Herbalism is in for a rewrite. Please answer the following questions for QP!
1. What is the best herbalism system you've used on any game?
2. If herbalism were to be written from scratch, how would you want it to work?
3. What can you do with herbalism right now that is great?
4. What can't you do with herbalism right now that irritates/frustrates you?
Thanks for the feedback!
Herbalism Feedback Requested
I think herbalism works pretty well right now, but it'd be neat if there were more ways to prepare the herbs. Ie to infuse liquids with them, etc etc. More herbs with modest but useful positive effects would be nice too, or perhaps more dramatic positive effects, but that grow much more slowly.
1. I don't actually have too much experience with herbalism in other games, I'm afraid.
2. If it was written from scratch, there would be a series of effects uses. You could collect a variety of herbs, and combine them to create potions and salves for a specific purpose. Like a skill, you would get better at this over time.
3. Right now, I enjoy that it echos exactly what the herb is doing for you. It means that, automatically, with more experience in herbs you will understand more about them.
4. The main thing that frustrates me with herbalism, presently, is the lack of variety. Yes, we have a few herbs, but they aren't nearly enough, and theres no real way to combine them.
2. If it was written from scratch, there would be a series of effects uses. You could collect a variety of herbs, and combine them to create potions and salves for a specific purpose. Like a skill, you would get better at this over time.
3. Right now, I enjoy that it echos exactly what the herb is doing for you. It means that, automatically, with more experience in herbs you will understand more about them.
4. The main thing that frustrates me with herbalism, presently, is the lack of variety. Yes, we have a few herbs, but they aren't nearly enough, and theres no real way to combine them.
1. What is the best herbalism system you've used on any game?
I super duper love achaea's herbalism skill, while individiual herbs have certain effects, you can combine them into potions with different effects. I also enjoyed Atonement where you put random items into a machine, programmed what you were trying to make and after a few checks you were either successful or failed to make what you wanted.
2. If herbalism were to be written from scratch, how would you want it to work?
Combination of herbs with a desired outcome in mind, syntaxes in the way of PUT HERB CAULDRON(yes this can be changed), CONCOCT FOR SALVE/TEA etc, after wisdom, intelligence and herbalism checks you have the end result, the potency of which depends on the previous stat/skill level.
3. What can you do with herbalism right now that is great?
Make pretty gardens and get high.
4. What can't you do with herbalism right now that irritates/frustrates you?
MORE TEA DAMN IT. Oh, and the fact that I can sometimes see herbs, sometimes not. one second I'm staring at mehylen plants, then I turn away and the bloody thing has run off.
I super duper love achaea's herbalism skill, while individiual herbs have certain effects, you can combine them into potions with different effects. I also enjoyed Atonement where you put random items into a machine, programmed what you were trying to make and after a few checks you were either successful or failed to make what you wanted.
2. If herbalism were to be written from scratch, how would you want it to work?
Combination of herbs with a desired outcome in mind, syntaxes in the way of PUT HERB CAULDRON(yes this can be changed), CONCOCT FOR SALVE/TEA etc, after wisdom, intelligence and herbalism checks you have the end result, the potency of which depends on the previous stat/skill level.
3. What can you do with herbalism right now that is great?
Make pretty gardens and get high.
4. What can't you do with herbalism right now that irritates/frustrates you?
MORE TEA DAMN IT. Oh, and the fact that I can sometimes see herbs, sometimes not. one second I'm staring at mehylen plants, then I turn away and the bloody thing has run off.
I've never been too fond of an herbalism system, because they often start from a sort of 'we need D&D potions' place. Maybe there are a few economic concerns thrown in, but I don't like a +4 salve of healing or a +2 position of strength, or any of that.
Slow recovery teas, yes. Getting high, yes. Getting high and seeing visions, oh yes. Getting high and eavesdropping on mages doing their astral thing? Very yes. And less-combaty things like perfumes and lotions that can temporarily increase APP would be neat.
But that's not where I'd start. I'd start with, 'How can herbalism spark the maximum amount of RP?' (And I don't know if any/all of this is already being done, this is just my 'what I'd want from scratch' list.)
1) Can other PCs be roped into an herbalist's work? Can herbalists only harvest a sufficient amount of powerful-herb-X if they have three hired hands (ie, PCs) working with them? Are there some very valuable plants that only grow wild, in the dangerous Scratchylands, and an herbalist needs to hire mercenaries as an escort?
2) Can other guilds need herbalists? Can herbalists make tea that soothes the throat, and aids singing, for Troubadours? A thingummy for harp strings? Can the Order not burn anyone without some ointment (for reasons of religious tradition) or the like? And I've have the ointments degrade--slowly--so you can't just stockpile and forget about it. Can mages need herbs? Can herbalists make a plant oil that aids in lockpicking?
3) I'd consider a city herb garden instead of private ones, where herbalists could work on a patch in public--other herbalists might be around, or couples on romantic strolls. (Maybe, if herbs were needed for mages, the authorities would frown on any private herb garden with more than kitchen herbs ...) I don't know. Anything to add more opportunities for RP.
