Sorry if theses questions have already been asked and answered. I'm in kind of a rush here and couldn't look.

Some Social Action Cards have results that states the Character either "influence the target" or "might ifluence the taret, if appropiate". What does "influence" means? Some change in an imaginary Social Progress Tracker?

(It just occured to me that it could be another Social Action that I overlooked. I just passed my eyes through the Action Cards as yet.)

Another thing: in the FAQ, they say the Aprrentice Wizard starts with some advanced skills already acquired (Channeling and... Spellcraft!), while the Initiate has to buy Incantation and Piety with Creatin Points. I couldn't find that rule nowhere in the books. Actually, I thought that every Advanced Skill of every Career has to be bought with Creation Points. Am I missing something? Does the FAQ really complicates things instead of organize them for us?

Thanks in advance!

Influence is exactly as you allude to in your last sentence. It changes the social conflict in a way that favors the successful party (by moving the progress tracker or by giving the successful party what they want). So if the check was to lower a price by haggling, the merchant will be influenced and lower the price. If the check was to convince a General to attack an enemy, the General will be influenced and become convinced of the need for an attack. It's quite simple really.

The FAQ merely clarifies what's in the rulebooks and puts it all in one simple location. The Tome of Mysteries in p.42 under Skills lists the special case of apprentice Wizards starting with Channeling and Spellcraft advanced skills acquired. Priests don't have any such exception, so they have to acquire them, because as you said all advanced skills have to be purchased.

The problem was that some people had issues because the rules didn't say "Priests do not start with these skills acquired." So the FAQ sought to clarify this by making it crystal clear that the Wizards were indeed a special case.

thanks Lexicanum!

about the Apprentice Wizard, now I'm thinking that this advantage puts the career in a kind of disbalanced position comparing to others. I'm not very much of a balance-seeking person, but I'm curious to see if you and whoever wants to comment think that it is really a necessity for the career, like making up for other lacking things... what do you think?

I don't think they were really motivated by game balance so much as by concept. As in: "not all priests have to be miracle workers, but part of the definition of being a wizard is that you cast spells."

But since you mention game balance, it could be that this is why the Rank 1 spells are a little underpowered - perhaps it's to offset the free skills. If you look around here a bit, you'll find a thread somewhere that talks about how a starting Bright Wizard can't do as much damage as a starting Pitfighter (or other combat class).

Ah, the ever present "balance" debate.

From a character sheet point of view, it's imbalanced. The Wizard has more stuff in his character sheet than other characters, that is correct.

But that's not really a very useful metric for measuring "balance" in my view. So let's dig a bit deeper.

From a mechanics point of view...

Wizards have to deal with miscasts, something Priests don't have to deal with. Wizards also have to pay up-front for their spells and hence have to acquire power first before casting and risk having to vent power if their casting roll fails.

Priests on the other hand can effectively cast 2x their power with relative safety: Get favour equal to their WP, invoke, then get favour equal to their WP. No risk of having to vent power. If they want to be real crazy about it they could go as high as 4x their favour for a blessing: first they get favour 2x their WP, invoke, then incrementally get favour 2x their WP. A wizard would not be able to go as high without some serious fatigue and stress.

From a setting point of view...

All Apprentice Wizards are watched over by both the Colleges, their respective Magister (who can magically track them and is responsible for them) and the zealous Templars of Sigmar. Wizards are also victims to discrimination and are more likely to fall prey to the attentions of Chaos. Wizards are also discriminated against in many settings and they are not trusted by many even by their Magisters.

If a Wizard character doesn't have to deal with any of these setting drawbacks then I'm sorry but we're not playing the same Warhammer and I can't be of much help.

I think once you take all the drawbacks that being a wizard has into account, it only makes sense that they be granted Spellcraft and Channeling. Otherwise, you'd be getting all the drawbacks and none of the benefits. It's in fact because of "balance" that Wizards get these for free. If FFG didn't care for balance they wouldn't have made that special exception for them.

Lexicanum said:

"I think once you take all the drawbacks that being a wizard has into account, it only makes sense that they be granted Spellcraft and Channeling. Otherwise, you'd be getting all the drawbacks and none of the benefits. It's in fact because of "balance" that Wizards get these for free. If FFG didn't care for balance they wouldn't have made that special exception for them."

Well said! Great arguments! I agree 100%

The whole influence thing also is not so much mechanic as more for roleplaying aspects. Lot of the game is vague and not set in stone rulewise like how you interpret negative dice rolls. Influencing someone with an action card might not have any mechanical affect other than changing the roleplaying situation for players. A guard might not let you pass but you influence him, and he just nods and lets you past. Nothing major but just something simple you use the card for.

Lexicanum said:

great answear, Lexicanum. that is really what I wanted to see! helped a lot get things organized in my mind. :]

PanzerKraken said:

yes, I'm very glad to deal with narrative mechanics rather than with mathematical ones. as I read the books in a rush, when I saw the cards the word "influence" highlined itself to me, as I couldn't recall it being explained in the rulebooks (as I'm sure they must have been). so I was not sure if they implied some specific mechanic, or what they really do, just a way to indicate a description based mechanic.

thank you for your answear!

Incidentally, am I correct in thinking that if you transition to Apprentice Wizard after the start of the game, you need to pay advances to acquire Channeling and Spellcraft normally?

fnord3125 said:

That would be my take on the rules, yes.

Also from a fluff perspective, you haven't spent years cloistered in an Imperial College of Magick since you were a child to justify getting it for free. So you'll have to pay for it with advances.