Alternate Core Documents

[Kkat]

It could simply be instituted that the person with the highest score in the group makes the check, and have enemy groups implemented the same way. If dealing with a group of identically-statted monsters, there could be a suggested special bonus (+2, maybe?) to reflect that the group should have internal variety but don't.

[Viewing_Glass]

I can get behind that. It will be interesting to see how that works.

[Kkat]

Rule Updates:

AX damage for ranged weapons and explosives has been altered such that power armor is now treated in the same way as robots rather than as PipBucks and cyberwear.

The perk Contract Killer/Lawbringer has been changed to a quest perk (and made a little less vague). To replace it, Griffins can now take the Bounty Hunter perk, which gives a bonus to damage against targets of contracts.

In preparation for the upcoming stealth rules...

• There is now an Expert level of the Nightvision spell. Nightvision goggles have been added to the equipment list. Nightvision now has a penalty to Perception in well-lit conditions. The Infiltrator cybernetic suite and the monster perk Night Hunter has been revised to match.
• Monsters can now possess a perk called Alert which gives a bonus to opposed perception checks against sneaking characters. This bonus can raise the monster's effective Perception above 10.
• The Ghost perk has been clarified to read: You gain a special bonus when sneaking equal to any bonus for poor light conditions. This special bonus does not count against the maximum of +30 for bonuses, and can raise the character's effective skill above the normal skill limit.
• Death From Above has also been altered to function along the same vein (although it had to be expanded upon to function as well with the contrail Pegasus Tricks). Here's the new version: You gain a special bonus when sneaking while airbone or on clouds equal to any bonus for concealment, or double perception penalties against you in these circumstances. This special bonus does not count against the maximum of +30 for bonuses, and can raise the character's effective skill above the normal skill limit. If doubling penalties, this can reduce an opponent's effective Perception to 0 for opposed checks against you.
• Sharpshooter is now a single-rank perk which reads: You ignore range penalties to Perception checks and take only half normal range penalties in combat.

[Thanqol]

Rule Updates:

AX damage for ranged weapons and explosives has been altered such that power armor is now treated in the same way as robots rather than as PipBucks and cyberwear.

Cool. I was actually starting to come to the conclusion that power armour was an interesting strategic choice rather than a straight upgrade to my current Riot Gear due to the increased vulnerability to AM, and this solidifies that decision.

The perk Contract Killer/Lawbringer has been changed to a quest perk (and made a little less vague). To replace it, Griffins can now take the Bounty Hunter perk, which gives a bonus to damage against targets of contracts.

And thank goodness on this one because now I no longer have to choose between Lawbringer and Splash Damage.

In preparation for the upcoming stealth rules...

• There is now an Expert level of the Nightvision spell. Nightvision goggles have been added to the equipment list. Nightvision now has a penalty to Perception in well-lit conditions. The Infiltrator cybernetic suite and the monster perk Night Hunter has been revised to match.

Related question: Riot armour has integrated nightvision; does it function the same as nightvision goggles? Also presuming it can be toggled off and on without having to take the helmet off.

[Kkat]

Related question: Riot armour has integrated nightvision; does it function the same as nightvision goggles? Also presuming it can be toggled off and on without having to take the helmet off.

Yes, and thank you. You've prompted a couple clarifications surrounding that. Instead of "Night Sight", the riot gear now has "Nightvision". Nightvision has been added the the Special Rules section as meaning "integrated Nightvision goggles", and thus would use the rules and statistics for Nightvision goggles. Please note that Nightvision goggles as gas masks are classified as "masks" under clothing type. The following has been added to the Use Items action rules:

Masks, when worn, can be adjusted for use or disuse with a 10 AP action.

"oooh, nightvision-y!"

[Kkat]

Additional Modifications

The following has been added to Attacks, Damage and Death: Damage and other effects are usually resolved immediately after an attack is successful. However, the damage and effects of explosives are determined at the end of the initiative in which they are used or triggered. Characters with react actions may to attempt to disarm the explosive (in the case of a mine or other explosive trap), find cover or escape the AoE.

