Nuclear Beasts

HMice Curse of the Titans

Whatever power granted intelligence to the First Ones, it was stolen from the Titans. The dark secret of this is the Curse... the mere presence of a Titan suppresses and eventually destroys the intellect of any intelligent rodent. There are mice living in the Forbidden Land... they're feral descendants of those who got too close.

HMice System Brainstorming

Hokay, what ideas can I steal from other games? A quick list:

• Barbarians of Lemuria (Free):
  • Basic resolution is 2d6 + Stat + Skill with stats being base 0. A result of 9+ is a success (easy tasks add a +1 bonus). Most stats/skills run from 0 to 4. A natural 2 always fails, a natural 12 always succeeds.
  • You get 5 Hero Points to blow to boost rolls, or save yourself from death. If you blow a Hero Point after rolling a natural 12, you can turn it into a Heroic Success and make it really amazing (like slaying a major foe or slaying several minions). You get back a certain number per session, up to a max of 5 so you can't stockpile them.
  • Heroes get 10 HP, normals get 5. Weapons do 1dX + Strength generally... I'm iffy on the exact numbers used but I could replace them.
  • You get back 1/2 of the damage taken at the end of each battle, the rest becomes long-term wounds.
  • Spell points spent on level 1 spells come back at the rate of like 4 per day... level 2 spells come back at 1 per month, level 3 the same but also cost you 1 point permanently. I do like the idea of tougher spells regenerating more slowly.
• BASH (purchased PDF):
  • 5 or 10 "Energy points" spent to pull off fancy maneuvers in combat.
  • Lots of non-magical abilities that tap into this Energy store as well... so that there are things for non-mages to pull off as well.
  • Cutting PCs down to Brawn, Agility and Mind to better concentrate on the 3 major areas where PCs are going to want to excel and can actually accomplish something doing it. Super-will isn't always that great.

HMice Magic Flavor

Okay, I sussed out part of the problem. I wanted powerful magic to be a strain, to give the impression that the PC was really working for it. Mousy magic is small, where the typical mouse would have to have total concentration to light a candle with their mind. Everyone gets access to more powerful spells, because those are just regular spells with more "oomph!" behind them.

More potent innate magic should probably make things easier in some fashion... let's see... levels of effort required.

1. Effortless: the mage can perform this spell with just a little gesture or bit of concentration. Basically, it's a regular action, the same as swinging a sword or opening a door. Effortless spells can be maintained pretty much as long as you stay conscious.
2. Effort Required: the mage must either use Complete Concentration (being helpless for one full round), Intense Focus (a round of prep to acquire Focus), or spend Fatigue (tap into a limited resource that runs out quickly). I might dump Complete Concentration and make it to where going that far gives you a bonus to the casting roll instead. That way it's just using Focus (and we can then have a rule that lets you spend 1 Fatigue to instantly acquire Focus). Maintaining it would probably require you to keep refocusing (and thus taking no other real actions). If you get seriously interrupted and your concentration disrupted, the spell will end.
3. Extraordinary Effort: requires Complete Concentration and spending Fatigue. Cannot be maintained for very long... probably like 1 Fatigue per round.
4. Impossible: you just don't have enough ability/power to cast the spell at all.

Okay, so, with those 3-4 levels, I've got 3 types of spells as well.

1. Small Magicks: minor spells that are difficult to use against direct resistance. Perhaps the target just has to make an unopposed stat roll vs an easy target?
2. Large Magicks: just a minor spell with more "oomph!" These can actually provoke actual resistance tests or overwhelm foes. They should always be straining, even for Royal Mice.
3. High Sorceries: rare. These spells are advanced, complicated works of magic. They might be special powers that you have to buy individually... purchasing Levitation separately from Precision TK wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing and would allow higher end mages to distinguish themselves more. That would also allow you to add new High Sorceries without having to explain why people weren't using that trick already.

So, the effects of Race... or at least your Magic rating. If Magic stops being a stat that you roll as such but rather a modifier to how powerful your spells are...

The wussiest possible mage would be one who had to exert Extraordinary Effort just to use Small Magicks. Let's list them of from weakest to strongest.

