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Conquest of the Universe is a space-operatic setting guide for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.
If you were a Kickstarter backer, check your email for an invite to see the preview of the playable races.
I will update this thread from time to time as we get closer to the spring playtest and an Indiegogo campaign to follow-up on the very successful Kickstarter campaign.
Feel free to offer feedback and ask questions.
The only thing I picked up from Tripod machine was A Fistful of Denarii, but I did like aFoD so I'll bite. Any other details?
You can check out the Kickstarter page for some basic details and some updates. Basically, it's a campaign sourcebook, with races, class information, new feats, high tech equipment, an alien bestiary, a guide to the galaxy, and Psionics Unleashed-compatible psionics. It has energy swords.
I looked at the Kickstarter, a few questions though;
1. How big is it going to be?
2. Is there a guesstimate for the final product?
3. Any concern over overlap of the Iron Gods stuff coming from Paizo in the fall?
4. Any divine magic stuff?
5. Anything to bring the magic-less classes up to speed?
6. Jedi? if yes will they use magic, psionics or ki?
Most of these questions are because I'm planning a pulp sci-fantasy campaign and the announcement of this and the Iron Gods supplements is pretty much going to delay that campaign.
Second on the books final release ETA.
I feel bad now; I would have gladly kickstarted this project. I even remember hearing about it, though my friend painted it as mostly fluff not crunch product. This sounds completely different to what I had described to me.
On top of Malwing's questions, I don't suppose could also add in what sorts of new races will appear, as well as new classes/archetypes?
I probably would have kick started if I had known. I'm a huge fan of pulp science fiction and I feel its the best way to do Space finder without invalidating classes.
@Malwing - the Thunderscape Campaign Setting also recently released - I don't think there were any concerns with overlap from Iron Gods - Thunderscape's AP covers even look like they are Iron Gods...
I looked at the Kickstarter, a few questions though;
1. How big is it going to be?
Medium-sized. Probably around 240 pages.
2. Is there a guesstimate for the final product?
I've started posting preview materials, with the idea the playtest packet is coming out in just a few weeks. The puts the PDF at sometime this summer. I have pushed back the date for the print version, so that I will have an opportunity to look at the Technology Guide.
3. Any concern over overlap of the Iron Gods stuff coming from Paizo in the fall?
I am very happy with CotU being its own thing, but compatibility is one of my highest priorities. I'll be checking the final version against everything I can get my hands on.
4. Any divine magic stuff?
Not as such. The supernatural elements in the setting are mostly psionic and weird phenomena. There are god-like aliens in the setting, but they're not something I'm doing a lot on in this first release.
5. Anything to bring the magic-less classes up to speed?
Talents. Lots of talents and other selectables that grant scaling bonuses. Also, plenty of gear and cyberware.
6. Jedi? if yes will they use magic, psionics or ki?
Obviously not, as that would be a serious violation of Lucas's intellectual property.
You'll have to be content with psionic knights wielding high-tech energy swords.
Most of these questions are because I'm planning a pulp sci-fantasy campaign and the announcement of this and the Iron Gods supplements is pretty much going to delay that campaign.
Well, don't feel like you have to delay on our account. Still, I hope we can give you some of what you crave. It's kind of Star Wars meets Barsoom by way of Babylon-5, with a little bit of 1970s surrealism.
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Second on the books final release ETA.
I feel bad now; I would have gladly kickstarted this project. I even remember hearing about it, though my friend painted it as mostly fluff not crunch product. This sounds completely different to what I had described to me.
You're not the only one who missed the Kickstarter. That is one reason I plan on running an Indiegogo campaign soon, as things get really hopping. (the other main reason being, of course, that more money always helps with development and keeping the lights on :) )
The book is designed around "enough": enough fluff to run a complete campaign, enough crunch to support the options you would expect.
On top of Malwing's questions, I don't suppose could also add in what sorts of new races will appear, as well as new classes/archetypes?
Fourteen new races, plus cyborgs, robots, and a simple menu-based system to play minor alien races (that is, build-an-alien).
Seven new classes, designed for high-tech play, including the psionic starblade.A section on psionics and psionic classes, compatible with Psionics Unleashed.
New archetypes and talents for core classes.
