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Machinekng
2011-08-31, 08:14 PM
This is a thread to compile all of the variant rules I'm using for my PbP Spelljammer campaign. The majority of this stuff has been adapted from other sources, but the fluff and the firearm rules are my own.

Comments are welcome.


Everything you know about space is wrong.

Infinite space; stars as flaming spheres of superheated plasma; movement through space as a balance of scientific forces, thrust providing acceleration aand manueverability;scientific fact backing up natural phenomena; life on other planets built upon blocks of silicon or carbon elements.

Forget all that, it's wrong.
-Spelljammer: AD&D Adventures In Space

The universe has entered a new era. The radiant triangle, Kyrnnspace, Greyspace, and Realmspace, is no longer a center of political power. Kyrnn has vanished from its sphere, Oerth has been conquered by the Illithid dominion, and Realmspace is too dangerous to access, due to the affects of the spellplauge. The threats that were once kept at bay by the heroes and nations of the radiant triangle, the Illithids, the Neogi, the Scro, and the Vodoni, are now lurking at the borders of known space, pillaging and plundering as they please. The Arcane, now derisively called the Mercane, can only guarntee so much safety for their customers, and even the Rock of Bral, a city that rivals Sigil itself in size and power, fears attack.

Yet, as always, there is hope.

Seven years ago, a party of adventurers discovered a new Phlogiston flow, the fabled Arcane Passage, one that connects the inner and outer arcane flows. This discovery opened a new region of the universe, colloquially known as the Foreign Quarter. This new space, untouched by the powerful factions of known space, this new space, where spelljamming is mostly unheard of, is full of thousands of unmapped spheres, thousands of treasures and quadrillinons worth of resources in gold. It is a space calling to adventurers, those brave enough and bold enough to leave their known space homes, and seek out their fortunes and excitement.

Are you one? Are you bold enough to become one of a new generation of Spelljammers? To fight threats both known and unknown? To travel to worlds lost to both gods and men?

If so, climb aboard! The captain is hiring, and adventure awaits!

-5103SJ/1421DR/1054YK


spelljammer.org (http://www.spelljammer.org)

Spelljammer Overview (http://www.spelljammer.org/rules/fastplay2e.html) (ignore the mechanics, for the most part.)

Map of the Known Universe (http://www.spelljammer.org/worlds/flowmaps/SJ_Sphere_map.pdf)

Firearm Rules
Old guns like the Starwheel and the Arquebus are already obslete for the most part. Although they are still bought and sold, they are only worth 1/2 their origional price. (found on spelljammer.org)

Newer weapons include:

Rifle: The rifle is a longarm similiar in form to the earlier Arquebus, with several important differences. The rifle has grooves, called rifling, within its barrel, making its bullets much more accurate. Instead of using smokepowder charges, it uses a cartridge with the bullet attached to a paper smokepowder pouch. It takes one full-round action to reload, and requires two hands. Reloading a rifle provokes an act of opportunity.
Cost: 1,000gp. Dmg(S): 1d10. Dmg(M): 2d6. Critical: 20/x4. Range Increment: 200ft. Weight: 10lbs.

Rifle Cartridges (10): Cost: 8gp Weight: 2lbs.

Revolver: A revolver is a rifled pistol with a revolving cylinder that houses five to six chambers, each with its own cartridge. Whenever the revolver is fired, the cylinder rotates, preparing the next chamber for firing. Reloading a cylinder takes two full-round actions, and requires both hands. However,certain revolvers have easily removable cylinders, alloing its wielder to remove the old cylinder and replace it with a fresh one as a full-round action that requires both hands. Reloading a revolver provokes an attack of opportunity.
Cost: 5-shot: 700gp, 6-shot: 800gp, quick-remove cylinder: +200gp. Dmg(S): 1d8. Dmg(M): 1d10. Critical: 20/x3. Range Increment: 70ft. Weight: 3lbs.

