RPG Review: Wiseguys (and others)

It's been a while since I've posted anything on here. I've been prepping for my annual conference, while also working on The Homecoming, along with some other gigs. To procrastinate these, I've been looking at some RPG settings to run, particularly those which use my Favoured System, Savage Worlds.

One such setting I found was Wiseguys by Eric Lamoureux, which a player once described as "Grand Theft Auto in table-top RPG form". It's heavily influenced by a lot of mob films, including Goodfellas, Casino, Carlito's Way, and Scarface. 

Taking place in Las Vegas during the 1990s, the players are a crew of mob associates who have been left to fend for themselves as their bosses in the Mid West or on the East Coast are being incarcerated. Meanwhile, corporations are moving in to take over the casinos previously run by the mob, while other syndicates are muscling in on the street-level rackets.

I ran this setting back in October for a local gaming group, using two published adventures in the setting book, and it went quite well. I had an eclectic assortment of characters, working for a displaced mobster looking to start up his own crime family in Las Vegas. Rules as written, the setting assumes your characters are working for the Italian-American Mafia, but it can be easily tweaked to accommodate other syndicates. Does that mean the characters all have to be Italian? Not at all! They're "associates" who can come from any background, but there is an Edge which allows characters to be an official member of the mob. I had two players out of six take that Edge, and basically set up a special channel on the campaign Discord which only they could see, making them privy to information the other players wouldn't be. It's a way of creating some interesting unease as those characters who are made have to determine what they need to share with the others.

This setting is particularly "mundane", in that all player characters are humans, and there's no magic involved. To be honest, in a hobby where everything is dominated by Dungeons and Dragons, that's kind of refreshing. Of course, Savage Worlds is a system that doesn't use classes, but the book comes with plenty of useful archetypes to help you build one. They've even got some random generators to aid the process.

One thing I especially like about Wiseguys is that it's a good source of stat-blocks that are of use in any  game with a modern-day setting. A lot of people I've talked to about it have said they've picked up the books for that reason.

In addition to that main setting Wiseguys also spawned two spin-offs/expansions (since you need the games to play them), so I figured I'd talk about them here.

The first of these is Tuffguys by Harrison Hunt, which shifts the setting from Las Vegas to London, for some games inspired by Guy Ritchie's gangster films. I took part in a session of this at a virtual convention three years ago, and later ran the adventure which came with the setting book myself. One big thing is that you'll probably want characters geared more towards melee combat, since guns are hard to come by: all firearms listed in the core rules cost ten times as much, or you have to take certain Edges in order to gain access to guns. My Cockney accent probably needs work though.

The other spin-off is The Gobfather by Richard Woolcock, which acts as a crossover between Wiseguys and Woolcock's comic fantasy setting Saga of the Goblin Horde. This mini-setting takes place in a version of our world in which different fantasy species exist and live in a modern society, and has the characters assume the role of high-ranking members of a goblin mafia.

Unlike Wiseguys, this setting does have magic, along with the black comedy of its parent setting. All characters have a crew of goblins who ride with them, but their main purpose is cannon fodder. You can choose to redirect damage to an adjacent goblin, and it doesn't have to be one of yours. But be careful; they may get up to no-good, and their shenangans may hinder or help them.

There's one adventure, a few random encounters, and some pre-gens, but the mini-setting largely assumes you have the two parent settings. I've been a player in the setting before, and looking to run it myself at some point; I've been doing some homebrew tweaks (since Saga of the Goblin Horde utilises the previous edition of Savage Worlds, I've had to update some of the Edges in Hindrances from that book), and developing a city to serve as a locale (called Brightwater). I've also been procrastinating my other projects by making a ton of minis on Hero Forge, which you can view on my exhibition page on Facebook here.

Wiseguys, Tuffguys, and The Gobfather are all available for sale on DriveThruRPG, and you will require the Savage Worlds core rules to play them. You'll need Wiseguys to play Tuffguys, but The Gobfather does have adjustments for running it without that book. You'll also want to pick up Saga of the Goblin Horde, but that's currently free at the moment due to a licensing issue.

Anyway, happy writing.

This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com. It is unofficial Media Content permitted under the Media Network Content Agreement. This content is not managed, approved, or endorsed by Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Certain portions of the materials used are the intellectual property of Pinnacle, and all rights are reserved. Savage Worlds, all related settings, and unique characters, locations, and characters, logos and trademarks are copyrights of Pinnacle Entertainment Group.”

Five and Twenty Ponies #5 Letters for a Spy

 

“It’ll be dawn soon.” Kestrel watched the night sky as they left the plantation. “Just one more delivery: This sealed envelope for Mr McGuire at the King’s Head Inn. Paid in full. Await instructions if necessary. I hope we’re not waiting too long. I want to get back to Port Royal, and maybe spend some hard-earned coin there.”

“Aye.” Scar nodded.

Kestrel’s legs ached as they reached a house on the wide dirt trail running from the bastion. A hanging sign above the door depicted King Charles II, illuminated by the lamps outside.

“God rest the Merry Monarch.” Kestrel gave a mock curtsy to the sign. “I may have no love for royalty, but he was supposed to be good for a laugh. And at least he wasn't a Puritan.”

“Come on.” Scar ushered him inside.

The interior of the King’s Head smelled of wood smoke. Kestrel ignored the stares of the patrons as he strode over to the bar.

“What do you want?” The innkeeper spat into a tankard and polished it with a once-white rag.

“Ale,” Kestrel leaned closer. “And I’m looking for Mr McGuire.”

The innkeeper fell silent at the mention of the name. He filled a tankards from the cask and placed it on the bar. Kestrel raised it in a toast when he heard Scar clear his throat. His companion gestured for the tankard.

“Greedy bastard.” Kestrel handed it over.

Scar pulled out a scrap of paper wedged in the bottom of the tankard and unfolded it. He handed them both back. Kestrel squinted at the note.

I am being watched. Up to you to make the delivery.

Kestrel pocketed the note and looked around the bar. Three men in mud-caked clothes sat at one table, conversing over ale and bowls of soup. Three men in uniform sat at another. A lone man sat at the table between them. He made eye contact with Kestrel, nodding at the occupied tables.

“That must be our man.” Kestrel murmured to Scar, “Any thoughts?”

“Oi, what are you looking at?” One of the men from the first table lumbered towards the bar. “What’s with that sword? It looks Spanish. Are you Spanish?”

“This will make an interesting diversion.” Kestrel turned back to the bar and took a long drink from his ale.

“Didn’t you hear me?” the man grabbed Kestrel’s shoulder. “Don’t you speak English, Spaniard?”

“I speak it just fine, mate." He replied. "And I’m telling you to unhand me.”

“Or what?”

Kestrel elbowed the man in the stomach.

Scar grabbed the man and threw him into the second table. Tankards and bowls spilled their contents. Stools scraped. Conversations ceased. The other five patrons stood up and advanced. The lone man stood up and then walked to the door.

“Do you want to fight us one at a time or altogether?” Kestrel stepped forwards and grinned.

One man grabbed him. Another punched him in the torso.

“Fair enough.” He kicked the attacker below the belt. The second man swung at his face. He lurched sideways. The punch struck the man holding him.

“Everything alright?” He said to Scar. 

His companion knocked two heads together. He gave him a thumbs up.

“I’ll leave you to it.” Kestrel sent another man flying with an uppercut. He shoved his way to the door.

Kestrel breathed in the night air as he stepped outside.

“You have a strange way of being discreet.” An Irish-accented voice said.

Kestrel saw the lone patron emerge from around the corner of the inn.

“Well, you left it in our hands.” Kestrel produced the letter.

“Do you have a vessel? I fear your heavy-handedness has compromised me.”

“No need to shoot the messenger.” Kestrel said. “And Scar and I have finesse. We’re not heavy-handed.”

A man flew out of the window.

“That’s some finesse.” Mr McGuire said. “But I need passage.”

“We have a boat at the dock." Kestrel said. "And a vessel waiting at the mouth of the river. We must be back before the morning tide.”

“Take me with you." Mr McGuire handed over five shillings. "I’ll hang if I stay here. They’re on to me.”

“How will we get past the bastion?” Kestrel asked.

“I know a secret way.” Mr McGuire tapped his nose. “Now, we must move.”

Kestrel stuck his head through the broken window.

“Scar, are you finished in there?”

His companion opened the door and stepped out, brushing the dust off his shoulders.

*

 

The sky grew lighter as the pair followed Mr McGuire back towards the bastion.

“This way.” He gestured to a patch of grass at the foot of the wall, pulling it up to reveal a trapdoor. He grabbed the lantern from Kestrel and led them down a narrow tunnel, ending at a door. “We’re in the cellar of my townhouse. It’s how I get past the bastion without being noticed.”

“Thanks for the tour.” Kestrel said, “Now can we get to the dock?”

McGuire led the pair through the back streets and back alleys, watching for the glow of the militia’s lanterns. Kestrel pointed him towards the dock.

“That’s them!” A voice called out. “Halt, smugglers!”

Kestrel noticed the two guards they had encountered on the docks, accompanied by five more soldiers. He leaped off the jetty into the rowboat as muskets cracked, enveloping the dock with powder smoke.

“Scar! Cut it!” He drew his pistol and fired back. One of the guards fell back.

Scar drew his cutlass and hacked at the mooring line.

Kestrel grabbed one of the pistols from his companion’s belt and fired at another guard. They scattered and ran for cover.

