Alternative Benefits for Apotheosis

[tooley1chris]

So you gain different types of bonuses by being Allied (more points in) each Force(Light, Shadow, Balance).
When you eventually (if ever) reach 100 AND 20 more points than any other Allegiance you can gain Apotheosis, which is pretty much like becoming a faithful servant of that force, gaining some wonderful benefits based on that force.

The book reads:
Champion of Shadow:
1. Magic Points double
2.Chance to commune with a higher power of the Shadow 3. Chance of resurrection

Champion of Balance:
1. Hit Points become SIZ+CON+POW (instead of
SIZE+CON)

Champion of Light:
1. Settle a new land and rules over d100+100 sq. Miles
2. Chance to commune with higher power of the Light.

OK. Here's my question to those who are familiar (or the number crunchers):
Would it be game breaking if the benefits of Apotheosis weren't restricted by the force?
I was thinking of allowing a player who obtains Apotheosis to pick any 2. Thoughts?

 

Also I'm thinking about adding some other benefits. Chaosium is releasing a new supplement called Chroniclers Companion, that will supposedly give new perspective to the Allegiance system and I was thinking how certain deities might reward Allegiance. Any suggestions on different benefits would be appreciated!

[muminalver]

I myself have been playing around with giving mutations from the golden book as reward for some deities...

Or give access to psionic powers. All depending the deity.

Don't think there would be an problem, sure getting twice the mp sounds nice, or getting more hit points.

How much help/ power would you give to the player for communicating with his god?

[Lord Sephleon]

Since I'm not going to finish that D100 AD&D PHB that was heavily inspired by Classic Fantasy anytime soon, I don't mind sharing my work with other fellow BRPers who might have some use for it. Here is the entire chapter on Alignment that I had written up. Everything I share is pretty much unfinished, but hey... well, I hope these help.

 

CHAPTER FOUR: Alignment

 

While adventuring, you will perform actions that may increase your ties to one (or more) of the three Alignments of Morality: Good, Neutral, and Evil. Good and Evil are opposed to each other, while Neutral can be considered either a selfish, passive (not affiliated with either Good or Evil), or “cosmic balance” point of view. Your actions determine your true allegiance, and the Alignment with the highest score is considered to be your chosen Alignment.

 

Alignment Score

In a lot of cases, you will compare your chosen Alignment against the next highest one to determine various factors such as special class abilities, magic item restrictions, or Alignment Benefits; this compared result is known as your Alignment Score.

 

For example, Frederick the Bold has a Good Alignment of 10, a Neutral Alignment of 23, and an Evil Alignment of 7. Since his Neutral Alignment is his highest and 13 points higher than the next (Good of 10), his Neutral Alignment Score is 13.

 

Alignment Benefits

Regardless of your character's race and class, all characters are capable of acquiring Alignment Benefits. These are minor bonuses that are granted for increased devotion to a particular Alignment over the course of the character's career. Each Alignment has some common benefits as well as some exclusive ones. Each benefit may be chosen multiple times.

 

You receive an Alignment Benefit when you have reached the following Alignment Scores: 20, 40, 60, 80, 100.

 

Once a benefit has been earned for a specific Alignment Score, you must reach the next amount to achieve a new benefit even if you change Alignment. Any acquired benefits are permanent regardless of your alignment change, however.

 

Sir Haddaway started his career as an upstanding champion of Good. After a few adventures, he managed to increase his Good Alignment to 25 points, had a few rather selfish actions (earning him 5 points in Neutral), but generally managed not to perform any Evil acts at all (keeping it at 0). Since he has a Good Alignment Score of 20, he gains a permanent Good benefit, choosing the bonus to resist Enchantment spells and effects.

