I'm really excited for this book, but im wondering how combat will be handled for the Ragnarok scenario. With zombies you have the option of combat, and as myself I could see killing a zombie or two, but it's unlikely that I'll be able to grab Thor's hammer out of his hand and smack him with it. Even if there are Asgardian minions running around I would assume they would be more than a match for me. any thoughts?

Edit: Awful spelling

Aaaaaaactually Thor is one of the gods who dies during Ragnarok in the Norse mytholgy. Just sayin'!

But I agree with you. i don't think you can physically hurt the gods. ( I realy, realy hope they don't stat them.)

Maybe you can talk and reason with them. Maybe if you compliment Thor on the size of his hammer (LOL) he will leave you alone.

Or they will make you convert to them/their cause. (kinda like those voodoo leaders from zombie apocalypse.)

Personaly I'm hoping for some fear/awe tests in order to just look at a god.

But I guess there will be many "doomsday prophets", "cultists" and "cult leaders" to fight against. Maybe if you kill enough folowers you can weaken a god's hold on this world...

Personaly I'm hoping for some fear/awe tests in order to just look at a god.

Agreed. I think this book will have to do a good enough job of seperating itself from ZA to warrant the price. I can just see my guys trying to mess with Baldur or something....

"You're dead."

"What? Why, I didn't even get a roll?!?!"

"You threw a rock at Baldur, he's a god. You are smashed."

Shortest campaign ever,

Or the japanese kami. Gods and spirits of places and concepts.

You piss off Amaterasu (Godess of the sun) and earth might get hit by solar laser beams!

At least against the greek gods you had a tiny chance if you could wound them with a hind's blood dagger.

I know! I'm gonna use the Mesopotanian religion so i can have my old school D&D fan players fight against Tiamat!

Gm: "You hear the roar of thunder and see the flashes of lightning as Zeus materialises in front of your very eyes!"

Mike: "ZEUS?! Really? Straight out of the gate you're gonna throw the frikkin' head of the greek gods at us?"

Tom: "Can you be more overpowered?"

Bruce: "I can take him."

Gm: " Oh I can do worse!"

Mike: "How"

Gm: " Typhon ."

Tom: "That's it! I quit!"

Bruce: "Did you stat it?"

Gm: "yes."

Bruce: "I can take him."

Gm: *facepalms*

Personaly I'm hoping for some fear/awe tests in order to just look at a god.

Agreed. I think this book will have to do a good enough job of seperating itself from ZA to warrant the price. I can just see my guys trying to mess with Baldur or something....

"You're dead."

"What? Why, I didn't even get a roll?!?!"

"You threw a rock at Baldur, he's a god. You are smashed."

Shortest campaign ever,

That reminds me:

In "The day after Ragnarok" RPG the nazi's summon Jormungander! The allies defeat it by droppin the first atom bomb on it's head! (Awesome!) Even so it's massive corpse crushes parts of Europe and Africa (and forms the "Iron curtain"!), while it's poisonous blood turns most of America in a post apocalyptic wasteland.

I agree, you can't kill the gods. At least, not without a magic macguffin the GM will only let you have if he WANTS you to kill a god.
If there were stats for the gods in the book, I would be inclined to ignore them.

That said, as has been discussed before in the ZA forums, these books are about the End of the World first and foremost. You're not here to stop Armageddon, you're just desperately trying to survive it. So, killing gods is probably not on the agenda, and players who insist on trying should rightly be squished without a roll.

Indeed. I highly doubt they'll have Thor statted up. Or any of the Gods for that matter. Of course, in Ragnarok, fighting Thor probably won't be on the agenda. Thor and many of the others are destined to die during said event. I imagine in that scenario, we'll be fighting Draugr, Joten, and other Norse related nastiness. Maybe even children of Fenrir and Jormungandr.

That said, as has been discussed before in the ZA forums, these books are about the End of the World first and foremost. You're not here to stop Armageddon, you're just desperately trying to survive it. So, killing gods is probably not on the agenda, and players who insist on trying should rightly be squished without a roll.

Agreed, my point was more that this will be decidedly different from ZA, with the focus taken off of something you can kill (although there are always other survivors that might need a killin,) and more towards getting the hell out of dodge and going to ground. I really like ZA, but everyone has thought about what they might do in the case of a zombie apocalypse, TV and movies provide ideas as well. Trying to run from actual gods is a different beast altogether.

That said, as has been discussed before in the ZA forums, these books are about the End of the World first and foremost. You're not here to stop Armageddon, you're just desperately trying to survive it. So, killing gods is probably not on the agenda, and players who insist on trying should rightly be squished without a roll.

Agreed, my point was more that this will be decidedly different from ZA, with the focus taken off of something you can kill (although there are always other survivors that might need a killin,) and more towards getting the hell out of dodge and going to ground. I really like ZA, but everyone has thought about what they might do in the case of a zombie apocalypse, TV and movies provide ideas as well. Trying to run from actual gods is a different beast altogether.

