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Maxius
03-24-2003, 08:40 PM
I have a problem with some of the changes made to this version of BR3E. Running and playing BR3E Version 3.0 draft 8 (3.08) for a while I was comfortable with most of the rules. Many of the changes have me baffled as they don't seem to be for game balance or simple conversion reasons.

Why is "Heightened Ability" now a temporary bonus? It never has been before, and now it is effectively a version of one of the raise ability spells. This makes the blood ability less a part of the person and more "just something she can do," which IMHO defeats the point of it being a blood ability. Blooded abilities should be limited in duration only if they are very powerful for their category (minor, major, greater). I don't see that here.

In the original rules Htd. Ability added 1 point to the stat if it was 14 or higher, or 1d6 points to the stat if it was less than 14.

In BR3E Ver 3.08 This ability added 2 points to a stat depending on the bloodline, but the change was permanent.

For BR3E I'd make it +2 to the stat if the ability is 14 or better, or 1d4+1 if the abilitity is less than 14.

Some of the bloodlines I am not familiar with their original source material (such as light of reason), in future revisions I'd like to see notes added that explain which source materials they derive from. If they are new I'd like to see the authors credited.

irdeggman
03-24-2003, 08:59 PM
All of the blood abilities were from either the BRRB, Blood Enemies or the Book of Regency (free download from WotC). There were no new blood abilities added, although as you have noted they were changed.

The reason that Enhanced Ability was changed the way it was, is that the original version gave someone with an initial lower ability score a chance (and usually a good one) of ending up with a higher ability score than someone who started with a higher initial one - this just didn't seem "fair" or balanced. The blood ability was written to have the scion "drawing on the power of his blood" when he needed it to yield an increase. The pattern, as was the pattern for all abilities, was to parallel an existing spell if possible, if not then to parallel an existing class ability, etc.

Again, nothing in the proposal is set in stone and if the discussion leads to changes then so be it - I have a PC and can type.:)