Spes Magna Games

Way back in the early days of D&D, playing a monster as a character posed certain difficulties. Chief among these was that most monsters didn’t have any ability scores other than a general range for Intelligence. Monsters (as opposed to NPCs with class levels) and PCs weren’t built using the same rules. Indeed, there were few rules for building monsters at all. Sure, if a GM wanted to let you play a troll as a character, he could, but there really wasn’t any defined way to balance the troll’s abilities against those of regular PCs. If you wanted to build a new monster, you just sort of built it, maybe not quite willy-nilly but definitely without lots of hard-fast guidelines about Hit Dice, Armor Class, et cetera.

Enter 3E D&D. All of a sudden, monsters have the full range of ability scores (barring special cases such as undead — no Constitution — and vermin — no Intelligence). Monsters have types, which are sort of like character classes. The monster’s type determines Hit Dice, skill points, which skills count as class skills, and usually what can be viewed as racial abilities. Monsters also get feats pretty much the same way PCs do, and they choose those feats from pretty much the exact same list as the PCs. Monsters could be played as normal characters thanks the inclusion of Level Adjustments, a system almost universally panned as being, at best, deeply flawed. On the plus side, the conformation of monsters to basically the exact same rules used to create PCs was almost universally declared a Good Thing. I’m in agreement, but with one caveat.

I’ve seen an increase in the amount of metagaming about monster abilities. The players (rather than the GM) have built their PCs, and they understand that the monsters are pretty much built using the same rules. Too many players then decide that this means that they can reverse engineer monsters during game play, and that those parts of a monster that don’t reverse engineer are somehow wrong.

I’ll toss out two examples to playfully tweak one of my players. Once upon a time, I ran an adventure where the PCs encountered some undead monstrous vermin. When it was painfully discovered that these zombie vermin were venomous, complaints ensued, such as, “But they don’t have Constitution scores. They can’t have poison.” Or, “That ability is lost when applying that template.” Another time the PCs met mummified hell hounds. The mummified hell hounds, much like non-mummified hell hounds, were immune to fire, which prompted complaints that “Mummies are vulnerable to fire. They shouldn’t be immune to fire if they’re mummies, because all mummies have that vulnerability.”

And thus we arrive at i being for ignorance.

What I want is a perfect game where the players (rather than the GM) are completely clueless about the rules that monsters follow. The players don’t know what a template is. They don’t know that a dragon’s breath weapon’s save DC is based on Constitution. Et cetera. Instead, they accept the game world as it is revealed to them, and have their characters react to that world, not the presumed rules violations embodied by a particular encounter.

Barring that, folks can just agree to stop the metagamey reverse engineering and work more on roleplaying their characters’ reactions.

“I hit the mummified hound thing with a scorching ray.”

“The searing flames of the spell have no apparent effect. The mummified hound charges to attack.”

“Ye gods! What manner of mummies are these, that they are immune to fire?”

Note the difference in the character’s reaction. It’s in-character. It also opens up the possibility for the character to learn the answer to his question, whether through something as simple as a Knowledge skill check or as involved as searching through musty tomes in the city library while consulting the sages.

“Huh, those mummified hounds were created from the corpses of hell hounds, which, even after the mummification process, retain their fiendish resistance to fire. They are, however, particularly vulnerable to cold. I must remember this…just in case.”

Tags: A to Z, game play

Mythopoetic Games “is dedicated to publishing a small number of free tabletop pencil-and-paper roleplaying games.” The site and the games are from the minds of Christopher Johnstone and Dean Suter. On the downloads page, Mythopoetic Games has five free tabletop RPGs. The one that we’re interested in today is Danse Macabre. Here’s the blurb:

A Roleplaying game of horror, intrigue and dark fantasy set in an alternative and dark Medieval Europe. Dark and monstrous things haunt the shadows of the forest and mountain. Old gods lurk mad and forsaken in their sacred pools. Wars between Heaven, Faerie and Hell have left all the mortal world bloodied and broken beneath the surface of things. A rot of destruction is spreading, and soon the final reckoning of creation itself may be at hand.