After a rather traumatic event involving an evil wizard and an orphanage, Sir Haddaway felt that his actions do not matter in the longterm. After a brief period of drunken depression, he goes out adventuring again. This time, however, he only performed Neutral actions, no longer going out of his way to be a champion of Good. Eventually, he gains 40 points in Neutral, putting him at 45 (and keeps his 25 Good and 0 Evil). Even though he now has reached a Neutral Alignment Score of 20, he doesn't gain a benefit since he already acquired one for Good. He must earn 20 more points in Neutral to gain the next benefit.

 

Note: The common benefits (HP Max Increase, FP Max Increase, and FATE Max Increase) can be taken all five times if the player desires. All other benefits can only be taken a maximum of three times.

 

Good

HP Max +1 (Max of +5)

FP Max +1 (Max of +5)

FATE Max +1 (Max of +5; cannot raise above 20)

CON +1 for Resistance purposes against Disease and Poison

POW +1 for Resistance purposes against Enchantment spells and effects

Healing Others (through First Aid and Cure Wounds spells) +1

Improve a single skill's Experience Bonus (Communication, Mental, or Perception only) by 2

 

Neutral

HP Max +1

FP Max +1

FATE Max +1

Healing Rate +1

STR +1 for Encumbrance Purposes

POW +1 for Passive Resistance purposes against spells and effects

Improve a single skill's Experience Bonus (Manipulation, Mental, Perception, or Physical only) by 2

 

Evil

HP Max +1

FP Max +1

FATE Max +1

Damage Modifier +1 vs Good foes

Spell Damage +1

POW +1 for purposes of Active Resistance Rolls using spells offensively

Improve a single skill's Experience Bonus (Communication, Manipulation, or Physical only) by 2

[NickMiddleton]

...OK. Here's my question to those who are familiar (or the number crunchers):

Would it be game breaking if the benefits of Apotheosis weren't restricted by the force?

No, not at all. BRP systems are pretty forgiving of this sort of tinkering as you know, and the specific benefits of Shadow, Neutrality and Light are allocated on the basis thematic appropriateness first and foremost.

This is the ideal way to extend Champions I think - if Apotheosis grants two powers from a list and each force has a thematically relevant list we get both the reinforcement of the nature of the power AND some more choice and variety for players (and characters).

In the draft of Charles Green's "Philosophical Engine" for the Chronicler's Companion that I saw some 2 1/2 years ago there was indeed some stuff on powers for Apotheosis - but since that was a draft and some years back I'd rather not comment further until we have the actual released material.

Hmm - purely off the cuff two obvious ideas are permanent / free access to a specific Sorcery spell (perhaps picked from a suitably themed list, with perhaps fine tuning to the effects to reflect the nature of the force / deity); second, looking at using some derivative of Allegiance points with the Super Powers section of the BRP "Big Gold Book" to get powers (a friends been looking at the later idea in relation to HeroQuesting in his Gloranthan game).

cheers,

Nick

[tooley1chris]

Wow. Very nice suggestions/advice guys. Thanks so much!

[Questbird]

This is slightly off topic, but in the past I've had a system for 'Divine' magic which uses Allegiance points to power priest's spells (1 MP + the balance of the spell cost in Allegiance points to their religion). Each religion has ways to gain more Allegiance, so it encourages roleplaying and devoutness from players, while discouraging them from using magic too flagrantly, lest they fall from favour (I run a moderately low-magic campaign).

[Trifletraxor]

Interesting idea!

[NickMiddleton]

This is slightly off topic, but in the past I've had a system for 'Divine' magic which uses Allegiance points to power priest's spells (1 MP + the balance of the spell cost in Allegiance points to their religion). Each religion has ways to gain more Allegiance, so it encourages roleplaying and devoutness from players, while discouraging them from using magic too flagrantly, lest they fall from favour (I run a moderately low-magic campaign).

The "Divine Miracles" system I use Ulfland when I was running it under 'BGB' BRP (as written up in Uncounted Worlds #1) did something like this. The power still comes from the individual, but their spells are granted on the basis of their allegiance to a particular deity.

Cheers,

Nick