I'm working on Obsidian Portal Wikis for two campaign settings:
Wisp: An original fantasy world filled with all manner of life, and plenty of ways to get killed, too. With unique races and magical abilities, the Wisp universe attempts to include everything I have ever wanted to see in a fantasy campaign world.
Beyond the Pale: This modern mystery/horror game is set in an alternate New York City where the world of the supernatural lurks in every shadow.
If you've got some free time, check them out and let me know what you think.
For any other GMs out there who don't already know about it, this site is a great resource for running campaigns.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
New Edges and Power: Elemental Magic
New Edges:
Elemental Power (Novice, Spellcasting d8+, Knowledge (Elements) d6+)
First, choose an Elemental Effect from the list. Then, choose an offensive power you currently know - from now on, all targets struck by that power also suffer from the chosen Elemental Effect. This Edge may be taken more than once, but may not affect the same power more than once.
Improved Elemental Power (Seasoned, Elemental Power, Knowledge (Elements) d10+)
Choose a power which has been affected by the Elemental Power Edge. Rolls made to resist that power's Elemental Effect are now made at -2. In the case of Effects such as Fire, the chance that the effect will take place is doubled (so flammable objects would catch fire on a 1 or 2 instead of just a 1).
New Power:
Elemental Weapon
Rank: Novice
Cost: 2
Duration: 3 (1/round)
Range: Touch
Choose an Elemental Effect from the list: foes struck by target weapon suffer from the chosen Elemental Effect for the duration of this spell. With a raise on the Spellcasting roll, rolls made to resist the power are made at -2, or the chance for the effect to take place is doubled.
The list of Elemental Effects which I use is found on page 36 of the Necessary Evil source book, in the Powers section. You could also make your own with a little ingenuity. Popular "Elements" to use might include Heat, Cold, Light, Darkness, Electricity, Air, and Psionics, although virtually any kind of Trapping could be used to create such an effect. For example, a Bolt spell which creates swarms of Bees might also inflict a Vigor roll to avoid suffering a point of Fatigue from Bee Stings.
Elemental Power (Novice, Spellcasting d8+, Knowledge (Elements) d6+)
First, choose an Elemental Effect from the list. Then, choose an offensive power you currently know - from now on, all targets struck by that power also suffer from the chosen Elemental Effect. This Edge may be taken more than once, but may not affect the same power more than once.
Improved Elemental Power (Seasoned, Elemental Power, Knowledge (Elements) d10+)
Choose a power which has been affected by the Elemental Power Edge. Rolls made to resist that power's Elemental Effect are now made at -2. In the case of Effects such as Fire, the chance that the effect will take place is doubled (so flammable objects would catch fire on a 1 or 2 instead of just a 1).
New Power:
Elemental Weapon
Rank: Novice
Cost: 2
Duration: 3 (1/round)
Range: Touch
Choose an Elemental Effect from the list: foes struck by target weapon suffer from the chosen Elemental Effect for the duration of this spell. With a raise on the Spellcasting roll, rolls made to resist the power are made at -2, or the chance for the effect to take place is doubled.
The list of Elemental Effects which I use is found on page 36 of the Necessary Evil source book, in the Powers section. You could also make your own with a little ingenuity. Popular "Elements" to use might include Heat, Cold, Light, Darkness, Electricity, Air, and Psionics, although virtually any kind of Trapping could be used to create such an effect. For example, a Bolt spell which creates swarms of Bees might also inflict a Vigor roll to avoid suffering a point of Fatigue from Bee Stings.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
What Beautiful Music They Make!
The Children of the Night, that is. I spent a lot of time searching the internet for a complete and balanced system for playing Vampires, Werewolves, etc., whether in the styl of WoD or not, and came up rather empty. The only document I was able to locate was a quick and dirty conversion of Vampires into NPCs, presumably for the players to hunt. While there's nothing wrong with that (it did come in rather handy to get me started; thank you to Patrick Phillips), it was not what I was looking for. So, in lieu of finding what I need, I have responded in my usual manner and am currently writing it.
In fact, I am writing it twice. I, personally, am a huge fan of the NE version of powers, and love using them any chance I get, so I am working up some WoD conversion documents for those powers - they are rather creatively interpreted, of course. However, not everyone is as big a fan of those powers as I am, and not everyone has access to the sourcebook. Therefore, I simultaneously putting together a conversion that makes use of standard Savage Worlds mechanics and powers.
Please enjoy this preview of the Necessary Evil version of Vampires: Vampire: The Conversion.
