Coming Soon...

Oh, ascendant definitely has some design issues (the grey areas are going to create arguments which will slow down sessions and bring out the worst in min/maxers).

However, the flavor of the destiny is great and if the grey area can be eliminated while keeping the raw awesomeness of the destiny – it could be a great addition.

Stairc -Dan Felder wrote:Oh, ascendant definitely has some design issues (the grey areas are going to create arguments which will slow down sessions and bring out the worst in min/maxers).

However, the flavor of the destiny is great and if the grey area can be eliminated while keeping the raw awesomeness of the destiny – it could be a great addition.

Then let's clear up a little grey, shall we?

Ascendant
Special: When you choose this Destiny, select one Concept that you seek to embody. This concept should fall under one of these three broad categories:
Body - Aspects of the natural world, such as certain kinds of weather (Storm, Snow), types of plant or animal (Tree, Feline), types of terrain (Desert, Forest) or even a specific sentient race (Unicorn, Griffon). You cannot choose Sun or Moon as a concept.
Mind - Emotions, such as rage, compassion, or mirth, or philosophical Ideals, such as Justice, Beauty, or Industry. Note: you cannot select Victory or Disharmony as a Concept.
Spirit - Certain "substances" that traditionally carry a spiritual or symbolic connotation, such as Air, Water, Earth, Fire, Metal, Wood, Light, Darkness, Blood, etc.* You cannot choose Day or Night as a Concept.
While you are by no means limited to the examples listed in each category, the Concept you choose must easily fall under one of the three categories.

For the Cause
Select one skill that is either your Cutie Mark skill or one that have training in. Whenever you use that skill in a situation where your Concept is clearly involved, and you act in a manner that does not go against that Concept, then you gain a +5 bonus in that skill. (Thus, if Fire is your Concept and you are faced with a burning building, then you would get the bonus for helping to spread the fire, but not to put it out.) Additionally, if For the Cause comes into play for this skill check and you are not being assisted on it, then a roll of natural 20 counts as a Cutie Mark Critical; if it already would have, then a natural 19 also counts.

See Things My Way - Daily
Preparation Time: 5 Minutes
Make a Perception or Persuasion check with a +5 bonus. Target creature makes an opposing Perception or Persuasion check. If you beat their check, then their mind becomes altered in a way that promotes your Concept. If they were originally your enemy, they are now indifferent towards you, and if they were indifferent, they are now friendly towards you. Additionally, their personality changes further in respect to the category your Concept falls under:
Body - The creature is fiercely protective of any example of your Concept that they find, and are loathe to do anything to harm it. Thus, a creature affected by a Tree Ascendent is the sworn enemy of all lumberjacks.
Mind - The particular Emotion affects the creature strongly and more easily, or the creature strives towards the Ideal. Thus, a creature affected by a Rage Ascendent is prone to bouts of anger, and a creature affected by a Beauty Ascendent does its best to make itself and others conform to its idea of beauty.
Spirit - The creature develops a strong liking for the Concept in question and desires to be around it as much as possible. If there is a clear diametric opposite to that concept, then the creature fears and loathes it. Thus, a creature affected by a Water Ascendant would find itself drawn towards bodies of water, but would also develop pyrophobia.
This counts as a mind-affecting ability and wears off after either 1d4+1 hours or the use of a Magic Point intended to dispell the effect; you are unable to tell whether the effect has worn off or not unless the target makes it perfectly clear.

Incarnate
You have trancended your mortal form and become the living embodiment of your Concept. Although you are still young and have yet to gather your full power, there are still some immediate benefits.
Your appearance changes to match your personality and Concept. Your natural, true form becomes three times larger than your original and has an appearance that is nothing short of legendary - whether alicorn, draconequus, changeling Queen, adult dragon, or something completely new, this Form commands fear and respect. You may shift between your True Form and your original at will, and can be anywhere from one-to-three times as large as your original size in any form.
Additionally, the merging of yourself with your Concept has made you as immortal as the Concept itself. You no longer age unless you wish it, and if you are ever killed, then you will reform - completely unharmed - a year and a day later. You can only be "put out of commission" for longer periods of time by powerful magical imprisonment, and can only be destroyed outright if your Concept disappears forever.
Finally, every time you use the ability See Things My Way, roll a d10. If you get a 10, then you are able to use the ability once more that day.
Note: Once you have recieved this ability, other beings of your power level - and higher - take notice in you. While they might let you finish your current quest without interference, they will generally not tolerate continued action after that point. Once your quest is complete, you must either ascend to a higher plane of existence or develop a strict "non-interference" policy; either way, your adventuring days have come to an end.

