I've been a huge fan of TMNT (for the record, not the 2007 film) since I was a wee lad and I just recently discovered that there was an rpg based on the comics that came out in the 80's. I found a link that contained a scribd page that featured the entire core rulebook and I almost peed with excitement...that is, until I realized how archaic and annoying the system was. Don't get me wrong. I love the way characters are generated in this game. I love the levels of mutation you can choose. I love the character backgrounds. I love the possibilities for character customization. It's just unfortunate that almost every other aspect of the system sucks. I would really like to go through the lengthy task of converting this to more of a Pathfinder-style setting (but something more akin to d20 Modern) but I could really use some help. Below is a link to the core rulebook in case you aren't familiar with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness. I'd really like to hear your thoughts and opinions on my current obsession. Thanks!
- Spee
Oh, I remember that book. Its how i started with RPGs. Great artwork.
I think outside of a BAB it was pretty much the same as 3.x/pathfinder.
TMNT And Other Strangeness was the first RPG I ever played. One of the first play-tests I did for the game system I'm working on was a TMNT:aOS style campaign. It was games with a great concept powered by screwy systems that was one of my inspirations.
It was the first non dnd game i got into, though i liked the first version before they tried to unify all the rules. Its a shame as i got older i realized how bad the palladium mechanics were. Tge core concepts for tmnt were good but i liked the roadhogs future stuff better.
I always wonered why palladium never got into the d20 bandwagon, it probably would have sold and solved te good story background bad mechanics issue.
It was the first non dnd game i got into, though i liked the first version before they tried to unify all the rules. Its a shame as i got older i realized how bad the palladium mechanics were. Tge core concepts for tmnt were good but i liked the roadhogs future stuff better.
I always wonered why palladium never got into the d20 bandwagon, it probably would have sold and solved te good story background bad mechanics issue.
I am guessing that Kevin Siembieda does not think they are bad mechanics.
I love the background story Palladium Fantasy world, but I have not played it for over 15 years now...
It was the first non dnd game i got into, though i liked the first version before they tried to unify all the rules. Its a shame as i got older i realized how bad the palladium mechanics were. Tge core concepts for tmnt were good but i liked the roadhogs future stuff better.
I always wonered why palladium never got into the d20 bandwagon, it probably would have sold and solved te good story background bad mechanics issue.
I am guessing that Kevin Siembieda does not think they are bad mechanics.
Yeah, unfortunately, Kevin Siembieda's thought do not control reality. :)
I loved TMNT (particularly when combined with Ninjas & Superspies, my fave palladium game), but the mechanics were...not good. Seriously.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Chris, you removed it 3 seconds before i could see it. :-(
Oh well...
Palladium Books has since lost the TMNT licence, so you'd have to dig through the used books section of your FLGS to get a hold of copies of the TMNT RPG sourcebooks. However, Palladium is still selling the After the Bomb supplements (chock full of 80's post-nuclear direct-to-video goodness) and you can pick up downloadable versions for a fairly decent price at DriveThru RPG.
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/index.php?cPath=5193
It's still Siembieda's problematic Palladium system, but most people just get his stuff for the setting information anyway.
I don't think it would be too difficult to convert this old thang over but I most definitely could use some help if you guys are willing.
Dotted to track progress. I know nothing of updating whole systems; once had to add a thread for advice on converting a 1e module to PF. Still I'll watch here and offer any advice I can.
Dotting and offering because I'm a rabid TMNT fan and have been since issue 1 when eastman and laird ripped off daredevil's origin for their black-and-white opus.
Because we are ninja. Whe strike hard! Then fade away, into the night.
I've actually run whole homebrew campaigns out of that old dinosaur too. One was all avian mutants...called Fowl Force! Another was all farm animals.
