BEACON Update: V1.10 Big Bad Bosses!

V1.10 is here, and features a number of big updates, including the introduction of Bosses!

The Lich boss

Bosses

Bosses are a special type of NPC, designed as an entire combat encounter by themselves. Bosses are accompanied by Guardians, unique NPCs that support the design of the boss, and provide additional threats or targets for the players, as opposed to just the single boss NPC, which could easily be overwhelmed with numbers.

 V1.10 introduces two bosses, The Great Wyrm and the Lich. More bosses will be added in later updates, but these two iconic villains will give players a taste of the boss mechanics, and help us improve them further.

Online Tools

The online tools for Beacon have been updated. The character sheet has received a major visual overhaul, fitting the character builder and sheet onto one tab. It also lives fully within google sheets now, so Excel is no longer used.

New character sheet here.

The name for settings in Beacon has been changed from ‘Shards’ to ‘Reflections’, which doesn’t really change much. However, since a core part of a Beacon campaign is creating your own setting, I’ve also created a tool for randomly generating Reflections.

Reflection generator

Finally, the Loot crate generator is online as well. For GMs that want to generate a loot crate, this is the easiest way. The final version of Beacon will contain tables to help with that, but as a game still in testing, it’s not worth adding those features to the book yet.

Loot Crate Generator

Symbols

Symbols have been added to the book to represent different game elements. For example, there are now symbols for Accuracy/Difficulty, the damage types, and different AOE types.

Symbols aren’t in the character sheets, since they are a custom font that can only really exist in the documents.

Other Big Changes

Shields have a cool new mechanic, they allow you to split damage between damage as normal, and stress.

Cones have been changed to be a ‘Close Blast’, which means they no longer have a triangular shape, and are squares. This makes them a LOT easier to use on square grids, and fun fact, it’s what D&D 4e used!

The reroll table has been limited to have each option only usable 1/round. This means that you need to think more about when you are going to use a reroll option. For example, you have 10 Discord. On your turn you make an attack and miss. Do you want to use one of your options on maybe hitting, or save it in case you need to reroll your Discord clearing check?

There are a ton of other changes throughout the book, from ancestries to talents to NPCs. You can read the full patch notes here:

Full Patch Notes

 

General

  • Background Skills: Reduced to 3 at level 1. [couple reasons. One, custom created backgrounds are more open ended than something like lancer’s prebuilt ones, so it’s easier to find a background that would apply. Two, making it three fits in with so many of the other elements that happen in threes. ]

  • Shards have been renamed to “Reflections”. [Shards were described as reflections of the source, so it just seems easier to call them reflections.]

  • Cone AOE has been renamed to CLOSE BLAST. [There aren’t that many cone AOE’s, and figuring out cones on grid and hexes both is a bit complicated. Just turning them into close blasts streamlines the whole process.]

  • Symbols have been added to the game to represent game elements, like a symbol for the damage types, ranges, AOEs, etc.

 

Narrative Play

  • Approaches: overhaul.

  • Downtime Activity

    • Find Echo: You can change your name and title as well. [The intent was you can change your name at any time, but specifically excluding it allowed for a weird situation where someone could change their gender, and then be deadnamed. This should fix that issue. Either way, intent is that you get to dictate how people refer to you and address you. ]

  • Titles can now be invoked for a +2 bonus in narrative play. [Titles didn’t actually have any mechanical impact in the most recent versions, it had been stripped with some of the changes to background skills. Now it has a mechanical purpose again.]

Combat Play

  • Engagement: Applies to characters of your size or larger, not just larger.

  • Channel/Release: Release can only happen during phase 6, even if you channel for another round. [honestly can’t remember why I ever changed it, I assumed it always worked this way but apparently not.]

  • Linked weapons can only trigger the linked attack 1/turn. [This was already a rule for full attack specifically, but is meant to apply always. Moved this rule into the general rule of how linked weapons work, and removed the specific clause from full attack, since it’s no longer full attack specific now.]

  • Short rests: individual characters can willingly skip a short rest, but not a long one.

  • Reroll table: Each option can only be used 1/round now.

Ancestry

  • AVIAN

    • Get the Flock Outta There: 1/round instead of 1/scene, but only slides up to half your Speed. [this wasn’t a strong enough effect for being 1/scene, so now it’s been reduced but can be used more often.]

    • Gust: Now has a PUSH 1 effect. [slight buff to make it more than just a basic spell attack]

  • DRAGONBORN

    • Dragonfire: Counts as a typeless, melee integrated weapon that can be used as a volley or fight action. [This change allows it to be used like a weapon, so it has greater uses like being an option when you full attack.]

  • DWARF

    • Keep Moving Forward: Now also grants immunity to SLOWED. [Wanted to add a benefit for those that don’t use armor. This might be too powerful of an effect, but worth testing.]

    • Sturdy: Now also grants a BLK check to resist being knocked prone. [wanted to give a boost to this trait, forced movement is not very common by itself.]

  • ELEMENTAL

    • Elemental Nova: Updated to be a melee spell attack.

    • Elemental Form: Now grants resistance to dangerous terrain damage, and the hard cover triggers when you become bloodied or breaking. [switching the effect to happen on breaking/bloodied means it’s much more likely to happen, and can synergize with other effects that want you to be in those situations, unlike wounds and overstress, which you generally want to avoid.]

  • ELF

    • Elven Accuracy: Changed to be 1/round, an extra d20 when you use the reroll table. [Wasn’t a great 1/scene effect, since the reroll table would already get you a similar effect. Now it just ties into the reroll table directly, making it more likely you’ll get that hit off, reliably.]

    • Nature Step: You can now climb as a part of any movement. [Both difficult terrain and climbing can be uncommon, so pairing them together helps with the theme and makes it more likely to be useful.]

  • GNOME

    • Tumble: Added that becoming engaged doesn’t stop or end your movement. [This improves the actual usability of this trait by a lot. Now you can basically move through enemies willy nilly.]

    • Instinctual Stealth: Can’t lose hidden until end of 1st turn.

  • GOBLIN

    • Scurry: Doesn’t work if you are STUNNED either.

    • Swarm: Sets your base size to 2.

    • Bite: You can also bite as a Quick Action, dealing 1 Phys to an adjacent enemy.

