When I was in primary school, I did not want to play some game about animals, cartoons and fairy tales. That's what I am into now.
I wanted games that reminded me of all those movies I had no chance to watch like Star Wars, Conan, Dragon Slayer or Dune. I was into Masters of the Universe and Batman and Spider-Man. I was into toy guns and playing "all adults turned evil and the kids must kill them" with Playmobil and Lego.
Actually the transit from playing with action figures to RPGs was very organic. We basically did the same things, just with character sheets, where we needed toys before.
But most important: I think that any set of freestyle rules like Risus or indie games would have been much more difficult for me to grasp than classic old school RPGs. (Actually - being from Europe - I played The Dark Eye.)
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
Savage Worlds Character Sheet without Dice Symbols
Here you find an external link to a Savage Worlds Character Sheet without Dice Symbols. Some people are annoyed by the dice symbols and here they find a great alternative.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Deadwood as D&D campaign
I am watching Deadwood, the HBO western TV show at the moment. In my opinion the set up would work amazingly well for an old school D&D campaign.
Actually it would not be too different from a Keep in the Borderlands with a lot of corruption. To make it more interesting, when the players arrive it should be still a really small place, but with every time they return from an exploration, more people and shops should exist. So they could feel very fast as the old guys...
And obviously there would be a reward for every orc head the bring back to the inn keeper...
Main enemies would be humans, elves and orcs and I would try to make orcs and elves as interchangeable as possible (both are Indians err, sorry, natives...). Humans are the bastards living in the village. I would not call it a shades of grey setting. Actually nearly everyone except the PCs is a bastard.
Actually it would not be too different from a Keep in the Borderlands with a lot of corruption. To make it more interesting, when the players arrive it should be still a really small place, but with every time they return from an exploration, more people and shops should exist. So they could feel very fast as the old guys...
And obviously there would be a reward for every orc head the bring back to the inn keeper...
Main enemies would be humans, elves and orcs and I would try to make orcs and elves as interchangeable as possible (both are Indians err, sorry, natives...). Humans are the bastards living in the village. I would not call it a shades of grey setting. Actually nearly everyone except the PCs is a bastard.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
800-85 - Feminine Robot Man
Race: Robot Man (Construct; Machine; Outsider; Psionic Immunity; Recharge)
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d4, Guts d4, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Piloting d4, Repair d6, Shooting d4, Stealth d4,
Charisma: -2; Pace: 5+d6; Parry: ?; Toughness: ?
Hindrances: Code of Honor; Outsider (to Robot Man as well), Death Wish (minor - find statue from dreams)
Edges: Arcane Background (Weird Science); Gadgeteer
Gear: 500$
Languages: English, Streamer, [+3 more]
Description: 800-85 had an ordinary live as lowly worker on the Mechanos. But then he started dreaming. He is not sure if it is a malfunction, as he decided not to tell any other robot man about it, but this statue of a humanoid woman in a cave returns every night in his sleep. 800-85 left Mechanos to look for her in space.
And because he admires her, he is wearing this ancient Greek drama mask over his face and got a new breast plate with - exactly - breasts. Because others told him it would be more authentic he also adjusted his voice to sound more female.
Designer Notes: Silly. My favorite robot character Marvel's Yocasta plus the fact that there are no female robot men (robot women???) made me come up with this idea. I did not even know that 80085 in 1ee7 speak had already a meaning, but finding it out via Google did not stop me either...
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d4, Guts d4, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Piloting d4, Repair d6, Shooting d4, Stealth d4,
Charisma: -2; Pace: 5+d6; Parry: ?; Toughness: ?
Hindrances: Code of Honor; Outsider (to Robot Man as well), Death Wish (minor - find statue from dreams)
Edges: Arcane Background (Weird Science); Gadgeteer
Gear: 500$
Languages: English, Streamer, [+3 more]
Description: 800-85 had an ordinary live as lowly worker on the Mechanos. But then he started dreaming. He is not sure if it is a malfunction, as he decided not to tell any other robot man about it, but this statue of a humanoid woman in a cave returns every night in his sleep. 800-85 left Mechanos to look for her in space.
And because he admires her, he is wearing this ancient Greek drama mask over his face and got a new breast plate with - exactly - breasts. Because others told him it would be more authentic he also adjusted his voice to sound more female.
Designer Notes: Silly. My favorite robot character Marvel's Yocasta plus the fact that there are no female robot men (robot women???) made me come up with this idea. I did not even know that 80085 in 1ee7 speak had already a meaning, but finding it out via Google did not stop me either...
Monday, December 15, 2008
What player am I?
Find here your RPG play style according to Law!
Awesome Welles - Melancholic Action Hero (Slipstream)
Race: Earthling (additional Edge)
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d4, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d6, Guts d4, Notice d4, Intimidation d4; Persuasion d4, Piloting d4, Shooting d6, Stealth d4, Streetwise d4, Survival d4, Throwing d4, Tracking d4
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6+d6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7 ; Bennies: 2/session
Hindrances: Heroic; Bad Luck; Vengeful, Quirk (speeches of angst)
Edges: Iron Jaw; Attractive; Ambidextrous; Brawny
Gear: 500$
Languages: English, Streamer, [+2 more]
Description: Awesome Welles is the stereotype of a muscle packed, blond hero, but in underneath the great looks and the winning smile, people that get to know him better will find a courageous man who sees himself and those he values chased by misery after misery. When he does not have to work towards the wellbeing of others, he constantly questions the meaning of live and what it is all good for.
Designer Notes: Here obviously the name came first and I tried to find a character concept that fitted its sound.
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d4, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d6, Guts d4, Notice d4, Intimidation d4; Persuasion d4, Piloting d4, Shooting d6, Stealth d4, Streetwise d4, Survival d4, Throwing d4, Tracking d4
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6+d6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7 ; Bennies: 2/session
Hindrances: Heroic; Bad Luck; Vengeful, Quirk (speeches of angst)
Edges: Iron Jaw; Attractive; Ambidextrous; Brawny
Gear: 500$
Languages: English, Streamer, [+2 more]
Description: Awesome Welles is the stereotype of a muscle packed, blond hero, but in underneath the great looks and the winning smile, people that get to know him better will find a courageous man who sees himself and those he values chased by misery after misery. When he does not have to work towards the wellbeing of others, he constantly questions the meaning of live and what it is all good for.
Designer Notes: Here obviously the name came first and I tried to find a character concept that fitted its sound.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Rex Plosion - Psi Kid (Slipstream)
Race: Earthling (additional Edge)
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d4
Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d4, Guts d4, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Psionics d4, Stealth d4, Streetwise d4, Taunt d4, Throwing d4,
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6+d6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 4 ; Bennies: 4/session; Power Points: 15
Hindrances: Heroic; Young; Loyal, Illiterate
Edges: Arcane Background (Psionics); Attractive (cute kid); Beast Master; Power Points
Power: Bolt; Confuse the Mind; Stun
Gear: 500$
Languages: English, Streamer, [+3 more]
Description: Rex Plosion grew up on the tough streets of Nuxopolis as an orphan. His only friend was his alien baby bear companion Tao. When he was cornered by one of Queen Anathraxa's Primal patrols for pickpocketing a noble with a sudden burst of his Psi powers, he had to flee and found himself as blind passenger on a rocket ship.
Tao: stats of a dog/wolf
Designer Notes: With the "Second Series" campaign rule in Slipstream, it finally is a little bit less risky to play a low Vigor character in Savage Worlds. So this kid should be worth a try! If it passes out, there is still the beast companion Tao to be taken care off, so the player does not get bored.
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d4
Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d4, Guts d4, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Psionics d4, Stealth d4, Streetwise d4, Taunt d4, Throwing d4,
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6+d6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 4 ; Bennies: 4/session; Power Points: 15
Hindrances: Heroic; Young; Loyal, Illiterate
Edges: Arcane Background (Psionics); Attractive (cute kid); Beast Master; Power Points
Power: Bolt; Confuse the Mind; Stun
Gear: 500$
Languages: English, Streamer, [+3 more]
Description: Rex Plosion grew up on the tough streets of Nuxopolis as an orphan. His only friend was his alien baby bear companion Tao. When he was cornered by one of Queen Anathraxa's Primal patrols for pickpocketing a noble with a sudden burst of his Psi powers, he had to flee and found himself as blind passenger on a rocket ship.
Tao: stats of a dog/wolf
Designer Notes: With the "Second Series" campaign rule in Slipstream, it finally is a little bit less risky to play a low Vigor character in Savage Worlds. So this kid should be worth a try! If it passes out, there is still the beast companion Tao to be taken care off, so the player does not get bored.
An auction-based character development system
We could give this the fancy name ABCD for Auction-Based Character Development.
The idea behind is that skills and edges/aspect have no cost when you take them, but when you use them.
So the more some aspect of a character is used, the more expensive it get's to raise it higher.
To make the whole thing more interesting, interest in other characters to develop in the same area also boost the development price. Making use of the players willingness to pay for something takes in account a much more intelligent factor than counting only the ammount of uses.
Development should not only happen at the end of every game session or between games, but after every scene.
Beginner characters are mostly blank slates with only one extraordinary trait to define them. Players should assume that they already have more traits, but that we did not see them before. Obviously this does not work to well for a backstory intense immersive play experience. A solution could be that the coming up with the character is already part of play like pitching the series in Primetime Adventures. All the players would go together through the different phases of their characters' lives. This is similar to Spirit of the Century.
You can combine those ideas and you have an RPG rule system set up that could be tested in a board game. A good start would be a simple tree stats system with rock-scissors-paper like mechanics.
The idea behind is that skills and edges/aspect have no cost when you take them, but when you use them.
So the more some aspect of a character is used, the more expensive it get's to raise it higher.
To make the whole thing more interesting, interest in other characters to develop in the same area also boost the development price. Making use of the players willingness to pay for something takes in account a much more intelligent factor than counting only the ammount of uses.
Development should not only happen at the end of every game session or between games, but after every scene.
Beginner characters are mostly blank slates with only one extraordinary trait to define them. Players should assume that they already have more traits, but that we did not see them before. Obviously this does not work to well for a backstory intense immersive play experience. A solution could be that the coming up with the character is already part of play like pitching the series in Primetime Adventures. All the players would go together through the different phases of their characters' lives. This is similar to Spirit of the Century.
You can combine those ideas and you have an RPG rule system set up that could be tested in a board game. A good start would be a simple tree stats system with rock-scissors-paper like mechanics.
Savage Worlds area effects when not using a battle mat
Zornhau - let's call him the German Savage Worlds Evangelist and see if there is a reaction ;) - presented his way of deciding area effect damage when playing without battle map in the tanelorn.net forum.
Small Burst Template – 1d4+1 targets effected
Medium Burst Template – 1d6+1 targets effected
Large Burst Template – 1d12+1 targets effected
Cone – 1d8+1 targets effected
I guess another way that would scale with the size of the fight would be randomize a hit percentage of potential targets. Obviously you would need to cap that with a certain number.
If you wanted it to be slow and unsavage, you could take in account environment, etc. Fighting in open environment would let you hit less people than inside narrow tunnels.
Update:
Clint (of Necessary Evil fame) gave the following numbers in the Pennicle Forum:
SBT = 1d4
MBT = 2d6
LBT = 3d8
Cone = 2d6*
*Difference between a cone and a MBT could be lessening the chance of hitting an ally in the area.
The look a little bit extreme to me honestly.
Small Burst Template – 1d4+1 targets effected
Medium Burst Template – 1d6+1 targets effected
Large Burst Template – 1d12+1 targets effected
Cone – 1d8+1 targets effected
I guess another way that would scale with the size of the fight would be randomize a hit percentage of potential targets. Obviously you would need to cap that with a certain number.
If you wanted it to be slow and unsavage, you could take in account environment, etc. Fighting in open environment would let you hit less people than inside narrow tunnels.
Update:
Clint (of Necessary Evil fame) gave the following numbers in the Pennicle Forum:
SBT = 1d4
MBT = 2d6
LBT = 3d8
Cone = 2d6*
*Difference between a cone and a MBT could be lessening the chance of hitting an ally in the area.
The look a little bit extreme to me honestly.
Friday, December 12, 2008
D&D-4-like Skill Challenges in Savage Worlds
This is a first sketch how you do skill challenges in Savage Worlds. Definitely worth a test run and could be a better way to handle music performances in The Band.
Depending on how complex the task is, a certain amount of successes is needed. My test run decides difficulties on number of participating characters, but that could be too metagamey.
Easy: [number of participating characters] successes
Normal: [number of participating characters x 1.5] successes
Hard: [number of participating characters] x2 successes
Players in general can choose the skill they want to use by themselves. The GM can veto skill use, that is not described well. But why not using your Knowledge(History) skill to get the band mimic the famous performance of the Sex Pistols in Winterland? ;) Obviously repeating the same shtick over time becomes stale.
Each Raise counts as 1 extra success.
When they got 3 failures, the characters finally lost... (Maybe scale that too?)
Depending on how complex the task is, a certain amount of successes is needed. My test run decides difficulties on number of participating characters, but that could be too metagamey.
Easy: [number of participating characters] successes
Normal: [number of participating characters x 1.5] successes
Hard: [number of participating characters] x2 successes
Players in general can choose the skill they want to use by themselves. The GM can veto skill use, that is not described well. But why not using your Knowledge(History) skill to get the band mimic the famous performance of the Sex Pistols in Winterland? ;) Obviously repeating the same shtick over time becomes stale.
Each Raise counts as 1 extra success.
When they got 3 failures, the characters finally lost... (Maybe scale that too?)
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Der Spielaffe
Sorry, this post has to be partially in German, because the "Der Spielaffe" is a German character. The name means Playape or Playmonkey. He is a simian playboy - the result of an 1934 Nazi experiment!
Hier kommen die Charakterwerte des Spielaffens für verschiedene Spielsysteme rein - Rollenspielsysteme. Der Spielaffe wir auch Playape oder Playmonkey genannt.
Er ist ein mächtiger Spielgorilla, nicht nur ein Spielschimpanse oder gar Spielmakake. Er ist kein Pokemon oder Panfu.
Sein Diener heißt Mario.
Race: Gorilla (additional Edge)
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d6, Driving d4, Fighting d6, Gambling d4, Guts d6, Intimidation d4, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Shooting d4, Stealth d4, Streetwise d6, Survival d4, Throwing d4,
Charisma: -2; Pace: 5+d4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Overconfident; Outsider, Habit (Heavy Smoker)
Gear: 500$
Description: He is a simian playboy - the result of an 1934 Nazi experiment!
Wait until I recreate this character with the Gorilla Race write up, I am going to do!
Hier kommen die Charakterwerte des Spielaffens für verschiedene Spielsysteme rein - Rollenspielsysteme. Der Spielaffe wir auch Playape oder Playmonkey genannt.
Er ist ein mächtiger Spielgorilla, nicht nur ein Spielschimpanse oder gar Spielmakake. Er ist kein Pokemon oder Panfu.
Sein Diener heißt Mario.
