woensdag 10 juli 2013

RPG-HAMMER 40K:RT style

Like Warhammer Fantasy, the first edition of Warhammer 40,000 (Rogue Trader) was also designed to allow for Role-playing adventures in the far, dystopian future. Though, even less detailed than the rules presented in 1ed. WHFB, they are also less confusing! No special skills but for psychic powers and great material for a sword and planet style campaign! The only thing missing are monetary values for the equipment, and the character advancement rules are very simple. Dragon Magazine 149 had a great article by Ken Rolston on using 40k as RPG. Put on Scribd by user Mark Argent: http://www.scribd.com/doc/112035819/Orcs-in-Space

Thanks Mark!

It's a nice article, but for the death and injury rules I'd probably use those of 1st edition Warhammer Fantasy...

zondag 7 juli 2013

WEIRD EFFECTS FOR DYING ELVES

Human scholarship is still in debate about the nature of elves. Some say they are petty-gods and angels, others regard them as a type of undead while yet different scholars say they are spirits of the natural wilds, of flora and fauna. In a sense they are al right, Elves are concepts of nature and myth in human form. While in human form, their inner spirit has little effect on their being, other than a general sense of alieness that permeates them, causing fear in goblins and general unease among men. It also gives them natural longevity and aptitude for magic.

If an elf dies from combat, magic or poison, roll a d6 and consult the appropriate table below:

WOOD ELF
1. Bursts apart in a flurry of leaves and flower petals that disperse on the wind
2. Bursts apart into a swarm of butterflies that flutter away in all directions
3. Melts away on the ground forming a patch of moss and weeds
4. Melts away on the ground after which a small, flowery shrub grows in the place he fell. The flowers may be used as ingredients for a healing potion
5. falls to the ground and turns into a log of wood. The wood can be carved into a club or bow with d3 magical properties.
6. Falls to the ground and melts away, within 2d6 days a spirit tree will grow up on the spot. When the spirit tree or any surrounding trees within 2 miles are in danger of being chopped down, the spirit tree becomes a treeman and attacks the offenders.

SEA ELF
1. Becomes an apparently normal corpse, but rather than decay, turns into a patch of coral if submerged in water
2. Bursts apart in a watery splash
3. Melts away on the ground, forming a small pool of salt water
4. Liquefies after d6 turns. The liquid may be used as a potion of Breathe under water or philtre of wetted humours
5. Liquefies after d6 turns, the liquid may be used as a potion of Walk On Water or philtre of wetted humours
6. Falls to the ground and melts away. After 2d6 days, a spectre of the elf will appear and haunt the general area where he fell.

HIGH ELF
1. Becomes an apparently normal corpse, but does not rot and decay
2. Bursts apart into a flock of sparrows
3. Melts away on the ground, forming a patch of thorny white roses
4. Melts away on the ground, a small patch of healing herbs grow where he fell
5. Falls to the ground and immediately decays, leaving only hair and bones which can be used to create d6 philtres or one amulet of aerial humours
6. Falls to the ground and melts away. After 2d6 days, a wight will appear and haunt the general area the elf fell.

DARK ELF
1. Falls to the ground and bursts into a swarm of tiny lizards who scurry away as fast as they can
2. Bursts into a flock of tiny bats who flutter away in the darkness
3. Melts away on the ground, a patch of poisonous purple and white mushrooms grows in the spot
4. Falls to the ground and immediately decays, leaving only hair and bones which may be used to create d6 philtres or 1 amulet of earthen humours
5. Falls to the ground as a heap of rubble and gravel. 2D6 magical sling stones (+1 to kill) may be salvaged from the heap.
6. falls to the ground and melts away. After 2d6 days, a wraith will appear and haunt the general area where the elf fell.

Adjusted Firsthammer skill system

If and when I'm going to play Firsthammer as RPG I'll pretty much run it by the book. However, I will have a few modifications and house rules in place which hopefully improve the experience. One of the most involved modifications is an edit of the skill-system presented. My gripe with it is that it does not describe most skills and has a few superfluous skills. So here is my first draft of that.

