Themes in Full Metal Alchemist in d20 [Archive] - Wizards Community

Themes in Full Metal Alchemist in d20 [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Jear77
03-06-07, 10:44 AM I was wondering if it was possible to represent some of the things in Full Metal Alchemist in D20.
For instance, would Ed's automail arm and leg qualify him for the half golem template, one that would increase his talent as an alchemist.

Also how would the alchemist class be represented and the ideas contained? I had some ideas (which I'll probably post within a day or 2) For instance: one of the most awesome quotes of the series is quoted at the begining of the show (i feel is) "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's First Law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth."

Finally how would the "red water," "red stone" disease represented in several ways-- where people got sick and died from its exposure, and even "turned to stone"
Thomar_of_Uointer
03-06-07, 11:44 AM The Artificer class from the Eberron Campaign Setting requires you to have a focus for any infusions you cast. Ed would be able to use his arm no matter what.

Anyways, from what I've seen, psionics is a flexible and well-made system that's good at representing anything you care to adapt it to. It has its own "laws", and needs to be studied to use properly, but in terms of game mechanics things like "equivalent exchange" don't matter. Rituals could be represented by incantations or similar complex magic systems.

I would treat Ed's grafts as just that, grafts. Half-golem wasn't meant for players.

Magical diseases already exist in D&D. They require three successive saving throws instead of two, and tend to have some other effect associated with them.
Jear77
03-07-07, 04:51 PM I know that there are magical diseases, what I was asking for was the "stats" of the disease as shown in FMA
Need_A_Life
03-07-07, 05:16 PM I was wondering if it was possible to represent some of the things in Full Metal Alchemist in D20.
For instance, would Ed's automail arm and leg qualify him for the half golem template, one that would increase his talent as an alchemist.Use the warforged grafts for the same purpose, they're a lot more balanced.

Also how would the alchemist class be represented and the ideas contained? I'd be tempted to do something with the Truenamer class from Tome of Magic, only changing an utterance to take 1 full-round action to use, requiring a material component and then beefing up its abilities a bit.
There'd be more about affecting the environment and items than affecting creatures in this reflavoured version, so re-balancing would be essential.

"Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's First Law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth."Indeed, it is a good quote.

Finally how would the "red water," "red stone" disease represented in several ways-- where people got sick and died from its exposure, and even "turned to stone"
Well, if we made it like the Truenamer, then the red stones could give a competence bonus to his skill check (varying from +5 for a single drop to +30 for a fist-sized one; the actual philosophers stone would be auto-success).

The disease? Probably something like: 1d2 str, 1d2 dex; creatures reduced to 0 in either ability die as their corpse solidifies into solid stone. Three consecutive saving throws does not free people of this illness, only magical healing can destroy the ailment.
Prime32
03-08-07, 12:53 PM I would like to point out the geometer PrC in Complete Arcane. It's the closest thing to an FMA alchemist by RAW.
Jear77
03-09-07, 10:03 PM Thanx for the suggestions. I also would probably have the symptoms of it be fatigue (as in the condition), coughing up blood, fever (no game. as far as the overuse of the red stone where that it would polymorph parts of their body (as in the ep where Ed fought the guy who used the red stone and Gluttony ate him)
Moccanime
03-12-07, 12:58 PM I know there has been several Alchemist classes made. Maybe someone has a link for one of them.

About automail, something like the cybernetics rule from D20 Future would work best.

The red stone disease would be a plot device, no need for actual stats, the GM deciede what happens. Not every thing need stats (only the things players need to see require rules).

Edit: found one of the Alchemist classes
http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=498216
Jear77
03-12-07, 03:18 PM I was wanting to inflict the players with the disease too as a plot device, so i need to know what it does...
Moccanime
03-12-07, 05:13 PM Well you probally know what it does as well as any other reader/watcher of FMA.
If you want to use it as a plot device, then don't stat it out. A statet disease can be saved against and its not much of a plot device when a lucky fort save can avoid it.