Race: Gorilla (additional Edge)
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d6, Driving d4, Fighting d6, Gambling d4, Guts d6, Intimidation d4, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Shooting d4, Stealth d4, Streetwise d6, Survival d4, Throwing d4,
Charisma: -2; Pace: 5+d4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Overconfident; Outsider, Habit (Heavy Smoker)
Gear: 500$
Description: He is a simian playboy - the result of an 1934 Nazi experiment!
Wait until I recreate this character with the Gorilla Race write up, I am going to do!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Sunday, December 7, 2008
One Shots I want to run in 2009
D&D4 - Keep on the Shadowfell (mainly the combats)
Spirit of the Century
Sailor Moon RPG
Changeling: The Lost with Primetime Adventures rules
Favorite Player Characters in an interdimensional castle - Kitchensink Crazyness (that would probably also work best with Primetime Adventures)
Coffin Rock - Deadlands Reloaded (mini campaign)
Any super hero game
I am not so much into running campaigns, as I don't have the attention span to keep that up.
Anyways: here are my Setting Ideas. They are less about running and more about writing though.
Spirit of the Century
Sailor Moon RPG
Changeling: The Lost with Primetime Adventures rules
Favorite Player Characters in an interdimensional castle - Kitchensink Crazyness (that would probably also work best with Primetime Adventures)
Coffin Rock - Deadlands Reloaded (mini campaign)
Any super hero game
I am not so much into running campaigns, as I don't have the attention span to keep that up.
Anyways: here are my Setting Ideas. They are less about running and more about writing though.
Tearsworld Tyrsworld Treenenwelt Index
As I am not sure what to use as English title at the moment (although I lean towards the not kewlized Tearsworld at the moment), you can find 2 different names for this campaign setting in the header.
The basic setting info is German at the moment, but will be updated and ported over.
German language Tearsworld Tyrsworld Treenenwelt Wiki - kind of a encyclopedia
Rule system specific ideas can be found all over this blog:
Treenenwelt for Savage Worlds: Human wish powers
The basic setting info is German at the moment, but will be updated and ported over.
German language Tearsworld Tyrsworld Treenenwelt Wiki - kind of a encyclopedia
Rule system specific ideas can be found all over this blog:
Treenenwelt for Savage Worlds: Human wish powers
Friday, December 5, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Plush, Power & Plunder: NPC Stats - Hospital
You find descriptions of the characters in the Plüsch, Power und Plunder Hospital adventure.
NPC stats for Plush, Power & Plunder - Hospital as PDF
Here all the stats are repeated as plaint text:
Victims
IQ 6 (30)
Cou 6 (30)
Str 6 (30)
Agi 6 (30)
Cutie Points 5
Plush Points 9
Plushdurance 20
$ 0
Fight 30%/6+1d6
Minions
IQ 5 (25)
Cou 8 (40)
Str 8 (40)
Agi 6 (30)
Cutie Points 9
Plush Points 15
Plushdurance 60
$ 200
Fight 60%/8+1d6+2 (spoons and forks)
Robbing Plushdurance 70%
Elite followers
IQ 5 (25)
Cou 10(50)
Str 12(60)
Agi 9 (45)
Cutie Points 9
Plush Points 30
Plushdurance 80
$ 200
Fight 90%/12+2d6+2 (knifes)
Brainy guys (The Pin, The Brain, The Prophet)
IQ 12(60)
Cou 9(45)
Str 8(40)
Agi 6(30)
Cutie Points 15
Plush Points 25
Plushdurance 80
$ 400
Fight 70%/8+2d6+2 (knifes)
Shoot 85%/11+3d6+3 (glue)
Cat
IQ 4(20)
Cou 15(75)
Str 16(80)
Agi 14(70)
Cutie Points -
Plush Points 40 (Hit Points)
Plushdurance 80
$ 0
Fight 110%/16+3d6+3 (claws&teeth)
Sick Kids
IQ 12(60)
Cou 8(40)
Str 18(90)
Agi 11(55)
Cutie Points -
Plush Points 50 (Hit Points)
Plushdurance 80
$ -
Fight 55%/18+1d6 (fist) House rule: Human attacks against small creatures are always agility based
Shoot 55%/11+2d6+1 (CDs, etc.)
Grown Up Stompers
IQ 12(60)
Cou 7(35)
Str 22(110)
Agi 11(55)
Cutie Points -
Plush Points 100 (Hit Points)
Plushdurance 100
$ -
Fight 55%/22+1d6 (fist) House rule: Human attacks against small creatures are always agility based
Shoot 55%/11+2d6+1 (CDs, etc.)
NPC stats for Plush, Power & Plunder - Hospital as PDF
Here all the stats are repeated as plaint text:
Victims
IQ 6 (30)
Cou 6 (30)
Str 6 (30)
Agi 6 (30)
Cutie Points 5
Plush Points 9
Plushdurance 20
$ 0
Fight 30%/6+1d6
Minions
IQ 5 (25)
Cou 8 (40)
Str 8 (40)
Agi 6 (30)
Cutie Points 9
Plush Points 15
Plushdurance 60
$ 200
Fight 60%/8+1d6+2 (spoons and forks)
Robbing Plushdurance 70%
Elite followers
IQ 5 (25)
Cou 10(50)
Str 12(60)
Agi 9 (45)
Cutie Points 9
Plush Points 30
Plushdurance 80
$ 200
Fight 90%/12+2d6+2 (knifes)
Brainy guys (The Pin, The Brain, The Prophet)
IQ 12(60)
Cou 9(45)
Str 8(40)
Agi 6(30)
Cutie Points 15
Plush Points 25
Plushdurance 80
$ 400
Fight 70%/8+2d6+2 (knifes)
Shoot 85%/11+3d6+3 (glue)
Cat
IQ 4(20)
Cou 15(75)
Str 16(80)
Agi 14(70)
Cutie Points -
Plush Points 40 (Hit Points)
Plushdurance 80
$ 0
Fight 110%/16+3d6+3 (claws&teeth)
Sick Kids
IQ 12(60)
Cou 8(40)
Str 18(90)
Agi 11(55)
Cutie Points -
Plush Points 50 (Hit Points)
Plushdurance 80
$ -
Fight 55%/18+1d6 (fist) House rule: Human attacks against small creatures are always agility based
Shoot 55%/11+2d6+1 (CDs, etc.)
Grown Up Stompers
IQ 12(60)
Cou 7(35)
Str 22(110)
Agi 11(55)
Cutie Points -
Plush Points 100 (Hit Points)
Plushdurance 100
$ -
Fight 55%/22+1d6 (fist) House rule: Human attacks against small creatures are always agility based
Shoot 55%/11+2d6+1 (CDs, etc.)
Saturday, November 29, 2008
English language Plüsch, Power & Plunder Character Sheet
This is my cheap and dirty translated character sheet for Plush, Power and Plunder.
Here you find straight access to the Google Spreadsheet PP&P character sheet version. Just click the Printer icon and a PDF will be generated in real time for you to save.
Here you also find the PDF English language Plüsch, Power & Plunder Character Sheet.
Here you find straight access to the Google Spreadsheet PP&P character sheet version. Just click the Printer icon and a PDF will be generated in real time for you to save.
Here you also find the PDF English language Plüsch, Power & Plunder Character Sheet.
Plush, Power, Plunder - Rule notes and House rules
Character Creation
House rule: The player can roll his stats or take 3 on all of them.
Basic Stat x5 = Roll Stat
House Rule: Basic Stat x7 = Roll Stat [Should make beginner characters fail less in One Shot]
Skill Checks
Spending 1 point of Plushdurance adds 2 to the dice result.
Spending 1 Plush Point also add 2. You can only use that in body stuff though.
You are elegant if you are 20 points below the expected roll.
If you are able to pull of a skill use you have to spend the ammount of Plushdurance points written next to it.
You loose half the Plushdurance points, if you fail the roll.
Combat
Highest Courage creature acts first.
1 defense / round.
Distance:
Attacker's (Weapon Damage + Agility Base) - Defender's Strength Base
House Rule: The defender can use his weapon to block and adds it to the his definding score.
Melee:
Attacker's (Weapon Damage + Strength Base) - Defender's (Weapon Damage + Strength Base)
The defender causes damage if the result is negative!
House rule: Disarm: If attacker has no weapon, he is able to grab the opponents weapon if he causes any damage. Both roll strengths as soon as one fails and the other one succeeds in the same round, the winner has the weapon.
Multiple opponents: against the 3rd attacker (and 4th, 5th, etc.) you can't add your weapon damage when checking for damage.
Damage and Regaining Power
If you loose all your Plush Points you are KO for 2d6 minutes. After waking up, you have regained 5 Plush Points.
Further attacks remove 1 Cutie Points. You also loose 1 Cutie Point if go KO 3 times the same day.
Resting 8 hours restores all your Plush Points and your Plushdurance.
Only the Seamstress can restore 1 Cutie Point per treatment.
House rule: The player can roll his stats or take 3 on all of them.
Basic Stat x5 = Roll Stat
House Rule: Basic Stat x7 = Roll Stat [Should make beginner characters fail less in One Shot]
Skill Checks
Spending 1 point of Plushdurance adds 2 to the dice result.
Spending 1 Plush Point also add 2. You can only use that in body stuff though.
You are elegant if you are 20 points below the expected roll.
If you are able to pull of a skill use you have to spend the ammount of Plushdurance points written next to it.
You loose half the Plushdurance points, if you fail the roll.
Combat
Highest Courage creature acts first.
1 defense / round.
Distance:
Attacker's (Weapon Damage + Agility Base) - Defender's Strength Base
House Rule: The defender can use his weapon to block and adds it to the his definding score.
Melee:
Attacker's (Weapon Damage + Strength Base) - Defender's (Weapon Damage + Strength Base)
The defender causes damage if the result is negative!
House rule: Disarm: If attacker has no weapon, he is able to grab the opponents weapon if he causes any damage. Both roll strengths as soon as one fails and the other one succeeds in the same round, the winner has the weapon.
Multiple opponents: against the 3rd attacker (and 4th, 5th, etc.) you can't add your weapon damage when checking for damage.
Damage and Regaining Power
If you loose all your Plush Points you are KO for 2d6 minutes. After waking up, you have regained 5 Plush Points.
Further attacks remove 1 Cutie Points. You also loose 1 Cutie Point if go KO 3 times the same day.
Resting 8 hours restores all your Plush Points and your Plushdurance.
Only the Seamstress can restore 1 Cutie Point per treatment.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Wizards of the Coast's Dungeons & Dragons PDFs
All the free Dungeons & Dragons PDFs Wizards of the Coast offers.
Here are the free 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons 1st level sample character PDFs:
Dwarf Fighter (Martial Defender)
Dragonborn Paladin (Divine Defender)
Half-Elf Cleric (Divine Leader)
Halfling Rogue (Martial Striker)
Human Wizard (Arcane Controller)
Tiefling Warlord (Martial Leader)
Setting specific:
Longtooth Shifter Cleric (Divine Leader)
Warforged Paladin (Divine Defender)
D&D 4th Edition Errata at wizards.com:
Player's Handbook 4th Errata
Dungeon Master's Guide 4th Errata
Monster Manual 4th Errata
Here are the free 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons 1st level sample character PDFs:
Dwarf Fighter (Martial Defender)
Dragonborn Paladin (Divine Defender)
Half-Elf Cleric (Divine Leader)
Halfling Rogue (Martial Striker)
Human Wizard (Arcane Controller)
Tiefling Warlord (Martial Leader)
Setting specific:
Longtooth Shifter Cleric (Divine Leader)
Warforged Paladin (Divine Defender)
D&D 4th Edition Errata at wizards.com:
Player's Handbook 4th Errata
Dungeon Master's Guide 4th Errata
Monster Manual 4th Errata
Plush, Power and Plunder - The English translation
Here we go with the translations from German I have chosen for the different game terms of Plüsch, Power and Plunder. I did not change the order to be alphabetic in English as the way it is, it will be easier to find it in the German language rule book.
IQ (Intelligenz)
Courage (Mut)
Strength (Stärke)
Agility (Geschicklichkeit)
Cutie Points (Knuddelwert)
Plush Points (Plüschpunkte)
Plushdurance (Pfriemelpunkte)
Wollworth $ (Wollworther Dukaten)
Weight Capacity (Tragkraft)
Rolling* 4
Ventriloquism 5
Persuasion 5
Berserk 5
Chemistry 9
Electronics 9
Drive Toy Vehicles 5
Trap Building 4
Shooting and Throwing 8
Dexterity (Finger stuff) 5
Fly* 10
Language, Additional 5
Bouncing Ball* 5
Growing Hair (and loosing it)* 4
Hacking 8
Healing 1/Plushpoint; 5
Smashing Weapons
Jump High 4
Hypnosis 10
Detachable Eye* 10
[Magic*]
Mechanics 9
Knowledge of Human Nature 8
Night Vision 6
Robbing Plushdurance* 5
Brawling 8
Ride Animal 4
Acting 5
Stealth 5
Pick Locks 5
Fine Arts 5
Reading (automatic with IQ 8) 7
Skateboarding 5
Swim 15
Ropes 5
Jump: Landing and Wide 4
Tracking 6
Pole Jumping 5
Pointed and Sharp Weapons 8
Camouflage 4
Climb Stairs 6
Open doors 6
Defense 6
[Voom-Ua*]
Skills with * can be only used, if studied. All others can be used with 10% chance of success by anyone.
IQ (Intelligenz)
Courage (Mut)
Strength (Stärke)
Agility (Geschicklichkeit)
Cutie Points (Knuddelwert)
Plush Points (Plüschpunkte)
Plushdurance (Pfriemelpunkte)
Wollworth $ (Wollworther Dukaten)
Weight Capacity (Tragkraft)
Rolling* 4
Ventriloquism 5
Persuasion 5
Berserk 5
Chemistry 9
Electronics 9
Drive Toy Vehicles 5
Trap Building 4
Shooting and Throwing 8
Dexterity (Finger stuff) 5
Fly* 10
Language, Additional 5
Bouncing Ball* 5
Growing Hair (and loosing it)* 4
Hacking 8
Healing 1/Plushpoint; 5
Smashing Weapons
Jump High 4
Hypnosis 10
Detachable Eye* 10
[Magic*]
Mechanics 9
Knowledge of Human Nature 8
Night Vision 6
Robbing Plushdurance* 5
Brawling 8
Ride Animal 4
Acting 5
Stealth 5
Pick Locks 5
Fine Arts 5
Reading (automatic with IQ 8) 7
Skateboarding 5
Swim 15
Ropes 5
Jump: Landing and Wide 4
Tracking 6
Pole Jumping 5
Pointed and Sharp Weapons 8
Camouflage 4
Climb Stairs 6
Open doors 6
Defense 6
[Voom-Ua*]
Skills with * can be only used, if studied. All others can be used with 10% chance of success by anyone.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Free Savage Worlds Character Cards PDF Files (PDFs)
Here you find the free download of the Savage Worlds Character Cards as A4 pdf files.
