Transformers - Rules Light Robots

Ladies and gentlemen, a super-simple RPG for playing Transformers. It has only four skills that are considered derived stats, and all of the core stats are taken from the back of the toy boxes. Play is based on 2d6 + Stat vs Difficulty, meaning it's extra quick and easy to use. Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out how to work humans into the system, so that'll have to be wedged in later on. In the meantime, I give you Transformers!

Character Sheet

Name:

Gender:

Rank – Level, overall power rating, authority.

Strength – Physical strength, melee attack and damage, carrying capacity.

Intelligence – Problem-solving ability, insight, perception.

Speed – Humanoid mode movement rate, overall defense, ramming attack and damage.

Endurance – Health point maximum, physical resistance.

Courage – Leadership ability, determination, willpower.

Firepower – Ranged attack and damage.

Skill – Agility, targeting, technical aptitude

Health Points – Physical damage capacity. Endurance x Size

Size – Overall size and mass in humanoid form.

Hacking – Ability to access and alter hidden information in computer systems. Intelligence + Skill

ECM – Ability to hide from electronics, and to counteract such hiding in others. Firepower + Skill

Stealth – Ability to move quietly and unseen. Skill

Detection – Ability to notice hidden objects and people. Intelligence

Character Creation

Rank begins at 1, and increases through experience. As characters gain experience and accomplish missions, Rank increases, which provides more points to increase stats.

Cybertronians begin play with 25 points to spread between the seven stats as desired. The average stat will be around 3 or 4, while actual average for most characters is 2. The maximum value for any stat is 10.

Size is chosen rather than bought with points, and applies to Strength, Stealth, and Health Points both in and out of combat. Size 1 is 1 meter (small animals), and each rank doubles the increment. Size 2 is 2 meters (humans), Size 3 is 4 meters (Bumblebee), Size 4 is 8 meters (Optimus Prime), and so on. You lift things in smaller Size categories, you may lift things in your own Size category, and you may push things up to one Size category larger than you. When sneaking around, your Size and your opponent's Size are compared, with the difference acting as a bonus if you are smaller or a penalty if you are larger.

Speed is measured in meters, using the character's Size rating as an increment. For example, a Size 3 character moves 4 meters x Speed per round. Keep in mind that's a combat movement speed. Normal walking is done at Speed 1, while a character can give up attacking to sprint at double Speed.

A cybertronian can skate using wheels or thrusters from vehicle mode, improving effective movement speed at the cost of maneuverability. Rather than being able to move freely, it takes one round to either stop or change direction, meaning it takes two rounds to double-back. The same applies to using vehicle mode for movement, but vehicle mode can travel much faster. Movement speed can affect combat rolls depending on the situation, often giving bonuses to melee attacks and ranged defenses, but penalties to ranged attacks and melee defenses.

Task Resolution

When something needs to be done, characters use their stats to beat difficulty numbers. Choose the stat that most effectively matches the action at hand and add 2d6. Difficulty numbers can range anywhere from 5 onward, with 10 being an average difficulty and 15 being challenging.

In general, most mundane tasks won't need to be rolled for, and even many heroic tasks should simply succeed if it would better the story. Where the die rolls really come in is in combat, two opponents struggling for survival.

In combat, each character gets to Move and take Action. Attacking, transforming, and performing other acts that require attention takes an Action, while any movement requires a Move. A character can give up an Action for an extra Move and vice versa.

To determine initiative order, or who acts first, each character rolls Speed + Rank + 2d6, acting in order from highest roll to lowest. In the case of a tie, the two roll again and act in order, but on the same initiative number.

Rolling for contested actions, with one character pitted against another directly, is a simple process. Add all related stats together and subtract all related penalties. All rolls use 2d6 to add to the appropriate modifiers. The higher roll wins.

Melee combat uses Strength or Speed vs Strength or Speed. If the attacker wins the roll, the damage dealt is Strength x Size difference + 1d6.

Ranged combat uses Firepower + Skill vs Speed + Skill. The smaller character adds the difference in Size to their roll. If the attacker wins, damage is Firepower x Size difference + 1d6.

In all cases, the attacker has the option of trading a modifier to attack rolls in exchange for a modifier to damage rolls. This can represent forming weapons with different properties, firing a salvo of mini missiles as opposed to a single large cannon, or it could just be down to using different tactics and maneuvers.

