Shikotsumyaku | Dead Bone Pulse | 屍骨脈

[Azure]

Shikotsumyaku | Dead Bone Pulse | 屍骨脈
Advanced System
The Kaguya were the lost and forgotten child of the Mother of All Things; Otsutsuki Kaguya. Even bearing her name, they were disregarded in the likes of the Hyuuga, the Uchiha and the Senju as the four decedants of Kaguya. When stripped of mythical eyes and sagely energies, the last remaining genetic boon Kaguya gave her children was her own body. Not every member of the Kaguya clan unlocks their birthright, but due to their ferocity and unmistakable prowess, those who do not are not remembered. Those that do not find other ways of being deadly. The Dead Bone Pulse allows for the manipulations of one's own bones. By fusing the calcium in their bones with chakra, they are able to remove and regrow their macabre bones. Due to this, the physiology of every Kaguya is not like the typical human, making medical intervention extremely difficult. Many had sought to scientifically understand the Kaguya but few efforts proved successful. For this reason it was thought they became near extinct: the family knew only to break, not to mend. The members in Kirigakure were all but nothing for generations saved only by the Bloody Mists unlikely ally, the Water Daimyo. Due to the Shodai Kyoukage that the Kaguya were reborn in Otogakure. Today these gardeners continue to fill the earth with blood.
Cost: Activation: 7.5% Total Chakra and Stamina | Upkeep: 5% Total Chakra and Stamina
Restriction: Other advanced regeneration skills are suspended while this is active. 

 

 

 

 

 

Alien Physiology
Description: As observed by anyone who tries to operate on a Kaguya, they will find that their physiology operates on its own accord. While it is close to a normal body, there are distinct differences in bone, joint and vein structure. Alterations in blood flow and the nervous system make it difficult for traditional medicines to work in tandem with a Kaguya's natural regenerative properties.
Effect: For every rank of Immortal Vessel, total healing techniques towards this character is 10% less effective.  
Cost: +1

Immortal Vessel
Description: While not the most obvious ability of the Shikotsumyaku, the body of a Kaguya is given the innate ability to regenerate itself. It is most notable in its ability to regenerate the bones of the body, but over years of evolution their regeneration does not end at the bones. A Kaguya's skin may close in response to a wound, because of calcium deposits that rush towards the open site. With each break, cut and bruise, their bodies become more durable and is one of the many reasons the Kaguya were sought out by Orochimaru to become his next vessel.
Effect: While Shikotsumyaku is active the user will regenerate 3% (rounded up) of their total Health per turn per rank of this skill.

Requirement: Alien Physiology
Cost: -2 per rank, ranks may be purchased every 15 levels
Max Ranks: 5
 
Bone Pulse Reaver
Description: The warriors of the Dead Bone Pulse gain a jolt to their fighting prowess when their bones come alive. The calcium in their bodies deposit along key points in their hands and feet and make blows against their opponents even mightier. The brute force of the Kaguya savages are nearly unparalleled, whereas typical fighters employ tactics, these ninja rely on brute force. Due to their strong bodies, the Kaguya often do not fight as teams. They often see themselves as armies of one and indestructible against any foe.
Effect: While Shikotsumyaku is active the user will gain +1.25x (rounded up) Taijutsu per rank of this skill, where the value of x is equal to the level of the user.

Requirement: Alien Physiology
Cost: -1 per rank, ranks may be purchased every 15 levels
Max Ranks: 4
 
Bone Sculpting
Description: The corner stone of the Kaguya legend lies in their ability to use their own bones as weapons in battle. Not only do they refuse to be without a weapon and backed into a corner, but the Kaguya bone weapons are versatile and may vary in terms of durability, might and ease of attack. As the body of the Kaguya becomes stronger, so too do their immortal bones. Any bone that is removed from the body immediately regenerates. The limb may have a delay before it is useful again, but a Kaguya battlemaster does not give their prey time to realize that.
Effect: The user may activate this skill as a Setup Phase action to begin to create a 'Bone Weapon'. A 'Bone Weapon' is a Medium Weapon with a level equal to x + (0.5xy) , rounded up. The value of x is equal to the user's level. The value of y is equal to the amount of Setup Phase actions spent creating this weapon, including the turn it was activated. Setup Phase actions used creating a 'Bone Weapon' do not need to be sequential, and may never exceed 5. As a free action in their Main Phase, the user may 'release' the 'Bone Weapon', ending its creation and equipping it. Upon 'releasing' the weapon, the user may spend levels according to the 'Level Economy' chart below to give the weapon additional effects. This weapon lasts until it is destroyed, until the end of battle, or if the bloodline is deactivated.

