Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Ranorak Nov 12, 2010 12:51:12	I'm no stranger to the 'normal' 4th edition DnD. And I just picked up the box set of Gamma world, and so far it seems like a blast. Haven't had the chance to play it yet. I did try to make a character. But I ran into a few questions. 1)The starting equipment is a 1d4+1 number of d20 rolls from the list. But what about weapon and armour? Can I just say "I also want to use a busted Electric guitar with just 3 strings as a Heavy 2 handed melee, as well as Light armour."? 2) can players trade Omega Tech? 3) what are the limits of customisation on appearance and freedom with origins? Let me explain that; I rolled a Radioactive Speedster. On it's own it just tells me that I'm glowing and I'm long and thin. Can I make up any detail I want? Like slimy skin. etc And, hawkoid implies a bird like appearance, but I've seen examples of bats come by. What is my freedom in this? I know I could just ask my DM, but the problem is.... that's me.
#2 ExcalibursZone Nov 12, 2010 13:02:39	I'm no stranger to the 'normal' 4th edition DnD. And I just picked up the box set of Gamma world, and so far it seems like a blast. Haven't had the chance to play it yet. I did try to make a character. But I ran into a few questions. 1)The starting equipment is a 1d4+1 number of d20 rolls from the list. But what about weapon and armour? Can I just say "I also want to use a busted Electric guitar with just 3 strings as a Heavy 2 handed melee, as well as Light armour."? The awesome thing about the generic weapons and armor in Gamma World is that you can indeed say that you're using the 3-stringed electric guitar as a heavy, 2-handed melee weapon. And yes, you can say that it's your armor as well, but you'd have to take into account that you usually do not attack with armor. Perhaps the guitar case could be a shield. 2) can players trade Omega Tech? Why not? I'd say that as long as the omega tech is readied, a character can give it to anyone he pleases. The stuff still in his deck are "unfound" and not tradeable. Though if your players want to hold a card-trading session during extended rests, let them. Just be sure they have the minimum 7 cards in their deck. 3) what are the limits of customisation on appearance and freedom with origins? Let me explain that; I rolled a Radioactive Speedster. On it's own it just tells me that I'm glowing and I'm long and thin. Can I make up any detail I want? Like slimy skin. etc And, hawkoid implies a bird like appearance, but I've seen examples of bats come by. What is my freedom in this? It's your game. I'd say that as long as the description is plausable, why not allow it? For your radioactive speedster, I immediately thought of Electro and Livewire from Marvel and DC respectively. They have solid bodies but are as fast as lightning and have an energy emission power. You could do a lot. With the Hawkoid, you can be anything that flies. If I had a Hawkoid/Rat Swarm, I might be inclinded to play a swarm of locusts that can coalesce into a humanoid shape when I choose. I know I could just ask my DM, but the problem is.... that's me. Welcome to the club. Be prepared for a wild ride. You'll also find other questions as you run through the rules. This is a good place for answers.
#3 Tony_Vargas Nov 12, 2010 15:04:26	1)The starting equipment is a 1d4+1 number of d20 rolls from the list. But what about weapon and armour? Can I just say "I also want to use a busted Electric guitar with just 3 strings as a Heavy 2 handed melee, as well as Light armour."? Yes, you pick weapons & armor, and describe them however you want. 2) can players trade Omega Tech? They can certainly trade cards when building decks (part of the point of a CCG is collecting and trading, like baseball cards).  In play, the DM could rule either way, I suppose.  I'd think one PC could give another an Omega Tech item.  When the item's charge fails, though, the card should go back to the deck it was drawn from, so be careful. 3) what are the limits of customisation on appearance and freedom with origins? Your imagination and your DM's patience. I rolled a Radioactive Speedster. On it's own it just tells me that I'm glowing and I'm long and thin. Can I make up any detail I want? Like slimy skin. etc Yes.  You don't even really need to be glowy, long, or thin, either - though it should still be obvious you're radioactive and fast. And, hawkoid implies a bird like appearance, but I've seen examples of bats come by. What is my freedom in this? Yes, a 'hawkoid,' could be bat-like (A Yeti/Hawkoid or Feline/Hawkoid for instance).  I've heard of a Hawkoid described as a floating jellyfish, too.
