The RPG Homebrew Extravanganza Thread

[Not The Author]

I suppose it'd end up being two skills, really - which, on further thought, most crafting skills would have: Modification and Construction.

Modification is pretty simple. Giving a gun a bigger clip. Adding nails to a bat. Mixing flavorings into drinks. It can get fancier, but it's all just expanding on a base model.

Construction, on the other hand, is the production of a base model. Making things as opposed to just making them better.

In the context of Heavily Improvised Weaponry, you'd probably have a wider range of things you could make and mod than most crafting skills, but you wouldn't be able make things as powerful. A flamethrower made by a guy who makes flamethrowers is generally going to be better than a flamethrower made out of a leafblower, a tank of petrol, and grill parts, basically.

[Dxpenguinman]

Shouldn't there be a crafting skill for Fortification - basically how well the crafted product works. I guess the name could be changed to something more relevant, that was just off the top of my head.

But yes, in the case of Heavily Improved Weaponry, it would have a high Construction stat and Modification stat but a low Fortification stat.

What exactly do the Construction and Modification stat do anyway? I figured that the Construction stat will determine the base damage of crafted weapon, and Modification will determine the damage modifier, depending on the parts you add.

[Quirk]

I think any sort of special crafting is best served as a standalone skill for some classes, just because you won't be making items much: the vast majority of items will be scavenged books. You'd be able to do some crafting, but really all we need is to roll it against a BOOKSMARTS check.

[Not The Author]

No, no, Construction and Modification aren't stats, they're... like, skills within crafting disciplines? Like, a Blacksmith could construct and modify metal armors and weapons, but a Swordsmith could construct and modify swords better than a Blacksmith could. Construction and modification are both things both people could do, even though they would do them differently. Actions, not values, thassit.

My point with that last bit was that HIW would have a large quantity but low quality of producable items. The quality v. quantity will vary between each crafting skill (generally based on how narrow the focus) regardless of some arbitrary stat we might assign.

[Quirk]

No, no, Construction and Modification aren't stats, they're... like, skills within crafting disciplines? Like, a Blacksmith could construct and modify metal armors and weapons, but a Swordsmith could construct and modify swords better than a Blacksmith could. Construction and modification are both things both people could do, even though they would do them differently. Actions, not values, thassit.

My point with that last bit was that HIW would have a large quantity but low quality of producable items. The quality v. quantity will vary between each crafting skill (generally based on how narrow the focus) regardless of some arbitrary stat we might assign.

That would work for a normal RPG, but it's a bit unweildy here because of the fact that your weapon is a book, even though it's a sword, and your armor is also a book. Perhaps the imporvment mechanic could be "Marginwriting", which would fufill modification. I don't think construction really jives with the setting: the readers are going out and exploring and discovering the books, but they're not writing them.

[Dxpenguinman]

Wait, so weapons are books?

[Quirk]

Wait, so weapons are books?

The way I was thinking was that equipment books fall into three major categories: Weapon, Armor, and General. the first two are pretty self explanatory, and give you your attack and defense score, while general books can give you extra powers. These are divied up into equipment slots, so a level one character would have one weapon slot, one armor slot, and maybe two General slots. More slots open as you level up.

Think of the books as a sort of fetch modus. In owning the book and having it equipped, you have access to the power that is within, which may be an item that can be manifested and dismissed at will. So if I've discovered a rare copy of The Feud of Fastaglio and equip it, my weapon is a pretty powerful rapier, but I only have it so long as the book is in my weapon slot.

[ch00_bakka]

I actually like Quirk's idea a lot. But did anyone like Wakeboarding? Because Finnegan's Wake could get you so many weird skills.

[Quirk]

I actually like Quirk's idea a lot. But did anyone like Wakeboarding? Because Finnegan's Wake could get you so many weird skills.

There's an Absurdist class. It fits perfectly.