“We’re moving!” McGuire shouted when another shot rang out. He clutched his stomach and fell back into the river.

Kestrel sat back and grabbed an oar, rowing back towards the mouth of the river. He felt the shots fly past his head as they rowed further away from the jetty.

“Scar, I have the feeling we’ve outstayed our welcome in this place.” He watched the sun rise over the coast. He looked around at where De Groot’s sloop had anchored the previous night. The vessel was not present.

“We must have missed the tide.” He scratched his head.

“They’ll be back.” Scar said.

“You’re right there, mate,” Kestrel nodded, “We’re carrying De Groot’s money. He’ll want his pay day. We’ll hide for now. Let him find us. He’ll be lucky we’ve got nowhere to spend it.”

*

Kestrel mopped the sweat off his brow as he felt his shirt sticking to his back. He beached the boat on a small island in the swamp, listening to the nasal whine of mosquitos.

“I hope we’re not waiting for long.” He lay down on the driest part.

Scar shook his head and pointed. Kestrel looked up to see The Nord and four other men from De Groot’s sloop wading towards them.

“Thanks for waiting.” He said to the newcomers.

“You didn’t make the rendezvous.” The Nord tightened his grip around a boarding axe. “De Groot asked me to wait and collect the money. He didn’t say anything about you.”

“So, we’re off the payroll?” Kestrel rested his hand on his rapier. “After all the work we put in.”

“The penalty for disobedience…is death.”

“Well, I’ve never paid attention to anybody who wants me to obey them.” Kestrel drew his sword and slashed the Nord’s shoulder. The larger man screamed in anger. He swung the axe.

“Scar! I’ve made him angry!” Kestrel sidestepped the blow and kicked the Nord in the head. Two of the crewmen drew cutlasses and charged. Kestrel dodged and parried, keeping his distance.

Scar drew his cutlass and drove it through his attacker. The fourth man dropped his blade and fled in the opposite direction. Scar stomped the Nord and aimed a pistol at the brute’s head.

Kestrel led his opponents towards the swamp, noticing a large bump surface in the water.

“Alligators!” One of the men fled.

“You’re on your own.” He grinned at the final opponent. The man stepped. Kestrel beat his blade aside and lunged. The man stumbled back. 

Catching his breath, Kestrel walked over to The Nord. He produced the bulging purse and rattled it.

“You can’t buy your life.” The Nord snarled. “Captain De Groot does not want you serving under him.”

“Our sentiments exactly.” Kestrel squatted down next to him, “I’m not buying our lives, but yours. Take the money, go back to De Groot, and tell him we’re even.”

“He will not forget or forgive.” The Nord spat at Kestrel’s feet. “You’re just delaying the inevitable. I may not kill you here, but you will die by my hand. You thieving…”

The crack of pistol cut his words short. Scar blew smoke from his pistol and then made his way back to the boat.

“Well, something’s going to feast on them." Kestrel sheathed his blade. "I’m glad to be out of that mess.”

“We’re lost.” Scar picked up the oars.

“Yes, that is an issue.” Kestrel rattled his purse. “But look on the bright side. This is the most money we’ve made in a while.”

Five and Twenty Ponies #4 Laces for a Lady

 

The river fog had dissipated as Kestrel left the Old Royal and led Scar into the back alley.

“Let’s hope the gate’s open,” he said, “We’ve got three French gowns for Lady Priscilla Wentworth, and she owes us three guineas. I don’t know about you, but I’d sooner spend that kind of coin than pay off that press-ganging pikestaff De Groot.”

Scar replied with an affirmative grunt.

*

More torches lay ahead. Kestrel squinted to see two soldiers with muskets standing guard by the city gates.

“Well, our gambling friend said the plantations were outside the bastion.” He said. “Scale the walls?”

Scar shook his head.

“You’re right. Not with the cargo we still have. How about some kind of diversion?”

Scar shrugged.

“My arse upon this,” Kestrel drew his rapier. “Let’s just fight our way out.”

Scar grabbed his arm.

“Then come up with something. It’s not like we have authority…”

Kestrel’s voice trailed off. He reached into pockets and pulled out Cuthbert’s letters.

“Alright, we might as well try and bluff our way past.” He sheathed his sword. “But if it doesn’t work, previous plan?”

Scar sighed, and then nodded.

Kestrel marched towards the gates. The first guard cocked a musket. The second one raised a lantern while resting a hand on a sword.

“It’s past curfew!” The man with the lantern said. “State your business or I’ll be forced to arrest you.”

“We’re on official business from the East India Company!” Kestrel held up the letters. “We must get past.”

The guard took the letter and held it to the lantern.

“Why do you have company business at this time of night?” He asked.

“Making up for lost time.” Kestrel replied. “Now can we please hurry it rapidly along? We must relay our messages to Lady Wentworth before sunrise.”

“There’s something about this which don’t sound right,” The guard with the musket said. “I’d be truthful with us if I was you. What’s that giant of yours carrying?”

Kestrel felt his heart beat faster.

“I’ll truthfully kick your teeth in if you don’t let us through." He said. "Doesn’t the East India Company pay your wage? I think Mr Wilkinson will be angry that you’ve interfered with us.”

“He’s a gambler who neglects his missus.” The first guard said. “I don’t care what he feels. He has no clout.”

“And you do?” Kestrel said. “Mr Scar, if you’d please?”

Scar loomed over them and growled. The two guards slunk back and opened the gates.

“Thank you, gentlemen.” Kestrel bowed to them and turned to Scar. “I hate dealing with customs. They have a habit of making things intentionally difficult.”

Scar grunted and nodded.

“Oh, may I?” Kestrel snatched away the guard’s lantern.

*

Kestrel listened to the chirp of cicadas as they trudged down the dirt roads outside the bastion. Fewer lights showed in the distance.

“I don’t know how anybody sleeps with those bloody things having a party.” Kestrel held the lantern ahead. He saw a mansion silhouetted in the moonlight, surrounded by cotton fields.

Scar cleared his throat and pointed. More faint orange glows moved around the fields.

“We’ll have to stumble in the dark then.” Kestrel put down the lantern.

He made his way towards the house. As he drew closer, he sighted the lantern in the hands of a man patrolling the fields on horseback. He felt a large hand pull him into the field. Scar crouched beneath the cotton and put his finger to his lips.

*

Sneaking across the fields, the pair arrived at the manor house. Kestrel led Scar around the property to a servant’s entrance at the back of the house.

“I hope this is the right place…” He knocked on the door. No answer. He knocked again, louder. The sound of a bolt being withdrawn emanated from within.

“Yes?” A servant peered out, yawning.

“Is this the residence of Lady Priscilla Wentworth?” Kestrel asked.

“Yes. What is your business here?”

“We have an order for her.” Kestrel gestured to the chest in Scar’s arms.

The servant opened the door.

“Bring it in.” He said.

Scar set the chest on the floor and opened it, revealing the gowns inside.

“Very good,” the servant said. “You may go now.”

He held the door open.

“Not so fast, mate.” Kestrel folded his arms. “Her ladyship owes us money.”

“I was not informed as such.”

Scar loomed over the servant.

“Perhaps we could seek an audience.” Kestrel said.

The servant led Kestrel and Scar to the foyer. With no lights, the ticking of the nearby grandfather clock seemed louder.

“I have the feeling she’s not going to be happy with us waking her at an ungodly hour,” Kestrel said.

Scar said nothing.

“How about a game while we wait? Blind Man’s Buff?”

Scar slapped him across the head, almost knocking him to the floor.

“Your turn.” The burly Antiguan laughed.

*

As the clock ticked, Kestrel sat on the chest and fidgeted.

“I understand that you wish to speak to me.” A blond-haired woman in a nightgown appeared on the landing. The servant accompanied her, holding a lit candelabra.

Kestrel said nothing as she walked down the stairs. In the candlelight, he saw her scowling at them, yet felt warm as he looked at her.

“Have you not the courtesy to answer me?” She said. “I asked you a question.”

“Forgive me, my lady.” Kestrel grinned, “My companion here is usually the silent type. I merely required a moment to compose my thoughts.”

“Well compose them, so you can leave and I can return to bed.” She held a perfumed handkerchief to her nose as she approached them.

Kestrel knelt down and opened the chest. He pulled out a blue mantua and showed it to Lady Wentworth.

“I’m told that this is the latest in Parisian fashions, my lady.” He said.

“Beautiful,” She felt the fabric and nodded. “These will be fine additions to my wardrobe. I am prepared to offer a guinea for the three dresses.”

“They’re a guinea each,” Kestrel said, “That’s our asking price.”

“I’d pay that when buying from a respectable merchant." She replied. "These haven’t been transported well.”

“That cannot be helped, my lady. But there is no shame in buying from smugglers if it’s something you genuinely need. Like to upstage the other ladies in your circle of friends. I’m sure one of them will make a better offer.”

Wentworth’s eyes widened.

“Very well, two guineas for the three.” She said.

Kestrel looked back at Scar, who shook his head.

“Two guineas and ten shillings.” Kestrel stroked his goatee. “One may need some mending, but I’m sure the others are fine.”

“As I am dealing with an educated man, I accept.” She turned to the servant. “Get these men their money and show them out.”

She turned and ascended the stairs with elegance and grace.

“Educated?” Scar murmured.

