[Mutant Future] Critical combat hits!

Last time I played Mutant Future, I pulled these out of my hat:
http://cradleofrabies.blogspot.fi/2013/04/playing-mutant-future-pulling-rules-out.html

Now playing again, and wanted combat more lethal. In Mutant Future characters have more HP than in your average old-school game. Starting HP is HD x STA (roll HD equal your Stamina value). You don't get extra HP every level though, it's random what you get when you level up...

Anyways, this would work with any other game also using D20 (and why not any other game what works somehow similarly).

Critical Hits

1. When you roll highest result on your damage die (for example 1d8 damage result 8) roll again and add together. Also known as "explosive die".
2. If you roll same number you need to hit (Thac0 stuff), you get x2 damage. This is a critical hit. So if you need 13 to hit your opponent, you hit him good. Weapon damage 1d8+1 would be 2d8+2.
3. Natural 20 always hits and in addition you get an extra attack to same opponent!

A-Z C for Clothing

In Lamentations Of The Flame Princess characters start with adventuring clothing. Good clothing to get along. But what makes characters different from each other is style of the clothing. Naturally you write "clothes" on your character sheet but I think that character's style is also important. What colors they prefer and what kind of decoration they like. Even though there usually is only type of clothing written in equipment list player should write what kind of clothing it is. In my opinion describing the style of characters is as important as describing his facial features, body type, eye and hair color etc. Clothing is just extra for how you look like and most certainly personalizes your character further.

In addition to describe your character's looks don't forget to describe his style.

Simple attack fumbe table for traditional games

Can an attack be fumbled (for example natural 1). If it can sometimes it is up to GM to decide what happens. This simple little tool helps it.

Roll d6 to see what fumble does:

1-2 - attack is missed and balance is lost. Loose next turn.

3 - attack is missed and character staggered. Loose next turn and AC like hit from behind (or similar).

4 - attacker looses grip and drops his weapon.

5 - attacker manages to wound himself. Roll damage and divide it by two. Round up.

6 - attacker manages to wound himself as above and looses balance like in 1-2 roll.

I will use this in my LotFP game. (natural 1 is fumble and natural 20 is roll damage dice twice).

Cradle of Rabies downloadable content

Now you can download rpg stuff I create. Currently there is only one item but I will update more as I get my hands to them.

First item to download is Werewolf: the Apocalypse 2nd Edition character sheet in Excel (Openoffice version) format.

You can find downloads in upper bar in this blog or by following this link:
https://sites.google.com/site/cradleofrabies/rpg-downloads

Turn your video game collection to random generator

I was listing my console video games and had an idea. I got list ready for some dice action. To create plot, adventure, campaign, setting, location or what ever roll dice three times and see what video games it shows and improvise combining those to gaming material. Just go with the ideas you get from a video game. Graphics, setting, mechanics, title... what ever tickles your creativity.

Not sure how many video games you need for great variety, but I'd say at least 30 sounds good. I have 54 titles (did not include PC games) what I'll use for examples here (list to my games will be posted HERE tomorrow). But how to easily roll 54 sided die? Go here for virtual dice roller: http://dicelog.com/dice
You can find list of my console games here: https://sites.google.com/site/cradleofrabies/video-games-collection

I will create these examples for generic fantasy Dungeons & Dragons styled games. Let's begin!

Random Encounter NPC

Games: RalliSport Challenge 2, Lord of the Rings: The Third Age, Wii Fit Plus
Description: This NPC driver carts delivering rare goods and treasurer even to harder locations. He is not much of a fighter himself but he has a party of three henchmen with him; one caster, one fighter and a scout with bow. He is basically fantasy version of FedEX. His special ox of rare breed is faster than normal and almost impossible to exhaust.
Explanation: From RalliSport I got idea of travelling cart. Lord Of The Rings is turn based RPG in fashion of Final Fantasy series so I thought about a party to support NPC and Wii Fit Plus gave idea of that well built ox.

