List of Powers to be Developed

[bpmcpherson]

Andromeda

Biotic Powers

• [ ] Biotic Blink - Quickly traverse a short distance, even seemingly passing through solid matter.
• [x] Biotic Jump - Use Biotics to greatly improve jumping capabilities

Combat Powers

• [ ] Avenger Strike - Similar to the Shadow Strike ability in Infiltrator.
• [ ] Barricade - Portable Cover that can boost defense, combat potential and have electric enemy countermeasure. Combat Power, yet usable by Sentinel and Salarian Architect in ME:A multiplayer. Hex Barrier is similar, but not quite the same and could be left as-is or turned into Barricade.
• [x] Flak Cannon - Exploding shell that releases shrapnel. Weak to armor initially, but can be made armor effective or cause bleeding effect

Tech Powers

• [ ] Assault Turret - Similar to Sentry Turret, but can provide tech power recharge and goes down the path of flamethrower or cryo shots.
• [x] Invasion - See Issue #230
• [ ] Remnant VI - Similar to the combat drone, but focuses on additional durability or an added missile launcher in addition to its standard remnant beam.
• [ ] Shield Boost - Reinforces the shields of all nearby allies, providing a large initial boost followed by several seconds of ongoing shield regeneration. Paths either increase initial boost or even allow temporary overcharge of shield capacity

Mass Effect 3

Biotic Powers

None

Combat Powers

• [ ] Carnage - Anti-armor shot that deals collateral damage to nearby enemies

Tech Powers

• [x] Blade Armor - Reinforce armor with razor-sharp blades that damage enemies that melee.

[Nmmoriarty]

Barricade would seem pretty redundant in the presence of Hex Shield -- how would the differentiate?

[bpmcpherson]

It's more that Barricade has specific abilities that aren't displayed by Hex Shield (improve shield recharge rate of those taking cover behind it or the Electric Defense).

[Nmmoriarty]

Sure, but that is more or less what Hex Shield does as well -- provide cover. Is the game served by having two powers that mechanically do the same thing, just in slightly different ways?

[bpmcpherson]

They don't necessarily have to both be in, hence why I mention adjusting Hex Shield to have those abilities. Conversely, Hex Shield could be repurposed to emphasize something else, such as being a larger shield or something. It's more to present options.

[TheMarmotKing]

I'm going to go ahead and put it out there, revenant vi is so story specific to Andromeda That using it would need a name change and a debuff. Maybe a missle drone or Heavy VI?

[queryluke]

One thing I'm working on is overhauling Drone Jockey #188, which alludes to the Revenant VI (Poc). Essentially, DJs get a permanent drone companion. But part of this is refactoring the Drone skill a touch (mentioned in that issue). Drones will have their own stat block in the bestiary and the Drone power will summon one.

If we wanted to have a Remnant VI drone that would be doable, but to make it usable in standard Mass Effect, I'd agree with @TheMarmotKing that it could use a name change.

[bpmcpherson]

If the name would make it more generic, that's fine. Unfortunately, Andromeda-specific content (Angara, Kett, Remnant, etc) is, by its very nature, going to be more difficult to integrate per lore as it's limited to Andromeda.

[TheMarmotKing]

Real talk, Andromeda was weak on it's lore. I personally have no qualms ignoring most of it save a few combat mechanics. God forbid I ever have to see another generic Kett soldier again, in game or otherwise.

[queryluke]

@TheMarmotKing, my goal is to let this system incorporate all of the Mass Effect universe. That said, my priority is to complete content for the first three games and getting a solid base before shifting focus to Andromeda content. But if others find time work on Andromeda content before me, then I'll include it in releases. I tend to lean towards inclusion rather than exclusion.

@bpmcpherson It's more about how far I'd want to go with presenting information. Having Agara as a playable race, it's easy for a GM to say, "we're in the Milky Way, so no angara". Same with Kett and Remnant since they can be grouped in the bestiary by faction. But when we start incorporating weapons, vehicles, spells etc, it becomes difficult to suss out which are viable in Standard and Andromeda. One option is to simply let GMs know which applies. But this seems like a big task. Another option is to add some visual badge that indicates when content is andromeda only. But this would take a bit of development to incorporate.

[bpmcpherson]

@TheMarmotKing Sorry that it sounds like you didn't enjoy Andromeda. That being said, it has some cool content that I want to see included in this system (powers, equipment, species)

@queryluke Don't get me wrong, my comment wasn't to imply that there necessarily has to be a limitation per campaign setting. Rather, I was just commenting on how some of the content from Andromeda would be difficult to explain in all games, but that the ideas behind them can still be fluffed to fit a setting easily enough.

[bpmcpherson]

Just some brainstorming...

Biotic Jump

Type: Cantrip Casting Time: Reaction Duration: Concentration 1 minute Range/Area: Self Effect: Movement Your jump distance is tripled. Additionally, you take no penalty to making a standing long jump or high jump

Power Evolution Ideas: Included slow fall (similar to using the Biotic Jump in ME:A and then "hovering") Increase the jump distance further.

[Nmmoriarty]

That is a little strong for a cantrip. That's a 1st level spell.

[bpmcpherson]

Even compared to the other cantrips in the system? I took much of the information here from the Slow Fall cantrip in this system.

