Sunday, August 10, 2025

GameStorming: Savage Worlds X Numenera


What drew me to Monte Cook Games' Numenera/Cypher System was the Adjective Noun Verb description of your character. How cool is it to brainstorm what you are going to play by coming up with a Brave Glaive (warrior) who has a Halo of Fire?

While the Cypher System isn't a difficult system to learn, it has a few problems that have kept me from running it more. The first is that Effort both fuels your attempts at overcoming obstacles, activating powers, and functions as hit points as well. It's just not my bag.

Last night, while looking over Savage Worlds Adventure Edition, an idea hit me like a bullet in the head. Power it with Savage Worlds.

The adjective "Brave" in the above example gives a +2 bonus to tests. Rate your Noun or Verb with a d6 and rate the remaining descriptor with a d8. I choose Glaive for d8 and Halo of Fire at a d6. Everything else defaults to a d4, and characters are Wild Cards, so they roll a d6 with every test, except damage, too.

I'm not defaulting to d4-2 because I want a more heroic game, but that would be an option. Importing wounds and equipment from SWADE allows you to even mine your verb from it too, though I will be more comfortable with a more wing-it approach during play.

We are just starting a 5.5 game, so I'm not sure when I will get to it, but I'll keep you posted.

Monday, August 4, 2025

Monster Monday: Bounty Hunters for Barrows & Borderlands and Swords & Wizardry

        

BOUNTY HUNTER. AC 2 (17) | HD 3 | #E 1 | MV 60’ | THAC0 15 | #A 1 (1d10) | SV 12 | ML 8 | AL Neutral | XP 47 | T (I) Description: Bounty hunters seek prey throughout the Polyverse, some are pure business while others are sadists who have found a way to earn a living while serving their darkest desires. Their guild is both powerful and vigilant, and will not tolerate one of their own being injured or looking foolish.

Wednesday, July 30, 2025

OSR Heroes: The Human Tank for Guardians


The Human Tank (Level 3) for Guardians

Sgt. Ellen Vanderbuilt


Strength 10/30 (+0/+9) Melee 4d6 damage

Dexterity 12 (+0)

Constitution 17 (+2)

Intelligence 18 (+3)

Wisdom 17 (+2)
Charisma 12 (+0)


Energy Points 8
Hit Points 35

Saving Throw 9+

Bonus To Hit +6 melee; +3 ranged

AC 17


Origin: Mutant

Class: Bruiser (Unstoppable; Acrobatic)

Gifts: Hacker

Powers: Armor; Projectile Fire; Super Strength x2; Super Speed

Limits: Bound (Merlin); Power Focus (Talisman)

Issue: Bad Press (from Mutant); Enemy (Warmaster); Phobia (Heights)

Money: $5,000

Languages: Chinese; French; German


Tuesday, July 29, 2025

OSR Heroes: Mister Hex for Guardians



Mister Hex (Level 3) for Guardians

Aidan Doyle


Strength 14 (+1)

Dexterity 12 (+0)

Constitution 16 (+2)

Intelligence 19 (+3)

Wisdom 13 (+1)
Charisma 19 (+3)


Energy Points 12
Hit Points 26

Saving Throw 10+

Bonus To Hit +3 melee; +2 ranged

AC 15 (ballistic bodysuit)


Origin: Supernatural 

Class: Power-Wielder

Gifts: Detective; Occultist

Powers: Bad Luck; Invisibility; Mind Blast; Retrocognition, True Sight

Limits: Bound (Merlin); Power Focus (Talisman)

Issue: Duty (C.A.M.E.L.O.T.)

Money: $7,000

Languages: Brythonic, Hebrew, Latin


Monday, July 21, 2025

Monster Monday: Primal's Man Bats for Barrows & Borderlands

        

MAN BATS. AC 5 (14) | HD 3+2 | #E 1-8 | MV 90’ (fly) | 
THAC0 15 | #A 1 (1d6+1) | SV 12 | ML 9 | AL Chaotic | XP 35 |
T (III) Description: Man Bats are a race of large dinosaur-sized chiropterans and serve as the minions/pawns of a mega spiders, with whom they share a symbiotic relationship.

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Barrows & Borderlands: Skulltakers

       

SKULLTAKER. AC 3 (16 | HD 6 | #E 1 | MV 60’ | THAC0 13 |  
#A 2 (1d12) | SV 9 | ML 10 | AL Chaotic | XP 950 | T (IV) Description:
 
I 'Skari, colloquially known as Skulltakers, hail from Tau Ceti and have a reputation as fierce killers and dogged bounty hunters. They insist on keeping the skulls of their victims on their backs, which helps attract a quality mate in their once-every-decade mating rituals. Once the ritual is over, they shed their skulls and begin their hunt anew until their next mating season.

Monday, July 14, 2025

Monster Monday: Conan's Night God for Swords & Wizardry

      



Night-God for Swords and Wizardry

Hit Dice: 5
Armor Class: 5 [14]
Attacks: L1 bite (1d8+1)
Saving Throw: 5 (fly 60)
Morale: 11
Special: Carry airborne
Move: 9/18 (flying)
Alignment: Chaos
Number Encountered: One
% in Lair: 40 
Challenge Level/XP: 5/240

The Night-God was a time-forgotten entity, worshiped in ShadizarZamora. It was served by a cult of red-clothed acolytes, led by the priestess Hajii, who kidnapped a young girl each month and took her to a minaret as an offering to keep the peace with the Night-God (despite never having seen it).

If the Night-God is flying and hits with its bite, it gains enough hold to carry the foe into the air to drop.


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GameStorming: Savage Worlds X Numenera

What drew me to Monte Cook Games' Numenera/Cypher System was the Adjective Noun Verb description of your character. How cool is it to br...