A Bunch of Savages

State of the Blog Address

2012-01-27T17:11:00.000-05:00

Howdy Savages. Its 2012 and already I've let a month go by without posting. My bad. I have a number of projects nearly completed. Chief among these is a little starship generation system I call FADS - Fast And Dirty Starships.

In the course of poking through the crunchy bits of Future Perfect, I decided that I needed to cut a lot of the complexity back out from my ship designs to get back to Savage Worlds' FFF design philosophy. However, Future Perfect was itself build around adding complexity -- so I decided to focus on streamlining what I had and spinning it off into a simple addition that would be compatible with the rules in Savage Worlds Deluxe. Instead of a toolkit system, FADS offers up a handful of basic templates which are then modified according to the results of a few die rolls. Of course, there is no reason why it has to be random, so a GM could just as easily choose an option or two from the tables and customize a design as they see fit. Overall, it is a lot easier and a lot faster than the ground up approach that my Ship Design Guide in Future Perfect was providing.

Below are two "Small Warships" made using random rolls in FADS. As you can see, the results are markedly different from one another, but still essentially the same overall class of ship. Neither will be mistaken for a fighter, a freighter, or a true, heavy battleship.

Mantis-Class Light Cruiser, Pursuit and Extraction Frigate
Type: Small Warship
Acc: 100 Top: 600 Handling: -1 Climb: +1
FTL: Beacon, Basic Hyperdrive
Crew: 10 Hull: 51 (26) Maintenance: +0
Ship Systems:
Basic Ship Computer with Astrogation and Ship Recognition Libraries; Atmospheric; Basic Hyperdrive; Gateway Beacon; External Docking Clamps (2); Marines (20); Cargo Bay (2 Units); Security Brig (6 Cells)
Weapons:
(2) Heavy Mass Driver Arrays: 100/200/400; 6d12 AP8; RoF1; Doubletap; Turret Mounts
(2) Torpedo Launchers: 300/600/1200; 5d10 AP50; RoF1; 8 Shots, MBT, Tracking [Speed 1200; Range 4800*; Climb +1]; Forward Mount
(2) Medium Pulse Cannons: 100/200/400; 3d8 AP8; RoF3; Autofire, 3RB; Turret Mounts
Advanced AMCM System

Halberd Dropship, Heavy Troop Transport
Type: Small Warship
Acc: 100 Top: 600 Handling: -1 Climb: +1
FTL: Beacon
Crew: 10 Hull: 49 (22) Maintenance: +0
Ship Systems:
Basic Ship Computer with Astrogation and Ship Recognition Libraries; Atmospheric; Gateway Beacon; External Docking Clamps (2); Marines (30); Cargo Bay (2 Units); Stealth System
Weapons:
(1) Heavy Missile Ultra-Rack: 250/500/1000; 6d6 AP 12; RoF1-10; 10 Shots
(2) Heavy Beam Cannons: 100/200/400; 4d10 AP10; RoF1 (Fixed Forward)
(2) Scattercannons: 80/160/320; 4d6 AP4; RoF1; SBT (Turrets)
Advanced AMCM System

Now, Future Perfect and its starships arent going anywhere. However, working on FADS has lead me to rethink how I approached much of what I wrote, and some of the rather interesting new settings and rules offer up a lot of new perspective to examine. Why reinvent the wheel if I don't have to? I figure the closer I can keep everything to the core rules and official rules options, the more likely I may be able to secure an official Savage Worlds license. That said, I am also hoping to formalize in greater detail some of the options I presented for the setting, such as Cultural Packages in addition to Racial ones, Contacts and Reputation, and a means of background generation using the turning points life-event system.

Finally, I have two more one-sheet adventures almost ready for editing. One is for fantasy, presenting a tale in which a human town and an orc tribe both realize there is something sinister placing the existence of both communities in peril. The second is a Science Fiction romp, intended for Future Perfect but adapted easily to other settings, in which a simple mission to salvage information from a derelict starship goes horribly awry.

I'm sure other things will trickle into the mix as well. I just wanted to let folks know that despite a month of relative quiet, quite a few things are in progress.

[Future Perfect] Melee Weapons

2011-12-23T17:05:00.001-05:00

What follows is the basic list of melee weapons used in Future Perfect, followed by a brief description of each. Some other weapons are found in the setting as well, but did not require any stats to be noted since they are not always so common and already in the SW rule book. Axes, staves, swords, slings, and even spears are all examples of such weapons. A quality rating also is included, with Low (L), Normal (N), High (H) able to be found on the chart.

Weapon	Damage	Weight	Cost	Quality	Notes
Baton	Str+d4	1	10	N
Clawz	Str+d4	.5	50	N	Climbing +1; Reduced fine manipulation results in a -1 penalty to applicable Skill rolls when Clawz are affixed. A Character using Claws is considered to be an Unarmed Defender.
Forearm Blade	Str+d4	2	100	N	Parry +1
Knocker	Str+d4+2	1	50	N
Microfilament Whip	2d6	1	450	H	AP 4; Parry -1; Reach 1; If Attack Die (and Wild Die) comes up 1, then hits user instead.
Polyglass Knife	Str+d4+1	1	75	N	AP 2; Can Be Thrown
Polyglass Survival Knife	Str+d4+1	1	85	N	AP 2; Survival +1; Cannot Be Thrown
Power Glaive	Str+d8+2	8	1000	H	2H; Reach 1; On a Raise when Attacking, Target must Make a Vigor roll or be Shaken. This is determined before any Damage is dealt by the Glaive itself.
Power Staff	Str+4+2	3	650	H	2H; Reach 1; On a Raise when Attacking, Target must Make a Vigor roll or be Shaken. This is determined before any Damage is dealt by the Staff itself.
Stun Baton	Stun	1	100	N	On a Hit, Character must make a Vigor Roll or be Shaken. If a Raise is made on the attack roll, the Vigor roll is made at -2. A Character wielding a Stun Baton is considered to be an Unarmed Defender
Stun Sword	Stun	2	175	N	On a Hit, Character must make a Vigor Roll or be Shaken. If a Raise is made on the attack roll, the Vigor roll is made at -2.
Sword, Duelist's Blade	Str+d4	2	175	H	AP 2, Parry +1
Sword, Kokoran	Str+d6+2	4	750	H	AP 2, Biometal
Sword, Polyglass	Str+d6+1	5	350	N	AP 2
Sword, Regular and Short	See Savage Worlds Rulebook

Baton: A billy club, cudgel, or similarsmall, one handed bludgeoning implement.

Clawz: Modified “brass knuckles”that fit over a user's hands, but also provide three small claws thatextend down from between wielder's fingers. These small clawsimpair, but do not wholly impede, a character's ability to engage inactivities requiring fine manipulation (such as Surgery, Lockpicking,Electrical Repairs, Etc), resulting in a -1 penalty to applicabletrait rolls.

Forearm Blade: Lightly armoredvambraces with one or more sharp blades on the outside of theforearm.

Knocker: A heavy glove, similar to aCestus, that uses a small, implanted power cell to release an added jolt of force upon impact. The power cells can be drained or negatednormally, however, unless damaged, they recharge themselves from thesimple actions of being moved around.

Microfilament Whip: A monomolecularwire whip, lightly weighted at one end and affixed to a handle at theother. The whip itself is so fine that it can cut through flesh anmost soft armors almost effortlessly.

Polyglass Knife: A knife made frompolycarbonate glass, designed to be strong, light, and extremelysharp. The cutting edge of a polyglass blade is razor sharp. Thisknife may be thrown.

Polyglass Survival Knife: A polyglassknife whose throwing balance has been sacrificed in order to befunctional as a multipurpose tool with room for the storage of tinyobjects (usually survival gear). This knife grants a bonus of +1 toSurvival skill rolls.

Power Glaive: A charged, heavy bladedpolearm that uses the same type of power cell as a Knocker to notonly provide extra force, but which may release enough added energythat scramble a person's motor control (may Stun target on a Raise).

Power Staff: A Knocker on a stick, thePower Staff forgoes the blade component of the Power Glaive butretains the charge and capacity to stun its target.

Stun Baton: A small, hand held rod thatreleases a charge that scrambles a target's motor control. ACharacter using a Stun Baton still is considered an unarmed defendedin combat.

Stun Sword: A larger Stun Baton, theStun Sword is about two and a half to three feet in length with alight, whippy striking area that releases a charge that scrambles atarget's motor control.

Sword, Duelists Blade: A thin, light,and flexible metal sword, the Duelist's Blade is designed for quickstrikes and maneuverability. These weapons often resemble thinswords of various types, most often the Rapier, Jian, or lighterSabres, and are nearly as sharp as Polyglass.

Sword, Kokoran: Made from liquidbiometal, the Kokoran sword literally forms itself when needed. These swords are lighter than conventional metals, and often take theshape of Katanas, Daos, Kukri, and similar larger, single edgedswords.

Sword, Polyglass: A shorter blade thanthe Duelist's Blade, it tends to be much thicker and heavier. Largerpolyglass swords are rare since they are prone to breakage if theyget much larger than two to two and a half feet.

Sword, Regular and Short: Many stylesof metal swords can be found within marketplaces with ease and should betreated as per the SW rules.

[Future Perfect] Updating?

2011-12-20T16:30:00.001-05:00

Just a short entry this time, I promise.

I've been thinking about updating the Starship designs from Future Perfect to reflect the system changes in the new Savage Worlds: Deluxe edition rulebook. The new chase rules especially could make for some interesting alterations, and may even allow me to tweak some faction ships in ways that better suit how I'd envisioned them.

Also, I've been thinking about just going ahead and posting some of the "unfinished" material I used during the Future Perfect: Identity Function campaign. Lists of weapons, armor, body armor, and a variety of different drugs and gear could make their way to these pages -- the only issue is that not everything has "flavor text", so much of it may be presented in the form of raw stats.

People following Future Perfect should keep watch for some updates, and possibly even a sci-fi one-sheet (originally designed for the setting, but made more generic).

Maptooling Around...

2011-12-16T16:29:00.000-05:00

Alright. So last night I played my first game of Savage Worlds using Maptool and while I think the whole setup had some issues, overall I am favorably impressed.

For those unacquainted with it, Maptool is a virtual tabletop that allows map graphics and tokens to be placed and arranged in viewable layers. Place a character token atop a background map, and there you have it, the most basic virtual tabletop. Maptool goes a number of steps further by including embedded character sheets, fairly robust scripting options, die rollers, chat windows, server/client functionality for hosting private games, drawing functions, and preset scaling for map tokens... Of course, these were just the things I saw in a couple hours of playing! Personally, I found myself wishing I'd taken the Growth power so I could justify constantly resizing my character token. Its one of those things that a real table top cant do that Maptool can.

As for play itself, the game moved along fairly easily. We used a group call function in Skype to supplement the game play, though once the game began I muted my microphone so it was (mostly) just the GM talking. Everything game related was managed via the text Chat window in Maptool. While the person GMing the session seemed passably familiar with how Maptool works, he needed to add quite a few scripted buttons, plus new skills and abilities, all on the fly. I'm impressed enough that Maptool allows on the fly changes and additions, though it drives home the point that Maptool definitely will require some work up front on the part of the GM in order to provide a more seamless experience. Movement was very well implemented, with it automatically displaying the distance (and path) between your starting position and desired end point. The die roll functionality is also nicely robust, with the ability to roll custom die strings and define which dice are exploding. After a while, I found myself preferring to type out the die roll commands manually instead of clicking through the buttons.

This leads me to perhaps my biggest gripe with Maptool -- the interface. The screen is cluttered, and while the map allows a scroll-to-zoom function (which was a life saver!), there are way too many little windows that take away from the map's usable space. Most of those windows seemed either redundant or of questionable use to a player anyway. A feature that annoyed me was the inclusion of a macro window (empty) on the default screen, but no clear instructions on how to make macros themselves. After a little while, I'd rearranged things to better suit my preferences, but the user interface always felt like it needed a bit more polish.

Any other concerns I have with the software all stem from my inexperience with it. Most of Savage Worlds specific scripts were focused on the older Explorer's Edition rule set, so there were a few updates that needed to be made (or in some cases, things that just needed to be circumvented). I can see a dedicated GM spending hours on end tweaking scripts to make the perfect play experience, but in reality most of us don't have that kind of time. Luckily, there is nothing that forces you to use any but the most basic of scripts. Honestly, I could get by tracking most things manually, just like I do on the tabletop anyway, with a few features tossed in just to help me out. Benny tracking, for example, was especially helpful when you can click that the benny is being spent to soak damage.

Overall, I am pleased with the experience and Maptool has proven itself to me as a viable alternative when face to face gaming at the table just isn't possible. Is it perfect? No. It is usable, definitely, and with its scripting functions, it can only improve. Best of all, it is free. Honestly, I've been considering picking up Fantasy Grounds II, but the cost keeps pushing me away since not only does a GM have to buy more expensive software, but every player has to buy the basic player client. Using Maptool would just save me money, and despite FGII's added polish, it requires that I pay for EVERYTHING or take (possibly just as much) time configuring it to work how I want for my game, just like Maptool.

Three and a half hours of playing allowed us to liaise with the local city guard, fight several magitech enhanced attack dogs and a pile of evil cultists summoning a hungry version of Shai-Hulud beneath an ancient tower, save a sacrificial victim, bring a cult leader to justice, and reap the rewards from a job done well. Yep. I'm content with that.

Firenzo the Fat

2011-12-14T16:51:00.001-05:00

[This is a character built for possible inclusion in someone's Maptool based Fantasy game. Still not knowing what the guidelines are, I went for a novice Wizard that I thought could be fun to play. He's more of a summoner type, I'm thinking, with trappings for his spells being summoned beings and forces and energies. I also wanted a character that, if needed, could throw down in a fight. Sure, he'd get trounced by a dedicated warrior, but at least Firenzo won't need to cower behind the rest of the party for fear that a stiff breeze might beat the snot out of him.]

Background:

In his youth, Firenzo was a canny but otherwise unremarkable child who lived with his father, a poor bookseller, who managed another man's shoppe. His days were spent reading old books of lore, especially of a magical sort, which piqued his curiousity and engaged his mind's eye with a constant sense of wonder. When a young man of barely fifteen, his father died, and without any other options, Firenzo became a Belish soldier assigned to work as a city guard in Wroat. For years he worked diligently keeping the peace and investigating petty crimes. He enjoyed the routine, the constant training, and the knowledge that he was a representative of his community and sworn to protect its people. Firenzo found comfort in a belief that despite all the problems in the world, if you acquit yourself well to others, then generally, they do the same to you. Unfortunately, Firenzo was also quite naive.

In the course of doing his job, he learned the hard way that the world is often a very harsh and unforgiving place. Being an honest guard lead him to be given less and less desirable posts that were more demanding on his time. Though in his heart, Firenzo still believed that honorable accord was of highest virtue, he grew ever more aware that his beliefs were hindering him socially and professionally. When off duty, he turned to food and drink instead of training, enjoying his meals to such excess that his once fit and muscular form became softer, flabby, and weak from inactivity. Firenzo grew more and more disconnected from his own life as he realized he needed to make a change.

Suprising everyone who thought he would be just another dull, go-nowhere city guard, he resigned from his post and hired himself out as a bodyguard for a small group of travelers en route from Wroat to Sharn. The tragedy that followed also marked perhaps the greatest turning point of his life. Just three days into the journey, the travelers were ambushed. Raiders descended upon the group, even as two among them turned against their fellows. The battle was furious, and when all was done, nearly twenty men and elves lay dead. The two betrayers themselves had fallen, leaving only a shaken Firenzo and an injured old mage to be taken captive by a handful of remaining attackers and held for ransom for nearly a year.

The Mage was bound tightly to keep him from working his magics and escaping, and Firenzo, while chained, had his hands free in order to help tend to the Mage. The old Wizard, Arqueviss Quibb by name, was a long time teacher of young spellcasters, and he saw, albeit faintly, that same spark of the gift within Firenzo as among his former students. Though Firenzo himself was in his early 30s and far from being a young man himself, he was clever enough, disciplined, and willing to work hard. That spark grew to a flame, and after many long months of secret training when their captors were sleeping or occupied, they seized their moment. As Firenzo made ready the way for their escape, he did not realize that Arqueviss never intended for the both of them to leave. The old Mage was dying and wanted one last taste of revenge before his own spark flickered and faded.

Once Firenzo neutralized the first of the guards and started heading from the camp, the old Mage ensorcelled him and compelled him to flee, to run as far as he could until he collapsed. It was then that Arqueviss Quibb rained hell upon his captors, unleashing a torrent of raw eldritch force that consumed himself and nearly the whole of the raiders camp. Firenzo was free, and the old man had sacrificed himself to make certain of that fact. It was then that he vowed that never again would he live in bondage nor would he allow others to be forced to do the same.

In time he made his way to Sharn, alone. He practices the lessons taught him by Arqueviss every day and takes odd jobs to best continue his studies. Though he is not a formally trained wizard, he has more than once proved that learning gained from practice and practical demands can be just as effective. With no family and few friends, Firenzo the Fat spends his free time writing in his journals (e.g. Spellbooks) and finding cheap venues serving plentiful food and drink.

Firenzo the Fat
Novice Human Male

AG d6, SM d8, SP d6, ST d6, VI d6

Charisma +0
Pace 5"+1d4"
Parry 6
Toughness 6

Hindrances:
Obese (m), Vow (m; to never again be held in bondage to anyone), Code of Honor (M)

Edges:
Arcane Background: Magic (Bolt, Entangle, Summon Ally), Power Points

Skills:
Fighting d6, Investigation d4, KS: Arcana d8, Notice d8, Spellcasting d10, Stealth d4

Gear:
Heavy Robes/Hides (Armor +1)
Spear (ST+d6; +1 Parry; +1 Reach)
Spell Notes and Journal

Magic:
15 Power Points
Spellcasting d10
Bolt, Entangle, Summon Ally

10,000 Page Views and a One-Sheet Adventure

2011-12-03T13:04:00.001-05:00

Well, Abunchofsavages has passed ten thousand page views! Who would have thought THAT would happen?

To celebrate, I decided to post a Fantasy One-Sheet Adventure for roughly Seasoned Rank characters. It's a short tale set in a normally peaceful region who's townfolk have become worried about Ratlings (aka Rat Men) recently spotted in some old ruins. You see, the ruins are set in the hills overlooking a path commonly taken by locals as a shortcut between the region's biggest town and several riverside farming communities. The characters are tasked with making certain the Ratlings leave...

Download: Hunters of Heron's Vale Pass

[Spolier Alert]
The Ratlings have set into the ruins because they open up into a series of tunnels in which Rockgrubs may be found. To the Ratlings, the Rockgrubs are delicious and mildly intoxicating, and this is just one large hunting party sent forth to collect as many grubs as possible.

Unfortunately, even if the Ratlings are driven off or convinced to leave, they will probably come back next year. It seems that Rockgrubs are just too damned good! This means that it may fall to the PCs to make a choice about how far they are willing to go to help out the townsfolk, because it is within their power to destroy the source of the Rockgrubs entirely. And having no grubs means having no more Ratlings.
[End Spoiler Alert]

New Edges (Fantasy)

2011-11-29T18:12:00.001-05:00

I came up with a handful of new edges the other day, and these are the ones that best fit into a Fantasy style game.

Master Bowman
Requirements: Veteran, Smarts d6+, Shooting d10+, Notice d6+
By paying attention to prevailing winds, relative positioning between himself and his targets, and having a solid understanding of his weapon itself, a Master Bowman may increase the base range of his bow by +1/3rd when using it.

Warrior Monk
Requirements: Seasoned, Martial Artist, Spirit d8+, Fighting d8+
A warrior monk's extensive training has lead to his ability to land more focused attacks, resist minor aches and pains, and to natually roll with incoming attacks. The Warrior Monk gains AP1 on all of his Hand to Hand and Melee Attacks. Additionally, the character has +1 Armor versus Melee, Hand to Hand, and Thrown attacks, but not attacks from other Ranged sources.

Arrowcutter
Requirements: Seasoned, Agility d8+, Notice d6+, Fighting d8+
If a hero is aware of the incoming attack, then his opponent must use the hero's Parry value (modified by Range) instead of a flat target number to hit him with missile weapon attacks. In campaigns with firearms, this edge may apply against them as well (with the GM's permission, of course), but only if the character spends a benny to use this Edge for the duration of the encounter.

Relationship Maps

2011-11-21T16:59:00.001-05:00

I've come up with a system for Relationship Maps for use in Savage Worlds, though it is still rough around the edges. I encourage anyone actually reading this blog to give me some feedback on how you feel this could be streamlined and improved. I don't want to explain too much in advance, since if it's not clear from the text itself, I need to know that too. Please post comments, thanks.
-----

A relationship map is ameans of visually describing the assorted network of connectionsbetween characters. At its simplest, such a map can point out whoknows who and how they feel about each other. However, addingcomplexity can allow not only a layer of character analysis, but canchart important locations, properties, motivations, and goals and howthey relate to such characters. In short, a relationship mapprovides an illustrated depiction of a campaign, its known movers andshakers, how and why they act as they do, and may even hint at wherethings are going. It is like a massively interconnected web thatserves as an excellent tool for GMs who may wonder where to tug andpull to get their players moving or for Players who may wonder what aGM is up to.

Player Characters startat the center of the map. They are the focus and central point ofperspective through which all game relationships are being viewed. Write down the Character’s name and surround it with a Hexagon.

EXAMPLE:

Wedecide to map out a character, Grimm, a dour woodsman who patrols theforests. After drawing a hexagon, we write “Grimm” inside it.

Anything depicted on theRelationship map that is drawn within a geometric shape is called a“Node”. We have just identified our first Node, the CharacterNode. This Node will be connected to other Nodes of various types byarrows we call “Threads”. The pairing of a Node to a Thread is a“Relationship”.

1. NOTE THE STARTING RELATIONSHIP POINT TOTALS

Regardless of the scopeor power level of the game, every character will have at least onerelationship link to each of the following Nodes: A Person, a Place,a Thing, and an Idea. These four links form the Core PersonalRelationships of the starting character. Each of these relationshipsbegin with a Weak (+0) connection, but will be increased through theexpense of available relationship points. If Relationship Pointsremain after spending at least one point in each of these fourRelationships, a character may buy a new Relationship (of any sortexcept "Person"). New Relationships begin at "Weak+0" and may be increased normally, provided that the startingvalue of the relationship does not EXCEED the value of the CoreRelationship of the same type.

A Character's startingRelationship Point total is determined by the starting rank of thecharacter, and is modified by certain Edges and high Skills.

Novice characters beginplay with 4 Relationship points; more experienced characters gain twoadditional points per rank above Novice.

EXAMPLE:

Grimmstarts play as a Novice character. He has 4 Relationship points tospend, and must spend at least one point in each type ofrelationship.

The following edges granttwo additional Relationship Points:

Connections
Noble
Command
Followers
Sidekick

Additionally, anyKnowledge Skill at d10 provides an appropriate 1 point Relationship(Weak +0). A Knowledge Skill at d12 provides a 2 point (Normal +1)Relationship.

EXAMPLE:

Klovis,however, enters the game later as a Veteran character with both theConnections and Command Edges. Additionally, he has a d10 Knowledgein the Hidden Trails of Shire Alamen. He begins play with eight (8)relationship points from his Veteran rank, an additional four (4)added points from Edges, and one (1) more point from his highKnowledge Skill.

Any points gained fromEdges should reflect the nature of the Edge, but will add to thetotal number of points a character may spend on Relationships. Buying these Edges in the course of game play should warrant the sameaddition of new, or the expansion of existing, relationships as ifthey’d begun the game with the Edges. In short, taking these Edgesallows a player to make immediate additions to the relationship mapitself. However, like all relationships added after the commencementof the game, the character first must buy the relationship at Weak(+0), unlike with the starting Core Relationships.

2. IDENTIFY CORE RELATIONSHIPS,NOTING NATURE & INTENSITY

Since a character musthave at least one of each type of relationship Node, go ahead andwrite down each one on a sheet. Make sure that the character’sNode remains at the center of the map. Once the relationships areidentified, draw the appropriate shapes around what you’ve writtento complete the Node.

[RelationshipNode Types]

People (Circle):Relationships of this type are generally overtly social ones. Theycan be with an individual person, a group of people, or even anorganization. This type of relationship is noted in the map by theuse of a Circle.

Places (Square):Relationships of this type are connections to specified locations,known or unknown. This type of relationship is noted on the map bythe use of a Square.

Things (Triangle):Relationships of this type are connections to physical objects. Suchobjects may or may not be in the possession of the character, or evenbe owned by them. Additionally, this type of relationship may referto a general type or category of thing, and not just a specificobject. This type of relationship is noted on the map by the use ofa Triangle.

Ideas (Diamond):Relationships of this type denote connections to ideals, motivations,goals, and values. Usually, such ideas are a character’s own,though in some instances a character may develop a relationship toanother’s set of Ideas over time. This type of relationship is themost abstract and is noted on the map by the use of a Diamond.

EXAMPLE:

Grimnotes his starting Core Relationships. For People he chooses hisBoss; For Places he choose the Forest where he lives; for things hechooses Scrounged Objects, the means by which he makes money; and forIdea he chooses "Only Nature is Honest", a statement thathelps define how he relates to the world.

[Nature of theRelationship]

Thread a connectionbetween the Character Node and Relationship Node by drawing an arrowbetween them, starting from the character. Identify the nature ofthe Relationship by writing along the arrow how the character feelsabout what is named in the Node.

EXAMPLE:

Grimmdraws a thread to the Idea "Only Nature is Honest", andnotes along the arrow "Hides behind this statement to avoidtroubling social relationships".

[Intensity of theRelationship]

Intensity is what impactthe relationship may have on a scene in terms of game effects. Oncea scene, a character may opt to take a bonus to an applicable roll ifthe relationship is directly relevant to the events of the scene.

Weak Impact [+0]

Normal Impact [+1]

Strong Impact [+2]

Weak (+0) Relationships,you’ll notice, are quite common yet offer no bonus modifiers. Thisis because of the final benefit associated with Intensity, thepotential to reclaim spent Bennies. At the end of an encounter, acharacter with an appropriate Relationship may roll a d6 and addtheir Intensity modifier. If the result is a success, they regain asingle Benny. With a raise they may reclaim an additional Benny, butonly if that Benny was spent. Thus, no new Bennies can be earned.

A GM may impose penaltiesto certain rolls if a character’s relationships are being usedagainst him. A Benny may bespent to negate the impact of a relationship during a scene.

