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Creative Corner => Homebrew Archive => Homebrew and House Rules (D&D) => The Akashic Records => Topic started by: Hanako Tachibana on September 12, 2012, 12:00:12 PM

Title: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on September 12, 2012, 12:00:12 PM
Welcome, one and all to the Akashic Records.  I would appreciate if everyone would post in this thread here, as opposed to any of the other threads.

I don't really care about what you post, though it would make some sense if you were posting about the Akashic Records.

For the Akashic Records in a convient PDF format, click here (http://www.mediafire.com/?xryif07xti9ur).
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Garryl on September 12, 2012, 02:11:21 PM
I have no idea what this is, but it sounds cool. From reading the Majo and Mamono descriptions, I'm guessing Shadowcasting + Psionics + Incarnum with fluff based on some anime or manga of some sort?
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: DonQuixote on September 12, 2012, 04:51:45 PM
I have no idea what this is, but it sounds cool. From reading the Majo and Mamono descriptions, I'm guessing Shadowcasting + Psionics + Incarnum with fluff based on some anime or manga of some sort?

Are...are you a wizard?   :o
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Garryl on September 12, 2012, 06:44:48 PM
Just how many references to how many things are in here?!
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on September 12, 2012, 07:02:26 PM
Oh, only a couple. (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=7124.0)
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: DonQuixote on September 12, 2012, 07:05:46 PM
Just how many references to how many things are in here?!

As I said to Hanako at dinner, the one part of your guess that was incorrect was your assumption that the fluff was based on "some anime or manga of some sort," rather than "everything ever."
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Garryl on September 12, 2012, 08:06:30 PM
Everything ever? All the more awesome. I see some ToB in there, too, now that the bits about boost/bursts/edicts/etc. are up.

Just to confirm, if you multiclass, you only apply Con to Tama once, right? The multiclass section is unclear.

If you die, your Tama is erased (noticeably not expended). If you're brought back to life by a lesser effect (such as Raise Dead or Revenance), does that mean that your Tama is lost forever?
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on September 12, 2012, 08:10:00 PM
If you multiclass, you only apply Con to Tama once.

If you die, your Tama is expended, and a lesser resurrection effect (such as Raise Dead) would not refresh it.  It is not lost forever.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Garryl on September 12, 2012, 08:36:47 PM
When you die, Tama in your pool is expended, but invested Tama isn't.

Henkei Engulf refers to a "cube" at one point. Also, the damage seems high for low levels, even if the valid targets are a bit limited.
   Are Henkei able to grant themselves additional non-hand limbs, including but not limited to legs?

Altach can blindsense detect creatures touching their webs, but there doesn't seem to be any limit to this. As Web is an extraordinary ability, it seems odd that this applies even if the Atlach is far away from its web, or even on another plane.
   Does the Atlach stability stack with the bonus to resist trip attempts due to having 4+ legs?

Can a Kagaribito use their Pyros Reactor without levels in a technician class? No Tama capacity is given for a TL of 0, so I would assume it's 0. (If you make this change, I'd suggest modifying the basics of Tama capacity rather than creating a specific exception for this race.)

Kami racial traits feel a bit lacking compared to Kagaribitos (the other race with +2 Tama). You trade away a laundry list of immunities, a few useful abilities through Pyros Reactor (at will out of combat healing is damn useful at low levels, and attack, AC, and save bonuses are great at all levels), for a pair of TLAs.

Noins have the (traditionally) supernatural version of Hide in Plain Sight as an extraordinary ability. Most instances of the Ex HiPS don't let you hide when observed (only the Su versions). This feels a bit too strong for a racial trait of an LA +0 creature. Perhaps instead, grant them the ability to fade into shadow, treating themselves as one step more concealed when near shadows a few times per day?
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on September 12, 2012, 09:17:48 PM
Invested tama is now expended upon death.

Henkei no longer refer to cubes.  Damage has been halved.  Henkei cannot grant themselves limbs that grant them mechanical benefit.

Atlach can only blindsense creatures on webs they are touching.  Atlach have lost stability, as their multiple legs grant them the benefits stability was meant to give them.

Kagaribito can use their Reactors without technician levels.  A creature without a technician level has tama capacity 1.

Kami gain the Wild Harmonic feat as a bonus feat.  Wild Harmonic is the akashic equivalent of psionics Wild Talent.  It grants them a technician level equal to half their HD, a tama pool with 1 tama, and the ability to take feats that would give them techniques.

The Noin Hide in Plain Sight has been changed to Fade into Shadow, which is a Supernatural ability.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Garryl on September 12, 2012, 09:23:40 PM
So, Kami start off with 3 Tama now, effectively? Is there any way to do that easily without splitting it between two separate abilities?

What's the Tama capacity for epic technicians?
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on September 12, 2012, 10:00:09 PM
At the moment, kami start with 3 tama.  I do not know of any way to do this easily without splitting it into two separate abilities.

The tama capacity for epic technicians is rather simple.  Tama capacity increases by 1 for every two levels after 1st.  As such, a 21st level technician would have a tama capacity of 11.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: DonQuixote on September 12, 2012, 10:03:03 PM
So, Kami start off with 3 Tama now, effectively? Is there any way to do that easily without splitting it between two separate abilities?

At the moment, kami start with 3 tama.  I do not know of any way to do this easily without splitting it into two separate abilities.

Well, the feat also gives them the ability to take feats with a technician level requirement, which is distinct from the bonus tama.  Wrapping them together would either involve not using the feat--which feels more messy--or rolling the two extra bonus tama into the feat--which would then sort of devalue the kami racial trait.  I feel that this one is fine as-is.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Garryl on September 12, 2012, 10:09:53 PM
At the moment, kami start with 3 tama.  I do not know of any way to do this easily without splitting it into two separate abilities.

Maybe just mention it in the extra Tama racial trait, that you're getting 2 Tama on top of the 1 from Wild Harmonic, for a total of 3?

Quote
The tama capacity for epic technicians is rather simple.  Tama capacity increases by 1 for every two levels after 1st.  As such, a 21st level technician would have a tama capacity of 11.

That formula should be written somewhere. Tama capacity is currently only defined by a table.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on September 12, 2012, 10:20:02 PM
A line has been added to Naturaly Akashic that suggests that you gain bonus tama from the Wild Harmonic feat.

The formula for the tama capacity of epic technicians, as well as other epic progression information, will be written when I write the rules for epic technicians.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Ziegander on September 13, 2012, 12:57:37 AM
I love this. That's all I wanted to say at the moment. I have lots of new material to read. :)
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Garryl on September 13, 2012, 04:01:47 PM
So many inverted powers!

Hexed Hex refers to creatures instead of objects in the 3rd sentence.

Does a fundamental's effect stack with its ritual benefit?

A lot of the apprentice techniques seem very weak. In particular, Bleeding Ears is strictly worse than Disrupt Balance at level 1, and even once it starts to last longer, deafening is a relatively weak effect in most cases (slightly stronger against players due to disrupting communications in once direction). Twist Offsenses/Defenses, especially with their very short durations, have nearly no effect at lower levels (although they do scale reasonably enough into higher levels).
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on September 13, 2012, 06:36:55 PM
And now absolutely everything is posted.  Garryl, I'll respond to your latest post once I get back from Anime club.  For anyone else who may be watching, post away!
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Risada on September 13, 2012, 06:41:07 PM
Damn.

Seeing as everyone is doing a lot of new homebrew systems, I thought I would try creating one. I thought about Reyvateil's Magic, I thought about MegaTen's spells... but I decided to see what we had on our beloved forum.

And now, here I am, posting on the discussion thread of a system that in theory envelops both of my initial ideas... possibly a few more.

And damn, this is very well done!

Will read this carefully during weekend...
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Amechra on September 13, 2012, 07:24:33 PM
I've been waiting for this ever since the Don mentioned it.

I always love it when people make nice, fleshed out systems. It lets me forget about the infinite progression of "I made another caster PrC!" homebrew.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll begin the harvesting and alteration now.

