[Steamfunk] PBP Planning Thread

These themes may work best for PbP. Games that require a lot of action rolls for resolving interaction and combat can slow down the pace of the story. Find a missing family member, a researcher gone to the moon, etc. Delvery boy themes also work.

There is not a particular day that does not work for me as my schedule is eratic, but Wednesdays would also be the bad day if I picked one. I'm usually available early mornings and at night.

I'd be happy to take a turn later at GM once I figure out how a PbP game really works from you veterans.

I'm also open to the type of character I play, so I'm good with filling the gap as others pick theirs.

I would love to play. I'll play anything and any kind of game, but would advise not making my character play a critical role, as there may be times where I'm out of pocket for a bit. Wednesday's and Sundays are generally not good for me. Also, I will most likely be restricted to playing in the evenings...

I second the exploration and intrigue.

So, Sundays and Wednesdays are out, and Thursday isn't very good as well.

Suggestion: If we only post a few times a week, it'll take longer, but that would give everyone more time to chime in. Dennis, you could declare something along the lines of, "I'll post on Day X and everyone has until X+1 or X+2 to respond. Then I'll post on Day Y..."

I've only read through page 47, so I can't say for sure, but so far I think a Gatekeeper would be the most interesting. :)

So that is 2.5 players. Ashy, we'll try to work something out that allows you to come and go as needed. TL You have first dibs on a Gatekeeper if that is what you settle on.

Sounds good. I should be able to post at least once a day, methinks. :)

Race doesn't limit equipment. Any human with a little coin or willing to do a few favors is totally capable of having any spell any guardian or Ma'hina can employ. The big thing about race is how you interact with the world and how the world interacts with you.

That's one of the reasons I love steampunk settings - not just distopian, but also the one's where hope abounds and BIG machines are the new world. M3 and partner have done a great job capturing the tone and feel in this game, which is why the first time I read this I knew I was buying.

As for me, like I said, I'll wait to see what we need for race and character abilities. I can do a tradesman or a topsie scientist on an equal level.

@ Dennis - Cool! I have a tentative concept, but I'll flesh it out after I get a chance to read the rest of the "player friendly" section (hopefully later this week).

@ M3 - Yep, the "equipment" thing was something I had in mind! :)

Hey all, I've talked with my friend and he's got a couple of other irons in the fire, so it looks like you are stuck with me as GM. M3 is graciously sharing his ideas with me and I'm reading some more to start formulating plot ideas.

My initial thoughts are a delving into the depth beneath one of the cities. A good exploration adventure. Let me know if that appeals before I get to far...

Right now we have:

• ShadowStalker
• Timelord
• Ashy (intermittent)

We need one or two more...

I'll be here, but just don't make my character a critical role: leader, sole healer, etc... ;)

Dennis: Exploration below one of the great cities was exactly what I had in mind.

Sounds great! I'm a big fan of exploration! :D

After Ashy's e-mail, I'm now leaning toward a Foreman (hard to resist the Klik angle).

Dennis, what sort of starting UP are we looking at?

Hey TL, I was thinking 55 UP.

Cool!

I e-mailed you a tentative concept (but not my character build) for my character!

It snowed a couple of days ago here, and then again last night/today. I had to clean 6 inches off my car, and then help shovel the drive at work! Ugh!

I'd laugh except that I'm crying because I know ours is coming soon. We've had a very mild fall and snow is late. Which means given the predictions of 90+ inches this season, it's going to go on until the end of April.

I hate snow.

Dennis: I'm working on a Tradesman concept, but I think I'm going to have to buy more decks to do it. I don't usually play in the Apoc Churl vein of the game.

@ ShadowStalker - Considering the type of world Steamfunk is, you don't necessarily have to go with that. I have a question: Which decks/sets do you currently have?

The reason I bring it up is that "Basic Skills" and "Basic Traits" are excellent decks to purchase (I actually bought 4 of the Skills!). It really helps round out your characters.

TL - Basic skills was one of them, as well as primal powers.

I'm looking at adding a lot of decks just to fill out my collection, but for purposes of this, it's just those two (I think)

Shiny!

BTW: I found that Apoc Amplifications is a good all-around deck for any character (not just Apocs). Lots of good Powers!

Apoc Amps was third on my list LOL

If all you have are churl(tradesman) powers, that won't really stop you from making a tripod(foreman). The book puts a lot of the blame for those powers on being in the pipes, and foremen are in the pipes just as much (if not more) than tradesmen. If you want a tradesman with churl powers, it's totally doable, just not necessarily typical. Heck, he could just be a custom order heavy-industry model where most of those skills came pre-equipped. Fire-based skills would be pretty useful in the pipes. You could even add special requirements to things like molten mouth where he has to 'eat' the raw material, heat it up, and then spew it out.

I could actually see that if a foreman had magma mouth or whatever it's called, that he and the tradesmen under him could sometimes take breaks and have contests with it.

Thanks!

I've already sent Dennis my character, but I'll keep in mind the whole "mutation" aspect for the future...

@ Dennis - Are our characters going to know each other to start?

Anyone have much experience using these? How useful are they?

I know that they are helpful, since they are part of this game, but given I have limited UP, are these worth the cost.

The reason I ask is that I am thinking of developing a tradesman starting primarily with builds from Basic Skills & Traits (trying something different), but want to make sure that my character is not completely ineffectual (like his designer is :P)

I find in Untold, building yourself as the badarse normal has a lot of applications. Combat isn't everything, especially as far as Steamfunk is concerned. Having the character that's good at just doing general stuff and not so much combat has soooo many uses. You could be the guy who carries stuff, moves stuff(like large rubble), holds stuff in place(like a rafter during a cave-in), and is just good for all the basic stuff.

However, check with your GM. It's always possible your character doesn't mesh well with the theme of the adventure so run it by the GM and he'll be able to help make sure your character's skills allow you to get the most out of the game.

I find that it depends on the situation. For instance "Agile" helps you to avoid getting knocked prone, but I only take it if it fits my character.

Also, the synergy with the Skills are an important part of it. "Smart" works with cards like "Awareness" and "Mechanic", but not with "Medical Training" (which uses "Wise"). So, I often build around what skills you want to be extra good at.

Some Traits are prerequisites for other Powers. "Strong" for instance is not only important for lifting heavy things, but impacts some Powers.

This will really help me shape my character (but now I must buy more cards)

Oh, and until your new cards come in, there are a few Traits among the Iconics in the Starter Set.

Agile, Driven, Resilient, Strong, and Wise.

Resilient and strong were both considerations, but I still need the Mechanic cards.

Does anyone remember which set has the night vision glasses? I thought there was a power card for this. Gotta have my steampunk goggles.

Micro-toolset is in the Starter Set and Mechanic is in both Basic Skills and Triple Threat: Slugs and Steel (see below).

As for NVG, there isn't a card as of yet (it's been proposed). However, in Apoc Amplifications there is Night Hunter's Sight.

Also, there is a Power called Darkvision (you can call the Power Goggles w/out any problem) in the following deck: http://www.untoldthegame.com/store/triple-threat-slugs-and-steel

Which is also available as a PDF: http://www.untoldthegame.com/store/triple-threat-slugs-and-steel-pdf

Cheers!

I actually have those decks you reference. I may just about be set. Have to design this guy tomorrow.

Shiny!