Dungeon World (Gamma World + Fantasy)!

Camelot · Nov 25, 2010

Dungeon_World

D&D tropes with Gamma World themes? How will that work out? Let's find out! It's going to be silly, epic, and hopefully fun, and I appreciate all the input I can get!

Here's a preview of one of my ideas (feel free to suggest your own!):

MOUNTAIN DWARF

You can't be moved...unless there are precious metals involved.

MOUNTAIN DWARF TRAITS

Ability Score: Constitution
Skill Bonus (Level 1): Gain a +4 bonus to Nature checks.
Child of Stone (Level 1): Gain a +2 bonus to Fortitude and a +1 bonus to AC.
Encumbered Speed (Level 1): You move your speed, even while wearing heavy armor or carrying a heavy load.
Stocky (Level 1): Take a -1 penalty to speed.
Dwarf Critical (Level 2 or 6): When you score a critical hit, the attack deals 1d10 extra damage, and you gain a +4 bonus to AC until the end of your next turn.

MOUNTAIN DWARF POWERS

FORCEFUL ATTACK - MOUNTAIN DWARF NOVICE
When you choose to move, no one can stand in your way.
At-Will * Physical, Weapon
Standard Action - Melee or Ranged weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Constitution + your level + weapon accuracy vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Constitution modifier + twice your level physical damage, and you push the target 1 square.

STAND YOUR GROUND - MOUNTAIN DWARF UTILITY
You've chosen this spot to stand, and stand there you shall.
Encounter
Immediate Interrupt - Personal
Trigger: You are hit by an attack that pulls you, pushes you, slides you, or knocks you prone
Effect: You aren't pulled, pushed, slid, or knocked prone by the attack.

DAEREK FIGHTER

You've learned the ancient techniques of dwarven defenders, and along with it, have gained the ability to hold down massive amounts of ale.

DAEREK FIGHTER TRAITS

Ability Scores: Strength; Constitution
Power Source: Martial; +2 to martial overcharge
Skill Bonus (Level 1): Gain a +4 bonus to History checks.
Hard to Hit (Level 1): Gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Code of Honor (Level 1): Enemies adjacent to you take a penalty to damage rolls equal to your Constitution modifier against any creature other than you.
Knight Critical (Level 2 or 6): When you score a critical hit, the attack deals 1d10 extra damage, and the target takes a -5 penalty to attack rolls against any creature other than you until the end of your next turn.

DAEREK FIGHTER POWERS

HAMMER HANDS - DAEREK FIGHTER NOVICE
You don't simply swing your weapon; you thrust your whole body into the attack, causing your foe to stumble backwards.
At-Will * Martial, Physical, Weapon
Standard Action - Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength + your level + weapon accuracy vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier + twice your level physical damage. You can push the target 1 square and then shift 1 square to a square adjacent to the target as a free action.

Mentat55 · Nov 25, 2010

Is the idea to replace the two origins from Gamma World with a race and a "class", each rolled randomly? Or would you choose?

In this example, how do Mountain Dwarf and Daerek Fighter interact, particularly in terms of ability scores?

I like the lean, rules-lighter take on 4e that Gamma World provides. I think it makes a great skeleton to play a heroic tier-only D&D game.

PeelSeel2 · Nov 25, 2010

I love this idea and have been playing around with doing something like this. Gamma World plays loose and fast, which is the way I like my D&D. So for I have gone back to older editions like Moldvay/Cook/Marsh Basic D&D in the form of Labyrinth Lord for the 'fast and loose' D&D experience.

Camelot · Nov 26, 2010

I guess you could roll randomly, but I'd say you'd be less of a chicken if you decided to pick your race and class.

Your class is your primary origin and your race is your secondary origin, so a mountain dwarf daevek fighter would have a Strength of 18 from the class, and the Constitution...well, normally it would be 16, but I'm creating a new rule that is the "tertiary ability score," which is determined by your class, and if it matches your races, then it's 18 instead of 16, but if it's different then your race's score is 16 and your tertiary is 14. The rest are rolled normally. So this character would have Str 18 and Con 18 and the rest are random.

While I'm here, how about another race and class:

WOOD ELF

You have superb coordination, are always aware of your surroundings, and hate being called a tree-hugger, because the true insults always hurt the most.

WOOD ELF TRAITS

Ability Score: Dexterity
Skill Bonus (Level 1): Gain a +4 bonus to Stealth checks.
Quick on Your Toes (Level 1): Gain a +2 bonus to Reflex.
Keen Eyes (Level 1): When your target has cover, you only take a -1 penalty to the attack roll instead of -2.
Fleet (level 1): Gain a +1 bonus to speed.
Elf Critical (Level 2 or 6): When you score a critical hit, the attack deals 1d10 extra damage, and you can shift 3 squares as a free action.

