Shounen System Playtest: Introduction Arc

[AlterForm]

=~=~=Episode 1=~=~=
First Mission:
Team 12 Sets Out!

"Alright, you three. We're a bit short on ninja right now, so you won't be receiving a squad leader. Lucky for you, you're the best Genin to come out of the Academy in a long time. So I think you can handle it.

Now, for your first mission. You're getting right into it with a C-rank. Some local bandits were apparently laying low in the village, and just yesterday made off with the spoils of a bank heist. We have the location of their base of operations, so you're going to go in there and recover what they stole.

Any questions? If not, the door's behind you and I've got other issues to deal with.

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Character Sheets

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Character Name: Hissori Utaguri (OverWilliam)

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Lv: 1
EXP 0 / 100
SP: 5
Heroics:

Strength: 4
Agility: 8
Spirit: 6
Mind: 3
Guts: 4

Accuracy: 5
Evade: 5
Aura: 4
Intuition: 2
Resolve: 3

Attack: 80
Phys: 160
Prec: 120
Mag: 60
Spr: 80


HP: 900/(900[1000])
EN: 150/150
Def: 80
Res: 90
Move: 4


Flaws:
Unhealing Wound 15 SP
Gash runs from inside of Left hip to Left shoulder; HP permanently reduced by set amount; enemies with knowledge of the wound prior to the current engagement can take a -3 on their attack roll to hit the pre-existing wound for a guaranteed critical.

Slow Healing 5 SP
Wounds heal slowly. Recover 10 less hit points per level every hour.


Skills:
Aura Tracker 25 SP, Lvl 2
You can track a person’s movements by their aura. Able to find someone by their aura within 2 miles.

Jump 20 SP, Fixed
You can jump exceptionally high, allowing you to strike at airborne enemies and leap over large obstacles. Whenever you employ a jump action, expend 10 energy.

Swift Step 35 SP, Lvl 2
Either through a powerful burst of speed or sliding through dimensions, you can adjust your location unbelievably fast. Expend 5 energy to move one square. You cannot exceed 4 squares in this fashion.

Alert 10 SP, Lvl 1
You are particularly intoned to your surroundings and able to spot details and hidden objects. When searching, listening, or attempting to spot something or someone, add 3 to your Mind.

Negation 25 SP, Fixed
Through speed of movement or other defenses, you can completely dodge attacks that affect a large area. If an Area of Effect or Line Technique misses, you take no damage instead of ½ damage.


Techniques:
Name: Kunai Rain
Level: 2
Damage Type: Precision
Energy: 20
Core: Damage
Power: 200
Range: 3
Effect: Throw multiple kunai at target for damage.
Mods: Ranged Attack 1 (+1)
Limits: none

Name: Kunai Dash
Level: 4
Damage Type: Physical
Energy: 40
Core: Damage
Power: 200
Range: Melee
Effect: Slash multiple melee targets for damage.
Mods: Spring Attack (+3)
Limits: none

And then I need some approval on this last one. I'm shooting for Kakashi's Headhunter Jutsu here, and so I made the Mod on it to try to represent that style of immobilization (specifically, not requiring sustained effort on the part of the user, as Kakashi simply walked away from Sasuke after using it on him). Is it acceptable? I'm looking for whether it is balanced in both directions, overpowered or underpowered and what I should do about it.

Name: Headhunter Jutsu
Level: 4
Damage Type: Strength
Energy: 40
Core: Immobilize
Power: 1
Range: Melee
Effect: Bury a target up to their neck in the ground to immobilize them.
Mods: Helpless Target (+3)
If the target fails their initial save, they are rendered helpless without a continued save and without requiring a fast action to maintain or denied move action on the part of the user. The technique will automatically dispell itself in a number of rounds equal to half the technique's total level. Any attacks made against the helpless target, regardless of origin, automatically hit but have their damage reduced by half and the technique is dispelled instantly. Should an ally assist the target to escape the technique, with a Fast action they automatically succeed and the technique is canceled. Under any condition of release from the technique, if the target's initiative order has not already passed, they may act as normal for the round.
Limits:

Character Name: Haruki Kumo (Note: Unlike in Japan, the given name preceds the family name here.) (Collin152)

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Lv: 1
EXP 0 / 100
SP: 0
Heroics:

Strength: 4
Agility: 8
Spirit: 4
Mind: 6
Guts: 3

Accuracy: 5
Evade: 5
Aura: 3
Intuition: 4
Resolve: 2

Attack:
Phys: 80
Prec: 160
Mag: 80
Spr: 120


HP: 1000/1000
EN: 160/160
Def: 70
Res: 100
Move: 5


Flaws:
Lethargic 15 SP
Your Willpower only increases every even-numbered round during battle.

Slow Healing 5 SP
Wounds heal slowly. Recover 10 less hit points per level every hour.


