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I'm always on the lookout for games that welcome use of Spheres material, and I decided it's probably time I offer to lead such a game myself.
At least in this one aspect, I am very narrowly focused: I want this to be a Spheres game. That means everyone would be playing a class published in Spheres of Power, Spheres of Might, or Champions of the Spheres (all of which can be seen on that wiki I linked above). The only exceptions would be if you are playing one of Paizo's classes with an archetype which is published in one of the Spheres books. This means that the standard style of magic will not exist in the game.
Another thing to note: I do pretty much all of my posting on mobile, so I am not interested in dealing with maps. We can run without them.
As for the many other aspects of the game, I want to put them up for discussion. I own Rise of the Runelords, so we could run that AP (I would probably be pretty fast and loose with the plot, though; and of course a lot of things would feel different because of the Spheres classes). I'm also open to creating more of a sandbox game, though I would expect your help with overall planning of the game in that case. We're probably going to stick to Golarion as a setting because I'm familiar with it, but I might be persuaded otherwise if people have strong feelings about doing something different.
At this stage (interest check), things really are wide open. Talk to me about what you'd like to see.
Very much on board with this idea. I'm at a work event all week, but I'll do some brainstorming during my down time. RotRL would be fun, methinks.
I love Spheres.
I am a big fan of the Spheres system, too. o wo Sandboxes are hard to do in PbP, so I wouldn't recommend those. For Runelords... a lot of long-time players are pretty familiar with it, but if you can change the names around a little, it could probably feel like a newer, fresher game. ^^ I might try for a Prodigy, myself - I've always wanted to see how they are in practice.
Someone tell Aipaca...
Hahahah thanks team, will whip something up, didn't realise I had made such a name for myself!
Edit: thinking of making a Water-bender who uses Telekinesis to smack people with water and Nature to freeze said water, could be fun
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I have two people saying that RotR sounds like a good choice and zero naysayers to that so far, so I think we'll tentatively plan on doing the AP.
I've no problem with mentioning that you are thinking about something for a character, but don't worry about posting actual builds or character stories and such yet--save that for when I start a proper recruitment thread rather than this interest check.
I'd like to discuss possible character creation rules, etc. so I have them organized to present all at once, cleanly, in the first post of the recruitment thread.
Starting Character Level: 1st
Ability Score Generation: 20-point buy; even after racial adjustments, I don't want to see a final score lower than 8 or higher than 18
Classes: any spherecaster (SoP), practicioner (SoM), or champion (CotS) class, or a Paizo class (but must use an archetype from the Spheres system)
Races: I feel like doing Core only
Skills: we'll use Background Skills (that's an additional 2 skill points at every character level, which must be spent on background skills)
Traits: standard 2 traits from different categories, + 1 campaign trait in addition to those
Hit Points: max at 1st level; later levels will be 1/2 your Hit Die +1 (as is done in Pathfinder Society)
Bonus Talents: beyond whatever talents are granted by your class, tradition (for practitioners/champions), and/or gaining the casting class feature the first time (for spherecasters/champions), you also gain 2 additional talents; each talent can be either a combat talent or a magic talent, as long as you have access to that type of talent already (no picking magic talents if you're a practitioner, nor picking combat talents if you're a spherecaster)
That bonus talents bit at the end is a house rule I'd like to play with, because I feel like low level Spheres characters can use a little boost, and I like when PC's feel a little more powerful, but I don't think I want to go for an over-the-top option like gestalt.
Are there character creation items I left out?
Are there any lines in there that you don't really like and would rather have something different?
Seems ok to me. I'm also voting for RotR since I've started that AP like five times and never got past book 1 :(
I've never played a Spheres character, but this seems as good a time as any to try it out. I've read the rules, and I'm going to play a Incanter who specializes in Warp (and maybe Protection).
Of course, I welcome any suggestions for better classes or whatnot, but having read through all of the 20 Spheres, Warp is the one that I want to focus on (Really, there is enough stuff in Warp that I want that I would consider throwing all of my starting talents at it).
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I do feel like it would be nice to have a little blurb that is something like, "The Assumptions You Need to Forget”. It would be things like, ”Every caster has detect magic as a cantrip and can see magical auras."
Rednal, I've seen you explaining Spheres things a number of times on the forums--got any ideas for what might be the most useful reminders for a bulleted list like that?
I've never played a Spheres character, but this seems as good a time as any to try it out. I've read the rules, and I'm going to play a Incanter who specializes in Warp (and maybe Protection).
Of course, I welcome any suggestions for better classes or whatnot, but having read through all of the 20 Spheres, Warp is the one that I want to focus on (Really, there is enough stuff in Warp that I want that I would consider throwing all of my starting talents at it).
