When we last left our nascent Atlantasian character, Johann Nederland – Spy Mage, we were attempting to determine if he had sufficient fiscal resources to afford a quarter-staff (price = 400 gold chips). (A wooden spear only costs 200 gold chips; maybe Johann could buy a spear and remove the spearhead.) Johann has two platinum chips. How many gold chips are they worth? John Holland, the author of The Realms of Atlantasia, doesn't provide any details regarding the rates of exchange among the various types of “chips.” That's OK, Johann will save the platinum chips for a rainy day. After cashing in the jewels, he has 900 gold chips to spend.
I really want him to have a quarter-staff so I have him buy one. This leaves five hundred gold chips. Johann is going to look somewhat conspicuous with 'saddlebags of charity' but no horse. Well, the cheapest mount is a pony at 750 G.C., so the Spy Mage will just have to look conspicuous. Perhaps it's just as well, in Atlantasia ponies have to eat or they'll die. (I don't think Johann could afford the food.) Fortunately, Johann has a 'blanket of translocation' so his transportation needs are covered. Also, with the 'saddlebags of charity' he doesn't have to pay for room and board.
There is no indication in the rules that mages cannot wear armor; in fact, page 67 suggests that they can wear armor. Leather shin guards, bracers, chest protector, and helm have a combined cost of 350 gold chips. Johann has 150 gold chips left.
On page 37, there is a clothing chart; rows represent articles of clothing and columns represent material. So, if you wanted a cotton tunic, you would check the “cotton” column of the “tunic” row to find the price (9 silver chips). Unfortunately, Johann does not have any silver chips and no way to convert platinum or gold chips to silver chips. I guess he will just have to shell out for high-end clothes. Costs are not listed for silken hats; evidently, such things are not possible in realistic Atlantasia. A silk cloak, tunic, breeches, and stockings have a combined cost of 49 gold chips. Before spending the remaining 101 gold chips, let's see what else needs to be done with Johann.
Remember, Johann has a Ring of Reward (+ 1-2 psychic strength) and a Ring of the Gods (+ 1-2 all attributes). I have determined randomly +1 or +2 for each attribute (+ 2-4 for psychic strength). Johann's current attributes are:
Strength 6 (constitution 4)
Intelligence 12 (mental quickness 6)
Wisdom 9 (mental retention 12)
Dexterity 10 (agility 7)
Charisma 6 (magnetism 5)
Psychic Strength 15 (psychic defense 11)
This entitles Johann to: +1 damage bonus, +4 languages, +25% to diplomatic rolls, +3 to spell rolls, +25% to reaction rolls, +10% to pickpocket rolls, +20% to charm rolls, x5 spell damage, +25% to spell save rolls.
Johann has a magic resistance of 32% with regard to his school of magic (which we haven't chosen yet). His mental resistance is also 32%.
Remember when we calculated Johann's weapon proficiency at 25%? I hope you didn't think that was his 'to hit' number. Weapon proficiencies merely modify the 'to hit' number. Everybody's 'to hit' number starts at 10%. Because Johann's weapon proficiency is only 25%, his 'to hit' number is reduced to 5%. (If Johann had a 100% weapon proficiency, his 'to hit' number would be 20%). Because of his strength and dexterity, Johann's 'to hit' number is increased to 25%. Well, what do you know? It matches his weapon proficiency score after all!
Johann's base defense is 20%.
'Magic Source Points' are determined by rolling 3d6 and applying modifiers. Due to his high psychic strength, Johann has 20 magic source points.
Thanks to a high mental retention score, Johann can memorize a total of eight spells for any given cycle (1d4 + modifiers).
With regard to languages, everyone knows Common and (for non-humans) their racial language. “Cosmic Magi will also know Light Dragon.”* Cosmic Magi? I think we just found Johann's school of magic. Watch out Atlantasia, here comes Johann Nederland – COSMIC Spy Mage!
Well, it looks like I'm going to milk this Atlantasian character 'set-up' for all it's worth. Next time I'll try to select spells.
Well, it looks like I'm going to milk this Atlantasian character 'set-up' for all it's worth. Next time I'll try to select spells.
* Light Dragon – According to page 165,
These are magnificent beings to behold! They are 150' - 200' long and encased in glowing gold scales. These dragons are beings of light and therefore, in a dragon’s neutral way, are pure compassion. However, that compassion could be turned against you if you interfere with what the dragon is compassionate about.
Can someone please explain to me the logical flow from "beings of light" to "dragon's neutral way" and then to "pure compassion"? That would be great.
Couple of thoughts:
ReplyDelete1. Why (gold/silver/electrum) chips? It really chaps my hide when a game has to get all "edgy" and "different" by changing the names of items/attributes/etc that have been well established in earlier RPGs (Dangerous Journeys, I'm looking at you!). WTF chips? I am however on board with gold CHiPs (golden statues of Erik Estrada as currency would be cool).
2. I can't even make sense out of weapon proficiency and how it (illogically) modifies the "to-hit" number....or I'm missing something?
3. I so want to get in a "Compassion Battle"(tm) with a dragon. Also looking forward to a "Peace Battle" with a troll and a "Basket Weaving" battle with Asmodeus.
Rock on, dude...you are selling me on this game...
It seems I am remiss in explaining the (completely realistic) connection between 'to hit' rolls and weapon proficiencies. The base 'to hit' roll is 10% (with possible modifiers due to ability scores). To determine weapon proficiency, a player rolls d100. To determine the 'to hit' roll modifier, the player compares the weapon proficiency to 50. For every five points less than fifty, the 'to hit' roll is modified by -1%; for every five points in excess of fifty, the 'to hit' roll is modified by +1%. So, in terms of 'to hit' roll modification, the difference between a weapon proficiency of 01 and a weapon proficiency of 100 is 20%.
DeleteI would hope that the dragon wouldn't turn it's compassion against me. I would hate to have a compassionate dragon breathing compassion all over me. Rending my very soul with compassion. Would the compassionate dragon seeing my soul destroyed by its extremely neutral compassion have compassion for me and quit drowining me in its compassion? Dragons in this game seem to suck, and I'm not sure that compassion means what the author thinks it does, but what the hell do I know; he's a writer and I sell paint.
ReplyDeleteCompassion' might be a Canadian idiom. However, far from sucking, "Dragons are the ultimate being [sic] on Atlantasia and any should think several times before seeking out an encounter with one of these amazing creatures." (p. 161)
DeleteHe may be a writer but, as the above quote demonstrates, he's not much of one. At least, any should think several times while seeking out meaning in one of these amazing statements.
It seems to me that TROA may indeed be a rpg from the future. We men of the 21st century with our primitive thought patterns and feeble understanding cannot grasp the realism and complexity that is TROA. I will be thinking several times on this.
ReplyDelete