Old Judge Dredd

[J.T.]

Ok my group are anti D20 at the moment (think we OD on it over the last year or so) and my suggestion of starting a Judge Dredd game nearly got me lynched which is a shame as the adventures are quite good.

I then had an idea. I went up into the attic (the place where all my old games go to retire) and dusted off my old copies of the Games Workshop Judge Dredd RPG boxed set (yes I have two copies).

I have looked over the rules and though basic compaired to the D20 set I think there's enough there to convert the adventures to this old system (by the way found my citadel figures too so now I can play gangs of megacity one)

Now I was wondering if anyone on the forum has or uses the old GW rules with the D20 stuff and if so how did it work out?

J.T.

 

[Anvil]

I picked up a copy of that old Judge Dredd gamemaster book a few years back at second hand comic book store for five bucks.

Though it isn't much ggod by itself, it still is worthy resource material.

Sort of like the abbreviated guide to Judge Dredd, his gadjets and the different perps and other citizens of Megacity one.

 

[Anvil]

I just got a copy of the core rules for the D20 version.

I was wondering how however what other books would be most essential to compliment the core rules.

I wont buying all the books, just the important ones.

For instance the books with Dredd's statistics in it.

 

[Dredd Times]

Dredds stats are not acutally in a book as such but in the Most Wanted GM screen.

If you are looking for a why in to the game it depends on what kind of campaign you are wanting to run, judge or citizen? For judges you cant go wrong with Rookies Guide to the Justice Department, and Matts excellent Rookies Guide to the Undercity, as well as Rookies Guide to Psi-Talent, all books that you really need to run a very successful judge campaign.

As for citizens it depends on what element you want to go for, legal or criminal, the latter really cries out for the Rookies Guide to Criminal Organisations book and the former I would pick up Rookies Guide to Brit-Cit, Rookies Guide to Crazes and Rookies Guide to Atlantis and the Black Atlantic if your feeling adventurous!

Marc

 

[mossmac]

Yep, I use the old rules with the new mongoose stuff - works well but obviously needs some work on the GM side - but as I love tinkering with rule systems anyway I don't mind.

The mongoose supplements are excellently written though - far better than the old GW which offered little backround - John Calibur really knows what he is talking about and before writing for mongoose had some excellent websites for the old roleplay on the web

I will probably buy the rule book just to read more backround material.

I have altered a lot of the GW rules set - it is one I am familiar with - so it matches how I want to play it.

Judge Dredd adventures, I often feel, succeed best with tons of backround to through at the team - so the more you got the better.

Cheers

Mossmac

 

[numanti]

I too have a preference for the old rules and intend returning to them in some sort of expanded form, like including a lot of the newer stuff from Mongoose, such as the Psi abilities and Feats - I'm thinking of turning them all into special abilities.

The best part of the old rules for me has to be the driving system. The meters/round concept and acceleration/deceleration rates of vehicles was much easier to figure out than speed bands and miles per hour, and worked really well for chases, especially when using the Speed Kills rules from the Judge Dredd Companion.

The breaking down of combat rounds into phases was always clunky, though. Maybe I need to seriously think about coming up with a more usable set of rules - I really can't get into D20 - but then I GM my games fairly rules-light apart from combat and chases.

 

[mossmac]

I am already setting about using the 'feats and psi abilities as special abilities for the old rules - the speedkills rules in the compendium are very good I agree.

Phases could be clunky but then I was never too stricked about them unless players were trying to abuse the system to get an unfair advantage - they soon got to know that I would slow the whole thing down if they didn't 'go with the GM flow' in the action - and as this is what made for a more exciting game -especially when the brown smelly stuff started to fly - they would quickly bow to the GM power.

As there are a ton more 'special abilities' I am going to change how the players can get them - 100exp for either a skill OR an advance on stats so players need to choose which.

Some skills as suggested in Mongoose are specific for certain specialist teams and roles. Judges will have to amass Exp in this role seperatly to get the specialist abilities. Some skills are unique (clones) and are offered very rarely only in the creation of Judges or after much dedication.

I also like the mongoose idea of being used to a particular weapon or piece of technolodgy.

I am introducing the fact that until you 'familiarise' yourself with a new piece of equipment you operate that piece of equipment at half percentage rate and cannot use special abilities with it. This includes vehicles and unfamiliar weapons. - While this might at first seem harsh it must be remembered that you only have to take Drive Skill Tests when you push vehicles beyond safe limits and unfamiliar weapons can still be carefully aimed by expanding action points (Putting Dredd and his ilk using an unfamiliar weapon still at 90%+ although a bit slower).

To become familiar does mean going through a rigorous application test with the appropriate Tec, Med etc division to achiev 'Level 2' with the piece of equiipment. I Roleplay Training Simulator Levels for my players. This alows beginner players to becom experienced of the Game mechanics in the 'safe' simulator environment as well as allowing more experienced Judges some 'practise' for their characters.