There is the GM (Gamemaster) overview pdf for people who want to keep the info on an A4 sheet
and the Cut and Fold pdf for those who prefer to use real credit card sized cards and are not into using glue.
If you want to know how to fill those up, just check my blogpost with stat examples.
Here are the links to the free PDF files:
Savage Worlds Cut and Fold Character Cards PDFs in A4 format
(Sorry, PDF links are broken at the moment, but have a look at the bottom of the post, for alternatives!)
Savage Worlds Cut and Fold Character Cards PDFs in A4 format
Savage Worlds GM Overview Character Cards PDFs in A4 format
I have to admit, I have to find the pdfs somewhere on a external hard disk. In mean time, you could use these:
Savage Worlds Mini Character Sheets
And those look far better than mine, although they are in German:
Savage Worls Stat Block Cards (pdf)
There is the GM (Gamemaster) overview pdf for people who want to keep the info on an A4 sheet
 |
and the Cut and Fold pdf for those who prefer to use real credit card sized cards and are not into using glue.
 |
If you want to know how to fill those up, just check my blogpost with stat examples.
Here are the links to the free PDF files:
Savage Worlds Cut and Fold Character Cards PDFs in A4 format
Savage Worlds GM Overview Character Cards PDFs in A4 format
Savage Worlds Mini Character Sheets
And those look far better than mine, although they are in German:
Savage Worls Stat Block Cards (pdf)
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Savage Worlds Character Cards (Mini Character Sheets)
After I created them in 2005, it is finally about time I make them public.
First I show you an example of a filled out Combat Card.
The front has all stats important for combat:
If you wonder what the different symbols and numbers mean exactly, here is the legend:
On the back you find the basic Attributes as well as the most important 10 Skills, Edges and Attributes. You can add modifiers from Edges or Charisma right behind the skill, if you want.
And here are finally the blank jpgs. Downloading the A4 pdfs for printing probably will be more comfortable.
Here you find the free download of the Savage Worlds Character Cards as A4 pdf files.
First I show you an example of a filled out Combat Card.
The front has all stats important for combat:
 |
If you wonder what the different symbols and numbers mean exactly, here is the legend:
 |
On the back you find the basic Attributes as well as the most important 10 Skills, Edges and Attributes. You can add modifiers from Edges or Charisma right behind the skill, if you want.
 |
And here are finally the blank jpgs. Downloading the A4 pdfs for printing probably will be more comfortable.
 |
 |
Here you find the free download of the Savage Worlds Character Cards as A4 pdf files.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
I am an Instigator
I know it at least since I read the D&D 4th Edition Dungeon Master's Guide in June, but now that I found the text online, I can share it with my coplayers.
I love being an Instigator - with capital "I". :)
As a teenage GM I hated my brother to be an instigator though.
I love being an Instigator - with capital "I". :)
Instigator
An instigator enjoys making things happen. She has no patience for careful planning or deliberation. She’ll open an obviously trapped chest “just to see what happens.” She provokes authority figures and opens dungeon doors to bring more monsters into an already difficult fight. The instigator loves the vicarious thrill taking enormous risks and sometimes just making bad choices.
The instigator can be disruptive, but she can also be a lot of fun for the other players. Things rarely grind to a halt with an instigator in the group, and the stories that get retold after the game session often revolve around whatever crazy thing the instigator did this week.
AN INSTIGATOR:
Likes to make things happen.
Takes crazy risks and makes deliberately bad choices.
Thrives in combat and dislikes having nothing to do.
Takes decisive action when things grind to a halt.
As a teenage GM I hated my brother to be an instigator though.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Klaudia Wisch - Minigolf Journalist
Race: Human (additional Edge)
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d4, Intimidation d6, Investigation d6, Persuasion d6, Notice d6, Shooting d4, Stealth d4, Streetwise d4, Swimming d4, Taunt d6, Tracking d4
Charisma: 0; Pace: 6+d6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Habit (Smoking); Anemic, Stubborn
Edges: Strong Willed (+2 Intimidate, +2 Taunt)
Gear: Minigolf Club; AK-47; Laptop; 50$
Miss Wisch is a 26 years old Austrian journalist with a love for cigarettes and minigolf. She is a strong willed allrounder and has read the Zombie Survival Guide. She also speaks some Russian. She is in charge of a cat called Ivan Jasper and a boy friend called Nickel Peck. He helps her to download everything.
Disclaimer: This is not Claudia Zettel!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Plüsch, Power und Plunder: Hospital
I plan a one shot adventure and have the following basic idea:
The stuffed toy player characters all belong to the same kid (Peter) and are taken together with him/her from kinderzimmer paradise to hospital. In the children's department of hospital you have plenty of plush bullying and plushtrique going on. There are a lot of rooms and each has it's own power structure which is interwoven with the rest.
And there are the carts of the cleaning ladies and the mysterious freight elevators to cleaning powder purgatory and/or trash land. Maybe even some mice...
Actually this sounds pretty Foucault and I will also add some noirish elements, as noir was my first idea.
Locations:
Above the steerages of the children's department, the Plushies (my translation of "Plüschis"), have their hide out. The room structure is the same as below, as this is an old building (19th century).
A hoist takes you down to the washing basement, but there is also a pipe slide.
Only 2 minions of the Pin have the keys - and obviously the nurses (in the nurse room. (At night there is only one for the whole department.)
Washing basement also has steerages and is overseen by the Brain with 1d6 minions and the more outsider spider Shelob.
Player Handout Map:
Note that the hoist and pipe were moved around the corner on the player handout map and that you should probably use this version.
Player Handout Map for Plush, Power & Plunder Hospital as PDF
Important NPCs:
First encounters:
Plush robot (from kid who arrived one day earlier) Dusk who is beaten up and later on turns washing powder addicted
+ Plush smurfette with similar fate
The Kingpin - short the Pin: he is the ruler of the hospital and hides in a crack of the wall in the boiler room. His minions run the business for him. Plush lemur mouse
His bodyguard are 3 plush pandas - masters of Voom-Ua. 3 plush pandas
The 2 Elevator Sentries: beefy minions of the Kingpin.
A big plush spider named Shelob is guarding the basement elevator door. Plush spider picture
The pipe and upper door are guarded by "the Thing" an imposing green monster. That scratches the ceiling when walking around. Green plush monster picture
The Brain - plus gamepad - that oversees drug mixing in washing basement
The Prophet, who talks about hope and the kinderzimmer paradise. Plush beaver
Big Stompers (aka humans): 4 nurses and a doctor during the day; only one nurse during the night; the night nurse brings to security guys, in case she gets scarred by strange noises... Random kids
Ivan Jasper, the cat. A neutered psycho tomcat that is held in the children's department to cheer up the kids and has it's own cat room.
Random Encounter Tables
All encounters should make notice rolls, if they see the PC Plushies - hard ones if the plushies are cautious.
After each encounter there is a 80% chance that nothing happens long enough, that the PCs can sneak by.
By-standers:
Plush organs
Plush microbes
Plush roadkill
Plush skeleton girl
Side plots: the Pin wants to poison Peter, so that the PCs have no way back to kinderzimmer paradise
Stats:
NPC stats for Plush, Power & Plunder - Hospital as PDF
The stuffed toy player characters all belong to the same kid (Peter) and are taken together with him/her from kinderzimmer paradise to hospital. In the children's department of hospital you have plenty of plush bullying and plushtrique going on. There are a lot of rooms and each has it's own power structure which is interwoven with the rest.
And there are the carts of the cleaning ladies and the mysterious freight elevators to cleaning powder purgatory and/or trash land. Maybe even some mice...
Actually this sounds pretty Foucault and I will also add some noirish elements, as noir was my first idea.
Locations:
 |
Above the steerages of the children's department, the Plushies (my translation of "Plüschis"), have their hide out. The room structure is the same as below, as this is an old building (19th century).
A hoist takes you down to the washing basement, but there is also a pipe slide.
Only 2 minions of the Pin have the keys - and obviously the nurses (in the nurse room. (At night there is only one for the whole department.)
Washing basement also has steerages and is overseen by the Brain with 1d6 minions and the more outsider spider Shelob.
Player Handout Map:
Note that the hoist and pipe were moved around the corner on the player handout map and that you should probably use this version.
Player Handout Map for Plush, Power & Plunder Hospital as PDF
Important NPCs:
First encounters:
Plush robot (from kid who arrived one day earlier) Dusk who is beaten up and later on turns washing powder addicted
+ Plush smurfette with similar fate
The Kingpin - short the Pin: he is the ruler of the hospital and hides in a crack of the wall in the boiler room. His minions run the business for him. Plush lemur mouse
His bodyguard are 3 plush pandas - masters of Voom-Ua. 3 plush pandas
The 2 Elevator Sentries: beefy minions of the Kingpin.
A big plush spider named Shelob is guarding the basement elevator door. Plush spider picture
The pipe and upper door are guarded by "the Thing" an imposing green monster. That scratches the ceiling when walking around. Green plush monster picture
The Brain - plus gamepad - that oversees drug mixing in washing basement
The Prophet, who talks about hope and the kinderzimmer paradise. Plush beaver
Big Stompers (aka humans): 4 nurses and a doctor during the day; only one nurse during the night; the night nurse brings to security guys, in case she gets scarred by strange noises... Random kids
Ivan Jasper, the cat. A neutered psycho tomcat that is held in the children's department to cheer up the kids and has it's own cat room.
Random Encounter Tables
All encounters should make notice rolls, if they see the PC Plushies - hard ones if the plushies are cautious.
After each encounter there is a 80% chance that nothing happens long enough, that the PCs can sneak by.
By-standers:
Plush organs
Plush microbes
Plush roadkill
Plush skeleton girl
Side plots: the Pin wants to poison Peter, so that the PCs have no way back to kinderzimmer paradise
Stats:
NPC stats for Plush, Power & Plunder - Hospital as PDF
Sunday, November 16, 2008
My Setting Ideas
Beacon Star (working title) - Contemporariy PCs find a space ship and are let loose on the world with this high technology. A game about social change and space exploration. (Could also work as Primetime Adventures game...)
Tearsworld Tyrsworld Treenewelt - Kitchensink Setting on a world that is bound to the 19 Earths
Castle Torswald - German based Torchwood rip off that has magic instead of scifi back ground
Toy Brigade - Savage Worlds of living toys in the world of now; inspired by Plüsch, Power and Plunder
Tearsworld Tyrsworld Treenewelt - Kitchensink Setting on a world that is bound to the 19 Earths
Castle Torswald - German based Torchwood rip off that has magic instead of scifi back ground
Toy Brigade - Savage Worlds of living toys in the world of now; inspired by Plüsch, Power and Plunder
My PBeM characters
PBeM means obviously Play By eMail. From 1997 until 2005 this was my main playing mode. I was running a lot of games as GM. This here is a list of characters I played, when being in someone else's game.
The characters are obviously all inactive.
Sintflut - Growing Liquid Nun Super Hero (Mutants and Masterminds in a forum RPG on baydragons.com, 2003)
Aressa Fokker - Reporter with flying camera droid (2 short lived freeform Star Wars games, 200x)
Marble Shark - I don't remember this character to well, but he was a young European super hero who could turn to stone, had a pony tail and I guess superspeed under water. (freeform, 200x)
Naga - Female mutant snake (TMNT, 200x) was rejected by the 2 player group
White Deer - Alien Weredeer Super Hero (freeform called Radiant City, 2000)
(Radian City: Actually I also had a second character called Emo Kid / Emo Boy I never played there. In 2000 Emo was not about black clothes btw ;) )
Spielball - Nightspawn Exchange Student with puppet Morphus (Nightbane, 1998)
Topsider battle philosopher (Perry Rhodan freeform, 1998 I guess)
Quicksilver - Rich, growing liquid super hero (Heroes Unlimited, 1997) - IRC not Email
The characters are obviously all inactive.
Sintflut - Growing Liquid Nun Super Hero (Mutants and Masterminds in a forum RPG on baydragons.com, 2003)
Aressa Fokker - Reporter with flying camera droid (2 short lived freeform Star Wars games, 200x)
Marble Shark - I don't remember this character to well, but he was a young European super hero who could turn to stone, had a pony tail and I guess superspeed under water. (freeform, 200x)
Naga - Female mutant snake (TMNT, 200x) was rejected by the 2 player group
White Deer - Alien Weredeer Super Hero (freeform called Radiant City, 2000)
(Radian City: Actually I also had a second character called Emo Kid / Emo Boy I never played there. In 2000 Emo was not about black clothes btw ;) )
Spielball - Nightspawn Exchange Student with puppet Morphus (Nightbane, 1998)
Topsider battle philosopher (Perry Rhodan freeform, 1998 I guess)
Quicksilver - Rich, growing liquid super hero (Heroes Unlimited, 1997) - IRC not Email
Savage Worlds Character Templates
Here you find a list of 0 XP Savage Worlds characters that you can use for instant gaming. Obviously all this characters are fictional. :)
Fantasy
Akaradolk - Dwarven Fighter
Astner - Human Cleric
Beta Flatfinger - Lucky Halfling
Carl Osdracen - Human Swordmage
Jorgindel - Spellcasting Elven Archer
Kirla D'sa - Human Warrior
Leopold von Stadt - Young Wizard
Praterkarli - City Thief
Modern Day (or even Western and Science Fiction)
Vitus Bowman - Hillbilly Brute
Al Cooper - Fat biker
Edwin Downing - Nerdy Gun Nut
Debbie Sheehan - Teenage Cheerleader
Der Spielaffe - Gorilla Playboy
Claudia Zettel - Minigolf Journalist
Slipstream (Pulp Science Fiction)
800-85 - Feminine Robot Man
Rex Plosion - Psi Kid
Awesome Welles - Melancholic Action Hero
Fantasy
Akaradolk - Dwarven Fighter
Astner - Human Cleric
Beta Flatfinger - Lucky Halfling
Carl Osdracen - Human Swordmage
Jorgindel - Spellcasting Elven Archer
Kirla D'sa - Human Warrior
Leopold von Stadt - Young Wizard
Praterkarli - City Thief
Modern Day (or even Western and Science Fiction)
Vitus Bowman - Hillbilly Brute
Al Cooper - Fat biker
Edwin Downing - Nerdy Gun Nut
Debbie Sheehan - Teenage Cheerleader
Der Spielaffe - Gorilla Playboy
Claudia Zettel - Minigolf Journalist
Slipstream (Pulp Science Fiction)
800-85 - Feminine Robot Man
Rex Plosion - Psi Kid
Awesome Welles - Melancholic Action Hero
Edwin Downing - Nerdy gun nut
Race: Human (additional Edge)
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d4, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d4, Driving d4, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Notice d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d6, Swimming d4, Throwing d6
Charisma: -2; Pace: 6+d6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Arrogant; Outsider, Phobia (kids)
Edges: Danger Sense
Gear: 500$
Description: Edwin Downing always preferred to stay home, instead of playing with other kids. He thought they were creepy and he was disgusted by them. He was happy, when he could drop out of school to take care for his sick mother. He does not like people, even now that he owns a gun range. And he is sure, he is the best sniper there is.
