Table: Post-Apocalyptic Sorcerer Apparel

In the Post-Apocalyptic Sorcerer Construction Kit, I mentioned that two tables from The Dungeon Dozen reminded me more of sorcerers from Thundarr the Barbarian rather than the creations of bio-sorcerers. Synthetic Humanoids 3: The Outer Crust, however, reminds me more of the servants, slaves, or unfortunate victims it is intended to generate. This requires me to provide my own table for outfitting evil sorcerers in the fashion that truly reflects their inner megalomaniac. Hence...


Post-Apocalyptic Sorcerer Apparel

Roll 1d20

1. Battle harness and cloak.
   
2. Clothing from a costume shop.
   
3. Formal attire circa 20th Century.
   
4. Form-fitting leather armor.
   
5. Furs and recycled armor.
   
6. Futuristic clothing constructed of linked plastic squares.
   
7. Gauze wrapping. (Additional costume optional.)
   
8. Hawaiian shirt and Bermuda shorts (or muumuu).
   
9. Hazmat suit.
   
10. Jumpsuit and bionic exoskeleton.
    
11. Lab coat.
    
12. Medieval armor.
    
13. Power armor.
    
14. Pressure suit.
    
15. Robe decorated with arcane symbols.
    
16. Silk clothing and high-collared cape.
    
17. Stylish silver suit (reflects lasers).
    
18. Surgeon's scrubs.
    
19. Toga.
    
20. Tunic.
    

Post-Apocalyptic Sorcerer Construction Kit

These random generators from The Dungeon Dozen are for generating "synthetic humanoids" for whatever warped purpose a "bio-sorcerer" might have, but my own favorite warped purpose (and what the potential results most remind me of) is for creating the sort of evil sorcerers themselves that appear in Thundarr the Barbarian. They are perfect for use with Gamma World, Mutant Future, Barbarians of the Aftermath, Cartoon Action Hour, and, of course, Under the Broken Moon. In fact, some of the results are not unlike certain Marvel villains and could be used with any number of superhero role-playing games.

• Synthetic Humanoids 1: Weird Heads
  
• Synthetic Humanoids 2: Body Plan Alterations
  

[Edit: Terrible Eyes also seems appropriate for this villainous kit. I wouldn't use it for every post-apocalyptic sorcerer, though. Maybe one in five.]

Random Robot Generator: d12 Version

This variation of my other random robot generator, inspired by the same post from Necropraxis, utilizes only the d12, but is composed of 21 tables. Are 21 tables unwieldy? Perhaps, but they afford far greater detail than the Roll All Dice method, which may be more desirable under certain circumstances. For even greater detail, consider using the random ray gun generator in place of the Ray Gun table. As usual, undesired results should be ignored or rerolled and all tables are optional.

Random Ray Gun Generator: Roll All Dice

[The following is a revision of my earlier random ray gun generator incorporating the Roll All Dice method using the standard dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20).]

These tables may be used to generate the audibility, focus, beam, range, color, and type of ray produced by any ray gun or ray attack. Certain colors may be more appropriate for certain types of rays and may be rerolled or designated as desired.


Random Ray Gun Generator
(Roll All Dice)


Audibility

Roll 1d4

1. Low
2. Normal
3. Normal
4. High


Focus

Roll 1d6

1. Narrow
2. Narrow
3. Narrow/Wide
4. Narrow/Wide
5. Wide
6. Wide


Beam

Roll 1d8

1. Continuous
2. Pulsed
3. Continuous
4. Phased
5. Continuous
6. Ringed
7. Continuous
8. Fluctuating


Range

Roll 1d10

1. 30'
2. 60'
3. 90'
4. 120'
5. 150'
6. 180'
7. 210'
8. 240'
9. 270'
10. 300'


