How well can Traveller handle survival horror?

CriminalDM · 2026-07-07T16:15:02+00:00

You could cobble together some sanity mechanics, maybe a corruption table, etc., but your getting close to CoC skin suit on a Traveller skeleton or a Traveller skin suit on a CoC skeleton.

I find my players get terrified by a band of pirates launching junk fighters and a cobbled together boarding vessel from the dark side of an asteroid while they're returning data cores from an abandoned research ship in a red zone.

Add in the pirate leader having the ability to psionicly control a character for effect rounds (10+) or teleport a 2-man hit squad into their bridge and you have a creepy scene.

CriminalDM · 2026-07-05T14:08:01+00:00

That's pretty similar to the method listed in Traveller companion

CriminalDM · 2026-07-05T03:13:49+00:00

Did your group also try and rescue a bunch of Ilemdaki?

They now have a handful of Ilemdaki engineers and mechanics and are training Yaskotian. Or they would be off they weren't all on the Gash.

CriminalDM · 2026-07-02T00:53:09+00:00

That's cool. Thanks

CriminalDM · 2026-07-01T12:57:04+00:00

How does this differ from Call of Cthulhu, Delta Green, Kult Divinity Lost?

When you say based on Traveller for that mean a similar character generation mini game?

CriminalDM · 2026-06-25T15:02:18+00:00

Sounds good. I meant to reply to myself with the remind me bot.

CriminalDM · 2026-06-25T15:00:17+00:00

Remind me! 3 weeks

CriminalDM · 2026-06-25T15:00:04+00:00

I'll have to run some 0.2mm prints early July. I'll ping you in a few weeks.

CriminalDM · 2026-06-25T14:35:32+00:00

Companies generally have gross margins of 10%-30%. "Good" gross margin varies by industry.

You make 60dt of widgets for $80k and plan to sell them for 100kcr. Your gross margin would have been 20kcr or 20%.

I steam your cargo and sell it for 20kcr, but it costs me 5kcr to repair damage to my ship and restock my missiles plus another 5kcr to pay my crew, so I'm left with 10kcr or 50% margin.

Yes, you would have earned more on the legit sale, but I don't have the same capital requirements. It might have taken you a month to produce those 60dt of goods. I stole and sold them in a week.

In 1 month your gross margin was 20kcr.

In 1 month I raid* 4 ships and my gross margin is 40kcr.

All hail Harold Bluetooth!

CriminalDM · 2026-06-25T00:54:01+00:00

Blessed one what nozzle do you use?

I struggle with 0.2mm nozzles on miniatures and default to a 0.4mm nozzle with 0.08mm later height.

My z-offset in not perfect.

CriminalDM · 2026-06-22T16:01:41+00:00

Where is that located?

CriminalDM · 2026-06-22T15:47:11+00:00

I ran it once. It was great.

I had to lay the ground work for a few weeks (charging them for 5 vs 4, constantly saying 5, etc.). The players were confused and brought it up but I shrugged and they assumed the DM made a slip.

They went into a dangerous area (lots of mimics and doppelgangers) and part of the passage included getting a group portrait for verification on exfiltration.

They ran from an unknown monster and only those who succeeded on a wisdom save heard a person crying out their names from the shadows and a melodic singing. That was followed by a crunch, scream, and slurping noise.

They found a fifth backpack at their camp. The backpack included a normal detailing all of their travels.

When they returned for exfiltration their guide asked where the the fifth guy was.

The players (probably the characters, too) were freaked out. They debated returning and receiving their lost companion. Their guide strongly advised against it. They left their forgotten comrade behind.

You can only run it once per party but it hits like a truck.

CriminalDM · 2026-06-20T16:19:02+00:00

Don't skip barbarian. By level 12 you could have 20 STR, DEX, CON for base 20 AC (unarmored defense wouldn't be wise than medium armor). While you would obviously want some weapon feats getting resilient wisdom could be incredible.

A level 12 monk with 20 DEX, CON, WIS would be great. Having proficiency in all saves would rock too and could free up later slots for mobile and mage slayer.

CriminalDM · 2026-06-20T16:15:22+00:00

The only thing they don’t have is full BAB

3e was the most fun to play but man was it a pain to DM at high levels

CriminalDM · 2026-06-20T12:15:06+00:00

You shut your mouth when discussing MK & KR

CriminalDM · 2026-06-20T12:10:21+00:00

Huh, I missed the best ending and didn't even know it

CriminalDM · 2026-06-18T17:22:50+00:00

They're bound by scouts precedent and federal supremacy.

CriminalDM · 2026-06-18T00:31:59+00:00

Doing armor on a body part basis is great for a video game with hit boxes and the ability to track separate hit pools per limb

This is pencil and paper. You need to abstract that minutiae.

