[PoC] Power of Cybernetics General Discussion Thread

[Garryl]

The Power Suit core attachment doesn't negate precision damage, is this intentional?

All printed precision damage is ineffective against targets immune to crits.

Technically, I don't think anything prevents what we call precision damage as a whole (and unless Rules Compendium added it, precision damage is just an unofficial term for the various related mechanics). Fortification armor stops crits and sneak attack, but doesn't specifically apply to, say, sudden strike and skirmish. They still get stopped (at least with heavy fortification) because they don't function against targets that are immune to crits.

[Nanshork]

The Power Suit core attachment doesn't negate precision damage, is this intentional?

All printed precision damage is ineffective against targets immune to crits.

Technically, I don't think anything prevents what we call precision damage as a whole (and unless Rules Compendium added it, precision damage is just an unofficial term for the various related mechanics). Fortification armor stops crits and sneak attack, but doesn't specifically apply to, say, sudden strike and skirmish. They still get stopped (at least with heavy fortification) because they don't function against targets that are immune to crits.

It is officially defined in the rules compendium, and now that I'm looking it does say that immunity to critical hits also grants immunity to precision damage. 

I'd still prefer you explicitly write that, but that's just me being nitpicky. 

[Garryl]

The Power Suit core attachment doesn't negate precision damage, is this intentional?

All printed precision damage is ineffective against targets immune to crits.

Technically, I don't think anything prevents what we call precision damage as a whole (and unless Rules Compendium added it, precision damage is just an unofficial term for the various related mechanics). Fortification armor stops crits and sneak attack, but doesn't specifically apply to, say, sudden strike and skirmish. They still get stopped (at least with heavy fortification) because they don't function against targets that are immune to crits.

It is officially defined in the rules compendium, and now that I'm looking it does say that immunity to critical hits also grants immunity to precision damage. 

I'd still prefer you explicitly write that, but that's just me being nitpicky. 

Sorry. I'm not planning to write it our explicitly because right now it's word-for-word what the Construct type traits give you.

[Garryl]

Note to self: Consider adding text to the emitter effects of spazer, shadow, and flare beam so they still count as changing your beam's damage type for gaining energy resistance.
- Spazer: Damage from area attacks. (Probably covers too much.)
- Shadow: Damage from darkness effects.
- Flare: Damage from light effects.
This isn't strictly necessary or anything, but it might be nice to provide some benefit from the class feature when using these beams.

[Nanshork]

Yeah, damage from area attacks is probably too much.

[Garryl]

To anyone who may be interested in this (Nanshork), it should be pretty obvious that I haven't been working on PoC in a while. I'm just popping in again to state for the record that I don't have any plans to continue in the foreseeable future. I've been drifting away from the D&D community in general for a while now, and this project in particular, too. I enjoyed developing it a lot, but my ideas are running out and the parts that are left are the parts I don't enjoy working on as much, anyways. Near as I can tell, it is in a very playable state, and has been for some time. For anyone who decides to play with this material, I hope you find it as enjoyable to play with as it was to make.

[Nanshork]

Good luck in your endeavors with whatever you move on to.

[Garryl]

I was looking at this again recently and I found a whole bunch of changes I was in the middle of making when I burned out. Since most of them were pretty close to complete, I figured I'd finish them up and post them when I had the chance. They're not quite done yet, but here's the tentative change log for anyone interested.

(click to show/hide)

- TODO (done): Reevaluate several core socket attachments. Several should be switched to lesser attachments, and a few modules should have new core attachments made to replace them.
- Biofeedback -> Support
- Cryo Core: Generally good, maybe just make it completely ignore resist/immunity instead of only half the damage ignoring it.
- Screw Attack -> helmet
- Temporal Accelerator -> helmet or support
- TODO: Update the module list tables.
- TODO: Finish the example Cybernetic Young Adult Red Dragon.
- TODO: Finish Screw Attack's new Core socket effect, or remove it.

