Anyone check out Radiance RPG yet?

[AncientSpirits]

Here's a simplified alternative offered by a poster on RPG.net:

Up to 3x daily, a PC can earn temporary vitality by spending a move action to do a dramatic action. A dramatic action costs 0 vitality and never does damage, aids an ally, or otherwise causes an effect except to grant temporary vitality. After performing a dramatic action--assuming an ally or foe can see or hear the effect--the character gains 1/4 his level in vitality (round up). The vitality points go away after 5 minutes. Dramatic actions may include: 1) pray to one's deity, 2) curse or taunt foes, 3) display a flourish of one's weapon or magic prowess, 4) make a romantic gesture, 5) swear an oath (such as defeat a foe), or 6) any other similar brief action.



This has several benefits: Simpler, less powerful, and equally useful to foes (who will likely have only 1 combat to take 3 dramatic actions).

I'm still on the fence about the list of actions are limited or just as examples. There is "other", which allows pretty much any imaginative response.

 

[AncientSpirits]

More pizazz at higher levels...

Since I rarely run games above 15th level, progression at the highest levels in a Radiance game wasn't as big a concern for me as it would be for folks who like epic and near-epic games.

Here are some ideas that come to mind to add spice to high-level play.

Power Swap:
At 14th level, the PC gets Act of Legend instead of a paragon ability, and at 20th level gets that paragon ability instead of Act of Legend. The daily flexibility keeps the character pretty interesting.

Legendary Option:
At 14th level or any time thereafter, a PC can swap a basic tier ability, minor award, or racial ability for "Legendary Option", which makes 1 paragon ability work like an Act of Legend... . Since 14th level grants a minor award and 16th level grants a basic ability, I would totally do that .

Epic Play:
Offer levels 21-30, but the PC advances 2 levels at a time, gaining more vitality etc as usual and up to 50 more points worth of abilities. However, rather than selecting abilities, the character picks a package of options:

-- 1 townie profession with attribute boost
-- 2 major awards + 3 minor awards + 2 racial abilities + 1 attribute boost
-- 1 advanced ability + 2 intermediate abilities + 2 basic abilities
-- 1 more Act of Legend plus attribute boost
-- 2 levels of prestige class
-- 1 level of prestige class + 15 bonus vitality points
-- 10,000 gp worth of gear, can be added to existing wealth to buy magic items, etc
-- Gain 2-level monster template (from Masters Guide)
-- Other?

Each option is worth 10 design points and can only be taken once.

Thoughts?

 

[AncientSpirits]

More townies...


Poet (Cha)
Poets use language, whether melodic or dissonant, to capture and convey major events and to inspire, revitalize, and encourage.
Craft Poem: You attempt to craft a minor or major poem. The craft time, materials cost, and chance of success equal 1d4 hours, 1 gp, and 70% + 1% per level, or 1d4 days, 5 gp, and 30% + 2% per level, respectively. Craft time must be leisurely and uninterrupted without attack rolls and skill checks, or you must start over. If successful, a minor poem grants 1 vitality to any sentient creature who recites it for 1 minute and passes a DC 12 Literacy check. Similarly, a major poem grants 1d4+1 vitality on a successful DC 17 literacy check after 10 minutes recitation. A reader must know the poem’s language. A creature may regain up to 3 vitality daily from reading such poetry and can benefit from a poem only once ever. Anyone can make copies of your poems. Such poems, often in beautifully illustrated little books, sell for 2 gp and 10 gp respectively.
Ennui: Roll 1d6 at the start of each day. 1-2) No effect, 3-4) Lose 3 vitality, 5-6) Lose 5 vitality. The lose cannot be healed by any means for 2d12 hours.
Love Poem(M): You quickly craft and recite a romantic poem that targets 1 person within 30 who can hear you. The person falls madly in love with you or another person within 30 ft, as the poem specifies. Will resists. The love-struck target is friendly with overt gestures of passion. The effect lasts until the love is consummated or the target of desire is slain. If you have a belonging or piece of the target, apply a +2 bonus to your attack. This is a curse. Costs 2 vitality.
Poetic Language: You enjoy a +2 bonus on Literacy checks, or a +10 bonus on checks involving poetry.
Revitalizing Poem: You quickly craft and recite a poem unique to 1 sentient creature or group of up to 8 such creatures within 15 ft and hearing range. The poem typically glorifies the lister’s heroic acts. The craft time equals 1 minute per creature and recitation heals 8d6 vitality for only 1 target, 1d6 vitality for each of 8 targets, or any other combination that heals 8d6 vitality. You can let some targets heal more or less. A particular creature can benefit only once daily from this ability. You cannot target yourself. Costs 5 vitality.
Romantic: Apply a +5 bonus on Diplomacy checks, or +10 in romantic situations.


