New Anima GM. Questions regarding magic and martial arts.

[Guards 1]

Whats up guys?

Allright so the other day i bought Anima. I basically started rolling a charecter because that's how i usually start figure out a RPG that i'm going to run. Now i'm making a Paladin, charecteristics will make him a good TANK (10 CON 9 STR). Primary roll will be exorcist/frontline Partial Plate with great helm, shield and longsword. I've already put enough points in wear armor for him to be not really bothered by it (60+10 for class not even counting STR). Charecteristics are as follows, AGI:8 CON:10 DEX:8 STR:9 INT:7 PER:6 POW:9 WP:7. 

What i'm really hung up on is Magic, i'm also a little confused by whether or not he qualifies for muay thai and if i need to spend DP or Martial Knowledge to aquire it. I'm wanting his primary roll to that of an exorcist BACK FROM WINCEST YE CAME!!! With some healing/defensive spells. I took a look at the spells and i'm having trouble finding what fall under "Banish" and what healing falls under. I decided to ask before i spent the rest of my DP i'm going to spend 50% on COMBAT and the rest between appropriate magic and secondary skills. 

Other than that i pretty much get Charecter creation, i tried to understand as much as i could before coming here so as to be less of a bother. Also i really like what i've seen of the system, it might make it harder to find players who are already used to other systems such as D&D but hey i know enough Japanime fans who will love to join. I will say that the 4 page spread is a little daunting when your trying to figure it out on your own and are used to other systems. 

Sorry if this came out looking like a wall of text and thank you for time. Have fun rock your Swagger and always stay positive.

[Raybras 1]

You can find healing spells in a few different paths: water, light, essence, creation and free access. Dont forget that you need The Gift advantage to cast spells. Banish on the other hand is in the Summoning section of the book, which does not require The Gift. 

Anybody can learn martial arts at thecost of DP in combat primary as long as they have the prerequisits to it(indicated by each art). Martial Knowledge is to learn Ki related abilities and techniques. 

[Guards 1]

Awesome thank you. I'm looking forward to running this, i'm saving this charecter for when i play. A 7'4" 600 lb exorcist is something you just don't want to mess with. Do you know of any videos explaining the various anima systems i could watch perhaps on youtube?

[Raybras 1]

Mind you, a 7'4" 600lbs anything would scare most of the population, thinking him monstrous or unnatural. I dont know of any video explaining anything about the anima system, mind you i havent looked either. Also feel free to head over to the official anima forum over at www.cipher-studios.com/AnimaBB/index.php

[Guards 1]

Thanks he's kind of a freak of nature given his CON/STR Greater regeneration and natural armor. Hopefully he will make a great TANK but i plan use him a bit more tacitcally than just humanshield for mages/beatstick. Make good use of all his physical assets then give him style. A more in depth explanation of the magic abilities that require the gift and don't would be helpful.

[Nurddude 0]

To use any spells under the paths or free access, you have to have The Gift. Any summoning abilites are mostly treated like secondaries, except for the DP limit.

[Guards 1]

Okay so for BANISH i would look where for the abilities (those specific abilities)? Can i heal others without the gift i'm kind of DONE with the creation points at this point and i wouldn't mind dropping healing altogether. How does the Ki system work and how does it tie into marital arts. Do i have to take Martial Mastery to learn muay thai? sorry for all the questions but i want to get this figured out so i can get a campaign rolling. Having to flip back and forth in the book is a little frustrating with really serious ADD (which i have) but i shall make it work ^.^

 

[Nurddude 0]

The costs for Banish would be in your class details (pg. 34). The details for Banish are on pgs. 176-180. I do not beleive that there are any feasible ways to heal others besides through the Paths of Magic. To learn the Ki system, the best way is to read pgs. 94-99 multiple times until it starts to make sense. The ways that martial arts ties into ki is that (A) taoists usually use Ki, and (B) matial arts gives you a bit of bonus MK, which is needed to develop Ki. You DO NOT need Martial mastery to use any kind of Martial Art or Ki. That advantage just gives you more points to spend of Ki abilities and powers. The only thing you need for Muay Thai is the DP to buy it, and Feats of Strength 40. For the book flipping thing, I suggest using sticky notes.

Hope this helps!

[Guards 1]

It does actually

Sorry if the questions seem obvious to me the book seems a little unorthadox, but the system seems to be good can't wait to play test it. Also i knew the costs of Banish sorry to make you type it. Is there already a thread for new gms? Or we sort of shooting from the hip here?

[Nurddude 0]

It mostly seems like you just post questions as you run into them. I suppose if you wanted, you could create a "General" DM question thread so you wouldn't have to keep creating threads.

[SilverElf4 0]

Just want to add my caution to the one above - if you are looking for a vanilla Anima game set in the official world of Gaia, that character probably won't fly.  The Inquisition would have him locked up in two shakes of a cat's tale - even if he wasn't throwing healing spells around - just for looking like a freak.

 

I'm guessing you are taking those figures from the main game's height/weight table - bear in mind (iirc) that those are maximums for those stats, not normal for those stats. 

[Guards 1]

Around max i know. Lore is what i say it is but i am working with something along those lines. If you want to play a giant hulking murder machine you can but people will react as such. Also from what i've talked to with most of my players we would prefer to avoid the church. Not overthrow or undermine just not mess with. I'm not sure it will be as kind to them but you know. 

From what i've read of the Anima religions the are the socio-politcal machines you would expect plus my god can beat up your god and we ARE right about everything because our *insert deity here* told is in the *insert religious book/legend here*.

I build most of my setting from scratch but might try and run with what they give me. I usually do keep vanilla relgions relatively in tact.

Good advice though and i thank you for your time. I'm new to the mechanics all the rest of GMing is in my ball park.

[Nurddude 0]

Careful of just trying to "avoid" the Church. The way it is writen (not the way you have to play), the Church holds power over the majority of Gaia. Even if you don't seek them out, they will find you. So hide yo kids, hide yo wife… you get my point.

[Guards 1]

Yeah thats what i'm going for but they could be happy in one of the more magical lands where the church holds less power. But the story shall take them where i say ^.^ thanks for the advice i'm not very familar with Anima so any input is welcome. I'm actually trying to get a module together does anyone know about any pre built modules that i could run till i perfect my own? 

I've never run an out of the box campaign. So yeah First time for everything.

[Beadle 0]

Have you got the GM toolkit?  There's a pre-written adventure in there that's worth a look.

Other than that, each country in the Gaia book has suggestions for story ideas, but that's pretty much all they are - starting points.

[Guards 1]

I'm planning on picking that up once i find it.  

We made a new race that basically has predator vision, he likes to do breach and clears class straight warrior with some magic i know some people would say warlock but this worked better. So for a smoke effect i want it to be instead volcanic ash because he won't really be affected by it (kind of conplicated and works great with predator vision) i'm thinking of just tweaking the great fog spell. Any suggestions for magic level or maybe a better base. We have the presentation and RP side down but we need to tweek the mechanics for combat and such. POOF 300 ft volcanic ash in a room not great for the enemy easy prey for me