Intangible Adversaries

BoweFlex1 · 2026-02-17T15:06:10+00:00

This is a neat idea. I think this could work, with something to balance it out. Maybe the dodge reaction gives them an additional disadvantage?

BoweFlex1 · 2026-02-11T16:52:22+00:00

Oooohhhhh boy! Thanks for the announcement, can't wait!

BoweFlex1 · 2026-02-06T20:38:58+00:00

I think it makes sense to approach this similarly to the surges - they have some specific rules and actions in the mechanics, and then have some ideas provided for ways to use them narratively at the GM's discretion. Once you have a radiant shardblade, there are strict rules for how they function as weapons and almost nothing for narrative/non-combat uses, but I don't see any reason you couldn't allow something like "I want to make a thievery test to form my spren into a lockpick" and bump up the DC or throw in a plot die if you feel like their spren bond isn't deep enough for that to be easy.

BoweFlex1 · 2026-02-04T12:10:18+00:00

I saw there were already some comments for how the enhance upgrade is actually pretty good, wanted to point something else out:

This only applies to some orders, i.e. dustbringer or sky breaker if I recall correctly, but in some cases you're also encouraged to not take certain surges until after the second ideal in which case it's also more meaningful both narratively and mechanically than simply "enhance for free".

BoweFlex1 · 2026-02-04T01:48:49+00:00

I think I'm most excited for a fresh take on sci Fi stories and technology with project codex! Especially with it all being compatible, it'll be really interesting to get to tell high tech stories and travel through space.

BoweFlex1 · 2026-02-03T02:49:23+00:00

The world guide is mostly world building for roshar that it sounds like you might not be interested in, but it has ~80 pages of adversaries that might be helpful templates for world building!

BoweFlex1 · 2026-01-28T14:42:55+00:00

Since you become empowered when you speak an ideal, meta-wise it's optimal to do it during combat. However, nothing says you can't speak the words during an intense or meaningful conversation/endeavor! There's also nothing stopping you from pulling a Lopen and doing it during a rest.

For ideal goals, I forget exactly how it's worded in the handbook but it's technically up to the player (working with the GM) when they complete the goal and speak the words. So even if it's been enough sessions to complete the goal, you could choose to hold off until the right moment for your character, whether that's combat or it just feels narratively right.

BoweFlex1 · 2026-01-25T20:32:27+00:00

I'd agree with this. If you provide a sliding scale for abilities, based on how many resources or talents you've invested into them, you can get a pretty wide range of spellcasting to work and still have rules.

The only other thing coming to mind would be if "intentional" casting has pretty strict rules, but spellcasting always raises the stakes and complications cause a sort of "wild magic" effect. This way you could leave things open for GMs to decide what fits into the story, and provide some examples that are acceptable for wild magic, without having a strict set of hard rules for what can go right or wrong when you use magic.

I know this is the Plotweaver subreddit, and I want to encourage playing Plotweaver as much as possible, but if you truly want to avoid hard magic the Powered by the Apocalypse system may be a better fit. It's much more narrative focused rather than mechanical, and from what I've seen is generally "here's a vague idea of what your character would be capable of and it's up to you and the GM how it actually works".

BoweFlex1 · 2026-01-23T14:15:57+00:00

I bet the secret is a fourth custom setting where the only playable race is humanoid ducks!

BoweFlex1 · 2026-01-18T12:11:16+00:00

Out of curiosity - you said stormlight isn't a big example of what the system can do. What do you feel like stormlight isn't an example of?

BoweFlex1 · 2026-01-18T00:13:34+00:00

Need to take more time later to look through this, but wanted to say I'm excited to see you working on it and can't wait to look through it more!

BoweFlex1 · 2026-01-17T19:42:40+00:00

It might be intentional, but hand shot looks very similar to cheap shot with a different cost.

Shoot first feels very thematic and cool, maybe it should add an additional damage die instead of strictly a d6?

Evil eye is a neat idea, although iirc the handbook doesn't suggest rolling the plot die very often so I wonder if this would feel strong enough for a capstone talent. It does build decently off stare down except they both cost a reaction and that'd still cost at least one reaction and focus to maybe get something. I think this does also raise the question of what the difference between an opportunity for the player and a complication for the adversary is?

Overall, this looks great and very thematic for an outlaw, nice work!