Damage is dealt to a character's Health Points, which determine how much damage a character can take before being hurt. Once HP is reduced to 0, the character is Wounded and should get medical care. HP resets to full, with any remaining damage applying from there. When HP is reduced to 0 while a character is Wounded, it becomes a Critical Wound. HP resets to full again and remaining damage is applied. Once HP is reduced to 0 a third time, the character is Incapacitated. At that point, the character is out of the action temporarily, usually until some time undergoing medical treatment.

Damage within one wound tier only lasts for that round, meaning if an attack doesn't reduce a character's HP to 0 in a single round, the character isn't Wounded. HP returns to full at the beginning of each round. For an especially tough opponent, it may take several characters working together to harm it.

A Wounded character receives a -3 penalty to all rolls. A Critically Wounded character only rolls 1d6 instead of 2d6. An Incapacitated character can't do anything, except maybe talk a little bit for a few seconds before passing out.

Advancement and Spark Points

At the end of any given adventure, players are awarded Spark Points. Spark Points are for character advancement, and can increase stats and Rank. The number of SP required to increase Rank by 1 is Rank x 10, and a stat can be increased using Stat x 3. Points should be awarded as follows:

1 SP for playing

1 SP for good roleplaying

1 SP for good thinking

1 SP for dramatic heroism

1 SP for dramatic villainy

1 SP for success of a major goal

1 SP for gaining wisdom (ask what was learned)

When Rank increases, the character can improve three stats by one point each.

Instead of increasing Rank or stats, Spark Points may be spent to gain bonuses to rolls, or to apply penalties to opponents’ rolls. Spending a Spark Points on a roll grants +1d6 to the roll, or -1d6 to an opponent’s roll.

Cybertronian Abilities

Transformation - Cybertronians have the ability to copy any machinery they take an action to scan. This lends well to stealth, since they can spend an indefinite amount of time hidden as a vehicle, tool, or other device. They can even replicate the functions of such a device, so long as the object is functional at the time of scanning. Any time a cybertronian scans a new form, the old one is lost and must be rescanned to be used again.

As a side effect of their ability to change form, Cybertronians can change their bodies into various weapons, including melee weapons such as blades and clubs, as well as various energy and projectile ranged weapons. Ranged weapons are generally energy-based, powered by their own laser core, though some prefer to use solid ammunition or missile weapons using bits of their own bodies. These different weapons are really all just special effects, but their description may add situational modifiers depending on the scene.

Transponder - While in alternate form, the cybertronian has the option to either display personal information to any Tcybertronians looking, including name and faction, or not, enabling them to pretend to be no more than a normal specimen of whatever they appear to be.

Transmission - Cybertronians can communicate with one another over long distances using radio transmissions as if it were normal speech. Consider it a form of telepathy blocked by certain materials or other interference. In addition, a cybertronian may take an action to activate ECM, jamming tracking devices and communications in the surrounding area. Roll ECM + 1d6 to determine the difficulty to overcome the jamming. Other characters may roll ECM + 1d6 to try and beat it. If so, they are no longer affected.

Star Wars Saga - Skill vs Will

After looking over my house rules, the skills section keeps bugging me. My big problem with it is trying to reconcile the way skills are used against Will Defense, without effectively penalizing characters for everything.

The original rule for these things is fairly simple. Will Defense is 10 plus your level, plus your class bonus, plus your Wisdom modifier. At first level, that will generally come out to about 12-15, depending on your stats and class. Trained skills are at +5 to start, plus half your level, plus your stat modifier. That will usually come out to +7 if you're set up for that skill, such as a con-artist using Persuasion. Skill Focus adds another +5.

All in all, using skills that attack Will Defense is pretty much an instant win for anyone trained, because of the +5 bonus. My house rule countered that by having all skills start at -5, kinda like weapon proficiencies. The numbers evened out nicely. But I don't want to screw over the players in all aspects like that. Even trained, a good skill will probably come out to +3 or +4. That makes a fairly even chance at success for either 1st level character, attacker or defender, but kinda gimps the attacker when using that skill for anything else. What to do?