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d4, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d4, Driving d4, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Notice d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d6, Swimming d4, Throwing d6
Charisma: -2; Pace: 6+d6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Arrogant; Outsider, Phobia (kids)
Edges: Danger Sense
Gear: 500$
Description: Edwin Downing always preferred to stay home, instead of playing with other kids. He thought they were creepy and he was disgusted by them. He was happy, when he could drop out of school to take care for his sick mother. He does not like people, even now that he owns a gun range. And he is sure, he is the best sniper there is.
Debbie Sheehan - Teenage Cheerleader
Race: Human (additional Edge)
Attributes: Agility d8(+2), Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d6, Driving d4, Fighting d6, Guts d4-2, Healing d4, Notice d4, Persuasion d6+2, Shooting d4, Stealth d4, Swimming d6, Survival d4, Throwing d6
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6+d10; Parry: 6 (5 with encumbrance); Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Yellow; Greedy (minor), Quirk (call the team spirit)
Edges: Attractive, Acrobat, Fleet-footed
Gear: 500$
Description: Debbie is a proud, young high school cheerleader. She is not really prepared for the things to come soon, but at least she is athletic, fast and trusting the team spirit.
Attributes: Agility d8(+2), Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d6, Driving d4, Fighting d6, Guts d4-2, Healing d4, Notice d4, Persuasion d6+2, Shooting d4, Stealth d4, Swimming d6, Survival d4, Throwing d6
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6+d10; Parry: 6 (5 with encumbrance); Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Yellow; Greedy (minor), Quirk (call the team spirit)
Edges: Attractive, Acrobat, Fleet-footed
Gear: 500$
Description: Debbie is a proud, young high school cheerleader. She is not really prepared for the things to come soon, but at least she is athletic, fast and trusting the team spirit.
Al Cooper - Fat biker
Race: Human (additional Edge)
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d4, Driving d4, Fighting d6, Gambling d4, Guts d6, Intimidation d4, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Repair d6, Shooting d4, Stealth d4, Streetwise d6, Survival d4, Swimming d4, Throwing d4,
Charisma: 0; Pace: 5+d4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Heroic; Obese, Habit (Heavy Smoker)
Edges: Ace
Gear: 500$
Description: Al Cooper is a heavy-weight biker guy, who never left his city. He is already nearly 40 years old, but till now he was mostly hanging out or driving in circles.
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d4, Driving d4, Fighting d6, Gambling d4, Guts d6, Intimidation d4, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Repair d6, Shooting d4, Stealth d4, Streetwise d6, Survival d4, Swimming d4, Throwing d4,
Charisma: 0; Pace: 5+d4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Heroic; Obese, Habit (Heavy Smoker)
Edges: Ace
Gear: 500$
Description: Al Cooper is a heavy-weight biker guy, who never left his city. He is already nearly 40 years old, but till now he was mostly hanging out or driving in circles.
Vitus Bowman - Hillbilly Brute
Race: Human (additional Edge)
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d6, Guts d4, Intimidation d6, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Riding d4, Shooting d4, Stealth d4, Swimming d4, Survival d4, Throwing d4, Tracking d4
Charisma: -4 Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7
Hindrances: Clueless; Outsider, Ugly
Edges: Nerves of Steel, Brawny
Gear: 500$ in form of an old family bible, a goat and a stick.
Description: Vitus comes from a small farm in the mountains. After all his family died, and he was on his own, he wandered out in the world. He does not know about the worth of his bible, but would not sell it anyways - under normal conditions.
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d6, Guts d4, Intimidation d6, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Riding d4, Shooting d4, Stealth d4, Swimming d4, Survival d4, Throwing d4, Tracking d4
Charisma: -4 Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7
Hindrances: Clueless; Outsider, Ugly
Edges: Nerves of Steel, Brawny
Gear: 500$ in form of an old family bible, a goat and a stick.
Description: Vitus comes from a small farm in the mountains. After all his family died, and he was on his own, he wandered out in the world. He does not know about the worth of his bible, but would not sell it anyways - under normal conditions.
Savage City: Wolfram Pertl, The City’s Richest Merchant (Wildcard)
Wolfram Pertl looks like an emaciated, humble old man in a modest tunic. A stranger could even think he was a beggar, but everyone in town knows he is the richest merchant of the region. Wolfram makes his home at Location 11.
Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d10, Spirit d10, Strength d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d10, Guts d10, Intimidation d8, Knowledge (Trade) d10, Notice d10, Persuasion d10, Steetwise d6, Taunt d6
Charisma: +2; Pace: 4 (+d4); Parry: 7; Tougness: 6
Hindrance: Lame, Wanted (minor)
Edge: Charismatic, Alertness, First Strike, Command
As a young man Wolfram Pertl was one of the Spider Knights. This order ruled the east with an iron fist and the power of an ancient evil. In the last days of its reign, Wolfram realized what he was doing. He ran off days before the Union of Freedom was founded.
He could have redeemed himself by joining the Union, but he had promised his pregnant wife that her protection would have priority over saving his very soul. So they settled in the ruins that would become the Savage City, with riches stolen from the Spider Knights. Nobody asked questions here, and later their son Elin Pertl was born. This happened before Sir Hensley II appeared. When the Spider Slayers started to roam the lands for the escaped knights a decade later, Wolfram had already built a fortune by trading. He even gave one-third of his earnings to the poor and one-third to the gods, by way of the temples. Around this time the 35-year-old merchant decided to risk a desperate move to get rid of his Knight Aura: an alchemist from afar offered him help. In a ritual the alchemist ripped out the aura—literally.
The once mighty warrior was crippled, but he hurled the source of the aura, the Spider Gem, into Shark Lake, hoping to leave behind the evil ways of his youth forever. Another decade has passed since then, and Wolfram spends most of his days walking around the marketplace, leaned over his stick, or instructing his agents. He looks much older than he really is. Still, most of his scars are hidden under his modest tunic. He loves to talk to strangers and ask them about their travels. He does not need to spend a lot of time with his business anymore, as everything is set up and most of the money comes from the long-distance trade of spices and other ingredients. Sometimes, though, he likes to choose the caravan escorts personally.
Wolfram Pertl is harmless nowadays and loathes everything evil or chaotic. He is a conservative and religious man. He would never, for example, lend money to anyone because he regards this as a sin.
Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d10, Spirit d10, Strength d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d10, Guts d10, Intimidation d8, Knowledge (Trade) d10, Notice d10, Persuasion d10, Steetwise d6, Taunt d6
Charisma: +2; Pace: 4 (+d4); Parry: 7; Tougness: 6
Hindrance: Lame, Wanted (minor)
Edge: Charismatic, Alertness, First Strike, Command
As a young man Wolfram Pertl was one of the Spider Knights. This order ruled the east with an iron fist and the power of an ancient evil. In the last days of its reign, Wolfram realized what he was doing. He ran off days before the Union of Freedom was founded.
He could have redeemed himself by joining the Union, but he had promised his pregnant wife that her protection would have priority over saving his very soul. So they settled in the ruins that would become the Savage City, with riches stolen from the Spider Knights. Nobody asked questions here, and later their son Elin Pertl was born. This happened before Sir Hensley II appeared. When the Spider Slayers started to roam the lands for the escaped knights a decade later, Wolfram had already built a fortune by trading. He even gave one-third of his earnings to the poor and one-third to the gods, by way of the temples. Around this time the 35-year-old merchant decided to risk a desperate move to get rid of his Knight Aura: an alchemist from afar offered him help. In a ritual the alchemist ripped out the aura—literally.
The once mighty warrior was crippled, but he hurled the source of the aura, the Spider Gem, into Shark Lake, hoping to leave behind the evil ways of his youth forever. Another decade has passed since then, and Wolfram spends most of his days walking around the marketplace, leaned over his stick, or instructing his agents. He looks much older than he really is. Still, most of his scars are hidden under his modest tunic. He loves to talk to strangers and ask them about their travels. He does not need to spend a lot of time with his business anymore, as everything is set up and most of the money comes from the long-distance trade of spices and other ingredients. Sometimes, though, he likes to choose the caravan escorts personally.
Wolfram Pertl is harmless nowadays and loathes everything evil or chaotic. He is a conservative and religious man. He would never, for example, lend money to anyone because he regards this as a sin.
Savage City: Elin Pertl, Wolfram’s Son (Wildcard)
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d6, Driving d10, Fighting d8, Gambling d6, Persuasion d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d6, Streetwise d10, Taunt d6
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughess: 5
Hindrances: Yellow (Guts d4–4)
Edges: Attractive
Some call him the best catch in town, others a spoiled brat. Whatever side you belong to, everyone has an opinion on Elin Pertl, the only son of the richest merchant Wolfram Pertl. Elin is a handsome and athletic man and turned 20 recently. He is a skilled fencer and even better horseman, driving a two-wheeled curricle. Still, he would be a coward in a real fight. People with experience notice that within a minute.
Nevertheless he has achieved everything he ever wanted to. He just did not need to put much effort into anything. People say he exploits his father, using the old man’s money for the yearly spring, summer, autumn and winter festivals that have turned from religious ceremonies into carnivals.
But Elin feels no guilt for wasting his father’s money, since he knows how dirty the basis of all this wealth is. When he was still a boy, he became secret witness to the ceremony that crippled his father. Watching would not have been enough for Elin to hate Wolfram though. But that fateful night the curious kid secretly exchanged the magic Spider Gem for a similar-looking, but harmless, shard of colored glass, while the alchemist tried to revive his father. Elin hid the Spider Gem in the deep well in the cellar of his father’s house. Whenever he would climb down there and press the magic stone against his forehead, he could see and feel the past crimes of his father.
While Elin confronted Wolfram with his dark past, the former Spider Knight does not know that Elin exchanged the gems. Elin would prefer to die than to tell a stranger about his father’s crimes though. On this subject he is not cowardly at all. It is quite possible that his personality will change drastically if his father is openly accused. Elin does not believe his father changed into a good man, but believes that you have to stick to your family. He is unable to understand the the paradox of his own behavior.
Elin spends most of the time chasing girls or racing the countryside. He sees other young and talented people as rivals, or uses them as a means to play tricks on his father.
Skills: Climbing d6, Driving d10, Fighting d8, Gambling d6, Persuasion d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d6, Streetwise d10, Taunt d6
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughess: 5
Hindrances: Yellow (Guts d4–4)
Edges: Attractive
Some call him the best catch in town, others a spoiled brat. Whatever side you belong to, everyone has an opinion on Elin Pertl, the only son of the richest merchant Wolfram Pertl. Elin is a handsome and athletic man and turned 20 recently. He is a skilled fencer and even better horseman, driving a two-wheeled curricle. Still, he would be a coward in a real fight. People with experience notice that within a minute.
Nevertheless he has achieved everything he ever wanted to. He just did not need to put much effort into anything. People say he exploits his father, using the old man’s money for the yearly spring, summer, autumn and winter festivals that have turned from religious ceremonies into carnivals.
But Elin feels no guilt for wasting his father’s money, since he knows how dirty the basis of all this wealth is. When he was still a boy, he became secret witness to the ceremony that crippled his father. Watching would not have been enough for Elin to hate Wolfram though. But that fateful night the curious kid secretly exchanged the magic Spider Gem for a similar-looking, but harmless, shard of colored glass, while the alchemist tried to revive his father. Elin hid the Spider Gem in the deep well in the cellar of his father’s house. Whenever he would climb down there and press the magic stone against his forehead, he could see and feel the past crimes of his father.
While Elin confronted Wolfram with his dark past, the former Spider Knight does not know that Elin exchanged the gems. Elin would prefer to die than to tell a stranger about his father’s crimes though. On this subject he is not cowardly at all. It is quite possible that his personality will change drastically if his father is openly accused. Elin does not believe his father changed into a good man, but believes that you have to stick to your family. He is unable to understand the the paradox of his own behavior.
Elin spends most of the time chasing girls or racing the countryside. He sees other young and talented people as rivals, or uses them as a means to play tricks on his father.
Savage City: The Market Square
This was created by me as part of the cooperative Savage City project. You can find it in an old Sharkbyte issue.
I described the market square, the richest merchant in town and his son. Somewhere on my harddisk there should be still infos on the wife/mother.
The market square is surrounded by some of the biggest buildings in town. The farmers and fishermen of the region sell their goods here twice a week. But even on other days a few kids and elders are sent to make some coins.
It is not unusual to have the occasional stranger from faraway lands at the market either. These people are normally guests of Wolfram Pertl, the richest merchant in town. Even if there are no strangers, who the street kids point at, one can find all the goods not locally produced at the stands of Pertl’s agents: spices, as well as rare weapons and sometimes even a potion or two.
Except for the wooden stands the paved square has two further attractions to offer: the guardian statue and the stocks.
The statue is called “The Armless Guardian,” as it is that of a warrior. It seems to be quite old and even the scholars have no idea who could have build it. Only the features of the warrior’s face seem beaten by centuries of weather as
the rest of the statue is in perfect condition—except for the missing arms. The townspeople regularly try to fix this flaw, but no matter how inventive or costly the restorations, after a few days the new arms simply fall off.
Still the statue serves its function as a symbol for the city’s rights because the guardian of stone carries a sword. The sword is not held in the missing hands, but is fixed to the back of its head, by the handle. The blade rises far above the guardian’s features. The very same scholars that cannot tell you about its origin will tell you that the shadow of the sword has to point somewhere when the sun is at a certain level.
By contrast the stocks are not mysterious at all. They are regularly filled with petty criminals and attract a crowd of mainly poor kids and nosy women. Only in rare cases, when the city guard exhibits a goblin or another unusual creature, do the stocks get more attention.
I described the market square, the richest merchant in town and his son. Somewhere on my harddisk there should be still infos on the wife/mother.
The market square is surrounded by some of the biggest buildings in town. The farmers and fishermen of the region sell their goods here twice a week. But even on other days a few kids and elders are sent to make some coins.
It is not unusual to have the occasional stranger from faraway lands at the market either. These people are normally guests of Wolfram Pertl, the richest merchant in town. Even if there are no strangers, who the street kids point at, one can find all the goods not locally produced at the stands of Pertl’s agents: spices, as well as rare weapons and sometimes even a potion or two.
Except for the wooden stands the paved square has two further attractions to offer: the guardian statue and the stocks.
The statue is called “The Armless Guardian,” as it is that of a warrior. It seems to be quite old and even the scholars have no idea who could have build it. Only the features of the warrior’s face seem beaten by centuries of weather as
the rest of the statue is in perfect condition—except for the missing arms. The townspeople regularly try to fix this flaw, but no matter how inventive or costly the restorations, after a few days the new arms simply fall off.
Still the statue serves its function as a symbol for the city’s rights because the guardian of stone carries a sword. The sword is not held in the missing hands, but is fixed to the back of its head, by the handle. The blade rises far above the guardian’s features. The very same scholars that cannot tell you about its origin will tell you that the shadow of the sword has to point somewhere when the sun is at a certain level.
