So, I got to thinking about the upcoming Firefly RPG, which will be based on the Cortex Plus system, much like Smallville and the newer Marvel RPGs.
Part of these mechanics is the emphasising of Relationships – a very important aspect in the Firefly series and Serenity movie. After all, they’re what define each of the characters, drive many of the plots, and allow us to gain some insight into why these characters are the way they are – and that’s far more interesting than laser beams and exactly how much fuel the ship goes through in a day.
So, I wanted to add some mechanics for Relationships into the MiniSix framework. These are a first-draft, so expect changes and such as I improve them.
Relationships
Relationships are the defining building blocks of characters – dependents, people they trust, enemies, even their favourite gun. All these little things affect how a character views the world, and how they will react to various problems and threats. To provide a mechanical reward for bolstering these relationships, each one acts similarly to a Flaw – you gain one bonus CP per session when you either further your relationship, or it causes you problems. Some examples:
Dependant: a child, a non-combatant husband, or a sister who’s a little whimsical in the brainpan. Spend some time looking after them on a long journey, make sure you buy them something nice while out on leave, and you might earn yourself a CP.
Watch as they accidentally crawl into the middle of a firefight, have someone use them as leverage, or take out a bar full of people while the Alliance are already on your tail, you might get one too.
Partner: either your beau, or your (not-so) trusted partner-in-crime. Or both.
Remember an anniversary, chat to them about old times, spend some “quality time” with them (whether that’s romancin’ or goofing off), even have an argument about who does the dishes or how much you’re paying them, and the CP’s up for grabs.
Risk everything to save them, watch as they get themselves in big trouble, or help them deal with their demons, and you might get lucky too.
Equipment: the ship, she sings to you; or maybe it’s the gun you took off one of the five men sent to kill you. This little (or big) beaut is yours and yours alone.
Spend some time fixing her up, keeping her pretty, or expositing about your relationship, the CP’s in the bag.
Watch her get wrecked, spend way too much cash on upkeep, or have to go without, and see how you go.
The bonus CP is doled out by the GM – if two players take a Relationship with each other, and keep having the same arguments over and over (or try and swindle you with three anniversaries, 5 birthdays and a whole host of family bereavements), you are well within your rights to ask them to try something new, and withhold the CP until they can come up with something more entertaining. Similarly, if a Relationship and a Flaw (like Dependency, Greedy, or Skeletons in the Closet) would provide multiple CPs from the same event, it’s up to you whether or not to grant one, both, or neither, depending on how the players are playing it.
Characters can start play with as many relationships as the GM sees fit. I would recommend two – more than three can be complicated, difficult to manage, and can lead to some inflated CP gain.
Showing posts with label MiniSix. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MiniSix. Show all posts
Friday, 23 August 2013
Friday, 24 May 2013
Look What I Found: MiniSix Firefly Conversion
So, while perusing my old gaming notes on my laptop, I found a conversion I had worked up for running a Firefly game a while back. I borrowed liberally from the MiniSix Perdition setting, which is pretty much Firefly's 'Verse with the serial numbers filed off. I added some Perks, Complications and rules from other settings, and a few of my own devising, including rules for making ships more of a part of the crew.
Today, I'll post up some of the character creation stuff, and next time it will be the ship creation guide, along with a few supplementary rules.
The game uses the standard MiniSix rules, found here .
Skill List
Might: Brawling, Melee Weapons, Lift , Stamina
Agility: Athletics, Big Ruttin’ Guns, Bow, Dodge, Drive, Pickpocket, Pilot, Pistol, Rifle, Stealth, Throwing
Wit: Computer, Cortex, First Aid, History, Language, Medicine, Navigation, Repair, Science, Security, Tracking
Charm: Command, Courage, Companion “Techniques”, Diplomacy, Persuasion, Riding, Seduce, Streetwise
Perks
Attractive (1): Others find the character pleasing to look at. This can help reduce suspicions or distract others depending on the given situation. Once per session the character can double one roll for any action related to their appearance. Examples include full-on seduction, a subtle bluff or simply distracting guards.
Aristocrat (1): Your name has some weight on occasion. When attempting to gain access to a noble’s residence, avoiding arrest, or any other occasion where status is a factor you can try and draw on your family. Once per session you can double the result of any one Charm based roll when attempting to exploit your name. Note that many Aristocrats hail from the Core Alliance Worlds, and throwing your name around on the Rim ain't too clever a move.
Daredevil (2): Once per session you may throw caution to the wind taking extremely reckless action that may result in your own death. Your dodge, block, and parry are reduced by half however all Might rolls are doubled when resisting damage for one round.
Determined (2): Determined characters know what they need to do, and know exactly how they are going to do it. They may declare a failed roll is not going to stand, and immediately reroll to get a different result.
Favours (1): People owe you - you have friends in either very high or very low places. Once per session you can call in one of those debts. This can take the form of information, a temporary use of equipment (borrowing a mule, a gun, etc.), a place to hide someone or something for a brief time, or any similar event.
Lawman (1, 3 or 5): You threw in your lot with the Law, and hold a badge to prove it. Maybe a gun, too. For 1 dice, you are a Sheriff of some small moon, or a city on a larger settlement. You have little authority outside your jurisdiction, but being a man of the Law can grant a lot of respect and maybe a little help.
For 3 dice, you have authority that crosses borders (like an Interpol Agent or Federal Marshal), and can, once per session, spend a Hero Point to gain one of the following:
Back-Up Force on Standby, Suitcase Full of Marked Credits, Department Vehicle, Sniffer Drones, SWAT Gear, Fake Contraband, Trumped Up Warrant, Lie Detector, Wiretap
For 5 dice, you are an Alliance Operative - laws mean little to you, borders even less, and you are willing to do anything to fulfil your mission. You can spend a Hero Point to requisition nearly anything, given enough time and approval. Note, this isn't appropriate for most games.
Lucky (2): Once per session you can declare you are feeling lucky. Double the result of your next roll.
Perceptive (2): The GM may reveal small clues to you that others would miss. Once per session a character may announce they are studying an object or situation and the GM may reveal something that would be impossible for a normal character to determine. If nothing is revealed this perk may be used again.
Reader* (2 or 4): You have a very special gift. For two dice, this manifests as being able to read small, almost imperceptible thoughts as they pass through someone’s mind - once per session, you can reroll the result of one Charm based roll (as you know what the other person is thinking). You probably don’t know you are psychic - you just see things that other people can’t.
For four, you are a full blown telepath - you gain the ability to read thoughts as per the ESP spell. Telepathy defaults to Wit, and with GM approval, telepathy can be purchased as a skill if you have the four dice version of this Perk.
Recall (1): Any time the character chooses to recall anything he has experienced, the GM must tell him the truth in as much detail as the character would have been aware.
Registered Companion (2): You're an officially registered Companion - a very high-class whore, in other words. As well as your very high societal standing (which can be a great help in many situations, at the GM’s discretion), once per session you can double the result of any one Charm skill when exploiting your status (as the Attractive Perk).
Tough As All Hell (2): You've taken your fair share of beatings, and got pretty good at rolling with the punches. You gain a bonus to your Soak equal to half your current Soak value, rounded down. (So, a Soak of 9 becomes 13).
Wealthy (1): Born into Old Money, hard industrialist, or ill-gotten gains: however you did it, you have money. Far more than most. Each month the character receives a stipend of 10 times the average income.
* While the option to play as a telepath has been presented here, such characters are rare in the ‘Verse, and aren’t available at the 3-dice level without creepy brain-altering surgery and personality-destroying chemical treatments and all that jazz (possibly including the Whimsical In The Brainpan and Hunted Complications, see below).
As an optional consideration, other psychic powers may be available at the GM’s approval. It depends on your take on the setting. Appropriate powers may include Charm, Clairvoyance, Illusions, Possession and Telekinesis. Each of these would taken as a separate Perk, with a 2-dice version available (which would count as a reroll to a type of skill, like Might for Telekinesis, Wit for Clairvoyance, etc) and the full power for 4 dice.
Complications
During character creation only, players may select up to two complications. These grant no additional skill dice during character creation; however, if one comes up in play the character earns one CP. Characters may not earn more than one CP per complication per session regardless of how often it comes up.
Age: You’re either really old or really young. In addition to all the social issues caused by your age, the GM might choose to impose a penalty to an action based on your character’s age. Grandpa throws a hip, a weird dude offers you candy on the street, and it’s hard for either of you to seduce the Companion at the bar. Whenever your age causes you great difficulty receive one CP.
Bad Rep: You have a history. You might have been a loose cannon who couldn’t back up your swagger. Maybe you lost a large quantity of criminal resources. Perhaps you just couldn’t keep from pointing out the leader’s faults in public. If your boss rips you a new one, or you lose the chance of a job, or the respect of your equals due to your past, earn 1 CP.
