Wednesday, August 03, 2011

canonical to-do lists for Basic/Expert magic-users

I drew the following lists up as sort of a bass ackwards way of answering the question "What is this magic-user up to?"

1st level
Join a band of up to 11 like-minded Mediums, perhaps accompanied by your master (MU3)
Join a Basic NPC party
Serve as apprentice to a Magic-User of 7th to 10th level
Travel to the newly-built tower of a MU 11+ to become their apprentice
Serve as a Retainer to a PC
Serve as retainer to a minor Noble (F3)

2nd level
Join a Basic NPC party
Serve as apprentice to a Magic-User of 7th to 10th level
Lead up to 30 Bandits.
Travel to the newly-built tower of a MU 11+ to become their apprentice
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level

3rd level
Take on up to 12 first level apprentices
Join a Basic NPC party
Serve as apprentice to a Magic-User of 7th to 10th level
Serve as a retainer to a Fighter of 7th to 10th level
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Travel to the newly-built tower of a MU 11+ to become their apprentice
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level

4th level
Join an Expert NPC party
Serve as a retainer to a Fighter of 7th to 10th level
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level

5th level
Join an Expert NPC party
Serve as a retainer to a Fighter of 7th to 10th level
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level

6th level
Join an Expert NPC party
Serve as a retainer to a Fighter of 7th to 10th level
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level

7th level
Join an Expert NPC party
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level

8th level
Join an Expert NPC party
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Hang out with Nomads
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level

9th level
Join an Expert NPC party
Join a band of Brigands
Join a band of Pirates
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
Make some magic items

10th level
Join a band of Brigands
Join a band of Pirates
Join a band of Buccaneers
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
Make some magic items

11th level
Join a band of Brigands
Join a band of Buccaneers
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
Make some magic items
Build a tower, attract d6 apprentices

12th level
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
Make some magic items
Build a tower, attract d6 apprentices

13th level
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
Make some magic items
Build a tower, attract d6 apprentices

14th level
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
Make some magic items
Build a tower, attract d6 apprentices
 
Looking at this stuff reminded me of the fact that under B/X rules magic-users of up to 3rd level are still considered apprentices. And I also learned that such an apprentice could have up to 3 different masters.  They could start out with an intitial 3rd level instructor who teaches them the basics of the craft.  Then either the master dismisses them ("You've learned all I can teach you.") or the apprentice wises up and leaves.  They then seek out a travelling MU of 7th to 10th level in hopes of learning more.  But then they hear a bigwig wizard is setting up a new tower, so they head out to learn from them instead.  Or maybe their first instructor leaves for an opportunity to learn from a higher level master.  Imagine showing up to a shiny new tower and having to compete with your old tutor for a spot!

12 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:02 PM

    1d6 apprentices all hanging around smoking pipes waiting for tower construction to finish. Breakdancing on a frictionless Wall of Force someone set up on the floor, robes whirling, one apprentice on the sidelines beatboxing.

    You know, that would be a neat little convention adventure. Everyone plays an apprentice M-U vying for the favor of an 11th level M-U who just finished his shiny tower.

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  2. Is it just me, or do these lists make the world they describe seem really post-apocalyptic/frontier-ish? A medieval fantasy post-apocalypse, but I definitely get a civilized-society-has-broken-down vibe. I dig it.

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  3. d30, that idea is goddamn amazing.

    If you don't mind, I might take it for a convention that's coming up in a couple months.

    oddysey- It isn't just you.

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  4. Anonymous6:23 PM

    1. Brilliant as usual, Jeff.

    2. A similar list could be compiled for each class.

    3. Those lists could be used to make a Traveller-like character creation system for generating high-level characters (PC or NPC).

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  5. "Imagine showing up to a shiny new tower and having to compete with your old tutor for a spot..."

    An opportunity for cable-drama skullduggery, intruigue, and betrayal. It's just like grad school!

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  6. @Oddysey I definitely get that vibe from the Basic/Expert books. D&D in general has a very Western/Frontier/Post-Apoc vibe more than a Medieval one.

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  7. @Odyssey, et. al.: Agreed; heaven knows that's how I play things in my B/X campaign.

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  8. Even allowing for the idea that the Middle Ages were essentially a recovery from a post-apocalyptic period themselves.

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  9. Anonymous4:45 AM

    Great idea! I wonder if the authors themselves gave as much thought to this when they stated what various M0Us were doing throughout the rules... It definitely gives us a "big picture" of what's going on in the world.

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  10. Anonymous7:23 AM

    Canonical MU NPCs clearly get a lot more done than PCs... if you can't use this list to come up with a dozen adventure hooks for the party MU, hand in your dice! :)

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  11. Extremely awesome. Please do more for other classes, if you have the intestinal fortitude.

    I feel like I'm going to refer back to this every time I design something from now on.

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  12. Brother, I wouldn't want to be a 2nd level MU in charge of 30 bandits. There's always some skeevy underling looking for his own shot at the big chair, & he must know full well that once you've fired off your second spell for the day you're a sitting duck.

    Verification word: tated. To be beaten to death with tubers.

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