I role play regular 'checkup' tests for my players which they have to pass every Game month. These are run on an increasingly higher difficulty level ratio. Players, especially later on in their career, don't have much of a problem passing the pass level but can always attempt higher and harder levels to gain more experienc. This also allows Judges to do 'Extra' training while they are off duty either with their own equipment or with specialist Equipment - some extra specialist training may be denied because of security restrictions, resources or lack of specialist tutors.

An immediate increase of D3 is awarded to the stat that is used the most if a new level is obtained on the training simulator - Players can get really hooked on training programs which becomes an attitude to succeed - an attitude which suits a Judge well. Like wis an exotic or new weapon, vehicle, tech item is considered familiar if successfully used upto or beyond level 2.
New skills can be 'tought' but this requires passing a level six simulation and successfully using the skill in the simulation twice either in the one simulation or using the skill once in two back to back simulations (diffusing a bomb for example)

Level 6 simulations are very difficult and can be fatal if carried out in combat!

Combat Training simulaters (usually the most popular) always run two types - Firearms and HTH combat against droids.

Both areas need to be advanced at roughly the same rate before a stat increas is given- Level 4 in the firearms section cannot be obtained until Lvl 3 in HTH is obtained. Higher levels get really hard and can cause srious injury or even death. On duty Tek Judges will only ever allow Judges to start a simulator on a level they have already succeeded at and will only advance the simulator by one level at a time.

Other simulators include Drive Skill

Iniative - obstacle course and hth dodging

Med skill - doing biopsies, med training , dealing with casualties, how to deliver a bay, etc

Tech - defuse a bomb, rewire a plug blindfold!, etc

No Psi Simulator for non Psi judges but plenty of scope to have one for Psi Judges.

Street skill involves multiple answer question tests on sector knowledge - procedure - law and history etc

Cheers

Mossmac

 

[mossmac]

Lots at this site including all the WD articles and adventures as well as a complete text down load (no Pictures) of the GW Judge's Manual and a excel list of all the mongoose feats that appear in their books!

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Dredd

You do have to join the group to access the files - but I think it is well worth it

Cheers

Mossmac

 

[numanti]

I am a member of that group - it was me that did the Excell file, actually. I also have all of the Mongoose Psi abilities on a Publisher file that I have prined off, laminated and cut up for the Psi Judge to use - saves flicking through the books for the basics, though requires the books as there isn't any real detail on there.

I have bits of other stuff, too - most of which will probably end up on my site at some point.

I really like the way your game rules seem to be going - I may well borrow those ideas myself.

 

[mossmac]

All good files

I am about to do my first big car chase of the campaign and am using speed kills but....

Probably going to try a variation on it by....

Preparing a chart before hand that will have counters on it to show the distance in meters between the Bank Heisters Van and the Pursuing Judges.

The difference between the top safe speed of the van and the top safe speed of the judges will be noted.

This difference will be the standard to work from to see as the rounds pass who gains or loses ground.

Once at the max safe speed every round both the judges and the Getaway driver can attempt Drive Skill Tests to see if they can exceed the safe speed by one acc band. If past they do if failed they stay at safe speed.

If traveling at one acc band above safe speed they can try another Drive skill test in the following round. If past they acc by another acc band - if they fail they automatically dec by a dec band and lose control.

If they do not crash then every round they must test to regain control dec by a dec band each round until they either crash, decelerate to a halt or regain control.

Because invariably it is the Judges doing the chasing I will always have planned out before the gaming session what routs perps will take and where they will eventually stop - either by crashing or leaving the vehicle behind. This will of course be influenced by the Judges actions but the perps general reactions will always be noted down before hand - I find this preparation invaluable in GMing as it keeps the action flowing fast and really forces your players to make instant decisions (which are usually the ones you can predict easier as well)

The Lawmaster is a bit of beast and as long as the Judges are not foolish they will nearly always 'get their man' in such a chase. However Judges who push to the extremes soon find out why it is called the'extremes'.

Cheers

Mossmac

 

[mossmac]

Drawn up a working chart with movable counters (small D6 dice) to keep track of Vehicles in a speed chase using 'Speed Kills'.

It is on paper at the moment but I will be putting it on HD as soon as I get time.

If several Judges are chasing I allow the lead judge to take any basic DS safe speed checks for the whole group. If the lead judge fails DS for a 'Safe speed Test the following Judges can take it in turns to roll DS in order they are in the group - the first to pass becomes 'Leadr in the chase. If all fail the 'group' all decelerate.

This keeps the pace of the chase up.

Dangerous situations that ask for Control Checks require all Judges to make individual DS Control Checks.

Seems to allow for a detailed record to be kept but still allows the pace to be medium to high.

Have written up simulation levels that Judges can train on back at the sector house using this system as well.

Cheers

Mossmac

 

[mossmac]

GMing a campaign using the old GW rules I have really wanted to include all the new skills in the old system.

Because of the high number of new skills I have changed the emphasis from increasing Stats, to a preference of Characters to get new Special Abilities. While both can still be achieved characters with the write skills can be very proficint in a specific task.

I have also used the 'Focused', 'Proficiency', and 'Specialisation' idea for Weapons, Tech Pieces and Vehicles as well as Med Skill Special Abilities. This has been detailed at the end.

