Combat 2
Knowledge 0
Physical 2
Social 1
Stealth 2
Superpower 1
Technology 1
Endurance 17
Lifeblood 36
Move 10m; Fly 20m
Weakness Seeks the limelight
Traits: Assassin; Blind Fighter; Pugilist
Origin Alchemy
Powers:
Common: Wealth
Only available at night: Agility; Evasive; Strength
Technology: Blast (Wing Guns); Flight; Signature Weapon: Claws
Attacks: Wing Guns 3d AV 2d; Claws DM+2, 3d AV 1D; Unarmed 2d
Armor 4 Protection
Booster Gold for Superpowered!
Combat 1
Knowledge 0
Physical 2
Social 2
Stealth 0
Superpower 2
Technology 1
Endurance 28
Lifeblood 41
Move 10m; Fly 20m
Weakness Arrogant
Trait Empath
Origin Time traveller from the future
Powers (All powers come from his suit)
Common (Armor, Blast, Flight, Sidekick*)
Force (Protection, Shield)
Attacks Blaster Gloves: 3d AV 2d; Unarmed 1d
Armor 2d Protection
*Skeets - Rank 3
Knowledge 3
Physical 0
Social 0
Stealth 0
Superpower 1
Technology 3
Endurance 20
Lifeblood 30
Move Fly 20m
Weakness No appendages
Trait Savant: History, Mathematics
Origin Time traveller from the future
Powers
Common (Armor, Blast, Flight)
Attacks Optic Blast: 3d AV 2d
Armor 2d
A few years ago I discovered Stellagama Publishing's variations on the Cepheus Engine one of which, the Quantum Engine that powers Barbaric! and Superpowered!, really spoke to me. For one reason or another I moved away from it to the Cypher System, TinyD6, and Savage Worlds but, I've recently rediscovered it and have taken a shot at making some superheroes and supervillains as I ramp up for a new campaign set in DC's Opal City.
The Rook for Superpowered!
Combat 2
Knowledge 0
Physical 1
Social 0
Stealth 2
Superpower 0
Technology 0
Endurance 18
Lifeblood 41
Move 10m
Weakness Activation of Powers takes 1 turn
Trait Blind Fighter
Origin Mystical Avatar
Powers Weapons (Defense, Dervish, Signature Weapon: Pistol)
Attacks Pistol: DM +2 4d AV 1d; Unarmed 1d
Armor 2 (Cloth)
Michael Sloane and his husband Leo were celebrating their 5th wedding anniversary at the Prism club when the gunman opened fire. Michael was shot in the throat but he barely noticed as he watched Leo's corpse slump to the dance floor. Screams of anguish and pain mixed with gunfire as Michael's whole world was violently ripped apart by vicious lunatic. As he sank down on his knees, with each heartbeat bringing him closer to oblivion, an angel in black appeared to him and offered him vengeance. They told him it would give him the power to make his city a better place for all. There was no hesitation as Michael Sloane died and the Rook was born.
The angel Raguel is the Rook's mentor and has provided him with a new face and identity. He is now Peter Carthage a community activist in Opal City which provides the Rook plenty of information on who is being preyed upon so that he may turn the predators into his next kills.
Keepers of the Crypt for Barbaric!
I didn't get into Traveller or the Cepheus Engine until a few years ago. Looking into it I discovered Stellagama's Cepheus Faster Than Light and then their Cepheus Quantum/Quantum Engine and it really captured me. Quantum uses 6-7 Skills, things like Combat, Lore, Sorcery, etc. There are not "Attributes" in the game but it does have Traits that work like Feats in d20 games. I really dig how Omer Golan-Joel, the owner of Stellagama, and his collaborators have expanded the Quantum Engine into horror, superheroes, sword and sorcery, and the post-apocalyptic genres.
I'm a big fan of what they publish and recently picked up Pocket Barbarian a 4 page sword and sorcery RPG. PB uses 2d6 plus Skill with the following results: 6 or less is a Failure, 7-9 is a Partial Success, and 10 or higher is a Full Succes. Skills function more like Attributes in other games and they are Combat, Lore, Physical, Social, Sorcery, and Stealth and you allocate 5 points among them with no more than 3 points in any of them. You then pick an Archetype, which has similar design space to Traits, that grants you Advantage on your die rolls if they apply. Unlike Quantum PB uses a wound system instead of Life Blood and Endurance.
The game also includes Monsters and Spells. Spellcasting is a roll using Sorcery and you lose access to the spell for the rest of the day on a failed roll which reminds me of Shadowdark.
This whole package is $1 and I cannot recommend it enough. I have enjoyed everything Stellagama has published over the years and always look forward to new releases.
I remember seeing Thundarr the Barbarian for the first time on Saturday Morning as a kid. It was this really cool blend of Star Wars, Conan, and Tarzan. It never made sense to me why there weren't action figures.
The first issue from Dynamite came out Wednesday and it's pretty good. Jason Aaron is the writer and we get a tight story that leads into what looks to be a steep battle between Thundarr, Princess Ariel, and Ookla the Mok and a bunch of Sorcerers including Gemini. I hope we get an origin story at some point but I'll take what I can get. My biggest grip is that Dynamite comics tend to feel a bit light on pages compared to Image or DC.
Head to your local comic store before the Demon Dogs get #1.
The session opened with the characters take a bit of time to check on "astrological frequencies" after their weird trip to another Plane last session. Things looked normal so they entered the wizard school.
They started moving South and West since they had not explored those areas yet.
As an aside, I've been a member of Mike Mearls' Patreon for awhile. Over the years he's been working on new math for building Encounters and redesigning monsters, a 5E variation called Odyssey, a 5E version of B/X called Moldvay, and an alternative system for high-level play for 5E. One of the subsystems of Moldvay is his Threat System. Every 10 minutes of real time you roll a d6. If a 6 is rolled something happens. If a 6 isn't rolled that die is set aside and rolled when the next Threat timer sounds off. I used this for the first time this week and combined it with the Torch Timer. I rolled the d6s out in the open so the players could see.
As the group encountered a hive of stingbats I got a 6 on the Threat timer so two goblins entered the scene and were chasing a Wizard's familiar a fight ensued. The characters defeated the goblins and the cat ran off. The characters then debated tracking down the cat when the Threat timer went off again and a different group of adventurers moved into the area.
The character's negotiated with the other group and learned of a second entrance to the school through a local cave that led into the 3rd sub-basement.
At this point the characters, who began to react when the timer went off, started moving faster and with more purpose. One last fight with goblins saw the Threat timer go off and introduce a few more goblins while their torch and the light spell went out. That was the most tense fight of the session with one player focusing solely on lighting a torch for 2 rounds. No one died but they were battered and nervous.
Soon after they decided to leave the school to regroup.
As a DM sometimes things slip my mind and I can easily get caught up in the momentum of play. The Threat Timer really helped me focus and the alarm ratcheted up player tension and reminded me to check for random encounters. When it would go off I'd just make a tick so that on the 6th Threat Timer I'd also remember that lights went out.
I've designed Hexenburg with donjon.com and while I appreciate the map I think I'm going to move to a more abstract model that probably is best described as a point crawl. I tend to think more in set pieces so I think this will suit me better.
Nighthawk for Superpowered! Combat 2 Knowledge 0 Physical 2 Social 1 Stealth 2 Superpower 1 Technology 1 Endurance 17 Lifeblood ...