In fact, I am writing it twice. I, personally, am a huge fan of the NE version of powers, and love using them any chance I get, so I am working up some WoD conversion documents for those powers - they are rather creatively interpreted, of course. However, not everyone is as big a fan of those powers as I am, and not everyone has access to the sourcebook. Therefore, I simultaneously putting together a conversion that makes use of standard Savage Worlds mechanics and powers.
Please enjoy this preview of the Necessary Evil version of Vampires: Vampire: The Conversion.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
AFTERLIFE
Well, I haven't ever bothered announcing the existence of this setting before, largely because it's a collection of various ideas that I've been kicking around for a long time with no real definition or structure. It's taken me a while to really figure out how I wanted to approach this setting, and I think I've finally got it figured out, at least the beginning of it, and everything flows from there.
Without further ado, anyone with enough free time (or enough boredom) to be checking this blog (not to exclude those here by chance), may now experience a brief introduction to AFTERLIFE.
Coming soon will be Spotlights from the Guided Tour, Introductions to Major Players, as well as previews of Edges, Hindrances, and Powers original to the setting. As work continues, and I make more information available, I'd appreciate any feedback that passers-by may have to offer. Nothing is ever done perfectly the first time, after all!
Without further ado, anyone with enough free time (or enough boredom) to be checking this blog (not to exclude those here by chance), may now experience a brief introduction to AFTERLIFE.
Coming soon will be Spotlights from the Guided Tour, Introductions to Major Players, as well as previews of Edges, Hindrances, and Powers original to the setting. As work continues, and I make more information available, I'd appreciate any feedback that passers-by may have to offer. Nothing is ever done perfectly the first time, after all!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
New Arcane Background: Ibuholi
This is a new magic variant I've designed for use in my WISP Campaign Setting (publishing date: TBA). Developed by the ship-board magicians of the Hundred Isles to more effectively combat the highly predictable dangers they face (weather, Wisps, sea monsters, and pirates), it is not dissimilar in some ways to the Wizard class from D&D.
New Arcane Skill:
Charming- The skill used by Ibuholi practitioners to prepare their spells. Using bits of rope, string, carved pieces of wood, or whatever materials are most ready to hand, Ibuholi wizards create magical charms which can be activated simply by tossing them into the air and uttering the correct magical words. Each Power Point used to create a Charm adds 10 minutes of creation time, and inflicts a -1 penalty on the Charming roll.
New Background Edge:
Arcane Background (Ibuholi): Novice
The art of Ibuholi, which translates roughly from the language of the Hundred Isles to mean "Tying" or "Charming," has become fairly widespread throughout the islands, and is even taking root along the East Coast of Arbor. Ibuholi wizards start play with 15 Power Points and 4 Powers known.
They must prepare their powers in advance by spending Power Points to create Charms, which can be activated with a normal Action as per the Charming skill. Charms cost the same number of Power Points to create as the spells they are imbued with, including the cost for an optional spell modifications (such as additional Bolts). If the Charming roll fails, the Points spent are lost for the day.
When a wizard uses a Charm to cast a spell, the Charm and Power Points are consumed, and the Power activates automatically - no additional roll is required. Power Points expended in this way are returned to the caster at sunrise the next day. Any Charms left over may be preserved or destroyed, as the caster chooses, but Ibuholi users cannot possess Charms containing more Power Points than their maximum.
New Arcane Skill:
Charming- The skill used by Ibuholi practitioners to prepare their spells. Using bits of rope, string, carved pieces of wood, or whatever materials are most ready to hand, Ibuholi wizards create magical charms which can be activated simply by tossing them into the air and uttering the correct magical words. Each Power Point used to create a Charm adds 10 minutes of creation time, and inflicts a -1 penalty on the Charming roll.
New Background Edge:
Arcane Background (Ibuholi): Novice
The art of Ibuholi, which translates roughly from the language of the Hundred Isles to mean "Tying" or "Charming," has become fairly widespread throughout the islands, and is even taking root along the East Coast of Arbor. Ibuholi wizards start play with 15 Power Points and 4 Powers known.
They must prepare their powers in advance by spending Power Points to create Charms, which can be activated with a normal Action as per the Charming skill. Charms cost the same number of Power Points to create as the spells they are imbued with, including the cost for an optional spell modifications (such as additional Bolts). If the Charming roll fails, the Points spent are lost for the day.
When a wizard uses a Charm to cast a spell, the Charm and Power Points are consumed, and the Power activates automatically - no additional roll is required. Power Points expended in this way are returned to the caster at sunrise the next day. Any Charms left over may be preserved or destroyed, as the caster chooses, but Ibuholi users cannot possess Charms containing more Power Points than their maximum.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
There can be only...a few...
