True20 Adept's Handbook PDF Available Now

[Dragonspawn]

For me, it just goes to show that True20 is *crying out* for an effects-based power system. We need a way to put building blocks together to create powers in such a way that we can feel confident the results are reasonably well balanced. (Perfection in this regard is not possible - but we can do better.) M&M is the obvious place to look here (and the best powers in the book rifle the M&M power list) though multiple tweaks will be needed to fit True20. I've been ruminating on this for some time now.

I started giving this a rty, and it was.... hard. Hard in as I've already got a full-time job,

I have made several attempts, but still have nothing close to being publishable at this time. After several massive headaches I have moved on to other projects for the time being.

[ACodispo]

For me, it just goes to show that True20 is *crying out* for an effects-based power system. We need a way to put building blocks together to create powers in such a way that we can feel confident the results are reasonably well balanced. (Perfection in this regard is not possible - but we can do better.) M&M is the obvious place to look here (and the best powers in the book rifle the M&M power list) though multiple tweaks will be needed to fit True20. I've been ruminating on this for some time now.

I started giving this a rty, and it was.... hard. Hard in as I've already got a full-time job,

I have made several attempts, but still have nothing close to being publishable at this time. After several massive headaches I have moved on to other projects for the time being.

Dragonspawn, iwatt, The Shadow...care to share?

[Dragonspawn]

The powers are a mixed bag. Some are welcome patches to obvious holes in the power list. Others are grab-bags I can only describe as quirky. (Glamour, for example.)

That power is based on fey magic. One part Illusion and one part fey trickery.

Others are manifestly overpowered (Mana Blast is just plain better than Elemental Blast; Mana Shield is a complete no-brainer.

Those are reptints from Worlds of Adventure. I thought about revising them, but decided it might cause more confusion than help. I didn't think they were that badly unballanced, but you aren't the first to bring this up, so perhaps I should have revised them somewhat.

(Also note Celestial Shaping, cribbed from Caliphate Nights, references a CN mechanic, Complications, that doesn't exist in base True20!)

Yeah, that was my mistake. Fortunately the power is still 100% usable if you ignore the Complication reference.

(P.S. Is there any way to cut a Wellspring Master off from their wellspring? This seems like an obvious thing to try to do.

I'd probably treat this as an alternate use of the Severance power.

Thanks for the feedback!

[The Shadow]

Thanks for the response, Dragonspawn. Can you also clarify for me how Tireless and Relentless are useful? I feel I have to be missing something.

For me, Glamour is more about creating partly-illusionary objects that vanish when touched with cold iron, but to each his own. :) Which parts of the power require mental contact?

[Dragonspawn]

Thanks for the response, Dragonspawn. Can you also clarify for me how Tireless and Relentless are useful? I feel I have to be missing something.

For me, Glamour is more about creating partly-illusionary objects that vanish when touched with cold iron, but to each his own. Which parts of the power require mental contact?

You know what, I'm not quite sure if if I had forgotten about the "Cancel Fatigue" option for conviction, or if I just misremembered how it worked when I was writing those, but looking back, I am sory to admit that you are right. As written, those two core abilities don't really do much that Cancel Fatigue doesn't. (And there I was hoping that the fact I had a newborn who wasn't sleeping through the night while I was writing this wouldn't show. ) Well that's one more for the eratta list.

As for glamour, all parts except the time altering option are intended to require mental contact (much like the Illusion power).

[The Shadow]

Thanks for the reply!

As for how to errata Tireless and Relentless... Hmm.

How about folding them into a single ability that not only wipes out all Fatigue penalties the way the Talent does, but also gives a temporary +5 bonus? ie, the +5 is worn away by subsequent power use.

The idea is, you can spend a little Conviction now to avoid having to spend maybe multiple Conviction later.

[Grayson7]

Is there a mistake with the Geas power, (pg 41)? The power can't possibly require concentration. It has a duration that can last several days.

[Dragonspawn]

Is there a mistake with the Geas power, (pg 41)? The power can't possibly require concentration. It has a duration that can last several days.

I was waffling back and forth on the requiring concentration bit. I added it to bring it in line with and keep it from overshadowing the Dominate power.

If you want to remove the concentration requirement for your own game, I would recommend requiring mental contact, or some other limitation to keep it from becoming too powerful.

