Western Steampunk RPG Brainstorming: February 2011

Friday, February 18, 2011

Ex-Soldier Amputee (Class)

Because of upgraded weapons and poor strategy, the Civil War saw more unnecessary amputations than any other war. To aid amputees, inventors and engineers created steam-powered prosthetic limbs to replace those lost by the war. Some of the limbs were created with automatic weapons so that they could return to the battlefield, becoming one of the key technological milestones that led to the Confederacy's victory in claiming its independence from the Union.

After the War, their reception back home was mixed. Some were welcomed home, some only under the condition that they abandon the fake limbs, many who refused were looked upon as monsters: half man and half machine.

The Weston Venture was particularly interested in the services of these ex-soldiers and offered them a job out west protecting their investments at Blackwater. The West welcomed these soldiers, where the odd and the unusual abounded.

These soldiers' advantages include interchangeable limbs to fit different occasions. Thus they can be extremely adept at long range, short range, and melee combat (but generally only one at a time). The metal limbs are generally durable against melee attacks, so that they can be used to shield their actual bodies from harm.

The disadvantages include possible malfunction of the limbs. A damaged prosthetic leg can cripple an ex-soldier.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Samurai (Class)

(source)

The California Gold Rush of 1849 caused an influx of Asian immigrants, mostly men. After many of the gold mines were exhausted, the immigrants looked for work elsewhere. Years later, The Company finds itself very interested in the immigrants trained in the art of the samurai for the purpose of security. The samurai warrior shares many similar qualities to that of the cowboy: honor and duty, though the samurai prefers the katana to the pistol.

The samurai is extremely skilled in hand-to-hand combat, the katana, horse riding, and spiritual defense against shaman attacks. Samurai also have moderate knowledge of technology.

Disadvantages include low reputation and limited skills with ranged weapons (except for the bow).

Monday, February 14, 2011

Alchemist (Class)

The alchemist is the Civil War's equivalent of a chemical warfare scientist. Able to take basic elements and compose deadly bombs, gas grenades, and the like, the alchemist is a must for any party venturing into the wilderness.

The alchemist is not well known for melee combat, though is skilled in short range weapons. Considered good at diplomacy and decent in social skills. Good with technology but not with long range weapons.

Ranger / Wrangler (Class)

(Haven't settled on whether to call this class the ranger or wrangler, but the idea is still the same. For now, I'm calling the class the "Ranger.")

While all other classes are able to mount horses, the ranger sticks out as the class that handles horse riding and combat the best. When the going gets tough in battle the enemy is upon the party, it's the ranger who is really able to ride in and meet opponents without a loss of accuracy from being mounted. Rangers also have the ability to calm wild horses or other beasts meant to be mounted. They have a way with nature that can benefit the party. Rangers also have great diplomacy and social skills.

Rangers, while agile on a horse, are drastically less agile when on foot. They are still very adept at short range and melee combat, but are not the most accurate with long range weapons. They're also not very skilled when it comes to technology, preferring the feet of the saddle and the pistol.

But overall the ranger is loyal, honorable, brave, and always looking for justice, perhaps even to his own doom.

Engineer (Class)

Technological prowess is the name of the game with the engineer. Known for short range assaults that rely more on scatter weapons than on precision, the engineer plays a vital role in any party. The engineer is especially equipped against packs of foes, especially in an ambush. Not all of the engineer's weapons are necessarily reliant on ammo, either. The engineer can craft flamethrowers, microwave guns, and even guns that use intensely focused sound waves. Also in the engineer's repertoire are guns that fire off sticks of dynamite, gatling guns, and shoulder-mounted cannons.

Engineers don't particularly have the best communication skills, as they tend to use big words that the common person wouldn't understand. And they're not exactly known for their accuracy, either. They can be clumsy, and the risk of friendly fire is always present if the latest invention accidently backfires.

But the engineer is adept with technology and can hijack enemy inventions, like security robots, and repurpose them for use by the party. Engineers can also repair damaged equipment that the party currently has in its control.

Gunslinger (Class)

Quick and precise are the two deadly ingredients of the gunslinger. Known for his expertise with ranged and long-ranged weapons, the gunslinger is a must for any raiding party in the West. He is able to cut down many enemies before they are within range to do damage back. With a trained eye, gunslingers also have an uncanny ability to see farther and with better perception than the other classes.

Gunslingers tend to be low on social skills, however, and would not be the best negotiators. They're better at dueling than diplomacy. They also tend to rank low on Reputation, as they are perceived as lawless vigilantes more interested in themselves and their money than anything or anyone else.

While the gunslinger is deadly with his rifles and pistols, he tends to be weak in melee combat. Thus a gunslinger's greatest weakness is low or no ammo. Use of technology is also not a strong suit of the gunslinger (though a multi-class gunslinger/engineer would be strong in both).

Despite their social inadequacies, gunslingers play their part. It's not like the wild chupacabras are looking for a peace treaty, anyway.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Map

From Deadlands:

A good starting point, however I believe it's historically inaccurate, even though it's an alternative universe. Many of these states didn't exist until the 1890s (Deadlands is set in the 1870s and '80s) and my guess is that had the Confederacy won its independence, the process of territories becoming states (of either the North or South) would have been slowed down.

I like the idea of the land in the game we're creating to be disputed land, or at the very least unclaimed land. Wide open frontier full of mystery and danger.

The Weston Venture

The Weston Venture, known to insiders and locals as simply "The Company," is a medium-sized corporation funded by the recently founded Confederate States of America. The Company's purpose is the development of new technology, especially that of the steampunk variety, along with alchemic research. The Confederacy is particularly interested in the weapons.

The Company was founded by Jeremiah Weston, an old Southern boy from New Orleans (of course, he pronounces it "Nuawlins") with a thick drawl, black slicked-back hair, a gray bushy mustache and a belly that made him look like a walrus. But the guy's loaded with enough money to buy the entire Arizona Territory and always packin' a pistol. He tends to hang out in the saloons around town.

Weston moved out west with a crew of men and settled near the town of Blackwater (modeled after Tombstone, AZ), a mining town in the Arizona Territory near the Mexican border. The location includes many of the natural the Company needs for its alchemic experiments and inventions. The locals were not too thrilled to have such a large influx of new people around, but they did not have much of a decision in the matter. The Company built a rail line from Blackwater to the main line that runs through cities like Yuma, Tombstone, El Paso, and San Antonio.

The Company has been having issues with disgruntled locals, pesky Mexican banditos, mysterious creatures, and Indians. Because of these issues, The Company has hired our main characters to come in and be security detail for The Company's operations.