The grey outside is complimented by the flame cast light inside. Wetness from the days of rain hangs in the entry of the tavern, but thankfully abates with the help of the fire within. The bar keep nods as you enter and then continues to wipe the worn wooden counter. Three stools stand empty. A stairway rises to the left as you walk in, the rest of the open area is full of six medium sized tables. Only one is full - surrounded by a trio playing cards and drinking. A lone old man is asleep at one of the other tables. A woman walks from behind the bar with two large mugs in hand. She is on her way to trio who cheer her approach.
Through the carved tunnels you walk. For most of you these are the very same passages you walked during your youth. For one, you walk the tunnels with slight apprehension, your instructions were clear - but way is new. Regardless of the familiarity, soon you cannot help but know that something is different. Only a select few are invited into the central passages that surround the dome. Columns stand as they do periodically throughout the city, but here they are larger.
These columns have stood as long as the city itself. They were built even before the dome rose, defiant into the merciless desert above. Escorts greet each of you as you near the innermost buildings. Each takes a different path, some winding through buildings, others heading into upper levels. Doors, stairs, halls, and alleys. It is clear the elders meant to disorient you. Likewise, the pace is deliberate. All of you arrive at the same time, a central corridor lies ahead. The escorts gesture silently as the large doors ahead slowly open.
The large room has a simple stone table in the center, surrounded by sturdy wooden stools - a luxury that few ever see let alone sit upon. Tapestries line the walls, just below the railing the lines the upper level. Nearly all represent one of the houses of the dome. Accept for two. One, displays the ancestral crystal - symbolic of your forebearers who live on through the gearforged. The other, newer than the rest, shows a humanoid silhouette - embroidered with a small gear. One upon its head and one upon its heart - the symbionts.
Just beyond the railings you can make out figures in the shadow, observing. It must be the council of elders. A slight gleaming in the torch light tells you that even the gearforged is in attendance. At the table sits a newly elected elder, he motions for you to join him at the table.
“It is good to see each of you here. As you may know, I am Oso. I have, as my first task as the newest elder, summoned each of you here because you represent the best of your houseses. I leave it to each of you to decide whether or not it is prudent to reveal your house affiliations or not. In time, the trust you build in the field will take precedent over whatever faith you hold in the old ways.”
A slight murmur can be heard from above. Oso smiles as he continues.
“Your first task is simple. You must make your way to the corridor, where a repair squad awaits you. Your job is to guard them as they conduct urgent repairs within the corridor. Word of this must not leave this room. The corridor is in great danger. Attacks have increased and all but the perimeter guard have been summoned to protect the mines. So it is left to the four of you to insure that our lifeline stay operational. There is little time, but if you have questions speak them quickly. But before you do, I would suggest introducing yourselves. Though we here Oso gestures to those above, know each of you, you may not know one another.”
I've left some details here open as I'd like to leave each of you some latitude in how your house is defined and if you decide to reveal your house. Simply put the houses represent the families that survived through centuries. Most are associated with specific talents or areas of one of the three lost cities. When resources were scarce, the houses often competed with one another to increase their chances at survival. Though cooperation has since long been established as the unspoken law of he city, the council of elders still honors the old ways. Unless of course infighting endangers the city.
I'm gauging interest a low magic campaign / play test.
A limited number of character races would be available (dwarf, human, and one homebrew race).
Classes would similarly be limited to non-casters (barbarian, fighter, monk, ranger, rogue, and gunslinger). The homebrew race would have access to the cleric class. Furthermore, classes like the ranger must select an archetype that does not have access to spells. I am in the process of looking over / developing an alchemist archetype, which may also be available.
Campaign themed alternative racial attributes would be provided and themed archetypes will be available.
Characters would likely start higher than level one and the point buy would likely start at 20.
If you are interested and willing to exchange email addresses please post below (email addresses will be exchanged via PM).
So as not to give my ideas away via the boards, this is all the information I will provide.
Disclaimer: I am in no way employed or associated with Dreadfox Games. The material below has been developed in my free time as a fan of the class published as by Dreadfox Games.
For any Puppetmaster fans out there I thought I'd share this. Would love to hear thoughts / feedback.