Second on the books final release ETA.
I feel bad now; I would have gladly kickstarted this project. I even remember hearing about it, though my friend painted it as mostly fluff not crunch product. This sounds completely different to what I had described to me.
You're not the only one who missed the Kickstarter. That is one reason I plan on running an Indiegogo campaign soon, as things get really hopping. (the other main reason being, of course, that more money always helps with development and keeping the lights on :) )
The book is designed around "enough": enough fluff to run a complete campaign, enough crunch to support the options you would expect.
On top of Malwing's questions, I don't suppose could also add in what sorts of new races will appear, as well as new classes/archetypes?Fourteen new races, plus cyborgs, robots, and a simple menu-based system to play minor alien races (that is, build-an-alien).
Seven new classes, designed for high-tech play, including the psionic starblade.
A section on psionics and psionic classes, compatible with Psionics Unleashed.
New archetypes and talents for core classes.
Thank you for the response. With that much new content you can assured I will be buying this product- the fact that it's a space opera is a rich gold lining on this platinum platter.
I like that the psionics are DSP compatible.
Any rules on radiation?
I'm definitely in on this one.
Radiation, yes. If I can't glean something from official sources, I'll be writing something definitive myself.
Has anyone had a chance to read through the races? Any reactions? Thoughts?
Just had a look through it - I love the Keraken (I created the K'Kin in Kobold Press' Journeys to the West, though I should probably have looked at the crab race in Alluria's Cerulean Seas) the Ramgostan, Zell and Comoto. I think this is a fabulous roster of Mos Eisley-worthy aliens.
Sorry if some of these are just lil typos....
Comoto - Sorry if I missed it - do they have tails - is their Stability trait related to resting on their tail like a kangaroo might?
Faundrian
"supple" fur doesn't make sense to me.
- Gregarious - "to resist any of the members' Charisma-based" should members' be "the faundrian's" or "other faundrians"?
Kerakens:
- First sentence says "Kerakens resemble praying mantises, crustaceans and walking sticks." Did you mean stick insects? Perhaps say they are "a cross between praying mantises, crustaceans and...."
- given the centauroid posture, I think they should have the Stability trait or something similar... although there are similar bonuses in Helping Hands (bonus to grapple, resist bullrush and trips) I think you should rename Helping Hands, or give them Stability .
Ramgostan:
- Physical description needs to be bolded
- Water dependence - "Pcs" should be "PCs"
Therion:
A little more descriptive text would help define these guys - we know they are endomorphic, have tusks and climbing claws - but what are their eyes, snouts like? Bear like? Catlike? Possum? Wolverine? Even if there is no analogous animal (which I would actually prefer) I need something more. I guess the artwork would cover this.
Zell:
Same again on the description. Artwork should cover it.
- Craft (woodwork) seems a little specific. Perhaps a range of "rustic" Craft (x) options.
Zor-jung:
I like that this is a true four armed race, however this is obviously a balance concern - this had led to the not-quite arms of the thrikreen in DnD 4e, and the Helpful Hands of the Keraken. Do Kor-jung get the Multi-attack monster feat?
Zukaz
- Duplicitous - says "receiver" instead of "receives"
Zurvan:
Thinking of the comic Rogue Trooper or C.J. Cherryh's 40,000 in Gehenna/Cyteen, I'd love to see some pack-tactics or clone-clutch abilities. Maybe you have a racial archetype for this....
Radiation, yes. If I can't glean something from official sources, I'll be writing something definitive myself.
Broken Earth had some radiation related stuff in it.
First sentence says "Kerakens resemble praying mantises, crustaceans and walking sticks." Did you mean stick insects?
"Walking stick" is a pretty common name for those insects in question in the US, more so than "stick insect".
First sentence says "Kerakens resemble praying mantises, crustaceans and walking sticks." Did you mean stick insects?"Walking stick" is a pretty common name for those insects in question in the US, more so than "stick insect".
Oh. Thanks for the heads up Orthos. Here in Australia, a "walking stick" is what elderly folk use to help them walk around. So what do Americans call a mobility aid/cane?
Also a walking stick. ^.^
Yup, or "cane". Really depends on context - if it's just a loose piece of wood, it's usually "walking stick", while something fancier is usually "cane".
