The Campaign Builder's Guild

Welcome to the Mass Effect PbP Thread! We're using the Star Wars Saga Edition as the basic rule set along with some key variant rules to help the system feel more like Mass Effect. These extra rules can be found in the following Spoilers. Please note, we're still recruiting, so feel free to sign up and become a Galactic Hero!


[spoiler=Races]
Vorcha
Ability Mods: +2 to any one Ability, -2 Wisdom
- Medium Size
- Speed: 6 squares
- Skill Bonus: A vorcha gain a +5 bonus to Treat Injury checks made to treat himself.
- Limb Regeneration: Vorcha may regenerate a single lost limb after 1d2 months. At that time, all persistent effects due to the lost limb are removed.
- Superior Fortitude & Reflex: Vorcha gain a +1 species bonus to their Fortitude and Reflex Defenses.
- Conditional Bonus Feat: If a Vorcha is trained in Initiative, he may choose Skill Focus (Initiative) as a bonus feat.
- Automatic languages: Vorcha

Drell
- Ability Mods: +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma
- Medium Size
- Speed: 6 Squares
- Survivalists: All Drell are considered trained in survival. This is a bonus trained skill
- Hightened Awareness: Drell may choose to re-roll any Perception check but the result of the re-roll must be accepted even if it is worse.
- Conditional Bonus Feat: If a Drell is trained in Perception, he may choose Skill Focus (Perception) as a bonus feat.
- Automatic languages: Drell, Hanar and Common

Krogan
- Ability Mods: +4 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma
- Medium Size
- Speed: 6 Squares
- Rage: Once per day a Krogan can fly into a rage as a swift action. While raging, a Krogan gains a +2 Rage bonus on melee attacks and damage rolls but cannot use skills that require patience and concentration such as Mechanics, stealth or Use Biotics. The rage lasts a number of rounds equal to 5 +  the Krogan's Constitution Modifier. At the end of the Rage the Krogan moves -1 persistent step down the condition track.
Superior Fortitude: Krogan gain a +1 Species bonus to their Fortitude Defense.
- Extraordinary Recuperation: Krogan regain hit points at double the normal rate.
- Conditional Bonus Feat: If a Krogan is trained in Endurance, he may choose Skill Focus (Endurance) as a bonus feat.
- Languages: Krogan and Common


Salarian
Ability Mods: +2 Intelligence, -2 Strength
- Medium Size
- Speed: 6 Squares
- One Hour of Sleep: Salarians only require 1 hour of sleep and receive the same benefit as a Human who sleeps for 8 hours.
- Astute Initiative: A Salarian may use his Intelligence bonus instead of his Dexterity Bonus when making Initiative Checks.
- Bonus Knowledge Skill: Salarians may choose either a single Knowledge Skill or Use Computer as a bonus Trained Skill at level 1.  
- Conditional Bonus Feat: If a Salarian is trained in Gather Information, he may choose Skill Focus (Gather Information) as a bonus feat.
- Bonus Language: Salarians gain one bonus language at level 1.
- Languages: Salarian and Common


Asari
Ability Mods:  +2 Dexterity or +2 Charisma
- Medium Size
- Speed: 6 Squares
- Deceptive: Asari may choose to re-roll any Deception check but the result of the re-roll must be accepted even if it is worse.
- Biotic: All Asari receive the Biotic Training feat as a bonus feat.
- Conditional Bonus Feat: If an Asari is trained in Persuasion, she may choose Skill Focus (Persuasion) as a bonus feat.
- Languages: Asari and Common


Quarians
Ability Mods:  +2 Intelligence, -2 Constitution
- Medium Size
- Speed: 6 Squares
- Vulnerability to Disease: Quarians receive a -2 modifier to their Fortitude Defense against Diseases.
- Mechanics: All Quarians are considered trained in Mechanics. This is a bonus trained skill
- Cooperative Spirit: Quarians can aid another on skill checks  made by adjacent allies as a swift action. Adjacent allies can also aid another on skill checks made by an adjacent Quarian as a swift action. This ability can only be used with the following skills: Gather Information, Knowledge (any), Mechanics, Pilot, Ride, Treat Injury and Use Computer.  
- Conditional Bonus Feat: If a Quarian is trained in Use Computer, she may choose Skill Focus (Mechanics) or Skill Focus (Use Computer) as a bonus feat.
- Languages: Quarian and Common


