Akerbakk
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Posts posted by Akerbakk
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I just started running a new campaign this past Saturday. We're doing Star Wars in a modified Old Republic era - since much of the EU is out the window, I am taking liberties wherever I want to fit my story, with the OT and Ep VII as inspiration. The game is set prior to the rise of the Sith (but with a nascent and increasingly partisan Jedi Order), covering the first invasion of the Mandalorians into Republic space. The player group is a team of "cleaners" funded by a senator with designs for a more central government.
My game engine is a love-child of BRP & OpenQuest, with FATE elements bolted in for good measure. The whole thing is generously lubed up with house-rules for fast, easy, and internally consistent gameplay.
I plan for about 5-8 good sessions of play, but if the players enjoy it then I'll probably keep rolling with it.
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First off: Last I read the BGB will still be produced as POD and PDF, there aren't any more major print runs scheduled, which is OK. BRP Essentials will hopefully be less intimidating for new potential players than the BGB.
There are fantastic games out there that you can use as a base for a ZA game, and convert. All Flesh Must Be Eaten by Eden Games is a classic and should be looked at https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Flesh_Must_Be_Eaten You might also want to look at the new End Of The World series from Fantasy Flight Games https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/the-end-of-the-world/products/zombie-apocalypse/ There are more out there, but those are good ones.
I'm not aware of any supplements for D100 and I'm okay with that. ZA is not too hard to manage system-wise, the challenge is making a good story out of it. Best of luck!
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On 11/5/2015, 1:15:23, ORtrail said:
Mutations, like for a Gamma World campaign? Or would a combination of Psionics and Super Powers be enough to cover it?
Hmm... on the surface, I think mutations could be built using Super Powers - the key element that I see missing is the randomness of mutation.
Until someone comes up with a better idea, I think the best way to do this would be to roll on the Mutation Summary chart (BGB p. 105) and model the Super Powers after what you roll. Adverse Mutations could be powers such as Diminish or Hindrance re-framed as passive effects - depending on the setting they can give bonuses to the Power Budget or just be handled as "yeah man, tough luck!" with no reciprocal benefit.
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On 11/1/2015, 9:05:06, Zit said:
They are doing something similar with Revolution D100.
I am eager to see their take on powers. I've liked a lot of what I have seen on the crowdfunding site.
Any feedback or ideas me to consider for Unified Powers?
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Hello fellow gamers!
I have uploaded my first contribution to BRP Central. It is a document entitled Unified Powers, and can be found here http://basicroleplaying.org/files/file/516-brp-unified-powers/
Unified Powers was born out of a desire to have all powers in one place. I've played GURPS. I've played Savage Worlds. I like the way they do powers, but I prefer BRP/ D100 as a system. I want my players (and myself as a GM) to have as many options available for powering characters, and I feel that the different power categories with separate spells/powers/etc is too confining for my tastes. In Unified Powers, powered characters choose a 'Power Origin', a ruleset that governs how their powers work systemically and narratively in the game. Then they choose their powers from a generic list, flavor it all to fit the game, and voila! Your [wizard, sorcerer, priest, psi, super] is ready to go.
Here is how I have set up my Power Origins, in quick bullet point format:
WIZARDRY (Rote casting of magical formulae to create mystical effects.)
-Moderate amount of starting Spells (INT/2)
-Fast power progression: Buy a new spell with Experience (EXP) = PP Cost for one level.
-Very skill dependent; Powers are split across 5 different skills (Spell Colleges) with an occupation required.
-Access to a versatile craft skill that greatly expands the wizard's power and abilities (enables wizard to make staves, familiars, and scrolls).
-Can increase skill percentile by increasing casting time.
-Can cast spells silently with extra PP cost and successful simultaneous Stealth roll.SORCERY (Fantastic manipulation of reality through improvisatory enchantments.)
-Lesser amount of starting spells (INT levels of spells)
-Moderate power progression: Buy a new level with EXP = PP Cost
-One skill (Sorcery), with disastrous fumble results. Armor penalizes skill.
-Metamagic can alter the statistics (targets, range, damage, duration) or link spells.
-Sorcerers can weave Power points into spell. Safely done with time, extremely risky if rushed.DIVINE MAGIC (Channeling the power of a deity into the world.)
