Posted on Apr 11, 2012 under Uncategorized |
So I’ve spent a lot of time making conversions for my favorite settings to my favorite RPG rules. I’ve learned a lot. Meaning I’ve made many mistakes. I’ve tried to focus on just the setting, not trying to replicate rules, which is a slippery slope to convoluted rules monstrosities.
Trying to replicate every detail creates an avalanche of new rules. These rules become a frightful mess, are a deterrent to your players and bog down play since you are now looking things up in yet another set of rules.
Recently I gave myself the challenge to try to distill just the key things that would let me play in the Dragon Age setting with the Savage Worlds rules. I was able to come up with a one-page conversion. You can find it on the Downloads page. This is just a basic set of rules additions and changes to let me use my favorite RPG rules to game in my favorite setting. I didn’t create a world book. I didn’t create a new RPG. But what I did create will let me play Dragon Age with Savage Worlds rules tonight!
Previously I created a one page rules set to let me play The Mystery Men with Savage Worlds, also available on the Downloads page.
So here is my Challenge: Create a one page (or one sheet) conversion of your favorite setting for your favorite rules. Don’t try to recreate rules, or setting info. Just focus on what makes your favorite setting tick and stick to only those rules tweaks to your favorite gaming system. You can print it off, fold it in half, and put it in the front cover of your favorite rulebook. Then, and this is the best part, go play it!
[Edit - I just saw the storm about the new Savage Worlds Earth Dawn and how some feel it has too many rules, some think it is just right and others think it needs more. This blog post HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT topic. I just want to be clear that I am not throwing any more fuel on the fire.]
Posted on Apr 11, 2012 under For Game Masters, For Players, Savage Worlds |
I made this for my Savage Dragon Age conversion but I like it so much, I’ll probably use it in most of my fantasy Savage Worlds games.
MAGIC STAVES
Mages may bond a spell to a staff. They must decide how many Power Points they want the power to use. They lose double that many Power Points until they remove the power from the staff. Binding a spell to a staff takes ten minutes and requires a successful Magic skill roll.
A mage may remove a bonded spell from a staff as an act of will if they are the one that bound it at any range. A binding is severed if the staff is destroyed. A mage may only use a spell bound in a staff that she bound herself. It takes ten minutes and a successful Magic skill roll at a -2 penalty to remove someone else’s bonded spell from a staff.
A mage may use their staff bonded spell, using their magic skill roll as normal but there is no power point cost.
Example: A mage binds the Bolt power with cold trappings (cold damage) with 2 Power Points. The Cold Staff can now be used to fire (using the mage’s Magic skill) one bolt per round for 3d6 damage at no Power Point cost to the mage. The mage’s total Power Points until the spell is removed from the staff are reduced by 4.
Posted on Apr 11, 2012 under For Game Masters, For Players, General, Savage Worlds |
Savage Worlds Deluxe Explorer’s Edition
and still only $9.99!
I bought the PDF of this back in August. It is an amazing update. I can’t believe they kept it at the $10 mark.
Hightlights: expansion of races and creating races, archetypes, more edges, more gear, more powers, better mass combat, better chase scenes, more monsters, and lots and lots of behind the scenese examples and explainations of why the game works the way it does. Oh, and three adventures.
Posted on Apr 11, 2012 under For Game Masters, For Players, Savage Worlds, Uncategorized |
On the downloads page you can find a very minimalist approach to using the Savage Worlds rules to role-play in the Dragon Age setting. This isn’t a rulset describing the setting nor does it try to duplicated the existing excellent role-playing rules by Green Ronin nor does it try to describe game features of the video game. It is a set of rules to get you up and running a role-playing game in Thedas in about 5 min.
Posted on Feb 21, 2012 under For Game Masters, Space |
I use Christopher West’s maps in my games. They are very high quality and come at a great price.
Posted on Feb 02, 2012 under For Game Masters, General, Savage Worlds |
Here’s a quick weather generation system I made for a land that stays about the same year round. The main weather differences are regional. You could easily add effects of extreme heat or cold and make a seasonal chart for each of your own regions. Also, these charts just give you the general weather. You should always feel free to mix it up occasionally, esp. when plot demands it. (Do I really need to write that?)
Draw Two cards: first card determines weather type, second determines duration. If a Joker is drawn, the weather will be clear for the next d6+5 days. The suit of the first card could also indicate temperature: Clubs, cold; Hearts, Warm; Diamonds, Mild; Spades, extreme(even, hot; odd, cold)/strong winds.
Duration 2-10, hours; Jack d4 days, Queen d6 days, King d8 days, Ace d10 days.
ASCADIAN ISLES
10-Ace Clear
4-9 Cloudy
3 Thunderstorm
2 Rain
ASHLANDS
Ace Clear
Jack-King Cloudy
7-10 Ash
4-6 Overcast
2-3 Foggy
AZURA’S COAST
Queen-Ace Clear
6-Jack Cloudy
5 Overcast
4 Thunderstorm
3 Foggy
2 Rain
BITTER COAST
Ace Clear
7-King Cloudy
5-6 Thunderstorm
4 Foggy
2-3 Rain
GRAZELANDS
Jack-King Clear
6-10 Cloudy
5 Overcast
4 Thunderstorm
2-3 Rain
MOLAG AMUR
Ace Clear
Queen-King Cloudy
9-Jack Ash
6-8 Overcast
2-5 Foggy
RED MOUNTAIN
2-Ace Blight
SHEOGORAD
King-Ace Clear
7-Queen Cloudy
5-6 Overcast
4 Thunderstorm
3 Foggy
2 Rain
WEST GASH
King-Ace Clear
9-Queen Cloudy
6-8 Overcast
5 Thunderstorm
4 Rain
2-3 Foggy
PDF 
