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- SimonW
- Warrior
Offline - Registered: 3/01/2023
- Posts: 71
Watchdogs of Killcade (BoL supers)
Mike Richards couldn't get his BoL Supers game, League of Heroes (which was freely downloadable from my previous website but now no longer available) to work properly. We did playtest it a number of times but it never really felt quite right.
I've since given it some more thought and have come to the conclusion that it was trying to do too many things - it wasn't focused enough. Most of the other BoL products (Dicey Tales, Dogs of W*A*R, Heroes of Hellas etc.) cover a very specific genre. Even Everywhen had to make some simplicity concessions adding in "scale" to make it work for a generic universal rule set.
So, back to Watchdogs of Killcade. It's a street-vigilante level supers rpg, using BoL as it's engine but borrowing from some of the other rules. Killcade is the city that the game is set in. Influences: The Punisher, The Boys, Suicide Squad, The Watchmen, The Dark Knight, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, Sin City, Gotham City, Mega City One etc.
The main changes to the rules are that careers are called callings and provide one special unique ability. For example, the Targeteer calling allows you to add your rank to damage with ranged weapons.
Another major change is the addition of a Vitality stat. It represents energy, determination and vigour. It is used in place of Arcane Power to fuel psychic powers and magic powers. It can also be used to keep a character going when down to zero lifeblood.
There are now "Power Boons" which effectively cost two boons, but give a character what might be deemed to be super powers (like Firestarter or Blink). Attached Flaws are flaws that are specific to one of your boons - so if a character has the boon of “expert with ranged weapons” he can take the flaw of “boon is a weapon (bow)”, which means that he only benefits from the boon if using that particular bow. Several flaws could be added into an item in this way.
There are other changes, but those are the main ones.
Oh, I nearly forgot - proper super powered NPCs roll d8, d10 or d12 depending on their "power-level" for their task rolls and damage, so Watchdogs (the PCs) shouldn't really mess with them!
- SimonW
- Warrior
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- Registered: 3/01/2023
- Posts: 71
Re: Watchdogs of Killcade (BoL supers)
Work continues slowly on this. Many of the rules/new rules are now in place. The setting is next for attention. Also, have a couple of calling concept sketches done by the prolific and talented Peter Frain!
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Thread Starter- SimonW
- Warrior
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- Posts: 71
Re: Watchdogs of Killcade (BoL supers)
I'm still working on this slowly. I'm quite open to a few (straightforward) rule changes if they fit what I'm trying to achieve. Is there a rule from Mythic Edition that you dislike, have issues with and/or always change when you play BoL (or one of its derivatives). Nothing major - Watchdogs has to be recognizably BoL-based (with a little from Everywhen).
The biggest two departures from BoL currently are that I've included a new "combat" ability, "Mental Defence", which is to psionic attacks what Defence is to physical attacks. I grappled with this one the most because it messes with the balance of the 3x4 (attributes, abilities and careers) of BoL. However, when viewed in Watchdogs as a whole, it works.
The other departure, is that there is now a Vigor (vigour) stat, which is a kind of fatigue type thing. Psionics and Spells draw upon it but it can also be used in lieu of Lifeblood damage.
"Power Boons" are also new. Power Boons are essentially "super powers". Most of them require you to already have a specific boon ("Invulnerability" requires you to have either Hard-to-Kill or Hard-as-Nails) or, where none are specified, it essentially "costs" two Boons to have ("Blink" (a limited teleport) is one of these).
"Attached Flaws" are new too. These are added to a specific boon - an example would be "Boon requires drugs". This would mean that you need to take drugs regularly to benefit from your boon. When you don't have access to your drugs, you don't gain the benefit of your boon.
Anyhow, if there are any rules you use in BoL games that you think might work for Watchdogs, let me know! Also, if you want an up-to-date draft of Watchdogs (especially if you'd like to give it a shot - it is just about playable now) go ahead and PM me your email.
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Thread Starter- The GIT!
- Hero
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- From: Ontario, Canada
- Registered: 2/05/2014
- Posts: 528
Re: Watchdogs of Killcade (BoL supers)
@SimonW Personally, I would say you could do away with the Initiative stat and replace that with the Mental Defense. I think you could easily go back to the old way of doing initiative as it was back in Legendary BoL, particularly for a supers style game.
I need to give the draft rules a real close read this week. Things have been hectic at work lately and I really haven't done much gaming lately. I'll PM you today for an updated copy of the draft rules if that is OK with you.
Last edited by The GIT! (3/25/2024 9:48 am)
Wealth can be wonderful, but you know, success can test one's mettle as surely as the strongest adversary.
- SimonW
- Warrior
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- Registered: 3/01/2023
- Posts: 71
Re: Watchdogs of Killcade (BoL supers)
The GIT! wrote:
@SimonW Personally, I would say you could do away with the Initiative stat and replace that with the Mental Defense. I think you could easily go back to the old way of doing initiative as it was back in Legendary BoL, particularly for a supers style game.
Maybe. I'll look into that.
I need to give the draft rules a real close read this week. Things have been hectic at work lately and I really haven't done much gaming lately. I'll PM you today for an updated copy of the draft rules if that is OK with you.
On the way.
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Thread Starter- The GIT!
- Hero
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- From: Ontario, Canada
- Registered: 2/05/2014
- Posts: 528
Re: Watchdogs of Killcade (BoL supers)
Thanks Simon. I got the document.
Wealth can be wonderful, but you know, success can test one's mettle as surely as the strongest adversary.
- Malakor
- Explorer
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- Registered: 2/01/2014
- Posts: 3
Re: Watchdogs of Killcade (BoL supers)
I'd love to see this reach fruition.
- SimonW
- Warrior
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- Registered: 3/01/2023
- Posts: 71
Re: Watchdogs of Killcade (BoL supers)
I'd love to see this reach fruition.
Still very slow. Trying to get some play tests inbetween my ongoing "Pendragon" campaign.
(I say Pendragon in inverted commas as it's my own very much stripped down version - there are too many moving parts for me these days in the full rules, so I've made a "Pendragon Lite" rule set which is working well).
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Thread Starter- Gruntfuttock
- Gladiator
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- Registered: 1/29/2014
- Posts: 422
Re: Watchdogs of Killcade (BoL supers)
"...there are too many moving parts for me these days..."
Ain't that the truth! That's life generally for me, not just rpgs! 
My real name is Steve Hall
- The GIT!
- Hero
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- From: Ontario, Canada
- Registered: 2/05/2014
- Posts: 528
Re: Watchdogs of Killcade (BoL supers)
"...there are too many moving parts for me these days..."
Ain't that the truth! That's life generally for me, not just rpgs!
The simpler the system the better for me these days. Gone are the days of running Aftermath! and I don't think I will ever be able to use Aces and Eights LOL 
Wealth can be wonderful, but you know, success can test one's mettle as surely as the strongest adversary.
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