4e Fan Creations and House RulesWorking on variant powers? Statting up a PC race or your version of a monster? Creating or converting an adventure? Put it here!
Arcane:
tech-based. They could be based around coplex gadgetry, high-tech weapons, or even nano-machines.
Divine:
Cosmic. These characters have had their powers granted to them by vast, highly evolved intelligences (Similar to the Ultimate Intligence of the Hyperion books)
Primal:
Bio-Tech. The primal characters come from the wild corners of space, and from societies that try to adapt to existing environments, rather than terraform them. They use natural and bio-engineered sybiotes to alter their physical makeup and exert controll over their surroundings.
Psionic:
Ummm, do I really need to explain this one?
A couple of the classes will proabably need some revisions to some class features, and a few may need a new build (ranged builds for the martial classes, specifically)
------ Races
This should be an easy job - either reskin the existing races, or create a new set of core ones.
A few ideas:
Devas: Creatures created by the Ultimate Intlegences, with the ability to tap into their limitless intelect.
Eladrin: Creatures that have become masters of physical space: able to warp the world around them (Much like the warpsmiths from Alan Moore's Miricalman)
Warforged: Robots! Either independantly created androids, or members of the techno-core.
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Equipment
Mele weapons can remain, and it shouldn't be too hard to create some basic ranged weapons (there have been a few attempts on this forum already)
Magical weapons and armor can easily be converted into high-quality technology, and warforged components would make a good basis for cybernetic grafts & implants.
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Combat
Some basic rules for high and low gravity situations, as well as rules for 3d movement and combat for Zero G situations.
Existing vehicle rules may be convertable for spaceship battles.
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If anyone has any ideas or thoughts, please share them!
Arcane Power Source: Technological. Technological characters rely on knowledge of technology, science, machinery, and the workings of the universe.
Artificer - Engineer: This class requires the least changes. Perhaps a few alterations to make it seen more technological and less magical. Bard - Navigator: I got the idea for this class from another thread. Someone who navigates through reality to aid his allies' powers. Sorcerer - Scientist: The scientist uses science to his advantage, creating blasts of gas, rocking the ground, sucking the heat from the air, and other things. Swordmage - Cyborg: The cyborg is a humanoid with various attachments to increase his durability and let him teleport or add energy to his attacks. Warlock - Scourge: A scientist who has made pacts with vile alien beings which grant him power - in return for carrying out their often evil plots. Wizard - Technologist:
Martial Power Source: Martial. Martial characters rely on their own strength and skill to survive in combat.
Fighter - Soldier: The soldier's purpose in life is to fight. He is hardened and tough, has mastered many weapons, and knows how to survive a fight. Ranger - Scout: The scout is trained to explore new territory, strike quickly, and escape. Rogue - Rogue: From the lowly thief, struggling to make a living in the dregs of society, to the noble in exile, fighting against an evil ruler, rouges are skilled assassins, thieves, and murderers. Warlord - Commander: The commander is trained to lead troops in battle. He can always come up with a master plan, and knows how to inspire his troops.
Deva: Otherworldly beings infused with a fragment of the vast energy of the cosmos.
Cool idea but any class that relies on melee attacks might have need some new powers or at least some big tweaks to use ranged weapons more effectively. I know that if I played a fighter that no matter how cool a super high tech sword is that blaster is probably more effective.
Cool idea but any class that relies on melee attacks might have need some new powers or at least some big tweaks to use ranged weapons more effectively. I know that if I played a fighter that no matter how cool a super high tech sword is that blaster is probably more effective.
Depends on your flavor of tech... in star wars universe... blasters are pretty un reliable at targeting and common soldier armor rather effective against them.
hight tech melee weapons usually take lots of skill to avoid hurting yourself with.... where as the blasters dont... and the eraticnesss of blaster fire. can be rationalized as the trade off they made for it nearly never runs out of power but the surging... results in it being harder to target than the lower damage slug throwing equipment (guns). which do... run out of amo.
True but in star wars IMO the melee weapons (lightsabers) were effective more for the fact that super powered jedis wielded them. Plus if energy based blaster are so inaccurate I'd see if I could stick with conventional guns which may not shot plasma or what have you but rifles seem to do just fine at being accurate and powerful over large distances.
True but in star wars IMO the melee weapons (lightsabers) were effective more for the fact that super powered jedis wielded them. Plus if energy based blaster are so inaccurate I'd see if I could stick with conventional guns which may not shot plasma or what have you but rifles seem to do just fine at being accurate and powerful over large distances.
Probably worth noting is that in every version of the Star Wars RPG, it's at the very least not straightforward to make a non-force using melee guy (and prior to Saga, pretty much impossible to do so effectively). The expectation is that Jedi will use lightsabers and everyone else will use blasters. Certainly Saga reflects this; there are lots of options for characters that use pistols, rilfes, or lightsabers; some for characters that use advanced melee weapons (vibroweapons) -- most in expansion books; and a handful for characters that use simple weapons, exotic weapons, or go unarmed.
