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Advice on table top rpg


Toa Jaxus

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I was thinking about running a one shot for my regular rpg group over discord, and I was toying around the idea of having one set in the Bionicle Universe. Does any one have any experience or advice for an easy rpg system to run a Bionicle game? I'm aware of Doronai Nui but I don't have direct experience with it so I don't how easy it is to pick up for a one shot.

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The big thing that I can recommend is to make sure that your group is at least moderately familiar with the source material, in this case Bionicle. If they aren't, then reconsider before you get too committed to a Bionicle RPG.

I unfortunately don't have anyone I could run a Doronai Nui game with, so I don't have any experience with it.

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My top recommendation is in line with Sir Keksalot: use the system your players already are comfortable with. If they like D&D 5E, use that and reskin the races and classes section to have Bionicle lore names and information. It takes minimal effort and allows for players to have easy-access to engaging with the game. The Red Star system (Doranai) is interesting, but obscenely complicated and the team working on it hasn't really decided if they're making a Pathfinder or a Dungeons & Dragons clone in the D20 RPG system space. After having spent time with it, I do not recommend using it for a one-shot. Ever. That said, definitely check them out for inspiration on how to translate your favorite table-top RPG system into a Bionicle setting and consider trying them for a longer series of adventures.

Good system for easily porting Bionicle include:

  1. Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition: re-skin or custom races (ahem warforged ahem), make masks custom magic items
  2. X World: great for reskinning, already open source, and designed for quick pick up and play game sessions
  3. 12 Candles: put on a coat of paint and you have a 2001 Bionicle campaign ready to go.
  4. Fate System: already made for almost any genre, easily modified for Bionicle. Note: requires special dice available at most game stores.
  5. Call of Cthulhu: requires a paint job, but a great way to run a darker toned campaign in line with some of Bionicle's more sinister themes.
Edited by Unreliable Narrator
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Happy chat.

 

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There are a few DnD 5E things made by fans that are Bionicle based. This fan made creature supplement for 5E tries to bring some more Bionicle style creatures into DnD too: https://www.dmsguild.com/product/302583/WARFORGED-The-Xorforged--A-Bestiary The cover art alone should tip you off to the Bionicle inspiration. ;) I think the Warforged rules from the Eberron books would be a great place to start building characters. I actually have prototyped a Lewa inspired character on DND Beyond using the stock Warforged rules and multi-classing him as a Druid and Fighter. I haven't played any of the Bionicle specific supplements so I can't tell you how well they translate Bionicle to 5E, but its proof the idea has been toyed with and there are materials for it. 

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I think its obligatory for RPG players to show off their dice collections right?


Red Star Games is a D20 system based Bionicle game: https://www.redstargames.org/ Again I haven't tested this so I can't really say how well it plays. Obviously the benefit of DnD 5E or any D20 based system, is that D20 packs are very abundant and can be found at almost any games store

As for Fate, I am glad somebody mentioned it. I have played around with Fate 3rd Edition (Dresden Files in particular). While the special dice are available, you can play it with any regular D6 dice. Fate is a 'lighter' system than DnD 5E is, less math; but it comes with easier customization. I'd pick up either a Fate 3rd Edition game such as Dresden Files; or a Fate Core (4th edition) or Fate Accelerated book. Fate Accelerated is a trimmed down version of Fate Core that is meant to be a simplified version of the main Fate games. The only thing you need in addition to dice with the Fate books is some sort of token marker to keep track of 'Fate Points.' I use small plastic tokens that Fantasy Flight Games produces as my Fate Points. 

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This is my kit for Fate system stuff. It shows the special dice, but they can easily be replaced with regular D6's if you don't want to buy special dice (Fate or Fudge dice aren't to expensive though compared to regular D20 packs, they are just harder to find since less stores carry them unless you order online). You can also see all my tokens mixed in with the dice. Each player only needs four dice... so honestly if you raid a Yahtzee game you can get all the D6's you need to run Fate.

 

Edited by Xboxtravis

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All aboard the hype train!

 

 

 

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Maybe check out Marvel Heroic Roleplaying. It's parent system is called Cortex (never played that though, just MHR). There is a lot of overlap between Marvel powers and BIONICLE powers already, and it's extremely quick and easy to re-skin the Marvel characters with a BIONICLE coat of paint. The game doesn't sweat the details so there aren't a lot of hard numbers to keep track of (eg. how much characters can lift, how fast they can run, etc.). It's designed to have the feel of a comic book, and has some simple mechanics that encourage people to get in character (using your characters' flaws earns you "Plot Points," the currency of the game). It also has something called the Doom Pool, which slowly grows as the players roll 1's, and allows the DM to increase the danger level in each scene (splitting the players up, introducing new enemies, activating certain character weaknesses, etc.). The basics are simple enough to get the hang of: decide what you want to do, pick a dice from each category on your character sheet that fits the action, roll your dice, pick 2 for the total and 1 for your effect, compare to see who wins (it's the die size of your effect die that matters, not the number you roll with it). One interesting note is that the d12 is the highest die and the game doesn't use d20's.