Browncoat: You fought on the right side of the Unification War. Problem is, "right" don't always mean "winning". You're a staunch opponent of the Alliance, and you can bet they'll be on you like white on rice should you trouble come your way. Earn 1 CP every time your allegiances get you in trouble, even if you go find yourself an Alliance-friendly bar on Unification Day for "a quiet drink". However, you might gain yourself some respect when dealing with fellow Browncoats, so it ain't all bad.
Bull in a China Shop: The character is a klutz. Choose one Agility skill that the character can use without penalty. Increase the difficulty of all other Agility rolls by +5. Dodge skill isn’t
penalised. Earn one bonus CP each session.
Big Damn Hero: The character follows the code of honour, like some Robin Hood of The Black (except for the giving to the needy part. A Hero’s got to eat). You don’t leave a man behind, your word is your bond, the whole deal. This is really just a Personal Code, so earn one CP whenever acting like a Big Damn Hero complicates your life (It’s suggested that most of the player characters in the game have this complication, if not all).
Dependency: You have a problem. Whether it's gambling, whores, smokes, or maybe something harder, you have a compulsion to follow your addiction. Gain 1 CP every time you get in trouble for it, or when the GM tells you that you need it. Resisting the urge might have its own problems...
Enemies: Someone doesn’t like you at all. And they are a credible threat. Maybe they have more friends than you, maybe they’re just bigger and meaner; either way you have your own personal bully. You earn the bonus CP when they complicate your life.
Greedy: Maybe you're a merc who's always on the lookout for "better opportunities" (read: more cash), or maybe you're a big fella, always taking an extra bite of the ration bar. Earn one CP whenever the GM throws you a temptation you just can't resist, and that seriously screws you or the party over.
Gremlins: You have a special touch. Specifically the kind that breaks machines. You’re no good with engines, electronics, energy weapons, or any other trinket. If it’s a device, you can’t trust it. Earn 1 CP whenever the GM takes his one free shot on you this way.
Hunted: All criminals are sought by the Alliance, but some are more sought after than others. The Alliance has a standing bounty of 10,000 credits for information leading to the capture of a criminal of such calibre. Some have additional bounties attached to them, depending on the breadth and severity of their crimes. Some are even escaped test subjects, or are in possession of information that might destabilise the entire Alliance. Hunted characters receive 1 CP when this becomes an active issue in the adventure.
Large Debt: You owe someone a lot. Maybe one of your deals went bad, maybe you borrowed enough to buy that ship you always wanted. No matter how it came about, you are in debt. Most of your spare money is going to go to pay this off and whoever you owe will likely call on you from time to time to perform extra favours for them as a “friendly” form of interest. Gain 1 CP for any adventure where your debtor gets involved in your business. This Complication can be bought off, with the GM’s approval - however, you no longer gain the CP.
No Book Learning: The character didn’t benefit from an Alliance education. Choose one Wit skill that the character can use without penalty. Increase the difficulty of all other Wit skill rolls by +5. Earn one bonus CP each session.
Not Pretty Cunning: The character is uncouth and or unattractive. Choose one Charm skill that the character can use without penalty. Increase the difficulty of all other Charm skill
rolls by +5. Earn one bonus CP each session.
Personal Code: You live by a creed and you will not cross that line. Maybe you won’t shoot an unarmed opponent and always make sure they know its coming or maybe you never tell a lie. No matter how you define it, your code has to mean something. Shepherds love thy neighbour, honest lawmen won’t resort to deception, and sometimes there is even honor among thieves. Earn one CP whenever your code complicates you or friends’ success.
Skeletons in the Closet: You’ve been a naughty boy. Maybe you’re a closet smoker. Maybe those hookers buried themselves. Maybe that Alliance uniform in the closet really isn’t yours. Maybe the bank really meant to let you take all that money out that day. Whatever, the universe doesn’t judge. You earn the bonus CP whenever your past comes back to haunt you.
Uncontrolled Reading: Sure, you got yourself crazy mind powers. But you can't always control them. You get to experience people's petty revenge fantasies, get to see what they think you look like naked, or get to see the faces of all their victims. Gain one bonus CP when the GM determines you catch a glimpse of someone's thoughts you really don't want to see.
Unlucky in Love: Things just don’t work out for some guys. Your love interest is always dying, being kidnapped, betraying you, or even worse dumping you. You earn bonus CP when your love life falls apart in a meaningful way.
Unlucky in Money: You have a hard time holding onto money. You earn the bonus CP when you lose a significant amount of cash through your own foolishness or bad luck and have nothing to show for it.
Weak: The character is less powerful than his build would imply. Choose one Might skill that the character can use without penalty. Increase the difficulty of all other Might skill rolls by +5. Resisting damage and healing checks aren’t penalised. Earn one bonus CP each session.
Whimsical in the Brainpan: You have issues that are guaranteed to put the therapists’ kids through college. Could be you’re just really paranoid, or maybe just a touch too OCD. That fear of most everything could also be a problem. Then again maybe you really are Napoleon and everyone else is wrong, good luck convincing anyone else since you’re a lunatic. Hastur, Hastur, Hastur! Take your pills and earn one CP any time your psychosis really gets in the way.
Womaniser/Good Time Girl: You like the attentions of the opposite sex (hell, maybe the same sex) a little more than is strictly healthy. Gain 1 CP whenever the GM throws you someone who's "just your type" and full of trouble, or your philandering puts you in bother.
Today, I'll post up some of the character creation stuff, and next time it will be the ship creation guide, along with a few supplementary rules.
The game uses the standard MiniSix rules, found here .
Skill List
Might: Brawling, Melee Weapons, Lift , Stamina
Agility: Athletics, Big Ruttin’ Guns, Bow, Dodge, Drive, Pickpocket, Pilot, Pistol, Rifle, Stealth, Throwing
Wit: Computer, Cortex, First Aid, History, Language, Medicine, Navigation, Repair, Science, Security, Tracking
Charm: Command, Courage, Companion “Techniques”, Diplomacy, Persuasion, Riding, Seduce, Streetwise
Perks
Attractive (1): Others find the character pleasing to look at. This can help reduce suspicions or distract others depending on the given situation. Once per session the character can double one roll for any action related to their appearance. Examples include full-on seduction, a subtle bluff or simply distracting guards.
Aristocrat (1): Your name has some weight on occasion. When attempting to gain access to a noble’s residence, avoiding arrest, or any other occasion where status is a factor you can try and draw on your family. Once per session you can double the result of any one Charm based roll when attempting to exploit your name. Note that many Aristocrats hail from the Core Alliance Worlds, and throwing your name around on the Rim ain't too clever a move.
Daredevil (2): Once per session you may throw caution to the wind taking extremely reckless action that may result in your own death. Your dodge, block, and parry are reduced by half however all Might rolls are doubled when resisting damage for one round.
Determined (2): Determined characters know what they need to do, and know exactly how they are going to do it. They may declare a failed roll is not going to stand, and immediately reroll to get a different result.
Favours (1): People owe you - you have friends in either very high or very low places. Once per session you can call in one of those debts. This can take the form of information, a temporary use of equipment (borrowing a mule, a gun, etc.), a place to hide someone or something for a brief time, or any similar event.
Lawman (1, 3 or 5): You threw in your lot with the Law, and hold a badge to prove it. Maybe a gun, too. For 1 dice, you are a Sheriff of some small moon, or a city on a larger settlement. You have little authority outside your jurisdiction, but being a man of the Law can grant a lot of respect and maybe a little help.
For 3 dice, you have authority that crosses borders (like an Interpol Agent or Federal Marshal), and can, once per session, spend a Hero Point to gain one of the following:
Back-Up Force on Standby, Suitcase Full of Marked Credits, Department Vehicle, Sniffer Drones, SWAT Gear, Fake Contraband, Trumped Up Warrant, Lie Detector, Wiretap
For 5 dice, you are an Alliance Operative - laws mean little to you, borders even less, and you are willing to do anything to fulfil your mission. You can spend a Hero Point to requisition nearly anything, given enough time and approval. Note, this isn't appropriate for most games.
Lucky (2): Once per session you can declare you are feeling lucky. Double the result of your next roll.
Perceptive (2): The GM may reveal small clues to you that others would miss. Once per session a character may announce they are studying an object or situation and the GM may reveal something that would be impossible for a normal character to determine. If nothing is revealed this perk may be used again.
Reader* (2 or 4): You have a very special gift. For two dice, this manifests as being able to read small, almost imperceptible thoughts as they pass through someone’s mind - once per session, you can reroll the result of one Charm based roll (as you know what the other person is thinking). You probably don’t know you are psychic - you just see things that other people can’t.
For four, you are a full blown telepath - you gain the ability to read thoughts as per the ESP spell. Telepathy defaults to Wit, and with GM approval, telepathy can be purchased as a skill if you have the four dice version of this Perk.
Recall (1): Any time the character chooses to recall anything he has experienced, the GM must tell him the truth in as much detail as the character would have been aware.
Registered Companion (2): You're an officially registered Companion - a very high-class whore, in other words. As well as your very high societal standing (which can be a great help in many situations, at the GM’s discretion), once per session you can double the result of any one Charm skill when exploiting your status (as the Attractive Perk).