*Basically, if you can stick "Toa of" (Bionicle) to the front or "-bender" (Avatar: the Last Airbender) to the end, then it's a Spirit Concept.


That might be a bit wordier, but hopefully it clears things up.

Hmm...I can honestly say I didn't expect The Everypony's last ability to be underpowered. Let's see what I can do to fix that.

A Good Man Goes to War [Session]
The Everypony, acting with clarity, is a force that cannot be stopped, bargained with, or withstood. You make a successful Persuasion check against every neutral and unfriendly creature that can perceive you, intimidating them. After that, select any Element of Harmony and use its corresponding power without spending a Magic Point.

...maybe that's too much? I'm not good with flashy aaaaaahhhhh

At any rate, now that my first three Destinies are down, or at least close enough that they may be safely and subtly altered before, possibly, making the cut, I have some more stuff for you guys to deal with! Erm, that is, if you want to. :fluttershy:

First up, something that should make one Ink Quill very happy...

Wordsmith
Occasionally, a book is written that goes down in history, praised by generations to come as a masterpiece of literature. It is very likely, whenever these occasions have chance to come up, that the book was written by a Wordsmith. To call the Wordsmith a writer is to call the ocean a body of water - technically accurate, but such phrases do not quite grasp the gravity of the thing.

An example of someone following the path of the Wordsmith is William Shakespeare.

The powers of a Wordsmith include:
The Right Word
The Wordsmith is, more than anything else, the being destined to choose the right word at the right time. You gain a permanent +4 to all persuasion checks you make. In addition to this, you also gain the Utility Trait Freaky Knowledge: Writing and Speeches. If you already had Freaky Knowledge: Writing and/or Freaky Knowledge: Speeches, you instead gain an additional +3 bonus to Persuasion.

Detailed Notes [2/day] Trigger: Any skill check you can perceive.
The Wordsmith's ability to write is so detailed and vivid that it can substitute for the normally unsubstitutable, though the magic in the words tends to fade. Copy down what the skill check was, what it was used for, and what the total roll was (e.g. Mechanics for Lock-Picking, 22). The next time you encounter a skill check used for the same thing, you may copy the roll instead of rolling your own die.

Conjure this Intrepid Fantasyscape Magic Preparation Time: 3 hours
The greatest worry of a master Wordsmith is not failing to describe something, but describing it too well. Your character takes some time to put pen to paper and describe the place they are currently at. At any time from that point onwards, you may as a standard action teleport up to six beings, including yourself, back to that place. You can only have one place set as a possible destination for this ability at any time.


And second up is one people have been wanting for a bit now: the fourth-wall-breaker! This can only end poorly. Ahem.

Audiencemancer
Hi there! What's up? My name's Gertrude, I'm a Griffin, pleased to meet you, I'd ask you for your name, but you can't answer me back. Which is a real big shame, you know? Anyway, every once in a while some guy or gal figures out about the fourth wall and most go, well, a little crazy. But even more occasionally you get someone like me, who can accept their lot in life and even begin to enjoy it a little bit. And if that somebody also just so happens to be REALLY clever...well, that's where things get a little interesting, you dig me?

Followers of the path of the Audiencemancer include Deadpool, and surprisingly enough NOT Pinkie Pie. Which, if anything, makes the things she does even creepier. Princess Celestia is one, though! Just make sure to keep that last part a secret, okay?

OH! As a side note, your PH may not be the kind that likes characters breaking the fourth wall, so make sure you get their okay before choosing this destiny, alright?

The powers of the Audiencemancer include:
Mind Shuffle, Mind Swap, Mind Bending Shenanigans [Session]
The first step between a being aware of the fourth wall and utilizing it is making your player aware of your existence. The second is earning that player's trust. That's when you can start switching bodies! For the next five minutes you may use all out-of-game knowledge in-game without incurring any penalties. In addition, any out-of-game knowledge you discuss with your fellow players and the PH may be permanently used in-game without any penalties incurred.

Friends on the Other Side* [Session]
Just because someone is on a different and slightly more "real" plane of existence than you is no reason to not be their friend! Your next X skill checks are considered automatic successes, where X is equal to the number of people currently playing in the session, including yourself and the PH.

