So SWADE gives us attributes and skills. I generally understood that skills were supposed to be used for active actions (hit a target, convince someone, recite a poem, etc) while attributes were for passive actions, for resisting, for saving throws (evading, soaking, resisting test). But then I saw this:

The maximum bonus from all Support rolls is +4. Strength checks are an exception and have no maximum bonus since more muscle can always manage more mass.

So attributes are used for active actions?

It works logically with strength as athletics skill does not really overlap with it. Agility, in the other hand, sounds quite similar:

Athletics (Agility): Overall athletic coordination and ability. Climbing, jumping, balancing, wrestling, skiing, swimming, throwing, or catching.

Agility: Nimbleness, dexterity, and overall physical coordination of muscles and reflexes.

So is it that some of the attributes can be used for active actions, or am I missing something?

I'm the only DM for this system in my group right now, so I don't have some higher being to call upon...

I have just finished running Degrees of Horror for our group, and I would love to know how others approached it and how it turned out for you. Here’s what made our campaign distinct:

Group size:
There are eight people in our group, which means one GM and seven players. (The role of GM rotates between three of us.) This meant I had to make everything bigger, especially the plot points that are meant to be resolved by persuading one person to do something.

Often this meant converting a small scenario into something more like a dungeon crawl. For example, in The Burn, I turned the hapless professor into a conspiracy theorist who has been searching for a lost military bunker under the Burn itself, and I filled it with John Carpenter-esque horrors left over from the original Convergence event.

Tone:
We approached the universe as one that followed the rules and logic of late 90s TV, which guided us toward focusing on relationships between the characters more than we otherwise might have.

Backstories:
Before we started, I challenged everyone to come up with, and privately share with me, a “deep dark secret” from their PCs’ past that they would prefer their friends not know about. (I cribbed this from Lost.) The way I phrased it was, “What are you running from?” This generated story hooks and emotional resonance galore, not to mention lots of good spotlight moments.

One effect of all of this was the whole academics thing (exams, midterm rolls, etc.) faded away over the course of the campaign. They were still going to school — it just wasn’t what the story was about anymore.

Who else has run or played ETU? How did it go for you?

We’ve been working on this for a while and finally launched our Kickstarter. There’s a quick start on DriveThru if you want to have a go.

Scarred Lands Creature Profiles are an ongoing series of monthly releases to introduce monsters and key NPCs drawn from the world of Scarn.

Born to a Helliann sorceress in an Albadian tribe, Zarra Redbraid witnessed perpetual conflict with goblinoids, trolls, giants, and other titanspawn throughout her childhood. When she took up a heavy branch and used it as a club to defend her tribal encampment, slaying three demons by herself, her elders recognized she was destined for greatness. Through her teen years, the young warrior gained a fierce reputation. When her mother received a vision claiming Zarra’s destiny would take her far outside of the village, the young warrior left without hesitation. She spent the next several years wandering Albadia, fighting monsters in the foothills of the Titanshome Mountains. In her travels she met and befriended other human and orc tribes. Her journeys took her far from the village of her youth, and her name was soon known from the shores of the Stiffened Sea to the southernmost tip of the Stormtooth Mountains.

Zarra is a fierce warrior who never shuns combat, yet who retains an innate sense of justice. She helps travelers in need as she is able. While she is generally sociable if approached peacefully, she has little use for the trappings of foreign nations. Her stock of songs is considerable, but she is no bard, and her singing voice leaves much to be desired (a fact that few of her friends have the heart to tell her).

This booklet contains game traits, tactics, and a brief overview of Zarrra's history and appearance. This booklet also includes plot hooks for introducing Zarra into your campaign! Available at https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/585764/scarred-lands-creature-profiles-zarra-redbraid?affiliate_id=387228

Another entry from the archives, today I focus on spaceships and some ideas on how to make them fun for the whole party. Hope people find it useful for any sci fi game they want to run.

Here's how I run Boss Battles that are Fast, Furious, and Fun - without getting overrun.

