Considering its CthulhuTech, it probably won't end for awhile.
Came across something you might be about to use while I try to put together a White Parapsychic.
Common House Rules
Credit to Jon Chung for compiling this list.subscript
1. A Critical Failure only occurs when all dice come up 1s.
This is to prevent the odd scale of Critical Failures caused by the current system. While some usage of drama dice is lost (the alternating 1-2-1-2-1-2 etc), I believe the greater coherency compensates quite nicely. However, this makes critical failures very unlikely when rolling two or more dice.
1a. The most glaring problem with critical failures is when rolling two dice (there is a 19% chance of critical failure, compared to 10% for rolling one die). This can be fixed by ruling that a critical failure occurs only if the other die shows an odd number.
1b. A somewhat more complicated fix is as follows: If more than half of your dice come up 1, that is a critical failure. If exactly half of them come up 1 (this is only possible when rolling an even number of dice), roll 1d4; if that comes up 1, it is a critical failure, otherwise not.
With this system, critical failures have very close to a power-law distribution. If you prefer to use only 10-sided dice, you can substitute 1-3 on a d10 instead of the d4, and the results are almost as good. Note that the extra die never adds to the total of the dice pool; it's purely a "saving throw" against the critical failure.
2. Scale increases between Vitality, Integrity and Hull happen at a x5 rate, not x50.
This is to allow lots of infantry types to take on common security power armour and small recon mecha (and allow lots of mecha to take on capital ships) without being hopelessly outclassed to the point of not even bothering to try, without having to resort to scale-blind rules like those for Hybrid Damage. It also resolves a stylistic issue where a Nightmare Tager or Zabuth Dhohanoid is utterly, completely dominated by a machine that matches it in size.
2b. The Hybrid Damage rule is removed. Weapons that are supposed to be used for anti-vehicle usage (or anti-capital usage on a mecha) instead simply have high damage ratings.
This is a minor change enacted for elegance's sake. I think a Seraph's Charge Beam should be able to do more than blacken the paint job on a Navy ship.
3a. Becoming a sorcerer requires a 4-point Sorcerer Asset. Without this Asset, you may not cast spells, even with a high Occult.
This is to bring sorcerers in line with tagers and mecha pilots for XP progression curves (high start/low progression), along with…
3b. Spells no longer cost XP. Instead, you may learn any spell you can reasonably acquire reference materials for and have the required Intellect, Tenacity and Occult to cast.
This is to make sorcerers more attractive a concept, mechanically. Most sorcerers will start with all the legally available spells that Occult 3 can cast. Learning spells after chargen requires access, time and insanity points and casting them takes days, so that's troublesome enough, I'd say.
3c. Access to illegal and otherwise restricted spells is contingent on Wealth/Contacts/Allies or Duty/Authority, as per GM discretion, generally on the level of Order = Asset Level. Alternatively, new spells may be developed from scratch with Research and Occult, as per GM discretion.
This is to make sure sorcerers need to get hold of spellbooks via their other assets, or spend years in an arcane laboratory.
4a. Becoming a para-psychic only requires one 4-point Para-Psychic Asset, which replaces the placeholder Latent Para-Psychic from the corebook. This Asset allows a character to pick 6 points worth of para-psychic powers, with the 3/2/1/1 access scheme.
This is to bring para-psychics in line with the new sorcerers. A 4-point Asset that does nothing isn't mechanically attractive.
4b. Erupted Para-Psychic becomes the psychic equivalent of Exceptional Tager, allowing a psychic character to become stronger. This Asset allows a character to pick 4 additional points worth of para-psychic powers, with a 3/3/2/1 access scheme.
This is to allow for psychics of greater power and/or broader theme.
4c. Zoner becomes a 4-point Drawback that gives a character the benefits of Para-Psychic and Erupted Para-Psychic, and applies five permanent insanity points. The Zoner must make insanity tests every month or gain even more.
This is to bring Zoners in line with the Engel Synthesis Interface, which gives greater power for negative points, under the philosophy that going mad is worth some CP.
4d. Para-psychic powers only have one level which scales by skill usage and cannot be bought with XP, only selected via the Para-Psychic and Erupted Para-Psychic Assets.
This is to curb the infinite XP inflation issue present with the default para-psychic rules in VM.
4e. A new skill, Para-Psychic Control, is added to the list. This skill uses Tenacity and requires the Para-Psychic Asset. Specializations may be taken in specific powers or situations. Roll this skill to determine the magnitude and effectiveness of a para-psychic power.
This is to unify all para-psychic abilities under one skill, like Sorcery works with Occult.
4f. Minor (1st Order) para-psychic powers may be purchased as 2-point Wild Talent Assets and run off raw Tenacity Feat tests. This is mutually exclusive with the Para-Psychic Asset. Only two instances of Wild Talent may be purchased, at which time the character may choose to give them up in exchange for the Para-Psychic Asset.
