Origins RPG Guide - x-team/origins GitHub Wiki

The X-Team: Origins RPG is a roleplaying game that plays out via X-Team's Slack channel: #origins-rpg

We want the X-Team community to help tell the XTO story through this narrative style, as well as kick back and have some fun with other X-Teamers.

How do I join in?

The best place to start is in #origins-rpg-ooc. Simply post a message that you'd like your character to join in.

If you haven't received your X-Team superhero avatar yet, then your character will be a civilian in the story until you get unleashed.

You'll be asked to select your Approaches, a Class, and a Superpower.

Character Creation

Approaches

Inspired from FATE: Accelerated

There are six approaches that give you bonuses (or subtractions) to your dice roll when performing actions.

Every character in Origins assigns the values -1, +1, +1 and +2 to four of these approaches for their character.

  • Cautious: A cautious action is when you pay close attention to detail and take your time to do the job right. A carefully said statement. A perfectly aimed shot. Disarming an alarm.

  • Wise: A wise action requires that you have experience in doing it, that you can easily solve problems, or account for complex situations. Ex: You're clever in identifying weaknesses, outsmarting others, fixing equipment, or operating a complex device.

  • Charismatic: A charismatic action draws attention to you; it’s full of style. Delivering an inspiring speech to a crowd. Grabbing someone's attention. Convincing someone to follow you.

  • Powerful: A Forceful action isn’t subtle—it’s brute strength. Wrestling a bear. Staring down a thug. Casting a big, powerful magic spell.

  • Fast: A fast action requires that you move quickly and with agility. Dodging a bullet. Being first to attack. Sprinting through enemy fire.

  • Stealthy: A stealthy action is done with an emphasis on misdirection and stealth. Stealing something. Sneaking through an enemy camp. Traversing unheard or unseen.

Character Classes

Your class is primarily used to help others know your role within the story. The class you select though can help you earn bonuses in your dice rolls if the GM deems it appropriate in a situation.

  • Soldier - Specializes in weapon usage and combat prowess
  • Demolitionist - Specializes in heavy weaponry and explosives
  • Pilot - Specializes in the usage of vehicles/ships and repair
  • Medic - Specializes in first aid and treatment therapy
  • Psychic - Specializes in telepathy, psychokinesis, and telekinesis.
  • Engineer - Specializes in the usage and repair of technology
  • Diplomat - Specializes in trade and diplomatic persuasion

Superpowers

If you are a superhero (meaning you have received an X-Team superhero avatar), you must add a single superpower to your superhero (can be anything, but once chosen, it is permanent).

How to Play

Making an Action in the story

At any point in the story, you can make an action.

However, if the story is in Combat mode (i.e. a battle), you can only make an action when it's your turn.

To make an action, just type "/me [describe the action you're doing]"

If the action is significant in the story, the game master will have you roll dice (see Rolling Dice) to see if you're successful with your action. After rolling, wait for the game master to write out what happens.

Hit Points (HP)

Each character and player has a set amount of health, or hit points (HP).

Once you join the game, your character has 4 HP. You can gain more HP by earning and spending XP (See Experience Points).

HP is lost from dangerous situations, such as during combat (See "How Combat Works") or a dangerous encounter (walking into a trap).

HP is regained over time, or more quickly from any form of healing (medicine, healing superpower, etc.).

Rolling dice

If you're ever told to roll dice based on an action, it's quite simple:

  • First, decide how you are approaching this action (Cautious, Wise, Charismatic, Powerful, Fast, Stealthy). If you're caught trying to use an approach that doesn't make sense with your action, the GM will ask you to choose a more realistic approach.
  • In Slack, type: /roll 2d6 to roll two 6-sided dice.
  • The result will then post to the channel.

Add to the result of your roll any bonus (or subtraction) from your approach. If you're using your superpower, add any remaining bonus from it as well. (See: Using superpowers)

  • If the total is less than 7: Fail.
  • If the total is 7-9: Limited success. (Game master decides outcome based on the situation's difficulty)
  • If the total is 10+: Success.

