Other P&P RPGs #7: Rogue Space

Rogue Space
Sci-Fi Role Playing Game Basic Rules
By C.R. Brandon
http://roguespacerpg.blogspot.com/

Rogue Space was written by C.R. Brandon, a prolific, independent game designer who maintains a host of blogs to showcase his games. C.R. distributes the Rogue Space Basic Rules and supplements, a series of pocket sized pdf booklets, for FREE via his RS blog. Currently, the final touches are being put on the print release of Rogue Space, which should be available soon.

The basic set of rules is a lot of fun to play, only eight pages long (including cover), easy to learn, and quick to start. All you need are pencil, paper, and a few six-sided dice to play. Characters are based upon five attributes: Fighting, Acquiring, Scientific, Empathy, and Repairing. These attributes are expressed as modifiers, and are used to determine a character's success or failure when attempting to do things during adventures. Characters are further defined by Archetypes: Warrior, Rogue, or Technician. Each Archetype grants a bonus to an attribute modifier, and determines the starting Hit Points for characters. Characters with an Empathy of at least 1 may also have a Psychic power, if desired.

There are two resolution mechanics, Target Tests and Competitive Tests. Target Tests are similar to T&T Saving Rolls, a character rolls 2d6 and adds modifiers in an attempt to roll equal to or higher than a Target Number, and are used when there is no active resistance to an action being attempted. Competitive Tests are used when a character's action is actively being resisted, in which case the opposing characters each roll 2d6, add modifiers, and the high roller succeeds. Combat is resolved using Competitive Tests.

In addition to the Basic Rules, C.R Brandon currently has 8 pocket sized supplements available for free download:

~ Ship Movement and Combat - as the name implies, a set of starship rules for Rogue Space
~ Armory - the Basic Rules includes a short list of weapons and armor, this supplement greatly expands upon these with some interesting items
~ Random Adventure Generator - a series of tables for generating adventures, includes a sample adventure
~ Simian Stars - introducing the Simians, basically Apes in Space, deep Planet of the Apes flavor
~ The Blue Priests of Pluto - an excellent setting supplement, I've spent a good deal of solo play time with this one (see below), very much flavored like John Carter of Mars, pulp and sword & planet fans should love this one
~ Pirates & Peril - pirates in space, as well as some great details of the Rogue Space galaxy
~ Rshomignggu - by Eric "Needles", nano-undead priests in space, includes an adventure and can also be used to expand upon Blue Priests
~ Rogue Space Skirmish - the latest of the free pocket booklets, this is a miniatures skirmish rules set for Rogue Space, I haven't given it a try yet, but it looks easy and very playable

You will find a cool set of bookmark style character sheets there as well.

My First RS Character Party
The following characters and solo campaign setup were my first exploration of an early edition of the Basic Rules and Supplements that have since been discontinued.

Our heroes:

Name: Sam Zolo
Archetype: Rogue
Race: Human
Fighting: 2
Acquiring: 2
Scientific: 0
Empathy: -1
Repairing: -1
HP: 7
Level/Luck: 1
Pistol, 2 grenades, flak vest, radio helmet, scanner belt, envirosuit

Name: Reya Origami
Archetype: Technician
Race: Human
Fighting: -1
Acquiring: -1
Scientific: 2
Empathy: 2
Repairing: 2
HP: 7
Level/Luck: 1
Psychic Power: Telepath
Pistol, ballistic cloth armor, scanner belt

Name: M.A.R.C. (Military Android Rifleman Corps, Series III)
Archetype: Warrior
Race: Android
Fighting: 3
Acquiring: -1
Scientific: -1
Empathy: 0
Repairing: -1
HP: 12
Level/Luck: 1
Finger fitted to fire as a rifle, sword

Name: BOX34 (Ship Maintenance Bot, affectionately known as 'Boxey')
Type: Maintenance Bot
Size: Small, Biped
Physical: 0
Mental: 1
HP:2
Task: Ship Maintenance: 3

Sam Zolo, captain of the elf trader vessel Pixie, has come across the details to the location of an abandoned colony on a remote planetoid, barely larger than a moon. The colony is rumored to have been suddenly abandoned, leaving everything behind. Sam, always struggling as a trader and adventurer, has decided to try his hand at the salvage business. He is hoping this planetoid will hold his big break, the payout he's always wished for. He secretly dreams of striking it big and asking Reya to marry him.

