Basic Apocalyptic Role-Playing Game?

[SmootRK]

So I have this idea of a setting, and I want to use BFRPG as the core of the setting. A little like Gamma World without so much wacky mutational beings (not to say there will not be fantastic mutants, just they won't be part of the main races/character types), a mixture of sci-fi and magical sorta like what was found in Thundar the Barbarian. Basically take elements of standard fantasy, gamma-world, star frontiers, and mix them all together.

The basic history of the setting is that of a typical generic fantasy world (of the sort the BFRPG rules supports) where magic exists. Dwarves, Elves, and Halflings exist alongside Humans always confronted by humanoid hordes, demon-kind, dragons, etc. The beginnings of technology have begun to appear largely due to Dwarven advancements in the areas of steam, turbines, and gear-works. The technology causes a split amongst the civilized beings, those preferring magic (most elves), those preferring technology (many dwarves), and those preferring nature (halflings being among them). Humans, being contrary and adaptable, seem equally split among the divisions. An uneasy balance is maintained for a time (many generations of elves) with the technology not really progressing in any real innovation beyond the steam and basic electricity (steam/Victorian)... but there is a major event on the horizon.

A sudden and catastrophic series of events take... first strange visitors (of a few different races) arrive and while they seem relatively friendly enough, they carry technology that completely eclipses that of the dwarves. These visitors seem intent on colonizing, their story being that they had suffered tremendous losses in a war against a ruthless race. They are running out of the means to maintain their technologies and are seeking to settle down (far away from their adversaries). They integrate into the societies well enough, and for a time peace is maintained for the visitors bring some advances in technology including means to clean and re-vitalize Nature. Magic remains a little foreign to the visitors, although some are able to practice it, but overall the Elves and related Fey races withdraw even more from the world being built by the other collective races. Some generations pass...

The next major event is the discovery of this largely peaceful world (for a psuedo-medival/victorian era) by the visitors' old adversaries. Having the full powered science technologies available the Driles (name of the conquering race) don't even bother to negotiate or even communicate with the (now) natives of the world. The Driles simply launch a series of bombings to decimate the populations. The bombings are radiological, bio-chemical, and explosive, decimating the surface of the world, leaving the cities in ruins, forests burning, oceans boiling, and otherwise near complete decimation. Then the Driles leave....

Ages pass, and the past events become legend and folklore to the few survivors who managed to escape destruction. Living here and there, the races have segregated themselves once again. There are areas of extreme hazard, mutant monsters, ruins of the previous age as well as ruins that predate those. Technology is scarce, being essentially back on scale with medieval ages. Some races maintain different degrees of tech, magic, and knowledge of nature... but overall the general population has little to do with any of it (being simple non-tech, non-magical, non-druidic, farmers and laborers).

[SmootRK]

Some game details now:

Basic Races:
Humans (the standard, as well with Mutant qualities)
Dwarves (essentially the same)
Fey (human/elf descended race, as true elves and fey/sidhe are for GM use, rare and wondrous)
Halfling (of the hobbit-like sort)

plus:
Amoeboids (inspired by dralasites of star frontiers)
Kreen (vrusk/thri-kreen insectoids)
Lagos (an herbivorous mammal race looking much like rabbits)

There will be likely be other NPC races encountered here and there.

Classes:
Fighter (essentially unchanged)
--- subclasses/quasi classes likely available (ranger, gladiator, knight, barbaric)
Thief (essentially unchanged, probably includes Thug subclass)
--- Experts (thief like in structure, but with various 'other' skill focuses)
MU (but rarer, with additional requirements and various costs associated with being one)
Druid (as nature priests)

Some changes:
- No traditional Clerics, with Druids being the norm and perhaps some NPC variants encountered.
- MU are much harder to qualify for, use more rules such as expensive material components, etc. they can be quite. Generally MU is intended moreso for NPC use, but not exclusively prohibited (as I know many gamers need their MU)

