Is that door locked? Mythic and Dungeon Designer's Deck

Many moons ago, back in the 90's, I played a game called Cardmaster. It was for Dungeons and Dragons 2e and allowed you to generate dungeons with a deck of cards. You'd draw the room, draw the monsters, and draw the treasure. Quick and simple, though limited at times. Feeling nostalgic, I did some searching online recently and found the Dungeon Designer's Deck from Loke Battle Mats. It allows you to deal a dungeon in a similar, though more complex method.

Now this set has a lot of options, though I would've preferred a walkthrough for help. I did watch a bunch of YouTube videos, and I did some web searching to figure out what I needed to do. Overall, I'm enjoying it, and decided to post my first game.

First, this set includes a fold-out tile map where you can lay out your cards. You can use the plain map, seen above, or the other side, with walls. Loke also includes books of maps that you can use for your background as well. The main features you'll use are Room Cards and Encounter Cards. Room cards can generate entire features for a room, with multiple scenery and Encounters. Or you can do what I did and use Encounter Cards as rooms themselves.

On the back of each card is a listing of possible things you may find (or fight) and any treasure you find. Once you complete this encounter, you draw a Door Card, which will have different kinds of doors, some unlocked, some sealed tight. The other cards that come with the game are Quick Reference cards for How to Play, Monster, and Treasure.

While the set is designed for 5e rules, I'm using Mythic for my game. Using the 1P Mythic and Narrative Combat rules in MM 25 and 28, I created some quick game rules:

Fantasy Inc.

Characters have Four Main Abilities:

- Damage: The Ability to make bad things happen to opponents or things. Also used for physical activities, like jumping or climbing, as well as Intimidation.

- Escape: The Ability to keep bad things from happening to you or someone else. This is also used for movement, as well as Stealth and Bluff checks.

- Effect:  Everything else. This covers Persuade, Sleep spells, Reading Texts, and Repairing.

- Toughness:  The Ability to survive lethal attacks. Toughness equals you highest Ability + your Level.

Characters get 3 Ability Points per Level. In addition, starting characters get a free point at Level 1, depending on their Race:

- Dwarf: +1 Damage.

- Halfling: +1 Escape.

- Elf: +1 Effect.

- Human: Can choose where to place bonus point.

The game only has 2 Classes: Non-Magic and Magic. Since characters are built around their Abilities, characters can be called whatever players want. A combat-based character can be a warrior, fighter, soldier, barbarian, swordsman, archer, or even assassin.

Magic Classes are slightly different.

- Magic Classes, at the start, gain the Ability; Magic, as well as a free Ability point in Magic.

- When distributing Abilities, characters can choose among Damage, Escape, Effect, or Magic.

- Magic is not counted when calculating Toughness.

- When casting a spell, add Magic to the relevant Ability.

- For example, Ice Spear would be Damage, Invisibility would be Escape, and Sleep would be Effect.

- Spell casting is unlimited, but with a twist.

- If you roll Doubles, and the Magic stat is higher than modified Ability, the Caster suffers Magical Backlash, in the form of -1 Rank Shift, plus and additional -1RS for every rank difference between Magic and the Ability.

For Example  - the Caster wants to cast Divination to know what's on the other side of a door. The caster's Magic is 7 and Effect is 1, for a total of 8. Since the Difficulty Rank is +3, that means the Odds are Certain. The caster rolls 22, which is success, but Doubles mean Backlash. The caster suffers -2 RS.

Finally, characters start with a piece of Gear. I'm keeping it simple at the start, with only 4 pieces:

- Armor:  +1 Toughness.

- Thieves Tools:  +1 When Disabling Traps and Unlocking Doors.

- First Aid Kit:  +1 when Healing.

- Spellbook: Reduce the damage from Backlash by 1. Can be used once per 3 Scenes or Rooms.

With those out of the way, I have my team, all lvl 1:

- Warrick:  human warrior; Dmg 3, Esc 1, Eff 0, Tuff 4; Armor.

- Reynard: halfling rogue; Dmg 1, Esc 1, Eff 2, Tuff 3; Thieves Tools.

- Willa: elf wizard; Dmg; 0, Esc 1, Eff 1, Magic 2, Tuff 2; Spellbook.

- Harren: dwarf healer; Dmg 2, Esc 0. Eff 1, Magic 1; First Aid Kit.

Now, onto the Dungeon . . . 

The party walks down the stairs and finds a Rusty Arsenal. 

(Q) Did the party avoid tripping?  (Escape roll - +1 Diff) All Yes.

Carefully, they maneuver past the rusty sharp objects on the ground.

• Rolling a 6, the party encounters a Giant Spider. A quick and easy first kill for the group. Crossing the room, they reach the door.

This is a barred door. It looks sturdy but opens without problem.

However, as the party moves through the door, they're attacked by Skeletons. Working together, the group dispatches the enemies easily, though Willa singes her fingers with a Fire Spike spell (-1 RS). Luckily, her spellbook protected her from the first backlash, but not the second.

Entering the next room, the party finds a pile of supplies. 

The rope on the ground tries to trip the party. Luckily the party restrains it. 

(Q) Did the part manage to scavenge anything?  (50/50)  Yes.

The party found a small ladder and some non-enchanted rope.

Next, the party finds an Arch Door. Luckily, it's not locked.

(Q)  Are there any traps on the door?  (Likely) X-Yes.

(Ability) (+3 - +2 = +1 Difficulty) Success!

Reynard locates a hidden poison needle near the handle and disarms it. He then opens the door.

Entering the next room, the party freezes in their tracks as they find bones all over the ground. Not a promising sign. A group of Goblins leaps out and attacks the party. Using Clash rules, the party defeats the Goblins, By now, Willa has recovered from her injuries.

A wooden door, unlocked and easily traveled. "Too easy," Warrick mumbles.

The group enters the next room to find moss all over the ground. As the group carefully navigates the room, spores launch clouds of poison into the air. All characters make a Toughness roll to avoid it, but Reynard fails and falls to the ground, coughing. Willa casts Gust of Wind (Effect) to clear the room, and Harren kneels down to Heal (Effect + First Aid Kit) Reynard.

