[3e] Bullets and Badlands (OOC)

[Sid]

So, whatcha think Sid, enough interest to start recruiting?

Yep, I think so.

I've been doing some research and writing up some stuff while thinking up some plot lines. I'll edit the name of the thread, the first post and the next post with details.

[XeroKhan]

My mind reading gambler is ready for posting, Sid.

[Sid]

Game Details:

Theme: Western (with some supernatural/steam punk possibilities)
PL: 8 (120pp)

Setting: This game takes place in 1873, which works for a few reasons:

- It was the year that the single action, Colt .45 Revolver and the Winchester Lever Action Rifle were released, two of the most iconic weapons of the old west.

- It was eight years after the civil war ended, so enough time for people to get around, but still recent enough to be a cause of plenty of problems.

- The Red River War, Great Panic in Europe, the westward expansion of the Northern Pacific Railroad, the forming of the Northwestern Mounted Police after the crazy Cypress Hills massacre (seriously, wikipedia that and tell me it's not crazy), the South Dakota gold rush, the brewing Native unrest in Montana, etc. all happened right about that time.

Plot:

The characters are hired by Jay Cooke of the Northern Pacific Railroad after some unrest with the building of the NP railway. At least initially, the game will take place in the South Dakota/Wyoming area of the US, but can easily change from there and move further south or move north in Canada.

The characters are effectively mercenaries/guns for hire, but Mr. Cooke is paying very well for your services (which is how we attracted a group of PL8s).

House Rules (WIP):
- Players will need to reload their weapons, but ammo is unlimited
- Gambling rules will be established if necessary (already discussed, need to be flushed out though)
- Players can die, so “Die Hard” might be a good advantage (although I'll put that up to the players, I'm fine either way, it just seems fitting in a western environment that death can happen)
- I think I want to do some sort of fame rule, although I’m not sure what. Sorry, I know that’s a bit vague.

Example Characters/Tropes:

- The Former preacher, now turned Gunslinger
- The former soldier from the civil war running from his/her past.
- Experienced Tracker with mystical powers allowing them to blend into the night
- Chinese Kung-Fu expert who is in America because they were kidnapped from China to help build the railroad
- Inventor who has created a bunch of gadgets while trying to seek their fortune.
- Former Queen’s Rule boxer who has taken to mercenary work to pay off gambling debts
Etc., etc., etc.

Miscellaneous:

Just an fyi for everyone, the Roll Call has a few 3e Cowboy characters:

- The Two Gun Kid (dig those purple pants and vest
Rawhide Kid

In H&V there are two “cowboy” type heroes, Jonah Hex and Vigilante, they are built quite differently considering they are so similar in nature.

Vigilante has multi-attack, Hex has the power to fire two guns at the same time (as long as they are +4 damage or lower, so basically his pistols). If you don’t have H&V I and II and want to see these builds, please let me know and I’ll PM you the info. I don’t want to post them here because they’re GR’s books.

Non-traditional powers are allowed, but no movement powers like flight or super speed, and no offensive attacks like blasters or chucking fireballs. Other mystical/supernatural powers are allowed as long as they work with the team, same with advanced Western technology seen in movies like Wild Wild West.

[Bombaatu]

Non-traditional powers are allowed, but no movement powers like flight or super speed, and no offensive attacks like blasters or chucking fireballs. Other mystical/supernatural powers are allowed as long as they work with the team, same with advanced Western technology seen in movies like Wild Wild West.

What about 1 rank each of Speed & Leaping, plus Safe Fall for my Kung Fu guy?

I'm also thinking about either a couple ranks of Reach on Strength or Subtle Elongation to reflect "Chi Projection" - yea or nay?

[Sid]

Non-traditional powers are allowed, but no movement powers like flight or super speed, and no offensive attacks like blasters or chucking fireballs. Other mystical/supernatural powers are allowed as long as they work with the team, same with advanced Western technology seen in movies like Wild Wild West.

What about 1 rank each of Speed & Leaping, plus Safe Fall for my Kung Fu guy?

