Fallout d20 Tackles Traits!

R

Roshambo

Antediluvian as Feck
Finally, GluttonCreeper unveils something about the ruleset they've been cooking up. (PDF)

To stick with the quality standards they have established with their first two "samples", GluttonCreeper has decided to show the last remaining part after fiction newspaper clips and the planned cover art - Traits from actual ruleset itself.

Their approach to making the Traits, much like their approach to the cover art, is...interesting, to say the least. Many focus upon stat-swapping, mostly useless aside from giving stats outside of racial limitations, some outright ridiculous.

Here are some samples, starting with the Useless:

Sickly: The character was born with a weak immune system and suffers a -1 penalty to Constitution. However his body may be weak but his will to survive is great. The character receives a +1 bonus to Will saving throws.
Physically Fit: Years of toning and training has built up the character's stamina. The character gains +1 bonus to Strength and Constitution. However, during the years of training, he neglected the learning arts and suffers a -1 penalty to Intelligence and Wisdom.

Flexible almost qualifies for this category, but it has some other effect than switching around stats. It is, however, likely to prove beneficial.

Here's one for those who want to swap around stats and feel "fat" for doing so:

Large Body: The character is larger than the normal person. He gains a +1 Strength and Constitution bonus, but suffers a -2 penalty to Dexterity. Additionally, the character weight is increased by 50% (x 1.5) of base racial weight.

The obvious choices for anyone who wants to play a munchkin melee, or doesn't feel like moving stats around:

Big and Dumb: The character was born dim-witted and suffers a -1 penalty to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. However, nature granted him with increased Strength. The character gains a +3 bonus to Strength.
Ham Fisted (Super Mutants Only): Genetic engineering [sic] has endowed this mutant with huge hands. His unarmed attacks deal lethal damage (1d6 + STR), however he suffers a -1 penalty to all Dexterity-based skills the require the use of his hands.

A similar one exists for non-mutants, for a couple of points lesser damage. So to all the munchkins out there, GluttonCreeper is thinking of you. Traits were supposed to be an even hand-off of benefits and drawbacks.

Beautiful and Extreme Personality (Free +1 CHA to good guys) have interesting effects when put together. 2 CHA points for the extra attention, but it could also affect the amount of negative rep points given (up to 4x, if the bonus in Beautiful conveys over to EP's negative modifier), and taking both traits is munchkin mode, as it gives free CHA without much drawback - or it might just be how they were planning to play (evil, for negative rep in certain locations) so there's little to no drawback.

The obligatory urination upon canon and the effects of FEV:

Vat Skin (Super Mutant only): Other people find this mutant hideous to behold and vomitous to smell! The mutant gains +3 natural armor and a -2 penalty to all Charisma based skill (except Intimidation). Additionally, any friends or foes within 20 feet of this mutant must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 character level) or suffer a -2 penalty on all attack rolls, melee weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks as they become sickened. If the save is successful, the character is immune to the Mutant Vat Skin effect for 24 hours. Vat Skin effects do not stack with other Vat Skin Mutants, and character that are protected from gas-based attack (such as wearing a environment armor or a gas mask) are not affected by the Vat Skin effect.

Super-mutants are not dopplegangers, kiddies. Research the FEV before you add anything further along this line to the core rules.

To traits GC changed for the hell of it and now don't have a reason to be picked by anyone with a brain:

Jinxed: The character has a large dose of bad mojo and receives a -1 Action Point. The good part is that everyone with 30 feet of the character also received this penalty when in the area of influence. Also when a critical failure is rolled on an attack roll (a natural 1 on a d20) by anyone in the influence area, the worst possible thing happens to that character. It is up to the overseer to determine the exact effect.

Hey, it doesn't sound so bad when you can only inflict that upon your enemies during their turn with Lucky.

And the outright moronic:

Clumsy: The character is extremely clumsy, but sometimes the clumsiness falls into that dumb luck category. She gains a -1 penalty to Dexterity, but gains a +1 Action Point.

