IDEA: How to model Planescape Factions

[Darth_Asparagus]

This is an idea I just had under the shower: I was thinking about how to model Planescape factions. Here is my idea:

Introduce new power source: faction(X), with X being the name of the faction.

Any character that belongs to a faction can pick from the powers provided for the faction as if they were of his own power source. For example, a wizard might pick a Utility-Faction(Mercykillers) 2 instead of one of his utility powers.

The powers would be modeled on the special abilities from the Planescape box.

Examples:

Deny the Gods - Utility 2 * Faction (Athar)
-----------------------------------------
Encounter - immediate interrupt
Effect: The Athar may make an immediate saving throw
against any persistent divine effect

Go(o)dwill - Utility 2 * Faction (Godsmen)
-----------------------------------------
Daily - minor action
Effect: For the rest of the encounter the Godsman
gets a +2 power bonus on Diplomacy checks.

 

[generalhenry]

thumbs up

 

[tombowings]

Nice job. I'm steeling this. Yoink!

 

[BendBars/LiftGates]

Nice idea. I'd do something similar. Fortunately, none of the PCs in my Planescape game (recently converted) are very faction-focused, or at least so faction-focused that they can't retool using 4E as written.

You kind of picked some of the harder areas to handle in your example, but I would point out the problem with Deny the Gods. Limiting it to divine effects means that it will only apply to enemy NPCs built on the cleric or paladin chassis. Monster abilities don't have power source keywords. You might be better off allowing it to work on ongoing divine effects or ongoing effects originating from immortals. Immortals are monsters from the Astral Sea, which includes pretty much any god-minions, and not a great deal of monsters that wouldn't fit with the anti-Athar aspect. You would, though, suddenly pit the Athar against devils. But, given the new devil backstory, it's not out of character for a Defier to applaud the spirit of divine servants rebelling against their master, while at the same time denying the legitimacy of their power, since they forever remain the creations of the "false gods."

 

[Anthony Jackson]

You kind of picked some of the harder areas to handle in your example, but I would point out the problem with Deny the Gods. Limiting it to divine effects means that it will only apply to enemy NPCs built on the cleric or paladin chassis.

Or anything else the GM decrees is a divine source. In any case, this isn't a very big change from 3e; 3e monsters without class levels don't generally have power sources either.

 

[PlatinumWarlock]

I like this idea, but how do you measure if a character is a "true believer" in a faction? Is it something you'd do in game, or would you use something like the 3.5e affiliations to measure it.

That said I like this idea quite a bit. I can see the Doomguard abilities scaling well, particularly. 'Sift' as a level 2 or 6 utility, perhaps a sword attack dealing ongoing necrotic damage at level 13 or so....maybe even something like Disintegrate at epic tier.

 

[Wizbane]

Nahhh... don't like it. Power sources are another thing.

I would do what you describe with "tagged" classes, paths and destinies: Mercykiller Fighter, Mercykiller Wizard, etc... the faction tag giving access to a new specific pool of powers and eventually preventing access to something else (or maybe not, leaving the core class as it is would be a great semplification. To counterbalance the new powers at disposal, I'd introduce new requirements to access the tagged class, path or destiny in the first place).

Tagged classes to describe factions in a campaign. Trademarking the idea now. : )

 

[Darth_Asparagus]

Or anything else the GM decrees is a divine source. In any case, this isn't a very big change from 3e; 3e monsters without class levels don't generally have power sources either.

The criticism was quite appropriate - indeed many monsters will not be divine, so the immortal addition is probably quite good to keep things sound mechanically. Personally, I would go for the solution described above. Any monster that I consider divine (Wyrmpriest, Angel etc.) is affected.

I would take a similar path to see who is entitled to take the powers. If I feel the PC genuinely believes in the faction, he can get the power.

 

[Darth_Asparagus]

I have created some additional powers, one for each faction:

http://light.hardpoints.de/html/crunchy_bits.html

I hope they balance amongst each other. I am a bit unsure about how the social interaction ones fare against the combat ones.

Also, I wanted them to be interesting picks for players but not an "automatic" replacement for existing choices. I wonder if that worked out...

 

[catland93]

Your powers looks good.
Why don' t get they like channel belief feats?