Custom Monster
As written right now, you can only take a skill once per career. I'm hoping that reduces some of the stacking (and thus some of the combat swinginess) without having to put a hard limit on it.
LucasC
First Post
So when you say once per career do you mean overall regardless of the number of times they select a career?
For example, if I choose Infiltrator 3 times, can I choose Marksman each time or just one time and I must choose between other Infiltrator skills the second and third?
(just FYI, that is not how we've been doing it, we read the rules as once-per-time-through-career not once overall, that could make a big diff. on the number of ranks)
For example, if I choose Infiltrator 3 times, can I choose Marksman each time or just one time and I must choose between other Infiltrator skills the second and third?
(just FYI, that is not how we've been doing it, we read the rules as once-per-time-through-career not once overall, that could make a big diff. on the number of ranks)
Yeah, if you have 3 grades of Infiltrator, you have to take three different skills. If you then take another career that offers Marksman, you can then take it a second time.
Oh, it's new. You were correct before.
I've been trying out a new XP calculation for the last couple of days. It's extremely simple, but it seems to be holding up to tests so far - things seem to match fairly well.
It's just this: simply add up the creature's three highest attributes. Since most of its actions will be derived from those attributes, as will its derived attributes, those three attributes added give a decent approximation of power level.
This is then simply multiplied by a tier modifier -- heroic (x1.5), legendary (x2), iconic (x2.5).
That's it. I also divide that value by 10 and round to the nearest whole number to get a broader "level" range for vary rough approximations.
Taking the creatures I've posted in the two monster threads here on the forum, we get the following values:
Average human 12........................1
Grand elf musketeer 16..................2
Grand elf mage 21.......................2
Grand elf dreadnaught 27................3
Ogre shaman 22..........................2
Ogre thug 23............................2
Ogre champion 39........................4
Giant brute 42..........................4
Giant chieftain 78......................8
Swamp dragon 96.........................10
Fire dragon 104.........................10
Ice dragon 108..........................11
Spartan warrior 17.......................2
Spartan battle lord 25...................3
Spartan berserker 21.....................2
Venetian monk 15.........................2
Venetian telepath 18.....................3
Venetian healer 16.......................2
Felan scavenger 14.......................1
Felan pirate 15..........................2
Felan scrapper 18........................2
Human thug 13............................1
Human police 17..........................2
Human soldier 22.........................2
Human star marine 24.....................2
Human assassin 36........................4
Human medic 24...........................2
It takes about 5 seconds to do, and works on PCs too. In my own playtesting, matching things via level seems to work reasonably well - you don't need to get quite as detailed as the actual XP value for that.
It's just this: simply add up the creature's three highest attributes. Since most of its actions will be derived from those attributes, as will its derived attributes, those three attributes added give a decent approximation of power level.
This is then simply multiplied by a tier modifier -- heroic (x1.5), legendary (x2), iconic (x2.5).
That's it. I also divide that value by 10 and round to the nearest whole number to get a broader "level" range for vary rough approximations.
Taking the creatures I've posted in the two monster threads here on the forum, we get the following values:
Average human 12........................1
Grand elf musketeer 16..................2
Grand elf mage 21.......................2
Grand elf dreadnaught 27................3
Ogre shaman 22..........................2
Ogre thug 23............................2
Ogre champion 39........................4
Giant brute 42..........................4
Giant chieftain 78......................8
Swamp dragon 96.........................10
Fire dragon 104.........................10
Ice dragon 108..........................11
Spartan warrior 17.......................2
Spartan battle lord 25...................3
Spartan berserker 21.....................2
Venetian monk 15.........................2
Venetian telepath 18.....................3
Venetian healer 16.......................2
Felan scavenger 14.......................1
Felan pirate 15..........................2
Felan scrapper 18........................2
Human thug 13............................1
Human police 17..........................2
Human soldier 22.........................2
Human star marine 24.....................2
Human assassin 36........................4
Human medic 24...........................2
It takes about 5 seconds to do, and works on PCs too. In my own playtesting, matching things via level seems to work reasonably well - you don't need to get quite as detailed as the actual XP value for that.
