Thursday, October 11, 2018

Herbert West's Re-Agent

This is a supplement for d20 System games (such as d20 Modern). However, it easily adapted to any RPG system that features statistics for undead creatures, such as zombies, ghouls, and the like. It was inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's "Herbert West, Re-Animator" stories (and, of course, the hilarious gore-fests that are Re-Animator, Bride of Re-Animator, and Beyond Re-Animator).
   The RE-AGENT and MAKING MORE RE-AGENT sections are released under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with its terms. The rest of the text in this article is Product Identity. Copyright 2018 Steve Miller.

HERBERT WEST AND HIS RE-AGENT IN BRIEF
In 1903, a young medical student named Herbert West claimed he had discovered a compound that would restore life to dead beings if injected into their bodies; as a result, he was ridiculed, first by his fellow medical students and later by the medical and scientific community at large. After graduating from medical school, he established a medical practice in Boston with long-time friend Daniel Abbott, and he served as a volunteer doctor during World War I. During this time, he reportedly continued his research into reviving the dead, and, according to statements given to the authorities by Dr. Abbott, this research led directly to West's mysterious disappearance in October of 1922. No one believed Abbott's claims that West had been carried off by zombies reanimated by the Re-Agent, and Abbott was written off as a madman.
   Herbert West's fate remained a mystery for almost a century... until the great-great grandson of Daniel Abbott, Joshua Madison, went through some of Abbott's journals and located West's secret laboratory, and more than a gallon of the Re-Agent solution--as well as several variations on the formula to create more.

Illo by OzzKrol

THE RE-AGENT
Although West went through 37 formula variations in his attempt to perfect the chemical compound that bring life to the dead, they all basically function the same and are identical when visually inspected--a bright green liquid.
   It takes 20ccs of Re-Agent to revive an average size adult human--half that for children and 30ccs for large or obese adults. Similarly, the amount needed to revive an animal varies on its size, ranging from 5cc (for rabbits or house cats) to 30 cc (for horses or cows).
   If too little of the Re-Agent is injected, nothing happens. If too much is injected, the corpse convulses for 1d6+1 rounds, possible screaming random phrases as if the tortured soul within it is trying to communicate. It then explodes in a shower of gore and bone fragments, dealing 1d4 points of damage to everyone within 10 feet. Characters covered in gore must roll a Fortitude save or be sickened for six rounds less their Constitution bonus.
   The type of undead the corpse animates as depends on how long its been dead, plus a random roll on 1d6. The creature has the statistics as is typical for the game unless the random roll indicates otherwise. In all cases, the creature is disoriented for a few moments after being revived (1d6 rounds), after which is flies into a rage and attacks nearest person, or, if intelligent, either the person responsible for his or her death and/or reanimation. Undead with low intelligence or higher remember some or all of their previous life, even if they grow increasingly insane due to their state. All undead created by the Re-Agent are free-willed and can only be commanded through whatever supernatural means are described in the game system.
   Unless otherwise noted, all attacks are made with the base creatures standard attack values.

Re-Agent Results Tables (Roll 1d6)
Subject Deceased 0-15 Minutes
   1-3. Standard Ghoul
   4-5. Ghoul with Strength Score of 20
   6. Standard Ghoul, but when reduced to half or less of its starting hit points, the creature bursts open and its entrails and organs begin attacking. The creature is restored to full hit points. It now gets three melee attacks per round, each dealing 1d4 points of damage. These attacks can be made against different targets. These attacks do not carry the threat of paralysis.
   A critical hit causes the target to become entangled in the writhing guts. Being so entangled imposes a -2 penalty to attack rolls, but it reduces the undead's attacks to two per round. The target may break free with a successful Strength check (DC14). Any additional critical hits are treated as normal hits.
   If the target is entangled for more than two rounds, the flailing guts wrap around the target's face, beginning to strangle him or her. The target must now roll a Fortitude save each round (DC8, with the DC increasing by 2 each subsequent round) until he or she manages to break free. If the target fails a Fortitude save, he or she falls unconscious and is defenseless. The target continues to be pummeled and dies from strangulation within 5 rounds if not rescued.

