Simple D6 expansion Low Fantasy
Intro
This is an expansion with concepts and ideas usable with the Simple d6 system. This page will not discuss specific rules for the SD6 system but rather give suggestions for skills, qualities, equipment, character concepts, aspects and common themes you might find useful when running a low-magic Fantasy game in Simple D6. Low magic settings are settings like Warhammer for instance. For Planescape or Forgotten Realms you can look into the High Fantasy setting.
The current version of Simple D6 can be found here: http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Simple_D6_-_Third_Edition
Common themes in Low Fantasy
Low fantasy is often very reminiscent of medieval times in Europe or Asia but may be in settings placed in any world. Themes often explored are small people, perhaps outcasts, rising to the occasion to become the heroes the world needs but does not necessarily deserve. It is often a world where everybody knows magic exists but few have access to. Magic items are present but often scarce and wise old crones or noble priests are able to provide supernatural healing.
Inspiration for themes can be found in games, movies and books such as Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd edition, Lord of the Rings, The Legend of Huma, The Hobbit, A Song of Fire and Ice and so forth.
Aspects
Common aspects usable in cyberpunk will be Physical (for combat), Social and Willpower. Willpower is used to defend against mind magic, supernatural horrors and corruption of the soul. Magic with physical effects like a fireball is a Physical Aspect.
Weapons and Magic Items
Determining what weapons do is determined by how deadly you want your game. If combat should be forgiving, let unarmed deal -1 damage, armed combat have no damage bonus and two handed weapons deal +1 damage. More deadly combat have all weapons deal 1 additional damage. Shields give +1 Physical Defense.
Magical items will normally give extra skills, special attacks or give extra Hit Points to an Aspect. Blessed Sword : Gives skills: Very Sharp, Harm Undead Etas Shield : +1 Physical Defense, Shield Bash, Strong Arms Mag Pie : Heals all lost HP when eaten. 1 use only Oalls Rosary : Healing Hand and Cure Wounds 1/day
Character Concept Examples
Youngblood Adventurer, Bar Room Brawler, Wizards Apprentice, Run-Away, Nobles Son/Daughter, Street Urchin, Woodsman, Fisherman, Sailor, Soldier, Highwayman, Robber, Pickpocket, Blacksmith, Innkeeper, Minstrel, Bard, Cleric, Paladin, Knight or whatever you can think of.
Implants
You can get any number of implants which effectively work like extra skills (but much more limited in scope). Each Implant cost 1-3 Humanity HP permanently, depending on that the GM decides fits the setting, and are not necessarily bound by normal skill limitations.
Character Concept Examples
Examples of Skills and Qualities for cyberpunk: Hacking, Cybernetic Surgery, Sabotage, Control Combat Vehicle, Investigation, Computer Engineering, Car Thief, Gang Member and Government Agent.
Skills and Qualities
In Low Fantasy it is convenient to limit magic by demanding that learning magic requires a Quality, which in itself may give a spell, as well as buying each individual spell in the form of skills. Remember to agree what a spell does as it is picked so the GM and the player agree on what is expected from a spell cast. Examples of Skills and Qualities for Low Fantasy: Woodsman, Folk Lore Fencing, Archery, Spear fighting, Getting by on the Streets, Treat Wounds Hedge Magic, Wizards Apprentice, Witch, Guardsman or Squire. Other qualities may come from place of birth like “Underdark”, “Southern Nomad” or “Northern Berserker” for instance. Examples of Spells: Levitation, Fireball, Healing Hand, Fireburst, Dispel Magic, Sleep, Daze Opponent, Charm, Stand Still, Fly, Summon Poison Arrow, Cursed Hands, Spiderlegs, Invisibility, Cure Poison, Blessed Weapon, Raise Undead, Destroy Undead and so forth.
