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View Full Version : Feruchemy; a 3.5 adaptation



Sovem
2011-12-05, 01:19 PM
Inspired by my recent reading of Brandon Sanderson's oh-so-awesome "Alloy of Law," and taking some guidance from this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=221071), I've attempted my own conversion of the power of Feruchemy for the OGL 3.5.

As with Byzantine's conversion of Allomancy, I'm assuming here that a Feruchemist would be a template, rather than a race or a class. I've tried to keep the powers in line with what we've seen in the Mistborn novels, as opposed to trying to make it balanced for a standard D&D game. (That being said, with a few restrictions, I think it might actually work alright).

I've taken my information primarily from the second Mistborn book, "Well of Ascension," and some extrapolations from the Ars Arcana appendix in "Alloy of Law" (including the nicknames for "Ferrings" that can only use one metal). If you're not familiar with the books, some general fluff info can be found here: Mistborn wiki (http://mistborn.wikia.com/wiki/Feruchemy) or here The Coppermind (http://coppermind.17thshard.com/wiki/Feruchemy)

It still needs a little work in terms of actual numbers; I tried to focus on metalminds that would be most useful for combat, first, to insure they'd be useful but not overpowered. I'd appreciate any help when it comes to metalminds that store heat, or nutrition, or things like that.
Also, this is rough draft, so please excuse any messiness.


A metalmind can hold a number of charges depending on its size. 1 charge = 1 minute of stored X (1 minute is equivalent to 10 rounds in game). A piercing might hold only a single charge, a ring might hold 20, and a torq or a bracer could hold dozens to a few hundred.

A Ferring can compress a charge, burning a minute's worth (or more) in a single round. Metalminds that may be compressed may only be tapped in two ways: 1 charge per minute (the normal way), or X charges per round (compressing). Charges may not be broken up by rounds (in other words, a ferring may not tap a single charge for 3 rounds, then compress the remaining 7 rounds in order to enhance their bonuses. Charges are tapped for 10 rounds, or 1 round).

Aluminum: Trueself Ferrings can store their sense of identity. Maybe take a penalty to resist social manipulation while storing, and receive a bonus against the same and be protected from mind-affecting magics while tapping?

Bendalloy: Subsumer Ferrings store nutrition and calories. Over-eat/drink while storing, replace a single meal or need to drink per charge

Brass: Firesoul Ferrings store warmth. Filling a brassmind protects from hot environmental damage, tapping protects from cold

Bronze: Sentry Ferrings store wakefulness. Filling a bronzemind imposes the Fatigued condition. Tap charges to stay awake or recover from Fatigue.

Cadmium: Gasper Ferrings store breath. Hyperventilate to store (acting as though Fatigued, perhaps?), tap to remove necessity to breathe.

Chromium: Spinner Ferrings store fortune. While storing, reroll every roll and use the worst of the two results. While tapping, do the same but take the best result. It takes an entire minute of misfortune to store 1 charge, however a spinner must tap 1 charge each time they wish to reroll. Must be policed carefully by DM (perhaps Chromium is exceedingly rare? Perhaps so much as a ring's worth costs a fortune)

Copper: Archivist Ferrings store memories.

Duralumin: Connecter Ferrings store "spiritual connections". Storing gives a penalty on social rolls, a bonus on rolls to avoid notice, and friends and allies may forget about character. Tapping gives a bonus to social rolls on first encounters only, and draws attention to oneself.

Electrum: Pinnacle Ferrings can store determination. While storing, take a penalty to Will saves and CHA rolls. Tapping gives a bonus to Will saves and CON-based checks to ignore conditions, recover from dying, and maintaining concentration.

Gold: Bloodmaker Ferrings store health. While storing, a bloodmaker is considered Exhausted; due to their immune system being suppressed, the Ferring suffers minor illnesses. Every 8 hours a bloodmaker stores health fills the goldmind with 1 charge. While healing, a bloodmaker multiplies healing time by x1/2. (So, a bloodmaker tapping 1 charge would regain hit points equal to his Character Level every 4 hours, compressing 2 charges would heal every 2 hours, and so forth, up to a maximum of 8 charges compressed at once (healing CL hit points every minute of rest)). A bloodmaker can also spend a charge to immediately recover from an Exhausted or Fatigued condition.

Iron: Skimmer Ferrings store weight. Each ironmind charge = x1 1/8 weight. A skimmer can store multiple charges per minute by reducing their weight to x3/4 (2 charges per minute), x1/2 (3 charges per minute), or x1/4 (3 charges per minute). A skimmer cannot reduce their weight any further and still move around safely (any lighter and a single step would send them toppling). While storing weight, a Ferring adds 5 ft to his movement speed and receives a +5 to Jump checks per charge being stored. A skimmer storing weight only receives these bonuses while bearing a Light Load or less. A skimmer tapping an ironmind gains a +2 bonus to grapple, charge, and bull rush checks, and lowers his movement speed by 5 ft., per charge tapped.

