Legendsmiths

Re: Cyberpunk: how did it change?

"Come with me if you want to live."

Re: Cyberpunk: how did it change?

I think the issue with cyberpunk's lack of appeal, other than many of the things the punks railed against became a reality and nobody cared, is similar to the lack of appeal for hard scifi - progress threatens fantasy.

When you think back to the cyberpunk of then or playing Traveller in the 70s/80s the future of then was beyond reach. The rate of progress at that time is such that we thought it would be decades before we got there, instead of just one. So we dreamed of the future, and that dream was fueled by the events of the time - the launch of the space shuttle, the viking missions, space lab, computers that could play chess! When all of those things ceased to inspire people, as the space program largely has, and we have most of the tech from cyberpunk plus all of the privacy invasions and corporate power, it looks quaint.

Compare that to fantasy or even historical era roleplaying - those periods are not threatened by progress. Sci-fi however is about what could be, and is threatened daily by progress, and cyberpunk doubly so because it is near-future instead of far-future.

I think the transhuman vision presents an opportunity for roleplaying and exploring a new era of sci-fi, and games like Eclipse Phase or Nova Praxis do a good job of addressing that. But those aren't cyberpunk.

To play it, it has to be retro future, the future of the 80s not the future of now, and if you didn't live in the 80s that's harder to grasp. Retro future can work, ala Steam Punk, but I think that's the way to play it.

Re: Champions Quick Reference Tables for a 6th GM screen

Thanks for the link.

 

They are in Landscape and the shield I am getting is portrait.

 

Lanscape fits more in horizontally so for reference while playing, but to read it on the screen you would have to read it side ways, which would be a possibility.

 

Have these been done in portrait?

Unfortunately, no. I too use the hammerdog screen, but the landscape one. I liked it better than the portrait which always seemed like too much of a barrier to the players.

Re: Champions Quick Reference Tables for a 6th GM screen

Hey, thanks for pointing that out. I am sorry I haven't finished the screen, but the major tables I need are there. What I have yet to finish is Breaking Things and Living in a Dangerous World.

Re: Proper Whip Build in 6e

I think the build is fine, and reduced pen on 1/2d6K is fine for cinematic purposes -- essentially a biker jacket will probably protect you.

I do however think your whip is too long if you want even a touch of realism. 4m is probably a better bet. If you stay with 6m, I would suggest making the whole MP a Full Phase - you can't really move while trying to use a whip (unless you were maybe on a horse), or taking a -2 OCV penalty for doing so. The longer the whip, the longer it takes to either set up (so that it is in a line behind you) or that you have to keep it spinning overhead (requiring a 6m radius circle free of obstacles).

Re: Wolverine 6th edition

Probably a hold over from 5E - this guy was an update to a 5E version on the web.

Re: Weird War II

Planning on it. I was surprised that this wasn't a more popular setting around here.

Any requests? I'm focusing on the types of vehicles the group is likely to use (Willys, Truck, etc.), but if there are requests I will definitely entertain them.

I have just stared a Weird War II game and it has been going very well (2 sessions). Now that I've got the campaign guidelines a little more fleshed out, I thought I'd share.

I read the thread Weird War: Dark Reich Hero. This is similar to that discussion but slightly different.

http://www.legendsmiths.com/adventures/weird-war-ii/

I just finished 2 very common vehicles players will find in Germany:

Hanomog SdKfz 251

Common German Half-Track armored troop transport.

VW Kübelwagen

Common German military vehicle.

http://www.legendsmiths.com/adventures/weird-war-ii/vehicles

Feedback on the vehicles, or anything about the approach is welcome.

Our Dramatic Damage approach has worked well. While I normally run a heavily resource management game, this time is definitely more pulpy. The group did not want Heroic Action Points but we wanted a way to avoid derailing the story by player injury and yet still have the drama of death looming over us. Dramatic Damage accomplishes that very well.

