2024-12-07 Armour in 2d6 Ultraviolet Grasslands

I'm running Ultraviolet Grasslands (UVG) using 2d6 rules. UVG itself uses d20 rules and so I often have to translate back and forth and it is not very satisfying, to be honest.

So what to do? In a recent episode of the Internet Office Hours podcast, @Whidou@ludosphere.fr suggested a system of immunities. So here are my thoughts.

a recent episode

Internet Office Hours

Brainstorming

Weapons are either "normal" (2d6 damage) or "extreme violence" (3d6 damage). Some weapons might be practically instant death weapons, like plasma guns, necrotic blasters desintegrators and the like. These might do 4d6 and more damage.

+---------------+------------------+
| Normal Weapon |  Vicious Weapon  |
+---------------+------------------+
| Dagger        | Halberd          |
| Axe           | Chainsword       |
| Spear         | Cat Rifle        |
| Blade         | Radiant Gun      |
| Bow           | Ultra Blaster    |
| Pistol        | Blue God Blaster |
| Scimitar      |                  |
| Long Knife    |                  |
| Cutlass       |                  |
| Rapier        |                  |
| Claymore      |                  |
| Zweihänder    |                  |
| Crossbow      |                  |
+---------------+------------------+

Armour either makes you "hard to hit" (3d6 ≤ attribute + skill) or "impossible to hit".

+----------------------+--------------------------+-------------------------------+
|        Armour        |       Hard to hit        |       Impossible to hit       |
+----------------------+--------------------------+-------------------------------+
| Iron Breastplatte    | Blade weapons            | none                          |
| Skinchanger Suit     | Blade weapons            | none                          |
| Ballistic Linen      | Scimitar                 | Sluggers (Pistol, SMG, Rifle) |
| Scale Shirt          | Blade weapons            | none                          |
| Lobster Armour       | Normal weapons           | none                          |
| Bone Mesh Armnour    | All weapons              | none                          |
| Spectral Combat Suit | Energy weapons, Sluggers | Normal weapons                |
| Porcelain Armour     | Energy weapons, Sluggers | Normal weapons                |
| Golem Armour         | Energy weapons           | Normal weapons, Sluggers      |
+----------------------+--------------------------+-------------------------------+

Tags

Perhaps it would be best to extend the list of tags UVG uses. Then weapons can have tags such as Cut, Stab, Crush, Slug, Energy, Necrotic, Blast – and armour can confer protection or immunity against these tags. Other tags are easy to add:

• 2H prevents the use of a shield.
• Vicious deals 3d6 instead of 2d6 damage.
• Close means that it's good for close combat, like in tunnels or inside narrow corridors. Enemies with longer weapons get a free attack if you need to close (outside of tunnels and corridors).
• Range means that you can shoot stuff.

+------------------+--------------------------------+
|      Weapon      |              Tags              |
+------------------+--------------------------------+
| Dagger           | Stab, Close                    |
| Axe              | Crush, Close                   |
| Spear            | Stab                           |
| Sword            | Cut                            |
| Bow              | Stab, Range                    |
| Pistol           | Slug, Range                    |
| SMG              | Slug, Range                    |
| Scimitar         | Cut                            |
| Long Knife       | Stab                           |
| Cutlass          | Cut, Stab                      |
| Rapier           | Stab                           |
| Claymore         | Cut, Crush                     |
| Zweihänder       | Cut, Crush                     |
| Crossbow         | Crush, Range                   |
| Halberd          | Crush, Vicious                 |
| Chainsword       | Energy, Vicious                |
| Cat Rifle        | Slug, Range, Vicious           |
| Radiant Gun      | Energy, Range, Vicious         |
| Ultra Blaster    | Blast, Energy, Range, Vicious  |
| Blue God Blaster | Blast, Necrotic, Range,        |
|                  | Vicious                        |
+------------------+--------------------------------+

Vicious weapons do 3d6 damage; blast weapons do 4d6 damage. Stationary guns like plasma guns go on a different list but do 5d6 and more damage. Scope creep!

And then armour! Using some more tags, too.

• Hot means no problem in cold environments but endurance tests to act otherwise
• Cold means no problem but cannot be worn outside of combat in cold environments
• Bulky means no sneaking and similar checks
• Rare cannot be bought at a regular shop
• Alive means that it is a permanent part of your body, now
• Power means that it can only be used for the given number of fights until it needs recharging; the altar to charge it takes a whole sack (a porter to carry it)

+----------------------+----------------------------+------------------------+----------------------+
|        Armour        |        Hard to hit         |   Impossible to hit    |        Other         |
+----------------------+----------------------------+------------------------+----------------------+
| Iron Breastplate     | Cut, Stab                  | none                   | Hot, Bulky           |
| Skinchanger Suit     | Cut                        | none                   | Alive, Rare          |
| Ballistic Linen      | Cut, Stab                  | Slug                   | Cool                 |
| Scale Shirt          | Cut                        | none                   | Hot, Bulky           |
| Lobster Armour       | Cut, Stab, Crush           | none                   | Cool, Bulky          |
| Steel Cuirass        | Cut, Stab                  | none                   | Hot, Bulky           |
| Bone Mesh Armour     | Cut, Stab, Crush, Necrotic | none                   | Cool, Bulky, Rare    |
| Spectral Combat Suit | Energy, Slug               | Cut, Stab, Crush       | Cool, Power 6, Bulky |
| Porcelain Armour     | Energy, Slug               | Cut, Stab, Crush       | Cool, Power 6, Bulky |
| Golem Armour         | Energy                     | Cut, Stab, Crush, Slug | Cool, Power 8, Rare  |
+----------------------+----------------------------+------------------------+----------------------+

A shield can be used to negate a single hit. ("Shields shall be splintered.")

I wonder how good spears and other stabbing weapons are, though. Cutting weapons really must be the best weapons against unarmoured opponents! Why were axes unpopular given the table above? There must be more to it.

Let's test some assumptions:

• the crossbow and halberd are armour piercing: yes, because breastplate, scale shirt and cuirass all don't protect against Crush
• the dagger is good for unsuspecting enemies because it's Close
• the axe is is good for fighting in close quarters against armoured opponents because it's Close and Crush
• there cloth armour that helps against the smaller calibres (pistols and SMGs)
• golem armour is immune against slug throwers
• the advanced combat suites (spectral, porcelain) make you immune to normal melee weapons

Surprising result: Swords are pretty bad against armoured opponents. Perhaps they are mostly a status symbol after all. A status symbol of a ruling warrior class over unarmed peasants. They're probably just easier to carry than spears.

​#RPG ​#2d6 ​#Ultraviolet Grasslands