Alternate TL 2+2 and Armor

[trooper6]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

That is correct. You can use Broadsword skill with a TL 2 bronze sword, a TL 4 iron sword, a TL 8 titanium expandable baton, a TL 11^ lightsaber. The method of use doesn't change between tech levels. The only modifier would be a familiarity penalty if you've never had a chance to get used to the slightly different performance characteristics.

And it doesn't make much difference if Elf-Tech is a 10 point advantage for a TL 2 setting or a 5 point advantage for a TL 3 setting because ultimately the difference is "what kind of tech can you perform field repairs on?"

Excellent! Now I just need to ponder what I want Elf guns to look like. I'm thinking wooden tubes and thorns.

I also think that Magery 0 will be required to make Elf Tech.

[(E)]

Originally Posted by trooper6

Excellent! Now I just need to ponder what I want Elf guns to look like. I'm thinking wooden tubes and thorns.

I also think that Magery 0 will be required to make Elf Tech.

For creating something balanced (ish) make up a TL 4 gun as an inate attack with all the TL4 limitations factored in (reload, only while dry, obvious etc) and use the point total as a guideline when making the Elf equivalent.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by trooper6

Excellent! Now I just need to ponder what I want Elf guns to look like. I'm thinking wooden tubes and thorns.

I also think that Magery 0 will be required to make Elf Tech.

It's important to bear in mind that that while divergent tech will be roughly equivalent in many ways, that doesn't mean they'll always have all of the features of the default tech. For example...guns at TL 4 are siege engines. Do elves knock down fortress walls? If they don't then they don't need an equivalent technology. If they want to attack walls, then they might just have a catapult for throwing vine balls that spread out over walls and take hold making the walls easily scalable.

[Fred Brackin]

[QUOTE=David Johnston2;2110603For example...guns at TL 4 are siege engines. .[/QUOTE]

No, good flintlock pistols are 1620-30 and you had workable wheel-locks for a hundred years before that and matchlock shoulder arms right from the beginning of TL4 in 1450.

TL4 personal powered projectile weapons would definitely be on the table.

[trooper6]

Originally Posted by (E)

For creating something balanced (ish) make up a TL 4 gun as an inate attack with all the TL4 limitations factored in (reload, only while dry, obvious etc) and use the point total as a guideline when making the Elf equivalent.

I was just going to use the exact same stats as a TL4 gun but say it is a TL2+2 elf gun rather than a TL4 dwarf gun. I don't think I need to make it as an innate attack if it is just a reskinned TL4 gun. It is equipment. Similarly, elf TL4 plate is made out of special magic wood. I don't need to make it as a DR advantage...it'll just be the same as Dwarves steel plate....just made with magic wood.

[(E)]

Originally Posted by trooper6

I was just going to use the exact same stats as a TL4 gun but say it is a TL2+2 elf gun rather than a TL4 dwarf gun. I don't think I need to make it as an innate attack if it is just a reskinned TL4 gun. It is equipment. Similarly, elf TL4 plate is made out of special magic wood. I don't need to make it as a DR advantage...it'll just be the same as Dwarves steel plate....just made with magic wood.

Fair enough, I have played with the idea before and wanted more radical differences for my world. Dwarves with crossbows firing blackpowder charges rather than early guns for example.

On a side note, using the information in that article about wood I calculated that TL3 iron is only slightly tougher than essential wood enchanted high quality Buloke. The iron is also much heavier.

[Angle]

I found your thread rather inspiring, so here are some things I made up for my biokinesis using elves. These are pretty basic and I'll probably want to change them up some, as I'm sure they're not balanced yet, but they should give you some ideas of the possibilities.

Elven Weapons

RAPIER (DX-5, Broadsword-4, Main-Gauche-3, Saber-3, or Smallsword-3)
TL | Weapon | Damage | Reach | Parry | Cost | Weight | ST
2+2 | Blade of Grass | sw+3 cut (0.5) | 1, 2 | 0F | $20 | 1 | 6
^ | or | thr+4 imp (0.5) | 1, 2 | 0F | - | - | 6
SPEAR (DX-5, Polearm-4, or Staff-2)
2+2 | Thorn Staff | thr+4 imp (0.5) | 2,3 | 0 | $50 | 2.5 | 8
^ | two hands | thr+5 imp (0.5) | 2,3 | 0 | - | - | 8†
STAFF (DX-5, Polearm-4, or Spear-2)
2+2 | Thorn Staff | sw+2 cr | 1-2 | +2 | $50 | 2.5 | 6†
^ | or | thr+2 cr | 1-2 | +2 | - | - | 6†

Blade of Grass: These are made by harvesting blades of what is basically magical bioengineered fantasy Yucca and soaking them in a resin sap that essentially fossilizes them, turning them into a sort of primitive bioplastic. Treat as cheap for the purposes of parrying just about anything else. Has DR 2, HT 12, Homogenous, and 9 HP. These are very hard to repair without magic. It’s not uncommon for elves to carry more than one, though, due to how light and fragile they are. They're usually used against lightly armed and armored enemies, due to the armor multiplier and unsuitability for parrying.

Thorn Staff: Made in a similar process to the Blade of Grass, these start out as wood, and thus are much more resistant. Has DR 3, HT 12, Homogenous, and 11 HP. These are very hard to repair without magic. While not as weak as the Blades of Grass, these are still not very good for dealing with heavier armed or armored opponents.

I also had some ideas for elven guns made out of hollow reeds treated with the same bioplastic resin as the other weapons, with ammunition made out of poisoned thorns and explosive seed pods, but I didn't feel like writing it tonight. (This idea is stolen from Alan Dean Fosters Midworld book - a pretty good source all around for freaky life forms and interesting symbioses... XD) You may also presume that the elves have some sort of recourse against heavier armored enemies, I just haven't written it yet.