1. Non-mage: no training or natural talent, no ability to tap into their magical energies at all. All spells are Impossible. This level is free for everyone.
2. Hedge Mage: as in, "not good enough for a city". Can only cast Small Magicks and those require Extraordinary Effort. A few Small Magicks and they're exhausted. A good rating for warrior or thief types who want that extra edge. This should probably be available to everyone who isn't Forsaken. Even Wild Rats might be able to manage it... after all, they do have Shaman types.
3. Minor Mage: Small Magicks require Effort and Large ones require Extraordinary Effort. High Sorceries are probably Impossible (without using some sort of Forbidden Rites to become a more potent sort of mage). Mice are allowed to take this level readily. For non-Mice, it might require an extra Advantage/Power point or something, but I'm okay with a Wild Rat Minor Mage, too.
4. Major Mage:Small Magicks are Effortless, Large Magicks require Effort. High Sorceries are possible with Extraordinary Effort. Pretty much only available to Mice. Very common amongst Royal Mice, well known amongst White Mice and not unknown amongst Common Mice (although it might be an extra Advantage for them, hard to say... it's a bloodline thing, so it's not impossible for a White Mouse to have crappy magic and a Common Mouse strong magic, it's just rare.
5. Archmage: Probably unavailable to PCs. Small and Large Magicks are Effortless. Even High Sorceries only require Effort. The power level of realistic First Ones. Only available to really impressive Royal Mice.
6. Godlike: all spells are Effortless. Probably no one in the setting should ever have been that powerful.

Maintaining spells for a long duration might push their effort level up a notch... so a Major Mage could throw up a short-term light spell Effortlessly, but would have to actually Focus to craft one that would endure for hours.

So, lemme think... maybe if I lay out the "Maximum Magic Ratings" for the races.

1. Minor Mage: the highest that Wild Rats, Common Rats, White Rats and Jumping Mice can buy. Most common among the White Rats and rarest among the Wild Rats, but available to all for PCs.
2. Major Mage: available for Common Mice, White Mice and Royal Mice with it being very common among Royal Mice and very rare among Common.
3. Archmage: only allowed for Royal Mice. And quite probably limited to NPCs. It's just too potent. We're talking about characters that can throw Fireballs around willy-nilly. Hm. Perhaps the Archmage step should still require some sort of lesser Effort for Large Magicks... especially if I use an Energy / Fatigue system where people have X points to spend per fight or something.

Hm. What if I added another difficulty rating? If it went Effortless (it's just a standard action), Easy (focus required), Hard (complete concentration or take 1 fatigue), Extraordinary Effort (complete concentration and rapidly exhausting), Impossible...

1. Non-mage: All spells are Impossible.
2. Hedge Mage: Can only cast Small Magicks and those require Extraordinary Effort. A few Small Magicks and they're exhausted.
3. Minor Mage: Small Magicks are Hard and Large ones require Extraordinary Effort. High Sorceries are Impossible.
4. Major Mage:Small Magicks are Easy, Large Magicks are Hard, High Sorceries are possible with Extraordinary Effort.
5. Archmage: Small Magicks are Effortless, Large Magics are still Easy. Even High Sorceries are only Hard.
6. Nearly Godlike: all spells are Effortless except for High Sorceries, which are Easy and thus require Focus.
7. Godlike: all spells are Effortless.

So, that would be 1 point of Advantages to be a Hedge Mage and have a bit of magical backup for emergencies (you'd still want to take the right skills, of course, to avoid the whole Mind-4 penalty or equivalent). 2 points makes you a Minor Mage and you can now throw Small Magicks around without exhausting yourself... good enough to make a living at. It's still not really combat-appropriate, though, as you'll tend to either get run through or exhaust yourself (or both) while throwing magic around. 3 points makes you a Major Mage and now you can throw magic around with mere Focus. 4 points makes you an Archmage and now Small Magicks are effortless... this is already getting more powerful than I really want PC mages to be. Royal Mice are required to take at least one level.

BASH problems

I need to run a BASH playtest. Maybe even just some interactions using the basic system and the provided PCs.

Things I really like in randomizers...

