Help! Limited Players, less ideas.

[Peterson]

Alright, I have a problem that I'd like to throw out there for ENWorlders. Here's the situation:

I have only two players (who are up for just about anything) and about 4 hours a week to fill with a game, preferrably d20 modern-based. I have the following books available and willing to use to build a game:

• d20 Modern
• d20 Future
• d20 Apoc
• Menace Manual
• d20 Weapons Locker
• Urban Arcana
• Blood & Fists (I & II)
• Blood & Vigilance
• Future Player's Companion (the first one only so far)
• Modern Player's Companion (I & II)
• Year of the Zombie
• SFX Skills: Diabolism

So....suggestions? If you want/need anymore information, just ask.

Thanks.

Peterson

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

But what do you - and they - want? I'm sure you could find a way to use all those books, but you might not want to. Or it might bog you down.

I suggest polling them, then making sure they get together and help each other design PCs. (It's annoying vital skills like Gather Information and Treat Injury are missing from a group - at least, IME.)

I noticed you said they're up for anything. I think you could aim for zombie horror with those books. Note that it's a difficult genre to run, however - your players might not get scared, or they might be Strong Heroes with melee weapons and Combat Martial Arts (resource management - who needs that?), etc.

 

[arscott]

IME, Combat light games are the way to go with fewer players. Intrigue or mystery based games with a lot of skill checks and interaction with NPCs, but only one combat per session, if that.

You already have the Menace Manual and SFX Skills, two products which practically ooze Dark•Matter nostalgia. Buy yourself a copy of the old Alternity setting book if you don't already have it, and run an X-filesesque campaign with two agents wandering around getting into (and hopefully out of) trouble.

 

[Herobizkit]

If you want to get the most mileage out of your books, consider this.

Setting: Apocalyptic Future.
Theme: Anime beat-em-up.

The future is bleak. Humanity has pushed itself to the brink of extinction. Massive wars, alien invasions, and greed have depleted the resources of the planet. Many portions of Earth are now completely unihabitable, largely due to the irradiated tundra. From this tundra, comes a great evil...

The Denizens of Hell like what humanity has done with the place, and they've decided to move in.

The PC heroes are freedom fighters, driving back the hordes of darkness with their kung-fu style and futuristic weapons. Or, perhaps they're "angels", sent from On High to deal with the war of Good vs. Evil once and for all.

You could go one of two (or both) ways:
- the PCs are scum. They'll want a slugfest, they'll want to loot, and they'll want to come out on top. Have them make strong characters (maybe allowing them to be monsters, or Aasimar) and arm them to the teeth.
- the PCs are sympathetic to humanity at large, and wander about trying to suffer the pain of others. Same deal, but now they HELP people.

So, the resources you can use incude d20 Apocalypse, Future, Urban Arcana, your Martial Arts books, the Menace Manual, and if you really wanna run with it, your Diabloism book for those people who WANT Hell on Earth.

Cheat, and cheat often. Find modules anywhere you can and alter them to suit your campaign model. Take D&D monsters straight out of the MM, give them new clothes (so to speak), and sic 'em on your enemies.

Model your campaign like a TV serial. Chain episodes togethers, some unrelated, some related to one plot over the whole "season".

If you like anything you see, let me know. I'm curious to know what you have planned.

 

[Peterson]

Great feedback. Thanks!
Alright, I have here a few ideas that I've had sitting in various places (notebooks, hard drives, etc) for a while. I'd like to know what you folks think of these, and/or if any of these inspire new ideas from you folks. Just a note about the format - its done this way to clearly divide where the last idea left off and the next one starts. Also allows me to provide some "ENWorlder Insight", so you at home (or work) can see where I'm coming from. One final thought - I normally title all my games, and those titles normally give insight into the idea behind the overall plot (sometimes in Player Hindsight, however).

At the very least, I hope someone finds something useful here.

