What is this?
A role-playing game where you play a single character or a small group of them, transplanted into the Mass Effect universe, in year2180 2280, by what your character can only assume is some type of Alien Space Bat. Also a reboot of another game I ran on SpaceBattles, which lasted for over a year.
What is your goal? Whatever you want it to be. The game is a sandbox and while your starting location is chosen by me, as a GM, you can go anywhere you please from there and whatever you want, assuming you have the means. Set yourself a goal and try to achieve it before 2286, when the game will end.
Oh, also, you may want to deal with the whole Reaper thing, but that's entirely optional.
How do you play this, again?
The game is structured into turns, each covering three months of in-game time, during which you can take five major actions. Actions are either resolved with a d20 roll, or through an action sequence, in case they require a more hands-on approach. Further details will follow, after character creation.
Credits
@Usandru - credit goes to Usandru forcoming up with almost all of this stuff and letting me crib it helping develop the game mechanics!
IC Thread
Players
Active
1. Daraken
2. Jemnite
3. Usandru
4. Kei
5.
A role-playing game where you play a single character or a small group of them, transplanted into the Mass Effect universe, in year
What is your goal? Whatever you want it to be. The game is a sandbox and while your starting location is chosen by me, as a GM, you can go anywhere you please from there and whatever you want, assuming you have the means. Set yourself a goal and try to achieve it before 2286, when the game will end.
Oh, also, you may want to deal with the whole Reaper thing, but that's entirely optional.
How do you play this, again?
The game is structured into turns, each covering three months of in-game time, during which you can take five major actions. Actions are either resolved with a d20 roll, or through an action sequence, in case they require a more hands-on approach. Further details will follow, after character creation.
Character Creation
Name:
Appearance:
Virtue:
Your character's Virtue is the best aspect of their personality, their greatest strength. For acting in accordance with their Virtue despite difficulties, the character receives a Plus, which they can use to receive Awesome Stuff, like being able to declare a critical success at a pivotal moment.
Vice:
The Vice is the worst aspect of a character's personality. For acting in accordance with their Vice, despite negative consequences, the character receives a Minus, which they can use to make the GM cause horrible things to happen to opponents.
Pillars:
Every character has Pillars - ideals, beliefs, motivations which define them and make them them. Each character has three, which are described with a short phrase, such as "My Ideals" or "The Warrior's Code" or somesuch.
When acting in accordance or defiance of their Pillars, the character gain bonuses or penalties, equal to the strength of the Pillar.
When acting in defiance of their Pillar, or facing something that makes them doubt it, a character gains doubt points, which are attached to that specific pillar.
A Pillar's strength is determined by a character's confidence in it. A character gains confidence by reaffirming their belief in a Pillar they have doubt points attached to, converting the doubt into greater strength of the Pillar.
However, Pillars can be broken with sufficient doubt. A key part of a character's identity and beliefs is shattered and while this is certainly not a good thing, it can be a source of strength, boosting all actions by the strength of the broken Pillar. The character, however, is vulnerable and the broken pillar can be replaced by one defined by someone else. While this is not necessarily bad, it makes your character easy to manipulate. Additionally, doubt is accumulated at a double rate.
When all of a character's Pillars are broken, they temporarily become an NPC. After a short time has passed (generally a turn or two), they are returned to player control, with a single Pillar restored.
You have 5 points to distribute across your three Pillars, which are rated from 0 to 4, 0 being broken and 4 being burning conviction. You may start a game with a single broken Pillar.
Name:
Appearance:
Virtue:
Your character's Virtue is the best aspect of their personality, their greatest strength. For acting in accordance with their Virtue despite difficulties, the character receives a Plus, which they can use to receive Awesome Stuff, like being able to declare a critical success at a pivotal moment.
Vice:
The Vice is the worst aspect of a character's personality. For acting in accordance with their Vice, despite negative consequences, the character receives a Minus, which they can use to make the GM cause horrible things to happen to opponents.
Pillars:
Every character has Pillars - ideals, beliefs, motivations which define them and make them them. Each character has three, which are described with a short phrase, such as "My Ideals" or "The Warrior's Code" or somesuch.
When acting in accordance or defiance of their Pillars, the character gain bonuses or penalties, equal to the strength of the Pillar.
