Looks good Gents
@Paeon love the overhaul, "feels" and reads much better. Like you said - loads of potential there and I love the Space Pirate theme inclusion - totally befits his dalliances with King Kurney and the shadier side of life.
@Noah: Aye, sorry didn't click with the extended arms being a -2 for weaponry. However touch spells would not suffer this penalty (as it doesn't state attacks).Food for thought?
Longarms and subsequent upgrade to Heavy Weapons gives you guys more potential firepower, and that'll definitely run you the battle-mage line. Good old Combat Casting is another (useful but boring - but still damn useful) option.
Nanite Integration is a cyborn/construct feat that you could consider for something a little different...
I looked at Nanite Integration and may take it down the line. Very thematic for Noah.
Arm Extensions gives -2 to weapon attacks but also -2 to Dex and Str based checks and skill checks - so your long arms are somewhat clumsy. Agree touch attacks are not weapon based attacks though.
Have all the choices set just need to get the time to go in and change them. Ill post here once I do, unfortunately the last week has been a struggle work wise pulling a lot of late nights. Hoping to get the level up online within the next couple days.
No worries Startoad - as/when chief, we're not on the clock :)
@Noah: No worries, agree Nanite Integration is very thematic.
About to update my alias now.
OK. Updated. Minor change: Taking Psychokinetic hand instead of Telepathic Message since we all have come units.
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@BD: Given his name, the substitution seems appropriate, and who knows, they might even come in handy at some point.
Apologies Gang - been a busy week at work, brain pretty fried so not had a chance to cement the next stages. Will get lively over the weekend and ready for Part 2.
Can everyone also make sure they have Languages settled upon. Fair bit of interstellar globe trotting in this part of the AP, so keen to have any unassigned languages picked and set.
Again if you wish to reframe Languages have at it, but likely this juncture will be the last rebuild/reappraising for the foreseeable.
partly why I picked up Comprehend Languages. :)
partly why I picked up Comprehend Languages. :)
Very true. Let us hope you are never deactivated indisposed when that is crucially needed ;)
First Mate definitely sits well for Paeon (and it sort of fits)
Noah would indeed probably be best served as a Science Officer/Engineer hybrid role.
If Ed needs to move into the Captain role (which IS pretty hysterical), that's fine. I think Noah2 was interested in piloting.
I do have some suggested house rule/PC changes to make Ed a tiny bit more captainy-
1. I don't see him as DEMANDing anything or being the intimidating type. How about DEMAND/COMMAND which can use intimidation OR Diplomacy DC 15? I don't see why Captains must be only intimidating.
ENCOURAGE-Can't anyone aid another? Maybe drop the Diplomacy roll part for this one if it's moved over to COMMAND.
2. I prob need to boost CHA a little. if allowed, switch CON 12 and CHA 10 scores.
3. also need to boost diplomacy a little. if allowed, take 2 ranks from piloting and move to diplomacy.
I think Chief Mate is a worthy role for Paeon. He may need to curb some of Ed's more pacifist/cowardly tendencies.
The Shirren alt race ability Linguistic Acculturation looks pretty useful. It's a ding on diplomacy, but prob worth it.
I like Ed as captain! As for continued fun and role play scenarios GMBD.. if Ed was too busy cowering to issue an order can first mate do it? Or aid?
@BD: Ya, Nipper is still short a language. Any suggestions? Otherwise, I'll probably just pick one at random.
RE: Ship roles: Ed being the captain is pretty hilarious, if a little sub-optimal, from what I gather, he could also fill in as magic officer as needed. It seems like for ship combat, pilot and gunner are the only two real dedicated positions and other players can bounce around other stations. Without a pilot we can't even move. Nipper doesn't have any ranks in piloting, but I guess will fill either the gunner or pilot role, just don't expect much.
@Ed: Haus_Rules look good (have implemented) :) feel free to recrunch as necessary. You could drop STR to 8 and raise CHA correspondingly?
@Nipper: Eoxian, Lashunta, Elven all are relevant for upcoming storylines, particularly the first.
Agree - Captain Ed is sub-optimal, but has hilarious potential. Noah as the Pilot is a good shout, with Nipper functioning as Science Officer? Startoad as Engineer/Gunner & Paeon as Chief Mate/Gunner?
