Oh man... Dude! Trader's want some helpful combat abilities, naughty April Fool's.

-Echelonia

I've got to say, it's actually not too different from the kind of magic that I would expect traders to value, particularly the negotiation book.

Although to be serious, I think it would be more of a tangential addition rather than one with requirements. The feeling I got from Ansprahv's speak is the he doesn't care what you do as long as you make money, so why would be care one way or another if you practiced magic? I mean, traders should at least be able to get access to the newly robust AP book that's coming out, it's not like the guildleaders would oppose. A spell scroll is more valuable that the paper it's made of and cambrinth is a valuable metal, maybe not so much as lumium, but a big enough chunk of it gets pricey. If a trader wants to tap into the market of expensive magical items, then a knowledge of them and how to read them would be justified.

Assuming the game today is to figure out which announcements are real I think this one has the most plausibility, with the level cap increase second. I actually expect this one is a true story. The best part of it potentially being real is how muted the reaction has been to this seismic shift in guild design. I hope Socharis swoops in at midnight to say if it's serious. I don't even have a trader and I'm anxious about it.

Traders having access to magic has always been a HUGE no. ALWAYS. Anyone remember when everyone could use runestones?

I highly doubt this is anything more than an April Fool's joke, mainly because there was no link at the bottom of the post, directing to the discussion thread.

~P

>That said, the level 200 cap post has had GM responses to it in the Experience folder, and the Trader forum has remained remarkably silent.

I'd take that more as a sign of folders with interesting conversations going on, and GMs enjoying themselves. The conversation here has been pretty much 'Ayup. That's be cool if it were true, but I won't hold my breath' from everyone. Not a lot of conversing that can go with that.

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Let's save us all some time: I'm a troll who rarely has anything helpful. There.

<<Which absurd news item is the real one?>>

But what if they're all three true?



Solomon

My take:

It's half true. Imbedded in Socharis' Trader post is the bit that "However, the non-magic skill req changes will be implemented as part of X3 in anticipation for the rewrite."

I.e., it's our Trading downtweak (to Empath's Empathy level, 910 ranks) in exchange for 370 Primary weapon at 150th, 220 at 100th.

Naniaki

>>Actually an opinion cannot be changed or corrected. Nice try back of line.-VERATHOR
>>But it can be wrong.-Starlear

It's a bit after midnight, but this post was actually legit. The whole thing - Lunar magic is the flavor of magic that Traders will have access to, etc.

Discuss.

--

"The ninety and nine are with dreams, content but the hope of the world made new, is the hundredth man who is grimly bent on making those dreams come true." -E.A.P.

>>like for-realsy legit? Are you kidding me? Super psyched.

For all the reals.

It's a huge huge change, but it has to happen to justify bringing traders in line with everybody else as far as reqs go. One thing I saw a bit in this thread is that it doesn't fit into the existing lore of the guild, and that's true - A change of this magnitude will have retcons, and it will have things that are fundamentally different than they were before. It's the nature of a chance of this magnitude.

--

"The ninety and nine are with dreams, content but the hope of the world made new, is the hundredth man who is grimly bent on making those dreams come true." -E.A.P.

>>Discuss.

It seems really weird to me to give Traders actual lunar magic attunement rather than some innate "supernatural bordering on magical" type abilities like Barbarians and Thieves, but then it also isn't some major diversion from previously established lore like alot of people seem to be claiming. Our only real lore with magic was "you don't need it, you can buy all the power you need" - so even the most lazy explanation of "Traders decided to finally follow thru on those plans to buy power, by paying the MM guild to train them how to attune to lunar magic" would completely justify the change and fit the previous lore. I'm guessing you have a much more interesting backstory than this 2 second explanation, which I am very interested to see

In terms of game mechanics, on one hand I'm a bit disappointed to see abilities tied to having moons up - I've always found the MM guild very interesting (and even played one before Apu) but I couldn't stand how moons never seemed to be up when you needed them. But on the other hand, getting new abilities tied to moon cycles is infinitely better than having no abilities, so I'm good with whatever

I sure hope there are some offensive bonuses and disabling moves in there. You definitely didn't say that there wouldn't be, although the emphasis was on defensive bonuses and non-combat stuff. Doesn't have to be super powerful stuff or anything, but right now Traders are pigeonholed into only fighting creatures that cannot parry and cannot block, because with weapons tertiary and no bonuses or disablers, it is absolutely impossible to kill anything at level that can parry or block (and I shudder to think what will happen in Combat 3.0 if creatures benefit from that 60% parry/shield as evasion when you have no weapon/shield)

All in all, sounds very promising, and this is the first time that being born on April 2nd has allowed me to get an April Fool's birthday present :)

Apu
_
http://www.elanthipedia.org/wiki/User:Apu

Now to send "I told you so" IMs to everyone on my buddy list...

Love it, Socharis.

Read that post and knew it had to be somewhat true, just surprised to discover it's all basically true.

Trader will probably see more time outside of the shop now.

If they are going to make Traders a magic-using guild, lunar magic actually makes the most sense from a pure development standpoint.

There are currently 2 elemental guilds, 2 life guilds, 2 hold guilds, and 1 lunar guild.

>>This is the part that doesn't make sense to me. Not what type of mana to give them.

I agree, it's a big departure from the current guild, but I welcome it.

I just want to say congrats. I'm glad to see some Traders get some love.

---

Weapons for Sale:
http://www.elanthipedia.org/wiki/User:Caraamon#Wares
Hunta Talna Kortok, built by Gor'Togs, for Gor'Togs
http://www.angelfire.com/rpg2/caraamon/home.html
Combat Balance List:
http://tinyurl.com/DRBalance

<<This is the part that doesn't make sense to me. Not what type of mana to give them.

Makes perfect sense. I'm sure there are a lot of non-adventurer traders in the background that don't use magic, but Traders are adventurers. They should be capable of extraordinary things.

>> "Traders decided to finally follow thru on those plans to buy power, by paying the MM guild to train them how to attune to lunar magic"

I agree with Apu. I don't play a trader (but after these changes, I may start); however, this is how I would see the traders from an outsider's perspective. They've been sitting there, buying magic over the centuries, and are now finally ready to unleash it as their own. Slowly at first, but then the full onslaught after their impending legal battles.

>> Yeah, we're still working on a full spellbook and scope of the abilities.

You should create a magical suggestion's folder and see what other traders want.

It would be interesting if Traders were still ICly NMUs but are able to use jewelry to channel sunlight/moonlight into causing magical effects.

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"hypocrite, thy name is teveshszat, and i just hope i'm there to see you when you're broght down." - GERSTEINJ2

Chatter[Gonifa] whatever, scripto-gnome.

So does this mean our speculates and hires will change?

Regards,

Sortny/Braunwen