Why is it that in so many RPGs (D&D 3.X/Pathfinder, D&D 4e's skill substitutions, Fate, PbtA, Storyteller, etc.), "use X attribute in place of Y attribute for Z action" and "use both X and Y attributes for Z action" are such an easy and powerful way to min-max?
All these "flavorful" abilities that do such a thing invite cheesy min-maxing and attribute-dumping to milk the most out of these abilities.
For all its flaws, D&D 5e has a dearth of such abilities.
Have you ever seen RPGs do "use X attribute in place of Y attribute for Z action" and "use both X and Y attributes for Z action" in an actually good way, not just as min-maxing bait?
Nope, because replacing attributes is inherently a method of minimizing the number of points needed for a given result, and very few systems have useless stats.
Especially because the intent of such abilities is generally to allow a PC or NPC to be more viable as a combat-effective character when their build relies on multiple stats.
I think they're fine. Sure, they can be used to minmax, but if you try to avoid that altogether you'll end up designing boring, uninteresting systems. What's important is to give the replacement abilities interesting fluff and logical limitations, as well as making them relatively expensive to buy into.
Legends of the Wulin, for instance, has a special ability for Priests to let them use Wu Wei (mystic perception and intuition, sort of. It's a very broad and complex concept) in the place of Might for all purposes, with the fluff of them using mystical telekinesis, but it's pretty expensive to buy into and has its own downsides and restrictions compared to someone who is just fucking strong.
Well, most attribute replacement subsystems use some sort of constraint or condition on the substitution, which creates a high degree of specialization - the classic example being something like 3.x's Weapon Finesse, allowing you to substitute dexterity for strength when using a specifically defined list of weapons.
If nothing ever comes up in the game to negate the condition it's nothing more than a min-max feature; but if the game possibly features places where that condition can be nulled (ex. the fencer loses his dueling sword and needs to fight with a club), then the substitution ability is a form of specialization with a disadvantage.
I'm working on a game that's heavily inspired by Arpeggio of Blue Steel, only in space, because everything's better in space. So, essentially, the setting involves humans expanding, colonizing, and doing well in their patch of the galaxy, when they're suddenly penned in by a fleet of "ghost" ships with advanced technology who blockade their worlds and hunt down most any major fleets of vessels, etc. Essentially, they try to deny all interstellar communication and commerce.
Turns out, this mysterious fleet is a fleet of AI-controlled craft, and they primarily win due to an overwhelming technology advantage; humans can tactically outwit them with ease. A recent change in the AI fleet is the generation of Mental Models, human-shaped bodies for their AIs, so they can better understand their enemy and grasp some of their tactical acumen. The PCs would be some of these AI ships who, possibly through bizarre handwaving, have achieved true free will and emotion, and are thus sort of caught in the middle between humanity and their former fleet, which sees them as an anomaly.
The problem is, I'm at a bit of a loss as to what sort of things to do for grand space adventure when the players each have (or more to the point, are) their own spaceship. I'm working on a system for actually putting the ships together and using them in a fairly tactical sort of combat, although it's going to be very cinematic and more like surface navy than actual true 3D space combat.
So, what sort of scenarios might be fun for space adventure, with a focus on ships and ship to ship combat more than doing things on the ground? I will note that the PCs' human bodies aren't confined to their ships, so they can go anywhere and do things like explore planets or wander around and interact with people, so things of that nature are also acceptable options.
>>50152537
Infiltrating space academies as students.
>>50152725
I'm honestly surprised I didn't think of that one.
It is worth noting that assuming the PCs are something of rogue fleet elements, they would be more likely to side with humanity than against it, simply because the most likely fate with their own fleet would be their cores are scanned and they're either rewritten to correct the problem (which is tantamount to death, which the PCs would probably very much not want) or their ships are retired wholesale, which is much more obvious death. ...Alternatively, no anomaly is actually detectable, despite anomalous actions, which could be an interesting way to set the protagonists of the story as enemies of humanity, free to look the other way or not.
Anyway, assuming the PCs are siding with mankind out of necessity, if not exactly by choice, there is obviously plenty of room for plots in which they aren't trusted by specific factions within the human governments, etc. Although there has been some rumbling to at least gloss over any initial meeting and convincing everyone that they are, in fact, legit and want to defect. Which is reasonable.
>>50153202
>Didn't think of that one
And just how much of Arpeggio did you watch/read?