When acting in defiance of their Pillar, or facing something that makes them doubt it, a character gains doubt points, which are attached to that specific pillar.
A Pillar's strength is determined by a character's confidence in it. A character gains confidence by reaffirming their belief in a Pillar they have doubt points attached to, converting the doubt into greater strength of the Pillar.
However, Pillars can be broken with sufficient doubt. A key part of a character's identity and beliefs is shattered and while this is certainly not a good thing, it can be a source of strength, boosting all actions by the strength of the broken Pillar. The character, however, is vulnerable and the broken pillar can be replaced by one defined by someone else. While this is not necessarily bad, it makes your character easy to manipulate. Additionally, doubt is accumulated at a double rate.
When all of a character's Pillars are broken, they temporarily become an NPC. After a short time has passed (generally a turn or two), they are returned to player control, with a single Pillar restored.
You have 5 points to distribute across your three Pillars, which are rated from 0 to 4, 0 being broken and 4 being burning conviction. You may start a game with a single broken Pillar.
Assets
Assets are everything under a character's disposal - skills, equipment, possessions, employees, contacts and so on. Each asset has a description and a certain "level", which describes its "quality".
Assets do not grant any bonuses automatically. You have to choose which assets to invoke for an Action. For some, such as building a simple gun, it will be immediately obvious. For others, such as diplomacy, you will have to make the correct choice. For example, you have the skill asset Diplomacy, with a specialization in Intimidation. Using Intimidation correctly will give you a significant edge in negotiations if used properly, but if you use it incorrectly, for example against someone who doesn't respond well to threats or who is in a superior position and knows it, it will end badly, possibly automatically failing.
You have 200 Points to spend on starting Assets.
Starting Assets can be bought in three forms: Theory, Blueprints and Equipment. Theory is the underlying science of the piece of equipment you want to bring, which may let someone with scientific knowledge in the field to create a working design based on it. Blueprints are step-by-step, idiot-proof instructions of how to build said item, and require a skill-level of three in the related field to build. Item is the object, augmentation or supernatural ability in question, and is the hardest to replicate, essentially impossible to without taking it apart, which is risky in itself.
Assets are priced based on their utility and how they affect the setting. All base costs, without applying any modifiers are from 1 to 100. Item-type Assets have their costs halved.
If you want multiple of the same Item, you pay separately for each one. As with singular, the cost is halved if you do not take Theory or Blueprints.
Some starting assets will have to be broken down into separate components for the purposes of pricing.
Note that having an Item does not grant the ability to use it - you'll need to spend skill points on the related ability. for example, if you buy all the prerequisite technology for a mech, you will need Vehicle Driving at at least Level Three.
Additionally, Blueprints and Theory are stored on a physical drive, in this case an OSD. The data is encrypted, so it won't be accessed by any random schmuck, but someone with sufficient dedication and resources will break it.
Equipment points can be exchanged for Skill points at a 1:1 ratio.
Assets are everything under a character's disposal - skills, equipment, possessions, employees, contacts and so on. Each asset has a description and a certain "level", which describes its "quality".
Assets do not grant any bonuses automatically. You have to choose which assets to invoke for an Action. For some, such as building a simple gun, it will be immediately obvious. For others, such as diplomacy, you will have to make the correct choice. For example, you have the skill asset Diplomacy, with a specialization in Intimidation. Using Intimidation correctly will give you a significant edge in negotiations if used properly, but if you use it incorrectly, for example against someone who doesn't respond well to threats or who is in a superior position and knows it, it will end badly, possibly automatically failing.
You have 200 Points to spend on starting Assets.
Starting Assets can be bought in three forms: Theory, Blueprints and Equipment. Theory is the underlying science of the piece of equipment you want to bring, which may let someone with scientific knowledge in the field to create a working design based on it. Blueprints are step-by-step, idiot-proof instructions of how to build said item, and require a skill-level of three in the related field to build. Item is the object, augmentation or supernatural ability in question, and is the hardest to replicate, essentially impossible to without taking it apart, which is risky in itself.
Assets are priced based on their utility and how they affect the setting. All base costs, without applying any modifiers are from 1 to 100. Item-type Assets have their costs halved.
If you want multiple of the same Item, you pay separately for each one. As with singular, the cost is halved if you do not take Theory or Blueprints.