Turians
Ability Mods:  +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma
- Medium Size
- Speed: 7 Squares
- Perceptive: All Turians are considered trained in Perception. This is a bonus trained skill.
- Militant: Turians gain Weapon Focus with a Weapon Group of their choice.
- Superior Fortitude: Turians gain a +1 species bonus to their Fortitude Defenses.
- Conditional Bonus Feat: If a Turian is trained in Knowledge (Tactics), he may choose Skill Focus Knowledge (Tactics) as a bonus feat.
- Languages: Turian and Common


Volus
Ability Mods: -2 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom
- Small size: Small creatures gain +1 size Bonus to their Reflex Defense and a +5 size bonus on Stealth checks. However, lifting and carrying is 3/4s that of a medium character.
- Speed: 4 Squares
- Bonus Knowledge Skill: Volus may choose a single Knowledge Skill as a bonus Trained Skill at level 1.  
- Persuasive: Volus receive a +5 bonus on any persuasion check meant to barter or haggle.
- Conditional Bonus Feat: If a Volus is trained in Persuasion, he may choose Skill Focus (Persuasion) or Skill Focus in any one Knowledge skill as a bonus feat.
- Languages: Volus and Common


Humans
- Ability Mods: +2 to single ability
- Medium Size
- Speed: 6 Squares
- Driven: Humans may select either a bonus feat or an additional trained skill at level 1.
- Future Lies Ahead: Once per day, as a swift action, Humans may move +1 up the condition Track.
- Conditional Bonus Feat: If a Human is trained in either Persuasion or Deception, he may choose Skill Focus (Persuasion) or Skill Focus (Deception) as a bonus feat.
- Language: Any Human Language and Common


[/spoiler]

[spoiler=New Skills]
Use Tech (INT)
Requires the Tech Training Feat

Activate Tech Powers (Trained Only)
You can make a Use Tech Check to use a Tech Power. This use of the Skill requires no action.

Detect Surroundings (Trained Only)
As a swift action, you can make a DC 15 Use Tech check to ignore the effects of cover and concealment when making Perception checks ro detect or observe targets. Increase the DC by 5 if this ability is used against targets with total cover.

Technically Sound (Trained Only)
Being Trained in Use Tech allows you to make a single DC 15 Use Tech Check as a free action to receive a +2 Bonus on your next Mechanics, Perception or Use Computer check.


Use Biotics (CHA)
Requires the Biotic Training Feat

Activate Biotic Powers (Trained Only)
You can make a Use Biotics check to use a Biotic Power. This use of the Skill requires no action.

Move Small Object (Trained Only)
As a move action, you can use your Biotic power to telekinetically lift and move a relatively light object with in your line of sight. A successful DC 10 Use Biotics check allows you to move the object weighing no more than 5kg a distance of 6 squares in any direction. As s standard action you may hurl the object as a projectile, however the DC is increased to 15. If your Use Biotics check beats the target's Reflex Defense, the projectile deals 1d6 bludgeoning points of damage.

Biotically Sound (Trained Only)
Being Trained in Use Biotics allows you to make a single DC 15 Use Biotics check as a free action to receive a +2 Bonus on your next Acrobatics, Climb or Jump check.

[/spoiler]

[spoiler=New Feats]
Tech Training: Works exactly like Force Training save for the fact that it uses Intelligence instead of Wisdom. The feat also grants Training in Use Tech.

Biotic Training: Works exactly like Force Training save for the fact that it uses Charisma instead of Wisdom. The feat also grants Training in Use Biotics.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Tech and Biotic Powers]


TECH:


Overload:
Utilize Tech powers to destroy an enemy's shields and/or a synthetic.
- Time: Standard Action
- Target: Single target that has shields or is synthetic within 6 squares.
- Effect: Make a Use Tech check. The result determines how much damage the attack does to an enemy's shields. If a Synthetic life form is the target, Overload deals damage to the creature's shields first.

