Reynard's Repository 2025

[Reynard]

In considering what my TTRPG "resolutions" were for the year, I decided that I wanted to be more intentional in creating and sharing TTRPG ideas. Since I no longer have a blog (I let me domain lapse and hoo boy do the bots want a pretty penny to get it back) and I haven't decided what to do otherwise, I figured for the time being I would use EN World as a sort of "semi-blog."

This thread is not meant to replace my usual meandering discussion threads. Rather, it is here for when I have a definitive idea for a monster, a mechanic, an adventure or a convention campaign. It is a place I plan to kick around ideas and post first drafts and stuff. And, for the record, posting those things will be pretty inconsistent.

But if you aren't on my ignore list and can see this thread, I am probably inclined to hear what you have to say about any particular thing I post here. Again, the point is to work out the kinks in ideas before I turn them into some other thing (if I do).

A Note: As I add stuff, I plan on using this first post as a table of content with links to specific things in it.

Happy New Year and Happy 2025 Gaming all.

CONTENTS:
Post #2: Nazi Dino X-Com Like
Post #5: Dragonbane style Monsters in 5E 2024
Post #10: Milestone Leveling System

 

[Reynard]

One of the long gestating projects that i want to actually get out there this year is my Savage Worlds powered X-Com-like centered around an invasion of time travelling high tech nazi dinosaurs. So I spent some time working up an Introduction.

Remember: this is purely draft material. My goal is to make progress, not be perfect.
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NOTE: Sauroid Invasion is a placeholder name. Obviously. It sucks. Anyway

INTRODUCTION

From the depths of time comes an enemy set on conquering our world and turning us into both slaves and cattle for the slaughterhouse.

SAUROID INVASION is a Savage Worlds Adventure Edition (SWADE) campaign setting and plot-point campaign that pits the player characters against a high-tech fascist dinosaur invasion. Inspired by the likes of X-Com: UFO Defense and other similar games, SAUROID INVASION has the PCs not just fighting the bad guys but capturing, adapting and improving on their advanced technology to win the day.

Exactly what that looks like and how it plays out is up to you, depending on what sort of campaign you want to run and how you want to structure adventures.

CAMPAIGN FRAMEWORKS

SAUROID INVASION can be played in a number of different styles, or campaign frameworks.

Traditional Campaign: In this framework, the game is played as any other tabletop RPG campaign. The Players create their characters and explore the setting and scenarios that the GM presents. Characters fight, succeed, gain experience, falter and perhaps die in the usual way that happens for high octane Savage Worlds heroes. In this framework, the PCs might be a specialized team of operatives, or even just folks who happened along the SAUROID INVASION by accident and have taken it upon themselves to stop it.

Troupe Campaign: In this framework, the players don’t create just a single character for their use. Instead, the players collectively create a troupe of PCs. Characters of all kinds, from combat specialists to techies to medics and diplomats, are created as part of a group or organization fighting the SAUROID INVASION, and each time the players embark on a mission or adventure, they choose an appropriate team. This framework works best when the PCs represent members of an agency or organization dedicated to stopping the invasion. Base building and capturing Sauroid technology may also figure into this framework if the players so desire.

Tactical Versus: This framework is different from the others and leans more heavily into the tactical skirmish game than the role-playing aspects of play. One or more players controlling an assault team is pitted against the GM controlled Sauroid invaders in a competitive, no-holds-barred contest of tactical skill. While there is a throughline that defines the campaign, roleplaying elements like exploration and NPC interactions are de-emphasized in favor of base building and capturing and developing high tech weapons and equipment.

All of these frameworks are compatible with the included SAUROID INVASION Plot Point Campaign. Notes for each framework are provided in that chapter.

THE SAUROID INVADERS

In the final days of the Cretaceous Period, the Sauroid Empire had taken control of their world -- our world, Earth, 65 million years ago.

Before their brutal conquest, theirs had been but one among many highly developed nations of a handful of intelligent, sentient dinosaurs (mostly theropods and troodontids). When astronomers discovered the imminent, civilization ending impact just a few decades into the future, chaos ensued. In the end, the Sauroid Empire, with its relentless war machine and uncompromising ideology, won the day and controlled what remained of the dinosaur civilization.

Due to the unique characteristics of the oxygen heavy atmosphere of the time, dinosaur civilization had not and could not develop effective rocket technology. There was no way to escape the planet or destroy the incoming impactor.

But the Sauroid civilization was old. They had mastered theoretical physics centuries before and developed powerful reactors and particle accelerators. These technologies would prove to be the savior of the Sauroid civilization and the end of ours: the Sauroid Empire would drill a hole through time to our era and invade!

