Campaign Journal #2 – Star Wars Saga Edition

In the last installment, I discussed the very inception of the my latest Star Wars Saga Edition campaign. In this installment, I am going to introduce the cast.

The players are all people from the d20 Radio boards, some of whom I have gamed with before, and a couple who I have not. After deciding on some character creation guidelines, I let them cut loose, and was very excited when I saw what they had come up with.

I decided to allow the characters both a Background and Destiny for this game. The Destiny system was introduced when the game launched. Each character has a destiny they are working towards completing. In doing so, they get a small number of Destiny Points, which allow them to do incredibly powerful things in the game ranging from completely negating a hit to causing an automatic critical hit to changing when you act in combat.

The Background system was included in the Rebellion Era Campaign Guide and was intended to replace the Destiny system. Instead of focusing on where your character is going, it focuses on where you character came from. You choose a defining event, a job you worked at before you became a hero or a different planet of origin for your species. You draw certain abilities from your background, as well as the ability to draw from certain skills that may not normally be in your classes list, a powerful ability to be sure when used correctly.

I also decided that I was going to run a little experiment with this game. Those of you with an ear to the ground within the RPG industry have no doubt heard of the FATE system, which has been generating a lot of talk lately for their intriguing system. The crux of that system is what they call “aspects,” certain phrases, characteristics, or even quotes that describe a character. They can be invoked for bonuses or compelled to make situations interesting. I have decided to try something similar for this game (and so far, it seems to be working pretty well). Instead of Fate Points as FATE uses, the players use and get Force Points when invoking or compelling their aspects instead.

But enough of that system talk. Onto the characters!

We have Skai Kasian, a Zabrak mercenary who suffered a terrible loss at the hands of pirates. He was marooned on a remote planet after pirates shot down and killed the entire crew of the transport ship he was on. He was left alive to be hunted as sport and through skill and a little bit of luck he killed the pirates and was able to escape, dedicating his life to making life as difficult as possible for pirates and others that would prey on those less powerful than them. He is a survivor through and through, and more than a little superstitious, due in large part to a trinket that he discovered while he was being hunted by the pirates. Mechanically, he is a solid fighter, a Scout/Soldier build with the focus on survival, allowing him to avoid some damage as well as push his defenses higher. His aspects are Survivor, Superstitious, and Merc With a Heart of Gold

Next we have Kirikinerry-tovante, or Kiri for short. He is a Squib who was forced into a life on the Outer Rim through his own actions. He had a long and profitable career with the Squib Reclamation Fleet as a scavenger until war plunged the galaxy into chaos again. While the business was still profitable, Kiri was uncomfortable throwing himself in the middle of galactic events, especially those involving the Sith. He took his skills and went into business for himself as a smuggler until the authorities caught up with him. He was able to pay off the officials to look the other way, but it involved him selling his ship and effectively stranding himself on the colony world of Haalthor. Mechanically, he is a pure Scoundrel, focused on stealth and deception. His aspects are Outer-Rim Lifestyle, Caught in the Middle, and Holovid Junkie.

Then we have Rann Antilles, the near-human from Corellia. Rann was a cop, and a good one at that, working for CorSec until he found his commission revoked for busting an Imperial official’s son on drug charges. Finding himself unable to do anything else, he left his former life and bounced around from security position to security position, eventually finding himself signed up on an Outer Rim colony as part of the local defense. Though cocky and smart-mouthed, Rann is an honest cop through and through and actively hates those that give his profession a bad name. Mechanically, Rann is a Scout/Soldier build, another fighter, though this one more focused towards offense as well as some tricks up his sleeve outside of combat. His aspects are An Honest Cop, Chronic Wiseass, and Streetwise.

