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Magi ?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
joshua_eclipse
May 30, 2008 17:19:30 Simple question

Should I play a mage character in d20 modern or not?

I've played a mage before in D&D 3rd Ed, which was fun, but I was wondering how well it has converted into D20 Modern Urban Arcana

thanks
#2
iczer
May 30, 2008 18:52:59 They are Ok, but you have to be prepared for a few letdowns

firstly, they are three levels down (you need three levels of smart at least to start) it might not seem a lot, but you effectivly start slinging first level spells at level 4. every equivilent target will be enjoying those levels building up their saving throws.

secondly, the spells are pretty lame in many areas. sure there are a ahandfull of D&D spells, but there is also a cluster of 'modern' spells which feel like a cheap attempt to make it feel like modern magic. sadly it just feels cheap. and the list is pretty small. I'd speak to the GM about any variant spell lists he wants to go get.

thirdly, three levels of smart can be pretty deadly. Lowest Hit dice, Lowest BAB and pretty crap defence, coupled with a complete lack of survival type skills is leads to basically every character defending yours in the hope that your 9 skill points per level can be put to some use.

My advice:
three levels of smart are only really good if you want your non-mage related skills (craft chemical, decipher script, knowledge arcane lore and research) to be any good. for those three levels everyone will be looking to you as the computer hacker and device disabler (and tyhe DC's are going to be high on those).

the dedicated character has a nicer defence and BAB by third level, and gets knowledge arcane as a class skill. a suitable occupation can make the other three class skills (hedge wizard will do the trick, and it drops a feat on you). and the talents for the dedicated character don't rely on how many levels you have, so there is less need to return to a smart character. I'm sure there are other ways to get there besides the low HP, low def, low bab road.

I also heartilly recommend getting access to other spells. pick up a core book from somewhere and wave it in the GM's face. some more options are what the mage needs.

Batts
#3
doomsought
May 30, 2008 19:25:44 take one level of fast hero, then one level of tough hero, then one level of smart hero (to buy the required skills) then take technomage. It has better options including humunculi and online casting.

The level of fast and tough hero boost your saves and defense bonus and the talents they grant you will help you avoid death in combat. With fast hero you should take evasion and with tough you should take DR.
#4
iczer
Jun 01, 2008 7:46:22 that said, Urban arcanna has a nfty little thing that suits the technomage really really well.

Casting spells as emails.

No, really. You can write up a spell as an email and then email it to someone. when it opens, it goes off. It's really cool, and it sounds like a good idea.

Except it requires scribe scroll.

Scribe scroll.

Which is a class ability of the regular mage. But not available to the technomage.

It's not even available as a feat for the technomage to pick up.

Like I said. The oversight just blows my mind.

Batts
#5
tema69
Jun 01, 2008 8:03:56 That just encourages multiclassing.
"Wanna be a real good arcane spellcaster? Start by being a regular Mage, and then grab a few levels of Technomage if you wanna cast them fireballs through the int'net."

That makes sense to me. I do understand how it's annoying that it's not a feat.
#6
nadaka
Jun 01, 2008 8:58:41 Reading the book, there is no Scribe Scroll requirement for online casting, reading the SRD there is still no scribe scroll requirement for online casting.

The great thing about online casting is that it does not cost AP, XP or Wealth to do. Its a great way to self buff. Just email a bunch of buff spells to yourself on your days off. Then all you need to do is access your email from a PDA or smartphone and read the specific email you want.
#7
kronos182
Jun 01, 2008 11:06:36 I can see it now... technomage sends an email to the baddie's blackberry..
Baddie's blackberry goes off "excuse me.. need to check my email.. what's this.. 'I prepared explosive rune today' ??" *BOOM*!!!

After a few blackberries exploding on people, cellphone use will drop dramatically world wide :P

but.. how is the technomage suppose to get the baddies email to use spells against him?
#8
tema69
Jun 01, 2008 11:29:22 Haha! Good one Kronos! I guess law enforcement should have specialised units that counter electro-terrorism.
#9
doomsought
Jun 01, 2008 13:31:16 the best part is you don't necessarily need to go thru the internet, you could say... a HAM radio (if your spell only requires your target to hear you).
Lost of fun if you pick your spell list right.
there is also the bit where you can store your spells as a play list on an IPOD.