Anyway below is the first draft I wrote up last night and will be looking to add.


Initiative

Recover Quickly
Suffers 1 less stun for next round

Improved Recover Quickly
Suffers 2 less stuns for next round

Avoid Shots
‘I’ Test -/+ shooters modifiers

Agile
+20% when climbing, balancing or jumping

Avoid Falling Objects
+20% when avoiding a falling object

Break Fall
Counts as falling half distance

Duck/Dive
+20% when avoiding ‘swinging’ and ‘moving’ large objects that could cause damage

Lightning Reflexes
Carry out an extra action – max 10

*Instant Reactions
If acting in the same phase will act first

Leap onto Vehicles
+20% to ‘I’ test

Quick Learner
Gains 10% extra experience points

Special Break Fall
Counts as falling one quarter of the distance

Super Leap
Can leap 50% further

*Alertness
‘I’ test to avoid ‘surprises’

*Ambidexterity
May use either hand

Duck & Weave
‘I’ test – if succeed is not slowed
by obstructions when running

Endurance
Recover D10 ‘I’ once a day. Requires 5 min of ‘limited’ activity

Improved Initiative
All ‘I’ skills that ‘+20%’ now ‘+30’

Improved Endurance
Recover D20 ‘I’ once a day. Requires 5 min of ‘limited’ activity

Run
+50% running ability

Skill Focus
+10% on nominated Special Ability



Combat Skill

Armour penetration
+1 to hit Damage

Strong Strike
+1 damage HTH

Follow Moving Target
Treat a moving target as stationary

Crack Shot
+20% per aim action for weapon shooting

Fast Aim
One aim and one shoot action takes one phase

Fast Draw
Draw a weapon takes no action –

Fast Shot
May perform two shoot actions at the same target without aiming for the second shot – count the same aim modifiers

Knock Out
Needs half the normal amount of stuns to Knock Out

Leap Into Combat
Combined with a run – flying kick - +2 HTH

Painful Strike
Requires a second CS roll after a successful HTH hit - Successful stun – target can not perform any more actions that turn

Precise Throw
+20% when throwing

Self Defense
+20% when defending in HTH

Small Target Shot
Treats ‘Small Targets’ as Normal Targets

*Combat Reflexes
Can spend actions ‘aiming’ in HTH – accumulated ‘aims’ are nullified if the character suffers a stun

*Firearm Reflexes
Can spend actions 'aiming' in firing a weapon - accumulated 'aims' are nullified if the character suffers a stun

Far Shot
Gets +10% for firing at a target over 30m

Great Fortitude
Must suffer enough stuns to stop them from performing in two rounds before they are Knocked Out

Improved Critical
+1 Damage in shotting

Disarm
Requires a second CS roll – if successful may disarm opponent of one weapon instead of causing damage

Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Requires Ambidexterity - +10% when using two HTH weapons

Improved Unarmed Strike
Requires Strong Strike - +2 Damage in HTH

Multiple Attack
Can attack two opponents in the same phase in HTH

Point Blank Shot
+90% to hit within 3m, +30% to hit within 10m –

Precice Shot
Can Target small components of a small target

Sure Grip
Can hold a two handed weapon in hand

Two Weapon Fighting
Can aim and fire two weapons at once – one in each hand – for the same action

Weapon Focus
Use normal Stats

*Weapon Proficiency
Use normal Stats and Skills

Weapon Specialisation
Us Normal Stats and Skills +10% to any task carried out with this weapon

Armour penetration
+1 to hit Damage

Drive-By Boot
HTH kick from moving Lawmaster - +1 Damage

Lightning Reload
First action spent to reload a weapon is free



Street Skill

Sense Aim
SS Test to detect when being aimed at.

Pursue Perp
+20% to SS tests in anticipating the likely route when tracking a Perp on foot

Aura of Cool
+10% to Surrender Modifier

Discourage Perp
+20% to SS when ordering a perp

Hide & Sneak
+20% to SS when spotting a hiding perp

Interrogate
+10% to SS to persuade a perp

Keen Observation
+10% to spot an ‘unfamiliar’ item
+20% to spot a ‘familiar’ item

Pursue
+20% to SS tests in anticipating the likely route when tracking a Perp in a vehicle

Sector Knowledge
+10% for unfamiliar item
+20% for familiar item
+30% common knowledge

Special Sector Knowledge
Requires Sector Knowledge
- further +10%

Spot Hidden Item
+20% to spot an item that has been ‘covered’ or camouflaged

Sense Crime
SS to be ‘Suspect’ a crime that is not ‘obvious’

Sense Perp
SS test to ‘Suspect’ a Perp that is not obvious

Spot Hidden Weapon
SS to spot a hidden weapon on a perp

Leadership
+10% when giving Complex instructions

Command
SS allows complex instructions to be correctly understood by on person

Additional Lieutenant
Requires Command - +10 SS allows complex instructions to be correctly understood by one person

Advanced Leadership
Requires Additional Lieutenant - +20% SS when giving complex instructions to one person
- can give complex instructions up to 1 person per 10 SS at one time – requires successful SS for the whole group.