Pewter: Brute Ferrings may store strength, weakening themselves down to a STR of 8 while storing. A normal, medium sized character is considered to be under a medium load while storing strength, even when unencumbered. Tapping the pewtermind adds a number to the ferring's STR score equal to the amount given up while storing. For example, a STR 14 ferring would add 6 (14-8) to their STR score while tapping his pewtermind.
Compressing STR has diminishing returns, due to the fact that tapping extraordinary strength actually enlarges a ferring's muscles. A human body can only expand so much. Once a ferring increases their Strength score to 20, each additional charge compressed only gives 1 ability point. In addition, raising Strength above 20 grows the brute to Large size, taking the penalties and bonuses associated with it. Unless precautions are taken, this usually also results in the destruction of the Ferring's clothes.

(I wrote the Pewter entry before I came up with the system for Iron. Looking back on it, I think doing something like that for Strength would mean less book keeping and be more balanced. So, for an alternative Pewter, filling a pewtermind reduces a Ferring's STR mod by 1, and tapping pewter raises it by 1. A brute can fill a pewtermind quicker by taking heftier penalties: -2 fills 2 charges per minute, -3 fills 3 charges, etc.
The rules for brutes who raise their modifier above +5 (IOW, a Strength of 20) are still the same.)


Steel: Steelrunner Ferrings store physical speed. Storing speed reduces a steelrunner's maximum movement by half, and imposes a -2 penalty to Initiative and Reflex checks. Tapping steelminds increases movement by x1.5, and grants a +2 bonus to Initiative and Reflex saves.

Tin: Windwhisperer Ferrings store physical senses. Each tinmind must store a separate sense. A windwhisperer storing sight is considered Dazzled, taking a -1 penalty to attack rolls, Search and Spot checks. Storing hearing gives a -1 penalty to Listen checks. As with ironminds, a windwhisperer may increase the amount of sensitivity they store in a tinmind, but at a -4 penalty they are considered Blinded or Deafened, as appropriate. Tapping a tinmind reverses the skill check modifiers, but does not add to attack rolls. Instead, increase the windwhisperer's critical threat rating.
Storing olfactory sensitivity has no in game effects, and should be roleplayed appropriately. Storing tactile sensation gives a -1 penalty to attack rolls and all DEX based skills, but tapping a tactile tinmind only gives bonuses to Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, and Open Lock checks.

Zinc: Sparker Ferrings store mental speed. Filling a zincmind imposes a -2 penalty to Initiative rolls, Reflex saves, and all social skill checks. Tapping a zincmind gives a +2 bonus to the same rolls. Zincmind charges may only be compressed x4, beyond which the human body is unable to take advantage of further increases in mental quickness. At the DM's prerogative, certain INT based skills may be modified by storing or tapping a zincmind.


EDIT: I just wanted to edit to add, for those of you who haven't yet finished all the books, nothing in here qualifies as a spoiler past Book 1. If you see metalminds you've never heard of, they only appear in the Ars Arcana (this, itself, might count as a spoiler... except you wouldn't be expecting to see weird metalminds if I hadn't told you about them here. So, like Feruchemy itself, it's an end-neutral spoiler)

Byzantine
2011-12-05, 11:52 PM
Not bad thus far. For the sizes and number of charges, I suggest having them act like magic items when charged. Two earrings would be 'free', but after that, you get into normal slots. The metalmind cannot have enchantments on them, other than their stored attribute. Then, the size scales up, with earrings being the lowest, and chest armour being the highest. Maybe two or three charges for earrings, and a maximum of 50 for armour?

Pewter with Feruchemy has a similar balancing problem as with Allomancy, however there should be a break cut for the melee folks. I suggest something more like: Pewter Ferrings may only increase their strength modifier by +5 before diminishing returns. Every five modifiers increases the number of charges spent per point of modifier. Size increases every five modifiers after five. Every two modifiers after five reduces your dexterity by 1.

Mind you, it's not all cleaned up, but I think you can see where I'm going with it.

Sovem
2011-12-06, 12:59 PM
Pewter with Feruchemy has a similar balancing problem as with Allomancy, however there should be a break cut for the melee folks. I suggest something more like: Pewter Ferrings may only increase their strength modifier by +5 before diminishing returns. Every five modifiers increases the number of charges spent per point of modifier. Size increases every five modifiers after five. Every two modifiers after five reduces your dexterity by 1.

Mind you, it's not all cleaned up, but I think you can see where I'm going with it.

I think that's fair. So, going with my second pewter option (the one in italics), you can spend a charge to get +1 mod to STR, and compress as many additional charges as it takes to get your current mod up to +5. After that, it takes 2 charges per +1, up to +10, then it costs 3 charges per +1. Is that right? And I think there should be a cap, the human body can only get so big.

One thing that's been bothering me is the lack of any defensive boosters for Feruchemy. I don't think that was Sanderson's intention; more of a feature of trying to port it to 3.5 rules. Since pewter gives allomancers a boost to STR and some damage reduction, I was wondering if we shouldn't make pewter give a natural armor bonus? Or maybe some extra temporary Hit Points? Also, I think that tapping steel for speed or zinc for mental quickness should grant a small insight bonus to AC, what do you think?

