races

[BelDragos]

Has anyone thought about introducing a Draconian based race? The race could have multiple levels of Blood Purity ranging from a human with only a slight difference to a dragon-like form with wings and capible of flight(avian race). The race could be open to the various skills from the fighters to the mages. I would be interested in playing one of these. The power levels could be adjusted for game balance. Let me know what you think.

[Edited by BelDragos on 09-10-2000 at 10:52 AM]

[Lordosis]

We are kicking around a lizard race, but it's not at the top of the list, mostly because it's been done so many times. But we might change our tune after we get a few more races done.

All "classes" are open to all races in Arcanity since we have a fully skill based system.

I don't think we have any flying races planned for release. Flying will most likely be an activity reservered for the highly skilled.

[KirosBlade]

If my character lives long enough could I be, for example, an male gnome, and kinda marry a halfling female and raise a family and have gnomish halfling kids and the like?

[Wrentia]

I'd really like to find some friendly dragon somewhere willing to take me for a ride....Perhaps a trip to some type of city in the clouds....

-Wrentia

[KirosBlade]

ya know, i was reading the cleric quintet series of books by RA Salvatore and i would tihn a firbolg would rule...anyone who doesnt konw what they are, they are 12 feet tall, abut 800 lbs and have the innate ability to shrink and appear as a pretty big human any time...that would rule

[UBIK]

how about a dragon like race where we could eat other players.... speaking of food, i need diner mmmm.......

[Wrentia]

so I can create and carry around an item called....

Human on a stick

:')

-Wrentia

[UBIK]

mmmmm..... i like your idea wrentia

[Slitherrr]

Attention players:

In response to requests to add a dragon race with cooking skill, we have made the following modifications to the game:

Monks now receive a speed bonus to all attacks.
All humans will receive a speed bonus while running through the areas of Blixnia and Forguson at dark and carrying a Bland Halbard of Angar.
New cooking items have been added:
Human sautee
Fried human kabobs
Western dipped human jerky sticks
However, we have decided not to add the requested item, "Human on a stick," because we feel it would be too unbalancing. Thank you, and have a nice day. And remember...

You're in our world now.

[UBIK]

I want my human on a stick grrr....

CHANT WITH ME!!!

HUMAN ON A STICK!!!HUMAN ON A STICK!!!HUMAN ON A STICK!!!HUMAN ON A STICK!!!HUMAN ON A STICK!!!HUMAN ON A STICK!!!HUMAN ON A STICK!!!HUMAN ON A STICK!!!HUMAN ON A STICK!!!

..now where can i get my banners....

[Wrentia]

Slitherrr is Abashi in desquise! I knew it!

-Wrentia

[BelDragos]

Can we have abashi characters too?

[fredrick]

Implimenting dragons as a player class I think would primarily depend on how dragons are viewed in Arcanity.

I think dragons would be far too popular a race to play if they didn't have some serious disadvantages... so I'm thinking as a dragon fledgling you don't yet have shape-shifting capabilities... and just about any lawful humanoid species kills fledglings on site. (Kill 'em while they're young, and you don't have to deal with them when they're older.)
That would make it REALLY frustrating to play a dragon as a newbie, and as result only the persistant will play them. At some point they get shape-shifting.. but maybe druids always have a decent chance of recognizing them as an abomination. Also, shape-shifting into a human takes concentration and mental endurance, so chances are you can't fight very well as one, and can't remain one for too long.
Of course any human changing into a dragon frightens a crowd which comes back with a mob.

I think that the fact that dragons would have to step lightly around humanoids would make up for the fact that they can fly, and impress other players with their flashy scales :-) (Not to mention having a natural magical armor and weapons)

Dragons would be cool with:
A breathing skill which encompasses the sub-skills:
Ice breath
Fire breath
Poison breath
etc.

It would be super tricky to figure out how equiping works though. You could have them buy items for their humanoid form which transform into a part of their draconic body... but then it implies dragons need humanoid stuff.. which I find hard to swallow.

Maybe everything regarding them is just a skill. claw/tail/fang/breathe.. then of course magic which might also be used to enhance a dragons defence.


