The bare bones system [was: Re: [UA] [OT] White Wolf, TSR and so on...]

[Edward Perkins]

----- Original Message -----
From: Joe Murphy (Broin) <broin at dial.pipex.com>

> I'd love some, assuming that would count as reasonably on-topic? =)

I'm guessing discussion of the UA system counts as on-topic.

> I mean... isn't it very lethal? I thought fading Suns was relatively epic
> and cinematic?

Well..yes. It's certainly a lot more lethal than vanilla FS. Probably not as
much as normal UA, 'cos of energy shields, advanced armours, etc. I just
stressed to the players that getting shot would very likely lead to their
deaths. Not so unreasonable, especially in a setting with energy weapons.

A lot of people run FS in a heroic vein - I've done that, and I prefer this,
really. I'm not sure what's heroic about running towards an enemy position
when people can empty magazines into you and not kill you.

I think that the UA system is really quite cinematic - as long as we're
talking about films that involve a lot of sudden deaths. You probably want
something else if you're looking for John Woo, but UA is doing me proud.

> And how are you running various races and things?

I've not really done specific race conversions. Most of it should be fairly
straightforward. I really don't like getting bogged down in six volumes of
traits (Con X players will know what I'm talking about). Keep things simple,
you're Etyri, so you have a lower body (hollow bones), but you can fly, and
maybe have better speed, and eyesight.

If you're looking for specifics, the whole thing (or the latest iteration,
at least) is at

http://www.lexitus.co.uk/standard/fs/fs-ua.html

Most of the probabilites are pretty dodgy - I just went with how unpleasant
I thought X should be.

Really, the conversion is just a matter of tidying up. Armour needs to be
taken care of, as there's a lot more variety besides Kevlar, conversions of
maximum damage, and a few bonuses for the more doomy energy weapons. The
skills are a simple conversion, which is whiffled around with a bit for
psychics/theurgy

Shields are tweaked in values alone, a example list of Unnatural stressors
for the Known Worlds.

Starships are still a bit in flux. The system I'll probably end up with is
UA skill rolls, Noble Armada (the FS minis' game) damage, and some variant
of manuvering from D20 star wars.

As I say, it's been going quite well. An advantage is having the Stress
Checks, as FS doesn't have a canon sanity system - although there is a
rather funky system from our own list member, Eric Brennan. ;-)

Anyway, anything more specific, always happy to say "uh... I just wing it"

-Ed.



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