Book 2 – Text Updates 013

[Crovius]

I'm not convinced the caster level or rank is really important. It sounds more like flavor to me.

We're accustomed to games that reward experience based on kills or proximity to battle, but that is simply a limitation of computer-based games. In the old rpgs, you didn't gain a 'level' until you actually spent time training with an instructor, and you could gain the prerequisite 'experience' by doing almost anything related to your character.

To further point out "old rpgs" and leveling: A lot of RPG games discusss alternate methods of gaining exp. Like in D&D when a rouge scouting ahead of the group find a trp and disables it, or even if the group comes along and sets it off, disarming the trap gives exp, and even just surviving the trap is enough to garner some points. (After all, exp from combat is just a reward for surviving the battle). And some DMs give roleplaying xp.

That being said we only know for a fact units gain level by croaking enemy units and winning engagements (Bogroll leveling, twice, when he croaked Ansom, Stanley complaining that his warlords won't level when attakcing the siege if they run away from every fight).

[Dancing Cthulhu]

I'm not convinced the caster level or rank is really important. It sounds more like flavor to me.

Maggie, at least, makes it sound like a Mastermind is more capable then an Adept in some sense of another:

"However structured and competent her mind might be, she was still only an Adept class Thinkamancer. Even a Mastermind would be taxed under these conditions."

If it was just flavor and didn't translate into some tangible benefit there wouldn't be much point of thinking of yourself as "still only an Adept Class" as opposed to a higher ranked caster from your discipline. And lving benefits everyone else, why not a caster? I'd think at the very least gaining a level would give them more juice or something.

Agree about training possibly being used though.

[asparagus]

I am puzzled that people think that Charlescomm being probably aligned with another side (for example Faq) is news. This has been pretty much spelt out. Perhaps people thought that the alliance was verbal only and not turn changing, but that now we know it is turn changing surely noone can claim surprise.

[Dancing Cthulhu]

I am puzzled that people think that Charlescomm being probably aligned with another side (for example Faq) is news. This has been pretty much spelt out. Perhaps people thought that the alliance was verbal only and not turn changing, but that now we know it is turn changing surely noone can claim surprise.

Yeah, I don't think it would be a surprise (unless there is another way for Charlie to be there without turns giving him away), but it just clears it up for good (well, for PlotArmour, but he is gone):

Since Charlescomm didn't go before GK he either has no forces in the BS, or is allied with someone who goes after GK in natural turn order.

[Cyanshine]

Wow, very nice update here with lots of information! Yeah the last quote by Maggie is uberfunny
Many good points here regarding possibilities, what I found most intriguing is the information on turn order and I also ponder on turn length. There probably have been endless forum discussions on it (that I didn't read... some I managed to participate in on giantitp.com), but it is always most intriguing to me that turn can be ended regardless of the length of time expired. And who/what determines turn turn ? (lol)

[Sixty]

I wonder what colors Stanley and Parson wanted the figurines to be?

[asparagus]

I wonder what colors Stanley and Parson wanted the figurines to be?

I suspect it was more that Stanley was asking when Ossomer would be repainted in GK colors, and PArson told him to shut up as Maggie was concentrating.

[Kaed]

I'm rather interested in what the different tiers of skill designation are for casters.

I assume "Master-class" is the highest,, with "Adept" somewhere below it. I suspect there is a "Novice" class of caster at the very bottom, or something like it. Those are starting casters.

[Welf von Ehrwald]

Maybe the Arkentools really want to come together. It seems that a side can only grow to a certain size and then becomes ungovernable, because even a masterclass thinkamancer would be overstrained. With the arkendish, there is no such problem.
Also that once again emphasized how powerful the trimancer link was; they created the eyebooks and the possibility to contact units at all time, without the need to waste the thinkamancers juice. That alone is a huge advantage.

by the way:

Even under a Ruler like Stanley, decisions on the battlefield were usually left to the field Commanders.

Seems like Stanley always meddled with his chief warlords plans. That explains why he is so extra bored now.

[BLANDCorporatio]

Yes! Maggie needs more screen-time, she and Sizemore are criminally underused. A slight irregularity with the battle plan You go Maggie!

