The Knightly Grind

Just got back from GenCon, so this one is fuelled by jet lag. 

In triple Ennie award winning smash hit Mythic Bastionland there are a number of effects that can cause Virtue Loss, wearing the Knights down so that they often aren't functioning at 100% and gently nudged toward actions that would restore each Virtue individually, or even allowing a Season to pass to restore them all fully.

But what if we wanted more grind? Could we ramp up that feeling?

As usual these are mostly untested variants, so use them at your own risk.

Grinding Landmarks

This is basically how Hazards already work. In short: you run into an obstacle and you either have a smart way around (often from a local guide), you turn back the way you came, or you pay d6 VIG to just power through.

An easy part to miss is that Hazards usually affect Vigour, but can also target other Virtues. There was a time back in development when Hazards always affected Vigour, but Curses and Ruins reduced Clarity and Spirit respectively.

I won't go into why that changed, but you could easily slip it back in if you want your Realm to feel more hostile. Treat Curses and Ruins exactly as they are now, but add in the respective d6 CLA/SPI loss. 

Costly Actions

What about spending Virtue actively as a resource to get a little bonus?

Feats used to work this way, but the main example of this in the final rules is Galloping an extra Hex at the cost of d6 VIG loss to the steed. What ways could we offer for the Knights themselves to spend their Virtues?

Exert - Lose d6 VIG to treat a Gambit you perform as a Strong Gambit instead. 
Commune - Spend a phase sleeping and lose d6 CLA to receive a cryptic dream from a known Seer.
Rally - Spend an action and lose d6 SPI to remove Fatigue status from one Ally.

If the Virtue loss from any of these actions takes that Virtue to 0 then the attempt fails. 

I suspect these are broken but it's a fun idea to play with.

Bringing Back Burdens

Going without sleep and travelling at night are both "bad decisions" that cause CLA/SPI loss respectively. You could argue these sit in the same category as Galloping, paying a price to get more action, but they feel different to me and they affect the Knight directly, not their steed.

In this vain, I've been looking for an excuse to reuse the three Burdens that featured in an older version of the game, and their helpful SAD acronym.

Annoyingly they don't match up to the Virtues in that order, but let's roll with it.

Sorrow - Something bad happened.
Invoke when you're reminded of something awful that happened in the past.
Lose d6 SPI.
Examples: Visiting a Holding that they previously failed to protect.

Ache - Something bad is happening.
Invoke when the Knight is suffering a particularly hard time right now. 
Lose d6 VIG.
Examples: Being forced to linger in especially unpleasant living conditions.

Dread - Something bad is going to happen.
Invoke when dark times are ahead and it's hard to see the glimmer of hope. 
Lose d6 CLA. 
Examples: Failing to stop a monstrous enemy, knowing it's now headed to attack a nearby Holding before they can get there. 

Again, I think these have potential to go wrong, so use them carefully. 

Impairing Impairing

Much has been discussed about the ease or deadliness of combat in Mythic Bastionland and I think the following can all be true at the same time.

• Combat is fast and brutal and a well-prepared group of Knights can be pretty devastating. I like having a high damage output and it fits my pursuit of decisive combat.

• Using a Gambit to impair an enemy attack can lead to a sort of “stun lock” situation, where the fast combat also becomes quite a safe-feeling combat, which isn’t something I want to happen in every case.

• This problem is especially prevalent in groups of four or more Knights, as while damage has diminishing returns from multiple attackers, those larger groups will gain progressively more dice to spend on Gambits without any real restriction.

Of course some Knights will just pile it all into damage.

So if you’re playing with a larger group of Knights and want to avoid this situation, there are a few optional levers you can pull on in isolation or combination with each other.

I've tried to avoid big blunt rule changes, so these are intended to be a more gentle retooling of what's already there.

Lever 1 - No Gambit Stacking

For Gambits other than Bolster, each enemy may only be the target of a specific type of gambit once per turn.

In effect, if they pass their Save to resist a particular type of Gambit they cannot be the target of that gambit type again this turn. 

For example: Two Knights roll attack dice of 8, 5, 4, 1. They spend the 5 to attempt to Impair the enemy’s weapon, but the enemy passes their VIG Save. Now they cannot attempt another “impair their weapon” gambit against the target this turn, even if they wanted to use the 8 as a Strong Gambit.

Lever 2 - Resistant Natural Weapons

Natural weapons such as claws, tramples, and bites, cannot be Impaired by the “impair their weapon” gambit. A Strong Gambit can apply the “greater effect” option to attempt this, but the target receives a Save as normal.

Note that this goes against the example on the Gambit page of the Oddpocrypha.

Lever 3 - Secondary Attacks for Big Enemies

A lot of the “solo enemies” in the book have multiple attacks, so if you impair the Wyvern’s “Bite and Throw” attack then it can still use its “Sting” attack at full strength.

A few don’t, such as the Spider which only has a “bite” attack, so is left vulnerable if this is impaired.

If your Myth has a big monster like this that’s likely to be fighting a group of Knights on its own I’d recommend giving them a secondary attack of some sort. If in doubt then a classic d8 slam can represent them throwing their weight at the enemy. Just make sure this is weaker than their main attack. 

Lever 4 - Uncertain Initiative

Shift the “Surprise” rules slightly so that for a standard combat, where both sides start aware of each other, players must pass a CLA Save or miss the first turn. Those that pass then act first as normal. This means for an average group of Knights only half of them are going to act on the first turn, tempering the power of that first onslaught. 

If the players truly have the drop on their enemy then they all act first as normal. Likewise, if the players are ambushed then the enemy attack first.

Playtest Notes

I’m going to try applying all of these to my next game. 

I’ll add some notes here after I’ve tested these out a bit.

d72 Squires

By the book, Squires get a pony, a dagger, and an okay weapon from a d6 table.

Want to give your Squires a bit more flavour? Roll d6 and d12, reading them in that order. 

Remember you can combine these with the spark tables and prompts in the book.