Requirement: Alien Physiology
Cost: -4

 

Blade Wrecker
Description: The weapons harvested out of their own bodies can be made stronger than any crafted steel. The bones of a Kaguya have been known to shatter swords and cleave chakra infused blades alike. This ability is what earned Shikotsumyaku the renown as one of the greatest taijutsu abilities.
Effect: Once per battle per rank in this skill the user may add the status effect 'Destroy Weapon' to a strike of an attack made with a 'Bone Crafted' weapon.
Cost: -1 per rank

Requirement: Alien Physiology
Max Ranks: 3 

 

Quote

Level Economy
Rules: Level Economy allows a player to spend levels of their weapon upon 'release' to give the weapon additional effects. 'Bone Weapons' still follow the limitations of normal weapons, meaning they may not exceed level 100 or go below level 1. Keep this in mind when spending your Level Economy.
- 20 levels: The user may apply one rank of 'Sharpened Edge' or 'Lightened Craft' to their weapon.
- 20 levels: The user may apply one rank of 'Parry' or 'Defend' to their bone weapons.

- 30 levels: The user gains +5% to critical hit with this weapon. This may be purchased 6 times.
- 30 levels: The user gains +50 Accuracy when making attacks with this weapon. This bonus may not bring the user's accuracy to exceed 1.5x their base accuracy.  This is not considered into the stat bonus equipment cap. This may be purchased multiple times.

- 40 Levels: The user may apply 'Affliction [Staggered]' to their weapon.

- 40 levels: The user's weapon is considered to be a Large weapon.

[Cellar Door]

Alien Physiology: The description on Alien Physiology seems extremely odd. I know that Kaguya, the big-bad, technically counts as an alien, and I know that your context means more like "strange" physiology, but the description talking about how they're something other than human seems weird, when just about every player in the game is considered to be a human. It's just splitting hairs, but I would prefer if it instead detailed how because of their regenerative qualities, modern medicine isn't as effective on them. There's some credence for that in canon even, what with Kimimaro and the disease that was slowly killing him.

Immortal Vessel: I can dig it. 10 SP for 15% Health Regen.

Army Of One: +600 Stat Points. Low gains here, considering you get that regen. I'm also fine with this.

Warlord's Will: I think your numbers are a little off here. The maximum Level Value that you can get is 1800 Levels, by spending 10 turns at level 120 making a weapon. From what we've seen with a properly built Kaguya, 10 turns is pretty easy to survive and then you could make a level 100 large weapon that has +20% to base damage, +32% to crit, 2 ranks of parry and defend, and +200% chance to hit, which would cost 1525 levels.

The balancing is really off because at max, you've got a ton of dead levels that you can't spend on anything. So I would definitely think a new equation for how gaining levels happens is needed.

Stillpiercer: Does this stack with Warrior? You've already got a rank in the bloodline that increases damage, so this feels a little redundant already, but this potential 100 damage on top of the 200 from Warrior, and the 300 from a level 100 weapon, you're looking at doing 2 strikes for 300 damage a piece at the cost of 33 Stamina per swing. That's not even counting the Tai modifier of the character and the bonus that they would be receiving from the other branch of the bloodline.

Personally, I think this effect is more flavorful than the Taijutsu buff, but it's also pretty strong.

[Kouta]

Just as a slight point, KC. Level Economy cannot exceed 500. So your max Level is a Level 100 Weapon with 500 Economy, spent however you want. At level 120 and max skill rank, that is 3 Turns of channeling (3 x 1.5 = 4.5 = 5).

We should also specify that the "Total Healing" done to a character is 10% less effective in Alien physiology, just to stop that weird scenario from coming up of "Is it before or after med nin mods?"

Edited April 11, 2016 by Kouta

[Azure]

Adjusted AP's effect and description.

 

Army of One was designed to give the user a small boost with regular Taijutsu and their weapons, depending on where they want to focus.  Since HP regen is the crux here, I didn't want to shoot high elsewhere.

