I've updated the RPG reference thread with a list of weapons, armour and other armament. After this will follow personal non-combat equipment, vessels, and cybernetics/geneering/medical technology/drugs.
I seem to be having some problems with the contents post up at the top. I listed it to take you down to the latest entry, but it doesn't seem to want to do that in Opera. Can someone test it out for me, please?
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Stofsk
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#102
Ok.
After having a lengthy and ultimately fruitless conversation with Frigidmagi, I felt a need to announce something.
Petro's character is currently at level 9 (ignore the 'character sheet' that is in my sig, it needs to be updated), while CC's character is at level 5 (again, sheet needs to be updated). In addition to this, two players feel like joining the game at level 1. Other players still haven't gotten involved yet, or haven't done the character gen process, and one has even relinquished command of his character gen and left it to me (as in, he'll play an NPC I make).
As far as I know, Petro and CC don't give a shit about the level disparity between their individual characters. Their characters are solid, and they've put in an effort that I like and that I want from players.
So I think I should make something clear: this game is based on the Traveller T20 ruleset. Yes, it's a D20 game, but that doesn't mean anything. Not to me. I don't play RPG's like a computer game. Hell, even by the rules, Petro's level 9 character doesn't have the kind of combat ability that CC's level 5 character has. So what makes Traveller different from other games? What makes it different from D&D?
Let's stop and think for a moment. Let's say we had a party of uniform leveled characters who level up together. What if one person dies? In a D&D game, that player has to roll up a new character sheet and start at level 1. Does he stop playing because of this? If he did, I wouldn't want him in my game anyway. T20 is even better, because it has rules for prior history that can determine what level you start at - if you want to start at a higher level. D&D doesn't have this. D&D says "If you die you either get resurrected or you start a new character at level 1." So what happens when 'resurrection magic' isn't in the game? What happens if it costs too much gold? What happens if the other players don't want to spend that much gold? Well, you have to start a new character at level 1, or stop playing. Some GMs might allow the player to start a new character at the party's level, and that's fine for them. Other GMs won't. What are you gonna do, complain?
So in the D&D example, what do you do when the rest of the party has leveled up and you've died and had to start again at level 1? The other party helps you, THAT'S what. Yes, like a mentor helps train an apprentice, or the experienced sergeant takes in the green Private under his wing, or the senior helps guide the junior.
Also, if task resolution and combat worries you, here's a head's up. Combat is deadly. As far as a bullet is concerned, it doesn't matter whether you're level 1 or level 9. A laser beam is even worse. A frag grenade that lands at your feet or a shotgun at point blank range is just about it for your character, and if this were a tabletop game I'd automatically hand you over a new character sheet rather than go through the indignity of rolling the damage dice. As for task resolution, any task that you wish to perform or solve or what have you has a DC - a Difficulty Class, IE how hard it is - that is set by me. This is a number. I can pick this number at random, or give a good reason for why it is what it is, or I can pick it out of a hat, or out of my arse, whatever and guess what - I will never ever EVER tell you what the DC of any task is, because I'm the GM and that information is privileged. And I'm the one who rolls anyway, and let me tell you: if it's a choice between rolling or role-playing, I've already made the bloody choice.
So what do you do in combat or to resolve a task? Take combat seriously. I don't care if you're a level 20 marine, have a green beret, seen a hundred campaigns blah blah blah. I don't care if you can make 4 attacks per round as per the rules, with various modifiers or what not. If you stand up in the line of fire, do something stupid, or start getting a God complex because "Ima level 20 combat god LOL!!1!" then that bullet with your name on it will hit you. In comparison, you could be a level 1 merc who's just trying to survive, so instead of stupid heroics he keeps his head down and finds cover and uses that to shoot at the enemy, while co-ordinating with his comrades. Of the two, guess which one I'm going to kill? Path of least resistance: if you make it easy for me then that's who I'll kill. To repeat, a bullet doesn't CARE if you're level 20 or level 1, and NEITHER DO I. Combat is deadly. This isn't D&D where you can take sword hits all day long because you have over a 100 hp. This is a game where if a bullet hits you and you're unarmoured, you'll be lucky to get away with a flesh wound, level 1 OR level 20. If that bullet is an armour piercer, it doesn't even matter if you're armoured. If the bullet is a HE round, you can be wearing a nice flak jacket and still have your head explode.
