Re: New Expansions - New Content - Post your favorites here

ZamuelNow Thu Aug 29, 2013 1:20 pm

I think that size is something that may not need a full mechanic but it does need to be defined. Coming from another system with superheroes (Mutants & Masterminds 3rd ed, for those curious), I'm a little more used to size being more important. Then again, that's due to sheer size differences available. While less important here, we do have utilities/destinies that explicitly mention size. Main importance comes from fitting in smaller areas and carrying capacity. Not weight but object size since I'm sure Big McIntosh is a little stronger than Celestia but being larger allows her better balance (ignoring using TK to circumvent that entirely). The few utilities that mention size seem to have great enough variance to be noteworthy. Medium seems to be most of the cast ranging from the foals and Spike up to the princesses and maybe Iron Will. Humans would fit here as well. Small mentions creatures that are essentially house pets. Large mentions a bear.

As far as P.O.U.S., a lot of the problem is that it's ill defined. It seems way too easy to game the +5 bonus and most average size variance isn't that big of a deal to most games. I think the two ways to handle such an ability are a non cost static racial or a variable shape changing utility:

Racial - P.O.U.S.:

A zero point racial is a bit of an odd yet interesting concept since you are explicitly stating you have something, yet the cost is wholly plot and concept as opposed to a point based cost. It probably comes from the way my thoughts are on the Genetic Engineering document.

Utility Talent - Shapeshifting category - P.O.U.S.:

Strays a fair bit farther from the Princess Bride reference and thus potentially needs a rename but offers mechanical uses by shifting between various sizes for varied situations. Besides, the Shapeshifting category needs more options than the super limiting 1/Day things it currently has.

Zarhon Thu Aug 29, 2013 2:13 pm

Could also have it that when you increase your size, it also ramps up the objects you can manipulate with utilities and such by a "size category.

For instance, a "large" creature with P.O.U.S. might be able to affect stuff that's in the "medium size" category (with Inkbound Item or Rune of Return, for instance).

This would probably need some balancing for anything that uses the "small" wording, though.

Fury of the Tempest Thu Aug 29, 2013 2:13 pm

That's just making things overly complicated.

Ramsus Thu Aug 29, 2013 2:14 pm

I don't see the point in the zero point racial, someone could gain the information your character is large or small by just reading the character bio. On the other hand, a shapeshifting thing that allows you to change size would be neat I guess. It'd go well with A Thousand Faces for sure.

I have no problem with us actually defining sizes though. As long as those definitions don't have anything to do with telling people what their character can and cannot do.

Edit: I find myself agreeing with Fury, Zarhon, your idea would just overly complicate things that are best probably as is.

ZamuelNow Thu Aug 29, 2013 2:36 pm

Ramsus wrote:As long as those definitions don't have anything to do with telling people what their character can and cannot do.

Some of that is going to be needed by default though. "And then the bear managed to squeeze through the mousehole." Sure, that's an incredibly loaded example but it's the type of restriction that makes sense. I can understand not using actual stats since someone strong or threatening can still be smaller in stature while someone nimble can still be large but some restrictions when well reasoned are good things.

Ramsus Thu Aug 29, 2013 2:46 pm

I think that's just basic common sense. Do things like that need to be specified? Because the more you go into specifying something like this, the greater the risk of making a character concept unviable. A note to GMs and players that they should keep in mind things the characters size doesn't allow them to do would be sufficient I think.

**Stairc -Dan Felder** Thu Aug 29, 2013 2:51 pm

Why not solve both problems at once? Have a section in the player's handbook that talks sizes and tells players the average size they are - as well as making it clear that they have freedom to be significantly larger or smaller than average so long as it doesn't lead to a mechanical effect.

Fury of the Tempest Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:25 am

Very small expansion...

Mastery of Form
Prerequisite: A 'Form of the X Talent
When this talent is selected, you choose a specific Form of the X Talent. That Talent can now be used up to 3 times a day. This talent can be taken more than once, with each additional talent being applied to a different Form of the X talents.

