Robotic Reflavouring Setting

[Milo v3]

I had a weird idea for a campaign which I'm sure has a few bugs and errors in it so I was wondering what flaws might come up if I tried it out.

The Setting is that it is the future, and everyone is either a person in a Mech or an actual robot (I haven't decided). This mech/robot is made of nanites, and can change, but only with the correct programs. You want to make your arm into a blade, your going to have to pay for the program, which is then uploaded into the specific section of your mech/robot. If your sword is broken you've lost the nanites which had the program in it.

Basically everything is reflavoured; monks have modified legs which allow them to move like the Knightmare Frames in Code Geass.
Wizards collect programs in their hard drives so they can manipulate their bodies, swiftly turning their arms into cannons or flame throwers, reshaping thier nanites into other creatures.
Bards send out a radio signal which synchronizes programs to function to optimal skill.
Barbarians are overworking the Mech/Robot allowing it to function better physically but causing it to wear out.
Mounts are large vehicles which the Mechs/Robots hook up to and interface with.
Crossbows and Bows are firearms.
Humans are mechs/robots which are designed to have more space for Skill and Technique Software.
Dwarves are effectively humanoid tanks which are nearly impossible to move.
Etc.

The main problem is "Why do the PC's have the Humanoid type if they are mechs/robots and other constructs have the Construct type?"
And the only other issue I can see is "How do Cleric's work in this?"

So are there any other problems with this idea for a setting?

[ThiagoMartell]

I think it's a very ambitious and cool idea, but I don't think it really fits D&D. You'll have a lot to homebrew to ge this working.
My suggestion is to use Mutants & Masterminds. It's d20 based, a lot more flexible and a lot more suited to that kind of idea. There is even a hypertext SRD around nowadays, so you don't have to buy anything.

[Milo v3]

You'll have a lot to homebrew to ge this working.
An example being? :smallconfused:


My suggestion is to use Mutants & Masterminds. It's d20 based, a lot more flexible and a lot more suited to that kind of idea. There is even a hypertext SRD around nowadays, so you don't have to buy anything.
I cannot go to that SRD because of the blocks on my computer, and I severely doubt I will be able to get a new set of rulebooks anytime soon so Mutants & Masterminds is sadly off the table.

[ThiagoMartell]

An example being? :smallconfused:
Well, there is the whole type thing. Everyone is going to be Constructs, which means they are immune to a lot of stuff and have no Con score. You either throw half the things in the PHB out the window (sneak attack becomes useless, favored enemy is weird if there is only one type, bane becomes too good if there is only one type, threat ranges don't make any difference, anything that causes stunning, paralysis or stuff like that are also useless, the list goes on) or you homebrew stuff to change that type. Even the living construct subtype (which keeps Con and removes immunity to critical hits) still mean most stuff don't make sense.
You'll also have to homebrew some way for the spellcasters to prepare their spells/programs, since I'm guessing there will be no spellbooks. You already mentioned the cleric problem (literal healbots?), I have no idea how wildshape would work (changing shape, yes, but there is no animal/elemental/plant type... and it creates weird interactions if you use it RAW, like the character suddenly having a Con score), turn undead also becomes useless, some skills become unusable without homebrewing (Handle Animal - again, there are no animals) or simply useless (Survival).
This is just the tip of the iceberg, I'm sure there's plenty more.



I cannot go to that SRD because of the blocks on my computer, and I severely doubt I will be able to get a new set of rulebooks anytime soon so Mutants & Masterminds is sadly off the table.
That's really sad indeed, looks like you have a lot to work on. Let me know if you need any help.

[Cerlis]

the main purpose of the "Humanoid subtype" when it comes to enchantment, and injury is their mind and anatomy. These robots will have a AI, which will naturally be able to be effected by the Virus programs (enchantment spells)

Further, if they are advanced robots, and not necessarily super advanced, just needing lubricant and oil hydraulics as well as certain hardware subsystems. Meant to clean the hydraulics, maintenance nano probe ability, and monitor systems.
in other words, stabbing different parts of the body would harm them, if not as quickly as a human. In fact this would better explain HP. a Less advanced robots will have more primitive systems that arent able to function without each other.

well actually, making the PCs Androids (fairly advanced) i think destroys the problem of their type. they arent constructs, or living constructs. they are something different

While Contructs (the things that arent affected by critical hits and dont have a mind) would represent the most basic of robot technology. Not androids.



