Topic: Voltron: Legendary Defender - Galra species mechanics

[Zhaleskra]

As a childhood fan of Voltron, I'm loving the Netflix reboot - Voltron: Legendary Defender. Because I am also running a sci fantasy game right now, and I've introduced the Galra (you may know them as the Drule) as a threat, I had to come up with mechanics for them. Here's what I've come up with.

Co +2, Ag +3, Qu +3, In +3, Endurance +40, PP + 20, PEP +10, Stamina +20, Will +10
Agile Defense, Blazing Speed, Lightning Reflexes

Galra, Female base height 240 cm
Galra, Male base height 247 cm
Multiplier 2

Galra, Female base mass 120
Galra, Male base mass 130
Multiplier 3

[Zhaleskra]

While I have yet to test my Galra mechanics in game, I have created a Galra NPC. Now I'm switching gears to the Alteans. I don't have much yet, but I think I can cover the limited shapeshifting with Active Blood Magic Changing Ways (Range: Self). Normally range is 10 feet, and I'm wondering if I should include any scaling?

[Zhaleskra]

With a little help from CoM, I've come up with the racial talents for Alteans.

* Blood Magic Changing Ways (Self, Gain Racial Abilities of Form Taken)
* Combat Awareness
* Instinctive Defense

I had originally planned on having the spend one round to change forms scaling option.

[Zhaleskra]

I've changed the Altean Active Blood Magic Changing Ways to 1 minute/rank, though I'm not sure I worked the duration right.

[Zhaleskra]

I feel better continuing the topic I started than creating a new one.

Anyway, Voltron: Legendary Defender Season 5 seems to have changed the rules for Alteans, so I need to make different considerations.

[Zhaleskra]

As of season 6, it seems they changed the rules for Alteans back again, while keeping some of the new stuff for more magical Alteans.

Musings about Stat Mods: definitely to Ag because of what we've seen Allura do to Galra (and half-breeds), probably In and Re (Diplomatic People), maybe Co?

Have to change the altered version of Changing Ways, de-power it a bit.

[Zhaleskra]

Alteans so far . . .
Ag +3, SD +2, Re +2, In +3
Endurance +20, Power Points +30, Psi Energy +20
Active Blood Magic: Changing Ways*
Combat Awareness
Instinctive Defense

* This is a down scaled version allowing only a change of a single color, and increase/decrease in size and mass. It would cost 3 PP base (Alteration, Increase, Body, Light, Mass). Range/AoE: Self, Duration: concentration only. Didn't bother with Shrink although it wouldn't affect base cost at all.

As a diplomatic species, Alteans know that sometimes diplomacy doesn't go the way you expect, so the ability to respond to a hostile reaction to negotiations is necessary. Regarding height and weight, I'm tempted to say "just use elves".

[ironmaul]

Have to say I was a fan of Voltron in my younger days too and loving the reboot on Netflix as well, also my daughter is a massive fan and demands that I watch it with her
Would be nice to see some sort of rules for using the lions with critical hit tables etc. My daughter would love to play in a Voltron setting.

[Zhaleskra]

I did enjoy Defenders of the Universe in the '80s and admit I watched some episodes of Vehicle Voltron, even watched some episodes of Voltron: the Third Dimension which had some glaring CGI errors. DotU definitely suffered from a theme of the '80s: Unnecessary Nanny Character.

The lions are stumping me a bit: they're robots, sure, and they're also vehicles, and they're magitek. Definitely characters unto themselves, with their somewhat limited autonomy. But I do have some ideas.

All Lions: Jaw Blade (Medium Slashing), Mouth Laser (Medium Laser), Tail Laser (Small Laser)

Blue and Red Lions: Medium Elemental Attack

Green Lion Vine Cannon: Medium Attack

Of course these are all Vehicle scale attacks.

[ironmaul]

I think trying to get a good balance of critical hits for the "Lions" would be a key factor. Although in the animation they're pretty indestructible I think having more combat damage vehicles would make it more fun...risky entering combat.

