Genesys Ancient Rome Campaign

By TeachMC916, in Genesys

Posted at

Hi! I'm looking for some feedback on some of the work I've been doing on a fantasy/Sword and Sorcery type Ancient Roman campaign set during the period of the Punic Wars. It's my first time working with the system and mostly just want to make sure I haven't gotten something out of balance. Mostly, I'm using the BRP Rome and the AD&D2 Glory of Rome books as reference. I have been working on custom skills, magic styles, weapons, and armor. Much of this is just flavorized from the Core book or the Terrinoth book. I haven't done the Missile weapons yet. Any comments would be awesome. This seems like a great community.

Custom Skills:

Superstitio= Knowledge of the supernatural, the bizarre, demons, astrology

Religio= Knowledge of the Gods, rituals, proper sacrifices, and some superstition as connected to the spirits and demons.

Scientia= any “hard” knowledges acquired through discipline and study not otherwise accounted for in a skill. (Politics, Rhetoric, Law, Strategy, History, Geography, Mathematics)

Humanitas= knowledge related to experience or culture. (Languages, culture, Etiquette, Performance)

Taking either Scientia or Humanitas gives Literacy as a bonus

Magic Styles

Theurgia

Theologia

Goetia

Necromantia

Attack

Yes

No

No

Yes

Augment

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Barrier

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Conjure

No

No

Yes

Yes

Curse

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Dispel

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Heal

No

Yes

No

No

Utility

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

1. Theurgia= High Magics practiced by Scholar-Magi. The ultimate goal of the Theurge is to become God-Like through knowledge.

2. Goetia= Low magics… Witchcraft and Hedge-Magic which is most easily accessible. Involves compelling or manipulating spirits/demons.

3. Necromantia: Death Magic associated with evil entities. Aggressive and destructive.

4. Theologia= Supplication to the Gods. Prayer and sacrifice to ask for the intervention of the deities.

5. All Magical actions default to an Average difficulty check, except when the default listed is higher.

My weapons and armor thus far are here:

Type

Defense

Soak

Encumbrance

HP

Price

Rarity

Leather

0

+1

2

1

Average

3

Bronze Pectoral

1

0

2

1

Average

3

Chainmail Shirt

0

+2

3

2

Expensive

4

Bronze Plate

1

+3

4

2

Priceless

6

Linen Cuirass

0

+2

2

0

Low Average

4

Scale Shirt

1

+2

2

1

Expensive

5

Melee Weapon

Skill

Damage

Crit

Range

Enc

Price

Rarity

Special

Axe

Melee (Light)

+2

3

Eng.

2

Cheap

1

Vicious 1

War

Spear (Hasta or Doru)

Melee (Heavy)

+3

3

Eng.

3

Average

4

Accurate 1

Dagger, Pugio

Melee (Light)

+2

3

Eng.

1

Average

3

Accurate 1

Dagger, Sica

Melee (Light)

+2

3

Eng.

1

Average

4

Accurate 1, Vicious 1

Sword, Xiphos

Melee (Light)

+3

3

Eng.

1

Average

5

Defensive 1

Sword, Falcata or Kopis

Melee (Light)

+3

2

Eng.

1

Expensive

7

Vicious 1

Sword, Gladius

Melee (Light)

+3

2

Eng.

1

Expensive

6

Pierce 1, Accurate 1

Sword, Spatha

Melee (Light)

+4

3

Eng.

1

Expensive

6

Defensive 1, Pierce 1

Trident

Melee (Heavy)

+2

3

Eng.

3

Expensive

7

Linked 2, Unwieldy 3

Sarissa (Pike)

Melee (Heavy)

+4

4

Short

4

Expensive

8

Prepare 1, Pierce 2

Shield, Scutum

Melee (Light)

+2

5

Eng.

3

Expensive

6

Cumbersome 3, Defensive 2, Deflection 3, Inaccurate 2, Knockdown, Reinforced

Shield, Hoplon

Melee (Light)

+1

5

Eng.

2

Expensive

6

Defensive 2, Deflection 2, Inaccurate 2, Knockdown

Shield, Parma

Melee (Light)

+0

6

Eng.

1

Average

4

Defensive 1, Deflection 1, Inaccurate 1, Knockdown

Staff

Melee (Heavy)

+2

4

Eng.

2

Cheap

2

Defensive 1

Mace

Melee (Light)

+3

4

Eng.

2

Average

4

Concussive 1

Light Spear

Melee (Light)

+2

4

Eng.

2

Average

4

Accurate 1, Defensive 1

Cestus

Brawl

+1

4

Eng.

