Castro vs. Kennedy (A ROLF!: Houseboat on the River Styx Battle Scenario)

On November 25, 2016, the long-time dictator of the Cuban communist regime, Fidel Castro, passed away. This is some of what happened next, as Castro joins the cast of characters in NUELOW Games' A Houseboat on the River Styx setting. Based on the writings of John Kendrick Bangs, it's a place where historical figures and fictional characters meet, have adventures, and fight with each other.
   This post contains ROLF! stats for Kennedy and Castro, so you can play out their first meeting in the afterlife.

ON THE SHORES OF THE RIVER STYX, NOT TOO LONG AGO....
   "Ay caramba!" exclaimed Fidel Casto. "You mean I really, truly am dead?!"
   "Yes." Charon nodded almost imperceptibly within the shadows of his voluminous hood. "The land you have arrived in is Hades, and the river we just crossed is Styx."
   "But there is a city here! And over there--a houseboat with a gringo dressed up like Shakespeare! And there are people riding horses, people riding in cars, people--people riding on dragons?!"
   Castro pointed skyward where a sleek, scaly azure dragon was winging its way way through the cloudy sky after a furry white one; on the back of each, a human form could be discearned, and a woman's voice drifted down, "Fates curse you, Atreyu--you bring back my helmet, or I'll make you wish you'd been swallowed up by Despair and Hopelessness!"
   Again, near-invisible nod of Charon's head. "Yes... Hades is a land where creations of the imagination and the spirits of those who have fired imaginations live and mingle. You will find that--"
   "Well, I'll be! If it isn't Fidel Castro!"
   Charon and Fidel turned in the direction of the voice. John F. Kennedy came striding onto the boat dock.
   "Kennedy," Castro said coldly, his eyes narrowing under his bushy brows.
   "Fidel," Kennedy said, smiling. "I guess the cigars finally killed you, eh?"
   "Indeed. But it took 50 years longer than the bullet that finished you off."
   "Why, you commie bastard!"
   "Capitalist pig!"
   "Gentlemen, gentlemen," Charon said, waving his gnarled hands to get their attention. "There is no need to--"
   "Stay out of this," roared Kennedy and Castro in unison, each turning their baleful stares on Charon--causing him to shrink further into the shadows of his robe--before locking eyes with each other.
   "You're about to get your ass kicked so hard you're going to wish you were alive again," Kennedy snarled.
   "Less talk, more fight, bourgeois dog!"
   As the fists started to fly, Charon boarded his boat and shoved off. "I'll be back," he said, "when you gentlemen are finished. Nikita, Che, and Karl wanted me to bring Fidel by so they could get a bridge game going."

THE FIGHT
Castro and Kennedy start fighting at close range. The fight ends when one defeats the other.

FIDEL CASTRO (Male)
Brawn 20, Body 13, Brains 5
Traits: Coldhearted, Egomaniac, Stone Cold Killer
Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Bitch Slap, Debate Philosophy, Dodge, Withering Insult
 Important Stuff Worn/Wielded. Beard (Armor, absorbs 1 point of damage).

JOHN F. KENNEDY (Male)
Brawn: 19; Body: 18; Brains: 7
Traits: Egomaniac, Irrepressible Optimist, Limousine Liberal
Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Debate Philosophy, Knock Out, Seduction, Strike Pose, Run Away!, Walk and Chew Gum
Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Nice Suit and Tie (clothes).

Snuggies for the Witchkind

Suggested by Dave Mendez--a pair of magic items for use by the Witchkind!

Satanic Snuggy
Favored by evil witchkind for lounging around the house and for coven meetings or castings of group spells in particularly chilly locations. The Satanic Snuggy is available in dark red, deep purple, and midnight black. Gold or silver trim featuring snippits of your favorite spells, the motto of your coven, or the names or symbols of the dark gods to which you’re dedicated can be added. All words and phrases are rendered in High Atlantean, Lemurian, Latin, or Esperanto.
   When worn by an intended character, the Satanic Snuggy provide a +1 bonus to all morale checks and Will saves, as well as a +2 bonus to saving throws against cold spells. If a character of good alignment or allegiance wears a Satanic Snuggy, he or she suffers a -1 penalty to all saving throws and attack rolls because of a sense of unease. The feeling and penalties end once the Snuggy is removed.

Seraphic Snuggy 
Favored by good witchkind for lounging around the house and for coven meetings or castings of group spells in particularly chilly locations.  The Seraphic Snuggy is available in snow white, heavenly blue, and heartfelt red. Gold or black trim featuring snippits of your favorite spells, the motto of your coven, or the names or symbols of the dark gods to which you’re dedicated can be added. All words and phrases are rendered in High Atlantean, Lemurian, Latin, or Esperanto.
   When worn by an intended character, the Seraphic Snuggy provide a +1 bonus to all morale checks and Will saves, as well as a +2 bonus to saving throws against cold spells. If a character of evil alignment or allegiance wears a Seraphic Snuggy, he or she suffers a -1 penalty to all saving throws and attack rolls because of a sense of unease. The feeling and penalties end once the Snuggy is removed.

