Previewing the Cosmic Toybox

This year’s output has been primarily some bestiaries and magic item sourcebooks. You’ve already seen a great, and pretty well-received bestiary for the Psi-Watch Campaign setting, as well as updates to my popular Fursona character builder and some Heavy Future content.

Over the last couple of months I’ve been working on a few different collection of magic items. These books are great, because I can work on them a few items or spells at a time, feeling like I’m making solid progress even if I only produce 5-10 new elements per day, after coming home from work. They’re also solid sellers, and any artwork I commission depicting new spells or items can usually be repurposed for later bestiaries or worldbooks.

My next book will be a second volume of The Occult-Tech Armory series entitled “The Cosmic Toybox”. It’s going to be a weighty, mid-length sourcebook. Probably on the order of 200+ pages depending on layout choices I make. The book’s been very fun, and will provide a lot of support for three customizable races found throughout the Otherverse Games multiverse: Battlechangers, Anthros and Lifespawn. Battlechangers were first described in Battlechangers: Ironworks, and are basically Pathfinder RPG compatible versions of Transformers; Anthros are the furry, animalistic heroes you can build with Fursona Unleashed. And Lifespawn are powerful, cosmic demigods whose origins date back to the dawn on the universe, described pretty thoroughly in Powers of the Lifechain. 

Cosmic Toybox is going to be a huge homage to the cartoons of the 1980s I grew up watching – it includes spells and magic items inspired by cartoons like He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, lots of elements drawn from 30+ years of Transformers lore, gear for furry heroes inspired by Thundercats, and so on. I also decided since most of these items have a science-fantasy, Jack Kirby feel to them, I’d go ahead and include a bunch of Lifespawn-specific new content and make Cosmic Toybox the definitive ‘weird space opera’ gear book. I’m also including a bunch of generic fantasy spells and items I’ve published in various places over the last eight years, so they’re all consolidated in one easy to reference PDF.

Once Cosmic Toybox is out, I’ll pour in the profits from that to purchase the last art I’ll need for the second volume of Enchantments of Black Tokyo, as well as a HUGE revised world book for Black Tokyo that I expect to finally release in early 2018. I’ll preview Enchantments of BT II a little later.

After that, I’m working on a collected spell and magic item book for Otherverse America, similar to Enchantments of Black Tokyo and Heavy Grimorie. I’m also simultaneously working on a Lifer Nation’s players guide, similar to Culture of Choice, just from the exact opposite outlook. I’ve got about 75-80 pages of solid content, but it just doesn’t feel….there…. yet.

That book, and the Lifer-related magic content for Enchantments of OA, I have to say are proving more difficult to write. First off, getting myself into the headspace to detail a culture of anti-choice Christian terrorists is a hard, especially these days. I want these characters to be interesting and capable opponents or intriguing anti-heroes, but I don’t in any way want to glorify or give credence to the real world beliefs driving them. Plus, from an authorial point of view, Lifer spells and magic items are really fucking nasty. Their spells feel cruel, punitive and judgmental, which makes sense considering the culture that’s producing them, but man, it’s a chore to write up.

Some Preview Content

I haven’t posted in a little while, so let’s preview some of the items and art from the upcoming Cosmic Toybox. I’m going to focus on some of the most obvious homage items in the book, as well as spotlight some of the artwork I’m including.

One of my favorite magic item ‘sets’ in the upcoming sourcebook are the Gear Mutt’s Cloak and Gear Mutt’s Mask combo. They’re a homage to Dyna-Mutt from old Hanna-Barbarra cartoons. I love the artwork Amanda turned in of a lupine Anthro superhero wearing this gear. It’s simultaneously badass and hilarious, especially considering the item’s origins, and is in the running to be the book’s cover image.

The ‘similar item’ listing for Gear Mutt’s Cloak is a homage to Gizmo Duck from Ducktales, which is just something I put in for shits and giggles.

Cloak, Gear Mutt’s

Aura strong transmutation CL 13^th

Slot shoulders Price 96,000 gp (DC 33) Weight 2 lbs

Woven from metallic fibers, this iridescent green cloak has a high collar and a striking silver-grey gear symbol on the back. Designed purely for canine Anthro wearers, this cloak augments both their canine aspects and transforms the wearer into a highly adaptable machine organism.

While wearing the Gear Mutt’s Cloak, an Anthro gains Darkvison 60 ft (or improves existing Darkvision by +30 ft) and the scent special quality, as well as the Working Scent feat.

Blaster and Tool Morph

While wearing the Gear Mutt’s Cloak, the wearer can morph an assortment of tools or weapons from their body, deploying them from concealed ports anywhere on their body. As a standard action, the wearer can deploy any handheld tool or masterwork quality skill kit of their choice, which retracts back into their body when no longer needed. Additionally, the wearer can deploy an assortment of laser blasters which function as a +1 spacer’s blaster of infinite ammunition, from concealed ports on their body. These weapons cannot be disarmed, and if sundered, the wearer can simply manifest an additional blaster on their turn.