EXAMPLE:

Inthe case of Grimm it is easy enough to assign intensity to hisRelationships. Grimm has a "Normal (+1) relationship in each ofthem since he only has four points to spend. Later on during a gamesession, Grimm is tracking slavers who’ve entered his home forest.The player and the GM agree that it is appropriate for Grimm to takehis bonus from his relationship with this Place and gain a bonus of 1on his Tracking rolls since he knows very well what is or is not outof place. Even later, Grimm is attempting sell some trinkets at theGreat Bazaar. Unfortunately, some antagonistic Knight trampledGrimm’s wares while riding over them. Grimm has a bad temper(Quirk) and the GM decides that Grimm must make a successful Spiritroll to avoid going into a rage. The GM also decides that because ofGrimm’s relationship to his scrounged objects, his Spirit roll mustbe made at a penalty of 1.

The Intensity of aRelationship should be written in brackets alongside the textexplaining Nature of the Relationship. Only Nodes connected toCharacters or Active NPC’s (see below) need to have an IntensityListed.

For a starting character,the first Node of each type denotes the character’s CoreRelationships. No additional Relationship of a particular type mayEXCEED that of the character’s Core Relationship of the same type. Thus, if a character initially defines a connection at +1 to aPerson, then no other connection to a Person may exceed that sameIntensity. Note that this is true only for starting characters. Ascampaigns progress, character relationships and their intensitieswill alter.

3. ADD RELATIONSHIPS FROM EDGES,HINDRANCES, & SKILLS:

[Edges]

Some Edges will add newrelationships to a character. These Edges each grant tworelationship points of intensity starting with Weak +0/0 andprogressing up from there.

As mentioned earlier,these edges are:

Connections
Noble
Command
Followers
Sidekick

If the points gained froman Edge applies to a large group or organization, then the GM maywish to require an increased point cost to improve the relationship.

EXAMPLE:

Grimmis a Warden of Shire Corbie, defined as the Connections Edge. Hisplayer and the GM decide that Grimm may add "Wardens of ShireCorbie" as a People Relationship, at Normal (+1), or he mayadd the same at Weak (+0) and have either another relationship(likely a Place or another Person) also at Weak (+0).

[Skills]

Earning a Knowledge Skillranked at d10 or higher grants an appropriate Place or Idearelationship at Weak (+0) Intensity. If the skill reaches a d12,then the Relationship may be stepped up to Normal (+1). Noadditional intensity is gained from improving a skill beyond a d12.

An arrow should be drawnfrom the character to the Place or Idea and the nature of therelationship defined normally.

EXAMPLE:

Locke’sKnowledge (Ruins of Dragoneye City) is at a value of d10. He may addthose Ruins as a new Place to which he is related at a Weak (+0)Intensity. He notes that he often makes money from selling trinketshe collects from inside.

[Hindrances]

Unlike Edges and Skills,Hindrances do not necessarily grant additional Relationship Points(though they can, see below). Instead, Hindrances are aroleplayer’s gold mine for expanding or clarifying a character'smap of Relationships. Since many of these relationships arepartially or even fully out of the character's control, a playershould be mindful of a character’s disadvantages when defininginitial and core relationships. Indeed, those choices often may beinformed by the character’s own reactions to what Hindrances wereselected.

EXAMPLE:

Grimm,though he has a quirk that he is distrustful of authority, has takenhis boss, Rudo Sackbridge, the Sheriff of Shire Corbie, as his corerelationship to a Person. He notes the Nature of the relationship as“Respects… But also Resents”, illustrating the conflictedfeelings he has about the man and his social position. Thus Grimresents Sheriff Sackbridge’s authority, though he also knows he cancount on the Sheriff if he really needs him.

Some Hindrances arestandout choices for illustrating relationships that are not alwayspositive in nature. Hindrances can provide a lot of added flavor,especially if incorporating interconnections and influences (seebelow). The mostly likely candidates among Hindrances include:

Code of Honor
Enemy
Habit
Phobia
Quirk
Vow
Wanted

The list above is by nomeans all inclusive. While some types of Hindrances are more obviouschoices than others, it is important not to forget the impact of moreabstract relationships. Ask how a Hindrance fits into one of thefollowing dramatic oppositions: Man versus Man; Man versus Nature;Man versus Self. If that opposition is a key part of who thecharacter is (or what the character must overcome), then it may beimportant enough to be mapped. A heroin addicted hacker desperatelystruggling to regain control of his life might have the Drug or hisaddiction listed on the map, but a chain smoker probably won’t.

Not all Hindrances shoulddefine or even have an impact upon a character’s mappedrelationships. It is up to the GM and the players whether or notnoting a relationship is warranted. Ideally, this decision should bebased on its potential impact on the character, his outlook,demeanor, and likely actions. Thus, while two characters may havethe same Hindrance, only one character may find it warrants inclusionon the Relationship Map. Similarly, Major Hindrances are more likelyto be listed than minor ones; something casual is less likely to haveserious personal impact.

[NegativeRelationships]

Some relationships arejust so important that they need to be included on the map, even ifthey offer no positive benefit to the character. Obviously, such arelationship is drawn from a character’s own Hindrances in such away that they are more than simply helping to define or clarifyanother relationship – they are, in and of themselves – arelationship all their own.

If a player wishes, hemay use one of his character’s Hindrances to define a new, negativerelationship. In any scene where that relationship is involved, thecharacter may not spend any of his own Bennies, except to save hisown life.

EXAMPLE:

Grimm’splayer and the GM decided that Grimm has a custom Minor Hindrancelisted as a Negative Reputation among the Regional Knighthood, and hesuffers -4 on all Social Interactions with them. In terms ofback-story, it was decided that appointing a Wildman like Grimm tothe position of Warden was believed to be a direct attempt by theSheriff to insult the local Knighthood. Grimm’s player writes“Knights of County Corbie” as a People Node, but notes it as aNegative Relationship. Now, in any Social Interactions with them, hemay not spend a Benny to re-roll any failed trait rolls.

Where the relationship isa purely negative one, the line threading between a Character and aNode should be marked in RED (or in a similar manner to distinguishit from normal relationships).

4. DEFINE INTERCONNECTIONS

This is where things getinteresting. Once the players have all made their initial maps, checkfor any overlapping relationships. If the players agree that theyhave common relationships then redraw the map so that the charactersboth have threads connecting them to the same node. If they do notagree, at least one of those characters should change therelationship so they differ.

Not all games will beginwith the same levels of interconnectivity. A general guideline forhow to link characters depends on how interconnected characters willbe at the start of the game. We have four general types: Unconnected,Casually Familiar, Connected, and Heavily Connected. Each typedetermines how many of the characters know one another, share commonNodes, and may adjust or influence existing relationships.

Unconnected gamesassume that the characters have no common connections (aside from mayhave been decided from their initial relationships) and do not knowone another before the start of the game. They gain no additionalthreads.

Casually Familiargames assume that characters are at least generally familiar with oneanother as a group, though not everyone will know everyone else. APlayer in a Casually Familiar game may thread a relationship betweentheir Character to any one other Node on another character’s map,including a Character Node itself. Any relationships defined withnon-character Nodes begin at Weak (+0) Intensity.

Connected gamesassume that characters are, you guessed it, somewhat connected withone another and quite possibly may know each other. A Player in aConnected game may thread a relationship between his Character andany two other Nodes on a character’s map not his own, so long as atleast one is a Character Node. Any relationships defined withnon-character Nodes begin at Weak (+0) Intensity.

Heavily Connectedgames assume the characters have strong links to one another andalmost assuredly know each other. A Player in a Heavily Connectedgame may thread a relationship between his Character and a number ofNodes on other players’ character maps equal to the total number ofplayer characters. Every character must be linked to at least oneother Character. Any relationships defined with non-character Nodesbegin at Weak (+0) Intensity, but with the GM’s permission may beincreased to as high as Normal (+1) by allocating an additional pointto the thread.

[Linking to NPCs /Static and Active NPCs]

NPCs that stay where theyare and do not do much aside from a narrow function are consideredStatic.

NPCs that may show upanywhere, have a broad array of abilities, and generally could becomepart of the action and drama should be considered Active NPCs.

If more than onecharacter is linked to a Person, it’s quite likely that person maybecome an important NPC, and may also be noted as Active, even ifthey don’t move around a lot or have any significant power.

Active NPCs are noted bya second circle being drawn around the first one that denotes them asa People Node. Any Active NPC should be given at least one, if notmore, threads connecting them to other non-Character nodes if they donot have them already.

5. DETERMINE INFLUENCES & MAKEADJUSTMENTS

Role Playing Gamecampaigns run the full spectrum from the railroading of autocraticGame Masters, to the hostile, often combat laden games where Playersand Game Masters are adversaries, to more cooperative, narrativecampaigns where everyone works together to propel the story inexciting and interesting directions. No matter the style of play, asimple question can be asked: How much power do the PLAYERS have tocontrol the events of the game? This inquiry is not speaking ofcharacter actions, or the choices of how to play the game, butinstead seeks an answer in terms of direct input. Do the playershelp define the world, or is that the sole province of the GameMaster?

In games where Playerinput has more meaning, it may be interesting to allow a certainnumber of Influences on the Relationship map. This allows Players totweak the starting map and possibly establish interesting threads andrelationships that may not otherwise of have existed. In general,most games should fall into one of three types, which determine howthe map may be adjusted.

No/Little Influence:

No changes are made tothe relationship map.

Some Influence:

Every player may make asingle change to the relationship map, so long as the change followscertain guidelines. They may thread any existing Node to any otherNode, provided the link does not connect to or from a Character Node.The player may then define the nature of the relationship as theydesire.

High Influence:

Every player may make upto two changes to the relationship map, provided those changes followcertain guidelines. First, they may thread any existingnon-Character Node to any other Node, except for their own Character. Second, they may create a new Node and link it to any Node thatisn’t a Player Character. The player should define the nature ofthese relationships as they desire (if an Intensity is warranted, itshould be considered Normal +1), unless threading to a character. Inthis case, the relationship should be listed as Weak (+0) and definednormally. Lastly, no Negative Relationships may be added unless allplayers agree to it.

Influences that affect Character Nodes should not reach the power of Edges or Hindrances, both of which require advancement earned from the acquisition of Experience Points.

6. MAKE FINALADJUSTMENTS

Once the Maps are justabout complete, Players and Game Masters alike should check them tosee if there are any relationships that SHOULD be present, but havenot been threaded. For example, if “Holy Order of the Crow”exists as a Node, and “Carlos, Acolyte of the Holy Order of theCrow” also exists as a Node, then those two Nodes logically shouldhave a thread drawn between them to define their relationship.

[Future Perfect] S.T.A.R. Fighter

2011-11-21T00:58:00.001-05:00

A generic fighter craft focused on delivering a solid offensive punch at both long and short ranges. This fighter is a tried and true design, common among many manufacturers, and has found use everywhere from local militias, to mercenary units, pirates, and even specialist security forces. Its basic compliment of battle-tested armaments and standard, commonly available parts make S.T.A.R. type fighters the obvious choice for many pragmatic and budget minded operations. Manufacturers seeking to expand this ship's capabilities often add AGS for missile guidance and/or improve the vessel's very basic, even simple, computer with something at least capable of pattern recognition.

S.T.A.R. Fighter

Standard Tactical Armed Response

Manufacture: Generic

Size: Small

Power: 12 [Base1, LS 1]

Acc: 200 Top:1200 Handling: +1

FTL: None

Crew: 1 Hull: 14 (4) [Armor 4]

Ship Systems:

Computer with Autopilot and TargetingControl System
Starship
Atmospheric

Weapons:

Medium Pulse Cannon [2 Spaces, 2Power]: 100/200/400, 3d8 AP8, RoF2
(2) Medium Missile Racks [1 Space; 1Power; 4 Shots each]: 250/500/1000; 5d6 AP9; RoF1-4

[Future Perfect] Swordsman Battleship

2011-11-19T11:27:00.001-05:00

The Coalition does not usually build very many larger ships because they consume too many resources that are needed domestically, as opposed to militarily. However, demonstrated need for dedicated ships of the line became evident after a series of pirate incursions (and subsequent terrorist actions) in Coalition space. The CDF worked closely with a number of its factors placed in regional governorships, most notably security and arms maker Securitech, and came up with a series of designs for updating elements of the Coalition fleet. Built around a spinal mounted cannon, matched by a pair of Securitech’s experimental “ROAR” Rapid Mass Accelerators, the Swordsman packs a serious punch. It has enough armor to reasonably shake off a direct hit from most torpedo assaults, and it positively bristles with exterior docking mounts for lighter craft to add their armament to its own. Though the Swordsman sometimes finds itself thrust into the role of Coalition capital ship, it lacks the sheer power of those much more massive vessels so often employed by the other Factions. However, as a ship of the line, it’s a formidable battleship indeed.

Tactically, the Swordsman is intended to work first as a deterrent. If a battle continues, the spinal cannon is fired at larger vessels in the opposing fleet before smaller ships disengage from the docking clamps to engage them. Micromissiles are designed to scatter attacking fighters and the ROAR cannons should make short work of most escort class vessels seeking to close the distance for close assault. Additionally, the Swordsman often is accompanied by several Wayfarer-class interdiction cruisers, which only increases the ships ability to seize and hold a position in space.

It's critics cite the vessels lack of a true, dedicated H-Space FTL System as it's major shortcoming. However, compared to many other ships of this class, it also keeps down the cost.

Swordsman-Class Battleship

Manufacture: Coalition

Size: Huge, Heavy

Power: 90

Acc: 54 Top:360 Handling: -2

FTL: Gate Key, H-Space Lock

Crew: 38 Hull: 95(51) (Armor 51)

Ship Systems:

Starship
Non-Atmospheric
Computer with Basic “Lion-Class” AI(d6 Smarts, Power 8, Spaces 8):
Piloting d6, Shooting d6, Knowledge(Battle) d6, Repair d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Autopilot, TargetAcquisition and Control, Fire Control, and Pattern Recognition,SysNet Link
Enhanced Crew Facilities
H-Space Lock (1 Power)
Gate Key (1 Space, 1 Power)
Mechanical Shop (Repair Facility; 2Spaces, 2 Power)
(12) Exterior Docking Clamps (6 Spaces;3 Power))
(12) Bed Sickbay (4 Spaces, 4 Power)
(30) Marines (3 Spaces, 3 Power)
(4) Cargo Holds (4 Spaces)

Weapons:

(1) Huge Spinal Mounted Cannon [20Spaces, Power *]; 8d10 AP45
(2) Securitech “ROAR” MassAccelerator Cannons [6 Spaces, 4 Power Each]: 6d12 AP8; 100/200/400;RoF3
(4) Micromissile Packs [1 Space, 1Power, 4 Shots per Pack]: 200/400/600; 4d6 AP6; Small Burst Template
(2) AMCM Systems

Savage Worlds: Deluxe Edition

2011-11-15T20:03:00.001-05:00

When my group stopped playing Savage Worlds, I felt no reason to race out and get a copy of the Deluxe Edition rules. However, lately I've felt that Savage itch (trust me, its worse than crabs) so I grabbed a copy of the PDF. Aside from the price (30$ for the book, $20 for the PDF) which is not too high, but is a steep jump from the Explorer's Edition none the less, I've little to complain about.

Back when the Explorer's Edition was released, I was disappointed by a couple of the changes to the system (most notably the Chase rules -- I still like the ones from the 2004 Revised Edition), the elimination of non-human races, the removal of so many vehicle stats, and the inconsistent quality of the artwork. However, the standardizing of melee on the Way of the Brave rules, the sensible restructuring of the layout, and the cheap, cheap price made the book a welcome addition to my bookshelf! Hells, I own two copies and used to own a third.

Well, the Deluxe Edition adds a bevy of new "standard" rules, steps up the art quality, returns vehicle stats and non-human character races to the core book, and effectively maintains compatibility with prior editions. Not bad at all! What do I dislike? With all the vehicles they stat out for the book, space ships are notably absent. Yeah, not a big deal. I've already written plenty of 'em.

I'm happy to see that the folks at Pinnacle are paying attention to what a number of other games have done, especially some of the nice tweaks many new commercial games are borrowing from indy games. Rules for Social Conflicts are a big plus, allowing for a more in-depth experience than the basic roll and compare mechanic. Lets face it, some situations call for more than just a skill check. Rules for Interludes are included as well. What is an interlude? You know those long stretches of time between events, major scenes, or adventures? Yeah, those can all be considered Interludes. Now there are some guidelines to use this time to help boost character development (in a non-mechanical way) as well as add a bit of narrative density to the group dynamic between all the conflict and drama. Theres also a short section detailing how you can tweak aspects of the system to better capture the feel of a genre, style, or setting. Do you want to play a cyberpunk game? Use the "Gritty Damage" rules. Up for some extra-pulpy fun? Try "Born a Hero" and "High Adventure".

I'm also glad to see that the Pinnacle crew seem actually listen to what their players are doing! Kudos! They've removed Guts from the standard skill list, reserving it for use as a rule addition for certain settngs. This was perhaps the most ubiquitous house rule already, and it is nice to see it included as an official rule. Also, margins of success now actually matter when aking a skill roll. There is more than just a success or a raise for task resolution; instead, there are different levels of success! Similar MoS rules have been a longstanding house rule at my game table. Perhaps most importantly are the myriad examples peppered throughout the text. These short expositions aid new players immensely, and some are just plain fun to read (my favorite is the ill-fated professor who dooms the world).

I can't say enough how much a Savage Worlds player or GM should buy this book. Really, it is a must-own volume. Give your Explorer's Edition book a rest. I'd even say that if you've tried Savage Worlds in the past and found it not quite to your liking, there is more than enough new content that it makes the game worth a second look.

INTERFACE ZERO

2011-11-05T17:25:00.001-04:00

I'd thumbed through the PDF for Interface Zero a while back, and was impressed enough that I decided I needed to own a physical copy of the book.

If you aren't familiar with it, Interface Zero is a savage cyberpunk setting from Gun Metal Games. However it's not just another clone of Cyberpunk 2020 or classic books like Neuromancer or Hardwired. Interface Zero (or IZ, for short) definitely strikes forth into some new territory, providing a fresh, modern view on the genre. Quite honestly, I think IZ is one of the best cyberpunk games I've seen in a long while, and I'd strongly recommend buying it if you are a fan.

The book is a well made hardcover retailing for $39.99 (I found it for $26 from an online vendor), with delicious artwork of consistently high quality and consistency of style. Even though its all in black and white, I didn't mind at all.

Inside is a host of new rules, many of which I wish I'd seen when I was writing up material for Future Perfect! I love the rules for cyberware and the core ideas for how to keep cybernetics balanced against other character traits such as Edges. In short, every piece of cyberware has a negative value associated with it (depending on quality and the function of the cybersystem) and the sum total of these negative values become a penalty to Vigor rolls to determine if something occurs when a character is injured or his system is under stress. I would have liked to see more granularity in terms of negative effects, but the core idea is sound. It wouldn't take a creative GM very long to expand the list into something less generic.

There are a few things I'm not so crazy about, mostly insofar as they seem like potential game balance concerns. For example, a few of the character "races" seem over powered compared to others, with very little in the way of negatives to discourage players from choosing those races every time. Again, there is nothing here that could not be tweaked with a quick house rule or two.

Unfortunately, the Hacking system seems like more of an issue -- then again, it is a concern in almost every Cyberpunk genre game I've played. It seems like the system can bog down a bit, especially for characters who are not dedicated hackers, and it reads like it could get a bit boring after a while, since most non hacker characters are very similar in virtual space and systems programs seem to be kind of repetitive.

Overall, IZ has earned a place on my game shelf. With its compelling backstory, interesting rules, and playability it's a must own for Cyberpunk fans. For Savage Worlds fans, IZ is a great addition for any Sci-Fi oriented game. It has a lot to offer and its shortcomings, of which there are only a few, I think are mostly a side effect of trying to balance good ideas with the demands of a system (and many of its fans) that demand everything holds to the FFF design theory. Unfortunately, sometimes FFF only stands for Fast, Frustrating, and Fracking Dull.

I give it 4.5 Stars out of 5.

[Future Perfect] Tigh Rell, Corporate Agent

2011-01-08T01:49:00.001-05:00

Tigh Rell grew up on the "streets" among the various station cities of the Interzone. He joined Interzone joint security forces at the age of fifteen to escape his situation and took advantage of all the opportunities provided to him. He received a complete corporate education in addition to military training, with additional schooling as both a field medic and a surgeon. After mustering out of the Jointsec Forces, he'd hoped to get a position working at a corporate hospital -- unfortunately, competition was fierce and after a three year training and selections process, he lost out to a long time rival.

Soon after, Tigh found himself headhunted by RIFU's Operations/Security (OSEC) forces who felt his security training, corporate education, and extensive medical expertise would make him a valuable asset. They trained him, put him in the field, and watched him excel. After only a few years of service, his proven reputation for quick thinking and skillful action landed him a promotion to Corporate Agent, an independent field operative with broad discretionary authority to act as a warden for RIFU's interests.

NAME: Tigh Rell
Gender: Male
Gene Template: Augment
Cultural Template: Urban

ATTRIBUTES
Agility d6
Smarts d10
Spirit d8
Strength d8 (d6)
Vigor d10 (d8)

DERIVED STATISTICS
Biothreshold: 11 (12)
Charisma: 0
Pace: 6"+1d6"
Parry: 6
Toughness: 13 (4 Armor)

EDGES
(Bioattunement), Improved Bioattunement (x2)
Brawny
Connections (Corporations)
Guts
Investigator
Level Headed

HINDRANCES
Loyal (m)
Heroic (M)
Vow (m)
Unstable Genetics (m)
Cautious (m)

SKILLS
Climbing d4, Fighting d8, Gunnery d6, Investigation d8, Knowledge (Finance) d6, Knowledge (Interzone) d6, Languages (Imperial Standard [N], Gujar], Medical d10, Notice d10, Persuasion d8, Pilot d6, Repair d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d6, Streetwise d8, Survival d8, Swimming d4, Zero-G Mauneuvering d4

BIOAUGMENTATIONS & MUTATIONS
Augment (Gene Template; Vigor, Bio-Purifiers)
Bio-Purifiers (Augment)
Modular Cyberarm [AV3] - Current: d12+1 STRENGTH, +4 Armor, Implanted Bioscanner
Biopolymer Muscle Enhancement [AV2]
Lowlight Vision Upgrade [AV1]
Subdermal Bodyplating [AV2]
Decreased Trauma Sensitivity [AV2]
Biotuning and Organ Enhancement [AV2]

GEAR
Armored Longcoat with Polyceramic Inserts (+4 Armor)
Ragnarok Arms PMPR (High Quality, 2H, Con J, Str Min d8):
[Singleshot] 3d8+3 AP4, +1 to Hit, 30/60/120, RoF 1
[Scattergun] 2d10 AP4, Cone, RoF 1, -1 to Agility rolls to Avoid
Polyglass Combat Knife (Str+1d4+1 AP2; +1 to Survival Rolls)
MKII Defensive Screen
2 Light Power Cells
Other Gear as Needed

CONTACTS
(9) Calvin Drake (Chief, RIFU Operations/Security): Availability + 2, Capability d12/+5 (Investigations), Influence + 2 (Corporate Security)
(3) Fu Jow Quan (ID Forger): Availability + 0, Capability d8/+3 (Forgery), Influence + 0
(6) Larry Castro (Money Launderer): Availability + 1, Capability d8/+3 (Money Laundering, Streetwise), Influence + 1 (Shady Businessmen)

TURNING POINTS
Professional Rival (Medical Field) - Friend of a Friend - Coldly Professional
Find a Teacher (Special Operations; Streetwise) - Contact (d6/+2 Capability)
Recognized Excellence (RIFU Operations/Security) - Quick Thinking Salvaged a Job - (1100 Credit Bonus; Promoted to Corporate Agent)

REPUTATIONS
RIFU [ +3 ]
Interzone [ +1 ]
Coalition Defense Forces [ +1 ]
Securitech [ -1 ]

[Future Perfect] Professor Jorge Arroyo

2010-12-27T14:47:00.005-05:00

Professor Jorge Arroyo was, until recently, the Chair of the History Department of the Coalition Academy of Arts and Sciences. Renown as one of the preeminent scholars of military history, tactics, and fleet actions, his sudden departure from academia was a shocking turn to most people who knew him as a careful and methodical individual. And his more recently discovered association with known criminal syndicates only makes things all the stranger. However, people closest to Jorge know that once he takes an interest in something, he will doggedly pursue it until he's learned all he can on the matter. So whatever it is that has snatched his fancy won't let go for a while.

Jorge grew up and served among the mercenary companies comprised of so many in the Coalition fringes and quickly distinguished himself as a masterful tactician and field officer. He served with the Storm Legion for 22 years before retiring to pursue his interests in academia. Enrolling at CAAS, he earned multiple junior and advanced degrees, took a position first as a Lecturer, then as a Professor, which he held for nearly 40 years.

Though his age certainly has been catching up to him (he's over 80!), he has taken a number of youth treatments, exercises regularly, and has been fitted with high-end Biotuning and Organ Enhancement systems which provides him a level of vitality and stamina equivalent to a man in his mid-50s.

