Dias Ex Machina Games

Congrats to Evolution. I love it! But I still miss soooo much information....

So, once again I got some questions...

1. Where is the Tenenbri kingdom of Vanaka? Is it in Canam or Southam?

2a. Is Ravenar III. still ruling Limshau, or is it his son, Ravenar IV.?
2b. And in Foundations, page 51 - wasn't it Ravenar Limshau III's 'Crusade of Knowledge', instead of Ravenar IV's?

3. Is Stratos Stormguard still the ruler of the city of Zorahn?

4. Some info an the free houses? Pleeeeaaase….
Do fae live there, do they have magic, are they very religious?
Antikari, Ogium, Orchis, Plicato, Quinox Torquil and Skyrose.
They are kind of important to backgrounds, lifepaths and as adventure-hooks and -locations, but there is nearly no information about them in the books.

5. What about the forests of Skepsis and Laurama? Especially Laurama - is it like "another Dawnamoak"?

6. Foundatioins Page 128:
Over the Line:
You turn into a ghulath...
A ghulath?
I guess this means the character becomes an NPC.
But still you won't give us some more information on these fae-vampires the Tilen are descended from? Pleeease…

7. Foundatioins Page 131:
Obscure Movements:
The requirement should be 'Distracting Feint', I guess. But how long does the total concealment last?

8. Foundations Page 151
Wepaons with the immune keyword have fixed tech levels, but the pocket pistol is listed for superior weapon enhancement.
Are pocket pistols meant to have the 'conceal' instead of the 'immune' property? (Because 'conceal' is listed as keyword but no weapon has it?)

9. Evolution page 138
Portable Heavy Gun and Autocannon at TL 2 are level 13 - shouldn't it be level 8?

10. Evolution page 144
No check penalty for Deployable Tower Shield?

11. Evolution page 147
Why is the York Wasp TL3 if TL2 is the highest TL available there?
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Some equipment that I think is missing:
- Caseless Auto Pistol
- Ion Pistol
- Sonic Focus Pistol
- Gauss Repeater Pistol
- upgrades/enchancements for the Force Body Vest
- stats for Feng-Fu Flyers (and the Alkanost )
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Just some (more) typos, I guess:
- Foundatioins page 127: "Regional History: Angel, Crax, Lauranoak, Torquil, and Xixion" -- Lauranoak is Dawnamoak? And again - please let me know something about Torquil….
- Foundatioins Page 128: "Flow as Water: You may choose to grant combat advantage while running though you still provoke opportunity attacks." -- Shouldn't it read "You may choose to NOT grant…"?
- Foundations page 151: In the weapons list for advanced chemical projectiles, 'light machine gun' is 'light machine pistol'?
- Foundations page 152: Can 'God's Eye' Sniper Gun be upgraded as an alternate projectile weapon? And Gauss Repeater can be upgraded as an advanced electric weapon?
- Foundations page 152: Solid Laser Rifle is listed twice as Basic Energy Weapon, should be Solid Laser Rifle, Solid laser Pistol, I guess.
- Foundations page 157: Ballistics Armor TL0 should have Level 1 as TL1 has Level 1, too, I guess.
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I'll propaply find more, but nevermind!

I love your work!
Just can't wait for the next book(s)...
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P.S.:*sigh*

1. Where is the Tenenbri kingdom of Vanaka? Is it in Canam or Southam?

Southam. Brazil.

2a. Is Ravenar III. still ruling Limshau, or is it his son, Ravenar IV.?

IV

2b. And in Foundations, page 51 - wasn't it Ravenar Limshau III's 'Crusade of Knowledge', instead of Ravenar IV's?

Yes.


3. Is Stratos Stormguard still the ruler of the city of Zorahn?

Yes

4. Some info an the free houses? Pleeeeaaase….

Coming.

Do fae live there, do they have magic, are they very religious?
Antikari, Ogium, Orchis, Plicato, Quinox Torquil and Skyrose.

Free Houses are distinct kingdoms with their own rules and ethnicities. Some are paranoid while others are free. There isn't a lot more detail on them because I wanted people to have the freedom to mess with them. I hope to explore them more in the future.