ONE - They brought something with them.
1: A somewhat grand helm (A1) that’s a bit too big for them.
2: They’re always playing a shrill flute. 
3: They have fine clothes and a pouch of coins. 
4: A homemade shield (A1). 
5: A small barrel of low quality mead. 
6: Layers and layers of padded clothes (A1). 
7: Somehow, they got a crossbow (2d8 slow)
8: They somehow got hold of some mail (A1). Do they think they’re a Knight already??
9: A tiny, low quality mirror. 
10: Their parents loaded them up with Sustenance. 
11: They’ve foraged enough Stimulant to go around. 
12: A Seer provided them with Sacrament. 

TWO - They have an aptitude. 
1: They can sprint like a horse. 
2: They can climb like a squirrel. 
3: They can sing like a nightingale. 
4: They can swim like a fish.
5: They can eavesdrop like a bat. 
6: They’re a great judge of character. 
7: They’re a captivating storyteller. 
8: They have a perfect sense of direction. 
9: They were highly educated.
10: They’re great with horses.
11: They were an apprentice herbalist. 
12: They're a decent hunter. 

THREE - Their home is notable.
1: It’s far away. They only know a language that nobody in this Realm understands.
2: They’re a middling relative of the Ruler of the Realm. 
3: They’re heir to one of the Holdings. 
4: They’re already a successor to one of the Knights.
5: They were raised by a Seer of this Realm.
6: Their family sprawls all over this Realm.
7: They have a secret claim to the Seat of Power. 
8: Their family was wiped out for treason, so they use a false name. 
9: They grew up in the wilds, so their snarls are vaguely understood by animals. 
10: They come from the frozen peaks, ignoring any hardship of Winter. 
11: They come from a realm of darkness, ignoring any problems with night. 
12: They floated up from a body of water, not needing air to breathe. 

FOUR - They’re not alone.
1: They have an old but loyal hound (VIG 5, CLA 7, SPI 6, 4gd, d6 bite)
2: They have a pet rat that they think understands them. 
3: They’re accompanied by an overbearing parent (rolled as another Squire, but they do not get a weapon)
4: They’re a pair of twins, identical in every way. 
5: They have a kestrel (VIG 4, CLA 15, SPI 5, 3gd, d4 talons)
6: Their pony is especially violent (d6 trample).
7: They guard a younger sibling (roll as a Squire, but too young to fight or be useful at all)
8: They carry their mother’s ashes in a wooden urn.
9: They have an embarrassing cloth doll. 
10: They speak to their father’s skull, kept in secret. 
11: Their older sibling is a successful Knight, only occasionally coming by to check on them. 
12: They claim to have an invisible friend. 50% chance of whether this ever manifests into anything. 

FIVE - They’re not like the other Squires.
1: They’re old. 
2: They’re big. Increase VIG to 12. 
3: They’re smart. Increase CLA to 12. 
4: They’re bold. Increase SPI  to 12. 
5: They claim to be a Knight reborn. They can Smite. 
6: They fought from birth. They can Focus. 
7: They cheated death. They can Deny. 
8: They secretly hate the Seers. 
9: They will not eat meat. 
10: They cannot lie. 
11: They hate horses. 
12: They’ve already seen battle. Roll d12 on the Scar table.  

SIX - The Seers made a prophecy that must be honoured. 
1: This Squire must not fight until Knighted. 
2: This Squire must die so that another can rise. 
3: This Squire will find the City. 
4: This Squire must visit every Seer.
5: This Squire must kill a Knight to become a Knight.
6: This Squire will become a Seer.
7: This Squire must kill a Seer. 
8: This Squire will find the next ruler of the Realm.
9: This Squire must not ride a steed. 
10: This Squire must live in poverty.
11: This Squire must never be Knighted.
12:  This Squire will achieve nothing of worth.

 

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Guidance from the Seers - A Mythic Bastionland FAQ

Sticking this here for ease of access and update. 

With thanks to Udy Kumra in the discord for getting this started.

Do Scars remove Virtues permanently?

No. They are temporary as standard. If it's a permanent change (typically only from ageing or weird Myth stuff) it will specifically say so.

Do Myths have to be placed where they make sense (for example, The Sea Myth next to an actual sea)?

Not necessarily. As explained on page 27, "Myths may appear at odds with their Realm, such as The Sea in a desert." Of course, you can tweak Myth placement for where it would make sense, or tweak your map to match your Myths. 

Does Damage + Bolster happen before Gambits or after? For example can you trap a shield to remove armor before damage?

Per the Attack procedure on page 8, all gambits are performed before any damage is dealt.

When should I replace/restock a Myth after the players have resolved it?

Per the rules on page 27, a Myth is replaced the season after the players have resolved it.

How do I convert stat blocks from 5e or other games to design my own monsters/opponents?

See these blog posts:
https://www.bastionland.com/2020/03/bastionland-non-conversion-guide.html
https://www.bastionland.com/2023/01/beasts-vicious-and-knowing.html

Do the knights have to be connected to the seers on their page?

By default, your knight is knighted by the Seer on their page. That doesn't mean that that Seer is present in the Realm the players are exploring in the game, however. If knighting a squire, you don't need to seek out a specific Seer (unless you wish to); any Seer can make your squire into a knight. As with most setting-related questions your world may vary. 

What are players allowed to see/what is on your player facing map?

In most of my games players get a copy of the map with Holdings and general terrain marked. They cannot see Myths, Landmarks, and Barriers. You can vary this to taste but this method works well for me. 

Does Smite blast hit allies?

Technically Blast attacks hit everything in their blast, but I'm usually pretty generous for where the Knight is "aiming" the blast from Smite. If it's a tight, jumbled melee then I'd warn the player that their allies will be hit too. 

When should the Unresolved Situations table be used? For every Myth?

It is a tool available for your use whenever you are uncertain about how a situation would progress between seasons or ages. I use it more often for non-Myth stuff, like struggles faced by a holding, but it is your tool to use as needed. 

