[Future Perfect] Bugbear Light Bomber

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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…

Some New Rules

Ok, so I've been a bit slow updating the blog. However, I've wrapped up my long running Hero campaign and now I can really focus on getting Savage!

I've got a couple of new rules I initially worked on for Future Perfect, however, I noticed that there is no reason why they won't work for any Savage Worlds setting.

The new rules are:

WORN ITEMS

Characters may purchase equipment that is considered well-worn or previouly owned for half the listed price. Such gear has considerable wear and tear and is less reliable that if it was new. Thus, armor and clothing is more likely to fall apart, weapons are more likely to break or jam, and technological equipment more prone to malfunction.

• A penalty of 1 to all rolls to determine breakage or malfunction of a weapon or technological item.
• A penalty of 1 to all rolls to determine armor ablation after a combat.
• Any roll for malfunctioning equipment is considered one step more severe.

Furthermore, all such equipment is always OBVIOUSLY well worn, and may affect the reactions of other people in certain social situations.

Only personal equipment may be subject to this rule (it does not apply to vehicles, rent, food, etc).

ARMOR ABLATION

At the end of any combat scene during which a character is struck while wearing physical armor, the parties involved must check to see if the armor has been damaged, and to what extent.

To test for Armor Ablation, roll a d6 and modify the roll as follows:

• (+1) No attack ever actually penetrated the Armor
• (-1) Character suffered a wound in combat from an attack to an area covered by the Armor (take once for each attack, not once for each wound)
• (-1) Character was in the radius of a blast or burst effect
• (+1) Armor is of Exceptional Quality
• (-1) Armor is considered Low Quality
• (-1) Armor is considered Worn Gear
• (-1) Armor has been Improperly Maintained

If the total roll is 4 or higher, the armor is essentially fine, needing only routine maintenance to restore its functionality (otherwise, treat armor as Improperly Maintained the next time Armor Ablation must be rolled). Routine maintenance is defined as time spent performing general upkeep of ones gear; it need not be roleplayed or rolled, so long as it is declared as part of a character’s activities or routine.

If the total is 8 or more, not even maintenance is needed.

If the total roll is less than one, subtract a point of armor from its armor value. For every four points less than that, the armor value takes additional damage:

• (-8) Armor is extensively damaged; reduce the value of the armor by half its full, undamaged value or by -3, whichever is the more negative.
• (-4) Armor is damaged; subtract 2 Points of Armor
• (0) Armor is lightly damaged; subtract 1 Point of Armor
• (+4) Armor is fine, but could use some maintenance
• (+8) Armor is not even scuffed!

Damaged armor still needs to be maintained, or it counts as Improperly Maintained when making future rolls. Furthermore, Armor may be repaired normally provided its total value has not reached zero. Doing so requires appropriate materials and the successful use of the Repair skill. The skill attempt is modified accordingly:

• (No Modifier) Armor is reduced by up to 1/4 of its value
• (-1) Armor is reduced by 1/4 up to half its value
• (-2) Armor is reduced by half to up to 3/4 of its value
• (-3) Armor is reduced by 3/4 or more of its value, but is not yet at 0 Armor Value

Repairing armor takes half an hour per point of Armor being repaired, with raises halving the total time to completion.

If Armor is reduced to zero points (or less!), then it is too badly damaged for normal repairs. It must instead be restored. Restoration requires the use of the Repair skill, under the same conditions listed above. Failure means the Armor cannot be restored. Success results in a successful Restoration, which returns the Armor to useable as Worn equipment.

[Future Perfect] Character Background Paths I

Inspired by the old Lifepath tables from several games by R Talsorian (most notably Cyberpunk 2020), I decided to add my own variant of Lifepath into Future Perfect. This table is Part One of the Character Background Paths, showing the general background of a character.

The table will allow a basic framework picture of a character's background to be built, indicating what region of space he calls home, whereabout he grew up, what his family did, what he wears, his general attitude and outlook, etc. In short, there is enough information to give a player some idea of who his character is and with a little more thinking on the matter, where he might be going.

Part Two will go into detailing specific events that were turning points in the character's life.

Anyway, here is a JPG image of Part 1, because blogspot wont let me post PDFs.

