1. Character Creation
2. Mechanics
3. Structure
The Rules of the Game
Re: The Rules of the Game
1. Character Creation
All PCs have the following seven attributes:
Force - raw ability to make stuff happen physically. Strength, indomitability, etc.
Fighting - some combination of natural talent and training that provides hand-to-hand combat ability.
Coordination - finesse of body and mind, allowing for agility, aim, speed, evasion, etc.
Reason - knowledge, cleverness, quick wit, or hard-won book learnin'.
Focus - willpower, concentration, mettle.
Endurance - awareness of one's limits and ability to push them.
Appeal - charm, charisma, good looks, trained leadership ability, persuasiveness.
All abilities begin with a value of 3. Additionally, starting characters have 5 points to distribute any way they please on top of those values, and may reduce two abilities by 1 point each to gain an additional point to spend. They may do this up to twice.
Next, the character's Health score is calculated by adding their Fighting, Focus and Endurance scores together.
The values indicate the following levels, except for Health:
0 - non-existent
1 - low human
2 - average human
3 - 5 - gifted human
6 - 10 - superhuman
11+ - god-like
Note that this makes "god-like" abilities just out of reach for starting characters. The basic form of roll is 2d6+ability score value vs. a target number or an opponent's roll, so increases to attributes provide flat bonuses.
Each character also starts with two "knacks": things the character is naturally good at. Reed Richards would have Scientific Research as a knack, for example, while Wolverine might have Tracking and Killing. A knack provides a flat +1 bonus to any roll where that skill is applicable.
Each character also starts with three powers, defined as specific abilities (not sets of abilities). Human Torch, for example, might pick Fire Form, Flight, and Fire Shooting as three powers.
Each power begins at level 0, or basic ability. It allows the character to roll 2d6 plus a relevant ability score to do things the power would allow, against a target number based on the difficulty of the task. Higher level powers allow the player to add the power level to any roll where use of the power would make a task easier.
A character may sacrifice any number of powers at character creation to increase the level of the remaining powers (all of them) by one.
Finally, the character must come with roots in the world. Define one NPC superhuman that is an ally, mentor, rival or enemy of the PC. Give them generally-described powers but don't make up a sheet for them.
Additionally, describe an NPC normal human who can be a contact, friend, family member or romantic interest/partner of the PC.
Give your super a name and/or identity and a reason to fight crime, and now you're ready to start!
All PCs have the following seven attributes:
Force - raw ability to make stuff happen physically. Strength, indomitability, etc.
Fighting - some combination of natural talent and training that provides hand-to-hand combat ability.
Coordination - finesse of body and mind, allowing for agility, aim, speed, evasion, etc.
Reason - knowledge, cleverness, quick wit, or hard-won book learnin'.
Focus - willpower, concentration, mettle.
Endurance - awareness of one's limits and ability to push them.
Appeal - charm, charisma, good looks, trained leadership ability, persuasiveness.
All abilities begin with a value of 3. Additionally, starting characters have 5 points to distribute any way they please on top of those values, and may reduce two abilities by 1 point each to gain an additional point to spend. They may do this up to twice.
Next, the character's Health score is calculated by adding their Fighting, Focus and Endurance scores together.
The values indicate the following levels, except for Health:
0 - non-existent
1 - low human
2 - average human
3 - 5 - gifted human
6 - 10 - superhuman
11+ - god-like
Note that this makes "god-like" abilities just out of reach for starting characters. The basic form of roll is 2d6+ability score value vs. a target number or an opponent's roll, so increases to attributes provide flat bonuses.
Each character also starts with two "knacks": things the character is naturally good at. Reed Richards would have Scientific Research as a knack, for example, while Wolverine might have Tracking and Killing. A knack provides a flat +1 bonus to any roll where that skill is applicable.
Each character also starts with three powers, defined as specific abilities (not sets of abilities). Human Torch, for example, might pick Fire Form, Flight, and Fire Shooting as three powers.
Each power begins at level 0, or basic ability. It allows the character to roll 2d6 plus a relevant ability score to do things the power would allow, against a target number based on the difficulty of the task. Higher level powers allow the player to add the power level to any roll where use of the power would make a task easier.
A character may sacrifice any number of powers at character creation to increase the level of the remaining powers (all of them) by one.