-Vast amount of starting powers, but limited PP to use (Deity Alignment = PP Cost limit)
-Slow power progression: Increase Alignment or gain further blessings.
-Less skill dependent: Faithcasting casts the powers, Knowledge (Religion) has supportive roles.
-Blessing: a free power gifted by the deity that fits the individual cleric's calling.
-Requires attention to the tenets of his faith for cleric to retain his powers.PSIONICS (Unlocking hidden powers of the mind.)
-Small amount of starting powers (POW/5)
-Expensive power progression: EXP cost = 5x Power Point cost of new power.
-Skill dependent: Powers split across 3 Psionic categories.
-Higher skill means greater Power Point efficiency. Can further extend Power Points by Rending (1 HP = 1 PP)
-No limit to power level except Power Points available.SUPER POWERS (Extraordinary abilities from a myriad of sources.)
-Moderate starting powers: Point-based budget from highest Characteristic to buy powers per level at outset. Power modifiers can increase budget.
-Laterally increasing cost to upgrade powers. New powers typically unavailable.
-Generally not skill nor Power Point dependent.
-Power Stunts enable super to use powers in creative ways and temporarily mirror effects of other powers. Requires Power Points.Unified Powers is a draft, and comments/ideas are welcome.
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Wow - thanks for all of the assistance here! You guys really are the kindest RPG forum out there. :-D Looks like I really need to look into Renaissance...
Speaking of Colonial Lovecraft, I think Rogue Games is putting out their take on HPL, entitled Lovecraft.
http://www.rogue-games.net/tumblr/index.php?id=120433696080 - looks like something easy to rip over to BRP/D100.
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This document looks fantastic and addresses many of the issues I had with deep magic as written in Advanced Sorcery. The charts for modifying spells are a particular gem. Magic truly feels improvisatory now.
I had plans of writing my own home brew version of deep magic. No need now. Thanks!
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Greetings fellow gamers.
After a fun weekend of visiting a local Revolutionary War re-enactment with my family, I've decided to begin putting together some ideas for a campaign set during that time.
I did some research, and the colonial era is a surprisingly untapped source of gaming material, despite what I see as great potential for rich storytelling and intrigue. I've purchased a PDF of Colonial Gothic by Rogue Games - though I haven't had time to do much but skim it (a deeper read-through happens this afternoon when the baby goes down for his nap), and have pulled some of my history books off the shelf for some reference material. My plan is to use BRP as the rules engine for an alternate history set at the outbreak of the war, circa 1765, but with the untold secrets (supernatural elements) being the focus of the campaign. A pipe dream would be to get my hands on a copy of After the Vampire Wars and have the PCs be vampires, weres, mages, etc recruited for the cause Before the Vampire Wars *chuckle*. I'll probably throw in the stunts from Blood Tide and maybe, just maybe, the deep magic from Advanced Sorcery.
I just wanted to throw my idea out there and see if anyone has ever run or played in something similar. What experiences have you had? Does this sound like something that would work, or am I missing something? What other resources might I look into?
Thanks!
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As has been stated here already, I'd really like to see BRP Essentials be the bare bones, no frills, pared down version of what is in the BGB. Something incredibly accessible to anyone new to Chaosium.
Also, without going through and agreeing with individual posts, I'd be excited to see anything that makes the game more basic and internally consistent, like doing away with the Resistance Table, utilizing easy modifiers like the difficulty ratings combined with + - 10% intervals, skill vs skill, and so on.
I guess my version sounds alot like OpenQuest...
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The PDF is $1 the last time I checked.
Done.
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Have you looked at the Legend/MRQ II combat maneuver system?
I have not - after reading through these forums, I'm beginning to think I need to own a copy of Legend...
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I am curious what options there are for people without powers to use their power points. Either canonical or not.
Similar to what CthulhuFnord developed, I devised a system called "Combat Exploits", based on the Stunts from Dragon Age Origins RPG. When a character rolls a Hard success on a combat skill, they may spend 2 PP and use a Hard Exploit (add 50% damage, disarm a foe, increase defense, etc.) If they roll a Critical success, they may spend 1 PP and select an appropriate Critical Exploit (add 100% damage, stun, bypass armor, etc.)