Random Encounter Location

Games: DancingStage SuperNOVA 2, Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Manhunt
Description: In the wilderness there is old forgotten ruins of the city. The ruins are big and mostly destroyed to labyrinth like compound. In the middle there is part of a palace in relatively good condition; the old ballroom. When characters find the location they are approached by older man with dark hood and light leather armor. Even though old he looks to be fit. He has a proposal for characters. They must get into the middle of labyrinth of ruins and bring him one crystal from old roofcrown (that big fancy lamp). Reward will be good (what characters possibly would appreciate in addition to experience points). If characters as why the man tells it's a test but should be easy for adventurers like that (or what ever explanation suits players' style to take random quests).
Actually this is a test for old man's school of assassins. He sends adventurers and his assassins try to kill them. If assassin fails (is killed, captured or something else) he wasn't good enough. If assassins success to kill adventurers old man lures there they have had their real life lesson. If adventurers bring crystal to old man assassins have failed their lesson and their training continues as normal (maybe harder). Characters do have their reward if they success as promised.
There are different types of assassins to encounter from different lines. Lines are basically race or multi-class. Bloodfangs might be orc fighter/assassin when Deathfeathers elven assassins and Nimblefingers halfling thief/assassins. There might even be dangerous Wizard/Assassins Shadowmythics.
Explanation: DancingStage gave me idea of this dancehall, as a main location. Hitman for assassins and Manhunt for the labyrinth part where you must go further surviving attacks of assassin lines.

Town You Need To Create Quickly


Games: Resident Evil Outbreak File #2, Obscure II, Dynasty Warriors 5
Description: Getting into the city is not easy. It is walled in and heavily guarded. Sieged by undead warriors. It is practically impossible to fight way into the city but it could be possible to sneak in. Characters mind find supply delivery and join them to get into the city by secret passage. Characters learn backgrounds for the situation. There were two clans in war. Clan Reofod and clan Dywar. But because of a cataclysm clan Reofod's city was destroyed and most of them died. Clan was extinct. But clan's very powerful wizard survived and thought that the cataclysm was clan Dywar's act and turned into necromancy. Hundred years passed, wizard gained immortality by a deal with death god and got power to rise undead. He summoned bodies of his clan warriors to destroy clan Dywar. Now city of Reofod is in siege against undead wrath of clan Dywar.
Necromancer has also some control for demons and in some nights city Reofod streets are attacked by strange demonic creatures. City really needs help to survive.
Explanation: Resident Evil gave idea of zombies and Outbreak of demonic monsters in nightly streets. Dynasty Warriors gave idea for war, siege, armies and clans.

Extremely Powerful Magical Artifact
Games: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicle: Echoes Of Time, Fallout 3, Quake III Revolution
Description: Staff with crystal too powerful for mankind. It can bend time, bring great destruction and shoot magical rays of different types.
Explanation: I made this really simple. Final Fantasy gave crystal and power to bend time, Fallout destructive powers and Quake shooting rays. It doesn't always have to be complicated.

Experience points - I allways forgot to give them

For some time I have had a major problem as a Gamemaster. I forget to give experience points during and after a session. It's just that I get sucked in by the story and forget this important mechanism.

Experience points are naturally essential to make characters more powerful during the game. They do deeds and learn, get better to do even more challenging deeds. But also I think that experience points are a reward for player. By giving experience for character I also notice player. "Wow, that was witty to resolve that problem. Here, take a reward." Experience points are good way to also show players that they did well. Good ideas, good roleplaying, completing challenges and stories are a reward for both player character and player himself.

But I just forget it. And my current player for some reason never reminds me. Well, rarely she does. Sometimes when we start playing or during the course of session she says: "um can I have some experience points for last five sessions?" And I feel bad that I forgot them!

Then I try to fix it. Rewind all these sessions experience was not given and try to calculate how much player character would get them. It works that way but somehow giving experience late feels a bit artificial. I mean it is not direct response for player for doing good, or his/her character performing well. So it feels a bit silly not to give some experience when it is deserved but to give it as a pile. It feels a bit random and not as a direct response for player's actions.

I started a topic about this problem of my GMing in roolipelit.net forum and got some responses. Best idea I developed is that I have markers which represent experience points. It's easier just to take one marker automatically when I feel player acts well, comes up with a great solution or character performs great. No need to think, just take a marker.
After a session I just calculate the markers and say how many experience points character gets.

This method is good for example White Wolf games where there are not that many experience points give. One or two points at a time. Well, you should give experience after an adventure but I like rewarding them during the game. This makes character advancement slightly faster and is direct reward for player after a successful act.

