Memnoch3434
First Post
Mostly I was thinking about how I would run a superhero game, and I feel like I came up with a great way to level up and generate superheroes.
First the player rolls stats and assigns them as if they are making a character without a class and at the same time (or even beforehand) the player chooses a basic power. My girlfriend played guinea pig, and here was the result (she rolled good).
I added luck as a 7th stat since reading any 3-4 comics you see how "lucky" superheroes are. The ability modifier on luck allows for that many re-rolls per day.
Power: Mind Reading
Str 9 -1
Dex 14 +2
Con 12 +1
Int 16 +3
Wis 17 +3
Cha 18 +4
Luk 15 +2
Now I also let the player choose their own hit die, BAB progression and Save progression (at the time I forgot skills, but I figure they will be included as well)
She chose a D12HD, average BAB, Good Will and Reflex, Poor Fortitude.
For each of the above I assigned a special point value, at the time you start out with 8 points (and cannot exceed 8). You spend these points (without telling the character how it works) and these points are subtracted from 8.
Here is a breakdown of how points are spent:
HD:
D4 0
D6 1
D8 2
D10 3
D12 4
Saves
Poor 0
Good 1
BAB
Poor 0
Average 1
Good 2
Finally the leftover points (In My girlfriend's case 1) are applied as what I call an experience modifier.
The experience modifier is used to buy "upgrades" of a players powers. I will re-post the stats from earlier, but with a 10 subtracted from those above 10. Str is actually right out. Luk will also not be around.
Dex 4
Con 2
Int 6
Wis 7
Cha 8
Each of these numbers represents the "Levels" that can be purchased corresponding to each value. Each stat will have a new power corresponding to it. Lets look at that. Keep in mind, mind reading was the basic theme of the character we are considering. The basic power at first level is hard to control and the character hears the thoughts of many people at once.
Dex:
1st level: Allows for faster contemplation of an individuals thoughts, Instead of a Full-round action to learn the person in questions motivations, it is now a standard.
2nd level: Allows for faster still contemplation of thoughts. The action to search thoughts may now be taken as a single part of a multiple part attack action.
3rd level: The character is so attuned to when she is put in danger by another indvidual that she can react faster to these attacks. +1 Ref
4th Level: The character is so attuned that all her actions seem quicker +1 Dex.
5th level: (as at 4th level she gained an attribute point) The character has perfected her danger sense, and now has a +2 bonus to reflex, and adds her wisdom modifier to reflex saves.
Let's skip to wisdom.
Wis:
1st level: The number of persons thoughts being heard can be more easily honed. Now even on a failed concentration check she can hear only 4 persons thoughts.
2nd Level: same as above but down to 2.
3rd level: Concentration checks are no longer needed to read surface thoughts of a single individual.
4th Level: The character is begining to understand people's motivations on a very exact level +1 Wisdom.
5th Level: The character now adds +1 to her AC from her wisdom bonus. Also her mind becomes harder to control +3 to will saves against mind altering effects.
So on and so forth. Eventually wisdom allows her to access thoughts of persons farther away, and eventually even see through their eyes.
Cha would let the character control minds, on a very basic level until almost complete control is obtained.
Int would let the character pull information from minds exactly as the subject knows or percieves it eventually gaining the ability to gain knowledge skill ranks from subjects over long periods of time.
The experience required for each level follows the normal character experience divded by the experience modifier. In the case of my girlfriend this number was 1. Thus each first level ability was purchased with 1000 xp. To level up a character spends xp equal to the amount needed for the character to level up on "upgrades."
Pros: Character customization is limited only by the imagination of the player, and mostly the DM.
There is a built in system to balance characters (though there are some definate kinks to be worked out)
Cons: The system has a fatal flaw in a low level character becoming extremely powerful ability-wise very fast.
It is a bit complicated, and I will have to walk each player through the system one at a time, which is not too bad now but could be tedious if the system catches on and multiple games occur using it.
So what does anyone (who read through the whole thing) think?
