Rugged System: Tenebrous Hack
This version of my "Rugged" System is designed for use in my dark superheroes game Tenebrous. The system here is designed to be functional, easy to learn and use, and casual. Balance and mathematical elegance are of minimal concern. Basic utility is paramount.
Basic Task ResolutionHacking into S.H.R.O.U.D.'s magically encrypted mainframe, punching through a brick wall in one Horripilation's funhouses, leaping the gap between two decaying tenements in the Midden, and all other difficult actions are resolved with a simple roll, sometimes against a static Difficulty, sometimes against an opponent's opposed roll. This roll is always a d6, plus any modifiers. Modifiers include the environment (bonuses or penalties decided by the GM), personal Attributes (Physique, Puissance, Resilience, Expertise), and Penumbra Points (see below).
AttributesA character's Attributes represent the various strengths and weaknesses of that character. When the GM asks for an Attribute check, they are asking the player to roll 1d6 + the Attribute in question. Most heroic characters begin play with 30 Attribute points. Mundane characters generally have only 15 points, with 0 Puissance.
Physique pertains to a character's physical abilities and is used for everything from acrobatics to combat. When your character wants to accomplish something physical, use Physique.
Puissance pertains to the strength of a character's occult or preternatural abilities and is used to cast spells or use preternatural powers.
Resilience pertains to a character's toughness and is used to avoid taking physical damage, resist poisons or disease, and sustain other forms of punishment. Someone reduced to 0 Resilience is incapacitated and those at negative Resilience will die if untreated.
Resolve pertains to a character's mental fortitude, willpower, sanity, and courage, and is used to resist mental attacks, possession, curses, and the like. Those reduced to 0 Resolve are too confused to act while those at negative Resolve have been driven insane.
Expertise pertains to a character's special skills, training, knowledge, and all-around capability.
Examples:Pareidolia: Physique 4, Puissance 8, Resilience 5, Resolve 5, Expertise 8
Spriggan: Physique 6, Puissance 8, Resilience 5, Resolve 4, Expertise 7
Lamia: Physique 8, Puissance 5, Resilience 7, Resolve 6, Expertise 4
Black Sun: Physique 7, Puissance 7, Resilience 6, Resolve 6, Expertise 4
Thug: Physique 5, Puissance 0, Resilience 4, Resolve 4, Expertise 2
PowersPowers provide a wide variety of abilities for characters to draw from. Some boost statistics, some deal damage, some replenish Resilience, some affect enemies mentally, and some have other applications altogether. When a Power is directly exercised against an enemy, the character using the Power makes a Puissance roll, usually opposed by the enemy's Resilience or Resolve, depending on whether the attack is physical or mental in nature. Each character has unique powers; there is no "point buy" mechanic for choosing powers.
The listed mechanical aspects of a Power should
not be considered the only applications of that Power; they are merely examples. Covering every use of Cruor's haemokinesis Power, for example, would be difficult. Some Powers aren't properly supernatural at all, but represent mundane talents of a near-preternatural level.
Examples:Healing Factor: The character regains 4 Resilience per round.
Ossifying Gaze: The character can make a Puissance check opposed by an enemy's Resilience check. On a success, they deal 1d8 damage to the enemy. If the damage dealt is equal to or greater than the enemy's current Resilience, the enemy has been ossified permanently (this effect can be dispelled).
Jinx: The character can make a Puissance check opposed by an enemy's Resolve check. If they beat the enemy's check, the enemy has been Jinxed and must reroll all successful checks once for one round.
WeaknessesCharacters also have Weaknesses which, like Powers, are mechanically unique.
Examples:Holy Water: The touch of blessed water deals 1d2 damage to the character. Full immersion deals 1d6 damage per round. Weapons dipped in holy water deal an addition +1 damage against the character.
Agoraphobia: In wide, open spaces, the character suffers -1 to all rolls and checks and -2 to Resolve checks.
CombatCombat in Tenebrous is simple, swift, and brutal.
At the beginning of every combat, all combatants make a Physique check to determine Initiative order. If some combatants take others by surprise, resolve initial attacks before rolling for Initiative.
On a character's turn, they have sufficient time to move and attack, or perform actions that take a similar amount of time. Instead of worrying about half a dozen action types, the rules of common sense should prevail when it comes to what a character can do in a given round.
To attack an enemy, characters first choose the form of their attack. Attacking usually requires a Physique check, while using a Power in combat usually requires a Puissance check.
The defender then makes a Resilience or Resolve check, depending on the nature of the attack. If the attacker beats the defender, they roll for damage as indicated by their weapon or other attack. Most non-magical weapons deal 1d2-1d4 damage.
Some characters may also possess armour, which reduces the damage dealt to them, although sometimes only from certain weapon types. A standard bulletproof vest, for instance, reduces damage from firearms by 2.
If an attacker rolls a 6 to hit, they've scored a critical hit. If they can hit the opponent, they deal double damage (roll damage twice). The opponent can still use their Resilience to avoid/absorb the attack if they roll high enough.
If a character is reduced to 0 Resilience, they've been incapacitated and can take no significant actions, though they may take some limited actions. Those at negative Resilience are dying. If they do not receive medical treatment within one round, they must make a Resilience check of Difficulty 1. If they pass the check they stabilize. If they fail the check they lose another point of Resilience and roll again next round. A heroic character is dead if their Resilience reaches -10 or lower.
All tied rolls favour player characters.