I never stat out a plot device like this. Either the players complete the story and cure the sickness, or they fail and suffer the consequnsess.
Jear77
03-13-07, 11:37 AM heh. Good point. I was trying to be a fair DM. Giving someone a disease that there is no save from is kinda like railroading (which is to be avoided at all costs) But without some sort of plot line, the players will flounder about with nothing to do-- so I'm trying to strike a compromise... there will be a variety of rumors started, among which is a disease that there appears to be no cure for. Regardless of which rumor they take up to begin investigating at game's start, I the way I was figuring it was that they'd run into it or its effects often enough that they'd eventually catch it, or be motivated enough to track down what's going on. But the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of simply infecting them with it; however, having said that how can i strike a compromise between railroading and it simply being a natural consequence of being around said condition (or is there) ? Any suggestions or ideas?
Moccanime
03-13-07, 01:32 PM Not sure how to do it, as it depend a lot on your group.

But I would probally handle it like slowly increasing ability damage. Every weak they go without finding some cure or at least some way to hold back the disease from getting worse, they suffer some light ability damage. Depending on how much of a time restraint you want to put em under, the damage could come every week, every second week or only once a month.

It could be
1d3 Dexterity damage due to stiffing muscles.
1d3 Constitution damage due to organs being slowly petryfied
Maybe Strenght damage too, not sure.

As long as the sickness isn't cured the damage can't be healed and when the all the damage stats reach 0 they become petryfied.

Maybe let them make a fortitude save to avoid the damage for one passing, but every time they succed a roll, the DC of the next one increase by 2 (resets when they fail a save).

Could you give a bit of an outline of the storyline for your game. Would be a bit easier to give advice if I know a bit more about your game.
Need_A_Life
03-13-07, 01:34 PM Tell them that the area is infected beforehand... make it clear before they reach the area that common knowledge says that people who go there risk catching a disease that can cause a most painful death anywhere between an hour of infection and a week.

Or maybe you could make the initial save something like DC 5 but the saves afterwards DC 20... that'd explain why it's not exactly highly contagious, but usually fatal.
Jear77
03-13-07, 03:40 PM Thanks for your suggestions. If i make it clear that it's under quarantee or something that'll at least discourage them-- and the disease which was slowly spreading before, has started to rapidly increase will make them have an incentive to go
Thomar_of_Uointer
03-14-07, 02:29 AM Or maybe you could make the initial save something like DC 5 but the saves afterwards DC 20... that'd explain why it's not exactly highly contagious, but usually fatal.

Alternately, you can make it have a lower save DC but with severe ability damage and drain.

And remember, as a magical disease you need to make three consecutive saves to lose it.
Prime32
03-14-07, 10:39 AM Maybe they can only delay the progress of the disease by killing people. Maybe vampires are people with an advanced form of the disease.
Jear77
03-14-07, 11:10 AM Awesome suggestion :cool:
Ok... here's what I have planned for the party as far as rumors go, and "behind the scenes"

I'm having this all take place in Waterdeep in the FRCS, 150 years in the future. Far beneath waterdeep a cult to the "goddess" Nox has formed (she's actually a demon who's trying to escape her extra plannar prison, but she's powerful enough to grant her followers some abilities.) People have gone missing, being kidnapped and sacrificed to Nox. Also, meanwhile on the surface, there are temples to Nox appearing, which are popular with the poor in town. It's like a club of today, with music, dancing and fancy light shows. The people who go to these clubs become drained, and easily suggestable. I figure that there could be a constant effect of something. Now here comes in your idea. The people who are drained, go out and kill, but have no memory of doing so. Some of the victims survive, and thus are lured to the temple by their exposure to the disease. Nox gets the energy which was leeched from them. This energy needs to get transfered to her somehow, hence a ceremony, and the development of "red water," and the "red stones." This red water has also seeped into the ground water, and in certain places has developed into a fog, which sickens everything it touches by its drain: cattle, grain, people. Some people become fosilized, as in one episode, some people turn into monsters, and others when they die, become undead.

What do you think?
Prime32
03-14-07, 11:59 AM Maybe it would be better if the disease didn't compel people to kill. That way, characters have a choice to make - do I kill people just to extend my own life? This is far more like FMA.
Jear77
03-14-07, 02:13 PM good point. Something like "taint" discussed in Heroes of horror. Thanx ;-) As far as the rest of it goes, is it too all-encompassing? Should it be scaled back to make it effect less? All your ideas are great and I'm taking them into account!
Need_A_Life
03-17-07, 10:05 AM Tried making a new alchemist class:

Alchemist [FMA] (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=810893)

