Re: Locate Portal spell - Dreamer's hacked version has errors

On Sun, 2 Apr 2006, Dreamer wrote:

> In <URL:news:local.spelljam> on Sat 01 Apr, Peter Aronson wrote:
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Dreamer" <dreamer@??????.?????.??.uk>
> > To: <SPELLJAMMER-L@??????.???????.com>
> > Sent: Saturday, April 01, 2006 1:46 AM
> > Subject: Re: [SPELLJAMMER] Locate Portal spell - Dreamer's hacked version
> > has errors
> >
> > > It depends on what you think of 'Wildspace Rangers'; you could
> > > argue that this spell fits with the idea of tracking in space,
> > > etc. You need to think about what the character class does, in
> > > particular in a SJ setting, in addition to their existing spell
> > > lists.
> >
> > I think Wildspace Rangers would be a neat idea, but I think clearly regular
> > rangers wouldn't get this spell.
>
> This is the old problem of Character Class boundaries - where
> does what a character wants to do (or what a player wants to do
> with their character) change so much that they should be a
> different class?
>
> OK, a group of adventurers who were groundlings get out into
> wildspace, then the Flow, via one of the classic SJ campaign
> start-up options. One of them is a Ranger, and after adjusting to
> the fact of not doing everything on the ground starts to think in
> terms of Survival in wildspace, and how you move around unnoticed
> there, spot other people who are attempting such, and track,
> using knowledge of where people have to go (such as portals or
> air sources, corresponding to mountain passes or water holes), etc.
>
> Does this Ranger just learn a few new skills and feats, and maybe
> appropriate SJ spells, or do they have to become a different
> character class, say a 'Wildspace Rangers', to be able to
> function effectively as anything other than a Fighter in a SJ
> setting?
>
> I'd prefer to avoid forcing that Ranger to take a new character
> class, as in general I'd prefer to avoid forcing new clases on
> characters who want to become effective in a SJ setting.

Hm. There is still the approach taken in the "Planar Handbook", where
substitute levels exist for certain classes. Instead of e.g. taking 3rd
level as a barbarian (from the PHB) you just take a substitution level. I
cannot give more information about that since I am in my office, the books
are at home...
I don't really know if that approach works at all, though. I have not
(yet) seen any player trying this...

[...]

> > Best Regards,
> >
> > Peter
>
> --
> Dreamer
> dreamer@??????.?????.??.uk
> http://www.romsys.demon.co.uk/

cu,

Joe