BIG DAMN HEROES - a d20 Firefly Campaign [OOC]

[doghead]

I've cleaned up Helsinki, switched Wis and Cha, fixed the skills and added the 1st level feats. I took Wild Talent (Missive). If Rhun is still up for twins/siblings, I still think it would be cool to have a mental connection between the two.

As for the Geneered aspect, I'm easy. It wasn't fundamental, it didn't change anything mechanically. It was just a bit of flavour I quite liked. Seeing as we seem to have a few ex-Alliance, I made Helsinki a Rim-dweller, from Triumph.

[sblock=Helsinki]Fast Hero 3 Gunslinger 3

Str 12 (4)
Dex 18 (13)
Con 13 (5, L4 increase)
Int 12 (4)
Wis 10 (2)
Cha 12 (4)

BAB: +2+2
DEF: +4+2
REP: +1+0

FORT: +1+1
REFL: +2+2
WILL: +1+2

Feats, Talents and Abilities
* Personal Firearms Prof - Occupation Feat
* Surface Vehicle Operation (Light Wheeled) - Homeworld Feat
1. Armour Prof (Light)
1. Wild Talent (Missive)
1. Talent - Evasion 1
2. Bonus Feat - Point Blank Shot
3. Talent - Evasion 2
4. Close Combat
5. Weapon Focus
6. Bonus Feat - Double Tap

Skills points (5+1)*10
* Craft (Mechanical) +11 [9 ranks, +1 Int, +1 homeworld]
* Hide +14 [9 ranks, +4 dex, +1 occupation]
* Move Silently +14 [9 ranks, +4 dex, +1 occupation]
* Drive +14 [9 ranks, +4 dex, +1 homeworld]
* Sleight of Hand +13 [9 ranks, +4 dex]
* Tumble +13 [9 ranks, +4 dex]
[/sblock]

 

[Lot]

Here's a rough background for my techie character. I've incorporated Feisty Dog's ideas in but I can modify that if it doesn't seem to work.

Jon Baxter is was born as the only child in a middle-class family on Osiris. His father worked as a computer repairman for the wealthier citizens of the planet and Jon acted as an apprentice of sorts as a teenager. In that time, he found a passion for electronics from his work, a taste for the better life from his father's clients, and a realization of his natural charm and good-looks from the attention he received from the rich women whom tried to seduce him.

When he reached adulthood, Jon realized the best way to help advance himself was to join the military. He figured his electronic background would keep him out of the line of fire and being a veteran opened up a lot of doors for him socially. Little did he know that even as a communications engineer, the guerilla tactics of the outmatched Browncoats would make him a target more often than not. Finding himself involved in more than one gritty gunfight, he had to learn a crash-course in demolitions, basic jury-rigging, and complex mechanics. The experience jaded Jon and, after the war, he was happy to leave the military far behind.

Jon opened a private security company on Osiris. He would install the finest in electronic defense services for top dollar clients. So good, in fact, that he found himself kidnapped by a crew of thieves and forced to circumvent a system he himself had installed. After the thieves left him, they forced him to deposit a cut of the job into his accounts. The crew of thieves escaped but Jon was arrested as an accessory to the crime. Despite his charm and likeability, Jon was convicted of the crime and incarcerated. Outraged by the lack of justice, Jon used his skills to escape and went on the run to the Rim, using most of his modest fortune to disappear.

Jon was hunted down by a private investigator/bounty hunter within a few months of his escape. Yet, due to an economic depression and subsequent computer error on the Osiris Branch of the Department of Justice, many files of prisoners and correctional officers disappeared. Both Jon and his hunter no longer existed in the system. Due to this, they both set off to make a life for themselves on the Rim, using their skills to aid each other in whatever jobs they could get.

 

[stonegod]

When I saw this thread, I thought is was a Sovereign Stone production, so I didn't pay too much attention. But now that I know it isn't, I'm there! Here. Er.. whatever.

I'll have a look at the concepts so far, etc., etc., and try to come up with something.

Great idea!

 

[Ferrix]

Alright... any group needs a good stout leader... I'll be working up a concept soon.

 

[stonegod]

Since we have plenty of shooters, I thought I'd go for brawn (though he's fine in a gun fight, he's brutal in melee). Fun backstory too. No real equipment yet, so here you go.
[SBLOCK="Ghost"]Terrance "Ghost" Ballard
Tough 4 / Strong 1 / Daredevil 1 - ex-Law Enforcement

Str 16 +3
Dex 14 +2
Con 14 +2
Int 10 +0
Wis 8 -1
Cha 16 +2 [+1 4th]
[Point Buy]

Init +4 (+2 Dex, +2 Trait)
HD 10 + 3d10 + 1d8 + 1d10 + 12 + 4 = 53
Def 16 (+2 Dex, +3 Strong, +1 Strong, +1 Daredevil, -1 Trait); Flat-footed 14; Touch 14
Spd 30

BAB +4 (+4 Tough, +1 Strong, +0 Daredevil)
Melee +7
Ranged +6

Attacks
Brass Knuckles +7 melee (1d6+5 lethal) (Brawl)
-- +7 (1d6+1d4+5 lethal) (Brawl, Streetfighting)
-- +7 (2d6+1d4+8 nonlethal) (Brawl, Streetfighting, Knockout punch)
-- +7 (2d6+8 nonlethal) (Brawl, Knockout punch)
Unarmed +7 melee (1d6+4 nonlethal) (Brawl)
-- +7 (1d6+1d4+4 nonlethal) (Brawl, Streetfighting)
-- +7 (2d6+1d4+7 nonlethal) (Brawl, Streetfighting, Knockout punch)
-- +7 (2d6+7 nonlethal) (Brawl, Knockout punch)
Others to come