For games like D&D where experience points are determined in rules how much they are given (after a combat or encounter) it's easier to remember giving them as encounters and opponents have certain number of experience points to give. But for games where conditions giving experience points are like: "performed well, character learned something new, adventure or scene completed" etc. it's harder to remember.

But experience point counters help me to visualize experience points and help me to reward them when they should be rewarded.

Now I need to find some special experience points counters. Maybe some small nice decorative stones or something.

So hot!

How I experience summer heat should be also noticed on roleplaying games. For me +25C is too much. I like temperature to be around +20C in the summer. This summers best this far has been +33C when I almost literally melted. Today has been quite bad - +30C last time I checked.

So, what's the problem? I mean, last winter it was few weeks around and over -30C and generally few months over -20C. Ok, I don't like that cold, but if I had to choose which end of that 60C yearly temperature difference I'd prefer the most, I'd go with the lower end I guess.

ANYWAYS, there is a point here. I don't like heat and I don't function well. Don't like to work, basically suffer all the time, don't want to do anything. I just feel uncomfortable and it sucks.

Based on me, I naturally as a nerd started to think how my attitude problem towards heat would work in roleplaying games. And here's how:

HAVE OF HEAT (disadvantage, flaw, or similar)

Level 1. Easiest for character, less valuable for extra character points. When temperature is above +30C and there are on cooling available (ice cold beverage, cooling fan, possibility to strip etc.) character suffers mediocre negative modifies to his actions.

Level 2. Mediocre for character, mediocre value for extra character points. Same as above but also temperature above +25C already gives minor negative modifiers to actions without cooling.

Level 3. Hard for character, high value of extra character creation points. Temperature above +20C gives medium penalties for actions unless cooling is available. +25C gives high penalties for actions unless cooking is available. Over temperature +30C high penalties apply to actions and cooling doesn't provide any help. Character just cannot stand that hot at all.

--

I hope this works. If I recall this is my first time blogging from mobile phone. Let's hope it works!

Underwater karaoke [Skill/feat/advantage]

I saw a dream, where I kinda played this roleplaying game, kinda wrote it. Not sure, but sometimes dreams can be a bit blurry in detail. But this game was Dungeons & Dragons but with Storytelling system. And there was a skill called Underwater Karaoke (or I was writing it). Sounds strange? Not necessarily. Well, the name is a bit strange...

Underwater Karaoke


Underwater karaoke is character's skill or quality, where he is as good performing underwater as he is on solid ground. So there are no penalties to his action. Name "underwater karaoke" simply means, that character can perform underwater. Usually fighting, but can also include other dexterity and strength based actions. It doesn't help singing, talking or breathing underwater.

System


It can be handled:

- As a skill. In my dream with Storytelling system Underwater Karaoke cost like any other skill, but performing actions underwater doesn't use the usual attribute + skill combination, but Underwater Karaoke + skill. The point is, that Underwater Karaoke as a skill is cheaper to buy and advance than an attribute, and it also covers both Strength and Dexterity.
(It is overpowered skill (underwater) and really unbalanced. But it was a dream and I just write it down here. From this point ideas were not in my dream, but I present them as I write).
- As an advantage. It can be an advantage (in ST system, or basically in any system what uses advantages). Cost for oWoD games could be 2pt merit.
- As a feat. For D&D players Underwater Karaoke is a feat. It could be bought by more physical classes (like fighter, rogue, monk etc.). I don't see any other restrictions here.

Side Note


I somewhere have heard, that in fantasy games (or games in general) where swimming is a skill, you actually need to sacrifice your precious character creation and development point, it is rarely taken. In fantasy it is realistic. Swimming wasn't that popular. In modern games swimming is usually included in Stamina/acrobatics etc. and isn't necessarily a skill of it's own. But if swimming was it's own skill, what does cost as much to buy and develope than... for example spell crafting, swordsmanship, survival and others, how many characters you know who are really good swimmers?
Usually andventures take place in dungeons, cities, forests, generally on solid ground. They might go near the water, but usually with ships. If you are in the water, you have been:

1. Thrown there
2. Fumbled your roll there
3. Escaped burning ship there

So, is Underwater Karaoke that unbalanced? It makes your character awesome in water considered to other characters, but how often it is used? 1/10 sessions? I don't remember when my player's character was in water performing something. And I remember games of Vampire: the Masquerade, Fading Suns (there was this water planet, but they only dipped their feet on the water. Oh, and character swam with native alien race for laughs), Dungeons & Dragons, Praedor... and many others.