  • HALFLING

    • Tumble: Added that becoming engaged doesn’t stop or end your movement.

    • Nimble: Extra effect, ignore 1 reaction 1/scene.

  • HUMAN

    • Hang in there: changed to 1/encounter ignore the effects of a wound/overstress. [Much stronger version, which it should be for a 1/encounter effect.]

  • KOBOLD

    • Trap Array: Gains Integrated tag. [like other equipment from traits, it should have this tag.]

    • Distract: Burst 2 area now.

    • Evasive: also +1 ACC on AOE saves.

  • LYCANTHROPE

    • Defender Strain: Gives a flat 2 Parry. [Making it consistent, and reducing turn time by taking away the roll.

  • MACHINA

    • Mechanical Body: added resistance to discord

    • Armored: +1 armor only while not bloodied

    • Supercharger: removed

    • Flush systems: Added

    • Integrated Weapon: Lets you equip a LIGHT starting weapon for free, which is integrated.

  • ORC

    • Work Out Routine: You are considered 1 size larger for grapple/shove.

  • TIEFLING

    • Bloodhunter: updated wording.

    • Wrath: Updated wording.

Class

  • AEGIS

    • Abjurer’s Ward: doesn’t apply to Discord.

    • Perfect Shield: reworked. DEFEND action, one ally, reduces all damage and stress they receive to 1 until start of next round.

    • Ablative Armor: updated wording.

    • Offensive shielding: Mana 2

    • Force Shield: rework. Can treat half of mana as armor, but then reduce mana by 1. Also gains regular shield property. [this makes it a straight up better starting shield.]

  • ALCHEMIST

    • A-def recued to 8.

    • Philosopher’s Stone: Reworked.

    • Infusions: Vigor gives a flat 4 temp HP. [reducing turn time by removing extra die rolls.]

    • Transmutation Circle: Dangerous terrain is a square of terrain, removed reference to size 1.

    • Volatile Mixtures: Sticky bomb can be cleared as a Quick Action BLK save.

  • ARSENAL

    • HP reduced to 9 from 10.

    • Break Away Weapon: Doesn’t apply to Discord.

    • Dancing Blade: Moved to loot

    • Powerstone: New weapon.

    • Masamune: Reliable increased to 6.

    • Gunblade: updated wording.

    • Disarming Strike: FIGHT action, not brawl.

  • ASSASSIN

    • Assassinate: updated wording.

    • Nimble renamed AGILE.

    • Added new trait, PREPARATION.

    • Exterminate: updated wording.

    • Throatcutter: updated wording.

    • Death Mark: now applies MARKED.

  • BERSERKER

    • Relentless: the extra attack is now with the same thing that triggered the crit, and is no longer a free action. [Making the crit with the same weapon/spell is just to simplify the effect, and removing the free action means it can be used outside of your turn.]

    • Primal Strike. Updated wording for clarity.

    • Rageblade: Removed the reroll table downside, gave Reliable 5. [Penalty was too bad for a weapon that was already inaccurate. Slow weapons are hard to get off as well, so gave it reliable so even if you miss with it, you still do something with you cool, heavy, slow weapon.]

    • Cut Through: Costs 1 stress. slide up to speed, deal auto damage to enemies you move through, and still do the mark. [For a 3 MEM ability, this seems fair.]

  • CHRONOMANCER

    • Rewind: Updated wording.

    • Undo: updated wording

    • Pluck the threads of time: updated wording.

    • Haste: Only 1 hasted ally at a time.

  • DEMON HUNTER

    • Corruption: No longer 1/turn limit. [with reroll table being 1/round, that was the main way demon hunters could get lots of corruption in a short period of time.]

    • Demon Form: Removed size change, also gain resistance to stress from other characters. [increased size didn’t really add much, and was sometimes a detriment for a demon hunter.]

    • Immolation Aura: Damage triggers if you are hit with a melee attack. [adding another benefit, I think it needed a little more as a 1 mana cost. Might be cool or a problem with the paladin’s retribution aura, but could make an interesting passive tank build.]

    • Demon Leap: Updated wording.

    • Aether Sight: Can also Search to find hidden characters as a bonus action. [Searching as an action doesn’t happen that much, so the bonus to search checks is very rare. Allowing this specific use of search means that it has a dedicated role as anti-stealth technique, without sacrificing their standard action. ]

    • Sinbow: Unique, and bonus damage is half your stress. [effect works as intended, but was TOO strong. Plus having more than one sinbow made it way too potent.]

  • DEMONOLOGIST

    • Demon Lexicon: Soultracker: Marking is auto, no save needed.

    • Legion: Soultracker effect changed to deal an auto 2 stress.

    • Skull of Kroldar: Summoned infusion restores flat 3 HP. [reducing turn time].

    • Corruption Fiend: removed speed.

    • Ravager: removed speed.

  • DRAGON RIDER

    • Dragon Echo: Updated wording.

    • Skythrust: 1 stress to use, and must move at least 2 spaces. Provides +1 ACC on next melee attack. [free shove would let you knock someone prone, which you could do very reliably without them being able to get up. This option still provides a bonus to shove, since the +1 acc would still apply to shove. ]

    • Crash. Teleport x+2 spaces, instead of just x.

  • DRUID

    • Briar Path: Flat 3 damage. Briar patches only deal damage to enemies, and last until removed. Druid can remove briar patches within Scope as a quick action. [reducing turn time.]

    • Root: updated wording.

    • Tempest Storm: Updated wording. Creates a 4x4 zone instead of size 4, and deals 1d6+4 physical.

    • Skybeam: Gains Indirect.

    • Wall of thorns: x+3 pieces of cover, must be adjacent to each other.

    • Entangle: release option is immobilized until cleared.

    • Create Elemental: Flat mana 1, can spend 2 mana to move size 2 or 3. Damage increased slightly.

  • GRAVEWALKER

    • Removed LIGHT slot.

    • Gravedigger’s Shovel: You can attack as a quick action against objects, terrain, and summons. Reliable 3.

    • Unliving armor: carry over damage and stress is cancelled, and now it’s a flat 5+ on a d6 roll to return. The Daze has been changed to reapply at the start of each of your turns, so it is possible to have it temporarily cleared for a while.

