Index of Galaxy Command's Monsters

Okay, for the last couple of days, I've been working on Galaxy Command monsters, as I mentioned a couple of posts ago. Rather than deciding to put out one huge monster book, I broke the content into a series of PDFs in the "Space Monsters" line. I've finished volumes one and volumes two, and will probably finish off V3 before moving onto other projects.

I thought I'd give a preview of the content of each PDF, as well as show you something pretty impressive. Of all my settings, over several books, I've produced 40+ monsters for Galaxy Command. I've kept a chart since the beginning as an index- the roles mentioned are purely story elements- I mention them in the Space Monsters books, but they have no game play effect, like a type or subtype would. Rather, they're just hints to the GM on how they should use them.

Anyway, take a look at the monsters of the Galaxy Command setting, including about 20 that have yet to see release. 

CHRIS

Monster	Challenge Rating	Originally Published In
Non Sentient Predators
Algon Skitterer	CR 3	Galaxy Command Campaign Setting
Algon Optico-Hound	CR 2	Space Monsters V1
Chyss Bio-Flea	CR 4	Space Monsters V2
Hypno-Bat	CR 4	Stars & Nightmares
Jovian Groundpounder	CR 5	Space Monsters V2
R’lythian Drainer	CR 14	Stars & Nightmares
R’lythian Driller	CR 6	Stars & Nightmares
Silent Harvester	CR 21	Stars & Nightmares
Silistrate Gravel Maw	CR 8	Space Monsters V2
Syrion Yowler	CR 6	Space Monsters V1
Valentin Slazer Hawk	CR 4	Space Monsters V2
Venturan Sabermaw	CR 6	Galaxy Command Campaign Setting
Space Pirates
Argonite Wraith Zoner	CR 8	Space Mafia
Chyss Invader	CR 6	Space Monsters V2
Cyberhunter	CR 4	Space Monsters V1
Hygon Warrior	CR 3	Space Monsters V1
Proximite Tinglor	CR 4	Space Monsters V1
Shipbreaker	CR 10	Space Mafia
Space Hippy	CR 6	Space Monsters V2
Spacehulk Raider	CR 6	Space Mafia
Robots and War Machines
Bounty Droid	CR 8	Space Monsters V2
COP-Bot 35X	CR 6	Space Mafia
Omegan Executioner	CR 4	Galaxy Command Campaign Setting
Omegan Seeker	CR 2	Galaxy Command Campaign Setting
Omegan Scorcher	CR 11	Galaxy Command Campaign Setting
Omegan Warboss	CR 9	Galaxy Command Campaign Setting
Orpakan Spinegrinder	CR 5	Space Mafia
MURDER-Bot 2727	CR 12	Space Mafia
WARSTAR Nova Knight	CR 9	Space Monsters V1
Hostile and Sentient Non-Humanoids
Acturan Warwolf	CR 4	Galaxy Command Campaign Setting
Fusion Giant	CR 12	Space Monsters V1
Serpis Dominators	CR 6	Stars & Nightmares
Warp Swimmer	CR 16	Space Monsters V1
Potential Allies
Grandfather Tutors	CR 3	Galaxy Command Campaign Setting
Quith Sunfliers	CR 4	Stars & Nightmares
World Seeder	CR 13	Space Monsters V2
Boss Monsters
Blacknova Warlord	CR 10	Galaxy Command Campaign Setting
Bleakmoon Tyrant	CR 23	Galaxy Command Campaign Setting
The Charr	CR 21	Adorable Avenger Advanced Class
Chyss God Form	CR 18	Space Monsters V2
Space God	CR 18	Space Monsters V1
Warp Widow	CR 11	Space Monsters V1
WARSTAR Tyranix	CR 12	Space Monsters V2

Character Art: Comstock

I just received this art from Alex Garcia Palomares, which depicts the Lifer supersoldier Comstock in full battle kit.

In addition to illustrating the character's entry, this image will become the cover of the Lifer Army Manual. Here- a preview of the Lifer Army Book in the form of this iconic mini-boss style villain's statblock.
CHRIS

Comstock (CR 10)

Medium Humanoid (Psionic) (Lifechained)

New Promise Infantry 1, Powered Hero 7

XP

Init +5; Senses Darkvision 60 ft, Lowlight vision. 