Cthulhu Cultist (Int)
A cthulhu cultist delves the mind-dizzying mysterious of aberrant monsters, maybe summoning them or even becoming one.
Aberrant Apotheosis: Every 1 year, you suffer a 1% chance per level to transform into an aberration of equal level.
Aberrant Lore: Apply a +5 bonus on Arcana, Bluff, History, Insight, and Perception checks when dealing with an aberration or recalling lore about aberrations. Also, you speak Aquan.
Aberrant Mutation: You show a gross physical sign typical of aberrant monsters such as fish-like eyes, animate third eye, weeping phlem pustules, villi-coated skin, or wriggling tentacles. A Disguise check may cover the sign. Otherwise, others automatically notice.
Dangerous Summons: You may improve Summon Aberrations (below). You either boost your effective summoner level by +4 after a 1-hour ritual or +8 after a 3-day ritual or you deduct 5 vitality from the summons cost after a 1-day ritual. The ritual costs 50 gp per day in rare aquatic materials. The summons always works, though the chance of controlling the aberrations equals 70%+1% per level, 30%+2% per level or 10% + 4% per level, respectively. If you fail to establish control, the aberration hunts you as its prey for the spell's duration before vanishing, or until it slays you, at which time it vanishes forever with your brain in hand.
Forbidden Lore: You enjoy a +3 bonus on Arcana, Disguise, History, Insight, Literacy, and Perception checks.
Locate Aberration(M): Once weekly, you learn the distance and direction to the most powerful aberration within 2 miles of you.
Mental Barrier: Permanently boost your Will by +5.
Mindlink(M): You form a telepathic bond for 5 minutes with a sentient ally within 30 ft. Communicating is as natural and quick as normal speech. Once the bond is formed, it works over any distance. You can maintain only 1 bond at a time.
Summon Aberrations(M): You perform a 1-minute rite to summon 1 or more aberrations such as an aboleth, braineater, illithrix or mantis. Their total levels cannot exceed your level. They hear your mental instructions out to 120 ft and seek to pervert them whenever possible. They serve you for 1 hour and then vanish. Costs 10 vitality.
Wrongness: You are odd in appearance and habits. Apply a -3 penalty on all Charisma-based skill checks.

 

[AncientSpirits]

And if you've seen Pacific Rim, here are 2 more townies that fit right in to that world, riding inside size Huge dreadnought ergos.

Dreadnought Defender (Int)
This protective pilot rides inside a giant construct such as a dreadnought and assists psychically with communications and defenses.
Armaments: You are proficient with Medium armor and also light blades and firearms.
Copilot Link: You enjoy a telepathic link with any 1 person with the dreadnought assaulter profession. Once formed, the bond works over any distance and lasts until he dies, at which time you suffer 1d6 vitality damage and are free to form a link with a new copilot after a 1-minute psychic ritual. While bonded, you two share thoughts and are aware at all times of each others’ general condition (wound points and vitality points). You and the copilot enjoy a +5 bonus on Insight checks with each other at all times.
Deflection Bubble(M): As an immediate action you encase yourself or an adjacent person ally in a bubble of force energy, such that the subject ignores all attacks until the start of his next turn. While protected, the subject cannot make attack rolls. Costs 2 vitality.
Dreadnought Defender Skills: Boost Acrobatics, Diplomacy, Heal, Mechanics, and Survival checks by +4.
Master Pilot: Boost Pilot checks by +2, or by +10 when piloting a construct.
Message(M): You whisper a message that is clearly audible to 1 target within 90 ft. You only need line of effect, not line of sight.
Repair Construct(C): You repair 1d4 wound points per level to an adjacent construct. Costs 2 vitality.
Wrongness: Apply a -3 penalty on all Charisma-based skill checks. Your ample time mentally linked to constructs and a copilot has scarred your body and stilted your mind.