[Dxpenguinman]

Hey, that weapon/book idea sounds sweet. I guess the same book stats apply (e.g heft, spine, eloquence).

[Quirk]

Hey, that weapon/book idea sounds sweet. I guess the same book stats apply (e.g heft, spine, eloquence).

Yeah, it'd have a stat for use (Heft 8 to use for a physical weapon, for example), and then bonuses to damage or additional effects.

[Dxpenguinman]

Hey, that weapon/book idea sounds sweet. I guess the same book stats apply (e.g heft, spine, eloquence).

Yeah, it'd have a stat for use (Heft 8 to use for a physical weapon, for example), and then bonuses to damage or additional effects.

So books with a Heft of 8, would require 8 Brawniness to wield? Or would they basically add a +8 BRAWNINESS modifier?

[Quirk]

Hey, that weapon/book idea sounds sweet. I guess the same book stats apply (e.g heft, spine, eloquence).

Yeah, it'd have a stat for use (Heft 8 to use for a physical weapon, for example), and then bonuses to damage or additional effects.

So books with a Heft of 8, would require 8 Brawniness to wield? Or would they basically add a +8 BRAWNINESS modifier?

The book has a Heft of eight, so it takes 8 BRWNINESS to weild. A book with Prose of 4 requires 4 BOOKSMARTS to weild. Becase Book A is so large, it does 1d10 points of damage or the like (maybe 2d10), while Book B only does 1d4, but has a ranged special attack that can burn enemies (also 1d4)

[Dxpenguinman]

Ah, ok, so books have pre-requisites to wield, but in turn, offer bonus modifiers or other effects. Or they might offer powers.

Great idea.

So which class do you want to flesh out first?

[Quirk]

Ah, ok, so books have pre-requisites to wield, but in turn, offer bonus modifiers or other effects. Or they might offer powers.

Great idea.

So which class do you want to flesh out first?

Whichever you feel inspired to. I say we just start from the top of the list and move from there, so Cyberpunk.

[Ianflow]

((I like the sound of it, and entity wise, I feel I'd be a Librarian. This actually sounds a bit more to home for me.))

[Dxpenguinman]

Here's some general ideas on skill progression before I flesh out a class with skills. Every level, you can choose to learn one of two different skills.

Level 1: Active Skill
Level 2: Active Skill
Level 3: Passive Skill
Level 4: Utility Skill
Level 5: Active/Passive Skill (you may choose one or the other)
Level 6: Active/Passive Skill
Level 7: Utility Skill
Level 8: Active Skill
Level 9: Passive Skill
Level 10: Eloquent Arte (sort of like a final ultimate skill)

The level cap is 10, so we'll design 20 skills for each class in total (8 active skills, 6 passive skills, 4 utility skills and 2 eloquent artes). Feel free to suggest changes to the skill progression if you have a better idea.

[Quirk]

((I like the sound of it, and entity wise, I feel I'd be a Librarian. This actually sounds a bit more to home for me.))

i.e. You'd be the DM. Librarians can't be PCs, I'm afraid.

@Dxpenguinman - Progression looks good to me.

[Dxpenguinman]

Anyway, onto some cyberpunk skills:

Prosthetic Limbs (PASSIVE SKILL)
That arm? Got it for a cheap deal in the street market. That leg, however, costs a fortune. Welcome to a world where prosthetic limbs are traded.
Your prosthetic limbs allow you to have more maneuverability and control over how you move, leading to a +2 movement bonus while in battle.

Cyberpunt (ACTIVE SKILL)
Those new piston attachments costs a hefty fee, but they make your leg pack a punch. Or, more aptly, a piston-powered kick.
May only be used once per encounter. Add 1d6 to your attack roll. Upon a successful hit, push the target enemy back 3 squares. (assuming we're using a gridded battlefield)

EDIT - have some fluff:

Prologia:
Aeons ago, before the library came into being, a paradise from which the library was created existed. It was tranquil and existed on its own plane, only accessible by those born with the Mark of the Author - a birthmark that separates the legendary from the normal, rumored only to be given to those specifically singled out by the Author himself. The mark is more than just a status statement, though, it's the key that allows those with it, who find the mythical Portal to Prologia to enter and revisit the beginning of existence, where it is rumored that many kinds of legendary artifacts preside.

