Pulp GM’s Toolkit

By:
Paul “Wiggy” Wade-Williams

Editing: Dave Blewer, Piotr Korys & Simon Lucas

Layout: Simon Lucas
Art: Aaron Acevedo, Slawomir Maniak, and Cheyenne Wright.
Courtesy of Empty Room Studios: Jeremy Mohler, Olga Bosserdt.
Rick Hershey

Dedication: To Maggie, who explores these strange, new worlds with me

Requires the Savage Worlds rules,

available at www.peginc.com.

Savage Worlds by Shane Lacy Hensley

Permission is hereby granted to print one copy of this document for personal, private, non-commercial use.
Distribution of this ebook by any means is prohibited.

Savage Worlds, Smiling Jack, Great White

Games, Pinnacle Entertainment Group, and all
associated logos herein are Copyright © 2006,
 Table of Contents
Introduction..........................................................3 Camel.................................................................45
Cannibal Pygmy..................................................45
Drawing Board........... 4 Chimp.................................................................45
Style of Pulp..........................................................4 Clockwork Minotaur...........................................46
Pulp Fantasy..........................................................6 Dark Gods...........................................................46
Location................................................................7 Dark Gods...........................................................46
Hook.....................................................................7 Dinosaurs............................................................47
Plot Point..............................................................8 Eagle....................................................................49
Background...........................................................8 Elephant, Bull......................................................50
Forward Planning..................................................8 Fish Man.............................................................50
Consistency...........................................................8 Flesh Eating Beetle..............................................50
Giant Animals....................................................50
The Pulp Feel........... 9 Giant Robot.........................................................53
Basic “Rules”.........................................................9 Giant Animals....................................................53
Cliffhangers.........................................................10 Gorilla.................................................................54
Dramatic Interludes............................................10 Gremlin..............................................................54
Setting Rules.......................................................11 Hippo..................................................................54
Character Generation..........................................11 Encounters..........................................................54
Combat Modifications.........................................12 Hyena..................................................................55
New Edges and Hindrances ................................13 Killer Whale (Orca)..............................................55
Designing Edges & Hindrances...........................13 Manimal.............................................................55
Professional Edges...............................................13 Martian...............................................................55
Sample Edges & Hindrances................................14 Mechanical Man.................................................56
Sample Hindrances.............................................15 Minions of the Gods...........................................56
Sample Generic Pulp Edges.................................15 Monkey, Trained.................................................56
Sample Setting Specific Edges..............................16 Mummified Crocodile.........................................56
Mummy..............................................................57
Weird Science Revisited...17 Mummy Lord......................................................57
Difficult Questions..............................................17 Animal Mummies...............................................57
Gizmo Trappings.................................................17 Polar Bear............................................................58
Altered Weird Science..........................................19 Reptile Men.........................................................58
Rhino..................................................................58
Making Monsters........ 21 Scorpion..............................................................58
Monsters.............................................................21 Sea Monster........................................................59
Villains................................................................21 Shark...................................................................59
Treasure..............................................................22 Snake Man..........................................................59
Treasure Table.....................................................22 Spitting Cobra.....................................................60
Tarantula.............................................................60
Archetypes............. 23 Tentacled Thing..................................................60
Henchmen..........................................................30 Trap.....................................................................60
Fanatics...............................................................34 Venus Flytrap, Giant...........................................61
Hordes of Extras..................................................36 Werecreatures......................................................61
Important Victims...............................................41 Woolly Mammoth...............................................62
Yeti......................................................................62
Monsters............... 42 Zombie................................................................62
African Monsters.................................................42 Trap Table............................................................63
Albino Ape..........................................................43
Animated Statue.................................................43 Hazards & Swarms....... 64
Big Cat................................................................44 Hazards...............................................................64
Bison/Buffalo.......................................................45 Swarms...............................................................66
Boar, Wild............................................................45


 Introduction
Pulp has enjoyed a renaissance on the silver screen in
the last few years. Audiences have thrilled to the sight Hello, boys and girls.
of giant apes battling T-Rex’s on lost islands, ace pilots What you have in your
playing cat and mouse with giant robots, and soon a
well known archaeologist and adventurer will be foiling sweaty hands is the third
the Nazi’s nefarious schemes once again on the silver in a new series of Toolkits
screen. designed primarily for the GM. Each book
With all this great inspirational material out there
it’s only natural you’d want to design a pulp setting but covers one important aspect of a genre.
maybe you don’t have time? Or maybe you’re new to In case you missed it on the cover, this
gaming and need some help in making your game the book details pulp stuff for the GM, mainly
best it can be?
Either way, we’ve got you covered. If you’re planning a monsters and characters.
pulp game and need some help setting the right tone, or What’s a toolkit do? Let me tell you what
just need a quick monster, villain or helpful NPC, look it doesn’t do—it doesn’t give you another
no further! This product is designed to be a one-stop
shop for all your pulp needs. rulebook.
The first part of the book has helpful essays on Sure, it’s got rules in, but they’re optional
choosing what type of pulp you want to run, as well with a capital “O.” The aim of these toolkits
as making a hook to lure in players. Next we look at
creating that unique pulp feel, and how you can use is to make your life easier as a GM by giving
setting rules and Edges to achieve this. Then we finish you tools—remember that word, kiddies—to
this section with Weird Science, and ways you can use making your own setting as unique and
it in your pulp setting.
Next we have the bestiary. The majority of the exciting as anything my slaves produce.
monsters are new, but a small few have been copied They explore every aspect of a setting,
from existing products, simply because they are ideal and I mean every aspect. From designing a
creatures for a pulp setting.
Traditionally, pulp monsters come in three types— cool world to populating it with interesting
animal, supernatural, and scientific. Animals covers cultures, from designing new weapons to
regular beasts, like lions, swarms of rats, rampaging cool artifacts, like magic and powered
elephants, and giant snakes. Of course, it also covers
space aliens and monsters as well. Supernatural armor.
creatures tend to be mummies or walking corpses, rather A lot of what’s in these toolkits is advice
than dragons and pegasi. Scientific monsters come in rather than gospel. You get to pick and
the form of genetic creations gone wrong, rogue robots,
and similar nasties. choose the bits you want for your setting
From maverick pilots with a daring-do attitude to and discard the rest.
grizzled private detectives, from nosy but plucky female And if you don’t like what jack has to say,
reporters to the trusty mechanic who can get the heroes’
plane fixed in a jiffy, there’s everything you need to change it!
populate your setting. We’ve giving you the tools to make kick-
And it doesn’t stop with friendly archetypes either. ass settings—if your game falls flat after
Nazi stormtroopers and officers, evil pygmies, Martian
warriors intent on conquering Earth, primitive shamans, reading this, then it’s your own fault for not
mad scientists, seductive femme fatales, treasure following my advice.
hunters with no morals, and corrupt media moguls are Now, get reading and go make jack
all covered as well.
Whatever your needs, just pick and choose the bits proud!
you like, and either change or ignore the bits you don’t.
Whatever your style of pulp, there should be something
here you can use.
Enjoy!


 Drawing Board

Pulp settings are two fisted, high octane settings, full So what does classic pulp have for style?
of mysterious ruins, dastardly villains, sexy dames, and Well, in truth it has a bit of everything. It has
witty dialogue. So how do you go about making your recognizable villains (such as Nazis and gangsters), hints
pulp setting live up to those standards? of the supernatural (shamans casting spells and a few
Well, it’s best to think of pulp differently to how you mystical relics), Weird Science (often plot devices), and
would fantasy or sci-fi. Sure, fantasy and sci-fi can be horror (walking mummies are very common). What it
high action setting, but pulp should be faster still. When doesn’t do is shove them in your face.
you’re designing a pulp setting (and that’s why you’re These elements are used to tell cool stories, but they’re
reading this, right?), try to imagine yourself making a not found in abundance. Weird science gizmos aren’t
movie blockbuster with an unlimited budget. found on sale in shops, monsters aren’t found lurking
So, you’re a budding movie director and you want in every ruin, and magic (maybe with the exception of
to make a pulp film. The first thing you need to ask psionics and the Arcane Background (Superpowers) as
yourself, and this is the most fundamental question in written in the main rules) isn’t something the characters
world design, is that style of pulp do I want? wield like they would in a fantasy game.
Classic pulp usually relies on historical references
as well. The more places and people you use from our
Style of Pulp own history, the less you have to create from scratch.
A treasure hunt in Egypt gives your players an instant
Ask most gamers to think about a pulp setting and mental image of what the terrain and buildings look like.
they’ll probably conjure a picture of the 1930s. There’s Chasing gangsters through the streets of New York isn’t
nothing inherently wrong with that, except that’s the hard to picture either.
setting, not the style. Of course, it’s easy to fall into the trap of using the
The style determines what elements of pulp you’ll be real world with too heavy a twist. Sure, you can set your
using in your setting, regardless of where or when the classic pulp game after a Martian invasion, but then
game is set. Of course, no pulp game needs to be stuck you’ve focused on a heavy space pulp element, which
in just one drawer. Using bits from multiple styles can moves your setting into a slightly different style.
make for a truly exciting pulp setting. This doesn’t mean classic pulp is boring, however.
The styles listed below aren’t the only ones imaginable, A game where the characters are sky pirates and spend
but they’re the most common. Most pulp novels or films their days attacking huge cargo Zeppelins, roughing it
fit into at least one of these categories. in North African bars, and fighting against Nazis armed
with superscience gizmos still falls under classic pulp,
Classic Pulp and yet doesn’t require much in the way of supernatural
To most gamers classic pulp is the 1930s setting we or horror elements. It’s just a game of pirates, but with
spoke about earlier. Imagine the camera panning down airplanes swapped for sailing ships. Of course, you can
5th Avenue in New York. Sure, the cars and fashions still add the other elements, but they’ll probably be few
look old, but it’s still a recognizable scene. and far between.


 So, in summary, classic pulp uses all the elements Not all space pulp games need to be in the future,
found below, but sparingly and without focusing on any though. An actual 1930’s world where Martians are
one in particular. invading (perhaps helping the Nazis, or being Hitler’s
secret agents) can still be called space pulp. Of course,
Space it could also be called supernatural pulp, which we’ll
Space pulp borders, in some respects, on fantasy. The look at below.
laws of physics and evolution take a back seat in favor
of high adventure and weirdness. Weird Science
Technology levels vary immensely depending on In a weird science setting, weird science is usually
the specific setting, but in most cases they use archaic extremely common. In classic pulp, it is restricted to
names. Characters carry around ray guns instead of weird scientists and villains, but in a style devoted to
laser pistol, and fly rocketships rather than pilot FTL this aspect, everyone knows it exists, and treats it as
starships. If rocketships can go faster-than-light, they part of their daily lives.
usually use some sort of strange method, such as black A setting in which armies regularly use vehicles with
holes. No attempt is made to explain the physics behind legs (called mechs in sci-fi games), or have tanks fitted
technology, or the way the universe works. with Tesla cannons, is a weird science setting. Likewise,
Weird Science is often the only form of Arcane having rocket packs, ray guns, and other such gizmos
Background and it is ideally suited to this genre. From available on the common market also brings weird
advanced ray guns (bolt) to atomic bazookas (blast) and science into the game as a standard fixture and fitting.
rocket belts (fly) to matter relocators (teleport), virtually You might decide that Zeppelins are the main form
any gizmo your players can think of exists. of transport, having replaced trains and ships. Okay,
In many respects, Weird Science is more akin to magic a Zeppelin isn’t exactly weird science, but if you add
than technology, and gizmos may be as common as electric cannons and floating towns, you’ve crossed the
magic items in most fantasy games. One way to make border between classic and weird science pulp.
your pulp game different is to allow Weird Scientists to Feel free to create a dazzling array of new gizmos,
use magic item creation rules to build a wider variety of either using new powers (found in many settings and in
artifacts. (A detailed system can be found in the Fantasy other Toolkits) or by using trappings. Sure, bolt might
Gear Toolkit.) be a ray gun, but it could also be a heat ray or ice ray.
Psionics is often overlooked in many pulp games in Likewise, entangle could be a net launcher, robotic arms,
favor of Weird Science. There’s no reason it can’t be or a freeze ray. We’ll look at this stuff again later, but for
used, however. Maybe it serves the same role as Magic now you just need to decide how important it should
or Miracles in a fantasy game. be for your game.
Aliens may or may not exist, to suit your needs. If they A setting which is purely weird science pulp may grow
exist, you need to decide if there are many races or just stale very quickly. Actually, this is true of any style of
a few. Regardless of how many exist, you are not limited pulp which focuses purely on one element of the genre.
to what evolution has produced. Energy beings, gaseous Even if weird science is your main style, throw in some
beings, tentacled fish men, and even vegetable beings supernatural every now and then to keep things fresh.
are all perfectly possible in a pulp setting. What matters You want zombies? Fine, invent a gizmo that uses the
more than science is good use of your imagination. zombie power.
Planets in a pulp game can ignore the laws of physics You may want to reevaluate how weird science works
without causing the inhabitants to question their in this style of setting. As they stand, gizmos are really
existence. A small world, which scientifically would only any use in the hands of their creator, which leads to
probably have a low gravity, might have the same gravity, the question of how gizmos became common technology.
or higher, than Earth without any explanation required. Don’t start panicking about this, there’s some help on
Worlds don’t have to be spheres either—they could be page 19.
broken fragments.
Unless you’re going for a truly bizarre setting, though, Supernatural/Horror
you should endeavor to avoid square, triangular, or other While weird science is a pulp staple, so is using the
geometrically shaped worlds—suspension of disbelief supernatural, and by default horror. A pulp game can
only goes so far. use a slight hint of these elements for sure, but then
The surface of a world tends to have one dominant it’s really classic pulp. To make it a true supernatural
terrain type, which gives the world a general classification. or horror style, these elements have to be far more
For instance, a world covered in sandy deserts is a common.
desert world, and contains all the stereotypical images Rather than appearing every now and then, spell
associated with deserts, such as sand dunes, oases, and casting shamans, zombies, walking mummies, and relics
the bleached bones of dead animals. with strange powers crop up in almost every tale.


 Would a god of the dead (the usual suspect for such
Pulp Fantasy things) really want to let the dead out of his domain?
How come the zombie power suddenly awakens a score
We’ve mentioned how you can combine of mummies? Why can the archaeologist use the power
fantasy and pulp, and you may well be ready of the book without an Arcane Background? Discourage
to start designing your totally cool fantasy such behavior at the first chance you get. Pulp isn’t about
world. Kudos to you if you are. these questions, it’s about adventure and excitement.
Then you’ll flick through this book,
maybe twice, before you realize that there Fantasy
is very little strictly fantasy material in here One can argue that pulp is more a sub-genre of fantasy
to help you make your new fantasy setting than fantasy is of pulp, but let’s not split hairs. Pulp
come alive. fantasy, also known as sword and sorcery fantasy, is
Well, we’ll be honest, this isn’t the only a cross between low magic fantasy and the two fisted,
book you’ll need. Here’s why. First, the vast heroic action of pulp.
majority of pulp games are not going to be It follows the fantasy staples of supernatural beasts,
fantasy ones. They’ll be your classic 1930’s often based on mythological creatures, and stereotypical
style game, or space pulp, so that’s what villains, typically priests, witches, or wizards possessed
we devoted most space to in these Pulp of powers beyond mortal comprehension, but usually has
Toolkits. Second, fantasy is also a massive far less magic than a typical “pure” fantasy game.
genre unto itself, so it really needed its own Magic items, for instance, tend to be few and far
Toolkit series. between, and are usually found in the hands of villainous
This toolkit will give you everything you types or discovered by heroes only after a length quest.
need to make the pulp side of your game, The usual arsenal of magic items typical fantasy game
but for the fantasy aspects you’re probably characters rely on is replaced with a strong arm and
going to need the Fantasy World Builder keen mind.
Toolkit, and maybe even the Fantasy Gear The technology level is nearly always pre-Medieval,
and Fantasy Bestiary Toolkits if your setting and usually has an almost barbaric quality to it. Cities
has stronger fantasy elements. considered advanced technologically are nearly always
portrayed as decadent, and eventually self-destructive.
Many cultures are also taken from our own history, then
In a supernatural game, you have to decide if magic given a slight fantasy bent. Rome, Greece, the Mongols,
(and any other Arcane Background, except Weird and the Vikings are used more than any other cultures,
Science) is restricted to the monsters and villains, or but Chinese, Egyptian and Mesoamerican can make cool
whether it something characters can wield. additions to your world.
Can characters cast actual magic? Do priests with Pulp fantasy heroes aren’t petty warriors and rogues,
great faith perform miracles? Can a character learn a scratching a living robbing monster-filled catacombs.
superpower from Tibetan monks? Is psionics acceptable? No, they’re mighty heroes with rippling muscles whose
Ideally, you shouldn’t allow the characters to use every destiny is to become king, master thieves who avoid
type of Arcane Background. Pick one or two types that combat through trickery and a mind sharper than any
suit the needs of your setting. In many pulp games, sword, and sometimes even wizards—though such
Psionics and Superpowers are the norm. Of course, in character types tend to be charlatans and stage magicians
fantasy pulp, you might want to swap those for Magic rather than sorcerers of power.
and Miracles. Historically, if such a word can be used here, pulp
Supernatural elements in a pulp game, even when fantasy has been dominated by male characters, but
they occur daily, needn’t be explainable or have any don’t let this stop you doing anything feminine. At least
in-depth rationale behind them. Unless the concept of one female pulp fantasy heroine has managed to make
your setting involves actually cracking these mysteries, it to the big screen.
exactly how magic items work and why undead are Pulp fantasy needs a lot of the fantasy staples,
roaming your world should only be explained in the such as magic, monsters, and gods, but it also needs
broadest strokes. scope. Villains don’t plot to take over a small village
Don’t fret about using actual game mechanics either. in the middle of nowhere. Rather, they take over entire
It’s your game and things work exactly how you want nations, establishing vast empires through a mixture of
them to. For instance, if you have a magic book that subterfuge and military might. Characters don’t aim to
returns mummies to life, the characters shouldn’t be a minor lord answering to some petty noble. They
concern themselves with the mechanics or rationale seek to become king of a powerful nation, or the greatest
behind the book, It won’t add anything to the game. warriors the world has ever known.


 So,. if. you. want. to. make. a. pulp. fantasy. game,. you. While.your.setting’s.hook.can.be.seen.as.simply.the.
should.aim.to.have.the.heroes.become.true.movers.and. dressing.on.a.salad,.it.can.also.form.the.core.of.your.
shakers.(rather.than.hired.thugs.looking.to.get.rich)..Be. Plot.Point.
prepared.to.have.the.heroes.alter.boundaries.on.maps,. .Imagine.our.hook.is,.“A.world.in.which.heroes.fl.y.
bring.down.gods,.and.raise.new.cities.from.the.dust. heavily.armed.airplanes,.and.where.ancient.forces.from.
a.bygone.age.have.awoken.”
The.ancient.forces.are.actually.evil.gods,.returned.to.
Location power.by.a.cabal.of.sorcerers,.and.now.in.possession.of.
entire.nations..In.South.America,.there.is.a.nation.ruled.
Every. pulp. setting. needs. a. location. (and. by. default. by.bloodthirsty.Aztec.priests,.in.Egypt.the.pharaohs.have.
a.time)..The.obvious.choices.for.a.pulp.game.is.Earth.. awoken.from.their.ancient.sleep.as.mummies,.and.in.
Not.only.were.the.majority.of.pulp.stories.written.and. Norway.the.Vikings.are.back.with.conquest.and.looting.
set.during.the.1930s,.but.you.don’t.need.to.do.any.work. on.their.mind..Of.course,.despite.being.throwbacks.to.
to.create.the.world. ancient. days,. all. the. enemy. use. modern. technology,.
Of.course,.space.pulp.set.just.on.Earth.is.kind.of.dull.. such.as.airplanes.
There’s. really. only. two. things. you. can. do. with. space. Aztec. airplanes. decorated. like. fl.ying. serpents,. Viking.
pulp..The.fi.rst.is.to.expand.your.horizons.to.encompass. fi.ghters.of.draconic.appearance,.and.Egyptian.planes.colored.
our.entire.solar.system..The.second.is.to.create.a.new. blue.and.gold.like.the.pharaoh’s.headdress.fi.ll.the.skies,.
universe..For.fantasy.pulp,.you.can.either.use.a.version. each.struggling.to.expand.their.empire.against.the.valiant.
of.our.history.or.create.a.new.world. defenders.of.the.Free.World.
For.hints.on.bringing.sci.fi..to.your.pulp.game,.you. Already. the. hook. requires. answers. to. fundamental.
should.check.out.the.Sci-Fi World Builder Toolkit..For. questions. your. players. are. going. to. ask.. Why. did. the.
fantasy,.read.the.Fantasy World Builder Toolkit. cabal.awaken.the.gods?.What.do.they.want?.Can.we.form.
an.army.to.stop.them?.Do.they.have.any.cool.magic?.
The.simple.hook.is.already.beginning.to.lead.you.toward.
Hook the.development.of.the.Plot.Point.
When.designing.a.hook,.ask.yourself.one.important.
Every.setting.needs.a.hook,.something.to.lure.players. question—if.a.GM.gave.me.the.hook,.would.it.make.me.
to. your. game.. So. what. makes. a. good. hook?. Well,. want.to.play.in.his.game..If.the.answer.is.no,.then.you.
anything.that.makes.the.setting.attractive.to.players. need.to.reevaluate.your.hook.
Think. about. what. makes.
your.setting.different.from.every.
other.pulp.game.out.there.(and.
there.are.a.few).
S i m p l y . h a v i n g . a l l . t h e.
characters. play. sky. pirates. in.
a. world. where. aircraft. are. the.
vehicles.of.choice.is.a.hook..A.
world.where.virtually.everybody.
is. a. low. powered. superheroes.
(or. villain,. of. course). is. also. a.
hook.. A. Martian. invasion. of.
1930s.Earth.works.as.a.hook..A.
fantasy.pulp.world.where.magic.
is. extremely. rare,. an. evil. cult.
is.growing.across.the.land,.and.
where.swordsmen.have.formed.
academies. to. teach. special.
moves.is.also.a.hook..
Heck,. you. could. even. have.
Martians.invading.a.pulp.fantasy.
world.if.you.want.a.weird.hook..
Don’t. get. too. weird. though—
that.can.have.the.opposite.effect.
and.actually.drive.players.away.
from.your.game.