Long live the new flesh! (unrelated.)
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on September 13, 2012, 10:32:52 PM
So many inverted powers!

Hexed Hex refers to creatures instead of objects in the 3rd sentence.

Does a fundamental's effect stack with its ritual benefit?

A lot of the apprentice techniques seem very weak. In particular, Bleeding Ears is strictly worse than Disrupt Balance at level 1, and even once it starts to last longer, deafening is a relatively weak effect in most cases (slightly stronger against players due to disrupting communications in once direction). Twist Offsenses/Defenses, especially with their very short durations, have nearly no effect at lower levels (although they do scale reasonably enough into higher levels).

Hexed Hex now refers to objects where it should.

A fundamental's effect stacks with its ritual benefit.  However, in order to gain the ritual benefit after using the fundamental, you would have to ritually charge the fundamental again.  Is there a way I can make this more clear?

Twist Offences/Defences now applies a -3 penalty, scaling up to -10 at 10 tama.  Does this make them more useful?  I'm still working on improving Bleeding Ears.  Would you have any advice as to how to make it stronger?  Hopefully while still being deafen-y.

The PDF has been updated with the above changes.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on September 14, 2012, 09:35:42 PM
A question for all.  Should I change the duration of burst techniques with a duration of 1 round/level to 3 rounds?  I feel like this would both make several techniques more useful at early levels (1st level, in particular), while also not letting you give a creature a -10 penalty to attack and damage rolls for 20 rounds at 20th level.  Of course, a number other than 3 could be used; the general idea is to change durations from x/level to a constant x.



The durations of many burst techniques have been changed to 3 rounds.  In addition, the kagaribito can no longer use their pyros reactor to heal.



Tama recovery has been changed.  A technician can now recover an amount of tama equal to twice her tama capacity by taking a full-round action.  In addition, at the end of each round in which she does not use any akashic magic at all (no techniques, technique-like abilities, racial or class features that cost tama, or full-round actions to recover tama), she automatically recovers an amount of tama equal to her tama capacity.  Thanks to these changes, a technician can only nova for about 3 rounds before she has to slow down and cast like a normal person.

Also, I gave the meister the full warblade weapon aptitude.  Because why not.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: DonQuixote on September 18, 2012, 12:10:27 AM
The duration change is a good one.  I've always preferred short-duration effects as a way of balancing at-will abilities.  And you pulled it off pretty elegantly with Evil Eye and Induce Fear.

Similarly, slowing down tama recovery is probably for the best.  It imposes a resource management dynamic that, previously, could be bypassed.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Agita on September 19, 2012, 09:25:45 AM
I notice a few snippets of leftover LaTeX code in the text, specifically \emph tags, as well as a \% in one place, presumably a hole in whatever LaTeX to bb conversion script you used.
On the content itself, I'm still in the process of digesting all the material, but so far I like what I'm seeing.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on September 19, 2012, 11:03:11 AM
Okay, I think I took care of all the LaTeX code.  And I'm glad you like what you are seeing.  I look forward to your comments~
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Agita on September 22, 2012, 08:39:22 PM
Okay, time for some actual commenting now that I both have read the material and am at an actual computer.

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on September 22, 2012, 11:50:38 PM
The Tama Pool has been edited to say that the bonus tama from a high Constitution modifier is equal to your Constitution modifier.

Ritually charging a fundamental now counts as using that fundamental, so you can't ritually charge a fundamental if you couldn't use it normally.

Primitive Vision has been edited to hopefully suggest that henkei can only see out to 30 feet (plus upgrades).

The Guild, Tower, and Factory are correct where they are.  The following text (from an older iteration of the Records, and so possibly slightly outdated) may elucidate matters somewhat.
(click to show/hide)

Akashic Mark has been edited to describe the mark produced.  It is subtle, about the size of a finger nail, and needs a DC 20 Spot check to notice.

Devil in the Details does indeed allow a henkei mamono to do what you said they could do.

I don't really feel like changing the mutations stuff.  Also, the text for mutations explicitly notes that the benefits gained from multiple mutations stack.  I believe this takes care of the fast healing stuff.

I like my capstones like I like my coffee: as a single, discrete class feature.

Unarmed Meisters are totally proficient with their unarmed strikes.  Check their Weapon and Armor Proficiencies.

As for the skills thing, what would you say I should do?  Mamono should certainly get some more skills, but I'm not really sure what skills I should be giving to Majo or Miko.

I cannot tell in what manner Reject Suffering and Reject Misery are swapped.  They appear to be correctly tama'd and level'd.

Un:Echo replicates the augmented status of the technique it is copying.  It has been edited to state this.

The Quickening is a master technique because... I don't know.  I intended it to me a master technique, so it isn't like I made a mistake, but... Should I change it or make it stronger?  Does it seem fine as a master technique?

All "levels points of damage" have been fixed.

Re:Harmonize has been edited so that conditions that would prevent it from working no longer prevent it from working.

Second Change has been fixed as suggsted.

Akashic Armor is now a [Force] effect.

Fly in the Air has the proper +2 ritual benefit now.

Starlight Curtain describes what happens when you use it on a creature.



Other than all that, what do you think of the Records?
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Agita on September 23, 2012, 05:52:20 AM
I don't really feel like changing the mutations stuff.  Also, the text for mutations explicitly notes that the benefits gained from multiple mutations stack.  I believe this takes care of the fast healing stuff.

I like my capstones like I like my coffee: as a single, discrete class feature.
Fair enough.

Unarmed Meisters are totally proficient with their unarmed strikes.  Check their Weapon and Armor Proficiencies.
Must've missed that. Whoops.

As for the skills thing, what would you say I should do?  Mamono should certainly get some more skills, but I'm not really sure what skills I should be giving to Majo or Miko.
Tough to say... there really aren't all that many classic 'caster' skills. I notice that the Miko could use Performance to go with their dance class feature, though.

I cannot tell in what manner Reject Suffering and Reject Misery are swapped.  They appear to be correctly tama'd and level'd.
And they are, but Reject Suffering is described in the fourth post of the thread, in which all other techniques are Master, while Reject Misery is in the third post, where all others are Initiate.

The Quickening is a master technique because... I don't know.  I intended it to me a master technique, so it isn't like I made a mistake, but... Should I change it or make it stronger?  Does it seem fine as a master technique?
I'm not sure. It's probably fine as it is, just something I noticed.


Other than all that, what do you think of the Records?
Overall, I like it. It's been a while since a piece of homebrew made me go "I'd like to play this".
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on September 23, 2012, 01:56:41 PM
Class skills have been improved around the board.

Reject Suffering and Reject Misery have been put in the right posts.  I'm not sure how I missed that one.

I'm glad you like my homebrew :).
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Agita on September 25, 2012, 09:49:14 AM
One thing I just noticed: Ephemeral Ward is clearly intended to be used in response to adverse effects or attacks (the text states as much), but is usable as a swift action, not an immediate action.

EDIT: Steam Vector deals 1d6 damage base, but adds 2d4 damage per Tama spent to augment it. Is this intentional?
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on September 25, 2012, 12:53:34 PM
Ephemeral Ward is now usable as an immediate action (as it should have been).

Steam Vector deals an extra 2d6 points of damage per Tama spent to augment (as it should have been).
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Garryl on September 26, 2012, 11:25:47 AM
Typo in Skills/Feats regarding artificial spirits. Under the Role ability, it says they're created to fill specific rolls, not roles.
Guiding Spirit uses a double ` instead of a " when referring to the ``concentrator".

Artificial Spirit's effective carrying capacity in Spirit Hands is incorrect. As a diminutive creature, its capacity is 1/4 of normal for a Medium creature (1/2 if it's a quadruped, but I don't think it is).

Meteor Initiate
(click to show/hide)

Meteor Master
(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on September 26, 2012, 08:12:25 PM
Roll has been respelled as role.  ``'' has been respelled as ""

Spirit Hands has been corrected.  (Would D&D use 2.5 and 12.5 or 2 1/2 and 12 1/2?)