I generally advise against advancing the Myths "off screen" though. I'm happy to have them remain relatively static between the seasons or ages, then the game time focuses on the Knights actually dealing with them. 

Can you resolve a myth before the last omen?

Yes, use your judgement for whether it feels resolved.

Is the way to resolve a myth basically up to the players and I decide whether or not that works?

Yes. But it also doesn't always have to be a solution, nor does it have to be successful. A Myth is resolved when the whole group feels that its story has been told and finished. Glory is earned if the players were a meaningful part of that story—even if they failed, or the resolution wasn't solving it.

Can a myth only be "solved" in the myth's hex?

Nope, it can be resolved anywhere.

Do I tell the players when they stumble upon a myth hex? If not, how would they find out that this exact hex is the origin of the myth?

This is your choice how you do it, but it's important to remember that per the rulebook, the landscape is warped by the presence of the Myth, so you should describe it in a way that makes it clear this is a weird hex.

How much Virtue should a Knight lose when they trigger virtue loss through the action procedure or other non-specific means?

It's a sliding scale from d4 at the mildest end to d12 for something really bad. If in doubt go with d6. 

Do the players know which Myth an Omen comes from?

No, I don't tell them. Some will be more obvious than others, and of course Seers know what's up. For this reason the Wilderness Roll is actually one of the only rolls I'd recommend doing hidden from the players. 

What does "Wounded" do?

Nothing on its own. It's just there to show that you've lost VIG as a result of damage, which can help in descriptive terms, and also interacts with other specific abilities found in the Knights and Myths.

When Jousting or Duelling who gets to Deny first?

Remember that Denying happens before Gambits (p8) and so it can actually be resolved simultaneously before moving onto the Gambit step. 

Do qualities like Blast from a Smite or the Gallows Knight's neck-catcher weapon affect all attacks in a group's attack pool or just the Knight using that Feat/Ability?

Unless noted otherwise they only affects the Knight's own attack dice. For this reason it's sometimes important to keep track of which die belongs to which Knight when rolled together.

Can non-Knights use Gambits/Feats?

Anyone can use Gambits. Only Knights can use Feats, unless noted as an exception in their entry. 
For animals I'd use Gambits as feels appropriate. Your steed probably isn't trained to disarm an enemy, even if they can trample!

Please direct any remaining questions to the Screaming Seer.

Berkblasters

Following on from last week's Slugblaster-Planescape mashup, let's look at some crews loosely inspired by the Factions of Planescape.

A few of the individual members are pulled straight from the Slugblaster book.

NB-NEO / no brands not even once (Athar)
You know everything is a brand right? 
Thrift store burnouts. Shut down anything as corpo scam
Mal: Huge, basic big bully but with booksmarts.
Ki: Pretty and rich. Writes and burns poems. 
Dognose: Dopey. He just copies Mal. 

Plus2 (Believers of the Source)
You mean nobody was there to see it? What’s the point?
Overachievers in their own branded jackets 
Blasting is all about getting recognition.
K-Hop: Too virtuous, pushes herself too hard.
Lashley: Too eager. Sore loser.
Bex: Keeps headphones on for full focus. 

Splinterdomes (Bleak Cabal)
Why do you care so much? It’s all been done.
Tight, ripped clothes. They’ve already seen it all. 
Smiles: No smile, but weirdly calming and nice.
Chester: Small, almost invisible, doesn’t talk. 
Hats: No hat, greasy hair. Tries a bit too hard. 

Dooom (Doomguard)
Haha, stand back and watch, kid.
Distressed denim, studs, lots of bruises. Stir shit. 
Treader: Just a big coward really.
Kara 2: Boasts that Kara 1 died (true).  
Nana: Because he’s peeled so many times. 

We Are Ghosts (Dustmen)
Yeah I don’t remember much about my actual life
Utterly monochrome but also fancy.
Velvet Dirge: Lace everything. 
Thorn: Obsessed with incense
Still B: Wants to make you cry.

THE F8ED 8 (Fated) 
If you want the rep you’ve got to take it.
Expensive gear, patches torn from other crews.
Lex Money: Makes it clear he has no friends.  
Sim: Always looking for a pattern.
Griff: Buff nerd.

Junk Kode (Fraternity of Order) 
Tricks are just science, right?
Tracksuits and big shades. Booksmart not streetwise.
Killer Ivy: Knows every trick’s name.
Mim: Her brother has been everywhere 
Glyphic: Reads planar speak.

Radicl Axl (Free League)
Didn’t see that coming did you?
Mismatched outfits. Refuse to talk to anyone in any meaningful way. Always take the contrarian path.
L Vibe: Barefoot weirdo.
Drifty: Has been in every other crew.
Omaro: Laughs at everything.

LnS / Lyncz n Sinkz (Harmonium)
Ride as one, land as one
Bright yellow tracksuits, full helmets. 
School approved boarding club. Only board on Null, and love grassing in other crews
Sick Cameron: Everyone said he would die
Elena E: The E is for Elena
Max Moist: Doesn’t actually board.

The Justice and Mercy Chain (Mercykillers)
You what?
Red suits and chains. Basically a violent gang that do a little boarding on the side.
Rook: Has real tattoos. Looks 30.
Sasha Wright: Always right.
Gravel: Straight edge. Hates the others. 

Rev Leg / Revelatory & Legendary (Revo League)
Smash the multiverse!
Glitchcore hoodies, one big laptop between them.
Zed Zero: Prints manifestos at school.
Trix: Pierced everything.
No ID: Stays at home as often as they can. 

ME ME ME (Sign of One)
Move, NPC, get out of my way!
High fashion. Main character syndrome.
Nova Starr: Assumes you know her lore.
Solo: Narrates his own life.
Cassie Cassie: Has a video recorder. 

Froad Snickers (Society of Sensation)
The run isn’t the run, it’s the sparks, the scent!
Glitter hoodies. Always trying some new high. Throw the best parties.
Lola Pop: Kisses strangers.
Taste: Soft guy, smells great.
Crash: Tall, always dancing. 