Byzantine
2011-12-07, 07:33 AM
I think that's fair. So, going with my second pewter option (the one in italics), you can spend a charge to get +1 mod to STR, and compress as many additional charges as it takes to get your current mod up to +5. After that, it takes 2 charges per +1, up to +10, then it costs 3 charges per +1. Is that right? And I think there should be a cap, the human body can only get so big.

Rather, since there's a chance that it'll apply to other creature types (like Monsterous humanoid), put a cap on the size that can be gained from the base (or, rather, the size of the creature before the feruchemy, which can be augmented by magic). I'm thinking that two size increases max is fine, and maxing your bonus out at +15 for 30 charges (in a round, no less) is fine.

Actually.... looking at the increasing size bits in the SRD, it might be better to not have your size increase, or if it does, have it increase by one and only one. If you go by the Enlarge Person spell, then each size increase would be a +2 to strength and a -2 to dexterity (to a minimum of 1). Not to mention the -1 cumulative size modifier, +4 (cumulative) grapple modifier and -4 (cumulative) hide modifier.

Here's a table, while you think on the size increase stuff:

{table]Strength Bonus|Charges Per Round

+1|1

+2|2

+3|3

+4|4

+5|5

+6|7

+7|9

+8|11

+9|13

+10|15

+11|18

+12|21

+13|24

+14|27

+15|30[/table]


One thing that's been bothering me is the lack of any defensive boosters for Feruchemy. I don't think that was Sanderson's intention; more of a feature of trying to port it to 3.5 rules. Since pewter gives allomancers a boost to STR and some damage reduction, I was wondering if we shouldn't make pewter give a natural armor bonus? Or maybe some extra temporary Hit Points? Also, I think that tapping steel for speed or zinc for mental quickness should grant a small insight bonus to AC, what do you think?

It is more likely to be a dodge bonus for steel, though I'm wary of insight bonuses from zinc to AC. With pewter, you'd probably only gain a natural armour bonus equal to 1/5 of your boost (minimum 1). Your muscles are getting thicker and stronger, yes, but only so much of that, balance-wise, should toughen the skin.

Sovem
2011-12-07, 09:52 AM
Rather, since there's a chance that it'll apply to other creature types (like Monsterous humanoid), put a cap on the size that can be gained from the base (or, rather, the size of the creature before the feruchemy, which can be augmented by magic). I'm thinking that two size increases max is fine, and maxing your bonus out at +15 for 30 charges (in a round, no less) is fine.

Actually.... looking at the increasing size bits in the SRD, it might be better to not have your size increase, or if it does, have it increase by one and only one. If you go by the Enlarge Person spell, then each size increase would be a +2 to strength and a -2 to dexterity (to a minimum of 1). Not to mention the -1 cumulative size modifier, +4 (cumulative) grapple modifier and -4 (cumulative) hide modifier.

Here's a table, while you think on the size increase stuff:

{table]Strength Bonus|Charges Per Round

+1|1

+2|2

+3|3

+4|4

+5|5

+6|7

+7|9

+8|11

+9|13

+10|15

+11|18

+12|21

+13|24

+14|27

+15|30[/table]



Agreed. Going off of Sazed's battle at the end of Book II, I think a single size increase as max should be fine. I can't imagine a human going from Medium to Huge just from tapping pewter.


It is more likely to be a dodge bonus for steel, though I'm wary of insight bonuses from zinc to AC. With pewter, you'd probably only gain a natural armour bonus equal to 1/5 of your boost (minimum 1). Your muscles are getting thicker and stronger, yes, but only so much of that, balance-wise, should toughen the skin.

Yes, dodge bonus for steel is what I mean. And I think a flat +2 insight bonus from zinc should be OK, keeping with my "the human body can only take so much advantage" restriction. IOW, compressing zinc charges do not increase the insight bonus.
And I agree about making the natural armor only a percentage of your strength increase; after all, a body builder can be pierced with a sword just as easily as anyone else. Maybe some type of damage reduction, but only against bludgeoning damage? Or maybe, like I said, some temporary hit points to represent the extra mass you have in between you and that blade.

Sovem
2011-12-10, 05:09 PM
Here's a table, while you think on the size increase stuff:

{table]Strength Bonus|Charges Per Round

+1|1

+2|2

+3|3

+4|4

+5|5

+6|7

+7|9

+8|11

+9|13

+10|15

+11|18

+12|21

+13|24

+14|27

+15|30[/table]

.

I forgot to mention, I like the table. Very helpful.

EDIT: Except, I just remembered, +1 is actually 1 charge/ 10 rounds. Charges are only expended per round if the ferring is compounding.

Byzantine
2011-12-16, 02:00 AM
Same here, for the size bit. It's a bit unrealistic. Besides, how would they move if they got to be that big? Glad you like the table though.

I dunno about the temporary HP, simply because that implies better pain tolerance and/or more blood to shed from damage. DR would be doable by having it be 1-3/Piercing or something. Not too much, though.