DECIMUS (Deathwatch) Entry-Level RP System

[Mazer Rackham]

+ DECIMUS +

+ An entry-level RP System +

 

What is DECIMUS?

 

DECIMUS, AKA DERPS (!) is a modification to the Fantasy Flight Games line of RPG games, primarily based around the Deathwatch RPG. it is intended as a streamlining of the heavy crunch association with this game, and intends to refine it into a much lighter burden on Player and GM both with simplification meant to enhance, not to detract or debase.

 

The core fo the game is still there - the scalable mechanics of the ruleset are perfectly adaptable with a certain amount of investment and care, and the play system aims to be as authentic as possible to the vision of those who originally gave us this great system.

 

How does DECIMUS work?

 

The FFG RPG systems are, as most Players know, Percentile Based, and the mechanisms are built around it - however it can easily be simplified by reducing it for a D100 to a D10 system. I can hear the sigs of disappointment from there, but D6, it cannot be. Why not? Because D6 does not allow for scale or scope for passes and fails. If you own D10's then great, but if you don't - great, because dice rollers are available which allow you to roll any number of D10's.

 

In some ways it is similar to the other D10 Systems available, but in key ways, it is very much contained within the original script.

 

Project Scope:

 

DECIMUS is meant as a beginner-friendly easing into Deathwatch/FFG waters. It is intended to give a taste, much like a pre-prepped campaign found at a Convention. It draws on the feel of skirmish combat games, whilst giving an underlying notch of complexity. DECIMUS can be scaled up to larger, full blown campiagns, or ramped right down to a small, elite scout team trying to beat someone up in the underhive.

 

Deathwatch can handle this, DECIMUS can too.

 

A rework is planned from Character Sheets, to Weapons and Vehicles. It's not a far step to divide by ten, and still come up with a working formula.

 

Project Progression:

 

An organic overhaul and streamlining, the remodelling will be done in stages in order to keep everything bolted together. A new talent pool will be required, with simplified advancements in the stats, rules and eqiupment to build something fast, functional and firm. Posts in this topic, or in the files section will provide details and signposts to the rules being worked on, and concepts being discussed. Once completed to a working product, playtestin g can begin, followed by release, perhaps in a PDF.

 

Edited August 17 by Mazer Rackham

[Mazer Rackham]

STEP 1:

 

DECIMUS: Character Generation (Char-gen)

 

The general Characteristics for Space Marines as listed in Deatchwatch (DW) are to start with 2D10 and add 30. This obviously generates a number between 32 and 50 at the first roll before any modifiers. The option exists to also allocate points to each statistic (stat) from a pool of 100 points, not allowing more than 20 points to be allocated to each Stat.

 

This pattern is the better choice for DECIMUS, as we're only dealing with D10's. In this case a Character would begin with a stat score of 3 in each of their Characteristics, which are as follows:

• Weapon Skill (WS)
• Ballistic Skill (BA)
• Strength (S or STR)
• Toughness (T or TGH)
• Agility (AG)
• Intelligence (INT)
• Percetion (PER)
• Fellowship (FEL)

Each one of these stats has a block of two numbers in the full DW game, since all Characters gain what is called an Attribute, or Characteristic Bonus. This is usually the first 10's digit of the actual 2D10+30 result above - eg:

• Weapon Skill Chargen:
  • 2D10 + 30 = 42
  • The Characteristic Bonus is the first number, which in this case = 4
  • Your Character sheet would therefore report the numbers as:
    • (4) 42

DECIMUS is D10, which means the Stat has none of this. You Charcteristic Bonus is exactly what you roll, and therfore slots right into the rule framework of the expanded, or 'full-blooded' game.

 

As above, using DECIMUS, your Stats start at 3, and you are allocated a further Point Pool of 10.  Where you add them is up to you, but it can be no more than +2 to any one given stat.

 

DECIMUS Chargen:

• Weapon Skill:
• Stats with 3, add +2 from pool (for example), your Chargen sheet numbers are:
• 5.

