Rules for asshole gamemaster number four

 

It's been a long time since I've done an asshole gamemaster rule post. Like ten years and two months of a long time. I still laugh at how I pissed one guy off so much he did a post on his blog about how wrong I was for what I said. That was fucking great. 

So anyways...

You have this player, or two, whatever, and they always give you their characters quick backstory. It's all fine but then you get the words that make you roll your eyes. "He's a lone wolf" or "Doesn't get along with others" maybe even "Trusts nobody at all". You know the excuses the player wants so they can be a jerk, not get along with a party and make everyone jump through hoops just to keep the party together. 

Here's what you do. You ask them if you can see their character sheet. When they hand it to you put it in a folder and tell them that it will make a great NPC and hand them a blank character sheet and tell them to get busy. Then you go about running the game with the players who made characters who actually work well together while they crank out a new PC. If they do the same thing, then just repeat until they either get it, stomp away mad or just sit there and pout. 

We play games where the players are supposed to be working together as a group. Making characters counter to that is just being a jerk and they want to play a jerk PC to piss others off. 

Other options for their 'lone wolf' characters when they hand you the sheet include: wadding it up and throwing it into the trash, slicing it up with scissors, ripping it to pieces while saying "dumb" over and over again. The possibilities are endless here. 

Also, if you think this is some kind of 'sage advice' for every group out there then you really are clueless. 

How to Play: Cyberpunk 2020: Episode 2

Deck of Many Things is delayed by Wizards

 Looks like the upcoming new shiny from Dungeons and Dragons product from Wizards of the coast is having a few problems. The 100 dollar physical copy of the Deck of Many Things slipcase is being delayed in physical release due to 'manufacturing' issues. Some of those issues appear to be what Magic the Gathering players call pringling, along with some crappy cut cards. Here is the press release from Wizards and a link to a guys review of his preview copy over on YouTube. Wonder how long the delay will be?

How to Play: Cyberpunk 2020: Episode 1

A nice beginners guide to combat for Cyberpunk 2020. Now my games go by the rules, but not strictly by the rules. I tend to be fast and loose with a lot of things to keep the action going faster or to give a more hurried feel. 

Cyberpunk 2020 new campaign brief hiatus

 

So do to a temporary shake up of my hours at work as well as one of the other employees who is part of my group my game is on hold. Hopefully this will only last a week or two at which point we will pick up where we left off.

So the recaps of the sessions for the Squad That Can't Catch A Break will continue (first session is here). Using straight up Cyberpunk 2020 rules and running the game in the private game room Tuesday nights at Aesop's Treasury. Currently we are starting the first part of the Land of the Free boxed campaign. Now I must say this campaign is a lot better than I thought it would be and it's pretty fast paced. I highly recommend it.

Anybody with any questions about the game feel free to use this post to ask them. Any comments are also welcome. Hell just comment and tell us about your favorite Cyberpunk ttrpg moments that you've had. 

Cyberpunk 2020 new campaign session five

 

Actual play session number five recap with "the squad that can't catch a break" (first session is here). Using straight up Cyberpunk 2020 rules and running the game in the private game room Tuesday nights at Aesop's Treasury. Currently we are starting the first part of the Land of the Free boxed campaign. Now I must say this campaign is a lot better than I thought it would be and it's pretty fast paced. I highly recommend it. Now... where were we...

The players quickly hook up with Perry Garcia and head back to his place (which should probably be condemned) to rethink their next step. Based on what they know heading out of Nashville ASAP is the best idea so they agree to pay Perry for a ride to Memphis via the underground highway. It's expensive but it's the safest and quickest route and the PC's are willing to pay. So they do some quick shopping for supplies and head across the city to the highways entrance. But Perry gets spotted the Citizens for Decency who decide to give chase as they hate the rockerboy. These CfD folks aren't to bright though and are quickly spotted behind them.

Now, fellow GMs and players, what do you think is the best way for the PC's to handle this situation? Maybe lose them in traffic, cut down some back alley's here and there, or even pull into a parking lot and have a face to face? Those are all good. Did the squad that can't catch a break do any of that? Oh no... not by a long shot.

They let the CfD get up behind them then Sara and Cookie pop the back doors open and Brick sprays down the front of their vehicle with his flamethrower. (Why the hell did I let him have a flamethrower?) Not a great shot but it caught them on fire a bit and the drive makes a successful roll and doesn't wreck, just slows down and stops letting the PC's get away. Until the second vehicle they didn't spot brushes up against them and open fire on Perry's van taking out the back glass.

By the way they are on a city highway that is pretty busy with traffic.

Gunfire is exchanged and the PC's get the great idea of "Let's pop them with the flamethrower again". Yeah. So they maneuver a bit get the bad guys behind them. This time Cookie is also opening fire with her assault rifle on their windshield and it goes like this... by initiative rolls.

Brick rolls really damn good and gets a good solid spray on the front of their vehicle. 

The driver of said vehicle makes a really damn good roll and holds it together without freaking out.