A1C Bronymous Sat Aug 31, 2013 1:04 pm

Resubmitting these traits, because we were definitely getting somewhere with them.

Bronymous wrote:
Multiclass- Trait
Select 8 different combat talents as a Secondary combat Talent Pool (9 if you have Dangerously Talented). Whenever you roll initiative, you may select either your Primary or Secondary Talent Pool to choose what talents you bring into battle.

Prestige Class- Trait
Prerequisite: Multiclass
Once per battle you may spend a minor action to switch to either your Primary or Secondary combat Talent Pool (whichever you did not bring into battle, reselecting your combat talents).

Alternative Submission- the two as a single trait:

Multiclass:

Zarhon Sat Aug 31, 2013 6:04 pm

Here's my suggestions for this week!

First off, something for the Changelings, insectoid races, and other creatures that use pheromones...

Pheromones - Racial:

As far as the cost of this racial goes... No idea. Best guess would be either:
1) Price the pheromones themselves per effect, making the actual ability cost (0), and each pheromone costs varies (1-3, or something)
2) Have the initial pheromones racial cost a bunch (2-4), and subsequent extra pheromones are a cheap, stand-alone "upgrade racial".
3) Have pheromones cost cheap (1) and you can pick it repeatedly to get the other effects (full 8 points to get all the pheromones).

And secondly, something to assist both ongoing damage builds, AOE builds, as well as builds that require save-ends conditions.

Arc Slash - Combat Talent:

The combat talents could use a bunch of AOE attacks, or cheap AOE save-ends effects.

ZamuelNow Sat Aug 31, 2013 8:54 pm

First suggestion for the new week. Offered up two variations, one with the typical extra training and another with a condensed number of racials but a more properly flavored option. Couldn't come up with good flavor text for them but not all have that anyways since Changelings don't have flavor text.

Race - Diamond Dogs - Variant A:

Race - Diamond Dogs - Variant B:

ZamuelNow Mon Sep 02, 2013 6:40 pm

Second submission of the week:

Utility Talent - If You Want Something Done Right...:

Not sure if it needs a limited number of times per day but I doubt it. Theoretically, you should only be able to do one assist per ally's roll so this would only be so usable.

sunbeam Mon Sep 02, 2013 7:20 pm

It needs a x/day limit because as it is, it's equivalent to "all whenever an ally you are capable of assisting makes a skill check, they may roll twice and use the higher result."

ZamuelNow Mon Sep 02, 2013 7:34 pm

Fair enough. Also goes back to the concept of players making meaningful choices instead of spamming rolls.

Utility Talent - If You Want Something Done Right... - version 2:

A1C Bronymous Mon Sep 02, 2013 7:38 pm

Its a good thought, but a lot of DMs already homerule having the highest roll be the attempt and others be the assists. Might not be a bad idea to have it be a definite thing within the system though.

Hayatecooper Mon Sep 02, 2013 9:35 pm

My Submissions for the week.

Split Personality:

(For this in terms of things like Derp, I'm making the assumption that MP's and things like that are based as a number on the sheet. So if A has Derp and B doesn't, only A gets access to the extra MP's cause B doesn't know about it or how to activate the item or whatever you flavored derp as. Essentially treat the sheets as completely separate characters, they don't share Magic points, Talent Spec points, Utilities or Combat Talents. On another note, in 99% of cases, Racials should be shared across sheets as well, unless you have a reallllllly good reason not to, again Changelings are about the only plausible reason for not doing it.)

Helpful Psychosis:

Zarhon Tue Sep 03, 2013 2:23 am

Hayatecooper wrote:My Submissions for the week.