Only *possibly* useful on even AGI/DEX scores, as otherwise you're dropping an entire point of DEX for one derived stat and gaining back the AP you just lost without anything else you get from that point of DEX. Even if taken when the character's agility is even, it sacrifices 1 point of DEX (2 DEX per AP) in order to get +1 AP, further lowering their overall DEX and ability to get a natural additional AP through raising DEX. The only way this would possibly be worth selecting would be if AP was 1 per 3 DEX, and even then it would be questionable.

Finally, for last, the one that puts question to how carefully GC is paying attention to both character systems:

Lucky: The character is lucky and gains a +1 Action Point. If the character expends all of his action points, he gains the Jinxed trait until he regains his action points.

So...if you use up all the APs you have on your turn, you can give the enemies bad luck during their attack turn, until you get APs again (from it being either your turn as per Fallout's rules, or being replenished at the end of a D&D combat round), the effect is over, and it's your turn again. Not only can you jinx your enemies' attacks when you have no APs, but you also get an additional AP!*

Welcome to Munchkinville!

Thanks to Grifka for the update!
Thanks to GluttonCreeper for expecting for people to pay for this garbage!

* - This is per Fallout's definition of APs. Now if we were to use d20's version of AP's, an alternate diagnosis may be seen here.
 
Good write-up, Rosh.

And it seems that the people at Gluttoncreeper still haven't thought of proofreading texts. Idiots.
 
Who's turn to rape the Fallout corpse is next? Uwe Boll making a film? Mattel making a toy line without swallowable parts? Will Britney make a Fallout soundtrack cover album?
 
I believe the size is warranted, as it's the most concrete public info we have about the project, aside from the other elements already reported, and this is pretty damning of the whole project. This is where it counts. The rules ARE the project, and they manage to already bumblefuck them to pieces with the most elementary of components.

That, and it's an officially "lincensed" title, is a bit important.

I grin in anticipation of the Fo3 announcement, when Bethesda finds their proverbial cojones (qw we know, they are only allowed to visit their REAL balls by appointment with the marketing department).

THAT will be the large news post.

EDIT: And if there's still any typos and corrections that need to be fixed, let me know. I had to type much of the text because GluttonCreeper is still learning how to use Adobe Acrobat.
 
Well, they messed up badly

Those stat-swap traits are worse than they look. For those who don't know (have been avoiding d20 like the plague or just didn't care), you generally don't want to give uneven stat increases in d20 (or uneven penalties, for that matter).

Since people get bonuses from their stats only from every 2 stat points, uneven stats just put someone halfway to the next bonus. Uneven increases to stats (+1, +3, etc.) make your 9s, 11s, 13s, 15s, etc. do more for you, whilst the uneven decreases don't make them do less. A munchkin's dream.

It just shows they don't know how to use d20, which begs the question:
Why in the nuked-out wastes would any moron try to fit Fallout in a game system that doesn't work for it, whilst simultaneously not having a clue about how to do anything with that system?!?
Not to mention whilst butchering the canon of Fallout as per the first sample.

Thank you NMA for the news, as usual, and for exposing the scam. Though in a way, GC pretty much exposed themselves by their incompetence. Even back when I was more of a stupid kid, I would have recognized them for the scam they are.

Why can't people do something good with a Fallout license for a change?
 
McArrowni said:
Thank you NMA for the news, as usual, and for exposing the scam. Though in a way, GC pretty much exposed themselves by their incompetence. Even back when I was more of a stupid kid, I would have recognized them for the scam they are.

Why can't people do something good with a Fallout license for a change?
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I ask that every time someone announces something new with the title.

The main problem with GC's design is that they simply fail on all three parts of making a P&P Title.

