These firearm mechanics need to be playtested. I also need to see how some core classes I have concerns about, the Barbarian, Druid, and Rogue, function in a firearms heavy campaign.
Here are the rules for the playtest:
Note that this playtest is wilderness combat, not trench warfare. The battle is moving pretty quickly and is being fought by small squad actions. Magic is being deployed by both sides, though battlefield control and buff spells are preferred over direct magical assault, with exposes the mage to do something that can be done with non-magical artillery.
Gender: Either. The Leontin Army accepts women into all roles.
Level: We'll start at 1 so I can do low level playtesting, then jump straight to level 10 later on so I can do higher level playtesting.
Hit Points: All characters gain double hit points at first level.
Races: Human, Elf, Half-Elf, Orc (uses Half-Orc stats), Half-Orc (also uses Half-Orc stats). I'm still working on the smaller races, so they aren't playable.
Equipment: It shall be issued to you. You are automatically proficient with rifles, bayonets, and revolvers.
Ability Scores: 20 point buy.
Defense bonuses: To compensate for lack of armor, you all get defense bonuses (counted as Dodge bonuses) to your AC. Follow this link to find your defense bonus.
Number of players I plan to accept: 6
Classes: All CRB and APG except Summoner, Monk, Oracle, and Cavalier accepted. I don't feel like having a class as complicated as the Summoner around, the Monk doesn't fit the setting and still needs some tweaking to the Zen Archer archetype, which will pretty much be the only Monk that's good in a firearms campaign, the Cavalier need some tweaking and will mostly be a vehicular class, and the Oracle's curses mean they'd never pass a military physical or, in the case of tongues, would get a psychological discharge. I need a Barbarian, a Druid, and a Rogue in the party to playtest how well they function. Rogues may sneak attack anything within their weapon's range increment so long as all other requirements of the sneak attack are met. Fighters do not get armor mastery. Instead, they get double hit points at any level where they'd normally get armor mastery.
Duchaine Modele 8
Bolt Action Rifle
2d6 Damage
20x3 critical
Range increment 120 ft
Ammunition Capacity 6 rounds, reloads with stripper clip (move action)
Type Piercing
Can mount bayonet
8 1/2 pounds
Charcaud 15
Double action revolver, swing out cylinder
2d4 damage
19/20x2 Critical
Range increment 20 ft
Ammunition capacity 6 rounds, reloads with 3 round speed loaders (move action)
Type peircing
Cannot mount bayonet
1 1/2 pounds
Bayonet
1d6 damage
19/20x2 critical
Type peircing
1 1/2 pounds
Machine Gun (generic)
Machine gun, fires fully automatic only
2d6 damage
20x3 critical
Range increment 150 feet
Ammunition capacity 100 round belts, reload full round action
Type Peircing
20 pounds for gun, 30-60 for mounting, cannot fire effectively unmounted
Gas mask
Full round action to don properly, move action to don hastily
Grants full immunity to inhaled chemical weapons
If donned hastily, has a 15% chance not to grant immunity in each round of exposure to chemical weapons
3 pounds
-4 penalty on all vision based perception checks, bright light becomes low light and low light becomes dark, cannot smell
Any questions? Interest?
Sounds cool. Sems very Steampunky-ish.
Sounds cool. Sems very Steampunky-ish.
That's the idea. This particular tech level is a combination of Petrolpunk and Steampunk. Voyager also boasts two planned full Steampunk settings. Right now I'm working on those, but the WW1 setting has three of the things I want to playtest: bolt action rifles, machine guns, and chemical weapons. Plus, WW1 gets less media coverage than it should.
Although this particular adventure is military, Voyager is good for much more than wargaming.
Oh, I forgot to add in alignment above. Be whatever alignment you want, as I'm not paying much attention to the system in this particular adventure.
Dotting for interest. Sounds like a fun campaign: I get a nice "Arcanum" vibe from this. Signing up for Rogue: will build up my character tomorrow.
BTW, are we going to have our playtest here on the Paizo forums?
No traits.
I look forward to seeing your characters tomorrow. The playtest will be here on the Paizo forums.
Pixel Cube here, submitting one halforc rogue with the sniper archetype.
I'm converting Vergor over in Hero Labs and will be updating him here tonight. Is it okay to apply an archetype as a druid, or do you just want the basic druid build for the purposes of your playtest? I'm cool either way.
What Druid archetype do you want?
The Rogue sniper is all right. Deadly Range adds 10 feet to your range increment instead of your sneak attack range, as in Voyager Rogues can sneak attack up to their range increment, not up to 30ft.
Serpent Shaman from APG.
I'll allow it, but I don't think it's a particularly good choice, since it's too cold for snakes to thrive where the adventure is taking place.
|
Serpent Shaman from APG.I'll allow it, but I don't think it's a particularly good choice, since it's too cold for snakes to thrive where the adventure is taking place.
It's not an obvious fit and I was trying to retool as little of Vergor as possible. There are snakes up throughout lower Ontario and Quebec, though. Particularly, I'm thinking about the Massasagua (a breed of rattlesnake) which is native to Ontario. There are Canadian timber rattlers, too, but they occur farther to the west (like BC).
How long term of a game are you planning to make this? Will it just be a couple of levels or are you looking for something longer?
Dotted for interest. Don't have time to playtest with you but I'm curious how it will work out.
Serpent Shaman from APG.I'll allow it, but I don't think it's a particularly good choice, since it's too cold for snakes to thrive where the adventure is taking place.It's not an obvious fit and I was trying to retool as little of Vergor as possible. There are snakes up throughout lower Ontario and Quebec, though. Particularly, I'm thinking about the Massasagua (a breed of rattlesnake) which is native to Ontario. There are Canadian timber rattlers, too, but they occur farther to the west (like BC).
How long term of a game are you planning to make this? Will it just be a couple of levels or are you looking for something longer?
Not too long term. Level 1, then jump straight to level 10.
Really? I didn't know that. I always thought snakes didn't like the cold.
About 90% done with conversion. Need to finish up with Background and Gear, but I think everything else is pretty much in place.
Can I get a reply from everyone planning on playing so I can see how many people I have?