Why our era? The Sauroid scientists had no clue what lay in the future. However, they could create what is known as a closed timelike curve, effectively a wormhole that slowly burrowed itself toward the future. Its other end could not open on its own, but if another civilization detected the temporal anomaly and discovered its nature, that civilization could create an aperture and anchor. Once anchored the wormhole becomes stable and passage through time and space is possible.

The Sauroids created numerous closed timelike curves in their era and watched them carefully as the clock counted down to the extinction level event coming their way.

Unfortunately for us, a small research team in our era discovered an unexpected source of tachyons emerging from the past and built a machine to anchor the flow. None of them survived the initial incursion by the Sauroids. Using advanced stealth technology, the Sauroids proceeded to spread out and anchor other wormholes and establish beacheads in our era.

The secret invasion is almost over and the real conquest is about to begin -- unless the player characters can stop it.

 

[Autumnal]

I don’t know that I’d run it, but I’d for sure want to follow along.

 

[Reynard]

One thing: I have no idea where I am going to procure art.

 

[Reynard]

This is an idea I have been thinking about for a while: incorporating Dragonbane's monster rules into 5E. I finally decided to try it out. I look forward to your thoughts.
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“Dragonbane” Style Monsters in D&D 5E 2024

The purpose of this draft is to explore incorporating the “monster” system from Dragonbane into D&D 5E 2024. In Dragonbane, “monsters” (such as dragons) do not operate under the same combat rules as player characters or other NPCs. They do not “make attacks” but rather oll on a table to determine what they do on their turn, often causing damage and effects without any sort of “to hit” roll (but PCs have the option to make dodge and occasionally parry checks to avoid the effects).

This is obviously a change from how D&D 5E conducts combat, which is exactly why I am interested in exploring it.

Note that the monster I used is the Ancient Green Dragon as presented in a preview page image from the upcoming 2024 Monster manual. I extracted the text from that image using a LLM AI.

In order to incorporate the Dragonbane monster rules into 5E, the following additions and adjustments to stats must be considered:

Ferocity, in Dragonbane, determines the number of times a monster gets to act in a combat round. In Dragonbane, this is represented by the number of initiative cards that the dragon draws at the start of the round. In 5E, if a creature gets multiple actions, they happen on its turn.

For this exercise, I suggest the following: the dragon rolls a separate initiative check equal to its Ferocity and acts on each of those results.

Attacks and Saving throws are not really a part of monster attacks in Dragonbane, aside from the previously mentioned dodge or parry (which uses the PC’s action). Monster actions just work. I think this is a good thing to incorporate into 5E, especially for boss monsters, because, to be frank, boss monsters whiffing is anticlimactic and no fun.

Therefore, the effects of the action rolled on the chart happen as described UNLESS the PC uses their reaction (assuming they still have it) to attempt to avoid it. “Avoid” provides the ability saving throw DC if (and ONLY if) the PC uses their reaction.

ANCIENT GREEN DRAGON

Ancient green dragons are creatures of legend, rarely seen by their servants or foes. Via magic and well-hidden agents, these dragons stoke suspicion between allies and undermine noble works. As bonds fray, the dragons reap rewards of greater wealth and control. Eventually, the ambitions of ancient green dragons stretch beyond their territories as they seek control over empires, planar realms, or death itself.

ANCIENT GREEN DRAGON

Gargantuan Dragonoid

Ferocity 3

AC 21 HP 402 (23d10 + 161) Speed 40 ft., fly 50 ft., swim 40 ft.

STR 27 (+8) DEX 12 (+1) CON 25 (+7) INT 20 (+5) WIS 17 (+3) CHA 22 (+6)

Skills Perception +17, Persuasion +13, Stealth +6 Senses Blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 27 Languages Common, Draconic CR 22 (XP 41,000 or 50,000 in lair)

TRAITS

• Amphibious. The dragon can breathe air and water.
• Battle Ready. The dragon has advantage on its first initiative roll initiative roll. The other 2 initiative rolls are made normally.

ACTIONS (Roll 1d6)

1-2. Rend: the dragon targets one combatant and does 2d8+8 slashing damage as well as 3d6 poison damage. Avoid: Dex 25

3. Roar: every creature within a 50’ radius (other than the dragon’s thralls) is frightened for 1 minute. Avoid: Wis 21

4. Wing Buffet: all creatures within 15 feet of the dragon take 3d6+8 bludgeoning damage. Large or smaller creatures are pushed (1d4+1)x5 feet away from the dragon. Avoid: Str 21

5. Draconic Mastery: the dragon casts Charm Monster on a target (no save). Avoid: Wis 21.

6. Poison breath: the dragon blasts corrosive poison in a 90 foot cone, causing 22d6 poison damage. Avoid: Con 22.

REACTIONS

The Ferocity system alleviates the need for most monster reactions. The dragon only has 1 reaction, per normal, and can use it to Rend as above as an attack of opportunity.