NAME: Jorge Arroyo
Gender: Male
Gene Template: Human
Cultural Template: Military

ATTRIBUTES
* Agility d6
* Smarts d10
* Spirit d8
* Strength d4
* Vigor d8 (d6)

DERIVED STATISTICS
Biothreshold: 5 (0)
Charisma: 0
Pace: 6" + 1d6"
Parry: 5
Toughness: 9 (3 Armor)

EDGES
Scholar (Battle and History)
Connections (Paramilitary Forces)
Connections (Academic Community)
Investigator
Level Headed
Command

HINDRANCES
Cautious (m)
Curious (M)
Obsessive (m)

SKILLS
Driving d4, Fighting d6, Gunnery d6, Hacking d6, Investigation d10, Knowledge (Battle) d12, Knowledge (History) d12, Knowledge (Military Protocol) d10, Notice d8, Persuasion d6, Piloting d4, Shooting d6, Stealth d6, Streetwise d8

BIOAUGMENTATIONS & MUTATIONS
iPlugs [ AV2 ]
Nano-Purifiers [ AV1 ]
Bio-Tuning and Organ Enhancement [ AV2 ]

GEAR
Armored Academics Robe (Biopolymer, 3 Armor)
Polycarbon Glass Knife
Securitech "Standard" Sidearm
Hacking Rig w/Datapad, SysNet, and SubNet Feeds (+1 to Hacking Rolls)
Vast Digital Library (+1 to Investigation and Knowledge Rolls)

CONTACTS
(5) Cabal (Hacker, Teacher): Availability +1, Capability d8 / +3 (Hacking), Influence +1 (Off-Grid Datafortresses)
(8) Dr Janus Camino (President of the Coalition Academy of Arts and Sciences): Availability +1, Capability d10 / +4 (Academics, Employment), Influence +2 (Academic Community)
(9) Lord Johan Mutt (Regency Fleet Admiral): Availability +1, Capability d10 / +4 (Resources, Information), Influence +3 (Regency Military)
(6) Basil Ellington (Senior Design Engineer, Alliance Shipyards): Availability +1, Capability d10 / +4 (Engineering), Influence +1 (Alliance Military Contractors)

TURNING POINTS
Recognized Excellence: 800cr, Storm Legion (Mercenary Company, +2 Rep), Impossibly Good Performance as a Tactical Officer during several key engagements
Professional Mentor: Hacking, plus Mentor as a Contact
Meeting All Kinds of People: 3pts of Contacts, and +1 Reputation with Academic Community

REPUTATIONS
Interfaction Academic Community ( +2 )
Storm Legion Mercenary Company ( +2 )
Rockfall Militia ( -1 )
Blue Mountain Merchant Clan ( -1 )

[Future Perfect] Cole Turner

2010-12-26T03:44:00.001-05:00

Cole Turner is a character made by a player unable to play full time in the Identity Function campaign due to moving out of state. However, the character remains an interesting nexus of activity since he represents a legal authority who has been forced to travel beyond the bound of his jurisdiction and stands in juxtaposition to the criminal fringe represented by most of the other player characters.

NAME: Cole "Juice" Turner
Gender: Male
Gene Template: Augment
Cultural Template: Corporate

ATTRIBUTES
Agility d8
Smarts d10 (Cognitive Augment)
Spirit d6
Strength d6
Vigor d6

DERIVED STATISTICS
Biothreshold: 7(2)
Charisma: +0
Pace: 6"+1d6"
Parry: 6
Toughness: 5

EDGES

Bioattunement
Authority (Alliance Territory)
Investigator

HINDRANCES

Bio-Enhancement Reliance (Major) (Augment): -1 Benny per session.
Quirk (Minor) (Augment): Corrects incorrect facts or exaggerations, except his own.
Code of Honor (Major)
Loyal (Minor)
Vow (Minor): Law Enforcement

SKILLS
Driving: d4, Fighting: d8, Investigation: d8, Knowledge (Criminal Underworld): d6, Knowledge (Corporations): d4, Notice: d8, Persuasion: d6, Piloting: d6, Shooting: d6, Stealth d6, Streetwise: d8, Survival: d4, Language: Imperial Standard (Native)

BIOAUGMENTATIONS & MUTATIONS

Eidetic Memory (Augment) [AV0]
IPlugs [AV2]

GEAR

Knocker (1d6+1d4+2, Con P)
Stun Sword (Stun, No Range, +1 to Fighting Rolls, Con P)
Twilight Gunworks, Hunter Blaster Pistol (3d6 AP2, 15/30/60, RoF1, 30 Shots, High Quality, Str Min d6, Con J)
Armored Clothing (Heavy Biopolymer, Armor +3)
MKII Defensive Screen: [-2 to Be Hit; +2 Armor vs AoE; 2 Power per Round being used]
(1) Standard Light Power Cell (In addition to ones being used by other gear)
Optical System with Data projection and SysNet feed access

CONTACTS
(4) Amalia Jackson [Ex-Girlfriend, Corporate Contact]: Availability +0; Capability d8/+3 (Corporate Records); Influence +1 (Alliance Corporations)
(3) Skootz O'Schnizzle [Street Informant, Alliance Territories]: Availability +0; Capability d6/+2 (Information); Influence +1 (Fringe Culture)

TURNING POINTS

Enemy: Girlfriend from before joining the Military. Picked on her for her choice to remain in the corporate culture. She stopped speaking to me.
So Much Action, So Little Time: Realized I made quite a few "mistakes" while in the military. Learned the value of loyalty and made amends with my ex when I got out of the military. Gained her as a contact.
Rival: Service Provider/Underling; Targeted/Antagonistic. Is Backed by a Large Corporation and holds good influence with them

REPUTATIONS
Alliance [+1]

BACKGROUND
Cole was born to a semi-affluent corporate family on Matterhorn Station in the Alliance. He was augmented at the age of 2 to enhance his memory. Cole took to the augments very well as he aged, but not to his studies. Cole was always more interested in physical activities, even though he was clearly designed for more cerebral work. Using his eidetic memory, Cole was able to put as little effort as possible into his pre-University school years.

Cole had a desire for something different, something adventurous. He joined the Alliance Military when he became old enough. While his parents supported him, he knew they didn't approve. But he didn't care. He joined the Infantry, tried his hand as a “Cloudjumper” HaLo jumptrooper, and finally as forward operator for the special forces. He had a lot of fun during his time there, but he never quite fit in. He was clearly the smartest guy in every squad, which earned him the nick-name "Juice" (for Brain Juice), and his supervisors kept trying to nudge him into positions that didn't require physical aptitude. This never dissuaded Cole, but eventually his common sense won out.

Cole wanted to branch out, and plan a little more for the future. He knew the military wasn't where he wanted to be, so he was drawn to a profession in which he could utilize his cognitive processing, and still maintain an edge of excitement. Using his background in the military, Cole was able to secure a position with the Fugitive Detection Service and became a bounty hunter with a badge.

Once in training for his new position, Cole immediately knew this career would change his perception of the world he lived in. He couldn't fully prepare himself for understanding the type of people he would routinely encounter. Dealing with criminals, back alley deals, and down-right messed up people, it was trial by fire.

He's slowly gotten the hang of it, and dodged a few close calls with being on the wrong end of a gun, but not much feels better than tracking down and capturing people that barely deserve the skin they wear.

[Future Perfect] Martial Arts Rules (v.1b)

2010-12-21T20:35:00.000-05:00

Future Perfect uses the Fighting Skill plus a handful of Edges to represent Martial Arts. This system is designed to be simple, yet flexible, and not make issues of styles or particular techniques. The focus is to be kept on the game play itself; since Future Perfect is neither a game of competing martial arts, nor are they a particularly important component of the setting providing too much detail might otherwise distract from more important matters. Instead, the system presented is one that reflects general groups of techniques, illustrating the character’s increased competence with each particular type of fighting.

All characters wishing to use Martial Arts must select the Martial Artist Edge, provided they can meet its minimum requirements:

Martial Artist (Agility d6, Fighting d6):

The character is trained in the nuances of hand to hand fighting and never is considered to be unarmed in combat. Furthermore, such a character leaves little if any openings to be exploited by multiple attackers, so multiple attackers never gain a Gang-Up bonus against this character in hand to hand combat.

Experienced Martial Artists can go on to buy one or more specialty Edges from among the following:

Brawler (Martial Artist, Strength d6):

The character is trained from a variety of experiences and environments, from the streets to back alleys and bar rooms. Brawlers are adaptable, and may use any object, or even their environment, as an improvised weapon without a penalty. Generally, foreign objects and environmental hazards can be considered to provide +1d6 to Damage Rolls. The GM may decide that small or less dangerous objects only add +1d4 to damage; similarly, larger or more dangerous objects may provide +1d8 to damage.

Hardass (Martial Artist, Brawler, Strength d6, Vigor d6, Seasoned; Edge Track):

Against Melee attacks (and only Melee attacks), the character gets +1 to all rolls to avoid being Shaken or Damaged. Additionally, if attempting to demonstrate how tough he is, Intimidation rolls made by this character are at +1 when initiating or involved in a fight.

Striker (Martial Artist, Fighting d8):

From Fists and Fingers to Elbows, Knees and Feet, this character’s body is a well-conditioned weapon designed for beating an opponent senseless. Strikers inflict an additional 1d4 to damage when fighting without a weapon, unless they score a raise on their attack roll, in which case they may add their Fighting Skill die to damage (in addition to the d6 from the raise).

Counterstriker (Martial Artist, Striker, Fighting d10, Seasoned; Edge Track):

The Martial Artist is skilled at fast block and counter attack combinations. He may take a single free Fighting attack against one opponent who failed their own melee attack against him in the round, provided they are within range. This attack must be a normal attack (no attack maneuvers), though it may be used when paired with the Defend maneuver.

Grappler (Martial Artist, Vigor d6):

Grapplers gain a +2 on all Grappling Rolls, including Escapes and attempts to Damage their opponent.

Improved Grappler (Martial Artist, Grappler, Vigor d6, Agility d6; Edge Track):

Grapplers with this Edge reduce any penalties for called shots while Grappling (and only while Grappling) by two.

Dirty Fighter (Martial Artist, Smarts d6):

Dirty Fighters are those rotten, underhanded miscreants who’d punch a baby just to distract their target, and then follow up with a kick to the targets groin or a nasty eye-gouge. Dirty Fighters gain +2 to Trick Maneuvers.

Really Dirty Fighter (Martial Artist, Smarts d6, Seasoned; Edge Track):

Skilled Dirty Fighters may get The Drop on their opponent automatically, provided a Bennie is spent and the nature of the Trick is described adequately (see Solomon Kane).

Internal Stylist (Martial Artist, Spirit d8):

Fighters adept at Internal martial techniques excel at projecting energy and force when striking their opponents. Their strikes gain Armor Piercing equal to half their spirit die.

Internal Master (Martial Artist, Internal Stylist, Spirit d10, Seasoned; Edge Track):

Internal Stylists who achieved true mastery may hurt their opponents with even a single touch. Even if no damage is taken, a character struck (even with a touch attack) in combat must make a successful Spirit roll or be Shaken.

Mobile Fighter (Martial Artist, Fighting d6, Agility d8):

The fighter may disengage from combat freely without provoking an attack.

Improved Mobile Fighter (Martial Artist, Mobile Fighter, Seasoned; Edge Track):

See the Fleche Edge from Solomon Kane.

[House Rule Musings] Trading Down Dice

2010-12-17T15:56:00.001-05:00

One common gripe among my players is that skills in Savage Worlds reach a point where extraordinary successes (in the form of Acing) become less likely despite higher levels in a skill. The concern is over the reduced likelihood for the larger die types to "Ace"; d6's and d8's provide what they feel is the best balance point, despite the higher median rolls of d10s and d12s.

To address this concern, I'm proposing the ability to "trade down" larger dice into pools of smaller ones -- That is, to allow a player to roll more than one die of a lower type than their trait value instead of the trait value itself.

For example, Gabriel has a Shooting of d10. However, his player prefers the odds of acing he had rolling d8s. So, Gabriel can opt to roll 2d8 and keep the higher of the two results, instead of rolling a single d10.

The ability to trade dice down for trait rolls is not something that needs to be universally applied. It need only be an OPTION for high (d10+) traits, and should only reduce individual dice rolled down to d8s. A d12 rated skill could be broken down into 2d10 or 3d8, per the player's wishes. Legendary skill values of d12+1 (or higher) would add their bonus value to the highest die rolled in the pool and not add additional dice. This helps to keep the total pools manageably small, just as restricting die reduction to a d8 at the smallest minimizes confusion with Wild Dice.

If a further restriction of this rule variant is required, another possibility would be to require that trading down die values can only be a valid option for "specialty pools", that is, when engaging in a specialized use of a Skill.

Since Savage Worlds skills are so broad, a specialization can be named once a character reached d10 in a Skill. A Trait Die could be traded down only when rolling for that specialization, and not generally.

For example, if Gabriel has a d10 Shooting, with a specialization in Assault Carbines, he could roll 2d8 and keep the higher result when shooting a Klein-Fulton Komodo Assault Carbine, but would roll his normal 1d10 when shooting anything else.

Listed below is a breakdown of how skill die values could be disassembled.

Skill Value	Trade Value	Trade Value
d4	d4	--
d6	d6	--
d8	d8	--
d10	2d8	--
d12	2d10	3d8
d12+1	2d10(+1)	3d8(+1)
d12+2	2d10(+2)	3d8(+2)
etc

[Future Perfect] Mattock-Class Breaker

2010-11-03T16:44:00.000-04:00

Designed and redesigned again and again, Arcturus Heavy Industries Mattock is just the newest incarnation of small(er) Breaker Ships deployed to shatter asteroids, take/test core samples, and collect small mineral deposits. Some Mattock’s may even act as a minesweeper to ferret out and destroy any surprises left by hostile merchant Clanners. Mattock-Class starships are intended for long term deployment within a localized area as they lack any advanced FTL capabilities and are often picked up or dropped off by larger transport vessels that pass through a territory. Some Mattock’s have made it to the open market, and a few venders even offer specialized variants. One such variant commonly finds service with paramilitary units, excelling at “Grab and Smash” style assaults by using the Tractor beams in conjunction with its cannons, and replacing one or more cargo holds with an FTL System and Gate Beacon.

Mattock-Class Breaker

Manufacture: Corporate (Arcturus Heavy Industries)
Size: Medium
Power: 25
Acc: 120 Top: 900 Handling: +0
FTL: None
Crew: 5 Hull: 30 (13)

Ship Systems:

Starship
Atmospheric
Basic Computer System (Auto Pilot, Target Acquisition/Control, Fire Control, Pattern Recognition)
Science Station (Physical Sciences; 1 Space, 1 Power)
Extended Crew Facilities
Advanced Scanners (+1 Notice)
(2) Cargo Holds (2 Spaces)

Weapons:

(2) Medium Tractor Beams (4 Spaces, 6 Power Each]: Medium (3d6), v Small or Medium Only
(2) Scatter Cannons [1 Space, 2 Power Each]: 80/160/320; 4d6 AP4; Small Burst Template; RoF1

[Future Perfect] Bruin Command Carrier

2010-10-25T19:21:00.000-04:00

Expanding upon the designs of the old Imperial Juggernaut, the Regency’s Bruin-Class Command Carrier bears much in common with that venerable class of ship – however, the Regency made everything bigger and more potent. The Bruin is tougher, larger, faster to accelerate, and capable of dealing vastly increased damage output when compared to its predecessor. The Bruin is a mainstay on any Regency fleet battle, with one or more of these intimidating ships coordinating fleet movements and assaults. It is meant to battle at a distance, since it bears only a pair of scattergun arrays for attacks against nearby targets. Instead, several compliments of fighters and gunships are kept ready for instant deployment to engage any vessels that venture too lose; additionally, several other ships from fighters and gunships to heavier frigates (like the Bison or Gallardo) almost always are found flying as part of a Bruin’s larger command group.

Bruin Command Carrier

Manufacture: Regency
Size: Colossal
Power: 370
Acc: 60 Top: 240 Handling: -4
FTL: Gate Key, Regency H-Space Drive
Crew: 190 Hull: 145 (63) (Armor 63)

Ship Systems:

Starship
Computer with AI: (Bulldog-Class; d8 Smarts, Power 14, Spaces 12*): Piloting d8, Shooting d8, Knowledge (Astrogation) d8, Knowledge (Battle) d8, Repair d8, Notice d8, Stealth d8, Medical d8; Autopilot, Target Acquisition and Control, Fire Control, and Pattern Recognition, SysNet Link, SysNet Core
Enhanced Crew Facilities
Regency H-Space Drive (5 Spaces, 36 Power)
Gate Key (1 Space, 1 Power)
Large Mechanical Shop (Repair Facility; 4 Spaces, 4 Power)
Ship Launch Bay (15 Small/Medium Each) [30 Spaces]
(20) Exterior Docking Clamps (10 Space; 5 Power))
(18) Bed Sickbay (6 Spaces, 6 Power)
(80) Marines (8 Spaces, 8 Power)
(10) Cargo Holds (10 Spaces)
(15) Cell Security Brig (5 Spaces, 5 Power)
(2) Science Stations (Biosciences, Physical Sciences)
MKI Deflector Screen (-1; 6 Spaces, 6 Power)
AGS (Advanced Guidance System)

Weapons:

(1) Colossal Spinal Mounted Cannon [42 Spaces, *Power]: 12d10 AP185*
(2) Dual Scatter Cannon (Light) Arrays [Turret; 1 Space, 3 Power each]: 80/160/320; 4d8 AP4; Small Burst Template; RoF1
(4) Predator Torpedo Launchers (4 Spaces total, 1 Power to launch any number): 300/600/1200; Tracking (Range 4800); Speed 1200; 5d10 AP50; Medium Burst
(24) Additional Predator Torpedoes (4 Spaces)
(4) AMCM (4 Spaces)

[Future Perfect] Star Crab Assault Carrier

2010-10-22T21:56:00.000-04:00

An early Alliance vessel, the Star Crab was developed during the time of increased tensions that caused the Alliance and Coalition to split apart. Intended as both an all-purpose command vessel and a long-range explorer, the Star Crab combines excellent offensive capabilities with carrier functions and a large number of support systems. For decades this ship has been the symbol of Alliance military power on the larger strategic theater, with several dozen Star Crabs providing a constant presence on the Alliance/Regency DMZ near Oceana and coordinating the regional fleet. Similarly, the Alliance has a handful of these vessels in the Frontier, not only holding their position to defend their ships during Gateway access, but to defend their colonies. Even with the newer Hyperion capitol ships becoming an ever more common sight, the Star Crab's superior weaponry and greater Carrier capabilities makes it unlikely this design will go away any time soon, especially when used for heavy assaults.

Star Crab, Alliance Command Carrier

Manufacture: Alliance
Size: Colossal
Power: 292
Acc: 45 Top: 240 Handling: -4
FTL: Gate Key, Alliance H-Space Drive
Crew: 168 Hull: 130 (60) (Armor 60)

Ship Systems:

Starship
Non-Atmospheric
Computer with AI: (d6 Smarts, Power 12, Spaces 12*): Piloting d6, Shooting d6, Knowledge (Astrogation) d16, Knowledge (Battle) d6, Repair d6, Notice d6, Autopilot, Target Acquisition and Control, Fire Control, and Pattern Recognition, SysNet Link, SysNet Core
Enhanced Crew Facilities
Alliance H-Space Drive (5 Spaces, 36 Power)
Gate Key (1 Space, 1 Power)
Alliance Sensors (+2 Notice)
Large Mechanical Shops (Repair Facility; 4 Spaces, 4 Power)
(2) Ship Launch Bays (12 Small/Medium Each) [48 Spaces]
(12) Exterior Docking Clamps (6 Space; 3 Power))
(24) Bed Sickbay (8 Spaces, 8 Power)
(70) Marines (7 Spaces, 7 Power)
(10) Cargo Holds (10 Spaces)
(24) Cell Security Brig (8 Spaces, 8 Power)
(2) Science Stations (Biosciences, Physical Sciences)
AGS (Advanced Guidance System)

Weapons:

(10) Twilight Gunworks, Dual Medium Pulse Cannon Arrays: [2 Spaces, 3 Power]: 125/250/500, 3d10 AP8, RoF2
(2) Dual Superheavy Polyphase Beam Cannon Arrays [6 Spaces, 12 Power]: 100/200/400, 8d12 AP15, RoF1 [12]
(3) Heavy Missile Racks [2 Spaces; 1 Power; 4 Shots; Each] 250/500/1000; 6d6 AP12; RoF1-4 [6]
(48) Additional Heavy Missiles [6 Spaces]
(2) Huge Tractor Beams (8 Spaces, 10 Power) [12d6] [16]
(2) AMCM

[Future Perfect] Hyperion Command Carrier

2010-10-12T16:49:00.005-04:00

The newest capital ship in the Alliance armada, the Hyperion Command Carrier is considered by many experts to be the most advanced starship serving in any Fleet in Faction Space. Though it has relatively light armament compared to other ships of its class (especially it’s “predecessor”, the Star Crab), the Hyperion is an extremely durable starship defensively and is by no means weak in its offense. The Alliance has spared neither effort nor expense on these ships, incorporating Defensive Screen Technology intended for use on Orbital Stations as well as the bleeding-edge Sentinel AI system. The integrated Sentinel class intelligence makes the Hyperion Carrier a superior tactical ship, with the AI managing and/or assisting its crew in everything from piloting and astrogation to gunnery and battle-strategy. Its tractor beam cannon makes this ship an excellent interdictor as well, and paired with its large compliment of Predator Torpedoes, a superior player at the game of Grab and Smash.

Hyperion Command Carrier

Manufacture: Alliance
Size: Colossal
Power: 350
Acc: 50 Top: 265 Handling: -4
FTL: Gate Key, Alliance H-Space Drive
Crew: 130 Hull: 165 (75) (Armor 75)

Ship Systems:

Starship
Non-Atmospheric
Computer with Experimental AI [Sentinel-Class] (d12 Smarts, Power 18, Spaces 12): Piloting d12, Shooting d12, Hacking d12, Investigation d12, Knowledge (Astrogation) d12, Knowledge (Battle) d12, Repair d12, Medical d12, Notice d12, Stealth d12, Security d12, Autopilot, Target Acquisition and Control, Fire Control, and Pattern Recognition, SysNet Link, SysNet Core
Enhanced Crew Facilities
Alliance H-Space Drive (5 Spaces, 36 Power)
Gate Key (1 Space, 1 Power)
Alliance Sensors (+2 Notice)
Large Mechanical Shop (Repair Facility; 4 Spaces, 4 Power)
Ship Launch Bay (12 Small/Medium) (24 Spaces)
(12) Exterior Docking Clamps (6 Space; 3 Power))
(15) Bed Sickbay (5 Spaces, 5 Power)
(60) Marines (6 Spaces, 6 Power)
(12) Cargo Holds (12 Spaces)
(24) Cell Security Brig (8 Spaces, 8 Power)
(2) Science Stations (Biosciences, Physical Sciences)
AGS (Advanced Guidance System)
MKV Deflector Screen (30 Spaces, 30 Power)

Weapons:

(4) Twilight Gunworks Quad Heavy Beam Cannon [6 Spaces, 9 Power each]: 125/250/500, 4d12+8 AP10
(2) Twilight Gunworks Ultraheavy Pulse Cannons (6 Spaces, 6 Power): 125/250/500, 8d8 AP15, RoF2
(4) Predator Medium Torpedo Launchers [1 Space; 1 Power to Fire any number of torpedoes]: 300/600/1200; Tracking (Range 4800); Speed 1200; 5d10 AP50; Medium Burst
(30) Additional Predator Torpedoes (5 Spaces)
(1) Colossal Tractor Beam (12 Spaces, 14 Power)
(2) AMCM

-[ SUBNET Engaged... ]-

>>[Ajax Stone, Sergeant - Greyjackets]->> Watch out for these ships, they may not pack the fire power of a Star Crab, but they don’t need it! They have a seriously nasty bite, and that Sentinel system is downright scary. We lost a light battlecruiser because we got too close; the Hyperion’s Sentinel used its SysNet links to hack into our ship’s AI and turn it against us. Nearly two dozen men were lost in that engagement, including a couple of our best pilots.
>>[Gavin Dace, Meat Popsicle]->> Your pilots couldn’t have been that smart in the first place, Ajax, to get so close to a ship with such nasty interdiction capabilities. A Class-VI tractor beam should never be disregarded so flagrantly.
>>[61TO, Romanov-Ikura Financial Union]->> Burn!

-[ SUBNET Disengaged ]-

[Future Perfect] Imp Heavy Fighter

2010-10-10T02:55:00.000-04:00

One of Zero-G's earlier fighter designs, the Imp is a two-man heavy fighter intended for light escort missions (often for Corporate-owned freighters) and short engagement hit-and-run assaults. Despite its comparably slow speed in relation to many other fighters, the Imp's superior handling capabilities makes it easy to pilot and still a viable contender in dogfights. One of the Imp's strengths is its capability for attacks at multiple ranges – not just a short range fighter, the Imp can launch missiles ate long distance, even as it closes the gap to fire its devastating twin double cannon arrays.

Imp Heavy Fighter

Manufacture: Corporate (Zero-G)
Size: Small, Heavy
Power: 15
Acc: 180 Top: 1080 Handling: +2
FTL: None
Crew: 2 Hull: 18 (6) [Armor 6]

Ship Systems:

Starship
Atmospheric
Basic Computer with Autopilot, Target Acquisition/Control, Fire Control

Weapons:

(2) Medium Double Beam Cannon Arrays [2 Spaces, 3 Power]: 4d10 AP8, 100/200/400, RoF1
(2) Light Missile Racks [1 Space; 1 Power; 4 Shots each]: 4d6 AP6; 250/500/1000; RoF1-4

[Future Perfect] Harpy Heavy Fighter

2010-10-09T19:51:00.000-04:00

One of the heavy hitters among the Collective's fighter craft, the Harpy is one of the few designs not intended for Drone flight or remote operation. A heavy, two man starfighter, with a pilot and a dedicated gunner to manage the full turret mounted Heavy Pulse Cannon on the ship's underside. Often used to fly escort during fast actions involving one or more quick H-Space jumps, the Harpy has a Lock System for riding a larger vessel's H-Space wake. Thus, the Harpy can strike immediately, without pause... and without mercy.

Harpy, Collective Heavy Fighter

Manufacture: Collective
Size: Small, Heavy
Power: 15
Acc: 180 Top: 1080 Handling: +1
FTL: H-Space Lock
Crew: 2 Hull: 20 (6) [Armor 6]

Ship Systems:

Starship
Atmospheric
Basic Computer with Autopilot, Target Acquisition/Control, Fire Control
H-Space Lock (1 Power)

Weapons:

(1) Medium Double Beam Cannon Array [2 Spaces, 3 Power, Fixed Mount]: 4d10 AP8, 100/200/400, RoF1
(1) Turret Mounted Heavy Pulse Cannon [3 Spaces, 3 Power, Turret Mount]: 4d8 AP10, 100/200/400, RoF2

[Future Perfect] Ragnarok Arms Predator

2010-10-07T01:29:00.000-04:00

Ragnarok Arms’ general purpose starfighter, the Predator is often considered this corporation's attempt to make their own ASP design. However, this ship is essentially little more than a flying cannon. It’s Valkyrie Particle Cannon can devastate other ships of its class as well as larger gunships, and its Advanced AMCM System provided a welcomed defensive touch. Many experts are of split opinions regarding this design. Some critics argue that while the Valkyrie cannon is indeed a dangerous weapon, it is also energy inefficient. Others praise the weapon, and indeed, replace the single cannon with a dual-cannon array, remove the AMCM, and tweak the power plant efficiency to better handle the added load. No matter what your opinion, this ship’s “under the nose” hard point makes the Valkyrie cannon easy to replace with other weapons. Ragnarok Arms offers a “Stealth Paint” version of the Predator, the Predator-S, as a standard option. The Predator-S sees regular use on many Interzone Black-Ops teams.