(HUMAN) SKILLS
This is my modification of the original skill list. Starting characters have D4-1 skills (as described in WH1 vol.3). Characters with Intelligence of 10 or better have 1 additional skill.
    Roll a d100
    1-10 Trapper 
    Can set traps using string, ropes, sticks and pits. These have a 75% chance of being effective and take d6 turns to construct for small creatures (s1) and +1d6 for each strength grade higher (to construct a mantrap takes 3d6 turns as the average human's strength is 3)

    11-18 Tracker
    Will be able to find, follow and recognise tracks in soft ground, snow or dusty corridors.

    19-25 Trader
    Will be aware of most commodity prices and their differing values in differing areas. May “haggle” to reduce an item's price by 10%.

    26-30 Sailor
    Can perform general ship-board duties

    31-32 Carpenter
    Can construct and repair wooden items and structures.

    33-34 Servant
    May dodge close combat attacks on an unmodified roll of 6 on a d6.

    35 Herdsman
    Can train and direct dogs.

    36-40 forger
    Can make fake documents and counterfeit coins with the right equipment.

    41-44 con man
    +1 to bluff rolls.

    45-53 pick pocket
    Characters with this skill can attempt to pick pockets. The GM determines the number of pockets -roll a d4+2 if this is not specified. Money or treasure is randomly distributed amongs these pockets. To pick pockets the thief must contrive to bump into the target or make some other form of physical contact. A drunken embrace or even a handshake will suffice. At each contact the player may choose 1-4 pockets to 'dip'. After each attempt the GM should roll a d100 to see if the theft has been noted. The base chance is 10% per pocket dipped minus the thief's Initiative, +10% for each pocket dipped and +10 for each subsequent attempt/contact. (I.e a thief with I 6 who 'dips' 3 pockets has a 24% chance of getting caught in the act).

    54-60 pharmacist
    Identify potions and poisons, may brew potions and poisons of various kinds.

    61-67 actor
    Good at pretending to be other people (disguise)

    68-75 minstrel
    Can always earn a little money by singing and telling stories.

    76 Barber-surgeon
    Can perform surgery and apply medicine to injured or sick characters and gain the bonuses of Healers when performing first aid as described in the Injury and Death chapter. Also they may perform surgery on characters to remove permanent effects of injuries. This will require a successful Intelligence test (modified by GM at his discretion). Failed surgery may have additional adverse effects.

    77-81 Jeweller
    Is aware if the value and rarity of various gems and can identify forgeries.

    82-85 Woodsman
    Can walk silently in woods and may subsist and feed other people safely in a wilderness. He can identify most naturally poisonous plants.

    86-88 Fisherman
    Can safely operate a row boat with ease, knows the best spots in a body of water to fish

    89-92 Thug
    Has only a -1 to-hit penalty when fighting unarmed, no to-hit penalties when using an improvised weapon. If this skill is rolled twice, a thug may make an unarmed attack in addition to normal (armed) melee attacks (if armed with weapon+shield, double handed or two weapons, this attack would be a kick or head-butt).

    93-95 Armourer
    May, given the use of a forge, make weapons, armour and sundry special gadgets.

    96 Miner
    A miner will be able to tell if a dungeon or mine is safe. He will be able to recognise most of the characteristics of goblin, dwarf, human and other tunnelling.

    97 Engineer
    Can supervise the construction of engines (cranes, catapults, ballista's), buildings and fortifications.

    98-100 Linguist
    Can understand the basics of any language by passing an Int-test. May be fluent in one additional language other than his own.

Social status and skills
As I will be using the Social Standing characteristic too (RAW) I'll give any aristocratic player character the option of having a servant-retainer with the generated skill rather than the aristocrat knowing a skill that is obviously beneath their station (such as miner, thug, fisherman etc.).