Skills:
Sprinter 20 SP, Lvl 1
Your Move increases by 1.

Exploit Weakness 30 SP, Fixed
Make an opposed Intuition check against a target. If you succeed, once per battle you or an ally can make an attack against the target that automatically hits. The target is denied their defense for this attack.

Swift Step 35 SP, Lvl 1
Either through a powerful burst of speed or sliding through dimensions, you can adjust your location unbelievably fast. Expend 5 energy to move one square. You cannot exceed 3 squares in this fashion.

Healing 45 SP, Lvl 2
By expending 20 EN, you can recover 200 HP. You can spend 20 more EN to heal 200 more HP for every level above 1 in the skill.


Techniques:
Name: Kunai
Level: 2
Damage Type: Precision
Energy: 0
Core: Damage
Power: 360
Range: 3
Effect: Throw or stab with a Kunai.
Mods: Ranged Attack 1 (+1)
Limits: Accuracy [level 1]

Name: Wind Step
Level: 4
Damage Type: Physical
Energy: 10
Core: Damage
Power: 280
Range: Melee
Effect: Run through enemies to damage them.
Mods: Spring Attack (+3)
Limits: Cooldown [level 1]

Name: Release
Level: 1
Damage Type: -
Energy: 5
Core: Nullify
Power: -
Range: ? Adjacent?
Effect: Remove Boost, Weaken, Seal, Immobilize, or Illusion effect with an Aura check with a +1 bonus.
Mods: -
Limits: -

Name: Restrict Chakra
Level: 2
Damage Type: -
Energy: 20
Core: Seal
Power: -
Range: ? Melee?
Effect: Prevent an enemy from using a technique or skill for three turns if you succeed at an opposed aura check with a +2 bonus.
Mods: -
Limits: -

Character Name: Oda (Carinthium)

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Strength: 7
Agility: 3
Spirit: 5
Mind: 3
Guts: 7

Accuracy: 2
Evade: 2
Aura: 3
Intuition: 2
Resolve: 4

Attack:
Phys: 140
Prec: 60
Mag: 60
Spr: 100


HP: 1300/1300
EN: 120/120
Def: 140
Res: 80
Move: 3


Flaws:

Beserker 10 SP
Whenever you drop below 25% HP, you enter a rage. Your character attacks the closest enemy with the strongest melee Damage Core technique they have available whenever it is their turn. During their turn the only actions you may take are a move action to bring you closer to your target and a medium or, if necessary, slow action to use the strongest damage core technique available to you at the time. If you cannot do both in the same action, using the technique receives higher priority.

While Berserk, Accuracy increases by +2, Evasion decreases by -2, Attack increases by 100, and Defense is set to 0.

Social Stigma (Depised by family) 5 SP
Effect: You have difficulty in social situations, and are often shunned or even outright attacked.
Special: For details on this flaw, please refer to the Role-play chapter.

Uncontrolled Aura 5 SP
Effect: Anybody can ascertain your aura as if they possessed the Aura Reader skill.
Special: Those with the Aura Reader skill do not need to spend a Fast Action to do so; they automatically recognize your level immediately upon coming near you.


Skills:

Determinator Level 1 (100 SP)
Your determination to win allows you to quickly focus in combat.
Level Progression: Fixed
Effect: Willpower increases by 2 every round instead of 1.
Special: Does not stack with Bounce Back.

Challenge Level 1 (10 SP)
Level Progression: Fixed
Speed: Fast
Effect: Challenge a foe to single combat. If the target accepts, neither you nor the target can attack anyone but each other until one of you falls or the challenge is broken. You both gain +2 Willpower. When one of the challengers is defeated, the challenge ends and all will bonuses are retained.
Special: If anybody interferes with the challenge by attacking participants in the challenge, the challenge is broken and they lose 4 Willpower.
Special: If the challenger or the challenged attack anybody else, the challenge is broken and the one who breaks the challenge loses the bonus to Willpower, as well as an additional 4 Willpower.
Special: If the challenge is refused, the one who refused the challenge loses 2 Willpower.

Techniques:

Standard Punch (Physical, Level 1)
Core (1): Damage
Energy: 10
Damage: 340
(No Mods or Limits)

Back Kick (Physical, Level 2)
Core (3): Damage
Energy: 40
Damage: 340

Mods:
Accurate Strike (+2 to accuracy)

Tactical Slice (Physical, Level 4)
Core (6): Damage
Energy: 30
Damage: 390

Mods:
Accurate Strike (+2 to accuracy)

Limits:
Cooldown Limit (Level 2- cannot be used for 2 turns after use. 30 cost reduction)
Slow Limit (requires Slow Action instead of Medium Action. 30 cost reduction)

Resentment Strike (Physical, Level 4)
Core (4): Damage
Energy: 15
Damage: 490

Limits:
Ammunition Limit (Level 1)
Effect: You can only use this technique a limited number of times per encounter.
Value: 4 - Limit Level
Cost reduction: 25

Backstory:
Fueled by resentment of his family, itself created by their championing of his older brother and their attempt to indoctrinate Oda into their traditions (the family has hereditary techniques, which Oda doesn’t want to learn because he wants to concentrate on “what works, not what’s traditional”). He wants to try and surpass his older brother, who follows the family traditions completely.