DC 15: Deals 2d6 points of damage
DC 20: Deals 4d6 points of damage
DC 25: Deals 6d6 points of damage
DC 30: Deals 8d6 points of damage
DC 35: Deals 10d6 points of damage


Cyro Blast
Utilize your Omni-Tool to shoot a blast of frigid particles to freeze enemies.
- Time: Standard Action
- Target: One target within 6 squares
- Effect: Make a Use Tech Check. Compare result to the Target's Fortitude Defense. If successful, the target is frozen (Can't take any actions) until the start of your next turn. For every 5 points you beat the targets fort defense by, the target is frozen for an additional turn (max 5 turns).


AI Hacking
Using Tech, you can temporarily take control of an enemy synthetic
- Time: Standard Action
- Target: One Synthetic within 6 squares
- Effect: Make a Use Tech check. If the check exceeds the Will Defense of the target, you may take control of that creature until the start of your next turn. For every 5 points you exceed the target's will defense by, you may control the target for an additional turn (max 5 turns).


Combat Drone
Using Tech, you create a small drone to aid you in combat
- Time: 1 Swift action.
- Target: None
- Effect: Make a Use Tech check. The check determines the abilities of the Combat Drone generated. Every Drone has 10 + 1/level hit points. Each Drone has the following abilities: Strength 1, Dexterity 12, and Intelligence 10. Drones do not have a Constitution, Wisdom or Charisma score. Drones utilize their creator's Base Attack Bonus. Every Drone comes equipped with a gun that deals 1d4 damage. You can only have 1 Drone out at a time. You may move the drone as a free action and command it to fire as a swift. The Drone has a Reflex Defense of 10 + 1/2 your level.

DC 10: The Drone gains 5 hit points and deals 1d6 points of damage
DC 15: The Drone gains 10 hit points and deals 1d8 points of damage
DC 20: The Drone gains 15 hit points and deals 1d10 points of damage
DC 25: The Drone gains 20 hit points and deals 1d12 points of damage
DC 30: The Drone gains 25 hit points and deals 2d8 points of damage
DC 35: The Drone gains 30 hit points and deals 2d10 points of damage


Tech Armor
Using tech, you generate a protective suit of body armor
- Time: 1 Swift Action
- Target: Self
- Effect: Make a Use Tech check. The check determines the strength of the tech armor. The Tech Armor begins at SR 5. The Armor persists until either depleted or the end of the encounter. Tech Armor does not stack with a character's normal Shields. When the Tech Armor is depleted, it violently explodes, staggering nearby enemies.  The Use Tech check made to generate the armor is compared to the Reflex Defense of all enemies within 2 squares. All enemies affected by the explosion move -1 down the condition track and take 1d6 damage. The result of your Use Tech check also grants a larger SR and improves the damage dealt by the power when depleted.

DC 10: The Tech Armor grants SR 10 and increases the damage done to 2d6
DC 20: The Tech Armor grants SR 15 and increases the damage done to 3d6
DC 30: The Tech Armor grants SR 20 and increases the damage done to 4d6



BIOTIC


Lift
Utilize your biotic powers to lift an object or creature up to 6 squares off the ground.
- Time: Standard Action
- Target: One character or object within 6 squares.
-  Effect: Make a Biotics Check. The result of the check determines the maximum size of the target you can lift. If a target resists your attempt, your check must also exceed the target's will defense. The effect of Lift raises the target directly up into the air. If the lifted target collides with an object (such as a ceiling) then it takes damage determined by your Biotics Check. The target stays suspended in the air until either dead or the beginning of your next turn.