• Crits. Bash kind of lacks this, although it's not difficult to say that "beating the roll by X" is a crit. I don't think it has a general rule for this, though.
• Levels of success. Basically the same issue. If you have a well-developed level of success system, you don't really need a separate crit system... it just happens.
• Easy magic scaling. That's always been a problem for me, anyway. My magic system is too vague. I like the Small Magicks, Large Magicks and High Sorceries divide, but it's awkward and being unfamiliar with BASH I don't know how to balance it properly.

• Posted by Kiz at 07:01 AM | Comments (0)

HMice/BASH Magic

Spellcasting Procedure

In order to cast spells, you have to have at least one point invested in the appropriate Art. Spellcasting is always a Magic roll, with the degree of success determining how potent the spell is. Your "Magic" rating is equal to your Mind plus or minus whatever modifiers apply. Many races have bonuses or penalties to their Magic rating.

Small Magicks are minor spells that require a minimum roll of 10 to cast (rolls below that fail, but you still expend any Energy required). They can be matched against someone else's stat in a resistance check but Small Magicks almost always lose against deliberate resistance... anyone actually attempting to deliberately defend against a Small Magick gets a +5 bonus to their stat multiplier. Thus, they are generally only useful against opposition when you have complete surprise.

Large Magicks are much more powerful spells that throw a lot of energy into their effect but they lack subtlety and cannot perform anything other than crude, simple feats. They require a minimum roll of 20 to cast at all, but there is no bonus for actively resisting one.

High Sorceries collectively refer to spells which are both powerful and complex or subtle. They are the most difficult of magics to perform, requiring a lot of training and a minimum roll of 30 to cast. Mages attempting High Sorceries will often take a lot of extra time to perform them, gathering a +1 or +2 bonus before rolling.

Let's take a White Mouse magic specialist... Mind 5 plus Magical Heritage plus Magical Potency gives a multiplier of 7. Times 2d6 gives a result from 14 (enough for a Small Magick) to 84(!) with a typical roll being 49. This character can throw High Sorceries quite reliably, failing only on a roll of 2-4.

Some thoughts... Giving +2 to Royal Mice is quite powerful.

Magic 0: typical roll 0, cannot cast spells at all.
Magic 1: rolls from 2-12, typical 7, fails at even Small Magicks without extra time. With extra time & prep, can act as Magic 3.
Magic 2: rolls from 4-24, typical 14, succeeds at Small Magicks regularly.
Magic 3: rolls from 6-36, typical 21, succeeds at Large Magicks regularly.
Magic 4: rolls from 8-48, typical 28, only fails Large on 2-4.
Magic 5: rolls from 10-60, typical 35, regularly succeeds at even High Sorceries.
Magic 6: rolls from 12-72, typical 42, fails HS only on 2-4.
Magic 7: rolls from 14-84, typical 48, still fails HS on 2-4.
Magic 8: rolls from 16-96, typical 57, fails HS on 2-3.

With Magic 8, though, it's hard to ever resist it, even with a +4 bonus from something. With it adding to both "attack" and "damage", it's even grosser. I should probably slap a lower limit on bonuses.

Getting rid of the Magical Potency advantage would probably be enough. That way White Mice get a +1 and Royals a +2. Other races can buy Magical Heritage instead. It can say if you have both it and Poor Magical Heritage, then they cancel each other out AND your mother almost certainly died giving birth to you.

So a Common Mouse with Magical Heritage would be as good as a White Mouse (and would have a similarly distinguished bloodline, it's just that his fur wouldn't be white).

Change Albino to "Mark of Royalty"... Albino, Poor Health (-20 hits, -1 to Brawn for fatigue/health checks), but +1 Status and +1 Magic.

HMice BASH Powers

Powers are broken up into 4 big categories... Fighting, Thieving, Magic and General. The categories don't mean much, but break them up in a useful manner.

There should also be some "free" maneuvers that anyone can do.

Aimed shot: you spend 4 energy for a +1 to hit and damage attack.

Dodge: you spend 2 energy for a +1 bonus to your defense rolls this turn.

Duck & Run: you spend 4 energy for a +2 bonus to your defense rolls and cannot do anything else other than duck and run.