Hey, Characters have Headcanons Too![Session] Interrupt: The PH says something you don't like.
Just as any player may argue for or against something in particular happening, so may a character with access to the PH's ear. Roll a Persuasion check against a DC of 20, with +1 bonus for every session you've gone in a row without using this power. If you are successful, the last sentence the PH said is nullified and replaced with a random effect from the Tons of Fun Table. The PH may not attempt to say the sentence again, or any equivalent sentences, for the next twenty minutes.

*I know someone is trying to get something named the same thing into utility talents. Unfortunately for that person, I think the name fits my thing better than theirs (Death itself warns you someone will be dying soon). Still, I cannot claim to be the final authority on such matters, so we shall leave things to all you reading this.

Anyone ever gonna respond if my newest version of Green Pony is acceptable or not?

@Proc: A Good Man Goes to War....that seems kinda...arbitrary in both effect, as the two effects don't really make a lot of sense to tie together, and it doesn't particularly fit the theme. Also there's another Destiny all about intimidating people.

Wordsmith: I think you should be a little less specific about it being writing. It could easily apply to other word-based art forms like poetry or bardic song.

The Right Word: Well Stairc already says he wasn't greatly in favor of just numbers bonuses. "If you already had Freaky Knowledge: Writing and/or Freaky Knowledge: Speeches" the problem with this is that people can re-work their Utilities every time they gain a level so, you'd basically just be forcing them to make the choice to have it if they didn't. I also personally dislike forcing people to choose X thing to get Y benefit. It should just give the benefits it gives independent of other choices.

Not sure how I feel about Conjure this Intrepid Fantasyscape. Seems like you could do something that fits the destiny's theme better than teleporting.

Audiencemancer
Mind Shuffle, Mind Swap, Mind Bending Shenanigans: I don't really see much difference from Fracture the Fourth Wall.

Friends on the Other Side: That's.....um.... well. *shrug* I can see it both as fair or overpowered depending on perspective. I'm not really sure I like things that are better/worse depending on the number of real people involved. As far as naming rights....as far as I'm concerned first thing to have a name for something keeps that name until the creator/stairc says otherwise.

Hey, Characters have Headcanons Too!: Actually a really neat idea but, 20 is really low for a DC at 10th level. You might as well not have a DC at all. Which would in fact be totally fine I think. You might want to provide an out for the PH that's still a major benefit for the players in case the thing that player is trying to replace is vitally important to the plots' ability to function.

Is it just me, or does Jason Shadow's "The Dreaded" seem like it shouldn't be something suitable for player-characters to get? The abilities look cool, but the concept just seems like the antithesis of pony harmony - and if the players' ultimate goal is to bring about harmony, how does "The Dreaded" fit into that eqaution?

In other words, can the players bring about harmony with an iron hoof?

BTW: I also personally think this thread is getting to be overwhelming with so many different concepts all jam-packed together. Any chance we could split these up into a couple different threads or something, because I'm losing track of what's been done already.

Demonu wrote:So here's my take on the Detective destiny. This one operates on the notion that Perception can be used to gather information with all 5 senses, rather than just seeing or hearing.

Amateur sleuth
Your travels and adventures have vastly improved your perception and deducting skills and you start noticing things you would have previously overlooked. You receive a permanent +5 bonus to Perception.

Elementary, my dear - 3/day
Your senses and mind work together like a well oiled machine, allowing you to perceive and deduce things others couln't even think of. Three times a day, you can treat a Perception check as a natural 20 and deduce something extra. For instance, where your friends see a Diamond Dog Soldier guarding an entrance, you see that this particular Diamond Dog Soldier is on his second shift of guard duty, that the signs of fatigue indicate that he's getting drowsy so you need to pass a 30 DC to sneak past him and that, going by the dirt on his paws, his fatigue is caused by staying up late drinking with his buddies on the outskirts of the forest.

Equestria's Greatest Detective
Your mind and logic has become the stuff of legends, to the point there are ponies out there thinking of writing comics and books about you. You frequently get asked for advice by important people and you've become well read in many fields of study. Increase the Perception bonus from +5 to +7, gain a +3 bonus to Persuasion and Streetsmarts and you may take the Freaky Knowledge utility talent twice (each Freaky Knowledge subject must be different)


It's merely a rough draft and still subject to change but I want to hear some feedback before I change something.

I also got some other ideas but those are still on the metaphorical drawing table, as it were.

I'm thinking one of the advancements could maybe be something that allowed you to reroll a number of Perception checks per day. Maybe it could be called, "That Makes Me Wonder..."

Maybe one advancement could also allow you to call in a CSI-style crime lab unit, with all the associated equipment? Not sure what kind of a bonus that would give...

