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So I was discussing the changes made to Alkenstar with one of my players and a side comment I made caught his attention, I mentioned that Alkenstar has Alchemists and he was confused about this, after all, isn't it a dead magic region? It's a good point, why would anyone be an Alchemist in Alkenstar when the bulk of their abilities (Supernatural effects) are rendered useless? Or are Alchemists some sort of exception for this? Near as I can tell there's no crunch supporting this so unless the Alchemists in that industrious city are the poor bastards who made those items that become worthless after a level or two (you know, *those* items) why would there be any of the base class from there? Unless it was, of course, an oversight and something not quite thought out when it was written up...
Any input on this?
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So I was discussing the changes made to Alkenstar with one of my players and a side comment I made caught his attention, I mentioned that Alkenstar has Alchemists and he was confused about this, after all, isn't it a dead magic region? It's a good point, why would anyone be an Alchemist in Alkenstar when the bulk of their abilities (Supernatural effects) are rendered useless? Or are Alchemists some sort of exception for this? Near as I can tell there's no crunch supporting this so unless the Alchemists in that industrious city are the poor bastards who made those items that become worthless after a level or two (you know, *those* items) why would there be any of the base class from there? Unless it was, of course, an oversight and something not quite thought out when it was written up...
Any input on this?
There is a precedent established for Doppelgangers' abilities working in Alkenstar. Doppelgangers' abilities are Supernatural. Also from what I understood Alkenstar is not magic dead, just an area where magic is unreliable. I would figure that, in such an area, Supernatural abilities are going to work fine.
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I'm not seeing a reference to alchemists in the Inner Sea World Guide, but I may have missed it.
Is it possible they were referring to 'little a' alchemists, as in, people who use Craft - alchemy to make alchemist's fire and tanglefoot bags, instead of the 'big A' Alchemists from the Advanced Player's Guide?
While I'd like to see James official ruling, of course, since I have a player who's playing an alchemist from Alkenstar, the way I rule it is this:
1. All alchemist supernatural abilities work in Alkenstar, as they're powered by alchemy, and the mana wastes do not impede alchemy.
2. All potions brewed by alchemists also work in Alkenstar. Non-alchemical potions do not.
3. All items created via Master Artisan (Craft Alchemy) + Craft Magic Arms & Armor or Craft Wondrous Item also work in Alkenstar. Mostly this means things like Sovereign Glue, Universal Solvent, Unguent of Timelessness, Dust of Disappearance and so forth, but if you make a strong alchemical justification for some other item, I'll allow it. But I want an actual strong justification, not just handwavium. ie. If you want to make an alchemically powered broom of flying, I'd prefer using the broom of flying stats and costs to design some Victorian steam-powered ornithopter or winged penny-farthing velocipede than listen to some business about the broomstick being soaked in alchemical antigravity solution so it flies, because why on earth is an alchemist wanting to make a knock-off of some witch's female power symbol when he could make a pedal-powered winged bicycle?
Creative Director
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There are certainly alchemists in Alkenstar... along with all sorts of other spellcasters.
Becauese the Mana Wastes are NOT a giant zone of dead magic. They're a giant zone of unpredictible magic.
In some areas, the magic's dead. In others, magic is unpredictable and has crazy results–this is what we're calling "primal magic" (older editions called similar stuff "wild magic"). And in others, magic works normally. In still other areas, magic works SUPER well.
And while there are certain areas that are always stable, always dead, or always primal, most of the areas in the Mana Wastes change and shift like ocean tides or weather patterns; it's pretty much impossible to predict what or how magic might work for most of the area.
Places were you see actual settlements in the Mana Wastes are there mostly because of two reasons—they're close to water, and there's more stable spots than normal.
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Creative Director
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Since the mention of alchemists in Alkenstar predated the APG, I had assumed that characters with Craft(alchemy) were what was meant. But I really like James' clarification of the Mana Wastes as a bonus.
Actually, the reason we built an alchemist class was, pretty much, because we'd mentioned alchemists in several places in the Inner Sea—the most important of which, of course, being the guy who invented the Sun Orchid Elixir.
The alchemists in Alkenstar are actual alchemists with class levels. They're probably not found that often outside of Alkenstar, though, where magic is more stable than elsewhere in the Mana Wastes.
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Since the mention of alchemists in Alkenstar predated the APG, I had assumed that characters with Craft(alchemy) were what was meant. But I really like James' clarification of the Mana Wastes as a bonus.Actually, the reason we built an alchemist class was, pretty much, because we'd mentioned alchemists in several places in the Inner Sea—the most important of which, of course, being the guy who invented the Sun Orchid Elixir.
The alchemists in Alkenstar are actual alchemists with class levels. They're probably not found that often outside of Alkenstar, though, where magic is more stable than elsewhere in the Mana Wastes.