Next, there is Jasem Osar, the Caamasi Force user was exiled from his tribe after an incident with some slavers. A race that is wildly pacifistic, often to the point of complete and total non-violence, Jasem broke those tenets when he stood up to a group of slavers intent to take some of his people away. Though the results were appreciated, his actions could not be tolerated, and he was exiled from his clan. He drifted for a while before discovering and being discovered by the Tyia Adepts, a Force-using tradition that exemplified harmony and peace, but also showed him how to use his gifts to non-violently handle situations should the need arise. Since then, he has been moving about the Outer Rim, seeking to keep himself out of the war as well as to promote his new doctrine. Mechanically, Jasem is a very interesting character. He is a Noble/Soldier build, and the words used to describe him are “Force Tank.” Despite his lower than average hp, he is built to focus enemy fire on himself and absorb it through various talents and Force powers. His aspects are Peacekeep, Wise Man on the Mountain, and Stubborn Old Fool

Finally, we have Niera Kurucz, the Arkanian Tech Specialist. She always loved machines, and spent more of her childhood with droids and circuits than with other children, tinkering both with a droid that has become a personal companion as well as with herself, going so far as to remove one of her hands to replace it with a cybernetic prosthetic. As she grew, she found herself more and more distanced from her people, she left her homeworld after some “encouragement” from the leaders of her community. She eventually found employment with a very large droid and cybernetics firm that paid her incredibly well to do the things she loved to do. Most recently, they sent her to Haalthor to oversee the installation of several devices that the Imperials had paid the company for. Mechanically, she is another interesting concept. While Force-sensitive, she doesn’t show any signs of it yet, but she is focused on being able to affect the minds of droids with mind-affecting powers which they are normally immune to. At the moment, she is simply a very talented droid mechanic. Her aspects are Uncomfortable Around Organics, Droid-Lover, and Internal Encyclopedia.

So there you have the cast of this adventure. Next time, we’ll finally dive into the story so far. Keep your eyes peeled, and remember – let go of your conscious self, and act on instinct.

Originally posted on Word of the Nerd Online.

DND Next Open Playtest Launches

This will be a day long remembered. It has seen the end of Kenobi, and will soon see the end of the Rebellion. No wait, that’s not right. Today is a pretty big day in the world of RPGs, though. It marks the release of the open playtest rules for the next edition of arguably the most famous and most important RPG in the history of the genre - Dungeons and Dragons.

DND Next as Wizards of the Coast has termed it has been in “family and friends” testing for some time now, but today marks the availability of the playtest rules to the general public. The emails for those that signed up for it went out earlier today, but don’t fret. You are still able to get your hands on the materials. Just head over the Dungeons and Dragons main webpage and you’ll see a big splash page to sign up to get the materials. 

Fair warning: their page is crawling right now. Just be patient, and they will soon be in your hands. I’m still waiting on mine in the time it took to write this post.

Keep your eyes peeled here.. We’ll be bringing you all of the latest news on the open playtest for DND Next. Until then, keep those d20s warmed up, and good adventuring.

Originally posted on Word of the Nerd Online.

Campaign Journal – Star Wars Saga Edition #1

It’s always difficult for me to commit to starting a new campaign when it comes to tabletop games. It’s because I usually have so many ideas bouncing around my head that I feel that I am never going to be able to do them all justice.

However, I have had an idea in my head for a campaign for several years now, one I have tried to run several times. Neither of them got off the ground, unfortunately.

So, when I saw that several people on the d20 Radio boards were looking for a GM to run a Star Wars Saga Edition game over Skype, I figured “what the heck,” and tossed my hat in to GM, knowing that several of them were very committed role players.

This time I had no problem deciding what I was going to run.

This particular campaign I have tried to set in numerous eras. It’s first incarnation was in the Old Republic as a one-on-one game with my wife. The second was a Play by Post experiment that existed completely out of the canon timeline, but would have taken place right after the New Sith Wars and the implementation of Darth Bane’s Rule of Two. After doing a lot of thinking on how I was going to pursue it this time, I decided on the Legacy era, having just re-read the Legacy comics from Dark Horse publishing.

For the uninitiated, the Legacy Era is set over 130 years after the events of Episodes IV, V, and VI and shows us a galaxy once again dominated by a Sith Empire. However, this is not the Sith of the classical era. Instead of the Rule of Two, the Rule of One has been instituted – one ruler, one order. There are numerous Sith Lords across the galaxy, pursuing their own agendas, all the while working for the Sith Lord on the throne.