Aquamorphism has been edited to allow you to not float up to the surface if you so choose.  Aquamorphism no longer crushes you with the awesome, overpowering might of the darkest deeps, within which monsters beyond knowing, beyond feeling, beyond caring, lurk, when it runs out.

Enhance Nerves now requires a free action.  Does this introduce other problems?

I'm not entirely sure how to fix Pin Muscles.  However, the "instead" is intentional; I don't think a technique should be capable of totally removing a target's actions for 3 rounds (It should have a duration of 3 rounds, not 1, like it currently has).  How can I specify that it prevents either the target's ability to move in any way or act in any way that isn't movement?

Thanks to Akashic/Magic Transparency and the line "or a similar instantaneous teleportation effect" Pursue Travler should activate for other teleportation effects.  I would rule that spells like teleport are instantaneous teleportation effects, though technically this is up to the DM.  I do not believe any non-akashic teleportation effect would count as an "extended teleportation effect."

Stale Air now states "magical."  I hope this is better.

Un:Echo works thanks to the magic of Akashic/Magic Transparency.

Dead Flesh lasts for 3 rounds now and doesn't effect positive/negative energy healing.  If you have it, you don't lose it.

As for Meteor Crater, how would spells address this situation?

Currently, both Reject Misery and Reject Pain can cause you to recover more than the target could lose.  If this is a problem, I can reword them.
Title: Re: Race - Henkei
Post by: Drammor on October 09, 2012, 03:50:45 AM
For LA 0, you're giving the Henkei all of the benefits of blindness with few to none of the drawbacks; immunity to critical hits, flanking, four forms of save or lose (sleep, paralysis, polymorph, stunning), one form of save or suck (poison); and if the henkei builds with improving their engulf in mind (seems likely), they have a DC 14/15 Ref save that can easily be increased to 18/19 at level 1 that can inflict 5d6 acid damage per round. Granted, engulf does only affect Small or smaller creatures, unless the henkei can somehow benefit from expansion or a similar size-enhancing effect.

Some of these may not matter in most campaigns, and I'm really not an expert on the balancing attributes of this game, but somehow it seems a bit on the strong side to me.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on October 10, 2012, 12:05:14 AM
As for the blindness, I'm not too worried for two reasons.  One, a 20th level Henkei literally cannot see farther than 60 feet.  Two, Primitive Vision is based on one of the Paizo Oracle's Curses, and while Paizo isn't known for the super-balance, I haven't heard about any problems due to that particular Curse.

As for the other immunities, there are other races that get some of them, like the Warforged.

As for the engulf, I am seeing a bit of the problem.  I'm not so worried about the 18/19 engulf, as someone putting the effort into getting an 18/19 engulf could also be getting a similarly high grapple, with similar shut-down potential.  The engulf acid damage seems to be more of a problem though.  I could remove the acid damage all together, weaken the acid damage, remove the engulf ability, or something else.  Do any of these seem like they would fix the problem?
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: DonQuixote on October 11, 2012, 03:44:34 PM
I have to agree that the visual effects thing doesn't seem to me to be especially problematic.  Given that you can only see out to so far, they can just stand outside of that range and you'll have no idea where they are.  Hell, a ranged henkei is more or less impossible.  Seems like a decent trade.

On Engulf, could the issue be assuaged by changing the acid damage to 1d6+Con modifier?
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on October 11, 2012, 03:46:35 PM
1d6 + Con
How could I have not seen that?
Implementing now.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: DonQuixote on October 11, 2012, 03:48:07 PM
A haiku response?
How dignified you can be.
Mogami gawa~
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: samnemath on October 25, 2012, 04:15:18 PM
I just started reading this. Seems very good!

Is there a reason you didn't include a skillful class? I mean the first mental image I had from your introduction was a guy that could temporarily download skill-sets, feats and techniques. Or even be able to manifest crystalline tools so he is always prepared. Maybe download complete personalities, something like a mix of technician and binder with vestiges that correspond to base classes?


Edit: The Artificial spirit can deliver touch techniques but in the monster description it says "it is never allowed an attack roll". Also, unlike familiar, it doesn't get it's master's BAB. So with a BAB of 0 and Str of 1 it is unlikely to hit anything.

Edit 2: Do effects that affect allies in you territory, like Solar Resistance, persist only as long as they are within your territory?

Edit 3: What is the maximum amount of creatures a Henkei can affect with engulf? I am guessing one medium or small, more if smaller? Also I presume that the Henkei is not considered to be grappling and can continue to act normally?

Edit 4: Sorry for the large number of edits :) Just commenting on thing as I read them. Wild Harmonic + Technician class? Do you add the two tama pools?

Edit 5: Channeled Bursts do not create a burst? They affect only one target? Doesn't that weaken the channeling classes?

Edit 6: Are there supposed to be items or feats that give access to techniques? Wild Harmonic seem somewhat useless without them, unless I missed something.

Edit 7: I really like the Kagaribito. Their Pyros reactor is intriguing. I am thinking of feats that expand it's use. If I think something worthwhile I will post it here. Moreover the Pyros reactor suggests a whole level of technology usable by those who can use tama. Maybe a form of magic items useless on their own, unless the user invests (or spends) tama?

Edit 8: How about this? What do you think?
(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on October 27, 2012, 09:30:29 PM
Initial Question: There isn't a skillful class because I'm not entirely sure what a skillful class would entail other than skill points.  What sort of class features would a skillful class have?  For those reasons, there is not skillful class.

Edit 1: I've fixed that.  Touch attacks are now delivered using the owner's normal attack bonus.

Edit 2: Effects that affect allies in your territory persist only as long as they are within your territory.

Edit 3: Wouldn't it be nice if oozes had some sort of limit on what they could engulf?  Henkei can now only engulf as many creatures as can fit inside their space.  Henkei's are not considered to be grappled if they engulf something.

Edit 4: For Wild Harmonic + Technician class levels, you add the two tama pools.

Edit 5: Channelled Bursts are a bit complicated, but basically you can only 'channel' techniques that only affect a single target.  Other techniques are used as normal.  So you can use a technique that effects an area as normal, without making an attack role.

Edit 6: The Download Technique feat gives access to a single technique.  It can be taken multiple times.  It is designed to work with Wild Harmonic.

Edit 7: The Kagaribito are awesome.  I'll certainly think about items that cost tama to use.  Probably some sort of wondrous items.  I'm a bit leery of racial feats, though, as DonQuixote has had some trouble coming up with all of his racial feats.

Edit 8: That feat doesn't look bad, but again, I have a deep phobia of racial feats.

Thanks for looking at my stuff!
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: samnemath on October 28, 2012, 05:40:38 AM
Quote
Initial Question: There isn't a skillful class because I'm not entirely sure what a skillful class would entail other than skill points.  What sort of class features would a skillful class have?  For those reasons, there is not skillful class.

Well a lot of skills but I think the mainly difference would be increased adaptability rather than raw power. I have some ideas and may write a class but I suck at homebrew. Here are some classes I will steal mechanics, ideas or just take inspiration from if I get around to it. 1  (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=13924050)2 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=257150) and a third one, in which you choose each day a different archetype (warrior, mage, rogue etc), but I can't find it now

Quote
Edit 4: For Wild Harmonic + Technician class levels, you add the two tama pools.
So you gain you Con two times?

Quote
Edit 6: The Download Technique feat gives access to a single technique.  It can be taken multiple times.  It is designed to work with Wild Harmonic.

Must have missed that.

Quote
Thanks for looking at my stuff!

No problem. This stuff are great! Do you have plans to add to it?
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: DonQuixote on October 29, 2012, 03:17:47 AM
Quote
Edit 4: For Wild Harmonic + Technician class levels, you add the two tama pools.
So you gain you Con two times?

She's making incoherent gurgling noises as she goes to bed.  Let's assume no, shall we?

Also, yeah, racial feats are terrible.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: samnemath on October 29, 2012, 06:19:57 AM
Well, I don't know, they are not that bad. They are usually at least interesting and sometimes the only way to keep racial abilities relevant in high levels. Unless you mean coming up with them is terrible, in that case you are probably right.  :)
You did a fine job in  Spellshaping Codices though.

