Hm...
I like what you've done for the most part, and I'd be very interested to see some fluff to go along with it--culture, background, that sort of thing. Of course, that'd be worked in once the general setting is also fleshed out, but ideas of where you'd want to take them could be very cool.
Mechanics-wise, I have a few questions/concerns...
Fast Healing: This would be a very strong ability, even in a combat-light game. I think it's definitely intriguing, but perhaps slow it down from 1/round to 1/minute or even 1/hour. It retains the concept of the nymph dhampir being able to heal quickly, but doesn't overpower to the point of them being nigh-invincible or anything. It'll depend on the final write-up of vampires.
Skills: There's a lot going on with skill bonuses here, I'm counting a +2 to five different skills, plus an extra skill point every level? I'd be fine with any 3 of those skills, and maybe drop the extra skill point, since that's one of the few things humans have going for them.
Languages: Not sure I like 3 starting languages, but the region-dependent one may be dropped anyway, so not a big deal.
Again, even if the game doesn't feature too much combat, this is a very powerful ability. It basically combines the Monk's AC bonus (sans progression) and the Paladin's Divine Grace, but uses the same ability score for each. Admittedly, I'm seeing the nymph dhampir becoming very Charisma-oriented, and with their Strength penalty they're likely to not be great damage-dealers, but I do worry about this being a bit strong in the way of balance. Maybe they can apply 1/4 their level to AC and saves, and never more than their Charisma modifier? That way it scales, which is always a nice thing, and isn't too poewrful.
This also seems a little strong... How about a light exotic weapon, 1d6 lethal slashing damage, otherwise the same as a whip, costs 10 gold? And "bards" would be proficient (depending on if/when a new system if any is designed).
Should probably be exotic weapon to, I know exotic doesn't always mean better but when you need a feat for some of them ...
(Does more damage more often and with better crit range than the whip. The only down side it you cant make an AoO with it. Also did you want it to be finesse like the whip? )
yes. of course. exotic weapon is fine. and yes to the finesse like the whip. how do you not finesse strings?
i guess i could swap out some of the bardic martial proficiencies for it as a background thing.
the weapon nerfs are fine. i guess i could drop the bonus skill point per level and the perception/sense motive bonuses.
the 1/round fast healing was there to mitigate the negative energy affinity of vampiric heritage. it balances itself out with the inability to benefit from the healing spells of most good aligned clerics.
1 hit point a round is actually quite slow.
we could split the unearthly grace into 2 feats if we must.
1 for saves, 1 for AC. both with the requirement of being unarmored. requiring 3 and 5 perform ranks respectively.
if you are really worried, the canny defense treatment helps. but it was intended to overcome a lack of armor.
fast healing 1/round is fast at 1st-3rd, but is largely negligible by 7th and higher. it lessens in value over time when bigger heals are worth more.
i guess i could drop the regional language. though being able to speak a common trade tongue (such as english) and speak her native tongue (italian) helps with being understood by PCs. plan on spending a bonus language on latin too.
Well, I understand where you're coming from on all of it. I'm hesitant with the fast healing argument because I'm planning for this to be a relatively low-magic setting and there won't be any divine healing, so that's not much of a setback for vampiric types.
1/round isn't a ton, but over time at low levels it can give a lot of staying power. Maybe 1/5 rounds.
Splitting it into two feats sounds fine by me, and the unarmored thing makes lots of sense.
I'm just not certain there will be regional languages, per se, which is why I mentioned dropping that.
Everything else seems good!
Fast healing of 1/round or greater means that with just a few minutes you will be at full HP for every fight between level 1-3 ish. essentially getting a free CLW (ILW for Vampires) every minute of every day.
Not to much of a problem after level 4 as long as it only worked say at night or only when concious.
i guess we could limit the fast healing to only while conscious. and say the recovery speed halves when exposed to sunlight.
Read through the forum up to this point, and this does look interesting.
I have an idea for a rogue/monk type of character that is kind of inspired by the Sherlock Holmes movie you mentioned. I didn't think it was really true to Sherlock Holmes in any way, shape, or form, but it was still very entertaining. I did love the way though it showed him visualized his attacks before carrying them out. It made a very interesting impression and gave me the idea for an intelligence based pugilist rogue.
That fast healing fix is fine for me. The game probably won't be super combat-heavy anyway, and I'm planning to use a Reserve Point system.
Sounds very interesting, Rigor. I'd be interested to see where you take it... Keep in mind that I'm planning to use my own class system, though. It should actually make doing what you're envisioning a little easier.
Don't Dhamphyrs get a feat that gives Fast Healing?
Well one could always find an Ally willing to supply the blood.
|
I'm pretty sure it does CON damage to the victim. That's really taking one for the team.
But I suppose one could haunt back alleys for a few hours after a fight to pick off alley scum and heal up, but only at low levels, and by the time you have all the needed feats, low levels are probably a distant memory.
Well a Cohort wouldn't really be affected by it. Plus what of Charming them into allowing it?
Really I think the Chronicle System from A Song of Ice & Fire RPG with some homebrew would work best with this concept... Mainly because of its Intrigue System & Open Character Design.
I have a few ideas on Firearms for games set in more semi-modern periods, since the real evolution of guns was far more sequential than just the Early/Advanced type rules that exist so far. The rules as they exist also allow for some silly things such as using metal cartridges in a muzzle loading weapon, and reloading a muzzle loader fast enough to fire 3x in 6 seconds (with the correct feats).
Weapons should almost have three different categories for differing levels of technology that could exist on the same gun.
Action: None , Lock , Percussion Cap, Cyclic Action , and Self Loading .
Loading: Muzzle loading or Breech loading.
Bore: Smooth Bore , or Rifled Bore .
Any individual gun would be a mix of the three:
Musket: Flintlock, Muzzle Loading, Smooth Bore
Repeating Rifle: Lever Action, Breech Loading, Rifled Bore.
You could even have intermediate weapons like those of the civil war era:
Rifled Musket: Percussion Cap, Muzzle Loading, Rifled Bore.
I wouldn't mind writing this up, so perhaps I'll request access to your Google Docs pages.
A simple way to work this could also just be to create an Intermediate level of guns to represent Rifled Muskets and Cap and Ball revolvers. They would load like muzzle loaders, but fire as advanced firearms (Longer range increment and Touch to 5 increments).
Here's what I've developed in regards to Firearms. I like it, and I may look towards introducing it in my games.
Here's what I've developed in regards to Firearms. I like it, and I may look towards introducing it in my games.
Good work with this. Though I think bullets should target normal AC or only ignore a set amount of AC bonus, but this is just my opinion on the firearms of RPG's.
Well use the Armour as DR System and there you go.
I do when firearms are involved.
Okay then.
Very interesting, Rigor.
VEEEEEERY interesting.
...I do like it, it makes sense, and I will probably end up using it!
As a point of interest, where is this likely to be set? Are you thinking of setting in on Earth, in England etc, or in a Golarian-like Victorian area, or in a completely novel setting with elements of Earth, but more of a homebrew setting?
I'm looking at doing full-up homebrew.
It's crazy, and probably won't take off for a bit, but it's nice to see that there's interest!
Again the Chronicle System seems the best for this style of game. Though I don't know what level of Magic you wish to use.