7
 Plot Point The background story is the first part of your
campaign map. Not in the physical sense of a map of
Plot Points are the Savage Worlds way of scripting the world, but as in a map of the story arc, the overall
a campaign. They have a beginning, a middle, and an goal of the characters.
end. They turn the actual facts about the setting into The background fills in the whos, whys, and hows of
the backdrop for an epic story. the story. You don’t need to know all the details at once,
Sure, you can create a pulp setting with no Plot Point. but you should have a good feel for how things got to
The characters can simply explore the setting you have their present state. How much detail you want at this
created, perhaps visiting ancient ruins, stopping Nazi stage is up to you, but the more you know, the easier it
plots, fighting cabals of sorcerers, or even carving out a is to work through other parts of this book.
kingdom of their own. There’s still likely to be plenty of You can use parts of the background to give to your
adventure possibilities, but a good Plot Point campaign players. If you want, you can create a handout for
keeps the characters motivated, gives them a defined the players with all the pertinent information their
goal, and still allows them to explore other aspects of characters would know. If the goal of the Plot Point is
your creation. going to be obvious (who could miss the world being
Remember, at this stage all you need is a basic idea— conquered by weird forces in an age of moving pictures
expanding the idea into a background story comes next. and plucky reporters?), add some historical flavor or
You should also remember that completing a Plot Point foreshadow events to that as well.
campaign doesn’t mean the game is over. Completing What it doesn’t do is give away any of the back story
one may lead to another. or secrets of the invaders. Where did they come from?
For instance, the characters might stop a Nazi plot to What is their goal? How can they be defeated? All these
discover and excavate Atlantis, only to discover in the questions should be known by the GM, and discovered
final Plot Point that the Nazis have now made an alliance slowly by the players as the campaign unfolds.
with Martians to fulfill their goal of world conquest.
Even if it doesn’t lead on, there are always new dangers
to face. Here’s a few ideas to get you started. Forward Planning
Plot Point Ideas Think about some of the underlying issues in your
• The Nazis (or some other group) plan to build an setting. If the world is being conquered by a powerful
army using powerful magical relics or superscience. army, you’ll need to think about where the borders are.
• An evil entity has been awakened and threatens to Are you using a modern atlas, or drawing in borders to
conquer the world with an army of horrors. fit your vision of the world?
• The characters’ rocket ship is sucked through a black If your pulp fantasy villains use a different type of
hole into a universe ruled by an evil psionicist. Escaping magic, get an idea now of how it’ll work. Think about
is their main goal. the role of the gods both in your world and in your Plot
• Earth is attacked by Martians (or other aliens). Point. If the goal is to thwart an evil sect, you’ll need to
• A mad scientist is trying to start a war by attacking know something about their god.
hostile nations in disguise as their enemies. Once the You can use the guidelines later to flesh out the
war starts, he plans to make a fortune selling weird specifics, but if you give it some thought and lay a little
science devices to all sides. groundwork now you’ll have a head start.
• An evil warrior with mystical powers is gathering
an army to conquer the world.
• A comet passes Earth, and all who see it develops Consistency
limited superpowers. Can the process be reversed?
• A villain creates a time travel device and accidently Now you’ve developed the background to your world,
throws an entire city back into a bygone age. Cue you’re ready to start adding some specific details. Use
dinosaurs in New York! what you’ve already created as a measuring stick to help
you stay focused.
If you’ve designed a pulp setting where airplanes play
Background a major role, don’t forget to create a batch of planes the
characters can pick from. If you’re using an Egyptian
Okay, so you know the type of pulp you want to use, element, remember to include some sort of magic
you have an idea of the scope of the setting, and you have system with an Egyptian feel (so spell books, scrolls, and
an interesting hook and Plot Point campaign idea. Now incantations, rather than potions, crystal balls, and the
it’s time to turn the idea into a background story—the like), even if its only the standard version from the main
reason why the Plot Points exist in the first place. rules, it will give your setting a more unified feel.


 The Pulp Feel

Pulp has a unique feel. The setting should be exciting, Morality

the characters and villains larger than life, and action Pulp has two shades of morality—black and white.
valued over careful plans. This chapter takes a look at Heroes are good and villains are evil, though both parties
ways you can capture that pulp feeling in your game. can waver at times, especially at dramatic moments.
The stalwart hero may be tempted to perform some

Basic “Rules” diabolical act for the greater good or betray his friends
to rescue a kidnapped loved one, but in the end he does
the right thing.
Pulp has a number of “rules,” which are used to define Likewise, villains retain some conscience. Even the
the nature of the genre. They’re not game mechanics, darkest villain can show a brief glimmer of good. Maybe
but they should influence the way you write adventures the vile torturer takes pity on the heroine because she
and design the overall feel of the game. reminds him of his sister, or the realization of his actions
prevents the bomber pilot from bombing a peaceful
Action and Drama town.
The pulp genre is all about action and drama. Heroes and villains sometimes swap moral codes on
Fistfights, gun battles, high-speed chases, and constant a permanent basis, though usually only once. The long-
dramatic setbacks and surprises are all part and parcel serving cop realizes that crime does pay and takes up a
of being a pulp hero. life of extortion to line his own pockets, or the gunrunner
Simple game mechanics for generating drama and who sells to the highest bidder redeems himself by only
action are given below, but it is up to the Game Master smuggling weapons for the rebels, even though the
to present his adventures as fast moving, exciting stories. material rewards are poor.
If the players are pondering over a course of action force Acting in a “grey” moral manner is acceptable on rare
them to act quickly by having a group of thugs or some occasions, but it shouldn’t be considered the normal
nasty beast turn up on the scene. Don’t give the players attitude. Heroes may lie to save friends, but they do not
chance to think—force them to act. lie to their friends; they might threaten to rough up a
Even though the player characters are the heroes, prisoner during interrogation, but they never actually use
not everything should go their way. Present them with torture; and they may agree to go along with a villain’s
an unexpected obstacle at least once every adventure. plans, only to sabotage them at the first opportunity. Evil
This could be something as trivial as finding his gun has characters may offer the hand of friendship, but quickly
jammed beyond immediate repair, forcing the hero to turn traitor when the chance arises.
ditch his ranged weapons and get up close and personal, Can you enforce this style of behavior on your group?
or more something dangerous, like the sudden arrival of Of course you can. The easiest way is to explain the code
enemy reinforcements or a plane’s engines cutting out of morality to your players at the start of the campaign,
as they come in to land. and perhaps at the start of the first few sessions. If
Running a pulp game should leave everyone at the they’re good players, they’ll adjust their behavior to the
table exhausted but satisfied. mind set of the game.


 Should they insist on playing “dark heroes,” or other
such non-pulp characters, start docking them bennies
each time they perform an evil action, or give them
Cliffhangers
fewer Experience Points. We take a look at playing Good The term cliffhanger comes from having the poor
Guys, and what that means for character generation, hero of a pulp show dangling off the edge of the cliff
on page 11. as the credits roll. In cinematic terms, wondering how,
Are there any neutral characters in pulp? There are, and indeed if, the hero could survive drew audiences
and there aren’t. Most people in the pulp world are back week after week. Roleplaying is no different and a
neutral, in that they try to lead good lives, but they don’t dramatic end to a session is a lure for players to come
throw themselves in front of trains for others or rise up back next session.
in arms against powerful villains. A good cliffhanger can add greatly to an adventure.
However, if a hero (or villain) asks them for aid, the Planned well, they leave the players desperate to start
neutral character must pick the side of good or evil. the next session as soon as possible. However, they are
No one stays neutral when they’re caught up in the a storytelling tool and should not be overused. There is
action. nothing worse than having the players jadedly thinking,
“What’s this week’s cliffhanger?”
Description Not every hero need be involved in the cliffhanger.
Locations should be described in an exciting way. This was common in many pulp shows with more than
Egypt isn’t “a hot place.” It’s a “barren landscape of one lead character.
rising dunes, with biting sand driven by strong winds.” It is also important to remember that cliffhangers end
An old temple deep in the jungles of Mexico isn’t a just before anything serious happens. The giant boulder
“ruin overgrown with vines.” It’s a “dark and ominous may get to within a few feet of the heroes when the scene
structure. Though vines cover much of its outer facing, ends, but it doesn’t actually crush them. A hero stuck
the entrance gapes like a dark maw, as if ready to devour on an electrified floor may take one round of damage,
anything that tries to enter.” but he doesn’t burn to a crisp. A cliffhanger presents a
Character descriptions should also portray something glimpse of the possible fate to come.
of their personality. A “weasel-faced” character is very
likely a snitch for some villain (unless he really does have Game Mechanics
a weasel’s face), the “fat” merchant is greedy for wealth Cliffhangers are extremely easy to work into an
as well as food, and the “thin lipped guard captain” is adventure. Most sessions end after a predetermined
cruel and humorless. time, and shaping the course of the adventure to end on
an exciting note is a Game Master’s prerogative.
Humor At the start of the next session in which a cliffhanger
Most players crack jokes at the table; it’s human was used, begin by recapping the events that led up to
nature. Pulp humor comprises witty lines, quick the cliffhanger. Pulp serials used this recap to remind
comebacks, and even a small amount of slapstick. Don’t the audience what happened last week. It also helps the
go overboard, however, or the game may devolve into a players quickly get into character.
comedy. A truly witty line delivered in character should Each player whose character is actively involved in
be rewarded with a benny. the scene receives two additional bennies at the start of
the session. If these are not spent during the cliffhanger
Villainous Arrogance scene they are lost.
Getting captured by the villain is an accepted part Why give bonus bennies? Cliffhangers are supposed to
of a hero’s life. Not only do deathtraps create a good be dramatic, not party killers. The heroes are meant to
cliffhanger, but they also allow the villain to gloat and escape them and still go on to fight villains later in the
reveal his evil scheme. adventure, though not without some difficulty. Bonus
You might decide that a villain will automatically bennies and cards let the heroes act heroically without
gloat whenever he captures the characters, spilling the draining valuable resources.
beans about his diabolical plans to conquer the world,
and inadvertently giving the characters everything they
need to know to stop him. Dramatic Interludes
You may also rule that a villain begins gloating if a
hero taunts or tricks him into revealing his plans. This Cliffhangers and dramatic interludes serve the same
might need a Persuasion roll or Smarts Trick, but you purpose—to create excitement. However, cliffhangers
can also decide as a setting rule that a hero who spends take place at the end of a session, leaving the heroes’
a benny forces the villain to reveal all in a triumphant lives in the balance. Dramatic interludes can happen at
display of his megalomania. any stage during an adventure.

10
 When. creating. a. dramatic. interlude,. think. of. what.
is. already. taking. place. in. the. adventure.. Imagine. the.
following. scene—a. Nazi. fi.ghter. plane. is. chasing. the.
heroes’.Zeppelin.through.a.canyon..
The.Nazi.fi.res.a.rocket,.which.misses..Sure,.it.could.
just.be.a.miss,.which.explodes.harmlessly.“off.screen.”.
A.more.exciting.approach.is.having.it.explode.ahead.of.
the.heroes,.causing.an.avalanche.of.large.rocks.right.in.
their.path!.Of.course,.we.don’t.recommend.that.every.
miss.suddenly.becomes.a.form.of.success,.but.every.now.
and.then.you.should.feel.free.to.use.failures.to.create.
exciting,.and.dangerous,.situations.
When.you.declare.a.dramatic.interlude,.give.each.hero.
involved.in.the.scene.a.free.benny..If.they.don’t.use.it.
they.get.to.keep.it,.but.the.danger.should.be.such.that.
your.generosity.is.required.

Setting Rules
One. easy. way. to. capture. a. lot. of. the. pulp. feel. is.
to. create. specific. setting. rules. suited. to. the. genre..
Pulp. heroes. aren’t. normal. people. forced. into. diffi.cult.
situations,.they’re.heroes.with.a.capital.“H.”.As.such,.
your.setting.rules.should.be.biased.heavily.to.allowing.
the.characters.to.behave.like.them.

Character Generation
refuse.to.roll.anything.higher.than.a.2..This.is.just.the.
Pulp.heroes.are.a.cut.above.the.masses..Even.at.Novice. nature.of.roleplaying.games..
rank,.they.should.be.tougher.than.the.thugs.they.will.be. One.way.to.help.counter.this.is.to.give.pulp.heroes.
fi.ghting,.though.obviously.not.powerful.enough.to.take. more. bennies.. You. might. start. them. with. 5. bennies.
on.the.main.villain.straight.away..Here’s.a.few.quick. apiece,.for.instance..
ways.of.allowing.this.to.happen.. Of.course,.since.bennies.can.be.traded.for.Experience.
First,. you. can. allow. characters. to. ignore. the. Rank. Points,. you. might. fi.nd. them. advancing. quicker. than.
requirements.for.Edges.during.character.creation..They. you’d.planned..If.you’re.running.your.pulp.game.right,.
must.still.meet.all.other.requirements.as.usual,.however.. they. shouldn’t. have. many. bennies. left. at. the. end. of.
This.creates.slightly.tougher.characters,.yet.still.retains. session,. but. sometimes. they. get. lucky.. Simply. allow.
some.balance. bennies. to. translate. to. Experience. Points. only. if. they.
Second,.you.might.decide.that.characters.may.ignore. roll.a.6,.instead.of.the.usual.5.or.6.
Rank. requirements. when. choosing. new. Edges.. This. Find.whatever.makes.your.game.exciting,.gives.your.
allows.them.to.get.the.more.powerful.Edges.sooner,.and. heroes.a.chance.to.perform.spectacular.stunts,.and.still.
allows.you.to.throw.more.dastardly.foes.at.them. keeps.the.power.level.balanced.
Third,.start.the.characters.at.Seasoned..Have.them.
create.Novice.characters.as.normal,.and.then.let.them. The Good Guys
take.four.advancements..Heck,.there’s.no.reason.why. Pulp. heroes. are. the. good. guys,. the. white. hats,. the.
you. couldn’t. combine. this. with. either. option. above,. cavalry.coming.to.the.rescue..Pulp.heroes.aren’t.as.pure.
especially.if.you.want.super.high.octane.action.or.have. as.the.driven.snow,.but.they’re.not.regular.characters.
a.small.group. either.
Hindrances.such.as.Bloodthirsty,.Greedy,.and.Vengeful.
Bennies should. be. reserved. for. villains,. unless. the. player. can.
Sometimes. players. screw. up. and. place. themselves. come.up.with.a.way.of.explaining.why.his.character.has.
in. stupid. situation. from. which. they. can’t. escape.. these.fl.aws.and.is.still.a.good.guy..And.no,.“I.only.kill.
Sometimes.GMs.screw.up.and.send.in.too.many.thugs. Nazis”.is.not.good.enough..Heroes.generally.don’t.take.
against.weak.parties..Sometimes.the.dice.screw.up.and. lives.when.they.can.avoid.it.

11
No speako the Lingo heroically, going out in a blaze of glory that his name
It doesn’t really matter whether it’s the Sahara desert, should live on forever—but he might also somehow
the swamps of Venus, or the icy mountains of the planet miraculously survive.
Klargg—pulp adventures usually involve travel to exotic Such calls are entirely up to the Game Master and
places. whatever outcome makes for the best story.
And in foreign lands, people speak foreign languages.
Or do they? Pulp really isn’t about the nuances of Fist Fights
language and cultural barriers, it’s about fun. Unless Pulp heroes do use guns, they also use swords and
you want to have your heroes waste skill points on whips, but they spend a lot of time punching people
languages, we suggest you tackle the subject of speaking out as well. Why?
other tongues one of two ways. Well, in the stories it makes the hero seem more
First, everybody speaks English (or whatever your heroic. Any idiot can grab a gun and start hosing lead
native language is). At least everybody of importance all over the place, but a true hero needs only what he
to the adventure. Characters who want to be able to was born with to defeat evil. Second, it allows for cool
speak (and read) obscure or ancient dialects, such as stunts in the movies, and pulp is probably the ultimate
Tibetan or ancient Egyptian (which allows them to read cinematic genre.
hieroglyphs), should still buy a skill. It’s probably part Of course, going bare fisted against a sword-wielding
of their background anyway. evil cultist may result in the hero losing some fingers,
Languages like Ancient Greek, Hebrew, and Latin especially in a game where unarmed defenders are at a
often crop up in pulp settings, especially ones which disadvantage.
involve consulting old books to track down fabulous One way to avoid this is to state in your setting rules
treasures. If you feel a character has a good background that Wild Cards never count as Unarmed Defenders.
story (“I’m a Biblical scholar”), he can make a Common This way, they can fight thugs with weapons on an equal
Knowledge roll to translate texts. footing. If you don’t want all the heroes to have this (it
Second, every character is fluent is a number of doesn’t really suit mild mannered reporters), create a
languages equal to half his Smarts die. It doesn’t suitable Edge that confers the bonus to those who take
matter if he wants to speak French or ancient Persian, it (see page 15 for an example).
a character simply picks whatever languages he wants. Another pulp staple is the hero valiantly battling his
If the character increases his Smarts later, he learns a way through an army of thugs without getting kicked
new language as well. unconscious. In Savage Worlds, multiple attackers gain
a Gang Up bonus, which makes this hard to achieve

Combat with any flair.

If you want the heroes to be able to tackle these kinds
of odds in your setting, you can rule that Extras never

Modifications get a Gang Up bonus on Wild Cards, or you can create

a suitable Edge (as we’ve done on page 15) to ensure the
feeble old professor can’t single-handedly tackle a riot.
Heroes fight scores of villains and suffer nothing more
than cuts or bruises, they survive trapped filled tombs in Never Ending Bullets
which their Extras die like flies, and they survive wounds Pulp heroes often fire seven or eight shots from their
that would kill a lesser man ten times over. six-cylinder revolver or blaze away with SMGs until
Here’s some guidelines you can use to ensure that the the cows come home. Don’t be too strict at keeping a
heroes come out as victors more often than not. tally of shots fired. If a character’s automatic pistol only
has one bullet left, let him perform a double-tap. If he
Heroic Endings grabs an SMG with just a few rounds in the magazine,
Heroes never die from attacks—they’re just knocked let him fire a full burst. Of course, the action must be
unconscious, left for dead, or otherwise Incapacitated. balanced—running out of bullets unexpectedly, even
Heroes never roll on the Injury Table. Ever. They’re not when you could swear the magazine was full, is also in
called heroes for nothing. the pulp tradition.
Actually killing a hero requires a deliberate act on the
part of some nefarious villain. Even then, most foes are Police Interference
more likely to put the character in an “inescapable” death No matter how much gunplay is involved, the cops
trap than slit an unconscious hero’s throat. Heroes can never turn up. OK, that’s not entirely true. So long as
also die in acts of extreme sacrifice. the characters aren’t murdering innocent bystanders and
A caped crusader who rides a doomsday missile strive to stop the villains, the cops leave them alone. Pulp
to keep it from heading toward civilians might die heroes rarely have to explain themselves to the police.

12
 New Edges and Edge Bonuses
Players generally take Edges to get bonuses for their
characters. In general, each Edge should grant only a

Hindrances single bonus or power.

Ideally, the Edge should augment a section of the rules
that doesn’t already have an Edge, and fit the pulp feel
One way to spice up your pulp game is to create of the game.
new Edges and Hindrances specific to the style of your Take Soak rolls, for instance. There isn’t an existing
setting. Edge that modifies Soak rolls, even though they’re a
common part of the game. Of course, pulp heroes are
renowned for being able to take hits without suffering
Designing Edges & too many bad effects, so creating an Edge that affected
a hero’s Soak rolls wouldn’t be out of keeping with the
Hindrances genre. On the other hand, if you’re changing your setting
rules to make pulp characters tougher anyway, you might
If you’ve decided to create a batch of new Edges and decide you don’t need this Edge.
Hindrances, you need to decide what they’re going to The hard part is determining whether the power is
do. New Edges shouldn’t be reinventions of the wheel. balanced or not. Again, there’s no easy formula for this,
Focus solely on your specific setting, and what you think but as we said above, think about the requirements in
would make it cool. relation to the reward.

Name
Every Edge and Hindrance needs a name. In general, Professional Edges
it should sum up exactly what the Edge does. The Iron
Jaw Edge, just by the name, gives the player a good idea As the rulebook says, Professional Edges are more than
of what he’ll get from taking the Edge without having just bonuses. Each one represents a vocation gained after
to read it. years of training. Those presented in the rulebook are,
out of necessity, generalized—they have to cover a wide
Hindrance Penalties range of genres. When focusing on one particular genre,
Hindrances come in Minor and Major varieties. however, we can also focus the Professional Edges.
Hindrances can give actual game mechanic penalties, If a player wants to build an archaeologist, you can let
such as negative modifiers to traits (Anemic is a good him take the Scholar Edge to represent his education and
example of this) or they can provide roleplaying penalties he’s done. How about playing a hardened private eye?
(Delusional and Wanted are both fine examples). Just use Investigator with the Mean Hindrance.
In general, a Hindrance shouldn’t give more than a –2 But what if these professional bodies are more than just
penalty. They’re called Hindrances, not Totally Crippling a set of bonuses. What if they represent an organization
Effects. If you do award a higher penalty, the Hindrance with a defined purpose? What if a character belongs to
should definitely be a Major version and affect only one an ancient organization dedicated to protecting a sacred
aspect of the character. A Blind character obviously has site? Or works as a sky marshal to keep the air free of
a huge penalty to most physical skills, but his mind is pirates?
unaffected. Other Professional Edges can be vocations not covered
in the rulebook. Can a character begin the game with
Edge Requirements an airplane, Zeppelin, or rocketship? He can if there’s
Edges need to have various requirements. A the very a Professional Edges that lets him. If your game has a
least, this needs to be the minimum Rank a character strong trading element, then creating a Merchant Edge
must be to take the Edge (unless you’re ignoring Rank is a good idea.
requirements, as we discussed before), but there could Professional Edges can also be the only way of getting
also be required skills or Edges as well. When assigning other Edges, if that’s what you want. For instance, maybe
requirements, think about what the character needs to you have to be a member of a secret society to learn
gain the benefit and what the benefit will be. Arcane Background (Magic). Maybe certain Combat
If you set the requirements too low, especially if the Edges, such as those relating to airplanes or rocketships,
rewards are high, then don’t be surprised if all your require membership in some sort of pilot academy.
characters take the Edge. Likewise, if the requirements New Professional Edges designed solely for your game
are high and the payback low, no one will take it. There allow you to add interesting social and political elements
is no magic formula to balancing requirements, but a to your setting. They’re also ripe for using to generate
trait or two at d6+ is a good start. adventures.

13
Bonuses If the Edge forces the character to stay around the
Professional Edges should grant multiple bonuses to planet, then make sure the majority of adventures are
skills associated with the profession. You wouldn’t expect set there. If he wants to go wandering, have him seek
a Sky Captain to get a bonus to Gambling or Taunt, but permission from his superiors. There’s an adventure
he could reasonably expect to get one to Piloting and hook right there—the character can go after he’s
Shooting (when using vehicle weapons). completed a minor task.
Typically, a Professional Edge should grant a +2 bonus Drawbacks can also be tied into the bonuses. A Sky
to no more than three skills. Try to avoid giving blanket Captain might a pirate leader, and has to make sure his
bonuses to combat skills, however. An Edge bestowing a men are provided with suitable recreation and booty or
+2 to Fighting is effectively giving the character a bonus he’ll have a mutiny on his hands. A member of a secret
when using all types of weapons. This would likely be an society dedicated to protecting a sacred site might get
example of one of those skills we talked about that all bonuses to resist magic, but only when near the site he
characters would end up taking—a sure sign you haven’t has sworn to guard.
got the balance just right.
If you’re handing out combat bonus, restrict them to Acquisition
certain types of weapon. A Sky Assassin may get +1 to Decide if there are any restrictions on how a character
Shooting airplane weapons to reflect hundreds of flying can take the Edge after character generation. Becoming
hours, whereas a Tribal Warrior might get +1 Fighting a smuggler might only require the character to start
with spears, but not with other melee weapons. shipping illegal cargoes and follow the profession
An alternative is to allow the character to ignore for a few months, whereas becoming a Sky Marshal
penalties instead or grant a bonus in another way. The requires extensive training and so should probably only
Sky Assassin may get the benefits of Marksman and be available during character creation or after a long
Steady Hands in the air, but not if he’s using a handgun period in-game demonstrating the character has the
or involved in a car chase. The Tribal Warrior spear right stuff.
thrower may be able to increase the range brackets of a Of course, there’s nothing to stop a hero masquerading
throwing spear to 4/8/16. as a member of such a group. Any character can call
Professional Edges are also an excellent way to hand himself a smuggler or a Sky Marshal without fulfilling
out free equipment. A Sky Captain Edge might allow any requirements at all (though such posturing isn’t
the character to start with a airplane of his own design, terribly heroic), but he wouldn’t get the bonuses that
rather than a standard “off the shelf” model. For a come with actually possessing the corresponding
character to acquire one in the game would require great Professional Edge.
expense or substantial risk.
Background
Drawbacks Unique Professional Edges, specifically those based
Professional Edges can have drawbacks, but these around an organization, should have some background
should not outweigh the bonuses. The Noble Edge gives text associated with them, if only to let the player know
lots of bonuses, but also demands the character spend more about the group (perhaps some details on its
time governing his lands. You just need to ensure the origins, its goals, and its leadership).
drawbacks are not oppressive. You don’t need to write a complete history dating
There is nothing wrong with giving our Sky Marshals back into antiquity, but there should be enough detail
the Heroic Hindrance to represent their struggle to so the player knows what is expected of him and how
uphold codes of decency, for example. In many pulp the organization functions.
settings, it encourages exactly the right tone so it gels
with the rest of the Edge nicely, but it does limit the
character’s moral choices. Instead, you could state that
the character must respond to any SOS message, unless
Sample Edges
the sender is obviously evil. If the character refuses to
give fly to the rescue, maybe his superiors strip him of
his position (and possibly that shiny plane he was so
& Hindrances
pleased about!). Okay, so we’ve talked briefly about making new Edges
Drawbacks can include being tied to a particular and Hindrances, and we’ve given you some advice on
area or duty, but again care must be taken. Designing a how to make them. Now here’s some sample Edges
group of space cops sworn to protect one world gives the suitable for most pulp settings. That doesn’t mean
character a purpose and is full of adventure possibilities, you have to include them in yours, of course. As with
but what if the character then decides to go wandering everything else in this Toolkit, these should just spur
and neglects his duties? your imagination.