Five PDFs comprise this free horror RPG, and these aren’t piddly little documents typed up with large amounts of amateurishness. They are laid out in simple, readable two column format with evocative illustrations and printer-friendly goodness. The only downside to the PDFs is the lack of bookmarks, but this is really only a small complaint applicable to the Core Rules, the largest of the PDFs.

The Core Rules weigh in at about 140 pages divided into 10 chapters, including the introduction. The game uses a d6 dice pool action resolution system, and includes a nice little differentiation between subjective resolution (for things that don’t require dice rolls) and objective resolution (for things that do). Regarding the former: “The key to Subjective Resolution is acknowledging that clever ideas and well-narrated actions deserve rewards. Encouraging Subjective Resolution speeds the pace of a game considerably.”

Action resolution is by rolling the relevant number of d6 based on the appropriate trait and counting successes. Each 6 is one success, and “Easy” tasks require no roll to succeed. These traits tests can be simple (unopposed), opposed, or prolonged (for things like a foot race). Characters also have a pool of Effort points that can be spent to increase the success range for a die. For example, one Effort point makes rolls of 5 or 6 a success. Overall, this is a simple and quick action resolution mechanic, and the addition of Effort to increase success is at least close to inspired.

Character creation starts with a concept. Characters have a motivation (example: “I am an Irish wanderer, driven to seek out the mysteries of my ancient Celtic roots and beliefs.”) and an upbringing (such as noble or serf). The latter provides bonus skill points for certain skills.

In keeping with the medieval theme, characters also have “aspects of nature” that “define where you [sic] character falls in the endless wars between Heaven and Hell.” The player picks at least one but no more than three personality traits chosen from two lists: one for the Seven Heavenly Virtues and another for the Deadly Sins. Players earn Fate Points (used for character advancement and improvement) for roleplaying their PCs’ personality traits. Characters also have five background points that are spent buying Background traits that may affect skills. Skills are likewise purchased on a point system. Sorcery skills are accessed via appropriate background choices.

Further chapters detail character traits and background effects, the combat system, the magic system, the setting (which is chock full of win and sufficiently generic to fit a wide variety of game systems), an essay on roleplaying, various beasts and devils, and two short introductory scenarios.

Darkest Arts is a 10-page PDF that expands on two systems of magic, warlockry and necromancy. Another magic expansion, The Sacral and the Lost, talks about “white magic” such as angelic pacts. The wee people figure prominently in Danse Macabre, and another 10-page PDF, Faerie Lore, offers more detail about these mercurial creatures. Lastly, Tales Told by Shadows offers five short scenarios in 27 pages.

There is a wealth of good stuff in these documents. Even if you’re not inclined to play the game itself, the scenario, setting, and character background sections offer oodles of inspiration for anyone interested in running a dark fantasy game set in a horror-filled Middle Ages.

Tags: A to Z, horror, Mythopoetic Games

Gröd the Gorilla transformed from a common jungle ape into an evil, intelligent beast after exposure to the eldritch energies of a glowing hunk of starmetal that fell from the heavens. Those same energies unlocked wild psionic powers from the beast’s mind. With its newfound abilities, it took the name Gröd and began a terrible career as an evil adventurer. That was years ago. Since that fateful day, Gröd has grown in power and influence. He now rules a savage band of greenskin orcs augmented by a motley assortment of ogres and girallons. From his treetop fortresses, Gröd lives the life of a warlord, exacting tribute from those who travel through his domain as well as waging skirmishes against nearby rivals.

Gröd’s personality mixes a sort of superficial sophistication with bouts of intense savagery. He affects an informed taste for finery and higher cultural pursuits, but isn’t above eating a slain enemy uncooked, tearing flesh and snapping bones to suck marrow. Gröd evinces an irrational hatred of adventurers who move faster than he does.