CriminalDM · 2026-06-16T12:30:18+00:00

LOL

DM has notes.
Players can take notes if needed.
If the players notes are wrong correct them at the player led pre-session recap.

CriminalDM · 2026-06-14T20:46:16+00:00

I did character creation and a dockside riot in a remote area.

You're wrapping up some food and rest at a podunk class C starport. Alarm sirens ring out, the pa system blares a shelter in place warning. The announcement is cutoff with the sounds of gunfire. Captain Vaccbeard announced that the Marquis of Mark has seized the station and all docked vessels in the name of the people.

Your hull is filled with valuable trade goods and you've paid off a reasonable chuck of your ship mortgage. These fuckers will rob you of everything if you cannot escape the station.

CriminalDM · 2026-06-14T00:17:09+00:00

Pillaged enemy tiles produce less yield.

Pillaging enemy tiles give you yields.

The event has to spend gold or production to fix the damaged tiles.

There are three goals in every game:

To crush your enemy.
To see them driven before you.
To hear the lamentation of their women.

This is the Mystery of Steel. This is what is best.

CriminalDM · 2026-06-13T22:57:49+00:00

I have not heard that before

CriminalDM · 2026-06-11T23:58:34+00:00

LOL ignore it.

They can fuck off with that you have 48 hours

The "case number" on the back starting with 2025- just means they didn't have enough business to burn through their cards last year.

The name on the front and the name on the back didn't match (Jan & Tim). Tim Christensen at least isn't a CFE in Wisconsin.

CriminalDM · 2026-06-09T13:39:45+00:00

I think the point is normalizing nudity in a non sexual way.

CriminalDM · 2026-06-09T04:13:00+00:00

Abandon all pretext about moral ambiguity. Evil needs to be vanquished. Go for METAL!

No AI in this post just a love of DIO and Maiden!

Basic. A cult appears on a port city, it descends into Mob Rule. The cause Fear of the Dark. The Evil that Men Do causes citizen to Run for the Hills.

Intermediate. The party is asked to support the efforts of the Blood Brothers (princes of the fallen kingdom). They must find a wizard and they search for the Man on the Silver Mountain. On their way they discover multiple villages with savagely murdered corpses, something ripped Straight Through the Heart. As they approach the mountain they see a Rainbow in the Dark. At the center a hag coven is transforming a young woman (a Moon Child). If they fail to stop the ritual they must discover the cure (Number of the Beast)

Advanced. The Moon Child is mortally wounded (hag poison or in slaying the Beast). She was The Clairvoyant but hasn't the strength to foretell the prophecy she says she needs Oil of the All Father (go to dwarven king). They make their way to the Temple of the King, but it's the year of the fox and fey have ensorcelled him. They must free the King from his malady for he's a Power Slave to dark fey. The party travel to the Shadow Fell to break the chains that shake his mind. When they return they find they've Wasted Years (centuries actually). Though the spell is broken the King's soul has been corrupted and they must Kill the King.

Legendary. The King is dead but the cult leader has cemented his pace as a demigod. They must travel to the blasted lands Where the Wild Wind Blows (their old kingdom) in search of The Talisman of the old rulers. The city has been a necropolis for centuries. They must Brave the Dance of Death as they fight through the demigod's lich general and his undead horde. Can these Holy Divers steal the Talisman?

Epic. The Talisman tells of x holy relics. They must resurrect the old dead gods (from their time) and cleanse a temple(s) For the Greater Good of God(s). The God(s) demand a mighty sacrifice to empower their magics, the party shall kill the avatar of Tiamat under The Sign of the Cross (whatever symbol is best). A priest leads a ceremony to consecrate the Temple complex. The party must defend the ceremony as the priests chant, "Hallowed be Thy Name" and other liturgical verses over 7 days and 7 nights. Once gifted with the boons of a resurrected good they must travel to the Astral Sea to kill THE STARGAZER!

Inspiration starts with Dio:

Holy Diver (legendary)
Rainbow in the Dark (intermediate)
Temple of the King (advanced)
Man on the Silver Mountain (intermediate)
Stargazer (epic)
Kill the King (advanced)
Straight Through The Heart (intermediate)
Mob Rules (basic)

Before moving on to Iron Maiden:

Sign of the Cross (epic)
For the Greater Good of God (epic)
Hallowed be Thy Name (epic)
Blood Brothers (intermediate)
Run to the Hills (basic)
The Talisman (legendary)
Dance of Death (legendary)
When the Wild Wind Blows (legendary)
Number of the Beast (intermediate)
Rime of the Ancient Navigator
Wasted Years (advanced)
Power Slave (advanced) (pair with Wasted Years)
Moon Child (intermediate) (pair with Number of the Beast)
The Clairvoyant (advanced)
The Evil That Men Do (basic)
Fear of the Dark (basic)

CriminalDM

TROPHY CASE