Jump to content

KULT Conversion? Anyone?


L. Marcus

Recommended Posts

  • 4 months later...

Re: KULT Conversion? Anyone?

 

I had thoughts on doing a KULT conversion.

 

The main key to Kult, at least the original Swedish edition, is that one should let the setting take first seat (since the rules are a bit static). I guess the later foreign version shouldn't differ that much.

 

The thing that made me quit the conversion project were that I could convert the rituals in a satisfying way into HERO System rules.

 

I made it into seeing that all rituals should have various amouts of:

 

Extra Time, Focus, Gestures, Invocations, Requires A Skill Roll (Lore of X)

 

Many will also have

 

Concentration (there might be more, but my memory betrays me)

 

The problem I had were:

 

"How do I handle leghty (but fixed time) durations"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: KULT Conversion? Anyone?

 

The fixed durations could be handled, as in Fantasy HERO by a combo of the 0 End and Uncontrolled power advantages. Just give Uncontrolled the ending condition "after a certain amount of time has passed".

 

And I agree that the really major thing about Kult is the setting; as we played it, the rules were hardly ever referred to. Maybe two or three times a session did we have to roll the die . . .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: KULT Conversion? Anyone?

 

Can I play (help post stuff here)? :sneaky:

 

First caveat – Dark Champions is due out this year and will include piles of stuff you could use to run a Kult game (from what has been spoken of so far...). Fantasy Hero and the Grimoire will help in building the appropriate magic system.

 

Second caveat – I don't think it is cool to do conversion stuff without some kudos to the originators of the work. I have not liked one system that has been done for this game, but the setting is terrifying and magnificent. The new edition is available from 7emecercle games (http://www.7emecercle.com/). You can also find free resources and articles here, (http://www.kult-rpg.com/) and here (http://www.kult-rpg.org/abyss_news.html). some really nice stuff I might add.

 

Third caveat – Don't get pigeon holed by the rules. I think HERO is a great system and I think it works for PILES of different genres. I think you should use the setting/game information provided for Kult as a spring board. Where no HERO rule exists to emulate something in the Kult rules, use it as flavor and simply have the Kult idea impact in-game play without a specific HERO game mechanic to represent it. I would suggest a “points-for-use†rule like this: If you have a dark secret or disadvantage that is hard to quantify in HERO rules, simply allow the character to take it to color their character. Every time they are affected in-game by this hard to define disadvantage, award them an extra XP. This will be fun as your players remind you how to abuse them. :whistle:

 

Here is my two cents for what is it worth. I think I am going to post this stuff in chunks. Like that? Chunks? :winkgrin:

 

Character Creation -

 

I would suggest first discussing concepts. A good modern horror game needs some discussion before wading in. What are they afraid of? What do they do? The archetypes could help for inspiration. The Dark Secret is paramount to the personal horror of Kult so nothing should be spared here. definitely use that as a background for the character and a mining ground for potential scenarios.

 

EDIT: I will be using the first edition I think (1993). I just won a copy on Ebay last month.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: KULT Conversion? Anyone?

 

Can I play (help post stuff here)? :sneaky:

 

Please do...

 

First caveat – Dark Champions is due out this year and will include piles of stuff you could use to run a Kult game (from what has been spoken of so far...). Fantasy Hero and the Grimoire will help in building the appropriate magic system.

 

You don't need Dark Champions, since Kult is a standard Urban Fanatasy game.

 

Second caveat – I don't think it is cool to do conversion stuff without some kudos to the originators of the work. I have not liked one system that has been done for this game, but the setting is terrifying and magnificent.

 

I totally agree. Besides, the majority of the rules are already included in the HERO System.

 

The one major exception is the magic system. I own both Kult 2nd ED (without magic system) and the newest version (magic system included). When you compare them it becomes so obvious just how important the magic system is to get the feeling initially intended. If you remove the magic system, you get a splatter game (not unlike "Resident Evil").

 

I would suggest a “points-for-use†rule like this: If you have a dark secret or disadvantage that is hard to quantify in HERO rules, simply allow the character to take it to color their character. Every time they are affected in-game by this hard to define disadvantage, award them an extra XP.

 

If you want to keep the Mental Balance, let the influence on mental balance for a certain talent or disadvantage be the same (even if the Character Point cost are changed compared to Kult). This would keep the conversion problem at a minimum.

 

EDIT: I will be using the first edition I think (1993). I just won a copy on Ebay last month.

 

The first edition foreign edition, or the original Swedish? If you got the first Swedish you're lucky, it is very hard to get. I still think it's the best edition, but that can be due to the fact that much of what it did was "new" (at least to me). Now there are tons of games that reminds of it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: KULT Conversion? Anyone?

 

I have some ideas on curses I will post later when I get home (a modification for Unluck).