Task resolutions. The other point that came up is that a level 9 character - Petro's - will just be better at things than a level 5 or level 1 character. Yeah fucking duh. This is like saying "Well a professional who's been in the workforce for 20 years will be better than a guy who's been in it for 10 years, or just 1." And Petro's character is highly, HIGHLY specialised. He's literally good at four things: using computers, talking to people, finding out things, and plotting a warpjump - and that's just based on the current sheet that needs to be updated. I suspect Petro doesn't care beyond this, because his character really is an Astrogator. He has made it his profession, and it is the core of his character. What will his character do if he wants to, say, repair the ship's engines after taking damage? Open a scrambled comm channel with another ship to keep a conversation private? Use the ship's sensors to find a pirate ship while they're in the upper atmopshere of a gasgiant, with all sorts of 'noice' and false readings?
Here's a clue: FUCK. ALL. He can't do shit. There are dozens of skills in this game, petro's character AS-IS is only really good at... count them... FOUR SKILLS. The rest are at the level of a 1st level character. Yes, that means a first level character would have the same number of ranks in, say, Sense Motive or Bluff as Petro has now, which means a level 1 character has the same chance at bluffing Petro as he has of bluffing them.
In short, I don't care what level you are. I only care if you have a character. If this is a problem, let me know. Now.
After having a lengthy and ultimately fruitless conversation with Frigidmagi, I felt a need to announce something.
Petro's character is currently at level 9 (ignore the 'character sheet' that is in my sig, it needs to be updated), while CC's character is at level 5 (again, sheet needs to be updated). In addition to this, two players feel like joining the game at level 1. Other players still haven't gotten involved yet, or haven't done the character gen process, and one has even relinquished command of his character gen and left it to me (as in, he'll play an NPC I make).
As far as I know, Petro and CC don't give a shit about the level disparity between their individual characters. Their characters are solid, and they've put in an effort that I like and that I want from players.
So I think I should make something clear: this game is based on the Traveller T20 ruleset. Yes, it's a D20 game, but that doesn't mean anything. Not to me. I don't play RPG's like a computer game. Hell, even by the rules, Petro's level 9 character doesn't have the kind of combat ability that CC's level 5 character has. So what makes Traveller different from other games? What makes it different from D&D?
Let's stop and think for a moment. Let's say we had a party of uniform leveled characters who level up together. What if one person dies? In a D&D game, that player has to roll up a new character sheet and start at level 1. Does he stop playing because of this? If he did, I wouldn't want him in my game anyway. T20 is even better, because it has rules for prior history that can determine what level you start at - if you want to start at a higher level. D&D doesn't have this. D&D says "If you die you either get resurrected or you start a new character at level 1." So what happens when 'resurrection magic' isn't in the game? What happens if it costs too much gold? What happens if the other players don't want to spend that much gold? Well, you have to start a new character at level 1, or stop playing. Some GMs might allow the player to start a new character at the party's level, and that's fine for them. Other GMs won't. What are you gonna do, complain?
So in the D&D example, what do you do when the rest of the party has leveled up and you've died and had to start again at level 1? The other party helps you, THAT'S what. Yes, like a mentor helps train an apprentice, or the experienced sergeant takes in the green Private under his wing, or the senior helps guide the junior.
Also, if task resolution and combat worries you, here's a head's up. Combat is deadly. As far as a bullet is concerned, it doesn't matter whether you're level 1 or level 9. A laser beam is even worse. A frag grenade that lands at your feet or a shotgun at point blank range is just about it for your character, and if this were a tabletop game I'd automatically hand you over a new character sheet rather than go through the indignity of rolling the damage dice. As for task resolution, any task that you wish to perform or solve or what have you has a DC - a Difficulty Class, IE how hard it is - that is set by me. This is a number. I can pick this number at random, or give a good reason for why it is what it is, or I can pick it out of a hat, or out of my arse, whatever and guess what - I will never ever EVER tell you what the DC of any task is, because I'm the GM and that information is privileged. And I'm the one who rolls anyway, and let me tell you: if it's a choice between rolling or role-playing, I've already made the bloody choice.
