Showing posts with label race. Show all posts
Showing posts with label race. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Episode 2: Project Lobotomy Download (Updated!)

As promised, here it is: Everything.

Every single thing I put together for my Pathfinder/Mass Effect adventure, Project Lobotomy.

The zip file below includes several things:

Project Lobotomy Adv.docx: This is the adventure itself, which is really to say my super elaborate notes for this adventure. More than a decade of writing game stuff means that I can't really help but write my notes in the house styles I use most frequently, which of course means this document looks akin to the way we currently style adventures at Paizo. (Not exactly, but Pathfinder Adventure Path readers should find pleanty of familiar formats.) If you're interested in playing this adventure, which really means taking my 6,000+ words of notes, suggested ad-libs, scripts, plots, statblocks, suggestions, etcetera, and making them yours, this is the place to start.

Level 1 and Level 2 Tags.png: The tagged maps of the station. These maps are actually edited maps from Doom 2. This turned the work of mapping the whole base into a few prunes with with an image editor's erase tool. Handy thing that Google image search.

ME Races.docx: Easily the document people have been asking after the most, this is my build of six Mass Effect races using the Pathfinder RPG: Advance Race Guide's race builder. The races included are the asari, humans (a variation from the Pathfinder RPG core), krogan, quarians, salarians, and turians.

Starting Handouts: This folder includes the handouts the PCs start with--untagged schematics of both station floors and a mysterious partial transmission from 2175 Aeia.

Handouts: This folder includes all the rest of the game's handouts (even one or two I put together but never worked into the text). These are all .txt files, which I suggest opening using the program WriteRoom with the Terminal theme (green text on a black background).

So that's what's in the following file. If you want all of that, all you have to do is click the link below.

XXX LINK XXX (See Updated Page)

Additionally, everything that I created for this, which is to say, everything that isn't a proper noun from the Mass Effect series or a Pathfinder rule, I'm releasing via a Creative Commons license. I'm still getting acclimated to many of the aspects of these licenses, but in short, if you want to use anything that I created in this download for any non-commercial venture, please do so (and tell us all about it here!).

While we're talking about downloading things, the Mass Effect 3 Datapad easily wins the award for coolest game handout I've ever thrown on a table. The app takes the codex from the Mass Effect games--your character's ever available encyclopedia to the game's rich universe--with its polished graphic design and the calmly read entries (yes, it reads all the primary entries for you) and ports them to your iOS device. Which really should be to say, your naked iPad, because the marriage of this program with the iPad's sleek glass instantly make you forget it isn't a device from the future. The Mass Effect 3 Datapad app is a free download, available here and if you're going to futz with any one thing from this page it should be this. This app was kind of the reason I put Project Lobotomy together (well, that and I thought the Project Overlord missions for Mass Effect 2 were amazing). The window into that world that this complete codex offers made such an enticing handout that I just had to have a game that used it. Check it out and I'm pretty sure you'll see what I mean. And, if you've gotten this far without knowing anything about Mass Effect, you can change that right now too. Hit he link and download Mass Effect on Steam immediately.

That's it for Project Lobotomy. Putting this together totally satisfied the mad scientist part of my brain and it was a total blast to run--entirely thanks to all my awesome players. I hope that anyone who downloads the notes gets to run the game and has just as fantastic a time as we did.

As for what's up for Erratic Episodes next... I'm not sure yet.

Probably something with swords.

Project Lobotomy by F. Wesley Schneider is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Episode 2: The Crew

Our mystery sci-fi episode has its first session tomorrow night and our doughty crew, the pros that they are, have their race/class combos in already. Here's who's on the crewlist.

James Jacobs: Human sniper
Rob McCreary: [Mystery Race A] gun kata expert
Erik Mona: [Mystery Race C] bard
James Sutter: [Mystery Race B] sorcerer/tech
Andrew Vallas: [Mystery Race E] alchemist

There's a LOT of firepower in this crew. I think I might need to bump up a few CRs... or at least ad a few more targets.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Episode 2: Character Creation

Now that all the races are out there, it's time to make some characters. Using the basic class guidelines presented a week or so back, I'd like all the players to pick a race, spend their 3 class levels, and generate  stats using the point buy system on page 16 of the Core Rulebook. Players have 20 points to spend.


Go ahead and choose feats and skills as well--don't neglect skills like Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (religion), Ride, Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device that seem like fantasy-only abilities, as with the sci-fi skin overlaying this game, these skills--respectively--will probably be things like, Knowledge (technology), Knowledge (sciences), Pilot, Tech (using tech as its meant to be used), and Improvised Mechanics (using tech as its not meant to be used). (While we're on this topic, think of Disable Device as "Hacking.")

With that, go ahead and mostly make up your characters, but don't spend any cash yet. We'll handle equipment second thing on Thursday. I'd like to have written in clay ideas of what everyone is playing by Wednesday night so I can post them here (and so I have some idea of what I'm in for). And, if you have any questions about any of this, come talk to me.


Some advice: I know a lot of you really want to have cool back stories and details for your characters so you can really get into their heads, details that are difficult to pin down when you don't even know of you have skin or feathers. In part, suck it up, adlibbing is definitely going to be a part of this game's gimmick. At the same time, look at the context clues you're getting. If you want to build a heavy hitter, use a race with a Strength bonus; if you want to build a shooter, go for an agile race; a dashing character, look at human with that heroic trait. Checking out the Advance Race Guide to translate the race descriptions' short hand will help. In general, pick a fun sci-fi concept and use your abilities, class, and race to build toward that. If you find out Thursday that your race doesn't fit perfectly with what you wanted, well, that can make for some really interesting characters (and you're only playing these characters twice, after all).