The only thing that I think might skew it a bit is equipment. Equipping and unequipping a creature with better armour or weapons can make quite a difference. But I'll play around with it - I think it might be a very simple modifier (like the tier), based on the highest quality item of equipment carried.
Primitive Screwhead
First Post
Custom Monsters! Yeah!
Game tonight and I wanted to post that the Wolf is nasty. With the new XP/Level method, the Wolf is at 17/2 while originally listed as a rank 0 monster. Admittedly I was being very lucky with the exploding die, but I ended up changing my 5 critter Wolf-pack into a single Wolf and 4 wolf cubs. Major nerfing and still ended up with a TPK.
Used new defense grid and encouraged positioning and aiming.
In order to make it a bit more tactical in melee, house ruled that the skill dice applied to either attack or damage. My players seemed to like having this decision to make.
Hitting seemed to be about right. positioning and skill dice to attack showed their use.
The 5D6 bite is a two-hit killer even when the PC's have SOAK
For monsters I think less dice to hit and built in combat tricks on a successful hit, or possibly leave out the exploding dice for damage rolls. If my die hadn't been rolling hot it may have not turned TPK so fast.
{also if the PC's had waited for the Keeper to awaken the Android, there would have been 3 on 5 in the first round.. but the characters didn't know that would happen}
Oh, and again character generation was highly entertaining!
Short play-test report:
[sblock]
PC1: Ogre Barbarian with oversize battle-ax and 30 hit points
PC2: Elven Ranger with Superior Longbow and 15 hit points {didn't catch the new rules on stacking, had Bow III}
PC3: Android Assassin and 22 hit points {yes, a NEW character in an OLD game
, also had Unarmed III }
Group ambushes the Hantu {Wolfs reskinned as animistic demons} and their keeper from atop a small rise. They have 50' and small cliff between them and the remains of the wagon train where the Hantu are still sniffing around.
Round 1: Ogre charges down the hill and across the intervening distance (Speed of 9!) and slashes at a flaming Hantu, but misses.
Elf, having aimed previously, fires a shot into the winged, reptilian Hantu.. the arrow piercing the creature and pinning it to the ruined wagon {and dealing over 2x required damage to kill it}
Flaming Hantu strikes back with its tusks, a successful strike {bite reskinned as tusk plus fire damage} took over half the Ogre's health in one hit
Spider shaped Hantu leaps up the hill to get to the Elf and takes a bite out of him, taking over half the Elf's health in one hit.
Round 2: Ogre swings again and connects, but doesn't take the Flaming Hantu down.
Elf fires at the Spider, and misses
Wolf-form Hantu clips the Ogre's leg with a Crippling Strike
Flaming Hantu strikes again, but the tusks fail to pierce the Ogre's skin {not triggering the flame portion of the damage}
Spider bites the Elf, who dies.
Android is awakened and joins the battle, striking the Keeper hard.. but not hard enough to take him out of the fight.
Keeper and plant-form Hantu gang up on the Android and chip away at him
Round 3:
Ogre slashes again, cutting the flaming Hantu in half
Android slays the keeper
Wolf-form misses the Ogre
Plant-form chips away at the Android
Spider starts moving down the hill to set up an ambush
Round 4:
Ogre slashes at the Wolf, but misses.. and it taken down by two claw attacks
Android slays the plant-form, but now faces the two remaining creatures
Round 5:
Android charges and slays the wolf-form
Spider leaps from hiding and bites the Android.. who goes down.
Round 6: Spider leaves, PCs are 'dead'. I cheat and they self-heal so we can continue the game next session.
[/sblock]
Game tonight and I wanted to post that the Wolf is nasty. With the new XP/Level method, the Wolf is at 17/2 while originally listed as a rank 0 monster. Admittedly I was being very lucky with the exploding die, but I ended up changing my 5 critter Wolf-pack into a single Wolf and 4 wolf cubs. Major nerfing and still ended up with a TPK.
Used new defense grid and encouraged positioning and aiming.
In order to make it a bit more tactical in melee, house ruled that the skill dice applied to either attack or damage. My players seemed to like having this decision to make.
Hitting seemed to be about right. positioning and skill dice to attack showed their use.