The first suggestion I would give is just to make sure that not ALL of your talents are in Warp, particularly if you're an Incanter. In my mind, the Incanter's main class feature is having more magic talents than anyone else. They don't have much for other class features giving them things they can do besides what they can do directly through their magic talents. If all of your talents were in Warp, you would not have any 0 spell point abilities that can be used offensively against an enemy. You have low BAB, so if you just really need to damage someone and you're stuck firing a light crossbow to do it, you're not going to like it. I would at least use one talent to get the Destruction sphere--then you have a touch attack you can use all day long. I also recommend Telekinesis--when your caster level gets higher you can fly people around with that, and you can also use it offensively and maybe skip Destruction if you want. But bludgeoning with Telekinesis is not a touch attack like the Destruction sphere ability is, so you may be as frustrated with that as a light crossbow.
Much of my advice depends on the particulars of a game - including things like whether or not the Cantrips feat is free for Casters. XD (It's easy to overlook that decision, but it can actually affect quite a bit if anyone wants the minor magics.)
Otherwise, I think the most important things to remember are...
1) Spherecasters get fewer talents than Vancian casters get spells, so it's important to ask yourself "Is this something I expect to use on a regular basis?" when picking your talents. Martial characters are a bit freer. Remember, consumables are a thing!
2) Drawbacks are good! While you can go with a no-components approach, drawbacks can be used to help build up a theme and style for your casting. I strongly recommend this. ^^ Really dig in and make the style a part of your character (or hey, avoid drawbacks and make THAT part of your character's style - tell us why they can activate magic without the components most people need!).
2b) Speaking of, casters should totally go with a theme. So should martial characters. Really, the system works best when you go for a theme.
3) All casters should have at least one offensive power (usually, but not necessarily, Destruction).
4) Life's Revitalize talent is amazing and the healer should take it.
5) Martial talents are all about making a style for yourself. Your biggest enemy is Action Economy, especially because many combat spheres only allow you to add one or two effects when you use them. You don't need five different (Bleed) talents, for example. Instead of buffing up on choices like a caster, you'll do better if you look for what you can stack all at once. (The system is sort of built around this - the inherent limits mean you should still be at an appropriate level of power.)
6) Keep your Character Role in mind - although Spherecasters are flexible and can take pretty much any role, you may not be effective if you spread yourself too broadly. Don't be too narrow, though. An effective character should be reasonably good in at least two roles. The Wiki has a page with lots of advice on this.
7) Wild Magic is funny, but legitimately random. Be careful if you use it. And please use the generators on the wiki if you do - I worked hard on those. XD
@Keante - like Vrog, I've never played a Spheres character and I'd like to try.
@Keante/Rednal - I like themes, and was wanting to play a Soulweaver with the Fates Sphere to start with. A soulweaver gains 1 (+2) talents, plus a further +2 from Keante's house rule. Is that right? And if I read the main rules section right on the wiki, I can choose a sphere talent or a new sphere with each talent?
I'm not familiar with Drawbacks yet.
Drawbacks let you either add components (like verbal or somatic casting), or restrict the kinds of talents you can use. While not mandatory, taking them provides various bonuses - and is thematic besides. ^^ For example, if you want to be big on Fate, you could take the Focus Casting drawback and use some type of augury device (bones, Harrow cards, whatever) to communicate with the powers of fate (or the spirits of the dead, or whatever) and trigger your magic. Or maybe you want to really go the Life/Death route and use a skull of your ancestors as a focus for inherited power.
The Spheres system is quite flexible. XD And it always - ALWAYS - works best when you match your options to a theme/story.
I've been reading the Champion classes and think I'll be applying with a Ki Blaster Sage. Hadooken!
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The discussion is making me really excited to play already. =D
I'm generally of a mindset that always wants to give more to the PCs (my house rule being a clear example), so that makes me inclined to give all casters the Cantrips feat for free, particularly since it's suggested as an option in the book. Then again, that gives you (albeit very minor) powers that might be totally disconnected from any spheres you have, which feels weird. For that reason, I could swing far the other direction and remove the feat from our game entirely...
I think what I'm going to do is this:
You don't actually gain every power in its bulleted list. For each power there, if it can be explained by a sphere you have, you can do it. Effectively, we're just more explicitly stating the mechanics of what would happen when someone with the Weather sphere wants to close a door at a distance. We don't need to look at you building up the weather conditions until they're strong enough for wind to move objects. You just should be able to do something as minor as creating a brief small breeze which can slam a door shut. You wouldn't be able to open most doors, however. But someone with the Telekinesis sphere could.
So if you would want to write the Cantrips feat on your sheet or not doesn't matter to me; just know those minor effects have to be related to spheres you possess to be able to enact them. But you definitely don't have to spend a feat to get it, you just have the minor powers which can be related to your spheres.
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You know what, I'm not going to run a proper recruitment. If you've been in this discussion so far (that's Whack-a-Rogue, Jereru, Rednal, Oceanshieldwolf, Aipaca, Vrog Skyreaver), you're welcome to play in this game. I'm also including UnThinker, because he favorited my initial post already, although he hasn't posted in here yet. I know that's a 7-man party, and I think that will be fine.
Head on over to Discussion, where we can build characters together.
This interest check/recruitment is now .
Man, I've been keeping an eye out for Spheres stuff for a while now, can't believe I missed this! If you have anyone bail on you, please keep me in mind as a replacement, would love to get in on a spheres game.