From: [j--s--n] at [myra.com] (Jason Langlois) Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc Subject: [FENG SHUI] Feng Shui RPG FAQ v. 1.1 Date: 16 Aug 1996 23:36:22 GMT FENG SHUI FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS VERSION 1.1 (last modified August 16, 1996) (Maintained by Jason Langlois) Comments and corrections can be sent to [j--s--n] at [myra.com] Acknowledgements to Robin D. Laws, John Tynes, Jose Garcia and everyone else I'm forgetting for providing the questions and answers in this FAQ. Shadowfist (c), Feng Shui (c), terms from the rules of and symbols used in these games are the property of Daedalus Entertainment, Inc. and are used here with permission. Table of Contents * 0.0 Administrivia * 1.0 Character Creation * 2.0 Skills * 3.0 Schticks * 4.0 Combat Rulings in [] are unofficial. A * in the Table of Contents indicates additions or changes. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 0.0 ADMINISTRIVIA What is Feng Shui? Feng Shui is the roleplaying game of Hong Kong Action Movies, sharing a common background with the CCG Shadowfist. It uses a simple and effective rules system to model HK cinema conventions. Feng Shui is also an ancient Chinese art of geomancy. Common Abbreviations Used: BFG - Big F'ing Gun BGB - Both Guns Blazing CCG - Collectible Card Game COC - Carnival of Carnage HK - Hong Kong Websites related to Feng Shui Daedalus Entertainment Home Page http://www.aracnet.com/~bruce/daedalus/index.html Bryant Durrell's Feng Shui Page http://www.innocence.com/fengshui If you have a Feng Shui related Website, send me the URL and I'll add it to the list. To subscribe to the Feng Shui Mailing list, send the message SUBSCRIBE FENGSHUI to [l--ts--v] at [ricevm1.rice.edu] Current Feng Shui errata can be found at http://www.aracnet.com/~bruce/daedalus/feng-errata-t.html There is also an On Line Feng Shui Chat Server for On-line games at eyrie.org 2056 An HTML version of this FAQ can be found at http://www.horizon.bc.ca/~ogier/daedalus/fsfaq.html ------------------------------ 1.0 CHARACTER CREATION Why wasn't a system for creating our own character templates included with the rules, ala West End's Star Wars game? The lack of a build system is not an accident. The types were created and balanced against one another not according to some overarcing numerical system, but through a) eyeballing and b) playtesting. In order to create solid types through eyeballing it, Robin suggests playing for a while and getting familiar with the system, then applying common sense. Not any kind of numerical rules system; these can always be hosed. Some rules of thumb for design can be found on the official Daedalus homepage. What about a formula for modifying the primary and secondary attributes of a template? The types have been designed to be as hose-proof as possible, given a system where 1pt means alot. Robin doesn't reccomend any blanket formula that encourages you to mess around with the existing types; better to field player requests for changes on a case by case basis. During creation, it costs 5 Transformed Schticks to become a Dragon. When purchasing schticks later, do these count towards the cost of a new schtick? Or is the Dragon assumed to begin with zero Transformed Animal Schticks? The five schticks spent to become a Transformed Dragon are lost, and so you begin the game with 0 Transformed Animal Schticks. What happens to skill bonuses with [Max] and = AVs? For example, I've got a REF 5, Guns +9 (=14). If I increase my REF during creation to 10, what happens? What if my skill was Guns +5 (10) *[Max 14]? Skill bonuses are lost if they would put you over the [Max] or = AV. If you were to increase your Ref to 10, your skill would be Guns + 4 (14) and the extra +5 bonuses would be lost. In the second case, your skill would be Guns + 4 (14) and the extra bonus would be lost. After creation, the [Max] and = no longer apply. Skill bonuses are only relevant during creation. After creation, only the AV of the skill matters. Can attributes be raised after character creation? Yes, by using experience and attuning to a Feng Shui site. See p. 184 for details. Jammers can't attune to sites. How do they raise attributes? How do they gain Shaping Skill? By Burning the sites instead. [Experience gained from Burning the Site can be spent on raising attributes.] Jammer don't gain Shaping: they have Duct Tape instead. Some schticks have Chi costs that exceed a character's starting Chi or Fu attribute. Is it still possible to take these schticks, even though the character cannot afford to use them? Yes. ------------------------------ 2.0 SKILLS Why are there so few Skills to pick from? These were kept purposely sparse. Robin didn't want gobs of skills covering all sorts of minutiae; that's why skills like Guns include non-combat knowledge like contacts and such. The skills exist to cover the needs of the archetypes, with Info being such a generic sucker that you can deal with most any- thing that way. You can't take italicized skills at the start. Can you take these skills later, after character creation? Yes, these skills can be learned after character creation with experience and a teacher. If a character increase an attribute, does the AV of any skill associated with that attribute also increase? Yes. Is there a penalty or restriction on Transformed Animals learning the 69AD Medicine Skill (based on Magic)? It's