Tomes are lame

[Mr Moonlight]

One thing that's always bothered me since getting into RPGs, especially Dungeons & Dragons-styled ones both on paper and in computer form, is the magic-casting class being tied to a spellbook, wand, or some other physical object. It just seems like I'm playing just some chump with an encyclopedia rather than a powerful mage with magic and all that jazz. In contrast, I love the Dungeons & Dragons style sorceror, no glaring vulnerabily in the form of a book, wand, crown, or other magical doo-dad a nefarious sneak can pinch from my character. It just feels better to me, like the magic is a part of the character, an extention of them, rather than someone going through motions for the same effect over and over. I'm not sure if anyone feels the same though.

 

When I read that there was no Sorceror-style casting class in Pillars of Eternity, I was severly disappointed especially after hearing that the source of magic comes from the soul, one's own self. While I'm certainly interested in the other classes, particularly the Monk and Paladin, I'm sad that I can't make my usual ice sorceress character I love playing in games that allow it. Anyone else agree with me here? Or am I just being overly picky on how I like my fantastic elements?

[Endrosz]

I think I understand where you come from, and don't think you're overly picky, but I can give you no consolation: it's just the way things are/will be in Eternity. If you want a sorcerer-type character, your best bet is a cypher, I think. An ice sorcerer though -- yea, the game won't offer that, at least not as a playable character. You win some, you lose some, sorry.

[Tamerlane]

If you want to play a spellcasting class that doesn't use (magic item), play one of the many spellcasters that don't use (magic item)?

 

Like, you don't have to be a wizard to cast spells, man.

Edited April 18, 2014 by Tamerlane

[StromIV]

Don't take this the wrong way, or that I am criticizing your point, but how does this differ from classes like a warrior being dependent on a sword, or an archer being dependent on their bow/crossbow?  Is it the feeling of the mage/sorcerer not being able to do magic without something?  Just wondering, and again, not disputing or criticizing your point.

 

Edit:

I guess to add to that, I like to picture a tome as something that is built up over time for my character, and each time he uses a spell it actually takes away a part of their memory of how to use it.  So they keep the tome on hand to help 'refresh' their memory of how to use it, as well as to help keep track of everything they learnt.  That is just my reasoning for it and how I play with it.

 

I guess it could be annoying to some to have to rely on an object, but most classes seem to do that.

Edited April 18, 2014 by StromIV

[Shadenuat]

Here, my dear magical colleagues, fans of pointy hats, old dusty tomes and scrolls, cauldrons and wands; my fans of Merlin, and Circe, and Medea; carriers of pouches of ingredients, and pentacles and bat **** (never leave home without some bat ****, copper wire and a silver bell),

you can see our natural enemy in it's habitat. It's perception of magical was sadly altered by sorcerors, rogues, WoW and it's clones and mr. Freeze from that movie which shouldn't be mentioned.

 

Please study carefully and remember - no matter how many ice bolts those people have, you can always rely on your clever choice of feats and a

 

[WorstUsernameEver]

Well, I doubt they'll change the aesthetics of the class at this point, especially since it's pretty clear that they don't really want to stray too far from the template. Your preference is legitimate, but I'm not sure what else I can say, you're just gonna have to look elsewhere I guess, or play another casting class.

[Mr Moonlight]

If you want to play a spellcasting class that doesn't use (magic item), play one of the many spellcasters that don't use (magic item)?

 

Like, you don't have to be a wizard to cast spells, man.

It's the wizard spell list that typically has the ice magicks, although I think in this case the druid has a small amount of ice stuff but the class is also attached to mother nature, transforming, and all that milarky. Not what I going for in the Ice Sorceress aesthetic, but perhaps the dim shadow is the closest I'm going to get.

 

Don't take this the wrong way, or that I am criticizing your point, but how does this differ from classes like a warrior being dependent on a sword, or an archer being dependent on their bow/crossbow?  Is it the feeling of the mage/sorcerer not being able to do magic without something?  Just wondering, and again, not disputing or criticizing your point.

