So, while I’m still editing, I’m also kicking around the various careers for Far Beyond Humanity. Looking for inspiration to fill out my career skills. So far I have the Devoted (faith ritual magic), the Zealot (faith might), the Occult (mystic transformation) and the Arcane (evocation and summoning).
Any particular iconic spells or powers you would expect, or would like to see in some form? Any notable supernatural powers from popular media?
(Additional caveat: nothing overtly telepathic or telekinetic, those belong in their own respective careers)
Far Beyond Humanity? What is that?
Oh, right, sorry! Far Beyond Humanity is one of the unlocked Stretch Goals for Uncharted Worlds; a supplement that introduces magic, faith and psionics as careers, and alien*, robotic and mutant origins. (It’ll also be available for purchase as a supplement after the main book goes up for sale)
*By “alien” I of course mean something other than humans with chromatic skin and/or strange foreheads. Think the Slugs from FTL, Hanar from Mass Effect or the Goa’uld from Stargate.
Oh yes.
I’ll take that.
I feel like there’s something in between Occult and Arcane that I can’t think of. The sort of thing where you open a portal for a dark dimension for power. Event Horizon comes to mind, but that’s not exactly what I’m thinking of.
Not sure if this is what you’re looking for or not.
Justin Phillips Absolutely not. You’ll especially not be able to take the “Relic Weapon (Class 3 melee weapon, sign of your order)” from Zealot and “Telekinesis (use your Physique at a distance)” from Kinetic to make such a character.
Aaron Griffin I think I might have a spot for that.
There’s the extremely charismatic Missionary types that people can’t help but believe. This could be covered under Devoted and Zealot, or be a separate career.
Will this be available to non-backers?
Martin Løchsen Absolutely. Once the PDF is published, it’ll be available for purchase just like the main rules.
Cool. I just discovered your project, and it’s already got me super excited. Been looking for a good space rpg for a long time, and this seems to be just it. Reading about this addon you’re working on just added a level or two to that excitement. Will most certainly buy both the main rules and this as soon as they are available. Really great stuff!
Awesome, Martin Løchsen! Thanks for the support. If you haven’t already, feel free to check out the preview/draft chapters for the basic game in the preview folder (should be on the right side in the “G+ Community Links”).
So for the careers I have the following so far, thematically. I have mechanics for most, but I tend to look for concepts first (top down design kind a thing)
Arcane:
– Teleport
– Summon
– Evoke
– Glamour
– TBD
Occult:
– Necromancy
– Transmute
– Animate
– TBD
– TBD
Devoted:
– Pact
– Lay On Hands
– Ritual
– Prophecy
– TBD
Fanatic:
– Relic Weapon
– Bravery
– Anoint
– Terrify
– TBD
Yes, I did check those out. That’s why I’m excited. You’ve done some great work. Really inspiring stuff.
A charisma power (e.g. “Believe me, for I speak the word of god.”) for the Devoted?
Michael D: A good idea! I do indeed have a spot for The Voice, but at the moment mental domination has been relegated to the Telepath career. Since an archetype is two careers, one could easily make a Devoted Telepath as a mesmeric preacher.
Did you consider some kind of techno-magic career, that could do stuff like jamming a blaster, divining the code of an electronic locks and make use of techno-magical equipment that needs arcane power to run, or some such? Can’t think of any references for this kind of character off the top of my head, but I believe it’s covered in some sci fi rpgs at least. Shadowrun perhaps? Just a thought
Oh. Yes I had considered a “Technomage” career, but jamming stuff at range is a fantastic idea. I’ll look into some Shadowrun stuff for more inspiration. Thanks!
In RIFTS, there’s an ability that lets you know everything about some device through psionics. Complete schematics etc. The tech-wizard also has speed reading and total recall, being able to remember stuff exactly. Makes me think og the Mentats from Dune a bit. I was also thinking of effects like scrambling scanners and the like. Being invisible to cameras?
I was also thinking abot being able to control computers, and thus also the machines controlled by them; automated defences, mechs, SPACESHIPS etc. That last one may be a tad OP, but you’re the game designer. 😉 You probably have most of these considered, but I thought it best to just throw out everything that came to mind. Just in case. Cheers.
Thanks, man, much appreciated. And yeah, a lot of those really fit into the whole technomancer archetype. Now the fun part is coming up with mechanics to simulate those ideas (and yeah, controlling whole spaceships is a no-no, BUT I might have an elegant solution for the rest)
I say that we almost need to wait for this Far Beyond Humanity to start to play/tinker with UW. It’s a quite core section of almost any SF show, game, etc.
Andrea Parducci , I’m not sure I agree. Firefly got by without magic/psionics or alien creatures. Heck, aside from one very obviously GM-NPC, even Babylon 5 is humans and humans-with-weird-foreheads. As far as xenosapiens go, they would follow the same rules as a human. Far Beyond Humanity covers more unusual alien creatures, like parasites, symbiotes, tenticular creatures, non-carbon-based life forms, etc.
I understand your point, of course, however more than the “alien” part, it’s the “paranormal/PSI/power”etc. part the most important. Even in a “pure human” show, often you’ll find enhanced/mutated genetics charaters (ie. River in Firefly).
Also, the Asari are simply blue immortal girls that can couple with every species, so mostly human with a nice description attached, but we need the whole Biotic part (psi, telekinetic etc.) to start to have fun with them.
So, I stay on my first post… I absolutely need that book, Sean! 😀
She had a bit of precognition (a couple of seconds ahead), but nothing that would be a proper Skill in UW.
Also, mind/emotion reading, if I remember correctly. Finally, enhanced as “perfect” killer, but this part is a simple good skill, not superhuman, while her agility and strength are really good: she stay hidden on the ceiling, outtake Jayne etc. Lot of her came out in Serenity movie, and some extra clip around.
The mind/emotion reading was a ruse, I believe, because she was in the bad-guy’s ship and just making inferences by the random crap he had lying around, a la Usual Suspects.
😀 we are going quite OT about that… I had a blast, re-watching just now some random youtube video about the serie! In a scene there was River bound to a log, ready to be burned alive. I remembered that in that episode, River read a child’s mind; she told the story of the child, while the child was actually mute from the shock. I think she never really chatted with the child, she really had a mind reading.
Oh dang you’re right. That’s right before the Big Damn Heroes quote I quoted in chapter 07