“Probably because I said ‘my lady’ instead of ‘m’lady’,” Kestrel grinned.

"Know any Latin?" Scar nudged him.

"Coitus interruptus." Kestrel smirked.

He watched the servant return with the coin.

“Thank you." He pocketed the coins. "Now, perhaps you’d be able to direct us to the King’s Head Inn? We have one more delivery to make.”

Five and Twenty Ponies #3 Baccy for the Clerk

 

“That was some good brandy,” Kestrel straightened his trousers as he emerged from an alleyway. “Anyway, our next delivery is this sack of tobacco for Cuthbert Wilkinson of Suffolk Street, and he owes four shillings. Let’s hope our minister friend hadn’t impaired his own sense of direction.”

Scar hushed him. Kestrel looked ahead to see a set of five orange lights moving through the fog at the end of the street. He ducked back into the alleyway, with Scar following. Hearing footsteps, he placed the sack down and reached for his rapier. Scar grabbed his arm and shook his head.

Looking out of the alleyway, Kestrel saw the faces of the militiamen illuminated by their lanterns. He held his breath as they passed, listening to the footsteps fade away.

“Must be a routine patrol.” He whispered.

*

Reaching the house on Suffolk Street, Kestrel knocked on the door. A shuttered window flew open above him.

“Clear off! It’s the middle of the night!” A woman leaned out of the open window. Her voice echoed through the empty street.

Kestrel noticed Scar looking over both shoulders.

“Thousand pardons, miss.” He replied. “I’m looking for Mr Wilkinson. We have a delivery for him.”

“He’s playing Hazard at the Old Royal tavern down the road." She said. "Tell him to come home. Drag him back if you have to.” 

She slammed the shutters.

Kestrel looked at his companion, and they both laughed.

“That’s why I never married.” He led Scar down the street towards the tavern.

*

The interior of the Old Royal smelled of stale beer. The only light came from a single candle on one of the tables, and the darkness amplified the sound of the four men rattling dice and exchanging coin. Kestrel approached the table, prompting the men to stare.

“I’m looking for Mr Wilkinson,” he said, “I was told I could find him here.”

A small bespectacled man stood inched his chair back from the table. Kestrel noticed him, and held up the sack of tobacco.

“My tobacco!” The man said with a grin. “The plantations around here are struggling to grow it. You’re a godsend, sir.”

Kestrel pulled the sack out of Cuthbert’s reach.

“I’ll accept such a title,” he said, “for four shillings.”

“If only you had arrived sooner.” Cuthbert sank back into his chair. “I’ve wagered the last of my coin.”

“Then I’ll offer it to your friends.” Kestrel placed the sack on the table. “Maybe they can bid on it. Anybody else have four shillings?”

The other three men shook their heads and murmured.

“Well, somebody’s managed to get the coin Mr Wilkinson was supposed to pay us with,” Kestrel grabbed a vacant stool and sat at the table. “I refuse to believe that none of you gentlemen smoke. And my companion and I will not be leaving until we’re paid what we’re owed.”

Scar punctuated the statement with a low growl.

“Wait!” Cuthbert slammed his hand on the table, “Why don’t I play you for it?”

“With what?” Kestrel said. “You’re skint.”

“If you wager that tobacco, my friends can stake the value between them.”

“That doesn’t answer my question." Kestrel said. "What can you wager?”

“This letter of transit issued by the East India Company." Cuthbert reached into his jacket and pulled out a folded letter. "The militia here don’t take kindly to smugglers, but they’re well-paid not to interfere with the Company’s affairs.”

“Very well,” Kestrel scooped up the dice. “I’ll serve as the caster.”

He rolled the dice. A four and a three.

“The main is seven. Place your bets.”

“I’d say you lose.” Cuthbert placed the letters on the table. The other three gamblers stayed put.

Kestrel rolled again. A six and one.

“You thought wrong.” He snatched the letters away.

“Beginner’s luck.” Cuthbert replied. “Keep rolling.”

Two fours. Cuthbert’s friends placed their bets.

Two sixes.

“With a main of eight, I believe I’ve thrown in with twelve. I’d say our business is concluded.” Kestrel passed the dice and scooped up his winnings.

“What about my tobacco?” Cuthbert stood up.

“You’ve lost,” Kestrel replied. “You’re a gambling man who neglects his wife. She told you where to find you, and perhaps you should go home.”

Cuthbert dropped back into his chair.

“Fine. I suppose I can’t hide from her forever.”

“Go home,” Scar picked up the sack. “And it’s yours.”

Kestrel raised his eyebrows. Cuthbert nodded. Scar handed him the tobacco and ruffled his wig, causing it to slip off. The clerk picked it up and trudged towards the door.

“One more thing,” Kestrel said. “We’re looking for Wentworth Manor.”

Five and Twenty Ponies #2 Brandy for the Parson

 

Kestrel gritted his teeth as he felt the boat’s seat bite into his legs. He braced himself against the violent rocking as Scar climbed aboard.

“Remember, get the right coin and not a penny less,” De Groot’s voice said through the thick fog which enveloped them. “Stay clear of the militia, and be back before the morning tide.”

“That man is insufferable." Kestrel said as they rowed towards the mouth of the Cooper River. Scar nodded in agreement.

Kestrel lit a small lantern and unfolded the list.

“First delivery is two casks of French Brandy for the Reverend Graham Howell of Saint Augustine’s Church,” he read. “He owes us ten shillings.”

Scar reached over and extinguished the lantern.

“What are you doing?” Kestrel’s eyes widened.

His burly companion put his finger to his lips and then pointed to the orange lights in the distance, standing high above the fog in the cloudy night.

“Good thinking,” Kestrel relaxed. “That looks like it could be a bastion. I think our town’s on the other side. I’ve got an idea!”

Scar hushed him.

“Sorry.” He lowered his voice.

*

Following the walls of the bastion, Kestrel spotted a light ahead at their level.

“That must be the way in.” He put his finger to his lips. “I’ll whistle.”

He slid into the river and swam towards the light. Feeling around, he made out the supports of a jetty and climbed up. Ahead, he saw a guard sitting near a door with a musket. He whistled.

“Who’s there?” The guard stood up and cocked the musket. 

Kestrel swam beneath the jetty to the opposite end, noticing Scar approaching with the boat.

“State your business here!” The guard called towards Scar.

Kestrel drew his dagger and emerged behind the guard.

“If you value your life, you’ll remain at ease.” He clamped his hand over the guard’s mouth and held the dagger to his throat.

“If you value yours, you’ll let him go.” A voice said, accompanied by another musket being cocked.

Kestrel turned around. A second guard approached with his musket raised.

“I don’t, so I’m inclined to refuse.” Kestrel replied, nodding to the boat.

Scar grabbed the second guard and pulled. He fell off the pier with a loud splash. The first guard uncocked his musket and dropped it to the floor.

“I have the feeling we’re not very welcome here,” Kestrel said, “Find us a cart so we don’t have to haul these wares on our own. I’ll tie up this fellow and get the boat unloaded.”

*

The low trundle of the cart seemed louder in the darkness. Kestrel pointed to a church spire in the distance. Hiding the cart in the alleyway, they unloaded and made their way to an adjoining house. Kestrel tapped the door with his foot. A man in a nightgown greeted him, a single candle in his hand.

“What business do you have at this hour?” The man squinted at them.

“Are you Reverend Graham Howell?” Kestrel said.

The man nodded.

“We have your order.” Kestrel nodded to the casks under his arms.

The priest grinned and beckoned them inside.

“God bless you,” He took one of the casks and placed it on the table, “French brandy is hard to find around here.”

“You owe us ten shillings.” Kestrel put the other cask down on the table.

“Of course.” Howell reached into a cabinet and pulled out three glasses. “But before I pay anything, I would like to sample what you have bought. Please, join me.”

“If you insist.” Kestrel sat down. “We probably weren’t going to get much opportunity to have a drink while we’re here.”

Howell filled the glasses from the cask’s tap and handed them out. Kestrel’s glass almost reached his lips when Scar grabbed his arm. His companion held up one finger.

“Alright.” Kestrel said. “Just one glass.”

“Bless you. I’ll pray for your immortal souls.”

*

As he finished his second glass, Kestrel noticed that the candle had burned halfway down. He gave polite murmurs to Howell’s sermon. Scar cleared his throat.

“Sorry to interrupt your flow,” Kestrel said, “but is the brandy to your liking?”

“Of course.” Howell raised his glass in a toast.

“Then we’ll collect the coin and be on our way.”

“There is still time for you to repent.” Howell stood up and made his way to a nearby desk.

“Says a man of God who clearly has no problems doing business with us sinners.” Kestrel leaned back,. “What would your flock say to such an association?”

“I’m sure they’ll allow one small indulgence.” Howell returned with a purse and counted out the coin. “I’m paying for it, so I’m not breaking the Ten Commandments.”

“I suppose not.” Kestrel scooped up the money and got to his feet. “Thank you for sharing the brandy. And while praying won’t do much for my immortal soul or very mortal body, I nonetheless appreciate the words.”

He made his way to the door when Scar cleared his throat again.

“Right.” Kestrel pulled the list out and held it to the candlelight. “Would you be able to point us in the direction of Suffolk Street? That’s our next port of call.”

Five and Twenty Ponies #1 Trotting Through the Dark

 

Kestrel sat against the railing and fidgeted as he listened to the creak of the sloop. He watched the smart-dressed Captain De Groot pace up and down the deck, looking him and Scar over.