This would equate to 50 in Deathwatch, which is the upper trained state of any Space Marine standing the Long Vigil.

 

Continue allocating Points until they are all spent.

 

Edited August 19 by Mazer Rackham

[Trokair]

An interesting idea for a streamliend version of DW, will be following this with interest.

 

My first thought is that while chaning the stats and tests and related by a factor of 10 to go from a d100 to a d10 system seems fairly simple and plays on the exsiting use of Characteristic Bonus within the rules, wounds, wepaon damage and armour don't work quite as well in a devide by 10  sense. What are your intnetions for this? 

[Mazer Rackham]

An excellent question. I'm looking at the DW Errata now, and I can see that it should, with a touch of tweaking, be ok. Since armour is still a factor, and TB remains relatively intact, it should be fine. A streamlined arsenal should be enough to remove most if not all problems. What that arsenal looks like at the moment, I have not fully decided.

 

The other interesting thing is that Psychic Powers (if you wanted to use them, have exactly the same scaled down rules, and Perils on a 9 (on a D10).

 

The more I look at it, the more I wonder if the D100 was a scale up. 

 

The DoS and DoF should work as normal as well, and much easier to handle: +1, +2 or -1, -2 etc.

 

The 'training' gap should be as narrow as possible. 

 

Edited August 17 by Mazer Rackham

[Machine God]

Decimus - The system to create the perfect Devastator or Chaplain. 

 

 

 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

DECIMUS...

 

STEP 2:

 

Choose Chapter/Establish Traits:

 

Kept very simple.

• Ultramarines (or Codex/Homebrew): +1 to any Stat
• Blood Angels: +1 WS
• Dark Angels: +1 BaSk
• Imperial Fists: +1 WP
• Iron Hands: +1 INT
• Salamanders: +1 TGH
• Raven Guard: +1 AG
• White Scars: +1 Speed
• Space Wolves: +1 STR

Any Successors use the Primogenitor Template above. This effectively means the Characters are a little more punchy than DW counterparts, but that's fine.

 

Wounds:

• Generated as Normal: 18+1D5
• Any Critical Wounds = Out of Action.

Fate:

• Fate/Hero Points: 3, flat.

Implants and Equipment:

• Unnatural Toughness x 2
  • Doubles TGH Stat as normal.
• Unnatural Strength x 2
  • Doubles STR as normal.
• Bonuses from Chargen are Added AFTER the Unnats, as per DW: Core.
• Power Armour Marks:
  • Simplified - everyone gets Mk VII
  • Power Armour STR Bonus +1

Choose Specialties:

 

Kept as simple as possible:

• Apothecary (Equipment: Narthecium, BP/B/CS)
  • Ability: Restores 1D10 Wounds + INT on a Successful Roll)
  • All Healing rules are stripped out. Anything regarding 'Treated Wounds' etc are removed. 
• Assault (Equipment: JP/BP/CS)
  • Ability: May Double Movement OR Fly over obstacles (Jump Pack go whoosh)
• Tactical (Equipment: B/BP/CS/SIA)
  • Ability: +1 BaSK with Bolt Weapons, may target Independent Characters
• Librarian (Equipment: FS/BP/B)
  • Ability: Pyschic Powers, Choose 2 of 3
    • Avenger, or;
    • Smite, or;
    • Iron Arm
• Devastator (Equipment: HB/BP/CS)
  • Ability: +1 BaSk with Heavy Weapons (any), inflicts +1 Mag Dam to mobs.
• TechMarine (Equipment: Servo-arm/BP/B/CS)
  • Ability: Repair - May un-jam weapons for Free, +1 INT when interfacing with technology.

Solo Modes:

• Do not function

Squad Modes:

• Bolter Assault:
  • Whole Team may Charge Move once and Shoot twice (in any order)
• Furious Assault:
  • Whole Team may Charge Move once and Melee twice (specific order)
• Regroup:
  • Whole Team may Move twice (as long as it is towards each other)
• Fire For Effect:
  • Whole Team may use Reactions to may Shooting Attack.

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