Want To Playtest The Fallout RPG?

Doc_Klueless · Jan 10, 2020

lyle.spade said:
They're completely different systems, mechanically. The core role in 2d20 is this: you roll two d20s and try to meet or beat (high is always best) your Target Number, which is the sum of a skill and a governing trait.

Backwards. It's a roll LOW system. A one is considered a double success. A 20 is considered a complications. Aramis does a good job of describing it though I got lost in the TNx, TNXX, etc. Ha! But that's because it's early and I haven't finished my coffee.

This website has a really good run down on the basics of 2d20 and how they differ from one 2d20 game to the next. Which 2d20?

lyle.spade · Jan 10, 2020

Doc_Klueless said:
Backwards. It's a roll LOW system. A one is considered a double success. A 20 is considered a complications. Aramis does a good job of describing it though I got lost in the TNx, TNXX, etc. Ha! But that's because it's early and I haven't finished my coffee.

This website has a really good run down on the basics of 2d20 and how they differ from one 2d20 game to the next. Which 2d20?

He is correct - my mistake!

imagineGod · Jan 14, 2020

aramis erak said:
d20: 1d20 + Mods, roll high. If multiple 20's rolled, it's always keep 1.

2d20: 2d20 to 5d20, by how much you spend from expendables, each counted against 1 or 2 target numbers, to find total "successes," one of which is TNx (Stat A + Stat B), the other, TNxx is either stat B alone, or a third stat, stat C, limited to Stat B. Roll under TN X to get 1 success, and under TN XX to get a second.
In Star Trek, it's Attribute + Discipline for X, and 1 for XX, unless one has a focus that applies, in which case XX is equal to DIscipline.
John Carter, it'sTNX is Attribute A + Attribute B.
Mutant Chronicles and Conan 3e are TN X = Attribute+ Skill, TN XX = 1 or Focus (each skill has a separately learnable focus score, which cannot exceed skill)

My issues with it aren't how the dice are read (I don't mind roll-low), but in how the number of dice are determined, and how that tends to snowball.

And the mathematics have confused me. Probably, several newbies have been scared away from 2d20 after reading the X and XX overview of the system.

Beleriphon · Jan 14, 2020

I don't especially care so long as I can be SPECIAL.

In fact other than the original Fallout games be based on percentile target systems its still an Attribute + Skill setup. Fallout 4 obviously doesn't do that, but I also like the way Fallout 4 handles skills and what not in terms of a video game.

lyle.spade · Jan 14, 2020

imagineGod said:
And the mathematics have confused me. Probably, several newbies have been scared away from 2d20 after reading the X and XX overview of the system.

The system is odd for olde tyme d20 players, and in fact I got the Star Trek play test materials and was confused by it - to the point that I didn't end up participating, which was frustrating because I'm a big ST fan. Anyway, a guy I know ran the Free RPG Day scenario for their Conan game, so I played it more for getting a feel for the system than for wrestling snakes. I ended up liking the system a lot, and our group went on to play Conan (no snakes yet wrestled, sadly) for several months and now Modiphius has a heap of my money in trade for a large stack of Conan books.

The system is great for players who want options, but within a rules framework that is consistent in terms of how it functions. We've had a great time shaping the story and the action both in combat and out of it, and so I've become a big fan of 2d20 and Momentum. In fact, I am testing a version of that subsystem in my 5e game right now - I want my players to have action options without burying them in add'l rules.

All that said, I'm looking forward to play testing Fallout. I have almost zero experience with that IP, and played Gamma World way back when, so this sounds like a fun world in which to play.

Reynard · Jan 15, 2020

Just as a counter opinion, I wanted to say I really like 2d20. It's intuitive and has built in tools for giving players (both individually and as a group) real choice in how easy or tough things get. It's adaptable too: I was initially skeptical the same core system could do both Conan and Star Trek but the details of each individual game makes the difference. I have no doubt they'll be able to make Fallout feel like Fallout with it.

My only hesitation is in which flavor of Fallout they are going to be targeting: Black Isle/Obsidian or Bethesda.

lyle.spade · Jan 16, 2020

Reynard said:
Just as a counter opinion, I wanted to say I really like 2d20. It's intuitive and has built in tools for giving players (both individually and as a group) real choice in how easy or tough things get. It's adaptable too: I was initially skeptical the same core system could do both Conan and Star Trek but the details of each individual game makes the difference. I have no doubt they'll be able to make Fallout feel like Fallout with it.

My only hesitation is in which flavor of Fallout they are going to be targeting: Black Isle/Obsidian or Bethesda.

I agree with you on the system completely.

As for Fallout...no idea! I had a copy that I played, briefly, on a Win95, and I don't remember a thing about the IP, outside of it being post-apocalyptic and that it had some 50s kitsch in it.

Beleriphon · Jan 17, 2020

lyle.spade said:
I agree with you on the system completely.

As for Fallout...no idea! I had a copy that I played, briefly, on a Win95, and I don't remember a thing about the IP, outside of it being post-apocalyptic and that it had some 50s kitsch in it.

Dark humour is also part of it, the new games take that a bit run more into satire than dark humour. Also the term I think you're looking for is Retro-futurism (what the 2076 would like in a copy of 1950s Popular Mechanics). Oh and a heavy, heavy dose of Red Scare paranoia.