Bay 12 Games Forum

As before, traits have a sphere and tier, and can only have 10 points invested in them. Traits of the same type in the same sphrere and tier do not stack but rather overlap (so if you have two T1 Population Action traits at 4 and 6, you will only get +6 from them, not +10). Traits higher than T1 require foundation traits from lower tiers with at least twice the points as the higher trait. The types of traits are:

Action traits are used to accomplish tasks in the specific sphere of the trait and overcome resistance of various types.
Reaction traits are used to resist various challenges pertaining to the trait's sphere.
Power traits enhance the effects of successful Actions.
Armour traits mitigate the effects of unsuccessful Reactions.
Perception traits are used to look for things relevant to the sphere, including but not limited to stealthed units.
Stealth traits allow for lone scouts/spies or whole units to be hidden.
Range traits increase the effective range (see below) of units in the same sphere as the trait by 1 per 5 range trait points (rounded down)
Generation traits support additional units (to the tune of 1 unit per population per 5 generation trait points (rounded down)), so that having a +9 T1 generation trait will give you 1 unit per population, but getting an additional point in generation traits will give you 2 units per population. The exception is with Population generation traits, which increase the rate of population growth by 1 unit per turn per 5 generation trait points(rounded down). Non-population units will increase at a rate equal to the population per turn up to the maximum supported.

There is also a special sphere, called Food, which increases the maximum supportable population in all hexes of the right type by 1 per 5 points invested in Food traits (rounded down). There are currently no types for Food traits.

It is possible to use traits from multiple spheres as a foundation for a new trait, but I will judge whether or not this is feasible for each new trait.

A species automatically gains EP from all of its units, at the rate of 1 EP per turn per 5 units (rounded down). A species may also receive additional EP from various events.

If you manifest an avatar, every action you take counts double, but if it gets vanquished you lose half your influence.  End of story.  Manifesting an avatar requires an action and isn't necessarily successful.

Entities act through their influenced units.  The way I run calculations under the system for Species actions, attempted actions require you to risk a certain number of units on a task.   The number of units risked generally affect the likelihood of success (the more, the greater chance).  Species can risk as many units as they possess, but Entities can risk only units they have Influence over.

Entities acting through influenced units use the stats of the species providing them, plus their own stats.  So military units with Act 7, React 5, Pow 2, Arm 3, when influenced by an Entity with Act 2, React 2, Pow 5, Arm 5, will have a total strength of Act 9, React 7, Pow 7, Arm 8.  For entities with an avatar manifest and no influence, their own avatars count as one unit.  Where entities attempt to act in spheres beyond their primary sphere, they can either still use units from their primary influence to do the job, but those units have effectively no points in that skill.  Alternatively, they can act on the behalf of units from that sphere belonging to another Entity or to a Species and add their points as a bonus to their actions instead, in effect aiding them in an action.

Finally, let's change the way Entities gain power.  Rather than being as fluid as it was, let us make it more akin to the way Species gain EP.  Entities start with 10 points of skill (as they do now).  Each turn, they gain one point for every five units of influence they have.  Like EP, this cannot be taken away.

Because I didn't think having an explicit range and giving units a number of actions was that good an idea, I changed it so that units can in theory act anywhere, but penalties from acting beyond effective range will prevent this. Effective range is equal to 3 plus whatever bonus you get from your range traits. Also each type of terrain has a range cost, which determines how much range you need to go into or through the tile. The range of an action is determined from the location of the units undertaking the action. Now, if an action is conducted beyond the effective range of the units, their effectiveness is reduced by one half, up to twice the effective range. From twice the effective range to three times the effective range, effectiveness is reduced to one quarter and so on.

This world is a dangerous one, and so expansion can be quite risky. Each tile has a savagery rating, which increases the difficulty of colonising that tile and also results in attacks upon existing colonies. There are a number of ways to temporarily deal with the savage wilderness, but the most effective is to develop it and extend the power of your civilisation over the tile. This is represented by a development rating, and each settled tile has one. The development ratings so far are:

• Settled: Conditions: 1 population Effects: None
• Sparsely Populated: Conditions: At least 2 population Effects: Range cost of tile has a maximum of 3

This list will probably be updated as I think through this mechanic a bit more. Also, ratings lower on the list take precedence over ratings higher on the list.

Green terrain

• Grasslands/plains Range cost: 1 Savagery modifier: 1
• Forests Range cost: 2 Savagery modifier: 1.5
• Jungles Range cost: 5 Savagery modifier: 2.5

Brown terrain

• Hills Range cost: 3 Savagery modifier: 1.5
• Swamp Range cost: 4 Savagery modifier: 2

Grey terrain

• Mountains Range cost: 8 Savagery modifier: 2
• Deserts Range cost: 6 Savagery modifier: 2
• Glacier/Tundra Range cost: 7 Savagery modifier: 2

Blue terrain

• Coast/Lake Range cost: 2 Savagery modifer: 1
• Ocean Range cost: Infinite Savagery modifier: TBD

(It should be possible to get some sort of seafaring trait which allows you to act across large bodies of water, but I am not sure as of yet how this will work)

Example Species (with 50 EP to spend)

Longtongue

The Longtongues are a race of hairless mammals roughly the size of German Shepherds, noted for their lengthy, prehensile tongues.  Whilst largely defenceless save for their hard skin, longtongues do have the advantage of being able to procure food in all manner of environments with great success.

Food  (Total of 25 increases available Land in all green land squares (forest, plains, marsh) by 5)
Long Tongue (T1, 10)
Sticky Tongue (T2, 10: Long Tongue, Foraging, Nesting)
Prehensile Tongue (T3, 5: Sticky Tongue)

Population
Action:  Foraging (T1, 5)
Reaction:  Nesting (T1, 5)
Power:  -
Armour: -
Perception:  -
Stealth:  -
Range:  -
Generation:  Live Birth (T1, 5)

Military
Action:  -
Reaction:  Tough Skin (T1, 5)
Power:  -
Armour:  Tough Skin II (T1, 5)
Perception:  -
Stealth:  -
Range:  -
Generation:  -


NB:  Tough Skin is used redundantly because it has multiple potential uses.  Feel free to do this, just remember that the total points invested has to fit in with tiering.
Although no generation points have been put into Military (preventing the fielding of any armies or particular support of a standing army), general military actions (such as constructing barricades etc) or defence against attacks are conducted at the strength of half a unit as civilians are drafted into service.


Example Entity (with 10 Influence to spend)

Valeia, Godess of Dominion, Fear & Madness

Valeia is most often represented as a young woman with flat grey hair that always covers Her face, or the closest equivalent in a species, as it is said that to look upon Her true visage would drive mortals beyond the brink of insanity.  She is worshipped by those seeking to overthrow others or maintain their own grip on power, by those seeking respite from fear or to inspire terror in others and by those gripped by and embracing insanity in all its forms.  She is not known for any particular stealth or care for Her worshippers, but rather for deliberate and generally unstoppable acts against those who displease Her.

Primary Sphere:  Religion
Action:  4
Reaction:  -
Power:  4
Armour:  -
Perception:  -
Stealth:  -
Range:  -

Military
Action:  1
Reaction:  -
Power:  1
Armour:  -
Perception:  -
Stealth:  -
Range:  -