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Author Topic: Another 3d6 Game  (Read 1077 times)

David Johansen

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Another 3d6 Game
« on: May 04, 2021, 10:48:31 AM »
3d6 Again

   A couple recent threads elsewhere convinced me that there’s actually a bit of built up demand for a 3d6 universal roleplaying game.  And since I’ve been banging on that drum for a while I took yet another stab at it.  This one isn’t necessarily simple.  In fact it involves quite a bit more averaging than I wanted.  I could use an attribute bonus chart to hide it but for now I’ve left it as is.

Major Tomas Rocketman, Astronaut (I need to fix skills)
50 points
Characteristics:
Agility 12 (8)
Dexterity 13 (12)
Empathy 10
Intelligence 12 (8)
Perception 11 (4)
Speed 10
Strength 10
Toughness 10
Willpower 12 (8)

Perks:
   Space Force Rank 2
Skills:
Athletic
   Freefall +1 = 13
Pilot +1
   Fixed Wing +1 = 14
   Spacecraft +1 =14
Gunnery
   Beams +1 = 14
   Missiles +1 = 14
Technical
   Reactors +1 = 14
   Rockets +1 = 14
   Sensors +1 = 14


3d6
   Rolling three, common, six-sided dice and totaling them gives a value between three and eighteen with a bell curve that means three and eighteen each only come up one in two hundred and sixteen rolls.  This curve ensures a more average and predictable range of outcomes.  Generally 3d6 are compared to a Characteristic or Skill rating with a roll greater than the rating indicating failure. 

Result Quality
   The dice are also used to find the quality of the results with each six adding one point, rolls from two to five adding nothing, and ones subtracting one.  So, a roll of one plus three plus six gives a success roll total of ten and a result value of zero.  The result value is most commonly used to determine the damage of attacks.   characters with higher ratings will generally get better results.

Die   Result
1   -1
2 - 5   0
6   +1

Contests
   If two ratings are being compared or one is resisting another add ten to the active party’s rating and subtract the opposed party’s rating to find the chance of success.  The bell curve of the 3d6 roll makes broad differences very nearly a sure thing for the advantaged party.

Extraordinary Circumstances
   Success rolls using Skills generally assume adequate time, workspace, tools, and materials are available.  There is a -1 penalty to the chance of success  for each of these that is inadequate and a -2 penalty for each of these that is unavailable, meaning that there is a potential -10 under adventuring conditions.

Unskilled Actions
   If a character attempts an activity covered by a specific skill and has not spent at least one point on it, they only use half of their Characteristic rating. 

Fundamental Skills
   Some skills are automatically known to some level as cultural norms.  These will vary from one culture to another but Climbing, Unarmed Combat, Swimming, Throwing, and one’s Native Language would be a common list.  These skills don’t get one point in them automatically but they do use the character’s full Characteristic rating instead of half of it.

Learning New Skills
   It takes 360 hours of training to learn a new skill and remove the unskilled action modifier.  Requiring new skills to be developed through training is realistic and helps to give each player character room to shine in their chosen field.

Points Costs
   Points are used to buy Characteristics, Traits, and Skills.  These in turn qualify a character for the perks of professions and social positions.  A basic character is built on 50 points.  Characteristics start at t10 and cost 4 points per additional point.  Skills are based on characteristic ratings and cost 2 points per additional point in a Skill Class or 1 point in a specific Skill.

Characteristics
   Characteristic ratings are used as quantities and base chance of success.  For example, the amount a character can lift is determined directly by their Strength without the need for a die roll and their chance of winning an arm wrestling match is determined by rolling under their Strength on 3d6.

Agility

Charisma
Endurance
Intelligence
Perception
Speed
Strength
Willpower

Agility
   Muscular development, motor skills, balance, and flexibility allow the character to move around quickly, confidently, and even gracefully.  Agility is used for many Athletic skills and Melee Weapons.

Charisma
   That combination of looks, manner, and social empathy that makes an individual likeable and inspiring, Charisma is the base for Social and Performance skills.

Endurance
   The combination of cardiovascular fitness, general health, and raw toughness that allows a character to overcome fatigue and survive injuries.

Intelligence
   The capacity to reason, remember, and understand the world around them including general knowledge and education is used as the base for Academic and Technical Skills.
   
Perception
   General sensory acuity and situational awareness, Perception is used as the base for Artistic and Awareness skills.

Speed
   How fast a character can move is not use as the basis for any skills but can be vital from a tactical perspective.  You don’t have to outrun the monster, you just have to outrun the next guy.

Strength
   The combined effect of mass, build, and muscular development allows the character to lift, shove, and carry things but it is also the basis for melee weapon damage.

Willpower
   Sense of self, confidence, patience, drive, and resolve are important when resisting stress and mind control, including the rather more mundane methods of media and indoctrination.


Skill Classes
Academic
Athletic
Artistic
Craft
Drive
Gunnery
Medical
Melee Weapons
Missile Weapons
Observation
Performance
Pilot
Technical
Social

Academic
   These skills primarily deal with rote knowledge and book learning. They are used to obtain information on the specific subject matter in play.
   Biology (Intelligence)
   Chemistry (Intelligence)
   History (Intelligence)
   Occultism (Intelligence)
   Physics (Intelligence)
Athletic
   Physical activities and training increase a character’s chance of surviving dangerous feats.
   Acrobatics (Agility)
   Climb (Agility)
   Free Fall (Agility)
   Ride (Agility)
   Sneak (Agility)
   Swim (Endurance)
   Throw (Strength)
Artistic
   Practice and instruction in the creation of visual imagery in two and three dimensions.
   Draw  (Perception + Dexterity)/2
   Illusion (Perception + Dexterity)/2
   Graphics (Perception + Dexterity)/2
   Paint (Perception + Dexterity)/2
   Sculpt (Perception + Dexterity)/2
Awareness
   Practical training in noticing and finding things.
   Follow (Perception)
   Locate (Perception)
   Search (Perception)
   Track (Perception)
   Watch (Perception)
Craft

