Neo Lord Cortex Bundle

As promised, the Neo Lord Cortex bundle. Neo Lords are the culmination of months of research into gene splicing, combining natural and artificial genes from dozens of species to create a living, breathing piece of military hardware. Each one is designed to go toe-to-toe with an e-frame and win. I tried and tried to do them as a bundle, but even with a lot of fudging the cost wound up prohibitive. But then my GM Scott Rhymer came up with a brilliant suggestion: do them up as vehicle scale. After all, they're 12 feet tall and can take machine-gun fire from an E-Frame without flinching.

Vehicle (or Large) scale take 10 points of personal-scale damage before they suffer 1 point of large-scale damage. Likewise, every 1 point they inflict is 10 points of personal damage, so if you're not in an e-frame they'll kill you quick.

So, without further ado, here is the Large-scale specs for a Neo Lord.

 
Neo Lord: 

Scale: Large

Typical Stats:
Agility: D10 (reflecting their ability to fly and scale walls)
Strength: D6 (remember, this is D6 of vehicle-scale strength)
Vitality: D8 (remember, D6 of vehicle-scale vitality)
Alertness: D10 (reflecting their enhanced senses)
Intelligence: D10 
Willpower: D6

Assets:
Hide in Plain Sight: D8 (Neo Lords can blend in with their environment like a chameleon, or control their circulation to become invisible on infrared, though not both at the same time.)

Inherent Weapons: D4 (Neo Lords have taloned hands and can spit acid, enabling them to do vehicle-scale damage.)

Always Awake: D6 (Neo Lords don't need sleep.)

Inherent Armor: D4 (Neo Lords can withstand hits from large-caliber weapons with no ill effect, though fire and explosions do injure them.)

Complications:

Sterile: D4 (Neo Lords cannot reproduce normally, divorcing them from the cycle of life and denying them any form of familial relationship.)

Animal Enmity: D4 (Animals can sense that Neo Lords are unnatural abominations.)

Memorable: D6 (In addition to being twelve feet tall and blue, all Neo Lords have a unique geometric tattoo prominently on their forehead.)

Analysis Paralysis: D4 (Most Neo Lords are unable to think on their feet. The unexpected can confuse them. When encountering unfamiliar or unexpected situations, step down all attributes by one for D4 rounds.)

Conventional Thinking: D4 (When attempting be truly original or creative in tactics or technical matters, Neo Lords are often at a loss. Subtract D4 from rolls under such circumstances.)

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Unlike Neo Megas and Neo Sapiens, which can be reasonable (if powerful) PCs, Neo Lords are beings with the capability of sophisticated 22nd century military hardware. Add in "normal Neo Sapien intelligence" (i.e. super-intelligence, albeit with some creativity issues) and these are just not suited to being player characters. Use them in situations where you might otherwise use a tank or an e-frame. 

Cortex Bundle: Neo Megas

A couple years back, I posted a Cortex bundle for players who wished to play a Neo Sapien. With the introduction of Neo Megas to the universe (as of my reviews), I thought I'd take a stab at them. Neo Megas are Neo Sapiens evolved to the next level. Brilliant scientists one and all, they take normal Neo Sapien intellect, amp it up to eleven, and layer on the capability of creative thought. 

Neo Mega Bundle: D20 cost  

Assets:

Photographic Memory: D8 (Neo Megas have extraordinary recall of anything ever experienced.)

Enhanced Communication: D4 (Neo Megas can communicate ultrasonically with each other, though in theory this could be jammed or intercepted.)

Intuitive Leaps: D4 (Unlike Neo Sapiens, Neo Megas are capable of, and indeed excel at, lateral thinking.)

Metabolic Control: D4 (Neo Megas have conscious control over their metabolic systems, allowing them to drastically reduce their oxygen requirements or even convincingly fake death for a time.)

Head for Numbers: D6 (Even more so than Neo Sapiens, Neo Megas easily understand complex technical matters.)

Simple needs: D2 (Like Neo Sapiens, Neo Megas can survive on comparably few calories, and can digest almost anything organic to achieve those calories.)

Enhanced Manipulation: D2 (Neo Megas have three opposable fingers on each hand, as well as prehensile toes. Add to tests where fine motor coordination is paramount.)

Longevity: D2 (Like Neo Sapiens, Neo Megas can live, and be vital, for approximately twice as long as Homo Sapiens.)

Enhanced Senses: D4 (Like Neo Sapiens, Neo Megas see very well in low-light conditions and have exceptional hearing.) 

Always Awake: D6 (Like Neo Sapiens, Neo Megas don't need sleep.)