Clerics are easy. Just like how magic users are more advanced humanoids, clerics and magic users have very advanced software (rather than hardware). Though clerics would have to still have decent hardware. THis is because they have the programs to monitor several potential programs. They have various devices throughout their bodies which use these programs. Naturally the programs have an energy reserve that slowly replenishes itself when they have time to regenerate. But once so many (spells) are used the energy reserve is used up.

Certain programs use up more energy reserves, and their energy types are usually created in the best form of energy for the job since you'd need premade energy for quick usage.

By that i mean if you didnt want a "charge up " time, you might store electrical energy for lighting attacks or energy boosts (buffs). I cant provide anymore examples because we have limited forms of energy we know about, but im thinking about star trek. When they find one form of energy (such as a sun) and find away to transforgify the energy to something useable (like warp plasma). The point of this is that though complicated, lorewise it is wise to have any form of energy you are going to use as non-generic, because then it has to be altered. If its already mostly altered, then it can be used in its intended purpose quickly. That is why a "cleric' wouldnt be able to turn energy stored for a "hold person" spell into a "smite" spell. Because they use two different energies and are being processed by two different programs. To change it you'd need to transform the energy to something else (a generic energy ) and decompile that program and start a new one (resting and repraying for your spells).

Casters able to use any spell on their list (beguilers and warmages) use Generic energy, rather than specific energy. So they can turn their energy reserves to any program that uses the appropriate Energy slot (spell slot), but they have a very limited amount of programing (they only know a few schools of magic and a few spells)

Casters are physically weaker because more of their physical space is used for software processers and less armor and hydrolics. A Wizard or cleric would have Hundreds of programs, with 20 or so ready to go at any given time. Thats alot of space you'd need for hardware to store that software.

Actual healing would be one of the many forms of energy usage. in this case it would be a mix of interlinking with the other unit (i believe MOST heal spells require a touch) and simultaneously increasing power to their own self healing nanobots, as well as injecting temporary Nanobots to speed up repairs. They'd HAVE to be temporary of course, because it would take up to much energy to create hardy long lasting advanced nanobots, simply to lose them permanently

[Kaje]

Clerics download single-use programs wirelessly from the cloud.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Since it's all just a refluff anyway, you could just call the types and subtypes by different names. Humanoid= Basic, Undead=corrupted nanites, Construct= advanced hardware, etc...

[Milo v3]

Well, there is the whole type thing. Everyone is going to be Constructs, which means they are immune to a lot of stuff and have no Con score.
No. The stats of the races aren't changed and everyone will still be a humanoid. Also there are organic creatures in the world.


You'll also have to homebrew some way for the spellcasters to prepare their spells/programs, since I'm guessing there will be no spellbooks.
Prepared casters load the programs from a storage space into the nanites.


You already mentioned the cleric problem (literal healbots?)
Cerlis has answered that.


I have no idea how wildshape would work (changing shape, yes, but there is no animal/elemental/plant type... and it creates weird interactions if you use it RAW, like the character suddenly having a Con score),
Why wouldn't there be animals, elementals, or plants? Also reshaping nanites.


turn undead also becomes useless,
Undead exist as robots which have viruses in programing resulting in it functioning after being deactivated. Turn undead is uploading new programs into them.


some skills become unusable without homebrewing (Handle Animal - again, there are no animals)
Animals exist... When did I say they didn't exist.


or simply useless (Survival).
If mechs then the people inside will require food/if robots they need to find a power source (Such as Biomass from corpses). And their is also Tracking.


