PASS: Patch Notes

Below is a record of Patch Notes for the Post Arcanum Survival System. This will likely be broken up into pages at some point.

29/03/23

Action Changes

• Use an Item AP cost reduced to 4 (was 5)
• Equip an Item AP cost reduced to 2 (was 3)
• AP Cost for Throwing items remains the same
  • The new AP costs for these actions felt too restrictive in combat - Especially when we factor in the inventory system changes that would already cost more AP to equip something not in your Base Item Storage (or any other inventory space that doesn't reduce the penalty).

Weapon Mod Changes

• New Weapon Mods exclusive to Energy Weapons
  • Focus Lens - Increases Range by 10 and reduces Target Shot penalties by 5
  • Energy Superfocus - Reduces Recoil by 2 and increases Range by 10
  • Scattering Lens - Unique mod for Fabrikan PCCW that reduces damage to 3d8+15 and makes the attack type Cone 5
  • Rapid Capacitor System - Full Auto Conversion mod for Energy Weapons
• Reflex Sights and Scopes can now be applied to Energy Weapons
• Scopes and Sights can be removed during combat for 10 AP. This cost can be spread across multiple turns if it can't be completed in one turn. Re-attaching a Scope also costs 10 AP.

Misc Changes

• Composite Explosive Packs have a dedicated rule for Detonators

21/03/23

Weapon Range Rework

• PER Range for creatures increased to 3xPER (was 2xPER)
• Weapon Range and PER Range are now considered independent values
• To determine the Effective Range of attacks in combat, beyond which you start adding Range Penalties, you use the lower of the two values.
  • This change was made to make Range in combat feel more present, realistic, and actually dependent upon your Perception in order to maximize the efficacy of your weapon's precision capabilities.
• The following Equipment Mods have been changed alongside this rework, increasing the PER range of the user;
  • Reflex Sight - Grants a 2xPER bonus.
  • Stock - Grants a 1xPER bonus.
  • Compensator - Grants a 1xPER bonus.
  • Combat Scope - Grants a 4xPER bonus.
  • Sniper Scope - Grants an 8xPER bonus.

SP Reduction

• The Skill Points gained per level has been reduced to 15+INT (was 20+INT), and rapid level progression is encouraged instead.

09/03/23

New Luck Perks

The intention with these perks is to give more uses for the Luck perk, by way of exclusive perk options early on.

• Dumb Luck | Level 2 | LCK 4
  • Occasionally, attacks will just inexplicably miss you. Your AC is increased by the value of your Luck attribute.

• Try Your Luck | Level 4 | LCK 5
  • When Assisting another creature with a test, you gain a bonus to the Skill being tested equal to 2xLCK.

• Deflect | Level 4 | CEL 5 LCK 6
  • Defying all odds, your character can mount a sudden defense against almost anything. You can perform the Block action against any type of attack, and you can use the Block action an extra time per round.

• Line Them Up | Level 4 | PER 6 LCK 6
  • If you kill a creature with a Targeted Shot, your next Single or Targeted attack deals +10 damage.

• Lucky Break | Level 4 | LCK 4
  • If a piece of your Equipment would receive Decay Levels from a source other than the Block action, perform a LCK test with the TN halved. If you succeed, it does not receive any Decay levels. With the second rank of this perk, you do not halve the TN.

• Close Shave | Level 6 | LCK 5
  • If your creature were to receive an Affliction other than levels of Starvation or Exhaustion, perform a LCK test with the TN halved. If you succeed, you instead ignore that effect. With the second rank of this perk, you do not halve the TN.

• Martingale | Level 6 | LCK 6
  • If you fail a test in Combat, your next test receives a +25 modifier.

• Chaos Theory | Level 8 | LCK 9
  • You can make the test of any other creature a Lucky Test by expending a use of your own Lucky Tests. This includes allied and hostile creatures.

08/03/23

Radiation Rework

• Radiation is no longer measured by RADS. Now, you periodically make Radiation Resistance tests. Failing a Radiation Resistance test gives you one level of Radiation Poisoning.
• Radiation Resistance base value increased from 2xEND to 5xEND.
• Radiation Poisoning effects changed.
• The "Radioactive" Species Trait of Spectralis has been reworked and now has creatures test against Radiation Resistance once per week, if they have been in close proximity of the Spectralis for at least half of that week.
• The "Soul Devourer" Species Trait of Spectralis has been updated.
  • In combat, a Spectralis can attempt to drain the soul of a target in Melee Range for 8 AP, causing them to test their Radiation Resistance. If they fail, they gain a level of Radiation Poisoning and take 4d8 Psychic damage. The Spectralis is healed for 50% of the damage dealt. Killing a creature this way counts towards the requirements of Vampire.
• Spectralis Special Rum now has the creature test against Radiation Resistance if they are not a Spectralis. Failure increases Radiation Poisoning by a level.
• Akzu ARA Formula #24 removes one level of Radiation Poisoning after an hour.