The Jedi Order is once again a shadow of it’s former strength, and Jedi are hunted mercilessly due to a large standing bounty placed on their heads by the Empire. The Sith Empire is in a state of near constant warfare with the Empire in Exile, the legitimate rulers the Sith betrayed to take power in the first place after helping them in the last great war. The Sith Empire is also forced to deal with the remnants of the Galactic Alliance, the government that existed before the last Empire was established by the Fel dynasty some 80 years previous.

As you can see, the Legacy era puts a lot on the table and in the toolbox of any aspiring GM. All the major pieces of previous eras are taken, put into a blender, and set to “frappe.” It gives a lot of opportunity for both the players and the GM to take the Star Wars sandbox and build what they want with it, and for this particular reason is becoming a fan favorite.

At the time this campaign begins, the galaxy is in a state of turmoil. The Sith Emperor, Darth Krayt has supposedly been assassinated by a Jedi of the name Skywalker, and a series of deadly power games is taking place within the ranks of the Sith Empire. The Empire in Exile as well as the Alliance Remnant have stepped up their pressure on the Sith Empire as well, even going so far as to set aside their differences after the last war and fight as allies.

It is into this mess that five strangers take the stage, working to uncover a sinister plot from an unknown faction deep in Imperial space. Hailing from the Imperial colony world of Haalthor, their story is about to begin.

Be sure to keep checking back as the story of this campaign is told. I want to give you all a peek behind the GM screen. I plan on speaking a little bit about my thought process on encounter creation, house rules that I’m implementing, as well as general system thoughts. But most importantly, I hope to entertain you all with the story of six people who come together for a few hours every couple of weeks and play make believe over the internet.

Next time, you will be introduced to the main players on this stage. Until then, remember to fly casual, and may the Force be with you.

Originally posted at Word of the Nerd Online.

Threat Assessment – The Double Agent

Star Wars is rife with the intrigues of governments both in wartime as well as in the tenuous peace times. It is also rife with spies, from the [in]famous Bothan Spynet to Imperial Intelligence and Rebel Agents. One of the more dangerous archetypes in the world of intrigue is the double agent, the counterintelligence specialist who “works” for an organization as a spy, while in fact, they are a member of the organization they are being paid to spy on.

In Star Wars Saga Edition, we’re provided some great little talents in the Clone Wars Campaign Guide to build a nasty little double agent that can be a major thorn in the PCs sides by making them unable to be targeted.

The following builds key off of one talent – Double Agent. This mind-affecting effect allows the character to make a Deception check against the Will Defense of every enemy they can see when initiative is rolled. If the check is successful, those targeted do not treat the character as an enemy until you attack or obviously harm or hinder them. This allows them to use Feed Information (and/or Spotter depending on what level of the build you’re using) to toss enemies and allies bonuses in combat, allowing them to remain non-targets during the combat encounter, and Rapport lets them toss bigger bonuses to aid another checks. The higher level build also features Blend In, which gives the character the ability to gain total concealment as long as they are adjacent to at least two other creatures, meaning that they can still stay protected even after their cover is blown.

This NPC, when used effectively, can be a major thorn in the characters’ collective sides during combat by buffing their allies without needing to worry about protecting their own arses.

Double Agent – CL 5

Medium nonheroic 6/noble 3

Force 3

Init +5; Senses Perception +17

Languages Basic, Huttese, 4 unassigned

___________________________________________________________________________

Defenses Ref 15 (flat-footed 14), Fort 13, Will 18

hp 28; Threshold 13

___________________________________________________________________________

Speed 6 squares

Melee by weapon +6

Ranged hold-out blaster +7 (3d4+1)

Base Atk +6; Grp +7

Special Actions Double Agent, Feed Information, Rapport

___________________________________________________________________________

Abilities Str 10, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 12

Talents Double Agent, Feed Information

Feats Informer, Linguist, Rapport, Skill Focus (Deception, Perception), Skill Training (Deception, Persuasion), Weapon Proficiency (pistols, simple weapons)

