Iron Kingdom Savage Conversion - The rest
Since the last post, (over a year ago) my Savage Iron Campaign raised and fell and so did my conversion efforts.
As my players started to get actual experiences with Savage Worlds they started to dislike the free-form character advancements that it offers. They are all big time MMORPG players, so maybe I should have seen it coming.
So we switched back to D&D, after a short flirt with the Cortex Plus System, starting with the latest play-test package a couple of month before the actual release of D&D 5e, which is great actually.
Anyway, here is the rest of my notes on the conversion from Iron Kingdom RPG to Savage Worlds, in case it could be of any help to someone.
Races
In Iron Kingdoms RPG races as big starting value, and for that reason, races in this document are stronger than those suggested in Savage Worlds Deluxe Edition. Instead of having a total of +2 modifiers for racial abilities, they have +4. They were created using the Makin Races section of the book.
Human
- They starts with an ability of their choice at d6 or an additional Edge, character choice
- They starts with a free edge
Dwarf
- They are shorter than most other races.
- Their pace is 4 and run at d4.
- Their load limit is Strength X 8 instead of Strength X 5.
- They start with the free Connection (Clan) Edge.
- They start with a d6 in Vigor.
- They start with a d6 in the knowledge of their choice.
Gobber
- Starts with a d6 in Agility.
- They are small creature and suffer a -1 in toughness.
- They receive the Acrobat edge for free.
- They start with d6 in climbing and stealth.
Iosan
- They start with a d6 in Smart.
- They start with a free edge of their choice.
Nyss
- They start with a d6 in Agility.
- They have +4 to resists cold based effects.
- They have -4 to resists heat based effects.
- They receive the Alertness edge for free.
Ogrun
- They start with d8 in Strength and they can raise it up to d12+2.
- They start with d6 in vigor.
- They have a pace of 5.
- They are size 3, but don’t receive the toughness bonus for it.
Trollkin
- They start with a d8 in Vigor and they can raise it up to d12+2
- They start with d6 in Strength
- They have a pace of 5
- They receive the Hard to Kill edge.
- They receive the Fast Healer edge.
- They have -2 to charisma.
- They are size 2, but don’t receive the toughness bonus for it.
Skills
Alchemy (Smarts)
Alchemy is the science that allows to create mundane items that have some arcane properties. It covers a large array of compound that are created with mixing arcane sensitive reagent. A player with this skill can create alchemical compound, identify an unknown alchemical compound, extract alchemical reagent from plants or animals and event distillate ingredients from existing alchemical compound to extract reagents.
Craft Alchemical item
To create an alchemical item, a character must have the formulae and the needed ingredients, than invest the required time to brew the compound and then make an alchemy trait roll. Depending on the complexity of the compound the roll will receive a modifier (EX : -2). See the Alchemy chapter for complete formula example.
Identify Alchemical compound
A character skilled in alchemy can identify existing alchemical items. To do so, he must make an Alchemy roll with a circumstantial modifier as prescribe by the following table.
| Alchemical Substance being identified | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Substance is common and openly available | +2 |
| Substance is uncommon and available in secret market | 0 |
| Substance is rare and difficult to purchase | -2 |
| Substance is unique | -4 |
| Substance was previously identify by the character. | +4 |
If the player doesn’t know the recipe to create that compound he can discover it. With each raise on the identify roll, the character can discover one ingredient used in the composition of the compound.
Distillate alchemical reagent from an alchemical compound
A character can extract reagents from existing alchemical compound. To do so, the character as to know what is the alchemical compound is, and what reagent are included in it’s composition. Than he can make an alchemical roll to extract reagent with a -2 modifier. If it’s a success, he can extract one unit of one alchemical ingredient used in the composition of the compound. Each raises allows to extract one more unit of the same ingredient, or one unit from a different ingredient. A character can’t extract more unit of ingredient then those used in the creation of the compound. After the process, successful or not, the compound is destroyed and cannot be used anymore.
