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Dr.Epic
2012-07-08, 10:41 PM
So I had this idea awhile back to basically recycle D&D in space. Yeah, I know it's been done. But why should that stop me? Basically, I'm trying to make a cheesy almost sci-fi B-movie type concept but with Dungeons & Dragons. I'd figure I'd keep this as a working log and people can comment about things they like and things I should change. So, that said, I guess I should get down to explaining some stuff about this game I intend to call Spaceswords.

So as far as motivation, like I said it is going to be D&D recycled in space (just in theme, not in mechanics). I know there is a D&D system that is in space (never played it, I think it's called Spell Jammers, but I may be wrong). Ironically, the main inspiration came from Treasure Planet, one of my favorite Disney films. But instead of pirates, I'm going with a medieval theme, something I have greater passion for. Along with this, I'm throwing in classic sci-fi, B-movies, and even some anime themes. The name I picked because well, you're in space and swords are a pretty iconic weapon (trust me, it's better than my first idea: Starships & Saucermen (because it's D&D in space it should be called S&S).

I don't intend this to be completely serious. I mean, a good part of this is tongue and cheek. I'm just saying that now so you can understand if somethings sound kind of corny. That said, if there are any science majors, a lot of this isn't going to be fact based. Please try to go with me on this.

Okay, ability scores:
Charm* - ability to deal with social situations

Cunning* - ability to solve puzzles and read between the lines

Endurance** - measurement of how long your body can maintain intense physical strain or discomfort

Grace** - measurement of one's dexterity and stealth

Intelligence* - measurement of one's knowledge

Memory* - ability to recall previous experiences and apply it to current situations

Perception* - measurement of the sense and how aware you are of objects close and far away

Speed** - ability to move and react

Strength** - measurement of physical power

Vitality** - measurement of physical health

*mental stat
**physical stat
I'll get more into how they factor into gameplay later.

Before I get into races and classes, just some more basic stuff that deal with mechanics:
Regeneration Points:
I got the idea mainly from Dragon Ball Z and other anime and sci fi villains that can come back from nearly anything. All characters have these but only a limited amount each day. I was thinking something like 15 per level (some classes get more). There'd also be feats to increase this. I had an idea of just building certain characters around having a tone of regeneration points (like a tank).You can heal a certain amount each round (something like the equivalent of your vitality score). Also, you can exchange like 100 to regrow a limb, 200 to regrow a minor organ, or 300 to regrow head or heart (these numbers can change).

Radiation Damage:
You know how in the silver age, comic writers could make radiation to whatever because who cares? Well, I'm kind of doing something like that. Radiation harms both your hit points and regeneration points. Like, if it says take 5 radiation damage, you lose 5 HP and 5 regeneration points. So 6 radiation damage would be 6 from each. Get it? And if you run out of regeneration points, the damage takes away from HP. Also, there's an entire class based around dealing radiation damage not to mention some radiation based weapons.

Gravity:
So you're traveling through space and other planets with different gravitation fields. I'd figure why not incorporate that into the game. Every play is used to a Gravitational Field Pull* of 10 (that's roughly earth). 11 is a little bit more, and 9 is a little bit less. a Gravitational Field Pull of 0 is free fall. Basically, you subtract what field you're used to from the one you're currently on and get a bonus to physical stats. So if you're used to 10 and on 11, you suffer a minus. But if you're used to 10 and on 9, you get a bonus. Also, there are ways to increase what Gravitational Field you're used increase 11, 12 and so on to your norm.
*not sure if that's the official term, but I'm just making up stuff like power levels.:smallwink:

Air:
So I had this cool idea what if characters could breathe in space? There's even a class that gets that ability. But then I figure since these are all aliens, why limit it to just oxygen you can breathe. Space could be made of aether and you could breathe that. I just need a list of gases you think the PCs should be able to breathe. They can be any gas really. I'm just not a science major and can't think of any.

Antimatter Level:
Another thing I kind of thought I should have. Antimatter. Basically, it functions like a disease. When at 0, you're perfectly fine. But if your antimatter level rises, you get more sick and take minuses to stats.