So I've come up with what I hope is a fairly creative and inventive way to recombine things I had no part in developing. That is to say, I'm running a fantasy game and allowing my players to use a limited number of Necessary Evil super abilities. I'm using the following new Edges and Game Mechanic:
Divine Spark (Novice, Arcane Background)
Your character was born with the potential for powers beyond the ken of mortal men, and one day may find that her destiny lies among the gods themselves. This Edge works just like Super Powers from Necessary Evil (which you ought to own if you want to make use of it), except for the following changes:
When your character has accumulated enough Quickening Points, he may take the Quickening Edge to convert those points into Power Points and spend them immediately on new powers.
New Game Mechanic: Quickening
When one Spark kills another Spark, she gains some of his power, his life force, and can use it to augment her own powers. For every two Power Points of Abilities the deceased Spark had (round down) the victor gains one Quickening Point which can be used with the Quickening Edge.
Note: I realize this makes things a little more complicated to keep track of than some Savage Fans might like, but it seemed like the most obvious way to balance what could otherwise become a very unbalancing Game Mechanic. A quicker, dirtier, and much more powerful way (unless Sparks are far more rare than they are in my current game) is simply to let them gain the Power Points directly, at whatever ratio you feel is appropriate.
Divine Spark (Novice, Arcane Background)
Your character was born with the potential for powers beyond the ken of mortal men, and one day may find that her destiny lies among the gods themselves. This Edge works just like Super Powers from Necessary Evil (which you ought to own if you want to make use of it), except for the following changes:
- Your character starts play with only 5 Power Points.
- Divine Karma: You may take one additional Major Hindrance and one additional Minor Hindrance at character creation in order to gain an additional 5 Power Points. This replaces Super Karma from Necessary Evil, and no extra Hindrance Points are gained for taking these Hindrances.
When your character has accumulated enough Quickening Points, he may take the Quickening Edge to convert those points into Power Points and spend them immediately on new powers.
New Game Mechanic: Quickening
When one Spark kills another Spark, she gains some of his power, his life force, and can use it to augment her own powers. For every two Power Points of Abilities the deceased Spark had (round down) the victor gains one Quickening Point which can be used with the Quickening Edge.
Note: I realize this makes things a little more complicated to keep track of than some Savage Fans might like, but it seemed like the most obvious way to balance what could otherwise become a very unbalancing Game Mechanic. A quicker, dirtier, and much more powerful way (unless Sparks are far more rare than they are in my current game) is simply to let them gain the Power Points directly, at whatever ratio you feel is appropriate.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
In the works...
I've got several projects in the works, as is not unusual, but it seems unlikely that I'll finish them anytime soon, what with school, work, and what I like to call a social life. Nonetheless, just a quick glimpse into projects I may publish in the next few months:
Twist: a homebrew post-apocalyptic Earth setting in which the race has been ravaged by a genetically engineered virus and nuclear war. I will most likely only publish a Player's Handbook-style document, withholding the GM secrets on the off-chance I'm ever able to publish it properly.
Wisp: the latest in a long series of original fantasy worlds, in which I finally have room for all of my original races, arcane backgrounds, and various edges, hindrances, and other additives. Hopefully it won't end up too crowded! This is another that will probably get the Player's Handbook treatment as I would like to see it published properly.
Random Star System Generator: not particularly scientific, but it allows for quickly rolling up diverse star systems. I put it together for personal use in a brief pulp space campaign that never really took off.
Um...maybe I'll mention a few other projects later when I get home. I know there are some other things I haven't finished saved to my hard drive, but I'm drawing a blank right now.
Twist: a homebrew post-apocalyptic Earth setting in which the race has been ravaged by a genetically engineered virus and nuclear war. I will most likely only publish a Player's Handbook-style document, withholding the GM secrets on the off-chance I'm ever able to publish it properly.
Wisp: the latest in a long series of original fantasy worlds, in which I finally have room for all of my original races, arcane backgrounds, and various edges, hindrances, and other additives. Hopefully it won't end up too crowded! This is another that will probably get the Player's Handbook treatment as I would like to see it published properly.
Random Star System Generator: not particularly scientific, but it allows for quickly rolling up diverse star systems. I put it together for personal use in a brief pulp space campaign that never really took off.
Um...maybe I'll mention a few other projects later when I get home. I know there are some other things I haven't finished saved to my hard drive, but I'm drawing a blank right now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
