Resonance - how did it play out in your game?

[Loric Vaught]

Hullo! I'm new to the forums - hope this isn't a duplicate post. I didn't see a post from people who had actually used this mechanic yet or played the Playtest. I'm interested to hear from GMs and players who have played/run the Playtest. What were your impressions of using Resonance and how did it impact gameplay? At first glance this looks like a way to reign in magic item abuse, but wondering how this affects actual play.

[jquest716]

Honestly my group is still struggling with RP. We have an alchemist whos items are all RP so if they decide to take a ring or wand they get taxed again. The Cleric seems ok as of now but she hasnt gotten to much stuff and the barbarian which is a goblin is scared of all magic as per his backstory so he keeps,spitting and yelling when magic shows up. As a DM I find it useful but also very confusing. Because so many classes have powers that run of RP I find there is a lot of book,flipping at my table. Coming from a 5e game to this I am struggling not to start using their attunment system. I see why RP is useful and again a good idea it just needs a bit more twerking. But thats just My 2 cents and as always be amazing to each other.

[Grimcleaver]

So far it hasn't come up much, so most of our griping about it is still theoretical. I dislike it a ton, but mostly on principle that it's a naked game mechanic with a shaky in game explanation for existing. Magic items aren't fueled by people's inner magic.

So far the only experience we had with it was when our alchemist spent one to mix himself a healing elixir when centipedes almost poisoned him to death. He spent the point and made the cocktail and the story went on.

But the question was there in the background...are alchemists scientitsts like the flavor text and developer notes all suggest? Or are they mages? If they really are scientists then their formulas should no more require Resonance points to fuel than it would when a blacksmith makes a sword. It didn't slow the game at all, but it did bother me.

My fundamental feeling about roleplaying game design is this: figure out how a mechanic, spell or ability is supposed to work IN SETTING and then come up with a mechanic that reflects that as elegantly as possible. That's all the rules have a responsibility to do. They aren't there to keep people from using items cleverly or to balance all the options against each other--just provide a rich and consistent world as a backdrop to adventures.

But so far, it's mostly theory. We'll see once magic items start becoming a bigger part of the game. Deep breath.

[MaxAstro]

Grimcleaver wrote:

My fundamental feeling about roleplaying game design is this: figure out how a mechanic, spell or ability is supposed to work IN SETTING and then come up with a mechanic that reflects that as elegantly as possible. That's all the rules have a responsibility to do. They aren't there to keep people from using items cleverly or to balance all the options against each other--just provide a rich and consistent world as a backdrop to adventures.

I used to feel this way, but after having a number of games go horribly off the rails because of a PC with power levels completely outsize to their level, I have sense reconsidered in favor of "okay, there does need to be a minimum level of balance here". Not because overpowered PCs is a problem per se - I run Exalted, also - but because *one* PC being overpowered is no fun for the rest of the party.

I also think Resonance is a very elegant solution to the CLW wand issue.

Also:

Grimcleaver wrote:

Magic items aren't fueled by people's inner magic.

Why not? That's how I explained Resonance Points to my players. They accepted it.

[Sebastian Hirsch]

Honestly, unfortunately, other than affecting how people build their characters, it has not come up much in Doomsday Dawn part 1. The players really needed to rest anyway. I am looking forward to higher level tests.