    • Entomb: success also leaves DAZED

  • GUNSLINGER

    • Mana reduced to 2.

    • Ammo Crate: Option b restores 2 mana instead of 1.

    • Quick Draw: 1/round now.

    • Curve ammo: enchants ranged weapons. [original wording was from before weapons were designated as melee or ranged].

  • HEXBLADE

    • Hex: Updated wording.

    • Curse Bolt: added mana 1.

    • Shard of Doubt: updated wording.

    • Soul Strike: updated wording.

  • PALADIN

    • HP reduced to 9 from 10.

    • Auras of Resistance. Free action to activate. [Auras aren’t on by default, and the non-paladin specific ones lacked the action specifying how they work. Auras of Resistance and Protection do not start active by default, but the Paladin’s Aura of Inspiration does.]

    • Auras of Protection. Free action to activate. Retribution aura is limited to 1/turn, and deals a flat 3 Astral. [Previous version had weird interactions with AOE attacks, and the scaling was too strong at higher levels. ]

    • Stalwart Shield: Updated with current shield wording.

  • PHOENIX

    • Burning Spells: updated wording.

    • Burn Proof: updated wording.

    • Phoenix Armor: Received the DAZED wording of the Gravewalker’s unliving armor, and removed the destruction of other support items.

    • Wildfire: Reworded the effect, the only real difference is that it’s an AGI check instead of save to avoid catching the wildfire.

  • RIFTBLADE

    • Rift: Updated wording.

    • Gravity Well: Updated wording.

  • RIMEGUARD

    • HP reduced to 1 from 2.

    • Coldguard: updated wording.

  • SEEKER

    • Dodge reduced to 8 from 9.

    • Heavenly Starfall. Reworked ult. [unintentional damage output with surging, decided to find a way to make it feel like more of a controller effect than damage.]

    • Guided Shot: Updated wording.

    • Swarming Shot: Gains Mana 1, Stress inflicted increased to 2.

    • Astral barrage: you must consume marks when attacking all marked targets.

  • SHADOW DANCER

    • Tumble renamed SLIP STEP, and given additional effect.

    • Gains AGILE trait, from Assassin. [Both classes have high AGI stats, so it’s entirely possible they don’t need to put more stats into AGI. This helps both of them pass those challenges even if they don’t put the stats into it.]

    • Shadow Step: Updated wording.

    • Shadow Clones: Updated wording.

  • SHAPESHIFTER

    • Beast weapons: Updated wording.

    • Form for the Occasion: You can climb, swim, or fly while you’re moving.

    • Keen Senses: Removed

    • Ferocious Bite: Replaces Keen Senses. Grappling-based skill.

    • Defender Form: Updated wording.

    • Apex Weapon: updated wording, removed ability to be used when disarmed.

    • Familiar Form: stress inflicted increased to 2.

    • Snarl and Bite: reaction attack has to be with a light or main weapon.

  • SKALD

    • Tempo: Slide increased to 2.

    • Soundwave: Option 1 deals stress, and makes targets vulnerable to Force dmg.

  • STITCH

    • Healer’s Pact: Updated wording.

    • Healing Beacon: Updated wording.

    • New trait, PURGE [As an early class, Stitches didn’t have a quick action use or similar mechanic. Purge is VERY strong, makes the class very attractive, so it has a high mana cost. ]

    • Sewing Needle: Now requires 1 mana to activate immobilize or the slowed effects.

    • Healing Well: Updated wording.

  • THUNDERCLAW

    • Dash: Renamed ‘fast as lightning’, and now allows you to Improvised Attack as well.

    • Flurry: Updated wording. [You only get 1 parry from AOE attacks, but the bonus damage does apply to AOEs.]

    • Living Lightning: updated wording.

    • Lightning Bolt: action changed to CAST from SKIRMISH.

    • Wolf Claws: updated wording.

  • TIDECALLER

    • Downriver: Is now a slide instead of a teleport. [sliding makes more sense than teleportation.]

    • New trait, WATER MELD. [Makes using the downriver ability more appealing to allies, and gives an additional supportive element to it.]

    • Tidal Wave: Reworked.

    • Rainfall: updated wording.

    • Storm Surge: Removed mana 1 tag, 1 mana for the extra effect is enough.

    • Abyssal Scepter. Just a ranged weapon now.

    • Drown: Updated wording.

    • Whirlpool: Updated wording. Immobilized only happens on characters in zone when created.

  • WARDEN

    • Speed reduced to 4 from 5.

    • Earthen Slide: Slide 1 space instead of 2.

    • Grasping Vines: Requires 1 parry. Updated wording.

    • Gaia’s Wrath. Updated wording, parry gain is flat 2 instead of 1d3.

    • Nature Vortex: Now deals 2 stress on auto-hit.

    • Life blood. Updated wording.

    • Greatoak Mauler. The extra damage is now the highest d6.

  • WARLORD

    • Heavy slot reduced to Main.

    • Focused plan gives +1 DIF on the reaction attack.

    • Command: Ally can make weapon/spell attack.

    • Lead from the Front: Temp HP a flat 2 now. [reducing turn time.]

    • Rally: added effect of cancelling any carry over damage or stress

    • Focus target: ally can make weapon/spell attack.

Talent

  • Archmage

    • Rank 1, also applies to artifact weapons.

    • Rank 2, taking stress doesn’t trigger Focus saves.

  • Armored Defender

    • Rank 1: Reworked, can now spend parry to temporarily increase armor over the limit, but against 1 attack. [This talent is meant to be attractive to builds using high armor, but the old effect was useless to character already with max armor. This better sells the desire of high armor builds, which is to negate as much damage as possible. The fact that it only applies once should help offset the power of potential 6 armor.]

    • Rank 3: Reworked. Now negates all effects when you reduce damage to 0. [This synergizes with the rank 1 effect, and works with the goal of builds that take this damage, which is to negate damage.]

  • Artificer

    • Rank 2, cone effect has bene moved to melee option.

  • Artillerist

    • Rank 1: updated wording.

    • Rank 2 now affects the primary target. [This effect was only useful for groups of enemies, so now it affects the primary target as well. For a 1 mana cost, it still seems fair.]

    • Rank 3, scope increases by +3 instead of +2.

