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From: [cleg g p] at [aix.rpi.edu] (Paul Jason Clegg)
Newsgroups: rec.games.design,rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: System One Errata & Upgrade Number One
Message-ID: <[5 y 10 j] at [rpi.edu]>
Date: 18 Nov 92 21:17:31 GMT
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Lines: 247
Nntp-Posting-Host: aix.rpi.edu
[Below are some changes I've made, with the assistance of Bernard Hsiung, to
the core System One Rules. I replicated the appropriate paragraphs so you
can just cut & paste them in...
...Paul ]
Absorption: A character may change damage inflicted by a
specific attack type (light, sound, chemical, etc.) into a
useful boost to their characteristics or abilities. When hit by
an attack of the pre-defined type, the character must make a
successful STA roll, modified downward by 10% for every point of
damage inflicted. If the roll is successful, the character
takes no damage at all, and a single, pre-defined characteristic
or attribute (EF, LP, or any primary attribute) may be increased
by the same number of points, except for EFs, which are
allocated at 5 EF per point of damage absorbed, and for LPs, in
which 3 points must be absorbed to add 1 LP. If the attribute
is below normal levels (such is often the case of LP and EF),
any increase is permanent, but if the increase goes above the
character's normal level, the extra points "wear off" at a rate
of one point per minute. The cost for Absoption varies because
of the varying values of the recipient statistics. The cost is
10 points for primary characteristics, 20 points for EF, and 30
points for LP. Absorbed points may not take the characteristic
above twice the character's normal level, though this maximum
may be increased by 5 points for an additional 2 points spent on
Absorption (except for LP, which costs 6 points to increase the
maximum by 1). If the Absorption may not increase the
characteristic above the character's normal level, the costs are
halved (and it isn't suggested to use this limitation for
primary statistics).
Attack: An Attack costs 4 points per point of average damage
(round up). Only the average damage is used as the base, so an
Attack that does a constant 2 points of damage costs the same as
a combination of dice rolls that averages 2 points of damage
(such as 1d3). The maximum damage that may be inflicted must be
less than twice the average, so that you can't have an average
attack of 2 (cost 8 points) and create a dice combination that
has a maximum damage of 20! The Attack can only be effective as
one type (Mental, Physical, or Energy), which is decided upon
creation. It can be made switchable on the fly at a cost of +1
point per point of average damage. An Attack is considered a
"blunt" attack, unless the power is bought at +1 per point of
average damage, in which case it is considered a "piercing"
attck. An Attack can be made "passive", such that it hits
opponents only when an opponent hits the character. An example
would be a porcupine's quills, or a rose's thorns. A Passive
Attack has no PW allocation cost IF defined as permanently
active. A Passive Attack has no range, and costs +1 point per
point of average damage. The PW allocation cost of an Attack is
equal to 1 PW/10 points invested, and the EF cost is 1 EF/10
points invested. For +1 point per point of average damage, the
PW allocation or the EF cost can be ignored. Note that the
power designer has the option of just buying the power on the
basis of average damage. Thus, SuperJoe could just as easily
have spent his 8 points to buy an Attack that has an average
damage of 2, and then during play figured out exactly what kind
of dice to roll. For sure fire damage, he could just go with
the constant damage of 2, but for the chances of devastating
damage, SuperJoe could go with a dice roll 1d3. If SuperJoe is
feeling nice, he could decide not to use all the power, as well,
perhaps holding off and only powering up to 1 points of damage
(which would only take up 4 of his eight invested points, and
likewise only require a 1 point PW allocation). Attacks have no
range initially, but for +10 points, the range of an Attack can
be made equal to the character's HEC score, in meters, or the
character's INT, if the power is defined as Mental. An extra 1
point investment can buy a 5m increase in the range.
Manipulation: A character may manipulate matter or energy for
10 points. The character must predefine the source materials
and the end result. The character must make an INT check to
successfully Manipulate the material; the character may affect
25 kg of material without penalty, or may affect an extra 25 kg
by taking a -5% penalty, or spending 1 point. The PW allocation
is 2, and the EF cost is 1 per 100 kg being manipulated. The
range of the power is nil, or the character's INT in meters for
10 points, and/or +5m per extra point invested. The character
may affect an extra source material, or create an extra result,
for +1 point each, or may affect everything for +25 points, and
create anything for +25 points. The GM must approve the
character's Manipulation powers. Manipulation may not be used
to directly affect a living creature, like turning someone's
heart into a rock, etc. If you really need an explanation, it's
because living creatures give off an aura that prevents you from
doing it (aka. "I said so."). A common use of Manipulation is
to change energy or matter into a form that entangles the
character's opponents. In this case, the character must make
two rolls to successfully entangle their target; one INT check
as normal to Manipulate, and one HEC check to actually hit the
target, modified by any appropriate ranged combat modifiers.
The target must make a STR check, modified downward by the
success of the attacker's INT check, to break free of the
entangling material. The STR check is further modified by -5%
per 25kg the attacker used to entrap their target.