Moss covers the door as well. Willa checks to see if opening the door will cause more spores to appear (Effect roll - Success).

(Q) Are there anymore spores? (Likely) No.

There are no more threats so they open the door.

Entering the next room, they find a Black Bear munching on a corpse (how did a bear get down there?), which I decide is the dungeon's Boss, and therefore upped its difficulty a Rank. Willa held up a magical Shield to protect the group (doubles - spellbook) as Warrick charged forward and attacked. The bear struck but the shield held, protecting Warrick from getting sliced to ribbons. Willa attempted another shield (failed - doubles), but backlash knocked her down. Warrick struck the bear, and Reynard fired an arrow. Harren struck with his club. On the next round, the bear dropped Reynard (the poor guy has no luck!), but Warrick killed it. After the battle, Harren managed to heal poor Reynard. Willa has a headache but is not hurt too badly.

In the final room, they find a chest that has a +3 Lock, giving Reynard a 50% chance to disarm it. He succeeds, but barely. Inside, they find a bunch of coins and Elven Armor (I'm treating it as +1 armor). Since Reynard has the worst luck, he gets the armor. The rest of the treasure is distributed to the group, which they can use to purchase more gear (once I draw up a bigger list).

The game also includes Scenario Cards if you want to randomly generate an adventure. I'll try one of those next time.

• 
  

Monster World - An RPG set to Mythic rules

 Being a fan of the Halloweentown films, I decided to use Mythic Rules to run my own game. I wanted something rules lite, with easy character creation and task resolution rules so I could focus on game play and storytelling. The world is similar to Halloweentown but slightly darker, although it doesn't have to be.

Monster World Rules

 

This game uses the Mythic rules as well as the rules for Narrative Combat in MM #28.

 

Another world exists, one with all types of monsters; vampires, werewolves, and even witches and ghouls. Now most are pretty pleasant and friendly, but others may live up to their reputation in all the worst ways. Recently, a portal opened, linking our world to the Monster World, allowing humans and monsters to interact. Will this work out for the best, or will it cause nothing but disaster?

 

Abilities

All characters have 4 Abilities.

• ·         Abilities Range from negative to positive, with 0 being average.
• ·          Most characters start with all Abilities at 0.

·          Abilities are:

 

Damage

Damage is the ability to make things worse for an opponent or object. It also represents a character’s physical ability.

•  Damage includes:
• ·        Combat
• ·        Lifting
• ·      Kicking down a door.
• ·        Pushing a dresser to block a window,
• ·       Intimidating.

 

Escape

Escape is the ability to keep bad things from happening to you or someone else. It is also used for movement.

Escape includes:

• ·         Dodging an attack.
• ·         Using a Magic Shield.
• ·         Flying.
• ·        Teleporting.
• ·          Bluffing an opponent.

 

Effect

Effect covers everything else, which is a wide range of actions. It also represents a character’s intellect and wisdom.

Effect includes:

• ·         Charming an opponent.
• ·         Tripping an enemy.
• ·         Reading a book.
• ·         Searching a location.
• ·        Confusing an opponent.

 

Toughness

Toughness is technically a fourth Ability, but it is separate from the rest. Toughness represents a character’s ability to survive lethal or incapacitating damage.

• ·         Toughness is rolled on the Incapacity table.
• ·        Toughness is the character’s Highest Ability + Level.

 

Skills

Skills are things characters are good at, usually outside of combat. There are 19 Skills, but not all characters have access to all 19 Skills (See Classes). Skills are added directly to Abilities when performing actions.

For example, Intimidate +1 would be added to Damage +2 for a total of +3.

Note that there are two numbers next to each Skill. The first is for Monsters. The second is for Humans.

 

Skills:

1/2  Athletic – Climbing, jumping, running, physical exertion.

2/3  Aware – Noticing things, perception, sensing danger.

3/4  Deceive – Lying, disguising, misleading.

5/6  Intimidate – Frightening or threatening someone.

6/7  Investigate – Searching for clues, examining evidence.

7/8  Knowledge – general knowledge, information, lore.

8/9  Occult – Supernatural knowledge, magic, summoning.

10/11  Wits – Quick thinking, puzzles, improvising.

 

12  Craft – Building, making, sewing, woodworking.

13  Drive – Operating a vehicle.

14  Medicine – Treating injuries, first aid, medical knowledge.

15  Repair – Fixing something that’s broken.

16  Performance – Acting, singing, performing in public.

17  Research – Finding information, through books, libraries, etc.

18  Survival – Wilderness, camping, foraging, navigating outdoors.

19  Technology – Computers, electronics, modern devices.

 

Races

 

There are only 2 races in Monster world; Monsters and Humans. Each gains Abilities and Skills separately.

 

Monsters

Monsters are the natives of Monster World. They appear in every shape and size, and most exhibit some special powers.

• ·         Monsters start with 1 Free Ability Point, according to their Class.
• ·         Monsters start with 1 Skill at +1 of their choice from the first 10 skills.
• ·         Monsters gain 3 Ability Points per level, including Level 1.
• ·         Monsters start with 1 Trait, depending on their Class.
• ·         From Level 2 on, Monsters can trade 1 Ability Point for 2 Skill Points. These can be any of the 19 Skills on the list.

 

Traits

Monsters have one of two Traits, depending on their Class. These represent a monster’s actions against a human. These only count versus humans. When facing other Monsters, do not add the bonus.

• ·         Strike:  The Monster adds its Level when rolling for Damage or Effect.
• ·         Survive: The monster adds its Level when rolling for Escape or Toughness. Think of this like a supernatural resistance to normal attacks. It exists so PC’s don’t have to worry about wooden stakes or silver weapons.

 

Classes

A monster’s Class determines its starting Bonus Ability Point and its Trait.

Monster Classes:

• ·         Vampire – Effect – Survive.
• ·         Werewolf – Damage – Survive.
• ·         Zombie – Damage – Survive.
• ·         Witch – Effect – Strike.
• ·         Mad Scientist – Effect - Strike.
• ·         Ghost – Escape – Survive.
• ·         Mummy – Damage – Survive.
• ·         Imp – Escape – Strike.
• ·         Monster Clown – Effect – Survive.
• ·         Slasher – Damage – Survive.
• ·         Giant Bat – Escape- Strike.
• ·         Walker (Frankenstein’s Monster) – Damage – Strike.
• ·         Giant Snake – Damage – Strike.
• ·         Slime Monster – Effect – Strike.
• ·         Demon – Strike – Survive.
• ·         Elemental – Effect – Strike.