So what do you do in combat or to resolve a task? Take combat seriously. I don't care if you're a level 20 marine, have a green beret, seen a hundred campaigns blah blah blah. I don't care if you can make 4 attacks per round as per the rules, with various modifiers or what not. If you stand up in the line of fire, do something stupid, or start getting a God complex because "Ima level 20 combat god LOL!!1!" then that bullet with your name on it will hit you. In comparison, you could be a level 1 merc who's just trying to survive, so instead of stupid heroics he keeps his head down and finds cover and uses that to shoot at the enemy, while co-ordinating with his comrades. Of the two, guess which one I'm going to kill? Path of least resistance: if you make it easy for me then that's who I'll kill. To repeat, a bullet doesn't CARE if you're level 20 or level 1, and NEITHER DO I. Combat is deadly. This isn't D&D where you can take sword hits all day long because you have over a 100 hp. This is a game where if a bullet hits you and you're unarmoured, you'll be lucky to get away with a flesh wound, level 1 OR level 20. If that bullet is an armour piercer, it doesn't even matter if you're armoured. If the bullet is a HE round, you can be wearing a nice flak jacket and still have your head explode.
Task resolutions. The other point that came up is that a level 9 character - Petro's - will just be better at things than a level 5 or level 1 character. Yeah fucking duh. This is like saying "Well a professional who's been in the workforce for 20 years will be better than a guy who's been in it for 10 years, or just 1." And Petro's character is highly, HIGHLY specialised. He's literally good at four things: using computers, talking to people, finding out things, and plotting a warpjump - and that's just based on the current sheet that needs to be updated. I suspect Petro doesn't care beyond this, because his character really is an Astrogator. He has made it his profession, and it is the core of his character. What will his character do if he wants to, say, repair the ship's engines after taking damage? Open a scrambled comm channel with another ship to keep a conversation private? Use the ship's sensors to find a pirate ship while they're in the upper atmopshere of a gasgiant, with all sorts of 'noice' and false readings?
Here's a clue: FUCK. ALL. He can't do shit. There are dozens of skills in this game, petro's character AS-IS is only really good at... count them... FOUR SKILLS. The rest are at the level of a 1st level character. Yes, that means a first level character would have the same number of ranks in, say, Sense Motive or Bluff as Petro has now, which means a level 1 character has the same chance at bluffing Petro as he has of bluffing them.
In short, I don't care what level you are. I only care if you have a character. If this is a problem, let me know. Now.
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Cynical Cat
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#103
Excellent.
It's not that I'm unforgiving, it's that most of the people who wrong me are unrepentant assholes.
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Cynical Cat
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#105
Pcm, don't let it scare you. Just get a character idea and the rest will fall into place. Talk to me or our fearless leader if you have problems with anything. The numbers will fall into place once you get an idea for a character. That's the important part.
It's not that I'm unforgiving, it's that most of the people who wrong me are unrepentant assholes.
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Pcm979
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#106
It's the bit where you guys started talking about Vitality/Stamina and Strength/Lifeblood or such that got me worried. Nevermind, time to fluffify myself.
"Are you trying to give me a spasm?" ~The Necrontyr Messenger
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Cynical Cat
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#107
Damage works differently in this system than in D&D because this is suppossed to be a semi-realistic sci-fi rpg as oppossed to a high fantasy game about uber heroes. Don't sweat it.
It's not that I'm unforgiving, it's that most of the people who wrong me are unrepentant assholes.
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Stofsk
- Secret Agent Man
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#109
Standard D&D works like the end of LOTR: Fellowship. Aragorn fights like a hundred Uruk-hai by himself until the Dwarf and Elf get off their arse and bail him out. He's obviously Level Awesome while the Orcs are at Level Bullshit.Pcm979 wrote:I gather that, It's just that I've barely got my mind around the way standard D&D works.
Standard T20 works like Duncan Idaho's demise in Dune. He's this awesome and skilled Swordmaster and highly experienced fighter and a lady's man and yaddayadda - but he gets hit by a bullet to the brain. The End. (Shh! I know about the Gholas. Don't remind me. *shudder*) I wouldn't even say it was Duncan's fault for the way he died, he just got unlucky.
