Is there a new playtest draft?

Not yet. I've been working on it.
I can make what I have available. (Psychic powers are more filled out but not complete) I've been more than a bit busy, sadly.



I think I need to turn Respirate and Hydrate into Survival or even Life Support.

Derelict Delvers , May Update

I'm working on the June update as I can. Fixing a few more issues, but its been slow. (Health Reasons.)

Any things that needs fixing?

A few more fixes: Are the Level powers/abilities too over the top? Are the names too silly? I've got a few more classes to go.

Derelict Delvers June

THOUGHTS ON JUNE UPDATE

1) The damages for various biological powers look high compared to weapons.
Heavy Tail and Beam Blade are both D10?

2) There should be some mechanical effect for being Small or Large (felinoids).

3) What about Multi-classing?

4) I am unclear on the difference between the 13th and 15th level Engineer abilities.  Also, I suggest they gain their retainers before they can create artefacts.  AKA, they would need a team + lab to make such greatness.

5) Fear is the Mind Killer should work if they are suffering ongoing damage.  Its mind over pain.

6) In Mind One, the Psi Lord's students can make psychic items, but I don't see where the Psychic gained that ability to do on his own.  Is it a communal crafting only?   Also if the Engineer can create new items, shouldn't the Psychic learn to create new powers, AKA how wizards can do spell research?

7) Maybe the Medic gain some ability to determine information about a creature's special abilties simply by viewing them?  AKA, some mental catalogue of biological combos.   Also, what about something akin to the Vulcan nerve pinch?  AKA, some non-lethal way of dealing with foes thanks to his knowledge of anatomy.

I get a belt?  Nope, I get a AUB/H-101, Archive Utility Belt/Harness.  And it better have a cool image too.   I like the idea of a badass space belt with ties to ENC rules.   And make backpacks cooler too.   I'd love the belt to be part of the character sheet somehow.

9) The equipment costs look low.  4D6x20 means 280 on average.   Why not go classic and do 3D6 x 10?

10) Have you crunched the probabilities per level for the Psi powers and how often they will function?   The D#s look high.   Can they "Take 20" for stuff?

11) Overall, the Psychic Powers are good.   Keep it up and feel free to make more DD-unique powers (AKA, powers that only make sense in a world where dudes raid old spaceships) and warped interpretations of D&D spells.  

12) I like the drug-pusher aspect of the Medic and I love what he can do with a medkit.    Except find another word for Puissance.  Again, the D#s look too high.

13) Instead of losing your action to parry, what about giving the option for using your Arms Skill + 10 as your Defense in mele combat?  

14) Critical hits do x2 max damage AND ignore AB?   Thus 5% of the time, a Storm Pike does 26 damage?

15) Grappling is confusing.

16) Tracking multiple hits by Ignite weapons is gonna be pain.   What about just making it damage die - 2 and the effect ends if 0 damage is scored?  Or just have the damage die rolled each round until the target makes his save?  

Also, Jan the soldier is a tranny.  Check the pronouns.

17) Suppressive Fire is confusing.  How does it make targets duck for cover?

18) Does armor get damaged?  

19) Smite means Critical hits aren't automatic?  Smite does x2 rolled damage and doesn't appear to ignore AB.   What if smite could be activated on any hit?    

20) I really love the ideas of burning HP to do cool stuff.   Certainly adds another level to the resource management aspect of the game.

Thank you as always for the feedback. Stuff to keep working on. It help if I could print this stuff out for my game group at the moment, as it is its me running it.

I did try and go the D&D Spells warped for Psi powers but it felt odd, since technology and scanners can do a lot of what D&D magic was meant to--but I'll think on it some more.

I need more non-combat powers for Espers, I wonder what I can come up with for that as well.

I like your second solution for ignite. It makes sense.



I'm not sure on multiclassing rules yet. This is basically the BASIC D&D in space game, it does have more flexibility since races aren't classes. I feel that skills often cover gaps in classes but not completely so one of each class is a good bet in play, but not necessary for play.

 


I'll look at the D#'s for powers again. I was looking at the level I wanted the power to work and taking a stat of +1+Skill they should have to determine the original numbers for the first power tree, and repeated that tree systematically through all of them. Take a look with that in mind and see if you think they're still too high. I've been testing them but it takes a while to get up to the high level stuff, and I want it to be tested at all levels.


As for weapons, they look right--remember improved items--artifacts, increase damage as you add pluses too. An artifact (but not Item of Renown) Beam Gun with a +3 bonus does 2d10+3 rather than a mere 1d10. I do need to tweak the whip though. I don't want all combat to be "I roll again, yawn, and do my tinkering amount of damage" when you should have Soldiers as capable as Espers. Should I make it so they add their level to damage as a part of their first level weapon specialization ability? With just that one weapon?


