Author Topic: Complete Arcane  (Read 2830 times)

Eagle Prince

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Complete Arcane
« on: November 25, 2004, 07:51:08 AM »
Maybe I'm just into fighters more, but so far I don't like it as much as Complete Warrior.  What I've checked out so far is really well done though, none of the prestige classes are boring and they got some pretty balanced versions of the spontaneous metamagic feats.  The 3 new base classes are interesting, the Warlock uses incantations instead of spells.  Blood Magus prestige class was upped in power to match the stiff prerequisites (namely you have to die and be brought back, which would usually mean you'd need to lose a level to enter it).  There is a summon familar feat that lets you get a familar and count all arcane caster levels as sor/wiz levels for its strength.  Another prestige class lets bards advance bardic music and eventually gain 9th level sorcerer spells.

One new prestige class that caught my eye was the Green Star Adept.  Once each generation, the comet Alhazarde- the legendary green star- visits the night skies, and strange stuff happens.  This lasts for about a week, and parts of the comet fall off and their starmetal can be collected and brewed into a potion.  It costs 1000 gp to prepare, and the Green Star Adept must consume one once per level, making it a quite costly prestige class.  You gain none of the class benefits when you level until you have consumed another elixer.  Eventually the class turns you into a green statue of yourself and you become the construct type.
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The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers

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Re: Complete Arcane
« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2004, 09:59:30 AM »
a construct player sounds cool. I love it when the balance issues have a real application in the game. You have to go on missions to level? You could have tons more experience than your level, cuz you need to do something first.

Eagle Prince

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Re: Complete Arcane
« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2004, 12:52:31 PM »
Well not so much a mission, you just need the elixer.  but I guess if you didn't have any starmetal, then it might be hard to find some (since the comet only passes by once per generation... although once you finish the PrC, you gain timeless body *and* never will die of old age).
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Re: Complete Arcane
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2004, 01:04:33 PM »
see, a good GM will make you go on an adventure for that.

Eagle Prince

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Re: Complete Arcane
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2004, 01:34:23 PM »
Good, or mean. ;D
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Re: Complete Arcane
« Reply #5 on: November 25, 2004, 01:56:11 PM »
i didn't realize there was a difference.

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Re: Complete Arcane
« Reply #6 on: November 25, 2004, 02:51:09 PM »
Careful EP, your giving me ideas.
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Eagle Prince

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Re: Complete Arcane
« Reply #7 on: November 25, 2004, 03:18:58 PM »
So now you have to adventure to earn the XP to level, then adventure again to gain the benefits of leveling. :(
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Re: Complete Arcane
« Reply #8 on: November 27, 2004, 05:28:06 AM »
Sounds like fun right?
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Re: Complete Arcane
« Reply #9 on: November 27, 2004, 05:32:12 PM »
heh heh, depends what character I'm playing.
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Re: Complete Arcane
« Reply #10 on: November 27, 2004, 05:54:27 PM »
What will be even better is when you finally complete your quest to level, you will die and lose a level.
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Eagle Prince

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Re: Complete Arcane
« Reply #11 on: November 29, 2004, 10:37:23 AM »
Yeah I spent a bit more time reading the book.  The new Warlock class has incantations instead of spells, these are basically spell-like abilities usable at will.  Although he only gets about 12 of them total, but can spend feats to learn more (1 per feat).
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Re: Complete Arcane
« Reply #12 on: November 29, 2004, 12:06:22 PM »
Is he able to change them? Or is it a one time deal type of thing?
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Eagle Prince

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Re: Complete Arcane
« Reply #13 on: November 29, 2004, 12:15:35 PM »
Every time they learn a new incantation, they can change out an old one for something else.
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Prometheus

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Re: Complete Arcane
« Reply #14 on: November 29, 2004, 08:03:35 PM »
With the starmetal quest idea-thing, it'd be interesting to see a campaign where *all* the PCs needed to obtain/do something to progress further in their advancement. That might mean making a wide variety of 'starmetal' classes, but it's still an interesting concept.

I took a look at Complete Arcane down at a game shop, and I was pleased by the additional attention that Abjuration specifically and the Dispel Magic subgame got. My roleplaying group already knows that I'm a fan of Abjuration.  :D

Specifically, we're now seeing classes that carry bonuses to resist being dispelled (indicating that someone thinks it should be happening) as well as additional magic-dispel-like spells for a mage to play with. There are some new spells that actually penalize an opponent for having active spell effects on them, including a high-level spell that can actually steal buffs off one creature and give them to the one who cast the spell.

The Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil was also a cool Abjurer-ish PrC (finally). Very cool.

I didn't take an extensive look at the rest, but there were some other random things that looked pretty neat to me as well.
« Last Edit: November 29, 2004, 08:08:58 PM by Prometheus »
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