Oddflow Verve (Transcendent Order)
No thought, no hesitation.
Neon lycra. Utterly focused on the perfect run.
TyJax: Tense, no warmups
Mantra: Has a short phrase for everything
Zen: Way too much emotion

Art Fu (The Xaositects)
Sure a run is art, but documenting a run is art too.
Everything is DIY and a statement. Strongly want an audience. 
Fizzbang: Carries a glue gun, always making something. 
Blurry: Draws on everything, no memory.
Worm: Eats paper. Chose his own nickname.

New Kids (The Outsiders)
We’re not that new.
Shitty gear. Used to being the punching bag. 
Vera B’zar: Asks weird questions. Eyes too big. 
The Rest: Who cares?

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This post was originally sent as a reward to all Patreon supporters, and is released freely on this site the week after its original publication.

If you want to support my blog, podcasts, and video content then head over to my Patreon.

MAC Attack is Live

I just launched MAC Attack on Backerkit.

If you've been following this blog at all then you've seen me write about it before. If you follow the link above there's a free quickstart document, a how to play video, and a neat trailer showcasing some of Amanda Lee Franck's incredible art.

Check it out now!

Planesk8

If you play in any of my in-person groups, turn back now! No huge spoilers, but stuff that would be more fun to discover in game.

Okay?

Right.

So I've been reading through the fantastic Slugblaster, and hoping to run it soon. I wanted to try changing up the other dimensions that the crew portal-jump over to for their hoverboard runs.

Meanwhile, Planescape is one of those settings that's full of cool locations but sometimes feels daunting to use for an actual D&D style campaign.

If only we could... wait...

Heaven IS a halfpipe after all

PLANESK8 (AKA BERKBLASTER)

The crew receive a chart of cryptic symbols, scribbled notes, and a few known connections, passed down by a weird older kid.

These are each loosely inspired by a Planescape Outer Plane, with the Inner Planes and existing Slugblaster dimensions crammed in there too.

More of a messy web than a wheel.

The Big Wheels (Mechanus)
Except this place. This place is all wheels. Giant cogs of the multiverse and steam-filled engine rooms. Little flying robots monitor things and make everything runs properly.

You can tweak reality, history, and the future if you mess with things here.

Tidy Town (Arcadia)
A pristine idealistic suburbia with a rule for everything and no tolerance for rulebreakers. They have a great skate park but nobody goes there because of all the rules.

A deeply uncool place to go, so keep it quiet if you do.

Blastopia (Bytopia)
Halfpipe-shaped land of perfect gaps, slick rails, and heavenly pipes, all with just the right amount of flexible gravity. Going high leads into the skymaze, an even more perfect blasting ground.

Only the best crews are allowed in, and only for tournaments.

Halo High (Mount Celestia/Thennis Spar)
Super nice universities and temples atop a glowing mountain. The buildings are made out of light, and everything can be ridden on. You’ve got to behave or you’ll get banished and blacklisted.

Lake Chill (Elysium/Desnine)
Mellow lake that enforces chill. You can ride the water or go below to hit a sweet endless reef. You start to forget your troubles, then your home. When you get back more time has passed than you expected.

Beastamunda (Beastlands/Golden Jungle)
Big beasts roam oversized landscapes, having won an ancient war against colossal machines. Hunger, desire, and pain are amplified. Tech doesn't work here now, so bring some wheels!

Moodwood (Arborea)
Technicolour forest where emotions affect everything. The woods below reflect your innermost feelings. Every fruit, leaf, and scrap of bark is an upper, downer, or some other form of trippy that you don’t have a word for.

If you get high enough you can board on the canopy and even the beams of sunlight.

Radhalla (Ysgard/Empyrean)
Epic landscape of icy mountains and crystal grottos, also monsters.

You respawn when you die, so go wild with the risky tricks.

The Goop (Limbo/Quahalia)
Always changing. Your thoughts manifest into reality, for better or worse. Neutral state is a zero g ocean of prismatic goop, but you can breathe in it.

Your self belief even changes your own form.

Thrash Hole (Pandemonium/Prismatia)
A tunnel through a roaring storm of noise, where you can ride the beat and the lightning. Just try to get through it. Putting headphones on as you ride changes reality to match the music.

Evergeddon (The Abyss/Vastiche)
A world being constantly destroyed and falling into pits down to an even worse place. Pain isn’t so bad and it makes you go faster too. Iron forts and needle rocks under eternal storm.

Only the coolest crews come here.

Dead End (Carceri)
Red skied hell world that can’t be escaped. Go down into dungeons with traps and puzzles, all rigged against you. Your own voice taunts you with bad advice.

There's a lot of confiscated gear here.

Null (Hades)
The boring home to your boring town, the concrete waste town of Nullwich.

Helter Skelter (Gehenna/Calorium)
Infinite slopes of fire and rock. You can go down forever but going up really sucks. You can accelerate forever, so be careful as you break the sound barriers.

Boss City (The Nine Hells/Popularia)
A neon-gothic city underneath a burning sky. Brand billboards and rider scoreboards vie for attention. Layers upon layers of city. They have all the money you could ever want.

The Blocks (Acheron/Operaeblum)
Facing concrete blocks drifting in space locked in gang warfare. Pick a side or get out.

Each block is built around a fusion core and gravity generator. The infinite scrapyard below is filled with busted tech.

Neverville (Outlands/Waking Pits)
Weird infinite architecture and mists. Not quite like being in a nightmare, but one of those dreams where you wake up exhausted.

Draws on your past and future.

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MAC Attack - How to Play Video

Want to learn to play MAC Attack in 16 minutes? 

Like the look of it? Get ready for the Backerkit launch soon. 

Between the Realms

Travelling between Realms usually just has you arrive in the following season. Maybe we can roll to find out what actually happened on the journey.

I’m currently messing with a multi-realm map that has a bespoke table for each border. This is a typical example. It uses with the mythic calendar system, but if you’re just using seasons as written in the book then you can assume each season is made up of three months.

