Friday, January 31, 2020

Playtesting Fallout 2d20 from Modiphius



Tonight, we took a break from our longstanding and excellent Vampire: the Masquerade 5th Edition game to make characters and begin playtesting Fallout 2d20.

Character creation took close to an hour for two characters out of four (the other two players made their characters ahead of time).

I've seen the 2d20 system described as "playing better than it reads" and I 100% agree with this statement and so do my players. The Modiphius 2d20 house system is crunchier than what we've been playing (DnD 5E, V:tM; TinyD6, Savage Worlds) but once you get started it hums along very well.

From what I understand Modiphius tunes each 2d20 engine to the game and this version has both Hit Points and Hit Location. From what I gather, the Hit Location essentially highlights wether you have armor on that location and if it becomes useless if you take 5 or more damage with one hit (I am going to clarify if that is one hit or in general). For our playtest so far, only the Head (1-2 on a d20 roll) seemed important because no one had a helmet.

We really like the momentum mechanic which in Fallout is known as Action Points. Everything was really pretty good and I'm hyped to continue this game. I won't lie that I was dubious after reading everything, but the system really comes through. In fact, there were numerous crunchy bits that seemed worrisome but in play worked just fine.

I intend to post a more thorough Actual Play in the next day or two, but the system not only has me digging into Fallout lore (I, as the GM, am the only person at the table that has never played a Fallout game) and working a bit on the sample campaign provided.

It was a great session and I intend to take a closer look at other 2d20 games.

Thursday, January 30, 2020

Star Wars: Trandoshans for Tiny Frontiers




"Trandoshans, also called T'doshok, are large, bipedal reptilian sentient humanoids from the planet Trandosha, and are renowned as great hunters. Trandoshans relish the thrill of a hunt, and were known to embark on a hunting-related rite of passage."

TRANDOSHAN HERITAGE for TinyD6

Trandoshan Attributes 
• 8 Hit Points
• Trandoshans start with the Heritage Trait Regeneration 
   (Heritage Composer pg 28)







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Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Star Wars: Lepi Heritage for Tiny Frontiers




The Lepi were tall, lanky bipeds that were characterized by two long ears that stood upright, prominent buck teeth, and thin whiskers that grew near their mouths. They were covered in fur that could be green. Their upper limbs ended in hands with five digits, one of which was an opposing thumb, and their lower limbs ended in large feet.[2] The Lepi Jaxxon described himself as a "two-meter bunny."

LEPI HERITAGE for TinyD6

Lepi Attributes 
• 6 Hit Points
• Lept start with the Heritage Traits Legs Like Pistons 
   and Fleet of Foot.

Legs Like Pistons: You are Proficient with kicking your foes. Additionally, you make choose to kick a target at Disadvantage to deal 2 damage instead of 1.




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Saturday, January 25, 2020

TinyD6: The Pyramid on Boontu Star Wars Actual Play

Last night I ran a one-shot using TinyD6 for Star Wars and I think it went great. I really like TinyD6 and find it to be streamlined and intuitive, two things that I think are essential for a good experience.

The Players are Imperial Storm Troopers on the Ajax, an Interdictor orbiting the planet Boontu, a few months after the destruction of the Death Star at the Battle of Yavin. Morale is low due to the Rebellion's defeat of the Empire.

Boontu is a world dominated by bogs, however, there is an ancient pyramid that is visible from orbit because there is no vegetation within 1/2 a mile of it.

The Ajax has been hosting Uriel and Ariel Gonzaga, identical twin scientists and the daughters of Moff Lyra Gonzaga, who are heading up the mysterious Project Menagerie. The scuttlebutt on the ship is that Lord Vader himself has taken an interest in their work.

Uriel, four Storm Troopers, a pilot, and two technicians departed for the pyramid via shuttle approximately six hours ago when Ariel begins howling in pain and her lab techs are forced to sedate her.

They immediately alert Captain Gibbs of the situation when he receives a holo-transmission from Darth Vader because he has "sensed a disturbance" and reminds Gibbs that Project Menagerie is important to him and therefore the Emperor.

At that, Gibbs learns that Uriel's team cannot be raised via radio and he assigns Lt. Stipes to take four Storm Troopers (the Players) down to investigate.

