Ash Wednesday - Splatterhouse

I recently picked up the 2010 remake of Splatterhouse. I remember my uncle playing one of the Splatterhouse games when I was in elementary school and it scaring the crap out of me. My how things change.

The plot of the game is rather simple. You play as college student Rick. Rick and Jenny are going to the home Dr. Henry West, professor of necrobiology for an interview. West is a psycho with an army of creatures under his control. The creatures mortally wound Rick and West runs off with Jenny. Rick's life is saved by a powerful artifact, the Terror Mask. It bonds with him and he's transformed into a hulking brute. Rick and the Terror Mask then follow West through the mansion and across different times and dimensions in order to stop him from freeing the mask's ancient enemies, the Corrupted.

I'm posting this for Ash Wednesday because I think Rick would be right at home in an Army of Darkness game (though he might be a bit OP). He could also work as an npc in a Buffy/Angel game, though it would probably be one with a high body count. That being said in addition to Rick stats, I'm also going to include the Terror Mask as a PC option. I think the entity within the Terror Mask is either a Hellgod or being with serious beef with the Hellgods.

Rick Taylor
Hero
Life Points: 104
Drama Points: 10

Attributes:
Strength: 8
Dexterity: 5
Constitution: 8
Intelligence: 3
Perception:  3
Willpower: 4

Qualities: 
Terror Mask (+20, see below)
Hard to Kill (+5)


Drawbacks: -5
Bad Luck (-1)
Love (-2)
Outcast (-2)


Skills: 
Art 2
Computers 1
Crime 1
Driving/Riding 1
Getting Medieval 5*
Knowledge 1
Kung Fu 5*
Notice 1
Occultism 2
Science 2

Maneuvers:          Bonus     Damage           Notes

Cleaver                     13            24          p. 101
Dodge                       13         None        Avoid getting hit
Punch                        13           16          Right to the kisser, p. 91

Terror Mask (20 Point Quality)

Being imbued with the power of the Terror Mask, your body is twisted into a form more suitable to making things go splat. This quality grants a +5 to Strength, +2 to Dexterity, and +5 Constitution. In addition the bearer gains 5 levels of Hard to Kill (and my purchase up to 10). In addition, the bearer gains the the one point Psychic Visions quality. The Terror Mask also grants the ability to hurt things... bad. The wearer gains 3 levels of Getting Medieval and Kung Fu.

For every 20 points of damage the wearer causes he gains one temporary drama point. Any such drama points not spent by the end of the scene are lost.

Being the wearer of the Terror Mask has its drawbacks as well. You're a hulking brute that will scare the shit out of any mundane individual (and many supernatural creatures). This is the equivalent of a -5 Appearance. You also want to make things bleed. Treat this as Antisocial Impulses (Violence) -5.

Ash Wednesday

There is a full trailer for Ash vs Evil Dead and it is glorious! Inspired by this awesomeness and acknowledging that Cinematic Unisystem is the system I have the easiest time writing for, I've decided to bring back Ash Wednesday. Enjoy the trailer!

Okay, once you calm down, we'll continue.

It's okay.

I'm in no rush.

Okay, totally fucking awesome, right!?!

Once the series comes out, I plan on statting out the new characters, especially the lovely Lucy Lawless's Knowsby character. Until then I'm going to stick with inspiration from video games and movies.Here's a list of ideas:

• Rick Taylor and the Terror Mask, protagonist of the 2010 remake of Slaughterhouse and the artifact that grants him power
• Tucker and Dale of Tucker and Dale vs. Evil
• Freddy Krueger of A Nightmare on Elm Street
• Some DC zombies (from the upcoming Ash vs. The DC Dead)
• Chucky from the Child's Play films
• Cassie Hack and Vlad from Hack/Slash

Any other suggestions?

I'm Iron Kingdoms Bound

I didn't need another miniatures or rpg to get into, but it looks like I'm going to dive headfirst into one anyway. My friends have talked it over and we're going to start playing Warmachine/Hordes. The game seems like a lot of fun and the cats at Privateer Press are really nice folks. The setting is a nice mix of fantasy and steampunk. Both games are fully compatible, they each just have a different spin. The factions in Warmachines are nations with magically controlled mechs (called warjacks). In Hordes you play one of the wild factions and use your warlocks to control warbeasts. The games also have fully compatible tabletop rpg's, Iron Kingdoms: Full Metal Fantasy and Iron Kingdoms: Unleashed. I'm not kidding when I say the rpg and minis are fully compatible. The minis and npc stat blocks look identical.

As far as Warmachines is concerned, I really like Khador. Their story is awesome and I dig Russian-esque nations. Plus they essentially have Baba Yaga as a warcaster. On the Hordes side of things I'm partial to the noble Trollsblood and the Blindwater Congregation, a pact (lesser faction), of voodoo alligator men.

