work in progress

Hi folks,

It’s been ages since the last update, so I’ve decided to post the document that has been getting a small amount of work on it. I’m also calling out for volunteers to help me finish the kung fu styles in the current document – they need powers up to level 9, and mostly have outlines of the type of style they are.

Here’s the document: Di9H – No Classes – v3

Kung fu styles

Hi folks,

I’m still working slowly on the details of the changes I proposed in the last couple of posts. However, I’ve decided to settle on the following list of classes and kung fu styles:

Kung fu class features

With the changes in the last blog post there are class features from the Guardian that have been removed totally from the game. These features fit nicely into the theme of the game and would be nice to keep.

These defender class features could be made available by kung fu styles and replace existing defender features if a player chooses to take them. Iron Guardian makes sense for the Golden Temple Bells kung fu style. There is no style concept that fits Silk Guardian at the moment.

The same thing could apply to other kung fu styles and striker, leader or controller class features. The problem with this is that none of the class features for these classes are as consistent as the features for Defenders. The decision about which features to replace is much more arbitrary.

New classes

Following up from the last post here is a version of the game with classes based on the core books.

http://dragoninninthheaven.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/di9h-no-classes-v1.docx

The key things in this document are:

1. Renamed classes based on the System Reference Document (SRD)
2. Kung Fu class feaures
3. Weapon and armor techniques fully detailed
4. The kung fu styles have not changed from the previous version yet
5. There are some Armor Proficiency feats in note form at the end of the document
6. Each class will need more fluff to adjust the way their powers look. This will be a little tricky since individual power fluff text is not allowed to be re-written (as mentioned in the SRD)

I’m looking forward to feedback! I think this could be a better way for the game to move forward.

Classes from the core books

As a follow-up to my previous post about using the classes from the core books here is a list of them that I think will fit the setting.

I read through the System Reference Document and the usage guidelines for material there are pretty clear:

To remain in compliance with the GSL, you may not reproduce any running text, statistics block, or table from the Core Rulebooks, nor may you define, redefine, or alter the definition of any 4E Reference.
To remain in compliance with the GSL, you may not reproduce any running text, statistics block, or table from the Core Rulebooks, nor may you define, redefine, or alter the definition of any 4E Reference.

Interesting idea

While playing a series of test encounters I had an idea – why not use the existing classes in all the D&D books?

Allowing unarmed attacks/defenses for everyone and the choice of a kung fu style that provides powers to swaps out with class abilities could work…

Terrain effects

In the first test game for Dragon In Ninth Heaven there was an elite foe who threw crates at the characters. The possibility for character powers that used terrain was raised and I want to list a few ideas here for discussion.

Game writeup

This week I’ll post a word document that contains most of the game currently. The ideas from the previous posts are consolidated in a single place.

Di9H – Rules – v5

Golden Temple Bells kung fu

Golden Temple Bells kung fu is based on toughness and power and teaches the following core abilities which are available as uses of the Concentrate Chi class feature. A character may choose two of these abilities.

1. Chi Strike   [Concentrate Chi] 1
   You send a spike of damaging chi into your enemy just as your strike hits
   Encounter * Martial, Weapon
   Instant reaction Melee weapon
   Target: One creature
   Special: This power is triggered when you successfully hit a target with another attack
   Effect: Add 1 + Primary attribute modifier to the damage of the other attack
2. Hardened Chi    [Concentrate Chi] 1
   Years of training in extreme conditions have increased your resistance to pain and injury
   Prerequisite: Kung fu class feature
   Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to AC and Fortitude defence.
3. Invulnerability [Concentrate Chi] 1
   You focus all your chi at a single point as an attack hits you, deflecting the impact
   Encounter * Martial
   Instant reaction               Personal
   Special: This power is triggered when you are hit by an attack
   Effect: You gain resist 10 to all damage for this attack.

All kung fu styles have primary and secondary attributes. These are used for attack, damage and additional effects. This is determined by the character that learns the style and the manner their master taught them. The attributes are chosen at first level and will be used for all kung fu powers from that point on. This choice is permanent and may not be changed.

• Champions are most likely to use Dexterity as their primary attribute and Strength or Intelligence as their Secondary attribute
• Guardians are most likely to use Strength as their primary attribute and Constitution or Dexterity as their Secondary Attribute
• There is no restriction on the use of an attribute, it does not need to be the same attribute used by your class.

Advanced training in Golden Temple Bells includes the following powers at level 1:

Shielding Blow
Kung Fu Attack 1
You focus your chi to resist the attacks of your foe
At-will * Martial, Weapon, Force
Standard Action            Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Primary attribute vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Primary attribute modifier damage. You gain resistance equal to your Secondary attribute modifier against the target’s attacks until the end of your next turn.

Buddha Sweeps His Hand
Kung Fu Attack 1
You charge into combat knocking foes back with the power of your defence
Encounter * Martial, Weapon
Standard Action            Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Requirement: You must charge and use this power in place of the basic melee attack
Effect: Any enemy that attacks you with an opportunity attack triggered by your charge takes damage equal to your secondary attribute modifier and is pushed 1 square.
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage.

Golden Hammer Fist
Kung Fu Attack 1
Fluff text
Daily * Martial, Weapon, Invigorating
Standard Action             Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Primary attribute vs. AC
Hit: 2[W] + Primary attribute modifier damage and you push the target 1 square. You then shift into the square the target occupied. Make a secondary attack at the target.
Secondary Attack: Primary attribute vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Primary attribute modifier damage and you push the target 1 square and knock it prone.
Miss: Half damage and you knock the target prone.

Golden Temple Bells kung fu also teaches the following Chi Concentration feats:

• Buddha Rings the Temple Bell [Chi Concentration]
  The serenity of your mind allows blows to fall upon you and wash off like rain
  Encounter * Martial
  Immediate reaction Personal
  Trigger: you suffer a critical strike or are bloodied by an attack
  Effect: spend a healing surge
• Bronze Holds no Weakness [Chi Concentration]
  Your iron shirt kung fu has no weaknesses, deflecting superior attacks
  Encounter * Martial
  Immediate interrupt      Personal
  Trigger: you are struck with a critical hit
  Effect: the hit becomes a normal strike

Warlord class

The Warlord class suits Dragon In Ninth Heaven quite well, with minimal changes.
Adding kung fu to the class as a feature required removing other features (and possibly not enough), but this brings the Warlord class in line with the Champion and Guardian.