Even predating role playing games the idea of the genre mash up has been in the minds of children and the people who would eventually become gamers. How often while playing Cowboys and Indians did someone want to use a weapon that was not appropriate to the period or all of a sudden switch in the role of a superhero?
As children this was a topic of intense discussion and sometimes ending up in two or more people rolling around on the ground flailing arms and hopefully not connecting too often. In the early stages of the role playing the creator of the genre discussed this in Strategic Review #5. The article was Sturmgeshutz and Sorcery and in it we see how a Panzerfaust will fare against Trolls.
Even today, in an era where what is old is new again, we find the topic coming up. Though not as sweeping as the magazine article we still have the FLAILSNAILS standards or whatever they should be referred to as. Somewhere in between the Troll and the Snail a company called The Armory tried to come up with not a standard but a set of conversion tables. This was called RPG Data Con Data Conversion Charts.
The premise behind this beauty was fairly simple. It presented the GM with a means of converting fantasy characters into superhero games and vice versa. The settings were actually much more widespread than that and most of the popular game systems of the time were covered. This is a different approach from the GURPS system or d20 standard. In this the statistics are actually converted.
I have never had a chance to use the product. I myself have never been a fan of mixing the settings up too much (except for my beloved Shadowrun of course). Except for the just mentioned system I have always held that I like my fantasy fantasy and keep your firearms out of them. I have heard mixed reviews of the product and I suspect that this may not be commentary on the product but more on the viability of such conversion and people who are opposed to the idea. I have seen it go for next to nothing and in some cases sell for quite a bit. I am not sure I would spend a lot on it.
Published: 1992
Pages: 30
From back cover:
What you are holding in your hands is a complete set of charts and tables that will allow you to take a character from within one Role-playing game "Genre" and place them into another. Most major game systems are covered and include: Fantasy, Cyberpunk, Comic Book, Horror, Space, Mech and Multi-genre... These charts will give you the ability to convert to and from almost any system once you become familiar with the conversion process.
From Introduction:
This is not to be taken as a Game Master's Bible, rather it should be used as a general guide.
From tomeofstreasures.com
The RPG Data Con is a series of charts and tables designed to allow players to convert stats of their characters for adventuring in other types of role playing games that include AD&D, Call of Cthulhu, Traveller, Marvel, Star Wars amongst many others to give you an idea of its scope and it is thorough if not complete. This is sort of like the Amazing Engine game system developed by TSR for interplay between its various gaming worlds/systems.
Spell:
Unerring Missiles
Level: Fifth
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 Round/Level
Area of Effect: Target
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 3 Segments
Saving Throw: None
By means of this spell the magic user will cause missiles shot from a bow or crossbow to unerring strike the intended target. Environmental factors may or may not affect the outcome of the shots even.
For the duration of the spell any ammo shot from a handheld bow type weapon or even sling will unerringly find the initial intended target. The target must have been in the range of the weapon when it was initially fired but can have left the range before the missile finds them.
The target of the weapon does not even have to be in line of sight of the attacker while this spell is in effect. If the target of the missile moves into a place where there is a barrier between them and the attacker the missiles will still attempt to hit them actually hovering at the barrier until the spell expires.
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.
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