Base Classes
- Cyberneticist: Cybernetic Apotheosis now lasts for 1 minute/Int mod instead of 1 round/Int mod.
- Dreadnought: Distant Crossfire battle talent no longer makes foes flat-footed against ranged AoOs. Clarified that it has no effect with weapons that lack range increments.
- Dreadnought: Extra Aura (intuition) is available at 15th level instead of 20th level. Added a new class feature at 20th level, Battle Mastery.
- Energy Warrior: Renamed Energy Absorption (resistance) to Energy Resistance. Clarified how it works with multiple damage types and amalgam damage, and added rules for untyped damage from a descriptor or power source (like Gravity Beam's gravity-based damage).

Modules
- The various modules that create weapons and armor now add a general weapon/armor enhancement bonus rather than just to the weapon's attack/damage rolls or to the armor or shield AC bonus provided. Consequently, secondary benefits of an enhancement bonus now apply, such as increased hardness and hit points.
- Riot Shield: Also clarified that attacks with the shield ignore damage reduction, as is the norm for force effects.
- Several core socket attachments have been revised or replaced.
- Biofeedback: Previous core attachment effect moved to support. Added a new core socket effect.
- Cryo Core: Core attachment effect now allows the cold damage to ignore all cold resistance, although it still only allows half the damage to ignore immunity.
- Screw Attack: Previous core attachment effect moved to helmet. Its damage now ignores hardness and is specifically called out as a force effect.
- Temporal Accelerator: Previous core attachment effect moved to support.

Special Abilities
- Updated Energy Shield special ability text. Now defines ES a/r shorthand text.

Prestige Classes
- Bounty Hunter: Dead or Alive now properly allows nonlethal damage with all ranged weapons, not just energy beams. This was a holdover from an earlier version of the class designed for Energy Warriors.

Equipment and Items
- The Velocithor weapon property now produces a line 60 feet long per 5 feet of autofire burst radius, rather one range increment regardless of burst size.

Creatures and Monsters
- Added Cybernetic Dragon and Energy Turret templates.
- Added more turrets. Enjoy the new Constructor Turret.
- Corrected the Missile Turret stat block.

Metroid Adaptation
- Added the Phazite Bones and Phazite Spurs feats.

[Nanshork]

I'm interested.   

[Braininthejar]

Actually, why are cybernetic constructs immune to critical hits? They aren't like golems, where everything is uniform stone - cutting the right wires can do a lot of damage to a machine.

[Nanshork]

So, since you're tweaking your aura classes want to finish tweaking this?   

[Garryl]

Sorry. No plans at present. I don't even remember where I left off and what I was last working on here.

[Garryl]

Finally got around to finishing all of those changes I was talking about before. Now I just have to post them. Since I'm under the weather right now and have minimal energy, that could still be a while.

Oh, and here's the sample Cybernetic Dragon. I couldn't be bothered to use its NPC wealth. 13th level NPC gear value is 35000 gp, treasure for an EL 13 encounter is 13000 gp (and dragons are triple standard, so 39000 gp). If you have any suggestions, it might be nice to do something with all of that 35-39000 gp.

(click to show/hide)

