from FH) cost (Real Points / 3).

[MisterD]

Originally posted by Shaddakim

 

What does the -4 limitation "Spell" cover? (i.e. what limitations on the powers does it inflict?) That is an amazingly high limitation that seems to have no downside. Is it a single limitation or a summation of multiple smaller limitations?

 

 

How else can I get the Real cost divided by 5 for magic spells to wokr in Hero Designer?

[MisterD]

I used HD to try to recreate the spell FIREBALL and some other spells from FH Pp 384

 

 

To get it to the points the characters spent for the spell I needed a customized -7 limitation to meet or get close to it.

 

the custom -4 limit is not close.

 

[GregF]

A -4 limitation would only divide the cost of a spell by 5 if there weren't any other limitations on it, right? Otherwise, it'd have to be a -4 plus an -all other lims * 4.

[Shaddakim]

Originally posted by MisterD

How else can I get the Real cost divided by 5 for magic spells to wokr in Hero Designer?

 

Well, I guess this brings up a more basic question that has to be answered first:

 

Why do you need to divide the real cost by 5?

 

Is this an implementation of the "spells are cheaper" option that Geoff Speare is citing? If so, that's all I need to know. The same spells in my game will be more expensive because magic isn't bought that way in my game.

 

Really, I'm just curious about the base assumptions built into the magic system that lead to a -4 limitation on all magic spells.

[Hugh Neilson]

Originally posted by Shaddakim

Well, I guess this brings up a more basic question that has to be answered first:

 

Why do you need to divide the real cost by 5?

 

Really, I'm just curious about the base assumptions built into the magic system that lead to a -4 limitation on all magic spells.

 

If I understand correctly, it's more than -4 since all other limitations get applied first. In a typical FH campagn, at least -1, sommonly more, limits apply. If it was -1 before and we divide the cost by 5 after, it's more like -8. If it was -2 to begin with, this is a further -12.

 

I often hear the complaint we need to reduce the numbers a lot so the mage can be more versatile, like D&D mages. Well, D&D mages have a pretty limited number of charges to "pay off" that versatility.

 

I'm not an advocate of VPP's, but if you required every spell in a FH mage's VPP to be "one charge per day" (you want another charge? Buy it separately) I think he could be pretty versatile.