Fighting

Thieving

Agile Scurrier: you can drop to all fours and scurry (moving at double the normal rate) while still keeping items in your paws. You can also scurry in armor. Other characters must drop everything to scurry and cannot be armored.

Natural Acrobat: ignore all penalties for awkward positioning. You can act at full rating even while hanging upside down by one foot.

Quick Paws: you can make a free Pickpocket attempt against anyone you come into close contact with, even in the middle of combat.

Pierce Armor: does work against monsters with innate armor/soak.

Magic

Ignore the regular magical powers. Instead, there are 7 magical Arts that you can spend 1 to 5 points in. Each point improves your ability to use magic of that sort.

1 point: you can perform Small Magicks for 4 energy.
2 points: you can perform Small Magicks for 1 energy and Large Magicks for 4.
3 points: you can perform High Sorceries for 4 energy, Large Magicks for 3, and Small Magicks for free.
4 points: you can perform High Sorceries for 3 energy, Large Magicks for 2 and Small Magicks for free.
5 points: you can perform High Sorceries for 2 energy, Large Magicks for 1 and Small Magicks for free.

Fighting Styles

Twin Blades (imported from Fashar, requires two paired light melee weapons):

Hammer of Zakarvus (developed in the Wildlands, requires a single heavy hand-and-a-half weapon and switches from single handed to double handed as required): reduces the energy cost of a might blow, a sweep and the break weapon moves.

Dancing Blade (taught by the priesthoods of Luciel and Lumierre, using a single light sword): this style is lightning fast and grants +1/+2/+3 to your initiative when using it.

Guardian Shield (common to military forces all over the Fallows, uses a one-handed weapon and a shield):

Big Brother, Little Sister (popular in Duvain's Weal, uses mismatched paired weapons, often maces):

Cat-Slayer (an ancient style using a heavy spear, optimized for damaging creatures much larger than the character):

Falling Rain (archery style, also taught to followers of Lumierre):

Quickpaw's Claw (knife-fighting style common in the big cities, uses small, concealable weapons):

Traveller's Secret (staff-fighting technique taught to the priesthood of Magellian although techniques have spread elsewhere):

Actually, these should probably be paired with organizations and usually require a Duty.

Imperial Guards: the cream of the crop as far as military infantry goes. An elite group that hasn't let the corruption in their ranks damage their discipline and fighting skill. They use a one-handed weapon paired with a shield. Novice: +2 to resist anything that would force you out of formation, whether a spell, trick or physical force. Journeyman: when fighting alongside other people, you can grant them a +1 defense bonus by using your shield to protect them as well. A group of 3 or more experienced Imperial Guardsmen are very hard to get through. Master: reduce any target's shield bonus by 2 as you know how to get through shields well.

Imperial Messengers: an elite corps of scouts and rangers who travel cross-country to deliver messages between various courts and towns. They use a short but well-made spear designed to let them defend themselves from large predators. Novice: +1 damage vs creatures larger than you. Journeyman: +2 damage vs bigger things. Master: +2 defense vs anything bigger than you.

Gleaners: the thieves' guild of Haven, they teach a curriculum of thieving and burglary traits including some knife-fighting techniques.

Black Paw Assassins: an amazingly secretive group, it's expected for members to "silence" anyone who happens to learn that they are a member, although some members keep to that rule better than others. They teach some special assassination maneuvers for their bonuses. Most won't go on adventures as such unless they are on leave or retired. This can be paid for with the "Marked for Death" Disadvantage where your resignation wasn't actually accepted by the masters of the guild.

Swordsmaiden of Lumierre: only female mice of good breeding are ever trained as swordswomen by the priestesses of Lumierre. They are trained to have lightning-fast reflexes in both attack and defense. They use a single slender blade but they use it very well.

Magellian's Cloak: agents of the church of Magellian, they are expected to learn whatever might be useful and bring that knowledge back to the church. They are trained in fighting with a staff or walking stick.

Heralds of Summer: some followers of the church of Jandara are trained in the use of the bow and have developed some special techniques. Maidens of Summer are allowed to also be Heralds if desired, but most refuse. Male Heralds are often put to work guarding Maidens.

