Gotcha'! - Capture Monster Friends for Old School Gaming

 

Life's just better with friends at your side.
Doubly so if they're Magical Pets.

    Recently, I read Dwiz's blogpost, The Genres OSR Can't Do. I must admit, I sort of expected a listicle of weird media that have nothing in common with european medieval fantasy, with the unspoken reasons they wouldn't work within the expected framework of OSR left for the reader to assume. Gaze upon me, for I am Boo-Boo the Fool. A better blogger than I, Dwiz instead specifies what each genre offers that might intrigue a ttrpg player in the first place, detailing what he feels sets them apart from other genres in an appreciative tone. Sure, the OSR as is probably can't support it without crossing it's eyes a little and unfocusing, but that's no reason to build a wall and forever cordon them off from your tables. Even with the examples Dwiz puts forth, there have already been instances in the ttrpg scene where individuals attempt to make OSR Hacks to emulate those genres.  

 

    To me and my twisted little gremlin mind, this almost sounds like a challenge. Also, God is dead and Life is short, so why not give it a shot. 

    To that end, I decided to take something I'm fairly familiar with, and take a swing at jamming it into an OSR/POSR/NSR-ish experience: Magical Monster Buddies and How To Catch Them. I'm a big Digimon fan, and you can't be one of those without also being intimately aware of how Pokemon works, so I'd say I'm pretty well-rounded. Goblin Punch took a swing at putting the Pokemon experience into a Wizard-ish Class, which certainly is a way to do it; but I'm imagining something a smidge more modular, something to be placed over your system's existing mechanics and procedures without replacing them directly.

 

RELIC/ARCANA/MAGIC ITEM: "GOTCHA PAWN"

very best dot gif

 

    A hollow sphere made of a marble-like material that separates into equal halves. Magically stores or summons a single Bonded Creature at will. While inside the Pawn, Bonded Creatures are placed in a pseudo-stasis, aware of external events, but stabilized in time until summoned. Should a Bonded Creature fall to or below Zero HP at any time, they will be instantly stored within the Gotcha Pawn, stabilized until medical help can be offered.

 

    To bond a creature to a Pawn, the creature must be a Sentient Non-Humanoid capable of consenting to the ritual. Once completed, both the Creature and it's Bonded PC can activate the storage or summoning function of the Pawn at will. The bond will be broken should the Pawn ever be destroyed, freeing both members from its responsibilities, unless a new Pawn is used to reinstate it.

BONDED CREATURES 

Monsters rule, actually

    Stat as Hireling. If your system of choice includes armor and weapons, roll their values into the base creature's abilities. Choose 1 thematic beginner level spell, the creature can cast it innately. While not requiring payment, like most Hireling rules suggest, Bonded Creatures instead require an equivalent amount of daily rations to keep happy.

 

    Creatures should not be capable of using weapons and tools, though they should gain the positive effects of armor they wear. If using a game with a Slot-based Inventory system, halve the expected number of slots for a PC. 

 

Orders & Quick Orders

    On your Turn in Combat, you may use your Main Action to give a simple Order to your Bonded, which they will attempt to complete to the best of their ability. (i.e. "Run Away!" is easier to follow than "Dodge under his legs and escape out the North door")

You may instead use your Movement or Free Action (talking) to give a Quick Order, however it won't be as commanding. The DM will roll the Bonded's response on their Obedience Die.

 

Obedience Die 

    If a Bonded Creature is given an Order that is too complex or hurried, the DM will roll a die and compare it to the table below. The value of this die begins at a d6, but may be increased to a higher die size via a Downtime Action.

 

Result	Effect
1	REBEL/INVERT
2	IGNORE/BE DISTRACTED
3	RETREAT/FLEE
4	REPEAT PREV. ORDER
5+	OBEY ORDER

 

  DMs should feel free to temporarily lower your Obedience Die Sizes in relation to behavior at the table. Using your pikachard as a meat shield too often will naturally make it less likely to listen to you.

 

 DOWNTIME ACTION: CREATURE TRAINING 

I refuse to raise an uneducated 'mon

    For Downtime spent primarily on Training your Bonded, roll a WIS save against the Creature. On a success, the Obedience Die is temporarily increased 1 Size until the next Downtime. After 3 successful Downtime Actions, the increase becomes permanent.

    Creatures may also gain the benefits of Downtime Actions available at the table, such as Stat Improvement, Learning Spells, and Carousing. (please don't lead your pikachard to drink) 

EVOLUTION: 

IMMA' MOTHER FUCKING TEEEEEEE-REX!!!

     At a Milestone, Bonded Creatures gain a new form unattainable in the wild.

•     Roll 1d20 against each Stat, increasing them by 1 on a success.
•     Learn to innately cast 1 thematic Spell of the PC's choosing.
•     Decrease the Obedience Die by 1 Size.
•     If the Evolution occurs mid-combat, heal the Bonded Creature by the difference between their previous and new Max HP values.

    What constitutes a Milestone depends on the system at your table, but in the abscence of a leveling mechanic or story-based progression, consider the first time a Bonded Creature's Obedience Die is permanently increased to a d10, d12, and d20 as milestones.

Extra Notes

    The availability of Magic Items in your system/setting greatly determines how accessible any of this is. Are Gotcha Pawns purchasable? Expensive? Lost Relics of which only a few remain? Perhaps the Bonded Creatures in your setting are limited to Elemental Spirits, prebonded to a Pawn and waiting for a Hero to find them?