Skills Deception +15, Gather Information +17*, Knowledge (galactic lore) +11, Perception +17, Persuasion +10, Stealth +10

Possessions hold-out blaster, short-range encrypted comlink, several changes of clothes, cyanide capsule

*See Informer feat

Double Agent, Elite – CL 9

Medium nonheroic 6/noble 5/scout 1

Force 5

Init +12; Senses Perception +19

Languages Basic, Huttese, 6 unassigned

___________________________________________________________________________

Defenses Ref 19 (flat-footed 18), Fort 17, Will 21

hp 42; Threshold 17

___________________________________________________________________________

Speed 6 squares

Melee by weapon +7

Ranged hold-out blaster +8 (3d4+3)

Base Atk +7; Grp +8

Special Actions Blend In, Double Agent, Feed Information, Rapport, Spotter

___________________________________________________________________________

Abilities Str 10, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 13

Talents Blend In, Double Agent, Feed Information, Spotter

Feats Informer, Linguist, Master of Disguise, Rapport, Skill Focus (Deception, Perception, Persuasion), Skill Training (Deception, Persuasion), Weapon Proficiency (pistols, rifles, simple weapons)

Skills Deception +17, Gather Information +19*, Initiative +12, Knowledge (galactic lore) +14, Perception +19, Persuasion +17, Stealth +12

Possessions hold-out blaster, short-range encrypted comlink, several changes of clothes, cyanide capsule

*See Informer feat

Edition Wars!

No, this is not a post about 5E or DND Next or The One Edition to Gather Them All or whatever the hell WotC decides to go with for their next edition. This is something entirely different and entirely unique.

For some time, GM Chris and GM Dave, founders of d20 Radio have been working towards making the foray into publishing games. That time is upon them as they launch a Kickstarter in attempt to get their first game published: Edition Wars – a fast, furious, tongue-in-cheek card game done very much in the style of Munchkin and other similar games.

Each player takes the role of a Gamemaster and attempts to assemble a party of 6 players in order to prove that his edition of the game is the supreme edition. Your role will define the various strategies you will use as you recruit, badger, or outright steal other players to your side, using snark, blogging, swag, ordering pizza, or even breaking out the Banhammer to come out on top.

Edition Wars is designed to support 3-5 players and plays in about 45 minutes to an hour. If they Kickstarter project is funded, they are looking for a release at GenCon 2012 (mid August for those of you that don’t follow the Con schedule).

This game sounds like an absolute riot, and my wife and I have already placed our pledge. Won’t you please consider helping a few geeks-in-arms attain their dreams and give them a pledge?

You can find more information, some sample cards, and make your pledge here.

Threat Assessment: The Shadowtrooper

First encountered in Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, the Shadowtroopers were the next evolution of the Reborn. Created by the Dark Jedi Desann and Admiral Fyyar and imbued with Force powers by the Valley of the Jedi, these soldiers fought with single-minded determination for Lord Hethrir’s Empire Reborn, cutting their opponents down in silent fury, showing remarkable skill with the lightsaber.

Like the Reborn soldiers, the Shadowtroopers were not strong Force users, possessing only rudimentary knowledge of the dark arts. However, their armor was created with a special crystal, known as the Artusian crystal, which amplified their power over the Force to a small degree.  Coupled with their suits stealth systems, they made the perfect covert and special operatives for the Empire Reborn.