 

Edit:

I guess to add to that, I like to picture a tome as something that is built up over time for my character, and each time he uses a spell it actually takes away a part of their memory of how to use it.  So they keep the tome on hand to help 'refresh' their memory of how to use it, as well as to help keep track of everything they learnt.  That is just my reasoning for it and how I play with it.

 

I guess it could be annoying to some to have to rely on an object, but most classes seem to do that.

A sword, in and of itself, is very mundane. Its strength is in the one who whields it. A magic tome is not mundane, being magic, and that makes it eclipse the nerd who's holding it in my mind. Just an odd matter of perception.

 

Here, my dear magical colleagues, fans of pointy hats, old dusty tomes and scrolls, cauldrons and wands; my fans of Merlin, and Circe, and Medea; carriers of pouches of ingredients, and pentacles and bat **** (never leave home without some bat ****, copper wire and a silver bell),

you can see our natural enemy in it's habitat. It's perception of magical was sadly altered by sorcerors, rogues, WoW and it's clones and mr. Freeze from that movie which shouldn't be mentioned.

 

Please study carefully and remember - no matter how many ice bolts those people have, you can always rely on your clever choice of feats and a

 

oh wow it's like you've known me my whole life. please tell me what i do and don't like, you must be so smart and so mystical to divine such things from absolutely nothing. please tell me exactly how something that doesn't even exist is SUPPOSED to work since you clearly must be an expert from the Magic University of **** that isn't Real.

Edited April 18, 2014 by Mr Moonlight

[teknoman2]

if you read the known lore, you will see that magic in PE is based on soul power. paladins expand their own soul to create auras, clerics use their faith to draw power from their soul to cast spells, ciphers directly affect the souls of others, wizards use crystalized souls embeded into books, druids use the power leaking from the souls of all living beings that is floating around etc.

[Mr Moonlight]

if you read the known lore, you will see that magic in PE is based on soul power. paladins expand their own soul to create auras, clerics use their faith to draw power from their soul to cast spells, ciphers directly affect the souls of others, wizards use crystalized souls embeded into books, druids use the power leaking from the souls of all living beings that is floating around etc.

I mentioned soul power in the OP, but the point is, for the wizard class it isn't the wizard's soul that's the fuel for the power and there's no class that uses the wizard spell list that does feature fluff like the Sorceror class in D&D with souls fit in.

[Fluff]

I mentioned soul power in the OP, but the point is, for the wizard class it isn't the wizard's soul that's the fuel for the power and there's no class that uses the wizard spell list that does feature fluff like the Sorceror class in D&D with souls fit in.

 

I don't understand honestly.

There's already 4 different casting classes with different mechanics and you want them to spend more time and money to shoehorn in a 5th that plays essentially just like one of the ones we already have..only...not with a book?

 

This is just how the lore of this world has been written and how the classes within it operate. 

[Nonek]

I'm not too fond of carrying grimoires into battle myself and I always thought wands were truly pathetic, and became even more so with the advent of Harry Trotter. Two Wizards having twig battles has always struck me as extraordinarily naff, but I think i'll stick to Druid for that reason.

[Labadal]

The cipher might be up your alley. They attack to gain focus and then use that to cast spells. No magical item needed.

[Hormalakh]

You don't like the lore for the game? Well not much you can do about that. Sorry it's not up to your high standards of DnD.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

I'm not too fond of carrying grimoires into battle myself and I always thought wands were truly pathetic, and became even more so with the advent of Harry Trotter. Two Wizards having twig battles has always struck me as extraordinarily naff, but I think i'll stick to Druid for that reason.

You aren't entertained by two Wizards vigorously shaking their wands at each other, hoping a projectile from one of them penetrates the other's defenses?

 

Anyways, Warrior supremacy all the way.

[Mr Moonlight]

 

I mentioned soul power in the OP, but the point is, for the wizard class it isn't the wizard's soul that's the fuel for the power and there's no class that uses the wizard spell list that does feature fluff like the Sorceror class in D&D with souls fit in.

