Tag Team Tokyo: House Rules for 2 Player King of Tokyo

King of Tokyo: Tag Team

The Basics: Mutants, robots, aliens battle for control of Tokyo in a press-your-luck, dice-rolling and card-drafting game designed by Richard Garfield (perhaps better-known for creating Magic: The Gathering). Um, actually... if you don’t already know what this game is about, check out Wil Wheaton’s Table Top episode. It’s a good way to waste 30 minutes and get a better picture of the game than I can describe here.

The Problem: Anyone that has played and enjoyed King of Tokyo likely did not play the game with just two players. The game becomes very one-sided and there appears to be very little that can balance the game other than another player.

The Solution: Invoking all kinds of Gojira and Gamera nostalgia, a small attempt at fixing this came to my table in the form of wrestling style tag-team matches. The game basically functions as normal, with a few small changes.

Detailed below are some house rules for tagging up for some crunchy, satisfying 2-on-2 monster mashin’.

King of Tokyo: Tag Team Match

The Deck: Use all power cards as written. If a card affects all monsters, ally monsters are also affected. I recommend removing the following cards from the deck before playing head-to-head: Fire-breathing (Neighbours? This is head-to-head. Too confusing.) Nova Breath (7 energy to punch your ally in the back of the head. Derpy, but you can leave it in if you like it.) Possibly also Healing Ray which becomes so OP (but I like leaving it in.)

Tokyo: Take Tokyo, as per the rules. Use both Tokyo City and Tokyo Bay. A monster must be attacked to leave Tokyo, unless they possess some power to do so. While in control of Tokyo, all attacks are focussed on the enemy team. Your ally monster is safe from your attacks. You are NOT safe from their attacks. Think of this as friendly fire, misfires, miscommunication… whatever sells the story for you. Gamera and Gojira mashed each other accidentally when they were working together. An ally may take Tokyo from another ally only by attacking them. TAG! You are in. (If both ally monsters are in Tokyo, their attacks do no harm to each other. Consider this an advantage for claiming both spots in the city.)

Victory: Both teammate monsters must be eliminated or both teammate monsters must reach 20 Victory Points.

Tips: If you are like me and suffer the goldfishy memory deficiency, use some kind of turn tracking device for your monsters. I currently use the elastics which bind my game cards. Drape the elastic over the monsters to indicate who goes next. Another option might be using poker chips.

For a longer variation:

がんばって, Gigazaur! ファイト！

Down, Not Out!: When a monster is eliminated, it may return to play on the next turn. It loses all power cards, VPs and energy. However, it can heal 2 health per heart rolled in this turn. On this roll, no points count, no energy is claimed nor are attacks. Only count up your hearts. 3 hearts = 6 health! 

Woo! You are back in the fight.

The Verdict: 2-on-2 King of Tokyo provides a little more bang for your 2-player buck and will draw the game out a little. Unfortunately, the truth is that even tag-team has it’s own kinks and hiccoughs and the game REALLY is best with 3 or 4 different players.

Neo-Tokyo Neo-Weaponry

God Eaters & Gunblades: New Weapon Types and Mods

A personal obsession with conversion or combination weapons has grown since Squall first pulled the trigger on his gunblade back in FF8 and recently my gaming has turned back to God Eater, which is a bad ass game featuring anime-style characters wielding ridiculously over-sized weaponry that can change attack mode from range to melee to defense. 

The Neo-Tokyo weapon vaults have been sitting on a stockpile of balance-devastating gear for some time now. Most of the presented weapon types here are meant to be rare and unusual, not the equipment of the rank and file soldier or street thug. 

Cost factor presents a multiplier for the cost of the weapon. The costs involved are meant to be a balancing element, but obviously completely optional for anyone using these mods. Upkeep is a system that indicates that a weapon requires special attention and maintenance between sessions.

Edit: All costs assume the gold standard for the setting, which is yen in Neo-Tokyo.

Note: the weapon types presented are non-magical, as presented. A DM can change that according to their own discretion.