 

 

Shadowtrooper – CL 4

Medium Human nonheroic 6/Jedi 2
Force 3; Dark Side 12
Init +10; Senses low-light vision; Perception +12
____________________________________________________
Defenses Ref 18 (flat-footed 17), Fort 16, Will 14; Block
hp 32; Threshold 16
____________________________________________________
Speed 6 squares
Melee lightsaber +9 (2d8+5) OR
Melee lightsaber +7 (3d8+5) with Rapid Strike
Base Atk +6; Grp +8
Atk Options Rapid Strike, Weapon Focus (lightsabers)
Force Powers Known (Use the Force +11) battlestrike, Force grip, Force lightning
____________________________________________________
Abilities Str 15, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10
Talents Block
Feats Armor Proficiency (light), Force Sensitivity, Force Training, Rapid Strike, Skill Training (Use the Force), Weapon Focus (lightsabers), Weapon Proficiency (lightsabers, simple weapons)
Skills Initiative +10, Perception +12, Use the Force +11
Equipment lightsaber, shadowtrooper armor (+6 armor, +2 equipment, stealth field generator and Artusian crystal)
____________________________________________________
Artusian Crystal – The shadowtrooper’s armor is embedded with a special type of crystal that amplifies their power over the Force granted to them from the Valley of the Jedi. It grants them a +2 equipment bonus to Use the Force checks and allows them to treat their Wisdom as if it were 2 points higher for purposes of the Force Training feat. This ability will not function for those that do not draw the source of their power from the Valley of the Jedi.

Shadowtrooper, Veteran – CL 6

Medium Human nonheroic 6/Jedi 4
Force 4; Dark Side 12
Init +11; Senses low-light vision; Perception +13
____________________________________________________
Defenses Ref 18 (flat-footed 17), Fort 18, Will 16; Block, Deflect
hp 47; Threshold 18
____________________________________________________
Speed 6 squares
Melee lightsaber +12 (2d8+8) OR
Melee lightsaber +10 (3d8+8) with Rapid Strike OR
Melee lightsaber +7 (4d8+8) with Improved Rapid Strike OR
Melee lightsaber +7/+7 (2d8+8) with Double Attack
Base Atk +8; Grp +11
Atk Options Double Attack (lightsabers), Rapid Strike, Improved Rapid Strike, Weapon Focus (lightsabers)
Force Powers Known (Use the Force +12) battlestrike, Force grip, Force lightning
____________________________________________________
Abilities Str 16, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10
Talents Block, Deflect
Feats Armor Proficiency (light), Double Attack (lightsabers), Force Sensitivity, Force Training, Improved Rapid Strike, Rapid Strike, Skill Training (Use the Force), Weapon Focus (lightsabers), Weapon Proficiency (lightsabers, simple weapons)
Skills Initiative +11, Perception +13, Use the Force +12
Equipment lightsaber, shadowtrooper armor (+6 armor, +2 equipment, stealth field generator and Artusian crystal)
____________________________________________________
Artusian Crystal – The shadowtrooper’s armor is embedded with a special type of crystal that amplifies their power over the Force granted to them from the Valley of the Jedi. It grants them a +2 equipment bonus to Use the Force checks and allows them to treat their Wisdom as if it were 2 points higher for purposes of the Force Training feat. This ability will not function for those that do not draw the source of their power from the Valley of the Jedi.

Shadowtrooper, Elite – CL 8

Medium Human nonheroic 6/Jedi 6
Force 5; Dark Side 12
Init +13; Senses low-light vision; Perception +14
____________________________________________________
Defenses Ref 19 (flat-footed 17), Fort 21, Will 18; Block, Deflect
hp 72; Threshold 21
____________________________________________________
Speed 6 squares
Melee lightsaber +14 (2d8+11/x3) OR
Melee lightsaber +12 (3d8+11/x3) with Rapid Strike OR
Melee lightsaber +9 (4d8+11/x3) with Improved Rapid Strike OR
Melee lightsaber +9/+9 (2d8+11/x3) with Double Attack
Base Atk +10; Grp +13
Atk Options Double Attack (lightsabers), Improved Rapid Strike, Rapid Strike, Triple Crit (lightsaber), Weapon Focus (lightsabers)
Force Powers Known (Use the Force +11) assured strike, battlestrike (2), Force grip, Force lightning, vornskr’s ferocity
____________________________________________________
Abilities Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10
Talents Block, Deflect, Weapon Specialization (lightsabers)
Feats Armor Proficiency (light), Double Attack (lightsabers), Force Sensitivity, Force Training (2), Improved Rapid Strike, Rapid Strike, Skill Training (Use the Force), Triple Crit (lightsaber), Weapon Focus (lightsabers), Weapon Proficiency (lightsabers, simple weapons)
Skills Initiative +13, Perception +14, Use the Force +13
Equipment lightsaber, shadowtrooper armor (+6 armor, +2 equipment, stealth field generator and Artusian crystal)
____________________________________________________
Artusian Crystal – The shadowtrooper’s armor is embedded with a special type of crystal that amplifies their power over the Force granted to them from the Valley of the Jedi. It grants them a +2 equipment bonus to Use the Force checks and allows them to treat their Wisdom as if it were 2 points higher for purposes of the Force Training feat. This ability will not function for those that do not draw the source of their power from the Valley of the Jedi.