Tough As All Hell (2): You've taken your fair share of beatings, and got pretty good at rolling with the punches. You gain a bonus to your Soak equal to half your current Soak value, rounded down. (So, a Soak of 9 becomes 13).
Wealthy (1): Born into Old Money, hard industrialist, or ill-gotten gains: however you did it, you have money. Far more than most. Each month the character receives a stipend of 10 times the average income.
* While the option to play as a telepath has been presented here, such characters are rare in the ‘Verse, and aren’t available at the 3-dice level without creepy brain-altering surgery and personality-destroying chemical treatments and all that jazz (possibly including the Whimsical In The Brainpan and Hunted Complications, see below).
As an optional consideration, other psychic powers may be available at the GM’s approval. It depends on your take on the setting. Appropriate powers may include Charm, Clairvoyance, Illusions, Possession and Telekinesis. Each of these would taken as a separate Perk, with a 2-dice version available (which would count as a reroll to a type of skill, like Might for Telekinesis, Wit for Clairvoyance, etc) and the full power for 4 dice.
Complications
During character creation only, players may select up to two complications. These grant no additional skill dice during character creation; however, if one comes up in play the character earns one CP. Characters may not earn more than one CP per complication per session regardless of how often it comes up.
Age: You’re either really old or really young. In addition to all the social issues caused by your age, the GM might choose to impose a penalty to an action based on your character’s age. Grandpa throws a hip, a weird dude offers you candy on the street, and it’s hard for either of you to seduce the Companion at the bar. Whenever your age causes you great difficulty receive one CP.
Bad Rep: You have a history. You might have been a loose cannon who couldn’t back up your swagger. Maybe you lost a large quantity of criminal resources. Perhaps you just couldn’t keep from pointing out the leader’s faults in public. If your boss rips you a new one, or you lose the chance of a job, or the respect of your equals due to your past, earn 1 CP.
Browncoat: You fought on the right side of the Unification War. Problem is, "right" don't always mean "winning". You're a staunch opponent of the Alliance, and you can bet they'll be on you like white on rice should you trouble come your way. Earn 1 CP every time your allegiances get you in trouble, even if you go find yourself an Alliance-friendly bar on Unification Day for "a quiet drink". However, you might gain yourself some respect when dealing with fellow Browncoats, so it ain't all bad.
Bull in a China Shop: The character is a klutz. Choose one Agility skill that the character can use without penalty. Increase the difficulty of all other Agility rolls by +5. Dodge skill isn’t
penalised. Earn one bonus CP each session.
Big Damn Hero: The character follows the code of honour, like some Robin Hood of The Black (except for the giving to the needy part. A Hero’s got to eat). You don’t leave a man behind, your word is your bond, the whole deal. This is really just a Personal Code, so earn one CP whenever acting like a Big Damn Hero complicates your life (It’s suggested that most of the player characters in the game have this complication, if not all).
Dependency: You have a problem. Whether it's gambling, whores, smokes, or maybe something harder, you have a compulsion to follow your addiction. Gain 1 CP every time you get in trouble for it, or when the GM tells you that you need it. Resisting the urge might have its own problems...
Enemies: Someone doesn’t like you at all. And they are a credible threat. Maybe they have more friends than you, maybe they’re just bigger and meaner; either way you have your own personal bully. You earn the bonus CP when they complicate your life.
Greedy: Maybe you're a merc who's always on the lookout for "better opportunities" (read: more cash), or maybe you're a big fella, always taking an extra bite of the ration bar. Earn one CP whenever the GM throws you a temptation you just can't resist, and that seriously screws you or the party over.
Gremlins: You have a special touch. Specifically the kind that breaks machines. You’re no good with engines, electronics, energy weapons, or any other trinket. If it’s a device, you can’t trust it. Earn 1 CP whenever the GM takes his one free shot on you this way.
Hunted: All criminals are sought by the Alliance, but some are more sought after than others. The Alliance has a standing bounty of 10,000 credits for information leading to the capture of a criminal of such calibre. Some have additional bounties attached to them, depending on the breadth and severity of their crimes. Some are even escaped test subjects, or are in possession of information that might destabilise the entire Alliance. Hunted characters receive 1 CP when this becomes an active issue in the adventure.
Large Debt: You owe someone a lot. Maybe one of your deals went bad, maybe you borrowed enough to buy that ship you always wanted. No matter how it came about, you are in debt. Most of your spare money is going to go to pay this off and whoever you owe will likely call on you from time to time to perform extra favours for them as a “friendly” form of interest. Gain 1 CP for any adventure where your debtor gets involved in your business. This Complication can be bought off, with the GM’s approval - however, you no longer gain the CP.
No Book Learning: The character didn’t benefit from an Alliance education. Choose one Wit skill that the character can use without penalty. Increase the difficulty of all other Wit skill rolls by +5. Earn one bonus CP each session.
Not Pretty Cunning: The character is uncouth and or unattractive. Choose one Charm skill that the character can use without penalty. Increase the difficulty of all other Charm skill
rolls by +5. Earn one bonus CP each session.
Personal Code: You live by a creed and you will not cross that line. Maybe you won’t shoot an unarmed opponent and always make sure they know its coming or maybe you never tell a lie. No matter how you define it, your code has to mean something. Shepherds love thy neighbour, honest lawmen won’t resort to deception, and sometimes there is even honor among thieves. Earn one CP whenever your code complicates you or friends’ success.
Skeletons in the Closet: You’ve been a naughty boy. Maybe you’re a closet smoker. Maybe those hookers buried themselves. Maybe that Alliance uniform in the closet really isn’t yours. Maybe the bank really meant to let you take all that money out that day. Whatever, the universe doesn’t judge. You earn the bonus CP whenever your past comes back to haunt you.
Uncontrolled Reading: Sure, you got yourself crazy mind powers. But you can't always control them. You get to experience people's petty revenge fantasies, get to see what they think you look like naked, or get to see the faces of all their victims. Gain one bonus CP when the GM determines you catch a glimpse of someone's thoughts you really don't want to see.
Unlucky in Love: Things just don’t work out for some guys. Your love interest is always dying, being kidnapped, betraying you, or even worse dumping you. You earn bonus CP when your love life falls apart in a meaningful way.
Unlucky in Money: You have a hard time holding onto money. You earn the bonus CP when you lose a significant amount of cash through your own foolishness or bad luck and have nothing to show for it.
Weak: The character is less powerful than his build would imply. Choose one Might skill that the character can use without penalty. Increase the difficulty of all other Might skill rolls by +5. Resisting damage and healing checks aren’t penalised. Earn one bonus CP each session.
Whimsical in the Brainpan: You have issues that are guaranteed to put the therapists’ kids through college. Could be you’re just really paranoid, or maybe just a touch too OCD. That fear of most everything could also be a problem. Then again maybe you really are Napoleon and everyone else is wrong, good luck convincing anyone else since you’re a lunatic. Hastur, Hastur, Hastur! Take your pills and earn one CP any time your psychosis really gets in the way.
Womaniser/Good Time Girl: You like the attentions of the opposite sex (hell, maybe the same sex) a little more than is strictly healthy. Gain 1 CP whenever the GM throws you someone who's "just your type" and full of trouble, or your philandering puts you in bother.
Monday, 21 January 2013
Dredd: How To Game It
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| Pictured: THE LAW |
I loved the movie. It managed to perfectly recreate the look of the comics - I wasn't all that convinced by the choice of South Africa, at first, but it turns out that Cape Town pretty much looks exactly like Mega-City One. It mixes ultra-modern, sleek aesthetics with junker vans and slums, and even has those wonderful mixes (like the futuristic flyover built from concrete, cutting through a regular "Americanised" street, with shanty houses on one side). It's awesome!
The casting was good - Olivia Thirlby makes a slightly younger-than-usual Psi-Judge Anderson, but pulls off the "badass rookie" pretty well, and Urban nails it. Lena Heady was a little take-it-or-leave-it as Ma-Ma - I can think of a lot of female actresses out there who could have brought more to the role. But, she wasn't terrible. Plus, movie-geek rage happened when her scar make-up couldn't stay consistent between shots.
The SFX were well-realised - they added to the scenes, rather than dominating them (a common problem in bigger-budget movies). Practical effects are used for most of the movie, with the real exceptions being the scenes powered by the perception-altering drug Slo-Mo - thus adding to the feeling of unreality (and, in theatres, most of the 3D elements were Slo-Mo scenes as well!).
But, the thing that stuck in my head was how much fun it might be to run a game in the setting.
The first thought was a skirmish-style game, as I've been wanting to try a little bit more wargaming recently. Necromunda is pretty much already a hab-riot on the tabletop, but the rules for playing as a smaller, elite force (like the Arbites) as versus a larger gang are a bit wonky. Plus, the Arbites in a campaign game have a few issues (like the system of replacements and hiring).
