| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 23 Mar 2013 : 12:04:39
I've only recently started reading through the Midgard campaign setting. However, I just got to the ley line magic system, and it occurs to me that this just fits Rashemen like a glove as the ley lines are tied to "fey magic". I'm thinking with Rashemen drawing from the feywild, it might boast stronger ley lines than elsewhere.
Basically, there's 3 types of ley lines
weak - can affect spells level 0-3 only (found pretty much everywhere)
strong - can affect spells level 0-6 only
titanic - can affect spells level 0-9
For instance, the Urlingwood could be a titanic ley line and maybe throughout the entirety of Rashemen there are strong ley lines (which is why its so special of a land). Freshly tilled land and ground that has been holy consecrated loses its ley lines (note, tilled ground gets it back later... and I don't know how big I am on the consecrated ground thing).
Anyway, most ley lines are "locked" into providing only a certain metamagic feat when tapped (though there's some ley line feats that allow you to draw on a ley line for more simple benefits like adding +1 to a spell DC), but someone with the right feats and money can change what metamagic feat is "locked". It does say also that some ley lines may support multiple feats, but no methodology is given for that. Personally, I like a simple system, so I'm thinking something like strong can support 2 feats from the weak ley line table and one from the strong one. Titanic can support 1 from the titanic table, 2 from the strong table, and 6 from the weak table.
To use ley lines, you have to have certain feats. Note, that for the most part, any ley line you run across at a given spot will have a random metamagic feat upon it, but the DM may say that certain NPC's setup in a certain place and locked a certain metamagic feat to the ley line there for whatever purpose (i.e. enchanters lock a strong ley line at a big battlefield filled with undead to the pathfinder version feat threnodic spell so that they can mind control undead and turn them against the evil necromancers who have taken up residence).
When using ley lines, you have to make a check, and there's a chance you may temporarily burn out the ley line. Most powers return in 24 hours, but more powerful effects take longer. My take on that would be you burn out that particular metamagic feat from the ley line and any weaker ones (such that for instance, a strong ley line that has a strong effect and 2 weak ones you could fail and lose just a weak effect, but if you fail using the strong one, all the ley line benefits are burned out temporarily).
Anyway, I felt like this system might work well with wild mages. Maybe not replacing the randomness of the wild mage system, but maybe wild mages taking the ley line feats can randomly for them draw any feat supportable by said ley line (even ones not currently locked into it). There would need to be some drawback thing for them as well, such that this isn't just a benefit (not too horrible, they did after all take a feat). Maybe they have a bigger chance of ley line burnout. Maybe ley line burnout does something to them. |
| 19 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| TBeholder |
Posted - 25 Mar 2013 : 21:48:34
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
If it was in Ed's Realms, it can be made to work. Maybe not the Midgard system (as expressed, I prefer something more freeform for the Realms), but ley lines can work.
Ley lines in some form can work. Places-of-power in general are present in all versions of canon, and lines can be a subset of this.
I doubt that it can work this way: as a hybrid of Earth Nodes introduced (along with lots of really weird stuff) in Underdark - where they came from, BTW? - with color-coded system of Magic The Dithering, all deeply rooted in the feat mechanics and salted with completely random throw-ins (wild mages? seriously?).
I don't doubt that juggling tools for the sake of juggling tools leads to building anything good and wholesome only by a freak accident. After seeing way too many obvious results of such an approach and a few times doing this myself. 
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
The question has always been not whether they're there, but what mechanical system makes sense for their use.
By now, the question is: how many times magic-users as much as took these in consideration... in all the rulebooks, modules and novels released so far put together? Which leads us to the posteriori estimate - how much they affect anything? |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 25 Mar 2013 : 20:23:29
quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
I fail to see how it could possibly fit into FR, though. While it obviously could work... somewhere not-yet-defined.
There's always been discussion of ley lines and the realms. Hell, I think there was a dragon article that mentioned it way back when birthright also mentioned ley lines. The question has always been not whether they're there, but what mechanical system makes sense for their use. This system from Midgard with some modification is relatively simple enough for its use.
I do agree with Wooly that maybe some "other" benefits besides metamagic feat modification might be possible, which is why I'm encouraging the discussion. For instance, there's this part of me that says the vremyonni maybe are where they are (the running rocks) because somehow the ley lines help with item manufacture. However, we also already have magical locale rules that are out there for if we just want to add bonuses to areas, and those don't really involve ley lines. However, nothing says the two rulesets don't dovetail (i.e. intrinsically magical places are also where ley lines are drawn).
