Hello and welcome to my development update blog for January 2021! I had a very interesting and busy December due to our baby arriving at the beginning of the month, which really put a hamper on my productivity. However, I've still been slowly chipping away at Alpha v://0.03 for Synthetic Neon. This version will add Helix Talent Trees for the first time in the game.
Remember, everything is a work in progress and is subject to change.
The Helix System
The Helix System is a series of linear skill trees for your character. This is the primary character progression system within the game, and is what you will be spending your hard-earned Experience Points on after each play session. This system is designed to force players into making difficult decisions for their character, and is meant to reward the players on a frequent basis for playing the game. With the Helix system, players are always being rewarded with cool new things, thus making their characters feel more dynamic in the process.
The system is comprised of many skill trees, each with their own individual focus. Some skill trees are unique to each class while others are available for any class to use. Each skill tree has six branching nodes, and each of these nodes have two skills that you must pick from. There is no going back once you select one of the two skills, and you must select the first skill before acquiring the one after it.
Each node slowly increases in value as you purchase more skills from the tree, starting with 2 EXP and ending with 12 EXP. The relative power of skills also increases with the cost, causing more powerful skills to be worth far more EXP. Additionally, the third and sixth node in a tree provide your character with a Rank Up. Ranks work just like levels in other RPGs and reward players with an additional level of character progression.
Whenever you increase your character's Rank you may choose from one of many different aspects of your character to improve. There may be times when you want to increase your HP, and other times you will want to make your character better at a specific skill (such as Sneaking or Climbing). These choices are designed to provide even greater levels of customization for your character.
When you reach the third node of a skill tree you will be rewarded with +1 Rank and when you reach the sixth node you will be rewarded with +2 Ranks. This causes players to choose whether they want to build tall (going deep into the skill trees) or wide (choosing to only reach the third node in many different trees). Because of the incremental increase in skill cost, this allows the player who builds wide to gain Ranks faster than the player who builds Tall. With that said, players who go deep into the trees will be rewarded with more powerful skills for their character. The intended design of this once again causes players to choose how they want to create and customize their characters.
Here is a first look at how the Helix Trees work:
All of these high-level design concepts are exciting, but let's dig a bit deeper and preview the initial Helix Trees for the Duelist and the Gunslinger.
Duelist
The Duelist is an extremely agile and mobile damage-dealing class that can use ranged weapons, melee weapons, or a combination of the two. The Duelist is adept at harassing vulnerable enemies by using their high evasion to avoid getting hit; however, their main weakness is getting stunned or locked down. Without the ability to move or evade attacks, they are likely to go down very quickly.
Here is a reminder of what the Duelist starting abilities are:
Evasive Target
Passive
The duelist gains +2 evasion while not in cover.
Tactical Retreat
Secondary Ability - 3 Energy
Return to your starting position from the beginning of your turn.
Dash
Free Action - Once per turn
You dash 15ft in a straight line, in the direction of your choice. You may not end the dash on top of another character, or move through impassable objects like walls. You may not use dash if you can not move the full distance of your dash.
Since the Duelist is a subclass of the Sentinel, they also gain the Barrage base ability.
Barrage
Secondary Ability - 2 Energy
Immediately make a weapon attack. This weapon attack does not consume your Primary Action.
This is the first of several trees that will be available for the Duelist to use. Keep in mind that players may only choose one talent in each tier.
Tier 1
Cutting Dash: Your Dash gains 5 additional feet of moment. Any enemy you pass through while dashing takes 1d6 Physical damage.
OR
Sprinter: Dash is usable twice per turn.
Tier 2
Flow: Using dash does not trigger attacks of opportunity
OR
Hit & Run: Using Tactical Retreat does not trigger attacks of opportunity and provides +1 Evasion until the start of your next turn.
Tier 3
Deflect: If a melee weapon is readied, you may use your reaction to attempt to deflect an incoming ranged attack. Roll a weapon attack. If the roll equals or exceeds the incoming attack roll, then the attack can be deflected at an enemy within short range in line of sight. Deflect can not be used on explosive attacks.
OR
Evasive Maneuvers: You may Dash as a Reaction. Doing so completely evades any non-explosive attack.
