Blade Raiders

Your humble host came across this Kickstarter project and thought that some of his more discerning readers might be interested.  Thoul's Paradise would not dedicate a post to some hum-drum OGL re-hash (except for purposes of ridicule); there are enough of those floating around.  Blade Raiders has aspects that set it apart from many games.

First, Grant Gould, the artist/creator, seems to be a nice guy.  That might not count for much in the eyes of others, but it means something to me.

Anyway, since Blade Raiders is his project, it is only fitting that I quote Gould regarding those concepts I find worthwhile about the game.

The setting: 

This first book focuses primarily on the human realm ruled by Stonemir, a massive fortess-city built upon a mountain that holds primeval mysteries and vast power... 

In this RPG, magic comes from runestones, which are buried beneath the earth, hidden in mountains (especially near Stonemir), and guarded like precious artifacts. Some men and women are born with the ability to tap into these forces, and some devote their lives to articulating these skills and developing incredible powers.

I didn't want to use the standard races like orcs, goblins, etc. So you'll see some completely original beasties in this game.

 

The rules:

You begin your adventure with a clean slate. You don't start with a ton of skills and abilities. In fact, you don't even select a character class -- You select a TALENT...Part of the Blade Raiders RPG experience is finding out who your character is as the story unfolds. No one is simply a "fighter" or a "mage." Characters are more complex, and yet at the same time, simpler in terms of creation and management.

...Blade Raiders has an entirely new dynamic when it comes to spell-casting and special abilities.

You don't begin the game by choosing what you're good at. You begin the game with a basic understanding of where your talents lie, and then grow and strengthen in the areas that you choose to focus on. 

Below is a mock-up of a character sheet.  Since the rules are not finalized, this may not be the end-product, but it is a good example of Gould's ability at presentation.

The project is funded; Blade Raiders will happen.  The question now is:  Will you benefit?  As of this posting, there are still two weeks left in the funding campaign.  I really want to see the map of the game world that will be included in the stretch goal offering, so my motivation in writing this post is not altogether altruistic.  Blade Raiders may not be to your taste, but I encourage you to see what Gould has to offer.

Major Disciplines in Psi World

Psi World presents two methods for determining a character's psionic disciplines. Under the 'design' method, “The player may select either one Major or two Minor disciplines of his/her choice.” This is method is ideal when attempting to create a psionically balanced party; however, the 'random roll' method allows “hopes of gaining additional abilities.” With the 'random roll' method, the player chooses to roll once on the Major discipline table or roll two or three times (1d2+1) on the Minor discipline table.

The rule book describes seven Major disciplines: Precog, Telepath, Teleport, Telekinetic, Self-Aware, Healer, and Empath. The Major discipline table gives a 13% chance for each discipline. There is also a 7% chance of obtaining a “Roll 1 Major and 1 Minor” result and a 2% chance of obtaining a “Roll 2 Majors” result.

Extra-Sensory Perception would have been a better name than “Precog” since that discipline includes such talents as clairvoyance, detect life, and 360° vision. The “Precog” augury ability is interesting; it “allows the precog to ask any question to which a one word answer may be given...[that] will be accurate and truthful.”  No equivocation, no chance for error. Contrast the 'cosmic awareness' power from Villains & Vigilantes or the 'augury' spell in D&D; in these instances a player cannot be absolutely certain of accuracy – there is some wiggle room for the game master.  In Psi World, the referee may need to think quickly in order to provide a viable answer and not spoil the adventure.  Wimpy referees may need to apply some sort of limiting house rule to make their lives easier.

The Teleport discipline is largely self-explanatory.  “No two objects may occupy or attempt to occupy the same space.”  However, one of the Teleport abilities is 'out of phase,' which allows a psi “to shift the physical substance of his/her body...into a non-material state” and move through obstacles.  Stealth is difficult in conjunction with teleportation because the displacement of air causes “a loud popping sound.”

Telekinesis is misspelled 'Telekenisis' on page 17.  I listed some of the abilities of the discipline in the last paragraph of this earlier post.

Self-Awareness is a 'mind over matter' discipline that includes abilities such as feign death, resist pain, heal self, etc.  One quirky ability is 'alter mass,' allowing a psi to raise or lower his or her mass, but not weight.  The description of the ability says its power cost is “one point per each inch the character becomes taller/shorter.”  However, the Self-Awareness table on page 18 says the cost is one point per five pounds.