14
 We’ve also included a few “setting specific” Edges for He gains a +2 bonus to Survival rolls. In addition, he
some of the common pulp themes we’ve been discussing, has a +2 bonus to Vigor rolls made to resist the effects
to show you how you can add extra flavor to your game of hot and cold environments.
with just a few new Edges.
Femme Fatale/Ladykiller
Sample Hindrances (Social)
Requirements: Novice, Attractive, Persuasion d8+
Glass Jaw (Major) The hero or heroine (or more likely, villain) is a
Your hero has a glass jaw and can’t take a solid hit. stunner, and knows how to get the best out of the
He suffers a –2 penalty to Soak rolls. opposite sex by using his or her charms.
The character may use Persuasion as a Test of Will
Xenophobic (Major) against members of the opposite sex, pitting their looks
Many pulp games are set in an age before racial and and charm against a foe’s Smarts. The character may
sexual equality existed. While we don’t advocate this sort add Charisma bonuses to her roll as well.
of intolerance, there’s no reason a character can’t suffer
from these prejudices. Just keep them in the game! I Have One (Weird)
Whether because of simple ignorance or from past Requirements: Wild Card, Novice, Luck
dealings, the character has a dislike of all cultures other Heroes are only human. Sometimes they forget things,
than his own and finds dealing with them unpleasant like torches, rope, ray gun batteries, and the like. Once
at best. He suffers a –4 penalty to Charisma when per session the hero may “suddenly remember” that
dealing with foreigners. Openly voicing his xenophobic he has a much—needed piece of equipment on his
beliefs, something he finds hard to control, may lead to person.
confrontation or ostracism. The item must be capable of being stored in the
character’s pocket or a bag and the Game Master has the
final word on what can be found (for example, finding
Sample Generic Pulp lockpicks the guards missed to aid an escape from prison
may be acceptable if it fits the story).
Edges This Edge is not usable during cliffhangers.

Bring ’Em On! (Combat) Improvisational Fighter

Requirements: Novice, Agility d8+, Fighting d8+,
Notice d8+
(Combat)
Pulp heroes can often defeat scores of Extras without Requirements: Seasoned, Smarts d6+
pausing for breath, and this hero is no exception. Single- This Edge requires you to be using the improvised
handedly facing down a room full of cultists or a Nazi weapons from the Pulp Gear Toolkit.
squad is this hero’s meat and drink. Heroes often find themselves fighting with pieces
Opponents never get a Gang-Up bonus in combat of equipment or furnishing not designed for combat.
with the hero, no matter how many there are facing A character with this Edge has a knack for using such
the hero. improvised weapons, and does not suffer the usual –1
attack penalty when wielding them.
Escape Plan (Weird)
Requirements: Wild Card, Seasoned Iron Jaw (Combat)
Characters with this Edge have an uncanny knack for Requirements: Novice, Vigor d8+
escaping from even the most dangerous situation with The hero can take a hit with a baseball bat like he was
only minor cuts and bruises. a brick wall. He gets +2 to Soak rolls.
During a Game Master generated cliffhanger, any
personal bennies the hero spends (not including the Slugger (Combat)
two free bennies handed out for the cliffhanger itself) Requirements: Novice, Fighting d8+
are recovered once the scene ends. The character is handy with his fists and has defeated
more than his share of villains armed with melee
Explorer (Professional) weapons. He never counts as an Unarmed Defender.
Requirements: Novice, Vigor d6+, Survival d8+
There are two extremes of climate in the world, and Sucker Punch (Combat)
this character has endured them both and lived to tell Requirements: Novice, Agility d6+, Fighting d8+,
the tale. Intimidation or Taunt d6+, First Strike

15
 Being. able. to. take. out. your. opponents. with. a. well.
aimed.burst.takes.training.and.a.good.eye..The.hero.
has.both..
In.vehicular.combat,.the.character.may.modify.his.
roll.on.the.Critical.Hit.Table.by.1.point.either.way,.as.
he.chooses..He.does.this.after.rolling.the.dice.for.the.
Critical.Hit.

Sky Marshal
(Professional)
Requirements:. Novice,. Piloting. d10+,. Shooting.
d10+,.Command
Sky.Marshals.work.for.an.independent.organization.
sworn.to.protect.innocent.fl.yers.from.pirates,.and.rank.
among.some.of.the.best.fl.yers.in.the.air.
The. character. gains. the. benefi.ts. of. the. Ace. Edge.
(which. this. Edge. replaces).. His. position. gets. him. a.
+2.bonus.to.Charisma,.but.only.when.he.fl.ashes.his.
badge.
When.the.character.reaches.Veteran.Rank,.he.may.
also.pick.an.airplane.from.the.standard.list,.regardless.of.
cost,.or.customize.his.own.crate.if.you.have.construction.
rules..This.is.a.present.from.his.superiors,.who.now.
rely.on.the.character.more.and.more.to.keep.the.skies.
clear..
If.this.airplane.is.destroyed,.it.is.automatically.replaced.
the.next.time.the.character.gets.an.advancement.

Trademark Plane (Combat)

Requirements:. Novice,. Piloting. d10+,. Shooting.
The. character. doesn’t. know. the. meaning. of. the. d10+
words. “fair. fight.”. If. he. succeeds. in. a. Test. of. Will. The. character. knows. his. crate. like. the. back. of. his.
against.an.adjacent.opponent,.the.character.receives.a. hand,.and.then.some..
free.Fighting.attack..This.attack.does.not.incur.a.multi. When.using.one.specifi.c.plane,.the.character.gains.a.
action.penalty. +1.bonus.to.Piloting.and.Shooting.rolls..A.character.may.
take.this.Edge.multiple.times,.but.each.time.it.must.be.
applied.to.a.different.airplane.
Sample Setting If.a.Trademark.Plane.is.destroyed,.stolen,.or.otherwise.
permanently. removed. from. the. game,. the. hero. can.
Specific Edges switch.this.Edge.to.another.crate,.but.it.takes.two.weeks.
for.the.Edge.to.kick.in.
Let’s. go. back. to. the. hook. we. mentioned. at. the.
beginning. of. the. book.. Our. setting. relies. heavily. on. Wingman (Combat)
aircraft,.so.it’s.very.likely.that.all.of.the.characters.have. Requirements:.Seasoned,.Command,.Piloting.d8+..
the.Piloting.skill..The.basic.rules.have.the.Ace.Edge,.but. Wild.Card
there’s.nothing.else.for.pilots..If.we.want.aircraft.to.be. The.character.is.a.born.leader.in.the.air..When.engaged.
a.core.part.of.the.game,.we’ll.need.to.create.a.batch.of. in.aerial.combat,.he.may.pick.another.character,.Extra.
new.Edges.to.fi.ll.in.the.blank.area. or.Wild.Card,.to.serve.as.his.wingman..Both.characters.
Do. we. need. to. do. this?. Take. a. look. at. any. Savage. use.the.hero’s.Action.Card.
Setting,.and.see.whether.the.game.would.be.as.much. A.character.may.only.have.one.wingman.at.a.time,.
fun.without.any.of.the.new.Edges.introduced.in.those. but. he. can. cut. his. current. wingman. lose. and. pick. a.
books. replacement.as.an.action..
A. character. serving. as. a. wingman. with. this. Edge.
Dead Eye (Combat) cannot.himself.have.a.wingman..It.affects.just.two.planes.
Requirements:.Seasoned,.Shooting.d10+ at.any.one.time.

16
 Weird Science
Revisited

Weird science, also known as superscience, lies at No Weird Science

the heart of many pulp games. Before you go letting One easy way to handle this is to create a list of
characters take the Edge, you might want to take a step standard gizmos as mundane items and ban the Arcane
back and think about weird science. Background. Now anyone can own and use a gizmo, and
This chapter takes a look at ways of using weird any character with Repair can fix it. In this setting, there
science in a pulp setting, as well as expanding on ways are no Weird Scientists.
to use trappings to make cool items.
Gizmos are Gizmos
In this version, all gizmos are true Weird Science
Difficult Questions devices. They have Power Points, use the powers as listed
(both for cost and effect), and are likely to be extremely
The Arcane Background (Weird Science) Edge allows expensive.
a weird scientist to create one unique object each time While this removes many of the pulp staples, such
he gains a new power. In general, all gizmos require as ray guns and rocket packs from the hands of the
Power Points, passive items (such as a forcefield belt masses, it does give Weird Scientists a nice edge over
using deflection) require a Weird Science roll, and the other characters.
scientist can only ever have one of each item.
When you’re designing your own setting, you’ll have Both Mundane and Weird
to make some important decisions regarding Weird With this methodology, gizmos are available as
Science. mundane items and Weird Science creations.
For instance, if rocket packs are standard items and Mundane items, while mimicking the effects of arcane
allow a Pace of 20 (or whatever), why would any weird powers to some degree, should be bland with regard to
scientist build his own using fly? For a start, fly has a special ability. Thus, a ray gun may be the common
Top Speed equal to the wearer’s Pace. It also runs out of weapon of a space pulp game, but it’s just a ray gun.
Power Points (i.e. fuel) after just a few rounds. Weird Scientists, especially with regard to damaging
This applies to any weird science gizmo you’ve created powers, should use trappings to create gizmos not
as a mundane item which could be replicated by the available to the masses. For instance, a character may
Arcane Background (Weird Science) Edge. Bolt may invent a heat ray that dehydrates victims, a freeze ray
simulate a ray gun, but chances are it’ll run out of power that causes them to become numb, and such like.
faster than a mundane technological version.
Consider as well that if the gizmo runs out of power,
you’ll more often than not have to wait an entire hour Gizmo Trappings
to get one Power Point back. What use is that when your
bolt ray gun runs out in the middle of combat? Weird science gizmos can easily run the risk of
Exactly how you handle this “problem” is up to you, becoming all too similar. For instance, chances are the
but here’s some ideas to help you along. Weird Scientist character in your group has the bolt

17
power built into a ray gun. Sure, it makes sense, but it This may not sound too bad, but it’s a bind if the
doesn’t take the power any further than the rulebook victim is holding a now empty gun he can’t dispose of
description. or was planning on throwing a dagger. The effect lasts
Rather than look at Weird Science trappings in the until the caster’s next action card.
usual stereotypical way, encourage your players to look at
them like spells in a wizard’s grimoire. Ideally, encourage Electricity
them to look at using unusual trappings. Electrical gizmos are common in pulp settings. One
Trappings can also be used to add additional game possible trapping is to allow the damage to arc across
effects. A fire trapping, which is the usual example, may adjacent targets. For bolt, the actual target would take
set fire to the target, but what about an ice trapping or the full damage of the power.
an electricity trapping. Shouldn’t these have additional Each adjacent target takes one less die of damage. If
effects as well? They should if that’s what you want. you wanted, you could have the effect continue, with
Remember, the basic Savage Worlds rules are templates targets adjacent to the secondary victims (moving away
for you to play with and not a set of inflexible rules. only—each victim only ever takes one lot of damage)
Let’s take a look at some possible alternate trappings taking another die less.
and their game mechanics. Most are best suited to You could do the same for blast. The easiest way to
offensive spells, but some can be used defensively as handle this is to have all characters in the Template
well. take damage with adjacent figures outside the template
One important thing to remember is that trappings taking one die less damage.
with special effects should be balanced. If you create Alternately, you may rule that any foes who are
a version of bolt that inflicts more damage, everyone wearing metal armor against bare skin or are holding
will want it. A weak trapping, even one with a game a metal object in an ungloved hand take an extra d6
mechanic attached, will look less attractive. damage. Victims standing in water might be similarly
affected.
Acid Electrical armor may cause attackers using metal
An acid trapping would commonly be attached to melee weapons to make a Vigor roll or be knocked back
offensive powers, such as bolt or blast. The weapon 1d4” and sent prone by the discharge. The same could
inflicts its standard damage when used, but on easily apply to barrier.
subsequent rounds causes one die less damage, until
there are no dice left. For instance, an acid bolt fired from Heat
a gun at full strength would causes 3d6 when it struck, A heat trapping may inflict Fatigue or nonlethal
2d6 the next round, and 1d6 on the third round. damage as with cold, or heat metal objects. Dehydration
may cause a similar loss of reflexes. Unlike fire, however,
Cold the target has no chance of catching fire. A fire trapping
Cold is different to ice in that it isn’t a solid substance. is already powerful enough, so don’t add these effects
A cold trapping attached to a physically-damaging power together.
more likely freezes flesh and bone, inflicting frostbite, Used with deflection, a heat trapping would be a
rather than causing cuts and bruises. veil of heat haze, making the caster harder to see, and
As with ice (see below), cold may freeze an area, therefore hit.
though in all likelihood there will have to be water
present for that to be effective as the cold trapping Ice
doesn’t create ice. One obvious thing about ice is that it is slippery. You
A second option is to have the power inflict Fatigue might decide that a blast or bolt also makes the affected
or nonlethal wounds rather than actual wounds. The area slippery. Each bolt would affect a 1” square, whereas
damage mechanics remain unaltered, but damage causes blast affects the area under the Template.
no lasting injuries. Anything moving through the affected area would
A third option is to have the trapping numb the count it as Difficult Terrain. If they run, they must make
target’s reactions through intense cold. In addition to an Agility roll or slip and fall prone, becoming Shaken
damage, the target must make a Vigor roll or suffer if they roll a 1 (regardless of Wild Die).
the chills. He has to redraw action cards over 10, not In a hot environment, the ice remains for just 1
including Jokers. Each round he makes another Vigor. round. Under temperate conditions it lasts for 3 rounds,
On a success, he throws off the effect. and in cold environments it lasts for 10 rounds. If the
Metal objects may also become icy-cold, causing the temperature is actually below freezing, the ice remains
user frost damage if they are touching his skin. This until the temperature changes enough to melt it.
might be fixed damage, such as 1d6 per success and raise, An ice trapping used for the entangle power (a freeze
or it might require a Vigor roll to let go of the object. ray) probably shouldn’t have any other effect.

18
Light/Darkness Super Scientist
Both have the potential to blind foes, though in Requirements: Veteran, Arcane Background (Weird
different ways. Victims must make a Vigor roll or be Science), Smarts d10+, any two Knowledge (science
blinded until their next action card. While blinded, they related) skills d10+, Repair d10+, Weird Science
suffer a –6 penalty to all trait rolls and have their Parry d10+
reduced to 2. This Edge allows a Weird Scientist to create gizmos
which are “always on,” no longer require Power Points
Sound to use (infinite points), and can be used by anybody.
Sonic powers could deafen targets in the same way The cost, however, is the permanent expenditure of the
light/darkness spells blind them. However, since hearing creator’s own Power Points.
is less important than sight to most creatures, the The cost in permanent Power Points is equal to half
duration may increase. Having the victim make a Vigor the usual cost of using the power, rounded down. A
roll each round until he succeeds is a quick option. rocket pack (fly), for example, could be created for 1
point (half of 3, rounded down). If the creator wanted
to move faster, the cost would be 3. Similarly, a suit of
Altered Weird clothing could be given +2 additional Toughness through
the armor power with the expenditure of 1 permanent
Science Power Point.
When the device is created, the creator makes a Weird
Weird Science, as it stands, is quite limited. Gizmos Science roll. Failure means the Power Points are lost. A
are really only usable by their creators, and scientists success means the power is activated as usual. A raise
can only create one of each gizmo. means the power forever activates with a raise (if desired
Here’s some example new Edges that alter the way by the user).
Weird Scientists produce gizmos. Some allow a scientist Artifacts that are always on (an armored suit or
to create more than one object of the same type but chameleon cloak), don’t require an arcane skill roll to
otherwise retain the usual Arcane Background rules, activate—but may require an action to “ready”—the suit
whereas others allow non-Weird Scientists to use gizmos must be put on, the cloak pulled over the shoulder, etc.
without any arcane skill roll. Thus a chameleon cloak, which uses invisibility, could
Remember, these aren’t official rules add-ons. The always be worn and require no activation roll—but the
Weird Science rules in Savage Worlds work just fine. If wearer would always be invisible.
you don’t like what we’ve written here, you can alter As an alternative, such items could be easily activated
the Edges to fit what you need for your game, or just with the flick of a switch (no trait roll required). For
ignore them. example, a forcefield belt that uses deflection would
make it hard for the wearer to pick anything up as the
Duplicator forcefield would keep knocking objects aside, and taking
Requirements: Novice, Arcane Background (Weird you belt on and off gets tedious after a while. The GM
Science), Weird Science d8+ has the final word on whether items are truly passive or
Each time a Weird Scientist takes this Edge, he can if they require some sort of minor user input.
duplicate one gizmo he has already created. All the Artifacts requiring activation, such as an atomic
regular rules for sharing, recharging, losing devices, and bazooka (blast) or rocket pack (fly), require a suitable
such like, apply as normal. skill roll (Shooting for guns and Piloting for rocket packs,
While this Edge allows a weird scientist to create bolt for example).
ray guns for his friends, it still doesn’t allow them to Alternate: Rather than using permanent Power
wear belts of invisibility without making a Weird Science Points, a gizmo costs $2000 per Power Point invested and
roll each and every time they activate them. takes 1 month to craft. If the arcane skill roll is failed,
both the time and components are wasted.
Finely Tuned
Requirements: Novice, Arcane Background (Weird Tinkerer
Science), Smarts d8+, Repair d8+, Weird Science d6+ Requirements: Seasoned, Arcane Background (Weird
The scientist has studied under the best masters in Science), Repair d8+, Weird Science d10+
his field and has fine-tuned his creations to maximum On taking this Edge, the scientist may craft (or modify)
efficiency. an item that adds +1 to the user’s relevant trait roll,
Each raise a weird scientist gets on his Weird Science increases the damage of a weapon by +1, or increases the
roll reduces the cost of the power by 1 Power Point. The bonus of armor by +1. No activation roll is required.
gizmo must have the full points available to use the Assuming the artificer is always “fiddling” with devices
power in the first place before rolling. (not locked in prison, for example), and has adequate

19
tools,.he.may.make.a.Weird.Science.roll.at.–4.at.the.end. the. drug. to. get. his. Power. Points. back—given. enough.
of.any.session.in.which.he.advances..If.successful,.he. time,. he. can. build. up. a. supply. of. drugs. for. when. he.
adds.another.+1.to.any.item.of.his.choice.. needs.them.
This.could.be.his.own.gun.(bonus.to.Shooting),.the. If.the.skill.roll.is.successful,.the.drug.is.complete..It.
clothing.of.another.(bonus.to.Armor),.or.any.other.item. can.be.imbibed.as.a.single.action.by.any.living.being,.
of.his.choice..The.item.now.adds.that.bonus.to.the.user’s. who.then.gains.the.benefi.ts.of.the.power..A.basic.combat.
relevant.trait.or.damage.roll,.or.armor.rating..No.item. drug,.for.example,.might.contain.the.boost trait.power.
may.have.more.than.a.+3.bonus. affecting.the.user’s.Vigor.
Stacking:.Bonuses.from.items.don’t.stack,.so.a.ray.gun. .The.effects.of.the.drug.are.the.same.as.the.power..
+3.(Shooting).wielded.by.someone.with.targeting.goggles. This.includes.any.additional.effects.from.raises.on.the.
+3.(Shooting).gets.only.the.highest.of.the.two. original.skill.roll.and.any.Power.Points.put.in.to.extend.
Alternate:.Rather.than.only.allowing.this.to.be.used. the. Duration.. In. general,. only. the. following. powers.
every.time.the.character.advances,.it.can.be.used.as.often. are.suitable.for.use.in.drugs—boost/lower trait, greater
as.he.wants..However,.each.point.of.modifi.cation.costs. healing, healing, invisibility, quickness, and.speed.
$1000.and.takes.a.week.of.tinkering..If.the.arcane.skill.
roll.fails,.the.time.and.money.are.wasted. Super Weird Chemist
Requirements: Seasoned,.Chemist
Weird Chemist Another.way.of.creating.drugs.is.to.use.Edges..The.
Requirements: Novice,. Arcane. Background. (Weird. chemists. needn’t. know. the. Edge. he. wishes. to. place.
Science),. Knowledge. (Chemistry). d8+,. Weird. Science. in. a. drug,. neither. does. he. have. to. meet. any. of. the.
d8+ requirements.of.the.Edge.
This. Edge. allows. a. Weird. Scientist. to. manufacture. Investing.Edges.in.drugs.still.requires.Power.Points..
drugs.as.one-shot.devices.. Each. Rank. of. the. Edge. requires. 2. points,. with. each.
To.create.a.drug,.the.chemist.needs.access.to.at.least. additional.requirement.adding.a.further.point..If.the.Edge.
a.small.lab.($1000.and.weighs.20.lbs),.ingredients,.and. is.an.“improved”.version,.the.chemist.must.place.both.
time..Creating.a.drug.takes.a.number.of.hours.equal.to. Edges.in.the.drug.to.get.the.“improved”.effect.
the.Power.Powers.being.invested..The.monetary.cost.of. A. drug. designed. to. prevent. the. user. being. affected.
the.ingredients.is.equal.to.$100.per.Power.Point. by.psionics,.for.example,.would.use.Arcane.Resistance..
At.the.end.of.the.required.time,.the.chemist.pays.the. As.a.Novice.rank.Edge,.this.costs.2.Power.Points..The.
relevant.Power.Points.and.monetary.costs,.and.rolls.the. Spirit.d8+.requirement.adds.a.further.Power.Point.for.
lower.of.his.Weird.Science.or.Knowledge.(Chemistry).. a.total.of.3..
Power.Points.invested.in.the.drug.recharge.at.the.usual. Using. Improved. Arcane. Resistance. instead. would.
rate. (normally. one. per. hour).. A. chemist. needn’t. take. require.3.Power.Points.for.Arcane.Resistance.and.a.further.
2.because.the.Improved.version.is.Novice.
rank.with.no.further.requirements..
Drugs. granting. Edges. last. for. just. 3.
rounds.. If. the. chemist. wants. a. longer.
duration,.he.must.add.1.Power.Point.for.
each.extra.round.during.manufacture.
The.following.Edges.are.suitable.for.use.
in. drugs.. Edges. are. listed. alphabetically,.
though.“improved”.versions.are.listed.after.
the.basic.Edge.
Arcane. Resistance,. Improved. Arcane.
Resistance,.Berserk,.Charismatic,.Combat.
Reflexes,. Danger. Sense,. Fleet. Footed,.
Frenzy,. Improved. Frenzy,. Hard. to. Kill,.
Level. Headed,. Improved. Level. Headed,.
Luck,. Great. Luck,. Mentalist,. Nerves. of.
Steel,. Improved. Nerves. of. Steel,. Quick,.
Strong.Willed..
Power. Points. allows. the. recipient. to.
recharge. 1d6. Power. Points. the. instant.
the.drug.is.taken..This.should.usually.be.
reserved.for.psionicists.or.sorcerers.in.most.
pulp.games.