Mind Control: A character may attempt to control another
character's actions for 20 points. The character must touch the
other, and then makes an INT check. The target may then save
against the control by making an INT check modified downward by
the amount the attacker succeeded. For example, MindMan has an
INT of 65, and attacks TargetMan (INT of 50) with a Mind
Control. MindMan makes his roll with a 38, so TargetMan's INT
check is modified by -(65-38=) 27, so TargetMan has a 23% chance
to save. Every combat turn, the target gets to try to shake the
control, the success of which is the same chance as the original
save. These rolls, however, are modified upward by 2% every
combat turn, and are modified upward 25% if the Mind Controller
is trying to get their victim to do something very opposite to
their normal personality. The Mind Controller may make Mind
Control rolls every turn to try to put their target under
deeper. If the controller's roll is lower than the target's
current chance to shake the control, the target is affected, and
uses the new number; otherwise the extra try has no effect and
is just a waste of EF and PW. The PW allocation is 2, and each
attempt requires 4 EF to be spent. For +10 points, the range
can be made to equal the character's INT score, in meters,
and/or +5m per extra point invested. A character may attempt to
Mind Control more than one character at a time, for 5 points per
power of two (ie. 5 points=2 characters, 10 points=4 characters,
15 points=8 characters, etc.). A character may Mind Control
organic forms of lesser than normal intelligence for 10 points
(or +10 points if purchased with the "normal" Mind Control),
and/or machines for +15 points.
Mind Reading: A character may attempt to search for information
in another character's mind for 15 points. The character must
make a successful INT check to link with the target. The target
gets a LDR check to save against the invasion, modified downward
by the success of the attacker's INT check (like Mind Control).
The victim gets a +15% bonus if the attacker is looking for
secret information that the victim is very against giving out.
The range of a Mind Reading is nil, but for +10 points, the
range may be the character's INT, and/or +5m for +1 point.
[ The following section replaces the first couple of paragraphs
under Movement; not much has been changed, so it should be easy
to see where it goes.]
Part 2: Movement
Everyone moves at a certain speed. During combat situations, or
during time-important situations, the exact speed at which a
character can move is very, very important. Unless otherwise
indicated, characters normally start the game with a Running
Speed of 16 m/turn. A turn, or combat turn, is three seconds
long. This number sounds huge, and it is, actually.
No one can run at top speed for tremendous periods of time, nor
do they run at precisely the same speed each time. This idea
applies also to all other forms of movement, such as flying,
tunneling, swimming, etc. For this reason, there are three
types of movement, aside from running, all based on the
character's Running Speed, and a quantity known as Exertion
Factors (EFs), that the character uses and regenerates. A
character will regenerate 1 EF per combat turn, unless they
happen to have the Regeneration III power. This point is
regenerated at the end of the combat turn, and may be negated if
the character performs a high-exertion task (such as Running) or
if the character takes actual damage during that combat turn.
A Running character uses 5 EF per combat turn. A character
cannot regenerate ANY EF while Running at full-tilt. Also,
because a character Running is more preoccupied with movement
than anything else, the character needs to be able to allocate 2
PW per 10m/turn of movement. A character can Trot, moving
one-half their Running Speed, and use only 2 EF per combat turn.
A Trotting character can only Regenerate EF spent Running, and
must allocate 1 PW per 10m/turn of movement. A character can
Walk, moving one-quarter their Running Speed, using no EFs at
all (although GMs should put restrictions on characters trying
to walk cross-country nonstop). Walking characters can
regenerate EFs spent moving, and can regenerate EFs spent on
powers at half normal rate (see rules of EFs, above).
In addition, characters are restricted in their abilities to
manuever while moving. A character can make a single 15 degree
turn once per combat turn when moving at a "Running" pace or
crawling. A character may make one 45 degree turn once per turn
when Trotting, or two 45 degree turns per combat turn while
Walking.
Any movement power can be used in the same way; a character
flying at one-half their Flight Speed is considered "Trotting",
and is affected by the above rules.
Characters can also Crawl, if physically able to (GM's call).
They move at one-sixteenth their Running Speed (or whatever
method of moving they employ), spend 2 EF per combat turn, and
must allocate 3PW to the action. Crawling characters cannot
regenerate ANY EFs at all. On the plus side, however, Crawling
characters are considered as prone for as long as they crawl.
Of course, Crawling is also a good way to sneak under window
sills, and so on, as well.
A character may move up an incline of more than 10 degrees and
less than 40 degrees at Trot speed or slower. Characters may
also ascend inclines of up to 60 degrees at Walking speed or
slower, and ladders may be scaled at Walking speed as well.
Going up anything steeper than 60 degrees, however, requires
some climbing. All characters physically capable of climbing up
ropes (GM's call) may do so at their Crawling rate. A STR check
must be made every 5m, however, and failure indicates that the
character has slipped, and possibly fallen. If the check was
failed by 20 points or less, the character has slipped down the
rope 1d3 meters for every 5 points the roll was failed by.
Climbing skills and powers may alter these numbers.
A character can climb inclined surfaces of more than 60 degrees
if there are hand- and foot-holds to use. The character can
climb at their Crawl speed if they make a STR check, or, if
they've failed their STR check by 20 points or less, they're
just not able to move that turn. If the check was failed by
more than 20 points, the character has actually fallen.
Characters can jump a maximum distance equal to their Leap
Distance, which starts at 2m. A leap requires 3 EF and an
allocation of 3 PW to perform, and the character cannot
regenerate any EF during the turn in which they leap. A
character with a Running start (ie. were Running in the turn
previous to their jump) can double their Leap Distance.
--
+ + + + + + + + + + +
Paul Clegg, [cleg g p] at [aix.rpi.edu.] Project Galactic Guide Coordinator.
System One RPG designer. But generally unknown.
+ + + + + + + + + + +