 

Humans

Humans are the natives of our known world. While not as powerful as Monsters, Humans tend to be more skilled and varied.

• ·         Humans start with 1 Free Ability Point, according to Class.
• ·         Humans start with 1 Free Skill Point, according to Class.
• ·         Humans gain 2 Ability Points per level.
• ·         Humans gain 2 Skill Points per level.
• ·         Humans can trade 2 Skill Points for 1 Ability Point.

Classes

A Human’s Class determines its starting Ability and Skill.

Classes:

• ·         Cop – Damage – Athletic.
• ·         Crook – Damage – Intimidate.
• ·         Robber – Escape – Deceive.
• ·         Librarian – Effect – Research.
• ·         Student – Escape – Knowledge.
• ·         Detective – Effect – Investigate.
• ·         Bouncer – Damage – Intimidate.
• ·         Ghost Finder – Effect – Investigate.
• ·         Medic – Effect – Medicine.
• ·         Dancer – Escape – Perform.
• ·         Cultist – Effect – Occult.
• ·         Artisan – Effect – Craft.
• ·         Hunter (ghost, vampire, or otherwise) – Damage – Investigate.
• ·         Trucker – Damage – Drive.
• ·         Brawler – Damage – Athletic.
• ·         Archeologist – Escape – Investigate.

 

Silver Knight

The Silver Knights are a special Human Class that have plagued the Monster World for untold centuries. The Knights vow to rid the universe of all monsters, and will pull every trick in the book to do so.

• ·         Silver Knight - +1 to Damage and Escape – Intimidate, Investigate.

 

Levels

 

• Characters start at Level 1 and gain Ability Points and/or Skill Points each Level.
• ·         Toughness is increased when increasing Level and Highest Ability.

 

Level 0 Characters

Level 0 Characters are the normal folk that inhabit both worlds. They exist mainly for low level characters to face easy early opponents.

• ·         The sum of 3 Abilities must equal 0.
• ·         Raising one Ability means lowering another.
• ·         Characters gain the Class Skill as if Level 1.
• ·         However, the character does Not gain the Class Ability.
• ·         For Monsters, Traits still apply, even though there is no bonus.
• ·         PC’s who start at Level 0 but reach Level 1 have all Abilities reset to 0.

 

For Example

·         A Level 0 Crook would have Damage 1, Effect 0. He knows how to use his handgun, but he’s not very smart.

·         A Level 0 Cop may have Damage 1, Escape 0. He can use his gun, but he’s less likely to flee.

 

Level -1 Characters

Level -1 Characters are the very bottom of the barrel. These represent normal people who may get caught in an event.

• ·         The sum of all Abilities must equal -1.
• ·         So a -1 Civilian may have -1 Damage, 0 Escape, and 0 Effect.

 

 

 

Creating a Character

 

Creating a Character for Monster World is quick and easy.

Just follow the following steps. These assume you start at Level 1:

• ·         Come up with a concept.
• ·         Start with your Race and Class, and any bonuses.
• ·         Spend your Ability Points, and possibly Skill Points. Remember, Ability Points start at 0, before Bonuses.
• ·         Determine your Toughness (Remember; Highest Ability + Level).
• ·         Add your Trait if you are a Monster.
• ·         Name and come up with a background for your character.
• ·         Start your first game!

 

NPC’s

When creating NPCs, sometimes you may need to generate the character at random.

 

Random Stats

Use the following table to determine the starting Stats. Start with what you expect the stat to be and roll 1d10.

·         1:  -2 what you expect.

·         2-3:  -1 What you expect.

·         4-7:  What you expect.

·         8-9:  +1 what you expect.

·         10:  +2 what you expect.

Note:  You can also just use the Level of your character as the expected level.

 

Example

The Level 1 Vampire is encountering a cop. I roll 8 for Level. The crop is Level 2, which means 4 Ability Points and 1 Bonus point to Damage. I expect Damage to be 3.  Rolling 1d10, I get 6. Yes, it is a 3. That leave 2 points. Rolling for Escape (expecting 1). I get 7, for 1. That means Effect is also 1. For Skills, I roll 2d10 and get Survival and Intimidate. I decide Athletic and Intimidate are more fitting.

This gives us the following:

·         Level 2 Cop. Damage 3, Escape 1, Effect 1. Skills: Athletic 2, Intimidate 2, Survival 1.

 

There, just a few rolls, and the character is done.

 

Games

 

Monster World games can take place in a variety of locations and eras. Characters can either be friendly with others of their kind or enemies.

 

Game Eras or Locations

• ·         Monsters and Humans attend school together.
• ·         The Monsters are hunting humans, possibly at a campground.
• ·         Humans are hunting Monsters, possibly at a castle.
• ·         A group of Monsters and Humans are working together to solve a crime which affects both races.
• ·         An all-human adventure in the normal world.
• ·         The monsters are wandering a city in Monster World, visiting shops and interacting with others of their kind.
• ·         Monsters are exploring the Human World in disguise.
• ·         Humans are exploring a location for ghostly activity.
• ·         Humans must venture into the Monster World, in search of an artifact.
• ·         Monsters are at war with one of their own, such as Werewolves versus Vampires.

 

 

 

First Adventure on the Citadel - Mythic and Mass Effect

 Now that we have our characters, let's set them off on their first adventure.

First, why are they on the Citadel (Detail Check): Negative, Failure

What area of the Citadel are they on (Description): Feeble, Clean

Are they under Arrest?  (unlikely)  No.

Are they in a bar:  (likely)  Yes.

Do they know each other already?  (50%)  No

Rammer sat at the bar and downed his drink. It was a slow day as far as work was concerned. CSec wasn't hiring, at least not hiring him, and rent-a-cops paid peanuts. Nearby, a Quarian thumbed through his omni-tool, probably searching for jobs as well. A female salarian sat back at a booth with her feet kicked up. A small drone hovered nearby, and she giggled as he bounced around.

