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I'm choosing which Pathfinder classes to be allowed in an Age of Despair setting (War of the Lance era). Because the setting is Taladas, we won't have Knights of Solamnia, and I'm not keen on the Dragonlance core classes as they seem more suited for NPCs. My greatest struggle is whether to allow sorcerers ("primal magic") as I hate to deprive a popular option. However, to keep flavor, they just don't fit in this time period. Proposing:
Banned Classes
*Samurai, Ninja (flavor)
*Sorcerer (primal, just don't see a way to work it into the era)
*Summoner (primal, still broken)
Limited Play Only Classes
*Gunslinger, gnome experimental archetype (gnomoi only)
*Alchemist, gnome archetype saboteur (gnomoi only)
Allowed with Note
*Bard (must worship Branchala and receives power from this deity to explain allowance of spontaneous casting as heralds of the arts, cannot multi-class into any other class that gains divine power)
*Oracle (must choose appropriate deity)
*Witch (must directly worship a god of magic, closest thing to clerics these deities have and no one is quite sure why)
Everything else seems to work. Thoughts?
Wouldn't Oracle fit better in 5th age as a replacement for the mystic?
I would not add sorcerer at all until the Age of Mortals.
Hmm, my opinion, but I would be hesitant on the Alchemist and Gunslinger - even for gnomes.
Gnome creations were usually more detrimental than helpful. So, maybe for the Gunslinger - increase the chance of a misfire.
Alchemist is more magical than mechanical - I would not allow it for the Gnomes since they are more mechanically inclined, and I don't think the Dragonlance Gnomes have the propensity to trully grasp magical workings - although some did have a natural curiosity about it.
I can see an alchemist maybe more in line with the Irda, the First Ogres, since they have a natural magical talent that exceeds the elves, and used shapechanging abilities to hide their nature and heritage. Or even a Dark Elf - banned from elven society due to the nature of Alchemy...maybe they view it as an affront to the gods of magic.
The Witch - I could see as a Dark Elf, Half Elf, Human, even Minotaur. Now were you going to use the witch as a member of the Orders - taking the test. Or as a group or faction opposed to the Towers of High Sorcery and their mandated test. That would make for an interesting antagonist to the Order. But the catch is who will supply their powers? Almost all the gods respected the god of magic. Except Takhisis and her knightly order created after the age of despair.
Also are you going to allow the good draconians to be a playable race too? I did and it was fun to mix see the roleplay of a good draconian hiding his heritage to everyone both good and evil.
About the only Dragonlance class I liked was the noble. In the hands of a good roleplay gamer - that was fun to work with.
I really do not see how some of the classes from Pathfinder fit besides the core classes. Cavalier does fit as does Inquisitor but the others from APG, I am not so sure.
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Krynn was definitely built for the core classes. Makes choices of APG and prestige classes all the more tricky.
@ NPC. Not using the mystic. The oracle seems to fit, though the Dragonlance histories were clear that free-will was given to mortals, and an oracle almost seems to have an aspect of the gods thrust upon them. Hmm....
@ Templar - Alchemist: Yeah, alchemist is troubling because one infuses with "magical reserves" and also they can heal, which violates the province of the gods. More I read it, less I think it fits the flavor. Hadn't thought of limiting it to Irda, which seems a better fit than gnome. For Krynn, will have to remove healing. Unlike Bard, cannot come up with a work-around.
Taladas is home to the gnomoi, whose inventions work, so I'm willing to dip into the gunslinger archetype for gnomes only. The lack of anyone who can craft a gun or make gunpowder, etc., probably requires a player to take a lot of Craft feats and skills if he wants better.
Witches: maybe better to go with them being "god-touched" by a God of Magic so as to explain their unique abilities, but they must still study and prepare spells as any wizard. Their familiar would likely direct them to the base orders of the Gods of Magic's original edicts (all wizards are brothers in magic, etc.)
@Shalafi - The Age of Despair is definitely built for the core classes. My hope is that with the extreme amount of culture and history Krynn and Taladas can offer for character building along with archetypes that classes won't be the "same ole thing."