#4 Serpine Nov 12, 2010 15:33:26	But what about weapon and armour? 1 melee, 1 weapon, 1 armor each.  Just keep in mind that "guns" require abstract ammo (other ranged have unlimited shots), and heavy armor kills your int/dex bonus to AC.  They can be described however you like, but should reasonably reflect the type of weapon (i.e. a pair of sharpened chopsticks would *not* be a two handed heavy melee weapon, but your guitar certainly could be). Some GMs may even let you declare weapons/armor to be parts of your natural body: For instance, in a game I was in the GM let the giant cockroach declare that his heavy armor was his carapace, with the understanding that it would interfere with his ability to swap to a different suit (i.e. a salvaged omega armor) without modifications or major surgery.  A light weapon could in that situation be your claw, but then you wouldn't be able to use that hand for other stuff because you have a bladed appendage rather then fingers. 2) can players trade Omega Tech? In RAW, since you can construct your own Omega deck from booster cards you own, nothing stops you from really trading cards with somebody else and swapping your deck around.  In house rules that see the Omega Tech as actual loot drops (which usually start you with no Omega cards, only allow use of the Omega deck pulls you get from the GM deck, and don't have the 7 card minimum) then it makes even more sense that you can hand gear off to the other players, or even NPCs as a defacto mega-currency ("I'm sick of walking between towns: Shopkeeper, how about I trade you this mysterious weapon of the ancients for a centisteed?") 3) what are the limits of customisation on appearance and freedom with origins? Really you have total freedom, up to what the other people at the table will tolerate, and it should sort of work with your powers.  Rather then being tall, thin, and glowing, maybe your radioactive speedster is miniature version of a monster from a godzilla type film: A squat armadillo that rolls around like a pinball when using speed powers, and with a radioactive breath weapon (complete with energy arcing up its spinal ridges when its about to blast).  An android hawkoid could be a hawkoid right out of the book but made out of metal, or it could be the cybernetic bird from the start of Robot Chicken (somebody did that in a game I played in), or it could be a helicopter with big smiley face and hands on the end of its landing skids like in a children's book, or a short robot designed to look a puppet parody of Superman, or a brain in jar attached to a flying support platform with lots grasping limbs.  If its artificial, can fly, and can grasp its probably okay. For that matter, in old editions, if you had a guy who looked like a giant werewolf and he could soar through the air without wings thanks to a permanent mutation nobody batted an eye.  So technically nothing stops you from totally ignoring any appearance restrictions for one or both origins, if it will fly (pun intended) with your group.
#5 palmerkun Nov 12, 2010 16:10:48	1)The starting equipment is a 1d4+1 number of d20 rolls from the list. But what about weapon and armour? The rules say you start with 1 melee weapon 1 ranged weapon Armor of choice Explorer's Kit PLUS 1d4+1 rolls on the table 3) what are the limits of customisation on appearance and freedom with origins? Very little. As long as you don't look like a real human (unless you got Engineered Human), almost anything goes. At my Game Day, the Hawkoid was actually a flying jellyfish, for instance. Nothing birdlike at all, but it flew and so that was good enough. The origin descriptions give some good ideas and guidelines, but they're not absolute. About the only ones that REALLY matter are Swarm - being a swarm of something Pyrokinetic - Being on fire Seismic - Being made of stone Even then, it's loose. We have a Pyro Seismic - he wasn't on fire, he was made of lava!