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What are the new races like? I wasn't around for the kickstarter so I don't know.
Comoto - Sorry if I missed it - do they have tails - is their Stability trait related to resting on their tail like a kangaroo might?
They have a small tail, but their Stability is due to them looking like big, chunky gila monsters that are half-alligator on their mother's side.
Faundrian
"supple" fur doesn't make sense to me.
Like deerskin.
Kerakens:- First sentence says "Kerakens resemble praying mantises, crustaceans and walking sticks." Did you mean stick insects? Perhaps say they are "a cross between praying mantises, crustaceans and...."
Yes, a stick insect,, also known as a "walking stick."
- given the centauroid posture, I think they should have the Stability trait or something similar... although there are similar bonuses in Helping Hands (bonus to grapple, resist bullrush and trips) I think you should rename Helping Hands, or give them Stability .
They get "half-stability" from Helping Hands, but not if they use them offensively. Partly, this is because I don't think they would be as stable as a hoofed mammal. Also, I don't think part-time feet would give the same bonus. But it's something I've thought about, and they could end up with stability if I decided they needed to be stronger.
Therion:
A little more descriptive text would help define these guys - we know they are endomorphic, have tusks and climbing claws - but what are their eyes, snouts like? Bear like? Catlike? Possum? Wolverine? Even if there is no analogous animal (which I would actually prefer) I need something more. I guess the artwork would cover this.
You can actually see one on the Kickstarter front page. They look a lot like sloths, with a little bear and gorilla in them, with two thumbs on each hand.
Zell:
Same again on the description. Artwork should cover it.- Craft (woodwork) seems a little specific. Perhaps a range of "rustic" Craft (x) options.
Not a bad suggestion.
Zor-jung:I like that this is a true four armed race, however this is obviously a balance concern - this had led to the not-quite arms of the thrikreen in DnD 4e, and the Helpful Hands of the Keraken. Do Kor-jung get the Multi-attack monster feat?
This could, indeed, turn out to be a balance concern. However, I wanted to try doing a true four-armed race. I don't generally like watered-down, PC-friendly versions of things. So, at least for the time being, four arms it is. With Multi-weapon Fighting, if applicable.
If it keeps breaking things, I'll probably demote them to something a lot like Helping Hands, plus TWF as a bonus feat.
Zurvan:Thinking of the comic Rogue Trooper or C.J. Cherryh's 40,000 in Gehenna/Cyteen, I'd love to see some pack-tactics or clone-clutch abilities. Maybe you have a racial archetype for this....
I'm going to do what I can to give every race some specific options that will play to their image and strengths. I drew inspiration from the Thralls of Talislanta as well as the ARC troopers from the Star Wars prequels.
I have a question for this product; will there be means for suit combat in space?
One thing that is lacking from a lot of other space-based products I've picked up is representing power suits/golem armor that is compatible with the rest of the game. Normally its too expensive to see until the end of the game, generally useless unless you're a divine caster or comes with a complex subsystem meant to behave as if the rest of the game is modified. Basically my dream is having a Fighter using his combat skills to get in a suit and start slashing at space vehicles with a lightsaber or a mundane full BAB class that revolves around it to offset the cost (see Gunslinger).
I'm curious how star-ships will be designed.
I have a question for this product; will there be means for suit combat in space?
One thing that is lacking from a lot of other space-based products I've picked up is representing power suits/golem armor that is compatible with the rest of the game. Normally its too expensive to see until the end of the game, generally useless unless you're a divine caster or comes with a complex subsystem meant to behave as if the rest of the game is modified. Basically my dream is having a Fighter using his combat skills to get in a suit and start slashing at space vehicles with a lightsaber or a mundane full BAB class that revolves around it to offset the cost (see Gunslinger).
Yes, there will be suit combat, and, time and space permitting, two man-sized mechs. In my mind, an augmentation suit roughly corresponds to a multiple effect magic item, and fully powered armor is basically a minor artifact.
Definitely, there will be feat and class options to get high-end gear into the game in the mid-levels.
I'm curious how star-ships will be designed.