Project Starseed
Summary: Military-trained CIA team is sent in to investigate a prototype Russian weapon.
Suggested Starting Level: 2nd
Rules Set: Straight d20 Modern, no F/X
Suggested # of Players: Better with 4-8, but will work with 2.
ENWorlder Insight: The trick to this is not everything is as it seems, which the PCs learn on their first mission. After that, things get hairy. Also, the time period is the 1980's for technology.

Border Wars
Summary: Adventures in the Mycab Sector. Acutal Plot to be determined based on character creation.
Suggested Starting Level: 1st, adjusted by Level Adjustments.
Rules Set: Classified.
Suggested # of Players: Better with 4+, but will work with 2.
ENWorlder Insight: First off, those of you not familiar with Border Wars, there's a Storyhour here:Introduction to the Mycab Sector. Finally, my players are intimately familiar with this setting, since its been around in various forms for the past 10+ years.

d20 Future Black Ops
Summary: A new type of Special Operations organization is being created - an all-Aleerin group that makes extensive use of mission-specific cybernetics.
Suggested Starting Level: 1st level. Aleerin as the only available race.
Rules Set: d20 Modern/Future, with limited F/X. PL 7.
Suggested # of Players: Better with 4-6, but will work with 2.
ENWorlder Insight: I have another thread relating to this idea: Aleerin Black Ops. Nothing like recycling old ideas.

Divinity Lost
Summary: Your small community struggles underneath the oppressive rule of the Living Goddess, Li-Lau. You aim to fix that, somehow.
Suggested Starting Level: 1st level.
Rules Set: d20 Modern with F/X. PL 2.
Suggested # of Players: Better with 4+, but will work with 2.
ENWorlder Insight: First off, I totally expect this to be a TPK if combat happens. The idea behind this is something I've had a hankering to do ever since I first saw Stargate. What if the PCs were the "hapless" people enslaved by a Goa'uld, and got sick of the "Living God"? This is such a campaign.

And Everything Nice...
Summary: SG-13 is tasked with investigating reports of an oppressive but minor Goa'uld who lacks space flight capabilites - perfect for a team of rookies, eager to impress the SGC.
Suggested Starting Level: 1st level.
Rules Set: d20 Modern/Future, no F/X. PL 5.
Suggested # of Players: Better with 4, but will work with 2.
ENWorlder Insight: Adapting SG-1 ideas to d20 Modern/Future rules is something I've done (mostly) already, due to my wife's obsession with the series. Running it with 2 players isn't a terrible problem, as I only have to create 2 NPC team members (who may or may not survive).

Supersolid: Serpent's Teeth:
Summary: Department 7 has found evidence suggesting that Jinx and Vlaad are not only alive, but have managed to steal a powerful prototype U.S. weapon of mass destruction. You and a team mate will be stealth-dropped into the former Soviet Union, where you have only your abilities and limited equipment to rely on.
Suggested Starting Level: 3rd level.
Rules Set: d20 Modern/Future with Blood & Vigilance.
Suggested # of Players: 2.
ENWorlder Insight: This is actually a sequel to an one-shot I ran with my two players. If any of you are familiar with Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, than you are familiar with the basics of this. Jinx is Fortune (done via d20 Future and B&V) and Vlaad is Vamp (done via B&V). Of course, "Snake" is the PCs, and they got Super Powers this time out.

Plague World: Rip Van Awakens
Summary: You are part of humanity's last hope - a Rip Van Team. Emerging from a heavily-damaged bunker and slightly irradiated due to a malfunctioning nuclear generator, you must make your way to the nearest companion bunker - over 75 miles away - to join up with other Rip Van teams; to restore humanity to its former glory.
Suggested Starting Level: 1st level. Each player starts with 2 free Mutation Points.
Rules Set: d20 Modern/Future/Apoc with limited F/X.
Suggested # of Players: Better with 4-8, but will work with 2.
ENWorlder Insight: ....Um, uses the Plague World Campaign Model from d20 Apoc.