a form of magic, so Transformed Animals who aren't native to the 69AD juncture shouldn't be able to learn or use it. Those from the 69AD juncture are better suited to magic. ------------------------------ 3.0 SCHTICKS GENERAL Why are there so many Fu schticks, and so few of the other types? It doesn't seem fair. There *are* a lot of Fu powers, but the nature of their structure is such that few people will have very many different paths. You're better off sticking to just a couple of paths, so as to reach the Way Cool powers at the end of each path; so, having umpteen different fu powers to choose from isn't as big a choice as it seems. For Gun schticks, its a matter of there not being too many different things that people do with guns in the movies. A few new schticks for bows and thrown weapons may be coming. New Creature, Sorcery, Arcanowave and Transformed Animal schticks will be appearing in the forth coming supplements. Some schticks do damage that can only be healed by Magic. What qualifies as Magic for the purposes of healing? A Slap Patch, the Sorcery special effect Heal, and the 69AD Healing skill (based on Magic) count as magical healing. The Fu schtick Healing Chi does not count as magical healing. Both Fu and Transformed Animal Schticks require you to spend Chi. Does the Chi spent come from the same or different pools? For example if I have a Chi 4 (Fu 7), do I have 4 points to spend on Transformed Animals schticks or Fu schticks, and 3 points that can only be spent on Fu schticks? The Chi for Transformed Animal and Fu schticks comes from the same pool -- your Fu or Chi, whichever is higher. If you had a Chi 4 (Fu 7), you would have 7 points to spend on either type of schtick. The comment on pg.129 is incorrect. UNIQUE The Karate Cop gains a +2 AV on all non-offensive Martial Arts actions. Does this include his Passive and Active Dodges AV? The bonus would apply to Active Dodges only (effectively giving the Karate Cop a +5 Active Dodge). GUNS Do you need Both Guns Blazing to shoot with pistols in each hand? Do you need it to shoot more than one target with both pistols? And what good is it, since the AV penalty can make it do less damage than a single pistol? What if I use different pistols. Shooting with pistols in each hand is just a matter of style. Anyone with Guns can do it, as long as the weapons are small enough to be carried that way. There are no special penalties associated with this. However, you only do damage from one gun, not both. If the guns do different damage, use the higher of the two. You can also shoot more than one target at a time with guns in each hand, using the standard stunt penalty (-X AV, where X is the number of targets you want to shoot). What Both Guns Blazing allows you to do is shoot a target with both guns and do more damage. Against high Big Bruiser type characters, BGB sometimes won't do more damage if you're using low damage guns. It has been suggested that BGB, with BFGs like the Desert Eagles, and Signature Weapons can overcome this. If the guns do different damage, add it together, rather than multiplying by 2. Examples: Danny Lee doesn't have Both Guns Blazing, and he's carrying a Berreta in each hand. He shoots Happy Cheung with both guns, getting an outcome of 1. He does (DAM 10 - 10 TGH + 1) 1 WP. Chow Yun Fat has Both Guns Blazing and two Berretas. He shoots Happy, getting an outcome of 1 (harder to do, with the -2AV). He does (10+10 - 10x2 + 1) 1 WP. Sly has a signature Desert Eagle .50, and a signature Colt M1911A1. He shoots Happy with an outcome of 1 and does (15 - 10 + 1) 6 WP. Arnie has a signature Desert Eagle .50, and a signature Colt M1911A1 and BGB. He shoots Happy with an outcome of 1 and does (15+13 - 10x2 + 1) 9 WP. The official rationalization is: if you buy BGB, you look cool doing it. Therefore, it is effective. What benefit is there to having multiple levels of Eagle Eye? You can only have one level of Eagle Eye. The appearance of Eagle Eye:2 in the Quick Schtick Picks of the Ex-Special Forces archetype is a typo. Can I use Both Guns Blazing with a bow? What if the bow is a Signature Weapon? Yes. Consider it to be firing two arrows at once. If the bow is a Signature Weapon, add the +3 damage bonus to each arrow. If I have Lightning Reload x 3, I 'never run out of bullets'. Does that mean my gun has endless ammo? No. You can still only fire as many rounds as are in the gun in a single action. However, you never run out of bullets, clips or (for 69AD types) arrows to stick in your weapons. FU Are Chi points spent regardless of success with a Fu strike (like Lightning Fist) or Fu hold (Talon of the Crane)? Yes. Does the Old Master's +6 damage bonus to punches and kicks apply to his damage using Fu Powers? No. The Old Master's damage bonus only applies to his normal punches and kicks. Note that not all the Fu paths are particularly useful to the Old Master (for example, the Path of Sharpened Scales). The Fu schtick 'Natural Order' protects against guns and Arconwave Devices. Does this include things like grenades, bombs, rockets, etc? This is the GM's decision, though Robin notes that he likes to consider "Things What Go Boom" to be an entirely different category of damage. That's why they're listed on the non-combat damage chart. SORCERY Does the Harvest Chi effect under the Sorcery Schtick Fertility require a task check? Yes, as there is still the chance