Subject Deceased 16-59 Minutes
   1-3. Standard Ghoul
   4-5. Standard Zombie
   6. Standard Zombie, but when reduced to half or less of its starting hit points, the creature bursts open and its entrails and organs begin attacking. The creature is restored to full hit points. It now gets three melee attacks per round, each dealing 1d4 points of damage. These attacks can be made against different targets.
   A critical hit causes the target to become entangled in the writhing guts. Being so entangled imposes a -2 penalty to attack rolls, but it reduces the undead's attacks to two per round. The target may break free with a successful Strength check (DC14). Any additional critical hits are treated as normal hits.
   If the target is entangled for more than two rounds, the flailing guts wrap around the target's face, beginning to strangle him or her. The target must now roll a Fortitude save each round (DC8, with the DC increasing by 2 each subsequent round) until he or she manages to break free. If the target fails a Fortitude save, he or she falls unconscious and is defenseless. The target continues to be pummeled and dies from strangulation within 5 rounds if not rescued.

Subject Deceased 1 Hour - 24 Hours
   1-3. Standard Zombie
   4. Zombie with Strength Score of 20 and skills and mental stats it had when it was alive
   5. Standard Zombie, but when reduced to half or less of its starting hit points, it collapses into the gory heap on the ground. The following round, its arms and legs begin to attack targets in the area independently. Each limb has DR6, has 6 hit points, and deals 1d4 points of damage per attack.
6. Standard Zombie, but when reduced to half or less of its starting hit points, the creature bursts open and its entrails and organs begin attacking. The creature is restored to full hit points. It now gets three melee attacks per round, each dealing 1d4 points of damage. These attacks can be made against different targets.
   A critical hit causes the target to become entangled in the writhing guts. Being so entangled imposes a -2 penalty to attack rolls, but it reduces the undead's attacks to two per round. The target may break free with a successful Strength check (DC14). Any additional critical hits are treated as normal hits.
   If the target is entangled for more than two rounds, the flailing guts wrap around the target's face, beginning to strangle him or her. The target must now roll a Fortitude save each round (DC8, with the DC increasing by 2 each subsequent round) until he or she manages to break free. If the target fails a Fortitude save, he or she falls unconscious and is defenseless. The target continues to be pummeled and dies from strangulation within 5 rounds if not rescued.

Subject Deceased One Day - Two Days
   1-3. Standard Zombie
   4. Standard Ghoul
   5. Standard Zombie, but when reduced to half or less of its starting hit points, it collapses into the gory heap on the ground. The following round, its arms and legs begin to attack targets in the area independently. Each limb has DR6, has 6 hit points, and deals 1d4 points of damage per attack.
   6. The subject rises from the dead, fully healed of whatever injuries or ailments that killed him or her. After a number of minutes equal to 2d6+subject's Con bonus, the subject's body starts to dissolve into a gooey, bloody mess. The transformation takes three rounds, with the subject screaming in agony the whole time. On the fourth round, the subject's entrails and internal organs burst from his or her disintegrating form and start attacking. The subject continues to scream, alternating between incoherent shrieks of pain, pleas for the misery to end, and swearing that would shock a sailor.
   The subject's entrails get three melee attacks per round, each dealing 1d4 points of damage. These attacks can be made against different targets.
   A critical hit by the entrails causes the target to become entangled in the writhing guts. Being so entangled imposes a -2 penalty to attack rolls, but it reduces the undead's attacks to two per round. The target may break free with a successful Strength check (DC14). Any additional critical hits are treated as normal hits.
   If the target is entangled for more than two rounds, the flailing guts wrap around the target's face, beginning to strangle him or her. The target must now roll a Fortitude save each round (DC8, with the DC increasing by 2 each subsequent round) until he or she manages to break free. If the target fails a Fortitude save, he or she falls unconscious and is defenseless. The target continues to be pummeled and dies from strangulation within 5 rounds if not rescued.


