d20 Highlander

[Blacksad]

IMO they did more than redifining a litle.

The begining of the serie happens after the end of the movie, the calling to NY isn't really present. Conor is present, but he is also present in all the movie and he is mentioned in the cartoon, so I think that it is really a matter of opinion, and IMO the only thing that didn't ignored the story of highlander 1 is highlander 3.

My preference would be with the serie too, but using the immortal rules in a cyber-punk setting could be fun...

 

[takyris]

From what I remember of breathing, the series answered the question as follows:

If you're immortal and you're underwater, you're fine, breathing well, all of that, unless you happened to be unconscious or shot or SOMETHING like that before you went under.

In one episode, Duncan jumps off a bridge and walks out of the water later just fine. In another episode, he's handcuffed and tossed over the side of a boat, and walks out of the lake in his handcuffs the next morning, really annoyed. But when he's shotand "Killed" and falls into a river, he doesn't wake up until he washes up on shore.

That fits Highlander 1, in that all we saw was Connor breathing water while otherwise uninjured.

The rules on when an immortal comes back to life, though, ought to be sort of interesting. Sometimes they come back to life in just a minute or so, while other times they come to life on a slab in the morgue after a few hours. It's usually "Whatever works best for the plot."

-Tacky

 

[Blacksad]

perhaps keeping notes on how far in negative hit points the immortal goes, thus after being crushed by a car and being at -30, it would take 3 minutes, with a 1hp/round regeneration.

Hum, perhaps having different rate of regeneration depending on their state: alive 1/round, dead 1/minute?

 

[takyris]

I think that makes sense to me. After the immortal's body "dies", it heals at a much slower rate.

Also, if I recall correctly in the series, some wounds healed quickly, and others healed slowly.

A mortal wound would, after a minute, vanish in a little puff of electricity. It wasn't like they healed 1 point per minute -- it was like, after 5 minutes, they abruptly healed ALL damage. But perhaps this is only for mortal wounds.

Options:

Just keep it at 1/round as normal.

Make it 1 hit point/level/round -- an ancient immortal doesn't take any longer to heal than a young one.

Make it 1hp/round, and add a Fortitude save, DC 20, available every minute -- success indicates that all damage is healed in the puff of electricity. The character is then fatigued for 1d6 minutes.

Make it 1/round, but the character can spend an action point to heal it all right then and there...

-Tacky

 

[Blacksad]

I think that I'll use your option of 1hp/level/round and 1hp/level/minute when dead.

I'm tempted to restrict the HrP usage, the winner will have to use the HrP in the same way as the looser of the fight did.

But appart from Highlander 3 and 4, I haven't seen any real effect of "gaining the memories" in the serie, so I don't know if I should.

Though, did it happens in some episode I haven't seen?

 

[takyris]

Let's see... not that I can remember off the top of my head. I don't recall seeing anyone get conscious memories of the others. There are allusions to people getting better at some skills, but not in a dramatic "Look, now I can play the banjo" way.

I think that having them gain XP is an excellent idea. The only downside is that it's not terribly exciting. The immortal could just kill a lot of ordinary folks and have the same benefit.

(brainstorming)

- On defeating another immortal, the hero may receive that immortal's quickening. This effect creates electrical charges in the area that deliver 1d12 damage per level of the slain immortal to objects within 100 feet (living creatures are not harmed unless they come within 10 feet of the immortal receiving the quickening). Extenuating circumstances, such as being near a machine powered by electricity or atop a giant lightning rod (See "Finale"), can change this according to DM fiat.

The Quicking begins 1d4 rounds after the death of the immortal, affecting the nearest immortal within 30'. It lasts 3d12 rounds. An immortal within the area of effect is unable to take any action other than writhing and shouting and possibly doing some vaguely homoerotic salutations. He loses his dexterity bonus to AC, but really, who the heck is gonna run into the middle of a bunch of lightning to take him out?

Upon receiving a Quickening, the Hero may make a Will Save (DC=level of immortal). Failure indicates that nothing special occurs. The hero receives XP as normal. On success, the hero receives whatever Action Points the slain immortal had remaining, and rolls on the following table:

Roll 1d12:

1-8: Imprinted knowledge: Gain experience as though the slain immortal were 1d3 levels higher than his actual level, as the hero sees momentarily through his enemy's eyes.

9: Natural Knowledge: Gain 2 ranks in one skill that the slain immortal possessed, if that immortal had more ranks in the skill than the hero. These skills are now always considered class skills for the hero. The hero may not gain more ranks than he could have legally purchased (ie, he cannot go above "Level+3" ranks).