Some starting assets will have to be broken down into separate components for the purposes of pricing.
Note that having an Item does not grant the ability to use it - you'll need to spend skill points on the related ability. for example, if you buy all the prerequisite technology for a mech, you will need Vehicle Driving at at least Level Three.
Additionally, Blueprints and Theory are stored on a physical drive, in this case an OSD. The data is encrypted, so it won't be accessed by any random schmuck, but someone with sufficient dedication and resources will break it.
Equipment points can be exchanged for Skill points at a 1:1 ratio.
Skills
Each skill has five levels. At level one, the character has no experience or theoretical knowledge in that area - they have high school education in that area, or are as about combat-capable as a random Call of Duty player.
At the second level, the character is undergoing some sort of education in this area - they're either a university student, a soldier/policeman/firefighter/etc in training, or similar. Qualifies as an Asset, allowing participation in some simple Projects.
Third level is someone who possesses proper education in the field. No penalties, but no bonuses either. Qualifies as an Asset, allowing participation in moderate-difficulty Projects.
The fourth level are professionals, with a few years of experience. Veteran soldiers, experienced technicians, Master's degree. Can pick a single field of specialization. Qualifies as an Asset, allowing participation in most related Projects.
The fifth level are experts in the field - professors, SpecOps or simply very experienced troops, and so on. Either choose a second specialization, or improve the first. Qualifies as an Asset, allowing participation in even the most complex Projects.
You have 24 points to spend on Skills. Skills costs (no-cumulative) are as follows:
Unskilled(Starting) -> Trainee(2 Points) -> Trained(4 Points) - > Professional(8 Points) -> Expert(16 Points)
The skills are categorized into Combat (Infantry Combat, Vehicle Driving, Piloting, Tactics, Strategy), Diplomacy (talking, intimidating, teaching), Technical (related to actually making or fixing stuff), Knowledge (research) and Other.
Additional Characters
Each additional character costs 10 Points. You receive 24 skill points to distribute and can spend as many asset points on them as you wish.
Each skill has five levels. At level one, the character has no experience or theoretical knowledge in that area - they have high school education in that area, or are as about combat-capable as a random Call of Duty player.
At the second level, the character is undergoing some sort of education in this area - they're either a university student, a soldier/policeman/firefighter/etc in training, or similar. Qualifies as an Asset, allowing participation in some simple Projects.
Third level is someone who possesses proper education in the field. No penalties, but no bonuses either. Qualifies as an Asset, allowing participation in moderate-difficulty Projects.
The fourth level are professionals, with a few years of experience. Veteran soldiers, experienced technicians, Master's degree. Can pick a single field of specialization. Qualifies as an Asset, allowing participation in most related Projects.
The fifth level are experts in the field - professors, SpecOps or simply very experienced troops, and so on. Either choose a second specialization, or improve the first. Qualifies as an Asset, allowing participation in even the most complex Projects.
You have 24 points to spend on Skills. Skills costs (no-cumulative) are as follows:
Unskilled(Starting) -> Trainee(2 Points) -> Trained(4 Points) - > Professional(8 Points) -> Expert(16 Points)
The skills are categorized into Combat (Infantry Combat, Vehicle Driving, Piloting, Tactics, Strategy), Diplomacy (talking, intimidating, teaching), Technical (related to actually making or fixing stuff), Knowledge (research) and Other.
Additional Characters
Each additional character costs 10 Points. You receive 24 skill points to distribute and can spend as many asset points on them as you wish.
Connections
Connections represent a relation between your character and an NPC, another player character or some larger group - a company, a government, a social group. Connections are presented as such:
[Content] [Target] - [Strength] - [Target] [Content]
Content represents what one side of the Connections feels about the other. Target informs at whom the feelings are directed at, while Strength is a value from 1 to 5, representing how strong the Connection is and how significant benefits from it be.
A Content can be anything, and can be different on either end. It can be anything, from Love to Hate, to "That guy is kind of an annoying git.". The Connection works as an Assets when your character acts in accordance with the Content or when the action is focused more on the Target, rather than the character themselves. So, if your character Hates the Target, they'll receive some positive modifier to decking them in the schnoz if the Connection is invoked, but negotiating with them might be ever so slightly problematic.
