So I've been debating running a H:ZD campaign for a few of my friends, since one of them is a huge fan of the game, and after playing it myself recently, I definitely think it's a fun setting to play with.

I don't really have much in the way of unique rules for the setting, as I think the basic stuff works just fine, but there are few issues that I've been considering, and how to address them.

To anyone not familiar with the game, it's a post apocalypse game, where society has devolved back to the stone ages basically, or maybe just "medi-eval" level, basic D&D kind of stuff. Bows, melee weapons, leather clothing, tribal mentality, etc. But it's very clearly a post-advanced scifi setting, because there are giant robot animal/dinosaurs wandering around, acting as the most serious threat in the game for the protagonist. 99.9% of people have no real understanding of how the world ended up the way it is, and have concocted various myths about the old days of the First Ones, and how things went to crap. The main character however, finds what is basically a PDA, but scifi version, called a Focus. It's a highly useful information/interface device, that gives her a massive wealth of information about the world around her. She still has no context for a lot of it, but she's able to scan her environment, set destinations, highlight weakpoints on machines, interface with functional old world tech, etc. And this is the item/issue that I find will probably need the most work for the setting.

Everything else, I figure I'll just use basic skill/talent rules from the core book, but for the old world tech stuff, I'm considering requiring a talent to be purchased, to reflect someone having sufficient understanding of technology, to be able to use/understand any of the tech. Literally gate off access to the skill of Computers, unless you have that talent. Though an easier way might be to just limit it, instead, to having a Focus, since it's through that device that the protagonist Aloy is able to actually activate things. So maybe no talent, just an item requirement. And once you have a Focus, you can start fiddling with it, to learn the basics of operating machinery in the ruins.

Also, the other thing I was thinking, is to try and incorporate the different damage types the game has for gear, and have those be options for modding armor/weapons. Say for example, harvesting machine parts to put onto your leather armor, that would give you points of soak versus specific damage types (fire/heat, acid, cold, etc). The same could be done to modifications for weapons, to add damage types to try and punch through different defenses on the machines.

Beyond those 2 things, I don't think I really need to tweak much else.

Thoughts?

I would be very curious to hear how you go with this. I am a huge fan of HZD (I was late to the party and only played it mid-2019) and one of my first thoughts was to try to convert it to Genesys. The setting being combat heavy and things like elaborate take down of machines, aiming for weak points, exploring new areas, well I wasn't able to resolve it to a module I was happy with so yeah, I am keen to hear how this goes.

1 hour ago, DarkHorse said:

I would be very curious to hear how you go with this. I am a huge fan of HZD (I was late to the party and only played it mid-2019) and one of my first thoughts was to try to convert it to Genesys. The setting being combat heavy and things like elaborate take down of machines, aiming for weak points, exploring new areas, well I wasn't able to resolve it to a module I was happy with so yeah, I am keen to hear how this goes.

Well I'm still in the initial theory stages, but I was thinking, given the way the machines have components, and destroying those components were the way to defeat them more easily, it could be done by simply having it be layers of soak in their defense/armor score. Those machines are crazy tough, even the weaker ones, if you are just running in there to beat on them. Without the talent to make your melee attacks harder, or more likely to strip components off, it's a slow, painful fight. And for ranged, it's all about aimed shots at components. So you could potentially make some talents that give the PC an easier time breaking off armor parts for one. Say, with the right talent, a PC can spend 2-3 advantage on a roll, to pull off a component as a byproduct of an attack. Ranged attacks would just be able to do this normally, since in the game that was the main strategy and drive for ranged, to whittle them down at range.

Create specialized, limited ammo for the ranged combat, that is good at removing components, basically the Tear arrows. Basically if they are using the basic type of primitive weapons, talents would help to even the combat out. Eventually, if they get the know-how to build the unique weapons with old tech, that could offset them not having talents, because the items themselves provide the bonuses to component removal.

Since the game often had the machines take significant damage when components were destroyed, you might try having some kind of threshold system for how many parts they've lost. If they lose like 25-50% of their components, they just take several points of damage. So that way, PC's could potentially drop a machine simply by precise component removal, which is how most of the really good players do it anyway.

I'm just spitballing ideas based on what you said gave you issues. I'm curious what you tried that you felt didn't work well.

For machine components and specific targeting, to simulate slowing time to aim better maybe upgrade a green to a yellow/+1 or 2 blue dice once per combat, but receive 1/2 black die next turn to simulate exhaustion, or just use 2 strain to use the ability.

Additionally for armored machines, either a damage threshold or a stun threshold to deplete armor vs targeted attacks avoiding armor would be interesting.

I would also focus on people's roles on the world, unless everyone will be the Aloy type. Like will everyone have a bow, or will someone be support with the tripcaster/ tech upgrade person. Maybe one person has the ability to stealth and turn small machines early game, and bigger ones later taking a beast master type role.

Love H:ZD and hope this game works out for you. Please keep the thread updated with decisions you make for the world. I have a few friends who would definitely play in that world and one day we might try it.