My fave moment was when the battle-axe wielding chicken mutant of Fowl Force; Camilla the Barbarian, decided she would enter a convenience store in full view of many humans, to purchase a twinkie. 1) she was a 5 and a half foot tall chicken with ridiculous strength and the axe, and 2) she had no money. The ensuing blood bath was so funny I almost wet my pants...
Here is some races i came up with for d20 modern they arent pathfinderized but are a starting point. would not take much to pull it off IMO.
In a poast Apocalyptic game mutated anthro animals are a Halmark of the Genere. Below are species modifiers for mutant animals. These were Made a little on the weak side So they would be more balanced Against humans Each has a level adjustment of +0. To make your mutant animal more like the animal it is modeled after Select mutation which Reflect the creatures natural abilities. Or dont they are mutants after all.
AARDVARK
Ability Modifiers: +2 Constitution, -2 Intelegence, +2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Skill Bonuses: -2 to spot and search checks.
Low Light Vision: Aardvark hybrids can see twice as far as a normal person in dim light.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
APE (Monkie)
Ability Modifiers: +2 dexterity, -2 Wisdome, +2 Charisma, -2 Strength
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Low Light Vision: Ape hybrids can see twice as far as a normal person in dim light.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Clumb, +2 jump, +2 Tumble
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
APE (Gorilla)
Ability Modifiers: +2 Strength, -2 Wisdome, +2 Dexterity, -2 Intelegence
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Low Light Vision: Gorilla hybrids can see twice as far as a normal person in dim light.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
APE (Chimp/Orangatan/Baboon)
Ability Modifiers: +2 Intelegence,-2 Charisma, +2 dexterity, -2 Wisdome
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Low Light Vision: Chimp hybrids can see twice as far as a normal person in dim light.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Clumb
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
ARMADILLO
Ability Modifiers: +2 Constitution, -2 Intelegence, +2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Low Light Vision: Armadillo hybrids can see twice as far as a normal person in dim light.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
BADGER/WOLVERINE
Ability Modifiers: +2 Constitution -2 Charisma, +2 Devterity -2 Intelegence
Base Speed: 20 feet.
Low Light Vision: Wolverine/Badger hybrids can see twice as far as a normal person in dim light.
Bonus Feat: Toughness
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
BEAVER/OTTER/MUSKRAT
Ability Modifiers: +2 Dexterity, -2 Wisdome, +2 Intelegence, -2 Charisma
Base Speed: 20 feet. Overt Beaver hybridse have a Swim speed of 20 ft.
Low Light Vision: Beaver hybrids can see twice as far as a normal person in dim light.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Swim checks.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
CHEROPTIRA (BATS)
Ability Modifiers:
Moderate +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, +2 Wisdome, -2 Intelegence
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Light Sensitivity: Chiroptera hybrids siffer a -1 on all skill and attack rolls in bright light.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Listen checks.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
BEAR
Ability Modifiers:
Moderate +2 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelegence
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Skill Bonuses: -2 Spot And search.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
CANINE
Ability Modifiers:
Moderate +2 Constitution, - 2 Intelegence +2 Wisdome, -2 Charisma
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
DOLPHIN
Ability Modifiers:
Moderate +2 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +2 Intelegence, -2 Wisdome
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Swim
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
SMALL CAT
Ability Modifiers:
Moderate +2 Dexterity, - 2 Constitution, +2 Charisma, -2 Intelegence
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
WATERFOUL (DUCK/ GOOSE/ SWAN)
Ability Modifiers: +2 Charisma, -2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Wisdome
Base Speed: 20 feet.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Swim checks, +2 Spot checks
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
GAMEBIRDS (TURKEY/QUAIL/PHEASANT/CHICKEN)
Ability Modifiers: +2 Constitution, -2 Intelegence, +2 Dexterity, -2 Strength
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Spot Checks
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
BIRDS OF PREY (EAGLES/HAWKS/FALCONS/OWELS)
Ability Modifiers: +2 Dexterity, -2 Wisdome, +2 Strength, -2 Intelegence
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Low Light Vision: Bird Of Prey hybrids can see twice as far as a normal person in dim light.
