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Advanced Sorcery Arete


tooley1chris

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Over the last couple of months I've been toying with the idea of adding D&D3.5 feats to MW. The Arete chapter of the new Advanced Sorcery seems like a good way of doing this.

I've been working on feats tied to various skills, requiring a prerequisite % and possibly a prerequisite Characteristic #. I think this would add a lot of flavor to characters, as well as diversity.

Example:

Cleave: Weapon Skill 101%+ If the character kills an opponent with his first strike of the round, he or she may make an immediate attack against a different nearby opponent with a 50% penalty.

GREAT Cleave: Prerequisite: Cleave, Weapon skill 125%+ If the character kills an opponent with his first strike of the round, he or she may make an immediate attack against a different nearby opponent with a 25% penalty. If he also kills that opponent, he may make a third attack against a different opponent with a 50% penalty.

Was wondering if anyone else already did this, before I continue. Over powered? Not needed? Nick?

Edited by tooley1chris

Author QUASAR space opera system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/459723/QUASAR?affiliate_id=810507

My Magic World projects page: Tooleys Underwhelming Projects

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It looks surprisingly like my Lucky Trinkets and Heirloom rules, actually.

http://basicroleplaying.com/showthread.php/2813-Lucky-Trinkets-Heirlooms-and-Named-Items

Then you MUST be brilliant as well! :)

Author QUASAR space opera system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/459723/QUASAR?affiliate_id=810507

My Magic World projects page: Tooleys Underwhelming Projects

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  • 3 weeks later...

Any of you RPG geniuses had a chance to read through this yet? I'm interested in what you think.

http://basicroleplaying.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=546

Edited by tooley1chris

Author QUASAR space opera system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/459723/QUASAR?affiliate_id=810507

My Magic World projects page: Tooleys Underwhelming Projects

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I've read through it, you've got some very interesting ideas and I'm going to use them as inspiration for the same kind of rules in my game. I've been toying with the same ideas for quite a while, but hadn't taken it to the level which you did! Great job!

Skunk - 285/420 BRP book

You wanna be alright you gotta walk tall

Long Beach Dub Allstars & Black Eyed Peas

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  • 3 weeks later...

I've wanted to do something similar for Call of Cthulhu/ Pulp games using either BRP or Legend, your rules look interesting. I skimmed them, and it looks like the combat feats are overall much more powerful than the non-combat feats. I really do like what you've done here, and might contribute some from the Mutants and Masterminds books. There is a stealth feat that allows you to "pull a batman", you can make a stealth check at no penalty even while being observed. You are just that good.

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Hide in Plain Sight. Did I omit that one? LOL. I know I wrestled with adding that feat but may have dropped it. The more powerful combat feats tend to have a prerequisite feat that is less good, so yeah. They are strong but at a cost. Glad you like it and as with any of my submissions, feel free to make it better! ;)

Author QUASAR space opera system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/459723/QUASAR?affiliate_id=810507

My Magic World projects page: Tooleys Underwhelming Projects

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I did some toying around with the Folk Magic from RQ6 as part of my pulp project. These are all designed to be roughly equivalent to a magnitude 1 spell. I thought some of these might work well as feats. Particularly the hide in plain sight, which I've renamed Vanishing Trick.

Fists of Steel

Unarmed: 50%

Self

This edge increases the damage of a hero's unarmed damage by one step. A character dealing 1D3 in unarmed combat will deal 1D4 instead. This edge hardens the character's hands somewhat, while under the influence of this edge they might find themselves denting doors when they knock on them.

Eyes of the Cat

Perception: 50%

Self

This edge increases the character's sensitivity to light, allowing them to see more clearly in dimly lit areas. For the duration of the edge the character gains night sight. If the character is suddenly subject to a strong light source such as a well lit room, or the highbeams of a car, they will count as if they were fighting in darkness (-40% close combat situational modifier) for 1D4+1 rounds.

Spring Heeled

Athletics: 50%

Self

With this edge the character's legs are like coiled steel springs. He is able to make great leaps with ease. For the duration of this edge the character may jump triple his height horizontally, and double his height vertically.