It's probably not balanced, and has not been playtested, but I thought I'd give it a shot.
Jear77
03-18-07, 09:40 PM Thanx ;-) I'll look it over

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Jear77 03-06-07, 10:44 AM	I was wondering if it was possible to represent some of the things in Full Metal Alchemist in D20. For instance, would Ed's automail arm and leg qualify him for the half golem template, one that would increase his talent as an alchemist. Also how would the alchemist class be represented and the ideas contained? I had some ideas (which I'll probably post within a day or 2) For instance: one of the most awesome quotes of the series is quoted at the begining of the show (i feel is) "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's First Law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth." Finally how would the "red water," "red stone" disease represented in several ways-- where people got sick and died from its exposure, and even "turned to stone"
Thomar_of_Uointer 03-06-07, 11:44 AM	The Artificer class from the Eberron Campaign Setting requires you to have a focus for any infusions you cast. Ed would be able to use his arm no matter what. Anyways, from what I've seen, psionics is a flexible and well-made system that's good at representing anything you care to adapt it to. It has its own "laws", and needs to be studied to use properly, but in terms of game mechanics things like "equivalent exchange" don't matter. Rituals could be represented by incantations or similar complex magic systems. I would treat Ed's grafts as just that, grafts. Half-golem wasn't meant for players. Magical diseases already exist in D&D. They require three successive saving throws instead of two, and tend to have some other effect associated with them.
Jear77 03-07-07, 04:51 PM	I know that there are magical diseases, what I was asking for was the "stats" of the disease as shown in FMA
Need_A_Life 03-07-07, 05:16 PM	I was wondering if it was possible to represent some of the things in Full Metal Alchemist in D20. For instance, would Ed's automail arm and leg qualify him for the half golem template, one that would increase his talent as an alchemist.Use the warforged grafts for the same purpose, they're a lot more balanced. Also how would the alchemist class be represented and the ideas contained? I'd be tempted to do something with the Truenamer class from Tome of Magic, only changing an utterance to take 1 full-round action to use, requiring a material component and then beefing up its abilities a bit. There'd be more about affecting the environment and items than affecting creatures in this reflavoured version, so re-balancing would be essential. "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's First Law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth."Indeed, it is a good quote. Finally how would the "red water," "red stone" disease represented in several ways-- where people got sick and died from its exposure, and even "turned to stone" Well, if we made it like the Truenamer, then the red stones could give a competence bonus to his skill check (varying from +5 for a single drop to +30 for a fist-sized one; the actual philosophers stone would be auto-success). The disease? Probably something like: 1d2 str, 1d2 dex; creatures reduced to 0 in either ability die as their corpse solidifies into solid stone. Three consecutive saving throws does not free people of this illness, only magical healing can destroy the ailment.
Prime32 03-08-07, 12:53 PM	I would like to point out the geometer PrC in Complete Arcane. It's the closest thing to an FMA alchemist by RAW.
Jear77 03-09-07, 10:03 PM	Thanx for the suggestions. I also would probably have the symptoms of it be fatigue (as in the condition), coughing up blood, fever (no game. as far as the overuse of the red stone where that it would polymorph parts of their body (as in the ep where Ed fought the guy who used the red stone and Gluttony ate him)
Moccanime 03-12-07, 12:58 PM	I know there has been several Alchemist classes made. Maybe someone has a link for one of them. About automail, something like the cybernetics rule from D20 Future would work best. The red stone disease would be a plot device, no need for actual stats, the GM deciede what happens. Not every thing need stats (only the things players need to see require rules). Edit: found one of the Alchemist classes http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=498216
Jear77 03-12-07, 03:18 PM	I was wanting to inflict the players with the disease too as a plot device, so i need to know what it does...
Moccanime 03-12-07, 05:13 PM	Well you probally know what it does as well as any other reader/watcher of FMA. If you want to use it as a plot device, then don't stat it out. A statet disease can be saved against and its not much of a plot device when a lucky fort save can avoid it. I never stat out a plot device like this. Either the players complete the story and cure the sickness, or they fail and suffer the consequnsess.