Expressive Weapons:
Just as a skilled craftsman can create a weapon, a puppetmaster with working knowledge of a weapon can modify it to give it the expressive characteristics necessary to be employed as a rod puppet. To create an expressive weapon a puppetmaster either be proficient with the weapon in question or have at least one rank of the appropriate Craft skill for fashioning such a weapon. Individual expressive weapons also have other specific requirements that must be met in order to be created.
Although a puppetmaster may choose to create such a weapon from scratch, only non-magical / non-masterwork weapons can be modified with expressive qualities after creation. An non-masterwork / non-magical expressive weapon may still be modified via spells (such as masterwork transformation).
To create an expressive weapon a puppetmaster follows the normal rules for crafting a weapon. Once the weapon is created, the puppetmaster makes a Craft (puppetry) check in much the same way an additional check is required for creating a masterwork weapon. If using a weapon that is already created, the puppetmaster makes this same check.
The DC for this Craft (Puppetry) check is equal to the DC for crafting the weapon (see Table: Craft Skills). The cost of materials for creating expressive qualities is 100 gp.
To use an expressive weapon as rod puppets a puppetmaster must have the Expressive Weapon wonder.
Expressive Masterwork Weapons:
A skilled craftsman can, in the process of fashioning a masterwork weapon, create the expressive characteristics necessary for a puppetmaster to employ the weapon as a rod puppet. In addition to the normal requirements for creating a masterwork weapon, these weapons have other requirements the creator must meet.
In addition to following the normal rules for creating a masterwork weapon, the crafter must also make a Craft (puppetry) check as detailed for creating expressive weapons. No additional time or cost is added beyond those normally required for crafting a masterwork weapon. The expressive characteristics must be added to a masterwork weapon while it is being created, they cannot be added afterward.
To use such weapons as rod puppets a puppetmaster must have the Expressive Weapon wonder.
Rule Excerpt:
[T]he weapons described below can also be crafted in non-masterwork versions. However, any penalties described as a part of the weapon are increased by 1. All other requirements and puppetry benefits remain the same.
Example weapon
Whip, Striking Serpent:
This masterwork nine-section whip has been crafted to mimic the appearance of a serpent. The linked steel bars make up the body sections of the serpent, with the final bar, a 6-inch weighted end forming the head of the serpent.
Benefit: This weapon can be wielded as a single-handed weapon, a two-handed weapon, in pairs with other nine-section whips, or as a puppet of The Striking Serpent by a puppetmaster who has the Expressive Weapon wonder.
Special: This weapon can only be created by someone who knows the myth of The Striking Serpent or possess at least 1 rank in Knowledge (nature).
Picked up the Puppetmaster class by Dreadfox games and started toying around with ideas for archetypes. If you haven't already, I highly recommend the class.
Anyhow, if you have an idea for an archetype I'd love to see it. I'll share the one I've been working on below.
All but one of the trio of buildings has been secured for the approaching night.
As you approach the Inn it is clear that only those interested in weathering the cold evening air have remained outdoors. The few others cast shadows inside the tavern that takes up the majority of the first floor of the Inn.
Entering, only the barkeep looks your way.
"Sit where you like. I'll be with you in a moment."
Two large men sit near the rear of the tavern, chatting quietly. A third sits near the bar, in a near stupor from drink. Several tables sit empty in the middle of the tavern. One booth is occupied near the window. The hooded figure seems to be captivated by parchment on the table.
I'm looking to gather a small group (3 or 4) for an apprentice-level game on the boards. Still evaluating both Super Genius Games and Tricky Owlbear offerings to start the game off.
We'd start off RP heavy and if time / technology allows transition to RPTools. I've used RPTools in the past, but haven't tested it with my current router set up.
Disclaimer:
The Pathfinder game I play with friends is currently on hold. If and when it picks back up I may not be able to keep both going.
If you're still interested read on & post away. I'll think of some crazy way to select those interested if needed.
The Setting:
We'd start of in a mountainous region in proximity to a monastery and boarder town.
The Characters:
Core and Ultimate Combat classes are fine along with Advanced Players Guide Additions. Core races plus Drow and Duergar can be used.
2-page preview is up on rpgnow. Anyone else have info on this? Tough to tell from the description what the four archetypes are about. Barbarian, cavalier, monk, and witch as far as class, but not sure of much more.