By contrast the stocks are not mysterious at all. They are regularly filled with petty criminals and attract a crowd of mainly poor kids and nosy women. Only in rare cases, when the city guard exhibits a goblin or another unusual creature, do the stocks get more attention.
Brulus Character Index
Brulus' development from Novice to (hopefully) Legendary, as well as his whole write up
Brulus' stats in the Luftenwelter wiki
Potential long term goals for Brulus
Brulus' background
Early Draft (background and stats)
Brulus' stats in the Luftenwelter wiki
Potential long term goals for Brulus
Brulus' background
Early Draft (background and stats)
Synnibarr, Synibarr, Synnibar or Synibar?
When searching for Synnibarr resources on search engines, I realized that people often get the name wrong. That's a pity, because actually there is not too much info on the World of Synnibarr anyways. Yes, double "n" and double "r" is the way Raven c.s. McCracken meant it to be spelled!
Synibarr would sound like a lame 90ies kewlization of "sin".
Synnibar like a lame 90ies kewlization of "sin bar".
Synibar takes the worst of both. We know those efforts are not in the spirit of the Raven McCracken's RPG, right? :-O
As long as noone goes for "Sinibar", I can still stand the pain.
Anyways: the link has my resources on the World of Synnibarr.
And here you find the World of Synnibarr Facebook Fangroup.
Synibarr would sound like a lame 90ies kewlization of "sin".
Synnibar like a lame 90ies kewlization of "sin bar".
Synibar takes the worst of both. We know those efforts are not in the spirit of the Raven McCracken's RPG, right? :-O
As long as noone goes for "Sinibar", I can still stand the pain.
Anyways: the link has my resources on the World of Synnibarr.
And here you find the World of Synnibarr Facebook Fangroup.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
My Inactive Characters
Brulus - Hunchback Alchemist (Savage Worlds Luftenwelter; 2008-2010)
Rius Divorie(†) - Fake Paladin (D&D 3.5 Nyrondria; 2008-2010)
Kondo Kazuya - Irascible Ronin (The Mountain Witch; 2009)
Hadalis - Eladrin Druid with White Snake Form (D&D4 RPTools & Skype Online Game; 2009)
Helicaon, son of Hercules, man-killer - naked greek quarter-divine with helmet, shield and spear (Agon; 2009)
Tailor Smith (†) - a human tailor (=rogue) that decided to become an adventurer after killing an ogre tailor (Castles&Crusades; 2009)
Billie Bob Autumn - Dark Space Hutterer (Serenity/Firely, 2008)
Rex Lokowski - All American Anarchist (Bloodbath, d20 systemless, 2008-2009)
Mafalda - Pilot Space Marine (Primetime Adventures: Captain, My Captain; 2008)
Troll - Regenerating Giant Monster Teenager - (Marvel Universe RPG, 2007)
Axxon Soundscape - Alien Werewolf Rockstar (Primetime Adventures, FeenCon One Shot 2007)
Dr. Ernest Saenger - 1920th Philosophical Anthropologist (Call of Cthulhu, 2007)
Blackskinned traitor prince (Fantasy with Universalis, 2007)
Morrie Morkan - Fallen Girl Turned Battle Nun (50 Fathoms, 2007)
Fat Dwarf (Microlite20, 2007)
Dirk (†) - Mustache Fighter with Hook&Rope Armour (Castles&Crusades, 2006)
Akal Wus - Sneaky Merchant Thief (D&D 3.5 Thief, 2006)
Agh - Redman Beastmaster (50 Fathoms, 2006-2007)
Apocalyptic nerd writer with phobia of rising water (Unknown Armies, 2006)
Janara Jonovian - Rich Kieran merchant girl turned Pirate Captain (50 Fathoms, 2005-2007)
Ras Baray (†) - Braggart Healer (50 Fathoms, 2005) and Ras Baray in German
Werewolf record mail order owner (Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2000)
Imp who gained a 2nd head and a pizza thanks to a Wish spell (AD&D, 2nd 1999)
Barbarian (AD&D, 2nd 1998)
Yuppie from a family of psycho apocalyptic cult owners (Contemporary Rolemaster(?), 1997)
Terandlias Onreinn Orka - Good Orc with Demon Sword (Rolemaster, around 1996)
Gay half elf with hawk (Rolemaster, around 1995)
Groggi Großohr - ochre plush elephant with knitting needle and 7'' record (Plüsch, Power and Plunder, around 1992)
Wulfram - Merchant turned Tsa worshipper after being killed by poisonous snakes and resurrected (The Dark Eye, around 1990)
Actually that are very few before 2005. That's because I was mainly GMing before meeting my new group that year.
You can find a list of my PBeM characters here.
Here are some characters that I created, but for one reason or the other were never used:
King Ludd - leader of the Luddites (50 Fathoms, never played him, 2007?) I did not want to play another leader and so went for another character in the end.
Fefitor - the dog kid I never played in the end... (Arcana Unearthed via Savage Worlds 2007?)
Humpel - the Gnome Sorcerer I never played in the end... (Dungeons & Dragons, 2006?)
Nicodemus - the last winged man (Savage Worlds) - did not fit the Arcana Unearthed campaign according to the GM...
Krabor - Rip Off from Clawful from Masters of the Universe for a superhero game (2002 or 2003)
Rius Divorie(†) - Fake Paladin (D&D 3.5 Nyrondria; 2008-2010)
Kondo Kazuya - Irascible Ronin (The Mountain Witch; 2009)
Hadalis - Eladrin Druid with White Snake Form (D&D4 RPTools & Skype Online Game; 2009)
Helicaon, son of Hercules, man-killer - naked greek quarter-divine with helmet, shield and spear (Agon; 2009)
Tailor Smith (†) - a human tailor (=rogue) that decided to become an adventurer after killing an ogre tailor (Castles&Crusades; 2009)
Billie Bob Autumn - Dark Space Hutterer (Serenity/Firely, 2008)
Rex Lokowski - All American Anarchist (Bloodbath, d20 systemless, 2008-2009)
Mafalda - Pilot Space Marine (Primetime Adventures: Captain, My Captain; 2008)
Troll - Regenerating Giant Monster Teenager - (Marvel Universe RPG, 2007)
Axxon Soundscape - Alien Werewolf Rockstar (Primetime Adventures, FeenCon One Shot 2007)
Dr. Ernest Saenger - 1920th Philosophical Anthropologist (Call of Cthulhu, 2007)
Blackskinned traitor prince (Fantasy with Universalis, 2007)
Morrie Morkan - Fallen Girl Turned Battle Nun (50 Fathoms, 2007)
Fat Dwarf (Microlite20, 2007)
Dirk (†) - Mustache Fighter with Hook&Rope Armour (Castles&Crusades, 2006)
Akal Wus - Sneaky Merchant Thief (D&D 3.5 Thief, 2006)
Agh - Redman Beastmaster (50 Fathoms, 2006-2007)
Apocalyptic nerd writer with phobia of rising water (Unknown Armies, 2006)
Janara Jonovian - Rich Kieran merchant girl turned Pirate Captain (50 Fathoms, 2005-2007)
Ras Baray (†) - Braggart Healer (50 Fathoms, 2005) and Ras Baray in German
Werewolf record mail order owner (Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2000)
Imp who gained a 2nd head and a pizza thanks to a Wish spell (AD&D, 2nd 1999)
Barbarian (AD&D, 2nd 1998)
Yuppie from a family of psycho apocalyptic cult owners (Contemporary Rolemaster(?), 1997)
Terandlias Onreinn Orka - Good Orc with Demon Sword (Rolemaster, around 1996)
Gay half elf with hawk (Rolemaster, around 1995)
Groggi Großohr - ochre plush elephant with knitting needle and 7'' record (Plüsch, Power and Plunder, around 1992)
Wulfram - Merchant turned Tsa worshipper after being killed by poisonous snakes and resurrected (The Dark Eye, around 1990)
Actually that are very few before 2005. That's because I was mainly GMing before meeting my new group that year.
You can find a list of my PBeM characters here.
Here are some characters that I created, but for one reason or the other were never used:
King Ludd - leader of the Luddites (50 Fathoms, never played him, 2007?) I did not want to play another leader and so went for another character in the end.
Fefitor - the dog kid I never played in the end... (Arcana Unearthed via Savage Worlds 2007?)
Humpel - the Gnome Sorcerer I never played in the end... (Dungeons & Dragons, 2006?)
Nicodemus - the last winged man (Savage Worlds) - did not fit the Arcana Unearthed campaign according to the GM...
Krabor - Rip Off from Clawful from Masters of the Universe for a superhero game (2002 or 2003)
My Active Characters
Abel Wellington - Excentric Artist (Primetime Adventures Online Game in Wave) 2010
Paad Ulhof - Female Human Warlord from Karrnath (D&D4 Online Eberron Game in Wave) 2009+
Paad Ulhof - Female Human Warlord from Karrnath (D&D4 Online Eberron Game in Wave) 2009+
Ras Baray - Braggart Healer
Race: Atani (50 Fathoms)
Rank: Novice XP: 11
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Healing d6+2, Fighting d6, Shooting d8, Climbing d6, Swimming d6, Flying d6, Taunt d4, Guts d4, Notice d4
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 4
Hindrances: Yellow, Garrulous, Quirk (braggart)
Edges: Healer, Musketeer, Charismatic
Gear: Musket (.75); Rapier; Bonesaw
Description: Ras Baray is a winged Atani. He is quite small for a member of his race and is the eldest son of the most respectable healer of Maroa. Nevertheless he was always more of a braggart and drinker than an achiever and the night before his final exam as a healer, he ran off on a ship, not wanting to disgrace his family. Now he serves on vessels where his mediocre talent as quack is urgently needed and where he can tell many a stranger tales of his grandeur. He swore only to return to Maroa once he is as rich as all his family combined. A hard task when most of the money ends up with the barmaids...
Rank: Novice XP: 11
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Healing d6+2, Fighting d6, Shooting d8, Climbing d6, Swimming d6, Flying d6, Taunt d4, Guts d4, Notice d4
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 4
Hindrances: Yellow, Garrulous, Quirk (braggart)
Edges: Healer, Musketeer, Charismatic
Gear: Musket (.75); Rapier; Bonesaw
Description: Ras Baray is a winged Atani. He is quite small for a member of his race and is the eldest son of the most respectable healer of Maroa. Nevertheless he was always more of a braggart and drinker than an achiever and the night before his final exam as a healer, he ran off on a ship, not wanting to disgrace his family. Now he serves on vessels where his mediocre talent as quack is urgently needed and where he can tell many a stranger tales of his grandeur. He swore only to return to Maroa once he is as rich as all his family combined. A hard task when most of the money ends up with the barmaids...
Praterkarli - City Thief
Race: Human (additional Edge)
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d8(+2), Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d6, Guts d4, Lockpicking d6, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Shooting d4, Stealth d8, Streetwise d4, Swimming d4
Pace: 6; Parry: 6 (5 with encumbrance); Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Greedy; Wanted (minor), Loyal
Edges: Thief, Acrobat
Gear: Short Sword, Leather Armor, Lockpicks (equipment is not added to Parry/Toughness yet)
Description: Praterkarli, Karli for her friends, grew up on the streets of a major city. She is greedy, but at the same time very, loyal, looking for the surrogate family she never had. She is wanted by the city guards for pickpocking and burglary.
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d8(+2), Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d6, Guts d4, Lockpicking d6, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Shooting d4, Stealth d8, Streetwise d4, Swimming d4
Pace: 6; Parry: 6 (5 with encumbrance); Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Greedy; Wanted (minor), Loyal
Edges: Thief, Acrobat
Gear: Short Sword, Leather Armor, Lockpicks (equipment is not added to Parry/Toughness yet)
Description: Praterkarli, Karli for her friends, grew up on the streets of a major city. She is greedy, but at the same time very, loyal, looking for the surrogate family she never had. She is wanted by the city guards for pickpocking and burglary.
Leopold von Stadt - Young Wizard
Race: Human (additional Edge)
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d6, Guts d4, Healing d4, Investigation d4, Knowledge (Arcane) d8, Notice d4, Persuasion d6, Riding d4, Spellcasting d8, Swimming d4
Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Yellow; Greedy, Hard of Hearing (minor)
Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Wizard
Gear: [to be added] Gear1, Gear2,
Powers:
Bolt
Fear
Detect/ Conceal Arcana
Description: Leopold is a young wizard in his early twenties. He spent most of his life in libraries and laboratories. It's hard for him to listen, because it seems a bodyless voice is always mumbling to him in an unknown language.
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d6, Guts d4, Healing d4, Investigation d4, Knowledge (Arcane) d8, Notice d4, Persuasion d6, Riding d4, Spellcasting d8, Swimming d4
Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Yellow; Greedy, Hard of Hearing (minor)
Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Wizard
Gear: [to be added] Gear1, Gear2,
Powers:
Bolt
Fear
Detect/ Conceal Arcana
Description: Leopold is a young wizard in his early twenties. He spent most of his life in libraries and laboratories. It's hard for him to listen, because it seems a bodyless voice is always mumbling to him in an unknown language.
Kirla D'sa - Human Warrior
Race: Human (additional Edge)
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agilty d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d8, Guts d6, Intimidation d4, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Riding d4, Shooting d8, Survival d4, Swimming d4
Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Code of Honour; Doubting Thomas, Enemy (minor)
Edges: Sweep
Gear: Long Sword, Large Shield (equipment is not added to Parry/Toughness yet)
Description: Kirla is a young fighter in her late teens. She just finished training at the fighters' academy of Ulrich. But she already has an enemy: when she accussed a fellow student of bullying the local peasantry, getting him banned from the academy, he secretly swore revenge. She does not trust magic.
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agilty d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d8, Guts d6, Intimidation d4, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Riding d4, Shooting d8, Survival d4, Swimming d4
Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Code of Honour; Doubting Thomas, Enemy (minor)
Edges: Sweep
Gear: Long Sword, Large Shield (equipment is not added to Parry/Toughness yet)
Description: Kirla is a young fighter in her late teens. She just finished training at the fighters' academy of Ulrich. But she already has an enemy: when she accussed a fellow student of bullying the local peasantry, getting him banned from the academy, he secretly swore revenge. She does not trust magic.
Jorgindel - Spellcasting Elven Archer
Race: Elf (Savage Worlds Rulebook)
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d6, Guts d4, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Riding d4, Shooting d8, Spellcasting d6, Stealth d4, Survival d4, Swimming d4
Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Overconfident; Pacifist (minor), Poverty; All Thumbs
Edges: Low Light Vision
Gear: Bow
Powers:
Beast Friend
Entangle
Deflection
Description: Jorgindel is the typical elf traveling with humans. She seems not to care too much about anything, but on the other hand never attacks first. Wealth has no meaning to her and she gives her belongings away regulary and spontenous, making fun of those valuing it. Beware! She just gave away her Short Sword...