What setting has the best lore/sylization for harpies?
What setting has cute harpy boys?
>>50151714
>thread gets fucked 1 post in
gg no re
>>50151684
Monster Girl Quest
Is bolt action still a thing?
Does anybody play?
Any advice for someone who wants to get into it?
>>50151426
There are a few around me though most just play flames of war.
People in my lgs like bigger battles though. So smaller skirmish games are not as common.
>>50151451
dice+2d6
Rolled 3, 2 = 5 (2d6)
>>50151467
Werewolves change when you dont cast a spell...
Athervial lets you play creatures without casting them
???
Profit??
This happened a while ago with like that eternal witness vial control deck shoota ran. Putting in a huntmaster is cool.
>>50151038
think its viable in standard?
>>50151077
>aether vial
>standard
pick one
Orks = Meme Army Edition
>Rules
https://mega.nz/#F!BxI1HSgI!0tKymKh9RZTzGpgIA5EyCg
>Outdated FAQs and Errata
https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Rules-Errata
>40K 7th Edition Quick Reference Shit
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4104995/Games/7edRef.pdf
>Forge World Book Index
http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Forge_World_and_Apocalypse_Rules_Index
>The Black Library (STAY AWAY FROM THE CLOWNS)
https://mega.nz/#F!wx4BiKhD!YhnAf1BqSmAB8dO6xDM56Q!c4pGAJDb
FOR THE EMPEROR AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
First for Sisterposters please leave.
>>50151035
Stop it. You're triggering me.
>What is tgcraft
/tg/craft - a /tg/ community Minecraft server run by Leskovar and fellow administration.
/tg/craft is a Minecraft server devoted to fostering a friendly enviroment to fantasy roleplay. Whilst also having elements of world building, PvP, and craftsmanship.
>---[]FEATURES[]---
There are hostile mobs. Who are just the regular run of the mill ghoul, and infernal mobs whose signature blazing aura signals for those who yearn a proper challenge.
But there are also custom recipes inbuilt which allow for things like string to be created without having to farm animals, which is definitely useful for the local Tribal who can't seem to find cattle to run around like, well, cattle.
Provided by many in the modding community, is a plugin which alters plant growth rate per biome, and disables underground farms (except for mushrooms). As to create immersion and an incentive to explore, join up, and grow up.
Badmins will create dungeons, which will hold BBEGs (Big Bad Evil Guy's), which must be defeated in order for adventurers of all demographics (for muh diversity). To be capable of looting the ancient knowledge's lost in time, of spells and the arcane contained within - as well as some unique items created by RPGitems.
>---[]CURRENT YEAR[]---
There is tryouts for beta testing of new plugins.
>---[]DA RULES[]---
1. No combat hacks.
2. No spamming, cringe, /pol/posting, memeposting or attentionwhoring.
3. No griefing, trolling, or abuse - light banter is fine, downright personal insults is not.
4. No alts.
War and RP related rules will be viewable by doing /rules inside the server itself, once they have been finished.
Pastebin http://pastebin.com/2NCGsiCp
>>50150856
were dying, help us
>>50150856
>>50150873
>ban all active users
>still making threads
We'll begin a new adventure on friday and it's my first time as a GM. Now I've got the entire city map and a few NPCs, villains, secrets and REs ready to go, but it's incredible how there aren't many suggestions for cyber settings online.
You guys ever played any? Have anything to share? Thanks in advance.
how futuristic? 20 years? 50? 100? going for cyberpunk? post-cyberpunk master race? cyber-sorta-punk-but-not really?
>>50150767
REs?
>>50152756
Very-cyber-sorta-punk-but-not-really.
Like 3000 years in the future.
What would a lawful good paladin do?
>>50150733
jump on the rails,make the trolley derail and sacrifice himself to protect the people.
>>50150733
Fallin front of the trolley
>>50150733
He would walk away because throwing the lever would be violating the NAP. He shouldn't be touching railroad property.
Give me some stuff that gives you that feeling like when you first played D&D. Art that conjures up images of grid paper, crosshatch dungeons, terrible players, all the stuff that makes D&D What it is.
>>50150698
Triggering /tg/ with Dungeon World art.
>>50150698
Alone and about to die, so I try to act cool and pose in a defensive stance readying to reenact those one strike kill move in movie.
>alwayz 'ear humies yellin' ''for the emprah!''
