Spellbound Update: Where We Are and What Will Happen

[Crafty_Alex]

Their is an awful lot of fantasy works out their where the characters need some sort of bloodline in order to use magic.  Is their going to be a campaign quality/feat in spell bound to cover this?

If you mean species-specific schools and disciplines (such as needing to be a Drake to, say, cast Channeler spells) then yes, there's a campaign quality for that. Fortunately, CQs are perfect for the intersection of fluff and rules - they are about flavor and do not have to pass the same rigors of balancing that universally available options like feats and classes do. They're there entirely to help the GM/group play the game they want

[Sletchman]

Given the release date creep that's currently being undergone by Mistborn, do you guys have any notion of when we might be seeing Spellbound?  Even a vague one?

[Crafty_Pat]

Given the release date creep that's currently being undergone by Mistborn, do you guys have any notion of when we might be seeing Spellbound?  Even a vague one?

See our note in the Mistborn update about dates. We'll talk about one when the project is done, not before. Never, ever before.

[Goodlun]

Will we be seeing a feat/feat chain or some other option (other than taking a class) that grants subtle and quick to anger class ability? 

[Crafty_Pat]

Will we be seeing a feat/feat chain or some other option (other than taking a class) that grants subtle and quick to anger class ability? 

Unlikely. That way lies madness for everyone.

[SilvercatMoonpaw]

That way lies madness for everyone.

Madness?

THIS.  IS.  FANTASYCRAFT!

No, seriously, I'm sure you guys could figure out a way to make it work.  You're good like that.  You just have more important things right now.

[Sletchman]

That way lies madness for everyone.

Madness?

THIS.  IS.  FANTASYCRAFT!

No, seriously, I'm sure you guys could figure out a way to make it work.  You're good like that.  You just have more important things right now.

I totally agree with Pat here.  If you have it as a feat, then you have the problem of a Spellcasting feat that grants a feat, which makes it a no brainer choice for a free +1 to casting DC (among other small effects) - the same problem faced by the Blessed + Path of Magic (1st printing) combo (but to a lesser degree, balance wise).  It's also a feat that gives a 4th level class ability (referring to Cross-Training, because it's the only way a non-mage gets that ability), which is too potent.

As a second / third feat in a chain, you have the problem that the chain has to be useful for non-casters (in theory it should be designed to be taken exclusively by non-casters), while still fitting an established and strong theme.  Which sounds utterly maddening to write and balance while maintaining flavour.

Perhaps something like this would be far more balanced:

Wild Talent (Spellcasting or Species Feat - leaning towards the latter)
Magic courses through your veins, the source of which is unknown and inexplicable.
Benefit:  Choose one Discipline.  You may take ranks in the Spellcasting Skill, learn spells from your chosen Discipline and cast them as if you were a spellcaster.
Special: If you already possess the ability to learn and cast spells from other Disciplines, this new chosen Discipline is added to those you those you may learn and cast spells from.

Sort of like a slightly variant "Extra Discipline" feat, far more balanced then giving access to every discipline as a feat and works in a balanced fashion for both existing casters, and non-casters.  Non-casters wishing to expand their spell access can then take Extra Discipline, as normal.  Should allow non-casters access to the non-full casting expert classes too, while maintaining a strong flavour (a Burglar -> Mist Dancer for example).

[SilvercatMoonpaw]

Perhaps something like this would be far more balanced:

That's more-or-less what I meant: they'd give us something to fulfill the need, but balanced.

[Soulcatcher]

As a second / third feat in a chain, you have the problem that the chain has to be useful for non-casters (in theory it should be designed to be taken exclusively by non-casters), while still fitting an established and strong theme.  Which sounds utterly maddening to write and balance while maintaining flavour.

Maybe have The Gift be the first feat?

[Crafty_Pat]

Conceptually it's wildly divergent from everything else in the system. True spellcasting - not a divine gift of specific ability or a similar racial ability but the ability to study and cast spells (in the broad sense), is presented as a matter of training everywhere, and that's intentional. It's our take that you should have to devote long, hard hours to the effort (i.e. class levels).

[Sletchman]

Conceptually it's wildly divergent from everything else in the system. True spellcasting - not a divine gift of specific ability or a similar racial ability but the ability to study and cast spells (in the broad sense), is presented as a matter of training everywhere, and that's intentional. It's our take that you should have to devote long, hard hours to the effort (i.e. class levels).

Not to mention the horrible domino effect from things that are tied to the class structure.  Does the feat grant caster levels?  Virtual caster levels?  The former makes stacking become an issue (a mage who takes said feat will have X (from Feat) + Y (from class) and be higher then should be possible.  The latter just makes it a bookkeeping mess - you'd have to check each spell you cast against your virtual / real caster level, and when used as a pre-req it becomes an even bigger mess.

Which is why (among other reasons not listed) I agreed that it will end in madness for everyone earlier.

On another note - have you (or Alex) played Dragon Age: Origins?  If so, is there a Walking Bomb type spell coming?  If not, here are some details on the DA wikia.  Looking more towards support of the concept then the mechanics at play (in case it's similar, but different).

[Crafty_Pat]

On another note - have you (or Alex) played Dragon Age: Origins?  If so, is there a Walking Bomb type spell coming?  If not, here are some details on the DA wikia.  Looking more towards support of the concept then the mechanics at play (in case it's similar, but different).

I actually managed to miss the series entirely (work has been a harsh mistress, especially over these last few years), but I just picked up the Ultimate Edition. I'll get to it... eventually. Skyrim first.

::looks at the wiki page::

Yeah, we can make that happen. There are still some holes in the spell structure. I'll flag this and see if I can wedge it in somewhere when I get back to the project.

[Fenn Grunberg]

Hi everybody: a Christmas' letter, for Santa Claus, or Santa Craft, if you want: please, make the Spellbound supplement AVAILABLE SOON!!!
Many Thanks,
Fenn Grunberg 

[Kaarn]

One thing bugs me.... Is there a spellcasting class similar to the "Eberron" Artificer ?
Or is that something you intend to put in "Gear for the Ages" ?

[Gentry]

I suspect that the artificer can be done via Keeper and the Crafting/Magic Item feats.