Example:

In this case, a 5-roll +2 bonus = 7, so the GM would probably let him make the jump but with some pain that might last a bit.

How combat works

Combat is played out in turns.

The attacker rolls 2d6 (+ Approach modifier) first.

  • If the total is less than 7: Fail.
  • If the total is 7-9: Limited success. (Game master decides outcome based on the situation's difficulty)
  • If the total is 10+: Success.

If a player or NPC reaches 0 HP before escaping, they will suffer a consequence. Consequences are determined by the game master and can involve anything from becoming unconscious, being severely injured, getting captured, or even death (only if you want a new hero and an epic legacy).

Using your superpower

You can use your superpower just like any action, which will require a roll of 2d6.

The main difference between a regular action and a superpower is that your superpower gives you an additional bonus to your roll.

The bonus starts at +3 at the start of a combat phase or scene.

However, the bonus decreases -1 after each use until the end of a combat phase or scene.

If you are an unleashed X-Team superhero (i.e. not a civilian), you also have access to one exclusive superpower. It can only be used once per story chapter, so use it wisely at the start of your turn before rolling:

  • Unstoppable - Invincible for 1 turn.

Experience Points (XP)

XP is awarded every time your character does something epic or achieves something important.

Hammerizer turns up the engines of the Zajac II as their ship quickly flies up to a Cymex ship, as Zeus zaps thunderbolts out of his hands and fries their circuits, as Zero then teletransports their exploding package into the ship's main bridge.

That is epic and would earn them all +1 XP if they pull it off.

XP can then be spent as follows:

  • Re-roll any roll. Cost: 1 XP
  • Gain +1 HP permanently. Cost: 3 XP

Character Sheet

Engineers:

Hammerizer (played by @bernardo)

  • Class: Engineer, Superpower: Matter bender
  • Approaches: Cautious: +1, Wise: +2, Powerful: +1, Charismatic: -1, Fast: +0, Stealthy: +0
  • XP: 2
  • HP: 4
  • Superpower: +3

Pilots:

Omega (played by @diegoferreira)

  • Class: Pilot, Superpower: Pathfinder
  • Approaches: Cautious: +0, Wise: +0, Powerful: +0, Charismatic: +0, Fast: +0, Stealthy: +0
  • XP: 0
  • HP: 4

The Source & The Honey (played by @rmariuzzo)

  • Class: Pilots, Superpower: creates a force field
  • Approaches: Cautious: +2, Wise: +0, Powerful: +0, Charismatic: -1, Fast: +1, Stealthy: +1
  • XP: 0
  • HP: 4

Juan (played by @jenriquejr)

  • Class: Pilot, Superpower: creates portals
  • Approaches: Cautious: +0, Wise: +0, Powerful: +0, Charismatic: +0, Fast: +0, Stealthy: +0
  • XP: 0
  • HP: 4

Diplomats:

Dylan (played by @dylancoffey)

  • Class: Diplomat; Superpower: Ability to unleash someone's X
  • Approaches: Cautious: +1, Wise: +1, Powerful: +0, Charismatic: +2, Fast: -1, Stealthy: +0
  • XP: 1
  • HP: 4
  • Superpower: +3

William (played by @williamcabrera)

  • Class: Diplomat, superpower: Mind reader
  • Approaches: Cautious: +0, Wise: +0, Powerful: +0, Charismatic: +0, Fast: +0, Stealthy: +0
  • XP: 0
  • HP: 4

Psychics:

Zero (played by @kdemoya)

  • Class: Psychic, Superpower: Teletransportation
  • Approaches: Cautious: +0, Wise: +2, Powerful: +0, Charismatic: -1, Fast: +1, Stealthy: +1
  • XP: 1
  • HP: 3

Canto (played by @noah.muth)

  • Class: Psychic, Superpower: intuitive aptitude
  • Approaches: Cautious: +1, Wise: +2, Powerful: +0, Charismatic: +1, Fast: +0, Stealthy: -1
  • XP: 0
  • HP: 4

Animator (played by @luisfonseca)

  • Class: Psychic. Superpower: Bring life to inanimate objects
  • Approaches: Cautious: +0, Wise: +0, Powerful: +0, Charismatic: +0, Fast: +0, Stealthy: +0
  • XP: 0
  • HP: 4