Revolver Cartridges (10): Cost: 7gp Weight: 2lbs.

Additional Quick Remove Cylinders: Cost: 100gp Weight: 1lb.

Shotgun: A shotgun is a longarm made for close range combat. Unlike other modern weapons, the shotgun does not have rifling. Instead, it works much like the blunderbluss, firing pellets in a cone shaped burst. It fires in a 30ft. cone dealing damage as a blunderbluss:

Target Within... Damage (S) Damage (M)
One increment 3d4 3d6
Two increments 2d4 2d6
Three increments 1d4 1d6
Four or more
increments --- ---

It takes a full round action to load a shotgun, and requires two hands. Loading a shotgun provokes attacks of opportunity.

Cost: 900gp. Dmg(S): Special. Dmg(M): Special. Critical: 20/x2. Range Increment: 10ft. Weight: 10lbs.

Shotgun shells (10): Cost: 8gp. Weight: 3lbs.

Scro Oversized Revolver
This brutal looking weapon is made exclusively by the Scro, and for the Scro. As its name implies, the Scro Oversized Revolver is a revolver that has been enlarged. Instead of a 5 or 6 shot cylinder, it sports a massive 10 shot cylinder. Due to its size, however, it takes three rounds to reload its cylinder, and quick-remove cylinders are unavailable for it.

Cost: 1,200gp. Dmg(S): 1d10. Dmg(M): 1d12. Critical: 20/x3. Range Increment: 40ft. Weight: 4lbs.

Due to it size and unwieldiness, a Scro Oversized Revolver requires an additional Exotic Weapon Proficiency in it to use Proficiently, unless the user is Orc-Blooded

All guns deal piercing damage.

Other rules:

Rapid Reload [General]-updated

Choose a type of crossbow (hand, light, or heavy), or firearm.

Prerequisite

Weapon Proficiency (crossbow type chosen) or (firearms)

Benefit

The time required for you to reload your chosen type of weapon is reduced to a free action (for a hand or light crossbow) a move action (for a heavy crossbow) a standard action (for rifles, shotguns, and quick-remove cylinders) or a full-round action(for a revolver cylinder, an arquebas, a blunderbluss, or a starwheel pistol). Reloading a crossbow or firearm still provokes an attack of opportunity.

If you have selected this feat for hand crossbow or light crossbow, you may fire that weapon as many times in a full attack action as you could attack if you were using a bow.

Normal

A character without this feat needs a move action to reload a hand or light crossbow, a full-round action to reload a heavy crossbow, a modern longarm or a quick-remove cylinder, or two full-round actions to load an older pistol or longarm, or a revolver cylinder.

Special

You can gain Rapid Reload multiple times. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of crossbow or firearm.

A fighter may select Rapid Reload as one of his fighter bonus feats.


Finally, a character can attempt DC 15 Dexerity check to quick reload, increasing the reload time by one category (two rounds-one round-standard action-move action-swift action) for that reloading.

Crew Rules
Riggers:
Green Rigger (Exp1): 7sp per day
Novice Rigger (Exp2): 1gp per day
Experienced Rigger(Exp3): 2gp per day
Veteran Rigger (Exp5): 3gp 5sp per day
Expert Rigger (Exp7): 6gp per day
Master Rigger (Exp12) 10gp per day
Grand Master Rigger (Exp15) 20gp per day

Riggers are the most common type of crewmen. They are specialized in Rigging, but they can also man weapon crews.

Weaponeer:
Novice Weaponeer (Fighter1): 1gp 5sp per day
Experienced Weaponeer (Fighter3):3gp per day
Veteran Weaponeer(Fighter5): 5gp per day
Expert Weaponeer(Fighter7):10gp per day
Master Weaponeer(Fighter12):25gp per day
Grand Master Weaponeer(Fighter15):50gp per day

Weaponeers are ship weapon specialists. Unlike Riggers, weaponeers are able to become masters of multiple types of special weapons. They are especially useful for leading weapon crews.