    I personally would limit the available Gotcha Pawns, filled or empty, to 3 to a PC. Being able to only issue a single Order per Round balances out the convenience of a magical pet in combat, but trying to keep track of more than 2 positions on a grid will slow down the game considerably.

    As Evolution potentially increases a Bonded Creature's stat, Evolution is triggered by a Milestone tied to the Obedience Die, and increasing the Obedience Die requires a Downtime Action Save against a Bonded Creature's stat, there SHOULD be a slight, but noticable increase of time/difficulty in achieving further evolutions. I personally wouldn't go any granular than this, but as with anything you find in an OSR blogpost, feel free to season to taste.

Daggerheart: The Beta: The Twitch Thread: The Blog Adaptation: Part 1

 

As logos go, it's fine.

Howdy, Farmhands.

    There is a non-zero chance that if you are reading this blog within a reasonable time of it's debut, you have found me specifically because I read the Daggerheart Playtest Document and live-twote my reactions. My meager audience of just shy of 400 followers ballooned to 700+ in a five day period, simply because the SEO Gods (cruel and fickle as they are), saw fit to put my dumbass ramblings in front of thousands of people. This was a mistake, and led to the creation of this very blog.

    Confetti and noisemakers all around.

    Unfortunately, those stream of conscious ramblings are, again, originally to be found on Twitter. And while it's death is a slow and agonizing one, it's one I'd be stupid not to preempt by repoasting my content elsewhere. Therefore, today, I will be taking my megathread and compiling it here, editing for readability and not much else. They've already released the next patch notes. So now I have to read those too.

God fucking damnit.

The SANIC Hack - Weapons and Mastery

 

Wispon Concept Art for Sonic Forces

Prev Post / Next Post

Howdy, Farmhands.

    I like to think that my posts in this series up to this point have been somewhat novel. TTRPG blogs tend to cover a lot of the same ground, which is not a critique or complaint- there's a limited number of tried and true topics that everyone ought to take a whack at. Meanwhile, I've been over here talking about Sanics and Soda and whatever other nonsense passes through my twisted little mind. Today, I'm giving you a list of Weapon stats and expecting you to ooh and aah in all the right places. I promise we'll get through this. Stay strong.

PART 1: I ESTABLISH A BASELINE OF WHAT TO EXPECT WITH THE AFORE-MENTIONED LIST OF WEAPON STATS

    Weapons in this hack are made up of 3 things, Category, Damage Die, and Damage Type. Damage Die is the simplest; ranging from d4 to d12, and rerolled with every Attack. Attacks in Odd-likes Auto-hit, meaning that most of your math will be done calculating how the damage die is modified by the environment you're using it in.

 Damage Type is a bit more interesting. Maybe a bit too interesting. Consider yourself lucky; I have had to physically restrain myself from creating a full-on Pokemon Type Chart for this. I think what I've landed on is still good. Instead of having pre-determined interactions between an exhaustive list of types, I intend to make use of the existing Enhance/Impair mechanic found in Cairn and a good dollop of Common sense. 

If fighting from a position of weakness (such as through cover or with bound hands), the attack is impaired and the attacker must roll 1d4 damage regardless of the attacks damage die.

If fighting from a position of advantage (such as against a helpless foe or through a daring maneuver), the attack is enhanced, allowing the attacker to roll 1d12 damage instead of their normal die. - Cairn, as usual

    Damage Types, then, are an opportunity to have visible triggers for Impairment or Enhancement of attacks. Fighting against a Wood Creature with a Fire type Weapon? Of course that's Enhanced. Trying to slice your Sword through something covered in Metal? Probably gonna be Impaired, bud. While every table is different, and some players may not be willing to take the lead on determining whether their character does LESS damage, I like the idea of the GM and Players working together to establish these interactions through play. Player A was Impaired the last time they tried to use Arrows against a Water Creature, so Player B innately assumes the same without the GM needing to add that tidbit to every Water Creature Statblock in their notes. 

    The core Damage Types I'm currently considering are-

• Slashing - Generic Sword Damage
  
• Piercing - Stabbing, mostly
  
• Clobbering - Any sort of blunt or heavy impact
  
• Explosion - When things go BOOM

    And of course, we need Elements, but these I'm not considering to be quite as exhaustive as the core types. These can be paired with or used in absence of the core Damage types.

• Fire
• Water
• Electric
• Rock
• Psionic
• Laser
• etc

    The final component of a Weapon is it's Category, a classification that works as shorthand for additional mechanics and range. Generally these will be grouped by shape and function. A Katana and Fencing Rapier would both be "Sword" Category; with their differentiation in use conveyed via their Damage Types. Maybe some enemy statblocks could specify a weakness to an entire weapon category instead, but I'm not going to hardcode that into place. Some example categories include-

