RPGs and Setting Canon

There are a metric fuckton of RPGs out there that are based on settings with a lot of canon: Star Wars, Star Trek, Firefly, the Forgotten Realms, Battlestar Galactica, etc. By turning these popular franchises into games, or in the case of the Forgotten Realms, by publishing a shitload of novels with superstar NPCs like Drizzt and Elminster, gamers have to plan their games around canon events, like Luke Skywalker blowing up the Death Star, Mal Reynolds releasing the Reaver video, or Drizzt being an angsty dude with scimitars and a panther.

This is an especially big issue when you have settings like Star Wars or Star Trek, with multiple sources of canon: movies, TV shows, novels, comic books, and video games. The more popular a setting, the more canon there is, and the more people there are who love that canon and want to adhere to it.

The way I see it, there are three ways to play a game in a heavy-canon setting.

1. Accept canon events and attempt to play around them. This sometimes leads to NPCs that are more important and badass than the PCs and the game being heavily railroaded. Not fun at all. No one wants to play Pilot #3. They want to play someone like Luke Skywalker or Han Solo, someone who influences the plot and is important to the game.

2. Accept canon events and let the players play the important people, like Luke or Han. Also generally not a great idea, because the game is usually still going to be heavily railroaded. The player of Luke Skywalker is almost certainly going to want to blow up the Death Star and, if the game adheres to canon, that's where the plot is going to go.

3. My personal favorite, ditch canon and go nuts with the setting. Imagine a game where Luke Skywalker's uncle never buys the droids. Luke goes back to work on the farm for another season and it's up to the PCs to take on the Empire. Or how about a game where Mace Windu kills the Emperor, Anakin Skywalker kills Mace Windu, and then goes on a Jedi hunt around the galaxy. The Separatists are still around to harass the Republic, the Republic never falls, and the Sith are no more. The PCs are Jedi who are either A) hunted by Skywalker, or B) sent out to hunt down and capture Skywalker.

Now, I love certain canon-heavy settings. Star Wars is fucking awesome, and I really like a lot of the Expanded Universe stuff, like the Yuuzhan Vong War and the super-badass Force powers the Jedi got in the prequel movies. But, when it comes to games, fuck canon. Canon is all about how awesome the characters in the movies/books/TV shows/etc. are, while games should focus more on how awesome the PCs are. Captain Kirk is a badass, but he shouldn't be showing up in games for more than a cameo appearance because he'd steal the spotlight from the PCs. Same with Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, or Elminster.

Let the PCs be the stars of the game. GMPCs are a terrible idea, and that's generally what characters like Elminster become if they show up in a game for longer than a cameo. Give the PCs the spotlight, let them go nuts and do the badass things they'd want to see in a movie or book, and let the NPCs be there as villains or supporting cast.

Savage 40K - The Armory

After last week when my computer froze and LibreOffice ate my write-up of all the gear I'd been working on for Savage 40K, I put off rewriting it because I was a little pissed that two solid hours of work disappeared. It really was my fault, since I hadn't saved it at all, but I digress. Here, finally, is the final piece of the puzzle to make this hack playable. I've still got plenty of stuff I'd like to work on, like the Advanced Specialties, a shitload more enemies, relics, and some more-extensive rules for Techmarines (it'll be an Arcane Background-style write-up most likely), but the basics are playable. I'm hopefully going to be running a Play-by-Post game over on RPG.net where I playtest these rules, but that depends on finding some interested players.

Anyway, here is the current state of the gear, including weapons, armor, and some miscellaneous gear like the narthecium and jump packs.

Gear

Renown – Renown is a measure of how highly-regarded a Space Marine is within the Deathwatch. Higher renown indicates a veteran, and such warriors are given access to more powerful weaponry than their lower-ranking comrades. Renown should be given out at the end of each mission. The GM has the final say on how much Renown is given, but it should be proportional to the risk and difficulty of the mission. A good rule of thumb is to give between 1-5 Renown per mission.

Space Marines can also lose Renown if they do not act in a manner befitting the Deathwatch. Renown can be taken for such acts as losing a sacred relic, retreating from battle without a spectacularly-good reason, cowardice in the face of the enemy, or heresy. Even relatively minor transgressions may cause a Space Marine to lose Renown, though the GM should refrain from taking Renown in increments above 15 for each transgression.