Jear77 03-13-07, 11:37 AM	heh. Good point. I was trying to be a fair DM. Giving someone a disease that there is no save from is kinda like railroading (which is to be avoided at all costs) But without some sort of plot line, the players will flounder about with nothing to do-- so I'm trying to strike a compromise... there will be a variety of rumors started, among which is a disease that there appears to be no cure for. Regardless of which rumor they take up to begin investigating at game's start, I the way I was figuring it was that they'd run into it or its effects often enough that they'd eventually catch it, or be motivated enough to track down what's going on. But the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of simply infecting them with it; however, having said that how can i strike a compromise between railroading and it simply being a natural consequence of being around said condition (or is there) ? Any suggestions or ideas?
Moccanime 03-13-07, 01:32 PM	Not sure how to do it, as it depend a lot on your group. But I would probally handle it like slowly increasing ability damage. Every weak they go without finding some cure or at least some way to hold back the disease from getting worse, they suffer some light ability damage. Depending on how much of a time restraint you want to put em under, the damage could come every week, every second week or only once a month. It could be 1d3 Dexterity damage due to stiffing muscles. 1d3 Constitution damage due to organs being slowly petryfied Maybe Strenght damage too, not sure. As long as the sickness isn't cured the damage can't be healed and when the all the damage stats reach 0 they become petryfied. Maybe let them make a fortitude save to avoid the damage for one passing, but every time they succed a roll, the DC of the next one increase by 2 (resets when they fail a save). Could you give a bit of an outline of the storyline for your game. Would be a bit easier to give advice if I know a bit more about your game.
Need_A_Life 03-13-07, 01:34 PM	Tell them that the area is infected beforehand... make it clear before they reach the area that common knowledge says that people who go there risk catching a disease that can cause a most painful death anywhere between an hour of infection and a week. Or maybe you could make the initial save something like DC 5 but the saves afterwards DC 20... that'd explain why it's not exactly highly contagious, but usually fatal.
Jear77 03-13-07, 03:40 PM	Thanks for your suggestions. If i make it clear that it's under quarantee or something that'll at least discourage them-- and the disease which was slowly spreading before, has started to rapidly increase will make them have an incentive to go
Thomar_of_Uointer 03-14-07, 02:29 AM	Or maybe you could make the initial save something like DC 5 but the saves afterwards DC 20... that'd explain why it's not exactly highly contagious, but usually fatal. Alternately, you can make it have a lower save DC but with severe ability damage and drain. And remember, as a magical disease you need to make three consecutive saves to lose it.
Prime32 03-14-07, 10:39 AM	Maybe they can only delay the progress of the disease by killing people. Maybe vampires are people with an advanced form of the disease.
Jear77 03-14-07, 11:10 AM	Awesome suggestion :cool: Ok... here's what I have planned for the party as far as rumors go, and "behind the scenes" I'm having this all take place in Waterdeep in the FRCS, 150 years in the future. Far beneath waterdeep a cult to the "goddess" Nox has formed (she's actually a demon who's trying to escape her extra plannar prison, but she's powerful enough to grant her followers some abilities.) People have gone missing, being kidnapped and sacrificed to Nox. Also, meanwhile on the surface, there are temples to Nox appearing, which are popular with the poor in town. It's like a club of today, with music, dancing and fancy light shows. The people who go to these clubs become drained, and easily suggestable. I figure that there could be a constant effect of something. Now here comes in your idea. The people who are drained, go out and kill, but have no memory of doing so. Some of the victims survive, and thus are lured to the temple by their exposure to the disease. Nox gets the energy which was leeched from them. This energy needs to get transfered to her somehow, hence a ceremony, and the development of "red water," and the "red stones." This red water has also seeped into the ground water, and in certain places has developed into a fog, which sickens everything it touches by its drain: cattle, grain, people. Some people become fosilized, as in one episode, some people turn into monsters, and others when they die, become undead. What do you think?
Prime32 03-14-07, 11:59 AM	Maybe it would be better if the disease didn't compel people to kill. That way, characters have a choice to make - do I kill people just to extend my own life? This is far more like FMA.
Jear77 03-14-07, 02:13 PM	good point. Something like "taint" discussed in Heroes of horror. Thanx ;-) As far as the rest of it goes, is it too all-encompassing? Should it be scaled back to make it effect less? All your ideas are great and I'm taking them into account!
Need_A_Life 03-17-07, 10:05 AM	Tried making a new alchemist class: Alchemist [FMA] (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=810893) It's probably not balanced, and has not been playtested, but I thought I'd give it a shot.
Jear77 03-18-07, 09:40 PM	Thanx ;-) I'll look it over