Roll to Dodge a Song VI*: Super Arena Boogaloo
(Because if it died this many times before, it has to be good)
"Now awful is it to be without,
As blood-red rack races overhead;
Is the welkin gory with warrior`s blood
As we valkyries war songs chanted.
Well have we chanted charms full many
About the king`s son: may it bode him well!
Let him learn them who listens to us,
And speak these spells to spearmen after."
- Excerpt from the Song of the Valkyries
A: Welcome, welcome, welcome! This thread is the sixth incarnation of the venerable Roll to Dodge a Song series, and we fully expect a successf-
H: Wait, sixth?
A: Indeed. Sixth, very venerable. Now, more to the point this will be an aren-
H: What happened to the other five?
A: Nothing important, really.
They died horribly. What is important is all that history just goes to support the glory of this arena. So, without furthe-
H: Died?! You, I haven't even heard of you! What the hell do you think you're doing resurrecting a series that has been surrounded by nothing but death. You're insane! Insa-
A heavy series of increasingly wet thuds come through the loudspeaker, along with a begging whine that rapidly subsides into pained gurgling.A: Ha. Yes. This was still on. Ah, that's not going to wash out of my shirt, is it? Well. No help for that. Anyway, without further ado:
The Rules
RULE 1: There shall be 5 players at minimum to start the Arena
RULE 2: The die used is a 1d6. [1] is a crit fail, [6] is an overshot.
RULE 3: Each character has one song that is their song. The song forms the core of their character and is the source of their Skills. This song is between 1 and 7 minutes in length.
RULE 4: Each Arena has Three songs of its own. These songs define the Arena's environmental hazards and effects.
RULE 5: The songs from each character and the songs from the arena are added together to create a playlist. The playlist is random, and one song is always playing. Songs typically last for 1d4 +1 rounds.
RULE 6: There is no rule six.
RULE 7: When the personal song of an Arena combatant comes on, they become
In The Zone. A character that is
In The Zone is much tougher and much harder hitting.
RULE 8: In general a character can both move and attack/use a skill. Using an entire action to attack may make the attack more effective, same way for using an entire action to move.
RULE 9: Damage is done based on a descriptive system. In general, with no other environmental factors in play, a [6] attack against a [1] defense will not kill an undamaged target outright, but will inflict massive damage. If the attacker is in the zone, or debilitating factors in play, the same roll can still kill an undamaged target.
RULE 10: Attacks in the arena can be made at any range (as long as there is some justification for why). However, unless the character has an ability that says otherwise, damage scales thusly.
Melee: Massive Damage.
Short Range: High Damage.
Medium Range: Mid-Low Damage.
Long Range: Negligible damage.
Applications
Applications are simple. For a character, you need exactly two things: a name and a song. Bios and archetypes can help define the character and give me an idea of what you want to play, but they aren't needed.
Your skills and abilities are determined by the song you choose, as interpreted by the GM. This does mean that if you pick a song that makes the GM want to ram corn-cob holders through his eardrums, you'll probably get a shitty character. Otherwise, balance will be maintained.
For your own sake, do not pick "Hey There Delilah" as your song. You'll die before you ever make the lobby.
The arena vote is optional, but helps the GM decide which of the arena options to select to kill you with.
Name: (Self-Explantory)
Song: (Also Self-Explanatory)
Archetype: (Optional, but helps define how you want to play. Brute, Sniper, Crunk Hobo, etc)
Bio: (Optional)
Vote for Next Arena: (See below section for upcoming Arena. Your votes still count even if you're not accepted.)
Upcoming Battles
The Grand Opening BattleSong Length: 1d4+1
Song Selection: Random w/o immediate repetition.
Game Type: FFA Deathmatch
Special Rules: The next song in the playlist (but not its duration) is visible to all players.
Arena Options- Pluviophile
Tracklist,
- A little Mad
Tracklist,
- Apocalypse
Tracklist,
Applicans
(Applicants is far too negative)
- Derm
Song: Your Best Nightmare
Abilities,
I can't read his moves!: (Passive) Active defense and ability based defense are much less effective against you.
Frisky Business: (Passive) Your durability is reduced, but you recover from all wounds when you get In the Zone.
But Nobody Came... : Cooldown: 0 if fails, 3 if successful. Activating this ability at the start of a round. If you take fatal damage, you are partially healed and all debuffs are removed. If not, you are weakened. (-1 to defense, can stack multiple times).
- Nix
Song: Under Pressure
Abilities,
It's the terror of knowing/What this world is about: (Passive) Any time you gain a debuff, you gain a copy of that debuff that you can inflict with a successful attack.
Insanity laughs, under pressure we're cracking: (Passive) Every time you hit the same opponent and they don't hit you, they get a cumulative -1 to their ability to defend against all.
Pressing down on you: Cooldown: 4. Targets a single enemy. If successful, makes them very slow, nullifies their passive abilities, and puts their active abilities on cooldown. Lasts until that unit takes damage. - Beirus
Song: Through Fire and Flames
Abilities,
Day after day this misery must go on: (Passive) Your durability is greatly increased.
In fire and pain, and once again we know: Cooldown 4: Grants an attack bonus based on how damaged you are. Near death grants a +4 attack bonus.
Now here we stand with their blood on our hands: Cooldown: Starts with one charge. Is recharged when someone dies in the arena. Lasts three rounds, dealing damage within that period heals you. - Person
Song: Silver Lining
Abilities,
Retro: (Passive) You don't suffer ill effects from injuries, but you die more easily.
Fan the Hammer: Cooldown 1: Attack until you miss once, up to six times. Each hit increases the cooldown by 1.
Longcoated Blur: Cooldown 3: Can only move, but instantly gains a [5][5] to mobility to be used as you wish. You gain a +2 to your defense on that round only. - Hawk
Song: Utsuho's Theme: Solar Sect of Mystic Wisdom-Nuclear Fusion
Abilities,
Inexorable: (Passive) You can't roll higher than a 3 on mobility, but you are much tougher and all debuffs have reduced duration.
Relentless: Cooldown 8: Attack until the defender rolls a natural 6 on their defense.
Cute as a Button: Cooldown 3: Targets that attack you gain -2 to their next attack. Can't stack. - Johnny Stealth
Song: Killers
- Hyperkace
Song: On the Black Sea
- Commander Hache
Song: Cybran Combat
*Thanks to Harry Baldman for actually counting.