Ideas for new Traits

Wow! I hadn't been watching this topic or something, because these are some great ideas! I'll be including several in the initial level-up beta for certain.

Fun Has Been Doubled - 2/Battle
When summoning a conjuration, you can choose to instead summon two of that type of conjuration, both of which have half the normal value of hit points (rounded up). When either one of them is destroyed, the other vanishes as well.

Faithful Ally
Conjurations no longer have to save against vanishing while you are knocked unconscious.

Persistent Ally
Conjurations that vanished due to you being unconscious return when you regain consciousness and get a free turn.

Cutscene Immunity
Conjurations cannot be harmed or targeted by enemies on their first round after being summoned.

Hat Trick - 1/Battle
When you trigger a special move with one of your -PiP abilities, you can instead choose to repeat the move that triggered it at no PiP cost.

Objection! - 1/Battle
You can "lock up" an enemies ability after its been used, preventing its use by that enemy:
- If it is a [-X] PiP ability, they must spend its X PiP cost once (skipping that turn) to be able to use it again.
- If it is a [+X] PiP ability, the enemy can still use it to gain its PiP value, but it has no other effects. This lasts three turns.
- If the ability has no PiP cost, is a trigger, or other non-trait ability, it does nothing for its next three uses/triggers/activations.

Healthy
You gain an extra 2 healing from Regeneration effects, and suffer 1 less damage from any ongoing damage effects.

Bully's Bane
You deal 1 damage to an enemy for each ally they damage on their turn without hurting you, or 2 damage for inflicting an ongoing damage effect to an ally.

Foresight - 3/Battle
Ask the DM to tell you one of the following, or pay 1 PiP and have both told:
- Which attack an enemy will use on its next turn (explaining its effects)
- Who it will target on its next turn (DM cannot deviate from this choice later). If the attack is randomly targeted, you get to choose who it targets

Nice Hat
You begin each battle with 1 additional PiP.

Keen Eye
When you are blinded, you flip two coins instead of one to check if you hit. You only miss if you guess wrong on both.

Harmless-Lookin'
Enemies cannot target you with their attacks by any means (including attacks which damage everypony, which you take no damage from) until you first deal damage in that battle OR until three full rounds have passed, whichever comes first.

You Guys Go on Ahead!
You take a permanent -2 penalty to your initiative. When you are present at the beginning of a battle, all your allies gain a +3 to their initiative.

Enduring Spirit
Once per battle, if your HP drops to or below zero by ongoing damage or you are knocked unconscious while stunned you instantly gain 1d10 HP + 1d4 temporary HP. If you are knocked out by ongoing damage while stunned, you automatically gain 30 HP + 5 temporary HP.

AProcrastinatingWriter wrote:Nice Hat
You begin each battle with 1 additional PiP.

Keen Eye
When you are blinded and lose a coin flip to see if your attack hits (besides a coin flip brought about as a result of this Trait), you may flip a second time and make a second guess. If you guess correctly on the second flip, the attack hits.

Harmless-Lookin'
Enemies cannot target you with their attacks by any means (including attacks which damage everypony, which you take no damage from) until you first deal damage in that battle OR until three full rounds have passed, whichever comes first.

You Guys Go on Ahead!
You take a permanent -2 penalty to your initiative. When you are present at the beginning of a battle, all your allies gain a +3 to their initiative.

Enduring Spirit
If you are knocked unconscious by a save ends effect you instantly gain 1d10 HP + 1d4 temporary HP.

Keen Eye - Description is wonky. "You don't miss whilst blinded unless you lose two coin flips." is much smoother and simpler to understand.

Hamless-Lookin' - Outright broken. When combined with Perfect Focus (+12 PiPs at zero risk since you can't be damaged, in 3 turns, for a total of 16!), or with heal-oriented / conjuration summoning combat builds, or abilities that don't deal direct damage. And what if everypony has this in a battle? They can just build PiPs for three rounds whilst their opponents fiddle with their thumbs!