Inquisitor28 could be a good fit, particularly inspired by this post. A small group of Judges/Arbites, controlled by one player, and the inhabitants by another player (or multiple players). You could have simple survival as the goal, but it's always more fun to have a clear objective in Inquisitor (perhaps, similar to the movie, the Arbites have to protect a witness/perp, and the other gangs need to make sure they don't get out alive/they're the ones who kill the witness/they steal the witness away for their own nefarious purposes). I'd maybe consider modifying the rules to reflect ammo (even just price up clips, etc), and track wounds a little more "realistically" for the Arbites. Building a multi-level environment might pose a problem, but it surely can be done!
There is also a new Judge Dredd miniatures line and Skirmish Game from Mongoose Publishing, which are both pretty top-notch. The rules are a free download, for one thing, and the miniatures are sculpted suspiciously similar to the Wargames Foundry 2000AD Miniatures, and their Street Violence Range as well - meaning that you have a lot of options for this one.
I'll pop up a quick review of the rules soon.
I also thought about full-on roleplay in the setting. While there is a Judge Dredd system out there, I was never a fan. So, searching about, I thought MiniSix could make a good starting point. But, then I thought - really, the Warhammer 40k setting has borrowed so much from the Dredd setting, that it's time to give something back...
I'll pop up some conversion ideas for running Dredd in the WH40kRPG system this week - stay tuned!
Sunday, 18 November 2012
What I Want To Run
I'm getting a hankering for GMing once again, so I'll post up what I fancy running in case I can direct a few people here to choose what they want to play.
Also, should anyone in the Glasgow area fancy one of these games... well, leave a comment and we'll see what we can do!
The Sacred Art of Stealing
This city is rotten. The Noble Families have wrought nothing but nepotism and corruption here - how often do the streets run red with the blood of innocents due to their personal, petty struggles?
The Guard has either fallen or joined their cause. They become more brash - practically criminals themselves, bar a dedicated few. There's no guilds, unions, or organisations left that haven't had the taint of their hand in their ranks.
Well, there is one... The Thieves Guild.
Players take the role of members of the Valerian's Reach Thieves Guild, the only organisation not infiltrated by the local Noble Families to be used in their wars over territory and personal squabbles. It's time they learned their lesson - the hard way.
Let me tell you something. The world isn't what it seems. Behind closed doors, under the cover of night... things stir and toil against humanity. Witches who cloud the minds of men. Beasts who take human form, to better prey on us. Creatures of the night who survive by killing us, devouring our souls to reproduce. Ancient entities that walked the Earth before life was truly born.
And we won't stand for it. Each of us... a candle against the unending night. We won't ever "win" - no one candle can light up the darkness. But enough of us together, we can push it back, even just a little.
And if we're lucky... well, it only takes one candle to start a wildfire.
Tool up. We're going hunting.
Players take the role of Hunters in the World of Darkness version of Glasgow - a bright, striving city by day, which hides a seedy underbelly of corruption, death, and the occult. Can you defend your homes, your families, the innocents of the city, with little more than your bare hands, your wits, and sheer determination?
It is the 41st Millennium. For more than a hundred centuries the Emperor has sat immobile on the Golden Throne of Earth. He is the Master of Mankind, and master of a million worlds by the might of his inexhaustible armies. He is a rotting carcass writhing invisibly with power from the Dark Age of Technology. He is the Carrion Lord of the Imperium for whom a thousand souls are sacrificed every day, so that he may never truly die.
To be a man in such times is to be one amongst untold billions. Fortunately, you are not just a man - you're one of the richest men that humanity has ever seen. You are a Rogue Trader, and the uncharted depths of the galaxy are your playground. You and your closest advisors plumb the darkness, find lost human civilisations, dread xenos, The Witch, The Mutant, and The Heretic. And, most importantly, profit.
There is no peace amongst the stars, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter, and the laughter of thirsting gods.
Strap on your most expensive hat, and wolf down this white truffle and caviar sandwich, Lord-Captain - we're going to Hell and back.
Players take the role of a Rogue Trader and his crew, plundering the stars for fame and profit. You'll face problems, enemies old and new, invasions, and the results of your own
Also, should anyone in the Glasgow area fancy one of these games... well, leave a comment and we'll see what we can do!
The Sacred Art of Stealing
This city is rotten. The Noble Families have wrought nothing but nepotism and corruption here - how often do the streets run red with the blood of innocents due to their personal, petty struggles?
The Guard has either fallen or joined their cause. They become more brash - practically criminals themselves, bar a dedicated few. There's no guilds, unions, or organisations left that haven't had the taint of their hand in their ranks.
Well, there is one... The Thieves Guild.
Players take the role of members of the Valerian's Reach Thieves Guild, the only organisation not infiltrated by the local Noble Families to be used in their wars over territory and personal squabbles. It's time they learned their lesson - the hard way.
- Mission-based, with sandbox elements (so, the players will receive specific orders from their superiors, but are free to pursue them as they see fit, as well as "downtime" between missions where they can follow personal plots and side-quests).
- Gritty, low-powered game - players should be able to think their way out of trouble, rather than rely on their combat abilities.
- Low Magic - magic items are rare (as in unpurchasable, for the most part), and access to spellcasting will be limited. There might be simple firearms (black powder weapons), depending on interest.
- Either 3.5 or Pathfinder, using the E6 variant and a few other tweaks.
Let me tell you something. The world isn't what it seems. Behind closed doors, under the cover of night... things stir and toil against humanity. Witches who cloud the minds of men. Beasts who take human form, to better prey on us. Creatures of the night who survive by killing us, devouring our souls to reproduce. Ancient entities that walked the Earth before life was truly born.
And we won't stand for it. Each of us... a candle against the unending night. We won't ever "win" - no one candle can light up the darkness. But enough of us together, we can push it back, even just a little.
And if we're lucky... well, it only takes one candle to start a wildfire.
Tool up. We're going hunting.
Players take the role of Hunters in the World of Darkness version of Glasgow - a bright, striving city by day, which hides a seedy underbelly of corruption, death, and the occult. Can you defend your homes, your families, the innocents of the city, with little more than your bare hands, your wits, and sheer determination?
- Hunter: The Vigil Chronicle (nWoD system) with a few of the Hacks from various sources.
- Somewhat more "heroic" than normal, but still deadly and grim.
- Sandbox - choose how and where you wish to protect, and be prepared for assaults from all sides.
- Players should expect a lot of investment in the setting - they'll be setting up relationships, creating NPCs and locales, maybe even helping to dictate the enemies they face.
It is the 41st Millennium. For more than a hundred centuries the Emperor has sat immobile on the Golden Throne of Earth. He is the Master of Mankind, and master of a million worlds by the might of his inexhaustible armies. He is a rotting carcass writhing invisibly with power from the Dark Age of Technology. He is the Carrion Lord of the Imperium for whom a thousand souls are sacrificed every day, so that he may never truly die.
To be a man in such times is to be one amongst untold billions. Fortunately, you are not just a man - you're one of the richest men that humanity has ever seen. You are a Rogue Trader, and the uncharted depths of the galaxy are your playground. You and your closest advisors plumb the darkness, find lost human civilisations, dread xenos, The Witch, The Mutant, and The Heretic. And, most importantly, profit.
There is no peace amongst the stars, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter, and the laughter of thirsting gods.
Strap on your most expensive hat, and wolf down this white truffle and caviar sandwich, Lord-Captain - we're going to Hell and back.
Players take the role of a Rogue Trader and his crew, plundering the stars for fame and profit. You'll face problems, enemies old and new, invasions, and the results of your own
- Total sandbox - I'll throw out a few plot hooks, but this is a game driven by the crew's thirst for profit.
- The tone will be skewed towards "grimdark" - an incredibly serious game, so serious it's totally ridiculous. Mainly though, it's pulpy action and adventure/investigation/whatever you get up to.
- I have a few systems in mind for this one. First, Risus - I laid the groundwork for such a game here. And, again, MiniSix40k has passed through my mind, too.
- There's an awesome Apocalypse World Hack here which is the most likely system.
Sunday, 9 September 2012
MiniSix 40k Bestiary: Humanity
The Koronus Expanse is packed full of the sorts of right nasty fuckers you'd do better to avoid than fight. That being said, it's not always that possible. Although, sometimes the allure of more Thrones than they can shake a stick at might bring them over to your side - always try diplomacy first, failing that CASH MONEY, and failing both of those, the biggest gun you can find.
These guys are all modified from pre-existing sample characters in the MiniSix book, bar the Astartes.
These guys are all modified from pre-existing sample characters in the MiniSix book, bar the Astartes.
Average Human *
The common or garden Imperial subject.
