Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Evolving with the Simic Combine - Class Options in Ravnica

The Simic Combine is one of two Ravnica guilds that focuses a great deal on research. It's really the nature of the research and the attitude of that research that distinguishes them. The Simic are biomancers, meaning that they manipulate life with magic. Their goal is not to circumvent nature, but rather to push nature and evolution faster and faster - to create the perfect life forms, and the Simic are eager not to be left behind.

Within the city, the Simic are responsible for the waterways of Ravnica - ensuring that the populace has enough to drink and that it is safe and clean. All in all, they are the maintainers of biological health and diversity within the city, and much of their motivation for experimenting with biological forms is to ensure that there is life that can survive in this vast urban landscape.

Additionally, the Simic are the city's physicians and healthcare professionals, combating disease in the dense metropolis.

Alignment:

The Simic are probably the best example of a True Neutral guild in Ravnica. They aren't particularly interested in good or evil, nor are they drawn particularly to law or chaos. There is a sort of fatalism to their philosophy, even if they profoundly don't know what the future holds for life on the plane - one could sum up that philosophy as "the only constant is change."

In Magic, the Simic colors are Blue and Green. Blue is a cerebral and intellectual color, which explains their eagerness to experiment and prod along their projects, while green represents nature, instinct, and evolution. While both colors have often produced good-aligned characters, they are also both capable of a kind of detached view of things - green merely watches nature take its course and blue merely observes and gathers data. Despite being opposed along the instinct/intellect axis, this detached, even indifferent stance is reinforced by their fusion within the Simic.

The Classes:

Barbarians:

The source of a Simic Barbarian's rage is likely some kind of experimental adrenaline enhancement. You could flavor many Barbarian paths with this, but I think that Berserker and Totem Warrior both work quite well (with the Totem Warrior, you could say that you've literally been infused with the power of your totem animals.)

Bards:

There might not be that many great fits for Bards with the Simic.

Cleric:

While their interests are less faith-based, I could imagine Life, Knowledge, Nature, and Arcana (Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide) domains functioning pretty well for the Simic.

Druid:

You're going to find some unconventional Druids in this guild, but it's actually a pretty good fit, especially focusing on animal forms and, well, animals. So Circle of the Moon and the Shepherd (the latter is in Xanathar's) are probably both good fits.

Fighter:

Like the Barbarian, you could flavor your Fighter as having been enhanced in some way through experimentation. Eldritch Knights actually work pretty decently here.

Monk:

Given their fascination with taking things apart to see how they work, the Way of the Long Death actually works creepily well for the Simic. Other monk paths could work as well given the focus on perfecting one's body.

Paladin:

Paladins might be a bit of a stretch for the Simic, though I could maybe see an Oath of the Ancients paladin fitting in (though we'll get to a guild that matches that Oath really well later on.)

Ranger:

Playing up the nature-magic side of the Ranger is not a bad call if you want to go Simic. Beast Masters and Monster Slayers are probably both good fits, though nearly every Ranger type probably works.

Rogue:

While not likely to employ assassins and spies in the field very much, the Simic are probably fascinated by any natural ability to strike silently and deadly as a predator. So Assassins and Thieves both might be of interest to them.

Sorcerer:

Sorcerers are probably a very common thing amongst the Simic, most likely the result of some kind of mutation. Dragon Soul, Wild Magic, and maybe Storm Sorcery all work quite well here. Indeed, the Simic might even prefer the inherent nature of sorcerers over the laboriously-acquired skills of a wizard (though Wizards might be the ones who started the experiments in the first place.)

Warlock:

In the pursuit of knowledge, I doubt the Simic would blink an eye at Warlocks in their midst, though I imagine Archfey patrons might fit the best cosmetically. As a story hook, one could imagine a Great Old One that is actually something that has not yet come to be, and that it is reaching back in time hoping that the Simic will ultimately lead to its own creation. But I'm just spitballing here.

Wizard:

While intellectual research is important to the Simic, there's not really any given school of magic that fits particularly well for them. Still, while the Simic would probably prefer that eventually everyone is some kind of sorcerer, they'll need to employ some smart wizards to keep the research going.

Combining Things in the Combine:

There's a good chance that you've done a little self-experimentation if you're in the Simic, and there's a certain recklessness that doesn't easily fit into the chaotic or lawful continuum. As a Simic member, you're probably going to be pretty enthusiastic about discovering every new life form you can.

There's also a big potential for arrogance among the Simic; as a group that is pushing evolution - both of its members and its creations, to the extent that there's even a distinction there - you might see members of other guilds as needlessly stubborn and, well, unevolved. When you see other mortal races, do you think of them as merely species that will one day go extinct?

Granted, you can also have a much more optimistic and altruistic view of things - you might see things like poverty and disease as something that will one day be overcome by the march of evolution and progress. You might not be terribly sentimental about individuals, but have high hopes for Ravnica as a whole. Likewise, you might not know what the future looks like, but you do have faith that Ravnica will be better as time goes on.

Likewise, given that you probably associate with many hybrid creations - mixes of human, elf, vedalken, and maybe fish, lizard, and other creatures - you might have a great tolerance for diversity and be in a better position to interact with beings that are very different from you.

No comments:

Post a Comment