Re: Nomadic matrix gems

[Shyryly Yshl <shyryly@geocities.com>]

Flightgod5@aol.com wrote:

> Nomadic Matrix Gems are a bend.
>
> For those of you that don't already know how matrix gems work, they typically
> boost the main skills that your background is based on by 50%.  Mages and
> Priests multiply their spell units by 1.5, Warriors multiply combat and
> missile modifiers by 1.5, Augers multiply their INT based skills by 1.5, and
> Marines multiply AGI skills and their grapple mod by 1.5.  To gain these
> bonuses, the character using the gem must have the gem touching their skin at
> all times.  If the gem is ever removed from their skin they immediately lose
> these bonuses to skills/spell or divine units/combat modifiers.
>         Nomadic Matrix Gems, however, work on a completely different basis that is a
> tremendous glitch in the system.  The way I've seen it run in the past, when a
> nomad wishes to manufacture an incant and he has a matrix gem in his
> posession, all he has to do is momentarily touch that gem during the making of
> the incant.  Then the nomad can release the gem, and the incant will
> PERMANENTLY gain two ranks.  This officially makes a nomadic matrix gem a
> "rock of free experience points".  Yes, you may argue that other matrix gems
> also give you experience points, and you would be correct. However, these
> experience points are not given on a permanent basis.  If a warrior loses his
> matrix gem, his combat and missile modifiers drop back to normal.  If a nomad
> loses his matrix gem, the incants he has made using the matrix gem lose
> NOTHING.
>         Another interesting point that I have noticed is that you have to but once
> touch a nomadic matrix gem during the making of an incant, especially if it is
> an incant requiring multiple days to manufacture.  Therefore, why not just
> touch it a bunch of times and make your base cost 10,000 incant have about
> thirty ranks or so?  Yet another bend in the system.
>         Here is what I propose to fix this gaping error:
> 1)      Nomadic matrixs gems will function just like regular gems...a nomad will
> gain two ranks for all incants he has on his person while the matrix gem is
> touching his skin.  If the matrix gem ever loses contact with his skin, those
> extra two ranks go away just like when any other background loses a gem.
> 2)  If my first point goes through, this point will be unnecessary.  But just
> in case it doesn't...  When manufacturing an incant with a nomadic matrix gem,
> the gem must be touching the nomad's skin for the entire duration of the
> incant's manufacture.
>
>         If this doesn't get through when I propose it at the next GM meeting (if
> we're even having those anymore), then I am going to assume that all other
> matrix gems work the same as a nomadic matrix gem.  Therefore, the next time
> my warrior runs across a priestly gem, he'll touch it thirty or forty times
> and increase his DU exponentially.
>
> Chew on that.
>
> Joel

======

Heaven forbid nomads have something that makes them semi-competitive
with
the other backgrounds.

You're right, though.  You can generate EXP with two nomad matrix gems
as
they currently stand.  Ask nicely and I'll explain, though I already
know what
the booming voice from on-high will say to the scenario.  My response,
ahead
of time, is make a list of "unaffectable" rolls, such as DI, otherwise
don't act
surprised when people use luck amulets on not-so-standard rolls.

I like idea 1, though it sinks the "infinite improbability rondo".

-James