We are playing every week so I will post stuff as I complete it. As a GM who tends to NOT make charactersheets for each NPC this will be a new challenge for me... logistically.

Re: These are small, those are far away...

Rereading the original post I see where the disconnect is.

Sean's fundamental assumption is the modifiers looking for something. The size and range modifiers are appropriate for looking at something.

Looking for something means you move to an area and take time to survey everything you can see. Rinse/Repeat. As you move through a field you will have multiple attempts to see the same small object over and over again, but with different range modifiers.

I don't think the modifiers should change at all, because the relationship between size and range is so strong (halving/doubling is a -2). The fact that you are looking for something in a large area is purely a function of time.

Whether or not multiple rolls to find a clue that is essential to moving the story could be considered dramatic is another question entirely. If the rolls are to determine WHO finds it or HOW it is found, that's one thing, but a groups collective failure to find a clue after each of 5 characters makes 3 search rolls doesn't seem all that dramatic.

Re: Wolverine 6th edition

Ahh, awesome. That's my guy.

I also have RTF versions of Wolverine and many of the other X-Men and Avengers. Surbrook is hosting them as well.

http://www.legendsmiths.com/adventures/champions/characters

Re: These are small, those are far away...

Not the same thing though. If you have a 1 metre tall object in a 100 square metre space, then you shrink it to half a metre (the functional equivalent of moving it twice as far away) then you get the penalty of -2 to account for the apparent change in size.

 

What you are doing here though is halving the size AND quadrupling the search area, which should incur a greater penalty. You are looking for a 1/2 metre tall object in a 400 square metre area, not a 100 square metre area.

By that logic, attacking a target in an open field would be nearly impossible.

Searching a large area relative to the size of the target does not change the visibility of the target. It does change how long it takes to find the object in the search area but your ability to see the object is the same.

So an object that is half sized and twice as far would be a -4 not a -2, which is how the rules work, which is the same penalty as a normal sized object 4x as far.

I don't understand your logic of equating search area to range.

Re: These are small, those are far away...

Yes' date=' I agree that size and range are intimately linked when you are looking AT something, but not so much when you are looking FOR something because if you double the range then you quadruple the area over which you have to look.[/quote']

 

I disagree again. Searching for something is a function of Concealment skill vs. Time. The search area is defined by the time spent.

 

If I perceive into a room I make PER roll and the result will determine what I can see in my field of vision. That is the PER Mod/Size Mod/Range Mod.

Re: These are small, those are far away...

Do range and size scale the same? I do not think so because we are not talking about the same thing. When you are looking for a thing in space (by which I mean a space, not the cold place where no one can hear you scream), you are not searching a distance, you are searching an area. That is not the same as looking at a specific target and trying to hit it. there is a real difference between trying to point a gun at a target when you can see the target, even if it is small and far away, and looking for a target in the first place.

I disagree. Size - Hit Locations - Range all reflect a change in the visible surface area of the target's profile. Hero already establishes the fact that each doubling is a modifier of 2. This follows with the Inverse-Square Law very well. So a target with a -4 penalty is either adjacent to you and small or 4x the base distance. That base distance in Hero is 8m, so at 16m it is -2, and 32m it is -4.

I acknowledge that this does nothing to account for a bullet's trajectory or the like but that isn't account for in the rules. PER modifiers for Range are the same as OCV modifiers for Range - it is the visibility of the target that matters, and the Inverse-Square Law is appropriate.

The rules also assume a base level of movement in all PER targeting, which is why DCV halved or 0 and Hit Locations modifiers are halved when a target is static or immobilized.

Re: These are small, those are far away...

Also consider that if the object is stationary/helpless, the modifier should likely be halved. My reasoning is that if a target is Surprised and out of combat (which, arguably the keys are) not only is their DCV halved, but so to are their Hit Location penalties. IMO Hit Location - Size - Range are all the same Targeting penalty as the profile of the target changes relative to your position.

