Chaositech: Who's go it?

Gez · Dec 12, 2003

You mean... It's not about the Planescape faction named Xaositec ?

Krug · Dec 12, 2003

A review is out already.

Kobold Avenger · Dec 12, 2003

Kamikaze Midget said:
Pitch me the same book called "Chaositech," and my reaction will be "Where's the Lawitech? Why's Chaos get all the good stuff?"......I think my inherent bias agasint those early-player kewls get me (everyone knows a chaotic neutral elf ninja is the kewlest character in teh werld! )

Because Lawitech supposed to be normal Tech...

Besides I hate it with law getting all the good stuff, such as martial arts abilities, or if you go back to 2e psionic powers. Fortunately it isn't the case with the later, and the previous can be easily house-ruled and ignored, or officially fixed with prestige classes like the Drunken Master that anyone can qualify for.

Olive · Dec 13, 2003

Wombat said:
I like Monte, but I hate both of those settings...

How can you possibly hate the WFRP setting? It's probably the best rpg setting ever?!?!?

Psion · Dec 13, 2003

Olive said:
How can you possibly hate the WFRP setting? It's probably the best rpg setting ever?!?!?

Gotta say I'm not too fond of the WHFRP setting but I love the WHFB setting. The whole "your worthless and have to scrape to get by" paradigm of the RPG never appealed to me. But chaos and skaven and dark elves and all that are great.

Anyway, now I have it, and have read a little.

Chaositech is, basically, "wierd science". Tech that shouldn't work. As such, you can still sneak it into a setting that already had steamtech or magitech, as a hazardous but potentially powerful alternative.

It tends to corrupt its users, but some embrace this, which is where the Moorcock and WH chaos angle seems familiar. Working on the tech can also cause madness, which is a bit of a lovecraftian angle. If you are using a resource that has "forces of chaos" or the like (like Planes & Portals or Unholy Warriors handbook), this book should fit right in.

So yeah, if you don't like a bit of wierd science or corrupting chaos, it's probably not for you. But considering the title, that probably shouldn't be surprising.

But some of us will lap it right up!

Nightfall · Dec 13, 2003

Yeah I know I'm enjoying it. Using it for substitutes for some Slacerian and titan taints. (Course for the Lawful nature of the Slitheren, might just not have it do the alignment shifts. The madness, the mutations and the rest work for me!

)

Dark Psion · Dec 13, 2003

My only complaint about Chaositech is that I wish it was written for D20 Modern. Everything that was missing from the new D20 GammaWorld is here in this book. Mutations, Grafts, Biocrystal and bizarre tech items really to mess with everyone's mind. I think the Nanotech rules of d20GW will really blend well with the Chaositech concept.

But using this for D&D, Hmmm, I would say any setting that uses the Grafts & Symbionts from The Fiend Folio would work quite well with Chaositech also.

Gez · Dec 13, 2003

Depends. You may have fiends and undead and still be unable to fit the concept of chaositech in the universe.

If you mean one may scrap the "fluff" and use the "crunch", yes, but that's quite pointless IMO.

I'm A Banana · Dec 13, 2003

See, I've got problems with "Lawtech" being normal technology, too...I mean, most world-changing inventions are 5% knowledge, 95% luck....doens't strike me as lawful....

Anyhoo, yeah, scrapping the flava can be done, but in a book so rich with it, I feel kinda guilty...what with when there's d20 Call of Cthulhu rules for corrupting magic that I can apply without the wonky semantics.

Psion · Dec 13, 2003

Gez said:
If you mean one may scrap the "fluff" and use the "crunch", yes, but that's quite pointless IMO.

Why would you say that. I do it with scarred lands stuff all the time.

And WotC stuff, for that matter. My ratmen are descendants of wererats frozen in hybrid form the spare them the wrath of the moon goddess that destroyed all lycanthropes, and my tempus twins are the creations of a deceased god of time. I replace the flavor text and use the still fully usable mechanics.

That said, Chaositech has multiple ways you might work it into a game. It's pretty accomodating that way. But hey, if the idea doesn't work for you, don't buy it.