This scale (gains of 1-5, losses of up to 15) helps reinforce the idea of Space Marines as warriors of faith, purity, and honor above and beyond their fellows, and shows that they must actively seek to better themselves, while even minor incidents can damage their reputation in the eyes of their fellows. Heroism is not enough for Space Marines; they must strive to be the absolute best in every aspect of their lives, and only in challenge and hardship can they succeed.

Renown
Renown Score	Renown Rank
1-19	Initiate – You are a recent recruit to the Deathwatch.
20-39	Respected – You have had success in the Deathwatch, though you are still relatively new.
40-59	Veteran – You have succeeded and excelled at your duties to the Inquisition.
60-79	Famed – Your victories are truly impressive, and are known to Battle-Brothers around the sector.
80+	Hero – Your deeds are legendary, and you have earned the respect of even the most highly-regarded warriors.

Requisition – Requisition will change from mission to mission. At the start of the mission, each Space Marine will have his standard-issue gear and may spend the mission's Requisition score to receive additional gear. Each Space Marine will have their own Requisition to spend, and any unspent Requisition may be added to a communal pool to share with squad mates.

Miscellaneous Gear

Narthecium – This device gives a +1 to Healing checks and allows the user to remove a Space Marine's geneseed with a successful Healing check.

Frag Grenades – Frag grenades have a range of 30, do 2d8 damage, and cover a Medium Burst Template (page 183 Savage Worlds Deluxe Explorer's Edition)

Krak Grenades – Krak grenades have a range of 30, do 2d6 damage with AP4, and cover a Small Burst Template (page 183 Savage Worlds Deluxe Explorer's Edition)

Servo-arm – A servo-arm is a mechanical device carried by Techmarines. An extra ranged weapon can be mounted on it, it can function as a melee weapon (2d8 damage), and it allows the Techmarine to lift double what he could otherwise lift.

Servo-harness – A servo-harness is an array of four servo-arms, with the associated benefits. However, a Techmarine using a servo-harness can still only lift three times what he could normally, rather than five times normal.

Auspex – A Space Marine with an auspex may use a Tech-Use test to gather information about the surroundings and to see if there are any detectable enemies within a short range

Chapter Trappings – Chapter Trappings give a Space Marine one free Benny during each mission/session (GM preference).

Jump Pack – A jump pack allows the user to make a Piloting check to add 6” to their Pace once every other round. The jump pack can also be used to jump walls (within reason) or negate falling damage, if the Piloting check is successful.

Ranged Weapon Traits

Overheats X – Once a magazine or power pack is expended, the user must wait X rounds for the weapon to cool off before reloading.

Small Cone – The weapon uses a cone template, similar to the template on page 180 of Savage Worlds Deluxe Explorer's Edition, except the cone is only 6” as opposed to 9” long.

Cone – The weapon uses the 9” cone template on page 180 of Savage Worlds Deluxe Explorer's Edition.

Bolt Weapon – The weapon can benefit from special bolter ammunition.

Pistol – The weapon can be used with one hand with no penalty and may be used even in close-quarters combat.

Storm – This weapon fires two rounds for each shot fired, doing the listed damage. The weapon does not have a single-shot mode, always firing at least two rounds. However, if only two rounds are fired, the weapon does not suffer from the -2 autofire penalty.

Combi-Weapon – This weapon has a secondary weapon combined with the standard bolter. The secondary weapon has a Rate of Fire of 1 and a single shot. The damage and range of the secondary weapon are equal to the damage and range of a regular weapon of the same type (a Combi-Melta does 2d10+1 with a range of 12/24/48, a Combi-Plasma does 2d10 with a range of 15/30/60, etc.)

Heavy Weapon – This weapon is too large and cumbersome to be used in close-quarters combat as anything other than an improvised melee weapon. The weapon cannot be fired without using both hands.

Flame – This weapon has the potential to set enemies or surroundings on fire. See Savage Worlds Deluxe Explorer's Edition page 101.

Small Burst – This weapon uses the Small Burst Template on page 182 of Savage Worlds Deluxe Explorer's Edition.

