The gemmed experience

[Zoltan]

Please, Lizzie, edit out that IC stuff about the gem and templars.

[Lizzie]

Done Zoltan, even though it didn't say what a templar/gem can or cannot do. It only explained what my character was told, ICLY, that the templar/gem can or cannot do. To this day, I have no idea what they really can, codedly, and cannot, codely, do.

[a strange shadow]

Vitriol much?

I've only played one gemmed myself. Boring, probably wouldn't again, but I chalked it up to a different playstyle than I usually enjoy combined with inexperience with the role. I just (personally) do not prefer playing magick classes, gemmed or not. Though - if I had made the character more developed from the outset, I would probably have gotten more out of the experience.

[Is Friday]

I played a couple of gemmed. The only one I really enjoyed was one I was able to special app a really in-depth background and additional skills for to reflect said background. (Call me shallow.)

Gemmed, if they don't hate being gemmed, are boring. Boring to interact with for other people, and boring to play.

[Boggis]

Gemmed, if they don't hate being gemmed, are boring. Boring to interact with for other people, and boring to play.

Utterly ridiculous statement. Hey let's all be self-hating as gemmed all the time. Welcome to the Emo-mentalist Quarter. What fun.

I've played a few gemmed. Most of them have lasted 5-6 months and I've enjoyed them all. There's lots of different interactions you can have as a gemmed (beyond Oash & Templarate) and it all pretty much boils down to the player and their level of interest in making what's a restrictive role work for them. If you've got the attitude that being gemmed is boring and dull then that's probably how the role will work out for you. If you play just for the magick spells you'll be bored after 10 days play. Being gemmed is a somewhat restrictive role with pros and cons attached to it. Part of the experience of playing a gemmed is playing within these parameters. Granted it might not be for everybody. I don't think though we need any major things added to up the gemmed experience. A proper place for gemmed to congregate in might be nice - some tweaks to an existing area would probably do just fine. A shop where you could pay a certain type of magicker to remove your spells might be nice too even though I never had much of a problem with that side of things myself when gemmed (possibly due to the type of magicker I was playing).

[Agent_137]

i never answered the first question in the original post.

This is NOT a hate magickers thread. Please don't treat it that way. It's a pair of question specifically directed to those who've played gemmed elementalists recently:

1. Were you pleased with the character, or did you grow weary of him/her fairly quickly?

I was very pleased with the character. I did not grow weary until about 15-20 days or so. But then I took a break for a few months and was drawn back more empowered. I had to do this a few times to fill up the 2 years, but I don't think it was the gem's fault.

however. it was VERY HARD and a LOT OF WORK. And I'm not referring to learning spells. i'm referring to having fun. you really have to work at having fun as a magicker once you get past the novelty of branching spells and exploring whatever lands you want to explore.

Even if I hadn't given up my karma in the 'great karma off' i would not play one again. Too much work and the steadily degrading environment already spoken of has made the work even harder. That said, it was a very satisfying experience and certainly defined my Armageddon career. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

[spawnloser]

Aw, someone pissed in Lizzie's Cheerios, apparently.  Where did I mention super-sekrit information or brag about having it?  Stop straw-manning me.  I said, slightly less snarkily, to stop whining and start playing intelligently.  You apparently are not because you look at certain restrictions as a brick wall that you can't get past, and I know for fact (and so does anyone that's played a Rinthi) that these walls aren't nearly as high as they look like and not so long of reach that you can't get around by being clever and THINKING.

Oh, and stop attacking me when I didn't attack you, only used you and your experience as an example of the player creating more hardship for the character than has to exist.

Again, stop crying.  Start using your head.

[Zoltan]

Done Zoltan, even though it didn't say what a templar/gem can or cannot do. It only explained what my character was told, ICLY, that the templar/gem can or cannot do. To this day, I have no idea what they really can, codedly, and cannot, codely, do.

Thank you. Sorry if I came off dickish; I was just about to head to work when I read this thread. I understand what you mean about it only being told ICly and that that doesn't necessarily equate to code, but honestly, I don't know the coded truth either! It's just one of those things that'd suck if it got discussed too much on the GDB, in my opinion.

And in response to spawnloser, sometimes the very nature of your character doesn't allow you to do some of those clever things. I can rattle off many, many, MANY things I'd have liked to do/make easier with my last gemmer if only their personality was a -little- different.

[Tallulah]

1. Were you pleased with the character, or did you grow weary of him/her fairly quickly?

2. How would you suggest that gemmed life could be made more interesting?

1. I have been very pleased with my gemmers, and enjoyed the characters.

2.  I am with the others who feel it's good enough as it is.  I like the fact that magick is feared and hated, and I like the ramifications of that.  Every role is what you make of it, gemmed mages included.

[FantasyWriter]

Every role is what you make of it, gemmed mages included.

Indeed.

[Medena]

I had a total blast with my one and only gemmer.  Not sure if you wanted to include Oashi mages in your survey of experiences because I'd have to say that being in Oash contributed a lot to how much fun I had with the character.  It was not the only reason though.

Other factors contributing to my totally positive experience as a gemmer:

• I loved my character a lot.  She had a quirky personality which was enjoyable to play.
• It was my first magicker and the Arm magic system rocks.
• For the first while, my PC had a mentor in her temple.
• The RP of the other gemmed was of a high standard and really interesting to see.

At the time, besides a large number of Oash mages, there were also a couple doing odd bits of work for templars, a couple of grebber types and one or two who worked for somebody else (though I never knew who).