Devious Devices of Delvers

One thing I've always been at odds with in role-playing games are weapons which stun and capture characters.

In some games--like superhero ones. The idea is reasonable, and commonly a side effect of combat actions of any kind.

In other other genres, they're usually badly done, making disabling effects pointless. As it is often just easier to kill someone mechanically. If it isn't pointless then its a simple test, which steals the struggle, and challenge from a combat encounter.

With Derelict Delvers, I've got a few devious devices. I'll have to go into them in detail in the game but right now I'll simply give a brief rundown.

Tanglers
From a lowly Tangler to the wide area Web Gun, tanglers project basically synthetic webbing designed to immobilize a foe. A troublesome weapon that fits in perfectly with the game mechanics as written.

See Heroism points are lost first, indicating that the person or character made a narrow escape from being hit with the weapon. A Tangler hit drops HP just like a killing attack, but when it zeroes out HP, the person is entangled, and must struggle to free themselves. They're never damage--just trapped. They're out of luck/fortune and their skill has failed. (Agility or Brawn is tested.)

Needlers
Needlers are small armor piercing weapons that fire tiny high velocity projectiles. (Despite my desire for the lethal Energy Needlers from some of H. Beam Pipers Works.)

In this case the shots work similar to tanglers,but instead of a test to break free when HP is zeroed. The character tests to resist the drug, rather than escaping it. (Using Brawn to resist.)



Sonostunners
Sonic weapons have a similar effect to the other two, they stun when HP is zeroed and the target must resist going unconscious. (Perception Test to escape.)


Now this seems fairly traditional, but using these weapons can create environmental impact to the PC's. Even a near miss (which HP accounts for) still has a minor side effect.

The side effects offer a way to combine tricks and maneuvers with non-lethal weapons to create more tactical choices than just killing someone.


Side Effects:

A Tangler hinders movement. Agility is penalized if even one HP is lost! As you've hindered the person by restricting the area they are inside. A failed roll may mean they've snagged themselves on remaining webbing.

A Needler has a chance to puncture armor, even if the small darts do miss hurting the person inside. In Space this is a dangerous condition. They may need to take a turn to repair any damage to armor, spacesuits or the like with sealspray or tape.


A Sonostunner creates a focused cone of sound. Even dodging it and getting out of the way can set ones ears ringing, hammering the Perception of the character, making multiple shots even more likely to drop a foe.


Normal weapons will have some tricks as well, Suppressive fire, Burn effects, and the like.

The battlefield of a Derelict is a dangerous place even if you are a lucky and skilled person.

Derelict Delvers: Simple Templates

I've gone with templates that can be snapped together to allow a player to create a character in a few minutes, with a bit of tailoring.

The system I've decided upon for character creation doesn't remove a player getting something completely unique, in fact each template is built so they can be recreated, changed, or new ones introduced with a little more work.

The templates come in two forms: Racial Templates and Professional Templates, Add to that gear packages to speed play instead of nitpicking gear lists, and I've got the game speed I want for just throwing together a Delver team, and going into space at a moments notice.

Sure, I think the game will have a bit of lethality, but shouldn't be too terrible with the way Heroism points work.

A few more bits and it should be ready for play testing.

Derelict Delvers.

I've finally decided what direction to take with DD. It's nature will be slightly different, but that's the nature of creation. Follow the creations nature, don't force it.

Now, I've just got to sit down and write it. I tried hammering at it a bit yesterday, but kept getting stuck on the same bit of text. I know its where it should go, I just have to have the direction clear enough to give it a shove.

The fundamental aspect of the game is to create a playable template from two elements: Race and Profession. When combined they give you a set of numbers that makes a playable character in brief. Yet that "playable" aspect is just the start of character creation. Each of those numbers has to come from somewhere within the Delver's past. It doesn't spring from nothing. Each number generates an equal number of aspect-like traits. Things which describe the why elements of the number.

A Body of 3, would mean 3 background traits that describe that value. It could be High gravity chitinous arthropod species from Exogeus, Winner of the Three Moons Hurling Competition, and Awarded Archive Games Biathlon Gold Medal Three Years running. The nature of the Body 3 explained in detail. Where it comes from even if it is "free" at character generation from race and profession.

The issue right now is coming up with some samples that are complete enough to work for the game, without being too complete.

Derelict Delvers: Changing Gears.

I've thought about it a long time, there are two directions I can go with DD. One is to continue to do the D&D with numbers filed off thing. I don't think that benefits anyone--why not play D&D and rename things?

The other is to go a bit sideways. Keeping it old school, but by way of MSH, Talislanta, and Tunnels & Trolls. Twisting these ideas together gets this character sheet. It needs some work, some vetting, and some hammering.



I'd like to simplify it more. The goal is to combine Race/Species stat profiles (Body/Mind/Senses) with Profession Stats (Fisticuffs, Arms, Knowledge, etc.) That creates a basic profile--two insectoid soldiers will look the same at that point. Plus be easy to put together. A few tweaks (aspects that describe the species variations in short) and a bit of personal tailoring, and tada! Complete character sans gear in a matter of minutes.

However, my goal is to make the game as basic pulp SF/space opera as possible. With a retro 50's feel, bubble space helmets, and rayguns--but still keep a solid grounding of science within a certain framework. After all really advanced science goes into those suits with their bubble helmets, and beam guns with their fins.