Subject Deceased Three Days
   1-3. The subject rises from the dead, fully healed of whatever injuries or ailments that killed him or her. After a number of hours equal to 2d6+subject's Con bonus, the subject turns into a Standard Ghoul. The transformation takes three rounds, during which the subject is in terrible agony and when it's complete, he or she attacks anyone within melee range until slain.
   4. The subject rises from the dead, fully healed of whatever injuries or ailments that killed him or her. After a number of hours equal to 4d6+subject's Con bonus, the subject turns into a Standard Ghoul. The transformation takes three rounds, during which the subject is in terrible agony and when it's complete, he or she attacks anyone within melee range until slain.
   5-6.  The subject rises from the dead, fully healed of whatever injuries or ailments that killed him or her. After a number of hours equal to 4d6+subject's Con bonus, the subject's body starts to dissolve into a gooey, bloody mess. The transformation takes three rounds, with the subject screaming in agony the whole time. On the fourth round, the subject's entrails and internal organs burst from his or her disintegrating form and start attacking.
   The subject's entrails get three melee attacks per round, each dealing 1d4 points of damage. These attacks can be made against different targets. The subject may also attack, using melee or ranged weapons with his or her standard attack bonuses. The subject is now full of a cold, calculating desire to kill any living thing it can.
   A critical hit by the entrails causes the target to become entangled in the writhing guts. Being so entangled imposes a -2 penalty to attack rolls, but it reduces the undead's attacks to two per round. The target may break free with a successful Strength check (DC14). Any additional critical hits are treated as normal hits.
   If the target is entangled for more than two rounds, the flailing guts wrap around the target's face, beginning to strangle him or her. The target must now roll a Fortitude save each round (DC8, with the DC increasing by 2 each subsequent round) until he or she manages to break free. If the target fails a Fortitude save, he or she falls unconscious and is defenseless. The target continues to be pummeled and dies from strangulation within 5 rounds if not rescued.
  
Subject Deceased Four Days to Four Years
   1-3. Standard Zombie
   4-5. Standard Zombie, but when reduced to half or less of its starting hit points, it collapses into the gory heap on the ground. The following round, its arms and legs begin to attack targets in the area independently. Each limb has DR6, has 6 hit points, and deals 1d4 points of damage per attack.
   6. A Zombie, with all the memories, skills, and mental stats of the character when he or she was alive. Strength attribute score of 22.

Subject Deceased Five Years to 50 Years
    1-2. Standard Zombie
    3. Standard Zombie, but when reduced to 0 or less hit points, it explodes into a massive cloud of dust and spores. All living beings within a 10-ft. radius are Blinded for 1d6+2 rounds, and must roll  Fortitude saves (DC12) or be Sickened 1d4 rounds.
   4-5. Standard Mummy with all the memories, skills, and mental stats of the character when he or she was alive.
   6. Standard Mummy, but when reduced to half of its hit points it unleashes a massive swarm of insects through its mouth. (Treat as a creeping doom spell cast by a 12th-level caster.)

Subject Deceased 51 Years to 500 Years
   1. Standard Zombie
   2-4. Standard Mummy
   5. Standard Mummy, but when reduced to half its hit points, it issues a howl and a massive cloud of dust and spores rush from its mouth and swirl around the area. All living beings within a 10-ft radius are Blinded for 2d6 rounds and must roll Fortitude saves (DC12) or be Sickened for 2d4 rounds.
   6. A Lich, with the spellcasting abilities of a 5th-level sorcerer

Subject Deceased 501 Years or More
   1-2. Standard Skeleton
   3.  A Lich, with the spellcasting abilities of 12th-level sorcerer
   4. Standard Mummy, except when reduced to half its hit point, it issues a howl and a massive could of dust rush from its mouth and swirl around the area. All living beings within a 10-ft radius are blinded for 2d6 rounds and must roll Fortitude saves (DC14) or be Sickened for 2d4 rounds.
   When reduced to 0 hit points, the mummy explodes into a massive swarm of insects. (Treat as a creeping doom spell cast by a 15th-level caster. Also, any dead bodies within a 30-ft. radius rise as Standard Skeletons.
   5. A Lich, with the spellcasting abilities of a 15-level sorcerer.
   6. The subject is apparently restored fully to life, its body gradually returning to full and vibrant health over the course of three rounds. However, the subject is actually a Standard Succubus (or Incubus, depending on the sex of the subject).



MAKING MORE RE-AGENT
By following one of West's formulas, characters can use their Craft (Chemicals) skill (DC15) or their Craft (Pharmaceuticals) skill (DC22) to create more Re-Agent. They may make it in batches of one pint to as many gallons as they wish. Obtaining the materials to create 1 pint of Re-Agent requires a Wealth Check of DC8. The check increases by +2 for each additional pint worth of materials purchased.

