Some Info From My Savage Worlds Firefly Game

I’ve been running a Savage Worlds Firefly game for my gaming group, but sadly we’ve taken a break from it over the summer because one of my players is fighting fires all over Montana and Colorado and because I wanted to try out my hack rules in my homebrew setting of Hubris– but we’ll Hurtlin’ through the ‘Verse again come September.

So I thought I would jot down some of the different Edges and Hindrances, my Cyberpunk rules that I posted yesterday, and a few small changes I did to the rules, like bennies.

Some of these rules are straight rips/inspired by shit in Deadlands Reloaded, my Wrath of Zombie Survival Horror game, and this Savage Worlds Firefly Hack.

Here we be:

Savage Firefly

Page 78- Attack options summary- important for old and new SW players.

Chargen:

Exactly the same as normal Savage Worlds creation rules, however players can select ANY Edge (except Legendary) so long as they meet the other requirements, (they do not have to meet the rank requirements) because they are Big Damned Heroes.

New Hindrances

Ailin’ (Minor/Major)-

Sadly your character has an affliction that won’t go away.  The cause of his future demise could be bordens malady, cancer, diabetes, or worse.  With this Hindrance at the Minor level, he always subtracts 1 from Fatigue rolls made to resist physical exertion (but not Agility rolls to avoid suffering bumps and bruises). He’s in the earliest stages of the disease and may not even be diagnosed yet.  If this is a Major Hindrance, your hombre always subtracts 2 from Fatigue rolls made to resist physical exertion (though not Agility rolls to avoid bumps and bruises). It’s impossible to hide the fact that he’s ill, and everybody can tell that death’s walking one step behind him.  At the end of each session he must make a Vigor roll. On a failure, the disease gets worse. The Minor version of this Hindrance becomes the Major version.  If the hero already has the Major Hindrance, he dies at the end of the next session in which he fails a Fatigue check.

Bad Liar (Minor)-

You just plain suck at lying.  Whenever you attempt to lie you suffer -2 to Intimidation and persuasion rolls.  This also applies to things like gambling

Dead Weight (Major)-

You have an Extra that is a loved one that you care deeply for.  Problem is, they somehow always land themselves in trouble.  Build the character as a normal Novice except the ally must take a Major Hindrance and only get one Edge.  If the Extra is killed, the player has two options gains the Vengeful (Major) Hindrance. The character also gains a Minor Phobia related to how the Dead Weight died and are absolutely paranoid that it will happen again.

Debt (Minor/Major)-

You’ve taken out money from a disreputable sort.  The good news is you start with more money than other.  If it is a minor hindrance you start out with 3 times the starting credits, but owe 6 times as much.  You are current on your payments as well.  If you take this as a Major hindrance you start out with 5 times the normal credits, but owe 10 times as much.  You have not paid your debt in a long while and the pleasant times have past.  The loan shark has sent rather unpleasant folk to collect.

Freeze Up (Major)-

You’re character tends to get scared/nervous when combat starts.  They start the first round of combat Shaken, which can be removed through the normal methods.

Nightmares (Minor)-

You have suffered a traumatic event that haunts you, even into your dreams.  Every night you relive this horror.  Every time the character sleeps a spirit check is rolled TN 4.  Failure means the character did not rest well and starts off with a level of Fatigue.  This caps at -2 Fatigue and lessens by one each day when you successfully get a restful night of sleep.

Secret (Minor/Major)-

You have a dirty little secret.  Maybe it isn’t so little.  You’ve done something terrible and are deathly afraid that the truth will come out and ruin you.

The severity of the secret and consequences if the secret be brought out into the open should be discussed between player and GM.

Tinhorn/Browncoat– Choose the Outsider hindrance and indicate whether you are an Independent or someone from the safe and secure core planets.  The negatives come when you are out of your element or engaged with people who don’t like your type.

Wanted (Minor/Major)-

You did something to piss some one off good.  Whether it’s the local magistrate, the feds, or a crime lord; you have a price on your head.  If it is minor the price on your head is 1d6 x 50 credits.  If it is Major the bounty is 1d6 X 100 credits

New Edges

Been Around a Spell

Requirements- Wild Card, Novice

You’ve been around the ‘Verse a bit or you’ve just experienced quite a bit in a short amount of time that served as a major wake up call for you.  You start off the game as Seasoned and begin with 20 Experience points.  Level up your character appropriately.

The downside is during this time you’ve been rattled around a bit and something unpleasant has happened to you.  Roll a d10 to see what has befallen your hero: 1) Bad Luck Hindrance; 2) Wanted (1) Minor; 2) Major); 3) Secret (1) Minor; 2) Major); 4) Debt (1) Minor; 2) Major); 5) Maimed (1) One Eye; 2) Lame; 3) One Arm); 6) Ugly Hindrance; 7) Enemy (1) Minor; 2) Major); 8) Phobia (1) Minor; 2) Major); 9) Yellow; 10) Get a piece of Normal cyberware (and the Jacked Edge), but roll again.

Companion-

Requirements- Novice, Smarts d8, Attractive

Companions train extensively in the arts of seduction, art, history, and performance.  Companions receive a +2 to Charisma and persuasion rolls and +2 to all common knowledge rolls.

Cortex Hacker-

Requirements- Novice, Smarts d8, Knowledge (Computers) d8

When you hack the cortex or any other computer you receive an additional +2 to your roll.

Cyberware Edges- See Cyberware information.

Shepherd-

Requirements- Novice, Spirit d8, Knowledge (Chosen Faith) d8

Preachers gain +2 charisma and persuasion rolls to those who respect them and/or their chosen faith.  If someone disagrees or hates religion or the faith, this is a -2.