OPTIONAL RULE: ALTERNATIVE ELVES
In warhammer, Elves are nothing but a sort of ubermensch with aptitude for magic. Below an alternative skill list for Elf characters to use instead of the normal skill-list. The abilities are a mix of mundane skills and stuff inspired by European Myth and some excellent blogposts (Middenmurk, Jrients and others) on making elves more alien/weird/fey

Fey Feats
Elves are fey and otherworldly beings and sometimes have magical powers. If an elf generates a skill that requires life energy to use, generate life energy as for a wizard, even if the elf is not a wizard character.
At each 1500 experience points the elf acquires, generate a new Fey Feat.
    Roll a d100
    1-10 Trapper
     Can set traps using string, ropes, sticks and pits. These have a 75% chance of being effective and take d6 turns to construct for small creatures (s1) and +1d6 for each strength grade higher (to construct a mantrap takes 3d6 turns as the average human's strength is 3)

    11-18 Tracker
    Will be able to find, follow and recognise tracks in soft ground, snow or dusty corridors.

    19-25 Animal spirit 
    The elf is a were-creature. Generate the were-factor as normal (d6)
    wood elf: Were boar, bear, wolf or tiger
    High elf: were-tiger
    Sea elf: were-rat or were-wolf
    Dark elf: were-rat

    26-30 Sea Elf
    Can perform general ship-board duties. May breathe under-water at -1 life energy/10 minutes

    31-32 Scout
    Excellent vision and excellent hearing (+1 to spot checks)

    33-34 Wardancer
    Lightning reflexes (always strike first or in initiative order if surprised)
    35 Magical Sleep 
    Put d6 foes to sleep for 2d6 turns. Expend 1 life energy per foe per turn.

    36-40 Fey
     At night, the Elf appears otherworldly and ghost-like, causing fear in domestic animals, humans, halflings, orcs and beastmen and terror to Goblins.
    drawback: enemies striking the elf with iron weapons receive a +1 to wound. The elf may only use weapons of wood, stone, silver, bronze and mithril (ithilmar/gromril)

    41-44 White (wo)man 
    At night, the elf may turn into a Spectre (WHTMCFRPG vol.1 p. 50) for 1 life energy per turn, and operate under the rules as detailed for such creatures. The spectre cannot use other abilities or cast spells, nor can s/he use any equipment. To revert to corporeal elf-form, the elf must pas a WP-test at -1 for each 3 turns spent as spectre. A number of failed tests equal to the Elf's WP indicates the elf cannot rematerialize in mortal form and will vanish when his life energy runs out or when caught in sun-light. The elf-spectre will continue to haunt the area where he was last seen every night until banished by an exorcism or banish undead spell.
    drawback: enemies striking the elf with iron weapons receive a +1 to wound. The elf may only use weapons of wood, stone, silver, bronze and mithril (ithilmar/gromril)

    45-53 Marshlight
    may cast magic light for 2 energy without the use of a philtre or amulet
    drawback: enemies striking the elf with iron weapons receive a +1 to wound. The elf may only use weapons of wood, stone, silver, bronze and mithril (ithilmar/gromril)

    54-60 Herbalist
    Heal injury, identify plants, poisons and potions

    61-67 Tree-spirit 
    May turn into a dryad at-will for 1 life energy. While in dryad-form the elf loses 1 life energy per turn. To turn back into a normal elf, the elf must pass a willpower test at -1WP per 3 turns spent as Dryad. If a number of tests equal to the Elf's WP have failed, he remains in Dryad-form. Once the Dryad's life energy runs out, the Dryad becomes a normal, immobile tree.

    Dryad stats: BS:-1, S+1, T+1, W+1, I:-2, A:+1, armour save 5+. While in Dryad form, the elf attacks with natural weapons and cannot use any other equipment. The elf may still cast spells or use other special abilities that do not require the use of tools or weapons.

    68-75 minstrel
    Can always earn a little money by singing and telling stories.

    76 Elf-guest 
    Open locks

    77-81 Elf shot 
    Treat all bows as an Elf Bow (range, strength)

    82-85 Woodsman
    Can walk silently in woods and may subsist and feed other people safely in a wilderness. He can identify most naturally poisonous plants.

    86-88 Sense magic 
    If not a wizard, the elf gains the sense magic ability. If a wizard, the elf knows one additional spell.

