[SUPER] [LOW-TECH] [FANTASY?] Help me refine my SUPER/Historical setting

binn05 · 12-13-2024, 07:18 PM

I'm creating a campaign setting and need help developing it better.
The central idea is a low-tech historical setting, TL 2-3, between the fall of Rome and the rise of the Carolingian Empire, whereby through some event (to be defined), people begin to gain superpowers.

Geographically, I'm thinking either present-day France or the eastern border of present-day Germany, which would give a mix of western-eastern Europe in the 5th to 7th centuries.

I'm more inclined to start the campaign, temporally, from the barbarian movements to have many possibilities of conflict between different tribes.

But I accept suggestions as to which period and geography could generate more stories within this idea of the late ancient age and early medieval ages.

My biggest problem has been in the definitions of character creation.

I want to divide the sheet between the mundane and super parts.

Mundane Character Creation
This part of the character sheet will have only mundane, non-cinematic characteristics.
I think that the mundane sheet would show common people as peasants and occupations with a Struggling level of Wealth as by Low-Tech 3 or as apprentices of an Average Wealth level profession.
Also, as said in Low-Tech, they would start with Illiterate [-3], Status -1 [-5], and Wealth (Struggling) [-10], plus [-7] in other disadvantages to make it a round [-25] points.
I'm also considering making Illiterate [-5] to make it easy to reach the [-25] points.

Which values would be good maximum attribute and skill values for a normal person?
I'm thinking of maximums:
Attributes: 14
Per and Will separate from IQ
Secondary characteristics: +30%
Maximum skill level: Attribute +5.

But since I've never used a limitation like that, I have no idea what would be considered good values for mundane people.

And I haven't decided yet whether this part will be made with 75 or 150 points.

If it is with 75 points, the distribution would be 75 points in Attributes, 25 points in advantages, 25 points in skills, and [-50] points in disadvantages including the [-18] ([-20]?) package described above.

For the skills, I want to use Power-Ups 10: Skill Trees.

SUPERS Character Creation
Unusual Backgrounds: 30 points
Power, abilities, etc: 100 points

Now, I also have never used Unusual Background values to limit the purchase of characteristics (I mainly GM DF) and I need ideas and comparisons with the scheme I came up with.

Unusual Background (30 points to spend)
All the characteristics below are treated as powers and must receive one of the Supers/Psi/Elemental -10% modifiers.

Points are paid only once and not per
ST/HT above normal up to 20: 5 points
DX/IQ above normal up to 20: 10 points
Per/Will above normal up to 20: 2 points
Basic Speed/Movement up to +50%: 2 points
HP/FP up to 50%: 1 point
Skills Attribute+15: 1 point for Leaves, 2 points for Twigs, 3 points for Branches, 4 points for Trunks.

Habilities (all with a power modifier)
Power and its corresponding Talent: 5 points
Habilities within the power: 5 points
Each skill has a corresponding Attribute/Hard skill (as in GURPS Psi-Powers) up to Attribute+5.
Corresponding skill up to Attribute+15: 3 points

Limits for Habilities
Damage: 3d
Maximum non-specific DR: 9
Maximum DR tied to the power: +9

I'm using those maximums above because of the weapons and armor that TL2-3 has.
My idea is to start small and slow to test the waters.
So, any suggestions and critiques?

Also, would KYOS be a good rule for this type of campaign?

Flowergarden · 12-13-2024, 08:20 PM

Hi,
Mundane attribute maximum... I would say 12, ST maybe 13-15. But it really depends is mundane - average people, or peak human performance? I give mundane people (NPC) DX 8-9, so...
Skills +5 sounds good enough. I would even say +4, or even just 14. But it can be too much of limitation. (I'm using one skill up to 16 or 2 to 15, others to 14 most of the time and good enough)
For very mundane people I would probably limit stats on 11 and skills on 12. But it is very... specific type of games.
For peak human performance stats up to 14, ST up to 17.
Skills to stats+8

I'm really don't understand limiting points into categories, but maybe I don't see full picture. I understand why you want different pools for mundane and supernatural, but not for advantages/skills/stats

There's no reason to make disadvantage pack if it's in normal limit.
There is no need for it if you can't sell it. Just call it campaign assumptions and ignore them.
Or if you can, make them free of disadvantage limit, give more points on creation, and if they don't like disadvantage, let them buy "Not poor" advantage. It will make them reconsider if they really want to remove them.

Okay, I don't understand unusual background in this situation, what purpose it serves? Don't overcomplicate things for players without any need (and I'm a person who loves to overcomplicate, but for myself). Let them just take there abilities

Small limits for abilities are good for one reason. It's okay to give huge pile of points for some milestone (or end of a "chapter 0") but taking abilities back is an awful thing.
So if something just give points on abilities for something.

About KYOS, It's problematic with recalculating everything. But if you okay with that... The only problem is animal carry weight.

Hope that helps

binn05 · 12-13-2024, 08:53 PM

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