Healer is another self-explanatory discipline; however, within the discipline, the healing abilities have reverse versions, such as 'cure disease' and 'cause disease' as well as 'restore' (i.e., regeneration) and 'wither.'  A Healer can “restore a slain character to life” at a cost of forty power points (plus ten points for every day since death).  Characters resurrected more than a day after their demise lose all post-starting power points they had accumulated, lose a point of Endurance, and each skill has a chance of reduced effectiveness “due to memory loss.”  'Return Life' doesn't work on characters who have been dead for more than five days.

The Telepath discipline includes abilities one might expect:  locate mind, communication, and mind probe.  Also included are mental attack, mind shield, illusion, and mind transfer.  Most of these abilities allow a target to resist with a successful WIL AST (Will Attribute Saving Throw).  The 'nightmare' ability is interesting and formidable – the target's subconscious is unlocked, “bringing to the surface all the hidden fears, aggressions, and secrets.”  With a failed saving throw, the target is “in shock and unable to act for 1d10 minutes.”  With a second failed saving throw, the target becomes insane; either permanently or until after a long-term application of psychiatric treatment.  For the edification of my cherished readers, I reproduce the insanity table from page 17.

Actually, many gamers I have encountered could be categorized among this range of behaviors. 

Abilities in the Empath discipline involve detecting, establishing, and intensifying emotions.  An Empath can heal others by assuming their injuries; the Empath can also transfer his or her own injuries to others.  Additionally, an Empath can instill a catatonic state in a target via 'emotional overload.'

The Hammer Shall Strike adventure/supplement provides details about an eighth Major discipline:  Animalism.  With this discipline, a psi can detect animals as well as heal them, communicate telepathically with them, and 'suggest' behavior.  There is no provision for including Animalism in the 'random roll' method of determining abilities.

Psionics in D&D Next

or 'A Tale of Two Oozes'

Your humble host feels the need to assert his geekhood.

Because many bloggers are commenting on the D&D Next playtest materials, I thought that I might insert myself into the mob. I won't gripe about downloading issues because (1) I'm not that much of a geek and (2) I didn't encounter any issues.

Since I'm currently in the process of analyzing the Psi World game, is it not appropriate that I address the topic of psionics in D&D Next?

First, let me say that I'm attempting to absorb the playtest rules from a fresh perspective – bereft of biases imposed by other editions, extrapolating exclusively from the information that the materials provide. Attempting, but not necessarily successful in doing so.

Second, apparently unlike many others, I fully appreciate that these are playtest rules and not the final output – many changes can (and likely will) take place. Still, it is interesting to see what the Wizards have included and what they have not.

So, in this frame of mind, I was perusing the bestiary and came across the entry for gray ooze. Let me phrase this appropriately – my impression upon reading the description was – sages know that gray ooze has latent psionic ability. Specifically, it has the ability to 'crush minds' (that is, according to my impression of the meaning of the words). Nothing else in the playtest materials expands upon or even acknowledges this ability; from what my impressions supply, there are no rules for implementing this ability in play.

Gray ooze was psionic in 1E, but it wasn't psionic in either Basic or the SRD.  An editorial gaffe?  Perhaps, but 'playtest' gray ooze has a Wisdom score that exceeds human average (or so my impressions relate) as opposed to the SRD version where its Wisdom is minimal.  Also, I gain the impression that gelatinous cubes are expressly immune to psychic damage but my impressions detect no such immunity for gray ooze.  Hmmm.

Other quick observations impressions:

 

– Rules for being intoxicated, but no alcoholic beverages on the equipment list.

– The marginalization of humanity: Two dwarf pre-gens but only one human.

Gen Con – What am I missing?

Your humble host has attended various gaming conventions, but this will be his first year at Gen Con.  Registration began the other day and – not surprisingly – many events have “sold out.”  I don’t have a problem with this; first come, first serve and all that.  What seems strange is the conspicuous absence of certain games – even among the sold out events.  No Traveller?  No RuneQuest?  No Encounter Critical?  For serious, yo, what’s up with that?

No game left behind?  Yeah, right.

Perhaps most egregious is the lack of any Atlantasia session.  One would think that with a quarter of a million fans there would be at least some presence at the con.  Probably a lot of red tape is holding up the creation of the World Atlantasia Fantasy Trust…or maybe something more sinister is working to suppress John Holland’s masterpiece.  To be honest, I’m kind of disappointed with John; the Atlantasia website is but a shadow of its former self, no new products have been offered and no contests have been announced.  What am I supposed to do with all my Atlantasia fanfic?