Go ahead and give us a sentence or two describing your characters and/or their reactions so we make sure everyone's here.

Feel free to post any questions you still have about the system in spoilers, and we can deal with those now. If they come up in play, please deal with them in the OOC Thread.

As I mentioned in the Recruiting Thread, FF_Fanboy and Levyathyn will not be joining us, so let's see how you do against an adventure meant for 5 characters. I'll scale it back if need be, and don't worry too much if you get taken down.

Oh, and I hope you don't mind me naming ya'll Team 12. Choose something else if you like.

[OverWilliam]

Hissori stood behind the others with his arms crossed. When Tsunade-sama had finished speaking, he frowned. He held up a hand and quickly made three signs and then a fourth, which could've been mistaken for Jutsu handsigns by an outsider. To Tsunade, and the other ninja in the room who noticed, it was the Sign Language derived from the Universal variety that was unique to Konoha. It, like the other villages' versions, was quite complex and allowed for quick, silent communication between ninja. This variety was only taught at Konoha's academy to Leaf Shinobi and was one of the village's secrets that all ninja of the Leaf Village were sworn to protect. Know Thieves Numbers ? He asked silently.

[Collin152]

Haruki, hearing Hissori's signs and turning to see, nods his agreement to the question.
Yes, Tsunade-sama, do we know how many thieves there were?

[Carinthium]

"Does it matter how many thieves there were?" asked Oda. "We're ninja- we should be a match for them."

[OverWilliam]

Hissori shot Oda a look, but made sure to do so when the ninja was not looking.

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[AlterForm]

Tsunade nods at Hissori's mute question

"There's a couple dozen at most, but the majority of those are just punks who signed up to make a quick buck. What you'll have to watch for is their signature technique. I'm told it's rather similar to the Kujaku art of the Hidden Star village: they summon a cloud of solidified chakra, which they then use to attack. It's not nearly as powerful as the real thing, though."

She passes a summary sheet of the mission to Haruki

"You'll find the location of their hideout on there. Dismissed!"

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I'll have the map up in a couple hours or so; having a little trouble with the computer I have it saved on. Nothing I can't handle though.

[Collin152]

Haruki looks over the sheet (and the map that he can totally see), and nods his understanding.
Alright, Tsunade-sama, we will set out at once.

[Carinthium]

"Perhaps we should try and swing some over to our own side with the prospect of a quick buck?" asked Oda.

[AlterForm]

You arrive at the entry point easily enough. It's a couple stories up at the top of an old warehouse. The lower levels of the building are too derelict to navigate, but it looks like the bandits were getting in here by way of a fire escape over the street nearby. You've decided to let yourselves in the same way.

Upon entering, you notice there is only 1 door and the stairs going back down. No two ways about it: You'll have to go in with a bang.

MAP

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Sorry I took so long to get this up. Windows decided it needed a reinstall.

You're currently in the small room just to the left of the street that you can see. The door at K7 is your entrypoint. Pick a position and go. If you want to, send me a picture to use for your token when I update the map. Otherwise, you get my stick doodles.

Or continue discussing the mission, but don't take too long.

[Carinthium]

Oda moves in, assuming the others do.

OOC: This is a test game, and I didn't because of want to test out combat, but I can see at least one alternative around going in with a bang.

[OverWilliam]

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Mah pic;



Feel free to re-size as necessary.

Hissori examined the room they found themselves in briefly, looking for traps, trip wires, or anything else unusual, and was careful not to trip them. Then he closed his eyes and focused past the walls, searching for something that the eyes could not see...

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Awareness check: (1d10+6)[14]

Use skill Aura Tracker to check for auras in the building.

[AlterForm]

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Hissori finds no traps in the room.

Aura Tracker readout: 8 auras roughly north of you, 3 south and a little west of you, 2 more in the other corner (NW) of the building. North is up.

[Collin152]

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Here's a suitable token:
The Kanji says 'Kumo', referring to a spider. You know, like his last name, which could also mean cloud? It's a little big, but it can be rezised as needed, I'm sure.

Seeing Hissori looking intently, and knowing his ability to sense chakra, Haruki asks him, What do you advise we do?

[Carinthium]

Oda, seeing that the others aren't moving, waits.

"Perhaps we should have one of us pretend to join them? The prospect of adding a ninja to their ranks would seem quite good for an organisation like this one."