“I’m not one to pry in the personal affairs of others,” the captain spoke with a thick Dutch accent. “But how is it that two men are out sailing on open sea in a leaky boat that barely holds one?”

“Budget travel.” Kestrel grinned.

“On the open seas? You must be a fool.”

Kestrel shrugged, as he noticed Scar nod in agreement.

“And I suppose your giant is an ever greater fool for travelling with you.”

“Captain, take my word for it.” Kestrel leaned back in his chair. “Scar is a reliable man, especially when you need a certain degree of…menace.”

“Thank you, but I have little need for that.” De Groot pointed behind them.

Kestrel turned, seeing a man with braided hair loom over them.

“This is The Nord,” De Groot said. “If you cause me trouble, you’ll have to deal with him. Now, since I’ve saved your lives, you owe me a debt.”

“You may have gathered from our former vessel that we don’t have any money.” Kestrel folded his arms.

“Then you’ll have to work.” De Groot loomed over him, “I wouldn’t advice taking that tone with your new captain.”

“What kind of work?” Kestrel asked.

“Smuggling.” Scar said.

“So, he does have a tongue?” De Groot said. “Yes. I’m ferrying a consignment of goods to Charlestown. Things people want quickly, and things I don’t want to pay import duty on. Understand?”

“Business you want to keep clandestine.” Kestrel said.

“Precisely. And because you know this, you have a choice: remain on this ship and work for me until I say otherwise; or you can leave right now, and join that little tub we found you in.”

Kestrel felt The Nord's hard stare.

“He’ll make it quick.” De Groot leaned against the mast. “What’s it to be?”

“Very well.” Kestrel nodded. “I’ll join your crew. But I don’t wish to stay. How much will we owe you?”

“You’ll sail with me until I say otherwise." De Groot wagged a finger. "This is not a negotiation. And if you think of trying to abandon the mission, I will find you. I have contacts in most of the ports around here.”

*

Kestrel stood at the bow and viewed the Carolina coastline in the late afternoon sun.

“Seven days cooped up on this bloody boat.” He said as Scar stepped behind him. “I hope there’s a decent night life in town.”

Scar remained stone-faced.

"You two get over here!" De Groot barked at them. "Time for you to earn your keep."

"You mean we haven't earned our keep from swabbing your decks?" Kestrel said. 

"Everyone pulls their weight on this vessel." De Groot pointed over the railing. "Now, check the boat."

Kestrel looked overboard to see a small boat with some cargo: two small casks, a medium-sized sack, and a large box. 

“Here’s where you deliver and what’s owed.” De Groot handed him a list and a sealed envelope. “The people who gave me that letter paid good coin to see it delivered and threatened dire consequences if I failed. If that happens, I’ll give them your heads. Now get some rest. You leave tonight.”

He strode back to the cabin.

“I’ll let them have my head if it means I don’t have to listen to his bluster.” Kestrel mumbled to Scar.

Five and Twenty Ponies - A Kestrel and Scar Serial

It's Camp NaNoWriMo, and I've recently finished a major ghostwriting project. With this in mind, I've decided to spend some time on The Homecoming, the next story in my Kestrel and Scar series, and the third and final story in the so-called "Rosanna Barclay Trilogy" which includes Gentlemen of Fortune and The Pirate King.

In this story, Kestrel and Scar have been blown off course while taking Rosanna Barclay to England. Finding themselves at the Cornish coast near Kestrel's birthplace of St Ives, they tangle with a smuggler gang whom the two wandering scoundrels once sailed with. After Scar is shot and requires treatment, they discover that the local physician is Kestrel's father, and he's forced to confront the past he ran away from ten years earlier.

Anyway, I've decided to tell the story of Kestrel and Scar's brief time with the smugglers in a serial titled Five and Twenty Ponies. Based on a poem by Rudyard Kipling, this serial was originally published on a website called The Free Pen Collective, established by one of my coursemates. I've decided to re-work the stories and share them on this blog. I'll be posting every Sunday, with the first one going out tomorrow.

Until then, happy writing.

A Beginner's Guide to Savage Worlds (Chapter 7: Chases and Dramatic Tasks)

 

Welcome back to my Beginner's Guide to Savage Worlds. For today's post, I'll be discussing some mechanics that are used for situations beyond combat, mainly Chases and Dramatic Tasks.

Dramatic Tasks

The Dramatic Task mechanics can be used in or out of combat, and represent anything that has some kind of time limit. This could involve diffusing a bomb, trying to hack a computer while being hunted or under fire, or completing some kind of ritual.

The aim of the Dramatic Task is to obtain a number of Task Tokens within a number of rounds (combat or otherwise), such as four Task Tokens within three rounds. To do this, you have to roll a Trait appropriate to the task. This may be limited to certain Traits, depending on the task. You earn one Task Token on a success, plus one additional token for each raise. If you fail the roll, you don't get any Task Tokens, and on a Critical Failure, you lose one Task Token.

For some tasks, only one person can lead but everyone else can Support. Other times, each member of the party has to earn their own tokens. In these situations, the tokens might represent something. For example, if the players are rescuing horses from a burning barn, each Task Token represents a horse. There might be a certain number of horses within the barn, and each player can roll Riding or Intimidation to lead them out before the barn collapses.

Players are still dealt Action Cards for Dramatic Tasks, and Jokers work as normal, but turn order isn't important unless the task takes place during combat. After all, the person who is leading might roll last to accommodate any Support rolls. However, if a character's Action Card is a Club, they encounter a Complication. This could represent a booby-trap on a bomb or a firewall on a hacking job. Complications impose a -2 penalty on any Trait roll made to earn Task Tokens. Furthermore, if you fail the roll, you fail the Dramatic Task. The penalty also applies when Supporting a roll made to earn Task Tokens, but failing the Support does not fail the task.

A chase can be an example of a Dramatic Task, but Chases have their own set of rules.

Chases

I often favour these rules for in-person games, when I don't have the table space for a battle map. Chases can work just like regular combat, but with a few differences:

First of all, the GM sets out a number of Chase Cards (regular playing cards), either nine cards in a row or 16 cards in a 4x4 grid (to represent tank battles, dogfights, or demolition derbies). Each character or vehicle is given a marker that's placed on one of the chase cards, which represents their position in the chase. The Chase Cards are abstract, and represent the relative distance between characters. 

Some actions unique to Chases involve rolling a Manoeuvring Trait. This is Athletics if you're on foot or using a muscle-powered conveyance (such as a bicycle), Boating for any kind of watercraft, Driving for powered ground vehicles (such as cars or motorcycles), Piloting for aircraft, and Riding for mounts or animal-drawn conveyances (such as a wagon). All vehicles have a Handling from -4 to 4, which is applied to all Manoeuvring rolls. A Critical Failure on one of these rolls can have consequences dependent on the type of Chase. If you're on foot or mounted, you can either lose your turn, or you or your mount can suffer Fatigue (if a Mount suffers Fatigue, that applies to your Riding rolls). If you're in a vehicle, you go Out of Control, and must roll on a special table to determine the effect.

Initiative works as normal, except Action Cards are dealt to vehicles rather than individual characters, and all occupants of the same vehicle act on the same card. Like Dramatic Tasks, Chases have Complications which occur if your Action Card is a Club. When this happens, the character or driver/pilot must make an immediate Manoeuvring roll (this is a free action). The suit of their current Chase Card determines any modifiers, along with consequences for failure. On a black Chase Card, this is treated as a Critical Failure on a Manoeuvring roll. On a red card, the character or vehicle is Bumped. This means they move one Chase Card (typically towards the opposition if they're being pursued, or away if they're the ones pursuing).

Movement is handled via Changing Position. This is a Manoeuvring roll, which can be done either as a limited action or a limited free action (meaning whichever one you do, you cannot do anything else listed as such). You get a +2 bonus on the roll if you make it as an action, and you get a +1 bonus if your Pace or Top Speed is faster than the fastest opponent's (+2 if twice as fast). A success lets you move one card (horizontally or vertically on a grid), and a raise lets you move two. In linear chases, you can also drop back two cards without needing to roll. If you're at least four cards away from your nearest opponent, you can Flee as an action by making a Manoeuvring roll with a -4 penalty (-2 if you're five cards away, and no penalty if you're six or more cards away). If this roll is successful, you're out of the Chase (this might be the objective in some chases).

Attacking largely works as normal. You can only make melee attacks if you're on the same Chase Card as your opponent, and if made against a vehicle (assuming that's permitted), the Parry is 2 plus half the operator's Driving die, plus the vehicle's Handling. A vehicle's operator can also Ram an opponent on the same card, which requires an opposed Manoeuvring roll and deals damage to both vehicles based on their Scale, Top Speed, and Toughness. Alternatively, you can Force a vehicle away. This also requires an opposed Manoeuvring roll, in which your opponent is Bumped on a success and goes Out of Control on a raise.

For ranged attacks, the distance is determined by multiplying the number of cards between the attacker and the target by a Range Increment determined by the GM. This is typically 5" (10 yards). Ranged attacks will often incur a-2 penalty for Unstable Platform, but a driver may choose to Hold Steady as a free action on their turn. This negates the penalty, but it also grants a +2 bonus to all attacks directed at that vehicle and any of its occupants until the beginning of their next turn (this does not stack with being Vulnerable). On the flip side, a driver can choose to Evade, as a free action or an action, imposing a respective -2 or -4 penalty to all attacks directed at that vehicle until the beginning of their next turn. However, it also applies to attacks made by the occupants.