My example for powers: the Stamina Booster should be something a 2nd level character can do with a lot luck, and talent, and a 5th level would be second nature.


D#20   Stamina Stimulator
The medic can medically boost the bodies endurance and resistance to exhaustion. They give the target a +2 boost to Con for a number of rounds equal to the medic's level.


Medic with +1 Int, level 2 (+4 medicine) needs to roll a 15 or higher. It's not reliable but its a chance.
Medic with +1 Int Level 5 (+7 medicine) needs to roll a 12 or higher. Hrms. Maybe you are right. Drop it by 2? or 5?

The goal is to let them do the next power in the tree reliably every three levels or so. Should it be every 2? If we make every 3 levels reliably that may put high end powers out of reach sooner.
I was thinking Level 20 PC should be able to do the last power in the trees:

Example:
Hyperjaunt (D#43)
An Esper who can manage to reach such heights of concentration can make jaunt-like teleport across intersteller distances. Their range is great enough to be of no concern in a normal Delvers game. They may carry a number of people equal to their level within 30' to their chosen locations.

A 20th level Esper can reach that target number with a +1 Will, Skill 22 and a Roll of 20. VERY very difficult. But he's got slightly above average will and this isn't his focused path.

If he's upped his will--by 20th level he should probably have +3 or so Will (if that's what he's focused on add his skill of 22, for a base of 25 and a +4 because this is his path is: 29 vs a D#of 43 means he has to roll a 14. It isn't reliable of course but its a better than average shot at working one of the tougher abilities.


I might need to drop the middle tier powers. It seems that low powers D#10 fit alright. (Since they need only a roll of 10 or higher to initiate it without any bonuses. )

21) Grams are weird because they are so small.  I have trouble visualizing 1/453rd of a pound.  

22) I like the idea of trading stuff for either Cash or XP.  However, the XP is only 1/5th the value which seems low.   Is that because we are expected to be hauling away huge loads of stuff?   I imagine the first question is going to be "how much XP for dragging back the whole ship?"

That was always a problem in Traveller.  As soon as they cash in even a small ship, they are gazillionaires.  How do you create a world where finding a forsaken battlecruiser is like finding an abandoned RV?  AKA, the stuff instead the RV could be worth more even though the RV itself will bring a good price, just not one that equals game over.

In a super-tech galaxy, ships might be made very cheaply.  Its just an engine, a power plant and a superstructure.

23) I like how you can use XP to modify monsters.  However, I am unsure about a strict 25 x level x players progression.  Assume 4 players and by 3rd level, they are facing 300 XP worth of monsters in an encounter.   Are they really able to face x3 the foes from 1st level?

24) I want to hear more about the Machine Empire.   And its cool if its just woven throughout as tidbits and sidebars.   BTW, I hope the final product has lots of cool sidebars.

25) How does the Population Appearing number work with the XP Encounter Math?  Would it be better to describe them as Solitary, Pack, Horde, etc so the DM knows how they should be organized?  Also, what about mixed encounters?  

26) What is the DD version of multi-colored dragons?

27) Is there instantaneous communication across the galaxy ala Star Trek or Star Wars?  Or is it pony express like Traveller?

28) How FTL is FTL?   Are we 1 day FTL travel = 1 light year?  Or are we doing Traveller like jumps?  If so, how long are we in jumpspace?   I like the idea that a pilot's skill determines the speed, AKA "kessel run in 12 parsecs" Can you find +1 Engines?

If pilot skill can get you from Point A to B faster, then some kind of "Kessel Run" power for Pilots would be cool that lets master pilots really cut down the travel time.

BTW, if the baseline was 1 day travel = 1 light year, you actually still could use Cold Sleep for those mission that want to go 1000 light year away.   Even a 40 light year journey would require resource allocation for crew, supplies, etc like a D&D hexcrawl campaign.

29) What about Ship to Ship Combat?  

30) I don't like how Load is in fractions.  Too fiddly.   1/3 + 1/4 + 1/2 isn't math anyone needs in a game.   I am also unsure about the -X for Reactor use.   Instead, they should add Load up the Reactor Max Load.  Hmm...how does one over-Load a reactor?

31) I don't think Reason for Abandonment should be a random payment.   It should be based on the size of the Derelict and maybe its age.  

32) A Neutral AI should not be most common in galaxy that fears AIs.  Instead, make Malign the most common (say 11-50).   How does the Natural Evolved AI differ than others?

