Ok, so in my QZ Rulez posts I have been going over alot of stuff pretty quickly, and referencing stuff I haven't even written yet- much less posted. So I figured I should post this little snippet on the stats for some of the Zombies.
The B.R.A.I.N.S. stats are Brawn, Reflexes, Attitude, Intelligence, Nerve,and Search.
B R A I N S
Sloucher 1* 0* 0 0 0 1*
Twitcher 1* 2* 0 0 0 2*
Juggernaut 3* 0* 0 0 0 1*
Thinker 2* 2* 2* 3* 0 3*
*These are "active" stats, the Zombie will use them as part of its "natural" behavior. A Sloucher will not use the Attitude stat, and all Zombies are fearless so will have no use for the Nerve stat.
The stats work the same for Survivors as for Zombies. When making a B.R.A.I.N.S. check you roll a number of dice equal to your score in that stat, and you get a number of automatic successes equal to your score as well.
A score of 0 means that when making a check with that ability you roll 1d6 only and get no automatic success.
Comments and questions are welcome. More on this later.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Running from Zombies
QZ rules, Part 3 - Evasion
So, there are undead between the survivors and where they want to be. When fighting or sneaking past seems unlikely survivors can always try their luck just running for it and hoping for the best. In a situation like this the GM should call for an Evade check.
Evasion checks are appropriate in any situation in which a Survivor is trying to escape past or from a Zombie, including out of combat (as long as you haven't been grabbed). The rules for Evasion are very similar to thefuture section on Pursuit and share many similar concepts.
When the GM is considering the parameters of an Evade check, there are a couple factors to consider:
-Whats the condition of the area to be traveled through?
-How many Zombies are in the way?
-How confined is the space?
-What is the distance to be covered?
The players should be aware of most if not all of these factors, most of the time, although sometimes survivors do stupid things- like run blindly into an alley crowded with zombies (in which case they wouldn't get all the facts ahead of time).
It should almost always be up to the player if their survivor is going to try to make an Evade check although the GM might make an Evade check compulsory in some circumstances- a failed Nerve check for example.
The distance the check covers should be well established and defined and usually agreed on by both the GM and the players- "to the end of the hall "or "across the field to the barn door" are both good choices, "to safety" is not.
Ok, so- an Evade check is pretty simple to resolve. The survivor makes a Reflex check, trying to get enough successes to beat the Evade DC. Each unoccupied Zombie the character is trying to Evade gets to make a Reflex check to try to catch the Survivor (each Zombie not in combat or feasting).
Evade DC = Condition DC modifiers+ Zombie Reflex check successes.
Most Zombies have a Reflex score of 0, meaning that they can only roll 1d6 and get no automatic successes.
Conditions DC modifier Description
Example Area:
A small stretch of forest between a house and the road- 4 Zombies in the way.
Only 1 Zombie gets a success on its Reflex check (DC+1),
The area is wide open (DC-2), but it is cluttered with trees (DC+2) and there are lots of roots making the ground difficult (DC+1).
So the Evasion check is DC2.
Example Area:
An alley in a destroyed city- 10 Zombies in the way.
4 Zombies get successes on Reflex checks (DC+4),
The area is an alley (DC+2), cluttered with large rubble (DC+2), and there are lots of jagged pieces of metal sticking up making the ground treacherous (DC+2).
So the Evasion check is DC10.
So each Survivor makes a Evasion check using their Reflex score, trying to beat the Evasion DC. If a Survivor passes the check they successfully evade past all the Zombies and obstacles in the way.
If the Survivor fails the check they get attacked by a number of Zombies equal to the number they failed the Evasion check by, and they are stopped somewhere short of the distance they were attempting to run (decided by the GM). The Survivor gets to pick which Zombies they are attacked by if there is a choice of different types. Note- the Survivor is placed into combat with the Zombies and they are ready to attack on their turn, they do not roll attacks immediately in the Survivor turn.