0
 Making Monsters

There are three ways to populate your pulp world Whatever traits you give your creatures, don’t worry
with monsters. The first two are easy, while the third too much about balancing them. Just keep in mind how
is generally more fun. tough it will be.
First, steal them from other Savage Settings. If you You don’t need to give a monster a high Toughness
need a big barbarian warrior living in the wilds of the for it to be a challenge—assigning it a few nifty Special
Himalayas, steal an orc. Second, use the conversion Abilities is just as good. A zombie pygmy cannibal may
guide in Savage Worlds to convert them from another not be much of a foe in a stand-up fight, at least not
system. Third, you can choose to build your own without a hoard of friends for support, but with Paralysis
monsters from scratch. This section takes a brief look (in the form of poison-tipped darts), it can take down a
at the latter. character with a single shot.
There are already a number of tools available to help

Monsters you with creating monsters—use existing monsters as

templates, look through the Special Abilities listing in
the rulebook and base the creature around one of those,
Some of you may flick through a Savage Setting, or check out powers attributed to mythological beasts.
stop to look at a monster, and think, “How did the You want a really quick gorilla? Take the ogre stats from
author come up with that?” Want to know the secret? Savage Worlds and label them “Gorilla.” There, one
Imagination. gorilla ready to go cause havoc.
We’d like to tell you there’s a set of tables or a magic There’s no need to sweat buckets when you’re creating
formula for making monsters—but there isn’t. Most a new beast—chances are your group is either going to
pulp monsters are usually just normal creatures made kill it or run away, depending on its strength. They’re
more vicious. Constrictors don’t usually go out of their very unlikely to cut the beast open or start analyzing
way to harm humans in the real world, but in the pulp how it came into existence. If they do, they’re missing
world, they deadly. Okay, so there’s no tables, but there the point of the pulp genre.
are some tips we can give you.
First, use common sense and what you know about
the real world. If you’re going to make a gorilla, it should
be strong (d10 or higher for Strength) with a high Vigor.
Villains
It may be quite Smart (say a d6), but it still has animal Villains more than monsters lie at the heart of a good
intelligence. Although not much taller than a human, pulp adventure. Pulp may have supernatural events or
they have a greater bulk, so a Size +1 Special Ability is fierce monsters, but at the very core, the genre is about
not unreasonable. humans and the good and evil nature of our species. For
As for skills, it’s likely to have Climbing, Fighting, that reason, pulp doesn’t usually have “gray” characters.
Intimidation, Notice and Stealth, but unless it’s been You’re either a hero, or you’re a villain.
subjected to bizarre experiments, it isn’t going to use What we’re going took at here is how to make a
Piloting or Shooting. memorable pulp villain.

21
What’s My Motivation? Heck, you don’t even have to worry about meeting
Motivation is important to a pulp villain. After all, Edge requirements if you don’t want. If you want the
this is what makes them a villain and not just a bad evil big game hunter to have a Trademark Weapon but
person. Pulp villains usually have grandiose plans—they only a Shooting of d8, don’t worry about it.
don’t want to be rich, they want to be the richest person The only rule that matters is the Rule of Need. If the
in the world. They don’t collect trinkets from ancient villain needs an Edge or Hindrance, regardless of his
tombs, like pottery or old coins—they can buy those. traits, then he has the Edge or Hindrance. You can even
They want the artifacts that bring real power—the Ark give villains Monstrous Abilities.
of the Covenant, the Spear of Destiny, the Holy Grail, Monstrous Abilities? Sure, even a human can have
Excaliber, and such like. Pulp villains think big and they a Monstrous Ability. All you need is a plausible reason
work grandiose plans. Rob a bank? Fah! Any villain for him to possess the talent. A Hardy villain may be a
worth his salt plans to rob Fort Knox. hulking Nazi mechanic who can shrug off lesser blows,
Tied in to motivation is the villain’s backstory. for instance. Maybe an Ethereal villain received his
Motivation is what the villain plans of doing, but his power from a Tibetan mystic (although you could also
backstory tells you why he is motivated. handle that with an Arcane Background if you wanted
Why does this villain want to be rich? What made his power to be limited).
the respectable collector of antiquities become thirsty
for artifacts of power? Why did the mild-mannered son Henchmen
of a bank clerk join the hated SS and become a force There’s two ways you can handle henchmen. If
of evil? they’re Extras, pick one of the archetypes from the list
You don’t have to write an entire backstory, but a in this book and change the gear to suit your needs.
villain with a believable history will impress your players There should be enough stock thugs to fill your niche.
more than just a stereotypical, “He’s greedy because he If you need a more powerful henchman, just take an
likes the high life” villain. archetype and turn it into a Wild Card. Don’t reinvent
the wheel.
Appearance
Pulp villains should have an appearance matching
their motivation and nature. Think about the villain’s
motivation for doing what he does, why he’s acting
Treasure
against the heroes, and give him a description to match. The creatures in this book have a new entry just above
Here’s some quick examples. their Special Abilities—Treasure. This is the treasure
A greedy artifact collector isn’t just greedy in nature, table entry the GM rolls on when the group runs into
he’s also overweight, reflecting his greed in a physical the beast (see below).
sense. A snitch who is going to turn the heroes over to If you have the Fantasy or Pulp Gear Toolkit, you
the main villain has a weasel-like face. The Nazi officer can create or roll for a relic using the tables contained
is gaunt, almost skeletal, symbolizing that he works in those books. If you don’t, you’ll need to create
for an evil organization and that the good part of him something using the powers in the rulebook and your
is now dead. imagination.
Sure, clever players will quickly catch on to your Intelligent creatures use any special Treasure they
descriptions, but that’s okay—that’s part of the fun of have if possible, or may have it stored in their hideout
pulp. And you can always throw them for a loop. Maybe somewhere if it’s not immediately useful to them (a good
the greedy artifact collector is very skinny, showing that reason to take prisoners).
his hunger for power is eating him alive. Creatures of animal intelligence don’t usually hoard
treasure, but may have dragged former victims to their
Game Mechanics lair. Their possessions remain there, so a Tracking roll
So now you’ve thought a bit about why the villain is might lead the party to the thing’s lair—and long-lost
a villain and what he looks like, it’s time to dress him treasures.
in game mechanics. By that, we mean his traits, Edges,
Hindrances, and such like.
We said it in the Savage Worlds rulebook, but it Treasure Table
bears repeating. The first thing to note, and the most
important aspect of creating a villain’s stats, is not to Treasure Silver & Gold Relic
build him as you would a player character and level Treasure Trove 1d10 x $1000 100%
them up. Leave that for other games. For Savage Worlds, Rich 1d10 x $500 50%
come up with a cool idea and assign suitable traits, Worthwhile 1d10 x $100 25%
Hindrances, and Edges. Meager 1d10 x $10 1%

22
 Archetypes

Actor First Strike, Florentine, Frenzy, Improved Block, Lady

Killer, Level Headed, Quick Draw, Rich, Strong Willed
Many pulp stories feature some sort of entertainer in Treasure: Worthwhile, Rich in house
a leading role, either as a sidekick, villain, or plot device. Gear: Rapier (Str+1, +1 Parry) if on set
They might be an actor, singer, dancer, or musician.
We’ve gone for actors here, but little needs to be changed Starlet
to turn a starlet into a nightclub singer. Starlets are aptly named. Their star burns brightly
as it ascends, only to wither and fade as old age sets in.
Leading Man Hollywood wants glamor and sex appeal, and the young
Leading men are rugged, handsome, and, perhaps starlet has that in buckets. She may not be much good
most importantly, do their own stunts. in a fight, but her smoldering eyes and sensuous lips can
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength open doors in very high places. Hubba-hubba.
d6, Vigor d8 Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength
Skills: Climbing d6, Driving d6, Fighting d6, Guts d8, d6, Vigor d6
Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Riding d6, Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d4, Notice d6, Persuasion d10,
Shooting d6, Streetwise d4 Streetwise d4
Charisma: +4; Pace: 6; Parry: 5/6; Toughness: 6 Charisma: +6; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Arrogant, Connections, Stubborn Hindrances: Big Mouth, Clueless
Edges: Attractive, Charismatic, Rich Edges: Charismatic, Connections, Rich, Ver y
Treasure: Worthwhile, Rich in house Attractive
Gear: Rapier (Str+1, +1 Parry) if on set Treasure: Worthwhile, Rich in house
Gear: Fur coat, small dog
Villainous Leading Man
Villainous actors may be spies or smugglers,
using their fame and status to great effect. More Amazon Woman
importantly, they use the training they’ve picked up
playing dashing pirates to thwart those pesky heroes Amazon women are another pulp staple. Dressed in
trying to ruin their plans. leather bikinis, armed with primitive weapons, and yet
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength with perfect makeup and hair, the Amazon woman can
d8, Vigor d8 be a friend or foe to the heroes.
Skills: Climbing d6, Driving d6, Fighting d10, Guts d10,
Intimidation d10, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Riding d6, Amazon Warrior
Shooting d8, Streetwise d4, Taunt d8 Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength
Charisma: +4; Pace: 6; Parry: 10/11; Toughness: 6 d8, Vigor d8
Hindrances: Arrogant, Stubborn Skills: Boating d6, Fighting d8, Guts d6, Intimidation
Edges: Acrobat, Attractive, Charismatic, Connections, d8, Notice d6, Riding d8, Shooting d8, Swimming d6

23
 Archaeologist
Archaeologists. aren’t. professors. setting. in. lecture.
halls..Well,.they.do.that.as.well,.but.they’re.mainly.fi.eld.
men,.used.to.the.rigors.of.jungle.and.desert,.to.avoiding.
lethal.traps,.and.wooing.the.hearts.of.the.ladies.

Typical Archaeologist
This.represents.a.young.archaeologist.at.the.start.of.
an.exciting.career,.or.a.more.traditional.archaeologist.
who.doesn’t.go.in.for.swinging.from.ropes.and.dodging.
death.traps.
Attributes:. Agility. d8,. Smarts. d6,. Spirit. d8,. Strength.
d6,.Vigor.d8
Skills:.Climbing.d6,.Driving.d6,.Fighting.d6,.Languages.
(at. least. one. ancient. language). d6,. Lockpicking. d6,.
Notice.d8,.Riding.d6,.Shooting.d6,.Stealth.d6,.Survival.
d6,.Swimming.d6
Charisma:.+0;.Pace:.6;.Parry:.5;.Toughness:.6
Hindrances:.Code.of.Honor,.Heroic
Edges:.Acrobat,.Danger.Sense,.Dodge
Treasure:. Meager. (personal). or. Rich. (carrying.
artifacts)
Gear:.Machete.(Str+2),..44.revolver.(12/24/48,.2d6+1,.
shots.6,.AP.1)

Experienced
Archaeologist
The.experienced.archaeologist.has.discovered.dozens.
Charisma:.+2;.Pace:.6;.Parry:.7;.Toughness:.7.(1) of. lost. tombs. and. avoided. death. more. times. than. he.
Hindrances:.Loyal cares.to.remember..Years.of.adventuring.mean.he’s.also.
Edges:.Attractive,.Woodsman handy.in.a.scrap.
Treasure:.Meager.per.5 Attributes:.Agility.d10,.Smarts.d8,.Spirit.d8,.Strength.
Gear:. Leather. (+1),. spear. (Str+2,. +1. Parry),. d8,.Vigor.d10
bow.(12/24/48,.2d6) Skills:.Climbing.d8,.Driving.d6,.Fighting.d8,.Languages.
(at. least. three. ancient. language). d8,. Lockpicking. d8,.
Amazon Warrior- Notice.d10,.Riding.d8,.Shooting.d8,.Stealth.d6,.Survival.
d8,.Swimming.d6
Princess Charisma:.+2;.Pace:.8;.Parry:.7;.Toughness:.7
Every.amazon.tribe.is.led.by.a.warrior-princess..Not. Hindrances:.Code.of.Honor,.Heroic
only.are.they.the.best.warrior.in.the.tribe,.but.they’re. Edges:.Acrobat,.Charismatic,.Combat.Refl.exes,.Danger.
usually.the.best.looking.dame.as.well. Sense,. Dodge,. Fleet. Footed,. Improvisational. Fighter,.
Attributes:.Agility.d10,.Smarts.d6,.Spirit.d10,.Strength. Level.Headed,.Nerves.of.Steel
d8,.Vigor.d10 Treasure:.Meager.or.Rich.(if.carrying.artifacts)
Skills:.Boating.d6,.Fighting.d12,.Guts.d10,.Intimidation. Gear:.Machete.(Str+2),..44.revolver.(12/24/48,.2d6+1,.
d10,. Notice. d8,. Riding. d10,. Shooting. d8,. Swimming. shots.6,.AP.1),.whip.(Str+1,.+1.Reach)
d6
Charisma:.+4;.Pace:.6;.Parry:.10;.Toughness:..8.(1)
Hindrances:.Code.of.Honor,.Loyal Big Game Hunter
Edges:. Acrobat,. Block,. Combat. Refl.exes,. Command,.
Fervor,. Hold. the. Line,. Level. Headed,. Natural. Leader,. Whether. stalking. lions. in. Africa. or. tigers. in. India,.
Very.Attractive,.Woodsman big. game. hunters. earn. their. living. shooting. big. game.
Treasure:.Worthwhile (whether.for.tusks,.pelts,.or.sport),.leading.rich.tourists.
Gear:.Leather.(+1),.long.sword.(Str+3),.bow.(12/24/48,. on.safaris,.or.hiring.themselves.out.as.guides.and.scouts.
2d6) to.expedition.parties..

4
Typical Big Game Hunter teleport (puff of smoke); 40 Power Points
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength Special Abilities:
d8, Vigor d8 • Eunuch: Power always comes at a price, and for the
Skills: Climbing d6, Driving d6, Fighting d6, Knowledge mystic it was his manhood. Called Shots to the
(local tribal dialect) d6, Notice d8, Riding d6, Shooting mystic’s groin by no extra damage.
d8, Stealth d8, Survival d6, Tracking d8 • Finger Nails: Str +1, Reach 1.
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6 • Invulnerability: Chinese mystics have performed
Hindrances: — special magic on themselves to become effectively
Edges: Danger Sense, Giant Killer, Marksman, Steady immortal. However, they always have a weakness.
Hands What that is depends on what you need for your
Treasure: Meager adventure, but it should come to light during the
Gear: Sharps Big 50 (30/60/120, 2d10, Shots 1, AP 2), heroes’ investigations. Damage from other sources
machete (Str+2) can Shake the sorcerer, but it never causes a wound.

Experienced Big Game

Hunter Cop
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength In most pulp settings the characters can blaze
d10, Vigor d10 away with guns in public and there won’t be a cop in
Skills: Climbing d6, Driving d6, Fighting d8, Knowledge sight. Why? Because the characters are the good guys,
(local tribal dialect) d8, Notice d10, Riding d6, Shooting that’s why, and as long as they behave, things are fine.
d12, Stealth d10, Survival d8, Tracking d10 However, if the characters need backup, or the villain
Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7 can pull strings, the cops are always there.
Hindrances: Outsider (gone native) If you run a space pulp game, just swap the regular
Edges: Danger Sense, Dead Shot, Giant Killer, guns for ray guns.
Marksman, Steady Hands, Woodsman
Treasure: Meager Beat Cop
Gear: H&H Nitro Express (50/100/200, 2d10+1, shots Whether they are foot cops, riding in a squad car, or
1or 2, AP 4), machete (Str+2) patrolling on bikes, the beat cops are the grunts who
fight crime in the trenches day after day.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength
Chinese Mystic d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Driving d8, Fighting d8, Guts d6, Notice d6,
We’re not talking about monks or high-kicking martial Shooting d8, Throwing d6
artists here. Nope, the phrase “Chinese mystic” is a Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 5
polite way of saying, “Crazy old Chinese sorcerer with Hindrances: Loyal
really long fingernails.” Edges: Dodge
As if his magic wasn’t powerful enough to defeat most Treasure: Meager for each 3 cops
heroes by itself, he’s also a competent martial artist to Gear: .44 revolver (12/24/48, 2d6+1, shots 6, AP 1),
boot. And, of course, he has an army of thugs. baton (Str+1), handcuffs. When the need arises, one
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d12, Spirit d12, Strength in four police are issued with Tommy Guns (12/24/48,
d8, Vigor d6 2d6+1, ROF 3, Shots 50, AP 1, Auto).
Skills: Fighting d10, Guts d12, Intimidation d8, Notice
d6, Spellcasting d12, Taunt d10, Throwing d8 Police Detective
Charisma: –3; Pace: 6; Parry: 8; Toughness: 5 Overweight, dressed in a shabby raincoat, and
Hindrances: All Thumbs, Habit (squeaky voice), Mean, looking forward to retirement, the detective has seen it
Overconfident, Stubborn, Vengeful (Major) all, or so he thinks.
Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Block, Combat Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength
Reflexes, Command, Fervor, Improved Dodge, Improved d6, Vigor d6
Level Headed, New Power, Power Points, Wizard Skills: Driving d10, Fighting d8, Guts d8, Knowledge
Treasure: Treasure Trove, always has 1d4 minor relics (Battle) d6, Notice d8, Shooting d8, Throwing d6
Gear: Bendy sword (Str+3) Charisma: +0; Pace: 5; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
Powers: Armor (hard skin), bolt (green balls of light), Hindrances: Loyal, Obese
deflection (weapons seem to pass straight through), Edges: Command
entangle (paralysis), fly (wire-fu), obscure (cloud of Treasure: Meager
smoke), puppet (glowing eyes), smite (chi power), Gear: .44 revolver (12/24/48, 2d6+1, shots 6, AP 1)

25
 Cultist
Whether rich industrialists working on Wall Street or
Shen Lung poor peasants from the slums of Cairo, cultists are drawn
in by the promise of power. Few ever see this power, and
All that is known to outsiders is that remain pawns to be used by their unseen, masters.
Shen Lung is not the true name of this
Chinese criminal mastermind. The name Typical Cultist
Shen Lung, which means “spirit dragon,” Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength
seems to be a taunt to his enemies that he d6, Vigor d6
(or possibly she) is powerful, yet ephemeral, Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6,
able to escape capture by assuming spirit Throwing d6
form. Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
Shen isn’t interested in world domination Hindrances: Loyal (to cult)
or promoting any particular belief—he Edges: —
desires nothing less than to be Emperor Treasure: Meager for each 5 cultists
of China. Gear: Ceremonial robes, dagger (Str+1)
Shen’s criminal network has spread Special Abilities:
across China, though it is strongest in • Fanatical: If a cultist is adjacent to a cultist priest, he
Shanghai. His main base, however, is a takes the blow for his master. Any attack against the
monastery in the mountains. From here, leader is instead made against the cultist.
Shen works to fulfill his ambition.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit Cultist Priest
d10, Strength d6, Vigor d6 At the top of every cult is the “high priest,”
Skills: Boating d6, Climbing d6, Fighting “grand wizard,” or some such high-titled
d10, Guts d10, Intimidation d10, Notice lunatic. Most have supernatural powers, granted to
d8, Persuasion d6, Piloting d6, Shooting them by their deity. Despite believing in the power of
d6, Spellcasting d10, Stealth d6, Throwing their “god,” they actually use arcane magic rather than
d8 invoke miracles.
Pace: 7; Parry: 8; Toughness: 6 The spell trappings are suggestions. Ideally, you
Hindrances: Bad Eyes, Greedy (Major), should alter them to fit the nature of the cult the
Obese, Vengeful (Major) characters are facing.
Edges: Acrobat, Arcane Background Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength
(Magic), Combat Reflexes, Command, d6, Vigor d8
Fervor, First Strike, Fleet Footed (d8 Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation d10, Notice
running die), Improved Dodge, Improved d8, Spellcasting d10
Frenzy, Improved Level Headed, Improved Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
Nerves of Steel, Natural Leader, Quick, Hindrances: Arrogant
Very Rich Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), New Power, Power
Treasure: Three Treasure Troves, in lair Points
Gear: Chinese flexible sword (Str+3) Treasure: Worthwhile
Powers: Deflection (flurry of parries and Gear: Ceremonial robes, cursed dagger (Str+3 damage;
dodges), fly (run up walls), quickness (blur wounds can only be healed naturally).
of motion), and teleport (clap of thunder); Powers: Bolt (green bolt), fear (hallucinations), obscure
15 Power Points (cloud of darkness), puppet (hypnotic voice), and zombie
Special Abilities: (special powder); 20 Power Points
• Tattoos: Shen Lung’s magic comes
from a series of tattoos, rather than
any innate talent. These are treated as Explorer
Weird Science gizmos in that they each
contain their own store of Power Points. Explorers are the brave souls who travel the globe,
However, Shen Lung suffers backlash as bringing light to the darkness of unexplored territory.
per a wizard rather than malfunction. Some travel with only their native guides for company.
Others work in large teams.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength
d6, Vigor d8

26
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d4, Guts d6, Notice d6, sort who believes the agency has gone soft, and fondly
Persuasion d6, Riding d6, Shooting d4, Survival d8, remembers the “good old days” of Prohibition,
Tracking d6 when cracking skulls was part of the job.
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 6 Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8,
Hindrances: Curious Strength d8, Vigor d8
Edges: Explorer, Woodsman Skills: Driving d8, Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation
Gear: Machete (Str+2), survival gear d10, Notice d8, Shooting d10
Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Loyal, Mean
Femme Fatale Edges: Combat Reflexes, Command, Improved Dodge,
Level Headed, Rock and Roll, Steady Hands
Sexy and deadly—two simple words that perfectly Treasure: Meager
sum up the femme fatale. Her seductive ways and drop- Gear: Colt 1911 (12/24/48, 2d6+1, Shots 7, AP 1) or
dead gorgeous looks have lured many a man to an early Tommy Gun (12/24/48, 2d6+1, ROF 3, Shots 50, AP 1
grave. The femme fatale can be found as a villain or a Auto), fedora, trenchcoat
henchman.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength
d6, Vigor d6 Immortal Queen
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d4, Guts d6, Intimidation
d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d12, Shooting d6, Taunt Whether she rules an ancient city atop a lost plateau
d10 or in the heart of a forbidding desert, or controls a temple
Charisma: +6; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5 in the deep jungle, the immortal queen is a classic pulp
Hindrances: Quirk (outrageous flirt) villain. She is kept alive through dark magic, which
Edges: Charismatic, Femme Fatale, Very Attractive usually involves killing virgins and drinking their blood
Treasure: Meager or draining the life from men through sex. We’ve gone
Gear: Derringer (5/10/20, 2d6+1, Shots 2, AP1) for the later. Despite being a despot, she is head priestess
Special Abilities: as well, and commands unswerving loyalty from her
• Alluring: Male characters suffer a –2 penalty to all primitive followers.
attack rolls against a femme fatale. Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength
d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice
G-Man d6, Persuasion d12+1, Riding d6, Stealth d6
Charisma: +6; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 6
G-Men, or Government Men, are members of a federal Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Clueless (outside her city)
agency. In America, this is usually the FBI. They’re Edges: Charismatic, Command, Femme Fatale, Fervor,
no-nonsense types, entrusted to protect their country Hold the Line, Natural Leader, Very Attractive
against insurgents, spies, and organized criminals. Treasure: Treasure Trove, in lair
While G-Men are, technically, the good guys, many Gear: Skimpy costume, concealed knife (Str+1)
pulp stories employ a twist where the heroes are, Special Abilities:
temporarily at least, being hunted by the government. • Life Drain: If an immortal queen has sex with a man,
the victim must make a Vigor roll opposed by the
Typical G-Man Queen’s Spirit or lose one die of Vigor. If Vigor drops
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength to zero, the queen has drained the victim’s life force,
d6, Vigor d6 killing him. Assuming the victim survives, lost Vigor
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Intimidation returns at the rate of one die per day. Each die of Vigor
d8, Notice d6, Shooting d8 keeps the queen youthful for a year.
Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5 • Lure: The Queen’s unearthly beauty is hard to resist.
Hindrances: Loyal, Mean She can use the puppet power using her Spirit as her
Edges: Combat Reflexes, Dodge arcane skill. Men have a –2 penalty to their roll to
Treasure: Meager, per 3 G-Men resist. She has 20 Power Points for this purpose.
Gear: Colt 1911 (12/24/48, 2d6+1, Shots 7, AP 1),
fedora, trenchcoat
Journalist
Experienced G-Man
An experienced G-Man may be a field supervisor or Journalists investigate potential headline-grabbing
just a hardened veteran of too many busts. He’s the stories, even at the risk of their own lives. Some work

