| Welcome to Pokemon Tabletop. We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Help with Pulp Runaway Train Encounter | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 9 2014, 04:34 PM (684 Views) | |
| rlrichey | Sep 9 2014, 04:34 PM Post #1 |
|
Rival
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
I'm getting to the point in my campaign where we could easily find ourselves standing on top of a moving train, duking it out against gangsters and thugs in the most cliché way imaginable. I was wondering if you could give some advice for how to make it work. First of all, what rules should be followed if the characters are standing on an object with Overland in the ballpark of 200? Any home-brew Terrain suggestion? How would you handle the train itself, and is there anything in the SciFi splatbook that would be exemplary for this kind of encounter? (I think it breaks most guidelines for vehicles) Is it fair to rule out Flying? How about Levitate? Any thematic things you think it should include? I'm not that familiar with the genre, but I see an opportunity. |
![]() |
|
| Elemental Knight | Sep 9 2014, 05:34 PM Post #2 |
|
Knight of the Spread Sheet
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Have obstacles scroll across the battlefield, right-to-left. If they hit, they deal falling damage to whomever they hit - big but survivable, perhaps DB 8-16 (depending on the object's weight and size) - and either Trip the target or Push them along. You can also have them go through a tunnel, which causes Blindness for the whole area for a round or two. |
![]() |
|
| rlrichey | Sep 9 2014, 05:57 PM Post #3 |
|
Rival
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Do you think "tripping" should have some sort of default push effect to account for relative movement? |
![]() |
|
| Elemental Knight | Sep 9 2014, 08:26 PM Post #4 |
|
Knight of the Spread Sheet
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
That's why I suggested it be an "or" - either the object had a low clearance, and when it hit you it knocked you down and you went 'under" it (think power lines and the entrance to caves); or it did not, and it's pushing you along because you have to go around it (traffic signals, mailbag hooks). Some more thoughts: Players might try to burrow through the roof of the train car, or jump into the windows. Be prepared with some kind of interior (I suggest a dining car for maximum hilarity). There could be hanging mailbags, like you see in old west movies, and those could potentially be broken for random items. The train can go around curves, exerting a push effect on everyone on the train of a few squares laterally (so long as you warn players of the curve at least a round beforehand). But I wouldn't worry about things like fly speed and 'actual' physics. Think more in terms of movie chase scenes, rather than actual physics. For instance, with real physics, shouting orders to your Pokemon would be nigh-impossible. Edited by Elemental Knight, Sep 9 2014, 08:26 PM.
|
![]() |
|
| Gear_Skitty | Sep 9 2014, 08:30 PM Post #5 |
|
Just Another Cat In The Machine
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Hmm, the problem Levitate is that breaking physics hurts brains. On one paw, Levitate should be just fine, as you're still counting the Train as your ground. You'll essentially be in perma-Jump mode relative and (mostly) equal to the Train's speed. On the other paw, Levitate should instantly lose relative speed to the Train after a Round. You're no longer a part of the Train's super system of mass (I'm not a physics person, I'm half making up words here), and unless you're Poke-Goku you won't be able to Levitate fast enough to keep up (at least not to the spot you started to Levitate from). Jumping from roof to roof is just fine because you're still in the super system, like when you're in a large van driving down the highway and you're moving from seat row to seat row. What might end up as a good middle ground is to allow Levitate, but reduce it's "forward" movement round after round relative to the direction the Train is moving towards. Effectively it will be easier to move toward the end of the Train. "Forward" movement could either be reduced to zero or negative values, or brought down to a percentage of the base. If the character has a base Levitate of 6, each round it could lose 1 square of "forward" movement until it can only move 3 in a round. Personally, I like the zero-ing (or going negative) of the "forward" movement. It would drive home the speed of the Train itself, and make the act of not clinging to the roof (or sides) feel very dangerous. Also I'm pretty sure it's closer to how our Great Overlord, Physics, works. Edit: *grumbles about being upstaged in much fewer lines* Yes if you really bring in physics, talking or even yelling would be impossible when outside the train if it's going as fast as OP says. Edited by Gear_Skitty, Sep 9 2014, 08:34 PM.
|
![]() |
|
| The Black Glove | Oct 1 2014, 11:52 AM Post #6 |
|
A Man Of Heart
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
I would suggest not messing with levitate's movement. Ignoring that we see levitating Pokemon entering a train with little difficulty in one of the movies (The Shaymin one. A bunch of Magneton and a Magnezone), but you're cutting out Pokemon and potentially player techniques. I like the idea of a curve in the tracks exerting a push force on the players at the end of the round (and naturally, players would be able to see the curve coming up), and maybe allow your players to make a combat/athletics check to hold on to the train to try and keep anchored to the roof. I like the idea that you could dig through the roof, or swing in through the windows, or climb along the side of a moving train. Even more, there could be various obstacles along the track the players would need to see and avoid. For example, if the train comes up on a tunnel, anyone who isn't tripped or hanging on the sides, or anything of large size or bigger would get caught on the tunnel and go splat. Suddenly Fire Spin becomes incredibly deadly. Alternatively, a mail hook that could grab a target and drop them back a couple of cars. Also, consider that the players or enemies may try to unhook the train or hit the brakes. What sort of cargo is in the train? Indy showed us that this can lead to fun scenes, like the section full of snakes. |
![]() |
|
| theweirdest1 | Oct 16 2014, 09:50 AM Post #7 |
|
Pokémon Trainer
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
(quietly steals this idea for a gym challenge) |
![]() |
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| « Previous Topic · Pokemon: Tabletop Homebrew · Next Topic » |
| Track Topic · E-mail Topic |
5:56 PM Jul 10
|
Pokéball created by Sarah & Delirium of the ZNR





![]](http://z4.ifrm.com/static/1/pip_r.png)



5:56 PM Jul 10