Hello everyone, I hope you're enjoying Sabre! This month is probably the last chance I'll have at a big update as my other committments are pulling me away from further development. I'm about to start a steampunk campaign so I've had a chance to go over the system and make some improvements (many of them suggested by other players), so let's get down to it.
Backgrounds
Background events recently received a big overhaul, and I've added a couple more options here. These are so good now that I've gone through and tweaked the balance of many backgrounds to compensate for the cool stuff you can get from background events. There's also some improvements to the abilities you get from Contacts, some of which were awesome and some which were not. Now they're all great!
2%
Many of the bonuses you'd get from abilities such as manoevures or talents would entail gaining +5% to a skill result, but in practice, this can add up to some crazy numbers. So I've pared back most of these bonuses were appropriate (mostly from talents) to 2% increments. To make up for this, most of those talents now only need to be taken once, and the bonus automatically increases as your skill goes up. I find the smaller increments to work in more subtle ways, and if you're using the scifi system you'll notice this effect a lot more.
Herbalism and Medicine
I needed to add some period-specific medicines for industrial era campaigns, so I reworked the medicine, narcotic and herbalism system accordingly. It's now more balanced and comprehensive, and covers medicines throughout the ages, from low-tech to high-tech. Narcotics are handled better too, with more powerful options usually with a hefty cost if you get addicted! (remember kids, winners don't use drugs). Fantasy players only get the herbalism stuff of course, but there's some more options available here for strength and healing.
Spaaaaace
The other campaign I'm running is heavily starship-oriented, so naturally there's a lot of tweaks for this end of the system. There were too many attacks available for gunners, sentry drones etc, so things have been tamped down a bit. It's running a lot smoother so I think you'll enjoy the changes. Anyway, that's all I have time for this month, future tweaks will most likely be very minor! Peace.
v1.03 Scifi System
* Removed the brawn bonus from cybernetic arms.
* Starship hulls require 10 hours per hull part to build, reduced further by garage tools and toolkits. Only 1 garage tool is required to get started on construction.
* Vehicles and robots with pocket reactors that allow the recovery of fuel or spirit points use 1 charge of the reactor for every unit of fuel or spirit regained during the 8 hour rest period.
* Honed reflexes now grants its bonus to all types of evade skill checks.
Medicine/Herbalism overhaul
* Stipulated that the Diseased condition typically lasts for 7 days.
Herbalism:
* Lowered the cost of a glass vial to 5cr.
* A critical success on searching for herbs now yields double the normal result.
* 'Kahve' is now used in Spirit tonics.
* Added 'Coca' to the herbalism table, used for energy-related treatments, replaces 'Liquorice Root'.
* Added 'Passion Flower' to the herbalism table, used in sedatives.
* Added 'Tribulus' to the herbalism table, used in strength formulas.
* Added 'Relaxation Tonic' and 'Strength Tonic'.
* 'Pain Relief Tonic' now grants immunity from in pain condition and +1 natural AP.
* 'Energy Tonic' now uses Coca herb, ignores 1 fatigue level and gives +2% to all opposed skill check results for 1 hour.
* 'Universal Tonic' now uses Passion Flower instead of Liquorice Root.
* 'Anti-Bacterial Tonic' now reduces the duration of illness from 7 days to 5.
* Adjusted prices of herbal tonics to factors of 10 (to include coverage of profit margin etc).
Medicines:
* Added 'Syringe' to the modern tools table.
* A critical success on creating medicine now simply increases results by +1.
* Removed the addiction chance of regular medicines - only narcotics have this chance now.
* 'Firm Resolve' talent now lowers addiction chance to 5% at 90% Resolve skill, and removes it completely at 99% skill.
* Removed 'Regen Stim'.
* 'Anti-Rads' are now high-tech.
* Medicines now operate in similar but increasingly effective ways through the eras in Sedatives, Healing and Antibacterial.
* Narcotics now operate in similar but increasingly effective ways through the eras in Pain Killers, Spirit Restoration, Stimulants and Strength.
* Added 'Occult Scion' industrial era backgrond to replace 'Lab Experiment'.
* Modified the android and automaton backgrounds to note that computers and robotics skills are replaced in the Industrial Era.
* Repair Bots nanomed now only repairs 1d6+1 per use.
* Some ship systems now have varying components and build time based on the hull size.
* Added 'Thrusters' core ship system.
* Adjusted weapon masterwork bonus to be +2%.
* Medium drones can use 2 slot weapons, and large drones can use 3 slot weapons.
* 'Mechanical Aptitute', 'Design Sense', 'Grain of Truth' and 'Subtle Threat' talents have been adjusted with the new +2% system.