Dreadnought Assaulter (Dex)
This aggressive pilot rides inside a giant construct such as a dreadnought and psychically adds tactical boosts.
Armaments: You are proficient with Medium armor and also light blades and firearms.
Battle Verve: Once daily when engaged in combat you may heal 1d4+1 vitality as a move action.
Dreadnought Assaulter Skills: Boost Athletics, Intimidate, and Mechanics checks by +3.
Enhance Construct(M): As a swift action while piloting a construct, you may grant the construct 1 of the following benefits: +10 ft land speed, +2 DR, +5 bonus to a single defense (Fortitude, Reflex, or Will), +2 bonus on attacks and +5 damage, +5 initiative, +10 on Athletics checks, +10 on Perception checks,+10 on Stealth checks, 30 ft Climb speed, 30 ft swim speed, +10 DR against 1 energy type, +2 DR against all energy types, or heal the construct 2d4 vitality. The effect lasts 1 round. Multiple effects stack if they are different. For example, +2 DR and +5 Initiative stack but one cannot get +4 DR or +10 Initiative. Costs 2 vitality.
Share Construct Traits(M): When piloting a construct, you enjoy the effects of up to 2 of its defensive abilities such as Construct Traits and Magic Resistance.
Master Pilot: Boost Pilot checks by +2, or by +10 when piloting a construct.
War Training: You have practical knowledge of warfare. Boost Warcraft checks by +5, or by +10 once daily.
Wrongness: Apply a -3 penalty on all Charisma-based skill checks. Your ample time mentally linked to constructs and a copilot has scarred your body and stilted your mind.

 

[AncientSpirits]

CHRONOMANCY! in Radiance RPG


Yes, Lady Virginia, there is now a time-shaper, a chronomancer, and his ilk. It's the Victorian era's answer to the classic or medieval oracle.


You can find a full preview of the class, the deity Kronos, and 4 townie professions as well:
www.Facebook.com/RadianceRPG


As a courtesy to the board, I'm posting the chronomancer here. It is NOT yet official. It's a test drive. Because GM's rarely want PCs monkeying with time on their own terms, I've taken a different approach with the class's core shtick. The Radiance multiverse assumes there are a few chronomancers, and a fair number of temporal merchants and temporal scholars, scattered across all eras. The benefit: Chronomancer apprentices learn to communicate across time, to share information and even trade (non-living) items with their fellows in other times. It's temporal short-wave radio! Every day a chronomancer PC will be crossing the chasms of time, just not in person physically, which is saved for (much) higher levels. Anyway, without further ado:


Chronomancer
A chronomancer masterfully explores and manipulates time.


Background & Adventures
A chronomancer is sensitive to time portals, travelers, and shifts. He communicates across history, querying peers in other eras and even trading items. He may be a time traveler or protector of an era.
Chronomancers are founts of history, including likely future events, and they manipulate time with keen eyes and lore in mind. Because tampering with time is fraught with peril, they focus on spells with specific controllable effects. However, powerful chronomancers are more free-form and can even travel through time.
More than other classes, a chronomancer thrives on strategy and forethought. He can plant “seeds”—seemingly minor words and actions—that unfold with dramatic effects later in a ever-magnifying chain of causes and effects.
Chronomancers enjoy adventure to witness other times and places. As mage users they poor in melee. Except for aging spells, they are not so aggressive. A sensible chronomancer sticks with his allies.


Class Details
Chronomancers have the following statistics.
——————————————————
Prime Attribute: Intelligence.
Attack: d20 + ½ class level + Intelligence modifier.
Defenses: Will +2.
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Armor: All Light armors such as leather.
Weapons: Any 2 weapon groups.
Starting Gold: 5d4 x 10 (125 gp).
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Alignment: Any.
Special: Abilities marked with an M require you hold a pocket watch, hour glass, chronograph or similar time piece as an implement. When you do not, apply a -2 penalty to your attack rolls.
Training: 3d4 years.
——————————————————


