arcanist

Let's talk of things that go bump in the night. Stuff that makes your skin crawl. Creatures that are Beyond the Supernatural™. Also checkout the in-character site - Lazlo Society™

Moderators: Immortals, Supreme Beings, Old Ones

User avatar
badges89
Wanderer
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 10:33 pm

arcanist

Unread post by badges89 »

Does anybody know where i can find the arcanist pcc for bts2, they give the xp table in the book but i cant find it anywhere in there, or am i jus blind?
Shoot 'em in the FACE!!
User avatar
Cybermancer
Hero
Posts: 1473
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:50 pm

Re: arcanist

Unread post by Cybermancer »

It's not in BtS2. It's supposed to come out with Beyond Arcanum. We've been waiting about seven or eight years for it. Some people modify or lift whole the original Arcanist to use. I've done both. Both work.
I was raised to beleive if you can't say something nice about a person, say nothing at all. This has led to living a very quiet life.

Someone who tells you what to think is trying to control you. Someone who teaches you how to think is trying to free you.

WWVLD?
User avatar
Hendrik
Rifter® Contributer
Posts: 868
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2007 3:52 am
Comment: What is genius? A Victim OCC (BtS 1st ed, p. 193 ss)! The ultimate hero is a victim conquering adversity.
Location: IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OLD EMPIRE

Re: arcanist

Unread post by Hendrik »

badges89 wrote:Does anybody know where i can find the arcanist pcc for bts2, they give the xp table in the book but i cant find it anywhere in there, or am i jus blind?

Cybermancer is absolutely right.

I have done a BtS-II adaptation for the arcanist (6th post from the bottom of the page this links to).

The spells from BtS-I can be used about as they are, alternatively use those or some from Nightbane (the megaversial rules core is the same as BtS-II).

Cheers
Hendrik
Handouts for Operation Minotaur (BtS Adventure published in RIFTER #83) Get them at the fabulous "House of BtS"![/quote]

May all your hits be crits!
User avatar
badges89
Wanderer
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 10:33 pm

Re: arcanist

Unread post by badges89 »

ok thanks for all that but unfortunately i do not have bts-1 so i have no frame of reference for that stuff in relation to the new edition, but i was wondering if i could use the wizard from palladium and jus tweak a few things?
Shoot 'em in the FACE!!
User avatar
green.nova343
Adventurer
Posts: 469
Joined: Tue Oct 28, 2008 10:16 am
Location: Ohio, USA
Contact:

Re: arcanist

Unread post by green.nova343 »

badges89 wrote:ok thanks for all that but unfortunately i do not have bts-1 so i have no frame of reference for that stuff in relation to the new edition, but i was wondering if i could use the wizard from palladium and jus tweak a few things?


Wizard from HU2 might be a better fit, if you have it. But if not, then the PFRPG version would probably be fine.
User avatar
Hendrik
Rifter® Contributer
Posts: 868
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2007 3:52 am
Comment: What is genius? A Victim OCC (BtS 1st ed, p. 193 ss)! The ultimate hero is a victim conquering adversity.
Location: IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OLD EMPIRE

Re: arcanist

Unread post by Hendrik »

Mephisto wrote:Hendrick's version will probably be better than the official Arcanist anyways...so use that.


Why, thank you, Mephisto. That is high praise from you, and much appreciated.

badges89 wrote:ok thanks for all that but unfortunately i do not have bts-1 so i have no frame of reference for that stuff in relation to the new edition, but i was wondering if i could use the wizard from palladium and jus tweak a few things?

You can buy BtS-I at drivethru. It is a steal for USD 12.49 and I can only strongly recommend the book as a supplement to BtS-II until Beyond Arcanum will come out.

green.nova343 wrote:
badges89 wrote:i was wondering if i could use the wizard from palladium and jus tweak a few things?

Wizard from HU2 might be a better fit, if you have it. But if not, then the PFRPG version would probably be fine.

All those work just fine. I especially like the idea to use PFRPG classes, especially with circle and ward magic. The Nightbane Sorceror is a good fit. If you are into a modern (computer age and future) setting the excellent modern mage types from our good Mephisto's article "Why Magic is Still Alive" (Rifter 46) which is also available via drivethru (USD 5.99) will be a perfect fit; it gives magic a digital spin. It is a most enriching article - honestly, one should buy that Rifter for that article alone - and I am saying that even though I cannot use it as I tend to play in the 1930s/1940s.

