Level up and customize your Mages!

[DocBelmont]

I mentioned this idea in another thread, but I think it bears repeating in it's own thread.

I'd like to see things that modify the mages themselves.

Perhaps mages could "level up" or "advance" in some way. They could discover secret techniques or gain new potent abilities. This would allow you to FURTHER customize your mage aside from spell selection. Training cards could be introduced to the game that could slightly increase basic statistics like Life, Armor, Channeling, or Spell Points...perhaps skill cards could make you more skilled with using certain types of spells, or enhance your mage's current powers.

Exempli Gratia: (mind you, these are just "ideas,")

Life Increase: Physical training has yielded a healthier, stronger body. (+2 to starting Life Points)
Meditation: Time spent in deep meditaion has increased your connection to the unseen world. (+1 Channeling)
Grimoire scribing: Finding a cache of lore is always exciting. You have expanded your spellbook to include these new spells. (+5 Spell Points)
Dragonfire Secret: Learning how to channel Dragon fire makes your fire spells more potent. (Fire Spells do an additional die of damage for an extra 2 Mana.)
Lore of the Dead: You've spent some time studying the forbidden lore of Necromancy. (Summoning Undead creatures costs 1 less Mana.)
Conjuror's Aegis: Ambient mana from the rift a summoner's summons can be utilized to form a shield around the creature. You have unlocked its secret. (Summoned Creatures have an extra 3 Armor. On each turn, this extra Armor is reduced by a point.)
Stormrider's Lance: You have studied the arcane science of conductivity, and can call more powerful lightning. (Mage's Effect die for Electricity spells are modified by +1)
Voltaric Shield Runes: your wizard has embroidered enchanted Voltaric runes into his robe, enhancing mana flow and strengthening his Voltaric shield. (The wizard's Voltaric shield damage absorb is increased by +2.)
Voltaric Rune of Power: Your wizard's Voltaric runes include the Mana rune, which converts woven mana into energy that can be absorbed by the Wizard. (The wizard gains 2 Mana whenever a spell is cast directly upon him after its effects have been resolved) [requires: Voltaric Shield Runes]
Voltaric Rune of [Damage Type] Your wizard's Voltaric Runes include the [Damage Type] Rune, and acts as a shield against this damaging element. (The Wizard gains [Damage Element -2] while Voltaric Shield is "on." [requires Voltaric Shield Runes]
Nature's renewal: Your mage has studied the lore of Nature which governs growth and renewal. You can now infuse yourself with healing energy whenever you cast spells of Nature. (Whenever you cast a nature spell, you may pay an extra Mana to heal one Life point.)
Asyria's Second Scripture: Your priestess has devoted herself to the second scripture of the chant of Asyria, which governs spiritual wholeness, and has been enlightened by its wisdom. (The Priestess reduces the removal cost of her RESTORE ability by 1.)
Loremaster of Voltari: Your years of devoted study of all of the collected Lore of the plane of Voltari has yielded secrets to great power. (ARCANE spells cast by the mage have their Mana cost reduced by 1.)
Wizard's Schooling: You have returned to the grand college of Wizards, and have mastered a new school of magic. (The wizard may choose an additional training from one of the following schools: [Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Mind])
Beastmaster's Communion: You have wandered the wilds for months, studying the harmonious elements of creation. (The Beastmaster may choose an additional training from one of the following schools: [Earth, Air, Water, Holy])
Demonblood Elixir: You have discovered and performed a ritual most foul; to infuse your very lifeblood with that of a demon! (The Warlock gains the trait Flame -2)
Arraxian Demon-binder: You have made a study of long-forgotten black magic rites, and have learned many true names of demons. (Demon summoning costs in Mana are reduced by 1.)
Blood Magic: You have wrested the secrets of Arraxian blood-magic, and have turned it to your own ends. (Mage may substitute Life points to cast a spell.) [Dark Mage only]

Again, these are just ideas. I like the thought of leveling up and improving your mage, and giving him unique skills. I was hoping this might be something of interest to the Mage Wars team, if they haven't conceived of this already.

When I first heard about structured organized play, this immediately came to mind.

[Shad0w]

This is a interesting thought. Byran had a customizable mage building game years ago that finally became Mage Wars. When looking at this I would say it applies more to a campaign mode rather than what we currently have. The problem comes down to if you have events with built mage you would need to check every mage for legality and also have a way to track how and where they earned the XP. Also if a new player tries to play in a event they would be a a major disadvantage.

[DocBelmont]

This is a interesting thought. Byran had a customizable mage building game years ago that finally became Mage Wars. When looking at this I would say it applies more to a campaign mode rather than what we currently have. The problem comes down to if you have events with built mage you would need to check every mage for legality and also have a way to track how and where they earned the XP. Also if a new player tries to play in a event they would be a a major disadvantage.

Granted (and agreed) on all of that.

