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D&D 5E Fifth Age: A hard science fiction 5e conversion

Yeah, I could tell that the piece wasn't intended as such, but it's still very molest-y and I know some of the women I game with have had very bad experiences in the past. That's the real issue. I don't want to cause them pain and I tend to err on the side of caution in what we have in our games. I really like the archetype and that image would put them off even considering it.

As for Killamajig, you could make it either all weapons OR all armour. Remember though, you already have the Soldier background, which gives access to a bunch of stuff, so...
 
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MadBlue

Explorer
Hey Capn! My party has been using your system for over a year now, and I have to say that I am loving it. I wanted to say, however, that one of my players works in graphic design and didn't like the look of the sheets that you made and decided to make his own.

The files are as follows:
the main page of the character sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bxu3eA5VG0daZFRIRTNyUkNYM0U/view
and a character details page: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bxu3eA5VG0dadHRkUnNVSl9IU1E/view

If there are any changes that you want, just let me know, as portions of it were specialized for what we needed at the table; also, the trademark and registered marks are there to make it look more professional, and may be removed if you wanted to use it. I already got permission from the artist themselves for all of this, so you, and anyone else who wants to, may use this as you please.

Keep up the good work, Capn!

EDIT: fixed

These sheets are really nice, Dhemos. Your friend is quite talented. I like how everything that is essential is on one side.

One thing, though, and I hope this doesn't come across as nit-picky, but Medkit and Robot Control Interface (RCI) are missing from the Proficiencies list (they're also missing from Capn Charlie's sheet). If space is an issue, it may be a good idea to remove the ones that have multiple specialties (Artisan's Tools, Gaming Set and Musical Instrument) and then you can add the two missing ones and have a blank line for "other". Or possibly Languages could have fewer lines and vehicles could have its own tab - that way you can fit a few more blanks in under Tools. Oh, regarding trademark and copyright, I think you can just put "5th Edition SRD" at the top (instead of Dungeons & Dragons) - at least that's the way Hero Lab does it - so that may save some space as well. :)
 

Capn Charlie

Explorer
They are really beautiful sheets, I am quite impressed with them. I just realized there are a few errors on my sheet. The two you pointed out, as well disguise kits have managed to disguise themselves as a skill and sneak into that section of the sheet. I will circle back to it when I get the chance.

Sent from my MT2L03 using EN World mobile app
 

MadBlue

Explorer
I'm planning on running a campaign set in the solar system with no aliens or FTL but in the same general timeline. To fill the void as far as races go, I'm working on stats for Bioroids (in this sense, genetically engineered humanoids) and Uplifts (genetically enhanced animals) using your Custom Alien rules, and using Transhuman Space and Eclipse Phase to mine ideas (as well as the MM to get base animal stats/abilities).

In order to make the new races fit, I've tweaked the core Fifth Age Human races a bit to fit my campaign:

Earthborn are called Baselines. They're not necessarily born on Earth, but they haven't had extensive genetic engineering done other than to correct defects. This frees them up to take backgrounds that might not fit someone who was born on Earth (Colonist, Offworlder, Primitive, Spacer, Stationer, Tanker) while still being standard "Earthlings".

Tubeborn are called Ultras. They're genetically enhanced humans. They may have had biological parents who were also advanced or could be the direct product of genetic engineering. Otherwise they're identical to Tubeborn in your core rules. In my campaign, there are going to be colonies of Ultras who think they're the pinnacle of Humanity.

Cyborgs are colloquially called Hivers or Networks. I'm thinking cybernetics will be available at some point to non-Cyborg characters, so it could get confusing, especially since someone could conceivably be heavily cybered up and not be a "Cyborg". I'm also giving them the ability to communicate with other Networked Humans cybertelepathically through their MMI (similar to the Message Cantrip) and restricting their Ability Score Increase to one of the "mental" abilities to balance out the cybertelepathy. In my campaign, there are going to be Network colonies (called Hives) although not all Networked Humans come from there (essentially they're like the Conjoiners from Revelation Space).