#6 Ranorak Nov 12, 2010 17:11:00	First of all, thank you for the replies. It's getting clearer that a huge dose of fantasy and humour are needed to visuallize these creatures. I'm going to have a blast! This is leading me to believe that items like the starting gear Laptop computer and Duct tape, as well as the whole list of Ancient Junk can be used is the most absurt and awesome ways. right? I can imagine using the Hearing Aid can be used to plug your ears against loud noises etc.
#7 Serpine Nov 12, 2010 19:08:16	Swarm - being a swarm of something Seismic - Being made of stone Even then, it's loose. We have a Pyro Seismic - he wasn't on fire, he was made of lava! Yeah, as further examples of those I've I've seen a Giant Seismic run as a big tunneling lizard and a Radioactive Swarm as a sentient flow of toxic waste.  You can justify practicly anything in this game... This is leading me to believe that items like the starting gear Laptop computer and Duct tape, as well as the whole list of Ancient Junk can be used is the most absurt and awesome ways. For some inspiration, think of that scene in Little Mermaid where the seagull is misidentifying everything both in name and function (i.e. he says the fork is a comb with an unpronounceable name).
#8 palmerkun Nov 14, 2010 1:50:16	I can imagine using the Hearing Aid can be used to plug your ears against loud noises etc. As long as it's not turned on!
#9 Chandrak Nov 14, 2010 4:41:31	2) can players trade Omega Tech? In RAW, since you can construct your own Omega deck from booster cards you own, nothing stops you from really trading cards with somebody else and swapping your deck around.  In house rules that see the Omega Tech as actual loot drops (which usually start you with no Omega cards, only allow use of the Omega deck pulls you get from the GM deck, and don't have the 7 card minimum) then it makes even more sense that you can hand gear off to the other players, or even NPCs as a defacto mega-currency ("I'm sick of walking between towns: Shopkeeper, how about I trade you this mysterious weapon of the ancients for a centisteed?") This. As a DM, I highly suggest you take the route of treating Omega Tech as loot. Its provided a bunch of fun for my group. We use Survival Days and a simple value-based barter system, and Omega Tech is at the top of the list. Treating it this way allows players to: 1. Barter with traders, either for Omega Tech or trading away tech they don't want for Survival Days or other gear. 2. Enemies with Omega Tech weapons or armor become fun opponents, with PCs trying to take them down before it gets used, so they can loot it for themselves. 3. Players who draw useless or unneeded tech have something they can do with it. 4. Players who draw tech that they cant use, but another party member can, gives that player something to do with an un-used card. 5. Just roleplay the aquisition of tech in general in a more entertaining fashion. Combine with PC discard piles and recharge rules found around these forums for more milage.
#10 wishinghand Nov 19, 2010 21:37:12	The rules say you start with 1 melee weapon 1 ranged weapon Armor of choice Explorer's Kit PLUS 1d4+1 rolls on the table I always wondered about that 1d4+1 part. It's a table with 20 items on it. Why not roll a D20? What am I missing in understanding that concept?
#11 Tony_Vargas Nov 19, 2010 21:39:22	You do roll a d20.  1d4+1 times.  So, if you roll your d4 and get a 2, 2+1=3, you have three pieces of random gear.  Roll d20 three times to find out what they are.
#12 snarls_at_fleas Nov 20, 2010 8:33:02	The rules say you start with 1 melee weapon 1 ranged weapon Armor of choice Explorer's Kit PLUS 1d4+1 rolls on the table I always wondered about that 1d4+1 part. It's a table with 20 items on it. Why not roll a D20? What am I missing in understanding that concept? It's to give you 2-5 items from that table. You have 2-5 (1d4+1) d20 rolls, not 1.
#13 wishinghand Nov 20, 2010 13:54:12	Thanks guys. I don't know how I mixed that up.
#14 Tony_Vargas Nov 20, 2010 13:56:20	It's really easy to do.  The first time I ran the new GW I was letting all novice powers be used at-will, forgot to give characters their additional random skill, and missed that you could trigger an ally's second wind (making the first combat /very/ frustrating for the player who was dropped).  Among other things.  ;)