 

Stillpeircer is not meant to stack with warrior, adjusted to show that.  

[Hardcore Skittlez]

I'm'a bump this. Prease?

[Kouta]

StillPiercer: I think we should specify that "Bone Crafted Weapons that come from the 'Warlord's Will' or 'InsertKaguyaStyleHere' Taijutsu". I don't want to see this coupled with custom weapons that just have a description of being a "bone crafted weapon" and then getting to merge all this free damage with some truly redonkulous abilities.

IN addition, I feel like we should make StillPiercer have some kind of activated cost. "You may increase the damage of a weapon jutsu by blah blah blah, by paying blah blah extra stamina." That'll also help soothe KC's worry about doing 300 a swing for 30 stamina before you apply mods. The extra damage is paid for appropriately.

[Azure]

I added the bit that limited where the bone crafted weapon came from.

 

I did not add the bit about adding an extra cost.   If I added an extra cost for that skill you would be better off just buying 5 ranks of warrior and not have to worry about the extra cost.  I don't really know if it's that necessary since we don't require extra damage to be paid for in tank stats for every damage boosting skill.

[Pwnzie]

Bump because this may be combat relevant quite soon. 

[cntrstrk14]

Upkeep
7.5% and 5% of what? I would suggest Chakra & Stamina both, but it needs to be stated clearly. I suggest both because with advanced regen halting that means the user will eventually have to turn this off and cannot heal indefinitely.

Alien Physiology
Remove the 'Require Hindering Trait' portion and instead just make this a requirement of the other skills.

Immortal Vessel
"For every rank of this skill the user has, they will regenerate +3% of their total health per turn while active."

Army of One
Rounded up or down? Small stat bonus overall, but the focus is healing so that is perfectly fine.

Warlord's Will
There has to be a simpler way of saying this effect. Let's take a shot at it.

The user may activate this skill in the Setup Phase to begin to create a 'Bone Weapon'. A 'Bone Weapon' is a Medium Weapon with a level equal to xy. The value of x is equal to the user's level. The value of y is equal to the amount of Setup Phase actions spent creating this weapon, which can be no greater than ten (10). Rank 2 increases the final level of all weapons by 25% and Rank 3 increases it by 50%. This weapon lasts until the end of the battle.

Power level wise, this can create some insane weapons so the pricing could be fine, but I would maybe consider dropping the multiple ranks and instead just making it a single rank skill. It would drop one of the most complex portions which really doesn't have much of a barrier to it. The limitation on how often you can take the ranks means you get all 3 ranks by level 30, which is pretty early anyways. I think if you dropped the multiple ranks portion all together you could probably make this a -3 or -4 SP skill and just keep it simpler. They already gain power with it as they level up since it accounts for their level.

Stillpiercer
So a double Warrior skill but with a much lower cap. So -2 SP for a total possible of +100 damage. I think this is fine as a secondary focus on the bloodline, but do you think that it having a lower ceiling than Warrior might make clan members who want to focus in a Path that increases weapon damage to seek out Warrior instead? I feel like this could almost just not be part of the bloodline, it feels like the awkward child. My honest opinion would be to either have it do something with the Level Economy (maybe unlocks a new option to purchase or gives a discount in purchases?) or just cut it all together. This should also maybe just be a later level Mastery level.

[Azure]

Fixed above.  

 

Warlord's Will

I nixed the multiple rank things and just went the middle ground of a 1.25 multiplier to the weapon.  Since the upkeep for the bloodline is for both tank stats, I also got rid of the extra upkeep on this.

 

Stillpiercer

Looking back at it, I agree it's an awkward child.  Pretty sure I made this before we made warrior better (hopefully), but regardless I changed the skill around and renamed it! I think the new effect is more in line with what I was going for.  While yeah, this can stand in for an attack that deals destroy weapon, you're also spending skill points while not necessarily being able to use this skill every battle.

[cntrstrk14]

So, taking another pass 6 months later...

 

- Since there are only two skills with ranks I would move the "ranks may only be taken every 15 levels" rule down into each of the skills themselves. Its a bit easy to miss it hanging out at the top.