And there you have them. Special thanks and shout outs go to Dragonis111 for coming to the d20 Radio forums with the request for the NPC blocks in the first place. Hope they find a place in your games and “long live the Empire Reborn!”

December Update

Boy, it’s amazing how time simply disappeared once Skyrim was in my hands, isn’t it? All joking aside, I figured I needed to throw up some sort of update here before the end of the year was upon us.

In short: No, I’m not dead. Yes, I’m still writing. And no, I never did finish up my NaGa DeMon project.

The sad truth of the matter, is that I’ve probably been writing too much. Well, scratch that. I’ve been trying to write too many different things. And that leads to nothing getting done and me looking at half-finished projects on my computer screen or in notebooks and feeling knots of anxiety balling up inside of me, worrying that I’m never going to get anything done and getting so completely overwhelmed that I just shut down for a while. So, I’ve made a promise to myself that I’m going to focus on one thing at a time and clear out some of these projects.

The first project I’m going to finish is one that I’m particularly proud of, and one that’s been coming easily to me over the past few days. It’s a Skyrim mod for the AGE system. I’m excited about it, and I know the folks over at Dragon Age Oracle are really excited about it as well.

Next up after that is going to be completing my Saga Edition bestiary for some of the creatures found in Skyrim.

After that, I’m not sure. I may focus on the first of my trilogy of modules that I want to get written, or I may pursue some more work on my AGE of Heroes skin. I haven’t decided yet. But that’s not even an issue until I get these first couple of items off of my to-do list.

As for NaGa DeMon? There’s always next year. And maybe I’ll have a clean plate by then.

The Predator Skill Challenge

Maybe I’ve been playing too much Batman: Arkham City, or maybe after all this time playing Star Wars Saga Edition, I’m really starting to stretch my arms in regards to encounter design. Either way you slice it, I was struck tonight with a concept for an encounter for a module I’ve been working on, and it does draw a lot of inspiration from way that the Dark Knight’s latest two console/PC releases have handled the gameplay.

There are times in the game where it is better to be stealthy that it is to run in, fists swinging, dropping foes one at a time from various areas and degrees of cover and stealth, be it dropping down from the rafters and grabbing a hapless foe, dangling him from your perch until he passes out, or dropping down behind one as he passes you and putting him in a sleeper hold. Meanwhile, the enemies patrol the area you’re in (usually contained to a single room or area of the map), and will occasionally do searches of the room, and go on alert if and when they find the body of another goon.

This led me to envision a new type of encounter for a GM to run – a Covert Ops Skill Challenge, or a Predator Skill Challenge. Here’s the basic concept as I’m seeing it:

You stat out the CL as normal. The goal of the PCs however is not to hit a certain number of successes before accruing three failures however. Instead, this is run as a pseudo combat encounter, with the PCs either needed to make it to a certain spot on the map, or defeating all of the enemies before accruing a certain number of failures (I’m thinking five or maybe even a few more to account for the increased risk inherent in running this kind of encounter).

Every one rolls for initiative, and you break out the battle map. The enemies, on their turns move in a set patrol route on their Initiative. If, from the direction they are facing, any of the PCs enter their line of sight, the PCs earn a failure and must immediately move back to the nearest square on the map where they are out of line of sight. That enemy (or enemies if they’re linked by radio) also enters into the “alert” condition (more on that below).