5. What about the forests of Skepsis and Laurama? Especially Laurama - is it like "another Dawnamoak"?

Laurama is populated by more fanatical elves because of their relationship with Skepsis and Baruch Malkut.


6. Foundatioins Page 128:
Over the Line:
You turn into a ghulath...
A ghulath?

Vampire...

But still you won't give us some more information on these fae-vampires the Tilen are descended from? Pleeease…

Coming...

7. Foundatioins Page 131:
Obscure Movements:
The requirement should be 'Distracting Feint', I guess. But how long does the total concealment last?

Until you move from that square.

8. Foundations Page 151
Wepaons with the immune keyword have fixed tech levels, but the pocket pistol is listed for superior weapon enhancement.
Are pocket pistols meant to have the 'conceal' instead of the 'immune' property? (Because 'conceal' is listed as keyword but no weapon has it?)

Correct. Pocket pistols are not immune.

9. Evolution page 138
Portable Heavy Gun and Autocannon at TL 2 are level 13 - shouldn't it be level 8?

Yes...darn...

10. Evolution page 144
No check penalty for Deployable Tower Shield?

Yes, -2.

darn.

11. Evolution page 147
Why is the York Wasp TL3 if TL2 is the highest TL available there?

Tech Levels are "averaged" with a bastion's tech level range occasionally having items and vehicles over its tech level. They are not common, but they occur.

Workin' on everything else.

I know; I am horrible.

_________________
“I despise stallions. I ride them as I ride an ugly noble women--smiles for appearances and politics only. Stallions. All personality with no depth. They prance like ponies and trot with arrogance. I always say, respect your mules most of all. A stallion may lead with the king and gather the eyes, but a mule will follow behind…and carry your kingdom.”
Tsarevick Kazaan
Amethyst D20

http://www.diasexmachina.com

Thanks for all the answers!
I hope it's not too anoying, but I still got some unanswered questions...

12. Why are bastion longswords not versatile?

13. Limshau Nagamaki have off-hand property, really?

14. Chainsaw: exotic/speciality weapon? Heavy Blade or Axe?

15. Harmonic Blade: Does it keep its properties if thrown (+2 damage when trained in Heal and 1d6 damage with CA)? Guess not. But I guess it keeps it properties when fixed to a bayonet plug?

16. Does any of the techan skills suffer from armor check penalty?

17. With the errata of Double Form, the feat Improved Double Form became void, right?

18. Anti-Gravity Generator & Advanced Armor - does it work? There is no weight limit given...

19a. Light Bender - lvl 20, but TL 6 ?
19b. Nano Healers - lvl 15, but TL 5 ?
19c. Smart Guided Rocket Launcher - lvl 8, but TL 4 ?
19d. Grip Gloves - lvl 6, but TL 3 ?

20a. Scopes - no Level/TL given at all...
20b. Do all sniper weapons come with s scope? If yes, with which one?
20c. Don't they grant something like the Carbon Crossbow's range-finding sope (nullifying the penalty of firing long range increment if the character takes a move action to aim)?

21a. Range for ESP Rifle (Foundations page 148) is really 25/40?
21b. Range for Rotary Cannon (Foundations page 149) is really 30/40?

22. Can you apply the effect of a bull rush even to, let's say, gargantuan creatures with "Jumping Knee"?

23. Can you still use a hand that "holds" a melee weapn with the augment property to do other things that require a free hand?

24. The lifepath "Bastion of Origin: York" gives one TL0 firearm shielding for free, but the rules for shielding say you can't shield TL0 gear?!?

25. Do humans really only get one starting language? Usually they get two...

26. Are there underbarrel grenade launchers? Can you (permanently) attach a one-handed grenade launcher to a two-handed small arm (thus making the grenade launcher two-handed)?

27. You get a starting saturation point of 5 if you are from York, but as techan crossroads drifter, you start with 0?

28. Why don't have Collapsible Batons the conceal (and off-hand) property?

29. Ancient Wuxia should also be allowed for (damaskans, of course) from skyrose, I guess?

30. With the Gneolistic lifepath arises one question: are there holy symbols as totems?

31. What about these additions to the gimfen racial feat "Divine Gift from Mecha": Adapt Engineer, Duct Tape, Fidgety Fingers, Gun-Something-Something, Improved Adaption, Side of Caution

32. Aren't the Ultimate Sniper Rifle, the Super-Kill Sniper and the Mass Driver "rail" weapons as well? I think "rail" should rather be a property...