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d6, Guts d4, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Riding d4, Shooting d8, Spellcasting d6, Stealth d4, Survival d4, Swimming d4
Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Overconfident; Pacifist (minor), Poverty; All Thumbs
Edges: Low Light Vision
Gear: Bow
Powers:
Beast Friend
Entangle
Deflection
Description: Jorgindel is the typical elf traveling with humans. She seems not to care too much about anything, but on the other hand never attacks first. Wealth has no meaning to her and she gives her belongings away regulary and spontenous, making fun of those valuing it. Beware! She just gave away her Short Sword...
Beta Flatfinger - Lucky Halfling
Race: Half-Folk
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d6, Guts d4, Notice d6, Persuasion d4, Swimming d4, Taunt d4, Stealth d6, Lockpicking d4, Streetwise d4, Shooting d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5 (Small)
Hindrances: Small; Curious; Big Mouth, Quirk (Eating)
Edges: Luck; Greater Luck
Gear: Bow, Flail; Leather Armour (equipment is not added to Parry/Toughness yet)
Description: Beta is your typical halfling. She has many different talents, but also seems to be loved by fate. Normally she is pretty slim, even for her size, but after a proper meal - she eats at least as much as dwarf - her belly pops out enormously. She extremely curious and cannot keep her mouth shut.
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d6, Guts d4, Notice d6, Persuasion d4, Swimming d4, Taunt d4, Stealth d6, Lockpicking d4, Streetwise d4, Shooting d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5 (Small)
Hindrances: Small; Curious; Big Mouth, Quirk (Eating)
Edges: Luck; Greater Luck
Gear: Bow, Flail; Leather Armour (equipment is not added to Parry/Toughness yet)
Description: Beta is your typical halfling. She has many different talents, but also seems to be loved by fate. Normally she is pretty slim, even for her size, but after a proper meal - she eats at least as much as dwarf - her belly pops out enormously. She extremely curious and cannot keep her mouth shut.
Astner - Human Cleric
Race: Human (additional Edge)
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d4, Faith d6, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Healing d4, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Riding d4, Swimming d4
Pace: 6 Parry: 5 Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Heroic; Poverty, Vengeful (minor)
Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), Holy Warrior
Gear: spear with head in form of the holy symbol (equipment is not added to Parry/Toughness yet)
Powers:
Healing
Smite
Description: Astner is a member of the holy order of the sun god. He is fighting for the weak and follows a vow of poverty, giving at least half of his funds to the temple every week.
Option: Give him Obese instead of the Poverty hindrance.
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d4, Faith d6, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Healing d4, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Riding d4, Swimming d4
Pace: 6 Parry: 5 Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Heroic; Poverty, Vengeful (minor)
Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), Holy Warrior
Gear: spear with head in form of the holy symbol (equipment is not added to Parry/Toughness yet)
Powers:
Healing
Smite
Description: Astner is a member of the holy order of the sun god. He is fighting for the weak and follows a vow of poverty, giving at least half of his funds to the temple every week.
Option: Give him Obese instead of the Poverty hindrance.
Akaradolk - Dwarven Fighter
Race: Dwarf (Savage Worlds Rulebook)
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d10
Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Lockpicking d4, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Repair d4, Shooting d6, Survival d4, Swimming d4, Taunt d4, Tracking d4
Pace: 5; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7
Hindrances: Greedy; Stubborn, Quirk (minor)
Edges: Racial: Low Light Vision
Gear: Battle Axe, Large Shield (equipment is not added to Parry/Toughness yet)
Description: Akaradolk is your typical dwarf. He is still young, but proud to live up to all the dwarven clichés you expect. That's his quirk.
Rank: Novice XP: 0
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d10
Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Lockpicking d4, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Repair d4, Shooting d6, Survival d4, Swimming d4, Taunt d4, Tracking d4
Pace: 5; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7
Hindrances: Greedy; Stubborn, Quirk (minor)
Edges: Racial: Low Light Vision
Gear: Battle Axe, Large Shield (equipment is not added to Parry/Toughness yet)
Description: Akaradolk is your typical dwarf. He is still young, but proud to live up to all the dwarven clichés you expect. That's his quirk.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Savage Worlds: The Band
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This was the setting of my first planned Savage Worlds campaign. We only played it once... But there are (German) notes for much more.
I once posted its Savage Worlds drug addiction rules here in the blog.
The music performance rules were kind of broken, because I did not use the support rules from Savage Worlds. Those are not a perfect fit anyways... But the bigger the band got, the better it got with my rules and they would totally break down above 8 members.
Savage Worlds The Band Map
Neue Helden PBeM RPG
These are the characters from my longest running PBeM campaign (Play By eMail). The campaign was in German though.
Neue Helden Email RPG Group Picture
The picture was done by one of the players. I forgot her name though. :(
Neue Helden PBeM Mailinglist
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Neue Helden Email RPG Group Picture
The picture was done by one of the players. I forgot her name though. :(
Neue Helden PBeM Mailinglist
Really bad pseudo pun....
Savage Worlds: Explorers Edition - $9.99
Savage Worlds Adventure Deck PDF - $9.95
Dice exploding the right moment - priceless
Sorry for that post! But sometimes it really feels that way.
Savage Worlds Adventure Deck PDF - $9.95
Dice exploding the right moment - priceless
Sorry for that post! But sometimes it really feels that way.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Nyrondria - What happend before the break
What the DM told us as recap:
You went to check on the seal to the south of Kinmar
Met a not-so-nice "druid" on the way and told him where you were going
Got captured by weird-looking Orcs
Druid turned out to be a not-so-nice wizard
Nailo went into a fit and killed almost every Orc in sight
Went back to Kinmar
Town was under attack
You went below the tavern to find the blue-skinned elf fighting over a green gem with Lord Orgrim
You distracted Orgrim enough to let the elf take the gem and disappeared
Orgrim went north after him, making sure to stall you
You went after Orgrim
Treenenwelt for Savage Worlds
Human wish powers
Humans are kind of Neverending Story powered in the Tyrsworld. They can get any wish fulfilled, but loose memories from Earth for it.
So you stat with Earths Memory d12 and Arcane Knowledge: Wishes d4. You use your lower stat for Wish Magic. You can basically do any spell. Your Knowledge level decides which rank of spells you know: d4=Novice; d10=Heroic; d12=Legendary
Every time you roll a 1 on your Spell die, you loose one level of Earths Memory though!!
Humans are kind of Neverending Story powered in the Tyrsworld. They can get any wish fulfilled, but loose memories from Earth for it.
So you stat with Earths Memory d12 and Arcane Knowledge: Wishes d4. You use your lower stat for Wish Magic. You can basically do any spell. Your Knowledge level decides which rank of spells you know: d4=Novice; d10=Heroic; d12=Legendary
Every time you roll a 1 on your Spell die, you loose one level of Earths Memory though!!
Savage Fate - Newest Version
You got the 5 Savage Worlds stats.
Successes are a 4 on the roll. 8 is a great success.
Instead of skills like in Savage Worlds you have something similar to Edges that give you a bonus in a specific field or under specific circumstances.
For character creation you choose:
A +1 environment modifier (e.g. city, wilderness, scholars/university, high society, orc culture, animals, swords, guns)
One primary +2 skill modifier (e.g. fighting, shooting (=throwing), athletics (=climbing, swimming), people skill (= persuasion, intimidation, taunt, streetwise), trace (=investigate, tracking), Stealth, dexterity (=pick locks, pickpocket), vehicles (=boating, driving, pilot), knowledge, arcane knowledge, repair, riding (incl. animal handling), survival (=streetwise), notice, guts.
One secondary +1 skill modifier (same categories as primary skill modifier)
A +1 psychological modifier (Aspect-Spirit of the Century style: friend, loved one, great nation of X, fear of snakes,...)
On each rank you can use one level advancement for one more primary skill and one for one more secondary, one attribute raise and one psychological modifier.
Stack Up maximum for any roll is Rank+3. => Novice: 4; Legendary: 8
[Even simpler solution:
Instead of environmental and skill modifiers, they are all aspects.]
Arcance knowledge is split into Powers and Rituals (á la D&D4).
And there are defined rules for skill challenges (x success vs. 4 failures).
Successes are a 4 on the roll. 8 is a great success.
Instead of skills like in Savage Worlds you have something similar to Edges that give you a bonus in a specific field or under specific circumstances.
For character creation you choose:
A +1 environment modifier (e.g. city, wilderness, scholars/university, high society, orc culture, animals, swords, guns)
One primary +2 skill modifier (e.g. fighting, shooting (=throwing), athletics (=climbing, swimming), people skill (= persuasion, intimidation, taunt, streetwise), trace (=investigate, tracking), Stealth, dexterity (=pick locks, pickpocket), vehicles (=boating, driving, pilot), knowledge, arcane knowledge, repair, riding (incl. animal handling), survival (=streetwise), notice, guts.
One secondary +1 skill modifier (same categories as primary skill modifier)
A +1 psychological modifier (Aspect-Spirit of the Century style: friend, loved one, great nation of X, fear of snakes,...)
On each rank you can use one level advancement for one more primary skill and one for one more secondary, one attribute raise and one psychological modifier.
Stack Up maximum for any roll is Rank+3. => Novice: 4; Legendary: 8
[Even simpler solution:
Instead of environmental and skill modifiers, they are all aspects.]
Arcance knowledge is split into Powers and Rituals (á la D&D4).
And there are defined rules for skill challenges (x success vs. 4 failures).
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Brulus' Long Term Goals
3 options (he does not know or think about):
1. Make himself beautiful (Boost Charisma spell under his hood)
2. Make everyone else ugly (Poison the well) - maybe only temporary
3. Get a following of freaks
Like I said this is from a meta point of view
1. Make himself beautiful (Boost Charisma spell under his hood)
2. Make everyone else ugly (Poison the well) - maybe only temporary
3. Get a following of freaks
Like I said this is from a meta point of view
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Savage Century Light - New Version
You got the 5 Savage Worlds stats, but there are no skills.
Successes are a 4 on the roll. 8 is a great success.
Instead of skills you have something similar to Edges that give you +1 in a specific field or under specific circumstances.
For character creation you choose:
A +1 environment modifier (e.g. city, wilderness/scholars, university, high society, orc culture, animals)
Two +1 skill modifier (e.g. fighting, shooting (=throwing), athletics (=climbing, swimming), people skill (= persuasion, intimidation, taunt), investigate, Stealth, dexterity (=pick locks, pickpocket), vehicles (=boating, driving, pilot), , knowledge, arcane knowledge, repair, riding (incl. animal handling), tracking, survival, notice, guts.
1 conventional edge (or something else I come up with)
Variant (too strong??):
1 Primary skill +2
1 Secondary skill +1
On each rank you can use one level advancement for one more primary skill and one for one more secondary.
Solution: Stack Up maximum for any roll is +4 (or +6?)
Successes are a 4 on the roll. 8 is a great success.
Instead of skills you have something similar to Edges that give you +1 in a specific field or under specific circumstances.
For character creation you choose:
A +1 environment modifier (e.g. city, wilderness/scholars, university, high society, orc culture, animals)
Two +1 skill modifier (e.g. fighting, shooting (=throwing), athletics (=climbing, swimming), people skill (= persuasion, intimidation, taunt), investigate, Stealth, dexterity (=pick locks, pickpocket), vehicles (=boating, driving, pilot), , knowledge, arcane knowledge, repair, riding (incl. animal handling), tracking, survival, notice, guts.
1 conventional edge (or something else I come up with)
Variant (too strong??):
1 Primary skill +2
1 Secondary skill +1
On each rank you can use one level advancement for one more primary skill and one for one more secondary.
Solution: Stack Up maximum for any roll is +4 (or +6?)
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Billie Bob Autumn - Firefly/Serenity character
Imagine a handsome and friendly space Hutterer. Except that his religion has a much darker underbelly. Crazy nature hippie bible rewriting lunatics they are.
He is young and out in space from his backwood world the first (and probably last) time to find a wife and generally recharge the lifestock of the Ranaoke Commune by a little bit of preaching.
For him there is no disconnect between his general amicability and certain rites he takes part in. After all doesn't every farmer love his animals and still slaughter them, when it is time? No, it is not that extreme (99,9% of the time).
Concept: Space Hutterer
Attributes
Strength d8
Agility d6
Vitality d8
Alertness d8
Intelligence d6
Willpower d6
Derived Traits
Life Points 14
Initiative d6+d8
Endurance d8+d6
Resistance d8+d8 ???
Skills and Specialties
Animal Handling d4
Artistry –
Athletics d6
Covert d6
Craft –
Discipline –
Guns d6
Heavy Weapons –
Influence d6
Knowledge d2
Linguist -
Mechanical Eng. -
Medical Expertice –
Melee Weapon Cmbt. d2
Perception d6
Performance –
Pilot -
Planetary Vehicles d6
Ranged Weapons –
Scientifc Expertise -
Survival d6
Technical Eng. -
Unarmed Cmbt. d6
Complications
Armorous (min)
Memorable (min)
Easy Mark (MAJ) - Trusts People
Superstitious (min)
Loyal (min) - Mother
Assets
Nature Lover (min)
Allure (MAJ)
Religiosity (min)
Sweet and Cheerful (min)
Steady Calm (min)
Equipment
Black suit.
Ranaoke-Call Bible. (Called the Bat Shit Bible by 'heretics' ergo everyone else.)
Ritualistic dagger made out of a digger tooth. DMG d4W
Rifle, Assault DMG d8W; Range 150; ROF 3(40)
He is young and out in space from his backwood world the first (and probably last) time to find a wife and generally recharge the lifestock of the Ranaoke Commune by a little bit of preaching.
For him there is no disconnect between his general amicability and certain rites he takes part in. After all doesn't every farmer love his animals and still slaughter them, when it is time? No, it is not that extreme (99,9% of the time).
Concept: Space Hutterer
Attributes
Strength d8
Agility d6
Vitality d8
Alertness d8
Intelligence d6
Willpower d6
Derived Traits
Life Points 14
Initiative d6+d8
Endurance d8+d6
Resistance d8+d8 ???
Skills and Specialties
Animal Handling d4
Artistry –
Athletics d6
Covert d6
Craft –
Discipline –
Guns d6
Heavy Weapons –
Influence d6
Knowledge d2
Linguist -
Mechanical Eng. -
Medical Expertice –
Melee Weapon Cmbt. d2
Perception d6
Performance –
Pilot -
Planetary Vehicles d6
Ranged Weapons –
Scientifc Expertise -
Survival d6
Technical Eng. -
Unarmed Cmbt. d6
Complications
Armorous (min)
Memorable (min)
Easy Mark (MAJ) - Trusts People
Superstitious (min)
Loyal (min) - Mother
Assets
Nature Lover (min)
Allure (MAJ)
Religiosity (min)
Sweet and Cheerful (min)
Steady Calm (min)
Equipment
Black suit.
Ranaoke-Call Bible. (Called the Bat Shit Bible by 'heretics' ergo everyone else.)
Ritualistic dagger made out of a digger tooth. DMG d4W
Rifle, Assault DMG d8W; Range 150; ROF 3(40)
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Synnibarr Actual Play
I was finally able to run my Synnibarr one shot.
I had created the chars for the 3 players, following their basic character concept description.