Strength: 2D Intelligence: 2D
Agility: 2D Fellowship: 2D
Skills: Any three at +1D each
Gear: As needed by profession.Static: Dodge 6, Soak 6
Adept - Int 2D+2, Common Lore 1D, Trade (Pick one) 1D, one other Skill (by Home World)
Entertainer - Fel 2D+2, Perform 1D, Charm 1D, one other Skill
Hired Gun - Agl 2D+2, Pistols 1D, Dodge 1D, Intimidate 1D, Laspistol or Hand Cannon, ballistic armour (+3)
Native Guide - Str 2D+1, Fellowship 2D+1, Tracking 1D, Navigation 1D, Blades 1D, Knife (+1D), Crossbow (3D), leather armour (+1)
Scum - Fel 2D+2, Charm 1D, Deceive 1D, Knives 1D (for a Cultist, add Forbidden Lore (pick one))
Voidfarer - Int 2D+1, Fel 1D+2, Navigation 1D, Ship Lore 1D, one other skill
Imperial Guardsman ***
The footsoldiers of the Imperium's war machine.
Strength: 3D+1 Intelligence: 2D
Agility: 2D+1 Fellowship: 2D
Skills: Dodge 3D+1, Rifles 4D+1
Gear: Flak Armour (+4), Lasgun, copy of The Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer.Static: Dodge 10, Block 10, Soak 10(14)
Traitor Guard - Fel 1D, Forbidden Lore 2D
Adeptus Arbites ***
They ARE the law.
Strength: 4D Intelligence: 2D+1
Agility: 3D+1 Fellowship: 2D+1
Skills: Brawling 5D, Dodge 4D+1, Pistol 5D+1, Melee 4D+1
Gear: Carapace Armour (+6), Hand Cannon (4D) or Bolt Pistol (5D) or Combat Shotgun (4D+2), shock maul (+3D, stuns for 1d3 rounds)
Static: Dodge 13, Block 15, Parry 12, Soak 12(18)
Adeptus Astartes ***** Scale: +2D/+6The Emperor's Angels, His Will Incarnate
Strength: 6D Intelligence: 3D+2
Agility: 4D Fellowship: 3D
Skills: Melee 6D+1, Rifles 6D+1, Pistols 6D+1, Dodge 4D, Intimidate 3D
Perks: Space Marine, Black Carapace (removes Scale penalties, keeps bonuses)
Gear: Astartes Power Armour (+10, +1D Might), Chainsword (+6D) and Bolt Pistol (5D) or Boltgun (6D)
Static: Dodge 12, Block 19, Soak 18 (28)
Thursday, 30 August 2012
MiniSix 40k: Weapons
Weapons are incredibly easy to convert over to MiniSix. Most are simply represented by their damage dice - not only is ammo not a problem for Rogue Trader characters (being that you can afford to buy a manufactorum to make all the ammo you'll ever need), but MiniSix's cinematic feel means that reloading isn't a massive concern.
Weapons are split into several "categories", each with its own Skill. Usually, possessing the appropriate Skill will allow a character to use that particular type of weapon, though GMs may over-rule this for certain types of weapons (Exotic ones in particular - while a pistol-shaped, pistol-like Archaeotech device may be usable under the Pistols Skill, an Eldar Shard Pistol might need a Skill dedicated to its use).
Notes
The damage ratings for each of these weapons correspond to firing either a single shot (for pistols, rifles, etc) or for firing a single burst (auto-weapons, stubbers etc). Weapons which can fire on fully automatic can fire multiple bursts, trading a die on the to-hit roll for a die of damage, to a maximum of 3 dice (so, an autogun can fire three bursts on "full auto", at -3D to hit, for an extra 3D damage).
Melee Weapons
Knife - +1D
Sword - +2D+2
Axe - +3D
Modifications
Chain - +1D
Power - +2D, has a 70% chance to break non-Powered weapons on a successful Parry (or automatically if the Wild Die shows 6).
Force - add half the user's Psy Rating (rounded up) to the dice total (so, a Psyker with Psy Rating 3 will wield a Force Sword as a +4D+2 weapon).
Pistols
Laspistol - 3D+2
Hellpistol - 4D+2, discard the lowest dice
Stub Gun - 3D
Hand Cannon - 4D
Autopistol - 3D+2
Shot-pistol - 4D+1
Bolt Pistol - 5D
Rifles
Lasgun - 4D
Hellgun - 5D, discard the lowest
Lascarbine - 3D+2, can be used one-handed
Long-las - 5D
Autogun - 5D
Shotgun - 4D+2
Boltgun - 6D
Heavy
Heavy Bolter - 4D, Scale +4D/+12
Lascannon - 5D, Scale +4D/+12
Autocannon - 5D, Scale +2D/6
Heavy Stubber - 6D
Melta + Plasma
Inferno Pistol - 7D
Meltagun - 7D, Scale +2D/+6
Thermal Lance - 7D+2, Scale +2D/+6
Multi-melta - 6D, Scale +4D/+12
Plasma pistol 7D
Plasmagun 8D
Plasma cannon - 4D, Scale +4D/+12
These numbers are mostly taken straight from Arkat's previous thread on RPG.net, so kudos to him for allowing me to reprint them here. Some might be changed after some playtesting.
Weapons are split into several "categories", each with its own Skill. Usually, possessing the appropriate Skill will allow a character to use that particular type of weapon, though GMs may over-rule this for certain types of weapons (Exotic ones in particular - while a pistol-shaped, pistol-like Archaeotech device may be usable under the Pistols Skill, an Eldar Shard Pistol might need a Skill dedicated to its use).
Notes
The damage ratings for each of these weapons correspond to firing either a single shot (for pistols, rifles, etc) or for firing a single burst (auto-weapons, stubbers etc). Weapons which can fire on fully automatic can fire multiple bursts, trading a die on the to-hit roll for a die of damage, to a maximum of 3 dice (so, an autogun can fire three bursts on "full auto", at -3D to hit, for an extra 3D damage).
Melee Weapons
Knife - +1D
Sword - +2D+2
Axe - +3D
Modifications
Chain - +1D
Power - +2D, has a 70% chance to break non-Powered weapons on a successful Parry (or automatically if the Wild Die shows 6).
Force - add half the user's Psy Rating (rounded up) to the dice total (so, a Psyker with Psy Rating 3 will wield a Force Sword as a +4D+2 weapon).
Pistols
Laspistol - 3D+2
Hellpistol - 4D+2, discard the lowest dice
Stub Gun - 3D
Hand Cannon - 4D
Autopistol - 3D+2
Shot-pistol - 4D+1
Bolt Pistol - 5D
Rifles
Lasgun - 4D
Hellgun - 5D, discard the lowest
Lascarbine - 3D+2, can be used one-handed
Long-las - 5D
Autogun - 5D
Shotgun - 4D+2
Boltgun - 6D
Heavy
Heavy Bolter - 4D, Scale +4D/+12
Lascannon - 5D, Scale +4D/+12
Autocannon - 5D, Scale +2D/6
Heavy Stubber - 6D
Melta + Plasma
Inferno Pistol - 7D
Meltagun - 7D, Scale +2D/+6
Thermal Lance - 7D+2, Scale +2D/+6
Multi-melta - 6D, Scale +4D/+12
Plasma pistol 7D
Plasmagun 8D
Plasma cannon - 4D, Scale +4D/+12
These numbers are mostly taken straight from Arkat's previous thread on RPG.net, so kudos to him for allowing me to reprint them here. Some might be changed after some playtesting.
Sunday, 19 August 2012
MiniSix 40k: Availability
Weapons in Rogue Trader-level campaigns are partially defined by their Availability - a stat that represents both price and ubiquity.
The list below gives a rough idea of the levels of availability, along with the appropriate TN for Profit Factor tests to acquire them.
Common (Very Easy) - Lasgun, several dozen lesser items (like ration packs, lho-sticks, etc).
Scarce (Moderate) - Demolition Charge
Rare (Difficult) Krak Grenade
Extremely Rare (Very Difficult) Digital Weapon
Near-Unique (Heroic) -Tempest Bolt Shells
The Scale of an Acquisition may affect how easy it is to make the purchase. The smaller the purchase, the better the bonus to the Profit Factor Test. On the other hand, purchasing enough power armour to protect a full regiment of soldiers would be beyond all but the most affluent of Rogue Traders - such large purchases will receive a penalty to the Acquisition roll.
Negligible (+10) - Single item
Trivial - (+6) - Squad (3–5)
Minor - (+3) - Platoon (10–30)
Standard - (+0) - Company (50–100)
Major (-3) Regiment (500–1,000)
Significant (-6) Division (2,000–5,000)
Vast (-10) Army (10,000+)
Of course, the GM is the final arbiter of what items may be purchased, and in what quantities - while purchasing 10,000 packs of lho-sticks to keep your personal army happy might not even need a roll, equipping each of them with Power Swords and their own personal Archaeotech sidearm will be beyond even the capabilities of the most powerful people in the Expanse, regardless of what the dice say.
By the same token, the area an Acquisition is made plays a large role in how likely it is to succeed. GMs should use their common sense - while a Forge World might be able to sell you an army's worth of weapons, a planet barely out of the Dark Ages and using black powder weapons won't be able to make that many of their own weapons, let alone the standard-issue laspistol.
