Feat suggestions for the colony ship game

[Elhoim]

But their rules are at x2. ie I doubt enemies have 2 points in pistols early or something

Well, you are wrong. The stats of the looters, the first "hard" fight in the demo:

The lone fighters have a bit more attack (4-5), but no defensive skills, and the 3 melee guys nothing.

The higher I went with attack skills was 8. Weapon skills are 4.65 on average, evasion is 4.35 on average. Critical skill is 1 for practical all enemies (only 6 have some extra points: 2,2,3,3,4,5). They have the same amount of feats as you do, even less sometimes, and I didn't give them heroic feats yet.

If anything, the players stats are always higher than the enemy ones.

maybe better designed levels and more long range engagements would help to break the pacing, but if every fight in the real game would be 3 steps away from enemy, it would become boring quick. AoD With Guns is not enough to give an actual fresh tomato rpg experience imo, and definitely doesn't have much on classical tactical rpgs. (i am not expecting silent storm but, at least add more different tetris crates to run around.)

City engagements will be pretty close (fights inside buildings many times), while exploration ones will be way more open (and we are planning on using sneak to be able to position your characters before combat starts).

Increase THC and crit chance of aimed attacks, maybe?

It increases aim already, not stagger. I think you are mixing them up a bit, like using an old list (shotgun does stagger, not knockdown).

Also, why is this in Ranged feat category, instead of Ranged Weapon Specialization?

Because here there are the ones that modify weapon skills, and there's no more energy skills, they belong to all weapon categories (there will be energy SMGs and shotguns).

 

[Shadenuat]

what about the attributes?

maybe I don't understand the rolls (or it is me playing pathfinder kingmaker RNG), but shots enemies make through smoke into cover are pretty impressive most of the time.

 

[Elhoim]

what about the attributes?

The same amount of points as the player, INT or CHA is 4/5/6, very rarely used 10 (3-5 times at most in each stat). They are combat built, but not extreme min-max.

maybe I don't understand the rolls (or it is me playing pathfinder kingmaker RNG), but shots enemies make through smoke into cover are pretty impressive most of the time.

Thermal vision counters smoke, so they might not be affected by it. Cover is 25 for low, 35 for high.

 

[Black Angel]

Well, the problem is that they are making the combat system a battle of attrition. So while the description of each feat may seem boring, they add to devastating effect with the proper build and progression. If you change too much, the whole thing will break.

Others already said and demonstrated it, but I'm fairly sure it's possible to obliterate someone or two in the first turn or so, provided you get to move first and has enough firepower to do it.

Increase THC and crit chance of aimed attacks, maybe?

It increases aim already, not stagger. I think you are mixing them up a bit, like using an old list (shotgun does stagger, not knockdown).

You're right.

 

[Darth Canoli]

Just remember not to call it Easy Mode and don't call the feat "beginner's luck," otherwise the simpletons won't choose those because it would damage their ego, but they will still insist on saying the game is being unfair as they play the clearly harder modes.

Come on now! I worked hard to find an alternative non offensive name (like 20 seconds or something), my first draft was "weakling" but it didn't make sense as a bonus ...

I agree though, steamtards ego shouldn't be messed with, let's give them an extra achievement for completing the game on that difficulty.
Something like "Special" Forces ...

 

[jackofshadows]

Critical skill is 1 for practical all enemies (only 6 have some extra points: 2,2,3,3,4,5).

Huh, that means tough bastard way less viable in the demo than I thought.

 

[Shadenuat]

various weapons have inbult crit (like shotguns), bursts roll crits in volleys, so no it's viable, especially for companions early. and feats crit too (more so than what skill can give you early).

save poor Billy.

 

[jackofshadows]

Sure it's viable, even 10 hp is a huge bonus by itself but I honestly thought emenies has more crit potential (maybe it's because I played in light adjusted mode a lot).

 

[Elhoim]

Huh, that means tough bastard way less viable in the demo than I thought.

As Shadenuat pointed out, attacks and weapons have built in CS. All aimed attacks have 5/10/15 CS bonus, many weapons have 5/10. Each skill level gives 1% more, so it's not that much, unless you have the CS feat.

 

[Darth Canoli]

After playing the demo, it's hard to suggest any new feat because i'm far from mastering the system yet and i didn't play extensively with all weapons.

