Considering only Balklunish magic users, I like the idea of allowing the use of AU's Magister as an exclusively Balklunish discpline. The contrast between the Baklunish Magister and the Suel Wizard is stark and appropriate. To put it as Despotrix did in the above noted post, "Monte's AU system could be applied to the Baklunish to give them an odd, alien flavor that is rarely seen in the Flanaess..." I say give Balklun magic users sole use of the Magister class using the spells in AU and diminish their Clerical Class ranks in game play.
Then the big issue is balance. I think it is clear that a PHB Wizard is more powerful than an AU Magister of the same level. Dumping the PHB system of magic and spells is unattractive to me because there are so many spells in the PHB. Another option is the conversion of one list of spells to be compatible with the other; i.e., convert the PHB spells to AU or vice versa.
So, I don't know. Is anyone else trying to blend the two systems?
But, for what it is worth, I love the idea. Maybe a question over at the AU boards on Monte's site might be worthwhile.
The only problem with all the above, is that there are a LOT of spells
Originally posted by Hygric
Um, how is a PHB wizard more powerful than a magister? The fact that the magister combines the best of being a wizard (variety of spells known and ability to tailor spell load out at an hour's notice) with one of the best points about a sorcerer (spontaneous casting of spells) leaves me wondering what makes them weaker in any way, other than having a stick that would be targeted for destruction.
I think he might be referring to how I went about balancing the two classes. I made it so that, first of all, the magisters didn't have access to positive or negative energy spells (couldn't therefore raise the dead or do healing), and that Wizards could scribe exotic spells into their spellbooks just as readily as any other spell, meaning they didn't require a feat to take an exotic spell. Since the exotic spells are usually the most powerful and unique, this places the wizard above the magister as the master of magic. I also made it that only necromancers could learn a negative energy spell without recourse to a feat, meaning that necromancer wizards are now quite cool and unique, rather then being second-rate necrophiles to their clerical cousins.
Where are you on your conversion effort, Delglath? I did see someone at the AU Boards at Cook's Web site posted a premliminary work of 0 and 1st level spells from the PHB to AU. Do you need help or someone to compare notes with?
I know you were initially an advocate of abdicating the use of PHB spells, Delglath. Are you still using that approach in your setting? If so, why the time and effort in a PHB conversion? LOL, let someone else do the work. :P
And clerics don't need to cast fireball, not when they can flame-strike, fire-storm, blade-barrier, etc etc.
Originally posted by Greyson
I know you were initially an advocate of abdicating the use of PHB spells, Delglath. Are you still using that approach in your setting? If so, why the time and effort in a PHB conversion? LOL, let someone else do the work. :P
Yeah, I probably gave that impression but in truth, my main gripe was with Raise Dead, Resurrection, True Resurrection, Heal, and the various save or die spells.
AU, for the most part, does away with these things or fixes them in a way that adds flavour (like truenames for raising and many of the deadly spells).
But Greyhawk wouldn't be D&D without Magic Missile