C.A.R.P.S.

Hi my friends are pestering me to try CARPS at least once and so here I am.

I am planning on playing a wood elf, and I am building sort of a Druid with disenchanting would be the best way to describe it.

What I'm curious about is the Animal Ken skills. I know just Animal Ken allows you to communicate/befriend/ignore animals. What I don't really understand is Animal Ken, Master. Is it shapeshifting? or do you just get access to a single aspect of the animal? If it is full on shapeshifting, can I still talk and do other actions like cast spells?

Also I was looking at the skills, you don't have to be a mage to have Sense Magic right? Cause I don't want to really deal with the magic system until I understand the game first.

- Sakane

Sense Magic is for everyone.

Its shape shifting into a specific animal, but beyond that you have to ask some one more informed than me.

Welcome to CARPS.

Welcome to CARPS.

The book is purposefully vague on animalism, as the skill is not widely known or understood in-game.
It sort of is, and sort of isn't, shapeshifting. Your animal form has it's own character sheet. No skills cross over, but you can buy the same skill on both character sheets (assuming Accesses allow it). Your animal can't speak, unless the base animal can, or the GM approves that as a mutation.
I'm fairly certain that spell casting as an animal is not going to happen.

Yes you can buy magic skills without the Magic Sensitive merit, it is just a lot more expensive.

Sense Magic is a basic skill, available to everyone mage or non.

Animalism is, as mentioned, about as unwritten a skill as can be. It is full on shapeshifting with some ... odd things. Jeckyl and Hyde but the two can talk to each other would be the best description of the skill. Still one of my favorite skills too.

I see. Thanks for your responses, I think I have a much better idea of what I'm doing now.

I'm mainly buying support skills, Healing and Disenchanting being my primary skills. I figured later on I would buy into Animal Ken cause it looked fun and fit into my character. I would also need to be able to defend myself... eventually

- Sakane