Cybernetic Young Adult Red Dragon      CR 13
CE Huge Dragon (Cybernetic, Fire)
Aura Frightful Presence (150 ft., DC 21)
Init +12; Senses blindsense 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., keen senses; Listen +24, Spot +24; Cybernetic Speed
Languages common, draconic, elven
_________________________________________
AC 30, touch 8, flat-footed 26; +2 circumstance vs. ranged; Cybernetic Endurance, Power Suit (light), Wind Strider
   (+4 armor, -2 size, +18 natural)
Miss Chance 20%; Infantry Teleportation
hp 218 (19 HD); DR 5/magic
Immune fire, sleep, paralysis
Resist Resistances; SR 19
Fort +16, Ref +11, Will +13; +2 circumstance vs. gases; Cybernetic Endurance, Wind Strider
Weakness vulnerable to cold
_________________________________________
Speed 80 ft. (12 squares), fly 190 ft. (poor); Cybernetic Speed
Melee bite +29 (2d8+12) and 2 claws +27 (2d6+7) and 2 wings +27 (1d8+7)
Melee Assassin Teleportation bite +31 (2d8+14) and 2 claws +29 (2d6+9) and 2 wings +29 (1d8+9)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (15 ft. w/ bite)
Base Atk +19; Grp +37
Atk Options Assassin Teleportation, Cybernetic Power, Flyby Attack, Snatch
Special Actions Breath Weapon (10d10 fire, Ref DC 24 half), Resonance Detonator (20 sonic, Ref DC 15)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th):
   5/day -- locate object
_________________________________________
AL 12th; Energy pool 10; Energy capacity 4; Socket attachments 1 (Available: arms, feet, hands, visor)
Standard energy allocations:
   Cybernetic Endurance (0 energy)
   Cybernetic Power (2 energy)
   Cybernetic Speed (4 energy)
Standard Cyberneticist modules activated (4 modules):
   Infantry Teleportation (2 energy)
   Power Suit (0 energy)
   Resonance Detonator (0 energy; DC 15) - Attached to Hands.
   Wind Strider (0 energy; DC 15)
Other modules activated:
   Assassin Teleportation (2 energy) - Attached to Arms.
_________________________________________
Abilities Str 31, Dex 10, Con 21, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 14
Feats Activate Module (Assassin Teleportation), Access Socket (arms), Extra Energy, Flyby attack, Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Snatch
Skills Appraise +24, Bluff +24, Computer Use +24, Intimidate +24, Listen +24, Search +24, Spot +24, Use Magic Device +24
Advancement young adult 20-21 HD; adult 23-24 HD; mature adult 26-27 HD; old 29-30 HD; very old 32-33 HD; ancient 35-36 HD; wyrm 38-39 HD; great wyrm 41+ HD
_________________________________________
Activating A cybernetic dragon that had any natural spellcasting or manifesting ability gains the ability to activate modules. The dragon gains the same number of active modules, energy pool, and maximum socket attachments as an Energy Warrior of its lost spellcaster or manifester level, and access to sockets as a Cyberneticist of the same level. The cybernetic dragon draws its modules from the Cyberneticist module list; it knows and can activate any module from that list. This dragon has 5th-level activating abilities. A cybernetic dragon uses half its natural effective activating class level plus half its racial hit dice as its effective levels in activating classes when determining its activator level, in addition to levels in other classes.
Breath Weapon (Su) Using a breath weapon is a standard action. Once a dragon breathes, it can’t breathe again until 1d4 rounds later. A red dragon has one type of breath weapon, a 50 ft. cone of fire. 10d10 damage, Reflex DC 24 half. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Cybernetic Endurance (Su) This ability is an energy receptacle. The cybernetic dragon gains a +1 deflection bonus to AC and a +1 resistance bonus to all saves for each point of energy allocated to this ability.
Cybernetic Power (Su) This ability is an energy receptacle. Each of the cybernetic dragon's natural attacks gains a +1 enhancement bonus per point of energy allocated to this ability.
Cybernetic Speed (Su) This ability is an energy receptacle. The cybernetic dragon gains a +2 insight bonus to initiative checks per point of energy allocated to this ability, and a +10 foot enhancement bonus to all movement speeds per point of energy allocated.
Energy Pool A cybernetic dragon gains one extra point of energy for each age category it possesses (5).
Frightful Presence (Ex) A young adult or older dragon can unsettle foes with its mere presence. The ability takes effect automatically whenever the dragon attacks, charges, or flies overhead. Creatures within a radius of 150 feet are subject to the effect if they have fewer HD than the dragon. A potentially affected creature that succeeds on a Will save (DC 21) remains immune to that dragon’s frightful presence for 24 hours. On a failure, creatures with 4 or less HD become panicked for 4d6 rounds and those with 5 or more HD become shaken for 4d6 rounds. Dragons ignore the frightful presence of other dragons. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Keen Senses (Ex) A dragon sees four times as well as a human in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. It also has darkvision out to 120 feet.

Edit: Fixed the sample dragon.

[Nanshork]

Hooray, progress!

Typo under activating: to activate modules a limited number of modules. 

Also wind strider is listed as having a DC but shouldn't have one.

And you have no range listed for the telepathy but you don't have a telepathy module?

Other than that, looks like an interesting template.  Right now I'm not motivated enough to gear anything out though. 

[Garryl]

The save DC on Wind Strider is to stop gaseous creatures from entering your space.

Thanks for the catches.

[Nanshork]

Ahh, I missed that part of the module.

