Ever since the Great OGL Debacle of 2022-2023, I have been looking for something to replace D&D on my table and in my development space. I have not always been successful on either front, but I have found many great contenders, including Castles & Crusades, Pathfinder 2nd Edition, and Wasted Lands. I have another one I wish to add to that list. Blue Rose 2nd Edition.
I love Blue Rose. I love the game, the idea, the setting, the mechanics, everything.
I spent a lot of time reviewing this game when it was released.
The game is an absolute joy, and I hope to continue it for a long time.
Unlike the three games I mentioned above, Blue Rose 2nd Edition's AGE system is not d20-based. It does have some d20 DNA via Blue Rose 1st Edition's True20 system. It is fairly trivial to convert D&D material over to Pathfinder, Castles & Crusades, and Wasted Lands. Blue Rose takes a little more work. However, the scaling is very similar with all of these games.
The Characters
For this, I will do conversions of my main witch character, Larina, and two of my Forgotten Realms characters. Why these three? I want to play around with how adepts work. Plus, these are the three characters (well, them and Johan) that are most on my mind right now. Sinéad and Nida are part of my 2nd Ed AD&D Forgotten Realms game, so exploring who they are in this Blue Rose/AGE set-up is useful for both Blue Rose and the Forgotten Realms. And Larina, well, she is never far from my mind.
Plus, it is the Summer Solstice, one of the pagan celebration days, so witches seem appropriate.
Also, lately, I have been comparing and contrasting Larina and Sinéad. If Larina is my go-to witch, Sinéad is becoming my go-to sorceress or wild magic wielder. Though I am noticing I am playing Sinéad a bit like Larina so I need to find ways to make her (Sinéad) her own character.
I have already explored a lot of characters for this game. Especially a lot of adepts and how they can feel different from each other.
- Duchess and Candella
- Seren
- Nyctasia r'n Edonaris brenn Rhostshyl and Corson brenn Torisk
- Helyg and Brynn
- Bethan Hâf
- Xena and Gabrielle
I have spent quite a bit of time with this over the years and I really love the characters you can make and play with this game.
Female Human/Vata'an Adept, Level 5
Accuracy: 5 (Primary) Focus: Bows
Communication: 3 Focuses: Persuasion, Performance, Deception
Constitution: 3 Focus: Swimming
Dexterity: 3 Focus: Artisan
Fighting: 2
Intelligence: (Primary) 3 Focus: Arcane Lore
Perception: 3 (Primary)
Strength: 2
Willpower: 2 (Primary)
Speed: 13
Defense: 13
Armor: 3
Penalty: 0
Health: 56
Conviction: 5
Powers, Talents, and Specializations
Starting Talents: Lore (N), Performance (N)
Arcane Talents: Healing (J), Wild Arcane (J)
Skillful Channeling
Arcane Training: Shaping (N)
Specialization: Bard (N)
Arcana
Wild: Fire Shaping, Sense Minds, Visions
Shaping: Psychic Shield, Move Object, Second Sight
Healing: Cure, Sleep
Arms and Armor
Dagger, Melee (Accuracy) 1d6+1
Dagger, Ranged (Accuracy) 1d6 6/12 Minor
Leather (Light Armor)
Persona
Calling: The Moon: Discovery and Learning Secrets
Destiny: Queen of Rods, Curious
Fate: Jaded
Corruption: 0
Goals: To discover the secrets and source of her magic
Relationships
Taryn (3), "She is my adopted sister. We will do anything for each other."
Larina (2), "She is Taryn's mother. I am not sure what their deal is, but I will respect her."
Nida (2), "I have never had a friend like her, and so unlike everyone I have met before."