Category Name	Category Description
Sword	Swords, Clubs, Hilted weapons with a specific end you hit with. All Swords can perform a Flourish as a Technique, adding 1d4 to their attack if successful at the risk of taking Fatigue on a failure.
Polearm	Staves, Spears, and the like. All Polearms have double the reach of other Melee weapons, but do 1 die size smaller to foes that are too close
Dagger	Daggers, Knives, Throwing Stars. All Daggers have two sets of Damage Die, one for Melee and one for Ranged, as they can be thrown. The intended use of the specific dagger will determine which is mechanically optimal.
Gun	Any weapon that discharges an object as ammunition. Yes, Bows count as guns. All Guns are exclusively ranged weapons, unable to be properly fired at melee range. They also tend to have higher die sizes compared to weapons of the same quality class. The trade-off is their need to Reload- whenever a Gun rolls max damage, it becomes jammed, emptied, or otherwise unusable. A PC can use their action next turn to clear it, returning it to use the turn following.
Buster	Any ranged weapon that discharges energy as ammunition. Usually mounted on one's forearm. All Busters can Charge as an action, sacrificing a turn to add an additional Damage die to their next attack.
Bomb	Anything that goes Boom. All Bombs deal damage with Blast, affecting every target in an area around it. All Bombs require 2 turns to trigger, one to Activate it (lighting it's fuse, setting it's timer, etc) and another to Ignite. All activated Bombs will automatically ignite at the start of the Activator's next turn.

    Putting these three Components together creates a ton of interesting Weapon options! The tried and true options are available, but what about a Sword that does Clobbering Damage? Daggers that do Explosion damage when thrown? What would those even look like? And more important to the game I'm writing- what choice will the players make when they have the option to choose a bizarre weapon, but don't have the space to keep their more standard tools?

PART 2: THE AFORE-MENTIONED WEAPON LIST

    Remember, your lines are "ooh" and "ah." Don't ruin this for me. 

Name	Category	Damage Size	Damage Type
Bronze Dagger	Dagger	d6/d4	Piercing
Shuriken Star	Dagger	d4/d6	Slashing/Piercing, Explosion
Bomb	Bomb	d6	Explosion
Napalm Bomb	Bomb	d12	Explosion, Fire
Nocturne Blade	Sword	d8	Slashing
Bashōsen	Sword	d6	Slashing, Wind
Katana	Sword	d8/d4	Slashing/Piercing
Piko Piko Hammer	Polearm	d8	Clobbering
Rusty Spear	Polearm	d6	Piercing
Popgun	Gun	d6	Clobbering
Pudding's Guitar	Sword/Buster	d4/d6	Clobbering/Electric
Energy Ball	Buster	d6	Electric

PART 2: MASTERIES AND OTHER COOL SHIT YOU CAN DO WITH A STICK

    I've been playing a lot of Legend of Dragoon (PS1, 2000) lately. It's a turn based rpg with a quick-time mechanic- successfully pulling off combos increases an xp track per named combo per character. I'm not... going to make everyone engage with the same level of detail lmao. But this will be here as an Option.

    As an OPTIONAL Mechanic, Players can choose to pursue a Weapon Mastery. This is a title and list of Techniques granted to a player character that has invested time and study of a specific Damage Type or Weapon Category. A PC can only be pursuing one Mastery at a time, though they may choose to change which Mastery is 'active' during Downtime.

    A PC actively pursuing a Mastery that rolls Max Damage when using a Weapon that matches that Mastery's focus can choose to instead mark a Track and re-roll, taking the second value. For every (X amount? Set amount? Increasing amount?) of Marks, the PC may learn a Technique from the Mastery List. This Technique is permanently added to their kit, though it requires a Weapon of the Mastery's focus to perform.

    In my mind's eye, each Mastery list will have at minimum 5 techniques to choose from, and the order in which they're taken is up to the player. Depending on the context of the technique, it's entirely possible a player will "dip" into a single mastery for 1 technique, then switch to another for the remainder of their play. Note that as Mastery is gained via a track that logs Max Damage, Mastery is easier to accrue using weapons with smaller damage die. In theory, that means faster advancement at "lower" levels, but riskier combat. Enemies hit like trucks in odd-likes; sticking with a weaker weapon to MAYBE get a new technique is in itself a massive risk.

Example Sword Mastery 

Technique	Effect
Flurry Blade	For every Dice Size you choose to lower your Weapon Damage this turn, you may make another Attack with that Weapon
Leaping Strike	You may move up to 1/2 your movement speed vertically to target an enemy that would otherwise be out of range.
You Are Already Dead	Choose a target within your range of vision, and quickly unsheathe, then sheathe your blade. At the beginning of the target's next turn, their action is interrupted as they take delayed Damage from your Weapon
Gambit Finish	Roll a number of 1d4 up to the amount of Fatigue in your inventory, adding the sum to your attack. On a failed save, accrue an equal amount of Fatigue.
A fifth one	idk man i've been editing this for like a week i'm tired and just gonna hit post so i can not think about it anymore lists are hard

    -Until Next Time,
        Farmer Gadda

Furkind, a Player Option for The SANIC Hack

 Howdy, Farmhands.

     Something I always struggle with when writing anything is remembering what i have and have not actually put into words. My brain is a disorganized cacophony of images and sounds on a good day, and lining them up into a string of comprehensible words is a challenge. My work on the SANIC hack, even when collated into an overview post, probably still doesn't look like anything close to a complete picture for an outside observer. 

 

    This post is me filling in some gaps; something I'll be doing for the next couple of posts as well- writing up semi-complete pages for character options for the SANIC hack that doesn't really need a full deep dive to explain them. The goal is just to have the edges of my imagined product be less blurry, as opposed to me thinking I've done anything clever and deserve praise.  