[Dxpenguinman]

Here's a mechanic idea I thought up to make Librus more unique:
Incantations
Scattered across the Library are CHANTS, special words that hold great arcane potency. When a READER discovers a CHANT, it is added to his/her list of CHANTS that she may use in battle.
Here's how CHANTS work - they're basically words that can be formed into strings of words, that in turn create impromptu on-the-go powers that can be used in battle for dramatic effect.

A CHANT is an individual word, an INCANTATION is a string of words (up to as many CHANTS as the READER wishes to use). The basic mechanic for INCANTATION damage is:
[(no of chants in incantation)*d6 + incantation modifier]
An INCANTATION can contain as many chants as you wish, however the READER may only select 2 of these CHANTS to gather the EFFECT of the incantation from, which in turn can be used by the GM to make up an incantation modifier.

Example: A READER has the chants FIRE and BARRIER, as well as KNIFE. He chooses to string together FIRE and BARRIER as the EFFECTS of an INCANTATION, but also use KNIFE to boost the incantation, hence giving the incantation damage as 3d6 since he used 3 chants. Since he combined FIRE and BARRIER for the EFFECT, the EFFECT would be some sort of FIREWALL, so the incantation modifier could be a resist damage to fire or one that burns enemies that attack the READER.

The incantation modifier is really up to the GM's discretion, but that's the general gist of INCANTATIONS.

Feel free to expand on it.

[Quirk]

Whoa dude. That's really cool. I'll hop on that list. I like lists.

Here's some more racial fluff.

Adventure – Adventurers are rugged wildmen, stout of heart, sturdy of body, with skin like leather and souls like fire. Wanderlust is their gospel, exploration is their code. If you’re going to live in one place, the Adventurers say, at the very least make it memorable: they can be found all across the Library, from the highest mountain shelves to the deepest stacks to roving bands of hunters and explorers. They focus on BRAWN and BULWARKNESS to survive. So grab a beer and share some scar stories, you’re in good hands here.

Non-Fiction – Average folk, nondescript really. They fill the places in between. They’re the faceless masses, along with Litficcers and Mainstreamers. They may not be exciting, they may be meek and small, but some do become true Readers. Those that do are men and women of many talents, and as such get a small bonus to all stats.

Romance – The Fair Folk, they are BEAUTIFUL to a near-supernatural degree. Surprisingly enough, they have quite a bit of variety to them, as standards change as you travel around, but all of them have, as it is said “the stuff”. They are the high society, the nobility, the aristocracy, the mediocracy, the people who shape culture with mere winks and glimpses. Romances may be seen as aloof and petty by others, but they do hold many noble places across the Library.

[Dxpenguinman]

Awesome, I presume you added all of that into the special document/PDF-to-be file.

Is it alright if you upload what you have? Or do you want to wait until we have a substantial amount of content?

[Quirk]

Awesome, I presume you added all of that into the special document/PDF-to-be file.

Is it alright if you upload what you have? Or do you want to wait until we have a substantial amount of content?

Well, everything in the file is also in the thread. I'd say we could get a super-alpha once we get a bit more fluff and maybe one or two classes skilled up.

[Dxpenguinman]

Cool, I'll try and make some more skills for Cyberpunk when I get home. I guess you could use TV Tropes for inspiration for skills and racial perks, if need be.

[Namboto]

cyberpunk-
All Your Base 10 (Passive Skill)
There are 10 types of people in this world, those that don't understand binary, and those that can turn your computer inside out with just a few keystrokes. Which one are you?
((I don't really know what to do for the bonus, something to do with hacking I guess?))