Design Notes: Gröd was built by applying the awaken spell to a normal Pathfinder gorilla, but with the Strength score increased to a more appropriately gorilla-like level. I then adjusted the gorilla’s CR to 4 before adding 8 levels of wilder, counting those levels as a non-key class. This bumped Gröd’s CR to 8. The additional +1 CR results from giving Gröd equipment equal to that of an 8th-level PC instead of a 8th-level NPC. All psionic abilities, skills, feats, and equipment come from Psionics Unleashed by Dreamscarred Press. I highly recommend this book if you like both psionics and Pathfinder. You can check out its OGC at this link.

Gröd the Gorilla
Awakened Gorilla Warrior Wilder 8
CR 9; XP 6,400
NE Large magical beast (augmented animal, psionic)
Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +14

DEFENSE
AC 23, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+6 armor, +3 Dex, +2 dodge, +3 natural, -1 size)
hp 121 (5d8+15 plus 8d8+24 plus 13 Toughness plus 8 Psionic Body)
Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +10
Defensive Abilities elude attack +2

OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee 2 slams +17 (1d6+8 plus 1d6 electricity), or
Ranged +1 teleporting javelin +12 (1d8+9, range increment 30 ft.)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Psionic Powers Known (68 pp/day, ML 8th; concentration +11, +15 defensively):
4th – empathic feedback (Will DC 18)
3rd – body adjustment
2nd – mental disruption (Will DC 16)
1st – energy ray, force screen

STATISTICS
Str 26, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 16 (14)
Base Atk +9; CMB +18; CMD 31
Feats Combat Manifestation, Great Fortitude, Mental Leap, Psionic Body, Psionic Meditation, Skill Focus (Perception), Skill Focus (Stealth), Toughness (B)
Skills Acrobatics +18 (+22 jumping), Autohypnosis +14, Climb +23, Intimidate +14, Knowledge (psionics) +13, Perception +14, Spellcraft +13, Stealth +9, Swim +15, Use Magic Device +14; Racial Modifier +8 Climb; Armor Check Penalty -1
Languages Common, Giant, Orc

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Hardened Body (Ex): Gröd’s deep and intense connection to his body means that when his mind surges with power, his body grows more powerful. Gröd gains 5 temporary hit points whenever he gain the benefits of surging euphoria. These temporary hit points last for the duration of Gröd’s surging euphoria.

Psychic Enervation (Ex): Pushing himself by invoking a wild surge is dangerous. Immediately following each wild surge, Gröd may be overcome by the strain of his effort. The chance of suffering psychic enervation is 15%. When overcome by psychic enervation, Gröd is staggered until the end of his next turn and loses a number of hit points equal to his normal manifester level (the increase in manifester level from his wild surge does not increase the number of hit points lost). Gröd may expend his psionic focus as a free action when he would suffer psychic enervation to convert this damage into power point loss, although he is still staggered as normal.

Surge Blast (Su): Gröd can channel his wild surge into a blast of uncontrolled phrenic energy. As a standard action and by expending psionic focus, Gröd can make a ranged touch attack (range 30 feet) that deals 3d6 points of force damage.

Surging Euphoria (Ex): When Gröd uses his wild surge ability, he gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws for 3 rounds. If Gröd is overcome by psychic enervation following his wild surge, he does not gain the morale bonus for this use of his wild surge ability.

Wild Surge (Su): Gröd can let his passion and emotion rise to the surface in a wild surge when he manifests a power. During a wild surge, Gröd gains phenomenal psionic strength, but may harm himself by the reckless use of his power (see psychic enervation).

Gröd can choose to invoke a wild surge whenever he manifests a power. When he does so, he gains +3 to his manifester level with that manifestation of the power. The manifester level boost gives him the ability to augment his powers to a higher degree than he otherwise could; however, he pays no extra power point for this wild surge. Instead, the additional 3 power points that would normally be required to augment the power is effectively supplied by the wild surge.

Level-dependent power effects are also improved, depending on the power Gröd manifests with his wild surge. This improvement in manifester level does not grant any other benefits outside of the manifestation (he gains no higher-level class abilities, for instance).

