Arcana Vehicles Expansion

[TriffidKing]

Just a suggestion for a new book and recipes that go with it. Possibly a new cult, or else found rarely in the others, factories, or labs. Most content here is vehicle related, allowing you to build death mobiles crackling with arcane energy.

"Exploiting the Dimensional Energy Gradient" Requires arcana 2 Raises arcana to 10 Fun -2 Time to read: 120 minutes This book builds a clear bridge between magic and the science that caused this cataclysm. The author chose a detailed, condescending approach that completely removes the mysticism from the arcane, putting it in detailed scientific terms and explaining those simply for the "clueless" reader. The projects detailed inside do require technical expertise in other fields, however. Interestingly enough, this includes a way to convert essence into a form functionally identical to plutonium. It also comes with the suggestion to simply copy any books on arcane topics so you won't need to carry around your only copy, with instructions on how to make the required ink.

Recipes:

All arcana books: requires that book in tools, arcana skill equal to said book's maximum, a lot of paper, and magical ink

Magical ink (250, 0.25L): arcana 1, components: 25 charcoal and 250 (0.25L) mana Required to write arcane secrets so only those with the potential to understand may learn them.

Dimensional Converter: electronics 7, mechanics 5, fabrication 5, arcana 4, soldering iron (50), welder (100) components: 10 power converters, 50 copper wire, 20 amplifier circuits, 1 steel frame, and a teleporter. This strange device is used to harvest and convert extradimensional energy to a usable form. Due to its energy requirements and complexity, it must be mounted on a vehicle to operate.

Mana (250 units, 0.25L): arcana 2, Dimensional Converter (10 charges), components: 1 water, and 1 essence. Byproducts: 2 dull essence Liquefied essence. Relatively stable, but can be used as an effective fuel with the right equipment. Electrifying to the taste, but not a good idea to drink. (If drunk, gives massive stimulant effect, severe radiation, and hallucinations. Also very addictive. +5 quench, +5 nutrition, +30 fun)

Essence: arcana 3, Dimensional Converter (250 charges), components: 1 dull essence This recipe allows recharging your dull essence to full power from electricity via Dimensional Converter. Works well with disassembly of essence or converting essence to mana.

Mana Engine: electronics 8, mechanics 7, arcana 6, soldering iron (50), welder (150), components: large electric engine, Dimensional Converter, 3x pipe, 4x rubber hose, 4x metal tank (2L) This engine has been refitted to run on mana, rather than conventional fuels. (Efficiency level subject to balance at this stage, as you can change electricity to essence, then essence to mana, and it's not far enough along to justify infinite energy yet)

Mana Reactor: electronics 10, mechanics 10, arcana 10, soldering iron (200), welder (200), components: 4 Mana Engines, 4 heavy duty steel frames, 8 Dimensional Converters, 10 teleporters, 4 mininukes This powerful reactor was only a theory in the book you got the schematics from. By using the mana to absorb energy from a dimensional rift large enough to span the world, it can produce a virtually infinite amount of energy after using a contained nuclear reaction in each reactor to provide a focal point for the rift. The author noted that in order for this to work, the contents of other dimensions would have to be pouring into ours, which will "never happen," but if that were the case then this device "should" slowly collapse the rift as it removes the energy maintaining it. For immediate practicality, it provides more than enough energy to make the mana to fuel it. (End game content, with a little crafting this should provide a self sustaining energy generating loop, only justified by the absurdity of crafting it in the first place and the fact that it is probably 4 metric tons to fit on a vehicle. This one assumes you are far enough along that balance isn't a concern anymore)

Mana Blaster: arcana 6, mechanics 5, electronics 6 welder (100), components: metal tank (60L), Dimensional Converter, 5 RAMs, 5 copper wire, 3 power converters, 5 plastic chunks, 2 amplifier circuits This gun can be mounted on a vehicle with several different settings to blast enemies. Powered by mana, the settings include a blast of pure energy, acid, flame, and electricity.

Energy Shield: arcana 4, components: 5 essence This little mote of power can be fitted to a vehicle to provide either a transparent external wall or as a reinforcing structural integrity field. (500 HP either way) When energy is drained by impacts it can simply be re-energized (repaired) with a little mana. (Basically a good way to protect your vehicle with a magic shield or sci-fi style force field)

Plutonium cell: arcana 7, electronics 5, soldering iron (100), Dimensional Converter (250), components: 5 essence, 5 scrap metal Makes plutonium renewable, for use as ammo, energy, or for crafting.

It's not much, and feel free to add, subtract, or edit as you please, but the idea is to expand into vehicles and allow conversion from electricity to essence, thus providing another path to power for those who don't have the "pain junkie" mutation to get some benefit from cutting themselves or drinking poison from an offering chalice

[chaosvolt]

Hmm. I can see this being rather complex and hard to fit with the theme that's kinda cropped up, but might fit in with the "arcane lab" idea that I've been putting off due to distractions.

