Howdy everyone,
I wanted to take a few moments and explain how the BMR changes will be most affecting us Barbarians. As most of us have known for a long time, many..oh so many problems plague BMR. At low circles, it does practically nothing and as you circle, it eventually becomes so dominating that magic cannot hope to penetrate it. To make matters worse, BMR ties into abilities so poorly that more penalize it than bonus it. Rumors speak to a time when most GMs considered BMR so powerful that the guild should have no need for other abilities. Well, what fun is that?
Therefore, we are approaching this from an entirely new angle. I still cannot reveal too much until all the proposals are in and approved, but I will drop some hints. The new guild vision includes a more freeform character development where abilities such as roars, berserks, meditations, forms (dances) and combat maneuvers fall into all-inclusive paths and groups. This allows the choice-driven advancement that has long been missing from the guild, outside of roars. A disdain of magic and love of combat have defined a guild that includes the mercenary, the warrior, the barroom brawler, the disciplined martial artist and, the mage killer.
While I concede the selected abilities will not directly apply such labels (though it does offer some title possibilities) the addition of choice will more accurately allow members to advance as the barbarians they wish to be.
To get back to the BMR discussion - A collection of abilities to protect, shield and limit the danger magic presents are in the proposal phase. The plan is for some to stand alone, and for some to be stacked for a greater effect. A few may be automatically available to barbarians of a certain circle, but others will require learning. We are designing and balancing these abilities while keeping the whole enchilada in mind. The bottom line is that Barbarians wanting protection from magic will have it available to them.
The problems with BMR justify a rewrite all on their own. With Magic 3.0 in development, combat in the middle of some big changes and everyone wanting to have more fun, I do not see a better time to tackle this project.
"I have no data yet. It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories instead of theories to suit facts."
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes
