Osprey
03-17-2004, 08:34 PM
While a revised Chapter 3 for the BRCS hasn't even been completed yet, I'm going ahead and putting up this thread so I (or anyone else) can post some ideas for revision while they're fresh in my mind, and as they come during playtesting. I also hope that discussing any revisions earlier rather than later might help make the writers' jobs a little easier by requiring less rewriting later on. Here's the first one...
Shadow Portal
In the BRCS, this spell is a 4th level spell available to Wizards, Sorcerers, Magicians, and Druids, and as a 5th level spell for most Clerics of Ruornil (as a Moon or Spell domain spell).
While I appreciate how this might reflect some campaign themes, I have a few issues with it. First, I would expect Clerics of Ruornil, especially those with the Moon domain, to be the dedicated specialists regarding the Shadow World. As such, I'd propose to make it a 3rd level spell for the Moon Domain instead of 5th.
Second, all clerics have special abilities regarding positive and negative energy and the undead, themes tied rather closely to the Shadow World as I understand it. Moreover, as the Shadow World is the spirit world, aren't most clerics particularly concerned with and connected to it through their divine connection?
As such, I would propose that Shadow Portal also be added as a 4th level cleric spell. One of the major effects of this would be that stronger clerics of any deity would have the ability to take the offensive against enemies rooted there, particularly the undead and malevolent spirits. So long as the priests of Ruornil remain better at this than the others, I think the existing campaign themes are preserved.
Besides, given the dangers of the Shadow World, it gives DM's yet another nefarious fate for the over-zealous crusaders who bite off more than they can chew by launching a bold (and foolish) expedition to cleanse some part of the Shadow World. Likewise, it opens up adventures in the Shadow World to many more adventurers in general.
On the flip side of all of this, why would magicians and true mages be able to cast Shadow Portal? As they are so closely tied to the mebhaighal (especially the true mages), which is rooted in the physical world, wouldn't they be weaker in trying to deal with problems from "the other side?" So it might not be out of line to either strike it from their spell lists, or make it a 5th level spell instead.
Osprey
Shadow Portal
In the BRCS, this spell is a 4th level spell available to Wizards, Sorcerers, Magicians, and Druids, and as a 5th level spell for most Clerics of Ruornil (as a Moon or Spell domain spell).
While I appreciate how this might reflect some campaign themes, I have a few issues with it. First, I would expect Clerics of Ruornil, especially those with the Moon domain, to be the dedicated specialists regarding the Shadow World. As such, I'd propose to make it a 3rd level spell for the Moon Domain instead of 5th.
Second, all clerics have special abilities regarding positive and negative energy and the undead, themes tied rather closely to the Shadow World as I understand it. Moreover, as the Shadow World is the spirit world, aren't most clerics particularly concerned with and connected to it through their divine connection?
As such, I would propose that Shadow Portal also be added as a 4th level cleric spell. One of the major effects of this would be that stronger clerics of any deity would have the ability to take the offensive against enemies rooted there, particularly the undead and malevolent spirits. So long as the priests of Ruornil remain better at this than the others, I think the existing campaign themes are preserved.
Besides, given the dangers of the Shadow World, it gives DM's yet another nefarious fate for the over-zealous crusaders who bite off more than they can chew by launching a bold (and foolish) expedition to cleanse some part of the Shadow World. Likewise, it opens up adventures in the Shadow World to many more adventurers in general.
On the flip side of all of this, why would magicians and true mages be able to cast Shadow Portal? As they are so closely tied to the mebhaighal (especially the true mages), which is rooted in the physical world, wouldn't they be weaker in trying to deal with problems from "the other side?" So it might not be out of line to either strike it from their spell lists, or make it a 5th level spell instead.
Osprey