More damage system thoughts

I have been thinking more about my proposed damage system, as well as receiving feedback for its original version. So, here is a variant for you to consider.

Ordinary handguns, knives, spears, etc. have 2d6 Penetration Dice. Rifles, light machine guns, big-ass pistols, long/bastard swords, etc. have 3d6. Sniper rifles, medium machine guns, grenade blasts, and broadswords have 4d6. Really heavy stuff such as RPG-7s and big lasers have  5d6.

Once you hit a target, you roll the penetration dice: 1-7, light wound; 8-11, severe wound; 12-16, mortal wound; or 16+ insta-kill.

Armor reduces the number of Penetration Dice you have. Light armor reduces by one die; heavy armor by two dice; powered armor by three dice.

A critical hit (let's say, a natural 12 on the 2d6 attack roll) adds one Penetration Die.

2 light wounds become a serious wound. 2 serious wounds become a mortal wound. Being wounded again when mortally wounded kills you.

So, the probabilities of the various wound levels, once a hit is made, are (I hope I got the math right this time...):

Pistol vs. unarmored target:

58% light wound

39% serious wound

3% mortal wound

No insta-kill without crit.

Rifle vs. unarmored target:

16% light wound

46% serious wound

36% mortal wound

2% insta-kill

With light armor (-1 Penetration Die):

Pistol:

100% light wound unless on a crit, in which case 58% light wound, 39% serious wound, 3% mortal wound

Rifle:

58% light wound

39% serious wound

3% mortal wound

No insta-kill without crit.

With heavy armor (-2 Penetration Dice):

Pistol:

No damage without crit, in which case light wound.

Rifle:

100% light wound unless on a crit, in which case 58% light wound, 39% serious wound, 3% mortal wound

Now, let's factor in the to-hit chance: 8+ on 2d6 + attacker skill - target skill and assume equal skills, per shot fired (42% to-hit chance):

Unarmored/Pistol:

58% miss

24% light wound

17% serious wound

1% mortal wound

No insta-kill without crit.

Unarmored/Rifle:

58% miss

7% light wound

19% serious wound

15% mortal wound

1% insta-kill

With light armor:

Pistol:

58% miss

42% light wound unless on a crit

Rifle:

58% miss

24% light wound

17% serious wound

1% mortal wound

No insta-kill without crit.

With heavy armor:

Pistol:

No damage without crit.

Rifle:

58% miss

42% light wound

Of course, chances are way higher if you're more skilled than your target!

What do you think of it now?

A damage system I was thinking about for gritty RPG combat

I have been thinking about a gritty penetration-based, hit-point-less damage system for grittier RPG combat. The came to me when thinking about my Cepheus Atom rules, where you have "hit-point-equivalents" (Endurance and Lifeblood), but, in practice, you have wound levels based on these "hit points": Uninjured, Lightly Injured, Seriously Injured, and Dead. So, why should I use the wound levels directly, instead of going through the "hit points"?

So...

Let's use Cepheus Light vehicle damage as an inspiration. Weapons have Penetration Dice. Ordinary handguns, knives, spears, etc. have 1d6. Rifles, light machine guns, big-ass pistols, long/bastard swords, etc. have 2d6. Sniper rifles, medium machine guns, grenade blasts, and broadswords have 3d6. Really heavy stuff such as RPG-7s and big lasers have 4d6.

Once you hit a target, you roll the penetration dice: 1-2 no damage; 3-5 light wound; 6-8 to severe wound; 9-11 mortally wound; or 12+ insta-kill.

Armor is a penalty to the penetration roll. Light armor is -3, heavy armor is -6, powered armor is -9.

A critical hit (let's say, a natural 12 on the 2d6 attack roll) adds one Penetration Die.

So, the probabilities of the various wound levels, once a hit is made, are (I hope I got the math right...):

Pistol vs. unarmored target:

33% flesh wound (no game effect)

50% light wound

17% serious wound

No mortal wound or insta-kill without crit.

Rifle vs. unarmored target:

8% flesh wound

33% light wound

42% serious wound

15% mortal wound

2% insta-kill

With light armor (-3 to the roll):

Pistol:

85% flesh wound

16% light wound

No serious+ wounds without crit.