Languages English, Spanish, Russian
Action Points 20 +2d6 remaining

Defense

AC 27 (+10 equipment, +4 DEX, +4 natural, +3 class)
HP 68 hp (8d8+24 hp)

Damage Reduction 10/- when making a flying charge only
Immune Fire, Radiation, Suffocation/Drowning, Sleep, Paralysis

Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +3

Offense

Speed 30 ft ; Flight 60 ft (good maneuverability, able to travel at multi-mach speeds outside combat)
Melee +22/+17 unarmed strike (2d6+14 bludgeoning)

Ranged Breath Weapon (60 ft line, 7d6 fire plus radiation, REF DC 24 half)

            +12 ranged (Plasma Rifle: 2d12 fire, 20/x2, 80 ft range increment, single shot, 40 rounds) 

+12 ranged (Rail Pistol: 3d6 ballistic, 20/x2, 100 ft range increment, single shot, 20 rounds)

Statistics

STR 31 DEX 18 CON 18 INT 14 WIS 15 CHA 15

Base Atk +8 CMB +18 CMD 32

Talents Basic Military Training, Military Teamwork, Ability Push (STR), Mega-Scale Strength I, M.S. Strength II, M.S. Strength III, Thrower, Flyer I, Flyer II, Ballistic Flight, Continental Range

Feats Simple Weapons Proficiency, Martial Weapons Proficiency, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Armor Proficiency (light, medium, heavy)

Powered Hero Plus x2, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Cleave, Improved Unarmed Strike

Skills Bluff +8, Hide +8, Intimidate +10, Knowledge (tactics) +3, Knowledge (theology) +4, Knowledge (history) +4, Move Silently +10, Pilot +8, Sense Motive +8, Survival +8, Swim +16

Starting Occupation Hereditary CFL Kid (Killmarkings)

Starting Talent Football Hero

Possessions Standard New Promise Infantry loadout (see appendix)

            “Don’t listen to that. Just don’t listen to it, man. We all know Moonshot’s not strongly pro-life. We all know that she’s lifer-in-name-only, lean as the cafeteria’s beef. She’s telling you we gotta accept a Choicer’s surrender if they put their hands up. Let me tell you, those hands, they’ve got babies blood on them, and it doesn’t matter if they’re raised or still holding a gun. Every Chooser you put in the ground, each and everyone, that’s one less Chooser killing babies. Think about it. One dead Chooser, how many babies couldn’t she kill over the what, 60-70 more years she’d live? Ten thousand, twenty thousand? I’m saying if you don’t take that shot, man, you’re a coward and you’re no good to me or to the Army.”

            -Comstock, December 2106

Appearance

            Comstock has the physique of a high school football star, tall and muscular, with arrogance seemingly coded into his genes. His perfectly Caucasian features are sheathed in gleaming silver, a natural carapace that can shrug off anything smaller caliber than a Sidewinder missile. His silver hair is cut, by military lasers, into a severe buzz cut. Comstock’s eyes are pools of green fire, and wisps of emerald plasma leak from his chrome lips while he speaks. Comstock’s muscular forearms and the palms of his hands are covered in dozens of tiny female symbols, each glowing with poisonous green light. Each of these tiny kill-markings, more than 200 so far, represents a Choicer target Comstock has personally murdered.

            Comstock wears undecorated Defender of Life bodyarmor, keeping it cleaner than even the hardest Lifer drill sergeant would demand. His weapons are similarly well maintained, but during a firefight, he prefers to cut loose with his natural gifts or throw a car at (through!) an opponent than resort to human-scale firearms.

Campaign Use

            Comstock is a brutal, simpleminded thug in the service off the Lifer Army of God. His favorite tactic is to slam into a single target from high orbit and at transonic speeds, enjoying the feel of flesh splitting and entrails sliding over his gleaming silver hull. His handlers would rather he confine has Ballistic Charges to taking out hardened targets: vehicles, full conversion cyborgs, and enemy mecha, but Comstock has lately shown a disturbing penchant for aiming right at female targets, armored or not.