4) I'd try to create a black market in some herbs. I'm not sure how. Maybe these are the D&D-type herbs. I'd make them rare and illegal, even for nobles and such. Maybe because they're heretical (they're harvested in phase with the moon, which sounds mage-y) or with side-effects.
I'd also like herbs that fail. They look good, but they're duds. Oops. It happens.
Slow recovery teas, yes. Getting high, yes. Getting high and seeing visions, oh yes. Getting high and eavesdropping on mages doing their astral thing? Very yes. And less-combaty things like perfumes and lotions that can temporarily increase APP would be neat.
But that's not where I'd start. I'd start with, 'How can herbalism spark the maximum amount of RP?' (And I don't know if any/all of this is already being done, this is just my 'what I'd want from scratch' list.)
1) Can other PCs be roped into an herbalist's work? Can herbalists only harvest a sufficient amount of powerful-herb-X if they have three hired hands (ie, PCs) working with them? Are there some very valuable plants that only grow wild, in the dangerous Scratchylands, and an herbalist needs to hire mercenaries as an escort?
2) Can other guilds need herbalists? Can herbalists make tea that soothes the throat, and aids singing, for Troubadours? A thingummy for harp strings? Can the Order not burn anyone without some ointment (for reasons of religious tradition) or the like? And I've have the ointments degrade--slowly--so you can't just stockpile and forget about it. Can mages need herbs? Can herbalists make a plant oil that aids in lockpicking?
3) I'd consider a city herb garden instead of private ones, where herbalists could work on a patch in public--other herbalists might be around, or couples on romantic strolls. (Maybe, if herbs were needed for mages, the authorities would frown on any private herb garden with more than kitchen herbs ...) I don't know. Anything to add more opportunities for RP.
4) I'd try to create a black market in some herbs. I'm not sure how. Maybe these are the D&D-type herbs. I'd make them rare and illegal, even for nobles and such. Maybe because they're heretical (they're harvested in phase with the moon, which sounds mage-y) or with side-effects.
I'd also like herbs that fail. They look good, but they're duds. Oops. It happens.
I would emphasize the part of herbalism that made the herbalist the medieval chemist. I think equal attention should be given to the preparation of the herbs as is given to the herbs themselves.
Chiefly, I would emphasize that different preparations -- tinctures vs. infusions vs. salves vs teas vs. oils -- would result in possibly quite different effects. Second,as BingoX suggested, I think failure should be possible, but I do not think it should be random "this herb is a dud" (far less likely, in my mind) but rather: this extraction failed! Or, you overconcentrated that ointment, and now it irritates the skin!
Based on all of this, I propose breaking herbalism down into a more systematic format involving steps like: 1.) extraction (in different kinds of polar/nonpolar solvents, including grain alcohol, water, fats, etc), 2.) concentration (involving steps like distillation, additional extractions, etc), 3.) (optional) suspension (placing extract in suspension medium -- for ointments and the like, in particular), 4.) (optional) combination (adding different extracts of different concentrations to achieve desired effects), and 5.) application (for instance, using a tincture to make a compress).
Chiefly, I would emphasize that different preparations -- tinctures vs. infusions vs. salves vs teas vs. oils -- would result in possibly quite different effects. Second,as BingoX suggested, I think failure should be possible, but I do not think it should be random "this herb is a dud" (far less likely, in my mind) but rather: this extraction failed! Or, you overconcentrated that ointment, and now it irritates the skin!
Based on all of this, I propose breaking herbalism down into a more systematic format involving steps like: 1.) extraction (in different kinds of polar/nonpolar solvents, including grain alcohol, water, fats, etc), 2.) concentration (involving steps like distillation, additional extractions, etc), 3.) (optional) suspension (placing extract in suspension medium -- for ointments and the like, in particular), 4.) (optional) combination (adding different extracts of different concentrations to achieve desired effects), and 5.) application (for instance, using a tincture to make a compress).
1) I'm used to the various TI incarnations, so don't really know about the best system.
2) I'd love to see Herbalism pulled into more directions - to be able to make salves and other items for treat based on what items you have (this could work just like making any other item in game, if you have X items in your inventory, it starts a thread to make that item). I'd love to be able to do the same to make poisons or other things. Rather than just ingesting X herb to get X affect (better sight, whatever) it'd be great to make something to do that. So the herb itself, rarely, gives the direct effect. I like most of Bingo's ideas. I think some of that (Getting high, etc.) should carry elongated affects for players (a bit like pregnancy) to help spur RP.
3) I do like that herbalism can currently impact your characters - for instance, curing corpse rot, or impacting mages.
4) Not all herbs are in-game (or is that a misconception?).
2) I'd love to see Herbalism pulled into more directions - to be able to make salves and other items for treat based on what items you have (this could work just like making any other item in game, if you have X items in your inventory, it starts a thread to make that item). I'd love to be able to do the same to make poisons or other things. Rather than just ingesting X herb to get X affect (better sight, whatever) it'd be great to make something to do that. So the herb itself, rarely, gives the direct effect. I like most of Bingo's ideas. I think some of that (Getting high, etc.) should carry elongated affects for players (a bit like pregnancy) to help spur RP.
3) I do like that herbalism can currently impact your characters - for instance, curing corpse rot, or impacting mages.
4) Not all herbs are in-game (or is that a misconception?).
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