Hello everyone, I hope you're well and staying safe in this difficult time for the world. This is just a short blog to cover some of the updates for the scifi system, with the fantasy system only needing the slightest tweak at this stage. You can find the changelog notes below.
GM Tips
One thing I never really covered in Sabre was some tips to help Game Masters get rolling with their own sessions - until now! It's just a couple of pages, but the GM tips towards the back of the manual do cover what I believe to be the most important core aspects to know when running a game. It's tricky for me to know for certain, since I wrote most of the system and have been running it for years, so I might add to this in the future too.
Encounters
This is the final manual in the core set, and it's getting close to completion as of writing this blog, with only 49 templates left to create (out of 175 total!) When running games, especially improvised on-the-spot sessions, I've found it super helpful to have pre-made bad guys to draw from, and this 2nd edition of the Encounters manual now covers each era for the scifi rules. This includes post-apocalytpic chainsaw-wielders, industrial era fencers and boxers, modern era combat troops and thugs, and high-tech powered armour-clad soldiers. And of course, there are vehicles for each era too, including (for the first time) steam cars, boats and dirigibles to challenge your Victorian era adventurers! I hope to have it released by the end of May.
Bestiary
The artwork has gone very well of late, and by that I mean I've found nice stock images suitable for a wide range of monsters :D There's now only 10 left to do, but they're the sorts of monsters that are hard to find images for, so I'll have to do more work to make them happen. Still, the finishing line is in sight, at long last.
That's about all for this month. Once Encounters is out, I'll just finish up the artwork jobs next month and then take a long break. I don't intend to be making any modifications to the system for a while yet, so sink your teeth into tha manuals and get a handle on 2nd editions mechanics :) Stay safe and peace out.
Scifi Core Rulebook 2e v1.03
* 'Cop Training' talent no longer requires the use of a shield. (also in fantasy system)
* Added some Game Master's tips to the reference sheet section. (also in fantasy system)
* Added 'Junk Armour' mechanical invention.
* 'Mechanised Armour' steam tech invention's Heavy Plating upgrade now makes the armour Heavy.
* Corrected the bonus from 'Imposing Aura'.
* 'Focus Fire' heavy weapons manoeuvre now has no minimum requirement, provides more damage at higher skill.
* Added the missing 'Close Shot' talent.
* Narcotics that increase result bonuses now have a listed duration.
* Improved some details on the steam exoskeleton invention.
* 'Junk Droid' profession is now available in Low-Tech era campaigns.
* 'Damage Control' manoevure can now be used on any weapon.
* Sentry Turrets now have listed Charges for use with manoeuvres etc. The builder's Intellect Attribute bonus applies to its skills.
* Sonic Blaster invention now correctly lists Firearms as it's skill.
* Added 'Tuned Emitter' upgrade for Sonic Blaster.
* Improved the Optical Pump industrial era invention.
* 'Improvised Gun' Invention now lists slot requirements for mounting on vehicles. .50cal and 20mm ammo options now double base range.
* The Industrial Era 'Steam Car' invention can now also be built into a boat.
* 'Sideswipe' manoeuvre no longer deals collision damage, and applies the vehicle's ram damage to the target.
* 'Side Spikes' now boosts 'Sideswipe' damage by +5.
* Vehicle weapon ranges are now listed in 10 metre/yard squares for the vehicle grid.
* Blast Wave manoevure is pegged at +1 radius range for weapons, but gains additional effects as skill increases.