Roll d6 once for the whole company and resolve the event.

On successive rolls, add the result the previous entry you resolved, continuing until you arrive. This particular example requires a roll of 8+ to arrive, so it's going to take you at least two months, usually three, maybe more if you have very bad luck.

For example, a you might roll 2 (entry 2) then 3 (entry 2+3=5) then 5 (5+5=10, arrival), representing a journey of three months.

Remedies can be used between events but virtues are otherwise not restored.

You can turn back any time, rolling just one more time on the table before you get back to the realm you departed from. 

Between the Realms - Dark Forest Borderlands

1: A green beast stalks you before striking
Make a combined attack roll. If you score 12 or more damage you kill the thing, gaining a Sustenance. Otherwise you each lose d12 VIG. You may use Gambits to bolster but cannot use Feats.
Advance to the next month. 

2: Dead end, you must retrace your steps
Everyone loses d6 SPI. Increase this to d12 in Winter. 
Advance to the next month. 

3: The trail is blocked, you must climb to continue
Everyone loses d4 VIG and d4 SPI. Increase this to d8 in Winter.
Advance to the next month. 

4: Brigands wait in ambush
Everyone makes a CLA Save. Those who fail lose d8 VIG.
Advance to the next month. 

5: Respite, you find a place of calm and safety and take a rest day
Everyone may restore one Virtue
Advance to the next month. 

6: You feel like you've been here before
One person makes a CLA Save.
If you fail, begin the journey from the start.
Advance to the next month.

7: The forest floor becomes more bog than soil
Everyone loses d4 VIG and d4 SPI. Increase this to d8 in Winter.
Advance to the next month. 

8-9: You arrive suddenly in the realm. Roll d12 to see which column/row you enter the Realm from.

10+: You arrive safely. You may choose which column/row you enter the Realm from.

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Mythic Moods

I made this as an intro video for my Deep Dives, but it also serves as good mood setting for Mythic Bastionland. 

MegaMACs

So we played around with the shittiest MACs you can field in MAC Attack, but what about the best?

Presenting MegaMACs.

Take a Class 3 MAC, the biggest in the game, and apply the double modules optional rule to every module on it. Now you’ve got a 26pt monster packing 12 modules. 

What? You don't have a full and thorough understanding of the MAC Attack system? That's fine, just go and read it now.

EDIT: right, so double modules aren't in the quickstart... 
In short, you pay an extra point to to cram two modules into one slot. When the slot is damaged, one of those modules is destroyed. When it's damaged again the second is destroyed. So you're getting extra stuff for your MAC, but it's somewhat exposed and adds to its total cost.

Okay? Let’s build a few.

ANNIHILATOR MegaMAC
Class 3 MAC
1: Double LM3 Cannons
2: Double SM2 GunArrays
3: Double Prism
4: Double Servo
5: Double Casing
6: Double ECM

MONARCH MegaMAC
Class 3 MAC
1: Double SB3 Cannons  
2: Double B2 Blade
3: Double SG3-X Rockets
4: Double Intake
5: Double Intake
6: Double Jet

HEARTBREAKER MegaMAC
Class 3 MAC
1: Double LP4-X Missiles
2: Double SP3 PulseBeam
3: Double Amplifier
4: Double Amplifier
5: Double Catalyst
6: Double Catalyst

Are they worth it? I head back to the playtesting table with a force of three MegaMACs against a much more balanced 78pt opposing force of three Class 2s, two Class 1s, and three artillery guns. 

Conclusion

They performed... okay. It actually felt much less uneven than I expected.

Yeah the Heartbreaker launched a 16 die attack against a Class 2 MAC and wiped it out in one shot, but the first attack against it reduced it to a lone Pulsebeam for future attacks. The Monarch leaping 18” makes for a fun start to the game, but it didn’t quite manage to bring its blades to bear before they got shot off. 

That kind of exemplifies the MegaMACs’ performance. They can do some scary stuff on Round 1, but double modules start losing their effectiveness as soon as the MAC takes a hit. It was actually a lot of fun attacking them, as every hit is going to break something. 

Because Heat is strictly limited to six they rely pretty strongly on heat prevention modules like catalysts in order to perform their extreme manoeuvres. Overheating is even less appealing when you know those hits are going to impact your effectiveness. 

I expected this to be a dumb experiment in pushing  the system to its extremes but it’s pushed me toward playing with double modules a little bit more.

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Seerbones

Bastiards of the electric epoch are known for their badly designed dice games, but what about the knights, vassals, and vagabonds of the mythic age? 

They have lots of their own games, but Seerbones is the most popular in my realm.

You need five small pieces. Look, there are no hard rules about what the pieces should be, but they’re usually interestingly shaped pebbles, bones, wooden rings, small shells, basically anything you can comfortably enclose fully within your hand. So yes, you can use dice. It’s important that the five pieces are all different to each other. Seasoned players keep their set of seerbones in a pouch or small box, always on the lookout for more interesting pieces to trade into their set.

Oh, did I say Seerbones was one game? No, everybody has their own version, but insists it’s the original. 

Seerbones (taught by a hunter)
2 Players only.

Agree on one piece to be “the killer” then place all five pieces in a concealed container.

The active player secretly chooses one piece and conceals it in a fist. The other player must either Guess or Declare.

If they Guess, they choose which hand they think the piece is in. If they’re right, they keep it. If they’re wrong, the active player keeps it. 

If the piece was the killer and the player guessed incorrectly then the other player immediately wins the game. If it was the killer and the player guessed correctly then the killer is returned to the supply. 

If they Declare, the active player reveals their piece. If it is the Killer then the declaring player immediately wins the game. If it is any other piece then the active player keeps the piece for themselves. 

If the killer is the only unclaimed piece then it is treated as a normal piece. When all pieces are claimed the winner is the player with the most pieces. 

Seerbones (taught by a squire)
Up to 5 players.

