Some Houserules

[Malcadon]

UPDATED:

When I was working on that DEN character, for the contest, I was thinking about a way to improve damage. Instead of adding/subtracting a few points to weapon damage with high/low Strength, you have a base damage die based on Strength. Your base damage die is what you use for unarmed strikes, and you add your weapon's damage die to the roll, so a man with average strength (9-12) attacks with a shortsword, the player rolls 2d6, while an extremely strong man (STR 18) can do that with his fist! (or 3d6, with a shortsword) Someone with a Strength of 3 is a weak - their baby-slaps yields no damage - while weaklings (STR 4-5) do 0-2 points with their flailing bitch-slaps!

With (non-throwing) range weapons, just add another die to the damage dice. This could make primitive firearms nasty, as they would hit with 2d10 or 2d12, but advanced firearms would only have an extra d6 or d8. Throwing weapons should still use STR adjustment, as if they are used in melee. Advanced melee weapons should be treated like primitive weapons, with added damage effects. That is, Batons should be treated like normal Maces (1d6+STR dice), but with +15 electrical damage for Energy Batons. As an alternative, advanced melee damage could have variable damage instead of static bonuses (+2d8, instead of +16). You only need to add an extra die to the punch of a LEMA power suit, but heavier EMAs do enough punch damage.

With monsters, just add an extra die to their damage score, to keep the monsters from being underpowered. If it says "1d6, or weapon type" - typical with most humanoid creatures - it should say "1d6, plus weapon type" instead.

Strength
Score -- Base Damage Die
3 -- 0
4-5 -- 1d3-1
6-8 -- 1d4
9-12 -- 1d6
13-15 -- 1d8
16-17 -- 1d10
18 -- 2d6
19 -- 3d6
20 -- 4d6
21 -- 5d6*

*each point above 21 adds an extra d6 to damage.

Yeah, its a bit like GORE (and a number of other systems), but it would also speed-up combat, and it allows the characters to kick ass, even when unarmed. It also allows for built-up characters who gained a lot of Strength to still be powerful with basic weapons, as other characters who acquired firearms and other artifacts.
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I have a new attribute:

Perception (PER) is the measure of a character's self-awareness, alertness, intuition, and insight with regards to the motives of others. PER affect the character's roll when spotting hidden or invisible stalkers, and with the reaction table when figuring-out someone's lies or hidden motives.
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By the way, I would rather toss-out the standard level-based to-hit chart! I would rather use a Weapon Class vs Armor Class or an Attribute vs Attribute chart.

As a PC gains a level, the player rolls on the following Advancement Chart:

d00 -- Bonus
01-10 -- +2 melee damage
11-20 -- +1 to-hit in melee*
21-30 -- +1 to-hit in range
31-40 -- +1 attack per round
41-50 -- -1 base AC
51-00 -- +1 ability score (roll below)

Roll d8 Ability**
1 STR
2 DEX
3 CON
4 INT
5 WIL
6 PRE
7 CHA
8 player chooses

*This bonus only applies to melee and thrown (daggers, darts, axes) weapons. Any kind of gun, explosive, etc. does not apply.
**Note that basic androids and synthetics may only increase INT, WIL, or CHA.
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I never liked Pure Humans being static. I have them roll 1d6 per point of CON. Instead of the three +3 Ability bonuses, I allow the player to roll 5d6, removing the lowest 2 dice for all Ability rolls. They start off with more money then other races (3d6x10), and they are no longer immune to mutations!

Mutant Humans (who I call "Humanoids") roll 4d6, removing the lowest die for all Ability scores, and starts off with only 3d6 gp. Bizarre Appearance is a given to all Mutant Humans, as I like my mutants to look strange and freakish! Rolling "Bizarre Appearance" counters this, and allows them to pass off as a human (if there are no other obvious mutations) as this result is now called "Looks Pure-Blooded". This is a beneficial mutation.

Mutant Plants & Animals roll 3d6, per Ability score, have extra mutations related to their classification, and starts off with no money. They may opt to forgo verbal communication for Telepathy, and/or loose manipulating digits for Telekinesis - both are free.

I never liked how Androids only get 50 hit points, so I allow them to have 5 HP per point of CON (robots also get 5 HP per HD). Much like the "Android Features" used by the android chick I made in the character contest, mental powers work more like electronic warfare systems akin to something out of Ghost in the Shell, and they usually only effect other machines. So Telepathy is a built-in com set, Possession can override electronic systems, Killing Sphere is an EMP burst, Vampireic Field can absorb power sources, and so on (I'm eventually going to post the list - its still a work in progress).
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I have merged some of the mutations on Mutation Chart to condense and balance things out (but they still have their own name and description): Abnormal Size (Dwarfism, Giganism); Enhanced Vision Ability (Night Vision, Thermal Vision, Ultraviolet Vision); Increased Sense (Increased Touch, Increased Taste, Increased Sight, Increased Hearing, Increased Smell, Unique Sense*); Intellectual Affinity (Martial Affinity, Tinkerer Affinity, Bartering Affinity, Tactical Affinity, Sensual Affinity, [skill] Affinity**); Force Screen (Basic, Greater)

*This is an odds-and-ends of sensory, like the ability to “feel” radiation to a distance of 60’, “smell” water within a mile, sense when certain kinds of weather are imminent, or some other strange sense.
**This is any skill, interest or trade selected by the player.