Damage in Chases is resolved normally, but characters are Bumped in addition to being Shaken or Wounded. This also applies to vehicles, but they can't be Shaken. Instead, success on the damage roll requires the operator to make a Manoeuvring roll to avoid going Out of Control. Each raise on the damage roll causes one Wound (most vehicles can take at least three Wounds, but this is modified by their Scale). Each Wound reduces the vehicle's Handling by 1 (to a minimum of -4). Additionally an attack which causes at least one Wound results in a Critical Hit, which results in another table roll to determine what part of the vehicle was hit and the effect. You can choose to make Called Shots against specific parts of a vehicle, in which case the Critical Hit is decided there.

If a vehicle takes enough Wounds, it's Wrecked, and all occupants take damage based on the speed. A vehicle's Wounds can be treated using the Repair skill. Each attempt takes two hours per Wound, and each success and raise removes one Wound. There may be modifiers based on where the repairs are made (-2 for field repairs, no penalty for a standard garage, and +2 for a dedicated facility), and repairs may not be permitted without a tool kit. If the vehicle was Wrecked, it takes a full day's work with spare parts and a dedicated facility before any repairs can be made.

Anyway, I'll wrap things up there. The system has plenty of other special rules for various situations, but I wanted to talk about the ones I encounter most often. Anyway, it's Camp NaNoWriMo this month, and I need to dedicate some time to my next Kestrel and Scar story.

Happy writing.

This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com. It is unofficial Media Content permitted under the Media Network Content Agreement. This content is not managed, approved, or endorsed by Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Certain portions of the materials used are the intellectual property of Pinnacle, and all rights are reserved. Savage Worlds, all related settings, and unique characters, locations, and characters, logos and trademarks are copyrights of Pinnacle Entertainment Group

A Beginner's Guide to Savage Worlds (Chapter 6: Advanced Character Creation - Deadlands)

Welcome back to my "Beginner's Guide to Savage Worlds". Last week I looked at advanced combat mechanics. This week, I'll provide another character creation walkthrough to demonstrate how a setting can affect character creation.

For this exercise, I'm going to make a character for one of Pinnacle's flagship titles; Deadlands: The Weird West. This is a dark fantasy set in the American West.

Concept

For my concept, I'll make a bounty hunter called Emmett "Gravedigger" McCloud. A wandering drifter, Emmett had a tendency to attract trouble through no fault of his own. He was shot in the back by an unknown assailant, but seemed to make a miraculous recovery. Eager to find out who it was, he's become a bounty hunter with a reputation for being hard to put down.

Ancestry

In Deadlands, humans are the only playable ancestry. Emmett starts with a free Novice Rank Edge of his choosing.

Hindrances

Since I'm using a specific setting, that gives me more Hindrance options unique to that setting.

• For Emmet's first Hindrance, I'll say he didn't grow up around much water, and has the Can't Swim Hindrance. This is a Minor Hindrance from the Core rules, and imposes a -2 penalty to any Athletics rolls made to swim. And even if the conditions don't require a roll, each inch moved in water uses 3" of Pace.
• My next Hindrance will be Thin Skinned (also from the Core Rules), which represents how Emmett doesn't take kindly to insults. I'll take it as a Minor Hindrance, which imposes a -2 penalty on Smarts rolls made to resist Taunt Tests. There's a Major version too, which imposes a -4 penalty, but I'll stick with the Minor version.
• Finally, I'm going to take Grim Servant o' Death, a Major Hindrance from the Deadlands rulebook. Emmett's talent as a killer means he gets a +1 bonus to all damage rolls. However, any time he rolls a Critical Failure on an attack roll, he hits the nearest ally with a raise.

That's one Major Hindrance and two Minor Hindrances, which gives me a total of four Hindrance Points.

Traits

Attributes

Since Emmett is a human, he starts with the usual d4 in all five Attributes, and the usual five Attribute Points. I'm going to distribute them evenly to raise everything to d6, and then spend two of my Hindrance Points to raise Agility to a d8.

Skills

Emmet has the usual 12 skill points, and a d4 in the five core skills. This setting may also utilise the Language skill, but that's your call. Linked to Smarts, this skill represents your fluency in one specific language of your choosing. You can take it more than once, choosing a different language each time. There may be occasions where you roll your Language skill if it's lower than another skill. For example, if someone with a d8 in Research but only a d6 in Language (Spanish) is studying a Spanish text, then they roll the d6. You start with a free d8 in one language of  your choice, which represents your mother tongue, and this doesn't cap rolls.

Anyway, let's buy some skills:

• Core Skills: Emmett will raise his Athletics and Notice to a d6. His Common Knowledge, Persuasion, and Stealth will remain at d4. He also has a free d8 in Language (English).
• Shooting d8: Emmett's a gunhand, after all.
• Fighting d6
• Intimidation d6
• Riding d6: Since this is a Western, it's often a good idea to have this skill.
• Survival d4: This skill is linked to Smarts, and used to navigate the wilderness, find sources of food or water, and track people or animals.

Edges

As a Human, Emmett starts with one free Edge. I'm going to spend my other two Hindrance Points to get a second one.

• I'm going to build Emmett as a two-gun shooter, so his first Edge will be Ambidextrous, which requires a d8 in Agility. This allows Emmett to ignore Off-Hand penalties, but he still suffers Multi-Action penalties if he makes attacks with different weapons. If he fires two guns in the same turn, there'll be a -2 penalty on both (without the Edge, it would be -2 on one and -4 on another due to the Off-Hand penalty).
• For the other Edge, I'm going to look at how Emmett survived getting shot in the back, because in reality he didn't. He has the Harrowed Edge, which is unique to Deadlands. This means that he died and came back to life thanks to a malevolent entity, which comes with a variety of perks but just as many drawbacks:
• First of all, being undead makes Emmet fairly tough (since he's not using his vital organs). He has +2 Toughness, a +2 bonus to Spirit rolls made to recover from being Shaken, ignores one point of Wound penalties, doesn't breathe, and is immune to poison or disease. Furthermore, he can only be permanently killed by a headshot (anything else Incapacitates him for 1d6 days). However, he suffers a -2 penalty to Riding rolls (since horses can pick up the smell of rot), along with Persuasion rolls due to his pallid appearance.
• He also has the ability to Let the Devil Out, which involves letting the spirit that reanimated him take control in exchange for power. This lets him add an Ace-able d6 to all Trait and damage rolls for five rounds, but may result in him causing some chaos while under the spirit's control.
• There are a myriad of other special rules, but I don't have time to discuss everything. But one final one is that he gains access to special Harrowed Edges, and he can take a free one:
• For his Harrowed Edge, I'll take Supernatural Attribute (Vigour). This boosts Emmet's Vigour by two die types up to a d10. It also lets him Advance it to a maximum of d12+2.

Derived Statistics

Because Emmett is Harrowed, he has an additional Derived Statistic known as Dominion. This represents how in control he is of his reanimated body. Dominion is equal to his Spirit, and there's a chance that it goes down whenever he Lets the Devil Out. If Emmett ever runs out of Dominion, the spirit takes over permanently, and he'll be controlled by the GM.

• Since Emmett's Spirit is a d6, he starts with a Dominion of 6
• Pace is the standard 6, with a d6 running die
• Emmett's d6 in Fighting gives him a Parry of 5
• Emmett's Size is 0 by default
• Emmett's d10 in Vigour gives him a base Toughness of 7, and the +2 bonus from being undead increases it to 9

Gear

In Deadlands, you start with $250 to buy equipment, and you can invest Hindrance Points for an additional $500 per point.

• I'll buy a pair of Colt Peacemakers for $15 each. These have a Range of 12/24/48, deal 2d6+1 damage, have AP 1 (meaning they negate one point of Armour on the target), a Rate of Fire of 1, and hold six rounds.
• I'll also spend $4 on a Bowie Knife. This deals Strength+d4+1 damage, and also has AP 1. If he throws it, the Range is 2/4/8.
• I'll buy a horse for $150 and a saddle for $25.
• That covers the important stuff. Remember to save some money for the campaign.

Advances

Let's give Emmett four Advances to bump him up to Seasoned, and spend them all on Edges

1. For his first Advance, I'm going to give Emmett Two Gun Kid. This means that he ignores the Multi Action penalty if he makes an additional ranged attack using a weapon wielded in a different hand to the first one. Combined with Ambidextrous, that lets him fire both his guns in the same turn without the Multi-Action or the Off-Hand penalty (there'll still be a Multi-Action penalty if he performs a third action though). Both attacks have to be ranged though; melee attacks are covered by a different Edge.
2. The second Advance will be the Menacing Edge, which grants a +2 to all Intimidation rolls. Normally, you need particular Hindrances to take this, but being Harrowed serves as a requirement too.
3. The third Advance will be one from the Deadlands book; Quick Draw. This has two effects:
1. Whenever Emmett spends a Benny for a different Action Card, he draws two Action Cards and chooses which one he uses.
2. Additionally, he gets a +2 bonus to Athletics rolls made to interrupt actions. This includes opposing attempts to interrupt his actions.
4. His Seasoned advance will be Marksman, so he can draw a bead quickly and gains a lesser version of Aiming if he doesn't move on his turn (one ranged attack on which he either gains a +1 bonus or ignores two points of penalties from Called Shots, Cover, Range, Scale, or Speed). And before you ask; no, this does not stack with Aiming, and it only applies on one of his attacks if he's firing twice.

Anyway, that's about it. There are plenty of other rules out there (which may or may not come into play), and I may discuss them in future posts if there's sufficient interest.

This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com. It is unofficial Media Content permitted under the Media Network Content Agreement. This content is not managed, approved, or endorsed by Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Certain portions of the materials used are the intellectual property of Pinnacle, and all rights are reserved. Savage Worlds, all related settings, and unique characters, locations, and characters, logos and trademarks are copyrights of Pinnacle Entertainment Group

A Beginner's Guide to Savage Worlds (Chapter 5: Advanced Combat Tactics)

 

Welcome back to my "Beginner's Guide to Savage Worlds". Last week I looked at how to create characters with different ancestries, along with Arcane Backgrounds. This week, I'm going to look at some advanced combat options, to show there's more than just simply attacking. I'll have sections dedicated to both melee and ranged combat, but I'll also talk about some situations which can apply to both or neither.

Holding and Interrupting

If you're mulling over what to do on your turn, you can go On Hold. This means you don't take your turn when your card comes up, choosing to either act later in the round or any time you want in the next round. One word of caution though; if you're Shaken or Wounded while On Hold, you lose your turn.

You can even interrupt somebody else's turn when you're On Hold. This requires an opposed Athletics roll, and a success means you act before the other person while a failure means they still act first but you can act immediately afterwards. If you're dealt a Joker and haven't yet acted, you can choose to interrupt the action without needing to make the roll.

Called Shots

It's assumed that all attacks are directed at the centre of body mass, unless explicitly stated. If you do want to target somewhere else, you can make a Called Shot. This imposes penalties on the attack roll, but it can convey other effects. For example, a Called Shot to the target's head or vitals imposes a -4 penalty to your attack roll, but you get a +4 bonus on your damage roll if it hits.

Another thing you can do with Called Shots is Disarm. This is a Called Shot directed at a target's weapon or the limb it's being held in.

• Against the limb, this is a Called Shot to the target's arm (which has a -2 penalty) or hand (which has a -4 penalty). If the attack Shakes or Wounds the target, they must make a Strength roll with a penalty equal to the Called Shot penalty in order to keep hold of the weapon.
• Against the weapon, there's a Scale penalty based on how big the weapon is. The wielder then has to oppose the damage total with a Strength roll to keep hold of the item.
• Objects have a Hardness rather than a Toughness, and a Parry of 2. If your damage equals or exceeds the object's Hardness, it's destroyed. However, a raise doesn't grant you bonus damage when attacking an object, and the damage dice don't Ace. Some objects might be immune to certain types of damage.

Supporting and Testing

As an action, you can Support an ally's Trait roll. This is especially good for non-combatant characters, as it gives them something to do in a fight. Supporting uses any skill you have, but you have to be specific as to how you’re using that skill, and what the ally's action is that you're Supporting. You can't just say "I want to Support with Notice"; you have to elaborate.

Examples of Support: 

• Pointing out a dragon's missing scale to an archer (Supporting Shooting with Notice);
• Saying to a Shaken fighter "Go get 'em, tiger!" (Supporting Spirit with Persuasion);
• Telling someone engaged in melee with a zombie that their weak spot is the head (Supporting Fighting with Occult).

As long as it makes narrative sense, anything goes.

Once the GM approves the action, you can make the roll. Success grants a +1 bonus to the character’s affected Trait roll, while a raise grants +2. However, a Critical Failure on your roll imposes a -2 penalty to the Trait roll. Multiple characters can Support the same person, but the maximum cumulative bonus from Support is +4.

The polar opposite of Support, a Test is an action intended to throw your enemies off guard and leave them open. Like with Support, you can use any of your skills to Test an opponent, but you have to be specific as to what it is you’re doing.

Examples of Tests: 

• Kicking an opponent in the groin (Fighting); 
• Saying “Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries” (Taunt);
• Giving someone a hard stare (Intimidation).

Testing is an opposed roll, using whichever Attribute is linked to the skill used for the Test. On a success, you can impose one of the following status effects:

• Distracted: The target suffers a -2 penalty to all their actions until the end of their next turn (in other words, it makes it harder for them to hit you).
• Vulnerable: All attacks and actions directed at the target are made at +2 until the end of their next turn (thus making it easier for you to hit them).

If you score a raise on the Test, the target is also Shaken. This cannot Wound a character if they're already Shaken; only physical attacks can do that. Some settings may allow Creative Combat, in which a Wild Card who scores a raise on a Test can choose to either make the target Shaken or roll for a random effect. Effects include earning a Benny, making the target Distracted and Vulnerable, recovering a Wound or level of Fatigue, or even gaining another turn.

Stunning

Some powers and items (such as pepper sprays, tasers, or stun grenades) can Stun a target. When you're Stunned, you're Distracted until the end of your next turn, Vulnerable until you're no longer Stunned, knocked Prone, and cannot move or take any other actions. You can recover by making a Vigour roll on your turn as a free action. If successful, you're no longer Stunned, but you remain Vulnerable until the end of your next turn unless you got a raise (in which case it wears off at the end of your current turn).

• When you're Prone, you suffer a -2 penalty to your Fighting rolls and Parry. However, you're treated as having Medium Cover against ranged attacks from more than 3" away. You can drop prone as a free action, but each inch of movement uses 2" of Pace, as does standing up.

Advanced Melee Combat

If a target is Disarmed (see above), you may get an Unarmed Defender bonus. This is a +2 bonus to Fighting rolls which an armed opponent gets against a character with no weapon or shield. Once it's their turn, they would have to draw another weapon or pick up the dropped weapon. 

If you're duel-wielding melee weapons, you get a +1 Two Weapon bonus when attacking any foe who is wielding a single weapon and no shield, or is unarmed (this stacks with the Unarmed Defender bonus if that applies). You can also make attacks with either weapon, but there is a -2 penalty for attacking with the weapon wielded in the Off-Hand, and there may be Multi-Action penalties as well. 

• Example: If you had a rapier in your master hand and a dagger in the off-hand, and wanted to make an attack with both, you'd incur the following penalties (unless they're negated by Edges)
• Rapier: -2 Multi-Action penalty
• Dagger: -2 Multi-Action penalty, and a -2 Off-Hand penalty, for a total of -4

Characters with Natural Weapons (such as claws, fangs, or horns) are not subject to Unarmed Defender or Two Weapon bonuses.

In situations where you're caught without weapons, you can use whatever's at hand. Using Impovised Weapons imposes a -2 penalty to your Fighting rolls, but you're still treated as an armed opponent.

If you're trying to subdue a foe without killing them, you can choose to deal Nonlethal Damage. Fists deal this by default, while you can choose to do this with blunt weapons. It's possible with edged weapons too, but you suffer a -1 penalty to your Fighting rolls in this case. Wounds work as normal, but if an enemy is Incapacitated by Nonlethal Damage, they're simply unconscious for 1d6 hours.

If you and your allies outnumber your foes, you can Gang Up. You get a +1 Gang Up bonus to your Fighting roll for each ally attacking the same target, to a maximum of +4. However, your opponent negates one point of this for each of their adjacent allies. Shaken characters still contribute towards Gang Up, but Stunned characters don't.

If you like an aggressive fighting style, you can make a Wild Attack against your foe; a faster and more powerful attack, but one that leaves you open. Wild Attacks grant a +2 bonus to both your Fighting roll and your damage roll, but leave you Vulnerable until the end of your next turn.

You can Push opponents by making an opposed Athletics or Strength roll. This can be modified by your shield's Parry bonus (attacking or resisting), and you get a +2 bonus if you ran at least 2" before the roll (although that would probably be cancelled out by the running penalty). On a success, your foe moves back 1" and must make an Athletics roll or be knocked Prone. On a raise, they're pushed back 2" and the Athletics roll has a -2 penalty.

You can Grapple a foe by making an opposed Athletics roll. On a success, they're Entangled, which means they can't move and are Vulnerable for as long as they remain Entangled. On a raise, they're Bound, which also makes them Distracted for as long as they're Bound and prevents them from performing any physical actions other than trying to break free. However, if they're Bound, you're Vulnerable too. It's a good way to get someone in a full nelson while your allies punch them. You can also Crush a grappled opponent as an action, which simply involves inflicting your Strength in damage. Shaken characters maintain their hold, but Stunned characters don't.

• When you're Entangled or Bound, you can break free on your turn as an action. This requires either an Athletics roll (which represents slipping free) or Strength roll at -2 (which represents forcing your way out). If you're restrained by a device, you roll against the standard Target Number of 4, but it's an opposed roll if you're being grappled. If you were Entangled, you only need a success to break free, but you need a raise to do so if you were Bound (a success in that regard makes you Entangled, but it means you're no longer Distracted and have more options for actions).

Finally, if you wish to escape you can choose to Withdraw. However, this allows every adjacent enemy who isn't Shaken or Stunned to make a free attack against you (either a standard melee attack or a grapple). To mitigate this, you can Defend. This gives you +4 Parry until the beginning of your next turn, but you cannot perform any other actions (you can still move, but you can't run).