Predator, Medium Fighter

Manufacture: Ragnarok Arms
Size: Small
Power: 12
Acc: 200 Top: 1200 Handling: +1
FTL: None
Crew: 1 Hull: 16 (4) [Armor 4]

Ship Systems:

Basic Computer with Target Acquisition/Recognition, Fire Control, Pattern Recognition, and Autopilot
Starship
Atmospheric
[Optional] “Stealth Paint”: +2 to Stealth rolls with vehicle

Weapons:

(1) Ragnarok Arms Valkyrie Particle Projection Cannon: [3 Spaces, 4 Power]: 100/200/400; 4d10+4 AP12; RoF1
(1) Ragnarok Arms AMCM System (+1 to Rolls; 1 Space)

[Future Perfect] Bison Ship-of-the-Line

2010-10-05T23:47:00.001-04:00

The Bison was a heavy frigate in development by the Imperial Government at the time of the Regents’ ascendance to power. Due to increasing pressure from Alliance incursions, especially along the Frontier, the Bison’s designs were completed per the Regency’s adjusted specifications. Some of these adjustments included increased thrust and a standard AI system (nearly identical to the type integrated into the Gallardo Battlecruiser, considered by some to be the Bison’s sister ship). Capable of existing independently for extended campaigns, the Bison often holds its own as a support vessel for ground assault operations, maintaining a low-orbit while Dropships hit a world’s surface. But where the Bison really shines is along a defensible line, often being used as the final word against blockade runners and illicit freight rushers needing to reach a fixed destination. Put the Bison where it needs to be and leave it there; once in place, this Ship-of-the-line can handle itself.

Bison, Regency Ship-of-the-Line

Manufacture: Regency
Size: Huge, Heavy
Power: 86
Acc: 75 Top: 450 Handling: -2
FTL: Gate Key, H-Space Lock
Crew: 38 Hull: 80 (40) (Armor 40)

Ship Systems:

Starship
Non-Atmospheric
Computer with Basic AI (d6 Smarts, Power 8, Spaces 8):
Piloting d6, Shooting d6, Knowledge (Battle) d6, Repair d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Autopilot, Target Acquisition and Control, Fire Control, and Pattern Recognition, SysNet Link
Enhanced Crew Facilities
H-Space Lock (1 Power)
Gate Key (1 Space, 1 Power)
Large Mechanical Shop (Repair Facility; 4 Spaces, 4 Power)
Ship Launch Bay (4 Small/Medium) (8 Spaces)
(8) Exterior Docking Clamps (4 Space; 2 Power))
(15) Bed Sickbay (5 Spaces, 5 Power)
(60) Marines (6 Spaces, 6 Power)
(12) Cargo Holds (12 Spaces)
AGS (Advanced Guidance System)

Weapons:

(2) Superheavy Scatter Cannons [5 Space, 5 Power]: 6d10 AP8; 80/160/320; Small Burst Template; RoF1
(2) Predator Medium Torpedo Launchers [1 Space; 1 Power to Fire any number of torpedoes]: 300/600/1200; Tracking (Range 4800); Speed 1200; 5d10 AP50; Medium Burst
(18) Additional Predator Torpedoes (3 Spaces)
(2) Hunter Medium Torpedo Launchers [1 Space each; 1 Power to Fire any number of torpedoes]: 275/550/1100; Tracking (Range 6600); Speed 1100; 4d10 AP40; Medium Burst
(18) Additional Hunter Torpedoes (3 Spaces)
(2) AMCM Systems

[Future Perfect] Gallardo Battlecruiser

2010-10-02T23:36:00.005-04:00

The Brutish Gallardo Battlecruiser is the standard Regency frigate deployed into battle. Extremely heavy ordinance makes the Gallardo a force to be reckoned with; its Ultrarack Missiles and Torpedoes own most long-range assaults, while its massive pulse cannons can be devastating at shorter ranges. Indeed, the Gallardo has the capacity to blanket a battlefield in missiles and blaster fire all at once, and its AGS ensures that most of those missiles count. With a standard AI handling many ship functions, this vessel runs with a very small crew and is capable of holding several fighters and gunships in its hanger bay and on exterior mounts. Hyperspace and Gate Capable, the Gallardo is intended to maneuver into a battle, then depart. Its lack of Marines and storage facilities, even a sickbay, indicate this Battlecruiser's inability to perform long term police actions or engage in extended, unsupported campaigns. For such missions, the heavier Bison-Class Ship of the Line often is considered the better choice.

Gallardo Class Battlecruiser

Manufacture: Regency
Size: Huge
Power: 59
Acc: 85 Top: 450 Handling: -2
FTL: Gate Key, H-Space Drive
Crew: 18 Hull: 61 (30) (Armor 30)

Ship Systems:

Starship
Non-Atmospheric
Computer with Basic AI (d6 Smarts, Power 8, Spaces 8):Piloting d6, Shooting d6, Knowledge (Astrogation) d6, Knowledge (Battle) d6, Repair d6, Notice d6, Autopilot, Target Acquisition and Control, Fire Control, and Pattern Recognition, SysNet Link
Enhanced Crew Facilities
H-Space Drive (4 Spaces, 16 Power)
Gate Key (1 Space, 1 Power)
Repair Facility (2 Spaces)
Ship Launch Bay (4 Small/Medium) (8 Spaces)
Exterior Docking Clamps (4) (2 Space; 1 Power)
AGS (Advanced Guidance System)

Weapons:

(2) Imperial Armories Ultraheavy Pulse Cannons (6 Spaces, 6 Power each): 100/200/400, 8d8 AP15, RoF3
(4) Heavy Missile Ultrarack [3 Spaces; 1 Power; 10 Shots; Each]: 250/500/1000; 6d6 AP12; RoF1-10
(6) Predator Medium Torpedo [1 Space; 1 Power to Fire any number of torpedoes]: 300/600/1200; Tracking (Range 4800); Speed 1200; 5d10 AP50; Medium Burst
(6) Additional Torpedoes (1 Space)
(2) AMCM Systems

By the way, this was the 100th Post for Abunchofsavages!

More Tooled Powers

2010-09-29T16:50:00.002-04:00

Last week I posted an outline about "toolkitting" the stock Savage Worlds rules for Powers. I just wanted to post a quick update with a few more powers built by tinkering around with those guidelines.

Superleap (Fly Variant)
Rank: Novice
Power Points: 2
Range: Touch
Duration: 3 (1/round)
Trappings: Spring Shoes, Concentration, Magic Slippers

Superleap greatly improves a character’s ability to jump. A success adds 1d6” to the distance a character normally can jump horizontally, doubling that total with a “run and go”. A raise increases the leaping die to a d10.

If Superleap is used while falling, then all normal falling distances should be quartered before determining if damage is to be taken. Characters leaping from moving vehicles while using this power may add +2 to their Agility rolls to reduce the total damage.

A Character jumping further than his Strength die plus Size in total inches, has to make an Agility roll to land on his feet. Failure means the character lands Prone and must make a successful Vigor roll to avoid being Shaken. A Character may opt to jump less than the rolled amount at his discretion.

Eldritch Blade (Burst Variant)
Rank: Seasoned
Power Points: 2
Range: Melee
Duration: 3 (1/round)
Trappings: Blazing Energy, Spectral Sword, Rod of Light

Eldritch Blade produces a roughly meter long rod or sword of some sort of blazing, damaging energy in the hand of the caster. This blade of energy may be wielded in Hand-to-Hand combat as if a melee weapon, using the caster’s Spellcasting Skill instead of Fighting. If a Raise is rolled when casting the spell, the wielder may add +1 to their Parry.

Target’s struck in combat suffer 2d10 damage. The Eldritch Blade is weightless and without mass, so a wielder’s Strength does not affect damage calculations. However, the damage rolls may ace normally, and a raise rolled when determining a hit result still grants an added d6 damage die. An Eldritch Blade is considered a Heavy Weapon, and any normal trapping (such as Fire or Acid) has a limited chance to elicit additional effects.

Once cast, an Eldritch Blade disappears when its duration has expired, is no longer extended with added Power points, or is Dispelled.

Charming Demeanor (Boost Trait)
Rank: Novice
Power Points: 2
Range: Smarts
Duration: 3 Minutes (1/Minute)
Trappings: A supernaturally sparkling smile, Axe Body Spray, changing one’s name to “The Hoff”

This power allows a character to increase his or an ally’s Persuasion Skill. A successful casting improves the target’s die type by two, by four if a raise is rolled, for the duration of the power. The improved skill can exceed d12, with each step adding +1 to the Skill total. Thus if this spell is cast on a character with a d10 Persuasion, his skill will be increased to d12+1, or d12+3 with a raise.

Multiple castings of this power do not stack; however, they will extend the duration of the spell and the target may keep the highest total rolled (up to +4 Steps).

Zone of Silence (Obscure)
Rank: Novice
Power Points: 2
Range: Smarts
Duration: 3 (1/Round)
Trappings: A cool breeze, a faint chime then quiet

This power creates an area of complete silence equal in size to a Large Burst Template, within which no sound may enter or escape. Any sound based Notice rolls are made at -4, and speech-based communication is rendered moot (mute?) within the Zone. At the GMs discretion, being present within the Zone of Silence may impair (-2 to Roll), inhibit (-4 to Roll), or preclude altogether the use of some types of powers (for example, Wizardry based on Words of Power).

Growth (Boost Trait)
Rank: Veteran
Power Points: 3/6
Range: Smarts
Duration: 3 Minutes (1/Minute)
Trappings: Mystic Aura, Physical Changes, Drinking an Elixir

This power allows a character to increase an ally’s Size by +2 for a standard success, and an additional +2 with each raise. Every level of Size grants +1 to the character’s Toughness in addition to the increased mass. If a character reaches +4 Size, they suffer the normal penalties for being considered Large Targets; on the rare chance a character reaches a +8 Size, they are considered Huge Targets.

Normally, Growth does not affect a character’s Strength. However, if double Power Points are spent, the target’s Strength will increase by one die for every point of Size increased, even if it takes the Trait past a d12. For example, a raise rolled on someone with d10 Strength would grant them a +4 Size and a d12+3 Strength, and they would be considered a Large Target.

A target’s equipment also grows in proportion to the character. Armor values improve by +1 and Weapon Damage dice increase by one step for every +2 Size increased by Growth. Any gear that leaves the character’s possession immediately returns to normal size. Thus, continuing the prior example, if target of Growth was wearing Chain Armor and wielding a Great Axe, his Armor protection would improve to +4 and his Axe would now do STR+1d12+1 Damage.

Multiple castings of this power do not stack; however, the Duration can be extended normally.

[Future Perfect] Starship Computers

2010-09-28T17:21:00.000-04:00

Another excerpt from some of my Future Perfect background documents, it outlines ship computers, including the differences between Basic Computers, AIs, and Drones. Additionally, it explains many of the Accessory Functions most ship computers can run.

[Starship Computers]:
Just about all space faring vessels rely upon some form of computer in order to ensure they are functioning properly. Even if just to monitor temperature sensors or to calculate fuel requirements, simple computers are ubiquitous. More advanced functions, such as autopilot, scanned pattern recognition, and even complete synthetic intelligences are managed by a ship’s computer system, as well.

While many advanced ships are equipped with extremely robust computers furnished with fully integrated intelligences, most vessels cannot spare the requisite power or justify the added cost for design and construction. Instead, these “Basic” computers operate along a vast range of capacities from little more than basic number crunching calculators to predictive logic boxes that skirt the line of an AI. Regardless of its capacity, Basic Computers are found on all starships that are not equipped with Integrated Intelligences, and while these computers lack the adaptive qualities of their more advanced counterparts, they are designed to run several types of programs.

Called Accessory Functions, they represent extensions to the Basic Computer beyond monitoring ship status, fuel levels, and the like. Instead, they are the means by which a computer really can assist a ship’s crew with their day to day tasks (instead of completing those tasks for them, which an AI would do).

[Accessory Functions]:
Accessory Functions are various essential programs able to be implemented by any computer. A ship may have any number of Accessory Functions enabled, but keeping large numbers of them active comes at the cost of an increasingly higher Power draw.

Common Accessory Functions include:

Autopilot - Allows Course Plotting with route and navigation management (can become fairly detailed if Maps/Navigation are accessible) which allows the ship to fly without constant monitoring by the pilot. It is not effective in combat, unless programmed to fly in a straight line or similarly simple plotted course. When enabled, Autopilot generally stops a ship before a collision would occur, or at least warn of impending collisions if anti-collision protocols have been disabled.
Target Acquisition/Control - Allows one or more targets to be tracked with a target lock. Computers without a TA/C system cannot achieve a target lock at all.
Fire Control - Allows a ship with a TA/C computer to fire upon a tracked vessel automatically if certain programmed parameters are met. Fire Control uses an AI's Gunnery Skill; without a controlling AI, shots are considered Unskilled, but should gain normal Target Lock or Burst Fire bonuses. Additionally, Fire Control allows a gunner the capacity to link and unlink, group and ungroup, weapons and to designate such linked and/or grouped weapons for use against specified targets.
Information Libraries - Libraries of information which usually are represented as Knowledge or similar Smarts skills. The information provides a +1 assistance bonus to relevant skill tests. For example, a ships with Medical and Astrogation Libraries offers a +1 to Healing and Knowledge (Astrogation) Skill rolls.
Passive Scanners – Even when not actively scanning, the ship’s scanners are searching for assorted abnormalities which can predict certain types of events, such as impending H-Space arrivals, various Stellar Phenomena, SubSpace bleeds through a Gateway, etc.
Pattern Recognition - Scanners can recognize and identify ships and stellar phenomena from a library of common objects. Previously scanned signatures may be saved for later reference.
SysNet Uplink - Computer can transfer information to and from local SysNet feeds and allow a general link to the regional SysNet.
SysNet Locale - A ship so equipped is a fully operational SysNet Locale all in itself. Generally, this type of equipment is reserved for Capital Ships, Colony Ships, and Cruise Liners. (Medium Size Vessel or Larger)
Standard Translator - Any incoming and outgoing transmissions through the ship's Comm system with be translated automatically between any of the following languages: Imperial Standard, Ranti, Gujar, and IO.

[Integrated Intelligences]
Many more advanced computers house an adaptive intelligence capable of thinking, reacting, and changing its core operational procedures as needs demand. For the most part, they are intended to reduce and/or remove much of a crew and their workload to streamline the operations of a starship. These computers are referred to as Integrated Intelligences and include both Drone Technologies and true Artificial Intelligence.

Integrated Intelligences have a Smarts Die rating and a group of supplementary Skills, the number of which depends on whether or not it is a Drone or a real Artificial Intelligence. Regardless of a Skill’s normal controlling Attribute, all of an Integrated Intelligence’s skills are considered controlled by Smarts and are equal to it’s Smarts die value. Thus, if an Integrated Intelligence is rated at d6, then all of its Skills are at d6, regardless if it is an AI or a Drone.

Drones - Drone ships drastically reduce and/or eliminate crew requirements altogether. They eliminate the need for Life Support Systems (and thus any requisite Power requirements), and often free up a small amount of additional space on a ship. Drone Technology allows a ship to run autonomously or be coordinated remotely and, either way, requires extensive computing power built into any such vessel. Thus, every Drone ship’s advanced computer system has an Integrated Intelligence with a Piloting Skill in order to fly itself. Additionally, the Gunnery Skill is a must for combat drones, with Notice (for Scanners), Stealth, Astrogation (for FTL Capable Drones), and other Knowledge skills being common finds. A pilot with a DNI link may interface with a Drone ship and use his/her abilities in conjunction with the Drone system, assuming the Drone is set to receive remote commands/controls or that it is hacked to take them. Sometimes robots/androids and even a few cyborgs are used on-ship to help control a Drone because they require no Life Support active on board the vessel.

Drone ships may have a number of skills equal to half their Smarts die, with Piloting being one of those skills. Additional skills may be chosen, but result in the Ship’s Computer having an increased Power (and possibly Space) cost. Since Drones lack any personalities, no social or Spirit-based skills may be selected. Furthermore, a Drone may run the same number of Accessory Functions.

This technology does have a few down sides. A skilled hacker may hack a Drone via a DNI link assuming they get close enough to access it. Additionally, and quite unfortunately, Drone ships tend to rely on patterns and therefore are more susceptible to Tricks than normal. Any appropriate attempt to Trick a Drone is made at +2 on the roll. However, since Drones lack a sense of personality, Taunting is ineffective.

The Collective has an advanced form of Drone that they control remotely. These Drone vessels possess an ability called Dynamic Meta-Coordination (DMC), essentially linking their control into the local tactical network of implanted Collective Officers controlling the flight group. Collective Drones lack the susceptibility to being Tricked. Furthermore, such drones may be controlled remotely by a Collective operative as if he was piloting it via a direct NIC link.

Artificial Intelligences – Unlike Drones, Artificial Intelligences are intended to assist an existing crew, not replace them. An AI is integrated into ship functions in order to streamline the operation of the ship, increase efficiency, and sometimes, to act as “soul of the ship” itself. AI’s come in all sorts of personalities and styles, generally dependent upon the desires of the programmers who first fashioned it. A fully formed AI of sufficient intelligence can seem like a very realistic person, and many crews consider the AI to be a special crewman; many ship captains give considerable weight to the input of their starship’s AIs.

A starship’s Artificial Intelligence may have a number of skills equal to its Smarts die, with Piloting being one of those skills, and any number of Accessory Functions. Additional skills may be chosen, but at a cost of increased Power and possibly Space requirements. Even still, most Artificial Intelligences have a fairly robust set of skills, which, unlike Drone ships which lack a sense of self and any demonstrable personally, may include social skills and Spirit-based skills. Some AI’s may gain enough experience or awareness to achieve a sense of autonomy (like many other Synthetic Intelligences such as robots and androids) or even Wild Card status, at the Game Master’s discretion.

[Kokoran Computers]
Kokoran’s are an anomaly among the Factions, forsaking any form computer using Integrated Intelligence or advanced logic with the capacity for decision making. Kokoran ship computers never have a Smarts rating and are limited to running only Basic Computers and normal Accessory Functions. Even Functions like Autopilot and Fire Control, while available, cannot be used for some of the actions available to other Faction-built computers. For example, Autopilot is used for little more than course plotting and collision control, and Fire Control cannot be set for autonomous attack.

Their computers should be considered slower than other Factions’ as well, and while it has no real game effect, Kokoran ship computers should lose in any contest against similar non-Kokoran computers. The upside is that hacking Kokoran computers has no effect at all on ship operations, except at best to muddle up some weapon groupings or change a plotted course that is only being used a reference anyway.

Essentially, Kokoran Computers are all Information and no (autonomous) Application.

[Future Perfect] Badger Assault Fighter

2010-09-26T23:19:00.001-04:00

The Badger is a mainstay of the Regency Fleet due to its efficient armament and solid defensive capability. As it may easily illuminate the battlefield in a spray of blaster-fire, or close as an excellent dogfighter, many fighters prefer not to engage the Badger head-on in a fair skirmish. Unfortunately, its extremely high cost is well known to enemies of the Regency, making it a tempting target for fire-teams and gunships. Similarly, cost makes the Badger a rarity among pirates and mercenaries who find it nearly impossible to purchase, and difficult to repair due to expensive and specialized parts. Indeed, even a few Regency units have begun phasing out the Badger in favor dividing up its battlefield roles between the smaller, lighter Goshawk and the equally well armed, but less expensive Mongoose fighters. Many Veteran pilots are up in arms about such “cost saving measures”, swearing by the advanced MKII Deflector as worth the cost for such superior defense and even touting the H-Space lock system which, unlike most other Regency fighters, allows the Badger to fly escort for larger vessels in H-Space jumps.

Badger Assault Fighter

Size: Small
Power: 12
Acc: 220 Top: 1200 Handling: +1
FTL: H-Space Lock
Crew: 1 Hull: 14 (4) [Armor 4]

Ship Systems:

Computer with Autopilot and Targeting Control System
Starship
Atmospheric
Hyperspace Lock
MkII Deflector Screen [2 Spaces, 2 Power]

Weapons:

Imperial Armories Quad Light Pulse Blaster Array [2 Spaces, 3 Power]: 100/200/400; 3d12 AP6; RoF3

Note:
This is an update to the same Badger fighter posted quite a long time ago using just the rules from the Sci-Fi Toolkit. I've made some changes and generally rebuilt the ship using Future Perfect's ship creation guidelines. Though the design has lost the AMCM capabilities, the enhanced Deflector easily makes up for it.

[Future Perfect] Ram's Head Coalition Dropship

2010-09-25T15:37:00.000-04:00

The Coalition's version of the Billygoat Dropship, the Ram's Head follows the format for most Coalition vessels - it tacks on more armor and bigger gun. Of course, the trade off comes at the expense of acceleration and some available space. The full compliment of 40 marines capable of rapid deployment remain untouched, however, the marines are now assumed to manage their own gear and support equipment instead of relying upon a mobile supply depot. However, that is just a part of how the Coalition approaches combat, having never had to weather a sustained engagement on land without access to resource lanes. The trade, of course, is that the Ram's Head can double as an assault craft, with Micromissiles for long range attacks, and a devastating Rapid Mass Accelerator Array when things get up close and personal.

Ram's Head Class Light Dropship

Manufacture: Coalition
Size: Medium, Light
Power: 20
Acc: 145 Top: 960 Handling: +0
FTL: Gate Beacon, H-Space Lock
Crew: 3 Hull: 24 (10) (Armor 10)

Ship Systems:
Starship
Atmospheric
Basic Computer System (Auto Pilot, Target Acquisition/Control, Fire Control, Information Library: Knowledge [Pirate Vessels] & Knowledge [Common Starships])
Gate Beacon (1 Power)
H-Space Lock (1 Power)
40 Marines (4 Spaces, 4 Power)

Weapons:
Rapid Mass Accelerator Twin Cannon Array (Mass Driver) [2 Spaces, 3 Power]: 50/100/200; 4d10 AP8; RoF2
Micromissile Pack [1 Space, 1 Power, 4 Shots per Pack]: 200/400/600; 4d6 AP6; Small Burst Template
AMCM System

[Future Perfect] Billygoat Imperial Dropship

2010-09-24T18:31:00.000-04:00

The classic troop transport and dropship from the old Imperial fleet, it served with distinction for many years. Though it has been phased out of the Regency Fleet, and the Alliance has updated to the more modern Humpback, the Billygoat has found continued life among small, independent ship makers in the Freespace, the Frontier, and even corners of the Coalition (who have their own updated version of the Billygoat) where the serviceability and modularity of old Imperial designs makes these older vessels more cost effective to repair and retrofit than to replace. Indeed, the Billygoats still remains quite capable of its primary task - dropping several squads of Marines into a hot battlefield and leaving them with both cover and supplies enough to complete their mission objectives.

Billygoat, Imperial Light Dropship

Manufacture: Old Imperial
Size: Medium, Light
Power: 20
Acc: 160 Top: 960 Handling: +0
FTL: Gate Beacon, H-Space Lock
Crew: 3 Hull: 22 (8) (Armor 8)

Ship Systems:

Starship
Atmospheric
Basic Computer System (Auto Pilot, Target Acquisition/Control, Fire Control, Information Library: Knowledge [Pirate Vessels] & Knowledge [Common Starships])
Gate Beacon (1 Power)
H-Space Lock (1 Power)
40 Marines (4 Spaces, 4 Power)
2 Cargo Compartments (2 Spaces)

Weapons:

Imperial Armories Twin Medium Pulse Cannon Array [2 Spaces, 3 Power]: 100/200/400, 3d10 AP8, RoF3

[Future Perfect] Starship Weapons

2010-09-23T23:49:00.002-04:00

I decided to post a segment from the Ship Modification Manual for FUTURE PERFECT which provides a brief introduction and explanation of various weapon types.

Though it is mostly just flavor text, I'm offering it up for those of you following the space ships designs (don't worry, there are a ton more I've yet to post) and wondering about some of the weapon systems.

[Weapon Types]

For our purposes, weapon systems can be categorized under three broad classes, each of which can be further subdivided into more specific types. Weapon classes determine if a weapon can be part of an array, how it may be mounted, and generally describes how the weapon is deployed.

[Cannons]

Cannons are probably the most common class of weapon encountered, including several types and subtypes. Cannons are essentially just mounted guns, with all fire control and energy for projecting the weapon extending from the point of origin. Cannons are the only weapon class capable of being included in a Weapon Array, and there are no limitations on how (or where) cannons may be mounted. This versatility coupled with far less reliance on ammunition stores makes cannons an ever popular choice. All Cannons take a half day per Space to install under normal conditions.

Blasters, Slugthrowers, Scatterguns, and Kinetic Reflex weapons are all types of Cannons.

Blasters are pure energy weapons. They do moderate damage singly, but can be devastating in arrays. Blasters tend to have low Space and moderate to high Power requirements. Furthermore, only blaster type weapons can be “overcharged” to have a higher energy output, though doing so runs the risk of damaging the weapon itself.

Beams are energy projections with a longer wave frequency, essentially emitted as a long, single stream of energy coursing out from the weapon. Beam weapons are the only weapons with which a skilled user may use the “Ranged Sweep” maneuver.
Charged Particle Blasters, also known as Particle Projection Weapons, project a single burst of stored energy capable of inflicting massive damage. They are very similar to energy based scatterguns, except that Charged Particle weapons maintain a much tighter field of integrity instead of dispersing into an area of impact, earning them a fairly high capability for Armor Penetration.
Pulse blasters fire pulses of energy in shorter wave frequencies, and are often capable of emitting several in very rapid succession. Singly, these pulses do less damage than other blaster emissions; however, their capacity for rapid fire attacks means that they have expanded versatility. Like other auto fire capable weapons, Pulse blasters can cover a battlefield with suppressive fire or keep to controlled burst fire. When using full rapid fire attacks, Pulse weapons tend toward the higher end of Power requirements. Assault Cannons are a type of Pulse blaster implementing multiple nested cannon arrays in an individual gun – meaning that the weapon is capable of massive damage by expending significant amounts of energy projected simultaneously at a single focal point.

Slugthrowers fire physical projectiles (“slugs”) at a target, and therefore require a means of storing, collecting, or generating ammunition. This class of weapon tends toward moderate space requirements and medium to low power costs.