The owner of the set divides the pieces amongst players as evenly as possible, assigning remainders how they like.

Each player closes one fist and balances their pieces on the back of that hand. 

Players can now use their enclosed fist only to try to knock off the pieces of the opposing players. Whoever’s last piece hits the ground last wins. 

Seerbones (v3 taught by a bunch of drunks)
Up to 5 players.

Players bid on how many pieces they can throw in the air with one hand then catch in the other. The catching hand must be behind their back until the pieces are thrown.

Each player must either raise the bid or pass. When the first player passes the current high bidder immediately makes their attempt.

If they succeed then the player who passed is eliminated. 

If they drop even one piece then they are themselves eliminated. 

Seerbones (v4 taught by an innkeeper)
2 players only

Mark out a play area or sit at a table. 

Draft two of the five pieces to each player and place the remaining piece in the middle of the play area. Players place their pieces on their edge of the play area. 

Take turns flicking (specific flicking rules vary greatly) one of the pieces on your edge. If it hits one or more other pieces then move them all back to your edge. Pieces that leave the play area are dead and removed from the game. 

First player to have no pieces on their edge loses. 

Seerbones (v5 taught by a gaggle of children)
Up to 4 players. 

Draw a circle somewhere in the play area. The owner of the pieces sets the size.

Take turns selecting up to five pieces to throw, aiming to get them inside the circle. The owner of the pieces sets the throwing restrictions i.e. no crouching, required distance etc. 

For each throw score 1pt for each piece in the circle minus 1pt for each piece outside the circle. Your score for a throw can never be less than zero. Most points after three throws each wins. 

Seerbones (v6 taught by a smith's apprentice)
Up to 5 players. 

The owner of the set divides the pieces amongst players as evenly as possible, assigning remainders how they like. 

The current player secretly splits their pieces between their enclosed hands however they wish. The player to their left looks at their enclosed hands and picks one, taking all the pieces in that hand. Play then moves to that player. 

If a player has no pieces remaining they’re eliminated. 

Playing safe is frowned upon, and winning through cowardly play is seen as worse than losing on a big risk. 

The fight that often ensues afterwards is commonly referred to as “the real game”.

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MAC-27

 What’s the smallest possible game of MAC Attack?

By the book a force must have at least three MACs. The cheapest MAC you can build is a Class 1 (12pts) with the maximum of three Frame modules (each reducing its cost by 1pt) so 9pts in total. Three of those give us a minimum legal force of 27pts.

MAC-27. A force for the MAC Commander on a tight budget. 

But Why?

I dunno. Because we can? I want the game to be fun with the minimum financial investment of three miniatures each, and this extends that philosophy to the points cost. 

These MACs are going to be pretty limited, with only three module slots left after taking those Frames. They should also be simpler for new players to play with, but there’s a risk they just aren’t that fun. 

They’re sure to have bad heat management, but they probably won’t generate all that much heat either.

They won’t have much firepower, but they’re also pretty flimsy, and unlikely to have much in the way of defensive modules.

So is a 3v3 battle with shitty MACs actually fun? Let’s make some and I’ll try it out. 

Discount MACs

Okay, here are the forces.

I’m not doing a normal scenario, instead just bringing the MACs onto the board from the centre of opposite board edges and playing for a total wipeout of the other side. 24x24" board with a few patches of cover and rough.

Post Battle Analysis

The most obvious effect here is that the MACs were all super simple, even more so than I expected. There were half the normal number of modules to keep track of, mostly focused on a few weapons. This is sometimes good, but a frame being destroyed is just less interesting than blowing up a weapon or a radiator, which often alter the way a player needs to pilot that MAC. 

Cooldown went a lot more quickly too, as all of the MACs just cooled 1 Heat, with no extra modules to factor in. 

I tried to avoid building these MACs to some imagined meta, but with all these small MACs running around certain modules (Burst weapons, Mesh) felt more appealing than normal. In play, piercing weapons still felt good, as even small MACs tend to slow down once the firing starts, as Rushing restricts how much you can rotate, making it harder to keep the enemy in your sights. 

Final verdict? It was fun! Definitely something I’d keep in my pocket if I wanted to introduce the game to a particularly inexperienced wargame player.

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Mythic One-Shots

How do you run a Mythic Bastionland one shot?

There’s some guidance on the “Starts and Scopes” page at the front of the book, but it seems to be a recurring question. I figured I’d share my thoughts, since I’ve done quite a few at this point. 

Considerations

• You can just prepare a Realm as normal and run a one shot without changing anything in particular, but there are a few things to keep in mind:
• Character creation is quick, but there’s a bit of passing the book around, copying down property and abilities.
• Realm creation is good “lonely fun” for the Referee, but it can take a little while, and a one-shot is unlikely to span too much of the wider Realm.
• If you have the standard setup with six Myths revealing themselves at once then it's hit or miss whether you’ll resolve one in a single session.
• All Myths can work for one shots, but some feel better suited to a campaign. Maybe they benefit from the players knowing the Realm and its characters (the Glade), work better in a game that spans Seasons (the Wheel), or change the Realm in ways that are fun to have as lasting impact (the Sea).
• Starting the Knights on the edge of the map, arriving in the Realm for the first time, tends to see them make a beeline for the nearest Holding, reaching it toward the end of the session.
• Frankly, the ongoing nature of how Mythic works means that there’s always going to be some unresolved stuff at the end of a session.

So I think there are actually three ways you can go with a Mythic one shot, so take your pick from these equally valid methods.

The Teaser-Shot: Most authentic Mythic experience

• Make the full Realm as normal and populate it with the full spread of six Myths. Settle in and flesh out the holdings and landmarks as much as you care to.
• Prepare blank character sheets and roll up the Knights at the table.
• Start with the Knights arriving on the edge of the Realm as normal, having been sent here to seek Myths.
• Warn the players that things will probably end without a big climax.
• When the session ends, see if the players take the bait to come back for a second session. If they say yes then you’ve already got everything you need, otherwise your Realm is ready to serve a one-shot to a different group if needed.

