Ronin Ninja Schools

Long.

This is a new Attribute for Big Eyes Small Mouth 3^rd edition.  Any feedback is welcome.

Memory Alteration

Cost: 4-8 Points/Level

Relevant Stat: Mind

Progression: Variable; see below

            This Attribute allows the user to permanently alter one minute of memories of other sentient beings, through touch.  Telepathy is not required, but may prove useful to ensure that the “new” memories do not clash with the subjects real ones.

            The cost of Memory Alteration is determined by how broad a range of minds it can affect, exactly like Mind Control.  Examples are given below.

 

            Universal (8 Points/Level): Anything with a Mind Stat of 1 or higher, including computers.

            Very Broad (7 Points/Level): All humans and sapient creatures, all non-sapient animals, all machine intelligences.

            Broad (6 Points/Level): All reptiles, all males.

            Specific (5 Points/Level): All dogs, all people obsessed with beauty.

            Very Specific (4 Points/Level): Members of your family, people with a specific gene, poodles.

 

When attempting to alter the memories of an unwilling subject, the character must make a contested roll versus the target.  The aggressor rolls Mind + Memory Alteration level versus the target’s Mind or Soul (whichever is highest) + Mind Shield level.  If the user wins then the power works normally but if the subject wins then the power does not take effect.

            Memory Alteration may be reversed by the original user without a roll, or by another in a contested roll with the original user (Mind + Memory Alteration vs. Mind + Memory Alteration).   With GM permission, other relevant Attributes may also be used in a similar fashion   Exorcism and Healing are strong candidates for this (using their associated Stats).

 

Starting Variables

Area: 0 (Individual)

Duration: 3 (1 Minute)*

Range: 0 (Touch)

Targets: 0 (1 Target)

 

*Duration in this case is not how long the Memory Alteration lasts but rather how much memory can be altered at a time.  So, if you spend 9 points on Duration, you would be able to alter a years worth of memories.

So, in preparation for the american version of The Grudge, I watched 3 out of the 4 of the original movies. I will finish the 4th soon, but tonight I hope to share these lovely films with others.

Basically it started with a creepy, gory TV movie called Ju-On: The Curse (in which the lovely Chiaki Kuriyama, who played Gogo Yubari in Kill Bill Volume 1, got her start). Then came Ju-On: The Curse 2. In 2003 a theatrical remake (although it is really more of a sequel) called Ju-On: The Grudge was made, followed soon by Ju-On: The Grudge 2. The plot is fairly simple, and it is well explained in the first TV movie. However, I saw the theatrical release first, and I can say it is not needed. What it lacks in deep plot it more than makes up in creepiness, and again touches on the theme of the "supernatural as a disease" that you see in the Ring.

I hope that by the end of these movies everyone who watches them will be afraid of children, cats (I hope to make mr_josephus terrified of Luna), and their own homes. This can only be a good thing. :)

In the mean time, be sure to remember: The Grudge does not forgive or forget...

I'm feelin': Evil

So I guess it is time to update this sonofabitch. I have been evading it, and I really don't know why. Anxiety? Stress? Maybe. Gotta keep writing. Gotta push it out even if it doesn't wanna come. Gotta do it or go nuts.

So to add some actual content I will give my first impressions of the new World of Darkness rulebook and Vampire: The Requiem setting book. The new rules definitely seem simpler and quicker in practice. They seemed to want to cover every possible situation, but the abstraction level means that it stays speedy and easy to understand. Still, I could see it being difficult for the first couple of sessions; the rulebook is intimidating and has many different spot rules for different situations. As an example of the abstraction speeding up play (perhaps with some decrease in realism), combat has gone from 4 rolls (roll to hit, roll defense, roll damage, roll to resist damage) to 1.

The new Vampire setting book has impressed me quite a bit. Removing the basic rules has opened up a LOT of space to put setting and vampire-specific rules information. This is a GOOD thing. I like how each of the clans now definitively covers one specific vampire "archetype", and I like how bloodlines can add near infinite variety. The covenants (basically ideological factions) make more sense than in the old setting, and it would be easy to see creating new covenants (or bloodlines like the Japanese Nosferatu included in the main rules) for specific cultures as opposed to creating new clans or even new vampires (Kindred of the East, I am looking in your needlessly complex direction).

So, the writing is still pretentious, but without the restrictive metaplot. Also, it is clearer, the mythology is less restrictive, and the world seems full of mystery and monsters. I could see running a basic mortal/hunters game, especially once Werewolf and Mage come out. In short, I like it quite a bit. Might do a more detailed review after I have read the books in further depth.

Yep. That's it. Over, ended, and done with. I had a lot of fun running it and I hope my players had has much fun playing. The final confrontation with En Sabah Nur ended due to an well-thought out plan by the players in which one made the ultimate sacrifice to destroy him. I was very pleased with this. Felt nice and dramatic. I liked finding out what the character's would be doing afterwords and answering their questions about Super Secret Truths(tm) regarding my game world. Comments and questions are still welcome.