Finally, the character must come with roots in the world. Define one NPC superhuman that is an ally, mentor, rival or enemy of the PC. Give them generally-described powers but don't make up a sheet for them.
Additionally, describe an NPC normal human who can be a contact, friend, family member or romantic interest/partner of the PC.
Give your super a name and/or identity and a reason to fight crime, and now you're ready to start!
Re: The Rules of the Game
2. Mechanics
First, this game is based on the principle of Say Yes or Roll the Dice, which means that you as a player have a fairly free hand in helping to build the world and tell the story through narrating actions for your character. I will only step in to say 'not so fast' when you either contradict something I know to be true about the game world, or are entering the realm where dice get rolled and failure has real consequence.
The core mechanic is an easy one: 2d6+attribute vs. target number based on the difficulty of the task.
We will use a "double-take" system of action declaration that looks in principle something like the following:
"Zippo the Firestorm will use his flame generation power (level 0) coupled with super speed (level 1) to surround the bad guys with a ring of flame before they can get away!
If they're too far away, or seem too fast-moving, he will try to set up a wall of fire to block the alley escape route at least."
This gives the hero the chance to size up a situation and act most appropriately based on triggers. It could be "am I fast enough?" But it could just as easily be triggered by target numbers. "Brutus Ettu will try to throw a car at Gargax the Mighty if the TN isn't higher than 12 (he doesnt want to try a risky shot that might hit civilians), or close to try and wrestle him to the ground if not."
In these cases, the player will get the benefit of any target defensive rolls to know whether something is a good move.
Actions in combat happen simultaneously, unless one or more players have abilities that allow them to act faster than the others. Actions by these characters are resolved in descending power level order.
All weapons deal a default 1d6 damage, + the measure of success over the target number. Except when using guns, this number can be reduced after it is rolled to prevent mortal injuries, but does not have to be. This damage is inflicted to the character's health.
When a character's health hits 0, he or she is unconscious for the rest of the scene. If it dips below 0, critical injury is sustained. For each point of negative health, the player selects an attribute to take 2 points of reduction. This ability score damage is healed at a rate of one per scene in which the character takes part, and persists between issues.
Health is restored to full at the end of an issue. An unconscious character is healed to 1 health at the beginning of their next scene.
It is very, very difficult for a character to die--it requires taking damage from a single attack that cannot be absorbed by remaining attribute points, as unconscious characters cannot be targeted by attacks (though they can be held in situations where their life is at risk due to falling, drowning etc).
Once per issue, each character involved can have their Moment of Glory. This is invoked before the character is set to make a die roll. Instead of rolling, the player can inform the GM and other players that all the dice on this roll will come up 6es. Be warned that powerful villains may have this ability as well!
First, this game is based on the principle of Say Yes or Roll the Dice, which means that you as a player have a fairly free hand in helping to build the world and tell the story through narrating actions for your character. I will only step in to say 'not so fast' when you either contradict something I know to be true about the game world, or are entering the realm where dice get rolled and failure has real consequence.
The core mechanic is an easy one: 2d6+attribute vs. target number based on the difficulty of the task.
We will use a "double-take" system of action declaration that looks in principle something like the following:
"Zippo the Firestorm will use his flame generation power (level 0) coupled with super speed (level 1) to surround the bad guys with a ring of flame before they can get away!
If they're too far away, or seem too fast-moving, he will try to set up a wall of fire to block the alley escape route at least."
This gives the hero the chance to size up a situation and act most appropriately based on triggers. It could be "am I fast enough?" But it could just as easily be triggered by target numbers. "Brutus Ettu will try to throw a car at Gargax the Mighty if the TN isn't higher than 12 (he doesnt want to try a risky shot that might hit civilians), or close to try and wrestle him to the ground if not."
In these cases, the player will get the benefit of any target defensive rolls to know whether something is a good move.
Actions in combat happen simultaneously, unless one or more players have abilities that allow them to act faster than the others. Actions by these characters are resolved in descending power level order.
All weapons deal a default 1d6 damage, + the measure of success over the target number. Except when using guns, this number can be reduced after it is rolled to prevent mortal injuries, but does not have to be. This damage is inflicted to the character's health.