Each Survivor must make their own check to Evade Zombies, the exception being a pair that is Aiding/Aided,
-In this case there is one roll by the Aided character which both Survivors will be held to (See the future section on Aiding Others).
Note- It is important to note that a group wishing to Evade must make checks one at a time representing the order they are Evading in. Each test should be calculated and taken independently because the DC could change depending on circumstances changing, most often this will happen if the number of occupied Zombies increases or decreases suddenly.
Also subsequent Survivors in the planned Evade order are not obligated to Evade when it gets to their turn, they can do something else entirely- they might decide to charge into combat to save a friend who failed the Evasion check.
Evasion checks are appropriate in any situation in which a Survivor is trying to escape past or from a Zombie, including out of combat (as long as you haven't been grabbed). The rules for Evasion are very similar to thefuture section on Pursuit and share many similar concepts.
When the GM is considering the parameters of an Evade check, there are a couple factors to consider:
-Whats the condition of the area to be traveled through?
-How many Zombies are in the way?
-How confined is the space?
-What is the distance to be covered?
The players should be aware of most if not all of these factors, most of the time, although sometimes survivors do stupid things- like run blindly into an alley crowded with zombies (in which case they wouldn't get all the facts ahead of time).
It should almost always be up to the player if their survivor is going to try to make an Evade check although the GM might make an Evade check compulsory in some circumstances- a failed Nerve check for example.
The distance the check covers should be well established and defined and usually agreed on by both the GM and the players- "to the end of the hall "or "across the field to the barn door" are both good choices, "to safety" is not.
Ok, so- an Evade check is pretty simple to resolve. The survivor makes a Reflex check, trying to get enough successes to beat the Evade DC. Each unoccupied Zombie the character is trying to Evade gets to make a Reflex check to try to catch the Survivor (each Zombie not in combat or feasting).
Evade DC = Condition DC modifiers+ Zombie Reflex check successes.
Most Zombies have a Reflex score of 0, meaning that they can only roll 1d6 and get no automatic successes.
Conditions DC modifier Description
- Wide Open DC-2 An open field, Empty Dance floor.
- Street Width - As much room to maneuver as a typical city street.
- Alley Width DC+2 Pretty narrow and confined.
- Hallway Width DC+3 Very narrow, barely any space to maneuver.
- Cluttered DC+2 See Bellow
- Difficult Ground DC+1 Uneven or slippery - tree roots.
- Treacherous Ground DC+2 Unstable or dangerous- rubble or thick mud.
Example Area:
A small stretch of forest between a house and the road- 4 Zombies in the way.
Only 1 Zombie gets a success on its Reflex check (DC+1),
The area is wide open (DC-2), but it is cluttered with trees (DC+2) and there are lots of roots making the ground difficult (DC+1).
So the Evasion check is DC2.
Example Area:
An alley in a destroyed city- 10 Zombies in the way.
4 Zombies get successes on Reflex checks (DC+4),
The area is an alley (DC+2), cluttered with large rubble (DC+2), and there are lots of jagged pieces of metal sticking up making the ground treacherous (DC+2).
So the Evasion check is DC10.
So each Survivor makes a Evasion check using their Reflex score, trying to beat the Evasion DC. If a Survivor passes the check they successfully evade past all the Zombies and obstacles in the way.
If the Survivor fails the check they get attacked by a number of Zombies equal to the number they failed the Evasion check by, and they are stopped somewhere short of the distance they were attempting to run (decided by the GM). The Survivor gets to pick which Zombies they are attacked by if there is a choice of different types. Note- the Survivor is placed into combat with the Zombies and they are ready to attack on their turn, they do not roll attacks immediately in the Survivor turn.
Each Survivor must make their own check to Evade Zombies, the exception being a pair that is Aiding/Aided,
-In this case there is one roll by the Aided character which both Survivors will be held to (See the future section on Aiding Others).