I'm also thinking about either a couple ranks of Reach on Strength or Subtle Elongation to reflect "Chi Projection" - yea or nay?

Yeah, that works for me. That was also supposed to read "as long as it works with the theme". I just don't want something like a flying cowboy, or someone that can run fast enough that they don't need a horse or train.

Chi Projection sounds cool.

[Sid]

FYI, don't bother spending equipment points on a horse (unless you have a specific horse you want, then we'll work it out somehow), but horse riding is based on DEX if you wish to buff that up on your character.

[Aerlwyn]

Jessica Winter - PL 8

Strength 0, Stamina 4, Agility 8, Dexterity 8, Fighting 2, Intellect 0, Awareness 2, Presence 2

Advantages
Benefit, Ambidexterity, Defensive Roll 2, Diehard, Equipment 6, Improved Aim, Improved Initiative 2, Improvised Weapon, Jack-of-all-trades, Languages 2, Precise Attack (Ranged, Concealment), Precise Attack (Ranged, Cover), Quick Draw, Seize Initiative, Ultimate Effort: Aim, Uncanny Dodge

Skills
Athletics 6 (+6), Close Combat: Knife 2 (+4), Deception 2 (+4), Insight 4 (+6), Intimidation 6 (+8 ), Investigation 4 (+4), Perception 6 (+8 ), Persuasion 6 (+8 ), Ranged Combat: Colt 45 pistol 4 (+12), Ranged Combat Throw 1(+9), Ranged Combat: Winchester Rifle rifle 3 (+11), Treatment 4 (+4)

Powers
Gunplay
Independent Aim: Feature 1 (May fire two guns of Damage 4 or less at once)

Equipment
Colt 45 pistol (Heavy Pistol), Colt 45 pistol (Heavy Pistol), Knife, Winchester Rifle (Sniper Rifle)

Offense
Initiative +16
Colt 45 pistol, +12 (DC 19)
Colt 45 pistol, +12 (DC 19)
Grab, +2 (DC Spec 10)
Knife, +4 (DC 16)
Throw, +9 (DC 15)
Unarmed, +2 (DC 15)
Winchester Rifle, +11 (DC 20)

Complications
Motivation: Justice
Motivation: Responsibility

Languages
English, French, Latin

Defense
Dodge 10, Parry 10, Fortitude 8, Toughness 6/4, Will 8

Power Points
Abilities 52 + Powers 1 + Advantages 23 + Skills 24 (48 ranks) + Defenses 20 = 120

[Nineofspades]

Sid, would you by chance allow us to take a few tricks from the 2e Warriors and warlocks book? Specifically, they allowed players to take 1pp powers as Feats, indicating they were less supernatural abilities and more the result of good training? Also, I was hoping to use the other rule they had, where you could take a Feat which let you AP a certain trick off of one of your exsisting attacks.

The reason I ask is because, for my design, I was hoping for the following as Feats

Take Extended Vision 2, so that she's got good enough eyesight to see her targets, even long way off

Have Extended Range 2 added on to any gun she uses. My reasoning being is that its not that she has especially unique weapons, she's just a very talented shot when it comes to compensating for distance.

For the AP-Feat, Using a gun as a perception range weapon, with the Full Round action flaw, so that its overall cost is still the same.


So, what are your thoughts?

[Sid]

I'm afraid I'm not all that familiar with the 2nd edition, but just looking at it, couldn't you do similar to what Aerlwyn has done and create a Sniper Training "power"?

It's actually how the GR team wrote Jonah Hex:

Powers

Gunplay: Array (2pts)
- Training: Enhanced Skill 2 (Ranged Combat: Guns +4) (2pts)
- Independent Aim: May fire two guns of Damage 4 or less at once (Feature 1) (1pt)

It probably wouldn't work as an array since you can't turn off good sight or range with weapons, but the general idea should fly.

As for your the Perception range, again that could fit as a "power", but I'm not familiar with the "Full-Round" flaw, is that 2e specific?