Restrict the skill list to ones that make sense in the situation and assign them DCs as normal. If they’re in a shipping yard, Knowledge (social sciences) and Survival probably aren’t going to be useful to the task at hand. For skills like Stealth, or Deception (to create diversions) or wherever it’s appropriate, assign them an opposed Perception check from the nearby patrols. If you want, you can have the patrols all make Perception checks and not the results down when their turn in the initiative comes up.

When the player starts his turn, he can take a move action and a standard action. The standard action is to make a skill check, or to take out of an opponent should he be positioned to do so (more on that below as well). With his move action, he can well… move. There should be a discernible location on the map that they should be moving towards (unless the encounter design is “take out all of the bad guys in this room”). If they all make it there before accruing the requisite number of failures, they succeed. If they take out all of the enemies on the map, they succeed. If they fail the challenge, the alarm gets raised and they have a fight on their hands.

Should the PC be in position to take out an enemy, he can do so with his standard action in lieu of making a skill check. He needs to be adjacent to the enemy and not have been noticed (sneaking behind him, around a corner, above him, etc). The PC then makes an attack roll against the target’s Reflex Defense. A hit means the opponent’s down, regardless of what his hit points are normally. But should another patrol find the body, he and any nearby patrols gain the “alert” condition.

Just what is this “alert” condition? Well, it can mean what you want it to mean. Maybe they get a +2 circumstance bonus to their Perception checks. Maybe they get a Perception reroll, keeping the second result. Maybe they alter their patrol routes. Maybe they pair up. Maybe some combination of any or all of the above.

I plan on putting this idea to the test in the module I’m currently working on, with the PCs needing to escape a shipping yard after smuggling themselves onto an Imperial Detention World without being seen to avoid mucking up the entire operation. Should make for an interesting encounter at the very least.

NaGa DeMon

For those of you who may not be aware, because you haven’t bothered to look at a calendar these last few weeks, November is right around the corner. That means the annual challenge of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is around the corner too. But this year, I’ve discovered something a little bit more up my alley. National Game Design Month.

http://nathanrussell.net/naga-demon/

I’m going to be participating. Will you?

AGE of Heroes – Design and Development 1: Broad Changes

I’ve been looking at my superhero skin for the AGE system again recently after starting to watch the first season of Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! on Netflix with my wife. After doing some brainstorming, I’ve finally hit upon a couple of key features.

The AGE Engine will tend to produce characters that, while heroic, are generally going to be “just a cut above the rest” when starting out. While this might be fine for the setting the game is designed to be run in (that of the Dragon Age computer games), that doesn’t jive well with superheros, who should be beating the crap out of street toughs by the alleyway full. After thinking of a few ways to address it, I think I’ve hit on it, along with a way to drive the full background the character home.

When creating a character, you select from two background. The first one is the Origin, which describes the “how” of your characters powers. What happened to him that gave him his powers. The second one is the Event, or the “why” of your characters motivation. Something happened to him in his past that turned him towards a life of fighting crime on a super-heroic level. Two backgrounds is going to give you characters a fair bit more power starting out. That, combined with power talents suitable to the feel of the game should go a long way towards making level 1 superheros feel more heroic.

For those curious, I have six Origins, and ten Events.

The Six Origins

Accident: You were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or maybe it was the right place at the right time depending on how you view your powers. Maybe you were present when a nuclear reactor went critical and the radiation changed you. Or maybe you were caught in a freak storm and empowered through the energy of the storm when struck by lighting.

Alien: You are not of this earth. Maybe your entire species shares the powers you possess or mayber you are unique among your own people. Whatever the case, you are a stranger in a very strange land.

Endowment: You were given your powers by an outside force. Maybe a dying hero transferred his powers to you, or maybe you discovered an artifact that bestows the power of an ancient hero to whoever is worthy enough to wield it. Or maybe you were just lucky enough to be born as the reincarnation of a fallen hero. Whatever the case, whether gift, blessing, or birthright, the powers are yours now.

