New Trade Idea: Preacher

[Jopper13]

I thought it would be fun to focus on Divine Magic a little bit and give them a unique tradeskill. The world of Last Hope has canonical examples that Divine beings/gods exist and that Divine magic is a conduit to them and their powers. Yes, divine magic is powerful... but I feel like we miss out on some unique roleplay and impactful moments at events without having a "higher tier" Divine Magic tradeskill. Weaver is technically "magic neutral" but still follows closer to the Arcane side of things. Here are some of my ideas...

Requirements:
Prayers, scriptures, religious items/tomes containing scriptures and sermons for their PCs chosen Creed
A large, obvious, and substantial religious item (like a banner with scripture and holy symbols) must be present

Summary of Effects:
- Longer prayer/time for reduced cost of Protection on others.
- Conduct sermons to allow others to cast spells at reduced cost.
- Conduct sermons to empower Cleanse spells.
- Possibly a way to apply unique beads for auras, similar to Weaver

Ideas:
Group Prayer for Protection
Conduct a 10 minute sermon to apply a Protection spell on all who have stayed and listened to it for the cost of only 1 mana per protection spell.

Group Prayer for Cleanse
Conduct a 10 minute sermon to increase a Cleanse spell's Cleanse rating.
Would this double? Or add +1 for every person involved in listening to the sermon?
This could also be used to "mass cleanse" treated wounds with gold ribbons so they can heal after events.

Enhance Meditation
Similar to the Weaver or Bard effect, I think targets with Divine magic who are meditating could have a slight boost if they are meditating while a 10 minute Sermon is being conducted.

Ward of Divinity
Conduct a 10-15 minute sermon (and possibly burn reagents) to apply a Purple Necklace aura to a target, making them immune to all magic (both harmful and beneficial) for 1 hour.
The wearer of the necklace must announce "Immune" when targeted by any form of magic.
Divine magic is almost always out-classed by Arcane magic but this would be a really big power shift with intense intervention with divine entities. Examples of this exist in the game already, but are rare, and this would be a pretty substantial thing.

This is what I came up with so far as a beta draft of ideas... please add to it your thoughts/ideas!

[Cordyn Lockwell]

I think there's some really interesting ideas in here. I think an hour of magic immunity is maybe a bit too powerful, but I like the general idea. I do think it would be hilarious to see someone walk into a mage tag tournament after having this aura placed on themselves and they just tank all the hits with immunity. =P

Maybe instead of an aura they can bless someone's armor or a shield for x amount of time? Just throwing spaghetti at the wall here:

Divine Defense -
Conduct a 10-15 minute sermon (possibly burn reagents) to apply a blessing of divine protection over a piece of equipment (shield or armor). The duration of spell lasts for 1 hour or until the item is damaged beyond use.


- If cast upon a shield they can block all incoming spells with their shield for 1 hour. Instead of conducting through the shield to their body it stops them in their track. The shield can still be cleaved and broken, dissipating the spell. If the spell strikes the body instead of the shield the target still takes the spell effect.


- If cast on Armor it lasts for 1 hour or until the armor is damaged beyond use (or takes x damage, can be balanced). During this time any spells that strike the person are stopped in their tracks (does not stop shatter bolts if they hit a shield). Armor can still take damage from weapon swings and when armor is sufficiently damaged the spell dissipates.

[Basil Gavras]

I like everything but Ward of Divinity. The broad spectrum of it I think hurts, but the bigger challenge is the 1 hour time limit would be really hard to track in game in field.

Instead maybe have it like a Weaver's spell where they have an aura to block a specific spell for the entire day.

[blueruby]

I like the Enhance Meditation bit, and I think a decent restriction on the Mass Protection and Mass Cleanse (when used on treated wounds, at least) would be to limit it to a number of subjects equal to the mana regained from meditation. For example, a Preacher with Meditation would be able to protect up to 3 subjects with a 10 minute sermon for the cost of 1 mana each, or a Preacher with Greater Meditation would be able to apply 7. That way, the mana cost for the sermon would be identical to the Preacher casting the spells on each subject then meditating once, but would save the casting time of each Protection while taking all of the subjects out of the scenario or fight for 10 minutes.

As far as the Ward of Divinity goes, I think the idea is solid, but what I think would work better would be to have a ribbon tied to a shield, which would absorb a spell into a Cleave effect, rather than the effect of the spell itself. That way, mages can still break shields apart and won't be rendered useless against a line with enough prep time, and shield fighters can feel a bit more useful against mages. If the shield is broken, the enchantment is dissipated, and if it is repaired, the heat of the forge and the pounding of hammers coaxes it out, so once your shield breaks or is repaired, it is no longer blessed.

[yossarian]

I really like the ideas behind the preacher. Ward of Divinity looks like it can be super clutch. I can see a preacher/warmage giving a sermon mid-combat, or a healer/support preaching to the wounded and healers to keep them safe while they work on treatment.