Connections can be weakened and strengthened much the same way Pillars can. Acting against the Content or the Target in general will generate Doubt attached to the Connection. When Doubt points reach a certain threshold, the Connection is weakened or entirely broken. However, if the Connection is affirmed, by acting in accordance, Doubt is converted into Affirmation points, which, after reaching a certain threshold, increase the Connection's Strength.
Connections can have uneven strength on either end.Each end can be weakened independently of the other, and if the Strength on either end is reduced to 0, the Connection breaks. These types of Connections are formed when an event only affects one side of the Connection.
The Content of a Connection can be changed on either end when the Connection is strengthened or weakened.
Invoking a Connection in a way that the Target can perceive generates [points]. These can be spent to reveal the other character's virtue, vice or pillars or reveal your character's traits to the Target, which can strengthen the Connection. However, if the Target knows your character's Pillars, they can Invoke them to their benefit.
If you are starting with additional characters, you can create Connections between them at chargen. For every additional Character, you gain 3 points to spend on Connections between them. Asset points can be converted to Connection points at a rate of five to one. 1 point spent on a Connection is 1 Strength on one end of the Connection. So, to get a Connection with Strength 2, you need to spend 4 points.
Connections represent a relation between your character and an NPC, another player character or some larger group - a company, a government, a social group. Connections are presented as such:
[Content] [Target] - [Strength] - [Target] [Content]
Content represents what one side of the Connections feels about the other. Target informs at whom the feelings are directed at, while Strength is a value from 1 to 5, representing how strong the Connection is and how significant benefits from it be.
A Content can be anything, and can be different on either end. It can be anything, from Love to Hate, to "That guy is kind of an annoying git.". The Connection works as an Assets when your character acts in accordance with the Content or when the action is focused more on the Target, rather than the character themselves. So, if your character Hates the Target, they'll receive some positive modifier to decking them in the schnoz if the Connection is invoked, but negotiating with them might be ever so slightly problematic.
Connections can be weakened and strengthened much the same way Pillars can. Acting against the Content or the Target in general will generate Doubt attached to the Connection. When Doubt points reach a certain threshold, the Connection is weakened or entirely broken. However, if the Connection is affirmed, by acting in accordance, Doubt is converted into Affirmation points, which, after reaching a certain threshold, increase the Connection's Strength.
Connections can have uneven strength on either end.Each end can be weakened independently of the other, and if the Strength on either end is reduced to 0, the Connection breaks. These types of Connections are formed when an event only affects one side of the Connection.
The Content of a Connection can be changed on either end when the Connection is strengthened or weakened.
Invoking a Connection in a way that the Target can perceive generates [points]. These can be spent to reveal the other character's virtue, vice or pillars or reveal your character's traits to the Target, which can strengthen the Connection. However, if the Target knows your character's Pillars, they can Invoke them to their benefit.
If you are starting with additional characters, you can create Connections between them at chargen. For every additional Character, you gain 3 points to spend on Connections between them. Asset points can be converted to Connection points at a rate of five to one. 1 point spent on a Connection is 1 Strength on one end of the Connection. So, to get a Connection with Strength 2, you need to spend 4 points.
Actions
The action system is built around turns, each equal to three months of game time. During a single turn you may make up to 5 Actions, the results of which will depend on a d20 roll. Assets activated for an action will shift the roll upwards, or downwards, if they're unsuited for the task.
Projects
Some Actions can be Projects, which are either research or production efforts, aimed at achieving some goal, such as creating a new weapon design, creating a FTL drive blueprint from theoretical data or building a motorcycle.
Each project has certain Asset requirements - personnel (researchers, technicians, construction bot), resource costs (generally abstracted to monetary costs, but some may require unique resources), equipment requirements (say, a particle accelerator, CAD software or just a working workshop) and sometimes space requirements (generally for production projects - you can't exactly build your space fighter in your basement). Projects can be worked on without actually meeting these requirements.
Projects, depending on specifics, may take multiple turns to complete. You will generally receive a completion estimate. However, it's quite possible that a project will run into unexpected snags and require more time (and money), especially if project requirements aren't met, leading to a general slow-down, progress stalling, or outright accidents, due to poor resource quality, unqualified personnel, insufficient equipment, or researchers working double shifts and accidentally blowing up your particle collider (and themselves) because of exhaustion.
