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View Full Version : Advice for an alternative to "feats"



Myrik
2013-11-01, 02:53 PM
Hiya all

I and my friends are building a psi-fi system. Yes, Psi-Fi, we are using psi style energy and powers in a few different way.

Anyway, we have a significant amount done but are stuck at what would essentially be called feats as we have them now. The system is 2D10 and classless, skill based. You have 6 attributes and each governs a number of skills.

You roll D10 Attribute Die + D10 Skill Die + ranks in the skill and relevant modifiers. Crits happen on a 10 (generally) and have different effects depending on which die critted. Attribute crit (natural ability) is usually an auto hit while skill crits (training and specialization) would be higher damage or significantly better results.

As you buy up abilities and skills with XP, you unlock Feat and Talent Choices.

Skills provide a free talent at ranks 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 and can be considered specialized training in the general skills field. The effects are usually + 1-3 on a roll or allowing better use of specialized equipment to provide others bonuses or additional actions and so on.

We are pretty happy with talents. Specialized training in a skill and small numerical bonuses.

What we are looking for advice with is feats (you would get one at 3, 7 & 10 ranks in the attribute). Right now, they feel too general or just better versions of talents. Thats not bad, at its core, but it does not feel unique or new or significant.

What we want is for Feats to feel significant and powerful, whereas talents are smaller improvements to skills.

We are stuck.

Now, I know I am leaving a lot of holes in the system rules regarding a lot of things, not the least of which is the attributes we are using (standard stuff really...) but I thought that would be best in order to get the most / best and unbiased ideas.

But, a few bits of info should be needed...

-Armor is DR

-HP is a multpilier based on 3 attributes (Body, Personality and Endurance)

-We use 3 escalating Effect tracks, Trauma(Body), Fatigue(Endurance) and Fear(Personality) that, when a roll is triggered and failed impose penalties. (rolling on the condition track is Attribute die vs TN, each has 3 worsening levels and all end at level 4, unconscious)






I throw it to the floor now...:smallsmile:

Jormengand
2013-11-01, 04:01 PM
If it's classless, then use feats as the equivalent to class features so that your characters have unique abilities (or almost-unique abilities) which aren't just "Hit things" or "Climb that wall."

(Anyone who has ever fixed the fighter is now permitted to scream.)

JoshuaZ
2013-11-01, 04:08 PM
Have you seen the Pathfinder traits system? It might help slightly what you are trying to do here if you did something like that.

Thunderfist12
2013-11-12, 03:26 PM
^^ what he said.

Anyways, psi-fi (not sci-fi)... awesome. The system you're using sounds cool, too.

Djinn_in_Tonic
2013-11-12, 03:38 PM
My recommendation would be the following:

Talents grant direct numerical improvements to existing abilities. This is potentially numerical, or potential an increase in an existing capability (i.e. anyone who reaches that point in skill X gains ability Y). Examples might be the ability to use the Heal skill to heal more and more hit points, unlock the ability to perform surgeries, and so forth.

Feats grant new abilities that open up new avenues of use or complicated tricks. Examples might be enabling the use of the Heal skill as a treatment for metal/social situations (maybe call it [i]Psychological Medicine[/b] or Psychological Training).

In short, Talents improve existing abilities, while Feats open up new avenues of character development or grant whole new abilities.

Ralcos
2013-11-12, 03:50 PM
I'll agree that Talents should give numeric bonuses and Feats give new features.

Example: I want to play a character that absorbs Psi powers.
I'll put points into getting me more HP and take the feat below (use if you wish):

Psi-Stalker
When you succeed on touching a target within melee reach, you can absorb latent psychic energy. You can use this gained power in multiple ways:
- Increase the damage, range, and/or duration of a Psi power
- Reroll a single die in a skill roll or attack roll
- Anything else a GM allows.

Note that we only know the basics of the game, but I'm willing to help a fellow game designer. Good Luck!