Ultimate Combat provides the template for spaceship operation, although there will be a number of modifications to take into account the speed and scale of space movement. I'm going to be drawing inspiration from other d20 products to make sure spaceship operation is truly a group effort. The core book will have some stock ship designs and a limited modular design system for designing very simple custom vessels.
A fully-featured starship book is slated for down the road.
Any news to share? I have been on the lookout for the Indiegogo campaign for CotU.
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No "news" per se. As you may have noticed, I've pushed some other products off my plate, which puts CotU firmly in the center of my attention. I would like the next release to be this week but I can't say just yet. I haven't decided yet if the classes are ready as-is, which will affect how long it takes to put out the next packet. I'm reviewing the classes this weekend in preparation for pushing out the next part of the playtest, so I will need to complete that process before I say. The classes are basically complete but need a once-over to make sure I am happy with their structure and balance. The next packet will have that and a slim selection of equipment.
The Indiegogo campaign will start after that is available. Which reminds me, I need to start prepping the Indiegogo page...
I'm glad to hear things are running smoothly (or at least sound like they are). I'll be waiting to back it ASAP.
So, what's been going on here? I got super excited, then distracted and now that the technology guide is in full swing im excited again. Any news for an ETA?
I am continuing to mess with the starblade/psychic warrior. However, the playtest packet Alpha 1.00 is now live. If you were a backer, check Kickstarter for a link. 190 pages of stuff to look at.
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I know that I haven't seen any kickstarter project be on time but any chance of getting any updates on Tripod Machine's 'Conquest of the Universe'? Although I arrived too late to be a backer I've been watching the project periodically anticipating the final release especially since I have future campaign plans.
For anyone that was a backer; Any juicy bits to keep the interest alive on the forums?
Currently, the classes are receiving some rewrites. I'm a little behind on finishing the remaining sections, but expect to see another flurry of activity fairly soon.
There's been some back and forth about handling firearms and high-tech firearms. If you have any suggestions in that front, feel free to chime in.
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Currently, the classes are receiving some rewrites. I'm a little behind on finishing the remaining sections, but expect to see another flurry of activity fairly soon.
There's been some back and forth about handling firearms and high-tech firearms. If you have any suggestions in that front, feel free to chime in.
I think I commented on that subject. I have a heavy bias towards not rocking the boat and against redundancy so since adequate and fairly thorough rule set for technological firearms in the Technology Guide I'm not interested in having more. At best I would expect less restrictive projectile firearms but that's three weapons tops. I'm a person that owns a copy of Neurospasta, Amethyst Renaissance, Between Chains and Starlight, Infinite Futures, Veil of Truth and Necropunk to try to solidify space campaigns and honestly I've found the Technology Guide to be the most complete and agreeable rules for technological firearms. The only thing that makes them hard to deal with is the issue of touch AC which just means there's a different status quo when it comes to armor and perhaps an abundance of touch AC abilities. In my own games I incorporate technological armor enhancements from another third party product and it seems to be working out. Its ballistic armor that counts as touch AC against firearms and energy shields that grant a certain amount of DR per round for a charge. It also helps that energy resistance is fairly easy to come by.
To expand on some things; in the above sci-fantasy products I've found similar problems, or at least problems to me.
They generally do not have clear language as to whether or not they use touch AC or normal AC leading the assumption of normal AC.
They tend to go the route of massive amount of damage so they interact brokenly with ranged attack feats. They also often have automatic and semi-automatic rules that don't interact with ranged attack feats or react by functionally giving you the ability to run off 40d6+5(numbers) damage a round without trying.
The damage types are frequently not noted or do something severely non-standard effects based on the type of firearm leading them to need to be re-referenced constantly.
The ammo gets complicated and unclear in a lot of them.
A lot of them are generally unintuitive.
Basically I've never been fully happy with technological firearms until the Technology Guide and the only flaw in those rules is the need for new defenses that are effective against it. And really you already have something very helpful. A Fistful of Denarii has a feat called Agile Defense. It grants a dodge bonus based on BAB and has Dodge as a prerequisite. It's been a table favorite for Monks, Brawlers, Gunslingers, and Fighters at my games but everyone loves it when it comes to Technology Guide Weapons. The feat along with Ion Tape bulletproofing on a leather jacket has proven to be sufficient on a Fighter in a technological campaign.
