DragonBringerX and I have been working on subsystems to create a gaming universe that bridges the gap in time periods, so that games can be played from technology in a stone age era all the way to mass effect style rapidly advanced science fiction, while running smoothly with Pathfinder mechanics. More on that will be covered another day. Be on the lookout for Palatium as a 3rd party supplement in the near-future!
A ask that you guys forgive words being crushed together, as I am copying and pasting this from my own forum, and the transition isn't perfectly smooth.
These are 2 fixes we believed were necessary for a smooth integration into truly merging vehicles with monsters and NPCs on the battlefield and having them seem effectively proportional to current siege engine damages in ultimate combat.
Rather than vehicles in pathfinder having HP per square, we created a sort of object hit dice parallel called magnitude. It's really that simple. We range it based on size, with like 1 being a tough mailbox, bicycle, jet ski, or the like, and 30 being a colossal starship. You might say a planet might be magnitudes in the hundreds if you ever had designs to play to the scale of damaging worlds with nukes and singularity bombs and whatnot.
The cool news is, that you can assign this rule to buildings too, so you can have quickmath for how much damage it takes for that mage's spell to collapse a skyscraper. (personal equipment is unchanged for simplicity's sake in sundering and whatnot).
Additionally, I have been working on doing basically magical technology enhancements or magitech, that wealthy land-owners and governments would reasonably want to implement to better improve the security, function, and convenience of a settlement. The inspiration are those gorgeous, final fantasy city-scapes with force screen city walls, towers that throw fireballs onto invading armies, continual flame torches, prestidigitation and hallucinatory terrain advertisements and decor, minority report style clairvoyant justice agents, etc.
I would love to get feedback and have you guys add your own stuff in.
Also, you may note that magically treated walls only add +2 hardness rather than double, though it still doubles the hp. We reasoned that if a +5 magic sword only adds +5 hardness to a weapon, x2 base cost for double base hardness was a bit excessive.
Those of you who run mid to high level play might find this mechanic helps you guys build cities which are not the instant victim of blink spells, stone shape, teleport, etc, as there become select spots and structures (such as the palace, bank vaults, maximum security prisons) which require caster level checks to break through with spell use. These do not effect spellcasting within such structures, only those that attempt to pass through the structure.
Hit Points per Magnitude
Material HP per Magnitude Hardness
Leather/Plastic 10 0
Wood 15 5
Stone 20 8
Metal 20 10
Magically Treated X2 +2
Innovations to Represent a Response to the Prevalence of Magic and Monsters in the World
1: Magically reinforced:
Effect: Vehicle or building, double hp, +2 hardness, Spell Resistance 15+Caster level (Minimum 5th)
Cost: 500gp/5 ft square, or 5,000 gp for a Large building(2-5), 10,000 gp for a Huge building(6-10), 20,000 gp for a Gargantuan building(10-15), and 40,000 gp for a Colossal building(15-20 magnitude).
Exceptionally sized buildings are rated by magnitude. 20-25 magnitude costs 80,000, 25-30 magnitude costs 160,000.
Requirements: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, or Craft Magitech (If applicable in campaign)
2: Magical Conduit Towers/Greater:
Effect: A charged conduit storing magical energy increases the base range of an effect by an amount determined by the range of the spell per caster level, over the minimum caster level needed to power the spell level. It increases the area of effect by the base amount per caster level over the minimum. It increases duration (if longer than instantaneous) exponentially per caster level over the minimum. Metamagic feats increase the base numbers before increase.
Close: 25 feet
Medium: 100 feet
Long: 400 feet
Capacity: A conduit holds 50 Charges when created. These charges last indefinitely until spent, and can store up to 4th level spells. It can store several lower level spells equaling 4 spell levels, or a 4th level spell, or just a lower level spell. The total spell levels in the conduit determines base cost.
Greater conduits hold 10 charges when created. They hold up to 9th level spells. . It can store several lower level spells equaling 9 spell levels, or a 9th level spell, or just a lower level spell. The total spell levels in the conduit determines base cost.
Destroying a Conduit: Deals 1d6 force/spell level x10ft radius/charge remaining. Disable Device DC: 15+caster level charged to disable the tower safely. Use Magic Device: DC 15 to power down if provided with keystone.
Cost: Constructing the tower: 1000/gp/Caster Level to create an unused conduit tower. Once all charges are spent, the tower does not need to be reconstructed.
Charging the Conduit: Spell level x caster level x 750 gp
Spells capable of being rendered permanent with a permanency spell may be made permanent with the effects of the tower. The cost of doing this is 5,000gp per caster level.
Examples:
Fireball: A Conduit of a caster level 10 fireball, has a range of 2000 feet, and does 10d6 fire damage to a 120 ft radius. It is an instantaneous effect. It costs 22,500 gp to enchant a tower that costs 10,000 gp to build.
Wall of Force: A greater conduit of wall of force has a caster level 20, a range of 275 feet, and an area of 1100 square feet. With each charge it has a duration of 11 minutes (10 rounds is an easy minute, and an additional 10 caster levels). The wall of force possesses a hardness 30 and 400 hit points. It costs 75,000gp to enchant a tower that costs 20,000 gp to build.
3: Divining Surface
Effect: Permanent or at will divination in a reflective surface that is at least 10 square feet per spell level. Must be a divination spell effect with a duration of more than instantaneous. It acts as the spell.
Cost: Caster level x Spell Level x 2000 gp.
