User:Dmilewski\4e Power Sources
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[edit] Summary
We can reasonably guess that WotC will work on the following power sources over the next 3-4 years:
- Martial (exploit)
- Arcane (spell)
- Divine (prayer)
- Psionic (power)
- Shadow
- Primal
- Ki
Knowing this, we can focus our development on other power sources.
This page is to help me think about power sources, and maybe to get YOU to develop some of these things further.
[edit] Possible Power Sources
- Luck/Fortune (breaks)
- Divine Heritage (favors)
- Technology (inventions)
- Hacking Magical Items/Devices (innovations)
- Ancestors (?)
- Elements (?)
- Totems (?)
[edit] Luck/Fortune
The Luck power source falls on those who just plain get lucky. The primary stat of Luck should be Charisma. Luck also applies to those who bring bad luck to their opponents.
Controller: Jinxer. Some folks have bad luck, and that bad luck rubs off.
Defender: Everyman. This is the guy off the street who winds up where he never expected.
Leader: Chosen One. This guy is favored above all others.
Striker: Gambler. This guy plays his cards for high payoff. Fate loves the fearless.
[edit] Divine Heritage
Those of divine heritage have divine powers by right of birth.
Controller: Child of the Ocean
Defender: Child of War
Leader: Child of the Sky
Striker: Child of Speed
[edit] Technology
Controller: Alchemist. You manipulate chemicals to control the battlefield.
Defender: Rigger. You invent items to help you in combat.
Leader: Naturalist. Your abilities and critical thinking help your team overcome obstacles.
Striker: Sharpshooter. You strike precisely with a high-powered projectile weapon.
[edit] Hacking
You have no powers by yourself, but you can grab powers out of other items, and can get more out of less magic.
Controller:
Defender:
Leader:
Striker:
[edit] Ancestors
Your ancestors aid and advise you.
Controller:
Defender:
Leader:
Striker:
[edit] Elemental
Your abilities are based on the elements themselves.
Controller:
Defender:
Leader:
Striker:
[edit] Totems
Your abilities are based on the animal spirits that give you power.
Controller: Wolf Totem
Defender: Bear Totem
Leader: Eagle Totem
Striker: Tiger Totem
[edit] Living Elements
I am working on a 4e concept for living elements. The concept comes from the first Wikiworld novella. The original intent was that living elements would be power sources. As I have developed the work, that modeling has broken down. Instead, living elements are best described as racial abilities.
When 4th is published, and the damage types enumerated, this table will change.
The Elements are:
- Living Air (feather, silk, gossamer, cloud, chitin, dragonscale) (SONIC)
- Living Animal (leather, hide, bone, ivory, hair, fur) (ACID)
- Living Darkness (fungi) (DARK?)
- Living Earth (pottery, ceramic, glaze, dirt, sand) (ELECTRICITY)
- Living Fire (ash, flame, rubies, items born of fire, solidified fire) (FIRE)
- Living Light (plant, clear gems) (LIGHT)
- Living Water (shell, pearl, mother-of-pearl, coral, opal, ice) (COLD)
These elements by themselves are static. They have no special essence. It is when they are mixed interactively with other elements and living things that these elements appear. This makes describing a living element very difficult, as the possible way for each element to appear can differ dramatically. The elements themselves overlap, as physical items usually contain multiple elements
Living elements pose a game to your players: what is a living element and what are the associations? When a character adopts living elements, it is up to the player how that should appear for the character.
Any character may be born to a living element, or acquire a living element as the result of a ritual. For example, a dryad is born of living plant, while a paladin has "light" written into the character class.
Each elements brings its spirit with it. What are the characteristic of earth that appear in your characters? How is this expressed in personality?
[edit] Living Elements in 3e
- Acquire "Living Element" as a feat.
- Feat allows the character to create items and magic items approrpiate to his element.
- Character pays no XP cost for creating item.
- Character only pays full market value in gold to create item.
[edit] Living Elements in 4e
- Living Elements is a plot device which gives direction to the items that the character creates.
- The items created from the elements make equipment necessary to the character's class. Do not penalize you player for picking fun fluff.
- The character know how to place elemental effects on his equipment. He does not need to research how to place "cold" on his items.
- The character may use feats to choose powers and abilities from other classes that fit the elemental theme of the character.
- Once the 4e rules are published, mechanical effects may be added.
