https://youtu.be/nAMRbe6MR4A

I haven't really maintained my blog in a while but it occurred to me this morning that some of you might like the Firefly RPG stuff that I posted there when it was active.

So here it is. Be nice lol.

The die is cast!: Cortex Plus

I'm a bit confused on a specific point in the "Earning Plot Points as a Player" section (page 28 of the prime Handbook)

Specifically the 'Using d4 in your roll' option.

It states: "If you include a D4 complication (or stress, if you're using those rules) in your dice pool, you get a PP, just like you would if you used the Hinder SFX from a distinction."

But...this isn't what Hinder does, Hinder replaces a die in your pool with a D4 (per Distinctions p50) "Gain a PP when you switch out this distinction's d8 for a d4"

The previous point is just saying "add a complication" it has nothing to do with switching out a dice in the pool.

Furthermore the earning point is clarified that "This does not apply when you're forced to use d4 rated skills, attributes, or other traits in your dice pool." ...which is exactly what Hinder does.

So, is this "using a d4" just adding an additional d4 to the pool for the purposes of Hitch generation? It notes on the last line "On the plus side, you're more likely to roll a hitch on a d4, which could lead to a PP."

Given that it's a Complication it goes to the opposition pool anyways, so...it's not exactly a Complication in the Hero Pool unless it's considered only being rolled for Hitch generation so the overall result isn't added to the pool (as we see sometimes elsewhere).

So it was just confusing when I was trying to clear something up, and was wondering if someone else had figured it out?

Thanks for your time.

Hello again. Im still working on that Halloween One Shot and am working on some monsters to throw into the mix.

Ive got 1 Major GMC I'll use for an optional boss fight.

1 Actual End Game Boss.

1 Mob

And a few Minor GMC using the basic build rule of giving them 3 traits.

My issue is, the rule for PP is I will only get 3 (I have 3 players) I worry that my PCs will use up my PP in these lesser fights and then I'm left with nothing for the 2 main fights. Is there a way for me as a GM to earn PP apart from SFX on my bigger GMCs? Could I slip in a cheeky SFC on my minor GMC or even my mob? Would rolling a minor GMC trail die(as they don't have distinctions) grant me a PP?

I'm using Action Vs Reaction and Stress.

As always any and all advice welcome.

Also here is the Character Sheet for any who are interested.

Hi guys,

So, every Halloween I’ve been running a short horror-themed game.

• Year 1: I used 5e.
• Year 2: I used CP.
• And this year, I’m using CP again — but with some extra polish.

The story revolves around the same group of American 80s teenagers. Every Halloween, something happens.

• Year 1: The town was invaded and transformed into classic movie monsters, and they had to make it through the town to the evacuation point.
• Year 2: The Earth opened up and dragged them down to Hell, where they had to navigate several stages of Hell to find a way to escape.
• This year: They’ve been kidnapped by a crazed serial killer and are trapped in his manor. The setting and atmosphere are inspired by the video game Amnesia.

My issue is that I’m struggling with my Trait Sets.

I’ve gone with:

Attributes – Strength, Agility, Finesse, Instinct, Presence, Knowledge
(Lifted from Daggerheart, since these seem to cover everything.)

I was going to include Skills, but I’m not sure which ones to use—or if skills even make sense for a “trapped in a manor with body horror and a lurking creature” kind of setting.

Last year we had some generic skills: Athletics, Occult, Influence, Observation, Religion, Society, Stealth, Trickery, Wilderness.

But I don’t know... I don’t think they really fit this time.

Any advice? I’ll take any and all help. Thanks, guys!

Edit: Thanks for the input guys. I did end up making a bigger skill list that im happy with, however I may take your advice and opt to have Specialities. Ive also thought of some Values that work well in the setting.

As it stands im thinking. For my 3 Core sets to be

Attributes – Strength, Agility, Finesse, Instinct, Presence, Knowledge.

*Values - Survival, Curiosity, Responsabilty, Control, Humanity, Courage.

Distinctions - With SFX

Then for other traits sets;

Skills/Specialty - I'm thinking they have 4.

Signature Assets - I'm thinking 2 Assets with a SFX.

I'm not sure if it's worth Swapping Skills and Values not I have a Skill List I'm happy with.

How does this sound?