[Zhaleskra]

The Lions have been messed up a bit too, either individually, or in a fully assembled Voltron. Usually this has something to do with a Quintessence drain or taking too much damage too fast.

As for Alteans, I'm switching out Combat Awareness for Lightning Reflexes, mostly to lower talent DP cost. Haven't really seen any specially high or low resistances, so +10 for all.

[ironmaul]

I'm not sure the Lions are powered by Quintessence...I asked my daughter and she thinks they are powered by the Castle through the crystals (we could be wrong?)

Voltron is a funny genre, a mix of space opera with "Quintessence" magic. I will have to watch them again one day after I've finished binge watching my other shows on Netflix.

In the last season(6) we learned that some Alteans have Quintessence residing in them and other Alteans do not, I guess that could be due to bloodlines?

So what version of rules are you using/converting to? I have't looked at my books for awhile.

My son wants to start GMing with RMC.

[Zhaleskra]

Oh right, I guess I did forget to mention that. Using HARP SF and Fantasy.

I think we can write off "powered by the castle", also thanks to season 6. "Some Alteans are more magical than others, no offense" - Lotor, with the "no offense" to Coran (can't remember if Lotor had a "simply" in there). This highly suggests that there are some Alteans who have Latent Blood Magic, and others who don't, from a rules perspective. Somehow I doubt that all the Alteans we see in season 6 are nobles.

One of my friends suggested using Anime-themed RPGs, and while V:LD has anime-esque silliness, combat is taken with deadly seriousness. Except the ease with which Shiro used to cut down Galran sentries. Though given "sentry repair rooms" and the mass production, the Galrans may simply not see the need to give their robots additional protection.

[ironmaul]

Yes, you're correct about the Lions not needing the Castle to power up, good point...unless season 7 states otherwise.

It appears that Quintessence is rather corruptive to the mind and body in strong quantities or over extended periods of time, something worth considering.

As to the Galra robotic "infantry," I think it is reasonable to think that most opponent planets/systems don't have the level of military tech as the Galra do and having mass numbers would be enough for them to keep things under control.
Having to use extra resources on bot upgrades like armour etc. would probably be not worth it considering how those under their rule are rather passive...from what I gather from the show.

I like some of the silliness of the show, it gets a laugh out of me now and then. Loved the roleplaying episode they had, classic! And of course the show is targeted at a younger age group for sure but I think they do have a good balance of seriousness and silliness.

It is puzzling how some Galra look different in physical aspects to others. I wonder if the Galra are a race that can easily cross breed with other races?

[Zhaleskra]

Is it really targeted to a younger demographic though? Cluster Q-bombs, the realization that while the ships are mostly staffed with robots Team Voltron have killed countless Galra (usually by destroying their cruisers), openly talking about slavery and death (after Season 1), robeast conversion involves death of the physical body. Either we're suffering from Animation Age Ghetto or the series is full '80s where TV and movies weren't afraid to scare the crap out of kids. Heck, I even re-watched some episodes of Defenders of the Universe "hosted" by the LD staff, and remember a field of bones (mostly skulls) where the blue robeast lived. It's a lot more adult than people give it credit for, despite the silly scenes.

[ironmaul]

Yeah, I think it is. Of course my perception of targeted audience for Voltron is between 11 and 15 year olds. I grew up in the 80's so for me Voltron fits in well with my mind set. Back then I we didn't have the political correctness rubbish like we do today and trying to fairy floss story lines so that we hide the way the world really is.

[Zhaleskra]

Actually, the '80s had a lot of censorship, but still much less than we have today. You actually couldn't have a show like "You Can't Do That on Television" today because they wouldn't be allowed to do 90% of their skits.

I think V:LD knows that are adults are watching and knows that some of those same adults do not have children, so I'd put it at Teen+. Anyway, back to thinking about mechanics, especially the lions and combiner mecha.