Q: VDS - Searching for gear and bonus dice

#1

I ran a VDS game yesterday that was very enjoyable, but I found myself struggling to give the players a good challenge! There were a few things that I felt may have given them too much power. Does anyone have any advice on how they have handled these in the past:

  1. Looking for gear/armor. How have you handled this with your groups? Outside of using a specific skill (e.g. Find Gear), do you let players “loot the room” in every room, after any enemies? Do you have limits that you impose that have been helpful?
    This was my first time running VDS and I feel like I gave them too much!

  2. How do you handle speed modifiers? If players are able to get the jump on a low-level mob, their Speed becomes laughably high and even a horde of enemies will struggle to hit them.

Any advice for a rusty GM? Ways you’ve handled this in the past?

Thank you in advance!

#2

Just like their Armor is being wrecked with each hit, so is that of the enemy. So not “loot the room” for me, no. Find Gear is their tool; they really should have it.

Such are the ways of Urth. Imagine that turned around on them! Surprise is a weapon the cautious and opportunistic wield to great effect in Urth.

#3

VDS is insane. You’ll have laughable fights, slogs, and impossible conflicts all in one night.
Be conservative with ‘loot the room’ as it will make them invincible
Bring in ‘lose all armor’ type beam weapons if need be

#4

Another thing yiu could do is yes let them find armor but let it only have 1 or 2 hits on it so slightly/heavily damaged when found