Shifting Gears, going back to R&R.

So I am flighty, what can I say. Lately I have been wanting to do something more with Ruins & Ronin, so I have decided to go back and expand it and put it into a digest format of 2 or possibly 3 books (6x9 book on lulu). When I say expand, I mean to add in new classes (those already available on my blog and a couple of old ones that never got published) as well as add a new player race or two.

I have already commissioned some art work for the covers, and plan to include interior art this time as well. In addition, I hope to put out a regional sandbox type setting or an adventure for R&R later this year as well.

For now 2 books will definitely be:

Book 1: Player's Book (character creation, classes, races, spells, and equipment)
Book 2: Referee's Book (rules of the game, monsters, and treasures)

For a possible book 3 I am thinking of

Book 3: Empire of the Eternal Sun (a sandbox setting for the game).

For now Boarding Action is on hold, mostly due to my lack of focus and short attention span.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring for me though?!

Current Reading.

I recently acquired Matt Finch's Desktop #1. This is going to be a great resource for me in the near future, and I am thinking of running through its paces to generate a supplement for Ruins & Ronin - something I think I need to do to inject some life into the game.

The Desktop Book is a great tool for kick starting your creative juices - just what it is supposed to do, with numerous charts to give you random elements to give your imagination an "image" to work from. I look forward to seeing more of these books.

Quick Update.

I just wanted to give everyone a quick update as I haven't posted recently. I am still working away on the Boarding Action 'zine, and have received my first art for it - a great armor drawing by Kelvin Green. It is an awesome piece, can't wait to share it with the community. I have yet to receive any articles from anyone however, so if you want to contribute, please drop me a line.

Hope to have some more meaningful posts in the near future.

Mike D.

Boarding Action : Psionic Warrior Monks

So, you need some "space opera-like super hero" who can move objects with his mind, battle alien monsters with nothing more than his sonic sword?  I give you ...

The Psionic Warrior-Monk (the name is still up for debate)

Psionic Warriors-Monks are guardians of the galaxy, eschewing lasers as crude and barbaric weapons, they fight solely with sonic swords and daggers. They are excellent warriors, and have powers of the mind that allow them to bend others to their will. They also are able to move objects with their mind alone.

Skill Table will be added in the pdf (which should be available later today).

Block/Deflect (Agi): This ability allows Psionic Warrior-monks to block laser shots fired at them from pistols and rifles, if the roll to block is equal to or higher than the roll to attack them was, then the shot is actually redirected back to the attacker. This ability can be used multiple times per round however each use after the first suffers a -1 to it's roll (cumulative).  (Skill starts at 13+, ends with a 5+ at 10th level)

Affect Mind (Pre): This is the classic "mind trick", the Psionic Warrior-monk makes a suggestion and the target must make a saving throw vs Presence or will be swayed by the warrior-monk's argument. The referee should restrict this from the ridiculous, such as commands to murder or commit suicide. (Skill starts at 15+, and ends with a 6+ at 10th level).

Manipulate Object (Pre): This is the ability to move objects with the Warrior-monk's mind. The stated target number is for small (less than 10 kg) objects, as the Warrior-monk tries to move larger objects, the referee should add additional modifiers to the die roll to move the object. Items can be flung at targets for an attack roll causing 1d6 damage for small objects and 1d6 for each category after small (medium, large, very large, etc..) (Skill starts at 14+, and ends at 5+ at 10th level.)

Ability Boost (varies): This reflects the Psionic Warrior-Monk's almost superhuman like ability to jump, run, climb, and hold their breath. Any superhuman stunt attempted by the Psionic Warrior Monk should fall under this heading and an appropriate attribute should be considered by the referee.  (Skill starts at 15+, and ends at 6+ at 10th level.)

- - -

After being entertained with Season 1 of the Clone Wars animated series, I had to do it. Not sure I would use them in my game, but if I ever wanted to run a game based on the animated series, I might use them.

Boarding Action - Deadline

I am setting a deadline of March 1st for any article submissions for Boarding Action.  The articles can be anything you would like to submit for the sci-fi game X-Plorers. New character classes, new aliens, new monsters, equipment, adventure ideas, random charts, alien planets, whatever you want to submit. I am also taking submissions for artwork, however that deadline will be sometime after March 1st - I need articles for art first. Please feel free to pass this information around to others who may be interested in submitting articles as well, the more the merrier.

Any submissions can be sent to trampled.dwarf AT gmail.com.

Boarding Action : The Fanzine.

I would like to make Boarding Action a quarterly (or at the least a bi-annually) fanzine for X-Plorers RPG (and sci-fi rpg in general). Unlike the core rules, we are not going to make any assumptions about the setting, this could be a distant galaxy in an ancient time or the grim future where mankind makes war amongst the stars.

So, with that, I am now officially taking submissions at trampled.dwarf AT gmail.com for anyone who is interested in contributing to this project. You can submit articles, npcs, missions, maps, art, etc. You will retain the rights to anything submitted, however Boarding Action will retain the rights to print the submitted article or art in it's original format in perpetuity (this just allows us to keep the magazine for sale as long as we like on Lulu).

I am currently working on fleshing out "THE BEHEMOTH", the derelict star ship ripe for plunder. Today I mocked up the below to get a feel for the layout of the levels aboard the massive ship. I would like to detail one level each issue much like Fight On! has done with "THE DARKNESS BELOW" mega-dungeon.



I have already been in contact with some artists to produce a cover and some interior art. So, do you have something to contribute? Please send me an email, and join the crew.

Or if you think I am out of my noggin, let me know that too.

Mike D.

Boarding Action: The Behemoth

I drafted a quick mock up of the levels of The Behemoth today, just to get a layout of what I want to accomplish. I am thinking of making Boarding Action a quarterly or at least