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Fabula Ultima Technospheres Preview ENG
Fabula Ultima Technospheres Preview ENG
z
O This document contains
playtest materials.
j
These are mostly untested
and might be poorly balanced.
Technospheres are actually a group of optional rules which deeply modifies many
systems present in the core book, with the goal of replacing part of the complexity
instead of merely adding to it. If you use this rule, all Player Characters in the group
must follow it, without exceptions.
In rules terms, Technospheres take many of the features that make up characters and
equipment and turn them into modular options: Classes, Skills, Qualities and more can
be swapped freely. While this rule fits Techno Fantasy campaigns especially well, it
can be used within any game.
In general, this rule does not make characters stronger than normal; one could say it
makes them strong in different ways.
TYPES OF TECHNOSPHERES
Technospheres are broadly divided in two groups: Mnemospheres and Oplospheres.
The following pages include all the rules needed to apply the Technosphere system to
your campaign; they are quite a few, so it's important for the whole group to try and
memorize them to the best of their ability.
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HOW IT CHANGES YOUR WORLD
Introducing Technospheres in your game also means deciding what role they play in
the setting. Here are some questions you should consider:
EQUIPMENT CHANGES
If you use Technospheres, equipment follows a set of special rules:
w The only available equipments in the game are: custom weapons (page XXX), armors,
and accessories, plus weapon and armor modules for the Pilot Class (page XXX).
w Custom weapons and armors cannot have Qualities outside those detailed in the
chart below, which offer slots in which Technospheres can be placed.
On the contrary, accessories and rare modules for Pilots (page XXX) follow the
normal rules for rare items and cannot have the Qualities described below.
w For the sake of simplicity, NPCs should never use Mnemospheres.
w Items that contain Mnemospheres cannot be destroyed, lost or stolen without
the owner's permission. Oplospheres, on the other hand, do not offer this sort of
protection and suffer the same fate of the item that contained them.
w Each Player Character is created at level 5 following the normal rules, but must
distribute those levels among exactly two Classes.
The Classes chosen this way are considered Innate Classes for that PC.
w The following Classes are only available as Innate Classes, never as Mnemospheres:
Arcanist, Mutant, Pilot, Tinkerer, and Wayfarer.
w Upon creation, each Player Character receives a permanent increase of 10 maximum
Hit Points and 10 maximum Mind Points, and also gains the ability to equip martial
armors and weapons.
w Each Player Character also receives a Mnemosphere of a Class of their choice upon
creation. This Mnemosphere is at level 0.
Example: a Player Character might enter play with 1 level in Elementalist and 4
levels in Spiritist as Innate Classes, plus a level 0 Loremaster Mnemosphere.
w Over the course of their advancement, the character may invest levels in their Innate
Classes as per the normal rules, but cannot acquire new Classes unless through
Mnemospheres (see coming pages), not even after they have mastered both of their
Innate Classes.
However, the character still receives the level-based increase of maximum Hit Points
and Mind Points, as well as the Attribute increase upon reaching levels 20 and 40.
w When a character gains a level, they may invest that level in one of their Innate
Classes or invest it in a Mnemosphere among those available to the group.
Example: a Player Character might have reached level 20 and have both their Innate
Classes at level 5, plus 10 levels invested in Mnemospheres; they will still increase
an Attribute by one die size and will be treated as a level 20 character for the sake
of calculating maximum HP and MP, as well as any effect based on level such as the
Omega spell (page XXX of the core book).
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EQUIPPING TECHNOSPHERES
Technospheres can be freely placed within weapons and armors fitted with the proper
slots; this way, anyone who equips the item in question will receive the benefits of all
Technospheres within it.
w Placing Technospheres within an item is a task that demands calm and attention, so
it cannot be done during a conflict.
w The same piece of equipment may contain both Mnemospheres and Oplospheres,
provided you stay within the slot limit. For instance, a β slot can contain two
Technospheres at most, only one of which can be a Mnemosphere.
w Although a group of characters may have several Mnemospheres of the same Class
at their disposal, the same item cannot contain two or more Mnemospheres of the
same Class, and a character cannot equip an item containing a Mnemosphere that
matches one of their Innate Classes.
In short, "a Player Character cannot have the same Class twice at the same time."
w Some Oplospheres require and occupy more than one slot.
w Two or more identical Oplospheres may be placed within the same item; sometimes
this will trigger a coagulation effect (see page XXX).