Rifle:

27% flesh wound

56% light wound

15% serious wound

2% mortal wound

With heavy armor (-6 to the roll):

Pistol:

No damage unless on a crit.

Rifle:

73% flesh wound

25% light wound

2% serious wound

Now, let's factor in the to-hit chance: 8+ on 2d6 + attacker skill - target skill and assume equal skills, per shot fired:

Unarmored/Pistol:

71% miss or flesh wound (no game-relevant damage)

21% light wound

7% serious wound

Unarmored/Rifle:

61% miss or flesh wound (no game-relevant damage)

14% light wound

17% serious wound

6% mortal wound

1% insta-kill

With (common) light armor:

Pistol:

93% miss or flesh wound

7% light wound

Rifle:

69% miss or flesh wound

23% light wound

6% serious wound

1% mortal wound

What do you think of this system? Is it too lethal? Does it "feel" well in play?

[OSE] Geckofolk race-class

After trying out Old School Essentials (OSE) for several sessions, I've grown very fond of that ruleset. Therefore, I've turned some of my creative energies towards OSE. As a huge fan of lizards of all kinds, I've decided to open my way to this with a... Gecko. Geckofolk, to be exact. So, without further ado, here is that race-class. I designed this class with The Welsh Piper LLC's BX Options: Class Builder, a book which I recommend to anyone interested in OSE.

Geckofolk

Requirement: Dexterity 9+

Prime requisite: Dexterity

Hit Dice: 1d6

Maximum level: 9

Armor: Any appropriate to size, but without shields

Weapons: Any appropriate to size

Languages: Alignment, Common, Gecko-speak

From the far deserts come the Geckofolk - small-bodied hunters who resemble humanoid fan-fingered geckos. A gecko-person weighs approximately 30kg (60 pounds) and stands around 120cm tall (4 feet) not including the tail, which may reach 60cm (2 feet) in length. Geckofolk have a yellowish to grey skin of fine scales, and large, bulbous eyes with slit pupils. "Fans" with adhesion pads adore their fingers and toes, allowing them to climb almost any surface, and even walk on overhand horizontal surfaces. Their native tongue is typified by chirps and tongue-clicks, and in Common or their Alignment Language, they speak with a squeaky voice.

Geckofolk are hunters. While they eat fruits, especially sweet ones, their primary diet is composed of prey - anything from rodents to massive reptile beasts. They patiently lie in wait, usually as a group of their tribe's hunters, for the prey to come - and leap upon it in the most opportune moment, striking with speed and without mercy.

When playing a gecko-person, be patient. Wait. Think first. Contemplate your options. The world can wait. Never act rashly. But when it is time to act - act decisively and at lightning speed, with well-calculated precision.

Prime Requisite: a gecko-person with at least 13 in Dexterity gains a +5% bonus to experience.

Combat: geckofolk may wear any type of armor, but it must be tailored to their small size. They may not use shields, but may use any weapon appropriate for their stature (as determined by the Referee). They may not use long-bows or other two-handed weapons.

Backstab: When attacking an unaware opponent from behind, a gecko-person receives a +4 bonus to hit and doubles any damage dealt.

Gecko-Climb: geckofolk can readily climb almost any wall or walk on any ceiling at half their movement speed, and cling to walls ceilings effortlessly.

Hiding: geckofolk are adept at stealth and ambushing their foes. In rocky or desert settings, they have a 90% chance to successfully hide. In dungeons or urban settings, geckofolk can hide in shadows or behind cover, with a 2-in-6 chance of success.

Infravision: geckofolk may see in the dark to a distance of up to 30 feet.

Sniping: when attacking an unaware opponent with a missile weapon, a gecko-person receives a +4 bonus to hit and doubles any damage dealt.

Stronghold: any time the Gecko-person desires (and has sufficient money), they may build a stronghold - a hideout for a new geckofolk tribe. Such hideouts are typically located in the deserts or among dry mountains, but the hidden nooks and crannies of colder, wetter cities also serve them well.