10: Powers of the Dead: Gain 1 feat possessed by the slain immortal. Rolled randomly by the DM. If a feat is selected for which the hero does not qualify (due to pre-requisites or feat chain restrictions), either roll again or give the hero the closest feat for which he qualifies.

(Example: A hero with Power Attack slays his enemy. He would have gained Great Cleave, but he does not have "Cleave", and so receives Cleave instead.)

11: New Eyes: Gain a +1 insight bonus on the highest saving throw that the slain immortal possessed, if the slain immortal's base save is higher than the hero's save. This special insight bonus stacks with others like it, to a maximum insight bonus of +3 on any individual save due to this special knowledge)

12: Rebirth: Gain a +1 inherent bonus to the highest ability score that the slain immortal possessed, if that ability score is higher than the hero's score. This special inherent bonus stacks with others like it, to a maximum inherent bonus of +3 on any individual ability.

On a save that fails by 10 or more, the hero has taken on some unwanted aspect of the slain immortal. This may manifest itself as a change of allegiance, phobia, neurosis, or psychosis.

(/brainstorm)

-Tacky, leaving it to others to pick out the horrible mistakes in this plan.

 

[Blacksad]

Let's see... not that I can remember off the top of my head. I don't recall seeing anyone get conscious memories of the others. There are allusions to people getting better at some skills, but not in a dramatic "Look, now I can play the banjo" way.

Except in Highlander 3, with the bad guy obtaining illusion skills

I think that having them gain XP is an excellent idea. The only downside is that it's not terribly exciting. The immortal could just kill a lot of ordinary folks and have the same benefit.

and very hard to balance, if you've got one immortal who kill 20 immortals of mid level, you'll land quite quickly in epic-level of play, and a meaningfull challenge by an immortal at this level, will increase the character by several level.

An alteration of the FCTF rules might work

(brainstorming)

- On defeating another immortal, the hero may receive that immortal's quickening. This effect creates electrical charges in the area that deliver 1d12 damage per level of the slain immortal to objects within 100 feet (living creatures are not harmed unless they come within 10 feet of the immortal receiving the quickening). Extenuating circumstances, such as being near a machine powered by electricity or atop a giant lightning rod (See "Finale"), can change this according to DM fiat.

The Quicking begins 1d4 rounds after the death of the immortal, affecting the nearest immortal within 30'. It lasts 3d12 rounds. An immortal within the area of effect is unable to take any action other than writhing and shouting and possibly doing some vaguely homoerotic salutations. He loses his dexterity bonus to AC, but really, who the heck is gonna run into the middle of a bunch of lightning to take him out?

That would work for me, I'm wondering if there isn't a lightning storm spell that exist to keep the explanation in as few lines as possible.

Something missing, would be an automatic harm spell on the immortal with failed save.

Upon receiving a Quickening, the Hero may make a Will Save (DC=level of immortal). Failure indicates that nothing special occurs. The hero receives XP as normal. On success, the hero receives whatever Action Points the slain immortal had remaining, and rolls on the following table:

action points from spycraft or d20 modern? I have only access to d20 modern through the srd.

Roll 1d12:

1-8: Imprinted knowledge: Gain experience as though the slain immortal were 1d3 levels higher than his actual level, as the hero sees momentarily through his enemy's eyes.

Do you mean artificially increase the CR value of the immortal?

9: Natural Knowledge: Gain 2 ranks in one skill that the slain immortal possessed, if that immortal had more ranks in the skill than the hero. These skills are now always considered class skills for the hero. The hero may not gain more ranks than he could have legally purchased (ie, he cannot go above "Level+3" ranks).

I think making it a simple +2 to a skill (skill focus), with no limits (considering the time they have to learn), in a skill that the slain immortal possessed at a higher rank than the winner would be easier to track.

10: Powers of the Dead: Gain 1 feat possessed by the slain immortal. Rolled randomly by the DM. If a feat is selected for which the hero does not qualify (due to pre-requisites or feat chain restrictions), either roll again or give the hero the closest feat for which he qualifies.

(Example: A hero with Power Attack slays his enemy. He would have gained Great Cleave, but he does not have "Cleave", and so receives Cleave instead.)