Skill Bonuses: +2 search, +2 Spot
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
WILD BIRDS (ROBIN/BLUEJAY/CARDINALS)
Ability Modifiers: +2 Dexterity,-2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Wisdome
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Low Light Vision: Wild Bird hybrids can see twice as far as a normal person in dim light.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Spot
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
WILD PIG (BOAR/PECKARE/RAZORBACK)
Ability Modifiers: +2 Constitution, -2 Intelegence, +2 Strength, -2 Devterity
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Skill Bonuses: +2 search, +2 Spot
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
BOVINE (BUFFALO/BISON/COW)
Ability Modifiers: +2 Strength, -2 Charsima, +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
CAMEL
Ability Modifiers: +2 Constitution, -2 Intelegence, +2 Strength, -2 Intelegence
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Survival
Bonus Feat: Endurance
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
DEER/GAZELL/ELK
Ability Modifiers: +2 Dexterity, -2 Wisdome, +2 Strength, -2 Intelegence
Base Speed: 40 feet.
Low Light Vision: Deer hybrids can see twice as far as a normal person in dim light.
Skill Bonuses: +2 listen, +2 Spot
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
PACHEDERM (ASIAN ELEPHANT/AFRICAN ELEPHANT)
Ability Modifiers: +2 Strength, -2 Charisma, +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity
Base Speed: 20 feet.
Low Light Vision: Pachederm hybrids can see twice as far as a normal person in dim light.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
BIG CAT (LION/TIGER/JAGUAR)
Ability Modifiers: +2 Strength, -2 Intelegence, +2 Dexterity, -2 Wisdome
Base Speed: 40 feet.
Low Light Vision: Big Cat hybrids can see twice as far as a normal person in dim light.
Skill Bonuses: +2 Search, +2 Spot, +2 Climb
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
GOAT/SHEEP
Ability Modifiers: +2 Constitution, -2 Intelegence, +2 Wisdome, -2 Charisma
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
HIPPOPOTAMUS/RHINO
Ability Modifiers: +2 Strength, -2 Intelegence, +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity
Base Speed: 20 feet.
Skill Bonuses: -2 search, -2 Spot, Hippo hybrids enjoy a +2 on Swim checks.
Stability: Rhino hybrids gain a +4 species bonus on ability checks to resist bull rush and trip attempts when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground).
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
RODENT
Ability Modifiers: +2 Dexterity, - 2 Strength, +2 Intelegence, -2 Charisma
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
Use The statistics for Rodent Hybrids for the folowing rodents except where noted.
Special Qualities:
MOLE
Base Speed: 20 feet.
Light Blindness: -1 to attack and skill rolls while in bright light.
Skills: -2 to spot and search checks.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
MARTIN/MINK/FERRIT: +2 to Spot and search checks, Low Light Vision
Base Speed: 30 feet..
Low Light Vision: Mink hybrids can see twice as far as a normal person in dim light.
Skills: +2 search, +2 Spot
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
RABBIT: +4 to jump checks
Base Speed: 40 feet.
Low Light Vision: Rabbit hybrids can see twice as far as a normal person in dim light.
Skills: +2 Spot and Listen checks.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
RACCOON: +4 Climb Checks,
Base Speed: 30 feet.
Low Light Vision: Racoon hybrids can see Three times as far as a normal person in dim light.
Skills: +2 Spot and Listen checks.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
SQUIRREL: +4 Climb, +2 Jump
Base Speed: 40 feet.
Skills: +2 Spot, Climb and Jump checks.
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
WEASEL: Scent, Low Light Vision
Base Speed: 40 feet.
Low Light Vision: Weasel hybrids can see twice as far as a normal person in dim light.
Scent: Weasem hybrids have the scent special quality at the range of 10'
Skills: +2 Spot
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
MONGOOSE
Base Speed: 40 feet.