Lightning Reflexes: D2 (Like Neo Sapiens, Neo Megas have extraordinary reflexes.)
 
Hardy Constitution: D2 (Like Neo Sapiens, Neo Megas are preternaturally resistant to chemicals and disease, though their smaller frames makes them not quite as robust.)

Natural Athlete: D2 (Like Neo Sapiens, Neo Megas are at the apex of human physical capabilities, though they aren't quite as adept.)

Complications:

Arrogant: D6 (Neo Megas are the apex of humanity, and they aren't good at hiding this knowledge. Subtract D6 from social tests where such an attitude is a hindrance, i.e. most of them.)

Vulnerability - Trauma: D6 (Like Neo Sapiens, Neo Megas who suffer sever physical trauma, such as the loss of more than half of their life points, are at risk for contracting Auto Mutation Syndrome, a degenerative and inevitably fatal disease. They must make a hard endurance check or contract the illness.)

Memorable: D4 (In addition to being seven feet tall and blue, all Neo Megas have a unique geometric tattoo prominently on their forehead, often vaguely reminiscent of the Greek letter omega.)

Animal Enmity: D4 (Animals can sense that Neo Megas, like Neo Sapiens, are unnatural creatures.)

Sterile: D4 (Like Neo Spaiens, Neo Megas cannot reproduce normally, divorcing them from the cycle of life and denying them any form of familial relationship.)

Overconfident: D4 (As the preeminent lifeform in the solar system, Neo Megas can have a tendency to underestimate their opposition.)

---

This is a costly bundle, as Neo Megas represent a potent brand of villiany. To offset the rather pricey bundle, most of them have Prejudice (D4) Terrans and Prejudice (D4) Neo Sapiens. Again, heroic PCs are unlikely to have those particular complications, though Duty and Infamy are good choices.

Note: The Neo Mega bundle is even more powerful than the already impressive Neo Sapien bundle. In truth, they had little in the way of physical weaknesses and few of the intellectual limitations their larger fore-bearers suffered from. They trade down slightly physically but the intellectual gains more than make up for it. I'd recommend limiting Neo Megas to NPCs for all but the most mature and experience players. They do, however, make excellent villains.

Once I get to The Perfect Warrior, expect a similar bundle for Neo Lords. (Though, while Neo Megas are borderline tolerable for experienced players, Neo Lords are simply too powerful to be anything but NPCs.) I don't intend to stat out individual Neo Warrior types.

Cortex Battlestar Galactica Stats--Pegasus edition!

Here I am, 5 months and change into parenthood and it certainly is exhausting. My blogging has certainly taken a hit, though I'm going to try to keep a full convention season dance card this year. I'm also attempting to keep up with my tabletop RPGs as a way to hold onto my sanity.

In our BSG RPG, we're playing in an alternate universe take on the events in the series. We've got a PC ship commander and CAG unique to the game, along with some PC pilots, marines, police, and politicians. We're towards the end of season one in the show and have just been found by Pegasus. To facilitate things, I whipped up stats for the Pegasus command crew. I figured that, if anyone else out there is running a BSG campaign, they might find the work useful as well. I'm also sharing our GM's stats for the ship itself.

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Admiral Helena Cain, Pegasus CO
Concept: tough-as-nails Admiral forced by circumstances to make incredibly hard choices. 

Attributes:

Agility: d6                 Strength: d6              Vitality: d8

Alertness: d12          Intelligence: d10     Willpower: d12

Life Points: 20      Initiative: d12+d6          Endurance: d8+d12          Resistance: 2d8

Height: 5'9            Weight: 142 lbs          Hair: Black          Eyes: Brown          Age: 46 

Assets:

Cool Under Fire: d6

Formidable Presence: d4

So Say We All: d6

Political Pull: d6

Talented (Tactics, Bureaucracy): d4

Complications:

Toes the Line: d4

Sadistic: d4

Out for Blood: d4

Duty (Military Oath): d10

Skills:

Athletics: d6

Covert: d4

Discipline: d6

    Leadership: d10

    Intimidation: d8

Guns: d4

Influence: d6

    Administration: d8

    Bureaucracy: d10

    Politics: d8

Knowledge: d6

    Culture: d8

Perception: d6

    Tactics: d10

Pilot: d6

     Viper: d8

Survival: d4

Unarmed Combat: d4

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Colonel Jack Fisk, Pegasus XO
Concept: an officer in an untenable position, trying to find the strength to carry on.

