Having recently inducted some new players to BoL, I thought I might talk about how I handle sorcery and alchemy especially for new players. As a house rule I generally don't allow players in my games to start with Magician or Alchemist as one of their four starting careers (unless they have a really good idea for it!). I prefer to let them buy it later with AP so that they have time to learn how to use the basic mechanics of the game first, as sorcery and alchemy can require some pre-game prep on the players part which may be difficult to do.

This brings me to my second point; Tomes of Knowledge! These serve as a way for existing player characters to "discover" sorcery or alchemy, allowing them to buy into the career. These are typically rewards I place hidden about in dark dungeons and wizard towers for the players to find and they contain recipies and spells that the player reading it can unlock by spending AP to conduct research between adventures. Here are some rough examples I've made: 

C = Common 
U = Uncommon
L = Legendary
M = Mythic 
1st/2nd/3rd = Magnitude

Furi's Folio of Thaumaturgy(Alchemy), an ancient tome bound in yew plates inlaid with iron. It once belonged to the thaumaturge Furi, who vanished in the Temple of Mist. (Requires Mind 1)
-Sleeping Powder(C)
-Healing Salve(C)
-Blackpowder Bomb(U)
-Armorbright(U)
-Firmament Stone(U) 

The Tome of Giants(Alchemy), a large tome written in illuminated script upon linen pages. It was written by a monstrous goddess for the illustrious alchemist Gwali. (Requires Mind 4)
-Potion of Giants Strength(U)
-Bottled Lightning(U)
-Lightning Gun(L) 

Phesipho's Scripture of Desecration(Sorcery), a set of etched glass plates contained in a gold coffer set with silver pearl. It is said to be haunted by the ghost of the great necromancer Phesipho, who fell at the battle of Hydral Chasm. (Requires Mind 2)
-Summon Rat Swarm(1st)
-Raise Dead(1st)
-Drain Life(2nd)
-Summon Ghost Ship(2nd)
-Plague of Undead(3rd) 

Side note: Tomes for Sorcery can have the additional effect of fufilling one of the casting requirements for spells from the book, if the caster is able to read directly from the book while casting.

Last edited by Crom (2/22/2018 2:54 pm)