The list below gives a rough idea of the levels of availability, along with the appropriate TN for Profit Factor tests to acquire them.
Common (Very Easy) - Lasgun, several dozen lesser items (like ration packs, lho-sticks, etc).
Scarce (Moderate) - Demolition Charge
Rare (Difficult) Krak Grenade
Extremely Rare (Very Difficult) Digital Weapon
Near-Unique (Heroic) -Tempest Bolt Shells
The Scale of an Acquisition may affect how easy it is to make the purchase. The smaller the purchase, the better the bonus to the Profit Factor Test. On the other hand, purchasing enough power armour to protect a full regiment of soldiers would be beyond all but the most affluent of Rogue Traders - such large purchases will receive a penalty to the Acquisition roll.
Negligible (+10) - Single item
Trivial - (+6) - Squad (3–5)
Minor - (+3) - Platoon (10–30)
Standard - (+0) - Company (50–100)
Major (-3) Regiment (500–1,000)
Significant (-6) Division (2,000–5,000)
Vast (-10) Army (10,000+)
Of course, the GM is the final arbiter of what items may be purchased, and in what quantities - while purchasing 10,000 packs of lho-sticks to keep your personal army happy might not even need a roll, equipping each of them with Power Swords and their own personal Archaeotech sidearm will be beyond even the capabilities of the most powerful people in the Expanse, regardless of what the dice say.
By the same token, the area an Acquisition is made plays a large role in how likely it is to succeed. GMs should use their common sense - while a Forge World might be able to sell you an army's worth of weapons, a planet barely out of the Dark Ages and using black powder weapons won't be able to make that many of their own weapons, let alone the standard-issue laspistol.
Thursday, 16 August 2012
MiniSix 40k: Profit Factor
Profit Factor is an abstraction of the group's mighty wealth. To a Rogue Trader, a bolt pistol is not something to be scrounged and saved for, like most of the Imperium's subjects - it's something to be bought in the numbers to outfit an army. Rogue Traders come from massive amounts of wealth, and regularly engage in acts of derring-do, piracy, and sublime contract-negotiation, all in the pursuit of greater material possession.
Profit Factor does not cover just money - it represents wealth tied up in land, trade deals, priceless heirlooms and artifacts, and so forth. It is these contracts and deals that make a Rogue Trader wealthy, not just coin. To save the massive amounts of bean-counting and Throne-pushing, Profit Factor is not counted by the coin - instead, it is given as dice.
1D - destitute (for a Rogue Trader)
2D - starting wealth for most Dynasties
3D - up and coming
4D - comfortably wealthy
5D - very well off
6D - rich by even the high standards of a Rogue Trader
7D - the most powerful Dynasties in the Expanse.
As a warning: operating on the "+1 pip per Endeavour" scale means that the players might only require 16 such Endeavours to get up to 7D. While this might be suitable for some of the larger-scale plots and plans, it leaves little room for the smaller deals.
To counter this, I suggest having Greater and Lesser Endeavours.
Greater Endeavours are grand, involved, difficult plots, which should be spread over multiple game sessions, with multiple objectives which contribute to the overall effectiveness of the plan. These should tax the Explorer's resources sufficiently, such as converting a whole system of planets to the Imperial Creed, or finding the final resting place of a legendary lost ship, or settling a long and arduous trade route through the Warp. These grant +1 pip (perhaps +2 for particularly nightmarish ordeals, or incredibly high-risk, high-reward deals, though these should be rare). A Greater Endeavour that grants a whole die to Profit Factor should be the basis of a campaign, more than a series of sessions - and is most likely easier to split into three 1-pip objectives.
Lesser Endeavours are somewhat more manageable - possibly even wrapped up within a session. Setting up a small trade route, setting up a Cold Trade business on a newly-founded space station, clearing a current trade route of a minor threat, or securing exclusive rights to the sale of a particular pattern of weapon to a Forge World would all fall under this banner.
Lesser Endeavours earn "points". Six points make up a "pip". GMs who wish a more light-hearted tone might even make each point a letter in the word "PROFIT" (this make for a great visual aid, writing up each letter as they approach the pip).
When a character wishes to acquire something, he rolls the group's Profit Factor dice against a Target Number - success means you can get your hands on it, failure could mean it is unavailable at that location, that it might take a few weeks to order in, or just that you can't find a merchant willing to sell it. Note that failure doesn't mean "you don't get it" - just that it's not instantly available. Each item will have an Availability in their stats, which will give you a TN for average purchase.
As a rough guide, common items and services don't need to be rolled for. Unless you're in the middle of bumfuck nowhere, you can walk into any Imperial city and buy a pack of lho-sticks, a laspistol and a cheap hooker. If you're looking to acquire, say, 100 laspistols, of a specific pattern and colour scheme, or hand-rolled cigars made from the dried remains of a particular type of Xeno plant, or perhaps a courtesan who looks like a specific Adeptus Sororitas Canoness (and is willing to act out your "Inquisitor and Heretic" fantasy), then you might need to roll. Bear in mind the respective tech-levels of the various Imperial worlds, however - on a Feral or Feudal world, a laspistol will be a one-of-a-kind treasure, whereas on a Forge World, they pump them out at a rate of tens of thousands a day.
Next: Gear and an Availabilty Chart!
Profit Factor does not cover just money - it represents wealth tied up in land, trade deals, priceless heirlooms and artifacts, and so forth. It is these contracts and deals that make a Rogue Trader wealthy, not just coin. To save the massive amounts of bean-counting and Throne-pushing, Profit Factor is not counted by the coin - instead, it is given as dice.
1D - destitute (for a Rogue Trader)
2D - starting wealth for most Dynasties
3D - up and coming
4D - comfortably wealthy
5D - very well off
6D - rich by even the high standards of a Rogue Trader
7D - the most powerful Dynasties in the Expanse.
As a warning: operating on the "+1 pip per Endeavour" scale means that the players might only require 16 such Endeavours to get up to 7D. While this might be suitable for some of the larger-scale plots and plans, it leaves little room for the smaller deals.
To counter this, I suggest having Greater and Lesser Endeavours.
Greater Endeavours are grand, involved, difficult plots, which should be spread over multiple game sessions, with multiple objectives which contribute to the overall effectiveness of the plan. These should tax the Explorer's resources sufficiently, such as converting a whole system of planets to the Imperial Creed, or finding the final resting place of a legendary lost ship, or settling a long and arduous trade route through the Warp. These grant +1 pip (perhaps +2 for particularly nightmarish ordeals, or incredibly high-risk, high-reward deals, though these should be rare). A Greater Endeavour that grants a whole die to Profit Factor should be the basis of a campaign, more than a series of sessions - and is most likely easier to split into three 1-pip objectives.
Lesser Endeavours are somewhat more manageable - possibly even wrapped up within a session. Setting up a small trade route, setting up a Cold Trade business on a newly-founded space station, clearing a current trade route of a minor threat, or securing exclusive rights to the sale of a particular pattern of weapon to a Forge World would all fall under this banner.
Lesser Endeavours earn "points". Six points make up a "pip". GMs who wish a more light-hearted tone might even make each point a letter in the word "PROFIT" (this make for a great visual aid, writing up each letter as they approach the pip).
When a character wishes to acquire something, he rolls the group's Profit Factor dice against a Target Number - success means you can get your hands on it, failure could mean it is unavailable at that location, that it might take a few weeks to order in, or just that you can't find a merchant willing to sell it. Note that failure doesn't mean "you don't get it" - just that it's not instantly available. Each item will have an Availability in their stats, which will give you a TN for average purchase.
As a rough guide, common items and services don't need to be rolled for. Unless you're in the middle of bumfuck nowhere, you can walk into any Imperial city and buy a pack of lho-sticks, a laspistol and a cheap hooker. If you're looking to acquire, say, 100 laspistols, of a specific pattern and colour scheme, or hand-rolled cigars made from the dried remains of a particular type of Xeno plant, or perhaps a courtesan who looks like a specific Adeptus Sororitas Canoness (and is willing to act out your "Inquisitor and Heretic" fantasy), then you might need to roll. Bear in mind the respective tech-levels of the various Imperial worlds, however - on a Feral or Feudal world, a laspistol will be a one-of-a-kind treasure, whereas on a Forge World, they pump them out at a rate of tens of thousands a day.
Next: Gear and an Availabilty Chart!
Monday, 13 August 2012
MiniSix 40k: Races and Home Worlds
The populace of the Imperium is mostly Human. While there is the possibility of having Sanctioned Xenos operating under the watchful eye of a Rogue Trader, or perhaps Ordo Xenos Inquisitors of a more Radical bent, they are so rare as to be unknown by the common man.
Xenos and Abhumans
All Xenos are considered to be Unsanctioned unless they take the Sanctioned Xenos perk (see below).
Eldar (3) - your maximum Agility is raised to 5D. You naturally possess the Psyniscience skill. However, your alien nature makes people less likely to trust you - you suffer a -2 penalty to all Fellowship skills when used on a member of the Imperium.