Experiment: Whether you were abducted by an outside force or volunteered for it, you were the subject of a more than likely dangerous experiment that gave you your powers.

Mutant: You were simply born different. Whether you’ve known about your powers all your life or developed them later, you’ve always known you were more than a little bit different from everyone else.

Training: You worked hard to develop your powers, be it esoteric karate techniques, mental powers derived from being born with a genius level IQ, or preternatural skill with a certain weapon. (This would be the realm of the “super-normal” archetype.)

The Ten Events

Orphaned: You lost your parents to a violent crime. Maybe you were present and maybe you weren’t. It doesn’t matter beyond the amount of psychological scarring you likely suffered. The point is, this is the event that pushed you towards a career of crimefighting.

Victim: You were the victim of a violent crime. What the exact details of the crime were aren’t important, but it was the driving force behind your call. You don’t want anyone to have to feel as helpless as you did that day, and as long as you have anything to say about it, they won’t.

Last Survivor: Whether you are the last survivor of an alien race sent to Earth or the only surviving member of a monastic order that was attacked, you’ve sworn to honor the memories of those fallen with your deeds until you are able to join them.

Drafted: You have little choice in why you do what you do. Perhaps an organization has information that could damn you if you don’t do what they tell you to do or you were pressed into service early in your powers and your superiors M.O. is all you’ve ever known.

Sense of Duty: You’ve been given these powers for a reason, and while that reason may not be entirely clear to you, you feel you have a responsibility to use them properly. Protecting those who cannot protect themselves may sometimes be a thankless job, and sure, some may misunderstand your true intentions, but you know the world would be a lot worse off without you here.

Revenge: At some point in your past you were horribly wronged by someone. Unlike others who have suffered similar experiences, you are able to direct your pain and rage at an individual who stands over you like a shadow… and you want revenge. Who he is and what he is are irrelevant to your burning desire to bring your justice upon him.

Love: You do what you do out a need to protect someone you love, be it a family member, a wife, a child, or a lover. Whether they are still with you or gone, you fight for them, either to keep them safe or to honor memory.

Restitution: At some point in your past, you did something really bad with your powers. Maybe you caused severe damage to several major cities or worse, maybe you killed an innocent. Whatever the details, you’ve sworn to use your powers to make it right.

Fear: You’ve seen the evil that can be wrought with your powers, either by your own hand or by someone else’s, and now you live in constant fear of seeing it happen again. Training yourself and seeking proper channels to use them is absolutely vital to keeping yourself in check.

Seeker: You’ve always been in search of something. These powers are another means to that end. This could be a lofty ideal, something material, or even something as basic as an adrenaline rush. Whatever the end, these powers are a means to it.

I’ve added a number of new focuses, as well as a number of new talents. The various weapon style talents are gone, rolled into Weapon Training. There are also three “unarmed” styles – Street Fighting, Boxing Style, and Martial Arts, each lending themselves to a slightly different feel of fighter. The classic superpowers are there as well, such as Superstrength, Superspeed, Supersenses, Movement (flight, teleporation, wall crawling, etc), Energy Affinity, Gadget, and Telepathy. I’m also working on a Sidekick talent that should be a lot of fun.

For your edification, I’ll include the first write-ups of the Boxing Style, Street Fighting, and Martial Arts talents in a later posting along with a behind the scenes look at my design and development choices behind them.

Weapons were another sticking point. The Dragon Age game has a number of weapon groups, which is well and good, but those superheroes that do use weapons are so widely varied that its hard to define them into definable “groups.” So, weapons will now fit into one of nine categories: Melee One-Handed, Melee Two-Handed, Thrown One-Handed, Thrown Two-Handed, Shot One-Handed, Shot, Two-Handed, Melee Improvised, Thrown Improvised, and Unarmed. Individual heroes won’t have to worry about being trained in different weapon groups, but various talents will improve the use of their chosen weapons should they go that route. Of course, in a game where its fully possible that your main form of attack could be shooting lighting bolts out of your eyes, weapons can really take a backseat.

There will be more of these – “Design and Development” articles as I continue to work on the skin. Until next time.