ShadowFate, FateRun: Shadowrun Hack for Fate

Shadowrun has one of the coolest, most distinct settings in the world of RPGs. It also has a pretty dense system. I was thinking about how cool it would be to hack Fate into a Shadowrun game, but someone seems to have beaten me to the punch. Specifically, Rob Wieland, the author of several Shadowrun books.

Take a look here for skills and stunts, and here for the archetypes.

Masterwork Items in Torchbearer

Weapons

Once per Kill, Drive-Off, or Capture Conflict, the player may choose to re-roll* a single failed die while using this weapon.

Armor

Once per Kill, Drive-Off, or Capture Conflict, the player may choose to re-roll* their die when testing for armor damage.

Items

Once per adventure phase, in a test where a masterwork item was used as supplies, they may re-roll* a single failed die. This item must grant a +1D to the test in order to use the ability.

Cost

The cost for all masterwork items is equal to double their Ob. It is up to the GMs discretion whether or not they are available for purchase.

*The normal rules for re-rolling apply. This ability may not be used to re-roll dice that have already been re-rolled.

Torchbearer GM Screen

The folks at BWHQ recently announced that they are in the process of putting together a GM screen for Torchbearer! Pre-orders were restricted to the backers of the Kickstarter, but everyone else can get in on the action this August.

Sounds from the Crypt #2: Electric Wizard

I am hardly the first to make the connection between metal and D&D. If it isn't your thing, Electric Wizard isn't going to change your mind (I personally prefer fast to heavy). However, there is something about the sludginess of this stuff lends itself well to gaming, particularly a good DCC session.

This song does have vocals but the lyrics are mostly unintelligible so they won't distract. There is a nice build up from the slow foreboding march of the beginning all the way until the end. Perfect for a final boss fight or raising the dead.

Torchbearer: Familiars

Upon gaining a new level, Magicians may opt to form an Arcane Bond with a creature or object rather than gain a new spell slot. Magicians may only have one Arcane Bond at a time.

Arcane Bond

During the course of their travels, Magicians often form special bonds with a creature or unlock powers hidden deep within objects. A Magician who chooses this level benefit has merely done the proper rituals necessary to create this bond and must still find a suitable creature or object to gain any effect. As with spells, your Mentor can provide a familiar. Others may test Circles to find someone in town who can help or find a suitable familiar in the wild at the GMs discretion.

Sample Familiars

Brain in a Jar: +1D to Lore Master
Chameleon: Anytime Nature is taxed, reduce the amount by 1
Crow: +1D to Scavenger
Dog: +1D to Pathfinder
Eagle: +1D to Scout
Fox: +1D to Criminal
Moth: Whenever a light source would go out, roll a d6. On a roll of 4+, it stays lit for another turn
Owl: +1D to Hunter
Pseudodragon: +1D to Arcanist
Rat: +1D to Dungeoneer
Spider: +1D to Alchemist
Toad: Increase disposition of caster by 1 during a conflict

The benefits that grant +1D to a skill are neither help nor wises and therefore are not affected by conditions. Additionally, if the Magician is using Beginner's Luck on a skill, this die is added after reducing the number of dice by half.

Losing a Bonded Creature/Item

If a creature is killed as part of a twist or compromise or if the item is lost or stolen, the bond is broken. Tax the Magician's Nature by their current level.

Torchbearer on Roll20.net

Courtesy of SilverSeraphim on the forums. To use it, login to Roll20.net (make a free account if you don't have one). Before launching your campaign, go to Details > Campaign Settings. Scroll down to the Character Sheet section and select Torchbearer from the drop-down list.

Kickstarter: Drinking Quest

It's a Drinking Game and a Tabletop RPG! The first 3 Drinking Quest games were cult hits-now they've been remastered with new content.

In 2011 Drinking Quest: The Original Drinking RPG spawned a hilarious new genre. The Drinking Quest games are a light RPG, a light Drinking Game (with non drinking rules as well) and a heavy parody experience because it's such a ridiculous concept.

Since then two sequels have been released: Yeddy Vedder's Yeti Adventure (2012) and Nectar of the Gods (2013).

The goal of Trilogy Edition is to bring all three games together seamlessly in one package and make all kinds of improvements like:

• Full Colour Cards
• An Improved D4, D6, D8 System (Instead of 3D6) This adds complexity to the game without adding a single new rule.
• Bigger Cards while still staying a good size to bring to the pub
• A Bigger, More Attractive Box
• Up to 3 new Quests (Consisting of 12 cards each)
• Other smaller improvements (Think remastered Star Trek not remastered Star Wars)

Fund it here. 

Fyndel Forest: The Trees Are Dreaming

Fyndel Forest came to be known as the Dreamwood for its protean nature. The trees change shape, the weather cycles out of season, and if you go down to the river you may find wine flowing across its banks. Skeptics dismiss this as simple illusion, the work of some hedge wizard, but anyone who has spent time in these woods can you tell you the forest's dreams are real.

Once per day, roll a d66 and apply the appropriate effect. Some of these effects are meant purely to be cosmetic. Others may increase the difficulty of some actions. As a rule, simply count these as a factor when figuring the obstacle for any action that could reasonably be affected by it. Additionally, this table may be used to introduce magic twists for failed spell attempts.

