Putting Skyrim into a Tabletop RPG

I’ve been playing and enjoying Skyrim a great deal, as a great many people have. One thing that I particularly like is the near total irrelevance of the levels (they’re really unnecessary, you could work stamina and health upgrades into the perks system) and the ability to customise your character simply by DOING.

I found myself wondering how you could recreate this feel on the tabletop and a couple of obvious inspirations leapt to mind. Dragon Warriors uses fixed damage in a way that would work quite well but the most obvious system to recreate a Skyrim experience on the tabletop is BRP/RuneQuest/Legend/OpenQuest and all its ilk.

You would need to change a few bits and pieces and you would need to expand the basic rules to an heroic scope by introducing a perk equivalent (Legend/RuneQuest already did this to an extent) but what I would suggest is using a skill threshold of 50% with every five points above that skill level granting a Perk point and with perks spent to provide specific bonuses and heroic qualities.

It would take a lot of work to produce Perk trees for every relevant BRP skill, but as a vague sort of thought along those lines, here’s my Skyrim character rendered into BRPesque system, though with some alterations along my own lines towards a system change I’ve also been considering. Two birds, one stone and all that…

Corwin

Race: Breton
Gender: Male
Handedness: Right
Height: 5’8″
Weight: 155 lbs.
Age: 35

STR: 10, CON: 12, SIZ: 11, DEX: 12, APP: 14, INT: 13, POW: 10, EDU: 14

Hits: 3 (NB: This is the other change I was on about, all combat becomes single roll, Crit = Dead, Special = Out, Hit = Hit, Miss = Miss. Tougher characters can take multiple hits before upgrading to ‘Out’).
Toughness: 10% (35%) (NB: The single roll is a combination of hit/wound chance based on the resistance table. A character’s toughness helps protect them from harm).
Wound: 5% (NB: Weapons have a ‘wound’ value, that is their chance of scoring a ‘Hit’ as a wound. Stronger characters get a bonus).

INNATE SKILLS
Effort 50%
Stamina 60%
Idea 65%
Luck: 50%
Agility: 60%
Charisma: 70%
Know: 70%
(NB: Derived stats experimentally become skills, like any other) 

GENERAL SKILLS
Bargain: 20 (45)
Etiquette: 10
Fast Talk: 20
Persuade: 30
Status: 10
Craft (Armourer): 30
Craft (Weaponsmith): 30
Craft (Enchantment): 10
Craft (Alchemy): 30 (50)
Fine Manipulation: 30 (50)
Sleight of Hand: 10
Appraise: 10
First Aid: 10
Gaming: 5
Literacy: 20
Insight: 5
Listen: 20
Research: 5
Sense: 20
Spot: 20
Track: 20
Climb: 20
Dodge: 20
Hide: 30
Jump: 20
Stealth: 30
Swim: 10

WEAPON SKILLS
Brawl: 10
1H Weapons: 30
2H Weapons: 5
Thrown: 10
Bows: 40 (60)
Shields: 5
Light Armour: 25 (NB: Armour skills are used for putting them on under duress, and to govern armour perks).
Heavy Armour: 0

PERKS
OOOOO Fortune’s Favour – Luck Reroll x5
OOOOO Charmer’s Bargain – +25% Bargain bonus
O Bow Kill +1% crit chance.
OOOO Bonus Bow Damage +20%

FIST – Wound 20%
HEADBUTT – Wound 20%
KICK – Wound 20%
SHORTSWORD – Wound 40% Iceblade: +5 wound chance, target loses an action next turn if hit, Shockblade +5 wound chance, target loses 1 magic point if hit.
Dwarven Longbow – Wound 45% (65%, Crit +1), Soul Draining – On a kill drains magic points into Soul Gems.

Mask of Krosis – Armour 10% Halve perception skills, +20% Fine Manipulation, Craft (Alchemy), Bows.
Fine Hard Leather Armour – Armour 15% -5% Physical Skill penalty.

Other Tips for Skyrimming Your BRP

1. Average damage on hits, only circumstances (surprise/backstab) or criticals/special hits increase damage. Standard hit – average damage, Special hit damage +1, Critical hit double damage. EG: Longbow – 6/7/12 – Perks can increase this)
2. Magic Points regenerate at one per turn, specific spells in specific fields draw hit and damage from skill, specific effects to specific skills.
3. If you wanted you could introduce Stamina Points (from Con) that could be used to power more powerful physical/attack Perks. Also regenerating one per turn.
4. Let people increase their HP/MP using Perks as well as by increasing stats.
5. Don’t forget blessing bonuses, magic item bonuses etc, though these tend to be basic and workmanlike unless attached to epic and legendary items.