[Agrippa]

So if we're just using your Strength damage bonus rules, the melee damage ranges for all the NPCs and potential PCs I posted in the Mutant Future Contest would go something like this. Father Francisco Hernadez: 1d6 unarmed and 2d6 with machettes, Sergent Slab Rankle: 3d6+1d8 with shock gloves, Carmen Sandiago: 1d6 unarmed, Caleb Stone: 1d8+1d6+4 unarmed and 1d4+1d6+4+1d8 with dagger, Aerith Gainsborough: 1d4 unarmed and 1d4+1d6 (plus additional bonuses) with the Princess Guard, Dib: 1d3-1 unarmed, the average lightning rat: at 1d4+1d6+3d6 (electrical) (claws)/2d6+3d6 (electrical) (bite) and 3d6+3d6 (electrical) (tackle) and finally Miss Bitters: 5d6 with claws and 1d8+4d6 when wrapping. Does that seem about right?

[Malcadon]

Yes, they look about right.

I forgot to say, that in order to make this system work, you need to add an extra die to the monster's damage score, to keep the monsters from being underpowered. If it says "1d6, or weapon type" - typical with most humanoid creatures - it should say "1d6, plus weapon type".

[Agrippa]

That sounds about right. As for Dib, the weakest of the bunch, his fighting style is the most straight forward. He prefers running jump kicks, akwardly performed martial arts stances and flailing his arms about, hoping he hits.

[onearmspence]

Hi Malcadon

I like the idea to speed out combat but suggest to add something to ranged attacks too (maybe a similar bonus but based on dexterity or intelligence).

Most guns on MF dont deal lots of damage. With this house rule I dont see why someone will bother to use a rifle as ranged weapon instead of using it as a club (besides the range tactical issue).

With a bonus based on a high dexterity (lets say 18) . Someone with a rifle can deal 1d12+2d6.

[onearmspence]

Btw the rule for Android's mental powers to work more like electronic warfare systems is great!

Nonetheless, I think it may be cool to allow some electronic warfare to interact with living organisms. Like weird mind controlling machines (tv? º_º!). (Some plants mutations can be translated into cool but unusual electronic warfare like vegetal parasite.)

[Agrippa]

Okay Malcadon, I'm definately using an expanded version of your Strength damage bonus rules. Now I've made some modifications to it though and I'll tell them to you later. Is that all right?

[Malcadon]

Most guns on MF dont deal lots of damage. With this house rule I dont see why someone will bother to use a rifle as ranged weapon instead of using it as a club (besides the range tactical issue).

Its perfect, if you like a setting that downplays gun-use.

With (non-throwing) range weapons, just add another die to the damage dice. This could made primitive firearms nasty, as they would hit with 2d10 or 2d12, but advanced firearms would only have an extra d6 or d8. Throwing weapons should still use STR adjustment, as if they are used in melee. Advanced melee weapons should be treated like primitive weapons, with added damage effects. That is, Batons should be treated like normal Maces (1d6+STR dice), but with +15 electrical damage for Energy Batons. As an alternative, advanced melee damage could have variable damage instead of static bonuses (+2d8, instead of +16). You only need to add an extra die to the punch of a LEMA power suit, but heavier EMAs do enough punch damage.

If you are using magic weapons in your MF game (Lords of Light, bitches!), each magic to-hit bonus adds a dice to damage. This make them even more useful, even by D&D standards. So mixing a Vorpal Sword (a +3 magic weapon) with a Warp-Field Sword (a +2 equivalent weapon), would do 4d8+16+STR (alternatively 6d8+STR), which can lower the opponent's AC by 2 (on top of the +3 to-hit), and kill or dismember them on a roll of 20 or more.

Nonetheless, I think it may be cool to allow some electronic warfare to interact with living organisms. Like weird mind controlling machines (tv? º_º!). (Some plants mutations can be translated into cool but unusual electronic warfare like vegetal parasite.)

The first MF game I played (a pbp game of Expedition to the Barrier Peaks) had an Adndoid, who's mind was readable by a telepathic mutant. It never felt right. I like to keep psychic abilities beyond the reach of androids - be it, reading the mind of a machine, or a machine casually reading the minds of humans. The only exception to this, is with specialized systems (like a "Brain-wave Scanner" or "Hypnotic Ray" or something equally campy), that can bypass this, but this should be something special. Having android mental mutations effecting only other machines (even vehicles and appliances) seems logical, and makes them a more unique archetype into themselves.

Okay Malcadon, I'm definately using an expanded version of your Strength damage bonus rules. Now I've made some modifications to it though and I'll tell them to you later. Is that all right?

Everything I do is a work in progress, and is set in sand. If you have ideas that could make it better or more interesting, then go ahead and post them. More so, if you have some of your own houserules you would like to post, then go ahead! This is the right place for them.

[Agrippa]

I was thinking that if you advance the Strength progression beyond 21 then you should slow any additional damage bonus gains by 1d6 per three levels. Mostly because I don't want an average one of these guys to have a 10d6 bonus to damage before adding in Increased Strength. Yes I'm starting off a monster thread with a Pokemon. Don't worry the next beastie will be different. It'll be this charming fellow.

[Agrippa]

Code: Select all

Strength   Attack  Unarmed  Bonus   Weight
score      Bonus   Damage   Weapon  Allowance
                            Damage   
   |3       -3      0       -1       30 lbs.
  4-5       -2      1d3-1   +0       50 lbs.
  6-8       -1      1d4     +1d3-1*   80 lbs.
 |9-12       +0      1d6     +1d4    130 lbs.
13-15       +1      1d8     +1d6    200 lbs.
16-17       +2      1d10    +1d8**    260 lbs.
18-20       +3      2d6     +1d10   400 lbs.
21-23       +4      2d8     +2d6    600 lbs.
24-26       +5      3d6     +2d8    920 lbs.
27-29       +6      4d6     +3d6  1,400 lbs.

*Or plus two damage steps lower from Strength 6-8 and plus one damage step lower at Strength 9-15. Which ever one is better.
**Or plus one damage die per two points of Strength bonus. Which ever one is better.
As you can see I've made some revisons to your strength based damage rules and added in a section for weight allowance.