Suddenly, the door burst open and some troops in armor Rammer had never seen before burst in.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," said the leader. "We're looking for biotics, so step forward and no one gets hurt."

Are there as many troops as the 3 characters? (Likely) Yes

Are they Level 0?  (likely)  Yes

Okay, so we have 3 troops, all Level 0. Which means their stats have to equal 0. Let's start with:

Enemy Trooper Level 0:  Damage 1, Defend, 0, Effect -1, Power 0, Toughness 1.

Weapon:  Assault Rifle.

"Finally," mumbled Rammer, who slowly pulled out his rifle, but kept it hidden under the table. 

One of the troopers approached Krix and noticed his drone. "Turn that thing off."

"Yes sir," the salarian said quickly.

"Not fast enough," said the trooper, who pointed his weapon at Krix's head.

Enough of this, thought Rammer, who pointed his rifle at the lead trooper.

This will be a Clash, with Rammer performing A Damage action while the trooper will perform a Defend to get out of the way.

Rammer has Damage +3 vs. the trooper's Defend 0.

(Clash)  Does Rammer win the Clash? (+3 = Nearly Certain) Yes.

(Damage) The shot + the 3 pt difference means the trooper is now at -2 RS.

The shots hit the trooper in the back and he collapsed to the ground, groaning. The other two aimed their weapons, but the quarian suddenly vanished and the salarian summoned another combat drone.

I'll combine actions for this one. Everyone is performing a Damage. The trooper's total is +2. Krix/Laslow are combining Power with Damage and have a combined Damage of +3. 

(Clash)  Do the heroes win the Clash? (+1 = Likely)  X-Yes.

(Damage)  Both troopers suffer -1 RS.

Laslow fired from his cloak and struck one trooper. Krix's drone opened fire on the other trooper and scored a hit. Both spun around to face their new adversaries.

For the next round, I'll roll for each individual.

First:

(Q)  Do the troopers remain?  (Unlikely)  Yes.

(Clash)  Does Rammer win?  (+3 vs. +1 -2 = +4 = Certain) Yes - Random Event.

Since Rammer is not using a power, he doesn't have to worry about cooldown.

(Event)  Stop, Information.

(Damage):  +3 vs. +1 - 2 -1 (losing the Clash) -1 (3 pt difference) = -3.

(Incapacity)  Is the trooper Incapacitated?  (+6 = Certain)  Yes - Random Event

(Event)  Positive, Harm

(Q) Does his friends try to get him out of there?  (likely)  Yes.

Rammer fired again and caught to trooper in chesr. The trooper hit the ground with smoking coming from his armor. His buddies immediately grabbed his arms and dragged him out, with their hands raise.

"We're good. We're good."

"We better get out of herem" said Krix, "before CSec shows up."

(Q) Is CSec there yet?  (likely)  No.

"Strange," said Laslow, as they slipped out of the building and into an alley. "I thought they'd be here by now."

"They've got bigger problems than this part of the station," said Rammer.

"Still," Krix replied, "we better not push our luck."

(Q)  Do they see any more of these troopers?  (50%)  Yes.

(Q)  More than one?  (likely)  No.

(Q) Is he looking for a fight?  (likely)  Yes.

(Q)  Does he notice the heroes?  (50%)  No.

Turning a corner, the encountered a lone trooper, apparently eyeing a courtyard. He seemed to be searching for a specific target.

Rammer raised his rifle, but Laslow gently pushed the barrel down. "Let's not attract too much attention, shall we?"

Krix approached and activated his omni tool.

Krix will attempt to use Overload as an Effect to knock the trooper out. Since he's also sneaking, he gets a -1 to his roll. This actually nullifies the trooper-s -1 (he's avoiding the attack), so it's just Krix's +2.

(Clash)  Does Krix win the Clash?  (+2 = Very Likely)  Yes.

Sneaking up on the trooper, Krix launched a blast of electricity. It struck the trooper, who collapsed to the ground. The three pulled him back into the alley and tied him up.

"Okay," said Laslow, "it's time to see what's really going on."

As the trooper awoke, Laslow leaned over him.  "Wakey wakey."

The trooper's hands instantly fell to his belt, but he found his hands were bound and his belt, nowhere in sight. 

"Who are you after?" Laslow asked.

For this interrogation, I'll use Laslow's Effect (+2) vs. the trooper's Defend (0).

(Clash)  Does Laslow win the Clash?  (+2 = very likely)  X-Yes.

"We're looking for biotics," the trooper said.

"Who do you work for?" Laslow asked.

(Q)  Does the trooper even know who he works for?  (likely, right? I mean he has to)  No

Guess not.

"They appear in garbled messages to us," the trooper answered. "We never met them, but they pay us a lot to bring biotics in alive."

"Well, not today." Standing, Laslow glanced at the trooper's omni-tool. "Think you can make anything of this?"

Krix studied it.  "Possibly, but it might take some time. Let's find a place to crash while I look this over."

"What about him?" Rammer kicked the trooper.

"Leave him for CSec," Krix answered  "I'm also making a copy of all this info and leaving it."

"Leaving it?" asked Laslow. "Why?"

"For them to find," answered Krix. "That way they know what they're up against."

"Good." Rammer nodded. "Maybe they'll hire us to figure this out."

So that was the first adventure. Pretty quick, but it got the job done. Next time, we'll see where else our friend's adventures take them.

This is my favorite game on the Citadel - Combining Mythic and Mass Effect

 I've been playing the Mass Effect Legendary Edition, though mostly ME 2 and 3, and I wondered if it could be put into a roleplaying game. Now there are a bunch of sci-fi RPGs out there, and they're all great games. However, I'm a huge fan of Mythic and wanted to use it instead, which proved to be easier than I thought. 

For this game, I'll be using several issues of Mythic Magazine, specifically:

MM #25:  One Page Mythic

MM #28:  Mythic RPG Narrative Combat

MM #31:  Mythic as a Rules Lite RPG

MM #45:  One Page Character Crafter

Abilities

All characters have 4 Abilities (Technically 5 with Toughness, but we'll get into that later.). Abilities can be positive or negative, with 0 being average. (In the upcoming Mythic rules, this will be changed, and when they do, I'll adjust these. I'm just going with these for now because they're easier for a brand new game).