But if the adventure's main theme is around the water, it is completely acceptable, that even one of the characters can perform better in the water than others. Because otherwise the whole campaign would be just -X to your character because you are in water. Like if campaign is set in water, it is norm like campaign set in solid ground. You create first level character, but because of your GM thought it would be cool to set the scenario in water enviroment your character is actually -25% (example) lousier than in a campaign, where is more solid ground.

So, concider this skill/advantage/feat, and give it a shot. And the name Underwater Karaoke is kickin' awesome!

A-Z: Combo for combat

Ooops, I did it again... posted yesterday Saturday's post but forgot to post yesterday's, so today I am posting yesterday's and now I wont stand up from this PC before I have written also today's so I can catch up the schedule.

Sheez, so much trouble.

Yesterday's Letter C Today Stands For...

Combo for combat. In many video games there are combo meters, what grow or gain points when you do special feats giving your character access to higher and more powerful actions and attacks. I have do admit, that I am not sure if there is roleplaying game system using some combo system already, so this is just a quick idea how I would do it.

So, if you know there is some system or mechanics that uses linked actions to access more powerful actions or similar, let me know!

Simple Way To Do It

Some actions, for example feats or similar have combo value. You do that feat, you get tick in your combo meter.

When you have ticked these feats enough you can perform a powerful attack or action. These might need different values of feat ticks to perform.

Easy way to keep account is simply using pen and scrap paper. You can of course make it more fancy, but it doesn't need more complicated method than tracking down magic points, health points or what ever.

Second method is using die. Just turn die to show how many ticks you have at that moment.

How Did It Work Again?

Special moves, actions, feats or what ever grow your special action or attack meter. Basically doing special moves, you get points or ticks to use on more special moves. But there are different variations.

Combo attacks are attacks you get to link or chain together to perform long multi-part-attack.

Special actions are what need to build power doing other actions before can be triggered.

Limit attack is when you build your ticks enough and perform really powerful, character specific attack (oh well, this I ripped from Final Fantasy series...).

Combo Attacks

There could be two ways to do combo attacks, but I use one method. It is easy to modificate for your own needs though.

With each attack, you get ticks. Ticks are points used to do combo attacks. You need fixed amount of ticks to start your combo, called trigger, then after that amount you need ticks left for combo.

For example character Spike trigger might be 5. Spike needs to build ticks to 5 to launch, or trigger, his combo, but he needs points to perform combo attacks also.

Combo attacks might be special moves you gain ticks from, or specific combo moves. If you use moves what grow ticks, performing them should use 1 - 1½ or even 2 times more ticks than they are building thicks up.

For example, Spike has attacks:

Swirl building 1 ticks,

Thrust building 1 ticks and

Thunderblade building 2 ticks.

Spike's trigger is 5, what means he has to perform 5 times Swirl and/or Thrust to even trigger combo (but he has no ticks left to perform combo) or two times Thunderblade and Swirl or Thrust, or any combination of those attacks to build trigger.

But 5 is not enough. It works this way. Spike has used 3 times Swirl (worth 3 trigger points), 2 times Thunderblade (4 trigger points) and Thrust once. Spike has 8 points to use for his combo. He triggers the combo costing 5 points (what his trigger is) and has 3 points left for combo.

3 left over points from triggering combo can be used to perform multiple actions. For example, if performing combo actions costs as much as they build ticks, 8 trigger points equal triggering combo and leaving 3 points to perform combo attack. If combo attacks are same as normal attacks (let's keep it that way for this example) Spike can perform Swirl three times, combine Swirl and Thrust 2 to 1, or perform Thunderblade with Swirl or Thrust.

Special Actions

Special actions are some powerful actions what character can access getting ticks. For example, healer's special action could be that he can heal more than an individual of party members. Or spell damage or effect can be doubled, even damage could be automatically critical.

These are really specific actions.

How Characters Access Combos And Special Actions?

