Title says it all

I'd like to see guidelines for Occupations as opposed to Covers would be legitimate work we can do and income guidelines taking talent and even social qualities one has into account. Where they are desired by a player. I mean I might make more money publishing articles in martial arts magazines and doing books sold to kids in the back of comic books than being an 'Agent' paid by an agency being a Journalist. Plus it would give me a reason to travel around and unlike a cover wouldn't be at risk of if being blown since its a career known to be done with the paper trails one can check.

I think we can assume that if you have several skills that can be found in an occupation found in BTS2, and Dead Reign we can use that salary amount as a base, and the legitimate occupations can also double as your cover. But we have to keep in mind that BTS2 and Dead Reign are from the 2000's (N&SS is from the 1980's) so the salary amounts probably reflect that.

That's true and some won't be around at all computers are still pretty basic and there is no internet as it is so web page developer is likely not a good option.

Some skills should be in the game to perhaps acting you said is a communications skill so I did send you my idea for an Occupation Basic Program the GM would need to okay three skills and bonuses but would be for a narrow expertise like an automotive mechanic wouldn't need to many skills but three should cover a trade school diploma in that or an apprenticeship. If another program wouldn't fit.

I like options for non-spies since they won't tend to have Covers.

In reply to Ninja 1 (msg # 2):

Another option that we could do (but will require a buy in from the other players who posted in the GM wanted ad) is instead of being limited to the list of basic skill programs you could alternative select 5 of the skills from an occupation found in BTS2 or Dead Reign with the skill bonuses halved.

The occupations in Dead Reign and BTS2 have about 10 (or more) skills in them while each with a 10-20% skill bonus, while the Basic skill programs from N&SS have 5-6 skills in them each have on average a 5-10% skill bonus. So for game balance purposes we'd have to limit the alternative basic skill program option to 5 skills.

Well I don't know those other rules I figure it would simply cover apprenticing, going to a school for a trade or area of work or time in the military in one of many specialties not shooting. Example if one served in the British Army being a Chef is a legitimate specialty one can take. It would be good to offer s general occupation skill set first Occupations give reasons to travel that make sense and won't toss up major red flags and would give useful skills in many cases.

In reply to Ninja 1 (msg # 6):

From our PM convo, posting this here, will also post in the character creation thread

Basic Occupation Skill Program (age cost 1-4 years)

• Character can select 3-6 skills which combined together would equal a real world occupation (Occupations listed in BTS2 & Dead Reign can provide examples).
• Skill selection would have to be approved of by the GM. GM would also determine age cost.
• Skill bonus would be no more then 40% spread across the selected skill (when totaled skill % bonus would equal 40%).

The character sheet is missing under martial arts:

Holds/Locks:

Special Attacks:

Thanks! I’ll add them to the template

Okay Ive read everything. I'll get my poll answers posted asap.

Combat examples look good to me. I wouldn't have autokilled the guy who peeked the bullet hole but I have zero problem with a GM establishing that is the kind of game he's running (and it was a stupid move when he could have just RBFed the other side of the door) and sticking with that.

I would keep in mind that in N&SS there will be characters who have actual super powers. For example, some characters could conceivably clear a staircase before gunmen at the top could fire. Heck, some ninjas could just walk up the stairs and the guys at the top would have no clue they were even there.

In reply to Ninja 3 (msg # 11):

Yeah those invisibility powers are pretty nifty and very detailed as to how they work. Kinda odd given a lot of stuff Palladium has out there leaves it open to debate.

I wa thinking in game my character might be working on a new weapon not the usual but invent her own martial art weapon being its creator would give prestige and be something she would be known for.

I'm thinking of a big Steel Ring think a combat hoola hoop be good for phyicaal fitness and fighting.

But I don't the one roll for all parries either think about it say someone comes at me with five attacks  bad roll they all land, I'd rather roll a just in case set of rolls say twenty and you can use them up it would be fairer. And if the person is a expert in katana that could be five lethal strikes if I roll badly. It asking too much.