Marines:
Salary: CR x 5 per day, plus hazard pay. (Martial Classes only)

Marines defend spelljammers from raiders and pirates.

Spellcasters must be hired personally (i.e. no baseline.)

Spelljammer Skills
Knowledge (Int)

Wildspace and Planteology
(reference tables here (http://www.spelljammer.org/chars/skillsfeats-ad.html)).

Any character who has access to Knowledge (any), Knowledge (geography), or Knowledge (nature) as class skills also has Knowledge (planetology) as a class skill.

Any character who has access to Knowledge (any), Knowledge (arcana), or Knowledge (the planes) as class skills also has Knowledge (wildspace) as a class skill.

Synergy: If you have 5 or more ranks of Knowledge (wildspace), you get a +2 bonus to Spelljamming.

5 ranks in Knowledge(Wildspace) grant a +2 bonus on Knowledge(Planetology) checks.

5 ranks in Knowledge(Planetology) grant a +2 bonus on Knowledge(Wildspace) checks

Spelljamming (Int)
Spelljamming is used to pilot spelljammers, and to navigate through the Phlogiston.
(Described in Spelljaming Combat rules as Pilot Spelljammer)

5 or more ranks in Knowledge(Planetology) skill grant a +2 bonus on Spelljamming checks when the ship is inside a Crystal Sphere.

Synergy: 5 or more ranks in Knowledge(Wildspace) skill grant a +2 bonus on Spelljamming checks when on the Phlogiston

Spelljammer Feats

Freefall [General, Fighter]
conversion by Static and the Spelljammer Mailing List
You are trained to fight in conditions of varying or zero gravity. This could be when you fall overboard or when your ship's gravity plane shifts.

Prerequisite: Dex 10+, Int 10+, Knowledge (Wildspace) 2 ranks

Benefit: You suffer no penalty to actions in low or zero gravity, and you receive a +4 bonus to keep your balance when the gravity suddenly shifts. In addition, your character will not provoke an attack of opportunity when performing an action, unless that action would normally provoke one.

Normal: Without this feat, most actions suffer a -4 penalty in zero gravity, and actions in a low-gravity environment suffer a -2 penalty. The character does not threaten the area around them and cannot perform attacks of opportunity, while any action he takes provokes one.

Phlogiston Sense [General]
conversion by Static and the Spelljammer Mailing List
You have an intuitive grasp of how the Phlogiston moves, allowing you to better navigate this chaotic medium.

Prerequisite: Spelljamming 4 ranks, Knowledge (Wildspace) 4 ranks, one trip between the spheres.

Benefit: You can use your Spelljaming skill to shorten trips through the phlogiston in addition to wildspace. This feat will not create a path where there wasn't one before.

Normal: There is no way to shorten the travel time between spheres. A ship with Phlogiston charts that enters the flow can reach the desired sphere, as long as a path exists. A ship without Phlogiston charts will reach a random nearby sphere within 10-100 days.

Slow Respiration [General]
conversion by Static and the Spelljammer Mailing List
You can enter a trance to conserve air in wildspace.

Prerequisite: Endurance

Benefit: By concentrating for 10 minutes, you can enter a trance during which you consume one-tenth the air you normally would. During the air-preserving trance, you can take no actions. You are still aware of everything going on around you, and can regain full consciousness in 1d6 rounds if the need arises.

This trance can be maintained until the air runs out or the character starves.

Normal: The character uses the normal amount of air, food and water during this time.

Craft Spelljamming Helm[item creation]

The feat allows you to create spelljamming helms: the magical items that power spelljamming ships.

Prerequisites: spellcaster level 12th+, Craft Wondrous Items.

Benefit: You can create any spelljamming helm whose prerequisites you meet. Crafting a spelljamming helm requires 1 day of work for every 1000 gp of its base price. You must invest 1/25 of the base price in XP to develop the item. The construction requires raw materials for half the base price.

