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[FA] New options from Forbidden Arcana

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Jack_Spade

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« Reply #60 on: <06-11-17/0426:00> »
@gravidus

That's actually a really good idea.

And yeah, Chain Breaker is a huge boon for everyone who isn't interested in binding anyway. Getting both qualities might be a bit overkill - especially since you can initiate to get other spirit types too.
But getting reliable access to Task/Guardian/Man/Beast and Water is huge.

Also of note an absolutely broken option:

Alchemical Bomb Maker
This new option neglected to note that 1) only combat spells and 2) only indirect combat spells can be damage increased.

Now you can for 1 drain add 2 DV to a power ball. That turns this into an absolute killer: +7 Drain =+14 DV ignores armor and pretty much kills everything even with just a F1 or 2 preparation - add a few points of radius increase and you can create weapons of mass destruction, pulverizing even hardened structures and whatever else is in its way...
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Kiirnodel

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« Reply #61 on: <06-11-17/1535:10> »
@gravidus

That's actually a really good idea.

And yeah, Chain Breaker is a huge boon for everyone who isn't interested in binding anyway. Getting both qualities might be a bit overkill - especially since you can initiate to get other spirit types too.
But getting reliable access to Task/Guardian/Man/Beast and Water is huge.

Also of note an absolutely broken option:

Alchemical Bomb Maker
This new option neglected to note that 1) only combat spells and 2) only indirect combat spells can be damage increased.

Now you can for 1 drain add 2 DV to a power ball. That turns this into an absolute killer: +7 Drain =+14 DV ignores armor and pretty much kills everything even with just a F1 or 2 preparation - add a few points of radius increase and you can create weapons of mass destruction, pulverizing even hardened structures and whatever else is in its way...

Unless, you know, that Force 1 preparation simply gets resisted because it has a low dice-pool. If the target gets more hits on its resistance than the spellcasting, it deals no damage, the spell is fully resisted.

Jack_Spade

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« Reply #62 on: <06-11-17/1640:57> »
Ah right, I forgot that preparations only use reagents to set the limit in the initial creation, not the actual casting. That lessens the problem a bit although a high force preparation still could do a ridiculous amount of damage:
Assuming the alchemist has 11 points on his stun track, so can take 10 points of drain without going unconscious and casts at Force=Magic=6, adding another 8 points of drain for +12 Damage and +20m radius. They just need to resist 4 drain (Contact triggers are now at 0 drain), put the preparation in their vault of ages and sleep it off.

Also, this leaves environmental area effect spells for potential havoc like Poltergeist (use a pack of razor blades as the lynchpin)
talk think matrix

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UnLimiTeD

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« Reply #63 on: <06-11-17/1849:44> »
Well, there are non-combat spells that deal damage.
Maybe the effect should have a limit or something, but I'm not quite sure the Directs are more positively affected by this than indirect spells, besides their inherently lower drain. Dealing just, say, 6 more damage with a Slash spell would most certainly have a profound effect, as well.
I certainly think the atomizer and Vault have a bigger effect on the respected, but so far definitely not valued profession of alchemist.
Being able to just spray an opposing sam with a high level turn to goo and stealing all his implants just puts a devious smile on my face. Don't look. It might be contagious.

I wonder if we're able to reduce spirit reputation if we're playing a binding-only elementalist.
The Astral Perception option is neat, however, it is sadly only for Sum2Ten as there's no discount on raising magic. Wakshaani apparently never played with the other generation options.
« Last Edit: <06-11-17/1855:17> by UnLimiTeD »
Still waiting on a Vector-Thrust Liminal Body.

Jack_Spade

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« Reply #64 on: <06-12-17/0250:07> »
Directs are usually only net hits in damage so it is not that big a deal that they can't be resisted with more than Will or Body. Add extra damage to that like "Witness my Hate" and you are looking at unresistable damage. Also adding 2DV/1drain is 100% more effective than scaling force on an indirect combat spell.

talk think matrix

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gilga

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« Reply #65 on: <06-12-17/0416:45> »
I like the bombmaker option and I am toying with exploiting the priority C option for the alchemist.

I do not know if it was mentioned but mundanes can now perceive the astral with crystal eyes.

UnLimiTeD

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« Reply #66 on: <06-12-17/1441:08> »
Huh?  ???
Where's that?
The only thing like that I remember was the Blood Crystals, and they literally eat mundane people alive if implanted.
« Last Edit: <06-12-17/1455:46> by UnLimiTeD »
Still waiting on a Vector-Thrust Liminal Body.

Myriad

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« Reply #67 on: <06-18-17/2337:07> »
I recently like the idea of Apprentice with Dedicated Conjurer, specifically, gaining a spirit of Man to cast the spells your "know".  This let's you put a really low emphasis on Magic, which means you can do a secondary or primary role quite nicely I noticed.  Slap on spirit whisperer quality, for even higher force, for things like analyze device on a 'deck'.