While flying planetside in their shuttle Stipes debriefs them about what little he knows about Project Menagerie and Lord Vader's interest.

The Boontu Pyramid

Upon arrival they immediately investigate Uriel's shuttle and discover that a blaster bolt from an Imperial weapon has destroyed its communication system and one of the Troopers, Mik, notices something scuttling along the shuttle's outer haul, but cannot bet a bead on what it was.

As the rain begins to fall, they clearly see Uriel's team's tracks leading to the right side of the Pyramid. They, however, decide to approach from the left. Rus takes point and heads to a large, sealed doorway on the left side and Mat covers his approach. Both see a creature, a hideous arachnofuge about the size of a hound dog moving along the side of the Pyramid.

Arachnofuge

Neither are able to take a shot and Rus receives a data transmission that allows him to open the door. As they look in the doorway they see the door on the opposite side is also open and several portable lights illuminate a stairwell leading down.  They also notice the legs and lower torso of one of Uriel's Storm Troopers in the northeast corner.  Lt. Stipes sends in a small droid to provide better information of the remains of the Imperial when two things occur: a much larger arachnofuge drops from the ceiling onto the droid and destroys it and another arachnofuge, about the size of a fox, attacks and injures Stipes before being gunned down as it attempts to flee for the nearby swamp by Mik.

The other Troopers fire at the larger arachnofuge in the Pyramid but it is able to dodge their blasts and follow the stairs down below and out of sight.

Rus investigates the remains and discovers that whatever killed the Trooper cauterized the wound.

The team heads down below to a large, circular chamber with a light blue mist covering the floor and find another locked door. As the team investigates the room they find a stationary data-capturing droid, several crates of supplies and yet another Trooper's lower torso that was killed by the same type of weapon. Moments later they hear the doorway they descended close and determine that they don't know how to open it.

The team also learns that radio transmissions are spotty at best underground, but after heading back up to the ground floor to deliver a mission update they are giving partial schematics Uriel was using and the code to open the door in the circular chamber.

The follow a hallway and cautiously find a circular room with dim lighting, a graphic of their current star system on the floor and a statue of a wookie to the right and a trandoshan to the left.

Trandoshan
Investigation of the room reveals that the graphic in the center of the room is interactive and both statues, which are not on the schematics they were given, move aside to reveal doors behind them.

At this point, Mat notices one of the arachnofuges, a smaller one moving in the hallway behind the wookie and Stipes accesses the stationary droid to get a video feed of a chamber connected to the doorway behind the trandoshan statue. The room features a hovering matte black cylindrical object about the size of a coffin. 

Dav moves through the hallway leading to the chamber with the camera in it to confirm their assumption was correct while Mik and Mat enter the hallway behind the wookie. Mat attempts to blast the arachnid and when it enters the room toward the left side he sees an identical coffin to the one Dav is monitoring, but it begins to glow as soon as the creature enters the room.

Mik decides to investigate it and discovers a control panel and finds a way to open the object revealing an adolescent wookie whose breathing is labored. As the team regroups to observe the wookie a door on the north wall opens revealing a large droid that hovers twoard them while two arachnofuges charge from behind it.

After driving off the arachnofuges, the team is able to communicate with the droid, Alpha Eleven Seven. It reveals that is serves "the Master" and claims that the Master created the trandoshan and wookie species through the Genesis chambers in this chamber and the one across the hall. When questioned about the arachnofuges, Alpha reveals that they were a failed experiment that the Master chose to spare.

When the Troopers peer into the hidden door that Alpha and the arachnofuges came through the see a steep ramp leading deeper underground. They also hear a faint cry for help from that direction.

As the Troopers move down the ramp they find a larger nest of the arachnofuges with a giant "Queen" and notice that Uriel is attached to the front of the leader's torso with greenish mucus.

Arachnofuge Queen

While dealing with a small horde of the monsters, Mik watches in horror as Lt. Stipes begins to howl in pain as a large tumor on his necks swells and explodes revealing an infant arachnofugue and a shower of arterial spray. Mik stomps the tiny predator into oblvion when Alpha is cleaved in two by a devaronian dressed all in black wielding a red laser sword. 