Mass Drivers involve catapulting a “slug” of high mass toward a target. Mass Driver technology has evolved significantly over the years. The modern Mass Driver collects what it needs as it flies, fashioning ammunition that consists of compressed, super dense matter that it stores until it needs to launch. Most modern Mass Drivers are single fire weapons, though much older designs that require pre-loaded and stored ammunition have differed. A subset of Mass Driver called the Rapid Mass Accelerator achieves Rapid Fire capability by projecting staged batches of slugs but lacks the effective range of conventional single shot Mass Drivers.
Railguns sling tiny projectiles of generally lower mass than Mass Drivers at significantly higher velocities. Railgun type slugthrowers are accurate at extreme distances, and inflict moderate damage with fairly high values for Armor Penetration. Railguns are always single fire. Ammunition usually is pre-loaded and stored; the Space requirements for this type of weapon assumes that several hundred “slugs” are held and ready to be fired (so there is no need to track ammo, except in a seriously extended encounter).

Scatterguns emit charged energy much like a Charged Particle blaster, however, scattergun charges are unstable, bombarding an area with an energy field that at once attracts and then disrupts the physical structure of a target. Scatterguns, like Mass Drivers, have evolved significantly over the years – indeed, ancient Scatterguns have been found that are a type of slugthrower capable of bombarding a target with a blanket of projectiles.

Normal Scatterguns have short to average accuracy at range, low Armor Penetration value, and average damage capability. However, they affect a wide target area and may hit several targets at once as a result.
HEX Cannons, or High EXplosive Cannons, are Ragnarok Arms’ new generation of Scattergun technology, improving Range, Damage, Armor Penetration, and the weapon’s overall efficiency. HEX-type Scatterguns disrupt the polarity of a target’s atomic structure, effectively “exploding” a target area as bonds break and charges shift to repel atoms away from one another. HEX technology arose from Ragnarok Arms’ attempt to adapt Kokoran KiRG technology.

Kinetic Reflex Waves cause a localized wave of pure kinetic force to expand from the point of impact, essentially “stretching” space along the wave at a subatomic level. The results can be devastating as the target is literally torn apart. The Kokorans use this technology often at very small scale – namely, personal – combat in the form of the Kinetic Reflex Gauntlet, or KiRG. However, KiRG weaponry is rarely used at the scale of starship combat, due to several inherent dangers and a massive power requirement. Instead, most Kokoran vessels have adapted some of the KiRG energy principles to improve the damage output of conventional blaster technologies.

[MISSILES & TORPEDOES]

Missiles are small, explosive devices that generally detonate upon impact with a target. Missiles may be Direct or Indirect fire, meaning that they may be used to fire directly at a target (Direct Fire) or simply be used to blanket an area, possibly hitting anyone within the area being targeted indirectly (Indirect Fire). Indirect Fire Missiles usually may be avoided by making a successful Piloting skill roll to maneuver outside the Missile’s damage zone (see the Direct and Indirect Fire rules). Missiles are greatly advantaged by the addition of a Guidance System on a ship, which helps a missile Aim and Lock on to a target.

Missiles all require ammunition which must be preloaded onto the vessel. It takes six hours to install a missile pack onto an existing mount, regardless of the Size or type of missile system. Preparing Space(s) as a repository for additional ammunition takes six hours per space being so converted. Ammunition may be changed or reloaded quickly into an already prepared repository; it takes about an hour per Space.

Missile Racks (or “Normal” Missiles) are actual racks of several missiles that fire at once, converging directly on and about their target. They are considered direct fire missiles by default, though a skilled Gunner may be able to fire them indirectly (at -2 to the roll), and have excellent accuracy at range especially when paired with a Guidance System (there are types of replacement racks that will allow additional customizability). An individual Missile Rack is broken down into four segments, and any one or more of them may be fired when triggered.
Missile Packs (Micro-Missiles) are similar to Rack missiles, except that they fire shorter range canister projectiles that explode and break apart into swarms of hundreds of tiny explosive warheads. Missile Packs are capable of both Direct and Indirect Fire, and are the only Missile type capable of being used for Suppressive Fire (within its normal Burst area).
Missile Cannons (Kokoran Missiles) are akin to mobile artillery devices capable of launching direct fire missiles at distant targets with decent accuracy. A sort of halfway point between missiles and Torpedo’s, Missile Cannons may launch anywhere from one to three individual projectiles that can inflict significant damage to lighter craft.

Torpedoes are essentially giant, explosive missiles that have independent propulsion systems capable of propelling them vast distances toward a target. Unlike missiles, Torpedoes are always considered to be Direct Fire, and have varying capacities for discriminatory programming – e.g. to be made into Smart weapons. Torpedoes really are distinguished by how they function after being launched – do they head where they are pointed or can they wander around the battlefield?

Torpedoes can be launched only from a Fixed Mount point, and because they are for the most part independently powered, require very little ship Power to use. Ammunition, in the form of actual torpedoes, must be used when attempting to fire one. Installing a torpedo delivery system takes 12 hours per Space. Ammunition storage is much simpler than for missile systems, and takes only an additional two hours per Space being used as a repository. Reloading Ammunition takes about 10 minutes per torpedo.

Fire and Forget (FF) Torpedoes are the simplest torpedo design. They hit hard and while they can be launched from a great distance, they are most effective when being used up close. They fly in a straight line (or relatively so) and deliver a huge payload to the target.
Tracker Torpedoes are more complicated, and have to be locked onto a target or programmed to home in on certain detectable criteria. Tracker Torpedoes tend to do slightly less damage than FF Torpedoes, but have greater range and the capability of following its prey around the battlefield. A subtype of Tracker Torpedo, called a Drone Torpedo, can be controlled by a remote Gunner and “piloted” toward a target for maximum effectiveness.

Tooling Around With Powers

2010-09-21T20:44:00.001-04:00

I was playing around a little, and came up with some simple guidelines that allow a game master to use the standard Savage Worlds powers as a toolkit instead of a generic mash of powers. I tend to prefer toolkit style mechanics anyway, so I find making changes like these to be intuitive enough. However, I tried to keep things as simple as possible to maintain the FFF design philosophy. By identifying the key aspects of a "standard" power, changes can be made that are either Major or Minor in scope, with each alteration having a general point value of +/- 1 or +/-3, respectively. There are also a number of Neutral changes possible as well, superficial tweaks that should have very little impact except to add flavor. Using this method, a generic power can be tweaked into a specific power by trading positives and negatives in respect to the original, generic power until the balance returns to +/- zero. Realistically, a net change of +1 or -1 wont break the game in most cases, so if something doesn't quite equal zero, don't worry about it. Play it out and see how it works in actual game play.

Now, I'm not about to break down every power right here. However, after a list illustrating Major/Minor changes, I will post a few sample specific powers and note the general powers on which they are based.

[POWER ADJUSTMENTS]

Major Positive [+3]

Power is more effective against a broad range of targets
A power that is very specific in scope may affect a broad range of targets or exhibit a broadened range of effects
Power is otherwise improved in a major, consistent way

Minor Positive [+1]

Power is more effective against something relatively specific
A very specific ability may affect a limited range of targets
Power may have its full effects broadened by spending more Power Points
Power is otherwise improved in a minor, but definite and quantifiably consistent way

Neutral Adjustments [+0]

Power is resisted by a different trait than normally listed
Power affects a different range of similarly common effects
Power has its effects otherwise adjusted in a way that neither overly empowers or restricts it.

Minor Negatives [-1]

A multifaceted ability is restricted in one way (Boost/Lower Traits can only be used to Boost traits, Conceal/Detect Arcana can only be used to Detect Arcana, Tiered Power loses a Tier), etc.).
Power only works against a broadly general range of targets (only versus humanoids, only versus males, etc.)
Power only works at certain periods of time or placed (only at night, only on holy ground)
Power requires a specific focus object to work
Power is otherwise restricted in a minor way

Major Negatives [-3]

A multifaceted ability is restricted in two or more ways (Adjustable Targets, Adjustable Effects, Tiered Power loses two or more Tiers, etc.).
Power only works against something relatively specific (only versus Magic, Only versus extra-planar Evil, etc)
Power only works at restrictive times or places (only on Thursdays, only under the light of the waxing moon, only within the Sanctum of Hwang Di, etc).
Power requires an extensive array of ritual objects to be prepared in order to work
Power is otherwise significantly restricted

[SAMPLE POWERS]

Suppress Fire (Dispel)
Rank: Seasoned
Power Points: 3
Range: Smarts
Duration: Instant
Trappings: Incantations, Hand Waving

Suppress Fire allows a hero to negate any Fire effect, spell, ability, or power. It may even affect innate abilities such as a Dragon’s Breath or a Demon’s infernal flames. Magic items and permanent enchantments so targeted may also be affected, but may be restarted normally. Persistent, permanent enchantments will automatically restart within one minute unless the hero spends an additional Power Point every minute to maintain the suppression.

Suppress Fire can be used on a power already in effect, and also may be used to counter a power as it is being used. The latter requires the countering hero to be on Hold and interrupt his opponent’s action as usual. In either case, dispelling the opponent’s power requires an opposed Skill roll between the hero’s arcane skill and whatever relevant skill is being employed by his foe.

Attempts to suppress Heat (generated without an open or accessible flame) may be made, but the hero suffers a -2 modifier to the roll.

Uncontrollable Shiver (Boost/Lower Trait, balanced against Entangle)
Rank: Novice
Power Points: 2
Range: Smarts
Duration: 3 (1/Round)
Trappings: Glowing aura of cold

This power allows a character to lower an opponent’s Agility and Agility Skills by forcing their body to become wracked with uncontrollable shivering and the feeling of being icy cold. An opposed roll against the target’s Spirit is required. Success lowers the target’s Agility and Agility Skill dice by one step and a raise lowers them by two steps. No trait can be lowered below a d4.

Multiple castings of this power stack. As usual, the caster must keep track of when each casting expires.

Shadow Stepping (Burrowing)
Rank: Seasoned
Power Points: 3
Range: Smarts x 2
Duration: 3 (2/Round)
Trappings: Melting into the shadows and reappearing elsewhere

Shadow Stepping allows a person to literally meld themselves into the shadows. The caster may remain there in a shadowy limbo, or they may step through to any other shadow within the spell’s range, without regard to any intervening terrain. A caster with a smarts of d10, for example, could move up to 20” (40 yards) on the first round, maintain the spell, and step up to another 20”.

A wily Shadowstepper may attempt to surprise a foe, even one who saw the caster step into the shadows, by succeeding with an opposed Stealth (versus Notice) Skill roll. If the caster wins, he gains +2 to attack and damage that round. A raise grants +4 to attack and damage. If a target is on Hold, then he may attempt to interrupt the action normally.

A caster maintaining in the shadows is not a valid target for attacks. However disrupting the shadows (via bright lights, a light spell, etc) will force the Shadowstepper back into the physical world. The sudden shift back from shadows to physicality can be disorienting, and requires a successful Vigor roll lest the caster become Shaken (at -2 if the caster was the victim of the dreaded power, Light). Similarly, if a caster has become the recipient of a Light spell, he cannot Shadowstep so long as the Light remains in effect, since his luminous presence disperses any shadows into which he might hope to step.

Zone of Mystic Impedance (Boost/Lower Trait)
Rank: Veteran
Power Points: 3/6
Range: Touch (Burst Template)
Duration: 3 Minutes (1/Minute)
Trappings: Sigils of Power, Mystic Words

Zone of Mystic Impedance creates an area of reduced magical efficacy in which all spellcasting use becomes more difficult. This area is equal in size to a Medium Burst Template, though for an additional three Power Points the Area of Effect may be increased to a Large Burst Template. Any spellcaster within the effect, or who later enters the area of the Zone, must reduce all Spellcasting Skill rolls by -2, or by -4 if a raise was rolled when the Zone was set. The duration of the spell can be extended by spending 1 additional Power Point per Minute of extension.

Persons stepping outside of the Zone are no longer subject to its effects. The Zone may be Dispelled normally. The caster of this spell is not immune to its effects.

[Future Perfect] Tractor Beams

2010-09-17T05:35:00.002-04:00

I decided to post the rules for tractor beams that I wrote for use in the FUTURE PERFECT setting after a recent play session in which one of the player characters decided to use the tractor beam by widening it's area of effect while reducing its overall effectiveness in order to slow down a number of torpedoes that neared their ship (we treated it as a Trick that allowed another character manning the ship's guns to gain a +2 bonus to target the torpedoes). In Future Perfect, tractor beams work by not only grabbing an object of sufficiently low mass, but by inhibiting its ability to power itself and break away from the tractor effect. In short, they drain a ship's available power, thereby making them unable to resist being held. This makes the tractor beam serve a roll similar to Ion Cannons in Star Wars, in addition to the more common effect of snaring a targeted vessel.

---

[TRACTOR BEAMS]

Tractor Beams have earned their name because they generally are used to "tractor" or tow a ship or free-floating object in space. However, Military Grade Tractor Beam weapons have the capacity to first shut down a vessel before holding it in tow. The weapon drains "Power" from a targeted ship, forcing the target's main power plant to deactivate (most ships have a secondary power source to maintain Life Support, so in general life support is unaffected). A deactivated ship cannot reactivate so long as it remains in the tractor beam, unless it somehow manages to become powered by a different and distinct power source than the one which was drained.

Tractor Beams have both a Size rating and a Damage Value. A Tractor Beam cannon is only effective against a vessel of the same Size Class as the Beam rating or smaller - A Medium Cannon can only target Medium and Small ships, regardless of whether or not it is mounted on a Huge Battlecruiser or a Medium Freightrunner. Tractor Beams do Damage versus a Target's Total Maximum Power (the full power available to a vessel, regardless of how it is allocated; note that Power Plant damage affects a ship's maximum Power).

Tractor Beams have the following Damage Values by Size Rating:

Small 2d6
Medium 3d6
Large 5d6
Huge 8d6
Gargantuan 12d6
Colossal 17d6

If a vessel takes more than half their power in a single hit, they are snared by the Beam and must make a piloting skill roll to break out of it. Smaller vessels caught by a larger beam must make their roll at -1 per Size category of difference. When a vessel takes more than its total Power in Damage, its Power Plant is disabled and the ship is deactivated. If a vessel is not deactivated in a single barrage, it regains Power at a rate of 25% of Maximum Power per round (adjust at the end of every combat round), unless it possesses a piece of special equipment, an upgrade, or an Edge that adjusts that value.

For example, The Jagged Thorn is a modified Medium Freighter, Ogre Class, struck by a Huge Tractor Beam mounted on a Gargantuan Star Crab Command Carrier. The Jagged Thorn has 28 TOTAL Power, and takes 23 points from the Huge Cannon. Since the vessel has enough power remaining to support both life support and attempt to accelerate at standard levels if it reroutes power from other Ship Services (Medical Bay and Repair Shop; requires a Repair Skill roll), it may attempt to break free. However, since the beam is a HUGE weapon, the Piloting Skill Roll (only) must be made at -2 on the roll. The ship’s engineer rolls a 9, and successfully re-route’s power away from the unnecessary systems. The Jagged Thorn's ace pilot rolls a total of 8, and easily manages to avoid being snagged, despite the massive Power drain. At the close of the round, the Jagged Thorn regains 7 Power, for a total of 12 Power available. The pilot and crew hope they get the initiative, because the Jagged Thorn has enough power to risk an emergency H-Space jump and get the hell away. It's certainly a better option than being taken prisoner or, worse, being disabled and blown apart.

Deflector Screens also make a vessel quite resistant to Tractor effects. The target may use its Deflection bonus to subtract a number of dice from the Beam's Damage Value equal to it's Mark# Rating. Furthermore, all Piloting Skill rolls required as a result of the Tractor Beam are made with a bonus equal to the Deflector's Mark# Rating. Thus, a Mark II Deflector will reduce all Tractor Beam attacks by 2d6, and offer a +2 to Piloting when attempting to avoid a Tractor Beam's effects.

Tractor Beams may be firelinked or grouped, but cannot be placed into a standard cannon array. Linking or grouping Tractor beams of the same Size offers the normal damage benefits of an array, improving the Damage Die by one step per additional Tractor Beam Cannon to a maximum positive effect from four cannons. Additionally, groups of two or more cannons offer an additional -1 penalty to a target’s Piloting Skill rolls to resist being snared. Unlike arrays, smaller cannons may be grouped with larger ones, provided they are within one size category of one another. The largest damage value gains a bonus from the smaller cannons equal to one point per damage die for smaller support cannons, plus one additional point per size category of every additional smaller support cannon after the first. No bonus is gained for grouping more than four weapons of any size combination. And smaller weapons in a group do not offer any added bonuses/penalties when determining if a target is snared. Grouped cannons still may not target a vessel larger than the size category of the largest cannon.

For example, an Interdiction Vessel with a Two Large Tractor Beams and two Medium Tractor Beams may group all attacks together when attacking a Large HyperCruiser (something which normally could not be targeted by a Medium Tractor Beam at all!). Knowing the vessel has a Mark I Deflector shield, the gunners on the Interdiction Vessel decide to group all of their attacks against the HyperCruiser in the hope of snagging it, if not shutting it down fast. The base damage for a Large Cannon is 5d6, but one die is subtracted because of the HyperCruiser’s Deflector system. Base Damage becomes 4d6, but is increased by a die type because of the second Large Cannon in the fire group. So together with a new base damage of 4d8, the two Medium Cannons are factored into the mix to grant a +5 Damage Bonus. Thus, the Interdiction Vessel unleashes a Tractor Beam assault of 4d8+5 against the Hypercruiser (as opposed to two attacks at 4d6). While the combined attack has a lower potential maximum damage than two separate attacks with the Large Tractor Beams, it has much higher base and median damage point and almost guarantees a snare result against the HyperCruiser.

GM’s should be flexible when allowing the use of a Tractor Beam as part of a Trick maneuver or similar tactic.

[Future Perfect] Updated Ship Damage Effects

2010-09-16T23:33:00.002-04:00

I decided that I needed to update the Critical Damage table for Starships in the Future Perfect setting to reflect the changes to how such vessels operate in the campaign setting.
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Roll 3d6 For Effect

Roll	Location	Effect
3	Scuffed!	No permanent damage
4	Cosmetic Damage	No significant damage, though the vessel has obviously seen some combat. Exterior treatments such as standard “Stealth Paint” will not function properly until repaired.
5	Power Plant	Reduce Total Power by 25% (round down)
6	Engine	Acceleration is halved (round down); this does not affect deceleration.
7	Maneuvering Thrusters	The vehicle may only perform turns to one side (1-3 left) or the other (4-6 right), which may prohibit certain maneuvers. Furthermore, any attempts to decelerate require a successful Piloting Skill roll or the ship risks spinning Out of Control.
8	Propulsion Thrusters	Top Speed is halved.
9	Hull Breach	Structural Damage; Lose 2 Hull and 1 Armor Value. If the attack was from an Explosion lose an additional: 3 Armor from SBT; 1 Hull and 4 Armor from MBT; 2 Hull and 5 Armor from LBT; 2 Hull and 2 Armor from BT. If for some reason a ship’s Armor value is exceeded, apply the different to Hull. If a vessel’s basic Hull value is exceeded, it should be considered Wrecked!
10	Hull Impact	Structural Hit, no special damage.
11	Hull Impact	Structural Hit, no special damage.
12	Hull Breach	Structural Damage; Lose 2 Hull and 1 Armor Value. If the attack was from an Explosion lose an additional: 3 Armor from SBT; 1 Hull and 4 Armor from MBT; 2 Hull and 5 Armor from LBT; 2 Hull and 2 Armor from BT. If for some reason a ships Armor value is exceeded, apply the different to Hull. If a vessel’s basic Hull value is exceeded, it should be considered Wrecked!.
13	Secondary System	A secondary system (on the side of the attack) is damaged and rendered inoperable/useless.
14	Controls	The Ship takes a Handling penalty of -1
15	Operations	Primary Operation System Damaged, roll 1d6: 1 Ship’s Computer; 2 Targeting Control; 3 Sensors/Scanning; 4 Environmental Controls; 5 Gravity; 6 Life Support
16	Crew	A crew member is hit (if any are inside the vehicle); any damage that exceeded the ships total Hull/Armor value is applied against the character normally. Explosion damage affects all passengers in the vehicle who are within the blast radius. If a person hit is somehow outside of the ship, then damage is re-rolled and applied against them entirely.
17	Weapon	A weapon on the side of the ship that was hit is destroyed. If the weapon is part of an Array that is not all bound to the same location, then the weapon is considered inoperable until a Repair roll restores proper function to the remaining weapons in the array. If there is no weapon, then consider this result to be Cosmetic Damage.
18	Wrecked!	Ship is considered wrecked and automatically goes Out of Control.

[Future Perfect] Rakshasa Stealth Gunship

2010-09-16T00:20:00.000-04:00

The Collective’s so-called “Stealth” Gunship, the Rakshasa is like many other Collective vessels, excelling in hit and run tactics. What makes the Rakshasa unique is its dual role as a field relay or field controller for DMC Drone vessels such as the Specter Assault Dart or the much larger Asura Gunboat. Using Dynamic Meta-Coordination, a pilot, or small group of pilots, can remain hidden on board a Rakshasa while controlling one or more Drones in an assault. The Rakshasa itself is intended to carry four light drones such as Specters into the field and deploy them accordingly, though more than just those vessels may be controlled via DMC relays. More often than not, the standard tactics for a Rakshasa include deploying a wing of Specters, then hiding out in order to find the right moment to seize the opportunity to launch one or more volleys of its potent Predator Torpedoes at an unwitting target. Its usefulness as a stealth ship has lead to its acquisition by more than a few mercenaries, pirates, and other unsavory folks.

Rakshasa, Collective Light Gunship

Manufacture: Collective
Size: Medium
Power: 25
Acc: 150 Top: 900 Handling: +0
FTL: Gate Beacon, Collective Hyperdrive System
Crew: 5 Hull: 27 (10) (Armor 10)

Ship Systems:

Starship
Atmospheric
Basic Computer System (Auto Pilot, Target Acquisition/Control, Fire Control, Information Library: Knowledge [Pirate Vessels] and Knowledge [Common Starships])
Gate Beacon (1 Power)
Collective Hyperdrive System (1 Space, 4 Power)
AGS (Advanced Guidance System)
DMC (Dynamic Meta-Coordination) Drone Relay
(4) External Docking Clamps (2 Spaces; Small Ships Only [Generally 4 Spectres])
Stealth “Paint” System (+2 Stealth)

Weapons:

(1) Rapid Mass Accelerator, Mass Driver [2 Spaces, 2 Power]: 50/100/200; 4d8 AP8; RoF2
(2) Predator Medium Torpedo Bays [1 Space; 1 Power to Fire any number of torpedoes]: 300/600/1200; Tracking (Range 4800); Speed 1200; 5d10 AP50; Medium Burst
(6) Additional Torpedoes (1 Space)
(1) AMCM System (1 Space)

[Future Perfect] Alliance "Hook" Shuttle

2010-09-13T02:00:00.000-04:00

So named because of it's hook like shape, the Alliance's Hook Shuttle is an advanced combat shuttle designed to ferry command personnel back and forth short distances between command vessels or Gate-stations. The Hook has had some success outside of the military as well, with several Alliance, and even a few Interzone, corporations making use of it as a light shuttle or even in lieu of standard escape pods.

The Hook shuttle generally is found in conjunction with larger vessels when not active, it's “hook” port able to lock into any standard exterior docking mount with high efficiency. Indeed, two “Hooks” may mount on a single small exterior port of Alliance (or derived) design.

Alliance “Hook” Shuttle

Manufacture: Alliance
Size: Very Small (Personal)
Power: 10
Acc: 250 Top: 1600 Handling: +1
FTL: Gate Beacon
Crew: 1 Hull: 12 (2) [Armor 2]

Ship Systems:

Basic Computer with Target Acquisition, Recognition, and Autopilot
Starship
Atmospheric
Alliance Sensors (+2 Notice)
Gate Beacon (1 Power)
Passengers (3 Passengers; 1 Space, 1 Power)

Weapons:

(1) Twilight Gunwork’s Light Beam Cannon [1 Space, 1 Power]: 100/200/400; 4d6 AP6; RoF1

[Future Perfect] YR-01 Starfighter

2010-09-11T19:28:00.000-04:00

Yellow Rock Astronautics is a newcomer in the field of military craft, and consists of a former Zero-G executive and a handful of young engineers fresh out of the Coalition's University of Arts and Sciences. Headquartered on Harlinn's World (Zone 1, District Yellow Rock... Hence the Name), these folks have made quite a reputation for themselves both by bucking the general trends in Coalition ship designs, and for their quality product at an affordable price. The YR-01 Starfighter is a simple and effective single-pilot light assault fighter – fast, very maneuverable, and slightly better armored than similar, tiny fighters. Simple pulse blasters comprise the Ought-One's weaponry, kept independent so they may be linked or fired at distinct targets at the pilot's discretion.

YR-01 Star Fighter

Manufacture: Yellow Rock Astronautics
Size: Very Small (Personal)
Power: 10
Acc: 250 Top: 1600 Handling: +2
FTL: None
Crew: 1 Hull: 12 (4) [Armor 4]

Ship Systems:

Basic Computer System (Target Acquisition/Recognition, Autopilot)
Starship
Atmospheric

Weapons:

(2) Light Pulse Cannons [Fire linkable; 1 Space, 1 Power each]: 100/200/400; 3d6 AP 6; RoF2

[Future Perfect] "Generic" Shuttlecraft

2010-09-11T00:27:00.000-04:00

Some of my players were curious about the stats of a common shuttle craft, so I decided to oblige them.

Shown below are the stats for a basic, civilian shuttle craft. In the Future Perfect setting, such ships are ubiquitous; they make constant runs between gate stations and larger starships, dart between nearby orbital colonies, and ferry passengers to and from planetside from any of the above...

Most shuttles have a simple AI who acts as a Co-Pilot in case of trouble, and also serves to help entertain the ship's passengers.

“Generic” Shuttlecraft

Manufacture: Generic
Size: Small
Power: 14
Acc: 180 Top: 1200 Handling: +0
FTL: None
Crew: 1 Hull: 14 (4) [Armor 4]

Ship Systems:

Starship
Atmospheric
Simple AI Computer (Smarts d4; Piloting, Knowledge (Games and Entertainment), Stealth, Language [Appropriate to the Region]) with Target Acquisition and Recognition systems [2 Spaces, 5 Power]
Passengers (9 Passengers) [3 Spaces, 3 Power]

Weapons:
None

[Future Perfect] Goshawk Assault Fighter

2010-09-10T21:31:00.000-04:00

Designed as an affordable alternative to the Badger-class Starfighter, the Goshawk is smaller and even more specialized as a fast attack dogfighter. Critics cite the lack of armor as a serious detriment to the vehicle as a combat craft, while others note the Goshawk’s exceptional speed (and deflector screen) serves as its primary means of defense, with the pair of Scatter Cannons offering not only offense but the ships secondary defense when employed properly by a smart pilot.