Hammer of Zakarvus: warriors who have sought out training by the reclusive warrior-priests of Zakarvus in the Wildlands. They do not require active support, but instill their followers with a stringent code of honor that they must either follow or become outcasts and marked for death by those who do. Their techniques are oriented around huge hand-and-a-half weapons that can deal very powerful blows.

Twin Blades: a flashy technique imported from Fashar, specialized around wielding two paired light weapons (almost always edged). No organized following, it's just a training regimen that few people have the proper aptitude for.

Duvain's Fist: warriors who follow Duvain's example in both weapons (big maces) and outlook (brave, macho, in-your-face heroism bolstered by a lot of alcohol). Not really all that well organized; you usually have to take a code of honor or something to pay for this, although some people take a Duty to a particular temple and guard it.

HMice BASH Advantages/Disadvantages

Changes to the BASH Fantasy rules...

Advantage Changes

Grimoire: you have at least one book of Forbidden Rites and other valuable magical lore. This adds +2 to Esoteric Lore rolls and can add +2 to spell-casting rolls when you have time to refer to it (ie- you are sitting still, out of combat, with the book open in front of you). Such tomes are complex, intricate, generally in code and require quite a bit of familiarity to make sense of, so you have to buy this Advantage to make serious use of one. Otherwise, such a tome only adds +1 to Esoteric Lore.

Highborn: +1 Status due to your distinguished family line.

Membership: likely memberships include the various priesthoods and the Imperial Messengers.

Magic: replaced with the Magical Heritage Advantage... all talking rodents are inherently magical or they couldn't talk!

Magical Heritage: due to your race, you have +1 to your Mind rating for working spells. This advantage is only available to races that require it.

Magical Potence: you have unusually strong magic for your race. +1 to your Mind rating for working spells. Your mother probably died giving birth to you.

Natural Jumper: only available to Jumping Mice. You receive a +5 bonus to normal jumps and can make jumps 10x as far if you forgo this bonus.

Unliving: not available for player characters.

Special Traits

Albino: +1 Status, +1 Magic, -20 hits, vulnerable to sunlight. Incredibly rare outside of Royal Mice, who are largely distinguished by it. Albinos of other races could exist, but will be seen as a threat to the power of the Royals and had best keep this trait as secret as possible.

Doomed: you can reroll any roll that would result in your death unless this is the death that you were prophesied to have... then it's -1 to rolls to avoid that fate.

Disadvantage Changes

Age: if elderly, -20 hits. If young, -1 Brawn and lose 10 hits but you'll be expected to grow out of it.

Lowborn: due to your race, you receive -1 Status.

Poor Magical Heritage: your race is one of very limited magical ability, probably because your race isn't actually descended from the First Ones at all but were instead given sentience by one of their spells. -1 to Magic.

Sheltered Upbringing: Requires a total Status of at least +1. Your Status rating acts as a penalty whenever you are forced to perform "lowborn" tasks like menial labor.

Small: not available for player characters.

HMice BASH

Okay, using the BASH rules...

Spend 7 points on Brawn, Agility and Mind, putting 1-5 in each. You can gain 1 extra stat point by dropping 2 points of Powers (you can only do this once).

Then pick a species. Each species has certain abilities/traits you have to take (barring some unusual character concept).

Royal Mice: Maximum Brawn of 3.
Advantages: Magical Heritage (+1 Magic), Highborn (+1 Status)
Special Traits: Albino (+1 Status, +1 Magic, -20 hits, vulnerable to sunlight)
Disadvantages: Sheltered Upbringing (Status penalizes you when performing tasks beneath your station), 1 other Disadvantage of Choice

White Mice: Maximum Brawn of 4.
Advantages: Magical Heritage (+1 Magic), Highborn (+1 Status)
Disadvantages: 2 Disadvantages of Choice

Common Mice: No requirements.