Devaronian in Black

He demands to know where Davos is and Mik, thinking quickly, directs him toward the onrushing horde of arachnofuges surging toward his allies.  The newcomer acrobatically leaps beyond the Troopers and makes short work of the small horde of monsters and again asks about Davos' whereabouts. Rus points toward the Queen and while the devaronian is distracted the team unloads their blaster at him.

The Troopers fight valiantly, even as the newcomer deflects their blaster bolts back at them, but through sheer numbers take him down. Rus examines the laser sword and uses it to decapitate the devaronian.

In the ensuing firefight, the Queen makes her retreat and the Troopers cautiously pursue her. They discover a sealed door and two viewscreens and a workstation that ate all powered down.
After a few minutes, the bring all the systems back online and the viewscreens show two large chambers with large matte black "coffins" in them. One of them is opened and they find the top portions of the Troopers assigned to Uriel, as well as the two additional Troopers and their Pilot's head.  

They are shocked to see the Queen enter into the other chamber where it looks around for a moment before spitting some kind of acid to destroy the camera the feed uses. Additionally, Dav uses teh workstation to learn that Darth Davos is the builder of this Pyramid and that the life pods house him and Darth Antagus.

After using some medical supplies to treat some wounds they open the doorway and follow the mucus trail that the Queen left in her wake.

After confirming that the Queen is located behind a sealed door to their left, the group blows it and enters a deadly fight with the monster. They find that Uriel's moaning body in the far corner and have several smaller arachnofuge attack them from the rear.

The final battle was savage but the Queen and her kin were destroyed. Mat uses his medkit to stabilize Uriel and excise the small tumors forming on body.

He rushes topside to find the doorway leading to the ground portion of the Pyramid is open again and radios for back-up while carrying Uriel to their shuttle and lifting off toward the Ajax.

The back-up arrives with orders not to touch anything an await a senior officer to arrive and take over analysis of the Pyramid.

Within 12 hours, Lord Vader himself arrives to relieve Captain Gibbs and to meet the Troopers responsible for the rescue of Uriel and the death of Darth Antagus.



TinyD6: Arachnofuge





Arachnofuge for TinyD6

HP: 2 (Low) to 4 (Medium)
Description: Fast spider-like predators that have the intelligence of a pig.
Traits:
• Acrobat
• Fleet of Foot







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Friday, January 24, 2020

As the World of Darkness Turns: Prince Solomon



Tonight, our long-running Vampire: the 5th Edition game, ran by my good friend David, came to...not a conclusion but the close of a chapter in our unlives.

After serving our Prince of Cincinnati, our Coterie --which consists of the Tremere Primogen (me), Toreador Primogen, Spymaster, and a newcomer (we've just had a new player join the game) -- was sent to Louisville, KY to deal with a break-in in the vault of it's former Prince (he went on Jihad).

We met many of the key players of the city, which was being run by a Giovanni Regent, and solve the theft. Strangely, at least to me, I was then appointed Prince of Louisville and given the approval to exterminate the Regent and nearby Tell City's Prince. The Regent was just an outsider and Tell City's Prince had broken the Masquerade. I was shocked that I was made Louisville's Prince. I'd tossed around the idea of overthrowing Cincinnati's Prince, but not with any real conviction.

But, from my perspective, Louisville and Tell City needed a new start. Our first goal was to exterminate the Regent and we were able to use the main ally of Tell City's Prince in the attack and then assassinated him rather quickly. I chose to bring them Final Death by decapitating them both. Why be hounded by an angry immortal when you can just finish them completely? Solomon is a pragmatist.

Sadly, our attack of Tell City's Prince didn't go so well, and our Spymaster ended up in torpor for six months.

I met with the Tell City Prince after finding out that if I did exterminate her I didn't subsume her territory. We both let reason prevail and she promised to return our Spymaster to me if I didn't attack her for six months. It seemed reasonable and who wants to begin their reign with a war? 

War isn't Solomon's style. Shocking and brutal actions are.

I didn't have to worry anyway.

When the Spymaster came out of torpor he went off the grid, he'd lost a great deal of wealth when he went into torpor due to his paranoia.