Art - If that front cover is the best piece available, then they need to literally go back to the drawing board. Un-fucking-acceptable. But it does blow the crappy GC website with its amazing ClipArt away, even if it looks like a high school art project instead of a decent piece.
Background Fiction - AKA flavor text, that which helps the rules flow with the world, and to provide background. Not only was this disjointed, but much of it was filler that had little relevance to the background or even a reason to print the damn thing, anyways.
The Ruleset - The core of the effort, and it looks quite lacking and ignorant of basic concepts from either ruleset they're trying to bastardize together.

On top of these three major components, the editing is sorely lacking from any and all parts presented. Knowledge of background information is highly questionable, when they will copy in FOT traits. I can understand why some were used previously, as Mical was using all the Traits in the games though it didn't fit into canon - FOT was fresher then. The d20 version does not need to stick or even include that misrepresentation of canon, as this is supposedly a commercial product. FEV is hardly going to give someone a sickly smell when the purpose of FEV is anything but "sickly".

But then again, we know that background information and setting details mean nothing to GluttonCrapper.
 
Action Points in Modern d20 aren't anything like the Fallout ones. That is, unless they changed it.

To quote the SRD (This is how AP's are in normal MD20):
Action points provide characters with the means to affect game play in significant ways. A character always has a limited amount of action points, and while the character replenishes this supply with every new level he or she attains, the character must use them wisely. A character can spend 1 action point to do one of these things:

* Alter a single d20 roll used to make an attack, a skill check, an ability check, a level check, or a saving throw.
* Use a class talent or class feature during your turn for which the expenditure of 1 action point is required.

When a character spends 1 action point to improve a d20 roll, add 1d6 to the d20 roll to help meet or exceed the target number. A character can declare the use of 1 action point to alter a d20 roll after the roll is made-but only before the GM reveals the result of that roll (whether the attack or check or saving throw succeeded or failed). A character can't use an action point on a skill check or ability check when he or she is taking 10 or taking 20.
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Most characters get 5 + half their new level AP's whenever they gain a level. In other words, there's no in-game way to gain them back besides levelling up.

But still, stuff that gives you a single AP is rediculous. Basically, Lucky gives you an Action Point, but you'll never use it because you don't want to be jinxed. Really well thought-out, I guess.

Also, point swaps are either useless or overpowered in point-buy (depending on a person's score). Example: If you're alotted 25 points for stats, and keeping in mind that increases to stats that are 13 or above cost more than 1 point, any score that is at 14 or higher suddenly gets a huge benefit from those swaps. If you take a -1 to Dex 13 and a +1 to Str 16, you're basically paying 1 stat point for a 3 point boost. I am not pleased with these rules.
 
Surge said:
Action Points in Modern d20 aren't anything like the Fallout ones. That is, unless they changed it.
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Heh, to be honest, I had forgotten about those, as nobody I know plays with many of the munchkin ruleset additions, characters are pretty much overpowered anyways. I'll admit that was ignorance on my part, as that d20 rule is an addition over core D&D gameplay that not many decent players or GMs care to use. There's already plenty of munchkinism and ease in gameplay, you don't need regular dice-seeders that might actually interfere with the GM's own "nudges" (although more scrupulous GMs would likely nudge to their decision anyways before the AP-edited point total is revealed), and the introduction of regular Really Limited Wish spells is bullshit.

Yet that still makes the Trait in question, Lucky, even more questionable.

You get an "extra AP". If you spend your last action point, everyone in a radius around you and you get jinxed, and suddenly you also subtract another AP, leaving the character at -1 AP, effectively meaning that with this trait, you've got an illusionary "extra" AP that takes you into AP debt once you finally spend it. It effectively means that every time you use up all of your APs, you lose an extra one, as written, to soak up some of the next level's awarded total. If Lucky doesn't give another +1 AP per leveling up, then you lose one per depletion and leveling cycle due to Jinxed. If Lucky took effect every level's AP replenishment, then you would still be adding from a negative value and merely breaking even.

So where's the "Lucky"?