As for the information in the update, interesting points. For example, we are told that any unit can report to a same-side Thinkamancer and vice-versa, which was part of a little discussion in a reaction thread a few pages ago. Interesting. It means that any unit near the future battlefield would have been able to inform GK of Wanda's decision to leave Ansom behind. Now, most of those units are decrypteds, but that still leaves Jack and (I think) Vurp (who's that yellow Hobgobwin on the dwagon?) alive and GK-only loyal/duty-bound.

So yes, it's an irregularity but for whatever reason those units saw no need to report it.

As for levelling/gaining proficiency classes, I'm with Lord Kasavin. Levelling seems too battle-specific, so it's probably better to separate battle skill and magic skill.

This does leave Thinkamancers, and Foolamancers even more so, at an apparent disadvantage (and other caster types too). Reason being, unless Maggie goes Hoboken on the marauding hordes, she'll never level by using Thinkamancy skills, which are best thought as auxiliary, administrative stuff. On the other hand, a Dirtamancer can, and did, kill hundreds, and levelled as a result; but since those kills are due to the Dirtamancy being used, you'd expect this type of caster to level and gain proficiency classes at the same time.

One more thing. So Sizemore gained levels by pitting his golems against RCC. Now that he's a higher level, is he also more able to go toe to toe with those units in melee? What about a high-level Shockamancer? Nothing wrong with that btw, maybe that's how you can have Gandalf in Erfworld, a powerful caster unit that starts whacking you with a staff once they run out of juice. And wins.

[Donoterase]

I am guessing that Mastermind is to the thinkamancers what the Grand Abbey is to hippiemancers.

[HandofShadows]

Wanda and company went to Jetstone twenty minutes ago? I don't think Wanda's and Jillians coversation would take that long. I suspect another artfully created curve ball is heading our way.

[build6]

One of the most interesting tidbits to come out of this text update is that Charlescomm is either not in the battlespace, or is allied with someone

I was thinking that that tidbit was either written specifically for our benefit (i.e. not a "rumination of a character in the story"), or else it indicates that Maggie is still very cautious re: charlescomm's status (and very intelligent for doing so!)

[SteveMB]

Wanda and company went to Jetstone twenty minutes ago? I don't think Wanda's and Jillians coversation would take that long. I suspect another artfully created curve ball is heading our way.

"That's how it works! You can't have one universal time in every hex. That's crazy, Warlord!"

[dan2178]

Here's a new possiblity:

Maggie tells Stanley that Ansom isn't going along for the fight which leads to Stanley overreacting and calling off the assault.

[BLANDCorporatio]

"That's how it works! You can't have one universal time in every hex. That's crazy, Warlord!"

You know, I can't shake the feeling that there is a major discovery, for real-Earth physics, lurking in that page and waiting for the right mind to inspire.

[Goshen]

Excellent update, as usual. I just love Maggie's usually understated style.

Maybe they should bring a few archons into the strategy room to help Maggie with her duties. We know that the archons can do simple think-a-grams, and juice is juice. Of course, that would put powerful combat units in the strategy room which are totally loyal to Wanda.

[Goshen]

Wanda and company went to Jetstone twenty minutes ago? I don't think Wanda's and Jillians coversation would take that long. I suspect another artfully created curve ball is heading our way.

Maybe it took a few minutes for them to break stack? Or perhaps it was the flying time from the bridge to where Wanda and Gillian are now.

But yes, it is a little ambiguous, which is perfectly fine with me. I'm all for Rob leaving his options open to twist the plot like crazy.

[gameboy1234]

I wonder what colors Stanley and Parson wanted the figurines to be?

I suspect it was more that Stanley was asking when Ossomer would be repainted in GK colors, and PArson told him to shut up as Maggie was concentrating.

More or less this. I was thinking it was Stanley who wanted to discuss what sort of "kewl kolors" to paint all the miniatures and Parson said he was a grown-up and didn't give a boop.

[ShieldOfAthena]

I'm rather interested in what the different tiers of skill designation are for casters.

I assume "Master-class" is the highest,, with "Adept" somewhere below it. I suspect there is a "Novice" class of caster at the very bottom, or something like it. Those are starting casters.

Novice, Acolyte, Adept, Masterclass at a guess. Mercedes Lackey used that progression for Magic users in the Valdemar world, I forgot where she got it from but it is one of those things that permeates Fantasy, there was probably a "Golden Age" book that invented it that everyone read.

EDIT: Note I said "Masterclass" and not "Mastermind" I think each casting speciality will eventually get its own cool "high level name" Grand Abbey and Mastermind are the two we know.