Markdoc

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... On the topic of old classics, I picked up the ER Burroughs Martian trilogy. Easy light reading, but hoo boy. The Hero clearly sold back his INT and bought 12d6 luck, because the plots just lurch from one improbability to another, and even making allowances for the pulp era, that's saying something! Still, I feel like I got my 9.95 worth Cheers, Mark

Re: Spells in MUltipowers? That hasn't been a problem. Generally the MP is big enough to hold the largest spell, so when the pool is used for that, by definition it's maxxed out - and using several smaller spells simultaneously often soaks up the whole pool. But I think the major reason it hasn't been a problem is that the mindset is different. Spells are presented - and used - as discrete entities, so the player is "Casting water breathing" not "Using my pool to get some life support". This is even more true when using a system like mine where spells are - by definition - ultras. If you have a 40 point ultra slot in a 40 point MP, it locks out the whole MP even if you are only using it at a reduced power. cheers, Mark

Re: Spells in MUltipowers? Actually - from experience - it works fine at low levels simply because - as you noted in another thread, you can do a lot with just a few points. If you have a 20 point MP with the usual "mage" limitations, 1Xp gets you a new spell. And if the game is running at low points, then even low powered magic is incredibly useful. One of my favourite archetypes for FH is the fighter or rogue with a small spell multipower or VPP, simply because it gives you so many extra options. cheers, Mark

Re: Spells in MUltipowers? Ayup. I allow characters to have non-magic power frameworks (and most non-spellcasters PCs in my current game do) to take advantage of precisely that fact. cheers, Mark

Re: Spells in MUltipowers? I view it as a bug - one reason I suggest GMs build the spells is to prevent precisely this effect! cheers, Mark

Re: Lots of little spells If you have a VPP for all your spells, then making small spells is trivial. If you are using another system for your big spells (I'm guessing Multipower from other recent posts) then it's equally trival to just add 1 point slots to your multipower for teeny spells. As you have noted, you can do a lot with a 10 point transform. A 5 point VPP would probably cost you 6 or 7 real points - that's 6 or 7 10-20 point minor spell slots in a MP. It's marginally less flexible, but in many ways it's an easier approach than having two frameworks to keep track of. cheers, Mark