Tier 4
Momentum: Killing an enemy provides a use of Dash for this turn or the next.
OR
Blur: Evasive Target now gives an additional +2 Evasion while not in cover.
Tier 5
Refresh: Using Tactical Retreat also reloads all weapons.
OR
Take A Breath: Using tactical retreat restores 1d4 health.
Tier 6
Blade Dance: Dash to all nearby enemies within 15ft, making weapon attacks on each target with a readied melee weapon. Primary Ability - 3 Energy
OR
Flurry: Make a weapon attack against a single target for each time Dash was used on this turn. Primary Ability - 3 Energy
As you can see at a glance, there are specific talents that are meant to work well together, although it is also completely viable to mix-and-match talents to best suit what you want your character to do.
Gunslinger
As the name suggests, the Gunslinger is a class with fast reactions inspired by the western archetype. Gunslingers are a unique ranged damage subclass since they do not need to use a Primary Action to reload their weapons, making dual-wielding smaller weapons with high damage and low ammo a viable choice. The Gunslinger also gains the ability to use their Reaction each round to deal extra damage if they are the target of an attack.
Here is a reminder of what the Gunslinger starting abilities are:
Quick Draw
Passive
The Gunslinger is always ready to draw their weapons, and does not need to use a Secondary Action to ready their weapons; additionally, the Gunslinger can reload weapons as a Secondary Action.
Fan The Hammer
Primary Ability - 3 Energy
Make three ranged weapon attacks on up to three different targets on this turn.
Shoot First
Reaction
If the Gunslinger is the target of an attack or ability, they may use their Reaction to make a weapon attack their assailant. This attack happens before the enemy's attack.
Since the Gunslinger is a subclass of the Sentinel, they also gain the Barrage base ability.
Barrage
Secondary Ability - 2 Energy
Immediately make a weapon attack. This weapon attack does not consume your Primary Action.
Like the Duelist, this is one of several Gunslinger trees that will be available for players to pick talents from.
Tier 1
Fleet Footed: You gain an additional Reaction to use per-round.
OR
Quick Reactions: You may use a Secondary Ability as a Reaction during Shoot First.
Tier 2
Combat Dive: You may also use the Combat Roll reaction when you use Shoot First.
OR
Hip Fire: When you ready your weapon with Quick Draw, you may make one ranged weapon attack against a target within weapon range.
Tier 3
The Two Step: Your next successful ranged weapon attack also ricochets to the nearest enemy target within 10ft of your original target. Secondary Ability - 2 Energy
OR
Fan Out: Fan The Hammer gains two additional weapon attacks on two more targets, but the energy cost is increased by 2.
Tier 4
Superior Reflexes: When rolling for Initiative, you may use your Agility modifier instead of Intuition.
OR
Scoundrel: You may use your Agility modifier instead of Cool on your next Deception or Negotiation Skill Check. Primary Ability - 2 Energy
Tier 5
Reaction-Slinger: Whenever you successfully defeat an enemy, gain two reactions for this round.
OR
Thrill of the Brawl: Whenever you successfully defeat an enemy, restore 1 energy.
Tier 6
Trick Shot: Make a ranged attack against a target within weapon range. This attack ricochets off of a nearby object and onto your target. This attack gains the benefit of Flanking, and the target does not receive a bonus to their Evasion from cover for this attack. Primary Ability - 2 Energy
OR
Tumbleweed: Challenge a target within 60ft to a duel. Their next attack must target you, and happens with a -3 penalty. Primary Ability - 1 Energy
Even though the Sentinel is one of the primary damage dealing classes, and each subclass adds its unique flavor of that fantasy, the Gunslinger Helix Tree debuts a talent that enhances the role-playing aspects of the character. Other classes, like the Socialite, will feature far more of these types of talents. Not all Helix Trees will be made with a combat focus!
Thanks for taking the time to read through this development update! I hope you enjoyed this preview of the Helix System, and I'm excited to get Alpha v://0.03 for Synthetic Neon up sometime soon so you can get your hands on this new content!
If you wish to provide feedback, find others to play Synthetic Neon with, or just want to chat about the game, then be sure to join the official Discord server here!
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