  • Breaker

    • Rank 3, release is auto stun but only affected 1/scene, miss is still damage.

  • Brawler

    • Rank 1, can grapple/shove as quick action for stress, and +1 acc on attacks vs grappled targets.

    • Rank 3, clarified that the target must be grappled by you. Damage increased to 2d6+3, and successful save only avoids the disarm and silence.

  • Called Shots

    • Rank 1, updated wording.

  • Commander

    • Rank 1, updated wording.

    • Rank 3, 1/round limitation.

  • Copycat

    • Rank 2: You can have 1 thing copied at a time.

    • Rank 3: You can have 2 things copied at a time.

  • Dervish

    • Rank 1, updated wording.

    • Rank 2, reworked effect. [Dervish build is about getting multiple attack sin a turn. If you do that, you’re likely to get some crits, and this gives a movement and light damage option because of that. Ultimately it’s a stronger version than this rank previously had.]

  • Duelist

    • Rank 3, deflect applies to physical, astral, lunar, and force damage, not discord or stress.

  • Great Weapon Master

    • Rank 3, extra attack has inaccurate. [With the reroll table, this trait might be triggered more often than in something like lancer. Adding the innacurate tag makes it a little harder to reliably connect with, but has the added benefit of not penalizing weapons that are already inaccurate.

  • Juggernaut

    • Rank 3, removed the 1/turn limit.

  • Leylines

    • Overall updated wording to clarify that effects only apply/work on your leylines. You can’t leyline teleport someone else’s leyline.

    • Rank 1, spaces don’t need to be free, but just can’t contain enemies.

    • Rank 2, updated wording.

    • Rank 3, updated wording.

  • Metamagic

    • Rank 1, updated wording.

  • Parkour

    • Rank 1, you can climb at your normal speed.

    • Rank 3, updated wording.

  • Shadow

    • Rank 2, updated wording

  • Slasher

    • Rank 3, lunging stance. Changed to allow you to Slide 1 space before making a blade attack, but your Speed is reduced by half in the stance.

  • Sniper

    • Rank 1, updated wording.

  • Spellblade

    • Rank 1, spellblade points last until you rest. Updated wording.

    • Rank 3, updated wording.

  • Spellbreaker

    • Rank 1, they now become dazed until the end of their next turn and take 3 stress.

    • Rank 2, the evasion works against any effect, not just spells now.

    • Rank 3, updated wording.

  • Spotter

    • Rank 1, only 1/round now.

  • Summoner

    • Rank 3, restores flat 4 hp to summon.

  • Sun Blotter:

    • Rank 2 has been changed. [old version with a bow with knockback basically increased the damage by +5. This was a bit too much, especially on the Stormbow, a basic heavy bow. New version leans into taking more stress to have some flexible combat options. Since a bow user is usually attacking at range, I feel comfortable giving them stress for this, since they’ll likely able to avoid HP damage more easily.

  • Technician

    • Rank 3, Shielded gives flat 2 parry.

  • Thaumaturge

    • Rank 3, Toxic changed to deal 1 Discord.

  • Treasure Hunter

    • Rank 2, you can reroll the 1st or 2nd slot, not just 1st.

  • Warcaster

    • Rank 2, cast or fight.

Weapons

  • Photon Axe: damage increased to 1d6+4.

  • Plasma Lash: Renamed whip, damage changed to physical.

  • Crystal Staff: Damage changed to Astral

Support Items

  • Shield: only applies to physical, astral, lunar, and force dmg.

  • Tower Shield: only applies to physical, astral, lunar, and force dmg.

  • Explosive trap: updated wording.

  • Wire Trap: updated wording.

Techniques

  • Armor Training: Now split into Basic and Heavy armor training. [Heavy armor is only normally available to a few classes, and splitting it into two different techniques allows us to make equipping heavy armor more expensive for a class that doesn’t normally get it.]

  • Magic Missile: action is Cast instead of Volley.

  • Two Weapon Fighting: Gains Parry 1 tag. [TWF giving a free attack is a powerful ability, adding a parry cost to it might bring down the power level of it a bit, and give some builds a reason to look for or want parry.]

  • Weapon Training, Basic: MEM cost increased to 3. [overall making it more expensive to bypass your class limitations.]

  • Weapon Training, Heavy: MEM cost increased to 4. [overall making it more expensive to bypass your class limitations.]

NPC

ADDED BOSSES: Bosses are a new type of NPC meant to be a fight by themselves. Two bosses have been added, the Great Wyrm and Lich.

New NPCS: Gladiator and Titan.

  • ARCHITECT

    • Electric Lasso. Name changed to Electric Whip.

    • Lodestone Sling: push/pull reduced to 1.

    • Natural Camouflage: updated wording.

    • Skitter Bomb: Removed

    • Bio Mine: Added

  • AVIATOR

    • [Never really liked the name of Aviator. Overlord conveys the idea of someone looking over from above. Going for more of a flying, air-magic based unit.]

    • Renamed to OVERLORD

    • Eye in the Sky. Quick action, mark 1 target.

    • Mana Ward. Removed

    • Counterspell. Removed

    • Nimbus: Added

    • Uprising: Added

  • CHARGER

    • Lance: Reach reduced to 1, gains Push 1, no longer has 1 ACC on attack.

    • Charge Attack: Updated wording

    • Removed Dangerous Path

    • Removed Javelin

    • Added Cannonball

    • Added Lasso

    • Trample: Only works on characters its size or smaller.

    • Tipped Explosive: Updated wording

    • Wild Charge: Updated wording, triggers from charge attack, and not a unique action.

    • Speed Shield: doesn’t apply to Discord.

  • CLEAVER

    • Cleaver: Inaccurate, redone on hit/crit effects.

    • Energy Cleaver moved to a base offense item.

    • Wide arc: no longer 1/turn, but only 1 physical.

    • Removed great cleave

    • Shred: Reworked

    • Added Opportunist.

  • COMMANDER

    • Bracing Spear: Reach reduced to 2.

    • Weak Point: Reworked.

  • ELEMENTALIST

    • Woodland Staff: Aetheric

    • Conjure Elemental: Reworded reaction.

    • Elemental Shield: Temp HP reduced to 4/5/6.