All in all, I think dragons would be awsome to play... but as with a bunch of awsome stuff, super hard to impliment properly.

[Kymeri mac An Iolar]

As far as a dragon's humanoid aspect needing anything, it doesn't. It appears human, but is still a dragon. They only thing it would need to worry about is if it was trapped in such a way that it could not transform and fly off. The mmorpg Horizon is coming out with a player Dragon race, but no morphing with it. They are also doing a lizard race.

[BelDragos]

Sounds interesting but they're probably too powerful for the designers to allow. I hope they will but I have my doubts.

[Generic]

Any race can be created in such a way as to be for starting characters. The question is does the game want to reduce the wonder and awe of Dragons and Dragon Kin by reducing the race to that level.......

I agree it depends on the place of Dragons in the world..

just my two cents

[Rolfe]

Oh wow. Ya, that's by far the best answer I've heard, Generic. Isn't it true though too? Dragons aren't INTENDED for players to play. That would be aweful. Imagine dragons running around going, "Ya, EQ, that game really blows. I played it till Arcanity came out then gave away all my stuff and sold my account on Ebay. Did you see that new D&D movie yet? It rocks!" I'm a little reluctant to say the least.

[BelDragos]

I have to agree with you now that I think about it more. It was an idea that I had to put down here.

If I had not, we wouldn't have the ongoing line about cooking things on sticks.

[Kymeri mac An Iolar]

Nice point Generic, I am not sure about that either, but it was only a matter of time before someone tried it. After all we are so awed and trilled at Dragons, who wouldn't at least wish once or twice. I am sure game developers have picked up on that.

[BelDragos]

The only excuse I have is that it was my first Thread.

[efz88]

I would like to see a elemental race that we could play.
Every one wants to be a dragon but how about a fire elemental. Now that would kick ass.

[Generic]

That would be new. I can't think of a game which lets you do it..

It might be hard to play though as many places would not wish you to come inside..

[BelDragos]

Not many places can withstand the raw power of an elemental body. Most magical fires are cold in comparison to elemental fire. You would need elemental water to cancle the elemental fire. Depending on the ruling of who is running the game you might need enchanted water to put out the fires caused by the fire body.

It's a good idea but the problems caused by the presence of a race of characters might be too mutch for the game.

Now as an invading force...

STOP IT!!

Don't give THEM any ideas.

[Generic]

They would be nasty invaders and even if you beat them back they would give a whole new meaning to Scorched Earth..

[Slitherrr]

Hmm, yet another classic game... Ahh, the good ol' days, where my family would play a rousing game of hotseat Scorched Earth every Thanksgiving, after filling their bellies with turkey and pumpkin pie. The memories...

[Generic]

I still have numerous versions of it on my Linux machine..its still a great game..between that and Angband variants I can waste great amounts of time when I'm not in the mood for my heavy graphic windows games...

[BelDragos]

I've never played it.

Just finally got a computer recently.


Been playing tabletop RPGs mostly.

[Dyson]

Just wondering, since I haven't been here lately- is the current plan for the undead race to have you choose it at startup, or to have you become undead later on in the game?

If it's still up in the air, I'm avidly rooting for the latter... this would allow for different twisting plotlines for each character, ie- if you get murdered by poison in an "evil zone," you might have the option of rising as a Shadow or Reverant, or perhaps if your corpse is raised while you're still dead, you have the option of becoming a zombie or skeleton (breaking the raiser's control in the process), while higher level creatures like vampires can only be made by each other (through Embracing or such methods, like in VTM) or by themselves (like Liches and Web Spectres, which can only be made by wizards).

So what's going on with this Undead stuff currently? Someone clue me in.

[BelDragos]

Most people seem to oppose the presence of Undead. It's up to the Brickhouse Staff.

[Generic]

It may remain hard to oppose undead for long as there is a whole guild of players who want them...but I would also be for not having characters start as undead (and giving them the option to turn undead or not if found in the right situation)..

