Creation Points / Magic users

[Darkspur 0]

 Hey all,

Few questions, as I am new to the game.  I don't normally use forums, but this one seems a lot more mature than others I have looked on, and I am enamored with the game and want to give it my full attention.   I come from games like D&D and Pathfinder.  Great games, but vary black and white. Which I think is why I am having a couple issues graping the color of Anima. 

 

1. Creation Points: at level one, if I am not mistaken, you get 3cp + up to 3 more from disadvantages.  Do you gain more per level?  I haven't read anything saying you do (yet), but I wanted to be sure I hadn't missed anything.

 

2. Magic Users / mentalists.  Are they actually required to take Advantages like 'The Gift'?  It almost seems unfair to me that you should have to spend what few CP you have on such pricey advantages.  Or is this a balance that says, "Because you can level a mountain by waving your hand and summon the spirits of mountain shattering doom, you should not be able to have something like 'Danger Sense'.  If that's the case, I dig it, it just seems to me that the class would automatically have 'The Gift" and that's why they became a wizard, to attune and use, and weave magic into spells.

[Geist06 0]

Darkspur said:

 Hey all,

Few questions, as I am new to the game.  I don't normally use forums, but this one seems a lot more mature than others I have looked on, and I am enamored with the game and want to give it my full attention.   I come from games like D&D and Pathfinder.  Great games, but vary black and white. Which I think is why I am having a couple issues graping the color of Anima. 

 

1. Creation Points: at level one, if I am not mistaken, you get 3cp + up to 3 more from disadvantages.  Do you gain more per level?  I haven't read anything saying you do (yet), but I wanted to be sure I hadn't missed anything.

 

2. Magic Users / mentalists.  Are they actually required to take Advantages like 'The Gift'?  It almost seems unfair to me that you should have to spend what few CP you have on such pricey advantages.  Or is this a balance that says, "Because you can level a mountain by waving your hand and summon the spirits of mountain shattering doom, you should not be able to have something like 'Danger Sense'.  If that's the case, I dig it, it just seems to me that the class would automatically have 'The Gift" and that's why they became a wizard, to attune and use, and weave magic into spells.

Hello and welcome to the forums!  I'm still fairly new myself (to the forums) but so far I've found them quite helpful.  To answer your questions:

1) Yes, you get 3 Creation Points at character creation.  You may take upto 3 Disadvantages, gaining their point cost in Creation Points.  Example: Severe Allergy gives you 1 Creation Point, but something like Blind gives you 2.  (So, the "maximum number" of creation points would be 9... although your character would be severely hampered.)

In the core book there is no way to gain more creation points.  One of the alternate rules I've seen in the GM Companion book does discuss the idea of using the +1 to an ability stat every other level to turn into a creation point

2) Yes, to use Magic (Wizard / Warlock / etc...) you must purchase "The Gift."  Psysics get the "option" of Access to a Diciple and Access to All Diciplines (whatever they're officially called.)  I've always considered it part of the balancing act.  Magic and Psi can be quite the gamechangers considering their abilities.

The biggest change in mentality (That I had to go through) was the concept of "Classes."  In DnD / Pathfinder, its a straight - linear progression where I can see how much more powerful I am becoming, with a few choices here in there.  In Anima, you get to chose / create how powerful you're becoming (Am I spending 60 DP this level in buying PP?  Should I increase by base Zeon or build more MA multiplyer?  I really want to put more into my X skill, but I'm needing a higher defense to avoid damage..)

 

A tip that can help: Continue to read the book over and over.  Try making a few sample characters for yourself... some at level 1, then maybe level 5, and level 10 to see how their power changes and what they can all do.  That way you can see how they progress in power and abilities.

[Hrathen 1,463]

Don't forget that if you want to be able to use any Ki techniques at first level you have to spend CP on it. 

And if you wand any Gnosis you haev to spend CP to get that.

As I see it.  If you want any supernatural abiliies at all it will likely cost you some CP.  (Yes it is possible to get ki powers without spending CP, but you can't do it at first level.  No one wants to wait until they go up a level before they can even start doing the things that their character was built to do)

On that same note, if your character it not going to have any suppernatural abilities, he/she will probably want some of the other impressive physical buffs, or artifact equipment.

 

Now that I have said all this, I do haev to confess.  I don't think Summoners need the gift if they are not going to cast spells.  Maybe for balances sake you could cost them a CP to start with a familure or something.

One more thing.  It is possible to lay on the dissads (take the woppers) and get a total of 12 CP to spend, although I don't suggest it.

[Sebashaw 0]

"Summon" do not requires "the Gift", so if  you dont want cast spells, don't take it!

[commanderq 0]

yes casters need the gift.  Classes are nothing more than templates for spending DP nothing more, nothing less.  You could pick a mage class and not take the gift.

Anima is a compartmentalized game that you slowly piece together to create your charecter.

you only get 3 CP to start with, and no you never get any more.  The limit to disadantages is not +3CP its 3 disadvanges total.  So if you took 1 disadvantage for +2CP and two more for +1CP each you could get 4 more CP.