Low Light Vision: Mongoose hybrids can see twice as far as a normal person in dim light.
Skills: +2 Spot
Bonus Feats: Lightning Reflexes, Improved Inishitive
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
PACK RAT: +2 to sligh of hand checks, +2 to move silently checks
Base Speed: 40 feet.
Low Light Vision: Pack rat hybrids can see twice as far as a normal person in dim light.
Skills: +2 Spot, +2 Slight of hand, +2 move silently
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
SMALL REPTILE (GEKKO/CHAMELION/BLUE BELLY/GARDEN SNAKE)
Ability Modifiers: +2 Dexterity, -2 Wisdome, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelegence
Skills: +2 Climb, +2 Hide
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
LARGE REPTILE (KOMODO DRAGON/ALIGATORS/CROCODILES/PYTHONS)
Ability Modifiers: +2 Strength, -2 Intelegence, +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity
Skills: +2 Swim Checks (Aligators, Crocs, Pythons)
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
OCTOPUS/SQUID/CUTTLEFISH
Ability Modifiers: +2 Intelegence,-2 Charisma, +2 Constitution, -2 Wisdom
Skills: +2 Swim, +2 Hide, +2 escape artist
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
TURTLE/TORTUS
Ability Modifiers: +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdome, -2 Charisma
Skills: +2 Swim Checks
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
SEALS/SEALIONS/WALRUS/MANATEE
Ability Modifiers: +2 Constitution, -2 Charisma, +2 Intelegence, -2 Dexterity
Skills: +2 Swim
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
EQUINE
Ability Modifiers: +2 Strength, -2 Charisma, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelegence
Feats: Endurance
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
VERMIN (INSECTS/SPIDERS/CRUSTATIONS)
Ability Modifiers: +2 Dexterity,-2 Intelegence, +2 Strength, -2 Charisma
Low Light Vision: Vermin Hybrids can see twice as far as a creature in
Skills: Pick two of the skill modifers to flesh out your moreau. +2 Spotm +2 Climb, +2 Jump, +2 Hide
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
SHARK
Ability Modifiers: +2 Constitution,-2 Charisma, +2 Strength, -2 Wisdom
Skills: +2 Swim
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
PLANT
Ability Modifiers: +2 Constitution,-2 Charisma, +2 Strength, -2 Wisdom
Skills: +2 Survival
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
FUNGUS
Ability Modifiers: +2 Constitution,-2 Intelegence, +2 Strength, -2 Wisdom
Skills: +2 Survival
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
MOLLUSKS
Ability Modifiers: +2 Constitution,-2 Intelegence, +2 Strength, -2 Wisdom
Skills: +2 Survival
Free Language Skills: Read/Write Common (or local language), , Speak Common (or local language), .
Other Languages: Human languages
Dont worry someday Paladium will buckle and Paizo (Or someone) will buy them out and make something cool but use a different system.
I'd suggest looking Omega World for d20 stats and mutations, a little conversion but would be good resource.
Im wondering if you coukd set up a system for advanced race guide to work with 5he tmnt bio e concept. I havent looked at the rules for it yet and wont til tgey ship out and i get my pdf copy.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Dont worry someday Palladium will buckle and Paizo (Or someone) will buy them out and make something cool but use a different system.
Palladium Books is going strong and their true fans don't change a thing.
Its about the original abstract gaming the RPG's started out with and they decided that doing a conversion for D20 was a waste of their time. I believe the D20 system is so over simplified, and that for the way TMNT and RIFTS are designed the system is perfect any other system would limit if not remove a lot of the options available.
I'm not posting this to start a flame war, and will not post anything further on this thread, but The palladium system is made for people that don't need miniatures to play their games.
Don't get me wrong I like Pathfinder I play the game and buy the books, but there is nothing in the D20 system that simulates the feel of the TMNT and other Palladium Games then the way the system was written.
Someone above said the system was archaic, I disagree. It has just as much use this day as it did the day it was first created.
