New Rules
Combat:Double-Action PistolsHistorically, many gunfighters preferred to use single-action revolvers due to the fact that the double-action models had a heavier trigger pull, and could thus be slightly more difficult to fire accurately in dire situations. To reflect this, all double-action revolvers have a -1 modifier. Cocking the hammer, just as is done with a single-action pistol, can negate this modifier. This modifier is also negated when shooting from the hip, fannin' the hammer, or otherwise firing with a penalty for not aiming properly. Revised Edition rules: In revised edition, double-action pistols will get 2 shots per action, while single-action
pistols will get one. These alternate rules instead treat double-actions as having a 2-shot autofire (which is
resolved with a single roll, as per the autofire rules). The real-world difference between single-action and double-action
was noticable, but not overwhelming, thus the change to the new rules. Combined with the Swimmin' in Lead
rules listed below, double-actions effectively get a +1 to hit versus a single target if two shots are fired. The
negative modifier listed above no longer applies under the Revised Edition version of these rules.
Rifles and ShotgunsShotguns, due to their wider field of fire, normally recieve a +2 to hit (as per Law Dogs). When autofiring,
they recieve an additional +1 over and above their normal bonuses (including the bonus for Swimmin' In Lead,
below). Ignore this bonus if using slugs instead of buckshot. Furthermore, double-barrel shotguns can fire both
barrels in the same action, and this is treated as a two-shot autofire. If both shots hit, roll separate hit locations
for each blast, but the second shot can not vary in hit location by more than 4 points from the first shot.
Swimmin' in LeadThe main reason for firing multiple shots at a single person with an automatic or by fannin' the hammer is to hit what you're aiming at. Try this optional rule: for every bullet fired after the original one, the firer gets +1 to the shootin' roll. Thus, if a gunslinger emptied his six-shooter at a target, he would get +5 to his roll to hit. If shooting at multiple targets, the method above can still be used. However, each point of the bonus has to be assigned to a specific target. Also remember that each target requires a bullet before leftover bullets can be used for bonuses. So if a person fires four bullets at two targets, they get a +1 to the fannin' roll against each target, or +2 against one target (but not the other). If three bullets were fired in the above instance, the firer gets a +1 on one of the targets.
Hucksters:Off-the-Cuff HexingOn the surface, Off-the-Cuff Hexing appears easier than the methods of learning or designing a hex detailed in Hucksters & Hexes. While it is a shortcut, it’s a dangerous one. The huckster is whipping up a rough framework, and trying to use it against a manitou without testing it first - guessing how the manitou’s energies fit into the hex. Guessing wrong has serious consequences...and fate has to be on your side for any hope of success. It’s possible for a huckster to throw a hex that they haven’t yet learned, if they have a grasp of the basic principles involved. Without information about the hex (or if devising it from scratch), the huckster must first make an Incredible (11) academia: occult roll. This roll is lowered if they have a partial or complete copy of the hex, all the way down to Fair (5) if they have an actual copy of the 1769 edition of Hoyle’s Book of Games (assuming the hex is in the book, of course). Those using Hucksters & Hexes can determine the benefit of a more recent version of Hoyle’s with a simple formula. Roll against a TN of Fair (5), adding +1 for every 2 points the malfunction number is below 20. Thus, the 1876 version (with a Malfunction of 10), gives the huckster a TN of 5+5=10. Remember that you still have to roll to see if the hex is intact in the character’s version of the book. The time to prepare a hex for Off-the-Cuff use is 2d20 hours, the same as the time needed to learn a new hex. This preparation can be the first step in actually learning the hex, or specific preparation to cast the hex off-the-cuff. Once the hex has been sufficiently researched, an attempt to cast it can be done at any time. To cast the hex, the huckster uses their academia: occult and the Trait associated with the hex, at a -2 penalty. They must also spend a Fate Chip. The huckster should take the time to glance at their reference material before the attempt. This only takes one action if the material is at hand and written concisely. If they attempt to recall it from memory instead (a true off-the-cuff attempt), the penalty becomes -4. A huckster who is an arcane prodigy gets a +2 on any attempt to cast a hex off-the-cuff. Other Edges and Hinderances affect off-the-cuff hexes at Marshal's discretion. If they succeed in casting the hex (and draw the minimum hand necessary for its use) they learn the hex at level 1 if a White Chip was used, 2 for a Red Chip, 3 for a Blue Chip, and 4 for a Legend Chip. Failure means the huckster cannot attempt to throw the hex until more information about it is gained, and a minimum of one action is lost in the process. Furthermore, five cards must be drawn strictly for the purpose of determining backlash. A bust means the hex was remembered incorrectly. If this happens, the hex automatically fails, and the huckster must roll on the Backlash table. If the hex is interrupted, it fails automatically. Regardless of success or failure, the Fate Chips are lost. Because the huckster doesn’t have a full grasp of the hex, they cannot discard any Jokers drawn, regardless of their academia: occult skill. Furthermore, if the hex fails, the huckster makes a roll on the Backlash table - in addition to any roll for going bust or drawing a Joker. This extra backlash roll doesn’t have to strictly follow the Backlash table - feel free to be nasty (or give bonuses to the roll). A natural roll of 20, for example, could allow the manitou to suck the huckster into the Hunting Grounds, never to return. Also (at the Marshal’s discretion) Harrowed characters lose a point of Dominion if they fail in casting a hex off-the-cuff. Revised Edition rules: The character can cast a hex off-the-cuff at the cost of a white chip, but it takes an additional blue chip to learn the hex. A Legend chip will allow the huckster to cast the hex and learn it automatically! Just have the huckster spend the Legend chip, and make a normal Hexslingin' roll. As long as the hex roll does not go bust (even if the hex failed), the huckster has learned it.