Size Changes

• Size Categories for playable Creatures have been unified into Very Small, Small, Medium, Large and Massive. All non-Medium sizes have advantages and disadvantages associated with them.
• Big & Brawny now increases the Size Category for your character by one type and is valid for Eccentric Erran. The old effect for Big & Brawny has been removed.

New Perk

• Limit Break | Level 20 | ANY Attribute = 10
  • You truly redefine the limits of mortal power. When you take a rank of this perk, you can increase an Attribute value from 10 to 11, exceeding the Attribute Maximum.
• Soothe | Level 4 | COM 5, Speech 40
  • You're able to calm the party's nerves to the extent that they always seem to pull through. While Resting, your party has a bonus to HR equal to COM/2.

Perk Changes

• Six Shots! - Damage increase changed from +25% to +8
  • This makes Six Shots much easier to actually use at the table, since you are not required to calculate 25% additional damage every attack.
• Laser Commando - Changed from +20% damage to +5 Damage
  • As with Six Shots!, but this change also gives Laser Commando a unique identity from Experimental Technology and biases it towards Automatic Energy Weapons.

Other Changes

• .38 Snubnose and .223 Pistol renamed to be Revolvers
  • A mostly superfluous change, but makes it clear that they are Revolvers for reloading and perk purposes.

06/03/23

Attribute Changes

• Melee Damage now starts increasing at 6 Strength (was 7)
• Initiative in combat is now determined via d20 + INIT (was d10 + INIT)
• All Skills have had their base values decreased by 5.
• Skills now gain a bonus equal to LCK.

Other Changes

• Akimbo now reduces the Equip to-hit penalty for Dual Wielded weapons by 25 instead of removing it entirely.
  • This change was done to support the Quad Wield function of the Grleth race.
• Lead Gloves can now be worn with another Weapon equipped, increasing the Strength Requirement of that weapon by 2.
• Sidecar and Heavy Bike vehicles have had their Spaces increased from 35 to 45.
  • This is so a Grleth can use them.
• Added new variants for the Draconis Species
  • Poison Breath
    • Inflicts Type F Poison instead of dealing damage
  • Lightning Breath
    • Does not Ignite hit creatures, but does Electric damage
  • Ice Breath
    • Does no damage, but inflicts Dazed and Winded

04/03/23

Perk Adjustments

• Taunt perk changed from "Creature can only target you" to "has a -30 modifier to attack anyone other than you"
• High Roller req changed from LCK 6 to LCK 4

28/02/23

Quirk Adjustments

• General rules clarification - When selecting Quirks, you must qualify for ALL of the Quirks at the Same time. You can't take Multidisciplinary, and then use Gifted to increase that statistic to 3, for instance.
• Eccentric Erran - Clarified that it can affect multiple Quirks, if you somehow have more than 2.
• Big & Brawny - AP reduction increased from 1 to 2
  • The previous AP rework meant the downside of -1 AP simply wasn't enough anymore
• Compact - Max Inventory Space reduction increased from 10 to 20
  • The old value was before a general buff to baseline Inventory Space
• Kind Heart - Combat Skill penalty increased from 10 to 20
  • Mathematically this Quirk was absurdly powerful for making a non-combat character. 10 points is nothing when, at minimum, you gain 21 Skill Points per level (with 1 int)
• Early Bird, Near-Sighted, Night Owl - Clarified that the modifiers count as temporary, and therefore do not qualify or disqualify you from Perks or other conditions.
• Reaper High - Eccentric Erran version changed to give you AP equal to the attack as well as making it free, instead of refreshing all of your AP.
  • This is because the AP formula rework made this effect absolutely insane, granting up to 20 AP refresh on any kill... You can probably imagine why this is problematic.
• Reckless - AP bonus increased from 1 to 2
  • The +1 wasn't very impactful after the AP rework for the downside given.
• Short Fuse - Damage bonus increased to 2, to-hit penalty increased to 10
  • It just wasn't very interesting with small numbers.