[Future Perfect] Shuttles by Zero-G

Hobgoblin Combat Shuttle
Manufacture: Zero-G Innovations
Size: Small
Power: 10
Acc: 220 Top: 1200 Handling: +2
FTL: Gate Beacon
Crew: 1 Hull: 16 (4) [Armor 4]

Ship Systems:

• Basic Computer with Autopilot, Target Acquisition/Control System, Pattern Recognition
• Starship
• Security Cells or Passenger Compartment (Buyer’s Option: 1 Space, 1 Power)
• Atmospheric (Climb: 55)

Weapons:
Light Rail Gun [2 Spaces, 1 Power; Modular Turret Mount]
200/400/800; 3d8 AP12; RoF1

Other Options:

[Armed Response]

• Medium Double Beam Cannon Array [2 Spaces, 3 Power; Turret Mounted]
  100/200/400; 4d10 AP8; RoF1
• Security Cell

[Torpedo Delivery]

• Hunter Medium Torpedo [1 Space; 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]
• Mark I Deflector [1 Space; 1 Power]
• Cells/Passenger Compartments are removed to house the Deflector Transmission & Control Systems

Notes: Updates and makes combat ready the old Gremlin shuttle design from StarJourney once Zero-G acquired their assets. It is a combat oriented hybrid of the Gremlin and early Goblin shuttle designs designed for short range patrol, support, and security use. Too small and much too expensive for use by the pirate clans, the Hobgoblin’s modularity and ease of customization has made this craft a big hit among bounty hunters and regional marshals alike.





Goblin Advanced Transport Shuttle
Manufacture: Zero-G Innovations
Size: Small
Power: 12
Acc: 220 Top: 1200 Handling: +2
FTL: H-Space Drive [1 Space; 1 Power]
Crew: 1 Hull: 14 (4) [Armor 4]

Ship Systems:

• Basic Computer with Autopilot, Library (General Knowledge), Knowledge: Astrogation, Pattern Recognition
• (2) Passenger Spaces (6 Passenger; 2 Spaces; 2 Power)
• Mark I Deflector Screen [-1 to Target Locks: 1 Space, 1 Power]
• Starship
• Atmospheric (Climb: 55)

Weapons:
None

Notes: Designed for civilian use, this craft replaced the old Gremlin shuttle originally made by StarJourney Transportation

[Future Perfect] Outrigger Freighter

Outrigger Class Colonial Freighter

Manufacture: Alliance
Size: Huge
Power: 72
Acc: 83 Top: 540 Handling: -2
FTL: Alliance Standard Hyperdrive (16 Power)
Crew: 24 Hull: 58 (33) [Armor 33]

Ship Systems:

• Starship
• Atmospheric (Climb: 21)
• Cargo Pods (8x2 Spaces per Pod; 16 Spaces)
• Large Cargo Pods (4x4 Spaces per Pod; 16 Spaces)
• Emergency Medical Bay (3 Spaces)
• Workshop (Repair Facility) (1 Space)
• Alliance Advanced Sensors (+2 Notice)
• Computer with Basic AI (d6 Smarts, Power 8, Spaces 8):
• Piloting d6, Shooting d6, Knowledge (Planetary Navigation) d6, Knowledge (Astrogation) d6, Medical d6, Notice d6(+2), Autopilot, Target Acquisition and Control, Fire Control, and Pattern Recognition

Weapons:

• (2) Twilight Gunworks Twin Medium Pulse Cannon Turret (Forward, Turret Mounted) 125/250/500, 3d10 AP8, RoF2 [2 Spaces each, 3 Power each]
• (2) Predator Medium Torpedo [1 Space each; 1 Power to Fire one or both; Forward Mount] 300/600/1200; Tracking (Range 4800); Speed 1200; 5d10 AP50; Medium Burst
• (6) Additional Predator Torpedoes [1 Space; 6 Torpedos]

Notes:
The Outrigger is a common sight in Frontier space, as most recent colonial expeditions mounted by the Alliance have used one or more of these ships. Designed to travel alone, or to complement a long range colony train, the Outrigger holds vast amounts of freight and offers a means of extended support to colonists in the form of ready-made Medical facilities and a small machine shop. These vessels are often programmed to remain in service to a colonial community for a set amount of time -- either prepaid or depending on certain specified conditions being met -- at which point the ship's AI sets a return course for Alliance space to be repaired, re-outfitted, and returned once more to the Frontier colonies. More rarely, this vessel can be seen in Faction space, usually with a heavy escort of fighters and gunships.

This ship has a military variant which is considered a Heavy Assault Transport, which is designed to transport Marines to a battlefield and remain there in service as a locus for field operations.

Alternate Experience System - Final Notes

You may recall that I'd been working on an alternate experience system for Savage Worlds in order to better suit the needs of my play group. Well, the system has been done for a while, but I finally got around to making it vaguely understandable to anyone else. In short, this system provides a different method of character advancement based -- to a great extent -- on what a character actually does in the course of a game. Skills and Characteristics earn distinct experience points called IXP - Improvement Experience Points. General Experience Points (XP) also are earned, and may be spent on Edges or be used as IXP to round out points to improve one or more traits.