Note- It is important to note that a group wishing to Evade must make checks one at a time representing the order they are Evading in. Each test should be calculated and taken independently because the DC could change depending on circumstances changing, most often this will happen if the number of occupied Zombies increases or decreases suddenly.
Also subsequent Survivors in the planned Evade order are not obligated to Evade when it gets to their turn, they can do something else entirely- they might decide to charge into combat to save a friend who failed the Evasion check.
R.I.P. Pestilence
I hardly knew Ye. We hand some good times hunting down Sasquatches. And then, far too soon- we tumbled down that cliff and you died. I'll miss you buddy.
More Info on Pestilence
Cool Art by rcahern
More Info on Pestilence
Cool Art by rcahern
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Frustrated
There's a bunch of stuff I've been working on recently. Mostly Warhammer type stuff, painting models and building my Mordheim City ruins. But I also have been working on my GTZ rules alot (I'm trying to think of a better name). So anyway, all this stuff I've been doing is pretty cool, so I would like to take some pictures of it with my camera to post up here. BUT I can't find the stupid little cable that connects my camera to my laptop. It's really starting to get to me. I've looked everywhere and I can't find it. Blah.
So that's why I'm frustrated.
Here is a sketch I did to illustrate The Masque of the Red Death
So that's why I'm frustrated.
Here is a sketch I did to illustrate The Masque of the Red Death
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
QZ rules part 2
Ok, here are the long awaited(?) combat rules, at least so far...
If its your turn and you are engaging in melee you are the attacker, your opponent(s) are defending, thus you can only make attacks in your turn.
Each combatant rolls a Brawn check ( a regular Sloucher has a Brawn score of 1, thus scoring 1 automatic success with another possible success on a single d6 roll of 5+) Compare the number of successes scored by each side. The winner is the side with the most successes.
If the defending side wins OR if a tie is rolled- then this combat ends.
If the attacker wins that player gets to make a roll on the melee chart for each success they scored which exceeded the defenders score.
For players this typically means their survivor gets to roll on a melee chart one or more times if they strike successfully. The melee chart the player uses corresponds to the weapon type they are using- either "Flimsy" or "Sturdy".
Flimsy Melee Weapon Chart
1= Weapon breaks
2-4= No effect
5= Knock
6= Critical
Sturdy Melee Weapon Chart
1= Roll again on this chart ( further rolls of 1 as "No effect") afterwards weapon is "Flimsy"
2-3= No effect
4-5= Knock
6= Critical
A Knock result is catch all term for affecting your opponent without killing it-staggering it, making it drop something, or making it let go of another character who has been "Grabbed". See the future section on Conditions to find out more about being "Knocked".
A "Critical" result is enough to kill most types of Zombie or wound another human (making them Bloodied).
When the GM wins a fight he or she gets to roll one or more times on a Zombie Melee chart, once for each attacker success which exceeded the defender's success total.
Zombie Melee Chart
1-3= Ineffective
4= Maul
5= Bite
6= Grab---> next turn- Rend
The Maul and Bite result both are "Critical" hits and will leave a character "Bloodied", the Bite result might also transmit disease. See the future section on Conditions to find out more about being Bloodied, the short explanation though is that each time a character is Bloodied they take a +2DC on ALL checks until they are healed.
A character who is Grabbed can do nothing in their turn except make an opposed Brawn check to try to break loose of the grab. Alternatively another player might be able to rescue the Grabbed player by either knocking or killing the Zombie(s) doing the grabbing.
If the character is still Grabbed in the next Zombie attack round. The Zombie(s) preforming the grab will attempt to Rend the player- the player must make another opposed Brawn check. If the character succeeds they become "Bloodied" (or take another Bloodied token if they were already Bloodied)- if the character fails they are ripped to pieces by the grabbing Zombie(s). See the future section on Zombie Feeding Rules to find out how much time the other players will have to run while the feeding Zombies are distracted by their former comrade.
That's it for tonight. More coming soon though. Comments and questions are welcome.