Meanwhile, I was learning how to be a Prince and the Toreador Primogen in our Coterie became Prince of Cincinnati. Our old Prince had to return to Europe to take his seat at the Council and Riff Raff was he hand-picked successor.

Strangely, after our Spymaster, Alex went off the grid and disappeared, the Tell City Prince disappeared, as well. Alex has a wish-granting Djinn.

It's been a pretty cool Chronicle.

We are going to playtest Modiphius' 2d20 based Fallout RPG for a bit and then when we return, we will be playing other characters, probably in Cincinnati.



Wednesday, January 22, 2020

TinyD6: Storm Giant




Storm Giant for TinyD6

HP: 11 (Heroic)
Description: Violent humanoid giants who bring massive storms where they appear, storm giants are unpredictable and deadly, and often disappear in the blink of an eye.
Traits:
• Berserker
• Fleet of Foot
• Lightning-wreathed: See Fire-wreathed under Fire Giant in Tiny Dungeons 2E
• Vigilant




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Nostalgia: Champions



Champions 4th Edition or the "Big Blue Book" was the first Role Playing Game I ever played Game Mastered. I remember seeing it for the first time at our local Walden Books, the fact that it had a George Perez cover is what drew me to it.

I won't lie, it was quite a complex system for a new player, but I had no idea how complex. It was like learning a new language. Some members of our group had been playing for a while so they were better prepared to understand it and did their best to help me understand it.

For years after, it was hard to transition from Champions/HERO where you could literally build anything to games that were often more about what you could not do and focused on empowering the Game Master to make rulings, not rules.

The person that taught me Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Edition was a very strict Dungeon Master. I didn't really understand most of the essential parts of ADnD until I discovered the OSR because of his style of DMing.

I remember dreaming up character concepts and villains for hours and hours on end (it's hard to believe I had the time to do that).

When HERO 5th Edition released we went all-in on it and my best friend and I had a pretty satisfying campaign that spanned a year or two.

I looked at HERO 6th Edition, but it wasn't for me.

I'm curious how Champions Now will turn out.

While I have moved toward simpler game systems, part of me has been daydreaming about Champions. I have some players in my current group that I think would enjoy it's customizations and would probably end up understanding it better than I do.

While I look back on the (mis)adventures of Captain Midnight, Killroy, The Fall Guy, Scythe, Shadow Hunter, and Bearcat -- the Regulators fondly, I don't know if I have that kind of time these days. Our sessions are 2-3 hours and some of our combats lasted that long. For the uninitiated, when you deal damage in Champions/HERO you have to read the d6s you roll in two different ways: sum the dice for damage in Stun, take the number of d6s you rolled and subtract one for 1 and add one for each 2, that is how much Body you do, then you take that number and roll 2d6 which is then subtracted and determines how far your opponent is Knocked Back.

Truthfully, we probably argued about rules as much as we played. I remember that one of the characters, Killroy who was based on DC Comic's Lobo, senselessly murdered two innocents and we spent longer debating how to handle his actions than we played that night and we didn't even reach a consensus! I was 19 or 20 then and we would start playing at 5 or 6pm on a Friday or Saturday night and go into the wee hours of the morning.
You couldn't pay me to have a session last that long these days.

To this day, I don't know that any other Super Hero RPG is as complete a toolkit as the HERO system is.

Who knows? Maybe I'll take Champions out for a spin later this year, show these new guys the system I cut my teeth on.


Monday, January 20, 2020

Monstrous Monday: Sathar for White Star



SATHAR for White Star

Armor Class: 6 [13]
HDE: 2/30
Total Hit Bonus: +2
Movement: 15
Special: Hypnosis
Attack: By weapon
Hit Dice: 2
Saving Throw: 16

"
Sathar are long, worm-like creatures. Their bodies are divided into segments, like an earthworm's. They do not have a skeleton. Instead, they support their bodies hydrostatically, by pumping liquid into the segments so they become hard. A shiny, clear slime coats their skin. Scientists believe they are warm-blooded, but no live specimen has ever been studied.