The 5D6 bite is a two-hit killer even when the PC's have SOAK
For monsters I think less dice to hit and built in combat tricks on a successful hit, or possibly leave out the exploding dice for damage rolls. If my die hadn't been rolling hot it may have not turned TPK so fast.
{also if the PC's had waited for the Keeper to awaken the Android, there would have been 3 on 5 in the first round.. but the characters didn't know that would happen}
Oh, and again character generation was highly entertaining!
Short play-test report:
[sblock]
PC1: Ogre Barbarian with oversize battle-ax and 30 hit points
PC2: Elven Ranger with Superior Longbow and 15 hit points {didn't catch the new rules on stacking, had Bow III}
PC3: Android Assassin and 22 hit points {yes, a NEW character in an OLD game
, also had Unarmed III }Group ambushes the Hantu {Wolfs reskinned as animistic demons} and their keeper from atop a small rise. They have 50' and small cliff between them and the remains of the wagon train where the Hantu are still sniffing around.
Round 1: Ogre charges down the hill and across the intervening distance (Speed of 9!) and slashes at a flaming Hantu, but misses.
Elf, having aimed previously, fires a shot into the winged, reptilian Hantu.. the arrow piercing the creature and pinning it to the ruined wagon {and dealing over 2x required damage to kill it}
Flaming Hantu strikes back with its tusks, a successful strike {bite reskinned as tusk plus fire damage} took over half the Ogre's health in one hit
Spider shaped Hantu leaps up the hill to get to the Elf and takes a bite out of him, taking over half the Elf's health in one hit.
Round 2: Ogre swings again and connects, but doesn't take the Flaming Hantu down.
Elf fires at the Spider, and misses
Wolf-form Hantu clips the Ogre's leg with a Crippling Strike
Flaming Hantu strikes again, but the tusks fail to pierce the Ogre's skin {not triggering the flame portion of the damage}
Spider bites the Elf, who dies.
Android is awakened and joins the battle, striking the Keeper hard.. but not hard enough to take him out of the fight.
Keeper and plant-form Hantu gang up on the Android and chip away at him
Round 3:
Ogre slashes again, cutting the flaming Hantu in half
Android slays the keeper
Wolf-form misses the Ogre
Plant-form chips away at the Android
Spider starts moving down the hill to set up an ambush
Round 4:
Ogre slashes at the Wolf, but misses.. and it taken down by two claw attacks
Android slays the plant-form, but now faces the two remaining creatures
Round 5:
Android charges and slays the wolf-form
Spider leaps from hiding and bites the Android.. who goes down.
Round 6: Spider leaves, PCs are 'dead'. I cheat and they self-heal so we can continue the game next session.
[/sblock]
GlassEye
Adventurer
Should this new level calculation replace the original rank? This also affects Transform spells. Under the old version a mage could transform into a wolf (Rank 0) as a cantrip. Using the new xp and old rank/xp chart a wolf would be a Rank 1. If new xp & level replaces rank then a wolf becomes Rank 2. The costs of the respective Transform Animal spell would be 0/3/6 magic points.
Side Notes:
- I find it odd that a starting wizard (Wizard's Apprentice + Mage (x4)) has a gymnast level agility (just shy of olympic levels) and an average intellect (+1 AGI, +0 INT at each level of Mage). Under the new xp/level calculation a mage is 25/3.
- Transform has multiple instances of referencing one of the 15 old creature types instead of one of the new consolidated 5 creature types.
- Eyeballing the wolf and size changes to make a dire wolf/worg results in size large, STR 8, AGI 3, END 9, Soak 5 (and resulting changes in derived statistics) for 24xp/level 2. I haven't tested it in play so I can't judge how it really compares to the wolf (and other level 2 equivalent creatures).
Side Notes:
- I find it odd that a starting wizard (Wizard's Apprentice + Mage (x4)) has a gymnast level agility (just shy of olympic levels) and an average intellect (+1 AGI, +0 INT at each level of Mage). Under the new xp/level calculation a mage is 25/3.
- Transform has multiple instances of referencing one of the 15 old creature types instead of one of the new consolidated 5 creature types.