Bench (played by @jacek.lawniczak)

  • Class: Psychic. Superpower: Remote viewing.
  • Approaches: Cautious: +0, Wise: +0, Powerful: +0, Charismatic: +0, Fast: +0, Stealthy: +0
  • XP: 0
  • HP: 4

Soldiers:

Tiny (played by @ben)

  • Class: Soldier, superpower: super stealth
  • Approaches: Cautious: +0, Wise: +0, Powerful: +0, Charismatic: +0, Fast: +0, Stealthy: +0
  • XP: 0
  • HP: 4

CodeRocker (played by @diego.seghezzo)

  • Class: Soldier, Superpower: provides energy power to others
  • Approaches: Cautious: +0, Wise: +0, Powerful: +0, Charismatic: +0, Fast: +0, Stealthy: +0
  • XP: 0
  • HP: 4

Zeus (played by @szymon.karnecki)

  • Class: "Soldier", Superpower: Striking with thunderbolts
  • Approaches: Cautious: +0, Wise: +0, Powerful: +0, Charismatic: +0, Fast: +0, Stealthy: +0
  • XP: 0
  • HP: 4

Demolitionists:

Sleight (played by @bart)

  • Class: Demolitionist, Superpower: Exploding Cards
  • Approaches: Cautious: -1, Wise: +0, Powerful: +1, Charismatic: +1, Fast: +2, Stealthy: +0
  • XP: 1
  • HP: 4
  • Superpower: +3

Manifestation (played by @jake)

  • Class: Demolitionist, Superpower: Absorption of powers
  • Approaches: Cautious: +0, Wise: +0, Powerful: +0, Charismatic: +0, Fast: +0, Stealthy: +0
  • XP: 0
  • HP: 4

Medics:

Alchemix (played by @josh)

  • Class: Medic. Superpower: Heal damage from one person and deal it to another (the ol' "heal-and-deal")
  • Approaches: Cautious: +0, Wise: +0, Powerful: +0, Charismatic: +0, Fast: +0, Stealthy: +0
  • XP: 0
  • HP: 4

Asc (played by @joel)

  • Class: Medic, Superpower: Electronics Mindhacking
  • Approaches: Cautious: +0, Wise: +0, Powerful: +0, Charismatic: +0, Fast: +0, Stealthy: +0
  • XP: 0
  • HP: 4

Weapons Sheet

1. Multi-Load Proton Blaster (Rifle)

  • One-time ability: Xpert Accuracy: Add +2 to your roll during your attack.

2. The Ravager (Axe)

  • One-time ability: Dazed & Confused: If your attack succeeds, your opponent misses their next turn to attack.

3. Tuscaran Blaster (Shotgun)

  • One-time ability: Going Down With Me: During your attack, regardless of the result, both you and your enemy take -1 HP (and no further damage).

4. Obsidian Blade (Sword)

  • One-time ability: Piercing Blow: If your attack succeeds, deal -2 HP to your opponent.

5. Dual Kaletas (Pistols)

  • One-time ability: Looper: Re-roll any attack roll for your character.

6. Long-Range Ziady Bow (Crossbow)

  • One-time ability: Never Saw it Coming: Targeted enemy automatically takes -1 HP damage.

Starships Sheet

1. The Abramov

  • HP: 7
  • One-time ability: The Professional: Force a reroll of any player/enemy

2. Koppers 6000

  • HP: 6
  • One-time ability: Second Chance: If you reach 0 HP, regain +1 HP.

3. Johnstonian V

  • HP: 5
  • One-time ability: Examine Weakness: Give any Villain’s roll -2 during your turn only.

4. The Giblinator IV

  • HP: 5
  • One-time ability: Fly Steady: Add +2 to your roll during your turn

5. Mariuzzo Cruiser

  • HP: 5
  • One-time ability: Last Second: Avoid all effects from an opponent’s attack.

6. Zajac II

  • HP: 4
  • One-time ability: Maximum Power: After landing an attack, deal -2 HP.