Playing an Istari

[Rocmistro]

Phaide:

Gandalf was a Maia, of the same 'race' as the Balrog and Sauron, something akin to what we might call an Arch-angel. Had Gandalf ever been tasked with, given license to, and found it necessary to use his over power completely unveiled, I think we would have been proven to be a very powerful entity, even moreso after he became "the White"

[Murcushio]

Also too: there are only like five Istari. It's not a generic term meaning "Wizard"; it refers very specifically to Maiar made flesh and sent to Middle-earth. (We will leave the Valar's half-assed response to a problem that is entirely of their own making aside from the moment.)

Well, okay. Tolkien admitted the possibility that there were more than five. But still: we're dealing with gods made flesh here. It would be weird if there were PC creation rules for them.

[Glorelendil]

As a BLMFH (Bas***** LM From Heck) I'd love to see Istari with the new rules for the Eye of Mordor. Anyone starting one of them as a character I'd tell them 'Generate another character' that one won't last the session, Ohh look it's a Nazgul posse.

You wouldn't even give them a chance to try to play without attracting Eye?

"Light your own fire, mortal."

[Glorelendil]

Also too: there are only like five Istari. It's not a generic term meaning "Wizard"; it refers very specifically to Maiar made flesh and sent to Middle-earth. (We will leave the Valar's half-assed response to a problem that is entirely of their own making aside from the moment.)

Well, okay. Tolkien admitted the possibility that there were more than five. But still: we're dealing with gods made flesh here. It would be weird if there were PC creation rules for them.

Besides, the Istari are five specific Maia, and the books are full of examples of non-Istari Maia being present in Middle-Earth and/or Beleriand. It wouldn't be breaking canon to introduce other Maia, player characters or otherwise.

Not voting in favor of it, but it's not heresy, either.

[Hermes Serpent]

As a BLMFH (Bas***** LM From Heck) I'd love to see Istari with the new rules for the Eye of Mordor. Anyone starting one of them as a character I'd tell them 'Generate another character' that one won't last the session, Ohh look it's a Nazgul posse.

You wouldn't even give them a chance to try to play without attracting Eye?

"Light your own fire, mortal."

The Eye Awareness score is likely to be high, say five players and if one is a Ranger, one a High Elf that's 7 and add an Istari which has to be at least 4 and probably 5 or 6 before they use anything that adds to the Score. If they fail a roll or two with an Eye then the chances are not good even if the Hunt Threshold is pushed to 20 for being protected by a Maia in safe lands.

I'd let the player run a Maia but his position is likely to be dangerous at least and all the other players may not find it fun being in the blast zone.

[Glorelendil]

Then again, the rules provide for frequency of revelation, but not severity....

[Hermes Serpent]

Actually it's really moot as I don't believe that Francesco and C7 are likely to be even considering Istari as a playable cuulture

[Murcushio]

Besides, the Istari are five specific Maia, and the books are full of examples of non-Istari Maia being present in Middle-Earth and/or Beleriand.

Pedantry: Beleriand is part of Middle-earth.

Also: name three. Sauron, Melian, and Gothmog don't count.

[Glorelendil]

Besides, the Istari are five specific Maia, and the books are full of examples of non-Istari Maia being present in Middle-Earth and/or Beleriand.

Pedantry: Beleriand is part of Middle-earth.

Also: name three. Sauron, Melian, and Gothmog don't count.

Why doesn't Melian count?

Huan comes to mind. You might argue that he isn't explicitly named as Maia, but then what else is he?

And Osse.

[Murcushio]

Besides, the Istari are five specific Maia, and the books are full of examples of non-Istari Maia being present in Middle-Earth and/or Beleriand.

Pedantry: Beleriand is part of Middle-earth.

Also: name three. Sauron, Melian, and Gothmog don't count.

Why doesn't Melian count?

Huan comes to mind. You might argue that he isn't explicitly named as Maia, but then what else is he?

And Osse.

Huan is a magical hound, dude. He's no more a Maia than his evil counterparts, Draugluin and Carcharoth, were.

Melian does count, but my larger point was that the books aren't really "full of" examples of Maiar floating around Middle-earth doing stuff. You've basically got Sauron, Melian, and Gothmog. And Gothmog barely counts because he shows up just long enough to get killed by Ecthelion.

Osse I guess... sort of counts? I don't recall him doing much beyond hauling islands back and forth. The text also implies that he occasionally murders the hell out of mariners. So I suppose he's present, but he isn't really having conversations with people.