 

    Also it allows me to introduce readers to some of the setting lore I've been holding back for fear of Telling You About My World Lore, an activity that everyone loves unconditionally and should happen as frequently as possible. (/s)

 

Until Next Time,

        Farmer Gadda 

 

FURKIND 

 

I actually owned this poster before the house fire destroyed my
belongings and left me homeless for a winter.
Maybe I should blog about more important things..

FURKIND 

Furkind is an umbrella term for the many sub-species of humanoid animal people that exist all over the world. They are known for their relatively short stature, vibrant coloration, and durable bodies. While Mammalian Furkind are the most common, Reptilian, Avian, and Insectoid members do exist; some using more fitting variations of the term to refer to themselves. (I.e. Scalekind, Featherkind, etc). Furkind are more plentiful in regions too dangerous or chaotic for Humans to traverse, with the majority of Furkind cultures originating from the many islands that dot the great seas.

 

NAMES 

Common forenames include Nouns or Verbs the Furkind identifies with. Common surnames use descriptors, such as their animal ancestor or their chosen job title; though a shared Clan or Family name may be substituted. 

(I.e. Rush The Cat, Claws The Hunter, Carrot The Lop-Ear, Lavender Of The Tulip Clan)

 

WANDERING 

Established Furkind societies develop around settlements of one or two Packs; groups of individuals that make up a family unit. The members of a pack can vary wildly, even including other Kinds a Furkind befriended along the way. More solitary Furkind can be found living with other Kinds the world over, adapting to those communities' structures. It is common knowledge that young Furkind will eventually feel the need to wander off on their own, leaving on a journey to find their own place in the world.

What made you leave your den to WANDER?

d6	Reason
1	Your Voice beats at your chest; you wander to share all that you know. Your Keepsake is a Crumbling Statuette, an Official-looking Seal, or a Decorated Mask; a symbol of your obsession
2	Your Heart feels a Yearning; you wander to find those who will be your Pack. Your Keepsake is an Old Bracelet, a Pock-marked Stone, or a Feather; a gift for your fated ones
3	Your Mind is ever-curious; you wander to learn of other cultures. Your Keepsake is a Pocket Watch, a Wooden Abacus, or a Faded Tome; a tool of your education
4	Your Feet never stop moving; you wander because staying still feels like drowning. Your Keepsake is a Broken Compass, a Carved Walking Stick, or a Cracked Spyglass ;your first companion on your journey.
5	Your Hands feel empty; you wander to find something you've lost. Your Keepsake is a Bronze Locket, a Sepia Photograph, or Ragged Toy; the last memory you held onto
6	Your Blessing is a Curse; you wander to avoid those who would mistreat you. Your Keepsake is a Threadbare Scarf, Dark Eye-covering, or Broad-rimmed Hat;how you once kept yourself obscured

BLESSING

Furkind are naturally in tune with the planet, and many find themselves blessed with supernatural abilities from birth. Often, these will manifest in enhanced natural abilities, like speed and strength. Rarer, a specific element will imprint on their being, giving them some control over it in a manner not unlike spell-casting. Neither are considered odd to Furkind, though other Kinds might be surprised to learn what they can do!

 What BLESSING has the planet gifted you?

d6	Blessing (Refer to This Blog Post)
1	Speed - A flash in the pan, a split second reaction, a foot that won't stop tapping. You're not just fast; everyone else is too slow.
2	Strength - A bent metal bar, a shattered boulder, a world that folds around you like paper. Your strength is greater than most could gain with training alone.
3	Flight - The wind in your wings, a gut-churning dive, the end of the horizon and a bright blue sky. You've broken your shackle to the ground, and now you are limitless.
4	Shell - A tough hide, a strong constitution, a will to power through the pain. Your body has a covering you can use to shield yourself from harm.
5-6	Elements - A burning passion in your heart, an icy chill down your spine, the depths of the ocean in your eyes. You gain the power of an Element, able to call it forth at will.

LEGO Adventurers DINO ISLAND - Summer LEGO RPG Setting Jam Entry

 Howdy, Farmhands.

     When it came to my attention that DIY&dragons was hosting a Summer Lego Jam, I knew I had to get in on the action. Lego, specifically the sets released around the turn of the millennium, were my bread and butter as a kid, and I still collect the stuff today. It makes all the sense in the world that the open-concept, sandbox style of play present in those toys could be used as inspiration for a Tabletop Role-playing game.

     The actual parameters of the Jam do not call for a complete Game Product, however. There are purposeful holes left in the designs I hand over to you today. I assume no system or method of play, simply outlining a setting and implying procedures you'll need to adapt to your table of choice.

    Anyone who uses your setting will have to do additional work to get it game-ready, so help them out by making something exciting and inspirational! Basic guidelines are more important than fine-grained distinctions. Be clear and coherent, use motifs and themes, and trust that the person running the game will make decisions that are shaped by the tools you've given them -diy&dragons

     To that end, this post assumes you are using a system with its own support for Overland Travel, be it pointcrawl, hexcrawl, or whatever else. It also assumes some method of facilitating faction play, with at least 2 separate groups for players to ally with. There is no inherent 'good' team, despite Johnny Thunder being the hero of the original LEGO theme. Statistics for Dinosaurs, Weapons, or Vehicles are absent, you'll need to plug those in should you need them.