    • Dual Shields: Have to spend 2 mana.

    • Removed Unstable Elemental

    • Added Improved Elemental

    • Walls: Updated wording.

  • EXPENDABLE

    • Basic Bow: Attack bonus +1/2/3.

    • Exploder: damage reduced to 3/4/5 force.

    • Lash: Updated wording.

  • FIREBUG

    • Destructive Breath: Removed on hit effect.

    • Uptick: updated wording.

    • Growing Flames. Updated wording, increase is +2.

    • Contagious: updated wording. Now a Skill Reaction.

    • Distracting Burns. Updated wording.

    • Siegebreaker: Flat 2 discord instead of increasing.

    • Ring of Fire: Updated wording.

    • Terrify: Flat 4 stress on failure, success also marks.

  • FORTRESS

    • Reworked

  • FURY

    • Ripper: Temp HP reduced to flat 5.

    • Removed grapple hook

    • Added Furious Charge

    • Deadened Nerves: Resistance doesn’t apply to spells.

    • Barbed armor: must be a weapon attack.

    • Tomahawk: Ranged weapon instead of both.

  • GUNNER

    • Backup Weapons: Decreases mana by 2, instead of 1.

    • Removed Barrage

    • Special Bullets is a base feature now

    • Antimagic Field become Antimagic Field Generator, a support item. Effects changed.

    • Special Bullets: Minor changes

    • Repeater: Now only costs 1 mana to use the double attack.

  • HEALER

    • Relief: Cast action.

    • Resurrect: changed.

    • Shield: Now negates 1 instance of damage/stress, instead of giving temp HP.

  • MINDREAVER

    • Mind Worms: Updated wording.

    • Read Mind: Updated wording.

    • Spread Nightmare: 1 enemy targeted, not all.

    • Balance: Mana 1

    • Brain Drill: +2/3/4 to hit. Auto hits grappled targets.

    • Pain: added 2 stress.

  • MIRAGE

    • Hp becomes 8/9/10

    • Phantasm: Changed to Phantasm Terrain

    • Displacement: Changed to invisible.

    • Flicker Blade: The teleportation counts as forced movement, but mirage can’t use if they’re immobilized or stunned.

    • Endless Mage: Updated wording

    • Invisibility. Applies to allies.

    • Masque: flat 2 stress, lasts until start of mirage’s next turn.

    • Replace: Makes ally hidden, but they must stay within range of it.

    • Reveal Position: only self and/or allies, can teleport or swap positions.

    • Cloaking Field: new

  • PEGASUS

    • Dodge 10/12/14

    • Rainbow: Meant to be a bow, fixed typo.

    • Gate of Heaven: Deals 1 stress.

    • Path of Gods: Removed

    • Unicorn Horn: Removed

    • Aerial Punishment: added

    • Sky Warrior: Added

  • PROTECTOR

    • Dodge and A-Def swapped

    • Guardian: Removed

    • Energy Aura: Removed

    • Escort: Added

    • Shield Wall: Added

    • Vigilant Gaze: Turned into a reaction, no action needed to activate

    • Armored Zone: reworked.

    • Threatening Attacks: Moved to extra features

    • Waste Energy: Can’t be used while disarmed, stunned, or grappled.

  • RANGER

    • Dodge: 10/12/14

    • Flush Them Out: Extra damage is triggered if they end their next turn adjacent to a piece of cover. [Less confusing and complicated than the previous version].

    • Snap Shot: damage is piercing

    • Bear Trap: Removed

    • Grapple Line: Added

  • ROGUE

    • Dodge 12/15/18

    • A-Def 8/9/10

    • Shiv: Melee weapon with Thrown 5. Doesn’t need to pick up weapon after throwing.

    • Stalker: Doesn’t lose hidden while moving.

    • Blinding Strike: Removed

    • Black Lotus Poison: Added

    • Blinding Poison: Added

    • Deadly Crit: Deals bonus damage and piercing.

    • Stink Sling: Changed to Assassin’s Crossbow. Reach 1, Range 10.

  • SIPHON

    • Redesigned.

  • SPECTER

    • Redesigned.

  • SUMMONER

    • Scope 15/18/20

    • Skydrop replaced with Drag Down.

    • Conjure Conscript: Range reduced to 8.

    • Seize Command: added

    • Imbue: Removed

    • Mana Tap: 2/3/4 Stress

    • Rupture: Added

    • Transposition: Reposition action.

  • SWARM

    • Infestation. Range reduced to 8. Now progressive toward disarm/silence. Starts with dazed, and then if already dazed, moves onto the worse conditions. Does 4/5/6 Physical.

    • Swarm Body: Daze happens on end of turn

    • Disperse: updated wording

  • VULTURE

    • Skitter Bomb: Added

    • Hover: Removed

    • Dive Bomb: Reworked

    • Evasive Maneuvers: added

    • Bio mine: removed

    • Lost fog: added

    • Skitter bomb: Added

    • Vacuum Generator: Added

  • WARMAGE

    • Speed reduced to 4.

    • Explosion: No longer aetheric, dmg reduced to 4/6/8

    • Flamestrike: blast 2 area now.

    • Power Word KILL: stress on success is 4/5/6.

  • UNIVERSAL

    • Incorporeal: updated to mimic specter ability.

  • CELESTIAL

    • Banish: Updated

  • DRAGON

    • Natural Weapons: +2/4/6 to hit.

  • ELEMENTAL

    • Death Burst: Only affects enemies.

    • Energy Absorption: excess healing becomes temp HP.

    • Energy Form: Enemies only.

  • ELITE

    • Removed optional features

  • MINION

    • Fanatical: updated wording.

  • MOUNTED

    • Gallop: Updated wording

    • Run Over: Ignores engagement.

  • OOZE

    • Corrosive Lob: Now a weapon

    • Engulf: Only affects enemies.

    • Split: updated wording

    • Split, Solo: Updated wording

    • Sticky Climbing: Updated wording

  • SOLO

    • Focused: increased to 2 stress.

    • Meteor Swarm: updated wording.

    • Seize Initiative: initiative becomes 1 and 5.

    • Surge: removed.

    • Unfazed: immune to daze/stun/weakened.

  • UNDEAD

    • Undead nature: Moved to optional.