 

[Smackpixi]

I’m all for monsters not following normal combat rules. Like give kobolds unlimited reactions to c###punch on enemies at least one size larger in melee with a 1d4 to halt attacks on them, whatever. I like the idea, but in practice leads to tedious rules often. But kept simple with surprises, yes. Also, as a general game design principle, good, keeping monsters more mysterious.

 

[Reynard]

I’m all for monsters not following normal combat rules. Like give kobolds unlimited reactions to c###punch on enemies at least one size larger in melee with a 1d4 to halt attacks on them, whatever. I like the idea, but in practice leads to tedious rules often. But kept simple with surprises, yes. Also, as a general game design principle, good, keeping monsters more mysterious.

I think monsters should be more interesting in general, but the Dragonbane method detailed above is reserved for "boss monsters."

 

[GMMichael]

Therefore, the effects of the action rolled on the chart happen as described UNLESS the PC uses their reaction (assuming they still have it) to attempt to avoid it. “Avoid” provides the ability saving throw DC if (and ONLY if) the PC uses their reaction.

This seems to throw a good chunk of the armor rules out with the bathwater. How are you accounting for a solid AC 20?

 

[Reynard]

This seems to throw a good chunk of the armor rules out with the bathwater. How are you accounting for a solid AC 20?

Good question. I considered making it some sort of "armor check" but decided since only one attack is really an "attack" it wasn't worth the effort.

After all the point is to make monsters monstrous.

 

[Reynard]

Milestone Leveling System for D&D 5E

This is an attempt to create a codified milestone leveling system for 5E (2014 or 2024).

BASICS: In order to gain the next level, a character must achieve a number of Milestones equal to their current level. So, a 1st level character reaches second level after achieving one milestone, and a 9th level character reaches 10th level after achieving nine milestones.

TYPES OF MILESTONES: Milestones come in three types: Adventure, Campaign and Personal.
Adventure Milestones are major points in an adventure. For simple adventures, there is usually one milestone: whatever the “completion” conditions are. For example, if the adventure is based on a band of orcs raiding a frontier settlement, the Adventure Milestone is stopping those raids. Note that Adventure Milestones should not expressly determine HOW the PCs accomplish the milestone. Longer and more complex adventures may have more than one Milestone, and these may be “side events.” For example, if the above described adventure also included a group of captives taken by the orcs, there might be an Adventure Milestone for rescuing those captives and getting them home. Note that all PCs involved in reaching the Milestones earn them for the purposes of advancement.
Campaign Milestones are based on the broader scope of the campaign. They may be established by the GM, be the result of play, or be designated by the PCs. The important distinction between an Adventure Milestone and a Campaign milestone is that a Campaign Milestone is something with a lasting effect on the campaign as a whole. An example might be that in the campaign, the PCs work for the local Lord and the Lord has a corrupt advisor who is using their position for nefarious purposes. There is no particular, singular adventure associated with the advisor, but if the PCs are able to expose them or otherwise reveal or end their corruption, that is a Campaign milestone. As with Adventure Milestones, all characters involved earn the Milestone.
Personal Milestones, as the name implies, are specific to an individual character. The player should set a few achievable Personal Milestones at character creation, and more Personal milestones will naturally suggest themselves throughout play. Personal Milestones can be almost anything, but initially should emerge from the character’s background/backstory, and later from actual play. An example of a Personal milestone might be that a character started their adventuring career in order to earn enough money to pay for a curse to be removed from a loved one. When that happens, the PC earns a Personal Milestone toward advancing in level. Note, too, that the achieving of a Personal Milestone might suggest new ones.

ADJUDICATING MILESTONES: Ultimately it is up to the GM to determine when the characters succeed in achieving their milestones, as a group and individually. The GM should be a fan of the PCs and want them to succeed in this, while at the same time not making the process too easy.
Milestones should be clear. That is, the PCs should know what qualifies as a milestone and what it means to achieve it. Again, the GM should not prescribe exact “solutions” that achieve the milestones, only conditions that define the milestones as achieved. When milestones emerge in play, the GM should let the players know so they can take note of them and decide when and how to pursue achieving them. GMs are strongly encouraged NOT to use “secret milestones” since the point of the system is to have players choose to reach toward them of their own accord.

NON-MILESTONE ACHIEVEMENTS: Not everything the PCs set out to do qualifies as a milestone. If the PCs want to go monster hunting for special crafting components, or delve into some old barrows for loose change, these do not necessarily qualify as adventures with Adventure Milestones. That is to say, not every activity the PCs engage in should explicitly lead toward leveling up.