[OverWilliam]

Hissori relents his sixth-sense examination and frowns. He meets Haruki's look with one that warns to be cautious, but says nothing else.

[AlterForm]

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You gonna head in? There's a bit of space between you guys and the auras Hissori picked up, so you're not walking directly into enemies.

[Collin152]

We head in. Or at least Haruki does.
Towards the door.
OOC: Needing your Medical Ninja to take the initiative and move in first... tsk tsk tsk.

[AlterForm]

Map

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Haruki = Kanji
Hissori = Kunai
Oda = Stick Ninja

As Haruki (and the others) enter the room, they spot a pair of guards half-asleep on what might be described as Watch Duty. They snap out of it quickly enough.

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Hissori and Oda may place themselves within 1 square of Haruki.

Initiative from everyone please. Battle will begin tomorrow.
Enemies act on - (1d10+4)[12]

[Carinthium]

I'll be to Haruki's right.

[OverWilliam]

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Guess that puts me on J7.

Init: [roll]1d10+8[/roll]

[Collin152]

Initiative powers, activate!
(1d10+8)[13]

[Carinthium]

1d10 (7) + 3 = 10

[AlterForm]

MAP

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Sorry about the shifting grid, but I think I have a setup that works well now.

The guards scramble to get up, but Haruki beats them to the punch. A few moments later, and Hissori and Oda have joined the battle.

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OverWilliam, I'm rerolling your initiative so we can get going.
Hissori Init - (1d10+8)[11]

Initiative Order:
Haruki
Enemy Ninja
Hissori
Oda

[Collin152]

Aight.

With uncanny speed, Haruki rushes towards his waking foe.

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Move to M11

Drawing a kunai, he throws it towards the nearest enemy.
You should have stayed asleep.

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Technique, Kunai.
I don't know his evasion, so I'll let you work sort that out.
Accuracy Check:(1d10+4)[7]

[AlterForm]

Haruki's kunai sails straight into the chest of the enemy nin, quickly taking him out of the battle.

The other nin, however, forms a rapid series of hand-signs, terminating in a forceful move that projects his arms in front of him. A pale, purplish cloud of what is obviously chakra incarnate forms in front of the guard.

The doors to the north also burst open, releasing a trio of other ninja. They quickly file out and spread, while the sound of clone formation can be heard from the rooms they just exited.

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Evasion on these guys is 3.
Evasion on the Chakra Cloud is 3.
Evasion Ninja K9 - (1d10+3)[7] Anyone remember seeing a rule about ties? For now, tie goes to higher mod.

Updated Map (I'll try to update it as often as possible, definitely once per round)

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[OverWilliam]

Hissori was taken by surprise at all of the new arrivals, but recovered quickly and snatched a kunai from his leg holster. He lept forward, moving faster than would be possible for someone without his training, and only stopped long enough for one foot to touch the ground before he threw his momentum to the side, and barely even slowing down, slashed his way across two enemies at once...

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Swift Step to Q9, spend 10 EN

Technique: Kunai Dash, spend 40 EN

Enemy P9:
Attack: (1d10+5)[15]
Evade: (1d10+3)[10]

Enemy M9:
Attack: (1d10+5)[13]
Evade: (1d10+3)[6]

P9 takes 380 damage, M9 takes 360 damage

End position: K10

HP: 900/(900); EN: 100/(150)

[AlterForm]

As the enemy ninja took up positions to the group's north, Oda made a sharp turn and managed to slam one against the wall with a well placed punch.

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Just so we keep moving, I'm going to do Oda's turn for him. Auto-attacking nearest enemy without putting the self in danger. Same will be given to Hissori or Haruki if they miss their initiative call by a couple days.

Oda's Actions
Move to S10
Attack Ninja at T9 with Standard Punch (110/120 EN)
Accuracy - (1d10+2)[10]
Evasion - (1d10+3)[9]

Ninja at T9 drops. Oda is now at S10. Map will be updated at the end of the enemie's turns.

End Round 1: Hissori, and Enemies gain +1 will; Oda gains +2 will

[Collin152]

Alarmed by the sudden influx of enemies, and confused by the mysterious technique of the other door guard, Haruki puts his analytical skills to work, tryign to discern a weakness in the ninjas movements, and the movements of the chakra construct he has formed.

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Using a fast action to Discern Weakness on the Ninja at K7.
My intuition roll: (1d10+4)[7]

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Move to K10, use Kunai technique.
Assuming the roll is insuficient:
Accuracy:(1d10+4)[11]
Evasion:(1d10+3)[12]

Haruki runs to the side, hoping to snake a Kunai in succsesfully past the huge mass of Chakra.

[Carinthium]

I have the Determinator skill, so I gain +2 will.

[AlterForm]

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Opposed Intuition - (1d10+3)[12] No flaws discerned by Haruki.