Goshawk Rapid Assault Fighter

Manufacture: Regency
Size: Very Small (Personal)
Power: 10
Acc: 275 Top: 1600 Handling: +1
FTL: None
Crew: 1 Hull: 10 (2) [Armor 2]

Ship Systems:

Basic Computer with Target Acquisition, Recognition, and Autopilot
Starship
Atmospheric
Deflector Screen [MKI; 1 Space, 1 Power]

Weapons:

(2) Scatter Cannons [1 Space, 2 Power each]: 80/160/320; 4d6 AP4; Small Burst Template; RoF1

[Future Perfect] Matango, Kokoran Command Ship

2010-09-08T17:36:00.001-04:00

Just about the biggest ship the Kokoran's have made, indeed it is as large as some smaller space stations, the Matango-class command ship is a flying fortress and superweapon rolled into one. Its spinal mounted cannon is devastating to even the most well armored vessel, and its supplemental compliment of weapons (like with most Kokoran ships) is a potent mix. Coupled with a small fleet of support ships, a Matango on the move is a terrifying sight (or perhaps comedic, if giant flying mushrooms accompanied by a half dozen flying turtles tickles your fancy) that luckily has not yet been seen outside of Kokoran space.

Matango, Kokoran Command Ship

Manufacture: Kokoran Union
Size: Colossal
Power: 400
Acc: 60 Top: 230 Handling: -4
FTL: Gate Key, H-Space Drive
Crew: 250 Hull: 130 (60) [Armor 60]

Ship Systems:

Basic Computer with Autopilot, Target Acquisition/Control System, Pattern Recognition, Astrogation Assistance
Starship
Atmospheric
Submersible
External Docking Clamps (16): 8 Spaces; Large or Smaller vessels only)
Huge Exterior Docks/Small Hangar Bays (4): 4 Spaces; Huge Ships to externally dock; may serve as hangar bay for a personal sized vessel for launching only.
Sick Bay (10 Spaces)
Repair Facilities (8 Spaces)
H-Space Drive (5 Spaces)
Gate Key (1 Space)
Science Stations (2; Life + Physical Sciences, 2 Spaces]
100 Marines (10 Spaces)
12 Security Cells (4 Spaces)
15 Cargo Bays (15 Spaces)

Weapons:

Spinal Mounted Supercannon: [36 Spaces; 12d10 Damage AP200]
(4) Heavy Mount Pods [2 Spaces Each]: (4) Kokoran Type I Blaster Array Turrets [Each has: 3 Cannons; 7 Power]: 100/200/400; 5d12 AP 8; RoF1
(4) Superheavy Mount Pods [3 Spaces Each]: (4) KiRG Advanced Turret Arrays [2 Cannons Each; 10 Power]: 100/200/400, 7d10 AP 12; RoF1
(8) Moonstone DF Torpedo Launchers [1 Space each; 1 Power to Fire as many torpedoes as desires]: 250/500/1000; 6d10 AP40; Medium Burst (Direct Fire)
(24) Additional Torpedoes (4 Spaces)
(5) Advanced AMCM [5 Spaces]

[Future Perfect] Ranger Heavy Hyper-Cruiser

2010-09-07T20:30:00.003-04:00

Zero-G's foray into frigates, cruisers, and heavy military grade starships, the Ranger is intended to do a little bit of everything. The flexible design has found wide adoption among various Corporations who use it as a small command ship – Rangers of all colors and livery have become a common site in the Interzone. Potent rotary cannon arrays and a pair of torpedo bays make the Ranger an exceptional line-buster; its H-Space capabilities mean it can move in and out quickly, thus controlling the battlefield. This vessel's only real shortcoming is it's modest armor, and smart ship Captains should use the Ranger's ability to engage in fast hit and run tactics to stay one step ahead of the enemy.

0G-HC01 Ranger, Corporate Hyper-Cruiser

Manufacture: Zero-G Innovations
Size: Huge
Power: 75
Acc: 75 Top: 450 Handling: -1
FTL: Gate Key (1 Space, 1 Power), MkIII H-Space Drive (16 Power, 3 Spaces)
Crew: 38 Hull: 55 (30) (Armor 30)

Ship Systems:

Starship
Atmospheric
Computer with Basic AI (d6 Smarts, Power 8, Spaces 8): Piloting d6, Shooting d6, Knowledge (Astrogation) d6, Repair d6, Stealth d6, Notice d6, Library Data (Common Knowledge; d6), Autopilot, Target Acquisition and Control, Fire Control, and Pattern Recognition
Enhanced Crew Facilities
Cargo Bays (2 Bays; 2 Spaces each)
Exterior Docking Clamps (8) (4 Spaces; 1 Power; Small or Medium Only)
Marines (6 Spaces; 60 Marines)
Repair Facility (2 Spaces)
Sickbay (3 Spaces)

Weapons:

(2) Heavy Triple Rotary Assault Cannon Arrays [6 Spaces, 11 Power each]: 100/200/400; 4d12+16 AP8; RoF3
(2) Predator Medium Torpedo Bays [1 Space each; 1 Power to Fire any number of torpedoes]: 300/600/1200; Tracking (Range 4800); Speed 1200; 5d10 AP50; Medium Burst
(2) Twin Medium Pulse Cannon Turret Arrays [2 Spaces, 3 Power each]: 100/200/400, 3d10 AP8, RoF2
(6) Additional Torpedoes (1 Space)
(2) Advanced AMCM Systems (Side Mounts) [1 Space each; 2 Power each]

[Future Perfect] Peregrine Gunship

2010-09-06T23:38:00.003-04:00

A radical departure from most Regency designs, the Peregrine would seem more at home in the Coalition’s fleet. Heavy Mass Drivers (and one of the few ships of its class or smaller to use such technology among Regency vessels) set in Fire-linked Arrays to maximize damage, long range torpedoes, reinforced hull and armor, and absurd acceleration speeds for a vessel of its size make the Peregrine a kind of anomaly. Skeptics question the Peregrine’s focus; its advocates herald the gunship’s multipurpose functionality. How many other ships of its size can dogfight along with even the deftest of light fighters? Then again, other people may ask why a dedicated gunship should do that at all?

Peregrine, Regency Gunship

Manufacture: Regency

Size: Medium

Power: 19

Acc: 200 Top: 900 Handling: +0

FTL: Gate Beacon, H-Space Lock (1 Power)

Crew: 5 Hull: 30 (13) (Armor 13)

Ship Systems:

Starship
Atmospheric
Basic Computer System (Auto Pilot, Target Acquisition/Control, Fire Control, Information Library: Knowledge [Pirate Vessels] & Knowledge [Common Starships])
Gate Beacon
H-Space Lock

Weapons:

(2) Heavy Mass Driver Arrays [3 Spaces, 3 Power each]: 100/200/400; 6d10 AP8; RoF1
(2) Hunter Medium Torpedo [1 Space each; 1 Power to Fire any number of torpedoes]: 275/550/1100; Tracking (Range 6600); Speed 1100; 4d10 AP40; Medium Burst
(6) Additional Torpedoes (1 Space)

Er'Nakz the Round

2010-08-31T00:38:00.001-04:00

I built this bad boy a while back when I wrote a Fantasy adventure one-shot. I wanted an intelligent goblin warlord whose downfall had come as the result of appetites (for money and food) over a long period of time. Certainly, he's likely to be killed by player characters, but only because his own shortcomings have allowed events to transpire as they have. He's a figure who managed to unify a great many goblin tribes under his own banner in his youth, and keep them together as he aged. Only due to his own eccentricities has his band of goblins become exposed enough to be in danger from the "civilized" world.

Er'Nakz the Round (WC), Goblin Warlord
Gender: Male
Race: Goblin
Rank: NPC

Attributes:
Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d10

Derived Characteristics:
Pace: 5+1d4"
Charisma: 0
Parry: 8 (Base 7, Buckler [+1])
Toughness: 9 (Base 7, Goblin [-1], Obese [+1], Chain Armor [+2])

Skills:
Climbing d6, Fighting d10, Intimidate d6, Language: Common Human Tongue d4, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d8, Survival d6, Taunt d6, Throwing d8

Edges:
Combat Reflexes, Nerves of Steel, Frenzy, Followers (x3), Command

Hindrances:
Obese (m), Greedy (m), Vengeful (M)

Gear:

Chain Armor w/ Helmet (2 Armor)
Buckler (+1 Parry)
Enchanted Falcata (longsword) +1 (+1 Hit, 2d8+1 Damage)
3 Javelins (2d6 Damage)

[Future Perfect] Vampire Hyper-Cruiser

2010-08-30T23:47:00.002-04:00

Designed for Hyperspace Pursuit, the Vampire Cruiser is a mainstay among the Collective's forces. With advanced torpedo systems and the ability to use its scatter-cannons as a defense against enemy fighters, the Vampire is a deceptively potent warship. Coupled with its advanced H-Space drives and exterior docking mounts, the true strength of the Vampire is revealed in its ability to outrun a vehicle in H-Space pursuit, and lay waiting in ambush with a full compliment of drones and fighters in support. Furthermore, no Vampire cruiser is found without several dozen Marines ready for any boarding action. A decent AI and a basic Deflector Screen system rounds out the Vampire's capabilities.

Vampire, Collective Hyper-Cruiser
Manufacture: Collective
Size: Huge
Power: 65
Acc: 75 Top: 450 Handling: -2
FTL: Gate Key (1 Space, 1 Power), Collective H-Space Drive (16 Power, 3 Spaces)
Crew: 26 Hull: 55 (30) (Armor 30)

Ship Systems:

Repair Facility (4 Spaces)
Ship Launch Bay 4 Small or 2 Medium vessels) (8 Spaces)
Exterior Docking Clamps (8) (4 Spaces; 1 Power; Small or Medium Only)
Sickbay (1 Space)
Marines (4 Spaces; 40 Marines)
Enhanced Crew Facilities
Cargo Bays (2 Bays; 3 Spaces each)
Starship
Atmospheric
Computer with Basic AI (d6 Smarts, Power 8, Spaces 8): Piloting d6, Shooting d6, Knowledge (Astrogation) d6, Repair d6, Stealth d6, Notice d6, Library Data (Common Knowledge; d6), Autopilot, Target Acquisition and Control, Fire Control, and Pattern Recognition
MKI Deflector Screen (-1; 4 Spaces, 4 Power)

Weapons:

(2) Heavy Duo-Scatter Cannons (Array; 3 Spaces, 4 Power): 80/16/320; 5d10 AP6; Small Burst Template; RoF1
(4) Predator Medium Torpedo [1 Space each ; 1 Power to Fire any number of torpedoes]: 300/600/1200; Tracking (Range 4800); Speed 1200; 5d10 AP50; Medium Burst
(12) Added Torpedoes (2 Spaces)
(2) Advanced AMCM Systems (Side Mounts) [1 Space each; 2 Power each]

Leslie, Naughty Necromancer

2010-08-27T21:20:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I built this character a while back just for fun. Oddly enough, she's a playable Novice character... Or at least she would be in a more light hearted game. You know, I think I was reading some of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series at the time, too. Yeah, probably not the best idea when making a character, though it could have been worse if I'd been re-reading Aspirin's MythAdventures.

Leslie, Naughty Necromancer [WC]
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Experience: Quite [Novice, 0XP]

Attributes:
Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d8

Characteristics:
Charisma +2
Pace 6+1d6"
Parry 5
Toughness 7(1)

Edges:
Arcane Background (Magic [Necromancy]), Attractive

Hindrances:
Quirk (Really bad taste in who she dates; m)
Stubborn (m)
Vengeful (M)

Powers (Necromancy, 15 PP):

Netherbolt (Bolt; Its like a punch to your Nether-Regions)
Now This Can Feel Really Good... Or Really Bad (Boost/Lower Trait; Don't you want to play?)
Psychobitch of the Damned (Fear; Just a fine line past Naughty...)

Skills:
Fighting (Groin Shot) d6, Knowledge (Arcane) d6, Knowledge (Undead) d6, Notice d8, Spellcasting d8, Taunt d8

Gear:

Necrocorset (Armor +1; Supportive yet Evil)
Naughty Costumes (Schoolgirl, Nurse, Dominatrix)
Pointy Leather Boots (Str+1d4, Only when Kicking)
Ritual Gear

Updates

2010-08-25T17:26:00.004-04:00

As some of you may have noticed, I've been updating the overall look and feel of this site. Blogger's new PAGES feature has made it much easier to keep a running page of links, and I'm attempting to take advantage of the feature to better organize some of the information on the site. Currently, I've started compiling lists of House Rules, Future Perfect material, and assorted characters I've made and posted. You'll find them in a row at the top of the blog.

I know there are some dead links, I will fix them as I set up the pages and necessary links. This is also giving me a chance to post a lot of work that I wrote but never put onto the blog, so expect quite the random assortment of material to appear in the days to come.

[Future Perfect] Gerry Dee Taylor

2010-08-23T20:37:00.008-04:00

Gerry Dee Taylor is the little sister of "Big Bad" Billy Taylor, and Billy is the really the only "parental" figure Gerry Dee has ever known. Her earliest memory is of her parent's being murdered by Alliance Soldiers, of her total helplessness as she stood paralyzed, watching as they were gunned down and blown apart.

Gerry Dee grew up systematically excising any weaknesses in herself , fighting anyone and anything who got in her way. Her sister often had to move from job to job, location to location, because of Gerry Dee's troubles. When she was ten she brutally stabbed a food vendor and instead of having her sister bail her out, she ran away and disappeared. But she hadn't gone unnoticed...

A man by the name of Elijah Krane found her, took her under his wing, and even contacted sister Billy to gain her family's consent. Krane offered to teach Gerry how to be strong, to focus her rage and natural talents toward a new path -- that of an assassin. Though sister Billy was told only that he had agreed to educate her and keep her out of trouble, in truth Gerry Dee was learning how to find information, mark targets, and execute the flawless kill. She was a natural, and within a year had hunted down the Alliance Soldiers responsible for her parents deaths. Nearly four years she worked for Krane, paid to kill and guided in her training in stealth and the arts of murder, until Krane disappeared.

Unfortunately, there were a few issues Gerry Dee never quite got past -- chief among them was her reluctance to use a blaster, the weapon that killed her parent. Without Krane's guidance, Gerry Dee started getting sloppy, taking bad jobs, and making serious mistakes. One such job got her shot and taken captive on Matterhorn Station. If not for her sister Billy rescuing her, Gerry would have been executed.

For over two years now, she has been reunited with her sister, at first traveling the wildspaces of the Freespace. And more recently, working with the Greyjackets -- a job she really enjoys. It has returned to her a sense of focus she'd been lacking since her time with Elijah Krane. Gerry Dee is loyal to her family and closest friends, and has killed people many times to keep them safe. Unfortunately, the girl also suffers from nightmares when she sleeps, replaying over and over the death of her parents and fears for her sister's life. The nightmares have only grown more in intensity the more bioenhancements Gerry has attempted to integrate into her body.

Recently, Krane has made contact with her, but Gerry Dee is torn between her work with the Greyjackets and continuing her training with her Mentor.

Name: Gerry Dee Taylor (WC)
Gender: Female
Occupation: Psychotic Teenaged Assassin
Genetic Package: Human
Cultural Package: Spacer
Rank: Seasoned [25XP]

Attributes:
Agility d10(+1), Smarts d6, Spirit d4, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Characteristics:
Biothreshold: 4(6!)
Charisma: 0/-4
Pace: 6'+1d6"
Parry: 7 (An additional +1 when actively Defensive)
Toughness: 8 (3 Armor)

Hindrances:
Bloodthirsty (M)
Night Terrors (M)
Loyal (M)

Edges:
Quick
First Strike
Martial Arts
Florentine
Frenzy
Combat Reflexes

Skills:
Fighting d10(+1), Gunnery d4(+1), Notice d6, Intimidate d4, Investigation d6, Knowledge (Harbinger Gate) d4, Languages (Imperial Standard (N), Gujar, Ranti), Stealth d10(+1), Streetwise d6, Throw d6(+1), Zero-G Manuever d8(+1)

Contacts:
(6) Elijah Krane (Teacher, Assassin): Availability +1, Capability d10/+4 (Master Assassin), Influence +1 (Hand of Sarkay)
(2) Absalom MacIntyre (Identity Broker): Availability +0, Capability d6/+2 (Forged Documents), Influence +0

Turning Points:
(1) Professional Mentor (Elijah Krane): Investigation d6; +2pt Contact
(2) Steady Work (Assassinations for Mr. Krane): +400Cr; +1 Reputation with Hand of Sarkay
(3) Traveler (Freespace); Picked up Ranti; +2 Contacts

Reputations:
Alliance -1
Hand of Sarkay +2
Icon Syndicate +1
Greyjackets +1

Biomodifications:
(2) Nano-Repair System
(3) MCS Treatment

(1) Lowlight Optical Treatment

Gear:
Armored Space Suit with Stealth System (+3 Armor, +4 Stealth)
(2) Polycarbon Glass "Duellists Blades" (1d6+1d4+1 AP2, Parry +1)
(2) Polycarbon Glass Knives (1d6+1d4+1 AP2)
(1) Microfilament Whip (Reach 1, 2d6 AP4, -1 Parry, No Str Modifiers)
Armored Clothing (+2 Armor)
Defensive Barrier (MkII)
Stun Grenades
Flash Grenades
Fake ID Papers

Session Pictures

2010-08-17T18:20:00.005-04:00

Just figured I'd upload a couple of pictures from a recent session of Future Perfect: Identity Function.

Things were just about to get interesting as the player characters fled into a park (with no exits) on board Nexus Gate Spacestation. Of course, the strangeness was that no one actually was pursing them, and their shenanigans alerted the security mercenary in the Gunsuit (See the Big Gunned Mecha).

[Future Perfect] Billy Taylor

2010-08-07T06:35:00.003-04:00

Big Bad Billy Taylor's family was killed by Alliance soldiers during a dispute in the Freespace. She was left alone to raise her toddler sister, Gerry Dee, who was never quite right after the event.

Billy is an exceptional pilot, and for a very long time bounced her way along the freelance Rusher circuit. During that time, she met the most unlikely of lovers -- a young Alliance fleet ensign named Wallace Williams. "Willy" as she called him was her long distance flame for most of her freelance years... Until her sister got into some trouble on Matterhorn Station. Wallace, now a Lieutenant, informed Billy of what was going on... And with that information, Billy Taylor launched a rescue operation by using her extensive contacts in the Coalition to enlist the aid of some Greyjacket insurgents up for a good fight.

Wallace and Billy never saw eye-to-eye on how she sprung her sister, and though they occasionally talk, they have not been together since. Furthermore, due to those events and general suspicion of her involvement, many of her Alliance contacts and employers simply pulled away. She was left with little money, few job prospects in "civilized" space, and a sister who was getting into more and more trouble. To fill the void in her life, Billy has taken to over-eating and lashing out at the Alliance government whenever possible.

Lacking any other prospect, she's made her connections with the Greyjackets into a full time gig. Now, she's among their top pilots.

Name: "Big Bad" Billy Taylor
Gender: Female
Occupation: Greyjacket Pilot
Genetic Package: Human
Cultual Package: Spacer
Rank: Seasoned [25XP]

Attributes:
Agility d8(+1), Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d6

Characteristics:
Biothreshold: 6 (5)
Charisma: 0
Pace: 6'+1d6"
Parry:
Toughness: 6

Hindrances:
Loyal (m)
Obese (m)
Vow (M; To Protect Her Sister At All Costs)

Edges:
Quick, Ace

Skills:
Fighting d8, Gunnery d8, Knowledge (Blackwatch Station) d4, Knowledge (Nexus Gate) d4, Languages (Imperial Standard [N], Ranti), Notice d6, Piloting d10, Repair d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d8, Taunt d8, Zero-G Maneuver d4,

Contacts:

(6) Captain Wallace Williams (Captain of the A.S.S. Master, Emissary-Class Frigate): Availability +2, Capability d8/+3 (Starship Captain), Influence +1 (Alliance Military)
(3) Kyle Draven (Information Broker): Availability +0, Capability d8/+3 (Information Broker), Influence +0
(3) Steven “Tooly” Jazz (Mechanic): Availabilty +0, Capability d8/+3, Influence +0

Turning Points:

Networking! +2 Contacts; +1 Reputation with Large Group
Meaningful Relationship: An Alliance Officer with whom things were doomed to fail; 2 Pt Contact
Sporadic Work: Her bad blood in the Alliance made it difficult for her to find any steady employment.

Reputations:
-1 Alliance
+1 Aurora Confederation
+1 Icon Syndicate
+1 Gryff, Freespace Warlord

Biomodifications:

Iplugs [AV2]
MCS Bioenhancement (+1 to Agility Rolls) [AV3]

Gear:

Reinforced Armored Jacket with Armored Inserts
Tactical Helmet with HUD (Motion Sensor/Target Display/Thermographics/Flash Suppression)
Imperial Armories Type VII Autopistol: 2d6+2 AP2, 12/24/48, RoF 3, Shots 30, Str Min d6, Con J

Some Savage Guidelines

2010-07-22T17:01:00.003-04:00

Many of the players in my current Savage Worlds campaign are used to systems with far more - and more specific - skills than what are provided for in the rulebook. Even with a number of expanded and additional skills that we use in Future Perfect, it is a small fraction of what we used often in other game systems. Now, there is no problem with a more generalist skill system. The concern is only over how some players have adapted, or had trouble adapting, to one of the core design conceits of Savage World.

Having played through several sessions, I can see now where some of the problems - disconnects, really - have arisen. The trouble lies not so much in how Skills themselves function, but in how and when certain Skills should be used as opposed to other Skill rolls or even Attribute rolls. In a game where skill lists are exhaustive, their general context and necessity can be readily apparent. However, a more general skill list, coupled with a system that encourages simple attribute tests for activities that fall outside the purview of a skill, can be off-putting simply due to its comparable ambiguity. I've no doubt that with continued play, the FFF assumptions of Savage Worlds will become second nature, just as reasoning from effect became increasingly easier as our previous Hero System games progressed.

The help out my players I've written a simple set of guidelines, shown below:

[Guidelines for Making Attribute Rolls]

AGILITY should be rolled for matters of general dexterity, fast-twitch reaction, acrobatics, or contortionism.

SMARTS should be rolled to reflect Background/General/Common Knowledge, Mental Quickness and Accuity, and general deductive reasoning and insight.

SPIRIT should be rolled for matters of Willpower, personal magnetism, courage, and keeping one's cool under pressure.

STRENGTH is rolled for any concern involving brute force, such as HTH damage, heavy lifting/hoisting/pushing/dragging, and breaking things.

VIGOR is rolled for general matters of health or stamina, including the potential resistance of damage or fatigue, toxins, disease, etc.

[Guidelines for Social Skills]

INTIMIDATION is rolled when you want to make someone do something they might not want to do, for fear of something worse happening.

PERSUASION is rolled when you want to make someone act in accordance with your point of view, even if they may not agree with it.

TAUNT is rolled when you want to make someone do something they may not want to do by compelling a reaction to your own actions.

[Future Perfect] Punter Eisenbrau

2010-07-20T21:17:00.004-04:00

Punter grew up in the mining camps of Arcturus Heavy Industries. Throughout his youth, he and his father moved constantly, going from one mining outfit to the next, from Rakhan Secundus in the Coalition and as far out as the Coronian Asteroid Mines in Regency space. He helped out where he could, first hauling debris and equipment for the adults, and eventually, with preparing and setting explosive charges for breaking less cooperative environments. While Punter loved the travel, he saw how life in the labor camps had destroyed his family. Eventually, he said goodbye to his father and hitched a ride on a freighter.

He worked for his passage from one backwater to the next, mixing with all sorts of folks. His open, candid nature at first made him seem like an easy mark to members of the merchant clans, but in short order his willingness to work hard and earnest desire to learn all about their own travels won them over. He worked alongside clanners and freespacers alike, loving the travel and seeing what the universe really had to offer. Punter helped out where he could and saw first hand how many Faction governments oppress the merchant clans, especially the Regency and the Alliance, who despite their on again off again wars never seemed to miss an opportunity to chase down scavengers, and especially those from the clans, for no reason at all. He built a small scavenging vessel from an old shuttlecraft and rode along with the caravan fleets of junk scavs and pirates.

In time, Punter returned to more civilized regions. In his travels he'd earned membership in a trade guild of Freighthaulers -- making it easier to book passage anywhere. To his surprise, he was offered a job at Nexus Gate Station running a repair shop for their ships. Things worked out well for him, though many of his clanner friends took advantage of his candid nature, and snagged information about non-guild (generally Alliance-owned) freighters passing through the area. Punter caught on pretty quickly, but since the guild didn't care about non-members, he was happy to jab at the Alliance with the proverbial stick.

The urge to move on eventually overtook Punter once more. When he found a ragtag bunch of miscreants who needed some emergency repairs to their custom ship, he left with them. Now, three years later, Punter Eisenbrau is still flying through the void on that same ship.

Name: Punter Eisenbrau

Gender: Male

Occupation: Engineer/Demolitions Expert

Genetic Package: Human

Cultual Package: Labor

Rank: Seasoned [25XP]

Attributes:

Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d8

Characteristics:

Biothreshold: 6 (3)

Charisma: 0

Pace: 6'+1d6"

Parry: 5 (4)

Toughness: 11 (4)

Hindrances:

Curious (M)
Quirk (m; Wanderlust)
Lyin' Eyes (m)

Edges:

Brawny, McGuyver

Skills:

Drive d6, Fighting d6, Gunnery d6, Knowledge (Demolitions) d8, Knowledge (Engineering) d6, Knowledge (Mining) d4, Language (Imperial Standard; Native), Language (Ranti), Notice d8, Pilot d6, Repair d10, Survival d6, Throw d6

Contacts:

(4) Peri Skyforger (Clan Scavenger): Availability +0; Capability d8/+3 (Scavenger); Influence +1 (Pirate Clans)
(5) Sixty-One Tommy Oroshi "61to" (Kokoran Hacker): Availablity +1; Capability d8/+3 (Hacker), Influence +1 (Dome 61)
(4) Esteban Ruiz (Mining Camp Foreman): Availability +0; Capability d8/+3 (Mining Gear); Influence +1 (Arcturus Heavy Industries)
(1) "Stanker" (Blue Diamond Clan): Availability +0; Capability d4/+1 (Information); Influence +0

Turning Points:

Traveler: Extensive travel among the various backwaters lead to some friendships made with people among the Merchant Clans. Learned Ranti, Gained +2 COntacts.
Meeting All Kinds of People: Continued traveling among the Merchant Clans, jumping ship to ship and marveling at their adaptability. Gained +4 Contacts and a +1 Reputation among the Pirate Clans.
Steady Work: Returned to Planet Dust and got a job with a Freight Hauler's Trade Guild running their repair shop on Nexus Gate. Finally left because he wanted to resume traveling. Left on good terms (+1 Reputation with Trade Guild), with some savings (350cr), and reputation for adaptability and quick thinking.