Perk Adjustments

• Minimum Skill value for a Perk Requirement increased from 30 to 40
  • Some perks still had Skill Values of 30, which are so low it was very easy to qualify for them without actually investing in that skill.
• Bodge It - LCK requirement reduced from 6 to 5.
• Gunner - Requirement changed from CEL 5 to STR 5.
• Prognosis - CEL requirement removed.
• Quick Draw - PER requirement reduced from 6 to 4
• Scuttler - CEL requirement reduced from 6 to 4.
• Butcher - STR requirement removed.
• Cheap Shot - PER requirement reduced from 8 to 7.
• Unarmoured Offense - AP bonus increased from 1 to 2.
• Ferocious Loyalty - Requirements changed from COM 6 Speech 80 to COM 7.
• Hobbler - PER requirement reduced from 7 to 5.
• Skill Monkey - INT requirement reduced from 8 to 6.
• We'll Make It - COM requirement reduced from 8 to 7.
• Experimental Technology - INT requirement replaced with Science 80.
• Supplier - Now specifies that it needs to be a Guns Weapon you get a Magazine for.

Perk Reworks

• Bodge It - Description changed for clarity; "Your bizarre work has an inexplicably high rate of success. You receive no penalties for trying to repair without all of the necessary tools. Additionally, you can combine General Equipment together into one item. This new item only uses the Space of whichever item had a larger Size."
• Ghost | Level 6 | Cel 6 | Sneak 60
  • New Effect: Whenever you are in ¾ or Full Cover, you cannot be targeted by enemies unless you are the closest hostile creature to them. Additionally, attacks made while Sneaking and hidden from a creature are guaranteed Critical Hits if they land.
    • Previously Ghost was all about Sneaking while Sprinting. However, Sprinting doesn't exist anymore, so the perk needed to be rewritten.
• Lightning Reflexes | Level 6 | PER 6
  • New Effect: When determining Initiative in combat, you roll and add an additional d10 to your INIT value.
• Mr. Mysterio
  • "Mr. Mysterio" is now identified as The Red Broker...
• Laser Commando | Level 10 | Energy Weapons 125
  • New Effect: Any Laser or Plasma damage you deal is increased by 20% (Before resistances), and any Weapons that inflict those damage types have +10 CRIT.

Doctor and First Aid Perk Adjustments

Currently there's too much overlap between the two skills, and it creates a bit of an identity issue, so I'm changing the requirements of some perks and creating new ones to better define them.

• Prognosis - First Aid requirement removed (Doctor only perk)
• Stat! - Doctor Requirement removed (First Aid only perk)
• Dr. Bones - First Aid Requirement removed (Doctor only perk)

New Perks

• Math Wrath | Level 6 | Science 80
  • You're able to quickly run the numbers in your head and accurately predict the trajectory of your attacks. The penalty for Targeted Shots is decreased by 30.
• Determination | Level 10
  • The first time you take damage in Combat that would render you unconscious, you immediately recover 25% of your Max HP.
• Better Than New | Level 20 | Engineer 150
  • When Repairing any equipment, you can restore it to Pristine quality by destroying any other piece of equipment from the same category (I.E. Pistols). Additionally, any Equipment you repair has +2 Damage and +10 to-hit (if a Weapon) or +4 AC and +4 all DT (if an Armour) while in Pristine Condition, and sells for 150% of its listed value.
• Fastest Hands in the West | Level 20 | Sleight 150
  • ALL inventory actions cost 0 AP - Reloading, changing weapons, throwing items, etc. The only exception to this is throwing weapons (like Grenades or Knives), which still cost their regular AP amount.
• Home on the Range | Level 20 | Survival 150
  • You and your party can safely rest in any Outdoors location, and you can never be surprised by a Random Encounter or Ambush. Additionally, any Meals you create while resting are of the Great quality regardless of ingredients.
• I Know A Guy | Level 20 | Barter 150
  • In any settlement or city, you always know exactly where to find a service - Be it scientists, mechanics, doctors, etc. Your extensive connections make these services completely free to use.
• Phantom | Level 20 | Sneak 150
  • You are completely hidden from a creature if they do not have line of sight of you, and attacks against you have no range bonus from their weapon.
• Resuscitate | Level 20 | First Aid 150
  • You can resuscitate a Party Member that has died within the last 60 seconds, bringing them back to life with 0 HP. This effect can only be performed once per Party Member.
• Rigged | Level 20 | Gamble 150
  • You never lose any game of chance unless you choose to. In combat, you declare what values creatures receive from the d10 they roll for their Initiative roll to be whatever you desire, automatically choose who wins any tiebreakers, and the chance for any enemy to Critically Fail an attack is doubled.
• Stunt Driver | Level 20 | Pilot 150
  • Your vehicles can never crash as long as you remain conscious, or you choose them to. You automatically succeed any Pilot tests made to retain control of your vehicle.
• Tech Breakthrough | Level 20 | Science 150
  • You have made an incredible technological breakthrough. Once per day, you can fully recharge a source of Energy Ammo for free, even if they are otherwise not rechargeable. Any Energy Weapons used by your Party or Allies cannot Decay unless you choose them to, and you can apply any Weapon or Armour modifications to Energy Weapons and Power Armour respectively, regardless of any restrictions. You still need someone with a high enough Repair skill to apply those modifications, however.
• The Doctor is in | Level 20 | Doctor 150
  • When using the Doctor Skill to heal a creature, their HP is fully restored, and all Broken Limbs are mended.