If its your turn and you are engaging in melee you are the attacker, your opponent(s) are defending, thus you can only make attacks in your turn.
Each combatant rolls a Brawn check ( a regular Sloucher has a Brawn score of 1, thus scoring 1 automatic success with another possible success on a single d6 roll of 5+) Compare the number of successes scored by each side. The winner is the side with the most successes.
If the defending side wins OR if a tie is rolled- then this combat ends.
If the attacker wins that player gets to make a roll on the melee chart for each success they scored which exceeded the defenders score.
-So-
For players this typically means their survivor gets to roll on a melee chart one or more times if they strike successfully. The melee chart the player uses corresponds to the weapon type they are using- either "Flimsy" or "Sturdy".
Flimsy Melee Weapon Chart
1= Weapon breaks
2-4= No effect
5= Knock
6= Critical
Sturdy Melee Weapon Chart
1= Roll again on this chart ( further rolls of 1 as "No effect") afterwards weapon is "Flimsy"
2-3= No effect
4-5= Knock
6= Critical
A Knock result is catch all term for affecting your opponent without killing it-staggering it, making it drop something, or making it let go of another character who has been "Grabbed". See the future section on Conditions to find out more about being "Knocked".
A "Critical" result is enough to kill most types of Zombie or wound another human (making them Bloodied).
-And-
When the GM wins a fight he or she gets to roll one or more times on a Zombie Melee chart, once for each attacker success which exceeded the defender's success total.
Zombie Melee Chart 1-3= Ineffective
4= Maul
5= Bite
6= Grab---> next turn- Rend
The Maul and Bite result both are "Critical" hits and will leave a character "Bloodied", the Bite result might also transmit disease. See the future section on Conditions to find out more about being Bloodied, the short explanation though is that each time a character is Bloodied they take a +2DC on ALL checks until they are healed.
A character who is Grabbed can do nothing in their turn except make an opposed Brawn check to try to break loose of the grab. Alternatively another player might be able to rescue the Grabbed player by either knocking or killing the Zombie(s) doing the grabbing.
If the character is still Grabbed in the next Zombie attack round. The Zombie(s) preforming the grab will attempt to Rend the player- the player must make another opposed Brawn check. If the character succeeds they become "Bloodied" (or take another Bloodied token if they were already Bloodied)- if the character fails they are ripped to pieces by the grabbing Zombie(s). See the future section on Zombie Feeding Rules to find out how much time the other players will have to run while the feeding Zombies are distracted by their former comrade.
That's it for tonight. More coming soon though. Comments and questions are welcome.
Friday, November 18, 2011
MOST BADASS PARTY EVAR!!1
Seriously, I want to show this video to all my players from now on whenever they are going to be stating up new characters. So many adventure ideas from this 3minute 46 second video- PLUS the music is super legit.
The song is called "Iron", it is by WOODKID
This Assassin's Creed game trailer that features the song is pretty awesome as well...
The song is called "Iron", it is by WOODKID
This Assassin's Creed game trailer that features the song is pretty awesome as well...
Thursday, November 17, 2011
The First Age
And then mighty IO saw that his newly created world needed inhabitants. He created all manner of beast to walk, swim and fly, and all manner of plant and flower to bloom and grow across his world. And then for each habitat he created a great race there to flourish. In the depths of the mountains IO made the first Dwarfs, the Oceans he gave to the Merfolk, the forests went to the Elves, he sky he gave to the Krocn, and in the burning deserts he made the Genii. Each of these races were to be immortal.
And then IO created his greatest work yet. A race to be cast from his own image, to rule the other races and to be the stewards of his world, the Titans he named them, and he granted each a small portion of himself, this gift was to become known as a soul.
IO raised a vast track of land and set it around the middle of his world like a belt. From this paradise the Titans would rule.
For a long time there was peace on Alkrin, and IO was happy with his children.
The Titans were a bold and prideful people however, and they began treating the lesser races with contempt. IO uttered a curse against his favored children, stripping the Titans of their immortality, to teach them humility. Instead the Titans rose in anger and together with the dark hearted Genii tried to overthrow IO.