Cheers
Hendrik
Handouts for Operation Minotaur (BtS Adventure published in RIFTER #83) Get them at the fabulous "House of BtS"![/quote]

May all your hits be crits!
gaby
Knight
Posts: 4340
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2003 2:01 am
Location: Québec

Re: arcanist

Unread post by gaby »

What Magic spells,do you think would wokr for the BtS,s Arcanis.
User avatar
Hendrik
Rifter® Contributer
Posts: 868
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2007 3:52 am
Comment: What is genius? A Victim OCC (BtS 1st ed, p. 193 ss)! The ultimate hero is a victim conquering adversity.
Location: IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OLD EMPIRE

Re: arcanist

Unread post by Hendrik »

Hi Gaby,

I think there are 3 items to answer:
    1. What special abilities does the arcanist have related to working magic, which are akin to spells?
    2. How does the arcanist learn spells?
    3. Which spells to adapt/adopt?

Here is what I think (and wrote in the other thread, referenced above):

On the Adaption of the Arcanist for BtS-II wrote:"...
2. SPECIAL TRAINING (General Rule: straight adaptation from BtS-I)
The special training part is easy to adapt as “Understanding the Principles of Magic”, “Read Magic”, “The Practiced Use of Magic”, “Sense Magic” and “Recognize Magic Enchantment” (BtS-I, pages 51-52) can be applied in BtS-II just as they are.

Each arcanist starts with the following number of spells:

- 1D6 for each of the spell levels 1-3
- 1D4 for each of the spell level 4-9
- No spells beyond level 9


When you know the total number of spells roll 4D6. The result will determine for which of your incantations you know the ritual as well as the spell variant, for any remainder you will have to decide for each spell whether you know it as a spell or as a ritual.

For the difference between rituals and spells as well as regarding learning spells you can either apply the rules in BtS-I (pages 95 ss.) or the very similar stipulations in the - awesome - Nightbane core book ("pursuit of magic" chapter, pages 124 ss). I tend towards the latter and suggest applying the rules for the Sorcerer OCC on spells/rituals and spell acquisition per level (NB core, pages 115 ss.). Regarding rituals the sorcerer only has to differentiate between spell and ritual starting with spells at 7th spell level; I think that for BtS it needs to be possible to also have lower level rituals, so the 7th level thing does not apply for BtS.

Learning new spells when advancing in level:
An arcanist can learn as many new spells at a new level or even in between levels, provided he has sufficient funds (money may have to be paid for books, teaching, etc.), time (time is required to study anything!) and learning materials (teacher, books, etc.). This should be treated in a reasonable manner between GM and player. Players: unless there are exceptional circumstances, it will be unlikely that you gain much more than 6 new spells per level. GMs, give the guys at least one or two new spells per level, or more when they work hard at it!

ALTERNATIVE RULE on "Learning new spells when advancing in level":
An arcanist gains 1D4 new spells of random level (1D10; higher level spells only when he finds a teacher or tome of magic). These are spells he either recalls from his basic teachings but only then, as he gains more experience, fully understands or he has finally discovered these spells as a result of his intensive studies that come to fruitition on levelling.

***

A NOTE ON SPELLS

I think the spells can be applied as are, basically. Or, one can very simply draw on any of the other spell sources in the megaverse (notably in my opinion PFRPG, Nightbane and Rifts - although: using spells from a SDC system will definitely make things much easier)..."


In essence, the spells of BtS-I, which is inexpensive to get as a pdf via drivethru and is a great BtS-II resource for vairous items that were in that book but cut from BtS-II, work just fine, and other SDC system spells can be adopted with ease. Looking into the above cited Rifter 46 article is also especially inspiring with respect to "modern" magic, i.e. with respect to "magic and email" etc., I find.

Cheers
Hendrik
Handouts for Operation Minotaur (BtS Adventure published in RIFTER #83) Get them at the fabulous "House of BtS"![/quote]

May all your hits be crits!
User avatar
Hendrik
Rifter® Contributer
Posts: 868
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2007 3:52 am
Comment: What is genius? A Victim OCC (BtS 1st ed, p. 193 ss)! The ultimate hero is a victim conquering adversity.
Location: IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OLD EMPIRE

Re: arcanist

Unread post by Hendrik »

:lol:

No, I am not a WWII "fan". That sounds very wrong, especially for a German, but, yes, I am horrified and very fascinated by it. I love history and find the descent into the madness of war from the (I have to correct myself and slightly extend the period) 1920s to 1945 an extremely fertile ground for a BtS game.

