phantomdoodler
Mongoose
This is an attempt to create more individuality to Kai Lords (or indeed other classes), and provide a smoother experience system.
Experience point System
After each session, each character gains 1 experience point, plus another if they acted heroically or roleplayed very well. This assumes a session lasting no more than an evening - if the sesion lasts all day, award an aditional experience point. Once a character has amassed enough experience to gain a further rank, they do so at the end of the current adventure, but not before they have had time to reflect on their past experiences (for lower ranks, you may only gain one rank per adventure, even if you have enough experience to achieve a higher rank). Once they obtain a new rank, they gain a new discipline (or another class-based ability).
Rank: Experience Points required
1: 0
2: 1
3: 3
4: 6
5: 10
6: 15
7: 21
8: 28
9: 36
10: 45
11: 55
12: 66
13: 78
14: 91
15: 105
16: 120
17: 136
18: 153
19: 161
20: 180
Using this system does have another effect, though. Usually, each character gains a Bonus based on half their Rank, to various tests, based on their Kai Disciplines. With this system, for each experience point gained, the player may gain a Discipline Bonus on one of their chosen Disciplines, up to a maximum of their kai Rank, or 10, whichever is lower.
For example, Jade Hawk is a starting 5th Rank character, with 10 experience points. She chooses 5 Kai Disciplines, and also may allocate 10 Bonuses amongst these, up to a maximum of 5 in each. Jade Hawk`s player chooses from the following:
Sixth Sense 4, Weapon Skill (Bow) 0, Tracking 2, Hunting 3, Mind Shield 1
Although Mind over Matter, Mindforce and Weapon Skill dont often require tests, the gm should try and apply these more often, so Bonuses placed here are of use. For example, Weapon Skill could be used to identify weapons, uniforms or perform trick shots, disarms etc. Mindforce could be used to cause a target to lose concentration, Mindshield could be used to resist spells and hypnososis.
Incidently, using the existing Half Rank Bonuses to Disciplines, you gain the following amount of total Bonuses:
Rank 1: 0
Rank 2: 2
Rank 3: 3
Rank 4: 8
Rank 5: 10
Rank 6: 18
Rank 7: 21
Rank 8: 32
Rank 9: 36
Rank 10: 50
Rank 11: 55
Rank 12: 72
Rank 13: 78
Rank 14: 98
Rank 15: 105
Rank 16: 128
Rank 17: 136
Rank 18: 162
Rank 19: 171
Rank 20: 200
As you can see, the numbers are remarkably similiar.
Discipline Bonuses only
Another alternative, if you want to use independant Bonuses, but keep the rank/adventure system from the book, when you gain a new rank, you may assign a number of Discipline Bonuses equal to your new rank -1, assigning a maximum of your current rank, or 10, whichever is lower, to any of your chosen disciplines.
For example, Jade Fox has just obtained a new rank, and so is now Rank 6. She chooses a 6th Discipline, this time Camouflage, and has 5 Bonuses to assign amongst her 6 disciplines, so long as no discipline is greater than 6. She opts to put 3 in her new discipline, and one each in tracking and hunting. Her disciplines now look like:
Sixth Sense 4, Weapon Skill (Bow) 0, Tracking 3, Hunting 4, Mind Shield 1, Camouflage 3
Experience point System
After each session, each character gains 1 experience point, plus another if they acted heroically or roleplayed very well. This assumes a session lasting no more than an evening - if the sesion lasts all day, award an aditional experience point. Once a character has amassed enough experience to gain a further rank, they do so at the end of the current adventure, but not before they have had time to reflect on their past experiences (for lower ranks, you may only gain one rank per adventure, even if you have enough experience to achieve a higher rank). Once they obtain a new rank, they gain a new discipline (or another class-based ability).
Rank: Experience Points required
1: 0
2: 1
3: 3
4: 6
5: 10
6: 15
7: 21
8: 28
9: 36
10: 45
11: 55
12: 66
13: 78
14: 91
15: 105
16: 120
17: 136
18: 153
19: 161
20: 180
Using this system does have another effect, though. Usually, each character gains a Bonus based on half their Rank, to various tests, based on their Kai Disciplines. With this system, for each experience point gained, the player may gain a Discipline Bonus on one of their chosen Disciplines, up to a maximum of their kai Rank, or 10, whichever is lower.
For example, Jade Hawk is a starting 5th Rank character, with 10 experience points. She chooses 5 Kai Disciplines, and also may allocate 10 Bonuses amongst these, up to a maximum of 5 in each. Jade Hawk`s player chooses from the following:
Sixth Sense 4, Weapon Skill (Bow) 0, Tracking 2, Hunting 3, Mind Shield 1
Although Mind over Matter, Mindforce and Weapon Skill dont often require tests, the gm should try and apply these more often, so Bonuses placed here are of use. For example, Weapon Skill could be used to identify weapons, uniforms or perform trick shots, disarms etc. Mindforce could be used to cause a target to lose concentration, Mindshield could be used to resist spells and hypnososis.
Incidently, using the existing Half Rank Bonuses to Disciplines, you gain the following amount of total Bonuses:
Rank 1: 0
Rank 2: 2
Rank 3: 3
Rank 4: 8
Rank 5: 10
Rank 6: 18
Rank 7: 21
Rank 8: 32
Rank 9: 36
Rank 10: 50
Rank 11: 55
Rank 12: 72
Rank 13: 78
Rank 14: 98
Rank 15: 105
Rank 16: 128
Rank 17: 136
Rank 18: 162
Rank 19: 171
Rank 20: 200
As you can see, the numbers are remarkably similiar.
Discipline Bonuses only
Another alternative, if you want to use independant Bonuses, but keep the rank/adventure system from the book, when you gain a new rank, you may assign a number of Discipline Bonuses equal to your new rank -1, assigning a maximum of your current rank, or 10, whichever is lower, to any of your chosen disciplines.
For example, Jade Fox has just obtained a new rank, and so is now Rank 6. She chooses a 6th Discipline, this time Camouflage, and has 5 Bonuses to assign amongst her 6 disciplines, so long as no discipline is greater than 6. She opts to put 3 in her new discipline, and one each in tracking and hunting. Her disciplines now look like:
Sixth Sense 4, Weapon Skill (Bow) 0, Tracking 3, Hunting 4, Mind Shield 1, Camouflage 3