Race
KAC 21 EAC 19 | CMD 29 | F +6 R +10 W +3 | Perc +9 (darkvision) SM +1 |
Classes/Levels
Init +6 | Speed 25 ft | 1st: 0/1 | Active Conditions: water breathing
Gender
NG Human (Akiton) Priest Mechanic 5 | SP 40/40 HP 34/34 RP 3/6 |
Augmentations datajack (standard) (brain*), custom rig (mk I personal com) (brain*), society dermal graft (skin), gill sheath (lungs), technopathy node (throat), mk I personal upgrade (dexterity)
* = allowed to share a system
Other Gear 30 small arm rounds, 19 darts, Starfinder insignia (boon), society subdermal graft (boon), flashlight (10 hours), fire extinguisher (20 charges), (3) binders, everyday clothing*, hygiene kit*
* = not carried on excursions unless otherwise specified
____________________
Bulk: 6.5 / Maximum Bulk: 7 (Industrial Backpack) Credits: 6230
UBPs: 100
____________________
SPECIAL ABILITIES
____________________
Bypass (Ex): At first level, you gain +2 insight bonus to Computers and Engineering skill checks. At 5th level and every 4 levels thereafter, and at 20th level, this bonus increases by 1.
Combat Tracking (Ex): Your exocortex provides you with enhanced combat ability, granting you proficiency with heavy armor and longarms. At 3rd level you gain weapon specialization in longarms just as if your class granted proficiency. As a move action during combat, you can designate a foe for your exocortex to track. As long as that target is in sight, the exocortex feeds you telemetry, vulnerabilities, and combat tactics, allowing you to make attacks against that target as if your base attack bonus from your mechanic levels were equal to your mechanic level. Designating another target causes you to immediately lose this bonus against the previous target.
Custom Rig (Ex)::
You have created a customized toolkit you can use to hack systems and items. Your custom rig can be configured to take up an upgrade slot on your armor or can be installed as a cybernetic augmentation system in your brain (though it can be combined with a datajack for the same price as installing a datajack normally), your eyes, or an arm.
While using this rig, you always count as having the appropriate tool or basic kit for any Computers or Engineering skill check you attempt. In addition, you can use your custom rig as a Mk I com unit.
If your custom rig is damaged, destroyed, lost, or stolen, you can kitbash a new one from any engineering kit, hacking kit, or other technological toolkit, reconfiguring the materials into a new custom rig with 1 hour of work.
Exocortex (Ex) Mechanic Trick Hack Directory (Ex): Whenever you attempt to hack a system and fail the check, you immediately become aware of any countermeasures that were activated due to your failure. You can then select one of these countermeasures and attempt another Computers check (with the same DC as the original). If you succeed at this second check, you can prevent that countermeasure from activating, as if you had not attempted to access the system at all. Any other countermeasures have their normal effect.
Overclocking (Ex): You have augmented the performance of your AI for maximum responsive timing. You gain a +2 insight bonus to initiative checks, and you gain a +2 insight bonus to Reflex saves.
Memory Module (Ex): You can use your exocortex’s memory module to enhance your own knowledge. Once per day, as a reaction while not in combat, you can reroll a failed skill check to recall knowledge. In addition, your exocortex grants you the Skill Focus feat as a bonus feat. You can’t use your exocortex’s memory module while combat tracking is activated. Every time you gain a mechanic level, you can rebuild your exocortex’s memory module, replacing the exocortex’s bonus Skill Foucs feat with Skill Focus in a different skill (current: Mysticism).
Overload (Ex):
As a standard action, you can cause a short in an electronic device, including most ranged energy weapons, melee weapons with the powered special property, or a single armor upgrade. This makes the device nonfunctional for 1 round. Overload doesn’t cause a locked door, safe, or other device to open, but it prevents anyone from opening it for 1 round. You must be adjacent to the device to use this ability. If you have an exocortex with the wireless hack ability, you can instead use this ability on any electronic device within range of your exocortex’s wireless hack. If you use overload on an item or armor upgrade in someone’s possession, the owner can attempt a Reflex saving throw to negate the effect (DC = 10 + half your mechanic level + your Intelligence modifier) [DC = 16]. Overload doesn’t affect androids, cybernetics, drones, powered armor, robots, or creatures with the technological subtype (all of which have shielding against this sort of attack), or items larger than Medium. Once a device has been successfully overloaded, a residual static charge prevents that device from being overloaded again for 1 minute.