If you apply a halving of these modifiers whenever the Hit Locations are halved (6E2 37) you actually get a pretty good match. Also, your keys are very big at 5". -10 might be better, but even then that would be a -5. So, if the keys were right at your feet then you would need a 6- (9%). If they had slipped under the edge of the couch and had 50% cover you are down to a 4-. If the tip of the key is just barely showing (-8) you will need a 3- to find them and this is where the 10 minutes of looking happens (and even then you may still fail).

This interpretation of the rules has always worked well for me and my players.

Re: Hero system basic book question

my definition of complete is: "You can use any other hero resource with it".

Basic Rulebook doesn't even fullfills that with the writeup of the Champions in "Champions 6E" or any non-Br writeup. Among others, because it lacks the VPP-Rules, wich are used by Talisman and Witchraft (twice).

Ahh, yes, but you sir are not Laser T. Swift. Your statement does absolutely clarify why what is meant by "complete" is important. Derek's Hero System Concise thread I think speaks to this.

I think your definition helps clarify what one of the goals of such a concise product should be and that rules-complete does not necessarily mean rules-verbose, meaning that you can provide all of the rules without necessarily explaining each in-depth. Would that be a useful resource for someone new to the system? Likely not, as it would seem very confusing in many respects.

We can go on, but that conversation has been already occurring elsewhere in the forums. Hopefully this has been helpful for Laser T.

Re: Hero system basic book question

Concur with Derek. It is more complete than Champions 3rd Edition in every way, so it depends on what your definition of "complete" is.

Re: The SCP Foundation: To Secure, To Contain, To Protect

Upboats to revitalize. Just discovered this site and was going to post. I am very happy that someone already found it.

Great work guys!

Re: Book of the Empress

I can't say I like having to download a program to get the file (dropbox)

I clicked on the link and downloaded it from the web. I do have an account already with DropBox, but I didin't have to install software to get it (in fact I typically access DropBox via the web).

Re: Using the covered Maneuver

I always make the cover roll after the Maneuver. What I mean is, the character declares and then that's it. No one at the table knows whether or not he was successful until the Covered Maneuver is challenged.

It's more dramatic and easier to keep track of. Try it.

Re: Fear Itself: How do you handle it in your campaigns?

I'm sure there is a way, once some of the mechanics are tweaked properly, that the Disorder effect (EGO damage) is handled as the BODY of the PRE Attack result.

I also like the contest of skills approach, and usually in my non-horror games I use EGO rolls, with appropriate modifiers, to determine any EGO damage or disorderly effect either to reinforce the Dread or Terror concepts above, or even the Shock effect. I dislike a single PRE Attack roll affecting all characters with the same level of effect. I prefer a uniform penalty to PRE or EGO rolls based on what would be the PRE Attack with a modifier equal to +4 minus 1 per 1d6 PRE Attack (e.g. a 7d6 PRE attack is a -3 EGO or PRE Roll). The effect is +1 level per 3 points of failure, so failure by 1-2 is PRE +0, failure by 3-5 is PRE +10, failure by 6-8 is PRE +20, etc.)

Re: Fear Itself: How do you handle it in your campaigns?

You have to start with what you mean by Fear. Here are the aspects I see:

Shock - that initial burst of fear that creates that flight or fight response.

Dread - the slow build up of dread that ultimately leads to despair.

Terror - the realization that your understanding of reality (mundane or cosmic) has been undone, ultimately leading to long lasting mental damage and insanity.

I think Hero does Shock just fine, both mechanically and as an effect. Dread and Terror however are a bit more open.

Dread could be addressed by a PRE Drain. Dread can be acquired either through Atmosphere (spooky tension) and in the aftermath of Shock (Aftershock?).