I have to say I reside on the other side of the fence. Just surviving is a limited story with a very narrow scope. why not have your players find their way to the World Tree? Give them a reason to plunge to the depths of the underworld (many stories of legend add this in some fashion). Let them be the mortals that impossibly shift the mighty river of destiny, an action no one not even Odin could predict. There is so much more joy in simply not being underfoot for the grudge match of the century.

I'm going to withhold further assumptions until we get a little more info on each scenario. I do look forward to seeing everyone else' speculations though.

I think there is potential for PCs to major players in the return of the gods and subsequent end of the world. I would even venture that these scenarios have the potential for players to make a greater impact on events than zombies do.

Zombie apocalypse stories seem to be "a bunch of people argue about stuff, then zombies show up", or run, hide, kill zombies, lather, rinse, repeat. The zombies don't really change, and the chances for the characters to make a significant impact on the world are very low.

With the return of the gods there is every chance for the GM to decide that the PCs are chosen by one or more gods to act as their mortal agents. Read James Loveland's Age of Odin for an example of how this might play out in Ragnarok.

That said, as has been discussed before in the ZA forums, these books are about the End of the World first and foremost. You're not here to stop Armageddon, you're just desperately trying to survive it. So, killing gods is probably not on the agenda, and players who insist on trying should rightly be squished without a roll.

Agreed, my point was more that this will be decidedly different from ZA, with the focus taken off of something you can kill (although there are always other survivors that might need a killin,) and more towards getting the hell out of dodge and going to ground. I really like ZA, but everyone has thought about what they might do in the case of a zombie apocalypse, TV and movies provide ideas as well. Trying to run from actual gods is a different beast altogether.

I have to say I reside on the other side of the fence. Just surviving is a limited story with a very narrow scope. why not have your players find their way to the World Tree? Give them a reason to plunge to the depths of the underworld (many stories of legend add this in some fashion). Let them be the mortals that impossibly shift the mighty river of destiny, an action no one not even Odin could predict. There is so much more joy in simply not being underfoot for the grudge match of the century.

Im not disagreeing on that being awesome, but I think you could get a lot out of the story by portraying it realistically. Playing as yourself in ZA, the main motivation is to survive. As a PC I would be hard pressed to believe that I could be chosen by Zeus or Odin or the Flying Spaghetti Monster to be their mortal agent (or mortal host if you wanna get all Zhul about it).

If it takes the PC to a place where they are interacting with Gods then id becomes a much more traditional RPG. That's not to say you can't make it exciting, but if I was given leeway by a god to do his bidding, that is going to take away from the fear and survival aspect of the game. I'm not saying your way wouldn't be fun, but keeping the PCs close to their true self has it's merits too.

The beauty of an RPG is that you can make it what you want.

While i think FFG intends is (at least one scenario) "what would you do when Ragnarock is upon you."

But if you want to play agents of the gods or somehow end up in R'lyeh to try and punch out Cthulhu then you can.

Now I was thinking having the players start of dead. In Tartarus (Greek Underworld) and suddenly they hear a booming voice calling them to war! A flash of blinding light and they appear back on earth. Turns out Hades has rebelled against the other gods and has brought all the dead with him. (this might even link to the zombie apocalypse)

There is a downside to my idea however:

Gm: You awake in the fortres of Tartarus, deep in the greek underworld. You remember only vage flashes and images of being ferried across a vast river. Instantly you realise you are dead.

Mike: "Hold the phone! I'm protestant ! How the actuall hell do I end up in the greek underworld?"

Gm: "Euuuh...Before you can ponder this, the god Hades calls all the dead souls in Tartarus to him!"

Tom: "He has a point... Where is Jesus in all of this wrath of the gods thing?"

Bruce: "And that other guy..."

Everyone: "Don't go there!"

Gm: "Eeeuh. ah screw it! It was all a dream. You all awake in your own beds to the noise of screaming and mayhem! As you look out the window you see C'thulhu!"

Bruce: "Ah much better!"

Yeah, I dont think that killing all the gods is a viable story element. But whats to say that another god decides it wants to protect humanity (plenty of examples in mythology around the world) and bestow upon one of your PCs some divine power that lets him wound other gods. This happens in the Iliad, Athena? give some greek mortal divine power and he goes on a killing spree and massacres hundreds of Trojans and wounds Aphrodite and then decides he wants to fight Ares and wounds him so badly he has to return to Olympus.

