Journey Mechanics

Journey is the name I have given to the mechanics system that Trinity will possibly be converting to, in lieu of 4e.

Journey arises due to a good deal of frustration with certain elements of 3.5, as well as disappointment with the direction 4e is headed. Combine these issues with some conceptual difficulties with the sort of game 3.5 and 4e encourage...

These systems were not intended for Trinity. Trinity may have begun as a D&D setting, but D&D - in any incarnation - can clearly no longer hold the setting. It doesn't feel right anymore.

Journey will feel familiar. It has roots in 3.5, and borrows some 4e concepts. It will not be a completely different game, but there will be differences. Some will be more pronounced than others.

This system will take a long time to write, especially since 4e mechanics are still forthcoming, and I am interested in seeing what can be cannibalized for Journey.

That's all for now.

Current Considerations

• Weapons: We need to figure out some weapons to contrast with the armor already done.
• BDB: How does it work?
• Skills: How can we avoid a 3.5-style (read: "broken") skill system?
• Defenses: Have we finalized the defense system yet? Is it decent? Does it compare to and scale with attack rolls and expected damage output?
• Magic: How do we avoid the Ye Olde Blacksmith becoming the new Ye Olde Magicke Shoppe? How do we make plus'd equipment viable but rare? Is it possible to make a set of balanced magical weapon and armor qualities that are interesting and different from each other?
• Economy: This might be the next major thing to tackle...

Armor

Whenever you are hit, your armor usually prevents some of the damage; however, this damage doesn't simply vanish, but is instead applied to the armor itself. However much damage the armor absorbs due to its DR, the armor takes as damage. When armor is reduced to 0 hp, it no longer provides any benefits.

Armor may be subject to a wound system similar to how hps will theoretically work at the moment - that is, armor doesn't suddenly stop working, but will gradually lose effectiveness as it loses hp. Chances are good that this will be a relatively simple system, as to avoid massive complexity.

TABLE: ARMOR

		AC	DR	WT	HP
Light
  Clothes	+1	1/-	0	10
  Outfit	+2	1/-	0	10
  Gear		+2	2/-	1	20
Medium
  Jack		+3	2/-	2	40
  Cuirass	+3	3/-	3	60
  Coat		+4	3/-	4	60
Heavy
  Mail		+4	4/-	6	120
  Harness	+5	4/-	8	120
  Plate		+5	5/-	10	150

Armor Materials

TABLE: ARMOR MATERIALS

		LIGHT					MEDIUM					HEAVY
		AC	DR	WT	HP		AC	DR	WT	HP		AC	DR	WT	HP
Cloth
  Wool							---	---	---	---		---	---	---	---
  Linen		-1					---	---	---	---		---	---	---	---
  Silk					+5		---	---	---	---		---	---	---	---
  Denim			+1	+1	+5		---	---	---	---		---	---	---	---
Hide
  Leather				+10								-1	-1
  Scale		+1			+5				-1			-1		-2	-20
  Shell			+1					+1	+1				+2	+3
  Chitin	+1	+1	+2			+1	+1	+2			+1	+1	+2
Metal
  Bronze	---	---	---	---		-1			-10		-1			-20
  Iron		---	---	---	---			+1
  Steel		---	---	---	---			+1	+1	+10			+1	+1	+10
  Platinum	---	---	---	---		+1		+1			+2		+1
Gem
  Crystal	---	---	---	---		---	---	---	---		+2	+2	+4	+10
  Diamond	---	---	---	---		---	---	---	---		+3	+3	+6	+20
Other
  Wood		---	---	---	---		---	---	---	---		-2	-2	+1	-20

Shields

Whenever you successfully block with a shield, the shield takes all the damage that would have been dealt to you.

TABLE: SHIELDS

		BD	WT	HP
Light		
  Buckler	+1	1	30
  Escutcheon	+2	2	50
Medium				
  Round		+3	4	100
  Tall		+4	5	150
Heavy				
  Kite		+5	6	200
  Tower		+6	8	300

Shield Materials

TABLE: SHIELD MATERIALS

		LIGHT				MEDIUM				HEAVY
		BD	WT	HP		BD	WT	HP		BD	WT	HP
Hide
  Leather	-1	-1	-10		-2	-2	-50		---	---	---
  Shell			+1	+25		-1	-1	-25		---	---	---
  Chitin	+1	+1				+2			---	---	---
Wood
  Cypress									-1
  Elm			+1	+20			+1	+50			+2	+75
  Oak		+2	+2			+1	+1	+10		+1	+2	+25
Metal
  Bronze	---	---	---		-1		-25		-2		-50
  Iron		---	---	---						-1		-25
  Steel		---	---	---		+1	+1	+25		
  Platinum	---	---	---		+2	+3	+50		+1	+1	+25
Gem
  Crystal	---	---	---		---	---	---		+2	+4	+50
  Diamond	---	---	---		---	---	---		+4	+6	+100

Crafting

Crafting equipment is going to be a major part of Journey. Does the local blacksmith not have the knowledge to craft you armor out of crystal? Then you're going to have to do it yourself, and perhaps you'll be good enough at crafting armor that you'll be able to make it better than run-of-the-mill armor.

