I’ve got this crazy idea about running a space-opera-esque/Horror (aliens- style) game using the 5th edition D&D mechanics.
I’m thinking about adapting the Alternity Roles (Soldier, Tech, Diplomat) into new Character Classes; maybe introduce some variations on the classic races to give them a sci-fi feel, but basically keep the core mechanics and rules of 5th edition.
The game will be a rework of the classic Traveler Module “Annic Nova”
Does anyone find this interesting?
At all?
I originally posted this question in the Campaign - General Discussion thread, but I don't think anyone noticed it, or maybe they did and it is a bad idea...Anyway I thought I'd put it here to confirm my suspicions. If anyone likes this idea, so that we don't falsely create the illusion that this is an active recruitment, would it be alright if I asked interested individuals to pop into the general discussion thread above this one to talk about this idea?
Posting here with what I did in the General Discussion thread: I'd be potentially interested in doing this, since I'm trying to get as much practice and experience with 5th edition as I can. I really like the new ruleset and I'd be interested to see what you can do with it.
I am interested in this, although I don't have the rules for 5e. I have played 5e a few times (and enjoy it).
I have played Traveler a lot as a young man (which I no longer am!).
I enjoy space opera and horror. I have played several version of the Star Wars games, d20 modern / shadow rules / future rules, Traveler, Dark Heresy (a favorite, by the way) and a sci fi setting of All Flesh Must Be Eaten.
Let me know if the game moves along and develops into actual play. I know that is a problem sometimes (I recently failed to set up a Strange game on these boards due to lack of interest from players).
I think this sounds like it would be a really, really cool campaign. I love horror elements in any adventure. As soon as I read the description, I started thinking about stuff like Aliens (which I see you're also thinking of), Event Horizon, or Dead Space.
I've not played 5e yet, but I've GMed a few brief sessions from the Starter Set and have the Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide.
You spent a brief time serving as a soldier either as part of a planetary defense force, or possibly as a trainee for a corporate marine contingent (soldiers trained to act as security on board star ships).
Soldiers are taught the basics of fire arm safety, advanced weapon recognition, basic hand to hand tactics, and given rigorous physical training to bring them into the peak of their physical abilities. Every soldier knows how to use a Stub Gun (a low velocity weapon preferred by star ship security forces) and the cutlass (a short edged weapon that is effective in close quarter fighting). Some soldiers are lucky enough to be given Zero-G combat training which allows them the skills needed to fight effectively in zero gravity or low gravity environments.
The Soldier (levels 1-3)
Level Proficiency Bonus Features
1st +2 Soldier Type, Second Wind
2nd +2 Action Surge
3rd +2 Soldier Career
Class Features
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Soldier level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 +your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + Constitution Modifier per Soldier Level after 1st
Equipment: You start with a personal melee weapon (with a cost of 200 credits or less), a suit of light field dress, and a personal pack.
Soldier Type
Your basic training identified particular skills that you were selected to improve and specialize. Choose one of the following.
Rifle Corps: You gain a proficiency bonus of +2 when using any projectile weapon with both hands.
Boarding Party: You gain proficiency with Battle Dress (armor of tech level 9+), and when you are wearing armor you are proficient with you gain a +1 bonus to AC. You gain the Vacuum Suit Skill.
Marine Escort: When fighting with a melee weapon in one hand, and no other weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to damage with that weapon. You gain the Zero-G Combat Skill
Fire team: You gain a proficiency bonus of +2 when you use any crew served weapon and can operate ship board weapons platforms without a penalty even if you do not have the Battery Skill
Security Detail: You gain proficiency in the Crew’s Life Skill. If an attack comes from a source you can see and have identified, and that attack targets any object within five feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose Disadvantage on that attack, you must be wielding a Shield, or using a Deflector
Career Soldier
A career soldier has dedicated her life to doing what she knows best. Upon reaching third level and choosing to remain a soldier, a soldier chooses one of these archetypes to focus their talents on.