Re: Spells in MUltipowers? I use multipowers for mages (also for non-mages) in my game and it hasn't been an issue. There's some caveats, though: all spells cost Mana (Long Term Endurance) so the mage wears himself out with constant spell casting: if he casts spells when out of END, he takes BOD, so it is literally possible to kill yourself by casting too many spells. In addition, all spells require a skill roll (-1/10 points) a full phase and concentration (1/2 DCV). Many styles of magic - but not all - also require gestures and incantations That makes mages very powerful (they're stacking a minimum of -2 on their multipower) but also fragile: it's hard to cast successfully when someone is right in your face. In addition, I (as GM) make up all the spells and control access to them, usually via in-game restrictions: you can't learn "fireball" if you get your magic from the temple of the sea goddess (a source of irritation to one player in my game: she's had to settle for drowning foes one by one by making water in their lungs ) That stops them optimising their multipowers with a perfect defence/attack/other combo ... or at least makes it harder. So here's the multipower from the most power (in active points) mage in my game. He gets his magic through the cult of the local fertility/sea goddess and thus has a mix of weather, divination and body-affecting spells, as her areas of influence are secrets, the weather - especially sea weather and fertility. 23 Cult spells: Multipower, 64-point reserve, (64 Active Points); all slots Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires Mana (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) 1u 1) Aid the Injured: Healing 1 BODY, Usable By Other (+¼), Persistent (+½) (17 Active Points); Extra Time (Regeneration-Only) 1 Turn (Post-Segment 12) (-1 ¼), Side Effects, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (-1), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Requires Mana (-½), Requires Mana (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) END: 2 Notes: This spell can be used to dramatically increase the healing rate of the target, restoring 1 BODY for each turn the spell is in effect. However, this a dangerous spell because the damage is not actually "healed" - it is transferred to the caster, who must then heal himself. The caster spends the number of END needed to maintain the regeneration for the required number of turns at the time the spell is cast. Restoring a large amount of BODY in this manner can be quite exhausting to the caster, in addition to the damage suffered by the caster. 1u 2) Breathe Underwater: LS (Safe in High Pressure; Safe in Intense Cold; Self-Contained Breathing), Usable Simultaneously (up to 8 people at once; +1) (26 Active Points); Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires Mana (-½), Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -¼), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) END: 3 Notes: The caster casts this spell on a group of people that he wishes to enchant. If the spell is cast successfully, the entire group of people will be able to breathe underwater as long as they stay close to the mage. Not only does the spell allow the characters to breathe underwater but it also protects them from the crushing pressures and cold temperatures found at deep depths. 1u 3) Calm Air: Change Environment 8" radius, Mobile (+½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (40 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Minute, Only to Activate, -¾), Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Requires Mana (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) Notes: Within the 8" radius where this spell is cast, the air around the Wizard becomes calmed and disturbance by outside winds is all but eliminated. The calm air remains centered on the caster even when he is moving. This spell has almost no effect on power based winds. 2u 4) Calm: Change Environment 32" radius, Mobile (+½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (60 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Minute, Only to Activate, -¾), Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Requires Mana (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) Notes: This spell is useful for smoothing choppy seas around the ship, or settling harsh crosswinds. Rain will continue, but the effects of storm winds, gusts, violent waves, currents and rapids, natural lightning and other such phenomena will cease. The radius of this spell is large enough to aid several ships if they are close together. 1u 5) Create Ka: Duplication (creates 133-point form), Cannot Recombine (+0), Usable By Other (+¼), Altered Duplicates (100%; +1) (60 Active Points); Gradual Effect (1 Day; -1 ¾), OAF Bulky (Focus (drop of blood from person to be duplicated and tub of clay); -1 ½), Free-willed (-½), Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires Mana (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) Notes: This spell creates a copy of an individual from a man-shaped mass of clay and a drop of blood from the individual to be duplicated. The Ka takes a day to grow and when complete, is not under any compulsion. It is entirely free-willed, but at least at creation, it will share the memories and mindset of the individual it was created from. Over time, however, it may diverge from the original. The Ka is born entirely naked and has no possessions. 1u 6) Detect Magic: Detect A Single Thing 17- (Unusual Group) (7 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-½), Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires Mana (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) END: 1 Notes: The caster simply views an object closely (it must be within 1"). If it is indeed magical, the object will seem to the caster to glow. The spell reveals no information about the nature or power of the enchantment. 1u 7) Detect Magic: A Large Class Of Things 13- (Unusual Group), Discriminatory, Analyze (20 Active Points); Conditional Power Requires Mana (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Requires Mana (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼), Costs END to cast (-¼) Notes: This spell allows the caster to handle an object and deterine if it is magical. He can deterine the type of magic and its strength and possibly even the specific spell on it, but he will not gain knowledge of any activation words or rituals needed (if any) to activate or control the magic. 1u 8) Detect Weather Manipulation: Detect A Single Thing 13- (Unusual Group), Discriminatory (8 Active Points); will not function indoors or in closed environments (-1), Costs Endurance (-½), Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires Mana (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) END: 1 Notes: With this spell, the caster may determine if the surrounding weather conditions are the result of natural causes or magic. Furthermore, if magic is being used to manipulate the weather, the caster can determine what kind of magic is being used and how powerful it is. 1u 9) Discover Flaw: Find Weakness 11- with All Attacks (30 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-½), Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires Mana (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) END: 3 Notes: The caster of this spell has the ability to see the forces which protect an enemy and to analyze those protective powers to the fullest. There is no room for error in the practise of magic, and this spell will make sure the same goes for the battlefield. 2u 10) Dispel Magic: Dispel 12d6, any Magic power one at a time (any single magic spell; +¼) (45 Active Points); Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires Mana (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) END: 4 Notes: When this spell contacts any target bearing some form of dweomer, it will attempt to remove it. Magic items that are quenched by this spell lose their power permanently. 