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MNEMOSPHERE RULES
Each Mnemosphere is tied to a specific Class and can increase in level and become
stronger, absorbing memories and experiences. The following rules apply:
w For the sake of simplicity and balance, there are no Mnemospheres for the following
Classes: Arcanist, Mutant, Pilot, Tinkerer and Wayfarer.
w When a character invests a level in a Mnemosphere (page XXX), that Mnemosphere
develops a new Skill of the corresponding Class or increases the Skill Level of a
preexisting Skill, just like what would happen with normal Class advancement.
w A Mnemosphere may contain 5 levels at most; once it reaches level 5, that
Mnemosphere is mastered and develops a Heroic Skill of the corresponding Class, or
a generic Heroic Skill (the Players decide).
Mnemospheres cannot develop Heroic Skills that require you to have reached a
specific level or that require mastery of two or more Classes.
w As long as a Player Character has an armor or weapon containing Mnemospheres
equipped, they gain access to all Skills (normal and Heroic) inside them.
As soon as the character no longer has a Mnemosphere equipped, they lose all of its
benefits and abilities (including spells learned through a Chimerist Mnemosphere;
those spells are part of the Mnemosphere, not of the character).
w However, Mnemospheres do not grant access to the free benefits of their Classes,
nor do they allow characters to start Projects or perform Rituals (Skills tied to these
aspect, if present, cannot be invested in). Characters who wish to obtain these abilities
must do so through Innate Classes.
It can be a good idea to use Mnemosphere sheets in order to keep track of each
Mnemosphere's advancement and let the group swap them easily between different
characters (see page XXX).
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OPLOSPHERE RULES
Oplospheres are simpler and more immediate than Mnemospheres, but definitely no
less important. They follow a few specific rules:
w Oplospheres replace the normal Quality system of rare items, and allow Player
Characters to frequently reconfigure their equipment.
w When placed within a piece of equipment, an Oplosfere will infuse it with its power in
a way that is unique to that specific type of Oplosphere.
Several sample Oplospheres can be found starting on the next page.
w Many Oplospheres feature coagulation (Coag.) effects, which are added to the
Oplosphere's normal effect if other Oplospheres of the same type are placed within
the same item.
Example: if you place two Arctic Oplospheres within the same weapon, each will
change the weapon's damage type to ice and will grant Resistance and Immunity to
ice (thus resulting in Immunity). If you place three Gladiator Oplospheres inside it,
however, the weapon will deal 9 extra damage to humanoids (3 from each sphere)
and also increase your Defense score by 3.
TECHNOSPHERES AS REWARDS
This optional rule works best when the group has a good quantity and variety of
Technospheres available: that's why the basic premise is that these crystal will
spontaneously appear in the game world. This makes sure that "it always makes
sense" to stumble upon one of them during a session.
Each Technosphere is worth approximately 500 zenit (but each already-present level
inside a Mnemosphere increases its value by 300 zenit).
Finally, the following pages offer a total 36 Oplospheres ready for use by the Game
Master.
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SAMPLE OPLOSPHERES
To randomly generate an Oplosphere from the list, roll two d6s and use one die for the
tens digit and the other for the unit digit.
w Oplospheres marked with an asterisk (*) can only be placed within weapons, never
within armors.
w The same weapon cannot contain different Oplospheres among those tied to a
damage type (for instance, a weapon may contain three Toxic Oplospheres, but not a
Toxic Oplosphere and a Voltaic Oplosphere).
This limitation does not apply to armor.
Obviously these are only a few examples of Oplospheres; the Game Master is free to
create more using these as reference, and Players may propose them through a survey
or wishlist (page 123 of the core book).
OPLOSPHERES
Roll Oplosphere Effect (while the item is equipped)
Accuracy Checks with this weapon gain a +1 bonus.
11 Sharpening*
u Coag. 2: This weapon deals 2 extra damage.
You treat your Dexterity as if it were one die size higher (up to
12 Agile a maximum of d12).
This Oplosphere occupies 2 slots.
You gain Resistance to ice damage. If this item is a weapon, all
damage it deals becomes ice.
13 Arctic u Coag. 2: You gain Immunity to ice damage.
u Coag. 3: Any ice damage you deal ignores Resistances. When
you deal damage, you may change its type to ice.
This weapon deals 2 extra damage to undead.
14 Blessed*
u Coag. 2: You gain a +1 bonus to Magic Defense.
You treat your Willpower as if it were one die size higher (up to
15 Brave a maximum of d12).
W This Oplosphere occupies 2 slots.
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OPLOSPHERES
Roll Oplosphere Effect (while the item is equipped)
You are immune to dazed.
16 Crystalline u Coag. 2: You gain a +2 bonus to Open Checks made to
examine creatures, items, and locations.
You gain Resistance to air damage. If this item is a weapon, all
damage it deals becomes air.