27
for newspapers, others for popular magazines, and a Danger Sense, Fleet-Footed, Giant Killer, Iton Jaw,
few are branching out into the new world of moving Slugger, Woodsman
picture news. Treasure: None
Gear: Knife (Str+1)
Nosy Special Abilities:
Nosy reporters are not above a bit of breaking and • Swinging: The jungle man can move through trees
entering to rifle through confidential files or bribery if at his full Pace and even run by swinging from vines
the story is worth the risk. The less scrupulous ones may and leaping between branches.
even use blackmail to get tight lips to open.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength Jungle Boy
d6, Vigor d6 Ever wondered what Jungle Man was like as
Skills: Climbing d6, Driving d6, Fighting d4, Guts a boy? Well look no further!
d4, Knowledge (Photography) d8, Investigation d8, Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength
Lockpicking d6, Notice d8, Persuasion d8, Stealth d6, d4, Vigor d6
Streetwise d8 Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d6, Guts d8, Intimidation
Charisma: –1; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5 d4, Knowledge (local languages) d6, Notice d6, Riding
Hindrances: Curious, Habit (Minor: smokes) d6, Stealth d8, Survival d6, Swimming d6, Throwing
Edges: Investigator d6, Tracking d4
Treasure: Meager Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 5
Gear: Camera, notepad, pencil Hindrances: All Thumbs, Clueless, Curious, Heroic,
Illiterate, Young
Plucky Edges: Acrobat, Beast Bond, Beast Master
The key difference between a nosy reporter and a Treasure: None
plucky reporter is the latter is usually an attractive female Gear: Knife (Str+1)
caught up in the heroes’ adventures by accident. Despite Special Abilities:
being a member of the fairer sex, the plucky reporter isn’t • Swinging: Jungle boy can move through trees at a Pace
afraid to stick her neck out to get a good story. of 4” per round by swinging from vines and branches.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength He rolls a d4 running die when swinging.
d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d4, Guts d8, Knowledge
(Photography) d8, Investigation d8, Notice d8, Persuasion Knight
d8, Shooting d4, Streetwise d8, Taunt d8
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5 Yep, an honest-to-goodness knight in armor. He may
Hindrances: Curious, Pacifist (Minor), Stubborn be centuries old, preserved by some holy (or unholy)
Edges: Attractive, Connections, Investigator magic to ensure he carries out his duties as a guardian,
Treasure: Meager or a member of an order of knights following an ancient
Gear: Camera, notepad, pencil tradition. Modern knights have Driving and Riding,
while old knights use only Riding.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength
Jungle Man d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation
Raised by great apes when he was lost as a child in d8, Riding d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d6
the jungle, the jungle man knows nothing about the Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 8; Toughness: 8 (2)
civilized world. He speaks only broken English, but is Hindrances: Code of Honor, Vow
fully conversant in the language of the local tribes. He Edges: Block, Sweep
understands animals better than any White Man. Treasure: Meager per 3 knights
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength Gear: Chainmail (+2), long sword (Str+3), shield (+1
d8, Vigor d8 Parry, +2 Armor against ranged attacks), horse
Skills: Climbing d10, Fighting d10, Guts d8, Healing d6,
Intimidation d6, Knowledge (local languages) d8, Notice
d8, Riding d6, Stealth d8, Survival d10, Swimming d8, Mad Scientist
Throwing d8, Tracking d8
Charisma: +0; Pace: 8; Parry: 8; Toughness: 7 Mad scientist is a generic term for anyone who
Hindrances: All Thumbs, Clueless, Curious, Heroic, uses Weird Science. They may be Hans Zharkov type
Illiterate scientists, creating bizarre gizmos which seem to defy
Edges: Acrobat, Beast Bond, Beast Master, Brawny, the laws of physics, or true visionaries with a grasp of

28
physics beyond the normal level of understanding. In distortion field), puppet (hypno-ray), stun (shock glove);
pulp, it’s usually the former. 30 Power Points

Typical Mad Scientist

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength Man of Mystery
d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d4, Guts d6, Knowledge With his identity concealed beneath a cloak, wide-
(any two sciences) d8, Notice d6, Repair d8, Shooting brimmed hat, and handkerchief, the mystery
d6, Weird Science d8 man stalks the streets at night righting wrongs
Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5 and punishing evildoers. He knows a few mental
Hindrances: Outsider (crazy old fool) tricks, taught to him by Tibetan monks while he was
Edges: Arcane Background (Weird Science), New Power exploring the world, seeking to find his true identity.
Treasure: Meager By day, however, the man of mystery holds an
Gear: Notepad, toolbelt important position in society, usually as a wealthy
Gizmos: Deflection (magnetic repellent bracelet field), industrialist, newspaper owner, or other such role.
speed (rocket boots); 10 Power Points Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength
d6, Vigor d8
Veteran Mad Scientist Skills: Climbing d6, *Deflection d10, Driving d8,
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d12, Spirit d10, Strength Fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation d8, Investigation
d6, Vigor d6 d8, Lockpicking d6, Notice d6, *Puppet d10, *Quickness
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d6, Guts d6, d8, Shooting d10, Stealth d10, Throwing d8
Knowledge (any two sciences) d10, Notice d8, Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 6
Repair d10, Shooting d6, Weird Science d12 Hindrances: Heroic, Loyal, Overconfident
Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5 Edges: Acrobat, Ambidextrous, Arcane Background
Hindrances: Outsider (crazy old fool) (Super Powers), Charismatic, Connections, Improved
Edges: Arcane Background (Weird Science), Gadgeteer, Dodge, Improved Level Headed, Two-Fisted, Very Rich
Mr. Fix It, McGyver, New Power, Power Points, Rapid Treasure: Meager
Recharge Gear: 2 x Colt 1911 (12/24/48, 2d6+1, Shots 7, AP 1)
Treasure: Worthwhile *Powers: Deflection (super dodge), puppet (piercing
Gear: Notepad, toolbelt eyes), quickness (rapid reflexes) d8 skill in all powers;
Gizmos: Deflection (magnetic repellent bracelet field), 20 Power Points
invisibility (gravimetric light distortion field), speed
(rocket boots); 25 Power Points
Martial Artist
Evil Mad Scientist
Many mad scientists create gizmos for the benefit of Martial arts is common in pulp settings, mainly
mankind. A few, however, use their knowledge because it looks cool. Although it is possible for martial
for more dastardly ends. They may be the head artists to be heroes, the art is more commonly found
of a criminal organization (one with super among villains.
soldiers using gizmos), or work for an evil
organization (like the Nazis) as a trusted lieutenant. Martial Artist Thug
Whatever their cause, they support it willingly. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d12, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d8
d6, Vigor d6 Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Healing d6, d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6
Knowledge (any two sciences) d12, Intimidation d8, Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 6
Notice d8, Repair d10, Shooting d6, Weird Science d12 Hindrances: Loyal
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5 Edges: Acrobat, Ambidextrous, Frenzy, Slugger
Hindrances: Arrogant, Delusional (megalomaniac) Treasure: Meager, per 3 martial artist thugs
Edges: Arcane Background (Weird Science), Gadgeteer, Gear: Fists/Feet (Str), Martial arts weapons (Str+2)
Mr. Fix It, McGyver, New Power, Power Points, Rapid
Recharge Experienced Martial
Treasure: Worthwhile
Gear: Toolbelt
Artist
Gizmos: Armor (metal plates that fold out around his Experienced martial artists are usually
body), bolt (electric rifle), invisibility (gravimetric light masters of at least two different styles.

29
 Typical Mechanic
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength
Henchmen d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d4, Guts d6, Knowledge
Pulp villains often have henchmen, (Electric) d6, Knowledge (Mechanics) d6, Lockpicking
lieutenants, or other underlings in their d6, Notice d6, Piloting d6, Repair d8, Shooting d4
employ. Thugs can easily be handled as Extras, Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5
but henchmen are more important, usually Hindrances: Outsider (lack of social skills and covered
named, individuals. So are they Extras or in grease)
Wild Cards? Edges: Mr Fix It, McGyver
Well, if you make them Extras, they’re Treasure: Meager
too easy to despatch, and a good henchman Gear: Toolbelt, designs for a new vehicle modification
should be tougher than his minions. On the
other hand, if you make them a Wild Card, Experienced Mechanic
they may be too tough, indeed they’ll likely be Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d6,
tougher than those whom they serve, which Strength d8, Vigor d8
can seem a little odd. Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d4, Guts d6, Knowledge
One option is to take the middle ground, and (Electricity) d8, Knowledge (Mechanics) d10, Lockpicking
make them Wild Extras. Here’s two examples d8, Notice d6, Piloting d6, Repair d12, Shooting d4,
of making a Wild Extra henchman. Weird Science d6
The first is to give them wound levels, like a Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 6
Wild Card, but no Wild Die. This makes them Hindrances: Outsider (lack of social skills)
harder to put down. Edges: Gadgeteer, Mr Fix It, McGyver
The second option is to allow them a Wild Treasure: Meager
Die, but not give them any wound levels. Gear: Toolbelt, designs for a new vehicle modification
Like an Extra, they’re either fine, Shaken, or Special Abilities:
wounded, they just stand a little better chance • Gadgeteer: Mechanics aren’t true Weird Scientists,
when making their rolls. but they do have some crazy ideas. As such, they can
use the Gadgeteer Edge, have a Weird Science skill
of d6, and have just 10 Power Points. They cannot
build permanent gizmos, however, unless they take
the Arcane Background (Weird Science) Edge.
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength
d10, Vigor d10
Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d12, Guts d10, Intimidation Media Mogul
d10, Notice d6, Stealth d10, Throwing d10
Charisma: +0; Pace: 8; Parry: 11; Toughness: 7 Media moguls may control newspapers, magazines,
Hindrances: Arrogant movie companies, radio stations, or the whole lot in one
Edges: Acrobat, Combat Reflexes, Command, First vast empire. Good-hearted media moguls are rare in pulp
Strike, Fleet Footed, Hard to Kill, Improved Block, games. After all, we all know that power corrupts. Media
Improved Dodge, Improved Frenzy, Improved Level moguls have the power to make or break reputations
Headed, Improved Nerves of Steel, Slugger, Sweep, through their various media channels.
Two-Fisted. Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength
Treasure: Meager d6, Vigor d6
Gear: Fists/Feet (Str), Martial arts weapons (Str+2) Skills: Driving d4, Fighting d4, Guts d6, Intimidation
Special Abilities: d10, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Shooting d6, Streetwise
• Lethal Hands: The martial artist’s natural weapons d10, Taunt d8
do lethal damage. Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Arrogant, Greedy (Minor)
Edges: Connections, Strong Willed, Very Rich
Mechanic Treasure: Rich, Treasure Trove in lair
Gear: Cane (Str+1)
Many pulp heroes make use of souped up cars or Special Abilities:
planes, and a good mechanic is worth his weight in gold. • Make or Break: The mogul can make or break
They may not be one for social activities, but they can reputations. After a month of intense media coverage
fix a car engine quicker than a flash. about a person, the mogul makes a Persuasion roll.

30
 Each success and raise increases or lowers the victim’s Survival d6, Swimming d6
Charisma by one point (mogul’s choice). Charisma Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 6
returns to normal at the rate of one point per month Hindrances: —
after the blitz ends. The mogul may continue the Edges: Brawny
media blitz, causing a cumulative effect. Treasure: Meager per 10 bearers
Gear: Knife (Str+1)

Mesmerist
Nazis
Mesmerism, the art of hypnosis and low-level
telepathy, is popular in pulp games. In Savage Worlds, What pulp game set in the late 1930’s doesn’t have
this is covered by the Psionics Arcane Background . Nazis?
Before the war, Hitler was greatly interested in
Typical Mesmerist gathering occult items and knowledge to use as weapons
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d8, Strength in his planned conquest of Europe. His armies explored
d6, Vigor d6 everywhere from Mexico to Antarctica and Tibet to Egypt
Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d6, Healing d6, Intimidation in search of relics.
d6, Notice d8, Psionics d8, Shooting d4, Stealth d6,
Taunt d6 Typical Wehrmacht Soldier
Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5 These soldiers are members of the Wehrmacht or
Hindrances: — Afrika Corps. They are not as brutal as SS soldiers,
Edges: Arcane Background (Psionics), Mentalist but are no less loyal to their officers’ (if not Hitler’s)
Gear: Pocket watch cause.
Psionic Powers: Healing (mind over matter), puppet Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength
(hypnosis), and speak language (telepathy); 10 Power d8, Vigor d8
Points. Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d6, Guts d8, Intimidation
d6, Notice d6, Shooting d6
Veteran Mesmerist Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d12, Spirit d10, Hindrances: Loyal
Strength d6, Vigor d6 Edges: Rock and Roll
Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d8, Treasure: Meager per 5 soldiers
Psionics d12, Shooting d8, Stealth d6, Taunt d10 Gear: Helmet (+3), MP40 (12/24/48, 2d6, ROF 3, Shots
Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5 32, AP 1), four Potato Masher grenades (5/10/20, 3d6-2,
Hindrances: — MBT), dagger (Str+1)
Edges: Arcane Background, Mentalist, New Powers,
Power Points Hulking Soldier
Gear: Pocket watch These thugs are built like brick outhouses and
Psionic Powers: Deflection (precognition), healing specialize in pounding people with their fists or with
(mind over matter), puppet (hypnosis), speak language tools they have to hand.
(telepathy), and teleport (dematerialization); 30 Power Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength
Points. d12, Vigor d10
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d10, Guts d8, Intimidation
d8, Notice d6
Native Bearer Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 8
Hindrances: Loyal
Whether they’re exploring the jungles of Mexico, the Edges: Brawny, Combat Reflexes, First Strike
deserts of Africa, or the mountains of Nepal, the heroes Treasure: None
need someone to carry their luggage, and that’s where Gear: Big wrench (Str+2)
the native bearers come in. They’re not combatants and Special Abilities:
are likely to flee at the first sign of trouble. • Hardy: Hulking soldiers do not suffer a Wound from
In true pulp fashion, at least one bearer is probably in being Shaken twice.
the villain’s employ and turns on the party or sabotages
their gear at the most inopportune time. Motorcycle Crew
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d4, Strength Every good pulp adventure needs a chase, and what
d8, Vigor d6 better way to kill two birds with one stone than involving
Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d4, Guts d4, Notice d6, Nazis as well. Both crew of a motorcycle-sidecar, driver

31
 and sidecar gunner, share the same traits.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength
d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Driving d8, Fighting d6, Guts d8, Intimidation
Joseph Kampfer d6, Notice d6
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
SS Sturmbahnfuhrer Joseph Kampfer is one Hindrances: Loyal
of Hitler’s most trusted occultists. The son Edges: Rock and Roll, Steady Hands
of an explorer and a school teacher, Kampfer Treasure: Meager per pair
spent his early years traveling the world, and Gear: Helmet (+3), Walther PPK (12/24/48, 2d6, Shots
became fascinated with the magical traditions 7, AP 1) or MG42 (30/60/120, 2d8+1, ROF 3, Shots
of the world’s cultures. 250)
After graduating from university Kampfer
began studying the occult with growing Gestapo Agent
fanaticism. Years of research finally paid Whether working in the frigid climes of Antarctica
off when he discovered an actual occult text or the sweltering deserts of Africa, the Gestapo agent is
containing real magic. instantly recognizable by his leather coat and gloves.
When Hitler came to power, Kampfer Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength
joined the Nazi Party and began his rise to d6, Vigor d6
power. Hitler ’s own interest in the occult Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d6, Guts d8, Intimidation
has served Kampfer well, and he now runs a d10, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d6, Taunt d8
covert branch of the SS tasked with finding Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
and retrieving occult artifacts for use in the Hindrances: Loyal (to Hitler), Mean
forthcoming war. Although Kampfer appears Edges: Strong Willed
to be a loyal Nazi, he actually has his eyes set Treasure: Meager
firmly on replacing Hitler as head of the Third Gear: Walther PPK (12/24/48, 2d6, Shots 7, AP 1)
Reich. Hitler is blind to Kampfer’s ambition,
and has recently ordered him to begin training SS-Stormtrooper
SS officers in the use of magic. Clad in black uniforms adorned with the twin victory
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit runes and the skull and crossbones collar badges, the SS
d12, Strength d8, Vigor d10 are Hitler’s elite soldiers. They are fanatical opponents,
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d6, Guts d10, not prone to taking prisoners.
Intimidation d10, Knowledge (Arcana) d10, Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength
Notice d6, Spellcasting d12, Stealth d6 d8, Vigor d8
Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: Skills: Driving d8, Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation
7 d8, Notice d8, Shooting d8
Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Greedy (Major), Charisma: –4; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7
Overconfident, Vengeful (Major) Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Loyal
Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Edges: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Rock and Roll
Attractive, Combat Reflexes, Command, Treasure: Meager per 5 soldiers
Fervor, Improved Level Headed, Power Gear: Helmet (+3), MP40 (12/24/48, 2d6, ROF 3, Shots
Points, Soul Drain, Strong Willed, Wizard 32, AP1), four Potato Masher grenades (5/10/20, 3d6-2,
Treasure: Meager, but always 1d6 relics MBT), knife (Str+1)
Gear: Walther (12/24/48, 2d6, Shots 7, AP Special Abilities:
1) • SS Runes: SS victory runes grant the wearer a +1
Powers: Armor (weapons stop short), bonus to Toughness and rolls to resist Tests of Will.
blast ( f i r e b a l l ) , bolt ( D e a t h ’ s H e a d
shaped energy), boost/lower trait (word of SS-Officer
power), detect/conceal arcana (chanting), For some unexplained reason, SS officers in
environmental protection (glows slightly), pulp settings usually hold the rank of Sturmbahnfuhrer
fear (threats), invisibility (word of power), (SS Major). These stats work well for any field rank
puppet (commanding voice), speak language (from Lieutenant to Lt. Colonel). They are coldhearted
(interrogation), and stun (word of power); 40 bullies, with little regard for human rights or the rules
Power Points. of warfare. They also get a kick from slapping prisoners
with their leather gloves.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength

32
d6, Vigor d8 Hindrances: Loyal
Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Intimidation d8, Notice Edges: Dodge, Scholar
d6, Shooting d8, Taunt d6 Treasure: Meager
Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 Gear: Walther PPK (12/24/48, 2d6. Shots 7, AP 1), SS
Hindrances: Loyal, Mean uniform
Edges: Command, Hold the Line, Strong Willed Special Abilities:
Treasure: Meager. • SS Runes: SS victory runes grant the wearer a +1
Gear: Walther PPK (12/24/48, 2d6, Shots 7, AP 1), SS bonus to Toughness and rolls to resist Tests of Will.
uniform
Special Abilities:
• SS Runes: SS victory runes grant the wearer a +1 Ninja
bonus to Toughness and rolls to resist Tests of Will.
Clad in black pajamas and armed with shuriken
SS-Occultist (throwing stars), ninja are part spy, part assassin, part
Hitler’s fascination with the occult goes a step warrior, and, with experience, part mystic. Although
further than reality in many pulp settings. The typically found working for Oriental villains, they are
occultist is an SS officer who has studied ancient tomes willing to hire their services to Western barbarians if
and learned dark magic. They are usually only seen in the price is right.
the field when an important relic needs recovering.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d12, Strength Typical Ninja
d8, Vigor d10 Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d6, Guts d10, Intimidation d6, Vigor d8
d8, Knowledge (Arcana) d8, Notice d6, Spellcasting d10, Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d6, Guts d8, Intimidation
Stealth d6 d6, Lockpicking d8, Notice d8, Shooting d6, Stealth d8,
Charisma: –6; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 8 Swimming d6, Throwing d8
Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Mean, Overconfident Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Combat Reflexes, Hindrances: —
Command, Level Headed, New Power, Power Points, Edges: Acrobat, Quick Draw, Thief
Strong Willed, Wizard Treasure: Meager per 5 ninja
Treasure: Meager, but 50% chance of a relic Gear: Ninjato sword (Str+2), shuriken (3/6/12, Str+1,
Gear: Walther PPK (12/24/48, 2d6, Shots 7, AP 1), RoF 3), smoke pellets (2/4/8, Small Burst Template, –6
magical talisman to see or attack through template, lasts 3 rounds)
Powers: Armor (weapons stop short), bolt (Death’s
Head shaped energy), boost/lower trait (word of power), Experienced Ninja
environmental protection (glows slightly), fear (threats), Experienced ninja have been taught secret techniques
invisibility (word of power), puppet (commanding voice), for disabling opponents quickly, and magical powers
and speak language (interrogation); 30 Power Points. allowing them to become invisible or hypnotize foes.
Special Abilities: They are also masters of stealth.
• SS Runes: SS victory runes grant the wearer a +1 Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength
bonus to Toughness and rolls to resist Tests of Will. d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Climbing d10, Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation
SS-Scientist d8, Lockpicking d10, Notice d10, Shooting d8,
Most scientists are accorded the honorary rank of Spellcasting d8, Stealth d12, Swimming d6, Throwing
Sturmbahnfuhrer, placing them as middle managers in d10
the military structure. Few soldiers will take orders from Charisma: +0; Pace: 8; Parry: 7; Toughness: 6
a scientist, and few scientists are willing to challenge Hindrances: —
a battle-hardened veteran because he failed to salute Edges: Acrobat, Arcane Background (Superpowers),
properly. Scientists range from rocket engineers to Block, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Fleet Footed, Level
geneticists. If you want a Nazi Weird Scientist, take one Headed, Quick Draw, Thief
of the Mad Scientist archetypes and slap the SS Runes Treasure: Meager
Special Ability onto it. Gear: Ninjato sword (Str+2), shuriken (3/6/12, Str+1RoF
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d6, Strength 3), smoke pellets (2/4/8, Small Burst Template, –6 to see
d6, Vigor d6 or attack through template, lasts 3 rounds)
Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d8, Intimidation d6, Knowledge Special Abilities:
(any two) d8, Repair d6, Shooting d6 • Ninja Death Blow: A ninja can perform two special
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 6 attacks. He must declare which attack he is making