Color

Roll 1d12

1. Red
2. Orange
3. Yellow
4. Green
5. Blue
6. Indigo
7. Violet
8. Black
9. White
10. Gold
11. Silver
12. Invisible


Type

Roll 1d20

1. Amnesia ray* (as the spell forget; obliterates memories of last 1d4 rounds; expends 1 charge)
2. Blinding ray* (blinds target for 1d12 turns; expends 1 charge)
3. Death ray* (as the spell death spell; expends 2 charges)
4. Destructo ray** (expends 1 charge/1d6 damage; maximum setting: 6)
5. Disintegrator ray* (as the spell disintegrate; expends 2 charges)
6. Electro ray** (expends 1 charge/1d6 damage; maximum setting: 6)
7. Enfeeblement ray* (as the spell ray of enfeeblement; weakens target 50% for 1d10 rounds; expends 1 charge)
8. Force ray*** (damage: 2d6; pushes target; expends 1 charge)
9. Freeze ray*** (expends 1 charge/1d6 damage; maximum setting: 6; encases target in ice)
10. Heat ray** (expends 1 charge/1d6 damage; maximum setting: 6; ignites combustibles)
11. Hypno ray* (as the spell suggestion; expends 1 charge)
12. Immobilizer ray* (as the spell hold person; duration: 12 rounds; expends 1 charge)
13. Petrification ray* (as the spell flesh to stone; expends 2 charges)
14. Shrink ray* (as the spell reduce; expends 2 charges)
15. Sleep ray* (as the spell sleep; affects any HD; duration: 1 hour; expends 2 charges)
16. Sonic ray*** (damage: 3d6; deafens target for 1d12 turns; expends 1 charge)
17. Stasis ray* (as the spell temporal stasis; expends 1d20 charges)
18. Stun ray* (stuns target for 2d4 rounds; expends 1 charge)
19. Telekinetic ray* (as the spell telekinesis; expends 1 charge/round)
20. Withering ray* (as the spell wither; expends 2 charges)

* No "to hit" roll needed; save vs. Wands to negate effect
** No "to hit" roll needed; save vs. Wands for half damage
*** No "to hit" roll needed; save vs. Wands for half damage and to negate effect

Example:

A roll of 4, 6, 3, 6, 3, 11 yields a High Audibility, Wide Focus, Continuous Beam, 180' Maximum Range, Yellow Hypno Ray.

Notes:

• "Low Audibility" means anything from silent to as loud as a whisper.
  
• "Normal Audibility" means the average volume of a ray gun heard in a movie.
  
• "High Audibility" means as loud as a firearm or louder.
  
• "Range" is given in feet in the manner of Basic/Expert D&D and Labyrinth Lord.
  
• "Narrow/Wide Focus" means either setting may be selected.
  
• A "Pulsed Beam" consists of a continuous beam with regular pulses.
  
• A "Phased Beam" flickers.
  
• A "Ringed Beam" consists of a series of individual rings emitted rapidly. One example is the ray gun that appears in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.
  
• A "Fluctuating Beam" may be described variously as "rippled," "wavy," or like an electrical discharge.
  
• All ray types hit their target as long as a.) there is line of sight, b.) the target is within range, c.) the target lacks a defense against the ray, and d.) the target fails to save (vs. Wands or whatever the referee chooses).
  

Elaborations Power sources will vary depending on the setting. In general, a fully charged ray gun will have 100 charges (subtract 0-9 charges or more if found during an adventure). Some models may use power clips containing 10 or 20 charges each.

Recharging a ray gun with a compatible power source requires 10 hours of recharging time (10 charges per hour). Power clips may be recharged in one or two hours (for the 10 and 20 charge clips respectively).

Each shot will drain a ray gun or its power clip of one or more charges. Ray guns capable of variable settings will drain additional charges at higher settings. For example, a destructo ray gun might have six settings: 1d6 damage = 1 charge; 2d6 damage = 2 charges; 3d6 damage = 3 charges, etc.

Random Robot Generator: Roll All Dice

Inspired by this post from Necropraxis, I couldn't resist making my own random robot generator using the "roll all the dice" technique, which in this Web log will henceforth be known as the Roll All Dice method because it reminds me of the film Destroy All Monsters.

In this case "Roll All Dice" includes the d3 and the d30 as well as the usual d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20. (You may use a d6 to represent the d3 in the usual way, although I'm lucky enough to have an actual d3 that survives from my childhood copy of the board game Chopper Strike.)

Please note that this table generates robots of science fiction rather than automata of fantasy or mythology, although the effects are described using terms compatible with Dungeons & Dragons or Labyrinth Lord or their ilk. It may, of course, be used with any game of any genre as desired.