Craft Psijamming Helm[item creation]

This feat is equal in every aspect to Craft Spelljamming Helm.

Prerequisites: manifester level 12th+, Craft Universal Items.

Benefit: same as Craft Spelljamming Helm feat.


Spelljammer Construction (http://lost.spelljammer.org/TBLIV/lsccs3e/3eShipConstruction.pdf)

Spelljammer Combat (http://lost.spelljammer.org/TBLIV/lsccs3e/3eShipCombat.pdf)
Additional ship weapon information:
Accelerator Prices
Light: 1,400gp
Medium: 2,800gp
Heavy:5,400gp

Canons
{table=head]Type|Attack Bonus|Damage|Threat/Critical|Crew|Reload|Tonnage|Range|AC|HP/Hardness|Cost

Light|+4|2d6x5|18-20/x2|2|2|1|4 Hexes|23|48/10|2,000gp

Medium|+4|3d6x5|18-20/x2|3|3|2|4 Hexes|23|96/10|4,000gp

Heavy|+4|4d6x5|18-20/x2|4|4|3|4 Hexes|22|144/10|8,000gp[/table]

Spelljammer Helms
(Note, pretty much all of this information is drawn and adapted from this site (http://www.romsys.demon.co.uk/frpg/spelljam/))

Helms are the power source and cockpit of a spelljammer. These powerful magic items, which are usually crafted in the shape of a hardwood chair, allow a spellcaster to control a spelljammer, and fuel it with his magic or psionic abilities.

Standard helms

Standard helms include Minor and Major helms. Due to advancements in spelljaming technology, helms are much cheaper than they used to be, about 25% cheaper, in most cases.
Revised Prices:
Minor Helm: 75,000gp
Major helm: 190,000gp

Each minor and major spelljamming helm allows the individual seated upon it to move a large mass through space by means of channeling spell energy directly into a motive force. This energy is somewhat useful for maneuvering the ship, but primarily it provides the push that makes the ship move forward (or backward). Maneuvering comes primarily from the ship's sails or oars.

The power of the force is known as the jammer's rating. A minor helm converts such energy at a rate of 1 point of JR for each three spellcaster levels. A major helm converts at a rate of 1 JR for every two spellcaster levels.

At tactical distances, all Spelljammers move at a speed of 150ft. per round per JR, or 1 hex per JR.

At low levels, the difference between using a minor and a major helm is small. A third-level spellcaster or manifester will give his ship an JR of 1, regardless of whether a minor or major helm is used. The higher level the spellcaster/manifester, however, the more important the difference between using major and minor helms. A tenth-level Wizard, for example, can give his ship an JR of 5 with a major helm, but only an JR of 3 with a minor helm. A quick summary of levels is included below.

{table=head]Level of Spellcaster/Manifester|Minor Helm|Major Helm

1 |
1 |
1
2 |
1 |
1
3 |
1 |
1
4 |
1 |
2
5 |
1 |
2
6 |
2 |
3
7 |
2 |
3
8 |
2 |
4
9 |
3 |
4
10|
3 |
5
11|
3 |
5
12|
4 |
6
13|
4 |
6
14|
4 |
7
15|
5 |
7
16|
5 |
8
17|
5 |
8
18|
6 |
9
19|
6 |
9
20|
6 |
10[/table]


Using a helm prohibits any spell or power use by that character within that 24-hour period. As soon as a spellcaster sits on the helm and becomes aware of the ship, he can cast no spells of any sort until after he has had a chance to rest and regain spells. In effect the helm "drains" the helmsman of all his spells the moment it is activated.


(In fact, this is not precisely what happens. The helm attunes iteself to the brain patterns of the character who activated it. Once in sync, the helm siphons away any magical energy the moment it begins taking shape, not all at once. But until the character can rest, thereby breaking the link, the energy invested in any spell he tries to cast is immediately drawn away by the spelljamming helm. This effect occurs regardless of range. Oddly, the helm can utilize the energy only if the character is seated in the helm. Why the helm can draw power from any range, yet gains benefit only from a helmsman actually in contact with it, is one of the foremost unsolved puzzles of spelljamming magic.)