   Practical training and experience in creating useful objects.
   Carpentry (Perception + Dexterity)/2
   Sewing (Perception + Dexterity)/2
   Smithing (Perception + Dexterity)/2
   Weaving (Perception + Dexterity)/2
Drive
   Practice and training in controlling vehicles that primarily move in two dimensions.  The Reflexes trait affects Driving skills.
   Air Cushion (Dexterity + Perception)/2
   Floatation  (Dexterity + Perception)/2
   Legged (Dexterity + Perception)/2
   Tracked  (Dexterity + Perception)/2
   Wheeled (Dexterity + Perception)/2
Gunnery
   Training and experience in blowing things up with heavy weapons mounted on walls and vehicles.  The Reflexes trait affects Gunnery skills.
   Ballista (Dexterity + Strength)/2
   Beam (Dexterity + Intelligence)/2
   Blast (Dexterity + Intelligence)/2
   Cannon (Dexterity + Intelligence)/2
   Missile (Dexterity + Intelligence)/2
Magic
   The skill of violating the laws of physics through incantation and ritual.
   each spell (Intelligence + Willpower)/2
Medical
   The study of the body and the treatment of its ills.
   Diagnosis (Dexterity + Perception)/2
   Pathology (Dexterity + Perception)/2
   Pharmacy (Dexterity + Perception)/2
   Surgery (Dexterity + Perception)/2
Melee Weapons
   Melee weapons that can be thrown include that ability in their training.
   Axe (Agility + Dexterity)/2
   Blunt (Agility + Dexterity)/2
   Knife (Agility + Dexterity)/2
   Spear (Agility + Dexterity)/2
   Sword (Agility + Dexterity)/2
   Unarmed (Agility + Dexterity)/2
Missile Weapons
   Training with ranged weapons.  The sight trait affects missile weapon skills.
   Beam (Dexterity)
   Blast (Dexterity)
   Bow (Dexterity)
   Crossbow (Dexterity)
   Firearm (Dexterity)
   Sling (Dexterity)
Performance
   The art of remaining calm and not making a fool of oneself in front of an audience excepting those times when panicking and making a fool of oneself is the matter of the act.
   Act (Charisma + Perception)/2
   Dance (Charisma + Agility)/2
   Orate (Charisma)
   Sing (Charisma + Endurance)/2
Pilot
   The practice and training needed to control vehicles that move in three dimensions.
   Anti-Gravity (Dexterity + Intelligence)/2
   Fixed Wing (Dexterity + Intelligence)/2
   Rotary Wing (Dexterity + Intelligence)/2
   Space Craft (Dexterity + Intelligence)/2
   Submersible (Dexterity + Intelligence
   Vectored Thrust (Dexterity + Intelligence)/2
Technical
   The training and skill needed to repair and assemble technological devices.
   Computers (Dexterity + Intelligence)/2
   Engines (Dexterity + Intelligence)/2
   Mechanical (Dexterity + Intelligence)/2
   Reactors (Dexterity + Intelligence)/2
   Sensors (Dexterity + Intelligence)/2
Social
   The understanding and experience needed to work with other people and get results from doing so.  Social skills are affected by the Aesthetics Trait when within one’s own culture or ones with similar values.
   Convince (Charisma+Intelligence)/2
   Deceive (Charisma + Intelligence)/2
   Instruct (Charisma + Intelligence)/2
   Lead (Charisma + Willpower)/2

Traits
   Where characteristics provide a general gauge of ability represented by a rating.  Traits focus ability with a modifier or provide a specific ability that isn’t found in ordinary humans.

Aesthetics
   Appealing features like a square jaw, shapely physique, flowing hair, and a melodious voice are advantageous in social situations and performances but they are not universal across cultures and species.


Amphibious
   The creature can function equally well on water and land.

Aquatic
   The creature has evolved to live in the water rather than on land.

Hearing
   Adds to Performance and detects ambushes.

Nocturnal
   The creature regards day as bad light and night as good light.

Reflexes
   Neurological feedback and awareness levels influence all Driving, Gunnery, Piloting, and Melee Weapon skills and Initiative rolls.

Sight
   Adds to Artistic, Gunnery, and Missile Weapon skills.

Size
   Being bigger makes a creature stronger and slower.  Size is represented by increasing Strength and reducing Agility, Dexterity, Speed, and Reflexes.

Smell
   Detects ambushes. adds to Tracking

Wings
   Fly at up to 4 times Speed.  Glide at Speed.  Fall at less than Speed.
   
Combat
   In a roleplaying game, the exact nature of the battle field can be pretty vague.  Even fully modeled scenery and miniatures can’t really show everything.  For this reason spotting and hiding are used to represent these factors.  If the roll fails there was probably a clump of grass or cardboard box in the way.

Surprise
   At the start of a battle, the readiness and preparation of each combatant may be in doubt.  Roll Perception on 3d6 for each combatant to see if they are taken by surprise.  Those who fail do not act in the first round.  If the situation is a planned encounter where both sides have showed up to fight no surprise roll is needed.

Initiative
   Each round roll 3d6 + Reflexes to determine the order in which the combatants take their action.  This represents the ebb and flow of the action as they look for openings and watch what is going on around them.

Waiting
   Sometimes the opportune moment hasn’t arrived when a combatant’s turn has.  In such a case they can chose to wait.  This allows them to attack out of turn with a melee weapon if a foe runs into their reach or to fire a missile weapon if a target crosses their field of vision.  Waiting can be carried forward from one round to the next giving some hope to the slow and unlucky.

Movement
   A combatant can walk or run while making most combat actions.  This makes it harder to hit with missile attacks and involves certain risks when entering melee.  Combatants move their Speed at a run and up to half that at a walk.  Swimming, Climbing, and Sneaking are done at half Speed.

Facing
   A combatant’s facing is flexible.  They’re living beings who can look around and turn on the balls of their feet to face a threat.  If a combatant runs, their facing is locked in the direction they moved.

Sneaking
   A combatant can try to use available cover and concealment to move unseen right under the noses of their enemies.  A successful Stealth roll indicates that a combatant is “hidden” and must be spotted with a penalty equal to the result points before they can be attacked.  Sneaking can be done at half speed but suffers a -3 penalty.

Spotting
   A combatant can try to see any sneaky, hidden foes.  Roll Watch skill minus the sneaker’s result total on 3d6 to spot them.  Spotting is penalized for range and light, just like a shooting attack.

Melee Attacks
   A combatant’s target must be within the length of their weapon to strike a blow.  Walking does not affect melee attacks. They can run towards their target but a waiting foe with a longer weapon can make their attack first if they do so.  A contested success roll is made to determine if the attack hits.

Missile Attacks
   The attacker must be able to see the target to make a missile attack.  This means they must not be hidden and must be in front of the attacker.  Shooting while walking suffers a - 3 to hit and running suffers a -6.  The distance to the target also imposes a penalty which is doubled in bad light.  Really large targets have a size bonus which matches and inverts the range penalty.  For example, a target 100 meters long is attacked at +3.  Attacks made at more than half the weapon’s Maximum Range suffer a -3 penalty.

Range Size   Distance
0   0   1 - 3 meters
-1   +1   4 - 10 meters
-2   +2   10 - 33 meters
-3   +3   33 - 100 meters
-4   +4   100 - 333 meters
-5   +5   333 - 1000 meters
-6   +6   1000 - 3333 meters
-7   +7   3333 - 10000 meters
-8   +8   10000 - 33333 meters
-9   +9   33333 - 100000 meters
-10   +10   100000 - 333333 meters

x 2   Bad Light
-3   Long Range
-3   Walking
-6   Running

Damage
   The amount of damage inflicted by an attack is the result value of the attack roll is added to the damage value for the weapon.  This is first applied to the target’s armour and then to their wound total.  Armour can absorb a fixed number of damage from each hit.  If the armour is superior to the weapon it ‘resists’ the attack, subtracting its absorption value from the damage before absorbing any damage.  When the combatant has taken more damage than their Toughness they are incapacitated or too wounded to carry on fighting.  When they have taken more damage than their Toughness plus Strength they are dead. 

Example: Joe is shot with an arrow.  He is wearing a steel plate cuirass with an absorption of 3 and 30 damage points, he’s got a 12 Toughness.  The arrow has a Damage of 3 and the attack roll is 3,2,4, for 3 result points making the damage total 6.  The armour resists the arrow so it deflects 3 points of damage and absorbs the remaining 3 reducing the armour to 27 damage points.