Advanced Ranged Combat

One of the main ways of making ranged attacks easier is by Aiming at a specific enemy on your turn. This basically means you skip your turn (you can't move or take any other actions), but if your first action on your next turn is a ranged attack against the target you were aiming at, you can negate four points of penalties from the following sources: Called Shots, Cover, Range, Scale, or Speed. If you're using a weapon with a scope, you can ignore six points of the aforementioned penalties. If there are no penalties from these sources, the attack is made at +2.

Aiming also allows you to attack targets at Extreme Range. This is up to four times a weapon's Long Range, and imposes a -8 Range penalty (-6 with a scoped weapon). You have to Aim in order to attack the target at Extreme Range, and it doesn't negate the Range penalty. You can't use thrown weapons at Extreme Range.

Some weapons, such as grenades, have an Area of Effect. This means they're used to target a location, and do damage to all targets within a Blast or Cone Template. Blast Templates are circular, and can be Small (2" in diameter), Medium (4" in diameter), or Large (6" in diameter). Cone Templates are 9" long, and extend outwards (typically used for flamethrowers). Some area attacks can be Evaded, which requires an Agility roll at -2, negating damage on a success. If an area attack fails, it deviates. This means the Blast Template is moved away from its original location - either 1d6" for a thrown weapon or 2d6" for a launched projectile - in a direction determined by a d12 read like a clock (and some common sense). The distance is doubled if attacking at Medium Range, tripled for Long Range, and quadrupled for Extreme Range.

Most ranged weapons have a Rate of Fire, which is usually 1, but this may be higher for submachine guns, assault rifles, and similar weapons. You can roll a number of Shooting dice equal to your weapon's Rate of Fire on each attack. You have to declare who you're targeting before you make the roll, but you can choose whether each die is allocated to the same enemy or different enemies. You still get a Wild Die, and you ignore whichever die rolls the lowest. Each die has a -2 penalty for Recoil unless stated otherwise, and you then choose which roll is applied to which target (determining any penalties appropriate to that target). Attacking with a Rate of Fire of 1 expends one round, but higher Rates of Fire expend more ammunition with each attack. 

Another cool thing you can do is Suppressive Fire. This is a single Shooting roll which expends a number of rounds equal to three times the weapon's Rate of Fire, and is made against all targets in a Medium Blast Template. A success makes the targets Distracted, and a raise means some can be hit for damage (no more than the weapon's Rate of Fire). This always incurs Recoil.

If you're not very good at Shooting, you can use a Shotgun. Shotguns loaded with buckshot grant a +2 bonus to Shooting rolls (to account for the spread), dealing 3d6 damage at Short Range, 2d6 at Medium Range, and 1d6 at Long Range. If it's a double-barrelled shotgun, you can fire both barrels in the same action to deal +4 damage. You can't use shotguns at Extreme Range.

Of course, most ranged weapons have limited ammunition, and have to be Reloaded. It's a free action to nock an arrow or load a sling stone. However, it's an action to load a single bullet, crossbow bolt, or shotgun shell. For modern firearms which have magazines, you can change a magazine as an action (providing that the magazine is pre-loaded). Some weapons, such as heavier crossbows or muzzle-loaded firearms can take multiple actions to load. If you ran on your turn, you have to make an Agility roll to successfully load.

One of the big dangers of ranged combat is Innocent Bystanders; any time you roll a natural 1 on your Trait die, and the Wild Die doesn't succeed, you hit somebody either adjacent to or in the line of fire of your intended target. If you're using a shotgun or a Rate of Fire greater than 1, this occurs on every die which rolls a natural 1 or 2.

If an enemy engages you in melee, there's another risk. If you're using a one-handed ranged weapon (such as a pistol), you can still Shoot into Melee, but you roll against their Parry. If it's a two-handed weapon, you have to either Withdraw (provoking a free attack), or try and whack them (and likely incur an Improvised Weapon penalty). You can shoot at another target, but you'll be Vulnerable if someone is engaged in melee with you.

Mounted Combat

If you're on horseback, you can use your horse's Pace when moving. However, your melee attacks use the lower of your Fighting or Riding. Ranged attacks still use the skill appropriate to the weapon, but they're subject to a -2 Unstable Platform penalty. Your mount can also kick opponents directly in front of them. This is treated as their action, rather than yours. If you move at least 6" in a relatively straight line towards your foe, you can Charge to gain a +4 bonus to your damage roll. 

If someone charges at you, and you have a weapon with Reach (such as a polearm), you can Set a weapon by going On Hold and interrupting the charger's action. You get a +2 bonus to your Athletics roll if your weapon has a higher Reach, and if you win the roll, you get the damage bonus from Charging on your attack.

If you or your mount are Shaken or Wounded, you have to make an immediate Riding roll to stay mounted. You may take damage if you ran on your turn, but other effects might depend on the circumstances (GM's call for this one). For example, if a horse is Incapacitated, a rider who fails their roll could be Prone and Entangled as they're pinned (or Bound on a Critical Failure). This isn't an official rule; it's one of my house rules when I run.

Sneak Attacks

The domain of the Rogue, you can hide as part of your movement by making a Stealth roll opposed by an enemy's Notice (this is a free action), providing that it makes narrative sense. You can even use these rules to sneak up on enemies to attack them while they're unaware. Again, this involves a free Stealth roll opposed by their Notice. On a success, they're treated as Vulnerable against you until the end of your turn. But on a raise, you get The Drop, which grants a +4 bonus to both your attack roll and your damage roll (this does not stack with being Vulnerable). If you're hit by one of these attacks, you can be knocked out if you fail a Vigour roll (at -2 if it was to the head).

Please join me again next week, for another tutorial on character creation, looking at how setting can affect it.

Happy writing. And happy rolling.

This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com. It is unofficial Media Content permitted under the Media Network Content Agreement. This content is not managed, approved, or endorsed by Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Certain portions of the materials used are the intellectual property of Pinnacle, and all rights are reserved. Savage Worlds, all related settings, and unique characters, locations, and characters, logos and trademarks are copyrights of Pinnacle Entertainment Group

A Beginner's Guide to Savage Worlds (Chapter 4: Advanced Character Creation - Ancestries and Arcana)

Welcome back to my Beginner's Guide to Savage Worlds. Last week we talked about combat mechanics. This week, I'll be doing another character creation walkthrough (using mechanics I outlined here) to demonstrate how different ancestries affect the process. I'll also be looking at how magic works in this system.

I'll be using another build from Richard Woolcock's Fantasy Archetypes, but with a few tweaks; an elf mage called Salinaire.

Concept

Salinaire grew up in a coastal town and was apprenticed to a wizard when she was still young. But the wizard treated her more like a servant than a protégé, and she grew resentful. After her master was murdered, Salinaire became the prime suspect and was forced to flee. She changed her name and went on the road, seeking to develop her magic craft. But she’s afraid her past might catch up to her.

Ancestry

Salinaire is an elf, which grants her the following Ancestral Abilities:

• She starts with a free d6 in Agility, which reflects the elves' natural grace. She can also raise her Agility to a maximum of d12+1.
• She has Low Light Vision, which represents an ability to amplify light. This allows her to ignore penalties from Illumination when in Dim or Dark conditions (but not Pitch Darkness).
• Dim conditions (such as twilight or light fog) impose a -2 penalty to all actions and attacks dependent on vision
• Dark conditions (such as thick fog or a typical starry night) increase the penalty to -4. Furthermore, targets are not visible beyond 10" (20 yards).
• Pitch Darkness (which also includes hidden or invisible targets) increases the penalty to -6 and powers dependent on sight may not even be permitted at all.
• Finally, she has the All Thumbs Hindrance, which reflects an inherent dislike of machines. However, she doesn’t get any Hindrance Points from this. I'll explain why below.

All Ancestral Abilities have a point value, which can be positive or negative. In the vanilla rules, Ancestries have an allowance which grants them two points’ worth of Positive Ancestral Abilities. Anything in excess of that must be offset by Negative Ancestral Abilities of equal value. In the case of humans, the Adaptable ability costs two points, which is covered by the allowance. They don't have any other ancestral abilities, so they don't need to offset them.

In Salinaire’s case, it costs two points for the free d6 in Agility, and one point for Low Light Vision. The allowance covers the cost of the Attribute increase, but the Low Light Vision cost has be offset by a Negative Ancestral Ability worth one point. In this case, it’s an inherent Minor Hindrance. Since they're used to offset the cost of other Ancestral Abilities, you don't get Hindrance Points from any Hindrances inherent to your ancestry.

Hindrances

Let’s pick Salinaire’s Hindrances:

• As stated above, she begins with the All Thumbs Hindrance, which is inherent to her ancestry. This is a Minor Hindrance that imposes a -2 penalty on any Trait roll made to use mechanical devices, and she breaks the device on a Critical Failure. However, she doesn’t get any Hindrance Points from it since it was used to offset the cost of her Ancestral Abilities.
• For her first non-inherent Hindrance, we’ll that say that she has a grim determination to master the magical arts. This will translate to a Driven Hindrance. This can be Major or Minor, which represents how determined you are to achieve your goal, and how likely it is to cause trouble for the party. She’ll take it as a Minor Hindrance, meaning it pushes her actions but is fairly harmless. This gives her one Hindrance Point.
• For her next Hindrance, I’ll say that Salinaire’s determination to master her craft is combined with an insecurity that makes her resentful of more powerful mages (such as her former master). This will take the form of a Jealous Hindrance. Again, this can be Major or Minor, which determines whether your jealousy is over a specific matter, or just general envy. Since her jealousy is specifically focussed towards other magic users, that would be a Minor Hindrance. That’s another Hindrance Point gained.
• Speaking of her former master, Salinaire was accused of murdering him, which prompted her to assume her current identity. This will manifest as a Secret Hindrance. Once again, this can be Major or Minor, which represents how serious the consequences are if the secret is ever discovered. Being accused of murder is certainly going to be a Major Hindrance, so that gives her two Hindrance Points. If her true identity is ever revealed, then this will be exchanged for a Major Wanted Hindrance as she’s sought by the authorities.

