Cortex Options IV: Sci-Fi Bundles
Aug. 21st, 2008 09:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rockwoodThis series of articles, the first of which is here, covers unofficial or personally-owned (maybe, if I get around to buying a license) material I'm writing for Cortex RPG games, including new sub-systems, optional rules, and similar.
Disclaimer and notice: If I ever get around to writing my own Cortex sourcebook, I might include some of these ideas, but I put them up here for free in the hopes that they'll see use by other folk, too. Please feel free to link to them or use them yourself. If you want to repost them elsewhere, or you draw heavily on them for your own freely available work, I would both love to hear about your project and would also appreciate being given credit for whatever inspiration I provided, but don't worry about it too much. My only restriction is that you do not publish my writing for profit, or put it into something which requires a subscription or purchase to view, such as a commercial e-zine or similar.
This particular article includes some Bundles, a feature fully introduced in the Cortex Role Playing Game System which debuted at GenCon '08 in a special 'Convention Edition.' Essentially, Bundles are packages of Traits put together because they represent one overall 'thing,' be it a character's species, a blessing, a curse, or another effect that is too complex to be summed up by a single Asset or Complication. The Bundle has a value that can be positive (making you buy it like an Asset), d0 (making it free, as long as you're allowed to take it), or negative (giving you back points like a Complication). There's a bit more too it than that, but that's enough to make the Bundles below understandable.
The Bundles here use the new Traits from the Cortex Core Rulebook, so those who want to use them will have to either wing it or buy the book (shameless plug: buy the book! It's awesome!), since fully reproducing the descriptions of those Traits would be a violation of copyright.
Also: these Bundles are from two Sci-Fi universes I want to roleplay in using the Cortex system, though they may already have their own RPGs....I'll probably do more Sci-Fi Bundles in the future, but these struck me immediately as amusing examples :-)
Pitch Black/Chronicles of RIddick Bundles
Eye Shine [d2]
Asset: Enhanced Senses d10: Can see perfectly well in almost-literally pitch blackness, though the vision is not quite normal....
Complication: Impaired Senses d4: Blinded by normal levels of light, requiring goggles or shades to function.
Complication: Memorable d4: Stands out, either because of their shiny eyeballs or their constant use of goggles.
Elemental [d12]
Asset: Enhanced Movement (d8): You can glide very well, though not truly fly.
Asset: Head for Numbers (d6): You always know the odds.
Asset: Intuitive Leaps (d12): You're very, very good at predicting outcomes; so good, in fact, that it sounds like prophecy.
Complication: Duty (d8): You must work to preserve a balance, even if that means personal risk.
Complication: Infamy (d6): Certain cultures revile you and your kind as witches, demons, and similar; you may be treated with hatred and fear by them.
Starcraft Bundles
Terran Marine [d4]
Asset: Combat Ready (d10): You're ready for a fight. Anytime, anywhere.
Asset: Devoted to a Cause (d6): You believe! Or, at least, that's what you're told; anyway, it helps you anytime you're following clear orders.
Asset: Rank and Privilege (d4): You're in the Marines! Not very high up, but at least you can boss the civvies around.
Asset: Steady Calm (d6): You're hard to shake. Not surprising, considering the training and programming you've been through. And the drugs you're on. And the combat you've already seen. And...
Complication: Addiction (d6): You're addicted to the chemical stims that you use in combat, and which your superiors use to reinforce your programming.
Complication: Duty (d12): Having been neurally resocialized means that you don't remember what you did, and that if you survive your tour of duty you'll have the slate wiped clean...but if you get in serious trouble before then, the only way out is in a box. And that means you have to obey your superiors, no matter what, even though 90% of marines die in battle.
Complication: Choose One of: Crude (d4), Glory Hound (d4), Dead Inside (d4), Out for Blood (d4), Overconfident (d4), Smartass (d4), or Toes the Line (d4).
Zergling [d0]
Asset: Enhanced Communication (d6): You are telepathically linked to the Overmind and the Zerg hierarchy.
Asset: Fast on your Feet (d12): You can move more quickly than most natural creatures.
Asset: Inherent Weapons (d8): Your clawed limbs and rending jaws can inflict vicious wounds, even on armored targets.
Asset: Lightning Reflexes (d6): Your reaction time is preternatural.
Asset: Simple Needs (d8): Your only nourishment comes from the Creep, and you practically don't need to breath, being biologically 'sealed' for space combat.
Asset: Unnatural Healing (d6): Burrowing into a nest of Creep allows you to heal extremely quickly.
Complication: Dead Inside (d6): You have no emotional frame of reference from which to understand non-Zerg.
Complication: Duty (d12): You serve the Overmind, no matter what.
Complication: Impaired Communication (d8): You can only communicate via telepathy, and then only with other Zerg.
Complication: Impaired Manipulation (d12): You can't use tools, armor, or anything requiring non-bladed limbs.
Complication: Out for Blood (d8): Your blood boils almost constantly; your life is one of barely-subdued aggression.
As always, comments and questions are welcome (about these, about Bundles in general, and so on). Also, if anyone wants me to write up something specific as a Bundle, or wants rules for a particular ability or character, feel free to ask!