DC 10: Lift Object up to Small Size (1d6 points of damage)
DC 15: Lift Object up to Medium Size (deals 2d6 points of damage)
DC 20: Lift Object up to Large Size (deals 4d6 points of damage)
DC 25: Lift Object up to Huge Size (deals 6d6 points of damage)
DC 30: Lift Object up to Gargantuan Size (deals 8d6 points of damage)
DC 35: Lift Object up to Colossal Size (deals 10d6 points of damage)


Pull
Utilize your biotic powers to pull an object or creature towards you
- Time: Standard Action
- Target: One character or object within 6 squares.
-  Effect: Make a Biotics Check. The result of the check determines the maximum size of the target you can pull as well as the effect's maximum duration. If a target resists your attempt, your check must also exceed the target's will defense. To maintain the effect, you must, at the start of each of your turns, make a Use Biotics Check as a swift action and exceed the Target's will defense. The Target can be moved 4 squares a turn.

DC 10: Pull Object up to Small Size (1 turn)
DC 15: Pull Object up to Medium Size (1 Turn)
DC 20: Pull Object up to Large Size (2 Turns)
DC 25: Pull Object up to Huge Size (3 Turn)
DC 30: Pull Object up to Gargantuan Size (4 Turn)
DC 35: Pull Object up to Colossal Size (5 Turn)


Throw: See Force Thrust. Use Biotics instead of Use the Force.


Singularity
Utilize your biotic powers to create a miniature black hole that stuns nearby foes
- Time: Standard Action
- Target: One character or object within 6 squares.
- Effect: Make a Biotics Check. The result of the check determines the effect's maximum duration. The singularity is formed in an unoccupied square. All enemies within 2 squares of the singularity are affected. If a target resists your attempt, your check must also exceed the target's will defense. If successful, the Target loses its Standard and Move Actions. If your check was high enough to last multiple turns, you must you must, at the start of each of your turns as a swift action, make a Use Biotics Check and exceed the Target's will defense to maintain the effect.

DC 20: 1 Turn Duration
DC 25: 2 Turn Duration
DC 30: 3 Turn Duration
DC 35: 4 Turn Duration


Warp
Utilize your biotic powers to harm enemies
- Time: Standard Action
- Target: One character or object within 8 squares.
-  Effect: Make a Biotics Check. The result of the check determines the effect's maximum duration as well as the damage dealt each turn. The damage is inflicted at the start of your turn. If a target resists your attempt, your check must also exceed the target's will defense. To maintain the effect, you must, at the start of each of your turns, make a Use Biotics Check as a swift action and exceed the Target's will defense.

DC 15: 1 Turn Duration, 1d4 points of damage per turn
DC 20: 2 Turn Duration, 1d6 points of damage per turn
DC 25: 3 Turn Duration, 1d8 points of damage per turn
DC 30: 4 Turn Duration, 1d10 points of damage per turn
DC 35: 5 Turn Duration, 1d12 points of damage per turn
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=New Equipment]

Any items colored Green are given to the PCs free of charge.

Omni-Tools: Omni-Tools incorporate the rules for Datapads, Audiorecorders, Videorecorders and Toolkits.

Medi-Gel Pack: Medi-Gel packs have two different effects and are only usable if you are at or below half of your hit points. As a swift action you can either heal your character for 1/6th of their total hit points or move your character +2 up on the condition track.  You can only use 1 Medi-Gel Pack per encounter or once every half hour. Omni-Tool devices can store 2 Packs.

Kinetic Barrier/Shields: Shields grant the user X Shield Rating to their user. Shields act as a buffer between yourself and damage. The PCs begin with shields that grant SR 5. Note, the shields given to the PCs only require a DC 10 Mechanics check to recharge.