Direction Sense
+20% when navigating

Fool Birdie
-20% to ‘detecting lies’

Inspire Loyalty
+10% when giving Complex instructions


Iron Will
Requires Aura of Cool- +20%
to Surrender Modifier

Skill Focus
+10% of particular special ability

Track
+20% to follow perp on foot

Improved Arrest
+10% Surrender Modifier

Improved Interrogation
Requires Interregate - +20% Interrigating

Mass Arrest
On a successful Surrender up to 1 person per 10 SS will surrender at once

Improved Mass Arrest
Requires Mass Arrest – On a successful Surrender roll 1 person per 1 SS will surrender

Menacing Presence
Requires Iron will - +30% Surrender Modifier

Sixth Sense
Requires sense perp and sense crime – SS test can figure out the crime and the perp (might still need evidence however)


Drive Skill

Lawmaster Wheelie
80% armour against shots from the front – failed armour hits a bike location

Avoid Collision
+20% to avoid a collision

Control Skid
+20% DS to regain control in a skid

Drive Fast
+20% DS when testing above safe speed

Control Spin
+/-3 from clock facing

Emergency Stop
Can use the emergency stopping distance of the vehicle

Fast Dismount
Takes no actions

Fast Mount
Takes no actions

Lawmaster Leap
DS roll - Can leap a distance 10% the speed traveling and land safely – Requires a ‘ramp’ of some sort and a place to land

Vehicle Avoid Shots
DS roll required – can move hit location by 1 band

Improved Vehicle Avoid Shots
Requires Vehicle Avoid Shots – DS roll needed – One shot is automatically avoided per round

Control Crash
-1 Hit suffered to the character

Vehicle Focus
Allows the normal use of DS

Vehicle Focus
Allows normal DS to be used when operating Vehicle

*Vehicle Proficiency
Requires Vehicle Focus
Allows the normal use of DS and Special Abilities

Vehicle Specialisation
Requires Vehicle Proficiency
Allows the normal use of DS and Special Abilities - +10% to Special Abilities



Tech Skill

Access
+20% to gain access to a ‘Computer’

Armour Specialisation
+10% to Chosen Armour

Analvse Chemical
+20% to successfully determine a chemical’s properties - usually requires specialist equipment – that may require an enable mechanism roll.

Enable Mechanism
+20% TS to enable a Mechanism.

Disable Mechanism
+20% TS to disable a Mechanism

Fabricate Voice Print
TS to Fabricate Voice Print

Fit Component
+20% TS to correctly fit replacement component

Fix Jammed Weapon
+20% TS Fix Jammed Weapon

Open Lock
TS to open lock – may nead specialist equipment

Recognise Component
+20% TS to recognise the correct component need to make a Tech piece work

Recognise Mechanism
+20% TS Recognise why a component works or doesn’t work

Recognise Vital Spot
TS roll to recognize the vital components that can stop a Tech Piece from working.

Robot Knowledge
TS roll needed to use other special abilities on the robot

Use Data
TS roll needed to identify data - able to use other special abilities on the Tech Piece at normal TS without having to have Tech Proficiency skill in the Tech Piece – requires data – Successful TS also allows player to Automatically maintain Tech Focus with the Tech Piece at a later time when Data is no longer available.

Tech Focus
Allows Tech Piece to be used at full TS

*Tech Proficiency
Requires Tech Focus
Allows Tech Piece to be used with full TS and Special Abilities

Tech Specialisation
Requires Tech Proficiency
Allows Tech Piece to be used with full TS +10% and Special Abilities


Med Skill

Recognize Trauma
+20% to Recognize Trauma

Recognize Illness
+20% to Recognize Illness – infections and poisons

Recognize Disease
MS to recognize Disease

Administer Treatment
Requires Recognize Trauma/Illness/Disease
+20% Administer treatment correctly – requires specialist equipment

Emergency Resuscitation
MS roll allows fatally ill patient to survive for 1 hour before dying – patient will die after 1 hr. Emergency Resuscitation must begin within three minutes of fatal injury – cannot cure ‘Instant Death’ etc.

Hypnotise
MS roll allows hypnotisim to take place –see rule book

Improvise Cure
Requires Recognise Illness Proficiency - MS roll allows to improvise cure for an Illness – lasts for 2 hours – one use only on a patient
Incapacitate

MS followed by a successful CS HTH hit that causes at least one stun automatically knocks the opponent out

Knowledge of Alien Anatomy
MS roll to identify Alien Anatomy that will allow other MS Special Abilities to be used

Psychology
Long term treatment of ‘Psychosis’
MS roll allows for the prediction of possible Perp reactions and thinking
+10% Surrender Modifier and 10% Surrender for people who normally ‘Will Not Surrender’

Recognize Dangerous Lifeform
MS to recognize dangerous Lifeform – mainly plants – a successful recognition adds 20% to recognize Illness related to Lifeform.