Blessed be,
~Nathan
Disclaimer and notice: If I ever get around to writing my own Cortex sourcebook, I might include some of these ideas, but I put them up here for free in the hopes that they'll see use by other folk, too. Please feel free to link to them or use them yourself. If you want to repost them elsewhere, or you draw heavily on them for your own freely available work, I would both love to hear about your project and would also appreciate being given credit for whatever inspiration I provided, but don't worry about it too much. My only restriction is that you do not publish my writing for profit, or put it into something which requires a subscription or purchase to view, such as a commercial e-zine or similar.
This particular article includes some Bundles, a feature fully introduced in the Cortex Role Playing Game System which debuted at GenCon '08 in a special 'Convention Edition.' Essentially, Bundles are packages of Traits put together because they represent one overall 'thing,' be it a character's species, a blessing, a curse, or another effect that is too complex to be summed up by a single Asset or Complication. The Bundle has a value that can be positive (making you buy it like an Asset), d0 (making it free, as long as you're allowed to take it), or negative (giving you back points like a Complication). There's a bit more too it than that, but that's enough to make the Bundles below understandable.
The Bundles here use the new Traits from the Cortex Core Rulebook, so those who want to use them will have to either wing it or buy the book (shameless plug: buy the book! It's awesome!), since fully reproducing the descriptions of those Traits would be a violation of copyright.
Also: these Bundles are from two Sci-Fi universes I want to roleplay in using the Cortex system, though they may already have their own RPGs....I'll probably do more Sci-Fi Bundles in the future, but these struck me immediately as amusing examples :-)
Pitch Black/Chronicles of RIddick Bundles
Eye Shine [d2]
Asset: Enhanced Senses d10: Can see perfectly well in almost-literally pitch blackness, though the vision is not quite normal....
Complication: Impaired Senses d4: Blinded by normal levels of light, requiring goggles or shades to function.
Complication: Memorable d4: Stands out, either because of their shiny eyeballs or their constant use of goggles.
Elemental [d12]
Asset: Enhanced Movement (d8): You can glide very well, though not truly fly.
Asset: Head for Numbers (d6): You always know the odds.
Asset: Intuitive Leaps (d12): You're very, very good at predicting outcomes; so good, in fact, that it sounds like prophecy.
Complication: Duty (d8): You must work to preserve a balance, even if that means personal risk.
Complication: Infamy (d6): Certain cultures revile you and your kind as witches, demons, and similar; you may be treated with hatred and fear by them.
Starcraft Bundles
Terran Marine [d4]
Asset: Combat Ready (d10): You're ready for a fight. Anytime, anywhere.
Asset: Devoted to a Cause (d6): You believe! Or, at least, that's what you're told; anyway, it helps you anytime you're following clear orders.
Asset: Rank and Privilege (d4): You're in the Marines! Not very high up, but at least you can boss the civvies around.
Asset: Steady Calm (d6): You're hard to shake. Not surprising, considering the training and programming you've been through. And the drugs you're on. And the combat you've already seen. And...
Complication: Addiction (d6): You're addicted to the chemical stims that you use in combat, and which your superiors use to reinforce your programming.
Complication: Duty (d12): Having been neurally resocialized means that you don't remember what you did, and that if you survive your tour of duty you'll have the slate wiped clean...but if you get in serious trouble before then, the only way out is in a box. And that means you have to obey your superiors, no matter what, even though 90% of marines die in battle.
Complication: Choose One of: Crude (d4), Glory Hound (d4), Dead Inside (d4), Out for Blood (d4), Overconfident (d4), Smartass (d4), or Toes the Line (d4).
Zergling [d0]
Asset: Enhanced Communication (d6): You are telepathically linked to the Overmind and the Zerg hierarchy.
Asset: Fast on your Feet (d12): You can move more quickly than most natural creatures.
Asset: Inherent Weapons (d8): Your clawed limbs and rending jaws can inflict vicious wounds, even on armored targets.
Asset: Lightning Reflexes (d6): Your reaction time is preternatural.
Asset: Simple Needs (d8): Your only nourishment comes from the Creep, and you practically don't need to breath, being biologically 'sealed' for space combat.
Asset: Unnatural Healing (d6): Burrowing into a nest of Creep allows you to heal extremely quickly.
Complication: Dead Inside (d6): You have no emotional frame of reference from which to understand non-Zerg.
Complication: Duty (d12): You serve the Overmind, no matter what.
Complication: Impaired Communication (d8): You can only communicate via telepathy, and then only with other Zerg.
Complication: Impaired Manipulation (d12): You can't use tools, armor, or anything requiring non-bladed limbs.
Complication: Out for Blood (d8): Your blood boils almost constantly; your life is one of barely-subdued aggression.
As always, comments and questions are welcome (about these, about Bundles in general, and so on). Also, if anyone wants me to write up something specific as a Bundle, or wants rules for a particular ability or character, feel free to ask!
Blessed be,
~Nathan
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-08-22 03:44 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-08-23 12:57 am (UTC)Yeah, that's pretty much the line of thinking that went into Bundles. Basically, Cortex traits are pretty simple if you're adding one or two to an otherwise 'normal' character, but if you want to play a non-human...well, their 'normal' abilities are pretty much like having a whole ton of Traits already. So we shoehorned in Bundles in order to let GMs sort all that out beforehand. They almost made it into the original Serenity RPG long ago, but we didn't have the nuances worked out then, and all the characters were human anyway, so we didn't have as clear a sense of the need for Bundles yet.