Fullmetal Alchemist: The System [3.5ish]

[Dragonus45]

Xing alchemy is only better than regular alchemy because it can be used at a distance. The healing could be done by both, but regular alchemy forbids human transmutation and healing is human transmutation.

Actually Xing Alchemy was far superior at healing people, and didn't require the same degree of circles. The little girl could make circles with just throwing knives creating the idea of were lines were.

Yeah, Xing alchemy was only actually different in the fact that it used the "veins of the Dragon" to power itself, which also allowed it to be used at a distance, so long as there was a connecting power source. More than that, however, you have to remember that Father had actually wired himself throughout all of Amestris, allowing him to "turn off" alchemy for a time, if he desired. The power of the tectonic plates, while technically the source of the power, went through Father; he was a medium of sorts.

So, I don't really think there's much of a difference. The better ability to heal people would just be because Eastern Alchemy focused on healing; it was cultural more than anything intrinsic to the alchemy.

Actually amestrian alchemy was powered by a series of tubes connected to father and the philosopher stones there and that was what mostly powered the alchemy. That was how he could turn it off, and it also allowed him to keep out the other energy. The tectonic plates were there but they weren't the liones share of the power, it was his stones that he had there. Also The way that Xing alchemy flowed along the "Dragon Pulse" made it better for healing and body repair. It was intrinsic the energy they used, which was a different energy from Amestris.

[Domriso]

Still, Homunucli do not necessarily have to be keyed to any of the 7 Sins. It's just that the main Homunculus in the series decided to key his "children" to those sins. Just saying.

Quite correct (I'm pretty sure I mentioned that in my original post; if not then that was a gross exemption on my part). I actually think it would be quite interesting to see a Homunculus who makes other homunculi by getting rid of his positive emotions. I feel like it would be awesome.

Actually amestrian alchemy was powered by a series of tubes connected to father and the philosopher stones there and that was what mostly powered the alchemy.

...Huh. Well, I guess you're correct.

Also The way that Xing alchemy flowed along the "Dragon Pulse" made it better for healing and body repair. It was intrinsic the energy they used, which was a different energy from Amestris.

I still say this is just cultural. Maybe you could say the energy itself was more pure, but I would contend that it's actually just that channeling the Dragon Pulse made those who practice Alkhestry more adept at manipulating the flow of energy through the human body; in other words, by understanding how the energy in the planet moves, they are better able to understand (and correct) how the energy of the body moves.

[Dragonus45]

I think it was more of a chi thing from what i understand, in that Alkahestry used chi while Alchemy used thermal energy from the ground, or the souls of father victims when he was in charge, but that's getting into semantics i suppose. Either way im thinking that differences between the two might merit some kind of bonus for the specialties of both depending on a characters inclination. Perhaps a bonus to all healing alchemy, or counting the body as a lower complexity for certain kinds of alchemy checks. Or a removal of penalties for size to represent the area they could effect with the way the used the flow of the pulse. But they would have negatives to the really complex checks since they have less advances circles.

[Mira_Man]

...
First, this is pretty cool. Espeacially the part of needing the varies Knowledge and craft skills in order to pull off alchemy which neatly covers how human transmutation would fail in game, ("ok, now make your Craft: Human check..." "All right...wait, what?").
One question; You didn't say which ability score the Transmution skill is linked too. It is linked to INT is it not?

Second, I like the specialty idea, though I don't see why it can't be a feat. +2 when transmuting to or from a particular material or shape. If it is too weak, make -2 to the dc on the table to a minium of 0.

Third, FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE GAME, it doesn't matter where the energy comes from. In the original series (which pre-dates the manga) all the energy of alchemy came from the dead human souls from an alternate universe. Quite frankly, you can just say that the different tradtions of alchemy use different energy sources but it takes a Knowledge (Alchemy) check to tell them apart, because their effedcts are so simular.

If you want to make an issue of it, just make different feats to add the more flavourful elements to alchemy. Something like:

• Qi Alchemy [Alchemical Energy]: You draw the energy for your alchemy from your body. Add your CON modifer to your Transmution checks. You may fatigue yourself in order to reroll a failed Transmution check.
  Special: You may not use this feat with another [Alchemical Energy] feat. You may not use this feat while fatigued.
  
• Gate Alchemy [Alchemical Energy]: You draw the energy for your alchemy from the souls of the dead, usally channelling them through the Gate of Truth, (though Father has been dumping them into the ground in Brotherhood and the manga). You may add your CHA to Transmution checks. If you fail a Transmution check because of incorrect materials you may pay a number of hit points equal to the objects complexity number in order to instantly realise where you went wrong. This does not change the outcome of that check, but does allow you to make the nessicary calculations in your head to 'fix' the transmution in your head without needing to alter the circle, thus allowing you to make the Transmutation check again next round with the same bonus (if any) for the prepared circle, though admittedly at the correct DC.
  Special: You may not use this feat with another [Alchemical Energy] feat.
  
