Type Something, Will You? We're Paying for This Stuff.

I've had this assortment of ideas in my head for more than a few days now; little more than a barely coherent collection of thoughts about running a Ghostbusters campaign. Some sort of Gamemaster advice I was formulating that was just out of reach. What was it I wanted to say exactly?

One of my readers, Alqualonde, practically read my mind when they wrote the following in a comment:

"How many ghosts do you have to catch per week to cover the expenses."

That was it! That was exactly what I'd been considering but I couldn't quite put words to it. In a follow-up response Alqualonde answers his own question saying, "as much as the campaign calls for". He's not wrong! I completely agree with that statement but by diving into the subject a little deeper we can see the makings of a more fleshed out game with long-term campaign play potential. 

My thoughts are that a Ghostbusters Franchise's business is either Struggling, Booming, or Overwhelmed.  

Struggling Franchises are always strapped for cash, eating instant ramen each night and reusing grocery bags as much as possible. This could happen for a number of reasons. For one thing, maybe there just isn't any business. A region with few hauntings or weak PKE reading results in no calls or even confirmed ghost sightings. Though obviously that could change...

It's also possible the Franchise is too good at their job and after some big cases simply finds they've 'cleaned up the town' or so it seems. The opposite can also result in a Struggling Franchise. Maybe the team messed up on their last outing and people are reluctant to call them. Does that mean the local community is just living with poltergeists or is there a competitor company racking in the dough and making the Ghostbusters look bad? Might be time to do some pro-bono work to get back in your town's good graces.

Struggling Franchise feels like it should be the default state of any Ghostbusters campaign. Overcoming hardships created by a lack of means is something most people can relate to. It makes the GB team into underdogs and we love to cheer for the underdog. It is a great source of humor as well as inter-party camaraderie and/or friction. 

When Dana Barrett enters the Ghostbusters office to become their first real customer, the Ghostbusters would be considered Struggling. A Struggling Franchise usually has no more than 8 Franchise Dice and their Capital Dice are likely at 1 or 2.  

Any Calls? No. Any Messages? No. Any Customers? No Dr. Venkman.

It's a good job, huh?

A Booming Franchise is doing really well, out on calls a several times a week for minor disturbances, capturing at least a couple of Focused Free-Repeaters, and running red lights with their Ecto-vehicle's siren blaring at least once a month to take down a serious supernatural threat. 

This is a good time to hire an extra Ghostbuster or get an intern who can help with the administrative stuff. Might make sense to put some Capital aside for those less spooky days or invest in an upgrade to the team's Containment Unit. The GM could open a session taking a client out to dinner to flirt shamelessly...*cough*...I mean discuss their case. Maybe mention how good the car looks after they were finally able to afford a real wash and cleaning. A Booming business is a way to reward the PCs by saying, 'Hey, you guys really have your act together. Nice work.'.

The GM half of my brain says the PC Franchise shouldn't remain Booming for too long. Booming is the status with the least amount of problems and problems are necessary for the proper feel of a Ghostbusters game. That said, my Storyteller brain says let it evolve organically and stay as long as it makes sense. Don't force a Booming Franchise to drop to Struggling or raise to Overwhelmed without good reasons. 

The original Ghostbusters company is booming around the point in the 1984 movie that features a montage of the team out bustin' Ghosts and media coverage of their exploits. Famed radio and TV personality Casey Kasem recounts on the air how the Ghostbusters were making headlines around the country. are at it again. At the fashionable dance club The Rose, "The boys in gray slugged it out with a pretty pesky poltergeist, then stayed on to dance the night away with some of the lovely ladies who witnessed the disturbance". A Booming Franchise usually has about 8-16 Franchise Dice (though 8 would be at the start of the Boom for sure). Capital Dice for a Booming Franchise would be 4 at least. 

The extreme on the other end from Struggling is Overwhelmed. An Overwhelmed Franchise can't catch a break. Dozens of Class I and II sightings and Several Full-Roaming Vapor captures seem to be occurring daily! A good night's sleep and a relaxing sit down meal are a luxury if not a thing of the past. The Containment Unit and it's power grid are getting maxed out. Time to get a fresh jump suit, make sure your Pack is charged, and put on another pot of coffee 'cause it's going to be a long night.