[Nineofspades]

I'm afraid I'm not all that familiar with the 2nd edition, but just looking at it, couldn't you do similar to what Aerlwyn has done and create a Sniper Training "power"?

If you say so, then yes, I suppose I can.

As for your the Perception range, again that could fit as a "power", but I'm not familiar with the "Full-Round" flaw, is that 2e specific?

In 3e, its the Increased action flaw. So Instead of Attacking as a standard action, its a full round action, in exchange for making the attack perception range.

[Sakuro]

For a super shot, you could use Skill Master on Ranged Combat: fire arms. I think that was done somewhere with Green Arrow.

How much supernatural are you allowing SId? Dead Land's level? Because I was thinking of an occultist who summoned Lovecraftian horrors ...

[Bombaatu]

Wu Guang



"<<America! At last!>>"

Wu Guang's caught his first glimpse of his new home when the prow of the clipper ship broke through the fogbank covering San Francisco Bay. Weeks of cramped conditions, bad food & nausea were finally over and Guang was eager to begin his duties as the Tien Hau Temple in the great city's so-called "Chinatown".

It was nothing like he imagined. San Francisco was a crime-ridden over-crowded filthy cesspool of a city filled with vermin of both the four- and two-legged variety. Guang was unprepared for the sheer hatred and bigotry heaped upon his people, and the worst of the lot was one Sgt. Finn Boyle, SFPD.

Boyle ran a protection racket, using his badge to bully shopkeepers into lining his pockets. His normal beat was Union Square but he preyed on shops along the southeast of Chinatown. It was at one such shop that Wu Guang first crossed paths with the badged mobster.


----------------

Guang was tending to a sick woman living above a grocery when he heard angry shouts and the crashing of broken glass. He descended the stairs to see four men laying about with truncheons, breaking jars and kicking over crates. The grocer lay on the floor, bleeding freely from a gash on his head with his sobbing daughter trying to staunch the flow.

One of the men - apparently the leader - grinned ferally and pulled the young woman off her father. Guang had little English but the lears in the men's faces needed no translation. Guang stepped forward - "<<Worry not, little bird. I shall not let these men harm you.>>"

At the sound of Guang's voice, the men turned towards him, angered that their sport was spoiled. The leader tossed the girl to the floor and motioned the others to surround the 'intruder'. One of the men reached up to pull on his eyes, shaping them into a vulgar characature of Oriental eyes as he mouthed gibberish; such mocking entertained the thugs. "Please no hurt woman, man. Take what want, go." Guang's broken English brought more ugly guffaws of laughter.

"Oh, I'm not gonna hurt her, boyo - I'm goin' to treat her real nice. I'm even gonna let you watch - HOLD HIM!" The gang tried to lay hands upon Wu Guang - big mistake. Men cursed and flew through the air to land on the street outside, groaning. A bellow of rage snapped Guang's attention back to the leader just in time to avoid a vicious knife slice. Guang locked up the man's wrist and tossed him out through the window as well.

"Yer gonna PAY for that, China-man! Do you HEAR me, BOYO?!" The large man rolled and staggered to his feet & blood streamed down his left cheek where the glass had laid his face open to the bone. His face reddened and he moved to lunge forward, only to be held back by his own gang. In the distance, whistles and the clop of horse-hooves could be heard as police moved towards the disturbance.

Boyle got an ugly grin on his face, snatched a pistol from one of his compatriots, stepped to the window and leveled the gun at Wu. Wu Guang took a defensive stance, ready to spring away. What he didn't expect was for the barrel to swing away from him...

Two shots rang out & two lives ended in the span of two heartbeats. Wu was shocked, dumbfounded at the sheer brutality that was so foreign to his world. "Hey, Boyo... Catch!" Guang turned to see the pistol arcing thru the air at him, which he caught by reflex and instinct. Boyle shoved his companions away, then shouted towards the oncoming mounted officers as he raised his badge into the air. "HERE HE IS!! OVER HERE!!"

