I'm working on creating a Reptilia faction and wanted to confirm that I have done it correctly. Is the below faction legal and correct? I've put my uncertainties and questions in parentheses within the list.
My goal is to create a Saurien faction with access to the primitive/common Armory (which they don't naturally have, correct?). I'd like to include some Ophidian Bloodline classes that also have access to the primitive/common Armory.
Saurian Bloodline 5pts: Reptilia Bloodline 3 - Saurien, Increase Willpower 1
-Learned Defense 6pts: Increase Defense 1
-Saurien Quickness 4pts: Increase Movement 1
-Primitive Saurien 2pts: Primitive Origins 1 - Annura
(I'm using Primitive Saurien to get access to the primitive/common Armory through the Annura trait Armory Knowledge (below) since there are no Saurien traits that give access to it. Primitive Origins 1 give Bonus Traits 1, but the bonus trait must be used on the Devolutionary branch within this lineage (Annura in this case). Bonus Traits 1 gives 1 additional trait, but it does not say that this additional trait is combined with the trait that provided Bonus Trait 1. They appear to be totally separate. So I'm assuming that the additional trait that I select will not be part of the Saurien Bloodline, rather it will be included as of my base faction traits. And, if that's true, then the additional trait will be available to classes that do not use the Saurien Bloodline. Is this correct?)
Saurian Lineage:
[Tier 1]
Expertise 2pts: Class Maximum Traits 1 - Class Level 1 and 2 Only, Faction/Species Trait Only
Superior Race 3pts: Class Maximum Traits 2 - Class Level 3+ Only, Faction/Species Trait Only
[Tier 2]
Superior Weapons (Armory): Advanced Melee Weapons 1 5pts
Annura Lineage:
[Tier 1]
{Accessed via Primitive Saurien} Armory Knowledge 0pts: Armory - Primitive and Common (Since this was "bought" using the Bonus Trait 1 ability from Primitive Saurien, does it count towards my 3-6 faction traits or is it in addition to those 3-6? The way I read it, since it's granted as a bonus, it's in addition to the 3-6.)
Tuatara Lineage: [Tier 1]
Discipline 2pts: Increase Discipline 2
Scales Armor (Armory): Medium Armor 10pts
If everything above is correct then I should have a base species that has +2 Discipline and has access to the primitive/common armory, advanced melee weapons (class levels 2+ only), and medium armor. Each class I create is also able to get extra traits for more customization. Additionally, if a class keeps the above Saurien Bloodline, it will have +1 Movement and +1 Defense. The base species should cost 7 points, and the Saurien Bloodline should cost 17 points. So, a base species Saurien warrior would be 24 points.
When creating a level 3 class, I multiply the Base Species cost of 7 by 4 to get 28 as the level 3 Base Species cost. Then I add the bloodline cost (17 points for this Saurien bloodline) to get 45 points. So my level 3 models cost 45 points + class traits + class options + wargear. Is this correct?
Where are my errors? Are there any? Have I misread or misinterpreted anything? Thanks for your help
Hey, quick response on the armory question.
1. Primitive and Common Weapons are available to any Domain unless it says otherwise. Danny is correct that are times "like making a Monster" that you loose or do not have access to certain weapons (like playing in the Primitive Age loosing Common Weapons).
There are times where a trait with an ability will not really have a use for your faction until you are creating a Monster. If you plan to create several Annuran Monsters though, this might very well be a trait you wish to have.
2. You are correct that Bonus Traits are a bonus and are not counted towards your mandatory trait choices. They are just extra traits you can take to further advance your faction (so you are correct). If they say they must be taken from a Bloodline or a Devolutionary Branch, then that is where they are taken from.
Primitive Origins: Granting you a single bonus trait from the Annura Branch. The Annura trait does not become part of the Bloodline.
3. Your Level 3 Class question. All faction traits are multiplied. Class Traits and options added. This rule of thumb will get your upper level classes built. Reptilia Level 3's tend to be very powerful .
In your example: You would multiply the Class Traits point cost by x4
So a Level 3 would have a starting cost of 96pts + Class Traits+ Class Options
You automatically get three Increases to characteristics (the other domains are jealous), start off with 3 wounds, 3 attacks, and gain two additional Class Traits. You may also take the Class Option Primitive Characteristic for a level 3 and take an additional Annura Trait for the point cost listed.
Example used by playtesters- would be to create a powerful Wizard with very high Willpower. The Primitive Characteristic Trait stacks with Bloodline Traits thus making a very powerful Wizard if taking the additional +3 Willpower.) A Willpower of 6 is very strong. Saving Primitive Origins as a Class Trait would also allow this class a second choice of Annura Traits to take additional powers or possibly power augmentation)
Thank you for the thorough clarifications!
for #3, I thought i saw that you didn't multiple the bloodline costs for the level 3+ guys but I must have misread. Yeah, the 3 free trait increases seem really nice. I haven't looked at the other Domains very much yet so I didn't know that that was a Reptilia thing. Could potentially make some pretty specialized classes with that.
@mferek The way I understood it is as follows:
p114 1st Age book, Common Arms and Armor: "...are available to all Domains", while: p117 1st Age book, Special Arms and Armor: "...require traits to be able..."
And "...humans specifically call out...", do you mean the Military Spears from the sample faction? These are Special Martial Weapons on page 117, so they needed to be unlocked via a trait as per aformentioned rules
On to the Annura trait question, I've understood that as follows: You can take the Annura trait (Saurien 1st Tier Trait) to get access to the Devolutionary Annura traits. There you can choose the trait Amphibian Monster, which has Monster 3 ability which will grant you access to the Monsters of Myth and Legend. Monsters lose the ability to have access to Common weapons explicitly, p105 "Limited Access". And this is why you can gain access again with the Annura's Armory Knowledge trait to weapons.
Hope this helps.
At the same time, all the example factions in the Core Rules seem to have access to the primitive/common armory without traits for it, so I don't get it. If everyone has access already, why does the Annura trait exist at all? And why would the humans specifically call out that they have access to the armory and the rest of the factions don't call it out? Neither way really makes sense.
It's not listed in their faction or class creation rules as it is with others, like Humans
Before I look into the rest, why wouldn't Saurien have access to primitive and common weapons?