Thanks, Inkarnate

A mysterious island inhabited by survivors of the great extinction; the Dinosaurs here have lived in peace for thousands of years... until now! Johnny Thunder's expedition arrives to study this phenomenon, while his rival, the Baron, follows closely for profit. Both risk endangering the balance of nature and triggering the Volcano at the center of this lost world.

Factions:
    The Adventurers Team

• Johnny Thunder: Daring, Handsome, Audibly Australian. Out of his depth with no Treasure to find.
• Dr. Lightning: Academically Brilliant but Absent-minded. Naively ignorant to the potential abuse the Island faces.
• Mike: Eager to please. Inexperienced. Views Johnny as a role model.
• Miss Pippin Reed: Journalist with a One-track mind. Focused on writing the best story, to the detriment of the subjects she covers.

    The Adventurers will attempt to corral a random specimen to their base for study, a process that takes 1d4 days. If made aware of the Baron's crew having successfully captured a dinosaur, they will attempt to free it, but otherwise focus on their own work.

    The Baron's Crew

• Lord Samuel Sinister von Barron: Successful Criminal with a personal vendetta against Johnny Thunder. His wealth was primarily gained through grave robbing. Actively haunted by an Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh that tells bad jokes.
  
• Alexia Sinister von Barron: Younger sister. Pragmatic. Prefers easy money to harebrained schemes.
• Mr. Cunningham: Slovenly layabout. Loyal to Alexia,specifically Frequently overestimates his own capability. 
• Ghost of Pharaoh Hotep: Incorporeal Guardian of the stolen Re-Gou Ruby. Has the sense of humor of a 12-year-old. Wants his gemstone returned to Egypt or to ruin Sam Sinister's day, whichever's easiest.
  

    The Baron's Crew alternates daily between 1. Setting Traps, 2. Damaging Adventurer's Infrastructure, and 3. Pursuing a random dinosaur. Should any of their activities be foiled by the Adventurers specifically, as opposed to their own hubris, they will spend 1d4 days 'Plotting and Scheming' and generally keeping to themselves.

    The Dinosaur Herds

• Stegosaurus: Defensive. Prone to stampede. Avoids Triceratops herd.
• Triceratops: Aggressive. Travels in a Clockwise direction across the island.
• Tyrannosaurus Rex: Opportunistic Scavengers. Follow the nearest moving herd. Passive until their young is threatened.
• Brachiosaurus:  Immovable object. Fears no Predator. Travels between Swampland and Jungle in search of tall foliage.
  
• Pteropod Flock: Annoying. Curious. Too intelligent for their own good.

     The Dinosaur Herds are in constant movement, and keeping track of which herd is where is vital to traversing safely across the island. The location of the 1d3 Tyrannosaurus Rexes should be kept a secret from players, though the table can and should participate in the daily adjustment of the herds' location, for the sake of the GM's sanity.

Locations:

1. Base: (5987 Dino Research Compound) A rusty radio transmitter tower held together with driftwood, rope, and prayers. Constantly in need of repairs. A clearing nearby works as an airfield.

2. Swamp: (5912 Mike's Swamp Boat) More of a marsh, really. Potentially a quick path across the island, if your boat doesn't get stuck.

3. Jungle: A thick forest with massive trees. Predators roam the edges, looking for easy meals.
   
 

4. Plains: (5955 All Terrain Trapper) Grassland with little cover. Stegosaurus can be found here, unless they've been run off by a traveling Triceratops.
   

5. Stony Beach: (5975 T-rex Transport) Grey and dismal; no creature bothers traveling here.
   
 

6. Pterodon Rock : (5921 Research Glider) Steep stone, devoid of plant life. The Pterodon flock nests here at night, returning to the green main island with the sun.
   
7. Volcano : An imposing peak with lava visible at the lip of the caldera. The slightest jostle could set off an eruption. The Cave system below is too narrow for predators to follow.
 

FURTHER INSPIRATION:

    Brickset List of all Official Products
    Brickset List of "DINOSAURS" Sister Series
    Brickset List of "STUDIO" Sister Series
    Compilation of tie-in short Comics

    DL Link for Stud.io A 3D modeling program with the large majority of LEGO's pieces included; useful for creating custom renders for game visuals.

NOTES: 

    Vehicles have always featured prominently in Lego sets, and Dino Island is no exception. Before play, determine which vehicles of either Minifig faction are operational, and scatter resources to fix up the rest across the island as player rewards. If you're using a system that supports it, consider having specific vehicles negate difficult travel over specific terrain.

    The caves beneath the Volcano are purposefully left without any dungeon map. What is contained beneath it, and how or why your table will seek it out is up to you - is there a mystical artifact keeping the island afloat? Ruins of a Minifig civilization that once shared the island with the Dinosaurs? A gateway to the ancient past through which the ancestors of the Dinosaurs traveled? Listen to your table discuss the possibilities, and then decide what would be the most exciting to uncover! 

    Additional Dinosaur Herds for desired dinos (raptors or ocean predators come to mind) could be included, but the interplay between the herds I've already written means that interacting with One affects the locations and temperament of the rest. Adding more herds in would require they weave into this tapestry, or they may as well just be set dressing. 

    

The SANIC Hack: Checkpoint 1

Don't worry; there's no special stage above this one.
Halfpipes suck.

