At this point, I've finished with the rules for character creation
and the use of music in the game and have started working on the vehicle
and Titan rules. Another thing I'm doing as I go along is filling out
the details on the various schools of rock.
Now, you may wonder
why I haven't finished that before moving on to another part of the
rules-set and the reason is simple: basically there are a metric
butt-tonne of ability lists to fill out. I have to define 11 levels for
each Style's Sonic Wzardry Effects, which means 88 separate Effects
spread between 8 schools of rock.And then I also have to fill out the
various Licks available to specific schools, and those add another 40
sub-effects that may or may not be based on the Sonic Wizardry Effects.
That
takes time and you should never try to tackle a job like that all at
once. Best to come back to it a bit at a time as you are inspired and in
between working on all the other stuff that needs doing as well. Not only is it less maddening, but working on other
rules can often inspire an idea that will grow the lists as you go while
still maintaining forward momentum in other areas, and all while
keeping the thematic and mechanical elements holistically connected.
This is a much more effective use of time than simply staring at a
screen and straining your brain for ideas to finish lists in one go
while other bits of mechanics need finishing.
All that said, I
have completed one of the schools and thought I'd post it up today to
give folks a look at how a fleshed out section of the Rocktagon looks,
mechanically speaking. There will be additional verbiage, thematic
information and so on, added later as the book is finished, but for now,
here are the rules for the Dedite School of Rock and their favored
sonic style: Fire...
DEDITE
Characteristic Bonus: Fire +1
Special Career: Sonic Slayer
HARMONICS
Harmonic Number - 4
Domination: The current roll is pushed up one Level of Success.
Killing is My Business (and Business is Good): Double the total damage caused by the current roll OR ignore the target's armor.
The Four Horsemen:
The Dedite and up to 3 Band-Mates gain a Bonus Die on all actions
related to Combat (including strategy and tactics) and intimidation for
the rest of the Scene.
DISCORDS
Discord Number - 8
RagNaRok: For
the rest of this scene, any benefit the Dedite gains from striking a
Harmonic is also given to one of their enemies for their next roll.
War Nerve:
If the Dedite is in combat when this Discord is struck, the pressures
of combat trips their bloodlust into overdrive and they attack with nor
regard to their own safety. Their Defend Score is reduced to -2 for the
rest of the Scene.
Ride The Lightning: The
Dedite pours too much power into their instrument and reaps a vicious
energy backlash from the feedback. If using a Sonic Weapon with the
Safeties Off, the Dedite takes D6+3 damage.
LICKS
Axe - Rapid Fire: The
guitarist may use their sonic amplifier to shoot a hail of flaming
bolts at the enemy. This gives them a Rapid Fire rating equal to their
Rank in Dedite.
Bass - The Fallen Angel: When used by the Frontman to create the Heat Shield Effect, it will last a number of Rounds equal to 3x the Decay rating after the bassist ceases to maintain it.
Percussion - Hot and Heavy: When used by the Frontman, any Sonic wizardry Effects gain one free bump in Intensity, Damage or Area of Effect.
Vocal - Tears of Fire: When used by the Frontman to create The Sky is On Fire
Effect, tiny drops of flame start to rain down from the sky, affecting a
number of Titan Hexes equal to the singer's Dedite Rank. Everything
within those hexes takes a hit from an Intensity 1 flame each turn.
Cover may negate this effect, so long as the cover itself doesn't catch
on fire...
Other - All Guns Blazing: When using the Fire of Unknown Origin
Effect, all ballistic weapons within D6 Personal Hexes of the player
gain a +1 flame damage and all Flame weapons roll a Bonus Die for
damage.
FIRE EFFECTS
Fire
in BoHM is measured in Area of Effect and Intensity (see pg.xx).
Enhancing Fire Effects doubles the Radius and adds +1 to the Intensity
or Damage for each Rank added to the Effect.