1

Average

7

Disorient 3

Whip

Melee (Light)

+1

3

Short

1

Cheap

3

Accurate 1, Ensnare 1, Unwieldy 3

Edited by TeachMC916
Posted at

Very cool. it just so happens i am putting together a sandals and sorcery game. Mine is its own fantasy world where there are praecantator (GOOGLE translate says it means wizard/sorcerer in Latin) in the legions. As well as dinosaurs. Dromaeosaurs as war dogs, and many others. I love the idea of an Imperator riding into the senate courtyard on a trex.

Thanks for the heads ups on the source material, i use all i can get. i have currently been using Weird Wars Rome, GURPS Imperial Rome, tons of documentaries and the occasional book from the library. Also, lest i forget, the 2 FATE settings, Eagle Eyes and Hunters of Alexandria and the Savage Worlds adventure Mile Castle 42.

My goal in my campaign is a world with the kind of mad grandeur as Star Wars. Cities built is strange places, everything big and old. A senate filled with a myriad of beings that the ever expanding human world encompasses: the Elves of the Seelie and Unseelie, Dwarves, humans of different cultures (wildlings trying to be civil to the Khemet of the deserts), and other lesser known peoples.

Heck, the campaign i'm putting together a plot point for is very much like the fall of the Republic in Star Wars.

Next step for me is statting the dinosaurs, monsters and creating an easy to use lexicon.

I'll be watching this with much interest.

Posted at

I think it looks great! The only thing I would suggest is not including any base armour with a +3 soak (the bronze plate). I'd recommend making the best available personal armour ( lorica segmentata , or whichever form you deem best) provide 2 Defense and +2 Soak, and perhaps allow for superior craftsmanship rules to further improve various armours.

Posted at

In addition to adding the lorica, I would expect to see stats for a pilum and a net (especially if you envision gladiatorial combat, which the trident leads me to believe).

I would give some thought to adding divination to the magic system, as it was a pretty important part of Roman thought. It could be as minor an effect as giving a single setback or boost die on an upcoming check after trying a religio or superstitio test.

Great stuff.

Edited by player966703
Posted at
13 hours ago, Direach said:

I think it looks great! The only thing I would suggest is not including any base armour with a +3 soak (the bronze plate). I'd recommend making the best available personal armour ( lorica segmentata , or whichever form you deem best) provide 2 Defense and +2 Soak, and perhaps allow for superior craftsmanship rules to further improve various armours.

This is a good idea! I hadn't added Segmentata due to the time frame, but part of the campaign will accelerate the development of tech like that.

2 hours ago, player966703 said:

In addition to adding the lorica, I would expect to see stats for a pilum and a net (especially if you envision gladiatorial combat, which the trident leads me to believe).

I would give some thought to adding divination to the magic system, as it was a pretty important part of Roman thought. It could be as minor an effect as giving a single setback or boost die on an upcoming check after trying a religio or superstitio test.

Great stuff.

The pilum and net are my next steps, weapon wise. As to divination, I was considering how to implement it. I also thought of adding it as a magic action.

Posted at
4 hours ago, TeachMC916 said:

As to divination, I was considering how to implement it. I also thought of adding it as a magic action.

I could see augur being available for Theologia, Goetia, and Necromantia. Although it would make Religio less important.

Posted at

Here's my rough draft for ranged weapons. Not sure if I like the net, but I think the pilum works.

Ranged Weapons

Name

Skill

Damage

Crit

Range

Enc

Price

Rarity

Special

Bow

Ranged

7

3

Medium

2

Average

2

Unwieldy 2

Sling

Ranged

4

4

Medium

0

Cheap

0

Disorient 2, Prepare 1

Throwing Axe

Ranged

+2

3

Short

1

Cheap

3

Inaccurate 1, Limited Ammo 1, Vicious 1

Pilum

Ranged

+3

3

Short

2

Inexpensive

4

Pierce 2, Sunder 1, Limited Ammo 1

Javelin

Ranged

+3

3

Short

2

Cheap

3

Limited Ammo 1

Plumbata

Ranged

+2

4

Short

1

Cheap

6

Limited Ammo, Pierce 1

Net

Ranged

0

6

Eng.

3

Average

8

Ensnare 3, Disorient 2, Limited Ammo 1, Prepare 1

7 hours ago, player966703 said:

I could see augur being available for Theologia, Goetia, and Necromantia. Although it would make Religio less important.

I think you're right here. Divination/augury should be accessed through Religio or Superstitio. I think I'll go with your initial suggestion. Thanks!

Posted at

You've done a good job with weapons stats, making sure there are no clearly superior weapons. Or else a legion is going to be armed with katanas and trenchcoats lol.

As for divination, I would let a player make a roll to see if doing a task is favored by the gods. Then the result of the test will affect his success or failure - Caesar's roll for the Ides of March was probably pretty interesting....

Edited by player966703