Also, try to name your character, with the understanding that there is a common language in this universe, so try for something pronounceable.


Thanks all and good luck!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Episode 2: Race #6 - [Mystery Race E]


This is it! The last player race for this Thursday's mystery sci-fi game! This is a weird one, especially as it has a few unusual traits that will also remain a mystery until Thursday's game.

Race E
Type
   Humanoid (half-construct)                            7 RP
Size
   Medium                                                          0 RP
Base Speed
   Normal                                                           0 RP
Ability Score Modifiers
   Specialized (–2 Con, ­ +2 Int, +2 Wis)            1 RP
Language
   Linguist                                                          1 RP
Racial Traits 
   Defense Racial Traits
      Bond to the Land ([Classified])                  2 RP
   Feat and Skill Racial Traits
      Scavenger                                                   2 RP
   Senses Racial Traits
      Low-light vision                                         1 RP
Weakness
   [Classified]                                                  –1 RP

Total                                                               13 RP

That's all the races now, and all the hints you're going to get on what universe we're playing in. But guessing games aside, now it's time to seriously start talking characters. More on that tomorrow.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Episode 2: Race #5 - [Mystery Race D]

Another reptilian race, but this one's significantly less... squishy.
Race D
Type
   Humanoid (reptilian)                                 0 RP
Size
   Medium                                                     0 RP
Base Speed
   Slow ­–1 RP
Ability Score Modifiers
   Paragon (+4 Str, ­–2 Int, ­–2 Wis, ­–2 Cha)  1 RP
Language
   Standard                                                     0 RP
Racial Traits
   Defense Racial Traits
      Natural armor                                          2 RP
      Desert Runner                                         2 RP
      “Race A” Immunities*                           4 RP
      Improved Natural Armor                        1 RP
   Offense Racial Traits
      Ferocity                                                  4 RP
      Relentless                                               1 RP
Total                                                            14 RP

*Same as duergar immunities

One more to go... and that's probably going to be the one that gives it away. But that's why I'm putting it up over the weekend--so you jackal's can't discuss it until Monday.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Episode 2: Race #4 - [Mystery Race C]

Now, a little something for the ladies.
 
Race C
Type
   Humanoid                              0 RP
Size
   Medium                                 0 RP
Base Speed
   Normal                                  0 RP
Ability Score Modifiers
   Flexible (+2 Int, +2 Cha)      2 RP
Languages
   Linguist                                 1 RP
Defense Racial Traits
   Stubborn                                2 RP
Racial Traits
   Feat and Skill Racial Traits
   Gregarious                             1 RP
   Integrated                              1 RP
Magical Racial Traits
   Elven Magic                          3 RP
   Envoy                                    1 RP
   Seducer                                  2 RP

Total                                        13 RP

Tomorrow, a little something not for the ladies. Unless you're into that sort of thing.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Episode 2: Race #3 - [Mystery Race B]

I'm seriously enjoying the hail of guesses each new race post incites. Not that I'm going to tell even if someone guesses it right. Though a Captain Power, He-Man, Bravestar, Dune, Star Fox crossover is starting to sound pretty inspired.

Here's the new race. Squishy, as promised.

Race B

Type
   Humanoid (reptilian)            0 RP
Size
   Medium                                0 RP
Base Speed
   Normal                                  0 RP
Ability Score Modifiers
   Flexible (+2 Dex, +2 Int)      2 RP
Languages
   Linguist                                 1 RP
Racial Traits
   Feat and Skill Racial Traits
      Silent Hunter                      2 RP
      Shards of the Past              4 RP
   Movement Racial Traits
      Swim                                  2 RP
   Other Racial Traits
      Amphibious                       2 RP

Total                                       13 RP

Tomorrow... something else.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Episode 2: Race #2 - [Mystery Race A]


And the first really real alien race is.... Well, it's clawed, and has armor, and sees in the dark.

That should totally narrow down what universe we're playing in, right? 

Race A
Type
   Humanoid                               0 RP
Size
   Medium                                  0 RP
Base Speed
   Normal                                    0 RP
Ability Score Modifiers
   Flexible (+2 Str, ­ +2 Wis)       2 RP
Language
   Standard                                 0 RP
Racial Traits
   Defense Racial Traits
      Natural armor                      2 RP
      Resistant                              2 RP
   Feat and Skill Racial Traits
      Quick Reactions                  2 RP
   Offense Racial Traits
      Claws                                   2 RP
   Senses Racial Traits
      Darkvision 60 Feet              2 RP
      Low-light vision                  1 RP

Total                                         13 RP

So two down, four more to go. Tomorrow expect something... squishier.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Episode 2: Race #1 - Human

And the first alien race is... not aliens at all. Yup, there's humans in the universe we'll be playing in, and here they are. But, to bring them up a notch to compete with some of the other races in the weird and wild galaxy, they've got the new "Heroic" trait. There might also be some in-story benefits to choosing this race, but you never can tell. Check 'em out.


Human
Type
   Humanoid (human)         0 RP
Size
   Medium                           0 RP
Base Speed
   Normal                            0 RP
Ability Score Modifiers
   Human                             0 RP
Languages
   Linguist                           1 RP
Racial Traits
   Feats and Skills Racial Traits
      Flexible bonus feat       4 RP
      Heroic                           4 RP
      Skilled                          4 RP

Total                                  13 RP

Okay, now that the known quantities out of the way, check back tomorrow for the first mystery race to kick off our week-long march of aliens.