11 Foiliage: the leaves are made of gold and silver. If they are removed from the forest they turn to mulch.
12 Shifting Roots: the brush constantly readjusts itself making tracking, pathfinding, and mapping difficult.
13 The forest is asleep. No effect.
14 The forest is asleep. No effect.
15 Blinding Miasma: heavy fog blankets the forest obscuring vision.
16 Warp Pool: all bodies of water become portals to other parts of Fyndel Forest.
21 Deadwood: the trees are made of bone.
22 Seagrove: the floor of the forest is covered in seashells.
23 The forest is asleep. No effect.
24 The forest is asleep. No effect.
25 Early Winter: heavy snow is falling and turns pass as in the Winter phase.
26 Root Maze: Players cannot leave this area of the forest. If they cross a border, they re-enter on the opposite side.
31 Topiary Jungle: the trees have contorted themselves into the shapes of beasts and animals.
32 Beachwood: the floor of the forest is covered in sand.
33 The forest is asleep. No effect.
34 The forest is asleep. No effect.
35 Cloudburst: heavy rain and thunderstorms.
36 Emerald Dreams: roll on this table again--the characters dream this effect will happen, and it does the following day.
41 Palette Swap: all of the colors in the forest are inverted.
42 Wet Roots: campfires will not start and torches have a 50% chance of going out each turn.
43 The forest is asleep. No effect.
44 The forest is asleep. No effect.
45 Smoke Without Fire: a cloud of heavy, black smoke hangs in the forest air.
46 Trick or Treat: a mysterious fruit seems to have grown on all of the trees.
51 Water To. . .: Roll 1d6. All bodies of water are full of (1) wine, (2) vinegar, (3) salt water, (4) blood, (5) acid, or (6) oil.
52 Eversun: even after the sun has set, the forest is still as light as day.
53 The forest is asleep. No effect.
54 The forest is asleep. No effect.
55 Mirewood: the water levels rise, flooding Fyndel and turning it into a swamp.
56 Evernight: even after the sun has risen, it remains as dark as night.
61 Tempest: Roll 1d6. It is raining (1) frogs, (2) scorpions, (3) glass, (4) stones, (5) Blood, or (6) oil.
62 Voodoo Stones: carvings of the adventurers appear on the stones.
63 The forest is asleep. No effect.
64 The forest is asleep. No effect.
65 Rootwatch: there are eyes on the leaves.
66 Giant Growth: All of the trees and plants grow to massive stature.

Tips for reading the dice: If the 1's column would be a 3 or 4, there will be no effect no matter the 10's column. You can also read the dice two ways (ie, you could choose either 12 or 21 and apply whichever effect you like better).

Six New Classes for Torchbearer!

Jared Sorensen tried his hand at Assassin, Barbarian, Bard, Druid, Monk, and Strider. They can be your for the low price of $1 per class. Take a look here!

Dark Elves: Torchbearer Edition

Class: Raider
Raw Abilities: Will 4, Health 4
Skills: Fighter 3. Ritualist 3, Theologian 3, Scholar 2, Scout 2, Dungeoneer 2
Trait: Born From Shadow
Weapons: Crossbow, Sword, and Dagger
Armor: Leather and Chainmail

Born From Shadow

At the dawn of the world, the First Born cast out those of their kin with impure intentions, driving them deep underground. Over the ages, their skin became the color of pitch, their hair lost all pigment, and they found a certain comfort in the darkness. Those Born from Shadow can find a way when there is no clear path, but are often blinded by that which is in plain sight.

Where is Your Home?

Below are two new settlements meant to represent some of the many possible locations of the Underdark, the Dark Elves' home.

Drow Citadel (Dark Elves Only)
Skills: Weaver, Theologian, Alchemist
Traits: Cunning, Jaded

Isles of the Underground Sea (Dark Elves Only)
Skills: Carpenter, Laborer, Sailor
Traits: Bitter, Rough Hands

Optional Rule: Unless you're playing a campaign set within the Underdark, it is very unlikely that you will visit your home. Players may choose to take any of the normal settlements within the books, but they may only choose between Loner or Stoic as the home trait choices to reflect their status as outsiders.

Wises 

Choose one of the following: Poison-wise or Elf Lore-wise; additionally, take a second wise of your choice.

Nature

If you're a Dark Elf, write Nature: Dark Elf on your character sheet. Your descriptors are Spiting, Remembering, and Hiding.

Dark Elf Nature Questions

Do you take pleasure in every opportunity to spite your enemies? Or do you save your energy for more important matters?

• If you pleasure in spiting your enemies, increase your Nature by one.
• If you save your energy, replace or increase home trait with Thoughtful or Calm.

Have you found it within yourself to forgive those who have betrayed you? Or do you brood over the past, remembering the faces of all those who have wronged you?

• If you remember the faces, increase Nature by one.
• If you found it within yourself to forgive, replace your home trait with Generous or Honorable/

Do you desire to reclaim your place beneath the sun and stars and bathe in the light once more? Or do you prefer to hide in the depths of the world, shrouded in darkness?

• If you prefer to hide, increase your Nature by one and decrease your starting Fighter by one.
• If you desire to reclaim your place, your Nature and Fighter remain unchanged.

Starting Equipment

As Elf Ranger.

Dark Elf Raider Levels

When they gain a level, Dark Elves choose between a Cleric prayer or a special level benefit. This section describes the special level benefits. Gaining new prayers is described in the Divine Power section.

Level 1

Raider: Your level 1 title is Raider. Your level 1 benefit is the ability to use Ritualist to cast one first circle prayer of your choice, wear leather and chainmail armor, and wield a dagger, crossbow, and sword.

Level 2

Eldritch Sink: Dark Elves are supernaturally resistance to magic. All attempts to affect a Dark Elf with magic, helpful or harmful, suffer -1s.

Level 3

Essence of the Earth: As the level 3 Elf ability

Level 4

Fearless: As the level 4 Elf ability

Level 5

Shadow Dancer: Dark Elves are adept at wielding two weapons, either two swords or a sword and a dagger. While doing so, they may add +1D to all Fighter rolls during a Kill, Capture, or Drive Off Conflict. If wielding two Swords, they may choose two actions that receive a +1D bonus.