Core Abilities
Chronomancers start with the following abilities at 1st level.
Chronomancy: Boost Arcana, Diplomacy, and History checks by +3.
Temporal TapM: Once daily for 5 minutes you may contact a generic ally in roughly the same place but another time to gain lore or trade objects. You don’t need to recruit the allies. On a successful DC 13 Diplomacy check you may a) try an Intelligence-based skill check with a +10 bonus, or b) gain up to 100 gp per level in any gear paid by goods and/or coins of equal value and weight. Alternatively, you enjoy a +5 bonus and trade up to 50 gp per level in gear. In urban areas, boost the check by +2. In wilderness areas (but not ruins), apply a -10 penalty. This ability cannot contact a specific person. You can gain goods up to 3x per level. Costs 2 vitality.
Time SenseM: You always know your current time to the correct year, month, day, hour, minute, and second. Also, 1x daily as a swift action you can move yourself by +/-5 in the initiative order.


Basic Abilities
Chronomancers select from the following basic abilities.
Antecedent: Once daily, you may seed a space by planting a minor item or performing a minor action that will grant a future benefit to you or a named person that comes within 30 ft of the seeded space. Just 3 rounds after planting, the seed grants the subject a +1 bonus on d20 checks and +1d6 damage in the area. After 1 hour, bonuses increase to +2 and +2d6. After 24 hours, the seed expires. Once planted, the seed’s effect cannot be ended. Requires Chronomancy and Time Sense.
Arcane WatchM: You conjure a pocket watch or hourglass that boosts your attack rolls by +1 when using chronomancer abilities. It vanishes if it leaves your person. You are limited to 1 at a time. It counts as an implement. Requires Time Sense.
Cruel Fate: As Antecedent, except subject suffers the modifiers as penalties (no save).
Detect Time ConduitM: You learn whether an invisible time conduit is present within a 30-ft cone. If you scan the area again, you learn the exact space in which the conduit lies. Each conduit leads to the same location but a different time, past or future.
Fate’s ProsperityM: As a move action, you reveal to an adjacent allied person his likely good fortune, boosting his next attack roll by +1 and damage by +1d6.
Fate’s TroublesM: You reveal to an adjacent person his likely horrid fate, dazing him for 1 round. Will resists.
Fixed SpeedM: For 2 minutes, you ignore effects that hasten or slow your normal speed, such as by the Slow spell or due to difficult terrain. Requires Time Sense. Costs 1 vitality.
Futurist: You may try History checks regarding future historical events with a -10 penalty on your check.
Hustle: As a swift action up to 1/round, you gain a bonus move action. Requires Time Sense and Fixed Speed. Costs 1 vitality.
Panoply of Temporal Allies: This improves Temporal Tap to grant a +5 bonus on Diplomacy checks and 1 more daily use.
PreserveM: An adjacent hide, organ, limb or vial of blood is preserved as fresh for up to 1 day per level. Costs 1 vitality.
Quick Start: Boost your initiative checks by +2. Requires Time Sense.
RetryM: As a move action, you partially bend time back 1 round to retry a skill check, ignoring the outcome of the prior try. Only other chronomancers notice the retry. Costs 2 vitality.
Sense Temporal ShiftsM: You learn whether a person, object, or 5-ft space within 15 ft has ever initiated or experienced the effects of a time-affecting magic ability.
Spell Ready: Boost Arcana and Perception checks by +5.
Thread the Needle: Once daily, apply a +10 bonus to a single d20 roll made by you or an adjacent ally. Requires Time Sense.
Tic TokM: Up to 2x daily as a swift action you gain a bonus move action usable on any initiative during combat, even when it’s not your turn. Requires Time Sense. Costs 1 vitality.
Time Traveler: Apply a +2 bonus on Bluff, Disguise, History, Stealth, and Survival checks.


