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High Circle Preview: Illusionist

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 12:06 am
by The Undying
Quick, while Mataxes is taking a nap~~!!

The Warden/Master preview for Illusionist is now available.

FASA preview material: http://fasagames.com/2017/01/20/high-ci ... lusionist/

Panda gaming grove preview material: http://pandagaminggrove.blogspot.jp/201 ... ne_20.html

Re: High Circle Preview: Illusionist

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 12:34 am
by The Undying
I really like the Hide Spell ability. As written, I think it could use some more detail, though:

- Why can't the spell cause damage? Or, asking the question from a different angle, the Hide Spell illusion affects all aspects of the spell, to include the casting magician, any projection from the magician as a result of the spell, any non-damaging spell manifestation on targets or area? My original reading was that it just looks like the Illusionist is sitting there, filing his/her nails or doing other mundane things, while they are actually casting. However, it sounds like it's more of the latter.

- What triggers the Sensing test? Is it automatic and passive, or do the creatures need to be actively watching the Illusionist?

- Can this also be used to hide the Threadweaving test(s)? If so, does a single Hide Spell use cover the entirety of the casting process (zero or more Threadweaving tests, followed by the Spellcasting test) or does it require use each turn? This might be a broader question: is it the Rules As Written flavor/vision of Earthdawn that Threadweaving has a somatic component (twitching and waving hands) or purely something done in the mind?

Separate thought: Manipulate Reality is outstanding. Of all the Circle 13 karma abilities for magicians - maybe for all Disciplines previewed so far - I think this one is the most flavorful for the Discipline and really has that "wow, I've made it as a Master [Discipline] Adept" factor rather than "I've reached Circle 13, I get a powerful ability" feeling.

Re: High Circle Preview: Illusionist

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 2:37 am
by Tattered Rags
The Undying wrote: Separate thought: Manipulate Reality is outstanding. Of all the Circle 13 karma abilities for magicians - maybe for all Disciplines previewed so far - I think this one is the most flavorful for the Discipline and really has that "wow, I've made it as a Master [Discipline] Adept" factor rather than "I've reached Circle 13, I get a powerful ability" feeling.
I agree with that statement.

Re: High Circle Preview: Illusionist

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 2:39 am
by Mataxes
The reason Hide Spell can't be used on damaging spells is largely because the purpose of that ability is to enhance an Illusionist's subtlety, and damaging spells aren't subtle. I would allow Sensing test as (more or less) automatic; anybody watching the Illusionist would get a Perception/Awareness against the Sensing Difficulty.

I'll double check with Morgan, but I'm fairly sure the intent is to mask the thread weaving as well (so any gestures/words required to cast based on the spell description). The spell would still manifest as normal -- so a Monstrous Mantle would still cause the target to transform into a monstrous form, it's just that the Illusionist would not be identifiable as the source of the effect.

To answer your indirect question about Thread Weaving as a process -- I've always played it (and the rules are written with the assumption) that any verbal/somatic/material components in the spell's description are part of the thread weaving process (or spellcasting if the spell happens to have 0 threads).

At the same time, I don't necessarily think that thread weaving requires these things as a broader concept, those bits simply help the magician focus on the effect they are trying to create. It is (at least in theory) possible to weave threads without the chanting and hand-waving.

Re: High Circle Preview: Illusionist

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 2:52 am
by The Undying
I think this is a good point to be made that would help the GM find the edges of the effect and how it should be applied: "the intent is that others would not perceive the Illusionist as the source of the magic, not to hide the effects of the magic."