The only problem might be characters getting together to create an undead army by converting each other (though this may be what that guild is planning to do anyway)

[Dyson]

Bel, from what I've seen, a lot of people want undead.
Generic, that's the sort of system I mean. I don't think the Guild thing will be a problem, so long as the penalties are severe enough- ie, Vampires die in the sunlight. Period. None of this corny "resistence through the power of my mind" sillyness I see in so many RPGs now. Also on vampires, you HAVE TO DRINK BLOOD. Whether from goats, rats, NPCs or hapless PCs you can knock unconscious, Vampires need that thorn in their side to keep their numbers down. You don't drink blood, you go into Torpor until you get some blood or someone kills you. Again, Period.

If these limitations are stringent enough, it should offset the number of "casual undead." The people who can survive and thrive as a Vampire will have to work damn hard- they'll make the perfect villains for the rest of us to oppose. I'm all for undead, so long as they're done carefully.

[Dyson]

Reading over my previous posts, I forgot to look beyond Vampires. Since I haven't been able to find much else on the topic, here's the limitations I'd like to see in Undead, if they are implemented.

Skeleton/Zombie: Turnable, may be outright destroyed by a significantly high turn (dependant on relative strength of priest and skeleton; no newbie priest should be able to turn, much less destroy, a high-level skeleton warlord, etc). Subject to various Necromancy spells that target undead.

Shadow/Shade/Wraith: Unable to attack in Sunlight. Suffers extra damage from fire and any spell that has an illuminating component. Turnable, but with much more difficulty then Skeletons or Zombies.

Mummy: Double damage from fire, can be damaged by priestly healing spells. Must make periodic journeys to a "home-base" Temple or Pyramid to recharge life, cannot heal or resurrect otherwise.

Vampire: Can't cross moving water (lakes, streams, etc). Destroyed outright in sunlight. Must drink blood. Double damage from Silver & Fire.

Liches: No outright disadvantages, but a wizard must be of extremely high level to become a liche. The ritual should also be extremely expensive, drawn out, and risky.

As an end note, how about some non-conventional undead? Will-O-Wisps, for instance, who can only heal their wounds by feeding off death (ie, draining the last few HPs from a dying character), or Web Spectres (a form of undead accessible to low-level wizards, but not very powerful- is inhabited by spiders who repair its body, can also repair self by taking webs from old areas- suffers lots of damage from fire, etc).

[Kymeri mac An Iolar]

Some very good ideas for undead Dyson, I wouldn't mind seeing some undead races in Arcanity. It would give those players who just love to be evil a route to go.

[Dyson]

Thank you, Kymeri. That's exactly my sort of thinking, though I also had in mind a few quirky storylines for good players. It might be fun to try running the typical Anne-Rice "I hate my evil existance" undead, living off livestock & whatnot and searching out a quest for redemption...
Maybe there could be some especially high-level magic spells capable of bringing to the Undead back to a living form, but they'd have to require extensive quests, that sort of thing.

It might be a fun tactic to use one against the will of an undead- imagine the band of adventurers who gathers together a potent potion: the next time the local Liche shows up with his army of skeletons, they turn him back into a mortal... :p

[Kymeri mac An Iolar]

Wouldn't one of the high levl Undead Lords love that, one of their own turned against them, oh I love it.

[BelDragos]

How about a Changeling race?

To balance the power of shapeshifting, the player would have to buy the form with skills. They would have to buy a form during the creation.
It would limit both the number of forms and the ability to assume new forms.

Any suggestions?

[Black Adder]

Hrm... You want to stay away from fixing too much at inception, otherwise you have your class system.

Just have shapeshifting as a skill, but a Phat skill that impacts the learning of many other skills.

In other words, almost everyone could become a decent cook without having much impact on their melee or magic skills, but the 'skill' to shapeshift would have a big impact on the other important skills.

You know how UO has the 700 point cap and all skills max at 100?

Well have things like cooking and fishing go 1-100 (or whatever) also, but have 100 points in cooking only impact your skill 'cap' like mayby 20 points into 2handed swords would, or 20 points into shapeshift: werewolf.

Caprice?