The Derelict chart is coming along nicely.   I am looking forward to seeing what you do in regarding to setting up interiors / chambers, etc.

Quote from: Silverlion;388508It help if I could print this stuff out for my game group at the moment, as it is its me running it.

Have you posted a campaign log?  It would be interesting to see how adventures and the player/universe interaction are developing.

Quote from: Silverlion;388508I'll look at the D#'s for powers again. I was looking at the level I wanted the power to work and taking a stat of +1+Skill they should have to determine the original numbers for the first power tree, and repeated that tree systematically through all of them.

A D#25 action...
Assume +3 ability bonus
3rd level = +8 so 17+ or 25%
5th level = +10 so 15+ or 35%
10th level = +15 so 10+ or 50%
15th level = +20 so 5+ or 75%

If you drop the D# to 20 then add +25% to all odds.

3rd = 50%
5th = 65%
10th = 75%
15th = 100%

I see the +4 from Boost being very important.  The problem is they lose their Armor Skill and that's rough.  How is that working with your players?

Boost adds +20% which doesn't blow.   Plus, I could spend 1 HP to Second Chance and Boost that one as well.  

I guess the most important question is how often do you want success versus failure?  A Take 20 option works great for non-combat when you want XYZ to happen and don't want the player rolling over and over and they have plenty of time to sit around.  

Of course, the Esper doesn't have a Vancian brain and can now "cast" all day long so that does allow for a higher failure rate.

Quote from: Silverlion;388508As for weapons, they look right--remember improved items--artifacts, increase damage as you add pluses too.

True, but the basic tech weapons seem wimpy and the artifact ones are really kickass.  

And the artifact damage becomes really notable with Smite.  That +3 Beamgun does 4D10+6 or 28 average damage with Smite and crits for 86?

Quote from: Silverlion;388508Should I make it so they add their level to damage as a part of their first level weapon specialization ability? With just that one weapon?

Soldiers should definitely add Level to Damage with all weapons, including ship cannons and such.

Quote from: Spinachcat;388521And the artifact damage becomes really notable with Smite.  That +3 Beamgun does 4D10+6 or 28 average damage with Smite and crits for 86?



Soldiers should definitely add Level to Damage with all weapons, including ship cannons and such.

That's pretty true, I've done the latter, would you look at the powers again and tell me if you think they're too powerful? I was trying to keep their power levels to their target number, but I may have over done it.

Quote from: Silverlion;389285That's pretty true, I've done the latter, would you look at the powers again and tell me if you think they're too powerful? I was trying to keep their power levels to their target number, but I may have over done it.

Give me two weeks.   I am prepping for PolyCon this week and I'm usually gamed out for a few days post-con.

Quote from: Spinachcat;389430Give me two weeks.   I am prepping for PolyCon this week and I'm usually gamed out for a few days post-con.

No worries. Also if you know of any "D&D" style Delving powers to fit into one of the categories let me know. Right now I like where the (Adjusted) powers are--mostly a little less damage, and durations/ranges, with the lower target numbers have made me happy for the pulp side of things. I don't just want to COPY D&D, it isn't a SF retroclone per se. Although I wish to nudge the line.

Fixing a few things. I've strayed a bit off track, so I've decided to stop, and redo a few things. I still need suggestions, of course, but I think I'm going to do some heavy revision--let me know what you think Spinachcat! (Or anyone else for that matter:

Here is my re-design sheet trying to focus on classes special abilities;


A mini-poll suggests that new abilities hat don't overlap (at least directly or make old abilities obsolete, is preferred)

Split Heroism Points into Health and Heroism? That way PC's won't need to spend health to be lucky? A re-occurring issue more than one playtester has had and I've resisted changing.

Health: 1d10+Con Heroism: Based on Class?

Soldiers:
Armored warriors who can take and dish damage. Good at sustained combat.

Scouts
Survivors/Explorers, can sneak, unleash a focus shot, and retreat. Good at burst combat, and exploration

Medics
Healers, Social Class, able to heal and buff the party, can also exploit foes weak spots

Engineers
Builders, breakers, and designers, good at understanding gear, exploring delver locations, and making sure stuff works.

Espers
Psychics, good at willpower, able to unleash devastating mental attacks, good at locking down foes and setting things up for anyone to take advantage.


Espers and Medics special powers have a score, equal to their skill+appropriate stat+medikit or Esper enhancer items. Score must be so High to initiate some powers.

So Esper Skill 3 + Will 2 has Esper Rating: 5, and he can activate Espers Powers ranked 5 or below with a skill roll.

