DragonMech-Pathfinder Transition

[TheArsenal]

The Title is self explanatory but can anybody give Suggestions on how to update some classes for this epic product?

The classes that needs the most updating are currently:

The Steamborg:
Lacks Cool abilities. The Steam Powers are...OK but they are needed in multiple quantity to add cool effects. I would probably increase the amount of Powers and edit the Parts system. The Parts, while functional, arent enough to be completely en par with some of the other PF classes. It also lacks a cool topper. Once its updated other variations can be as well

Mech Jockey:

Lacks a Cool topper

A Failure System For Undead Mechs:
It should follow up on, negative energy distribution, the stitching coming apart, and the internal skeletal structure crumbling.

Elemental Powered Reactors.
I always liked the ideas of reactors powered by Air/ Fire elementals. Some Suggestions?

Anyway I Hope People Reply.

[Cieyrin]

The issue I have with Undead Mecha failing is the failure system is based on critical hits and stuff getting knocked out of place/damaged so other things go with it. Undead and Animated mecha don't have any of that, so I wonder how exactly you expect to set off magic chain reactions and failures just by hitting the corpses really hard...

As for the rest, I'll have to dig up my copy of DragonMech before I make suggestions but this sounds like a really cool idea, as DragonMech is one of my favorite 3rd party settings.

[TheArsenal]

The issue I have with Undead Mecha failing is the failure system is based on critical hits and stuff getting knocked out of place/damaged so other things go with it.

Tis Pathfinder, They Fixed The fact that Undead Suffer Critical Hits now. It just represents that you lopped off a head or so.

Il make it that the Yellow is much lower (Like 75% or so) but its that the corpses are STITCHED together like a Flesh golem. Destroying a crucial stitching could result in snapped tendons, or even the whole thing falling apart. It could even animate the flesh into a mindless Zombie, causing it to thrash mindlessly until the Necrotic transfer was restored. This would cause an arm to not function properly.

[Mulletmanalive]

I don't even want to think about Mech Jocks Viscious Strike-ing their opponents [shudder].

Undead mechs...I kinda agree with Ceiyrin...Pathfinder still denies them Crits...

Steamborg, quick fix i've used is to grant them DR 1/Adamantine for every part they have and you could consider giving them a limited form of Rage and slapping Piston Rage [feat from Shardfall Quest; adds Artificial Parts to Rage Strength bonus] on there as a bonus feat. It would certainly gel well with the loss of personality aspect, having them pressing towards stronger and stronger emotions in order to feel anything.

That and make sure that your players understand that you're allowed to fit Steam Powers to any steam based weapon, so building flame nozzles and steambreathers into their arms and amplifiering the heck out of them should be encouraged.

Capstone...well, not an issue if you have the rage add on...perhaps some kind of supercharging...

Mech Jock: Well, the mech is already immune to Crits [mostly] by that point so why not grant it +20 Hardness against crits? Maybe also maximise the mech's HP if the jock supervises the repairs.

The class itself could use some extra resilience for the mech, simply because they're too damn squishy at high end. I'd also suggest putting in a Mech Weapon Specialisation type thing [it's from d20 Future and adds dice of damage rather like Power Attack].

On the Steam Powers bit, i've been meaning to revamp those for a while [also because they're key to my project and i'd like to get it printed so i have to avoid plagerism], so if you feel like collaborating, i'll happily throw in a credit for you. You too Ceiyrin.

[Cieyrin]

Tis Pathfinder, They Fixed The fact that Undead Suffer Critical Hits now. It just represents that you lopped off a head or so.

Il make it that the Yellow is much lower (Like 75% or so) but its that the corpses are STITCHED together like a Flesh golem. Destroying a crucial stitching could result in snapped tendons, or even the whole thing falling apart. It could even animate the flesh into a mindless Zombie, causing it to thrash mindlessly until the Necrotic transfer was restored. This would cause an arm to not function properly.

I suppose I can kinda see that but normal crits for any of the other mecha types doesn't incorporate dismemberment, this isn't Hackmaster.

The second bit, except for the crit zone part, seems like it could work alright. The zones implies escalating damage, which Animated and Undead mecha don't tend to care about. The animating energy isn't being distributed from a central source, it's pervasive so while, yes, they may have temporary shortages, I don't think either mecha type should be any more vulnerable, regardless of damage.

On the Steam Powers bit, i've been meaning to revamp those for a while [also because they're key to my project and i'd like to get it printed so i have to avoid plagerism], so if you feel like collaborating, i'll happily throw in a credit for you. You too Ceiyrin.

Firstly, it's Cieyrin. Secondly, I'd love to futz with Steam Powers, maybe mix 'em a bit with IK mechanika to give 'em more oomph.

[Mulletmanalive]

Firstly, it's Cieyrin. Secondly, I'd love to futz with Steam Powers, maybe mix 'em a bit with IK mechanika to give 'em more oomph.

Well, I'd prefer to build them to be fairly mundane if fantastical [Doc Savage rather than Doctor Fate] and then add some notes about enchanting them, as much because I think that we could easily do more with the idea of Steam Magic once we have the mundane out of the way.

I've found, historically, that trying to design any system to keep up with existing, powerful ones is doomed to go doolally when it interacts with them. The two extremes being Binding, which kind of relagates everything barring tier 1 to mediocrety and Truenamer, which can only work at all if you pull out item cheese.

I say we brew low and then tweek, I'd just like to get some redundancy out of the thing and rename some stuff.

On the name, I have no idea how that's supposed to be said, so the old "I before E, except after C" thing is coming in...I'll try to keep it straight.

[TheArsenal]

On the name, I have no idea how that's supposed to be said, so the old "I before E, except after C" thing is coming in...I'll try to keep it straight.

*Turns Head to the Side*

Wha?

I suppose I can kinda see that but normal crits for any of the other mecha types doesn't incorporate dismemberment, this isn't Hackmaster.

I meant Standard Undead.

[Mulletmanalive]

Addressed to Cieyrin. In English class, one of the first rules of spelling you get drilled in is "I before E, except after C," hence why his name is difficult for me to not mess up.

[Cieyrin]

Addressed to Cieyrin. In English class, one of the first rules of spelling you get drilled in is "I before E, except after C," hence why his name is difficult for me to not mess up.

Not that it's terribly relevant to the thread but it's spelled in bad Gaelic, so yes, applying standard English rules will tend to mess you up. If it helps any, it's a hard C, as in 'card', as opposed to a soft C, as in 'cent'.

As for the power level of Steam Powers, if we can get it up to Incarnum level, I'll be right pleased. I'm not expecting to push into Tier 1, Big 5 territory but pushing into Tier 2-3 would be good.

[Mulletmanalive]

Anything over a flexible tier 4 or a weak tier 3 would be useless for my purposes, preferably solidly tier 4 being best. Probably best to quit the discussion now.

My plan is basically to make them able to equal a fighter/skill-monkey in one field at a time with maybe two minor tricks in addition at any given time; obviously, this can change some inplay, but tier 3 and up pretty much scuppers that...

[TheArsenal]

I researched the Classes a bit:

Here is what I came up with:

• I Overridden it into "Clockwork" Craft skill and "Steam" Skill and "Magic-Tech" skill.
  
• You can create as much as you want, but I separated the devices into three groups:
• Low Difficulty (Minor Stuff), Med (Complex Tools), High (Animators, and High tech. Like Robots and ect).
  
• I removed the Puppet and turned it into a Golem
  
• I Changed Some of the powers to be imbued with magic. Like making forcefields,. Yeah...You cannot refine oil yet you can make forcefields...