* Clarified that starship armour plating upgrades made from exotic materials add that AP bonus to each side.
* 'Missile Precision' talent is now called 'Missile Power' as it was conflicting with a starship upgrade.
* Added Telemetry Station actions and reactions to the relevant section under Starships.
* Added 'Afterburner' action for starship drones, removing the manoeuvre of the same name.
* Removed 'Inspire Crew' and 'Stay Alert' starship command actions.
* Added 'Double Time' starship command action.
* Added 'Decisive Command' starship command reaction.
* Added 'Concentrate Fire' starship command action.
* Removed 'Lock Target' option from starship command actions.
* Masers are now blockable by shields.
* 'Laser Attunement' starship talent now also applies to masers.
* Added space for 'Perforate AP' lines to the starship defence sheet.
* Added a space for cloaking device details to the starship defence sheet.
* Added space for noting console AP on each sheet.
* Added 'Activate Cloak' action for the starship defence sheet.
* Added more space for ship upgrades on the engineering sheet.
* Doubled the cost of buying pre-made nanomeds in the Services section.
* Removed the skill % requirement column from powered armour upgrades.
* Added 'Multi-Grenade Launcher' modern longarm weapon.
* Reactor upgrades add 100kw per upgrade instead of 200kw.
* Increased the cost and reduced the power of Demolex.
* Clarified the Tactical Surprise starship talent allows you to get the damage bonus on the same round as attacking on stealth, provided you quick lock or someone else gets a target lock for you.
* Revised the result bonuses from all abilities across the board. Instead of increments of +5%, they are now +2%.
* Removed 'Combat Mastery' talent.
* 'Combat Expertise' talent now grants +2% to a combat skill and automatically increases this bonus to +4% at 90% skill, and +6% at 99% skill.
* 'Ranged Defender', 'Honed Reflexes', 'Acrobatic Attack', 'Acrobatic Dodge', 'Fencer', 'Shield Bash', 'Commodities', 'Firm Resolve', 'Haggler', 'Organic Systems', 'Sharp Eyes', 'Robust Health', 'Stealthy', 'Hidden Power', 'Commanding Presence', 'Signature Damping', 'Shield Expert' talents now give automatic incremental bonuses as skill increases instead of needing to take the talent multiple times. This offsets the lower overall bonus.
* 'Missile Precision' talent has its bonus changed to +5 damage.
* 'Compensator', 'Laser Sight', 'Power Assist' weapon mods and 'Laser Pointer' and 'AR Visor' devices now have a +2% bonus instead of +5%.
* Clarfied that 'Guidance System' weapon mod only provides its bonus when a round is taken to lock the target properly (yes, even on starships).
* Reduced 'Shield Push' manoeuvre bonus to +2% per shield size.
* Adjusted bonus for 'Boost Defence', 'Reduce Signature', 'Power Shunt', 'Focus Targeting', 'Barrel Roll', 'Defensive Roll' starship manoeuvres.
* 'Empower Weapon' manoeuvre now grants +1 damage per point of cap instead of +2.
* Lowered bonus to 2% for 'Psychic Aegis', 'Rebellious Spirit'
* Lowered the additional penalty for 'Sap Morale' and 'Taunt' to -5%.
* Added costs for buying and implanting cybernetics to the Services section. Linked it from the Cybnernetics section.
* Radiation suits now have a listed duration time for their air supply.
* 'Strong Back' talent now simply lets you wear heavier backpacks, moved its bonus complete over to the backpacks.
* Added 'Reckless Driving' and 'Reckless Flying' manoeuvres.
* Added details on how to make Hull Parts to the Industrial Fabricator.
* Added 'Cybernetic Hybrid' android background.
* Lasers now blind their target on a critical hit for 1 round only.
* The 'Burn' trait now also lets the weapon ignore cover penalties.
* Flamethrowers have gained the 'Burn' trait.
* Revised the Vehicle Condition table and effects. Now links to Hit Points directly. Androids and Robots/Automatons are no longer subject to this table.
* Added a separate Starship Condition table.
* Vehicle and starship turrets no longer have more space inside than out.
* Added Weapon Turret (HD) to vehicle & starship upgrades.
* Officer Academy can choose a political contact.
* Pleasure Droid can choose any contact.
* Monastery Orphan loses its Military contact option.
* Landowner can choose any contact.
* Informant correctly has 4 background events.
* Apprentice Mechanic loses Military contact option in favour of Craft.
* Street Urchin and Student can now also choose an Ecclesiastical contact.