These robots will have a AI, which will naturally be able to be effected by the Virus programs (enchantment spells)[QUOTE]
Thats what I was thinking. :smallsmile:

[QUOTE]Further, if they are advanced robots, and not necessarily super advanced, just needing lubricant and oil hydraulics as well as certain hardware subsystems. Meant to clean the hydraulics, maintenance nano probe ability, and monitor systems.
in other words, stabbing different parts of the body would harm them, if not as quickly as a human. In fact this would better explain HP. a Less advanced robots will have more primitive systems that arent able to function without each other.

Makes perfect sense.


well actually, making the PCs Androids (fairly advanced) i think destroys the problem of their type. they arent constructs, or living constructs. they are something different
They will have the humanoid subtype so that should be rather easy to implement.


While Contructs (the things that arent affected by critical hits and dont have a mind) would represent the most basic of robot technology. Not androids.
Sound good.


Clerics are easy. Just like how magic users are more advanced humanoids, clerics and magic users have very advanced software (rather than hardware). Though clerics would have to still have decent hardware. THis is because they have the programs to monitor several potential programs. They have various devices throughout their bodies which use these programs. Naturally the programs have an energy reserve that slowly replenishes itself when they have time to regenerate. But once so many (spells) are used the energy reserve is used up.
This was how I was thinking wizards would work.


By that i mean if you didnt want a "charge up " time, you might store electrical energy for lighting attacks or energy boosts (buffs). I cant provide anymore examples because we have limited forms of energy we know about, but im thinking about star trek. When they find one form of energy (such as a sun) and find away to transforgify the energy to something useable (like warp plasma). The point of this is that though complicated, lorewise it is wise to have any form of energy you are going to use as non-generic, because then it has to be altered. If its already mostly altered, then it can be used in its intended purpose quickly. That is why a "cleric' wouldnt be able to turn energy stored for a "hold person" spell into a "smite" spell. Because they use two different energies and are being processed by two different programs. To change it you'd need to transform the energy to something else (a generic energy ) and decompile that program and start a new one (resting and repraying for your spells).
So these Robots are powered by energon effectively. :smalltongue:


Casters able to use any spell on their list (beguilers and warmages) use Generic energy, rather than specific energy. So they can turn their energy reserves to any program that uses the appropriate Energy slot (spell slot), but they have a very limited amount of programing (they only know a few schools of magic and a few spells)
Thats what I was planning.


Casters are physically weaker because more of their physical space is used for software processers and less armor and hydrolics. A Wizard or cleric would have Hundreds of programs, with 20 or so ready to go at any given time. Thats alot of space you'd need for hardware to store that software.
Fits the fluff perfectly.


Actual healing would be one of the many forms of energy usage. in this case it would be a mix of interlinking with the other unit (i believe MOST heal spells require a touch) and simultaneously increasing power to their own self healing nanobots, as well as injecting temporary Nanobots to speed up repairs. They'd HAVE to be temporary of course, because it would take up to much energy to create hardy long lasting advanced nanobots, simply to lose them permanently
I was thinking of rapid repair nanites which function like stem cells for robots, filling in the gaps.

[Milo v3]

Clerics download single-use programs wirelessly from the cloud.
I guess that could work.


Since it's all just a refluff anyway, you could just call the types and subtypes by different names. Humanoid= Basic, Undead=corrupted nanites, Construct= advanced hardware, etc...
The things will be named differently.
Aberration = Makeshifts (Bio Mechanical)
Construct = Automatons (Simple but powerful Machines)
Dragon = Behemoths (Evolving Robots)
Elemental = Aspects (Aspects of nature)
Fey = Sealed Aspects (Aspects of Nature sealed in flesh)
Giant = Goliaths (Multiple people in one large mech)
Humanoid = Citizens (People in Mechs)
Magical Beast = Beasts (Titanic Beasts)
Monstrous Humanoid = Outlanders (People in Mechs)
Ooze = Grey Goo (Rogue Nanites)
Outsider = Ascended (Mechs which do not require an opperator)
Animals/Plants/Vermin = Infused (Animals infused with nanites allowing them to act more efficently and thus grow larger).
Undead = Viral (Mechs or robots with viruses causing them to function when they should be too damaged).

[ThiagoMartell]

No. The stats of the races aren't changed and everyone will still be a humanoid. Also there are organic creatures in the world.
I misunderstood what you meant, then. In the OP you said they being humanoids when everything else was a construct would be a problem.