Weapon   Damage
Hand Axe   Strength +1 Slash, Slow
Battle Axe   Strength +3 Slash, Slow
Short Sword   Strength -2 Slash or Piercing
Sword    Strength Slash or Piercing
Great Sword   Strength +2 Slash or Piercing
Club      Strength Blunt, Natural
Mace      Strength +1 Blunt, Slow
Staff      Strength +1 Blunt, Long, Two Handed
Hammer   Strength +3 Blunt, Slow
Spear      Strength +1 Piercing, Long

Bow      100/200 meters   Strength - 2 Pierce
Crossbow   150/300 meters    Strength Pierce, Slow
Longbow   150/300 meters   Strength Pierce
Sling      75/150 meters      Strength Blunt

Pistol      50 / 500 meters   12 Ballistic
Rifle      250 / 2500 meters   15 Ballistic   

Leather Armour   6 / 30   Resists Blunt
Chain Armour   9 / 45   Resists Slash, Resists Natural
Plate Armour      12 / 60 Resists Slash and Piercing, Resists Natural
Ballistic Armour   9 / 27   Resists Ballistic

Encumbrance
   For the purposes of tk a character’s load is either Stripped, Normal, or Burdened.  When stripped they have nothing more than the clothes on their back and a single item they can hold in one hand or stick in a pocket giving them a +3 to their Speed.  If they are wearing heavy armour or carrying a loaded backpack they are Burdened and take a -3 to their Speed.

Fatigue
   There are three fatigue levels: rested, tired and exhausted.  If a character is tired they take a -3 to all actions.  If a character is exhausted they take a -6 to all actions.  Missing a night of sleep or working or traveling eight hours (four if Burdened) will make the character’s fatigue level increase by one step.  So, they’ll be exhausted after a sixteen hour shift or a sleepless night and a full day of work.

Lifting
   A character can lift a weight in kilograms up to their Strength times five.
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David Johansen

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Re: Another 3d6 Game
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2021, 10:18:43 PM »
Here's an alternate version without the averaging.  I think it's a bit bland but since the goal is to create a game other people would want to create things for I think being straight forward is best.  Moving stuff like Dexterity and Reflexes to Traits lets them work with Characteristics without making the stat block bigger.

Major Tomas Rocketman, Astronaut (I need to fix skills)
50 points
Characteristics:
Coordination 13
Intelligence 13
Perception 12
Resolve 12
Speed 10
Strength 10

Traits:
   Reflexes +2
Perks:
   Space Force Rank 2

Skills:
Athletic
   Freefall +1 = 14
Pilot +1
   Fixed Wing +1 = 17
   Spacecraft +1 =17
Gunnery
   Beams +1 = 16
   Missiles +1 = 16
Technical
   Reactors +1 = 14
   Rockets +1 = 14
   Sensors +1 = 14

Characteristics
   Characteristic ratings are used as quantities and base chance of success.  For example, the amount a character can lift is determined directly by their Strength without the need for a die roll and their chance of winning an arm wrestling match is determined by rolling under their Strength on 3d6.

Coordination
Intelligence
Perception
Resolve
Speed
Strength


Coordination
   Motor control, balance, and flexibility contribute to physical tasks.  Coordination is the base for Athletic, Melee Weapon, and Missile Weapon skills.

Intelligence
   The capacity to reason, remember, and understand the world around them including general knowledge and education is used as the base for Academic and Technical Skills.
   
Perception
   General sensory acuity and situational awareness, Perception is used as the base for Artistic and Awareness skills.

Resolve
   The character’s force of will and personality is used to resist mind control and exert one’s will on others through more conventional means like propaganda.

Speed
   How fast a character can move is not use as the basis for any skills but can be vital from a tactical perspective.  You don’t have to outrun the monster, you just have to outrun the next guy.

Strength
   The combined effect of mass, build, and muscular development allows the character to lift, shove, and carry things but it is also the basis for melee weapon damage.


Skill Classes
Academic
Athletic
Artistic
Craft
Drive
Gunnery
Medical
Melee Weapons
Missile Weapons
Observation
Performance
Pilot
Technical
Social

Academic
   These skills primarily deal with rote knowledge and book learning. They are used to obtain information on the specific subject matter in play.
   Biology (Intelligence)
   Chemistry (Intelligence)
   History (Intelligence)
   Occultism (Intelligence)
   Physics (Intelligence)
Athletic
   Physical activities and training increase a character’s chance of surviving dangerous feats.
   Acrobatics (Coordination)
   Climb (Coordination)
   Free Fall (Coordination)
   Ride (Coordination)
   Sneak (Coordination)
   Swim (Strength)
   Throw (Strength)
Artistic
   Practice and instruction in the creation of visual imagery in two and three dimensions.  The Dexterity trait affects Artistic Skills.
   Draw  (Perception)
   Illusion (Perception)
   Graphics (Perception)
   Paint (Perception)
   Sculpt (Perception)
Awareness
   Practical training in noticing and finding things.
   Follow (Perception)
   Locate (Perception)
   Search (Perception)
   Track (Perception)
   Watch (Perception)
Craft

   Practical training and experience in creating useful objects.  The Dexterity Trait affects Craft Skills.
   Carpentry (Perception)
   Sewing (Perception)
   Smithing (Perception)
   Weaving (Perception)
Drive
   Practice and training in controlling vehicles that primarily move in two dimensions.  The Reflexes and Dexterity traits affects Driving skills.
   Air Cushion (Coordination)
   Floatation (Coordination)
   Legged (Coordination)
   Tracked (Coordination)
   Wheeled (Coordination)
Gunnery
   Training and experience in blowing things up with heavy weapons mounted on walls and vehicles.  The Reflexes and Dexterity traits affects Gunnery skills.
   Ballista (Coordination)
   Beam (Coordination)
   Blast (Coordination)
   Cannon (Coordination)
   Missile (Coordination)
Magic
   The skill of violating the laws of physics through incantation and ritual.
   each spell (Intelligence)
Medical
   The study of the body and the treatment of its ills.  Medical skills are affected by the Dexterity Trait.
   Diagnosis (Intelligence)
   Pathology (Intelligence)
   Pharmacy (Intelligence)
   Surgery (Intelligence)
Melee Weapons
   Melee weapons that can be thrown include that ability in their training.  Melee Weapon skills are affected by the Dexterity trait.
   Axe (Coordination)
   Blunt (Coordination)
   Knife (Coordination)
   Spear (Coordination)
   Sword (Coordination)
   Unarmed (Coordination)
Missile Weapons
   Training with ranged weapons.  The Sight and Dexterity traits affect missile weapon skills.
   Beam (Dexterity)
   Blast (Dexterity)
   Bow (Dexterity)
   Crossbow (Dexterity)
   Firearm (Dexterity)
   Sling (Dexterity)
Performance
   The art of remaining calm and not making a fool of oneself in front of an audience excepting those times when panicking and making a fool of oneself is the matter of the act.
   Act (Perception)
   Dance (Coordination)
   Orate (Intelligence)
   Sing (Endurance)
Pilot
   The practice and training needed to control vehicles that move in three dimensions.
   Anti-Gravity (Coordination)
   Fixed Wing (Coordination)
   Rotary Wing (Coordination)
   Space Craft (Coordination)
   Submersible (Intelligence)
   Vectored Thrust (Coordination)
Technical
   The training and skill needed to repair and assemble technological devices.  Technical Skills are affected by the Dexterity Trait.
   Computers (Intelligence)
   Engines (Intelligence)
   Mechanical (Intelligence)
   Reactors (Intelligence)
   Sensors (Intelligence)
Social
   The understanding and experience needed to work with other people and get results from doing so.  Social skills are affected by the Aesthetics Trait when within one’s own culture or ones with similar values.
   Convince (Intelligence)
   Deceive (Intelligence)
   Instruct (Intelligence)
   Lead (Resolve)

Traits
   Where characteristics provide a general gauge of ability represented by a rating.  Traits focus ability with a modifier or provide a specific ability that isn’t found in ordinary humans.

Aesthetics ( +/-2)
   Appealing features like a square jaw, shapely physique, flowing hair, and a melodious voice are advantageous in social situations and performances but they are not universal across cultures and species.