Prev Post / Next Post

Howdy, Farmhands!

    I don't expect many people to read this post. Or maybe it'll be the post everyone reads to avoid reading the previous posts, idk. I've made 5 full blogposts detailing my design choices for this ttrpg heartbreaker, (though the first was really just an overview/declaration of intent) so TODAY I think I ought to compile the changes made into a more concise post. Consider this the elevator pitch, but like, we've already stopped at every single floor and I've followed you into the hallway even though I was originally headed elsewhere.

PART 1: INTRODUCTION

Originally posted April 10th, 2024

The fact of the matter is that I wish to put a Sanic in Cairn, and none of you have any authority nor power to stop me. But before I do, a couple of points must be made. Firstly, what do I think a Cairn is? And secondly, what the fuck is a Sanic?

    As of writing this post, it's actually been exactly one month since part 1 went live! Neat! This being my first Serious attempt at Poasting in this longer format (I'd posted before, but that was expected to only reach my existing Vtubing audience, not a greater fandom/design space) it's oddly verbose with a ton of links to images nobody really commented on. As a declaration of intent, it also didn't involve any interesting or actionable content. As a landing page, I think it's okay? Certainly helps weed out the people who aren't interested in This Sort of Thing without asking them to get invested before they leave. I only want to waste my OWN time, tyvm.

    TL;DR-

• Baseline system is Cairn (Later clarified as general Into The Odd-likes)
  
  
• d20 roll under stat (STR, DEX, WIS)
  
  
• HP refills quickly, but damage beyond HP lowers STAT
  
  
• Slot-based Inventory System
  
  
• Classless, with Gear being the primary method of customization
  
  
• Nobody commented on the image I linked so I'm linking it again here
   

PART 2: PROBLEM SOLVING

Originally posted April 18th, 2024

"Doesn't this mean it's much harder for the players to ever seriously experience danger?" yes, but it creates a few more layers of player choice before you reach the "you don't get to roll any more" stage with those blorbos.

    In hindsight, this was probably not the most interesting first, actionable post I could have made for this project, but it was the one I'd recently talked about on twitter, so my hands were tied. I spent the first section essentially trying to walk the reader through my thought process and first draft ideas for this topic, before jettisoning that work in favor of the final product in section 2.

    This was a mistake. Don't expect your audience to get invested in something if you're only going to betray that investment in the very next paragraph. Heed my words lest ye befall the same fate.

    TL;DR -

• DOWN: A character at ZERO HP. Must roll a STR Save if damaged further.  
  
  
• OUT: An unconscious character that has failed their STR save after taking damage beyond ZERO HP. Effectively removed from the combat/scene.
  
  
• CARRY: An action that can be performed by PCs to shield DOWNED Allies from further harm. All Rolls are IMPAIRED for the duration. Requires 5 free Inventory Slots per Ally carried. CARRIED allies regain 1 HP per round. 
  
  
• SCORE: Mostly theoretical at this point. A checklist of behaviors and goals with an amount of Metacurrency attached to them. This Metacurrency is awarded at the end of a Session, and can be used to 'Purchase' features or items to be used during normal play.

PART 3: BLESSED BE THE HOG

Originally posted April 21st, 2024

In an effort to differentiate Fantastic Furries from their less magical counterparts, I'm putting together a short list of options to be taken during Character Creation. I considered having separate combinations be available depending on what KIND of furry you're using, but frankly, that's boring.

     Tweaking how 'death' works in an Odd-like was important for giving this heartbreaker more of a Super-Heroic feel without completely rejecting the elements of the Adventure Game design philosophy that led me to choose Cairn as my starting point. Part 3, then, was intended to push a little further and see if anything broke. 

    The only thing that broke was my formatting. This was the first post I made that got pushed not because I thought it was 'complete' but because I was so fucking tired of editing it, and it shows. I SHOULD clean it up now that I'm thinking about it but fuck if I want to do that.

    One thing I should note here is that the list of Blessings available to PCs at Character Creation will be limited/curated by specific Lineage. I've established that I want to hold off on talking about My World Lore as long as possible, but the Fantastic Furries and the Ridiculous Rubber-people will both have overlapping but unique Blessings to choose from, while Humans are barred from picking a Blessing to start.

    TL;DR -

• BLESSINGS: A thematic set of minor additions to or alterations of standard game mechanics. Intended to be found rarely during gameplay by most PCs, though Furry Characters* choose one at character creation.

PART 4: SODA POTIONS

Originally posted May 8th, 2024

    I genuinely think this is my best post so far. Out of any of them. Like, this is the standard I'm going to be holding my writing to going forward. It's technically just a compilation of a brainstorming session on twitter that got out of hand, but the end result isn't just stable and actionable, it's GAMEABLE for people who AREN'T ME. Finally, I've moved out of the realm of theory and into actual Game Design, lookatmego. 

    Unlike PART 2: where I failed to properly guide the reader through my thought process and instead invalidated their investment two paragraphs in, this post does a very good job of describing both the starting point of the design from Cairn, the specific areas I've already made changes to, and the slice of design I intend to affect with the NEW design the audience is about to be introduced to. I did it Ma, I'm a blogger!!!!

    I'm now legally required to repeat that I'm not going to explain Bar'd to you. Maybe I'll discuss Smackjeeves/The City RPs at a later date, from which you can triangulate what Bar'd is about, but that's somewhere down the line.