Eidolons and evolutions, mixed with base animals?
'Here is some races i came up with for d20 modern ...'
Thank you! You saved me weeks of half-hearted attempts at modifying old TMNT files
Someone above said the system was archaic, I disagree. It has just as much use this day as it did the day it was first created.
Agreed, I have know exactly one person at any given time that actually ran a Pal. game of any type. I have known about 13 over the years, everything from Heroes Unlimited (great creation system when wedded to HERO) to Mecha (painful) and never saw a game (17+) go more than 5 sessions (TMNT). That one lasted over 20 sessions, but we had to pull a better system in to actual play.
As a proud owner of at least 5 Palladium books, I love the work Kevin puts into his backgrounds, but the system still bites.
To be fair, I have a certain amount of respect for a company sticking with the same system, with only minor tweaks, for 31 years (yes, 31 years. Palladium's first game was published in 1981) and not making fans buy all new editions every five years or so. [cough]Games Workshop[cough]
But there is a huge difference between gouging your fans under the guise of "improving" the game and making needed improvements to address well known, decades old flaws.
Ultimately i found palladiums rules issues seemed to turn up more in certain genre. I gmed several heroes unlimited games without alot of problems but when we did palladium rpg about six years ago so many rules issues turned up we converted it to 3.5.
I really like his bakground material though always enjoyed reading the books.
Its funny i cannot remember enough of the fine details of the rulesto actually name any of tge issues.
I like the fluffy bits of paladium just not the crunch. ANd ive never played d&d with minatures :) always winged it out just fine.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I'd be far more amenable to Palladium/Rifts if someone could take layout duties away from Siembieda and put together a book that doesn't drive me insane trying to figure out where stuff is.
Great material, the system isn't completely horrible, but the books just suck hind-end due to the useless layout, nonfunctional ToC and nonexistent index.
...and nonexistent index.
What do you mean nonexistent? This is Kevin Siembieda we're talking about after all!
It's just sold separately.
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/60655/Rifts-Index-%26-Adventures---Vo lume-One
Let us not Dweel on our dislike of kevin but on our love of ninja turtles.
I only played Palladium using the Robotech(TM) rules. I thought they worked great. Game moved at a good pace and even large battles didn't take a million years to resolve.
Let us not Dweel on our dislike of kevin but on our love of ninja turtles.
Fair enough.
I've played TMNTs a few times and enjoyed it. Sadly, the last time I played it was with a GM that I'd gone a bit sour on. He's a great guy, and far from the worst GM I've ever had, but he never really created adventures of his own, relying on the scenarios in the back of the TMNTs book. All of which I'd already played during my previous group's forays into TMNTs.
Also, I hated Doc Feral. He was such a unpleasant, cliche-ridden character that I'd disliked the first two times I'd seen him. So when my then group was ramping up for what would be my third start of a TMNTs game I made it clear to the GM that I would find enjoying the game difficult if Doc Feral was included in the campaign. Unfortunately, I was informed that since Doc Feral was the main NPC villain in the back of the book, he was part of the game.
I'm sorry to say I took this badly and became something of a jerk. I happened to role the "Publicly Known" background, meaning my character's status as a mutant animal was known to the public at large and he actually had a high-paying job at the company that created him. So I created a Tai-Chi using (we were using the Ninjas & Superspies combat rules) pacifist turtle who had a medical degree.
My GM didn't know how to deal with this. In his mind TMNTs characters are supposed to be hunted figures "sworn to protect a world that fears and hates them" kind of thing, and a bipedal turtle that shows up a crime scene demanding lawyers and the ACLU didn't fit into his worldview. I also rolled on my characters medical knowledge, and used my own, to mess with his portrayal of Doc Feral, rudely pointing out his pseudo-scientific gobbledygook at every opportunity. Fortunately, the campaign ended and we switched games because of a turnover in players before things could get out of hand.