Amphibious (+2)
   The creature can function equally well on water and land.

Aquatic (-2)
   The creature has evolved to live in the water rather than on land.

Charisma (+/- 2)
   That combination of looks, manner, and social empathy that makes an individual likeable and inspiring,

Dexterity (+/- 4)
   Fine motor control and manipulators are useful for many tasks including Artistic, Craft, Drive, Melee Weapon, Missile Weapon, Pilot, and Technical skills.  As Dexterity is as expensive as a characteristic, it is primarily used to represent inferior manipulators: hands without opposable thumbs -3, Clawed Paws -6, Hooves -9.

Endurance (+/- 1)
   The combination of cardiovascular fitness, general health, and raw toughness that allows a character to overcome fatigue.


Hearing (+/- 1)
   Adds to Performance and detects ambushes.

Nocturnal (0)
   The creature regards day as bad light and night as good light.

Reflexes (+/- 2)
   Neurological feedback and awareness levels influence all Driving, Gunnery, Piloting, and Melee Weapon skills and Initiative rolls.

Sight (+/-2)
   Adds to Artistic, Gunnery, and Missile Weapon skills.

Size (+/-1)
   Being bigger makes a creature stronger and slower.  Size is represented by increasing Strength and reducing Agility, Dexterity, Speed, and Reflexes.

Smell (+/-1)
   Detects ambushes. adds to Tracking

Toughness (+/-2)
   The ability to soak up damage is primarily represented by Strength because it is so tied to the character’s size.

Wings   (+/- 4)
   Fly at up to 4 times Speed.  Glide at Speed.  Fall at less than Speed.
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David Johansen

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Re: Another 3d6 Game
« Reply #2 on: May 05, 2021, 09:32:09 AM »
Here's some early work on technology, vehicles, and weapons.  Taken from other various stray bits I've worked on.

Technology
   With weapons and armor being handled in a relatively abstract manner in the basic game.  The technology involved becomes crucial in determining armour penetration.  The Technology Levels are Natural, Primitive, Ancient, Medieval, Age of Reason, Industrial, Modern, Advanced, Master, and Transcendent with weapons dividing lower levels of armour by two and with armour doubling against lower levels.  A great deal can be made of the specifics but is not necessary in game terms.  The cost of lower tech weapons and armour is halved.  There is always a transitional period between tech levels where new technologies are being developed but the next level is not fully attained.  These transitional technologies cost twice as much as usual.

Natural weapons are claws, teeth, horns, and pincers.  These are not as hard or strong as stone, let alone steel.  The transitional stage involves picking up rocks and thigh bones to hit enemies with.

Primitive weapons are clubs, stone axes, stone headed spears, spear throwers, slings, and self bows.  Primitive armour is made of animal hides, bone, and leather.

Ancient weapons are bronze swords and bronze tipped spears, bronze tipped arrows and lead sling bullets.  Ancient armour is bronze in cast plates or scales.  Iron equipment exists but it is softer than bronze and prone to rust.

Medieval weapons are steel swords, axes, and maces, long bows and crossbows firing steel tipped shafts.  Spears remain an excellent weapon but get married to axes and produce pole arms, bills, and pikes.

The age of Reason is the age of the musket, moving from fire locks to wheel locks and flint locks as manufacturing improves.  Armour falls out of favor for infantry as the period progresses and even the cavalry reduce their panopoly to a helm and cuirass.  Steam engines and rail roads are developed near the end of the period allowing for the rapid deployment of troops and supplies.

The industrial period begins with the advent of steam engines and repeating firearms.  It is a time of massive growth and innovation.

The modern period sees the advent of rapid firing cartridge fed weapons.  The horse finally loses its place on the battle field to internal combustion engines.  Medicine improves with the discovery of antibiotics and blood transfusion but armour remains out of favour until the transitional period when ceramics and synthetic fibers finally produce reasonable protection from bullets.

The Advanced period sees the exploration of the solar system and wide spread computer automation.  It is also the period most likely to see robot revolution and the extinction of the human species.  Improved manufacturing technologies make weapons lighter and more accurate and heavy, early battle field lasers carve out a niche in missile defense.  Composite laminate armour provides adequate protection from weapons but guided missiles and unmanned drones are the kings of the battle field.

The Master period sees the development of faster than light drives, anti-gravity devices, force fields on space craft, and personal energy weapons.  Scramblers and ECM reduce the effectiveness of drones and make the hybridized powered armour soldier the king of the battle field.

The Transcendent period sees the refinement of reality shaping technologies.  Teleportation devices, personal force fields, and disintegrator weapons become reality.  A soldier belt and an antimatter power pack allow a soldier to fly, while protecting them from weapons fire.  As armour becomes less relevant, melee weapons return as personal force fields must allow air and low energy objects like the ground to pass through them.

Vehicle Design
   A vehicle is designed by making a list of everything that is in it and then building a box to carry it all.  The easiest place to start is with the main role of the vehicle. Does it carry cargo?  Guns?  People?  Figure that out first and it will be easier to figure what else you need.

   This system uses cubic meters as its main measure and works out mass in a more abstract fashion.  A lot of things like seat belts and running lights are assumed to be part of the structure of the vehicle.  The point is to have a consistent method of determining reasonable performance information and provide tools for deriving game ratings for existing vehicles.

Armour
   While armor contributes to the volume of the vehicle, it is dispersed and best managed as a modifier to the mass of the vehicle rather than being included on the hit location diagram.  Vehicle armour is the portion of damage from a hit that is absorbed before internal system damage is caused.


Empty Mass = System Mass x Volume x Armor Factor / 20
Cost = Empty Mass x 1000 x Advances
Armor = Empty Mass/ (3√Actual Volume)2
Damage Points = √Empty Mass x 1000 (empty mass in kilograms)
System Damage Points = Slots Damage Points / 20

Level of Development
   Each technology presented here can be improved by development.  This is reflected by a reduction in its mass and other characteristics where noted.

Primitive
   
Standard
Advanced
   Mass / 2


System Volume
   Systems which can only be accessed from the outside of the vehicle or by moving other parts out of the way to get at them from inside are more compact and have a density of one cubic meter per tonne.  Systems with internal space set aside to allow easy access have a density of two cubic metres per tonne.

   External Access Volume = mass x 1m3
   Internal Access = mass x 2m3

Structural Mass
   A vehicle needs sufficient structure to withstand gravity and acceleration.  Terrestrial vehicles need to withstand one gravity and few need more to compensate for acceleration. Spacecraft have some advantage in that they only need to withstand acceleration.  Cargo, Rooms, Fuel, and vehicle bays do not contribute to the empty mass of the vehicle but they do contribute to the loaded mass.

Primitive Power Factor / 2
Standard Power Factor x 1
Advanced Power Factor x 2

Battery
   Power Factor = 2.5
   Fuel = 2 / hour battery
Internal Combustion Engine (Primitive Chemical)
   Power Factor = 5
   Fuel / Hour = 0.2 gasoline
Fuel Cell (Standard Chemical)
   Power Factor = 5
   Fuel = 0.1 Hydrox
Radiothermal Generator (Advanced Chemical)
   Power Factor = 10
   Fuel / Hour= 0.01 Radioactives
Fission
   Output = 50
   Minimum Size = 1000 m3
   Fuel / Hour =10 years included
Fusion
   Output = 500
   Minimum Size = 1000kg
   Fuel: 1 year included
Antimatter
   Output = 5000
   Mass = 1000kg Antimatter
   Fuel = 1 year included


Structural Features
   The mode of conveyance, like wheels or wings has a fixed relationship to the volume of the vehicle and is described in slots. 