Superior Marksman – The Superior Marksman trains in perfecting the use of ranged weapons. She learns a few special techniques that can be used with a few guns that are her preferred weapons, and has a pool of Dice (Superiority Dice) that can be used to enhance her attacks.
Squad Leader – the Squad Leader studies tactics, deployment options, and battle situational awareness. The Squad leader knows how to take advantage of practically any situation and can raise friendly troops in their performance.
Specialist First Class – A Specialist Fist Class has shown exceptional talent in areas not normally associated with the pistol and cutlass of the average soldier. These individuals may be trained to be combat medics, small craft or vehicle pilots, or even special operatives who excel in espionage and covert tactics.
Details of what each Archetype provides will come later. I am also putting together a list, shortened, of Skills to use for this game taken from the Alternity, and Traveler Games
I hope to today post the rough draft of the Diplomat class, and I've been redrawing the Annic Nova (in AutoCAD) to make it a bit larger and better suited to the game idea I have in mind.)
I appreciate the interest, and I do intend to launce the game, but keep in mind that it is me after all (just look at my other games) so be prepared for something story and character driven with not a lot of rules.
You really need to stop coming up with campaign ideas that I want to be a part of. :) I've always wanted to play (Mega)Traveler since I played the video games long ago, but have never had the chance. I loved just creating characters in that game. The only drawback is 5e. I've no interest in learning a new D&D system.
I can understand where you are coming from trawets71, no worries.
As for systems and their mastery, I am sort of hoping the rules are less important to this game than the experience. So far, my experience with 5e is that it is very rules light, easy to throw things in and even bring them back and throw them out again, because ultimately I'm really just hoping to have a dialog with the players.
One of the things I find frustrating is that it is difficult to post tables to these kinds of forums. With that said here is something I was brainstorming over the weekend. I made of list of skills that are found in 5e, then a list of skills (that I felt were important to this experiment) from the Alternity Game* and then a similar list from my classic Traveller Books
The first thing that I came up with is that 5e and Alternity are easy to match, Skills for Skills, while anyone with the experience knows that Traveller used a Skill System that was independent of Ability Scores, but Traveller is very much in line with the 5e concept of “Proficiency” (in that having a rank of “0” in a skill means you can try to do something, but you gain no bonus to your rolls, while having “proficiency” in a skill, i.e. a rank of +1, usually conferred a bonus to the roll of +2 or +4).
In the end it was easy to come up with a short list of relevant Skills (and then begin to decide what classes would be proficient in what skills). The Skill List for this game will include
Acrobatics (Dexterity)
Administration (Charisma) – recognize situations and protocols where organizational skills are required (can be used when accessing computer programs)
Animal Handling (Wisdom)
Athletics (Strength)
Computer Operations (Intelligence) – modify, configure, and set up large computers and software suites
D&D (Wisdom) – no, the other one – Decommissioning and Deconstruction expertise
Electrical Systems (Intelligence) – Knowledge of function, purpose, and operation
Electrician (Dexterity) – effect repairs, modifications, installations
First-Aid (Intelligence) – immediate care based upon classroom training
Interaction (Charisma) – Influence other intelligent creatures through personal projection
Intuition (Wisdom) – awareness of dangers or situations that is not based upon tactile evidence
Investigation (Intelligence) – reaching conclusions from collected evidence
Jack-of-All-Trades (Choose one – fixed) – can be used to reproduce any other skill with a proficiency bonus of +1 instead of +2
Medical (Wisdom) – expert care based upon knowledge and experience
Mechanical Systems (Intelligence) – Knowledge of function, purpose, and operation
Mechanic (Strength) – effect repairs, modifications, installations
Navigation (Intelligence) – Operation of Star Ship navigation systems
Perception (Intelligence) – awareness of dangers or situations that is based upon tactile evidence
Piloting (Intelligence) – Operation of Starship Maneuver Drives
Resolve (Constitution) – overcoming life threatening physical or emotional stress
Science (Intelligence) – Knowledge of scientific principles beyond the mundane
Small Craft (Intelligence) – Operation of Small Crafts (Piloting and System Operation)
Systems Operation (Intelligence) – Operation of Star Ship systems including weapons arrays
Tactics (Wisdom) – Coordination of personnel and resources
Zero-G Training (Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution) – Ability to function in Zero-G environments (removes Disadvantage)
*Alternity used a complex Skill System that introduced a two-tier Skill assignment system, you had to have the Parent Skill and the sub-skill to be able to do certain things
You found out early in life that you have a knack for certain things, among them, using your personality to get ahead. You found your calling on board a star ship, putting your talents to their best use.