11: New Eyes: Gain a +1 insight bonus on the highest saving throw that the slain immortal possessed, if the slain immortal's base save is higher than the hero's save. This special insight bonus stacks with others like it, to a maximum insight bonus of +3 on any individual save due to this special knowledge)

That's a bit limiting for character like the MacLeod

12: Rebirth: Gain a +1 inherent bonus to the highest ability score that the slain immortal possessed, if that ability score is higher than the hero's score. This special inherent bonus stacks with others like it, to a maximum inherent bonus of +3 on any individual ability.

idem

On a save that fails by 10 or more, the hero has taken on some unwanted aspect of the slain immortal. This may manifest itself as a change of allegiance, phobia, neurosis, or psychosis.

That's more a plot device than anything else, IIRC there was only one quickening with side effect, the black quickening(?), and after a bit of time, Duncan was able to get rid of the side effect.

With FCTF:

A new immortal get all the immortal abilities with 1 immortal point (HrP)

An immortal who kill another get all of his immortal points, and can spend them as follow, within abilities similar to those possessed by the dead immortal

The immortal point obtained by hero level are transfered in the exact same power (thus explaining the illusion power transfer), when another immortal behead the immortal with hero level.

You can spend normaly up to your level + 3 HrP in one power, after that you need to pay triple cost.

Gain Feat: 2 HrP
You gain a feat, you must have the prerequisite

Heightened Accuracy: 1 HrP
+1 accuracy bonus to attack
You can increase this bonus by 1 point, by paying 2 HrP

Heightened Defense: 2 HrP
+1 dodge AC bonus
You can increase this bonus by 1 point, by paying 2 HrP

Improved weaponery: 3 HrP
+2 to damage with one weapon
You can increase this bonus by 2 points, by paying 2 HrP

Skill Bonus: 2 HrP
You gain a +3 bonus to a skill
You can increase this bonus by 3 points by paying 2 HrP

Skill Knoweldge: 1 HrP
You gain 2 skill points
You gan get 2 more skill point by paying 1 HrP

Super Though: 1 HrP
you gain 2 hit point
You can get 2 more hit point by paying 1 HrP

(/brainstorm)

-Tacky, leaving it to others to pick out the horrible mistakes in this plan.

No horrible mistake as far as I'm concerned

 

[danzig138]

danzig138-The origin of cool power through quickening might comes from the univers of Highlander 2 and the cartoon (with a third macleod as the hero, helped by ramirez).

Oh yeah...the cartoon. I completely forgot about it. The one where the immortals could voluntarily give up their Quickening to the kid...God I hated that. I don't remember special powers in Highlander 2, but I forget that not everyone ignores that one, even the Renegade version.

I think that there might be a problem with xp, a level 20 immortal might get a very meaningful reward in xp from a level 7 immortal. I'm not sure that it should be that way.

The way I do it, it's not a particuarly substantial reward. I'll see if I can find my file.

 

[Morgenstern]

We had some discussion of a Highlander RPG not long ago in this forumn. I'll see if I can't dig up the link.

I seem to recall that in the TV series a relatively young, and largely un-blooded immortal got the drop on an older, heavily blooded immortal, and absorbed the essence... and then pretty much got possessed by the killed immortal's personality because is was SOOooo much more potent (either by virtue of age and experience, or by relative power was never clear). If that's true, then I think you could definitely make a case for major rewards for acking immortals- you simply run into the same problem that the show did (and finally overcame) which is that a "kill the immortal of the week"-based setting is really friking dull. You need to spend a lot more time wrestling with mortals, maybe having whole adventures take place in the past (3-4 session of historical play could make a nice break) have the build up to fighting an immortal be massive. Lord knows if I were an immortal, I'd have lots of minons, allies and sidekicks, and spend weeks mucking with my target's powerbase, before actually coming to blows. If I've got the opportunity to live forever, screw "level playing field"- I want my opponent tired, frustrated, and preferably disarmed. As the ancient recuring immortal in the TV series pointed out to Mcleod "Chivalry was a fad, one already going out of style when you were born." They carry swords because they are comfortable with them, and they're good for decapitation and stopping other swords, but the "Rules" Don't specify much about the duels themselves, just where not to hold them (though I believe the TV show does elaborate on the protocol a bit).

Nobody's asked the hard question yet- "Do I get the guy's quickening if I gun him down, then decapitate him?"

 

[danzig138]

Yeppers

Nobody's asked the hard question yet- "Do I get the guy's quickening if I gun him down, then decapitate him?"

Sure you do. IIRC, the other immortals frowned on the one who had the goon squad shhot down immortals so that he could take their heads with no fight.