[BelDragos]

I don't mean that shapeshifting is a skill. I am suggesting a race of shapeshifters like Udo on DS9 or like dopplegangers. To keep them from being too powerful I suggested hey would have to purchise their forms. It would limit them from being every bush, tree, or rock. Also size and weight would be a limiting factor, A 150 pound dragon would be pretty much a hatchling. Imitating a specific person would involve "buying" that form in addition to the persons general race form. It would also involve a lengthy study time to immitate the personality of the target. (You would become suspicious if your friend Fred were to suddenly start acting and walking differently.)

Lyncanthropy would be handled differently, probably as a curse or magical disease.

Any ideas?

[Dyson]

i think shapeshifting races sounds fun later on in the game, but for first release, i'd rather we focus on getting the main races right. If you're really dying to shapeshift or impersonate straight off the bat, stick your points into Alteration and Illusion magic.

[BelDragos]

Just a thought I wanted to share.

[Dyson]

That's what the boards are for. :)

[BelDragos]

I know.

[George]

What 6 races would I like to see at the start of the game?

I would like to see a mix of old standbys, new races and under-appreciated ones. My choices would be the following and some influences would be:

Classic:
Dwarves (AD&D & Warhammer Fantasy)
Elves (AD&D & Warhammer Fantasy)
Humans (Very Diverse)

New:
Akazi (Arcanity)

Unusual:
Minotaur ( AD&D: Dragonlance Type)
Trolls (EQ )

As follow up races the following are all good candidates:

Ogres, Saurians, Merfolk, Insectoid/Bugs, Gnome, Halflings, Dark Races, Giants & Half-Giants, Golems, Centaurs, Formians

Races better off left as NPCs and/or available to a select few:
Undead
Dragons
Demons/Devils

Whatever the choices, the should have good backgrounds, politics, religions, social interaction and “character”. Make the society feel alive and real no matter the race chosen. Make each of them good at certain things and not so good at others.

In many fantasy setting some races are well known for certain things. Humans are flexible and dynamic, Dwarves are the best warriors, Elves are master archers and spell casters, Halfling are master rouges….

If I where to make the 6 races for an Arcanity RPG, I would as a GM draw on many elements to make each of them unique. For example:

Dwarves
Influences: AD&D: Dragonlance & The Dwarves Handbook,
Warhammer Fantasy Battles & RPG, Tolkein
Sub-races: Hill, Mountain, Under Dark
Cultural Types: Scottish of course!
Religion: Dwarven Gods of War, Creation and Trade
Racial Weapons: Axes, Hammer, cross bolt, Faith
Racial Combat Tendency: Heavy Infantry Based
Priest Density: High (Divine and Rune Magic)
Wizard Density: Low (Arcane Magic)
Psionics: Medium
(etc)

And so on. Your mileage may vary, but I am a strong proponent of Classical Archetypes.

My 2 coppers worth,

George

(Words any of my old Dwarven PCs would state)

“Mr. Lamont, your reference to us dwarves as “hairy, stinky humans that are small” smacks of the typical racist attitude you humans are well known for. What you don’t understand you fear, hate and ridicule. Frankly, I expect something better of someone of your talent and knowledge. You just managed to dismiss the proud , long and honorable traditions, values and achievement of my race across countless multi-planes as mere mockery of human achievements. Normally such an insult to my race deserves an answer from my battleaxe, but I would dishonor my ancestors if I did not give you a chance to admit your ignorance, ask for forgiveness and learn the truth. I advise you do so quickly, thou. Remember, the Dark is to honest for a guilty man.”

PS; Lamon, could you please pick up a copy of Dragon Magazine # 278? You will find many articles dedicated to Dwarves there, and it will help to give you different perspectives on what dwarves are and what they represent. Thank you.


[Edited by George on 01-10-2001 at 09:56 PM]

[Dyson]

George, I think you hit the nail on the head with races. I really like your "starting six." Good combination of classic fantasy and the new & unusual.

One question I'd like to ask the developers- how integrated will the races be at startup? IE, will you be able to place your starting character anywhere you like, or will you be limited to racial Cities (like in EQ) for starting points? Personally, I'm in favor of the latter, will possible starting points based on Skill Focus (ie, a character sinking all his points into warrior skills might have the option of starting out in a local military base, or a character who focuses solely on mining skills may be able to start out in a "tent town" outside of a rich Mining Cave).