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Darzec is a bald gnome wizard and an affinity for Fire, and likes to blow things up!
This is based off a character played in the Kingmaker campaign (RPG) that I ran a few years back.
The player is very good at eking out lots of power while staying well within campaign limits.
The character was designed to fill the Arcane and crafting role within the party.Leaving the rest to be handled by others.
While Darzec is VERY powerful in what he can do, he has little he can do otherwise. Feedback welcome.
Darzec
Gnome Male Wizard
Skills:
Strength d4
Dexterity d8 [ ] +1 [ ] +2 [ ] +3
Constitution d6 [ ] +1 [ ] +2 [ ] +3
Intellegence d12 [ ] +1 [ ] +2 [ ] +3 [ ] +4
Arcane: Int +2
Craft: Int +2
Knowledge: Int+1
Wisdom d6 [ ] +1 [ ] +2 [ ] +3
Charisma d6 [ ] +1 [ ] +2
Powers:
Hand Size: 6 [ ] 7 [ ] 8
Add 2 ([ ] 4) to your checks to acquire spells.
Add 2 ([ ] 4) to your combat checks with the attack trait.
Cards: Favorite card type: Spell
Weapon 1
Spell 7 [ ] 8 [ ] 9 [ ] 10
Armor -
Item 4 [ ] 5 [ ] 6 [ ] 7
Ally 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4
Blessing 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3
[ ] Pyromancer
Hand Size: 6 [ ] 7 [ ] 8
Add 2 ([ ] 4) to your checks to acquire spells.
Add 2 ([ ] 4) to your combat checks with the attack trait.
[ ] Discard a spell to evade a non-villian monster ([ ] or Barrier).
[ ] Bury a card to ignore a monster's immunity to the fire trait.
[ ] Recharge a card to prevent 2 ([ ] 3) Fire damage.
[ ] Gain the skill Fortitude: Con +2.
[ ] Recharge a spell to add ([ ] 1d4 and) the Fire and Magic traits to a combat check at your location.
[ ] Artificer
Hand Size: 6 [ ] 7 [ ] 8
Add 2 ([ ] 4) to your checks to acquire spells.
Add 2 ([ ] 4) to your combat checks with the attack trait.
[ ] You may roll your craft skill in place of the listed skill to acquire an item ([ ] or armor) ([ ] or weapon).
[ ] Gain the skill Disable: Dex+1
[ ] Recharge a spell to prevent 1 damage ([ ] or recharge any number of spells to prevent 1 damage per spell recharged.)
[ ] Against Barriers with the Arcane trait, add 2 ([ ] 4) to your check to defeat.
(wow it actually kept it's formatting :))
You have a good start to a character, but I do have a few thoughts.
Your skills are fine. It's a bit over-the-top to have 3 skills tied to a d12 die, so you might consider bumping another one down to a +1 (compare to RotR Ezren). However, I don't think it's out of line, and considering some of the other things I'm going to mention, it may be a necessary power boost.
For your cards, I see one major problem. Darzec is the single worst character at exploring I've ever seen. Granted, with Mummy's Mask, exploration has become far less exclusive to blessings and allies, but those are still the primary methods to explore, and you only have 3 in your deck to start with. Any character who is even close to that low usually makes up for it with either some kind of exploration power or support power (RotR Ezren, RotR Valeros), but Darzec doesn't have any. The end result is that in any group larger than 3, he is going to feel like a serious liability to the turn counter, since he will consistently only explore once per turn.
For your powers, I don't think you need to nerf anything. If these are your only powers, they are more than fair. The major issue, which I alluded to in the character section, is that these powers aren't actually going to do that much. The bonus to attack spells is comparable to Alahazra's S&S card, but she pairs it with a borderline OP examining ability. A bonus to acquire spells is nowhere close.
To me, though, there is a bigger issue than the power level. This is definitely something that is more a feel, so if you disagree with me, feel free to blow me off. However, these powers are boring. Literally every power on his card, including role powers, is something that I can get from another character. 4 of your powers are just adding numbers to checks, 2 are damage prevention abilities, 2 give you a new skill, then you have one skill replacement, one immunity avoider, and one evasion power.
I think Darzec needs a hook. Some power or trick that makes me want to play him instead of any of the other arcane casters. I'd recommend doing your 1/3 change to the existing powers, and then give him a brand new power that separates him in some way. If he's a crafter, maybe give him some ability to transform spells into other cards (IE: At the end of your turn, you may banish a spell to draw a random item from the box). I don't know if that fits the character, and I put it together in just a few minutes, but I hope you get the idea.
Overall, you have a very sound design that hits all the basic needs. However, as a whole, the character suffers a major issue with functionality on a larger team due to lack of exploration, and the powers feel very cookie-cutter and could use a new spice to add excitement. I look forward to seeing where you go from here!
