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> Tech Special Class for the AoL, Criticism Wanted! 5,000 Mark Reward
Zarozynia
  Posted: Oct 10 2004, 01:19 AM
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Tech Specialist
Tech specialists combine training with nature genius and, in some cases, their abilities with The One Power to reach the top of their field. They can be dedicated surgeons, curious scientists, brilliant technicians or cunning rogues that have a knack for using their innate abilities to bypass security systems and hot-wire jo-cars. Some have enough renown to have earned a third name, others are among the lowest of the low, working for Crime Lords and occasionally, the Dark One himself.

Exploits– Some Tech Specialists become adventures for the wealth and glory. Others see it as the best place to test their skills and add to their knowledge and training, still others live by the old adage that if they are gifted with such skills, they must be used for the benefit of society.

Characteristics– Tech specialists have the best all-around technical abilities, and an individual specialist develops skills and techniques that set him apart from his peers. A few of the best use the One Power to give them an extra advantage over their opponents but in this field, natural aptitude gets you farther than the ability to wield the One Power alone. Often tech specialists work in teams, the channeler using his unique abilities to identify the problem, or to create the ter’angreal parts, and second skilled craftsman working to fix the apparatus, or assemble the rest of the working pieces. Most tech specialists are especially capable in particular fields of study and trained with a specific set of tools.

Tech Specialists gain 1d6 Vitality Points Per Level

Class Skills – Computer Use (Int), Craft (Int), Concentration (Con), Disable Device (Int), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Intuit Direction (Wis), Knowledge (varies)(Int), Pilot, Profession (Wis), Repair (Int), Search (Wis)

Tech Specialists gain 6+Int Mod skill points per level

QUOTE
Level Base Attack Fort Save Reflex Save Will Save Class Defense Reputation Bonus Special Abilities
1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Skill Emphasis
2 +1 0 1 1 3 0 Hot Wire
3 +2 0 1 2 3 1
4 +3 1 2 2 3 1 Tech Specialty
5 +3 1 2 2 4 1 Jury Rig
6 +4 2 3 3 4 1
7 +5 2 3 3 5 2
8 +6/+1 3 3 4 5 2 Tech Specialty
9 +6/+1 3 4 4 5 2
10 +7/+2 4 4 4 6 2 Skill Emphasis
11 +8/+3 4 5 5 6 3 Tech Specialty
12 +9/+4 5 5 5 7 3
13 +9/+4 5 5 6 7 3
14 +10/+5 6 6 6 7 3 Tech Specialty
15 +11/+6/+1 6 6 6 8 4
16 +12/+7/+2 7 7 7 8 4
17 +12/+7/+2 7 7 7 9 4 Tech Specialty
18 +13/+8/+3 8 7 8 9 4
19 +14/+9/+4 8 8 8 9 5 Tech Specialty
20 +15/+10/+5 9 8 8 10 5


Starting Feats– Tech Specialists begin with the following starting feat:
Weapon Proficiency (Simple Weapons)

Hot Wire– The tech specialist gains the ability to start a vehicle without the proper key or pass codes to do so. Tech specialist channelers use the One Power to start up the vehicle (must be proficient with using Earth and Air weaves to do this) with a successful Concentration Check DC20. Non-channeling Tech Specialists require the proper tools to hot wire a vehicle, with these tools and a successful Disable Device Check (DC 10-30 depending on the vehicle), they can hot wire the vehicle.

Jury Rig– In a situation where the Tech Specialist does not have the proper tools or time to make a complete repair, they may instead make an attempt to jury rig a temporary repair. In doing this, the DC to repair is decreased by 5 and you may be able to make a check in as little as a full round action. However, a jury-rigged repair only fixes a single problem and the jury-rigging only lasts until the end of that scene or encounter.

