Great White Games/Pinnacle Entertainment Group

[JRKilroy]

I have been toying with some game world creation and conversion ideas. Most of work is pretty straight forward. One thing I don't have much experience with is making trapping more distinctive.

Is there a point where trappings become too restrictive? In my game world arcane backgrounds have an aspect of some sort. Any of the arcane backgrounds can cast boost/lower trait, but each can only modify specific traits.

So an air Mage might be able to Modify agility and linked skills. An earth Mage may be able to modify strength and strength linked skills.

Do you thing this would be too limiting? Would you give modifier, so while a specific background can only raise certain attributes, the are raised better than a general boost/lower trait use?

[wanderingmystic]

unfortunately to me that kills the boost/lower spell, to go from being able to boost/lower just about anything you want to only a few items really makes it feel almost useless.

trapping change the flavor of a spell more than the ability, you might add a fire trapping to a bolt making it always cause fire damage but giving it a burn effect but this is more like turning bolt into holy water and making it only work against undead, a little to limiting in my opinion.

Now to be honest I know nothing about your setting or the game world you are playing in so it might make perfect sense in your world, but without knowing that I just feels to limiting.

[steelbrok]

I'm sure this has been used in other SW products, Hellfrost IIRC and also with 50 fathoms elementalists

[The Dread Polack]

I'm struggling with the same conundrum in my conversion. Some of the powers, like Boost/Lower Trait are so broadly useful that restricting them, IMO, isn't such a bad thing. The people at Pinnacle seem to think that it's a fair power as-is, so if it concerns you, I'd recommend trying to throw in some sort of benefit to counter the restriction, like reduced PP cost, or increased duration, or an added benefit, like some of the example trappings do.

[Timon]

Settings often divide up the spell list between different Arcane Backgrounds. Boost/Lower Trait is entirely absent in 50F, but is available to all ABs in Deadlands. I would not recommend splitting the spell up: though I personally think it is useful and versatile, it is profoundly un-sexy and does not often get chosen by players. 50F seems to manage just fine without it.
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[Wibbs]

Hellfrost would definately be worth a look to see how this kind of thing can work. The setting makes good use of restricting the use of different powers to add flavour and variation to clerics who worship different gods.

[Pariah74]

One option for those broad powers like Boost/Lower Trait would be to restrict them to specific traits, but then offer an Edge that allows a caster to spend a benny, make an AB skill roll, or some other check to temporarily use it differently.

Also, you can take Boost Lower, and instead of restricting it to individual traits, group them by type Physical (Agility, Strength & Vigor), Mental (Smarts & Spirit), or "Combat" (Fighting, Throwing, Shooting) etc etc.
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[Sushi]

I don't have a problem with "aspect" based restrictions, especially if those restrictions are only for a particular AB. For example, I have "elemental sorcerers" that don't have to worry about backlash or sins or malfunctions, but are definitely restricted in terms of what kinds of powers they can use and are limited to element-matching trappings.

Basically, I think that losing flexibility in you magic is reasonable, as long as there is a tradeoff somewhere to make up for it.

[Zadmar]

[Merlin_Sylver]

Another option could be to limit the usage of the power, but make it better in some other way, such as a slightly more profound effect, a longer duration or cheaper casting costs.
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[77IM]

Something I'd allow is a very limited boost/lower -- only affecting 3-4 traits at most -- but which affects all of them at once. For example, an athletics boost might improve your Agility, Climbing, and Swimming all at once, but can't improve any other traits. Or, a calming power might lower Fighting, Intimidation, Shooting, Taunt, and Throwing, all at the same time, but can affect no other traits. This seems balanced because the duration of boost/lower is so short that usually you cast it only to affect a single trait -- those occasions where you benefit from affecting multiple traits should be balanced by occasions when the limitation makes the power useless because it can't affect the traits you want.


Other ideas for balancing very restrictive trappings:
- Give out the limited powers for free as part of the AB. Like a blast that only affects demons is very limited, so maybe people with AB (Demon Hunter) just get it as part of the package.
- Combine powers. For example, boost/lower (Agility only) + elemental manipulation (air only) is like two half-powers so maybe it's worth one full power.
- What Merlin_Sylver says. For a power like limited boost/lower I think longer duration would be a good balancing factor. A limited blast might deal d8s instead of d6s, etc.

-- 77IM, loves trappings
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