There is also the use of knock while hacking.

Much fun.
#10
iczer
Jun 02, 2008 0:45:45
Reading the book, there is no Scribe Scroll requirement for online casting, reading the SRD there is still no scribe scroll requirement for online casting.

The great thing about online casting is that it does not cost AP, XP or Wealth to do. Its a great way to self buff. Just email a bunch of buff spells to yourself on your days off. Then all you need to do is access your email from a PDA or smartphone and read the specific email you want.

looks great, and online casting feels really good. Pity I wasn't talking about online casting.

If you were looking for a page reference, I'd swing a look at page 92 of urban arcanna. the sidebar entitled: "casting spells through email"

That said, you misread online casting, or at least misunderstood it. All it in effect does is change the nature in which a spell reaches a target. My 'Charm person' can affect an unseen target as long as he picks up the phone. If I'm on a chatroom, i can explode a person's computer.
The description of online casting includes no provision for delaying the onset of a spell. furthermore, it's an eighth level ability that has a small, and marginal use (though add in a remote control drone with a camera and you can add spell support from the comfort of the minivan you parked outside. even better, the helmet cam your strong 3/soldier 3 buddy carriers acts as your conduit.)

The downside is, of course, the range issue. range is calculated as distance from caster to pickup device plus pickup device to target. If I'm in a chatroom, and someone I really want to flame someone (fireball) their computer better be within the 400+40ft/level range for that trick to work.

If they could scribe scroll, they could send a spell via email though. it's just a pity they cannot scribe scroll.

Batts
#11
doomsought
Jun 02, 2008 10:36:22 between caster and pickup: a few nanometers, you have a head set
between target and output: about two feet, from monitor to face
about two feet, at least that is how I read it.

this means you can cast dominate person on some politician making a telecast, but you have to get the direct feed (easy to get off the satellite, its not encrypted) rather than the one on TV that has a 6 second delay for censorship.