Instead of slaying IO the Titans merely succeeded in rousing his wrath.
IO bound the Genii in unbreakable chains and banished them from Alkrin. Then turning on the Titans he cursed them over and over. IO shattered Alkrin with his fiery condemnations, marring and scaring his once perfect world.
Thus ended the First Age and thus begun the Age of Malediction.
And then IO created his greatest work yet. A race to be cast from his own image, to rule the other races and to be the stewards of his world, the Titans he named them, and he granted each a small portion of himself, this gift was to become known as a soul.
IO raised a vast track of land and set it around the middle of his world like a belt. From this paradise the Titans would rule.
For a long time there was peace on Alkrin, and IO was happy with his children.
The Titans were a bold and prideful people however, and they began treating the lesser races with contempt. IO uttered a curse against his favored children, stripping the Titans of their immortality, to teach them humility. Instead the Titans rose in anger and together with the dark hearted Genii tried to overthrow IO.
Instead of slaying IO the Titans merely succeeded in rousing his wrath.
IO bound the Genii in unbreakable chains and banished them from Alkrin. Then turning on the Titans he cursed them over and over. IO shattered Alkrin with his fiery condemnations, marring and scaring his once perfect world.
Thus ended the First Age and thus begun the Age of Malediction.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Remembering
Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die.
~G.K. Chesterton
~G.K. Chesterton
Thursday, November 10, 2011
In the beginning...
..there was nothing.
And then there was IO.
He stretched out his hand though the void, crushing the emptiness together in his fist. When he released his fingers the great nothing had compressed into the Universe.
From the swirling chaos IO careful crafted the cosmos, forming the planets and the stars.
In the very center he created his masterpiece, which in time the so called enlightened of the lesser races would name Alkrin.
Alkrin, the cradle of life. In Dwarven Alkrin translates literally to "All-Kin"., meaning all life, and also implying that all life is interconnected.
In Elven Alkrin, means "center" or more specifically the center of the being, the soul.
And so the Universe was created, and so the world of Alkrin bore life.
-Not terribly original I know, but it's what I've got.
More on this later...
And then there was IO.
He stretched out his hand though the void, crushing the emptiness together in his fist. When he released his fingers the great nothing had compressed into the Universe.
From the swirling chaos IO careful crafted the cosmos, forming the planets and the stars.
In the very center he created his masterpiece, which in time the so called enlightened of the lesser races would name Alkrin.
Alkrin, the cradle of life. In Dwarven Alkrin translates literally to "All-Kin"., meaning all life, and also implying that all life is interconnected.
In Elven Alkrin, means "center" or more specifically the center of the being, the soul.
And so the Universe was created, and so the world of Alkrin bore life.
-Not terribly original I know, but it's what I've got.
More on this later...
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
QZ play report 2
Quarantine Zone
Around 9:00 Saturday evening our heroes heard a surprising broadcast crackle over the radio.
-" To anyone still alive out there, we have a helicopter and are landed on the roof of the University, we will take as many passengers as we can, but we leave at midnight. Don't be late!"
Gathering up some weapons the 3 heroes set out.
There was a quick scuffle in front of a local KFC which resulted in the destruction of all three zombies. One hero thought she recognized one of the undead but was able to pass a nerve check and take it out. Another hero killed a zombie but her fireaxe broke. One of the zombies was wearing a backpack which contained pistol ammo, unfortunately no one had a pistol.
The heroes busted into a hardware store and quickly grabbed a bunch of loot, replacing the broken axe.
At the top of a rise, at an intersection on the Trans Canada Highway, the heroes were able to look down and see many zombies milling about at the next intersection. They decided to go left and cut through a plaza.
Although initially they planned to loot a liquor store they just ran past when they realized zombies were inside.
They kept going and ran through a big grocery store, meeting a mob of zombies near the back exit.
