Throw open the curtains, open the doors and sweep away all the cobwebs...

Well hi there, haven't done this blog any justice for a looooonnnggg while so...
Some ideas on gaming.

Superheroing in the Golden Age
So we've been trying to get a game up and running to do with pulp/noir superheroing.  The two players have valiantly been attempting to get the game up and running using the Might Six rules set, based on the old West End games D6 Star Wars system, with of course a few tweaks to attend to the super heroics side of things.    It does so admirably, but the more we play the more I think it suits the Silver/Bronze/Modern style of super heroics.  So looking on the net I came across a system at http://thegamesshed.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/carbon-city-superhero-rpg/ .
A simple one page system that is easy to adapt and play.  It works on what the author calls his Dead Simple Engine.  You can find it and a multitude of genre specific adaptations from Fantasy to Star Trek for download at http://deadsimplerpg.wordpress.com/rules-downloads/ .
So if you want a game that's simple and user friendly, adaptable to your own groups particular needs and that does, literally, take a few minutes from generating the character to play ( unlike some others that promise play after 15 minutes of 'easy reading') give it a try. Plus you only need one d6 to play!

Playing our Classic Traveller game now for over a year we have tried a few home rules. The two I want to talk to here are about skill advancement and taking damage.  As anyone knows in a conventional Traveller game once you have mustered out it is difficult to gain new skills or improve old ones.  As the game is primarily a skill based one that doesn't bode well for those who would like some character development once the character begins play.  So was born this adaptation of the skills advancement from the Traveller Book.

Every time a player rolls a natural double 6 on skill they gain one XP.  When they have achieved 10 XP for that skill they may attempt to roll (8+skill level) or above to increase the skill by one – this advances skill through dumb luck.  No limit to how many skills can be improved via this method in a year ( But must already have a permanent level (zero or greater) for skill to qualify.

Planned skill advancement;

A player can attempt to enroll in a course to gain a 0 level in a new skill (6 weeks with teacher, 18 weeks if learning from books etc at a cost of 100cr per weeks-enrolled at some Learning center or distance learning facility ( available on Starports A or B) At the end of this the person has gained a temporary level 0 in said skill.  After one year of using this skill (and the commiserate practice) the character rolls to see if they can increase this skill to a permanent level 1 (roll 2d6 8+ no DM ) if not successful lose skill level 0, if successful thereafter being able to take advanced courses in the following years ( at thrice  cost) to increase this skill. Can attempt to learn Edu/2  level 0 skills in any given year.   

Advancing in skill already held: Follow above rules using 52 weeks study then a further year (practice) roll to succeed to improve skill (2d6 beat 8+level of skill). Can only work on one skill each year 

While this does allow for some advancement and gaining skills not available to their original profession it seems to be balanced enough with time/cost factors.  In the game all the characters have managed to gain at least one 0 level skill, some have completed a planned level advancement and two have managed to advance due to dumb luck - the time scale was roughly one year play equaling one game year.  The players are happy with their advancement and it does not appear to have created any Frankenstein skill monsters or unbalanced the game in any way.

Combat.

As suggest by one of the players, Glenn, we have been trialling a new system.  Anyone who has been in a firefight in Traveller knows these battles can be very quick and deadly.  Under conventional rules each time you take damage it is subtracted from one of your physical stats (except the first group of damage - which is assigned randomly).  So, for example, a dagger can inflict 2d6 damage if a successful hit is scored.  Players have Strength, Dexterity and Endurance scores ranging from 2 to 12 1at character generation.  These can be modified by age, Terms of service, drugs and esoteric alien  'relics', so for the most  a 2 to 12 range is considered 'normal'.  When the dagger hits, and damage is rolled the average damage is 7, the average score in stats is also 7.  This is allotted randomly to one of these stats resulting in a zero.  At zero the character is considered wounded and unconscious for 10 minutes.  If another physical stat is reduced to zero the character is considered seriously wounded, at all three equaling zero  is dead.  So combat can be very quick, if gun or laser fire is included (which has damage into the 5D range + ).  What we have been trialling is a 'saving roll' system.  If a character is hit and their first stat is reduced to zero they making an Endurance saving (2d6 + End penalty / bonus equal or beat an 8) throw to stay conscious.  On the second stat equaling zero they make a saving roll each combat round to stay conscious, and once they reach the third stat equaling zero they are dead. The amount of extra rolling is fairly limited and doesn't appear to restrict or complicate the combat round, but does give characters a few more options in being able to affect the end result of a battle.

Well thats it for now, currently we are playing another game using the new D&D 5E rules.  Once we've had a chance to explore it more I'll offer up the groups findings and any houserules.  Of course we already have a few (lol) but more on that later.

Game on!

