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Bacchos84
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Joined: Tue 20 Apr 2021, 11:04

Re: Designers' Journal

Tue 20 Apr 2021, 11:15

Hi!
I'm following with great interest the Ruins of Symbaroum kickstarter for 5e and I'm really loving the setting and the mechanic adaptation to 5e, a couple of questions:
1) The Wizard approach seems a bit overpowered in comparison with the Theurg: it has the 5e wizard spell list and d8 hd/light armor proficiency. But the corruption works the same so the Theurg/Cleric seems in neat disadvantage. Am I missing anything?
2) Will the new core classes be under the ogl license?
Thank you very much! :)
 
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Jacob Rodgers
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Re: Designers' Journal

Tue 20 Apr 2021, 15:14

Hi!
I'm following with great interest the Ruins of Symbaroum kickstarter for 5e and I'm really loving the setting and the mechanic adaptation to 5e, a couple of questions:
1) The Wizard approach seems a bit overpowered in comparison with the Theurg: it has the 5e wizard spell list and d8 hd/light armor proficiency. But the corruption works the same so the Theurg/Cleric seems in neat disadvantage. Am I missing anything?
.
Wizards are very powerful indeed, though they are bound to the same concerns regarding Corruption as Theurgs, yes. Some of the other caster classes are much more flexible with either spells known, how they handle Corruption, or where indeed they draw their power. As an apples-to-apples comparison between the two, the Theurg's healing powers and spells that allow them to identify the Corrupted are very powerful as well as their Medicus feature which is one of the few ways that characters can regain Hit Dice in the field (remember that Hit Dice are not only hit points but could instead be used to lower temporary Corruption, allowing the caster to cast more spells without the threat of blight marks and/or permanent Corruption.
.
2) Will the new core classes be under the ogl license?
.
The classes for Symbaroum are product identity, as they're an extension of the original game's rules. You could certainly use them in your own games, but you couldn't sell a new game that used Theurgs, Sappers, Troll Singers, etc.
 
Bacchos84
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Joined: Tue 20 Apr 2021, 11:04

Re: Designers' Journal

Tue 20 Apr 2021, 15:47

remember that Hit Dice are not only hit points but could instead be used to lower temporary Corruption, allowing the caster to cast more spells without the threat of blight marks and/or permanent Corruption
Yes this may balance the different "rate of fire" between the two approaches.

Thank you for your answers!
 
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Jacob Rodgers
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Re: Designers' Journal

Fri 23 Apr 2021, 15:32

We talked a little about the hunter class on the youtube chat yesterday, so I figure it's worth talking about them in some more detail in this format.

Hunters do have some base wilderness survival skills. They're not automatic, so it is still a good idea to have supplies and take advantage of any opportunities for hunting/gathering as you explore.

Another feature is called Hunter's Instinct. It allows you to designate an enemy target and do bonus damage to them. Later on you get the ability to specialize in some skills and gain expertise with them, bonuses on moving through difficult terrain, and hiding or stalking an enemy.

As mentioned, some of the hunter's approaches move the class in other ways. For example, Bounty-hunters gains features related to nonlethal combat, social encounters, urban tracking and more. Monster-hunters use traps against their quarry, as well as their knowledge and specialized weapons. Witch-hunters become experts at fighting abominations or those dangerously close to crossing over, but are in danger of using too much of the enemy's own power against them and falling to Corruption themselves. The Ironsworn approach covers anyone dedicated to protecting Davokar and provides both lore-knowledge and extraordinary precision with ranged weapons.
 
Molotov681
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Joined: Fri 23 Apr 2021, 22:27

Re: Designers' Journal

Fri 23 Apr 2021, 22:37

I have not played the original Symbaroum, but it looks amazing. I am curious how you will implement the gritty feel of Symbaroum in 5e. I see that you will not get HP back on long rest, requiring an extended rest.

Are you sticking to Rules As Written for death, dying, and resurrection, or are there special rules for this as well?

Are you increasing hit dice count?

