PDA

View Full Version : S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Tabletop Brainstorming



General Patton
2013-08-09, 02:47 AM
Been playing Call of Pripyat recently and thought that the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. setting would make for a great tabletop game. I'm thinking a hex-based, Action Point-based tactical system reminiscent of Fallout 1 & 2. Character progression would be a point-buy system. To discourage extreme minmaxing, gained XP would be distributed at a 1:1:1:2 ratio between Attributes, Proficiencies, Skills, and Free XP. I'm thinking, just for the sake of dragging the game out and letting characters be awesome, there should be no caps on character progression. Since the Noosphere has been implied to operate based on tropes to some extent, we can just say that extended exposure to the Zone allows people to violate all reasonable physical limits of body and brain, in accordance with the trope of radiation giving superpowers. Still no idea what the scaling should be on XP costs. Also need suggestions on a lot of Skill stuff.

Attributes:
Strength-Melee, Carry Weight, resisting Gravity/Grappling/Knockback
Dexterity-Melee, Ranged Combat
Agility-Mobility, Action Points
Endurance-Thermal Protection, Chemical Protection, Electrical Protection, Radiation Protection, Alcohol Tolerance, Health, Stamina
Intelligence-Skills
Awareness-Initiative, Perception
Charisma-Psi Protection, Social, Reputation and Favor Rewards

Proficiencies:
Melee
Handgun
Assault (SMGs, Shotguns and Assault Rifles)
Sniper
Explosive

Skills:
Driving
Technician (Repairing and making equipment)
Architecture (Erecting and fortifying structures)
Meteorology (Predict weather, anomalous weather and

Blowouts)
Anomalies
Artifacts (identification and crafting)
Medicine
Stealth
Security
Computers
Perception
Spelunking (climbing, ropes, tethering)

Weapons, Armor, and Helmets should have an upgrade system akin to that of Call of Pripyat, though more freeform and without a cap on the progression.

Artifact generation will involve rolling for the number of traits and whether each trait is a boon or a drawback. The odds for each one depends on the circumstances in which the Artifact is generated. Each major classification of Anomalies/Artifacts will have its own pair of d% charts for boons and drawbacks, with some slight chance of rolling off a different chart. Thermal, Electrical, Chemical and Gravitational Anomalies will have charts that basically result in Tier 1 Artifacts. Space Anomalies provide substantially better results that could be considered Tier 2. Finally, Time Anomalies can provide all kinds of unique stuff making them the ultimate Tier 3 Artifacts.

Besides (un)natural Artifact generation after Blowouts, which also allow the dm to rearrange Anomalies to keep old areas interesting, characters will also start to dabble in experimental Artifact creation/modification as they help the Ecologist Faction with their research of the Zone. I'm imagining a system where you could take specially prepared seed objects, mutant parts or junk Artifacts to be exposed to Anomalies. Different objects, Anomalies, and experimental particle emitters (related to detector technology) and the presence of a Blowout could all modify the parameters of the Artifact. You could affect the potential number of traits, the odds of boons vs drawbacks, and which Anomaly types you're rolling for. I think it would even be fairly easy to implement attempted customization with a "reroll N times or until you get result X Y or Z on the chart" mechanic. That same mechanic could also be used by the DM to make a certain area's loot more interesting (Oasis making Artifacts that reroll 5 times trying to get healing effects? Yes please).

Faction/Character interaction would involve the PCs accumulating Reputation, a passive benefit, and Favor, a pseudo-currency you can spend on special equipment requests, mercenary help and other cool stuff.

For moderately powerful/influential characters, attempting to improve the infrastructure in the Zone is totally a thing. Mission rewards, Favor, and massive amounts of Rubles can get awesome stuff like concrete, rebar, construction equipment, generators, etc, smuggled into the Zone so you can fortify buildings and make new ones. There will be some sort of rating system for how secure places are against Blowouts, Anomalies, mutants, firearms/explosives, and unwanted intrusions of the human variety.

So, this is very much WIP and if anyone wants to toss in ideas and things, that would be great. I need more Skills, with all sorts of uses. I need to determine which Attribute to add to each Skill. I need some sort of benefit to Intelligence besides adding it to Int Skills.