These are experimental home rules. Live Concoctions are currently being tested. Notes of Schemes are not in use, but remain visible.
Live Concoctions
Powers of Good
The forces of Good have access to additional resources. All Good PCs of Adventurer Rank or higher have the following benefits.
Comm Link: For the duration of each quest, all Good parties benefit from a Telepathic Bond. The Comm Link has a single channel for the whole party, but is also connected to a command center from which Conclave members can provide orders or guidance.
Combat Stims: Good PCs can take a free Long Rest between quests. Upgrading and Refreshing Medicine is free. Good PCs do no use regular Rations. Instead, they may take up to 2 Short Rests per adventure, and may expend a Short Rest use to instead gain the benefits of a Hero’s Feast for the quest’s duration.
Alien Armoury: Good PCs may each select two of the following items.
- Alien Munition: Refreshing arrows is free. All arrows are +1.
- Alien Reagents: Refreshing non-standard consumables is free.
- Lasword: This +1 sword deals 2d6 fire damage one handed, or 2d8 fire damage two-handed. When not in use, the thermal blade disappears into the handle.
- Plasma Cannon: 1/Short or Long Rest, deal 8d6 fire damage to a 120ft line (Dex 16 halves)
- Alien Plate: (attune) Armour(Heavy, Impeding) While inactive, requires 1 encumbrance space and has no effect. While attuned, you can activate or deactivate it as an action, causing the alloy microscales to unfold from the faceplate. Once active, it provides an AC of 18, Darkvision (60ft), constant See Invisibility (per the spell), advantage on sight-based Perception checks, immunity to Blinded and Deafened, and allows you to communicate mentally with anyone within 1 mile wearing Alien Plate. While active, it requires 3 encumbrance slots.
- Alien Flightsuit: Armour(Light, base AC 13, weight 2). While wearing this armour, you have a Fly speed of 50ft, and advantage on Dexterity saving throws.
- Hunter-Seeker Drones: Cast Find the Path, Locate Object, or Locate Person at will. Make checks to search large areas at advantage.
- Psionic Cannon: Cast Eldrich Blast at will (CHA is casting ability).
- Matter Disruptor: May cast Disintigrate as a ritual, targeting inanimate objects only.
Powers of Evil
Evil adventurer-rank PCs have the following benefits:
Biomatic Enhancements: Through Medenweld experiments, one ability score increases by 2, as does your maximum for that score.
Supervillan Powers: Gain a Feat of your choice, and a Rare magic item. You are welcome to suggest modifications to magic items. Regardless, please clear them with me.
Shady Stockpiles: Evil PCs can take a free Long Rest between quests. Upgrading and Refreshing Medicine is free. Evil PCs do no use regular Rations. Instead, they may take up to 2 Short Rests per adventure.
Initiative
At the start of each round of combat, one PC and one monster roll initiative. The winner acts first, followed by the loser. Then, one of the remaining creatures on the winner’s side acts, followed by one of the loser’s. Turn order continues alternating until all creatures on one side have acted, after which all remaining creatures act. The round then ends, and the next round begins in the same way.
A creature may still only act once each round, however creatures do not need to act in the same order each round. As the time between turns is variable, all creatures regain their reactions at the start of the round rather than the start of their turn.
This replaces the normal rules for determining initiative order.
MVP
At the end of each session, the players may elect an MVP. The character gains a Moment of Awesome. This is a one-use bonus and cannot be stacked. Using a Moment of Awesome does not require an action. A player may spend a Moment of Awesome to reroll a dice after learning the results, or (subject to DM approval) add a helpful development to a scene or break a rule.
The Paladin
The Paladin is available on a highly experimental basis. I’m trying some weird stuff — be prepared for some revisions.
All Paladins must pick a faction as their Cause. This determines which Oath they can choose. A Paladin begins play with three points of favor with their cause. They cannot gain favor with other factions.
Paladins do not gain XP by the normal means. Instead, a Paladin’s level is equal to the number of points of favor they have with their Cause. Whenever they gain favor, they gain levels; whenever they lose favor, they lose levels. They are fueled by commitment to their Cause, so are weakened if they allow this fire to fade.
Permitted Causes and Oaths:
- Oath of Conquest, sworn to Sol Tarvek
- Oath of the Crown, sworn to Cain Cadowar
- Oath of Vengence, sworn to the Nightmare Reavers
- Oathbreaker, sworn to the Dark
Armour: All
Weapon: Simple, Martial, and Expert
Starting Gear:
- Novice Rations (2/2)
- Novice Torches (8/8)
- Novice Medicine (1/1)
- Either (a) any armour or (b) any light or medium armour and a sword or (c) any light armour and Novice Arrows (40/40)
- Either (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
- A symbol of their Cause (functions as a Holy Symbol)
- A Banner, or other tool if appropriate to their Cause
Effect Durations
All effects lasting 8-24 hours instead apply until your next long rest. All effects lasting at least 1 hour last until you take a short rest. All effects lasting at least 10 rounds last until the end of the room or encounter.
Death
The lack of clerics in this world means Resurrection magic — normally fairly easy to come by — is not available. To avoid removing a gameplay option that should be available, and in light of this discussion, I am introducing variant death rules. These options are optional — you do not need to use them, and can stick to normal death rules if you wish.
Variant Death Rules: When you would die, instead Face the Reaper.