0 - Turn Up the Heat
The
headbanger can raise the surrounding temperature (a number of Personal
Hexes equal to the roll total) to an extremely uncomfortable level,
enough to melt ice quickly and cause extreme dehydration and fatigue
(see pg.xx), but not enough to boil liquids or to start fires.
1 - Flames Rising
The
headbanger can increase the power of existing flame. Each successful
use of this Effect doubles the Area of Effect or Intensity of the fire.
2 - Fight Fire with Fire
The
previous level of Fire Mastery can only grow or maintain flames. At
Rank 2, the heabanger learns to reduce or eliminate them. They may
reduce any fire in Intensity or Area of Effect by 1 using this Effect.
3 - Bat Out of Hell
The
headbanger can now exert fine control over existing flames, shaping
them into animated avatars of flame that move and dance around at their
whim as long as they continue to maintain the Effect. The flames may
move a number of Personal Hexes per Round equal to the headbanger's base
Dedite Style Rating.
4 - Fire of Unknown Origin
The
player may now ignite flammable materials spontaneously, creating a
fire of Intensity 1 with a Radius of 1 Personal Hex. The fire will burn
as long as it has fuel or for D6 x Decay in Rounds after the player has
ceased maintaining it.
If used to light a close combat weapon on
fire, add a damage modifier to any attacks using it equal to the
Intensity of the flame. You can also do this with feet and fists, but
combustible weapons and body parts will take damage every round this
Effect is in action. In these cases it's best to combine it with Hellion, below.
5 -Hellion
The
headbanger hardens a single target's resistance to flame, lowering the
Intensity of any fire attacks by 1 for damage purposes. This Effect
lasts for D6 x Decay in Rounds after the player stops maintaining it.
6 - Heat Shield
A
wall of pure unadulterated heat rises up to melt and diffuse incoming
attacks. This Effect will protect one Personal Hex along one side from
attacks. this provides a +6 Cover bonus to DEF against all personal
attacks that pass through the shielded hexside.
7 - Great Balls of Fire
The headbanger can use the Sonic Amplifier on their instrument to shoot balls of exploding flame at their enemies.
The
player fires a number of balls equal to the their Ranks in Dedite, each
of which may be aimed at a separate target hex. Each ball has a range
in Personal Hexes equal to the player's Ranks in Dedite x5 and causes
D6+5 damage to everything in the target Hex. Individual victims may
reduce the damage they suffer by their Defense (including cover).
8 - Firehouse
This
Effect can be used to set an entire Titan Hex aflame with temperatures
hot enough to melt iron. Just being in the area causes 2D6+6 damage to
unprotected living creatures each round.
Any enclosed vehicle that traverses the terrain, like a tank or Titan, gains D6 points of Heat.
9 - Quest for Fire
A
giant pillar of flame erupts from a Personal Hex of the player's choice
and shoots 1km up into the night sky. This acts as a beacon and all who
see it must pass a Saavy + Nazarite or Ledite roll to avoid being drawn towards it by a long forgotten primal attraction to flame.
Those
drawn in this manner will immediately break free of the spell once they
are within 10 Personal Hexes of the Effect, or if they are attacked
before they get that far.
10 - Heavy Metal Fire
The
band sets an entire Titan Hex on fire and the flames created are hot
enough to melt the armor of Titans and pretty much vaporize any living
being. Titans and vehicles passing through this hex takes D6 hits to
each location and 2D6 Heat. Titans and vehicles in the surrounding hexes
take D6 Heat.
11 - The Sky is on Fire
The
band sets a thin layer of atmosphere above the battlefield, an entire
Aerospace Hex worth, on fire. This blocks visibility to the ground and
forces and vehicles in that hex or passing through it immediately take
D6 hits to each location. Any ordinance travelling through the flame is
automatically detonated.
Temperatures under this umbrella of flame soar, causing the same effects as Turn Up the Heat
above, and it is impossible to see through it from above or below.
Titans and other vehicles gain 1 additional point of heat each turn they
are in the hex.
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