Intermediate Abilities
Chronomancers select from the following intermediate abilities.
Analyze Time ConduitM: You focus on an adjacent time conduit and learn what time (second, minute, day, month, year) it leads to, whether it is stable, and whether it is currently passable. Requires Detect Time Conduit. Costs 2 vitality.
AuguryM: You peek into the future and gain insight regarding an immediate choice you face such as whether to open a chest or enter a room. You receive an answer of weal (good fortune), woe (bad fortune), or unclear (mixed fortune). The chance that you receive an answer equals 70% + 1% per level. The answer is based on the likely outcome within the next 10 minutes. Costs 2 vitality.
Bonus Time Seeds: This improves Antecedent to 3 daily uses.
Fate’s Disasters: This improves Fate’s Troubles such that the target is stunned for 1 round. Will resists.
Fate’s Glories: This improves Fate’s Prosperity, such that the ally enjoy +2 on attack rolls and +2d6 damage.
Fixed Point in Time: As an immediate action, for 2 minutes, time- and age-altering effects such as Slow, Time Hop, and Wither Limb within 15-ft of you are delayed by 5 minutes. Costs 2 vitality.
Historian: Boost History checks by +10.
Improved Initiative: You react quickly to attack. Apply a +5 bonus on initiative checks or +2 when over-loaded.
Rapid AgingM: An adjacent foe suffers 1d3 wound damage from your touch, or is slain outright if it is level 2 or lower. Requires Chronomancy. Costs 2 vitality.
Read RuinsM: Locations accumulate the psychic residue of powerful events such as battles, betrayals, marriages, murders, births, great pain, and so forth. Starting with the most recent such event and working backward in time, you sense 1 distinct event for every 10 minutes you concentrate, if any such events exist, to a maximum of 1 event per level. You learn the general nature of the event and its distance in time. For each event, you also enjoy a cumulative +1 bonus on History checks for 24 hours regarding the location. You can use this ability once per level on a given location. Costs 2 vitality.
Tap Alternate TimelineM: Once daily you focus as a move action and select any 1 ability of your race or 1 chronomancer magic ability of a tier you can access except paragon tier. You can and must immediately use the ability or you lose it. You must be a chronomancer to use this ability.
Temporal Merchant: This improves Temporal Tap such that you may gain up to 500 gp per level, or 2x that amount up to 1/week, on a successful DC 25 Diplomacy check. Also, you can use Temporal Tap +1 times daily but only to engage in trade.
Temporal Sage: This improves Temporal Tap such that you may attempt 2 skill checks during the tap, and you can use it +1 times daily but only to make skill checks.
Time HopM: You vanish and move to a time period up to 1 round per level in the future, as decided when you hop. You arrive in the nearest open space as if no time has passed for you. Costs 2 vitality.
Urban Intersection: As Antecedent, except you evoke a random urban event (RPG, page 257, Table 13-6) at a time you designate at least 3 rounds (max. 24 hours) into the future. If you set 2+ hours to activate the seed, you may influence the table’s result by up to +/- 5 points. Requires you know Antecedent. Costs 2 vitality.
Wither LimbM: An adjacent target must resist using Reflex or suffer 1d6 wound damage. Also, if it fails to resist using Fortitude, 1 limb withers, falls off, and blows away as dust. You specify a leg, arm, tentacle or similar appendage. A biped suffers a -5 penalty on Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks and attack rolls for each missing limb. Creatures with 5+ limbs instead suffer a -2 penalty per lost limb. Costs 2 vitality.