Uniformed officers rode up and drew their weapons, firing into the shop at the 'criminal' who had gunned down two of his own countrymen. Wu fled up the stairs as the hail of bullets smashed into the store. Up to the rooftops he went, leaping from roof to roof, desperate to make it back to his temple, to sanctuary.

There was no sanctuary left for him. Wu Guang spilled his tale to The Elder Brother, who shook his head sadly. The wizened old man had been in the White Devil's World long enough to know what would happen to Wu, and the best he could do was to help Wu Guang disappear.

---------------------

US Marshall Dylan West sat atop his horse looking over the railroad construction camp. The camp was teaming with Chinamen - finding the one on the wanted poster was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack. But, he reflected, that came with the badge. Marshall West always got his man - this one would be no different.

Wu Guang - PL 8

Strength 2, Stamina 4, Agility 6, Dexterity 2, Fighting 8, Intellect 1, Awareness 6, Presence 0

Advantages
Agile Feint, Assessment, Benefit: Buddhist Priest, Close Attack 2, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 4, Improved Grab, Improved Hold, Improved Trip, Languages 1, Power Attack, Precise Attack (Close, Concealment), Precise Attack (Close, Cover), Skill Mastery: Acrobatics, Takedown, Trance, Uncanny Dodge, Weapon Bind

Skills
Acrobatics 9 (+15), Athletics 6 (+8), Expertise: Philosophy 7 (+8), Insight 2 (+8), Perception 5 (+11), Stealth 2 (+8), Treatment 7 (+8)

Powers
Ch'i Projection: Elongation 2 (Elongation: 30 feet; Subtle: subtle)
Eastern Wind: Speed 1 (Speed: 4 miles/hour, 60 feet/round)
Song of the Cricket: Leaping 2 (Leap 30 feet at 8 miles/hour)
Spider Descends the Thread: Movement 1 (Safe Fall; Limited: Only close to a surface)
Techniques
. . Mantis Strike: Affliction 6 (1st degree: Impaired, 2nd degree: Disabled, 3rd degree: Incapacitated, Resisted by: Fortitude, DC 16)
. . Monkey's Grasp: Enhanced Strength 4 (+4 STR; Limited: Grabbing/Holding only)
. . Scorpion's Sting: Affliction 6 (1st degree: Hindered, Vulnerable, 2nd degree: Immobile, Defenseless, Resisted by: Fortitude, DC 16; Extra Condition; Limited Degree)
. . Tiger Claw: Strength-based Strike 4 (DC 21)

Offense
Initiative +6
Grab, +10 (DC Spec 12)
Mantis Strike: Affliction 6, +10 (DC Fort 16)
Scorpion's Sting: Affliction 6, +10 (DC Fort 16)
Throw, +2 (DC 17)
Tiger Claw: Strength-based Strike 4, +10 (DC 21)
Unarmed, +10 (DC 17)

Complications
Honor: Guang has a strong personal code of honor.
Motivation: Doing Good: As a Buddhist, Wu Guang's goal is to increase his Karma and achieve enlightenment through
Prejudice: As a Chinese man in 1873, Wu Guang faces harsh discrimination.
Wanted: Guang is wanted for a murder he did not commit.

Languages
Chinese (Native), English

Defense
Dodge 8, Parry 8, Fortitude 5, Toughness 8/4, Will 8

Power Points
Abilities 58 + Powers 16 + Advantages 22 + Skills 19 (38 ranks) + Defenses 5 = 120

[Nineofspades]

Character Name: Truth Ricketts

Occupation: Mercenary

Description:
Age: 27
Gender: Female
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 157lbs
Eyes: Gray
Hair: Red





History:

Truth Ricketts, it can be said, was born into a simple world. One father, One mother, living off of the beaten path in the back hills of Utah. Lawrence Ricketts, Truths Father, had moved out west in the midst of the gold rush, and staked his claim. Despite never having found any of the vast deposits of gold that had been promised, he still had managed to set up a good family homestead. He also had fortuned to find himself a wife, a young girl out of Louisiana who he’d met during the trek west.