BtS is particularly well suited to games in a historical setting. I chose the period for various reasons, one being that I love hardboiled crime and the Indiana Jones series. BtS lends itself to a corresponding game stile VERY well!

As you say, the war and all that I mention in the following is iconic, i.e. people know because it is very present and monumentous in the minds of the people of today because of all the documentaries (cannot avoid them almost) and the use of the images and stories continuously in movies for, what the last 60-80 years (depending on whether you look at the 20s or 40s).

There is so much going on in that time: the freewheeling 20s, the crash, prohibition, mobsters, strong political movements (New Deal in the US, fascism, communism), old codes and forms of life (British Empire, Prussian officers, the American West still being remotely wild), the start of civil aviation in the 30s, total change of movement and working conditions (cars, assembly line), telephone is still new, there are no mobiles, communication is not instant (which is great for BtS) and telegrams still top notch, there are zeppelins, .... and then there is mysticism, weird science, secret societies and all that. And then you have the war, characters can really be heroes or struggling for the good with the war as a "mere" backdrop.

The availability of material online and offline is aweseome. Maps, pictures, newspapers, it is so "easy" to make extremely rich handouts, and to support the game with e.g. era music and (documentation) movies. With 1-2 days of effort and some talent I am sure you could easily make a newsreel (news show) for your game which you could send to your players in advance of gameday to get them into the groove.

True you can do and get all that for today, but I find 3-4 generations back is far more enchanting and fertile for a game. Also, you get away with using stereotypes ;-)

Kindest regards
Hendrik
Handouts for Operation Minotaur (BtS Adventure published in RIFTER #83) Get them at the fabulous "House of BtS"![/quote]

May all your hits be crits!
User avatar
Shawn Merrow
Palladium Books® Freelance Writer
Posts: 2493
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2000 1:01 am
Comment: For the glory of Zeon and Zerebus, Sieg Zeon!

2D6 Palladium Forum History Geek Points
Location: Pasco, WA, USA
Contact:

Re: arcanist

Unread post by Shawn Merrow »

That is an interesting time to set a game. I wanted to run a game in Shanghai, China set around 1928 for some time. At that time just about every major faction in the world had a presence there.
Image

"Flandre, no Molotov cocktails indoors, please." - Hime from Princess Resurrection
User avatar
Hendrik
Rifter® Contributer
Posts: 868
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2007 3:52 am
Comment: What is genius? A Victim OCC (BtS 1st ed, p. 193 ss)! The ultimate hero is a victim conquering adversity.
Location: IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OLD EMPIRE

Re: arcanist

Unread post by Hendrik »

Mephisto wrote:OK fan was definitely the wrong word, but you are clearly an historian of the era. It would be easy to base a game in Africa during the Italian invasion with British colonial countries having their armies fighting the Italians. Or Japanese invaders in Myanmar or the assault on Singapore. Heck even the bombing of Darwin could be good for Australian based games. It's close to mixing in Recon with BTS2 flavor (think an aborigine psychic sensitive sensing the pending attack, while special forces soldiers get ready to head off the invasion that the Diviner predicts will be the next move by the Japanese fleet).


No worries re "fan". I have studied history a bit, true. I think that you can ideally mix history and BtS. In some ways the restrictions of the past (especially communication and transport) makes it as or even more interesting than a current day setting.

I am currently writing down my last OH BtS adventure which does exactly what you suggest, mixing Recon flavor and BtS! It is about parachuting into Axis occupied Crete.

I love your idea with the Aborigine Diviner. Although, I think you need to very carefully deliniate how much military use of psychic abilities you allow as it changes the paradigm of the game (the Supernatural is not believed in by most people and fighting it is not done officially). Also, there is the low ISP/PPE BtS characters have available in "mundane" situations, so the Aborigine may not work. I would use psychic powers and magic more either in private very small organizations, for example as a very special private eye, or bound to "crazy abilities" special forces that almost no one believes are effective.
Handouts for Operation Minotaur (BtS Adventure published in RIFTER #83) Get them at the fabulous "House of BtS"![/quote]

May all your hits be crits!
Locked

Return to “Beyond the Supernatural™”