OK sorry, this is not a bard.

OK sorry, this is not a bard.

OK sorry, this is not a bard. 

I am working on a Clock Punk/ Time Smith / Time Bender character (haven’t decided on a name yet) 

Here is a preliminary move:

Freeze time (Int)

When you accelarate your passage through time to the point where the world around you seems to freeze, spend 2 time and roll+Int

On 10+ hold 3.

On 7-9 hold 1.

Spend your hold to

—Take an action for free that would normally require a roll, like deal damage. 

—Do something that would normally be impossible, like plucking an arrow or bullet from the air.

—Move from one point to another in what seems to be no time. 

When your hold is spent, time resumes its normal flow.

11 thoughts on “OK sorry, this is not a bard.”

  2. That’s a cool idea! But, wouldn’t they get to spend all their hold all at once since everyone else is frozen? Not a problem, per say, but it really means they get to do a certain number of really cool things. Also what happens on a 6-?

  3. Yea they would. The hold is an abstraction of the time the character has when he has frozen time to do stuff. So he can do three things or one. 

    On 6-? I dunno. The GM has to decide. I was thinking of transcription errors like in Michael Crichton’s Timeline, but then decided against it.  

    Any suggestions for a failed roll?

  4. I really like the idea, but one of Stop Time’s hold options should be removed:

    -Take an action for free that would

    normally require a roll, like deal damage

    That’s flat out better than Defy Danger, Hack n Slash etc as on a 7-9 you get to use the 10+ options of one of those moves. I’m not a fan of auto success either; removing rolling from DW should have something interesting to compensate!

    I really like the other hold options though, and I’m interested to see where you go with it. I’ve got a somewhat similar class in the works; The Astrophage, a star vampire who consumes the essence of the heavens and expends it through godlike powers, like slow time. Also a little bit of prince of Persia in there too! If you’ve read Joe Abercrombie’s stuff, the Astrophage’s powers are kinda similar to Shenkt. If i have time, am thinking about releasing it with Pirate World.

    Pretty dfficult to balance the class though, if they can just stop time! Interested to see how you deal with it.

  5. Iain Chantler

    Yes I know it is powerful, that is why a mana system is built into it so that its use is limited.

    Wind the clock

    When you spend a few quiet minutes to wind your clockwork devices, gain 3 time.

    So if this move costs 2 time (mana) the move can only be done once per battle, with another less powerful move.

    Secondly it is not really an auto success, because when you deal damage you have to roll for it, so you may roll three 1’s!

    Finally the character has to be balanced out as far as class damage is concerned. I was thinking of giving him 1d6, but maybe 1d8 will be more appropriate.

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