• Geomantic Alchemy [Alchemical Energy]: You draw the energy for your alchemy from the earth, be it tetonic plates or dragon lines. You may perform alchemy on a target (WIS*Character level) metres/yards away as long as the target in question is either in contact with what-ever you have placed the circle, (eg; you placed your circle on the floor of a room in order to transmute the ceilling), or otherwise have a connection to the target (Ling used wires!). Additionaly, you may add your WIS modifer to Transmution checks when not using the previous ability of this feat, ie; when using alchemy at range.
  Special: You may not use this feat with another [Alchemical Energy] feat.

[Milo v3]

Personally I think there actually is a difference between them. For example Xing Alchemy can be used at range.

Also Manga came first, then Bones made an anime for it.

[RollynT.Glal]

Dorismo would you mind if I used this mechanic to build an Alchemist class?

And then would you mind if I posted it to the playground, giving a link to your thread of course.

Rollyn

[Kazen169]

To a certain extent I agree with you here, and I have made mention of it in the original post, but one thing that I discovered during my research is that, while the Law of Providence is generally true, it is possible to circumvent it by breaking something down to its complete base components (namely, down to its basic chemical or subatomic structures) and then rebuilding them from that. This can be seen when Ed breaks down a stick of dynamite into a cloud of ammonia; had he desired/had the time, he could have built things up from there (as seen right in the beginning of the show, where Ed and Al use the basic chemical components of a human body to build a human body all their own).



It is unintentional, yes, but it actually isn't as big a problem as you think. It does bring up an addition to the rules that I think would be useful, though. I think putting a cap on the bonus you can achieve by spending extra time would probably work best, something like you can only gain a bonus equal to 1/2 you ranks in the Transmute skill, or maybe equal to the number of ranks you have would be a good rule to have, just to make it a little less easy to abuse.

To fully answer your question, human transmutation is technically completely impossible in the show, because nothing can bring a soul back after it's crossed over the void. It is, however, perfectly reasonable and possible to create soulless bodies. In other words, while making a human body is rather simple to do, and making a human body that could potentially move and run around is also possible, but you'd need to bind a soul to it.

So, essentially, it isn't really that hard to make a human body; you just need the right components. It just won't have anything in it.

Isn't human transmutation a major taboo plus breaking one of the states rules on top of being dangerus to the person tring to do it? Or is that only when trying to bring back the dead? Brotherhood was kinda vage when it came to that xp

[Milo v3]

Isn't human transmutation a major taboo plus breaking one of the states rules on top of being dangerus to the person tring to do it? Or is that only when trying to bring back the dead? Brotherhood was kinda vage when it came to that xp

It is a taboo, doesn't mean it is impossible or people wont do it (Remeber the start of the series).
And it is illegal for a state alchemist to do it, that doesn't stop them from making gold.
As for it being dangerous, that is because a soul is worth more than anything. So to try and put a soul inside a body you need to find something of worth, simply trying takes something away because of how big the cost is so you need to gamble to even attempt it, but nothing will ever equal a soul.

[Phosphate]

Suggestion: you should make it so that it is easier to transmute broken parts back into how they were originally than to create new objects. So basically, broken armor => repaired armor should be easier than block of steel => armor.

Especially if the alchemist has seen how the object looked like initially.

[Milo v3]

Suggestion: you should make it so that it is easier to transmute broken parts back into how they were originally than to create new objects. So basically, broken armor => repaired armor should be easier than block of steel => armor.

Especially if the alchemist has seen how the object looked like initially.

Firstly the difficulty is the same. The DC for Broken armor into armor is 2*2+10 = 14. The DC for Block of Steel into armor is 2*2+10 = 14.

Secondly realistically it would be better to do it from the block as it is less likely to be missing pieces and the armor made from the broken armor would be thinner and weaker.

Thirdly flavour-wise, with the block your rearranging the atoms into the shape of the armor. With the broken armor you aren't doing many changes as it is mainly intact, but you have to move specific atoms into specific places so that even though it has less mass, it is just as strong as before.

[Phosphate]

I'm not saying this should happen all the time, but maybe it would be a thing to have two different kinds of alchemy in this respect: normal transmutation and transmutation where there is less deconstruction or deconstruction does not occur. Basically, you declare that you already have all the components of the armor, if you don't it fails, if you do you need to beat a lower DC.

Or, like, making it as a circumstantial bonus. Either way, the two situations seem clearly different to me.


*edit: I'm not talking about an old armor affected by wear and tear that became thinner over the years. I'm talking about a perfectly fine armor that recently got, say, sundered.