Reputations:

Alliance (-1)
Merchant (Pirate) Clans (+2)
Freighthaulers Union (Trade Guild) (+1)

Biomodifications:

Lowlight Vision Treatment (AV1)
Digestive Dietary Enzymes (AV2)

Gear:

Toolkit
Demolitions Kit
Small Scavenger Tug (See Below)
(12) Assorted Grenades
Heavy 2H Wrench (Treat as Maul; Damage 1d10+1d8, AP2 versus Hard (Rigid) Armor, -1 Parry, 2H)
Heavy Armored Jacket with Inserts (Armor 4)

---

Light Scavenger Tug (Modified Gremlin Shuttle)

Manufacture: StarJourney Transportation, Modified

Size: Small

Power: 14

Acc: 180 Top: 1200 Handling: +1

FTL: Gate Beacon

Crew: 1 Hull: 16 (4) [Armor 4]

Ship Systems:

Basic Computer with Autopilot, Library (General Knowledge), Pattern Recognition
Starship
Atmospheric
Gate Beacon
Cargo Hold (1 Space)

Weapons:

Tractor Beam (Small; 2 Spaces)

[Future Perfect] Rico Salazar

2010-07-20T00:15:00.003-04:00

Over the next few posts, I will be presenting several characters who form a cell of Greyjacket insurgents in the world of Future Perfect. Each character will be presented as a playable build using the normal experience point system (as opposed to my custom XP system) and general rules expansions from the Future Perfect setting. These additions include rules for Contacts, Cultural Templates, the Turning Points Background Generation system, and the rules for Reputations. In some cases, additional rules for Bioaugmentations and variant Gene Templates are used as well.

In total, there will be five characters, a fairly standard size for a Greyjacket Cell, who form the cell known as "Rascal's Reavers". Along with the characters, I'll be posting the design for their customized starship.

Captain/Social Expert - Rosco "Rascal" Marinn
Firearms Expert - Rico Salazar
Melee Expert - Gerry Dee Taylor
Ace Pilot - Billy "Badgirl" Taylor
Engineer/Demolitions - Punter Eisenbrau
Ship - The Jagged Thorn (Custom Ogre-class Freightrunner)

So you'll probably want to go back and skim my previous post so you'll know a little bit about the Greyjackets as an organization.
---

First up is Rico Salazar, a firearm's expert who grew up on the streets. His resourcefulness and tenacity earned Rico some odd jobs with the Icon Syndicate before he "got out" by joining the Coalition Defense Forces. He served a tour as a field medic and mustered out with honor and a solid understanding of how bad things really were for the Coalition government. He understood some of the hard choices his government had to make in the hope of securing its own future... and he saw clearly how it was the Alliance's machinations that had lead his people to their current, sorry state of affairs. Not wanting to remain with CDF and be stuck on duty on some rickety space station, Rico wanted to do something that mattered.

Traveling into Alliance space, he disappeared among some of the local Scavengers. For over a year he waged a private battle with the security forces of Matterhorn station, doing whatever he could to tie up gate travel. The Alliance is most easily wounded by striking its purse strings, and Rico hoped that enough travelers would find the Gateway at Matterhorn to be inconvenient enough to warrant other arrangements -- possibly through Coalition controlled Gateways. Rico's efforts did not go unnoticed. Even as he ultimately found himself captured and awaiting trial, the Greyjacket's made him an offer. Rico signed on, and with their help, he disappeared... But he still remembers to send Matterhorn's Security Chief a birthday card every year.

Name: Rico Salazar
Gender: Male
Occupation: Greyjacket Gunman
Genetic Package: Human
Cultual Package: Criminal
Rank: Seasoned [25XP]

Attributes:
Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8 (d6), Vigor d8

Characteristics:
Biothreshold: 6 (6)
Charisma: 0
Pace: 6'+1d6"
Parry: 6
Toughness: 10 (4)

Hindrances:
Loyal (M), Wanted (M; For some fairly serious crimes against the Alliance)

Edges:
Quick, Quickdraw

Skills:
Climbing d6, Driving d6, Fighting d8, Gunnery d6, Knowledge (Home Region) d4, Medical d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Shooting d10, Stealth d8, Survival d6

Contacts:

(7) Sgt Lars Henderson, Coalition Defense Forces (Retired): Availability +2; Capability d8/+3 (Field Medic, Veteran Soldier); Influence +1 (Coalition Defense Forces).
(1) Joey Bitters, Scavenger Kid: Availability +0; Capability d4/+1 (Scrounging); Influence +0

Turning Points:

(1) Freelancing: Worked for the Icon Syndicate assisting in the "transport" of people, whether they liked it or not. Performed his job excellently, completing his assignments within specified parameters. Gains +1 Reputation [Icon Syndicate].
(2) Professional Mentor: Sgt Lars Henderson (Retired), Field Medic; Learned quite a bit about battlefield medicine and wound care under his tutelege. Gains mentor as a contact (starts at 1d6/+2 Capability).
(3) Made an Enemy: An authority figure, after causing them to lose face publicly. Enemy will attack if given the opportunity. Enemy is the Chief of Security at Matterhorn Station in the Alliance.

Reputations:

Alliance -1
Icon Syndicate +2
Greyjackets +2

Biomodifications:

Biopolymer Muscle Enhancement
Iplugs
Targeting System

Gear:

Reinforced Armored Jacket with Armored Inserts (Armor +4)
Tactical Helmet with HUD (Motion Sensor/Target Display/Thermographics/Flash Suppression)
Imperial Armories Modular Assault Weapon (MAW; Shared Ammo Source):

Ragnarok Arms "Bolt" Heavy Plasma Pistol: 3d8+3 AP2, 15/30/60, RoF1, 15 Shots, STR Min d8
(4) Light Power Cells

[Future Perfect] The Greyjackets

2010-07-19T18:42:00.002-04:00

THE GREYJACKETS

Approximately 40 years ago, the last Summit of Known Powers was held. Intended to serve as a means of fostering tolerant co-existence among the major players in faction space, the Summit was a playground for idealists, politicians, and scoundrel's alike. A young but influential Alliance, the enigmatic Kokorans, a Regency strained by civil unrest, A Coalition beginning to crumble, a Collective perhaps even stranger than the Kokorans, and the known universes largest Commercial Powers acting as one political entity all met and attempted to resolve their grievances and plan for a peaceful tomorrow. Unfortunately, every prize earned by one party takes something away from another. And it was the Coalition that lost the most during the summit; with little aid from a Regency attempting to reinvent itself as distinct from its Imperial past, the Alliance stifled all of the Coalition's outcry over how the UIC was split apart. The Summit met and ended, and everyone went their separate ways.

However, unhappy with provisions made at the Summit of Known Powers, angry individuals hailing from the Coalition and the Freespace took up arms against the Alliance. They felt the Alliance had long been sabotaging the Coalition's sociopolitical efforts as well as buying/empowering regional Warlords in the Wilds of the Freespace to use as leverage against the interests of Planet Dust. Coming mostly from the poor slums and labor camps, these people came to be called Greyjackets because of the drab, grey jackets they would tend to wear.

After a few years of Greyjacket militia's posturing, threatening, and protesting the Alliance began to grow weary of them. Beleaguered by increased hostilities from the Regency over Colonial Expansion in the Frontier, the Alliance government had enough. They placed a standing bounty out on the Greyjackets, declaring them terrorists allied with the Regency Government. Pushed into a corner, the Greyjackets respond by blowing up several key government targets on Core Beta. They state the difference between their prior actions and current ones should have been evident. But if they are to be treated as terrorists, then let them be what the Alliance has made them.

Since then, the Greyjackets have recruited heavily from among the Alliance’s own growing population of dispossessed, including ex-military men and even a few rogue mind-cops. An admixture of Coalition, Freespace, and Alliance personnel, they have succeeded where the Summit had failed - in reunifying a sundered people back under a shared vision. Indeed, they are something of folk heroes among the Dusters and the backwaters of Coalition space, said to be fighting to restore the grandeur of a reunified UIC.

Greyjackets act in small cells of four or five people and are semi-autonomous. Greyjacket leadership is secretive, mobile, and seems to excel at misdirection. For example, even one of the few known Greyjacket leaders, Ajax Stone, insists upon using only the rank of Sergeant despite commanding at least a small fleet of Greyjacket vessels. Their efforts run the gamut from promoting civil disobedience, to the promulgation of dissident literature and anti-Alliance information, to blatant piracy (against the Alliance and its allies), murder, and quick-strike attacks against civilian population centers. If nothing else, Greyjackets consider themselves to be at war with the Alliance.

[Future Perfect] Imperial Juggernaut

2010-07-17T20:09:00.008-04:00

Thus far, I have refrained from posting any Capital ships from the universe of Future Perfect. However, I decided that since I've been working on a compendium of ships, it was time that some of the heavy hitters were shown.

The Imperial Juggernaut, despite its name, is one of the smaller of such craft. Relics from the Empire in the days before the Regency, Juggernaut-class command ships formed the core of the Imperial Fleet. It possesses not only a trio of heavy pulse arrays, but a devastating spinal mounted energy cannon able to destroy nearly anything in its path. Indeed, one can see where the Coalition learned the "flying gun" principle when examining the Juggernaut class starship.

A Juggernaut always was accompanied by a small compliment of additional ships including fighters, gunships, and even cruisers.

Juggernaut, Imperial Command Ship

Manufacture: Old Imperial
Size: Gargantuan
Power: 180
Acc: 50 Top: 300 Handling: -3
FTL: Gate Key (1 Space, 1 Power), H-Space Drive (25 Power, 4 Spaces)
Crew: 100 Hull: 81 (40) (Armor 40)

Ship Systems:

Repair Facility (4 Spaces)
Ship Launch Bay 8 Small or 4 Medium vessels) (16 Spaces)
Exterior Docking Clamps (18) (9 Spaces; 1 Power; Small, Medium, Large Only)
Sickbay (4 Spaces)
Marines (6 Spaces; 60 Marines)
Enhanced Crew Facilities
Cargo Bay (4 Spaces)
Starship
Atmospheric
Computer with Basic AI (d6 Smarts, Power 10, Spaces 10): Piloting d6, Shooting d6, Knowledge (Astrogation) d6, Repair d6, Stealth d6, Notice d6, Library Data (Common Knowledge; d6), Autopilot, Target Acquisition and Control, Fire Control, and Pattern Recognition

Weapons:

(1) Spinal Mount, Beam Cannon (Damage 10d10 AP90, 30 Spaces)
(3) Imperial Armories Dual Heavy Pulse Cannon Arrays [3 Spaces, 4 Power each]: 100/200/400, 4d10 AP10, RoF3
(2) Advanced AMCM Systems (1 Space each)

Standard Compliment:

(15) Imperial ASP Fighters
(5) Imperial REPR (Reaper) Gunships (See Below)
(2) Imperial R-31 Escort Corvettes (See Below)

The obvious inspiration for the Alliance’s Orca class Gunship, the Reaper (so-called for its functions of Reconnoiter, Engage, Pursue, and Report) was a tried and true warhorse among the old Imperial fleet. The Imperium stopped making the Reaper during the time of the UIC secessionist movement – not because it was obsolete, but because it was said to be Ozkar Rheingold’s favorite light warship and the Imperium feared a war against one of their top military commanders. Some Reapers remain in service in faction space, though most of them have been acquired by mercenary companies and Freespace warlords.

REPR, Reaper-Class Gunship

Manufacture: Old Imperial
Size: Medium, Heavy
Power: 32
Acc: 145 Top: 720 Handling: +0
FTL: Gate Beacon, H-Space Lock
Crew: 5 Hull: 35 (15) (Armor 15)

Ship Systems:

Starship
Atmospheric
Basic Computer System (Auto Pilot, Target Acquisition/Control, Fire Control, Information Library: Knowledge [Astrogation] & Knowledge [Common Starships])
Marines (10; 1 Space, 1 Power)
Gateway Beacon (1 Power)
H-Space Lock (1 Space; 1 Power)
(2) External Docking Clamps (1 Space; Small Only)

Weapons:

(3) Predator Medium Torpedoes [1 Space each; 1 Power to Fire any number of torpedoes]: 300/600/1200; Tracking (Range 4800); Speed 1200; 5d10 AP50; Medium Burst
(2) Imperial Armories Dual Heavy Pulse Cannon Array [3 Spaces each, 4 Power]: 100/200/400, 4d10 AP10, RoF3
(1) Advanced AMCM
(6) Additional Torpedoes (1 Space)

The classic R-31 design was a mainstay among the Empire’s fleet for nearly four hundred years, pairing suppressive fire capable, high yield pulse cannons with heavy armor and fair acceleration. The R-31 Corvette (or Light Cruiser) often ran escort for freighters and larger frigates, including command vessels, and offered fire support for deployed fighter craft. A small cargo hold and several fire teams of Imperial marines made the R-31 excellent for fast attack and boarding actions as well as for system security – roles not lost on the many enterprising pirate clans and criminal ventures who acquired more than a few decommissioned R-31s.

The Coalition’s Desperado Escort Cruiser is an update to this design offering additional weapons and acceleration, though some suggest that the replacing the two pulse cannon arrays with three independent beam cannons is no improvement at all. However, the change only was made due to Imperial Armories remaining within the Regency; the Desperado’s weapons easily could be swapped.

R-31, Imperial Escort Corvette

Manufacture: Old Imperial
Size: Large
Power: 40
Acc: 110 Top: 600 Handling: -1
FTL: Gate Beacon (1 Power)
Crew: 10 Hull: 54 (26) [Armor 26]

Ship Systems:

Basic Computer System (Auto Pilot, Target Acquisition/Control, Fire Control, Information Library: Knowledge [Military Vessels], Knowledge [Civilian Vessels], Knowledge [Planets/Colonies], Passive Scanners)
Starship
Marines (20; +2 Spaces)
Cargo (2 Spaces)

Weapons:

(2) Imperial Armories Heavy TriPulse Cannon Arrays [5 Spaces, 7 Power each, Turret Mounted]: 100/200/400, 4d12 AP10, RoF3
(2) Advanced AMCM [1 Space each]

[Future Perfect] Bugbear Light Bomber

2010-06-28T21:54:00.002-04:00

0G-B2A Bugbear, Light Bomber

Manufacture: Zero-G Innovations
Size: Small, Heavy
Power: 13
Acc: 180 Top: 1080 Handling: +1
FTL: H-Space Lock (1 Power)
Crew: 2 Hull: 18 (6) [Armor 6]

Ship Systems:

Basic Computer with Autopilot, Target Acquisition/Control System, Pattern Recognition
Starship
Atmospheric (Climb: 45)

Weapons:

(1) Quad Light Beam Cannon Array [2 Spaces, 4 Power]: 100/200/400; 4d12 AP6; RoF1
(4) Predator Medium Torpedo Bays [1 Space each; 1 Power to Fire any number of torpedoes]: 300/600/1200; Tracking (Range 4800); Speed 1200; 5d10 AP50; Medium Burst
(12) Additional Torpedoes (2 Spaces)

[Future Perfect] Silverlight Freighter

2010-06-21T00:59:00.005-04:00

Perhaps the most common bulk freighter handling runs between gated systems in Faction space, the Silverlight has dozens of subtle variations. Some faction governments have their own preferred variations, but the most common designs find use among small and large business ventures alike. With a massive cargo capacity and docking capabilities for its own support craft over long hauls, the Silverlight is simply a classic design with exceptional utilitarian value.

Silverlight, Bulk Heavy Freighter

Manufacture: Generic
Size: Huge
Power: 63
Acc: 75 Top: 450 Handling: -2
FTL: Gate Key (1 Space; 1 Power)
Crew: 30 Hull: 55 (30) (Armor 30)

Ship Systems:

Cargo Bay (30 Spaces)
Repair Facility (2 Spaces)
Ship Launch Bay (2 Small or 1 Medium vessels) (4 Spaces)
Exterior Docking Clamps (4) (2 Space; 1 Power; Small or Medium Only)
Starship
Computer with Basic AI (d6 Smarts, Power 8, Spaces 8): Piloting d6, Shooting d6, Knowledge (Games) d6, Knowledge (Astrogation) d6, Repair d6, Library Data (Common Knowledge; d6), Autopilot, Target Acquisition and Control, Fire Control, and Pattern Recognition
Enhanced Crew Facilities

Weapons:

(2) Heavy Beam Cannons [3 Spaces, 3 Power]: 100/200/400, 4d10 AP10

[Future Perfect] FANG Class Starfighter

2010-06-19T22:00:00.004-04:00

FANG is the generic name for any starfighter mounting twin, light rail guns. Most Fangs are made individually or in small numbers by independent parties. A generally underpowered power supply compared to most military craft is not a hindrance due to the low power consumption of Railgun technology, and often affords a hobbyist or weapons engineer a little wiggle room when customizing the vessel. Most commonly, a simple anti missile counter measure system is added, though it is not uncommon to see reinforced hulls or even improved thrusters in stead.

FANG, Starfighter

Manufacture: Generic
Size: Small
Power: 10
Acc: 200 Top: 1200 Handling: +1
FTL: None
Crew: 1 Hull: 10 (4) [Armor 4]

Ship Systems:

Computer with Autopilot and Targeting Control System
Starship
Atmospheric

Weapons:

(2) Light Rail Guns [2 Spaces, 1 Power]: 200/400/800; 3d8 AP12; RoF1
(1) AMCM (1 Space)

[Future Perfect] Freightrunners

2010-06-18T01:46:00.006-04:00

Freightrunner is the common term for a light freighter designed to get in and out of somewhere fast. Well armed and often armored, Freightrunners tend to have flexible designs to reflect the needs of quite diverse clientèle. From corporate extractions to local deliveries to quasi-legal smuggling rushes, a Freightrunner has to be one of the most useful vehicles out there. Weapon systems and some specialty functions are easily changed to suit whatever greater purpose the Freightunner may serve. The pair of ships shown below are examples of the more popular vessel's of this type.

AF-21 Assault Freighter

Manufacture: Ragnarok Arms (Interzone)
Size: Medium, Heavy
Power: 30
Acc: 160 Top: 720 Handling: +0
FTL: Gate Beacon
Crew: 5 Hull: 35 (15) (Armor 15)

Ship Systems:

Cargo Bay (4 Spaces)
Starship
Atmospheric
Basic Computer System (Auto Pilot, Target Acquisition/Control, Fire Control, Knowledge [Common Starships])
Gate Beacon

Weapons:

(2) Ragnarok Arms 4-Pack MkII HEX Cannon Arrays [4 Spaces, 8 Power each]: 100/200/400; 5d12+10 AP8; Small Burst Template; RoF1
(1) Ragnarok Arms AMCM System (+1 to Rolls; 1 Space)

FR-07 Ogre

Manufacture: Collective
Size: Medium, Heavy
Power: 30
Acc: 120 Top: 720 Handling: +0
FTL: Gate Beacon, Collective H-Space Drive
Crew: 5 Hull: 35 (15) (Armor 15)

Ship Systems:

Cargo Bay (6 Spaces)
Passenger Bay (1 Space)
Starship
Atmospheric
Basic Computer System (Auto Pilot, Target Acquisition/Control, Fire Control, Knowledge [Popular Entertainment], Knowledge [Astrogation])
Collective H-Space Drive (4 Power, 1 Space)
Workshop (Repair Facility) (2 Space)

Weapons:

(1) Heavy Beam Cannon [3 Spaces, 3 Power]; 100/200/400, 4d10 AP10
(4) Micromissile Packs [1 Space each, 1 Power, 4 Shots per Pack]; 200/400/600; 4d6 AP6; Small Burst Template

[Future Perfect] Emissary Secure Frigate

2010-06-17T06:36:00.003-04:00

A newer starship design, the Alliance's Emissary-class Secure Transport Frigate is intended for long range, safe transport. A military vessel, most Emissary class ships have found use in the transit of military criminals or in the delivery of important officials into a hot zone. Like others in the Alliances newest crop of star ships, the Emissary sports an advanced AI system capable of running nearly all aspects of the ship at once, if necessary.

Emissary Class Long-Range Secure Transport Frigate (Base 2, LS7, Computer 11)

Manufacture: Alliance
Size: Large, Heavy
Power: 56
Acc: 90 Top: 540 Handling: -1
FTL: Gate Key, Alliance H-Space Drive
Crew: 20 Hull: 40 (28) (Armor 28)

Ship Systems:

Advanced Computer System (d8 AI; 6 Spaces); (Automated Functions: Piloting, Gunnery, Security, Investigation, Hacking, Medical, Repair, KS: Astrogation), Accessories (Any reasonable accessories).
Starship
Atmospheric
Troopers (20 Marines) [2 Power]
Security Cells (12 High Security Cells) [4 Power]
Medical Bay [1 Power]
Exterior Docking Clamps (2) (1 Power; Small or Medium Only)
Gateway Key (2 Power)
Alliance H-Space Drive (9 Power)
Alliance Sensor Suite (+2 Notice)
Enhanced Crew/Marine Quarters (Factored into LS Cost)

Weapons:

(3) Twilight Gunworks Heavy Double Beam Cannon Arrays [3 Spaces, 5 Power, each]: 125/250/500, 5d12 AP10
(1) AMCM System

[FUTURE PERFECT] Bioaugmentation

2010-05-28T18:04:00.003-04:00

What follows is the ruleset for Bioaugmentations in Future Perfect. The list of available options is by no means exhaustive, and was intended only to give an idea of what is available for characters. I have also not included Costs, simply because they may vary from campaign.

BIOAUGMENTATION

Deliberate alterations to the human body for the purposes of cosmetic or enhanced functionality are called Bioaugmentations. These differ from mutations in that they are changes made with little impact on the human genome. Cybernetics involves the implanting of machine technologies to artificially augment (and sunder) what is humanly possible, but it does so through the use of tools – microscopic ones perhaps, but tools nonetheless. Even Bioenhancements simply seek to extend human capabilities to their maximum, whereas mutations redefine them entirely. Some folks do, however, skirt the line between human and something more.

Bioaugmentation as a result of deliberate alterations to body physiology and/or function that leaves no discernable causal agent is termed “Bioenhancement”. In general, if an augmentation cannot be removed from a character, it is usually of this type.

Bioaugmentation as a result of implanted materials and systems that remain relatively unchanged within the human body are referred to by the term “Cyberware”. In short, if an augmentation can be removed from the character, it is generally of this type.

Almost every type of bioaugmentation has a listed Alteration Value in points. A character may have a total number of Bioaugmentations (including cyberware) valuing not more than half of the lower of their Spirit or Vigor dice, plus 2, before they begin to exhibit complications. This value is called their Bio-Threshold, and should be considered a new Derived Statistic. Attributes use only their natural value, and not their augmented one, when determining Bio-Threshold.

For Example: Nick Nasty has a Spirit of d8 and a Vigor of d10. He has to use the lower of these characteristics (his Spirit) when determining how many points of Bioaugmentations he may take before becoming compromised. Thus, Nick Nasty has a Biothreshold of 6.

The nature of these complications vary from individual to individual, but are caused by a multitude of factors, including the body’s rejection of foreign materials, changes to an individuals psyche due to the formation of new identity constructs, and latent genetic instabilities. When a character's total Alteration Value exceeds their Bio-Threshold, these complications are noted as an equal value of Hindrances.

BIOENHANCEMENTS

Bioaugmentation as a result of deliberate alterations to body physiology and/or function that leaves no discernable causal agent is termed “Bioenhancement”. In general, if an augmentation cannot be removed from a character, it is usually of this type.

Some people call them forced mutations, others call them controlled biogenic manipulations. Either way, Bioenhancements are a popular – if expensive – means of enhancing human capability with little risk of genetic instability or the stigma (and mechanical limitations) of cybernetic implantation. Bioenhancements are natural, in the sense that they are made to occur within a person’s own body, without having to implant machines or graft synthetic materials. The downside to Bioenhancements is the increased likelihood of introducing genetic instability. While not so prominant a feature as with Mutates who have clearly crossed over certain genetic boundaries, Bioenhanced characters are pushing their biological limits, keeping within “safe” constraints, though in some cases, only barely.

BIOENHANCEMENT OPTIONS

[0 pts] Limb / Body Part Replacements: Limb Replacements and other body parts use cloned tissue from the host in order to restore what was lost.

[3 pts] Cognitive Repatterning: +1 to Smarts and Smarts Skill Rolls

[3 pts] MCS (Motor/Coordination Sequencing): +1 to Agility and Agility Skill Rolls

[2 pts] Defensive Reflex Response Increase: +1 Parry

[3 pts] Biosystem Refinement: +1 to all Vigor Rolls

[2 pts] Decreased Trauma Sensitivity: +1 Toughness

[1 pt] Neuromuscular Locking: Character can remain perfectly steady; +1 to any skill rolls where such steadyiness is relevant (for example: Surgury, Disabling a Bomb, Resisting the Wind during a Climb, partially negating unstable platform penalties, etc).

[1 pt] Perfect Balance: Negate up to four points of penalties to Agility rolls due to narrow of difficult terrain; Character may make an Agility roll to negate the movement penalties over such terrain.

[1 pt] Eidetic Memory: Character can remember even the smallest of details, provided he makes a Smarts roll.

[3 pts] Equilibrium Response Mechanisms: +1 to Spirit and Spirit Skill Rolls

[1 pt] Lowlight Vision Upgrade: Lowlight Vision

[1 pt] Hyper-Efficient Endurance: +2 to Resist being Fatigued

[1-2 pts] Multi-Ambulation Muscular Enhancements (MAME):

(1) +2 Pace, +1 Leaping
(2) Fleetfooted, +2 Leaping

[2 pts] Digestive Dietary Upgrade: Character can extract nutrients from nearly anything he can ingest, including garbage, biopolymers, and even soil.