1u 11) Enhanced healing (Regeneration): Healing 1 BODY, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) (20 Active Points); Extra Time (Regeneration-Only) 20 Minutes (-2), Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires Mana (-½), Self Only (-½), Requires Mana (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼), Costs END to cast (-¼) Notes: This spell enables the caster to augment his own natural healing ability, so that they heal 3 BOD in an hour. 1u 12) Fog Bank: Darkness to Sight Group 1" radius, MegaScale (1" = 1 km; +¼) (12 Active Points); Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires Mana (-½), Limited Power Won't work in very dry conditions (-¼), Limited Effect Normal Sight, IR Perception (-¼), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) END: 1 Notes: The caster causes the moisture to condense out of the air around a target, causing an extremely thick cloud to form which blocks normal sight and vision that relies on heat. 1u 13) Know Moon: Detect A Single Thing 13- (Unusual Group), Discriminatory, Range (13 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-½), Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires Mana (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) END: 1 Notes: This spell allows the caster to know the direction and current phase of the moon. This in turn will allow him to know the approximate period of the month within a day or two. If he can determine the time of the day, then he will also be able to orientate himself. Finally, he can determine the current state of the tides and the effectiveness of lunar magic. 1u 14) Levitate: Flight 5", Usable By Other (+¼), Ranged (+½) (17 Active Points); Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (0 DCV; -1), Levitation (-½), Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires Mana (-½) END: 2 Notes: When this spell is cast, the target is surrounded by a rushing wind and is able to gently climb and descend, but not move horizontally. The user must concentrate intensely to maintain this power 2u 15) Mirror Twin: Extra-Dimensional Movement (to Mirror Space) plus transdimensional clairsentience (Single Dimension), Custom Adder, Position Shift, Usable By Other (+¼) (62 Active Points); OIF Fragile (Focus (any Mirror); -¾), Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires Mana (-½), Costs END to cast (-¼), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) END: 6 Notes: This spell allows the caster (or one other) to enter a mirror. Once there they are in "mirror space" a timeless, spaceless zone where nothing exists except millions of tiny windows: mirrors looking back into the real world. The spell includes a transdimensional vision spell, so that people in Mirrorspace can see into the real world. A person in Mirrorspace can see out of any mirror, but there is no geographical arrangement, so any given mirror might look anywhere. However if the person "knows" a mirror - ie: they have seen it in the real world - then they can look out from it. However there is one catch. Time and space do not exist in mirrorspace - only mind. That means that a person there does not physically age or change. However it also means that they canot cast spells or manipulate any objects they may have brought with them. That means the only way out of Mirrorspace is for someone in the real world to voluntarily enter the mirror and swap places with the person in Mirrorspace: hence the name of the spell. It is said, however, that certan non-euclidian entities can enter (and leave) mirrorspace at will. 2u 16) Neutralize Poison: Dispel 17d6, any [special effect] power one at a time (all poisons and venoms; +¼) (64 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Turn (Post-Segment 12), -1 ¼), No Range (-½), Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Requires Mana (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) END: 6 Notes: This spell allows the caster to neutralize any natural poison or venom. 2u 17) Rain Storm (Part 1): Suppress 2d6, MegaScale (1" = 1 km; +¼), Costs END Only To Activate (+¼), Area Of Effect (One Hex; +½), Custom Modifier (All Fire Powers; +2) (40 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Minute, -1 ½), Custom Modifier (Will not function in Enclosed Environments; -1), Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Requires Mana (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) END: 4 Notes: This spell allows the caster to cause a torrential downpour in the area around the caster. These rains quench the flames of any fires in the area. The rains take a minute to summon and are accompanied by boiling dark clouds which assemble above the caster with unnatural speed. The rain will last as long as the caster concentrates on it - 18) Rain Storm (Part 2): Change Environment 1" radius, -2 to Sight Group PER Rolls, -1 to Characteristic Roll or Skill Roll, Multiple Combat Effects, MegaScale (1" = 1 km; +¼) (20 Active Points); Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires Mana (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) END: 2 Notes: This slot is the second part of the rain storm spell and is automatically activated when part 1 is cast. The torrential downpour makes it harder to see, and all dexterity rolls for things such as climbing, balancing etc, plus all distance combat rolls are at -1 1u 19) Safe Shallows: Active Sonar (Hearing Group) (15 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-½), Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires Mana (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) END: 1 Notes: Shallows can be treacherous things, hiding rocks and sand bars, which can run a ship aground. The Safe Shallows spell exists so the wizard can sense the sometimes labyrinthine routes of submerged topography. It is equally effective when navigating through thick fog, dark rivers, and other conditions when plain sight is useless. 1u 20) Seek Mind: Mind Scan 6d6, +5 ECV (40 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Minute, -1 ½), Concentration (0 DCV; -½), Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Requires Mana (-½) END: 4 Notes: A mage casting this spell may seek out a mind familiar to him. Seek Mind tends to give only vague hints about where the individual is, although a particularly lucky magician may be able to find out more. 1u 21) Water Sense: Spatial Awareness (Unusual Group), Discriminatory (27 Active Points); Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires Mana (-½), Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -¼), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) END: 3 Notes: This spell allows the Wizard to sense movements and density fluctuations in the surrounding water. This form of vision allows him to see, even in total darkness, the types of creatures moving through the water nearby, the strength and direction of currents, and any fresh or salt water influx. 1u 22) Wave Rider: Swimming +10" (12" total) (10 Active Points); Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires Mana (-½), Costs END to cast (-¼), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) END: 1 Notes: With this spell, the caster gives the target the power to move swiftly though the water with the grace of a dolphin. 1u 23) Weather Vision: N-Ray Perception (Sight Group) (10 Active Points); Custom Modifier (Only to see normally in poor weather conditions; -1), Costs Endurance to cast (-¼), Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires Mana (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) END: 1 Notes: This spell allows the caster to see normally in any kind of weather. Thus the user can see through conditions such as fogs and heavy rains without difficulty. Many Weather Mages learn this spell so that they are not hampered by their own spells. 1u 24) Wind Control: Telekinesis (10 STR), Explosion (+½) (22 Active Points); Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Requires Mana (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) END: 2 Notes: This spell allows the caster to create and control winds. These winds are very powerful and are even capable of lifting a fully sized man into the air. This character is an important part of the group, and has saved the whole group many a time, but in no way dominates play. cheers, Mark