True but in star wars IMO the melee weapons (lightsabers) were effective more for the fact that super powered jedis wielded them.
right ala swordmages ... ;-)
so the melee classes need to be super-powered...mystical or cyber or bio engeneered or superarmor suit paladins.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Meatboy
Plus if energy based blaster are so inaccurate I'd see if I could stick with conventional guns which may not shot plasma or what have you but rifles seem to do just fine at being accurate and powerful over large distances.
Slug throwers run out of bullets... don't forget that (D&D magic weapons already are like energy projecting weapons), and the armor of the time might even work better against bullets than the super blades or energy weapons... even if the blasters have targeting issues there is a balancing point. There is already armor that works great on bullets but not too well against a bayonet.
I do think we need to give ranged weapons a bit more oomph in general ... something like a reaping strike move for ranged attacks might be a cybernetic controlled projectile.
Energy projecting weapons target reflex and a sorceror with acid orb and reapers touch can be a soldier with a disintigrating ray he projects from some nasty glove equipment, his ability to use various other effects are because he is a technological genius who can jury rig up a storm...or I can ditch the repears touch and (the dagger is a universal wrench with a small welding torch).
There is no "one" answer on what things are skinned as I think...
Last edited by Garthanos; 11th August 2009 at 05:02 PM..
I know what you are wanting to do is just a reskin, I assume this is for the ease of it, because it's a lot of work to start from scratch. I'm adopting a half and half approach with my own setting; reskining most stuff, but creating from scratch certain aspects of my setting that give it it's flavour (the navigator class being a big part of that). But a lot of my workload was alleviated by dedicating some time to trawling through the backlogs in these forums and the WotC forums, there are a lot of homebrew classes out there that either slot straight into a scifi setting, or require a minimum amount of tweaking.
One in particular that i have adapted for my setting in Lumovanis' Tinker.
Also, some guys have done a fair bit of conversion work trying to create showrun in 4E Here, there haven't been any update in quite a while, but there are some really interesting ideas there.
I probably agree, Dune in particular is such an immense universe; i love it. I was merely linking the shadowrun conversion for the game mechanics and ideas that the homebrewers came up with to modify the existing d&d classes into a modern/sci-fi game.
That shadowrun page has some interesting stuff on it. They seem to have done a good job.
I'm less interested in creating a replica of a specific science fiction universe, and more interested in a '4e sci-fi' that could be used as a base for more specific campaign worlds.
On this note, I think that the base idea behind a 4e campeign works quite well in a sci-fi setting: the concept of points of light.
Tiny bastions of civilization, spread across a dark and unforgiving universe.
The remnants of ancient and powerful empires, ripe for exploration, plunder or revival.
Unknowable horrors resting in the dark places between and beyond the stars...
Last edited by Cwheeler; 13th August 2009 at 01:17 PM..
That shadowrun page has some interesting stuff on it. They seem to have done a good job.
I'm less interested in creating a replica of a specific science fiction universe, and more interested in a '4e sci-fi' that could be used as a base for more specific campaign worlds.
On this note, I think that the base idea behind a 4e campeign works quite well in a sci-fi setting: the concept of points of light.
Tiny bastions of civilization, spread across a dark and unforgiving universe.
The remnants of ancient and powerful empires, ripe for exploration, plunder or revival.
Unknowable horrors resting in the dark places between and beyond the stars...
Oh yeah... but the game mechanics do lend themselves to more space opera/space fantasy alah star wars and it is definitely a heroic universe.
Slug throwers run out of bullets... don't forget that (D&D magic weapons already are like energy projecting weapons), and the armor of the time might even work better against bullets than the super blades or energy weapons... even if the blasters have targeting issues there is a balancing point. There is already armor that works great on bullets but not too well against a bayonet.
I do think we need to give ranged weapons a bit more oomph in general ... something like a reaping strike move for ranged attacks might be a cybernetic controlled projectile.
Energy projecting weapons target reflex and a sorceror with acid orb and reapers touch can be a soldier with a disintigrating ray he projects from some nasty glove equipment, his ability to use various other effects are because he is a technological genius who can jury rig up a storm...or I can ditch the repears touch and (the dagger is a universal wrench with a small welding torch).
There is no "one" answer on what things are skinned as I think...
Here's the easy thing to do...
"Slugthrowers" are simply an ordinary weapon. A "bastard sword" version the crossbows would be appropriate. That is to say, a rifle or a pistol would just be, mechanics-wise, a slightly better version of a crossbow or hand crossbow and require the Superior Weapon Proficiency to get the proficiency bonus.
"Energy weapons" are and other advanced weaponry are simply the magical versions of these. A state-of-the-art sniper rifle might be a Vicious Rifle. A lightsaber is just a Sunblade Longsword. While a laser pistol is a Flaming Pistol, and a rifle with an underslung grenade launcher is a Flameburst Rifle.