[2 pts] Respiratory Refinement: Character needs only to make a vigor roll every 10 minutes he/she is unable to breathe.

[1 pt] Offensive Bone Spurs: Body Weapon, Str+1d4

CYBERNETICS & CYBERWARE

Bioaugmentation as a result of implanted materials and systems that remain relatively unchanged within the human body are referred to by the term “Cyberware”. In short, if an augmentation can be removed from the character, it is generally of this type.

CYBERNETIC OPTIONS:

[2 Pts] Full Limb Replacement: Normal STR, Any Appearance; Implanted System Total Cost is halved; Implants only affect Limb; Matching limbs cost half for each additional limb; Paired systems on matching limbs have Total Cost halved yet again. Modular limbs that may be swapped as needed cost an additional point.

[1pt] Hand Replacement: Normal STR, Any Appearance; Implanted System Total Cost is halved; Implants only affect Limb; Paired systems on matching limbs have Total Cost halved. Modular limbs that may be swapped as needed cost an additional point. Cybernetic Hands may have no more than 3 AV points of implants.

[0 pt] Eye Replacement (Simply to restore vision)
Optical Enhancements:

[1 pt] Lowlight Vision: Character can see normally in all but total darkness.
[1 pt] Infravision: Character sees heat sources, and halves all penalties imposed by darkness.
[1 pt] Telescopic Vision: Negates up to four points of penalties for range.
[1 pt] Microscopic Vision: Negates up to four points of penalties for size.
[1 pt] OES (Optical Equilibrium System): Character gains a +4 to all attempts to resist being blinded or dazed due to optic stimuli.
[1 pt] Internal Systems Display: The Status of any implanted cybersystem is superimposed over character’s normal vision.

[2 pts] IPlugs: Any number of plugs; No more than Half Smarts Die in concurrent links may be active at one time. Character may link to pluggable devices including vehicles, weapons, computers, etc.

[2 pts] Neural Multiprocessor: Character is considered +1 Die type to Smarts for the purposes of Iplug and Skillware Connections; May perform distinct tasks with independent cyber systems at the same time.

[1 pt] Certified Neurostorage System: Character may hold one standard data unit of information in their brain. The information is not something that is accessible the user without the use of Iplugs (yes, it means a character whould have to rig his own brain to stream the data).

[2 pts] Biopolymer Muscle Enhancements: +1 Strength Die

[2 pts] Bio-Tuning and Organ Enhancements: +1 Vigor Die

[2 pts] Skeletal Reinforcement: +1 Toughness

[1 pts] Dermal Reinforcement: +1 Armor

[2 pts] Body Plating: +2 Armor, Visible unless covered

[1 pt] Joint Replacements: +2 to Agility based Grappling, Escape, or Contortion Rolls

[2 pts] Implanted Gyroscopic Balance with BioFiber Grafting: +2 to Pace

[1 pt] Retrograde Knee Joints: Character is a -1 Pace while walking and takes a -1 to all Climbing rolls, but gains +2 to Pace while running, and 2” of leaping with a running start.

[3+ pts] Skillware Chipset: 2 Points for Skill System, +1 pt per Maximum Skill Value, Able to use one Skill Chip with system, plus any available iPlug slots. Cannot exceed Smarts Die in Chip Value (Max d8) and subject to same concurrent system limits as IPlugs (no more than 1/2 Smarts Die in multiprocessing).

[Var] Body Weaponry - Assumes Weapons are retractable. Subtract one from the cost if they are not.

(2 pts) Str+1d4 Damage
(3 pts) Str+1d6 or Str+1d4 AP1
(4 pts) Str+1d8 or Str+1d6 AP1
(5 pts) Str+1d8 AP1

[2 pts] Shock Dispersion Dampers: +4 to Resist being “Stunned” by Stun Weapons, the Stun Power, or a similar source.

[1 pts] Nano-Purification System: +2 to rolls resisting the effects of toxins

[2 pts] Nano-Repair System: Character may make a Natural Healing roll once per Day.

[4 pts] Advanced Nano-Repair System: Character may make a Natural Healing roll once per Hour.

[1-2 pts] Bio-Compartment - Character has a hidden compartment in their body.

(1 pt) Can fit something concealable in palm of one’s hand.
(2 pts) Can fit something concealable in one’s pocket.

[3 pts] Secondary Shoulder Mount (Requires Skeletal Reinforcement): Character’s torso has been augmented to support a second set of shoulders capable of mounting two cyberlimbs. Any limb so mounted is automatically considered to be Modular, and need not pay for that advantage.

[1 pt] External Power Mount: May power a cyber system with a normal power cell; must define what system(s) the power cell may be used to power.

[4* pts] Implanted Jump-Pack: Fly, with 20 Power Points per Day (Standard cycle charge). *May be split over the cost of two matched cyberlimbs if desired, or mounted on a secondary shoulder mounts for only 3 points if no additional limbs are being attached.

[4 pts] Implanted Defensive Screen: Deflection, with 20 Power Points per Day (Standard cycle charge); No roll for power effect, double point expense increases the effect to -4.

[4 pts] Implanted Ranged Weapon, Choose from among the following:

Blaster System: Bolt, 20 Power Points per Day (Standard cycle charge)
Pulse Grenade System: Blast, 20 Power Points per Day (Standard Cycle Charge)
Flamer: Burst, 20 Power Points per Day (Standard Cycle Charge)
Stickyball Restraint System: Entangle, 20 Power Points per Day (Standard Cycle Charge)
Stunner: Stun, 20 Power Points per Day (Standard Cycle Charge)

[5 pts] Implanted Force Projector: Barrier, with 20 Power Points per Day (Standard cycle charge); Maximum effect is 3 contiguous inches, enough to encircle character entirely or create a decent wall of force. Multiple barriers cannot be made; new barriers supercede the old ones.

[0 pts] Cosmetic Wear: Any cybersystem that affects how one looks, but not how one works or operates is purely cosmetic in nature. Cosmetic Wear has no intrinsic complication value.

[2 pts] Targeting System: Character gains a +1 bonus to Shooting and Throwing rolls if the Targetting system is appropriately connected to an Optic System, Cyberoptic IDS, or similar device. Character gains an additional +1 bonus to Shooting rolls when linked (via IPlugs) to a properly rigged weapon.

[1] Enhancement Systems: This is a generalized type of Cyberware that accounts for cybersystems that enhance the usage of normal skills by providing a bonus to the skill roll. Enhancement systems differ from Skillware in that they augment a character's own skills and abilities, whereas Skillware Chips create "false" skills that supersede a character's own capabilities. The player and GM should decide what a particular system is and how it works; combat skills should not be purchased as Enhancement Systems. An enhancement system may grant up to a +2 bonus to the rolls of one skill, if/when appropriate.

BIOAUGMENTATION EDGES

Enhancement happy characters aren’t left totally out in the cold – two new edges exist to help characters manage additional bioaugmentations.

Bioattunement (Spirit d6 or Vigor d6): A character with this edge has an easier time managing the psychological and physiological impact of cybernetic implants, grafts, and bioaugmentation. The Bioattunement Edge allows a character to use the higher of their Spirit or Vigor, plus an additional point, to determine their Bio-Threshold value.

Improved Bioattunement (Bioattunement, Seasoned): This Edge allows a character two additional points of augmentation (it grants +2 to Bio-Threshold) before complications begin to arise. Improved Bioattunement may be taken once per rank after Seasoned.

[CLOCKWORK SUNRISE] - WTF?

2010-05-15T10:04:00.005-04:00

I've been updating tons of Future Perfect material over at the Obsidian Portal site, but I wanted to try something new. I remembered some chit chat from a while back involving One-Sheets, you know, those nifty short adventures that generally are playable in a single session but are nonetheless complete unto themselves. That got me thinking about some other comments made by fellow Savages -- One Sheet Settings.

What a novel idea! A whole setting -- a playable setting -- outlined on one, double-sided page. Well... I applaud anyone who can work with such brevity and still produce anything complete, sensible, or possessed of any real value. At one sheet, I'd produced a couple of fair ideas, but it was basically a 1500 word lump of poop. SO... I went on to two sheets. Well, that was a little better, but I'd shrunk my font down so tiny, I was going blind. So I enlarged the font and expanded the text only slightly. And Woot! A two and a half (almost three) sheet setting was born.

And so, I am going to share the fruits of my misadventure with you, the Savage Community at large. What you will see is just a draft copy, one which I think I'll expand to the full three sheets by adding a map and possibly some more player information (regarding the local economy and social strata, I reckon).

Anyway, I present "Clockwork Sunrise", a kind of darkly steam (arguably diesel-)punk microsetting that was influenced very heavily by the movies "9" and "Silent Hill" with a little bit of the old Tribe 8 RPG thrown into the mix.

Download - [CLOCKWORK SUNRISE PDF]

[FUTURE PERFECT] Turning Points & More

2010-04-30T18:12:00.015-04:00

I've had the Turning Points background generation system for Future Perfect done for a while, but had no real means to post it. Now, though, I am finally going to offer put it up on the blog. The system itself is simple enough. Characters have three major turning points in their lives prior to the events of the game, and these events are loosely generated by a few rolls on a handful of tables. Why three? It seemed like a good number since the system may give characters a couple of freebies (or smack them around a bit), and I didn't want character to be broken before even being played. Three turning point events can be broken down easily enough; the simplest in my opinion is to have them represent the end of childhood, the end of adolescence, and the characters realization of his own adulthood. Young or Old characters (with the Hindrances to back 'em up) have less or more turning points, respectively.

Not all results are good, though many are, and most of the system is integrated with the Contact Generation system and Reputation system from prior posts, though the latter has been updated slightly over at Obsidian Portal.

I've scrapped an old game site of mine so I can serve links to PDF files (I hope it works), and I've posted the playtest versions of the Future Perfect Background Paths, Contact Record Sheet, and Character Record Sheet in addition to the Turning Point background generation system. Just click the link above the image and it should go right to the PDF document.

[TURNING POINTS SYSTEM]

[BACKGROUND PATHS]

[CONTACT RECORD SHEET]

[FUTURE PERFECT CHARACTER SHEET]

[Future Perfect] Gunships

2010-04-23T21:12:00.003-04:00

Designed for long range assault and boarding actions, the Orca packs enough torpedoes to take down or disable much larger vessels. Unlike most other Alliance vessels built to suit multiple purposes, the Orca is made for one task – War. And it excels at its mission.

Orca Assault Gunship

Manufacture: Alliance
Size: Medium, Heavy
Power: 30 (Base 1, LS 4, Computer 1)
Acc: 120 Top: 720 Handling: +0
FTL: Gate Beacon, Alliance H-Space Drive
Crew: 7 Hull: 35 (15) (Armor 15)

Ship Systems:

Troopers (20 Marines) [2 Space; 2 Power]
Starship
Atmospheric (Climb: )
Basic Computer System (Auto Pilot, Target Acquisition/Control, Fire Control, Information Library: Knowledge [Astrogation] & Knowledge [Common Starships])
Gateway Beacon (1 Power)
Alliance H-Space Drive (1 Space; 4 Power)
Cargo (1 Spaces)
Advanced Guidance Control (+2 to hit with Missiles with a Target Lock; 1 Space; 1 Power)

Weapons:

(2) Predator Medium Torpedo [1 Space; 1 Power to Fire any number of torpedoes]: 300/600/1200; Tracking (Range 4800); Speed 1200; 5d10 AP50; Medium Burst
(2) Heavy Missile Racks [2 Spaces; 1 Power; 4 Shots]: 250/500/1000; 6d6 AP12; RoF1-4
(1) Twilight Gunworks Medium Pulse Cannon Array [2 Cannons, 2 Spaces, 3 Power]: 125/250/500, 3d10 AP8, RoF2
(1) Advanced AMCM
(6) Additional Torpedoes (1 Space)
(16) Heavy Missiles (2 Spaces)

A generic gunship used for security and short run pursuit within planetary systems. Often used on tasks where the end result is a boarding action.

In-System Security and Pursuit Gunship

Manufacture: Generic
Size: Medium
Power: 25 (1 Base, LS 6, Computer 1)
Acc: 165 Top: 900 Handling: +0
FTL: None
Crew: 5 Hull: 28(13)(Armor 13)

Ship Systems:

Troopers (10 Marines) [1 Space; 1 Power]
Security Brig (6 Cells) [2 Spaces; 2 Power]
Starship
Atmospheric (Climb: 41)
Basic Computer System (Auto Pilot, Target Acquisition/Control, Fire Control, Information Library: Knowledge [Pirate Vessels] & Knowledge [Common Starships])

Weapons:

(1) Tractor Beam [2 Spaces, 4 Power]: Light – Small Craft Only
(1) Heavy Mass Driver [3 Spaces, 2 Power]: 100/200/400; 6d8 AP8; RoF1

[Future Perfect] Talon Gunship

2010-04-22T20:31:00.003-04:00

One of the great successes among the vessels designed by the Merchant Clans, the Talon Gunship is a fast pursuit vehicle able to generate speeds in short bursts that nearly equal much smaller fighter craft. The ship is equipped with heavy armor, potent weaponry, and a tractor beam. Furthermore, most Talon's carry a full compliment of fighting men ready for boarding actions. The ship also is designed to provide adequate living space for the crew for long term residence, a feature quite often taken advantage of by the clans. The vessel's only real downside is it's poor handling and maneuverability, much of which was sacrificed for the ability to rapidly accelerate in a straight run.

Talon Pursuit Gunship

Manufacture: Pirate Clans
Size: Medium, Heavy
Power: 28 (Base 1, LS 4, Computer 1)
Acc: 168 Top: 720 Handling: -1
FTL: Gate Beacon
Crew: 5 Hull: 36 (18) (Armor 18)

Ship Systems:

Troopers (10 Marines) [1 Space; 1 Power]
Starship
Atmospheric (Climb: 34)
Basic Computer System (Auto Pilot, Target Acquisition/Control, Fire Control, Information Library: Knowledge [Astrogation] & Knowledge [Common Starships])
Gateway Beacon (1 Power)
Cargo (4 Spaces)
Enhanced Crew Quarters (Calculated in LS Power Costs)

Weapons:

(1) Tractor Beam [4 Spaces, 6 Power]: Medium – Light/Medium Craft Only
(1) Twin Mass-Driver Array (Heavy; 3 Spaces, 3 Power): 100/200/400; 6d10 AP8; RoF1

[House Rule] Concealability

2010-04-18T19:10:00.004-04:00

Taken from the assorted rules I've added into my Future Perfect setting, I decided the Concealability rules were suitably generic and may as well be posted on this blog for public consumption.

They offer a light set of guidelines for implementing bonuses and penalties to opposed Notice/Stealth roles or static Notice rolls or similar skill tests involving spotting a concealed object or weapon. In Future Perfect, a weapon's concealability is listed among its defining attributes, however, on can simply go by the general size of an object just as well to keep things loose.

CONCEALABILITY

In many cases, questions of how easy or difficult to conceal a weapon or piece of equipment will arise. In the case of weapons, a concealability rating is assigned to indicate under what conditions a weapon in question may be efficiently concealed. The rating for weapons corresponds generally to size and bulk.

The Concealability Value itself indicates where a weapon may be concealed without penalty versus a casual observer at range (GMs discretion, likely around 12”).

Discerning a properly concealed weapon requires a Raise on a Notice roll at that range. At close range (within 2”), the following modifiers to opposed Notice rolls apply:

(-2) Tiny / Palm
(+0) Small / Jacket
(+2) Medium / Long Coat or Robe
(+4) Large / Not Concealable

These modifiers should be applied in addition to other bonuses or penalties that would affect Notice rolls normally. Characters of larger than normal size should reduce the listed numbers by half the large character’s Size value.

Concealability is intended to present a set of general guidelines for GMs and players; the needs of the game and the circumstances of the situation at hand should dictate how or if these rules are even applied.

[Future Perfect] Contacts!

2010-04-14T16:47:00.003-04:00

Starting Contacts:

Contacts are as varied as any other character, and may range in power and ability from the most inept to those with truly masterful capabilities. The more potent a contact is, the more that contact costs to acquire. Starting player characters should consider wisely how they spend their initial contact points – spending them all on myriad one point, essentially inept contacts may not be the best choice. Similarly, spending all of one’s points on a single, very potent ally could leave the character overly focused – especially if his actions make that ally into a convenient target for his enemies. Most of the time, it is best to stick to a few contacts of different values and focuses.

Much like a normal character would have, contacts have a number of characteristics. Most of these characteristics act as a kind of short-hand so that each does not have to be built as a complete character. Instead, the contact system is designed so that the Game Master and the Players can take in all the appropriate information they need with only a quick glance at the contact record sheet. The GM may decide to keep full stats on hand anyway, but it shouldn’t be necessary unless the character is a regularly appearing NPC.

Starting Contact Points:

Characters begin play with a number of contact points equal to either their Spirit die or Streetwise skill, whichever is higher. Additional contact points may be gained from Edges, Hindrances, and Background Turning Points. Similarly, certain Hindrances and Turning Points will reduce a character’s starting points of contacts.

The following guidelines apply when determining a character’s starting pool of contacts:

Edges and Hindrances that modify a character’s Charisma value in most or all circumstances apply that modifier to starting contact points.
Edges and Hindrances that modify a character’s Charisma in particular, but not most (or all) circumstances apply half their modifiers to starting contact points.
Beginning play with the following Edges grants an additional two points of contacts for each of these Edges taken: Rich, Filthy Rich, Command, Noble, and Natural Leader.
The Connections Edge grants a starting contact point pool equal to the sum of the character’s Spirit die and Streetwise skill, instead of just the higher of the two. This edge also provides an additional five contact points each time it is taken after the first.
The Wanted and Delusional Hindrances reduce a starting character’s contact points by one if taken as a Major Hindrance.

If for some reason the character’s total contact points are reduced below zero, then the character should apply a point of Negative Reputation to their character. The scope of the Reputation is determined by the amount of negative contact points: 1-3 points (small/local group), 4-6 points (medium/regional group), 7-9 points (large/system wide group), 10+ points (major faction).

Contacts cost 1 point to acquire at the basic contact level, reflecting a generally inept character – essentially, the contact is just some guy the player character knows. A basic contact has the following characteristics:

Availability: +0
Capability: d4/+1 [with a single Trait, see below]
Influence: +0

Luckily, contacts may be improved with additional contact points. Such improvements cost 1 point per step of increase, and no attribute may be increased by more than five steps. Furthermore, Traits may be added at a cost of 1 point each, with no limit on how many points may be so allocated. The following improvements are allowed:

Improving Availability by +1 (Max +5)
Improving Capability by a die type/+1 (Max d12+1/+6)
Improving Influence by +1 (Max +5)
Adding a Trait to Capability (No Max)
Adding a Trait to Influence (No Max)

Starting contacts have a single Trait to define the nature of their Capabilities. More advanced contacts will also gain Influence traits; provided a contact has at least a +1 Influence, he gains an Influence trait that corresponds to each Capability trait listed for the contact.

Once a contact is built to the satisfaction of the player and the game master, it should be recorded on the contact record sheet.

Contact Characteristics:

Name: The contact’s name or the alias by which the contact is known to the player character

Occupation: What the contact does for a living / how the contact spends his time.

Location: Where the contact may be found.

Allegiances: The factions and organizations to which the character is allied or loyal.

Attributes: Availability, Capability, and Influence.

Availability: The likelihood of the contact to be available or willing to help if asked. Availability represents how busy the contact is, how hard he may be to find, and how close a relationship the contact has with the player character. The value of this Attribute is a bonus applied to any rolls to determine if this contact may be reached or called into play.

Capability: How skilled and effective the contact is at what he does, it reflects the contact’s general skill level as well as how reliable he is. The value of this Attribute is both a die type and bonus number. The die is the contact’s die to determine any success with his applicable traits and general abilities related to his occupation. The bonus is applied to the player characters rolls when working in tandem with that contact on a long term project.

Influence: How influential the contact is within the general world, and the intensity of those resources he can bring to bear in order to get what he wants. The value of this Attribute is a bonus to rolls usable when the contact is exerting his influence or drawing on his own contacts and resources to benefit the player character.

Traits: The defining foci of the contact’s attributes, illustrating the nature of his abilities. Traits may be split into two types, Capability Traits and Influence Traits. Capability Traits are much like regular skills, and should depict the nature of the contact’s abilities. Influence Traits correspond to Capability Traits, denoting how much influence and resources the contact has in order to reach his goals within each particular sphere. Influence Traits tend to be more social and economic and scope.

Cost: The cost for each Attribute, with added Traits included.

Notes: Any additional information that seems important to know about the contact.

Gaining New Contacts:

Player Characters will gain and lose contacts over the course of a campaign. New contacts may be acquired through one or more of the following methods:

The Game Master assigns a new contact to the player, without cost, because of something which occurred in the course of game play.
Improving the character’s Streetwise skill, grants the character the point difference between the current value and starting contact point value.
Gaining new Edges that affect a character’s Charisma value grant additional contact points equal to the amount of the listed bonus.
Taking the Connections Edge for the first time allows the character to increase the size of his contact pool by the difference between his current contact point value and the sum of his Spirit Die and Streetwise Skill.
Taking the Connections Edge additional times provides five new contact points to allocate each time that Edge is purchased.
Taking any of the following Edges grants an additional contact point for each of these Edges taken: Rich, Filthy Rich, Command, Noble.

If the game is one in which the players are granted significant control over the game world and the events that occur, then the game master should consider allowing experience points to be spent on added contact points. In these instances:

Spending one experience point earns the character three contact points.

Any contact points gained during the course of a campaign do not cancel any earlier reputation penalties if the character gained negative reputation for having a negative contact point value.

Losing Contacts:

Some contacts likely will be lost during a campaign. They may die, be betrayed by the character, or be otherwise inaccessible for a host of possible reasons. Characters do not regain any points for contacts that are lost through game play. Those contacts are lost, and the points are gone. The only exception to this situation is those cases where a GM decides that a contact has become so ubiquitous in the game that it should be treated like a fully recurring, friendly NPC. In those cases, the GM may decide to filter some, or all, of that contact’s value in points back to the character to reallocate among new contacts.

Advancing Contacts:

Contacts should not be improved often, except when the story indicates such an improvement is warranted. There are two methods which may be used, depending on the amount of influence the player’s themselves have over the game. In most situations where the Game Master defines the world, contacts should simply be adjusted as necessary, and the changes recorded on the appropriate player’s contact record sheet.

In games where the players have a lot of control or influence in shaping the game world, any earned contact points may be usable to improve contacts in the same manner as new contacts are gained. In most cases, the Game Master still should approve or deny any request to improve a contact to insure the changes are appropriate to the game.

Contact or NPC:

Sometimes a contact is used so often that it becomes a common point of reference and support for the player. As a general guideline, if a contact becomes well known to more than one character in the party and is encounter with an increasing level of frequency, the contact should be converted to a complete non-player character. This better reflects the notion that the person is accessible not just as one character’s contact, but may respond favorably to all or most of the party.

[Future Perfect] Core Concepts

2010-04-10T15:56:00.002-04:00

The folks over at the Apathy Games blog had some nice things to say about my Future Perfect material... unfortunately they said it back in January and I only saw it last week. UGH!

Anyway, they commented that I never articulated Future Perfect's core concepts. And they were correct! I did no such thing. Why? Well, that's because this blog has been more of a design log, mostly notes and information as I get around to posting what I'm developing for my upcoming home campaign. However, I apologize to those few readers who may have wondered precisely what Future Perfect was supposed to be, aside from some flavor of Space Opera.

I gave the the Apathy Games crew a short answer:

Thanks for the positive comments about Future Perfect! I wish I'd seen this post back when it was posted! Since i'm the guy writing it, I'm happy to see that at least someone knows it exists. As for your comments... The blog is more design notes than a complete game; I've been developing the game to the point where I am about to playtest the first plotpoint campaign. The primary concept is effectively a dark space opera in which humanity itself -- scattered across space and connected (in part) only via stellar Gateways -- stands at the precipice of the future. Humanity's own past is a fabrication, individuals are poised at the brink of evolving past anything or anyone recognizably human, and the notion of identity itself has become something fluid and possibly meaningless. In short, the game is post-cyberpunk, trans-humanist, and focuses on attitude and character development. Unlike many space opera settings, every "race" is human -- or at least, once was human. A lot of material explaining these core concepts should filter into the blogger site soon enough.

That got me thinking, so I went ahead and posted a slightly more explicit Introduction to Future Perfect's core concepts over at the Obsidian Portal site, but I'm going to reprint it here:

At its core, Future Perfect is a darkly trans-human space opera with overt cyber/biopunk and post-cyberpunk trappings. It is a game where players take the roles of individuals whose very nature and identity may be as fluid as they want or need them to be. The very nature of personhood, of individual identity is questioned by the universe at large. Most every benchmark for denoting the conditions of individual and social identities have been rendered obsolete or revealed as falsehood and fabrication. Like the Nietzschean superman, character’s in Future Perfect must create their own values, questioning and transcending the limits of morality in the persuit of their own personal evolution. They stand at the brink of the abyss and must create their own measure of self, or be consumed as so many others have been.

Alright, now what the hell does this all mean?

Lets break it down. We can note three defining conceits and a clear statement of game genre.

Future Perfect is a Space Opera, a dramatic science fiction adventure set in faraway space. It is action oriented, with a grand sweeping plot, and follows the activities of a handful of larger than life characters who are, at least vaguely, sympathetic despite their flaws.

Future Perfect is dark, it presents a universe where daily life can tend toward the horrific, despite all the technological advances that have, supposedly, improved people’s lives. Nothing is quite what it seems, and nearly anything of value has been built upon the suffering of others.

Future Perfect is transhumanist, depicting a world where humanity has become enhanced through it’s own efforts, science and technology having provided the tools not only to extend their own intrinsic capacities, but to overcome fundamental aspects of the human condition—such as disease, disability, and even death.

Future Perfect is postcyberpunk, a world in which information is ubiquitous, surrounding everyone in a nearly omnipresent datasphere. Furthermore, it holds as paramount the often tense relationship between man and technology, wherein the continued integration of the technological into one’s pysical being runs the risk of eroding the nature of the human. However, that same technology is essential to the progress of daily life. Thus, it maintains many elements of traditional cyberpunk, but it’s vision is not wholly dystopic. Not all Future Perfect characters have to be gritty loners living on the fringes of society, but they can be if they want to…