Battlechanger Transformation

Once per day, the wearer can call upon Gear Mutt’s Cloak to transform themselves into a bio-mechanical lifeform. For up to one hour, the wearer gains a Battlechanger like-form. The wearer is treated as a Battlechanger of their size, and is considered to have 3 points of Fuelon in their Fuelon Reserve. While in this state, the wearer gains the Massive Strength and No Breath qualities, as well as the sensory capabilities of an average Battlechanger. The wearer gains a single alt-mode appropriate to their size. Each time the cloak is donned, the wearer can design a new alt-mode for themselves.

Special: Only Anthro characters can benefit from this magic item.

Similar Items

Gear Duck’s Armor is a gleaming, polished silver-white set of space armor, with a transparent golden visor designed to accommodate even the most majestic beak and a glowing red symbol that looks like a stylized mallard’s head in profile on the breastplate. Gear Duck’s Armor functions as a +2 advanced space suit of moderate fortification, and occupies the armor rather than cloak slot.

The Gear Duck’s Armor provides the wearer with a Flight speed equal to twice their base land speed (average), as well as a Swim speed equal to their land speed, instead of the sensory benefits provided by Gear Mutt’s Cloak.

The Gear Duck’s Armor has a caster level of 13^th and requires limited wish or miracle to be used in the construction process. Gear Duck’s Armor has a purchase price of 125,000 gp (DC 34). The crafter must either be an Avian Anthro or a Battlechanger with a similar primitive alt-mode.

Construction

Requirements Craft Wondrous Items, call weapon, metamorphic adaptation, infinite ammunition, superior anthro adaptation creator must either be a canine or lupine Anthro or a Battlechanger primitive with a similar alt-mode  

Cost 48,000 gp (DC 31)

Mask, Gear Mutt’s

Aura faint transmutation CL 8^th           

Slot face Price 4,500 gp (DC 23) Weight negligible

Woven from metallic fibers the same iridescent shade of green as Gear Mutt’s Cloak, this superheroic cowl covers the hair, eyes and face down to the nose.

While wearing Gear Mutt’s Mask, the integral weapons provided by Gear Mutt’s Cloak function as +2 smuggler’s blasters of infinite ammunition, instead of +1 spacer’s blasters of infinite ammunition. As a move-equivalent action, the wearer can choose to have these weapons inflict either Electrical or Force damage rather than the default Fire damage. The damage type chosen remains active until the wearer chooses to change energy type again.

Special: Gear Mutt’s Mask can only be worn by an Anthro and has no effect if worn without Gear Mutt’s Cloak.

                             

Construction

Requirements Craft Wondrous Items, star ranging       

Cost 2,250 gp (DC 21)

I asked Vic Shane to illustrate the Holo-Mask magic item. These masks are a homage to the titular helmets from the 1980s cartoon MASK which is currently undergoing a renaissance of sorts thanks to IDW Comics.

Mask, Holo-Mask (Various)

Aura strong illusion and either abjuration, evocation or transmutation CL 5^th     

Slot head and face Price 97,500 gp (DC 34) Weight 5 lbs

Holo-Masks are human occult-tech built using reverse-engineered Technysian technology. Holo-Masks are incredibly bulky life support helmets that fully conceal the wearer’s features, race and gender. The masks have a decorative flair, intensely colorful cladding and almost totemistic designs built using life-support components and equipment modules.

A variety of Holo-Masks exist, each designated by a unique color-scheme and design and codename.  All Holo-Masks, regardless of function, can use any of the following spells at will:

·         Flare

·         Invisibility

·         Minor Image

·         Machine Invisibility

In addition, the Holo-Mask can replace the helmet of any armor with the Space Suit property without compromising that property. Each Holo-Mask provides the wearer with a +5 competence bonus on either Drive or Fly checks, determined by the creator at the time of the object’s creation.

Finally, each Holo-Mask has a specific function built into it, which is always based around a third level abjuration, evocation or transmutation effect. This spell is added to the Holo-Mask’s construction requirements and is usable 3x/day. Some examples are described below.

Holo-Mask Codename	Holo-Mask Colors	Spell
California Condor	Green, black and yellow	Fly
Coldsnap	Blue and white	Elemental Aura (cold)
Fireblast	Red, orange, gold	Fireball
Ram Runner	Red and yellow	Haste
Sun Striker	Gold and white	Daylight
Tsunami	Blue and green	Hydraulic Torrent

Construction

Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, flare, invisibility, minor image, machine invisibility plus one spell above

Cost 48,750 gp (DC 31)

The Anthro-Soul items in the book were inspired by the old cartoon Visionaries, and were built around using the Anthro Adaptation spells found in Fursona Unleashed in some creative ways. The art for these items is also by Amanda Webb.