Advanced Abilities
Chronomancers select from the following advanced abilities.
Anti-Incursion Zone: This improves Fixed Point in Time to protect up to 10 cubic ft per level for 4 hours + 1 hour per level, or a single 10-ft cube for 1 day per level. Costs 10 vitality.
Deadly Aging: This improves Rapid Aging, such that an adjacent foe suffers 2d4 wound damage or is slain outright by rapid aging if it is level 6 or lower. Costs 5 vitality.
Death UndoneM: You restore to life an adjacent creature that has died within the past 3 rounds. It returns with 1 wound point. Ailments at its time of death remain. Costs 5 vitality.
Lasting Youth: You no longer suffer the negative effects of aging although you still die of old age when your time is up.
Personal HasteM: Magic propels you to blinding speed of action. For 5 minutes, you gain a bonus move action each round. Costs 5 vitality.
Ray of SlownessM: You limit 1 target within 30 ft to an agonizingly slow speed of action. For 2 minutes, each round, the target loses a move action and all swift and immediate actions. When Will resists, the target only loses its swift actions. Costs 5 vitality.
Revelation of Tears: This improves Fate’s Troubles to target all sentient foes within 30 ft and hearing range. Costs 5 vitality.
StasisM: An adjacent living creature falls asleep and enters a state of suspended animation. Will resists. Nonliving creatures, and those such as elves that ignore sleep effects, are immune. The creature does not age. Its body functions virtually cease, ongoing conditions are belayed, and no force or effect harms it. Dispel Magic ends the effect. Requires a gem worth 100 gp per creature level, which is consumed when the spell is successful. Costs 5 vitality.
Temporal SendingM: You send a one-way message of 25 words or less to a willing person that you have met before and know by name on the same world and in any time period. You cannot send to yourself in another time. Costs 5 vitality.
Tempus FugitM: Upon casting, note a start time for up to 8 allies within 30 ft. Up to 4 hours + 1 hour per level later, note an end time. There upon, the 2 times stitch together, such that the hours passed as minutes for everything else. If any affected ally is attacked or makes an attack roll, that moment is the end time. Costs 5 vitality.
Tempus Pando: As a swift action, you improve your next use that round of Time Hop or Time Filch such that you move hours rather than minutes into the future. Costs 5 vitality.
Time Filch: This improves Time Hop. You may either move yourself, an adjacent target, or both you and an adjacent target. Costs 5 vitality.
Time Lord: Boost Diplomacy and History checks by +10.
Time PoolM: After 1 hour using a fount or other reflective pool (min. 5 cubic ft) to search across time, you learn an answer (yes/no/maybe/irrelevant) regarding 3 questions. Questions must be 10 words or less. Costs 3 vitality per question.
Time RegressionM: You try to undo effects of the coming round. To use this ability, announce its use at the top of the round, spend 1 vitality as an immediate action, and start noting the round’s effects. Before the round’s end, you may finish the ability by spending 5 vitality to undo up to a total of 3 effects on you and/or an ally within 30 ft. Each undoing is a swift action. Requires Antecedent.
Vanishing Ray: One person within 30 ft must resist using Will or start to vanish. On round 1, he tingles. On round 2, all his d20 rolls fail. On round 3, he vanishes, gone from history, and any person who has known him must resist using Will or forget him. Prior to vanishing, the target knows his impending fate and Remove Curse halts it. Miracle or Wish restores him. Costs 5 vitality.


Paragon Abilities
Chronomancers select from the following paragon abilities.
ForesightM: You cannot be surprised and you ignore Sneak Attack damage. Moreover, once daily you may completely ignore 1 attack against you as an immediate action as if you had foreseen the moment. This ability does not work while you are unconscious.
Greater Vanishing Ray: This improves Vanishing Ray to affect any creature type.
Haste: This improves Personal Haste to aid all allies that remain within 30 ft. Costs 5 vitality + 2 vitality per ally (max. 20 vitality).
Mass Time Hop: This improves Time Hop to affect all allies within 30 ft. Costs 10 vitality.
Revelation of Doom: This improves Fate’s Disasters to target all foes within 30 ft and hearing range. Costs 10 vitality.
Slowness: This alters Ray of Slowness to expand as a sphere around you that targets all foes within 30 ft. Costs 5 vitality + 2 vitality per foe (max 20 vitality).
Temporal ConduitM: You create a 10-ft-square shimmering time conduit within 60 ft. The conduit lasts 2 minutes and leads to a time you designate. Its accuracy requires a DC 15 History check for the right year, DC 20 for the day, DC 25 for the hour, DC 35 for the minute, and DC 50 for the right round. A failed check indicates a random time past any easier DC that would have succeeded. A conduit cannot transport persons to other times in which they exist as persons. Costs 1000 gp in special materials and 20 vitality.
Temporal LoopM: You or 1 target within 60 ft is whisked into a temporal loop for 5 minutes. Each round on its turn, the subject has a 1 in 6 chance to escape, or a 2 in 6 chance if it has Intelligence 15+. While trapped, the subject relives the same events and may retry skill checks or otherwise action to reveal a truth about the real world. When it escapes, the subject reappears in the space it departed from, or the nearest open space. Costs 10 vitality.
Temporal Whirlpool: This alters Temporal Conduit such that all creatures and objects within 30 ft of the conduit are drawn into it. Each round a creature is within range, it must use Will to resist. Costs +5 vitality.
Time StopM: You speed up so greatly that all else seems to stop. For the rest of your turn, you gain 1d4+1 bonus rounds to use as you like. However, during these rounds, you cannot target others, make attack rolls, or affect other creatures or attended objects. Requires Personal Haste. Costs 5 vitality + 5 vitality per round.

