[pnpgm] Enhancements

[pnpgm]

    Well I had hoped to work on update more tonight but with the
    amount of posts and emails around it ran out of time.  I
    probably will not have time tomorrow night (Friday).  So
    I will try to work on it Saturday.

    We see the issue with gems and all the issues around it.  Some
    might call it greed some fair division.  If this was a table
    game it would be resolved in a hour or two of dickering  But
    in a PBEM this is the big delay that it causes back and forth
    posts/emails.  I almost would suggest folks who are in argue
    get in chat in some form from IRC or other service and iron
    out the details.  I as GM can only do the final results.

    It does tend to make me want to give less if any gems in the
    future due to the delays it causes. :)

    Now there is some issue with enhancement.  Some players who have
    been with me for 15 years have enhanced tons of things.  But
    the new rule is that one only has X enhancement rites.

    So how do you make this fair for old players?  These who may have
    already enhanced 4 dozen items?

    I'm considering some options on this.

    For new rites one needs to locate either a book, teacher or other
    method to learn the new rite.  This is why in new IBT things like
    this will take time.  Just saying I want to learn X and assume it
    takes 1 hour will be hard.  I will use the same home brew system
    I use on finding NMIs which will remain only known to me.  But
    its not as common as one thinks.  This is to enhance the Law of
    Magic and more realistic use.

    So for old players I'm thinking they should pick their 6 core
    rites.  These are done.  This will be the Core Enhancment spell
    listed.  I think for the other enhancements those will be a
    new and separate spell.  I'm considering those at EL0  This will
    save the time on learning them and the cost.  That way the spells
    will each go up separately.

    So Grog knows Diamond, Black Poppy and Basil.
    So he already has EL5 in Enhancement.  So for those 3 it will be EL5
    But he also enhanced in the past Emerald, Salt, Wolf Eye.
    So for those 3 he'd have Enhancement EL0.

    I had considered doing basic EL of highest enhancement with modifiers
    but it would harden things for processing.  I think this system
    is best for retroactive purposes.  It will not simply get rid of
    old enhancements but for future ones you would have to start over
    as if forgotten the rites.

    The gulf between some of the old players and new players is huge
    making a town beggar stand next to a god in some ways.  So as
    each adventure goes on I need to restrict and make it more realistic.
    This is a heavy magic system and we see folks with 100 items on
    their body or super elite spells EL who can Fire Dart a dragon
    and fry him in one shot.  So to balance things out these changes
    need to be done.

    So to sum up:
       Future/New Players get 1d6 Enhancement rites free.  Each will be
         a separate spell to increase.
       Old players will have 6 rites at their listed Enhancment spell EL.
         For other rites each will be a separate spell and EL0 to increase
         differently.

    New Rites will not be a easy system to document.  It will depend on
    the item and situations.  A common thing like Salt might be easy
    to find in a library and take 4 hours to memorize.  But say something
    like Dark Ruby (only an example) may be more elusive.  May take 3-4
    weeks to track down depending on culture.  Then you might find that
    one teacher who charges 5 gold.  You may have to prove yourself
    worthy and offer something as tribute.  Who knows.  There is
    no goggle in the perilous lands so rites might be hard to find.
    What about sharing?  That is possible.  I would have to assign
    a value to learn the rite and add a slight increase.  The increase
    is due to copy of a copy.  So the copy may miss that 1/4th of
    Green Power but in fact its 1/5th.  So the increase will have to
    be refining of the formulae.  I think this is a fair system.

    So I will need to go through sheets soon and make notes on what
    you have learned and get what your core rites are.  Stay tuned.

    For IBT as a reminder you should seek advice on making items, spells
    or such.  Doing a simple divination sell now may require basic spell
    components.  So  you may have to visit stores for frog eyes or
    witch hazel or something.  Assuming it will be done is not enough
    now.  So  you will need to plan these things in your IBT.  This
    will make magic less abundant in IBT but will be more realistic.
    I realize this will raise my work load.  But i think for balance
    and realism it will help.  Magic users who become MEL10 from MEL0
    after a month of 3000 spells will be less frequent.  Making it more
    realistic.

    Now as to these gems....

    I would suggest selling all the non magical ones and doing shares
    of profits.  For the magical ones pick and choose.  Some may wish
    to see value determined but I think this would create a whole NEW
    set of arguments.  Item 1 may be 5 Gold but it has great effects.
    Item 2 may be worth 20 Gold but sucky effects.  So knowing values
    will lead to auctions and figuring out well you owe Y less in
    coins.  So I think I'd just pick an item.  Assume all have equal
    value.  Though I know this is not realistic it will speed things
    up in arguments.  This is not mandatory just a suggestion.  In
    the end Fremea can decide or you guys can.

    I will only abide by what is decided.  If a value must be given
    I can determine that.  It seems we have 4? PCs in the back and
    forth.  So if 2-3 want a value I can do so.  But I do think
    it will cause more problems later on.  To be honest you guys
    are already pretty rich.  Think of the new players who can barely
    even afford dinner!

    I will work more on the update Saturday if not some on Friday.


    I know this will probably upset some old players but if you guys
    have a better system let me know on the enhancements.   As we
    saw from v1 to v2 spell diversity changed.  Back in 80s a simple
    Dispel/Banish fit all.  Well now as we saw from the errats and
    such itshould be learned for each alignment.  I think this method
    is more realistic. Protect, Dispel, Banish, etc should have their
    own niche.