The Speed-Shot: Getting straight to it

• Make a smaller Realm than normal. 6x6 Hexes with a single holding and one of each of the landmarks works, but go up to 9x9 with two Holdings if you want a bit more space.
• Generate a few more Knights than you have players, handing out fully completed character sheets and letting players swap around if they like the look of another Knight. Keep the spares for backups.
• Choose one Myth only for the Realm. Any time you would encounter an Omen, go to this Myth. You’ll hit the final Omen pretty quickly at this pace. Some Myths work better than others in this sense, but something like The Wyvern is ideal. 
• Start the Knights at one of the Holdings. The Ruler is busy but the inhabitants have told you some rumours about the Myth, urging you to go out and seek it, also hinting at the location of the nearby Seer.
• If the one-shot gives way to a campaign then you can always expand the map and populate it with a new batch of six Myths.

The Smart-Shot: For those blessed with Clarity 

• Make a full Realm, fully fleshed out, because it’s fun and you can re-use it for multiple one-shots.
• Generate the Knights ahead of time, as in a Speed-Shot, but leave their Virtue and Guard scores blank, players can roll for these so that they can’t blame you for low scores.
• Choose just two Myths for the Realm and place them far apart. Now you’ll still stand a decent chance of hitting the final Omen of one of them, but you’ll be mixing in a little bit of the other.
• Start the Knights in a Holding, having received an urgent message from a distant place, typically another Holding or a Sanctum, summoning them urgently. Now they have a clear goal of “get across the Realm” which will have them naturally encountering Omens and Landmarks on the way.

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How Did they Die?

Old characters in Mythic Bastionland stand a chance of just dying off-screen between Ages.

But what happened to that person?

Roll d66

11: The life was coughed out of their rattling lungs

12: Their body wasted away to bone and shadow

13: Gnawed on too much numbing bark for their pain

14: Strangled in wrath with little fight

15: Fell from a height and scattered their innards

16: Faded with their appetite, withered beside a full plate

21: Sank in a mire and not wholly found

22: Left to bleed on the roadside

23: A malady in their last meal turned their belly to rot

24: Trampled beneath horses

25: Spat out their blood in the night

26: Perished in weak murmurs, none heard or came

31: Burned in a fire brought by a neighbour

32: Torn apart by maddened hounds

33: Swollen to bursting by the old plagues' return

34: Smote by lightning atop a hill

35: Rode out with trembling hands, never found

36: Their mind was hot with raving till their soul slipped free

41: Slipped on the ground and cracked their skull

42: Lost their words, then their breath

43: Half-woke at dawn, still in their dream, dead by nightfall

44: Their body left clenched and contorted from wicked grain

45: Bitten by invisible mites, dying puffed and sputtering

46: Fell in a field, unable to drag themselves back

51: Wandered too far and grew cold, dying beneath their blanket

52: Found sitting stiff, watching the sky

53: Hollowed out by belly worms and left pale

54: Rendered silent by sun sickness

55: Bitten by a coughing wind, which spread deep

56: Dreamt too deeply, never to wake

61: Split open in a petty feud

62: Fed false herbs by will or chance, cold and blue

63: Hacked down by uncaring raiders

64: Choked on a bone at their evening meal

65: Screamed out their last breaths in the night

66: Drank deep of cursed water, leaving a yellowed corpse

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Between the Ages

Following on from last week, here are some events that might happen between Ages.

Other than the inevitable

Roll d66 for each Knight:

11. You suffered a great failure and must re-pledge your Oath in order to retain your Knighthood.

12. You have been in a nearby Realm on diplomatic duty. Roll a Spirit Save. On a pass, you are now well-esteemed there. On a fail you triggered a war with them.

13. You have become deathly ill. You that know you will die before the next Age without supernatural intervention.

14. You saved the life of a Seer, so they owe you a favour.

15. You have been named as heir to a Seat of Power.

16. You gain an especially loyal pet.

21. The most important non-player character to you dies suddenly. You are with them in their last moments.

22. You have spent years trapped in an Otherworld.

23. You brokered peace with raiders from beyond your borders, who have set up a Holding of their own in the Realm.

24. You won a great battle. Choose its location and roll a Vigour Save. On a pass you won, placing a Monument there. Otherwise you lost, placing a Curse there.

25. A distant or estranged relative has come to the Realm, finding a place in court.

26. An enemy or rival from your past has found a place in court.

31. You inherit a piece of armour (your choice) belonging to a Knight-Radiant, who has left to find the city. Old knights hold you in high regard when you wear it.

32. Roll a Clarity Save. On a pass you helped depose an unjust ruler, who seeks petty revenge against you. On a fail you unwittingly helped to make them a ruler.

33. A defeated foe has placed a sizeable bounty on your head.

34. You received prophetic dreams of a new Myth in the realm. The dreams relate to its final Omen.

35. You helped a new Seer find their sanctuary. Place it anywhere you wish.

36. A random visiting Knight gifts you their steed before they leave.

41. Justifiable or not, the vassals have taken to calling you "The Wicked"

42. Justifiable or not, the vassals have taken to calling you "The Great"

43. You are offered a new Knightly title. Roll a new Knight type and decide if you wish to exchange your gear and ability for the new one.

44. As a diplomatic gesture you have been barred from visiting the Seat of Power.

45. You fight in a battle that sees the destruction of a random holding. Decide which side you were on.

46. You set up a modest home for yourself that has grown into a dwelling. Place it wherever you choose.

51. Illness plagues those close to you. Choose three non-player characters close to you. They must each pass a Vigour Save or die.

52. A ghost from a previous encounter still haunts you. You cannot sleep alone.

53. You have been exiled from the Realm. If you stay you are doing so under a false identity.

54. You were sent to fight against a nearby Realm, earning a bloody reputation amongst its loyal Knights. They swore to come for you one day.

55. You helped a young protegee become a full Knight. Roll their Knight type at random, and they are now roaming the Realm on their own quest.

