Path of Wheel - Strict followers

Discussion on playing Earthdawn. Experiences, stories, and questions related to being a player.
Post Reply
User avatar
Kosmit
Posts:167
Joined:Mon Nov 28, 2016 1:41 pm
Location:Warsaw
Contact:
Path of Wheel - Strict followers

Post by Kosmit » Thu Aug 17, 2017 6:18 am

Ok, long story short - my character is playing for the whole campaign while others joined later. My character is well build because I am the most familiarized with rules.

The problem is that the whole party tend to look at me as a solution for all problems. Being Nethermancer and having Foul Vapors is pretty much problem solver and I even stopped puting it in matrices and started fighting the way others can have some fun but...

I don't want others to have less fun and I don't want to abandon my character so I came up with an idea to change somehow my character world view from Free Follower to Strict Follower and abandon my C7/C4 Nethermancer/Staffmaster abilities and start from the start.

It will be a challenge because along the way I made some powerful enemies and getting back to old strength will give others time to catch up. I am willing to sacrifice power especially because if it will fit to the deal I made with Death to cancel a Blood Oath that would kill my love. She said that she will spare my life but one day she will show up and take all my magic.

So with foundations laid and GM more or less willing to agree on this I have some mechanical questions (I don't know yet if I will stay with Swordmaster or complete fresh discipline).

1) Losing all talents and abilities will include Thread Weaving so what will happen with threads my character has? Especially with Group Pattern. Will it become inert and activate once I will raise Thread Weaving?
2) What about raised attributes and skills? They are not magical but trained so I think they will stick with my character?
3) Current Legend Points should stick as well?

The other thing I've considered is re-Naming but... it's re-Naming :/

We are playing 3rd edition.

Dyrmagnos
Posts:36
Joined:Wed Dec 21, 2016 9:15 pm

Re: Path of Wheel - Strict followers

Post by Dyrmagnos » Thu Aug 17, 2017 9:18 am

If your spellcasting is a problem so make a deal with your GM that you will summon too strong spirit that you cant control (to make it real you can find pattern item that would give you +5 to summoning talent). In rage he would put a curse on you that block some of your character abilities. Its good hook for long story that can last for entire campaign and let your friends to grow up in power and force them to solve problems in their ways. You can from time to time take back talents by preparing special rituals in places important for that spirit. In final scene THE BIG BAD SPIRIT can be defeated by entire party and forced to grant few wishes for a party (in our group some deus ex machina is really needed because we get into troubles that overcome our possibilities) or you just can rebuy your talents (to remove LP difference between you and them).

PiXeL01
Posts:111
Joined:Sun Nov 27, 2016 10:53 pm

Re: Path of Wheel - Strict followers

Post by PiXeL01 » Thu Aug 17, 2017 11:28 am

It does sound like you are Re-Naming or at least having your Pattern Rewoven if you go to that extreme.

Your character could make the conscious choice simply not to use the abilities without going through renaming and losing them. That would let you keep all active threads including group pattern.
That's the easy route and would also test your character in his resolve by the temptation of having power at his fingertips but is not allowed to use them for philosophical reasons.

Skills would not change no matter what you do. These are actually learnt the hard way and not through magical meditation.
Attribute increases I see as an effect of strengthening your pattern so if you rename those go away. However, again if you only deny yourself your previous disciple's abilities on principle then you would still benefit from your advancements.

Calamrin
Posts:127
Joined:Sun Jul 30, 2017 7:18 am

Re: Path of Wheel - Strict followers

Post by Calamrin » Thu Aug 17, 2017 3:14 pm

Its always difficult when power gaps in the group mean other players have less fun, earthdawn is a good system for this not happening (unlike pathfinder that messed up our last campaign), but circle differences will cause it

Im no rules expert or anything, so only offering broad advice...

If you want to keep your characters knowledge of the world and NPCs, talk to the GM have some event happen to him.

Between you work out a total amount of legend points thats fair to have (example average of groups total legend points)

Build with that as though you starting circle 1...obviously with things you had known.... (for skills id say keep them at no cost....but thats up to you and the gm) (could do same for stats....)

That would give you an advantage on stats and skills...but not gamebreaking...but work it out with gm.

I would keep total legend points for legendary status....people still know you.

For pattern items id look at the group....say they have an average of 1....you keep 1 but need to reweave threads into it out of your legend points.

Like i say thats just general advice about handling it...at end of the day you and the GM need to work out what works.

A good GM will give possibilites of getting what you lost in the future when the time is right.

User avatar
Kosmit
Posts:167
Joined:Mon Nov 28, 2016 1:41 pm
Location:Warsaw
Contact:

Re: Path of Wheel - Strict followers

Post by Kosmit » Thu Aug 17, 2017 4:56 pm

Stoping myself from using abilities that can end encounters is too fake for me. I try to solve problems other ways but when things are leaning toward losing I will always save team.

This is why I came up with idea of changing my world view from Free Followers into strict ones. I lose abilities for a reason which is totaly possible.

Purplefixer
Posts:32
Joined:Thu Aug 17, 2017 3:12 pm

Re: Path of Wheel - Strict followers

Post by Purplefixer » Thu Aug 17, 2017 6:49 pm

Learn another discipline unrelated to Nethermancy.

Say, Archer. Or Weaponsmith.

Part of the process of learning the second discipline is to abandon your original discipline in order to learn the WAY of the Weaponsmith. The Adept's Way is a powerful, personal thing, and if abandoning the Ephemeral (Spirits, spellcasting) is what's necessary for you to grow, it's necessary for you to grow! Your progress through Weaponsmith will be slow, and you won't have access to the talents of the Nethermancer -at all- (Talent Crisis) for a while, until you can reconcile the two Ways. When the party has caught up to you, you can resolve the two Ways and end your Talent Crisis. In the meantime, you can use your new Weaponsmith abilities, you still have your durability and enhanced Karma and Defenses, and you can rely on what Skills you've trained to carry you through.

Surely you've met another Fifth Circle or higher adept in your travels who could serve as your mentor?

Your attributes and legend points and skills remain untouched. You're simply unable to reconcile, and so unable to access your Nethermancy.

You don't LOSE your talents, you simply lose the ability to use them, so you can't weave new threads with nethermancy, but the threads already woven will remain until they are severed or degrade or whatever means by which threads eventually fail.

Calamrin
Posts:127
Joined:Sun Jul 30, 2017 7:18 am

Re: Path of Wheel - Strict followers

Post by Calamrin » Thu Aug 17, 2017 9:03 pm

Purplefixer seems to have a good solution for the short term.

End of the day you cant be all powerful when its required, and just not be when its not needed...thats not going to make the other players feel better or help the group....so at some point you will have to decide what u want.

I could have missread your posts, as your english good, but is hard to read sometimes in translation.... i apologise if i have)

User avatar
LinnParenti
Posts:1
Joined:Fri Aug 18, 2017 11:29 am
Location:UK

Re: Path of Wheel - Strict followers

Post by LinnParenti » Fri Aug 18, 2017 11:36 am

Calamrin wrote:
Thu Aug 17, 2017 9:03 pm
Purplefixer seems to have a good solution for the short term.

End of the day you cant be all powerful when its required, and just not be when its not needed...thats not going to make the other players feel better or help the group....so at some point you will have to decide what u want.
I agree with you, that's a nice temporary decision.
Nothing is impossible. Until your will for it is lower than the it could be.

Post Reply