I actually whipped up some character sheets for the Toa Mata a while back that I never got around to posting on BZP. They're attached below. Never made any enemies but they'd be easy enough to figure out. An example character sheet for something like a Nui-Rama or (swarm of them) would be something like:

Example:

Nui-Rama

Affiliations: Solo d4 / Buddy 2d6 / Team 3d8

Distinctions: "Minion of Makuta", "Swarm Insect"

Power Sets:

"Great Fly"

Swarm d8, Grab d6

SFX: Dangerous. Step back the highest die in your attack action pool to add a d6 and step up stress inflicted.

Limit: Infected Mask. Shut down "Great Fly" power set to step up an existing doom die or add 1d6 to the doom pool. Activate a player opportunity to recover the power set.

Specialties: Combat Expert d8

Seems like you have some good suggestions from other people on here, but message me if you're interested and I can help you with the rules and stuff if you need it. There are also some good tutorials out there on YouTube that can teach you how to play in a short amount of time.

 

Gali.pdf Kopaka.pdf Lewa.pdf Onua.pdf Pohatu.pdf Tahu.pdf

Edited by Disciple
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I have a few systems to suggest. I have given this question some thought myself, these are the systems which seem most appealing to me.

1) Gurps - Very popular generic system, billed as infinitely flexible. The core rules are relatively simple like in DND, and there are a tone of supplements out there, with rules for powers (elemental and otherwise) and exotic gadgets of various levels of sophistication. There is even a built-in tech level system for different eras in the history of the Matoran Universe. I would recommend the book on Chinese Elemental Powers as the template for Matoran Elemental Powers;they already have entries for Fire, Water, Earth, Wood(Plant Life) and Metal(Iron). You just need to fill in for the other eleven!

2) Savage Worlds - Probably my first choice. Another generic system with relatively simple rules. Lots of preexisting character archetypes which would translate well into BIONICLE. Also, they have a template for making your own NPC creatures which you could use for Rahi. They even have a long section on 'powers' which has a lot of overlap with BIONICLE. Exotic technology is covered in detail, and arguably handled better than in GURPS.

3) Cyberpunk 2020 - A fast paced action game with a focus on gun combat and martial arts. Lots of rules for body modding which would apply well to BIONICLE. Instead of experience, you get bonuses to your reputation.

4) Shadowrun - Similar to Cyberpunk, but has rules for both technology and magic. Also different racial templates which can be used to represent BIONICLE races.

5) Warhammer Fantasy Flight RPG's (40k & Fantasy) - Uses a percentage based die system,  with rules for magic/psionics, mundane tools and cybernetics. Plenty of stuff on psychological effects, especially fear. Most games come with their own bestiary full of exotic creatures, which you can adapt as you see fit. Combat is deadly, but can be very fun.

On a related note, I believe there actually was a fan-made game using this system posted to this forum a while back. It was called BIONICLE: Lost Chronicles. I will try to dig up the pdf and post it again if anyone is interested.

I also stumbled across another fan project recently. It uses a custom system made especially for BIONICLE, so that is a plus.

Author's Twitter page:https://twitter.com/smug_coffee_man

Edited by Biological Chronicler
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HighErgard.pptxOkay, bumping this topic up again because I got bored at work and started developing my own D&D homebrew setting inspired by Bionicle. This isn't so much a "Bionicle as a TTRPG" but "D&D with a Bionicle influence." I also tossed a lot of other pop culture and mythic ideas in there as some sort of what I am calling "fantasy stew," but I am curious what thoughts people have on it as a setting. 

 

Edited by Xboxtravis

52641688958_d61c0bc049_w(1).jpg.c0871df0de376218d7ca2bc4f409e17d.jpg

All aboard the hype train!

 

 

 

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38 minutes ago, Xboxtravis said:

Okay, bumping this topic up again because I got bored at work and started developing my own D&D homebrew setting inspired by Bionicle. This isn't so much a "Bionicle as a TTRPG" but "D&D with a Bionicle influence." I also tossed a lot of other pop culture and mythic ideas in there as some sort of what I am calling "fantasy stew," but I am curious what thoughts people have on it as a setting. 

HighErgard.pptxUnavailable

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