[Assigning Experience]

Every Skill and Characteristic gains its own set of Improvement Experience (IXP) that may be spent only on improving that particular ability. General Experience, however, may be spent on anything, provided the GM approves an improvement. It is spent as IXP when a character is improving a Skill or Characteristic and is used to purchase Edges and Action Cards.

[Improvement Experience]

The Skill or Characteristic was:	IXP
Used unsuccessfully	0
Used successfully in an unimportant way	1
Used successfully multiple times, in unimportant ways	2
Used successfully in an important or unique way	3
Used successfully multiple times in important or unique ways	4
Used in a way that had significant impact on game events	5
Used in a way that changed the course of the game	6+

Use of a characteristic is considered to be any time in which:

• A character is called upon to make a Characteristic roll
• A characteristic is actively tested or trained
• A characteristic is used during role-playing narrative

A characteristic is NOT considered used when:

• A skill roll is made
• A characteristic roll is made for general knowledge or to default a skill test
• A damage roll is made

[General Experience]

The Character:	XP
Was active/present in the game	+1
Contributed meaningfully to the game	+1
Had an outstanding contribution to the game	+1
Overcame a major personal obstacle	+1
Met a major personal goal	+1
The Group:	XP
Was successful in their efforts	+1
Succeeded admirably due to skill and ingenuity (not sheer luck)	+1
Overcame a major long-term obstacle or	+1
Achieved a significant long-term goal	+1
Completed a minor storyline	+2
Completed a major storyline	+5

The average General Experience issued per session should be somewhere between 3-5 points. More points should be granted if important Character goals are met. The resolution of story-lines may even offer double, or even triple that amount if it is a long-running story arc.

[Unified Experience Costs]

Skills	Edges	Characteristics	XP Cost
New Skill (d4)	New Edge	---	40
d6	Seasoned	d6	60
d8	Veteran	d8	80
d10	Heroic	d10	100
d12	Legendary	d12	120

For non-humans, consider each improvement value as the basic die before racial modifiers are added. For example, Dwarves, who would gain a +1 Vigor Die and suffer -1 Agility Die (from their maximum), treat Vigor as being one step down the table, and Agility as one step up. So, a Dwarf increasing Vigor from a d8 to a d10 would pay 80 (instead of 100) XP and increasing his Agility from d6 to a d8 would pay 100 XP (instead of 80).

[Edge Tracks]

Any Edges that build upon each other directly in sequence are considered part of a Track. Most of the time, Edges further along in a Track may be identified by the inclusion of “Improved” in their name. For example, Rapid Recharge and Improved Rapid Recharge are edges comprising the Rapid Recharge Track.

The first edge in a track costs its normal value. However, improving to the next Edge in a track – e.g. to an Edge’s Improved form – costs only the difference between the two point costs. If there is not a difference in point cost (likely because both edges have the same rank prerequisites), then ¼ of the point value for the edge must be spent to make the improvement.

There are some cases where an edge track lacks the inclusion of an “Improved (X)” form; in the SW:EX rulebook, the only such examples appears among the Legendary Edges – for example, the progression under the Professional Track from Expert to Master.

As per the rules for point expenditures on Edge Tracks with no cost differences between edges, all Legendary Edges after the first one in a particular track cost 30 Experience Points.

[Bennies (optional)]

While SW:EX did away with the old rule of converting unspent bennies into experience points, the Experience Improvement System outlined herein can easily accommodate either preference. If you do not like bennies included in potential experience, then simply do not offer the option. However, if you wish to allow bennies unspent at a session’s end to be used to augment character experience, then have every one so spent count as a single point of General XP.

I’d recommend removing the old mechanic that required dice rolls for unused bennies in order to determine if they convert. Experience points in this alternate experience system do not mean as much individually. Also, to promote dramatic game play and to reward player contributions, I’d also recommend allowing only those bennies earned during the course of the game session to be spent as experience at the end of the session. Thus, normal bennies, luck-derived bennies, and bennies earned from being a kid would not apply – there would be no “free” experience.

[Example of the Experience Improvement System in Use]

Dick Daring, Cavalier of the Spaceways has survived another session of adventuring. It was an active session in which Dick thwarted his rival, the nefarious Nick Nasty, in his attempts to seize control of a backwater spaceport (for reasons still unknown). Dick had a pretty nasty running gun battle with Nick and his cronies, he had a short and pointless brawl, stealthily researched the port manifests (discovering Nick’s presence before Nick could spring an ambush!), and pumped the locals for information before sneaking into the old warehouse on the outer docking ring where Nick and his cronies were hatching their schemes.