@All: Remember DAWN - the Maiden's AI can assist or take over a minor role if necessary.
from my experience Pilot is critical in a space fight. Going last = WIN.
I am happy to pilot, but don't we have an ace pilot?
Paeon is an Ace Pilot, but its a dex based check.. and his dex is quite low.. so anyone with a higher dex would make a better pilot... if piloting was charisma or str would be great!
If no one else wants to assume the role I can rejig my skills to have more piloting... which would put still only at max a +4 roll for now.
I think i wasn't doing it because we initially had Kris who had 18dex and ace pilot and skill.
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Both Ed and Paeon have Ace Pilot. For some reason I thought Noah2 had it too, but I think I was just impressed w his high piloting skill bonus.
Ed could drive and captain, but pilot is likely to require an action every round so he wouldn't be doing much bolstering as the captain. And maybe that's a good thing. Seems to fit the Peter Quill model of captaining where commands are basically ignored.
Yea, Looks like you are better than Noah as a pilot by 1 point. Its the most critical role imho too.
Cool - ceremonial title of Captain it is :)
Pilot = Ed
Science Officer = Noah
Engineer = Startoad
Chief Mate = Paeon
Big Teeth/Smart A$$ = Fingernipper
That about right?
alright. Went with the STR to CHA transfer. Ed is a little wimpier and friendlier. Also transferred a rank of Acrobat to diplomacy. easy-peasy.
Ok. Wondering if I should choose Ace Pilot instead of Scholar. I think the only reason I did no initially was I knew I was not gonna be the pilot. Could be explained simply by having had a piloting module installed as part of Noah's initial booting. Or maybe Noah 1.0 was a scholar and Noah 2.) had the scholar chip replaced with piloting?
Noah 2.0 being a pilot works, with Noah 1.0 being the Scholar (gives me a cool Data/Lore riff to work off - your mad scientist "brother" :)
You could dispense with the Cyberborn Secondary Theme and take Ace Pilot instead, as you say a piloting module being downloaded would be a cool explanation.
Or take even better take Cyberborn as your primary theme (makes even more sense) and Ace Pilot as Secondary?
Ok, Eoxian it is.
If Nipper's running the guns, I'm going to swap my ranks of survival for ranks of piloting, so we might actually hit something.
Not a bad idea - Survival is still handy tho' so I'd keep perhaps a rank (or two) in it.
1 rank in Piloting will be at +6 which is pretty decent for Gunnery as DAWN can also provide a +1 to Piloting checks per round (which could be channelled into Gunner actions).
Really need Cyberborn first and Ace Pilot second as its an Int bump vs a Dex bump. Scholar is less important to me for this build. But I think that means I do not get the +1 to piloting from Ace Pilot, right?
Primary Theme would provide all benefits, while Secondary Theme only provides Theme Knowledge benefit (incl. however the class skill).
no ability boost, but does include skill boost.
I was reviewing my skills and looks like i forgot to do skills for a level.. so given my new space pirate theme.. GMBD i added.. 1 Athletic, 1 Bluff and 2 Culture SPACE PIRATE(things)
Edit: i goofed and forgot to update my character sheet from my level up stuff.. im going to rejig to have those skills in culture if thats ok.
Yup - have at it, would rather have this motley crew fixed up good un' proper before we jump into the next arc of the AP.
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I'll scavenge 1 point from survival, one from disguise and one from culture to add to piloting. I don't know how often it will come up, but I'd like to be prepared.
Campaign Tab updated with current Crew Roles and quick links to various actions under those.
Remember the roles are flexible and can be combined (would just need specific focus per round).
IE - Nipper could run a gunnery station or could act as Science Officer (but could not conduct actions on both per round, he'd have to choose been pew-pew and raising an eyebrow at a logical course of action :)
Sorry been a little inactive on my part due to stress from job, home, and upcoming training. I’ll get a post up tonight, but starting this Friday I’ll be doing my annual training till the 31st. I should have some time since it’s not to crazy but just a heads up in case I lag behind in posting.
Not at all mate - thanks for the heads up. Post as/when able - you know where we are :)
Waiting for the first phase of combat to be called, which iirc is not piloting.
Yeah, I forget how ship combat is run exactly, but I think there's a pilot check to see who gets advantage.
But not first iirc. Captain shenanigans first I think.