Random Robot Generator
(Roll All Dice)


Size

Roll 1d3 (or choose)

1. Small (1d4 HD, AC 4)
2. Medium (1d8 HD, AC 3)
3. Large (1d8+4 HD, AC 2)


Torso

Roll 1d4

1. Boxy
2. Cylindrical
3. Humanoid
4. Spheroid


Limbs

Roll 1d6

1. Blocky
2. Humanoid
3. Spheroid
4. Spindly
5. Tentacular
6. Tubular

(Choose number of limbs or determine randomly.)
(Choose manipular parts or determine randomly: claw, hand, mini-tentacles, or multi-tool.)


Locomotion

Roll 1d8

1. Hover
2. Legs
3. Rollers
4. Legs
5. Treads
6. Legs
7. Wheels
8. Legs


Head

Roll 1d10

1. Nil
2. Disklike
3. Domal
4. Conical
5. Cubical
6. Cylindrical
7. Humanoid and/or helmeted
8. Multifaceted
9. Pyramidal
10. Spheroid


Hand-to-Hand Weapon

Roll 1d12

1. Blade (damage: 1d8)
2. Chain saw (damage: 2d8)
3. Circular saw (damage: 3d6)
4. Contact shocker (as the spell shocking grasp)
5. Contact stunner (stuns target for 1d6 rounds)
6. Drill (damage: 2d10)
7. Grinder (damage: 4d6)
8. Jackhammer (damage: 1d12)
9. Man catcher (damage: 1d2 + capture; roll bend bars to escape)
10. Power shears (damage: 2d6)
11. Reinforced manipular part (+1 damage)
12. Vise pincer (damage: 1d6 + capture; roll bend bars to escape)


Ranged Weapon

Roll 1d20

1. Atomic blaster (damage: 1d8/HD; range: 120')
2. Dart gun (damage: 1 hit point + sleep; range: 30')
3. Death ray* (as the spell death spell; range: 180')
4. Destructo ray** (damage: 1d6/HD; range: 120')
5. Disintegrator ray* (as the spell disintegrate; range: 60')
6. Disruptor (damage: 1d10/HD; range: 100')
7. Electro ray** (damage: 1d6/HD; range: 120')
8. Flamethrower** (damage: 3d10; range: 80')
9. Force ray*** (damage: 2d6; range: 120'; pushes target)
10. Freeze ray*** (damage: 1d6/HD; range: 60'; encases target in ice)
11. Grenade launcher
12. Gyrojet rocket launcher (damage: 1d10; range: 300')
13. Heat ray** (damage: 1d6/HD; range: 200'; ignites combustibles)
14. Laser (damage: 1d6/HD; range: 240')
15. Netcaster (as the spell web; range: 30')
16. Immobilizer ray* (as the spell hold person; duration: 2 rounds/HD; range: 120')
17. Petrification ray* (as the spell flesh to stone; range: 60')
18. Slugthrower (damage: 1d8; range: 240')
19. Sonic ray*** (damage: 3d6; range: 60'; deafens target for 1d12 turns)
20. Stun ray* (range: 180'; stuns target for 2d4 rounds)

* No "to hit" roll needed; save vs. Wands to negate effect
** No "to hit" roll needed; save vs. Wands for half damage
*** No "to hit" roll needed; save vs. Wands for half damage and to negate effect

Special Features

Roll 1d30

1. Amphibious
2. Beverage dispenser
3. Burrowing capability
4. Detachable probes (as the spell wizard eye)
5. Directional orientation sensor (direction, altitude, depth)
6. Displacement (improves AC by 2; +2 to saves)
7. Divisible (splits into five smaller robots)
8. Electromagnet
9. Extended range communicator
10. Flight capability (as the spell fly)
11. Force field (as the spell wall of force)
12. Heightened senses
13. Holographic projector
14. Med kit
15. Radar
16. Reflective armor (repels all lasers; +2 to saves vs. visible rays)
17. Reinforced armor (improves AC by 1)
18. Reinforced frame (improves HD by 1)
19. Short range teleportation (as the spell blink)
20. Sonic nullifier (as the spell silence 15' radius)
21. Spotlight
22. Stationary invisibility (as the spell invisibility, but only when motionless)
23. Substance analyzer
24. Tech kit
25. Transformable (changes into vehicle or different robot shape)
26. Vacuum cleaner
27. Variable gravity generator (0-2 Gs)
28. Wallclimbing capability (as the spell spider climb)
29. Water purifier
30. X-ray vision (range: 20')

Random Ray Gun Generator

These tables may be used to generate the focus, beam, color, and type of ray produced by any ray gun or ray attack. Certain colors may be more appropriate for certain types of rays and may be rerolled or chosen as desired.