Perhaps one other advancement could be something similar to "Twitchy Tail" where you force the GM to give up some kind of connection between a crime and an item/person? Not sure.

Was there really a need to double post?

As far as the Dreaded goes....just because you can't see how it'd apply in a normal pony game doesn't mean it can't. Also I'm sure there will be plenty of campaigns that really don't have anything to do with the concept of harmony at all. Can't really write off evil campaigns or other settings just because our version of XP has a certain name.

XandZero2 wrote:Is it just me, or does Jason Shadow's "The Dreaded" seem like it shouldn't be something suitable for player-characters to get? The abilities look cool, but the concept just seems like the antithesis of pony harmony - and if the players' ultimate goal is to bring about harmony, how does "The Dreaded" fit into that eqaution?

In traditional folklore, gargoyles were used to frighten away evil spirits. A "Harmonious" version of The Dreaded would fill a similar role - its very presence would either keep the very worst monsters and villains away from Equestria, or draw the attention of said creatures to itself - and away from innocent bystanders. While The Dreaded might need to lurk in the shadows to keep from frightening those that they protect, that doesn't mean that they don't contribute to Harmony in their own way - after all, the Justice League just wouldn't be the same without Batman.

Ramsus wrote:Was there really a need to double post?

As far as the Dreaded goes....just because you can't see how it'd apply in a normal pony game doesn't mean it can't. Also I'm sure there will be plenty of campaigns that really don't have anything to do with the concept of harmony at all. Can't really write off evil campaigns or other settings just because our version of XP has a certain name.

I doubt that Pony Tales lends itself well for evil campaigns...

@ Xandzero:

I'm mulling over the Detective destiny and given the other comments (mostly that Stairc doesn't like flat bonuses for destinies), I believe I have some other ideas to try out

Detective

Forensic Lab
Having grown enthusiastic about the idea, you fancy yourself the greatest detective in the world and have thusly upgraded your "My First Forensic Laboratory" to something worthy of a mind such as yourself. This lab is located in a permanent location (such as your house or work or something) and you can investigate objects in it. When you do so, you gain a +5 bonus to Perception and on a succes (DC set at DM's choice), you can figure out what said item really is and what it really does.

Eureka! 3/session
Hold on to your hat because you're just about to be BRILLIANT! Once you've collect enough evidence and formulated your theory, you may present it to your DM to see if you're correct or not.
Sample theory: with Forensic Lab, you discovered that the feather you found on the train is actually a piece of insectoid material. Thusly, you deduce that the conductor is actually a changeling and the train is taking you to the changeling hive.
When presented to the DM, you receive various rewards on how correct your theory is:
- spot on: your next 3 skill rolls related to your theory or that occur due to your theory are automatic successes.
- half right: you get a +3 bonus to Horse Sense when you used those skills to further correct your theory. These bonuses last until you present your theory anew or until the session ends.
- wrong: too bad, it seems that it wasn't Colonel Mustard in the dining room with the knife as you thought. No bonuses

Great Detective
You're not omniscient but there's very little you can't figure out. You receive 2 Freaky Knowledges of the subjects of your choice and Twitchy Tail for 3/gaming session (if you already have Twitchy Tail, increase the use of it by 1)


I'm still not sure about the last one. The original idea gave you a choice between Twitchy Tail and Fracture the Fourth Wall but for characters who already have those, that would be meaningless (so still working on it) But the first 2 seems appropriate, flavourful and have a clear interaction with each other. Feedback would be, as always, appreciated.

Draft of the Dragon Rider.


Dragon Rider
Dragon Friend
You befriend an ancient and powerful dragon. The dragon remains in its lair except in the most extenuating circumstances but will accept your company and will discuss matters briefly with you. Your scaly friend is extremely knowledgable about the history of the world, and possibly other subjects too. Your dragon friend will answer up to three of your questions each day, though if it finds a question offensive or otherwise unfriendly it may choose to decline answering.

Dragon Treasure
Your dragon friend has taken quite the liking to you, so much so that he has decided to give you a truly wondrous gift from his hoard. The treasure is one of the following magical items (you may also determine an additional treasure at DM discretion).

Dragon Treasures:

Dragon Rider
The friendship between you and your dragon has grown as mighty as the mountains these glorious creatures call home. Your dragon friend will gladly leave its lair behind to accompany you as a faithful friend and companion. The dragon can carry you and up to ten others through the sky with ease and any attempt you make to intimidate others gains a +15 bonus when your targets can see or hear your dragon. Most dragon friends only fight in combat if their friend’s life is in peril, though your relationship with the creature may well lead to special circumstances (at your DM’s discretion, of course).