Tech Specialty– At 4th, 8th, 11th, 14th and 19th level, the tech specialist gains a tech specialty. Each time, the tech specialist selects a specialty from among those described below. It can be a different specialty each time, or the specialist may choose the same specialty up to three times.
Computer Specialist – Receive a +1 bonus on Computer Use checks. Additional selections may bring this bonus up to a +2 or +3.
One Power Crafter – (channeler only) Apply this specialty to all weave checks made with a specific craft weave that you choose from those below:
*Craft Cuellindar (align the matrix)
*Craft Power Wrought Material (align the matrix)
*Craft Power Wrought Weapon (align the matrix)
*Craft angreal (maker)
*Craft sa’angreal (maker)
*Craft ter’angreal (maker)
Taking this feat multiple times with the same Craft skill can increase your bonus to a +2 or a +3.
Master Crafter – Applying this specialty to a specific craft skill allows you to make mastercraft items using that skill. The types of items which can be mastercrafted, and the talent Craft skill for each type are as follows:
*Weapons – Craft (specific weapons group: swords, axes, bows, daggers, blasters etc.)
*Armor – Craft (armor)
*Hot Wire Kit – Craft (mechanical device)
*Instruments – Craft (instrument type: wind, string, horn etc.)
On average, it takes twice as long to craft a masterwork item as it does to create a normal item of the same sort: you must pay the cost of raw materials (2/3 rather than the normal 1/3) and the result of every daily craft check that you make is halved (rounded down). In addition to the cost of raw materials, the tech specialist must pay a number of experience points equal to one half the cost of the ordinary item. These experience points must be paid along with the ordinary material costs, before the character makes any daily craft checks to create the masterwork item. If the expenditure of this XP would drop the character to below the minimum needed for his or her current level, than the XP cannot be paid and the work cannot begin until the character gains enough additional XP.
Creating a masterpiece item is a task of extreme complexity. As such, the DC of the final craft check must be of at least 20 to complete the item. When successfully completed, a mastercraft item provides a +1 bonus to the quality of the original item of the same type. For more information, see mastercraft items.
Additional selections of this tech specialty can give a character the ability to make items with a +2 or +3 bonus. To make a +2 item, the craftsman must start with a +1 item, paying the monetary and XP costs appropriate for that item. To make a +3 item, the craftsman must start with a +2 item.
Mechanic – This gives the tech specialist a +1 bonus on all repair checks. Taking this additional times can give a +2 or +3 bonus.
Medical Specialist - Receive a +1 bonus on Treat Injury checks. Additional selections of this tech specialty can increase this bonus to a +2 or a +3.
Searcher – (channeler only) Gives you a +1 bonus on all Search roll made with the One Power to determine what is wrong with a specific machine/computer/vehicle. Taking this additional times can give a +2 or +3 bonus.
Surgical Specialist - Improve the number of wounds you can restore using the Treat Injury skill and Surgery feat by +1. Additional selections of this tech specialty can increase this bonus to a +2 or +3.


Skill Emphasis– A tech specialist gains the feat Skill Emphasis at first and tenth level. They must choose one of the following skills to take Skill Emphasis in: Concentration (channeler only), Computer Use, Craft (specify), Repair, Treat Injury or Weavesite (channeler only).

This post has been edited by Zarozynia on Oct 12 2004, 04:50 AM


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Axel
Posted: Oct 10 2004, 02:26 AM
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I'd pull out the part of their description that states they are "dedicated surgeons, curious scientists" since this really seems to be a mechanical class. Probably make it something like "creative inventors, skillful mechanics,"


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Zarozynia
Posted: Oct 10 2004, 05:29 PM
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Very good point Axel, which leads to another question.

I actually took the surgery parts out of that thinking that myself that all healing was done by Restorers so the Heal or Treat Injury check would be completely useless. BUT now I'm thinking that in the War of Power, there were probably people who Treated Injuries and performed surgeries but where not Aes Sedai. So should I put that stuff back in? Or change the wording and leave it the way that it is?

Without knowing how I am going to run scientific experimenting, I specifically left any mention of that out, but I'm sure that most scientists would be tech specialists if they were not Experts.

biggrin.gif

Thank you Axel!