A Sathar's head tapers toward its mouth, which is circular and ringed with teeth. Each of their two eyes has two pupils. Four tentacles, two on each side of the body, are arranged about 1 meter below the head. The first pair is slender and weak-looking, and about 1 meter long. These end in four smaller finger-like tentacles. The second pair of tentacles is stronger and about 1.2 meters long. Both of these tentacles end in a paddle-like pad. This second pair is used for heavy lifting, while the smaller tentacles are used for fine work and for holding small weapons.

A Sathar moves by slithering across the ground with the first meter of its body raised. They also can coil like a snake, raising 1.5 meters of their bodies from the ground.

The color of Sathar skin varies from yellow to brown. The tentacles are the same as the body, but with a slight greenish tint. The underbelly is pale pink. A pattern of dots, speckles and stripes decorates the back of the head. These patterns are natural on some Sathar, but are tattoos on others.

Some survivors of Sathar attacks have reported that Sathars are not effected by electrical shocks (immunity to electricity) or doze (+2 to Saving Throws vs Sleep) grenades, but these reports have never been confirmed.



A Sathar can hypnotize a character by talking to him in a non-combat situation (creature must make a Saving Throw, on a failure the creature trusts the Sathar)."

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Ruins of Arduin



In a thread on the excellent, I'd Rather Be Killing Monsters Facebook Group (thanks Tim Knight for creating it) I came across an awesome blog called Ruins of Arduin.

I missed out on Dave Hargrave's original books and only know of the setting through information on the internet.

I'm often late to the party on stuff and for all I know you guys have known about it for years. Not only did I discover the site, but it hosts a Swords and Wizardry powered PDF also called Ruins of Arduin and it's designed to look like one of ODnD's little brown books. The PDF is very, very I mean it's cool.

You can check the website out here and the PDF here.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Rifts Under Siege: Castles & Crusades' SIEGE Engine and Rifts



Since the day I discovered the Palladium Megaverse I've been looking to fix it's system.

I don't when or if I will run a game anytime soon, but I'm usually thinking of some campaign concept or tinkering with some game systems. Actually, I'm glad I'm back doing those things, I'd moved away from them for a while and I have missed them.

I've been reading through my Castles and Crusades books published by Troll Lord Games and Jason Vey has written some great books for the company including Amazing Adventures using the SIEGE Engine (the system behind CnC). 

I've been thinking of using the SIEGE Engine for Rifts, in my opinion, you could easily stick with what works and replace the Skill system and the Combat system with the SIEGE Engine. You'd have to connect what Hand to Hand Combat Style corresponds to Base Attack Bonus, but that shouldn't be that difficult. Additionally, I think I'd ditch Skill bonuses and just let a character add their level if the check is appropriate. Finally, I don't know if I'd use C&C's six Abilities or keep Rifts' Abilities, but if I kept them then I would look at three Primes for each character.

I've got a few posts lined up that I want to test out, but I think I'll work up a character or two to see how it flows.

If you get a chance let me know what you think of this idea and post any input you might have.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Counter Culture: Wizards of the Coast Can't Seem To Do Anything Right



In running my stores, Wizards of the Coast is a very important partner for me, however I don't mean one iota to them and I get it. I really do.

However, Magic: the Gathering is still our top selling Trading Card Game and Dungeons and Dragons is our top selling Role Playing Game.

Both brands have veteran leads in place, neither is new this year, let alone this decade.

But for some reason each brand keeps having problems in things that should be simple.

Look at DnD, this past thursday, January 9th, WotC was going to reveal the new supplement dropping in late March. But apparently someone realized Nintendo was going to make an announcement on the same day and they decided to move it to Monday the 13th. Except know one counted on Amazon and Barnes and Noble spoiling it.

It's not a killer issue but WotC keeps having troubles like this. They don't seem to quite have their social media presence 100%. Why not just move it to Friday the 10th? This should be old hat to this company by now.

For me, this is a compounded problem because the Magic: the Gathering development team has been having some quality control issues. In the Throne of Eldrane set thye printed a card that broke nearly every format in October. How does that still happen, how are their playtest efforts this lax? The new set dropping next week, Theros Beyond Death, has two cards with infinite combos in certain formats. Further, the Buy It By The Box Promos the've been printing for years are not Foil as they are supposed to be and hopefully we should get replacements about two weeks later than the launch.

