Bloggers & Biovores

And making cruelty reasonable

This Week’s post looks at replicating specific Battletech mechs in the freshly renamed MAC Attack, starting with a Shadowhawk.

This guy is kind of a Jack-of-all-Trades in the medium weight class. Though that cool looking shoulder cannon is actually a somewhat ineffective autocannon 5, and he's kind of slow compared to his peers. For this conversion process I'll be walking a fine line between trying to recreate the Mech as it exists in Battletech vs how I'd like it to exist based on its appearance and fluff. 

I certainly think trying to replicate the Mech 1:1 is futile when the systems are so different. Think of it as an opportunity to create your own version of the classic.

This is an idea that I’ve battled with throughout my RPGs and Wargames. Occasionally somebody will ask “but how can I represent a [unit from WH40k] in The Doomed?” or “how would you convert a [D&D Monster] to Into the Odd?”

Others might see it differently, but for me the monster doesn’t exist in its stats and mechanics. Those are a specific game’s reflection of that being. Its essence exists outside of the game.

If you know what a Biovore is then you don’t need to know exactly what it’s Initiative Score or Saving Throw is. You can make your own reflection that’s just as valid as any official version.

---

Elsewhere Twitter is imploding. Good.

Not out of pure spite, but because it might also encourage people to write blogs or newsletters. So I thought I could talk briefly about blogs if you’re still not convinced.

Hate actually reading blogs? Go listen to them instead at Blogs on Tape.

Don’t like the idea of reading a monologue? Some blogposts have elements of conversation! Check out the latest from the unsurpassed Zedeck Siew as an example.

Like the short form of twitter? Ramanan is doing some micro-blogging.

And of course the whole point of this is that even if you’re hammering out a new idea a blogpost has enough room to really chew on it, and the end result is often incredibly useful to both readers and the writer themselves. Alex’s post on running really short adventures that allow for a more social play environment is a perfect example.

If you’ve just started a blog or newsletter go ahead and link it in the replies.

---

Coming Soon

This week on Patreon I got thinking about monster abilities often deemed unreasonable by modern standards.

For this challenge I'm going to revisit a selection of monster abilities that often scare GMs away, and can feel like unfair relics from the era of killer GMs.

These include:

• Equipment Destruction

• Maiming limbs

• Finishing-off downed PCs

• Instant Death

• Level-drain (with a twist where ITO/Bastionland has no levels)

• Petrification

• Mind Control

And the final twist, none of the above effects will grant a Save to avoid them. There might be another way, but not from rolling well. 

The full post has eight monsters that explore these ideas, going public at the end of next week.

Thanks for reading Bastionland Presser! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.