TL;DR -

• POTIONS: I'm just going to copy paste from the main post.

Potions are a consumable liquid that produce an effect in the drinker.
    
    They come in 3 Tiers, JUICE, SODA, and ENERGY, each with an associated Die Value (d4, d6, etc). A Potion that restores a resource (HP, Dice Pools) instantly grants that resource equal to the Die value of it's Tier. A Potion that grants an effect (Extra Damage, Invisibility, Extra Armor) temporarily grants that effect for a number of Rounds equal to the Die Value of it's Tier.

    In Inventory, Potions of the same Tier and Flavor may be stacked up to the maximum determined by their Tier.

    In Combat, 1 Potion may be Chugged each turn, before and separate from that PC's Action. In order to Chug a Potion, the PC must have at least 1 hand free to hold the container, and 1 forehead free to crush the container against once emptied.

•     JUICE: 1d4, No Associated Save.  Stacks up to 16. Usually served in Juice Boxes.
  
  Arguably Healthy, considering the amount of sugar.
  
  
  
•     SODA: 1d8, Save against WIL or BURP*. Stacks up to 12. Served in Cans.
  
  Carbonated, which makes the Magic Better or something.
  
  
  
•     ENERGY: 1d12, Save against WIL or BURP*. Stacks up to 8. Also served in Cans.
  
  Contains the maximum recommended daily dose of various questionable chemicals. Drinking more than 1 per 24 hours risks a CRASH**

*BURP: Failing a WIL save after Chugging a Potion of SODA or ENERGY Tier results in a BURP, replacing your Action for the Round with a loud belch.

**CRASH: A Floating value Equal the number of ENERGY Tier potions consumed within 24 hours after the first. At any point after accruing any value of Crash, should the PC BURP, Fatigue equal to the Crash Value is instantly applied.

• HOMEMADE/CUSTOM BREWS: Crafted Potions do 1 die-size less than their store-bought counterparts. Mixed drinks do 1 die-size less of an effect per effect mixed. 

PART 5: RELICS, SPELLS, SCROLLS, AND OTHER SOME-SUCH

Originally Posted May 9th, 2024

Magical nonsense happens frequently, even if it isn't recognized as such... There's no chanting or latin, or even an agreed upon method of categorizing specific phenomenon. There is only chaos, and those who can temporarily control it. 

     You'll notice the weeks-long gap in posting between 3 and 4, and the literal 19 hours between 4 and 5. This is because Part 5 was ORIGINALLY intended to follow up after Blessed Be The Hog, and was a bitch to edit. Also, I had to do construction on my house after my wife fell through the floor. Don't worry about it. I'm happy with the final result, but the Soda Potions post was finished quicker, so it became part 4. 

    This is an Important Post for this project, even if it's mostly reflavoring existing Cairn/ItO mechanics to match the fantasy. With these terms and their uses described, however, I can now refer back to them as needed going forwards. It's all downhill (/pos) from here, lads.

    TL;DR -

• TECHNIQUES: A special maneuver performed by a PC who has memorized it. Always requires a Save, with Failure imparting FATIGUE. Techniques do not exist within the Inventory, though may require an Object to trigger. (Comparable to Spells)
  
  
• UPGRADES: An object containing a limited number of uses of a specific Technique.  Takes up an Inventory slot, and comes with specific Recharge requirements. Use does not risk Fatigue. (Comparable to Relics)
  
  
• POWER-UPS: A stackable object containing a single, limited use of a specific Technique. Usable by anyone with the object in their possession. The object is fully consumed upon use. Use does not risk Fatigue. (Comparable to Scrolls)
  

FINAL PART: CHECKPOINT 1

hey, wait a minute

    Going back over the previous set of posts in this series has actually been really interesting. It's odd, looking at the disparate ramblings as one cohesive project, and seeing the spots that still need attention. If I had to start the project over, I'd definitely post them in a different order, beginning with the reflavoring of existing mechanics such as in Part 5, tweaking Death mechanics such as in Part 2, and THEN introducing new content by way of Blessings and Soda Potions in 3 and 4. Hindsight is 2020 I'm afraid, so there's not much I can do about it now.

    What I CAN do is give a brief overview of what I plan to do next. The blogpost following this one SHOULD be about Weapons, how they'll be categorized, and how specializing in one fighting style can earn PCs Weapon-specific Techniques. After that, the project should be 'Complete' mechanically, with the bones ready to be filled with meat. A few d66 tables later, and I'll be ready to begin Telling You About My World Lore, and probably giving this project it's own unique name. We'll see how much of the above I actually accomplish by Checkpoint 2.

    Until Next Time,

        -Farmer Gadda

The SANIC Hack: Part 5 - Relics, Spells, Scrolls and other Some-Such

Oh actually, I think this part of the game is gonna be easy to write
- The Bounce Bracelet in Sonic Generations, Sonic Beyond (2022)

Prev Post / Next Post

 Howdy, Farmhands.