 

I may have to pick up the new edition to help devise the magic system in HERO terms. I shall start posting stuff here tonight, starting with Disads if everyone is game. It is fun to collaborate on stuff and I love this setting.

 

I shall try and get that copy tonight.

 

Ciao till tonight. :thumbup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Curse (Unluck Modification)

 

Curse – I would consider most of the stuff here to be special effects and color for Unluck. Just make sure you color the Unluck results with how the curse is described. I came up with some ways to modify Unluck for triggered events. Note that a curse (Unluck) should not disappear unless the disadvantage is bought off, even if the event is triggered it should continue.

 

Unluck Modification 1 (Triggered Event): Unluck does not occur at regular intervals but instead a daily roll is made and levels accumulated towards a threshold that triggers an event. The event is something unlucky or negatively impacts the character in some manner. Unluck is rolled each day by the GM and levels are generated normally. Levels accumulate and are tracked by the GM. Once the number of levels reaches the threshold, the event is triggered, comes to fruition, happens, etc. The value of Triggered Event Unluck is based on several factors including the Severity of the event, the threshold of levels required to trigger the event, and the number of dice of Unluck, etc.

 

Value – Number of Unluck Dice

5 – 3d6

10 – 4d6

15 – 5d6

 

Value – Event Severity

-5 – Inconvenient

5 – Harmful

10 – Catastrophic

 

Value – Threshold

0 – 40

5 – 20

10 – 10

 

Unluck Modification 2 (Triggered Event plus Random Severity): To add another element to this, you could set a daily threshold (based on the number of dice of Unluck) that counts as a 'mark' for that day. The more 'marks' accumulated when the threshold is met, the greater the severity of the event. This could be used for generic curses where something bad yet undefined is going to happen. You could have ominous nightmares crop up dealing with potential events as 'marks' accumulate.

 

Value - Dice – Daily Threshold

5 - 3d6 – 2

10 - 4d6 – 3

15 - 5d6 – 4

 

Value – Event Severity

5 – Determined by Marks

 

Value – Threshold

0 – 40

5 – 20

10 – 10

 

Example (Mod 1): Demonic Curse, family obligation – Unluck (Mod 1) 5d6, Event: Demon comes collecting sacrifice for curse, threshold 20. Must sacrifice something like expensive items, blood, virgins, body part, etc. 25 Points.

 

Example (Mod 2): Maleficent Destiny – Unluck (Mod 2) 5d6, Daily Threshold 4. Event: Something ominous and bad occurs (Severity by Marks), Threshold 10.

 

Any thoughts?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: KULT Conversion? Anyone?

 

. . . I think I will have to borrow the books from my brother . . . 1st edition, Swedish . . . :thumbup:

 

But I agree that all that is really needed is an interpretation of the magic system, and maybe have some kind of meta-rules re: Mental Balance . . .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: KULT Conversion? Anyone?

 

. . . I think I will have to borrow the books from my brother . . . 1st edition, Swedish . . . :thumbup:

 

But I agree that all that is really needed is an interpretation of the magic system, and maybe have some kind of meta-rules re: Mental Balance . . .

 

Är du svensk, eller bara en fanatisk samlare? :think:

 

I can start out on the magic system.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: KULT Conversion? Anyone?

 

Är du svensk' date=' eller bara en fanatisk samlare? :think:[/quote']Svenne av födsel och ohejdad vana . . . :winkgrin:

I can start out on the magic system.

That'd be great! I'll be going home to Piteå sometime during the week, and then I'll raid the brother's closet . . . If I remember correctly, he's got Den svarta madonnan too. Never played it, though . . .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: KULT Conversion? Anyone?

 

That'd be great! I'll be going home to Piteå sometime during the week' date=' and then I'll raid the brother's closet . . . If I remember correctly, he's got [i']Den svarta madonnan[/i] too. Never played it, though . . .

 

You haven't played it? You certainly have something to look forward to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Re: KULT Conversion? Anyone?

 

How would you handle the Mental Balance element? To me' date=' it is one of the most important elements of the game (like Sanity in CoC). Especially in that at high and low levels it can change the character physically and mentally.[/quote']

 

I guess you could run as it is done in Kult, but you have to change the names like this:

 

Mental Balance = Perks + Talents (+ Powers) - Disadvantages

 

I couldn't make up my mind regarding the inclusion of Powers in the equation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: KULT Conversion? Anyone?

 

I guess you could run as it is done in Kult, but you have to change the names like this:

 

Mental Balance = Perks + Talents (+ Powers) - Disadvantages

 

I couldn't make up my mind regarding the inclusion of Powers in the equation.

Hum . . . I'm not entirely happy with this . . . I mean, some Disads - particularly some PsychLims, like Code Against Killing - would definitely be on the plus side on the Mental Balance scale.

 

Do you think it would work to just sever MB completely from the rules mechanism? Give your Disads and whatnot an arbitrary value re. balance, and use the result as a guide to roleplaying the character?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...