Mutations:
Basically, ever races gets 10 racial traits. However, instead of taking the racial traits given to you, you can exchange them for a mutation. There are two types of mutation traits: general which anyone can take, and traits specific only to a certain race. And you can only exchange 6 normal traits for mutations (you have to somewhat resemble the original race).

Languages:
basically, I wanted all the languages to be based on planets in our solar system: Martian, Neptunian, Plutonian, etc.

Atmospheric Pressure and Time Travel:
Two concepts I really want to have, but can't figure out how to incorporate them into game play. Different atmospheric pressures shouldn't be that difficult. Just a strain on some stats. But bringing the game into four dimensions is more difficult. I'd just like suggestions on both.

So for races and classes, I'm just going to really list the inspiration for each before I go into further racial traits and class builds and such.

Races:

Brain Folk:
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcREHpabPImJmmg9KhfZWnh9qR073puXy Q_nkzAM8Il4PHxHB8y-LQ
A super intellectually advanced being.
Bug:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8b/Thisislandearth3.jpg
Anthropomorphic Bug
Cosmic Dwarf:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f0/Gimli_With_Axe.jpg
Dwarves but recycled in space
Cosmic Goblin:
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTZU6ILVxV3MTHdojOgx3PD8NO3jIb6m geGvNePgCjgGqgnPoo71w
Goblins but recycled in space
Extraterrestrial Troll:
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRHMwKXXdA_tjkeXxwFBaPRgC2N8N9qs HPWFM8oWzNhJTQFS9wP
Troll but recycled in space
Galactic Gnome:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/German_garden_gnome.jpg
Gnome but recycled in space
Human:
You know what this is, but should I call it something like a space human.:smallwink::smallbiggrin:
Lizard Men:
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTMXFWmXxTSd0L_Trl6evqtEOaXgCXMU KY7QX52482GbOsKM0Dihg
Reptilian human
Plant Folk:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/59/Swthing01.jpg
Anthropomorphic plant
Pod Person:
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS2C6W34mxshhMKzFdeC8FzN0pdCD0vy yQQJ4RFfrM4qS7LOVIqvw
A creature that can duplicate others
Space Ape:
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT6v3VCUdGDmB0jKNRNBE1mAM26uDx9a 7GNbCEhGpaIGuFwnGHc
Super evolved apes
Space Centaur:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Centaure_Malmaison_crop.jpg
Centaur but recycled in space
Space Elf:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2b/Legolas600ppx.jpg
Elf but recycled in space
Space Orc:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Male_orc.jpg
Orc but recycled in space
Squid Men:
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS6Z05LBhJEuFzHaOZL14toFwuKHbm06 xs4L9YGHcWfNbq4KC3maA
Occult alien race with tentacles on their faces