Diplomats – as many starship crews are found of calling them are all those sorts of multi talented individuals that learn the fine arts of negotiation, charm, and disciple. You find these kinds of people fulfilling all manner of roles and responsibilities from entertainers, to spiritual guides, to counselors, and even stewards, butlers, and even human resource officers, anywhere where the job requires a person who knows what their strengths and weaknesses are, when it comes to dealing with other people.
Diplomats learn to handle negotiations, as well as the ins and outs of day to day interpersonal problem solving. Often, a diplomat will be talented in some other field completely unrelated to their work (being able to bond with others in areas of common knowledge or interest is a proven negotiation tactic).
On many Star Ships, you’ll even find a Diplomat fulfilling the role of “Chaplain,” a particularly savvy individual educated in many different cultural religious practices and willing to serve the spiritual, and physiological needs of the crew.
The Diplomat (levels 1-3)
Level Proficiency Bonus Features
1st +2 Diplomat Type, Specialty
2nd +2 Calming Influence, Cross Training
3rd +2 Expertise, Back Up Plan
Class Features
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Diplomat level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 +your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution Modifier per Diplomat level after 1st
Equipment: You start with a personal melee weapon (with a cost of 200 credits or less), a field computer, and a personal pack.
Diplomat Type
Sure, you are charming, and level headed, but after some experience in the world you finally begin to see where your true calling lies, Select one of the following.
Entertainer: You can substitute your Charisma Modifier for any other modifier when using a Skill you do not have a proficiency in
Counselor: When you use a short rest, you can grant one friendly character Inspiration. This inspiration cannot be stacked with any other inspiration granting benefit. This ability resets after a long rest. You can force an opponent to have Disadvantage on any Skill roll they use to Intimidate, or Influence you to go against your nature.
Doctor: Whenever you take a Long Rest, each friendly character that also takes a Long Rest that you can examine, gains a bonus of +1 hp recovered per hit die. When using the Medical Skill to stabilize a wounded character you are never considered to have disadvantage, and if you have access to a medical kit you have advantage. You have Proficiency with First Aid Kits, Medical Kits, and Medical Equipment
Administrator: You have Advantage whenever you access a ships computer system for the purpose of determining what can or cannot be done from that terminal. You can make Resolve Skill Checks with Advantage if you can see a friendly character that is not unconscious.
Chaplain: You have studied the art of Divine Channeling and can Channel Divine Energy to interrupt the negative impact of a Profane Energy Source for one minute
Specialty
Select one of your Skills: You may cancel the penalty of Disadvantage when it is imposed upon you in using this skill, or you may apply a bonus of double your proficiency when using this skill (with or without Advantage). This ability resets after a short rest.
Calming Influence
Whenever you select the Help Action, the character you are helping can choose to double the proficiency bonus of a skill they are trying to use, or add a modifier of +1 to any attack roll and damage roll they make if you are helping in the attack
Cross Training
Select any Skill not on the available Skill list for Diplomats; you gain proficiency with that skill
Expertise
You gain additional benefits of your Diplomat Type
Entertainer: if you have Disadvantage to a Skill Check that you have proficiency in, cancel that Disadvantage if at least one friendly character can see you.
Counselor: You can grant inspiration to a number of friendly characters equal to your Wisdom Modifier using a short rest
Doctor: The benefit of a Long Rest under your care is improved (+2 hit points per die). If a Character Dies while you can administer care, you can make a Wisdom Save with a DC equal to 20 – the dead characters Constitution, and if you succeed, that character stabilizes with negative hit points equal to one less than their Constitution Score. The roll may be subjected to Disadvantage in dangerous circumstances.