New Species

• Added new Species: Grleth

New Equipment

• Glaive - Higher tier 2 SQ reach Melee Weapon
• Akzu Medic Pistol - 10mm Pistol with moderate damage output and the ability to load and fire Stimulant Hypos

Other Changes

• 14mm IP and 2mm EC now ignore Resistance properties

27/02/23

Chargen Adjustments

• All Characters now start at 5 in every Attribute, with no adjusted Min/Max values for Attributes. The only exception for this is Constructs, who have +2 in every stat from their Engineered Species Trait.
• Species are now divided into Normal, Advanced and Arcana Species to better clarify their differences. Advanced Species have significantly more Species Traits, often including downsides, making them significantly more complicated to play.
• Added new Backgrounds Character Generation element that grants a bonus Attribute Point, a unique Trait, starting Equipment, and suggests Talent Skills.

New Equipment

• Whip, 1 handed 2 Sq Reach weapon
• Laser Whip, Expensive version of the Whip that deals Laser damage

Other

XP to gain a level is now set at 1000 for every level. Flamers have been reworked and now use a cone Area of Effect based attack.

24/02/23

SP Formula Adjustment

Solidified the SP formula as 20+INT, and the threshold after which it costs 2 SP to raise Skills to 100.

Hollow Point Ammo Buffs

The following Hollow Point ammunition variants have had their damage values changed to simply be an +1 dice from their FMJ variants. The main reason is the mathematical increase in damage simply did not pay off when factoring in the massively increased DT values.

• 10mm
• .357
• .45 ACP
• .44
• 14mm IP
• .30 Carbine
• .223

Perk Changes

• Stat! now additionally grants the targeted creature a successful heal as if you used the First Aid or Doctor Skill on them normally.
• Blind Luck now reduces the penalties from being blinded or in Total Darkness to -50, and the Blinded affliction does not decrease your PER.

Other

Repair has been renamed to Engineer.

23/02/23

New Perks

• Fortress of the Mind | Level 8 | INT or COM 7
  • You've developed a remarkable sense of control on your mental faculties. You now have Resistance to Psychic damage, and receive a +25 bonus to resist any effects induced by attacks and effects with the Psychic keyword.

21/02/23

Recoil Adjustment

Recoil of all Small Handgun Ammo, and .357 & .45 ACP has been increased by 2. However, for every point of Strength you have above the Weapon requirement using the bullets, the Recoil value is reduced by 1 (Except for Energy Ammo). This restores a functionality I removed previously where a high Strength character had an easier time controlling the Recoil of weapons.

New Perks

• Akzu Nerve Pinch | Level 6 | CEL 4 | Doctor 75
  • You have mastered a special technique to incapacitate your foes non-lethally. You can make a special Unarmed attack on an organic humanoid creature in Melee range, and if successful they must pass an END test or fall Prone and be Incapacitated. In combat, this action requires 6 AP. This Incapacitation lasts until they are damaged, or roused by an ally for 5 AP.
• Kill Switch | Level 4 | Science OR Repair 60
  • Your intricate knowledge of Constructs has developed a technique to safely shut them down. When standing next to a Robot or Construct, you can activate this perk with a successful use of the Science or Repair skill. They must pass an END test or fall Prone and be incapacitated.In combat, this action requires 6 AP. This incapacitation lasts until they are damaged, or roused by an ally for 5 AP.

20/02/23

AP Rework

The AP formula has been changed to be 5 + CEL (previously 5 + CEL/2). The main reason for this is simply because losing a single point of CEL was absolutely devastating for characters, since even numbered CEL was a very important breakpoint, and it also made odd numbered CEL feel somewhat useless except for soaking up these penalties.