Steve

Villians and Vigilantes Redux

While looking around the gaming collection I dug out my copy of V&V 2.1 bought a few years ago.  I loved the game and while playing other super hero games never fell out of love with it. (To be fair it was the third game I ever owned, after D&D and Traveller, my 'holy trinity' of games.)
Anyway, looking at the various official incarnations and unofficial ones I have settled upon a way of creating characters in it that pays homage to the original idea of playing yourself and random power generation along with the modern day sensibilities of 'building' a character.  So here goes.
First, instead of the endless arguments of how much every has to start with in the base stats we take their weight (sorry ladies) as normal, then for each basic stat roll a d6.  On a one the stat =8, on a two a 9 and so on.  Then the fun begins. 
A players picks one of the standard tables to generate powers.  They are allowed once, and only once, to jump from this table to the skills table for a power.  Each player chooses 6 powers and one weakness, defining them as they go with the associated random rolls.  When we talk about Heightened stats or Lowered stats we use a static number; Ht A= +12, Ht B= +18, and Lowered  = -8.  Also a player can only choose a particular heightened once ( so no 4 x Ht Agility monsters with Heightened Speed!!!), except when they jump onto the Skills table if they so wish they can then double once there. At the end of this process the character chooses to lose one power and can choose to lose another as well as their weakness. 
I have created a character called Dragonfly using this process. His powers were three lots of Animal / Plant powers, one of which I ditched, Ht Int B, Sonic Power and Adaptation, his weakness was lowered intelligence. He has 66 hit points, 79 Power points, an ADR of 66 , flies at 856"/turn (that's around 180 mph), heightened senses and regeneration .  A fairly awesome character to begin with. Definitely Justice League / Avengers material.
I'll post how the characters created under this fare in an upcoming game to check out what ramifications there are for creating under these rules.

An aside;
 I would suggest to lower the gaming level to a street level that all Ht B's become Ht A's and all Ht A's act like Lowered but as a plus.  All lowered become -6. Also to lower beginning powers to 4 plus a weakness and starting stats equal 9's.

Finally..Ta Da!

Okay lets get this ball rolling.
From our last session in our Skagin game I present the Wendigo!

 By mmpratt99, via deviantART

WENDIGO

Freq: Very Rare
# Appearing: 1, 1d4
AC: 3
Mv: 18"
HD: 10d8+2
Treasure type: Nil
No. of  Attacks: 3
Damage / Attack 2 claws 2d6 each, Bite 1d8
Special Attacks: Surprises on a 5 in 6 (Rangers are 4in 6), Should a to hit roll be successful with a 20 on the to hit die, max damage for claws, vorpal effect for bite, Fear (as per MU Spell) usable 5 times a day, Create Child of Wendigo
Special Defense: Hide: 85%, Can phase in and out of plane ( must be in a snow storm to do so) 5 times a day, edged weapons do half damage (unless magical then do normal).
Magic Resistance: 25%
Int: Avg-High
Alignment: CE
Size: L (9-15' tall)
Psionics: Nil
XP: 4800+ 16/hp

The Wendigo is thought of as a myth to frighten small children and foolish men.  But it is very real. It is said to be covered in a thick white fur and has piercing coal black eyes.  Its long yellowed tusk like teeth frame the rest of the mouth that can be best described as a jagged hole of gnashing death. Its hands end in over large incredibly sharp claws.  It stands on its hind legs but those rare lucky few who survived an encounter say it also hunts loping along like a wolf.  It exists in a state between planes.  It is attracted  to fear and cold.  Some say that the Wendigo comes with the worst winter storm and others that it brings the storm along with itself. In battle Wendigo prefer to draw out individuals or attack stragglers, increasing the fear felt by those left behind.  Apart from the hearts of its victims the Wendigo feeds off this fear.  Although fire does not harm them ( the cold they radiate is so intense it nullifies the damage fire does) it, like groups of people will give the creature pause and it shy's away from such confrontations.
If a victim of of the Wendigo is killed in one round, and not sanctified by a cleric or druid, will become a Child of the Wendigo within 24 hours.

CHILD OF THE WENDIGO

Freq: Very Rare
# Appearing 1, 1d3+1
AC: 6
Mv: 160"
HD: 5d8+2
Treasure Type: Nil
No of Attacks: 3
Damage/Attack: 2 claws, bite: 1d6/1d6/1d6
Special Attack: Surprises on a a 4 in 6 (Rangers are 3 in 6), Should a 20 be rolled on a successful to hit then damage is doubled for any attack, Lesser Fear (as per MU spell with a +2 to save) usable 5 times a day
Special Defense: Hide 85%, Edged weapons do half damage (unless magical which do normal)
Magical Resistance: 10%
Int: Avg
Alignment: CE
Size: L (8-13' tall)
Psionics: Nil
XP: 650 + 6/hp

Like its parent the Child feeds off fear and follows the same combat strategies.    The Child of the Wendigo is a creature that can not phase as its host is of the prime material plane. The Child looks like its previous victim, without the gash marks or scars.  They have a wild look in their eyes, which appear to have a center of coldest black.  Fur of the colour of the victim covers most of its body, but the skin is visible.  Its head is covered with an especially thick fur.  Unlike its parent the Child has elongated canine teeth and nails, but nothing more
After the Child has killed the equal number of victims as it has hit points it becomes a Wendigo. Therefore if they are fighting in a group once the victims are killed they can turn on each other to increase their chance of becoming a Wendigo.

Sleep well!
Steve

Hey!

Hi there everyone, like I said over on DMG we will be posting once our collective arse's have been got into gear.  See you with more soon
Cheers
Steve