Let's Maths SotB Archetypes!

By c__beck, in Genesys

( originally posted on Reddit )

As most of us know, FFG doesn't always follow their own rules/guidelines for archetype/species. With that in mind, I want to go over the archetypes presented in Shadow of the Beanstalk to see what the "actual" Starting XP "should" be (use of quotes because not everyone cares about this like I do).

Natural (120 Starting XP)

  • Characteristics: 2/2/2/2/2/2 (110XP)
  • Wound Threshold: 10+Br (0XP)
  • Strain Threshold: ST 10+Will (0XP)
  • Starting Skills: 2 skill ranks (-5XP, remember that the first one is free)
  • Ability: Ready for Anything (-5XP)

Total Starting XP: 100 (Δ: -20)

Bioroid (170XP)

  • Characteristics: 3/1/1/1/1/1 (180XP)
  • Wound Threshold: 11+Br (0XP)
  • Strain Threshold: ST 8+Will (+15XP)
  • Starting Skills: None (+5XP)
  • Ability: Almost identical to Artificial (CRB193) (-10XP)
  • Inorganic: Simple skill swap, so not worth anything IMO (0XP)

Total Starting XP: 190 (Δ: +20)

Clone (85XP)

  • Characteristics: 2/2/2/2/2/2 (110XP)
  • Wound Threshold: 9+Br (0XP)
  • Strain Threshold: ST 9+Will (+5XP)
  • Starting Skills: Two ranks in two skills (+25XP)
  • Ability: Underestimated (-5XP)

Total Starting XP: 85 (Δ: 0)

Cyborg (100XP)

  • Characteristics: 3/2/2/2/2/1 (100XP)
  • Wound Threshold: 11+Br (0XP)
  • Strain Threshold: ST 8+Will (+15XP)
  • Starting Skills: Mechanics (0XP)
  • Adjusted to Cybernetics: once per session recover 1 strain per cybernetic implant (-5XP)
  • Cyborg: 1 cybernetic of 1,000 credits or less (-5XP)

Total Starting XP: 105 (Δ: +5)

G-Mod (90XP)

  • Characteristics: 2/2/3/2/1/2 (100XP)
  • Wound Threshold: 11+Br (0XP)
  • Strain Threshold: ST 11+Will (-5XP)
  • Starting Skills: Resilience (0XP)
  • Enhanced Genetic Modification: once per session spend a Story Point to add [success] equal to ranks in Resilience to one g-mod boosted check (-5XP)
  • G-mod: 1 g-mod of 1,000 credits or less (-5XP)

Total Starting XP: 85 (Δ: -5)

Loonie (100XP)

  • Characteristics: 1/3/2/2/2/2 (100XP)
  • Wound Threshold: 9+Br (0XP)
  • Strain Threshold: ST 11+Will (-5XP)
  • Starting Skills: Coordination (0XP)
  • Zero-G Adept: Zero-g isn't difficult terrain (0XP)
  • Resourceful: Once per session spend a Story Point to re-roll two dice in a dice pool (-5XP)

Total Starting XP: 90 (Δ: -10)


Of course, I'm just guessing at prices for a few of these items. If you don't agree please post your reasoning so we can have discuss!

If all of the Archetypes have a starting WT ranging from 9+B to 11+B and there is no difference in XP value between the high and low extreme, then your scoring system is faulty.

1 minute ago, HappyDaze said:

If all of the Archetypes have a starting WT ranging from 9+B to 11+B and there is no difference in XP value between the high and low extreme, then your scoring system is faulty.

The scoring system is from the CRB p192.

Just now, drainsmith said:

The scoring system is from the CRB p192.

That doesn't mean it's of any true value; FFG is well-known for making crappy side/sub-systems that they themselves ignore.

3 minutes ago, HappyDaze said:

If all of the Archetypes have a starting WT ranging from 9+B to 11+B and there is no difference in XP value between the high and low extreme, then your scoring system is faulty.

CRB192: " Likewise, increasing or decreasing a wound threshold by two or a strain threshold by one is worth about 5 XP. If you increase a wound threshold by four or more, or a strain threshold by two or more, it’s worth about 15 XP instead. "

±2 WT is akin to 1 rank in the Toughened talent, hence it's ±5XP. Likewise ±4 WT is akin to 2 ranks of Toughened, which costs 15XP. Same with ST and the Grit talent.

1 minute ago, HappyDaze said:

That doesn't mean it's of any true value; FFG is well-known for making crappy side/sub-systems that they themselves ignore.

Actually, the systems in Genesys are pretty well done. Especially weapon/armour/archetype creation. And I know they are usually ignored. That is exactly why this thread exists. To see how close the numbers they have "match up" with the "official" XP pricing system.

" two or a strain threshold by one is worth about 5 XP.....strain threshold by two or more, it’s worth about 15 XP instead. "

About: near in time, number, degree, etc.; approximately: It's about five miles from here.

I realize soo many peeps out there want this to be done with zero, zilch, nada gray areas. Never gonna happen.

Edited by 10Ten

Typo in Clone. Skills should read minus 25, not plus 25. I think.

On 2/13/2019 at 12:31 PM, drainsmith said:

The scoring system is from the CRB p192.

I can’t remember where, but I think they mention somewhere in the CRB that if you tack on a plus 1 or minus 1 to one of the stats it doesn’t Change the XP.

that said, I don’t even use the guides when crafting archetypes so this doessn’t Mean a whole lot to me.

1 hour ago, slope123 said:

I can’t remember where, but I think they mention somewhere in the CRB that if you tack on a plus 1 or minus 1 to one of the stats it doesn’t Change the XP.

That would be the WT (CRB192).

1 hour ago, slope123 said:

that said, I don’t even use the guides  when crafting archetypes so this doessn’t Mean a whole lot to  me.  

…that's nice? At least it means something to the rest of us.