33
 among other places. Most come from hereditary noble
families, able to trace their ancestry back to some ancient
Fanatics event.
Pulp nobles are either corrupt villains trying to restore
You planned the climatic end-of-adventure the family honor, misguided buffoons serving a cause
battle to the last detail. The battle was set to they do not understand, or bored rich folk seeking high
be an epic struggle between the villain and his adventure.
thugs and the heroes, all set to the ticking of an This set of stats is for a typical noble, trained to shoot
atomic bomb heading toward zero. game birds and knowing a little pugilism from his days
What should have been a tense fight against at college. What he lacks in combat prowess and useful
the clock ended in two rounds as the gun- skills, he more than makes up for in the size of his bank
tooting heroes blasted the villain to pieces and account.
scattered the demoralized mooks. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength
Here’s a very simple trick to prevent the d8, Vigor d6
untimely death of villains. You can use this Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice
simply to extend a fight (so they get to use d6, Persuasion d6, Riding d8, Shooting d6
their cool powers) or to allow them chance Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
to get away (and come back later seeking Hindrances: Various.
revenge). Edges: Connections, Noble, Very Rich
Any Extra within 1” of a villain becomes Treasure: Worthwhile on person, Rich in home
fanatical, sacrificing his life so his master can Gear: Whatever he wants
live. Any attack made against the villain is
instead made against one of the Extras of your
choice, as he leaps in the way of the sword, fist, Occult Investigator
or bullet with his master’s name on it.
This simple setting rule can ensure the Depending on your setting, an occult researcher
longevity of your evil overlords and force might be a wizened sage who consults ancient tomes, an
players to think of creative ways to separate archaeologist who has seen inhabitants of ancient tombs
the minions from their masters. rise from the dead, or a nosy reporter who stumbled onto
Something Men Should Not Know. What they all have
in common is in-depth knowledge of the occult and the
skills to find more information.
before he makes his attack roll. If the Fighting roll is
not a raise, he delivers normal punch damage. Typical Occult
• Bone Breaking: A ninja scoring a raise on a Fighting
roll with his bare hands has struck with bonebreaking
Investigator
force. The victim must make a Vigor roll at –2 or Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d8, Strength
make an immediate roll on the Injury Table. Unless d6, Vigor d6
the attack also delivered a Knockout Blow, the injury Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d4, Investigation d8, Knowledge
is always temporary (see the Injury Table in Savage (Occult) d8, Notice d6, Streetwise d8
Worlds). Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5
• Nerve Strike: A ninja who scores a raise on a Fighting Hindrances: Bad Eyes
roll using his bare hands has struck a nerve center. Edges: Investigator
The victim must make a Vigor roll at –2 or be Treasure: Worthwhile
paralyzed for 2d6 rounds. Gear: Notebook, pens, at least one small occult tome.
• Powers: Ninja have 15 Power Points and know the
following powers with a d8 skill die: boost trait (mind Veteran Occult
over matter), deflection (iron hand to block blows),
invisibility (mystic sign), puppet (hypnotism), and
Investigator
speed (super speed). Veteran occult researchers have expanded their
knowledge of the supernatural with a little fieldwork,
though they are not usually suited for this life.
Noble Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d12, Spirit d10, Strength
d6, Vigor d6
Nobles range from knights of the realm through to Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d8, Investigation d10,
kings and queens, and are common in Western Europe, Knowledge (Legends) d10, Knowledge (Occult) d12,

34
Notice d8, Persuasion d6, Streetwise d10 pulp setting, from the age old haunts of the Caribbean
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5 and the South China Sea, to the asteroid fields of a pulp
Hindrances: Bad Eyes game. In a space or airplane oriented pulp game, we’re
Edges: Connections, Investigator, Scholar talking about the latter, obviously, so swap Boating for
Treasure: Worthwhile Piloting.
Gear: Notebook, pens, at least one small occult tome
Typical Pirate
Typical pirates may be ex-military personnel gone bad,
Pilot deserters, or just criminals unwilling to earn an honest
living. Most are mean, but are not usually bloodthirsty
Airplanes, or rocketships, are an important part of unless their officers condone that sort of thing.
many pulp stories. Not only do they allow for some Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength
stirring action scenes, but they allow heroes to travel d6, Vigor d6
large distances very quickly, which is very handy for Skills: Boating d6, Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Notice
keeping the adventurer running at breakneck speed. d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d6
Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
Typical Pilot Hindrances: Greedy, Mean
This may be an airline pilot, a Zeppelin pilot, a crop Edges: —
duster with a plane for hire, a member of the armed Treasure: Meager per 3 pirates
forces, or even a rocketship pilot blasting through the Gear: Cutlass (Str+3) or machete (Str+2). A few may
skies. have old blackpowder weapons. Modern firearms are
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength usually restricted to trusted crewmembers.
d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Intimidation Pirate Officer
d6, Notice d6, Piloting d8, Repair d4, Shooting d6 Some pirates actually live long enough to become
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6 (1) masters of their own vessels, possibly even commanding
Hindrances: — a fleet of ships. They are usually among the meanest
Edges: Steady Hands and most bloodthirsty pirates.
Treasure: Meager per 3 pilots Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength
Gear: Flying jacket (+1), Colt 1911 pistol (12/24/48, d6, Vigor d6
2d6+1, Shots 7, AP 1) Skills: Boating d8, Fighting d8, Intimidation d8, Notice
d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d8, Taunt d8
Flying Ace Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 5
Flying aces may be stunt pilots amusing Hindrances: Greedy, Mean, Wanted
crowds with their daring loops and rolls or they could be Edges: Ace, Block, Combat Reflexes
true aces, having shot down at least five enemy aircraft Treasure: Worthwhile
in battle. Either way, they’re good at their job, and they Gear: Cutlass (Str+3), Colt 1911 (12/24/48, 2d6+1
know it. AP1)
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength
d6, Vigor d8 Pirate Captain
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d6, Guts d10, Intimidation Pirate captains command one or more pirate
d6, Notice d8, Piloting d12, Repair d4, Shooting d10 ships. Strong bands may have a permanent
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 (1) base, such as a deserted island. When this occurs, the
Hindrances: Arrogant captain usually remains in the base to coordinate raids
Edges: Ace, Dead Shot, Improved Level Headed, Steady led by his officers.
Hands Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength
Treasure: Meager d8, Vigor d8
Gear: Flying jacket (+1), Colt 1911 ( 12/24/48, 2d6+1, Skills: Boating d10, Fighting d10, Intimidation d10,
Shots 7, AP 1) Notice d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d8, Taunt d8
Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 8; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Greedy, Mean, Wanted
Pirate Edges: Ace, Block, Combat Reflexes, Command, Inspire,
Nerves of Steel
Pirates earn a living by attacking other ships, and Treasure: Rich
stealing their cargo, or indeed the ships themselves. They Gear: Cutlass (Str+3), Colt 1911 (12/24/48, 2d6+1,
may even take prisoners for ransom. Pirates haunt most AP1)

35
 d8, Intimidation d8, Investigation d8, Lockpicking d8,
Persuasion d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d6, Streetwise d10
Hordes of Extras Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Code of Honor, Habit (gum or smokes)
Watch any good pulp film and you’ll see the Edges: Alertness, Connections, Dodge, Investigator,
heroes taking down scores of thugs without Level Headed, Nerves of Steel
pausing for breath. Now, Savage Worlds is Treasure: Meager
already Fast! Furious! and Fun! and Extras don’t Gear: S&W .44 (12/24/48, 2d6+1, shots 6, AP 1),
take a lot to take down, but there is room for
maneuvering.
Even with such a fast system, a few bad Professor
die rolls can mean Extras remain a threat for
a long time, and Extras armed with Tommy Whereas archaeologists are field men and scientists
guns can cause a lot of damage to heroes in a actually build things, professors are academic types.
very short time. The terms covers everything from old men to attractive
One way of ensuring that Extras go down young research assistants, but whatever form they
quickly is to remove the Shaken status. An take, professors are most at home in the classroom or
Extra would either be healthy or knocked out. researching material in a library.
In short, if you equal or exceed an Extra’s As with scientists, good professors (as opposed to
Toughness, he’s out of the fight. This does villainous ones) are often the target of kidnapping
mean your heroes are much larger than life, attempts by villains who seek their knowledge for their
so you don’t have to use this for every Extra, evil schemes.
just the real mooks who are totally incidental Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d6, Strength
to the main plot. d6, Vigor d6
If you use this setting rule for Extras, you can Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d4, Investigation d10,
then allow henchmen to act as regular Extras, Knowledge (History or Math) d10, Knowledge (Ancient
rather than using one of the optional ideas Literature or Theoretical Physics) d8, Persuasion d6
presented in the sidebar on page 30. Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Clueless (outside their speciality). Bad Eyes,
Elderly, and Pacifist are also typical Hindrances.
Edges: Investigator, Scholar
Private Investigator Treasure: Meager
Gear: Research papers
Gumshoe and private dick are just two of the more
colorful terms used to P.I.s. Most work out of shabby
offices, manned by a secretary who hasn’t been paid Pugilist Henchman
in a month of Sundays, and spend most of their days
finding missing pets or watching cheating husbands. This bruiser doesn’t need any weapons other than his
Occasionally though, a real case comes along. own two fists, which are as hard as iron and as fast as
lightning. Depending on your views of henchmen, you
Typical P.I. can leave this guy as an Extra, or promote him to full
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength Wild Card status.
d6, Vigor d6 Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d6, Gambling d6, Guts d10, Vigor d8
d6, Intimidation d6, Investigation d6, Lockpicking d6, Skills: Fighting d10, Guts d8, Intimidation d10, Notice
Persuasion d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d6, Streetwise d6 d6, Stealth d6
Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5 Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 9; Toughness: 7
Hindrances: Code of Honor, Habit (gum or smokes) Hindrances: Arrogant, Overconfident
Edges: Alertness, Investigator Edges: Ambidextrous, Brawny, Combat Reflexes, First
Treasure: Meager Strike, Improved Block, Improved Frenzy, Iron Jaw,
Gear: S&W .44 (12/24/48, 2d6+1, shots 6, AP 1), Slugger, Sucker Punch, Sweep, Two Fisted
Treasure: Meager
Experienced P.I. Gear: None
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Special Abilities:
Strength d6, Vigor d8 • Hands of Iron: The pugilist can inflict lethal
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d8, Gambling d6, Guts damage with his fists, if he chooses.

36
 Pygmy d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Climbing d6, Faith d8, Fighting d4, Guts d8,
Most pulp stories were written back in the 1930’s, Intimidation d10, Stealth d6, Survival d6, Swimming
when modern sensibilities and political correctness were d6, Throwing d8
unheard of. As such, pygmies are often used in pulp Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5
stories as villains. In your pulp game, they could just Hindrances: All Thumbs, Small
as easily be on the side of the heroes, helping to defeat Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), New Powers,
a villain who has despoiled their land. Power Points
Treasure: Meager, but with a 50% chance of a relic
Pygmy Warrior Gear: Spear (Str+2, +1 Parry)
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength Powers: Bolt (spiritual lion’s claws), obscure (causes
d6, Vigor d6 vegetation to grow), quickness (catlike reflexes), shape
Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Intimidation change (lion only), speed (lion’s speed)
d6, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d8, Survival d6,
Swimming d6, Throwing d6
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 4 Rocketeer
Hindrances: All Thumbs, Small
Edges: Woodsman Rocketeers can be heroic types using their special gear
Treasure: Meager per 5 warriors to protect innocents or Nazi stormtroopers issued with
Gear: Spear (Str+2, +1 Parry), blowgun (2/4/8, a revolutionary new piece of hardware.
1d6+1) Their flying suit resembles plate armor, though with
Special Abilities: fins on the forearms and calves to help steering. The
• Paralysis (+0): Pygmies dip their blowgun darts into helmet has a large fin mounted on the top as well. The
paralyzing poison. Anyone Shaken or wounded by a rocket pack attaches to the back plate of the armor with
paralysis dart must make a Vigor roll or be paralyzed powerful magnetic clamps.
for 2d6 rounds. Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength
• Poison (+0): Some poison darts are coated with curare d6, Vigor d8
or other such deadly poisons. Anyone Shaken or Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d8, Notice d6, Piloting d10,
wounded by a poison dart must make a Vigor roll or Shooting d8, Stealth d6
suffer an automatic wound. Deadlier poisons, which Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 8 (2)
give a penalty to the Vigor roll, are sometimes used. Hindrances: Overconfident
Edges: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Level Headed
Pygmy Chief Treasure: Meager
Every tribe is led by a chief. In some tribes Gear: Armored flying suit (+2), rocket pack (Pace 48,
this is a hereditary title, but in others the best warriors Acc 8, Climb 24), Colt 1911 (12/24/48, 2d6+1, Shots
compete for the right to lead the tribe. 7, AP 1)
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength
d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d10, Guts d8, Intimidation Scientist
d10, Notice d6, Shouting d8, Stealth d6, Survival d6,
Swimming d6, Throwing d8 Scientists are hands-on boffins, unlike their academic
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 8; Toughness: 5 cousins, the professors. They run the gamut of sciences,
Hindrances: All Thumbs, Small covering everything from chemistry to atomic physics. In a
Edges: Combat Reflexes, Command, Fervor, Frenzy, pulp setting, scientists are often found as potential kidnap
Woodsman victims, evil genius villains, or allies the heroes can turn to
Treasure: Meager in order to help solve a problem.
Gear: Spear (Str+2, +1 Parry) Note that these type of scientists don’t go in for weird
stuff. They stick to the tried and tested scientific methods,
Pygmy Shaman and tend to frown on practitioners of more esoteric arts as
Pygmies are usually animists, believing in being crackpots, and lacking practical foundation.
spirits rather than arcane magic or organized religion. Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d6, Strength
At the heart of their rituals is a shaman. This particular d6, Vigor d6
shaman is a follower of the lion spirits, and has spell Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d4, Investigation d6,
trappings to suit. You should devise new trappings as Knowledge (Chemistry, Physics, or Rocketry) d10,
required. Knowledge (Biology or Mechanics) d8, Repair d6
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5

37
Hindrances: Clueless (outside their speciality). Bad Eyes, soldiers can be found the world over. Some are useful
Elderly, and Pacifist are also typical Hindrances. allies, others are dangerous foes, but all are loyal to their
Edges: Scholar cause. Soldiers in a space pulp game should have ray
Treasure: Meager guns and rifles. Check out the Pulp Gear Book.
Gear: Research papers Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength
d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Intimidation d6, Notice
Smuggler d4, Shooting d6, Stealth d4
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5/6; Toughness: 6
Smugglers make money by selling goods through Hindrances: Loyal
alternate business channels. Some run drugs, others Edges: Steady Hands
run guns or booze. A few smugglers, just a few, are more Treasure: Meager per 5 soldiers
nobler, and use their contacts to smuggle people out of Gear: Helmet (+3), bolt action rifle (24/48/96, 2d8),
dangerous areas. bayonet (Str+1, +1 Parry and Reach if attached to
Smugglers don’t usually have Boating and Piloting. rifle)
Which one they get depends on the form of transportation
they own. Experienced Soldier
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength Experienced soldiers may have seen action in one of
d6, Vigor d6 the numerous wars found in a pulp setting, or just be
Skills: Boating d6, Driving d6, Fighting d6, Guts d4, nearing the end of their 25 year contract.
Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Piloting d6, Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength
Shooting d6, Stealth d6, Streetwise d8, Swimming d6, d8, Vigor d10
Throwing d6 Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5 d6, Shooting d10, Stealth d6
Hindrances: Greedy Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 6/7; Toughness: 7
Edges: Connections Hindrances: Loyal
Treasure: Meager Edges: Block, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Rock and Roll,
Gear: Colt 1911 (12/24/48, 2d6+1, AP1), knife (Str+1), Steady Hands
some form of transportation Treasure: Meager per 3 soldiers
Gear: Helmet (+3), bolt action rifle (24/48/96, 2d8),
bayonet (Str+1, +1 Reach if attached to rifle)
Snitch
Field Officer
Snitches make a living selling information. Some Field officers rank from Lieutenant up to
are general lowlifes, reluctantly giving in to heroes’ Major and run the gamut from the green behind the ears
demands for information. The information they sell, rookie to seasoned leaders of men in combat.
or give out for free if pressed, is usually top rate. Others Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength
are more akin to spies, and join heroic endeavors for d8, Vigor d8
the sole purpose of ratting out the heroes at the first Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Knowledge
opportunity. (Battle) d8, Notice d6, Shooting d8, Stealth d6
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
d6, Vigor d6 Hindrances: Loyal
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d4, Guts d4, Notice d8, Edges: Command, Hold the Line, Level Headed, Natural
Persuasion d6, Stealth d8, Streetwise d12 Leader
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5 Treasure: Meager
Hindrances: Big Mouth Gear: Colt 1911 (12/24/48, 2d6+1, AP1)
Edges: Connections (lots of them)
Treasure: Meager
Gear: List of contact names and numbers, lots of Sports Star
incriminating documents and photos
Whether their sport of choice is baseball, football,
or hockey, sports stars are heroes popular in pulp
Soldier stories—just look at Flash Gordon. Most are muscle
bound jocks, but their hearts are in the right place and
Whether they’re proud members of the American or their training makes them useful allies. This particular
British army, or the vile henchmen of a crazed dictator, star is a quarterback.

38
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength Special Abilities:
d8, Vigor d8 • Show-off: The sword-wielding henchman is a
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d6, Guts d4, Intimidation consummate show-off. He spends the first round of
d8, Knowledge (Sports Stats) d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, any combat twirling his blade and throwing it from
Taunt d8, Throwing d10 hand to hand. This works as an Intimidation Test of
Charisma: +2; Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 Will with a +2 bonus. Until his next action, however,
Hindrances: Arrogant, Heroic, Improvisational Fighter, the swordsman has -2 Parry.
Loyal
Edges: Attractive, Brawny, Fleet Footed
Treasure: Meager. Thief
Gear: Improvised weapons (Str+1)
Thieves earn a living from stealing from others. Some
may be allies of the characters or so-called “gentleman
Spy thieves,” only stealing from those who can afford it.
Others are antagonists, usually hired by villains to steal
Spies work for governments or private organizations. something important to the plot.
In many pulp games they’re likely to be more the femme Having vital gear, information, or evidence stolen
fatale type than suave vodka martini drinkers. That’s the at inconvenient times, is a staple plot device in pulp
sort we’re using here, anyway, though it’s easy enough stories, so thieves should play a part in whatever setting
to change. you have in mind.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength
d6, Vigor d6 Thief
Skills: Climbing d6, Driving d6, Fighting d6, Lockpicking Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength
d10, Notice d8, Persuasion d8, Shooting d6, Stealth d10, d6, Vigor d6
Streetwise d8, Taunt d6 Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Lockpicking
Charisma: +4; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5 d8, Notice d8, Stealth d8, Streetwise d6, Taunt d6,
Hindrances: Cautious Throwing d8
Treasure: Meager Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
Edges: Connections, Femme Fatale, Thief, Very Hindrances: Various
Attractive Edges: Thief
Gear: Varies, but usually a concealed derringer (5/10/20, Treasure: Meager, Worthwhile in lair.
2d6+1, Shots 2, AP1) or knife (Str+1) Gear: Throwing knives (3/6/12, Str+1).

Master Thief
Sword-Wielding Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d8, Spirit d8,
Strength d6, Vigor d6
Henchman Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d6, Guts d8, Lockpicking
d12, Notice d10, Stealth d12, Streetwise d8, Taunt d8,
Sure, the sword-wielding henchman is a one-trick Throwing d8
pony, but he’s good at what he does. Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 5
Depending on your views of henchmen, you can leave Hindrances: Various
this guy as an Extra, perhaps to be shot in a marketplace Edges: Acrobat, Dodge, Level Headed, Thief
while he’s showing off his skill, or promote him to Wild Treasure: Worthwhile, Rich in lair.
Card status and really give your heroes something to Gear: Throwing knives (3/6/12, Str+1).
worry about.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength
d10, Vigor d8 Thug
Skills: Fighting d10, Guts d8, Intimidation d10, Notice
d6, Stealth d6 Big, dumb, and strong, thugs are hired muscle. Most
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 9; Toughness: 7 operate in gangs, where they can rely on their fellows
Hindrances: Arrogant, Overconfident for support.
Edges: Ambidextrous, Brawny, Improved Block, Generally fairly cowardly and in need of strong
Improved First Strike, Improved Frenzy, Improved leadership, thugs are usually reluctant to pursue a fight
Trademark Weapon (big sword), Improved Sweep they are losing, and are most likely to withdraw and
Treasure: Meager regroup or get further instructions. Tougher thugs should
Gear: Big, one-handed sword (Str+4) have Combat Reflexes.

39
 Treasure Hunter
Treasure. hunters. differ. from. archaeologists. in. that.
they. have. absolutely. no. regard. for. the. culture. or.
historical.signifi.cance.of.artifacts..All.they.want.is.to.
own.them..
Some.treasure.hunters.are.former.archaeologists.who.
now.let.others.do.the.work.for.them.and.then.steal.their.
glory.. Others. are. merely. rich. businessmen. who. want.
the.prestige.of.being.able.to.show.artifacts.off.to.their.
equally.rich.friends.
Attributes:. Agility. d6,. Smarts. d8,. Spirit. d8,. Strength.
d6,.Vigor.d6
Skills:. Driving. d6,. Fighting. d6,. Investigation. d6,.
Knowledge. (Antiques). d10,. Knowledge. (History). d8,.
Persuasion.d8,.Shooting.d6,.Streetwise.d6
Charisma:.+0;.Pace:.6;.Parry:.6;.Toughness:.5
Hindrances:.Greedy.(Major),.Overconfi.dent
Edges:.Connections,.Rich
Treasure:.Treasure.Trove.in.lair,.with.1d4.relics
Gear:.Walking.cane.(Str+1,.Parry.+1)

Tribesman
Tribesman. is. a. blanket. term,. covering. indigenous.
peoples. ranging. from. Mesoamerican. Indians. to. the.
nomads.of.the.Sahara...Not.all.tribesmen.share.the.same.
Gangster skills—a.desert.nomad.has.little.use.of.Boating,.and.the.
Armed.with.Tommy.guns.and.wearing.sharp.suits,. average.Indian.doesn’t.have.much.call.for.Riding..Give.
gangsters.work.for.villains.as.hired.guns. the.tribesman.the.skills.you.think.he.should.have.to.suit.
Attributes:. Agility. d8,. Smarts. d4,. Spirit. d6,. Strength. his.environment.and.the.specifi.cs.of.his.tribe.
d6,.Vigor.d6 Gear. has. been. split. into. two. categories—basic. and.
Skills:.Driving.d6,.Fighting.d6,.Intimidation.d6,.Notice. advanced.. Basic. refers. to. non-technological. cultures,.
d6,.Shooting.d6 whereas.advanced.covers.cultures.armed.primarily.with.
Charisma:.–2;.Pace:.6;.Parry:.5;.Toughness:.5 early.blackpowder.weapons.
Hindrances:.Mean
Edges:.Rock.and.Roll Tribal Warrior
Treasure:.Meager.per.5.thugs Attributes:. Agility. d6,. Smarts. d4,. Spirit. d6,. Strength.
Gear:.Tommy.gun.(12/24/48,.2d6+1,.ROF.3,.Shots.50,. d8,.Vigor.d8
AP1,.Auto) Skills:.Boating.d6,.Climbing.d6,.Fighting.d6,.Guts.d6,.
Intimidation.d6,.Riding.d6,.Shooting.d6,.Survival.d6,.
Petty Thug Throwing.d6
These.thugs.specialize.in.looking.tough,.and.using. Charisma:.+0;.Pace:.6;.Parry:.6/5;.Toughness:.6
their. fi.sts. or. small. weapon.. Tougher. thugs. have. the. Hindrances:.Loyal
Combat. Refl.exes. and. Frenzy. Edges,. as. well. as. one. or. Edges:.—
more.extra.dice.in.Strength,.Fighting,.Intimidation.and. Treasure:.Meager.per.5.warriors
Streetwise. Basic Gear:.Spear.(Str+2,.+1.Parry).and.bow.(12/24/48,.
Attributes:. Agility. d6,. Smarts. d4,. Spirit. d6,. Strength. 2d6)..
d8,.Vigor.d8 Advanced Gear:.Sword.(Str+3).and.musket.(10/20/40,.
Skills:.Fighting.d6,.Intimidation.d6,.Notice.d6 2d8)
Charisma:.–2;.Pace:.6;.Parry:.5;.Toughness:.6
Hindrances:.Mean Tribal Chieftain
Edges:.— Attributes:. Agility. d8,. Smarts. d6,. Spirit. d8,.
Treasure:.Meager.per.5.thugs Strength.d8,.Vigor.d8
Gear:.Knife.(Str+1).or.club.(Str+1) Skills:.Boating.d6,.Climbing.d6,.Fighting.d8,.Guts.d6,.

