Alternate Core Documents

[uSea]

I don't really see the problem with Gladiator Pony or Lead Rain. I mean, sure the damage will be increased, but the targets DT will apply each time they take a hit.
. . .
To summarize my point: If your PCs are encountering enemies at level 12 or 14 with really low DT values, then Lead Rain and Gladiator Pony will cause obscene amounts of damage. However, against an opponent appropriately armored? Its just a waste of bullets sent down range.

Fast weapons with low AP costs are supposed to suffer against high DT values but, taking Fo3/NV as an example, there are plenty of opponents that have no DT/DR even at high levels. Things like Cazadors, Night Stalkers, and Feral Ghoul Reavers. And even against targets with DT it can be countered at least partially by switching to an ammo type with -DT, but of course that's only if special ammunition has been made available to the players at that point.

If we assume a character has AGI 5 then they'll have 70AP each turn. These perks will let the character attack 7 times with an AP15 weapon when they would have otherwise needed 105AP to do so. Whether it helps against a fast weapon's 'counter' or not, effectively getting 35AP from a single perk seems a bit much and is over twice as good (offensively) as the AP giving perks 4/2 levels higher. It's even more drastic if the character has more AP to start with from AGI, traits like Kamikaze or the perks just mentioned.

On top of that the character can easily have picked up an additional 3d10 damage from perks by level 12/14 letting even the relatively low damage of the faster weapons overwhelm heavy armour when that many attacks are made.

[Viewing_Glass]

Honestly, I see no reason why those perks would require any change at all. Yeah, if your PCs want to take four perks to make a lower level, single-shot weapon better, I don't see the issue with it. I mean, can you imagine if that character had decided to pick up a weapon with a Rate Of Fire with his extra 3d10 damage? Its actually more economical, bullet to AP cost, to fire one of those far before and after Lead Rain becomes an option. I mean, look at the Assault Rifle. For 30 AP, I fire the Assault Rifle using its full ROF. I fire 8 bullets down range, rolling an attack per two bullets. If my attack is odd, I hit with both bullets. Yes, I make those attacks at a -10 penalty, but even if I roll even numbers on those four attacks, I still hit four times for 30 AP. By the same logic you used uSea, those four attacks should have cost the assault rifle 120 AP, gaining an effective 90 AP with one attack action.

Gladiator Pony, as I noted before, doesn't have that issue. Unless the opponent beats our melee or unarmed pony in initiative, that melee or unarmed pony still has to run up to hit them (possibly taking an attack if the opponent has a reach weapon). This costs AP, and the melee or unarmed pony is going to want to save AP to parry our opponent, assuming he or she doesn't spend the AP at the start of his or her round to parry. As I noted before, Gladiator Pony only has this issue with up to Tier 2 weaponry for unarmed (Spiked Shoes), or Tier 3 for melee weapons (Bowie Knife). There are better weapons, by the time Gladiator Pony comes around, that our unarmed or melee pony will want which have a higher AP cost.

[radmelon]

I went and added even more traits . This time going more for things that represent a characters background. Tell me what you think because these are still very WIP.
Mad_Modds Expanded Traits List

In my opinion, the effects given by the background traits are too large in magnitude, +/-5 at most I think. Perhaps the traits that affect max karma should affect starting karma instead, but this is less pressing than the skill issue. Your other traits seem pretty nice, but I'd get a second opinion as well.

Also, I'm also in need of some feedback on the races that I made. I've been told that they're unbalanced, but as yet noone has given me any advice on the matter. I have them posted in the ruleset additions thread if you'd like to look at them.

[uSea]

I do see your point Viewing Glass but would like to mention that automatic weapons are balanced around their Burst Fire option, letting them fire 3 times for that 30AP. (The reason this isn't a problem compared to a 15AP weapon doing the same is due to the even lower base damage and the 30AP cost. Any character can use an automatic 30AP weapon twice in a turn but it takes both high AGI and traits/level 14+ perks to make 3 actions with such a weapon.)

The real downside of firing on Full Auto was supposed to be the ammo cost but (as a side note) I'd also like to see a small range penalty too. Something like suffering the same penalties as a Short range weapon when being fired on Full Auto (if the weapon weren't Short ranged already). This would only mean an extra -5 at medium range but at long range a controlled Burst would not only be more efficient but likely result in more bullets hitting the target compared to a spray and pray approach.
Sorry I got side tracked.