So why not do this every so often as needed we roll a bunch of unmodified 1d20 rolls say twenty and use those in order for saves and combat automatic parries. Then refresh them as needed. I don't mind rolling this way.

So something like this but hoola hoop sized? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_and_fire_wheels

Allowing a character to 'invent' a martial arts weapon is not somthing I would allow for the sake of game balance.

Here's why:

• The character would have to posses several skills, one of which would have to be blacksmith from PFRPG (it would have to be part of a skill program) in order to make the weapon, which after a quick glance at your character sheet you don't have.
• The character would have to then use skills to 'learn' the WP for the invented weapon.
• The GM would have to then figure out what type of bonuses the 'invented' weapon would have, to ensure there is no imbalance.
• Then getting to the 'prestige part' you would have to use the weapon in game (not in your backstory) in such a way that people would know about it. One way would be to enter a martial arts competition that allows weapons and do really well in the competition using your steel hoola hoop without getting killed/maimed.
• This would also open pandora's box and other player's would want to have their own character invent some new martial arts weapon.

Now conversely if a character wanted to custom forge a Katana (or go to Okinawa and see if Hattori Hanzō would forge a sword for you) using expensive materials then I would allow it (provided they had the skills, or could convince Hattori Hanzō to make the sword). The reason why because a Katana is a sword and uses WP large sword. We could also reference the PFRPG for weapons made of higher quality and materials to determine any unique bonuses.


So just to be clear it's roll one parry per melee action, not one parry roll for the whole melee. This one parry is not just your hand/arm/weapon knocking attacks away but your feet/legs too One guy punching you, and one guy kicking you).

The reasoning behind the parry rule is to reduce the number of die rolls the players have to make, and reduce confusion as to which parry roll was for which attack (the guy kicking you or the guy punching you?).

I do not like the idea of players making a bunch of pre-made rolls either for the same reason (confusion). These pre-made rolls would eventually be 'scrolled' off the die roller and there would really be no way to validate what the actual roll was.

Yeah I'm not crazy about the pre-rolling thing.

As for the death hula hoop,

Pro: Jim Bowie didn't invent, design, or build the Bowie Knife. His brother Rezin did. Jim just made it legendary by fighting with it and winning. Maybe Mei Xing Wen has a similar connection.

Pro: The simplest thing to do is to just pick a weapon that you think has similar stats and use those. In theory that would be a weapon that has mathematically been balanced to fit in the game (though I guarantee you Kevin Siembieda never thought to much about that kind of thing).

Con: It doesn't seem like a death hula hoop is a very good weapon for espionage work. It wouldn't even fit in a duffle bag or even the trunk(boot) of some cars.

No I'm thinking of the Hula Hoop well Steel Ring would be a martial arts weapon for impressing her peers and would look good on film, it would be a hoop with hand grips at every quarter of it around of fine leather and she could use it to strike, parry and help with holds and throws as a leveraging weapon. Maybe. Plus would look good with acrobatics and gymnastics and juggling during the artistic and athletic aspects of the weapon. Such as demonstrations at martial arts events and to show other masters a new weapon.

As for making test models there are weaponsmiths who make weapons including steel ones other than swords she just needs to describe it, draw some sketches and have them craft some designs until she finds one that works. Then spend time working on the fighting form that is why I wouldn't start with one but pick it up down the road when I got the basic moves down well enough to add the kata. I don't care about the damage it would be something new and fun for me to work on and add say at 11th level as a weapon kata for my martial art.

And its the 80's modern period save for the mythical Bloodsport Kumite which was BS most are shows of skill and a point system using non-lethal weapons a blunt sword 'hitting a vital spot' would be a point. Maiming and killing wouldn't be very likely even in full contact.

Well yeah, but this is Ninjas and Superspies, there's an Enter the Dragon style tournament in every large city, hidden valley, and private island on Earth.