Hackmaster Talent [Hackmaster]

Broad Training (8/16/24/32)

Someone who with Broad Training is familiar with a variety of weapons and can learn to use unfamiliar weapons rapidly. For 8 points, they ignore 1 point of non-proficiency penalty with any weapon. For 16 more points (24 total), they ignore 2 points of non-proficiency penalty. For 24 more points (48 total), they may ignore up to 3 points of non-proficiency penalty, and they may ignore four points of penalties for an additional 32 points (80 points total). Note that this does not make them proficient in weapons that have no penalties; they must still purchase proficiency before purchasing any relevant specialization. If your class is able to purchase all weapon proficiencies at half cost, then you may purchase this talent at half cost.

Commentary: I didn't like any of the suggested names, but Handy seemed universally unpopular, so I hit the thesaurus for another. You will note that I didn't double the cost for those who pay double for weapon proficiencies; off the top of my head, no one actually does that (though magic-users come close), and that just seemed unnecessarily punitive for an already expensive option... like someone else said, you're more of a combat monster by specializing in one weapon than being able to not hurt yourself with several.

Mass Effect: Volus, and how they suggested a setting rule

On the Giant in the Playground boards (where I am a mod), I've been getting some feedback on my Savage Worlds/Mass Effect... including someone who wished I'd included the Volus. I shied away from them because they seemed difficult to do, but I thought of a method on the way home, and decided to post it.

Since Volus are native to high-pressure, ammonia-based atmospheres, the Earthlike conditions that prevail on most Council worlds are deadly to them. As such, they live in heavily armored pressure suits, and breaking those pressure suits is deadly to them. However, it occurred to me that, in Mass Effect, you frequently find yourself in hostile environments, buttoned up inside your armor. So, I'm adding a general setting rule: Armor Breach.

Any attack whose AP exceeds your Armor bonus, or which causes 2 or more wounds, represents an armor breach, and the full effects of the environment you find yourself in begin. Breaches may be repaired using the Repair skill, or by using the mechanical application of the Healing power.

In short, really big hits, or hits with weapons that blow through your armor, might kill you a lot easier.

However, let's look at the Volus. The numbers given are for the purposes of race creation, from the Savage World's Explorer's edition; Volus are +2, which is where every race is supposed to be.

-2 Pace 4, with d4 running die (similar to Lame Hindrance)
-2 Agility requires 2 points to raise during character generation. Volus are not clumsy, per se, but they are also not very agile.
-2 Strength requires 2 points to raise during character generation. Volus are small and physically weak.
-2 Fragile: Volus whose armor is breached must make a Vigor check at -4 to avoid instantly dying from explosive decompression and fatal oxygen poisoning. This check must be repeated each round until the volus is returned to their proper environment, either in a pressure chamber, a Vol-formed world, or by repairing their armor. During a breach, all actions taken by the Volus are at -4.
+2 Free Edge: Rich. While the Vol Protectorate doesn't have the wealth to field vast fleets, individual Vol have a lot of money compared to the average citizen, and can draw on clan funds.
+2 Start with d6 Smarts.
+2 Start with d6 Spirit.
+2 Free Equipment: Armor suit. Volus pressure suits are equivalent to Medium Armor (+8), providing indefinite life support and a +4 v. environmental hazards. It does not have a strength minimum. Volus armor does not incorporate HUDs, but frequently incorporates omni-tools and shield generators.
+2 +2 to Charisma. Though some volus are abrasive, their trade-based society gives them a great advantage in wheeling and dealing.

I find it amusing that the Charisma-mavens in SW Mass Effect are the grumpy hobbits, not the alien hot chicks. As one of the few races without the Outsider flaw, they have great advantages on top of their +2 to Charisma.

Savage Worlds: Mass Effect Page

I created a page for my previous Savage Worlds Mass Effect posts, cleaned up and with most of the redundancies and errors removed. As I get more feedback (or, as I call it, "Validate me, you bastards!"), I'll fix problems, and hopefully keep a change log.

http://rpgcrank.blogspot.com/p/savage-worlds-mass-effect.html

Savage Worlds Mass Effect: Gear

Most Savage Worlds Mass Effect gear is similar to modern and futuristic gear in the Savage Worlds Explorer's Edition, pages 48-56. Many things function differently, but have similar statistics.

Savage Worlds Mass Effect: Powers

For those wondering, I will eventually compile these into a single document, edited into something a lot clearer. First, a basic overview of the two Arcane Backgrounds, then considering the individual powers.

Tech v. Biotics

While there's an obvious in-universe reason for the difference between the two, Tech and Biotics share many of the same powers. What's the differences?

1) Tech is not unique. Everyone can take the Tech skill, even without the Arcane Background. Tech represents the advanced technology of the Mass Effect Universe, and most people have a passing familiarity with it. The Arcane Background, however, represents a real flair with tech, being able to manipulate devices to share power pools and enact unique powers without necessarily having a device that does exactly that. With Tech, ANYONE can try to hack a computer with their omni-tool, use an acid-thrower weapon, create barriers with a portable barrier emitter, or activate the shields on their armor; someone with the Arcane Background might be able to use a Mind Reading power to simply learn executive level-passwords, or use their omni-tool to throw bolts of acid, create barriers, or create shields on armor that doesn't have it. The Arcane Background is Flexibility with tech, and the ability to learn new tricks.

2) Biotics have a bit of extra power. Though most biotics prefer to keep their slow replacing, natural points for emergencies, they can all make use of bio-amps for a pool of freely usable power points. While 500 credits isn't cheap, it's affordable to a lot of people and biotics find those 10 points to be enough for most uses. If someone has both Arcane Backgrounds, they can use Power Points from other objects to recharge their Bio-Amps; recharging a bio-amp from another device requires an action and a successful Tech check.

Edges and Hindrances in SW Mass Effect

We're looking at beginning a SW Mass Effect game, soon, and so I've been looking at a few Edges and Hindrances for what they might mean in the ME universe.

Now, one thing I should make clear; anyone, whether they have the Arcane Background: Tech or not, may learn and use the Tech skill. However, that is ONLY to use powers built into devices; you can use Tech to turn on shields in your military-grade armor (i.e. Activate the Armor Power built in). If you have the Arcane Background, you can use your learned Armor power to create shields whenever you have an omni-tool. Without the background, you can learn no powers, only use the ones already there. Civilian omni-tools only include the Healing and Speak Language powers, allowing them to dispense medi-gel and translate most common languages.

GM's Day

This is something I wrote in 2009 for GMs Day. As GMs Day rolls around (on March 4th of each year), remember to thank the people who make your fun possible; GMs, designers (both professional and homebrew), and the players who aren't dicks.