Agents of PSI: Cold Storage
Summary: On August 9th, 1969, a home invasion/mass murder rocked the media. On July 30th, 1975, a mysterious disappearance did likewise. On January 4th, 2006, two intrepid FBI agents, fresh from the Academy, stumble across a ritual murder that links the previous two cases together in a disturbing manner.
Suggested Starting Level: 1st level.
Rules Set: d20 Modern with limited F/X (Psionics and SFX Skills only).
Suggested # of Players: 2.
ENWorlder Insight: This is a Dark*Matter/X-Files style game.

Bughunters: Here Be Bugs
Summary: Just another planetside drop to determine the status of yet another colony Command has lost contact with. Of course, the dropship malfunctions and now, planetside is coming up fast...too fast!
Suggested Starting Level: 2nd level.
Rules Set: d20 Modern/Future, with limited F/X (Psionics only). PL 6.
Suggested # of Players: Better with 4-8, but will work with 2.
ENWorlder Insight: Uses the Bughunters Campaign Model from d20 Future. The dropship crash-lands on planet, suffering major damage and killing most aboard. When the PCs regain consciousness, they soon learn the dropship was sabotaged and that one of their team members is missing. Soon, they are attacked by "Bugs", drawn to the crash site. The PCs have to leave the dropship behind, heel-toe it to the lost colony, while avoiding the bugs...and their insane team member (the one who was missing) who stalks them (and incidentally, sabotaged the dropship).

Star*Drive: Free Ride
Summary: You've managed to stow aboard a small trade-ship. Finally, your boring life is about to change.
Suggested Starting Level: 1st level.
Rules Set: d20 Modern/Future, with limited F/X (Psionics only). PL 7.
Suggested # of Players: Better with 4, but will work with 2.
ENWorlder Insight: Uses the Star*Drive Campaign Model from d20 Future. Soon after the trade-ship hits space, it is attacked by pirates. PCs are found and forced to make a decision - join the pirate crew or walk the airlock.

Star Law: Badges Without Mercy
Summary: Tracking down the novice shipjacker was easy. Arresting him reveals a far larger threat looming.
Suggested Starting Level: 2nd level.
Rules Set: d20 Modern/Future, with limited F/X (Psionics only). PL 7.
Suggested # of Players: Works better with 4-6, but will work with 2.
ENWorlder Insight: Uses the Star Law Campaign Model from d20 Future. PCs will discover an intergalatic crime ring that is aiding the Klicks.

Way of the Gun
Summary: Exiled from the post-apoc community of Sparrowhawk for a crime you didn't commit, you are forced to survive any way you can in this harsh new world.
Suggested Starting Level: 1st level.
Rules Set: Any d20 Modern-based product. F/X allowed. PL 1-7.
Suggested # of Players: Works better with 4-8, but will work with 2.
ENWorlder Insight: Consider this the RIFTS-meets-d20 Modern game. Anything goes, so long as it is reasonably balanced (i.e. After the Sunset: Werewolves for PC Werewolves, SFX Skills: Diabolism for diabolists, Blood & Vigilance for super heroes, d20 Future for Mechas, etc).


How's that for a few ideas?

Peterson

 

[arscott]

Jesus Biscut! Why are you asking us for Ideas? We should be asking you.

 

[Herobizkit]

I love the concept of Divinity Lost. IMO, PCs should struggle to find something that gives them enough power to take on and remove the deity.

One of the first episodes of Stargate SG-1 I saw was the one where the scientist and the hottie British chick take over the bodies of two "regular" folk to see first-hand the story of the opressive God-like race. It worked for two "PC's" then, too.

That might also be a nice twist... the PCs are originally deities to begin with but are trapped in the body of mortals as punishment for their transgressions againt the Big Bad. As they level up, maybe they gain some new and funky God-like abilities until they reach the level necessary to take on the Big Bad... or replace him.