Kroot (3) - depending on your Kindred and diet, you can raise one of your Stat caps to 5D, though you must drop another to 3D. For example, those who have battled Orks and eaten their flesh might gain added muscle mass, but find themselves unable to adapt to more refined social situations (5D Strength, 3D Fellowship). Or those who feed on Dark Eldar may find that their movement become almost preternaturally fast, but their inquisitive minds are dulled by vicious, almost animalistic dark instincts (5D Agility, 3D Intelligence). The GM is the final arbitrator of what is a suitable pairing.
Sanctioned Xenos (1) - while you are still hated, you are somewhat accepted amongst the Imperium. So long as you have your Sanctioning paperwork, and someone of suitable influence, you may enter Imperial space as a human, with some of the same rights. While many will still want you dead, the clout of Sanctioning and your powerful friend should help stay their hand. You lose the Unsanctioned Xenos Complication.
Far more common, especially in the theatre of war, are the Abhuman Races - offshoots of Humanity who have adapted to life on less Terra-like planets, and have seen their bodies change in response to environmental factors. While many are derided as mutants, most are "stable" mutations - developed over centuries, instead of the corrupt mutations shown by the followers of Chaos.
Ogryn (2) - you are one of the hulking Ogryn, massive Abhumans hailing from high-gravity worlds. Their natural strength is renowned, but many fall well below the normal intelligence curve of humanity. Your maximum Strength is increased to 5D, but your Intelligence cannot be raised higher than 3D. Note, an Ogryn with 3D in intelligence is still a mental giant amongst his race. You gain the Large Complication.
Ratling (2) - you are one of the tiny Ratlings, small, nimble Abhumans with a penchant for becoming snipers and cooks. Their small frame means that they are unable to fight as well in close combat as their squadmates, but their ability to sneak around unnoticed and plant a bullet in the eye of a fly from 50ft away more than makes up for it. Your maximum Agility is increased to 5D, but your Strength cannot be raised above 3D. You gain the Small Complication.
While not as pronounced as the changes seen in Abhumans, the variety of worlds the Imperium has colonised has led, through biology, psychology, and culture, to certain patterns in skill-sets of those from particular types of worlds. From the expert woodsmen of Feral Worlds to the edgy, fast-talking Hivers, these Home Worlds span the breadth of the Imperium - and will make a huge impact on a person's development.
Home Worlds
Home World options cost 2 Dice at character creation, and cannot be taken at any other time. The dice granted by these Perks can take starting Skill dice above the usual 2D. Characters without a Home World Perk are considered general Imperial Citizens, born on any number of "standard" Imperial planets.
Dark Heresy Home WorldsHive World - gain an extra die to the Streetwise Skill, and a +1 bonus to Initiative rolls.
Feral World - gain an extra die to the Survival Skill, and a +1 bonus to your Soak Value.
Void Born - start each session with an extra Hero Point, but receive a -2 penalty to all Fellowship Skills when used against non-Void Born.
Forge World - gain an extra die to the Tech-Use Skill, and a +1 bonus to any rolls to repair or maintain technology.
Schola Progenium - gain an extra die to the Command Skill, and a +1 bonus to any rolls to resist abilities that influence, control, or read thoughts and emotions.
Rogue Trader Home Worlds
Noble Born - gain an extra dice to the Diplomacy Skill, as well as a +1 to Fellowship rolls in high-society situations.
Death World - gain an extra dice to the Survival Skill, and a +1 bonus to all Strength rolls to resist poisons or harsh climates.
Frontier World - gain an extra dice to the Wrangling Skill, and a +1 bonus to all Strength rolls to resist the effects of fatigue.
Footfallen - gain an extra die to the Persuasion Skill, and a +1 bonus to all rolls to do with knowledge of the Koronus Expanse (its legends, lore, power groups, etc).
Fortress World - gain an extra die to either the Pistols or Rifles Skill, but gain a -1 penalty to all Fellowship Rolls regarding non-warfare topics.
Battlefleet - gain an extra die to the Pilot Skill, and gain a +1 bonus to all rolls related to commanding subordinates on a starship.
Penal World - gain an extra die to the Intimidate Skill, and gain a +1 bonus to all rolls relating to the criminal underworld.
Child of Dynasty - gain either an extra die to the group's Profit Factor, or an extra die to Starship Creation, and a +1 bonus to all interactions with high authorities.
Complications
Small - This is a Racial Complication. Player Characters gain this only by the Ratling Perk. Small characters receive a -5 penalty on all Might skill checks, Might based damage rolls, Block, and Parry. This penalty doesn’t apply to Stamina, healing, and resisting damage. This penalty doesn’t apply when fighting a Small or Tiny creature. Earn 1 bonus CP each session.
Large - This is a Racial Complication. Player Characters gain this by the Ogryn Perk or others. Large characters gain all the negatives of being Scale +2D, but no benefits (so, they are easier to hit and may find it harder to hit smaller creatures). They also require gear to be tailor-made to their bulk (such as the Ogryn Ripper Guns, or far larger armour than usual). They may also have trouble fitting into vehicles or other places sized for an average human. Earn 1 bonus CP each session.
Unsanctioned Xenos - This is a Racial Complication. Player Characters gain this only through the various Xenos Perks. You are a source of hatred within the Imperium - you suffer a -2 to all Fellowship skills against those who hold the Imperial Creed, and many people will want to shoot you on sight. Gain 1 bonus CP each session.
Xenos and Abhumans
All Xenos are considered to be Unsanctioned unless they take the Sanctioned Xenos perk (see below).
Eldar (3) - your maximum Agility is raised to 5D. You naturally possess the Psyniscience skill. However, your alien nature makes people less likely to trust you - you suffer a -2 penalty to all Fellowship skills when used on a member of the Imperium.
Kroot (3) - depending on your Kindred and diet, you can raise one of your Stat caps to 5D, though you must drop another to 3D. For example, those who have battled Orks and eaten their flesh might gain added muscle mass, but find themselves unable to adapt to more refined social situations (5D Strength, 3D Fellowship). Or those who feed on Dark Eldar may find that their movement become almost preternaturally fast, but their inquisitive minds are dulled by vicious, almost animalistic dark instincts (5D Agility, 3D Intelligence). The GM is the final arbitrator of what is a suitable pairing.
Sanctioned Xenos (1) - while you are still hated, you are somewhat accepted amongst the Imperium. So long as you have your Sanctioning paperwork, and someone of suitable influence, you may enter Imperial space as a human, with some of the same rights. While many will still want you dead, the clout of Sanctioning and your powerful friend should help stay their hand. You lose the Unsanctioned Xenos Complication.
Far more common, especially in the theatre of war, are the Abhuman Races - offshoots of Humanity who have adapted to life on less Terra-like planets, and have seen their bodies change in response to environmental factors. While many are derided as mutants, most are "stable" mutations - developed over centuries, instead of the corrupt mutations shown by the followers of Chaos.
Ogryn (2) - you are one of the hulking Ogryn, massive Abhumans hailing from high-gravity worlds. Their natural strength is renowned, but many fall well below the normal intelligence curve of humanity. Your maximum Strength is increased to 5D, but your Intelligence cannot be raised higher than 3D. Note, an Ogryn with 3D in intelligence is still a mental giant amongst his race. You gain the Large Complication.
Ratling (2) - you are one of the tiny Ratlings, small, nimble Abhumans with a penchant for becoming snipers and cooks. Their small frame means that they are unable to fight as well in close combat as their squadmates, but their ability to sneak around unnoticed and plant a bullet in the eye of a fly from 50ft away more than makes up for it. Your maximum Agility is increased to 5D, but your Strength cannot be raised above 3D. You gain the Small Complication.
While not as pronounced as the changes seen in Abhumans, the variety of worlds the Imperium has colonised has led, through biology, psychology, and culture, to certain patterns in skill-sets of those from particular types of worlds. From the expert woodsmen of Feral Worlds to the edgy, fast-talking Hivers, these Home Worlds span the breadth of the Imperium - and will make a huge impact on a person's development.
Home Worlds
Home World options cost 2 Dice at character creation, and cannot be taken at any other time. The dice granted by these Perks can take starting Skill dice above the usual 2D. Characters without a Home World Perk are considered general Imperial Citizens, born on any number of "standard" Imperial planets.
Dark Heresy Home WorldsHive World - gain an extra die to the Streetwise Skill, and a +1 bonus to Initiative rolls.
Feral World - gain an extra die to the Survival Skill, and a +1 bonus to your Soak Value.
Void Born - start each session with an extra Hero Point, but receive a -2 penalty to all Fellowship Skills when used against non-Void Born.
Forge World - gain an extra die to the Tech-Use Skill, and a +1 bonus to any rolls to repair or maintain technology.
Schola Progenium - gain an extra die to the Command Skill, and a +1 bonus to any rolls to resist abilities that influence, control, or read thoughts and emotions.