Off-Label Effects
Depending on which variation is used. the Re-Agent may have effects that Dr. West didn't intend. These are listed below and may be discovered by accident or experimentation; some may be deduced by studying the notes of Dr. West or Dr. Abbott (Research skill checks of DC15).
   If characters are using or studying Re-Agent originally made by West, the DM should roll a 1d8 to see if there are any off-label effects. (West did not label his Re-Agent batches according to which formula he used to make them, because he had that information in memory.)

Formula Used     Off-Label Effect
1-7.                      None. (1)
8-16.                    Can be turned into an aerosols spray.
                             Dose can re-animate 1d4+1 sprayed corpses. (2)
17-25.                  None. (3)
25-26.                  Living beings become Zombies 1d4+2 hours
                            after being injected (or eating or drinking food
                            contaminated with Re-Agent). Fortitude save DC 22
                            to negate. (4)
27-29.                  None. (5)
30-33.                  If submerged in Re-Agent, corpses will reanimate. (6)
34-35                   None. (7)
35-37.                  If more than one gallon of Re-Agent is spilled and seeps
                            into the ground near a cemetery or other burial site, 1d8+1
                            Standard Zombies rise and set out to kill the living. (8)


And here's some music to Re-Animate by...

Friday, October 5, 2018

Fear-filled Friday: Ghostbusting!

It's October. The dark night of Halloween is drawing ever closer. To help you get in the mood, we're going to bring you a series of ghost- and haunting-themed adventure seeds (and perhaps a few other goodies). Each post in this series will be rounded out by a fun cover of Ray Parker Jr.'s legendary "Ghostbusters" theme song.

Although saddened by the passing of Uncle Demitrius, the Pleasantons were thrilled to move into the isolated old house he left them in his will. At least they were until it turned out to be haunted.


Can the PCs get to the bottom of what's going on? (Roll 1d8 on the tables to randomly generate a Dark Old House ghostbusting adventure seed!

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE HOUSE?
1. Strange lights and sounds are waking the family up at night.
2. Items are being moved around and drawers are being emptied and the contents scattered.
3. Food in the fridge is spoiling and all liquids in opened containers (such as milk and juice) are evaporating overnight.
4. The family’s baby keeps disappearing from her room, but is always found safely in some bizarre part of the house.
5. The plumbing keeps going haywire with strong blasts of scalding or ice cold water, sinks and tubs backing up and causing flooding, or small fires keep erupting in the living room and bedroom.
6. Demitrius is heard uttering strange chants or vague threats.
7. Strange shapes appear in the bedrooms, waking family members at night, sometimes even grabbing them before vanishing.
8. Roll twice on the table, re-rolling any Sixes or repeated numbers.

WHY ARE THE SPIRITS RESTLESS?
1. They aren’t. A greedy real estate developer (and supposed family friend) is trying to scare the family from their home.
2. They aren’t. A crooked antique dealer (and supposed family friend) is sneaking into the house and searching for treasure that, according to old records he found, is hidden in the walls.
3. They aren’t. The angry lover of the husband (1-3)/wife (4-6) has used a magic ritual to bind a minor demon to the house to harass the family.
4. The kids played with a Quija Board and 1d6 poltergeists now inhabit the house.
5. When the old well at the bottom of the backyard was unsealed, elemental and nature spirits were awakened and released.
6. Children playing in the back yard awakened the cursed souls of cultists sacrificed by their leader to appease their dark god (and to prevent his discovery by the authorities).
7. Demitrius was murdered and his ghost is trying to warn the family that the are next if they don't leave... because a lunatic has decided he wants the house for himself.
8. Demitrius was a demon worshiper who traded his soul for theirs; the manifestations in the house is Demistrius summoning spirits and preparing to suck the souls out of the family so he may live forever.



Tuesday, September 25, 2018

A preview of 'OGL Potheads'


To amuse himself and his Facebook Friends, our fearless leader Steve Miller did some pothead releated d20 Sysetm content. The thing took on a life of its own, and a product thematically similar to OGL Drunkards may be forthcoming. Meanwhile, here's a draft of some of the potential content. (Like Secrets of the Witchkind drew some inspiration from the classic TV series Bewitched, so does this hypothetical product draw inspiration from Charles Bands' Evil Bong series. (All text for the rest of this post is released under the Open Game License. Copyright Steve Miller 2018.)
Comments are welcomed!