And since they ourgun us a little bit and are faster than us, but with weaker shields we need to fight, but do so from behind them if at all possible. We need to main that turret gun at all times and maybe one other. How many crew do we have? an our "passenger" help?
Sorry guys - work hammer swung hard this week - been brutal tail end, so time to compose posts and direct the action has been stymied.
Will get something up this afternoon. Appreciate the patience.
RE: Combat Du Space:
Running order of phases are:
1. Engineering (Engineer, Magic Officer & Open Crew)
2. Helm (Pilot & Science Officer)
3. Gunnery (Gunners)
Captain's can act at any juncture.
Chief Mate's order depends on action being taken - those affecting Engineering are enacted in that phase etc.
Minor Crew actions can be taken at any time also to augment or alter any crew actions.
As for roles you all are/could fulfil those are listed on the Campaign Page.
NB: Clara will not assist/fill a crew role...
To try and speed things up think we'll run all the phases concurrently. When its Ship A [ALL PHASES] then Ship B [ALL PHASES]. Will allow you to react to enemy or initiate a coordinated manoeuvre (rather than tit-for-tat role reactions).
Will allow Space Combat to progress more like a traditional combat [I'll still post initiative/role trackers as usual to keep us all right) - of course you will be able to delay a phase til the end of a round if you so wish (to gauge perhaps what the enemy ship will do) - but again that might be more like a tactical decision (would allow say the Helm to delay given the Science Officer info that enemy ship is about to self destruct... Pilot could then attempt to put distance between the vessels at the end of the round)
Sound a plan?
Sounds better than a turn a week, on a good week. :)
Sounds good. Are you going to recap and set us up over in gameplay?
Yup - will do exactly that - chart out the initiatives/actions and you can have at it.
Appreciate the patience through the teething problems - really want the space combat ironed out so the Maiden is an asset and dynamic part of the campaign - not a cue for us to collectively sigh as a space war of attrition breaks out.
I'm sure that'll be fine. I'm not familiar enough with how space combat normally plays out to have a real strong opinion on it.
Though it seems like it would prevent us from being able to get into a ship's blind spot, or to 'choose' what weapon it uses against us. Taking turns with a move+shoot means that everybody should always be able to use their strongest weapons, right?
Yup pretty much - allows for more of a action/counter action type of scenario.
We can try various approaches . I've looked at some home-brew rules, but too many create additional elements that will just muddy the water.
If anyone has any suggestions from RL games or other pbps I'm all ears :)
Humm. The current enemy ourguns us by some margin. Our best chance of victory is to be in that rear arc blind spot (that we only know about because Noah rolled a nat 20 in his science roll) every time we will the piloting check. On top of that our best weapon is turret mounted and can fire into any arc. That costs a lot more than a front mount in ship's points. We just can't remove the firing arc consideration from combat. To remove it changes space combat too much and takes away our strongest tactical advantage.
I can't tell the facing of the ships. Are we facing away from each other? Could we flip and target their engines at the rear? Looks like their aft shields are down.
Yes, we are facing away. We are butt to butt if if you will. If you click on the ship you will see a "handle" that you can grap to to turn the ship. That handle is the way we face.
So, no we will not be able to flip and fire. We lost piloting this round so we have to move first. Then they move. And THEN guns shoot. So there is almost no chance they will leave their rear shield facing us. Its both down AND they cannot target us from that facing. I suspect they will flip and come after us, but they have more move than us so they could make turns going forward and face us. But at the end of movement they will be facing us.
They have good forward facing weapons, including a torpedo launcher that does twice as much damage as our best weapon. Their man gun also does more damage than our best weapon. And they will fire at us with both this turn. But we get a chance to shoot down their torpedo IF it comes at us from our rear. That is what the flack thrower really is for. We got lucky with it and critted them. Note we cannot even shoot that weapon more than 5 hexes. Other guns are like bows and crossbows and thrown weapons in that you just take minuses to hit from longer ranges.
Would a hard turn action from the chief mate help us get into a better position?
As Noah says you are back-to-back with the Rictus at present.
I've put a "forward" marker at the nose of the Maiden - to make it clear our front facing. Maiden's best weapon is her turret, however her forward firing Gyrolaser has a Wide Arc meaning it can be fired left or fight @ -2. So volley port or starboard could have Gyrolaser, turret and side mounted Laser Cannon. Pretty decent firepower array...