For a company this large, these issues shouldn't happen in every set and somehow, their quality control is proving very lax.

Somebody isn't doing their job and that has to stope.

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

GameStorming: Hacking the D6 Star Wars System



The past week has been a tough one when looking at the U.S. and our role in the world. It got me thinking about a lot about politics...but instead of sharing my opinion on all of that, I'm going to make some stuff for a game of make believe with rules!

And thank you for stopping by :)

I've been working on a Star Wars one-shot and I've been looking at the D6 Star Wars system from West End Games, I think Nocturnal Games owns it now.

However, I have two problems with the system as it exists now.

One, I hate Wound systems, give my Hit Points any day. Thankfully, D6 Space has Body Points so that is fixed. I figure when you are below 1/2 Body Points you will take -2 to dice pools. I'm basically ripping off DnD 4th Edition's Bloodied Condition.

Second, I hate that in D6 Star Wars you roll to hit, then you roll damage, and then your target rolls to soak. 

Here is my solution, You roll to hit as normal, but note any 6s your roll. You look at the damage for your weapon, let's say it's 2d6+1.
You roll 1d6 multiply it by 2 and add 1 to the total, so if I roll a 4 I'd do 8+1 = 9 damage. However, each 6 rolled adds an additional dice to roll and you then choose which you want to choose. 

So let's assume I use my Melee skill of 5d6 to attack my target. I roll a 1, 6, 6, 4, 3 for a total of 20. I hit the target and I note the two 6s.  My melee weapon does Strength of 3d6 + 1d6 for 4d6 damage, so I'm going to roll 1d6 x 4, however with the two 6s from the attack roll, I roll 3d6 and get a 1, 3, and 4, my melee weapon does 4 x 4 for a total of 16 damage to my target.

I like the idea and hope I get to playtest it.

Monday, January 13, 2020

Monstrous Monday: Ovion for White Star



Ovion for White Star

Armor Class: 5 [14]
HDE: 2/30
Total Hit Bonus: +3
Movement: 12
Special: Four arms
Attack: By weapon (+1 damage with melee weapons)
Hit Dice: 2
Saving Throw: 17

"Ovions have four arms and gain a +1 to hit and damage with melee weapons.

They are an insectoid creatures that manage a mysterious gambler's paradise on the planet Carillon. They are one of the members of Cylon Alliance. Their extensive tylium mines are an extremely valuable asset.

The Ovions use Carillon's playground on the surface to attract their prey. The chancery is rigged to let the players always win, and there is grog and entertainment to keep the people occupied. Ovions occasionally prowl discreetly on the entertainment level, but generally remain out of sight. Individual humans are trapped selectively when they enter the elevator, and are taken into the hive-like structures underground instead of their desired destination. They are then placed into chambers which slowly transform them into food."

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Counter Culture: BadWrongFun

Earlier today, a mother and daughter came into my store and asked where my Dungeons and Dragons stuff was. I introduced myself and showed them our selection. The mother mentioned that there was a new DnD book coming out in March but couldn't remember what it was. I said, "We don't know yet, we have seen the dice set that goes with it, but we won't know the details on the book until Thursday."

She then asked me what they would need after the Starter Box and Player's Handbook and I showed her the Essentials Box and several of the campaign books.

Then, she said, "We were playing yesterday and then watched some videos on YouTube and I realized we were playing it wrong." She even look embarrassed.

I asked her, "Did you have fun?"

She looked surprised and then said, "Yeah, we did." Her daughter was smiling and shaking her head to agree.

I repied, "Then you weren't playing wrong, most games aren't going to be the same as most of the streamed games because sometimes professional actors are running and playing those games. If everyone at the table is having fun, then you are doing everything right."

She and her daughter really smiled now, it was like a light went on. They started talking about the type of miniatures they were looking for and asked me which campaign I liked the best and even mentioned  Arkan the Terrible.

And let me add, it made me feel good too. Sometimes when you get into a new hobby, at least in my experience, a veteran of the same hobby can be more cynical about it. Sometimes I think the fans of a thing can get grumpy, even hateful. I'm not judging anyone, I've done it too. For whatever reason the only way to show you are a "true fan" is to hate the thing to some degree to prove you love it.