Demonu wrote:

Ramsus wrote:Was there really a need to double post?

As far as the Dreaded goes....just because you can't see how it'd apply in a normal pony game doesn't mean it can't. Also I'm sure there will be plenty of campaigns that really don't have anything to do with the concept of harmony at all. Can't really write off evil campaigns or other settings just because our version of XP has a certain name.

I doubt that Pony Tales lends itself well for evil campaigns...

@ Xandzero:

I'm mulling over the Detective destiny and given the other comments (mostly that Stairc doesn't like flat bonuses for destinies), I believe I have some other ideas to try out

Detective

Forensic Lab
Having grown enthusiastic about the idea, you fancy yourself the greatest detective in the world and have thusly upgraded your "My First Forensic Laboratory" to something worthy of a mind such as yourself. This lab is located in a permanent location (such as your house or work or something) and you can investigate objects in it. When you do so, you gain a +5 bonus to Perception and on a succes (DC set at DM's choice), you can figure out what said item really is and what it really does.

Eureka! 3/session
Hold on to your hat because you're just about to be BRILLIANT! Once you've collect enough evidence and formulated your theory, you may present it to your DM to see if you're correct or not.
Sample theory: with Forensic Lab, you discovered that the feather you found on the train is actually a piece of insectoid material. Thusly, you deduce that the conductor is actually a changeling and the train is taking you to the changeling hive.
When presented to the DM, you receive various rewards on how correct your theory is:
- spot on: your next 3 skill rolls related to your theory or that occur due to your theory are automatic successes.
- half right: you get a +3 bonus to Horse Sense when you used those skills to further correct your theory. These bonuses last until you present your theory anew or until the session ends.
- wrong: too bad, it seems that it wasn't Colonel Mustard in the dining room with the knife as you thought. No bonuses

Great Detective
You're not omniscient but there's very little you can't figure out. You receive 2 Freaky Knowledges of the subjects of your choice and Twitchy Tail for 3/gaming session (if you already have Twitchy Tail, increase the use of it by 1)


I'm still not sure about the last one. The original idea gave you a choice between Twitchy Tail and Fracture the Fourth Wall but for characters who already have those, that would be meaningless (so still working on it) But the first 2 seems appropriate, flavourful and have a clear interaction with each other. Feedback would be, as always, appreciated.

Now these are some brilliant concepts. Seriously brilliant. The forensics lab is very flavorful and cool. To the Mare Cave! The Eureka idea is absolutely excellent, it's flavorful and awesome - plus creates a compelling and flavorful mini-game... But I have a worry about it I'll get to in a second. Great Detective is kind of meh though, it just gives you a lot of existing skills. Being able to use twitchy tail more times makes a ton of sense, of course, but freaky knowledge feels tacked-on.

About Eureka… I love, love, love the concept. However, I’m not sure that it’s possible to word it in a way that prevents abuse. What abuse? Well, like this.

“I have collected evidence… And my theory is that the sky is blue! Aha, so it is. Spot on! Elementary, my dear Twilight.”

Spoiler:

Technically, that won't be abuse but rather a waste. I mean, what other skill checks could you use that are related or are occuring due to the sky being blue? Perhaps the wording could be changed as to exclude common sense or only to present theories relevant to the adventure/plot/campaign?

And yes, the Great Detective is lackluster. How about this? (being yet another draft of the proto-idea)

Supernatural Detective
Your adventures and travels have honed your skills to the point that you start to perceive the grand scheme behind things on a level that other ponies cannot even comprehend. You gain Twitchy Tail and Fracture the Fourth Wall as utility talents but your mind takes them to a higher limit.
- Twitchy Tail: 3/game session
- Fracture the Fourth Wall: OOC knowledge doesn't vanish from your mind after the 10 minutes are up. Warning, this might cause your character to come off as slightly unhinged but the line between genius and madness is a thin one anyway. And they'll be eating those words when it turns out you were right all along!


Getting this much praise really is a boost to my morale, especially considering I have little to no experience in designing game mechanics, only using/exploiting them ^^

Technically, that won't be abuse but rather a waste. I mean, what other skill checks could you use that are related to the sky being blue?

Yeah, that’s going to create arguments about whether the skill checks are relevant too. Which is something I’d really like to avoid.