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Pcm979
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#110
I get that too. Right, I've just read the fluff, and I'm not sure where to start. You mentioned asking people questions?
"Are you trying to give me a spasm?" ~The Necrontyr Messenger
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Cynical Cat
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#111
Establish what kind of character you want to play and then talk with our illustrous leader. Maybe a casheered naval officer, a curious explorer who wants to see the 'verse, a bad ass with a mysterious past, whatever.
It's not that I'm unforgiving, it's that most of the people who wrong me are unrepentant assholes.
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Stofsk
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#112
Who's your character? What's his or her name? Where is he or she from? Why is he or she travelling?Pcm979 wrote:You mentioned asking people questions?
CC is right. Come up with a bare-bones concept, then we'll flesh that out.
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Pcm979
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#113
Male Psionic Papalon
Concept: After being abducted by pirates, the ship he was captive on misjumped and drove most of the crew mad. Slightly unhinged, he now stays one step ahead of the authorities who would (as far as he knows) execute him.
Howzat for a start?
Concept: After being abducted by pirates, the ship he was captive on misjumped and drove most of the crew mad. Slightly unhinged, he now stays one step ahead of the authorities who would (as far as he knows) execute him.
Howzat for a start?
"Are you trying to give me a spasm?" ~The Necrontyr Messenger
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Josh
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#114
Who's going to play his doting doctor sister? 
When the Frog God smiles, arm yourself.
"'Flammable' and 'inflammable' have the same meaning! This language is insane!"
GIVE ME COFFEE AND I WILL ALLOW YOU TO LIVE!- Frigid
"Ork 'as no automatic code o' survival. 'is partic'lar distinction from all udda livin' gits is tha necessity ta act inna face o' alternatives by means o' dakka."
I created the sound of madness, wrote the book on pain
"'Flammable' and 'inflammable' have the same meaning! This language is insane!"
GIVE ME COFFEE AND I WILL ALLOW YOU TO LIVE!- Frigid
"Ork 'as no automatic code o' survival. 'is partic'lar distinction from all udda livin' gits is tha necessity ta act inna face o' alternatives by means o' dakka."
I created the sound of madness, wrote the book on pain
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Cynical Cat
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#115
Damn, I didn't mean the whole crew to be from Firefly.
It's not that I'm unforgiving, it's that most of the people who wrong me are unrepentant assholes.
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Josh
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#116
Me- "Cihan is slightly Book-ish."
Stofsk- "But Cihan is so much cooler than Book."
Stofsk- "But Cihan is so much cooler than Book."
When the Frog God smiles, arm yourself.
"'Flammable' and 'inflammable' have the same meaning! This language is insane!"
GIVE ME COFFEE AND I WILL ALLOW YOU TO LIVE!- Frigid
"Ork 'as no automatic code o' survival. 'is partic'lar distinction from all udda livin' gits is tha necessity ta act inna face o' alternatives by means o' dakka."
I created the sound of madness, wrote the book on pain
"'Flammable' and 'inflammable' have the same meaning! This language is insane!"
GIVE ME COFFEE AND I WILL ALLOW YOU TO LIVE!- Frigid
"Ork 'as no automatic code o' survival. 'is partic'lar distinction from all udda livin' gits is tha necessity ta act inna face o' alternatives by means o' dakka."
I created the sound of madness, wrote the book on pain
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Stofsk
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#117
It sounds like he isn't a Sentinel because he's on the run, but that doesn't matter. You can multiclass. Are you gonna go through Prior History to get levels or are you gonna start at level one? Also, what else is the Psyker Seal good at?Pcm979 wrote:Male Psionic Papalon
Concept: After being abducted by pirates, the ship he was captive on misjumped and drove most of the crew mad. Slightly unhinged, he now stays one step ahead of the authorities who would (as far as he knows) execute him.
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Cynical Cat
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#118
Anouncement: The ship will NOT be named Serenity. That is all.
It's not that I'm unforgiving, it's that most of the people who wrong me are unrepentant assholes.