Dangerous Weapons 

(Originally presented in the +Barovania character generation document by +Reynaldo Madriñan, I've swiped the original concept for Neo-Tokyo weaponry. This was actually one of the inspirations for this post.)

• Deals powerful or wild attacks.
• Requires a power source of some type - magic spells, petrol, electricity, semi-sentient, etc.

Cost factor: x2

Benefit: the weapon will deal the next higher die of damage; a dangerous short sword will deal d8 instead of d6.

Drawback: the weapon will harm the wielder on a fumble of 1, a result of a misfire or misuse of the weapon; ongoing upkeep and maintenance (between sessions, if the weapon is used) is equal to half the base cost - ammunition cost for ranged weapons is multiplied as normal. Try to establish a good reason for this upkeep cost: fuels, special cleaning, recharging.

Brutal Weapons

• Spiked, double-bladed, or sinister in design.
• Savagely designed to deal additional damage.

Cost factor: x2

Benefit: Roll an additional die for damage and drop the lowest result.

Drawback: can not deal subdual damage; can not be concealed.

Over-sized Weapons

• Initially designed for mechs to wield, have been repurposed by crazed adventurers.
• Huge! Deal more damage!
• These weapons are considered their normal weapon type for proficiency purposes, but one size level larger.

Cost factor: x2.5

Benefit: +2 damage.

Drawback: heavy, unwieldy and difficult to use, -1 to hit with the weapon (no penalty for large sized users).

Note: additionally large weapons increase in die type (and cost) as dangerous weapons. However, they likely become completely un-wieldable by small or medium creatures.

Since weapons may change damage dice as they grow, the following scale can be used for reference with additionally over-sized weapons. 

Damage Dice scale: d4>d6>d8>d10>d12>2d6>2d8>3d6>2d10>3d8

Convertible Weapons

• Changes a melee weapon to a ranged weapon to a shield. Wielder requires proficiency with both weapon forms.
• Requires 1d4 rounds to convert forms safely. Weapon can be converted quickly by making a Dexterity or Intelligence check. Each point of success reduces the time required by 1 round; if reduced to 0 rounds, the weapon can be converted and used in the same round. Each point of failure indicates a misfire or glitch in the conversion that causes 1 point of damage.

Cost factor: Add weapon costs together and multiply by x1.5

Benefit: Conversion weapons are highly versatile. When using the shield form, AC and all saves improve by 1.

Drawback: Conversion process is slow and usually dangerous.

Note: these weapons are usually also combined with the oversized weapon type and dangerous weapon type.

God Eater is a badass game with loopy fucking weaponry.

Here are some example weapons, including the Chainsaws promised ever-so long ago.

The Chattersword is a chainsaw short sword with the brutal and dangerous types. It can be wielded one handed, uses petrol as a power source and deals ridiculous amounts of damage.

• Cost: 40 (Long sword 10 x4), upkeep 5: fuel and cleaning.
• 2d8 (drop lowest)
• harm self on 1 (fumble); kickback slashes wielder.

The Buzzblade is an oversized two handed sword chainsaw, as a Chattersword.

• Cost: 150 (Twohanded sword 15 x10), upkeep 8: fuel and cleaning.
• 2d12+2 (drop lowest),
• harm self on 1 (fumble); kickback slashes wielder.  
• -1 to hit; very big!

The N.O.S. Plasma Cannon is a two handed ranged weapon with the over-sized and dangerous types. It deals an intense blast of heat damage and uses an energy cell as a power source.

• Cost: 500 (Rifle 100x5), upkeep 60: requires cleaning and recharging.
• 1d10+4
• harm self on 1 (fumble); weapon misfire.
• -1 to hit; strains strength to lift and aim.

The Oni shock troops favour a brutal thrown weapon colloquially called the "Thunderang". It has the over-sized and brutal types. Some deal thunder damage and have the dangerous type, also.

• Cost: 20 (2 x10), upkeep 1: needs to be rubbed with special oils, common among the Oni.
• 1d8+2
• harm self on 1 (fumble); strangely aerodynamic return, missed the catch.
• -1 to hit; awkward aiming the device.