NEW STARTING OCCUPATION
Stoner
Prerequisite: Age 15+
Skills: Choose three of the following skills as permanent class skills. If a skill the character selects is already a class skill, he or she receives a +1 competence bonus on checks using that skill. Craft (visual art or writing), Knowledge (arcane lore or popular culture), Perform (dance, keyboards, percussion instruments, sing, stringed instruments), Spot.
Feats: Select either Creative or Pothead
Special: Characters with this starting profession may select [Stoner] feats in place of bonus feats earned when advancing in their class.


NEW SKILL
Herbalism (Wis, trained only)
You can tell skunk weed from the good stuff, and you can tell what can be smoked and what shouldn't be smoked. You also know the ingridents for making simple herbal remedies. The DC of the skill check depends on what you are attempting to accomplish. Here are some examples:
   DC5: Tell catnip from pot
   DC8: Tell skunk weed from the good stuff.
   DC11: Make a hang-over remedy, or otherwise alleviate mild pain.
   DC15: Tell the good stuff from Magic Weed
   Special: If the character has 5 ranks in Herbalism, he or she gains a +2 synergy bonus to Craft (Pharmaceutical).


NEW FEATS
Emptyhead [Stoner]
You can clear your mind and gain amazing results.
   Prerequisite: Pothead
   Benefit: Roll a Concentration skill check (DC11+your INT bonus) and meditate. For each round spent in meditation to clear your mind, the character gains a +2 bonus to the next Resarch, Gather Information, and Spot skill checks you make.

Greater Emptyhead [Meta-Gaming, Stoner]
The wide open spaces of your mind can yield unusual insights.
   Prerequisite: Emptyhead
   Benefit: Roll a Concentration skill check (DC13+your INT bonus) as a full round action. If the check is successful, you may ask the GM three questions geared toward solving whatever problems or mysteries the characters are trying to overcome in the game. The GM must give you an honest and helpful answer (like an obvious clue or the outright solution). The GM does not necessarily need to provide the means to resolving the problem or evidence to prove the solution to the mystery, just provide the answers to the questions. If the question has no answer, the GM can say that he or she doesn't know. (In game terms, these answers come to the character using the Greater Emptyhead feat as flashes of brilliant and cosmic insight.)

Master of the Emptyhead [Stoner]
Your mind is a gateway to other times and places and worlds
   Prerequisite: Greater Emptyhead
   Benefit: Roll a Concentration skill check (DC13+your INT bonus). Meditate for three rounds. At the end of the third round, your mind becomes a dimensional portal and you and all creatures within 30 feet of your location are transported to a random time and place. [TBD = Table to be Designed]


Pothead [Stoner]
You toke 'em when you got 'em.
    Benefit: Gain a permanent -1 penalty to Initiaive checks, but a +4 bonus to Will saving throws to resist mind-affecting magic and spell-like effects.
    Special: You gain a +2 bonus to Wealth checks made when scoring weed.



Wednesday, September 19, 2018

A preview of "The Elementals"

This material will appear in a slightly different (as in edited) form in NUELOW Games' next release The Elementals for the OGL d20 System. First up, is an optional part of modifications to the character generation system that determines which Great Dragon's magic impacted the character's ancient ancestors.


HOW WERE YOUR ELEMENTAL POWERS AWAKENED? (Roll 1d6)
Art by Storn Cook
   1. You have always felt attracted to the element you draw your power from, but as you entered your teens, you began to develop the powers you now possess.
   2. You almost lost your life in a situation involving the element your powers are drawn from; in the aftermath, you discovered new abilities.
   3-4. Your family has always been key members of a global cult devoted to worshiping the dragon spirits. You were identified as one of the Blessed and prepared for the day when your powers would manifest themselves.
   5. You were doing yoga, meditating, taking mind-altering drugs (or some combination thereof) when your mind was flooded with flashes of a long-gone age when Great Dragons watched over Earth and all life on it. You fell into a coma 16 hours, and when you recovered, your powers had developed.
   6. A strange old man approached you and said that you were the heir to a great and ancient gift... and that you were to take over the role he had filled for the last several decades. After showing you his power, he trained you in the use of yours.


HOW DID THE PLAYER CHARACTERS MEET? (Roll 1d6)
   1. At the funeral of a shared mentor.
   2. They are abducted and imprisoned together for reasons they initially don't understand and must work together to escape and figure out why.
   3. They were raised in the same secret society and brought together when the time was right.
   4. They each felt drawn to the same isolated castle in Ireland.
   5. They are the sole survivors of a natural disaster.
   6. While they are individually being hunted by assassins, they each recieved a message (and the means) to travel to a remote building in the Mojave Desert in order to discover the key to survive and the reason for why they are being hunted.


