Questions from a total newbie

[Trodax]

Hi all!
I've started to seriously consider picking up the LW game (otherwise, I'm mostly into Conan), and have a bunch of questions about the game.

1) Whats the combat system like? I've heard its a slightly trimmed down version of normal d20 (don't really know if thats true or not, but I've heard it). So, in what ways does it differ from for example D&D?

2) How is healing handled? Is magical healing available (spells, potions or whatever), or are you mostly dependent on natural healing?

3) Is the Kai Lord character class balanced with the other classes? And I don't mean that in the sense "is it well designed", but rather "is it meant to be used in mixed parties or not". I've checked out the preview of the class, and it looks like they get a lot of spiffy powers, but I have no idea about the other classes. So, is the Kai Lord meant to be used mostly in Kai-only games, or as a companion to a bunch of characters from other classes?

4) The Willpower stat I've seen on all the character sheets, what is it? Is it for magic use only, or does it have some other effect in the game?

5) How useful would you say LW would be if I just wanted to mine it for mechanics to use in other d20 games (feats, classes and such)?

6) How necessary is the supplement "Magic of Magnamund" for getting a complete magic system? Mostly extra stuff to the magic rules in the core book, or basically essential?

Answers to some or all of these questions would be much appreciated!

 

[Greg Smith]

Hi all!
I've started to seriously consider picking up the LW game (otherwise, I'm mostly into Conan), and have a bunch of questions about the game.

1) Whats the combat system like? I've heard its a slightly trimmed down version of normal d20 (don't really know if thats true or not, but I've heard it). So, in what ways does it differ from for example D&D?

It is a trimmed down version of d20. Attacks of Opportunity are gone, the modifiers for two handed fighting are simplified etc.

2) How is healing handled? Is magical healing available (spells, potions or whatever), or are you mostly dependent on natural healing?

There is magical healing - Kai Lords can select healing disciplines, Brothers of the Crystal Star Mages have healing spells. There are also herbs that heal.

3) Is the Kai Lord character class balanced with the other classes? And I don't mean that in the sense "is it well designed", but rather "is it meant to be used in mixed parties or not". I've checked out the preview of the class, and it looks like they get a lot of spiffy powers, but I have no idea about the other classes. So, is the Kai Lord meant to be used mostly in Kai-only games, or as a companion to a bunch of characters from other classes?

Yes. All of the character classes have spiffy powers. Bear in mind that they do not get feats - as these are in fact incorporated into their spiffy powers. IIRC the 'rulebook preview' download includes some of the Magicial of Dessi's abilities - take a look.

4) The Willpower stat I've seen on all the character sheets, what is it? Is it for magic use only, or does it have some other effect in the game?

Magic and psionic powers.

5) How useful would you say LW would be if I just wanted to mine it for mechanics to use in other d20 games (feats, classes and such)?

It would take some work to integrate it - the magic system is individual to character classes, there are no feats in LW, the characters classes are probably more powerful than standard d&d classes.

6) How necessary is the supplement "Magic of Magnamund" for getting a complete magic system? Mostly extra stuff to the magic rules in the core book, or basically essential?

No, it is not essential. Each class has it's own magical abilities and spells. MoM is essentially 7 (I think it is 7 as I don't have my book to hand) new classes with new spells and abilities for them.

Answers to some or all of these questions would be much appreciated!

I hope that helps.

 

[columbob]

Hi all!
I've started to seriously consider picking up the LW game (otherwise, I'm mostly into Conan), and have a bunch of questions about the game.

1) Whats the combat system like? I've heard its a slightly trimmed down version of normal d20 (don't really know if thats true or not, but I've heard it). So, in what ways does it differ from for example D&D?

It is a trimmed down version of d20. Attacks of Opportunity are gone, the modifiers for two handed fighting are simplified etc.

There are also new rules for magical and psychic combat.

6) How necessary is the supplement "Magic of Magnamund" for getting a complete magic system? Mostly extra stuff to the magic rules in the core book, or basically essential?

No, it is not essential. Each class has it's own magical abilities and spells. MoM is essentially 7 (I think it is 7 as I don't have my book to hand) new classes with new spells and abilities for them.

There are 7 new classes in MoM and also 2 new advanced classes (essentially prestige classes). One of the classes, the Herbalish, is essentially a healer class, although it can specialize in other areas as well. There are also a few rules clarifications regarding magic and some expanded rules for magic item creation.

Besides that, Greg pretty much answered all your questions.

 

[Sabbak]

It is a trimmed down version of d20. Attacks of Opportunity are gone, the modifiers for two handed fighting are simplified etc.

Correct!
But it has also new rules for magical combat and psychic combat. So it's partly "D20 light", partly "D20 extended"!


2) How is healing handled? Is magical healing available (spells, potions or whatever), or are you mostly dependent on natural healing?

There is magical healing - Kai Lords can select healing disciplines, Brothers of the Crystal Star Mages have healing spells. There are also herbs that heal.

Correct again!
And don't forget the Laumspur potion, Rendalim Elixirs and so on...



I have to agree again with Mr. Smith.
That is perfectly right: Kai Lords have many powers but so have the other classes. If you calculate all the stuff you can probably find that Kai Lords are a little bit above the other classes but this is not "unplayable". This only reflect the special role of the Kai Lords in the game.



Mainly psionic.


LW is mainly aimed to play in the LW universe. But you could probably use... hmm... let's say 80% of the mechanics in other games with a little bit of adaptation .

Cool, but not essential at all.
The core rulebook is COMPLETE and GREAT FUN !

