Alternate Core Documents

[Viewing_Glass]

Alright then. I'd like to see darkness bonuses and penalties always beating out bonuses for trying to sneak in plain sight. Likewise, it would be good to spell out specific examples for each level of bonus or penalty. This way it makes things easier for the GM.

[Kkat]

I know this isn't on the current list of perks to revise, but after an encounter in uSea's game, I've added a clarification to healing and to Wasteland Surgeon. The perk now reads: You can restore crippled limbs (without needing or consuming a Doctor's Bag). For purposes of healing limb damage, you may may divide any healing between the limbs of your choice. You gain a +2% Critical Chance bonus on non-deformed creatures.

Healing itself now has the added sentence: If using hit locations, unless otherwise noted, any item or effect which heals hit points also heals each damaged limb by that amount divided by the character’s total number of limbs. A successful Medicine check may be used to focus healing onto restoring a specific, single limb. This means that healing potions and similar effects now heal limb damage just as the healing spells do, and gives medical ponies an extra bonus.

[TyrannisUmbra]

I know this isn't on the current list of perks to revise, but after an encounter in uSea's game, I've added a clarification to healing and to Wasteland Surgeon. The perk now reads: You can restore crippled limbs (without needing or consuming a Doctor's Bag). For purposes of healing limb damage, you may may divide any healing between the limbs of your choice. You gain a +2% Critical Chance bonus on non-deformed creatures.

Healing itself now has the added sentence: If using hit locations, unless otherwise noted, any item or effect which heals hit points also heals each damaged limb by that amount divided by the character’s total number of limbs. A successful Medicine check may be used to focus healing onto restoring a specific, single limb. This means that healing potions and similar effects now heal limb damage just as the healing spells do, and gives medical ponies an extra bonus.

One thing I'd like to point out: Divided by number of limbs might be a bit unfair to those with more than 6 targetable body parts (ie pegasi and other flyers), since that would mean unless specifically healing limbs, they would take longer to naturally recover from limb damage than other races.

This isn't an objection, more of a 'you should think about this before making it final'. I do understand that there are good reasons for it to be either way (divided by number of limbs, or divided by 6).

[Thanqol]

Eep. I'll admit, I haven't been paying attention to the thread this last week, and I have a bit of catching up to do. But just at a quick scan, a few things occur to me...

I'm thinking that we need to write up a section in the general rules for stealth. Airborne stealth should be a thing, and the griffin perk Death From Above should be rewritten to make them exceptional at it in a way that makes sense. (I would be inclined to make Death From Above identical to Ghost, but for aerial stealth bonuses.) We should codify perception bonuses against characters or monsters trying to sneak in broad daylight without any sort of cover. And, likewise, list bonuses for sneaking in poor lighting to go with the Ghost perk. The bonus from Ghost should be clarified as well, both stating that the doubling of bonuses breaks the +30 bonus cap (otherwise the perk is largely useless) and that the extra bonus can breach the skill cap (preventing the perk from becoming useless when you reach high ranks in the skill). Likewise, perception bonuses for detecting those attempting stealth in adverse sneaking conditions should be able to stack with other bonuses, and to boost effective Perception beyond 10.

This is excellent news. I look forwards to this greatly.

I have one suggestion, though. When making an opposed stealth roll the sneaker should make one roll and everypony who she is sneaking against should collectively make one roll. If a pony is sneaking past two gate guards they should get one perception roll between them and not one each. This is very important because each new individual who gets a perception roll is essentially giving a full reroll, which means trying to sneak past any group larger than 4 rapidly becomes impossible.

Instead, groups should get a bonus to their opposed perception roll related to their size and training. So a group of 40 raiders might gain a +4 due to there being a lot of them with a lot of sets of eyes, but -3 because they're constantly feuding, drinking and fighting. Conversely, a Steel Ranger base on red alert with constant patrols might gain a bonus due to professional sweeping techniques.

[TyrannisUmbra]

I have one suggestion, though. When making an opposed stealth roll the sneaker should make one roll and everypony who she is sneaking against should collectively make one roll. If a pony is sneaking past two gate guards they should get one perception roll between them and not one each. This is very important because each new individual who gets a perception roll is essentially giving a full reroll, which means trying to sneak past any group larger than 4 rapidly becomes impossible.

Instead, groups should get a bonus to their opposed perception roll related to their size and training. So a group of 40 raiders might gain a +4 due to there being a lot of them with a lot of sets of eyes, but -3 because they're constantly feuding, drinking and fighting. Conversely, a Steel Ranger base on red alert with constant patrols might gain a bonus due to professional sweeping techniques.

I actually really like this idea. At least, it /sounds/ amazing. Then again, I get excited whenever I see clever 'hidden' tactical bonuses working in action >.>

[Dance_Explosion]

Well i have to say id like that change to sneak, but i'm heavily biased as a high sneak character ninja type,

[Viewing_Glass]

Hrm...I like the way this sounds as well, but I'm not sure this is such a great thing. Reverse the situation: If you have some monsters acting as ambush predators, sneaking up on the party, the party would only have 1 perception check.

This opens up some new questions: Who rolls the perception check for the party? Does that character roll using the average perception with bonuses, or the highest perception score in the party with bonuses?

[Dance_Explosion]

That really seems more like a DM's choice to do it rather then a rule change.

[Thanqol]

Hrm...I like the way this sounds as well, but I'm not sure this is such a great thing. Reverse the situation: If you have some monsters acting as ambush predators, sneaking up on the party, the party would only have 1 perception check.

This opens up some new questions: Who rolls the perception check for the party? Does that character roll using the average perception with bonuses, or the highest perception score in the party with bonuses?

My personal tendency is for group average though I'm fine with a double standard between PCs and monsters. Also if a group of ambush predators sneak up on the party they're going to take a significant penalty for trying to sneak multiple targets into position.

Right now, with 5 spot checks between them, a group of PCs should never get ambushed due to the law of averages. With sneak attacks being only +15 crit chance a party can survive a surprise round now and then.

[Viewing_Glass]

With the reduction in critical damage, I agree a party is more likely to survive. However, I don't like instituting a double-standard between monsters and PCs, especially considering this would be the first instance of such a standard being raised in the system (I might be wrong, however).

In addition, the PCs will usually have an advantage of the monsters anyway, unless you are constantly fighting red level threats.

Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of tactical bonuses to stealth and perception. Though, I think those bonuses are already in place, or will be in place, once the sneak rules are clarified.