Enduring spirit - The only "save ends" effect that can knock you out is ongoing damage. Don't you mean "whilst suffering from" such effects?

Zarhon wrote:Don't you mean "whilst suffering from" such effects?

Everything else I agree with, but this...

...no. No I do not. What I should have said is "If you are knocked out by ongoing damage".

AProcrastinatingWriter wrote:

Zarhon wrote:Don't you mean "whilst suffering from" such effects?

Everything else I agree with, but this...

...no. No I do not. What I should have said is "If you are knocked out by ongoing damage".

Hmmm. On one hand, that is rather broken for monsters that rely on ongoing damage to beat down players, as you become immune to getting KO'd that way (since you just heal up again). On the other hoof, ongoing damage probably isn't very common and is usually low in value, which might lead to the trait never triggering unless you get REALLY lucky or the DM is good enough to supply encounters that the trait is useful for. Perhaps limiting the amount of times it can trigger, but adding extra conditions that can trigger it? A stun, for example (fits the name)?

Zarhon wrote:Fun Has Been Doubled - 2/Battle
When summoning a conjuration, you can choose to instead summon two of that type of conjuration, both of which have half the normal value of hit points (rounded up). When either one of them is destroyed, the other vanishes as well.

Doesn't the Spectral Warden only have 1 HP anyway? So two of them having half the normal value (rounded up) gives you two with 1 HP each, and two allies who are completely immune to enemy attack.

Philadelphus wrote:

Zarhon wrote:Fun Has Been Doubled - 2/Battle
When summoning a conjuration, you can choose to instead summon two of that type of conjuration, both of which have half the normal value of hit points (rounded up). When either one of them is destroyed, the other vanishes as well.

Doesn't the Spectral Warden only have 1 HP anyway? So two of them having half the normal value (rounded up) gives you two with 1 HP each, and two allies who are completely immune to enemy attack.

Yeah, that's why I added the "rounded up" bit, otherwise any conjuration with 1 hp couldn't use it. Since there are two of them, they are actually statistically more likely to get "hit" by an enemy attack (especially with "adjacent" hitting abilities) than just one of them would be. That, plus the fact they both die at once, balances it out. If the enemy has a turn right after yours, they just need to attack any one of them with anything and the protection fades on both allies.

Pointy - Attacking an opponent
When attacking an opponent, flip a coin. If heads, the opponent receives a wound that drains one HP per turn. Save-Ends

Cardbo wrote:Pointy - Attacking an opponent
When attacking an opponent, flip a coin. If heads, the opponent receives a wound that drains one HP per turn. Save-Ends

"If heads, target suffers 1 ongoing damage (save ends)"? Using system verbage.

Bronymous wrote:

Cardbo wrote:Pointy - Attacking an opponent
When attacking an opponent, flip a coin. If heads, the opponent receives a wound that drains one HP per turn. Save-Ends

"If heads, target suffers 1 ongoing damage (save ends)"? Using system verbage.

Unless it's like Final Fantasy, and draining gives you the life the enemy loses.

SilentBelle wrote:

Bronymous wrote:

Cardbo wrote:Pointy - Attacking an opponent
When attacking an opponent, flip a coin. If heads, the opponent receives a wound that drains one HP per turn. Save-Ends

"If heads, target suffers 1 ongoing damage (save ends)"? Using system verbage.

Unless it's like Final Fantasy, and draining gives you the life the enemy loses.

Hmm. Then it needs clarification, especially in relation to its name.

Pointy - Attacking an opponent
When attacking an opponent, flip a coin. If heads, the opponent receives a wound that causes it to lose one HP per turn. Save-Ends

.
So drain would the wrong word for it. Basically where I'm going with this is that attacks making use of the above trait have the chance of inflicting a save-ends status effect. Now why would you do that?