Heroic Sacrifice: At the beginning of your turn, if you have 0hp but are not Critically Wounded, you may act normally. For the duration of your turn, you are Immune to all damage and conditions, and treat all d20 rolls as natural 20s. At the end of your turn, you Face the Reaper.
Face the Reaper: You have been critically injured. If you wish, die. Otherwise, gain the Critically Wounded condition.
Critically Wounded: While Critically Wounded, you are Unconscious. You cannot benefit from healing, and cannot gain XP. The condition cannot be removed except by taking a long rest. When this condition is removed, you are restored to full hit points, and are Severely Wounded.
Severely Wounded: While Severely Wounded, you suffer an additional condition chosen by the DM. This condition lasts until you finish a long rest.
Note that standard mercenary contracts entitle those Critically Wounded on a quest to a full share of treasure.
Factions (v2)
All PCs choose a Faction to support and, if necessary, a subfaction. PCs gain and lose favour with their faction as described in the relevant section. If a PC wishes to change subfaction, they take a -2 favour penalty. If changing faction, the penalty is -3.
At 3 favour, PCs gain a title and a boon. At 6 favour, they gain a new title, and the right to establish a stronghold. If they establish a stronghold, they gain a retainer who will aid them on adventures.
A PC with a stronghold can take an Extended Rests in place of a long rest. This costs 2 treasure, and also provides the benefits of a long rest.
To achieve something using their influence or position in a faction, a PC can make a Faction Check by rolling 1d20 and adding their current favour. In some cases, a title will suffice, and a check will not be needed.
Lawful Factions
Law-abiding adventurers earn a reputation as being stalwart. They must swear to a particular State (subfaction), which determines their titles.
Gain Favour by completing quests contracted by any lawful authority that do not disrupt your State.
Lose Favour by completing Crime quests.
| Feature | |
| Boon | The cost of long rests in the State to which you are sworn is reduced by 1. |
| Stronghold | Keep |
| Retainer | Subfaction-specific |
Criminal Syndicates
Criminal Syndicates support adventurers who speciallise in illegal activity. PCs must join a particular criminal syndicate (subfaction).
Gain Favour by completing Crime quests, or paying the syndicate treasure equal to your current favour.
Lose Favour by aiding lawful authorities in hunting syndicate criminals. Unaffiliated outlaws remain fair game.
| Feature | |
| Boon | When you take a long rest in syndicate territory, replenish one consumable. |
| Stronghold | Establishment |
| Retainer | Subfaction-specific |
Living Legend
Some heroes forge a name for themselves.
Gain Favour by completing a Hunt quest or performing a daring deed (subject to DM discretion).
Lose Favour by being reduced to 0hp by a monster weaker than a Pair.
| Feature | |
| Boon | Gain a Legendary Resistance. This is usable once per long rest. |
| Stronghold | Keep, Tower, or Establishment |
| Retainer | Any (same class as PC) |
The Dark
Some serve the Dark powers of the world.
Gain Favour by serving the Dark.
Lose Favour by repenting.
| Feature | |
| Boon | A potent magic item |
| Stronghold | Temple |
| Retainer | Necromancer or any Warlock |
Mercenary
Gain Favour by contributing to the defeat of a pair or solo monster (you do not need to land the killing blow), or completing a quest for or with the company.
Lose Favour by being reduced to 0hp.
| Feature | |
| Boon | TBC, subfaction-specific |
| Stronghold | Keep |
| Retainer | Reaver, Swordmaster, Warlord, Cavalier, or Justicar |
The Cabal
The Cabal is an organisation of Wizards. After completing an adventure where the wizard uncovers arcane mysteries, they may make an Intelligence(arcane) check with a DC of 10+current favour. On a success, they gain favour as their research impresses their peers. On a failure, your peers dismiss your work as uninsightful and you lose favour.
| Feature | |
| Boon | When you take a long rest, you may prepare spells that are not in your spellbook as if they were. The total level of spells you prepare in this way cannot exceed your current favour. |
| Stronghold | Tower |
| Retainer | Any wizard |
Notes of Schemes
All mechanics are currently being tested.
Factions (v1)
Factions are organisations a PC can join. A PC or group of PCs could also create their own Faction. By supporting them, a PC can gain favor with a faction. A PC can have favor total their level across all Factions, and may only gain benefits from one.
After reaching a certain level of favor with a Faction, bonuses are unlocked. At 3, 7, and 10 favor new titles and abilities become available. Additionally, with the first title comes a house bonus. With the second, a follower option becomes available. With the third, a leader ability is unlocked.
The known factions include:
- States:
- Dubh Varin
- Sol Tarvik
- Eglbrek
- Cain Cadowar
- The Draxiel Empire
- Sewik
- Criminal Syndicates:
- League of Whispers
- Mercenary Companies/Mage Guilds, etc.
- The Nightmare Reavers
- The Cabal
- Special:
- The Dark
Disfavor
Some activities can earn the wroth of certain Factions, earning Disfavor. Disfavor is counted desperately from favor. While in Disfavor, a PC cannot access the bonuses of a Faction. Each point of favor earned instead removes a point of disfavor.
While in disfavor, you may be pursued by bounty hunters who will try to arrest or assassinate you, depending on the angered faction. When taking a long rest in territory where the faction operates, you must complete an appropriate skill check (DC10+2x disfavor) to avoid detection. If detected, you will either be attacked by assassins while adventuring, or taken into custody at the end of the session, in which case you will remain imprisoned until a jail break is staged.