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[SR5] Forbidden Arcana

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RowanTheFox

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« Reply #45 on: <05-02-17/1822:59> »
Well, I know what I'm asking for my birthday.
It is better to be crazy and know it, than to be sane and have one's doubts.

"Nothing is wrong if no one can stop you."

Remember, you're only a genius when they need you. The rest of the time you're just an asshole.

Well, drek. Looks like Timmy fell into the Dissonance Well again.

Prime Mover

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« Reply #46 on: <05-02-17/2115:04> »
    Ton of stuff in this book.  Enjoying read so far. Stuff I wanted and stuff I didn't realize I needed till read the ToC.
   Making me wish for a advanced cyber and advanced matrix book in the same vein.
Why do things happen the way they happen? For
all I know the world Is Just one big game and all of
our actions are determined by the roll of a die.
-  Dunkelzahn,  Great-Dragon

&#24525;

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« Reply #47 on: <05-02-17/2120:57> »
There's plenty of neato things in this. Magic 3: TMs 0.

Reshy

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« Reply #48 on: <05-02-17/2204:07> »


This needs a massive rewrite I believe, mainly because the way it's worded allows you to detect things like Records on File or SINer (or the lack of the SINer quality), Drake or Latent Dracomorphosis, Infected, Friends in High Places, etc. and it seems like anyone that has this quality basically would be omniscient, knowing stuff that's not even tied to your astral aura at all, and making awakened threats much less impactful due to being able to easily spot the infected/drake/insect spirit/blood mage.  Also things like Alibi or Blandness would lose all effectiveness because this seems to turn assensing into mind probe.
« Last Edit: <05-02-17/2256:00> by Reshy »

Kiirnodel

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« Reply #49 on: <05-03-17/0040:55> »
This needs a massive rewrite I believe, mainly because the way it's worded allows you to detect things like Records on File or SINer (or the lack of the SINer quality), Drake or Latent Dracomorphosis, Infected, Friends in High Places, etc. and it seems like anyone that has this quality basically would be omniscient, knowing stuff that's not even tied to your astral aura at all, and making awakened threats much less impactful due to being able to easily spot the infected/drake/insect spirit/blood mage.  Also things like Alibi or Blandness would lose all effectiveness because this seems to turn assensing into mind probe.

I wouldn't say it needs a massive rewrite, but a limit on what the "all positive[/negative] qualities" reveals is probably reasonable. I definitely think that this sort of quality allowing the reveal of Infected/Drake is perfectly reasonable (Infected is already noticeable with 5 hits, as it would be considered an accurate diagnosis of an ailment). I would probably limit it to qualities that affect the character physically and/or that the character is at least aware of. Knowing that the person has Records on File if the character is unaware of it even seems like an odd thing for an astral aura read to pick up.

Wakshaani

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« Reply #50 on: <05-03-17/0121:12> »
Well, I was gonna pop in her eto say that we're live, but, y'all beat me to it.

Woo hoo!

Sendaz

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« Reply #51 on: <05-03-17/0321:51> »
The Tarot Summoning using the deck is all kinds of crazy random, but this may well appeal to some players who like to harken back a bit to the Deck of Many Things/ D&D Chaos mage style of play....
« Last Edit: <05-03-17/0337:22> by Sendaz »
Do you believe in a greater WIRELESS, an Invisible(WiFi) All Seeing(detecting those connected- at least if within 100'), All Knowing(all online data) Presence that we can draw upon for Wisdom(downloads & updates), Strength (wifi boni) and Comfort (porn) or do you turn your back on it  (Go Offline)?

Reshy

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« Reply #52 on: <05-03-17/0544:48> »
This needs a massive rewrite I believe, mainly because the way it's worded allows you to detect things like Records on File or SINer (or the lack of the SINer quality), Drake or Latent Dracomorphosis, Infected, Friends in High Places, etc. and it seems like anyone that has this quality basically would be omniscient, knowing stuff that's not even tied to your astral aura at all, and making awakened threats much less impactful due to being able to easily spot the infected/drake/insect spirit/blood mage.  Also things like Alibi or Blandness would lose all effectiveness because this seems to turn assensing into mind probe.