33. Why should anyone use the Volley Gun ESP instead of the much better Autocannon? It does less damage (heavy auto only adds +1), weights much more, requires a power cell and only offers more ammunition (60 vs 40 shots)...

34a. Is the Vanguard a "techan only" class? If you drop the techan armor and weapon proficiencies it should be fine for an echan character - i guess?
34b. Vanguards are only proficient with two kinds of heavy techan armor, but does this still includes advanced armor? *evilgrin*
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I guess you're really busy with Amethyst for Pathfinder and NeuroSpasta, but I'll really appreciate some answers - this is not just to anoy you!

I guess your still busy (or just started to ignore me )
but nevertheless...

35. Yowie Suite ist TL 1 but level 6/4? (same goes for its enhancement steps)

36. What about grab attacks while wearing advanced armor (or power hooks)? It's a strength attack, neither an strength ability check nor an unarmed attack, so thus far you don't get any bonus from wearing an advanced armor. Is this intended or wouldn't it be fair to grant the TL as enhancement bonus to grab attacks? You already get the TL as bonus to Fortitude and Reflex, making it harder to escape a grab.

37. The techan armor proficiency feats have no requirements listed (like gaining heavy without having light) - is this intended?

38. The small arms, one-handed feat is the only techan weapon feat that gives proficiency with all weapons of that group, instead of just a single one - is that intended?

39. Right now, nobody but a grounder is or will ever be proficient with super heavy weapons, as there is no proficiency-feat related to them?

40. The threshold for the Mann Testament, Angel Amarok and Energy Envelope are the same as the total hit points?

Don't worry, I'll get to these.

Amethyst Renaissance is been on blindingly fast roll and with me moving this week, I have been pushing everything else aside until I find a break to address these. Most of these have simple answers, mind you.

...MOST things are intended.

...And the GM is expected to use common sense when confusion arises.

_________________
“I despise stallions. I ride them as I ride an ugly noble women--smiles for appearances and politics only. Stallions. All personality with no depth. They prance like ponies and trot with arrogance. I always say, respect your mules most of all. A stallion may lead with the king and gather the eyes, but a mule will follow behind…and carry your kingdom.”
Tsarevick Kazaan
Amethyst D20

http://www.diasexmachina.com

22. Can you apply the effect of a bull rush even to, let's say, gargantuan creatures with "Jumping Knee"?

Only if you are gargantuan yourself. You still need to follow the rules of a bull rush

23. Can you still use a hand that "holds" a melee weapn with the augment property to do other things that require a free hand?

Most weapons with the augment property occupy a free hand. Ones that don't could potentially allow you to switch between natural and held weapons, but augment weapons ONLY enhance unarmed or natural attacks, not weapons being held.

24. The lifepath "Bastion of Origin: York" gives one TL0 firearm shielding for free, but the rules for shielding say you can't shield TL0 gear?!?

Specifically, TL0 "gear". Weapons are not gear; they are weapons.

25. Do humans really only get one starting language? Usually they get two...

They do. There is no Common in Amethyst. English, Englo-Lingo, or Onespeak replaces Common.

26. Are there underbarrel grenade launchers? Can you (permanently) attach a one-handed grenade launcher to a two-handed small arm (thus making the grenade launcher two-handed)?

I never got around to adding in undermounted shotguns and grenade launchers. I plan on fixing that with Renaisance. In a pinch, I would increase the rifle by the cost of the basic grenade launcher.

27. You get a starting saturation point of 5 if you are from York, but as techan crossroads drifter, you start with 0?

Yup.

28. Why don't have Collapsible Batons the conceal (and off-hand) property?

They should; that should be added to the errata.

29. Ancient Wuxia should also be allowed for (damaskans, of course) from skyrose, I guess?

No…Damaskans from Limshau only. As well as humans from Limshau. Skyrose is more traditional elf.

