tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post314234998878451835..comments2024-03-18T20:22:06.331-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: Retrospective: The Compleat AlchemistJames Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-71632702038077903342011-06-03T17:09:51.423-04:002011-06-03T17:09:51.423-04:00Heh, I actually have the second edition of the Com...Heh, I actually have the second edition of the Compleat Alchemist - one of the very, very early publications of Wizards of the Coast, in 1993. Picked it up from American Eagle in Northgate, right before they went under.<br />This one is more "universal", being re-formatted to allow a White Wolf ST to adapt the content as well.<br /><br />I can't speak to the first edition, but the abilities in the second are interesting.<br />Characters select a series of processes they can perform, which grows with experience, and unlock new types of "product" every few levels - the first tier is low-potency, short-duration potions and mixtures: then powders: compounds/venoms/oils: devices and traps: Talismans and amulets, and so on.<br /><br />Some of the high-level things include clockwork beasts, Haemonculi, and improved versions of the earlier mixtures. They also become able to synthesize more powerful ingredients. There's a bit of randomness involved, and the results can get very nasty for an unprepared or sloppy character. The actual process of synthesizing is surprisingly fast-and-loose for the sheer amount of detail they put into the "front end", with the prices of hundreds of ingredients & dozens of applicable processes. <br />There's a lot of "assumed setting" which is fairly easily-adapted, but can be irritating to hack into shape (at least for me).<br /><br />Also, you have to love any rules with "Chance of explosion" any time a character uses their abilities.Schottenjaegerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13171270090207201326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-29273464913439850592011-06-03T15:04:27.494-04:002011-06-03T15:04:27.494-04:00Judges Guild had some great modules back in the ea...Judges Guild had some great modules back in the early 1980s... like Dark Tower, Maltese...something-or-other... Had a few others!Joe Rhinewinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07014814431191688753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-39866689535966821712011-06-02T05:26:01.379-04:002011-06-02T05:26:01.379-04:00@suburbanshee: now that's an excellent set of ...@suburbanshee: now that's an excellent set of character classes for an accidental-adventurers/medieval martian invasion game! I'm in.richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517340075234811323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-49927228776416052452011-06-01T23:13:59.869-04:002011-06-01T23:13:59.869-04:00Boy, there's an play session sample for you.
...Boy, there's an play session sample for you.<br /><br />"Auceps: Why, Sir, I pray, of what fraternity are you, that you are so angry with the poor Otters?<br /><br />Piscator: I am, Sir, a Brother of the Angle, and therefore an enemy to the Otter: for you are to note, that we Anglers all love one another, and therefore do I hate the Otter both for my own, and their sakes who are of my brotherhood.<br /><br />Venator: And I am a lover of Hounds; I have followed many a pack of dogs many a mile, and heard many merry Huntsmen make sport and scoff at Anglers.<br /><br />Auceps: And I profess myself a Falconer, and have heard many grave, serious men pity them, it is such a heavy, contemptible, dull recreation.<br /><br />Piscator: You know, Gentlemen, it is an easy thing to scoff at any art or recreation; a little wit mixed with ill nature, confidence, and malice, will do it; but though they often venture boldly, yet they are often caught, even in their own trap... <br /><br />Solomon says of Scoffers, that they are an abomination to mankind, let him that thinks fit scoff on, and be a Scoffer still; but I account them enemies to me and all that love Virtue and Angling.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-62459556073156922332011-06-01T12:18:25.371-04:002011-06-01T12:18:25.371-04:00Is there any visible relation between this book an...Is there any visible relation between this book and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Compleat-Angler-Contemplative-Recreation-Classics/dp/0375751483" rel="nofollow">Izaak Walton's <em>Compleat Angler</em></a>?richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517340075234811323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-16970572427333161502011-06-01T11:22:28.213-04:002011-06-01T11:22:28.213-04:00You don't give *any* specific examples of the ...You don't give *any* specific examples of the alchemist's abilities. *Any*.Kenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11165997449776226774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-90355388213169478722011-06-01T08:29:17.893-04:002011-06-01T08:29:17.893-04:00This is one product I'm sorry I didn't buy...This is one product I'm sorry I didn't buy at the time, since the idea of an alchemist has always appealed to me.Anthonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01254215329246851683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-57460004352242779902011-06-01T08:08:36.018-04:002011-06-01T08:08:36.018-04:00I sure like Alchemists as an idea-- I think Pathfi...I sure like Alchemists as an idea-- I think Pathfinder's current class seems promising, but I've never seen it in play.mordicaihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05713766652793265867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-18902004803568732922011-06-01T04:55:40.725-04:002011-06-01T04:55:40.725-04:00At least you had the option to diversify your game...At least you had the option to diversify your game beyond TSR product. In Darwin (Australia - yes I reside here) There was D&D and AD&D by TSR, and there was Games Workshop's Warhammer zine White Dwarf. Which is why my D&D included some awesome adventures by Carl Seargent designed for Warhammer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-85655473866896000722011-06-01T04:27:21.354-04:002011-06-01T04:27:21.354-04:00We did use the Arcanum in olden times, which was a...We did use the Arcanum in olden times, which was a full roleplaying game set in the days of Atlantis and other lost continents, and included most of the classes, spells, and concoctions from the "compleat" series plus several others and some innovative races. The main difference from AD&D as I recall was that armor reduced damage.Roger G-Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08594440701279968693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-79327481935373907242011-06-01T04:06:10.727-04:002011-06-01T04:06:10.727-04:00Is the content of this book the same that appears ...Is the content of this book the same that appears in the later The Arcanum?Antoniohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17258180992723371727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-3155744664483054572011-06-01T00:49:16.512-04:002011-06-01T00:49:16.512-04:00My group had access to The Compleat Adventurer as ...My group had access to The Compleat Adventurer as kids and DID make use of a couple classes from the book. I've since acquired both TCA and The Compleat Spell-Caster, but The Compleat Alchemist has totally eluded my grasp.<br /><br />My current writing project is an homage to these books, though specific for B/X. Nearly complete, Brian DeClercq will once again be doing the cover art for the (perhaps unimaginatively named) "The Complete B/X Adventurer."<br /><br />: )JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.com