Resist Disease
MS roll resist Disease for 1 Hour only without further medical assistance

Revive
MS roll to revive a knocked out character- does not work on a comatose character

Medical Focus
(Choose from Trauma / Illness / Disease / other Special Ability)
+10% in ability

Medical Proficiency
(Choose from Focus Trauma / Focus Illness / Focus Disease / other Special Ability Focus)
+20% in ability

Medical Specialisation
(Choose from Trauma Proficiency / Illness Proficiency / Disease Proficiency / other Special Ability Proficiency)
+30% in ability

Haven't done these yet.......

Psi Skill
Animate Corpse
Detect Intent
Detect Psyker
Hold Door
Hypnotise
Illusions
Jinx Mechanism
Jinx Vehicle
Levitation
Mind Control
Mind Wipe
Psychic Attack
Psychic Block
Suggestion
TelekinesisSuper-Telekinesis
Encompassing Power
Enhanced Power
Enlarge Power
Extend Power
Far Power
Hypnopathy
Magnify Power
Maintain Power
Maximise Power
Necrospan
Quicken Power
Twin Power
Additional Power
Astral Projection
Body Fuel
Change Instruction
Combat Manifestation
Defensive Block
Drain Psi Talent
Greater Power Penetration
Greater Specialist Focus
Improved Transformation
Innate Power
Inner Strength
Longevity
Meditation
Mental Adversary

Mental Snare
Permanent Control
Precognitive Sense
Psychic Inquisitor
Psychoanalyst
Quicken Summoning
Specialist Focus
Strength of Will
Synergy
Talented
Telekinetic Punch
Transformation





Special Abilities help to compliment basic stats as well as providing other unique abilities for the character.

CS/DS/TS Focus/Proficiency/Specialisation
When a character tries to complete an action with a physical item then the skill that is needed to use the item (CS for a weapon, DS for a Vehicle, TS for a Tech Piece) is halved with additional modifiers applied by the GM. However once two successful roles have been made in operating the item then the item can be considered a ‘Focused’ Item. Make a note of the item in the ‘Focused’ section of the Characters Play Sheet. Focused items usually require a normal Skill roll to be used successfully, modified by Modifiers given by the GM.

Note Special Abilities cannot be used on ‘Focused Items’

Special Abilities can only be used with ‘Proficient’ Items or on their own

It is possible to become ‘Focused’ on an ‘Item’ or a ‘Special Ability’ by ‘Specialist Training' in the Justice Department by using a Level 2 training simulator and successful passing the skill test (halved of course) twice in the session on the level.

To become ‘Proficient’ in a Special Ability or Item you can spend 100 EXP on a ‘Focused’ Special Ability or Item or train on a Level 4 Training Simulator as above

To become ’Specialised’ in a Special Ability or Item you can spend 100 EXP on a ‘Proficient’ Special Ability or Item or train on a Level 6 Training Simulator as above

Any training is done at the discretion of the GM – non standard equipment or specialist ability training will need a very good reason and the approval of the Sector House Commander after he has consulted the Heads of the relevant department – including Accounts Division. There are many reasons requests may be declined, the fore most among them is resources (material and tutor personnel) as well as time (if you got time to practise using ‘exoctic’ equipment why not become experts in ‘standard’ equipment? – and if you got that much time to train you should be out on the streets catching criminals)

Good reasons given by players because of a ‘Case Issue’ will be looked at seriously though.

Probably the best place to learn about more specialised equipment is to put in a transfere to a department that uses the skills or items a lot.

Be warned – these departments will expect at least 6 months committed work from the judge so a transfere is not to be made lightly (and can be turned down by the Sector House Commander ie GM)

Most Judges begin their career ‘Proficient’ in all of the ‘Standard’ Equipment that they carry.

Most Judges will also start their career with certain Special Abilities that have been ‘*’ in the above list.

Judges can begin their career with certain ‘Focus’ Tech Pieces, Weapons and Vehicles as noted at the discretion of the GM.

At the discretion of the GM a player who uses an item very similar to one that they are at least ‘Proficient’ in can be thought of as being ‘Focused’ in the Item.


For example a Judge could pick up a spit pistol and use it as a ‘Focused’ weapon. This means he could fire it using his normal CS but couldn’t use any special abilities for it.

However a spit carbine is a very different type of gun to the types most Street Judges are ’Proficient’ in so the Judge fires using half his CS. However on two successful CS rolls he can be considered to have ‘Focused’ his ability with the gun and add it to his list os focused weapons for future reference. Note he is only ‘Focused’ on the Spit Carbine and if later he tries to use a ‘Widow Maker’, a different type of machine gun, he would again roll at half CS and have to repeat the process.

However if the same Judge uses 100EXP he can increase his expertise in the Spit Carbine to ‘Proficient’ and from then on not only use special abilities with the ‘Spit Carbine’ but also count all machine guns as ‘Focused’ weapons.

 

[numanti]

Pretty exhaustive

One question - and it's prbably already answeered in your post - but how do characters gain abilities? Is it 100EP per ability or a free ability every time a skill hits 40, 50, 60 ect like in the old rules?

Because if it's the former, I can forsee a lot of arguing about them having to halve thier skill to try and use a skill which they do not have - for instance, driving a car under the old rules is a DS roll even though they may NEVER have driven a car before. Same with piloting any hover vehicle.

