Call for Playtesters: GURPS Plant Magic

[Steven Marsh]

Call for Playtesters: GURPS Plant Magic

Magic Doesn't Grow on Trees, You Know . . . Or Does It?

Scott Maykrantz's GURPS Plant Magic expands the Plant college with 40 new spells. Use them to arm a druid, ranger, woodland elf, creepy gardener, spellcasting tree-man, or even a predatory witch in an enchanted forest. The spells cover a wide range of effects: deadly attacks, new curses, alteration, camouflage, and shaping wood into useful objects. In addition to new spells, this supplement also provides plant-related supporting information, including basic stats for all kinds of vegetation and modifiers for Plant Empathy and Speak With Plants.

We need playtesters for this new supplement. Playtesters should have access to the GURPS Basic Set, GURPS Magic, and possibly GURPS Thaumatology. Close examination of the new spells will be a major part of the playtest. Comments from those who actually try these spells in play will be especially welcome and encouraged. Playtesters aren't required to have previous experience; how well this material comes across to new readers is important information that will help make this a better book! We encourage first-time playtesters to apply for a reserved portion of slots available, as well as those with professional or other real-life experience with the subject matter: Botanists, those with knowledge of legendary or mystical plant/herb properties, and folks with green thumbs are especially welcome! Prospective playtesters will also need to be registered e23 customers who have spent more than $50 at e23 in the past 12 months.

Prospective playtesters should e-mail jwilson@io.com with [PM] (for "Plant Magic") in the subject, and include your preferred e-mail address for the closed playtest mailing list, correct spelling of your name as it may appear in print, your e23 login name, and a few words about your qualifications, experience, and current gaming group(s). Please submit in this format:

johndoe@etheremail.com
Jonathan Doe
johndoegamer
I'm a longtime credited playtester. I have an ongoing fantasy campaign that features an order of druids as one of the ruling classes. I have a Masters degree in Biology, and I have a greenhouse with two dozen rare plants. Two members of my gaming group are playing nature wizards, and another player grew up on a farm.

[Exxar]

When is the playtest expected to start, and for how long is it expected to last?

[Steven Marsh]

Sooner than later... and as long as it takes. :-)

In an ideal world, the playtest would start by the end of this week (making the files accessible this Friday, with commentary starting Monday). I know that may impossible, but I'm an optimist.

I'll see what my lead playtester has to say about length of playtest, but I'd like it to last no more than about three weeks. It's not a huge book, so it shouldn't require "fine-tooth comb" analysis.

So hopefully we'd be wrapped up by the end of February, regardless.

[Exxar]

Thanks.

I asked because I'm quite booked until 5th of Feb, but missing out five days at most shouldn't be a problem I guess :)

[jeff_wilson]

Originally Posted by Steven Marsh

Sooner than later... and as long as it takes. :-)

In an ideal world, the playtest would start by the end of this week (making the files accessible this Friday, with commentary starting Monday). I know that may impossible, but I'm an optimist.

I'll see what my lead playtester has to say about length of playtest, but I'd like it to last no more than about three weeks. It's not a huge book, so it shouldn't require "fine-tooth comb" analysis.

Spells can build on each other in unexpected ways, and novel uses continue to be found years after publication, so ideally I'd like to have the maximum amount of time available, and I'm hoping to get people selected, verified, and downloading by this weekend with comments running from Feb 1 to March 1.

[b-dog]

I would like to suggest to have notes for spells that are useful to Dungeon Fantasy and those that are not. Plus, if there are some spells that can be used for DF but need some restrictions then it would be useful to provide them. Thanks.

[hal]

Originally Posted by b-dog

I would like to suggest to have notes for spells that are useful to Dungeon Fantasy and those that are not. Plus, if there are some spells that can be used for DF but need some restrictions then it would be useful to provide them. Thanks.

How familiar does one have to be with Dungeon Fantasy? I've resisted purchasing any of the DF series primarily since I use HARN or ATLANTIS more do I do any hack-n-slash style campaign material. I must confess however, that the Summoner's (DF9) looks interesting somewhat.

[Captain-Captain]

DF familiarity is not a major issue per se from reading the description in post #1. The book appears to be an expansion to GURPS Magic, and thus applicable not just to DF but to any setting or campaign that uses Magic.

I think the easiest to discover DF specific problems would be for a DF oriented Player/GM to get on the Playtest mail list and look at the material. b-dog, if you have enough e23 purcases, this means you.

It certainly appears that DF is your GURPS meat & drink from your bposts. Ypur input would likely be useful for this playtest.

[PK]

Speaking as the original reviewer of this work, I can say that it does touch on DF, in one very brief (but fairly important) section.

Familiarity with DF should not be a requirement for the playtest; familiarity with GURPS Magic is far, far more important. That said, knowing DF certainly won't hurt -- it'd be nice to see comments from those who consider how well each spell will work in the DF "setting".

[SMaykrantz]

Originally Posted by b-dog

I would like to suggest to have notes for spells that are useful to Dungeon Fantasy and those that are not. Plus, if there are some spells that can be used for DF but need some restrictions then it would be useful to provide them. Thanks.

The notes you're looking for are in the current draft of the book. (I was, like, reading your mind when I wrote it.) All of the spells were designed to be used in multiple fantasy gaming genres, such as:

Banestorm-style fantasy (heroes in a TL3 world with magic).
Dungeon Fantasy (heroes skulking around in underground tunnels, kicking the crap out of monsters).
Dark fantasy and horror campaigns featuring spellcasters.
High fantasy games inspired by folklore (adventures taking place in various forests, with an emphasis of woodland elves, faerie folk, etc.).

---Scott