After taking some advice, I've decided to stick with the -5 penalty to skills. It equalizes regular combat and social conflict, and really doesn't make things much harder on player characters. I'm not sure exactly how to rectify the whole situation, but I don't think giving regular attacks and all Defenses a +5 bonus to match skills will help any.

Star Wars Saga Edition House Rules

I like Star Wars. I like Star Wars roleplaying. It's fun, cinematic, and gives players the opportunity to be in touch with the biggest universe fiction has ever seen. Star Wars Saga Edition is pretty much the best thing to happen to the D20 system since it's inception, and I feel it really captures the feel of Star Wars without feeling too terribly clunky or difficult to use. It also quantifies characters more than the old D6 system did, meaning it's easy to see what characters can handle and what they can't.

Even so, the Saga Edition has a few problems here and there. This post will point out what I feel the issues are and try to handle them. Feedback is, as always, welcome and requested.

Characters

Leveling Up

At level 1, level 3, and every three levels thereafter, you may gain either one feat or one talent. You must fulfill the prerequisites of the feat or talent you choose.

Multiclassing

Normally, when you take your first level in a new class you have the opportunity to select one of that class's starting feats as an immediate bonus feat. Instead, you may also select Skill Training in one of that class's class skills. This option lets you learn something new from your class without it having to be one of its feats.

Skills

The Climb, Jump, and Swim skills have been condensed into Athletics. If any of these skills is a class skill for your character, then Athletics is a class skill for your character.

The Jump application of the Athletics skill works differently than in the core book:

Long Jump: You may leap 1 square per DC 10, DC 15 without a 4 square running start.

High Jump: You may jump 1 square per DC 15, DC 20 without a 4 square running start.

Jump Down: You may decrease the damage from a fall by 1 square per DC 10. If you take no damage, you land on your feet.

Trained skills can be chosen from any skill, not just the Class Skills list (except Use the Force, which can only be selected if you have the Force Sensitive feat). Class skills gain your level as a bonus.

Skill Checks

Skill checks are like attack rolls, and so skills are treated with the weapons rules rather than the skill rules from SWSE Core. If using a skill untrained, apply a -5 penalty, similar to using a weapon without the appropriate Weapon Proficiency feat. Trained skills drop the penalty, and add your level (if a class skill), your ability modifier, and a +1 competence bonus for having the appropriate Skill Focus feat.

For example, a 3rd level Jedi with Charisma 12 making a Use the Force check to Mind Trick another character would roll the following:

3 (Level Bonus) + 1 (Cha mod) = +4 vs Will Defense.

This is to keep such attacks from virtually always succeeding against opponents because of +10 bonuses at low levels (Training + Skill Focus).

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Combat

Armed Advantage

An unarmed character receives a -2 circumstance penalty to Reflex defense against attacks made with a melee weapon. Characters armed with melee weapons count as unarmed when defending against lightsaber attacks unless armed with a weapon that retains its Damage Reduction against lightsaber damage. This is to reflect that during the normal course of an attack round, defending characters parry, block, and dodge incoming attacks. Without a weapon that can parry incoming attacks, the character can't properly defend against attacks and must rely entirely on dodging. Characters with the Martial Arts feat are considered armed even when wielding no weapons.

Two-Weapon Fighting

As it stands, there is no difference between wielding two One-Handed weapons or having a Light weapon in the off-hand, even though the book's text describes most Small weapons as being used often as off-hand weapons for dual-wielding fighters. So, to give the short lightsaber, knife, and short sword more of a purpose, here is a rule covering Light weapons.

When wielding two weapons, if the off-hand weapon is considered Light, the fighter gets a +1 dodge bonus to Reflex Defense for each Dual-Weapon Fighting feat possessed. One-handed weapons already have a damage advantage over Light weapons, making this a fair tradeoff. Double-weapons, such as the double-bladed lightsaber and the quarterstaff, also gain this benefit.

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Lightsaber Construction

Building a lightsaber requires the Force Sensitivity feat and proficiency with lightsabers to attempt. It's recommended that the character have at least one level in the Jedi class.

Building a lightsaber requires two steps. The first is the body and its corresponding electronics, while the second is focusing the lightsaber crystals using the Force. While it's possible to skip the second step, doing so means the lightsaber provides no Force bonus to anyone, including the person who built it.