These Abilities are also based on actions taken during a Class (MM 28):

Damage: This is for actions that make things worse for someone or something. Attacking an opponent, kicking down a door, and intimidating a victim all fall under this.

Defend: This is for actions that keep bad things from happening to you or other characters (or even things). These include ducking out of the way, blocking an attack, or even barring a door.

Effect: This is for everything else. Whether you are distracting a guard, hacking a computer, or exploring a star system, these all fall under Effect.

Power:  Most characters also have powers of some kind, and they fall under Combat, Tech, or Biotic. 

Power

Power allows characters to do all the fun things like they do in the games; set opponents on fire, hack turrets, and picking things up and toss them around. Oh, and don't forget trapping opponents in a spinning vortex before hurling a warp at them.

To use a power, characters add Power to whichever Ability they wish.

For example:

- Power + Damage can be Warp, Concussive Shot, Overload, or even Slam.

- Power + Defend can be Barrier, Defense Matrix, or Fortitude.

- Power + Effect can be Lift, Sabotage, Tactical Cloak, or Drone.

Cooldown:  If Doubles are rolled when using a Power, the power must cool down before it can be used again, which would be the next scene. 

Limit:  The Power ability cannot be higher than the character's highest Ability. For example, if a character has Damage +1, Defend 0, Effect +2, Power cannot higher than +2. However, if the highest Ability is raised, then Power can be raised as well, although it still requires Ability points to do so.

Races

The universe of Mass Effect is filled with species of all shapes and sizes. All characters of Level 1 or higher get a one-time +1 bonus to one ability, depending on their race:

Humans:  Choose.

Asari:  +1 Power

Krogan  +1 Damage

Salarian:  +1 Effect

Turian:  +1 Defend

Quarian:  +1 Effect

Geth:  +1 Defend  (Cannot be a Biotic Class)

Drell:  +1 Damage

Creating a Character

When creating a character, first come up with an idea. Then choose your Race, Class, and Skill (We'll get into weapons and armor later. For now, assume they're built into existing abilities).

Level

 Most character start at Level 1, but that's up to you. In addition to the race bonus, characters gain 3 Ability Points per level that can organized any way to player wishes.

Zero Level Characters:  These are low level characters that usually exist to give new characters practice in learning the game. A 0 Level Character gets no Racial Bonus and all Abilities must add up to 0.

-  So a Thug with +1 Damage could have -1 Defend.

Toughness

Toughness is a character's ability to survive life-threatening situations. It is similar to Hit Points in most games, but it is rolled instead of being kept track of.

-  Toughness is Equal to the character's Level + Highest Ability.

-  Use Toughness when rolling on the Incapacity Table.  (MM 25)

Skills

All characters start with 1 Skill. Skills grant a character a +1 on a non-combat action.

Examples of Skills include:

Pilot

Hacking

Medical

Leadership

Persuasion

Wits

Knowledge

With those in mind, let's create our first characters. Now these aren't the characters I'm using in my usual games. I'm just creating them to show the rules.

But where's the fun in that? Let's let Mythic help us.

First Character:  Male or Female?  (50%)  Male

Character Actions, Combat:  Free Damage.

Sounds like a Soldier to me.

Rammer:  Human Level 1 Soldier

Damage:  3, Defend: 1, Effect: 0, Power: 0, Toughness: 4.

Weapon: Avenger Assault Rifle.

Armor:  Basic.

Is he Alliance?  (50%)  No.

Are any of the team Alliance?  (Unlikely)  No.

Rammer is tough but he has a problem with authority. He's also lazy. But he's a skilled and fearless fighter.

Second Character:  Male?  (50%) Yes.

Character Actions, Combat: Break, Truce. 

Sounds sneaky to me.

Laslow: Quarian Level 1 Infiltrator

Damage: 0, Defend: 1, Effect: 2, Power: 1

Weapon: SMG

Armor: Basic.

Powers: Tactical Cloak, Overload

Laslow learned the commanders on his ship were planning to start another war with the Geth. He released the information that he gained but got removed from the ship in the process.

And the third member of the team:

Male?  (Very Unlikely) Yes.

Character Actions, Combat: Rough, Mechanical

Krix: Salarian Level 1 Engineer

Damage: 1, Defend: 0, Effect: 2, Power: 1

Powers: Combat drone, Overload, Incinerate

Weapon: Heavy Pistol

Armor: basic

Krix is a coward who prefers for technology to fight for him. Luckily, he's very good at technology.

Next time, we'll start their adventure.

Zeroes to Heroes - Part 9 - The Plan in Motion

 So the heroes have their plan. Now's the time to put this plan into motion. But first, they have to locate Perth.

(Q)  To they catch up to Perth?  (Likely)  Yes.

(Q)  Does she have a home in the woods?  (Likely)  X-Yes.  

"There they are." Zook pointed as the group moved through the woods. Between several trees, they found a two-story cottage built of bricks, which explained why it looked in excellent condition. Perth's two hired thugs stood outside. "Remember, no matter what happens, stick to the plan."

"Unless the plan goes down the sewers," Natrius added, "then, of course we improvise, or run."

As the group approached, one thug drew is sword while the other pointed his crossbow. "That's close enough," said the second.

"We want to speak with Perth," said Zook. "We're from the village she plans to attack and we want to negotiate."

For this, I'll make a Charisma roll of Zook vs. the second thug (using Bandit stats).

(Ability)  Does Zook win?  (+1 = Likely)  Yes.

"Fine." The thug went inside. A few moments later, Perth emerged, wearing her robes. 

"I am told you have a valid reason for summoning, commoner," she said.

"We are from Briskhill Village," said Zook. "We know you plan to attack it, that's why you poisoned two of our people. We're here to negotiate for our people's safety."

Perth eyed the gnome suspiciously. "And you are?"

"I am Mr. Zook, court wizard," Zook answered.

"And what is that?" she pointed to the glowing amulet around his neck.