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| Markustay |
Posted - 25 Mar 2013 : 19:45:57
There was a leyline system in the AEG book Secrets - a lot of interesting ideas in there. Not all I would use, and IIRC I wasn't overly impressed with their leyline 'system' either. It was pretty convoluted and hard to nail down for a game. They had dozens of different types (with varying strengths) that affected all sorts of subjects, from magic, to conflict, to mercantilism, to healing (etc). It wasn't even really related to the fey (I think the Fey were merely the first to 'discover' them).
I like the idea of leylines - I assume they are present on my campaign world - I just haven't decided how to handle them yet. Thanks for the heads-up... I'll have to check out Midgard. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 25 Mar 2013 : 18:59:27
quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
I fail to see how it could possibly fit into FR, though. While it obviously could work... somewhere not-yet-defined.
If it was in Ed's Realms, it can be made to work. Maybe not the Midgard system (as expressed, I prefer something more freeform for the Realms), but ley lines can work. |
| TBeholder |
Posted - 25 Mar 2013 : 17:58:59
I fail to see how it could possibly fit into FR, though. While it obviously could work... somewhere not-yet-defined. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 25 Mar 2013 : 13:27:59
not going to quote, just to make it easier to read.
I love the idea that during certain "times" certain areas may see heightened strength in their ley lines. It might be of interest to put these variations as based on the "color" idea I was discussing. For instance, a volcano might turn the ley line "red" for fire.... whenever the volcano is active, maybe the ley line jumps in power. Similarly, a "black" ley line because of a powerful battle might become heightened by sacrificing a large number of souls there. The ones whose primary foundation is "green"/nature would fit the seasonal situation. Just an idea, not sure how complex I'd want to make things, since part of this system would also be cataloging the ley lines of faerun to a degree (not perfectly mind you as ley lines would change over time).
On the Moonshaes being just as powerful with ley lines as Rashemen / the High Forest, yep, I'd agree. Especially in Gwynneth/Myrloch Vale/Sarifal. Also, Ruathym had a powerful tree like Yggdrasil didn't it? Locally that one might be titanic. |
| TBeholder |
Posted - 25 Mar 2013 : 10:33:55
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
I've only recently started reading through the Midgard campaign setting. However, I just got to the ley line magic system, and it occurs to me that this just fits Rashemen like a glove as the ley lines are tied to "fey magic".
Er... why and how? And how it's different from the rest of the Weave?
quote:
I'm thinking with Rashemen drawing from the feywild, it might boast stronger ley lines than elsewhere.
From what? Oh, never mind then. 
quote:
Anyway, most ley lines are "locked" into providing only a certain metamagic feat when tapped
It's already the tool-centered approach. I.e. you're seeking "where to apply a hammer" rather than "what to use to drive nails down". Just like it was with alignment, element, "energy" etc -counterpart copycats. Or e.g. all those ugly, near-unusable interfaces built from randomly playing with a GUI-builder rather than trying to do something particular. 
quote:
Anyway, I felt like this system might work well with wild mages. Maybe not replacing the randomness of the wild mage system, but maybe wild mages taking the ley line feats can randomly for them draw any feat
Wait, having everything tool-centered and randomly shoehorned is the best tradition of D&D3.5 "innovations". So, what edition it is supposed to be?  |
| Darkmeer |
Posted - 25 Mar 2013 : 05:00:07
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Darkmeer
Now, I divide my ley lines into two categories, seasonal (thus only during certain seasons are they most powerful, then on the "one step" they are moderately powerful, then on the opposite season they are weakest) and crossroads, which tend to have a stable, moderate power level across the board.
That's a nifty idea, too. Are your seasonal lines strongest on days like solstices or equinoxes? (equinoces? equinoxen? equini?)
While I really would like to have said that they do get more powerful, unfortunately, I had not done that. Now that you mention it, I think moving them up to the "titanic" level Sleyvas shows on their respective Equinox/Solstice (Hah! I got away with not trying and failing to spell their plural!  ). Mind you, I've had ley lines and known relative strength, I've not had any rules in mind. Sleyvas's Midgard rules are making me bring out my battered Realms notebook of ideas and add more ideas.