When your Franchise is Overwhelmed it's time to hire somebody new. Think of this as a great way to add a new player into the campaign. Of course you could also make the new hire an NPC and they may be permanent or temporary - imagine the Ghostbusters doing a 'holiday hire' around Halloween. 

Increased business of this magnitude can be a sign of something bigger and far more dangerous on the horizon so stay sharp. When Class VII entities attempt to enter our world they weaken the boundaries between this dimension and the next, allowing numerous lesser beings to come through. If such a powerful presence actually succeeds in coming to Earth we're looking at Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... MASS HYSTERIA!

The Ghostbusters main office hires Winston Zeddemore on the spot as they are inundated with calls to the point of needed a worksheet to keep track of them. The level of Psycho-Kinetic Energy in the New York area at the time was...well it's a big Twinkie. If the Franchise is Overwhelmed it is likely running on 17 or more Franchise Dice. Capital is probably in the area of 6 or more. Sounds good but the catch is there isn't much free time to enjoy the wealth. Also, if a major event is on the horizon you may want to save that money for repairs and hospital bills. 

Oh, I got to get some sleep, I'm dying.

Well, you've looked better. You didn't used to look like this.

That is all for this post but I still have more to say on this subject and other elements of Ghostbusters gaming. I hope those who are enjoying this series of entries find them as inspiring to read as I do to write. I can't wait to talk about the Ghosts themselves!

Oh, by the way...

I have been so focused on my Ghostbusters project that I've been remiss on some meaningful announcements.

On December 10th, 2021 Michael Nesmith passed away at the age of 78. An American musician, singer, songwriter, actor, producer, and novelist best known as a member of the pop band and television sitcom group The Monkees. 

Nesmith's musical credits go beyond the Monkees and his own musical career, writing songs recorded by Frankie Lane, Linda Ronstadt, and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He produced several film and television projects, most notably the 1984 movie Repo Man and several documentaries for PBS. He was a pioneer in the home video industry as well. 

A huge fan of the Monkees, I am deeply saddened to hear of Nesmith's passing. Love, condolences, and well wishes to his family, friends, and fans. 

Now he can fly his El Dorado to the Moon. 

Another notable passing is that of Anne Rice, author of The Vampire Chronicles series of books that began with the seminal Interview with a Vampire. Ms. Rice, who left us on December 11th, 2021 at the age of 80, was a prolific writer in the fields of Gothic Horror and Erotic Literature, as well as other genres and subjects. 

I read Interview with a Vampire and The Vampire Lestat when I was in my last year or so of high school in preparation for the release of Queen of the Damned. I thought they were very interesting and well written but I wasn't swept up in the whole Vampire movement. Still and all, Rice's contribution to the genre and its fandom can not be ignored. 

Rest in Peace.

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Barking Alien

We Got The Tools, We Got The Talent

Next on the Character Sheet of my hodgepodge Ghostbusters system is Gear.

In the Ghostbusters setting/universe, Gear is a big deal. I personally see the Proton Pack and Neutrona wand as being among the coolest weapons in all of fandom. I would put it up there with the Phaser, the Lightsaber, and Captain America's Shield.

With this in mind I wanted to make sure the PCs in a Ghostbusters game had all the equipment they needed to ply their trade. So...

Each employee of Ghostbusters Inc. (that is, every Player Character) is equipped with the following Gear:

• Either Ecto-Goggles or a PKE Meter
• Ghost Trap
• Ghostbusters Uniform and ID
• Proton Pack and Neutrona Wand
• Walkie Talkie

A PC may also carry 1 additional item for every die they have in their Athletics Attribute. Said items can be nearly anything roughly the size and weight of the Ghost Trap. Roughly. I am not trying to 'D&D' people here but rather allow for logical and creative problem solving tools. 

Example Items:

Air Horn

Digital Sound/Voice Recorder

Duct Tape

Geiger Counter

Glow Sticks x3

Heavy Duty Flashlight

Laptop Computer

Pocket Knife/Swiss Army Knife 

Pocket Tool Kit

Safety Flares x3

Small Sketchbook w/ Pencil or Pen

Items such as a Cell Phone, Driver's License, or Car Keys need not be noted. These items are freebies as far as Gear goes. With the except of a Cell Phone (which I figure nearly everyone has these days), such items will rarely play a direct roll in the apprehension of a supernatural entity. 

