The Campaign Builder's Guild

Quote from: SteerpikeI think that Jatayi have arms and Sirae do not, if I remember correctly (I think there were some times when Wispy fired a crossbow while on the wing).  But there could be different clans/subraces that have both configurations.

Excellent.

Quote from: Rose-of-VellumRegarding Endure, the biggest advantage is how it allows you to reserve your Grit to modify your action in other ways -either to further decrease the DC, add damage, etc. This is a staple benefit and tactic that has broadband utility.

Look, I understand what you're saying, but I just don't share your opinion. It seemed and still seems entirely too situational to be of benefit to me, but I do acknowledge it would probably need playtesting and also depend a good bit on the GM and/or the game's content, too, of course. It would probably see more use in a game where the GM liked to use dazing attacks or was pretty restrictive in what skills could do.

Quote from: Rose-of-VellumRegarding Greater Endure, it does not automatically replace Endure. One could choose to keep both, precisely to use the lower point cost of Endure to ignore the penalties of being dazed or impaired. There is choice there.

The choice between overpaying for a mediocre ability in Might points each time you use it or overpaying for a mediocre ability with maneuver slots consumed? Personally, I think it should just replace Endure and have a variable point cost, then Greater Endure would actually be pretty good. (I'm still not a fan of regular Endure)

Quote from: Rose-of-VellumSee last paragraph under the Character Tiers & Benefits section

Ok, thanks, I missed that part before.

For the record, dazing effects in Penumbra aren't as limited as they are in 3e/PF.

That said, I added a description of the sickened & nauseated condition to the special damage section. I then included sickened as another condition that Endurance affects. I similarly added nauseated to Greater Endurance's list. I further edited Greater Endurance so it costs 2 points to ignore Endure's list of conditions and 3 for the more severe list, as sparkletwist suggested.

I also added a line about how weapon proficiencies grant expertise in tasks involving appraising, maintaining, and repairing weapon of the specified type (in Weapons section).

Q: Is it possible to upload/attack a pdf, and if so, how do I?

Update: I changed the weapon repair/appraise expertise. Instead of weapon type proficiency granting said expertise, attack expertise (automatic warrior feature and optional rogue trick) does. That way, it is further tied to both archetype and character (e.g., a skinchanging savage from the Barrow-Scrub might be skilled at repairing and maintaining axes, spears, and swords, but not rifles and muskets).  

I also adjusted starting wealth by a factor of 10. I thought that better depicted prices and currency worth in CE.

I'm curious: are the Rogue abilities mostly your own invention or are they imports from Numenera?

The latter. They are essentially taken from the warrior and theurge abilities.

I thought that was probably the case.  They seem fine - functional certainly - but if I was to critique anything in terms of flavour it would probably be the more esoteric Rogue abilities.  Things like mind-reading, invisibility, and levitation don't feel like "standard" ability high level rogues (i.e. thieves, assassins, people like the Whispers or the Shroud or the Bloodletter's Cultists) would necessarily have access to in this setting; the magic of those abilities feels very "standard fantasy," in a way.

The disconnect is probably because the Rogue is based off Numenera's Jack (as in Jack-of-All-Trades) which was meant as a "skilled" character to balance out the more specialized Glaive/Fighter and Nano/Mage archetypes. While a stealthy, roguish character is certainly one possibility, it's equally plausible to make one that's more along the lines of a spellsword.

I definitely appreciate the feedback!

Superbright is spot on with the rogue's origins and diversity. A player could make a PC who has the OOC rogue archetype, but IC be a witch, combining guttersnipe breadth and an array of hexes. Alternatively, he or she could play a rogue and not pick a single esoteric ability, a nonmagical, but still highly skilled, resourceful personage.
Also, I was planning on having the foci help individuate character -and thus represent unique talents like the ability of a Guildsman of the Crimson Shadow to temporarily become incorporeal.

Nevertheless, I'll gladly replace any rogue tricks that does not match the setting. Can you think of some more appropriate tricks to replace them? Either specifically or in general?

Not my setting or my system, but wouldn't it make more sense to just rename the class and not gut it wholesale? The ability to play a character to who employs both magic and skill at arms without crippling themselves mechanically is part of what attracted me to the Numenera system in the first place.

That would totally be possible, Superbright, though I'd suggest that even with a different name the abilities themselves don't actually feel terribly attuned to the setting's overall flavour.  Take mind-reading, for example... if a bunch of mid-level rogues in the setting could mind-read, that would change the way the setting operates pretty dramatically, I think.  Mind-readers would be employed in all sorts of ways, integrated into the politics and economics of the cities in the same way that things like grafting, eldritch tattoos and demonism are integrated into cities like Macellaria and Skein.

On that note, looking a little closer at the Theurge abilities, I'd say there's probably a mix of those that fit well and those that don't.  Magic-users in CE tend to be more about things like this or this and this and not so much like this kind of thing.  Witchcraft tends to be about things like replacing your skin with the flayed hide of a demon or vomiting forth a swarm of flesh-eating beetles or turning your blood into a semi-sentient weapon... weird shit, basically.

A good number of the Theurge abilities do work pretty well, though, or could be described/flavoured so that they fit - so like a Blast might causing bone spurs to burst from the target's skin or opening a vein to spray ensorceled toxic blood on someone.