Here are a couple more feats. I am not sure about balance or usefulness. They just came to me. i hope you don't mind me posting them.
(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on November 02, 2012, 12:55:29 AM
I'll look into some of the skill stuff, but I'm not promising anything.

You don't gain Con to tama twice.  I should probably make that more clear somewhere.

I don't actually oppose Racial Feats as a concept, but I really don't want to make them~

I do intend to make more Records material.  Miko really needs at least Archetype, after all.  I might also make some akashic monsters to populate the Amala Labyrinth.  Or some feats or wondrous items or something.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: DonQuixote on November 02, 2012, 02:46:48 AM
Unless you mean coming up with them is terrible, in that case you are probably right.  :)

I did, yeah.  It was...unpleasant.

Miko really needs at least Archetype, after all.

(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d55/Human-Bahamut/DrunkenFrenzy.jpg)

You know you want to.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Agita on November 02, 2012, 07:18:27 AM
The current miko seems to be largely intended as a defensive supporter. Maybe an archetype that makes it more offensive in nature?

Miko really needs at least Archetype, after all.

(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d55/Human-Bahamut/DrunkenFrenzy.jpg)

You know you want to.
Also, this has all of my approval.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: veekie on November 02, 2012, 11:58:39 AM
The current miko seems to be largely intended as a defensive supporter. Maybe an archetype that makes it more offensive in nature?

Miko really needs at least Archetype, after all.

(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d55/Human-Bahamut/DrunkenFrenzy.jpg)

You know you want to.
Also, this has all of my approval.
I think maybe an alternate miko with dances that cause BFC effects? Change the terrain temporarily while she dances. Bring the realm of the gods to the mortal plane in the area of her performance!
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on November 04, 2012, 12:47:14 AM
So, uh, I might have just made a Fey akashic race.  I'm not going to say this is because I just made a Magic the Gathering Lorwyn/Shadowmoor Faerie deck, but that is totally the reason.

In other news, I just spent way to much mental effort recalculating the koudelka's height and weight.

What's that?  More new?  The Puella Majo's Ovecharge class feature no longer provides the majo with free tama.  There should be some price for all the nova.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on November 09, 2012, 11:58:27 PM
By the Kami, everything is pretty now.

In other news, Puella Majo have a new class feature.  They also lose fewer hexes.  Also, download my pdf and look at how pretty it is.  I WANT TO DEVOUR YOUR COMPLIMENTS.

Maybe I should go to bed...
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Bauglir on November 11, 2012, 02:48:51 PM
Before I begin ye Post of Criticism, I should mention that I love the system's basic rules. Elegant, sensible, and occupying a pretty good spot between using precedent and incorporating novelty, so that you get the sense that it's new without having to strain yourself to compare it to what's come before.

Moving on to the less complimenty stuff, which I'm gonna keep updating as I read through this:
Devil in the Details should probably have "spell" changed to "class feature".

Blindsight and See in Darkness are pretty redundant (blindsight is strictly better) as mutations, so you might consider lowering See in Darkness to a lower level, or lifting the range limitation. Similarly, darkvision is kind of a weak choice compared to the other initiate options, particularly since it's such a common racial trait.

Devour needs to specifically let you attack a creature you've pinned; the default grapple rules specify that you can't attack when you're pinning, only make a grapple check to deal damage as if by an unarmed strike (which a bite attack isn't). The original rules are silent on natural attacks specifically, but the Rules Compendium lists them alongside manufactured weapon attacks, when discussing your options in a grapple.

Explicit statements about stacking need to be made in rules that seem designed to allow you to spend tama for cumulative bonuses (a kagaribito's Pyros Reactor, for instance). Since same-typed bonuses don't stack, for instance, you could only ever get a +1 racial bonus out of it no matter how much tama you spent (for instance, spending 5 would leave you with 5 separate +1 bonuses, as worded currently).

Also, in related news, kagaribitos are kind of crazy-awesome; a racial trait that scales that well with level is really good, particularly with a lingering duration instead of a one-time-event sort of thing (one attack roll, one save, etc). The best analogue is probably an elan. Aberration vs living construct is probably a wash in terms of awesome types, but I think a kagaribito has access to more powerful abilities, and doesn't have net negative ability scores. You might add another ability score penalty to balance this out (note that the standard living construct, the Warforged, also has a net negative).

EDIT: Read through the stuff that isn't techniques or feats, which I'll probably look at in more detail if and when I build an akashic character.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on November 11, 2012, 04:53:55 PM
Devil in the Details now says "class feature" where previously it said "spell."

See in Darkness was dropped to initiate, Darkvision was dropped to apprentice, and Low-Light Vision was dropped entirely.

I believe the "A world eater can make bite attacks against opponents that she has pinned" line in the Devour description specifically let you attack a creature you've pinned.

Pyros Reactor has been reworded to make bonuses scale.

Kagaribito Pyros Reactor bonuses have been returned to only lasting for a single round.  Does this help matters?

In other news, the Scoundrel Meister Archetype has been added, for those meisters who want a bit of rogue.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Bauglir on November 11, 2012, 06:33:21 PM
In order: Cool, cool, oops can't believe I missed that, cool, yeah probably.

Scoundrels are generally a classy character type to enable for any system, so w00t
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on November 23, 2012, 05:44:25 PM
The very first akashic prestige class, the Stitch Witch, has been added.  I plan on adding at least three more prestige classes, one for each icon.  I have vague ideas for the moon one, the sun one is likely to be some sort of paladin, and the star one is going to be something martial.  As always, I do things when I get ideas, so I can't say when the other PrCs will come into existence.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: veekie on November 23, 2012, 07:30:45 PM
Will there be giant explosions?
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Garryl on November 23, 2012, 07:42:35 PM
I don't think I mentioned it yet, but I really like the Koudelka Flitter ability.

Now, the new PrC...

Spare Parts: Does the +5 DC include the +2 DC increases for adding extra d8s healed, or do they have to be added separately (eg: does a DC 20 Heal check replace a limb and heal 1d8 or 3d8 damage)?
   What happens if the limb you used to replace your own was a graft... or a Hand of Vecna?
   A failed check by 5 irreparably destroys the materials. How much material do you actually need (and thus destroy) when you're not transplanting full limbs? What if you're doing this with an indestructible artifact like the Hand or Eye (or Head) of Vecna?
   If you use the limb of a summoned or called creature, what happens to your "new" limb once the creature is unsummoned/banished?
   What happens once you've replaced the entirety of your body (like the old joke about the axe that's been in the family for generations, but had the head replaced three times and the handle replaced five times)? What if you do it out of Animated Object/Golem parts?

Stitched Body: What happens to a Stitch Witch who didn't have a Con score before gaining the Stitched subtype?

Lingering Curse and friends: How does this interact with 1 round duration techniques (normally not applicable) that are then extended with Extend Technique to 2 rounds (applicable)? Most of these seem to go best with an Extended Distort Balance.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on November 23, 2012, 08:41:01 PM
Spare Parts:
  Lets say that a DC 20 technician level check replaces a limb and heals 3d8 damage.  That doesn't seem problematic, does it?
  I'll put in a note that you can only use 'mundane' materials as spare parts.  Grafts and Vecna-bits use their own rules.
  I'm currently operating under a 1 corpse 1 heal assumption.  I shall adjust this to a 1 small corpse 1 heal assumption, with 1 medium corpse being equal to 2 small corpses, etc.  The above statement should take care of the magical body parts of vecna problem.  Though I would like to comment that something being indestructible probably means it is indestructible, and as such would not be destroyed.
  If the mundane parts only limitation does not affect summoned things, I would say that the parts to incorporate into yourself remain, maintained by the necrotic tama flowing through your body.
  What happens when you replace all of your body?  You mean, you didn't already do that in the process of becoming a stitch witch?  Nothing special happens.  Mundane limitation says no to golem parts.

Stitched Body:
  I honestly could not tell you what would happen in such a situation.  Lets say you keep your lack of a Con score.  I'll add in a note.