Remote Hack (Ex):
You can use your custom rig to attempt Computers and Engineering skill checks at a range of 20 feet. At 7th level and every 2 levels thereafter, this range increases by 10 feet. A target of this ability (or a creature attending or observing your target) can attempt a Perception or Sense Motive check (DC = 10 + 1-1/2 × your mechanic level + your Intelligence modifier) [DC = 21] to determine that you are the origin of this activity.
Wireless Hack (Ex):
Instead of combat tracking, your exocortex can access another computer system within 20 feet, allowing it to attempt a Computers check against that computer each round, using your skill bonus. This counts as a standard action for the purpose of the Computers skill. You must remain within 20 feet of the computer system for the entire time your exocortex is interacting with the computer. If the task requires multiple actions (or even rounds) to accomplish, you can spend your actions to work in concert with your exocortex, counting both your action and the exocortex’s effective standard action toward the total time required. If you don’t have the remote hack class feature, you must be adjacent to the computer to attempt your checks.
Theme Knowledge (Priest of Triune): Reduce the DC of Culture and Mysticism checks to recall knowledge about religious leaders by 5. Mysticism becomes a class skill for you. In addition, you gain an ability adjustment of +1 to Wisdom at character creation.
Weapon Specialization (Ex)
EQUIPMENT ACTIONS Technopathy Node: As a standard action, you can send a short message in a language you know to up to three target creatures or computers you are observing within 100 feet and potentially receive a short reply, per telepathic message. Alternatively, as a standard action, you can send a short message in a language you know to a single target computer you are observing within 100 feet and have that computer display that message, allowing anyone observing that computer to read it without leaving any trace of the message’s origin.
Dataphile Champion (Faction) (initial Champion boon)
Digital Presence (Dataphile Tier 1, 0 Fame) (slotless): Gameplay Objective Boon (Gained Fame at Tier 1, Tier 2. Fame available at Tier 3 and 4).
Second Seekers (Luwazi Elsebo) Chambion (Faction): gained via 1-05 boon.
Dataphile Champion, Improved (Faction): recover 1 Resolve upon a successful Computers or Engineering check written into the scenario
CHRONICLES
1: SFS Quests: Into the Unknown:
Hero of the Stars (Starship Boon; Limited Use [1]): You defeated the dreaded Besmaran pirate ship, Lawblight, showcasing your determination during an intense starship combat. This boon activates anytime your starship is reduced to 0 or fewer Hull Points. Your starship immediately regains a number of Hull Points equal to its tier x 5. A startship can never regain more than 30 Hull Points in this manner. A starship can never have more than one of these boons attached to it. When this boon activates, cross it off your Chronicle sheet.
Starfinder Insignia (Slotless Boon): Venture-Captain Arvin presented you with a commemorative insignia in gratitude for your service to the Starfinder Society. Although it appears to be an ordinary medal showing the symbol of the Starfinder Society, this insignia can store as much information as a common tier-1 datapad. Unless told about this secret a non-Starfinder must succeed at a DC 20 Perception or Sense Motive check to realize the insignia is a storage device. This insignia is worth 0 credits and cannot be sold.
2: Welcome to Starfinder Society Boon:
[_] Tattoo of the Starfinder: You have a magical tattoo, commemorating your induction into the Starfinder Society. As an immediate action when you are struck by a critical hit or dealth at least 15 points of damage from a spell or supernatural ability, you can check the box that precedes this boon and expend the tattoo’s magic to gain 10 temporary Hit Points that last for 1 minute. You also regain 1 previously expended Resolve Point when using this boon.
3: SFS 1-01: The Commencement:
[_] [_] [_] Faction’s Friend (Social Boon; Limited Use): By slotting this boon, if you would fail to earn Fame at the end of an adventure by failing to fulfill a success condition, you can check one of the boxes on this boon. Doing so reminds your current championed faction of your past exploits, and you still earn 1 Reputation (but not Fame) with that faction as if you had successfully fulfilled the condition. You can only use this boon if you would also gain at least 1 XP for completing the adventure.