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Stofsk
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#119
But it might be called a GLOW-WORM-class transport. Get it? Glow-worms are like fire flies. Yukyukyuk.Cynical Cat wrote:Anouncement: The ship will NOT be named Serenity. That is all.
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Josh
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#120
Chris, the nice men in white coats are here to help you...Stofsk wrote:But it might be called a GLOW-WORM-class transport. Get it? Glow-worms are like fire flies. Yukyukyuk.
When the Frog God smiles, arm yourself.
"'Flammable' and 'inflammable' have the same meaning! This language is insane!"
GIVE ME COFFEE AND I WILL ALLOW YOU TO LIVE!- Frigid
"Ork 'as no automatic code o' survival. 'is partic'lar distinction from all udda livin' gits is tha necessity ta act inna face o' alternatives by means o' dakka."
I created the sound of madness, wrote the book on pain
"'Flammable' and 'inflammable' have the same meaning! This language is insane!"
GIVE ME COFFEE AND I WILL ALLOW YOU TO LIVE!- Frigid
"Ork 'as no automatic code o' survival. 'is partic'lar distinction from all udda livin' gits is tha necessity ta act inna face o' alternatives by means o' dakka."
I created the sound of madness, wrote the book on pain
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Pcm979
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#121
So you need Sentinel-class to becoms a Psionic? Gah. I need to stop skim reading.Stofsk wrote:It sounds like he isn't a Sentinel because he's on the run, but that doesn't matter. You can multiclass.
Since he's on the run, I'd expect him to be good at bluffing, sneaking etc. on top of whatever a Papalon normally knows. As for level, I'm not sure. Maybe level 2 or 3? What do you think? I'm new at this.Stofsk wrote:Are you gonna go through Prior History to get levels or are you gonna start at level one? Also, what else is the Psyker Seal good at?
"Are you trying to give me a spasm?" ~The Necrontyr Messenger
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Stofsk
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#122
No. That's just one particular class. There are a couple of classes I forgot to post in the ref. thread. Like Law EnforcerPcm979 wrote:So you need Sentinel-class to becoms a Psionic?Stofsk wrote:It sounds like he isn't a Sentinel because he's on the run, but that doesn't matter. You can multiclass.
What about career? Is this Papalon a doctor, engineer, technician? A trader? A pilot? Is he an academic? Or an explorer? What can he do on a independent trade ship, for instance?Since he's on the run, I'd expect him to be good at bluffing, sneaking etc.
Well a single term of service in Prior History lasts 4 years and would theoretically give you 4000 XP if not more. That's level 3-4. So it's up to you how many years you want to spend 'leveling up'.As for level, I'm not sure. Maybe level 2 or 3? What do you think? I'm new at this.
In regards to Prior History, you can attend university and secure a bachelor's degree in some field. Or you can instead go to work in some field. Or you can do both, depending on how many terms of service you want your character to go through.
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The Prime Necromancer
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#125
I have a suggestion, Chris.
I don't know if you'll care for this, but how about, instead of making the stamina range from 1 - maximum, making it from half of max - max.
Right now, though extraordinarily unlikely, it's possible for one to end up with a pretty low stamina pool despite being in a pretty stamina heavy job class. Even worse, for those who have low stamina growth, a "1" hurts them even more since they're not going to be as able to make it up. And finally, for those who are into psychic powers (
) they're essentially using up their "hit points" to use their abilities. And finally, I guess it would just be for my peace of mind, since I kind of like to be able to "plot out" how a character will grow, and what his abilities will look like at whatever level.
Just a suggestion.
I don't know if you'll care for this, but how about, instead of making the stamina range from 1 - maximum, making it from half of max - max.
Right now, though extraordinarily unlikely, it's possible for one to end up with a pretty low stamina pool despite being in a pretty stamina heavy job class. Even worse, for those who have low stamina growth, a "1" hurts them even more since they're not going to be as able to make it up. And finally, for those who are into psychic powers (
) they're essentially using up their "hit points" to use their abilities. And finally, I guess it would just be for my peace of mind, since I kind of like to be able to "plot out" how a character will grow, and what his abilities will look like at whatever level.Just a suggestion.