OK, then our views differ on this. I don't like the idea at all of the most corrupted and vile bastards of the Hyborian Age having visible signs of their evilness (for sorcerers meddling with arcane secrets yes, for other people no). Sure, some mean guy could have the odd demonic snear, but there should also be angel-faced pricks with the blackest of hearts. :twisted:Sutek said:
Any of you have modified the rules?
- Thread starter Vincent791
- Start date
Raven Blackwell
Mongoose
Corruption of any sort can leave a mark- I mean we all know those RL people who just scream 'wrong' to our instincts and likely have never touched an arcane principle in their life. Corruption gained by non-magical means though should be more psychological than physical- no mutuation though the person's psyche may start to splinter/warp instead. [Their hygine would likely get worse though- leaving a visible manifestation after all 8)] Should there be Corruption with a big C caused by unstable/corrupt magic and corruption with a little c that is the more mundane manifestation?
VincentDarlage
Mongoose
Trodax said:
There is always the Foul is Fair feat in ROK.
Sutek
Mongoose
VincentDarlage said:
Vincent, that's a good point, but my further point is that it's just dang hard (by my interpretation) to gain corruption points through non-sorcerous means. It supports my argument a little too.
For instance, just picking a class at random, a Nomad of 12th level (again random) has a +4 WILL and +3 MAB. With a CHA +2 (also totally random) he'd only have to beat a Corruption DC if he were to ...say... torture babies... of DC5 if he had no previous Corruption. The only way he can fail it is to roll a 1 on the save, because a 1 always fails.
Am I suggesting that people make Corruption saves because they trade in slavery? Absolutely not - that's part of the world and not necessarily evil in that context. I'm talking Ee-ville....the froo-its of the Dev-ille....(lol).
Now, because the rules say that some sorcererous "practices" can force a Corruption save, then that also doesn't exclusively mean spells either - actions that sorcerers typically engage in, like draining PP would qualify, IMO.
Raven Blackwell
Mongoose
To reopen an old wound I think I have an official ruling on whether or not Corruption can be gained by non-sorcerous practices. In Free Companies in the rules of looting and pillaging characters can gain Corruption by 'going too far' in looting the countryside, raping and killing civilians and firing structures- thus giving precedent that Corruption is more decay of the soul than magical mutation.
How do the mercenaries with insect eyes explain them away though? 8)
How do the mercenaries with insect eyes explain them away though? 8)
High Lord Dee
Mongoose
What is an RL person?
HLD
HLD
Raven Blackwell
Mongoose
RL stands for 'Real Life'- what this is not. 8)
Raven: In my first rant about Corruption I actually mentioned Shannon Kalvar's use of it. My personal opinion is that he probably either decided to expand on Corruption or even assumed it covered evil acts because of the name. Even though some people in the recent Corruption thread used "sorcerous practices" to justify Corruption saves for things like Energy Drain, I can't find anything in AE or SoS that even remotely suggests that Ian Sturrock intended Corruption to apply to evil acts. I also found myself disagreeing with some of the situations that did and didn't cause Corruption, but that is to be expected with something as subjective as evil.
Raven Blackwell
Mongoose
Hmmm....well my guess is that Mongoose means magical mutation due to exposure to unstable sources of magical power when they refer to Corruption- as in the 'corruption' or degradation of the person's functional magical pattern [or DNA- which ever you look at it]- rather than 'evil'. My guess is then the price of evil acts should be Villianous Reputation instead.....
Vincent791
Mongoose
Damn this is a long thread! Still can't follow it cause there are a lot of concepts that I've not used...yet.
Sutek
Mongoose
Raven Blackwell said:
True, but non-magickal related Corruption DCs are always going to be much lower and therefore much easier to pass. It's unlikely someone will sprout horns from being a slaver or murderer or whatever. It's usually going to happen where the save DC involves higher MAB creatures and casters, and that means exposure to those higher magikcal energies you mention, Raven.
Good point though on the interpretation of the "why" pertaining to the source of mutations. I thing vilainous reputation, though, will be handled by those rules already without involving corrution effects (or not).
"Magical mutation", "unstable sources of magical power", "magical DNA"? When did the good old Lovecraftian blasphemies become midi-chlorian mumbo-jumbo?