NEW FEAT
Here's a feat that may be included... the editor is still mulling over a few last minute brainstorms that I had regarding what could go into The Elementals.

Sense Elemental
You can sense when you are near someone else who carries a spark of a Great Dragon within them.
   Prerequisite: Child of a Great Dragon, Spot 4 ranks.
   Benefit: When your characer is within 60 feet of another Elemental, the GM tells you the character feels as though something is "off" or as if "someone just walked over your grave" or some other statement to show you are sensing something unusual. Upon making a successful Spot skill check (DC12), you can identify the source of your unease--another Elemental. If the Elemental is out of your line of sight, you know exactly where he or she is. You may The sense of unease ends as soon as you recognise the other Immortal.)
   The sense of unease also ends if the Spot check reveals some other threat or mystery that draws your attention.



Wednesday, September 12, 2018

What ruins the interplanetary cruise?

Here's a table to spark ideas for a side adventures the next time the player characters are traveling between planets in your sci-fi campaign. Roll 1d12 to determine what disrupts a peaceful trip.

1. Crew is seized by Space Madness
2. Martian Fever spreads among the passengers, killing them and reanimating their bodies.
3. The ship is hijacked by Venusian seperatists
4. The ship is boarded by space pirates
5. An old friend of the party seeks them out for protection
6. An old enemy of the party seeks them out for protection
7. A deadly being made of pure mental energy is moving from body to body, causing murder and mayhemn
8. Assassins are targeting a politician traveling incognito
9. Thugs want to kidnap a couple of eloping rich kids and hold them for ransom
10. Space Witches have chosen the ship and this passage as the time and place for their latest ritual
11. The life support systems mysteriously malfunction
12. A powerful energy beam draws the ship toward Uranus

Art by Joe Doolin


And here's a song that might provide a little inspiration as well!

Sunday, July 29, 2018

The Super Hero Class (for d20 Modern)

Some five years ago, NUELOW head-honcho Steve Miller had an idea for a system of super powers that could be grated onto any d20 System game that used the feats and talents mechanic to advance character abilities. It began with the post linked here, and Miller and his partner in NUELOWness, L.L. Hundal, has been expanding upon it ever since... through posts here at the blog and with content in many of the comics/rpg hybrid products that they've produced.
   Miller & Hundal have agreed that they think they've just about covered all their favorite comic book heroes and their abilities via the rules they've been creating... and that it may be time to pull all the bits and bobs together into a unified and coherent whole and release an actual product! One of the last pieces may or may not be this new base class while Hundal has been using in her d20 Modern games for the last few go-arounds.
   All text in this post is released under the Open Game License and may be reproduce in accordance with its terms. Copyright Steve Miller 2018

THE SUPER HERO CLASS
By L.L. Hundal & Steve Miller


There are Fast heroes, Smart Heroes, Strong heroes... all the kinds of heroes you find described in the d20 Modern Standard Reference Document. But the Super hero stands above them all. Whether driven by supernatural forces, family heritage, or some life-altering trauma, the super hero has powers and abilities beyond those of mere mortals that he or she puts to use to defend the innocent from criminals and other evil people and entities that would prey upon them. It is a versatile class with access to the wide range of talents, as well as minor power feats.

THE SUPER HERO CLASS
Ability: Player's Choice; Super heroes come in all shapes, sizes and intelligence quotients.
Hit Die: 1d8
Action Points: Super heroes gain a number of action points equal to 5 + one-half their character level, rounded down, at 1st level and every time they attain a new level in this class.
Class Skills: The Super hero's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (mechanical) (Int), Drive (Dex), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Strength), Knowledge (current events, science [pick individual branches separately], streetwise) (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Pilot (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (none), and Tumble (Dex).
Also, the starting occupation the character selects can provide additional class skills to choose from.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 5 + Int modifier.