The Game Master decides that Dick:

• Used Fighting in an unimportant way: [1 IXP]
• Used Firearms multiple times in important ways: [4 IXP]
• Used Investigation in a way that had significant impact on the events: [5 IXP]
• Used Piloting in an unimportant way when he landed his ship at the Spaceport: [1 IXP]
• Used Stealth multiple times in important ways: [4 IXP]
• Used Streetwise in an important way: [3 IXP]
• Did something important by forcing open an old airlock with a Strength roll: [3 IXP]
• Did something important by sneaking through the airless ducts while holding his breath (a Vigor roll): [3 IXP]

Furthermore, the GM grants the following General Experience:

• Dick was active in the game: [1XP]
• Dick’s actions contributed meaningfully: [1XP]
• Dick met a major personal goal (thwarting Nick Nasty!): [1 XP]
• His group was successful: [1 XP]
• His group used skills and good thinking to overcome problems: [1XP]
• His group completed a minor storyline: [2XP]

At a total of 7 General XP, in addition to all those IXP he earned... It looks like a good day for Dick!

[Future Perfect] The Pirate Clans

[The Pirate Clans]

Originally born in the wake of the Imperium’s first colonial war, the nine merchant families who controlled the Bellgraeve System fled before the destruction of their home worlds. Hunted and marked as criminals and fugitives from justice, the Clans took to hiding themselves in clusters of whatever starships they had available to them out in the furthest recesses of known space. In time, the need for resources, new ships, caused some of them to venture into Imperial space to acquire what they needed.

No one seems able to agree about who began the first altercation, some sixty years after the end of the first colonial war. Children of the Red Dragon clan insist they were assaulted by Imperial Security Forces when simply attempting to broker a deal for spare parts, water purifiers, and assorted dry goods. Imperial Forces claim the Red Dragon ships were attacking a freighter convoy and that Security Forces were deployed in response to a distress call. The freighter captains, unfortunately, never were able to comment – their ships were destroyed at some point in the altercation, and most of the debris seemed just to disappear. The result, however, was that the Imperium redoubled its efforts to hunt down the fugitives from Bellgraeve and placed a bounty on the heads of all such “pirates”.

Without a means to challenge the Imperium’s claims, the Clans were driven to desperation. Beset on all sides by bounty hunters, law enforcement, and military assaults, the Clans were forced to do whatever was necessary to ensure their own survival. Many Clans simply folded family members back into Imperial society with false identities, hoping that these individuals could be of service to their Clans at future dates. Others in the Clans, however, became the very types of criminals they were accused of being – better a thief than to starve, and better a murderer than a dead man. Most of the younger generations, born after the flight from Bellgraeve, saw piracy as a viable answer to their problems. In time, more and more among the Clans took to that vocation in order to provide for their families and the hope of building a better future.

To this day, the merchant families who ruled Bellgraeve refer to themselves as the Merchant Clans. While each Clan is an autonomous entity, and many Clans have been known to war against each other from time to time, they are quick to put aside their differences in order to come against a common foe – the Imperium and the Powers who, in time, grew out of them. The Clans adopted articles of general law to help see to their mutual, long term survival, and within each Merchant Clan, family laws have been drafted. People who break these laws are subject to a range of penalties including fines, public humiliations, penance activities, execution, and exile.

The “Freespace” concept first was implemented by the Clans, referring to areas of space were no aggression or predatory action was to be instigated so that representatives of the Clans could come together and trade, share news, mingle and marry, resolve disputes under general law, and plan for their collective futures. Such locales would remain for only a limited amount of time before the assorted Clan vessels would scatter and return to their normal business.

Clanners tend to spend their lives in space, dwelling on ships, often formed into small fleets, that travel together across the void. Clan vessels tend to be tight knit communities, with larger ships often resembling small cities. While the Clans are referred to as families, in truth they are composed of multiple familial bloodlines. These families form sub-units within the clans, and the larger ones may even be broken down further still. Inbreeding is frowned upon among the Clan folk, though most individuals do tend to marry within their Clans, and thus it does happen from time to time. Men may take multiple wives, though only the children born from the First Wife remain with the father’s family. The children born from other wives are presented to that wife’s family for them to raise if they desire. Children are raised by the family community, and parents may have as much or as little contact with their children as they desire.