Now here's where it gets less hard-and-fast-rules related and more makes-sense-in-my-head:

The Ghostbuster's 'Ghostbusting Gear' such as Ecto-Goggles, a Ghost Trap, and most notably a Proton Pack can't be carried as additional items. If a PC wants to go out on a call with two Ghost Traps on their belt, they need to leave their PKE Meter in the car. Likewise, if you are carrying a Slime Blower you aren't also wearing your Proton Pack. You can switch out and swap Gear from your Ecto-vehicle or at your HQ but you can't double up by making the Ghostbuster tech an 'additional item'. 

I could easily deep dive into this (and may in the future) as the four lead members of our Home Office campaign each carried a unique, custom Proton Pack and Particle Thrower. Only the additional members (added later in the campaign) utilized the more traditional unlicensed nuclear accelerators we all know and love. 

That's it for this one - comparatively short and that's probably a good thing. The only thing left on the Character Sheet is 'Additional Info' which is largely self-explanatory. It's just a spot to jot down important character notes not covered elsewhere.

Views are honestly a bit low for this series and I get it, Ghostbusters isn't the most popular subject for a Role Playing Game campaign I've ever covered. Nor is it as crazy as some of my other past ideas. It is what's on my mind right now though, it's what I am excited about, so expect to see a few more coming very soon. That said, I may side track a bit in between GB posts.

Remember, no job is too big - no fee is too big!

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Barking Alien

We're Having A Special On Proton Charging

Are you troubled by strange noises in the middle of the night?

Do you experience feelings of dread in your basement or attic?

Have you or your family ever seen a spook, spectre, or ghost?

If the answer is "yes" then don't wait another minute.

Pick up the phone and call the professionals...

Alternate Poster Design

By Yvan Quinet

Franchise Dice

It's time to get down to the nitty-gritty. What are Franchise Dice exactly and how do they work?

A Franchise is given a number of dice to define the particulars of the business. When the Ghostbusters first establish themselves in the 1984 film they are most likely working with only 6-8 Franchise Dice. In the continuity of our Home Office campaign, the team had started with 12 and eventually got to 18. Ghostbusters, NJ had 8 when it ended, having started with only 6. I recommend starting with 8-9 unless the players are up for more of a challenge.

The total Franchise Dice are broken up into three categories: Information, Equipment, and Capital. 

Information defines a Franchise's current store of knowledge as well as its access to outside knowledge. This can include but isn't limited to an office computer with internet access, a library/collection of books, colleagues in various fields of expertise, and/or physical maps of the local town, city, state, etc.

You make an Information Roll to see if you have some source of desired knowledge that you might logically have on hand or which you could easily obtain. You may also add your Information Dice to an Academics Roll when doing an investigation or research.

Example: Dr. Ezeriah H. Croftman of Ghostbusters Hoboken [NJ] wants to see if the cult currently attempting to summon the Devil of Leeds Point, aka 'The Jersey Devil', is mentioned in The Roylance Guide to Secret Societies and Sects. First off...do they have that book at the HQ or must he hunt down a copy of the obscure tome?         

Croftman's player rolls the Franchise's Information Dice of 2 (much to the former Librarian's chagrin their on-site collection of books is small). He gets a 6 and 2. One Success! They have a copy though its stained and in pretty poor condition.

Luckily, Croftman has a knack of pulling the right book for the right occasion (Specialty: Always Find the Right Book). He adds the Information Dice of 2 to his Academics of 5, Signature Skill of Research +3, and his Specialty of +1 for a total roll of 11 Action Dice! No normal Human being reads a book like Dr. Croftman. 

Symmetrical Book Stacking.

Just like the Philadelphia Mass Turbulence of 1947.   

