It wasn't explicitly designed with them in mind, but this ruleset can definitely be hacked to work with the Mech rules from the Discord Mech Challenge.
Kaiju
Kaiju are GIANT MONSTERS! They have an array of pseudoscientific/supernatural powers, and often seem similar to regular animals. They're powerful, but must match their high performance with a special power source.
Kaiju get HP as normal in your system (I'm going to assume HP=CON).
They take and deal MEGADAMAGE (hereby abbreviated MDMG), which is equivalent to 100 points of normal damage. This concept is stolen from Mothership.
Normal weapons and attacks deal no damage to the kaiju. Giant weapons (Trebuchets, ballistae, anti-armor cannons, a ship's main guns, etc) deal 1 damage. Only other kaiju, or appropriately sized mechs, deal dice damage.
The Kaiju grows stronger by consuming more of a certain material or energy. If this is the same energy that your mechs are powered by, you have instant drama. Bathing in, absorbing a large amount of, or being deliberately fed enough of this material allows the kaiju to regenerate all of its lost health and level up.
As Player Character
The speed at which you, level as a kaiju is directly proportional to how common your power source is. It's not enough to just nibble on a bit of radiation here and there, or scare someone moment-by-moment; you need gigantic, massive amounts or expressions. A whole nuclear reactor, or the fear of a whole city. This means that a kaiju player's leveling is largely controlled by the GM.
This works best if you're playing a game or campaign set mainly at a kaiju/mecha scale. Such a game would likely be action-focused, and the tone would likely be similar to mecha anime, Power Rangers and the Pacific Rim movies (the action scenes, not the exposition).
If you want to play a game primarily at human scale, then you had best expect combat to be a minority of the game, because the kaiju will stomp any human-size enemies, and the other PCs won't be able to do much against kaiju-sized enemies unless they get their own mechs.
Separating the human PCs from the kaiju for periods of time and making the game primarily revolve around issues that can't just be stomped are necessary to integrate a kaiju into a long-running campaign in which they are the outlier. Such a game would likely have the same tone as the Godzilla animated series, or those latter-day movies where Godzilla is followed everywhere by a pack of very determined children.
Kaiju
You are a gigantic monster, with an odd power source and weirder powers. Really, what more is there to get?
You deal 1d6 damage in melee by default, Armor = Dexterity. Kaiju/mecha battles quickly devolve into grappling.
You gain +2 HP for each Kaiju template you possess.
Starting skill(1d3): 1. Urban Planning 2. Quantum Physics 3. Biochemistry
A: Gigantic
B: Impossible
C: Power Up, +1 Attack per round
D: Wonder
Gigantic(A): You take and deal MEGADAMAGE (MDMG), equivalent to 100 points of normal damage. However, you only heal 1MDMG when resting. You can heal faster (1d6HP) when supplied with your power source, even if it's not enough to level.
Impossible(B): You have a unique, special ability that requires no explanation. Roll on the table below or make one up with your GM.
Power Up(C): Reroll another special ability. If you repeat, choose the next up or down.
Wonder(D): You have reached the apex of your power, and have a shot at finally defeating your nemesis/bringing the apocalypse/creating world peace/ending pollution.
Multiclassing into Kaiju is unlikely, but theoretically possible. I can see a PC gaining a Kaiju template through a really bad (or good) mutation, or as a result of nearly dying under very strange circumstances. Good luck figuring out how your previous class abilities make any sense.
As Enemy
What good are kaiju if you don't get to fight them (preferably in mechs)? Roll on the following tables to generate an enemy kaiju of your own.
A Kaiju may have 2, 4, 6 or 8 HD, with HD*5HP, 10+(HD/2) Attack and Defense.
(d8) Watch out, it's a giant...
1. Lizard!
2. Bird!
3. Insect!
4. [Mythological creature of choice]!
5. Dinosaur!
6. Robot!
7. Human!
8. Building!
(d8) From...
1. The gulfs of space!
2. The bottom of the sea!
3. The Earth's crust!
4. The ghost dimension!
5. An evil science lab!
6. The far future!
7. A child's imagination!
8. The virtual world!
(d8)That is powered by...
1. Radiation
2. Love
3. Fear
4. Magic
5. Life-force
6. Lightning
7. The Sun
8. Heat
(d8) Which can...
1. Breathe Plasma [level] times a day (1d8 MDMG cone)
2. Appear in the dreams of any or all creatures in [level]x10 miles
3. Communicate with any animal
4. Fly
5. EMP blast 1/day, [level] miles
6. Teleport [level] times a day, 1 mile
7. Swallow objects up to [level] times your size in an extradimensional stomach
8. Turn any creature it defeats in single combat into a steadfast ally
(d8) And wants...
1. To be taken to your leader.
2. To bring world peace.
3. To bring the apocalypse.
4. To eat some humans.
5. To end pollution.
6. To flatten your cities.
7. To create more of its kind.
8. All y'all to quit nuking the sea floor.
I just shared this on twitter as GLOGZILLA! Stupidly proud of that for some reason.
ReplyDeleteI am inordinately mad that I didn't come up with that myself.
Delete