Constructing the lightsaber itself requires a DC 25 Mechanics check. The process takes 6 hours, and taking 20 on this check increases the time to 5 days. If the check is failed, the character must spend another 6 hours disassembling and reassembling the weapon. The necessary components cost 1500 credits, and the focusing crystal can usually only be bought at incredible cost or it must be discovered. There are a few options that may increase the difficulty, but provide other benefits.

Curved Hilt: The curved hilt lightsaber changes the weight and balance of a lightsaber such that it is easier to wield one-handed, and was especially favored by practitioners of the Makashi style of lightsaber combat. The odd shape was difficult to set parts into correctly, however, leading many Jedi to focus on creating the more simple standard lightsaber. Creating a curved-hilt lightsaber adds +5 to the construction DC, and the weapon adds a +1 equipment bonus to the user's Dexterity, for the purposes of attack rolls or Reflex Defense.

Double-Bladed: A double-bladed lightsaber is a formidable weapon, associated with the Sith due to its combat-oriented nature. There are two methods for creating one of these weapons. The first is to construct a single hilt that projects lightsaber blades from both ends. This adds +5 to the construction DC. This method doubles the cost of components. The second method is to construct two separate lightsabers that can be joined together with a magnalock. This process doesn't increase the build DC, but does require undergoing the construction process twice, and each lightsaber must have a 250 credit magnalock component added (for a total cost of 3500 credits). Both methods double the construction time, since the builder is making two lightsabers instead of one, and require undergoing the focusing ritual twice, using one crystal per blade.

Dual-Phase: The dual-phase lightsaber has a switch or toggle capable of extending the lightsaber's blade immediately, rather than using a focusing dial to adjust. This increases the build DC by +5, but allows the user to switch the blade's length as a swift action. A dual-phase lightsaber not only grants the user reach when in extended mode (at the expense of a -1 attack and Reflex Defense penalty against adjacent opponents), but also grants a +2 circumstance bonus to use the feint application of the Deception skill in combat.

The second, and final, step is to attune the focusing crystal using the Force. This creates a bond between the lightsaber and the person creating it, granting that user special bonuses when wielding the weapon. Focusing the crystal requires spending a Force Point and making a DC 25 Use the Force check, meditating and shaping the crystal as necessary. The process takes another 6 hours, and taking 20 increases the time to 10 days. On a failed check, the Force Point is lost and the user must spend another 6 hours focusing the crystal again.

When focused properly, the crystal grants a bonus to the creator depending on the type of crystal being used. The standard adegan crystals from the caves of Ilum grant a +1 bonus to attack rolls with the lightsaber, as do synth-crystals forged with the Force. Other crystal types, outlined in the Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide, grant other effects, such as dealing stun or ion damage rather than energy, adding to damage rolls, or granting bonuses on the use of the Deflect or Block talents. These crystals are more rare after the Empire's destruction of most major crystal caves, and so require GM permission to obtain.

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Equipment

Weapon Ranges

The ranges presented in the Saga Edition core rulebook seem to be a bit extreme, possibly presented under exacting technical definitions of the term 'point blank range'. Under Pistol ranges, for example, Point-Blank is 20 squares. Each square is 1.5 meters or about 5 feet. That means 100 feet is point-blank range for a pistol. I'm pretty sure that's not right at all. At least, so far as range penalties for targeting something go, that shouldn't be it. So until I can get a better method going, here's the new set for weapon ranges:

All weapon ranges found on Table 8-5: Weapon Ranges on page 129 of the Saga Edition core book are to be halved, with the exception of Thrown Weapons.

Weapon Group: Maximum Point-Blank/Short/Medium/Long Ranges

Heavy Weapons: 25/50/125/250

Pistols: 10/20/30/40

Rifles: 15/30/75/150

Simple: 10/20/30/40

Thrown: 6/8/10/12

Retractable Stocks

There are a few oddities in the Ranged Weapons section of the Saga Edition core rulebook. Repeating blaster rifles seem far underpowered as compared to standard blaster rifles. Since they're more expensive, heavier, and have a Military availability instead of Restricted availability, I've decided to alter their rules somewhat.

