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Chapters 1 to 4 in pdf

barsoomcore

Unattainable Ideal
Okay, so here's the first four chapters as a pdf -- it was the easiest way to preserve the tables. The only thing missing is the component list. Still working on that.

Grab it here.

22 pages. Not too shabby.
 

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BlackJaw

First Post
Great work! (your good... your very good)

Quick read through I found these things... some are simple (leaving out an "a" in a sentence) while others are rethinking things now that I seem them all togeather... some are mistakes in wording (confusing size modifiers for vessels and objects) etc.

The Collision check on page 6 (the example) is using normal size ratting instead of the Vessel size rattings (IE: a Fine Vessel does not have a modifier of +8... a Fine object, but not a Fine Vessel. A fine vessel has a modifer of +0 (as a medium object) and a Colossal vessel has a modifier of 128... (we are talking super star destory level here... if you try and pass through a 30' square of that sucker your going to hit it)

Altitude Category should probably say 4 levels (including the ground)... either that or the plummeting description shouldn't call the ground a 4th level. Question: does a vehicle at ground level interact with vessels at low level like they are on the same level? if yes then ground is not a 4th level. If no, then ground is a new level.

The Shake Loose stunt should be altered a bit... Anyone inside the vessel falls prone, while anyone outside the vessel falls off.

Page 10, the AoOp: we should mention that A dive attack and a ram/collision etc all mean you pass through the target's square and are thus opertunites for AoO.

Page 11: Your new Mounted and Static weapons will require some changes to how I designed the components... but I like what you did!

BUT: page: 12... Operating a vessel weapon should be considered an Attack Action (allowing you to make multipule attacks with such a weapon if your BAB supports it... but still requiring at least a standard action to fire once). Remember that just like Crossbows, this only helps if you can reload it fast enough.

Oh and just above that, we might want to be clear that weapon controls built into piloting controls allows you to keep both hands on the controls... IE: no penalties for two-weapon fighting/ambidexterty/etc. (or is this changed now?!)

Disabled (0 hit points) on page 12 uses "spiral" instead of plumet.

there is a lot of information in "Bull Rush" that should be in Ramming/collisions/etc.

Under Grappling (page 13) I just remembered something about monster that grapple without being grappled themselves... they take a penalty for doing so... -10 or something? do we want to include this concept? Read page 9 of Core 3 (MM) for IMproved grapple "... or simply use hte part of its body it used in the improved grab to hold the opponent. If it chooses to do the latter, it suffers a -20 penalty to grapple checks, but is not considered grappled itself;"

Page 14: attaching components to creatures. we should be careful not to allow X number of components, but X slots/size/etc of components (some componets are big)
Also: ride checks might be needed when a component is activated, but not for training... if this isn't what you have in mind, then maybe we should use something closer to animal training... and require a seperate "trick" for these components?

You also left an open " on the Vehicle Type comment at the bottom of hte page (in the parenthisises)

Under the description of the "construct" type vehicle on page 15, the line "Constructs cannot heal damage on their own, though they can be healed." should probably say "though they can be repaired" because heal is a skill and a set of magic spells that would not and should not be used on a construct.
Also: the Plant type should not be any more immune to critcal hits then any other vehicle type.

page 17: "You will have to keep total up these values for all components you install on your vehicle." is a bit odd... I think you left the "a" between Keep and Total. We might also want to assure people that this total of components is for construction and modification purposes... and is not changed or altered in combat... essentialy that they are useful to have around but are not needed except when building the vehicle or when altering it later on.

Page 19: Power. If a vehilce power ever becomes 0 or lower, it should probably go to glide. Unless we change the way power works some how. Power is one of the few things that can flucuate in game and in combat.

Speed Desing Focus page 19: is that +60' just to speed or to glide speed also?


Cool!
 

barsoomcore

Unattainable Ideal
BlackJaw said:
The Collision check on page 6 (the example) is using normal size ratting instead of the Vessel size rattings
Good Catch. Done.
Altitude Category should probably say 4 levels (including the ground)...
Agreed. There are four levels.
The Shake Loose stunt should be altered a bit... Anyone inside the vessel falls prone, while anyone outside the vessel falls off.
Added a note.
Page 10, the AoOp: we should mention that A dive attack and a ram/collision etc all mean you pass through the target's square and are thus opertunites for AoO.
I don't think a special note is needed. Both Dive Attacks and ramming attacks clearly state that the attacking vessels enters the square occupied by the target vessel. It's not a special case.
Page 11: Your new Mounted and Static weapons will require some changes to how I designed the components... but I like what you did!
Yeah, I'm working on components right now.
BUT: page: 12... Operating a vessel weapon should be considered an Attack Action (allowing you to make multipule attacks with such a weapon if your BAB supports it... but still requiring at least a standard action to fire once). Remember that just like Crossbows, this only helps if you can reload it fast enough.
A standard action IS an Attack Action. Or rather, vice versa. To me, that's clear. You can use a full action to get multiple attacks, of course -- unless the weapon's reload time is more than "free".
Oh and just above that, we might want to be clear that weapon controls built into piloting controls allows you to keep both hands on the controls... IE: no penalties for two-weapon fighting/ambidexterty/etc. (or is this changed now?!)
This is a feature of a given vessel component. There is a Cockpit type that includes weapon controls and its description specifically says that a pilot can use weapons and not suffer hand penalties.
Disabled (0 hit points) on page 12 uses "spiral" instead of plumet.
Thanks.
there is a lot of information in "Bull Rush" that should be in Ramming/collisions/etc.
What information? It looks properly positioned to me.
Under Grappling (page 13) I just remembered something about monster that grapple without being grappled themselves... they take a penalty for doing so... -10 or something?
No, I don't think we want to do this. Or rather, I don't think we want to limit ourselves to this. Why should a tractor beam suffer a -20 to grapple checks? Again, this properly belongs in individual item descriptions.
Page 14: attaching components to creatures. we should be careful not to allow X number of components, but X slots/size/etc of components (some componets are big)
Right. Done.
Also: ride checks might be needed when a component is activated, but not for training... if this isn't what you have in mind, then maybe we should use something closer to animal training... and require a seperate "trick" for these components?
Good idea. Added.
You also left an open " on the Vehicle Type comment at the bottom of hte page (in the parenthisises)
Got it.
Under the description of the "construct" type vehicle on page 15, the line "Constructs cannot heal damage on their own, though they can be healed." should probably say "though they can be repaired" because heal is a skill and a set of magic spells that would not and should not be used on a construct.
Also: the Plant type should not be any more immune to critcal hits then any other vehicle type.
Incorrect on both counts. The MM specifically states that Constructs can both be healed and repaired and that Plants are immune to critical hits. Of course the Vehicle subtype specifically says that all types become subject to critical hits, even Plants.
page 17: "You will have to keep total up these values for all components you install on your vehicle." is a bit odd...
Good catch. Done.
Page 19: Power. If a vehilce power ever becomes 0 or lower, it should probably go to glide. Unless we change the way power works some how. Power is one of the few things that can flucuate in game and in combat.
Note that a Power of zero does not mean that none of a vessel's components have power. It doesn't mean that the vessel is no longer generating power. It means that there is not enough power for all components. I think the simplest rule is to say that you can't control the vessel until power is returned to a positive level. To put the vessel into Glide means an immediate Plummet for any vessel that has no Glide speed. Inappropriate, I think.
Speed Desing Focus page 19: is that +60' just to speed or to glide speed also?
Both. Noted.
 

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