About my RPG project... (info and requests)

[Martin]

Well, I've started working on it. The Character Building section is almost ready (although not tested yet). I'll keep posting here regularly, to tell you people how the project is coming up...
Meanwhile, I'd like to have your opinions on what I should include, whether spells, skills or whatever.
Every comment is welcome!

[RomLoneWolf23k]

Well, first of all, I certainly hope this project won't end up like Rising Forge Productions' Crushed D&D "campaign sourcebook", which ended up being a basic introduction to the world of crushed, some short notes on character creation, funny spells and monsters, a dungeon and a comic. Quite frankly, none of it was enough to build a D&D game out of, which I learned quickly enough after founding an online game set in Crushed.

Ended up doing most of the conversion/campaignworld building on my own, then finally decided, "If I have to do all the work, might as well make my own world..."

Sorry, didn't mean to rant.

First of all, I can't wait to see how you handle furry PCs.. That has been a concern of mine ever since I started DMing my campaign, and we've been going through 3-4 systems before finally settling on something that even now I'm reconsidering. What's going to be yours? I'm willing to playtest it with my group, if you'd like.

[Martin]

Well, I decided to scrap WotC's "races" syetems entirely, given that with over 2000 mammal and reptile species it would have taken a text the size of Leo Tolstoj's "War and Peace" just to define the main ones.
My supplement uses instead a set of "racial and biological" feats to define how the character is, adding a few ones to define the character's looks. For example, a first level Vixine would have the Feats "enhanced senses: smell" (she's a canid), "natural weapons: fangs", "natural weapons: claws" and the aesthetic Feat "bootylicious" (to define her top class bod), while a young fennec fox would maybe swap one of the natural weapons with "nightsight" and "bootylicious" with "cute"... There are as many possibilities as there are combinations, I think.
Also, I added a new attribute, "Looks" (because charisma sometimes just doesn't do the trick, let's be honest about it)...
That's the jist of my idea for managing racial creation. What do you think?
Oh, and before putting the Alpha version up for playtesting, I'd like to complete the detail on the society, cultures, geography et al., because as you pointed out trying a test run without all the pieces in place just won't do... Unless you're willing to put up with a few missing pegs, that is.

[RomLoneWolf23k]

Hmm... Sounds interesting. A friend/coplayer of mine is trying something similar in regards to racial creation, but I'm curious as to seeing your system. Just for curiosity and balance, would it allow creating "standard" D&D races like Elves and Hobbits?

As for the Looks attribute: Have you seen the Book of Erotic Fantasy? It does something similar with the Appearance score, and also contains interesting stuff for any campaign with an adult theme. But I warn you, some of the pics in that book can get... "wierd."

[Martin]

Well... now it can. and it's all thanks to you.
You see, while I was working on my racial system, I thought I was putting together a good concept, but I was missing an important detail... What makes a dwarf a dwarf, beyond his short stocky build and his tough body? As soon as I asked myself that, the answer was obvious: the CULTURE.
A dwarf learns stonecunning and giant dodging while growing between dwarves, just like an human learns versatility from his fellow humans. Thus I added a new creation feat: the CULTURE FEAT!
And to think that I would have missed such an important detail, if not for your observation...

As for the Book of Erotic Fantasy, I've wanted to put my hands on it for a long, long time (hey, it's THAT cool ) but up to now, no luck. I hope I'll be able to get a copy in my grasp in the near future, though...

[RomLoneWolf23k]

Praise from the Master? That definetly makes my day. Glad I could help in some small way. If I may try my luck further, allow me to suggest Wizards of the Coast's Unearthed Arcana as well, as you may find alternate rules in it that would fit the style of Vixine. Such as using a Class-Based Defense Bonus instead of Armor Class, since, as noted, Vixine never seems to find armor larger then Dental Floss (which can't possibly have a high AC), yet never seems to suffer from serious battlescars (Thankfully). She must have a High Defense Bonus instead.

Another excellent book I'd recommend, at least for some nifty Feats to swipe for furries, and perhaps for other things as well, is Green Ronin's "Bastards and Bloodlines", a sourcebook for crossbreeds of various kinds (which would be useful for Gonad's Dad, at least).

[Martin]

Hmm. I just checked "unearthed arcana", and frankly the idea of using the Class Defense Bonus option is tempting... but it has a HUGE possibility for misuse (for example, a monk using those rules turns into an untouchable shadow, even more than he already is).
I explained Vixine's defense ability in another way, namely with armor that gets as strong as the user is attractive: i.e. if the user has one of the three aestethic feats (maybe four, I'm undecided on the mega-mammary bonus given by the "milk bearing" Feat), the armor works fine, but if the character is just a common joe, he better stick to conventional armor.