* Adjusted the bonus for some Contacts (which were a bit lacking).
Political+1 Luck Point
Criminal +1 Reaction
Academic+1 Accolade at the end of each game session.
MercantileGet 10% more for things you sell (1/2 price + 10%)
Craft10% discount on materials also extends to invention components.
Nomadic +1 to Movement AND Hit Points.
* Commerce contacts will now also give you the Commerce skill if you don't have it.
* Added 'Clever' background event (gain 2 free manoeuvres).
* Adjusted some backgrounds for better balance (due to background events being more powerful and desireable now):
Street UrchinLoses Resolve, gains Locale
PerformerLoses EC on Acrobatics, +1 event
Art School+1 event
Brothel Orphan+2 events, loses Resolve gains Influence
Con Artist+100cr
Shop Assistant+1 event
Informant+2 events
Cat Burglar+1 event, criminal OR mercantile contact, not both
LabourerGains Mercantile contact option, +100cr
Pub Worker+1 event
Police Cadet+1 event
StudentAcademic contact instead of mercantile
Scavenger+1 event, loses Endurance, gains Insight
Space NomadSpaceship OR +2 background events.
Stranded Alien+1 event
Trader-1 event
Crafter’s Apprentice+200cr
Inheritor+1 event
Psi AcademyLoses Ecclesiastical contact option
Science InstituteMoney increased to 750
* Added 'Fire Everything' gunner manoeuvre at 99%.
* The range of all leadership manoevures is now 5 metres.
* The 'Decisive Leadership' talent now also doubles the range of leadership manoevures.
* Added 'Forced March' leadership manoevure.
* Added 'Never Surrender' leadership manoevure.
* 'Rallying Cry' leadership manoevure is now at 90%.
* 'Assault Formation' and 'Defensive Formation' leadership manoevures now last 1 round.
* 'Sawtooth Edge', 'Spikes', 'Stabilised' and 'Armour Piercing' low-tech weapon mods can be applied to low-tech thrown weapons.
* Added 'Proximity Trigger' grenade modification.
* 'Balanced' weapon mod can be applied to modern era thrown weapons.
* 'Disruptor Field' high-tech weapon mod can now be applied to high-tech thrown weapons, and simplified its bonus to add the 'Disrupt' trait, reduced time to implement this mod.
* 'Remove Safeties' mod can be applied to thrown weapons, and now deals damage in a 2 metre radius and damages the weapon for 1d6 AP.
* Added 'Maximum Firepower' gunner manoeuvre.
* 'Barrage' gunner manoeuvre now requires only 70% skill.
* 'Empower Weapon' gunner manoeuvre now has no minimum skill requirement.
* Added 'Overload Reactor' engineer manoeuvre.
* 'Power Shunt' and 'Reduce Signature' engineer manoeuvres have no minimum skill requirement and can be increased with addtional capacitor spent.
* 'Convert Fuel' engineer manoeuvre now requires only 70% skill to take.
* Removed EMP Grenades. Shock Grenades now have the 'Disrupt' trait.
* Stun Grenades now deal collision damage.
* Demolex is now 5 ENC
* 'Officer Academy' background has been tweaked.
* Added a result table for when creating cybernetics.
* Clarified that installing or removing each cybernetic component requires a separate operation.
* Micro-Missiles now correctly have 0 ENC.
* The Augmented Torso now provides +4 Spirit instead of +2.
* The Augmented Skull now prevents the use of psi powers.
* Added details for making masterwork cybernetics to the crafting section, and the Advanced Design talent can be taken with the Electronics skill.
* Heavy missile pod and mini-missile pod for vehicles now have a clip size of 3 and the Burst trait. These weapons have also been added to the starship weapons section.
* Removed the MLRS (replaced by heavy missile pod).
* Stipulated that the Drive skill also provides knowledge of road rules, and is needed for driving in a city or other complicated location.
* Disruptors now need to damage their targets to drain Spirit Points or Capacitor.
* Increased the towing weight of the grappler and tractor beam upgrades. Also added a top speed for when towing ships.
* Added 'Teleporter' starship upgrade.
* Ship's cloaking device uses 1 slot per hull class size.
* Added 'Collision Buffer' starship upgrade.
* 'Sentry Networking' and 'Robotics Networking' are now limited to one extra minidrone, sentry or robot each. Now requires 90% skill to take.
* The Annihilator Warhead invention can now be adapted for use on a variety of high-tech missiles.
* Added 'Breach Pod' ship upgrade.
* Most Electronic Engineering inventions that used the Computers skill to operate now use the Electronics skill to operate.