- I think the cost is good still. I just want to mention for other reviewers benefit that this bloodline having a higher cost to activate is somewhat important because its main benefit is healing and 'toggling' it on and off is much more likely. Making the activation cost more than the upkeep makes the choice of turning it on or off more important, and thus interesting gameplay.

- Warlord's Will: So, I think we can clean the wording up just a little here. Also, do you think we can maybe think of a more descriptive name? Bone Pulse Awakening, Bone Pulse Scultping, Bone Sculpting? Something that gives the user an idea right away what this is doing to help them grok it a little faster. Not necessary, just a thought I had. Now for the most of the below is just wording, but I gave a little more option to the ability with Level Economy to make it more interesting choices for the user.

 

"The user may activate this skill as a Setup Phase action to begin to create a 'Bone Weapon'. A 'Bone Weapon' is a Medium Weapon with a level equal to 1.25xy, rounded up. The value of x is equal to the user's level. The value of y is equal to the amount of Setup Phase actions spent creating this weapon, including the turn it was activated. Setup Phase actions used creating a 'Bone Weapon' do not need to be sequential, and may never exceed 5. As a free action in their Main Phase, the user may 'release' the 'Bone Weapon', ending its creation and equipping it. Upon 'releasing' the weapon, the user may spend levels according to the 'Level Economy' chart below to give the weapon additional effects. This weapon lasts until it is destroyed or until the end of battle."

 

Okay, so a few things I did functionally.
1.) I cleaned up the language around 'creating' the weapon.
2.) I reduced the Setup Phases a player can spend creating it from 10 to 5. I think even giving a player the option to spend 10 whole turns making the weapon is a mistake. Even 5 is a lot. Most battles don't even last this long, and at later levels you max out your level economy very very quickly. I think lowering this will actually make it more usable and less likely for a player to misplay.
3.) I defined when you 'release' the weapon from the creation stage and how. 
4.) I allowed a player to use the Level Economy before capping the weapon level to 100.

 

Okay, so level Economy. Some clean up here.

 

Level Economy
Rules: Level Economy allows a player to spend levels of their weapon upon 'release' to give the weapon additional effects. 'Bone Weapons' still follow the limitations of normal weapons, meaning they may not exceed level 100 or go below level 1. Keep this in mind when spending your Level Economy.

- 10 levels: The user may apply one rank of 'Sharpened Edge' or 'Lightened Craft' to their weapon.
- 20 levels: The user may apply one rank of 'Parry' or 'Defend' to their bone weapons.
- 30 levels: The user's weapon is considered to be a Large weapon.
- 30 levels: The user gains +50 Accuracy when making attacks with this weapon. This bonus may not bring the users accuracy to exceed 1.5x their base accuracy. This may be purchased multiple times.
- 40 levels: The user gains +5% to critical hit with this weapon. This may be purchased 6 times.

 

Okay, so I adjusted the wording some to account that they don't need to exceed level 100 to get bonuses, and I started to play with the costs some but I wanted to break down what we were looking at. So let's check out some level examples and see what each player would be working with...

 

Level 20: 25-125 Levels
Level 40: 50-250 Levels
Level 80: 100-500 Levels
Level 120: 150-750 Levels

 

So, a level 20 could actually make a level 100 weapon if they take 4 turns crafting this. That is pretty nasty, 200 base damage at level 20 for 50 Stamins is mean. That said, breaking a weapon of that level is also very cheap, so it may be a bit balanced. 

 

At level 120, you can make a level 100 Medium Weapon with Sharpened Edge 3 (30), Parry and Defend Rank 2 (80), +30% Chance to Critical (240). Thats a total of 450 levels there. You can then dump the remaining 300 levels into the accuracy bonus for +500 Accuracy with the weapon.

 

So after looking at examples, here are a few considerations...
- Should we cap the level of weapon a player can make at certain levels or are we okay with a Gennin making level 100 weapons?
- Should we maybe adjust the prices of abilities (sharped seems criminally low) so to make higher level choices more interesting?
- Maybe instead of either of the above, we should reconsider the formula for deciding a weapon level or lower the number of Setup Phases that can be spent again from 5 to 3?
- An alternate formula is to make it so that a player doesn't multiply the level of the weapon for each setup phase. Something like x + (0.5xy) would give the player 1.5x their level for the first turn, and an additional .5x each setup phase spent after the first. Using this formula you get...