It must be included in game, of course. It needs small special game related rules to be made. But these are easy steps. They could be made more easy as character specific personal powers, what characters can access during play via experience (similar to Dungeons & Dragons feats).

GM should only basically determine how ticks are accessed and how much it should cost to trigger combo or special action.

And After Combat?

If there are any ticks left, you could decide that they are lost. Combat heat is over, adrenaline is not rushing, action seized. So all ticks are gone and must be build up in next action paced action scene.

Project: J-Tacchi

Yes, I might write this down, with Final Fantasy-ish limit strikes (what basically are just Special Actions, sounding just more... eh... special).

Downloads & Links

http://cradleofrabies.blogspot.com/p/downloads.html

I have this small downloads section in my blog. Currently there are some stuff I've made to use in roleplaying games, but I also added a possibility for links.

What does it mean? It means, that if you want link to your rpg related downloadable stuff included in my downloads & links page, I can add it (if I find it suitable).

So, do you have something homebrew you share over the internet people can download? Give me email to doomproducts [at] gmail [dot] com and if it's cool, I'll add proper link to that downloadable file.

It does not cost anything. I myself like products people do and find it good for this hobby. Thanks to internet, basically everyone is able to share their products with other hobbyists.

So again, if you have something people can download, I find it appropriated to add and you would like to share the link in my blog, please let me know. I will be glad to do my share of your sharing!

The Sims, tool for rpg's?

(Note, in this post I talk about The Sims 2, as The Sims 1 is not advanced enough for this purpose and I don't have experience from Sims 3).

The Sims 2 is life-simulation/doll house game, where you create your sims and build houses and community places for them. Basically Sims 2 is building and decoration game but also advanced virtual pet.

So, how can one use The Sims 2 for roleplaying purposes?

I don't mean, that you could use The Sims for roleplaying in the matter of actual play, but you can use it as a tool. In a fun way.

I myself have sometimes troubles drawing a map. I am too "artistic" (read sloppy) person to use rulers, so usually I have problems with dimensions. Also another problem when drawing is how to array everything. I see only lines I have drawn and the visualization is a bit problematic especially when I don't have anything special in the mind what I want a place to look like.

Here The Sims steps in. As you know, quite big part in The Sims is building buildings. With The Sims you can quite easily build buildings for your roleplaying games. I have used it for:

- spaceships
- bars
- motels
- character's and npc's apartments
- warehouses
- etc

If you know how The Sims builder works, you can quite fast get your own 3D building done. If you are "advanced" roleplayer and use your computer as gaming assistant, you can easily show players in real 3D mode what kind of place they are in. Or you can take screenshots and print them out, what isn't bad option either.

Only problems are, that when you create houses, apartments, buildings etc. in The Sims, you actually "play" the game. And it takes time. So you don't necessarily put together the bar for next gaming session in 5 minutes, it can take even hours depending of the complexity of the building.

Good part is, that internet is full of custom content from new wallpapers to medieval weapons. Everything for your needs. You can make medieval castles, spaceships, wild west pubs etc.

And if you are really into playing with The Sims, you can make your NPC's and roleplaying characters into sims! It might be fun to create your cyber commando, 21th century vampire or even elven ranger for sims (you can easily find everything you need for this characters from internet). And if got humour enough, you can play with them making them do stupid stuff... Well, I don't go that far, I am builder type (my player has told me how this and this character did bully that and then bullied one cried...)

So, The Sims 2 can be a tool for rpg's. It is slow, takes time, but fun and you can easily build 3D buildings without knowledge of programming or advanced applications.

Vitruvian man hit locations

Vitruvian man is famous piece of art from Leonardo da Vinci indicating the dimensions and measurements of a human. More information in Wikipedia here.

Few years ago I wanted to add a random hit locations chart into Vampire: the Masquerade to give a little "twist" into firefights. I thought, that chart-only with text is really dull and wanted to make it graphic. For some reason, Vitruvian man got my attention.

I have to admit, the artwork from da Vinci is brilliant. It is just cool. And works perfectly for random hit location chart.

At first, as I used this for V:tM hit locations used D10, but scale 1-10 was a bit too small so I changed it for D12 to give more odds for middle body and hands and less for legs.

So here it is, Vitruvian man hit locations.

That small "YDIN" logo in the corner, yeah, it's for my rpg project.