Still, seems to me some feats are a bit weaker.

• Sarge : weak version of Captain, could sure use a boost, why not adding +1 companion ? (there's still a huge bonus difference)
• Gifted : +1 Stat feels quite weak, why not +2 ? Or 1+ stat and +2 skill points ?

Also, what about a barter skill ?
It could evolve (slowly) for each 100 (200? 300?) creds spent (and not when you sell loot).

And what about a slight boost for Charisma and Intelligence ?
Of course this is the combat demo but they really feel like dump stats.

What about

• Charisma, for each point above 4 : +2% learning rate for companions & +2/3 % discount.
• Intelligence, for each point above 4 : +1 initiative, able to save up to 6 (for 10 INT) unused AP for next turn

 

[The Great ThunThun*]

Feats should represent something a trained character can do, not magical Deus ex machinae. With that in mind, I'd suggest something of the sort that is hard to pull off without practice and heavy training. To represent the training put a relevant requirement on skill. You know, a feat. Additionally, I think feat chains are a great idea to represent specialization. As an example of a"gunslinger build":

1. Rapid reload: You can swiftly reload your weapon. Reduced AP cost.
2. Richochet: Ignore cover to do half damage. Requires gun skill at a certain level.
3. Run and Gun: if you move and attack, your defence to ranged attack is higher and remove penalty to Aim. (This implies there is a penalty to hit if you move before attacking)
4. Ranged disarm: The pinnacle skill which forces the opponent to make a check or drop currently equipped melee weapon. Requires gun skill at a certain level.
5. Han shot first: Get an initiative bonus which if you win and successfully hit causes a critical hit. Requires gun skill at a certain level.

 

[Trash Player]

• Sarge : weak version of Captain, could sure use a boost, why not adding +1 companion ? (there's still a huge bonus difference)
• Gifted : +1 Stat feels quite weak, why not +2 ? Or 1+ stat and +2 skill points ?

Sarge can be picked up by 8 Charisma character. Gifted is just a spoilery minmax option for the main game.

Also, what about a barter skill ?
It could evolve (slowly) for each 100 (200? 300?) creds spent (and not when you sell loot).

Redundant with Master Trader, and introduce pointless breakpoint management.
The Int proposal is nice though. Maybe take 5 initiative from each Dex point?

 

[Darth Canoli]

Sarge is a bit redundant anyway, it could use a different set of bonuses like
+ 5 initiative
+ 5 evade
+ 2/3 AP
For every party member but the main character.

Having a sergeant barking orders makes the team more alert and eager.

 

[thesecret1]

Toxic: can emit poisonous gas in a 1 tile area around himself. How poisonous depends on what he ate before the fight.

 

[Deleted Member 22431]

Ranged specialization

Desperado
You can do reaction attacks with two pistols at the same time.

The requirements should involve 10 Dex, 10 Per and some decent level in pistols. The downside of this perk is that you need two pistols in your slots and no melee weapon if things backfire.

 

[Deleted Member 22431]

Meele specialization

Savage
For each reaction attack, you get another one.

If you think this is too overpowered, you replace this feat with this:

Each reaction attack does critical damage.

 

[Black Angel]

Meele specialization

Savage
For each reaction attack, you get another one.

If you think this is too overpowered, you could add this:

Each reaction attack does critical damage.

Making both reaction attack critically damage would make overoverpowered, no? I thought making the second reaction attack deal 50% less damage or so.

 

[Deleted Member 22431]

Making both reaction attack critically damage would make overoverpowered, no? I thought making the second reaction attack deal 50% less damage or so.

You could add a critical strike requirement for this feat, so it would make more sense.

 

[Darth Canoli]

Savage
For each reaction attack, you get another one.

If you think this is too overpowered, you replace this feat with this:

Each reaction attack does critical damage.

I was thinking about suggesting the same thing but didn't because it'd be overpowered.

Maybe the feat could reset the reaction fire this turn along with a debuff until your next turn (THC -10, Reaction -10), possibly just for the weapon used and only once per turn.

Billy the Kid (feat)

Shots twice with the same weapon when reaction fire is triggered, second shot with a THC -35 malus.

 

[Deleted Member 22431]

I was thinking about suggesting the same thing but didn't because it'd be overpowered.

