Major changes more than likely coming to Exocortex.

Basically...

They are going to become integral to all players.

Exocortex are going to, mechanically, supply the power that the Character's Armor and Weapons requires as well as boost the Character's Mancy and Tech power potential through what I am calling Hardpoints at the moment.

Characters may equip 1 set of Armor, and as many Weapon as they have Hardpoints to accommodate.
"THAT SOUNDS RIDICULOUS" you may say, but it really isn't... The Character may be able to equip up to 4 Compact Weapons after investing lots of Ore, or MAYBE 2 Large Weapons. This does not mean the character cannot use Weapons with their Hands... but they still require a power source, a portable Harpoint, as it were, which will be available as an Upgrade to Weapons as well as Armor.

Thus, if they really wanted to, the Character could equip as many as 6 guns. Damage output, however, will vary depending on the build, more guns may provide more shots and a higher potential damage output, but they will miss more often as well, and Soak is applied to EACH SHOT creating diminishing returns. Build carefully.

As for Mancy and Power users, for every Hardpoint which is unused by the Character, the Force of any Power is increased by 1. Powers are also getting a significant buff; base Damage is now 2d6+3 instead of 1d6+3 and other powers without damage are buffed in kind.

Ergo, Powers are now nukes the Character deploys between shots or artillery used behind cover to support those will all the guns. This, however, does make them vulnerable; to get the maximum Force out of an Exocortex, they must forgo Armor and Weapons.

Basically a Title Update...

Yeah... lots of changes to just about everything to make things more balanced and friendlier to the players.

https://the-hollow.obsidianportal.com/wikis/main-page

Link above to all the rules thus far.

My hope is to be done with the mechanics and everything rules related by next year if not earlier.
After which, I will begin to process of publishing this monster.

Many things I have missed.

So, i am going back through everything, and adding things I forgot or haven't implemented yet.

As well... there are many things that I seemed to have overlooked when writing or rewriting rules.

Ergo, there will be MANY new updates to the game in the next few weeks. Updates will be hitting the Obsidian Portal Page soon!

STAY TUNED!!!

EVERYTHING IS TOO COMPLICATED!!!

UGG!!

I keep trying to add mechanics because I have new ideas, and all it does is make things extra complicated for no reason which makes balancing things VERY difficult! Specifically, Powers and Consumables! I know how I want them to work, but it ends up way too complicated for my liking...

I am going to have to go all the way back to the drawing board and simplify everything...

I'd really like some help on all this...

Many Updates!

https://the-hollow.obsidianportal.com/wikis/main-page

The game has been updated... alot.
Go check out all the changes at Obsidian Portal!
PLEASE play the game, look over the rules, give me feedback!

Training

I am planning on removing Specializations and replacing them with Trainings.

These are trees through which the Character specializes in their abilities.

These are based on (Currently 5) archetypes that I have created for the Hollow.

Training

These are trees of special qualities the character has gained from their experience. The character may partake in any number of Trainings, but they may not begin buying Ranks in another Training until they have completed their current tree. Each Rank of Training costs 6bp.

Valiant – They are the veterans of the battlefield; nothing can deter them or their allies from reaching their goal.

Training Bonus – Reduce penalties to Direct Combat Actions by Training Rank.

Rank 1 – Reduce Armor Burden penalties by 1.

Rank 2 – Increase Willpower by 1.

Rank 3 – Increase all Consumable Unit Sizes by 1.

Rank 4 – Valiant Training bonus is applied to everyone within Close Range.

Tactician – They provides tactical support on the battlefield and through the Matrix to aid in their teams objective.

Training Bonus – Reduce penalties to Cyber Combat Actions by Training Rank.

Rank 1 – Reduce penalties to Technical Skills by 1.  

Rank 2 – Reduce Tax Cost of Technical Powers by 1.

Rank 3 – Increase the Firewall rating of self and party by 2.

Rank 4 – Increase Duration of Technical Powers and effects by a factor of 1.

Operator – They act as advance surveyors and snipers of the battlefield. They gather information key to the survival of the mission.

Training Bonus – Reduce Rank required to Investigation by Training Rank. Increase Awareness rolls by 1 per Training Rank.

Rank 1 – Increase Weapon Accuracy by 1.

Rank 2 – Increase bonus provided by Aim Actions by 1.

Rank 3 – A single Aim Action may be made as a Swift Action per Round.

Rank 4 – The Character’s Defense is only reduced by half when Flat-Footed. This does not affect the Character if they are Helpless.

Mancer – Powerful wielders of powers who can fill many roles on and off the battlefield.

Training Bonus – Reduce penalties to Mancy Skills by Training Rank.

Rank 1 – Gain a +1 bonus versus Mancy Powers and Skills.

Rank 2 – Reduce Mancy Power Energy Cost by 1.

Rank 3 – Increase Mancy Power Durations of Mancy Skill Powers and effects by a factor of 1.

Rank 4 – Reduce Damage required to Overwhelm targets with Mancy Powers by 1. Willpower Levels of Mancy Powers are increased by 1.

Dragoon – Unstoppable combat monsters, they reign supreme in close range; laying waste to all in their path.

Training Bonus – Increase Encumbrance and Speed by Training Rank.

Rank 1 – A single Melee Action may be made as a Swift Action per Round.

