This one is another request by Lord Charlemagne. This is another review with no prep besides looking at the product page, and I am reviewing the free version of this game which does not include "the NPC creation, GM section, and setting info" but otherwise is identical to the paid version. The game itself can be found
here.
Lancer is a mecha rpg in space with maybe aliens and people fighting other people because of a recent revolution and honestly I don't watch mecha anime so I don't know how cliche this is which is probably for the best.
The book is organized into four sections, each section containing multiple chapters and each chapter containing multiple....sub-sections(?). Then there's an Index, a list of Backer Characters (from kickstarter backers) and some character sheets. I do want to say that this book appears to be organized quite nicely (unlike some other books I've reviewed) and I appreciate that.
Section 0: Getting Started
- Introduction
- Playing Lancer
Section 1: Building Pilots and Mechs
- License Levels
- The Pilot
- The Mech
- Mech Structure
- Creation Example
Section 2: Missions, Uptime, and Downtime
- The Structure of Play
- The Mission
- Downtime
Section 3: Mech Combat
- Combat Basics
- Turn-Based Combat
- Pilots in Mech Combat
- Quick Combat Reference
- Statuses and Conditions
- Wear and Tear
Section 4: Compendium
- Talents
- Gear and Systems
- Pilot Gear
- Introduction to Licensing
- General Massive Systems
- IPS-Northstar
- Smith-Shimano Corpro
- Horus
- Harrison Armory
Before we get any actual content there's the page that I'm getting used to about uncomfortable topics in the game and inclusion and how to deal with it all. This isn't a problem for me but I know some people flip their shit when they see this kind of thing.
Section 0: Getting StartedThis section starts with an introduction to the world of Lancer. There's a parallel plan that people travel through which kinds of reminds me of Cowboy Bebop. There's an "omninet" which doesn't remind me of Cowboy Bebop at all because that would require old-west style bounty hunter television shows. Lastly there's a universal currency.
All three are managed by one central government but planets on the outer edges of the government's control are rebellious and full of pirates and war. Also there are five major arms suppliers because union states are allowed to fight each other I guess.
Every player is a Lancer which is one of the best mech pilots (basically like an ace fighter pilot). Lancers are described as "mechanized cavalry" so there are other types of combat but this isn't the game for playing ground troops or ship pilots. Also everyone is a human.
When playing lancer, everyone is a pilot with a mech. The dice used are d20 and d6 (and d3). There's an online character creation/management system which also has rules or I don't know what in it and is recommended.
Play is broken up into two types, narrative play and mech combat, and each type has its own rules. Narrative play is more rules-light and mech combat is crunchy. When rolling dice, you're either making a skill check or an attack or a save. For skill checks the default target number is 10. For attacks the target number depends on the defenses of the target but a roll of 20+ is a critical hit (it doesn't have to be a natural 20). For saves, the target number depends on the ability you're saving against. When making contested checks the person who initiated the check wins ties. Also you can always choose to fail because you think it "would create a more interesting story".
Situation bonuses (or penalties) add/subract a d6 from the roll instead of being static numbers. I kind of like this, it helps keep things uncertain about if you'd be successful or not more than static modifiers do. In addition, if you have multiple situational bonuses (or penalties), bonuses and penalties cancel each other out and if you end up rolling multiple d6's you just take the highest number instead of adding them all together.
Also there's Grit which is half your license level (rounded up) and improves your attacks, hit points, and save target numbers for both you and your mech. I assume this is a static bonus but it doesn't say and probably will later.
Both narratively and mechanically Lancer's play is divided into Missions, Downtime, and Scenes. Missions are exactly what they sound like and can be more than one game session long. If you're not on a mission, you're in downtime and downtime rules happen (downtime can also last for years depending on the game). During both missions and downtime, play is divided into scenes which are just what they sound like. Instead of encounter based abilities, Lancer has scene based abilities.
Lastly I want to say that I'm 16 pages in and can't decide whether or not I like the art yet.
Section 1: Building Pilots and MechsLicense Levels are basically level and rank rolled into one, and also include the ability to requisition gear so there's no tracking how many dollars you spend on missiles because apparently currency tracking doesn't exist in this game. We appear to be doing milestone based leveling because there aren't any XP charts and it talks about doing a mission granting a license level. Everyone (normally) starts at license level 0. Also, there are retraining rules built into the leveling system, that's nice.
The first thing you do is build your pilot, and the first step there is choosing a background (or just rolling for one from the table). Backgrounds can have a mechanical effect outside of combat for skills both positively and negatively (as either a situation bonus or penalty) but it can't just be arbitrary (there are rules for arbitration during a disagreement on either side).
Next you pick your triggers. Triggers are short phrases that describe key decisions or actions that your character is especially good at. An example given is "Apply Fists to Faces" so if you have that trigger every time you do something that might be interpreted as trying to apply fists to faces you get your trigger bonus (which can be +2, +4, or +6). One one trigger can apply at a time, and these are static bonuses and not the situation bonus die roll bonuses. Please note that triggers are only for skill checks so your Apply Fists to Faces trigger won't actually let you punch people better in mech combat. There are a couple of pages of example triggers (with what they could apply to) but making up your own is okay too with GM approval.
After the pilot we move on to mech creation. Instead of triggers Mechs have four skills (hull, agility, systems, and engineering) and you get to pick which get bonuses. Mech skills are used in mech combat, and also grant "additional bonuses" during mech creation.
All mechs in Lancer are modular and built around a frame. The frame determines the mech's size and armor and available weapon and other types of mounts. Size is abstract, most mechs are about twice as big as a person. There are seven types of mounts a mech can have, although most mounts can accept things from other types (and flexible mounts don't have a dedicated type of weapon). Basically there are main weapons, auxiliary weapons, heavy weapons, and superheavy weapons. As an aside, mounted don't actually have to be attached, how your mech carries its weapons is an aesthetic choice with no mechanical benefits.