It does seem a little odd to me to have firearms that treat attacks as touch AC, but then have most of the armors grant ballistic protection. But maybe that doesn't seem so odd to most people.
It does seem a little odd to me to have firearms that treat attacks as touch AC, but then have most of the armors grant ballistic protection. But maybe that doesn't seem so odd to most people.
For projectile weapons I assumed that Armor did nothing for a bullet so your best bet is to avoid the barrel before it's shot or have some kind of armor that is designed to account for bullets. For energy weapons its just consistent with any other ray-like effect in the game. Amethyst and Neurospasta go by the logic having firearms target normal AC but depending on how advanced the weapon is considered it grants a natural enhancement bonus to attack and damage, which is similar to how Ryan Renold's Five Moons is handling 'touch' attacks the last I checked so you can see his blog post on the train of thought. Its a good read. In the context of Pathfinder I don't think it's a good move because it brings in sort of the illusion that a suit of medieval armor is somehow an appropriate response to a ray gun. Most of the weirdness, I think, comes from the instinct to make everything viable but in reality you don't want to bring a knife and primitive armor to a lazer fight against guys wearing mech armor. If the guy had a sonic knife that can easily disable mech suits, the armor was scatterlight armor and the guy himself was as hard to hit as a shadow then it's a different story. Also there's the issue of mechanical consistency with the Technology Guide partially but definitely with the rest of the game and how it handles energy beam attacks.
If monsters are still an issue templates that give them more deflection AC could be appropriate, or feats/templates that allow natural AC to count towards beam weapons. Or just more things that resist energy damage.
Sorry that I have an overabundance to say but as I mentioned above I have a lot of scifi Pathfinder supplements so I've been reading and thinking about the subject a lot and I've been rarely fully satisfied on the subject. To add to the idea of not changing things past how the Technology Guide works, I would say, take a look at the how many good reviews the Technology Guide has and look at the worst reviews.
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I've always taken issue with the Pathfinder firearms rules, in which neither steel breastplate or nor a razborback boar's natural armor provide any bonus against a bullet... which is, well, really wrong. But it doesn't normally break too much, because in core Pathfinder, gun vs. breastplate is fairly rare and firearms have unique balancing mechanics.
That goes out the window, of course, when the standard sidearm is a gun. Typically, space opera heroes don't wear a lot of armor, but some do, and nameless goons wear a LOT of armor.
I've always taken issue with the Pathfinder firearms rules, in which neither steel breastplate or nor a razborback boar's natural armor provide any bonus against a bullet... which is, well, really wrong. But it doesn't normally break too much, because in core Pathfinder, gun vs. breastplate is fairly rare and firearms have unique balancing mechanics.
That goes out the window, of course, when the standard sidearm is a gun. Typically, space opera heroes don't wear a lot of armor, but some do, and nameless goons wear a LOT of armor.
Unfortunately I can't sympathize. I've heard complaints about firearms in Pathfinder but I've always found them adequate. If guns become something that's in everyone's pocket then I'd expect metal armor to be obsolete and I never expected natural armor to be any different. . If I were to design it any differently I'd probably go with 'tech levels' as an enhancement bonus, especially since enhancement bonuses bypass DR eventually, but I think energy weapons are good as they are.
At the very least they've been adequate for my games. The status quo is often to invest in touch AC sources, particularly dodge bonuses. 'trooper' type mooks have Scatterlight suits or ballistic suits although I've picked up Fat Goblin Game's 'Fantastic Technology' and fell in love with Plastic and Bulletproofing. I've functioned with a lvl 10 Fighter NPC with the above mentioned aFoD feat and a leather ion jacket with his 16 dex, running with 24 AC against energy weapons and 22 against bullets. not great but its at 13% of it's wealth by level and had a lot of misses on him when they fired at him with full attacks. Although to be fair I've fudge Natural Armor into working against firearms and energy weapons because some monsters get nothing else for defense and should be extinct as soon as guns became common.
So I haven't heard about this in a while and I was really excited. Anything happening with this project?
Good news! It's done, and hopefully will be appearing for sale here pretty soon. 248 pages. I accidentally over two dozen playable races.