And yes, the Great Detective is lackluster. How about this? (being yet another draft of the proto-idea)

Supernatural Detective
Your adventures and travels have honed your skills to the point that you start to perceive the grand scheme behind things on a level that other ponies cannot even comprehend. You gain Twitchy Tail and Fracture the Fourth Wall as utility talents but your mind takes them to a higher limit.
- Twitchy Tail: 3/game session
- Fracture the Fourth Wall: OOC knowledge doesn't vanish from your mind after the 10 minutes are up. Warning, this might cause your character to come off as slightly unhinged but the line between genius and madness is a thin one anyway. And they'll be eating those words when it turns out you were right all along!

This definitely sounds more exciting. I’m tempted to save this Fracture the Fourth Wall idea for a specific fourth-wall-breaking-destiny… But it sure makes a lot of sense here. Definitely captures the idea of a detective that sees things others don’t.

I could definitely polish this concept. In the mean time, we should figure out a way to make Eureka work if it’s possible.

Getting this much praise really is a boost to my morale, especially considering I have little to no experience in designing game mechanics, only using/exploiting them ^^

Glad to hear it. You definitely have some great ideas. =)

Stairc -Dan Felder wrote:You may speak, read and write in the language of dragons.

...Do we have a language system set up?

Jason Shadow wrote:

Stairc -Dan Felder wrote:You may speak, read and write in the language of dragons.

...Do we have a language system set up?

Nope, hence why it doesn't say a specific language like, "Draconic" but rather, "The Language of Dragons". But I'm sure DMs can improvise the idea that there might be different languages. That's more a flavor thing than anything else too.

I dunno about giving Utilities. Isn't the whole point of destinies that they're better than Utilities? It seems sorta bland to just go "better means two of them!"

....and I still haven't gotten any response on the newest model of Green Pony.

Yeah, that’s going to create arguments about whether the skill checks are relevant too. Which is something I’d really like to avoid.

Well, the first thing that comes to mind to change the wording would be:
- spot on: your next 3 skill rolls when dealing with the subject of your theory are automatic successes.

But I guess that could still be abused by, if going with the "The sky is blue" theory, a Pegasus with Weathercraft or something. I'll keep mulling it over to see what comes up.

And if there is a specific Fourth Wall Breaker destiny coming up, I guess Fracture the Fourth Wall would make more sense there than it would here. Definitely need to take a closer look at the final installment.

I dunno about giving Utilities. Isn't the whole point of destinies that they're better than Utilities? It seems sorta bland to just go "better means two of them!"

Being a detective is all about figuring things out. Twitchy Tail and Fracture the Fourth Wall are the best things to do so but they are currently just placeholders until something better comes up. It's the flavour of a detective that needs to be translated into the game (mechanics) which is the difficult part.

Green Pony (the one from the bottom of page 3) is still OP in my opinion for the following reasons:
- breaking the laws of nature
- being able to do so indefinitely, ad infinitum and with permanent results
This power already gives you the power of Storm (of the X-men) who is categorized as a class 5 mutant and a physical god but Green Pony gives you full control over the entire natural world on top of it. You're no Celestia or Luna alright, you're better than them. Raising the sun and the moon pales in comparison to permanently covering an area in light or darkness regardless of the sun and moon and I don't think either of them have the power to summon forth hurricanes, earthquakes, erupting volcanoes or whatever other natural disaster there is out there.

Demonu wrote:
Green Pony (the one from the bottom of page 3) is still OP in my opinion for the following reasons:
- breaking the laws of nature
- being able to do so indefinitely, ad infinitum and with permanent results
This power already gives you the power of Storm (of the X-men) who is categorized as a class 5 mutant and a physical god but Green Pony gives you full control over the entire natural world on top of it. You're no Celestia or Luna alright, you're better than them. Raising the sun and the moon pales in comparison to permanently covering an area in light or darkness regardless of the sun and moon and I don't think either of them have the power to summon forth hurricanes, earthquakes, erupting volcanoes or whatever other natural disaster there is out there.

Also, not sure that growing a forest makes much sense with regard to weathercraft. And yeah, when a player starts getting god-mod powers - it tends to be a negative thing for the game.

Congrats on making Weathercrafting TOO cool for school though! You definitely pulled that off.

Demonu wrote:
Supernatural Detective
Your adventures and travels have honed your skills to the point that you start to perceive the grand scheme behind things on a level that other ponies cannot even comprehend. You gain Twitchy Tail and Fracture the Fourth Wall as utility talents but your mind takes them to a higher limit.
- Twitchy Tail: 3/game session
- Fracture the Fourth Wall: OOC knowledge doesn't vanish from your mind after the 10 minutes are up. Warning, this might cause your character to come off as slightly unhinged but the line between genius and madness is a thin one anyway. And they'll be eating those words when it turns out you were right all along!