Vanishing Trick

Stealth: 50%

Self, Instant

The character is exceptionally stealthy, able to vanish in a heartbeat. While using this edge the character may make a Stealth check at no penalty even if he is being observed.

Skin of Bronze

Endurance: 50%

Self

The character is capable is enduring incredible punishment. Their hardened skin turning aside fists, blades and bullets. While using this edge the character has a armor value of one added to all of his hit locations.

Connected

Streetwise: 50%

Self, One Extended Action

The character is a master of urban survival with this Edge. The time needed to find something is reduced from 1D4 hours to 1D2 hours. On a critical the character finds what he needs within a half hour.

Backstabber

Stealth 50%

Self, Instant

The character is a master of underhanded and sneaky tactics. When attacking with surprise the character increases the damage die of the weapon by one increment. So a dagger from behind will deal 1D6+1 damage rather than 1D4+1 damage.

Distract

Deceit or Influence 50%

Ranged, Resist (Willpower)

The character uses charm or lies to fluster his intended target. A distracted target counts as being surprised for the next attack made upon them.

A friend of a friend

Influence 50%

Self, One Extended Action

The character's charm has won him friends in both low and high places. As a extended action the character may use his Influence skill to make a Streetwise skill roll. The time needed to find something is 1D6 hours. On a critical the character finds what he needs within 1D3 hours.

Befuddle

Ranged, Resist (Willpower)

Deceit or Influence 50%

The character's words causes confusion within the mind of the target. These could be bluster, intimidation, lies, or a hypnotic glance. The subject of the edge has difficulty thinking straight, forgetting where it is, what it is doing and why. Befuddled targets can still act in self defense, but cannot initiate any constructive activity until the edge ends. Any sort of attack or threatening action instantly breaks the spell. Whether it was directed specifically at the beffuddled target.

Photographic Memory

Self, Instant

Perception 50%

The character is capable of astonishing feats of mental recall. If the game master ever requires you to make a skill roll in order to remember a crucial fact you make invoke this edge and roll twice. Minor details require no roll at all, your character is assumed to have made the roll automatically.

Human Spider

Self

Athletics

Sheer walls mean nothing to the hero with this edge. His movement rate while ascending or descending is half of his normal movement rate. If the hero wishes to double his movement rate while climbing, he suffers a -10% penalty to his Athletics skill check rather than a -20% penalty.

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They are excellent for Pulp Genre Heroic Abilities. If using LEGEND then I would recommend that the skill requirement be raised to 70% or 80% during game play, that's if some are able to be chosen later in play, as many may not be appropriate to do so. If using Magic World then I would make the skill requirement to be 100% to be consistent with the Arete rules. I would allow them to be chosen at 50% during character generation however. Anyway, some great ideas here!

Edited by Mankcam

" Sure it's fun, but it is also well known that a D20 roll and an AC is no match against a hefty swing of a D100% and a D20 Hit Location Table!"

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What do you think of characters being able to take these edges multiple times? I was thinking of including a second level to each of the edges. Fists of Steel would increase your unarmed damage to a D6. Eyes of the Cat would switch from Night Sight to Dark Sight. And Skin of Bronze would give you an Armor Value of 2 in all locations. This would require a higher level in the relevant skill.

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I would definitely add a power cost, Especially if allowing multiple levels. Unless it's a superhero type game, there need to be a gain/loss ratio IMO. One problem with using "perks"is that you don't necessarily have to pick one skill at the sacrifice of another. A character can practice and raise ALL their skills to Arete levels. I think this diminishes the "reality" of the game as No one should be masters of everything.

Author QUASAR space opera system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/459723/QUASAR?affiliate_id=810507

My Magic World projects page: Tooleys Underwhelming Projects

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What do you think of characters being able to take these edges multiple times?
Yes, I reckon you could add in an extra tier or two if playing a Pulp Genre game. I have ported over variable magic into a Heroic Abilities system for my own Pulp Era setting and it seems to work fine. I use Power Points (retitled 'Pulp Points') for use though, so that might balance it out. If you were using these solely as Heroic Abilities like in LEGEND then I see no reason for not having a second or third tier. It could work for LEGEND, but may not be a good fit for MW/BRP I reckon.