   Contact Suspensions
      
      Legs
         10 Slots
         Top Speed x 15
         
      Tracks
         8 Slots
         Top Speed x 20

      Wheels
         6 Slots
         Top Speed x 30
   Air Frame
      A primitive fixed wing, standard variable wing, and advanced dynamic wing affect the Minimum and Top Speed.  Fixed wings can store half their volume in fuel or weapons.  But the wing is also hit when those are.
      Fixed Wing
         4 Slots
         Minimum Speed 100
         Top Speed x 200
   Hover
      Air Cushion
         8 Slots
         Top Speed x 100
      Rotary Wing
         2 Slots
         Top Speed x 100
      Magnetic Levitation
         2 Slots
         Top Speed x 300
      Anti Gravity
         2 Slots
         Top Speed x 300
      Repulsion
         2 Slots
         Top Speed x 300
Propulsion
   Power sources need to have the power transformed or transmitted to the motive system. 

   Propeller
      Mass x 5 = Thrust Output
   Rotor
      Mass x 5 = Thrust Output
   Transmission
      Mass x 5 = Power Transmitted
   Electric Motor
      Mass x 5 = Power Transformed
   Jet
      Mass  x 10 =Thrust Out Put
      Fuel = 1% jet mass / hour
   Rocket
      Mass x 10 = Thrust Output
      Fuel = 2% rocket mass / hour
   Thruster
      Power Requirement = Thrust Output
      Mass x 5 = Thrust Output
      Fuel = 0.1% thruster mass / hour
   Repulsor
      Power Requirement = Thrust Output
      Mass x 5 = Thrust Output
   
   Faster Than Light
      Power Requirement = Warp Output
      Mass = Thrust Output

Crew
   In general assume that a vehicle needs one slot for crew.  Some things like automobiles and motorcycles will have more crew slots but that’s mainly because the vehicle is pretty small and the crew isn’t getting any smaller.

Life Support and Accommodations
   The main purpose of a vehicle is to transport people, cargo, and weapons.  Small, short ranged vehicles only require a seat for each person.  Longer ranged vehicles require a room per person.  Vehicles operating in hostile environments and space will need a life support system.  A short term system amounts to oxygen tanks and filtration equipment.  Long term life support recycles waste and oxygen to produce food and oxygen.  Assume that a long term life support system will function as long as the power plant’s fuel holds out.

   Short Term
      Supported Organism Mass / 100 hours
   Long Term
      Supported Organism Mass
Seats
   0.5m3 / person

Rooms
   About It is possible to pack as many as 12 people into one room with four bunks by having them sleep in shifts but this is really unreasonable and hard for humans to endure for more than a few days.  If a vehicle has a top deck or makes port on a weekly basis it can work for a while.  Bear in mind that rooms that are accessed internally take up twice the listed volume.
   24 m3 /
   25 m3 / crew station, room, and life support for 1.

External Grapple
   If a smaller vehicle or pod can land and lock on to the surface of the hull it takes no internal volume but adds to the loaded mass of the vehicle and takes up surface hit location slots.  This is essentially a hard point.

Landing Bay
   Allow twice the volume of the largest vehicle you want to park inside the vessel.

Launch Catapult
   A carried vehicle can be fired by catapult to increase its launch velocity.  This is especially important for airframes with minimum speeds.

Landing Deck
   Allowing a large flat area for smaller vehicles to land on is mainly viable for water craft.  No more than 4 of a vehicle’s surface locations can be designated in this manner.

Cargo Bay
   Allowing for cargo allows merchandise and provisions to be carried.  An empty cargo bay can serve as a gymnasium or dance hall to help deal with cabin fever.

Fuel Tankage
   The size and mass of a fuel tank depends a great deal on the fuel being carried.  Radioactives require heavy lead or water shielding.  Gasoline requires pressure management.  Hydrogen is hard to store.
   Gasoline
   Hydrogen
   Hydrox
   Radioactives
   Boron / Hydrogen
   Anti-Hydrogen

Force Field Projector
   A device that generates an invisible wall of cold plasma or exotic energy that absorbs and deflects impacts.  Primitive force fields cannot block lasers and let them pass.  All force fields can be made opaque, making them invisible and blind at the same time.  Multiple force field units can be stacked, essentially creating layers.  Force fields can be put in turrets allowing them to be angled to intercept attacks.

   Mass = 100 tonnes
   Power Requirement = 100
   Damage Points = 10 x √Mass

Hard Points
   Weapon mounts are generally installed on reinforced sections of the hull.  Only significantly lighter weapons can be mounted without a hard point. 

Weapon Mounts
   Batteries of automated weapons require only a single gunner to fire them, though this limits target selection to a single target for the entire battery.  Fixed weapon mounts can only fire directly in a single direction.

Stabilization
   Vehicles that bounce around while they move need to mount their weapons in a gyroscopically stabilized cradle if they ever want to hit anything while moving.

Turret
   Mounting a weapon in a powered turret allows it to hit anything in the arc on the side of the vehicle it is mounted on.  Turrets will usually have a sensor mounted in them as well as a weapon.   Rockets, jets and thrusters mounted in turrets provide vectored thrust allowing the vehicle to hover if it can generate more than 1 G acceleration.  Hovering this way is fuel intensive as there is no point at which it is not cruising along rather than accelerating.  A large section of the hull can be spun to simulate gravity by installing it in two turrets spinning in opposite directions.

Turret x 2
Stabilization x 2

Sensors
   Sensors allow the crew to locate and target things that are beyond the reach of their natural senses from within the safety of the vehicle.

   Magnification
   Camera
   Radar
   Laser
   Sonar
   Spectrometer


These ships have been designed as general purpose, long ranged vessels.  They could be outfitted for any role.

Volume:
Mass:
Top Speed:
Range:
Armor:
Damage Points:
Hit Locations

Bike
   Volume: 0.75 m3
   Mass: 450  kg
   Armor: /0.82
   Damage Points: 21
   Top Speed:150 kph
   Range: 4 hours
Hit Locations
1 - 3   Wheel   
4 - 7   Batteries
8 - 12   Driver
13 - 16 Wheels
17 - 20 Passenger

Car
Volume: 5m3
Mass: 2.5t
Armor: /2.9
Damage Points: 50
Top Speed: 150 km/h
Range: 5 hours
Cargo: 0.5m3
Hit Locations:
1 - 4   Batteries
5 - 7   Wheels
8 - 9   Driver
10 - 11 Front Left Passenger
12 - 13 Back Left Passenger
14 - 15 Back Right Passenger
16 - 18 Wheels
19 -20   Cargo

Tank
Volume: 30m3
Mass:
Top Speed:
Range:
Armor: x2/9.65
Damage Points: 245
Hit Locations
   1 - 5 Turret
      Cannon
      Commander’s Seat
      Sensor Turret
      Turret Mechanism
   Fuel Cell
   Fuel
   Tracks
   

   Stabilized Turret 4m3
      Cannon 1t
      External Access Seat 0.5m3
      Camera 0.1 m3
      Radar Turret 0.1 m3
   Hull
      Turret Mechanism 4m3
      2 External Access Seats 0.5m3
      Camera 0.1m3
      Fuel Cell 250
      Fuel 50
      Tracks 400      

Truck
Volume: 10m3
Mass: 5.5t
Armor: /4.64
Damage Points: 245
Top Speed:
Range:
1 - 5   Fuel Cell
6 - 8   Wheels
9 - 10   2 External Access Seats 1
11   Fuel
12 - 14 Wheels
15 - 20 External Cargo 3m3