Also how should skill points be incorporated? I do not really want a "weak" character with all zeroes to be able to purchase upgrades at 83 exp a pop.
First the player rolls stats and assigns them as if they are making a character without a class and at the same time (or even beforehand) the player chooses a basic power. My girlfriend played guinea pig, and here was the result (she rolled good).
I added luck as a 7th stat since reading any 3-4 comics you see how "lucky" superheroes are. The ability modifier on luck allows for that many re-rolls per day.
Power: Mind Reading
Str 9 -1
Dex 14 +2
Con 12 +1
Int 16 +3
Wis 17 +3
Cha 18 +4
Luk 15 +2
Now I also let the player choose their own hit die, BAB progression and Save progression (at the time I forgot skills, but I figure they will be included as well)
She chose a D12HD, average BAB, Good Will and Reflex, Poor Fortitude.
For each of the above I assigned a special point value, at the time you start out with 8 points (and cannot exceed 8). You spend these points (without telling the character how it works) and these points are subtracted from 8.
Here is a breakdown of how points are spent:
HD:
D4 0
D6 1
D8 2
D10 3
D12 4
Saves
Poor 0
Good 1
BAB
Poor 0
Average 1
Good 2
Finally the leftover points (In My girlfriend's case 1) are applied as what I call an experience modifier.
The experience modifier is used to buy "upgrades" of a players powers. I will re-post the stats from earlier, but with a 10 subtracted from those above 10. Str is actually right out. Luk will also not be around.
Dex 4
Con 2
Int 6
Wis 7
Cha 8
Each of these numbers represents the "Levels" that can be purchased corresponding to each value. Each stat will have a new power corresponding to it. Lets look at that. Keep in mind, mind reading was the basic theme of the character we are considering. The basic power at first level is hard to control and the character hears the thoughts of many people at once.
Dex:
1st level: Allows for faster contemplation of an individuals thoughts, Instead of a Full-round action to learn the person in questions motivations, it is now a standard.
2nd level: Allows for faster still contemplation of thoughts. The action to search thoughts may now be taken as a single part of a multiple part attack action.
3rd level: The character is so attuned to when she is put in danger by another indvidual that she can react faster to these attacks. +1 Ref
4th Level: The character is so attuned that all her actions seem quicker +1 Dex.
5th level: (as at 4th level she gained an attribute point) The character has perfected her danger sense, and now has a +2 bonus to reflex, and adds her wisdom modifier to reflex saves.
Let's skip to wisdom.
Wis:
1st level: The number of persons thoughts being heard can be more easily honed. Now even on a failed concentration check she can hear only 4 persons thoughts.
2nd Level: same as above but down to 2.
3rd level: Concentration checks are no longer needed to read surface thoughts of a single individual.
4th Level: The character is begining to understand people's motivations on a very exact level +1 Wisdom.
5th Level: The character now adds +1 to her AC from her wisdom bonus. Also her mind becomes harder to control +3 to will saves against mind altering effects.
So on and so forth. Eventually wisdom allows her to access thoughts of persons farther away, and eventually even see through their eyes.
Cha would let the character control minds, on a very basic level until almost complete control is obtained.
Int would let the character pull information from minds exactly as the subject knows or percieves it eventually gaining the ability to gain knowledge skill ranks from subjects over long periods of time.
The experience required for each level follows the normal character experience divded by the experience modifier. In the case of my girlfriend this number was 1. Thus each first level ability was purchased with 1000 xp. To level up a character spends xp equal to the amount needed for the character to level up on "upgrades."
Pros: Character customization is limited only by the imagination of the player, and mostly the DM.
There is a built in system to balance characters (though there are some definate kinks to be worked out)
Cons: The system has a fatal flaw in a low level character becoming extremely powerful ability-wise very fast.
It is a bit complicated, and I will have to walk each player through the system one at a time, which is not too bad now but could be tedious if the system catches on and multiple games occur using it.
So what does anyone (who read through the whole thing) think?
Also how should skill points be incorporated? I do not really want a "weak" character with all zeroes to be able to purchase upgrades at 83 exp a pop.