                 

Equipment covers the gear and technology used by the Ghostbusters. It goes beyond the Proton Packs and Particle Throwers, PKE Meters, and other paraphernalia that quite literally come with the franchise rights. The idea is that as a franchise, you are provided with the Ghostbusters proprietary technology that enables the company to do what it does. Equipment Dice are therefore useful in obtaining or constructing additional devices in the continuing battle against the supernatural. Things like hand held fire extinguishers, a parabolic microphone, hand sanitizer, components for a custom Neutrona Wand variant, and first aid kits.

 
The key thing about Equipment is that these are items considered to be on-hand, stored somewhere in either the Headquarters or the main vehicle. These can also be components or parts of an item used to modify or construct new gear. Large items such as a replacement Containment Unit or a brand new vehicle require Capital. 

Example: The Home Office is about to face off with a Ghost Ship and its Paranormal Pirate Crew and they're pressed for time! Former Marine David Nelson and Science/Tech Specialist Prof. Gabriel Zimmerman want to build a Particle Thrower cannon that fires a wide angle beam or a cone instead of a stream. That way they can hit multiple targets at once or maybe even blast the broadside of the ship and 'sink' it. Unfortunately, that's a difficult thing to do and they're in a hurry. 

The GM says it will take three Successes. The Home Office Franchise has 6 Equipment Dice. Nelson's player rolls 3 and Zimmerman's player rolls 3. No Successes! Yikes! In addition, the Stress Level of the situation goes up by 1 as time is running out. Dr. Alexander D. Thorton has an idea. Take one, just one, of the team's Proton Packs and modify only that Neutrona Wand to perform the function. Additionally, he suggests using Nelson's Wand because it already shoots a thicker stream and has a wider opening at the end. All that sounds vaguely rude.

Thorton's player rolls his Technology of 3 and the Equipment Dice of 6 for a total of 9 Dice (plus the current Stress of course) and gets 4 Successes! This Wide-Beam Proton Blast will work four times before the weapon overheats and the circuits fry. 

It just occurred to me that we really haven't had a successful test of this equipment.

Capital, simply put, is the amount of liquid assets and/or funds the Franchise can muster when needed. Capital is used for large purchases, whether they are new expenditures such adding a jacuzzi and sauna to the Headquarters or replacing the groups Containment Unit after a power failure induced breach. 

Capital must be handled carefully so that it functions the way the other Franchise do but also works within the story's narrative. The PCs should never be able to roll their Capital Dice of 2. get too successes and be able to purchase an entire New York City Skyscraper. Likewise, if the Ghostbusters recently completed a big job and got paid handsomely, lower the difficulty of the Capital Dice roll needed to make their next big investment. Make sure it makes sense within the confines of the game. 

The only time Capital is added to a PC's roll is when said PC (whether alone or on behalf of the group) is trying to make a purchase that involves negotiation of some kind. If the Player Character can get a lower price or have a few extras added in by talking to someone they can add the Capital Dice to their Contact Attribute and any appropriate skills. 

Example: The team at Ghostbusters, Hoboken sits down for a staff meeting after a successful case and a decently large payout. Ezeriah Croftman wants to set up a real library of occult books, while Eric Zeddemore (nephew of original Ghostbuster Winston Zeddemore) wants to overhall the garage. Carly Carlson, the group's dedicated driver sides with Eric, while Ziva Yesperani is on the same page as Dr. Croftman. Here's how we play it out...

Chose one purchase and make a Capital Roll. The NJ Ghostbusters agree to try for the library first. If there is at least one Success Croftman and Yesperani get their wish. If there are no Successes, Carlson and Zeddemore can try for their garage upgrade. If Yesperani and Croftman get two or more Successes they have a choice - get a really good sized library or get a slightly smaller library and let Zeddemore and Carlson make their roll for the garage upgrade which will also be slightly less decked out then they wanted. 

Knowing my old groups they'd always choose the option(s) that best serves the team as a whole while also giving the individuals what they were hoping for, even if its a little less than they envisioned. This simultaneously gives them a motivation to get more work and upgrade the new or improved areas to their full potential. 

One final note about Capital: Once the money is spent, note what you purchased under 'Resources', located to the right of the Franchise Dice departments. In the above example, Information gets the Resource: Occult Library and Equipment gets the Resource: Garage. When making rolls with the appropriate category of Franchise Dice that would include that Resource you may add +1 additional die. However, the Capital Dice then Drop by 1.

