Marit Aspects

[Ravenspath]

Okay, need the communities help and input.

For Marit I am getting rid of alingment and going with something I am calling Aspects. Each person in Marit is born with two aspects. One is a an elemental aspect, the other is a seasonal aspect. You do not have to be born in a certain season to have that aspect. The aspects give you certain bonus, one set of elemental, one for seasonal.

I have been associating the joint elemenal/seasonal aspects with a creature. I want the groups input on 1) names for joint aspects, some are blank, but if you have ideas for ones I have already filled in let me know 2)thoughts on the bonuses I am giving by aspect 3) overall concept.

I will be changing some spells and class abilities, but that has not been done yet. I am debating on whether to keep such things as Detect Evil/Good for Paladins. Game mechanic wise it is hard, but I think roleplaying wise it could still be a viable skill.

Here is what I have so far:

Elemental aspects give bonuses to magic and one specific skill.
Seasonal aspects give bonuses to a skill and a feat.

Earth
+1 to saves against earth based magic
+1 to DC when casting earth based magic
-1 to saves against air based magic
-1 to DC when casting air based magic
+1 Concentration skill check

Fire
+1 to saves against fire based magic
+1 to DC when casting fire based magic
-1 to saves against water based magic
-1 to DC when casting water based magic
+1 Intimidate skill check

Air
+1 to saves against air based magic
+1 to DC when casting air based magic
-1 to saves against earth based magic
-1 to DC when casting earth based magic
+1 Jump skill check

Water
+1 to saves against water based magic
+1 to DC when casting water based magic
-1 to saves against fire based magic
-1 to DC when casting fire based magic
+1 Swim skill check

Renewal
+1 Heal skill check
Great Fortitude feat

Growth
+1 Hide skill check
Self-Sufficient feat

Harvest
+1 Survival skill check
Investigator feat

Slumber
+1 Spot skill check
Track feat


Air Renewal-Air Dragon
Air Growth-Pegaus
Air Harvest-Roc
Air Slumber-Remorhaz

Water Renewal-Porpoise
Water Growth-Water Dragon
Water Harvest-
Water Slumber-Frost Worm

Fire Renewal-Phoenix
Fire Growth-Salamander
Fire Harvest-Fire Dragon
Fire Slumber-Nightmare

Earth Renewal-
Earth Growth-Satyr
Earth Harvest-Minotaur
Earth Slumber-Earth Dragon

[Raelifin]

Okay, there are a few things I notice. The first is that you don't give a good description of the seasonal aspects. Folklore and myth would be great here, and I feel that adding some of that would spice it up and make it interesting.

Elemental aspects do little for non-casters, which is okay, but keep in mind that your average earth rogue will be just like the average air rogue, at least in terms of base mechanics (not concept or whatever).

Earth getting +1 to concentration doesn't make much mechanical sense, as concentration is (as far as I can tell) never used for non-spellcasters. +1 to balance or survival or climb makes more sense to me.

Going solely on the names of the seasonal aspects, I'm a bit perplexed at the bonuses.

"Renewal" is probably the best, as it incorporates healing and metabolism aspects into the idea of spring. I'd rename it "Birth".

"Growth," which I assume is summer seems a bit out of place, as grass tends to turn brown in summer, and the growing isn't really noticeable as it is with spring. In either case, I certainly don't see how growth oriented characters are better at hiding and scavenging... I'd likely change it to "Warmth" or "Life" and change the bonuses to spot and the negotiator feat.

"Harvest" is fine, but investigator seems a bit wrong. Maybe that's just me. No suggestion.

"Slumber" is a good name, but spot and track don't seem right. I'd go with the bonuses you have outlined for "Growth".

As for the monsters, it's a good idea, but creating original beasties for Marit and using them would tie the element into the setting better.

In general, I like this idea. In fact, I'm using something similar for my setting. Back it up with some fluff and you've got a winner. :)

[Ravenspath]

Thanks for your comment! I know that it is missing fluff and I appreciate that comment that it needs some. I wanted to get the crunch listed before I forgot what I had thought of.

Yesterday I had decided to add some original monsters rather than using typical ones. Just need to make them now.

I have some reasoning for the various seasonal aspects, but I am not thrilled with them. And the elemental aspects do favor casters and I need to work on that too.

Your comments are helpful as always and when I get some more time to work on fluff and fix some of the errors I would appreciate even more.

Raven

[Tybalt]

I was thinking that perhaps it might be almost like a horoscope. Perhaps these are cast at a person's birth and at their induction into adulthood/professional standing. If you think about it that way then you could even add more. It makes it cultural and character building as well as stat building.