    • Curse of Death: gains Indirect.

  • VAMPIRE

    • Undead nature: Moved to optional.

    • Agents of the Night: Updated wording.

    • Amplify: updated wording.

    • Hypnotize: 2/3/4 stress, updated wording.

  • VETERAN

    • Surge: Removed

Loot

  • New Loot: Runic Tattoos. Contributed by Koleos!

  • New Loot: Flawless Job Crystal: These crystals are free to equip, and give you access to a class.

  • New Loot: Dancing Blade. [imported from arsenal].

  • Adamantine Armor: speed/dodge -2

  • Adamantine Construction: Light size now instead of free. [Getting Piercing on any weapon is REALLY strong, potentially breaking especially on AOE weapons.]

  • Aether Flask: lasts until end of next turn, and provides immunity to damage except for force.

  • Animated Shield: Updated to reflect new Shield rules.

  • Astral Projection: Updated wording.

  • Barbed Enchantment: updated wording.

  • Belt of giantkind: also applies for stopping movement from engagement.

  • Cloak of Elvenkind: Updated wording

  • Curseong Armor: Updated wording.

  • Darkleaf armor: flat 3 damage.

  • Desync: Updated wording.

  • Displacer Cloak: flat 3 spaces for teleport.

  • Distracting Strike: Updated wording

  • Dragon Mask: Damage increased to 1d6+2

  • Efficient Burns: updated wording.

  • Elemental Burst Armor: Updated wording.

  • Ember: Spell attack.

  • Escape Enchantment: light size

  • Exploding heart: updated wording

  • Feel no pain: updated wording

  • Flamethrower: 5 Discord

  • Frightening Howl: updated wording

  • Frost Bolt: updated wording

  • Frost Lance: Updated wording

  • Fusion Cannon: added Unique

  • Ghost Fist: You can opportunity attack with improvised attacks

  • Ghost Gloves: You can opportunity attack with improvised attacks.

  • Ghostwalker Armor: also ignore engagement

  • Healing Summoner: flat 4 HP healing

  • Hexbolt: quick action damage flat 2 lunar.

  • Ice Crown: Flat 3 lunar.

  • Improved Spells. 2 MEM instead of 1

  • Improved weapons. 2 MEM instead of 1

  • Justicar Armor: light instead of free

  • Kyton Blade: base reach reduced to 1, but gains feature where it can attack within range 3.

  • Lifedrinker Armor: Removed built in resistance. Temp HP is flat 4.

  • Lucky: gains Accurate

  • Mental Discord: updated wording

  • Mithardain: updated wording

  • Pass without trace: updated wording

  • Physical Discord: Updated wording.

  • Piercer: updated wording

  • Power armor: updated wording

  • Quick Draw: Damage increased from 1d3 to 1d6

  • Revive Kit: defeated ally returns adjacent to you.

  • Second Wind: Updated wording

  • Sharkskin: flat 2 damage.

  • Shield of the Evil Eye: Updated with new shield rules.

  • Shock Glove: Removed mana x trait, didn’t really matter.

  • Skeleton Key: size light, updated wording.

  • Soaring Light: updated wording

  • Spectral Dash: ignores engagement

  • Spellstrike: Base damage X. Type changed to artifact.

  • Stunning Summon: can only be stunned 1/scene.

  • Tactical Analysis: updated wording.

  • The unblinking eye: updated wording

  • Thunderstruck: character can only be stunned 1/scene.

  • Tracker: can’t regain hidden/invis until end of next turn.

  • Unstable wand: updated wording

GM Guide

  • Expanded rules for creating your own setting, which is the default assumption.

BEACON Update: V1.09 The Sky Rift Update

V1.09: The Sky Rift

(latest version here: https://pirategonzalezgames.itch.io/beacon-playtest)

Big changes in V1.09! This version introduces a new Class to the game, the Riftblade! This artillery class cuts rifts in reality, allowing it to effectively be in two places at once.

V1.09 also introduces the new Flying rules to the game. Overall combat play has been updated to be mostly a 2-Dimensional grid, with no real vertical elements. This simplifies the flying rules greatly, with no longer needing to track vertical position. Instead, it acts like flying units in the Fire Emblem games, where they still occupy spaces as normal, but have movement related bonuses. Melee attacks have penalties against flying units, to represent the flyer moving out of reach.

Because of this, the Dragon Rider class was completely reworked. Their previous version was dependent on vertical elements, so this newer version is an anti-air striker.

Ancestries with flight have also been upgraded to just use flight, no more stress for flying. Hovering has been removed from the game, as there’s no benefit to it anymore.

Several large changes have been made to the Narrative Play systems. Background skills no longer give static bonuses. Instead, the ranks you have in a background give Accuracy to a roll equal to your ranks, and you get to add your GRIT to skill checks.

Narrative actions have been added to the game, to flesh out narrative play more, and the downtime activities have been reworked. Advantages have been removed, and rolled into the SHOP activity, with rules for gaining money and selling loot.

Crashing down to earth with this update is a new flying NPC unit, the PEGASUS. This is a ranged, flying striker with magical advantages.

General

·         Discord: Clearing discord is a check, not a save.

·         SLOWED Condition: NPC’s next initiative becomes 8. [NPCs that can take multiple turns were affected by slowed and stunned more than normal based on the old rules. Now only one of their turns is delayed.]

·         STUNNED Condition: NPCs don’t have their initiative delayed, just PCs. [NPCs have a fixed initiative now, so they don’t need the delayed turn aspect anymore.]

Narrative Play

·         Background Skills: Now give ACC equal to their rank, instead of flat bonuses. GRIT is added to the roll.

·         Added Narrative Actions

·         New Downtime activity, Imprint Job Crystal.

·         New Downtime activity, Find Echo.

·         Reworked all downtime actions

·         Removed Advantages. [Effects rolled into the SHOP downtime activity.]

Combat Play

·         Movement: Updated to indicate all movement is horizontal.

o   Added concept of Elevation. [With the new Flight rules, there needs to be an explanation for how elevation differences work, since the game grid no longer happens in a 3-dimensional grid]

o   Updated Falling rules.

o   Updated Jumping rules.

o   Updated Climbing

o   Forced Movement: Removed paragraph about movement being horizontal, since now all movement is by default horizontal.

o   Teleportation: Removed paragraph about vertical movement.

o   Swimming: Removed paragraph about calculating water depth.