Getting this much praise really is a boost to my morale, especially considering I have little to no experience in designing game mechanics, only using/exploiting them ^^

I like the detective stuff so far but this feels almost out of place. Fourth Wall shattering should have its own area which this destiny should probably steer clear of. Here's an idea...

Detective Extraordinaire
Your skills of deduction have placed you at that of a real life Sherclop Holmes, perhaps even greater! A few of your tools of the trade are sure to come in handy during your adventures.

• Whenever you meet a somepony new, make a perception check with a +5 bonus. Depending on how good the check, you can gain various pieces of insight without even asking; everything from simple things like marital status and occupation to covered secrets like hidden intentions and fears.
  
• You've got an eye for clues. Whenever you make a perception check for an area rather than on a specific object, assuming the check succeeded, the DM will have to specifically mention any plot relevant items within it.
  
• And of course, the most important tools of all! You gain a hat and pipe! The hat comes your choice of coloration and style; deerstalker or fedora! While using both of these objects, you can immediately make a second attempt at any Eureka! attempt that was not spot on, without it counting towards your per session total. (Of course, this effect can't be used indefinitely, only one addition attempt per check.)
  

Congrats on making Weathercrafting TOO cool for school though! You definitely pulled that off.

It's thinking outside the box that makes it work. And if people build a new box around it, you'll try to jump out of that one too. Isn't that what all gamers try to do, to see how far they can push the system?

Detective Extraordinaire
Your skills of deduction have placed you at that of a real life Sherclop Holmes, perhaps even greater! A few of your tools of the trade are sure to come in handy during your adventures.
Whenever you meet a somepony new, make a perception check with a +5 bonus. Depending on how good the check, you can gain various pieces of insight without even asking; everything from simple things like marital status and occupation to covered secrets like hidden intentions and fears.
You've got an eye for clues. Whenever you make a perception check for an area rather than on a specific object, assuming the check succeeded, the DM will have to specifically mention any plot relevant items within it.
And of course, the most important tools of all! You gain a hat and pipe! The hat comes your choice of coloration and style; deerstalker or fedora! While using both of these objects, you can immediately make a second attempt at any Eureka! attempt that was not spot on, without it counting towards your per session total. (Of course, this effect can't be used indefinitely, only one addition attempt per check.)

I'm liking those ideas being put forward.

Well, at any rate, the foundations have been laid. Now it's time to start polishing it until it can shine right next to the other destinies.

Here's a quick draft I did with regard to polishing.

Master Detective
Into The Mare-Cave
A great detective needs suitably fantastic forensics laboratory. Through your skill, ingenuity or investment you have managed to craft a laboratory worthy of a mind such as yourself. This lab is set in a permanent location (such as your house, workplace or a secret location). When within the comfort of your laboratory, you may roll twice on skill checks made to investigate objects and take either result. Your forensics laboratory also hosts a significant criminal library, which allows you to roll twice on skill checks made to identify people or objects and their associated histories (such as recognizing a stranger and determining their reputation, or identifying the history surrounding a stolen painting).

Elementary, My Dear Trotson
Puzzles and mysteries that hopelessly perplex ordinary intellects melt away in the face of your genius. You gain the following talent.

Eliminating the Impossible:

Lie To Me
Your insight into the tangled web of duplicity allows you to pull crucial information from even the most seemingly minor details. Your inspiration often makes you seem slightly mad to others, though they quickly learn to rely on your prescience when your conclusions prove correct over and over again. You can always know when someone is deliberately lying to you and you may always use out-of-character knowledge as if it were in-character knowledge.

Eliminating the Impossible – 1/Session
You may ask a question and indicate three possible answers to it. The DM must indicate which of these three possible answers that you have indicated most accurately answers your question. For example, you may ask the question, “Who ate the cake? Was it the Butcher, the Baker or the Candle-Stick maker?” The DM then indicates the most accurate of these answers or, if none of the above individuals ate the cake, informs you that the answer is, “None of the above”.

Sounds neat but this also leaves room for grey areas. What if 2 or all 3 answers are right? Or what if the Baker had an accomplice who also ate from the cake? Technically, that would make the Baker a correct answer but only half the truth would be revealed.