 

[Robyo]

So I'm starting up a new campaign of an idea I've had for awhile. It's a primal setting, riffing off of Dark Sun, but with a stone age/ early bronze-age feel also.The world is still young. No gods, only Primordials, who do not lend divine power. And yes, there are dinosaurs!

As GM, I had considered using Pathfinder, but just have no interest in navigating the bloat of PF. I prefer to reference only one or two books as needed. Then I thought we would try 4e, but there's a couple players who love Pathfinder and refuse to have anything to do with 4e. We've found Radiance to be a good compromise.

For the vibe of the campaign. It's been fairly easy to cut out deities, divine classes and all the higher-tech gear. I enjoy the modularity of Radiance rules (electrotech, magic items, etc). Of course we'll be using analogs of armor and nonmetal weapons from Dark Sun. I might even use AC, since I've found DR to be kind of over-powered. Have you considered rules for armor-penetrating ammo? The way things are set up, it's pretty tough to give much worry to the party tank.

I'm interested in using some of the new stuff scheduled for the expansion. Any word on when that's coming out? I know the author wishes it to be the best it can be, which I agree takes time. Can Dario give a run-down of what's to be included? I'm mostly interested in opening up the races for PCs. Yuan-ti, Woodling, Shardmind, Genasi... that sort of thing.

 

[AncientSpirits]

So I'm starting up a new campaign of an idea I've had for awhile. It's a primal setting, riffing off of Dark Sun, but with a stone age/ early bronze-age feel also.The world is still young. No gods, only Primordials, who do not lend divine power. And yes, there are dinosaurs!

As GM, I had considered using Pathfinder, but just have no interest in navigating the bloat of PF. I prefer to reference only one or two books as needed. Then I thought we would try 4e, but there's a couple players who love Pathfinder and refuse to have anything to do with 4e. We've found Radiance to be a good compromise.

Cool! I am fond of Dark Sun though I only played one adventure, back in the 90s.

For the vibe of the campaign. It's been fairly easy to cut out deities, divine classes and all the higher-tech gear. I enjoy the modularity of Radiance rules (electrotech, magic items, etc). Of course we'll be using analogs of armor and nonmetal weapons from Dark Sun. I might even use AC, since I've found DR to be kind of over-powered. Have you considered rules for armor-penetrating ammo? The way things are set up, it's pretty tough to give much worry to the party tank.

A fair number of monsters do direct wound damage that bypasses DR. Eg. The Ankheg's bite does 2d6 + 1d4 acid wound damage. Similarly, the chimera, all demons, and the dire beast do wound damage.

You can play with the Q&D creature option, where monsters do more raw damage (often enough to bypass DR).

If you'll be sticking to natural armors, then DR is somewhat more limited.

Finally, Optional Rule: If you want a quick way to do "armor penetration", if the foe hits by 5 or better, convert every 3 points of regular damage to 1 wound damage.

I'm interested in using some of the new stuff scheduled for the expansion. Any word on when that's coming out? I know the author wishes it to be the best it can be, which I agree takes time. Can Dario give a run-down of what's to be included? I'm mostly interested in opening up the races for PCs. Yuan-ti, Woodling, Shardmind, Genasi... that sort of thing.

I worked some last week. What's done: 14 classes, 100 new townies, and 7 of 9 races, 5 deities of ??, and half the themes and prestige classes. What remains: The other half of things, plus new electrotech (nothing started) and the setting stuff (a mess right now). I had considered putting in pact magic. And though there is a clear path to do that, it looks to be very time consuming, so maybe that's best saved as a supplement. Since I will be traveling most of September, I'm considering releasing preview PDFs. I will post the current contents in a moment....

 

[AncientSpirits]

RADIANCE EXPANSION KIT

RACES
Done: Batfolk, Elan, Gan, Moppet, Shade, Vanara, and Woodling.
Likely: minotaur plus 1 other
I'd love to have a modron, but that is protected IP and haven't though of a good name yet. Note: Yuan-ti is protected IP too.