Curses:
  I'll change the limit to 3 rounds or greater.  This means you can't make a lingering induce fear until your tama capacity goes up by a bit or you extend it, but that is probably fine.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Garryl on November 23, 2012, 08:52:57 PM
Spare Parts:
  Lets say that a DC 20 technician level check replaces a limb and heals 3d8 damage.  That doesn't seem problematic, does it?

Not a problem at all. Clarity is all I seek.

Quote
  I'll put in a note that you can only use 'mundane' materials as spare parts.  Grafts and Vecna-bits use their own rules.
  I'm currently operating under a 1 corpse 1 heal assumption.  I shall adjust this to a 1 small corpse 1 heal assumption, with 1 medium corpse being equal to 2 small corpses, etc.  The above statement should take care of the magical body parts of vecna problem.  Though I would like to comment that something being indestructible probably means it is indestructible, and as such would not be destroyed.

What about when you're not a Medium/Small creature? Needing a full Small corpse to stitch up a fly-sized witch makes little sense.

Quote
  If the mundane parts only limitation does not affect summoned things, I would say that the parts to incorporate into yourself remain, maintained by the necrotic tama flowing through your body.
  What happens when you replace all of your body?  You mean, you didn't already do that in the process of becoming a stitch witch?  Nothing special happens.  Mundane limitation says no to golem parts.

Then you'll have to clarify what "mundane" fully entails, because golem parts seem mundane to me. Flesh and Dragonflesh Golems are even built from regular old corpses.

Quote
Stitched Body:
  I honestly could not tell you what would happen in such a situation.  Lets say you keep your lack of a Con score.  I'll add in a note.

Coolio.

Quote
Curses:
  I'll change the limit to 3 rounds or greater.  This means you can't make a lingering induce fear until your tama capacity goes up by a bit or you extend it, but that is probably fine.

Given the amount of 3 round duration techniques, that works out quite nicely.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on November 23, 2012, 09:14:46 PM
What about when you're not a Medium/Small creature? Needing a full Small corpse to stitch up a fly-sized witch makes little sense.

Already taken care of.  A corpse of one size category smaller than you is good for one use of the class feature.

Quote
Then you'll have to clarify what "mundane" fully entails, because golem parts seem mundane to me. Flesh and Dragonflesh Golems are even built from regular old corpses.

The current text is "Only mundane parts can be used as materials.  Grafts, the assorted pieces of Vecna, and similar objects can only be incorperated into a stitch witch through their own rules."  I believe this handles situations in which a stitch witch tries to use parts that have rules significance.  For odd parts that have no special rules significance, Spare Parts does not add any rules significance.  You cannot use Spare Parts to add additional limbs.  If you stick a Large arm onto you, you still have 5 ft. reach, as Spare Parts doesn't say anything about gaining the attributes of the parts you use.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Garryl on November 23, 2012, 09:16:32 PM
Excellent.

(Where's a Mr. Burns emoticon when you need one?)
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: DonQuixote on November 23, 2012, 11:24:17 PM
(http://www.canadianreviewer.com/storage/BurnsExcellentSticker.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1328013694661)
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on December 10, 2012, 12:32:44 AM
A mermaid-like race, the suijin, have been added to the Records.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Garryl on December 10, 2012, 12:47:44 AM
Siren Song has no target limit. It just says one or more creatures, and then adds another one on top of that limitless amount every 3 levels. It needs to specify somewhere the initial amount (presumably 1) before the +1/3 HD target bonus.

Typo: Should be "to a maximum of 1 round per Hit Die", not Dice.

+2 Str with no ability score negatives makes this a stronger baseline than most races (although to be fair, usually the penalty just gets marginalized and ignored somehow unless it's for Con or Dex, so it's not as big of a deal, and it's up against the slower land movement speed anyways). Swim speed and both air and water breathing (the full version, not the usual ability to just hold your breath for a long-ish time) is very good in an aquatic campaign. Bardic Fascinate (minus the broken save DC) is a nice touch. So... thumbs up! Looks cool.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on December 10, 2012, 02:04:28 AM
Siren Song now only affects one creature (before accounting for the Hit Die business).

Typo corrected.

The +2 Str only thing came about because I had no idea what to do for their -2.  -2 Con isn't good for a martial race, -2 Dex just seems wrong for mermaids, -2 Wis has already been done, -2 Int is something that I am opposed to fundamentally, and -2 Cha, again, seems wrong for mermaids.  I hope the reduced land speed balances this out a bit.

And now, because apparently I have nothing better to do, a the creation story of the Records.



In the beginning, the Records consisted of two parts: the Kami, a singular will, the mind of the Records, and the Sea of Tama, physical possibility given form, the Records' body.  The Kami desired to reach out to the many worlds that surrounded it, but it could not, for it had no way to reach out to them.  It had nothing with which it could demarcate what was it and what was not, so it could do nothing.  But it desired to reach out, so something it did.

The Kami reached into the Sea of Tama and pulled forth the first kalpa, the World End Cliffs.  The Cliffs stood at the edge of the Records, a surface through which the Records could feel the existence of other worlds, an edge from which the Records could reach out.  When the World End Cliffs were pulled forth, some tama got caught in its many crevices.  This tama coalesced into eggs, and from these eggs hatched the Atlach.  The Kami guided the Atlach to build bridges; to span the Void of Stars between the Cliffs and the rest of creation.  These bridges became the Records' fingers, its way of reaching out into reality.

Through these bridges flowed tama, the very lifeblood of the Records.  As this tama flowed into the other worlds, it mingled with the life there, and when it returned, it brought to the Records visions of many things.  The Kami saw that there were many things like the Atlach they had created, and many things quite different.  It sought to experience these things for itself, something it could not do in its current state.  So, once again, the Kami reached into the Sea of Tama.  This time, it brought forth bodies, vessels for the will of the Kami.  The Kami fractured itself, and inserted itself into these bodies.  What resulted are what we know as the Kami today.

Along with the Atlach, these new Kami explored what worlds the bridges brought them to.  They found many things.  They found a great expanse of water, teeming with life of all shapes.  The Kami sought to reflect this wonder, so again they reached into the Sea.  What they brought forth was the Ocean of Origins, a mass of many waters.  The Kami filled the Ocean with the life it found, and the life found sustenance in the flecks of tama that floated up from the bottom of the Ocean, where it bordered the Sea, and the light of the great Kami, a sun that shined over all.

Now that there were two kalpa, the Kami sought to travel between them.  While they could move easily in their previous form, the constraints of there bodies made things more difficult.  So the Kami took the edges of the kalpa and twisted them, forming them into the Amala Labyrinth.  Through its ever-changing maze, travel between the Ocean of Origins and the World End Cliffs became possible.  Having done this, the Kami once again turned towards the outer worlds.

The next thing they found was a great expanse of trees, teeming with very different life than they had found in the oceans.  The Kami sought to reflect this wonder, so again they reached into the Sea.  What they brought forth was not a forest, but the Marsh of the Lost, for the Kami had little concept of dry land.  The Kami grew great trees within the Marsh, and filled it with the life it found.  The life found sustenance in the flecks of tama that joined with the mud and the muck and the light of the great Kami that shined over all.  Having done this, the Kami once again turned towards the outer worlds.

The next thing they found was a strange place of shifting shadows.  Within, they found a race of sentient shadow stuff, fleeing for their lives from unseen pursuers.  The shadows begged the Kami for help, and the Kami gave it.  The shadows were called the Noin, and they were given a home within the Marsh of the Lost.  When the Noin settled in the Marsh, they were surprised to find that they were not the only dwellers there.  The Kami had told them of the Atlach, but not of these strange beings of slime and ooze.  The Kami saw that these new beings were nothing other than tama taking the guise of life, mimicking the forms it had encountered in the outer worlds.  The Kami gave them the name Henkei, reflecting their strange shapes.

The next thing they found was a great expanse of open sky, teeming with yet more strange life.  The Kami sought to reflect this wonder, so again they reached into the Sea.  This time, the Kami understood the dry earth, so they brought forth the Eternity Plains.  Part of the Plains was too dry, and was called the Tangled Waste.  The Kami filled it with the life it found, and the life found sustenance in the flecks of tama that blew with the wind and the light of the great Kami that shined over all.  Having done this, the Kami once again turned towards the outer worlds.

