[beleriand] Professions!
- From: "Kevin P Turner" <kturner@xxxxxxx>
- To: "beleriand mailing list" <beleriand@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2002 00:14:11 -0400
Professions, a la Draugluin
---------------------------
* draft 1: Main type, subprofessions, skill/command general idea
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OK, please read this ramble/note first:
These are my ideas. With help from just about all of you at various points, and
from
various conversations I came up with this for a beginning to the all important
professions question. It is by no mean perfect! Please read, comment, pick what
you
like (if anything) or don't like (if not everything) and let us know. Now, how I
envision this all working...Until level 5, players can only be Infantry of the
Fighter-type and Wizards of the Magic-type. After level 5, the branching out may
occur. We might consider the same for the Rogue-type. I'm sure there are tons of
other assumptions that I made/said aloud to myself and forgot to write down. Ask
questions! I might know the answer.
ps: Thanks to pharazon(jon), who was present in discussion for all of this
document,
except ironically, this preamble :P
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Fighter-Type:
Infantry
--------
Infantry. The basic umph in any army. Excellent hand-to-hand melee combatants,
with military survival skills.
Hand-to-Hand combat - Skill effects an Infantry's ability to fight
with no weapon.
Weapon specialization - How good an Infantry is at his/her weapon
specialties.
Tactical Fighting - Ability to fight, battlefield smarts.
<Fighter-Type Skill, Chosen> - Infantry get to pick one skill from the
below Fighter-types (and corresponding command).
(No command) - Infantry are good at fighting. Uses Tactical Fighting
Specialize - Infantry are able to specialize in two basic Infantry
weapon-types. They fight better with these two types, based on their
skill level and time specialized.
Kick/Punch/Elbow/Knee - Insta-damage...uses stats and Hand-to-Hand.
<Fighter-Type Command, Match to skill> - See skill.
Archer
------
Archers. Specialized ranged combatants, designed to rain hell upon the enemy
from a distance.
Combat Archery - Ability to use a bow and arrow combination in battle.
Field Archery - Ability to make arrows, fix a bow.
Deflecting - Passive skill, avoiding airborne objects!
Nock, Draw, Shoot - Fire a bow! Uses Combat Archery.
Restring - Fix a bow. Uses Field Archery.
Rapidfire - Rapidly shoot several arrows over a shorter time span than
normal. Uses Combat Archery. Rapidfiring is only available every X
time, and is less accurate.
(No Command) - Passive ability to avoid airborne objects, uses Deflecting.
Cavalry
-------
Cavalry, the mounted support of any army, Cavalry - when mounted - are
a dangerous tool for any experienced commander. Able to provide some
scounting, flanking attacks, and many other services - a good cavalryman
is a rare find.
Riding - Ability to ride a mount.
Mount Handling - Ability to exert control over a mount.
Mounted Weaponry - Ability to fight on a horse.
Cavalry Charge - Ability to charge at an opponent while mounted, using
any non-ranged, non-dagger type weapon.
Tame - Tame a mount. Uses Mount Handling.
Mount/Ride - Mounting and riding a mount. Uses Riding.
Spur - Temporarily increase the max speed of a mount. Uses Mount Handling.
Lead - Lead your mount through terrain, those extra skilled in Mount Handling
may lead more horses dependant on ep. Uses Mount Handling.
Charge - Charge your opponent, causes extra damage and an extra attack,
opponent cannot fight back unless they too are mounted. Uses Mounted Weaponry
and Cavalry Charge.
Rustle - Steal someones horse. Uses Mount Handling.
(No Command) - Bonus for fighting on horseback. Uses Mounted Weaponry.
Cavalry-Archer
--------------
A mounted Archer! I mean, if you can't imagine what this is with Cavalry and
Archer
already separately described, I can't do anything for you :p
Riding - See Cavalry.
Mount Handling - See Cavalry.
Combat Archery - See Archer.
Field Archery - See Archer.
Nock/Draw/Shoot - See Archer.
Restring - See Archer.
Tame - See Cavalry.
Mount/Ride - See Cavalry.
Lead - See Cavalry.
Rustle - See Cavalry.
* Cavalry-Archers. can shoot from horseback well, while no one else can come
close.
Scout
-----
Scouts, one with nature and the outdoors, also able to discern signs both in and
outdoors to follow/gather information about various people, places, and things.
Scouts scout, track, and many other useful things for an army.
Wilderness - How acclimated with the winderness a Scout is.
Tracking - Ability to track things in the wilderness/non-wilderness.
Stealth - Ability to have stealth, spy, remain quiet.
Foraging - Ability to forage in the wilderness.
(No Command) - Longer sight/Better hearing on grids. Uses Wilderness.
Search [for tracks] - Find tracks of people who have passed/been/slept here.
Uses Tracking.
Blend - Blend into the background/scenery/hide. Can be used to spy oon someone
or gain
surprise over them. Uses Stealth.