            Comstock is designed as an intense, straight up brawl. He’s simple to run. Most of his abilities are purely physical and most of his feats are passive, and require very little game master adjudication. The half dragon template, as presented in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, was used to punch up Comstock’s superhuman combat abilities. In story, this is explained by the use of alien, Lifechained DNA during Comstock’s creation process. However, he doesn’t have the Dragon type, which doesn’t really fit into the Otherverse America world; gamemasters can easily change his type if desired.

            Comstock is usually accompanied by a squad of New Promise Grunts (CR 2), a few Non-Comms (CR 4) and maybe a low level Powered Hero or two, and might also accompany Moonshot for a particularly important mission. During a fight, he’s going to be a mindless engine of destruction. While other NPCs try to achieve more subtle objectives, his sole goal will be to blow up any abortion clinics (or preferably) slaughter any female abortion providers or priestesses within his range. Even as other members of the squad fall back or switch tactics, he’s going to remain at the center of the fight. There’s a good chance that the player characters will kill Comstock first in any given encounter, just because of his idiotic, sociopathic tactics.

Special Abilities

Ability Push (EX)

Once per day, as a full round action, Comstock can increase his STR score by +2 for up to one hour.

Autostabilizing Armor (EX)

Automatically stabilizes when reduced to 0 HP or less thanks to a gadget in his armor.

Ballistic Flight (SU)

When making a charge while airborne, Comstock is treated as having Damage Reduction 10/- until the end of the charge. The charge attack receives a bonus to +21 bonus to damage in addition the normal effects of charging.

Radioactive Breath Weapon (SU)

Up to four times per day, but no more than once per minute, Comstock can breathe out a 60 ft line of radioactive green flames. All targets in the line are considered to be exposed to a heavily irradiated area for one round.

Military Teamwork (EX)

Provides a +3 bonus when using Aid Another to assist another New Promise Infantry soldier. Also receives this bonus when being Aided by another New Promise Infantryman.

Mega-Scale Strength (SU)

Comstock is superhumanly powerful. He never suffers encumbrance or armor check penalties, and in addition his base lifting and carrying limits are 10 tons. For every two points Comstock beats a DC 10 STR check by, he can lift and carry an additional ton.

Thrower (SU)

Comstock adds his entire Strength score (+31) to attack and damage rolls with thrown weapons when making a full round action.

Back From San Antonio With a Question

So this was a pretty great week.

I spent the last three days hanging out in San Antonio, hitting the comic shops and used bookstores, playing Halo 4 with my buddies, and eating at good restaurants. It was a great time, and I scored a truly impressive haul of comics and game related loot, including a bunch of old Rifts sourcebooks and Joseph Linser's Dawn: Lucifer's Halo, which is an absolutely stunning piece of pagan art.

I also found a copy of Albedo second edition in hardcopy; I mentioned I picked up Sanguine's Platinum Catalyst in PDF form a few posts ago. That said, I now have a question. Do any of you guys have any interest in the Albedo property at all? Because for years now, I've wanted to pick up a licensed setting for Otherverse Games, and Albedo seems just obscure enough that a one-man shop like my own might be able to snag it.

I spoke to Sanguine Games a week or two ago, and they mentioned they had no plans to reacquire the license. Now, I don't know if the author even WANTS to license Erma Felna for RPG use again, or what kind of terms he would want even if he did (or even if there is enough fan interest to make putting out a new Albedo RPG feasible).... but its something I'm interested in. Acquiring a license and doing kickass stuff with it is a personal goal I've had for a couple of years now, and I've already got a few ideas for a revised Albedo Pathfinder/Fursona-powered RPG.I figure over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to ask around on some furry and military sci-fi boards I know, see if there's interest from either community.

Anyway, let me know what you think,
CHRIS

Galaxy Command: Space Monsters

Okay, I just sent off a list of illustrations to Amanda Webb for the Choicer Player's Guide. While I'm waiting on art for that project (which I'll preview in a few days), I'm working on a bestiary for Galaxy Command, imaginatively titled "Space Monsters!" It will be fully Pathfinder compatible, and in keeping with Galaxy Command's cheesy 70s sci-fi TV, low-budget aesthetic I will be commissioning NO- absolutely zero- new art for this book. Part of the challenge (and the fun) of this book is finding cool stock illustrations and adapting them for use in a retro sci-fi setting. Right now, I've got about 10 statblocks, and I want to have a book of about 20-30 good ones before I put it out. I'm going to go on vacation in a couple of days, so I won't do much writing this week, but I'll finish up Space Monsters when I get back from San Antonio.