It's definitely true that RP characters are often really hard to translate into cards. I've had that issue a lot. I think something you need to do is think of some iconic moment that the character had, and see if you can build a power around that moment. That power will often not last (it's generally too complicated or too powerful) but it can serve as inspiration for something that could be a centerpiece of the card.
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Okay peoples, I took in your advice. and added a power to his base powers, and shuffled around a bit of the bonuses in his Pyromancer roll.
Hopefully this makes the character a little more interesting.
(BTW: The original player when shown the first draft, said I did catch the spirit of his character pretty closely. This shows a Rp character is not necessarily a good CG character.)
Darzec
Gnome Male Wizard
Skills:
Strength d4
Dexterity d8 [ ] +1 [ ] +2 [ ] +3
Constitution d6 [ ] +1 [ ] +2 [ ] +3
Intellegence d12 [ ] +1 [ ] +2 [ ] +3 [ ] +4
Arcane: Int +2
Craft: Int +2
Knowledge: Int+1
Wisdom d6 [ ] +1 [ ] +2 [ ] +3
Charisma d6 [ ] +1 [ ] +2
Powers:
Hand Size: 6 [ ] 7 [ ] 8
Add 2 ([ ] 4) to your checks to acquire spells.
Add 2 to your combat checks with the attack trait.
After you defeat a monster, you may recharge a spell to examine the top ([ ] or bottom) card of your location deck.
Cards: Favorite card type: Spell
Weapon 1
Spell 7 [ ] 8 [ ] 9 [ ] 10
Armor -
Item 4 [ ] 5 [ ] 6 [ ] 7
Ally 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4
Blessing 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3
[ ] Pyromancer
Hand Size: 6 [ ] 7 [ ] 8
Add 2 ([ ] 4) to your checks to acquire spells.
Add 2 ([ } 4) to your combat checks with the attack trait.
After you defeat a monster, you may recharge a spell to examine the top ([ ] or bottom) card of your location deck.
[ ] Bury a card to ignore a monster's immunity to the fire ([ ] or electric) trait.
[ ] Recharge a card to prevent 2 ([ ] 3) Fire damage.
[ ] Gain the skill Fortitude: Con +2.
[ ] Recharge a spell to add ([ ] 1d4 and) the Fire and Magic traits to a combat check at your location.
[ ] Artificer
Hand Size: 6 [ ] 7 [ ] 8
Add 2 ([ ] 4) to your checks to acquire spells.
Add 2 to your combat checks with the attack trait.
After you defeat a monster, you may recharge a spell to examine the top ([ ] or bottom) card of your location deck.
[ ] You may roll your craft skill in place of the listed skill to acquire an item ([ ] or armor) ([ ] or weapon).
[ ] Gain the skill Disable: Dex+1
[ ] Recharge a spell to prevent 1 damage ([ ] or recharge any number of spells to prevent 1 damage per spell recharged.)
[ ] Against Barriers with the Arcane trait, add 2 ([ ] 4) to your check to defeat.
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Wow, it's amazing how much better he looks with just a few changes. Examining makes sense (I'm guessing after a few fire spells, the next encounter or two are pretty well lit). He's still going to have a bit of trouble exploring (much less so in MM, at least, since he'll love torches and compasses), but scouting alleviates a bit of that.
I do want to point out a couple issues/suggestions. I'm not sure, but it may work out better to change the recharge a spell powers in pyromancer to just recharge a card. Recharging to add 1d4 to combat checks at your location is often only a single feat (see Athnul from the monk class deck, and I believe also Tarlin from the Cleric deck), so if it's going to cost two power feats it should be at least close to the same level. Alternatively, you could keep it as a spell but not restrict it by location, which would probably put the power level about in line.
For the recharge in Artificer, you need to clarify the wording a bit. There is no specification as to what damage is prevented, or to whom (The fire damage prevention in Pyromancer has a similar issue here). I'm acting under the assumption it is all damage dealt to you. Assuming that is the case, try the below wording:
[] Recharge a spell ([]Or any number of spells) to reduce damage dealt to you by the number of cards recharged this way.
I'll be honest, this power is a bit problematic in another key way: other than discard from deck or bury effects, it effectively makes you immortal. However much damage you take, once you only have spells left in your deck, you can just recharge your hand and move on with life. I'd consider capping it, maybe jump to 3 with a power feat. If you want to push it, add a power feat to go to 5 (But do a LOT of testing of that). Those will make dying very hard, and take a long time, but it's not quite as broken.
Overall, I'm impressed with the direction you've gone. I feel like you're on the right track, and in a few more iterations you'll be ready to start the serious testing.
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Wow! Your wording is so much cleaner.
Some Changes:
Pyromancer:
[ ] Recharge a card tp [revent 2 ([ ] 3) Fire damage dealt to you.
[ ] Reveal a spell to add ([ ] 1d4 and) the Fire and Magic Traits to a combat check at your location.
Artificer
[ ] Recharge a spell ([ ] or 3 spells) to reduce all damage dealt to you by the number of spells recharged this way.