"This amulet," he answered, "both detects and enhances magic. It was a gift from my deceased master." He held it for a moment. "Spare our village and it's yours."

 Let's see if she falls for this plan. It's be Zook's Deception vs. Perth's wisdom.

(Ability)  Does Zook deceive Perth?  (+2 vs. 0 = Very Likely)  Yes.

"Very well," Perth said. "In exchange for your magical amulet, I shall spare your pitiful village.

Natrius watched the woman carefully, wondering if she meant what she said.

Natrius will perform a Wisdom roll to see if he can tell if she's lying. He has +1.

(Ability)  Can Natrius tell if Perth is lying?  (+1 = Likely)  Yes.

(Q)  Is Perth Lying?  (Very Likely)  Yes.

Natrius tapped Zook's shoulder, a signal that the old woman had no intention of cooperating after she got the amulet. Noting this, Zook pretended to be nervous.

Perth held out her hand. "Now the amulet."

Zook pretended to hold out the amulet while stepping back in terror.

"For Kor's sake," said Vina, rolling her eyes, "our people are in danger." Snatching it out of Zook's hand, she handed it to Perth. "Here." But as she did so, Vina attempted to steal Perth's bracelet right off her wrist.

Vina will perform a Sleight of Hand (+2) check, again versus Perth's Wisdom (0).

(Ability)  Does Vina succeed?  (+2 vs. 0 = Very Likely)  Yes.

(Q)  Does Perth attempt to use her Shocking Grasp spell?  (Likely)  Yes.

Perth has +2 Prof, +1 from her Intelligence for +3 Spell Attack. This is versus Vina's +1 Dex.

(Clash)  Does Perth hit Vina?  (+3 vs. +1 = Very Likely)  Yes.

Vina takes 7 damage and collapses.

(By the way, yes, I'm mixing Mythic and DnD rules. I don't see a problem with it, especially since I'm running the game solo, and jumping back and forth doesn't seem to pose a problem.)

While handing the amulet to Perth, Vina managed to slip the old woman's bracelet off. However, as she did so, Perth grabbed her wrist and hit her with a shock strong enough to send her flying back. Vina hit the ground, her eyes closed.

Seeing this, Solgi snuck around, attempting to retrieve the bracelet.

Solgi will make a stealth roll (+1) vs. Perth and her thugs (+2 total).

(Ability)  Does Solgi succeed?  (+1 vs. +2 = -1 = Unlikely)  Yes.

While the old woman laughed, Solgi snuck over to Solgi, and grabbed the bracelet, slipping it into her pocket.

"Nice try." Perth's fingers traced over Zook's amulet, which glowed. "Now leave my sight before I turn you all into ash."

Natrius rushed over to check on Vina.

First I'm making a Death Saving Throw for Vina. She needs 3 to either stabilize or die.

(First roll):  Fail.

Natrius rushed over and made a medicine roll to help her.

(Ability)  Does Natrius succeed?  (+2 vs. 0 = Very Likely)  Yes.

Applying some salves, he managed to get her breathing again, but she regain unconscious. Motioning to Solgi, the two picked her up as the group headed for the clearing.

(Q)  Does Perth notice her bracelet is missing?  (Very Likely)  X-Yes.

(Oh boy.)

The group had just reached the clearing when they heard a shriek. The old woman and her thugs approached.

"You have defied me for the final time!" Perth lifted her fingers, which crackled. One thug aimed his crossbow while the other lifted his sword and charged.

(Q)  Is Perth going to use her Bonfire spell?  (Very Likely)  No.

Okay, so she's going for her shocking grasp instead. 

(Q)  Who is she aiming for?  (Rolling 1d8)  Vina.

Vina is currently being held by Natrius and Solgi, making her an easy target. Natrius and Solgi will attempt to make an Escape move.

(Clash)  Does Solgi succeed? (+2 vs. +2 = 50/50)  X-No.

I'm ruling that the Exceptional  result means the old woman is wide open for attacks from the others. Also, for the challenge, I decided she has her Mage Armor activated and has 1 Shield ready to cast. 

I'm also ruling that Ivor is the closest and will attempt to attack Perth with his Great Club.

Ivor has +1 Proficiency bonus vs. Perth's AC of 13.

(1d20 roll for Ivor)  19 +1 = 20.

Even if she uses Shield (+5 AC), the move would hit.

5 Damage. This brings Perth down to 1 HP. She's still alive, but barely.

Reaching the group, Perth sprang, screaming towards the unconscious Vina, thinking she still had the bracelet. "Give it back!"

Luckily, Solgi and Natrius pulled her out of the way. As Perth stumbled, Ivor stepped forward and dropped his great club right over the old woman's head. She fell to all four's, with blood pouring through her hair.

Her two thugs prepared their weapons and attacked to save the old woman.

Thug #1 (Scimitar) will attack (rolling 1d8)  Ivor. Kerri and Milo will try and attack the thug.

Thug #1 gets +3 to attack, while Kerri gets +1, +1 from Milo.

(Clash)  Do Kerri and Milo hit the Thug?  (+2 vs. +3 = -1 = Unlikely)  X-Yes.

Damage:  7 (Kerri) + 4 (Milo) = 11, dropping Thug #1 to 0 HP.

The thug pointed his scimitar and charged towards the cloaked man. But Kerri got there first. Swinging her own club, she caught the man in the ribs, doubling him over. Milo fired his crossbow, catching the thug in the back. He fell over.

That leaves the last thug versus Jaree. Both have crossbows. Thug # 2 has +3 Attack vs. Jaree with +2.

(Clash)  Does Jaree win the Clash?  (+2 vs. +3 = -1 = Unlikely)  No.

Damage:  3 + 1 = 4, dropping Jaree to 0 HP.

Jaree Makes a Death Saving Throw:  1. Fail, 2. Fail, 3. Pass, 4. Fail.

Jaree is dead.

Jaree pointed his crossbow at the thug, who pointed his own. Both fired, but Jaree looked down to see the bolt in his stomach. Dropping his weapon, he collapsed to the ground.

Seeing the former guard fall, Zook pointed his staff and roared. "Now you've done it! Feel the fury from the stars." Muttering gibberish just loud enough to be heard, he locked eyes with the thug.