    89-92 Hypnotist
    -still need some rules for that

    93-95 magic awareness  
    If not a wizard, the elf gains the magic awareness ability, if a wizard, the elf knows one additional spell.

    96 speak to animals
    The elf can speak to animals and understand their language.

    97 Alien 
    -1/10 to reaction tests

    98-100 Linguist
    Can understand the basics of any language by passing an Int-test. May be fluent in one additional language other than his own.
OPTIONAL RULES: DWARVES
Like elves, though I like Warhammer's characterization of Dwarves, I want to do some de-humanization of these creatures too. Making them a bit more like their mythological counterparts outside fantasy gaming. Therefore dwarfs may go for Dwarven Crafts instead of the normal skills:

Dwarven crafts
    Roll a d100
    1-10 Trapper 
    Can set traps using string, ropes, sticks and pits. These have a 75% chance of being effective and take d6 turns to construct for small creatures (s1) and +1d6 for each strength grade higher (to construct a mantrap takes 3d6 turns as the average human's strength is 3)

    11-18 Tracker
    Will be able to find, follow and recognise tracks in soft ground, snow or dusty corridors.

    19-25 Trader
    Will be aware of most commodity prices and their differing values in differing areas. May “haggle” to reduce an item's price by 10%.

    26-30 Greedy 
    Gains double experience for any gold looted. If of avarice alignment, the dwarf earns experience at a rate of 1:1 (i.e. acquiring 8 gold crowns is 8 XP.).

    31-32 Carpenter
    Can construct and repair wooden items and structures.

    33-34 alcoholic
     Subject to alcoholism. However, each pint of strong drink consumed gives +1 strength for the next turn.

    35 Conman
    +1 to bluff rolls.

    36-40 forger
    Can make fake documents and counterfeit coins with the right equipment.

    41-44 Ugly 
    -1/10 to reaction tests, cause fear to children, imbeciles (humans with INT 3 or lower) and Halflings in night and darkness.

    45-53 pick pocket
    Characters with this skill can attempt to pick pockets. The GM determines the number of pockets -roll a d4+2 if this is not specified. Money or treasure is randomly distributed amongst these pockets. To pick pockets the thief must contrive to bump into the target or make some other form of physical contact. A drunken embrace or even a handshake will suffice. At each contact the player may choose 1-4 pockets to 'dip'. After each attempt the GM should roll a d100 to see if the theft has been noted. The base chance is 10% per pocket dipped minus the thief's Initiative, +10% for each pocket dipped and +10 for each subsequent attempt/contact. (I.e a thief with I 6 who 'dips' 3 pockets has a 24% chance of getting caught in the act).

    54-60 Alchemist
    Identify potions and poisons, may brew potions and poisons of various kinds.

    61-67 sense magic
     If not a wizard, the Dwarf gains the sense magic ability, if a wizard, the Dwarf knows one additional spell.

    68-75 Immune to poison 
    Poisons have no effect on this dwarf.

    76 Berserker
    subject to frenzy

    77-81 Jeweller
    Is aware if the value and rarity of various gems and can identify forgeries.

    82-85 Hard-headed 
    Half the time unconscious and change of death for head wounds.

    86-88 Sniffer
     Detect the presence of metals, minerals and gemstones (1 type per level)

    89-92 Thug
    Has only a -1 to-hit penalty when fighting unarmed, no to-hit penalties when using an improvised weapon. If this skill is rolled twice, a thug may make an unarmed attack in addition to normal (armed) melee attacks (if armed with weapon+shield, double handed or two weapons, this attack would be a kick or head-butt).

    93-95 Armourer
    May, given the use of a forge, make weapons, armour and sundry special gadgets.

    96 Miner
    A miner will be able to tell if a dungeon or mine is safe. He will be able to recognise most of the characteristics of goblin, dwarf, human and other tunnelling.

    97 Engineer
    Can supervise the construction of engines (cranes, catapults, ballista's), buildings and fortifications.

    98-100 Runecraft
     Can engrave runes on metal items (blades, rings, bracelets etc, see warhammer magic)