Of course, you could also set individual tournaments as a "Level 3" Mage tournament (or whatever). But again, each mage has to be "checked" for legality. Fantasy Flight Games ran their tournaments with sign up sheets where you essentially wrote down everything you had, and a referee collected those sheets and did legality checks before the tourney began. An extra step, sure, but it worked.

You might (as you suggested before) also make it an option to make a campaign expansion. Campaigns offer plenty of storytelling options, as well.

[Scarob]

You could have the upgrades just as purchased spells, they in essence work like equipment but do not take up any slots and your only allowed one or two maximum - that should override the issue of legality as they're just normally purchased cards

[theduke850]

as part of the league play and the evolving story line ideas that I've been hearing about, this might be a good idea. not necessarily for tournament play.

[Jestor]

This would be cool for a league certainly.  I am sure you could come up with an Organized Play format where each round you upgraded.  Cool idea

[Shad0w]

as part of the league play and the evolving story line ideas that I've been hearing about, this might be a good idea. not necessarily for tournament play.

I also thought of the league more like one off arena fights that affect the game world as the season progresses. That is I do not see a reason why some of the league could not be an evolving style event.

[Nihilistiskism]

Um, no.

One word:

Highlander.

The quickening system, while cool, fun, and interesting, utterly ruined organized play. Organized Play, itself, became much more complicated than it ever needed to be, because from inception any tournament had to have special stipulations re: whether quickenings were allowed, if so; how many, which ones, etc. Furthermore, it almost immediately became a game of haves vs. have-nots, because Quickenings were either prizes at tournaments, or limited edition cards. The Secondary Market was uproarious. It was a nightmare, and because of that nightmare the game tanked harder than Bell Bottoms.

The only way something like this could work, in my opinion, is if a mini-expansion was done exclusively tailored to this, and it was released broad-spectrum. The second caveat would be that these attachments would cost points from your spellbook.

But my reaction is still "no. Highlander proved this is a bad idea."

-nihil

[Texan85]

Skill > Ppl with no life. I'd rather a game of total skill, where the winner is the player with a better build and game play.  And in conjunction with the difficulty of getting tournaments together, a level system that is not solely in game (like a dota2 or LoL) in game leveling system.

[StormbringerGT]

Skill > Ppl with no life. I'd rather a game of total skill, where the winner is the player with a better build and game play.  And in conjunction with the difficulty of getting tournaments together, a level system that is not solely in game (like a dota2 or LoL) in game leveling system.

You'll like a game called "Chess"!

[StormbringerGT]

Um, no.

One word:

Highlander.

The quickening system, while cool, fun, and interesting, utterly ruined organized play. Organized Play, itself, became much more complicated than it ever needed to be, because from inception any tournament had to have special stipulations re: whether quickenings were allowed, if so; how many, which ones, etc. Furthermore, it almost immediately became a game of haves vs. have-nots, because Quickenings were either prizes at tournaments, or limited edition cards. The Secondary Market was uproarious. It was a nightmare, and because of that nightmare the game tanked harder than Bell Bottoms.

The only way something like this could work, in my opinion, is if a mini-expansion was done exclusively tailored to this, and it was released broad-spectrum. The second caveat would be that these attachments would cost points from your spellbook.

But my reaction is still "no. Highlander proved this is a bad idea."

-nihil

I think the inclusion of a campaign mode or some type of persistent play could be very fun for gaming groups. Four tournament play, obviously not, for the exact reasons you stated.

But campaign mode for non-tournament play? Sure why not. Me and my friends would love to have some type of persistence in this game.

Right now we got a map from an old D&D game and we drew borders and such. Every time time we fight and win its over a territory now.

Territories give certain advantages.

Old Kingdom Highway: For example, you always start the game with initiative and keep it for the first 2 turns.

Silverfall Forest: Your Animal Creatures all have +1 health.

City of Roansburg: You have an extra 10 points to build your spell book with.

This is obviously very much still a work in progress but so far it has been a blast. It adds just a little bonus without giving too huge of an advantage.

If you guys are interested I'll post a topic about how we are working on our campaign.

[Sailor Vulcan]

Just saw this and was wondering if there are still thoughts of making a campaign mode?

Mage wars is oozing with theme and it NEEDS a role playing format.

In fact, forget leveling up, it would be really cool if there was a tournament scenario where each player was a character with their own goals and reasons for fighting in the arena, and each player sought to achieve their unique objective.

That objective could be to kill a specific character, to gain enough fame and glory to bring attention to their oppressed tribe or win converts to their religion, to get money (in story of course), etc. you could even have the role playing determine the matchups. Characters that forfeit a match don't die, but characters that don't forfeit are at risk of dying (elimination from the event). Of course, if they achieve their objective before that, then they will have a higher score or something than if they didn't.

Doesn't that sound awesome!?