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Legends of Darkness Are Not Always Myths - An Ongoing experiment in writing/illustration/mythology

Photographia

Temple of the Goat - a philisophical weblog

Diynen'd'ma'purvene - A Wheel of Time resource
* Developing a Character: The Aiel
* Amadicia Background: Complete with Whitecloak PC and new backgound feat
* Moonwarrior - A Wolfbrother feat in the main Feats section
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Axel
Posted: Oct 10 2004, 10:30 PM
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One way would be the much broader Expert instead of this class. Another would be a seperate Medic class. I would then make Chemistry, Laboratory Research, and Knowledge(physics) available class skills for what you've got there. Then make those skills up.

Something like:
Laboratory Research (Int)
You can use laboratory equipment. This skill does not entail access to a lab, but the character will be able to use the equipment in lab effectively and know basic lab safety. If they are attempting to produce specific results or create something the DM will set a DC appropriate to the difficulty of the task and determine the time needed. The character must roll a skill check every day (or hour if needed) If the check succeeds then they are through for that day, if they fail the DC goes up and they make no progress that day. If no results are intended then the DM sets a DC appropriate to the task, if the character fails the skill check the get no information or false information, depending on how poorly they failed.


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Zarozynia
Posted: Oct 10 2004, 10:55 PM
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I was thinking of having Medic as a prestiege class. But that may change. Great ideas, Axel! Yeah, I've decided to use the Research skill from D20 Modern for Scientists, it seems appropriate.

How about this so far:

Craft (Genetic Engineering)
This craft skill requires ten ranks in Knowledge (Genetic Engineering) before you can even use it. With it you can clone human beings, create human animal hybrids, cure genetic disorders by transplanting healthy cells into a body, and create lab born super viruses. Normal genetic engineering requires 1d6 weeks of constant research for each experiment, and only if the research is successful can you make a Craft check at the end. This process can be spread up with the use of Spirit and Fire threads of the One Power, which can encourage life to grow and change faster, but often at a price. You will need to have access to a genetics lab with the appropriate tools.

Desired Result Craft Check
Mapping the genome of the species DC10
Cloning a Virus or Bacteria DC 15
Genetic Transplantation of Genes in Plants DC 15
Create a Super Virus DC 20 +
Clone a Plant DC 20
Hybridize a Simple Animal DC 20
Clone a Mammal DC 25
Clone a Human DC 30
Hybridize a Human with Animals DC 35

Retry: If you fail to make your check in your experiment, you must start over with all new samples. You failed experiment may still be viable as a living species, but it will not be what you wanted it to be. Genetically manipulated creatures have a 75% chance of being infertile. To try to engineer a creature that is fertile as well, you must increase the DC by 5.

The One Power: Using threads of Spirit and Fire you can cut the time needed to spend in a lab researching in half. It also lowers the DC of your craft check by 5. Unfortunately, because the experiments are done more quickly, there is also less accuracy involved. Creatures created by Genetic Engineering and catalyzed by the One Power are less uniform than those created naturally in a lab. Trollocs are good example of this. Some have hooves, others feet, some have human faces, others the faces of big cats, or the beaks of a raven. On the other hand, these genetic experiments seem to be more viable than normal genetic manipulations and have only a 50% chance of proving infertile; although they sometimes give birth to genetic throwbacks that resemble their homozygous parentage, such as the myrddraal in the case of the trollocs.