2 Slouchers, 2 Juggernauts, a Crawler and a Twitcher were all quickly defeated, although one hero was mauled by a Juggernaut.
The heroes kept moving a looted another larger hardware store, this time looting bicycles and a whole bunch of weapons. They decided to bike down the road behind the University and then hike through the forest trails right up to the back of the school, thus bypassing a lot of the crazyness they suspected was on the main road up to the school.
All went according to plan and they arrived at the helicopter with just minutes till midnight.
(I was getting a bit drunk and their plan sounded good, so I pretty much just gave it to them at this point, and more or less handwaved their trip through the woods and escape by helicopter.)
It was pretty fun overall and I think everyone had fun. I learned some stuff too, which I will post under a new rules article soon. But the main thing I learned is not to let the players dictate too much to me. The player plan to go the long way around was very clever, and definitely should have been rewarded. I shouldn't have just given them a free pass though. QZ while a simple system, does require prep, most of the prep I think needs to go towards taking familiar locales and "zombieapocalypsizing" them.
The forest behind the school should have been burned out and cut back. There should have been a overrun military style perimeter close around the school- sandbags and fences, maybe a minefield. An abandoned shanty town on the grounds of the school would have been badass and creepy.
It is easy to think of the places you know as they are, but in QZ you need to throw some curve-balls and change stuff up. Just because your players know what a nearby location looks like now doesn't mean it is going to be like that in QZ- thats the big attraction for a game like this, in my opinion.
More on this later.
Around 9:00 Saturday evening our heroes heard a surprising broadcast crackle over the radio.
-" To anyone still alive out there, we have a helicopter and are landed on the roof of the University, we will take as many passengers as we can, but we leave at midnight. Don't be late!"
Gathering up some weapons the 3 heroes set out.
There was a quick scuffle in front of a local KFC which resulted in the destruction of all three zombies. One hero thought she recognized one of the undead but was able to pass a nerve check and take it out. Another hero killed a zombie but her fireaxe broke. One of the zombies was wearing a backpack which contained pistol ammo, unfortunately no one had a pistol.
The heroes busted into a hardware store and quickly grabbed a bunch of loot, replacing the broken axe.
At the top of a rise, at an intersection on the Trans Canada Highway, the heroes were able to look down and see many zombies milling about at the next intersection. They decided to go left and cut through a plaza.
Although initially they planned to loot a liquor store they just ran past when they realized zombies were inside.
They kept going and ran through a big grocery store, meeting a mob of zombies near the back exit.
2 Slouchers, 2 Juggernauts, a Crawler and a Twitcher were all quickly defeated, although one hero was mauled by a Juggernaut.
The heroes kept moving a looted another larger hardware store, this time looting bicycles and a whole bunch of weapons. They decided to bike down the road behind the University and then hike through the forest trails right up to the back of the school, thus bypassing a lot of the crazyness they suspected was on the main road up to the school.
All went according to plan and they arrived at the helicopter with just minutes till midnight.
(I was getting a bit drunk and their plan sounded good, so I pretty much just gave it to them at this point, and more or less handwaved their trip through the woods and escape by helicopter.)
It was pretty fun overall and I think everyone had fun. I learned some stuff too, which I will post under a new rules article soon. But the main thing I learned is not to let the players dictate too much to me. The player plan to go the long way around was very clever, and definitely should have been rewarded. I shouldn't have just given them a free pass though. QZ while a simple system, does require prep, most of the prep I think needs to go towards taking familiar locales and "zombieapocalypsizing" them.
The forest behind the school should have been burned out and cut back. There should have been a overrun military style perimeter close around the school- sandbags and fences, maybe a minefield. An abandoned shanty town on the grounds of the school would have been badass and creepy.
It is easy to think of the places you know as they are, but in QZ you need to throw some curve-balls and change stuff up. Just because your players know what a nearby location looks like now doesn't mean it is going to be like that in QZ- thats the big attraction for a game like this, in my opinion.
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