Action Bennies for savage worlds.

Some time ago (2007-2008ish I think, I know it was after pirates but before Kane) I ran across a fan made one sheet setting that set out to replicate high action gun fights, like John woo films from the 90s. I believe it was called savage bullets. The author I don't remember.

After a couple sessions I realized the way to make things really over the top was to pass out a lot of bennies. A problem with this was players hoarding bennies and  (which isn't an issue any more) back then unused bennies could be traded for extra experience points. Bennies for experience points was an old rule no longer in the book (it was in the revised rules), my players miss it a lot. While this is no longer a problem, I feel this setting rule could still be great for the right setting.

My solution at the time was to create a second kind of bennie for the setting. Using two colors of poker chips. The blue chips were regular bennies, same as they are in the rules in every way. The second red bennies were "scene or action bennies", these bennies are handed out at the start of combat or an action scene. When the scene ends these bennies disappear.

Action (temporary, Red) bennies are handed out to players at the beginning of combat or action, anywhere from 0 to 8 of these bennies depending on how crazy the scene might get. I handed them out before passing out initiative cards. I would give 1to2 per enemy wild card players were about to face and 1 per group of mooks. And sometimes I would just throw in one or two more for kicks. GMs start with no red Bennies and only get the ones players spend. GM might still start with a few blue Bennie's for major story enemy wild cards, just to keep them from being one shot the first round of combat.

The other part of this rule is that all red action bennies spent by players are handed over to the GM, and added to his pool. The GM may now spend the bennies in the scene.

At the end of the combat/action scene the red bennies are rounded up and go away until the next scene starts.  Both from the players and GM, players retain all blue bennies as per normal rules.

With all this going for the players I never hesitated to throw crazy numbers of mooks, Uzi wielding biker gangs, and roof top snipers. Players could shrug off flesh wounds, dodge a hail of bullets and slow motion walk as things exploded in the background.

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