Administrator: You can double you proficiency bonus with any Skill you use to influence friendly Non Player Characters
Chaplain: You discover a domain power and can use Channel Divine Energy to some effect based upon that domain (select a domain).
Back Up Plan
As a Diplomat with much experience in planning and having plans go awry, you can reroll any skill check failure if you roll a 1, but you must accept the second roll.
I just put a huge wall of text (spoilered) in the development thread for this game in General Discussions - my "in game" explanation of how interstellar travel works for this campaign setting.
I'm working on the Rogue/Tech class, and making the list of skills that are allowed (the list that can be choosen from) for the Soldier - this weekend I'll be working on equipment lists and then, maybe, I'll be ready to launch an actual recruitment.
Almost finished with the things needed to launch the actual recruitment thread, if there is still interest.
I'll be putting the character creation and other starting rules in a Word Document and then placing it in a Dropbox folder and providing a link to it so that interested players can have a look at what I am thinking about.
I'm almost done with a weapons list (it will include most of the standard 5e melee weapons, the bows and crossbows, and a few Hi tech weapons) and the Rogue/Technician class draft
Here is an introduction I've been working on (trying to keep it short)
Background of the Duchess Beatrice:
There is an old saying among the privateers who become salvage crews trying to strike it rich working the abandoned ships of Aetherspace. For the Captain, they say that the second happiest day of her life is the day she pays off her ship, and the happiest day is that day when;
She sells it to somebody else.
The Duchess Beatrice began life as a standard PAPICC* (it is pronounced as Pap-ick)merchant agro ship. She was a sturdy three hundred tonner, with a good engine room, and a reasonable crew deck.
That was eighty five years ago.
She traded hands twice, first she was sold from standard three-system service, into private ownership after fifty years in service, and then she found her way into the hands of a privateer.
Now, I understand that many thousands of years ago, the term privateer had a different meaning, and was applied to ships on planetary oceans that attacked each other trying to steal cargo. They called these acts, piracy, when they were carried out by unscrupulous men and women, and they called it privateering, when some government was stupid enough to write out a license to commit piracy as long as it was always carried out against the other country. That rarely was ever the case.
But today, when piracy in space is virtually impossible, privateering has taken on a new meaning. You see, most governments consider it ridiculous to make claims as to the goods lost, abandoned, and left deserted in the Aether, and the Interplanetary Relief Society enforces a universal ban on most salvage operations in Aetherspace. But there are still some systems in the Congress of Interstellar Trade (CoIT) that regularly write letters of Marque granting captains rights to goods recovered in Aetherspace, and these letters spell out the terms and conditions for the resale of any such goods that a captain can salvage.
These captains, plying the Aether for salvageable goods, barely getting by and often unable to keep their ships in the best condition, call themselves privateers.
The Duchess “B” as her crew is found of calling her, is one of these ships, in a sort of way. You see, PAPICC is a large multisystem conglomerate with holdings in many diversified shipping companies and deep in the business of financing loans to privateers. Often, when a standard PAPICC ship of the line has reached the end of its serviceable life, it will be “contracted out” on a “lease to own” arrangement whereby a captain makes regular payments to some PAPICC loan officer, in exchange for the rights to work under one of PAPICC’s many privateer licenses.
In the third month of the year 4-978 (standard IRS calendar) the captain of the Duchess “B” made the final payment on her PAPICC loan and became the sole owner of the aging vessel, which under most conditions would be a reason to celebrate, but the Duchess “B” had a couple of other issues still plaguing her. First, the captain owed, two million four hundred seventy nine thousand credits to PAPICC Star Ports Limited in fuel processing fees, second, she was carrying forty tons of AGRO-Tech cargo, destined for delivery in a system still three jumps away (yes the pay-off for that delivery would just about cover a third of the back payments in fuel processing, but that is nothing to get excited about when your tanks are empty and you are sitting in high orbit around a class three star port), and lastly, and most importantly,
The crew had not been paid since the beginning of the year.
*PAPICC – Petterson, Addams, and Petterson, Intersystem Container Corporation