Cookie opens fire and makes a really damn good roll shattering the windshield (allowing all that wonderful flamer thrower goodness inside) and hitting the driver. 

No more rolls needed as the now on fire bad guys go veering wildly off to the left straight into other motorists on the road causing a massive pile-up with a few resulting explosions afterwards.

Meanwhile, Bradley has been recording all of this from the inside of the van and decides this is some top notch footage he can make a bunch of money off of if he sells quick. He calls up some networks, makes a quick negotiation and then has Lefty send them the footage... unedited. The van pulls over, puts some cardboard over the broken windows and then gets onto the underground road to Memphis for a several hours long drive. 

The footage hits the airwaves, along with footage from many other viewpoints (I warned them many times this was a media heavy city with cameras everywhere). We get clear shots of the PC's and their actions and the resulting massive accident that claimed not only the lives of the CfD folks but the lives of four others as well and many injuries. Yeah rub that into your reputation.

Eventually hitting Memphis and holding up at a Best Western they watch as Perry gets the hell out of there after stealing new plates for his van. After failing to make contact with the fixer who hired them in the first place the players think about their next move forward and start with renting a SUV using a fake ID and then heading out of the city. But not before stopping off at the Church of Elvis to do some tourist stuff. Which quickly turns into a altercation with the Elvis clad security who want to take them to see 'The King'. Strangely enough the players decided they didn't want to fight this one out.

To make things quick the King informs the PC's that he wants them out of his city with a quickness. That somebody is offering massive amounts of money for Adrianna, which he suspects a double cross would happen if he tried to collect. But he doesn't want anything big going down where he lives. Handing over some info he's gathered about her along with some information that another Fixer in New Orleans has a reward out for anyone who can establish contact with the group. The players are then led out of the Kings castle. So the squad, finally, caught a break. 

After looking at the new info and discovering that the Doctor who hired him to extract his daughter has lied. His daughter died a few years ago leaving him with no other family. They look at Adrianna for answers and she finally reveals that she is actually a fully self aware clone of his daughter. She is still a rather brilliant scientist complete with implanted memories that she knows are fake, but accepts them anyways. But she doesn't know why he had her extracted from the lab just that he told her had to be done and there was no other choice.

Also leaving the players wondering just how powerful is Norcross Laboratories is since they have so much money to throw around. 

There will be a break with no game next week due to unexpected temporary schedule changes. But should start back up shortly after that.

what were they thinking when they created HELLRAISER?? * FIRST TIME WATC...

Cyberpunk 2020 new campaign session four

 

Actual play session number four recap with "the squad that can't catch a break" (first session is here). Using straight up Cyberpunk 2020 rules and running the game in the private game room Tuesday nights at Aesop's Treasury. Currently we are starting the first part of the Land of the Free boxed campaign. Now I must say this campaign is a lot better than I thought it would be and it's pretty fast paced. I highly recommend it. Now... where were we...

Ah yes our intrepid team had successfully extracted the young lady Adrianna from the Norcross laboratory with minimal complications. After laying low for a few hours they made their way onto the aerozep to head across country to Night City. All was well and bright for their future. Yeah right.

One little fact before this begins. All their weapons are stowed in crates in the cargo area.

The team makes a plan, always has somebody with the package at all times and hopes to wait out the ride. Six or so hours into the flight Cookie is sneaking around stealing anything small that she can hide in her coat. Why she's by herself she is assaulted by a man in a suit who quickly pins her to the ground. Showing her his pop up gun built into his arm he threatens to kill her unless she tells him where 'she' is. When she refuses to answer he starts to choke her saying he decided to give her a quiet death.

Thankfully Lefty shows up and catches his attention. That's when bullets start to fly, tables start getting flipped for cover and Cookie gets lose and grabs a kitchen knife and starts flailing at the guy in the suit over the tipped table that he is behind. Catching some blood and hair from the guys scalp in the process. That's when the wrecking ball known as Brick plows through the area and tackles the guy through the hasty cover he has. Beefcake Brick is all ready to fight until he discovers the guy has speedware and can dodge nearly all of his moves. It's gun to the Solo's face when Lefty finally manages to remotely disable the popup gun. 

Retreating as he is now getting hacked our bad guy vanishes into the hallways and rooms for passengers. An air marshal and the ships security get involved. Fortunately they have it on video so they side with the PC's since Cookie was attacked, the other guy had a gun and everyone else showed up just trying to stop the fight. A brief break from the excitement to recollect their thoughts and are later informed they think the guy has jumped from the craft using one of the emergency parachutes, but that he also threw all the other chutes out as well.

Just a few hours later, that's when shit really hits then fan. Okay more like missiles hit the operations deck and engines of the craft. Followed up by chaingun fire that starts ripping through the hull turning many an innocent passenger into red mists with extra chunks. The ships automated defenses kick in and the attackers are taken out of the air. But now they are in for a slow crash landing into the wooded area below. 

