Futuristic Can You Save Me, Brother? - Mechanics

[Stickdom]

This page will be reserved for extra game mechanics in the roleplay, to include powers, special abilities, and the dice system rules.

 

[Stickdom]

Power of a Gifted One

Each Gifted One is granted a domain of power to control. Though perhaps through different means and with varying abilities, all Gifted Ones appear to comply by the same set of rules.

1. Only a single domain will be granted to a Gifted One.
   
2. Their mastery of it is limited only by their dedication to training themselves in the practice of their Gifts.
   
3. While powerful, the Gifted's abilities are not without weaknesses. Any power can be canceled by the same power cast as a counter to it.
   
4. The energy required to use their Gifts must come from the wielder, though the source of such energy is unknown, only that it resides within them, known as Presence.
   
5. Only living beings may be Gifted, constructs who are created by mortal hands do not have the capabilities of a Soul necessary to contain these Gifts.
   

Note: Gifted players may choose their own talents and abilities at character creation, but are subject to approval at the discretion of the Game Leader (@Stickdom) before they can be used. Creativity encouraged, but keep power level in sync with the character's maturity, development, and background.


Domains

• Psionic: The territory of the mind over matter, thoughts are a powerful tool and a terrifying weapon. Ranging from simple telekinesis to bending the mind of another to the Gifted's will, the most powerful psionics need only think of an outcome to command it into reality. Those who oppose these gifted will have their own thoughts turned against them, fears being made manifest in their imaginations, their own dreams turned against them. But, those psionics who wish to aid others can instead cause intelligence and creative thinking to blossom in another's mind, soothe their doubts and worries, or shield their thoughts from outside influences. The greatest feat a psionic can achieve is the total domination of another's mind, while the true masters may maintain a score of minds under their own, seeing through their eyes, speaking through their mouths, knowing through their minds.
  

• Primordial: The raw essence of being, offering control of the base forces that govern the physics of reality. Those Gifted with primal abilities toy with laws essential to existence, often dangerously so. Wielding the forces of gravity to fly, or altering friction to walk across a wall, these are the capabilities of the primal domain. Changing applied force can cause a thrown baseball to travel miles or pierce holes through solid objects unimpeded, and manipulating the force of magnetism can cause two objects to repulse from each other or become inseparably joined. Those experienced in their Gift can even stop their time around them for seconds at a time, causing them to appear as if they are blinking across the battlefield, sowing havoc among their enemies.
  

• Paranormal: Reaching into the spiritual world that lies beneath the physical one, spectres and ghosts often reach back, grasping at the mortal world. Those Gifted in this domain have learned to see openings between these two realms and draw out power into our world to use. Seeing and speaking to spirits is only the first step for a paranormal Gifted, which can often give post-cognitive information if asked properly, while ordering them to obey the Gifted's bidding is soon to follow. Skilled paranormals have keen precognition and often seem as if they can foretell the future, calling forth shadows and wraiths to bind their enemies and rend their spirits from their bodies. The connection of life and death is clearly visible to these Gifted, and though they may not foretell one's death, one adept in the art may bend these fate-lines to bring healing to injured friends, while an expert has the spiritual strength to sever it completely, bringing a swift and sure end to their souls.
  

• Cosmic: The blessing of the aether grant strength to the Gifted who control these powers. The substance of space itself is at their fingertips and the stars always appear to shine at the backs of their black-hole eyes. The vast spans of emptiness that lies between galaxies can be harnessed, splitting the fabric of space to allow passage across worlds. Cosmic Gifted may access these dimensions to call forth the energy of the void, casting it at their enemies to swallow them in an inescapable prison or wielding it themselves as a weapon, cutting through space-time itself. The most proficient cosmics may call to the heavens to rain brimstone meteors on their adversaries, walk across universes with a single step, or question the stars for blessed guidance among the shifting planes of existence.
  

• Xenositic: Many humans became infected by the alien invaders, most of them becoming the food of newborn spawn in a messy and painful process. A very slight few, however, managed to contain these transformations, though how is unknown, and formed a symbiotic bond with the intrusive parasite. These Gifted have the keenest knowledge of the alien threat, as they are partially in sync with their invisible mental network, catching glimpses of telepathic communications or hearing directly from the creatures that dwell in their own bodies. Their powers bring them the closest to understanding, and in turn they draw strength from their tenant's abilities. Xeno Gifted gain the ability to adapt their bodies according to their whims, able to harden their skin into a carapace-like shell, sprouting masses of tendrils made from sinew and bone, or devour their opponents with toothy maws and venomous fangs. The most powerful Xeno can ingest other beings to permanently gain some of their qualities and attributes, evolving according to what they have absorbed.
  