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It looks like the Burden statistic is used with the optional Fatigue attribute... but I don't see any mention of burden outside of its definition for Armor and Shields on p.261 and p.264 and in the BGB.
I've never used it - if you want that kind of granularity for burden, my suggestion would be to use the ENC value listed and apply it with the fatigue/ encumbrance rules.
...Or make up a system for burden?
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Haha - I could see why you'd be confused. Nope, no "furries" here.
Due to the lack of discussion here, am I correct to assume that folks are unfamiliar with the awesomeness that is Iron Kingdoms?! Let me correct that...
http://privateerpress.com/iron-kingdoms
I'd love to hear what people think. Especially on divine magic - I've never run anything with super powers from BRP, and would like to know if divine magic (paladins, priests, monks, druids) would best be simulated by that or one of the other power types.
Thanks!
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So, has anyone dealt with this quandary? Education is an optional rule that I don't want to turn on but Skill Category Bonuses (a completely different optional rule that I like) includes Education as a factor for Mental skills. I've been trying to come up with a solution myself but haven't found one that satisfies me yet so I wanted to ask others opinions.
I too am not a fan of the EDU characteristic. I used the Skill Category bonuses for a while before I switched to a homebrew characteristic (+ or multiplied by something) starting base for a skill, similar to what you see in Legend/RQ6. When I used SCB, I substituted POW in for EDU and had no issues. In fact, it worked decently well because it gave POW another use besides generating PP and Luck.
You could always start a skill with 1/2 a characteristic as the base score. For instance, 1/2 INT could be the base rating for Science and Knowledge skills, as it is in my games.
The disadvantage is that it brings more math to the game table, but seeing as how you are thinking about using the Skill Category Bonuses that probably isn't an issue for you.
Best of luck, I'm interested to hear what you decide.
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Thanks for the replies. I like the idea of using characteristics, but like K Peterson, I worry it makes character generation a little too fiddly, especially if I'm going to introduce new folks to BRP. But if I don't use characteristics, then they feel less meaningful ...
Hmm, food for thought, anyway. Thanks again.
I too was worried about the "fiddlyness" of using characteristics - which is why I created a BRP character sheet on MS Excel that calculates the starting percentiles for me. There are definitely ways to make the game work for you, and I love the organic feel and sense of "wholeness" that using characteristics for skills brings to the table. Hope you're able to find what works for you.
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Hello BRP Central!
I am currently working on a conversion of Iron Kingdoms to BRP. While most of the items and equipment are pretty straightforward, I've had to get a bit creative get the "feel" of IK magic, yet keep it functional from a game perspective. I'm listing my conversion notes below:
o Arcanists (wizards) and Sorcerers will have access to magic spells supplemented by a handful of psychic powers (all appropriately renamed or removed as consistent with the setting) to use with the standard Magic rules from the Big Gold Book. To differentiate between Arcanists and Sorcerers, I'll start Arcs with 6 or so spells at INT%, and they may learn any spell they wish. Arcanists may select spells as professional skills, using their professional skill pool to increase the percentiles.o Sorcerers start with 4 spells at a higher skill level (POW x2%), but must select a single element (earth, wind, fire, water) as a theme for any spells they have access to, and they cannot learn any spell outside of their element. Perhaps they only use personal skill points to increase spell percentiles at creation? Or, maybe that gimps them too much...o Arcane Mechaniks and Gun Mages use similar rules with regard to starting spell numbers and percentiles to arcanists and sorcerers respectively. The differences are that PP cost is double when casting a spell the traditional way, and not activating a spell inscribed into a mechanikal contraption or rune bullet. I'd need to figure out material costs, but a ballpark figure would be 10x the PP cost of the spell in addition to the basic materials?o Faithcasters (priests, paladins, druids, monks, etc.) purchase "super powers" from the BGB. I'm considering a 21 point budget to start. Power selection will be limited based on the character's deity (for instance, a druid of Dhunia, the Devourer, or Nyssor could justify taking "Alternate Form" of a woodland or tundra beast, while a Paladin of Morrow or Menoth could not.) I'd like to figure out a way to incorporate the Allegiance system from the book into the way a Faithcaster works. I'm just not sure what I'd do with it. Maybe they roll Allegiance to activate a power, with no base PP cost?o Warcasters... they are such a different animal in that they generally use powers that require upkeep to buff those around them, or cast area spells. Warcasters have a focus pool equal to 1/2 POW. With their focus, they may cast Sorcery Spells from the BGB (again, appropriately renamed and removed to fit the fluff), and select POW levels of spells at character creation. Rather than burning their Focus to cast spells like a traditional spellcaster, warcasters "slot" their focus to activate a spell. As long as they maintain concentration the spell stays active. If not slotted, Focus is at the ready to use - "potential energy" if you will. They'll also get the "Jack Handling (INT)" skill, enabling telepathic communication with their warjack.o Since so many warcasters are traditional spellcasters or faithcasters, I'll allow players to "cross-class". They simply select half the amount of spells/ powers for both careers.o Fell Callers... would they be similar to a Warcaster?o I'm considering allowing casters to alter such things as range, duration, or area of effect for a spell. To make this work, Arcanists, Sorcerers, and Faithcasters would cast their spell/ pray to their deity at a higher difficulty. Warcasters slot more Focus.I welcome any feedback, ideas, comments, or critiques that you might have. All of this is in the conceptual phase for a possible future campaign. Thanks!