Zook is attempting to distract the thug, who will use escape to resist it. It's +2 Deception vs. 0.

(Clash)  Does Zook succeed?  (+2 vs. 0 = Very Likely)  Yes.

This gives the thug -1 on his next roll.

The thug stared back at the gnome, just for a moment, but long enough.

Reaching her feet, Perth lifted her hands at the group. Flames emanated from her fingers and the group prepared to respond. Lowering Vina to the ground, Natrius and Solgi pulled out their weapons to attack. 

This will be a combined Clash. If Perth wins, she casts her Create Bonfire, causing everyone who fails their Save to suffer 1d8 Damage. In other words, near instant death for everyone. 

Ivor, Kerri, and Milo all attack Perth. I'll use Ivor's +2 + 1 for each ally, for a total of +4. This is vs. Perth's +3 Spell casting.

(Clash)  Do the heroes succeed?  (+4 vs. +3 = Likely)  Yes, Random Event. 

(Event)  "Conclude, Burden"

(Q)  Does the amulet explode?  (Impossible, since it's 1 in 10 chance)  Yes.

Before the old woman could cast her spell, Ivor and Kerri both swung their clubs, while Milo fired his crossbow. Perth threw up her shield spell to protect her. All of the attacks bounced off her magical barrier, and she grinned as she faced the group. But then the amulet now around her neck shimmered, and before she could react, it exploded.

Since it's around Perth's neck, and she only had 1 HP, it's instant death for her. However, everyone else in range has to make a Dex save to avoid the explosion. Failure results in 1d6 Damage.

Ivor:  Pass.

Kerri:  Pass.

Milo:  Fail (1 Damage).

The three dove for cover. Ivor and Kerri managed to avoid the blast while Milo fell to the ground, clutching his shoulder. Overall, though, they survived.

Now we're back to the final two. Solgi will use her sling against the final thug. Since he's distracted, I'll allow Solgi to roll without counting her Disadvantage. +1 vs. +3/

(Clash)  Does Solgi succeed?  (+1 vs. +3 = Very Unlikely)  Yes.

Damage:  4.

As the thug was distracted, Solgi swung her arm, launching a rock that hit him in the head, causing him to stumble back.

(Q)  Does the thug flee?  (Likely)  X-No.

(Action)  What does he do?  "Enemies, Start."

Looking at the carnage around him, the thug pointed his crossbow. "I'll make you all pay with your lives. I'll paint the ground with your blood."

I'm going full DnD for this next series of rolls, starting with Initiative.

1.  Kerri, 2. Solgi, 3. Milo, 4. Thug #2, 5. Ivor, 6. Zook, 7. Natrius.

Kerri:  (1d20 Roll)  20!!! Damage:  5 x2 for Crit = 10.

As the thug shifted his crossbow back and forth, he sneered, knowing his opponents wouldn't risk closing the distance. But a shadow fell over him, and he turned to see Kerri standing next to him. Before he could aim his weapon, she crushed his skull with her club, dropping him to the ground.

As the lest opponent fell, the group rushed over to Jaree. Natrius dropped to one knee and checked on him. As the others waited, Natrius raised his eyes and shook his head. 

Ivor stood up. "I shall see that he is honored with a monument at this very spot."

Over the next few days, the group disposed of the bodies of Perth and her thugs. Then they performed a funeral and gave their friend Jaree a grave in the clearing, signaling where he fell protecting his friends. 

After a day of resting and helping to heal Vina and Milo, the group explored the cottage belonging to the old woman, seeing if she held anything of interest.

I'm rolling on the Treasure Hoard table in the DMG, for Challenge Rating 1 for Perth. After all, had she used her Bonfire attack, the battle would've ended in a single turn in her favor.

Result:  60 gp in treasure; 2 Potions of Healing.

"This isn't much," said Zook, "but it'll help us move forward. Too bad the old woman's bracelet broke."

"Speaking of moving forward," said Natrius, "I think we're ready to go home."

"But are we really?" the gnome asked. "There may be other threats out there." Perhaps we should be ready for them?"

Natrius grew nervous. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying," Zook grinned, "if we can't find adventurers to hire for the future, we should become them ourselves."

So next time, I'll choose 4 or these characters to become adventurers, giving them classes, etc. The other 3 will return home. Just have to decide which 3.

Until then . . . 

Zeroes to Heroes - Part 8 - Unraveling the Mystery

 The eight individuals sat in a tavern together, discussing recent events. 

"So let me get this straight," said Jaree. "An old woman wants to attack our village, but first she tries to get our blacksmith and healer out of the way."

Ivor nodded. "Makes sense. Remove the one responsible for making weapons as well as the one who can heal the injured." When the others glared at him, he held up his hands. "I am not agreeing with the actions, only understanding them."

"But now we need to stop that woman before she attacks out village," said Kerri.

"Agreed," said Jaree, "but first we need to know more about her. There's no way an old woman and two thugs can defeat even our weakest villagers."

"She might be an alchemist," said Natrius. "That would explain her knowledge of poisons."

"She might also have an army," said Milo.

(Q)  Has anyone in town seen the old woman?  (Likely)  Yes.

(Q)  Was she only with two men?  (Likely)  X-Yes.

Natrius shook his head. "We asked around, and everyone said she was always seen with the two men. She even bought them weapons from the blacksmith, with the smith saying she talked him into a good deal."

"Did he?" Zook got off the chair. "I'll return after I check on something."

I'm going to have Zook make an Arcana check, with his amulet granting him an additional +1. The Difficulty is Average.

(Ability)  Does Zook learn something from the blacksmith?  (+3 vs. 0 = Nearly Certain)  Yes.

A few minutes later, Zook returned. He leaped back into his chair, sitting all the way back. Gripping his amulet, he stared into space.

"What did you find?" Natrius asked.

"I learned that this amulet glows, not only in the presence of magic, but also if magical residue is present, which it did in the blacksmith's shop." Zook took a deep breath. "We're not dealing with an alchemist. Our village is about to be attacked by a wizard."

(Luckily, she's only a Lvl 1 Wizard, but that's still a threat to Lvl 0 characters. The next part of this session is the planning stage.)