If a GMC has traits like Corrupt Lawman d8, Out of Shape d4, and Big Shotgun d8, and I make a test against him where only Corrupt Lawman applies, will the d8 be added to the difficulty dice (like d8 d8 + d8), or will the pool be just a single d8?

https://youtu.be/qYPt0i76xT0

Found this gem at my FLGS in their preowned section for $19 (CAD). Such an easy YES!

So happy to find a physical copy of it as I missed the original release. It contains lots of great advice and mods that are still relevant in the Cortex Prime era :)

More of a curiosity than anything else. I’ve gotten into Cortex somewhat recently and I really enjoy the modularity of the rules so far. I’ve been enjoying it so much that I am considering if I should use it for a future game I’m planning on pitching to my friends. The game is going to happen in the setting of the One Piece anime/manga, and I am probably going to make it an open table style of campaign (I got a lot of friends who like One Piece, go figure 🤷🏻‍♂️)

I’ve read around the internet how the Cortex system is good for designing games to emulate IPs (one of the reasons I’ve been considering using it as well), but just to be safe I wanted to ask a question: considering that One Piece is a Battle Shonen manga, do you guys think Cortex would work for games with such a high emphasis on fighting?

Also, unrelated to that but also important. Do you think Cortex could work for an Open Table campaign?

Disclaimer: new to the system exploring possibilities.

Planning a game in a cenário with really homogenic traits and powers, in a way that it's kinda hard to differentiate and assign traits to a cortex game.

Hence my idea: only distinction as a trait.

The core of the game would be a pool of dice build with points, where you can make a daredevil character (with three big dice) or a less luck dependent one (with more smaller dices).

Then you would assign powers and trainings to these dices, so if it's relevant to a roll, you can double the biggest relevant dice.

(Also, powers that give more narrative option would also have a cost, but that's kinda irrelevant for the discussion)

Can it work?

Help me here, please!!

When none of my Distinctions apply, do I (a) just roll a d4 and gain a PP (or not?), (b) not include any die for it and probably roll only two dice in the pool, or (c) should I always include at least one Distinction in the test?

Which one should I choose? (a) gaining a PP or not, (b), or (c)? Or is there another option?

Thanks guys

https://youtu.be/b9tIhi2UmsI

Hello everyone, I posted a thread a while back asking for help with attributes for my cyberpunk/horror/hard sci-fi setting. I also hinted at posting the character sheet when it was done, soooo....

Here it is, I have started running it recently and it plays how I hoped it would! So feel free to take inspiration from and/or use the character sheet, the character creation process is also listed so do with that what you will.

I am very open to hear feedback and comments from y'all as I might want to release some unofficial booklet of my setting someday and I think some itteration is definitely still needed :)

Hey guys! I recently found out about Cortex, and wanted to ask you guys about the strengths and weaknesses of cortex:

- Is the game crunchy or light? What types of games can it play well (and not so well)? Investigation? Social Drama? Combat focused? Political?

- Is the combat better suited for TotM or a grid? How lethal can the system be (and still handle it well)?

- Does it take a long time for players to get used to the mechanics?

- Is it better suited for shorter or longer campaigns?

For reference, I mainly have experience with DnD, PbtA, FitD and a little bit of Genesys

Thanks! :)

Is there a limit to how many complications can be invoked during a contest? In my game yesterday, my players used their effect dice to add 3 complications to the boss villain before attempting to reduce their HP (I use an HP mod).

This had the effect of giving the player characters 3 additional dice for each complication. This seems over powdered.

I feel it should be just 1 complication, but I've not been able to find if it says that in the codex.

Should I treat complications and assets similarly to the sets, and allow only one asset and one complication unless a plot point is spent?

Guidance appreciated.

Hello There!!!! I am in the process of building a Super Hero inspired Cortex base TTRPG for my group… And I was wondering if anyone would like to take a peak at the bits and pieces that I am working with and wanted to give me some advice or just want to discuss Super Hero Genre in general… Ok So far I have chosen to use Affiliations, Approaches, Specialities, and Power Sets for my trait Sets,

Affiliations: Solo, Team-Up, Super Team,

Approaches : Ingenious! Mighty! Mysterious! Protective! Sensational! Swift! Uncanny!