Here's a preview: The Warp Widow, a mastermind/manipulator type inspired by Malcolm McClinton's drider stock art from Inkwell Arts. Let me know what you think.

Warp Widows (CR 11)

Huge LE Native Outsider

Space Pirate/Boss Monster

XP 12,800

Init +1 Senses Darkvision 500 ft, lowlight vision, scent, Perception +4

Languages Galactic Common, Proximite, Orphak, Gravity Cat, WARSTAR

Defense

AC 18 Touch 11 Flatfooted 17 (+7 natural, +2 deflection, +1 DEX, -2 size )

HP 16d10 + 48 hp (136 HP)

FORT +8 REF +11 WILL +14

Resist Electrical 10, Fire 10, Force 15

Weaknesses Nocturnal (-2 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks and saving throws in daylight or bright artificial light)

Offense

Spd 50 ft Climb 50 ft

Melee two claws +19 (1d8+5 slashing, 20/x2)

Ranged laser rifle +16 (2d12+1 force, 20/x3, full auto, 100 ft range increment, 20 round/cell)

Spell-like Abilities (CL 16^th)

            At Will – Web (DC 19)

            5x/Day – Slow (DC 20)

            3x/Day – Blink (CL 16^th)

            1x/Day – Greater Teleport (self plus 50 lbs of gear, galactic range)

Statistics

Str 20 Dex 13 Con 16 Int 25 Wis 18 Cha 12

Base Atk +16 CMB +22 CMD 38 (cannot be tripped)

Feats Personal Firearms Proficiency, Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Burst Fire, Dead Aim, Dodge, Gear Head, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Run, Shot on the Run

Skills Acrobatics +5, Bluff +5, Climb +15, Computer Use +17, Craft (electronic) +25, Craft (mechanical) +15, Drive +9, Knowledge (streetwise) +15, Knowledge (tactics) +15, Pilot +9, Stealth +7

Gear Ring of Protection +2 (forcefield ring), handmade masterwork quality laser rifle, 6x spare cells, computer/data pad, nicely appointed personal starship for emergency escapes

Ecology

Environment urban areas and space stations, throughout Command and WARSTAR space

Organization usually solitary, often accompanied by various space pirates or mercenaries

Treasure carried weapons plus 1d6+1 other advanced energy weapons or forcefields of the GM’s choice

Special Abilities

            Nocturnal (EX)
            Warp Widows are evolved for darkness and subterranean hunting. They suffer a -2 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks and saving throws in daylight or in bright artificial light.

            “Who Do You Think Assembled Your Blaster?” (EX)

            At the beginning of the encounter, as a standard action, the Warp Widow can attempt a Craft (electronic) check, the DC of which is equal to 10 + the average party level of the Warp Widow’s opponents. If this check is successful, the Warp Widow gains the ability to exploit weaknesses it (or another of its species) built into the opponent’s ranged weapons. The Warp Widow gains a number of Sabotage Points equal to 10 + one additional point per point she beats the Craft (electronic) Check DC by.

            The Warp Widow can spend Sabotage Points at any time, as a free action, even on another creature’s turn. Unused Sabotage Points are lost at the end of an encounter. The Warp Widow can spend any number of points desired, including points used for different purposes (such as penalizing both a shot’s attack roll and damage roll)

            The Warp Widow can spend Sabotage Points to:

• Reduce a ranged attack roll with any firearm or energy weapon (-1 penalty per S.P. spent)
• Reduce a damage roll with any firearm or energy weapon (-1 damage per S.P. spent, can reduce a damage roll to 0 HP)
• Force the weapon to target the shooter’s ally, provided that ally is within 50 ft of the Warp Widow and within line of sight (Flat 5 S.P. cost)
• Provide a bonus on ranged attack roll with any fire arm or energy weapon, or increase damage by +1 (+1 bonus per S.P. spent, usually used in conjunction with the above ability)
• Force a weapon to eject all remaining rounds or its magazine/energy cell (Flat 5 S.P. cost)
• Destroy a weapon. Weapon explodes, inflicting upon the wielder 1d6 fire damage per shot remaining (Max 10d6, REF DC 18 half) (Flat 10 S.P. cost)