Also, the 3 answers criterium narrows down a lot of questions or you have to be creative with them (resulting in weird questions with weirder answers)
The question can also be used to essentially predict the future. For instance: If we go into the next room, what will happen out of these 3?
- we walk into an ambush
- there is nothing of value to be gained from going into the room
- we find the Macguffin

I know it's supposed to be used in context with an appropriate usage but that's not going to prevent players from using it as a Twitchy Tail with a different build.


The other 2 abilities are pretty much perfect for my taste.

Tycoon
Nose For Gold
Like any true adventurer, you value one thing above all else: loot. As such, you have gradually developed a "sixth sense" specially attuned to anything of worth. You automatically detect any and all valuable and/or magical items within 50 feet of you, whether they are hidden or not. Additionally, you can determine the exact monetary value of any such item.

Deep Pockets
Whether it's a satchel, backpack, or even just a burlap sack, your bag is deceptively spacious. You gain a special bag which opens up to an extradimensional space. This space can hold up to 500 cubic feet of nonliving material. Additionally, if any item taken from your bag leaves your possesion without your consent, then it reappears in your bag 1d4 hours later.

A Little Place to Call My Own
You've saved a coin here and a coin there, and have finally amassed enough to buy your own private island. This island does not show up on any map. Select one of the two types of islands below:

Island:

I'm not sure why you guys think it's that bad. It's not like the Weather Weaver doesn't likely lose in any confrontation with Dragon for a pet guy or Mr. Scary. Can't hide from the Detective either. And it's not like they can really kill people with it. It's a 10 mile area in 3 hours. If you can't get out of there in time, you wouldn't if you had a day. And even if they did the Immortal Healing Machine could just bring back anyone who managed to die by sitting around and going "no, I refuse to leave my front porch despite the clearly imminent flood!" And of course the Shield could just flat out block it (I can't imagine a PH ruling otherwise) while simultaneously defending the city from an invasion. At the most damaging it's confusing, a good defense, threat, or does a lot of property damage. The Dragon pet can be all of those things and kill a lot of people all at the same time (I guess people would stop being confused after a while).

No idea where you got the idea it was permanent either. The only way it's permanent is if the Weather Weaver dies and the GM says "you know what? I like that. It stays."

As for being more powerful than Celestia or Luna....lol! Yeah, controlling a 10 mile area is stronger than controlling day or night for an entire world. As far as we know Celestia can just choose to turn the sun up to 11 and burn everyone to cinders. Even if not, she's an alicorn and I would be shocked if she couldn't conjure up a badass magical or weather effect capable of leveling cities if she really wanted to.

Sounds neat but this also leaves room for grey areas. What if 2 or all 3 answers are right? Or what if the Baker had an accomplice who also ate from the cake? Technically, that would make the Baker a correct answer but only half the truth would be revealed.

That leaves room for ingenuity in interpreting the clue, just as with Twitchy Tail. However, if multiple answers are correct – both should definitely be identified. Good thinking, I’ll add that in.

[quote[Also, the 3 answers criterium narrows down a lot of questions or you have to be creative with them[/quote]

Since it’s a meaningful tool either way, I’m pretty sure this is fine. Also, I like encouraging player creativity. The fact they have to think about using this feature makes me like it more.

The question can also be used to essentially predict the future. For instance: If we go into the next room, what will happen out of these 3?
- we walk into an ambush
- there is nothing of value to be gained from going into the room
- we find the Macguffin

Yep! There’s lots of cool precedence with regard to detectives or rangers predicting events that are about to happen (“It’s quiet… Too quiet… The trail is trampled down. Be ready for an ambush.”)

The other 2 abilities are pretty much perfect for my taste.

Excellent.

Jason Shadow wrote:Tycoon
Nose For Gold
Like any true adventurer, you value one thing above all else: loot. As such, you have gradually developed a "sixth sense" specially attuned to anything of worth. You automatically detect any and all valuable and/or magical items within 50 feet of you, whether they are hidden or not. Additionally, you can determine the exact monetary value of any such item.

Deep Pockets
Whether it's a satchel, backpack, or even just a burlap sack, your bag is deceptively spacious. You gain a special bag which opens up to an extradimensional space. This space can hold up to 500 cubic feet of nonliving material. Additionally, if any item taken from your bag leaves your possesion without your consent, then it reappears in your bag 1d4 hours later.

A Little Place to Call My Own
You've saved a coin here and a coin there, and have finally amassed enough to buy your own private island. This island does not show up on any map. Select one of the two types of islands below:

Island:

This is very cool. The last features might make great boons rather than destiny features though, as they seem more fluffy and roleplay oriented than specific benefits. But hey, I wouldn't mind my own private island!