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Switch to Forum Live View high fantasy, low magic
10 months ago  ::  Aug 17, 2012 - 5:39PM #1
fairytalejedi
Date Joined: Mar 2, 2002
Posts: 1,691
So here's my idea for a game using the latest playtest materials: it's got the usual high fantasy races (dwarves, elves, goblins and so forth) but basically no magic except evil NPC Warlocks. High Elves would basically be creatures of myth, legendary ancestors of modern wood elves. So good magic used to exist in the world, but now it's all been driven out by dark warlockery. And while lots of people belive in gods, pray to them for healing, protection in battle, etc. there's no mechanical benefit to this in the game.

Has anyone used the playtest material to do this kind of low magic game, or have any advice for doing so?

Thanks in advance.
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10 months ago  ::  Aug 17, 2012 - 6:39PM #2
Vikingkingq
Date Joined: Oct 8, 2005
Posts: 1,058
Interesting idea for a campaign setting. One suggestion might be to try to kitbash from a low-magic setting released for 3.5 - the Conan and Song of Ice and Fire RPGs originally written for 3.X have some useful non-magical scholar and godsworn classes that you can build on to replace Clerics and Wizards and the like.

You probably want to buff non-magical healing unless you're going for a WFRP-style grim and gritty fantasy game. Maybe allow Healer's Kit to be used during combat as long as neither the healer and the patient are either attacking or being attacked?
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10 months ago  ::  Aug 17, 2012 - 6:49PM #3
epicfreak
Date Joined: Jan 15, 2012
Posts: 193
This sounds like some good ol' sword & sorcery stuff... I like it...

Anyway, as to healing, you may want to give my Alternate Healing idea a try?  It will help keep your players alive without healing magic.
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10 months ago  ::  Aug 17, 2012 - 6:59PM #4
Tony_Vargas
Date Joined: Sep 26, 2001
Posts: 10,732
Well, in the absence of a Cleric, you're down 1d8+4 for want of CD, and another 2d8+8 for want of two CLW spells.  At 5th, and a total of 14d8 +32 at 5th for want of a full-on-heal-bot cleric.  You might want to bring in some alternative in-combat healing.  Healer's kit would help.  You might consider letting PCs use an action to spend HD in combat, like a 4e 'second wind.'

Of course, if there was a shouty-healing warlord it wouldn't be an issue...  
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10 months ago  ::  Aug 17, 2012 - 7:54PM #5
fairytalejedi
Date Joined: Mar 2, 2002
Posts: 1,691
Thanks for all the input. I noticed earlier this week that there's a Song of Ice and Fire rulebook at ye olde FLGS. I might have to have a closer look at that.

Re: healing, I have an idea. You can use a second wind action in combat (no kit required) but you have disadvantage on the hit dice rolls. So a fighter who spent one hit die on a second wind would roll 2d10 and take the lower result (repeat if spending more than one hit die).

On the other hand, using a healing kit (requires a short rest) grants you advantage on the hit dice rolls.

Hit dice spent on second winds count against your total, so you can't double up by spending the same hit die as a second wind and at the next pit stop. But at least it gives an option to save your bacon in the absence of magical healing, and a little more oomph to healing kits.

Does this sound workable?
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10 months ago  ::  Aug 17, 2012 - 7:57PM #6
Seerow
Date Joined: Nov 7, 2005
Posts: 2,553

Aug 17, 2012 -- 7:54PM, fairytalejedi wrote:

Thanks for all the input. I noticed earlier this week that there's a Song of Ice and Fire rulebook at ye olde FLGS. I might have to have a closer look at that. Re: healing, I have an idea. You can use a second wind action in combat (no kit required) but you have disadvantage on the hit dice rolls. So a fighter who spent one hit die on a second wind would roll 2d10 and take the lower result (repeat if spending more than one hit die). On the other hand, using a healing kit (requires a short rest) grants you advantage on the hit dice rolls. Hit dice spent on second winds count against your total, so you can't double up by spending the same hit die as a second wind and at the next pit stop. But at least it gives an option to save your bacon in the absence of magical healing, and a little more oomph to healing kits. Does this sound workable?




That sounds legitimately terrible. It's like "yay I get to spend an action to heal an average of 3 hit points while having the biggest hit die in the game, when enemies deal 6 points of damage on an average hit!"

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10 months ago  ::  Aug 17, 2012 - 8:16PM #7
DavidArgall
Date Joined: Dec 5, 2007
Posts: 1,592
Why would anybody want to?
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10 months ago  ::  Aug 17, 2012 - 10:34PM #8
fairytalejedi
Date Joined: Mar 2, 2002
Posts: 1,691
Hmm, scratch that then. I'll have to look at other options.
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10 months ago  ::  Aug 18, 2012 - 3:23AM #9
Crimson_Concerto
Date Joined: Aug 28, 2005
Posts: 10,000

Aug 17, 2012 -- 5:39PM, fairytalejedi wrote:

high fantasy races (dwarves, elves, goblins and so forth)


What? Dwarves, elves, and goblins are not high-fantasy races. They are low- to moderate-fantasy races. High-fantasy races would be those like Deva, Genasi, and Warforged.

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10 months ago  ::  Aug 18, 2012 - 3:32AM #10
Verdegris_Sage
Date Joined: May 7, 2012
Posts: 982
From what I've seen, the game is pretty low magic as presented.
When I think High Magic, I think Eberron, and so far, this has seemed to be running in the opposite direction. 
Even in so much that non-magical also means mundane and somewhat pedestrian.
Stripping out the 2 (now 4) casters will only leave a party crippled. There are better systems to run a game where magic is in the hands of not the pcs. This system completely falls apart in absence the magical healer (Healing Potions are expensive and sorta weak, and HD are of variable utility at best), even with a Cleric, you need the Healer Specialty to have reliable progression through plural encounters.

If you are heart set on running with less than half a ship, I would suggest adding a second wind feature that is significantly stronger than current hit dice, cheapening healing potions, herbs, whatever, and bumping starting hp back up to 1st playtest levels. Basically, you will need to strengthen mundane hp recovery to offset a lack of utility and healign options... unless you desire a high body count and single encounter adventure days.
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