Every so often someone mentions the Paranoia RPG here on the forum. It was an instant classic that needed a make-over and re-boot, but then every new edition made it worse and worse. The core concepts still appeal to me: Characters work against each other, they each have a secret that can't be revealed, and everyone dies a lot (a lot).
For some time I was working on converting Paranoia to DCC rules, with some failure and some success. A notable success, I think, is adding Corruption rolls to Paranoia for when a 1 is rolled on a Mutant Power check -- I love it when Troubleshooters start sprouting tentacles all of a sudden. A failure that I still haven't figured out is in writing character classes for Paranoia. What are the classes in Alpha Complex? Is everyone the same class?
Does anyone else have any notes on playing Paranoia with DCC rules? I would love to hear about it.
Paranoia RPG with DCC rules?
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Re: Paranoia RPG with DCC rules?
Honestly, I never thought of this combo, but its a natural progression (regression?) of setting and system.
I haven't had DCC long enough to convince my players to try it, although the 0 level funnel is a good example of what to incorporate into a DCC Paranoia game. Multiple 0 level PCs = Alpha Complex Clone Family. However, playing ALL clones at once is not recommended, but was done in at least one classic Paranoia adventure!
Paranoia Classes are best expressed through their previous day-jobs before being 'promoted' to Troubleshooter. In Paranoia rules, this was accomplished through random d20 roll. A character could have a background in Armed Forces or HPD & Mind Control.
You could use these as 'classes' by giving the PC some abilities unique to that job description. However, not all PCs in the Armed Forces were grunts or flybot jockeys. Some were only mess cooks or supply sergeants. Sure, they had positions of power in and of themselves, especially in a game with lots of other flunkies to boss around. Mess cooks could spit in your food. Supply controlled the delivery of TP. Medical Corpsmen could lose your shot records. (From personal experience in the USN - filed under "3 people on the ship you do NOT want to piss off!")
However, the Secret Societies works best as a background, or motivation factor. Definitely keep this in, but at most a SS might allow the PC a few bennies and maybe an extra piece of forbidden equipment, like an orange laser barrel or such.
I haven't had DCC long enough to convince my players to try it, although the 0 level funnel is a good example of what to incorporate into a DCC Paranoia game. Multiple 0 level PCs = Alpha Complex Clone Family. However, playing ALL clones at once is not recommended, but was done in at least one classic Paranoia adventure!
Paranoia Classes are best expressed through their previous day-jobs before being 'promoted' to Troubleshooter. In Paranoia rules, this was accomplished through random d20 roll. A character could have a background in Armed Forces or HPD & Mind Control.
You could use these as 'classes' by giving the PC some abilities unique to that job description. However, not all PCs in the Armed Forces were grunts or flybot jockeys. Some were only mess cooks or supply sergeants. Sure, they had positions of power in and of themselves, especially in a game with lots of other flunkies to boss around. Mess cooks could spit in your food. Supply controlled the delivery of TP. Medical Corpsmen could lose your shot records. (From personal experience in the USN - filed under "3 people on the ship you do NOT want to piss off!")
However, the Secret Societies works best as a background, or motivation factor. Definitely keep this in, but at most a SS might allow the PC a few bennies and maybe an extra piece of forbidden equipment, like an orange laser barrel or such.
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Re: Paranoia RPG with DCC rules?
Mother's Maze, by Daniel Vance, is very much this. So is Slave-Drones of the Fantas-Ti-Plex.
SoBH pbp:
Cathbad the Meek (herbalist Wizard 1): AC 9; 4 hp; S 7, A 7, St 10, P 17, I 13, L 8; Neutral; Club, herbs, 50' rope, 50 cp; -1 to melee attack rolls. Hideous scar.
Cathbad the Meek (herbalist Wizard 1): AC 9; 4 hp; S 7, A 7, St 10, P 17, I 13, L 8; Neutral; Club, herbs, 50' rope, 50 cp; -1 to melee attack rolls. Hideous scar.
Re: Paranoia RPG with DCC rules?
Yeah, Daniel is spot on regarding Slave Drones. I was a play tester player for it and Steve Bean mentioned paranoia as a big influence.Raven_Crowking wrote: ↑Fri Apr 03, 2020 12:22 pm Mother's Maze, by Daniel Vance, is very much this. So is Slave-Drones of the Fantas-Ti-Plex.
Terry Olson