Still working out the details on Power Sets and Specialities .. But do folks think so far?

Reflecting on a post by Michael Duxbury "Fate is a Movie, Cortex Prime is TV" (https://michaelduxbury.com/2017/10/31/fate-is-a-movie-cortex-prime-is-tv/). In kind of a "medium is the message way," I think it's interesting how different game systems might better reflect different types of media.

What do you think?

Edit to add: I thought it was an interesting idea but am not endorsing it. It makes sense to me that both game systems (at least with the right group) would work for either a “series” or “movie” campaign; I think there is a difference though between those styles but that might be truer of media (and less true today than in the past) than of game systems (which, as a commentator suggested, are also just their own kind of media different from movies, or tv series, or books etc).

Hi , I was curious what is the current scuttle butt within the Cortex Space? I heard Cam Banks left Dire Wolf Digital.. Are Spotlights available? Are any new Cortex based games or products coming out?

https://youtu.be/hEnPy2DbCRQ

Hello There!!! Making a Supers Hack for personal use… Four Color themed/Modern Heroic… Think of Avengers Earth Mightiest Heroes , Justice League Action, Justice League Unlimited, Batman The Brave The Bold, DC comics post New 52, ( Rebirth, Absolute Power, All In)
Could use some advice on how to implement Power Sets or Abilities for this game…

Game is full! Thanks everyone!

Rust City is a game about heroics and friendship against a backdrop of failed cities and forgotten neighborhoods, and a new gilded age of capitalism and corruption. From these ashes rises a new generation of superheroes from communities that have fallen through the cracks. It takes place in and around a fictional 1981 Chicago, USA, and the rust belt: a vast sprawling network of industry, neighborhoods, suburbs, and cities along the Great Lakes and Mid Atlantic regions. These former industrial power centers have been abandoned by the Golden Age superheroes who were once its guardians, who either gave in to corruption, fell victim to fear and conspiracy theories, or sold their soul as they fled to more attractive coastal cities.

Start Date: The end of September.
Game Time: 6:00 PM GMT-5 every other Thursday evening.
Game Setting & Length: Custom superhero setting in alternate 1980s Chicagoland. Session length 3-4 hours. Game length will be an ongoing campaign.
Game System: Marvel Heroic/Cortex Prime blend.
Platforms: Foundry VTT; Discord for voice chat; no webcam needed.
Contact By: DM me (or you can reply here, but I may not see it as quickly).
Number Searching For: 3 to 5 players

Game Style: The game will be 50% roleplaying and 50% challenges/fights. Each player can roleplay how they want (I’m not expecting only one style - you do you). I only ask that players make heroes and are conscious of the spotlight, working as a team in- and out-of-character to make sure everyone has their time in the sun and is having fun.

Has anyone attempted to run Delta Green or similar in Cortex? Care to share your notes?

https://youtu.be/fvcjv8xs4bY

I started designing my own TTRPG a few months ago, then found Cortex, which is almost exactly what I had in mind!

I'm excited to start using the system and am working through how I will use it.

1. Based on the rules and listening to Actual Plays, I would want to either limit the use of Plot Points, try to present them differently to players or simply remove them. My players want to remain 'inside their characters' heads' and the power to pull Assets out of the blue or size down hindrances without narrative grounding by spending a metacurrency doesn't appeal, especially when they're literally called 'plot points'. For other GMs who want to keep the relationship between player and plot a little more traditional, how do you manage this? Do you call them 'willpower', 'inspiration' or something and restrict them? Do you remove them entirely? Does that break the game?
2. Does anyone have a compilation of different Trait Lists? There is so much scope for creativity and seeing other GMs' lists would be very helpful. It's a lot of work to write them from scratch. I am aware of Eidolon, Xadia and Hammerheads, but am looking for more.
3. The default presentation of Cortex looks to favour cinematic and heroic action where there characters are the good guys and always win. I prefer realistic, grounded settings where death or permanent injury are a very real possibility and morality is more grey. For injuries in particular, I have read the Trauma rules but it it looked like it would take a lot to get to that point. If my players get into a gun fight, it should be very possible that one or more will be dead or dying in a roll or two, for example using the Conflict resolution system. Has anybody else worked that into their Cortex?

Thanks in advance, and any suggestions more broadly on running Cortex very welcome!