Prepared casters load the programs from a storage space into the nanites.
But can this storage space be fiddled with?



Why wouldn't there be animals, elementals, or plants? Also reshaping nanites.
It's the whole type thing, but you have already gotten a suggestion that solves this somewhat, so nevermind.


Undead exist as robots which have viruses in programing resulting in it functioning after being deactivated. Turn undead is uploading new programs into them.
More like hacking new programs into them, don't you think?


Animals exist... When did I say they didn't exist.
You didn't, but there is also no need to be confrontational.


If mechs then the people inside will require food/if robots they need to find a power source (Such as Biomass from corpses). And their is also Tracking.
But are there going to be people inside the mechs or not? If it is, won't you need to have separate stats for mech and pilot?

[Milo v3]

I misunderstood what you meant, then. In the OP you said they being humanoids when everything else was a construct would be a problem.
I must have worded it wrong. I more meant that there is Construct as a type. So why aren't the players part of that type.


But can this storage space be fiddled with?
From my understanding yes. But I think you are asking a more specific question that the one I think your asking. Could you elaborate?


More like hacking new programs into them, don't you think?
Yes that would be a more appropriate term.


You didn't, but there is also no need to be confrontational.
I apologize if I seemed rude. I was merely confused as to the origin of the issue.


But are there going to be people inside the mechs or not? If it is, won't you need to have separate stats for mech and pilot?
Yes there will be people inside the mechs. But I believe that statistics wont be required for the pilot as it would make things much too complicated. Also they would be Dimunitive in size so statistics are effectively useless.

[ThiagoMartell]

Yes there will be people inside the mechs. But I believe that statistics wont be required for the pilot as it would make things much too complicated. Also they would be Dimunitive in size so statistics are effectively useless.
Well, I think this might be interesting specially when it comes to character death. When the character dies, it's actually his mech that was destroyed in a way it can't be repaired unless you use rare and powerful tech (the ressurrection spells). So when the pilot gets a new mech, I think some of it would remain the same (mental stats? dunno, most of that is probably software). I don't know if you need actual rules for this, but it could help.
Also, players could have more than one mech that way, which is kinda cool. They could beat bad guys and take their mechs, as well, which is even cooler.

[Milo v3]

Well, I think this might be interesting specially when it comes to character death. When the character dies, it's actually his mech that was destroyed in a way it can't be repaired unless you use rare and powerful tech (the ressurrection spells). So when the pilot gets a new mech, I think some of it would remain the same (mental stats? dunno, most of that is probably software). I don't know if you need actual rules for this, but it could help.
Also, players could have more than one mech that way, which is kinda cool. They could beat bad guys and take their mechs, as well, which is even cooler.

Thats what I was planning. Also it means you don't have to put the plot on hold, you just have to get a new Mech.

As for intelligence and other mental scores, I hadn't thought of that issue.

[Golden Ladybug]

Hmm...perhaps for the Ability Scores issues, you could say that, while outside a Mecha, everyone has stats of 10 across the board, because of the societies reliance on these Mech Suits has slowly caused them to stagnate; they are all average physically and mentally, but when plugged into their mech suits, they're minds and bodies are empowered or depowered accordingly.

This brings some interesting themes to the table; are these people slowly losing their humanity (or racial equivalent) by plugging themselves into these Mechs? How do people function when deprived of these Mechs? What happens when using a certain type of Mech causes you to lose some of your intellect (High Str, Low Int types), or make you physically weaker (Low Str, High Mental stat)?

Regardless of that, this sounds really, really cool, and I'm jealous of your players :smallbiggrin:

[Milo v3]

Hmm...perhaps for the Ability Scores issues, you could say that, while outside a Mecha, everyone has stats of 10 across the board, because of the societies reliance on these Mech Suits has slowly caused them to stagnate; they are all average physically and mentally, but when plugged into their mech suits, they're minds and bodies are empowered or depowered accordingly.