A couple points to clarify:

1. Tiers are a PC construct. Levels denote NPC 'difficulty'. That said, the system does not suggest that commoners, or even common bandits, guards, or thugs are tier 1 beings. Tier 1 PCs aren't like level 1 PCs in most d20 systems. PCs from the beginning are exceptional in their abilities, power, and potential. Thus, the system does not suggest that a bunch of mid-tier rogues exist in the same way that mid-level rogues/NPCs are nigh everywhere in d20 systems. Mid level NPCs are (at least in cities), but level once again does not equate to tier. A NPC of a certain tier by no means is assumed to have the same abilities as a PC of the same tier number.

2. Thus, despite a third-tier trick granting mind-reading, the system does not suggest that the world is populated with level 3 NPCs, or tier 3 PCs, able to read minds.  No more so than thinking that lots of rogue zehrers are bound to mid-level NPCs, just because a PC like Kaius gained one mid-level. If that makes sense.

3. Moreover, regarding psionic effects in general, I recognize that they are incredibly rare -believed by most to be a long forgotten art. I tried to depict that in the flavor introductions for the archetypes (and even stated that GMs are more than justified in denying said options for PCs). Consequently, I see PCs with psychic abilities, like mind-reading, as exceptionally rare, even among PCs. Having and using said abilities would attract exceptional interest and perhaps complications. Thus, players should not select such options without consideration and approval from the GM.

4. Relatedly, crunch selection should be guided by flavor. For example, if the PCs have spent an entire tier exploring desert ruins in the Dour Erg and gain enough XP to advance a skill. Assuming no watery encounters or tasks occurred, no player should advance or select swimming as a skill, as the adventure has not provided any rational for improving said skill. Perhaps a player can advance one (e.g., each night they read an Olympic swimming manual, honest!), but the GM ultimately has the responsibility of being the arbiter or reason. In a similar manner, a rogue whose background/recent experience is bereft of training in witchcraft, or similar theurgy, should not gain esoteric rogue tricks -unless of course, alternate reasons exist (e.g., receiving a graft, fleshhex, augmentation, exposure to some eldritch effect, etc.).

5. I totally get, dig, and embrace what you're saying about what magic is and isn't in CE. It's one of the primary reasons I love the setting. I realize the esoteries as written are extremely vague in terms of what they 'look' like (but hopefully equally clear regarding their mechanical use and effect). I also realize that one could read the title and explanation for Eldritch Strike and assume it means some 'magic missile' or ray or fire cast by by a scantily clad sorceress with impeccable skin. Instead, its name is generic, and its description does not include a description of its nature or appearance, in order to allow PC/GM flexibility and creativity -but with the agreed upon notion that it conform to CE flavor.

So, to take your examples, a witch might replace his skin with the flayed hide of a demon. Mechanically this might be the Ward esotery, as the demonic flesh is tough and resilient. Alternatively, the hide might cause a burning flesh-hex to emerge on the skin, which when properly invoked (accompanied by blistering, rippling demon-sweat), might allow the witch to ward themselves against flame (Energy Protection), cause boils to erupt, sprouting fiendish, quasi-corporeal tentacles that can be used to grasp, hurl, or push objects (Push), rip open to expose a bulbous heart that can be thrown in a massive detonation (Blast), etc..

Thus, Eldritch Strike can take the form of a flutist witch playing an eerie tune that summons a pox-ridden spectre that kisses the witch's enemies, causing terrible, weeping sores to sweep over their skin. Or a nigromantic hex that vomits a swarm of conjured flesh-eating scarabs. Or a diabolical invocation that causes a six-armed, eyeless imp to erupt from a victim's mouth and then throttle her. Or a ritual scar being reopened, spilling blood that can be hardened into a living sheath of armor (Ward), a lashing, razor-sharp tendril (Eldritch Blast), or a many-tongued sanguine-fleshed lamprey that sucks the blood from seven foes (Blast), creates flowing, rising thrones (Hover), etc.

So as you said, it's all in the interpretation and description -a responsibility jointly shared, and enjoyed, by the players and GM.

All that said, I did review the rogue's tricks. Here's a level-by-level breakdown:

Tier 1: 7 total
6 'mundane'
1 magical: gutter-witchcraft.

Tier 2: 6 total
4 mundane
2 magical:
'push' effect
AC granting 'ward' effect.
   
Tier 3: 6 total
1 mundane
5 magical. Ranged 'physical' attack
temporary stat boost
Vertical levitation
Mind-Reading
mental ranged attack

Tier 4: 5 total
4 mundane
1 magical: Temporary weapon imbuement

Tier 5: 5 total
4 mundane
1 magical (technically it just grants expertise to an extant esotery).

Tier 6: 5 total
2 mundane
3 magical:
Energy protection
Invisibility
true seeing

Overall total 34; 21 mundane vs 13 magical
Looking over that breakdown, I see now that tier 3 is unbalanced in regards to its distribution of magical and mundane tricks. Although attack expertise is one that can be selected multiple times (and is a very powerful ability), there should be another nonmagical ability. I'm also open to removing a magical ability or two, like mind reading and hover. Here's what I might add to replace them:

•   Speed Surge (4 Agility points): For one round, your speed increases. You can move up to a short distance as part of any other action. Enabler.

•   Sure-footed: Choose one type of environment (e.g., desert, swamp, tundra, urban). Within this environment, you ignore the penalties for moving through rough terrain, and your round-by-round movement is not halved in difficult terrain. Each time you pick this trick, you select another environment. Enabler.

Thoughts?

That makes sense!  A lot of this stuff is cosmetic - and that's a good point about the lack of mid-tier PCs.

I do like the alternate Tier 3 abilities, particularly Sure-Footed.

Hopefully the above also clarified things for future readers as well, so I'm glad that all made sense.

Based upon your feedback, I went and added both rogue tricks and removed mind-reading and mindstrike.