Might be interesting to make a feat or a prestige class that allows the Alchemist to either make 'half strength' bombs or just plain convert some of their abilities to (EX) to allow them to be 'semi-independent' Kind of how Psions in 3.x Realms did a 'bring your own weave' thing into Dead Magic areas (but wild magic still hosed them)
There are certainly alchemists in Alkenstar... along with all sorts of other spellcasters.
Becauese the Mana Wastes are NOT a giant zone of dead magic. They're a giant zone of unpredictible magic.
In some areas, the magic's dead. In others, magic is unpredictable and has crazy results–this is what we're calling "primal magic" (older editions called similar stuff "wild magic"). And in others, magic works normally. In still other areas, magic works SUPER well.
And while there are certain areas that are always stable, always dead, or always primal, most of the areas in the Mana Wastes change and shift like ocean tides or weather patterns; it's pretty much impossible to predict what or how magic might work for most of the area.
Places were you see actual settlements in the Mana Wastes are there mostly because of two reasons—they're close to water, and there's more stable spots than normal.
Intriguing.
Would an Everburning Torch then function as a "thaumameter," to coin a term? ie. antimagic zone = no light, low mana = dim light, normal mana = normal light, high mana = brilliant light, fluctuating mana = strobing light, wonky magic = unusual colored light, et cetera?
I could see wizards in Alkenstar using trinkets like this for watch fobs, or working the functionality into Wayfinders, which of course make excellent watch fobs anyway.
There are certainly alchemists in Alkenstar... along with all sorts of other spellcasters.
Becauese the Mana Wastes are NOT a giant zone of dead magic. They're a giant zone of unpredictible magic.
In some areas, the magic's dead. In others, magic is unpredictable and has crazy results–this is what we're calling "primal magic" (older editions called similar stuff "wild magic"). And in others, magic works normally. In still other areas, magic works SUPER well.
And while there are certain areas that are always stable, always dead, or always primal, most of the areas in the Mana Wastes change and shift like ocean tides or weather patterns; it's pretty much impossible to predict what or how magic might work for most of the area.
Places were you see actual settlements in the Mana Wastes are there mostly because of two reasons—they're close to water, and there's more stable spots than normal.
Intriguing.
Would an Everburning Torch then function as a "thaumameter," to coin a term? ie. antimagic zone = no light, low mana = dim light, normal mana = normal light, high mana = brilliant light, fluctuating mana = strobing light, wonky magic = unusual colored light, et cetera?
I could see wizards in Alkenstar using trinkets like this for watch fobs, or working the functionality into Wayfinders, which of course make excellent watch fobs anyway.
NICE idea Kevin!!
I agree! Can we get a sonnet about it?
I agree! Can we get a sonnet about it?
Eh, a sonnet's a bit elaborate for a trinket. A double-dactyl, OTOH....
Higgeldy-Piggeldy
Norret's thaumameter
Registers mana as
Lumens of light.
It's arcane design is quite
Hermetological.
Signifies strangeness as
Chromatocyte.
You know, I envy you.
I've never been much of a hand at poetry, and my creative fiction is, well, kind of hackneyed.
My only concern would be in areas of primal magic, your ever burning torch might actually burst into flame.
Hot damn! We've found a zone where illusions get a free Alter Reality! Hand out the scrolls of Disguise Self and think of your perfect body!
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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My only concern would be in areas of primal magic, your ever burning torch might actually burst into flame.Hot damn! We've found a zone where illusions get a free Alter Reality! Hand out the scrolls of Disguise Self and think of your perfect body!
Come on Kevin, that's a) too predictable and b) you've wrote Wild Cards. Think about the theory that the virus works off self image (one I enjoyed, BTW). If that was the case, do you really want to see if you've found the magical version? ;-)
Come on Kevin, that's a) too predictable and b) you've wrote Wild Cards. Think about the theory that the virus works off self image (one I enjoyed, BTW). If that was the case, do you really want to see if you've found the magical version? ;-)My only concern would be in areas of primal magic, your ever burning torch might actually burst into flame.Hot damn! We've found a zone where illusions get a free Alter Reality! Hand out the scrolls of Disguise Self and think of your perfect body!
Oh, understood. But I also understand the way that geeky wizards and alchemists think, and science is a quest for reproducible results. If you've find a wild magic zone, the obvious thing for any self respecting arcanist or alchemist to do is to test to see how wild this magic is, and if it can be tamed, harnessed, or even tracked.
Besides which, you don't have to look any further than the classic fairytale motif index and "Toads and Diamonds" to realize that if one girl comes out with diamonds falling from her lips and a shining star on her forehead, the next one will go in and be rather surprised when she comes out hacking up toads with her forehead sprouting a donkey's tail.