Playtest: Priestess Class Feedback

Michael, would you prefer to playtest a different class? There’s still several available. Let me know.

Instead of opening my big mouth, let me take a poll from my players and see what //they// would be interested in playing, since they are the ones who I’m trying to get to actually playtest the damned thing. :wink: I’ll get back to you.
What’s left available that needs playtesting?

The remaining classes are:
Dwarven Spelunker (a dwarven explorer-thief)
Elven Enchanter (an elven magic-user)
Elven Ranger (an elven explorer)
Mystic (a bene gesserit-type monk)
Warlock (an evil caster suitable for Conan-esque settings)

Alex, we had a close call between Warlock and Dwarven Spelunker. So, they are down for either.

I’ll send you the Warlock. Priestess re-opens for play-testing elsewhere.

Great.

Are these playtests only open for the groups running the Demo games? I’ve just started (well we’ve done PC creation) an ACKS game with my group, though we are in Edinburgh so don’t qualify for the Demo games.
BUT…if it’s possible, I know a few players of mine who would love to get in on the Elven Ranger.

Hello,
I’m actually in Tywyll’s group and had a blast with the character creation. On the strength of that I contributed to the kickstarter for the player’s companion, and I was recently sent version 1 of the document, I’m just asking to check if I can share it with my gaming compadres so we can playtest the awesomeness within?
Cheers,
prototype00

Tywyll, you can playtest the Player’s Companion by becoming a backer on Kickstarter or by signing up to be a Registered Judge for the game. That entails sharing your name, location, and committing to run preview nights of ACKS at your local game store/con.
Prototype00, you can certainly share print copies but we’d prefer that folks not send the digital file around too much.

Don’t worry, I’ve already become a backer. :slight_smile:

As to the Priestess though… does she really need so much more xp than the Priest? The priest is so much more effective. Yes, she gets lots of spells, but pays for that with the loss of so much already. Does she really need to pay more xp too?

All of the classes in the Player’s Companion were built using the class creation rules in Chapter 4. If you are interested in why the XP costs work out how they do, it’s fruitful to explore those mechanics.

Priestesses have a Divine Value Code of 4 and thus have very strict vows. The given example, Keeper of the Hearth Fire, cannot take a life.* Do ALL flavors of priestess have this pacifism vow? What are some other good examples of appropriate vows? This might be something useful to list with the different templates.
*Speaking of that no-kill rule, how strict is that. I assume a priestess is allowed to put down undead. What about beastmen and other inhuman monsters?

The priestess is not supposed to take human or demihuman life. Beastmen and undead are abominations in the eyes of the Empyrean gods and should be put down! I’ll update the rules to make that clearer.
PS The above partially stems from how much I detest in-game debates about the ethics of killing baby kobolds. Baby beastmen are brutish spawn that eat the weakest spawn in the brood, tear off their mother’s teats in a feeding frenzy, and should be put down, too.

Wicked! That unique definition of “pacifism” says a lot about the implied setting of ACKS.
So are chaotic priestesses forbidden from murder, too?
I’d still like to hear a few more suggestions of moral restrictions of Divine Value Code 4 classes. For instance, I’m thinking about tweaking the Priestess* to make a chaotic ritualist of pseudo-Bacchus**. Would “the opposite of chastity” or “never be sober” be acceptable vows, balance-wise?
Thanks for the help!
*(“Tweaking the Priestess” would be an awesome band name.)
**(Along with Chaotic “Maenad” Blade Dancers.)

Ooh! One more thing, since the standard Priestess isn’t supposed to kill people “Combat Trickery (Incapacitate)” might be a good proficiency to add to her list.

UPDATE:
In order to use spells and turn undead, priestesses must uphold the strictures of their order and their goddess. If the Judge has not specified particular religious orders in his campaign, the default priestess is assumed to be from the Keepers of the Hearth Fire, the order devoted to Mityara, Goddess of Civilization and Mercy. The strictures of their order are many. When in public, they must always wear the white mantles and shawls of their order. Every seventh day, they must keep a flame lit throughout the night, representing the light of civilization. They must refrain from the taking of human or demi-human life (Of course, beastmen, undead, and other monsters are abominations and should be put down!) And they must remain both chaste and celibate until they reach the rank of Mother (7th level).

Luftmensch, regarding combat trickery, the priestess’ fighting skills are so bad that it wouldn’t be worthwhile for them to take. Plus I’d have to remove another proficiency to make room. All things being what they are, I left the proficiencies as is.

UPDATE:
A code of behavior need not demand virtue – a class’s code could dictate strange or vile behavior if appropriate to the class’s concept. For example, a cultist class devoted to chaotic powers might require ritual sacrifices, or use of strange drugs. The Judge is the ultimate authority on the permissibility of any class’s code.

Excellent! That’s exactly what I was hoping to hear.
Thanks!