Talk:Artificer light sources

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Ok, I tried a couple of minor corrections just to test the waters and see how it works. Apparently it worked out ok and I'm slowly getting the hang of things.

A couple of notes on the actual content:

1. You may want to consider spelling Lesser Item capitalizing both words. It both matches the table headers better and it gives a better feeling that it's a Sagatafl-related game term.
2. The feeling I got from reading the Artificer preview a couple days ago was that, though the power is magical in nature, the Artificer doesn't really 'perform a ritual' while created enhanced objects. Given this premise, it feels somewhat restricitve/metagamish to force him to create candles or torches in batches. Could it not be said that he spends all the necessary Essence immediately as he starts creating them, but he can manufacture them when he sees fit (provided, of course, he has all the necessary tools)? So a Level 9 Artificer would pay 0.1 Essence and decide on the picks for the batch and then, the next 9 torches he manufactures, are enhanced. This way he is not forced to bring them along or hide/lock them somewhere safe and be forced to go back once he needs them.
3. There should probably be a link to a Skill document which details materials/standard durations and light classes and so on for Crafting torches/candles. (BTW, the wiki is in its infancy now, that's why I'm just pointing this out and not creating an internal link right off.)
4. There is a potential for confusion in the 4d12-2 notation. I know that it indicates a bonus in your system (-2 to RD means an easier roll) but in most system that looks like a penalty. It will be obviously explained in the core mechanics section, but I was thinking.. How about switching to a 4d12(-2) notation (or something along those lines) to make the transition from other systems to yours easier?

Hi loki. On the Edit page, whenever you write on a Discussion page like this, you should "sign" your text blocks by clicking on the signature icon, currently the second one from the right on the row of function buttons above the Edit Window. This automatically inserts your signature and a datestamp. Also if you reply to another discussion page "post", insert one or several colons before each paragraph you write (for this reason, it is easier to write everything as one long paragraph) to indent your post and show what level of reply it is. For instance, this is intended one level, by one colon, and if you write a reply to this, you should use two colons. I'll use three colons. And eventually there'll be so many colons that one of us will suggest taking it to email or to the mailing list, and the other one will agree. But don't let that stop you from using the Talk Pages.

Now I'm starting a new paragraph, still one intendentation. Since I'm writing this immediately after the previous paragraph, I didn't "sign" the previous paragraph, but will only sign this one (if I remember it).

Yes, I can see that capitalizing the whole term is good. Also note that I've decided to use Simple Item (I and II) instead of Lesser Item, because Lesser seems to indicate power level, and Simple Items are more about a lack of flexibility with regards to Enchantments and Enchantment Levels. But yes, it will be Simple I Item and Simple II Item (and I will try to move or re-name this article soon). Unless you think that Simple Item I and Simple Item II are better.

As for ritual, that is true. Some artificers do in fact perform rituals, but so do many normal blacksmiths and weavers and candle-makers, as part of the tradition of their craft. The Artificer's use of power is non-ritual in nature, and can be said to be deliberate or intuitive (probably starting intuitive but becoming deliberate as he learns to use his power, thus starting out under player control but ending up under conscious character control). The issue you raise about flexibility is serious, I can see that, but I don't see that there is much wrong with eing forced to make, e.g., 6 or 9 candles at a time. Unused candles can be stored for years, even decades, and same with torches, and generally Simple Items made in batches (candles, torches, arrows) are ones that you'll almost always need more than one of anyway. A candle only provides light for 4 Hours, for instance, so having 7 or 8 or 9 of them is just nice. The alternative you suggest, giving the Artificer "credits" that he can use late to create more candles with the same effects, is one possibility. An Artificer whose Power is Limited to only working with one kind of item that is consumable, could end up with dozens of such partially used credits to keep track of, for various kinds of bojnuses (Arrows of Range, Arrows of Precision, Arrows of Slaying). Another option is to get into micro-Essence (mES) and have the Artificer pay for each item independently, with the cost being derived from his Artificer Level. I'd preer to keep mES usage to a minimum, though.

Feel free to start making internal links already. Don't worry about this wiki being in its infancy. It's a horrible mess, and it'll stay a horrible mess for the next Year at least. So go ahead, give those brackets keys on your keyboard some exercise.

I think it takes up too much space. Maybe not in a proportional font, but eventually some people may end up using devices with fixed-width fonts. A better option could be dropping the 12, since this is implicit, d12 being the core dice type, so that it is only 4d-2. The 2d8 mechanic is still spelled out (2d8 Roll, or whatever I end up calling it), and so are damage rolld (4d8, 5d10+5, ad so forth). Would that work better? Especially in the context of a 3d+1 Saving Throw or a 4d-2 Avert Roll?

PS: I should perhaps have interleaved my replies with your numbered items. Excpt that might have messed up your numbering, and caused trouble for others who might eventually want to add their 2f to this debate.--Peter Knutsen (the Designer) 16:00, 30 August 2010 (UTC)