56. Time has been cruel to you. If you are Mature, immediately age to Old. If you are Old, lose d6 Vigour to a minimum of 2.

61. Time has been good to you. If you would age to Old, remain as Mature instead. If you would age to Mature you may increase any one Virtue by d6 to a maximum of 18.

62. You earn a reputation in tournaments. Gain d6 Maximum Guard to a maximum of 18.

63. You were embroiled in a blood feud with a ruler of the Realm. Decide somebody close to you who died in the conflict, and also somebody close to them.

64. A particularly harrowing battle leaves you with little appetite for combat Lose d6 Maximum Guard to a minimum of 1.

65. Another Knight bearing your title has entered the Realm, seeking to usurp your position.

66. A holding unexpectedly fell into your rule.

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Between the Seasons

Mythic Bastionland assumes that you’ll advance through the Seasons, and likely through the Ages, seeing your Knights grow old and maybe die a peaceful death. 

In terms of what happens between the end of a session and the start of a new Season or Age, it’s left quite loose. You get this table.

And of course there are Spark tables for the Referee to draw on. These ones in particular are handy.

And maybe this middle one when you become Old.

I turn 40 in a couple of weeks, so I’m studying this one carefully.

Knights also get to choose an activity between Seasons and Ages, but what if want to inject a slightly more concrete random event thing?

Let's go. We'll just do between Seasons today. These aren't really meant to be played out in full, you just discuss what happened as a group when you move to a new Season.

Some of these call for specific Spark Tables found in the book.

Between Season Events

Each Knight rolls d66:

11. An old Knight offers you their longsword (2d8) if you pledge to train their grandchild as a squire.

12. A random Seer of the Realm is dying and summoned to you ask them one last question.

13. You become ill, roll an ailment.

14. You are assigned an important role at a wedding.

15. The ruler of a nearby holding has openly spoken ill of you.

16. While camping, one of your weapons, shields, or pieces of armour was stolen.

21. A messenger from a distant realm brings news, with a loose connection to you.

22. Your steed suddenly dies.

23. Local farmers provide you with sustenance.

24. A merchant from a neighbouring realm provides you with stimulant.

25. A band of pilgrims offer you sacrament.

26. Somebody close to you becomes ill, roll an ailment.

31. You learn of a new Landmark in the Realm. Roll and place it randomly.

32. You witness a ghost from your past.

33. You meet a travelling part. Roll SPI. If you pass, they write a complimentary song about you, granting 1 Glory. If you fail they mock you, losing 1 Glory until you prove them wrong.

34. You meet a new successor, potentially more promising than your own if you have one.

35. You meet a potential romantic partner. Pass a SPI Save to see if the affection is mutual.

36. You indirectly cause a great fire, wiping out a hex of forest or other greenery.

41. A visiting Knight wishes to duel you.

42. You discover a raiding party from a neighbouring Realm.

43. You stumbled upon a wild beast. It gave you a Scar (d12) before leaving you for dead. Any Virtue loss caused by this is still active at the start of the next Season.

44. A wandering Seer from a distant Realm offers you cryptic guidance.

45. You learn the location of a legendarily powerful longsword (3d8 hefty), but it's in the most inconvenient place.

46. You encounter a Knight sworn to an enemy Realm, but they're pleading for sanctuary and passage to the Seat of Power.

51. You are called to adjudicate between a truthful but vindictive ruler and a dishonest but desperate vassal.

52. You learn of a secret Drama in court.

53. A Seer personally calls you for a Task.

54. You are at the centre of a new Conflict between two holdings.

55. You witness a Wonder in a hex near to your most significant holding.

56. You dream of an Otherworld.

61. You are accused of a crime you did not commit.

62. You are swept up within a peoples' revolt in the Realm.

63. You find a band of artisans from a distant Realm. You escort them to set up shop in a holding.

64. You offended a strange hermit and they swore a curse upon you. Seers predict grave things for you.

65. You are with a random ruler as they die suddenly.

66. A ruler abandons their holding, calling you to aid in establishing a new ruler.

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Background Mutations for Paranoia

After last week’s holiday I’m taking a little break from Mythic places, but I’ll return to that series at some point. 

Let’s go back to Alpha Complex. 

I mentioned previously that mutant powers have felt like an afterthought in the few sessions of Paranoia that I’ve run. 

So what if they weren’t a thing the player could actively use, but something that ticks along in the background? Some might be useful, but I also like the idea of them just being annoying and sparking more suspicious behaviour from players. 

Of course, that means it becomes a thing for the Referee to track, but I’m sure they can handle it.

Let’s make 12.

1. Hostile Emissions - If you are scanned for anything you always generate the worst possible result. 

2. Shocking Field - Any living thing you touch suffers a painful shock equivalent to a stun stick. 

3. Pressurised Blood - If you suffer even the smallest wound you spray blood everywhere. If you’re killed it’s extremely messy. 

4. Soft Gut - If you eat any solid food you regurgitate it instantly.

5. Rubberised Musculature - You are unarmed by falling, but bounce a lot upon landing. 

6. Inflation Bladder - If you enter a body of liquid you automatically inflate like a balloon, floating quite safely. It takes a moment of calm for you to deflate.

7. Facial Chameleosis - Each morning you wake up with a new face.

8. Bronchial Cryogenesis - When you sneeze, cough, or otherwise expel a large amount of air, it’s cold enough to freeze liquids or a bit of flesh.

9. Mortal Regeneration - When you die, as long as your body is mostly intact, you’ll regenerate in a few minutes without needing a new clone. You’re still messed up, but you’re back on your feet. This may cause multiple clones to be active at once.

10. Hyper Hearing - You can hear things happening in the next room as clear as day, but loud noises cause you physical harm. 

11. Bio Siren - When you are wounded you emit a scream so loud that it shatters glass in the nearby area.

12. Molecular Metallurgy  - Metal objects you hold gradually start to melt, without becoming hot.

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