Basic Crafting

In order to craft items, you have to have materials. The materials required to craft an item are abstracted: rather than needing 12 lbs of wood to make a shield, for instance, you need 1 unit of wood. While things like plate armor are not realistically made with just metal (you also need cloth for padding, leather for straps, etc), these smaller pieces are ignored - you only need units of the material that the item primarily consists of. Exceptions exist, and you can choose to use exotic materials for these smaller bits, possibly granting more benefits, but for the most part, crafting is relatively simple.

Crafting Armor

Crafting armor requires the Craft skill.

Units of material required are based upon the armor being made.

TABLE: MATERIALS FOR ARMOR

Armor		Units	Options
Clothes		1	1
Outfit		1	1
Gear		2	1
Jack		4	1
Cuirass		5	1
Coat		6	1
Mail		8	2
Harness		10	2
Plate		12	2

• Units: You must have this many units of the material the item is to be crafted from in order to craft the armor.
• Optional: If you choose to use an optional material (such as using darkhide straps for plate armor), you must have this many units of the material in question to gain the optional benefit.

TABLE: ARMORCRAFTING DCs

Armor		DC
Clothes		14
Outfit		15
Gear		17
Jack		19
Cuirass		20
Coat		21
Mail		23
Harness		25
Plate		27

		Modifier
Material	Light	Medium	Heavy
Cloth		
  Wool		-2	---	---
  Linen		-3	---	---
  Silk		-1	---	---
  Denim		+0	---	---
Hide		
  Leather	+2	-4	-12
  Scale		+3	-2	-10
  Shell		+2	-3	-8
  Chitin	+3	-1	-5
Metal		
  Bronze	---	-3	-7
  Iron		---	-2	-5
  Steel		---	+0	-3
  Platinum	---	+2	+0
Gem		
  Crystal	---	---	+5
  Diamond	---	---	+10
Other		
  Wood		---	---	-5

Armorcrafting Options

Above and beyond simply crafting the armor, you can choose to make the armor mastercraft. Mastercraft armor provides additional benefits above and beyond armor type and material. When you craft an armor, you can choose to increase the DC by the amount listed for a quality; if you do, the finished armor has the chosen quality. A suit of armor can have any number of qualities, but each quality after the first increases the craft DC by +2.

Some mastercraft options require different materials in addition to those in the armor itself.

Note: All of these crafting options are mundane - that is, they are not magical, or effects based upon any of the forces.