Ranged Weapons
Type	Range	Damage	RoF	Requisition	Renown	Shots	Notes
Bolt Pistol	12/24/48	2d6	1	5	N/A	6	Pistol, Bolt Weapon
Plasma Pistol	12/24/48	2d8+1	1	25	Respected	6	Pistol, Overheats 1, AP2
Inferno Pistol	10/20/40	2d8	1	30	Veteran	8	Pistol, AP4
Hand Flamer	See Notes	2d6	1	5	N/A	4	Pistol, Small Cone, Flame
Bolter	15/30/60	2d8+1	3	5	N/A	30	Bolt Weapon
Plasma Gun	15/30/60	2d10	3	15	Respected	18	Overheats 2, AP2
Melta Gun	12/24/48	2d10+1	1	15	Veteran	8	AP4
Flamer	See Notes	2d8	1	10	N/A	5	Cone, Flame
Storm Bolter	15/30/60	2d10+2	3	25	Famed	60	Storm, Bolt Weapon
Combi-Weapon	15/30/60*	2d8+1*	3*	25	Famed	15	Bolt Weapon, Combi-Weapon
Heavy Bolter	18/36/72	2d8+1	4	10	N/A	60	Bolt Weapon, Heavy Weapon
Plasma Cannon	18/36/72	2d10+1	1	20	Respected	30	Overheats 2, Heavy Weapon, AP3
Lascannon	20/40/80	2d12	1	25	Veteran	10	Heavy Weapon, AP4
Multi-Melta	12/24/48	2d12	1	25	Veteran	20	Heavy Weapon, AP4, Small Burst
Assault Cannon	18/36/72	2d10	6	25	Famed	60	Heavy Weapon, AP2
Heavy Flamer	See Notes	2d10	1	15	N/A	10	Heavy Weapon, Cone, Flame
Missile Launcher	20/40/80	2d12	1	20	N/A	1	Heavy Weapon, AP4, Small Burst

Melee Weapon Traits

Bayonet – This weapon may be affixed to a standard-sized ranged weapon, allowing the ranged weapon to be used with both hands while still being able to use the melee weapon without having to switch weapons mid-combat.

Chaplain – Only a Space Marine with the Chaplain Advanced Specialty Edge may requisition this weapon.

Force – This weapon does -2 damage if not in the hands of a psyker. If a psyker is holding the weapon, it grants a +1 Parry and +1 bonus to Psyker skill tests. Force weapons can only be requisitioned by psykers.

Terminator – Due to the size or unwieldy nature of this weapon, it can only be used by a bearer in Terminator armor.

Two-Handed – If not wielded in both hands, the wielder of this weapon suffers a -2 to damage and -2 to Fighting skill tests.

Melee Weapons
Weapon	Damage	Requisition	Renown	Notes
Chainaxe	Str+d8	5	N/A	AP1
Chainglaive	Str+d8+1	10	Respected	Two-Handed
Chainsword	Str+d8	5	N/A	Parry +1
Chain Fist	Str+d12+1	30	Famed	AP4, Terminator
Combat Knife	Str+d6	5	N/A	Bayonet
Crozius Arcanum	Str+d8+1	25	See Notes	AP4, Parry +1, Chaplain
Force Axe	Str+d12	15	Respected	AP2 Force
Force Staff	Str+d12+1	25	Veteran	AP2, Force, Two-Handed
Force Sword	Str+d10+1	10	N/A	AP1, Force, Parry +1
Lighting Claw	Str+d12	30/45 pair	Veteran	AP4
Power Axe	Str+d10	20	Respected	AP2
Power Fist	Str+d10+1	25	Famed	AP3
Power Sword	Str+d10	20	Respected	AP2, Parry +1
Thunder Hammer	Str+d12+2	40	Famed	Two-Handed, AP2

Armor Notes

Astartes Armor – This armor is designed specifically for Space Marines. It is sealed, has an internal oxygen supply that will last for 24 hours, filters all toxins from the air, and has a backpack-mounted power supply.

Heavy Weapon Use – Terminator Armor can use weapons with the Heavy Weapons or Two-Handed traits with one hand. Weapons with the Heavy Weapon trait must be locked to the armor for the duration of the mission.

Armor
Type	Armor	Requisition	Renown	Notes
Power Armor	12	5	N/A	Astartes Armor
Artificer Armor	14	40	Famed	Astartes Armor, Pace +1
Terminator Armor	16	50	Hero	Astartes Armor, Can't run, Heavy Weapon Use
Combat Shield	N/A	15	Respected	+1 Parry, +2 Armor to ranged attacks that hit
Storm Shield	N/A	20	Veteran	+2 Parry, +3 Armor to ranged attacks that hit