This magnificent feast here represents the last of the petty cash.

I have other thoughts about Franchises and Franchise Dice but I'll leave this here for now. I want to finish the Character Sheet breakdown, discuss some other elements of Ghostbusters gaming I've been thinking about, as well as talking about some other subjects. 

Remember, We're Ready To Believe You!

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Barking Alien

The Franchise Rights Alone

The title of this post comes from a line in the original 1984 Ghostbusters film. It's one Peter Venkmen says to Ray Stantz when the latter is concerned about taking out a mortgage on his family home to finance the start up of the Ghostbusters operation. 

It is also the line that, for me at least, embodies all the potential of the Ghostbusters IP. A potential that the fans definitely understood, even if Columbia Pictures didn't.*

There are, right now as I type this, an estimated 500+ Ghostbusters fan clubs across the USA, Canada, and abroad including the UK, Australia, and South Korea. Each refers to themselves as a Ghostbusters 'franchise' in a nod to the very same line I mentioned above.

In a podcast interview I listened to years ago (I forget the name sadly) a member of one such franchise discussed his head canon for the existence of his club. Paraphrasing, he said that the fan clubs exist in a parallel continuity to the first two films wherein Crossing the Streams dispatched Gozer from our dimension but permanently weakened the barrier between this world and the next. Ghosts, Evil Spirits, and other spooky things sometimes get through and so the Ghostbusters franchises exist to beat back the darkness. This is my head canon as well and the basis of the setting of any Ghostbusters campaign I run.

It baffles me...OK, mini-rant here...it absolutely baffles me that every time we get a Ghostbusters movie after the original, 'Ghosts haven't been seen in ages!' Each time we start from scratch, with the idea being that defeating Gozer got rid of all [or most] the supernatural activity in the world. WHY?!? Why shoot yourself in the foot like they? Why do companies say, "We did this awesome thing people liked but I guess we'll never do it again", while at the same time having a love affair with sequels and reboots? Why not leave yourself an out? Why not keep the door open? You don't have to commit to anything but its there if you want it. Ugh!

OK, back to business...pun intended. 

In this post I'm going to address putting a Franchise together but saving the mechanics of Franchise Dice for the next post. Here they are noted on the right hand side of the Character Sheet for future reference: 

Before we discuss the rules I think it's important that we talk about what goes into the Franchise as a part of developing a campaign. What is it and what does it mean to the Players, the Player Characters, and to the world/setting the GM is building. 

The Nature of the Franchise

The first concern is what state is the Franchise in. This will relate directly to the Franchise Dice later on so keep that in mind. Consider the answers to these questions in the development of your PCs Ghostbusters branch. 

Is this Franchise new or well established?

Did a wealthy investor establish this or did desperate friends pool their last few bucks?

Are we looking at a well-oiled machine or a sinking ship held together with spit and tape?

Get the character of the Franchise and it will inform many aspects of the campaign, especially the tone. Some of the humor in a Ghostbusters game can come from the make-up of the business.

The Headquarters

 

I am going to skip discussion of where the Franchise could be located as that could be virtually anywhere. I may go into some options at a later date but for now let me focus on the aspects that I've found most directly effect the PCs from session to session. 

One of the things I love about many of the games I run is that the PCs aren't hobos and they don't have to wait to establish a home. The Player Characters here start with a base of operations, not only a place to hang their hat but a location to call their own and more importantly make their own. 

Developing and customizing a building to serve as the home base is a lot of fun and makes the PCs consider what makes for a good Ghostbusters HQ since what they end up with is on them.

Again, questions arise: Do the Ghostbusters live there or is this just where they work? Where does the team keep its vehicle? Is there room for a lab? A library? A repair area/expanded garage? Is it in the heart of the city? On the outskirts? What kind of structure is it or did it used to be? 

As we all know, the original Ghostbusters were based in an abandoned and then refurbished Firehouse, the actual building being the New York City Fire Department station of Hook & Ladder 8 at 14 North Moore Street at the intersection of North Moore and Varick Street. Our old Ghostbusters: The Home Office campaign took place in that same building, slightly renovated right before they moved in. 