Demolitions Expert has been upgraded to read: You know how to ‘cook-off’ grenades so they explode instantly upon impact or when triggered as part of a trap. In addition, you can modify explosives to reduce their AoE increment by up to 5' (minimum 1'). The second ability of this perk requires a workbench and may not be used in combat.

And Stay Back has been revised. The perk now reads: If firing within Point Blank range, your shotgun attacks can send your target flying. This effect is treated as per a Slam attack using the Strength requirement of the weapon as its effective strength and with the direction specified as away from you.

A few touches to the Monster Perks:

Fixed the monster perk Extra Spikey to match the new critical hit rules. Upgraded Regeneration to heal a more worthwhile number of HP each turn. Added a few new 18+ level perks to help make some epic encounters.

[Viewing_Glass]

I like the change to Demolitions Expert. Makes it more of a tactical perk for explosives users.

If I might suggest a change to the modification of Attacks, Damage, and Death? It took me a couple read-throughs of it to understand what was going on in there. For clarity purposes, I suggest changing:

However, the damage and effects of explosives are determined at the end of the initiative in which they are used or triggered.

to:

However, the damage and effects of explosives are determined at the end of the character's turn that used them.

In addition, I might specify that rule only applies to mines and grenades that have not been altered by Demolition's Expert. All other explosives fired from weapons (such as the Anti-Pony Grenade Rifle) explode on contact.

[Kkat]

If I might suggest a change to the modification of Attacks, Damage, and Death?

I actually find that suggestion more cumbersome, as I'm concerned it will lead to confusion over the use of the word "turn" or how to deal with explosives when multiple characters are acting on the same initiative.

In addition, I might specify that rule only applies to mines and grenades that have not been altered by Demolition's Expert. All other explosives fired from weapons (such as the Anti-Pony Grenade Rifle) explode on contact.

Good catch. I changed it to "thrown and placed explosives".

[Thanqol]

Additional Modifications

The following has been added to Attacks, Damage and Death: Damage and other effects are usually resolved immediately after an attack is successful. However, the damage and effects of explosives are determined at the end of the initiative in which they are used or triggered. Characters with react actions may to attempt to disarm the explosive (in the case of a mine or other explosive trap), find cover or escape the AoE.

Demolitions Expert has been upgraded to read: You know how to ‘cook-off’ grenades so they explode instantly upon impact or when triggered as part of a trap. In addition, you can modify explosives to reduce their AoE increment by up to 5' (minimum 1'). The second ability of this perk requires a workbench and may not be used in combat.

I am not sure I like this change. Ponies are, by and large, all extremely fast and so a single move action from any pony can take them out of the primary blast radius of almost all explosives. This means that immunity to grenades only costs a single readied action per round, which makes grenades really weak before Demolitions Expert becomes available at level 6, and makes Demolitions Expert a 100% must take for any pony who wants to be able to throw grenades as a primary combat style.

I was actually operating under the impression that reacting fast enough to get cover when an explosive goes off was a product of Hit The Deck, not something every pony was trained in. As it stands, dynamite is already weak and expensive and now a low level combatant can't even get full damage out of it.

I actually found myself not minding having it as a must-take, though, with the addition of a cool secondary power which serves to make a grenade-user distinctive and precise. However, an AoE reduction alone just doesn't quite feel good enough. If this perk allowed you to increase an AoE by 5 as well then I think it would become a truly solid choice, not break anything (Splash Damage already exists to double AoE so it's internally balanced) and alleviate the kick of having to take a perk to counter basic movement.

[Thanqol]

Oh, and on the topic of Explosive related perks, there's a perk from New Vegas that has no good reason for not being in this system:

Spray and Pray (though I prefer Friendly Fire) Level 10: Whenever you accidentally injure your allies reduce the damage by 75%. Has no effect on emotional damage.