fun fun. Technomages rule the world

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 joshua_eclipse May 30, 2008 17:19:30	Simple question Should I play a mage character in d20 modern or not? I've played a mage before in D&D 3rd Ed, which was fun, but I was wondering how well it has converted into D20 Modern Urban Arcana thanks
#2 iczer May 30, 2008 18:52:59	They are Ok, but you have to be prepared for a few letdowns firstly, they are three levels down (you need three levels of smart at least to start) it might not seem a lot, but you effectivly start slinging first level spells at level 4. every equivilent target will be enjoying those levels building up their saving throws. secondly, the spells are pretty lame in many areas. sure there are a ahandfull of D&D spells, but there is also a cluster of 'modern' spells which feel like a cheap attempt to make it feel like modern magic. sadly it just feels cheap. and the list is pretty small. I'd speak to the GM about any variant spell lists he wants to go get. thirdly, three levels of smart can be pretty deadly. Lowest Hit dice, Lowest BAB and pretty crap defence, coupled with a complete lack of survival type skills is leads to basically every character defending yours in the hope that your 9 skill points per level can be put to some use. My advice: three levels of smart are only really good if you want your non-mage related skills (craft chemical, decipher script, knowledge arcane lore and research) to be any good. for those three levels everyone will be looking to you as the computer hacker and device disabler (and tyhe DC's are going to be high on those). the dedicated character has a nicer defence and BAB by third level, and gets knowledge arcane as a class skill. a suitable occupation can make the other three class skills (hedge wizard will do the trick, and it drops a feat on you). and the talents for the dedicated character don't rely on how many levels you have, so there is less need to return to a smart character. I'm sure there are other ways to get there besides the low HP, low def, low bab road. I also heartilly recommend getting access to other spells. pick up a core book from somewhere and wave it in the GM's face. some more options are what the mage needs. Batts
#3 doomsought May 30, 2008 19:25:44	take one level of fast hero, then one level of tough hero, then one level of smart hero (to buy the required skills) then take technomage. It has better options including humunculi and online casting. The level of fast and tough hero boost your saves and defense bonus and the talents they grant you will help you avoid death in combat. With fast hero you should take evasion and with tough you should take DR.
#4 iczer Jun 01, 2008 7:46:22	that said, Urban arcanna has a nfty little thing that suits the technomage really really well. Casting spells as emails. No, really. You can write up a spell as an email and then email it to someone. when it opens, it goes off. It's really cool, and it sounds like a good idea. Except it requires scribe scroll. Scribe scroll. Which is a class ability of the regular mage. But not available to the technomage. It's not even available as a feat for the technomage to pick up. Like I said. The oversight just blows my mind. Batts
#5 tema69 Jun 01, 2008 8:03:56	That just encourages multiclassing. "Wanna be a real good arcane spellcaster? Start by being a regular Mage, and then grab a few levels of Technomage if you wanna cast them fireballs through the int'net." That makes sense to me. I do understand how it's annoying that it's not a feat.
#6 nadaka Jun 01, 2008 8:58:41	Reading the book, there is no Scribe Scroll requirement for online casting, reading the SRD there is still no scribe scroll requirement for online casting. The great thing about online casting is that it does not cost AP, XP or Wealth to do. Its a great way to self buff. Just email a bunch of buff spells to yourself on your days off. Then all you need to do is access your email from a PDA or smartphone and read the specific email you want.
#7 kronos182 Jun 01, 2008 11:06:36	I can see it now... technomage sends an email to the baddie's blackberry.. Baddie's blackberry goes off "excuse me.. need to check my email.. what's this.. 'I prepared explosive rune today' ??" BOOM!!! After a few blackberries exploding on people, cellphone use will drop dramatically world wide :P but.. how is the technomage suppose to get the baddies email to use spells against him?
#8 tema69 Jun 01, 2008 11:29:22	Haha! Good one Kronos! I guess law enforcement should have specialised units that counter electro-terrorism.
#9 doomsought Jun 01, 2008 13:31:16	the best part is you don't necessarily need to go thru the internet, you could say... a HAM radio (if your spell only requires your target to hear you). Lost of fun if you pick your spell list right. there is also the bit where you can store your spells as a play list on an IPOD. There is also the use of knock while hacking. Much fun.
#10 iczer Jun 02, 2008 0:45:45	Reading the book, there is no Scribe Scroll requirement for online casting, reading the SRD there is still no scribe scroll requirement for online casting. The great thing about online casting is that it does not cost AP, XP or Wealth to do. Its a great way to self buff. Just email a bunch of buff spells to yourself on your days off. Then all you need to do is access your email from a PDA or smartphone and read the specific email you want. looks great, and online casting feels really good. Pity I wasn't talking about online casting. If you were looking for a page reference, I'd swing a look at page 92 of urban arcanna. the sidebar entitled: "casting spells through email" That said, you misread online casting, or at least misunderstood it. All it in effect does is change the nature in which a spell reaches a target. My 'Charm person' can affect an unseen target as long as he picks up the phone. If I'm on a chatroom, i can explode a person's computer. The description of online casting includes no provision for delaying the onset of a spell. furthermore, it's an eighth level ability that has a small, and marginal use (though add in a remote control drone with a camera and you can add spell support from the comfort of the minivan you parked outside. even better, the helmet cam your strong 3/soldier 3 buddy carriers acts as your conduit.) The downside is, of course, the range issue. range is calculated as distance from caster to pickup device plus pickup device to target. If I'm in a chatroom, and someone I really want to flame someone (fireball) their computer better be within the 400+40ft/level range for that trick to work. If they could scribe scroll, they could send a spell via email though. it's just a pity they cannot scribe scroll. Batts
#11 doomsought Jun 02, 2008 10:36:22	between caster and pickup: a few nanometers, you have a head set between target and output: about two feet, from monitor to face about two feet, at least that is how I read it. this means you can cast dominate person on some politician making a telecast, but you have to get the direct feed (easy to get off the satellite, its not encrypted) rather than the one on TV that has a 6 second delay for censorship. fun fun. Technomages rule the world