Marked Field Agent (Slotless Boon): The augmentation can be activated or deactivated mentally as a swift action. Activating the implant causes a rendition of the Starfinder Society’s symbol to glow underneath the skin. It increases the light level within 5 feet by one step while active.
4: SF AP #1: Incident at Absalom Station:
[_] Loaned Ship: Sunrise Maiden (Starship Boon; Limited Use): You can only slot this boon in a Tier 1-4 scenario, and everyone at the table must agree to you slotting this boon. When you slot this boon, rather than choosing standard starships presented in the Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Guide (such as the Drake or Pegasus), you can instead choose to take the Sunrise Maiden. The ship can be further upgraded with Starship boons from other characters in the group as normal.
Street Cred: Absalom Station (Social Boon): Once per scenario as a free action, you may recollect your dealings with the gangs of Absalom station to provide insight into dealing with other gangers. Doing so grants you a +1 insight bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks made when interacting with street gangs or other suitable gang-like groups at the GM’s discretion. You also gain a +1 morale bonus to attack and damage rolls against members of a street gang. Both bonuses increase to +2 if the gang members belong to a gang based on Absalom Station. These bonuses last for 1 minute.
5. SFS 1-02: Fugitive on the Red Planet (GM):
AbadarCorp acquaintance (Social Boon)
[X] [X] [X] [X] [X] True Savior of Tasch (Slotless Boon; Limited Use): You can forgo making a day job roll to instead devote time to assist with the growth of Tasch. Any time you opt to do so, check a box on this boon and make a note on the Chronicle sheet associated with the scenario, indicating you partook in this endeavor. Once all five boxes are marked, you receive 500 UPBs. These UPBs cannot be converted into credits.
6. 1-00: Claim to Salvation (GM):
Society Contract (Slotless Boon): Anytime you play a pregenerated character in an adventure, even if the scenario credit is not assigned to the character on this Chronicle sheet, you can reroll a single d20 roll. Alternatively, any time you play a pregenerated character in an adventure and that character dies, you can cross this boon off the Chronicle sheet to be returned to life, as per raise dead. Being healed in this way takes 10 minutes.
Claimant to Salvation (Slotless Boon): If you bring this Chronicle sheet to an adventure in which the Starfinder Society continues exploring the false moon of Salvation’s End, you can qualify to receive a special boon at the end of the adventure to reflect the additional investment the Starfinder Society makes into exploring the satellite. You do not need to play the same character listed on this Chronicle sheet to gain this boon.
7. SFS 1-09: Live Exploration Extreme! (GM):
Budding Media Celebrity (Social Boon): Gain the icon’s celebrity ability in place of your own theme’s 6th-level ability.
Dwarven Admittance (Personal Boon; Limited Use): Applied to 230524-704 (Mordin Gimhargruest)
[_] Salvation Delver (Slotless Boon; Limited Use): You can check the box that precedes this boon when purchasing a mk 1 synaptic accelerator to buy it at a discounted price of 1200 credits.
8. SFS 1-05: The First Mandate (GM):
High Society Influence (Ally Boon): Iteration-177, Naiaj, Royo, Ykris, Zo!
Honorary Spider (Social Boon): When slotting this boon, select Initimidate or Sense Motive. You gain a circumstance bonus to that skill check equal to half your Acquisitives Reputation Tier (rounding up). This bonus increases by +1 for each point of Infamy your character has.
Journey to the Scoured Stars Segment 1 (Unidentified Boon): Details to be revealed in future Chronicle sheets.
Protector of the Future (Slotless Boon): Immediately cross this boon off of your Chronicle sheet to gain the Second Seekers (Luwazi Elsebo) Champion boon.
9. SFS 1-07: The Solar Sortie (GM):
Envar’s Attention (Ally Boon) Solar Powered Weapon System (Starship Boon): Select a single weapon on your starship with the word “laser” in its title; you gain a +1 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon. A gunner can spend a Resolve Point prior to firing the selected weapon to increase the bonus to 4 for 1 round.