Reya has been Sam's first officer, science officer, technician, and all-around right hand for about three years now. She is beautiful, vivacious, and intelligent, but completely unaware that Sam has a gigantic crush on her. Reya always stays in ship when Sam goes exploring, and uses her Telepathy ability to relay info and assistance to Sam unheard by others. Reya is Sam's lifeline, sending M.A.R.C. out to assist Sam if things get rough. She is a wiz at repairs and keeps the Pixie and the mechs in top shape.

M.A.R.C. is a retired Military Andriod Rifleman Corps unit, Series III. In their heyday, the Series III M.A.R.C.s were the fiercest mech soldiers in the galaxy, but when the M.A.R.C. IV came out, they were relegated to front line cannon fodder duty, and then finally deemed obsolete and retired altogether when the M.A.R.C. V units were introduced. Sam won him in a poker game, but the unit was in bad shape. Reya rebuilt him and reprogrammed him, and he is now the Security Android aboard the Pixie. Sam generally has M.A.R.C. stand sentry at the ship when he ventures out, and Reya will send him out if Sam needs him. M.A.R.C. is programmed to respond to Sam and Reya only, and to protect their lives and the Pixie at all costs. He has the equivalent to a rifle installed in his right arm that shoots slugs from his pointer finger, and he also carries a sword. He is designed to appear extremely human-like, down to a flesh-colored coating on his metal 'skin'.

Boxey was a standard B0X34 maintenance bot, until Reya juiced him up to handle the maintenance on the Pixie at a +3 level. He is basically Reya's assistant and is never far from her unless a task dictates otherwise. Boxey never leaves the Pixie. He looks like a rectangular box standing up lengthwise on two legs that end in small tank tread-type feet.

The planetoid is home for several alien beasties, including a primitive race of turtle men with crab-like claws and a more advanced race of furry, beast-like men with antennae. The setting, and all the characters and aliens, were inspired by a bunch of 54mm toy soldiers I have from my childhood. This solo campaign never took off (pardon the pun), because I started to read The Blue Priests of Pluto supplement, got excited, and thus was born...

The Adventures of Nash Jordan of Pluto
My ongoing solo Rogue Space campaign, played off the cuff with very little background fleshing, set in the Blue Priests of Pluto booklet, and played using the Mythic GM Emulator, the story flows and is written as it happens.

Name: Nash Jordan
Archetype: Warrior
Race: Human (Earth)
Fighting: 2
Acquiring: 1
Scientific: 0
Empathy: 1
Repairing: 0
HP: 11
Level/Luck: 1
Psychic Power: Psychic Vampire
Stun Pistol, satchel, hooded cloak

Scene 1: Nash unexplainably wakes up in a forest of giant purple and blue mushrooms on a carpet of lush amber grass. He is naked, and has no idea of where he is, or how or why he is there. He begins to explore, comes to the edge of the forest, and sees a great city of round and oval buildings, overshadowed by a giant pyramid. He starts heading towards the city.

Scene 2: As Nash starts to cross the amber meadows towards the city, he hears a faint moaning. He discover a blue-skinned man, beaten nearly to death. The man begs him to find his wife D'Nala within the city, stuffs a satchel into Nash's hands, then dies. Nash finds a journal and a cloak within the satchel. He puts on the cloak, buries the man, and makes an oath to find D'Nala. He sets off towards the city again.

Scene 3: Nash enters the city, hood pulled over his face to hide his white skin. He keeps to the alleys, and is attacked by a Cursed One with the Pyrokinesis Pshychic Power. The Cursed One surrounded Nash with a ring of fire, but using his Psychic Vampirism, Nash uses Pyrokinesis to belch the flame back at the Cursed One, killing him in a ball of fire. The action attracts the local police, and an injured Nash surrenders to them, then is carted off to jail.