Engineers:
Special abilities per Level
1: Kitbash, Make 1 shot common gear, spend HP
3:Universal Tool, repairs without tools at no penalty (spend HP?)
5:Master of Machines +4 to machines construction repair/ by spending HP
7: Jury Rig: Can temporarily repair something without proper materials.
9: Brilliant Breakthrough (improve gear's range/duration/damage one category)  +4/+4 max bonus. (or double range/ammo rating)
13:  
15:
17:
19:
20:


Espers:
Special Abilities per Level
1:  Psychic Powers Access, Esper powers are accessible (One Path?)
3: Power Boost, Can spend HP to get +2 Power Strength.
5: Psionic Conflict, Mind to Mind battle with other Esper
7: Psychic Disruption, Can make others Esper powers shutdown or harder to activate. (New Path available?)
9: Battlemind. Use Psychic abilities to enhance combat.
13:
15:
17:
19:
20:

Medic:
1:  Triage, can diagnose and cure without med kit.
3: Emergency Response, can spend a heroism point to re-roll a medical check. Medikit Powers
5: Sanctuary, No penalties to healing when in combat, usually protected as last target
7: He's not dead. May make a re-roll for a resuscitate to one hour after the fallen body is found.
9: Medical Authority. Can override computers, robots, and Starship in medical emergencies.
13:
15:
17:
19:
20



Pilots:
1: Inspiring Speech: Can give back team 1d10 HP with short rousing speech, and +2 to actions
3: Cut it Close, Can make very tight maneruvers +2 to Defense in or out of vehicle
5: I call her Stella, Gets a ship
7:  Pull Together, Can give group +1 Synergy Bonus for all people on team working on same task
9: Wing and a Prayer, Hold together ship/vehicle or gear for a little longer.
13:
15:
17:
19:
20


Scouts:
1:  Hardiness, +2 to Environmental related hazard saves
3: Stealth, +2 bonus to Stealth/Sneaking actions
5: Ambush, can make surprise attack for auto-critical (direct to health, ranged or melee)
7: Killed him a bear. Use small arms against low/animal level sapience/ enemies.
9: Boon Companion, Ally alien guide, or critter.
13:Little trick I learned on, Spend HP to perform mystic feats of hunting or survival.
15:
17:
19:
20

Soldiers
1:  Weapon Specialist, Bonus to hit with chosen weapon/add level to total damage.
3:   Shrug it off, Spend HP to ignore penalties/injuries
5:  Torrent Fire, AOE autofire
7:  Heroic Surge, Spend 1 HP for +4 bonus when allies impaired
9:  Battle Tactics, Give advice to allies for +4 bonus
13:
15:
17:
19:
20.


As you can see higher levels have gaps, I need to fill in--I've decided to be as consistent as possible. 1-3 abilities should give a +2, 5-9 a +4, 13-17 a +6, and 19-20, a +8


Some consistent problems I have is I'm really not fond of limiting the Psychic to one path of powers. I always hate that in RPG's (Trinity) because Psychics seem to be undervalued then, and I like them, which is a good reason to let them use any path but only up to their Tier. It also means re-doing all the target numbers consistently for each Tier, and that becomes just another "level" ability rather than being able to access any and all with the right skill boosts.

Stil, this is  a rough alternative, I'm torn between this being a near-clone, and making it from the ground up what would have been written with different inspirations. They don't have to conflict, but in my version they seem too.

Quote from: Silverlion;390226Split Heroism Points into Health and Heroism? That way PC's won't need to spend health to be lucky? A re-occurring issue more than one playtester has had and I've resisted changing.

Health: 1d10+Con Heroism: Based on Class?

Back in the late 1970s, I started splitting D&D style Hit Points into "body points" (actual damage that takes a long time -- days -- to health) and "energy points", often called "fatigue points" or even just "hit points", that represents dodging out of the way, minor cuts and scrapes with no long term effects, etc. that heals quickly (a full night's rest). Doing extraordinary things like casting spells, the actions you list as costing Heroism points around page 86-87, etc. all cost these energy points.

Damage comes off of energy first, then body. Exception, critical hits do one body point damage of per weapon hit die even if the character has enough energy points to absorb the damage.

This has worked well for years for me. You might want to try some variation of it.

Makes sense Randall. I appreciate it. I'm trying to keep some of the simplicity of Basic/Cyclopedia D&D while still giving everyone some niche abilities that go beyond a fighters "hit it with a stick better/faster.."

Still there is an elegant simplicity in that, and the Heroism points let them do a lot more. So I'm not sure if I should keep all or most of the special abilities.
It's tough because I like what I have, but is that too far removed from D&D in terms of play?