Cosmic Encounter Alien: Healer

Rapid geological activity forced extreme biological diversifications on the Healer home world. Possessing vast knowledge of herbal and mutant lore, Healers are now prized by other beings for their life-sustaining skills. Amidst loud rejoicing over new health, who could deny their modest fee?

 

Traveller

Notable Education +1

Healing Touch: Healer’s gain +1 to Animals (veterinary), Medic & Science (Biology) at the end of character generation.

Social standing is replaced by ‘Wisdom’.

Homeworld: Oosshanaa B988889-A Ga Ri

Starport B, 14.4k km, dense atmosphere, 80% water, hundreds of millions population, civil service bureaucracy, law level 9, tech level 10.

Starblazer

Healers have the following traits:

• Life giver [Stunt] – With a touch a healer can remove stress from a target and place it upon themselves.
• Supermind [Stunt] – Medical applications only.

1. Bad eyesight: -2
2. Weak to heat.

General

The swampy world of the Healers has its water distributed over its surface in many lakes, swamps and aquifers. The air is humid and everything is soft and wet. The atmosphere, thick with moisture and CO2 is perfect for growing plants and the whole planet is covered in thick and persistent growths from a multitude of highly evolved, highly specialised plant life that is very resilient and contains much in the way of complex chemistry. The Healers (Ullanoo) are part plant themselves and have a deep and innate understanding of the flows and complexities of life force and the chemistry of medicines.

Cosmic Encounter Alien: Hate

A short, physically unimposing race the Hate evolved in a crowded part of the cosmos and were pushed aside by other, more powerful races. Forced to subsist on food scraps and the leavings of the other species the Hate swore that one day they would be the ultimate power on the cosmic scene.

Traveller

Feral: 1d6 Edu

Strong Characteristic: +2 Edu

Small: 1d6 Str, 1d6 End, 3d6 Dex

Hatred: The Hate do +1 damage with any weapon that they wield.

No Fine Manipulators

Homeworld: Gatt C442BA4-9 Hi In Pr Red

Starport C, 6.4k km, thin tainted atmosphere, 20% water, hundreds of billions population, charismatic dictator (messiah), law level 4, tech level 9.

Starblazer

Hate have the following traits:

• Berserk [Stunt]: Hate can enter a rage for a scene which increases their physical rolls by +1 but reduces mental and social ones by -1.
• Jump [Stunt]
• Hard Hide [Stunt]

1. No fine manipulation
2. Weak to taunting/social manipulation

General

The Hate (Gatta) are a third rate species looked down on and bullied by much of the rest of the species in the universe. This has given them a cultural feeling of inadequacy and a simmering rage that has been building for centuries, now expressing itself in a great crusade of revenge. Berserk and hateful they might look comical, but they pack a hell of a punch once they attack.

Cosmic Encounter Alien: Hacker

Masters of technology, the Hackers have embedded various devices into their bodies in an attempt to improve their skills at computer fraud. Although geniuses when it comes to code breaking and decrypting data, Hackers aren’t much good in more conventional battle. However more than one would-be conqueror has learned to their sorrow that the Hackers have nasty ways of getting revenge.

 

Traveller

Notable Intelligence & Education: +2

Small: Strength 1d6, Endurance 1d6, Dexterity 3d6

Cyber-Compatible: Cybernetic implants and computing devices of Hacker origin cost a Hacker half normal cost.

Compu-Brain: Hackers increase their Comms, Computer, Engineering (Electronics) & Sensors skills all by +1 at the end of character generation.

Homeworld: Stack A676A00-D Ga Hi Ht In Amber

Starport A, 9.6k km, standard tainted atmosphere, 60% water, tens of billions population, no government, no law, tech level 13.

Starblazer

Hackers have the following traits:

• Small [Stunt]
• Supermind [Science]
• Supermind [Engineering]

1. Weak to Electromagnetic attacks

General

Hackers are entranced by technology and have interwoven it into themselves at a very basic level. Given to extremely powerful and logical linear thinking they are born mathematicians and technicians and seemingly phobic of the natural world, perhaps given their difficult evolutionary history, the same history that gave them their powerful mentality and tool-using capabilities. Anarchic and libertarian the Hackers control much of the interstellar communication grid and collect a fast amount of data from other, more careless species.

Cosmic Encounter Aliens: Grudge

Suffering from a history of almost uninterrupted betrayal and disappointment, the originally kind Grudges gradually grew cynical. Expecting no good will from others, they began to brood and resolved to wreak vengeance on all who would turn aside their outstretched suction disc of friendship.