The mechanic will be 2d10+Stat+Misc Mods+Gear vs D# (Possibly modified by opposing Stat+Mods+Gear) The average difficulty is 10 with the D# modified to determine difficulty. The "misc mods" are never things like weather or positioning, just stuff like that guy is a super fast reptiloid so he has "Speed +2 aspect" as above in creating race stat lines. Inherant items to a monster or npc.

Example roll: Insectoid Soldier shoots reptiloid enemy who is as above fast.

The soldier takes Arms (2) + Laser Rifle (+2)+2d10 vs D#10+Reptiloids Dodge (2) +Speedy (+2) and he has a shield (+1) he whips that shield up and move to deflect the shot. Soldier buzzing angrily shoots get 13 vs his 15. It is with five of the D# required so she clips him (partial success) the edge of the shield catches the beam but the rifle still slashes past and singes him for half damage.

If she had got an 16 she'd have a Solid Success and do full damage for that rifle. If she'd had Arms (3) and rolled a 20 (total 25) she'd perform a critical on him (10 over the TN) She'd kill him (or maim him, her choice. ) Outright.

Mechanic Contemplation

I was trying essentially to get the MSH 3 shades of success handled in a ch artless manner. It is worth noting that this is quite similar to Talislanta (which also uses a chart.)


I'm wondering if I should just break the game down at this point:

Roll 2d10, 10+ Minor Success, 15+ Major Sucess, 20+ Critical Success.

That's a simple chart, and easy to remember, so to run the game chart-free. Of course mechanically speaking the rolls are modified by Stat+Skill+Gear and is opposed by Stat+Skill+Gear

Example: I'm playing a 3rd Level Soldier with an Heavy Weapons Skill of 2. He has a Dexterity of +1 and is using a wonderful and accurate Beam Rifle, that has a +1 due to its elegant and accurate design. He roll 2d10+2+1+1, or 2d10+4. He gets a total of 16. Ordinarily a Major Success. However he's shooting a foe with a +2 Dex, and a Defense Skill of +1. This +3 is subtracted from the total to get a mere 13 or Minor Success. (This does half damage.)

This gives me the same functionality as MSH, and Talislanta. Sans charts. Plus its simple enough to work.

How does that sound?


As well as that. I've been thinking of making the Derelict Delvers Heroism Points work on a sort of swinging scale. I'm not sure how to do it yet. The idea is perhaps that the more danger they face. The more heroism points they earn to do wild and crazy things. Perhaps making the Denizens of a derelict scale. A 1 Scale is equal to the PC's, meaning they earn 1 HP when they confront them, and 1 when they take damage. Every failed die roll also earns them 1 HP (or perhaps heroism dice?) A Threat 3 Enemy scales significantly higher than the PC's and puts the entire group in danger of being TPK. SO confronting it gets them 3 HP per action against it/failed roll/etc.

Bonus points if someone can help me make this work on 2d6 (Admittedly I like percentile for Sci Fi games. I don't know why.)

Odd Mechanic

So I was trying to come up with a table free version of the old TSR Marvel Superheroes RPG, the one which used the color coded universal table.
I didn't come up with one but while I was playing around with ideas I did come up with a strange mechanic, I'd like to hear some feedback on.

The basic idea is 1d100+stat vs vs difficulty number (50 is standard) and one must meet or exceed it. On its face it seems simple. However stats can be -30 to +30 with 0 as average and in increments of 10, and this only determines success or failure.
The ones die determines success magnitude/grades of success. So if you roll 72 vs 50 you succeed and get 2 grades of success. If you get 79 that's 9 grades. Skill push grades of success up. So
if someone has a stat of 20 and a skill of 5, they only have to roll a 30 for an average test, and get at least 5 grades on every successful roll.

[High Valor and Mourngyre]

Mourngyre is a setting I've had for play for a great number of years, a few adventures here or there, and a longer campaign all written out, but with no play group entirely suitable. Part of it is that the setting is more modern than classical fantasy--it is set in a gothic fantasy/horror world. I've been thinking of it as an alternate setting for High Valor's "Feat" system, despite the fact I didn't really intend to name the system it just happened accidentally.

I've gathered a few trusted people together who know my aims, and I think could work out as suggesting directions for the game to go. I am trying not to walk onto the same stage as Ravenloft (since there is a nodding similarity thanks to Dracula, Frankenstein, and other similar literature.)

Instead I want to create a world that is dark, but not stark, one wrapped in shadows and fog, where even good intentions can turn foul, and trap someone into monstrous acts. (Like in some ways the original and actual Vlad Tepes.) Who is a hero to his nation--yet walked a very dark path to get there. (I don't want to step into the place where I'm condoning or condemning him. What he did was probably appropriate for his time, and his losses.) I do want to make sure that part of the stories Mourngyre explores is the path to hell being paved with good intentions.

Yet at the same time, I want to make heroism as something that can still fight back in the dark.

High Valor is still not in print. Thanks to the the fixes I need and the person needing to do them going of to Gen Con.

I'm working on a deal to get softcovers as well once I get the fixes and have them carried somewhere so gaming stores can get them.

Other than that, I'm still working on Tribes of Mother Night, and working on other things to get done. Just kind of writer's blocked at the moment. I think its the fact I've not got to game much lately. Unlike some my game writing is reduced when I'm not playing as much.