The Pachidama is a two handed ranged weapon with the over-sized and dangerous types. It launches a barrage of small ball bearings and uses a clockwork drive with magnetic cells to amplify velocity. Due to the extremely high rate of fire, this weapon can only fire in bursts. This weapon has a large ammunition canister worn on the back. It is extremely heavy.

• Cost: 650 (Heavy Rifle 150x5), upkeep 50 per refill or 150 per canister.
• 1d10+4*
• Attack rolls made to determine crit or fumble, harm self on 1 (fumble); weapon misfire.
• -1 to hit; strains strength to lift and aim.
• One Canister holds 10 bursts.
• Requires 13 Strength, 13 Constitution to be carried for any length of time.

The Charge Spear God Arc

The God Arc is a rare weapon composite of 2 or more weapons. This God Arc is a Heavy Rifle, Spear and Shield composite: the Charge Spear. It is over-sized, brutal and dangerous. It is powered by biological components of an unknown nature.

• Cost: 1148 (Chatterblade Spear 3 + Heavy Rifle 150 x7.5), upkeep 75: requires cleaning and recharging.
• Chatterblade Spear 2d10+2 (drop lowest), Heavy Rifle 2d10+4* (drop lowest)
• Conversion, as per above. Shield form provides AC and saves bonus of +1, can not attack with this weapon in shield form.
• Attack rolls made to determine crit or fumble, harm self on 1 (fumble); weapon misfire.
• -1 to hit; strains strength to lift, swing or aim.
• One clip holds 30 shots or 3 bursts.
• Requires 10 Strength, 10 Constitution to be carried for any length of time. (Not a lot, but school girls can swing these with training.)

Yes, but these...

I love monster modification tables. I love rolling dice to make things more horrid. I reckon most DMs love these things.

Here are some universal monster modifications to throw your players a curve ball shaped like an exploding ogre with beholder eyestalks. Zombies are too boring? Now they are immune to fire and self-immolate as they hug and munch your PCs brains. Griffons in your campaign are now inexplicably afraid of parchment and have a predilection for devouring gold and silver.

Roll a few times on the d12 table and add the results to your next random encounter.

Yes, but these ______s:

1. Explode in a 10' area when they perish. (Roll d4)

Displacer Cubes: Because your DM hates you.

1. Fire or burning ash
2. Acid
3. Bone and viscera
4. Poison cloud

2. Are immune to fire and... (Roll d4)

1. Self-immolating
2. Breathe fire
3. Immolate others psychically
4. Break into smaller flaming selves when wounded

3. Are immune to cold and... (Roll d4)

1. Covered in thick ice armour
2. Have a cone of cold breath weapon
3. Creak and moan like ice breaking (morale breaker)
4. Are the frozen vessel or prison of another entity

4. Has dangerous blood (spatters attacker like a counter-attack). (Roll d4)

1. Acid
2. Contact poison (kills in 1d12+Con rounds)
3. Causes insanity through horrific visions
4. Causes petrification

5. Are really cyborgs or machines. (Roll d4)

1. Clockwork
2. Advanced tech (looks totally realistic with fur and flesh covering tech)
3. Steam-powered
4. Alien tech

6. Are Undead (if already undead, then they are positive energy undead). (Roll d4)

1. Level drain
2. Steal vitality (Ability drain; heads - STR, tails - CON)
3. Mindless and murderously motivated to destroy the living
4. Must consume living flesh

7. Is a shapechanger; takes the form of: (Roll d4)

1. Any animal
2. Any humanoid
3. Anything it can see
4. Anything at all

8. Consumes unusual material for sustenance/powers. (Roll d8)

1. Gold or silver
2. Non-precious metals
3. Gemstones
4. Magic
5. Eyes
6. Bones
7. Fetuses or newborns
8. Sex organs

D'aww! Chaotic Cute!