Battle Robot
   Turret
      Pilot Seat
      Life Support
      Sensors
   Advanced Fis
   Legs 500
   Arms
   
Raider
Volume: 500m3
Mass: 225t
Armor: /62.99
Damage Points: 474
Crew: 10 Long Term
Cargo: 50m3
Top Speed: 3 G acceleration
Range:

Roll   Hit Location
1   Shield Generator
2   Quarters
3 - 4   Cargo
5 - 8   Wings
   6 - 7 Lasers
9 - 14   Fuel
15 - 16 Reactor
17   Warp Drive
18 - 20 Rockets

Fighter
Volume: 40m3
Mass: 18t
Armor: /11.69
Damage Points: 134
Crew: 2
Cargo: 0
Top Speed: 4 G
Range:

Roll   Hit Location
1   Shield Generator
2   Crew Cockpit
3 - 6   Wings
   4 - 5 Lasers
7   Reactor
8   Missiles
9 - 16   Fuel
17 - 20 Rockets

Shuttle
Volume: 5000 m3
Mass: 1000t
Armor: /292
Damage Points: 1000
Crew:
Cargo:
Top Speed:
Range:

Roll   Hit Location
1 - 10   Cargo Bay
   1 Crew
11 - 14 Wings
15 - 16 Fuel      
17 - 20 Rockets

Carrier
Volume: 20000m3
Mass: 8000t
Armor: /736.8
Damage Points: 2828
Crew:
Cargo:
Top Speed:
Range:

Roll   Hit Location
1   Force Field Projector
2 - 5   Crew Quarters
6 - 8   Reactor
9   Weapon Batteries
10 - 11Fighter Bays
12 - 13 Cargo Bay
14 - 17 Fuel
18   Warp Drive
19 - 20 Thrusters

Cruiser
Volume: 20000m3
Mass: 11000t
Armor: 736.8
Damage Points: 3316
Crew:
Cargo:
Top Speed:
Range:
Roll   Hit Location
1   Shield Generator
2 - 4   Crew Quarters
5   Landing Bay
6   Cargo Bay
7 - 10   Weapon Batteries
11 - 14 Fuel
15 - 17 Reactor
18   Warp Drive
19 - 20 Thrusters


Launch
   This short ranged smaller craft can be armed with a fixed weapon in its hard point socket to act as a fighter and can carry missiles in its bay.

Advanced Airframe   200
Advanced Rocket Turrets 200
Rocket Fuel 200
2 Seats 1t
Advanced Short Term Life Support 1t (5 hours)
Advanced Batteries 1t
Advanced Sensors 1t
Weapon Socket 1t
Cargo Bay 94t
   ?
Volume:
Empty Mass
Top Speed: 5000thrust?
Range:
Armour:
Damage Points:

Transport
   This long range vessel can land and take off from worlds.  While it is primarily a freighter, it is fast enough and capable of mounting two weapons in the sockets in each of its three turrets.

Advanced Airframe   200
Advanced Thruster Turrets 200
Thruster Fuel 200
Fusion Power Plant
Fusion Fuel
4 Crew Seats 1t
4 Rooms
Advanced Long Term Life Support 400
Advanced Batteries 1t
Advanced Sensors 1t
Weapon Turrets 6t
Cargo Bay 94t

Carrier
   This large, long range vessel is not fast or  intended to make land fall but it has 12 twin turrets.  It is normally equipped with two Launches on external brackets that can provide additional thrust.  Its cargo bays can be outfitted as launch bays for fighters.

Advanced Thrusters 100
Thruster Fuel 100
Fusion Power Plant
Fusion Fuel
20 Crew Seats 20t
20  Rooms 1000t
Advanced Long Term Life Support 2000t
Advanced Batteries 1t
Advanced Sensors 1t
12 Weapon Turrets 48t
Cargo Bay

2 Launches On External Brackets

      
Weapon Design
   While there are many ways to kill others and many more ways to die, weapons are designed using the following method.

The development level of a weapon decreases its mass.  To create more powerful advanced weapons, increase their damage proportionately.

Basic Weapon
Mass = Damage2 x 10 grams
Ammo Mass = Mass / 10
Weapon Cost = Mass x Development x 10

Firearm:
   Pistol, Grenade Launcher, or Mortar
      Range = Damage x 10
      Mass x 1
   Rifle or Cannon
      Range = Damage x 20
      Mass x 4
   Breach Loader
      Ammunition = 1
      Rate of Fire = 1/2
      Mass x 1
   Revolver, Pump, or Lever
      Ammunition = 6
      Rate of Fire = 1
      Mass x 2
   Semi Automatic
      Rate of Fire = 1
      Ammunition = 12
      Mass x 3
   Light Automatic (SMG, Assault Rifle)
      Rate of Fire = 3
      Ammunition = 24
      Mass x 4
   Heavy Automatic
      Rate of Fire = 3
      Ammunition = 96
      Mass = x 8
   Rotary
      Rate of Fire = 6
      Ammunition = 96
      Mass x 48
Shot
   Effective Rate of Fire = 6
   Range / 2
Explosive
   Damage / 2
   Blast Radius
Rubber / Bean Bag
   Resisted By Armour
   Damage / 2
Tranquilizer
   Resisted By Armour
   Roll Strength - Damage or be sedated
Missile Launcher
      Range = Damage x 5
      Rate of Fire = 1
      Ammunition = 1
      Mass x 1
   
   
Magnetic:
   Range = Damage x 10
   Rate of Fire = 6
   Ammunition = 48
   Mass x 4

Laser
   Range = Damage x 20
   Rate of Fire = 1
   Ammunition =48
   Mass x 4

Particle Beam
   Damage = Damage x 20
   Range = Damage
   Rate of Fire = 1
   Ammunition = 6
   Mass x 8
Plasma
   Damage = Damage x 20
   Range = Damage / 2
   Rate of Fire = 1
   Ammunition = 6
   Mass x 8      
   
Damage 100 Cannon With Auto Loader
   300000g 6 shots Damage 100 Range 1000
   Cost 3000   
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David Johansen

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Re: Another 3d6 Game
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2021, 09:55:43 PM »
Magic and Powers
   In game terms, Powers are abilities beyond what naturally occurs in nature.  To be a power, an ability must go beyond what can be achieved with traits.  Magic is supernatural power drawn from elemental and mystical planes that overlap the mundane world.  Spells are magical powers that are learned as skills.  As narrative effects are hard to quantify, all powers are primarily described in terms of game effects.  The primary level of powers assumes less extreme cases that can still interact fairly with the capabilities of mere mortals.  The “Orders of Magnitude” option vastly increases the effects of powers.  Adjusting this factor allows an ordinary hero to interact at the superhuman level because the value of Skills and Characteristics is dramatically increased in comparison to the cost of powers.

While magic spells must be learned as Intelligence based skills, the amount of power available to cast them costs one point per point.

Psychic Powers are based on Resolve.

The points cost of a power is determined by adding up the cost of its game effects.

Modifiers imposed upon Characteristics and Skills are purchased at double the cost of purchasing them as a quantity.  So +1 to a Characteristic costs 8 points, a Skill Class 4 points, and a skill 2 points.

Ground and water Movement costs 1 point for every 10 meters per round.  Movement in the air or underwater costs 2 and movement through solid objects costs 4 points.

Shape changing is bought as a set of modifiers, a template that will be applied to the target.

Summoning is bought relative to the power of the creature summoned.