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Legends of Darkness Are Not Always Myths - An Ongoing experiment in writing/illustration/mythology

Photographia

Temple of the Goat - a philisophical weblog

Diynen'd'ma'purvene - A Wheel of Time resource
* Developing a Character: The Aiel
* Amadicia Background: Complete with Whitecloak PC and new backgound feat
* Moonwarrior - A Wolfbrother feat in the main Feats section
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Entropic_existence
Posted: Oct 11 2004, 04:49 PM
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Well, I figure you pretty muhc based this on the Tech Specialist from Star Wars, which btw is one of my favourite clases from that game. Given RJ's most recent answer on his Question of the Week section we know that Healing was the most respected Talent of the AoL because high degree's of skill in that Talent were rarer than in other Talents. We also know that a a fair amount of channelers can learn the basics of Healing, but there may very well have been Surgeons, etc who didn't channel. So in my opinion, leave it as part of Tech Specialist. Tech Specialist can have as many sub-fields as you want, and someone can only really specialize in one or two of them. I'd keep Scientist in as well, given that that is how it was treated in Star Wars and works in my opinion.

As for the Genetics Engineering take a look at the Dark Side sourcebook for Star Wars and look at the feat Sith Sorcery, quite similar. (The Sith used "alchemy" and the Force in order to do essentially genetic engineering on many species) So besides craft DC's it takes ALOT of resources to do this work on a large scale. Look at Aginor's work, he literally killed millions of people in his creation of various Shadowspawn.


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Zarozynia
Posted: Oct 12 2004, 04:44 AM
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Thanks Entropic...the Dark Side Source Book was extremely helpful. My question, I guess, is this...should I make it two different skills, Craft (Genetic Engineering) for those non powered Scientists and a second check for the channelers to reflect what Aginor was so good at? Or should crafting with the one power be a subset of the same craft skill? Do you think that it should be a craft skill at all? It seemed like the best place to put it, to me, but I could be wrong.

Will add back in the medic info. and make some adjustments for scientists. biggrin.gif


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Legends of Darkness Are Not Always Myths - An Ongoing experiment in writing/illustration/mythology

Photographia

Temple of the Goat - a philisophical weblog

Diynen'd'ma'purvene - A Wheel of Time resource
* Developing a Character: The Aiel
* Amadicia Background: Complete with Whitecloak PC and new backgound feat
* Moonwarrior - A Wolfbrother feat in the main Feats section
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Entropic_existence
Posted: Oct 13 2004, 01:09 AM
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I'd keep it one class, and yea I think Craft works fine in my opinion.

On the note on whether they are two different things this is my take on it:

Science and Tech in the AoL functions with the One Power, all their technology at the very least uses it as a power source, and uses weaves to accomplish many different things (essentially everything is ter'angreal) The top notch researchers are all Channelers. The non-channeling scientists are probably the equivalent of today's Lab Techs. They can do lots, know lots, can run the equipment, but can't "kick it up a notch" because they can't manipulate the One Power itself. I'd say the most difficult of genetic engineering tasks such as creation of new species, etc, are available only to Channeling Tech Specialists.

Then maybe give them some sort of bonus as well....


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Axel
Posted: Oct 21 2004, 12:24 AM
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If you intend to keep them as one class then what you have is useless. Not entirely, but you need to scrap your special abilities. They favor a tech-based class (which based on name makes sense) not a medical or scientific. If I were you I'd consolidate the whole mess into a single Expert class.


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Zarozynia
Posted: Oct 21 2004, 12:57 AM
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Do you mean the Jury Rig and Hot Wire abilities? I just want to make sure of what you think is to techie based...

wink.gif Before I go about changing everything around. I dont know if you noticed that I changed the tech specialies to include medical specialties in it...

But I see how Jury Rig especially applies to techie types. Maybe I could come up with an alternate version of it for medical types? Would that work?

biggrin.gif Thanks for the criticism...

Does anybody think that this class is underpowered? (Sa'Sara...I know that you want more knowledge stuff added in, working on that) Because I'm a bit worried that it is.


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Legends of Darkness Are Not Always Myths - An Ongoing experiment in writing/illustration/mythology

Photographia

Temple of the Goat - a philisophical weblog

Diynen'd'ma'purvene - A Wheel of Time resource
* Developing a Character: The Aiel
* Amadicia Background: Complete with Whitecloak PC and new backgound feat
* Moonwarrior - A Wolfbrother feat in the main Feats section
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