Stuff like transmutation into plutonium might be interesting but might be better as part of an alchemy-themed

Vehicle energy from portal shenanigans also would compete with Vehicle Additions Pack. Personally I wish I could find a good way to integrate the two without patches, or if we had some sort of "if X JSON is detected, then also load Y JSON to apply these things that require X in the first place" system to make built-in mod patches.

[TriffidKing]

Transmutation to plutonium was mostly to make atomic lamps and power storage CBMs. Might make more sense to add witch lights and arcane energy CBMs instead if you prefer.

Another suggestion: shielding pendant: holds 20 essence, worn on (none) body parts when inactive. Activate transforms to a version that covers all body parts at 0 encumbrance for 12 armor of all types while draining the essence. Basically mage armor.

Mod compatibility is actually pretty simple. Package the vehicle portion in a separate mod from the rest in the zip, then define the main mod and the vehicle additions pack as dependencies. This makes it fully optional, but ensures that the vehicle additions pack is present if any part is needed. Bonus: it also means you can use anything in vehicle additions as a component in a recipe or otherwise treat it as if part of the base game.

[chaosvolt]

I do prefer to avoid overdoing patch mods when possible, though.

As for the shielding pendant, this idea is common enough in fiction that I've considered it before. Only issue is I'm unsure what layer they should go on, as any choice will cause potentially odd layering conflicts. The under layer might be best for one that projects a protective effect just above the skin, but a classic "bubble of protective force" or even an aura effect would be very hard to make logical, as both plausibly shouldn't interact when anything on the user's person.

[TriffidKing]

Try making it not have a layer, like how clothing can cover no body parts. If it crashes, I'd say close to skin is the best then.

For your arcane lab, make the boss able to see invisible characters somehow. Infrared vision probably. This at least makes one boss I can't sneak past with my favorite part of your mod (mantle of shadows) or cheese with a firefighter PBA mask. Add the ability to use manhacks, plus several turrets in the room, and immunity to acid, gasses, and electricity. Can shock you, good melee fighter, and wields a (shot?)gun, and is a veritable fountain of CBMs when butchered. Not as much health as dracolich, and doesn't set you on fire, but a good old fashioned firefight with a mad cyborg scientist. Still can be cheesed with a couple glyphs, but it's a different strategy from the other bosses.

[chaosvolt]

Can't block hits if it doesn't cover a body part though. I mean in theory a high block technique and block_while_worn would work, but that only covers melee damage.

As for a boss, I wasn't sure what to add. I'm tempted to give at least the archon immunity to being cheesed by invisibility, and maybe good night vision too. As he's the one that is the least threatening if not able to use his ranged attack, which they don't get much chance to do since the temple sanctum is all dark.

[TriffidKing]

I was saying the active form covers all parts, but try a null layer. Haven't tried it to see if it's possible myself though.

Considering my method with the archon is a firefighter PBA mask and 3-4 makeshift gas cannisters tossed diagonally through the door, then it's pretty easy to finish with any decent weapon, yeah. He's pretty simple already, so I'd say it's a great idea to make him see invisible. The other three are balanced about right, especially since you actually have to kill one for the bane staff. I'd rather be able to sneak around the other two, since I've never managed to kill either outside of dropping a shoggoth glyph or two on them or coming in with 5-6 well armed NPCs.

For the arcane lab boss, my idea was a live human with superior CBMs and a kill the intruder attitude. His high tech defenses might be a liability with a control laptop, but I'd say that's a reasonable weakness.

I'd also consider turrets fitted with symbols of judgment, hellfire staves, and wraithslayer crossbows. I've found I usually end up with extra staves after an island temple or two, and I hate giving explosive weaponry to NPCs. Turrets aren't much better, but can be placed in less flammable locations or dropped in places you don't mind blowing up. The wraithslayer turret might even be low power enough to justify infinite ammo.

[chaosvolt]

I was saying the active form covers all parts, but try a null layer.

Layering is handled by dropping a flag on the item, in the absence of any flag it uses normal.

I'd rather be able to sneak around the other two, since I've never managed to kill either outside of dropping a shoggoth glyph or two on them or coming in with 5-6 well armed NPCs.

Fire is a bit hard to handle, there. Now that there are a few arcane items that mitigate fire damage to some degree those are at least doable with decent characters. I've killed the dracolich by exploiting the shallow water surrounding the main area, as taking a single step through even shallow water extinguishes being on fire, unless they've changed that since then. Without that the dracolich is mostly just a big beefy melee combatant.

I'd also consider turrets fitted with symbols of judgment, hellfire staves, and wraithslayer crossbows

Monster-style turrets are a little bit harder to do last I tried. I played around with using the ranged attack thing used for custom gun effects, and they never seemed to work right when handed an arcana weapon.

[chaosvolt]

Smol update regarding the general idea: vortex stones are now craftable, which synergies well with Vehicle Additions Pack and its own supernatural vehicle stuff.

[chaosvolt]

Closed as reddit PMs have since become the designated "yeet countless suggestions at me" place. XP