Classes:
Antimatter Necromancer:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3a/Sauron.jpg
Spellcasters based around creating undead slaves and harming others by raising their antimatter level.
Astro-Knight:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Star_Trek_William_Shatner.JPG
Elite warriors sworn to a oath to serve, defend, or conquer for their king or commander.
Cosmic Sorcerer:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e9/Gandalf600ppx.jpg
Basically a wizard recycled in space
Galactic Huntsman:
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRYMyhHdMPYiYFgV76_2MfG2nC-2piqKFyTn6vQpZMKHGF9l-9k
A ranger that can literally leap from planet to planet to hunt his quarry.
Lazer Mage:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/69/Greenlantern.PNG
Basically an evoker from D&D, but they chose a color, and each color deals a different kind of damage and has a different effect on foes and the mage.
Mutation Master:
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQH7ggHA8A8ClQnqOpgogWGe-DMTpk4IoGDD7BpUry0WWX3slQG
A being that can tap into it's DNA and shift it's body causing it to adapt to anything (think a druid that focuses on wildshape).
Phantom:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2e/TheSpirt_n6_Feb1975_detail.png
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/46/Phantomcomics2.jpg
A stealthy fighter that can eventually phase through matter and turn invisible.
Radiation Ninja:
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSafCqsnW1Wac0bkNUyJllyeR_mvrdv4 5On5Kc5x4fa42VWuDV5
A stealth based warrior that can inflict radiation damage to their foes.
Space Monk:
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTp3_elNVssxXecFNO0SDCZ6bnf3VwSg dXeJH7wIi8f7rMevwOm
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ1Vw7KmWYuasiUyYhNvPvYH1gCRvLPS jJUCURkTAaddLii3MAB
Martial artist that have temples in space, can fly, and can breathe in space.
Space Pirate:
http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQMG5Bmvs2xN-rD6wcmOZuwgKZZ2bp1NgYDEg0AsxJLW2d6D6in7Q
Warriors that plunder starships and are skilled with blasters and long swords.
Space Viking:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/41/Thor-272.jpg
Warriors that are capable of raging and chose greater weapon mastery with either sword, axe, spear, or hammer.
Sun Disciple:
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT8HKnfr1jJEgK1bZz2S7v9SLCBI0VAA dDDy5cScjVeRI67MeO-_g
Clerics that devote themselves to stars and have temples on suns. (Suns are the physical manifestation of gods, and black holes are fallen, evil gods).

So what do you think so far?

Doorhandle
2012-07-09, 01:01 AM
Right, you do know that when antimatter and matter touch, they are both annihilated into a huge peal of energy that will destroy basically everything within a matter of kilometers, even if it's just 2 ATOMS touching? Just saying, because while you are using comic-book science instead of normal science, it just makes more sense for the antimatter-users to be blasters instead of necromancers.

Maybe you could use nanobots or bio-mass assimilating species as the necromancer substitute? They seem to work in the same way.

Radiation might also work, making radiation-zombies/mutants, and causing leukemia instead of necrotic rot.

Perhaps lampshade the overabundance of skimpily-dressed warriors and gravity-defying feats/creatures in fantasy by having most planets like Barsoom (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barsoom), and thus both hotter and with less gravity than earth, rather than earth as the default.

As for air pressure, I image it would work similarly to the gravity-system you mentioned, only with different effects from a species default. Also note that a creature going from low-pressure to high pressure will not get any more notable benefits than one doing the opposite: deep-sea creatures used to a force of 50 atmospheres will suffer and die very quickly in a force of 1 atmosphere.

I highly suggest you use comic-book style space radiation that can do whatever the plot demands, while still causing cancer and the like.

Also, cyber-demons from another dimension always seems to work well with these settings: just look at DOOM and QUAKE. Consider cyborg Balors and the like.

Siosilvar
2012-07-09, 11:09 AM
Right, you do know that when antimatter and matter touch, they are both annihilated into a huge peal of energy that will destroy basically everything within a matter of kilometers, even if it's just 2 ATOMS touching? Just saying, because while you are using comic-book science instead of normal science, it just makes more sense for the antimatter-users to be blasters instead of necromancers.

Not really kilometers. A milligram of each (roughly a quintillion atoms, depending on what atoms you use) is about as powerful as the Father of all Bombs (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_Thermobaric_Bomb_of_Increased_Power), which only had about a 300m blast radius.

Regardless, antimatter as a disease doesn't make any sense at all and works better for radiation poisoning, but the damage to both HP and RP works just as well for comic book radiation. Hm... you could probably trade radiation and antimatter and call it good, because it sort of makes sense.

Things to breathe [ignoring Nitrogen and the noble gases]:
Thin atmosphere v. thick atmosphere
Oxygen (thick: Earth)
Carbon dioxide (plants, thin: Mars, thick: Venus)
Hydrogen and Helium (thin: Mercury, thick: gas giants)
Methane (thin: Triton)
Ammonia

Doorhandle
2012-07-10, 07:08 AM
Add space-air to the list. Or lumioius aether, whatever you call it.

Yes, I know space is a vaccum, no it does not matter for this setting at all. (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BatmanCanBreatheInSpace)