9. Has an alignment diametrically opposed to the nature of its kin: a Chaotic Evil Gold Dragon or Chaotic Good Baatezu, for example. OR Roll a random alignment below and remove results of the current alignment of the affected creature. (Roll 2d6)

1. Lawful
2. Chaotic
3. Neutral
4. Evil
5. Good
6. Unaligned

10. Has an unusual weakness. (Roll d6)

1. Water deals damage as fire
2. Aversion to paper or papyrus, flees from it
3. Fearful of children (or halflings)
4. Allergy to Gold (suffers mortal wounds from gold weapons)
5. Specific spices, seasonings or salt
6. Flowers, specific types are poisonous

11. Composed of powerful magic, can be dispelled. Power source: (Roll d8)

1. Necromancy
2. Elementalism
3. Blood Magic
4. Heliomancy or Lunomancy
5. Divinity
6. Fae Magic
7. Hateful or Righteous Force of Will
8. Madness

12. Has the combined powers or physical parts of two or more creatures. (Roll d4)

1. Eats the heart or major organs to steal strength from victims, takes one power temporarily for each organ consumed
2. Spliced together by mad scientists
3. Hellish abomination, twisted and insane
4. Polymorphed composite of two creatures, as by Polycorporation

New LL Spell: 

Polycorporation (MU 5)

Duration: Permanent*, Range: 10’ 

Two creatures are mystically combined. This bonding can be undone by another polymorph spell or a dispel magic spell. AC and HD are added together and halved (half HD are added as +1 per remaining HD). Saves are based on the higher HD creature. All abilities, defenses and attack modes are retained. *Willing creatures can remain combined indefinitely. Unwilling subjects of the spell can throw off the effects after a number of turns equal to the caster’s level+6.

New Monster:

Corpidius, a powerful sorceror, has decided to polycorporate the orcs in his service with the displacer beasts (or phase tigers) from his breeding pens. The result is a terrible bloodlusting hunter with 10 limbs.
Displacer Orc: a six-legged tauric creature with two arms and two whip-like tentacles emerging from the shoulders. 

• AC: 5 (6/4) 
• HD: 3+3 (1/6, half level becomes +3) 
• Morale: 10 
• Attack: by weapon, shoulder whips 2d4/2d4 
• Defenses: displacement, all attacks against a displacement orc are -2 to hit and saves are made at +2 
• Saves as F6

Mollusca Sugeras

A few days ago, just before I nodded off to sleep, a little something popped up in my G+ feed care of +Jacob Hurst. Thanks for rocking me to sleep with this bad boy: Jacob Hurst's Snail Terror.
I had a really hard time getting the image out of my mind... but it was perfect inspiration for a new Labyrinth Lord monster entry. This is my second snail themed entry. I fear I may have a bit of a hang up on them.

Mollusca Sugeras

Inside this shell a terrible, grinding death awaits.

The sucking snail or hoover snail is an odd and terrible predator. It has a natural camouflage (surprise successful on 7-in-8) which allows it to be passed unnoticed, and lightning fast reflexes for snatching up prey. The snail is capable of a sudden surge of movement once ever other round; it can swiftly move up to 15' and make a biting/engulfing attack against one target (surging bite attack).

Mollusca Sugeras consumes living flesh by inhaling and grinding it under its coarse, plate-like teeth. It lies in wait, camouflaged by the environment, surging forward to engulf its prey and then withdrawing in its shell to feast. Most sucking snails also keep a small lair of some kind nearby to avoid larger predators. 

Smaller varieties of the sucking snail are of little danger to adventurers but small pets, familiars or pixie followers will be ideal snacks for the shelled menace. The greater sugeras is an uncommon sight, but represents a real threat to any that would venture too close. The creature will consume clothing, equipment, weapons, armour and magical items - anything it can get in it’s mouth. Flesh is ground up and consumed and indigestibles are moved through a strange process to reinforce the shell of the Mollusca Sugeras. Those few heroes (fools) that have managed to find and best a sucking snail have found troves of treasure inside the shell. The calcified bits of shell that envelope the trove items take several days to chip off and clean away, but then you are rich!