Attributes:

Agility: d6               Strength: d8                Vitality: d10

Alertness: d8          Intelligence: d8          Willpower: d8

Life Points: 18          Initiative: d6+d8          Endurance: d8+d10          Resistance: 2d10

Height: 6'1            Weight: 210          Hair: Blonde          Eyes: Blue          Age: 49 

Assets:

Good Natured: d4

Pack Rat: d4

Complications:

Lustful: d4

Skills:

Athletics: d4

Covert: d4

Discipline: d6

    Morale: d8

    Intimidation: d8

Guns: d4

Influence: d6

    Leadership: d8

    Administration: d8

Knowledge: d6

Mechanical Engineering: d2

Perception: d6

Pilot: d6

Planetary Vehicles: d2

Survival: d2

Technical Engineering: d4

Unarmed Combat: d2

---

Major Barry Garner, Pegasus Chief Engineer
Concept: a man more comfortable with machines than with people.

Attributes:

Agility: d6               Strength: d8                  Vitality: d8

Alertness: d8          Intelligence: d10          Willpower: d8

Life Points: 16          Initiative: d6+d8          Endurance: 2d8          Resistance: 2d8

Height: 5'9            Weight: 180          Hair: Sandy            Eyes: Brown          Age: 56 

  

Assets:

Mechanically Inclined: d10

Complications:

People are Complicated!: d4

Slow Mover: d2

               

Skills:

Artistry: d4

Athletics: d2

Craft: d4

Discipline: d6

    Leadership: d8

Guns: d2

Influence:  d4

Knowledge: d6

Mechanical Engineering: d6

    mechanical repairs: d10

    plumbing: d8 

Perception: d4

Planetary Vehicles: d4

Scientific Expertise: d4

Technical Engineering: d6

    Electronics: d8

    Repair Electrical: d10

Unarmed Combat: d2

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Captain Cole "Stinger" Taylor, Pegasus CAG
Concept: a newly promoted CAG from the ranks of the survivors of the attack on the relay station, more brains than brawn, overcompensating for being a little out of his depth.

Attributes:

Agility: d8               Strength: d6                    Vitality: d6

Alertness: d10          Intelligence: d10          Willpower: d8

Life Points: 14          Initiative: d10+d8          Endurance: d8 + d6          Resistance: 2d6

Height: 5'11          Weight: 175          Hair: Brown           Eyes: Brown          Age: 31 

  

Assets:

Talented ECO: d4

Photographic Memory: d2

Complications:

Humorless: d2

  

Skills:

Athletics: d4

Discipline: d6

    Leadership: d8

Guns: d4

Influence: d4

Knowledge: d6

Mechanical Engineering: d4

Perception: d6

Pilot: d6

    Raptors: d8

Survival: d4

Technical Engineering: d6

    DRADIS: d10

    Astrogation: d8

    ECM: d10

Unarmed Combat: d4

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Captain Kendra Shaw, Pegasus Tactical Officer and Cain's Strong Right Arm
Concept: well connected young officer who rises to the occasion to become a Razor.

Attributes:

Agility: d6               Strength: d6               Vitality: d6

Alertness: d8          Intelligence: d8          Willpower: d8

Life Points: 14          Initiative: d6+d8          Endurance: d6+d8          Resistance: 2d8

Height: 5'5            Weight: 128          Hair: Black             Eyes: Black          Age: 26

Assets:

Political Pull: d6

Cool Under Fire: d4

Complications:

Addiction (stims): d4

Duty (Colonial Fleet): d6

Skills:

Athletics : d4

Covert: d4

Discipline: d6

Guns: d4

Influence: d6

Knowledge: d6

    Classics: d8

Mechanical Engineering: d4

Perception: d6

Scientific Expertise: d4

Survival: d4

Technical Engineering: d6

    Computer Programming: d8

    Communications: d8

Unarmed Combat: d2

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Lieutenant Alistair Thorne, Commander of Pegasus Marines
Concept: enlistedman turned officer, tough as nails and willing to do whatever it takes to keep his crewmates safe.

Attributes:

Agility: d6                   Strength: d8                Vitality: d8

Alertness: d10          Intelligence: d8          Willpower: d8

Life Points: 16          Initiative: d6+d10          Endurance: 2d8          Resistance: 2d8

Height: 5'9            Weight: 195          Hair: balding         Eyes: Blue          Age: 41

Assets:

Brawler: d4  

Cool Under Fire: d6

Renowned (Pegasus Crew): d2

Complications:

Toes the Line: d4

Sadist: d4

Skills:

Athletics: d6

Covert: d4

Discipline: d6

    Interrogation: d10

    Intimidation: d8

    Leadership: d8

Guns: d6

    Rifles: d8

Heavy Weapons: d4

Influence: d4

Knowledge: d4

Melee Weapons: d4

Perception: d6

Planetary Vehicles: d4

Survival: d4

Unarmed Combat: d6

---

Lieutenant Noel "Narcho" Allison, Pegasus Top Gun
Concept: talented and good natured glory hound.