·         Environmental Factors: Split into Environmental Factors and Terrain Features.

o   Locks. Locks can be disabled as part of the action used to interact with the object.

o   Mana Zones. Must be fully within zone to gain effects.

·         Terrain Features

o   Added Free Space

o   Added Weapon Rack

o   Added Impassable Terrain

o   Added Ballista

o   Added Catapult

o   Added Treasure Chest

o   Fog. Must be fully within fog to gain benefits.

·         Line of Sight: Updated wording for determining Line of Sight. [removing references to vertical spaces].

·         Cover: Clarified that some cover is taller than its space.

·         STATUS AND CONDITIONS

o   SLOWED: Added special rules for how NPCs interact with the status

o   STUNNED: Added special rules for how PCs interact with the status.

o   FLYING: Added flying.

Actions

·         Search: Updated wording.

·         Grapple: Updated wording.

Tags

·         Armor Piercing (AP) Renamed to PIERCING.

·         THROWN: Not limited to attacking characters.

·         UNBREAKABLE: Removed wording that specified Wound checks.

Ancestry

·         AVIAN

o   Get the Flock Outta There: Updated wording.

o   Flight: You can Fly.

·         DRAGONBORN

o   Draconic Wings: You can Fly.

·         GNOME

o   Tinker Toy: Updated wording.

·         MACHINA

o   Mechanical Body: Updated wording.

·         TIEFLING

o   You can Fly.

Class

New Class, the Riftblade

·         AEGIS

o   Dome Barrier: Updated wording

·         BERSERKER

o   Charge: Action updated to an action during PHASE 4: REPOSITION. [Having this trigger off the Rush action meant that Thunderclaws could use it as a quick action, getting more attacks than intended.]

·         DEMON HUNTER

o   Demon Leap: Ignore reactions when moving, not just opportunity attacks.

·         DRAGON RIDER

o   Complete rework to account for the new Flying rules.

·         DRUID

o   Create Elemental: Updated wording

·         HEXBLADE

o   Shard of Doubt: Updated wording

·         PALADIN

o   Aura of Inspiration: Applies to checks and saves.

o   Holy Avenger: Updated wording

o   Stalwart Shield: Updated effect to also mimic new Tower Shield effects.

·         PHOENIX

o   Meteor: Damage changed to 1d6 Astral +  1d6+2 Discord. [Phoenix is all about Discord damage, so it makes sense to have the Ultimate deal Discord.]

·         SEEKER

o   Guided Shot: Updated wording

·         SHADOW DANCER

o   Cloak of Darkness: Limited to 1/turn, and as a free action. [This prevents the cloak from working when stunned or during other turns. Previous version would allow HIDDEN to occur way too often, and too easily. ]

·         TIDECALLER

o   Drown. MEM cost increased to 2. [with the addition of the secondary effects, and the inclusion of Discord and the INDIRECT tag, Drown is now a strong ability that should cost more than 1 MEM. The ability to potentially blind a target repeatedly is very good, and needs a higher cost to either use or equip. Increasing the MEM cost is a good first step.]

·         WARDEN

o   Gaia’s Wrath: Updated wording

o   Weight of Earth: Updated wording

·         WARLORD

o   Frontline: Updated wording

Talent

·         Artillerist. Redesigned. [Effects were still similar to Sniper, so redesigned it to give it a more unique mechanic. The Starcraft Siege Tank was the inspiration.]

·         Called Shots. Redesigned. [Previous crit effects were too powerful at early levels, and could be applied too often.]

·         Great Weapon Fighter. Redesigned. [Previous benefits didn’t really support a heavy melee style.]

·         Shadow. Redesigned. [Wanted to give more ways to use Quick Actions, so you can now HIDE as a Quick Action, at a stress cost.]

·         Speedster. Redesigned.

Support Items

·         Shield: Redesigned, can now split damage between HP and Stress.

·         Shield, Tower: Redesigned, can now split damage between HP and Stress. Keeps the Hard Cover effect. [Shields needed a buff, this should hopefully make them more attractive options to both people that wasn’t to protect themselves and others.]

Techniques

·         Glancing Blow: Clarified damage is physical/force/astral/lunar.

·         Two Weapon Fighting: Updated wording.

GM Section

·         Removed HARVEST combat type. [Doesn’t really work, and isn’t fun. Works better as a RAID combat type.]

NPC

·         NPCs can no longer FULL ATTACK automatically. They need a special trait or ability that allows them to do so. [NPCs with more than one weapon could be quite deadly with the Initiative system, getting in full attacks before phase 7. It’s still possible with certain traits, but not isn’t automatically available for every NPC with two weapons/techniques.]

·         New Universal Trait, FULL ATTACKER. Allows NPC to Full Attack.

·         New Universal trait, Recurring. When defeated, this NPC escapes. [Just a way for a GM to easily create a recurring villain, and be upfront about it to the PCs].

·         AVIATOR

o   Hover: Changed to just flight.

·         CLEAVER

o   Full Attacker: New trait.

·         FIREBUG

o   Destructive Breath: Gains Reach 1.

o   Contagious: Updated wording.

o   Growing Flames: Updated wording.

o   Siegebreaker: Gains ARCING and Range 10 instead of Scope. [Intended to be a ranged, lobbing attack, but with a Scope of 5, it wasn’t really good at that.]

o   Ring of Fire: Only affects enemies.

·         FURY

o   Full Attacker: New Trait.

·         GUNNER

o   Hover: Changed to just Flight.

·         CELESTIAL

o   Celestial Nature moved to Extra Features. [With the consolidation of energy damage to Astra/Lunar, flat resistance to Astral doesn’t make sense for every Celestial, since astral can represent fire and lightning as well. Now it’s optional instead of always.]

o   Divine Shield. Gains Mana 1.

·         PEGASUS

o   New NPC. Flying striker.

·         ELITE

o   Incompatible: removed Veteran, you CAN have a veteran elite NPC.

·         SOLO

o   Full Attacker: New Trait

·         VETERAN

o   Full Attacker: New Trait

·         UNIVERSAL FEATURES

o   Removed HOVER. [Hovering doesn’t exist with new flight rules.]