Blaster carbines, rifles, and pistols may have retractable stocks. The cost of a retractable stock is included in the credits listing for carbines and rifles, and adding a retractable stock to a pistol costs an extra 100 credits. A weapon with a retractable stock may only be fired in autofire mode (if it has that firing mode) with the stock extended. Weapons marked autofire-only may be braced (reducing the -5 autofire penalty to -2). Weapons with a single-fire capability may not be braced, and have a -5 to autofire attacks as normal.

The purpose for having a retractable stock is to allow a rifle to be used in a single hand without penalty (reducing its size from Medium to Small), or to increase the range of a pistol (moving a Pistol into the Rifle group for range).

Armor

Characters gain a bonus to Reflex Defense from either their armor or heroic levels, whichever is greater. The Armor Defense talent from the Armor Specialist talent tree uses the rules for the Improved Armor Defense talent, which is no longer used at all.

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The Force

Force Points

Spending a Force point to aid an action gives a flat +5 Force bonus, rather than adding 1d6 to the roll. This makes things simpler and involves less die rolling.

A character trained in Use the Force may spend a Force Point as a free action to gain a single use of a Force Power not currently in that character's Force power suite, subject to GM approval. If the Force power gained is used to harm a living being, the character gains a Dark Side Point. The Force Training feat is not required for this use of a Force Point.

Characters regain one spent Force Point for every eight hours of rest, once in any 24 period.

Destiny Points

When acting in accordance with your Destiny, in addition to the normal Destiny Bonus, you gain a Destiny Point. Your heroic level is the cap for the number of Destiny Points you may have at once.

Dark Side

Force Powers with the Dark Side descriptor don't increase your Dark Side Score through use automatically, but their effects almost certainly will be at least a moderate transgression, if not major. Instead, the effects of the power are based on your Dark Side Score, as detailed in the altered powers list below.

Force Powers with the Dark Side descriptor don't need to be in your Force Suite to use them. You may call on these powers at any time. The Dark Side is quicker and easier, and as such does not use up as many of your precious resources such as feat slots.

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Force Powers

Battle Strike (Core)

For each DC you meet, you gain either +1 to hit or +1d6 to damage. The 'next attack' must be within one minute of activating the power.

Dark Rage (Dark Side) (Core)

For each DC you meet, you gain +1 to hit and to damage, plus half your Dark Side Score. The Dark Side Score bonus is not cumulative with DCs.

Force Disarm (Core)

Make a Use the Force check against a target within 6 squares and in line of sight. If you succeed against a DC equal to the target's Str +5 (+10 if they hold their items with both hands), the target drops any held items, which you may bring to your hand or leave on the ground anwhere within 6 squares of the target.

Force Grip (Core)

This power is considered an application of Telekinesis.

Force Lightning (Dark Side) (Core)

This power deals half your Dark Side Score in d6s. This damage may be distributed to any targets within a 6 square cone of effect.

Force Slam (Core)

This power is considered an applicatin of Telekinesis.

Force Thrust (Core)

This power is considered an applicatin of Telekinesis.

Move Object (Core)

This power is considered an application of Telekinesis.

Negate Energy (Core)

No.

Rebuke (Core)

This power can deflect not only Force powers, but physical and energy attacks. It is similar to the Deflect talent, but can be used without a lightsaber.

Sever Force (Light Side) (Core)

No.

Telekinesis (Core)

This power is for all basic telekinetic activities, and includes the former powers Force Disarm, Force Grip, Force Slam, Force Thrust, and Move Object. Each application will be described below.

Move Object: As the Move Object power, DC determines the size category for objects controlled. Each size category can be considered two of the next category down, so lifting one Large object is the same as lifting two Medium objects.

Force Grip: You may crush a target you telekinetically lift using Move Object, dealing the listed damage for the DC.

Force Thrust: You may throw a target 6 squares in any direction, dealing the listed damage if the target strikes a surface or another object. If the target strikes nothing, deal no damage but the target begins their next turn prone.

Force Slam: As Force Thrust, but straight down. If you reach a DC high enough, you may split the size categories such that you telekinetically lift several targets at once and slam all of them.

Vital Transfer (Core)

The target gains HP according to the DC as stated, but multiplied by your own level, not the target's. You may only use this power on a given target once in any 24 hour period.