• Cyber: The powers of technology and digital information are the tools of one Gifted with these abilities. Comprehending computational data is elementary, as long as it is formatted correctly, and interfacing with machines allows control over them with the touch of a finger. Cyber Gifted often have implants or robotic limbs incorporated into their bodies to enhance their talents, while others rely on external mechanical parts to access their powers. Controlling simple networks or calling up information over an invisible matrix are basic powers, while one with true genius in their Gift may manipulate enormous webs of systems all around them, have machines answer their call, or overload nearby mechanics to provide massive boosts in firepower or disrupt an enemy's weaponry.
  

• Elemental: Being Gifted in this way grants mastery over the many aspects of nature, fire, water, air, and earth. A novice in this typically has dominion over a single facet of this realm, one of the elements is theirs to command, and as they grow more adept at seeking out these elements in their surroundings, so too does their range of skills with it, eventually expanding to cover the entirety of these four elements in their base states. The most accomplished elementals may even create them out of nothing or combine existing elements to reach heights of power not known in nature's own mind.
  

 

[Stickdom]

Stat Mechanics

Spoiler

• I've decided to use a very simple d10 system. The stats we will use are as follows:
  Strength, Dexterity, Mentality, Spirit, Combat, Specialty
  

-Strength: Pertaining to vitality and fitness, one's measure of health and physical capabilities. Would apply to tasks requiring personal fortitude such as resisting pain or infection, bodily prowess such as breaking down a door, and Innate abilities, most of which affect the body.


-Dexterity: You character's speed and agility. Attributes to finesse skills such as acrobatics or lock-picking. Also used to strike and out-maneuver opponents in battle. Useful for both Ranged and Melee Combat


-Intellect: Deep memory and mental capacities, used in remembering facts or thinking of complex strategies and plans, as well as setting the limits of your learning capabilities. This is the stat that Psionics and Cybers use to enhance their powers.


-Acuity: Instantaneous thinking and sharp senses, the ability to catch small details, come up with sudden ideas, or quickly solve puzzles and problems. Paired with Dexterity to provide reflexes and mental reactions. Paranormals find this stat particularly useful in their observation abilities, such as pre- and post-cognition, while Elementals use this quickness of mind to seek out potential sources of their powers from the forces of nature.


-Spirit: This is more internal strength, like your force of will. Keeps you from going crazy or succumbing to paralyzing fear, also the stat that Cosmics, Paranormals, and Primals use as a measure of their powers.


-Combat: How good you are at fighting. This is separate from other stats since you can still be good at fighting even if you aren't physically strong. Used for hitting and dodging attacks.


-Specialty: This is your character's niche, whatever it is. If your character is a computer expert, this can become "Hacking", or if you're good at lasting among the ruins, "Survival". a soldier "Marksman" or "Martial Arts" Whatever you choose replaces "Specialty" and that becomes your stat.


These stats are rated from 1 to 7:

• 1 is below average, while said average is 2 for a human being. 3 is above average, 4 is highly skilled. 5 is exceptionally talented, while 6 is complete human expertise. 7 is not humanly possible, only by ascending a mortal form can this skill level be reached.
  

To set up your stat sheet:

1. All Stats start at 1, except for the character's Specialty, which is 3, and Combat, which is the total of Acuity + Dexterity.
   
2. Each player has 20 Attribute Points (AP) to put into their stats. You cannot put points into Combat, but Dexterity and Acuity will raise Combat collectively.
   
3. Raising a stat costs the amount of the next level up (e.g. raising a stat from 2 to 3 costs 3 points, the higher number is the cost.
   • These costs add up, so raising a stat from 1 -> 3, you must pay for every level in between. (1 -> 2 = 2 points total, 2 -> 3 = 3 more points, etc.) See the table below for additive costs from Rank 1.
     

   • New Stat Value: (From 1)	2	3	4	5	6
     Total Cost (From Rank 1):	2	5	9	14	20

[*]Human characters may only raise their skills to 5 using skill points at first, though opportunities may open that they can earn and spend additional AP to gain level 6 or even 7 in a stat.


[*]Include Health at 10, Armour at 0, and if you are a Gifted, Gift at 10.


[*]Luck is a random number between 3 and 20, your choice.

• You stat sheet should look something like this before you spend AP for your stats.
  

Health: 10


Total Armour: 0


Gift: 10


Strength: 1


Dexterity: 1


Acuity: 1


Mentality: 1


Spirit: 1


Combat: 2


Specialty: 3 (Replace "Specialty" with the name of your expertise, e.g. Marksman, Scavenger, etc.)