Thanks.
Last edited by Molotov681 on Sun 25 Apr 2021, 00:20, edited 2 times in total.
 
jdddd
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Joined: Fri 16 Apr 2021, 10:30

Re: Designers' Journal

Fri 23 Apr 2021, 23:39

Thanks for sharing Jacob. I was looking at the Symbaroum GM's Guide and I found the "Movement in Davokar" section interesting, are they going to be converted into the 5e version as special exploration rules and might having a Hunter (or perhaps the Explorer approach of Scoundrel) in the party give advantages for travelling in Davokar?
 
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Jacob Rodgers
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Re: Designers' Journal

Sat 24 Apr 2021, 00:49

Thanks for sharing Jacob. I was looking at the Symbaroum GM's Guide and I found the "Movement in Davokar" section interesting, are they going to be converted into the 5e version as special exploration rules and might having a Hunter (or perhaps the Explorer approach of Scoundrel) in the party give advantages for travelling in Davokar?
It'd be a little more accurate to say that they'll be able to mitigate the worst of it, reducing the overall difficulty but not making it excessively easy either.
 
Molotov681
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Joined: Fri 23 Apr 2021, 22:27

Re: Designers' Journal

Thu 29 Apr 2021, 19:31

I have not played the original Symbaroum, but it looks amazing. I am curious how you will implement the gritty feel of Symbaroum in 5e. I see that you will not get HP back on long rest, requiring an extended rest.

Are you sticking to Rules As Written for death, dying, and resurrection, or are there special rules for this as well?

Are you increasing hit dice count?

Thanks.
Hi, Jacob. I would kindly like to request again more information on how you see the gritty nature of Symbaroum translating into 5e, beyond not healing on a long rest. Are you planning to keep armor soak, for instance?

I would greatly appreciate your input. Thanks.
 
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Jacob Rodgers
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Re: Designers' Journal

Fri 30 Apr 2021, 00:50

I have not played the original Symbaroum, but it looks amazing. I am curious how you will implement the gritty feel of Symbaroum in 5e. I see that you will not get HP back on long rest, requiring an extended rest.

Are you sticking to Rules As Written for death, dying, and resurrection, or are there special rules for this as well?

Are you increasing hit dice count?

Hi, Jacob. I would kindly like to request again more information on how you see the gritty nature of Symbaroum translating into 5e, beyond not healing on a long rest. Are you planning to keep armor soak, for instance?

I would greatly appreciate your input. Thanks.
Sorry, I somehow missed your original questions. Some answers below:

For a variety of reasons, we're keeping the core combat engine of 5e pretty much as is (this makes swapping classes around or importing a monster from one setting to the other much easier, and also makes the learning curve much easier for existing 5e players). So death and death saving throws work as expected. What is different is that resurrection (for the most part*) is much, much harder in Symbaroum.

Increasing Hit Dice would cause the opposite effect, reducing the gritty nature. Instead we give you multiple things to spend Hit Dice on and force you to choose between them. :)

Armor soak won't appear, for the above given reasons. There are more types of damage and resistances/immunities are often more important (i.e. don't assume that just because your nonmagical sword couldn't hurt the creature that a nonmagical hammer has no chance either). Plus many more creatures have features that inflict or interact with conditions. Healing always comes with a price — sometimes that's just thaler, but more often it is Corruption, limited use features and the always-limited Hit Dice themselves. Lots of monsters have interesting reaction features that allow them to do things not on their turn, helping balance out the action economy if they're often encountered alone or in small groups.

* I consider revivify a special case, and not as corrupting as other resurrection magic, as the soul and body are still intertwined. Basically think of it as a magical AED device. :) But once you get out of that grace period, dead is dead (unless you want to really really do some bad stuff).
 
jdddd
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Joined: Fri 16 Apr 2021, 10:30

Re: Designers' Journal

Fri 30 Apr 2021, 07:35

* I consider revivify a special case, and not as corrupting as other resurrection magic, as the soul and body are still intertwined. Basically think of it as a magical AED device. :) But once you get out of that grace period, dead is dead (unless you want to really really do some bad stuff).

Ah! Would I be right in thinking that raise dead, resurrection etc. wouldn't be on the higher level theurg spell list but instead be made into very very illegal ceremonial magic?
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