The action system is built around turns, each equal to three months of game time. During a single turn you may make up to 5 Actions, the results of which will depend on a d20 roll. Assets activated for an action will shift the roll upwards, or downwards, if they're unsuited for the task.
Projects
Some Actions can be Projects, which are either research or production efforts, aimed at achieving some goal, such as creating a new weapon design, creating a FTL drive blueprint from theoretical data or building a motorcycle.
Each project has certain Asset requirements - personnel (researchers, technicians, construction bot), resource costs (generally abstracted to monetary costs, but some may require unique resources), equipment requirements (say, a particle accelerator, CAD software or just a working workshop) and sometimes space requirements (generally for production projects - you can't exactly build your space fighter in your basement). Projects can be worked on without actually meeting these requirements.
Projects, depending on specifics, may take multiple turns to complete. You will generally receive a completion estimate. However, it's quite possible that a project will run into unexpected snags and require more time (and money), especially if project requirements aren't met, leading to a general slow-down, progress stalling, or outright accidents, due to poor resource quality, unqualified personnel, insufficient equipment, or researchers working double shifts and accidentally blowing up your particle collider (and themselves) because of exhaustion.
Combat
Combat is handled as a standard Action - a proper Asset is invoked and a roll is made. Every Combat action requires a military asset, such as an individual soldier, a battalion, or a cruiser. Additional Assets, such as skilled officers or intelligence can be invoked to shift the results.
Combat has a series of resolution scales. Before combat starts, you choose at what scale you want to invoke your asset - i.e., what objectives you want them to accomplish. The scales are as follows:
Individual -> Squad -> Platoon -> Company/Ship -> Battalion/Wolfpack -> Regiment/Flotilla -> Army/Fleet
An individual can be sent to win a fight, a squad may secure a building, a platoon can take a street, a company or a ship can shift the result of a battle, a battalion or a wolfpack can secure a base, a regiment or flotilla will be responsible for a big chunk of a war front, while a fleet or army can fight a whole damn war.
A smaller asset can be invoked for an action generally undertaken by a larger one, but it will generally receive significant penalties - a company can try to secure a city. Emphasis on try, as it will lack the manpower to occupy it and will require everything going right and a tactical genius leading it.
Combat is handled as a standard Action - a proper Asset is invoked and a roll is made. Every Combat action requires a military asset, such as an individual soldier, a battalion, or a cruiser. Additional Assets, such as skilled officers or intelligence can be invoked to shift the results.
Combat has a series of resolution scales. Before combat starts, you choose at what scale you want to invoke your asset - i.e., what objectives you want them to accomplish. The scales are as follows:
Individual -> Squad -> Platoon -> Company/Ship -> Battalion/Wolfpack -> Regiment/Flotilla -> Army/Fleet
An individual can be sent to win a fight, a squad may secure a building, a platoon can take a street, a company or a ship can shift the result of a battle, a battalion or a wolfpack can secure a base, a regiment or flotilla will be responsible for a big chunk of a war front, while a fleet or army can fight a whole damn war.
A smaller asset can be invoked for an action generally undertaken by a larger one, but it will generally receive significant penalties - a company can try to secure a city. Emphasis on try, as it will lack the manpower to occupy it and will require everything going right and a tactical genius leading it.
Name: Theresa Solheim
Appearance:[1] [Portrait] [Casual] [Subspace]
Virtue: "Never Back Down, Never Surrender"
"I didn't get where I am by being careful, playing it safe, and backing away at the first sign of danger. If there's a challenge? I'm not backing away from it. If I have a goal, I'm not going to stop until I have it within my grasp."
Vice: "Federation Exceptionalism"
"I make no apologies for being a proud Federation citizen. Born on Earth, I am privileged enough and fortunate enough that through an accident of birth, I arrived here, in the United Federation of Planets. While I realize that on these boards taking such pride in one's nation is frowned upon as nationalistic chest-thumping, I am going to take a few moments of my day and do just that."
Pillars:
"My Ideals" (3)
"Ideals. The Federation's ideals. Freedom, equality, working together towards a common purpose. The strong protecting the weak. You'd hardly find a Starfleet officer who doesn't buy into it, but for me… it's one of two things that keeps me going."
"Starfleet"(1)
"My career has kept me going since the Dominion War. I may have lost almost everyone, but I still have that - something to strive for, to improve, achieve what my mother did and more."