Jumping Mice:
Advantages: Natural Jumper (+5 to jumping checks)
Disadvantages: Poor Magical Heritage (-1 Magic)

Common Rats:
Advantages: Large (+1 Brawn, -1 Agility, +5 to damage done/soaked), 1 Advantage of Choice.
Disadvantages: Lowborn (-1 Status), Poor Magical Heritage (-1 Magic)

White Rats:
Advantages: Large (+1 Brawn, -1 Agility, +5 to damage done/soaked), Highborn (+1 Status)
Disadvantages: Poor Magical Heritage (-1 Magic), Duty (to a Royal family)

Wild Rats: Maximum Agility/Mind of 4, Minimum Brawn of 4.
Advantages: Large (+1 Brawn, -1 Agility, +5 to damage done/soaked), 2 Advantages of Choice
Disadvantages: Lowborn (-1 Status), Bad Reputation (-2 to be believed by other races), Poor Magical Heritage (-1 Magic)

Advantages must be countered by taking an equal number of Disadvantages. Special Traits are ones that have both good and bad sides and must always be taken together. It is recommended that you not take more than 3 Advantages / Disadvantages beyond those required by your species.

HMice Random Thoughts

Fighter, Magus, Thief.

Each lets you put points into special maneuvers that turn you from an ordinary mouse into something special.

Let's say it's a d6 system, with 5s and 6s being successes.

1 point of Fighter lets you succeed on 4+, 2 points on 3+, 3 points of 2+, 4 points???

Twin Blades School: Favored in Fashan, wielding two light edged weapons in a spinning maneuver that lets you hit folks all around you and better deal with large groups of foes.

Hammer of Zakarvus: favored in the Wildlands, this attack requires enormous strength and entails using an oversized weapon to deliver a one-hit kill.

Thief powers...

Lightning Paws: pickpocket someone when you don't have time, such as when in melee combat.

Natural Acrobat: ignore all penalties for things like hanging from one toe.

Just a Rock: can hide in plain sight by assuming a fitting pose and staying perfectly still.

Mage powers already covered... I need a unified system. That's the hard bit... I was already intending to make Magic special, but not in a similar fashion.

BASH-style... 3 stats.. Agility, Brawn, Cleverness.

Magical power is defined as bonuses to Cleverness solely for spellcasting. The Albino Trait (defined as something that gives both an Advantage and a Disadvantage) is -1 Brawn for health & endurance, +1 Cleverness for spells and spell resistance.

White Mice get Rich +1, Magical Power +1.

Royal Mice get Rich +2, Magical Power +1, Albino (+0), and some general disadvantage that equates to "totally inexperienced at doing things for themselves".

Common Mice just get 2 extra points of general abilities... or possibly extra skill points to represent the fact that they work for a living.

Common Rats get Big (+1 to brawn, -1 to agility for squeezing through things).

Yeah, the rich vs poor divide makes things iffy... may have to penalize the upper classes in some fashion.

Okay, 1 point in a power lets you do that for 4 energy... 2 point for 3, 3 points for 2, 4 points for 1, 5 points for free. With 10 energy available, each point will increase the number of times you can do it. Thats the default setup... sometimes powers will have their own increase tree that makes more sense, but if nothing else works this is an okay substitute.

Spells are a little different... 1 point lets you cast Small Magicks in that Art for 4. 2 points lets you cast Large Magicks for 4 and Small for 1. 3 points lets you cast High Sorceries for 4, Large for 3 and Small Magicks become free. 4 points is High Sorceries for 3, Large for 2. 5 points is High Sorceries for 2, Large for 1. Small Magicks are minor spells that can't defeat overt resistance by a mouse-sized critter. Large Magicks are potent but uncomplicated spells that throw a lot of power around but have no subtlety. High Sorceries are complex and intricate spells. So, with 7 Arts, mastering all magic would cost 35 power points. I think PCs began with 7 points of Powers, so a starting mage could know trivial magic in all 7 Arts or Large Magicks in 3 (and Small in one) or High Sorceries in 2.

Without any points in an art, you can attempt Small Magicks for 10 energy, a bunch of penalties (say -2 Mind so that the bonus that Royals get largely cancels this out) and some loss of HP from the strain.

Whispers: telepathy-based spells.
Spark: fire and electricity spells.
Tug: telekinetic spells.
Scry: detection/divination spells.
Compel: mind-control/influencing magics.
Shaping: slow physical transformation/repair spells.
Glamour: illusion/phantasm spells.