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pyrefiend
2007-01-19, 10:48 PM
I like the shugenja class, I really do. The problem I see with it, in my campaign at least, is that the shugenja is mastering all elements at once. He is mastering polar opposites, and the way I see it, even with some specialization, the shugenja casting water and fire is like casting cure and inflict spells. What I'm wondering is if anyone has a way to isolate the shugenja to one element without giving it a tiny spell list and without over or under-powering it? Any suggestions at all are welcome.

Krimm_Blackleaf
2007-01-19, 11:06 PM
I like the shugenja class, I really do. The problem I see with it, in my campaign at least, is that the shugenja is mastering all elements at once. He is mastering polar opposites, and the way I see it, even with some specialization, the shugenja casting water and fire is like casting cure and inflict spells. What I'm wondering is if anyone has a way to isolate the shugenja to one element without giving it a tiny spell list and without over or under-powering it? Any suggestions at all are welcome.
I thought shugenja's that chose one element couldn't pick spells of the element's polar opposite. Just the other two next to the chosen one.

pyrefiend
2007-01-20, 12:19 PM
I thought shugenja's that chose one element couldn't pick spells of the element's polar opposite. Just the other two next to the chosen one.

That's a start, but I'd rather have the shugenja taking only one element for all his spells. The problem I see with that idea is that the spell list would be too small if it is isolated to one element. So the question is, how can I give the shugenja one element to work with, and still give them an adequate amount of abilities? I'd like to give them more powerful spells as well, something more along the lines of the sorcerer/wizard spell list, but that would mean taking away some of the shugenja's healing/empowering spells.

TheThan
2007-01-20, 03:00 PM
Easy fix really

If your going to restrict the Shugenja to one element (read school), then you have the problem of not having enough spells to fill out his spell slots. So I would take a look at the spell compendium and see if you can find any spells that fit the appropriate descriptor and add them to the Shugenja’s spell list. I know for a fact there are fire based spells in there somewhere…

magic8BALL
2007-01-22, 05:58 AM
Or instead of fireball, have a ice blast spell. Burning hands gains a big brother in Cone of Fire, and Cone of Cold gets a little sister in Cilling Eminance.

Mod the spells in one discriptor to fit in another... this is homebrew, you know you wanna!

Khantalas
2007-01-22, 08:38 AM
Well, there is nothing wrong with a cleric casting both cure and inflict spells. Just to point it out.

pyrefiend
2007-01-22, 06:21 PM
Or instead of fireball, have a ice blast spell. Burning hands gains a big brother in Cone of Fire, and Cone of Cold gets a little sister in Cilling Eminance.

Mod the spells in one discriptor to fit in another... this is homebrew, you know you wanna!
True, it wouldn't be hard to take all those similar psion/wizard spells/powers and tweak them so that all elements have a good amount of damaging powers. However, I've just had a revelation. I think that the basic shugenja had a good concept in that the elements were each kept to a particular spellcasting concept, in that (mostly):
-Fire destroys
-Water heals
-Earth fortifies/traps
-Air conceals/creates illusion
I think I'll just add a lot more of the some concept to each element. I'll also have to give each element a few damaging spells, because they can't get any fire spells any more.

Well, there is nothing wrong with a cleric casting both cure and inflict spells. Just to point it out.:smallfrown: I was tired when I wrote that. Very, VERY tired.