I wouldn't say it needs a massive rewrite, but a limit on what the "all positive[/negative] qualities" reveals is probably reasonable. I definitely think that this sort of quality allowing the reveal of Infected/Drake is perfectly reasonable (Infected is already noticeable with 5 hits, as it would be considered an accurate diagnosis of an ailment). I would probably limit it to qualities that affect the character physically and/or that the character is at least aware of. Knowing that the person has Records on File if the character is unaware of it even seems like an odd thing for an astral aura read to pick up.

5 Hits for infected should remain at 5 hits, drakes are supposed to be stealthy so being able to detect them with this is probably a no.  They're supposed to be hard to detect, otherwise they'd not make stealthy minions.  At least not without a similarly high target number of hits, if not higher (since drakes are built to be stealthy, like infected).  Roughly it'd be about 6 successes for a similar number as compared to 3e, before factoring in masking and flex sig.


But yes, I think that noticing qualities would cause issues, because if you see someone with "Alibi" or "Barrens Rat" why the hell would you let them in?  It's very much in thought-police territory, except without needing to resist drain or be invasive like with a mind probe.  Being able to see metagame abilities I don't think adds anything to the game but trouble.
« Last Edit: <05-03-17/0602:54> by Reshy »

Jack_Spade

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« Reply #53 on: <05-03-17/0720:13> »
I've only skimmed the book so far, but there are a few options in there I really like, Mentor spirit mask for example and hello dedicated Spell Slinger. Illusionist is frankly insanely good (hello, permanently up invisibility, stealth and platonic ideal)

Mystic Foreman also sounds like it would be ideally suited to combat the nanopocalypse with its ability to reduce object resistance.

It might actually be worth now to become an adept mage (Apprentice with Health and Spirit of Man, Ancestor Shaman should prove to be quite popular)
talk think matrix

To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield
Revenant Kynos Isaint Rex

odd

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« Reply #54 on: <05-03-17/0753:16> »
The errata thread said there's a nerf to mystic adepts in the table that lists all the aspected.  Could someone expand on what that is?

Jack_Spade

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« Reply #55 on: <05-03-17/0755:04> »
They lost enchantment.
talk think matrix

To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield
Revenant Kynos Isaint Rex

odd

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« Reply #56 on: <05-03-17/0827:00> »
They lost enchantment.

Ah thanks.  Thought something might have happened to make my current guy illegal now.

Tecumseh

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« Reply #57 on: <05-03-17/2009:39> »
Tangent for @Reshy: Run Faster (p. 141) says: "An Infected character’s aura always reveals its Infected nature, though this may be masked by metamagic as normal." This implies that 1 hit would be sufficient to identify an Infected character. The fluff of Run Faster supports this, as it talks about how obvious it is when Essence Drain taints the Infected's aura. That said, I often house rule this to match your interpretation.

Back on topic: Is there a street date for a print version of Forbidden Arcana?

Reshy

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« Reply #58 on: <05-04-17/0145:57> »
They lost enchantment.

Ah thanks.  Thought something might have happened to make my current guy illegal now.


They lost the least useful magical skills?  Wow, how is this a nerf again?  Take away their spirits instead.  Jeez.  So a mystic adept cannot make a magic sword, but they can summon spirits to negate the penalty of losing astral projection.

Tangent for @Reshy: Run Faster (p. 141) says: "An Infected character’s aura always reveals its Infected nature, though this may be masked by metamagic as normal." This implies that 1 hit would be sufficient to identify an Infected character. The fluff of Run Faster supports this, as it talks about how obvious it is when Essence Drain taints the Infected's aura. That said, I often house rule this to match your interpretation.

Back on topic: Is there a street date for a print version of Forbidden Arcana?

Well I guess they changed it, previously it took 5 hits because HMHVV is a disease.  Mainly because with certain infected, like vampires, they're often human-looking and are intended to blend in.  Otherwise you don't really need to assense a ghoul to see they're a ghoul, they already look the part.

Still though, it causes issues the way it's written, like being able to see if someone has a SIN or not, or if they're a latent drake (which only great dragons are supposed to be able to see).

Novocrane

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« Reply #59 on: <05-04-17/0232:03> »
Quote
Take away their spirits instead.
I'd rather see them aspected, tbh.