Improvise Feats

[ludomastro]

I've had some steampunk ideas knocking around in my head since January.  I think I'm close to a ready for a campaign but still want to have some gadget goodness.  However, that project is on the back burner for a bit.  I feel that I can introduce the rules as I go without adversely affecting the game; however, I want something that will tweak Crafting.  I love the flavor of crafting but would like to allow more improvising.

Seeing that I'm a fan of both MacGyver and Arcanum,  I want a better fit between the rules and what's in my head.  To that end, I have been tinkering with a feat chain that would allow more in-game improvization.

Please kick the tires and let me know where I'm off.  This is the first draft but comes close to what I want.

Improvisation Basics
For whatever reason, you have a knack for knocking together complicated items with what's on hand.

The complexity of items that you can improvise increase by the number of gear feats you have.  You are still limited to items with a complexity of "D."

Example: While you are normally limited to items with a complexity of 7D, if you have two gear feats, you instead can improvise items with a complexity of up to 9D.


Improvisation Mastery
Your improvised creations work almost as well as the real deal.

Items of "D" complexity you improvise do not automatically break when they are damaged.  Instead they break after a single failed damage roll.

Additionally, the error range of "D" complexity items you improvise is only increased by one instead of the normal two.


Improvisation Supremacy
Things you create on the fly are often mistaken for quality craftsmanship.

Once per adventure a "D" complexity item you improvise lasts until the end of the adventure and is treated as a normal item for the purposes of damage saves.

Additionally, you make take a -10 penalty to your Crafting roll to attempt to improvise an item with a "W" complexity.

EDITED per Morgenstern's suggestion.

[Morgenstern]

There's a little to be done with editing/format, but the mechanics there are quite slick. More love for gear feat that count how many gear feats you have . I think rather than cost an action die, the supremacy ability might be better as a flat once per andventure. No cost, but also only one 'temp' item floating around at a time.

[ludomastro]

There's a little to be done with editing/format, but the mechanics there are quite slick. More love for gear feat that count how many gear feats you have . I think rather than cost an action die, the supremacy ability might be better as a flat once per andventure. No cost, but also only one 'temp' item floating around at a time.

I agree the formatting/editing could use some help; however, I was tired when I wrote it.  Now that I'm more or less awake, I'm not sure how to fix it without adding a ton of words.

Suggestions are welcome.

Fixed the Supremacy feat per your suggestion.

[Big_Jim]

Gear Feats

Improvisation Basics
For whatever reason, you have a knack for knocking together complicated items with what's on hand.
Benefits: The maximum complexity of items that you can improvise is now 7D + the number of gear feats you have.
Example: With two gear feats, you can improvise items with a complexity of up to 9D.

Improvisation Mastery
Your improvised creations work almost as well as the real deal.
Prerequisites: Improvisation Basics
Benefits: Items of D complexity code you improvise do not automatically break when they are damaged. Instead they break after a single failed damage save. Also, the error range of D complexity code items you improvise is increased by one instead of the normal two.

Improvisation Supremacy
Things you create on the fly are often mistaken for quality craftsmanship.
Prerequisites: Improvisation Mastery
Benefits: Once per adventure a D complexity code item you improvise lasts until the end of the adventure and is treated as a normal item for the purposes of damage saves. Also, when making an Improvise check you may take a -10 penalty to your Crafting roll to attempt to improvise an item with a W complexity code. The maximum complexity of this item is 7W + the number of gear feats you have.

Edit: fixed the 7W+gear wording on Supremacy.

[ludomastro]

Big_Jim,

Thanks for the formatting help there.  The intent is to allow a maximum complexity of 7W + gear feats.  After all, they are taking a -10 to the roll.

[Big_Jim]

Fixed. Would it break the chain to have the supremacy W code stuff benefit from the mastery error reduction?
Something akin to:

Improvisation Mastery
Your improvised creations work almost as well as the real deal.
Prerequisites: Improvisation Basics
Benefits: Items you improvise do not automatically break when they are damaged. Instead they break after a single failed damage save. Also, the error range of items you improvise is increased by one instead of the normal two.

[ludomastro]

Not sure that it would break it but it might be going a little far.  Have to give that some thought.

[ludomastro]

Should have an opportunity to playtest this soon.  Will provide feedback.

[Agent 333]

Just a suggestion: Make the W checks take a minute (D checks take a round ) to do and maybe lower the penalty a bit, making it take longer but work more often.

[ludomastro]

I'll think about it.  At present, no one has taken any of these.