Here's a little taste of the artwork for the games (which is phenomenal).

Trollbloods, powerful , honorable, displaced warriors

A lurk and a gatorman, two of the monstrous races you can play as in Unleashed.

Definitely not Baba Yaga and her hut...

War forces of Cygnar, the crown jewel the Iron Kingdoms

Celebrate #Sharkweek M&M Style!

In honor of #sharkweek Green Ronin has released a villain in their Rogues Gallery line. Here's the description from the product page:

Megalodon

Dr. Connor Kirkstrom is a brilliant man, but knows a savage, remorseless killer dwells inside him. Megalodon the Man-Shark, his bloodthirsty Mr. Hyde, is perversely proud of his place at the top of the world’s food chain, considering all other creatures beneath him. Only other sharks are potential peers, and even they must bow to his superior will.

In addition to the PL 12 villain, the pdf also contains PL 5 minion stats for cyber-sharks.

You can grab it here.

Deck-Building Games

My best friend Wirty has introduced me to a type of game that's become my new obsession, deck-building games. If you've never played one, the concept is simple. You start out with limited resources that you use to purchase more cards for you deck. The win conditions for the games vary, but are normally something like, "achieve this goal" or "earn the most victory points." The game I have the most experience with is the DC Deck-Building Game. It uses Cryptozoic Cerberus Engine. My friends, Wirty and Stew, each have the core game and a few expansions. I have Cryptozoic's Hobbit Deck-Building Game, which uses the same rules. It's not quite as fun, but that's because I like the DC abilities better.

I've ordered Marvel Legendary by Upper Deck. While I'm more of a DC fan, Legendary seems exciting because it's a co-op game in which the players build hero decks to take out a mastermind (controlled by the game). There is an optional competitive element to the game as well. There are several expansions that offer more heroes, masterminds, henchman, and plots. I'm rather excited that I picked up the Fantastic Four. I'm not the biggest FF fan, though I do like Human Torch and Thing. I love Galactus and he is included as a mastermind. The best part, I picked up expansion for only 12.50. The expansion was originally 24.99, but is going for around 50.00 online. Marvel has told Upper Deck not to reprint the set (which is another example of them trying to snuff out the FF).

Has anyone else played deck-building games? If so, what do you think?

World of Darkness - Ovomorph and Facehugger

Back in April of 2013 I did a quickie post about Xenomorphs for the April A-Z Blog Challenge. Like many things I talk about, I never got around to statting out the aliens and predators. Well, I've been bitten by inspiration (or maybe it was a facehugger). It will probably take me a few weeks to do all the posts I want, but I'm starting them today. I present to you the Ovomorph (alien egg) and facehugger.

Ovomorph

Description Ovomorph (as xenomorph eggs are known) are seemingly inert leather "eggs." They have an ability to sense prey and will bloom, allowing the facehugger contained within to launch itself at nearby prey.

The eggs can lay inert for thousands of years and are rendered inert by the blue reactive mist of the Engineers.

Attributes: Intelligence 1, Wits 1, Resolve 1, Strength 1, Dexterity 2, Stamina 4, Presence 1, Manipulation 1, Composure 1
Skills: Survival 3

Willpower: 5

Initiative: 3

Defense:4

Speed: 0

Size 4
Weapons/Attacks: 
Type                                         Damage                  Dice Pool
Acid Splash                                  5 (A)                        4
Launch Facehugger                      -                               -
Health: 9

Any time the ovomorph takes damage, it attacks a creature within 5' with an Acid Splash attack.

Facehuggers

Description

Facehuggers are parasites, whose sole purpose is to attach to a humanoids face and implant an egg. Once attached the host is essentially done for. The creature will keep the host alive long enough for it to implant an embryo. Attempts to remove the facehugger typically result in it tightening its grip around the creatures throat. The creature's acidic blood tend to discourage cutting it off. Even if it was to be removed, it's powerful grip would likely rip the victims face off.

Still in the World of Darkness, there may be magic able to keep a victim alive.

Attributes: Intelligence 1, Wits 2, Resolve 1, Strength 3, Dexterity 5, Stamina 3, Presence 1, Manipulation 1, Composure 1
Skills: Athletics (Running) 4, Brawl 3, Stealth 4, Survival 3

Willpower: 5

Initiative: 3

Defense: 2

Speed: 13

Size 2
Weapons/Attacks: 
Type                                         Damage                  Dice Pool
Acid Splash                                  5 (A)                        4
Grapple                                           -                             8
Health: 5

Any time the facehugger takes damage, it attacks a creature within 5' with an Acid Splash attack.