Qualities

• Articulated [DC +5]: The armor is articulated, allowing a trained user to make use of the Articulated Armor Training [feat/talent?] while in the armor. Only medium and heavy armor can be articulated. Articulation increases the armor's WT by +2. [Materials: Hide (Any)]
• Bulky [DC -3]: The armor is bulky, making it more difficult to move in, increasing its WT by +1. An armor cannot have both this quality and the Lightweight quality. An armor can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
• Delicate [DC -4]: The armor is unusually delicate, reducing its ability to deflect blows; the AC it provides is decreased by 1. Armor cannot have both this and the Sturdy quality. An armor can have this quality multiple times; if an armor would be reduced to lower than +0 AC, the crafting attempt fails (that is, an armor can have a +0 AC bonus, but not lower). [Materials: None]
• Durable [DC +3]: The armor is durable and well-made, improving its HP by +15 if it's a Light armor, +30 if it's a Medium armor, or +60 if it's a Heavy armor. Armor cannot have both this and the Weak quality. An armor can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
• Fortified: The armor is fortified, with sections protecting vital areas reinforced with more material. Armor can only be fortified once.
  • Hide [DC +2]: The armor is better-protected with hide stitched into sections covering vital areas. This quality grants the wearer a 10% chance to negate a sneak attack, critical hit, or similar precision-based damage effect. [Materials: Hide (Any)]
  • Metal [DC +5]: The armor is better-protected with metal sewn into sections covering vital areas. This quality grants the wearer a 25% chance to negate a sneak attack, critical hit, or similar precision-based damage effect. [Materials: Metal (Any)]
  • Gem [DC +7]: The armor is better-protected with gem plates sewn into sections covering vital areas. This quality grants the wearer a 50% chance to negate a sneak attack, critical hit, or similar precision-based damage effect. [Materials: Gem (Any)]
• Fragile [DC -4]: The armor is brittle, reducing its ability to absorb damage; the DR it provides is decreased by 1/-. Armor cannot have both this and the Tough quality. An armor can have this quality multiple times; if an armor would be reduced to DR 0/- or lower as a result, the crafting attempt fails. [Materials: None]
• Lightweight [DC +5]: The armor is unusually light, decreasing its WT by 1 (to a minimum of 0 for Light armor, 1 for Medium armor, and 4 for Heavy armor). Armor cannot have both this quality and the Bulky quality. An armor can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
• Plated: The armor is plated in a different material from the one that makes up the majority of its construction. Armor can only be plated with one kind of material, but may be plated multiple times, depending on the material. Plating armor increases its WT by +1, regardless of what the armor is plated in or how many times it is plated.
  • Chromium [DC +5]: The armor is plated in chromium, a metal that has an unusually high melting point. The armor and its wearer have resist fire 5. Armor can be plated in chromium up to three times. [Materials: Chromium]
  • Rubber [DC +4]: The armor is plated in rubber, a tough material that is highly resistant to electricity. The armor and its wearer have resist electricity 5. Armor can be plated in rubber up to three times. [Materials: Rubber]
  • Tantalum [DC +5]: The armor is plated in tantalum, a metal that is highly resistant to acid. The armor and its wearer have resist acid 5. Armor can be plated in tantalum up to three times. [Materials: Tantalum]
• Sturdy [DC +5]: The armor is exceptional in terms of defense provided, improving its AC bonus by +1. Armor cannot have both this quality and the Delicate quality. An armor can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
• Studded: The armor is studded with a different, strong material. The difficulty of studding armor, and its benefits, is based upon what sort of studs are in the armor. Armor can only be studded once.
  • Wood [DC +5]: The armor is studded with wooden pegs, improving its durability but making it somewhat heavier. Only cloth and hide armors can have the studded (wood) quality. This quality increases the armor's DR by +1/- and its HP by +5, but increases its WT by +1. [Materials: Wood (Any)]
  • Metal [DC +7]: The armor is studded with metal pegs, improving its durability but making it somewhat heavier. Only cloth and hide armors can have the studded (metal) quality. This quality increases the armor's AC by +1, its DR by +1/-, and its HP by +10, but increases its WT by +1. [Materials: Metal (Any)]
  • Gem [DC +10]: The armor is studded with gem pegs, vastly improving its durability but making it somewhat bulkier. Only cloth, hide, and metal armors can have the studded (gem) quality. This quality increases the armor's AC by +2, its DR by +1/-, and its HP by +20, but increases its WT by +2. [Materials: Gem (Any)]
• Tough [DC +6]: The armor is exceptionally tough, allowing it to absorb more damage; the DR it provides increases by 1/-. This also increases the armor's hit points: Light armor gains +5 HP, Medium armor gains +10 HP, and Heavy armor gains +20 HP. Armor cannot have both this quality and the Fragile or Weak qualities. An armor can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
• Weak [DC -3]: The armor is unusually weak, decreasing its HP by -5 if Light, -15 if Medium, and -30 if Heavy. Armor cannot have both this and the Durable or Tough qualities. An armor can have this quality multiple times; if an armor would have 0 or fewer HP as a result, the crafting attempt fails. [Materials: None]

Magic (?) Armor Qualities

Adding magical or other force-based qualities to armor requires a Spellcraft check against a specific DC. Some effects can be improved by increasing the DC; this choice is made before the roll is made.

If a magic armor quality has required materials, the armor must have that many units of the material as indicated by its "options" column.

• Secret [DC 25]: Once per encounter, the wearer of this armor can turn invisible, as per the spell. [Materials: Ghostweave]

Crafting Shields

Crafting armor requires the Craft skill.

Units of material required are based upon the armor being made.

TABLE: MATERIALS FOR SHIELDS

Shield		Units	Options
Buckler		2	1
Escutcheon	3	1
Round		4	1
Tall		6	2
Kite		8	2
Tower		10	2

• Units: You must have this many units of the material the item is to be crafted from in order to craft the shield.
• Optional: If you choose to use an optional material (such as using darkhide straps for a kite shield), you must have this many units of the material in question to gain the optional benefit.