I have decided my lot will still get an ability for free every 10 skill points, but I have extended the core stats thus:

Instead of just
S / I / CS / DS/ TS / SS / MS / PS

I have started to break each stat down.

Strength - this shows both how strong and how resiliant a character is. S goes down with Wounds. I have broken this into two seperate stats, Warhammer FRP style, into Strength and Toughness. You use the S characteristic to see how hard you have hit someone, or to see if you can lift an object etc. It remains a 1 - 3 for citizens and a 1 - 4 for Judges, as per The Judge Dredd Companion. Toughness score is worked out in the same way as S, but is used instead of S to work out damage taken. S & T can be increased to a maximum of 4 each, a point at a time, through working out in the Sector House gym for a month. At a cost of 100 E.P's, the Judge can make a percentage roll (if S = 2, it's a 20% chance) to increase that stat by 1 point. They can choose to concentrate on S or T, but only one lot of training per game month is allowed. This is quite a popular rule with my players. Psi Judges can't go above S or T 3.

Initiative remains as it is. I toyed with the idea of having some kind of Wounds / Hit Points stat, but as Initiative works well for that, I have kept this exactly the same.

Combat Skill - As this represents both shooting and Hand-to-Hand combat, I have broken it down to the Close Combat Skill for unarmed / knives / broken bottles etc, and Ballistic Skill (Warhammer Style) for all ranged weapons. Thrown weapons such as bombs etc are a BS roll now.

Drive Skill is broken into three seperate skills -
Drive for ground based vehicles which are car like - including tanks!
Ride for bikes
Pilot for all hover vehicles

The rest of the stats are currently the same - though I'm sure that TS could be broken down further.

 

[mossmac]

**"One question - and it's prbably already answeered in your post - but how do characters gain abilities? Is it 100EP per ability or a free ability every time a skill hits 40, 50, 60 ect like in the old rules?"**


100EXP per ability unless spending specialist training time in the Sector House (or wherever) under tutortorial from an expert or gaining a 'Focus' on a piece of equipment/weapon/Vehicle/Med Special Ability by passing DS/TS/CS/MS

The adaptive rules system I am using is far more Special Ability orientated as there are so many new Special Abilities (see above - I intend to add to these).

Many of the Special Abilities allow big bonuses (+20%) to a skill (CS, TS......) and so encourage players to develop these Special Abilities early on. The basic numerical Skill can still be developed as well.

I have also changed the fact that special abilities can now be combined and multible Special Abilities can be used in the same round. (eg Fast draw, fast aim, crack shot, fast shot all combined make for a deadly gun slinger.)

This really boosts the power of Special Abilities but this is the route I want the Players to go down as GM.

So for example a starting judge with CS (or BS see below) of 32 say, can now develop skills which will make him a very 'proficient gun user' early in his career (note this was one reason to have focus, proficient and specialist catogaries for weapons, vehicles, tech items Mdical Skills etc) in particular 'stamdard Issue' weapons.

He can then really hone his skills in this area by increasing his CS, and 'training' in specialist weapons he is not focusd or proficient in as well as bcoming 'specialised' in some weaponary

**"Because if it's the former, I can forsee a lot of arguing about them having to halve thier skill to try and use a skill which they do not have - for instance, driving a car under the old rules is a DS roll even though they may NEVER have driven a car before. Same with piloting any hover vehicle."**


Some GMing is needed here - not all item use is going to be 'listed' on the character sheet - using a knife and fork to eat for example :lol: -

For driving a car I use the speed kills rules where driving at a safe limit (all safe limits are noted in the compendium) in a standard vehicle then no DS is required. An increase 50m/r above the safe speed does require a DS check and if this is failed then the driver automatically breaks to a safe speed.

I think this is fair enough as the judge jumps into an unfamiliar car, accelerates upto a safe speed, he can then attempt to travel 50m/r faster than the safe speed but because the vehicle is unfamiliar to him he needs to take time to get a 'feel of the vehicle' - this takes him as long as it takes him to make 2 DS rolls - this could be a successful DS roll followed by several failed DS rolls followed by the second successful DS roll.

Remember after the second DS roll that particular vehicle can be added permenantly to the 'Focus' list on his character sheet.

In all of this additional bonuses can be added by the GM if he thinks the Judge would find it easier (or harder :twisted: ) to get a 'Focus' on the vehicle. However a judge attempting to use a vehicle that requires a 'Control Loss' DS roll before he has a 'Focus' on the vehicle is going to find it particularly difficult.

The same principle is behind Tech Items - complex tech items will need half TS to get anything working on it, but a simplier Tech Piece may not require a TS roll at all unless trying to use it in 'extreme' circumstances - quite often a successful second TS roll in such a situation will allow the player to 'focus' on the tem as well as 'realising' that what he is trying to do with the item is not possiable or may require a more specialised individual with the right 'Special Ability' to use properly -Brain Surgery for example :shock: .