of a Backlash (which would add a negative die). ARCANOWAVE My Abomination has a Helix Ripper. Should he shoot with his Guns skill? All Arcanowave Schticks are used with the Arcano- wave Device skill. TRANSFORMED ANIMAL My Transformed Monkey wants to use Caper. Is this used as an Active Defense? Does the new target of the attack have to be someone along the firing path, or can it be anyone in range (like the original firer)? You use this when you are attacked, like an active dodge. However, as it says on p.134, you make a Martial Arts check in order to make this work, instead of simply giving your opponent +3 difficulty to hit you. The new target can be anyone in range, but the more extreme possibilities (like getting the shooter to shoot themselves) will involve a pretty good stunt description, and an AV penalty at the GM's discretion. Transformed Animal don't have a lot of schticks to pick from, and will likely run out. It seems like they'll have to buy Fu and Gun schticks instead. Is this alright? Yes. The Transformed tend to live a long time, and learn a lot of different things. So it's perfectly alright for them to acquire Fu and Gun Schticks. Does a Transformed Animal gain reversion points for using a Swindled Arcanowave scthick? For using other devices that cause *mutation checks (eg. Slap Patch or No Medicine)? For using *Swindled Sorcery? Swindled 69AD Medicine skill? They should acquire reversion points for using a swindled Arcanowave schtick or Slap Patch as listed on pg130. For No Medicine, the Transformed Animal will gain reversion points if the check is failed. For Sorcery and Medicine, assign a reversion point each sequence they use the Sorcery or Medicine (or each time, if you're feeling really nasty). Is there anything short of Arcanowave Devices that can give a Transformed Animal from 69AD reversion points? Spending time in other junctures can give Transformed Animals reversion points (see pg 130), if the Sorcery modifier is greater than +3. But according to the rules, there isn't any place with a Sorcery modifier higher than +3. What gives? In each juncture, there are particular areas where the Sorcery modifier can go higher than +3. These sites are special locations of power, and their placement is up to the GM. For Transformed Animals there are schticks that no beginning character can use due to the high Chi cost. Is this intentional? Yes. Those powers won't see use until after the Chi score is raised. CREATURE My Supernatural Creature has Abysmal Spines taken as claws. Should I use my Martial Arts skill when I fight with them? All Creature Schticks are used with the Creature Power skill. If your Creature uses his Martial Arts, he wouldn't get the damage bonus from the spines. ------------------------------ 4.0 COMBAT What's the penalty for shooting more than one target? What if they have different Dodge AVs? What if I shoot a mook and a named character as part of the same action? The penalty for shooting multiple targets is -X AV, where X is the number of targets. Eg. Shooting 3 mooks is -3 AV. You apply the outcome separately against each target. For example, if I were shooting Dopey Chan (AV 12) and a mook (AV 6), a result of 11 would take out the mook and miss Dopey, while a result of 12+ would hit Dopey and take out the mook. If I were shooting two mooks (AV 6 and AV 9) an 11-13 result would drop the first, while a 14+ would drop them both. Why would anyone wear armor? It adds to your toughness but makes you easier to hit, negating the toughness bonus? And what effect does it have for mooks? Wearing armor reduces your Agility attribute. That lowers your Martial Arts skill. Other combat AVs are untouched, so armor really only penalizes martial artist types. However, since Martial Arts is the skill for all those wacky acrobatic stunts nearly everyone will be doing, armor can still cause problems. Since few people in the movies wear body armor, the game doesn't encourage it. As for mooks, so far it only seems to make them look mildly interesting without making them harder to take down. Can my character spend 7 Fortune dice to do a really big Blast/punch/etc effect with his Sorcery/Gun/Fu/etc (rolling 8 positive dice)? No. Page 38 says "Only one Fortune Die may be spent per task check". What's the difference between a Parry and a Dodge? The rules are unclear. A character's Dodge AV is equal to their highest combat AV. A character's Parry AV is equal to their Martial Arts AV or their Sorcery AV (if use with Blast or Movement Schtick). You can Dodge or Parry at no cost, or you can Active Dodge or Active Parry for 1 shot, giving your opponent +3 difficulty to hit you. There may be times (GMs call) where Dodging may be difficult, or where Parrying may be a more appropriate defense. How would I handle reactive stunts? Eg. An Old Master is about to get shot by 10 mooks who just spilled out of the back of a truck, and he wants to leap amongst them so they have trouble shooting him. Reactive stunts are handled like Active Dodges requiring successful Martial Arts checks for success. The difficulty of the check is up to the GM. My player wants to use a speedloader for his revolver. How do I represent this? It takes 5 shots to reload a revolver, whether a speedloader is used or not. The rational is that in the movies, it always seems to take a long time to reload a revolver (movie time) whether or not a speedloader is used.