Z is for Zenobia

And we finish A to Z April BARELY under the wire, with moments to spare, here on the West Coast of the United States! We ran behind for the second half of the month, but we made it! It's not much of a triumph, but one must take victories where one can find them.

Here at the end, we present a character for use in ROLF! games, either set in ancient times or using John Kendirck Bangs' Houseboat on the River Styx setting.It's the ROLF! version of Zenobia, one of L.L. Hundal's favorite historical figures. She's been bugging me to put her in an Battle Scenario, to which I've always responded, "do it yourself."

Now that Zenobia has stats, maybe Ms. Hundal will be inspired. Perhaps she could even bring back another of her favorite historical figures, Amelia Earhart, had have them team up to do battle against evil.

Zenobia (Female)
Brawn 28 (includes +1 Hat bonus), Body 16, Brains 8
   Traits: Busty, Nimble
   Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Castrate, Disarm, Debate Philosophy, Disembowel, Dodge, Seduce, Strike Pose
   Important Items Worn/Wielded: Egyptian-style Bikini Armor (barely covers nakedness, absorbs 2 points of damage). Imperial Crown (Hat, gives +1 Brawn bonus when worn). Sword (Medium Melee Weapon, deals 3 points of damage).

Or if one of you out there has a great idea for a Battle Scenario featuring Zenobia, feel free to share it with us. We may put it in a product and you will be able to say that you're a published game designer!

Y is for You vs. Me: The Rollplaying Game

As the second-to-last post in the A to Z Blogging Challenge, we represent a ROLF! variant by L.L. Hundal.

YOU vs. ME: A ROLLPLAYING GAME POWERED BY ROLF!

Designed by L.L. Hundal * Edited by Steve Miller

Copyright Steve Miller 2013. All Rights Reserved.

About This Game

You vs. Me is a quick-playing game for two players. They each make a character based on the other player, trade them with each other, and then have the characters beat each other up until one is dead. If you have a friend you don't mind losing, try playing this game with them when you have nothing better to do.

What You Need to Play

You need a friend, four six-sided dice, two sheets of paper, and something to write with. At the very least, you  will also need a copy of ROLF!: Old Skool (which can be downloaded free of charge by clicking here). 

How to Play

First you create characters, then you trade the characters with each other, and then you fight the characters. Just like I mentioned above. 

Create Characters

Consider the friend sitting across the table from you. Then consider what he or she would be like as a ROLF! character. Then start creating.

   Each character has three Attributes, like any other ROLF! character--Brawn, Body, and Brains. The basic function of these Attributes are described in the ROLF! rules, but they are generated differently in the You vs. Me variant.

   1. Assign Attribute  Ratings: Rate your friend's Brawn score between 6 and 30; the Body score between 4 and 20, and the Brains between 2 and 10. You do not need to maximize the Attribute. Unspent points are not used for anything but instead go the way of a European or African country's national debt--they just vanish.

   2. Pick Traits: Characters have a number of Traits equal to half their Brains Attribute score. Traits are listed in the ROLF! rule books and supplements; you may use any Trait that has been introduced into the game or you can create new ones. If you create new Traits, make sure you send it to us, so we have something to post on the blog. Remember that you are picking Traits that you think your friend possesses.

   3. Pick Battle Maneuvers. Battle Maneuvers  are listed in the ROLF! rule books and supplements; you may use any Battle Maneuver that has been introduced into the game. You can also make up new ones if you don't think any that exist accurately capture the talents of your friend if he or she were to become a violent brute, but keep in mind that the existing Battle Maneuvers were created by professional game designers and carefully play-tested and balanced against the rest of the ROLF! game. If you're not careful, you may unbalance the intricate--oh, who am I kidding? Just make up Battle Maneuvers that you think are fun, funny, or capture the essence of your friend--that's what I do. And, sure, I play-test.... most of the time.. Designing for ROLF! isn't rocket-science... but you do have to be mindful of the dice mechanics and how modifiers work in the system.

   4. Create Equipment: Each character has two items that can be used as weapons, You should pick things you associate with your friend. One item deals 2 points of damage and the other deals 4 points of damage.Both are melee weapons. There are no ranged weapons in You vs. Me.

Trade Characters

Pass the character you've created to your friend and let him or her absorb the impression you have of them while you do the same with the character your friend created based on their perception of you. Consult the ROLF! rules if there are Traits and Battle Maneuvers you are not familiar with.. or make your friend explain them to you.

Fight

By "fight" I mean the characters fight. If you or your friend are offended by the character that was created, one or both of you need to get over yourselves and realize that this is all for fun... or maybe consider making some changes in your lives. That might mean getting other friends, although more likely it means doing a little soul-searching and self-evaluating to understand why your friend views your the way he or she does.