    Odd-likes (I've made the executive decision to stop name-dropping Cairn as the sole originator of this project, people are making understandable assumptions) tie their magic systems in with their inventory system via the Fatigue mechanic. In many cases, powerful or supernatural abilities are either explicitly One-Time use, or cost a temporary burden filling in an Inventory slot. But also, there are objects that can contain multiple uses of an ability that cost no fatigue, but instead have specific requirements to regain those uses once spent. Do you use up your empty Inventory Slots to cast a spell multiple times? Do you fill your Inventory with single use spells you might never need? Do you bring a spent Relic on your journey in the hopes you can recharge it? And all of this is with the logical concern that you'll come across something important and shiny and need to decide what you take home with you; the stuff you have or the stuff you've just found. 

    It's honestly an excellent balancer in a game that's all about diegetic advancement.

    (For the remainder of this blog, assume any stated Durations, Damage Die, and Charges are placeholders. I'm just throwing numbers out here as examples for now)

    Part 1: Relics 

    "Relics are items imbued with a magical spell or power. They do not cause Fatigue. Relics usually have a limited use, as well as a recharge condition." - Cairn 

ah yes now we are talking

    The Sonic series has a history of including optional collectibles, be they wearable swag, new technology to add to their existing battle mechs, or mystical artifacts that are usually a set of jewels. The specific context varies by game, but generally, these objects are referred to as Upgrades.

•     Light Speed Shoes, 3 Charges.
  
  A pair of golden sneakers that magnetically pulls the user towards nearby Rings. Recharge: Place a Ring worth at least 100 into each shoe and leave overnight.
•     Bounce Bracelet, 1 Charge.
  
  A gray metal bracelet with a green power meter on the side, capable of casting Bounce on the wearer. Recharge: Access to a Power Source for 1 Short Rest
•     Type-3 Laser Blaster, 3 Charges.
  
  A ranged weapon capable of launching explosive missiles (d12, Blast). Recharge: 3 new Rockets and a full tank of fresh Coolant.
  

 Part 2: Spells

     "Anyone can cast a spell by holding a Spellbook in both hands and reading the contents aloud. They must then add a Fatigue to inventory, occupying one slot... If the PC is deprived or in danger, the Warden may require a PC to make a WIL save to avoid any ill-effects from casting the spell." - Cairn, again

    Magic exists in the world I'm envisioning for this project, but not necessarily in the Dungeons & Dragons way, Vancian or otherwise. This dips a bit into talking about my totally cool fantasy setting I've imagined, which I'm sure you're all thrilled to hear about, so bear with me.

 

"This is like taking candy from a baby, which is fine by me"

- Shadow the Hedgehog

no really he said this once in an official appearance.

Magical nonsense happens frequently, even if it isn't recognized as such. Rules of reality are casually broken, super strength, flight, and psionic abilities are just born innately in the populace. The energy that causes these events can be read and measured, with geographical locations having more or less of it, relative to how weird the place is. There's no chanting or latin, or even an agreed upon method of categorizing specific phenomenon. There is only chaos, and those who can temporarily control it.

The abilities performed by tapping into that power, then, would be less 'Casting a spell' and more 'Manipulating the Force;' with specific triggers being memorized as Techniques. 

• Drop Dash - Fall a vertical distance up to your Movement speed, without harm. Upon landing, jettison an equal distance to your fall in any direction, dealing 1d4 damage to any Creature in your path.
• Homing Attack -  Pick a target within range of your Movement speed. You are launched towards that target as part of your Attack Action, without using up your Movement for that round.
• Insta-Shield - A burst of air blocks a single melee attack at the point of contact. If targeted by multiple opponents, take the second highest damage roll instead of the highest. 
  

Part 3: Scrolls

    "Scrolls are similar to Spellbooks, however, they do not take up an inventory slot, do not cause fatigue, and they disappear after one use." - Cairn, a third time

    This is even easier now that I've sorted out what "Upgrades" and "Techniques" are. Instead of a smaller form, one charge consumable Spell, we can just... HAVE Mario Power-ups. 

(tired drug joke here)

• Super Mushroom -
  
  You and your possessions grow to 3x your proportional size for 10 minutes.
• Boomerang Flower -
  
  Toss it's oddly shaped head at an object up to a distance equalling your movement speed; it will retrieve any loose object that is not Bulky and return to your hand.
• Drill Mushroom -
  
  You can burrow into solid stone for 10 minutes., moving through it like water while leaving a tunnel behind you 
  
• Fire Flower -
  
  Cast Fireball

 Final Part: Other Some-Such

    For the sake of the fantasy, some things won't be 1 to 1 between Cairn and the Sanic Hack. Techniques will not be part of a Grimoire, rather being a list of abilities, though they will require Saves to pull off. Power-Ups, unlike Scrolls, will take Inventory space, and their abilities won't be able to be transcribed into a collection for use later; they're one and done. 

    Likewise, I feel that Upgrades can and SHOULD be Weapons and Armor, but in a significant move away from how Odd-likes usually handle them, they should also be things that can be manufactured. Maybe not easily, lest they lose all credibility, but still something that can be tinkered with and improved in some way. Maybe a particularly tech-savvy PC would want to take an Item or Weapon or what have you, and slowly develop it INTO an Upgrade? I'll put a pin in that for a future blog post.

    An Upgrade would need to be highlighted to Players at the table, especially if they're going to be commonplace tech in the context of the world. Mystical Gemstones, sure, they'll notice those. But placing a technological upgrade in an adventure site could lead to players missing them entirely.

    I'm afraid I'll just have to take another whack at all of this later on down the line.

    Until Next Time,

        -Farmer Gadda