Re: A lot of topics

Sorry if this seems like multiple flames, but I just got to argue with
a few points...

> The School of Mutation
>
>    Description: The school of Mutation is dedicated to the creation of new
> life using life-forms that already exist.  Magical energies are shaped to
> combine life-forms and/or alter living things to create new variations.
>  Almost all effects are permanent, but certain spells can be reversed.

  Munchkin, anyone? This seems kind of broad for me.
  It sounds a lot like the life-shaping halfling nature masters of Dark
Sun fame(?), only in magical terms. And everyone (I hope) at the Dark
Sun list knows how powerful this stuff is, and none of it is even magic.
  And are ALL THESE CROSSBREED RACES actually MAGICAL CROSSBREEDS?

>    Allowed Races: Human males, or males with human blood are eligible to
> become mutators.

  You're a male, aren't you? What's wrong with FEMALES?! Are they just
too sensitive to dabble in this kind of work?
  And what makes you think half-elves would dabble in this? They're the
product of two races, belonging to neither, and are total outcasts. Why
should they impose this fate on others?

>    Ability Requirements: Because of the enormous shape-changing forces which
> run through the wizard's body, mutators must have a minimum Constitution
> score of 16.

  Excuse me? Is the wizard changing himself? Magic is an external source
of energy, not internal (that's what psionics are for).
  How about other requirements? Intelligence and Wisdom 16, maybe?

>    Opposition Schools: Mutators cannot learn spells from the school of
> Enchantment/Charm.

  That's it?! For such a powerful wizard, they should be restricted in
AT LEAST THREE SCHOOLS, not just one. I can think of a few:
invocation/evocation, conjuration/summoning, divination,
illusion/phantasm, in addition to enchantment/charm.

>    Mutation spells can be divided into 4 groups:
> 1) Talent spells - These spells enable the caster to imbue himself or others
> with often-permanent abilities similar to other life forms.  Such spells
> include dark eyes, aquaman, beastial force, eagle eyes, and evolve.
>  Divination-type spells include detect mutation and detect natural weapons.

  A bit of Diviners and Enchanters in here. Now, what does divination
have to do with mutation? And imbuing abilities is what enchanters do;
not to mention since enchantments/charms ARE barred (see above, I didn't
write it).

> 2) Offensive spells - These combat spells have devastating effects, allowing
> the caster to attack one or more creatures with powers that damage in many,
> horrible ways.  Such spells include irradiate, virus, flesh to dust, bone,
> and the duo-purposed fuse.

  That's what invokers are for.
  Aren't we going a little over the edge here? What do viruses and
changing flesh and bone have to do with anything? (sound more like
necromancies than anything)

> 3) Morphing spells - Morphing spells can cause permanent changes in the
> physical form of a creature.  Such spells as face dance, mutate size, race
> change, and bond make up this group.

  Sounds to me like beefed-up versions of certain Alteration spells...
in gaming terms, this seems a little unbalancing (who'd need Permanency
after all these?). Why try to beef up something that's already got 40%
of all spells printed (the alteration school, that is)?

> 4) Creation spells - These spells are used primarily by the Inner School to
> create new life or alter existing life.  Spells like replicate, fuse, and
> increase attribute make up the creation spells.

  This sounds like Dark Sun's life-shaping halflings. You might want to
check them out. They've got a book with a bunch of items with
life-shaped items, Psionic Artifacts of Athas, that could fit in this
category.

>    Ethos: Mutators are perhaps the most bizarre specialists, using their
> skills not only for adventuring, but for experiments and financial ventures
> of questionable morality.  For this reason, most of the mutators lean towards
> chaotic alignments.

  Questionable morality leads to chaotic?! What rubbish is this?
Questionable morality is more like EVIL, not CHAOTIC.
  Is what mutators do really so random as you intend for us to believe,
or are they really geneticists in diguise? Was it really a happy (and
random) accident that crossbred the lion and the eagle, or making use of
the best of both beasts?

> More Later....

  No offense, but I hope not, especially with THESE KINDS OF SPELLS.
  One piece of advice: don't try to make the do-it-all wizard class.
Just stick with the genetic-type stuff, and it'll be okay.

>    It seems to me the practitioners of this art are very close to the school
> of necromancy though it deals with the living primarily instead of the dead.
> Both possess the power to harm or change vital functions of the body and/or
> soul.

  Necromancers don't neccessarily only deal with the dead, you know.
Undead are just the main thing associated with them... Necromancies
affect the body and life forces.

>     Question:  The beholders possess a technology that is powered by magic
> and by their own innate powers.  If we (humans) could invent a computer in
> 1500 ad out of machine parts (A kinetic Computer proven to function from
> drawings sometime in the last coupla years)  Would the beholders be capable
> or interested in inventing a computer... Hmm, maybe an organic computer with
> orbi as its parts?

  Well, there's an Empire of Beholders, multiple planet-killers, and
fighters with laser weapons, and a full-blown rebellion... smells like
Star Wars here, so why not? Who's to say that beholders think of
everything? Maybe illithids would make REAL computers, and send nasty
messages to each other on the internet instead of telepathic thoughts?!
  Now all we need is the evil Emperor Palpatine (or should I say,
Empress of the Hive), Han and Chewie, and a bunch of psionicists who
think they're Jedi! (and a partridge... never mind)

  BTW, I think the planet-killer thing went a little overboard; it took
a long time to build the Ravager, and that doesn't have a
one-shot-kills-'em-all-Death-Star-type beam. It's a wonder they didn't
come up with their own Sun Crusher yet (ala Jedi Academy trilogy of Star
Wars novels).
  Sorry again if it seems like I'm flaming everyone here, but I'm
beginning to think the essence of the game is being lost here.

Magus Zeroc
Cringing in fear of the person who'd dare invent the warp drive; after
all, this isn't Star Trek or Star Wars, it's Spelljammer