Both ladies spent quite a bit and preordered the new book, sight unseen, from me too.

I hope I might have made a small impact on them, because they made my day better.

Monday, January 6, 2020

Monstrous Monday: Vorvon for White Star



Vorvon for White Star

Armor Class: 8 [11]
HDE: 5/600
Total Hit Bonus: +4
Movement: 12
Special: See below
Attacks: Claws 1d6
Hit Dice: 5
Saving Throw: 14

Vorvons attack creatures for their life force, if they succeed on an attack roll they drain 1 level from their victim by placing the claws of their thumb and pinky finger on any exposed skin. When a victim of a vorvon is reduced to zero levels, they become a subservient zombie.

A vorvon may take the form an orange energy blot that can fly at a speed of 16. Additionally, they may use the charm person meditation 3/day.

Vorvon are usually found hidden on starships or space stations and the environmental systems register as contaminated by the creature's presence and it's victims state among the unliving.

Vorvon Zombie

Armor Class: 89 [10]
HDE: 1/15
Total Hit Bonus: +1
Movement: 6
Special: None
Attacks: Fist 1d4
Hit Dice: 1

Saving Throw: 18

Saturday, January 4, 2020

TinyD6: Storm Troopers



Our regular DM, couldn't make it this week because he is moving so I prepped a one-shot (actually I prepped two one-shots, because I had a good idea for TinyD6 and Dungeon Crawl Classics using the 0 level Funnel). 

I was able to work up six Imperial Storm Troopers in less than 20 minutes, which was awesome. I've said this before, but TinyD6 is everything I wanted Savage Worlds to be. No offense to SW, I just really like hit points.

You may be asking, "Why would you make the Player Characters Storm Troopers, they are the bad guys?"

We didn't end up playing because those of us that could make it took the time to catch up and burn off some holiday steam. It was a good time and I'm sure I'll find time later in the year to give it a go.

The answer is, because I wanted to shake things up. I'm not trying to say the Empire are the Good Guys, I just had an idea for the storyline  and it's something different and Storm Troopers worked.

I'm going to post all six of the Troopers right here, if you want a PDF of them e-mail me at mark at crossplanes dot com or even post your e-mail address in the comments, if that suits you.

I used Tiny Pirates as a guideline of Hit Points and number of Traits and each Storm Trooper gets the Armor Master Trait for free. If you REALLY want to bust your Player's chops you can ignore gaining Mastery in any weapon.

Trooper 1
Hit Points: 6 + 3 Armor
Ambush Specialist
Born Fighter
Quick Shot

Trooper 2
Hit Points: 8 + 3 Armor
Heavy Weapons Expert
Strong
Tough

Trooper 3
Hit Points: 6 + 3 Armor
Diehard
Fleet of Foot
Resolute

Trooper 4
Hit Points: 6 + 3 Armor
Quick Gun
Sneaky
Opportunist

Trooper 5
Hit Points: 6 + 3 Armor
Tracker
Sneaky
Opportunist

Trooper 6
Hit Points: 6 + 3 Armor
Perceptive
Marksman
Medical Savant

Resolution for 2020




First, I remember reading reading comics as a teen and thinking how far away 2020 was...well, we made it, but I don't have flying cards gosh darnit.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about what I want to achieve in 2020, and since 2018 and 2019 were tough, I'm going set a goal, but realize it might not happen.

What is that goal, you ask?  Simple, I want to focus more on building adventures and integrating any player backstories into a game I run while simultaneously stop worrying so much about a game's system.

I've always been a mechanics guy first and an adventure second. When I was younger I could juggle things better, had more free time, and was just better at improvisation. I've almost moved to strictly running published adventures and I think I want to try one game this year that is at least 50% my stuff.

And further, I'm going to stop worrying about the perfect system. Honestly, I think Shadow of the Demon Lord is the perfect game, but if I want to run a western I'll use Tiny Gunslinger or Dark Trails and not try to frankenstein something together which sucks all my attention away from the adventure.

We will see how it goes, but I'm hopeful. We've had some major hurtles in the last few years and at the moment, I feel like it can help us weather the coming year. 

Monster Monday: Obstrevoi for Shadowdark

  You can download a PDF here.