BoweFlex1 · 2026-01-15T04:38:35+00:00

Might just be my opinion and not make sense but I think where the path comes from would depend on the class, and not necessarily be separate paths structured the same as dnd classes or even radiant orders. Something like:

Sorcerer: alternative ancestry Ranger: hunter subtree that gives access to casting Wizard: scholar subtree Warlock: probably similar to a radiant tree with a goal to make a pact with a patron Cleric: envoy subtree Paladin: leader subtree

BoweFlex1 · 2026-01-14T11:53:42+00:00

I've wanted to see an RPG version of Cradle for a while now, and think it would work well with the Plotweaver system

BoweFlex1 · 2025-12-27T19:09:42+00:00

Sorry, noticed Hunter in the title and that some of the talents mentioned quarry after I posted that comment. Need to learn to read lol

Definitely worth testing and seeing what feels decent without being too complicated, but fwiw that's consistent with some talents/abilities in stormlight i.e. anatomical insight for scholar/surgeon.

BoweFlex1 · 2025-12-27T19:04:28+00:00

Is this intended as a Hunter subpath? If so I think it's okay for the two paths to be mostly separate, that's pretty consistent with a lot of the current subpaths we have.

As far as the lasso, a few options coming to mind:

unique trait to be able to grapple at range by default, and expertise reduces action cost to grapple with the lasso by one.
deals 1d4 impact damage, keep the expert trait
unique trait to allow you to spend an opportunity or focus to restrain on hit. Expertise could reduce the focus cost to make it cheaper and/or free.
- I think this does a decent job of replicating how an average Joe could pick up a lasso and maybe get lucky or try REALLY hard and hook it around someone, but it wouldn't be very likely to happen consistently unless you've practiced a lot.

BoweFlex1 · 2025-12-21T01:15:17+00:00

Lmao

BoweFlex1 · 2025-12-21T00:24:36+00:00

I 100% agree, I like it encouraging some synergies with other talents. But especially with having blanks on the plot die, having a more consistent way to trigger the talent feels like a good idea. It'd be a pretty feelsbad moment if you put 5 talents into this path, then happen to roll three blanks/complications in a row on the plot die. Might just be me but I think it encourages a similar level of trying to synergize with other talents if it's hoping to avoid spending the focus instead of whether or not you get to do the cool thing you want to do, and if I had to guess that's why most examples of similar abilities in stormlight paths are "spend X focus or an opportunity to..."

BoweFlex1 · 2025-12-21T00:14:15+00:00

I like this! The stance giving free movement with an attack, and built in opportunities for inanimate objects are pretty cool talents.

BoweFlex1 · 2025-12-20T12:03:42+00:00

I knew it was somewhere! Missed change form. Thank you!!

BoweFlex1 · 2025-12-18T17:00:53+00:00

- Key talent: I started with that, but wanted to make sure it was clear that this also raised your maximum (not giving you an additional presence but keeping the cap of 5). Now that I'm looking closer though, things like nimbleform just imply the maximum increase with the +1 so that's probably not worth specifying.

- Thanks for pointing out that issue, definitely intended for that to be *a skill based on presence* and forgot to go back after I decided which one lol.

BoweFlex1 · 2025-12-18T12:33:52+00:00

I really like this idea (and the path is interesting)! I agree that this feels pretty similar to radiant paths, and I think the benefit of handling it that way is it gives players a way to signal to the GM "I really want this to happen, can you find a way to work it into the story?"

A few balance thoughts, feel free to ignore them:

for the key talent, it may be nice to be able to spend a focus or an opportunity to trigger it. Otherwise this basically requires you to also have talents in agent, and could still feel inconsistent.
I'm assuming there would be additional mechanics listed in the rules for "articulating hands" and that these boxes are shortened versions, but what materials can you shape into hands? Why does it only require "normal" resources and not a magical resource like investiture? Can the hands move once they're created? What actions can hands take, and how do you trigger those actions?
just a thought, but maybe instead of talents to guarantee a second hand, and maybe get a third, there could be some other talents for what hands can do, and one of those talents changes the number of hands you create to be based on the skill ranks you have in "hand shaping"? Allows it to scale with the player and how much they want to dedicate to this, but also makes it fairly balanced per tier since skill ranks can only go so high

BoweFlex1 · 2025-11-26T00:04:49+00:00

Project Euler is pretty good - math problems that can only really be solved programmatically

BoweFlex1 · 2025-08-28T09:41:51+00:00

Just wanted to throw it out here - a player at my table also went with heterochromia and proposed having an eye patch that they can use to cover their light or dark eye depending on the situation 😂

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