Rogue Trader Home Worlds
Noble Born - gain an extra dice to the Diplomacy Skill, as well as a +1 to Fellowship rolls in high-society situations.
Death World - gain an extra dice to the Survival Skill, and a +1 bonus to all Strength rolls to resist poisons or harsh climates.
Frontier World - gain an extra dice to the Wrangling Skill, and a +1 bonus to all Strength rolls to resist the effects of fatigue.
Footfallen - gain an extra die to the Persuasion Skill, and a +1 bonus to all rolls to do with knowledge of the Koronus Expanse (its legends, lore, power groups, etc).
Fortress World - gain an extra die to either the Pistols or Rifles Skill, but gain a -1 penalty to all Fellowship Rolls regarding non-warfare topics.
Battlefleet - gain an extra die to the Pilot Skill, and gain a +1 bonus to all rolls related to commanding subordinates on a starship.
Penal World - gain an extra die to the Intimidate Skill, and gain a +1 bonus to all rolls relating to the criminal underworld.
Child of Dynasty - gain either an extra die to the group's Profit Factor, or an extra die to Starship Creation, and a +1 bonus to all interactions with high authorities.
Complications
Small - This is a Racial Complication. Player Characters gain this only by the Ratling Perk. Small characters receive a -5 penalty on all Might skill checks, Might based damage rolls, Block, and Parry. This penalty doesn’t apply to Stamina, healing, and resisting damage. This penalty doesn’t apply when fighting a Small or Tiny creature. Earn 1 bonus CP each session.
Large - This is a Racial Complication. Player Characters gain this by the Ogryn Perk or others. Large characters gain all the negatives of being Scale +2D, but no benefits (so, they are easier to hit and may find it harder to hit smaller creatures). They also require gear to be tailor-made to their bulk (such as the Ogryn Ripper Guns, or far larger armour than usual). They may also have trouble fitting into vehicles or other places sized for an average human. Earn 1 bonus CP each session.
Unsanctioned Xenos - This is a Racial Complication. Player Characters gain this only through the various Xenos Perks. You are a source of hatred within the Imperium - you suffer a -2 to all Fellowship skills against those who hold the Imperial Creed, and many people will want to shoot you on sight. Gain 1 bonus CP each session.
Thursday, 9 August 2012
In The Works Preview: 40k MiniSix
As a man with my fingers in way too many pies, I'm always open to suggestions. And when one of my close friends wanted to try his hand at GMing for the first time, he wanted a system that could run a 40k game with a bit more action than the overly-lethal FFG RPGs. I offered to help convert MiniSix, by AntiPaladin Games, for his use.
So, MiniSix is yet another awesome, rules-light free RPG. This one is based of the old West End Games D6 System, most famously used as the basis of the old Star Wars line. Recently, however, the core of the system (D6 Adventure, D6 Space, and D6 Fantasy) have been made free to download and open-source, under a OGL-like stipulation. This means designers can use the system as they see fit - which is exactly what the guys at AntiPaladin Games have done.
MiniSix is an action RPG at its heart. It provides a fantastically light framework under which to build your own game, with as much (or as little) extra stuff as you want. The basic mechanic is rolling a pool of D6s, totalling them and checking against a Target Number. Nice and simple.
Characters are made up of a few vitals: Stats, Skills, Perks and Complications.
Stats and Skills are measured in Dice (similar to Risus) - and, to make the game more flexible, it suggests you name them as you see fit for your campaign. The standard stats are Might, Agility, Wits, and Charm.
Not only can you buy dice for each, but each die can be split into 3 "pips" - a static +1 or +2 (a +3 is a whole die). So, instead of having Fellowship at 2D, and Strength at 3D, you could have Fellowship at 2D+1, and Strength at 2D+2, for the same "price" at character creation.
Skills are tied to each stat, and the stats are the "default" number of dice for each. Say you have Might 3D. Any Might skills you have will automatically be considered to have 3 dice in them - and you can spend extra dice to bump them higher (so, spending 2D on the Brawling Skill will bring it up to 5D). While the designers provide a fair list of skills, GMs are encouraged to make up new ones as they see fit for their own setting, or to remove ones which are not suitable.
Perks represent special little extras you can buy, to make your character stand out more. Whether it's a non-human race, the ability to cast spells, or a character trait like a Daredevil or Smooth Talker, Perks help to reinforce the themes of the game, and to help players make the generic characters a bit more unique.
Complications, however, make life more difficult. Most don't have a solid mechanical effect - they represent things like being an Outcast, or Unlucky, or something else the GM can take advantage of to make a story more interesting. Every time they do so, your character earns a Character Point - the game's XP equivalent, used to buy more skills and Perks.
There are also Hero Points, which can be used to change die rolls, heal, make slight changes to the narrative, or used to "buy" clues from the GM.
Now: I've talked about my issues with the Dark Heresy/Rogue Trader/Deathwatch/Black Crusade/Only War system(s) before. But MiniSix gives a great, action-adventure feel to the game - something that lets it replicate 40k literature down to a tee, where ordinary men tackle god-like monstrosities on a regular basis.
Reflecting the 40k RPGs, I'll be changing the stats to Strength, Agility, Intelligence, and Fellowship. The Skills will mostly come from the RPG lines, although I might consider combining a few (frex, making Common Lore, Scholastic Lore and Forbidden Lore single skills, with Specialisations to reflect the variety of possible options). Arkat over at RPG.net did some conversion work already, which will be the backbone of the stuff I'm doing.
As my friend wishes to run a Penal Legionnaire campaign, I'll be adding some Perks and Complications to reflect it, such as:
So, MiniSix is yet another awesome, rules-light free RPG. This one is based of the old West End Games D6 System, most famously used as the basis of the old Star Wars line. Recently, however, the core of the system (D6 Adventure, D6 Space, and D6 Fantasy) have been made free to download and open-source, under a OGL-like stipulation. This means designers can use the system as they see fit - which is exactly what the guys at AntiPaladin Games have done.
MiniSix is an action RPG at its heart. It provides a fantastically light framework under which to build your own game, with as much (or as little) extra stuff as you want. The basic mechanic is rolling a pool of D6s, totalling them and checking against a Target Number. Nice and simple.
Characters are made up of a few vitals: Stats, Skills, Perks and Complications.
Stats and Skills are measured in Dice (similar to Risus) - and, to make the game more flexible, it suggests you name them as you see fit for your campaign. The standard stats are Might, Agility, Wits, and Charm.
Not only can you buy dice for each, but each die can be split into 3 "pips" - a static +1 or +2 (a +3 is a whole die). So, instead of having Fellowship at 2D, and Strength at 3D, you could have Fellowship at 2D+1, and Strength at 2D+2, for the same "price" at character creation.
Skills are tied to each stat, and the stats are the "default" number of dice for each. Say you have Might 3D. Any Might skills you have will automatically be considered to have 3 dice in them - and you can spend extra dice to bump them higher (so, spending 2D on the Brawling Skill will bring it up to 5D). While the designers provide a fair list of skills, GMs are encouraged to make up new ones as they see fit for their own setting, or to remove ones which are not suitable.
Perks represent special little extras you can buy, to make your character stand out more. Whether it's a non-human race, the ability to cast spells, or a character trait like a Daredevil or Smooth Talker, Perks help to reinforce the themes of the game, and to help players make the generic characters a bit more unique.
Complications, however, make life more difficult. Most don't have a solid mechanical effect - they represent things like being an Outcast, or Unlucky, or something else the GM can take advantage of to make a story more interesting. Every time they do so, your character earns a Character Point - the game's XP equivalent, used to buy more skills and Perks.
There are also Hero Points, which can be used to change die rolls, heal, make slight changes to the narrative, or used to "buy" clues from the GM.
Now: I've talked about my issues with the Dark Heresy/Rogue Trader/Deathwatch/Black Crusade/Only War system(s) before. But MiniSix gives a great, action-adventure feel to the game - something that lets it replicate 40k literature down to a tee, where ordinary men tackle god-like monstrosities on a regular basis.
Reflecting the 40k RPGs, I'll be changing the stats to Strength, Agility, Intelligence, and Fellowship. The Skills will mostly come from the RPG lines, although I might consider combining a few (frex, making Common Lore, Scholastic Lore and Forbidden Lore single skills, with Specialisations to reflect the variety of possible options). Arkat over at RPG.net did some conversion work already, which will be the backbone of the stuff I'm doing.
As my friend wishes to run a Penal Legionnaire campaign, I'll be adding some Perks and Complications to reflect it, such as:
- Home Worlds (grant a bonus die to a skill, plus another benefit)
- the Penal Legionnaire Complication, which nets you an extra CP whenever being a dead man walking becomes a problem (i.e. all the time)
- Specialisations (like Commisar, Shock Trooper, etc) to give some extra variety to the characters
- a Tech-Preist Perk ("free" bionics, the ability to use count Fellowship skills as Intelligence skills when communicating with other Tech-Priests)
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