Double check my salamander

Games Discussion Ars Magica
1

I created this character from RoP: Magic (and HoH:Mystery cults). It was created as a companion level character for a medium powered saga I gave him autumn level experience points. The Magical qualities seem a bit powerful for a companion level character.

Would anyone be willing to check my work and see if this critter is in line with the guidelines, or if I missed something?

[size=150]The Salamander Artisano[/size],
Characteristics: Int +2, Per -2, Pre -4, Com -1, Str -10, Sta +2, Dex +3, Qik +5
Magic Might: 15
Size: -5
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Natural Qualities: Camouflage, Skilled climber
Magical Qualities and Inferiorities: Focus power x2, Gift of Speech, Improved defence (dodge), Improved powers x3, Improved soak x2, Personal Power x2,
Virtues and Flaws: Greater immunity to fire, Educated*, Tough, Unaffected by the gift, Baneful circumstances (when cool or wet), Poor eyesight
[size=85]* from minor virtue quality[/size]
Personality Traits: Curious +2, Lizard +3, Noble +2, Obsessed (crafting flames) +2,
Reputations: None
Combat:
Dodge: Init +5, Attack N/A, Defense +13, Damage N/A
Teeth: Init +5, Attack +10, Defense +11, Damage -9
Soak: +9
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1), –3 (2), –5 (3), Incapacitated (4), Dead (5)
Abilities: Andalusian 5 (artistic usage), Athletics 3 (running), Awareness 3 (food), Brawl 5 (dodge), Concentration 5 (ignem), Finesse 5 (ignem), Hunt 3 (mice), Latin 5 (artistic usage), Magic Lore 3 (regiones), Penetration 7 (ignem), Stealth 5 (shadowing), Survival 3 (lake of fire), Swim 4 (lake of fire)
Powers:

Crafter of Ignem (Cr/ReIg variable) Init: +3Artesano can duplicate creo or rego ignem spells of up to level 30. This power has a cost of magnitude /2 might per spell duplicated (3 mastery lower cost 3 mastery increase level)

Assumption of the fiery mantle (MuAn(Ig)40) 0 pts Init +1, The substance of Artosano's body is transformed into flames. While this effect is active he neither speck not manipulate objects. While in this form he is typically not damaged when hit wth objects unless the object is somewhat larger than he is . He takes damage from water (at least +5 for exposure and +10 for submerging) the effect lasts for duration sun but Artesano can cancel it at his will. (base 30 +2 duration sun, Personal power x2 2 mastery from personal power to reduce cost , two additional mastery from improved powers quality.)

Master of Ignem (Mu/PeIg variable) Init: +33Artesano can duplicate muto or perdo ignem spells of up to level 30. This power has a cost of magnitude /2 might per spell duplicated (3 mastery lower cost 3 mastery increase level)

Vis: 3 pawns in his tail.
Appearance: Artesano is a reddish-brown lizard approximately eight inches long with darker colored spots on his back. His eyes are a bright orange hue.
The Salamander Artesano is one a a colony of similar magical creatures that live on the shores of a (small) lake of fire which is located deep in a magical regio. Unlike his fellows, he considers himself an artist, he takes pride in crafting and fires both mundane and magical in the same manner as a vocalist or a chef take pride in their work. Artisano speaks fluent Latin as a result of his frequent association with the ghosts of fourth century Monks that share the regio with the salamanders.

2

Serfs Parma, but I think you gave yourself 15 points of qualities and you should only have 10. The errata explains that you don't get additional points of quality for dropping your size and thus increasing your might.

3

Ill serf's parma with Alzheimer, but aren't Focus Power limited in level by the creature's might?

4

You've spent too many Magical Qualities: the Salamander has a Might of 10, +5 for his Size as a Magic Animal which do not give him extra Qualities. You have also apparantly bought Educated with the Minor Virtue Magical Quality, but this makes the number of Magical Qualities to 16

You cannot reduce the Might cost of a Focus Power with Improved Powers, but you can increase the maximum level of effect just as you have done (and contrary to The Fixer's comment).

He should have the Magic Animal special Virtue, and also needs a Social Status to reflect how others treat him - probably Magical Companion. His Virtues and Flaws don't match - 5 points of Virtues and 2 points of Flaws.

Strictly he needs a Virtue to have Arcane Abilities, but that doesn't bother me too much. I make his xp count 790 xp; but he should have 720 (Autumn) + 50 (Educated) = 770. I may have miscounted...

I think all animals get a base +1 Protection from their hide, fur, feathers, or scales; so you could get a +10 Soak. With his Wound Penalty ranges, he should be avoiding combat all together, but he seems invested in combat, with a high Brawl and Soak bonuses. If his Brawl is just for defense, consider Evasion (from LoM) as a better Defense Total than a Brawl defense for him: Qik + Athletics - Size; particularly if you swap Brawl and Athletics xp (I make his Dodge Defense Total lower: 5 + 6 = +11, not +13)

You might want to look at Fire Elementals to get an idea for what his Assumption of the Fiery Mantle could do.

Otherwise, a nice character.

Mark

5

I had a minor inferiority in my draft as well, apparently I didn't copy it over I'll see what it was when I get home.
I didn't realize that the bonus might from size didn't give magical qualities. It sure felt like it was too many, thank you Mark and Dwightmarsh.

I'll need to shave points off of the creature, that's one place they can come from.

I had given him the Magical Monster flaw it just never made it from my notebook to the electronic copy this would have balanced out the virtues and flaws.

I'll recheck it. The autumn allotment of 720 feels generous for the description - equivalent to a full adult age 35 or greater, I'd have no problem cutting at least 20.

I had forgotten about Evasion in LoM, I got started from Mystery Cults skill list and cross indexed the main book. That's a much better choice for him, but I'd also imagined the little fellow hunting mice so I probably won't drop brawl entirely.

Mark, thank you for taking the time to look it over so carefully.

6

upon reflection think that he had extra mastery points he put into penetration, but no matter, he's getting reworked anyway.

7

Here's my revised creature

Did I misunderstand focus power? Since Arteseno is might 15 I started each power with a level 15 effect and I did not give him 2 mastery points per focus power for downgrading the effect from level 25 to level 15. (Otherwise the 2 mastery points he'd receive from having a focus power capped at level 15 rather than 25 could be used to by the level of the power back to 25).

Evasion is an optional rule, I used it anyway

8

My bad, I had missed you had spend mastery points to bring it up the first time :blush: My bad.

I understand as you do: It is capped by might, you don't gain mastery points back in that case, but can spend some to increase it above might. Otherwise, still from serf's parma, so take it with a grain of salt

9

You've done it right now. If Might is less than 25, then you can only duplicate spells whose level is equal to Might - but you don't get mastery points back for that reduced capacity. You can spend Mastery points from other powers or Improved Powers to increase the maximum level, even if this takes you beyond your Might.

Stats looks correct now, and the character concept is great - I like his artisan nature!

Mark