[/spoiler]


[spoiler=New Corporations][ic=T'Soki-Wilhelm-Merosyndar Holdings Corporation][note]Name: T'Soki-Wilhelm-Merosyndar Holdings Corporation
Type: Public
Industries: Banking, Surveying, Industrial Equipment, Retail
Founded: 2176
Headquarters: Nos Astra, Illium
Key People: Karl Von Geld (President), Merosyndar (chairman)
Revenue: 17.788 Billion Credits
Total Assets: 12.199 Billion Credits
Total Equity: 8.145 Billion Credits
Employees: 101,000
Subsidiaries: T'Soki Industries, Wilhelm Surveyors, Merosyndar Banking Corp., Star* Mart, Plio Ship Yard, Guddogaden, Kwiqsetup Colony Corp.[/note]
   


T'Soki-Wilhelm-Merosyndar Holdings Corporation (TWMHC)  was founded by Lasha T'Soki, an Asari business woman with a knack for getting the best deals, the renowned Human explorer and prospector Franz Wilhelm and the 10h wealthiest Hanar, Merosyndar. With Humans just beginning to push out into the galaxy, the three founded T'Soki-Wilhelm-Merosyndar Holdings Corporation as a means to tap into the emerging market. Wilhlem's surveying company would discover and assess new worlds for their economic potential, selling the information to the highest bidder. Merosyndar and his Denkia Bank would supply the capital to interested companies seeking to found new colonies or mining facilities. Lower interest rates would be charged on loans if the companies bought or rented equipment from T'Soki Industriesm which supplied the necessary equipment for the extraction of a planetoid's natural resources. Together the three businesses would single-handedly provide everything upstart companies would require to colonize or mine any habitable planetoid.

Over the last 10 years, the Corporation has acquired many smaller companies, including the Japanese Guddogaden (a lawn-care company), Kwiqsetup Colony Corp. (which creates prefab buildings), the space-based Plio Ship Yard (which constructs large industrial factory ships), Star*Mart (which supplies basic necessities to outlying colonies) and T'Parn Security and Investigations Firm (which provides security and peace of mind for wealthy individuals and companies).

TWMHC is headquartered on Illium, which lies on the border between Citadel Space and the Terminus Systems, the latter of which has seen a tremendous amount of human colonization in a relatively short amount of time. Illium's unique location allows TWMHC to maintain a sizable hold on current and future colonization efforts in the area.

The current President is Karl Von Geld, a human who was once Franz Wilhelm's co-pilot in the early days of Wilhelm Surveyors. The board of directors ousted Lasha T'Soki following a scandal involving the bribery of the Volus Ambassador to the Citadel. Von Geld has sought to continue his predecessor's initiatives, including stepping up efforts to attract new companies to colonize the Terminus Systems. [/ic]


[ic=T'Parn Security and Investigations Firm][note]Name: T'Parn Security and Investigations Firm
Type: Public
Industries: Security
Founded: 2100
Headquarters: Nos Astra, Illium
Key People: Dolo Dikos (CEO)
Revenue: 2.99 Billion Credits
Total Assets: 1.09 Billion Credits
Total Equity: .75 Billion Credits
Employees: 20,000
[/note]


T'Parn Security and Investigations Firm (TSIF) was founded by the Asari Commando Yula T'Parn to provide protection to the richest of the rich on the often tumultuous world of Illium. The Firm gained much renown by repelling many assassination attempts by some of the best hired guns money could buy. Lasha T'Soki, then-President of T'Soki-Wilhelm-Merosyndar Holdings Corporation (TWMHC), saw the value of owning the Firm and so acquired it at what was rumored to be a very hefty sum. Since then, TSIF has been re-organized to provide security to the entire Holdings Corporation. The Firm also engages in corporate espionage and is (it is often whispered) willing to assassinate anyone in any way desired, for the right price, though nothing has ever been linked back to the firm. The Firm also employs a large fleet of small, heavily armed frigates to protect all TWMHC ships as well as the Plio Ship Yard and those companies and individuals who contract for escort security. For these reasons and more, T'Parn Security and Investigations Firm has become a staple company in the secret wars that plague the seedy underbelly of Illiam's Corporate world and the open wars against the pirates that torment all efforts to expand into the Terminus Systems.
[/ic][/spoiler]

We could even snag the open game content from D20 Modern and if there aren't FX that would fit, could make up a little PDF excerpt / summary of how the Force works in Star Wars Saga Edition. It wouldn't be a perfect mesh but should be good enough. I accept that the D20 can't be perfectly balanced and as a play-by-post game we would likely operate fairly mechanics-light in most things, anyway.