So, what else can I look forward to appearing once you're feeling better?

[Garryl]

Here's the new change log. It's mostly just what I listed a few posts back in April 2015, although there are one or two additional things, like a bunch of racial feats. Care to guess what they all do?

(click to show/hide)

Base Classes
- Cyberneticist: Cybernetic Apotheosis now lasts for 1 minute/Int mod instead of 1 round/Int mod.
- Dreadnought: Distant Crossfire battle talent no longer makes foes flat-footed against ranged AoOs. Clarified that it has no effect with weapons that lack range increments.
- Dreadnought: Extra Aura (intuition) is available at 15th level instead of 20th level. Added a new class feature at 20th level, Battle Mastery.
- Energy Warrior: Renamed Energy Absorption (resistance) to Energy Resistance. Clarified how it works with multiple damage types and amalgam damage, and added rules for untyped damage from a descriptor or power source (like Gravity Beam's gravity-based damage).

Modules
- The various modules that create weapons and armor now add a general weapon/armor enhancement bonus rather than just to the weapon's attack/damage rolls or to the armor or shield AC bonus provided. Consequently, secondary benefits of an enhancement bonus now apply, such as increased hardness and hit points.
- Riot Shield: Also clarified that attacks with the shield ignore damage reduction, as is the norm for force effects.
- Several core socket attachments have been revised or replaced.
- Biofeedback: Previous core attachment effect moved to support. Added a new core socket effect.
- Cryo Core: Core attachment effect now allows the cold damage to ignore all cold resistance, although it still only allows half the damage to ignore immunity.
- Screw Attack: Previous core attachment effect moved to helmet. Its damage now ignores hardness and is specifically called out as a force effect. Added a new core attachment effect.
- Temporal Accelerator: Previous core attachment effect moved to support.
- Corrected some terminology (energy invested instead of allocated) in Hammer Beam's and Warp Beam's energy emitter effects.

Feats
- Added the Chromed Up feat.
- Added the Augmentation Mastery, Consumptive Salvage, Greater Ice Affinity, Improved Self-Repair, Improved Zoltan Energy Shield, Nanobot Dissolution, and Self-Repair racial feats.
- Changed the wording of Expanded Socket and Split Attachment's prerequisites to require some number of concurrent socket attachments, rather than the ability to attach multiple modules to sockets.

Special Abilities
- Updated Energy Shield special ability text. Now defines ES a/r shorthand text.

Prestige Classes
- Bounty Hunter: Dead or Alive now properly allows nonlethal damage with all ranged weapons, not just energy beams. This was a holdover from an earlier version of the class designed for Energy Warriors.

Equipment and Items
- The Velocithor weapon property now produces a line 60 feet long per 5 feet of autofire burst radius, rather one range increment regardless of burst size.

Creatures and Monsters
- Added Cybernetic Dragon and Energy Turret templates.
- Added more turrets. Enjoy the new Constructor Turret.
- Corrected the Missile Turret stat block.

Metroid Adaptation
- Added the Phazite Bones and Phazite Spurs feats.
- Changed the Phazon Tolerance granted by the Phazon Behemoth template. Added an example Phazon Behemoth.

[Nanshork]

Everything looks like good changes.

Chromed Up piques my interest.

[Garryl]

Chromed Up [General]
Prerequisite: Con 15.
Benefit: You pay only half the normal graft sacrifice, rounded down, for grafts you receive. If you've received any grafts in the past, this applies retroactively.

Edit: Looking at it again, I'm considering if it should have something extra, like let you use an extra graft or two, or negating the sacrifices entirely. Graft sacrifices for cybernetic grafts didn't wind up as severe as I thought they might. Although I still have to compare to other types of grafts. /shrug

[Nanshork]

I read your post, then looked at the grafts, then was about to suggest half the sacrifice rounded down.   

I'm not sure what other graft feats there are or how these graft sacrfices compare to others.

If the feat doesn't feel like enough (and with the current sacrifices I agree that it isn't, with this feat and all all of the grafts that require more than 1 hp combined you're only losing 9hp), I'd add that you can have an extra graft in any single graft slot that doesn't count against your maximum number of grafts (or something like that).