I think there should be some limits as to the number of people, though. Thoughts on that would be either a hard limit (such as a maximum of 8 people getting buffed), or they get a certain amount of time to buff people and divide that time between them (such as a 60 minute max spread across 4 people would be 15 minutes each, or 10 minutes for 6 people). Longer sermons (or as you mentioned, material components would work as well) could then either increase the max people or max time. I also think there should be sizable XP and skill requirements. For example, being a preacher requires 15 xp and Divine Magic 1, and are able to use Cleanse and Meditation, but AOE Protect requires Divine Magic 2, and Ward requires Divine Magic 3 to use.

Overall I think with some tweaks it would make for a good "prestige class" for clerics.

>Posted by Cordyn Lockwell
>...I do think it would be hilarious to see someone walk into a mage tag tournament after having this aura placed on themselves and they just tank all the hits with immunity. =P

^I actually think this idea would be awesome. There could be above-or-below ground tournaments, where more honorable ones grant this ability to the participants during their matches, and the participants are graded on a point system rather than outright defeating their opponent/s. Then less reputable battlegrounds might not offer this protection in exchange for better rewards. I'm a huge fan of tournament arcs though so I might be a bit biased lol.

[Alister Dark]

I would suggest instead of lasting an hour, it works like a protection spell where it blocks a hit of damage :/

[kduckman]

Okay. I know it's been almost a year since this idea has been posted on, but I really love it, so I'll do what I can to poke some life back into it.

I really like the group protection sermon at a discount. But I agree with whoever it was that suggested capping it, tied to meditation levels/mana regained from meditation.

The 1 hour magic immunity, cool as it sounds, also sounds OP (however much I'd like to walk around slapping death bolts out of the air). Tying it to a shield that translates those spells into cleaves, though, or just straight up weaver auras, or maybe an opposit to the Protection spell, a one-time aura that just stops the first spell that hits it? I'm partial to the shield thing, but I'm biased.

I don't have a lot of thoughts on enhanced cleansing, but a group cleanse that works kind of the same as the protection, maybe without a discount and a similar mana regen tied cap, say 2 cleanse rating per 1 Mana you could regen can be spent at a time?

I have even fewer thoughts re: meditation enhancement, so I'll just say 'yes, please'

[Basil Gavras]

Rethinking Ward of Divinity - instead of having it be an "anti-magic" aura, instead having it be able to place a 2nd protection on others.

[blrich]

Ward of Divinity could require at least one divine caster outside of the preacher participate and a certain number of characters observing to work. Increasing the number of casters/observers could increase the number of spells ignored or the spell itself. So you'd need a LOT of participants for Death Bolt but relatively few for Stun Bolt. Maybe lore: ritual could reduce the reagent cost? Mimic how surgeon uses a divine caster to assist/improve how it goes?

[Basil Gavras]

My rough draft

TRADE PREACHER

=== Trade Description ===

Something something zeal and righteousness

=== Required Skills ===
- Divine Magic 3

=== Equipment Required ===
- Prayers, scriptures, religious items/tomes containing scriptures and sermons for their PCs chosen Creed
- A large, obvious, and substantial religious item (like a banner with scripture and holy symbols) must be present
- Sand Timer(s)
- Die Counters
- Gold Beads
- Yellow ribbon

=== Time & Actions ===

Advanced Mana Usage
Time: N/A
Action: The Preacher learns how to store and recover more mana, giving them a +1 bonus to their mana pool along with a +1 bonus to the mana they recover during meditation.

Enhance Meditation
Time: Used during Meditation
Action: This ability allows a Preacher to use their oratory to inspire and open others to the mana stream in excess of their normal abilities.

If another spellcaster meditates while listening to a Preacher’s sermon, the other spellcaster may regain +1 mana to the amount they would normally regain through meditation. The Preacher must deliver a sermon during this meditation. Up to three spell casters may meditate while listening to the Preacher to gain this bonus. They must all do so around the large religious item of the Preacher, and it must not be moved away. The Preacher does not gain this bonus since it is already reflected in their other abilities but instead grants it to others. This ability cannot be stacked and cannot have its duration shortened

Conduct Divination
Time: 10 minutes
Effect: The Preacher can utilize their divine connection to search for knowledge, looking to their deity to open up details to them or give them details.

A Preacher may attempt to divine information if they are presented with a Lore card that they do not have the ability to normally read. The Preacher must place the item of focus near or on their large religious item (be discreet and hide the Lore card from view) or conduct the ritual at the site where the Lore card is located. The Preacher must be at full mana to attempt the divination. The Preacher must conduct a prayer for guidance during this time. There is a 50% chance that at the end of the divination, the Preacher has learned more information about the target item/object and may open and read the Lore card even without the applicable Lore skill. Find a Herald to determine if this attempt was successful.

If the attempt fails, they may spend all of their current mana to try another attempt. If this attempt fails, the Preacher is unable to try again; despite their best efforts, the knowledge cannot be divined.

Inspired Protection
Time: 10 minutes
Action: All those that stay and listen to the Preacher’s sermon are able to be granted a Protection Spell by the Preacher immediately afterward for only 1 mana and no casting time. There is no limit on how many people can be affected by the sermon. However, the Preacher cannot cast or regain mana prior to completing all the Protection spells otherwise the effect is broken. Those who are listening to the sermon must be paying attention and not doing other tasks such as putting on armor, practicing a trade, or holding another conversation.