Duration is strictly limited to the active effects of powers.  Summoning a 10 meter cube of stone with n Absorption and m Damage Capacity will is an instant effect.  The stone is real and there.  If the power had a duration of one minute it would continue summoning additional stone blocks for the full duration.

Resisted Effects are used to represent things with narrative impact that are not easily described by rules objects.  The difficulty of resisting the effect becomes the rules object with the impact of the effect determining how expensive the ability is.

Bestowing and Removing traits costs twice the normal cost of the trait.

Healing and repairing Damage Points costs the 1 point per point.
Damage powers cost one point per point of damage.
Absorption costs 4 points and includes 4 Damage points with each point.
   Resistant Armour costs n per damage type resisted.

The basic range for any power is the user’s physical touch.  Every ten meters of range adds one to the cost of the ability.

   The base duration of any power is one action.  Each minute costs one point.

   Area a spell normally affects one target.  The cost of the power is multiplied by its radius in meters. 

   Scope Effects include damage, healing, movement, damage points, range, duration and area but don’t include modifiers, skills, or characteristics.  Everything is bigger and more awesome but the dice range doesn’t change.

   The Order of Magnitude is a campaign feature that effects the scope of all powers.  The base Order of Magnitude is 1.  Superheroic campaigns would multiply all scope effects by ten.  Cosmic and Divine campaigns multiply all scope effects by one hundred.  The purpose of this rule is to allow the movement of characters between campaigns without alteration because they function at the campaign’s power level.  Thus NightFlyingMouseman can be beaten up by thugs in the streets of Gothbabe City and still be a contender working side by side with Wonderousabsman in the Gotitrightthistime League.
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David Johansen

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Re: Another 3d6 Game
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2021, 11:38:04 PM »
   The world is a heap of the rotting corpses of titans thrown down by the gods in the apocalyptic war before the beginning.  Earth, water, and air lie rotting in the void while above the last gutterings of fire bring heat and life to the crawling, soft things that have arisen to break down and destroy the elemental purity of the titans.  These mewling wretched things, in the brief instants of their lives dare think themselves worthy to call on the gods in their palace, disturbing the perfection of their thoughts with their petty needs and desires.  And though they are dead, the corpses of the titans fight on, bringing forth monstrous creatures to cleanse their putrifying flesh of the pestilence called man.

   The Hatful Earth is a classic fantasy source book for 3d6.  The world presented is a dark and horrible place lit by the fires of dying planetary class fire elementals.  The gods are abstract and uncaring and the earth itself gives life to horrible creatures bent on the destruction of humanity.

   The world presented here is full of dungeons full of monsters and treasures.  It is an over the top and fantastical place.

Of The Gods
   In the beginning the gods were pure and inviolate. Towering vessels of crystal veined and traced with gold and filled with the light of pure thought and knowledge of all things and the Darkness envied the gods and hated them for their purity.  From that hatred the Darkness gave birth to the Titans.  Foul monsters composed of base matter, earth, air, fire, and water they besieged the palace of the gods and made war to tear down all that was good and true.  So the gods learned war and laid waste to the titans with the limitless power of their knowledge, and the Darkness fled from before them and was banished beyond the light which emanated from the palace of the gods to forever drive away the darkness.  The corpses of the titans they piled in one place and called it the world.  They created beings to subdue and break up the Earth to make it useful to their purposes in the endless eternities of time but the Earth slowly turned its back on the hateful light of heaven and was forever half in darkness and half in life.

Of the Kindreds of Men
   The elves were created first by the gods.  Fair and beautiful their shining cities were thrown down by the spawn of the Hateful Earth and their numbers were too ever too few to withstand the wrath of their world.  Seeking power some among the elves bent their knees to the Hateful Earth and were turned from their pure purpose.

Coordination 12
Intelligence 12
Perception 12
Resolve 9
Speed 12
Strength 9

Immortality
Night Vision

 Next, the Dwarves were created, strong and hearty to delve deep into the Hateful Earth and take the battle to the enemy but the Dwarves were too enamoured with the riches of the Earth and became corrupted by their greed.

Coordination 8
Intelligence 11
Perception 9
Resolve 12
Speed 8
Strength 12

Dexterity +2
Nocturnal

Humans
   Then the gods created men, short lived and fast breeding to till the Earth and make their way, driven by hungers and desire and fear, a blunt and corrupt instrument with which to subdue the Earth.

Coordination 10
Intelligence 10
Perception 10
Resolve 10
Speed 10
Strength 10

Earthspawn
   The creatures created by the Earth to defend it against destructive parasites like humanity have functions and the ability to communicate with each other to complete those functions but nothing more.  The Earthspawn do not breed or reproduce naturally, they are spawned from the darkness in the depths of the Earth.  Created from raw materials full grown and functional greater resistance on the surface causes an increased rate of production.  The Earthspawn have their own rudimentary languages allowing them to coordinate their actions to fullfill their functions and the intersectionality of their various languages is less than a dozen words but they seem to understand one another well enough.  While the Earthspawn feel pain as a natural response to stimulus it does not cause fear or avoidance as it does in other living things.

Earthforges
   Deep within the Earth lie the fires of the Earthforges.  Here Artificers draw the firey blood of the earth to form weapons and armour for the other Earthspawn.  The process is less like the forges of men and more like the art of the candlemaker, with pieces of wire being drawn and twined on stone wheels and dipped into the burning Earthblood to create basic shapes which are then rolled flat by stone wheels, cooled and ground into shape and given sharp edges on spinning wheels of hardened Earthblood.

Earthblood
   Deep beneath the ground, fire and stone combine in molten rivers.  This material is extremely hot and hardens quickly in the air.  It is used by the Earthspawn in a variety of ways to make tools and weapons but it is also bound into crucibles and unleashed on their foes in battle.

Artificers
   The most intelligent of the Earthspawn are the artificers.  Their bones and shells are hardened Earthblood and their sinews hard as stone.  They can plunge their armoured hands into the Earthblood and draw them out unharmed and indeed have been known to wade in to seek the hottest parts of the stream or specific contents and impurities.
   
Coordination 10
Intelligence 12
Perception 10
Resolve 15
Speed 8
Strength 15

Armoured
Nocturnal

Goblins
   These nasty little Earthspawn are technically adept at turning things into deathtraps.  They tirelessly slave away building dead falls and pit traps, revolving hallways with a spiked ending, rolling boulders and teeter totter halls with spiked ceilings.  The underworlds are full of their works.  Goblins have a rudimentary society and a language composed almost entirely of construction terms.

Coordination 12
Intelligence 10
Perception 12
Resolve 10
Speed 12
Strength 8

Nocturnal

Gremlins are a winged subtype of goblin that serve as aerial reconaissance for Orcs and Goblins.  They are more aggressive than common goblins and will throw spears and rocks on any humans they may spot before flying off to alert their comrades.  Gremlins lack their fellow’s interest in building things.

Coordination 12
Intelligence 10
Perception 15
Resolve 8
Speed 15
Strength 6

Nocturnal
Winged

Orcs
   The footsoldiers of the Earthspawn are brutish and dull warriors who instinctively march to war in regimented formations.  Orcs will fortify positions by randomly piling things up in rough circles with ramps on the inside to assist in making the pile higher.  Lacking an enemy orcs will build ever more massive and complex piles fortresses.  The orcs have a military social structure and a rudimentary language composed of simple orders like “attack” and “stack it over there.”

