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View Full Version : DM Help Dwelling Within the Vault (Combining D&D 5e, Fallout, & Paranoia)



PenguinTyrant
2016-03-02, 06:13 PM
Hello everyone,

Today I propose an idea that I would like some constructive input on. I wish to create a mini-series adventure based within a vault dwelling similar to those in Fallout.

Currently my group is playing through two interwoven campaigns based within the same world. Each is managed by a different DM. I wish to help them out by running a not-so-serious mini-series whenever they need a break.

So I wish to keep with the theme and run this adventure within the same world. To keep things simple it's a world that has succumbed to some catastrophe and a deadly miasma has engulfed it. What I was thinking is that the vault itself would be this tower within a sci-fi/magitech city that was retrofitted to keep the miasma out.

A while back our group played a single mission of Paranoia and fell in love with it. So I wish to incorporate some of that into the game; however, I would like to keep some of the mechanics of D&D 5e. We've been playing in the system for quite some time and grew comfortable with it.

To address that here are some of my thoughts on incorporating 5e:

Keep the ability scores and use those to roll everything (If you have a 13 INT you need to roll 13 or lower to succeed).
Keep the advantage/disadvantage system.
Keep the background feature.
Keep the inspiration feature.
Keep most of the races.

While I love the freehand nature of Paranoia, I would like some familiar systems to rely on.

For combat I was thinking of doing the following:

A character's CON score would be their total health.
Damage would be divided into 5 categories: Unarmed (1d4), Melee (1d6), Ballistic Ranged (1d8), Energy Melee, (1d10) Energy Ranged(1d12).
Attacks hit if the attacker rolls their correlated ability score or lower.
Armor reduces damage instead of preventing it.

Another feature that I love about Paranoia is the Perversity Points system. I was thinking of either leaving it as is, or meshing it with the Inspiration system in 5e. Maybe spending x amount of Perversity Points allows the spender to inflict advantage or disadvantage?

As for races I would keep them simple. Each race provides an ability score improvement just like in the 5e PH and would provide one boon specific to them. So far this is what I have in mind:

Humans: +1 to two different Ability Scores & select one ability score to gain advantage on associated rolls.
Dwarves: +2 CON, +1 STR & Resistance against melee and unarmed attacks.
Elves: +2 DEX, +1 WIS & base speed increases to 40ft.
Halflings: +2 DEX, +1 CHA & whenever you roll a 20, you can reroll the die. (natural 20's would be nat 1's in 5e)
Gnomes:+2 INT, +1 DEX & they can see perfectly in darkness. (was unsure what to give them)

To keep things simple I don't plan on including sub-races. Currently though I'm uncertain if I should include half-orcs, half-elves, tieflings, and dragonborn.

While I don't plan on using classes I was going to give the players a test similar to Fallout's G.O.A.T exam. Depending on what they scored they would be assigned to one of the sectors within the tower. Each sector would function like the backgrounds in 5e. I was also debating whether or not if each sector would bestow advantage on one (or two) of the correlating ability scores.

As for what the mini-adventures will be I have a rough idea. In a past campaign set within the same world the group faced down my BBEG, who was a combination of the Joker and Rumpelstiltskin from Once Upon a Time. There was a huge explosion as the fight ended. Amongst the rubble the BBEG left a taunting message for the party. Everyone loved how I role played him, and frankly I loved it too. So, what if he escaped to the isolated tower and took it over. Instead of The Computer you have this god-like mad man running the show. Each session would be a different experiment similar to those conducted in the Fallout vaults.

Perhaps the BBEG is testing out horrible spells or technology on the tower's denizens. He could be using the group to see how adventurers would react to the situation. Thus he has made them into Troubleshooters.

Here are some other things I was also considering and have yet to nail down:

Using the party as a control group, what if they BBEG flashed everyone else's minds (like in MiB) to keep the populace happy? Happiness is mandatory.
Should I include mutants and secret societies in the game? Maybe mutations are spell-like capabilities.
Magic. Should I have it or not? If I'm altering the rules this much I think it would be more work than its worth to include it.
Starting ability scores. Currently I'm leaning towards the point purchase in the 5e PH, but I'm open to suggestions.


Any thoughts, criticisms, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.