grufflehead
First Post
Hey all
Fuelled by watching the first 3 seasons of Alias while on holiday, I'm inspired to run a conspiracy type game. I've just acquired ConX edition first Ed which I like bits of but found somewhat confusingly written in places, and I've got D20 modern as well, but I want a break from D20, plus I don't think the ruleset/mechanics really give me the feel I want this time.
So, let me jack into the collective brain of ENWorld and see what other suggestions you guys have. Some of my choices/limitations are:
- like I said, just want away from D20 for now. I've got True20 but even that isn't quite removed enough (although the combat system looks nice and lethal, heh, heh
). I do want to have 'specialists' among the characters, but for them all to be competent at a range of basics (eg computer use, acting, driving, firearms etc) - and in the past I've found D20 to encourage characters which are just superhumanly good at one or two things once they get up a few levels. One of the things I liked about ConX was the simple difficulty scale, so if a task was 2 levels above the PC's skill they couldn't do it (short of working together, more time, gear etc) but then easier tasks didn't even need to be rolled for.
- the plot will likely be something similar to the Alias arc with Rimbaldi, plus I like the idea of intragroup paranoia. The hook will be that they are an inter-agency force (probably NATO based) so there will be lots of opportunities for organisational mistrust and factionalism.
- I don't want aliens or monsters (thought about Delta Green as well), although cinematically unrealistic devices will exist where appropriate
- I really like the ConX ESP system so if I don't use the rest of the ruleset I'd consider transplanting just that part of it.
If I do get it up and running, to further aid confusion and misdirection, I'm only going to ask the players to give me backgrounds including agency, stats and any traits/advantages that they see their characters with. Once I decide how many points they will be allowed to buy the rest, I'm going to start the game, and once they are required to perform a task I'll just ask who is going to do it, and how good their PC is at it - then assign them an appropriate rank, and check off the points. Once they have run out, then that's their finalised character. I'm hoping this will also help fuel paranoia as they will only know some of what the others are capable of, so when things start to go wrong, they might jump to the wrong conclusions as to who might have done it. Has anyone tried this sort of generation on-the-fly before?
Fuelled by watching the first 3 seasons of Alias while on holiday, I'm inspired to run a conspiracy type game. I've just acquired ConX edition first Ed which I like bits of but found somewhat confusingly written in places, and I've got D20 modern as well, but I want a break from D20, plus I don't think the ruleset/mechanics really give me the feel I want this time.
So, let me jack into the collective brain of ENWorld and see what other suggestions you guys have. Some of my choices/limitations are:
- like I said, just want away from D20 for now. I've got True20 but even that isn't quite removed enough (although the combat system looks nice and lethal, heh, heh

- the plot will likely be something similar to the Alias arc with Rimbaldi, plus I like the idea of intragroup paranoia. The hook will be that they are an inter-agency force (probably NATO based) so there will be lots of opportunities for organisational mistrust and factionalism.
- I don't want aliens or monsters (thought about Delta Green as well), although cinematically unrealistic devices will exist where appropriate

- I really like the ConX ESP system so if I don't use the rest of the ruleset I'd consider transplanting just that part of it.
If I do get it up and running, to further aid confusion and misdirection, I'm only going to ask the players to give me backgrounds including agency, stats and any traits/advantages that they see their characters with. Once I decide how many points they will be allowed to buy the rest, I'm going to start the game, and once they are required to perform a task I'll just ask who is going to do it, and how good their PC is at it - then assign them an appropriate rank, and check off the points. Once they have run out, then that's their finalised character. I'm hoping this will also help fuel paranoia as they will only know some of what the others are capable of, so when things start to go wrong, they might jump to the wrong conclusions as to who might have done it. Has anyone tried this sort of generation on-the-fly before?