Scene 4: Nash spends 16 days in the jail's infirmary until he is healed. He is then brought before Police Chief Maroo, who doesn't believe his story and wants to know more about the journal in the satchel. Nash really doesn't know anything about the journal, and decides not to mention the dying man or his wife, D'Nala. He is placed in a cell with a petty thief named Haran. Nash and Haran devise an escape plan which includes overpowering the guard at feeding time, then Haran will provide a distraction as Nash recovers the Journal from the Police Chief. The plan goes smoothly, until Chief Maroo surprises him. Nash, using the Chief's own stun pistol, blasts him and dives out a window and into the streets, where Haran pulls up in a hastily stolen aircar. Nash jumps in, and they speed off to find D'nala.

Name: Haran
Archetype: Rogue
Race: Plutonian
Fighting: 0
Acquiring: 2
Scientific: 0
Empathy: 0
Repairing: 1
HP: 7
Level/Luck: 1
stun baton, aircar, 60 credits

Scene 5: Nash and Haran find D'Nala's apartment, convince her they are not going to harm her, then give her the journal. She breaks down after hearing of her husband's death, but she is evasive in regards to the journal's contents, her husband's work, and who might have killed him. Through tear-filled eyes, she begs Nash and Haran to help her get to Professor Jesper at the University. They sneak trough back alleys to the University, just to discover Prof. Jesper is away at his mountain retreat. As they depart the museum, they are attacked by Inquisitor Tolnak, who is also interested in the journal. They narrowly escape the Inquisitor, and make their way out of the city in Haran's aircar, headed for the Northern Mountains and Professor Jesper's retreat. An angry Inquisitor Tolnak swears to hunt them down, not resting until he has Nash's head and the journal.

Name: D'Nala
Archetype: Technician
Race: Plutonian
Fighting: -2
Acquiring: 0
Scientific: 0
Empathy: 0
Repairing: 0
HP: 6
Level/Luck: 1
husband's journal, 213 credits

Scene 6: The journey to the Professor's retreat turns out to be quiet and uneventful. The Professor helps Nash figure out that he is on the planet his fellow Earthmen call Pluto. Nash still does not know why or how he is here, nor how to return to Earth. D'Nala and the Professor then whisper and argue behind closed doors for a while, as Nash and Haran enjoy some food and rest. They finally emerge, and the Professor explains that they must take the journal back to the mushroom forest, as D'Nala's husband was trying to get to a ruined temple there, and it is of the utmost importance that they get there before the Blue Priests and Inquisitors do. The Professor is cryptic and resistant about any further details. Nash swears to accompany D'Nala for as long as she needs. Haran reluctantly agrees, as he has grown fond of Nash's friendship. The four depart in Haran's aircar for the mushroom forest far to the south, the forest where Nash's adventures on Pluto began.

Name: Professor Jesper
Archetype: Technician
Race: Plutonian
Fighting: -2
Acquiring: 0
Scientific: 3
Empathy: 1
Repairing: 1
HP: 7
Level/Luck: 1

Scene 7: The first half of their journey goes uneventfully, but then they are ambushed by a handful of Chief Maroo's police officers. Nash and Haran manage to fight them off, and our heroes all escape unharmed. They arrive at the mushroom forest, then Nash brings D'Nala to her husband's grave, and she pays her last respects amongst a shower of tears. They set up camp near the grave and spend the night. Morning comes, and the four intrepid heroes head into the mushroom forest in search of the ruined temple.

Scene 8: ??? Forthcoming, this is a campaign in progress!


So, be sure to swing by C.R. Brandon's Rogue Space blog and download the Basic Rules and all the supplements. It's a great little game, and with a pricetag of ***FREE*** for every bit of it, how can you possibly go wrong?

UPDATE: (2/7/2012) C.R. asked me to write a solo adventure for inclusion in the Print Edition of the rules, due out in late February, and I accepted. Watch the Rogue Space blog and TROLL HAMMER for further announcements.

Copyright 2012 Paul Ingrassia

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Other P&P RPGs covers current RPGs, generally small, independent releases, all-in-one rules sets, and/or freely available pdf copies. Do you have a rules set you would like to see discussed here? Submit a pdf copy to the_mystic_fool@yahoo.com