Mage. Priest. FIGHT!

[Desertpuma]

I agree. The Bandage feat plus the Medicine skill with some ranks in Resolve makes for a competent combat medic

[Crafty_Pat]

You wouldn't believe the number of times we marveled at D&D's grip on the fantasy RPG mindset. Everywhere you turn you run into assumptions about how it should work - often with no supporting precedent. It makes the presentation of new ideas... lively (though ultimately rewarding). 

[Agent 333]

I asked my players today to name one non-D&D fantasy setting where mages couldn't heal people, and they couldn't think of one. And they're not completely illiterate either.
Also, one of them (who saw FC for the first time today) fell in love with the system almost immediately. He kept telling me how awesome it was and I had to sit there going "I know! I love it too!" while he's trying to build a mage character. Then he gets to the gear section and finds out you can have magic armor that gives you Resist 10 to Spell damage and he's like "Wow, now I kinda want to retool this character as a Soldier instead of a mage now that I know you can make a mage-hunter that doesn't have to be a mage himself..."
Fun stuff!

[Crafty_Pat]

Glad you guys are enjoying it. This is the part that makes the slog at the end completely worthwhile.

Please do spread the word. I know, I'm like a broken record, but you guys are the best marketing we can possibly hope for. If you like the game, tell people why. Show them why. Make them believe. Make them...

"ONE OF US! ONE OF US!"

 

[Agent 333]

Trust me, I'm doing the best I can. The first thing I did when I got my hands on it was send a massive invitation out to 13 of my closest gaming buddies (read: Everyone I know who plays RPGs). Unfortunately, the response has been... less than stellar, except with the people I can talk to in person about it and show off some of the awesomeness of the system, who all love it. Ok, maybe not all of them love it, but I've got some pretty damned unpleasable friends.

Interesting side note, Firefox's spellchecker doesn't like unpleaseable, and suggests unpleasant as a more correct spelling. That also applies to some of my friends. 

I also ordered the hardcopy through my FLGS instead of pre-ordering directly from Mongoose mostly because I'm fairly sure they wouldn't even look at it if I didn't, but since I did they might pick up a couple extra copies.

[Crafty_Pat]

I also ordered the hardcopy through my FLGS instead of pre-ordering directly from Mongoose mostly because I'm fairly sure they wouldn't even look at it if I didn't, but since I did they might pick up a couple extra copies.

A laudable tactic we fully endorse. Thank ye!

[Morgenstern]

Interesting side note, Firefox's spellchecker doesn't like unpleaseable, and suggests unpleasant as a more correct spelling...

That's because it's spelled 'persnickety' .

[Dhampire]

Regarding the Paths:
You can also emulate a Witch-Doctor fairly easily (Curses, Protection).

I asked my players today to name one non-D&D fantasy setting where mages couldn't heal people, and they couldn't think of one. And they're not completely illiterate either.

I can't remember for certain, but I believe A. A. Attanasio's Artor Series (The Dragon and the Unicorn, et. all) doesn't have healing magic.

[Psion]

Start here - the Priest is not a D&D Cleric. This is important on the road to recovery. They are much closer to  a hybrid of most D&D divine classes (clerics and paladins, mainly) with a whole lot of "devoted guy" from history and fiction mixed in. Don't expect them to be casting machines - if you look at the Paths, you'll see that Priests often don't get spells at all at first level. Some Paths give no spells at all! Hell, they don't start at first level with Turning unless you choose the right Path, either.

I find this a curious and fun thing to play with. I was thinking about making a character who has cleric as a specialty and is, in fact, a mage.

On the other hand, I figure if you tack the magic path on to the chaos alignment, you have the makings of a Melnibonean or Pan Tang priest in a Moorcockian inspired fantasy game. Specialty might be lord or aristocrat for such a character.

[Desertpuma]

Sounds similar to the Priest/Mage thread I had regarding my home game where Alex and I discussed it.

[Rhishisikk]

I find this a curious and fun thing to play with. I was thinking about making a character who has cleric as a specialty and is, in fact, a mage.

This actually does work reasonably well, especially for 'ballad' clerics like (forget his name, Roland's priest from the Charlemaigne saga, the one that spends more time with his mace than his prayer beads).  They can call forth a number of prayers (spells), but it also depends whether the saints/spirits/entities granting those spells favor the character (Is the spell one granted by ranks of Spellcraft?).

It fits well into Norse and Germanic myth, as well as low-mana worlds like Conan.

[prototype00]

Small query, *and I suppose this is for everyone*, do you as GMs favor creating gods, assigning paths and alignment skills, or is it okay to let your players choose (and create their own deity)? I mean, would it break the game if the stars aligned and the right paths were chosen?

prototype00

[Desertpuma]

I prefer to create my own gods who have influenced my game world for millenia. Then again, in my game world, religion is a paramount part of life. Think the Middle Ages and Christianity in Europe but instead of a monotheistic tradition, make it a polytheistic tradition where wars between nations shut down on Holy Days.

However, on certain gods where the avatar has not been chosen, I may allow them to suggest matters. But I also have involved "Divine Interventions" a bit differently involving percentage dice and a particular scale.

[MugMug]

Small query, *and I suppose this is for everyone*, do you as GMs favor creating gods, assigning paths and alignment skills, or is it okay to let your players choose (and create their own deity)? I mean, would it break the game if the stars aligned and the right paths were chosen?

I give the players a pool to start with, and am open to them creating additional.

Walter

[Rhishisikk]

For gods, I tend to go with the iconic Elemental and GoM (Gods of 'Man'), and allow 'Lesser Gods' who aren't as awesome.  Of course, I do not allow such things as St. Michelob (although dwarves DO have holy beer that works just like holy water).  But back on track, this allows holy PCs to serve the deity of their choice.

Of course, I also try to combine Birthright and Primal Orders behind the scenes.  So PCs soon learn that serving their deity increases that deity's power and influence.  I have yet to see a Lesser transcend into the permanent pantheon, but the Greek 'city gods' have actually risen in a few campaigns.