Given more description from Sleyvas (as I do not own the Midgard campaign setting):
Seasonal Ley Lines:
Strongest during season (category 3)
Off Season (i.e. ley line is summer, so "off season" is fall/Spring): Category 2
Weakest during alternate season (as above, but alt season is Winter): Category 1
During their respective equinox or solstice, these ley lines move to category 4 as indicated by Sleyvas above. While I may not have come up with the idea, Wooly, it makes sense for their seasonal "strength" day to be the strongest for the ley line
Crossroads:
Crossroads tend to be very stable in power, some stronger than others, and these ley lines are where others meet to join. So, they get a boost and never have an "off" season.
Now, here's how I'll classify my crossroads (working within Sleyvas' framework):
Two "weak" ley lines meeting=category 2, Category 3 on all solstices and equinoxes
Two moderate (or two weak plus a moderate, or six weak): Category 3
Three strong ley lines meeting: Category 4, category 5 during all solstices and equinoxes.
Six or more strong ley lines meeting (I'm looking at you Rasheman and the Moonshaes): Category 5, obscenities thrown during all solstices and equinoxes, as magic becomes a little more... unstable. These areas would be the best for researching for wild magic.
While not lining up perfectly with Sleyvas, what do you think?
Also, Sleyvas, given the Earthmother has so much power in the Moonshaes, I would consider that on par with Rasheman, but the people have forgotten about it. I'm thinking something along the lines of crossroads via Chicago in the Dresden Files novels. People in the Moonshaes understand the Earthmother/Chauntea aspect, but had forgotten the use of the ley lines. A ley line caster goes there and is nearly blown up by their own spell (such as mage armor).
The other place I would recommend as a good place for crossroads/Titanic power levels are Chult (pre-spellplague, of course) or perhaps even the capital (name escapes me), The Great Glacier where the wyrm is, and the Black Jungles/Serpentes (find a hidden Sarrukh city). These places hold great natural powers within, and I think that they'd be valid places for the ley lines themselves. I'm thinking significant spiritual locations within the Realms could hold the key to this and I really like Sleyvas' list, I'll brainstorm my side of this later.
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| sleyvas |
Posted - 25 Mar 2013 : 01:25:22
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
You don't need to really expand the feat list... Just say that for Rashemen, for example, all nature-related spells are automatically maximized and the DC to resist is higher. Or maybe all nature-related spells would be cast as if the caster was 2 or 3 levels higher.
I'm looking for something a little more flavorful and a little less strictly mechanical, at least for some areas.
Well, it could be also that certain colors grant access to certain feats that aren't necessarily metamagic. For instance, perhaps where there's a "green" ley line, characters can apply the effects of the "magic of the land" feat to their spells. I know you can just free-form whatever ability you want to it, but personally I think doing so opens up a can of worms.
Well, I think that if you put certain abilities on ley lines in certain areas, but these abilities are not shared by ley lines in other areas, then it really adds to the flavor of the location and to the wonder of magic in general. I'm not saying that every single ley line is going to have a unique ability -- going with metamagic feats for "generic" ley lines is fine. But for ley lines in specific areas -- and again, Rashemen is a great example -- then adding something on top of that generic feat makes it something more special.
Another idea is to add specific spells to ley lines... Maybe make it so that, in addition to having the "tap ley line" feat (assuming there is one), then you'd also have to do some ritual to attune yourself to a ley line. For the additional spells, make it something like the domain powers clerics get.
Well, at least there's interest here, so I'll relay a little more of the idea that they did with Midgard, as far as how to get the access. Obviously, it can be altered to fit the realms
There's 4 basic ley line feats and 3 "we're specialists in ley lines" feats. There's also another feat that's basically twin spell metamagic that you use with ley lines.
the 4 basic ones
ley line magic - you can tap ley lines & once per day you can regain one spell or spell slot of your choice (note, it doesn't state it, but I'd assume the refill is "up to the strength of the ley line nearby".... so if you're only near weak ones, you're onlyr refilling 3rd lvl and under).
ley line channeling - builds off 1st, when you're within a mile of a ley line, you can reduce the increase in spell lvl of a metamagic by 1 (while preparing spells for prepared casters or for spontaneous only when casting)
ley line override - builds off 1st and 2nd, once a day when within a mile of a ley line you may cast a spell as if it were affected by a single metamagic feat YOU POSSESS without altering its spell slot or having prepared it with the feat. No going beyond 9th lvl (i.e. IF theoretically you wanted to put a metamagic feat on an 8th lvl spell that would normally add 2 spell levels, no workie). Note, this is an override, so you're not confined by whatever feats are available to a given ley line PLUS its on the fly BUT its limited by the available ley line STRENGTHS.