Mutations and Backgrounds:
some elements of Mutations will be present in most races. Usually the mutations will have positive and negative qualities, used mostly just to give the characters some sense of "flair" with minor bonuses. Likewise, backgrounds will follow the same sort of logic. Examples:
Large/Brutish (+1 Strength checks (not str score), -1 Dexterity checks (not dex score)
Cholorphyllic Skin (greenish color, gains +1 healing rate when outdoors and able to rest in sunlight, Healing rate reduced by one when completely shut off from the Sun (such as underground or deep inside dwellings away from windows)
Rad-Proof (appears as an completely un-mutated strain which is an oddity -1 reaction/charisma based checks, but gets +1 on various saves/effects (positive) against damaging radiation effects.
Aquatic Adaptation (character gets proto-gills (or equivalent) that allows double duration holding breath and can move at 50% faster while swimming). When unable to have adequate water (such as when deprived, in desert/arid areas, or extra-hot environs), character is -1 on all checks and "to Hit"/damage rolls.

[Joe the Rat]

Just a few ideas in the pot... Apocalyptico Gumbo?

For the most part, what you end up with is a grittier fantasy setting where a fair number of the wonders, ruins, and monsters are based on super-science as much as sorcery.

If you are seriously cranking up the difficulty and costs on magic, you'd probably need to offset that somehow - I dunno, maybe actually letting them wear light armor or some such? It rather depends on exactly how the magic works. Another angle you can use is time - anything that is not strictly combat-ready could be done as a long and expensive ritual - but that would suggest eliminating several of the more utilitarian magics.

Normally when superscience starts coming into play, we start fiddling with psionics. If you go there, I'd recommend taking the wild talent mutation angle. Your blue-skinned bald human happens to be able to project thoughts, but is otherwise mute. The dwarf over there has an unusual rapport with ultratech wonders, but tends to talk to his tools as much as to people. That sort of thing. It takes mutations up a little from the "flavor" position, but it's worth a look.

[SmootRK]

Just a few ideas in the pot... Apocalyptico Gumbo?

For the most part, what you end up with is a grittier fantasy setting where a fair number of the wonders, ruins, and monsters are based on super-science as much as sorcery.

Yes, the idea is to create the biggest kitchen sink sort of environment with minimal fuss/changes. Conan-ish sword and sorcery, check. Gamma-World-is/Mutant Future, check. Sci-Fantasy Magic & Mutations, check. Even if the game players seem to want to go towards a totally science fiction star traveling game, then the seeds are there. I won't need to swap game systems or characters to head off in different game play directions.

The minimization of MU is just to help facilitate the setting, putting more focus on other non-magical types (like a standard sci-fi setting would have), without completely eliminating the potential for such characters. The main changes I would probably want to make is raising Minimum Requirements to 13 Intelligence, and incorporating some house-rule stuff like magical attack (Roll to Hit (int modifies): 1d6 in melee/short range, 1d4 at medium range, 1d3 long range (int modifies)). But further limiting the MU, spells will require various focus items and material components (but I am unsure of exactly how much I will tack on). Making spell casting take much longer through rituals makes good sense too. Making most spell casting equivalent to other major actions like searching for secret doors seems about right.

I doubt that I will bother with a dedicated Mentalist or Psionic. I have not really liked most of these. If I do anything here, it will be through the Mutation angle (much like you suggest). A single trick or process that a character can layer upon their regular abilities.

[Joe the Rat]

You might want to take a look at artikid's Under the Moons of Zoon for some angles and ideas. It's got the planetary romance feel, and includes some BF-scale psionics - though you may want to fiddle with the exact mechanics since you're avoiding a Psionicist class (Which is a little too 2nd ed+).

Thinking about the more Conan-esque aspects, you might consider allowing those of sufficient ability to try and cast prepared magic (Scrolls, following instructions from books, reading the incantation for summoning from the carvings on an ancient tomb, etc.) An Int ability roll, or something akin to the AD&D thief's scroll-reading. Giving players a way to use Magic (if somewhat poorly) without actually being a Magic-User would also reduce their "necessity" in a party.

This may have to be something non-inclusive, though - Nature-aligned characters (Druids, possibly Rangers) are already attuned to a force, Characters with a strong Technology-focus (Tech/Ultratech Experts, "Engineers") may be too ingrained in the logic and physics to make the mental connections. Some sort of lightweight skill system could facilitate this.