[Darkspur 0]

 Thanks!  the info was of great help.  I have ordered the GM toolkit in hopes that.  I am more than a little eager to get this game popping with my group!

[TheTenth2 0]

in the book sold with the screen, there's an option that you can exchange the +1 to a characteristic you gain at even levels for a CP, of course there must be a reason to gain them and there's some examples for most, but some are just impossible (well, impossible is quite relative in Anima or any RPG anyway)

[Darkspur 0]

 that's cool.  As a long time GM, I don't like my player to 'just happen' upon new abilities any way.  One of the issues with most d20 level progressions. (Not dissing them, just a spot that bothers me).  I mean they just suddenly have a new supernatural ability they pulled out of the air?  I like the idea of them getting more creation points, it could lead to wonderful role playing and fill-ins for time gaps.  

[commanderq 0]

Well, at least with anima when you get new powers they are usually realated to other powers you already possess.  so it makes sence that when you reach a new level youll gain powers.

[midnightprince 0]

 Regarding the Ki, there are some classes that give enough starting Ki, to use without CP. The Technician and Tao for example. Just take a martial art form and your ready to go. Martial Mastery is an awesome advantage but it's not necessary to start with some abilities.

[midnightprince 0]

 That is a great question. Even I did'nt quite catch that you have to possess the relevant advantages to use magic. Makes alot of sense if you think about it. Now I have to wonder about the wizard mentalist and how drained of thier CP's they must be to fit into that archetype. Ouch. Worth it ultimately for the infinite cosmic powers though. LOL.

[Darkspur 0]

 yeah, it seemed odd to me.  But thinking of the class as a template helps more. A topic that has always bothered me: Okay, so your a wizard, which by popular mythose means your frail and can be sickly, seeing as your slouching over endless tomes and scrolls by candle light(so bad eyes too?).  But in RPGs, your an ADVENTURING wizard.  Walking day in and day out on epic quests alone would lead to great health, reading your tomes on horse back. When your magic fails, you'll want to be using that staff as a woopin stick instead of a theatrical gesturing device, which would mean at least SOME training.  I think Anima provides this in the most part quite well with dp and cp.

 

Anima takes it a step further and says, "Look man, if it's that important to you, here is a warlock, in fact, here is a whole slew of 'multiclassed' templates."

 

I did come up with my on homebrew rule I may or may not use.  And that is the awarding of creation points for epic actions.  This player not only saved every one, but stopped the opposition AND managed to get the artifact back from the dread wizard Todd.  Or: this player leaps from the top of the tower, dives like and ace through the air and WACK! there goes the dragon's head. Amazingly.  I would give a single creation point as a reward.  But these creation points would have the same guidelines as the cp from the game master toolkit.  Further, I would say this CP could only be spent during down time.

[midnightprince 0]

 Not a bad idea Dark. There is an experience system for performing those awesome moment actions, but so long as you and your players enjoy and don't feel the awared CP is overpowered then I say, Ha-Zah. I like the system for attain CP's when leveling that's presented in the GM supplement however. 

One thing I'm considering is expanding and revising some of the disadvantages and there CP awards. For example, if someone has a severe phobia of sunlight should they really only get 1 CP? Considering that during most sessions they will always act with penalties? Harsh. LOL. Remember the Golden Rule and impliment it in a fair and enjoyable way.

One thing to remember about Anima, it's based off of dark fantasy Anime and Manga. Notice for example in the Anime Slayers... the main sorceress is thin, frail but incredibly strong. There are advantages that can replicate this anime feel for the game. You can be any size and build and be strong as an ox. Just take the 1CP advantage and bam. Anyways, just remember that if your doing an anime feel, size never dictates anything! LOL

[Darkspur 0]

 vary true.  My first camp will be a kind of a cross between Erickson's Malazon Book of the Fallen and  the anime Berserk(how much darker can you get?).  I always thought Berserk would make a wonderful setting, or even Claymore.  But I'm down with the whole build/size doesn't mean strength.  How many Anime's have we seen, where the scrawny guy open palm stops a giant monster's punch, grabs his wrist and sends the monster into the horizon.  I just meant the stereotype that wizards must be frail.

 

thanks for the positive feed back on my Homebrew CP rule.

 

I think it's great your expanding on the disadvantages and advantages.  They are a large portion of what tells you what your character would be like.

[commanderq 0]

Im not so certain that handing out CP is a good idea.  I know what your trying to do, and iv done something simlar, but tossing out CP can makes things unbalanced really fast.

What I do when a player does something epic, is give them a title.  much like an xbox live achivement.  If some one gets there 3rd decapitation in a session i may hand out the title of "Executioner" to them.  or if they cast a ton of spells in a fight that all do amazing effects, mabye "Spell slinger" etc you get the idea.

They dont really have any in game effect, but they add a 'feel' to the charecter that the player may lean towards since he has it.

Having run anima several times, I dont think I would ever hand out extra CP to my players though.  They get enough power though DP as it is.