New First One Ability

[Mage Ash]

I have always felt that the bad thing about the racial classes of the Vorlons and Shadows is that it restricts the types of special features that they may have. This never made snese to me so I decided to work on something that might fix it.

What I am asking the members of the board is does this ability make sense. Is it clearly readible and understandible or is it to complex. I give alot of room in the ability and that is intentional.

Also note, those amongst this forum that dislike the concept of rules for the First Ones should nto read this as this goes completely against your beliefs.

In addition, I know that (since they would be NPCs) this is not truly necessary as I can just give the character anything I want using the power of the GM. That doesn't sit well with me, rather I like a rules base for what I am doing. This is that rules base.

Any opinions and thoughts, assistance, and word clarfications would be helpful. Thankyou.

The Pools Depths

Some Ancients are not satisfied with just reaching ever forward for Ascension, rather they seek to master the abilities of the material world. To this end an Ancient may use his Ancient Ability slots to purchase a class feature. There are a number of rules and restrictions that must be followed. These are:

• This ability works for both core classes and prestige classes.

• The character doesn’t gain access to anything else from that class just the chosen class feature. So, for example, he won’t get skill points, hit points, Base Attack Bonus or the Fort Save.

• The Ancient must have a Character Level equal to the level that that feature was normally given plus 5. So, for example, to get the Diplomat class feature Skill Mastery the Ancient must be at least level 8 for the first time or level 12 for the second time.

• The character must meet all skill and feat requirements.

• Some requirements are removed. A player does not have to concern himself with these requirements: race, Influence, membership in an organization.

• A character may only take a feature from a psychic class (Telepath, Psi Cop, etc.) if the player is using the rules of an ability to represent the psychic power of the Ancients. This out of game reasoning is required because the psychic ability of the Ancients are far different from those utilized by the Younger Races. To this end the normal skill and feat requirements are wavered, but a +10 is added to the Character Level required instead of a +5. Example, if an Ancestor wants to take the Telepath class feature Maintain Concentration (available at 5th level) he needs to be at 15th level not at 10th level.

• Sometimes a feature chosen is chosen because of the rules it has and not the fluff text that goes along with it. This is fine as long as all the requirements are met. Example, a 7th level Ancient may want to take the 2nd level Ranger feature Places Unseen. While the character is not a Ranger, the player explains this ability as the Ancient trying to hide his Ancient nature as he travels the galaxy.

• If the player trying to take the class feature cannot explain to the GM why a particular Ancient would have that ability than he cannot take the ability. The GM has final say on what is permissible abilities. Also, some features just cannot be taken and it is okay for the GM to say NO.


PS. Hopefully I get more response on this post than I did on my other two posts, but who can tell. Doesn't mean I will stop trying.

 

[Gabriel_Luna]

For the sake of flexibility, I'd say this makes sense. *shrug* Why not? I don't see the Vorlons or Shadows bothering with this (they both seem to prefer to have pawns deal with piddly mortals for them, after all), but other First Ones might not feel that way. Lorien certainly had a good grasp of the mortal realm, for example.

The only issue I see off the top of my head is that the First Ones tend to make do with technology, rather than things like class abilities. When you can build a computer smarter than most Younger Race sentients, do you really need, say, the Data Access feat? I put it to you that you'd be hard pressed to find something some class can do with a class feature that can't be effectively replicated by technology listed in the book.

Oh, and telepathy is a little vague. If I were doing this, I'd just say their telepathy is different and restrict taking Telepath class features. It'd simplify things and remove that awkward plus and minus bit.

Generally though, it makes a certain sense. Certainly if a First One wanted to try to blend somehow, he'd want to avoid tech that makes waves.

 

[James McMurray]

I'm not a big fan of so much codification for the older races, but apart from the telepathy part it looks fine and is definitely understandable and not at all complex.

I only leave out the telepathy part because I don't have the rules for Ancient One telepathy so can't really comment on anything that uses it.

 

[Mage Ash]

Thank you both for the comments, I appreciate it.

For the Telepath restriction I actually agree. When I was writing it I thought that it might have been to complicated. So I need to think of a different way for it too work.

The concept is that the Telepthy used by the race this is for is more restrictive than that created by the Vorlons. What I mean by that is that it doesn't have the depth to it that Vorlon-seeded telepthy does. Yet the basic mind reading, telekinetics, pyrokinetics, etc do exist.

Anyway, thanks for the advise it was helpful.