30. With the Gneolistic lifepath arises one question: are there holy symbols as totems?

Possibly, but you have to follow the rules of the totem, not the holy symbol. If you are a cleric with wizard multiclass feats, then you have to think ahead because if you have a magical holy symbol that cannot be a totem, then you won't be casting any wizard spells. GMs should be extra careful with this path. I would never allow it in my game, personally. It breaks canon enough already.

31. What about these additions to the gimfen racial feat "Divine Gift from Mecha": Adapt Engineer, Duct Tape, Fidgety Fingers, Gun-Something-Something, Improved Adaption, Side of Caution

Yes, it can apply to any General Techan Feat

32. Aren't the Ultimate Sniper Rifle, the Super-Kill Sniper and the Mass Driver "rail" weapons as well? I think "rail" should rather be a property...

Little late for that now.
Any Gauss Weapon TL4 and higher is a rail weapon.

33. Why should anyone use the Volley Gun ESP instead of the much better Autocannon? It does less damage (heavy auto only adds +1), weights much more, requires a power cell and only offers more ammunition (60 vs 40 shots)...

With the addition of other feats, powers, and class features, heavy auto weapons have the potential for a LOT more damage. Check out the Heavy Grounder

34a. Is the Vanguard a "techan only" class? If you drop the techan armor and weapon proficiencies it should be fine for an echan character - i guess?

And I say exactly that.

PAGE 34: "Even though presented as a techan class, the vanguard can also be played as a fantasy class. It offers a slight variation on the unarmed/melee defender role."

34b. Vanguards are only proficient with two kinds of heavy techan armor, but does this still includes advanced armor? *evilgrin*

Absolutely, you can select advanced armor. Why not? Why do you think so many of this abilities are "size"-based? One you get bigger, you can grapple bigger things.

35. Yowie Suite ist TL 1 but level 6/4? (same goes for its enhancement steps)

It is higher level because of its other abilities.

36. What about grab attacks while wearing advanced armor (or power hooks)? It's a strength attack, neither an strength ability check nor an unarmed attack, so thus far you don't get any bonus from wearing an advanced armor. Is this intended or wouldn't it be fair to grant the TL as enhancement bonus to grab attacks? You already get the TL as bonus to Fortitude and Reflex, making it harder to escape a grab.

Unfortunetly, no. You have to follow the regular rules regarding grab attempts via the Player's Handbook. There are not many ways to boost grabs. I hope to fix that in the Pathfinder version. If GMs think they need a boost with grabs, they can homebrew your rule.

37. The techan armor proficiency feats have no requirements listed (like gaining heavy without having light) - is this intended?

Oh yeah.

38. The small arms, one-handed feat is the only techan weapon feat that gives proficiency with all weapons of that group, instead of just a single one - is that intended?

Yes. Large weapons require you to pick individual weapons.

39. Right now, nobody but a grounder is or will ever be proficient with super heavy weapons, as there is no proficiency-feat related to them?

The Heavy weapon feat can do in a pinch.

40. The threshold for the Mann Testament, Angel Amarok and Energy Envelope are the same as the total hit points?

Yes, because they completely enclose the user, protecting him for the entirety of their hit points.

_________________
“I despise stallions. I ride them as I ride an ugly noble women--smiles for appearances and politics only. Stallions. All personality with no depth. They prance like ponies and trot with arrogance. I always say, respect your mules most of all. A stallion may lead with the king and gather the eyes, but a mule will follow behind…and carry your kingdom.”
Tsarevick Kazaan
Amethyst D20

http://www.diasexmachina.com

Yeah, common sense is fine, but clarification from the author is much better!

Thanks a lot for those answers!

So what are the Monks of the Order 'Arbitrators of Erufu' like? More like elven Templars?

And something else: Do you see Zeros in 4e as Minions? Because in d20 they are described as "can withstand substantial punishment"...

Thanks for answering all those questions so far, but you missed those i just quoted, and especially the scope-thing (question 20) makes me still wonder - so if you are not a spotting Marshal or sniping Marksman, you get no benefit from using a targeting scope?

P.S. Does Primary Target (Foundations page 82) really mean 'any attack power' or 'any power with the weapon keyword'? Because even powers like 'Outthink and Outwit' are attack powers....

P.P.S. Life and Limb (Foundations page 84) is Attack: Dexterity vs AC, I guess?