>googled da git
>see dis
xD
>>50150620
Yeah it's pretty badass isn't it?
>>50150659
I will not report you. I will rise above such things, beast.
DA 'AND O GORK 'AZ KRUMPED DA SINNAZ
>>50150620
> not using Waaaghoo
Humie in his natural habitat bein' krumped by an Ork.
>humies 'ave to pump themselves with roids to even be similar size as Orks
>>50150438
>Da Ork Boyz' Upliftin' Infermashun Fingy
>chapterr "ay": get off yer bums 'an stop readin' dis ya dumb git!
>>50150491
I thought orkz didn't have written kultur
>It's a campaign setting where evil elves with ivory-white skin dwell among the mountain peaks
>>50150109
So, yuki-onna?
>>50150109
I would not mind dwelling between those peaks myself.
>>50150232
you mother fucker
Pathfinder General /pfg/
>THIS IS IMPORTANT!
If you want build advice make sure to say what 3pp you can use, if any.
>THIS IS IMPORTANT!
What have your experiences with dragon/half-dragon waifus and husbandos been? What stats do you use to play them?
Unified /pfg/ link repository: http://pastebin.com/JTj1yEmU
Kineticists of Porphyra IV: End of an Era playtest: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XTgiUdDSrTCvATEDeDJ4MnbDgS6KEBLu2e9mjj5fwaw/edit
Broken Shackles Playtest: https://app.roll20.net/lfg/listing/59701/broken-shackles-test-play
Creation Handbook Playtest: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kitAB8sHgmuD3fvOMuI_KyV_dxpO2wrxQmbnCoRgglA/edit#
Avowed Playtest: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5HkyGRtGZy3SWVhdWFBWERWWjg
Old Thread: >>50142333
Mind Handbook Playtest has also started: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Kp4acH7zTk4e3DfPdYDfTk1jJClly3yp27Jfrf3FRWw/edit?usp=sharing
So I'm gonna ask again. What do people think the best familiars for Mauler are in terms of:
>Best natural attack cycle
>Best Strength
>Best overall utility
Right now I'm on Flying Fox for the following reasons:
20 str at level 3
Scent
Flying (enough strength to carry a PC with muleback cords)
However I am also considering a goat, and an ioun wyrd.
This is from the perspective of an Eldritch Guardian, so it gets all the feats I do.
>>50150035
>Mind Handbook
I hope its as baller as the Creation playtest
Seriosly, everytime I read one of these handbooks, I just wanna build a new character dedicated to that sphereAside from Nature and Destruction. Those are pretty meh
Volo's Guide to Monsters in the trove. Be sure to buy it and support the hobby even if you download it!
>Official /5eg/ Mega Trove v3:
https://mega.nz/#F!BUdBDABK!K8WbWPKh6Qi1vZSm4OI2PQ
>Community DMs Guild trove
>Submit to [email protected], cleaning available!
https://mega.nz/#F!UA1BhCBS!Oul1nsYh15qJvCWOD2Wo9w
>Pastebin with resources and so on:
http://pastebin.com/X1TFNxck
>/5eg/ Discord server
https://discord.gg/0rRMo7j6WJoQmZ1b
>/tg/ character sheets
https://mega.nz/#F!x0UkRDQK!l-iAUnE46Aabih71s-10DQ
Previous thread: >>50144795
"Unearthed Arcana: Barbarian" edition
http://media.wizards.com/2016/dnd/downloads/UA_Barbarian.pdf
>>50149736
So the new zealot barb, if you die while raging, you dont die until after the rage, right. Can a regular cure wounds or whatever prevent that?
>>50149736
so ancestors is really boring but basically screws over any boss fight type deal, zealot is flavorful, strong and versatile (amazing capstone desu), and storm is extremely mixed. ocean seems fun but overall i'm not sold on this one. still, it's extremely flavorful and i can see it making setting specific campaigns (egypt themed, pirate themed, norse themed, etc) and a viking that calls down the wrath of thor sounds pretty tight. overall, i give them 5/10, 7/10, 9/10.
Has anyone used Fantasy Grounds with the 5e modules?
I'd love to try it out, but it's a fucking fortune. They offer a monthly sub for the Ultimate upgrade, but all that does is let players using the demo play in your games, it doesn't include any actual content.
Anyone know a way to install the modules to try them out, without paying a metric fuck-ton?