Regards

 

[Trodax]

Thanks a bunch for your answers all of you! Very helpful.

It is a trimmed down version of d20. Attacks of Opportunity are gone, the modifiers for two handed fighting are simplified etc.

Aha, no AoO. That was news to me. So is LW less miniature-centred than D&D (and also Conan)?

Bear in mind that they do not get feats - as these are in fact incorporated into their spiffy powers.

No feats?! Also news to me. Doesn't that make character differentiation harder? I did, however, notice that the Kai Lord had a lot of options, so you could probably have two Kai Lords with very different ablities (except at higher levels...?). Do all the other classes have as many options?
Also, what about multiclassing; is it meant to be commonly used?

The core rulebook is COMPLETE and GREAT FUN !

You leave me no choice; I'm getting this sucker ASAP!

 

[columbob]

No feats?! Also news to me. Doesn't that make character differentiation harder? I did, however, notice that the Kai Lord had a lot of options, so you could probably have two Kai Lords with very different ablities (except at higher levels...?). Do all the other classes have as many options?
Also, what about multiclassing; is it meant to be commonly used?

Some classes would indeed be pretty similar at higher levels, such as Brothers of the Crystal Star or Sommlending Knights of the Realm. However, the paths to get there are diverse enough not to cause too much of a problem if you have multiple members of those classes in your adventures.

Multi-classing is strongly discouraged in most cases. For example, you can't "become" a Dwarven Gunner of Bor or a Magician of Dessi unless you were born in that race. Since most classes are closely tied to a particular geographical realm and are either born or trained into their class from a young age, you can see how this would cause a problem. However the introduction of the advanced classes opened up a few more options. In some rare cases you may multiclass, however once you leave a certain path, there is usually no going back to it ever after.

The core rulebook is COMPLETE and GREAT FUN !

You leave me no choice; I'm getting this sucker ASAP!

Good for you!

 

[elijah-sabretooth]

If you want to adapt the rules and classes and skills/abilities for another game/setting I think you can multiclass with no problem at all

 

[Trodax]

I thought I'd just say that I picked up the LW core book yesterday. Been reading through the classes, and so far, I'm LOVING it!
I normally like systems with more generic classes and lots of multiclassing, but the classes in LW really work. The only concern I have is that there might be to few classes for a game with many players, since basically, as I see it, every class represents a pretty specific character concept. Seems to be more classes in the supplements though, right?

And the memories it brings back! Must be almost 15 years since I played through the LW books....
I never knew that there were as many as 28 (!) game books though, I only played the Swedish translation which was a series of 12 books. So, did those 28 books all feature Lone Wolf, or where they separate series set in Magnamund?

 

[Greg Smith]

There are indeed more classes in Magic of Magnamund. If you have a lot of players encourage them to take different aspects of the character classes, ie Kai with healing, Kai with tracking etc. There's also a new class in the this month's Signs & Portents - the Toranese Archer (blatant plug, cos it's written by me )

In addition to the 28 Lone Wolf books there were 4 Grey Star the Wizard game books, 12 novelizations of the LW game books, and a graphic novel featuring LW.

 

[Angantyr]

I never knew that there were as many as 28 (!) game books though, I only played the Swedish translation which was a series of 12 books. So, did those 28 books all feature Lone Wolf, or where they separate series set in Magnamund?

The first 20 feature Lone Wolf; the last 8 feature a Kai Grand Master (that you get to name yourself) of the New Order, who's hunting down evils that Lone Wolf is too busy to take care of himself. So they are set in time after the first 20 books.

Are you aware of Project Aon?

 

[Trodax]

If you have a lot of players encourage them to take different aspects of the character classes, ie Kai with healing, Kai with tracking etc.

Yeah, the Kai Lord class is pretty versatile actually. I can easily see how running a Kai-only game could work (that would be kind of cool actually).
Some of the other classes are more specific though; I'm thinking two Dwarven Gunners of Bor in the same party might be one to many (not saying it couldn't work though).

In addition to the 28 Lone Wolf books there were 4 Grey Star the Wizard game books, 12 novelizations of the LW game books, and a graphic novel featuring LW.

Damn, thats a lot of stuff!

Are you aware of Project Aon?

Dude, thats awesome! Great site, thanks!

BTW, are there any other particularly good LW sites I should know of? (Angantyr, I saw your link to the Tower of the Sun - I'll check it out.)

Oh, and BTW; always nice to chat with a fellow Swede!

 

[Angantyr]

Are you aware of Project Aon?

Dude, thats awesome! Great site, thanks!

BTW, are there any other particularly good LW sites I should know of? (Angantyr, I saw your link to the Tower of the Sun - I'll check it out.)

There is a link collection at Tower of the Sun, and it is also a member site of the Magnamund webring which contains a number of (not always very active) LW fan sites.
I also collected a bunch of links in this thread at the Project Aon forum a while back.

Oh, and BTW; always nice to chat with a fellow Swede!

Just don't expect to see me very often around. I haven't been RPG:ing since the late 80's, so I'm just having a look here now and then too see how the LW RPG develops - and to plug Project Aon and other LW sites. :wink:

 

[DuskFox]

Something to note (even if it's an ex post facto remark)--classes and traits in the LWRPG are more setting-specific than in most other D20 supplements. It seems that every class has a specific cultural and historical weight riding upon it, which makes it difficult to directly port anything over without making major changes to the intent of the class. This isn't a problem, of course, unless you're lazy or unimaginitive, in which case it's probably impossible. The classes just aren't as generic as most D20 classes tend to be.