Magician of Dessi questions

[LukeZ]

Just 2 quick questions about the Magician of Dessi.

1) Since a Kai Lord (who normally have less Willpower points than a Magician of Dessi) can Focus 4 times/day at 20th level, shouldn't a Magician of Dessi Focus at least the same number of times/day?

2) Can a Magician of Dessi negate or dispel in some way spells cast by others (like the Counterspell of the Brother of the Crystal Star)?

LukeZ

 

[Mongoose Doghouse]

Just 2 quick questions about the Magician of Dessi.

1) Since a Kai Lord (who normally have less Willpower points than a Magician of Dessi) can Focus 4 times/day at 20th level, shouldn't a Magician of Dessi Focus at least the same number of times/day?

2) Can a Magician of Dessi negate or dispel in some way spells cast by others (like the Counterspell of the Brother of the Crystal Star)?

LukeZ

1) Focus is a mental ability only commonly developed by those who are psychically active. Kai Lords, as the predominant psychic combatants of Magnamund, develop this ability consistently from the beginning of their training. Dessi, on the other hand, only gain psychic combat abilities as an offshoot of their main training (the Elder Arts). Hence, while they do gain the ability to Focus at 11th & 17th class level, they simply don't have the experience with it that the Kai Lords do. In a sense, they're used to a far more natural way of regaining their mental strength - the rigid mental training of the Focus ability only comes later in their development and simply does not become as rigorously strong as the Kai Lord's. On the other hand, they do have the valuable ability to share their Wilpower reserves through the One People class feature or brew Mind Potions to restore Willpower very quickly indeed.

2) No. Magicians of Dessi only have access to the Lesser Elder Arts - much lore has been lost to them over the years and some is imply beyond their grasp. They cannot Counterspell without the aid of special magical items. This also helps maintain the unique flavour of the Brother of the Crystal Star class - these are the real spell-based combatants.

This does not mean that they cannot affect spellcasters or spells in other ways - Air Spirits can be very distracting, a handy Attribute Potion can boost vulnerable saving throws, Mental Mirages can fool them and Force Barriers will stop many violent spells dead in their tracks.

Hope this helps,

 

[Anonymous]

1) Focus is a mental ability only commonly developed by those who are psychically active. Kai Lords, as the predominant psychic combatants of Magnamund, develop this ability consistently from the beginning of their training. Dessi, on the other hand, only gain psychic combat abilities as an offshoot of their main training (the Elder Arts). Hence, while they do gain the ability to Focus at 11th & 17th class level, they simply don't have the experience with it that the Kai Lords do. In a sense, they're used to a far more natural way of regaining their mental strength - the rigid mental training of the Focus ability only comes later in their development and simply does not become as rigorously strong as the Kai Lord's. On the other hand, they do have the valuable ability to share their Wilpower reserves through the One People class feature or brew Mind Potions to restore Willpower very quickly indeed.

Understood, but I've another question related to the Willpower recovery.
In the creatures section under the description of the Psychic Combat it says that after 8 hours of rest creatures recover all their Willpower points. I think this apply only to the "Monster" creatures, but shouldn't work for anyone with Willpower Points?

Thanks for your help!

LukeZ

 

[columbob]

1) Focus is a mental ability only commonly developed by those who are psychically active. Kai Lords, as the predominant psychic combatants of Magnamund, develop this ability consistently from the beginning of their training. Dessi, on the other hand, only gain psychic combat abilities as an offshoot of their main training (the Elder Arts). Hence, while they do gain the ability to Focus at 11th & 17th class level, they simply don't have the experience with it that the Kai Lords do. In a sense, they're used to a far more natural way of regaining their mental strength - the rigid mental training of the Focus ability only comes later in their development and simply does not become as rigorously strong as the Kai Lord's. On the other hand, they do have the valuable ability to share their Wilpower reserves through the One People class feature or brew Mind Potions to restore Willpower very quickly indeed.

Understood, but I've another question related to the Willpower recovery.
In the creatures section under the description of the Psychic Combat it says that after 8 hours of rest creatures recover all their Willpower points. I think this apply only to the "Monster" creatures, but shouldn't work for anyone with Willpower Points?

Thanks for your help!

LukeZ

No, characters with Willpower points (i.e. Kai lords, Magicians of Dessi and NPC adepts) already have their own way of regaining those points, which is described in the relevant character description.

 

[Anonymous]

No, characters with Willpower points (i.e. Kai lords, Magicians of Dessi and NPC adepts) already have their own way of regaining those points, which is described in the relevant character description.

Yes characters with Willpower points recover every 24 hours a number of points equal to their Charisma score (with or without any rest), but still it seems very odd to me that if a "monster" rest, he regains all his points, if a "character" rest, he regains nothing (or his Charisma score if the 24 hours have passed).

LukeZ

 

[LukeZ]

Doh! I forgot to login before posting those messages. Sorry!

LukeZ

 

[Mongoose Doghouse]

No, characters with Willpower points (i.e. Kai lords, Magicians of Dessi and NPC adepts) already have their own way of regaining those points, which is described in the relevant character description.

Yes characters with Willpower points recover every 24 hours a number of points equal to their Charisma score (with or without any rest), but still it seems very odd to me that if a "monster" rest, he regains all his points, if a "character" rest, he regains nothing (or his Charisma score if the 24 hours have passed).

LukeZ

Classed characters regain Willpower according to their spirituality. Kai Lords, following the Sun God Kai, regain their Willpower at dawn. Magicians of Dessi, according to their following of the Elder Arts, regain their Willpower at midnight. The Charisma score is used as a quantity in both cases as it represents a character's force of personality and in many ways his self-belief. Also note that rest is not necessary - a Kai Lord or Dessi can be entirely exhausted and yet still regain Willpower.

Monsters regain Willpower purely through rest. Their abilities are entirely natural, a part of what they are. Willpower and psychic combat is as natural to some creatures as breathing. Therefore it is not generally linked to spirituality, only to rest. But when they do rest, they regain Willpower as naturally as humans regain physical & mental energy (recover from fatigue).

Hope this helps,

 

[Anonymous]

The fact that counterspells can be used to counter elder arts does not sit very well with me; elder arts are more primal, and draw from true magik. It requires no words or somatic effects. How can they be dispelled by a class that uses words and 'spells', instead of channleing power like the dessi and the up-coming shianti will do?

 

[Anonymous]

Because all magic (aside from the Right Handed paths) copmes from Ishir and once invoked it is merely amazing energy. The Brotherhood have learned how this energy can be negated. It may seem odd to you that a Dessi's wonderous magic can be blocked by a 'simple Magician', but that's how it works.

After all, you could be the best instinctual shot in the world, but I can still block your bullets with nothing more complocated than a bag of sand.

-August

 

[Anonymous]

Well, I completely agree with the brother countering the wizards staff, and other magik items ofcourse, but the elder arts bit bothered me. But thank you for your explanation; the sandbag extrapolation helped.

Elementalism is where this comes to a head I think.
Say a dessi used elementalism, which resulted in say a campfire throwing out a burning shower of sparks, doing the dessi's bmd to everyone in a 5ft radious ((reflex for half)).

Now, the casting might be able to be counterspelled yes, but once the elemental has been summoned, the effect produced would be natural no? And not magikal? Thus it would not be counterspell-able? Just like a gust of wind from a air elemental, or earthquake from an earth?

Or would the effects too be subject to a potential counterspells?