..And they're really happy now. What mess have I gotten myself in to? :(
I don't know, because you didn't include any stats or information on whether you gave them early access to Power Armor Proficiency which would allow them to actually use the biotech power armor effectively.
There isn't anything innately good or bad about the idea of biotech power armor (it is anime as heck though :D ). Only the stats will tell the story on how much trouble you are in, as a GM.
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They don't have proficiency, and weren't expecting it. Party consists of a Shirren mystic, skittermander Mechanic, Ysoki Operative and a Vesk Solarian. I allowed those with bad strength scores to get at least 11 strength, so they can take powered armor proficiency at 5.
My main concern right now is that I'm screwing with the WBL too much, what do you think? Any ideas to make clear to the players that right now, their armor could also be detrimental?
Also, sell price is 10%, even if you did blow up WBL, it will only remain blown for a level or two most likely.
The biggest issue is lack of proficiency. If you want them to be able to use it, but not all the time, maybe make sure it's a minute of use per charge model. After that, let them know that you are temporarily stepping outside rules as written, and let them make a piloting check each round to temporarily gain proficiency.
Otherwise they will sell it.
But, again, that still really depends on the armor's stats.
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I made it unselleable for RP reasons (Its basically a living, Venom-style symbiotic organism) and used the lvl 5 battle harness for stats.
I'm planning to give each player a reason to keep using it, like giving the operative an ability that allows him to be able to move at his increased speed in powered armor.
I'm just trying to not break the game, too soon.
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Power armor isn't really significantly better than regular armor, unless you had low dex and didn't have heavy armor proficiency already. It helps with carrying capacity, but generally most characters don't care about the strength benefit. And generally speaking, the strength score will be less than what a dedicated melee combatant would otherwise have.
I think if you want to go with a weird gimmick for you campaign where everyone has biotech power armor that doesn't require them to meet the regular proficiency rules that also levels up with them it could be pretty cool. Just reduce their wealth gains or wealth at level up or whatever to compensate for the price of the free armor they've gotten. I would tell them that their bio armor can replicate any [s]power[s/] armor with an item level of their character level or lower and reduce their wealth by about 25%.
And to expand on my idea of replicating any armor, basically they could have it shift between light, heavy, and power armor as desired. Is a biological organism right, it should be able to do neat things like that. They can choose whichever version they like best, while keeping the theme. But I would say that the organism provides proficiency with itself.
I like that idea, reduce wealth by level, and make the bio-tech venom-esque power armor a scaling item equal to an armor of their character level. Perhaps a higher level (1-2 above character level) when it's in power armor form.
I like that idea, reduce wealth by level, and make the bio-tech venom-esque power armor a scaling item equal to an armor of their character level. Perhaps a higher level (1-2 above character level) when it's in power armor form.
Well the 25% wealth reduction that I stated is approximately the value of any light, heavy, or power armor of your character level. Power armor of your level ends up close to 30%, but I figured that keeping the value in line with light and heavy armor to keep the item attractive to all player was a good idea.
And in coordination with one of the above poster's ideas on operative weapons on the power armor frame, I would make the rule that if the wearer is treating their symbiote as power armor they can use it with the listed weapon damage, or they can treat it as an operative weapon by reducing the damage one die step. So for example 3d8 would become 3d6.
This further helps to keep it attractive to the operative in your group.
But I love the idea of being able to apply integrated weapons and armor upgrade into the symbiote and having it merge with the technology.
Honestly the idea of this campaign seems amazing.
Although I would be tempted to mess with the players a bit and have the symbiote occasional try to take control, requiring will saves occasional or for the symbiote to gain control. Also the symbiote wouldn't attempt to exert control in the beginning, so that it can fully integrate itself into its hosts body. Once integrated there is no removing it without killing both the host and symbiote.
Roll for symbiote alignment and motives!
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Power armor isn't really significantly better than regular armor, unless you had low dex and didn't have heavy armor proficiency already. It helps with carrying capacity, but generally most characters don't care about the strength benefit. And generally speaking, the strength score will be less than what a dedicated melee combatant would otherwise have.
I think if you want to go with a weird gimmick for you campaign where everyone has biotech power armor that doesn't require them to meet the regular proficiency rules that also levels up with them it could be pretty cool. Just reduce their wealth gains or wealth at level up or whatever to compensate for the price of the free armor they've gotten. I would tell them that their bio armor can replicate any [s]power[s/] armor with an item level of their character level or lower and reduce their wealth by about 25%.
And to expand on my idea of replicating any armor, basically they could have it shift between light, heavy, and power armor as desired. Is a biological organism right, it should be able to do neat things like that. They can choose whichever version they like best, while keeping the theme. But I would say that the organism provides proficiency with itself.
Great ideas. Sticking to the lvl they are at for possible armor item level seems balanced, and giving everyone proficiency seems an easy way to deal with feat / stat difference between players. I was planning to keep strict tabs on WBL anyway, so I think I can manage that.
Switching between armor types seems cool, but I eventually (around level 10) want to allow the, to transform their armor into a vehicle mech, and ultimately into their own special starship mech for epic high level space battles.
Well, if you're going all in, you might as well figure out a way to make the PA's melee attack an operative weapon, at least for the operative, too.
I figured he could just use his own weapon in the armor's hands and instead give him some kind of armor upgrade that allows him to keep using his operative abilities in that specific powered armor.
On NPC tactics: how would you propose adapting to the whole party being switch-hitters? I hadnt given encounter challenge proper thought yet besides my plan for next session, which will include but is not limited to: them plummeting into a planet's atmosphere while wearing nothing but their powered armor, surviving the friction and dodging debris, all while battling a weird lovecraftian horror in zero-G.
Also, yes, I'm definitely going to mess with the players, full-on Neon Genesis Evangelion style with a pinch of mass effect Reaper and a healthy dose of Neverwinter Trial.
Well, characters are still going to primarily be casters or ranged weapon user or melee users.
The main thing is that characters will have a fall back so that they don't provoke for casting or firing ranged weapons. Really, this was always true if you we're slightly prepared. It's pretty easy to pick up a battle glove which lets you still use a weapon or cast spells. It's mostly about the cost savings of not having to purchase the weapon, but since this is mostly a backup plan I really don't consider it much of a savings, they're still not going to be doing the thing they're designed for, so I wouldn't worry too much.
Also with regard to transforming into vehicle mech and spaceships, that will feel even more like a natural evolution to the switching between armor types. So I say go for.