But every good feat in this game is "overpowered". Wouldn't agree that fast runner is overpowered? How about warrior or gladiator? Good feats are practically inevitable for a decent build.

Maybe the feat could reset the reaction fire this turn along with a debuff until your next turn (THC -10, Reaction -10), possibly just for the weapon used and only once per turn.

Nobody would want to invest in this feat. You have plenty of good options that provide an opportunity cost.

 

[Deleted Member 22431]

Cheapskate

At the end of each turn, every point of unspent AP is saved on a pool instead of being added to your reaction chance. When the player activates this ability (2 AP), he receives every saved AP until the end of the turn.


Magnet

Your presence makes every enemy engaged in melee status and thus they can’t have reaction shots against your party members, and they will also lose cover.

This feat should require some melee and charisma points.


Slippery

Your character is never engaged in melee status. This will prevent him from losing cover and reaction attacks against other enemies.

This feat should require high Dex.


Dropper

You can predetermine the type of attack in your reaction attacks. This choice cannot be made during an encounter.

This could require high INT and high DEX.

 

[Black Angel]

Magnet

Your presence makes every enemy engaged in melee status and thus they can’t have reaction shots against your party members, and they will also lose cover.

This feat should require some melee and charisma points.

The idea is nice, but I think it should require having 4 CHA instead, and also high CON. Like, "Yer so ugly, I wan to punch ya in the face!" thingy. And because of that, the better naming would be Punching Bag.

But then it loses its purpose of drawing attention away from party members because of 4 CHA, so I don't know.

 

[Deleted Member 22431]

The idea is nice, but I think it should require having 4 CHA instead, and also high CON. Like, "Yer so ugly, I wan to punch ya in the face!" thingy. And because of that, the better naming would be Punching Bag.

But then it loses its purpose of drawing attention away from party members because of 4 CHA, so I don't know.

You want a high charisma requirement because you want to protect your party with this feat.

You should have a high charisma because that draws everybody's attention and makes you noticeable. You have presence.

You should also have a high melee skill because nobody would be in an engaged mode as if you were a threat otherwise.

 

[Noddy]

Really like the cha system in this lads but it could definantly do with some more options.

Think my main complaint would be the weapon skill feats. Pretty much forces every weapon onto a specific path.
Think it could work better with something like a generic 'weapon specialisation' feat that gives +2 accuracy per skill level and then splitting the others bonuses into general/ranged/melee feats.
So you could have a feat that doubled weapon maim chance that is very obviously for hammers, but beacause it's now just a melee feat you could try to make a staggering knife build work. It'd be retarded but i'm very much in favour of being given the option to be retarded.
You get what i mean though? It just open up options and the more options the more thinking i do and the more thinking i do the happier i am when i find something that works.

In term of extra feats there's still a shit ton of stuff that hasn't been played with if you wanted it:

Range(+ extra range/+ crit for each tile away someone is/+ stagger for point plank shots)
Stacking Buffs(+ dam for each hit this round/+dr for each debuff you have/+crit for each debuff oppenent has)
Debuff resists(AP loss turns to movement/can only be maimed on crit/Delayed comedown on drugs)

Just pulling these out my ass. Point is it's a cool system and because of that there's options to fuck with and hope you do a bit.

Other shit in this thread:
Massively against high stat gating on feats. 6,7,8 is the perfect level for this kind of stuff. Makes you think and plan without forcing an entire build around something.
Also against high skill gates. Seems like lazy Sawyer tier balancing of a characters power progression.

Savage
For each reaction attack, you get another one.

This this would turn melee vs melee fights into end turn button fests. Interrupting movement might work.

 

[Deleted Member 22431]

Massively against high stat gating on feats. 6,7,8 is the perfect level for this kind of stuff. Makes you think and plan without forcing an entire build around something.
Also against high skill gates. Seems like lazy Sawyer tier balancing of a characters power progression.

Feats in this game make a big difference in the outcome of battles and they are special attributes that only few people should have. It has been like this since FO and there is no good reason to think any different. If you allow players to pick the best feats early on for whatever reason, the battles will become too easy.

This this would turn melee vs melee fights into end turn button fests. Interrupting movement might work.

Or it would make them more brutal and faster, as it should. You also need an enemy with such feat to have the intended effect.