Not that its more 'powerful' but Buddhist (alt) gives you barehanded adept for free along with spirit pilgrim/lodge.  Depending on the rules, you can actually get a tradition as an adept, so its nice free qualities for one. OR you can use on the apprentice or aspected conjurer version above to gain a few more touch spells, but it does become costly due to the loss of reagents and thus binding.  Can still pick up chain breaker tho on top of this for +5 total spirits.  Also recommended for synergy is traveler lifestyle + Bat mentor because unlike other mages, you aren't setting up lodges.

Dedicated Conjurer/Chain Breaker both don't list spirit types unlike the UMT initiation later... This could mean you can gain "any spirit" aka "shadow, etc."  Personally love the idea you could have a succubus at chargen then that could work as distraction, your face, etc, but most GMs would probably frown on this.

Possession mages with vehicles become a bit more viable after Dedicated conjurer, Archivist, Chain breaker, Spirit Whisperer, etc all come into the mix.  Assuming you GM is (in)sane, and the objects get 15 dice to resist or less, then having a Force 8+ can easily be done with stun drain only, and then be inside the vehicle/drone for that real magic + tech merging.

Adepts with barehanded adept (possibly from Buddhist Tradition alt following above) and adept spell (shapechange) can easily start with 3 body, flesh sculptor, and one of their touch spells as increase body.  This let's them have the whole of the animal kingdom eventually, along with Athlete's Way for Supernatural Prowess.  Plus many of the adept powers like Kiai can be a "bark/howl", voice control allows 'speech', nimble fingers despite a sanity check against it, allows for free action readying/grabbing of items.  YMMV, but its not more 'powerful' but a way to get shapechange viable on an adept. 

Skills A characters with Spider (Alt) mentor can get 6 group in stealth, and 6 group in something else.  Oddly enough, this can be combined with the above, to gain a very wide character at chargen that has a 'combat/infiltration' option of shapechange.

Anyway, that's all I got, hope that helps!
« Last Edit: <06-19-17/0139:37> by Myriad »

Marcus

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« Reply #68 on: <06-19-17/0001:42> »
Was there an update to ways that I missed? I was under the impression that supernatural prowess was an Athelet's way meta magic.
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Myriad

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« Reply #69 on: <06-19-17/0140:19> »
Nope, that was just me doing it from memory and getting old.  Corrected in the post tho, thanks.

Marcus

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« Reply #70 on: <06-19-17/1324:47> »
Nutz after reading the NPC in The Book of the Lost, i was hoping there had been update the ways. The could certainly use it.
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Jack_Spade

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« Reply #71 on: <06-19-17/1510:51> »
Adepts with barehanded adept (possibly from Buddhist Tradition alt following above) and adept spell (shapechange) can easily start with 3 body, flesh sculptor, and one of their touch spells as increase body.  This let's them have the whole of the animal kingdom eventually, along with Athlete's Way for Supernatural Prowess.  Plus many of the adept powers like Kiai can be a "bark/howl", voice control allows 'speech', nimble fingers despite a sanity check against it, allows for free action readying/grabbing of items.  YMMV, but its not more 'powerful' but a way to get shapechange viable on an adept. 

Increase Body won't help you. Shapechange keys of your natural body stat (and the Flesh Sculptor quality). For that matter even a killer whale doesn't go beyond 12 body.
You naturally can take it's form with Body 10, 6 with two instances of FS - which is also enough to take the form of a theoretical Body 0 insect. So for the widest range of possible forms having Body 6 is the most optimal.

Also, a Kiai shout made by an elephant would probably be a great way to empty just about any local area (and the high body is an excellent way to resist drain as an adept)
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Myriad

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« Reply #72 on: <06-26-17/0130:27> »
Ah, that makes sense.

Another combo:  Dedicated Conjurer + Practiced Alchemist + Vault of Ages

Nothing too fancy, you can easily get some of the best spirits, and alchemy for relatively cheap karma.  Won't even miss 'spellcasting' that much with this build as alchemy substitutes in.  The super potency you gain via Practiced Alchemy is also nice.
« Last Edit: <06-26-17/0136:12> by Myriad »

Jack_Spade

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« Reply #73 on: <06-26-17/0255:07> »
True and since you still can learn spells, you even can have spirits of man cast for you (with over summoning the spirit might be actually better at casting than you)
talk think matrix

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Revenant Kynos Isaint Rex

gradivus

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« Reply #74 on: <06-26-17/0718:15> »
Voodoo Apprentice- Health Magic
1 point in Spellcasting, 6 points is Summoning
Learn Imp Reflexes, Healing and whatever other health spells you want at 5karma each.
Dedicated Conjurer for 5 karma.
You now can't cast spells but can summon 4 types of spirits.
The Health Spirit is Man for Voodoo so it can cast the spells you know but can no longer cast.
At force 6 while it possesses you it probably gives a +3 to all your physical stats.

Should pick up the Task Spirit as one of the 3 because it's like skill wires for technical/physical skills but magical.
Should pick up Guardian Spirit for the same reason but it's combat skills.
The third spirit to pick up, I'm not sure about.
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