As for Gonad and his dad's nature, well, I made a Racial Feat just for that: "ogre blood", that gives huge strength in exchange for a total lack of wits.
Still, I'll check that book; good ideas are always useful, although I was planning on keeping halfbreeds at a minimum (no half-orcs either: in Vixine's world, Auris, the orcs are green-furred boars, and thus can only interbreed with pigs or boars).
You know, I'm undecided on whether to make halfdragons available or not... After all, allowing them would cause problems to Gonad. Egg-shaped problems.

[RomLoneWolf23k]

Which brings us to the topic of dragons.. How are you going to handle them in this game? The default D&D dragons certainly don't look anything like Asheer, and while she's obviously a Red Dragon (right down to the firey breath), she's neither Evil, nor does she act like your typical D&D Red Dragon. Perhaps just remove the Alignment restrictions on Dragons?

[Martin]

Well, I defined the dragon races of Auris as completely new subraces of a single race: the Aurian Dragon. Thus, Ash is not a Red Dragon, but an Aurian Fire Dragon, while her sister Erill is an Aurian Cutesy Dragon.
You see, the subrace of an Aurian Dragon is a standard mutation that develops while in the egg, so not even the parents know what will come out when the egg hatches... kinda like playing slots.
Given that, I'd say that the "fixed alignment" is a moot point, in their case.
Ditto the OTHER cases: unless an alignment is part of a race's genetic code, it's kinda hard to believe it to be fixed, right?

[RomLoneWolf23k]

Sounds like a nice way to handle it. ...I might swipe the concept for my own campaign world, as I've been wondering how to handle dragons in it for a long time myself, even though so far I'm using default D&D dragons.

So, Orcs are basically Boar-men, while Ogres are Goat-men, apparantly, and we've seen evidence of a Giantess. Will there be other fantasy equivalent races, such as goblins (which I could see as Ratlings)?

...Am I the only reader who still posts on this forum?

[Martin]

Well, not exactly... while orcs belong to the same racial group as hogs, pigs and warthogs, Ogres are a race of their own, with the strange gift of omnicompatibility (they can mate successfully with ANY mammal), and the goblins are primates, more akin to chimps and monkey than rats...
Giants, on the other hand, are huge relatives of bovine and caprine races: the Storm Giants are yaks, for example. As for the titaness, well, she's a pronghorn the size of a skyscraper, but she doesn't count much because she's usually hibernating (unless she smells a male titan, then she wakes up and moves FAST!)

...I hope not. Your posts are nice to read, but I'd like to hear other people too; actually, though, the "views" counter keeps rising, which probably hints at other people reading the forum... Think they're just shy?

[RomLoneWolf23k]

Well, don't know where all the posters are, but I might as well keep asking questions: Will you be using the standard D&D classes?

[Martin]

Yep... with a few modifications. For example, a Barbarian HAS to come from Barbaria... avoids misunderstandings. Plus, all the animal companions, mounts and familiars have to be insects, amphibians or birds, given that all mammals and reptiles are sentient, turning companions into some sort of sidekicks. And things like that, generally.

[Martin]

Well, I think the character creation is more or less ready, give or take a few FLFs (First Level Feats, aka creation feats)... also, I made all the Culture Feats for the continent of Aura (where Vixine lives), and the appropriate geographical references.
Before going further and describing the oriental continent, though, I thought best to start the bestiary, so that the companion-oriented classes can have the required companions (nothing more embarrassing for a paladin than to have to ask for a piggyback ride from his large Barbarian buddy because he has no mount)

I was also thinking of making some Monster FLFs, letting people who want to play intelligent monster do so... but that will have to come AFTER I've defined the monsters, right?

[RomLoneWolf23k]

Hey, no problems here. Although I'm anxious to see the furry creation rules, take the time you need...

[Martin]

Well, I have to work on more stuff, but the Vixine RPG supplement is growing fast, with the bestiary having almost all the critters named in the supplement itself (and then some... we couldn't let out the poor little Jewelled Slime, now could we?) Yesterday I also patched together the first prestige class, a little thingy I'll keep undercover until I decide to put up the module.
Speaking of that, would you prefer me to put up an untested alpha version, to be replaced as soon as I get someone to beta-test it (so you can beta-test it yourself)... or are you willing to wait a little more, until all the kinks have been worked out of the system and you can play with a team of mammals and reptiles (and maybe a tentacle monster)?
Oh, and just so you know, the adult content of the module is getting larger as I put together new rules and skills...