Split Personality:

(For this in terms of things like Derp, I'm making the assumption that MP's and things like that are based as a number on the sheet. So if A has Derp and B doesn't, only A gets access to the extra MP's cause B doesn't know about it or how to activate the item or whatever you flavored derp as. Essentially treat the sheets as completely separate characters, they don't share Magic points, Talent Spec points, Utilities or Combat Talents. On another note, in 99% of cases, Racials should be shared across sheets as well, unless you have a reallllllly good reason not to, again Changelings are about the only plausible reason for not doing it.)

Helpful Psychosis:

What about combat talents and combat traits? Do the separate personalities fight differently as well? That might complicate things more than a little, especially if one of the personalities holds an important role (like tank or healer), or works by cooperating with teammates (gasp!).

**Kindulas** Tue Sep 03, 2013 7:03 pm

Hayatecooper wrote:My Submissions for the week.

Split Personality:

(For this in terms of things like Derp, I'm making the assumption that MP's and things like that are based as a number on the sheet. So if A has Derp and B doesn't, only A gets access to the extra MP's cause B doesn't know about it or how to activate the item or whatever you flavored derp as. Essentially treat the sheets as completely separate characters, they don't share Magic points, Talent Spec points, Utilities or Combat Talents. On another note, in 99% of cases, Racials should be shared across sheets as well, unless you have a reallllllly good reason not to, again Changelings are about the only plausible reason for not doing it.)

Helpful Psychosis:

This is hilarious, but it really doesn't seem like something we should have as on official piece of content. A split-personality character is more like something you'd work out with the DM, I think.

A1C Bronymous Tue Sep 03, 2013 7:11 pm

Kindulas wrote:
This is hilarious, but it really doesn't seem like something we should have as on official piece of content. A split-personality character is more like something you'd work out with the DM, I think.

Which he did, lol. His character isn't using them, it just has that setup in place. He made "official" options and I told him to go post them.

ZamuelNow Wed Sep 04, 2013 12:03 pm

Updated my entry due to the Scent Tracker change. Added brief flavor text as well.

Race - Diamond Dogs - Variant C:

**Kindulas** Wed Sep 04, 2013 8:39 pm

Given that there's no new GE content here, I'd be fine adding the race to the doc without counting as an expansion submission.

On which note, do we have the materials to make crystal ponies a race layout?

Xel Unknown Wed Sep 04, 2013 8:43 pm

Yes, yes we do...

Another thing that Zamel has made...

Xel Unknown Thu Sep 05, 2013 1:01 pm

Two interesting suggestions that where where requested for me to suggestion... Because I do like them, and I can't think of anything to seggest of my own for this week, here is my adds to the pot:

[-5] Metronome Wave- Standard Utility [Created by Bronymous]
Use at random one of the Combat Talents you brought into battle. Random ally gains pips equal to the pip cost of that move.

[-3] Tag Team- Standard Utility [Created by Bronymous]
Select and use a [-] cost Combat Talent that an ally has brought into battle. You and that ally both pay half of the pip cost to use it. [*]
*If the cost is an odd number, you pay the higher half. eg: [-9] talent, you pay 5, ally pays 4

A1C Bronymous Thu Sep 05, 2013 1:31 pm

I realize the first one is probably no good as is. One suggestion to help is that its a random creature that gets the pips instead of a random ally, so you have the risk of feeding pips to a bad guy. Also maybe put a limit on pip costs of the random talent used, but that makes it not random anymore.

EDIT: Or we could try this.
[-7] Metronome Wave- Standard Utility
Use at random a combat talent you possess, whether you brought it in to battle or not, paying half the pip cost/gain. Random enemy gains pips equal to the absolute value of the pip cost/gain. [*]
Absolute value, if you haven't had a math class recently, means the value of the number from zero. So whether its a [-5] cost or a [+5] gain, the enemy gains 5 pips.

ZamuelNow Thu Sep 05, 2013 3:43 pm

Well, since one of mine isn't being subtracted against my weekly total, I'll add this. While not a fan of most time travel stories, this could prove interesting for some campaigns. Don't know whether it's better as a utility talent or a 1 point racial since its a passive.

Time Sensitive:

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