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Re: Disappointment with the Nethermancer

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 2:58 am
by Sharkforce
hmmm... you could try making it like spells, where you have to pay legend points to have a certain specific spirit on call. you could even require weaving a thread to the spirit. in fact, either of those options could be suitable in knack form; you take a summoning talent knack for the specific spirit that shortens the time it takes to summon them (or extends the duration of the summoning), or possibly a summoning talent knack that allows you to tie threads to specific spirits so that you can call them quickly later.

Re: Disappointment with the Nethermancer

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 3:04 am
by Slimcreeper
That’s interesting.

Re: Disappointment with the Nethermancer

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 2:58 pm
by Michael
I have been giving this some thought and I hate to say it, I think the solution might be from Shadowrun.

(when I say spirit I mean spirit and elemental)

The reason why you really can't summon a spirit in combat is that because unlike SR, you have to negotiate with them. So instead of duration with the successes, how about services? The result of the roll gives you the potential services from the spirit however, you still have to negotiate to get the spirit's cooperation. Maybe even some strain that can't be heal until the spirit departs?

You could even say with 3 successes, Spirit, I would like to negotiate 1 combat service, 1 searching service and 1 use of your power service. Or it could be just 3 "I call on you" services. Each service would require the summoner to use a standard action.

As to payment? Since Karma points are free now, I don't think that's as good a bargain unless it's a lot of them? Say equal to the force summoned? That could 1/4 of someone's pool for the day (unless those damn windlings).

Everything else stays the same. 30 mins to summon, the total force you can have at one time is equal to the summon rank, still have to negotiate with the spirit.

If anyone is in a group that is 5th+ that can summon, can you try this out and report back the results?

thanks

Re: Disappointment with the Nethermancer

Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2019 1:31 am
by Telarus
I definitely had to use the Favors system (& all the other social mechanics), along with making spirits strange and weird, to make it a viable part of the discipline. Relationships should be cultivated, and more powerful Named spirits can promise services from their underlings as a Favor. Also, in many of the Earthdawn fiction pieces, elementals that are currently tasked are described as just standing there until actively commanded. I consider these the less intelligent "servitors" of the Named spirits. Other times spirits and elementals go on rampages, are sneaky and don't manifest until the 'right' moment, etc. Spirits also do not exist in a vacuum. Each one has existing relationships/conflicts/enemies that the summoner can investigate and leverage. You just have to figure out within the framework of the Talent restrictions _and_ the bargaining for Favors rules how each service requested will go down.

Re: Disappointment with the Nethermancer

Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2019 8:54 am
by Sharkforce
perhaps we need some tables to randomly generate quirks for various summoned spirits; what kind of payment they accept (or accept at a favourable or unfavourable rate), what kind of services they like, hated enemies or beloved allies that they'll act somewhat on their own to attack or protect, what kinds of annoying or strange quirks they might have, that kind of thing :)

as an added benefit, the summoner can start to get a picture of their spirits and may start to build up a standard set of 'friends' whose name they know that they rely on more than others (even if some of the quirks aren't great, better the one you know than the one you don't), and their spirits will be more like actual 'people' rather than just being a collection of stats.

Re: Disappointment with the Nethermancer

Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2019 2:38 pm
by Michael
Sharkforce wrote:
Fri Sep 27, 2019 8:54 am
perhaps we need some tables to randomly generate quirks for various summoned spirits; what kind of payment they accept (or accept at a favourable or unfavourable rate), what kind of services they like, hated enemies or beloved allies that they'll act somewhat on their own to attack or protect, what kinds of annoying or strange quirks they might have, that kind of thing :)

as an added benefit, the summoner can start to get a picture of their spirits and may start to build up a standard set of 'friends' whose name they know that they rely on more than others (even if some of the quirks aren't great, better the one you know than the one you don't), and their spirits will be more like actual 'people' rather than just being a collection of stats.
I really like that idea. A wholly support you making these tables for me to use in my game!

thanks

Re: Disappointment with the Nethermancer

Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2019 3:28 pm
by Slimcreeper
This sounds like something that we should crowdsource. Maybe start a “How to Weird Your Spirit” thread.

Re: Disappointment with the Nethermancer

Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2019 5:09 pm
by Telarus
The Earthdawn Guild on Facebook would be a great place to crowdsource that.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/earthdawnguild/