[bpmcpherson]

Just to follow-up with a few things:

1. Carnage is currently in the form of a fighting style. It's not quite the same as the power of the same name, but it was worth noting.

2. Shield Boost is an Engineer power for the Medic subclass. It functions generally as one would expect, so that's likely already taken care of.

[bpmcpherson]

Just a wack at creating Mass Effect Andromeda's Invasion skill. I'm still trying to find a way to balance all of my ideas, so this is a splattering which perhaps can spawn additional discussion.

Invasion

Type: Control, Debuff, Damage Casting Time: Action Duration: 1 minute Range/Area: 20m

You spend tech points to unleash a VI-controlled machine swarm at a creature or object within range. Two swarms then spread from that target to as many as two other targets, each of which must be within 6m of the first target. A target can be a creature or an object and can be targeted by only one of the swarms.

The above was based on Overload, as Invasion spreads.

All creatures attacked by a swarm must make a Constitution saving throw.

Disadvantage on attack, easier to hit, minor damage, or base on Entangle sans the difficult terrain.

ADVANCED OPTIONS Sabotage : Explosion? How to do? --OR-- Epidemic : Additional swarm and increase radius

[bpmcpherson]

The idea with the blade armor was to emphasize a little defense gain, the pointiness of the armor, and that having the armor active reduces mobility (namely "evade" maneuvers a la the Batarian units in ME:3).

Blade Armor

Type: combat Casting Time: Reaction Duration: Instant Range/Area: Self Attack Type: Melee Damage Type: Piercing Effect: buff

As a bonus action or as a reaction to taking damage, you reinforce your armor with razor-sharp blades that damage enemies that melee. Until the end of your next turn, you are granted a +2 bonus to AC and are unable to dodge and you have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws.

You can use a bonus action to make one melee weapon attack with your blade armor against a target within 1m of you. If the attack hits, the blade armor deals 1d4 piercing damage that by-passes shield. You use your Strength modifier for the attack and damage rolls. When you use the Attack action to grapple a creature, the target takes 3 piercing damage if your grapple check succeeds.

Additionally, when a creature within 5 feet of you hits you with a melee attack while the armor is active, the attacker takes 3 piercing damage that by-passes shields.

You must finish a long rest before you can use this ability again.

ADVANCED OPTIONS Durability : Blade armor lasts an additional turn. --OR-- Retribution: Increase blade armor damage to 1d6 and increase the damage melee attackers receive to 5.

[bpmcpherson]

A neat little video detailing some of the Andromeda weapons and powers.

So here's Flak Cannon. I didn't want it to step on the toes of Beehive, which is more about the cone burst and raw damage, so I focused on its effects.

Flak Cannon

As an Attack action, you load and fire krogan-designed shells that burst into shrapnel upon impact. Each creature in a 5m radius Sphere centered on the point of impact of the shell must make a Dexterity saving throw. A target takes 2d6 piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

The DC is (8 + proficiency bonus + DEX modifier).

You have 3 charges of Flak Cannon. You regain all of your charges on a long rest.

This feature's damage increases by 2d6 when you reach 5th level (4d6), 11th level (6d6), 17th level (8d6)

ADVANCED OPTIONS Shredder : Unshielded creatures which take damage from the Flak Cannon take bleed damage from the shrapnel. At the start of each of the wounded creature's turns, it takes 1d4 damage, and it can then make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, ending the effect of all such wounds on itself on a success.

--OR--

Stunning : On a failed save, creatures are stunned for 1 turn.

[bpmcpherson]

Just some brainstorming...

Biotic Blink

Type: 1st-level Casting Time: Bonus Action Duration: Instant Range/Area: Self Effect: Movement Briefly surrounded by a biotic shroud, you teleport up to 5m to an unoccupied space that you can see.

ADVANCED OPTIONS: Greater Blink - You can now teleport up to 10m.

--OR--

Reactive Blink - After using blink, you are treated as having used a Dodge action

[queryluke]

Sorry I haven't really commented on any of these. I think we can start breaking them out into separate tickets because I'd like to get them included.

[bpmcpherson]

Sure thing!

[bpmcpherson]

Playing Mass Effect 1 again has reminded me that Damping is a thing.

Tech

Damping - Prevents the use of biotics/tech. Since we already have Disrupt Biotics, it could focus solely on tech or just cause some disadvantage.

[bpmcpherson]

Given that a new version was released and most of the power adjustments have been completed, I wanted to bring this topic back into focus to fill in the rest of the gaps in powers.

I would love to have some feedback, since there really hasn't been any.

[queryluke]

@bpmcpherson I'm finally ready to start working through these. I'll be opening up new issues for the ones you've created or had ideas for.

[bpmcpherson]

Sorry it has been so long, but I'm still around! Glad to see some more of my things have been made to fit within the system. It makes me proud to be a part of this!

In any case, to throw this into the mix:

Damping Type: 1st-level (Tech Spell) Casting Time: Action Duration: Infinite Range/Area: 30m Effect: Debuff, Control

Target a create you can see within range and cause interference with their biotic and tech augmentations, reducing their ability to use them effectively. They must make a X save or take a disadvantage on their next biotic or tech spell until the end of their turn.

ADVANCED OPTIONS: Option 1: Longer duration of effect/emphasize a forced longer cooldown of use a la the games.

--OR--

Option 2: ?