So does anybody have experience running campaign in pic related setting?

So does anybody have experience running campaign in pic related setting?
It seems so perfect for PnP

>melee fighters, gun shooters and magic users all co-existing and being useful
>limited but useful magic with unique system and diverse types (western, eastern,ishvalian etc.)
>living armors, beastmen, chimeras, ancient monsters and powerful warlocks that all have very defined lore and reasons to be in the setting
>fucking robot arms just in case you want some

The biggest challenge I can see is to create the class/skills/magic system that would do it justice, simply because there is just so much to work with

Specialization into a specific form of alchemy maybe?
I mean there is plenty of alchemy that remains unexplored, just think of physics processes like lightning or moving heat around like isaac the anime only alchemist.

>The biggest challenge I can see is to create the class/skills/magic system that would do it justice, simply because there is just so much to work with

You don't. You handle it freeform/narrative/gamey.

Trying to accurately simulate a system like this is a disaster waiting to happen.

True
The holy grail in this situation would probably be a system that would allow players to make their own alchemical arrays, maybe from basic elements that they would learn as they progressed in the craft, like "Heat", "Water", "Move", "Convert" etc.

Alchemy would defiantly be a skill stat and they would have to make checks when performing it or when determining the chemical makeup of an object.

good point. I suppose if the DM has a good understanding of what should be possible and what isn't it could be doable.
That said, the autist in me is begging to make this thing into a system, send help

You can still do that. You can turn it into a system, that you are _referencing in universe_.

>"You can tell from the shape of the circle that it was likely used to bind gold to silver, quite an advanced technique actually, involves manipulating electricity and..."

etc.

You just shouldn't have the players get their grubby hands on simulationist, mechanically "do it yourself" alchemy, especially if there are any engineers involved.

I'd probably try a more narrative system - maybe ffg's new one?
But really I've been wanting to try a tabletop FMA forever and a day now.
Probably setting it in the west so the players wouldn't bump into any of the important events of the series and I'd have free reign to do any story.

That said, I'd still want it to be during the main story so I could throw homunculi at the party if they did something real cheeky

A weird thing with the series is that alchemy is supposed to be able to do anything, but then most of the actual alchemists only use it for very few things. Some are limited by their equipment (fire-guy only has the fire sigil on hand apparently) but it otherwise doesn't make much sense in-universe that every alchemist wouldn't be carrying around at least utility scrolls of the more useful sigils (like what the brothers tried to use to fix the dam).

My best suggestion would be that you mod the fuck out of Ars Magica or Mage: the Ascension for the rules on how to make Transmutation work unless you want to go full rules-lite nonsense.

Well the basic ones like that wouldn't be too hard to draw on the fly.
The state alchemists tend to have something pretty complex as their signature - or something they need to do often and in combat.
People like mustang transmuting the air around them then lighting it, or Kimbkee making shit explosive. That one would be more complex, whilst something like Armstrong who just changes the shape but not the makeup of things is simpler - of course he needs to do it often and at speed.

For the average non-combat alchemist, they can take their time to get stuff right - usually

well, if you look at what a simple "two overlapping pentagons in a circle" can do (raise walls, create ditches, etc.) you'd ALWAYS want that on hand imo. It's invaluable in a combat situation, but it still takes a good minute to draw.

Fair point, and if agree that it's something I thought was odd during the series - but then arakawa wanted people to have their signature, i guess.

Still at the same time, carrying a bundle of scrolls probably wouldn't be the best idea.
What you want is a notebook of a hundre pages and each page has a different basic circle and symbols.
Drop it on the ground and get to transmutin

Yeah, that works. Thinking about it, the eastern alchemists did use a bunch of pre-drawn paper slips. In universe justification could be maybe that the alchemical energy (due to imperfect transmutation) damages the surface of the circle; and something as simple as a paper slip is often entirely destroyed. The methods of making mobile circles rely on sturdier materials, materials (Armstrong's iron plated gauntlets), or with specific resistances/very skilled use (Roy's gloves are fire-proof and the escaping energy was mostly heat that he controlled anyway).

Having the signatures and the (not very well justified) restrictions this comes with would, in my opinion, enhance gameplay. Having a limited set of tools to work with makes situations more interesting as puzzles.

From what I remember of mustang, what he actually did was transmute the air into something far more explosive, and then clicked his fingers - his gloves were made of 'spark cloth' so they'd make a spark which then ignites a small trail of that super explosive gas which then ignited the rest.