I would definitely add a power cost, Especially if allowing multiple levels. Unless it's a superhero type game, there need to be a gain/loss ratio IMO. One problem with using "perks"is that you don't necessarily have to pick one skill at the sacrifice of another. A character can practice and raise ALL their skills to Arete levels. I think this diminishes the "reality" of the game as No one should be masters of everything.
If you are using the Arete system from MW, and it is for a standard gritty BRP setting, then I totally agree. I considered this when I read the Arete rules a few weeks ago, and if I use them I think I may houserule that you can only gain Arete in skills from a particular Skill Category. That way it does not limit characters having other 100%+ skills at all, but it forces the 'mastery' perks to be in a particular skill category. I may also rule that perhaps skills from outside that skill category can only go to 100+Skill Cat bonus%, as in RQ3 (I cannot remember if the BGB returned to that rule or not - it was obviously absent in Elric/Stormbringer and thus MagicWorld). I do agree that although you can have very highly skilled characters in a wide range of abilities, perhaps it is more 'realistic' if the masters still specialise in a particular field.

" Sure it's fun, but it is also well known that a D20 roll and an AC is no match against a hefty swing of a D100% and a D20 Hit Location Table!"

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Agreed with Mankcam. Genious idea. I think I might house rule that only Occupation Skills can have Aretes. That allows wiggle room for flavor and diversity in characters but is more restrictive towards specialization.

Author QUASAR space opera system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/459723/QUASAR?affiliate_id=810507

My Magic World projects page: Tooleys Underwhelming Projects

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I'm unsure if I would restrict it to occupational skills, as some characters sometimes organically change their concepts through gameplay, ending up quite different to their original professional background. I would prob allow the PC to choose which category, although perhaps another option could be to only allow the Skill Cat to be determined according to membership in a cult, order, or other organisation. You could almost emulate D&D's Prestige Classes this way

Edited by Mankcam

" Sure it's fun, but it is also well known that a D20 roll and an AC is no match against a hefty swing of a D100% and a D20 Hit Location Table!"

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I'm unsure if I would restrict it to occupational skills, as some characters sometimes organically change their concepts through gameplay, ending up quite different to their original professional background. I would prob allow the PC to choose which category, although perhaps another option could be to only allow the Skill Cat to be determined according to membership in a cult, order, or other organisation. You could almost emulate D&D's Prestige Classes this way

I don't see any rule regarding PCs changing occupation... but, perhaps You're right and I should let it go as is...trusting that the authors have our best interests in mind. Honestly few PCs last to heroic epic levels in my campaigns anyway. Not because I'm a sadistic Chronicler, but because of BAD decisions.

"There's a skeletal corpse on the ground pointing toward a gateway of magic green mist? Cool! My knight runs through it!"

Author QUASAR space opera system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/459723/QUASAR?affiliate_id=810507

My Magic World projects page: Tooleys Underwhelming Projects

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There are no rules for changing occupations or even rules for encouraging you remain in a given occupation. It's actually designed to have starting characters from a wide range of professions, many of them mundane, and seeing where the character ends up. In many hoary old RQ campaigns we would find characters who were farmers and crafters who, by the end of a campaign, ended up becoming heroic warriors, mystic priests, and somewhere in between. Quite unlike D&D, Rolemaster, etc where you remained in one class unless you chose to multiclass at specific intervals.

So that is why I would consider restricting it to Skill Categories as opposed to Occupational Skills, as it will allow greater flexibility for the PC to choose where they want to have Arete abilites, which would likely be in keeping with how their character has progressed through game play. Still allows for PCs to have 100%+ skills in anything they have advanced in (I would go with the old 100%+Skill Cat for maximum skills), but it allows for a specific category of skills to advance to truly spectacular levels and streamlines what Masters would look like under this system.

All interesting ideas so far!

Edited by Mankcam

" Sure it's fun, but it is also well known that a D20 roll and an AC is no match against a hefty swing of a D100% and a D20 Hit Location Table!"

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