Advancement - how to do it?

[torilen]

I'm not sure how a GM would want to work out healing the body or mind points that are used to imbue an
item - maybe the character loses those points for the next quest, perhaps...I don't know.

But to give you an idea - I worked it that a wizard created an amulet similar to the talisman of lore, except
with adding up to 5 of his mind points to it. He then could wear it and, after his points healed back to the
original amount, he could then begin to create other items.

Within 4 or 5 attempts, he had made a pretty good arsenal of rings for his party to use. Realize, this used
my expanded spell list, also - so there were a few healing magical items, a few items that added attack or
defense...it was pretty sweet.

For example - a wizard could create a cloak using Sun's Protection and, if he can roll really well, it would be
a permanent bonus 2 dice vs. heat or fire attacks.

OR - he could create a ring or amulet for the barbarian using Wolf's Teeth - if he rolls right, the barbarian
basically runs around similar to a werewolf, with a third attack using his altered mouth and nose. He doesn't
need to worry about speaking for spells, so it wouldn't matter if he kept it going for most of the quest...if
it were a permanent effect.

Oh think of the possibilities if the wizard was able to create a permanent effect using the Disguise spell.
That would be very damaging to the Evil Wizard - but lots of fun for the players.

[sadkitchen]

Back to the advancement question at hand. The few times we used it Zargon just gave each quest a exp value and then if specific parts of the quest were bonus or skip-able they then added to the total exp. For example in The Trial, the whole quest earns 100 exp, the room with the 2 chaos warriors earns 20 additional exp and if all the undead were cleared out of the NW section another 15 exp were added. This makes figuring out the exp way easy, but advancement before the expansions never worked right. So we gave it up.

-SadKitchen

[ken]

Nobody seems to have mentioned how to gain extra Body Points. The soft old Wizards suffer most, only 4 Its crazy. There must be a way to increase his/her life expectancy. Any ideas?

[el_flesh]

You can give potions that give temporary +body points - like for the rest of the quest.
You can also give special gear that GIVES more body points.
Imagine: the wiz must choose between a cloak +1 def die or another cloak +1 to body!
You could even put the extra body point into a ring or something. Then that card with the goblin running up and stealing all jewelry can kill the wizard who had 1/5 body points left! hahahahahaha!

[ken]

You can give potions that give temporary +body points - like for the rest of the quest.
You can also give special gear that GIVES more body points.
Imagine: the wiz must choose between a cloak +1 def die or another cloak +1 to body!
You could even put the extra body point into a ring or something. Then that card with the goblin running up and stealing all jewelry can kill the wizard who had 1/5 body points left! hahahahahaha!

Been thinking about this Wizard low Body Point conundrum. Over here in UK, an Old Wives Tale says cats have nine lives. Suppose the DM goes out, finds a dead cat. In theory, only in theory, it should have about 8 lives left. Stew up the remains, whizz up in a food processor, so you have a nice thick potion. With me so far? Now you can sell a tot to the Wizard after he/she completes say, 5 quests, for 100 gold times1 roll of the D6. this gives 1 extra BP. Do this every 5 Quests, set a limit of 8 BP ?

[Big Bene]

@ El Flashy
Sounds nice...
But the normal rule for Items-of-Additional-Bodypoints is that the item's BPs are used up first, so in your example the ring would already be "empty", and the remaining BP would be the wizards own's.

[torilen]

Hey ken - that is an excellent idea. Probably one of the most creative means of making a potion.
I think the wizard would have to go to a forbidden part of town, to a necromancer, for that, though.
That is DARK! hahahaha

[ken]

Hey ken - that is an excellent idea. Probably one of the most creative means of making a potion.
I think the wizard would have to go to a forbidden part of town, to a necromancer, for that, though.
That is DARK! hahahaha

Well, you know, there is all this talk of Dragons Blood Potions and the like, why not give the humble Cat some space
I found a great picture for a card.

dead-cats-3.jpg

[Big Bene]

@Ken
This saying is not restricted to old Albion, I think it's pretty international. Here in Germany, it's normally only seven lives, though.
But I think Old Wives would say a dead cat has used up all of it's lives, so there would be nothing to gain from it.
Personally (not beeing an old Wife) I tend to the teachings of Jellicle, meaning a new live (up to nine) is granted only as a special honor to a worthy cat.
@Torilen
You think this is dark? Ever tested Ken's sausages?

[el_flesh]

I should very much like the opportunity one day to test Ken's sausage!
They must be tested for length, width, firmness, spiciness, color (wow) and also - ease of frying up in the pan.



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Man - that cat o nine tails, I mean, lives, is a bang-on idea! It reminds me how Alchemists would have thought; and so we should adapt our potions and magic making to that Dark Ages mind set.
"I got in front of an Oxcart during the Vernal Equinox celebration and it ran over me"
"You need a good bleeding"
"But I'm bleeding alrea-h-h-h-dy! (sob)"
"Hey, who's the barber, here??"

Ya, since a dead cat must have exhausted his nine lives, you would need a pretty young kitten to ensure that you get eight lives out of him. Or else, since seven is a powerful magic number, get SEVEN newborn kittens, and drown them once. Then you know you have seven lives left. Throw in Bat Wings, since it's the dark equivalent of dove (i.e. "angel") wings, for the soul's flit into "heaven". Some Hemlock ( aka Moonshade) since it's a poison used for executions. Red, red wine for the god of wine, who also is a positive, life affirming force. Rabbit's foot, 4 leaf clover, a copper coin, all for the luck of dodging death. You need seven diamonds pure, as they give FULL SPECTRUM "crystal energy" or some happy crappy like that. (So in the quests where you find jewels, roll one die only BLACK SHIELD to get an autodiamond, otherwise, you will have to buy -one per quest availability- in town from a 'reputable' Necromancer; and they ain't cheap!!)
This potion, once drunk, gives you seven lives in addition to your own. Your hitpoints are still 4, but when you fall in battle, without drinking a potion (before you really die in earnest,) you lose one turn as you are healing and restored to full health - knock one extra cat life off of your tally sheet.
The other items should cost only one gold each or so to obtain, maybe the newborn kittens are 7 gold.
It should take some time to get this potion, as the diamonds are the most expensive thing...
And it sure gives the wizard something to quest for!

That, I think is the secret to enjoying these games for a long time - some difficult project to quest for!