Your Tail May be Shed! Geckofolk with a full tail may shed their tail to automatically avoid one physical attack (melee or missile), or gain a +4 bonus to a single saving throw against a physical threat (such as a breath weapon). A tail takes a month to regrow, given a good food supply.

D: Death/poison; W: Wands; P: Paralysis/petrify; B: Breath attacks; S: Spells/rods.staves.

Trying Out Old School Essentials (OSE)

Played Old School Essentials (OSE) for the first time last night (as a player) through Roll20. Playing The Bonesmith the Lawful Cleric from the OSE Rogues Gallery. Setting is dark and at least partially weird. Using ascending AC.

Migrated from Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea. OSE is more to my taste than AS&SH, at least in terms of rules and book layout/formatting.

The rules work perfectly and naturally. Effortlessly. Almost no need to reference the books once character sheets were ready (a few minutes' work). Only time we (players) looked into the book was to check how the Sleep spell works in this specific ruleset (it changes slightly between OSR games).

Fought some bandits and some wolves. Combat is fast and brutal. Though we spent most of the session role-playing and exploring, with the Referee rolling a few dice here and there (for random encounters, as far as I recall).

All in all, one of the best OSR rulesets I played!

Nibiru - Basic Math

For a full-res map

I have previously posted a map for my Nibiru sword & planet setting for ACKS. Now, it is time to do some basic mathematical calculations about this setting, using the ACKS rules.

Nibiru is a dying planet and population is low. In "civilized", cultivated areas such as the city-states, population density is 40 people per square mile, that is, 250 families per 6-mile hex. In desert areas, even with mining and some cultivation, population density is 20 families per square mile, that is, 125 families per 6-mile hex.

Built around city-states with some remnant Ancient technology, Nibiru is an "Advanced, Urban Realm" (2 rows downward on the ACKS p.231 urban population table) and has a very "Centralized Settlement Pattern" (2 rows downward for the Largest settlement).

The city-state of Anurash controls 53x "civilized" 6-mile hexes, and thus has an approximate population of 13250 families, placing it somewhere between a county and a duchy in ACKS terms. Thus, Anurash is a City (Class III market) of approx. 3000 families, out of approx. 4000 urban families in the realm.

The city-state of Ennung controls 42x "civilized" 6-mile hexes, and thus an approximate population of 10500 families, placing it somewhere between a county and a duchy in ACKS terms. Thus, Ennung is a Small City (Class IV market) of approx. 1500 families, out of approx. 2500 urban families in the realm.

The city-state of Erida controls 63x "civilized" 6-mile hexes and thus an approximate population of 15750 families, placing it somewhere between a county and a duchy in ACKS terms. Thus, Erida is a City (Class III market) of approx. 3500 families, out of approx. 5000 urban families in the realm.

Desh is a fortress-village controlled by Erida. It has a population of 200 families, making it a Village (Class VI market).

Kur is a fortress-village controlled by Erida. It has a population of 250 families, making it a Village (Class VI market).

The city-state of Edin controls 48x "civilized" 6-mile hexes and thus an approximate population of 12000 families, placing it somewhere between a county and a duchy in ACKS terms. Thus, Edin is a Small City (Class IV market) of approx. 2000 families, out of approx. 3000 urban families in the realm.

Telal is a fortress-village controlled by Edin. It has a population of 150 families, making it a Village (Class VI market).

Zag, an independent fortress, controls 7 desert hexes. Thus, 875 families in total, making it almost a March (or a huge barony) in ACKS terms. Thus, Zag is a Village (Class VI market) of approx. 100 families out of approx. 500 urban families in the realm (most locals live from commerce and a little subsistence farming rather than more extensive agriculture).

Barzal, an independent fortress, controls 12 desert hexes. Thus, 1500 families in total, making it a huge March in ACKS terms. Thus, Barzal is a Village in ACKS terms, and would be a Class VI market by RAW, but I'd making it a Class V market due to extensive mining and trade. Barzal has 200 resident families, out of the realm's total of 400 urban families. Most economic activity here is mining and commerce, and much of the food comes from traders.

Helix is a village controlled by Barzal. It has a population of 75 families, making it a Small Village (Class VI market).