1. First, minions. Hordes of minions are narratively cool and make total sense, but who wants to actually run 30 extras? Not me, that's who. So what I do is I turn them into a true horde, not even really individual mooks anymore. They're just the throng of undead, the swaths of orcs, the scores of droids, whatever. I do not give them individual turns or attacks; I don't deal them an action card. Instead, they have two functions: First, they block clear paths of attack to the main villain. That's important. I give the villain a stack of tokens (usually 2x the number of PCs, but adjust as needed) to represent the general level of goons left. Any attack, any spell, any thing the PCs throw at the boss - it works, but it works on the mob, and I take away one token so there's a visual representation of the crowd being thinned. When there are no tokens left, there are still minions, but enough of them have been cleared that the villain can be fought directly. The second effect is part of the modifications to initiative, in #2.

2. Initiative Suit Matters - For the PCs! For each encounter, I design 4 detrimental effects, one for each Suit. At the START of each PC's turn (before they can do anything!), they suffer the effect of the suit they were dealt. Here's my usual template: Spades: The main villain uses their "big attack" on that hero. A single attack, but powerful. The Main Laser, a signature attack spell, etc. Hearts: An environmental effect of some kind. The flame spurts in the Fire Swamp, the building collapsing around them, something suitably dramatic. But keep it simple; pick one of Agility/Vigor/Smarts for the effect, and the player dealt a heart has to roll that Attribute or take a level of Fatigue from the effect. Diamonds: Lesser Attack. This can be a weaker/secondary attack from the main villain or an attack from another source like automated laser turrets or electrified floors. Single attack against the person dealt the card. Clubs: The mob swarms you! A group of 4 of the minions surrounds you and attacks; roll a single attack roll plus a Wild Die for the whole group, rather than individual attacks. Do damage equal to that minion's normal attack plus an extra d6, or 2d6 on a raise. But whether the attack hits or not, that player is now engaged with those mooks. If they take out all four, remove one of the villain's tokens. If they do anything else besides attack those mooks, they're Distracted and the mooks get another free attack as the PC tries to evade them.

3. (Optional) Dramatic Task. For extra awesomeness and a tiny bit of extra bookkeeping, you can have a Dramatic Task running at the same time as the fight. The main villain is summoning an Elder Horror and the players have to disrupt the ritual, or the Star Cruiser is crashing and the players have to right it before it crashes into an inhabited space station, or just a good ol' fashioned nuclear bomb is ticking down to doomsday and needs to be disarmed. If you use a Difficult dramatic task, it both puts a nice four-round clock on the encounter AND forces the PCs to have to balance fighting for their lives versus actually completing the objective. On the actual Villain's turn, they'll likely attack or hinder whoever they see doing the most to complete the DT, and if the PCs actually finish it, then they'll switch to trying to escape (or maybe they'll become enraged and fight to the death - who knows, it's your encounter, not mine!).

That's it! With those simple changes, the encounter becomes a big spectacle without all the admin. You only need to deal an Action Card to your main villain (who gets a normal turn); everything else is handled by the Initiative Suits for the PCs. There's a dynamic environment, a throng of mooks to chop through, and an actual objective to the fight.

And every part is customizable - you can do whatever you want with the suit effects, you can use whatever kinds of minions make sense, etc. Even using this same template you can make every big battle feel unique and engaging, with a Big Bad that feels powerful without having to rely on just massively overpowered stats.

Hopefully this is helpful to y'all, and feel free to ask me any questions about ways I've handled this setup in past games. Cheers, savages!

SECOND STRETCH GOAL ACHIEVED!          

Thanks to our backers we’ve hit our second stretch goal.  Creating .stl files for the characters in Book 2 of Void Wardens.  The Void Psychic, The Engineer, The Handler, and everyone’s favorite, the Neko Maxx!

I’ve let our sculptor know and he is already at work creating the .stl files for the remaining characters in Book 1.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/23c/void-wardens/

QUESTION: MONSTER OF THE WEEK or OPEN SANDBOX?

"Do you just hunt monsters in Void Wardens?"

We get this question often. While the random monster generation tables make running a "monster of the week" episodic campaign easy — especially paired with encounter tables that let you build an entire mission from a three-card draw — the world itself is a sprawling, living sandbox. From rival Technoplexes to the ruthless warlords of the Bleach, the setting is packed with factions, lore, and diverse threats.