When a character's health hits 0, he or she is unconscious for the rest of the scene. If it dips below 0, critical injury is sustained. For each point of negative health, the player selects an attribute to take 2 points of reduction. This ability score damage is healed at a rate of one per scene in which the character takes part, and persists between issues.
Health is restored to full at the end of an issue. An unconscious character is healed to 1 health at the beginning of their next scene.
It is very, very difficult for a character to die--it requires taking damage from a single attack that cannot be absorbed by remaining attribute points, as unconscious characters cannot be targeted by attacks (though they can be held in situations where their life is at risk due to falling, drowning etc).
Once per issue, each character involved can have their Moment of Glory. This is invoked before the character is set to make a die roll. Instead of rolling, the player can inform the GM and other players that all the dice on this roll will come up 6es. Be warned that powerful villains may have this ability as well!
Re: The Rules of the Game
3. Structure
The campaign is divided into Months, which are the life-cycle for issues/adventures.
At the beginning of each month, the GM will make a Story Pitch that will update all the players on developments in the campaign world and allow them to jump in where they find it most exciting to do so. If none of the plot hooks provided seem intriguing, a player can choose to pitch their own idea.
All players who wish to participate in that month pick books or player pitches to join, and those groups are sorted into specific issues by who is involved. No character can select more than one pitch to join in a given month.
An Issue is a thread created to handle the developments related to a given pitch element. An issue comprises one major combat scene along with up to three character scenes that focus on specific characters, and any number of additional small combat scenes. These will be framed and ordered based on GM preference and the group's planned approach to the pitch.
At the end of each Issue, each participating character gains one experience point, and the participants plus GM will vote on one character to receive the MVP award of one additional experience point.
Once a character's issue is complete they may spend experience, engage with contacts or allies, or do logistical work as appropriate. When all issues are complete, the GM will wrap up the month's events with a pitch for the next month describing the ongoing flow of various subplots.
The campaign is divided into Months, which are the life-cycle for issues/adventures.
At the beginning of each month, the GM will make a Story Pitch that will update all the players on developments in the campaign world and allow them to jump in where they find it most exciting to do so. If none of the plot hooks provided seem intriguing, a player can choose to pitch their own idea.
All players who wish to participate in that month pick books or player pitches to join, and those groups are sorted into specific issues by who is involved. No character can select more than one pitch to join in a given month.
An Issue is a thread created to handle the developments related to a given pitch element. An issue comprises one major combat scene along with up to three character scenes that focus on specific characters, and any number of additional small combat scenes. These will be framed and ordered based on GM preference and the group's planned approach to the pitch.
At the end of each Issue, each participating character gains one experience point, and the participants plus GM will vote on one character to receive the MVP award of one additional experience point.
Once a character's issue is complete they may spend experience, engage with contacts or allies, or do logistical work as appropriate. When all issues are complete, the GM will wrap up the month's events with a pitch for the next month describing the ongoing flow of various subplots.
Re: The Rules of the Game
2.b Mechanics Part 2
Sample Target Numbers (TNs) for actions based on Force as a reference
TN 6 or lower - not worth testing, automatic action for anyone with the relevant ability of 1+. Listing objects up to 100 pounds out of combat, lifting up to 50 pounds during combat.
TN 7 - lifting and carrying a normal-sized human during combat
TN 8 - breaking open a normal wooden door (Force 3+ can perform automatically)
TN 9 - lifting and throwing a normal human or manhole cover (Force 4+ auto)
TN 10 - lifting and throwing a full 55-gallon drum (Force 6+ auto)
TN 11 - lifting and throwing a motorcycle (Force 7+ auto)
TN 12 - lifting and throwing a medium sized car (Force 8+ auto)
TN 13 - lifting and throwing a pickup or SUV (Force 9+ auto)
TN 14 - pushing around a semi trailer or train car (Force 10+ auto)
TN 15 - tossing a semi trailer or train car (Force 11+ auto)
---
Advancement:
Increasing any attribute by one requires 2 experience points.
Increasing any power level by one requires experience points equal to the level to which it is advancing.
Purchasing a new level-0 power requires 5 experience points.
Villains gain 2 experience points for each issue in which they make an appearance, plus one additional if they defeat the heroes or succeed in their plans (specific goals for that issue).