The next thing they found was a race abandoned by their god.  The Kami answered their prayers and split them into male and female and gave them a home within the Ocean of Origins.  The Kami then turned inwards, and looked upon what they had wrought.  The Records, once consisting only of themselves, now overflowed with life.  The flow of tama, once limited to the Sea, now stretched across all reality.  So again the Kami reached into the Sea.  What they brought forth was the City of Marrow, a place where all could dwell.  The Kami declared the City to be their home, and formed within it the Guild, Tower, and Factory to be its pillars.  So that all could travel to the City, the Kami straightened parts of the Labyrinth into the Amala Corridor, and protected it from the dangers that lurked deep within.  Having done this, the Kami once again turned towards the outer worlds...



Well, that was more than I expected to write.  I suppose I should ask what you all think.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Garryl on December 11, 2012, 01:37:30 AM
Cooooooooooool....

Did you ever (and/or are you ever planning to) explain why the Tower and Factory Kami dislike each other?
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on December 11, 2012, 04:32:19 PM
The feud between the Tower and the Factory stems from how they handle worshippers.  The Tower generally sets up intricate shrine hierarchies to ensure a balanced flow of worship and to give Kami with high positions in the Tower easy-ish positions.  The Tower also puts a good deal of effort into getting its worshippers to feel at ease with the Kami.

The Factory, on the other hand, doesn't care about any of that.  They put up shrines where they want, when they want.  They'll break apart the Tower's hierarchies if it is convenient to them and will gather worship through fear if it suits them.

As one would imagine, these behaviours have led to the Tower and Factory clashing numerous times.  Presumably, at one point, these clashes came about because of what the other actually did.  By now, though, their feud has reached the point where they simply go out of each others' way to screw the other over.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Garryl on December 11, 2012, 04:40:52 PM
And how does the Guild feel about their brethren/competitors snarling at each other from across the street all the time?
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on December 11, 2012, 05:32:06 PM
The Guild takes advantage of the situation.  They will mediate between the Tower and the Guild, sell information, and otherwise use circumstances to their advantage.  The Guild generally stays out of worship gathering.

Ultimately, all Kami are fragments of a single great entity, so these feuds never get too out of hand.  The Tower and the Factory would never destroy each other, and if some non-Kami force threatened, for example, some Tower Kami, nearby Factory Kami would certainly help them out (and laught at them).
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on December 19, 2012, 01:41:12 PM
A question for the community.  Were I to create more techniques (only a small amount of likely) or more akashic items (much higher quantities of likely), what sort of techniques and items would people want to see?

I have ideas for various communication-based wondrous items, but D&D seems to have something against easy communication, and I wouldn't want to damage any settings.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Garryl on December 20, 2012, 01:01:00 AM
Eh, go for it. Worst case scenario, you can provide alternate rules where they're higher level/cost more to make the less accessible. Also, Eberron has relatively easy communication, if I recall correctly. Sending Stones are, what, 10000g or so? Plus, Animal Messenger and Whispering Wind are both 2nd level spells, and Sending is 4th level (see also Correspond at 4th level for Psions).

Given that I still haven't read through all of the techniques yet (I've only looked at Meteor so far), I can't really say what more I'd like to see as I don't know what there already is. Sorry. I would, however, love to see some Akashic monsters. All we have so far are the psicrystal-like artifical spirits and the various races (so many races).
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on December 27, 2012, 03:31:53 AM
World Eater Mamono has been updated to make its swallow whole less terrible.  It now does 1d6/2 levels acid damage per round and damage dealt to the stomach harms the world eater at a reduced rate (10:1).  I think those are the only changes I made.  I haven't updated the pdf, because I'm not on the right computer for that at the moment.

As for items and monsters, I'm finally on winter break, so I'll do my best.  I'm not so good with monsters, but hopefully I'll be able to make up some interesting things.  Expect oozes and aberrations.  I like oozes and aberrations.  If I make enough monsters, I'll write an Amala Labyrinth encounter table or something.

Oh, speaking of items, I was wondering if I should do a Crown of White Raven style item for akasha.  Sort of like how DonQuixote used it in his Crown of Searing Flame.  What do you think, everyone?
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: veekie on December 27, 2012, 04:17:33 AM
Hmm, granting limited access makes it easier to add to existing games, but I wonder if it doesn't undermine some of the concept.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on December 27, 2012, 01:18:38 PM
Limited access?
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Agita on December 27, 2012, 01:44:06 PM
Hmm, granting limited access makes it easier to add to existing games, but I wonder if it doesn't undermine some of the concept.
Should be fine. I don't see it undermining anything in any way that simply dipping a level into a technique-using class wouldn't.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Garryl on December 27, 2012, 01:59:02 PM
Oh, speaking of items, I was wondering if I should do a Crown of White Raven style item for akasha.  Sort of like how DonQuixote used it in his Crown of Searing Flame.  What do you think, everyone?

So, basically a gohei that can be used by anyone instead of only technicians?
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on December 27, 2012, 02:27:38 PM
Unlike a gohei it wouldn't have its own tama pool.  Which now that I think about it would make it totally useless for people who aren't technicians.  Perhaps I won't make such an item.  Ah well, back to the drawing board.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: veekie on December 27, 2012, 03:36:53 PM
Pretty much, stored 'use' items basically get to be a scroll knockoff, or else opens access to the new system, possibly to characters who were never meant to deal with the system.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Nanshork on December 27, 2012, 10:12:23 PM
I just want to say that while I haven't completely wrapped my head around all of this, I like it.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on December 28, 2012, 02:32:59 PM
Is there anything that is particularly hard to wrap your head around?  The clearer I can make things, the better.



In other news, I've started work on another PrC.  The moon aspected Arc of Dreams.  Arc of Dreams is going to focus on intangibility, with its capstone being an intangibility-flavored Timeless Body (psionic power that renderes you immune to literally everything for 1 round).  It's 1st level class feature is going to be like the Psion Uncarnate's shed body (incorporeality for a minute).  I just don't know what to do for the other three levels.  There should probably be a larger focus on defensive than offensive, but either is fine.  Any ideas?

I've also got a vague monster idea.  A parasitic aberration called an Aregami.  The entry would contain both the aregami base monster and a template for things infected by an aregami.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Nanshork on December 28, 2012, 02:35:12 PM
It isn't that it's difficult to wrap my head around, I figured out Spellshaping and Psionics and this doesn't seem any more complicated than those.  There's just a lot of material and I'm still working out how it all fits together.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Bauglir on December 29, 2012, 02:35:51 AM
Reactive incorporeality, maybe a modified Void subtype (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mm/20031219a) at some point (tone down the superpowers a bit), make sure to change around Psion Uncarnate's abilities to prevent sabotaging yourself, explicit countermeasures to some of the normally unblockable senses (in particular, transdimensional touchsight, scent) and divination sabotage, enhanced ability to walk through walls compared to normal incorporeal creatures (which normally can't be any further than adjacent to the surface), "fluff" abilities that represent people just not noticing you (higher gather info checks related to you, etc). Any of those handy?

EDIT: Probably make sure that you're able to become incorporeal more often than a Psion Uncarnate, too. Max duration of 1 minute, but maybe once every half hour or something, or else 1 round/class level once per encounter (using the same out-of-combat recharge rules as maneuvers and such).
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on March 19, 2013, 10:44:02 PM
Updates!