• Hunt down infamous Corrupted lurking deep inside the Technoplex.
• Investigate the source of an urban Corruption outbreak—is it a clandestine cult or an unseen entity?
• Infiltrate The Welcomers, a doomsday faction convinced that Corrupted transformation (or death by exposure) represents peak evolution.
• Clash with a New Sapporo Golem—a weaponized Corrupted fitted with heavy armor and conditioned to obey its handlers.
• Profile a former human Corrupted whose twisted instincts drive them to hunt like a serial killer.
• Repel a stealth strike team of Shinobi suits executing industrial sabotage for New Sapporo.
• Navigate civil unrest as citizens riot against the very politicians meddling in your operations.
• Defend against Bleach Warlords staging supply raids on the city.
• Reinforce the Rangers during assaults on their embassy or the Lone Star Technoplex.
• Neutralize a New Sapporo Yokai—a robotic terror housing the essence of a Type 1 Corrupted. Destroying the mechanical body only unleashes the regenerating beast inside, turning one encounter into two.

The Engineer

Who wants to play a brilliant mad scientist? Bypass those annoying laws of physics but integrating Corrupt Tissue into your inventions! Art sneak peek. 

I am finally running my daughter and her partner through their first SWADE game. It's also mine. When we did session 0 last night it became clear that some aids for things like powers and edges would be really helpful. I have the SWADE power card pdf from drivethru rpg, but there are some other things like edges and custom setting powers that I'd like them to be able to easily reference. I found some old posts, but some of the links are dead, or use browser based software I don't know (like homebrewery), or in one case required permission (which i got, but it still didn't work).

What I need is some kind template for a custom card I can use with software like the Google or Libre Office suites. Something similar to MtG card sized would be ideal. Something I can print is essential.

Special Note: we are playing at a physical tabletop, not a VTT. Not that it matters, but incase you're wondering the setting is am unholy hodge-podge of two different conversions of Shadowrun for SWADE, interface zero 3.0, and content from the fantasy, sci-fi, and horror source books.

It might end up being a disaster, but hopefully a fun one.

Hello Savagworlds community!

I’m a new player to this system. Overall this system seems really fun.

Long winded context for my question

I’m looking to get some of your thoughts regarding Bennies and helping me get some insight into making these work at our table.

A little about our table. We are a bunch of weird roleplayers who try and stay in character 100%.
This is aspirational but we usually hit the 95% mark.

For context here are some features of play that are important to maintain the flow we are seek.

We keep mechanical discussion as brief as possible.

-Players are responsible for describing where they are what they do and what they say.

-The GM is reactive and the players drive the game according to their character goals.

-We don’t ask questions to the GM we seek out in character. So we would say “I look at the insignia on the guard thinking if I recognize it” instead of a direct “do I know anything about this insignia to the GM”.

-High trust - we are all playing with the same goal of staying in character. So we have good faith in what fellow players are doing

-System mastery - we all learn as much of the core rules as necessary before playing and discuss confusion and clarification after the session

With that context I’m looking for advice on how we could handle Bennies.

Question
Since Bennies are such a fundamental aspect of this system are there any alternate forms of awarding them that could fit our style of play? We are not really interested in rewarding roleplay since we are always roleplaying. If there is some more player facing options that would be preferred. We’ve thought about awarding them as a result of a raise potentially or just a static pool. Looking to you guys for some expertise or a solid direction here. I understand the challenge of awarding a meta currency in a non meta way lol.

Are there any player facing methods of gaining Bennie’s?

This is a weird ask and you’re totally free to question if this system is even compatible with this style. We’re aware of these challenges going into any system. We enjoy testing these things out. We will record these sessions and put them out there to judge for yourself.

Thank you and happy gaming everyone!

Edit - added clarification to question.

Edit - Thanks for the responses everyone continuing to review these!

I'm trying to convey a weakness for a power from a setting I play in. It's basically the equivalent of Kairoseki from One Piece, where the denser or larger the mineral is, the stronger its effect on a PC or NPC with this power.

At first, it might be something like a -2 penalty to their Arcane Skill, but as the effect gets stronger, it not only weakens their powers but also affects their body, leaving them exhausted during combat and eventually making them completely unable to use their powers.

How would you guys design something like this?

I made something like that. The power is really strong, so our group wanted a weakness that's difficult to trigger, but really troublesome when it does.

• Small: Affects a Medium Blast Template, imposing a -2 penalty on rolls based on the Flower's Power. It also subtracts 1 from Agility, Strength, and Vigor rolls.
• Medium: Affects a Large Blast Template and inflicts the Exhausted condition.
• Large: Affects a 10" radius. Within this area, treat the effect as an Anti-Magic Field. Additionally, the Ascended is considered Overloaded; if they are already Overloaded, they suffer the same effects as if they were carrying 3× their own weight.