Meshanna, an independent fortress, controls 5 desert hexes, and thus has a population of 625 families, making it almost a March (or a huge barony) in ACKS terms. Thus, Meshanna is a Village (Class VI market) of approx. 100 families out of approx. 150 urban families in the realm (most locals live from commerce and mining and a little subsistence farming rather than more extensive agriculture).

Nibiru - updated Scar's Maw regional map

Full-Res Map

(scale: 1 hex = 6 miles)

I have recently posted the regional map draft for my Nibiru sword & planet setting. I have updated the map, adding a legend for the various terrain types; a few more sites; and domain borders for the various polities.

Eirda, Ennug, Anurash, and Edin are independent city-states.

Telal is essentially Torus Tem - A fortress built by Edin as one of several to protect it from desert raiders. Now, half in ruins. Expect a nasty low-level dungeon in the nearby fungal forest.

Desh and Kur are fortified trade stations controlled by Erida.

Barzal is an independent fortified town on the Eastern Road, engaged in trade and mining, and so is Meshanna.

Zag is an independent fortified trade station.

Helix is a small village ruled by Barzal, now becoming a "boomtown" with the winds exposing the Pyramidal Maze (Barrowmaze).

Udrea and Sag are Ancient ruins, up in the highland, where the cold is harsh and the air is thin.

Barzal mines iron, Meshanna mines copper. They trade for much of their food with Erida, but also engage in some subsistence farming.

Helix used to engage in mushroom-forestry but now gains much more from adventurers and the business they bring.

Nibiru - Scar's Maw Regional Map work-in-progress

Full-res Map

I began designing the starting region for my  prospective Nibiru sword & planet campaign setting. So, without further ado, here is the regional map (scale: 1 hex = 6 miles) of the Scar's Maw region, opening up to the Rusted Sea desert.

Eirda, Anurash, and Edin are independent city-states.

Telal is essentially Torus Tem - A fortress built by Edin as one of several to protect it from desert raiders. Now, half in ruins. Expect a nasty low-level dungeon in the nearby fungal forest.

Barzal is an independent fortified town on the Eastern Road, engaged in trade and mining., and so is Meshanna.

Helix is a small village ruled by Barzal, now becoming a "boomtown" with the winds exposing the Pyramidal Maze (Barrowmaze).

Barzal mines iron, Meshanna mines copper. They trade for much of their food with Erida, but also engage in some subsistence farming.

Helix used to engage in mushroom-forestry but now gains much more from adventurers and the business they bring.

Nibiru - a Sword & Planet setting for ACKS

Nibiru is a dying, ancient world. Once it was the seat of wondrously advanced civilization. But now it is far past its peak. In its hubris and avarice, it became decadent, declined, and finally only a shadow of its semblance is left. Where forests stood, now cold deserts sprawl. Cities lie in ruins. The oceans are dry. Vast polar ice caps trap most water - and not a little of the atmosphere.

The Scar- Nibiru's vast equatorial rift valley - once housed Nibiru's mightiest river, which fed the Old Sea to the south. Now it is far more slender and feeds the Scar's own small, salty sea. The Old Sea dried; it is now a cold, salty plain called the Rusted Sea. But at least one can easily breathe the air of the Rusted Sea. Unlike the Northern Highlands, where the air is thin, hardly breathable on the Highlands proper, and utterly unbreathable on the Northern Mountains.

Eons ago, Nibiru was a warm, humid world with significant jungles. Ruled by reptiles of all kinds. Dinosaurs. A reptiloid civilization. For some reason, potentially something nasty the reptiloids did (technomagical war? an experiment gone astray?), the world started to begin to cool and dry out. This stabilized for a few eons, though the jungles were gone. The reptiloids were mostly extinct, as were most dinosaurs. The survivors migrated underground, where it was still warm and humid.

Eons passed. The Ancients rose. They were slender and intelligent to begin with; at their technological pinnacle, their physical prowess declined while their intelligence rose (think hairless elves growing into shorter and thinner Gray Aliens). The Ancients built a massive civilization of sorcery and superscience.

Their eldritch might grew to a degree that a sizeable percentage of their population had at least some sorcerous abilities.