Name	Sucking Snail (Mollusca Sugeras)	Greater Sucking Snail
No. Enc.:	2-12	1-2
Alignment:	Neutral	Neutral
Movement:	super-slow*	slow*
AC:	4 (shell), 8 (fleshy bits)	2 (shell), 6 (fleshy bits)
Hit Dice:	1 (4 or 5 hp)	8 (24 to 36 hp)
Size:	Small (2’ high, 4’ long)	Large (5’ high, 10’ long)
Attacks:	surging bite, grinding crush	surging bite, grinding crush
Damage:	1d4/round trapped in the bite.	2d4/round trapped in the bite.
Save:	F1	F8
Morale:	7	12
Hoard:	B	E
XP:	10 +6/HP	200 +6/HP

Canuckleheads

Following the marvellous example of +Jez Gordon 's Farkin'Strayans, the Canucklehead is meant to bring to the OSR the strange and delightful people of the Great White North in a cheeky and playful way. If my fellow Hosers are offended by this, all I can say is "Sorry, eh."

Canucklehead/Hoser

Frigid, funny, stick-swinging, Northerners that can drunkenly smash your skull and apologise to your prone form afterward. They revere "the Great One" and "the cup", the Lords Mackenzie, 2-4s and the double-double. Canuckleheads, also known as Hosers, have a love for all things beer-filled or bacon or maple-drowned.

Requirements: Canuckleheads need Dex 9, Con 12 to survive the icy, snow-covered lands of the Great White North.

Prime Requisite: CON

Alignment: Lawful Sorry, Neutral Apologetic, Chaotic Remorseful, Contrite Good, Conciliatory Evil.

Attacks: Fighter

Saves: Cleric

XP Table: Dwarf

Starting equipment: hockey stick, toque, flannel shirt, beard.

1. Apologist: for every act good, bad or ugly a Canucklehead will apologise. There is no stopping this and a Canucklehead will suffer a cumulative -1 per day to all rolls until they have managed to make their apology. (Note: this doesn’t mean a thieving Canucklehead has to return any ill-gotten goods, they need only apologise for having taken it - a note should suffice).

2. Rage of Winter: in cold temperatures and Winter, a Canucklehead will gain a bonus to damage equal to their level. Winter has made Canuckleheads an ornery lot. They can also survive five times longer than normal in sub-zero temperatures. All Canuckleheads have an aptitude for ice and snow. They suffer no penalties for movement over this type of terrain. If properly equipped, with skates or snowshoes, they can make double the rate of movement.

3. Hey, it’s Summer, Take it Easy!: from the moment that the snows thaw, a Canucklehead is in exceptionally good spirits and shorts, tees and flip-flops. This cheer is infectious and all allies gain +5% exp for carousing together in any warm climate or Summer season.

4. A Canucklehead wielding a wooden weapon gains a +1 to hit. They have a preference for the “hockey stick”, as quarterstaff.

5. Yeah, I know Darryl: All Canuckleheads know one another. The mention of another Canucklehead will result in a long and likely boring conversation about a small village, which the Canucklehead will call a city, and ending with an invitation to visit some time.

6. The BEARD: Canuckleheads grow manly and terrifying facial hair. They may intimidate others with these manly displays of manly lumberjack-ish whiskers (+2 to intimidate). Canuckleheads are overly fond of flannel and toques. (Canucklehead females are capable of intimidation by opening beer bottles with their teeth or arm-wrestling polar bears).

7. "Bilingual": All Canuckleheads claim to speak two languages but really only speak one. No Canucklehead may actually know more than one language, though they spend years and years studying another.

8. What aboot my accent, eh?: Canuckleheads can Rage a number of times per day as a barbarian. However, only if someone mocks the way the Canucklehead speaks or if someone should make light of the proud majesty of the Maple Leaf or if someone says Canadian Bacon instead of Back Bacon (it’s delicious, not weird and you are a hateful animal if you say otherwise). Canuckleheads are profoundly proud of their maple-drenched nation.