   The fights in You vs. Me continue until one character is defeated. Combat and damage work just like they do in the standard ROLF! game. Each player has their own pair of six-sided dice to roll Attribute Checks and Combat Maneuvers with.

Afterword

The idea for You vs. Me has its genesis in Steve Miller and I making each other as ROLF! characters for Apocalypse Not (The Final Final Battle), together with a bizarre little Battle Scenario. We both agreed that we captured one another quite well, and there were no hurt feelings. Then again, we are both comfortable with the fact that we are dorky jerks.

   The rules here were play-tested with my long-suffering girlfriend. We are still living together.

   I hope you have fun with this ROLF! variant. Please send us any new Traits or Battle Maneuvers you may come up with. We need content for the blog.

X is for XXX

Long-time NUELOW Games fans and followers know that we've been including "mature content" in our game products since the earliest days. We've not often made a big deal out of it, because we just include what seems right for the game we're doing.

So when comic book publisher got lots of attention and praise for turning a Golden Age superhero gay, it annoyed Steve Miller, because we'd been there and done that in ROLF! products. And when L.L. Hundal read that a certain RPG publisher was being praised for creating the "ultimate inclusive RPG" because they'd included some homosexual characters in a supplement, she virtually trembled with righteous indignation because we put that stuff in our core rulebooks... and no one's ever bestowed us with outrageously hyperbolic praise. She was so irritated that she wrote a string of feats she labeled "Feats of Diversity and Ultimateness."

Those feats, first presented on this very blog, have now been revised and included with a bunch of others in our latest OGL Modern supplement--Modern Basics: Feats of an Adult Nature. You can read more about the product by clicking on that link.. and if you order one after using that link, you'll receive a small discount on the already low price.

We hope you will enjoy making your game more socially relevant and intellectually challenging with sex-related feats. Lord knows we're looking forward to watching the accolades and award nominations roll in!

Continuing that effort, here are a couple of "mature" feats and a talent tree that will add some artistic value and intellectual heft to your OGL d20 System game. (And we're also doing this as part of the A to Z April Blogging Challenge. All material in this post is presented under the Open Gaming License.)

Anything With a Pulse [General, Social] (By L.L. Hundal)
Your character will have sex with (and can seduce) just about any sentient creature.
   Prerequisite: Adventuresome feat, No Shame feat, Sexual Prowess feat
  Benefit: The character can lay down with just about anything, anywhere. The feat can only be used on sexually mature creatures with Intelligence of 3 or higher. The character makes a Bluff check (or Seduce skill check if you are using the skill introduced in Feats of Seduction and Subterfuge) with the target's Will save as the DC. If the target is of a human or demi-human race, the Will save is made with a -2 penalty, because the character is just that sexy. If the target is humanoid but is somehow significantly different in appearance from the character, the Will save is made with no modifier. If the target is of a completely different physical build, the Will save is made with a +4 bonus.

Dubious Gender [General] (By Steve Miller)
Either through a quirk of genetics or careful personal grooming, it's hard to tell if your character is a man or a woman.
   Prerequisite: Charisma 12.
  Benefit: +2 bonus to all Bluff and Disguise skill checks.

Porn Star Talent Tree (By L.L. Hundal)
This talent tree is available to all OGL Modern hero classes.
   Friends in Weird Places: +4 bonus to all Streetwise checks
   Dual Identity: You have a porn star name under which you enjoy a +2 bonus to renown and a +4 to Bluff or Seduction skill checks designed to bed NPCs while visiting game conventions, biker bars and strip clubs. If you use your real name, you remain relatively anonymous.
   Bonus Feat: You gain Adventuresome, Anything with a Pulse, Concentration, Focused, Staying Power, or Wardrobe Malfunction. You must meet all prerequisites before selecting the feat.

W is for Wizard's Bane

Here's another entry in the A to Z April Blogging Challenge... we've been running behind since around 4/15, but we may still may cross the finish-line in a timely fashion! Like most other posts in this series, the material here is presented under the Open Gaming License. If you chose to reproduce it, please give acknowledgement and copyright credit to NUELOW Games and Steve Miller.