Feats
Craft Esoteric Item - Lets you craft esoteric items (wondrous items, but for akasha)
Mysterium of Body - Makes you unaging.  Part of a cycle of three feats, Mysterium of Body, Mysterium of Mind, and Mysterium of Soul.  I just don't know what Mind or Soul should do~

Items
Portable Terminal - A portable version of the amala terminal.  Priced after the gate compass.
Harmonic Server - ... Basically akashic irc.  That's right, I finally invented the internet.  Anyone who knows of a harmonic server can use the communication techniques to 'dial in' and chat with anyone else connected to the server.  Priced after the greater gate compass, which I think is a good price.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on March 20, 2013, 12:54:16 PM
Yeah, lets all pretend that I didn't just write akashic programs.  I also have no idea how to price anything, so I would really appreciate it if people would tell me if they think the Harmonic Matrices and Harmonic Repeater are priced correctly.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Agita on March 20, 2013, 01:26:14 PM
Mysterium of the Soul/Mind: Mental ability damage, death effects, negative levels, mind-affecting effects, and Trap the Soul and Soul Jar-style effects come to mind as possible vectors for effects here.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on March 20, 2013, 05:57:43 PM
Some small fixes have been performed and the Log Matrix esoteric item have been added.

As for Mysterium of Soul/Mind, Agita, did you mean protection from mental ability damage, etc.?
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Agita on March 20, 2013, 06:49:20 PM
Some small fixes have been performed and the Log Matrix esoteric item have been added.

As for Mysterium of Soul/Mind, Agita, did you mean protection from mental ability damage, etc.?
That is indeed what I meant, given that Body also offers protection. I suppose I should have specified.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on April 09, 2013, 07:32:44 PM
What's this?  A new prestige class?
That's right!  The vector alchemist joins the exclusive list of akashic prestige classes (if you can call it a list).
As always, tell me what you think.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Nanshork on April 09, 2013, 08:11:36 PM
Do you have plans for a prestige class for the Moon and Sun icons?

Vector Alchemist seems fine to me.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on April 09, 2013, 08:41:17 PM
I do indeed!

Moon's PrC will be called 'Arc-Bound Dreamer' and have something to do with intangibility.
Sun's PrC will be called 'Arcanist' and have something to do with edicts and territories.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Nanshork on April 09, 2013, 08:42:24 PM
A territory prestige class sounds like it could be very interesting.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on April 13, 2013, 02:03:01 AM
Perhaps I've fallen too strongly in love with Etrian Odyssey's Vessel.  Well, whether or not that's true, I just wrote up a Vessel race for akasha.
As always, tell me what you think.
Also, please look at my pretty akashic items.  I made the internet, you know.  Or at least akashic IRC + video chat.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Nanshork on April 13, 2013, 11:56:26 AM
Extra recovered Tama seemed a bit strong but after doing some digging and refreshing my memory about how that all works I don't see it as an issue.

The Vessel race seems balanced with your other races.

Aside from the internet (or at least akashic IRC + video chat) your items shall be looked at.

Magatama: seems fine.

Gohei: How does technician level affect the price of the gohei?  (Your example states that a gohei can be purchased for the same technique at different levels.)  Also, what is converted technique level?  I can only find references to it but don't see an actual explanation.

Ofuda: Same questions as the gohei.

Harmonic server + related items: I don't really know how I feel about these or the fact that they really are akashic IRC + video chat.  They also don't seem like they'd be used much by an adventuring party.  Huh...

Portable Terminal: Seems like it would be needed to reliably have terminal usage.  Looks fine to me.

Kouseki: If I'm reading this right the only reason to have an item made out of Kouseki is aesthetics.  That's fine, just don't expect it to get used much with the cost increase.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: DonQuixote on April 13, 2013, 02:18:33 PM
Harmonic server + related items: I don't really know how I feel about these or the fact that they really are akashic IRC + video chat.  They also don't seem like they'd be used much by an adventuring party.  Huh...

Portable Terminal: Seems like it would be needed to reliably have terminal usage.  Looks fine to me.

Eh, when you think about it, at the level at which you can make a terminal, wizards are only two levels away from being able to teleport whenever, wherever.  In settings with sizeable Akashic presence, it's a good way to transmit information without having them travel all the way back to the questgiver.

I can't imagine that there's anything that actually gets broken by it.

Kouseki: If I'm reading this right the only reason to have an item made out of Kouseki is aesthetics.  That's fine, just don't expect it to get used much with the cost increase.

I believe that the main advantage is that items created with the Artifice fundamental now have a defined existence.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Hanako Tachibana on April 13, 2013, 03:24:06 PM
Gohei: How does technician level affect the price of the gohei?  (Your example states that a gohei can be purchased for the same technique at different levels.)  Also, what is converted technique level?  I can only find references to it but don't see an actual explanation.

Ofuda: Same questions as the gohei.

Converted Technique Level: Often, a rule won't ask for a technique's level but its converted level.  A technique's converted level is equal to the amount of tama spent on the technique.  This does not include tama spend on metakashic feats.  Because fundamentals do not require the spending of tama, the converted level of a fundamental must be calculated differently.  The converted level of a fundamental is equal to 1/2 the users technician level.

It's in Akashic Magic under Level.  It basically lets you treat techniques as if they were spells, since otherwise technique level and spell level don't work together.  As for pricing, gohei and ofuda are priced by the converted technique level.  So no matter what you buy, if you buy it at converted level X, it costs Y.

Quote
Harmonic server + related items: I don't really know how I feel about these or the fact that they really are akashic IRC + video chat.  They also don't seem like they'd be used much by an adventuring party.  Huh...

Portable Terminal: Seems like it would be needed to reliably have terminal usage.  Looks fine to me.

Kouseki: If I'm reading this right the only reason to have an item made out of Kouseki is aesthetics.  That's fine, just don't expect it to get used much with the cost increase.

Harmonic Server et al. isn't really intended for the party but for the world.  And D&D is severly lacking in communication items (or spells.  Sending's level is way to high for what it does.)  They're basically items that exist to give rules to how I think a setting with a large akashic presence should work.

As for kouseki, I think the price works out because things made of kouseki are automatically masterwork.  Even if it doesn't kouseki really only exists for the fundamental that makes things out of kouseki.  I wanted to have a 'minor/major creation' fundamental, but I didn't want "40 gallons of drow knockout poison" shenanigans.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Nanshork on April 13, 2013, 04:06:35 PM
@Don: I said that it looked fine to me.   :P

@Hanako: Ahh, that makes a lot of sense and explains it.  I did a search for "converted technique" and didn't find anything, that answers all of my questions about pricing and makes sense as well.

I completely missed that there was an item creation technique, so that makes sense as well.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Garryl on May 15, 2013, 01:51:17 PM
The recent discussion in the Spellshaping Codices thread got me to thinking about this. I have to agree that the classes (and also the magic system itself, but that's a different issue) are bland. Too much customizability will do that. The Miko, Majo, and Meister all boil down to a formula of "techniques, major class feature, minor class feature, selectable class features up the wazoo". The Mamono is similar but does it right(-ish; I'll get to that later if I remember). Having so many selectable class features can cause problems, both in flavor and mechanics.

In D&D, much like in programming, a class defines what a character is and what it does. Too many mutually exclusive ways of doing things means that what a member of the class actually does becomes unknown again.

Too many selectable options tends to be a sign that the designer wasn't really sure what to do with the class. Having a few options here and there that build on a solid core is fine, but when they start to replace said solid core, problems arise. Without a solid core, there's nothing to build a character on when creating from a class-first viewpoint.

Selectable class features also encourage dipping and cherry-picking, which discourages larger level investments in the class from a mechanics-first viewpoint. The good ones are available ASAP and the rest can be ignored. Menus of abilities also tend to neglect level-appropriate abilities for higher levels, focusing instead on abilities that are acceptable at any level, which usually means either low-level abilities or supplemental abilities. Even when they are available, high-level abilities are often in short supply with menu-based classes, meaning that after a few have been picked, no good options remain. Worse, the promised customizability becomes negated by having insufficient options worth selecting, leaving only the diluted flavor and weakened mechanical core.

An example of a class that implements this poorly is the Fighter. It has no solid core to work with, and its selectable class features, feats, have few good options and no high-level options.

An example of a class that implements this well is the Warlock. It has a solid core to work with (Eldritch Blast and magic item manipulation). Its selectable class features, invocations, are varied, with numerous useful and potent options for all character levels.