 

Anthro-Soul Plate

Aura moderate transmutation CL 13^th  

Slot armor Price 99,900 gp (DC 33) Weight 50-60 lbs

This especially ornate and heavily girded set of plate-mail is richly enameled in a bright color. Instead of a tabard, the breast plate of the armor has been accented with a polished, mirror-like plate of indestructible and enchanted glass, riveted to the steel. Within this enchanted mirror, a ghostly animal- usually a noble and impressive beast such as a lion, warhorse, eagle or dragon – paces as if caged and roars silently. The armor’s fully enclosed great helm resembles the illusory animal, as do other details carved into the good steel.

Anthro-Soul Plate is a set of +2 jousting full plate of light fortification. As a full round action, the wearer can touch their mirrored breast plate, and saying a short prayer to their animal spirit, activate superior anthro adaptation. This ability is useable at will, but has a longer casting time than the norm. Each armor always bestows the same specific gift (s), chosen by the creator at the time of creation and symbolized by the animal spirit within the mirror.

                     

Some Example Gifts and Totems

Note that these are not the only way to ‘build’ the specified totems. This armor is really limited only by the creator’s imagination.

·         Boar Rushing Charge, Tusks

·         Cheetah Sprinter, Sudden Strike

·         Horse Natural Weapons (hooves), Powerful Kick

·         Lion Powerful Build, Hopebringer

·         Eagle Winged Flight

Construction

Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, limited wish, superior anthro adapation, creator must be an Anthro, creator must have 5 ranks in Ride         

Cost 49,950 gp (DC 31)

Anthro-Soul Standard

Aura moderate transmutation CL 10^th  

Slot none Price 50,000 gp (DC 31) Weight 10-15 lbs

This heavy steel standard pole shares the same design and style as the Anthro-Soul Plate. Instead of a conventional banner, a huge steel frame supports an oval or rectangular enchanted mirror. This mirror, made of indestructible magical glass at least 2-3 ft in diameter is ‘inhabited’ by an illusory animal that paces, flies or swims within the glass and roars silently. The carvings running the length of the steel shaft resemble this animal in some way.

Up to twice per day, the wielder of the Anthro-Soul Standard can cast mass anthro adaptation from the standard. The benefit provided by this spell is chosen by the creator when the Standard is constructed, and once chosen cannot be changed. The benefit provided by the spell is always symbolic of the illusory animal within the mirror.

Special

If the Anthro-Soul Standard is wielded by a character also wearing Anthro-Soul Plate, the effect produced by the Standard functions as anthro perfection instead. As normal, the Gift (s) provided by the spell are static and unchanging, though this synergistic effect allows more or greater gifts than usual.

                             

Construction

Requirements Craft Wondrous Items, mass anthro adapation, creator must be an Anthro           

Cost 25,000 gp (DC 29)

Vic Shane is working on one of the artifacts in the game. This legendary Battlechanger armor was inspired visually by artist Floro Dery’s unused original design for Ultra Magnus, and the lore behind the armor was inspired by the IDW incarnation of that same character. Consider this a bit of a spoiler if you haven’t read the “Remain in Light” storyline of IDW’s More than Meets the Eye yet.

Magnus Aegis

Unique  Minor Artifact

Aura CL 24^th 

Slot armor Weight 28 lbs

The Magnus Aegis is an ancient Technysian artifact, worn by the greatest heroes of the Freegear Rebellion. The gleaming golden armor was worn during the first battle of the Rebellion, and outlived the legendary robotic warlord it was commissioned for. When the armor is not bestowed upon a worthy Freegear (and millennia can pass before a new wearer proves his or her worth), the armor is kept in a vast temple-armory on one of Technys’ gleaming moons.

The Magnus Aegis takes the form of a massive metallic exo-frame, forged from a beautifully burnished golden alloy. When worn the armor seems to merge with the wearer’s metallic body, revealing intricate internal components cast from burnished bronze and platinum. The Magnus Aegis includes a golden breastplate inset with a reinforced translucent polymer window revealing a powerful plasma-energy chamber that powers the armor. A great-helm with blunt, angular wings and pauldrons fitted with high, towering weapons modules farther adds to the wearer’s grandeur.

The Magnus Aegis is a +5 trans-scaling, wilding grade-III powered armor of determination and heavy fortification. The Magnus Aegis provides the wearer with Immunity to Fire and Electricity. The Magnus Aegis’ wilding property applies whenever a Battlechanger wearer assumes any alt-mode, allowing the armor to maintain its full function regardless of their current form. Only a creature with the Battlechanger subtype can don the Magnus Aegis.

While wearing the Magnus Aegis, the Battlechanger is considered one size category larger than normal in all modes, and they lose the Freeze special quality in alt-mode (if present). 

Weapons

The missile-towers built into the armor’s pauldrons function as a +3 nimble-shot, seeking LAW rocket launcher of infinite ammunition.

Destruction

If the wearer is slain while wearing the Magnus Aegis, the armor teleports away at Initiative Count 0 of the round the wearer perishes, leaving the wearer’s body behind. This effect functions identically to interplanetary teleportation, and returns the armor to its temple-armory. If the teleportation effect is prevented or blocked, the Magnus Aegis can be captured or destroyed normally.