[Edit: An updated and improved version of this article exists here.]

Focus

Roll 1d6

1. Narrow
2. Narrow
3. Narrow/Wide
4. Narrow/Wide
5. Wide
6. Wide


Beam

Roll 1d8

1. Continuous
2. Pulsed
3. Continuous
4. Phased
5. Continuous
6. Ringed
7. Continuous
8. Fluctuating


Color

Roll 1d10

1. Red
2. Orange
3. Yellow
4. Green
5. Blue
6. Indigo
7. Violet
8. Black
9. White
10. Invisible


Type

Roll 1d12

1. Death ray
2. Destructo ray
3. Disintegrator ray
4. Electro ray
5. Force ray
6. Freeze ray
7. Heat ray
8. Immobilizer ray
9. Petrification ray
10. Shrink ray
11. Sonic ray
12. Stun ray

Example:

A roll of 1, 4, 8, 3 yields a Narrow Focus, Phased Beam, Black Disintegrator Ray.

Notes:

• "Narrow/Wide Focus" means either setting may be selected.
  
• A "Pulsed Beam" consists of a continuous beam with regular pulses.
  
• A "Phased Beam" flickers.
  
• A "Ringed Beam" consists of a series of individual rings emitted rapidly. One example is the ray gun that appears in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.
  
• A "Fluctuating Beam" may be described variously as "rippled," "wavy," or like an electrical discharge.
  
• All ray types hit their target as long as a.) there is line of sight, b.) the target is within range, c.) the target lacks a defense against the ray, and d.) the target fails to save (vs. Wands or whatever the referee chooses).
  

Elaborations

Power sources will vary depending on the setting. In general, a fully charged ray gun will have 100 charges (subtract 0-9 charges or more if found during an adventure). Some models may use power clips containing 10 or 20 charges each.

Recharging a ray gun with a compatible power source requires 10 hours of recharging time (10 charges per hour). Power clips may be recharged in one or two hours (for the 10 and 20 charge clips respectively).

Each shot will drain a ray gun or its power clip of one or more charges. Ray guns capable of variable settings will drain additional charges at higher settings. For example, a destructo ray gun might have six settings: 1d6 damage = 1 charge; 2d6 damage = 2 charges; 3d6 damage = 3 charges, etc.

Possible Ray Properties

• Death Ray medium range; successful save negates effect; expends 2 charges; targets with more than 8 HD are unaffected; nonliving targets are unaffected
  
• Destructo Ray medium range; successful save = half damage; expends 1 charge/1d6 damage (maximum setting of 6)
  
• Disintegrator Ray short range; successful save negates effect; expends 2 charges
  
• Electro Ray long range; successful save = half damage; expends 1 charge/1d6 damage (maximum setting of 6)
  
• Force Ray long range; successful save negates effect; expends 1 charge vs. small targets, 2 charges vs. medium targets, 3 charges vs. large targets; pushes target and causes 2d6 damage
  
• Freeze Ray short range; successful save = half damage; expends 1 charge/1d6 damage (maximum setting of 6); encases target in ice
  
• Heat Ray long range; successful save = half damage; expends 1 charge/1d6 damage (maximum setting of 6); ignites combustibles
  
• Immobilizer Ray medium range; successful save negates effect; expends 1 charge; renders target immobile, but conscious
  
• Petrification Ray short range; successful save negates effect; expends 2 charges; transmutes target to stone
  
• Shrink Ray short range; successful save negates effect; expends 1 charge; reduces target's size
  
• Sonic Ray medium range; successful save = half damage; expends 1 charge; causes 3d6 damage
  
• Stun Ray long range; successful save negates effect; expends 1 charge; renders target unconscious; nonliving targets are unaffected