* Sentry turrets and mini-drones now use the Electronics skill for their attacks, and their skill advances on failures.
* Expanded details on using mini-drones, and added 'Armour Plate' upgrade.
* 'Networking' computer talent has been removed, replaced by 'Sentry Networking' for electronics, 'Robotic Networking' for robotics and 'Weapon Networking' for heavy weapons on starships and vehicles.
* 'Linked Weapon' upgrades for vehicles and starships now clarify that the linked weapons are treated as a single weapon, but damage is rolled separately.
* 'Encryption' computers talent now requires 70% skill to obtain. 'Advanced Encryption' now requires 90% skill.
* 'Demolition Rig' robot upgrade now gives a damage modifier bonus instead of raw damage.
* Updated the reference to vehicle ram damage to 'collision' instead of bludgeoning.
* Altered the language on the 'onboard power' automaton manoeuvre.
* Chalcedony or Moonstone gems now also allow a carapan to restore 1d4 armour points.
* 'Gunsmoke' longarms talent is now called 'Low Profile', because lasers don't use black powder.
* Corrected the title of 'Lightning Riposte' blade talent (had accidentally renamed to 'Electrical Riposte').
* Added 'Precision Strike' longarm manoeuvre.
* 'Target Subsystem' and 'Precision Strike' manoeuvres have been altered to work just like the starship version, where you still have to get through vehicle's AP to hit the subsystem.
* Focused Shooting manoeuvre is now called 'Focused Fire', adds Impact trait in addition to dealing extra damage.
* 'Balanced' and 'Circuitry Calibration' weapon mods now only require 1 hour per weapon ENC to apply.
* Added some upgrade options to Steam Exoskeleton invention.
* Updated the starship ramming damage table with new Class size designations.
* Altered the vehicle combat system to use the same critical damage system as starships for greater detail and realism.
* Lowered the AP on engines and some propulsion systems.
* Added 'Extension' modern era Barrel Mod. Reduced build time for all barrel mods.
* Added 'Magnetic Resonator' weapon mod.
* Updated the character sheet with space for weapon reload time and SIZ in the weapons section.
* Creating starship hulls using the Starship Design talent require 1 Hull Part per 10 Hit Points, not 2.
* Increase the time to use Hull Parts from 1 hour to 2.
____________________________________________________________
v2.85 Fantasy Premium Edition
Herbalism:
* Lowered the cost of a glass vial to 5sp.
* A critical success on searching for herbs now yields double the normal result.
* 'Kahve' is now used in Spirit tonics.
* Added 'Coca' to the herbalism table, used for energy-related treatments, replaces 'Liquorice Root'.
* Added 'Passion Flower' to the herbalism table, used in sedatives.
* Added 'Tribulus' to the herbalism table, used in strength formulas.
* Added 'Relaxation Tonic' and 'Strength Tonic'.
* 'Pain Relief Tonic' now grants immunity from in pain condition and +1 natural AP.
* 'Energy Tonic' now uses Coca herb, ignores 1 fatigue level and gives +2% to all opposed skill check results for 1 hour.
* 'Universal Tonic' now uses Passion Flower instead of Liquorice Root.
* 'Anti-Bacterial Tonic' now reduces the duration of illness from 7 days to 5.
* Adjusted prices of herbal tonics to factors of 10 (to include coverage of profit margin etc).
* Stipulated that the Diseased condition typically lasts for 7 days.
* Removed 'Combat Mastery' talent.
* Adjusted weapon masterwork bonus to be +2%.
* 'Mechanical Aptitute', 'Design Sense', 'Grain of Truth' and 'Subtle Threat' talents have been adjusted with the new +2% system.
* 'Combat Expertise' talent now grants +2% to a combat skill and automatically increases this bonus to +4% at 90% skill, and +6% at 99% skill.
* Honed reflexes now grants its bonus to all types of evade skill checks.
* 'Ranged Defender', 'Honed Reflexes', 'Acrobatic Attack', 'Acrobatic Dodge', 'Fencer', 'Shield Bash', 'Commodities', 'Firm Resolve', 'Haggler', 'Sharp Eyes', 'Robust Health', 'Sneaky' talents now give automatic incremental bonuses as skill increases instead of needing to take the talent multiple times. This offsets the lower overall bonus.
* Reduced 'Shield Push' manoeuvre bonus to +2% per shield size.
* Lowered bonus to 2% for 'Rebellious Spirit'.
* Lowered the additional penalty for 'Sap Morale' and 'Taunt' to -5%.
* 'Strong Back' talent now simply lets you wear heavier backpacks, moved its bonus complete over to the backpacks.