 

I don't understand honestly.

There's already 4 different casting classes with different mechanics and you want them to spend more time and money to shoehorn in a 5th that plays essentially just like one of the ones we already have..only...not with a book?

 

This is just how the lore of this world has been written and how the classes within it operate. 

 

 

Just saying it's disappointing to me, having no way to Ice Sorceress like I like. Like ice cream without the hundreds and thousands (of petty mortals crushed under my heel).

[constantine]

I see no point in Mage being Sorcerer. Cipher is like Sorcerer, albeit with a unique set of 'spells' (and whole lot different source for their powers).

 

 

Soul Magic is supposed to be tough to handle or grasp so the Mages help themselves by deciphering complex codes, embedding them in those specially prepared tomes. Nothing lame about that, they are cool in that they are the only ones who can manipulate the vast, chaotic soul magic and bring it in some orderly form.

[Mr Moonlight]

I see no point in Mage being Sorcerer. Cipher is like Sorcerer, albeit with a unique set of 'spells' (and whole lot different source for their powers).

 

 

Soul Magic is supposed to be tough to handle or grasp so the Mages help themselves by deciphering complex codes, embedding them in those specially prepared tomes. Nothing lame about that, they are cool in that they are the only ones who can manipulate the vast, chaotic soul magic and bring it in some orderly form.

 

Ciphers seem like psionics to me, mostly mindy powers, not the stuff you find on the standard wizard spell list.

[Volourn]

 Someone hates to read? Perhaps RPGs aren't actually your things since tomes ie. books ie. reading should be part of the package.

 

Wizards with tomes is awesome and inetretsing. Sorcerors are way more boring, one dimensional and a fake creation by  the lsoers in control of the new age DnD to bypass memorization because whines found it 'too limiting' because *gasp* you had to pick your spells WISELY.

[constantine]

 Someone hates to read? Perhaps RPGs aren't actually your things since tomes ie. books ie. reading should be part of the package.

 

Wizards with tomes is awesome and inetretsing. Sorcerors are way more boring, one dimensional and a fake creation by  the lsoers in control of the new age DnD to bypass memorization because whines found it 'too limiting' because *gasp* you had to pick your spells WISELY.

 

 

I agree, I would prefer the Sorcerer never existed.

[Mr Moonlight]

I like being magic, not a nerd.

[600lbpanther]

I like being magic, not a nerd.

I think I know how you feel...I love dungeons and dragons, I like miniatures and terrain for epic pen and paper battles, and sometimes I pretend to be a female in my RPGs even though I am male....but I'm not a nerd or anything

[Mr Moonlight]

 

I like being magic, not a nerd.

I think I know how you feel...I love dungeons and dragons, I like miniatures and terrain for epic pen and paper battles, and sometimes I pretend to be a female in my RPGs even though I am male....but I'm not a nerd or anything

 

Er.. I meant that I see wizards as some nerd with a book, that the book is where the power is and I couldn't care less about the chump holding it. And since I can't play as the book I don't want to be the chump wizard.

[600lbpanther]

So what do you think you're going to play as? You're more than welcome to join us thick headed warriors....might even end up growing a little hair on your neck connecting the chest and face hair......just how girls like it

Edited April 19, 2014 by 600lbpanther

[Volourn]

You are on an internet forum dedicated to a rpg video game company. you like 'being magic'. Sorry, bud, you *are* a nerd.

[Mr Moonlight]

So what do you think you're going to play as? You're more than welcome to join us thick headed warriors....might even end up growing a little hair on your neck connecting the chest and face hair......just how girls like it

Paladin, as my display picture would indicate.

 

You are on an internet forum dedicated to a rpg video game company. you like 'being magic'. Sorry, bud, you *are* a nerd.

Yeah, I'm a nerd, but I'm also not an elf or dwarf or Godlike or good at swordplay. They're called role-playing games for a reason.