• Atmosphere should be a PRE Drain, but low point level. 1 PRE per 2 points of failure on an EGO roll (modified by the creep factor). There should be a way to "snap out of it" and "focus" either by character action or the interplay of Complications and such (e.g my DNPC is threatened which may suspend the penalty but then require another EGO roll after the situation is resolved to reconcile "what could have happened to my baby", which may make things worse).
  
• Aftershock could require an EGO Roll, -2 per level of PRE Attack (i.e. +0 is -2, +10 is -4, +20 is -6, etc.). The same 1 PRE per 2 failure seems appropriate here too.
  
• A shot of whiskey, a smoke, a shower, a good meal, sex - anything that makes us feel human and alive could provide a recovery of some of that PRE loss.
  

Terror would be appropriately handled in a couple of ways, possibly multiple effects. Modeling it Cthulhu style, I see it as both a Severe Transform (partial) and Mind Control, both linked to the Shock results. Would this be an actual power? Not really - it is an Environmental Effect, although monsters that generate Terror perhaps should pay for them. Regardless, here are the effects:

• Disorder is measured by the EGO damage delivered by the Transform effect, something like 1/2d6 per level of PRE Attack (like Aftershock). Each stage of the partial transform (Cosmetic at 1/2 EGO, Minor at EGO, Major at 1 1/2x EGO, and Severe at 2x EGO) comes with associated mental disorders that are retained until that level of transform is completely healed.
  
• Insanity is an immediate Mind Control effect specific to the moment. Characters would get Breakout rolls as normal. If the character crosses and EGO Transform threshold, the Mind Control effect will remain, possibly at half effect as the new disorder acquired by the character.
  

Hope could be introduced to a survival horror game that can be used almost like Heroic Action Points relative to Shock, Dread, and Terror to avoid or overcome the effects.

Those are some notes off the top of my head that I have been kicking around. I keep meaning to write them up, but my players aren't all that interested in horror so I never seem to have the need.

Re: Record Sheets

That's some very nice stuff. If possible I think grey lined triangles would be better -- easier to draw on, especially in pencil. It doesn't meet my group's goals of everything online, but I really like the layout and would definitely use this.

Re: Catch Me If You Can: A Champions Adventure

Very nice. Did you do the layout in InDesign or something else?

Re: How do I determine this...

I agree.

33 STR would be 24x normal, so somewhere between 30 and 33.

"faster" can mean a lot of things. Reflexes, Actions, and Movement are the three most common aspects.

Reflexes: DEX 30 is probably fair. No human will ever have initiative on them in most situations.

Actions: 20x doesn't really work here. At least from the shows they are about SPD 6, maybe more if they just fed.

Movement: Clearly stupid fast. Flying aside, they can run at probably 200mph. A human can manage 10-15mph, so if they are 20x that you are at 200-300mph. I would also say that is generally non-combat movement, but not all of it. To put that into movement terms convert to kph: 330-500. Let's go with 360kph (about 215mph).

1. Get movement per Turn
   1. 
      
   2. 360 kph * 1000 = 360,000 meters/hour
      
   3. 360,000 / 60 minutes per hour = 6000 meters per minute
      
   4. 6000 / 5 Turns per minute = 1200 meters per Turn
      

[*]Divide by SPEED to get meters per Phase

1. 1200 / 6 SPD = 200 meters per Phase
   

[*]Divide by NC multiplier (let's use 8)

1. 200 / 8 = 25 meters per Phase, combat movement
   

So, Running 25m, x8 NC Multiplier with a 6 Speed and 30 DEX.

This seems about right to me. They can get to anywhere in the immediate vicinity as a half or full combat move, and can get across town very fast. Whether or not that costs END, or how much, is up to you.

I suggest an END Reserve for their Vamp abilities that can only REC by drinking blood. Or apply the same to their REC characteristic.

Re: Google Spreadsheet Hero 6E Character Sheet Template

I added a Power Design spreadsheet to the Templates as well. It is a separate document, which I think works out better since not all characters require detailed power builds.

You can also find it on our site.

http://www.legendsmiths.com/downloads