I often wouldn't tell the player this until after the second successful role - after the first successful role I would say something like - 'Yep that carjack does seem to be lifting the punctured Pat wagon.....!'
I feel that Special Abilities are important with Tech Pieces and TS in general and Judges can certainly do 'extra study and practise' to gain these abilities by using free time in at the sector (how likely is that?) or putting in a transfere (see below)

Weapons are so diverse and often require the understanding of balance, recoil, the weapon's effective range (including HTH weapons), how a weapon is reloaded etc that a severe negative to peculiar weapons I feel is appropriate.

I say 'peculiar', as a character with a weapon on a 'prestigous' list will be able to use all similiar weapons at 'Focus' level immediatly - however I felt specialist abilities should only apply to 'Prestigous' weapons but again GMing is needed here - a baseball bat or an equal length and weighted object could certainly be used as a daystick with Special Abilities - however a 'slashing' samaria sword would be only used at 'Focused level.

Likewise most pistols will be used at full CS but machine guns, heavy machine guns, bazookas etc are at half CS until two successful hits are made.

By the way Two Successful passes are passes made at half the CS?TS/DS/MS skill plus any GM modifiers but does not 'Rules Based' modifiers.

For example a player with CS 30 trying to fire a tripod heavy machine gun might decide to fire at a target at 'point-blank' range getting a +30% modifier giving him an overall chance to hit the target of 45%. However only rolls made at 15% (half his CS) will count towards the developing Weapon focus ability for this weapon. This represents players getting a 'real feel' for the weapon.

To gain certain 'Special Abilities' a Transfere to another Department might well be in order. I would play this depending how much I wanted them operating in a different department - I might really want this and either force the Transfere as Secter House Commander and at least really encourage it showing the benifits that can be obtained - or if I wanted to keep them where they are then allow for a 'specialist' tutor to be available as a one off.

Most skills that are trained for in a Sector House Practicle/Simulator are achieved without having to spend EXP. But as I detailed in the earlier post there are plenty of ways around this for a GM from stopping characters from getting too many skills too fast, not least time restraints put on the Judges - I like my players to really work for adavnces and I of course do control how many EXP they get in the first place, and then the players feel they have really achieved something.

The overall effect that I feel all of this puts on the Judges is the fact that they are, or can become very quickly, highly skilled when using their standard equipment - and I feel that this keeps within the 'Persona' of a Judge - However 'green' Judges can quickly become 'out of their depth' when not using their 'Standard Equipment' as can Judges who become too Special Ability orientated and do not improve their overall CS/TS/MS/DS

Those Judges that develop an healthy CS/DS/TS/MS can be considred 'naturally' talented in that field but may lack a specific expertease in a particular area or perhaps lack overall training.

This adds more 'Character' to the 'Character' :wink:

A healthy balance in both Stat Skill and Special Ability can be good but is not always the best route and is very much down to the players choice.

The sheer number of special abilities can be 'over-whelming' to players at first but they soon realise after at least the second adventure, but normally the first, which skills to get first. Again I would let the players decide as they often surprise me.

If I think a 'Street Judge' is becoming too 'top Heavy' in one skill type the next adventure will include a lot of rolls in the Skills that need to be topped up.... :twisted:

I don't mind players expanding their CS as this can be fun for both the player and myself as well as the fact that Combat is so deadly.


A couple of more skills BTW to be added above include -

Deadly Shot
Every action spent aiming allows either +10% to the CS or +1 to the Damage Roll

Lethal Shot
Requires Deadly Shot
Every action spent aiming allows both +10% to the CS and +1 to the Damage Roll


I have just received criminal Organisations and the Under City supplements in the post and already notice pleanty of new skills to add - which I will do at a later date.

Cheers

Mossmac

 

[numanti]

The more I digest your ideas the more I like them. I was unsure how the focussing worked until you just explained it again - heh, maybe I'm just a bit slow

And using your method will save me having to redo the stat line. I'm going to give it a try, I think.

One problem that could come up is with TS rolls to, say, diffuse a bomb they haven't seen before... but I suppose that should really be left to the experts anyway.

 

[mossmac]

Strength - this shows both how strong and how resiliant a character is. S goes down with Wounds. I have broken this into two seperate stats, Warhammer FRP style, into Strength and Toughness. You use the S characteristic to see how hard you have hit someone, or to see if you can lift an object etc. It remains a 1 - 3 for citizens and a 1 - 4 for Judges, as per The Judge Dredd Companion. Toughness score is worked out in the same way as S, but is used instead of S to work out damage taken. S & T can be increased to a maximum of 4 each, a point at a time, through working out in the Sector House gym for a month. At a cost of 100 E.P's, the Judge can make a percentage roll (if S = 2, it's a 20% chance) to increase that stat by 1 point. They can choose to concentrate on S or T, but only one lot of training per game month is allowed. This is quite a popular rule with my players. Psi Judges can't go above S or T 3.

Does this mean a character that loses 'T' still has normal strength? Is T very similiar to 'wounds' in other games?

I quite like the fact that a severly wound Judge loses Strength and the abilty to be effective in combat etc.