If it isn't a weapon it is a system and each frame has a set number of system points available for systems to take up. Grit and the Systems mech skill both increase systems points. Each frame also gets a core system which is unique to the frame and generally grants a once per mission ability that can be activated.
A couple of other things of note are that one of your mech's stats is how many repairs you can do while out in the field. Mech overheating is a thing. Each mech skill actually improves multiple stats based off of how many points are in the skill.
Okay, I've just hit my first annoyance at this system. Buried in a section about core bonuses (something you can get when you level up) I've discovered that license levels aren't just a general way of tracking your level. You can gain license ranks per weapons manufacturer. So you could be Rank 1 with all five manufacturers for a total license level of 5 and you have access to the rank 1 equipment from everyone. I don't know why this is hidden away because it is important.
Section 2: Missions, Uptime, and DowntimeFor the sake of total transparency I want you to know that I added an oxford comma that wasn't in the original text. A comma between every entry in a list is important!
We already talked about missions and that gets rehashed here. Choosing mech gear happens after the mission briefing, and leveling up happens even if the mission is failed (as long as you aren't dead).
It is suggest that the first session start with a mission briefing and the group deciding who they are as a group (with another table people can roll on) along with the patron and personal histories of characters within the group itself.
As I said, missions start with a briefing of what the situation is, what the goal is, ankd what the stakes are (with examples). Next the players enter the preparation stage and choose their gear and equipment for both themselves and the mech (since you basically get unlimited requisitions of the equipment you're licensed for you can swap out without issues). Next is the selection of reserves which can include both reinforcements as well as support or extra equipment. Then you're boots on the ground and in the mission.
After that overview we get into the rules of narrative play and how narrative play is differentiated from mech combat. Narrative play is PC run, the NPCs don't initiate anything and there are no turns. The skill check rules are here and pretty well fleshed out. In addition, there's a section on combat in narrative play which then uses skill checks (and things like the trigger Apply Fists to Faces can apply for punching). When combat is outside of mechs it is suggested to always run combat narratively.
Downtime is what happens when you're not on a mission, and it is also where you accumulate reserves for the next mission. Downtime is also explicitly a time for role-playing. You can take specified downtime actions to accomplish both things at the same time.
Section 3: Mech Combat"Unlike narrative play, mech combat is tactical and turn-based". Good. Basically put down the pilot character sheet you've been using for the narrative stuff and pick up your mech character sheet because it's time to kill something.
We have an explicit ruling that you aren't your own ally. Nothing like a little self-loathing to start the day. Also people's attitudes towards you depend on if they are an ally or not. Just because they are your best friend doesn't mean that you are their best friend.
When using battle maps, Lancer is a hex grid system.
Initiative works in a diceless fashion. First someone on the PCs team (which includes allied NPCs) goes based off of who the players want to go first (the GM picks someone if the players can't agree). Then an enemy NPC goes. Then the PC team member who just went picks who goes next. Then a different enemy NPC goes. Etc. The PCs always go first on the first round, but turns alternate between rounds so if the PCs went last on the first round the NPCs go first on the second round.
I have to say it's an interesting system, I don't dislike it.
On your turn, you get a move action. You also get either a full action or two quick actions. You can then decide to overcharge (gaining heat for your mech) to gain an additional quick action. There are also free actions and reactions (which are taken outside of your turn). You can move before and after your other actions but all non-move actions have to be taken together.
A lot of things are covered here, pretty much everything I would expect from my (admittedly limited) experience with mecha media. There's even some basic hacking.
There's also a whole chapter on pilots in mech combat (and it is explicitly called out as a bad idea to be on foot and attacking a mech).
Section 4: CompendiumThis chapter is basically just a bunch of lists and tables. Are you picking a pilot talent (which everyone gets)? Here are all of the talents, and each has three ranks (and lots of references to other media). As an example, there is the Technophile talent. At rank 1 you have developed a customer AI that you can put in your mech for free but it is very limited. At rank 2 it can act independently and 1/round you can re-roll a mech skill check or save. At rank 3 it gets even better and can be in your mech along with another AI and benefits from your talents when it's piloting the mech (and you can take it around with your outside of the mech).
We also get gear. Lots and lots of gear (and explanations of how things work and what keyword mean and how AI works) with the focus right now being on pilot gear.
After pilot gear is an introduction to licensing which goes over how every licensing level 0 person has access to the same general equipment (which can have role tags so if you want to focus on a specific role that can help). It looks like you can't actually gain ranks with GMS because that's the general equipment everybody gets, instead you gain ranks with the four other manufacturers.
The general list includes core bonuses, mech weapons, systems, flight systems, and the standard frame everyone starts with. Then each manufacturer has its own core bonuses, weapons, etc with the listed specific rank requirements to take them (and you can mix and match between manufacturers as long as you meet the requirements as far as I can tell). Different manufacturers are focused on different things although there is of course some overlap. There are 29 mechs so there is plenty of variety.
Final ThoughtsI like it. I wouldn't run it, the whole narrative thing doesn't really appeal, but the way it's written is definitely a way that I could play because it isn't all magical tea-party "I did the thing, no you didn't, yes I did" kind of stuff. Also the combat parts are really fleshed out and have plenty of crunchy rules.
This gets a thumbs up for me, it's refreshing to be back at reviewing things that I don't think are bad. As I mentioned, I don't have a lot of experience with mecha stuff but I don't see any reason why this game couldn't be a general system for running a game for whatever mecha anime you prefer.