While Truth was not their first child, she was the first one to survive for more than a few months without succumbing to sickness, as was common for many young children. She’d gotten her name, at least according to her father, because Truth was his favorite word. She was raised in the happiness of self reliance, living off of the land and the skills of her own hands. She picked up hunting around the same time she was old enough to handle a firearm, and while she was abysmal at first, she kept at it, refining her aim and technique.

Most people can’t tell you exactly when the stopped being kids. To most, its just a smooth transition from child to adult, a gradual change which is all but imperceptible. For Truth however, there is no difficulty in picking out the moment she stopped being a child. It was a year after the civil war had begun. Shortly after dusk, one summer evening, a group of Confederate soldiers stormed into the house, intent on seizing it as a new base of operations. When Lawrence tried to resist, he was killed. Truths mother told her to run, and driven by fear as she was, Truth obeyed, sprinting into the darkness and continuing on till she collapsed from exhaustion, her muscles aching and sore.

That was the last night Truth ever saw her mother, or her father. It was the last time she ever thought of herself as a child either. It was a week before she had the nerve to circle back to her home. Arriving, she found it had been burnt to the ground, with no sign of the soldiers or her parents. Whatever had transpired was long since over, and Truth was alone with her thoughts, and her anger.

She wanted justice for what had happened. No, she wanted vengeance. The confederates had torn her entire world apart, and for that, she wanted to return the favor in kind. However, in her desire to do so, she faced a singular problem. She was a young woman. And as such, she was barred from joining up with the union army. A woman had no place on a battlefield, that was what she was told when she attempted to enlist. So, instead of giving up, Truth resolved that she would fight off of the battlefield.

More exactly, she began improving her aim, with the hops that, even if she wasn’t allowed to stand on the front lines of a fight, if she could aim with enough precision and skill, she wouldn’t need to be present inorder to pick off confederate soldiers. With enough practice, she figured, even while standing more than a mile from where the fighting was taking place, she’d be able to contribute to the fight. Thus, one lone girl, barely a woman, begin her lone campaign against the confederate armies. Never was her involvement suspected. She had the good sense not to make herself into a target. If she’d gone and started picking off Confederate officers in the middle of the night, then they’d have known that there was a sniper around, and come looking for her. Truth may be a crack shot with deadly aim, but she knew full well that a few dozen soldiers would be more than she could handle. Her method was slower, done with care. When the confederate and union sides were engaged, and bullets flying in every direction, then she would take her shot. As both sides unloaded countless rounds at one another, a single stray shot was easily overlooked.

But then, it was over. The war ended, the confederates had lost, and Truth was faced with the sudden weight of her own life, now devoid of a real purpose, stretched out before her, empty and alone. She took up wandering, since the idea of settling down and having a bunch of children didn’t appeal to her. Mercenary work found itself to be to her liking, or at least, to be to her skill set. She never found herself short of income. People with her abilities can easily find those looking to employ them.

And In her travels, Truth has found a bit of peace. While the pain of her past still lingers, the fires of her anger have grown dim with time. The hate no longer burns so brightly. She had seen the war, seen it from the view of an outsider. She’d seen men scream in pain as they were hit, saw the fear in their eyes as they lay bleeding. Everyone had suffered in their own way. Part of that realization came from the people she met in her travels. People who’d fought, some on the Union side, some on the other. People who’d loosed friends and relatives. And Truth saw that some of them had resolved to put it behind them, and move onwards with their lives. Those were the folks who seemed happy, who spoke with optimism and whom had plans for their future. Then there were those who had taken the other road, who let their pasts dwell on their thoughts, never able to let go of the hardships they’d suffered and the pain they had endured. Those were the people who seemed broken. Angry at a world that was unjust, drowning their misery in alcohol and meaningless endeavors. They were small and petty folk.

It was when Truth came to pity one confederate officer who’d lost both his legs to cannon fire, a man who had nothing but a bitter, angry spite for the world, that she herself began to really let go. Whatever had happened in her past, whatever losses she had suffered, she could no longer build her life around them. It was time to let go.

