Hello!
Thank you for these questions. Some of the answers I give may be tentative as this is still just being put together but I will answer as best I can.
1) You can make your own slots for sure. If you don't want an existing clan or bloodline, you can have things which are unique to your character. You could if you want probably turn this into a clan if your RP dictates this, otherwise you are still able to do your own thing. This system should me modular and customize-able so you don't need to do anything standard. You would pick your bonuses from the same number pools that we draw the clans/bloodlines. At least, for the innate bonuses. Actives, like all the others are a different beast and must be balanced accordingly.
2) Yes. They are on the same level as clans/bloodlines. The advantage in mechanics to being part of a clan or bloodline is that what they are good at, how they progress, and their bonuses will already be done for you. We will be selecting bonuses in our branches for these bloodlines that fit very well together mechanically, so that even if you aren't good at building your own thing, being a standard clan or bloodline will give you clear options as to what you as a player wish to be good at. And as stated, you only need to go into a clan or bloodline as far as you want. If for the example given you only want to take Nara, Nara Tool Master, then Nara Ambusher, and then make all the rest of the slots you have custom? This system allows for it. (Please note, the nara clan listed is only as an example and isn't a final end product!)
3) As all of the possible bonuses one can have are drawn from the same lists of actual numbers, in theory there are almost unlimited combinations. While no system can be perfectly balanced, if everyone is made to use the same bonus numbers available in different combinations it helps limit the chance for powergaming. The man in charge of numbers as well is exceptional at understanding systems and he is building it in such a way as to intelligently remove a lot of these possible powergaming means.
As for what the costs will be? Nothing. There won't be any costs associated with gaining -any- slots. No token costs, nothing. You get to that point of power? You get your slot. We would like to see RP which helps you earn it, but this is your characters standard progression path, as odd and unique as it may be. It will be a bit front-heavy with launch, as new players will have a lot of questions, so it will be all hands on deck basically to get it all sorted out when we do go live.
With this system, in theory, clans and bloodlines and custom slots are all equal. Which means an Uchiha who focuses entirely in their Uchiha goodness, and reaches 8 slots, should be about on par with a Nara who goes full into their 8 slots. They are good at different things, but they should be approximately equivolent. This is different from how it's usually done I understand but we want to see how this works.
4) Great question, this will very heavily depend on a few factors. The first being RP. Does it make sense from an RP perspective to be able to learn, copy, or steal what is there? If you want to learn to use your bones like the Kaguya, we will probably have to say no in most cases. If you want to learn to use shadow like the Nara do? Again, probably not. But if you marry into the Nara clan, or become very close with one of it's members and they are convinced enough to teach you clan secrets, or if you get a Kaguya corpse, and find some ways to access their genetic code to modify yours? With the right RP this becomes possible, but do remember that you do have limited slots available.
What this means is, while it's possible, you'd be still be spending the slots, so it will just be a way of making you different so to speak. RP is king here above all else. It has to make sense, be reasonable, and we would probably have to agree with how it is being done. This is the most tenative answer because it isn't something we have discussed yet as a team. In theory, learning other clans skills, should technically be possible. I dislike outright saying 'no' because RP can make exceptions.
Hope this answers a lot of your questions! If not, please re-iterate which points are unclear. I will do my best.
Thank you!