- Eyeballing the wolf and size changes to make a dire wolf/worg results in size large, STR 8, AGI 3, END 9, Soak 5 (and resulting changes in derived statistics) for 24xp/level 2. I haven't tested it in play so I can't judge how it really compares to the wolf (and other level 2 equivalent creatures).
Custom Monsters! Yeah!
Game tonight and I wanted to post that the Wolf is nasty. With the new XP/Level method, the Wolf is at 17/2 while originally listed as a rank 0 monster. Admittedly I was being very lucky with the exploding die, but I ended up changing my 5 critter Wolf-pack into a single Wolf and 4 wolf cubs. Major nerfing and still ended up with a TPK.
Used new defense grid and encouraged positioning and aiming.
In order to make it a bit more tactical in melee, house ruled that the skill dice applied to either attack or damage. My players seemed to like having this decision to make.
Hitting seemed to be about right. positioning and skill dice to attack showed their use.
The 5D6 bite is a two-hit killer even when the PC's have SOAK
For monsters I think less dice to hit and built in combat tricks on a successful hit, or possibly leave out the exploding dice for damage rolls. If my die hadn't been rolling hot it may have not turned TPK so fast.
{also if the PC's had waited for the Keeper to awaken the Android, there would have been 3 on 5 in the first round.. but the characters didn't know that would happen}
Oh, and again character generation was highly entertaining!
Short play-test report:
[sblock]
PC1: Ogre Barbarian with oversize battle-ax and 30 hit points
PC2: Elven Ranger with Superior Longbow and 15 hit points {didn't catch the new rules on stacking, had Bow III}
PC3: Android Assassin and 22 hit points {yes, a NEW character in an OLD game
Group ambushes the Hantu {Wolfs reskinned as animistic demons} and their keeper from atop a small rise. They have 50' and small cliff between them and the remains of the wagon train where the Hantu are still sniffing around.
Round 1: Ogre charges down the hill and across the intervening distance (Speed of 9!) and slashes at a flaming Hantu, but misses.
Elf, having aimed previously, fires a shot into the winged, reptilian Hantu.. the arrow piercing the creature and pinning it to the ruined wagon {and dealing over 2x required damage to kill it}
Flaming Hantu strikes back with its tusks, a successful strike {bite reskinned as tusk plus fire damage} took over half the Ogre's health in one hit
Spider shaped Hantu leaps up the hill to get to the Elf and takes a bite out of him, taking over half the Elf's health in one hit.
Round 2: Ogre swings again and connects, but doesn't take the Flaming Hantu down.
Elf fires at the Spider, and misses
Wolf-form Hantu clips the Ogre's leg with a Crippling Strike
Flaming Hantu strikes again, but the tusks fail to pierce the Ogre's skin {not triggering the flame portion of the damage}
Spider bites the Elf, who dies.
Android is awakened and joins the battle, striking the Keeper hard.. but not hard enough to take him out of the fight.
Keeper and plant-form Hantu gang up on the Android and chip away at him
Round 3:
Ogre slashes again, cutting the flaming Hantu in half
Android slays the keeper
Wolf-form misses the Ogre
Plant-form chips away at the Android
Spider starts moving down the hill to set up an ambush
Round 4:
Ogre slashes at the Wolf, but misses.. and it taken down by two claw attacks
Android slays the plant-form, but now faces the two remaining creatures
Round 5:
Android charges and slays the wolf-form
Spider leaps from hiding and bites the Android.. who goes down.
Round 6: Spider leaves, PCs are 'dead'. I cheat and they self-heal so we can continue the game next session.
[/sblock]
There's something screwy going no with that monster entry in the document. The damage should be 1d6 for the claw and 2d6 for the bite. No wonder the wolves mullered your party! I think maybe that was an older formula.
Allowing them to apply the skill dice to damage is the same as giving everyone a free application of Deadly Strike (which is applying a dice to damage at a 1:1 ratio). They do already get to make that decision normally(they can use any of their dice for damage, including the skill dice) but it's at a 2:1 ratio if they haven't taken Deadly Strike. Obviously it's your game, though, so you can houserule however you wish - that does increase damage overall though.
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