10. SFS 1-08 Sanctuary of Drowned Delight:
Morlamaw Admittance (Personal Boon; Limited Use): Unassigned
Morlamaw Linguist (Slotless Boon): All of your Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild characters have access to the Morlamaw language and can select it at any time they would learn a new language.
Suulhu-Huur’s Debt (Ally Boon): Based on future scenario tags.
11. SFS RPG: PbP Gameday VI (2017) Boon #2:
Augmented Affiliation (Social Boon; Limited Use): Gain a +2 insight bonus to all skill checks made to influence members of the Augmented. You also treat the item level of all augmentations as 1 lower for the purposes of availability. In addition, you can cross this boon off your Chronicle sheet to reduce the credits cost of one augmentation by 10%.
12. SFS 1-99: The Scoured Stars Invasion:
Defender of the Fleet (Starship Boon): Finest Computers: Improve the computers onboard your starship by one step: from a mononode to a duonode or from a duonode to a trinode. Alternatively, you can upgrade the computer’s bonus by 1 while this boon is slotted (to a maximum of +8).
Scoured Stars Survivor (Personal Boon): When you slot this boon in your Personal Boon slot, once per day as a free action, you can reduce the number of Resolve Points required to stabilize by 1 (to a minimum of 0 RP). When you use this ability to stabilize, you may also immediately gain 1d6 Hit Points for every 2 character levels you have.
Scoured Stars Veteran (Slotless Boon; Limited Use): Unassigned
13. SFS GenCon 2018 Boon #7:
Inside Manufacturer (Social Boon): Select one of the following benefits when you slot this boon:
* Research and Destruction: If the adventure took place within the Pact Worlds, a Pact Worlds colony, or in the Veskarium, check one of the boxes. If the adventure took place in an alien world in Near Space or the Vast and alien weaponry was acquired (even if the weapon appears in the Starfinder Core Rulebook or Starfinder Armory), check two boxes instead. [X][X][_][_][_][_][_][_]/[_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_]/[_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_]
* Long-Term Modifications: Provide a single weapon to your manufacturer (AbadarCorps) at the start of the adventure. The weapon is unavailable for the duration of the adventure while your manufacturer modifies it. It now has the trademark manufacturer modification at 25% of the regular cost. In addition, for every 8 boxes checked using [i]Research and Destruction[i], the modified weapon now deals an additional 1 point of damage on every attack, to a maximum of +3 damage when all 24 boxes are checked.
Bot Me:
Common Attacks
dice=12-notch plasma fork, no modifiers]1d20+8[/dice] ooc]Does not use ammo on miss.[/ooc]
dice=12-notch plasma fork, combat tracking]1d20+10[/dice] ooc]Does not use ammo on miss.[/ooc]
dice=E&F, no boost]1d8+5[/dice]
dice=E&F, boost]1d8+1d4+5[/dice]
Hawthorne wore his home world in his skin. The thasteron ore in Akiton's environment had tattooed the humans living there various shades of rust, and the son of miners was no different in that regard. He had managed to differentiate himself from his family by escaping from a life doomed to risk in one of the few still-operational mines. He was born with a perceptive and curious mind, and his skills caught the attention of the local exarchs of Triune. The All-Code was ironically popular among the machinists of Akiton, especially the Precursor, Brigh. Ironic because it was Triune's gift of Drift travel that was responsible for the closing of hundreds of thasteron mines and the joblessness induced poverty of their adherents. Hawthorne recognized this irony, but he did not hold it against the artificial deity. He understood, even before he was introduced to the doctrine of Brigh, that the universe followed one rule: adapt or perish.
Sophia was born when Hawthorne was almost thirteen years old. He programmed the initial code that would become the artificial intelligence guiding and protecting him on a computer cobbled together from scavenged parts taken from the local junk yards. By the time he was fourteen, she was making intuitive leaps and assumptions in her reasoning. She could pass the Turning test shortly after his fifteenth birthday, and not long after that, she hacked her own access to the infosphere. Her activities on the infosphere triggered the Triunite investigation that led them to Hawthorne. They invited both of them--as equals--into the priesthood, and they accepted. Hawthorne quickly rose to the rank of Innovator and earned the right to bear an exocortex, and Sophia happily merged with her creator.