Loot

·         Boots of Levitation: Changed for new flying rules.

·         Added Gambling Dice

·         Added Ammo Kit

·         Added Teleport Partner.

·         Animated Shield. Updated with new shield rules.

·         Shield of the Evil Eye. Updated with new shield rules.

BEACON Updates

BEACON, my high-fantasy, tactical RPG inspired by LANCER RPG, Final Fantasy, and Warcraft, is still in playtesting.

V1.07 is the most current version on the itch storepage, but we’re already well into V1.08 in active playtest on the discord server.

V1.08 will show the release of the Rimeguard class, a new defender type that uses powerful frost armor to protect themselves and their allies. Here’s a preview of the Rimeguard’s class features!

Lancer Homebrew: Art Updates

The great mech-artist @Shadefish1 did amazing artwork for the current 4 GEM licenses. The artwork for each frame (Hawking, Dyson, Darwin, Kelvin) is below, and the previous links are being updated. Enjoy!



Lancer Homebrew: Kelvin

New Lancer homebrew, the Kelvin! This frame was designed to operate for extended periods of time on subzero planets. It was then modified by GEM to house their experimental Absolute Zero technology.

Garal Exotic Materials (GEM) doesn’t ask whether something makes sense or is dangerous, they ask if it can be done at all!

Google Drive Link





BEACON RPG

title.jpg

Hello! Welcome to the introduction to BEACON, the new TTRPG I’ve been working on for a while. BEACON is a high-fantasy hack of LANCER, and is inspired by Final Fantasy, Warcraft, and Lancer.

The system for BEACON is a modified version of LANCER. One of the main differences is the combat system, which uses a PHASE system instead of traditional turns. Each PHASE limits the actions you can take, and they go in order. So if you want to BRAWL, you have to wait until PHASE 5, whereas if you SKIRMISH instead, you get to act sooner, in PHASE 3.

Each round, you get 1 standard action, 1 standard movement, and 1 quick action.

Each round, you get 1 standard action, 1 standard movement, and 1 quick action.

There is also a REROLL table for combat play, where you can reroll attacks, checks, or saves, but at a cost. This is to alleviate the problem of waiting a long time for your turn, only to quickly miss and feel like a waste of time. Now you’ve got multiple chances to fail miserably!

As a fantasy game, you get to pick your ancestry, like elf, dwarf, or machina. Each ancestry has 4 ancestry traits, and you can equip one for each mission!

Yes, you can play as a bunch of goblins in a trenchcoat.

Yes, you can play as a bunch of goblins in a trenchcoat.

The meat of combat play are the CLASSES! Every time you gain a level, you can rank up in ANY class. Although you can only equip one class at a time, you can mix and match all of the abilities and equipment you unlock through those classes. Combine the DRUID and SHAPESHIFTER classes for a moon druid, or a HEXBLADE and PALADIN for a seeker of vengeance!

Beacon Class Shots12.jpg

PLAYTEST

Check out the currently available playtest materials!

Playtest Document

Excel-based character sheet

  • for the character sheet to work correctly, you must download the file. It does not work in google drive.

If you want to join the playtest, join this discord server, where I schedule playtest sessions. This would also be the place for any feedback or comments.

Discord

I hope you enjoy BEACON!

Beacon Full Cover 01.jpg

Lancer Homebrew: Darwin

New Lancer homebrew, the Darwin! This frame is an adaptable hunter, used as scouting frames in new planets. Their adaptability and self sufficient systems allow them to operate for long periods of time without needing to return to base.

Garal Exotic Materials (GEM) doesn’t ask whether something makes sense or is dangerous, they ask if it can be done at all!

Google Drive Link





Lancer Homebrew: Dyson

New Lancer homebrew, the Dyson! This frame uses drones to redirect energy and create small structures.


Garal Exotic Materials (GEM) doesn’t ask whether something makes sense or is dangerous, they ask if it can be done at all! Dyson spheres are well understood and rarely worth the effort of actually constructing, but the original designers of this frame wondered how small you could make a dyson sphere, and have it be effective.

Google Drive Link





Lancer Homebrew: Hawking

I’ve been working on some homebrew Lancer licenses. Check out the Hawking, a gravity-controlling frame with an internal black-hole engine.

Garal Exotic Materials (GEM) doesn’t ask whether something makes sense or dangerous, they ask if it can be done at all! Black-hole engines are dangerous and not as efficient as traditional power sources, but they were looking into miniaturized black hole technology anyway, so why not see if it works?

Google Drive Link



Lancer Roguelike

lancerlogo.PNG

Hello Everyone!

Lancer is possibly my favorite RPG of the year, and I keep thinking of fun ways to play or hack the game. As a game with a ton of options, it’s fun to build your pilot and mechs the way you want.

Another style of play I like from games like Slay the Spire and Hades is, instead of planning out your exact build, you create a build with the limited options you have available.

I present: Lancer Roguelike!

(I am aware that it’s not really a roguelike, but it’s the closest term I can think of).

The Randomizer

Here is a google sheet randomizer I set up to roll everything

Lancer Roguelike

The Rules

The game works as normal, but with the following changes:

  1. Whenever you gain a License Level (LL), instead of choosing the license, you get 4 random license rewards from across all of the license lines. From this list of 4 options, you choose 2.

  2. At LL1, your options are all License Rank 1 rewards. At LL2, they’re either LL1 or LL2. At LL3 and higher, they can be of any rank.

  3. At LL2, you get a guaranteed frame. This is a bonus in addition to your normal 4 options.

  4. You can only pick 1 frame every License Level, even if there are multiple frames to choose from. Picking a frame is a free choice, and doesn’t count as one of your 2 rewards. Once you pick a frame, repopulate all rewards showing a frame with a non-frame reward. This way, you always get to choose 2 rewards from a pool of 4.

That’s all there is. Below are some additional rules you can consider depending on how much you want to leave up to chance, or to tweak the playstyle.

  • Instead of needing 3 license levels in a specific manufacturer to unlock their core bonuses, you only need 2.

  • You can only unlock a number of frames equal to 1/2 your License Level. If you can’t choose a frame, replace it with a non-frame reward.

If you try this out, let me know how it goes!