"I Can Save Everyone" (0)
"When Wolf 359 happened, my mother was there. She did not come back. I got it into my head that I would not let anyone else die, that I could protect those around me, if I just tried hard enough.
The Dominion War showed me how wrong I was."
Skills: 24/24 Points (+14)
Combat
Infantry Combat: Trainee (-2)
Piloting: Trained (-4)
Tactics: Trained (-4)
Diplomacy
Persuasion: Trained(-4)
Bluff: Trained (-4)
Public Speaking: Professional, Inspirational Speeches(-8)
Technical
Starship Engineering, Trained (-4)
Knowledge
Physics: Professional, Subspace (-8)
Starting Assets
200/200 Points (-14)
Subspace Theory
Base Value: 100 (Does pretty much everything, from FTL travel, through communications and sensors to teleportation)
Theory, 1x
Total: 100 Points
Antimatter Power Sources
Base Value: 35 (High-density, fairly stable power source - memes aside, Starfleet doesn't lose dozens of ships every year to accidents; offers a significant improvement over fusion power, but doesn't scale down below small-craft level; introduces dilithium)
Theory, 1x
Total: 35
Phase Weapons
Base Value: 50 (Reasonably powerful and efficient directed energy weapon)
Theory, 1x
Total: 50
Sierra Black Uniform
Base Value: 2 (Rather snazzy uniform in command colours)
Item: 0.5x
Total: 1
[1] Doesn't have to be a picture, a regular description is absolutely fine
Appearance:[1] [Portrait] [Casual] [Subspace]
Virtue: "Never Back Down, Never Surrender"
"I didn't get where I am by being careful, playing it safe, and backing away at the first sign of danger. If there's a challenge? I'm not backing away from it. If I have a goal, I'm not going to stop until I have it within my grasp."
Vice: "Federation Exceptionalism"
"I make no apologies for being a proud Federation citizen. Born on Earth, I am privileged enough and fortunate enough that through an accident of birth, I arrived here, in the United Federation of Planets. While I realize that on these boards taking such pride in one's nation is frowned upon as nationalistic chest-thumping, I am going to take a few moments of my day and do just that."
Pillars:
"My Ideals" (3)
"Ideals. The Federation's ideals. Freedom, equality, working together towards a common purpose. The strong protecting the weak. You'd hardly find a Starfleet officer who doesn't buy into it, but for me… it's one of two things that keeps me going."
"Starfleet"(1)
"My career has kept me going since the Dominion War. I may have lost almost everyone, but I still have that - something to strive for, to improve, achieve what my mother did and more."
"I Can Save Everyone" (0)
"When Wolf 359 happened, my mother was there. She did not come back. I got it into my head that I would not let anyone else die, that I could protect those around me, if I just tried hard enough.
The Dominion War showed me how wrong I was."
Skills: 24/24 Points (+14)
Combat
Infantry Combat: Trainee (-2)
Piloting: Trained (-4)
Tactics: Trained (-4)
Diplomacy
Persuasion: Trained(-4)
Bluff: Trained (-4)
Public Speaking: Professional, Inspirational Speeches(-8)
Technical
Starship Engineering, Trained (-4)
Knowledge
Physics: Professional, Subspace (-8)
Starting Assets
200/200 Points (-14)
Subspace Theory
Base Value: 100 (Does pretty much everything, from FTL travel, through communications and sensors to teleportation)
Theory, 1x
Total: 100 Points
Antimatter Power Sources
Base Value: 35 (High-density, fairly stable power source - memes aside, Starfleet doesn't lose dozens of ships every year to accidents; offers a significant improvement over fusion power, but doesn't scale down below small-craft level; introduces dilithium)
Theory, 1x
Total: 35
Phase Weapons
Base Value: 50 (Reasonably powerful and efficient directed energy weapon)
Theory, 1x
Total: 50
Sierra Black Uniform
Base Value: 2 (Rather snazzy uniform in command colours)
Item: 0.5x
Total: 1
[1] Doesn't have to be a picture, a regular description is absolutely fine
Credits
@Usandru - credit goes to Usandru for
IC Thread
Players
Active
1. Daraken
2. Jemnite
3. Usandru
4. Kei
5.
Last edited:
