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I really enjoyed BTS a long time ago, but don't have access to my book. I came into a bit of a windfall and decided to buy the new book. Saw the xp table for the arcanist and got excited, I remembered how much fun that was...only to find out that a second book was needed. Alas that book is not out and looks like it will be some time before it is, if ever.

Any suggestions?

I might need to go to the old storage area and see if I can dig up my old BTS book but my fear is that it is long gone....

Help?

The Arcanist is fun to play. I got a chance to be one at GenCon 2005, in Kev's game. Kevin provided the character, so I just had to check with him on a couple details (being as the class isn't in a book yet), and away we went! He really felt to me like a rough and ready type, it was great. The arcanist (at least the one I had) wasn't some sit-at-home type afraid to dive in, he was a full fledged investigator with the ability to throw magic in to the mix (P.P.E. for magic working just like I.S.P. for psionics, what with multipliers and all).

I went out and got a copy of Nightbane, remembering there was a sorceror and shaman in there that I will use for my arcanist...

I believe that my old BTS is now gone, I did look for it before I went and bought NB. In fact all of my NB stuff was gone as well, my RIFTS and Heroes stuff is all good, so I must have done a cleansing for an auction at my FLGS some time back.

That's ok I don't mind, supporting my FLGS is something I am good at!

SightblinderX wrote:I like my 1E book, and now use the 2E books as supplemental material for it...

Pretty much the same here. Somewhere in between is some extremely cool stuff.

I can see where you are coming from.

But like I said - there are things in each addition that I really like.

Thibor wrote:No argument there. There are valuable things in both editions. I just wish 2E was more complete.

Definitely.

Makes me glad I just borrowed it and not bought it.

Ronin84 wrote:I really enjoyed BTS a long time ago, but don't have access to my book. I came into a bit of a windfall and decided to buy the new book. Saw the xp table for the arcanist and got excited, I remembered how much fun that was...only to find out that a second book was needed. Alas that book is not out and looks like it will be some time before it is, if ever.

Any suggestions?

I might need to go to the old storage area and see if I can dig up my old BTS book but my fear is that it is long gone....

Help?

I don't think the Arcanist really needs much work to bring into 2nd edition. If one desires powers slightly more in-line with the Wizard and Ley Line Walker, one can always use the Nigthbane RPG's Sorcerer OCC (which is basically just a 'modernized' Arcanist). The old Arcanist OCC skills can be easily converted into an occupation, and the spell progression works well for a world where magic supposed to be rare and mysterious (though again, the Sorcerer can be used as an alternative).

The only hitch I immediately see is determining P.P.E. Given the new trend in BTS, it is likely that the Arcanist would start with an extremely small (but higher than a normal human's) P.P.E. base, which fluctuates according to the threat level of supernatural encounters.

I use the Mystic study from H.U.2nd edition in exchange for the Arcanist.

hi, we have a package for you.... (world smallest self playing violin)


it's really not all that hard to convert monsters over... and from what J. Lionheart said its not to hard to figure out what a mage would be like either.

it seems that the basic forumal to make a class for BTS is as follows:

3-6 abilities; depending upon severity.
combat class get 2 bonuses to attributes, while non combat classes get one.
at least one limitation: open to/ closed to the supernatural. unless its very class specific like the diviner or something.
Psychics get 1D4+ to PPe and Non psychics get 1D6+.
ISp: roughly 2D4+ unless your weak like a diviner or powerful like a ghost hunter.
ruffly 1D4+4-5 psychic powers
Special equipment: depends on class.


So with that in mind the arcanist would be something like:

abilities: understand the principles of magic, sense ley lines/nexus points, sense magic in use, sense the supernatural, and learn magic from scrolls/manuals.
limitation: open to the supernatural.
PPE: 2D4+2 (with the multipliers affect)
ISP:0
Initial spell knowledge: 1D4+5 spells.
No special equipment other than spell components.


does this sound about right?

Um, no. Arcanists were never open to the supernatural, and on average started with 25 spells.

yes, but this is a new game not the old one.

If i remember correctly they didn't give the old PCCs limitations.
Plus what are you going to do with 25 spells at first level if you can't cast them since you'll have like 8 PPE unless your close to a supernatural force that could multiply that number.

True, it is a new game, so you could saddle them with a crippling limitation. Or, you could just say "Don't play an arcanist". Both work, though I find the second more honest.

The old classes did get limitations: the arcanist needed 15 to save vs. psychic attacks, couldn't sense the supernatural, made attractive sacrificial victims. They also had only ~21 P.P.E., so they couldn't cast high level magic, but they still knew the spells.

If you have to convert them, you made a good start. Just take away the sense supernatural, open to supernatural, and spell components, and boost the spells known.

abilities: understand the principles of magic, sense ley lines/nexus points, sense magic in use, and learn magic from scrolls/manuals.
limitation: non-psychic (15 to save)
PPE: 2D4+2 (with the multipliers affect)
ISP:0
Initial spell knowledge: 1D4+1 spells each of levels 1-9.
No special equipment.

Remember, BTS casters don't use components.

i will do the first two if you can think of some abilities that they should have.
maybe as abilities i should give them: sleight of hand and the sense supernatural to sense supernatural evil.

If i did increase the amount of starting spells i would increase it no where near as high as 25.. This isn't rifts. this is the modern world where magic is hard to come by, i.e. the spells that the caster can learn are few and far between.
A sorcerer from Nightbane begins with 12 spells in a world that has been charged up magically from the arrival of the nightlords. In the new BTS it seemed only fair to make a magic user roll for their beginning spell allotment much like a beginning psychic must for their powers.