Gamma World HERO Revisited

[Fedifensor]

I was wondering if anyone has tried running a Gamma World HERO game since the original thread was archived.

[Psillias]

Probably still just me. 😜

 

I'm actually working on converting the rest of the creatures over and have a pretty fleshed out campaign.  Just this weekend I converted over some of the scenarios to work within my own campaign.  Note that I've based mine on 4e rules.

 

I started my players with 200 points and 35 points of complications.  Seems to have worked out nicely.  There's a good mix and the HERO system is absolutely perfect for Gamma World scenarios/campaigns.

 

Here's what I sent my players prior to starting:

 

"Here are the important things to remember and create your characters by:

   - Be original!  It's a radiated wasteland after all!

   - Make several characters; combat is lethal (that being said, I'll adjust if it's getting ridiculous)

   - 200 points to build with/35 points of complications

          NOTE: Ensure you flesh out your character!  You may be a combat god...but if you don't know poison gas from swamp gas and/or you don't know how to find water...you're SOL

   - Learn the Cryptic Alliances!  It may just save your life!  http://gammaworld.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Cryptic_Alliance

          NOTE: You may belong to a Cryptic Alliance and it will come with positives (additional gear for example) and negatives (Hunted by members of other diametric alliances)

   - You may be Pure Strain Human, Engineered Human, Mutated Human, Mutated Animal, Mutated Plant, or Android

          NOTE: Your choice will only affect your character points if you choose the benefits associated with that choice (i.e.; Androids can choose to take "takes no stun")

   - Everyone starts with the following "Everyman/woman/plant/animal/thing" skills:

      - Climbing

      - Conversation

      - Language: Common

      - Language: <Yours> (If you play something other than Human; Wolf Howls if playing a mutated wolf for example

      - Knowledge Skill: <Starting City> (To be named later)

      - Knowledge Skill: <Cryptic Alliance> (If you belong to one)

      - Knowledge Skill: First Aid (Very basic)

      - Knowledge Skill: Firestarting (Very basic)

      - Professional Skill: <Pick Your Profession>

      - Transport Familiarity: Horse and Wagon for Humans

          NOTE: You must buy familiarities that you want (i.e.; polearms, modern firearms, laser weapons, tracked vehicles, etc.)

   - The campaign starts in a port city regardless of what your origin is; plan accordingly

          NOTE: the starting city has a fairly bustling trade industry based on commercial fishing; it also has a limited power source (in this case, natural gas); it is well defended; many cryptic alliances have set up recruiting centers; there is a great deal of political intrigue; the current "city council" consists of three major players

 

   It's up to you if you want to say that you're all graduates of the same school in the port city (the militia school for instance), or if you want to have individual starts.  Let me know what you decide as a team.  If you decide to start individually, then I'll schedule time with each of you towards the end of the year to walk you through your initial creation and how you came to be in the starting city.

   If there are any questions please feel free to let me know."

 

 

 

[zslane]

Love it!

[IndianaJoe3]

Why did you choose KS: First Aid and KS: Firestarting as Everyman Skills instead of Paramedic and Survival?

[Psillias]

Because they're very basic.  Paramedic and survival to me are more advanced and the characters would need to pay for that next level upgrade.

[Fedifensor]

Glad to see someone else is doing this.  I’m still planning to spring this on my face to face gaming group at some point, but our current game needs to finish first, and I need to lay the groundwork.  Half of the group has never played Hero before.

[Jkeown]

I may have some notes around here somewhere... 168 pages in 11 point type. Stolen Sourced from every nook and cranny of Gamma Terra itself. 

 

https://1drv.ms/b/s!AnjlOlt_p61acI2-Bsn-jy6sf-g?e=M6C0Wa

 

There's a lot of stuff in there that I forgot about stealing... wow. Any complaints and it comes out immediately. Or faster. 

 

EDIT: Looks like I posted this about 3 years ago. This is an updated file. 

 

Edited August 13, 2020 by Jkeown
Thanks, ChaosDrgn!