--
Female Human Expert, Level 5
Accuracy: 2 (Primary) Focus: Arcane
Communication: 4 (Primary) Focuses: Deception, Disguise
Constitution: 3 Focus: Swimming
Dexterity: 3 (Primary)
Fighting: 2
Intelligence: 4 Focused: Arcane Lore, Shaping
Perception: 4 (Primary) Focus: Empathy
Strength: 1
Willpower: 2 (Primary) Focus: Courage
Speed: 13
Defense: 13
Armor: 3
Penalty: 0
Health: 58
Conviction: 5
Powers, Talents, and Specializations
Starting Talents: Light Armor Training, Pinpoint Attack
Arcane Potential (N), Thievery (N)
Specialization: Shaper (Fire), (N)
Arcana
Fire Shaping
Arms and Armor
Dagger, Melee (Accuracy) 1d6+1
Dagger, Ranged (Accuracy) 1d6 6/12 Minor
Leather (Light Armor)
Persona
Calling: The Sun: Championing the Everyday
Destiny: Eight of Chalices, Daring
Fate: Stubborn
Corruption: 0
Goals: To find her true path
Relationships
Sinéad (3), "Sinéad is a naive kid with her head in the clouds. And I love her for that. She reminds me of what I was."
Larina (2), "She honestly kind of scares me, but I know she has the answers I seek."
--
Female Human Adept, Level 20
Accuracy: 2 (Primary) Focus: Arcane
Communication: 5 Focuses: Persuasion, Performance +2, Investigation
Constitution: 3 Focuses: Swimming, Stamina
Dexterity: 3 Focused: Artisan +2, Calligraphy +2
Fighting: 2
Intelligence: (Primary) 5 Focuses: Arcane Lore +2, Research, Sorcerery Lore, Historical Lore, Healing
Perception: 3 (Primary) Focuses: Empathy, Visionary
Strength: 1 Focus: Intimidation
Willpower: 5 (Primary) Focus: Faith
Speed: 11
Defense: 11
Armor: 5
Penalty: 0
Health: 114
Conviction: 11
Powers, Talents, and Specializations
Arcane Talents: Arcane Training (M), Healing (M), Witchcraft (M), Psychic (M)
Linguistics (M), Performance (N), Contacts (J)
Specialization: Seer (M), Shaper (Fire) (M)
Stunts: Skillful Channeling (1), Disrupt Arcana (4), Lasting Aracan
Epic Stunt: Effortless Arcana
Add Willpower to Damage, Familiarity mod -2
Arcana
Fire Shaping
Enhancement, Heart Reading, Light Shaping, Ward, Second Sight
Cure, Sleep, Draw Vitality, Flesh Shaping, Body Control, Psychic Shield
Psychic Weapon, Psychic Contact, Calm, Illusion, Mind Shaping, Mind Reading
Visions, Scrying, Object Reading, Nature Reading
Arms and Armor
Dagger, Melee (Accuracy) 1d6+1
Dagger, Ranged (Accuracy) 1d6 6/12 Minor
Persona
Calling: The Priestess: Oneness with Spirit
Destiny: Queen of Rods, Curious
Fate: Jaded
Corruption: 1
Goals: To become a powerful witch
Relationships
Taryn (3), "My daughter. We lost so much time together in my service to Baba Yaga."
Sinéad (2), "Taryn's adopted 'sister.' I have watched this one from afar and subtly guided her on her path."
Nida (3), "It's...complicated."
--
Ok. Three different approaches to magic (arcana) in Blue Rose. The Wild Talent (Sinéad), the dabbler (Nida), and the Witch Queen (Larina).
Frankly, I am pleased with all three. Larina is scary powerful, and that is what I was aiming for. She has some corruption. I was also going to do Larina's daughter and Sinéad's best friend, Taryn, but I want to work some details on her first.
I like that this world and this system allow me to bring out different aspects of these characters.
In some ways I like to think of these as "parallel universe" versions. What these characters could be if the world they lived in was less horrible and had more light. BUT...I don't even play Blue Rose as all "sunshine and kittens." The bright spots in this world are bright because there is still a lot of darkness out there. I mean, even (especially) Larina has some corruption because she dabbles in Sorcery, or at least "Forbidden Knowledge."
These characters compare very, very well to their Wasted Lands counterparts (Larina, Nida, Sinéad). They are not 100% the same, nor should they be, but I can see each (D&D, Blue Rose, Wasted Lands) are an aspect of the other. Given this I really should do Johan for Blue Rose. He would fit in rather nicely, really.
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