Alternate Core Documents

[Fridge]

I live to serve, Kkitty.

But, uh. As someone who's done that before, I'll note that you probably have to poke holes in the magazine of said gun and be gentle with it so the bees don't up and die as much. And the search for ammo will be a pain in the... Well, everywhere.

But if I may put one more thing on the agenda, could we please talk about the invention rules and how they pertain to EP's now? Say, if I as an Earth Pony who has a cutie mark of delicious booze, am I using survival as an invention roll to try to invent a tasteful elderberry wine? As such, what would an EP with a cutie mark of a bag of bits for his prowess in business dealings have to invent with barter?

[mimezinga]

Cyber ponies

As suggested by Hidden, we were thinking to give a little more flavor to the cyber ponies. That is: give them the chance to chose what kind of cyborg they want to be. How does that work? The basics of it are already on Hidden's post somewhere above this one: for some reason you became a cyborg and decide to spend a perk to power up your cybernetics. This wll lead to the first level of the perk Cyber Pony, giving you some bonuses, mostly a +10 to a relevant skill and a scondary bonus, again, related to the type of cyborg you want to be.

So far, we have outlined 4 main types: Bruiser, Soldier, Infiltrator, Hacker

Every cyber set will grant you 2 distinct bonuses as said above and you will be able to chose them, usually from a couple of options. So, the bruiser will give you a +10 to melee or unarmed, and you will decide where you want the skill boost. Here's the list

Bruiser
+10 to melee OR unarmed combat
+2 DT, poison resistance and +10% resistance to radiation OR a +n(still to decide) movement bonus when charging

Soldier
+10 to firearms OR survival
enemies get an additional +5% to hit you when taking cover, OR you get a +1 to STR when determining what weapons you can handle

Infiltrator
+10 to stealth OR esplosives
Infrared vision (can't detect stuf at the same temperature of the area, like, turrets) OR Night vision (very sensitive to sudden light variations)

Hacker
+10 to science OR MEWs
Limited TK Field you can manipulate your inventory as if you had telekinesis, but only on metallic objects; also, it gives you fine manipulation when using tools.

So far this is everything we put together. The idea is to gie all of these perks a lvl 2 and maybe a lvl 3, plus some specific secondary perks thatr can be taken by some or all of the builds... so, what do you think so far?

[Fridge]

Mime, I think it's a bit too much for one perk, but I think you're onto something cool.

My advice is that you remove the +10 to those skills, and then remove the "OR" to those other stats. Keep in mind that +10 is around 2/3 a level's worth of skill points, and that it would outshine the initial +5/+5 perks immediately due to the fact that you can focus on one skill. Then, if you want it, you could take another "branch" and get fun things like near-indestructible tanks of metal and flesh that can charge through a brick wall like it was tissue paper, and then can see you hiding in the dark after you've stumbled into a corner and started whimpering.

My only real "beef" is that you should probably call it a -10% to their offensive skill because, let's face it, 5% is really nothing. And +5% is actually doing them a little favor. Maybe add something for doctor ponies that includes a syringe launcher in their leg that can administer potions from a distance? Nah, second thought, that should be a thing that gets done for all ponies. Maybe in a blowdart thing.

[f1r3w4rr10r]

I really like the idea. They don't seem too powerfull and it's pretty similar to what I figured out for Changelings with Shady_Steps.

To Fridge:
I don't really see a problem with that, if those are the only perks you can pick. You basically either pick one of those for the first Cyberpony rank (with the old buffs removed) or you can take it as the next perk after you got the first Cyberpony rank.

// EDIT: Syringe launcher -> Killing Floor much? xD

[Fridge]

To F1r3w4rr10r:

You're going to have to explain. Do you mean that you don't see a problem with my suggestion with removing the "OR" in the circumstantial bonus? If that's the case then I'd counterargue that somepony literally can't get those bonuses anywhere else, and it would add a lot more utility and flavor just to give them both, seeing what other non-cyberpony perks can do.