Look forward to Joe's Buffy game starting up too next week. *Waves to Joe*.

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/alert/?alertid=5834001&content_dir=ua_congressorg

If you give a damn about being drafted, click this link. There is an option on the page to send feedback to your senators and representatives.

I'm feelin': FYAD, Congress

Thief: Deadly Shadows is good. Very good. So good in fact that I beat it over the weekend and immediately started it again, as well as installing Thief 1 (I already had this one, but had never beaten it) and 2 (which I found at a store for, get this, 3 bucks). If your computer can handle it, and you like stealth games, I highly recommend it. The AI is some of the most realistic I have seen. For example, say I knock someone out, and a citizen of The City sees it. They will think I am committing murder and run to get a guard. They will then lead the guard back to the body. If you move the body, they will say something like "I swear it was just here!" and the guard will make a skeptical remark and halfheartedly look for you. The City seems very alive to me, if a bit small. The old hat "smart guard, dumb guard" comedy from the previous 2 games has returned, and comedy abounds in some of the scripted events you can run into on the street. Oh, and one of the missions, "The Cradle", is one of the scariest things I have seen in a game, almost on par with Silent Hill 3. As an aside, if you have Thief 1 or 2, there are a large number of fan missions available for it to give you something to do after you have beaten the main missions.

Had a good and restful Memorial Day weekend. Saw a few movies and shows as of late. I hope everyone else had fun and stayed safe as well.

The Underworld special edition was neat, but the extra scenes didn't add much. Since I did not own the original DVD, I consider it worth the money. Like the sketchbook and comic.

Equilibrium was over the top action with a thin Sci Fi plot. Loved the Gun Kata. If I had to rename it I would call it John Woo's Farenheit 451.

The Day After Tomorrow sucked, mostly because it followed the Generic Disaster Movie Template (OMG! Man's hubris will destroy us all!). But hey, it was pretty, and Ian Holm was good in it. Its kind of sad in a way, because a movie about an ice age creeping up on man over a series of months (which is still damn quick) and destroying much of human civilization could be good and horrific. Especially if told from the perspective of an average person just trying to survive it with his or her family.

The anime series Witch Hunter Robin continues to be good, but depressing.

I finally gave in and saw the last episodes of Angel, and surprisingly, I was very happy with them. "Circle of the Black Thorns", indeed.

Woot! Faucet fixed (by the plumber)! Computer problem fixed (by me; although I feel like an idiot for not figuring it out sooner)!

River City Ransom EX and Thief: Deadly Shadows came out yesterday. Both look excellent.

Hopefully I will be able to resolve the computer problem at home that has been kicking my ass, and with any luck the plumber will have fixed the leak in my bath faucet by the time I get home.

*crosses fingers*

I like d20 Modern. I don't consider it really all that generic, and I prefer other systems for a number of genres and settings, but I like it. One of the things that has always struck me as odd about it is the total lack of Sneak Attacks within the system. After some discussion on the topic on the Game Mechanic's forums, it was pointed out that the standard Sneak Attack that comes in +1d6 increments might be too much due to the lower massive damage threshold of d20 Modern. So here is my version (as well as a slightly changed variant) of Sneak Attack as a Fast Hero Talent Tree.

Sneak Attack Talent Tree
The Fast Hero gains the ability to do extra damage under certain specific circumstances.

Sneak Attack 1
A Fast hero with this talent does 1d4 extra damage whenever she strikes a target that would be denied a Dexterity bonus to Defense (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the Fast hero flanks a target. Should the Fast hero score a critical hit, this extra damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks only count as sneak attacks if the target is within 30 feet. With a sap or an unarmed strike, a rogue can make a sneak attack that deals non-lethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to a target to deal non-lethal damage in a sneak attack (not even with the usual -4 penalty). A Fast hero can only sneak attack creatures with discernible anatomies-undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. A Fast hero cannot sneak attack when attacking a creature with concealment or sneak attack the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.

Sneak Attack 2
The Fast hero does an additional 1d4 of extra damage on a successful sneak attack (+2d4 total).
Prerequisite: Sneak Attack 1.

Sneak Attack 3
The Fast hero does an additional 1d4 of extra damage on a successful sneak attack (+3d4 total).
Prerequisites: Sneak Attack 1, Sneak Attack 2.

After doing this I thought that Sneak Attack might still be too appealing even though it was toned down to 1d4 increments. I decided to do a variant. This is exactly the same as above, save that the prerequisites have changed a bit. I think that this is the version I will use for my campaigns.

Sneak Attack 1
(no changes)

Sneak Attack 2
Prerequisites: Sneak Attack 1, One talent from any Fast hero talent tree OTHER than Sneak Attack talent tree.

Sneak Attack 3
Prerequisites: Sneak Attack 1, Sneak Attack 2, Two talents from any Fast hero talent trees OTHER than the Sneak Attack talent tree (These talents don't have to be from the same tree).