Most make it out with only scrapes and bruises. Except for the prized package who suffers a broken arm and Brick who had been down in the cargo area trying to get their weapons. He suffers multiple injuries and is trapped in the wreckage as everything around him starts to catch fire. Thankfully the PC's and the air marshal help him out. As the group sees vehicles approaching they think it best to flee the scene through the woods. Their destination is Nashville with is around thirty miles away.

After a trudge through the night the band finally finds a truck to 'liberate', manage to make Cookie get even angrier than usual and patch themselves up a little as they hit the road. Making it to the outskirts of the city where they get a couple cheap motel rooms, gas up their truck and make contact with the fixer who got them the job. Elliot is shocked by the sudden turn of events and gets to talking to some of his contacts and arranges for them to meet an old friend and Rockerboy named Perry Garcia at a club. But also warns them that Nashville is going to get hot real quick because whoever is after them is going to figure out they aren't dead and that's the next logical place to look. 

Side note: After this session one of my players will not be able to make it due to schedule changes at his job. So he said for me to NPC his character, the Netrunner 'Lefty' for the group. May have a new player and thus a new NPC arriving next session. 

Cyberpunk Sunday - Filter Masks

 

Filter Mask

With the increased air pollution and a mix of various natural and manmade viruses now filling the air a common sight on the street is the filter mask. These are the next steps up from the old fashioned cloth and mesh masks of the path. 

Basics

Each mask is a hard shell that straps onto the wearers head using a strap like those on most goggles. Filter vents are along the sides with disposable filter pads inside that can be changed out. Covering the entirety of the lower face below the eyes with a smooth plastic. High end masks have a built in monitoring system that can tell the wearer what the toxicity level of the air is and how long until the filter pads need to be changed out. 

Filter pads can last up to 100 hours of basic use during regular 'green alert' days. That time can rapidly go down the worse the air quality is. At the worst 'red alert' days they may only last a three to four hours at most.

High end masks can be linked into smart goggles, cyberoptics, cellphone or nearly any other electronics that can give the user and electronic read out. 

Fashion

Lately it's become the trend to have the mask customized with art and designs. Either mass market logos or unique designs tailored by the user. There are small kiosks popping up all over Night City offering services for this, everything from simple laser printing to intricate hand painted work. 

Costs

Basic Filter Mask - 30 eb

Filter Mask with monitoring system - 60 eb

Pack of ten air filters -  1eb

Custom designs - 5 eb for basic mass market designs up to 100eb for custom work.

This material is for use with the Cyberpunk 2020 TTRPG available in pdf and Print On Demand.

Cyberpunk 2020 new campaign session three

 

Actual play session number two recap with the squad that can't catch a break (first session is here). Using straight up Cyberpunk 2020 rules and running the game in the private game room Tuesday nights at Aesop's Treasury. Currently we are starting the first part of the Land of the Free boxed campaign.  

After getting stuck in New York by one of Bradley's least favorite people the crew is looking for either a ride back to Night City or for a job to help pay for tickets back to Night City. What they managed to find was both.

One of Bricks contacts back on the west coast hooked him up with one of his fellow fixers here on the east coast. Just so happened he had a job drop in his lap that he needed runners for. One that paid well AND got them back to Night City. A scientist needed his daughter extracted from a lab and then put on board an airship so she could be delivered into safe hands on the other side of the country. Could be very dangerous, could be deadly... did I mention it paid well.

So the team gets some money up front and picks up the necessary gear for the mission. Some extra power with some new firearms, a little bit of body armor and a flame thrower. Yeah, you read that right. Somebody in the squad that can't catch a break decided to pick up a flame thrower. That person would solo known as Brick. He thought it would be a great thing to have. All I saw behind the GM screen was a structure fire with a dead girl they were supposed to extract and a completely failed mission... but rolls to acquire were made and I let them have it. Brick got his flame thrower. 

Amazingly enough entry into the building went without a flaw. First guard they run into Brick just hits with the flame thrower and knocked him out. If he wanted a melee weapon that would have been much easier to get but oh well. Now going through the lab had a bit more excitement of the expected level that I've come to expect from this group.

That would be two, yes TWO, ones were rolled by Brick with the flame thrower. First when he tried to actually fire it off, instead of blowing up or something really Michael Bayesque I simply had it malfunction and the tip fell off rendering it useless. The second time he decided to use it as a melee weapon once again and it didn't work out at all. The hose pulled off the fuel cannister and dumped a full tank of napalm onto him and the floor. Brandon reminded everyone not to light up a cigarette. 

Later we had Lefty just mowing down guards one after another with his shotgun. Cookie rolling into a room only to get shot by a guard who had taken up a different position than she thought. Brick getting into hand to hand combat with a cyberdog that had already chewed on Bradley a little bit. Then Bradley shooting said cyberdog WHILE Brick was grappling with him.

But they did it. They got the girl out and managed to get her on the airship. However they have a four day slow flight across the country and are separated from their weapon which are in the cargo hold. I mean what could go wrong? Guess we'll find out next week.