The Ghostbusters, NJ campaign headquarters was in part of a warehouse in Hoboken, NJ. A large empty space, the place was laid out like a loft with a few raised platforms and separated into 'rooms' by pre-fab walls. Although each of the employees had their own living arrangements offsite, there were cots and areas to relax in case they had to pull an all-nighter. 

I've been playing with the idea of a Lighthouse base in New England, a converted Bowling Alley based on one turned into a bookstore in Niagara Falls, and even a renovated Asylum that might itself be haunted!

The Vehicle:

I am not a car guy but I could totally do any entire post on the iconic Ghostbusters vehicle, Ecto-1. Built on a 1959 Cadillac Professional chassis by the Miller-Meteor Company, this ambulance/hearse combination was of the 'End Loader' model. With its distinctive lines and curves, unique siren sound, and the group's 'No Ghost' emblem emblazoned on the door there are few in the world who do not recognize the Ecto-1. 

The question is...what does your group drive?

Much like the Headquarters, the team's vehicle says something about them and vice versa. Practical concerns like enough room to transport the team, carry the equipment, and how it handles the local terrain or traffic conditions go hand-in-hand with a cool aesthetic. You want to feel pride in your ride but it also needs to get the job done.  

We've never had our 'Ectos' become characters in the game the way a Starship is in Star Trek or Star Wars but I could definitely see it happening. As stated in a post about notable vehicles in past games from last year, our Home Office team used a slightly overhauled version of the original vehicle - referred to as the Ecto-1+ or simply the Ecto-Plus - as well as a motorcycle with a side car and a converted Ice Cream Truck. Our Hoboken, NJ group had a 2009 Subaru Forester that we considered trading in for a 2010 Humvee. 

OK, that's it for this one. Next up, the thing neither I nor Dr. Peter Venkman rather care for...More Rules! 

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Barking Alien

Listen...Do You Smell Something?

Following up my previous post, I'll continue explaining the general mechanics of my kitbashed Ghostbusters Tabletop Role Playing Game by breaking down the various components of the system's Player Character record sheet.

The last entry discussed the left side of the sheet. This post deals with the right side of the sheet beginning with...

Hired: This is used to record when you created the character. I like having this information.

Position: This is the Player Character's role in the franchise. I've used it to give specific characters oversight over each type of Franchise Dice. For example, if one PC is 'Treasurer' then they would have final say over Capital. The person designated as the 'Tech Department' would have the last word on Equipment. Alternatively, this can donate more of an RP role such as 'Field Leader' or 'Lead Researcher'. 

Specialty: Each Ghostbuster should have an area of expertise all their own. Examples include such things as Hauntings, Demonic Possession, Audio/Video, or Motor Pool (Vehicles). When dealing with their specific field of knowledge and/or experience the Ghostbuster receives an addition +1D Action Die to any related activity. If someone specializes in 'Classic Monsters' they would get one extra Action Die to recognize a Werewolf in Human form (Academics) or wrestle a Lagoon Creature underwater (Athletics). The Specialty stacks with all other Action Dice (Attributes, Skills, and Additional Skills). 

Stress: OK, here's the big change. When things get spooky, the PCs are assigned Stress by the Gamemaster. Stress is represented by the Ghost Dice (or some other dice that are clearly different from your Action Dice) and are largely the same as the Stress Dice from Free League's ALIEN RPG as noted in this post.

If a PC has Stress, roll a number of Stress Dice equal to the amount of Stress you have - the PC's Stress Level - in addition to any Action Dice you are rolling when performing a task. A Six on any die - Action or Stress - is a Success. A One (or in my case a 'No Ghost' symbol) on the Stress Dice indicates Panic. 

If any Stress Dice come up with a one you take a D6 - any will do - and roll it, adding your current Stress level and each die to come of with a one past the first to the result. You then reference the Panic Chart to see what goes horribly, horribly wrong...I mean to see the exciting outcome. 

For instance: Ray has a Stress of 2 while facing off against a Class V Full Roaming Vapor. He fires off a Particle Stream from his Neutrona Wand rolling his Technology Attribute of 3D and his Additional Skill of Neutrona Wand for +1D. Ray has no Signature Skills that apply so that's it, 4 Action Dice. 