Ambush - Ambush a target, you must take them by surprise for the full effect.
Usable
outdoors only, uses Wilderness and Stealth.
Forage - Ability to forage for food, supplies, and other such things in the
wilderness.
Uses Foraging.
Engineer
--------
Ballistics - Ability to aim siege weapons and engines.
Engine Maintenance - Ability to maintain/repair/use siege weapons and engines.
Engine Construction - Ability to construct siege weapons and engines.
Repair/Maintain - Repair or Maintain and engine or siege weaponry. Equipment
must
be kept up, or it will fail. Uses Engine Maintenance.
Construct - Construct an engine or piece of siege weaponry. Uses Engine
Construction.
(No Command) - Passive ability to hit targets. Uses Ballistics.
*Note: Yes, Engineers are a weaker class. They are not really a standalone
class, and
have a slightly different subset of rules. Engineers are limited, and only
available
to a few within ecah army/division. If the circumstances are right, and you have
reached an appropriate level in another Fighter-type, and are an officer of rank
(Sergeant? and above)...you may be an officer. Your fighter-type skills degrade
to
a certain maximum, and you may train as an Engineer.
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Magic-Type:
Limited # of spells based on level/skills/stats of player.
Many spells require components to cast.
Spells can have a duration, be instant effect, or preparatory in
nature...sometimes a combo.
Concentration - Ability to concentrate on maintaining/preparing/casting a spell.
Magical Arts - Ability to control a spell, shape a spell, creativity.
<Discipline> - Ability in a specific discipline. (Illusion, Conjuring, etc) The
names would be different for each subclass.
Magical Lore - Ability to find and use components, learn and remember new and
old spells, etc.
*Each skill acts differently for the following subclasses.
Cast - Cast a spell. Uses Concentration and Magical Arts. Most Magic
user abilities fall from what is done with the Cast command.
Chant/Mix/Gesture - Prepare a spell/begin preparing a spell. May be
simple, or very involved. The number of each may increase with skill/
type and level. Uses Discipline and Magical Lore.
Name - Invoke the rite of naming another Magic-user/Null.
Wizard
------
The most basic type of Magic-users, Wizards are well-rounded in that
they have access to at least some of the spells from each subclass.
Wizards tend to have the 'fairy tale', basic spells we all know and
love. The evocation/invocation fireball, levitation, etc. Wizards
have strength in the alteration sorceries, and access to all the
basic cantrips every home-grown Wizard knows and loves. While unique
in their ability to dabble in all of the arts, their inability to
master any can be somewhat frustrating. Silent, and many of the
remaining Taken fell into this category, with their particular
strengths further dividing them. Ex: Bonegnasher, and his immense
sorcery-inspired strength and toughness.
Illusionist
-----------
Creator of illusions, master of trickery, changing what others believe
and see. Illusionists are masters of making -others- see what isn't
there, and are therefore good at detecting the truth in a situation,
even the non-magical. The Illusionist will have different abilities with
different illusions (tricking someone with an illusion, intimidating
someone, etc). Illusionists are limited in conjuring and necromancy,
but can have a knack for the areas of wizardry that go beyond the
simple glamour--those that change and leave changed. Illusionists lack
access to major damage and damage-prevention spells. One Eye and Goblin
were mainly illusionists, and it was rumoured that the Face Less was as
well. Shapeshifter was also good with illusions, along with his unusual
knack for actual change.
Conjurer
--------
Summoning, invoking, conjuring, creating. Conjurers are masters of
drawing upon the arts to create or summon from Elsewhere. The Conjurer
should be able to perform simple sorceries, conjuring this or that,
while major summonings are powerful, taxing sorceries that can go
awry and take a long time to prepare for. Conjurers may excel at those
offensive or defensive spells which use objects as their base, but
suffer from a total lack of ability in the illusionary or informative
sorceries. Conjurers also have the ability to conjure weather.
The mightiest of Summoners - Soulcatcher. The mightiest of Conjurers -
Stormbringer.
Necromancer
-----------
Enchanments, charms, divining the future...these are the tools of
Necromancy. Necromancers do well with enhancing the abilities of what
is already substantive, and they do well with informative sorceries.
Like Illusionists, they lack strength in majore damage and damage-
prevention spells. Necromancers have a knack for the minor cantrips
that may not quite be 'spells'. Necromancers are also strong in the
"sorcery sorcery"...creation of carpets, etc. The mighties of all
Necromancers - The Howler.
Invoker
-------
"The Little Limper" subclass, Invokers use a hammer when a hammer
is appropriate, when it isn't, and at all other times. These are the
uber-strong warriors of the Magic class, they know nothing but causing
damage - massive, painful, and hopefully fast. Invokers won't be able
to protect anyone, they won't be able to trick anyone, but they'll
bring a rather larger hammer to the table. The mightiest of all
Invokers - The Limper.
* - A few rare sorcerers, The Dominator, Lady, Bomanz, had great strength
in all of the above areas with very few notable weaknesses.