(and if you're reading this Scott, I apologize. I'm still kind of ashamed of how much of an ass I was being at the time.)
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I used to play a Mutant Wole that was a member Of Peta. But got kicked out for eating an earthworm. Than travelev the world defending the weak with his Pump action shotgun and boxing skills.
I love the TMNT game. It could use some serious revamping, but it was still fun.
To my recollection TMNT&oS was my gateway into RPG's other than TSR games. I adored it. It got me picking up every Palladium RPG I could get my grubby little teenaged hands on.
Digression ahead, spoilered for your protection.
Palladium lost me with Rifts. More accurately with All the Rifts sourcebooks, which usually didn't mesh well together & brought on 'power creep' like you wouldn't believe. If you think 3.5 had it bad, check out the early & mid Rifts sourcebooks. I can't speak to it now because I haven't picked up a Palladium book & actually read it thoroughly in over a decade.
Its still creepy least it was a year ago.
I hope posting a self-promoting link doesn't violate any decorum for the Paizo boards. Aren't I supposed to sacrifice a goat to Lisa Stevens or something like that first?
Anyway, I have an alpha version of some RPG rules I've been working on on my website complete with typos and editing errors. Part of my early inspiration was to see if I could create a storytelling rules set for something like TMNT&oS. It has rules for ninjas and a couple of anthropomorphic animals, plus a lot of other things. I would be honored if some of you want to check it out.
Sorry, I don't know how to do the link thingy.
http://skwervogames.com/
I loved TMNT and Other Strangeness. I was a fan of the original comic book and cherished the hell out of that book, creating hundreds of characters just to create them.
The rules are still, basically, the house rules for Kevin Simbieda's company, Palladium. Many portions of his books (like modern weaponry) are simply cut-and-paste from earlier books. It's not the best system, but it is a fun system (if you think TMNT&OS is bad, you should check out the Rifts stuff... *shudder*).
Palladium books are pretty much good for plundering ideas from. I say plunder away!
I only played Palladium using the Robotech(TM) rules. I thought they worked great. Game moved at a good pace and even large battles didn't take a million years to resolve.
See, weirdly, Robotech WORKS. TMNT or After the Bomb WORKS.
It's the giant mash-up of Rifts that is what will fall down, if anything.
they definately need to streamline everything.
Thank you Chuck for the linky thing.
what kinds of mutants did the rest of you play?
Tai Chi Porcupine
Ah, good times...good times. I had a machinegun-toting deer named Bambo and a Sumo mouse named Squeekyaki.
Using d20 for this game might work. If you want to keep with the spirit of the original game, you might want to look at the optional rules for armor as DR.
The character I played the most was a mutant t-rex, samurai named Liz. Other than that, I made a lot of cat and dog mutants based on my pets. Then there's all the random characters and npcs I made just for the fun of it.
One thing I liked about TMNT&oS was that almost anything could be lifted from the movies, and it would fit with little to no modification. C.H.U.D., The Terminator, Lionheart, Split Second, Big Trouble in Little China, or Predator 1&2, could fit in a TMNT game with no problem.
|
To be fair, I have a certain amount of respect for a company sticking with the same system, with only minor tweaks, for 31 years (yes, 31 years. Palladium's first game was published in 1981) and not making fans buy all new editions every five years or so. [cough]Games Workshop[cough]
But there is a huge difference between gouging your fans under the guise of "improving" the game and making needed improvements to address well known, decades old flaws.
cough cough Basic Roleplaying System cough cough
Very little change to the BRP system between the original RuneQuest and Cubicle 7's recent The Laundry.
|
|
I always wonered why palladium never got into the d20 bandwagon, it probably would have sold and solved te good story background bad mechanics issue.
The d20 system is not the end-all and be-all of roleplaying. Especially when you take a look at RPGs that used other systems and then put out a d20 edition....I can't think of a single one where the d20 edition was even as good as the original, much less better.