Extract alchemical
The Alchemy chapter provide a list of basic alchemical items. For more exotic ingredient, see the monster entry of the appropriate monster in the bestiary. Most of them are extracted with a simple roll of the Alchemy or Medicine (for animals parts), but more exotic can impose modifiers.
Edges
General Edges
‘Jack Marshal
Rank : Novice Requirements : NoneThis edge allows a character to give complex orders to a steamjack. A ‘jack marshal with this edge can orders it’s ‘jack to perform multiple action in a single turn and perform combat maneuvers. A ‘jack marshal can control only one ‘jack at the time with this bonus.
Ace Commander
Rank : Seasoned Requirements : ‘Jack MarshalAn ace commander can give it’s bennies to his warjack.
Additional Bond
Rank : Novice Requirements : WarcasterThis edges allows a warcaster to bound with one more mechanikal item. This edge can be taken multiple times.
Free Style
Rank : Novice** Requirements : Alchemy d10This edge allows a character to improvise replacement ingredient for a alchemical compound.
Arcane Backgrounds
In Iron Kingdoms RPG, published by Privateer Press, there are two specific arcane traditions, Will Weaver, which uses inner force of will to cast spells and Focusers that uses ambient magical energies. To recreate that to different arcane background where created.
Arcane Background (Focusing)
Arcane Skill : Focusing (Smarts) Starting Powers : 2 No power points rules : In place If the characters must make a Focusing roll with a penalty equals to half the Power Point cost of the chosen spell. On a failure, the character loose all sustained spells and his shaken, this can cause a wound. Each sustained spell add a -1 penalty to Focusingrolls. Backlash : Burnout, on a 1 on the arcane check, regardless of the wild die, the character loose the ability to cast spell until the end of the encounter. He can spend a benny to resume this ability.Focusers use latent magic that surrounds everything in Caern. They are the only ones that can becomes warcasters because it requires their unique ability to control warjack and bound to other mechanikal items.When picking this arcane background the character must choose one Arcane Career edge.
Arcane Background (Will Weaver)
Arcane Skill : Will Weaving (Smarts) Starting Powers : 2 Starting Power Points : 10 Backlash : On a 1 on the arcane check, regardless of the wild die, the character is shaken and suffers a level of fatigue.Will weavers rely on their force of will to summon and harness arcane energy.When picking this arcane background the character must choose one Arcane Career edge.
Arcane Careers
Gun mage
Requirements : Arcane Background (Will Weaving) or Arcane Background (Focusing) and Shooting d6A gun mage mix arcane energies with fire arms. He can shoots spells using bullet as a delivery system. To do so, the gun mage must uses a magelock weapon, a specially crafted gun with magic sensitive alloys, in conjonction with rune shots, specially crafted bullets for this purpose. Casting a spell through a rune shot requires a arcane roll as usual and a shooting roll to hit the target. But those two actions count as a single one toward for multi-action resolutions. If both rolls are successful the target suffer the shot and the stored power. If a gun mage doesn’t have a rune shots or magelock he can still cast spell through a bullet but will suffer penalty to his shooting and arcane roll for trying so. The gun mage will suffer a -2 modifier if he doesn’t have a magelock and an other -2 (cumulative) if he doesn’t have rune shots.
Warcaster
Requirements : Arcane Background (Focusing)Warcasters can bound with mechanikal devices, including steamjack. Depending of the nature of the mechanikal device, the warcaster can use the device in special ways. The bouding process requires ten minutes once, and a warcaster can change it’s bounds at any time by bounding to an other device. A single device can’t be bound to more than one warcaster. The warcaster as a limit of one bound. That limit can be change with edges.While bounded with a mechanikal weapon a warcaster can uses bennies to reroll damages.While bounded with a mechanikal armor a warcaster can generate a protective field that add two to the toughness.While bounded with a steamjack, a warcaster receive the same benefits as the ‘Jack Marshal edge with the bounded ‘jack. But, the warcaster doesn’t need to talk to give out orders and doesn’t need to know the cortex language.