HywelPhillips
April 2nd, 2025, 18:35
Savage Worlds plays fast, but it is tactically deep - after a couple of years playing it we're still getting to grips with HOW deep it is.
To give you an example, here are some character roles from typical RPGs alongside how they function in Savage Worlds. Then we have some we've discovered which are more unusual , tied to the various Savage Worlds subsystems and resolution systems.
THE USUAL SUSPECTS:
TANK
High toughness, wear armour, carry a shield take edges to improve your resilience like Brawler, Nerves of Steel, Block, etc.. Accessorise to taste with abilities either to pull fire onto yourself (Taunt, Provoke) or to enhance damage output.
ARCHER/SNIPER/RANGED DAMAGE PER SECOND
High shooting, aim, marksman, assassin and the usual abilities for getting into an advantageous position.
SKIRMISHER
Decent fighting. Combine First Strike with Extraction, Dodge and Fleet-Footed to get in, get attacks, and get back out of range again round after round.
SPELL CASTER
SWADE has the full range of spellcaster types especially if you include the companions. Build to taste for buffs, dps, crowd control, utility, summoning, etc..
Here's a few which are less obvious:
MASTER AND COMMANDER
There's a whole category of edges designed to improve the chances of troops under your control, and with SWADE's ability to handle henchmen and allies smoothly, you can get chance to actually use them. Natural Leader means you are suddenly the Buffmaster General for the other PC's too. (If only FGU SWADE had auras to implement these buffs automatically...)
GIVE ME JOKERS
Build a character to burn through the action deck (used for initiative). Quick, Calculating, Improved Level Headed, and one of the damage-power-up when you draw a joker edges like Mighty Blow or Dead shot. Suddenly almost whatever card you draw you get bonuses and options.
TWO SHAKES MAKE A WOUND
One of the most deliciously subtle rules in SWADE is shaking an already shaken foe inflicts a wound. I know that in the rules as written that only applies to physically damaging things, but that's still lots of opportunity. Try to go early in the round, taunt or test foes to make them vulnerable and shaken. This sets them up for MUCH easier take-down by the rest of the party! For some genres (like Dawn of the Daikaiju) I like to apply the campaign rule that two shakes make a wound even from non-physically-damaging tests. Your pride can be so wounded you are forced to withdraw! Take Killer Instinct, too.
THE BENNIES MUST FLOW
Bennies are the currency of SWADE, and you can design character builds around optimising that aspect. Luck, Elan, Common Bond and a series of hinderances you know are going to crop up several times a session. Ally with GIVE ME JOKERS to burn through cards to gain more jokers and more bennies.
FACE
Obviously take a high Persuasion/Intimidation/Taunt, and season with really useful edges like Provoke, Humiliate, Rabble-rouser, Work The Room, Attractive, Charismatic, Famous, etc. give you multiple ways to make friends and influence people.
MY ATTACK AGAIN
Take a bunch of edges which grant you free fighting attacks or allows you to put out multiple attacks. Going up against someone who has Ambidextrous, Improved Counterattack, Improved First Strike, Improved Frenzy, Two-Fisted and Improved Sweep and be utterly dismayed at just how many times they get to attack you.
SANTA'S LITTLE HELPER
As well as the usual buffing opportunities, do a bunch of Supporting. Try to go early in the round, take Reliable and Work The Crowd. Obviously combines well with Face for the traditional buff bard, but can be surprisingly useful when used creatively with other skills - like notice for figuring out patterns in foe's attacks, say.
GEARHEAD
Notwithstanding the weird science arcane background, there are plenty of ways to be a scavenger or A-team improviser in SWADE. Scavenger, Mr. Fix It, McGuyver and Thief and you'll be leaving caltrop-ridden pit traps everywhere for your enemies to fall into.
I'm sure there are many more, these are just some of the synergies we've discovered so far.
Experienced SWADE players, what other cool ones are we missing?
Cheers, Hywel
To give you an example, here are some character roles from typical RPGs alongside how they function in Savage Worlds. Then we have some we've discovered which are more unusual , tied to the various Savage Worlds subsystems and resolution systems.
THE USUAL SUSPECTS:
TANK
High toughness, wear armour, carry a shield take edges to improve your resilience like Brawler, Nerves of Steel, Block, etc.. Accessorise to taste with abilities either to pull fire onto yourself (Taunt, Provoke) or to enhance damage output.
ARCHER/SNIPER/RANGED DAMAGE PER SECOND
High shooting, aim, marksman, assassin and the usual abilities for getting into an advantageous position.
SKIRMISHER
Decent fighting. Combine First Strike with Extraction, Dodge and Fleet-Footed to get in, get attacks, and get back out of range again round after round.
SPELL CASTER
SWADE has the full range of spellcaster types especially if you include the companions. Build to taste for buffs, dps, crowd control, utility, summoning, etc..
Here's a few which are less obvious:
MASTER AND COMMANDER
There's a whole category of edges designed to improve the chances of troops under your control, and with SWADE's ability to handle henchmen and allies smoothly, you can get chance to actually use them. Natural Leader means you are suddenly the Buffmaster General for the other PC's too. (If only FGU SWADE had auras to implement these buffs automatically...)
GIVE ME JOKERS
Build a character to burn through the action deck (used for initiative). Quick, Calculating, Improved Level Headed, and one of the damage-power-up when you draw a joker edges like Mighty Blow or Dead shot. Suddenly almost whatever card you draw you get bonuses and options.
TWO SHAKES MAKE A WOUND
One of the most deliciously subtle rules in SWADE is shaking an already shaken foe inflicts a wound. I know that in the rules as written that only applies to physically damaging things, but that's still lots of opportunity. Try to go early in the round, taunt or test foes to make them vulnerable and shaken. This sets them up for MUCH easier take-down by the rest of the party! For some genres (like Dawn of the Daikaiju) I like to apply the campaign rule that two shakes make a wound even from non-physically-damaging tests. Your pride can be so wounded you are forced to withdraw! Take Killer Instinct, too.
THE BENNIES MUST FLOW
Bennies are the currency of SWADE, and you can design character builds around optimising that aspect. Luck, Elan, Common Bond and a series of hinderances you know are going to crop up several times a session. Ally with GIVE ME JOKERS to burn through cards to gain more jokers and more bennies.
FACE
Obviously take a high Persuasion/Intimidation/Taunt, and season with really useful edges like Provoke, Humiliate, Rabble-rouser, Work The Room, Attractive, Charismatic, Famous, etc. give you multiple ways to make friends and influence people.
MY ATTACK AGAIN
Take a bunch of edges which grant you free fighting attacks or allows you to put out multiple attacks. Going up against someone who has Ambidextrous, Improved Counterattack, Improved First Strike, Improved Frenzy, Two-Fisted and Improved Sweep and be utterly dismayed at just how many times they get to attack you.
SANTA'S LITTLE HELPER
As well as the usual buffing opportunities, do a bunch of Supporting. Try to go early in the round, take Reliable and Work The Crowd. Obviously combines well with Face for the traditional buff bard, but can be surprisingly useful when used creatively with other skills - like notice for figuring out patterns in foe's attacks, say.
GEARHEAD
Notwithstanding the weird science arcane background, there are plenty of ways to be a scavenger or A-team improviser in SWADE. Scavenger, Mr. Fix It, McGuyver and Thief and you'll be leaving caltrop-ridden pit traps everywhere for your enemies to fall into.
I'm sure there are many more, these are just some of the synergies we've discovered so far.
Experienced SWADE players, what other cool ones are we missing?
Cheers, Hywel