Sabotage Points only affect high tech ranged weapons and firearms. At the GM’s option, crude firearms, (such as revolvers) might be immune to the Warp Widow’s tampering.  Likewise, innate ranged energy attacks are usually immune to this effect, though the GM has final say on what abilities are and aren’t vulnerable to tampering. For example, a half dragon’s breath weapon is completely immune, but a cyborg Powered Hero’s power blast might not be, especially if it were built using components a Warp Widow might have potentially had access to. This ability does not affect thrown or muscle powered weapons (such as spears or sling bullets, ect).

Roleplaying

            Warp Widows a rare breed of coldly intelligent techno-paths, who have spread throughout the galaxy. Warp Widows have only a rudimentary culture of their own, instead, they live on the fringes of human-controlled space, using their vast intellects to establish a lair and place within a human organization that needs their skills. Warp Widows have a genius for weapons that surpasses the skill of even the most ingenious Proximite, and often find comfortable niches for themselves as armorers for WARSTAR or any Space Mafioso capable of meeting their million-credit price.

            Warp Widows are arachnituars, with the thorax and abdomen of a massive web-spinner spider, and a mostly humanoid upper torso and forelimbs. These creatures have mottled purple, black and grey hides capable of withstanding laser fire and are prodigiously strong. Warp Widows are an exclusively female species- the males are non-sentient parasites, resembling hand-sized ticks that spend their entire lives attached to the female’s thorax, fertilizing her. Warp Widows have mask-like, unexpressive faces that reveal almost nothing of the great and horrible thoughts that flit through their minds. Warp Widows move with a skittery speed, and their long fingers twitch and clutch and writhe constantly, as if the giant spiders were sketching the designs for new rail guns in the air before them.

           

            Warp Widows speak Galactic Common and several other languages. They have an enormous technical vocabulary and an almost autistic obsession with weapons, tactics and payment for their genius. These creatures know a million different words to describe the caliber of a bullet but stumble and stutter when looking for a word describing love, or friendship, or honesty, or describing an animal in any term other than in describing ballistic trauma.

            Warp Widows are known for their mastery of technomancy. Bionic circuits woven into their carapace allow them to slow local space/time fields, spin force-field based webs, and even teleport across galactic distances faster than a top-quality space cruiser. Warp Widows use their abilities intelligently, and are not above using their teleportation talent as a last-ditch escape route; they will never fight to the death if they can avoid it. That’s what underlings are for, after all.

Races of the Command Fleet

 I just finished laying out Races of the Command Fleet last night. It came out to about 90 pages of incredible retro sci-fi goodness. Inside, the most common heroic races of the Galaxy Command setting get a new look, with all new art, tons of new starting talents, feats both new and old, and tons of other options....including some neat variant human races that allow you to play up different tropes of 70s sci-fi.

John Picot turned in some incredible artwork for this one, and I thought I'd spotlight some of his best pieces here. Up top, we have his rendition of the Trius race, which is currently my desktop background. In the middle, a very Final Fantasy X influenced Syrion (and I can tell you  I'll be reusing this image in some fantasy context too).  On the bottom, his take on a Gravity Cat, which is going to be the book's cover.

Up next, I'm still collecting artwork for the San Francisco Citybook, the Choicer Player's Guide and Lifer Army Books. In addition, I'll be doing some quick projects in between, illustrated with stock art.

 I'm thinking about doing a quick monster book for Galaxy Command using nothing but various cool monster images I've got in my stock art morgue.

Also, one of my readers asked me if I ever planned to revisit D20 Decade: The 1980s. I've been thinking about it, to be honest. D20 Decade was the first PDF I put out, and it really shows its age. Content wise, it's still pretty solid- I'm still fairly proud of the non-fiction writing I did, summing up the 80s. There's some good ideas in there, but it would definately need some clean-up. So the answer as to whether or not I'll revise and re-release D20 Decade: 1980s is a resounding "maybe"....nah, make it a "probably".