 Wizard's Bane (By Steve Miller) 
These small white flowers grow in clumps on rocks, fallen trees, or mossy hills. They are a hardy plant that spreads rapidly, especially in moist and shadowed environments.
   The wizard's bane plant was developed by the decree of King Nazekennezor of Reylar following the infidelity of his first queen with his court wizard. Initially, they were merely planted around the castle and capitol city to make life hard for any arcane spellcasters in the area, but when Nazekeneezor's grandson Neylhir the Brash lost the first campaign against the Wizard-Kings of Harth, the wizard's bane plants were heavily seeded in the border region. Agents were even sent deep into Harth territory to secretly put the plant in forests so it could spread like a weed.
   The wizard's bane flower saps arcane magic from the area around them--in fact, the plant is partially nourished by magic--making spells less effective or completely useless. When the plant was introduced into Harth, the Wizard-Kings found they had to first abandon entire magic academies and send in non-spellusing workers to destroy the plants, because the area became so overgrown and choked by them.

OGL d20 Stats
Wizard's bane flowers grow in clumps of 2d10+10. They suppress arcane magic within a radius equal to 1-foot per flower. When an arcane spellcaster is within the area of effect of wizard's bane, all 0 through 2nd-level spells fail automatically and all other spells are treated as if cast at three levels lower than the caster's actual level.

V is for Vulmea's Cutlass

Still working our way through the alphabet in hopes of running out of letters before April runs out of days. Here's another item for use in OGL d20 System games. It's being released under the Open Gaming License, so please acknowledge and give copyright credit to NUELOW Games and Steve Miller if you choose to reproduce it.

Vulmea's Cutless (By Steve Miller; Black Vulmea created by Robert E. Howard)
The original maker of this famous sword, which was the last weapon known to be wielded by the infamous pirate Black Vulmea during the late 16th century during his final adventures in the New World before returning home to Ireland and disappearing into what is assumed to be a life of leisure and anonymity bought with his stolen treasure.
     Of German make, with a wickedly serrated cutting edge and a baskethilt engraved with indecipherable symbols and vaguely demonic-looking faces, the weapon reportedly cuts through skin and bone as if it were soft butter and grants its wielder combat prowess of which the mighty hero Siegfried would be envious.Legend holds that, after miraculously escaping certain death during the raid that led to the destruction of Hoodoo Jim's stronghold on the Colombian coast, he gifted the sword to Mason Brightsmith, the son of a former shipmate who had been abducted and held prisoner by Hoodoo Jim. The young Brightsmith felt he had experienced enough adventure of an entire lifetime, so the sword was relegated to being a conversation piece as it hung on display in the family home.

d20 System Statistics
Vulmea's Cutlass appears to be a +2 sword (base slashing damage 1d8; crit 19-20/x2) with the following unique properties:
   1. As the wielder becomes fatigued in combat, the sword's more powerful enchantments are activated. When the wielder is reduced to 50% or less of his starting hit points, the sword's magical bonus is increased to +4.
   2. If the wielder is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, he immediately regains 2d6 hit points. The sword returns to its +2 base attack and damage bonus.
   3. If owner of the sword is ever killed while carrying or wielding the sword, he is instantly transported to a safe location 2d6 miles from the place of his "death," restored to full health and free of any conditions or attribute damage that he may have suffered during the events that led to his demise. He has a strong urge to pass the sword onto someone else who might benefit from it. In fact, the sword no longer grants any bonus to that particular character ever again.

OpenD6 System Statistics

Vulmea's Cutlass is an enchanted sword(slashing damage STR+1+1D) with the following properties:
   1. As the wielder becomes fatigued in combat, the sword's more powerful enchantments are activated. When the wielder is Wounded Twice, the sword grants the wielder a +1D bonus to his Melee Combat skill, while the sword's damage  magical bonus is increased to 1+D2.).
   2. If the wielder is Incapacitated, he is immediately healed to Wounded. He loses the bonus to his Melee Combat skill and the sword returns to its base damage of STR+1+1D.
   3. If owner of the sword is ever killed while carrying or wielding the sword, he is instantly transported to a safe location 2d6 miles from the place of his "death," restored to full health and free of any conditions or attribute damage that he may have suffered during the events that led to his demise. He has a strong urge to pass the sword onto someone else who might benefit from it. In fact, the sword no longer grants any bonus to that particular character ever again.

U is for Undergarments of Temptation

I don't know if we'll get through the alphabet before the month runs out, but here's another magic item for use in your RPG games. This one is usable for the d20 System. It's presented under the Open Gaming License, and the entirety of this post is Open Gaming Content. Please give credit and copyright acknowledgement to NUELOW Ganes.