Attributes:

Agility     d10             Strength     d6               Vitality     d6

Alertness     d8          Intelligence     d6          Willpower     d6

Life Points: 12          Initiative: d10+d8          Endurance: 2d6          Resistance: 2d6

Height: 5'10          Weight: 167          Hair: Brown           Eyes: Blue          Age: 26

  

Assets:

Sixth Sense: d6

Dogfighter: d4

Complications:

Glory Hound: d4

Phobia (spiders): d4

Anger Issues: d2          

  

Skills:

Athletics: d4

Discipline: d4

Guns: d4

Influence: d6

    Leadership: d8

    Seduction: d8

Knowledge: d4

Mechanical Engineering: d2

Perception: d6

Pilot: d6

    Viper: d10

    Raptor: d8

Planetary Vehicles: d2

Survival: d2

Technical Engineering: d6

    DRADIS: d8

Unarmed Combat: d4

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Lieutenant Louis Hoshi, Pegasus Communications Officer
Concept: idealistic young officer doing his best under tough circumstances

Attributes:

Agility: d6               Strength: d6                  Vitality: d6

Alertness: d8          Intelligence: d10          Willpower: d6

Life Points: 12          Initiative: d6+d8          Endurance: 2d6          Resistance: 2d6

Height: 5'10          Weight: 155          Hair: Brown           Eyes: Brown          Age: 26

Assets:

Sharp Senses (Hearing): d2

Advanced Education: d2

Complications:

Idealist: d2

Trusting: d2

               

Skills:

Athletics: d4

Discipline: d6

Guns: d4

Influence: d4

Knowledge: d6

    Sports: d8

Mechanical Engineering: d2

Medical Expertise: d4

Perception: d6

    Gambling: d8

    Tactics: d8

Planetary Vehicles: d2

Scientific Expertise: d4

Survival: d2

Technical Engineering: d6

      Communications: d10

Unarmed Combat: d2

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Chief Petty Officer Peter Laird, Pegasus Deck Chief
Concept: civilian aeronautical engineer impressed into military service

Attributes:

Agility: d8               Strength: d6                  Vitality: d6

Alertness: d8          Intelligence: d10          Willpower: d10

Life Points: 16          Initiative: 2d8          Endurance: d10+d6          Resistance: 2d6

Height: 5'8            Weight: 145          Hair: Blonde          Eyes: Blue          Age: 48

Assets:

Mathematician: d4

Advanced Education: d4

Mechanically Inclined:  d4

Complications:

Out of Luck: d4

Fish out of Water: d2

Contrarian: : d2

   

Skills:

Artistry: d6

     Drafting: d8

Craft: d6

Discipline: d2

Influence: d6

     Leadership: d8

Knowledge: d6

Mechanical Engineering: d6

     Ship Design: d12

     Mechanical Repairs: d8 

Perception: d4

Planetary Vehicles: d4

Scientific Expertise: d6

Technical Engineering: d6

      Create Devices: d8
      Repair Electrical: d8

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BSG-62 Pegasus
Concept: top-of-the-line Mercury-class Battlestar

HULL DATA: 

Ship Type: Battlestar Scale: Spacecraft 

Length: 5872’ Beam: 2187’ Draught: 1131’ Decks: 35 

Crew: 2500 Passengers: 10,000 max 

ATTRIBUTES: 

Agility: d4 Strength: d12+d4 Vitality: d8 

Alertness: d10 Intelligence: d10 Willpower: d10 

Initiative: d4+d10 Speed: 0 [SL] 

Life Points: 28 Armor: 6W, 4S !

TRAITS: 

Construction Facilities d4, Formidable Presence d6, Tough d4 

SKILLS: 

Heavy Weapons d6, Mechanical Engineering d4, Perception d6, Pilot d6 

ARMAMENT: 

Heavy Point Defense System [d12W, Planetary-scale, skirmish-range] 

34 Heavy Railgun Batteries [d12+d2W, Spacecraft-scale, capital range] 

24 Heavy Missile Launchers  [d12+d4W, Spacecraft-Scale, short DRADIS range] 

12 Nuclear Missiles  [d12+d8W Spacecraft-scale, short DRADIS range] !

AUXILIARY VEHICLES: 

124 Mk VII Vipers, 26 Raptors, 12 Marine Landing Shuttles, 6 standard shuttles, assorted work vehicles