But yeah I'd agree with you on the restrictions making things interesting.
If I ever worked out a system and ran, I'd probably want players to be prospective State Alchemists, and to all come up with a signature. They'd obviously know basic stuff beyond that, and be able to improve all that with research and knowledge, but their basic ability is just that thing since they've devoted themselves to it.
I guess when you mostly just blow shit up you don't need to know most of the rest. The Elrics were kinda unique in that they studied everything rather than one focus subject - they had no idea what might lead them to the stone, I suppose

Something the series never had proper time to explore is all the mental work neccessary to become an alchemist.
I don't think you can just draw some squiggly lines in the sand and expect it to work without some knowledge of the makeup of whatever you're trying to transmutate.
In my headcanon, the alchemists all have to run some complex formulae through their minds while using the transmutation circles to trigger the process. So while Armstrong's alchemy seems pretty simplistic, he still needs to know what sort of elements the pavement is made up of, how to decompose and recompose it, etc., which is why they're all so specialiced.
And the Truth is basically all that knowledge of the makeup of every single element being forced into your brain, so you can basically transmutate everything instantly, since you don't need to study a new field of alchemy beforehand.

That's not even really head canon, that's just what happens - like the times when Scar tried to ruin Ed's arm only to discover it was metal so his 'break organics' didn't work - he had to swap up to 'break steel and wire'.
Iirc, it's the same when Ed fights Bucaneer at the wall up north - he tries to transmute his automail, but since the metal composition is utterly different to what he's expecting, it goes nowhere

To be fair, we haven't seen many "average" combat alchemists during the series, they were either experienced killing machines with a unique technique and a complected array tattooed, or drawn on a glove/gauntlet or the special cases that could cast without an array.

For all we know, the low level alchemists that still use it in combat very well could have the arrays prepared on a piece of paper or something like that.

You can also make a case that going through papers trying to find the correct array, making sure they aren't damaged or lost during the battle, taking them out, finding the good, clean surface to place them on and preparing them ahead of time is not that much more handy during combat when drawing a circle and some lines with a chalk.

Obviously the thing to do is to learn Armstrong's shtick, so you can transmute the ground into having an engraved circle for transmuting other things.
Much quicker than drawing!

this
Armstrong focused on doing simple things really really well, when other people put all their points into getting more advanced shit and forming their whole build around it

That's what I like about the Alchemy of the series, technically they all are doing the same thing, but there are so many different ways to do it that it creates a great variety

>simple things
>Punching stones with the force of a goddamn cannon while shaping them into perfect sculptures of yourself flexing is simple
user pls

The point is more that he reshape a the stone rather than changing it into something else - he does complex artistic transmutation but he isn't changing the actual physical makeup of the materials

>biggest challenge I can see is to create the class/skills/magic system
You know, just the core of the setting- clearly why it's so perfect for PnP.

>My eyes are rolling so hard, I hope you can feel it.

>Ars Magica
This! user knows what he's talking about, and you should consider his post.

My next project is doing it in wild talents (a super's setting, godlike it's prequel has you covered for a period appropriate weapon list if you want to make the gun play more technical).
Step 1) Make some generic automail by using the device power modifier producible rule as an excuse, anything more intense requires the player to make their own power. If/then, and other modifiers can make this as complex (emulating a SR style strain system, hashing out repairs, etx) or as simple as you care to make it.
Step 2) Separate alchemy from combat alchemy. Normal alchemy is a skill, skill specializations handles the rest, timescale and material requirements up to gm arbitration and "common sense".
Combat alchemy is just an alchemist making their own powers, since outside of those that have seen the truth using alchemy in combat is limited to pre-made circles and the like. Probably best to avoid bringing the truth into things.
Step 3) Archetypes and power sources for the chimeras and the like
Step 4) Gm with familiarity of series to arbitrate and reign in powers.
Step 5) Play around with willpower requirements/betting for alchemical powers if you want a more abstract alchemical combat, will power betting makes things get shonen real fucking quick. Willpower also makes a nice system mesh point for stones granting people power, through their own probably stupid large willpower pools.

Done, alternatively give me a year or two to get to it and I'll get things done. I'm currently bending wild talents over backwards on a different project. Despite being the sequel to ww2 gritty supers, I think it's accidentally the best anime system on the market (due to the flexibility of the power system, mostly).

Back in my days of RPing on forums I played in a Fullmetal Alchemist. I made a character that had various transmutation circles tattooed on his body.

So, I think we all agree that man chumers should be a playable class.

Should they be allowed to learn alchemy? Or the animal genes would block it somehow?

*chimeras
fuk

The transforming chimeras are one of the few things I disliked about FMA.

I'd have liked them better if they had more varied dialog. 50% of everything that came out of their mouths was "My animal instincts blah blah blah"

Aw, I thought they were pretty fun. The series did a petty good job easing you into it very slowly.

Chimeras exist >human chimeras are possible >it can be successful > if it's really successful they can also shapeshift from human into chemera

You only think that because you haven't looked at MaOCT, its little brother, and easily the best accidental shounen system. Running FMA on it would be a breeze with weird kid rules.

Since alchemy is so accessible, perhaps this could be a wisdom check.

Are you going to start it at a military base? That way the party could have a common thing for unit cohesion

You could build up your circle knowledge as you level up. Or put more into one for mastery of that

This is the only anime I've ever watched, but it was pretty damn great. Would play.