Welcome!
First off let me say for the most part I do like what Catalyst has managed to come up with for A Time of War, which this thread will deal with primarily. There may be a few AU specific items here and there but I'll do my best to keep them clearly marked in any documents. So here's where I'll try and keep everything posted. Don't worry even though the links don't change the documents may now and again. I'll do my best to give you the short version of any changes I make in future posts but all links will always be right below and hopefully clearly marked.
This is the
main document. It contains most of what I have worked on/altered. There are some support documents linked below intended to work in conjunction with this document.
Additional
tables to help see how some of the new traits work.
A work in progress
modules file that covers primarily stage 1 and stage 2 to support those that don't want to points buy.
With the all fields have 5 skills document
here.
Optional random
events tables to help spice up your characters. All rewards are in XP unless otherwise indicated.
Now introducing a revamp of the
tables in Field Manual Mercenaries Revised for Mercenary unit creation updated and somewhat tweaked for AToW compliance and personal taste.
Section reserved for future RPG data link for my AU.
The
RATs for my AU. Still need work I know but the stuff that is filled in I'm pretty happy with for now but if I can ever figure out a better way to rework them I will. May also need naming convention updates.
An
Arms, Armor, and Accessories document for my AU.
Some
Gestalt personal AI unit construction rules.
A prototype
time line for my AU.
And just for fun some "In Character" write ups for various factions. I'm still working on them a bit and I know sections are still not filled out but what I do have I am somewhat happy with but feel free to comment.
Probably overall my most munchy faction first up, the
Amegis Compact.
Next up the most horrid faction in my AU the
Belarus Alliance.
For a bit of a change of pace the introductory document for the
Mercenaries Guild.
Last but not least the manifest destiny driven bent on re-uniting humanity under their banner
Terran Dominion.
I'll do my best to keep these up to date and if there are any conflicts with any of the posts in this thread the documents are considered to trump what is in the post unless you like the way the post works better for your game. For that reason, as well as allowing you the reader to see the evolution of my house rules I will not be altering any posts beyond this first one.
First up the big one that does nag me. Natural Aptitudes. Frankly I understand the idea of making them expensive to keep them rare but I think the cost as they are now is too high for too little gain. So I plan on eventually introducing the following next character generation:
Complex skills cost 200 and Simple cost 400. A character may not have more natural aptitudes than intelligence modifier +1. That's right a minimum INT of 4 is required for a Natural Aptitude.
Now the next set of rules was inspired by the special abilities section and how disappointed I was that there was so little that could be used outside of the cockpit. Considering the scale of these I intend for them to be cheaper than those abilities that can be used inside. Let's start with the combat oriented ones.
Muscle Memory10 XP
Requirements: Martial Arts or Melee Weapons Rank 4 or higher
A character with this ability receives a +1 initiative bonus when combating a foe with a lower Martial Arts or Melee Weapons score so long as the character is using Martial Arts or Melee Weapons to combat their foe.
Death of a Thousand Strikes50 XP
Requirements: Dex 6+; Martial Arts, Melee Weapons, or Thrown Weapons 4+
A character with this ability as a complex action may unleash a rapid flurry of attacks on their foe as a complex action. Doing so allows the character to deal Strength divided by 4 rounded normally plus Weapon Damage plus Margin of Success damage as well as the defender having to make a Will check to avoid losing one of their simple actions.
Sweeping Attack50 XP
Requirements: Strength 6+, Dexterity 6+; Martial Arts, Melee Weapons, or Thrown Weapons 5+; Death of a Thousand Strikes
A character with this ability may take a complex action to attack all foes within three meters of their present location.
Iron Body50 XP
Requirements: Fit, Toughness, Martial Arts 5+
A character with this ability gains +1 Melee armor even when not wearing any protective gear.
Power Thrower25 XP
Requirements: Strength 5+, Thrown Weapons 5+, Natural Aptitude Thrown Weapons
A character with this ability multiplies thrown weapon ranges by 1.5 rounding normally.
Fan of Blades50 XP
Requirements: Thrown Weapons +5, Death of a Thousand Strikes
A character with this ability can unleash a torrent of thrown weapons such that they can make use of the suppressing fire ability normally available only to automatic fire arms but may only target one hex while following all other rules of suppressing fire.
Since Liam's Ghost complained about a lack of non combat abilities when I talked with him on the matter of special abilities I since had a decent brain storm and came up with a few.
Athlete10 XP
Requirements: Fit
A character with this ability adds +2 to all movement methods and any checks for untrained skill usage for Swimming and Climbing.
Silver Tongued Devil25 XP
Requirements: Attractive, Charisma 7+, Acting 3+
A character with this ability may elect to use their Charisma bonus instead of Intelligence bonus even if the skill is an advanced skill already linked with Charisma.
Mind Over Body10 XP
Requirements: Will 7+
Characters with this ability may use their Will modifier instead of their Bod modifier even if the skill is an advanced skill and already linked to Will.
Clever Mind10 XP
Requirements: Intelligence 7+
With this ability a character may add their intelligence bonus above and beyond any other modifiers for untrained skill checks.
Practical Experience25 XP
Requirements: Clever Mind
Using this ability a character may roll three six sided dice keeping the two best for any untrained skill check.
As a final warning I may be inclined to change some of the costs of these abilities.
[edit]Changed cost of Natural Aptitude.[/edit]