wayfare
2012-04-02, 10:38 PM
Hey All:
Below is a hombrewed class my gaming group uses when we play Mass Effect for PnP. I think it could use some streamlining and a few new powers, so all suggestions are welcome! If you have any suggestions for class features, that would also be really great -- I feel like there should be four and the players pick two.
First, Here are the 15 rules the group agreed upon before designing the class, as well as some of our design logic.
The following rules are items that have been adopted by my group and inform my design. The first one is fairly big, and I dont expect everyone to agree with it it just works for us.
1) AC is not a thing. Attacks that would target AC instead target Reflex.
2) Armor is Damage Reduction, based on armor type (Light = DR 1; Medium = DR 2; Heavy = DR 4)
3) Shields/Barriers are per encounter temporary HP. Various powers can restore shields.
4) Daily powers do not exist. Each class gets 2 At-Will powers and a list of Encounter powers.
5) Two Powers of any type are gained at 1st level. A new power is gained every odd level thereafter.
6) Every even level, characters gain feats
7) Healing Surges do not exist. All healing is done through Medigel items.
8) If you are reduced to 0 HP, you do not necessarily die. You are unconscious and take a wound that reduces one of your attributes (determined randomly) by 2 points. Medigel cannot heal wounds only a visit to a doctor at a medbay and an extended rest can heal injuries.
9) If you are reduced to 0 hp and gain a wound, medigel can be spent to restore your health/consciousness.
10) If you are unconscious and your entire party is unconscious, you die.
11) Your third wound kills you, regardless of circumstance.
12) Armor and weapons both have 2 modification slots.
13) Armor and Weapons each have static bonuses dependent on manufacturer or weapon type. Weapons and Armor do not Rank Up
14) Armor and Weapon mods have multiple ranks that improve the bonuses granted by the mod.
15) Elemental damage mods (Incendiary Ammo, Cryo Ammo, etc) are weapon modifications, not powers. Even Warp Ammo is a weapon mod that allows biotic energy to be channeled through a weapon.
Powers and Evolutions
After first level, whenever you gain a new power, you can instead choose to advance an existing power. This is called a Power Evolution. A Power Evolution grants a new effect to the power, and grants an additional Per-Encounter use of encounter powers. For Example
Ashley is a 7th level Soldier. She began play with the Marksman and Overkill Powers. Instead of gaining new powers, Ashley has Evolved Marksman once and Overkill twice. Ashley can now use Overkill three times per encounter, and can modify it with evolution effects. Marksman is an At-Will power, so Ashley gets no additional uses out of it, but she does get to apply evolution effects.
Evolution Effects are optional effects you unlock when you Evolve a power. You do not have to apply an evolution effect to a power, but most improve the power in some way. If you have unlocked multiple evolution effects, only one can be aqpplied to a power at a time. Adding an evolution effect to a power is a free action.
Ok, now for the class...
Below is a hombrewed class my gaming group uses when we play Mass Effect for PnP. I think it could use some streamlining and a few new powers, so all suggestions are welcome! If you have any suggestions for class features, that would also be really great -- I feel like there should be four and the players pick two.
First, Here are the 15 rules the group agreed upon before designing the class, as well as some of our design logic.
The following rules are items that have been adopted by my group and inform my design. The first one is fairly big, and I dont expect everyone to agree with it it just works for us.
1) AC is not a thing. Attacks that would target AC instead target Reflex.
2) Armor is Damage Reduction, based on armor type (Light = DR 1; Medium = DR 2; Heavy = DR 4)
3) Shields/Barriers are per encounter temporary HP. Various powers can restore shields.
4) Daily powers do not exist. Each class gets 2 At-Will powers and a list of Encounter powers.
5) Two Powers of any type are gained at 1st level. A new power is gained every odd level thereafter.
6) Every even level, characters gain feats
7) Healing Surges do not exist. All healing is done through Medigel items.
8) If you are reduced to 0 HP, you do not necessarily die. You are unconscious and take a wound that reduces one of your attributes (determined randomly) by 2 points. Medigel cannot heal wounds only a visit to a doctor at a medbay and an extended rest can heal injuries.
9) If you are reduced to 0 hp and gain a wound, medigel can be spent to restore your health/consciousness.
10) If you are unconscious and your entire party is unconscious, you die.
11) Your third wound kills you, regardless of circumstance.
12) Armor and weapons both have 2 modification slots.
13) Armor and Weapons each have static bonuses dependent on manufacturer or weapon type. Weapons and Armor do not Rank Up
14) Armor and Weapon mods have multiple ranks that improve the bonuses granted by the mod.
15) Elemental damage mods (Incendiary Ammo, Cryo Ammo, etc) are weapon modifications, not powers. Even Warp Ammo is a weapon mod that allows biotic energy to be channeled through a weapon.
Powers and Evolutions
After first level, whenever you gain a new power, you can instead choose to advance an existing power. This is called a Power Evolution. A Power Evolution grants a new effect to the power, and grants an additional Per-Encounter use of encounter powers. For Example
Ashley is a 7th level Soldier. She began play with the Marksman and Overkill Powers. Instead of gaining new powers, Ashley has Evolved Marksman once and Overkill twice. Ashley can now use Overkill three times per encounter, and can modify it with evolution effects. Marksman is an At-Will power, so Ashley gets no additional uses out of it, but she does get to apply evolution effects.
Evolution Effects are optional effects you unlock when you Evolve a power. You do not have to apply an evolution effect to a power, but most improve the power in some way. If you have unlocked multiple evolution effects, only one can be aqpplied to a power at a time. Adding an evolution effect to a power is a free action.
Ok, now for the class...