(Q)  Is she still in town?  (Unlikely)  Yes.

(Q)  Where was she last seen?  "Uncertain, Help, Stop."

"Has anyone seen her last?" Vina asked.

"The welcome center," said Zook. "We need to be cautious though."

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Before we go any further, let's get some information on Perth. After asking Mythic a few questions (and trying to figure out why an old woman would be only a Lvl 1 Wizard), I came up with the following:

Perth

Perth spent her life as a scribe, while her husband made money as an herbalist. After years of watching adventurers come and go through the town, she decided she wanted to become one herself. First, she poisoned her husband to get him out of the way (because that made more sense to her than, I don't know, talking to him.). Then, she invited a young wizard over. She got him drunk and learned all about his spells. Finally, she poisoned him and took his spellbook. After hiring a couple of street thugs to be her muscle, she set her sights on the closest village in hopes of taking it over and making an easy fortune.

Despite being an advanced age, Perth is in pretty good health. She wears a cloak and a bracelet that gives her +1 to spellcasting (I rolled "Delay, Obstacle." I was going to make it an Arcane Focus, but most of her spells do not require a material component.). Otherwise she has a modest amount of gold.

Perth:  Human Female. Level 1 Wizard. Int +1, Cha +1.  Skills:  Investigation, Arcanum. 

AC:  10 (13 with Magic Armor and 18 with MA and Shield), +2 Prof, 6 HP.

Spells:  

Cantrips:  Create Bonfire, Friends, Shocking Grasp.

Lvl 1:  Charm Person, Mage Armor, Shield.

Gear:  Bracelet (+1 Spellcasting)

For the two hired guns, I'm just using Bandit stats, with one using a sword and the other a scimitar.

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Hearing screams, the group rushed outside. Running down the street, they saw several guards standing over four bodies. The bodies lay on the ground in horrific poses, but what the group found most disturbing was that all four bodies were burnt to a crisp.

Zook turned to one of the guards. "What happened?"

"The old lady," the guard answered. "One minute they were all talking and laughing." He motioned to the charred bodies. "But then these four drew their swords and attacked. They bounced off a glowing wall, and then she called for help and must have panicked because the guys burst into flames."

"Where is she now?" Natrius asked.

The guard pointed to the closest gates. "She and her two friends fled into the forest."

Natrius blinked. "Why didn't you arrest her?"

The guards pointed to the bodies. "They attacked her first. To us, she was just defending herself, even if she got carried away. Probably why that thing on her wrist glowed." He glanced at Zook. "Kind of like the one on your neck."

Zook touched his amulet. "Yes, but this detects magic, and nothing else."

Natrius turned to him. "So what do you think?"

I'm going to make this an Arcanum check for Zook to see if he learns more about her.

(Ability)  Does Zook learn more About Perth?  (+2 vs. 0 = Very Likely)  Yes.

Finding a bench, Zook jumped on it and stared in thought as the guards removed the bodies from the street. The others stood around the gone, awaiting his answer.

"Well," said Zook, "we now know she can cast a fire spell that hits multiple targets. She also used some kind of mind spell on the blacksmith." He thought for a moment. "I remember the one who I worked for once mentioning a friendship spell. However, when it wears off, the other person gets hostile. That's probably what happened here."

"But why risk it?" Vina asked. "There was no reason to get into a fight."

"Practice, maybe," Kerri said, "and since they attacked her first, the guards thought she was defending herself."

Milo looked around. "So what's to stop her from charming all of us."

Zook shook his head. "I feel we're all too strong for that. And I have a feeling anything she'd ask that would endanger us would break the spell."

Natrius shook his head. "Terrific. So we just have to worry about being set on fire."

"But she's just an old woman." Ivor held up his club. "All we have to do is get in close and we'll put her in the ground."

"Don't forget the glowing wall," said Natrius. 

Zook nodded. "Sounds like some kind of magical shield."

"Well that settles it then." Natrius stood up straight. "We pool the rest of our money together and hire someone to take her out before she reaches our village."

Milo shook his head. "We tried that at the temple. Almost all adventurers are either at some tombs or other cities."

"He's right," said Jaree. "I believe we're on our own for this one."

"You're joking right?" Natrius started walking away, scanning the streets. "There has to be someone who can defeat this woman."

"Natrius, my friend," said Zook, "you sound frightened."

"Me frightened?" Natrius held up his hands. "Not at all. In fact we should march right into that forest an invite the poor woman to a spot of tea. Of course I'm frightened! This old woman just turned four street toughs into charred meat! How can any of you be so calm? I'm scared spitless!"

"We're all scared." Solgi touched his shoulder. "But if we don't stop her, our holes could suffer."

"Which means," said Jaree, "we need a plan."

(Now normally when I'm writing, I wouldn't reveal the plan in case it fails, but this is a game so it works differently. Plus I didn't consider a plan when I created Perth. I just wondered if I could create a Lvl 1 character who could take down an entire village. Now I have to figure out how to stop her.)

Zook sat in silence for several minutes. Then his hand fell to his amulet. "I'll offer her this if she spares our village."

Natrius looked at the gnome. "You think she'll agree."

Vina scoffed. "Not likely."

"It doesn't matter," said Zook. "This detects spells, but I was once warned that in the presence of a lot of magic, it may explode. If we can trick her into casting her spells over and over, she might overload it."

"But if she casts those fire spells in the forest," said Milo, "or worse the village, she'll burn the place down."

"That's why we need to lure her away from both," said the gnome.

(Q)  Are there any plains nearby where fire won't do as much damage?  (Likely)  Yes - Random Event.

(Event)  "Perfect, Expectations."

"There's a big clearing on the opposite side of the forest," Jaree said. "We'll lure her there."

"So how do we get her to follow us?" Natrius asked.

"We steal that bracelet," Zook answered.

Vina nodded. "I might be able to palm it."

Zook nodded. "Good. Try so when you hand her my amulet. One we're in the clearing, hit her with whatever you have." He looked up at Jaree, Milo, Ivor, and Kerri. "Two of you take out her muscle and the rest hit the wizard."

Natrius shrugged. "Well that's it then. I really hated living anyway."