EDIT: Though, honestly, since it is out of print, I wouldn't really have a problem snagging it off of a torrent in PDF form. I might actually buy it, too, since it comes up  a lot.

honestly Saga Edition is the best fit for the game since its a really well refined version of d20 Modern. The classes are all better approximations of the kinds of characters that exist in Mass Effect, much more so than the Strong/Fast/Smart/etc heroes of d20 Modern.

Having said that, I'm open to either.

Races are probably going to be one of the biggest things we actually need to stat out. Not just that but we probably need a coherent list of available races... Meaning species like the Geth, Keepers, Reapers and Hanar probably should not be playable.

So a list of playable races would be:

Humans
Asari
Turians
Salarians
Krogan
Drell
Volus
Quarians
Vorcha
Batarians

The only outlier would be the Elcor. They're very strange physically but would make for a great PC...

Is Star Wars saga edition OGL?  If so, someone with a digital copy could copy/paste the classes and other elements covered under the OGL without violating the copyright... I don't think there's an SRD of it, though, sadly.

Does d20 Modern/Future have psionics?  They could work for biotics instead of force powers.

EDIT: Also, while I'd love to play, I have a few games I'm already participating in right now.  I'll follow the thread though and may post mechanics suggestions!

What about rogue Geth as potential player characters, like Legion?

If we don't get concerned with making it perfect, we could hack it together from other OGC. Elves become Asari. Make halflings medium sized and call the Quarians. Change the stone-related features of dwarves into the same thing for commodities and trade goods and call them Volus. Humans stay the same. Half-orcs become Krogan. Just an idea.

Steerpike : It wouldn't require much more dedication of time than that for a player, if you want.

Star Wars was not OGL (because Star Wars is never OGL, I guess). That is the major downfall of Saga, not only is it out of print but it is also not open source.

Using the force as a basis, and mixing in some D&D ideas, I think we could make a list of biotic powers fairly easily.

ex.

Lift
Utilize your biotic powers to lift an object or creature up to 6 squares off the ground.
Time: Standard Action
Target: One character or object within 6 squares.

Make a Biotics Check. The result of the check determines the maximum size of the target you can lift. If a target reists your attempt, your check must also exceed the target's will defense. The effect of Lift raises the target directly up into the air. If the lifted target collides with an object (such as a ceiling) then it takes damage determined by your Biotics Check.

DC 15: Lift Object up to Medium Size (deals 2d6 points of damage)
DC 20: Lift Object up to Large Size (deals 4d6 points of damage)
DC 25: Lift Object up to Huge Size (deals 6d6 points of damage)
DC 30: Lift Object up to Gargantuan Size (deals 8d6 points of damage)
DC 35: Lift Object up to Colossal Size (deals 10d6 points of damage)

I suppose Rogue Geth would be a viable option, depending on the time period the campaign begins in (i.e. Geth before ME 1 would feel out of place but post ME1, Rogues could easily exist).

Geth would seem more out of place pre-ME1 but would be more likely to be accepted and not attacked on site. By non-quarians, anyway.

Quote from: Ninja D!Geth would seem more out of place pre-ME1 but would be more likely to be accepted and not attacked on site. By non-quarians, anyway.

Half the fun of Roleplaying is putting those two together on the same team (a Quarian and a Geth)!

Looking at the Force, I think we could easily pilfer what we need and just use d20 modern, if that would help us acquire more players. I mean if we stick with the ME1 powers, then we really only need 6 powers, most of whom can easily be created.

Quote from: Elemental_ElfHalf the fun of Roleplaying is putting those two together on the same team (a Quarian and a Geth)!

Comic relief come from their continued failed attempts to kill or sell each other into slavery. Think Jayne with River and Simon on Firefly.

Can I play Blasto?

Quote from: NomadicCan I play Blasto?

Blasto?

Quote from: Ninja D!

Quote from: NomadicCan I play Blasto?

Blasto?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2Z0aaOTaLk