Alternate Backlash TableThe table on page 221 of the Deadlands book is quick and dirty, but rather restrictive. The one in Hucksters and Hexes is more complex, but less flexible. The table below can be substituted, if the Marshal prefers more generic results that can be customized to the situation. This table has been modified to reflect the Revised Edition rules.
Roll Effect
1-4 Minor Hinderance: The manitou doesn’t cause the hex to fail, but does
manage to hinder the huckster in some way. Possible effects to the
huckster include taking 3d6 Wind, throwing off their aim (-5 to hit),
being stunned for the rest of the round (after the hex is used), or
paying double the normal Wind to use/maintain the hex.
5-8 Fear: The manitou gives the huckster a glimpse of the horrors in the
Hunting Grounds. Make a guts check versus a Terror level of 7
(it’s only a momentary glimpse, or the roll would be higher). The hex
is successful only if the huckster is still capable of using it.
Alternately, give the character the Willies, and cause the hex to
fail automatically.
9-12 Bodily Damage: The huckster takes physical damage from his fight with
the manitou (usually 3d6 to the Guts). The hex doesn’t fail unless the
huckster goes unconscious.
13-16 Mental Damage: The huckster’s hex fails, and the huckster’s mind is
damaged by the blow. Possible effects include being stunned/falling
unconscious for a period of time, losing a level in the Trait associated
with the hex for 1d6 hours, losing a Hexslingin' level (unless the
Huckster makes an Onerous (7) Spirit roll), or going insane (roll on the
Dementia table to determine the nature of the insanity). Harrowed
characters may lose a point of Dominion, instead.
17-19 Corruption: The manitou twists the spell’s effects in the worst way
possible. A damage-causing spell could hit an ally, a protection hex
could affect the enemy instead or make the huckster more vulnerable, etc.
If the hex affects another besides the huckster, they can make an
Incredible (11) dodge roll to escape the effects.
20 Go For Broke!: Two or more of the above effects occur simultaneously, or
something extremely nasty happens. Be creative, and don’t hold back.
Mad Scientists:Alternate Dementia TableUnder the standard Dementia table on page 219, it doesn’t take long for a mad scientist to become a gibbering fool. Even using the rules in Smith and Robards, mad scientists will quickly live up to their name. The table below allows for more temporary effects. After all, while it’s fun to have your scientist play out an insanity, it’s not so fun when he has a dozen of them. One thing to keep in mind when using the table below is that Mad Scientists usually have a specific field of interest, that becomes an obsession as time goes on.
Roll Effect
1-4 Fear: The scientist has glimpsed something no mortal man should ever see.
Make a guts check versus a Terror level of 7, or simply rule he
has the Willies for a while (without making a check). Most mad
scientists will explain this away afterwards, without consciously
recalling the incident.
5-10 Temporary Insanity: The character goes over the deep end for a short
time. The specific insanity is often tied to the incident that caused it,
but not always. Delusions, phobias, and the like often result from this.
The insanity is strong, but will fade within a few days.
11-15 Quirky: Eccentric becomes the character’s middle name. Though mild, the
insanity is permanently ingrained in the scientist's psyche (barring
miracles, hexes, extensive therapy, etc). Possibilities include
absent-mindedness, minor delusions or phobias, occasional mood swings,
and the like. Successive Quirky results can either become separate
eccentricities, or simply strengthen one the scientist already has.