If we're happy with the perk the way it is then that's fine too. Concerns were raised in my group so I thought it was worth discussing here. Honestly my own worries come from a theory point of view and in actual games it may not make as much of a difference.

[ToWhatEnd]

One thing I never really understood is the fact that Iron Hoof only applies to certain unarmed weapons when Lethal Swords Mare/Buck can apply to any and all weapons. As of now there is a really thin line between Unarmed and Melee, which is understandable since that's how it was in the games. But the fact that Melee weapons can easily outclass Unarmed in pure damage since they share similar AP costs with literally no benefit other than the elusive Hellhound Gauntlet and the slam system seems strange.

[uSea]

I think Iron Hoof is meant to benefit all unarmed weapons. In the doc I'm looking at (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc ... Pb0E#gid=0)
it says: "Do +d10 more damage with all Unarmed-type attacks which inflict damage."

Does it say something different elsewhere?

[ToWhatEnd]

Yes. In the optional Advanced Weapon list which the group I'm in is playing with there are 2 notes next to Brass Ponyshoes and Spiked Ponyshoes that say 'Gains the 'Iron Hoof' Barehoofed multiplier bonus'. It seems to imply that Iron Hoof only applies to completely unarmed attacks. I can see why since the language is a bit unclear in the perk note. Rather than just plainly stating 'Everything that uses the melee skill.' it says 'More damage with all Unarmed-type attacks which inflict damage'. Which is kinda worded awkwardly. Anyway my GM said Ironhoof applies to everything, I'm just wondering what exactly was trying to be said there. Or if it was a hold over from an earlier version of Iron Hoof that only applied to 'Barehoof' attacks.

[uSea]

You're right, that was a hold over from when Iron Hoof used to have an extra effect. In addition to the +1d10 per rank it increased the multiplier of a weaponless hoof attack to 1.5xSTR (from 1) and then to 2xSTR at rank 2. I think this bonus effect was removed after the various weapon lists were expanded and Unarmed characters suddenly had equipment that would benefit them.

[cryptek dragon]

i have quick question. how exactly does the monster creation system work?

[Kkat]

Added the following notes to a few spells in order to avoid some possible abuses:

Phase
An object affected by Phase does not become intangible to itself, in whole or in part. As such, an object will not lose structural integrity if part of that object is phased, nor will components of complex objects that are phased cease to function in regards to the object they are part of. (For example: phasing the lock on a safe will not allow you to open it -- the lock is considered an integral component and remains solid in regards to the rest of the safe. However, the caster can tip the safe and dump out what is inside through the phased section.)

Imbuing Spells
No item may be enchanted with more than one Imbuing spell at a time (although you may enchant both a projectile or energy weapon and a clip of ammo, gaining the benefits of both). Nor can Imbuing spells be cast on items enchanted by zebra shamanism. Weapons with the “Set” quality are considered a single item for purposes of Imbuing, as are all the components of complex items. (For example: medium and heavy armors include a helmet, so that helmet cannot be enchanted separately.) The effects of multiple items Imbued with the same spell do not stack. (For example: Imbuing both armor and a cloak with Spirit of Diamond will not grant double DT bonuses.) All Imbuing spells have a range of Short unless otherwise stated.

i have quick question. how exactly does the monster creation system work?

First, chose which of the monster Traits your monster has. There are three: Monster of Unusual Size, Sapience and Threat. Sapience is just yes/no. Monsters that are notably larger or smaller than a pony take the Monster of Unusual Size trait with the appropriate size rating (see the size chart in the combat modifiers section for size lists). All monsters (as well as most NPCs) have a Threat Trait. This sets the monster's base hit points, number of SPECIAL points to spend and (if not a PC race) number of Tag skills.

Once you have the monster's traits, you build the monster just like you would build an NPC... chosing an appropriate level, assigning SPECIALS, spending skill points, etc. However, a monster's perks are chosen from the Monster Perks list (unless the monster has the Sapience trait, in which case the monster can choose from the normal list as well.) Note: members of PC races built with this system get the benefits of Threat but never get monster perks.