Fort +7 (+2 Con, +2 Tough, +1 Strong, +2 Daredevil)
Refl +3 (+2 Dex, +1 Tough, +0 Strong, +0 Daredevil)
Will +2 (+1 Wis, +1 Tough, +0 Strong, +0 Daredevil)

Occupation - Law Enforcement (Intimidate, Knowledge (streetwise), Personal Firearms Proficiency)
Home World - Higgin's Moon (Driving, Suvival, Brawl)
Allegiance Himself
Reputation +5
Action Points 9

Traits
Aggressive (+2 Init, -1 Def)
Distinctive (+1 Rep, -1 Disguise)
Intimidatin' Manner (+1 Intimidate, -1 Diplomacy & Gather Information)

Skills 29 (21 Tough + 3 Strong + 5 Daredevil)
Concentration +8 (6 ranks, +2 Con)
Diplomacy +2 (0 ranks, +3 Cha, -1 Trait)
Disguise +2 (0 ranks, +3 Cha, -1 Trait)
Driving +9 (6 ranks, +2 Dex, +1 Homeworld)
Gather Information +2 (0 ranks, +3 Cha, -1 Trait)
Intimidate +14 (9 ranks, +3 Cha, +1 Trait, +1 Occupation)
Knowledge (streetwise) +5 (4 ranks, +0 Int, +1 Occupation)
Profession +3 (4 ranks, -1 Wis)
Survival +0 (0 ranks, -1 Wis, +1 Homeworld)

Feats
Brawl [Homeworld]
Endurance [1st]
Frightful Presence (DC 21) [6th]
Knockdown Punch [5th: Tough Bonus]
Personal Firearms Proficiency [Occupation]
Reknown [1st]
Simple Weapons Proficiency [Class]
Streefighting [3rd: Tough Bonus]
Tough Plus: DR/2, Second Wind [3rd]

Abilities
DR 2/-
Melee Smash
Robust
Second Wind

Wealth - 8

Equipment
Brass Knuckles
TBD[/SBLOCK]Description
Ghost is very tall, standing almost 7 feet, with very obvious scarred features, a disturbin' mixture of pale and dark. Could'a been a fire, could 'a been self a'flicted, main thing is that he's this side of a corpse---or a Reaver. He is impossible to miss in a crowd, and a strong aura of menance surrounds him. His age is indeterminant, but most agree he is somewhere between 25 and 35.

History
There are many whispered stories about the one called Ghost. They all begin the same: He once was a simple guard at the mudworks in Canton. He wasn't Ghost then, though the stories disagree on his name. Most claim he was normal lookin' folk then, not the disfigured monster he is today. He lived this "idyllic life" until the War. Though the War didn't come to Higgin's Moon directly, it did come to Canton in the form of two groups of purchasers---one for the Alliance, the other for the Independants.

Here, the story is different, usually depending on which side you favored durin' the War. In one, the Alliance negotiators, enranged at the toleration of the Browncoats, slaughtered Ghost's family. In other, it was the Browncoats that killed them, and framed the Alliance. Regardless, the man who would be known as Ghost went on a rampage, killin' and maimin', mostly Alliance but really anyone who got in his way. The battle turned bloody once it began to rage across the camp, everyone pretty much fightin' everyone else.

Then some idiot hit the chemical tanks.

That's what made him Ghost, they say, his skin peeling right off. Others claim it what he did that turned him inside out, the madness in him doin' it. Regardless, many died that day, and a man now named Ghost was left a fugitive wanderer.

What Ghost did during the War and afterwards is open to much debate. Most agree he worked for whoever would pay, not really carin' about cause or reason. No one ever asks Ghost though, that's for sure.

 

[RobotRobotI]

I think I'm going to cancel out Casper.

Good luck with the game, though, team.

 

[Rhun]

I think I'm going to cancel out Casper.

Good luck with the game, though, team.

Since RobotRobotI is cancelling out Casper, I will go ahead and make a character to fulfill the roll of "doctor." He'll be more of a combat medic type than a true doctor, but he'll be able to help patch people up.

Actually, I take it back. I hadn't noticed that ByteRynn had a field medic concept as well...

 

[stonegod]

Since RobotRobotI is cancelling out Casper, I will go ahead and make a character to fulfill the roll of "doctor." He'll be more of a combat medic type than a true doctor, but he'll be able to help patch people up.

I'll try and get him posted tonight.

Don't forget ByteRynn's doc entry.

 

[Rhun]

Don't forget ByteRynn's doc entry.

Yep, I just noticed that! Thanks!

 

[Watus]

PSI:

I've been thinking about this for a couple of days, and ultimately I don't think I'm going to try to shoehorn d20 Modern's psionics into a Firefly game. The powers available just don't feel like Firefly, and that's a problem.

Since I've already stolen so much from Scott Mertz and can't find anything better anywhere else, I'm just going to use the system he drew up for d20 Firefly. It's expensive and difficult, but ultimately pretty powerful - and that feels about right.

The system requires a character to select a feat, which provides access to the Psi Talent Tree which has been added to the Charismatic Hero. The Talent allows you to begin taking ranks in a skill, and it's the skill that actually drives the mechanic. Furthermore each use requires the application of an Action Point and then there's the chance of failure. So it's expensive, but the powers this system makes available to the character are many and relatively powerful.

I've added a Psi section to the house rules post, so you can go back and check it out.

If anyone decides to go down this road, be advised that I'll allow only one psychic PC.