16-19 Loopy: The character’s insanity is far more pronounced. Delusions and
phobias can be mild but common, or rare and major. Strong depression,
paranoia, or schizophrenia are all examples of this level of insanity.
20 Off The Deep End: He’s really lost it. Either the scientist has one
overpowering insanity that can be seen in everything he does, or multiple
lesser ones.
Blessed and Shamans:Determining FavorsAt the Marshal's option, the following method can be used to determine the number of favors a shaman has. Total all the levels of rituals that the shaman has, and divide by two. Add in the number of points spent on guardian spirit (unless mentioned otherwise in the writeup). The total is the number of rituals that can be learned from a favored medicine way. However, the character can learn one favor from an unfavored medicine way by sacrificing two normal favors. Example: Fights In Anger has three rituals (Paint 4, War Cry 3, Scar 3), and a 3-pt guardian spirit. He would get five favors from his rituals (10/2), and another three from his guardian spirit, for a total of eight. If two of his chosen favors are from an unfavored medicine way, he may only choose four more favors. Revised Edition rules: Since rituals are now a single skill with various concentrations, this optional rule no longer applies. Shamans can buy a new Ritual concentration for 3 Bounty Points each, and new Favors for 5 Bounty Points each.
Unknown RitualsA shaman knows a wide variety of rituals besides the ones that they have practiced. With an Onerous (7) academia: occult roll, a character with arcane background: shaman can use a ritual that they do not know. They use their faith instead of the ritual’s Coordination, and the Trait associated with the ritual, at a -2 penalty. They must also spend a Fate Chip. If they succeed, they gain the ritual at level 1 if a White Chip was used (2 for a Red Chip, 3 for a Blue Chip, and 4 for a Legend Chip). If they fail, it turns out they did not remember the ritual properly after all (and the Fate Chip is still lost). Special Note: At the Marshal’s discretion, a similar method can be used for the blessed, substituting a professional:
theology roll for academia: occult. The actual attempt requires a White Fate Chip, and the preacher
rolls for the miracle at a -2 penalty to the roll (using the lower of professional: theology/Spirit and
faith). Success means the miracle is successful (but not learned). If the Marshal wants to give the character
the ability to learn the miracle on a successful roll, require a Blue Fate Chip instead, and increase the penalty
to -4. Going bust may reduce the preacher’s faith score, or may give a short-term penalty of -2 to any miracle
attempted by the preacher (the duration of the penalty is determined by the Marshal). After all, a miracle isn’t
something to be taken lightly. Harrowed:Dominion TestsRegardless of how much Dominion a manitou has, it can never add more than 5 points above the character’s current Dominion level to the roll. This keeps someone with a 4d6 Spirit from having an easier time of things than a Harrowed with a Spirit of 4d12. Also, Supernatural Spirit bonuses do not apply to the Dominion roll (for either side).
Alternate Manitou Spirit TableIf you’re using the rules out of Book o’ the Dead, high Spirit characters get the short end of the stick. While it may be appropriate for a manitou to choose a host it can handle, there should be some benefit of having a strong psyche. After all, it’s possible for these malicious spirits to get more than they bargained for. The table below makes the strongest manitous a little weaker, while making the weaker ones a little stronger.
Card Spirit
2 Legion (see Book of the Dead, page 86) or minor manitou (see below)
3-8 Spirit is equal to the character, with a minimum die type
of d6 and a maximum of d10. The maximum Coordination can’t be
higher than 3.
9-Jack Spirit is the same die type (minimum d6, maximum d10), but
one higher Coordination (maximum 4)
Queen-King Spirit die type is one higher (minimum d8, maximum d12) and
Coordination is one higher (maximum 4).
Ace Spirit die type is one higher (minimum d8, maximum d12) and
Coordination is two higher (maximum 5).
Joker Greater manitou (Spirit of 3d12+4, see Book of the Dead,
page 86)
A minor manitou is a rare but fortunate occurrance for a Harrowed. Such spirits are weaker than their host,
and thus easier to fight. The manitou’s Spirit is one die type less than the character (minimum d4, maximum
d10), and have a Coordination of 1. The downside is that the manitou is barely able to maintain the character’s
rotting carcass, leaving little energy for Harrowed powers. The character only gets 8 points for powers (3 plus
Harrowed Hinderances), rather than 10, and no power can be above Level 2 to start. Marshals should be a lot tougher
on letting the character buy new powers, or raising current ones. The character’s healing rolls are at +2 to the
Target Number - the manitou has trouble repairing the damage. Finally, the Harrowed needs 2d4 hours of ‘sleep’
out of every 24, instead of 1d6.
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