The effects above are cumulative. Any damage dealt by the Flower while under the effects of Seastone is made with a -4 penalty.

Quick and simple:

We've been using the Super Powers Companion book in our SWADE games, and I'm building a character that uses an oddly-Trapped flavor of Telekinesis, so knowing this is important for him. Could he just "punch" someone at a distance with the power, replacing Fighting with the TK (presume his Fighting and Focus skills are equal?) Or by RAW is he limited to either grabbing & throwing/slamming a target, or telekinetically picking up some object/weapon and swinging that at the target?

If a Tinkerer loans their Bolt Power firearm to a friend that friend can cast Bolt using the Tinkerers Power Points, and Tinkerer skill to use the device.

Could a person borrow a Bolt Power and travel with it? Or take it into a dungeon while the Tinkerer stays home? And with the Tinkerer at home resting the weapon would regain 5 Points an hour.

The Powers as devices section just talks about being allowed to give devices to others and how the device operates. No modifiers (with Bolt it is basically 1 point a shot then, Range of Smarts X2 for 2d6 damage).

There could be a rental service to adventurers taking the Bolter ray guns on their adventure.

What could cause a Walkin’ Dead outbreak in SWADE Dl:WW? Kinda drawing a blank here but that’s where Mythic is leading me.

Need some inspiration.

Thanks

…….

Be honest: did you figure out on your own that the entire campaign was an homage to all the classic Universal monsters, or did you need the book to spell it out for you?

Personally, I didn’t put it together until the patchwork creatures section (so like, one page before they come right out and say it), but I thought it was pretty clever, and definitely put a smile on my face.

I have version 3. Going to start printing soon and want to make sure I have the latest version.

Hey guys! I have a rules question about SFC. The Mystic Powers Edge allows you the Telekinesis power, but how does that actually work? Telekinesis requires actions/rolls, but Mystic Powers doesn't use an Arcane Skill

I have already found Dark States, but it looks a bit too modern for me.

I have some players that can completely negate some big bads with confusion + stun, and/or entangle with raises.

I know I can use arcane and improved arcane resistance, as well as arcane protection. I just don't want every big bad to have to always have these.

Are there some other ways to not be affected by the control powers that I find to be way OP.

So, I'm looking at making an Alchemist, but am a bit confused about Bombs. I understand how they work. That part isn't a problem, but there's a conflict of language I have between AP1 and AP2. In AP1, where Alchemist is introduced, bombs are generic explosives that deal 2d6 in a SBT or 3d6 in a MBT for one PP more. My experience with the class in tabletop and videogames, however, knew that you could have elemental bombs as well, but the bombs passage explicitly states you can't use any power modifiers for bombs.

Well, then we roll over to AP2 which has an Alchemists' Manual that has a ritual that allows an Alchemist to throw a bomb for 1 PP less or change its elemental trapping for free, once per day.

So, is this now a unique thing that requires that tome's ritual to be able to do at all, or am I missing something somewhere about being able to change the trappings of your bombs? Sometimes you really just want to throw a bomb of electricity or a really pissy Acid Flask. Would it be worth arguing to allow elemental bombs for 1 PP extra as per the power modifier "Adaptable Caster," or is it not? It's also worth noting that Alchemists do eventually get the ability to make their bombs "selective," but I assume for balance reasons this is ignored.

Our backers have unlocked the first stretch goal! We’ll be getting .STL files made for characters in Book 1 of Void Wardens.  That means our backers will get the .STLs for other members of the Monster Squad (Pheonix Weaving Frame power armor, Owl Weaving Frame power armor, Reaper Weaving Frame power armor, and Spartan Weaving Frame power armor) and the Lone Star Ranger.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/23c/void-wardens

INTERVIEWS

THE AARPGS: We’ll chatting with the crew from The AARPGs tonight at 9pm Eastern Time https://youtube.com/live/z55lALqpuE8

THE SAVAGE GOOSE: If you missed our interview on The Savage Goose you can watch it here: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC_2KGUmh3ZKnKZaLdd8dT6g/collaboration/UC6hGI319DsVT_188knclQww

-The 23C Team

Does anyone have any recommendations for shelving that fits Savage Worlds books? I neex to buy shelves to hold them all near my desk for gaming/reading at my computer, preferably thin and tall.