Fantasy Races
Fantasy Races can be chosen as a Quality and for that reason all characters have an additional free Quality. Non-humans must spend it on their race while humans have the benefit of an additional Quality to spend. For NPCs you can combine these (Giant Orc for instance)
Suggestions for Fantasy Race Qualities Race Suggested use Halfling Hiding, Stealing, Charismatic, Digging, Knives Dwarf Strong, Smithing, Darkvision, Perception, Engineer Elf Archery, Sneaking, Delicate Worksmanship Human You can use the Quality on something else. Kobold Make Traps, Hide, Steal, Spears, Scouting Goblin Spears, Darkvision, Hiding, Thievery, Hunting, Bows Orc Strong, Fast, Melee Combat, Looking Scary Gnoll Wilderness Survival, Pack Hunting, Keen Smell Giant Very Strong, Crush Things, Huge, +1 Defense Dragon Flying, Fire Breath, Strong, Huge, Killing, +1 Defense
Equipment
High tech weapons can be anything you think fits like:
Pulse Rifles are full automatic weapons which fire in small controlled bursts giving +1 dice to attack
X-17 Arma Rifles which fires high caliber rounds which deal +1 damage
Garrian Side Arm which is a multi-purpose pistol which can be set to stun or even mini explosives.
Artarial T-3 Rifle which fires armor piercing rounds and has thermic scope is a sniper rifle which gives +1 dice to attack and also ignores up to 2 Defense (walls count as having around 1 Defense per foot/30cm)
PG Infiltrator or “the Perrington Greeting” is small enough to fit in a small pocket and has a single round of high explosives, powerful enough to kill most people or robots or even blow in doors.
Interesting personal items could be
Personal Palm Computer (PPC) which is like a Smartphone with processing power of a computer, using a laser generated virtual keyboard.
Blackbird is an advanced hacking tool, used in hacking attempts. Military grade and illegal, this is only available for corporate agents, government agents or on the black market. Has a range of ~60feet/20 meters
Falcon is a super advanced version of the Blackbird, with a range of 150 feet/50 meters. Highly illegal and officially does not exist.
SensusX is an advanced drug, popular with the high society. Greatly expands senses, making pleasure and pain much more intense.
Luna GTX is the newest within hovering vehicles, this motorbike hovers 1 foot/30cm over the ground.
Q&A Section
- Those hacking attacks - how do they work?
- You could hack any site if you have a properly powerful computer and the right software but using hacking on the fly or in combat requires special equipment like a Blackbird or a Falcon. If you have such an item, Hacking is just like any other combat - you roll your hacking check, pick a dice, add 1 for remaining 6´s and the target reduces it by his Humanity Defense and the rest is subtracted from Humanity HP. When you reach 0 Humanity HP, the hacker gets to control your implants for a few rounds or minutes. This does not mean that the hacker can control your person though (unless you happen to use an armored exo-skeleton or muscle enhancer for instance). Implants cant (generally) be hacked without such an illigal apparatus. However, with power hungry corporations and governments, you never know what R&D departments are making and what plots are under way for players to disrupt (or help succeed).
- Why does more implants make you easier to hack?
- The simple answer is that more tech means more places the hacking tools can hook on to and therefore it becomes easier to hack heavily augmented opponents. Alternatively, you can say that more machinery makes you less human and therefore more subject to the rules of machinery than free will or the soul. It all depends on what logic you want to apply to your setting. From a technical stand point, the Humanity cost is there to give players a choice between more augmentations weighed up against greater risk of getting hacked by opponents. If you want a ton of augmentation and implants in your game, you can always rule that it´s not possible to hack characters. Note though that few implants are hooked up to the ethernet and even fewer can actually be hacked by a normal computer. It requires special hardware, only accessable in items like the Blackbird or the Falcon, to hack implants at all and even then you have to be very close to your target.
- Is there an easily printable version somewhere?
- Yes, right here to the right
- Can I pass this off as my own?
- No. If you are going to use this, at least give some credit where due. And no permission is given for use in anything which includes anyone making a profit from using this set of rules in any way.