Example: Caster Level 7 Scrying Pool: 56,000gp.
Note: Effects such as scry often have material foci which make the DC harder to resist. Lawful societies might gather such articles from suspects of crimes (with a degree of the seriousness required depending on the totalitarian nature of the government) for use in spying upon or tracking down a suspect.
4: Never-ending Well/Cornucopia/Replication Apparatus
Effect: Permanent or at-will conjuration that creates food stuffs, water for drinking, crafting materials, or the like.
Cost: Caster level x Spell Level x 2000 gp.
Examples: -Never-ending hot tub of heat and perfume, (prestidigitation & create water together count as 1st level spell), caster level 1 (minimum). 2000 gp. Fills up 2 gallons/round.
-Simple well (create water) caster level 1 1000 gp. (0 level spells count as ½ level).
-Cornucopia Cupboard (create food and water)feeds/hydrates 3 medium characters/day caster level 1, 2000 gp.
-Automated Factory This manufacturing apparatus churns out up to 90 cubic feet of finished manufactured goods of mundane value or 9 cubic feet of minerals, per round. The apparatus must furnish raw materials of a similar substance to function. 80,000gp. (Fabricate, CL 9)
5: Aura of Reparation
Effect: Permanent obelisk capable of repairing damage with make whole once per round to whatever building is closest to it.
Cost: 20,000gp (Make whole, Caster level 10 ). (Cost halved as range was reduced from close to touch).
6: Simulation Chamber
Effect: The chamber that is the target of this enchantment fills with quasi-real illusory terrain and creatures, within a self-contained extraplanar environment. It can create illusory challenges up to its caster level. All damage dealt is nonlethal, and the room fades to normal with a command word from any party. (Hallucinatory Terrain, Tiny Hut, Shadow Conjuration Caster Level 7) Duration: At will/permanent. Area: 1 room.
Cost: 56,000gp.
7. Magi-Elevator
Effect: A platform supported by a floating disc carries the target up or down, and even vertical on a pre-set path, on a command word or a panel. The weight and distance depends on the caster level. (Extend Spell Floating Disc, Levitate) Caster level 12, 1 use/day for 24/hrs a day
Cost: 1800gp.
*Halved cost for dropping from close range to touch. Holds 1200 lbs, moves at a speed of 20 feet/round.
8. Phantom Butler
Effect: A translucent unseen servant performs menial and servile tasks without complaining, sleeping, eating, or talking back.
Cost: 750 gp, Caster Level 5, 1/day
9. Climate Control
Effect: The temperature within is comfortable so long as the external temperature is between -50 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Caster level 1 per magnitude. A house at magnitude 5 is 750gp and caster level 5.
Cost: Caster level x 150.
10. Message Stone
Effect: A cellphone with range as per the message spell.
Cost: 375gp, Caster Level 1
11. Wall-Mount Receptionist
Effect: A talking mouth appears from a wall within an enchanted area at a specified time and delivers a particular verbal message that was spoken into it earlier.
Cost: 250gp Caster level 1, 3/day.
12. Zone of Truth Witness Stand
Effect: A heightened zone of truth is focused on the witness stand, making a permanent place where lies cannot be voiced. The DC is 20 will enchantment, mind-affecting compulsion.
Cost: 45,000 gp (5th level spell slot, caster had spell focus and greater spell focus. Halved cost for reduced area of effect to 1 target).
13. Projection Figments
Effect: Illusory visual and auditory effects range in size from the smallest to grandest illusions.
Examples:
Battle-Map:
Effect: An astrolabe lights up with the graphics for terrain and friendly as well as enemy positions. This is controlled by the will of the device operator. This is simply a thorough and vividly stunning panorama, and does not actually have any divination-enhanced accuracy of the representations. Holographic power-point basically projecting from an astrolabe.
Cost: 75gp, at will holo projection. (Prestidigitation, 1 charge/day(at will)
Illusory Theater:
Effect: A stage can project the scenery, extras, and even some sensory details to enhance the effects of the performance. (Major Image, Pyrotechnics, Ghost Sound, Caster level 5th)
Cost: 30,000gp
Here is a quick, ad hoc example of what constitutes what for magnitude hit dice style sizes.
Magnitude Examples:
Jet Ski: 1
Car: 2-3
Simple House: 5-6
18-Wheeler: 5-7
Extensive House/Manor: 10-15
12-15: An entire train
20: Skyscraper
25: Naval Aircraft Carrier
30: Small Space Colony
100: Moon
500-2000: Planet
10000+(Dear gods why?): Sun
These are modern+ examples, but the principle is the same. As a GM you basically figure out what the size of the building or vehicle is appropriately. The arms slots and other stats from the GM guide and ultimate combat still apply, or you could fast rule 1 siege arm slot per 5 magnitude.
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Personally, I love the idea of magical engineering (lol). Seriously thought, You do also have to consider that these prices do not represent the cost of the building as well. These are costs similar to the cost of enchanting a weapon or armor. You still have to buy/build the structure first. I typically use the build point system in the kingmakers guide as a rough guide for costs of buildings and structures. (Another reason I cannot wait for Ultimate Campaign)
I also love the idea of cities that utilize wall of ice, wind wall (for the cheap), dimension door (for linking two buildings far apart together), a tower of control weather (effects farmlands and such), or even the absurdly expensive tower of Interplanetary Teleport to transport people and goods to another world. (a link for those unfamiliar with the spell)