Rank 2 – Increase Tolerance by 1.

Rank 3 – Reduce Damage required to Overwhelm targets by 1.

Rank 4 – Increase the Character’s Defense by 2 versus Actions made at Close Range.

The Fae, part 2

Fae

True Fae are incomprehensible, monstrous, humanoid creatures. Their motives are obscure; any attempts to communicate have failed. They seem to consider other sentient life inconsequential and insignificant. They do not feel emotions as other sentient life would; they do not experience Envy, Lust, Pride, Wrath, Greed, etc. Nothing; they are simply a force. Fae seem undying, as killing one is nearly impossible. The Hollow have only been able to contain them, or place them into a stasis. The only way to completely destroy a True Fae is to disable its Field i.e. stop all neurological activity. Which is impossible because they cannot be killed.

True Fae produce a Field similarly to the Aether. However, they instead reshape reality, or completely destroy a piece of reality, converting it back into Chaos. These effects are, of course, reversed as soon as the Fae’s influence leaves the affected area; the Observer’s Aether returning to normal. This being said, Fae are not “observed” by the Observers; they do not belong , or rather shouldn’t exist, in the Hollow. Thus, Fae must establish their own reality apart from the Observers through their own Field. They create islands of reality around themselves fabricating everything from the environment upon which they stand, to their own physical form. 

APPEARANCE

A Fae’s appearance varies as they themselves construct their own physical forms. However, they are generally humanoid, lacking any distinguishable facial features, and stand an average of 7meters tall. 

Ergo, if a Fae’s Field were to ever fail, they would cease to exist; the Observer’s would observe that they shouldn’t exist, and they would not. 

IMMACULATE AURA - A Fae's primary mode of defense, and what a defense it is. 

A Fae does not utilize a Field in the same way as other sentient creatures, and may expand their Aura beyond themselves thus creating their own islands of reality. Ergo, the Fae’s abilities, traits, powers, etc. may only affect that which is currently within its Immaculate Aura's range. Further, for every increment of range beyond Touch Range the Aura is spread, Integrity is considered 1 Rank lower for the purpose of a Fae’s Powers. 

Touch – Increase Soak by Integrity versus targets beyond Touch Range; reduce Speed and Defense by Integrity.

Close – Increase Soak and Defense by Integrity /2 versus targets beyond Close Range; reduce Speed by Integrity /2.

Long – Increase Defense by Integrity versus targets beyond Long Range.

To this, it is impractical to engage Fae at extreme range as attacks are simply deflected from the Fae far from the danger. This makes orbital bombardment, fleetships, and other side heavy firepower nonviable. 

Ergo, units must be deployed on the ground, or in close proximity to the Fae, attacking it within it's own Field with heavy support just outside the Field's range. Those tasked with attacking the Fae directly experience incredible danger because within an Immaculate Aura, Fae are supreme. They make the rules. 

TRAITS

Shaping – The Fae may change the Environmental Modifiers, save the time of day, as a Free Action. The Fae may also construct a Field Hazard as a Complex Action.

Sight – Fae never suffer penalties to Awareness, and always roll maximum Awareness. Fae ignore LoS. Fae ignore Stealth. Fae ignore the Partially Covered, Covered, and Concealed Conditions. They are always aware.

Monstrous Creature – Increase all base Vital Statistics by 2, Increase base Speed by 2, Reduce Damage required to Overwhelm target’s with Melee Attacks by 2, Increase Melee Attack Damage by 1d6, Increase Heavy Melee Damage by an additional 1d6, Reduce Defense by 2.

Reality Impaired – Fae are immune to all Physical, Mental, and Dire Conditions. That being said, they are immune to Overwhelm effects. However, if the Fae is Overwhelmed, their Integrity is reduced by 1. Further, when normally considered Battered, all Shaping effects under the Fae are cancelled, it loses its Flight capabilities, and it may not use any of its Powers until they have recovered at least 1 Health. The Fae has no Vitality. Thus, in order to incapacitate the Fae, their Integrity must be reduced to zero. If the Fae’s Integrity is ever reduced to zero, they become Helpless.

Weakness to Orichalcum – Fae Suffer Aggravated Damage from Orichalcum. That is, any non-Special Munition’s Blok (Orichalcum Coin) deals Agg Damage when fired from a weapon. 

EQUIPMENT AGAINST THE FAE

Use unmodified Orichalcum Bloks with high Armor Penetration do prevent the Fae from regenerating. Deal as much Damage as possible to Overwhelm the Fae. 

And it that doesn't work...

Longinus Lance – 20ore

The Character uses this Consumable as a Weapon Attack Action. Deal 1d6 +4 Physical Damage with -1 Armor Penetration to a single target in Line of Sight. If the target is a Fae, the Damage suffered is Aggravated. As well, this Consumable will remain imbedded in the target. If this target is a Fae, their Integrity is reduced by 1 so long as it remains. The target may spend a full Round removing the imbedded Consumable.

Osmium Grenade – 18ore

Create the Fog Environmental Condition within Close Range for 1d3 +2 Rounds. Fae do not have perfect Awareness versus targets within this area.

Rowan Wand – 12ore

The Character gains a Rating bonus to Willpower versus Fae while this Consumable is equipped.