I like the idea of 'Working out in the Gym' but a 1 point increase in strength can be 25-50% increase which is a big permnant gain for 100EXP
How about telling the players they can 'work out' for 100exp for a '1' point strength increase - but must spend 100EXP every time you award EXP to represent their on-going training - Having done a lot of sport including gym work I know that to keep muscle tone up and beyond normal high fitness levels a lot of continuous work needs to be maintained

This can represent 'vain' judges doing extra 'work outs' in the gym instead of spending time learning new special abilities or enhancing skill levels (but assure the player that he will ahve great pecs and a six pack to die for :lol: ).

Combat Skill - As this represents both shooting and Hand-to-Hand combat, I have broken it down to the Close Combat Skill for unarmed / knives / broken bottles etc, and Ballistic Skill (Warhammer Style) for all ranged weapons. Thrown weapons such as bombs etc are a BS roll now.

I think this is a good idea and may well incoporate it into my game especially as it will stretch the players EXP's even tighter.

Drive Skill is broken into three seperate skills -
Drive for ground based vehicles which are car like - including tanks!
Ride for bikes
Pilot for all hover vehicles

I think I will be keeping all vehicles lumped together as I work with the 'Focus, Proficient, Specialist Item's' rules idea- so a player could be specialised in the lawmaster but have no focus at all with hover vehicles........

in addition GM modifiers will apply here.

Cheers

Mossmac

 

[mossmac]

One problem that could come up is with TS rolls to, say, diffuse a bomb they haven't seen before... but I suppose that should really be left to the experts anyway!

Oh yes :lol:

I want my Judges to feel highly proficient in standard duty practise but when things become 'wierd' as they do every shift(!) it is the judges with the Iniative and quick thinking minds that will get them out of 'unfamiliar' circumstances. There has to be a VERY good reason why 'Street' Judges would spend time disarming a bomb and not instead be clearing the area of citizens - I can't remember Dredd in the comics EVER diffusing a bomb - although I'm sure there must be one or two cases! He invariable is getting himself and 'innocent' bystanders out of the vicinity as the explosion gos off and 'miracrously surviving'

I like my players to think of solutions and early on these solutions should be pretty obvious - and no....rolling D100 is rarely a well thought out solution :? and should be a last resort - afterall when diffusing a bomb, if they fail their dead! :x

In early adventures I like to introduce the different facets of the Justice Department in the course of their every day duties and emphasis that they are not alone and they do have specialist backup to call upon. While they are waiting for this backup what should they be doing..........?

This will get them thinking about how to use the different divisions in later cases - as well as creating more of a 3D character for the Judges they pass in the Sector House Corridor. That AccDiv judge that they helped out in a bust on a mobs 'front' gives them a nod as he goes pass - or maybe they try to avoid the Tech Judge in charge of the armoury after losing their lawgiver on a scond shift running! :?

Anyway I would like to hear how using the ideas I presented above work out - my campaign will be very stop start over the next few months so playtesting the ideas will take some time - any recomended alterations you come across in the mean time do pass on.

Cheers

Mossmac

 

[numanti]

Regarding Toughtness v Strength.

The way it works in Warhammer FRP is that there is no real correlation between S and T. T basically reduces damage taken. In WFRP even the best characters will only have something like 12 Wounds (as opposed to 100 HP in D20) so a decent T score is essential. My idea for Dredd was that a T score would to all intents and purposes work in the same way that the S score works when determining damage taken, but as you say since this does not affect a characters strength when it reduces through Wounds, maybe it won't work so well. I have ditched that idea

 

[mossmac]

I have been revamping the old GW JD rules on damage and armour.

I really like the simple but effective damage table in the JM but feel that armour is an afterthought. When you get hit in the current system you role d100 and see if you pass a % armour role. If successful no damage is sustained and the armour loses 5% of its value.

The system I will be using is:

Armour value shows the 'coverage' of the location as a percentage and a second negative value showing how 'resistant' the armour is to a damage role.

So when a character is hit the a % armour role is used to see if the armour gets in the way of the blow.

If this is successful then the resistance (-1, -2, -3 etc) is subtracted from the damage roll. Other damage roll modifiers are also applied.

in addition to this I am giving Judge Characters a 'Body-Glove' armour representing the black 'body-glove' that Judges wear a limited resistance to damage of '-1'.

So Head is 75% -3
Arms 100% -2
Legs 100% -2
Chest 100% -1
Abdomen 100% -1

I am also keeping the fact of armour reducing by 5% each time it takes a hit.

For tech items and vehicles etc I am keeping the normal rules.

This means Judges taking hits are less likely to take wounds and severe damage but will get 'stunned' more often when hit which I feel is more likely espesceilly when hit by a bullet in the head for example.

Note the 'special ability' in the above post I have introduced which allows judges and other characters to expend actions to boost damage by +1 per action instead of +10% to hit.

I have also revised all listed weapons from the new rules into stats for the old rules.

I like the idea of range increments (why are they in feet? - I have converted them all to meters!) and will introduce this instead of the 'same' increments in the original JM. So +-0 first distance, -10 for double range, -20 triple range, -40 four times the range, -80 five + times range.

Cheers

Mossmac

 

[mossmac]

Increase Judge Helmet armour to:

85% -3 :idea:

Cheers

Mossmac