On 26-Nov-97, RocksHope@aol.com (RocksHope@aol.com) wrote about [BIRTHRIG=
HT] -
Priests and Mages:

- ->All of the following is IMHO and for my own campaigns :
- ->Mages summon extraplanar forces to create and destroy.
- ->Priests use faith to influence the world around them.
Thats what I too think.

- ->Yeah I know there are plenty of spells that break/bend my guidelines, b=
ut as
- ->long as the game feels like its following these rules, I'm happy. =

It's sad that there is spells which don't follow thise simple guidelines,=
but
then TSR isn't known to follow their own guidelines,. It sometimes feels =
like
in each expansion there is something new which was not allowed in anythin=
g
older.

If we take a look at the classes instead of the "philosoophy" (spl?), we =
can
easily see that the Priest are much better fighters than Mages, and to no=
t
make it unbalanced the Priests has to have less offencive spells or upgra=
de
the Mages combat skills to a similare level as the Priests. But in that c=
ase
there isn't need of two classes anymore.



Another suggestion how to give the Elves a way to heal them selfs:

Elven Shaman

Ability Req.: Wis 15, Con 12, Cha 15, Int 12
Prime Req.: Wis
Allowed races: Elves and Half-Elves

Class abilities:
Spirit Powers (as a normal shaman, but no spirit of the dead. replace t=
he
land spirits "pass without trace" with "cure light wounds").
Armour: As Druids
Weapons: only those which are used for hunting
Magical items: As Druid
Animal empathy
Identify plants and animal
Combat skills like a priest
Saving throws as a priest
Level advancement as Druid
Elven Shamans gains RP as wizards

The Elven Shaman is the elven version of the Druids, they have close cont=
act
with animals and plants and even the elemental spirits. They don't worshi=
p any
gods or belive in some kind higher powers, they just are closer to the
elements from birth.

The shaman don't use the source to cast spells, but to get more spirits t=
o
help them. For the amount source the Shaman controlls s/he can "buy" extr=
a
spirits. The cost is listed below.

Minor: 3 source levels
Major: 6 source levels
Great: 12 source levels

Ex. The elven Shaman V=E4in=F6 has 15 scours levels under his controll, f=
or thise
he could have one minor and one great spirit
more than is allowed for his level.

The shaman needs help of a Major or Great spirit to breform the Investitu=
re
ritual.


I hope that those a bit high ability scores will help to keep the amount =
of
thise shamans quite low. If you allow priest to get religion for free, do=
n't
give the shaman any religion profs for free, if you want to give it somet=
hing
anyhow, give some animal related skill in that case. =


If you happen to like this idea, then develope it more as I will not.


//Trizt of Ward^RITE

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