ley line locking - you can lock/unlock certain feats to a ley line based upon its strength (i.e. you come across a weak ley line that's offering up still spell for free, and you change it to extend spell or silent spell). NOTE: most ley lines of any major power are found already locked by whoever came along before you to a certain feat. Since weak ley lines are pretty much everywhere they'd be pretty much random.
the Other 3 feats are basically
"you can draw upon a ley line to mechanically empower your spell - +1 DC and +1 per dice to dmg"
"you can drawn upon a ley line to protect yourself for a round when casting - bonus to saves and AC"
"you can draw extra energy from a ley line when you cast and it heals you a tidbit based upon the spell level you cast"
The "how you activate a ley line" is basically a caster level check. The text in the book is a typo, so it'd need clarification. It says 10 + twice the level of the spell, but then it says a 4th lvl spell would be 14 and not 18. Note, this DC goes up by 1 per person using said ley line "during this combat". Failing the DC just means you don't get to add a free metamagic feat, unless you crit fail, in which case you drew the line dry and it needs to refill.
Obviously, since ley lines would be very powerful in Rashemen and say the High Forest, I can see the casters in those areas having a propensity to learn the necessary feat (thus my idea that there may be a subset of hathrans called leythrans that specifically study ley lines). However, since MOST areas are only going to have weak ley lines nearby that only affect 3rd lvl and under spells, I don't see this as really overpowering to drop into the campaign. There might be the occasional strong ley line where a wizard decides he wants to build his magical tower and he locks said ley line to provide whatever feats he customarily likes to use so that they always use 1 less spell level for him (i.e. so he empowers every spell he has when memorizing). If someone were say an incantatrix or Halruaan mage whose class abilities give them a +1 bonus on metamagic spell level, plus they take the ley line channeling feat, plus they take the feat that lets you lessen metamagic costs of a certain metamagic feat that you know (forget its name), you could theoretically start quickening all of your spells with 1 spell level..... IF you can build your wizard's tower on top of a titanic ley line and hold back your enemies who realize what you've done....
However, holding a titanic ley line to yourself could be problematic since someone only has to get within a mile of it to use it. Hmmm, actually, that could be pretty interesting that there might be certain inns out in the countryside that don't quite understand why these wizards all pop in every night and take a room and breakfast only to leave the next morning. Maybe they actually believe the story that the Innkeep makes the best blueberry pancakes they've ever had.....
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| sleyvas |
Posted - 25 Mar 2013 : 00:37:03
quote:
Originally posted by Darkmeer
Now, I divide my ley lines into two categories, seasonal (thus only during certain seasons are they most powerful, then on the "one step" they are moderately powerful, then on the opposite season they are weakest) and crossroads, which tend to have a stable, moderate power level across the board.
I believe that I have a few guesses to where some of the more powerful Faerunian ley lines are:
Along the spine of the world would fit a winter theme
The Chultan Peninsula would fit a spring theme
Through either Calimsham or Athkatla for summer
and Along the sword coast/inter the western heartlands or near Thay for Fall.
Unknown: The Moonshaes.
Crossroads:
Myth Drannor,
Rasheman
Silverymoon and environs
The Thayan Plateau
the Shaar (could also be a Summer ley lines)
Outside of Ed's Realms, I'd place a strong wager on Maztica.
That's just locations (and an idea on rotating power levels) but that would be my guess. I hope, Sage, that neither you nor Ed are too terribly bored with my "location list."
Actually, I was hoping someone might start an idea for a locations list. Going with the idea as presented in the midgard campaign setting, there are the 3 "strengths" of ley lines. I'd go so far as to say maybe there's 5? The 4th "strength" I'd have only in Rashemen, and it would simply have multiple "titanic" level strengths (say it equates to 2 titanic level strength ley lines, with a corresponding 4 strong ley lines, and 8 weak ley lines) in the area.... The 5th "strength" I'd have only in Rashemen, and it would simply have multiple "titanic" level strengths (say it equates to 3 titanic level strength ley lines, with a corresponding 6 strong ley lines, and 12 weak ley lines) in the area.... plus MAYBE somehow it can enhance the higher magics (i.e. 10th lvl and above spells, elven high magic, epic magic, etc...). This 5th strength would ONLY be at the heart of the Urlingwood and would explain why it was so zealously guarded (or somewhere else considered THAT magically powerful, such as maybe surrounding Karsus' fallen body).