An individual can use either type of helm for 12 hours without tiring. For each hour afterwards, the JR drops by 1, to a minimum of 1. After 24 hours, the individual using the helm will pass out and not be able to use the helm again until fully rested.

An individual seated upon a helm can talk and act normally. The sensation of using the helm is akin to being immersed in warm water. As a result of the magical nature of the helm, the spelljamming spellcaster using the helm can see things around the ship as if he were standing on the deck. The ship becomes an extension of his body, and responds to his demands in movement and maneuverability. The maneuverability of a craft is a reflection of both the spelljamming spellcaster's ability and the maneuverability class of the ship.

A minor helm can move a ship of up to 50 tons. A major helm can move one of upto 100 tons. In reality, most ship designers keep their craft under the 50-ton range, though there are larger men-o-war and juggernauts that are larger than 50 tons.

Only one helm may be in service at a time, though often a minor helm is kept as a back-up, should something happen to the major helm.

Helms draw their magical energies directly from the user, and the speeds they can attain are determined by the level (or HD) of the individual. All helm-equipped ships travel at the same rate of speed over long distances, but their differences are apparent at the tactical level. In general, given two similar helms, a ship with the more powerful spelljamming spellcaster is the faster ship.

Helms can be easily installed in any ship, primarily by lugging them aboard and bolting them to the deck. The minimum hull size required for a helm is 1 ton.

If an individual is slain while using the helm, the ship looses all power until a new spelljamming spellcaster takes command. The ship will drift in a straight line until someone else takes the helm ot the ship hits something.

Major and minor helms are nearly (but not completely) indestructable. Unfortunately, this protection does not extend to the individual seated in the helm. Diligent and crafty characters may find ways to destroy helms, but the process is not easy or quick.

Organizations

The Unified Republic of Galifar
50 some years ago, one of Ebberron's greatest conspiracies was revealed. The Dreaming Dark, the Quori, and their malicious intents, were brought to light by a party of adventures. In response, the Dreaming Dark put their plans immediately into motion, invading the continent of Khorvaire through their Riedran puppets. The divided nations of Khorvaire were unable to stand against the massive attack, and within months, half the continent had fallen.

In 1002YK, the surviving leaders of the five nations met in Sharn, and from the ruins of Khorvaire, forged a new nation. To defeat the Inspired, desperate measures were taken. The creation forges were re-built and every grave was opened. the result was an army greater and more brutal than any before. An army of the undead and warmachines, bolstered by every magewright in Khorvaire. And slowly, the Inspired were driven back.

The war still rages on, although it has degenerated into trench warfare. The Inspired still hold the Lhazar Principalities, Q'Barra, the Mror holds, and much of Karrnath. Both sides have been making great use of Spelljammers to fight the war at this point. Both groups fight over the planet's ring and its moon, attempting to secure the most dragonshards, and have begun to expand to nearby spheres.

Spelljammers have also been used for more offensive purposes. In 1032YK, in another massive suprise attack, Riedran Psijammers bombed Sharn, eventually razing the city in a series of subsequent attacks. The U.R.G. has been able to prevent similar attacks from happening, using a large system of surface to air weaponry, but this defeat is still a wound in the republic's side.

House Cannith and House Lyrander are the most common houses to see in Ebberron's surounding spheres, as they both maintain competing spelljammer fleets. Ther other houses are also present, in their traditional roles.

The Rierdan Empire
The Riedran Empire is a force to be reckoned with. The Quori are merciless in the attempt to ensure their survival, often resorting to theft and piracy in wildspace to gather resources for the war effort. The Inspired have made contracts with the Neogi, buying monstorous slaves to reinforce their armies.