[-3] Despair
Deal 2d12 to all enemies with save-ends effects.

And while we're on that subject, I'll toss off another trait.

Malicious
Any saves made to throw off effects caused by you are made at a -3.

Cardbo wrote:

Pointy - Attacking an opponent
When attacking an opponent, flip a coin. If heads, the opponent receives a wound that causes it to lose one HP per turn. Save-Ends

.
So drain would the wrong word for it. Basically where I'm going with this is that attacks making use of the above trait have the chance of inflicting a save-ends status effect. Now why would you do that?

[-3] Despair
Deal 2d12 to all enemies with save-ends effects.

And while we're on that subject, I'll toss off another trait.

Malicious
Any saves made to throw off effects caused by you are made at a -3.

So...."If heads, target suffers 1 ongoing damage (save ends)" is what we're going for.

Bronymous wrote:


So...."If heads, target suffers 1 ongoing damage (save ends)" is what we're going for.

Yes.

Pointy - Attacking an opponent
When attacking an opponent, flip a coin. If heads, target suffers 1 ongoing damage (save ends)

Cardbo wrote:

Malicious
Any saves made to throw off effects caused by you are made at a -3.

Just popping in to say that I really like Malicious. Nice and flavorful as well as useful.

The Warrior of Many Faces wrote:

Cardbo wrote:

Malicious
Any saves made to throw off effects caused by you are made at a -3.

Just popping in to say that I really like Malicious. Nice and flavorful as well as useful.

Seems like a later tier trait to me. I really like it. A constant -3 to saving throws is really darn good for a debuffer. Maybe it would need some prerequisites first.

SilentBelle wrote:

The Warrior of Many Faces wrote:

Cardbo wrote:

Malicious
Any saves made to throw off effects caused by you are made at a -3.

Just popping in to say that I really like Malicious. Nice and flavorful as well as useful.

Seems like a later tier trait to me. I really like it. A constant -3 to saving throws is really darn good for a debuffer. Maybe it would need some prerequisites first.

There aren't really any good Sapper traits. I wouldn't mind making Pointy a pre-requisite to Malicious, though.

Hmmm, Sapper traits you say? How about adding some riders?

Enervating Poison
Whenever you inflict a save-ends condition via a talent, you may also inflict vulnerability 1 for the duration of the original condition. If the condition was a vulnerability effect, instead increase its magnitude by 1.
(Same structure works with ongoing damage 1, which would make it a broader but weaker version of Sink Your Teeth in)

Weakening Venom [1/Battle (maybe more often?)]
When you make an attack or inflict a save-ends condition, apply Weakness to one affected creature (save ends).
(Same thing works for Blind)

Sadism
Whenever you inflict a save-ends condition, gain 3 temporary hit points.

Persistent Malady - Immediate Interrupt [1/Battle]
Trigger - An enemy succeeds on a saving throw against a condition you inflicted upon it.
The enemy fails the save instead.


And one non-Sapper trait I came up with:
Armor-Piercing
Deal +2 damage against enemies with resistance. If the enemy has resist 1, deal +1 damage instead.
(I suppose this might be overpowered in situations involving AoE attacks against minions)

I've not actually played the game, though, so I hope those more experienced than I can point out any balance concerns. I really don't know how many times/battle or /day is right for these.

Esoterus wrote:Hmmm, Sapper traits you say? How about adding some riders?

Enervating Poison
Whenever you inflict a save-ends condition via a talent, you may also inflict vulnerability 1 for the duration of the original condition. If the condition was a vulnerability effect, instead increase its magnitude by 1.
(Same structure works with ongoing damage 1, which would make it a broader but weaker version of Sink Your Teeth in)

Weakening Venom [1/Battle (maybe more often?)]
When you make an attack or inflict a save-ends condition, apply Weakness to one affected creature (save ends).
(Same thing works for Blind)

Sadism
Whenever you inflict a save-ends condition, gain 3 temporary hit points.