I got a "pretty fairy that throws bombs" by a casual gamer girl (And),
a samurai with laser sword and a werman that actually is a cyborg in wereman decoy and absorption powers. Those 2 were played by guys (Ser and Vla) from my regular gaming group.
The fairy named Sprinkle had the master mutation Super Speed (which equals Mach-1), because that also gave her great armor. Otherwise she would have been stomped quiet easily.
Follow the link to find the one shot Synnibarr character sheets as pdfs!
The adventure was set on a small volcanic island (as you can read in earlier blog posts). I sketched a small cave map on a single A4 piece of paper and wrote down some NPC and location details on the back, as well as a few notes of rules summary.
You can see the scanned pages here:
These notes actually would have been enough for two sessions (or a long 6 to 7 hours one).
The adventurer started with the PCs arriving in the only harbour village of the island. It was noon and from the ship bringing them there (I did not detail that at all) they could see a single volcano rising from the sea. Its slopes were covered in jungle and some fog was covering that area. Around the volcano flocks of flying deer were circling. What would Synnibarr be without this kind of stuff?
Obviously there was steam coming out of the volcano.
The harbour village (I never introduced its name "Winterhaven" because it is quite nonsensical for a tropic village, but actually it was a reference to D&D4's KotS) was mainly constructed out of stone houses with straw roofs and obviously there was an inn next to the harbour square.
I came up spontaneously with the idea that only a few old people were outside the building at noon. The characters were supposed to find their contact person Dusk in the village.
The casual game girl playing the fairy started intimidating people to get information where Duke was and when they could not really help, she started to attack them.
The talking raccoon who was hanging out in the inn and should have been their contact person, noticed that and prepared her bazooka to save the villagers. In the following fight the fairy/flygirl dodged the bazooka shell and was actually able to alter its direction to fire back at the inn. A bomb later the inn was aflame and the fire was nearly starting to affect other buildings.
The other two player character had in the meantime examined the mansion of the mayor and found a part of a robot there that had "Dusk" engraved in it. When they returned to the village they were able to stop the fire from spreading.
The most important rule part I did not really use was the multiple attacks each round. In the end I skipped the phases and let everyone act following their advantage bonus. The super speed fairy could act first when she wanted to use her 5 actions.
I did not want to take the pace out of the action by calculating who could act when. Although it would have made players loose their proactive play style. Who had an idea could normally act right away.
What was obviously confusing was the roll-under, roll-over mess for different actions - especially, because some roll-over skills are stated in percentages and I accidently marked other roll under stuff as +xx.
Generally the system was quite fast though.
One problem was the scaling. A lesser (= level 5-10) monster like a Gremlin can easily kill a level 1 character with one hit.
When I our time was nearly over, I dropped a hint and the players finally moved all up to the top of the volcano. For whatever reason-even though there was little time left-(actually it was because I wanted the wandering being risky), I rolled a random encounter. It turned out that they encountered "Rock Weird" (p.433). This is a fog creating 6m tall creature that I image as a whale like thing camouflaged as huge rock. While the rule book stats that it leaps up and unfolds a huge mouth, I misinterpreted that-reading over it fast-as a more Sarlacc like creature. So it swallowed the wereman who was walking over the trap door like mouth. The Rock Weird jumped up only after swallowing him and the fairy following the wereman in the maw to help him. I changed the 6 meter vertical jump to one that hurled the creature with its prey (and the other PCs standing on top) hundreds of meters in the air - right up to the cloud of the Gremlin "final boss".
I also ruled that there was acid inside the Rock Weird, but can't find that info in the creature description. So I must have made that up on the spot.
I described flying deer flying away in panic when the Rock Weird thundered by - up to a "hard" cloud. This was the place were the Gremlin kept the 2 baby raccoons. They were supposed to be the McGuffins by the contact person, but it played out different now.
The samurai still standing on the "flying" Rock Weird was able to split this creature with one amazing slash of his katana and saving his comrades.
Next they landed on the solid cloud of the Gremlin, which hovered over the lava lake of the vulcano. After some short interaction, the Gremlin slashed at the samurai and killed him with one hit. This I mentioned above already. If this would not have been a one shot and we were already over time, I would have probably changed the result, but in this case I was happy I had one less player to worry about.
The fairy went all suicide bomber and blew herself up next to the Gremlin. The monster survived that though, while the fairy was annihilated. Game over in any other system, but the Fairy had a minimal chance for a God roll success - the direct intervention of her deity.
And guess what: the player was able to pull that roll off - despite the less than 5% chance.
So I decided that the a huge golden shining flyhead would pop up in the sky and reassemble his flygirl follower. Somehow the Gremlin was nearly pushed off the cloud in the following chaos.
And that was the moment when the wereman followed up and finally pushed down the creature in the volcano. Would have been a happy end somehow, but the fairy decided that she had to kill the baby racoons. All the other players were grossed out, but And gave me exactly what I learned to expect from casual gamer girls: brutal bloodshed. :) She shot the 2 babies and the adventure ended here.
Picture material (added only now):
Volcanic Island
House in Winterhaven
Baby Racoons
I had created the chars for the 3 players, following their basic character concept description.
I got a "pretty fairy that throws bombs" by a casual gamer girl (And),
a samurai with laser sword and a werman that actually is a cyborg in wereman decoy and absorption powers. Those 2 were played by guys (Ser and Vla) from my regular gaming group.
The fairy named Sprinkle had the master mutation Super Speed (which equals Mach-1), because that also gave her great armor. Otherwise she would have been stomped quiet easily.
Follow the link to find the one shot Synnibarr character sheets as pdfs!
The adventure was set on a small volcanic island (as you can read in earlier blog posts). I sketched a small cave map on a single A4 piece of paper and wrote down some NPC and location details on the back, as well as a few notes of rules summary.
You can see the scanned pages here:
 |
These notes actually would have been enough for two sessions (or a long 6 to 7 hours one).
The adventurer started with the PCs arriving in the only harbour village of the island. It was noon and from the ship bringing them there (I did not detail that at all) they could see a single volcano rising from the sea. Its slopes were covered in jungle and some fog was covering that area. Around the volcano flocks of flying deer were circling. What would Synnibarr be without this kind of stuff?
Obviously there was steam coming out of the volcano.
The harbour village (I never introduced its name "Winterhaven" because it is quite nonsensical for a tropic village, but actually it was a reference to D&D4's KotS) was mainly constructed out of stone houses with straw roofs and obviously there was an inn next to the harbour square.
I came up spontaneously with the idea that only a few old people were outside the building at noon. The characters were supposed to find their contact person Dusk in the village.
The casual game girl playing the fairy started intimidating people to get information where Duke was and when they could not really help, she started to attack them.
The talking raccoon who was hanging out in the inn and should have been their contact person, noticed that and prepared her bazooka to save the villagers. In the following fight the fairy/flygirl dodged the bazooka shell and was actually able to alter its direction to fire back at the inn. A bomb later the inn was aflame and the fire was nearly starting to affect other buildings.
The other two player character had in the meantime examined the mansion of the mayor and found a part of a robot there that had "Dusk" engraved in it. When they returned to the village they were able to stop the fire from spreading.
The most important rule part I did not really use was the multiple attacks each round. In the end I skipped the phases and let everyone act following their advantage bonus. The super speed fairy could act first when she wanted to use her 5 actions.
I did not want to take the pace out of the action by calculating who could act when. Although it would have made players loose their proactive play style. Who had an idea could normally act right away.
What was obviously confusing was the roll-under, roll-over mess for different actions - especially, because some roll-over skills are stated in percentages and I accidently marked other roll under stuff as +xx.
Generally the system was quite fast though.
One problem was the scaling. A lesser (= level 5-10) monster like a Gremlin can easily kill a level 1 character with one hit.
When I our time was nearly over, I dropped a hint and the players finally moved all up to the top of the volcano. For whatever reason-even though there was little time left-(actually it was because I wanted the wandering being risky), I rolled a random encounter. It turned out that they encountered "Rock Weird" (p.433). This is a fog creating 6m tall creature that I image as a whale like thing camouflaged as huge rock. While the rule book stats that it leaps up and unfolds a huge mouth, I misinterpreted that-reading over it fast-as a more Sarlacc like creature. So it swallowed the wereman who was walking over the trap door like mouth. The Rock Weird jumped up only after swallowing him and the fairy following the wereman in the maw to help him. I changed the 6 meter vertical jump to one that hurled the creature with its prey (and the other PCs standing on top) hundreds of meters in the air - right up to the cloud of the Gremlin "final boss".
I also ruled that there was acid inside the Rock Weird, but can't find that info in the creature description. So I must have made that up on the spot.
I described flying deer flying away in panic when the Rock Weird thundered by - up to a "hard" cloud. This was the place were the Gremlin kept the 2 baby raccoons. They were supposed to be the McGuffins by the contact person, but it played out different now.
The samurai still standing on the "flying" Rock Weird was able to split this creature with one amazing slash of his katana and saving his comrades.
Next they landed on the solid cloud of the Gremlin, which hovered over the lava lake of the vulcano. After some short interaction, the Gremlin slashed at the samurai and killed him with one hit. This I mentioned above already. If this would not have been a one shot and we were already over time, I would have probably changed the result, but in this case I was happy I had one less player to worry about.
The fairy went all suicide bomber and blew herself up next to the Gremlin. The monster survived that though, while the fairy was annihilated. Game over in any other system, but the Fairy had a minimal chance for a God roll success - the direct intervention of her deity.
And guess what: the player was able to pull that roll off - despite the less than 5% chance.
So I decided that the a huge golden shining flyhead would pop up in the sky and reassemble his flygirl follower. Somehow the Gremlin was nearly pushed off the cloud in the following chaos.
And that was the moment when the wereman followed up and finally pushed down the creature in the volcano. Would have been a happy end somehow, but the fairy decided that she had to kill the baby racoons. All the other players were grossed out, but And gave me exactly what I learned to expect from casual gamer girls: brutal bloodshed. :) She shot the 2 babies and the adventure ended here.
Picture material (added only now):
Volcanic Island
House in Winterhaven
Baby Racoons
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Synnibarr One Shot Part Deux
I got a second character concept in the meantime. It is:
Samurai with a laser sword...
I thought you could create that as a Shadow Warrior. At least that is the best fitting class. Otherwise you could do it as a non-classed character obviously. The biggest problem is that the light saber will already cost most of the starting money if you don't roll really, really well. So how to get the armour?
But back to the adventure:
We need an easy hook.
That should be the story about the mayor's mansion.
If the PCs won't investigate it, they can also go up to the vulcano and find a cave or even further up and find the gremlin.
The cave connects to the underwater base of the slavers and the secret gambling room in the mayor's basement. So all the hooks are leading to the same structure. Simple right?
I am just not sure if a game of Poker is the the right thing for Synnibarr. Maybe something like the video game out of James Bond Moonraker instead? Called Telepathker??
I also noticed that the Lesser monsters (gremlins and the slavers) are too strong for starting character. While I could have changed them, I think there are more elegant ways around the problem of their 2 tenth. The Gremlin is on shaky terrain and I think in the cave there is a room where lizard people are treated in one cave room with something that disolves their scales...
If you want to know how it played out, and if the Gremlin's strength was a problem, have a look in the Synnibarr actual play post!
Samurai with a laser sword...
I thought you could create that as a Shadow Warrior. At least that is the best fitting class. Otherwise you could do it as a non-classed character obviously. The biggest problem is that the light saber will already cost most of the starting money if you don't roll really, really well. So how to get the armour?
But back to the adventure:
We need an easy hook.
That should be the story about the mayor's mansion.
If the PCs won't investigate it, they can also go up to the vulcano and find a cave or even further up and find the gremlin.
The cave connects to the underwater base of the slavers and the secret gambling room in the mayor's basement. So all the hooks are leading to the same structure. Simple right?
I am just not sure if a game of Poker is the the right thing for Synnibarr. Maybe something like the video game out of James Bond Moonraker instead? Called Telepathker??
I also noticed that the Lesser monsters (gremlins and the slavers) are too strong for starting character. While I could have changed them, I think there are more elegant ways around the problem of their 2 tenth. The Gremlin is on shaky terrain and I think in the cave there is a room where lizard people are treated in one cave room with something that disolves their scales...
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If you want to know how it played out, and if the Gremlin's strength was a problem, have a look in the Synnibarr actual play post!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Synnibarr One Shot
Finally the big thing will happen: after waiting since 1994, I will be able to play Synnibarr. Actually I already had reached the point of character creation once with Halbi and Roman around 1998...
At the moment 1 have one character concept:
"Fairy that throws bombs" I created that as a Flyman/Flygirl with Superspeed mutation. Only the skill points for skills are missing, because that power is so expensive.
But now the important part: the adventure:
I want to use different inspirations:
Song titles by the bands Chrome Hoof and the Apes
Winterhaven, the city out of D&D4th Keep on the Shadowfell
The Savage Worlds of Solomon Kane adventure generator on deadlands.info/
Namely: Villain: Avenger (Noble) Goal: Conquer Hook: Rumor Locale: Exotic Land Henchmen: Combat Veteran Twist: Discovery
So it plays on an isolated vulcano island in the Sapphire Deep. There is a small, boring village called Frosthaven near the coast, where the Giants' come with a ship (500m length) every 1 months. There is an inn called Lazermead, some fishers and some farmers and an alchemist's tower. There is also a temple to Yanak, god of time (p.446).
Important NPCs:
Abon - Blood Orange (p.408) and Heal Spring Melon (p.402) farmer & trader, wants to become mayor, as the current one never leaves his mansion
Simera - female Talking Raccon (p.411) who is living in a cabin (!), hunter
Goto - Cyborg barman
Sam - Old, somewhat crazy dwarven fisherman: has seen Tenjohussan slavers in their whale. On one table with Abon...
Irpine - mayor (see adventure), lives in mansion build straight in rocks
The vulcano is most of the island and is surrounded by fog in the middle part. It is smoking at the moment. There jungle in the fog part. Flying Deer is normally circling the island.
There is also a cave to the magma with stalactites.
There are 4 traps (pit trap, hidden gun, mine, room filling with lava) and 1 monster there. Maybe also 1 wereman adventurer... Treasure: p.335!
Random encounters island: p.345+
Also: Octopus! Flying Deer, Flying Grizzly. Shark.. Tenjohussan slavers (p.426) in whale!!!
Basic outline - I hope it is crazy enough for Synnibarr: The mayor started to gamble with a Gremlin (p.382) who lives on top of the vulcano. He lost all his money. He contacted Tenjohussan slavers (p.426) traveling in a whale nearby. They plan to enslave all the village. The mayor sold his people...
But Simera, the raccoon, found out. The mayor told the Gremlin that there was danger the money would get lost and the Gremlin was able to kidnap Simera's twins.
If she tells about the secret of the mayor and the Gremlin, they will be thrown in the vulcano.
So she tries to plant subtle hints for the adventurers.
The gremlin is probably too strong to be beaten directly, but could be thrown into the volcano.
