WOIN [NEW/NOW] Looking for some insight and tips to create careers for a Mass Effect campaign

[kingpin000]

Hi there,
i am planning to start a Mass Effect campaign with the WOIN rules set, but before I can start, I have to rearrange the most parts of the military and psionic (called biotic in ME) careers (likewise tech careers). Fortunately the game has a RPG system as framework so that I can draw most information from the classes of the game.

My main concern is to find the fitting mix of skills and exploits for the new careers. For example tech powers seem to be work like psionic in WOIN but the tech points should have an another source than PSI+WIL...

You see, it is a lot of work to do.

How would you start?

 

[A Lone Chocobo]

So, forgive me since I am rather new to the system, but I had tossed around ideas for a Mass Effect game once upon a time. Wouldn't tech just be something you can buy separately? If you are trying to go for a campaign that's as close to the ME's system as possible maybe TECH would be LOG+INT. You could also go for the tech powers as career exploits, I think. That way it feels similar to the game.

 

[Morrus]

While I’m admittedly the world’s leading expert in WOIN, I don’t know anything about Mass Effect. Which makes me kinda useless here, I guess!

 

[kingpin000]

Wouldn't tech just be something you can buy separately?

Tech powers are coming from the Omni-Tool, which works like a smartphone but it can create solid holographic extensions (like the Omni-Blade or Tech Armor). I saw exploits which gives you a weapon or equipment for free but in standard quality. Upgrading the quality is the expensive part (to increase the equipment bonus from 0d6 to 5d6, step by step.

The same counts for the Biotic Implants. By the way, do you think the implants should only available as origin career or should it be possible to become a Biotic a bit little later?

If you are trying to go for a campaign that's as close to the ME's system as possible maybe TECH would be LOG+INT. You could also go for the tech powers as career exploits, I think. That way it feels similar to the game.

I had the same thought. I would even keep all the exploits within the careers instead of having universal exploits for Biotic and Tech (like the Star Knight in NEW).

Which careers (from all books) should I keep in general and which not?

While I’m admittedly the world’s leading expert in WOIN, I don’t know anything about Mass Effect. Which makes me kinda useless here, I guess!

RPG terms are all the same no matter what game you play. I ve got some questions for you.

1. How would you handle the ability to create a minion like a combat drone? How could it upgraded over the time (ruleswise)?

2. What do you think about careers which need certain exploits or a high REP score as prerequisites to gain it? (like a special forces team)

 

[Morrus]

RPG terms are all the same no matter what game you play. I ve got some questions for you.

1. How would you handle the ability to create a minion like a combat drone? How could it upgraded over the time (ruleswise)?

2. What do you think about careers which need certain exploits or a high REP score as prerequisites to gain it? (like a special forces team)

1. I'd base it on the rules for familiars or maybe animal companions in O.L.D., I think.

2. They're totally cromulent. For example, in Judge Dredd & The Worlds of 2000 AD, the Senior Judge career has a prerequisite of REP 10+.

 

[Lord Diskord]

Do animal companions scale in any way as you level?

 

[Morrus]

No. But I reckon an exploit could be used to grade up a creature by one dice pool, as long as it always has a lower MDP than you do.

 

[kingpin000]

No. But I reckon an exploit could be used to grade up a creature by one dice pool, as long as it always has a lower MDP than you do.

What do you think about the "D&D approach" to split the ability into three exploits (0.25/0.5/1xMDP) to avoid the abuse of it at the early levels?

 

[Morrus]

I don't know what that means?

 

[kingpin000]

I don't know what that means?

For example you have grade 11 (8d6) and take the first exploit, your minion has now a MDP of 2d6. When you took the first exploit earlier and now take the second one, your minion has a MDP of 4d6. When you took the first and the second one earlier and now take the third one, your minion has the same MDP like you (8d6).

The idea behind it that the PC specializes the ability to use a NPC as proxy instead of spawn it out of boredom. The PC has to sacrifice slots of exploits to get the minion at full strength.
This isnt much a problem in a fantasy setting but in modern and scifi settings, it could end up in a drone like this for a starting character.

 

[Morrus]

I think that’s similar to what I said? You spend an exploit, and your minion gains a dice. But it can’t have as many as you.

 

[kingpin000]

Sorry for the misunderstanding. My base idea is that getting a specialization from low to max feels like an achievement for the players ("look at me, I am the drone master now ", not just getting a single boost dice. It could be also connected with other benefits per exploit.

 

[Morrus]

I don't quite understand what you mean. Perhaps if you posted the exploits, it might help?

Sounds like it would need a bit of playtesting. I'd be curious to hear what you thought.

 

[M3woods]

Here's my take on the combat drone. I've made it an exploit similar in design to Mounts from O.L.D. Though, in my opinion, I also need to craft an exploit, called Service drone or some such, as a prerequisite.

Combat Drones
Combat drones offer characters a clear advantage during conflicts. A drone's mobility allows it to maintain a height advantage over opponents, as well as, offer suppressive fire or overwatch for the character's teammates. While every drone has its own statistics as a semi-independent device, they are treated as part of the character during combat.
A character using a combat drone during a conflict gains the following benefits while outdoors (interior areas, unless at least 50' wide and long, are generally too small and cramped to allow a drone the room needed to offer benefits.)

• The drone operator gains +1d6 to INITIATIVE due to linkups with scanners or cameras.

• The Operator gains 1 additional action during combat, which can be used for suppressive fire, overwatch, a single ranged attack, etc.

• The drone gains a +1d6 height advantage to attacks from heights of 10' or more.

Drones may be attacked, and take damage as any other piece of equipment would. Combatants attacking the drone suffer a penalty of -2d6 to the attack, and if done within sight of the operator, subject themselves to a free attack.
Combat Drones may be upgraded at the expense of character XP, just as the character, though a drone MDP may never exceed 75% of the Operator's MDP.

 

[kingpin000]

Basically the exploits I had in mind will work like psionic exploits by spending "Tech Points". These exploits are my first drafts...

Holographic Drone Novice (requires LOG 4). You create a holographic drone which appears in a square adjacenced to you. This drone is a NPC with a MDP equal to 0.25 (a quarter) of your own MDP (rounddown). First you determine the role of the drone (combat drone = skirmisher, maintenance drone = expert, medical drone = support). This role can't be changed but you can take the exploit more times to choose an another role for the drone.

Then you create a NPC with the keywords [Tiny][non-sentient][Projection drone] with one free exploit. It acts on its own initiative but controled by the character who created it. If the drone is destroyed, you have to spend an another 4 TP to create a new one. This exploit only supports one drone at a time.


Holographic Drone Adept (requires LOG 8, Holographic Drone Novice (chosen role)). The MDP increases to 0.5 (half) of your own MDP. You are now able to create a [Tiny] or [Small] drone with two free exploits. The cost of creation increase to 8 TP.

Holographic Drone Master (requires LOG 12, Holographic Drone Adept (chosen role)). The MDP increases to equal of your own MDP. You are now able to create a [Tiny], [Small] or [Medium] drone with three free exploits. The cost of creation increase to 12 TP.