40
Intimidation d6, Riding d6, Shooting d8, Survival d6, Wise Mystic
Throwing d6
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 6/7; Toughness: 6 The wise mystic is typically a Chinese philosopher
Hindrances: Loyal monk or a Tibetan lama. Although he has spent most
Edges: Combat Reflexes, Command, Fervor, Level of his life in a monastery (or in some other form of
Headed seclusion), he knows a great deal about a lot of things.
Treasure: Worthwhile Years of meditation have enabled him to develop mind-
Basic Gear: Spear (Str+2, +1 Parry) and bow (12/24/48, over-matter powers.
2d6). Typically, the quiet mystic is a skilled martial artist,
Advanced Gear: Sword (Str+3) and rifled musket though he only uses his powers for defense.
(15/30/60, 2d8, AP1) Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d10, Strength
d6, Vigor d10
Tribal Shaman Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d12, Knowledge (Philosophy)
Not every tribal cultures has shamans. Those d10, Knowledge (any three others) d8, Notice d8,
that do may be animists or followers of an old faith, such Psionics d10, Stealth d8
as the Aztec or Egyptian pantheon. Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 9; Toughness: 7
Trappings should be adjusted to suit. This particular Hindrances: Pacifist (Major), Vow (Poverty)
shaman follows the Aztec god Itzlacoliuhque, the Edges: Arcane Background (Psionics), Improved Block,
obsidian knife god. Improved Dodge, Jack-of-All-Trades, Mentalist, New
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength Power, Power Points, Scholar
d6, Vigor d6 Treasure: None
Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation d8, Notice Gear: Staff (Str+1, +1 Parry, Reach 1), mystic amulet
d6, Spellcasting d8. Stealth d6 Powers: Deflection (super dodge), environmental
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 5 protection (mind over matter), healing (lay on hands),
Hindrances: Loyal invisibility (makes people think he isn’t there), quickness
Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Power Points (fast reflexes), speed (blurry motion), stun (chi strike);
Treasure: Meager, but 50% chance of an artifact 25 Power Points.
Gear: Obsidian knife (Str+1, AP 1)
Powers: bolt (flying obsidian daggers), deflection (spectral
obsidian dagger), smite (obsidian edge to weapon); 25
Power Points. Important
Victims
Wise-Ass Kid
At some point in a pulp adventure,
Any decent hero always has a trusty sidekick by his someone inevitably gets kidnapped. It might
side, and usually it’s the wise-ass kid. The kid may be a be the hero’s sidekick, the daughter of an
relative or “adopted” by the character, but it’s the hero’s imminent scientist, or the plucky reporter
job to ensure the kid stays safe. Most are willing to get who has uncovered the villain’s nefarious
into scraps alongside their hero, whether their help is plot to conquer the world.
required or not. And, naturally, if there’s been a kidnapping,
From a GM’s point of view, the sidekick is a walking the heroes are involved in the rescue attempt.
plot device, and a great way to steer your heroes if they Where there’s heroes, there’s usually a large
go astray. Having the villain kidnap the kid, or having amount of gunfire as well.
the kid trail the villain back to his lair, are great ways In order to ensure the person they are trying
to get an adventure that has gone off the rails back on to rescue isn’t accidently mown down in a hail
track again. of lead, it is strongly advised that any kidnap
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength victim central to the plot be given Wild Card
d4, Vigor d4 status.
Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d4, Guts d10, Notice d8, They don’t have to be any use in combat,
Shooting d4, Stealth d8, Taunt d8 and indeed it’s better if they’re the helpless sort
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 4 who needs rescuing, but the wound levels given
Hindrances: Curious, Loyal (to character), Young by Wild Card status give you a safety net.
Edges: Strong Willed Alternatively, you can simply ignore the
Treasure: Meager Innocent Bystander rule in a pulp game.
Gear: Catapult (2/4/8, Str+1).

41
 Monsters

African Monsters Dingonek

Native to the lakes and rivers of West Africa, the
Africa, the so-called Dark Continent, remains largely dingonek has a large horn, saber-toothed canines, and
unexplored at the time of most pulp games and makes a barbed tail which secrets a lethal venom. It is also
a great setting for a pulp campaign. highly territorial.
White men have penetrated parts of the interior, but Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength
much of the continent remains shrouded in mystery and d12+2, Vigor d10
superstition. It is home to several dangerous beasts with Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation d8, Notice
more than a hint of supernatural origin. d8, Stealth d8
In case you’re wondering, not all of these monsters Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 9
are actually found in African mythology. We made some Treasure: None
up. Special Abilities:
• Berserk: Dingoneks immediately go berserk if they
Ambalu sense intruders in their territory. While Berserk, its
The ambalu has the body and head of a rhino, but its Parry is reduced by 2 but it adds +2 to all Fighting
has catlike legs and its skin is mottled like a cheetah. and Strength rolls, and its Toughness.
The ambalu, as its bizarre appearance may suggest, has • Bite/Horn: Str+2.
the bulk of a rhino combined with the deadly speed of • Gore: The dingonek uses the Charge maneuver to gore
a cheetah. its opponents with its horn. If it can charge at least 6”
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d10, Strength before attacking, it adds +4 to its damage total.
d12+5, Vigor d10 • Improved Frenzy: Dingoneks may make two Fighting
Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d10, Intimidation d10, Notice attacks each action at no penalty.
d4, Stealth d6 • Poison: Any creature Shaken or wounded by a tail
Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Toughness: 13 (2) attack must make a Vigor roll or suffer an automatic
Treasure: None wound.
Special Abilities: • Semi-Aquatic: Pace 10”. Dingoneks are native to both
• Armor +2: Thick hide. water and land. They through the water at their full
• Fleet Footed: Ambalus have a d10 running die. skill level while swimming. Dingoneks are “breath
• Gore: An ambalu uses the Charge maneuver to gore hold” divers and can stay underwater for long periods
its opponents with its horn. For every 6” it runs when of time on just one breath of air. A dingonek gains a
attacking, it adds +2 to its damage total. Fatigue level after every 15 minutes it holds its breath.
• Horns: Str+2. On reaching Incapacitation, the dingonek makes
• Large: Attackers are +2 to attack rolls against ambalus an immediate Vigor roll (and another each minute
because of their size. thereafter) to stay conscious. If the roll is failed the
• Size +4: Despite their lightning fast pace, Ambalus dingonek has drowned. Once above water, it recovers
are similar in size to a rhino. one level of Fatigue every five minutes.

42
• Size +2: Dingoneks can reach 8’ in length. Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d8, Guts d10, Notice d10,
• Tail: Str+2. Stealth d8
Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 9
Lukwata Treasure: None
A lukwata is a huge water serpent which favors rivers Special Abilities:
and marshes as its home. It’s fiery eyes can actually • Ambush: A nandi in a tree gains The Drop against prey
project searing flames. passing it beneath that have failed to spot the beast.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength Its first attack is always a Called Shot to the head.
d12+8, Vigor d6 • Bite/Claw: Str+2.
Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Notice d10, Stealth d8, • Fleet Footed: Nandi bears roll a d10 running die.
Swimming d10 • Infravision: The nandi halves Bad Lighting penalties
Pace: 10; Parry: 5; Toughness: 13 for attacking heat-producing targets.
Treasure: None • Size +2: The nandi stands around 5’ at the shoulder
Special Abilities: and is over 8’ long.
• Aquatic: Pace 10.
• Bite: Str+3.
• Fiery Eyes: A lukwata can project deadly fire using the Albino Ape
Cone Template. Every target within this cone may
make an Agility roll at –2 to avoid the attack. Those Albino apes aren’t just white-furred apes. They are
who fail suffer 2d10 damage and must check to see vicious creatures, often employed by mad scientists and
if they catch fire. priests of ancient cults, to guard their treasuries. Unlike
• Huge: Attackers gain a +4 bonus to attack a lukwata most apes, these have learned the basics of tool use, and
due to its size. can even craft crude stone axes.
• Size +8: A lukwata is over 30 feet long and eight feet Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8(A), Spirit d10, Strength
in diameter at his thickest point. d12+1, Vigor d10
• Tentacles: The mouth of a lukwata is surrounded in Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation
tentacles. The beast may make up to four attacks d10, Notice d6, Stealth d8, Throwing d8
each round. On a raise, the creature has grappled the Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8
victim. A entangled victim may attempt an opposed Treasure: None
Strength roll each round to escape. The lukwata does Gear: Stone axe (Str+2)
its Strength damage automatically to grappled foes Special Abilities:
by crushing with its tentacles and rending with its • Frenzy: An albino ape can make two Fighting attacks
fangs. A victim killed by an lukwata’s tentacles is each round at –2 penalty.
usually swallowed. • Leap: Albino apes can leap 2” horizontally, or 4” from
a running start. Each success and raise on a Strength
Mlularuka roll grants one additional inch.
Also known as a flying jackal, the mlularuka lives up • Size +1: Albino apes are about the same height as
to that description. humans, but are much stockier.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6(A), Strength
d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d10, Notice d10, Taunt d8 Animated Statue
Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Toughness: 4
Treasure: None Animated statues can be found in tombs or temples
Special Abilities: around the globe. They come in many forms, from
• Bite: Str+2. gargoyle-type creatures to gigantic carvings of ancient
• Flying: Flying Pace 8, Climb 2. kings and gods. Most are created through arcane magic
• Size -1: Mlularuka are relatively small creatures. or superscience. Despite their strength and resilience,
animated statues are rather slow and clumsy.
Nandi Bear
Despite being labeled as a bear (there are no native Man-Sized Statue
African bears in the present era), the nandi actually Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength
appears to be a giant hyena. Unlike hyena, however, d10, Vigor d8
the nandi sits up a tree, swiping at the heads of prey as Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d6
they pass beneath. Pace: 4; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8 (2)
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6(A), Strength Treasure: None
d12, Vigor d10 Special Abilities:

43
• Armor +2: Statues are usually made of solid stone. Big Cat
• Construct: +2 to recover from being Shaken; No
additional damage from called shots; Piercing attacks Big cats are, well, big cats. They’re fast, aggressive (at
do half-damage; Immune to poison and disease. least in pulp games), and don’t react well to being petted
• Fearless: Statues are immune to Fear and or forced to wear a collar.
Intimidation.
• Slam: Str. Cheetah
Cheetahs are the fastest land animal, capable of short
Multi-Armed Man-Sized bursts up to 70 mph. And you wondered why you’d ever
need the Fleet Footed Edge.
Statue Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d8, Strength
These statues have more than one pair of arms. d10, Vigor d8
Statues of Kali, the four-armed Indian deity, are a classic Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d8, Guts d6, Notice d8,
example. Stealth d10
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
d10, Vigor d8 Treasure: None
Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d6 Special Abilities:
Pace: 4; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8 (2) • Bite or Claw: Str+2.
Treasure: None • Fleet Footed: Cheetahs roll a d12 running die, instead
Gear: Various melee weapons (Str+3) of a d6. This die can Ace.
Special Abilities: • Pounce: Cheetahs often pounce on their prey to best
• Armor +2: Statues are usually made of solid stone. bring claws to bear. It can leap 1d6” to gain +4 to
• Construct: +2 to recover from being Shaken; No its attack and damage. Its Parry is reduced by -2
additional damage from called shots; Piercing attacks until its next action when performing the maneuver
do half-damage; Immune to poison and disease. however.
• Fearless: Statues are immune to Fear and
Intimidation. Sabre-Toothed Tiger
• Multiple Arms: The statue has four arms and may Sabre-toothed tigers can be found in “lost valleys” and
make an attack with each arm at no multi action lands inhabited by Amazon women. Amazon women
penalty. If multiple arms attack the same opponent, may even keep them as pets, and use them in hunting
the statue gets a Gang Up bonus of +1 per arm after parties.
the first. It has the Ambidextrous and Two Fisted Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d8, Strength
Edges. In addition, it can fight four opponents at d12+2, Vigor d10
once without suffering a Gang Up penalty. Additional Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d8, Guts d6, Intimidation
combatants gain a Gang Up bonus as normal. d8, Stealth d8, Tracking d6
Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 10
Giant Animated Statue Treasure: Meager, in lair.
Giant statues may be colossal humans, or true Special Abilities:
monsters, like the Sphinx. • Bite: Str+4, AP 1.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength • Claws: Str+2.
d12+4, Vigor d12 • Improved Frenzy: A sabre-toothed tiger may make
Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Notice d6 two attacks each round with no penalty.
Pace: 4; Parry: 6; Toughness: 14 (2) • Pounce: Sabre-tooths often pounce on their prey to
Treasure: None best bring their mass and teeth to bear. It can leap
Special Abilities: 1d6” to gain +4 to its attack and damage. It’s Parry is
• Armor +2: Statues are usually made of solid stone. reduced by –2 until its next action when performing
• Construct: +2 to recover from being Shaken; No the maneuver however.
additional damage from called shots; Piercing attacks • Size +3: Sabre-tooths weigh over 1000 pounds.
do half-damage; Immune to poison and disease.
• Fearless: Statues are immune to Fear and Tiger
Intimidation. Lions may carry the title of King of the Jungle, but
• Large: Attackers are +2 to attack a giant statue because tigers are the largest of the conventional great cats. Tigers
of its size. are found only in Siberia (white tigers) and India (the
• Size +4: Giant statues stand 12-15’ high. more common orange and black variety).
• Slam: Str. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d10, Strength
d12+1, Vigor d10

44
Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d8, Guts d6, Notice d8, Camel
Stealth d10
Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 9 Camels are not as comfortable to ride as horses, but
Treasure: None they’re better suited to travel and survival in arid regions.
Special Abilities: They’re also ornery creatures.
• Bite or Claw: Str+2. Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength
• Improved Frenzy: Tigers may make two Fighting d12, Vigor d8
attacks each action at no penalty. Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Notice d6
• Maul: A tiger that succeeds in a Grapple attack has Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Toughness: 8
knocked its prey to the floor and may make a Fighting Treasure: None
attack with no multi action penalty. So long as the Special Abilities:
victim remains prone, subsequent attacks are made • Camel: Camels do not start making Vigor rolls for
at +2. dehydration until the 8th day after water runs out.
• Pounce: Tigers often pounce on their prey to best • Kick: Str.
bring their mass and claws to bear. It can leap 1d6” • Ornery: Camels are contrary creatures. Characters
to gain +4 to its attack and damage. Its Parry is must subtract 1 from their Riding rolls when riding
reduced by -2 until its next action when performing them.
the maneuver however. • Sand Walker: Camels treat deserts as normal
• Size +2: Male tigers can weigh over 800 pounds. terrain.
• Size +2: Camels are only slightly larger than riding
horses.
Bison/Buffalo
Bison and buffalo are large herbivores. Though usually Cannibal Pygmy
passive, like many animals they can become violent if
threatened or startled. Cannibal pygmies are a totally non-politically correct
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d8, Strength archetype. Unlike regular pygmies, cannibalistic ones
d12+4, Vigor d10 see White Men as a source of food. They also collect the
Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d6, Notice d6 heads of their victims and shrink them, allowing them
Pace: 7; Parry: 4; Toughness: 10 to be worn as trophies.
Treasure: None. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength
Special Abilities: d6, Vigor d6
• Gore: Bison use the charge maneuver to gore their Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d8, Guts d6, Intimidation
opponents with their long horns. If they can move d8, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d8, Survival d6,
at least 6” before attacking, they add +4 to their Swimming d6, Throwing d6
damage total. Charisma: –4; Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 4
• Size +3: Bison are large creatures. Hindrances: All Thumbs, Bloodthirsty, Small
Edges: Woodsman
Treasure: Meager per 5 warriors
Boar, Wild Gear: Spear (Str+2, +1 Parry), blowgun (2/4/8,
1d6+1)
Wild boars are hunted for their rich meat. They are Special Abilities:
tenacious fighters, especially when wounded. • Bite: Str+1.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength • Paralysis (–2): Cannibal pygmies dip their blowgun
d8, Vigor d10 darts in potent paralyzing poison. Anyone Shaken or
Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d8, Notice d6, Stealth d6 wounded by a paralysis dart must make a Vigor roll
Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 at –2 or be paralyzed for 2d6 minutes.
Treasure: None
Special Abilities:
• Berserk: When a boar is Shaken, it goes berserk. It Chimp
gains +2 to all Fighting and Strength rolls and its
Toughness, but Parry is reduced by 2. Chimps are intelligent creatures and are capable of
• Gore: If a boar can charge at least 6” before attacking, problem solving. They can be vicious, however, and are
it adds +4 to damage. stronger than they look. Jungle men and boys often have
• Tusks: Str+1. one as a sidekick.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8(A), Spirit d6, Strength

45
 d10, Vigor d8
Skills: Climbing d10, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Intimidation
d6, Notice d6, Stealth d8, Throwing d6
Dark Gods Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
Treasure: None
Stick one of these against your group Special Abilities:
of Novice characters and a bloodbath is • Bite: Str+1.
the only result. Any dark god should be • Hurl: Chimps can hurl rocks and heavy nuts from
a challenge for even a group of Legendary the high branches of their homes. These cause Str+2
characters. damage if they are above a victim, or Str if the chimp
You may wish to create some of your does not have a significant altitude advantage. Range
own or convert from another setting. is 3/6/12.
There are no firm and fast rules for this, • Size –1: Chimps are the same size as human
but here’s some handy tips on the sorts children.
of Special Abilities every dark god should
possess.
• Fear: Most dark gods are abominations Clockwork Minotaur
and the mere sight of one can drive a
mortal insane. As a minimum, dark gods Greek legends tell us that Theseus slew the Minotaur
should have a Fear rating of –6. Feel free in the Labyrinth of Knossos. In truth, the Minotaur was
to crank this as high as –10 for a truly no creature of flesh and blood. Daedalus, the designer of
foul entity. the Labyrinth, was also a skilled artificer and created a
• Fearless: As far as dealing with true immortal creature—a bronze mechanical Minotaur.
mortals goes, all dark gods should be It’s still just as deadly as the “real thing.”
Fearless. Dark gods are unlikely to Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d8, Strength
encounter each other.. d12+2, Vigor d12
• Hardy: Dark gods are either too big or Skills: Fighting d10, Intimidation d12, Notice d10
too alien in their physiology to be wounded Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 12 (2)
by cumulative Shaken results. Gear: Great axe (Str+4, AP 1, –1 Parry, two hands)
• Improved Arcane Resistance: Special Abilities:
Whether or not gods use magic, their • Armor +2: Bronze body.
bodies and minds are alien to humans. • Construct: +2 to recover from being Shaken. No
• Regeneration: Most should have additional damage from called shots. Arrows, bullets,
some form of Regeneration, preferably and other piercing weapons do half damage. No
the Fast variety. wound penalties. Immune to poison and disease.
• Size: A human-size dark god can • Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation.
be scary, it can even be Hardy, but its • Fleet-Footed: Rolls a d10 running die.
also got a low Toughness, which makes • Frenzy: The minotaur makes two attacks per round
it easily killable. If possible, make the at –2 penalty.
creature Gargantuan. • Gore: The minotaur uses the Charge maneuver to
• Weapons: The weapon of a dark god gore its opponents with their long horns. If it can
should have the capacity to kill even a charge at least 6” before attacking, it adds +4 to its
Wild Card in a single blow. Those that use damage total.
natural weapons should be augmented by a • Horns: Str+2
Strength rating comparable to that of their • Infravision: Halves penalties for darkness against
Size. For those that prefer ranged weapons, living creatures.
the minimum damage should be 2d10. • Size +2: The minotaur stands over 9’ tall.
Of course, there’s nothing stopping • Sweep: The minotaur may attack all adjacent
you from having a dark god cause instant characters at –2.
death. Any creature struck either has to
make a Vigor or Spirit roll with a suitable
penalty, both depending on the god, or Dark Gods
drop dead.
Some dark gods are true gods, being omnipotent
beings with no true physical form, able to grant their
most trusted followers special powers. Others are

46
demigods, or powerful spirits. Polynesian cultists, who wear sharks’ teeth both to ward
Yet lurking in the shadows of civilization are other off the god’s children (regular sharks) and to show their
types of being. Although possessed of terrible powers and devotion.
worshipped as gods, these beings are not omnipotent, High priests of his faith are responsible for ensuring
nor do they grant their minions powers. Indeed, most that his children eat well. Naturally, player characters,
only use their followers to achieve their goals (such as or at least their sidekicks, make suitable sacrifices.
summoning them to Earth), and then devour them Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength
without so much as a thought. d12+8, Vigor d12
Dark gods are physical beings. Although immensely Skills: Fighting d10, Intimidation d10, Notice d10,
powerful, they are not indestructible. Whether they are Stealth d8
super aliens, beings from another dimension, demon Pace: 0; Parry: 7; Toughness: 21 (4)
lords, or merely avatars of true gods is up to you. Treasure: None
If you intend to run a horror pulp game, you might Special Abilities:
want to pick up the Horror Bestiary Toolkit for extra • Armor +4: Thick skin.
dark gods. • Aquatic: Pace 12.
• Bite: Str+6.
Sobek the Devourer • Fear (–4): Anyone seeing the creature must make a
Sobek the Devourer first visited Earth during Guts roll at –4.
the days of the ancient Egyptians, who worshipped • Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation.
him as a god. Although Sobek’s statues depict him as • Feeding Frenzy: Once there’s a significant amount
a crocodile-headed human, his actual form is that of a of blood in the water (usually one wound), the Great
monstrous crocodile. His temples are usually home to Shark goes into a feeding frenzy and adds +2 to its
crocodiles, whether alive or mummified. attacks and damage for the rest of the fight.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength • Gargantuan: Heavy Armor. Creatures add +4 when
d12+10, Vigor d12+2 attacking the body of Tumu-I-Te-Are-Toka due to its
Skills: Fighting d10, Intimidation d10, Notice d8, great size. Add Size to damage when crushing but
Stealth d8, Swimming d12 subtract Size of victim.
Pace: 16; Parry: 7; Toughness: 23 (4) • Hardy: If Shaken, further Shaken results have no
Treasure: None effect.
Special Abilities: • Improved Arcane Resistance: +4 Armor versus
• Armor +4: Thick skin. magic, and +4 to rolls made to resist magic effects.
• Aquatic: Pace 12. • Regeneration (Slow): Tumu-I-Te-Are-Toka makes a
• Bite: Str+4. natural Healing roll every day.
• Fear (–4): Anyone seeing the creature must make a • Size +9: Tumu-I-Te-Are-Toka is 40’ long.
Guts roll at –4.
• Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation.
• Gargantuan: Heavy Armor. Creatures add +4 when Dinosaurs
attacking the body of Sobek due to its great size. Add
Size to damage when crushing but subtract Size of Considering that dinosaurs supposedly died out 65
victim. million years ago, it’s amazing how many of them still
• Hardy: If Shaken, further Shaken results have no roam pulp settings. Detailed below are some of the more
effect. common dinosaurs found in this genre.
• Improved Arcane Resistance: +4 Armor versus
magic, and +4 to rolls made to resist magic effects. Ankylosaur
• Regeneration (Fast): Sobek makes a natural Healing Ankylosaurs are squat, heavy-set dinosaurs. Their
roll every round. back and head are covered in a heavy, boy plate and their
• Rollover: If Sobek hits with a raise, it causes an extra tails end in a large lump of bone. Although aggressive
2d6 damage to its prey in addition to its regular in defense, they are herbivores and do not go looking
Strength damage. for trouble. When riled, however, they can deliver a very
• Size +10: Sobek is 60’ long. powerful blow with their bony tail.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d8, Strength
Tumu-I-Te-Are-Toka, d12+5, Vigor d10
Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d8, Notice d4
the Great Shark Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 15 (4)
Tumu-I-Te-Are-Toka is a monstrous shark, larger than Treasure: None.
even the now extinct megalodon. He is worshipped by Special Abilities:

