Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Character Generation Library - Unhallowed Metropolis

I got this game ages ago, and I haven't actually managed to play it yet. It's not so surprising because I don't frequently get a chance to play much lately, and the game itself is one that requires a pretty good understanding of how the parts work in order to really get it but that's fine because the setting is what makes this game amazing.

Instead of it being some kind of history game, it's a far future game based off of something that happened in the past. So in 1905 there's basically a zombie outbreak pretty much right in the middle of the industrial revolution. Because of all the death and destruction we don't really get much past that stage, so it's set in 2105 but very much has that Victorian feel. I read that again and again because of how much I love that idea.

Now, to the details:

Game: Unhallowed Metropolis - Revised
Pages: 345
Genre: Science Fiction, Horror
My Familiarity: Read it once or twice
Designers: Jason Soles and Nicole Vega
Publisher: New Dark Games (My 2011 book says Atomic Overmind)
Affiliate Link to core book

Step 1 - Character Concept

This is where you kind of do that over arching view of what your character should be. It's where you choose your calling, which is like your class. I just saw Castlevania, let's Alucard this up by saying that my character is going to be a Dhampir Vampire Hunter. A human corrupted by vampirism without going full vampire.

I think this character is out for revenge, the thrill of the hunt is just a side effect.

I also get all these cool things for the being a Dhampir:

Alien Grace, Blood Drinker, Half Lifer, Hatred of Vampires, Heightened Vision, Immune to Vampiric Mind Control, Sense Undead, Unnatural Passions, Vampiric Transformation, Dustman

They have cool effects, and are mostly what it says there, but yay free stuff.

Step 2 - Select Starting Attributes

There are 6 attributes, Vitality (Health), Coordination (like Dexterity), Wit (Perception and Reaction time), Intellect (how smart you are), Charm (Poise and force of personality), Will (Strength of Mind)

You start with 1 in each stat and get 25 points to spend with each stat point costing it's value, that means going from 1 to a 2 costs 2 but going from a 1 to a 3 costs 5 (2 for level 2 and 3 for level 3).

I think this is going to be much more on the killing things than the being suave and debonair. So I'm going to be putting up more things like Coordination, Vitality and Wit to be aware of what's going on.

3 Vitality (5 points)
4 Coordination (9 points)
3 Wit (5 points)
2 Intellect (2 points)
2 Charm (2 points)
2 Will (2 points)

Prowess is Derived from Coordiation + Wit which gives me a 7.

Step 3 - Select Starting Skills

The Calling gives you a list of starting skills, and you get 25 points for those or other skills. As a Dhampire Vampire Hunter I get Melee Weapon at 2 and Unarmed Combat at 2 and 5 other skills at 2. They also have a limit based on the skill which is tied to an attribute, or not. It's not consistent at all.

Also, if you have ranks in combat skills you get stunts per rank, so that's something.

4 - Acrobatics (Coordination) [Costs 7 points]
2 - Archery
*Night Fighter
*Trick Shot
2 - Concentration [Costs 3 points]
3 - Melee Weapon [Costs 3 points]
*Fast Draw
*Lucky Shot
*Two Weapon Fighting
2 - Paraspychology (Intellect) [This is the knowledge of the paranormal]
3 - Shadow [Costs 3 points]
3 - Survival [Costs 3 points]
2 - Thanatology (Intellect) [Costs 3 points - This is the knowledge of dead and dying things]
3 - Unarmed Combat [Costs 3 points]
*Brutality
*High Kick
*Ground Fighting

That looks like a pretty well rounded solo ass kicker.

Step 4 - Corruption

Everyone starts with at least one point of corruption. You can't get rid of this regardless of what you do. The three paths of corruption are Physical, Desire, and Drive. Since I'm a Dhampire I can't have any physical corruption because I'm already there! Yay vampirism! 

This one is easy. It's a Drive one and it's Consumed. My life is just a vehicle for my work.

Step 5 - Spending Custom Points

You get 5 extra points to spend on either more attributes, skills, or cool qualities. I think I'm going to fixate on qualities because those are "new."

Okay, Reputation - Street is certainly in. It's 3 points and it's nice to be known as someone you don't cross. Same with Reputation - Underground which is 2 points and takes up all 5 right now.

Step 6 - Qualities and Impediments

I'll need to take some bad things to get more good things now.

Infectious Bite because I think it's kind of fun, which gets me 3 points
Melancholy which gets me 4 points, and a character that has a hard time with difficulty.
Night Terrors because he can't sleep well which gets me 2 points which puts me at 9 total for buying more qualities.

More qualities include

Quiet, 3 points because being so silent even vampires can't hear me is good
Safe House, 4 points
Time sense because it's only 2 points and that's all I have left.

Step 7 - Buy Shit

I'm good, thanks.

Now just for details and a history.

Edmund Minster was a young man when he learned a secret about his family. His mother was a Dhampire who had decided to leave, after having fulfilled her revenge on the vampire that had killed her sister. However, the vampire's childer came back and killed her, leaving Edmund in the cycle of violence that seems to be continuing generation after generation. It is his turn to take a spin on the wheel, and he wants to end it. Not be coming to a mutual understanding, but by removing as many vampires as he can.

Anyway, here's the character sheet:




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