* Monastery Orphan loses its Military contact option.
* Landowner can choose any contact.
* Street Urchin and Student can now also choose an Ecclesiastical contact.
* Adjusted the bonus for some Contacts (which were a bit lacking).
Noble+1 Luck Point
Criminal +1 Reaction
Academic (replaces Arcane) +1 Accolade at the end of each game session.
MercantileGet 10% more for things you sell (1/2 price + 10%)
Craft10% discount on materials also extends to invention components.
Nomadic +1 to Movement AND Hit Points.
* Adjusted some backgrounds for better balance (due to background events being more powerful and desireable now):
Street UrchinLoses Resolve, gains Locale
PerformerLoses EC on Acrobatics, +1 event
Brothel Orphan+2 events, loses Resolve gains Influence
Con Artist+100cr
Shop Assistant+1 event
Cat Burglar+1 event, criminal OR mercantile contact, not both
StudentAcademic contact instead of mercantile, 100cr instead of 200cr
Crafter’s Apprentice+200cr
Inheritor+1 event
* 'Sawtooth Edge', 'Spikes', 'Stabilised' and 'Armour Piercing' low-tech weapon mods can be applied to low-tech thrown weapons.
* The range of all leadership manoevures is now 5 metres.
* The 'Decisive Leadership' talent now also doubles the range of leadership manoevures.
* Added 'Forced March' leadership manoevure.
* Added 'Never Surrender' leadership manoevure.
* 'Rallying Cry' leadership manoevure is now at 90%.
* 'Assault Formation' and 'Defensive Formation' leadership manoevures now last 1 round.
* Added 'Chosen' background event.
* Added 'Clever' background event.
* 'Gunsmoke' longarms talent is now called 'Low Profile'.
v1.70 Fantasy Basic Edition
* Stipulated that the Diseased condition typically lasts for 7 days.
* 'Mechanical Aptitute', 'Design Sense', 'Grain of Truth' and 'Subtle Threat' talents have been adjusted with the new +2% system.
* 'Masterful Dodge' is now correctly called 'Swift Movement'.
* Honed reflexes now grants its bonus to all types of evade skill checks.
* 'Ranged Defender', 'Honed Reflexes', 'Acrobatic Attack', 'Acrobatic Dodge', 'Shield Bash', 'Firm Resolve', 'Robust Health', 'Sneaky' talents now give automatic incremental bonuses as skill increases instead of needing to take the talent multiple times. This offsets the lower overall bonus.
* Reduced 'Shield Push' manoeuvre bonus to +2% per shield size.
* 'Strong Back' talent now simply lets you wear heavier backpacks, moved its bonus complete over to the backpacks.
Herbalism:
* A critical success on searching for herbs now yields double the normal result.
* 'Kahve' is now used in Spirit tonics.
* Added 'Coca' to the herbalism table, used for energy-related treatments, replaces 'Liquorice Root'.
* Added 'Passion Flower' to the herbalism table, used in sedatives.
* Added 'Tribulus' to the herbalism table, used in strength formulas.
* Added 'Relaxation Tonic' and 'Strength Tonic'.
* 'Pain Relief Tonic' now grants immunity from in pain condition and +1 natural AP.
* 'Energy Tonic' now uses Coca herb, ignores 1 fatigue level and gives +2% to all opposed skill check results for 1 hour.
* 'Universal Tonic' now uses Passion Flower instead of Liquorice Root.
* 'Anti-Bacterial Tonic' now reduces the duration of illness from 7 days to 5.
* Adjusted prices of herbal tonics to factors of 10 (to include coverage of profit margin etc).
Background Stuff
* Landowner can choose any contact.
* Street Urchin and Student can now also choose an Ecclesiastical contact.
* Adjusted the bonus for some Contacts (which were a bit lacking).
Noble+1 Luck Point
Criminal +1 Reaction
Academic (replaces Arcane) +1 Accolade at the end of each game session.
MercantileGet 10% more for things you sell (1/2 price + 10%)
Nomadic +1 to Movement AND Hit Points.
* Adjusted some backgrounds for better balance (due to background events being more powerful and desireable now):
Street UrchinLoses Resolve, gains Locale
PerformerLoses EC on Acrobatics, +1 event
Brothel Orphan+2 events, loses Resolve gains Influence
Con Artist+100cr
Shop Assistant+1 event
Cat Burglar+1 event, criminal OR mercantile contact, not both
StudentAcademic contact instead of mercantile, 100cr instead of 200cr
Crafter’s Apprentice+200cr
Inheritor+1 event
* Added 'Chosen' background event.
* Added 'Clever' background event.