Penumbra PointsThe game of Tenebrous is dark, sinister, and disturbing. The Tenebrae may fight against the forces of darkness, but the differences between such "heroes" and their foes are not always stark. Penumbra Points are a means of encouraging anti-heroic behaviour while granting players an extra advantage at critical moments. Penumbra Points can only be redeemed if they make the narrative appreciably
darker in some way. This could take the form of a chilling description, a particularly extreme or gruesome act of violence, the indulgence of a depraved appetite or dark impulse, or simply an unnerving implication. While the GM functions as the ultimate arbiter of whether an action is "dark enough" to justify Penumbra Point expenditure, they shouldn't simply shut down an attempt to redeem a point that doesn't meet their standards for grotesquerie or grimness – instead they should encourage the player to modify their action further. At the beginning of every session, all characters receive 5 Penumbra Points. These points can be redeemed at any time to provide the following bonuses:
Act Out of Turn – use one Penumbra Point to act out of the normal initiative order. Note that by acting out of turn you do not take two turns: rather, you take your turn at a different time.
Act Again – use one Penumbra Point to take an additional action on your turn, at your regular initiative.
Deal Bonus Damage – use one Penumbra Point to treat any normal hit like a critical hit.
Roll an Extra d6 – use one Penumbra Point to roll an additional d6 on any check.
Take Over Narration – use one Penumbra Point to temporarily assume control of the narrative, making a declaration or altering the story in some small but significant way.
Combat ManoeuversHere is a small sampling of possible combat manoeuvres - alternatives to attacking in combat.
Guard – You defend another individual (or object). Any enemy attacking the target you are guarding must beat both your Resilience
and the defender's (with a single roll).
Distract – Make a Physique check opposed by enemy Resolve. If you succeed, the enemy is distracted and suffers -2 to Resilience against all other attacks for one round and also suffers -2 on their own attack rolls.
Feint – You throw an enemy off-guard with a series of feints. In the next round, you roll 2d6 to hit with a melee weapon rather than 1d6.
Aim – You set up a shot with a ranged weapon. In the next round, you roll 2d6 to hit with a ranged weapon rather than 1d6.
Full Defense – You focus only on blocking enemy blows. You roll 2d6 on all Resilience checks for one round.
Concentrate - You marshal your willpower to steal yourselves against psychic attacks. You roll 2d6 on Resolve checks for one round.
Disarm – You attempt to grab a weapon or other object an enemy is carrying. Make opposed Physique checks with the enemy; if you succeed, you have wrested the object away.
Stun – You attack the enemy with the attempt to stun rather than injure. Make a regular attack (generally a melee attack, but not necessarily). If you succeed, you deal no damage but the target drops 1d6 in Initiative order.
Taunt – You issue an insult to try and lure an enemy towards you. Make an opposed Resolve check with your target. If you succeed, the enemy attacks you this round to the exclusion of other targets. This ability may not affect enemies immune to mind-influencing effects (such as robots or certain Undead creatures).
Pin - You grapple with an enemy and pin their limbs. Make an opposed Physique check with your target. If you succeed, the enemy cannot act normally, though they can attempt to break free of your hold with another opposed Physique check. Once you've secured a pin you no longer need to roll on your turn to maintain it.
Throw - You hurl an enemy away. Make a Physique check opposed by enemy Resilience. If you succeed, you throw your enemy to a nearby location. The throw itself deals 1 damage in addition to repositioning the enemy.
As with Sixguns, Spaceships, and Cyclopean Horrors, if this is successful I will occasionally run "episodes" of the game with minimal time commitments required, so if people don't get a chance to participate on Halloween there may be other opportunities.
I am literally so excited about this its stupid. I don't know what my schedule will be, but I'll make every effort to drop in so I can punch some spines out as Mollusc.
No worries Vreeg - I have been crazy busy myself. Your appreciation is... appreciated! Although if you ever have time to drop in on a game, you'd be very welcome to join in.
I'm looking forward to playing this game. Are you interested in setting up a time soon?
I'm going to be running it on Halloween (Thursday the 31st). Not sure what time of day, yet, but probably early-middle of the day, unless no one can make that time; we'll figure out times more in the thread I made (http://www.thecbg.org/index.php/topic,209992.msg225648.html#new)for the game itself.
Attributes for Tenebrous characters are now included in the Tenebrous thread. Haven't detailing all the powers and weaknesses yet, but they're on their way. Let me know if you think any of the stats are way out of whack.
Modified dying rules to make them a little more forgiving. A critical gunshot could still kill most unarmoured mundane humans, but there's a greater chance to stabilize and being reduced to negative Resilience doesn't equal instant death.
I like the Tenebrae, generally speaking.
As predicted, Pareidolia does appeal to me! Although, in thinking about playing her, I worry a little that she's kind of forced into a sort of role better served by an NPC. I understand the flavor reasons for her weakness, but I feel like in actual play I think it can translate to "suffers a penalty for actually going on adventures," which is... not a good thing to have in a game, I think. I mean, sure, it's possible for her to avoid her weakness, but it's such a broad (and pretty subjective) thing compared to some of the more specific 'kryptonite' type weaknesses.
Excellent point sparkletwist. I've modified agoraphobia in two ways: the penalty is now only -1 and it only applies in "wide open spaces," not all outdoor spaces. So a broad forest clearing or a desert would qualify, or maybe an especially large indoor space like a hanger, an enormous cathedral, or a huge warehouse, but your average city street or woodland road or moderately sized room/corridor would not. It is still a bit subjective, but as DM I would be fairly narrow about its use - in my notes I would specifically identify select areas where agoraphobia was in play rather than assuming most were open enough to incite agoraphobia.
I do think it would be possible (though unusual) to play Pareidolia as if she was still in the Sepulchre throughout the adventure interacting with everything indirectly, but admittedly this is how I planned to use her if she ends up as an NPC.
Nice, solid additions, Steerpike.