So, we already establish, weak ley lines that could affect 3rd lvl spells and under are pretty much everywhere. Where might there be some "strong" and where might there be some "titanic" and where might there be some "that 4th & 5th version that we didn't name". Also, if there might be a "color"/theme to the ley line what might it be (note, there might be more colors/themes than I laid out... for instance, I'm thinking an affinity to conjuration magic coudl be one)?
Throwing out there some ideas just to get the wheel turning:
strong
Calimport - "silver"/air
Selmalyr (where the Marid States started)- "blue"/cold&water
Kzelter in Tethyr (due to link established to caverns in elemental plane of earth in -7717 DR) - "brown"/earth
Memnon - "red"/fire
titanic
Myth Drannor - "no color"
Elven Court - "green"/nature
Thazalhar (where was for Thayan independence won) - "black"/necromancy
The High Forest (its entirety) - "green"/nature
Hellgate Keep - "no color"
"the 4th category"
The running rocks (i.e. where the vremyonni are) - "brown"/earth, "white"/positive energy&abjuration,
Erech Forest (i.e. where the Durthan's were) - "black"/necromancy, "violet"/fey/illusory/enchantment,
Ashenwood (i.e. Rashemi place where they hunt "perfect" animals and create telthors) - "violet"/fey/illusory/enchantment, "green"/nature
Unicorn Run in the High Forest - "violet"/fey/illusory/enchantment, "green"/nature
Grandfather Tree in the High Forest - "green"/nature, "brown"/earth
Star Spires in the High Forest - "silver"/air, "brown"/earth
"the 5th category"
Urlingwood (where the wychlaran hold as spiritually powerful)- "green"/nature, "brown"/earth, "blue"/cold&water
The Dire Wood (The High Forest where Karsus' body is) - "black"/necromancy, "violet"/fey/illusory/enchantment, "green"/nature
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| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 24 Mar 2013 : 03:38:22
quote:
Originally posted by Darkmeer
Now, I divide my ley lines into two categories, seasonal (thus only during certain seasons are they most powerful, then on the "one step" they are moderately powerful, then on the opposite season they are weakest) and crossroads, which tend to have a stable, moderate power level across the board.
That's a nifty idea, too. Are your seasonal lines strongest on days like solstices or equinoxes? (equinoces? equinoxen? equini?) |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 24 Mar 2013 : 03:34:33
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
You don't need to really expand the feat list... Just say that for Rashemen, for example, all nature-related spells are automatically maximized and the DC to resist is higher. Or maybe all nature-related spells would be cast as if the caster was 2 or 3 levels higher.
I'm looking for something a little more flavorful and a little less strictly mechanical, at least for some areas.
Well, it could be also that certain colors grant access to certain feats that aren't necessarily metamagic. For instance, perhaps where there's a "green" ley line, characters can apply the effects of the "magic of the land" feat to their spells. I know you can just free-form whatever ability you want to it, but personally I think doing so opens up a can of worms.
Well, I think that if you put certain abilities on ley lines in certain areas, but these abilities are not shared by ley lines in other areas, then it really adds to the flavor of the location and to the wonder of magic in general. I'm not saying that every single ley line is going to have a unique ability -- going with metamagic feats for "generic" ley lines is fine. But for ley lines in specific areas -- and again, Rashemen is a great example -- then adding something on top of that generic feat makes it something more special.
Another idea is to add specific spells to ley lines... Maybe make it so that, in addition to having the "tap ley line" feat (assuming there is one), then you'd also have to do some ritual to attune yourself to a ley line. For the additional spells, make it something like the domain powers clerics get. |
| Darkmeer |
Posted - 24 Mar 2013 : 02:46:07
Now, I divide my ley lines into two categories, seasonal (thus only during certain seasons are they most powerful, then on the "one step" they are moderately powerful, then on the opposite season they are weakest) and crossroads, which tend to have a stable, moderate power level across the board.
I believe that I have a few guesses to where some of the more powerful Faerunian ley lines are:
Along the spine of the world would fit a winter theme
The Chultan Peninsula would fit a spring theme
Through either Calimsham or Athkatla for summer
and Along the sword coast/inter the western heartlands or near Thay for Fall.
Unknown: The Moonshaes.
Crossroads:
Myth Drannor,
Rasheman
Silverymoon and environs
The Thayan Plateau
the Shaar (could also be a Summer ley lines)
Outside of Ed's Realms, I'd place a strong wager on Maztica.