I'm keeping Spaceborn the same, although they're going to be noticeably tall and lanky in addition to having no body hair.

I would imagine that, by 2299, there could be a lot of additional Human sub-races, but I didn't want to overlap too much with Bioroids.


As for my races:

Bioroids are going to have more extreme enhancements, such as gills and webbed digits, natural armor, unnatural size, etc. Basically, things that wouldn't allow them to pass for human. The idea is that they're biologically and genetically engineered, in the same way Synthetics are mechanically engineered, to serve their creators, so they're also engineered to be identified as non-human. They fill the role of being "created for a purpose" that the Tubeborn do in the core. They're not necessarily happy with that.

Uplifts are going to be animals, such as pigs, canines, octopi, simians, corvids, cetaceans. It may be challenging to make some of the Uplifts PC races (uplifted dolphins are still going to be flippered and aquatic, for example, so pretty limited in mobility in a typical adventure, although I suppose they could use a telepresence rigged synthetic body). Not sure what their role will be in society.

Synthetics will be available as PC races, but advanced AI will be out of the hands of the players. There's going to be a ban on advanced AI and nanotechnology after some kind of cataclysmic event (a la the Nanocaust, from Century Rain, and the Edicts from Jovian Chronicles). Advanced AI (called Archons) will exist on the fringes of the system, and their power is rumored to be godlike.
 

Capn Charlie

Explorer
I'm planning on running a campaign set in the solar system with no aliens or FTL but in the same general timeline. To fill the void as far as races go, I'm working on stats for Bioroids (in this sense, genetically engineered humanoids) and Uplifts (genetically enhanced animals) using your Custom Alien rules, and using Transhuman Space and Eclipse Phase to mine ideas (as well as the MM to get base animal stats/abilities).

In order to make the new races fit, I've tweaked the core Fifth Age Human races a bit to fit my campaign:

Earthborn are called Baselines. They're not necessarily born on Earth, but they haven't had extensive genetic engineering done other than to correct defects. This frees them up to take backgrounds that might not fit someone who was born on Earth (Colonist, Offworlder, Primitive, Spacer, Stationer, Tanker) while still being standard "Earthlings".

Tubeborn are called Ultras. They're genetically enhanced humans. They may have had biological parents who were also advanced or could be the direct product of genetic engineering. Otherwise they're identical to Tubeborn in your core rules. In my campaign, there are going to be colonies of Ultras who think they're the pinnacle of Humanity.

Cyborgs are colloquially called Hivers or Networks. I'm thinking cybernetics will be available at some point to non-Cyborg characters, so it could get confusing, especially since someone could conceivably be heavily cybered up and not be a "Cyborg". I'm also giving them the ability to communicate with other Networked Humans cybertelepathically through their MMI (similar to the Message Cantrip) and restricting their Ability Score Increase to one of the "mental" abilities to balance out the cybertelepathy. In my campaign, there are going to be Network colonies (called Hives) although not all Networked Humans come from there (essentially they're like the Conjoiners from Revelation Space).

I'm keeping Spaceborn the same, although they're going to be noticeably tall and lanky in addition to having no body hair.

I would imagine that, by 2299, there could be a lot of additional Human sub-races, but I didn't want to overlap too much with Bioroids.


As for my races:

Bioroids are going to have more extreme enhancements, such as gills and webbed digits, natural armor, unnatural size, etc. Basically, things that wouldn't allow them to pass for human. The idea is that they're biologically and genetically engineered, in the same way Synthetics are mechanically engineered, to serve their creators, so they're also engineered to be identified as non-human. They fill the role of being "created for a purpose" that the Tubeborn do in the core. They're not necessarily happy with that.

Uplifts are going to be animals, such as pigs, canines, octopi, simians, corvids, cetaceans. It may be challenging to make some of the Uplifts PC races (uplifted dolphins are still going to be flippered and aquatic, for example, so pretty limited in mobility in a typical adventure, although I suppose they could use a telepresence rigged synthetic body). Not sure what their role will be in society.