CLASSES
Done: chronomancer, dragoon, gadgeteer, goyle, grenadier, illusionist, lancer, lightbringer, magister, magus, priest, samurai, savant, and voidmage.
Likely: Alchemist, battlemind

THEMES
Done: Assassin, chronicler, cyborg, feign blade (a conjured weapon master), fist, loner, medic, pilot, rocketeer, spellbinder, steamknight.
Likely: we'll see!

PRESTIGE CLASSES (AKA DESTINIES)
Done: Dread Acolyte, Prime Summoner, Realms Lord
Likely: Holy Crusader, Mystic Thurge, Time Traveler
Done:

TOWNIES
Done: 100 new townies.

DEITIES
Done: deities of air, earth, fire, water, and time.
Likely: deity of void, plus Cthulhu, Baal, and some essential monkey god and serpent god.

WORLDS
Done: The world map and a sample Victorian era city map.
Not done: history, overview, and regions. Right now there are a dozen pages of disorganized notes!

ELECTROTECH
Besides more items, this will include rules for "hypertech" (magic + technology) and voidcraft for science fantasy campaigns.

CRITTERS
normal animals (cats, ravens, etc) and other very minor creatures of all types.

 

[Robyo]

Lots of cool ideas there! But what the heck is a moppet? Or Elan?

Any chance for a shardmind race? And I understand that Yuan-Ti is IP, but how about( a type of) naga, or whatever hybrid name Pathfinder calls it in the Advanced Race Guide.... I honestly don't know if a type of snakefolk would be popular enough to include or not. I always thought it would be fun to play a Yuan-Ti, though.
Batfolk definitely sounds interesting!

Also, what are your thoughts on a Warlord class? A martial healer type... I think in 3.5 it was called the Marshal and in 13th Age it's the battle captain.

One other suggestion that I think would be an awesome addition (but probably a pain to organize), would be a master list/compendium of all the abilities. If they were also organized by tier and point-cost (especially for the creature abilities), it would be extremely helpful.

 

[AncientSpirits]

Lots of cool ideas there! But what the heck is a moppet? Or Elan?

Any chance for a shardmind race? And I understand that Yuan-Ti is IP, but how about( a type of) naga, or whatever hybrid name Pathfinder calls it in the Advanced Race Guide.... I honestly don't know if a type of snakefolk would be popular enough to include or not. I always thought it would be fun to play a Yuan-Ti, though.
Batfolk definitely sounds interesting!

Also, what are your thoughts on a Warlord class? A martial healer type... I think in 3.5 it was called the Marshal and in 13th Age it's the battle captain.

One other suggestion that I think would be an awesome addition (but probably a pain to organize), would be a master list/compendium of all the abilities. If they were also organized by tier and point-cost (especially for the creature abilities), it would be extremely helpful.

The elan is from Expanded Psionics Handbook (v 3.5). It is a psionic race. Google "d&d elan".
The moppet is a size Small construct race that is akin to a doll that might be more wooden or more plush. It fits the Victorian period quite well.
There are already four reptilian races (drack, grippli, kobold, lizardfolk), so it feels hard to offer yet another reptilian race, though personally I like the idea of snake people.

The warlord was actually made for the original Players Guide (see the illustration on page 274) and was heavily inspired by the 4E warlord as well as the 3.5 Marshal, and was heavily panned even by the former 4E players. Hard to explain why except it ended up sort of boring in play. So instead, there is the Realms Lord prestige class, which fills a lot of niche. Battle Captain is perhaps better descriptive than Realms Lord.....

I didn't mention above a "templar" class that I fully stat'd out that is a mix of priest and warlord. It definitely fills the martial healer roll and has a unique mechanic too (it gets brief use of multiple deity boons). However, besides the mechanic, it doesn't feel particularly original. The other classes listed above have abilities that are 80-90 percent unique to their class, and several have no D&D/Pathfinder equivalent. Point being, is it something that can be made through multiclassing or something unique. That said, there's still space....

Ah, that master list... it was on my mind from the start. Oh, the tedium of making it, even though, yes it would be nice to have . When it comes to magic item creation and monsters, it could be useful.

PS. I was unaware of the shardmind as I haven't kept up with 4E much. As is, they feel pretty outside of what I think of as a person. Even the warmech has organic elements like tree roots and so forth. That said, they are a creative contribution. Out of curiosity, what is it that you find most appealing about them? (look, background, abilities, etc)