Off-Season Revisions

Although things may seem quiet lately, it's a safe bet that there's something going on behind the scenes at any given moment.  Below is a summary of revisions that have gone into effect since the last game of the second season.

Skill Changes

• The Hunting skill has been removed and lumped in with Leatherworking.  Leatherworking production can now be exchanged for bone and hide resources.  Characters who previously had ranks in Hunting have had their ranks converted into Leatherworking.
• The First Aid skill has been completely revamped and renamed Medicine.  The first rank of Medicine lets a character administer aid, which restores five health per minute of work and pauses the aided character's death count if he or she is dying.  The second rank lets a character perform diagnosis.  The third rank lets a character restore a Maimed limb after one minute of work.  Characters who had ranks in First Aid have automatically had those ranks converted into Medicine.
• The Diagnosis skill has been dropped and lumped into the new Medicine skill.  Characters who previously knew Diagnosis have unlearned it.
• The Scavenging skill is now available for general use.  Scavenging production can be exchanged for completely random treasure of any kind.

Race Changes

• Angori have gained a weak affinity for Ranged Combat and a moderate affinity for Mining.
• Dwarves have gained an affinity for the ranger class.  They have also gained a weak affinity for Foe Specialization and Ranged Combat, as well as a moderate affinity for Herbalism.
• Elves have gained an affinity for the bard class.  They have also lost their weak affinity for Foe Specialization, gained a weak affinity for Medicine, and gained a moderate affinity for Leatherworking.
• Empyreans have lost their affinity for the sorcerer class and gained an affinity for the esper class.
• Gnomes have lost their affinity for the wizard class and gained an affinity for the sorcerer class.  They have also lost their affinity for Herbalism and gained a moderate affinity for Scribe.
• Ixifar have lost their affinity for Scribe.  They have also gained a weak affinity for World Lore and a moderate affinity for Mining.
• Uordeq have lost their affinity for Fortitude and Herbalism.  They have also gained a moderate affinity for Scavenging.
• Goblins have lost their affinity for the warrior class and gained an affinity for the savage class.  They have also lost their affinity for Blacksmithing and Mining, gained a weak affinity for Two-Weapon Combat and Treasure Hunter, and gained a moderate affinity for Leatherworking and Scavenging.

Class Changes

• Savage Guard actions now use the Withstand effect instead (more on Withstand below).  Warriors have been given Guard actions.
• Paladins and Savages can now use Provoke actions.
• The warlock class has been significantly revamped.
  • Warlocks are now the masters of Named status effects (e.g., "Rasiri Maim" or "Haven Mute").
  • Warlocks now have a line of killing blow Heal actions similar to those of vampires.
  • Warlocks now have class items they can enchant.  Warlock items include poppets, which store single-use Named curses, and fetishes, which are the warlock equivalent of emblems or wands.  They've been given a number of new daily enchantments as well.
• Most classes have had their skill affinities updated, as outlined below:
  
  • Bards have had their affinity for Merchantry increased from weak to moderate.
  • Disciples have lost their affinity for Scribe and gained a weak affinity for Mining.
  • Druids have had their affinity for Spell Blast decreased from moderate to weak.  They have also gained an affinity for Leatherworking.
  • Monks have had their affinity for Fortitude and Weapon Specialization increased from weak to moderate.  They have also gained a weak affinity for Medicine, Specialty Action, and World Lore.
  • Rangers have gained a weak affinity for Woodworking.
  • Rogues have lost their affinity for Leatherworking and gained a weak affinity for Scavenging.
  • Savages have gained a weak affinity for Ranged Combat and Mining.
  • Sorcerers and Wizards have gained a weak affinity for Treasure Hunter and Woodworking.
  • Warriors have lost their affinity for Unarmed Combat and gained a weak affinity for Woodworking.
  • Alchemists have gained a weak affinity for Scavenging.
  • Vampires have gained a moderate affinity for Merchantry, as well as a weak affinity for Leatherworking, Scavenging, and Unarmed Combat.
  • Warlocks have had their affinity for Ritual Specialization and Specialty Action increased from weak to moderate.  They have also gained weak affinity for Scavenging, Spell Blast, and Treasure Hunter.

New Effects

• Meld - This was an old effect that hadn't been properly vetted.  It's essentially a combination of Blend and Discarnate.  You physically join with a substance, gaining concealment and becoming impervious to attacks, but you are unable to move or act.  This effect is denoted by placing the palms of both hands on the substance with which you are melded.  For instance, a druid with both hands on a tree is melded with the wood, or a sorcerer with both hands on the fire place in the tavern is melded with the stone.  Melded character can be detected with a Perceive effect, pinpointed with a Perceive Hidden effect, and forced back into their original forms by a Revert effect.
• Shrink - If you are affected by Shrink, you must hold your elbows to your chest and hold your knees together.  If you're hit by an opponent, the effect ends.  Shrink can also be countered or ended by a Revert.
• Withstand - This is a new defensive effect for savages.  Like Resist, it is used to counter damage, but instead of countering by type, it is used to counter a single damage effect of equal or lesser amount.  For example, a " Withstand 40" can be used to counter any damage effect of 40 points or less.

Revised Effects

• Channel - The sorcerer's Elemental Form effect has been replaced by the Channel effect, including both self-targeted actions and new enchantments usable on staves and wands.  Channel effects increase the user's damage with Spell Blast, similar to Hone effects for weapon damage.  For example, Channel 3 increases a user's Spell Blast damage by 3.  Spell Blast has also been revised to inflict a base damage of one per rank, rather than two for the first rank and one for every additional rank.
• Guard - The Guard effect has been revised to have full parity with Heal and Damage effects.
• Perceive - Ordinary Perceive now allows you to sense the presence of any kind of concealment, including Meld but not including Disguise.  A Perceive Hidden will allow you to sense when a character is Disguised as well as pinpoint characters who are Feigned, Blended, or Melded.  Finally, a Perceive All will allow you to see through Disguise effects and pinpoint characters who are Vanished.
• Pierce - Pierce is now a damage type as well as a tagline modifier.  For example, whereas before you would call "20 Sharp Pierce," now you simply call "20 Pierce."  Because of this, piercing attacks never trigger thresholds.  They otherwise work exactly as they used to.

Other Changes

• The Animate and Summon effects have been completely removed.  They may still occur in play as plot effects.  We may revisit and reintroduce them at some point if we can find a simple solution for them.
• Enchantment durations have been simplified.  Extended (one-day) and perpetual (three-year) rituals have been completely removed.  Permanent rituals have been reduced from 10th level to 9th, and their cost multiplier has been reduced from 10 to 8.

Anybody who was adversely affected by any of these changes will be allowed a partial respend in line with the change.  For example, if you lost affinity for a trade skill and lost skill points as a consequence, you will be permitted to respend that trade skill.  Please send any respend requests to me through a private message.