Quick Reload–

Requirements- Seasoned, Agility d8, Shooting d6

You are able to reload your gun and shoot in the same round without suffering the normal -2 to your action.

Shoot From the Hip-

Requirements- Seasoned, Agility d8, Quick Draw, Shooting d6

When you successfully make a Quick Draw roll, you get off two shots before anyone knows what has happened.  You suffer no modifiers for multiple attacks.

Cyberware

Cyberware has been used by agents of various powerful corporations and the Alliance for several years but is relatively new to general public of the ‘Verse.  However corporations, like Blue Sun, have wasted no time in flooding the media with programs, news specials, and demonstration booths (including contests where a lucky few can win a free augmentation and a 3 month supply of MASS).  It is becoming slightly more common to see people on the Central planets or even the well to do Boarder planets sporting one or more pieces of cyberware.

To get cyberware you must first purchase the Jacked edge.  This is to represent the time and money you spent getting prepared for future cyberware surgery.  The player and GM should discuss and reach an agreement on what exactly the piece of cyberware does.  Some examples will be provided below.  A character can have as many pieces of cyberware equal the max number on their spirit die divided in half (IE- A character with a d6 in Spirit can have 3 pieces of cyberware).

There are three types of cybeware in the ‘Verse; Normal, Newtech, and Junker.

Each piece of Normal cyberware, costs 3,000 credits and incurs a -2 to all Spirit rolls to recover from being shaken.  This represents the strain on the body and loss of humanity and the journey to becoming more of a machine.  If you alter a current piece of Cyberware it does not add to this amount or count against your total amount (IE- A character adds a retractable dagger (Str+d4 damage) to his existing cyberarm (giving him +2 to Strength rolls and does Str+2 dmg when punching).  He suffers -2 to Spirit rolls to recover from being shaken for the arm and it counts towards his total of cyberware equipment, but getting the blade adds to neither).

Newtech cyberware is more expensive, costing 8,000 credits, and functions as Normal cyberware, but you do not incur the -2 to your Spirit rolls (however you still have the allotment total).

Junker cyberware is the bottom of the barrel, costing 1,000 credits, made illegally, usually in some techie or boosters basement apartment.  Junker cyberware functions just as Normal cyberware, but when used the player must roll 2d6.  If double sixes are rolled the piece malfunctions and the player cannot use it for 1d6 rounds until it “resets.”  If double ones are rolled the target must make a Vigor check or take a level of fatigue due to the strain and also piece is unusable for 2d6+1 rounds).

Almost all cyberware users must take the drug Medical Augmentation Stabilization Serum, or MASS for short, manufactured by the Blue Sun Corporation.  Many people with cyberware joke that they are really religious because they go to MASS every day.  All people with cyberware gain the Habit (Major) Hindrance and must take MASS every day or start risking cyber-rejection.  Just use the standard rules in SWDX for Habit, but instead of falling into a coma (which usually does happen) the person risks needing to have their cyberware removed or die due to cyber-rejection.  Another does of MASS can help get the targets system back under control.  There are a lucky few who have some freak genes and do not suffer from cyber-rejection.

MASS costs 5 credits for one dose.

Cyberware Hindrances

Cyber Intolerance (Minor)-

Mechanical stuff in your body just doesn’t function like it should.  If you have any Cyberware in your body you suffer an additional -2 to Spirit rolls.

Cyberware Edges

Jacked–

Requirements- Novice

You have undergone profiling, tests, and spent some credits to get cyberware enhancements placed in your body.

Cyber-Resilient

Requirements- Novice, Wild Card, Background edge (can be take after character generation with justification and GM approval), Vigor d8

Your body welcomes the additions of metal, gears, and chemicals.  You do not suffer from cyber-rejection and don’t have to worry about ever being addicted to MASS.

Cybered OUT–

Requirements- Novice, Spirit d6, Jacked

Somehow you are able to handle more cyberware than normal people.  You can have up to an additional two pieces of cyberware past the normal amount in your body without dying (you still suffer the -2 to Spirit for each piece however).

Example Cyberware

Cyberarm- +2 Str rolls (with arm) and Str+2 dmg.

Cyberleg– +2 pace and jump.

Rebreather– Allows you to breathe in many gases and toxins safely or +2 when in those hazards to resist adverse affects.

Heat Vision– Allow you to see heat signatures.

Night Vision– See at night.  Beware of lens flare.

Cortex Hub– Hub in your brain to access the Cortex.  +2 to hacking rolls.

Retractable claws– Comes out of finger tips- Str+d4 dmg.

Dermal Plating– Thickened skin or mesh beneath skin.  Adds +1/+2 (to a max of +2/+4 for an additional purchase).

Head Comlink– A comlink in your head allows you to communicate with those that you choose on specific frequencies.

Rule Changes

Benny Uses:

Same as SWDX, but a few additions:

Big Damned Hero- Spend a benny to automatically succeed at a task, however it is successful at the base target number and no raises are possible.

Only a Flesh Wound– A character can burn a Benny once per session to immediately heal one wound they have incurred, this also works to recover from being incapacitated (wounds must be rolled as normal).  These are Big Damned Heroes and seem to always dancing just beyond the Grim Reapers touch.

Plot Twist– Once per game session the character can spend this to create something or get a break in the storyline.  This should help things along and isn’t an insta-fix (especially if the players deserve to be in the bind that they are in).

Incapacitation–

Functions the same as SWDX, except when successful with a raise, no injury is gained.