Synthetics will be available as PC races, but advanced AI will be out of the hands of the players. There's going to be a ban on advanced AI and nanotechnology after some kind of cataclysmic event (a la the Nanocaust, from Century Rain, and the Edicts from Jovian Chronicles). Advanced AI (called Archons) will exist on the fringes of the system, and their power is rumored to be godlike.

Sounds pretty great! I humbly submit referring to linked cyborgs as "Nodes", since they are basically just part of a hivemind, and letting them live on as "ghosts" in the network after they die, to some extent. I kind of want to build a weird reincarnation like religion around it now.

As for dolphins, well, it might not be as hard as you think, here's a mini:

dolphin mini.jpg

Neo-Dolphin Mobile Infantry would be a pretty cool character concept.

As for the earhtborn, I guess I never really considered them as just particularly from earth, more that this is the stereotype they are viewed in by humans from elsewhere. Kind of like...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4kJubLgTe0

Something like that.

I am glad you're having use of it, though! I am getting really close to "done" with the core book. and can head back to the hazard handbook and advanced spaceship rules. In my current revision I added in a quisling version of the greys (not useful to your humancentric game) and some new combat options like smoke grenades.
 

MadBlue

Explorer
Sounds pretty great! I humbly submit referring to linked cyborgs as "Nodes", since they are basically just part of a hivemind, and letting them live on as "ghosts" in the network after they die, to some extent. I kind of want to build a weird reincarnation like religion around it now.

I'm coming up with a list of "official" and slang terms for the races, so "Nodes" would fit in. One of the ideas I have is of one of the Archons hiding out in a Hive and either being treated like a deity or being so enmeshed into the network that the residents are just assuming the voices they're hearing are from another networked human (or why not both?). The motives of the Archons are still as much a mystery to me as they will be to the players. :)

A lot of what I'm working on is for an unwritten anthology of sorts that I've been carrying in my head for a long time. I have a bunch of stories I want to tell, and I think I might actually be able to motivate myself to work on them if I put them in game form first.


As for dolphins, well, it might not be as hard as you think, here's a mini:

View attachment 84063

Neo-Dolphin Mobile Infantry would be a pretty cool character concept.


It would be terrifying seeing a company of them charging at you across a battlefield. One of the patrons of the characters is going to be a dolphin. They're not going to know until they have to rescue him.

As for the earhtborn, I guess I never really considered them as just particularly from earth, more that this is the stereotype they are viewed in by humans from elsewhere. Kind of like...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4kJubLgTe0

Something like that.

That's definitely what the Ultras think of Baselines. :D Each version of humanity is going to have some faction that thinks they're the end-all-and-be-all.


I am glad you're having use of it, though! I am getting really close to "done" with the core book. and can head back to the hazard handbook and advanced spaceship rules. In my current revision I added in a quisling version of the greys (not useful to your humancentric game) and some new combat options like smoke grenades.

Neat. I'm looking forward to seeing what else you come up with. You should really do it as a Kickstarter project if it starts to get more traction.
 

Zaikyu

First Post
Hey Capn! Looking forward to running a game of 5th Age for my group soon, but I was wondering if you would clarify a few things for me. Ship Building! I'm not seeing where you are getting some of the numbers from for determining a ship systems hp, as well as how exactly one determines how you get a ship systems rating from the system points you buy into. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 

Capn Charlie

Explorer
Decide the ships hull rating (arbitrarily) and multiply it by the ships quality, this is the amount of system points you have to distribute. Like point buy on a character.

To determine a systems hp, multiply the ships size rating by it's quality, and then by it's system rating, this determines the system HP. There is an example on page 8, near the bottom.

Any more questions, let me know!

Sent from my MT2L03 using EN World mobile app
 
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Zaikyu

First Post
Awesome, thanks for the reply. There is an example given on the one page, but it was never stated clearly where the numbers came from for figuring out system points for the ship. Now... let the math begin!
 


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