To go with this rework, the following changes to AP costs in the system have been made;

Attack Actions

• Natural Weapons from Species +2 AP
• All Weapons (Including Improvised) costs +2 AP
• All Unarmed Techniques +2 AP
• Grapple (and Grapple Attack) Actions +2 AP

Move Actions

• Move Action unchanged
• Sprinting removed
• Change Positions +2 AP
• Dive/Slide unchanged
• Vaulting +2 AP
• Climbing +1 AP

Inventory Actions

• Using/Throwing an item +2 AP
• Equip/Take an Item +1 AP
• All Reload types +2 AP
• Healing a Fallen Comrade unchanged
• Set a Trap +1 AP
• Disarm a Trap set to 10 AP
• Set up a Tripod or Artillery set to 10 AP

Other Equipment

• Shields +2 AP
• Hiking Backpack costs 2 AP to drop
• Enphunian Strip Pistol reload cost modifier increased to 2 AP (was 1)
• Desert Survival Rifle reload cost modifier for a single barrel increased to 2 AP (was 1)
• Speed Loader reduces Revolver reload AP Cost to 2 (was 1)
• Spring Loaded Cargo pockets reduces first reload AP cost to 2 (was 1)
• Jump Jets and Hover Pack Armour Mods +2 AP
• Removing a Barbed Spear Bolt, Irradiated Arrow +2 AP
• Removing Broken Glass or Nails +2 AP
• Freeing yourself from Barbed Wire or a Beat Trap +2 AP
• Turbocharge Stim sets AP to 15 (was 12)

Other rules

• Winded status condition provides -4 AP
• Weapon Malfunction crit fail costs +2 AP to fix
• Melee Weapon Targeted Shot Chaining AP reduction increased to 2 AP (was 1)

Perk Changes

• Arcobat reduces Change Stance cost to 2 AP (was 1)
• Arcane provides +5 AP (was +3)
• Dr. Bones sets First Aid Kid / Doctor's Bag AP cost to 7 (was 5)
• Kill Switch costs 6 AP (was 4)
• Squad Leader grants 3 AP (was 2)
• Taunt costs 6 AP (was 4)
• Ferocious Loyalty grants 5 AP (was 3)
• Tactician costs 4 AP (was 3)
• Commander can now be used once per Round, not per Combat
• Action Dive grants 7 AP of Attack Actions (was 4)

General Notes

• Rules clarification: Instances of the usage of "bonus" have been replaced with modifier to indicate that they provide a flat value and are not a Skill Increase. This is significant for Skill Value calculations.

New Equipment

• New Armour Mod - Grounding | 350 Gold | Installation Difficulty Medium
  • Grants +25 Electric Resist.
• New Vehicle - Storage Truck
  • A new high end Car that offers a 240 Space Back section to keep things in.

New Perks

• Mr./Mrs. Help | Level 2 | COM 6
  • When assisting another creature with a test outside of Combat, you have a +15 bonus to your Skills.
• Rebound | Level 4
  • Once per day, when you recover from being unconscious via healing in combat, you restore 50% of your Max HP immediately.
• Life of the Party | Level 4 | COM 4
  • Nobody parties like you do! You cannot become addicted to Alcohol, and you receive an additional +2 LCK and COM while under the effects of alcohol.
• Snake Oil Salesman | Level 4 | Barter 50
  • When selling or trading Weapons and Armour, you can treat the Decay Level of the Equipment as if it were 1 tier better (I.E. "Worn" becomes "Pristine") - Unless it's Broken.
• Kill Switch | Level 4 | Science OR Repair 60
  • Your intricate knowledge of Constructs has developed a technique to safely shut them down. When standing next to a Robot or Construct, you can inflict the Stunned status condition on them with a Science or Repair test. In combat, this action requires 4 AP.
• We'll Make It | Level 8 | COM 8 | First Aid 100
  • Your unshakeable Composure inspires those you help. When healing another creature in combat that's Mortal, they receive an extra 50% HP from your Healing Items or First Aid/Doctor Skill usage.

Perk Changes

• Gain Attribute text clarified to specify "take a rank of this perk", since it can be taken an infinite number of times. A similar change has been made to Talented, which can be taken 3 times.
• Precision Healing now allows you to throw and activate Stims as well as Healing Items.
• Stake Out now reduces the Targeted Shot penalty by 15 for Targeted Shots made with a Hold action.
• Oracle now allows you to swap the initiative values of two creatures. Previously, it just let you set a creature's d10 roll to whatever you wanted.

Other Changes

• New basic Fist Technique - Winding Blow | STR 6 | Unarmed 90
  • Dmg: 1d10+MD | AP: 6 (T)
  • You strike at the target’s stomach, attempting to disrupt their air flow. If this attack does damage to the target, they must pass an END test or become Winded. Always a Targeted Attack to the Torso.