Inspired Cleansing
Time: 10 minutes
Action: For every person who stays to listen to the entirety of the Preacher’s sermon, the Cleanse rating of the Cleanse spell cast by the Preacher immediately afterward is raised by 1 and with no casting time. There is not a limit on how many people can affect the Cleansing Spell. Those who are listening to the sermon must be paying attention and not doing other tasks such as putting on armor, practicing a trade, or holding another conversation.


Alternative Action: Can be used to Mass Cleanse treated wounds.


Ward of Divinity
Time: 10 minutes
Action: All those that stay and listen to the Preacher’s sermon are able to be granted a 2nd Protection Spell by the Preacher immediately afterward for 2 mana and no casting time. All those receiving the 2nd Protection Aura must already have a Protection Aura on them. There is no limit on how many people can be affected by the sermon. However, the Preacher cannot cast or regain mana prior to completing all the Protection spells otherwise the effect is broken. Those who are listening to the sermon must be paying attention and not doing other tasks such as putting on armor, practicing a trade, or holding another conversation.

[jcod]

Looking at Peanut's most recent rough draft, these are my comments:

Advanced Mana Usage: I like the idea of this being added to all the advanced magic trades and say you can only benefit from it once. As of now only Weaver exists, but if more crop up later.

Enhance Meditation: I think it is unclear at the moment if the Preacher is regaining mana at the same time as this. If so I'm not sure about it. This seems like an active thing and that seems to break the idea of general meditation. I do like the idea of the Preacher improving the meditation of others. I think it might be interesting to allow the Preacher to mana transfer during this time as well to the limited group as they regain mana. I would also consider raising the mana transfer cap as this is a ten minute activity.

Conduct Divination: I like the idea of this, but I would like to see it work more like a ritual with an unknown mana requirement. If it is a religious related Lore card it might cost less mana to divine the answer, but if it is very estranged, it could take a lot and have a risk of failure for no reason. If the Preacher doesn't have enough mana to divine the answer themselves others might be able to lend the Preacher mana to aid in the divination. If enough mana is not available to the divination, it will fail.

Inspired Protection: I like this.

Inspired Cleansing: I like the alternate and I like the idea of allowing a Preacher to spend mana to mass remove corruption on the listeners, but I don't like the idea of the Preacher talking at a crowd who is paying attention somehow giving the Preacher more power. I would like to see the Preacher stay at helping and enhancing others, not about powering themselves up.

Ward of Divinity: I think this is a much more balanced version. If it is made to work like a mage armor, then Preacher seems better than Weaver. Weaver's ability to block only one type of spell once seems nice, but I think in general the first spell you get hit by is more likely to be an important spell.

[Basil Gavras]

Sept 23, 2021 15:09:41 GMT -5 jcod said:

Enhance Meditation: I think it is unclear at the moment if the Preacher is regaining mana at the same time as this. If so I'm not sure about it. This seems like an active thing and that seems to break the idea of general meditation. I do like the idea of the Preacher improving the meditation of others. I think it might be interesting to allow the Preacher to mana transfer during this time as well to the limited group as they regain mana. I would also consider raising the mana transfer cap as this is a ten minute activity spell.

I'll clarify but yes, it's only for those listening to the sermon and not the Preacher as preaching is an active action. This is a near copy of the Weaver's enhanced meditation, though the Weaver can regain their own as well.

I'm not for the mana transfer aspect, though.

[Basil Gavras]

Sept 23, 2021 15:09:41 GMT -5 jcod said:

Conduct Divination: I like the idea of this, but I would like to see it work more like a ritual with an unknown mana requirement. If it is a religious related Lore card it might cost less mana to divine the answer, but if it is very estranged, it could take a lot and have a risk of failure for no reason. If the Preacher doesn't have enough mana to divine the answer themselves others might be able to lend the Preacher mana to aid in the divination. If enough mana is not available to the divination, it will fail.

This was a direct copy paste over from Weaver. I think those two should stay the same as with only aesthetic differences so to make things simple.

[Basil Gavras]

Sept 23, 2021 15:09:41 GMT -5 jcod said:

Inspired Cleansing: I like the alternate and I like the idea of allowing a Preacher to spend mana to mass remove corruption on the listeners, but I don't like the idea of the Preacher talking at a crowd who is paying attention somehow giving the Preacher more power. I would like to see the Preacher stay at helping and enhancing others, not about powering themselves up.

This was more to have the Preacher channel the power of others to cleanse like we do with mana transfer, but as a way to do that without having the mana transfer skill. We can work on that if the concept itself is well received.

[jcod]

I looked again at Weaver and more closely at the Enhanced Meditation and Conduct Divination.

In Weaver for their Enhanced Meditation, they have to chant or perform a ritual. Maybe it would be more fair if the Preacher also gained the benefits of a meditation when they do their version?

For Conduct Divination, I forgot about that part of Weaver. I agree they should be the same. It is kind of strange though that you need a full mana pool to do the attempt. It makes sense that it will take your full mana pool if you want to retry, but why can't I try it without a full mana pool and then am barred from the retry since I am not at full mana. Does that make sense?