Re: How to balance equipment users vs. spell casters

Re: Space fightercraft in RPGs.

Re: How to balance equipment users vs. spell casters I'd say resource pools are one way to handle it, but far from the very best: we've tried multiple variants on resource pools before dropping the idea - they ended up being generally despised by the three groups I played with due to their inflexibility. In other settings though, we accepted that inflexibility for the advantages they gave and that worked ... OK. I can't say it's ever worked well, but it was acceptable. But really, how you answer this question (warrior vs wizard) comes down to what you want your game to look like: Conan, Elric, DragonLance or Slayers - there's a different answer for every setting. cheers, Mark

Re: magic ring to summon armor Agreed. It's just armour with a a ring focus. cheers, Mark

Re: Skills. How much is too much? What did you start with?

Re: Space fightercraft in RPGs. On the other hand, they also have relatively little to fight over, either. Edit: I see this has been raised already, but the point is still valid: species that evolve under such different conditions that their planets are useless to each other probably are not going to have a lot of things in common - and going by what little evidence we have (ie: this planet) - species or cultures that don't have a lot to do with each other mostly just ignore one another. cheers, Mark

Re: The original War Wheel 1917 Also, we mock the ideas that failed, but the geniuses that came up with these ideas also came up with: "We're short of metal! Let's build a plane entirely out of wood!" The Mosquito, one of the best multirole aircraft of the war "What if we could detect objects by bouncing high frequency radio waves off them?" Radar. Say no more. "Let's make a round bomb that bounces until it hits its target!" The bouncing bomb that became famous with the Dam-busters And of course: "What if we could make enough uranium for a self-sustaining fission reaction?" Ask the people at Hiroshima about that! Not every idea was gold - and even the good ones often came out looking a bit eccentric -but the Brit.s came up with an amazing array of useful devices (well, useful for killing people) during the war. cheers, Mark

Re: Space fightercraft in RPGs.