Gröd can expend his psionic focus to manifest a psionic power without expending any power points, powering the manifestation with only his wild surge. He manifests this power as if all power points were paid by his wild surge ability. This results in the power being manifested as if the base power point cost of the power was paid, along with augmentation equal to his wild surge amount, but he may not augment the power beyond the amount of his wild surge, and when checking for psychic enervation, the chance to be overcome doubles to 30%. Gröd must wait 10 minutes after wild surging in this fashion before he can do so again.

EQUIPMENT
+2 chain shirt of landing, +1 teleporting javelin, bracers of mighty shocking fists (as an amulet of mighty fists but occupying the wrist slot), headband of alluring charisma +2, potion of displacement, potion of greater magic fang +2, psionatrix of telepathy, ring of forcefangs, plus 2,550 gp of other stuff, some of which should be spent for various magical scrolls for use via Use Magic Device

Tags: A to Z, NPCs, Pathfinder monsters, psionics

Today’s letter inspired me to pull Kemp P. Battle’s compilation Great American Folklore from the history section of my library and flip through its pages for inspiration. Pages 41 and 42 list several superstitions about traveling, and I said to myself, “Self, this might work!” After all, adventurers travel, doing so in a world where the hazards attributed to superstition in our world can be real dangers. (Dramatic Aside: I know of one RPG product that’s expanded on the ideas of superstitions within the game world, the aptly titled Superstitions by Creative Mountain Games.) Let’s pull out a few of traveling superstitions compiled by Battle, and briefly muse about their game effects.

Superstition: “When you leave on a trip, toss an old shoe behind you for good luck.” Possible Game Effect: A character who performs this simple action gains a floating +1 luck bonus that can be used once at any time during the trip. If not used before the trip ends, the floating luck bonus goes away.

Superstition: “If you find a pin on the road, pick it up; it’s good luck.” Possible Game Effect: The bearer of the lucky pin gets to reroll the first failed roll he makes. He must abide by the results of this second roll.

Superstition: “If you see a spoon, let it be! Some folks are known to throw out a spoon when their luck is going badly, hoping that a passerby will pick it up and take the bad luck with him.” Possible Game Effect: This is the opposite of the lucky pin. The PC carrying the bad luck spoon must make two rolls and accept the worser of the pair. If the GM feel particularly grumpy, turn the spoon into a cursed object that the unlucky PC cannot easily rid himself of.

Superstition: “When you pass a crossroads, slap your right leg for good luck.” Possible Game Effect: After the leg slap, the superstitious PC gains a +1 luck bonus to saving throws and Perception checks for the remainder of the day.

Of course, it seems sensible to me that these little superstitions shouldn’t be universally or automatically effective. Not everyone who tosses a shoe behind them enjoys good luck on a trip, but some people do. I’m not sure about what means should be used to determine if a superstition has an effect. Perhaps I’ll ruminate on that and save it up for S?

Tags: A to Z, folklore, superstition

Since I’m a guy, I like it when things explode. Cars that fly off cliffs, buildings full of bad guys, vampires exposed to sunlight, et cetera. Of course, these things are most fun when they’re not real. I don’t like it when real people are inside exploding cars, and even bad guys and vampires deserve something resembling due process. (Well, maybe not vampires, especially the sparkly kind.)

In game terms, an exploding die is a die that when rolled and yielding a certain, predefined result, is then rerolled, and the various results are totaled to give one uber-result. For example, if a d6 explodes on a 6, and I roll a 6, I roll the die again, and add that result to the 6. If I roll another 6, the die explodes again, and so on. Many game systems incorporate exploding dice. Torg had them. AD&D had them for Forgotten Realms firearms damage. Savage Worlds makes extensive use of exploding dice. I think Pathfinder should use them also, so let’s spitball what that might look like.

Ability Scores: Primary, Secondary, & Tertiary

First, let’s borrow a concept I discovered in Go Fer Yer Gun! by Beyond Belief Games. A PC’s ability scores are divided equally into three groups: primary, second, and tertiary. The player chooses which abilities are which at character creation. Once these choices are made, they cannot be altered.

