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5 years ago ::
Feb 06, 2008 - 1:08PM
#51
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band2 rules! :D
Despite popular misconception band2 is not brun.02 :P
Onto more comments
Page 31
Driks drag siege towers at exceptional speed? I guess that is relative. It may seem like it is exceptional speed for a siege tower.
Page 32
Sample encounter
I do not like the mention of “the templar faction”. The templars of Raam have not been presented as a unified group but a fractions mob of individuals scheming for their own end. To call them a faction implies that they are allies with each other rather than rivals. Just changing the statement to read “a templar faction” would indicate one of many possible templars that the soldiers could be loyal to.
Ecology
“Since the death of Raam’s sorcerer-queen, factions within the army have sold a few specimens to powerful and rich individuals, not all of Raamin citizenship.”
This is a cool adventure hook.
Page 33
Remolding and Outfitting
The ramming prow says that driks cannot have one and carry catapults but it does not say how much room the ram takes up, to see what other remolding can be done.
Swivelling Platform
Does the swivelling platform take up more room than a normal ballista?
Wooden fortfication and resin fortification give the same bonus but are not the same price or weight. Why would you take wooden fortifications when it costs more and weighs more? Is it because resin fortification can only be taken when the drik is first outfited?
Throughout this section.
What is the plural?
ballistas or ballistae or ballista
Page 34
Sail Cart
For one of the quotes, how about adding “Bra’rrk , Aarakocra of Winter's Nest” to add a little more than that he is just an aarakocra.
37
Strategies and Tactics
Second and third paragraph.
“Both types of undead beetles need a crew of two: the animator and a commander. The rest are soldiers stationned inside the weapon’s ports and the upper deck.”
This parargaph is repeated in the next paragraph.
37
Typical Physical Characteristics
Here the rezhatta war beetle is smaller, but in the stats it appears to be the bigger one. Seems like they are flipped.
Same with how many the beetles can carrry.
38
Slivered Carapace
What are silex shards?
Drone swarm
How does the watroach release the swarm? From its mouth, from its back side, a hole on top of its back? It does not say, but I would assume the mouth.
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5 years ago ::
Feb 06, 2008 - 4:19PM
#52
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Date Joined:
Mar 16, 2004
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Sorry Band2 about the delay before I answered all of your posts - which are greatly appreciated and valued by the way. All the points you raised (and will raise  ) are and will be taken into consideration for the next iteration of the document. I'm eager to see your comments for the rest of Chapter 2 and then the Items of Power Chapter. Keep up the good work, it is much appreciated 
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5 years ago ::
Feb 08, 2008 - 5:00AM
#53
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I designed some of these armors, so I give you some input on why it was done that way.
Page 15
Artist’s armor
I do not like the double roll for the arcane spell failure. It just means another die roll to slow down combat. Why not just reduce the base arcane spell failure in half?
It's a d20 game. Every percent number give in this game is dividable by 5, so you could make the check with a d20. In addition, you can't roll 2.5%, not even with a d%.
Gladiator’s armors
I like the gladiator's armor. But the description of the armor sounds like it was designed by someone who wants to ensure a gladiator’s protection. Not someone who wants to see a death match. The armor should be described as flashy and not functional. Leaving the chest bare to show off massive muscles, or some equivalent of chain mail bikinis for the women. Legs should have little covering to show as much leg as possible. Only cover certain critical areas like neck, groin, and thighs.
The gladiator's armors are design to balance the game. If you don't give gladiator's armors to protect them, they won't last long against big creature's. So gladiator's armors are for game balance. There are also 3 type of armor, so you could choose, wether you want be barly protected, medium protected or strongly protected. It wouldn't have made any sense if you give them just small amror parts, but provide them with high AC. That's why there are so many armor parts. But it is not stated how big these parts are, so you could choose for yourself how they look like.
Page 16
The Tyrian armors
There is a statement that the armor is given to soldiers when Tyr is engaged in war. These armors cost hundreds of gold pieces. Tyr could not afford to have too many of these suits. Maybe a handful or so, but not enough to equip an armor. How about rephrasing to say it is given to officers or elite forces in the Tyr war.
IRRC Tyr has many metal weapons in their treasure chamber. Enough to give most of their soldiers a metal weapon when engaged to war (I think it was even stated, that that there are enough metal weapons to give every soldier a metal weapon). I thought, that if there are enough metal weapons for their soldiers, there could be small armor parts too.
Table 1-3
A Breastplate includes leg armor? I thought it was just a breastplate.
Breastplate: A breastplate covers your front and your back. It comes with a helmet and greaves (plates to cover your lower legs). A light suit or skirt of studded leather beneath the breastplate protects your limbs without restricting movement much.
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5 years ago ::
Feb 08, 2008 - 5:09AM
#54
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Date Joined:
Mar 29, 2004
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It's a d20 game. Every percent number give in this game is dividable by 5, so you could make the check with a d20. In addition, you can't roll 2.5%, not even with a d%.
You sure? Check out the reincarnation table, or the magic weapon tables for instance. Couldn't you just divide in half and round up the result instead?