Traits

Salinaire has the usual five Attribute Points, but she starts with a d6 in Agility, rather than d4.

• She invests three points into Smarts, bumping that up to a d10
• She invests one point each into Spirit and Vigour, bumping those up to a d6
• Her Agility will stay at d6, and her Strength will remain a d4

She has the usual 12 Skill Points, and a d4 in the five Core Skills.

• Core Skills: She’s going to invest one point to raise her Notice to a d6. Her other Core Skills will remain at d4.
• Spellcasting d10: This is an “arcane skill” linked to Smarts, which she rolls to activate powers. I’ll talk about that in a minute. That costs four points.
• Occult d8: This skill is linked to Smarts, and is rolled to recall knowledge of supernatural events, creatures, and practices. Her die type costs three points.
• Academics d6: This is also linked to Smarts, and is rolled to recall knowledge of literature, history, liberal arts, and social sciences. That costs two points.
• Fighting d4: That costs one point, and is mainly for her Parry.
• Research d4: This is a Smarts-linked skill, which represents her ability to find information from written sources. While Academics and Occult would be rolled to determine things she might already know, Research is rolled to actively look it up.
• Obtaining information through people is handled via Persuasion or Intimidation. This is covered through a mechanic known as Networking.

Edges

Salinaire's Hindrance Points will be spent on two Edges:

• Her first chosen Edge is Arcane Background (Magic). This gives her access to powers, which she has learned through study. I’ll talk about powers in a moment.
• Her other Edge is Luck. This means that she starts each session with four Bennies instead of three.

Derived Statistics

• Salinaire has the default Pace of 6 and a d6 running die
• With a d4 in Fighting, her Parry is 4
• Her Size is 0
• With a d6 in Vigour, her Toughness is 5

Gear

Salinaire has $500 for starting gear.

• She’ll spend $10 on a Staff. This deals Strength+d4 damage, and is Reach 1 (meaning that she can attack targets who are 1” away from her). It also grants her +1 Parry, increasing her total to 5 (1). However, it’s two-handed, meaning she has a -4 to attack rolls if wielding it with one hand.
• She’ll spend $30 on Cloth Robes, which grant her +1 Armour to the torso, arms, and legs. This increases her Toughness to 6 (1).
• She has $460 left, which she’ll keep.

Powers

Arcana in Savage Worlds uses a video game logic. Taking an Arcane Background Edge gives you powers, which cost Power Points to spend. Your specific Arcane Background determines three main elements:

• Arcane Skill: This is the skill you roll in order to activate powers. Using a power is an action, and uses standard Dice Mechanics. You have to be able to see the intended target. Failing an arcane skill roll has variable effects.
• If the die rolls less than 4 (excluding penalties), the power doesn't activate and you lose one Power Point
• If the die rolls 4 or higher, the power does activate and the full Power Point cost is paid, but it can still miss or be resisted
• On a Critical Failure, you suffer Backlash, which terminates all active powers and gives you a level of Fatigue.
• Power Points: The number of Power Points you start with (along with your maximum). These are spent to activate powers, and regenerate at a rate of five points per hour of rest. You can also spend a Benny at any time to recover 5 Power Points.
• Starting Powers: The number of powers you start with, and may include specific powers that all characters with that Arcane Background have by default. Some settings might dictate what powers are available to which Arcane Background
• Some Arcane Backgrounds may even come with additional special rules.

Salinaire's arcane skill is Spellcasting. She starts with 10 Power Points and three powers of her choosing.

Powers themselves all have the following stats:

• Rank: The minimum Rank at which the character can take the power
• Power Points: The minimum number of Power Points required to activate the power. 
• Powers can have Modifiers on individual castings, which increase the cost but provide further effects (such as increased Range or damage, Armour Piercing, or applying the effect to Additional Recipients). 
• Conversely, they can have Limitations (such as reduced Range or only one permitted aspect if the power has multiple aspects like boost/lower Trait or light/darkness), which reduce the cost, but apply to all castings. 
• If you don’t have enough Power Points to cast a power, you can Short it; you suffer a -1 penalty for each Power Point you’re short, and a failure is regarded as a Critical Failure.
• Range: The range at which you can activate a power. Examples include:
• Self: You can only cast the power on yourself
• Touch: You have to be able to physically touch the intended recipient
• Attribute: The power has a variable Range which is a number of inches equal to your die type in the listed Attribute (typically Smarts). 
• If a power’s Range is variable, you can apply Range Modifiers, doubling it by spending an additional Power Point, or tripling it for two additional Power Points.
• Duration: How long the power lasts. This could be Instant, or a specific duration. The typical duration of non-Instant powers is five rounds (approximately 30 seconds), and they expire at the end of your turn in the fifth round after the initial casting. This will be listed as "5". All Durations are listed in rounds unless explicitly stated.
• As a free action, non-Instant powers can be Maintained when they expire, keeping the effect going for their base Duration. This costs one Power Point for each person the power is currently affecting.
• Trapping: The physical effect of the power. You have to choose a specific Trapping for each power, and you’re limited to that Trapping.
• Powers in Savage Worlds are fairly generic, so variety is attained through Trappings. Different casters might have the same power, but they manifest as different Trappings. 
• For example: A wizard, a druid, and an alchemist all have the entangle power. The wizard casts a spell that freezes their target, the druid summons vines to restrain them, while the alchemist immobilises them with a glue bomb. Mechanically, all of these are the same power, but with different Trappings.
• Although Trappings are largely for flavour, they can sometimes be taken into account if the situation’s appropriate. For example, a lightning-based power might do bonus damage to a target in water, or a monster made of wood or ice would take extra damage from a fire-based power.

Anyway, let’s look at Salinaire’s powers:

• Bolt: This power is simply a ranged attack which deals 2d6 damage to a single target (or 3d6 on a raise). The Trapping will be a lightning bolt. This power costs one Power Point, has a Range equal to double her Smarts die (20”, or 40 yards), and the Duration is Instant.
• Deflection: This power imposes a -2 penalty to either ranged or melee attacks directed at the recipient. Salinaire has to declare what’s affected when she casts, but a raise on the casting affects both. The Trapping will be a force field that repels the attacks. This power costs two Power Points (plus one per Additional Recipient), has a Range equal to her Smarts die (10” or 20 yards), and the base Duration is five rounds.
• Illusion: This power allows her to create imaginary images, and other characters must make a Smarts roll to recognise them as such (at -2 if she got a raise). She’ll use the name “Conjure Mirage”. This power costs three Power Points, has a Range equal to her Smarts die, and the base Duration is five rounds.

That’s one offensive power, one defensive power, and one utilitarian power.

Advancement

Before I go, I'll give Salinaire four Advances to bump her up to Seasoned.

• Advance 1 – New Edge: She'll take Power Points. This gives her an additional 5 Power Points to spend on powers, increasing her total to 15. You can take this Edge more than once, but only once per Rank (in other words, she can’t take it again until her fourth Advance).
• Advance 2 – Attribute Increase: She raises her Smarts to d12. This also increases the Range of all her powers that have a Range of Smarts. This means that bolt can now be cast up to 24” (48 yards) away, while deflection and illusion can be cast up to 12” (24 yards) away.
• Advance 3 – Lesser Skill Increase: She raises her Fighting to a d6, and her Spellcasting to a d12. By raising her Fighting, she increases her Parry to 6 (1). If she hadn't increased her Smarts on the previous Advance, she would only be able to raise her Spellcasting, or her Fighting and another skill.
• Advance 4 – New Edge: For Salinaire’s first Seasoned Advance, she'll take New Powers. This Edge can be taken more than once, and allows you to learn two additional powers, or add new Trappings to existing powers. She'll take two Seasoned Rank Powers:
• Blast: Like bolt, this power is simply a ranged attack which deals 2d6 damage (or 3d6 on a raise), but does so in a Medium Blast Template (a 4” diameter circle). The Trapping will be a fireball. This power costs three Power Points, has a Range equal to double her Smarts die, and the Duration is Instant.
• Invisibility: This turns targets invisible, which imposes a -4 penalty to all actions against them dependent on vision (-6 with a raise). This power costs five Power Points (plus three per Additional Recipient), has a Range equal to her Smarts die, and the base Duration is five rounds.

Well, that's about it for today. Please join me again next week, where I'll discuss Advanced Combat Options.

Special thanks to Richard Woolcock for giving me permission to reference his characters. You can find his other works on DriveThruRPG here.

This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com. It is unofficial Media Content permitted under the Media Network Content Agreement. This content is not managed, approved, or endorsed by Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Certain portions of the materials used are the intellectual property of Pinnacle, and all rights are reserved. Savage Worlds, all related settings, and unique characters, locations, and characters, logos and trademarks are copyrights of Pinnacle Entertainment Group