WOOD ELF POWERS

AIMED ATTACK - WOOD ELF NOVICE
You take aim in a split second and unleash a single strike that rarely fails to hit its mark.
At-Will * Physical, Weapon
Standard Action - Melee or Ranged weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity + your level + 2 + weapon accuracy vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier + twice your level physical damage.

SHARP EYE - WOOD ELF UTILITY
Encounter
Free Action - Personal
Trigger: You make an attack roll and dislike the result
Effect: Reroll the attack roll and use the second result.

FINNEALIAN FIGHTER

The elves' method of fighting is elegant, efficient, and deadly.

FINNEALIAN FIGHTER TRAITS

Ability Scores: Strength; Dexterity
Power Source: Martial; +2 to martial overcharge
Skill Bonus (Level 1): Gain a +4 bonus to Acrobatics checks.
Balanced Physique (Level 1): Gain a +1 bonus to Fortitude and Reflex.
Whirling Blades (Level 1): Whenever a creature ends its turn adjacent to you while you are holding a melee weapon, it takes physical damage equal to your Dexterity modifier.
Slayer Critical (Level 2 or 6): When you score a critical hit, the attack deals 1d10 extra damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 physical damage (save ends).

FINNEALIAN FIGHTER POWERS

MOBILE BLADE - FINNEALIAN FIGHTER NOVICE
The force of your attack lets you spring around your foe.
At-Will * Martial, Physical, Weapon
Standard Action - Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength + your level + weapon accuracy vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier + twice your level physical damage, and you can shift 1 square.

erf_beto · Nov 29, 2010

I love it!
Gives me an idea for a boardgam'ish, highly deadly, random dungeon crawl one shot.
You die, make a new character and keep the game going.

The Little Raven · Nov 30, 2010

I've been working on something similar, but geared towards a d20 Modern/Action Movie game. The origins are replaced with an archetype (Strong, Fast, Smart, Dedicated, Charismatic, Tough) and a class (soldier, gunslinger, martial artist, brawler, investigator, etc).

Every PC has one archetype and one class, whether randomly rolled or chosen. Your archetype gets an 18 in the ability score, and your class gets a 16. If the ability scores are the same, you choose where you put the 16. And you still roll the other 4.

Omega Tech is replaced by Armory cards, which serve the same function (give a super cool encounter power and possibly a permanent cooler-than-normal item).

Alpha Mutations are replaced with Plot Device cards, and serve the same function of giving you a variable power that changes every encounter.

The Little Raven · Nov 30, 2010

Yeah, sounds cool! Impossible to have a 20 if both are the same, though?

Right. I'm using GW's balance, which assumes an 18 in the primary, 16 in the secondary. Giving people an extra +1 to attack/damage might upset some things, and I don't see a reason to do that.

Camelot · Dec 1, 2010

The Little Raven said:
Right. I'm using GW's balance, which assumes an 18 in the primary, 16 in the secondary. Giving people an extra +1 to attack/damage might upset some things, and I don't see a reason to do that.

Gamma World says that when both your origins have the same ability score, it is 20 instead of 18, but you have to roll all 5 others.

The Little Raven · Dec 1, 2010

Camelot said:
Gamma World says that when both your origins have the same ability score, it is 20 instead of 18, but you have to roll all 5 others.

Oh, I must have missed that.

Well, then, 20s all around!

fuzzlewump · Dec 3, 2010

I'm working on a variant Gamma World set in our time period and... no mutations, based on a favorite video game RPG of mine. I may pilfer some of your ideas so here is something:

[FONT=&quot]Mirror[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]After briefly concentrating and overcoming your enemies mental might, you become so alike your opponent that you employ their moves against them.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]At-will * PSI[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Standard Action[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Attack: IQ(int) + your level versus Will[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Hit: Choose a basic attack to use from your enemy, and then choose any target. You use that attack against that target and it hits. Special: Rolling a 20 on the initial attack makes this attack a [/FONT][FONT=&quot]S[/FONT][FONT=&quot]M[/FONT][FONT=&quot]AA[/FONT][FONT=&quot]AA[/FONT][FONT=&quot]SH!.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]

Notice it's missing key things like... range. I haven't hammered out whether I want this to be grid based or not. Smash is a crit, as you probably figured out.

Also, just in case anyone knows, is a level X Gamma World PC equal to a level X D&D PC? I noticed that Gamma World PC's require different XP values to level, much less XP that is, so if you divide experience equally Gamma World PC's would be ahead. Are you just not supposed to cross the beams? I thought they said you could theoretically have them adventuring together? Or was it just that you can port monsters either way?

Actually, if monsters can be ported, shouldn't the PC's be portable as well? They're worth the same XP value to either. I'll share more ideas if they come.