City of Seven Sins - Repository

Dr Simon · Jul 1, 2011

Herobizkit said:
edit: OMG - you can BUY Cohorts? This suddenly gets VERY interesting... playing two characters at once... the pairing I had in mind would work very well together.

Yes, Savage World has and Edges/Hindrances system, and buying followers counts as an Edge. See the Test Drive rules for more. I'm thinking of giving characters a free advance to start off with.

DrZombie · Jul 1, 2011

will get a copy of the rules sometimes next week. I've got too many ideas whizzing around in my head at the moment, one of them being that the silver filigree is actually a 'living' symbiont, and that I use it to explain my powers.

Dr Simon · Jul 1, 2011

Insight said:
OOC: Has the GM (or anyone else) given any thought as to the "power level" of the player characters? Savage Worlds has several "bands" that equate to "power level", such as "Novice", "Seasoned", "Veteran", and so forth. It would be helpful to know generally where we stand so that we can start thinking about some mechanics.

I'd forgotten about that. I'm inclined towards Novice because that's my level of the system, plus it gives somewhere to go with character building. I'm also tempted, though, to remove the power level limitations on the Edges - many of the higher power ones have other prerequisites that need a higher power level anyway, and none look like they'd unbalance things too much.

Walking Dad · Jul 1, 2011

Novice is maybe a bit low for what I envisioned for my character so far.
A starting character power and options are more like D&D 1st than D&D 4th.

I would suggest starting with 15 XP (= 3 Advances) this is still 5 XP away from seasoned and allows for a bit more cinematic characters.

Each advance gives one of these:

- Gain a new Edge.
- Increase a skill that is equal to or greater than its linked attribute by one die type.
- Increase two skills that are lower than their linked attributes by one die type each.
- Buy a new skill at d4.
- Increase one attribute by a die type (max d12). The attribute may not be increased again until the hero reaches a new Rank, or once every other advance after reaching Legendary Rank.

Walking Dad · Jul 1, 2011

Dr Simon said:
OOC: I think here would be a good point for Kinslayer and Skulk to choose their Agility and Stealth scores.

Agility is default d4, each point spent raises it one die (d6, d8, d10, d12 as with all attributes - Agility, Strength, Vigor, Smarts and Spirit). You have 5 points to spend on attributes.

Fine.

For skills, such as Stealth, you have 15 points to raise them. The rules don't seem to make much sense, as you need to buy them up to the level of the relevant attribute first. Although it doesn't say in the Test Drive rules, I'd assume you'd defeault to an attribute if you don't have the skill. I'm saying that each point spent raises a skill one die from the base attribute, unless someone can convince me otherwise.

No, you don't default to your ability.
The rule is on page 2 of the free Test Drive 6:

Untrained: If a character doesn’t have a skill for an action he’s
attempting he rolls with a d4 in the trait but subtracts 2 from the
total. Some skills can never be used untrained, such as casting
a spell or performing brain surgery.

But your wild die would be still a d6.

Finally, you may want an Edge related to Stealth (especially Skulk). Again, differing from the rules, I'm saying you can spend 2 of your skill points on an Edge instead. Hindrances give you back skill points, but you don't need to choose them at the same time as you select an Edge. Once you've spent all your skill points, though, you can't then choose a Hindrance to give you more, but you can at any time as long as you still have 1 point left.

Fine, but see the information above.

Hopefully that makes sense.

Rolling - roll the relevant die. If you get a maximum score (an Ace), roll again and add. As "Wild Cards", you also get to roll a Wild Die (d6), and you can use this if it is higher than your skill/trait test.

The Wild Die can also Ace.

If we start with no XP = no advances, I think I will have to spent my Edges on being Undead and my Nano-skin before I can buy into Stealth edges.

I think the base rules make weaker starting characters than you thought...

Dr Simon · Jul 1, 2011

Walking Dad said:
No, you don't default to your ability.
The rule is on page 2 of the free Test Drive 6:

Untrained: If a character doesn’t have a skill for an action he’s
attempting he rolls with a d4 in the trait but subtracts 2 from the
total. Some skills can never be used untrained, such as casting
a spell or performing brain surgery.

Ah, thanks, I missed this. In which case ignore what I said in the IC thread about spending skill points; stick to the rules as written.

I'd certainly be happy to grant a couple of advances, maybe start with 2-4 advances included, if it makes for more interesting characters.

Starting funds etc., I was thinking that each character would have whatever equipment they required, but anything large or repeatedly powerful would require an advantage or two spent on it.

DrZombie · Jul 1, 2011

Heya. I've edited my placeholder. The only problem I have (well, that and a few others) is that I have no clue whatsoever how psionics work, but we'll work on that over the weekend. If I can find an invisibility power of some sorts in the main book, I might want to tune down my stealth-skill a bit, don't know how you feel 'bout that. If it sticks, it sticks and I'll have a sneaky psionic

Herobizkit · Jul 1, 2011

My concept is basically a Big Gun wielding brute with a small Goblin mechanic to maintain the gear. If we're all going for stealth-like characters, maybe the Goblin would be the better fit.

It's funny how players are always drawn to rogue-type characters in post-apoc/modern/future game settings.

Dr Simon · Jul 1, 2011

DrZombie - I guess psionics could use pretty much the same rules as magic; it might depend as much on how you think your character's power manifest, though as to how the final mechanics work. I'm sure we could hash something together.

Herobizkit - probably your best bet would be to run with both characters and see how they develop in play as to which is the "real" one and which is the cohort. Sounds like an interesting team.