I use a simple explanation for Corruption: if you cross the line between humanity and inhumanity, there's a chance that the knowledge you gain or things you experience corrupt you (hey, it wasn't meant for humans, right?). Therefore Corruption is not caused by any energy, but by knowledge. If you want to cast spells, you have to use it and if you're a mad butcher you can touch it just because you went too far with your insanity and crossed the line.
I use a simple explanation for Corruption: if you cross the line between humanity and inhumanity, there's a chance that the knowledge you gain or things you experience corrupt you (hey, it wasn't meant for humans, right?). Therefore Corruption is not caused by any energy, but by knowledge. If you want to cast spells, you have to use it and if you're a mad butcher you can touch it just because you went too far with your insanity and crossed the line.
Raven Blackwell
Mongoose
Padre said:
Since you started posting on a forum with a shaman who possess a Masters degree in Genetics and who has dealt with RL magical Corruption. 8) Also Lovecraft was a man of science. If he could have explained the effect of Mythos energies in scientific terms, he'd had done so to. I just have a greater degree of experence that he did in the manner.
It also a literary reference. Corruption means in a physical sense the degradation of a thing from it's orginial state. Like as in computer files being 'corrupted'.
That's a layman's way of looking at it and thus the vast majority of the Hyborian world would have that opinion. It's an oversimplification though. Power is dangerous to the untrained and unbalanced, but useful to the sane and wise. It' s just the peasants with the pitchforks never bother to check which is which before they start burning them at teh stake. Ah, mankind. A species that loves it's ignoarnace. 8)
Also humanity doesn't mean 'sane', 'stable', 'virtous' or any other positive modifer in of itself. Seeing anything non-human- or 'inhuman' as Corrupt is prejudice- but highly IC for the Hyborian world and our own.
Raven Blackwell said:
Sane and wise? I bet the Outer Dark doesn't give a damn how wise or sane you are - tap on it's shoulder too much and it's lunchtime!
PS. I just like to keep things simple. And mysterious, vague sorcery is much creepier than overcomplicated quasi-science stuff. Anyway, in my games the "don't cross the line" philosophy works best.
Raven Blackwell
Mongoose
Padre said:
I think of it as evolution. If you are dumb enough to tamper with forces beyond your control, really the universe doesn't need your donation to the gene pool. I mean do sorcerers really have to tamper with the Outer Dark or does that just seem like an unecessary risk to one who already has power above the norm? Seems like an ego issue to me. 8)
It's what ever work for you. That's my policy for roleplaying. I prefer a complex web of conflicting motives and hidden agendas fo rmine. Inducing a state of mild paranoia in my players is consiodered by me an accomplishment.
Actually, I'd say that from the perspective of the Denizens of the Outer Dark humans are all insane and corrupt. To them the accumulation of "Corruption" is the equivalent of Virtue, at least from their perspective.
They probably see all humanity as literally insignifigant and unimportant, the most corrupt of humanity is seen as being slightly less unimportant.
They probably see all humanity as literally insignifigant and unimportant, the most corrupt of humanity is seen as being slightly less unimportant.
Agent Templar
Mongoose
I use the vitality and wound point system from Star Wars and Unearthed Arcana. It makes for brutal, fast combat.
Jotenbjorn
Mongoose
the only thing i've changed is the removal of crushing grip. the ability to do con damage instead of hps on a one for one basis is ridiculously unbalancing.
Mark Dunder
Mongoose
Obviously, you guys are talking about the D20 (OCL?) Conan RPG, and not Conan RPG by TSR (Cook's design).
CCR (Classic Conan RPG), as I call it, is completely customizable. You can create any class you want, any race you want, just about anything you want, but you don't have to! You use one Resolution Table for all conflicts, and your ready to go.
I have made changes to the game, but it's not necessary, I just like to change things for the fun of it, and with this game it's easy to do.
CCR (Classic Conan RPG), as I call it, is completely customizable. You can create any class you want, any race you want, just about anything you want, but you don't have to! You use one Resolution Table for all conflicts, and your ready to go.
I have made changes to the game, but it's not necessary, I just like to change things for the fun of it, and with this game it's easy to do.