Coordination 10
Intelligence 8
Perception 10
Resolve 12
Speed 10
Strength 12

Nocturnal

Gargoyles are a winged subtype of orcs that primarily serve as shock troops that can fly onto the battlements of fortifications or get behind formations.  They are adept at dropping rocks and spears among their enemies.

Coordination 10
Intelligence 8
Perception 12
Resolve 10
Speed 15
Strength 10

Nocturnal
Winged

Trolls
   The prime movers, lifters and haulers are huge, crude creatures with slab-like fingers and short legs.  Trolls understand enough of the languages of Orcs and Goblins to serve their needs in the moving and breaking of large objects.

Coordination 8
Intelligence 6
Perception 8
Resolve 15
Speed 12
Strength 18

Toughness 12

Bounders
   The steeds of the Orc cavalry seem, in their form, somewhat related to Trolls.

Coordination 10
Intelligence 4
Perception 12
Resolve 12
Speed 15
Strength 40

Nocturnal
Dexterity - 5

Behemoths
   The ships of the Earthspawn are gargantuan amphibious creatures which move as well on land or water.  Crude wooden decks are erected on their broad backs to allow a host of Orcs, Trolls, and Goblins to ride safely.  Gargoyles and Gremlins often swarm off the backs of Behemoths to attack as the Behemoth aproaches.

Coordination 8
Intelligence 4
Perception 10
Resolve 18
Speed 12
Strength 120

Nocturnal
Dexterity - 5

Dark Spawn
   The darkness is ever present in the deep places of the Earth.  As with the Earthspawn, the darkness bears its terrible children.  These are more intelligent and versatile and often lead their earthy cousins.  Stealthy and silent as they may be, The Dark Spawn are vulnerable to light and fear it above all else.

Shadows
   Resembling skeletons cloaked in mist and shadows, the Shadows are primarily spies and assassins that pass unseen among their foes only to strike and vanish.  Shadow lords are often accompanied by armed and armoured Shadows.

Coordination 13
Intelligence 11
Perception 13
Resolve 11
Speed 13
Strength 11

Nocturnal
Shadow Steeds
   These terrible creatures have the form of skeletal horses full of mist and smoke that trails behind them as they run.  They are often ridden by Shadow Lords and more rarely by their retinues of armed and armoured shadows.

Coordination 10
Intelligence 6
Perception 13
Resolve 13
Speed 18
Strength 17

Nocturnal
Dexterity - 5

Shadow Lords
   The armies of the Earthspawn are commanded by Shadow Lords.  Terrible forms, twice as tall as a man, like unto a skeleton cloaked in shadow and armoured in baroque Earth Blood armour.  The Shadow Lords are powerful warriors and sorcerers who speak many languages and are united in their hatred for humankind.

Coordination 13
Intelligence 17
Perception 13
Resolve 17
Speed 13
Strength 17

Night Vision


Firespawn
   The sages believe there are some fire titans deep in the pile of rotting titan corpses and these impart unto the Earthblood its deadly heat.  The Firespawn are the rarest of the Hateful Earth’s children.  It is said that there is a black liquid that lies in turgid pools deep beneath the ground which they drink to fuel their fires.   This is treasured by wizards and sorcerers if they can purchase it but more expeditions into the depths in search of these things have ended in grief than have ever come again to riches and renown in the cities of men.

Imps
   These small, fiery humanoids love to burn things.  They are like children, running too and fro, spraying their fiery fluids on anything that will burn.  Imps are often brought to the surface by the goblins in crucibles where they are unleashed on the fields and villages of men.

Coordination 13
Intelligence 11
Perception 13
Resolve 9
Speed 13
Strength 7

Fiery Fluids 14 points
   Range 10 meters
   Damage 13


Surt
   Fire giants are massive beings made of a black, stony substance on the outside and filled that burns out of their eyes an mouths.  Fire giants are intelligent and greedy and build castles in the burning mountains where they pile deep their hoards and feast on wood and straw washed down with the black bile of the Hateful Earth.

Coordination 10
Intelligence 11
Perception 9
Resolve 15
Speed 10
Strength 21

Armoured


Dragons
   As majestic and inspiring as they may be, the Dragons are wicked and wise.  Quick to lie and delighting in deceit, Dragons covet gold and jewels.  They can disgorge the fires that burn within their Earthblood scales in a terrible conflagration that has been the doom of many a bold hero.

Coordination 12
Intelligence 13
Perception 13
Resolve 13
Speed 13
Strength 23

Armoured
Dexterity - 3
Winged

Fiery Breath 28 points
   10 meter Range
   2 meter Radius
   13 Damage
« Last Edit: May 11, 2021, 12:33:46 AM by David Johansen »
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David Johansen

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Re: Another 3d6 Game
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2021, 07:22:44 PM »
So, a couple thoughts:

I think "Result" could just be looking for sixes to improve success quality from x1 to x 4.  It'd be simpler and would mirror double damage rules etc.  Looking for ones might only be on failures which would make more skilled characters suffer less spectacular critical failures.  There is a 7, 13, 18 break point in there that I don't love but as one can apply modifiers I don't think it would mean everyone has a 13 in their key skills and stats.

For damage, I think the random thing would be 3d6-10 for scores from 7 - 15 , 2d6 - 7 for scores from 4 - 6, and 1d6 - 3 for scores of 3 or less.

Lastly, I wonder if I should be looking at a more generic fantasy setting for the fantasy source book.  It's mainly there to give some structure to the racial descriptions.
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David Johansen

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Re: Another 3d6 Game
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2021, 12:20:08 AM »
Option: Social Activity
   Rules covering social activities are contentious and have been kept fully optional.  Social skills and traits should only be used if they are wanted at the table.  The advantage of social abilities is that they put another tool in the box and make random violence against annoying npcs less appealing but social rules must be respected if they are used or it would be like letting the player characters have weapons and related abilities but not their opponents.

Option Relationship and Reaction
   Relationship levels provide a modifier to success rolls for social skills.  Developed non-player characters will have an established relationship with the player characters but newly encountered ones won’t.  A reaction roll determines the initial relationship level.  Roll 3d6 in areas where the character is established and well known, 2d6 in areas where they are newly arrived from foreign parts, and 1d6 in areas where they are clearly the enemy.  At times the relationship will be fairly obvious, such as a group of adventurers discovered in their lair by orc guards being an immanent threat.  Negligence and abuse will cause a relationship to decline while attention and kindness will cause it to improve.

3   Immanent Threat (-5)
4-6   Nemesis (-3)
7-9   Enemy (-1)
10 -12   Acquaintance (0)
13-15   Ally (+1)
16-17   Friend (+3)
18   Family (+5)

Social Modifiers
Excited +3
Surprised -3
Frightened -5

Favors and Loans
Previously Reciprocated +3
Previously Reneged -3

Reputation and Personality Traits
   An individual is judged by their reputation not their actual personality.  Thus a salesman with a reputation for honesty is better able to make sales whether they are honest or not.  The specific trait will determine the situations in which the bonus or penalty applies.  A reputation is changed by consistent and recognizable behaviour.  The scope of reputation is very dependant on the communications technology available.  A used yak salesman will only have to travel a day or two to escape their reputation for selling yaks with bad teeth.  A modern salesman will probably have to move to another country and change their name.

Alignment
   Determining who’s side a character is on can be very useful when figuring out who their enemies are.  In a simple fantasy game, this might be as simple as good or evil or light or dark or some complex graph combining various moral notions.  More often allegiance to a country, king, order, religion, or gang is more useful.  It might be useful for the Game Master to make a map of the web of allies and enemies at work in the setting.
« Last Edit: May 14, 2021, 12:24:07 AM by David Johansen »
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