Truth still wanders, but her spirit is no longer plagued with memories. Whatever road stretches before her, she is prepared to greet it, knowing that there is a place in the world for her, a story that needs telling, and that she needs only rise up to meet it.




Complications:

Skirt: As a woman, its harder for Truth to earn the same sort of respect for her skills that a man would receive.

Slow and steady: Truth's style is one of careful planning. She takes her time to assess her surroundings, and find the most efficient way to reach a solution. Which is great, when there's enough time. When caught by spur of the moment events, she has trouble adapting quickly, and is prone to making poor choices in the heat of the moment.

Killer of Killers: People who don't show proper respect for life don't deserve to have it themselves, plain and simple. Truth will go out of her way to kill someone who's repeatedly taken the lives of other people without good reason. The same goes for people who, through their own recklessness, put others in danger. Though, she usually is much more lenient with the latter group.


Abilities: 4+6+4+8+6+4+10+4 = 46PP
Strength: 2
Stamina: 3
Agility: 2
Dexterity: 4
Fighting: 3
Intelligence: 2
Awareness: 5
Presence: 2


Offence:
Initiative: +6
Attack: +3 Melee, +4 Ranged

Unarmed: +3/DC 17 toughness
Knife: +9/DC 20 toughness
Rifle: +10/ DC 21 Toughness


Defenses: 9+5+8+3=25PP
Dodge: +11 (+2 Agl, +9)
Fortitude: +8 (+3 Sta, +5)
Parry: +11 (+3 Fig, +8)
Toughness: +5 (+3 Sta, +2)
Will: +8 (+5 Awe, +3)


Skills: 22PP
Athletics 3 (+5)
Close Combat (Knife) 6 (+9)
Deception 3 (+5/+7/+15)
Expertise: (Wilderness Survival) 5 (+7)
Insight 2 (+7)
Perception 7 (+12)
Persuasion 3 (+5/+7)
Ranged Combat (Rifle) 6 (+10)
Stealth 6 (+8)
Treatment 3 (+5)


Feats: 15PP
Assessment
Attractive
Diehard
Improved Critical (Rifle) 4
Language (French)
Precise Attack (Ranged Cover & Concealment) 2
Tracking
Equipment 4

Annabelle (Rifle: Ranged Damage 6; Subtle, Penetrating 3, Precise)(17ep)
AE: Bowie Knife (Knife: Mighty Damage 3)(1ep)
Duster Coat (Protection 2)(2ep)

Powers: 12PP

Sniper (Extended Range 2) [2PP]

Eagle Eyes (Extended Vision 2 ) [2PP]

Drawing The Bead ( Enhanced Extra 6 (Perception Range) Flaws: Limited (Ranged Attacks)(-1), Limited (Can't Move)(-1);Feats Variable descriptor (attacks)Drawbacks Quirk: Limited to lower of Attack or Extra's rank )) [2PP]

Judge the Range(Distance Sense) [1PP]

Read Lips(Feature 1) [1PP]

Curve The Shot(Ricochet 2) [2PP]

Mockingbird( Feature (Mimicry)) [1PP]

Mojave Born(Immunity (Environmental heat))[1pp]


Totals: Abilities (46) + Defense (25) + Skills (22) + Advantages (15) + Powers (12)= 120 Power Points

[Bombaatu]

Hrm - so far it seems like a lot of defense-shifted characters. I may go against type and do a Toughness-shifted martial artist.

[Sid]

For a super shot, you could use Skill Master on Ranged Combat: fire arms. I think that was done somewhere with Green Arrow.

Yeah, that's a good idea too. That's one thing I've grown to love about M&M, the ability to make just about anything...then again, that's also a curse some times.

How much supernatural are you allowing SId? Dead Land's level? Because I was thinking of an occultist who summoned Lovecraftian horrors ...

That's probably across the line for a PC in this game too be honest. I'd prefer that the powers be a lot more subtle than that. I'm okay with a character being a secret occultist (it's not something they'd likely reveal to their co-workers) that grant them outstanding abilities, but summoning "demons" would be a bit hard to explain.