TABLE: SHIELDCRAFTING DCs

Shield		DC
Buckler		13
Escutcheon	15
Round		18
Tall		20
Kite		23
Tower		25

		Modifier
Material	Light	Medium	Heavy
Hide
  Leather	-2	-5	---
  Shell		+1	-3	---
  Chitin	+1	-2	---
Wood
  Cypress	+0	-1	-4
  Elm		+1	+1	+1
  Oak		+1	+2	+1
Metal
  Bronze	---	-3	-5
  Iron		---	-1	-2
  Steel		---	+1	+0
  Platinum	---	+3	+3
Gem
  Crystal	---	---	+5
  Diamond	---	---	+10

Shieldcrafting Options

Blah blah, +2 for each option beyond the first, mkay.

Qualities

• Articulated [DC +5]: The shield is articulated, allowing a trained user to make use of the Articulated Armor Training [feat/talent?] while using the shield. Only medium and heavy shields can be articulated. Articulation increases the shield's WT by +1. [Materials: Hide (Any)]
• Bulky [DC -3]: The shield is unusually bulky or heavy, making it more difficult to move with, increasing its WT by +1. A shield cannot have both this quality and the Lightweight quality. A shield can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
• Delicate [DC -4]: The shield is unusually delicate, reducing its ability to deflect blows; the BD it provides is decreased by 1. A shield cannot have both this and the Sturdy quality. A shield can have this quality multiple times; if a shield would be reduced to lower than +1 BD, the crafting attempt fails. [Materials: None]
• Durable [DC +5]: The shield is exceptionally tough, increasing its HP by +50 if Light, +100 if Medium, and +200 if Heavy. A shield cannot have both this and the Weak quality. A shield can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
• Lightweight [DC +5]: The shield is unusually lightweight, decreasing its WT by 1 (minimum 1 for Light shields, 2 for Medium shields, and 4 for Heavy shields). A shield cannot have both this quality and the Bulky quality. A shield can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
• Spiked [DC +3]: The shield is spiked, allowing a trained user to make use of the Shield Attack [feat/talent?] while using the shield. The shield spike is itself a separate item and must be constructed before it can be attached to the shield. A shield spike increases the shield's WT by the WT of the shield spike attached. [Materials: Shield Spike]
• Sturdy [DC +5]: The shield is exceptionally sturdy, increasing its BD by +1. A shield cannot have both this and the Delicate quality. A shield can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
• Weak [DC -4]: The armor is unusually weak, decreasing its HP by -25 if Light, -50 if Medium, and -100 if Heavy. A shield cannot have both this and the Durable quality. A shield can have this quality multiple times; if a shield would be reduced to less than 1 HP, the crafting attempt fails. [Materials: None]

Magic (?) Qualities

• Reflecting [DC 30]: The shield is capable of reflecting magical effects. Whenever you would be allowed a saving throw against a Magic effect, you may instead opt to make a Block Defense roll. If you succeed by less than the shield's BD value, the spell is reflected back at the caster. [Materials: Carabini]

General Items

Here are some ideas for general items that could be crafted. I don't know if this is how this will actually work, but this is the idea at the moment.

Crafting these general items requires a check of some sort. For general items, it would be some sort of normal crafting check... for the magic (?) items, it would also require some sort of Spellcraft check, maybe.

General Items

• Boots
  • Battle Shoes [DC 19]: Your movement speed increases by 5 feet. [Materials: Hide (Any) (x4)]
  • Spike Boots [DC 19]: You gain a +5 bonus to Jump checks. [Materials: Hide (Any) (x4), Metal (Any) (x1)]
  • Germinas Boots [DC 23]: Your movement speed increases by 5 feet, and you gain a +5 bonus to Jump checks. [Materials: Germinas Leather (x2), Hide (Any) (x2)]
  • Sprint Shoes [DC 23]: You gain a +5 bonus to Initiative checks. [Materials: Germinas Leather (x4)]
• Gloves
  • Thief Glove [DC 19]: You gain a +5 bonus to Thievery checks. [Materials: Germinas Leather (x2), Hide (Any) (x2)]

