Killshot... Advanced?

I am the Warden!!

On Thursday, I finally sat down and used a series of words to form sentences, which collected into paragraphs to create an introduction for Killshot: Reloaded. The next supplement has begun.

What was nice about nailing down the intro's first draft was settling on the key aspects for each theme. I had been tossing around a few ideas, collecting notes, yet never truly agreeing on anything save for the general idea and it's name. Having forced myself to make a decision, I can honestly say I'm really looking forward to the challenge this supplement will offer.

Having a basis to work from, I can now sit back and assess what this book is truly about. It's not just about new themes; it's about stepping this game up a notch. An advanced version of Killshot, if you will. I'm going with the assumption many characters (now that "assassin" will not always apply) will be close to 50 training points in total or simply looking to mix it up a little from their previous exploits. I realize now this book has to meet and exceed that challenge in many ways, including handling "higher level" characters.

Let's go through each one by one, shall we?

Operation: Killshot

You are an operative - CIA, Mosaad, KGB, or a freelancer working for a clandestine private organization. Your missions involve the discovery of information as well as dispatching threats. Secrecy is the key to your success; no one must know you exist.

For this theme, the assumption is you're more qualified than the average assassin and therefore will assume each operative has at least 40 training points at the start. While the game is already built to handle such experienced characters, this is the perfect opportunity to present rules for advanced play. Handling increased difficulty without simply dropping more dice, putting more pressure on operatives, and raising the stakes without getting ridiculous with dice pools. How am I going to do this? That'll have to wait until another post because I'm still trying to figure that out myself.

Hard Boiled Killshot

Hong Kong gun-Fu cinema. Need I say more? For this theme, there are two major tweaks to develop. First, this genre is known for bringing characters from opposite side of the law - cops and killers - together through a unique bond. Therefore, you can choose between playing a killer or a cop. There will be few mechanical differences and the choice will be more story and character driven than anything.

The second component is slow motion action. I want to find a way to make this theme more visual and allow players to unleash awesome potential in their characters by going "slo-mo." As with the previous theme, I have no idea how this will work, but I do know one thing. I do NOT an action made in slo-mo to fail; characters in this genre never fuck up at 60 frames per second.

Wanted: Killshot

The vast open terrain of the American West in the late 1800s is the setting for this theme. Players are gunslingers making a living as only they know how. While I'm aiming for a bounty hunter style, this is more of a recommendation than an adhered tone.

Aside from adapting technology, as you would with any alternate timeline or history for a game, I want morality to play a huge factor in this theme. In the Wild West, your convictions are what make someone and sticking to those morales in the face of violence and depravity has been one of the most fascinating aspects of modern westerns.

Way of the Killshot

Finally, we have ninjas. Whether you work within the shadows of 12th Century Japan or bring their traditions to modern times, players must learn to master stealth and death equally. Killing the mark is not enough; you must create fear in every survivor.

This theme will try to avoid the role of technology and weaponry as the central tools for players and focus on individual achievement. Weapons merely provide ranges and reactions; it is the ninja who kills. Plus I want this theme to access martial arts and bring in some hand-to-hand combat and unlock fear as a weapon.

Minimum Potential

Of course, all of this is just the tip of the iceberg. The basic material required for a worthy supplement with room for expansion based on how well the Kickstarter drive goes. At the very least, Reloaded will be around 120 pages for players and Directors alike.

Bring it on, baby. Let's get started.