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5 years ago ::
Feb 08, 2008 - 12:26PM
#55
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It's a d20 game. Every percent number give in this game is dividable by 5, so you could make the check with a d20. In addition, you can't roll 2.5%, not even with a d%..
Yeah, 3 edition has looks of principles like that which occassionally leads to contradictions between the principles. Just use which every way you find easiest. And yeah, you would have to change it to 2 or 3 % if you rolled percentage dies.
The gladiator's armors are design to balance the game. If you don't give gladiator's armors to protect them, they won't last long against big creature's. So gladiator's armors are for game balance. There are also 3 type of armor, so you could choose, wether you want be barly protected, medium protected or strongly protected. It wouldn't have made any sense if you give them just small amror parts, but provide them with high AC. That's why there are so many armor parts. But it is not stated how big these parts are, so you could choose for yourself how they look like..
It is not the game mechanics, just the description. If something is called gladiator armor, I think of many gladiator movies in which the gladiators wear armor that is more flash than substance. I am just trying to get the description to match the image that the name conjures up.
IRRC Tyr has many metal weapons in their treasure chamber. Enough to give most of their soldiers a metal weapon when engaged to war (I think it was even stated, that that there are enough metal weapons to give every soldier a metal weapon). I thought, that if there are enough metal weapons for their soldiers, there could be small armor parts too.
I seem to recall that quote too about the metal weapons, but thought it says that Tyr had enough metal weapons that it could give one to every soldier not that it does give one to every soldier.
Any front line soldier given a fortune in metal with a weapon and armor would rightly run off at the first opportunity. It represents more money than they will every see in more than a life time. Tyr under Kalak would never give such low line soldiers such an opportunity, but maybe new Tyr is more "democratic" about supplying the armor.
That is why I was suggesting changing the comment to give the armor to more trusted troops like officers.
At the same time, if Tyr has does use metal arms and armor it has doubled its defense costs by passing up the fortune it could get by selling that iron.
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5 years ago ::
Feb 08, 2008 - 12:35PM
#56
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Page 44
templar outfit – I do not like it. Why do templars get a bonus for putting on their own clothes? It is the templar that has the ability not the clothes. Any authority the clothes get is from the templar not the other way around.
Page 44- 45
Book of poison
I do not like that it is a book. Writing is illegal, few people have books. Also bards are tricky - they have to be. Why but it in a book format? Why not put the sypher onto something less conspicuous. Anyone seeing the book would be suspicious. How about a musical instrument, say a flute that has pattern of notches and groves that are a cipher that the bards know that works like braille – you read it by running your figures over it. The bards claim the cipher is how they record music notes in a culture without writing.
Remote viewing kit
Why if someone else helps does it add 10 more minutes to the time to prepare it? Should be the same time but a bigger area prepared. 1 person takes 10 minutes to make a 5 foot square. 2 persons should take 10 minutes to make a 2 5foot squares, not 20 minutes.
Page 46
Balican Sting
The poison is affective against only beasthead, crag, desert, and plains giants. That is all giants on Athas right? Why not just say that.
Kuzza powder
Only blinds for 1 round? Seems like it would be for longer if you take a direct hit of pepper spray. 1d4 rounds maybe?
Ranike sap
Insects must make a save each round for one minute? But the smoke burns for 1 hour? Do they become immune to it after a minute? Or do they have to make the save each round and for a minute after they leave the smoke?
Splash-globe the ranike sap smoke has the same comment about each round for a minute, but this time the smoke only lasts one minute.
Also, it says the Gulgs known about ranike sap but I think the tree is in the Ringing Mountains. I'll have to double check that.
47
Aviarag Horn
Aviarag’s are powerful users of the way. Why does their horn affect spells?
Royal Justice Token
The royal justic token does not seem very useful unless it also affects the quicken spell cast throught wrath of the sorcerer-king as well. Does it?
48
Dagorran crystal is not consumed for psionics but is for magic? Is that intentional? I can understand it being so, but just wanted to make sure it was intentional.
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5 years ago ::
Feb 08, 2008 - 3:44PM
#57
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You sure? Check out the reincarnation table, or the magic weapon tables for instance. Couldn't you just divide in half and round up the result instead?
Point taken. When I made the write up, I wa looking at armors not other tables. I don't mind to change the check penalty to 2% or 3% percent, although I could see some other voices, that could claim, that armors don't have these numbers. However, if it's going to be changed, I won't complain.
It is not the game mechanics, just the description. If something is called gladiator armor, I think of many gladiator movies in which the gladiators wear armor that is more flash than substance. I am just trying to get the description to match the image that the name conjures up.[/quote]
IMO the description and mechanics should match to each other. Besides, take a look at the gladiators of the movie gladiator:
It seems that at least they have some protection.
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5 years ago ::
Feb 12, 2008 - 12:31PM
#58
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IMO the description and mechanics should match to each other. Besides, take a look at the gladiators of the movie gladiator:
It seems that at least they have some protection.