It makes Jinxed even more stupid, considering that they receive a -1 AP (Per what? Per start, per level, etc?) and everyone around them including themselves, are all affected by jinxed effects. Given the range, 30 feet, don't plan on playing a ranged character again with this trait picked.

There's no advantage to disadvantage balance there, and obviously no reason to pick Jinxed, that is just simple stupidity.
 
ROFL

GCG moved the FO:PNP forum.

The only posters are GCG employees. It's the feel good forum of the year. Not very productive but it helps GCG artists feel good about themselves.
 
Smells like IPLY tactics.

http://gluttoncreeper.com/discussions/index.php.
Here's their post on the Rants forum:
We are listening to what the masses are saying, most have good input, but a few other seem bitter with the need to rant which does not bother us any.

Fallout, whats that? No really, everyone that is involved has played through the fallout series of games a few times (even the consule version), but we are not fanatics, just fans. This is why we are listening to the masses and using resources like the Fallout Wiki (where the fanatics post). Some of the material will be new and revised to fit into the era we are pitching the game in (between FO1 and FO 2). We also have to pitch to gamers that may have never experienced the Fallout games (god forbid why someone would miss out).

Unfortunatly we are limited to only printing in English and are not able to distribute outside the US at this time. This is a part of the terms in our license. It does not mean that you cannot buy the released product, it means you must buy it from a US source or a game shop that uses a US distributor.


The Gluttoneous One
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Of course, listening to the masses (what masses?) apparently means tearing Fallout canon and game balance apart. The masses of munchkins. Pft.

And of course, they're using the FalloutWiki! Either this means the Wiki is terribly, terribly fucked, or they actually didn't use it anywhere and they hence fucked up canon so much in both the intro and the rules themselves.

And, lastly, it's obviously a good idea to compromise your design because you need to appeal to people for whom the setting, the whole idea behind the development of this thing, is completely irrelevant.

What the hell is wrong with these people? They sound like Chuck at his worst.
 
Sander said:
Of course, listening to the masses (what masses?) apparently means tearing Fallout canon and game balance apart. The masses of munchkins. Pft.
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Obviously, since they probably got an ego stroke on some d20 forums about "oh i played Falalout for a bit, it is kewl! i cant wait to see this!!!!!11"

Nobody in the Fallout fandom that I have seen has been anywhere near optomistic about this shit since the laughable intro.

And of course, they're using the FalloutWiki! Either this means the Wiki is terribly, terribly fucked, or they actually didn't use it anywhere and they hence fucked up canon so much in both the intro and the rules themselves.
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Given that I've regularly been through the Vault, and even used the timeline to check their work on the intro, this is nothing but a boldfaced lie from a shit merchant.

And, lastly, it's obviously a good idea to compromise your design because you need to appeal to people for whom the setting, the whole idea behind the development of this thing, is completely irrelevant.
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Explain that to Tensen. The moron seems to think that because we don't like to see misplaced art styles, that obviously we want them to use in-game graphics. Six years later, and the boy is still a fumbling 'tard.

What the hell is wrong with these people?
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My first guess is...a lot. Primarily, their pride, which has to be taken down a few notches, in particular given Tensen's high school sketchbook "background". No wonder the dipshit has no clue about EC Comics style or anything of the sort - he's too clueless to recognize it, and too prideful/stupid to care!
 
You get an "extra AP". If you spend your last action point, everyone in a radius around you and you get jinxed, and suddenly you also subtract another AP, leaving the character at -1 AP, effectively meaning that with this trait, you've got an illusionary "extra" AP that takes you into AP debt once you finally spend it. It effectively means that every time you use up all of your APs, you lose an extra one, as written, to soak up some of the next level's awarded total. If Lucky doesn't give another +1 AP per leveling up, then you lose one per depletion and leveling cycle due to Jinxed. If Lucky took effect every level's AP replenishment, then you would still be adding from a negative value and merely breaking even.

So where's the "Lucky"?
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Exactly. It's goddamn useless. A saving throw bonus would've been more logical than this.
 
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