  Undergarments of Temptation (By L.L. Hundal)
These items appear on first glance to be ordinary panties, boxers, briefs, undershirts, bras--whatever bit of underwear you can think of. When worn, they begin to radiate faint enchantment magic. When visible to onlookers--for example because the wearer's pants are drooping or of a low-rise style, or the wearer's top is unbuttoned or low-cut, or because the underwear is worn on the outside instead of under other clothing--they have the following effects:
    1. Anyone seeing the character's undergarments of temptation must roll a Will save (DC18). If the saving throw fails, the wearer gains a +4 enhancement bonus to all Charisma-based skill checks involving those individuals, because they think the wearer is just that cool and sexy.
   2. If the wearer directs attention at a specific person who failed the Will save mentioned above, the target is considered to be under the effects of a charm monster spell.
    3. If creatures successfully save against the undergarments of temptation, the wearer suffers a -4 penalty to all Intelligence- and Charisma-based actions directed at them, because they think he or she must be some sort of simpleton who can't dress themselves properly.

T is for the Terrorist Talent Tree

Psychotic dipshits who like to murder innocent people and claim they're doing it for a cause have been front and center in American news sources again, thanks to the Brothers Dumb and Dumber and their killing spree in and around Boston, MA.

As usual, I've seen blather about how we have to reach out to terrorists with empathy in order to understand the source of their rage and/or address whatever made them kill. Yeah... just like the way we have to show empathy to a rapist and seek to understand why he does what he does.

While I may feel that there is absolutely no reason to feel any empathy for any terrorist whatsoever, I am willing to lend a hand to those who do want to "walk a mile in their shoes." Roleplaying games are a great medium for exploring such tings safely, as you are with friends and around a snack-laden table in a private house.

To that end, I present a talent tree and some feats usable in the creation of Muslim terrorists of all stripes, Basque separatists of the ETA, Irish drunkards of the IRA, or Friends of the U.S. President formerly of the Weather Underground. This talent tree will let you create a character who is the ultimate asshole, where the term "hero" is applied in purely a game mechanical sense.

Everything in this post is presented under the Open Gaming License. If you chose to reproduce this material, give credit and copyright acknowledgement to Steve Miller and NUELOW Games.

THE TERRORIST TALENT TREE (By Steve Miller)
The terrorist talent tree is open to all hero classes, but it is most suitable for tough heroes and dedicated heroes. Most smart heroes are excluded form this talent tree as they won't meet the prerequisites.
   Undying Enemy: Pick an outrageously broad category of people to hate, such as Christians, Spaniards, Stock Brokers, Homosexuals, the Lefthanded, or Redheads. The hero gains a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls against these vile people, while gaining a +4 competency bonus on all skill checks specifically made in efforts to kill them.
   Prerequisite: Int 10 or lower, Wis 9 or lower. Allegiance to a terrorist organization or movement.
   False Allegiance: Pick an allegiance related to the category selected under Undying Enemy. You gain a +4 bonus to Bluff skill checks when interacting with those who have the same allegiance. The hero does actually change allegiances when picking this talent.
   Prerequisite: Undying Enemy.
   Bonus Feat: The hero gains Alertness, Cautious, Confident, Fanatic, or Misogynist. The hero must meet all prerequisites before he can gain a feat.
   Coward's Strike: The hero excels at attacking unsuspecting targets, but is otherwise a loser in battle. When attacking characters who are flat-footed or otherwise unable to properly defend themselves, a confirmed critical hit results in an instant kill. The hero suffers a -2 adjustment to attack and damage rolls made against characters who are ready to defend themselves.
   Too Dumb to Die: When reduced to 0 or fewer hit points in combat,or at risk of going on conscious due to conditions, the hero roll an Int check against DC12.. If the check is successful, the hero immediately regains 2d6 hit points, or is able to ignore the threatening condition for a number of rounds equal to his Con bonus.
   Prerequisite: Int 10 or lower, Wis 9 or lower.
 

NEW FEATS
Feats fit for terrorists and similar trash.

Fanatic [General]
The hero is filled with hatred toward those who don't believe as he or she does.
Prerequisite: 10 INT Maximum
Benefit: When faced with people who don't believe as he or she does, the hero gains a +2 Will save.to resist any suggestions they make, no matter how reasonable.  The hero also gains a +1 bonus to all Bluff and Intimidate skill checks involving these non-believers, but suffers a -1 to all Diplomacy checks involving them.
Special: The hero can designated a Chosen Enemy every three levels; this must be a stupidly broad category, such as "Americans," "Muslims," "Faries," or "Gwyneth Paltrow Fans." The character gains a +2 bonus to all attack and damage rolls made against these vile beings!


Misogynist [Social]
You hate women and you want to demean and hurt them whenever possible.
Prerequisite: Int 11 or lower, Wis 10 or lower.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all attack and damage rolls against female characters.
Special: If your Int or Wis scores are ever raised above the maximum allowed, you lose the benefits granted by this feat.