Anyway, talk to you later,
CHRIS

Albedo: Platinum Catalyst

            This is the story of an idea that didn’t come to fruition.

I’ve been working on several projects near simultaneously. While waiting for art for the as yet untitled Lifer Army Book and the Choicer Player’s Guide, I’ve been finishing up Races of the Command Fleet for the Galaxy Command campaign setting. As I finalized races, I got an urge to do more Galaxy Command stuff. It’s a very fun setting to work on, and given its kitchen-sink nature as a homage to 70s and early 80s sci-fi, one that’s very easy to design for. I can toss in anything I want, any concept that seems fun, and it fits.

            Anyway, I’ve got a ton of furry fans because of Fursona, and I thought it might be fun to create an Anthro supplement for Galaxy Command. So I started writing, doing preliminary work on a sourcebook; before I scrapped the idea, I got to about 5K usable words and 10K rough notes.

• I envisioned a sector of space, an enclosed area within a nebula, that hides the area from the wider galaxy. I called this sector Anthro Space.

• Inside, I figured it would be a Anthro-only sci-fi setting, with a classic space opera feel. Anthro order would both substitute for race and species, but would also hint at the creature’s personality and social role.

• Anthro Space is a relatively new setting: the Anthros were created/uplifted by an outside race, not naturally evolved. Until a relatively short while ago, the Anthros were a servant of a mysterious race I called the Experimenters. The Experimenters built the sector’s infrastructure, gave the Anthros tech and culture- they didn’t ‘earn it’ for themselves. The Experimenters vanished a while back, and nobody in Anthro Space knows what happened to them.

• I broke Anthro Space into two major factions.

• The good guy faction would be a loose confederation of planets, with a very heterogeneous population- while a few worlds would be exclusively settled by one Order, most of the worlds would have a mix of different Orders, all living mostly peacefully together.

• The bad guy faction would basically be Furry-Nazis in Space! They’re racial separatists, who have carved out a single order empire for themselves. They conquer worlds, absorb citizens of their preferred order and kill or exile everybody else. Riffing on the Kzin, I decided the bad guy faction would be Felis Major (Tigers).

Anyway, I figured I had the basics of a pretty kickass campaign setting here. So I decided to check into other Anthro-specific sci-fi and see how they did things. Now, at this point I was aware of the Albedo RPG in that I knew its name, knew that it was fairly serious military sci-fi and knew the author, Steve Gallachi, was ex-USAF himself. Other than that, I really knew nothing about it. Anyway, Monday or Tuesday I found a copy of Albedo: Platinum Catalyst (Sanguine Productions, 2004). I was reading over it and about five pages in I realized I had to scrap this whole damn idea.

The reason? Without realizing it, I’d completely recreated the Albedo universe albeit in slightly mangled form. Their setting called its mysterious uplifters the Creators rather than the Experimenters, and their races’ origins were only about 200 years in the past, where I was figuring the Anthros of Anthro Space had existed for 2-3,000 years. The EDF (the military to which Albedo’s iconic heroine, Erma Felna, belonged) is organized politically and socially exactly how I wanted my good guy faction to be; Albedo’s Furry-Space-Nazis were the Independent Lapine Republic and were rabbits, not tigers (which is an absolutely kickass reversal of expectations) but they worked the same.

At that point, I just sorta set there at half a week’s work and just said “Fuuuuuuck.” Okay, scratch that idea.

So no Anthro Space sourcebook, though several pages of Fursona-compatible new material will be include in Races of the Command Fleet. Races of the Command Fleet will be a fairly large and useful sourcebook overall. It will also be art heavy. John and Amanda are both having a ton of fun illustrating it, and I’ll have some more preview art up in a few days.

Here’s a tentative release schedule for early 2013.

• January: Solomon Station (coming soon), Races of the Command Fleet (by end of January)
• Late Jan or early February: The Lifer Army Book and Choicer Player’s Guide (both for Otherverse America)
• Late Spring or Early Summer: Black Tokyo Unlimited Edition (very subject to change; this book will require lots of art- I’d rather it come out later with sufficient art than early and done half-assed.)
• Late Summer-Early Fall: Masters of Endara Campaign Setting (again, very subject to change, but I’m shooting to get this one out before 2013 ends).

CHRIS