Now, the Mamono does this slightly better than the other classes. Its selectable class features are re-selectable on a whim, so knowing what a Mamono could do is nearly as relevant as knowing what a given Mamono actually is doing at any given time. The lists of abilities are divided in such a way that there are, actually, level-appropriate abilities for all levels. Said abilities are a bit bland, however, being mostly restricted to natural attacks and basic abilities, but that's not too bad considering that the class is also built around techniques, which can provide the interesting abilities. It still lacks a sufficient quantity of higher level abilities, however.

*Disclaimer: I find the icons and techniques bland themselves. I do not know how much of this blandness is a result of my not reading them through, nor how much of my lack of desire to read them through is as a result of them being bland.

Majo
(click to show/hide)

Meister
(click to show/hide)

I would recommend altering the formatting slightly. Add a new line between each new ability to break it up a bit and keep them from running into each other. I'd also recommend at least 3 spaces when indenting paragraphs. Just 1 space doesn't look to good.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Epsilon Rose on May 16, 2013, 01:27:00 AM
I agree with basically everything that Garryl said in both his previous post and the one he has on spellshaping. I might put slightly less emphasis on color, in favor of other types of flavor, than he would, but that's mostly a personal taste sort of thing. Rather than simply rehashing what's already been said, I'm going to try and look at things from a slightly different angle.

Making the classes so generic and similar makes it significantly harder for a new player to figure out where to start. Worse still, it also makes it harder for a DM to tell what a potential player is planning or how they'll fare, without really delving into the techniques (which an arbitrary DM would be unlikely to do, even if they had really good flavor). The biggest factor in this, is that all of the classes are built off of the same chassis. They all have the same number of tama,  techniques, fundamentals, and dead levels. They get their abilities and techniques at the exact same rate, progress fundamental use at the same rate and recover tama in the same way. The only slight variation to this is the mamono who has slightly different dead levels. The upshot to all of this sameness is that when a player tells a DM they're playing X class the DM still has no idea how their character is meant to work.

Since all of the classes have access to all of the techniques, you can't tell what roll they'll be playing  (for example, if a class didn't have access to the star icon, you'd know right off the bat that they're probably not planning a blaster). Since all of the classes gain the same number of techniques and can use them at the same rate, you can't tell if a particular class is meant to focus on mundane/class abilities or techniques, nor can you tell if they are meant to be a specialist or a jack  of all trades (even the nominally specialist majo doesn't get much of a benefit from their chosen icon or any detriment from the other icons) What's worse, you can't tell what range they're supposed to play at. The majo and the miko suggest that they're meant for mid ranges, but with con as a semi-key stat and edicts they could probably handle close range fairly easily. The channeling classes are even worse, since they can switch between melee and ranged weapons freely. The mamono goes the farthest in suggesting it's prefered range (melee) with it's emphasis on natural weapons, but this is a pernicious lie. The big draw for natural weapons is that you get lots of attacks at a relatively high bab, but there's no way to synergise this with techniques; conversely, since natural attacks are considered finesseable and are relatively hard to enchant, the mamono can easily trick-out a bow for ranged techniques while losing almost nothing in close range.

Compare this to spellshaping (both because it's fairly well done and close at hand). If I were to tell you that I was making a spellshape champion you would know instantly that I'm be planning a melee power house; conversely, if I told you I was making a spellsage you would know I was making a midrange utility blaster. Furthermore, the extremely limited number of circles a champion learns suggests he will be focussing on a few core things while a sage's, honestly, excessive selection tells you that they'll be able to do more varied things but unable to hammer any specific things. Their recovery methods only serve to further reinforce their roles. Of course, you'd have to check what circles they're taking to tell how they intend to go about those roles, but you can usually tell that with a quick glance (if you saw a champion with crushing stone, searing flame and devouring shadow it's a safe bet that they're going to focus on using formula to smash your face in, while a champion with astral essence, natural balance and brilliant dawn is likely to be more focused on buffing themselves).

Making these things easy to figure out isn't just a matter of elegance. The shear volume of content this sort of project contains means it's already hard to convince a random DM to look at it. Anything that makes it harder to judge just compounds that problem and makes it easier for a DM to either ban the homebrew or dismiss a player's app.




More nitpicky stuff:

Icon Lists:
In the individual formula lists, you should probably mark what kind of formula each formula is (buff, burst or counter) and if it has an associated ritual in the summary section. This will make it much easier to choose formula or eyeball the capabilities of an icon. You should also explain what the superscript A means in each of the icon threads. It's fairly easy to figure out by looking at the techniques, but making it explicit would still be better, especially for people looking at the system for the first time.

Also, given the differences between fundamentals and normal techniques, it might be worth separating their descriptions and giving fundamentals their own section in the rules thread.

Channeling vs Casting:
I would recommend moving channeling from the technique ability to it's own ability. As things stand, it's a bit confusing and making new people read the minutiae of another thread to figure out how a basic ability works is not particularly nice (especially for DMs). Additionally, the wording for channeling's explanation is a bit wordy and hard to understand. You might want to look to the Spellshape Champoin's (http://"http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=854.0"), Spellshot Marksman's (http://"http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=6075.0") or Anchorite's (http://"http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=983.0") channling (or strike in the case of the anchorite) abilities for ideas on how to word it better.

If you do decide to change this, you might want to also take the opportunity to better differentiate casting and channeling and  mamono and meister channeling. As things stand, they're all too similar, though the similarities between channeling and casting are probably the bigger issue.


On a Slightly Different Note:
I felt it was also worth mentioning that the ala cart style of the classes tends to make their fixed abilities seem like they come out of nowhere, especially their capstones (a number of which seem like they would be better suited as lower level abilities).



A fundamental tangent:

This is a bit off topic from what I was saying earlier, but as I was writing this post I noticed that the name 'fundamental' doesn't really describe what fundamentals are and that rectifying this might be a way to add some flavor or new mechanics for class abilities to hook into. Given what's generally being discussed, I figured it would be worth it to add my thoughts on the matter to this post.

For starters, merriam-webster defines fundamental as:

Your fundamentals don't really do any of those things. Instead, they tend to be harder to use, more complex and more limited than the other techniques in an icon; they also tend to be fairly standalone. In and of itself this isn't really a problem, most people probably won't even notice it, but there are ways we could use this discrepancy to make things more interesting.

One way of doing this would be to completely separate them from techniques and instead make them based on the number of techniques you have in a given icon. There are A LOT of ways you could tweak that, depending on where you wanted to go with it. Off the top of my head: you could make acquiring fundamentals automatic based on how many techniques you have in an icon or you could make the number of fundamentals you have a function of level with the number of techniques determining which you can choose from; you could have the player choose their fundamentals from a large pool (like you do now) or you could have the order be strictly determined with the player only having one or two options at any given stage.

One of the big things this does is let you have a general idea of what a character is focused on and (depending on what route you take) a more fine grained minimum level. This lets you better fine tune what each fundamental does and what a player is liable to want out of it. The other big thing it does is give you an excuse to make them less universal. You could make some that are passive buffs for an icon, others that introduce and work off of charge mechanics based on how many times a certain type of technique has been used and still others that are standard abilities. Regardless of what they do, there would be no reason to specify that they all be used x number of times per day at level y. This is important because, right now, it can lead to somewhat silly results. For example, being able to use a fundamental 3 times a day vs at will means very different things for Storage Crystal, Technician's Flare and Hop Through Amala. The first one will probably only be used once period, using the second one at will becomes perfectly reasonable very quickly (if not immediately) and the third is very good and worth limiting even at mid to upper levels.

This isn't the only way to change things up, it's just a suggestion to help get you thinking.


There's a number of other issues I could point out, but it's probably a better idea to fix the main things first and see if any of the smaller problems work themselves out in the process.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: chaos_redefined on August 10, 2013, 06:12:27 AM
Ignore me!  Wrong thread.
Title: Re: Discussion and Suggestion Thread
Post by: Annforest on October 19, 2014, 06:35:51 AM
Just to voice my appreciation. I just read through all the material and I hope I'll get to use this soon for my next tabletop. It's amazing. :D