Kevin C. Wong

RPG - Bunkers & Badasses (2021) [/]

Bunkers & Badasses is a light, D&D-like table-top role-playing game based on the fictional game that Tiny Tina runs in the Borderlands computer game. I played a session during DunDraCon and the scenario was set in a dusty town in Banshee so no fantasy elements.

Your character has a class, an archetype, and a background. The class is the core and is based on one of the Borderlands character types, I was an Assassin. This gave me an Action Skill: Deception where I can do an action to cloak and create a decoy hologram until my next attack, which if it hits upgrades hits to crits (not quite that impressive because sniper rifles tend to get only one hit).

My archetype was Deadeye which gave me a feat: Line of Sight (+1 Search checks with sniper rifle equipped).
My background was Blade which gave me The Blade (you inherited a legendary sword, stats included).

You have four statistics: Accuracy, Damage, Speed, Mastery which seem to be from 0 to 6+ even numbers. These stat values derive modifiers of (stat value divided by 2). So my Accuracy of 6 means I have a +3 modifier.

There are six checks: Interact, Talk, Insight, Sneak, Search, Traverse. Each has a statistic modifier and a miscellaneous modifier to get the total modifier.

You have four skills each with three levels. At start you get one skill point so one check. I did Head Shot (+2 crit damage per skill level). The skills are individual to each PC and I'm not sure where they come from (class must be it but maybe archetype and background too).

Checks are 1d20 + check modifier. If you declare an outlandish action you get to roll the Badass Die which is a big d20 with 3 1's and 3 20's. Rolling the Badass Die gives you a badass point with another one if you succeeded. Badass points can be spent on any check, including other PC's checks, to give them +1 modifier per point spent. (Conversely GM gets mayhem points or something that can be spent to introduce new enemies or obstacles.)

I had Health 16 and Shields 15 (recharge 5). Health varies and at 0 you are out. I think everyone started with the basic Shields 15 which, if you are not damaged in a turn, recharge 5 points. You can also have grenades and potions and weapons.

Each weapon is a card which gives you the stats (attacks and damage). There is a to-hit table so depending on your roll the higher you roll the more hits you get in terms of normal hits and crits. Normal hits roll the damage die and crits roll d12 damage. Weapons can have elemental effects -- I had a sniper rifle that did electrical (2x damage versus shields) and corrosive (2x damage versus flesh) so very good except versus armor. There is no ammo and instead if you fumble you're out of ammo and have to spend an action to reload.

Combat is the basic move+action system though you can do an extra action but the GM gets a mayhem point. The deluxe RPG comes with figures and battle map (it's just a blank grid map) so combat can get fairly tactical.

Our session had a lot of talking and interacting at a bar with a small bar fight then a big fight at the end. It's a simple d20-like system and if you're given a character sheet where you have only the choice of where to put that one skill point then it's easy to pick up and start. Seems like an ok rpg (and the rulebook includes three adventures) especially if you liked the Tiny Tina DLCs.