Hey.

When searching for a solution to a signature ability for a scientist/engineer character in my group, I noticed the lack of rules for creating medicines, drugs, poisons, antidotes, and diseases in this game. Probably for good reasons. However, I need it for my game.

One of my players plays a Scientist, from the Engineer career in AoR. Her focus though, isn't mechanics, but medicine, her background is a bio-weapon engineer (creating viruses and other horrible pathogens for the Empire - and of course antidotes and cures and all that ).

In the campaign we're getting to the point where they are starting to look at signature abilities, however in the Engineer book, both the abilities focus on mechanics. So I in my search for a signature ability, I decided to create some bioengineering rules. To work with any appropriate existing signature abilities, if that makes sense, or to eventually create a new signature ability.

I think that The Harder They Fall could be tweaked, replace Mechanics with Medicine, and replace vehicles, structures, and droids, with "organics". It just needs a replacement for Ignore Defenses ... perhaps? But it's not exactly what I'm thinking.

Perhaps there's another signature ability someone thinks can fit from another career?

Or an entirely new and novel idea?

EDIT: So, I've made an updated version , this time including some other house-rules of mine dealing with crafting (play-tested long ago without too many hiccups; warning it is intended for somewhat power-play ).

3 minutes ago, Jegergryte said:

Hey.

One of my players plays a scientist, from the Engineer career in AoR. Her focus though, isn't mechanics, but medicine, her background is a bio-weapon engineer (creating viruses and other horrible pathogens - and of course antidotes and cures and all that). In the campaign we're getting to the point where they are starting to look at signature abilities, however in the Engineer book, both the abilities focus on mechanics. So I was wondering if anyone here has a suggestion for how to tweak those signature abilities (or create a new one) to work in relation to bio-engineering - preferably using the medicine skill, rather than mechanics.

I think that The Harder They Fall could be tweaked, replace Mechanics with Medicine, and replace vehicles, structures, and droids, with "organics". It just needs a replacement for Ignore Defenses ... perhaps?

Perhaps there's another signature ability someone thinks can fit from another career?

Or an entirely new and novel idea?

There are several specialties that don't really have fitting Sigs. I recall looking at the Ace ones and realizing that neither worked for a Gunner unless the gunner was piloting the vehicle.

25 minutes ago, Jegergryte said:

Hey.

One of my players plays a scientist, from the Engineer career in AoR. Her focus though, isn't mechanics, but medicine, her background is a bio-weapon engineer (creating viruses and other horrible pathogens - and of course antidotes and cures and all that). In the campaign we're getting to the point where they are starting to look at signature abilities, however in the Engineer book, both the abilities focus on mechanics. So I was wondering if anyone here has a suggestion for how to tweak those signature abilities (or create a new one) to work in relation to bio-engineering - preferably using the medicine skill, rather than mechanics.

I think that The Harder They Fall could be tweaked, replace Mechanics with Medicine, and replace vehicles, structures, and droids, with "organics". It just needs a replacement for Ignore Defenses ... perhaps?

Perhaps there's another signature ability someone thinks can fit from another career?

Or an entirely new and novel idea?

In my opinion, sometimes character builds just don't fit with a Sig and so shouldn't have.

I allow my players to pick any Signature Ability, regardless of career, with GM approval. I suggest you allow that, and if she still isn't interested than maybe she should pick a different spec instead of a Signature Ability. Like maybe Doctor. That tree could be considered a Sig unto itself in some ways.

If you want to modify one, The Harder They Fall is probably your best option. I'd keep the Ignore Defenses. It's not always going to apply even in the RAW. For example, I use it for a clone trooper (built with Droid Specialist for the 2 ranks in Design Flaw and then the sig) and most of the targets it's used against don't have Defense.

The only one that needs changing is the skill, which should probably be Medicine and Knowledge (Xenology). Maybe add in Knowledge (Education), but I think two options works best here as there isn't another one that really applies.

Yeah, don't feel forced to take a Sig. Quite often there are other specialties to take that will help the character more. Consider too that, if other players are taking Sigs, your group might be flipping DPs really quick. Being one of the guys not flipping DPs to use Sigs is beneficial to the group.

10 hours ago, P-47 Thunderbolt said:

I allow my players to pick any Signature Ability, regardless of career, with GM approval. I suggest you allow that,

That's not a bad idea. It's worth a look.

10 hours ago, P-47 Thunderbolt said:

and if she still isn't interested

It's not that she isn't interested in a sig., it's that I'm dissatisfied with the engineer options, and want something more fitting.

I'm cooking up some medical crafting stuff ... and aim to find or (re)design a signature ability to work with those rules...

I did a crafting thing . So, this is a first attempt at crafting poisons, medicine, antidotes, and worse stuff. It is far from done.

An eventual Sig. will perhaps interact with this. Maybe.

Update: I've now added a bunch of options for spending advantages, and triumphs. Still got the threats and despairs to do.

Also, more interesting templates, with corresponding effects, would be awesome. I know there are poisons and drugs around in various books, but I'm a bit stumped on diseases, bacterial and viral...

Updated. Now with horrible stuff that can happen added.

What about Last Stand with Medicine? Is that too graphic?

You're thinking of the Hired Gun SigAb?

Huh ... that's ... the droid from the Aphra series ...

It depends really, what kind of thing the player wants to be able to do ... I should giver her an overview of the different ones ...

So I've added a link in the first post. This leads to a document with the bioengineering stuff, plus some other house-rules for crafting.

That doc is an ongoing project. Any input is appreciated, whether on the craziness or on stuff to add, or adjust.

I'll hopefully get to test this tomorrow, a kind of stress-test, the scientist has 4 Int, and 3 ranks in Medicine. So, I'll see what she ends up with.

I foresee she gets to make stimulants, perhaps some adrenals (because why not?), and ... perhaps something else. We'll see what they plan to do with their newly acquired ancient capital ship with no hyperdrive...

Another more fleshed out version has been uploaded. See first post.