All text in this post was presented under the Open Game License. For more, check out Secrets of the Witchkind from NUELOW Games.

d20 Feat: Portable Safe Space

A d20 System feat for our times....

Portable Safe Space [General]
You can retreat to your safe space, anytime, anywhere.
    Benefit: On a round during which you have initiative over a foe, you can use your first action to declare, "My character goes to his safe space." For the rest of that round, you may not take any other actions, but you gain a +1 to all saving throws and to AC/DR for the rest of the round.
    On the following round, you gain a +2 bonus to all Bluff and Diplomacy skills checks, and a +2 bonus to Dodge rolls. The bonus lasts a number of rounds equal to your Charisma bonus.
   Special: Dedicated Heroes (d20 Modern) may choose this feat as one of the bonus feats earned through level advancement.

(This text is released under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with it. Copyright 2016 Steve Miller)

Modern Basics of 2016

The latest from NUELOW Games is a collection of feats, talents, and templates that have been revised from material that originally appeared in posts here or on the NUELOW Games Facebook page.

The cover for a collection of tools to make your d20 System gam ultra postmodern!

The Modern Basics 2016 Annual features work by NUELOW Games regulars L.L. Hundal, Dave Mendez, and Steve Miller, and it was mostly inspired by things you've seen in the news during the year that will (thankfully) soon be over.


You can see previews and get your copy of the one product you need to accurately replicate the aura of 2016 in your d20 Modern games at RPGNOW and DriveThruRPG. Get yours today and fix flaws in the game system you didn't even know existed!

It's not only Election Day in the U.S. on November 8. It's also....

...Redhead Day! So whether you're some foreigner (living in the US or outside the US), you now have reason to think November 8 is a special day. Instead of celebrating Democracy, you can celebrate redheads! (Little Known Fact: L.L. Hundal is a redhead! Give her the gift of royalties on Her Special Day by purchasing something she worked on for NUELOW Games!)


A more specific way to observe Redhead Day would be to get a copy of OGL Redheads and bring their power to your d20 System games! Click here to unleash the Power of the Redhead at your gaming table!

The only d20 supplement focused on redheads!

Martial Arts Ranma 1/2 Style!

In Rumiko Takahashi's classic Ranma 1/2 series anything can be turned into a martial art--ice skating, fine dining, cheerleading... anything. With the following feat, you can do the same in your d20 System games.

The following text is presented under the Open Game License, and it may be reproduced in accordance with it. Copyright 2016 Steve Miller.

Specialty Martial Artist [Fighter, Fast Hero, Strong Hero] 
You have mastered an unusual fighting style that turns normally harmless pursuits deadly.
   Prerequisite: Combat Martial Arts or Defensive Martial Arts
   Benefit: When this feat is selected, specify a Craft, Knowledge, or Perform skill. You are the master of a fighting style that weaponizes that activity. You add ½ your number of ranks in the designated skill (round up) to your to-hit and damage rolls when making unarmed attacks. You may use objects associated with the activity as improvised melee or ranged weapons without suffering a non-proficiency penalty. In general, the objects deal a base of 1d4 points of damage with a base crit range of 19-20.
   Special: You may select this feat multiple times. Each time, a different Craft, Knowledge, or Perform skill must be specified. You must declare which version of the feat (if any) you are using at the beginning of each round if making a martial arts attack.

Martial Tea Ceremony (Illo by Rumiko Takahashi)

Coming Soon: 'Secrets of the Witchkind'

NUELOW Games is about to release its latest d20 System supplement--no comics, just RPG content in this one! Titled "Secrets of the Witchkind," it presents a new player character race--the Witchkind--and their unique way of wielding magic. The book also contains a bunch of feats and some talents consolidated from some of our other releases for ease of reference.


Like "Secrets of the Immortals," this is a product loosely based on a classic television programme... this one was about a witch who fell in love with a mortal and married him, and the chaos her relatives cause for them. Although slanted toward OGL d20 Modern, like the vast majority of our d20 System releases, the Witchkind can be interesting additions to any game that uses the d20 engine, especially ones that have the word "Path" in their name.


Artist Bradley K. McDevitt supplies an original cover for one, and we love it! Here is its evolution...


First there was the sketch...

Then there was the draft for approval...

Then there was the final colored version...





And here's the illo and other graphic elements combined on the cover (which McDevitt also designed for us)!

Keep an eye out for more announcements regarding Secrets of the Witchkind. Meanwhile, you should check out some of our other horror- and supernatural-themed products to help get you in the Halloween spirit! Click here to see listings and previews!