Edit: Combine with Vigil to ignore the need for sleep and keep concentration for days on end

[Dragonspawn]

I notice some powers don't have Time Required such as Vigil. Does this mean that powers such as this are continuously active?

Apologies Kendermage, I missed this question earlier.

Yes, much like Supernatural Strike, Vigil is meant to be continuously active.

[Dragonspawn]

Thanks for the reply!

As for how to errata Tireless and Relentless... Hmm.

How about folding them into a single ability that not only wipes out all Fatigue penalties the way the Talent does, but also gives a temporary +5 bonus? ie, the +5 is worn away by subsequent power use.

The idea is, you can spend a little Conviction now to avoid having to spend maybe multiple Conviction later.

An interesting idea which certainly gets at the spirit of what I was trying for with those two core abilities.

Another option might be to allow one conviction to erase two fatigue levels.

[The Shadow]

An interesting idea which certainly gets at the spirit of what I was trying for with those two core abilities.

Another option might be to allow one conviction to erase two fatigue levels.

Sure. Your idea could be "Tireless" and mine could be "Relentless".

A Tireless guy would have the penalties piling up to the sky, but could last longer because he can wipe out more Fatigue.

A Relentless guy would just plain fail less saves.

[Grayson7]

Gastral Importation (pg. 41) states that the subject becomes nauseated and spends one full round per five adept levels of the caster vomiting up whatever is placed inside of them. Furthermore, unless I am misunderstanding, damage is only inflicted when the object is vomited up and, even then, only if it is sharp. So, what if the adept is only level 3? Does that mean the victim is totally unaffected? Does this power require the adept to be at least level 5?

[Dragonspawn]

Gastral Importation (pg. 41) states that the subject becomes nauseated and spends one full round per five adept levels of the caster vomiting up whatever is placed inside of them. Furthermore, unless I am misunderstanding, damage is only inflicted when the object is vomited up and, even then, only if it is sharp. So, what if the adept is only level 3? Does that mean the victim is totally unaffected? Does this power require the adept to be at least level 5?

Should be a minimum of 1 full round.

[Grayson7]

First, thanks for taking the time to reply to my post. I appreciate it. I posted the following several days ago on the wrong message board and got no reply so I am reposting it here.

I just noticed some issues with the Adept Handbook and I am hoping that someone more experienced with the system can help. The following powers are missing a Time line. Some of them can be extrapolated by looking at similar powers (e.g. the blast part of Purifying Light) and the text, but it isn't as easy with others. Any assistance would be appreciated. The powers missing a Time line are below:
Corrupting Shadows
Curse
Deflection
Fasting
Feeding the Hungry
Other-Shaping
Probability Shaping
Purifying Light
Rain of Frogs and Fishes
Seizure
Speak with Dead
Supernatural Climbing
Supernatural Swimming
Trance
Vigil
Water Breathing
Water Walk

Also, shouldn't the power, Other-Shaping, allow a saving throw for the target (Fortitude perhaps)? I know there is a Will save to prevent Intelligence reduction, but shouldn't the target be allowed some sort of save to prevent the power form affecting them in the first place?

Thanks again

[Dragonspawn]

First, thanks for taking the time to reply to my post. I appreciate it. I posted the following several days ago on the wrong message board and got no reply so I am reposting it here.

I just noticed some issues with the Adept Handbook and I am hoping that someone more experienced with the system can help. The following powers are missing a Time line. Some of them can be extrapolated by looking at similar powers (e.g. the blast part of Purifying Light) and the text, but it isn't as easy with others. Any assistance would be appreciated. The powers missing a Time line are below:
Corrupting Shadows
Curse
Deflection
Fasting
Feeding the Hungry
Other-Shaping
Probability Shaping
Purifying Light
Rain of Frogs and Fishes
Seizure
Speak with Dead
Supernatural Climbing
Supernatural Swimming
Trance
Vigil
Water Breathing
Water Walk

Also, shouldn't the power, Other-Shaping, allow a saving throw for the target (Fortitude perhaps)? I know there is a Will save to prevent Intelligence reduction, but shouldn't the target be allowed some sort of save to prevent the power form affecting them in the first place?

Thanks again

By "timeline" do you mean casting time or durration? Typically powers are assumed to require a standard action to cast unless the text states otherwise.