[Chris Goodwin]

On 9/10/2019 at 8:10 AM, Psillias said:

Because they're very basic.  Paramedic and survival to me are more advanced and the characters would need to pay for that next level upgrade.

 

These are people who have managed to survive to adulthood in an environment that is actively trying to kill them in at least a thousand different ways.  I'd give them the familiarities with the full skills.

[HeroGM]

On 8/10/2020 at 4:45 PM, Jkeown said:

Stolen from every nook and cranny of Gamma Terra itself. 

 

 

Not stolen, sourced.

[Mathew Robert Ignash]

The Gamma World racial and occupational packages I created are archived here: 

http://mattcave.mypressonline.com/champions.html#packages

[Fedifensor]

I've given up on the idea of running this for my normal gaming group (they're too tied to D&D), but I may try reviving my play by post game if time permits and I find a good host site to use.  It would probably be 5th edition, if for no other reason than my previous work is all in 5th.

[HeroGM]

Find a decent copy of ADnD1 DMs Guide. It has a conversion for Gamma World (plus Boot Hill). Do a side trip for the fantasy players.

[Fedifensor]

I'm close to finally (over 10 years later) having a second go at Gamma World HERO!

 

Here's some streamlined stat blocks of possible foes to encounter:

 

Wabbids
STR 5, DEX 13, SPD 3, OCV 5, DCV 8
PD/rPD 4/1, ED/rED 3/1, CON 5, BODY 6, STUN 12
Bite (1d6+1 K, reduced penetration - avg 12 STUN, 2x2 BODY, +2 OCV vs hit location penalties)
Camouflage (Invisibility, only when not moving), Nightvision.
5" Run, 7" Jump
Perception 12- (14- hearing), Concealment 14-, Stealth 16-
These are carnivorous rabbits the size of small dogs, that can blend into their surroundings.

 

Badclaws
STR 10, DEX 13, SPD 3, OCV 4, DCV 6
PD/rPD 6/2 (Hardened), ED/rED 4/2, CON 11, BODY 11, STUN 22
Claw (1d6+1K AP - avg 12 STUN, 4 BODY) or by weapon
Nightvision
5" Run, Tunneling 2" vs DEF 6
Perception 11-, Concealment 13-, Stealth 14-
Badclaws are 1 meter tall humanoid badgers with exceptionally-sharp claws and humanlike fingers.  Their skin is resistant to their own claws and similar attacks.

 

Brushers / Coys
STR 13, DEX 13, SPD 3, OCV 4, DCV 5
PD/rPD 6/2, ED/rED 4/2, CON 13, BODY 13, STUN 28
Bite (1 1/2d6K, reduced penetration, avg 15 STUN, 3+2 BODY)
Enhanced Senses (Tracking and Targeting for Smell)
9" Run
Perception 12- (15- smell), Concealment 14-, Stealth 14-
Brushers are mutated coyotes.  They often function as mounts or hunting partners for Badclaws.

 

Brute Squad
STR 25, DEX 11, SPD 2, OCV 4, DCV 2
PD/rPD 12/4, ED/rED 10/4, CON 18, BODY 18, STUN 40
War Club (7d6N - avg 24 STUN, 7 BODY) or Rock (5d6 N, +2 OCV vs range, avg 17 STUN, 5 BODY)
+1" Reach, -3" KB, Regeneration 1 BODY/Hour
9" Run
Perception 10-

Mutated humans acting as muscle for hire in the Blasted Lands.

 

Stargazer Cultists
STR 12, DEX 11, SPD 3, OCV 4, DCV 4. 1 combat level
PD/rPD 6/3, ED/rED 6/3, CON 11, BODY 12, STUN 25
Club (4d6N - avg 14 STUN, 4 BODY), Bolt-Thrower (1d6+1K, +2 OCV vs range, avg 12 STUN, 4 BODY)
Some cultists may have minor beneficial mutations - add as needed
6" Run
Perception 11-, Climbing 11-, Riding 11-, Survival 11-, Teamwork 11-, KS: Stargazers 11-
A religious cult that believes the tech of the ancients to be responsible for the Apocalypse.