Larian = Decline. OwlCat = Incline.

[Nano]

Because makes NO SENSE. Is like DOS2 armor mechanics. Makes no sense.

Imagine that I prepare 3 molotov cocktails. I can throw the 3 in a row. There are no artificial timer prohibiting me from using it. Cooldowns also lead to a sameness "spam the same rotation over and over" which essentially kills the immersion and transform the RPG in a rhythm game.

But you think writing spells into your spell slots and only being able to use them for everytime that you write them down *does* make sense, and is not at all a game-y balancing mechanic?

 

[Ontopoly]

But you think writing spells into your spell slots and only being able to use them for everytime that you write them down *does* make sense, and is not at all a game-y balancing mechanic?

Spells are complicated enough that every day you have to prepare the spells during your rest and then when you go to cast it you are simply finishing off the spell and releasing it. Makes sense and Vancian spell casting is based off of books so it's not just a gamey mechanic. Every other class doesn't really make sense though, but mechanically and lore wise wizards with spell slots make sense and are cool.

 

[Cryomancer]

Because makes NO SENSE. Is like DOS2 armor mechanics. Makes no sense.

Imagine that I prepare 3 molotov cocktails. I can throw the 3 in a row. There are no artificial timer prohibiting me from using it. Cooldowns also lead to a sameness "spam the same rotation over and over" which essentially kills the immersion and transform the RPG in a rhythm game.

But you think writing spells into your spell slots and only being able to use them for everytime that you write them down *does* make sense, and is not at all a game-y balancing mechanic?

No, vancian magical system is 100% based on literature. Imagine that the wizard is a firearm and his spells, his "ammo". And you don't write then in your spell slots. Spell slots represents the spells which you can prepare and have inside your mind.

Every other class doesn't really make sense though

I strongly agree. Limitations on how much a barbarian can rage fells completely unnatural TBH.

 

[Gangrelrumbler]

But you think writing spells into your spell slots and only being able to use them for everytime that you write them down *does* make sense, and is not at all a game-y balancing mechanic?

Spells are complicated enough that every day you have to prepare the spells during your rest and then when you go to cast it you are simply finishing off the spell and releasing it. Makes sense and Vancian spell casting is based off of books so it's not just a gamey mechanic. Every other class doesn't really make sense though, but mechanically and lore wise wizards with spell slots make sense and are cool.

Except it made some sense in Jack Vance books while it makes no sense whatsoever in the DnD interpretation. In the books wizards had memory space and could cram only a selected number of spells there, more complicated spells took more space. In DnD spells are separated into arbitrary "levels". So for example you have a Wizard with 3 lvl1 spell slots and 1 lvl 2 slot. So he can prepare 3 magic missiles and 1 acid arrow. But for some reason he can't use his higher level slots to prepare two magic missiles or even one. Or use multiple low level slots to prepare a higher level spells. There should be no spell levels, just have more powerful ones use more of "memory space".

Not to mention there are "spontaneous" casters who don't have to prepare their spells, but are still tied into the spell slot system. There are also alchemists which for balance reasons cannot prepare more bombs/mutagens in advance. Just look at this fragment from the pnp rules:
"An alchemist can only maintain one dose of mutagen at a time—if he brews a second dose, any existing mutagen becomes inert. As with an extract or bomb, a mutagen that is not in an alchemist’s possession becomes inert until an alchemist picks it up again. (...) Non-alchemist can never gain the benefit of a mutagen, but an alchemist can gain the effects of another alchemist’s mutagen if he drinks it. Although if the other alchemist creates a different mutagen, the effects of the “stolen” mutagen immediately cease."
How does any of that makes sense? How is it any less arbitrary than cooldowns?

Mana system is the beast and most logical one. Ironic since it's most often used in video games.

 

[Gradenmayer]

Vampires are always cool. In Bram Stoker's Dracula, in animes like Hellsing, in TSR's D&D(Strahd and Barovia), even a very dumbed down action game called skyrim did amazing with the vampire lord DLC. Only Beamdog and Larian managed to make vampirism so awful...

Seriously. Compare.

img - Skyrim vampire & Larian vampire

Vampires is the coolest form of undeath. How bad someone needs to be to pick the coolest form of undeath and make ... Astarion?? How? There are so many amazing vampires in pop culture to take as inspiration. To not say that I've a bias towards western media, look to Dio Brando and Alucard from Hellsing. Two anime vampires which are far more vampire than Astarion can ever be in his dreams.

You can tell one hasn't read Bram Stoker's dracula by them saying Stoker's dracula is cool.

 

[FriendlyMerchant]

I really hate both games. I've learned my lesson that new games are shit. I'm sticking only to games made before 2006 now with only few exceptions. KotC2 is an exception when the steam/gog keys come out. AoD in space is looking interesting too.

 

[FriendlyMerchant]

At least it isn't a BLACK WOMAN as a PALADIN

Give them time, the good aligned companions haven't been released yet.

You already have worse. There are Elven and Half-Elven companions. Around elves, guard yourselves.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Lich and shadows/wraiths were always peak undead to me.

This nigga is reading with no eyes. Hellen Keller wishes she had this power.

Skeletor fan?

 

[Denim Destroyer]

I really hate both games. I've learned my lesson that new games are shit. I'm sticking only to games made before 2006 now with only few exceptions. KotC2 is an exception when the steam/gog keys come out. AoD in space is looking interesting too.

A better litmus test would be to avoid games with immense hype. KOTC2 and AOD are only hyped on the Codex yet they are far from matching the hype levels of Wrath or Baldur's Gate 3.