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Ooo.. I like the POW vs POW aspect of the spell.
Thanks Fnord, I think I stole that from the GURPS adaptation of Castle Falkenstein, but in that case it was the caster's IQ vs the average of the target's IQ and ST. POW vs. POW is way easier...
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I weaken minions in my games as well. They act as a group on their initiative rank and have their HP (which is halved) pooled together.
Thus, if I have 7 Nazi-Clowns with 6 HP each, the entire horde has 42 HP. Any time the horde takes more than 6 HP, another clown goes down. I think I stole that idea from Star Wars Edge of the Empire, which probably took it from somewhere else.
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An easy Magic Spell would be the following:
RAISE DEAD
Cost: 1 PP per 3 SIZ of creature to be reanimated, +1 HP from the caster (temporarily) signifying fresh blood to draw pentagram on corpse.
Range: Touch
Duration: (Whatever works for your setting, I'd go with "exists until destroyed")
Note: Caster must win a quick contest of POW vs. target's POW to "force" a fragment of the soul back into the creature.
As for Lich-hood, what would you want to be able to do? I'd start with the super powers section and see if I could design an alternate form and make the PP cost 1/2 or 1/3 of the CP cost for the alternate form.
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What do you do to keep things moving, and how does your initiative system support that end?
I houserule the heck out of initiative in my games. Initiative is determined by 1/2 Dex + D20 roll at the beginning of every round. This is my way to give the D20 a little bit of love and is a throwback to my gaming roots where the phrase "everyone roll a d20!" meant s*** was about to get real.
Furthermore, anyone that has a difference of 10 or more over the lowest rolling combatant in the initiative order gets a Lightning Round, an additional action that takes place at (initiative -10).
(Example: Wally rolls 25, Edgar rolls 21, Joe rolls 19, the mafia hit squad rolls 11. Wally and Edgar get lightning rounds! The combat order is Wally, Edgar, Joe, Wally, Edgar, and Mafia.)
It favors the more cinematic style of play that I prefer, and occasionally allows those with outstanding initiative rolls to shine. It definitely makes combat unpredictable!
To keep track of combat, I use an excel spreadsheet to track combat info while gaming. I input everyone's rolled initiative score, sort the column from highest to lowest, and read the rows in order. It has worked pretty well, but I like the index cards system that has been mentioned here. I've seen it offered elsewhere as an option for keeping everyone in order, and might give that a try next game.
What are you currently running?
in Basic Roleplaying
Posted · Edited by Akerbakk
Humor?
Well...sure I have access to it. I am using the new movie/ Disney acquisition to communicate to players that I am not following the books.
The real story is that Star Wars RPGs can feel very pigeon-holed and static if you follow the books. A guy working as a janitor that died on the Death Star over Yavin has his whole family history through the Great Hyperspace War inscribed through books and comics. Luke and friends encounter bug'bears when they take their second crap in the woods on Endor moon. Geez!
I just want players to swing lightsabers, shoot blasters and zoom around in space ships. I don't really want to have to worry about when exactly the Z-95 Headhunter hit the market, or if I'm introducing Mandalorians to the Galaxy too early. Use the Force! ...roll a D100!