__________________ The Pbartender
"I don't believe it. There she goes again! She's tidied up, and I can't find anything! All my tubes and wires and careful notes and antiquated notions..." - Thomas Dolby
Or a light saber can be a fairly normal cutting tool.. and the jedi is using power akin to a warlocks eldritch strike... if you arent a jedi (and have the power) you just have to be too careful with the damn things for them to be that useful as a weapon. ;-).
Or a light saber can be a fairly normal cutting tool.. and the jedi is using power akin to a warlocks eldritch strike... if you arent a jedi (and have the power) you just have to be too careful with the damn things for them to be that useful as a weapon. ;-).
I'm not necessarily talking light sabers specifically, but "laser-swords" in general. Mechanics-wise, a Sunblade emulates the energy type (radiant), deadliness (+1 or more to hit and damage, +1d6 or more on crits), and expense (at least 840 gp) of that type of weapon pretty well.
Anyway, the point is, much advanced technology -- even energy weapons or powered armor -- can be quickly and easily emulated by reskinning most magic items.
__________________ The Pbartender
"I don't believe it. There she goes again! She's tidied up, and I can't find anything! All my tubes and wires and careful notes and antiquated notions..." - Thomas Dolby
Or a light saber can be a fairly normal cutting tool.. and the jedi is using power akin to a warlocks eldritch strike... if you arent a jedi (and have the power) you just have to be too careful with the damn things for them to be that useful as a weapon. ;-).
That bit about normal weapons being well normal...
if potent xbows et all...is a pretty good basic skin.
There are needlers too....area effect or very easy to target..
itty bitty shards... like a wizards at will. - do they get out of whack so easily it takes specialist to fix/recalibrate them?...
do some weapons corresponding to spells requre a cyberlink (class feature).
Anyway, the point is, much advanced technology -- even energy weapons or powered armor -- can be quickly and easily emulated by reskinning most magic items.
And certainly an energy sword geared up with tons of safety features to avoid burning its wielder among other things could exist right alongside one that the mystics used and could be a +1 flaming something.
A thundarr the barbarian energy sword...
I think its a mistake to always think in terms of just magic items. Ie are all your jedi are high enough level to afford that sun sword? and light sabres dont need radiant nearly as much as they need the "jedi" part ;-). So class abilities and powers are going to be some of the super tech...
As I've mentioned before, rather than creating a replica of something like starwars, or a generic space opera setting, I'm far more interested in making something uniquely 4e.
My first attempt looks something like this:
Quote:
The Seas of Stars and Shadows.
The universe is ancient. Unbelievably so. Empires have risen and fallen, and turned to dust. Discoveries have been made, in thousands of different sciences, which have been lost to the worlds.
New civilizations have arisen, trade routes stretching from world to world through the farcaster portals, and still stranger civilizations grow and lurk between the stars.
This is a universe of relative ignorance, where the people live in the shadows of technological marvels of the ages past. In this universe of fear and superstition, technology is a closely guarded and highly prized secret.
The Power Sources in SoSaS
Arcane: Those who are called Archanists have learned to tap into the secrets of technology and the sciences. Although their understanding is often rudimentary when compared to the great civilizations of the past, they can boast knowledge and achievements well beyond that of the general populace. In primitive cultures, their abilities are often mislabeled as ‘magic’.
Divine: Across the worlds, there are many different cultures and individuals who tap into the divine power source, and each has a different explanation for it’s functioning. For some, it is a manifestation of the one true deity, of the spirits of the planet, of pantheons, or of cosmic energies. Many Psionocists believe that that which is attributed to the divine is a primitive and instinctual form of psionic power. The truth remains unknown.
Martial: Martial Prowess has been one of the few things to remain constant for the entirety of the long history of sentient life. What has changed over time, however, is the methods of delivering death. Modern martialists can often be seen sporting advanced weapons, cybernetic enhancements, and genetic modifications.
Primal: Those who align themselves with the primal share their existence with strange symbiotes and parasitic energies of natural origin. Some of these symbiotes and energies are sentient in nature, forming part of a natural, empathic hive mind that spans much of the galaxy.
Psionic: Psionics is the conscious manipulation of reality through a direct application of will. Psionic abilities evolved over the melenia, and can now be seen in many cultures and species across the galaxy.
Arcane Classes
Quote:
Bard: ???
Sorcerer: Sorcerers are strange and unique individuals. Through chance and accident, they have bonded with the tattered remnants of the nannite web that once allowed the empires to shape their environment to their every whim.
Warlock: Warlocks form pacts with strange and alien entities, in exchange for knowledge and technologies that defy conventional understanding. Many believe that they walk the path of insanity, but they see it as a path to power.
Wizard: The Wizard has studied the ancient ways of technology, and intends to become a master of it’s secrets.
This is the type of feel I would be going for in order to make an intrinsically 4e-style sci-fi setting.
OK my primal character is definitely going to be taking a familiar if I have to multiclass to get a symbiot going dormant... or active... that is cool.
vibro-blade any melee weapon swaps out its damage type with thunder. can be used to make a deafening ranged sound blast special attack once per day.. if you do it twice the silly thing doesnt work till you get it repared (insert discouraging price tag).
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