21 Cyclonic u Coag. 2: You gain Immunity to air damage.
u Coag. 3: Any air damage you deal ignores Resistances. When
you deal damage, you may change its type to ice.
You gain Resistance to dark damage. If this item is a weapon, all
damage it deals becomes dark.
22 Dark u Coag. 2: You gain Immunity to dark damage.
u Coag. 3: Any dark damage you deal ignores Resistances. When
you deal damage, you may change its type to dark.
w Starting budget. The character receives initial zenit as per page 229 of the
core book, but may spend them in custom weapons, armor, accessories, and
Oplospheres (500 zenit each).
w Levels. The character may distribute their levels as they wish between their
Innate Classes and initial Mnemospheres.
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OPLOSPHERES
Roll Oplosphere Effect (while the item is equipped)
Each target hit by this weapon suffers dazed.
23 Dazing*
This Oplosphere occupies 2 slots.
This weapon deals 2 extra damage to constructs.
24 Disrupting*
u Coag. 2: You gain a +1 bonus to Defense.
When you hit one or more creatures with this weapon, you may
25 Draining*
recover 3 Hit Points and 3 Mind Points.
You are immune to weak.
26 Energizing u Coag. 2: When you recover Hit Points, you recover
2 additional Hit Points.
Attacks with this weapon gain the multi (2) property.
31 Expansive*
This Oplosphere occupies 2 slots.
Each target hit by this weapon suffers shaken.
32 Ghastly*
This Oplosphere occupies 2 slots.
This weapon deals 2 extra damage to humanoids.
33 Gladiator*
u Coag. 2: You gain a +1 bonus to Defense.
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OPLOSPHERES
Roll Oplosphere Effect (while the item is equipped)
Damage dealt by this weapon ignores Resistances.
42 Piercing* u Coag. 2: Damage dealt by this weapon ignores Resistances
and Immunities.
You gain Resistance to poison damage. If this item is a weapon,
all damage it deals becomes poison.
43 Poisonous u Coag. 2: You gain Immunity to poison damage.
u Coag. 3: Any poison damage you deal ignores Resistances.
When you deal damage, you may change its type to poison.
This weapon deals 2 extra damage to beasts.
44 Predator*
u Coag. 2: You gain a +1 bonus to Defense.
You treat your Insight as if it were one die size higher (up to a
52 Revealing maximum of d12).
This Oplosphere occupies 2 slots.
Each target hit by this weapon suffers enraged.
53 Scornful*
This Oplosphere occupies 2 slots.
You gain Resistance to earth damage. If this item is a weapon, all
damage it deals becomes earth.
54 Seismic u Coag. 2: You gain Immunity to earth damage.
u Coag. 3: Any earth damage you deal ignores Resistances.
When you deal damage, you may change its type to earth. W
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OPLOSPHERES
Roll Oplosphere Effect (while the item is equipped)
This weapon deals 2 extra damage to demons.
55 Skeptical*
u Coag. 2: You gain a +1 bonus to Magic Defense.
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TROUBLESHOOTING
The rules for Technospheres are quite robust, but cause problems in two specific
cases (both featured in this same book, coincidentally):
w Pilot. When a PC with the Pilot Class (page XXX) enters a vehicle with
weapon modules or armor modules, these replace the character's weapons
and armor, thus robbing them of all Mnemospheres and Oplospheres, and
leaving them with only their Innate Classes (one of which will be Pilot itself,
thus strongly limiting the possible combinations).
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MNEMOSPHERE: SCANNER
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CLASS: LOREMASTER
LEVEL
SKILL FLASH OF INSIGHT SKILL LEVEL: 2
5
on a 13+ when examining a creature, item or location,
ask up to 2 questions
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TECHNOSPHERE SHEETS AND CARDS
This page presents two good options for keeping track of Mnemospheres and
Oplospheres: Mnemosphere sheets and Oplosphere cards.
You can find blank versions of these at https://www.patreon.com/posts/46567344;
afterwards, all you need to do is print and cut them.
This way, when a Player Character places Technospheres inside a weapon or armor, the
Player can simply note down the names of those spheres and grab the correspinding
cards or sheets; coagulating Oplospheres may be put in a stack, as shown below.
OPLOSPHERE
OPLOSPHERE
OPLOSPHERE
sorcerous medical
EFFECTS:
EFFECTS:
EFFECTS:
+2 to hp and mp
weapon only.
recovery you
target m.def.
cause
with potions.
c2: +2 to damage
and hp healing
c2: +1 to hp and
you do with
mp recovery
spells
you cause with
potions.
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