True, but in that scene in the movie they were reinacting a historical battle, and so were dressed up like troups. Though Maximus throughout the movie is dressed in a functional looking breastplate. But look at his opponents throughout the movie. Lost of bare chests and shoulders. Some cover their stomachs and leave their chests bare, others do the opposite. They all seem to have ellaborate helmets from the boar helmet to the man wearing a bull's head to the former champion with a face plate shaped like a face.
And look at the female gladiators in the charriots in that battle scene. Though they are not in chainmail bikinis they are wearing armor that is shaped to emphasis their breasts. Shows ascetics over funtionallity.
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5 years ago ::
Feb 12, 2008 - 12:34PM
#59
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Page 49
Table 2-15 footnotes 2 and 3 seem to be mixed up.
Kank taint affects on creatures of the elemental type and drakesblood only affects kanks?
Page 51
bleached inix slumber
Why a knock out poison if you are going to ambush the enemies? If you can posion them why not kill them with a lethal poison?
Instead of ambushing how about saying capturing or arresting?
Braxat hide
It seems too harsh which spells can restore the vicitm. I would add heal and regenerate to the list. Maybe remove restoration and add greater restoration.
Page 52
Dragon beetle posion is listed as contact, but the description mentions “the area around a wound containing the poison”.
fael appetite
“This poison is used primarily by nobles at parties and feasts to eliminate rivals and rise through the ranks.”
Nobles do not have ranks. Templars do though.
What happens when the availablity of food is limited? Will the victim turn cannible if no more food is available as a fael? He is not gorging so his stomach would not burst and take 6d6 damage.
Page 54
Purple Grass Extract
“Anyone ingesting the plant, which tastes like a delicious dry wine”
The plant tastes like wine or the poison tastes like wine?
Silt serpent venom
“…poison a favorite of bards and assassins alike (…if you even think there’s a reason to differentiate the two). “
Is that an editing note in brackets?
Silt spider venom
“This is no easy task, obviously, and definitely worthy of praise…or ridicule, depending on your point of view. “
That is a bad joke. :P
Page 56
Bellaweed seems too cheap at only 2 bits. Maybe 2 Cp?
Page 59
Ecology
“Any being passing too near … will trigger an inevitable attack”
That is contradicted on page 58 under stratagies which says they will only attack when a creature damages the leaves.
Page 59
table 2-19
What is dwarven steel on Athas?
Page 61
Ka’aku
What is an elven knrisuckle-bone?
Page 61-62
Tear of Badna
The star of badna has magical powers that project from magic spells. Why would the tears enhance psionics as well as mind-affecting spells?
May be it should enhance abjuration spells and only spells.
Or is it just a feint that the tears are from the star any they are really not related?
Living crystal
“Armor made of living crystal is no different than metal armor …”
It has the same penalties for wearing it in heat?
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5 years ago ::
Feb 13, 2008 - 12:56PM
#60
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Date Joined:
Apr 12, 2003
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Driks drag siege towers at exceptional speed? I guess that is relative. It may seem like it is exceptional speed for a siege tower.
Somewhere - either in the DMG or Sword & Fist - it gives the speed of siege towers. It's real slow. As long as weight limits are not exceded, a drik can run while pulling a siege tower. That's real fast, tactically so, I might add.
I do not like the mention of “the templar faction”.
IIRC I took that from the Revised Box Set. Templars have bended together to create a faction. Is it no so?
The ramming prow says that driks cannot have one and carry catapults but it does not say how much room the ram takes up, to see what other remolding can be done.
The ram doesn't take space per say, in game terms, so says the ram description. No catapults is a balancing concession. Games are full of it, whether it's realistic or not.
Does the swivelling platform take up more room than a normal ballista?
Doesn't take more or less space. No mention of such details refers the reader to default settings, thus the catapult's own space.
Wooden fortfication and resin fortification give the same bonus but are not the same price or weight. Why would you take wooden fortifications when it costs more and weighs more? Is it because resin fortification can only be taken when the drik is first outfited?
This is more for fluff than anything. The 2E drik source mentions Raamins have developped this unique resin technique. Here I imagined the technique was stolen through espionnage by the Nibenese and is now common place. It does require, though, that it be applied on growing driks, while wooden fortifications can be added to grown driks.
ballistas or ballistae or ballista
Bueller?
Typical Physical Characteristics
Here the rezhatta war beetle is smaller, but in the stats it appears to be the bigger one. Seems like they are flipped.
Same with how many the beetles can carrry.
Mmm...
I recall rezhatta are bigger but made for speed, and thus carry less empty spaces within. The other beetle type are smaller and slower, but better armored and are equipped with a bigger inner space.
Slivered Carapace
What are silex shards?
Oops, french for flint.
Drone swarm
How does the watroach release the swarm? From its mouth, from its back side, a hole on top of its back? It does not say, but I would assume the mouth.
Description of the improvement says they disgorge from holes drilled on the sides of the carapace, and those holes and the drone chamber take room so there can't be as much weapons' ports or carried soldiers. (IIRC. Hey, I'm doing this from memory.) Again this is a balancing concession.
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