Re: Bollywood Action Movie Insanity Saw this last night: goes right through insane and out the other side into WTF territory. Still fun, though! cheers, Mark

Re: What Have You Watched Recently?

Re: Space fightercraft in RPGs. They (in this case the RAF) is building testbeds for drone fighters designed to operate autonomously right now. The first versions have already flown. They might indeed - even if only briefly Basically, I'd go with what was said earlier: it's pretty hard to come up with a reason for manned fighters in space. In a hard science setting, forget 'em. In space opera .... well, it's space opera. Of course they have space fighters. I don't think we need a better reason cheers, Mark

Re: The original War Wheel 1917

Re: Skills. How much is too much? What did you start with? And that's cool - skill monkeys can be very useful indeed, and fun to play. Not everyone wants to be a skill monkey, but then, not everyone has to be. When I think of the FF, I think Reed (lots of skills - oh yeah, and he can stretch, too) and Ben (OK, technically a hotshot pilot, but really? Does he get any mileage out of his skills at all? He has high defences and STR). Both have a place on the team. cheers, Mark

Re: For all your Nazis-invading-America needs.... All true. We know now that the German and Japanese high commands had never seriously considered a US invasion. But the Allies didn't know that, and it has to be remembered - just as noted in the article - that 1940, 41 and early '42 had just been one disaster after another for the Allies, with supposedly impregnable defences falling like dominoes. Not knowing just how stretched the axis armies were, it looked to a lot of people back then as though they were far stronger. In truth, the Axis had almost burnt itself out by mid 1942: they were taking losses that they simply couldn't make up - but again, that was not obvious to the outside - it wasn't even obvious to many people on the inside. Late-to mid 1942 saw El Alamein, Midway, Stalingrad and Guadalcanal, which put the seal on the turnaround, but prior to that things had been pretty grim. cheers, Mark

Re: Which tools from the toolkit can be dropped in a low powered game? Here's some suggestions (basically my house rules). 1. Drop END use as a default. But keep the END statistic. I use it in my game for working out how long people can go without getting exhausted (in other words, I use LTE). To the players that's basically invisible, but gives me an an easy way to measure a character's small-e endurance. Players can also take "costs END" and END multiples to simulate powers that quickly exhaust the character. This significantly reduces in-game paperwork, whilst retaining maximum flexibility. 2. Drop the SPD chart and use either a d6 or a D12 to generate phases. That allows holding of actions and a deal of strategy but eliminates the "what phases do I act on?" and "What phase is it now?" overhead. It also makes combat slightly more chaotic. Some players love it, a few hate it 3. Drop martial arts? I like martial arts! I just jazz 'em up by building them as powers, instead of using the standard system. You could though simply allow characters to buy dice of HA as "brawling" This one isn't part of my house rules, but I've considered: 4. A combined damage system? That's slightly more complex. I suggested just using regular dice for everything (a 1 does 0 BOD, a 6 does 2, everything else does 1, count total as your STUN) and breaking out damage seperately from all advantages. That means a basic d6 cost 3 points. Range costs +1/2 Adds to STR costs +1/4 Killing attacks are AVAD, does BOD (that's a +1.5: it ignores nonresistant DEF for both STUN and BOD - you can ignore the "special rules" for rDEF) etc. This changes game dynamics, somewhat: under this system, Killing attacks are good at doing BOD to soft targets, but almost always do less STUN. Regular attacks are better against targets with resistant DEF. It also opens up some interesting aspects - you can make attacks which are partly killing, for example. 5. Combining ED and PD is not something I'd do, but you could simply call them DEF and double their cost. cheers, Mark

http://bigthink.com/blogs/strange-maps courtesy of mid 1940's Time Magazine cheers, Mark

Re: Historical Late Medieval Period RPG Also, I'm a bit surprised that no-one has mentioned Harn yet. It's set on an imaginary island somewhere, but Harnites tend to be a bit OCD about medieval technology and society. It's got a large (not to say cultish following on the web. cheers, Mark

Re: Big Freakin' Lasers!