A few weeks ago I was thinking about Call of Cthulhu. It occurred to me all I had even seen was adventures where the PCs were trying to prevent the great old ones from crossing into our world, nothing about what happens if they fail. This of course makes me wonder what the world would be like in the aftermath of such a failure.
Now, I've dabbled in games like Gamma World. I just never found the inspiration to do anything other than play in a post apocalyptic game. This new idea has some merit though. And like a terrier with a biscuit, my brain wouldn't let go of it.
So as with lots of other projects, I started asking questions...
When? That's easy. The 80's. I'm an 80's kid, it's what I know best. Not to mention the world was dumb enough then to have summoned great Cthulhu.
What happened to Man's civilization? Let us suppose that when Cthulhu wakes up, the psychic backlash sweeps over the world. A large percentage of the population descends into madness. How large a percentage and what the ramifications are have yet to be determined. (Oh hey, RESEARCH!)
How long after the awakening of great Cthulhu do I set the game?
Will there be roving bands of crazies to contend with?
Will the Serpent people return?
Probably the most important question is... Can Cthulhu be put back down? I'm thinking of a Robotech 3rd Generation type campaign for that.
Those is just a few of the questions I have to answer. Numerous others have yet to reveal themselves. I was considering paying a little homage to a friend of mine. He passed away a few years ago, and had a really kewl campaign for CoC. The Great Old Ones were trying to draw the Earth into their realm, rather than trying to break into ours. This might evolve into what happened if they succeeded.
Of course, there is the possibility of advancing the time line to when Cthulhu has already gone back to his dead slumber beneath the sea.
By now some of reading this have whiplash. This is what happens in my head. (Now aren't you glad you're not a psychiatrist?) It may take a while to settle down into a simmer and coalesce into a solid set of ideas I can work with, but there is no telling how long that can take. I'll give it a brain back burner and see what bubbles to the surface. Until then I do have a few other projects to work on.
(Hint Hint Brandi of Gamerstable, I am working on Hell's Symphony)
Happy Gaming!
Friday, May 13, 2016
Monday, May 9, 2016
Psionics simplified
I've been tinkering with Psionics since I first discovered them in 1st ed, all those years ago. Not really thrilled with any of iterations that have materialized, I wanted something that matched my vision of mind powers. I do not hold with the idea that a character can be a pure psionicist. The other day on the drive home, where I do most of my thinking, I had an epiphany.
I guess if you let something percolate in the back of your mind long enough, the primordial lizard brain gets tired of looking at it and comes up with a solution to get it out of your head.
A few small points...
When I refer to abilities, I am only talking Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.
This uses the 1st edition AD&D psionics rules as a base. This can be modified to any system with a minimum of fuss.
As with anything else D&D related, these are guidelines, not hard and fast rules. If you don't like it, change it.
The base roll for any character to have psionics ability is 00 on D%.
Any character possessing an unmodified score of 16 or better in either Int, Wis, or Chr has the potential for psionics.
If the character has 1 ability score at 16 or greater he may roll for psionics ability. If the character has two ability scores at 16 or better, he/she may add +1 to the roll for every ability point over 16, of the second ability. If the character has 3 ability scores at 16 or better he/she may double that bonus. The maximum bonus that can be added, if a character has three 18's is +6
Once psionic ability has been determined, the character possessing psionic ability adds together his/her 3 relevant abilities to determine their psionic strength.
Psionic disciplines use psionic strength points as normal per the original rules in the 1st edition Players Handbook.
If the character has psionics, he may roll for one minor discipline for each relevant ability over 16. i.e. Int, Wis, or Chr. If the character has one of those ability at 18, he/she may roll for one major discipline. for each ability at a score of 18. The maximum number of major disciplines is 3, the maximum number of minor disciplines is 9 period.
Level of mastery is equal to class level.
Psionic combat with another entity is as follows...
The attacker uses his/her highest relevant ability and rolls a D20. The defender takes his lowest relevant ability and rolls a D20. The character with the higher score wins, and the loser subtracts 1 from the lowest relevant ability and is unconscious for 1d6 hours. The reason I did this is to represent the chinks in everyone's mental armor. You all have one, don't try and deny it.
A character with psionic ability may attack a non-psionic entity. The attacking entity makes an attack roll, and the target rolls a save vs. Breath Weapon. A failed save results in the target being rendered unconscious for as many rounds as the attack roll exceeds their lowest relevant ability. The target also suffers a -5 to that ability score. A successful save results in disorientation and a -3 to any further actions for 12 hours.
Certain entities are not be affected by psionics. Dragons, Extra Planar creatures and any animal with a 6 or less intelligence. These creatures may not possess psionic ability either.
Any character wishing to enter into psionic combat must have line of sight to that target.
Any of the creatures from the Monster manual that are know to possess psionics, still do, and can be modified easily to this system.
So... There it is. a simplified approach to psionics. The big G liked complicated rules. Me? Not so much. I've been trying to simplify the psionics rules for a while now, and this is a rules set I can live with.
Happy Gaming!
I guess if you let something percolate in the back of your mind long enough, the primordial lizard brain gets tired of looking at it and comes up with a solution to get it out of your head.
A few small points...
When I refer to abilities, I am only talking Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.
This uses the 1st edition AD&D psionics rules as a base. This can be modified to any system with a minimum of fuss.
As with anything else D&D related, these are guidelines, not hard and fast rules. If you don't like it, change it.
The base roll for any character to have psionics ability is 00 on D%.
Any character possessing an unmodified score of 16 or better in either Int, Wis, or Chr has the potential for psionics.
If the character has 1 ability score at 16 or greater he may roll for psionics ability. If the character has two ability scores at 16 or better, he/she may add +1 to the roll for every ability point over 16, of the second ability. If the character has 3 ability scores at 16 or better he/she may double that bonus. The maximum bonus that can be added, if a character has three 18's is +6
Once psionic ability has been determined, the character possessing psionic ability adds together his/her 3 relevant abilities to determine their psionic strength.
Psionic disciplines use psionic strength points as normal per the original rules in the 1st edition Players Handbook.
If the character has psionics, he may roll for one minor discipline for each relevant ability over 16. i.e. Int, Wis, or Chr. If the character has one of those ability at 18, he/she may roll for one major discipline. for each ability at a score of 18. The maximum number of major disciplines is 3, the maximum number of minor disciplines is 9 period.
Level of mastery is equal to class level.
Psionic combat with another entity is as follows...
The attacker uses his/her highest relevant ability and rolls a D20. The defender takes his lowest relevant ability and rolls a D20. The character with the higher score wins, and the loser subtracts 1 from the lowest relevant ability and is unconscious for 1d6 hours. The reason I did this is to represent the chinks in everyone's mental armor. You all have one, don't try and deny it.
A character with psionic ability may attack a non-psionic entity. The attacking entity makes an attack roll, and the target rolls a save vs. Breath Weapon. A failed save results in the target being rendered unconscious for as many rounds as the attack roll exceeds their lowest relevant ability. The target also suffers a -5 to that ability score. A successful save results in disorientation and a -3 to any further actions for 12 hours.
Certain entities are not be affected by psionics. Dragons, Extra Planar creatures and any animal with a 6 or less intelligence. These creatures may not possess psionic ability either.
Any character wishing to enter into psionic combat must have line of sight to that target.
Any of the creatures from the Monster manual that are know to possess psionics, still do, and can be modified easily to this system.
So... There it is. a simplified approach to psionics. The big G liked complicated rules. Me? Not so much. I've been trying to simplify the psionics rules for a while now, and this is a rules set I can live with.
Happy Gaming!
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