Wes is making up Torina, a new paladin. Wes assigns Torina’s stats this way:

Primary – Strength, Charisma
Secondary – Dexterity, Wisdom
Tertiary – Constitution, Intelligence

An ability score’s type determines which exploding die the player gets to roll whenever the PC makes an ability check or skill check for that ability score.

Primary Ability Score Exploding Die – 1d8, explodes on an 8
Secondary Ability Score Exploding Die – 1d6, explodes on a 6
Tertiary Ability Score Exploding Die – 1d4, explodes on a 4

Saving Throws

A PC’s saving throws get an exploding die as well, based on whether it is a good save or a poor save. To continue with our example, Torina has two good saves, Fortitude and Will, and one poor save, Reflex.

Good Save Exploding Die – 1d6, explodes on a 6
Poor Save Exploding Die – 1d4, explodes on a 4

Attack Rolls

Unsurprisingly, a PC’s attack rolls also enjoy an exploding die, depending on whether the PC’s Base Attack Bonus uses fast, medium, or slow progression. Considering our examplar Torina again, as a paladin she uses the fast BAB exploding die.

Fast BAB Exploding Die – 1d8, explodes on an 8
Medium BAB Exploding Die – 1d6, explodes on a 6
Slow BAB Exploding Die – 1d4, explodes on a 4

Multi-Class Characters

Multi-classing doesn’t affect which exploding dice a character uses. Rather, the types of exploding dice are locked in at 1st-level. Therefore, if Torina later picks up a level in rogue, she doesn’t get to use the Good Save Exploding Die for Reflex.

Using Exploding Dice

Whenever a player makes a d20 roll for an ability check, skill check, saving throw, or attack roll, he also rolls the appropriate exploding die. The result of the exploding die is added to the d20 roll, and this total determines success. Please consider these examples:

* Torina must convince a city guard to let her pass into a restricted area. She makes a Diplomacy check aided by a d8 exploding die because Charisma is one of Torina’s primary ability scores.
* Later, the assassin Torina has been tracking hits Torina with a lightning bolt. A d4 exploding die aids her Reflex save.
* Torina survives the lightning bolt and smites the assassin. She adds a d8 exploding die to her attack roll.

Other Considerations

If you use exploding dice, remove most of the Big Six magic items from play. The Big Six magic items are armor and shield, magic weapon, natural armor item, deflection bonus item, resistance item, and stat boosters. Get rid of those Big Six items that do not modify Armor Class. The exploding dice provide automatic (albeit variable) modifiers to attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, and skill checks, which are the main things the Big Six boost other than AC. This will perhaps put a dent in spellcaster save DCs over time, but this can be remedied by adding items that specifically boost a caster’s save DC without boosting the caster’s ability scores. Thus, a wizard can’t have a headband of intellect +4, but he could perhaps have a headband of spell power +2 that would increase the DCs to save against his spells.

When considering magic weapons, simply ignore enhancement bonuses that directly affect attack rolls and damage. Furthermore, waive the requirement that a magic weapon cannot have a special ability without having at least a minimum enchancement bonus of +1. This way, a character can have a flaming longsword that does +1d6 points of fire damage, but that sword would not have a static enhancement bonus as well.

Also, the attack roll exploding die has a special effect. For every four points a d20 + exploding die attack roll exceeds the target’s AC, increase the damage from that attack by +1. This bonus gets multiplied on critical hits. Back to Torina smiting the assassin. Let’s say Torina needs an 18 to hit. She rolls 1d20 + 1d8. She gets a 15 on the d20, and rolls an 8 on her exploding die. She rolls again for another 5. She adds her Strength bonus and BAB for a total attack roll of 32, which exceeds the assassin’s AC by 14 points. This is enough to earn Torina a +3 bonus to her damage.

Lastly, if you use Hero Points as described in the Advanced Player’s Guide, consider modifying them so that a Hero Point grants an extra exploding die of the same type that would be rolled. If Torina really wants to nail that assassin, she could spend a Hero Point and roll 1d20 + 2d8, with both d8s being exploding dice.

Tags: A to Z, game play