This brings some interesting themes to the table; are these people slowly losing their humanity (or racial equivalent) by plugging themselves into these Mechs? How do people function when deprived of these Mechs? What happens when using a certain type of Mech causes you to lose some of your intellect (High Str, Low Int types), or make you physically weaker (Low Str, High Mental stat)?
I really like this idea. Tones of roleplaying ideas and plot threads immediately arise from it. Also its likely through the genetic engineering of time they can make each person, the "Average Person" so that fits.


Regardless of that, this sounds really, really cool, and I'm jealous of your players :smallbiggrin:
Thanks. :smallsmile:

[Cerlis]

well what i meant before with energy, is say you have a star wars ship meet a Star trek ship. chances are that though their energy sources are both Energy, they are a different type of energy and would only be able to be used by each other if they where modified.

The same would apply for the different energy reserves for Caster bots. If a "cleric" prepares healing spells, he has capacitors that gather positive energy from the air (or w/e) and stores it. The spell program modifies it into a healing spell. So you couldnt use that energy for a fire spell, because its two different energy. this explains why you cant sacrifice a fireball spell to gain a different spell, like a rule that already exists in game. Further, energy reserves designed for a 9th lvl spell would overload circuits designed for 1st lvl spells. SO , just like in the game right now, you wouldnt be able to turn a 9th lvl spell into 9 1st lvl spells.

Unless you have a spell or feat that allows you to do so.

I bring this up because if players are seeing that their spells are latent energy inside their body, the next thing they will ask is why they cant just use that energy for something else. like all their spell energy for fireballs.

This is a reason why.

To extend the metaphor, "good" clerics would have special transmuters that can transform almost any energy into positive energy, while "evil" clerics are equipped with ones that turn it into negative energy.

[Milo v3]

Snip

Well there aren't really any spells, positive energy, etc.
A fireball spell would be a program which converts your arm into a cannon or similiar which fires off an explosive.
Healing spells send "stem cell-like" nanites which function as repair systems.
A Fly spell might shape jet wings on your back and a jet engine, or allow you to have a Plane as your Alternate Shift.

Also because of the nature of your mechs being thousands of nanites, it can be reshaped. Basically you can take another form like a transformer. This is purely asthetic though and doesn't change your stats.

[Hiro Protagonest]

So why aren't the players part of that type.

...Because you refuse to just change their type to construct?

[Milo v3]

...Because you refuse to just change their type to construct?

This is planned to just be reflavouring the world and changing names. I don't want to change the mechanics. Making Humans and Elves Constructs would be changing the mechanics.

[Ezekiul]

Check out the Dragonmech campaign setting. I've read 2 of the books and they are a mech/steam punk setting and rules for all of it. The books were hard to find though o.o

[Milo v3]

Check out the Dragonmech campaign setting. I've read 2 of the books and they are a mech/steam punk setting and rules for all of it. The books were hard to find though o.o

I really don't want to play this setting as steampunk or even resembling steampunk. Its not even going to have magic or anything supernatural except Elementals which are trying to remake the world.

[ThiagoMartell]

This is planned to just be reflavouring the world and changing names. I don't want to change the mechanics. Making Humans and Elves Constructs would be changing the mechanics.

But... why? Changing mechanics here could greatly improve your player's experience (like allowing them so steal mechs).

[Milo v3]

But... why? Changing mechanics here could greatly improve your player's experience (like allowing them so steal mechs).

How would changing there types to construct allow them to steal Mechs...
All it would do is reduce their health, cannot be raised from death, makes them immune to nearly everything, and each player needs Craft Construct to regain health.

[ThiagoMartell]

How would changing there types to construct allow them to steal Mechs...
All it would do is reduce their health, cannot be raised from death, makes them immune to nearly everything, and each player needs Craft Construct to regain health.

No, dude. I mean changing mechanics, in general, is probably going to be better in this situation. I wasn't talking about types.

[Milo v3]

No, dude. I mean changing mechanics, in general, is probably going to be better in this situation. I wasn't talking about types.

Thing is I am planning on trying to make this a system of its own, but until I can figure out certain things and learn to make PDF's look decent, it is just going to be a reflavoured version.