Rolling 4 Action Dice and 2 Stress Dice he gets: 6, 5, 4, and 4 on his Action Dice and 1, 1 on his Stress Dice. This means he has one Success but also two Panic. He then rolls one 6-sided die getting a 2. To this he adds 1 for a second Panic roll after the first and his Stress level of 2. His total Panic Roll is 5. Referencing the Panic Chart it looks like Ray manages to keep it together. 

Now let's say everything had been the same except that Ray's player rolled a 6 on his Stress/Panic roll. That would be 6 plus 1, plus 2 more for a total of 9. According to the Chart above that results in, 'Are You Sure You're Using That Thing Correctly?'. Ray's player and the GM decide that while Ray did hit the target, he also hit the wall, the ceiling, and a very expensive antique chandelier that came crashing down onto a large dining table. 

It's OK, the table broke the fall. 

Cool: Each character begins the game with a Cool of 2. Cool is not automatically replenished once used but rather awarded during the game for great character moments, really quick thinking, making your GM and fellow players laugh out loud, and reinforcing the themes of Ghostbusters. In addition, each PC involved gets 1 Cool at the end of a successful 'Case' (my name for a Ghostbusters Adventure Scenario). Unspent Cool from one session does carry over to the next.

Cool can be spent in two different ways. First, it can be used similarly to a 'Push' [ in the ALIEN RPG]; by spending a point of Cool the player may take a roll they just made and re-roll any dice that did not come up a Success (a 6 on any die) or as Panic (a 1 on the Stress Dice). In addition, you may add one more - that's one additional - Action Die. This is often referred to by my players as a Do-Over so that'll be it's 'official' name. Note that this bit differs from the version in ALIEN but better reflects the PC being a world-saving hero and Ghostbusting being cool. 

The second way it can be used is to create an Edit. An Edit is a retro-active change in the situation at hand that can provide an advantage to the team. In order to initiate the Edit you spend a point of Cool and then identify the nature of the Edit, i.e. how it's being explained away in the game's continuity. Is it a Flashback, an Interview Scene (as seen in the Ghost Hunters cable series and its spin-offs as well as The Office), a post-it note you look up to see that clues you in, or whatever works best for the moment. 

A great example of this occurred in one of my Ghostbusters, NJ sessions where the PCs were investigating various fires being set by an unknown arsonist at a beach resort. When the players/PCs discovered the fires were set by what's known as a Fire Ghost they split up to try and locate him. One pair of Ghostbusters found him in a large suite and he erupted in flame which blasted towards them. One player immediately spent a Cool point and had his Ghostbuster in a side interview wherein he told the 'audience' that since they knew about the fires going in, each duo had been equipped with a hand-held fire extinguisher, "Which came in real handy just about then...". 

Bumps: Hit Points of a sort but you only take a Bump after one of your Attributes have been reduced to 0. I will discuss this in more detail in an upcoming post on how the Combat system works. Each PC can take a number of Bumps each to their Athletics Attribute. 

XP: Experience Points exist in this system to improve your Character as well as your Franchise. XP are received at the end of each Case. Usually the GM will award between 1-3 points. For particularly epic Cases or actions on the part of the PCs, as much as 5 points may be given. The XP are applied as follows:

To raise an Attribute requires 5 XP x The number of dice you are trying to achieve. 

If you want to go from an Athletics of 2 to an Athletics of 3 you would need to spend 15 XP. 

To raise a Signature Skill requires 1 XP x The number of dice you are trying to achieve. 

Imagine you have an Academics of 3 and the attached Signature Skills of The Occult 5 and Quantum Mechanics 6. You want to raise The Occult to 6. That would cost 6 XP - 1XP x the goal of 6 dice. 

As of now I can not decide if I want PCs to be able to increase Additional Skills or how much they should cost. I am also entertaining the idea of being able to add new Additional Skills after Character Creation. Please let me know what you think. 

I'm going to stop there for now and pick up next time with an explanation and breakdown of Franchise Dice, what they are and how to use them. Also, how XP can be used to upgrade your Franchise!

Sorry to those who might not be into this subject but I don't do things I enjoy only half way. It's Obsess or don't bother. 

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Barking Alien