The ancients, in their final form, were unsuited for war and labor. Initially, they used machines for these ends, but as they grew decadent and sorcerous, breeding servitor races was cheaper. They crossed themselves with White Apes to create Men - versatile servitors better suited for labor and war. They then crossed Men with White Apes once more - to create the far less intelligent Ape-Men as heavy laborers and shock troops. They crossed Men with surviving Reptilians to create Lizardmen and shock troops. They then crossed themselves once more with Men to create foremen and officers for their servitors, the Nephilim.

The Ancients' decadence knew no end. As they turned to Black Magic for raw power, Nibiru's already fragile Ishtar, the world-goddess, began to die. Their technology and sorcery already declined to such a low degree that they could not resurrect Ishtar.

As the world began to die and dry out once again, the Ancients dug canals, fed by vast machines on the polar ice-caps, to bring water to the dry equatorial regions, where the climate was still bearable.

But the Ancients died out themselves. (technomagical war? summoning the wrong demons?).

Now, only their former servitors remain to fend for themselves.

So, you have, among other things:

• Men.
• Ape-Men and Lizard-Men (beastmen-equivalents?).
• Sorcerous Nephilim.
• Above-ground (at least partially) ruins of the Ancients.
• Remnant Ancient superscience and sorcerous remnants/
• Deep underground Lost Worlds inhabited by dinosaurs and reptilians!

Dark Nebula 2900 CE: Library Data

I am proud to present you with the first full draft of the Library Data for the Dark Nebula 2900 CE setting!

Get it HERE!

The Sword of Cepheus - now RELEASED!

Now RELEASED!

A sorcerer blasting his enemies with the power of his mind. A muscled barbarian wielding a flaming sword against the local tyrant’s thugs. A secret cabal of magicians plotting to control the minds and souls of kings. A gladiator who freed himself from slavery wanders the land, righting wrongs and smashing villains. Big muscles, big swords, eldritch sorcery, powers of the mind, eldritch beasts. From Burroughs to Howard to Moorcock to Italian Peplum films to those dreaming of outlandish post-apocalyptic worlds, heroes raise swords against corrupt nobles, inexplicable sorcerers, and alien monstrosities.

Sword of Cepheus is a roleplaying game in the triple “Sword” genres: Sword and Sorcery, Sword and Planet, and Sword and Sandal. In Sword and Sorcery, often-amoral protagonists face vile sorcery and horrid beasts as they complete awesome adventures for gold and glory. In Sword and Planet, humans finding themselves on barbaric or decadent alien planets use their superior brawn and valiant hearts to win fame, fortune, and the heart of an alien princeling. In Sword and Sandal, often set in a quasi-Biblical or faux-Roman world, men and women with sharp wits and strong sword-arms fight mythological creatures and overthrow tyrants. The common threads of all three genres are the blade-wielding protagonists who use their brawn, as well as brains, to fight foes both supernatural and mundane and undertake hair-raising, violent adventures.

The Sword of Cepheus rules include everything you need to play thrilling sword & sorcery adventures:

• Streamlined skill-based 2D6 task resolution!
• Procedural character generation with 12 archetypal careers for your character to undergo!
• 44 unique character Traits to customize your character!
• A wide selection of adventuring equipment and weaponry!
• Simple yet intriguing rules for adventuring and exploring exciting worlds!
• Fast-paced, action-packed combat - whether on foot, from horseback, or on the high seas!
• A skill-based, perilous sorcery system, with 108 eldritch spells!
• 96 terrible monsters for heroes to face!
• A selection of treasures, both mundane and magical!
• Detailed gameplay examples for quick and easy comprehension of the rules!!

Raise your sword! Adventures awaits!

Compatible with Cepheus Light, the Cepheus Engine System Reference Document and other OGL 2D6 Sci Fi games.

See a sample from the book HERE!

Sword of Cepheus to be released in two or three weeks!

We at Stellagama Publishing are proud to announce that we will release Sword of Cepheus, Stellagama Publishing's 2D6-based sword & sorcery ruleset, in the last week of February or the first week of March. The initial release will be in PDF format; print options should be available within a few weeks from the PDF's release.