Culturally, most Merchant Clans are rather similar. They share a common language, have been known to intermarry, and share a common religion. They are very much a scattered, itinerant Nation in space, with each Clan analogous to its own State or Region within that Nation. Unlike the various criminal syndicates who undertake many of the same illegal pastimes, the Clan’s focus less on profit and more on the continuance of their way of life.

Merchant Clans may have been the first pirate clans, and remain to this day among the most prominent of that ilk, they are by no means the only ones. Many smaller piracy groups, noting the successes of the fugitives of Bellgraeve, have adapted over time to follow a similar structure, swelling their numbers from the ranks of volunteer and assorted other methods of recruitment. Laws among these “true pirate” clans tend to be simpler and punishments more brutal. The Merchant Clans have recognized a few such pirate organizations as worthy Clans, and sent offers of inclusion provided they accept the articles of general law. Merchant Clans and those other pirates who’ve adopted the Articles tend to frown on “lesser” pirates.

This is not to say that the Pirate Clans present a solidly unified front, or that they are always successful in ensuring their own survival. The Star Tiger Clan, one of the original Merchant Clans, simply fell apart after several hundred years of struggling. Their members split apart, some folding themselves into Imperial society, and others joining other Clans who would have them. The Green Jade clan – a true Clan tragedy – was cast out from unity with the other Clans and the protection of the Articles after growing increasingly more aggressive. They attempted to wrest control of a new space station in a free territory, and much of their Clan fleet was destroyed when they failed. Furthermore, because they had been cast out from the protection of the Articles, the other Clans would offer them neither aid nor sanctuary when the corporate owners of that station hired soldiers to hunt down and exterminate the Clan. Most recently, the White Dragons – another of the original refugees from Bellgraeve – had an internal schism resulting in many of their families failing in an attempt to seize a Gateway from Regency control. Thousands of that Clan’s members were slaughtered by Regency soldiers and hired mercenary companies when the Gateway was reclaimed.

Some of the currently active Pirate Clans are:

• Red Dragon: A very active Merchant Clan in what is now Alliance space, the Red Dragons have notable contacts among several Warlords in the Freespace. This clan is known for its tenacity and fast-attack, small unit tactical assaults on freighter convoys.
• White Dragon: A once prominent Clan, it is now in decline after some of it’s members thought they could spit in the Regency’s eye without repercussions. They specialize in exotic trade goods, both legal and illegal. The White Dragons have moved into the recesses of Kokoran space to lick their wounds and, it seems, to examine a potential market for Kokoran products.
• Black Star: Known as “gentlemen corsairs”, the Black Stars range far and wide across the Interzone, the Freespace, and what is now Coalition space. Black Stars tend to prey on Corporate vessels, and from time to time may hire themselves as Mercenaries to private interests.
• Blue Diamond: A less aggressive clan rumored to have ties to various corporate and government interests in both the Coalition and the Alliance. The Blue Diamond clan deals with almost any trade goods they get their hands on.
• Water Horse: Known for attacking unaligned pirates, the Water Horse can be found mostly among the Collective, the Freespace, and the Interzone. They are rumored to be key players in the human slave trade, picking up much of that activity after the Green Jade Clan’s destruction at the hands of Ragnarok Arms.
• Double Star: Bold to the point of reckless, the Double Star Clan began as the Double-Star gang, before being brought under the Articles. Known for harassing the Imperium/Regency, they got their start during the Coalition’s period of transition. They are the only pirate clan ever to successfully mount an assault on freighters in orbit around New Terra. Most of their efforts focus on the holders of Imperial Charters for Mining/Ore Extraction, and they have a few solid contacts within the Freespace.
• Sky Forger: Bouncing between Collective, Regency, and the periphery of Interzone space, the SkyForger’s tend to focus their efforts on technology. They will acquire and trade, both legally and not, all sorts of new technologies which they will use and put for sale. The Sky Forger Clan developed the Arc-Light Clan Ship.
• Triple Mountain: An aggressive clan who tends to keep to the various regions of the Freespace, they will occasionally venture into Kokoran and Regency space to prey on freight carriers attempting to pass through their respective gateways into the Freespace.
• The Colesons: Initially born from a single family and its hangers on, the Colesons became a highly effective organization of the criminal persuasion out in the regions of the Frontierspace. They were invited to join the Clans under the Articles after coming to the aid of the Double Star Clan in a pitched battle with Imperial Custom’s Officials.
• Dark Eye: Well known for using drone ships and openly recruiting Mutants into their ranks, the Dark Eye pirates trade information and robots primarily. They are the most scattered of the Clans, with small, family-based fleets found in the backwaters of most of Faction space.