D&D 4E Thought Project: 4E As Science Fantasy...

[Pbartender]

Trying to think of ways to build/create quasi-scientific objects you can use in 4E along side alchemy and magic. The Gadget Tinker blends aspects of both. "Dragonmech" was a inspiration for this LONG POST.

~snip~

Not to pick on you, Grimgrin, but when I originally suggested adding "as little new stuff as possible", your Gadget Tinker suggestion is a perfect example of the sort of thing I had in my mind to avoid.

There's nothing there that couldn't already be done using existing magic item creation rules, and little bit of creative description.

For example, in Adventurer's Vault, there is already a quill that does for written materials, what your Sound Player does for noise. And Figurines of Wonderous Power are a close analogue to any Drone you might make. And there are numerous weapons and wands with effects very similar to the Electrified Mittens (and much less expensive).

I just don't see a need to re-invent the wheel.

At any rate, new mechanics is a bit of a digression from where I'd intended this discussion to go, so please forgive me for steering us back a bit.


Here is a pretty comprehensive list of all the little default setting scraps and tidbits floating around the Core Books.

Assuming that...

1. This new setting takes place on a far-future post-apocolyptic alternate Earth as the Material Plane.

2. Venus stands in for the Feywild.

3. Mars is the equivalent of the Shadowfell.

4. The Elemental Chaos and the Abyss turn into the depths of Jupiter.

5. The "Far Realms" refer to the furthest recesses of Deep Space.

...How can we incorporate or adjust the rest to fit into this sort of science-fantasy setting?

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

I've been working on something similar called Terrahausen, which is literally a campaign setting based on the works of Ray Harryhausen.

So there's:

The Scheherazans - A Sinbad nation.
The Gwangi - Cavemen
The Vrykang - Vikings - there's no Harryhausen connection there it's just cause
The Argaveans - Clash of the Titans
The Scarlet Principalities - Undead and Alien Invasion zone.

Which is neither here nor there except that it's a start on some of the cultural zones you might want to incorporate.

Let's see. Is this a list of the sort of elements you desire from the thread:

1.) All types of Elves are the products of a mysterious alien race (the Pygmalions or Prometheatids) who visited the moon in the aftermath of the apocalypse - and possibly many times before - where they discovered that magic had begun to permeate the terrestrial sphere. Delighted with this new material they created four servitors made of a mix of magic and lunar clay to man their cities and serve their agenda:

Eladrin are a 3 to 1 mix of magic and clay. They are the urban servitors - dedicated to leadership, learning, and maintaining the lunar cities. They are so purely magical that they can discorporate themselves for brief periods - simply carrying their clay within their will - before reforming into physical beings. The heat of their forging is cooled within clouds and mist.

Elves are a 1 to 1 mix of magic and clay. They are the rural servitors - dedicated to exploration, husbandry, and faith. They are more solid than Eladrin, but their intellects carry all of their magic enabling them to see through time in order to avoid obstacles and missteps. Their heat is cooled in the rains of forests.

Half-Elves are a 1 to 3 mix of magic and clay. They are the race sent to earth as the ambassadors of the Pygmalions. The merchants and dilletantes were formed with the highest degree of empathy for terrestrial creatures and the greatest capacity for learning. Their magic is a reserve of magical energy that enables them to mimic the skills of others. Their heat is cooled in the ocean tide.

The Drow were made male and female all of clay or all of magic. They absorb more of the other substance as they age. They were the colonizers of the Pygmalions, created to adapt, to win, and to conquer. Their heat is cooled in the lightless depths.

Corellon and Lolth are deities left behind by the 'Founders' to watch over their servitors.

 

[Dias Ex Machina]

I think the new upcoming Game Setting Amethyst uses the game mechanic of magical items to make their technology. I tend to agree with that thought process too. I also had an idea but I'm not sure if anyone would go for it. I would like to see us get a forum project to design a scifi/fantasy setting complete with classes, paragon paths, epic destines, equipment, magical and technological items, along with monsters, villians and a complete fleshed out universe.

Yes, thanks for the mention. We do have armour from ballistics weave to power suits, weapons from revolvers to plasma weapons. Here's an example below:

Shotgun: Shotguns impact with tremendous force at close range but this stopping power diminishes rapidly. They are fairly distinct and few models are on the market.
Critical: On a critical hit, the target is knocked prone.
Special: Shotguns do +3 damage if fired at 2 squares or closer.
Weapon Prof. Damage Range Price Weight Clip Cell Level TL
Shotgun +2 1d10 10/20 40 10 lb. 6 -- 1 0

That should give you an idea where we are coming from. It may not be exactly what you want but it should allow you to jump a couple steps on your way to where you want to go with your campaign.

I just hope you can hold out until April.