I agree the Alchemist is a tough fit, but one of the reasons I thought of the Irda is because they were Isolationist. It was also never made clear if the Towers of High Sorcery was aware of them or mandated the test upon them. From what I have read of the Irda - they were extremely powerful magic users and did not reveal themselves to others as secrecy was their greatest ally. If the Orders knew of the Irda's actual existance - they never mentioned or hinted at it. But personally I doubt it as they were powerful enough to release Chaos from the Graygem of Gargath, and it was hinted that their community was even capable of hiding from Takhisis and her most powerful minions.
Due to their unique situation, and that they may not have been mandated to take the Test of High Sorcery - I can see where they learned, developed, or was "gifted" Alchemy to enhance their abilities and to defend themselves against Takhisis' forces.
As far as curing goes - I see your point of removing healing, or you could allow it but remind the player that he or she will be lynched as a "witch" if the locals found out about the healing. Or limit the healing only to that character - a special Irda ability or blessing from Paladine or Mishakal as the Irda never stopped believing in the gods like the rest of the races.
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I like the Irda as the only race capable of taking alchemist; they're a good fit for "infusing" extracts with innate magical power that originates from when magic was primal. Plus, they already operate outside the Tower's jurisdiction, and coincidentally the Irda use home-made alchemical bombs to make enemies blind or sleep (from older editions.) Someone's making those I suppose.
Not sure the Towers would be overly drawn to the alchemist, who follows the laws of magic with prepared spells and whose magic largely alters himself rather than the fabric of creation. No alchemist will be opening portals to the Abyss...
I do not think, Touc, that the TOHS have much to do if anything with Taladas.
The ToHS have no prescence in Taladas. That was in the Taladas boxed set.
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True, for whatever reason the Towers seem to ignore an entire continent despite what seemed to be a lot of effort by the gods of magic to make sure no one tampers with the fabric of creation. Going to modify that the Towers have "scouts" looking for aspiring mages just because the Test has too much goodness.
Dot.
I thought that mages in Taladas still had a moon that they favored and a test of sorts?
I thought that mages in Taladas still had a moon that they favored and a test of sorts?
I don't believe they took a test but yes they did have to pick a moon to associate their magic with.
Is there an online resource that states more on Dragonlance?
I have only minor knowledge on the setting.
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As an update, allowing alchemist as Irda only. Fits perfectly. No draconians as characters (not native, EL issues), though the Dark Queen of Krynn computer game set in Taladas had a reason for draconians to make an excursion to Taladas, great bad guys.
@ Azaelas: The rights are still WoTC, so no "official" site though there's DLNexus, a fan site. I consider the DL modules the "rough draft" for adventure paths later down the road and one of the best fantasy settings for flavor and culture. The "Time of the Dragon" Taladas book remains one of the better products I own, though it's a pity little was done with that part of the world.
@ Shalafi: The Minotaur League has a college of "gray" wizards who are supposed to swear to cause no harm to the empire and in return can share resources, but little more. 2nd edition rules indicated even though technically renegade, Taladas wizards still impacted by the moons.
Hard to put Taladas in a nutshell, but developing a campaign guide for my players with the teaser:
These are the lands of the fierce nomadic Uigan hordes, gnomes who live in fantastic towers perched on seas of ore-rich lava, and the spiritual barbarian elf tribes. These are the homes of dark robed wizards who draw power from the black moon that only they can see, to secretive clerics whose powers have only recently manifested and may be seen as sorcery, and to towering minotaur legions who live by the creed "might makes right."
Whether one chooses to play the wizard who must carefully utter the language of magic knowing one botched syllable could mean death, or the enigmatic shape shifting high ogre hiding in plain sight amongst humans, or a tiger clan tamire elf barbarian steeped in ancient ritual and power drawn from his qouyai animal totems, know that true heroes of this world are few and far between and most often found only in story and legend.
There is the Dragonlance Nexus.
I really want to play in this setting now...
I had the boxed set but after many moves I have no idea where it is.
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Did some digging in my books and in the "Otherlands" supplement, the Irda (High Ogres) that live in islands off the shores of Taladas (the Mischta) conduct their own Test for magi and only have White Robed wizards.
But the literature on the rest (Uigan wizards, tamire elf enchantresses, glass sailor casters etc.) is quiet. I see no reason why they wouldn't do some weeding out of their own to ensure only those with control and discipline could wield powers. Last thing they need is some fool babbling the wrong syllables and incinerating himself and the nearest yurt while simultaneously tearing a rift in reality that unleashes a horde of babau demons.
I believe that the Mischta are also included in the Races of Ansalon book from MWP.