Here is a map I created from this outline:
You can read part 2 of the Synnbarr one shot preparation here.
At the moment 1 have one character concept:
"Fairy that throws bombs" I created that as a Flyman/Flygirl with Superspeed mutation. Only the skill points for skills are missing, because that power is so expensive.
But now the important part: the adventure:
I want to use different inspirations:
Song titles by the bands Chrome Hoof and the Apes
Winterhaven, the city out of D&D4th Keep on the Shadowfell
The Savage Worlds of Solomon Kane adventure generator on deadlands.info/
Namely: Villain: Avenger (Noble) Goal: Conquer Hook: Rumor Locale: Exotic Land Henchmen: Combat Veteran Twist: Discovery
So it plays on an isolated vulcano island in the Sapphire Deep. There is a small, boring village called Frosthaven near the coast, where the Giants' come with a ship (500m length) every 1 months. There is an inn called Lazermead, some fishers and some farmers and an alchemist's tower. There is also a temple to Yanak, god of time (p.446).
Important NPCs:
Abon - Blood Orange (p.408) and Heal Spring Melon (p.402) farmer & trader, wants to become mayor, as the current one never leaves his mansion
Simera - female Talking Raccon (p.411) who is living in a cabin (!), hunter
Goto - Cyborg barman
Sam - Old, somewhat crazy dwarven fisherman: has seen Tenjohussan slavers in their whale. On one table with Abon...
Irpine - mayor (see adventure), lives in mansion build straight in rocks
The vulcano is most of the island and is surrounded by fog in the middle part. It is smoking at the moment. There jungle in the fog part. Flying Deer is normally circling the island.
There is also a cave to the magma with stalactites.
There are 4 traps (pit trap, hidden gun, mine, room filling with lava) and 1 monster there. Maybe also 1 wereman adventurer... Treasure: p.335!
Random encounters island: p.345+
Also: Octopus! Flying Deer, Flying Grizzly. Shark.. Tenjohussan slavers (p.426) in whale!!!
Basic outline - I hope it is crazy enough for Synnibarr: The mayor started to gamble with a Gremlin (p.382) who lives on top of the vulcano. He lost all his money. He contacted Tenjohussan slavers (p.426) traveling in a whale nearby. They plan to enslave all the village. The mayor sold his people...
But Simera, the raccoon, found out. The mayor told the Gremlin that there was danger the money would get lost and the Gremlin was able to kidnap Simera's twins.
If she tells about the secret of the mayor and the Gremlin, they will be thrown in the vulcano.
So she tries to plant subtle hints for the adventurers.
The gremlin is probably too strong to be beaten directly, but could be thrown into the volcano.
Here is a map I created from this outline:
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You can read part 2 of the Synnbarr one shot preparation here.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Revised Savage Worlds Magic
All spells are expanded to 5 levels. If you have the according rank you can cast the new power level.
Spell Novice Seasoned Veteran Heroic Legendary Notes
Boost Trait 1 trait+ fitting skills Lower Trait is seperate power
Bolt 2x2d6 3x2d6 + 1x3d6 2x3d6 3x3d6 too weak on higher levels? Range?
Spell Novice Seasoned Veteran Heroic Legendary Notes
Boost Trait 1 trait+ fitting skills Lower Trait is seperate power
Bolt 2x2d6 3x2d6 + 1x3d6 2x3d6 3x3d6 too weak on higher levels? Range?
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Fat pirate sketch for Savage Worlds
Race: Gnome (Quick Thinking: Starts with a d6 in Smarts. Mechanically-inclined: Free d6 in Repair. Short: Gets "Small" hindrance.)
Attributes
Agility 8
Smarts 6
Spirit 6
Strength 6
Vigor 6
-1/+1 = normal Toughness...
Skills (not finished yet)
Boating (ag) 4
Climbing (st) 4
Fighting (ag) 4
Guts (sp) 4
Lockpicking (ag) 4
Notice (sm) 4
Persuasion (sp) 4
Repair (sm) 4
Stealth (ag) 4
Taunt (sm) 4
Throwing OR Shooting (ag) 4
Edges
Quick
Ace
Hindrances
Obese
Attributes
Agility 8
Smarts 6
Spirit 6
Strength 6
Vigor 6
-1/+1 = normal Toughness...
Skills (not finished yet)
Boating (ag) 4
Climbing (st) 4
Fighting (ag) 4
Guts (sp) 4
Lockpicking (ag) 4
Notice (sm) 4
Persuasion (sp) 4
Repair (sm) 4
Stealth (ag) 4
Taunt (sm) 4
Throwing OR Shooting (ag) 4
Edges
Quick
Ace
Hindrances
Obese
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Brulus III.
The first thing Brulus remembers was begging with older kids in the big city - a common fate for street kids. He must have been around four at that time.
He was a lousy beggar, but even worse in his rare attempts of thievery and therefore on the lowest level of the streets' hierarchy. At least he survived..
His fate changed somewhat, when he met the dirty old pharmacist Adalbert. Adalbert had lost his license for making regular mistakes. No wonder - he had tried once to often to cure his bad temper himself.
Brulus took care of him, being basicly a misfigured butler in the beginning, but also showing lots of promise as an assistant in the crazy old man's experiments.
After his career as pharmacist was stopped by the clergy, Adalbert turned to more "interesting" experiments, plotting revenge. Brulus gave him the support he needed.
But when Brulus understood what Adalbert was up to, and was not able to convince him to stop, the hunchback turned his sole friend in.
Maybe there was hope that he would be seen as a hero, that let Brulus make this decision, maybe he really cares about the well being of the people. At the moment probably not even Brulus himdelf knows for sure, but with enough evidence Adalbert was convicted to death. The last time he saw Brulus, he called him a damn traitor.
Brulus was treated with disgust by the commisar taking care of the case, but given an opportunity to run off, with the hint that actually he would have needed to get a trial too.
So Brulus ran off, where this will take him, we don't know yet.
He was a lousy beggar, but even worse in his rare attempts of thievery and therefore on the lowest level of the streets' hierarchy. At least he survived..
His fate changed somewhat, when he met the dirty old pharmacist Adalbert. Adalbert had lost his license for making regular mistakes. No wonder - he had tried once to often to cure his bad temper himself.
Brulus took care of him, being basicly a misfigured butler in the beginning, but also showing lots of promise as an assistant in the crazy old man's experiments.
After his career as pharmacist was stopped by the clergy, Adalbert turned to more "interesting" experiments, plotting revenge. Brulus gave him the support he needed.
But when Brulus understood what Adalbert was up to, and was not able to convince him to stop, the hunchback turned his sole friend in.
Maybe there was hope that he would be seen as a hero, that let Brulus make this decision, maybe he really cares about the well being of the people. At the moment probably not even Brulus himdelf knows for sure, but with enough evidence Adalbert was convicted to death. The last time he saw Brulus, he called him a damn traitor.
Brulus was treated with disgust by the commisar taking care of the case, but given an opportunity to run off, with the hint that actually he would have needed to get a trial too.
So Brulus ran off, where this will take him, we don't know yet.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
A Plot Point campaign inspired by really early Perry Rhodan
As I am often gaming with groups that know nothing about the biggest German pulp scifi series, it would be great to play through the set up of the first cycle:
The PCs find an alien spaceship with incredible power (and some sick aliens) and it is left to them what do with it? Leave to space? Rule the Earth? Both!
Obviously it would be a sand box game, with a set up on Earth level (countries, military, economics and secret services) and one on galaxy level (a mighty decadent empire and different power groups in it that all want to take over Earth).
A proactive play style would be encouraged, but it would definitely be necessary to protect Earth - or to sell it out to the aliens?
Obiously while the basic ideas would be similar to Perry Rhodan, the window dressing would be different - especially the way the Aliens look. Maybe some transhuman elements would be fun, but that could already lead too far off.
Instead of finding the space ship on the moon (and restricting the PCs to beastronauts), the first adventure should be more like X-Files or Indiana Jones.
A potential place for the crashed space ship would be Northern China or Tibet. A question is if there should be Greys. And if it would make sense to have a Pirates/Ninjas/Robots/Monkeys aliens conception. And are Greys the fairy archetype? What other fantastic archetypes exist? Dwarves? Elves? Klingons? Are Orcs Monkeys? And what's with Zombies and Sharks? And Dinosaurs and Bears?
Also there should be a possibilty for characters to turn alien in the long run, without having to loose the inital character. Here the transhuman factor could come into play.
And don't forget the robot ruler!! ;)
Some research about real life alien esoterics could inspire me. Check here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_alleged_UFO-related_extraterrestrials
The PCs find an alien spaceship with incredible power (and some sick aliens) and it is left to them what do with it? Leave to space? Rule the Earth? Both!
Obviously it would be a sand box game, with a set up on Earth level (countries, military, economics and secret services) and one on galaxy level (a mighty decadent empire and different power groups in it that all want to take over Earth).
A proactive play style would be encouraged, but it would definitely be necessary to protect Earth - or to sell it out to the aliens?
Obiously while the basic ideas would be similar to Perry Rhodan, the window dressing would be different - especially the way the Aliens look. Maybe some transhuman elements would be fun, but that could already lead too far off.
Instead of finding the space ship on the moon (and restricting the PCs to beastronauts), the first adventure should be more like X-Files or Indiana Jones.
A potential place for the crashed space ship would be Northern China or Tibet. A question is if there should be Greys. And if it would make sense to have a Pirates/Ninjas/Robots/Monkeys aliens conception. And are Greys the fairy archetype? What other fantastic archetypes exist? Dwarves? Elves? Klingons? Are Orcs Monkeys? And what's with Zombies and Sharks? And Dinosaurs and Bears?
Also there should be a possibilty for characters to turn alien in the long run, without having to loose the inital character. Here the transhuman factor could come into play.
And don't forget the robot ruler!! ;)
Some research about real life alien esoterics could inspire me. Check here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_alleged_UFO-related_extraterrestrials
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Reprise: The Band - Savage Worlds and drugs
I handled hard drugs in my cyberpunkish game that way, that they would give you bonuses, but once you were on them, forced to buy certain drug-related edges, and skills like Knowledge (Drug scene) when you were leveling up. Somewhat like a drug skill/edge path...
The edges had mainly negative effects, so players really tried to get rid of their addiction as they could not get any positive character development while on it. But going turkey was not easy either...
I looked through my old notes.
Actually it was even simpler than I remembered.
There was this drug that gave you +2 on songwriting (it was a campaign about the PCs having a band in a postapocalyptic city), but as long as you were on it, you had to raise your Knowledge (Drugs) skill every time you leveled up, as this was the main thing on your mind: where to get the drug, when, and from whom...
So people became real pros with the whole drug trade and had to give up other character development. For people with high Smarts it was a little bit better, as they were longer able to raise at least another skill too.
Obviously everyone wanted to kick their drug habit quite early, which could be achieved by a Spirit test, you could try once a week.
But if someone offered you the drug later on, you still needed to pass a Spirit test not to fall back into your old habit. Especially nasty, when you would soon get your next possibilty to level up...
I was inspired by reading "Please kill me", the book on the 70ies NYC punk scene. :-D
As none of my players' characters had the skill before taking the drug or wanted to raise it by him-/herself, I simply ruled that at Knowledge(Drugs) d8, your skin would turn greenish, even greener on d10 and d12, and at Knowledge(Drugs) d12+1 you would be able to buy the edge "Complete Memory" and remember the time before the Orange War (don't ask..).Obviously you could streamline this basic system and make it more elegant, with real paths for different drugs.
The edges had mainly negative effects, so players really tried to get rid of their addiction as they could not get any positive character development while on it. But going turkey was not easy either...
I looked through my old notes.
Actually it was even simpler than I remembered.
There was this drug that gave you +2 on songwriting (it was a campaign about the PCs having a band in a postapocalyptic city), but as long as you were on it, you had to raise your Knowledge (Drugs) skill every time you leveled up, as this was the main thing on your mind: where to get the drug, when, and from whom...
So people became real pros with the whole drug trade and had to give up other character development. For people with high Smarts it was a little bit better, as they were longer able to raise at least another skill too.
Obviously everyone wanted to kick their drug habit quite early, which could be achieved by a Spirit test, you could try once a week.
But if someone offered you the drug later on, you still needed to pass a Spirit test not to fall back into your old habit. Especially nasty, when you would soon get your next possibilty to level up...
I was inspired by reading "Please kill me", the book on the 70ies NYC punk scene. :-D
As none of my players' characters had the skill before taking the drug or wanted to raise it by him-/herself, I simply ruled that at Knowledge(Drugs) d8, your skin would turn greenish, even greener on d10 and d12, and at Knowledge(Drugs) d12+1 you would be able to buy the edge "Complete Memory" and remember the time before the Orange War (don't ask..).Obviously you could streamline this basic system and make it more elegant, with real paths for different drugs.
Edges to make Savage Worlds more of a D&D 4th rip off
This should add some more features of crowd control and marking in Savage Worlds.
Block the retreat!
Prerequisite: Fighting d8
If an opponent tries to leave melee your character you get an extra +2 against your free attack.
[Old version: your character can adds one extra d6 to damage, if he hits with the free attack.]
Double trickster (I)
Spirit: d6
You are able to use tricks and test of wills against anyone under a small burst template.
Crowd trickster (II)
Prerequiste: Double trickster, Spirit d8
You are able to use tricks and test of wills against anyone under a medium burst template.
Mass trickster (III)
Prerequiste: Crowd trickster, Spirit d10
You are able to use tricks and test of wills against anyone under a large burst template.
Sniper's Mark
Shooting: d8
You aim on a enemy you can attack with Shooting. In case he moves or does any action your next attack against him is +2 (additional to the normal aim bonus), in case you attack anyone else or do any other action instead of moving, you loose the bonus.
Leader of the Brave
Prerequiste: Spirit d10
You can use Leadership-Edges that normally only work with Extras on Wild Cards as well.
Campaign (?) rule: Broken
If you acieve 2 raises on a Test of Will, the opponent flees or gives up.
Block the retreat!
Prerequisite: Fighting d8
If an opponent tries to leave melee your character you get an extra +2 against your free attack.
[Old version: your character can adds one extra d6 to damage, if he hits with the free attack.]
Double trickster (I)
Spirit: d6
You are able to use tricks and test of wills against anyone under a small burst template.
Crowd trickster (II)
Prerequiste: Double trickster, Spirit d8
You are able to use tricks and test of wills against anyone under a medium burst template.
Mass trickster (III)
Prerequiste: Crowd trickster, Spirit d10
You are able to use tricks and test of wills against anyone under a large burst template.
Sniper's Mark
Shooting: d8
You aim on a enemy you can attack with Shooting. In case he moves or does any action your next attack against him is +2 (additional to the normal aim bonus), in case you attack anyone else or do any other action instead of moving, you loose the bonus.
Leader of the Brave
Prerequiste: Spirit d10
You can use Leadership-Edges that normally only work with Extras on Wild Cards as well.
Campaign (?) rule: Broken
If you acieve 2 raises on a Test of Will, the opponent flees or gives up.
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