Magic-Users and Darts/Slings

General topics, including off-topic discussion, goes here.
User avatar
CptClyde
Posts: 338
Joined: Thu Jul 23, 2020 10:13 am
Contact:

Re: Magic-Users and Darts/Slings

Post by CptClyde »

billiambabble wrote: Mon Apr 12, 2021 4:28 pm However, I worry that at low level if the MU casts their only spells early on in the adventure (if you're not using 0-level spells) that they can't contribute to the general fight at all. A missile weapon of sorts makes sense for an unarmoured soul who prefers to operate at a distance, otherwise they just become a sort of vulnerable tourist (in a combat heavy game).
You are right, if the GMis not careful they can totally sideline a MU. It is nice to have something to do (figuring out the puzzle/clue while the fighters do their thing, supporting in other mundane means by spiing doors, spilling oil slicks, setting traps etc.) but I wouldn't worry about it too much. I think when a player chooses a MU they simply need to be prepared to have their moment to shine less often at lower levels and be patient (and stay alive). That's why I personally love the MU. It almost forces the player to be wise and patient while often feeling helpless ...... just like a real MU would lol. It's worth the wait though once you get that sweet 3rd level spell ;)
User avatar
SmootRK
Posts: 4229
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2009 10:03 am
Location: Nashville, TN

Re: Magic-Users and Darts/Slings

Post by SmootRK »

There is a MU options supplement that can assist in keeping mu players engaged.
I like using an Arcane Bolt ability. Helps MU do magic-ey stuff throughout a combat.
Is it really the end, not some crazy dream?
Rosisha
Posts: 452
Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2008 12:17 am

Re: Magic-Users and Darts/Slings

Post by Rosisha »

In 2nd Ed AD&D, their was a dragon magazine article that talked about cantrips as a non-weapon proficiency. I liked that and used that fairly often.
User avatar
therealt
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2021 6:10 pm
Location: Planet Vulcan

Re: Magic-Users and Darts/Slings

Post by therealt »

I didn't see anything in the BFRPG rules stating a MU could not throw a dagger. If so, would someone point it out to me, please?

Daggers are cheap. Purchase 10 of them. Hide behind the "front liners" and be a dagger machine gun. :D
Seven
Posts: 835
Joined: Wed Apr 22, 2020 11:17 am

Re: Magic-Users and Darts/Slings

Post by Seven »

The thing with throwing daggers is that you can hit a party member on a miss.

Mordenkainen's Transformation is an allusion to a certain wizard jumping into the fray with his dagger. Back then all weapons did the same damage.

I find that with low hp and low AC, it doesn't really matter how much damage that MU can dish out.
Rosisha
Posts: 452
Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2008 12:17 am

Re: Magic-Users and Darts/Slings

Post by Rosisha »

Personally, I have never felt a MU wielding a sword was some kind of game breaking thing. Because if they're using it they'll probably die. But that's just me. I also allowed no level limits on demihumans, multiclassing as the heart desired, and so on and so forth :)
User avatar
SmootRK
Posts: 4229
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2009 10:03 am
Location: Nashville, TN

Re: Magic-Users and Darts/Slings

Post by SmootRK »

Rosisha wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 1:00 pm Personally, I have never felt a MU wielding a sword was some kind of game breaking thing. Because if they're using it they'll probably die. But that's just me. I also allowed no level limits on demihumans, multiclassing as the heart desired, and so on and so forth :)
Quite similar to my outlook on classes/races. I also do not restrict any classes from any races, even for certain unlikely combinations. If a player can 'backstory it' then I can go with it.... but that said, I may have certain roleplay ramifications. For instance, a dwarf MU might be rather peculiar to his brethren, perhaps even seen as some sort of heretic and unwelcome and ostracized in dwarf communities.
Is it really the end, not some crazy dream?
User avatar
johndice
Posts: 67
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2018 8:42 am
Contact:

Re: Magic-Users and Darts/Slings

Post by johndice »

I love playing magic-users in Basic Fantasy and having to pace yourself for me at least is a huge part of it!

Knowing when NOT to cast is sometimes way more useful :) and I personally love that aspect to magic-users in vanilla Basic Fantasy.

I do love throwing daggers at times!, although my current character is so old it would be a feeble attempt. He has a walking staff but needs it for walking rather than fighting.

Cheerio!
User avatar
Dimirag
Posts: 3613
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2011 1:24 pm
Location: Buenos Aires (C.A.B.A.), Argentina
Contact:

Re: Magic-Users and Darts/Slings

Post by Dimirag »

One can always use this optional rules as a bridge between the "you can" and "you can no", a kind of "you may, but..."
Basic Fantasy, page 151 wrote:Magic-Users: These characters are simply untrained in any weapon other than those normally allowed to them, and should suffer a -5 attack penalty when using any prohibited weapon. A Magic-User in armor can't cast spells at all; any such attempt fails, and the spell is lost.
Sorry for any misspelling or writing error, I am not a native English speaker
Drawing portfolio: https://www.instagram.com/m.serena_dimirag/
Rosisha
Posts: 452
Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2008 12:17 am

Re: Magic-Users and Darts/Slings

Post by Rosisha »

SmootRK wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 1:49 pm Quite similar to my outlook on classes/races. I also do not restrict any classes from any races, even for certain unlikely combinations. If a player can 'backstory it' then I can go with it.... but that said, I may have certain roleplay ramifications. For instance, a dwarf MU might be rather peculiar to his brethren, perhaps even seen as some sort of heretic and unwelcome and ostracized in dwarf communities.
Absolutely. After getting a copy of the Complete Book of Dwarves, I wanted to run an all Dwarf campaign. I did allow a Dwarven Wizard, but they had to come from a very far off clan, and were seen as alien and strange - most of the local dwarves made warding signs and they got a -2 penalty to reaction rolls. They really played it up too. He would mutter annoyed curses in their own secret language and all that good jazz.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot], Majestic-12 [Bot] and 32 guests