Magic (?) Items

• Boots
  • Feather Boots [DC 25]: Once per encounter, as a swift action, the wearer of this item can use float, as per the (spell?). [Materials: Feather (x5), Hide (Any) (x3)]
• Cloaks
  • Feather Mantle [DC 20]: Once per encounter, as a swift action, the wearer of this item can use feather fall, as per the spell. [Materials: Feather (x5), Cloth (Any) (x3)]
  • Vanish Mantle [DC 25]: Once per encounter, as a swift action, the wearer of this item can turn invisible, as per the spell. [Materials: Ghostweave (x2)]
• Headgear
  • Golden Hairpin [DC 30]: Once per encounter, as a swift action, you can recharge a Magic per-encounter spell. [Materials: Gold (x3), Caribini (x1)]
• Rings
  • Crystal Ring [DC 30]: You gain resist poison 5. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x1), Crystal (x1)]
  • Reflect Ring [DC 25]: Once per encounter, when you would be allowed to make a saving throw against a Magic effect, you may instead opt to make a Block Defense roll with a +10 bonus. If you succeed, the spell is reflected back at the caster. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x1), Gem (Any) (x1), Carabini (x1)]
  • Angel Ring [DC 32]: Once per day, when you would swoon, you gain a second wind. [Materials: Heavenly Dust (x2), Metal (Any) (x1), Gem (Any) (x1)]

Weaponcrafting Qualities

Here's some general ideas for weaponcrafting.

General Qualities

• Dull [DC -3]: The weapon is unusually dull, or otherwise of inferior construction. The weapon has its DMG decreased by -1. A weapon cannot have both this and the Sharp quality. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
• Lightweight [DC +2]: The weapon is well-balanced, resulting in a -1 to its WT, to a minimum of 0 for Light weapons, 1 for One-handed weapons, and 2 for Two-handed weapons. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
• Fragile [DC -2]: The weapon is fragile, decreasing its HP by -5 if Light, -10 if One-handed, or -20 if Two-handed. A weapon cannot have both this and the Sturdy quality. A weapon can have this quality multiple times; if a weapon would be reduced to less than 1 HP, the crafting attempt fails. [Materials: None]
• Sharp [DC +3]: The weapon is exceptionally sharp, or otherwise constructed in such a way as to increase the amount of damage it deals. The weapon has its DMG increased by +1. A weapon cannot have both this and the Dull quality. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
• Sturdy [DC +2]: The weapon is sturdily-constructed, increasing its HP by +10 if Light, +20 if One-handed, or +40 if Two-handed. A weapon cannot have both this and the Fragile quality. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
• Unwieldy [DC -2]: The weapon is unwieldy to handle, resulting in a +1 to its WT. A weapon cannot have both this and the Lightweight quality. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
• Vicious [DC +4]: The weapon's construction is exceptionally vicious, improving its ability to leave grievous wounds. The weapon's critical threat range is increased by +1. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
• Wounding [DC +5]: The weapon causes horrible wounds, which continue to bleed after the strike. A creature struck by a weapon with this quality takes 1 point of damage each round until healed. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]

Melee Qualities

• Flurrying [DC +7]: The weapon is exceptionally and expertly lightened and balanced, allowing a trained user to make use of the Flurrying Strikes [feat/talent?]. The weapon's WT is reduced by -1. [Materials: None]
• Mercurial [DC +2]: The weapon is constructed with an interior channel and reservoir, filled with quicksilver, which weights the end of the weapon when swung. This results in +2 DMG, but the quicksilver also adds +2 to its WT. [Materials: Quicksilver]
• Parrying [DC +5]: The weapon has an exceptionally-crafted hilt or guard, improving its parrying ability. The weapon's PD is increased by +1. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]

Ranged Qualities

• Balanced [DC +3]: The weapon is exceptionally balanced, making it excel as a thrown weapon. The weapon's range increment is increased by +10 feet. A weapon can only have this quality if it has the Thrown quality. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]

Magic (?) Qualities

• Blood [DC 30]: The weapon has been imbued with vampiric magic, causing it to drain the life of those it strikes. Whenever the weapon strikes, the wielder gains half the damage taken by the target (after accounting for DR) in HP. [Materials: None]
• Energy: The weapon is enhanced with the power of an energy type, causing it to deal energy damage. A weapon can only have one energy quality.
  • Fiery [DC 25]: Magic that evokes flame has been inlaid in the weapon, wreathing it in fire whenever it strikes. Half of the weapon's DMG is fire damage. [Materials: Magma Rock]
  • Icy [DC 25]: Magic that evokes cold has been inlaid in the weapon, coating it in frost whenever it strikes. Half of the weapon's DMG is cold damage. [Materials: Chill Gel]
  • Shocking [DC 25]: Magic that evokes electricity has been inlaid in the weapon, enveloping it in electricity whenever it strikes. Half of the weapon's DMG is electricity damage. [Materials: Coral]
• Enhancer [DC 27 (+4)]: The weapon is imbued with magical power, improving your ability to use magic. You get a +1 enhancement bonus to your Magic attacks. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: Carabini]