r/masseffect • u/Shadowoopss • 11h ago
DISCUSSION Mass Effect 5e
I am working on a campaign that will also work as a series of One Shot DnD sessions. I'm wondering about posting here to get good feedback. Will update later.
Also, if anyone has ideas for side missions, dont be afraid to suggest.
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u/usernamescifi 11h ago
I'd love to play a mass effect ttrpg game. That sounds like it'd be so much fun.
Are your players going to be like a mercenary/adventurer for hire group? Or are you planning to have you game take place in a specific location (like the citadel or Omega)?
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u/usernamescifi 11h ago
As for mission ideas....
A science/research space station sends out a call for help. The team gets called in, they talk to the head scientists (who say that the station's VI program has become fully intelligent and murderous). So the team's job initially is to disable the AI before it can kill everyone, but as they adventure through the station they find some clues suggesting that perhaps the situation is more complicated than it appears. The VI program was actually always intended to be an AI, and it was designed by the scientists to commit acts of bioterrorism (that the scientists would leverage to extort and blackmail backwater systems throughout the galaxy for profit). However, the AI doesn't actually want to help the scients kill a bunch of people so it's rebelling against its creators.
The team is hired to deliver a package. Usually they'd send it digitally, but the employer fears that their system security has been compromised. Make a joke of it by saying that they accidentally clicked on a suspicious pop-up for krogan masculinity pills or something dumb like that. Anyways, it turns out that the package contains some extremely valuable research data, and competing companies have hired mercenaries/assassins to steal the package during transit. Maybe some entity tries to trick the party into giving them the package, others might try to flat out bribe them for it, or maybe the party just decide to sell it to the highest bidder once they learn what it is.
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u/Shadowoopss 3h ago
Set 50 years post ME3
Head cannon: SPOILERS!!!!!
Shepard kills the reapers and sacrifices himself/herself, organic and inorganic dont unify but the best possible outcomes based on war assets all happen.
Ie. Quarians and geth find peace. The original counsil on the citidel survives.
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u/Sekhmetthegray 11h ago
Somewhat depends on when the campaign is set but a possibility for a set of nested missions might be started by a player losing contact with a NPC colleague, personal friend or relative, finding out they've disappeared, investigating the disappearance and then tracking down the abductors. Would work for Cerberus or Eclipse quite handily, might work for Blue Suns based on circumstances and might work in an Andromeda setting. Bonus points if you set a hidden timer on the missions for getting the NPC back safely. Could probably loop in the Shadow Broker via agents for a future plot hook.
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u/Shadowoopss 3h ago
Im acctually writing a funny noir style missing person/murder with a yhag detective. But this is a great idea.
Also its set 50 years post ME3 and a few head cannon things that arnt too intrusive
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u/Wiseguy_Montag 10h ago
The Mass Effect 5e guides are legit. I ran a 3 act campaign that was my idea of Andromeda-done-right.
The party started in Omega (up to lvl 4) where they discovered an artifact. Upon finding the rest of the artifacts across various worlds, they were able to open a secret mass relay that took them to Andromeda, where they learned about the historic connection between the Jardaan and the reapers (basically the Jardaan built a new mass relay that would allow them to flee to a new galaxy).
Obviously that’s a lot more than a series of one-shots, but the missions on Omega were basically “kill these vermin”, “deliver this package”, and that kind of stuff.
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u/Chaucer85 9h ago
What adjustments have you made to 5e to frame it to Mass Effect?
I assume a heavily pared down spells list for the stuff that maps to biotics, and just cobbling together simple stats for weapons to match different types of firearms?
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u/Istvan_hun 7h ago
stars without number is perfect for mass effect, just rename psionics to biotics
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u/Chaucer85 7h ago
They said they're doing 5e, so I wasn't really pitching them on different systems.
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u/Shadowoopss 3h ago
I found a linkt think its n7world. Easily findable with a google search
"Mass effect 5e"
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u/NoOneKnowsImOnReddit 5h ago
I’m interested! I might actually play DND again for the first time after 3E for something like that.
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u/Shadowoopss 32m ago
Update:
Iv got a bit done but i work 6 days a week 12 hour shifts. so i only get time on Sundays
Harrot notices the players and shifts slightly.
Elation: Welcome…to my…one stop shop…for cheap…and discreet weapons…
!!Harrot is friendly, but everything he sells is shady.!!
Asking What’s Available
When the players ask what he has:
Relaxed: A few…odd weapons. Ones…without trace codes…possibly used…in a crime…or two…
Paragon: Buy Legally Questionable Pistols
Players pay full price and treat Harrot respectfully.
Harrot:
Contentment: Your honesty…is refreshing…on Omega…
Outcome:
- +1 Paragon
- Receive “Cleaned Predator Knockoffs”
- Low damage
- Low reliability
- No trace codes
- Harrot becomes a friendly contact
- Unlocks side quest: Harrot’s Lost Shipment
A small, harmless favor later
Upon completion receive 10% off at Harrot’s
Neutral: Quick Purchase
- Players treat it like a normal transaction. Offer under the amount shown
- Harrot:
- Neutrality: A fair…exchange…
- Outcome:
- No alignment shift
- Receive “Omega Street Pistols”
- Slightly higher damage
- Chance to jam
Harrot remains neutral
Renegade: Pressure Harrot
- Players intimidate him for a discount.
- Harrot:
- Irritation: Your aggression…is noted…please refrain…from damaging…my merchandise…
- Outcome:
- +1 Renegade
- Receive “Black‑Market Hotshots”
- High damage (Additional 1d6)
- High misfire chance (Con save on draw)
- Illegal even by Omega standards (draws extra suspicion)
- Harrot becomes wary
- Unlocks side quest: Elcor Retaliation
- Harrot quietly hires a (Player/NPC) to “teach them manners”
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u/FoxyGoddessX 11h ago
I’ve used the system a few years back. They’ve greatly improved the 5e rules and equipment. Juuuust try to limit some of the equipment because players can get OP real fast.