Table: The Super Hero
Class Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Class Features
Defense Bonus
Reputation Bonus
1st
+1
+0
+1
+1
Talent
+2
+0
2nd
+2
+1
+1
+1
Bonus feat
+3
+1
3rd
+3
+1
+2
+1
Talent
+3
+1
4th
+4
+2
+2
+2
Bonus feat
+4
+2
5th
+5
+2
+3
+2
Talent
+4
+2
6th
+6/+1
+3
+3
+2
Bonus feat
+5
+3
7th
+6/+1
+3
+4
+3
Talent
+5
+3
8th
+7/+2
+4
+4
+3
Bonus feat
+6
+4
9th
+7/+2
+4
+5
+3
Talent
+6
+4
10th
+8/+3
+5
+5
+4
Bonus feat
+7
+5

Starting Feats
In addition to the two feats all characters get at 1st level, a Super hero begins play with the Combat Martial Arts feat, or a Weapons Proficiency feat of the player's choice. The character must meet any prerequisites before selecting a feat.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Super hero.

Talents
At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level, the Super hero may select a talent from any the following talent trees. Some trees have a set order that must be followed, while others provide a list to choose from.
   Any and all Super Power talent trees for which the Super hero meets the prerequisites.
    No talent can be selected more than once unless expressly indicated in its description.

Feats
At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level, the Super hero may select a bonus feat from the following list.
   Any [Minor Power] feat, plus Alertness, Athletic, Blind-fight, Builder, Combat Expertise, Educated, Gearhead, Improved Disarm, Frightful Presence, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Meticulous, Studious, Trustworthy, Weapon Focus.


Saturday, July 28, 2018

Masks of the Ninja Cuties

This post is a supplement to NUELOW Games' Ninja Cuties. You can also find drafts of the material from that booklet on this blog, but if you like this post, we hope you'll consider getting our product.

MASKS OF THE NINJA CUTIES
The first Grandmaster of the Ninja Cutie clan has six children--three sons and three daughters. Being unable to choose which of his adult children would be the best to take over leadership of the clan, he said that he would give the position to the child who defeated a Grandmaster of a rival clan and presented him with the mask that embodied that clan's spirit. Two weeks later, five of his children returned together, each presenting him with a clan's mask... all except the youngest daughter. The children explained that she devised the strategey that saw the siblings working together to defeat all the other clan leaders and take the artifacts from them. He was so pleased that instead of giving control of the clan to just one of them, he divided its resources equally among them. He gave his youngest child the Face of the Cutie, the mask that symbolized the Shouchiibi (Ninja Cutie) clan, and the rest retained the masks they'd seized as the symbol of the part of the clan--the "House"-- of which they were now in charge.
   As the Ninja Cutie Clan spread across the globe, the division of the clan that had happened in its early days served it well. Each part of the clain essentially ended up with its own "territory" and the masks were housed within the secret headquarters of the House in question. Here are the six Masks of the Ninja Cuties, as defined with the d20 System. (The rest of the text in this post is released under the Open Game License and it may reproduced in accordance with its terms.)

Art by Adam Warren

The Face of the Dragon (Located in Manchester, Great Britain)

This mask grants the wearer a +2 bonus to all Wisdom-based skill checks. Once per day, the mask will protect the wearer against a mind-affecting attack or spell (automatic failure; the GM doesn't even need to inform the player it happened unless its obvious). Once per day, the wearer can conciously invoke the mask's power to gain a +4 bonus to all Will saves for two hours.

The Face of the Fox (Located in New York City, USA)
The mask grants the wearer a +2 bonus to all Intelligence-based skill cheks. Once per day, the mask can be activated by touching its left ear to allow the wearer to automatically see through  technologically- or magically-created illusions for 30 minutes.

The Face of the Cutie (Located in Tokyo, Japan)
This mask grants the wearer a +2 bonus to all Charisma-based skill checks. Once per day, the mask allows the wearer to cast charm monster at 12th-level effectiveness.

The Visage of the Bull (Located in Rio De Janerio, Brazil)
The mask grants the wearer a +2 bonus to all Strength-based skill checks. Three times per day, the wearer may ignore the hardness of an object while striking to break it.

The Visage of the Cat (Located in Hong Kong, China)
The mask grants the wearer a +2 bonus to all Dexterity-based skill checks. For one combat per day, the wearer cannot be flanked and gains a +1 bonus to AC or DC (depending on the d20 System variant) against all attacks.

The Visage of the Bear (Located in Christchurch, New Zealand)
The mask grants the wearer +4 to all Constitution-based skill checks, as well as a +1 bonus to all Fortitude saves.

Ninja Cuties