 

 

Traveller

Large: 3d6 Str, 3d6 End, Dex 1d6

Notable Strength & Endurance: +2

Slow Metabolism: -2 Initiative, half life support.

Homeworld: Golt B463924-A

Starport B, 6.4k km, standard atmosphere, 30% water, billions of population, participating democracy, law level 4, Tech level 10

Starblazer

Grudge have the following traits:

• Hard Hide [Stunt]
• Oversized [Stunt]
• Cynical [Stunt]: +1 to resist being convinced/fast talked/lied to.

1. Weak to psychological trauma
2. Suspicious: -1 penalty to active social rolls.

General

A long suffering and noble breed the Grudge, or Hunash, have been exploited and manipulated through their normally placid nature by too many other species since they made first contact. Now deeply cynical their will and their slow strength is set upon expansionism and payback. Deeply cynical the Grudge are a world-weary species who find it hard to believe anything.

Cosmic Encounter Aliens: Gambler

Arising in an era of geological turmoil, the Gamblers trusted only their own audacity. The faint of heart soon perished but the most daring rose to even greater effronteries and now launch a contest for Cosmic stakes.

 

 

Traveller

Fast Metabolism: +2 Initiative, double life support requirements.

Natural Weapon: Claws 1 damage, Natural Melee 0.

Weak Education: -2

Genetically Lucky: Gamblers may re-roll a roll once per game.

Social standing is replaced by Fortune.

Homeworld:Ti/Kar A755915-B Ga Hi Ht

Starport A, 11.2k km, thin atmosphere, 50% water, billions of population, corporate plutocracy, law level 5, tech level 11.

Starblazer

Gamblers have the following traits:

• Heightened Alertness: Multiple eyes give Gamblers excellent situational awareness and a +1 bonus to Alertness.
• Claws [Stunt]
• Jaws [Stunt]
• Tail [Stunt]
• Lucky bastards – Gamblers start with one extra FATE point.

1. Risk taker: -2 to resist adventure/high stakes/pushing their luck.
2. No fine manipulation

General

Gamblers have a complex language due to their two-storey mouths, each of which can pronounce a different sound at the same time. Because of this most of their words are harmonies or clashes between two tones and very few words have more than one syllable. In their own language they are called the Shash/Shesh (the slash divides which is said by the upper and lower mouth). Theirs is a culture of risk-taking, gambling and luck and their world one of many upheavals. Over time, controversially it is claimed, they have evolved what is considered to be a mild fate-bending power of luck, and they certainly seem to have a higher degree of fortune than most.

Cosmic Encounter Aliens: Fodder

Always regarded as an inferior, scavenging race, the fodder have amassed a multitude of generally less-effective arms. With the astonishingly large cache of second-rate weapons the Fodder can afford to overwhelm their adversaries.

 

 

 

Traveller

Feral: 1d6 Edu.

Small: Str 1d6, Endurance 1d6, Dexterity 3d6

Notable Characteristics: +2 Str, +2 Endurance, +2 Edu

Weak Dexterity: -2

Homeworld: Fok C 874CA0-9 Ga Hi In Amber

Starport C, 12.8k km, standard tainted atmosphere, 40% water, trillions of population, charismatic dictatorship, law level 0, tech level 9.

Starblazer

Fodder have the following traits:

• Fur [Stunt] – Fodder gain +1 to resist cold and wet based damage/environmental issues.
• Cheap & Nasty – Fodder can elect to get equipment that’s sub par, they gain +2 to do so, but it always has a negative aspect.

1. Distaste – Fodder take a -1 penalty in any non-confrontational social checks such as trying to make a good impression.

General

The Fodder, whose real name is the Fodorr in an act of cosmic humour, are a particularly numerous race. They love to live in great concentrations, on top of one another in circumstances other races would find lacking in privacy and cleanliness – though they more than make up for it in terms of parasites. Fodder breed like rats and have a cultural tendency to be willing to die, in large numbers, to preserve gains for the next generation. Not suicidal, but tending to martyrdom. Their world is a teeming hive, filled with cheap, tower blocks, squalid arcologies and with the planet’s crust teeming with tunnels in which they live.

Cosmic Encounter Aliens: Filch

With their genteel, sophisticated tribes the Filches have refined the art of acquisition to a high aesthetic. The most judicious and subtle thefts are memorialised in legend and song. Lately they have taken to eyeing the depths of space and thoughtfully rippling their tentacles.