If you mean that you don't see the problem in giving them that +10, then maybe, but keep in mind that would both give your average pony 25 skill points to level up with instead of 15 which kind of screws with the skill scale especially if they take it twice, and then they get a really cool little bonus that applies to what they always do on top of that. Like we always say, "more" (whether that be HP, skill points, or what have you) tends not to add flavor, and that's what we really want here! So, why not just cut the middle man and give EP's that flavor without throwing in any filling?

If you mean that you don't see a problem in why ponies should be able to take these "modification trees" twice, then we're on the same wavelength, so long as skills stay out of it. As long as you have to spend perks on it, I don't see the problem in having modified ponies that bruise, hack, infiltrate, and soldier all at once since they have to give up other perks that might help them do it better while doing it.

If you mean you don't see a problem in my reasoning, well, then I just have egg on my face. But at least this way, I'm absolutely clear in my thinking. At least, I hope I am.

Also, I kind of have a small objection to the first Cyberpony rank being one that you can start taking these skill paths with, because it seems to imply that they've been modified enough to do these sort of things. Plus, well, then you have unicorns coming in to take these and finding out only two paths, the bruiser and the soldier, are any good to them since they have perception spells for the infrared and night vision thing, and they can already telekinesis things no problem.

Edit: I was thinking more along the lines of TF2 myself, but blowdarts can be used to both poison and throw potions around.

[Shady_steps]

how about we make augmentations an item or a trait... keep earth ponies with the perks but have the traits or items open to everypony with some limitations.
for example

Eye's:

cybernetic eye module (need two to have both eyes) 2 slots for modification (more slots for earth ponies with the perk)

mods:
-infrared
-night vision
-magic signature vision
-electronic signature vision
-zoom feature
-x ray sight (superman style looking through walls)

this way anypony can get a cyber limb or something but only earth ponies can have close to everything (you don't want a chr to be able to get all the mods anyway) this way it adds more RP and GM control to getting a cyberlimb and lets the earth ponies keep the perk.

i do like the perk tree that mimezinga came up with though...

Edit: would be happy to come up with lots of crazy mods to each cyber limb

[f1r3w4rr10r]

I actually meant the plus 10 skill. But I see your reasoning now. I just understood, you thought it was too overpowered in general.
And yes, I would rather like to have those sets be the only perks you can take and letting them replace the current generic ranks.

Shady's system is a good idea aswell. You just need to make sure that the pony has it's corresponding limbs augmented and slots available.
This way a GM would have even more control over what he allows a player to have.

[Viewing_Glass]

Everyone...the discussion here is good, but keep in mind that Cybernetics are supposed to be incredibly rare. They won't be common place, and there is a good chance you may never find any cybernetics in a campaign. Even then, unless you are extraordinarily lucky, you probably won't have access to someone who can install cybernetics unless a party member has taken the perk at level 14 or greater (And if you do find an NPC willing to help you install the cybernetics who isn't a Steel Ranger, I can't imagine the cost you'll have to pay to get them installed).

What I might suggest is, when a pony's cybernetics have been disabled, they take a penalty equal to the bonus they were gaining previously. Infiltrator and Hacker would need some work as to what the secondary penalty is, but that balances the cybernetics out nicely (And makes weapons with the Anti-Matrix Property far scarier, which is nice).

[Shady_steps]

made an example of my idea... not balanced yet and its still a WIP... go look at it and tell me what you think and stuff https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1Cpq ... WzuTw/edit

Viewing_glass: yes they are rare but that depends on the game held its better to make the rules and let the GM's decide how to use them.

[mimezinga]

well, i hink that the plus 10 is a bit too far too,but i want to keep te cberpony ting as simple as possible, and o avoid minmaxing, so a custom body rule would be both complicated and prone to minmaxing and exploiting. we canc ut the 10% to a 5 or 7,i think. keping perks simple is important, in my opinion