Playtest Poll

[Admin]

Hey all,

I am waiting on confirmation, but I have been told that the above play tests may or may not be usable by chapters running ninth edition up until the end of this year. If that is true, then we would like your input on whether or not we should take advantage of this limited-time opportunity to run with any or all of them here.

The rules on each play test can be found here:

www.nerolarp.com/playtests/PlaytestTOC.htm

If we go with any of them, we will be implementing a system to track information on how they run and how they effect the game, so that good information can be passed on to the national folks about each play test.

So, let us know what you think? Do we want to try any of these out? Please bare in mind that they will only be in effect until the end of the year and that there is likely to be a one-year moritorium on play tests at that point. So, if you fall in love with the play test, expect to have it unceremoniously yanked out of your hands for a year.

Thanks for your input,

Bill

[Bud Lewis]

I know nature nagic has gotten a really bad wrap in some areas, but when I've seen it done right, it just seems to fit the setting. And I think it would be a nice addition to Sanctuary's style and tone regarding magic and the people that actually live there, not us crazy adventurers who go stomping around.

[Eileen Gallagher]

Bud although I agree with you on what it can add to the game the playtest listed on national is ridiculous and I wish they had not screwed up the package the midwest was using two years ago. We were banned from using a good version of Nature magic just so National could add this piece of junk.
You should know that I loved Nature magic considering how connected to all that I have allowed my PC to get over the years, but I wish you could have played with the Chronicles Playtest for Nature and Wild Magic as it was awesome.

[Sticks]

My concern with nature magic is that it would only be available till the end of the year. So while it makes a lot of sense to have it available under the current plotline I worry that it will entice players and then simply have the rug pulled out from under them.

While this also applies for the crafting playtest, we have a good number of players at Metro who are already working on crafting and wouldnt be rewriting into or out of that system based upon the playtest. I really like the concept of crafters being able to make things that are worthwhile and cant be mass accumulated by anyone with goblin stamps. Right now every player can spend 100 goblins per month to get 100 LEVELS worth of production. Why bother playing a crafter when nobody wants to buy your wares because goblin points make them virtually worthless. With the crafting playtest at least crafters can make something that not everyone can just buy with gobs.

Just my opinion,
Evan

[Eileen Gallagher]

My reason for saying yes to the playtests is to be able to give feedback. Essentially Nature scholars will simply go to a different school when the play test ends. It was smooth enough two years ago when we had to do this in the midwest. I think its a good idea to see what we think of these. With the mix of newer and older players that we have I believe we are a good chapter to test things for feedback.

[jordancbrun]

The cheese stands alone here. I voted for no playtests because I think we should take 9th edition a step at a time. If all of these might go poof after just two of our events anyways, it behooves us to focus on the immediate changes and disregard what might be in preference to knowing the hardline, established system without fail.

[Admin]

I'm really torn on the idea, myself. And that's why I asked for some feedback via this poll.

I feel like the 9th edition rules are an improvement, over all. However, I feel like they improved some areas while neglecting others. This really shows through in the crafting skills.

Smithing is improved. Smiths have additional abilities that they can use their levels for (rapid re-fit, sharpening, silvering) that cannot be achieved through goblin stamp redemption.

So why did every other crafting skill not get similar treatment? Alchemy's only change was to increase the levels needed to throw gases. That was a needed change, in my opinion, but after those levels are achieved, there is no reason to buy further levels.

Scrolls and potions are even worse. You don't need the creation skill to use them at all, and there is absolutely no reason to take the skill if you have a ready supply of goblin stamps.

That's why I am probably pro-smithing-enhancement. I'd like to put these things into play and then be able to tell national how great they worked so that we can get them into the rules eventually.

I'm really torn about Nature Magic. I like the idea of Nature Magic (as if I needed to say that, considering the bent of many of our plots). However, I feel like this package is not very well done. I don't feel like it does a good job of adding much to the game. I feel like feedback from its implementation would be along the lines of:

"Love the idea of nature magic, but this package is kind of lame."

So, is it worth it to dangle it out there for a couple months only to take it away at the end of the year? I don't know, but I lean towards "not" considering that it's a bit trickier to bring it in and then back out.

That said, if we do implement Nature Magic, we will have an in-game explanation for its brief resurgence.

[Dieben]

I figure that if we provide enough useful feedback now for these playtests, they may return to us even better in the future. The in-game explanation is indeed a problem, however I think the sheer possibility of the playtests returning in a year or so and not being a pure load of goblin bollocks is too good to pass up. I voted yes to all three with particular focus on nature and crafting.

[YarN]

I just tried to go to the NERO site to reread the Enhanced Crafting play test rules. But they changed the website and now 3/4 of the links don't work.

If anybody saved a copy of these rules could they plase let me know.

Thanks

Michael Elliott sends.

[tux]

So, since the playtests are still inaccessible via the new NERO site, i was hoping someone might have a copy of them they would be willing to propagate?
Been wanting to read up on them for some time now.
Thanks!

Tux

[Admin]

The Enhanced Craftsmen and Spell Storm Playtest can be found here still: www.nerocincinnati.com/playtests.htm

The Nature Magic Rules can be found here: northcoastnero.com/nature-magic-rules-for-review/

Sorry about the continued delay with them getting them up on the national website.

[Sebastian]

I know its late in the game but the above mentioned links show an additional play test:

NERO® Celestial Resistance PlaytestVersion 1.0 060111
For NERO Rules: Eric Bauer, Original Concept by NERO Cincinnati

"To balance out earth and celestial magic, "I call forth spells" can no longer be resisted or returned with resist or return battle magic. This effects PCs and NPCs alike.
I call forth spells can still be resisted by a specific element, for example; resist ice can resist an ice bolt.
I call forth spells can still be cloaked or baned.
Shield Magic and Reflect Magic still works against I call forth spells."

I am not sure this would be considered as it may not have been approved by national but it does address the inbalance of earth and celestial magics.

How does plot feel about this? What does everyone think about this concept? I am personally biased because I play a celestial caster but does this make celestial casters too powerful?

[Admin]

The celestial resistance playtest has been classified as a "non-playtest."

The reason is that it is accomplished by modifying monster stats, not by changing the rule itself.

We aren't implementing this one as a blanket change. However, there was a critter out at the last event that had this limited "resist magic"

[Sebastian]

Thank you for the inforamtion Bill. I have been a bit bored and was reading over playtests or is it may be "non-playtest".

I know many times if changes are done to modify the players abilities, monsters need to be modified as well. The catch 22.

[Sticks]

Assuming the crafting playtest is approved for use. Are all items that we create under the playtest going to become invalid at the end of this year (since the playtest will no longer be available) or will they still have a 2 year duration and we simply cant make any more of them after the end of the year, essentially making them LCO items for the majority of the duration?

Thanks,
Evan