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Rogue-Type:
Thief
-----
Oh my god, your door is picked and your panties have been stolen. Who to look
for? Why, a Thief of course. String the bastard up.
Lock Picking - Ability to pick a lock!
Breaking & Entering - Ability to break and enter. Deal with traps.
Stealth - Ability to have stealth, remain quiet, disarm a trap.
Trap Awareness - Ability to find, recognize, and disarm a trap.
Pick/Force - Pick a lock and Force entry. Uses Lock Picking and Breaking &
Entering.
Disarm - Disarm a trap. Uses Breaking & Entering.
Search [for trap] - Search for a trap. Uses Trap Awareness.
Sneak - Move without being seen. Uses Stealth.
Brigand
-------
Brigands. The thugs that make the world go 'round. Brigands aren't as sneaky
as Thieves, or as strong as Fighters, but they find a way to take what they
want.
Ambushing - Ability to set and carry out an ambush.
Criminal Mind - Ability to scope out a target, discern where they came from.
Mugging - Ability to successfully mug a person.
Criminal Awareness - Ability to notice a criminal trap or mugging attempt.
Ambush - Ambush someone, usable indoors/in towns only. Usable in non-wilderness
areas only. (Indoors, in Towns, etc). Does surprise damage. Uses Ambushing.
Scope - Scope out a target, noticing their equipment, gold, and direction
entered from. Uses Criminal Mind.
Target - Target an item for mugging. Uses Criminal Mind.
Mug - Mug a person. Enters into combat with designs on knocking them out
instead of killing (perhaps only needing to get to 3/4 hp). Must have
targeted a piece of eq or some gold. Uses Mugging.
(No Command) - Noticing / Aborting a criminal trap or mugging attempt. Uses
Criminal Awareness.
[Frankly, I think its too early to deal with the Sea, ships, and sea-combat]
Pirate
------
Dudes. On Ships. And stuff.
ship skill
ship combat
ship building/design
something about water
Czar
----
Czars, the leader of tomorrows Mafia. The bad menacing mind, once a normal rogue
but now a leader of men and an organizer of crime.
Racketeering - Ability to set up shady business, mooch off the state, and other
illegal money-making practices.
Strategy - Ability to help their 'boys' fight better with a bit of planning and
strategy.
Business Acumen - Ability to run a business.
Intimidation - Ability to intimidate/scare others.
Plan - Help your party fight better with planning. Much like some spells, this
takes -time- and some time spent in the local land. Uses Strategy.
Hire / Fire - Hire and Fire employees. Uses Business Acumen.
Intimidate - Scare/Chase off others. Uses Intimidation.
*Note: Czars commands must be geared towards the shady businesses and markets
which we set up. Brothels, Black Markets, etc.
*Note: Yes, Czars are a weaker class. They are not really a standalone class,
and
have a slightly different subset of rules. Czars are limited, and only available
to a few within each province. If the circumstances are right, and you have
reached an appropriate level in another Rogue-type, and are an established
leader
in your organization with high earning power...you may be a Czar. Your
roge-type
skills degrade to a certain maximum, and you may train as a Czar.
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Physician (healer)
------------------
Healers, caretakers, practitioners of health...Physicians make us feel better,
stop us from dying, and keep our hygiene up.
Medicine - Knowledge in the Medical arts.
Herbal Knowledge - Ability to heal with herbs, find herbs.
Surgery - Ability to heal massive/semi-permanent wounds. For the highly skilled.
Diagnosis - Ability to diagnos and discover diseases and illness.
Diagnose - Locate or Identify a disease or other illness. Uses Diagnosis and
Medicine.
Heal - Heal a simple wound using herbs. Uses Herbal Knowledge and Medicine.
Heal a disease using materials gathered from Diagnose. Uses Medicine.
Perform Surgery - A time-consuming command that can: massively heal someone who
is
lying still using herbs. Uses Herbal Knowledge and Surgery. OR. reviving a
character
who is bleeding to death. Uses Surgery.
Patch - Tend to combat-specific wounds. Broken arms, etc. Uses Surgery and
Medicine.
*Note: Bleeding to death begins when a character reaches 0hp. Until -5, anyone
may
'bandage' them and they will recover. From 0 until -20(death), Surgery must be
performed by a Physician or they are toast.
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Annalist/Historian/Writer
-------------------------
Some RP-only wussy class, which Draugluin has a hard time relating to ;) In all
seriousness, the titles really say it all.
Languages - Skill in the written and spoken languages.
Charmed Speech - Ability to give an empassioned speech.
Speak/Write - Change your spoken or written language. Uses Languages.
Address - Address a group of people with a morale-boosting speech. Uses Charmed
Speech.
*Note: As an admittedly mostly RP profession, these guys are not much for
combat or
'normal' professional lives. They desire to write, record, and study...and
should
be provided 'boards', 'notes', 'books', 'libraries' and the like for their use.
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Thanks,
Kevin
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