Persistent Malady - Immediate Interrupt [1/Battle]
Trigger - An enemy succeeds on a saving throw against a condition you inflicted upon it.
The enemy fails the save instead.

These look good, with perhaps the exception of Sadism. Temporary HP don't stack with each other. How about?

Sadism
Whenever you inflict a save-ends condition, regain 3 HP.

And one non-Sapper trait I came up with:
Armor-Piercing
Deal +2 damage against enemies with resistance. If the enemy has resist 1, deal +1 damage instead.
(I suppose this might be overpowered in situations involving AoE attacks against minions)

I've not actually played the game, though, so I hope those more experienced than I can point out any balance concerns. I really don't know how many times/battle or /day is right for these.

Not sure about this one. I mean if you're willing to take the trait, it should be effective. I think its balanced, but anypony else want to comment?

Cardbo wrote:
These look good, with perhaps the exception of Sadism. Temporary HP don't stack with each other. How about?

Sadism
Whenever you inflict a save-ends condition, regain 3 HP.

That was something I did consider. The sample pony bouncing around in my head for these traits was one with Draw Blood or other +pip ailment-inflicting move, so they could be triggering it quite often. Straight healing seemed a little too much for a bonus that can theoretically be attached to every move you make. I guess 3 is a small enough amount that it's fine? (would give it some great synergy with Charm, though!)

Cardbo wrote:Not sure about this one. I mean if you're willing to take the trait, it should be effective. I think its balanced, but anypony else want to comment?

Yeah, thinking a little more, how often are you likely to run into non-minion enemies with resist? It's probably fine. As written it's probably just useful enough to be tempting

Love
When you roll the highest value on any healing spell roll (including healing rolls from your conjurations), you may choose to heal a different ally for the same amount as that die. If no other allies are available, you may heal yourself for that amount.

Care
Whenever you heal an ally with a save-ends condition, flip a coin. If heads, they can make a save against that save-end condition.

Loving Care
Prerequisite: Love, Care
You may now choose to make a roll to save against save-ends conditions affecting your allies, at the end of your turn. Doing so causes you to skip your own save-end saves, if you are afflicted by any at the time.

Waste Not
Whenever you heal an ally or yourself for more than their maximum health allows, they gain the excess amount of healing in the form of temporary hitpoints, lasting for one round (For example, healing an ally with 28 hp for 6 hp, gives them 30 health + 4 temporary hp)

Encourage
Whenever a healing spell targeted at an ally triggers a special move, you may choose to skip that special move and trigger the appropriate special move of the targeted ally (For example, healing an ally with a d10 healing spell and rolling a 10, allows you to skip your special, letting that ally do their d10 special move instead).

Zarhon wrote:Loving Care
Prerequisite: Love, Care

So for these traits that have prerequisites, do you just need one of the prereqs, or do you have do entirely devote your character to that line of traits and have both? Because that seems like a waste to me.

Bronymous wrote:

Zarhon wrote:Loving Care
Prerequisite: Love, Care

So for these traits that have prerequisites, do you just need one of the prereqs, or do you have do entirely devote your character to that line of traits and have both? Because that seems like a waste to me.

I'm pretty sure that it'd require both traits, in the same way that Dangerously Talented requires both Dangerous and Talented.

Bronymous wrote:

Zarhon wrote:Loving Care
Prerequisite: Love, Care

So for these traits that have prerequisites, do you just need one of the prereqs, or do you have do entirely devote your character to that line of traits and have both? Because that seems like a waste to me.

Good question. For the traits with prerequisites, you need to meet all the prerequisites. Otherwise it will say, Prerequisites: Talented or Dangerous. Not, Prerequisites: Talented, Dangerous.

So yes, some trait lines need to be fully dedicated to - which comes with high payoffs. The payoff at the end of Talented and Dangerous effectively lets you take both those traits again for the price of one trait.