Something you could do use this "good god" and have it put the characters on a quest to figure out the divine name of one of the bad gods. Have them go on a quest into the underworld to find some muse/sage/fate person that knows everybodys true name. Once they know they name they can control that god. Like in the myth of "Isis and the Name of Re".

just throwing out some ideas

That said, as has been discussed before in the ZA forums, these books are about the End of the World first and foremost. You're not here to stop Armageddon, you're just desperately trying to survive it. So, killing gods is probably not on the agenda, and players who insist on trying should rightly be squished without a roll.

Agreed, my point was more that this will be decidedly different from ZA, with the focus taken off of something you can kill (although there are always other survivors that might need a killin,) and more towards getting the hell out of dodge and going to ground. I really like ZA, but everyone has thought about what they might do in the case of a zombie apocalypse, TV and movies provide ideas as well. Trying to run from actual gods is a different beast altogether.

I have to say I reside on the other side of the fence. Just surviving is a limited story with a very narrow scope. why not have your players find their way to the World Tree? Give them a reason to plunge to the depths of the underworld (many stories of legend add this in some fashion). Let them be the mortals that impossibly shift the mighty river of destiny, an action no one not even Odin could predict. There is so much more joy in simply not being underfoot for the grudge match of the century.

Im not disagreeing on that being awesome, but I think you could get a lot out of the story by portraying it realistically. Playing as yourself in ZA, the main motivation is to survive. As a PC I would be hard pressed to believe that I could be chosen by Zeus or Odin or the Flying Spaghetti Monster to be their mortal agent (or mortal host if you wanna get all Zhul about it).

If it takes the PC to a place where they are interacting with Gods then id becomes a much more traditional RPG. That's not to say you can't make it exciting, but if I was given leeway by a god to do his bidding, that is going to take away from the fear and survival aspect of the game. I'm not saying your way wouldn't be fun, but keeping the PCs close to their true self has it's merits too.

I didn't say the players would become the agents of the gods, but rather become a force for change on their own. Let me give an example; "You wake up to a thunderous boom and half of the wall to your bedroom missing. When you investigate you find a female, clad in armor, resting in a crater. She rambles on in some language you don't recognize as she pushes her spear toward you. You take the spear and she give you a grin before passing on. What do you do?"

So we now have a player with a Valkyrie spear, a weapon of Asgard. I imagine that being a tad more effective than a pistol But that's what I'm saying, let the players find something to level the field, let them find their way to the world tree, let them stand before Odin and let the All Father scratch his beard at these mortals in his hall. To me that just seems more fun than "try not to get caught underfoot".

But as has been pointed out you can play the game however you like. I just take my games epic with a side of awesome

I think it will be up to the GM to ultimately decide if the gods are immortal and invulnerable or not. In a number of mythologies part of the End of the World is the death of the gods themselves.

People have said they would like to see a kaiju scenario. Well, what are Cthulhu and Dagon but the ultimate kaiju? Perhaps the fury of the atomic bomb is really the channeled power of Azathoth released on Earth...

Ultimately the game will be what we make of it. Men could be insects scrambling underfoot or they could be champions standing toe to toe with deities.

Yeah theres a good chancemy group will homebrew atleast one kuiju scenario down the line. Only reason we didn't do it with zombie apocalypse, is because our GM doesn't believe in ginat zombies (Titans).

You can fit the kaijus in with all the other ones realy easy:

Alien invasion: Giant monster from outer space. (King Gidorah!)

Robot uprising: Giant robot/ AI controlled mech. (Moguera)

Wrath of the gods: You can even do it with the creatures from classic myth: Jormugandr, Leviathan, Behemoth, Tiamat, Typhon, fenrir, titans, etc...

Speaking of cthulhu mythos creatures as kaiju: The Dholes.

Giant worm like cratures that have completly destroyed several worlds. And they are big. real big.

In CoC 5th edition they don't even stat its damage bonus (Cthulhu has about 20 D6) The Dholes have this line:

"Dam. Bonus: Enough to flatten a battleship."

That's some kaiju!

You could always play it out like... http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7015318-the-age-of-zeus

Have the Gods be nigh-invulnerable, but have like battle suits and what not to face them.

You could always play it out like... http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7015318-the-age-of-zeus

Have the Gods be nigh-invulnerable, but have like battle suits and what not to face them.

Now I'm thinking of that Iron man vs Thor scene from the Avengers.

Age of Odin by the same author will have you seeing Thor (and Loki) in a whole new way. I really like Lovegrove's Age of... Godpunk series. Military action SF with a bit of mytholgy thrown in as a backdrop. They can be a bit samey, but not bad as popcorn reading.

There is also this comic book about the norse gods coming to earth during WWII...and siding with the nazis.

You guys should check out the comic the Life Eaters where the axis powers use human sacrifice to summon ancient mythological gods, mainly from Noise mythology but also Japanese and later on alluding to African gods as well. The world is completely screwed and the allies are essentially defeated. A small resistance band has to fight back. In many ways it is a comic version of this rpg.

Great...Now i wanna play Weird Wars again.