Sample Target Numbers (TNs) for actions based on Force as a reference
TN 6 or lower - not worth testing, automatic action for anyone with the relevant ability of 1+. Listing objects up to 100 pounds out of combat, lifting up to 50 pounds during combat.
TN 7 - lifting and carrying a normal-sized human during combat
TN 8 - breaking open a normal wooden door (Force 3+ can perform automatically)
TN 9 - lifting and throwing a normal human or manhole cover (Force 4+ auto)
TN 10 - lifting and throwing a full 55-gallon drum (Force 6+ auto)
TN 11 - lifting and throwing a motorcycle (Force 7+ auto)
TN 12 - lifting and throwing a medium sized car (Force 8+ auto)
TN 13 - lifting and throwing a pickup or SUV (Force 9+ auto)
TN 14 - pushing around a semi trailer or train car (Force 10+ auto)
TN 15 - tossing a semi trailer or train car (Force 11+ auto)
---
Advancement:
Increasing any attribute by one requires 2 experience points.
Increasing any power level by one requires experience points equal to the level to which it is advancing.
Purchasing a new level-0 power requires 5 experience points.
Villains gain 2 experience points for each issue in which they make an appearance, plus one additional if they defeat the heroes or succeed in their plans (specific goals for that issue).
Re: The Rules of the Game
2.c Mechanics Part 3
A selection of common combat actions to get a sense of what they look like:
Types of defenses:
If a combatant is in melee with at least one another combatant, they cannot avoid incoming attacks except from their target (see below). Instead, the target number for attacks to strike the PC is its Endurance score.
If the combatant is not in melee, the TN is the higher of their Endurance or Coordination.
Any combatant can choose to attempt to resist or evade one attack per round without penalty, by making an Endurance or Coordination roll to oppose the attack. This is limited as above, by whether the Pc is in melee.
A PC can forgo all other actions in a given round to resist or evade all incoming attacks--making one Endurance or Coordination roll to oppose to all incoming attacks that round. If Endurance is used, the PC cannot move.
Melee vs. melee attacks
If two characters are attacking one another at close range, they make opposed Fighting rolls. The high scorer deals damage using a measure of success based on much they beat the opponent's score. Both remain in melee after the round unless one is disabled.
Ranged vs ranged
Two attackers firing at one another with ranged attacks make an opposed Coordination roll, with the high roller striking the other with a measure of success equal to the difference in the rolls.
Melee vs. ranged
If a character is starting at range and wishes to make an attack against someone with a ranged weapon who can move and fire, or vice versa, it is an opposed fighting and coordination roll. The winner strikes and gains their optimal positioning.
A selection of common combat actions to get a sense of what they look like:
Types of defenses:
If a combatant is in melee with at least one another combatant, they cannot avoid incoming attacks except from their target (see below). Instead, the target number for attacks to strike the PC is its Endurance score.
If the combatant is not in melee, the TN is the higher of their Endurance or Coordination.
Any combatant can choose to attempt to resist or evade one attack per round without penalty, by making an Endurance or Coordination roll to oppose the attack. This is limited as above, by whether the Pc is in melee.
A PC can forgo all other actions in a given round to resist or evade all incoming attacks--making one Endurance or Coordination roll to oppose to all incoming attacks that round. If Endurance is used, the PC cannot move.
Melee vs. melee attacks
If two characters are attacking one another at close range, they make opposed Fighting rolls. The high scorer deals damage using a measure of success based on much they beat the opponent's score. Both remain in melee after the round unless one is disabled.
Ranged vs ranged
Two attackers firing at one another with ranged attacks make an opposed Coordination roll, with the high roller striking the other with a measure of success equal to the difference in the rolls.
Melee vs. ranged
If a character is starting at range and wishes to make an attack against someone with a ranged weapon who can move and fire, or vice versa, it is an opposed fighting and coordination roll. The winner strikes and gains their optimal positioning.
Re: The Rules of the Game
Wiki:
A wiki has been made to keep track of miscellaneous information about various elements of the game. Please navigate to:
http://the-vanguard.wikidot.com
to participate or to view the knowledge base. You can sign up for an account for free and apply to be a member right from the main page of the site.
A wiki has been made to keep track of miscellaneous information about various elements of the game. Please navigate to:
http://the-vanguard.wikidot.com
to participate or to view the knowledge base. You can sign up for an account for free and apply to be a member right from the main page of the site.