[RomLoneWolf23k]

*grins and puts on a "Playtester" sign around his neck* My D&D group and I would be thrilled to playtest your alpha version...

[Martin]

Sorry for not being able to put the Alpha this update... It was one heck of a troublesome one. Next time it'll be up for sure... with a few extra building FTFs as a surprise!

[Martin]

As it was said, so it is done. Hope it's as expected... I did my best. Still, remember that this is only an Alpha version... there's still much to do before we get to the Gamma (i.e. final) version!
Still, it should let people start playing with no hitches...

[RomLoneWolf23k]

I love it! The character creation rules alone are worth the download. Combined with the Flaws optional rule from Unearthed Arcana, it makes for more versatile characters, allowing chars to take a flaw to gain a bonus feat, for a maximum of two flaws per char. Cottontail could have the Noncombatant Flaw (-2 on all melee attack rolls) since she's never shown an inclination towards fighting, while Gonad would have Weak Will (-3 on Will saves) since he's highly suggestible and easily tricked.

The rules for sexuality you designed are quite compatible with the rules from the Book of Erotic Fantasy, and simple enough as a set of basics. If I need extra details, I can turn to the BoEF for more.

The creatures are interesting, and will definetly get swiped for my campaign.. ...Although I must ask about the Sprinter: Read "Nip and Tuck" much?

Oh, and I share your opinion concerning Snuff, Torture and Vore.. Only I'd drop Cthulhu on those folks... Why settle for the lesser evil?

[RomLoneWolf23k]

Oh, and an addendum: Suppose I wanna swipe your character creation rules for a regular D&D game, how would I design Cultural and Racial Feats for races like Elves, Gnomes and Dwarves?

[Martin]

Well, I'd place the purely physical effects (like the dwarven stoutness, or the elven longevity) as FTFs, and instead place a few of the senses and the culture-standard effects into the culture feat. As an example, here's the Cultural feat for an Elven-raised character.
Elven-raised
The character has been brought up by the elves as one of their own.
Game effects: The character receives a +2 with Listen, Search and Spot rolls, and can detect a secret door just by passing near it (in a forest, a person who doesn't pay attention is so dead it's not even funny); moreover, the character receives a free proficiency with longsword, rapier and bows (due to their aeon-long feud with the Orcs, Elves make martial training a required part of their schooling)

I never read "Nip and Tuck" before... why, is there a zooming hawk-ride in there too?

As for the weak-willed flaw, well... Given that Gonad is a quarter-ogre (i.e. "Ogre Blood" FTF) that would put him to an underwhelming MINUS SEVEN to will saves... plus the Foil FTF!!! Have you no pity?
Nope, me neither.

So, any suggestions? And, come to think of it... think I should make game statistics for the main characters?

[RomLoneWolf23k]

[Martin]

[RomLoneWolf23k]

[Martin]

Well, today I started working on new bits for the alpha... don't expect much anytime soon, though...
The new content will include:
1)T'ai Ch'ing and the flying continent;
2)Magic objects (hands up who wanted the GS potion );
3)Stats for Vixine and her team;
4)A new section called PAQ (possibly asked questions), half helpful hints and half weird jokes;
And all the stuff I can manage to think of that I forgot to put in the 1.0...
In the meantime, I hope I'll be getting more requests, suggestions and comments! Hey, the more I get the sooner we'll get to the Beta...

[RomLoneWolf23k]

Here's a suggestion for a monster.. The Harpy. Basically, I liked the Shadowrun concept of Harpies being bat-creatures, and in a setting with furries, it's appropriate: Make them an exotic race of all-female bat-women who's sonars also double as a charming voice (or a sound attack)...

[Martin]

Well, actually it could work... problem is, I was thinking of using the bat to make the Vampires instead (MoF, whoever is bitten by a vampire changes his race to a bat...). I'll have to think about it, though!

[Martin]

Work is coming along fine, 'cept for a few problems (namely, I can't figure out how to calculate the XP cost to make the magic objects... dang DM manual is incredibly vague on that!)... still, the stuff is flowing on, and guess what? I had an idea on harpies... How does "harpies as a prestige class" sound?
Oh, I almost forgot! Since I'm now building an eastern section, I decided to make some KUNG FU FEATS! Like the idea?

[RomLoneWolf23k]

Who doesn't love Kung Fu Feats.. And your idea on Harpies is intriguing... I'll have to see it to believe it.

As for XP cost for creating magic items, if you're using edition 3.5, it really depends from item to item. But Table 7-32 on page 284 has the summary of magic item creation costs, in materials, magic supplies and XP, based on the market price.