Luck: ?

• And there you have it, you're all done. See, that wasn't so hard, was it?
  

 

[Stickdom]

Dice Mechanics

Spoiler

"Uh-oh, here's where things get hard and crazy." Actually, it's just as simple as the Stat Mechanics just above this, straight-forward and simple. In fact, players don't even need to roll dice for themselves, I can do 100% of the rolls behind the scenes to keep it simple, if that's preferred by the players. But for transparency and accountability, I'm going to explain how the rolls work so no player feels they are being cheated or messed over.

1. Choose Stat: The appropriate stat for the situation is determined by the Storyteller/GM/DM/whatever.
   
2. Challenge Roll: The player rolls 2d10 (two dice with 10 sides) and adds their appropriate stat.
   • Example: The Storyteller calls for a Strength roll. Roll the 2d10 (let's say they roll a 5 and a 6), and then add your Strength stat to it (We'll go with the average of 2). 5+6+2=13.
     

[*]Difficulty: Each task has a certain difficulty rating, which will change the score you have to beat with your Challenge Roll. Ratings for tasks are in the chart below.

• Task Difficulty:	Simple	Moderate	Complex	Hard	Virtually Impossible	Impossible
  Typical Difficulty Rating (DR):	No Roll (Success)	11	14	16	20+	No Roll (Failure)

• Modifiers may change the difficulty of a task, a player may get a bonus added to their roll if they are specialized or very skilled at the task, while a penalty may be added to the difficulty if the task is exceptionally difficult or circumstances are highly unfavorable.
  

[*]Resolving the Rolls: The rolls are resolved together, if the Challenge Roll is higher than the Difficulty, the player is successful. If not, the player fails the task.

• In either case, the Storyteller will then describe the events that occur as a result of the action.
  
• The results of each roll may be kept secret from the players, as some situations may appear to have succeeded when in actuality it was a failure, or vice-versa. Most combat rolls are kept secret for the excitement of not knowing it provides.
  

[*]Instant Successes: Any Challenge Roll that is a "double 10" is an astounding success, not including the Stat score. Also, any roll that totals exactly the player's Luck Stat is an automatic success, though underwhelmingly less .

• The Luck stat is the representation of the universe aligning in the players favor at that moment, counting for random chance, coincidence, and just straight-up dumb luck.
  

[*]Disasters: Any roll that shows "double 1's", the lowest possible roll, is a horrific failure, or Disaster, regardless of modifiers. The worst possible scenario related to the roll is sure to occur.


Combat is an exception to these rules, a little more complicated, but still fairly simple:

1. First, Roll Initiative: Initiative is the order players act in combat. Roll 2d10 and add your combat score.
   • If a character makes an attack that the target is not aware of, it is a Surprise Attack, and its effects happen before rolling for initiative.
     

[*]Actions: Each character gets a number of actions on their turn equal to 1 action for every 4 Combat (1-4 Combat = 1 action, 5-8 = 2 actions, 9-12 = 3 actions, 13+ = 4 actions.)


[*]Combat Rolls: When a player attacks, they roll 2d10 + 1/2 of the Attack Skill + 1/2 of their Combat (rounded down, minimum 1 each)

• The Attack Skill depends on the type of attack, Strength for Melee or Thrown weapons, Acuity for Ranged weapons, or if using a Gift, the stat that corresponds to that ability.
  

[*]Hitting in Combat: An enemy that is not aware of an attack (Surprise Attack) has a difficulty of 12 to hit, while a target that is aware of an attack adds their Dexterity to this 12.


[*]Successes: If the attacking roll is higher, it as a successful hit and the Storyteller describes the damage according to the attack.


[*]Failures: If the attacking roll is lower than the defending roll:

• If the rolls are within 1 point of each other (attacking 5 vs. defending 6, for example), the defender sustains a glancing blow, they take only minimal damage.
  
• If the rolls are within 5 points of each other, (attacking 5 vs. defending 7-10), the attack is a miss, no damage to the target.
  Though collateral damage is possible depending on the attack.
  

[*]If the rolls are past 5 (attacking 5 vs. defending 11+), the target dodges completely and has an opening for a counter-attack, which adds a +2 to-hit modifier to their next attack if they make it on their next turn.




[*]Critical Damage: Any Combat Roll that rolls "double 10's" is a critical hit and deals at least double damage.

• Some weapons and attacks may modify the critical damage to do more damage or have bonus effects.
  

So, we got a few more numbers in here, but it's a simple system once you've used it a few times.