Level 20: 30-70 Levels
Level 40: 60-140 Levels
Level 80: 120-280 Levels
Level 120: 180-420 Levels

 

Also lastly, the final ability is too strong as a passive. I think that instead of a passive ability to break a weapon this should be something like "x times per battle a strike made with this weapon may gain 'Destroy Weapon'. 

[Azure]

Made the appropriate edits.  Again, changed a couple of the names to make it feel more accurate, as you said.  

 

I decided that going with your alternate formula is probably the easiest way to balance it, instead of feeling like you've hit a wall.  I really like the ability to use Level Economy whenever you feel like it now.  That being said I added another attribute option just so that there's more variety.

[Pwnzie]

Being that this has been in custom for quite awhile now, and I have a Kaguya thats now Jonin ranked, would love to get this thing approved so I could do actual combat soon. Thanks <3

[cntrstrk14]

Restriction: Small thing, but you should probably say "Other advanced regeneration skills are suspended while this system is active."

 

Alien Physiology: Approved.

 

Immortal Vessel: Approved.

 

Bone Pulse Reaver: Much better name. Can we make the wording of this and Immortal Vessel match up? Getting nit picky, but they both only function while it is active but use very different wording to convey that.

 

"While Shikotsumyaku is active the user will regenerate 3% (rounded up) of their total Health per turn per rank of this skill."

 

"While Shikotsumyaku is active the user will gain +1.25x% (rounded up) Taijutsu per rank of this skill, where the value of x is equal to the level of the user."

 

Bone Sculptor: Much MUCH better name. Also I wrote this so I think its good but the next person to hit this should really focus on this.

 

Blade Wrecker: "Once per battle per rank in this skill the user may add the status effect 'Destroy Weapon' to a strike of an attack made with a 'Bone Crafted' weapon." I don't think you need "Bone Crafted weapon of level 50" in the requirements. Spending -1 SP per rank of this is enough to allow this with even a tiny weapon.

 

Level Economy: I think the last thing here for me aside the small adjustments to wording above is to take another look at the costs of abilities here. Also the affliction ones you added, we killed minor and greater so these need to update. I'm going to price out a normal affliction instead.

 

- 10 levels ($200): The user may apply one rank of 'Sharpened Edge' or 'Lightened Craft' to their weapon.
- 20 levels ($200): The user may apply one rank of 'Parry' or 'Defend' to their bone weapons.
- 20 levels : The user may apply Minor Affliction [Staggered] to their weapon.  May not stack with Greater Affliction [Staggered].
Minor affliction doesn't exist anymore.
- 30 levels (~$1.3x, where x is cost of weapon): The user's weapon is considered to be a Large weapon.
- 30 levels ($250): The user gains +50 Accuracy when making attacks with this weapon. This bonus may not bring the user's accuracy to exceed 1.5x their base accuracy.  This may be purchased multiple times.
This needs to mention if it is included in the cap for items? I want to say it is not
- 40 levels ($200?): The user gains +5% to critical hit with this weapon. This may be purchased 6 times.
- 40 Levels ($200): The user may apply 'Greater Affliction [Staggered] to their weapon.  May not stack with Minor Affliction [Staggered].
Priced assuming this is just Affliction.

 

So all of these cost about the same amount of money, so the question is which we want to give easier access to and which are more powerful. I want to say the repeatable once should be lower with the others higher. The current levels might actually be just fine, but I wanted to wrap my head around this and write it out.

[Azure]

Made the adjustments.  I can get behind making the repeatable ones less expensive, also now it feels very video-gamey in the the highest thing you can buy turns your joe-shmo sword into a mammoth. 

[cntrstrk14]

The restriction still says you can't do advanced regeneration instead of "other", which technically means you can't use your own regeneration.

 

Also, let's bump the level 10 stuff to level 20 (sharpened & lightened). Then it looks good.

[cntrstrk14]

@Azure Come back and finish this!

[Azure]

@cntrstrk14 le finis.

[cntrstrk14]

Approved

[Rhapsody]

Approved.

[cntrstrk14]

Made an edit here. There was a floating % in Bone Pulse Reaver that made the meaning change from +600 Taijutsu to +600% Taijutsu.

This was obviously not the intent and the typoe has simply been fixed.