That's just locations (and an idea on rotating power levels) but that would be my guess. I hope, Sage, that neither you nor Ed are too terribly bored with my "location list." |
| The Sage |
Posted - 24 Mar 2013 : 00:55:10
quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Heh. Interestingly enough, ley lines were in Ed's original Realms. Everywhere. Remembered by few, but the witches of Rashemen and the northern barbarians (now the Uthgardt) were among the rememberers.
love to all,
THO
Very interesting.
Can you elaborate some more on these ley lines in Ed's original Realms, my lady? Especially within the context of the Uthgardt and the Rashemar? |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 23 Mar 2013 : 15:17:59
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
You don't need to really expand the feat list... Just say that for Rashemen, for example, all nature-related spells are automatically maximized and the DC to resist is higher. Or maybe all nature-related spells would be cast as if the caster was 2 or 3 levels higher.
I'm looking for something a little more flavorful and a little less strictly mechanical, at least for some areas.
Well, it could be also that certain colors grant access to certain feats that aren't necessarily metamagic. For instance, perhaps where there's a "green" ley line, characters can apply the effects of the "magic of the land" feat to their spells. I know you can just free-form whatever ability you want to it, but personally I think doing so opens up a can of worms.
Another idea is that there are additional feats you can learn that allow you to use ley lines in certain ways in this Midgard book to give generic bonuses like you describe. So, lets say for instance you did want to make it so that the caster COULD seriously improve nature magic by using ley lines, maybe they take a feat that lets them specialize in feats of certain "colors" that they pick (say they get to pick 4 colors to which they attune themselves).
In doing this, it shows how certain Wychlaran may have studied certain paths of magic that's different from others. In fact, I'd recently been discussing how there should be multiple sects and one new sect I was discussing was a "telthran" that basically focused on the spirits of Rashemen. I could definitely see a "leythran" that ends up getting a lot of ley line feats because they learn to focus their magic on ley lines. Thus, the wychlaran includes a lot of different types of casters. Some of these might be "spin-offs" of Hathran (i.e. they're inducted into the "base mysteries" of the Hathran, but they then choose to go a different path than studying of cooperative magic).
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| The Hooded One |
Posted - 23 Mar 2013 : 14:57:39
Heh. Interestingly enough, ley lines were in Ed's original Realms. Everywhere. Remembered by few, but the witches of Rashemen and the northern barbarians (now the Uthgardt) were among the rememberers.
love to all,
THO |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 23 Mar 2013 : 14:48:38
You don't need to really expand the feat list... Just say that for Rashemen, for example, all nature-related spells are automatically maximized and the DC to resist is higher. Or maybe all nature-related spells would be cast as if the caster was 2 or 3 levels higher.
I'm looking for something a little more flavorful and a little less strictly mechanical, at least for some areas. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 23 Mar 2013 : 14:38:45
That's a good idea (the enhancement of certain types of magic). For me, what I'd probably do would be to expand the metamagic spell list that's available to choose from, but have these other options only available to ley lines of a certain ... lets call it color?. For instance, maybe Rashemen has "green" ley lines and it has some appropriate nature metamagic feats (none pop in my head unfortunately, but I'm sure someone can find some). Now, lets assume a battlefield has "black" ley lines and it has some death oriented metamagic feats (enervate spell, fell animate, fell drain, fell frighten, fell weaken) on its list. Similiarly, places like Thay might have "red" ley lines enhancing fire (fiery spell, searing spell). Not all areas would have "colored" ley lines and it would be up to the DM whether a given place did "taint" the ley lines a certain color. Thus, you could quickly come up with a list of alternative ability lists for ley lines along the lines of some of the more basic "types" (nature (green), shadow (grey), earth (brown), air (white), fire (red), cold/water (blue), lightning (yellow), negative energy/necromantic (black), positive energy/abjuration (silver), fey/illusory/enchantment (violet))
From a story standpoint as well it could be interesting... for instance in Prophets of the Dead <baby spoiler alert>
maybe they were attempting to change the color of Rashemen's ley lines from green to grey (shadow). |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 23 Mar 2013 : 14:11:40
I like the idea of ley lines in the Realms, and I'd further make some ley lines enhance certain types of magic. Like, maybe ley lines in Rashemen enhance nature magic, and maybe ley lines in Thay enhance fire and evocation.
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