Bughunters, Merge Forms

The Amazing Engine line was intended to be a generic system along the lines of GURPS where the same rules could be used across multiple genres. I have not had experience with the system and have bought the books strictly first because of being a completist but also as reference materials for other games. In total there are eight World Books and then the Amazing Engine System Guide.

Bughunters is at first what seems to be an Alien clone or perhaps even touching on a Starship Troopers idea where the forces of Earth are at war with Aliens we encounter at some point in out travels. The premise is actually much more than that and touches on a number of different ideas from a number of different famous sci-fi movies or television shows.

The setting describes touches on Aliens and Starship Troopers as I have mentioned. There are also hints of Blade Runner and Babylon 5 that can be found in the setting. I also got a feeling of the series Space Above and Beyond when looking it over. Since the book predates the series I have to wonder if perhaps the setting was something that the show designers had either read or played.

The information in the book as far as the universe it is set in and the aliens that inhabit it are things that are worth looking at for possible use elsewhere in other systems. The book also provides a number of adventure seeds and some sample adventures. I am not sure I would use the Amazing Engine system but I think the setting would be worth porting over in total to another system.

All of the Amazing Engine books appear on a fairly regular basis in the secondary market and can be picked up fairly cheap. I know just recently I saw this book for $3 or so on eBay. I think it most often goes for a little bit more than that but it is something that comes up frequently enough that I would bargain shop it but would buy if I did not already have a copy and had any interest in a layers sci-fi space based game.

Published: 1993
Pages: 128

From the back of the book

Travel to exotic new worlds, see strange new life forms, and kill them . . . before they kill you!

The Bughunters role-playing game--part of the Amazing Engine line-up--casts player characters as protectors of the human race in a hostile galaxy. From orbital stations to fledgling colony worlds and Mother Earth herself, Bughunters PCs seek out and battle inimicable alien creatures while trying to piece together the secret of a horrifying galactic threat!



Spell:

Merge Forms

Level: Sixth
Range: Touch
Duration: Special
Area of Effect: Special
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 1 Round
Saving Throw: None

When this spell is cast the magic user is able to cause the forms of a number of willing recipients merge into one. The spell does not require that the caster be a participant and they can specify the form all are merged into. This spell requires that all the merged forms be of the same general type of creature.

The spell will allow a varying number of characters to be merged into a single form. The number is limited by the level of the caster as well as the constitution score of the primary form. There can be one form merged into the primary for every three levels of the caster. There can also be no more than half the constitution score of the primary form.

Once the forms are merged the spell will remain in effect for a period of time equal to the lowest constitution score of all merged forms in hours. Once in a merged form only the primary character that is the primary form can choose to drop the merge. The spell will also drop if at anytime the merged form engages in combat or if they are rendered unconscious. If the primary for were to die then all merged forms will need to make a system shock roll. Those that make this will break out of the merge form simply stunned for one round. Those that fail will be stunned for one round and then must make another roll and failing that they will die themselves.

Disclaimer: The spells that you will see, for how ever long the write ups last, were all written up or conceived of back in the 80's so the terminology may not appropriate for anything other than 1e and depending on how well I did back then it may be slightly off for that as well. If there is any duplication of spells that exist now it is most likely I wrote mine first :) Please feel free to comment on them but try not to be too hard on me. If anyone wishes to use these in anything they print please let me know in advance and all I ask is proper credit.