 

 

Traveller

Notable Dexterity: +2

Weak Endurance: -2

Multiple Actions: Filch have access to a second, non-combat, ‘hand’ only action each turn.

Fame replaces social standing.

Homeworld: Siirt A385933-E Hi, Ht,

Starport A, Size 4.8k km, Dense atmosphere, 50% water, Population in the billions, self-perpetuating oligarchy, law level 3, Tech level 14.

Starblazer

Filch have the following traits:

• Tentacles [Stunt]

1. Minor weakness to physical (melee) attacks.

General

The Siirtan, or Filch, are a strange species, somewhat like the Terran octopus or squid but much more beautiful and even bird-like in their appearance and their grace. Another bird-like quality is a fondness for shiny things and the establishment of social prestige upon wealth, particularly wealth gained through guile and theft. Something that makes them enormously unwelcome on other worlds that have had contact with them before.

Legends of Anglerre/Cloak of Steel: Animal Men

Since my first choice of system for a second edition of Cloak of Steel can no longer go ahead I’ve turned my thoughts back to Legends of Anglerre and Starblazer and the version of FATE that is to be found in these books, as well as my own subspecies of FATE derived from these for Agents of SWING. This and the previous article about this might be considered preliminary, probing thoughts towards how that edition might look.
Cloak of Steel doesn’t have many playable races. Really you’r down to humans (with their various cultural differences) and the half-men. The result of magical experimentations in the past and, now, a self-perpetuating human subtype looked down upon as less than human in many quarters.

Half-Men

Half-Men are the result of ancient manipulation of human and animal essences to produce something that is not, quite, either. A half-man’s personality tends to express itself in the animal traits that they grow into and while some show the special capabilities of their animalistic appearance this is by no means true of all.

Typical Occupations: Worker, warrior, technician, beggar, criminal, slave.

Half-Men Aspects

Downtrodden

Half-Men are usually at the bottom of the social heap in the societies of Tierplana. This can be good, and bad, for them.

Invoke: Being ignored, eliciting sympathy from some quarters, being underestimated.
Compel: Being considered for promotion, being trusted, high/middle class society.

Determined

Due to their social situation the half-men have a lot to prove, both to others and to themselves.

Invoke: Reinforcing your will, keeping going against the odds.
Compel: When you really should give up and not carry on, losing your temper against the prejudiced.

Half-Man Stunts

Half-Man stunts are typically based around their animal ancestry or appearance and grant a +2 bonus where they apply. For example a dog man might choose from the following stunts, though this by no means describes them all:

• Bloodhound: +2 when tracking/sensing smells.
• Keen hearing: +2 when using aural senses.
• Terrible Jaws: +2 damage on a bite.
• Cheerful disposition: +2 when cheering people up or in most informal social situations.

Other possibilities might include claws, paralytic poisons (at fair strength), swimming, gills, even flight. All of which should be considered skills at that level +2, modifiers or powers. Multiple stunts may be stacked for increased effect, at the Games Master’s discretion.

Chav: The Knifing – The Straight Cold One’s

Chavthulu is the ancient god of bus stops and bus shelters, or at least the modern incarnation of some ancient, brutish god that is associated with waiting, boredom and teenagers with nothing to do. He is far from the only ancient being with a finger, toe, tentacle or other appendage in the chav pie. There’s a whole pantheon of other dark and strange beings out there…

Dirtyhotep: The patron dark god of red light districts, Dirtyhotep grants his… her.. it’s boon to sex workers, doormen and filthy bastards of all descriptions. Rather than bus-stops Dirtyhotep’s power is channelled through nudie bars, brothels, sex cinemas and secluded alleyways where people have knee tremblers. Dirthyhotep appears as a gigantic tentacle with feminine lips, dressed in tracksuit bottoms and a sports bra and covered in penises.

Adenough: Adenough is the patron dark god of binge drinking. His power is channelled through off licences and he encourages drunkenness and excess in all its forms. Adenough appears as a shifting, vomitous mass of acidic and fizzing spew.

Schlub-Niggerwrath: Schlub-Niggerwrath is the patron of racist nationa lism. His followers tend to be deformed, chinless, stupid and also tend to vastly overestimate their own capabilities and to underestimate those of anyone who isn’t of their own race. He appears as a pig-like being wearing a St George’s Cross T-shirt and channels his power through acts of appalling racism and terrible un-PC jokes, rather than locations.

Has the Monosyballic: Has is probably a dark god but doesn’t have the vocabulary to actually tell anyone who or what he is. He channels his power through schools, but only provided that nobody is learning anything. Has appears as a floating apostrophe covered in eyes.