47
• Armor +4: Thick bone on back and head. Special Abilities:
• Club Tail: Str+4. • Armor +2: Thick hide.
• Large: Attackers gain +2 to attack rolls because of • Bite: Str+3, AP 1.
the beast’s size. • Fleet Footed: These monsters roll a d10 running
• Size +4: Ankylosaurs are the same size as small die.
elephants. • Large: Creatures add +2 when attacking a gigantosaurus
due to their great size.
Diplodocus • Size +7: These fearsome creatures stand 20’ tall and
Yes, the diplodocus is another herbivore, but weigh over 9,000 pounds.
it’s also one of the largest animals ever to walk the Earth.
As such, it deserves to be included. Pterodactyl
They are notoriously stupid and shortsighted, at least Pterodactyl’s are flying dinosaurs. Their bodies are
in pulp settings. Once they make their minds up to vaguely humanoid, but they have long, leathery wings.
go somewhere, they walk through everything in their Their favorite tactic, at least in pulp games, is to swoop
path—including buildings, vehicles, and creatures too down and pick up prey in the mouth, which they then
slow to clear their path. carry back to their nest.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d8, Strength Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength
d12+12, Vigor d10 d10, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d4, Notice d4 Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Notice d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 21 Pace: 0; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8
Treasure: None. Treasure: Meager, in nest
Special Abilities: Special Abilities:
• Earthquake: Characters within 3” of a running • Bite: Str+2.
diplodocus must make an Agility roll each round (a • Flight: Flying Pace 12”, Climb 6.
free action) or fall prone. A roll of 1, regardless of the • Grapple: A pterodactyl that succeeds in a grapple
Wild Die, means the character is Shaken as well. attack has caught its victim in its mouth. On
• Gargantuan: Attacks are +4 to attacks rolls due to the subsequent rounds its Pace is reduced to 8” and its
beast’s immense size. Heavy Armor. Stomp damage Climb to 4. Victims breaking the grapple while the
is d12+26, less the opponent’s Size. This counts as creature is airborne take Falling damage.
a Heavy Weapon. • Size +3: Pterodactyl’s measure 10’ in length, and
• Hardy: Not wounded by a second Shaken result. have a large wing span.
• Slow Nervous System: The diplodocus’ slow nervous
system means it barely registers pain and shock. It Stegosaurus
is +2 to recover from being Shaken and ignores all Stegosaurus’ are easily recognized by their spiked tails
wound penalties. and diamond shaped fins either side of their spine.
• Size +14: Diplodocus weigh as much as 50 tons. Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength
• Tail Slap: A diplodocus can sweep all opponents in its d12+2, Vigor d8
rear facing in a 3” long by 6” wide square. This is a Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Intimidation d6, Notice
standard Fighting attack, and damage is equal to the d6
beast’s Strength–2. Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 13 (2)
• Trample: A diplodocus can trample creatures of Size Treasure: None
+8 or smaller. If the diplodocus runs, anyone in its Special Abilities:
path must make an Agility roll or be run down. This • Armor +2: Tough hide.
is a Stomp attack. • Large: Opponents are +2 to all attack rolls against a
stegosaurus due to its size.
Gigantosaurus • Tail Slap: Str+3. A stegosaurus can sweep all
No, we’re not making this up. The opponents in its rear facing in a 2” long by 3” wide
gigantosaurus was the largest carnivorous dinosaur area. This is a standard Fighting attack and does
known (until they find something even bigger), weighing Str+2 damage.
half as much again as a T-Rex. Nasty, eh? • Size +5: Stegosaurus weigh around 3000 pounds.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d8, Strength
d12+6, Vigor d10 Triceratops
Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d12, Intimidation d10, Notice Fact: triceratops were herbivores and only
d8, Stealth d6 used their horns in self-defense. Fun: triceratops are
Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 16 (2) aggressive dinosaurs with large horns, and have a
Treasure: Worthwhile, in lair. tendency to get into scraps with a T-Rex in any pulp

48
fi.lm.they.feature.in..thy.are.usually.seen.as.the.rhino.of. Velociraptor
their.day,.and.so.are.prone.to.charge.perceived.threats. These. smart,. bipedal. dinosaurs. are. pack. hunters,.
with.their.wicked.horns.lowered. and. use. remarkably. well-developed. tactics.. True.
Attributes:.Agility.d6,.Smarts.d4(A),.Spirit.d8,.Strength. velociraptors.were.the.size.of.turkeys—the.larger.variety.
d12+5,.Vigor.d8 made.famous.in.the.movies.are.actually.dinonychus,.a.
Skills:. Fighting. d6,. Guts. d6,. Intimidation. d6,. Notice. related.species.
d8 Attributes:.Agility.d8,.Smarts.d8(A),.Spirit.d6,.Strength.
Pace:.8;.Parry:.5;.Toughness:.14/17.on.head.(2/5) d10,.Vigor.d8
Treasure:.None Skills:.Climbing.d6,.Fighting.d8,.Guts.d6,.Notice.d8,.
Special Abilities: Stealth.d8,.Swim.d6
•.Armor +2: Tough.hide..Head.Armor.is.+5.due.to.a. Pace:.8;.Parry:.6;.Toughness:.9.(2)
thick.bony.plate. Treasure:.Meager,.in.lair.
•.Gore:.The.triceratops.uses.the.Charge.maneuver.to. Special Abilities:
gore. its. opponents. with. their. long. horns.. If. it. can. • Armor +2: Velociraptors.have.thick.scaly.hides.
charge.at.least.6”.before.attacking,.it.adds.+4.to.its. • Bite or Rake: Str+3.
damage.total. • Size +1: Velociraptors.are.about.7’.tall.
•.Horns: Str+3.
•.Large: Opponents.are.+2.to.all.attack.rolls.against.a.
triceratops.due.to.its.size. Eagle
•. Size +6:. A. triceratops. weighs. more. than. bull.
elephants. Eagles.may.not.be.big,.but.their.talons.can.rip.through.
fl.esh.with.ease.
Tyrannosaurus Rex Attributes:.Agility.d10,.Smarts.d4(A),.Spirit.d6,.Strength.
King.of.the.dinosaurs,.the.T-Rex.is.a.deadly. d6,.Vigor.d6
predator,. capable. of. taking. on. prey. much. larger. than. Skills:. Fighting. d6,. Guts. d6,. Notice. d12+4,. Stealth.
itself. d8
Modern. science. claims. T-Rex. may. have. been. a. Pace:.2;.Parry:.5;.Toughness:.4
scavenger,.but.that’s.no.fun.for.a.fast.action.pulp.game.. Treasure:.None
T-Rex. are. poorly. suited. for. mountainous. and. dense. Special Abilities:
forest. terrain,. and. can. most. often. by. found. in. “lost. •.Blind:.When.attacking.large.prey.(such.as.characters),.
valleys”.and.other.remote.places,.
where.they.are.usually.the.top.of.
the. food. chain. and. the. ultimate.
terror.
Attributes: Agility.d6,.Smarts.d4.
(A),. Spirit. d8,. Strength. d12+4,.
Vigor.d8
Skills: Fighting. d8,. Notice. d8,.
Stealth.d6
Pace: 8;. Parry: 6;. Toughness:
14.(2)
Treasure: Worthwhile,.in.lair.
Special Abilities:
•.Armor +2: Thick.hide.
•.Bite: Str+3;.AP.1.
•.Large: Creatures.add.+2.when.
attacking.a.T-Rex.due.to.their.
great.size.
•.Roar: As.a.full.action.a.T-Rex.
can.emit.a.terrifying.roar..All.
those. who. hear. the. roar—.
typically. anyone. within. a.
mile—must.make.a.Spirit.roll.
or.be.Shaken.
•.Size +6: T-Rex.is.20’.tall.and.
weighs.6,000.pounds.

49
 eagles go for the eyes. If the eagle scores a raise on 24. Those who don’t are automatically Fatigued each
its Fighting roll, it has hit the character’s face. The day until they are Incapacitated. The day after that,
character must make an Agility roll. On a failure, he they perish.
suffers the One Eye Hindrance until the wound heals.
A roll of 1, regardless of the result of any Wild Die,
results in him gaining the Blind Hindrance until the Flesh Eating Beetle
wound heals.
• Claws: Str+2. Flesh eating beetles prefer to eat their victims from
• Flying: Flying Pace 8”, Climb 4”. the inside. Although small, once they burrow under a
• Size –1: Eagles are large birds of prey, measuring up to victim’s skin, they can cause great damage.
3’ in height and with a much larger wingspan. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength
d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d8, Notice d6, Stealth d12
Elephant, Bull Pace: 4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 4 (1)
Treasure: None
Big, grey, herbivore with a long trunk. Elephants are Special Abilities:
actually smart animals and can be highly aggressive • Armor +1: Carapace.
if threatened, wounded, or used in a pulp adventure. • Bite: Str+1.
Elephants can also be used as mounts. • Burrow: If a beetle scores a raise on its Fighting roll,
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d8, Strength it has burrowed under its victim’s skin and begins
d12+5, Vigor d8 heading for the brain. Victims are treated as being
Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Intimidation d8, Notice Shaken and must make a Vigor roll every round for
d6 three rounds or suffer 2d6 damage (against which
Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Toughness: 13 (1) armor offers no protection). On the fourth round,
Treasure: None the beetle reaches the brain, instantly killing the
Special Abilities: victim. Beetles can be cut out using a sharp object.
• Armor +1: Leathery hide. Removing the beetle requires a Fighting roll. On a
• Large: Attacks are +2 to all attack rolls when targeting success, the beetle is removed but the victim takes a
an elephant. wound. With a raise, the beetle is removed without
• Size +6: Elephants weigh over a ton. harming the victim.
• Trample: Elephants can trample creatures of Size +3 • Size –2: Beetles are only a few inches long.
or smaller. If the elephant runs, anyone in its path • Small: Attackers suffer a –2 penalty to attack beetles
must make an Agility roll or be run down. Victims because of their size.
take damage equal to the elephant’s Str plus its Size
and are knocked prone.
• Tusks: Str+2. Giant Animals
Giant animals may be freaks of nature, genetic
Fish Man mutations, or the result of superscience gone awry.
Almost any animal can be turned into a giant animal.
Whether a survivor of ancient Atlantis mutated See the sidebar on page 53 for some tips.
through centuries of underwater living, a prehistoric
being living in a lost lagoon, or a genetic experiment Giant Ant
gone wrong, the fish man is a humanoid creature with The existence of giant ants may defy the law of
gills, scaly skin, and wickedly sharp claws. physics, but they make excellent adversaries for pulp
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength heroes. These specimens aren’t the truly gigantic
d10, Vigor d8 monsters of B-movies, but their smaller cousins.
Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d10, Notice Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d10, Strength
d8, Stealth d10 d10, Vigor d8
Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6 Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d6, Guts d8, Notice d8,
Treasure: None Stealth d6
Special Abilities: Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 10 (2)
• Aquatic: Pace 10. Treasure: Meager, in lair
• Claws: Str+2. Special Abilities:
• Dehydration: Fish men must immerse themselves • Armor +2: Thick carapace.
in water (salt or fresh) at least one hour out of every • Bite: Str+4.

50
• Burrow: Giants ants can move through soil at Pace Giant Bee
4. Giant bees are considerably larger than regular bees
• Poison (+1): Anyone Shaken or wounded by a but fortunately do not form large swarms. The same
giant ant must make a Vigor roll at +1 or suffer an stats can be used for giant hornets or giant wasps.
automatic wound. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength
• Size +2: Giant ants measure 8’ long. d8, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Notice d8
Giant Ape Pace: 3; Parry: 5; Toughness: 4
Giant apes are usually abnormally-sized gorillas. This Treasure: Meager, in lair.
particular version isn’t as big as a certain specimen found Special Abilities:
on a tropical island in the 1930s, but it’s still huge. • Flight: Flying Pace of 8 and Climb of 4.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8(A), Spirit d8, Strength • Poison (+0): Any creature Shaken or wounded by
d12+6, Vigor d8 a sting attack must make a Vigor roll or take an
Skills: Climbing d10, Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation automatic wound.
d10, Notice d8, Stealth d4, Swimming d6 • Size –1: Giant bees are 2’ long.
Pace: 16; Parry: 6; Toughness: 10 • Sting: Str+2, AP 1.
Treasure: Meager, in lair
Special Abilities: Giant Constrictor
• Club (Str+4): Giant apes often carry small trees to Giant constrictors are capable of swallowing a
use as clubs. grown human. These monsters can grow to immense
• Hardy: A second Shaken result from a physical source lengths.
does not cause a wound. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength
• Large: Attacks against giant apes are made at +2. d12+1, Vigor d6
• Size +4: Giant apes are nearly 20 feet tall. Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Notice d10, Swimming
• Stones (Str+6): Giant apes can hurl 50 pound stones d8
at their foes. They throw with a range of 5/10/20 Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Toughness: 9
and cause Str+6 damage. This counts as a Heavy Treasure: None
Weapon. Special Abilities:
• Bite: Str+1.
Giant Ape, Really Big • Constrict: Against targets Size +3 or lower, the snake
This particular ape is a close relative of the can Constrict whenever it scores a raise on a Fighting
most famous giant ape of them all. Given a chance, it’ll roll. On the victim’s action, it can only attempt to
climb the Empire State Building, whether it’s holding break free with an opposed Strength roll. On the
a dame or not. Fortunately, downtown Manhattan is snake’s action, the victim must make an opposed
not their usual environment, and adventurers typically Strength roll or suffer Fatigue. Once Incapacitated, the
have to travel to a steamy jungle island lost in the victim is unconscious for the next 1d6 hours—during
uncharted expanses of the Pacific ocean to locate one which time the snake eats it alive!
of these beasts. • Large: Attacks are +2 to hit the snake because of its
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8(A), Spirit d8, Strength large size.
d12+14, Vigor d8 • Size +4: Measure over 25’ long.
Skills: Climbing d10, Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation • Swallow: If the creatures scores a raise on a Fighting
d10, Notice d8, Stealth d4, Swimming d6 roll with a bite attack against an opponent of Size+2
Pace: 24; Parry: 6; Toughness: 18 or smaller, it has swallowed its prey whole. The victim
Treasure: None suffers Str+4 damage each round until crushed to
Special Abilities: death by the powerful jaw muscles or freed.
• Bash: These beasts carry a tree that he uses as a club. A victim may try to break free, either with an
It causes Str+6 damage and ignores all but Heavy opposed Strength roll or by using a small weapon to
Armor. cut himself free. Whatever method he uses, the victim
• Gargantuan: Heavy Armor. Attacks against it by is at –4 to all rolls.
man-size creatures are made at +4. The ape’s attacks
are Heavy Weapons. Add Size to damage when Giant Crab
stomping. Giant crabs live on beaches, hiding under the sand
• Hardy: A second Shaken result from a physical source ready to leap out at passing prey.
does not cause a wound. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d8, Strength
• Size +12: These monsters stand over 70’ tall and are d10, Vigor d8
very bulky. Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Notice d8, Stealth d10,

51
Swim d8 (regardless of Wild Die) strikes the leech’s victim.
Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 10 (3) • Size –1: Giant leeches measure 2’ in length.
Treasure: Meager, in lair. • Weakness (Salt): A pound of salt causes 2d6 damage
Special Abilities: to a giant leech.
• Armor +3: Giant crabs have thick shells.
• Claws: Str+2. Giant Mosquito
• Size +1: These creatures weigh over 400 pounds. As long as a man’s arm and carrying deadly tropical
diseases, the giant mosquito is a menace to adventurers
Giant Eagle in jungle or swampy environments. Treat a regular sized
Giant eagles hunt by swooping down on mosquito swarm as an Amazonian Flesh Eating Insect
prey, grasping it in their huge talons, and then carrying Swarm (see page 66).
the prey back to the nest, where 1d6 hungry chicks are Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength
waiting. Use Eagle stats (on page 49) for the chicks. d4, Vigor d4
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d6
d12+4, Vigor d8 Pace: 0; Parry: 5; Toughness: 2
Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d10, Notice Treasure: None
d12+4 Special Abilities:
Pace: 4; Parry: 6; Toughness: 14 • Disease: Anyone Shaken or wounded by a giant
Treasure: Worthwhile, in nest mosquito must make a Vigor roll or be infected.
Special Abilities: Victims are automatically Fatigued. Each week, they
• Bite: Str+2; AP 2. must make another Vigor roll. On a success, they
• Flight: Giant eagles have a Flying Pace of 16”, with recover one level of Fatigue. With a failure, they get
an Acceleration of 4” and a Climb of 6”. sicker, suffering another level of Fatigue. This can lead
• Huge: Characters add +4 when attacking an eagle due to Death. Once all Fatigue is recovered, the victim is
to their great size. healed. No other form of healing can remove these
• Lift : Giant eagles have incredible lift, and can pick up Fatigue levels.
creatures or objects of Size +5. It takes the eagle a full • Flying: Flying Pace 10, Climb 3.
round to properly grasp a creature, which is a Grapple • Infravision: Halves penalties for Bad Lighting against
attack. With a raise, the eagle lifts the character in living targets.
the air and ascends 6” per round afterward. • Proboscis: Str+1.
• Size +8: Giant eagles are huge creatures with • Size –2: Giant mosquitoes measure around 1’.
wingspans of over 100’. • Small: Attacks are –2 to attack rolls against a giant
• Talons: Str+2; AP 4. These claws are large enough to mosquito due to its small size.
damage objects with Heavy Armor.
Giant Octopus
Giant Leech These terrors of the deep are aggressive and
Bloodsucking leeches are common in jungle regions, always hungry, at least in pulp settings. Wounded beasts
but are usually no more than an annoyance. These black, typically emit an ink cloud and attempt to escape.
slimy monsters, however, are more deadly, and can drain Characters may often try to sever tentacles. A tentacle
a human dry in just a few minutes. is severed if it takes the creature’s Toughness in damage
Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength in one hit from an edged weapon. Attacking a tentacle
d10, Vigor d8 that has entangled a friend is somewhat risky—a roll of
Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d8, Notice d6, Stealth d8 1 on the attack die means the ally is hit instead.
Pace: 0; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5 Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6,
Treasure: None Strength d12+4, Vigor d8
Special Abilities: Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6
• Aquatic: Pace 6. Pace: 0; Parry: 6; Toughness: 12
• Bite: Str+1. Treasure: None.
• Blood Drain: A giant leech succeeding in a Fighting Special Abilities:
roll attaches itself to its prey and begins to drink • Aquatic: Pace 6”.
blood. Each round the leech is attached the victim • Huge: Characters add +4 to attack rolls due to the
must make a Vigor roll or suffer a level of Fatigue. creature’s size.
Removing a leech requires an opposed Strength roll. • Ink Cloud: A giant octopus can spurt a cloud of black
Alternatively, the leech can be killed with weapons—a ink once per day. The cloud fills a sphere equal to a
giant leech attached to its victim has a Parry of Large Burst Template. No sight or smell functions
2. Unfortunately, any roll of 1 on the attack die within this template, even for the octopus.

52
• Size +6: The body of a giant octopus is over 40’ long,
while each tentacle is over 20’ long.
• Tentacles: A giant octopus may make up to four Giant Animals
attacks each round. On a raise, the creature has
grappled the victim. A entangled victim may only The Savage Worlds rules already contain
attempt an opposed Strength roll each round to statistics for some mundane beasts, such
escape. Once grappled, the octopus does its Strength as alligators, wolves, and lions, but what
damage automatically by crushing with its arms and if you want to make a truly huge specimen
rending with its beak. A victim killed by an octopus’ to terrorize your party? After all, giant
tentacles is usually ripped in half. animals are as much a part of pulp games
as mad scientists and flying aces.
Giant Rat Here’s a quick quickest solution.
Giant rats are just big rats. Real big. Each point of Size adds +1 Toughness
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8(A), Spirit d8, Strength and increases Strength by one step.
d6, Vigor d6 Strength over d12 increases by +1 per
Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Intimidation Size step.
d8, Notice d6, Stealth d8 Increase Pace by 1 point per Size step if
Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Toughness: 4 you want to represent a longer stride and
Treasure: Meager, in lair. more powerful leg muscles.
Special Abilities: For ease, assume a creature of Size +4
• Bite: Str+1. to +6 is Large, +7 to +9 is Huge, and +10
• Infection: Anyone Shaken or wounded by a rat or higher is Gargantuan.
must make a Vigor roll or suffer a level of Fatigue You can add Armor at +1 per two Size
from an infected bite. Cumulative bites can lead levels to represent thicker skin.
to Incapacitation, but never to Death. One Fatigue Don’t bother altering the beast’s natural
level is recovered every 24 hours or with a successful weapon damage—as Strength increases, so
Healing roll. does the creature’s base damage.
• Size –1: Giants rats are the same size as dogs.

Giant Scorpion
Giant scorpions are usually found in hot climates.
Unlike their normal-size cousins, giant scorpions are Giant Robot
fierce predators.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d8, Strength .Giant robots are the work of mad scientists. Standing
d12+1, Vigor d10 dozens of feet tall and clad in armor strong enough to
Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d8, Guts d6, Intimidation withstand rocket attacks, they require brains as well as
d8, Notice d6, Stealth d8 brawn to defeat.
Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 11 (3) Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d10, Strength
Treasure: Meager, in lair. d12+10, Vigor d8
Special Abilities: Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d10, Notice d8,
• Armor +3: Chitinous skin. Shooting d8, Stealth d4
• Grapple: A scorpion may grapple a foe with one or both Pace: 12; Parry: 5; Toughness: 20 (5)
pincers. If it uses both, each must make a successful Treasure: None
opposed Strength roll. Escaping from a double grapple Special Abilities:
gives the prey a –4 penalty to his Strength roll to • Armor +5: Metal skin. Heavy Armor.
escape. A stinger attack against a grappled foe is made • Construct: +2 to recover from being Shaken. No
at +2 or +4 if the victim is held in both pincers. additional damage from called shots. Arrows, bullets,
• Improved Frenzy: Giant scorpions may make 2 and other piercing weapons do half damage. No
Fighting attacks with no multi-action penalty. wound penalties. Immune to poison and disease.
• Pincers: Str+1. • Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation.
• Poison: Anyone wounded or Shaken by a stinger • Gargantuan: Heavy Armor. Attacks against it by
attack must make a Vigor roll or immediately become man-size creatures are made at +4. The robots’s
Incapacitated. Death follows in 2d6 rounds. attacks are Heavy Weapons. Add Size to damage
• Size +1: Giant scorpions measure 7’ in length. when stomping.
• Stinger: Str+2. • Heat Ray: Giant robots have heat rays mounted in
their left arms. Range 50/100/200, Damage 3d8, AP

53
 Gremlin
Encounters
Gremlins don’t live under beds or in closets. These
Pulp, even fantasy pulp, works best when nasty little critters live in airplanes, oceangoing ships,
adventures have scripted encounters, rather or rocket ships, and take great delight in sabotaging
than collections of random beasts thrown vital systems. Although first recognized in World War 2,
into the story on the quirk of dice draws or there’s no reason they can’t exist in any pulp setting.
dice rolls. Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength
The encounters you use can still be d8, Vigor d6
randomly generated, or just an interlude, but Skills: Climbing d10, Fighting d8, Notice d8, Repair
they shouldn’t come across that way. Let’s d6, Stealth d10
take a desert nomad attack as an example. Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 4
The characters are in the Sahara searching Special Abilities:
for a diamond mine. Their journey will take • Bite or Claws: Str+2.
ten days, so you decide to spice the trip up • Sabotage: Every week, a gremlin makes a Repair
a bit. roll. With a success, it causes a major malfunction.
Have the characters see vultures circling Roll on the Critical Hit table. The vehicle suffers
overhead just over the next dune. They crest no actual wounds, however, just the effects of the
the dune to find a small caravan wiped out. Critical Hit. A crew result means it has someone
A brief check reveals that the attack has all affected the cockpit or bridge, maybe altering the
the hallmarks of desert nomads. Now when oxygen feed or connecting a steam vent to the bridge.
the nomads attack the group, it doesn’t seem The affected crewman suffers 2d6 damage. Treat a
so random. Chassis result as damage to a minor system, giving a
Whether the nomads are part of the plot –2 penalty to Boating, Driving, or Piloting rolls until
or not, the players will undoubtedly try to it is repaired.
work them into the story somehow. They • Size –1: Gremlins are only 3’ tall.
may even give you a good idea you can use
on them later.
Hippo
Forget lions, the most dangerous animal in Africa,
10, ROF 1, Shots 20. in terms of killing humans, is the river dwelling
• Size +9: These monsters stand over 30’ tall. hippopotamus. Hippos are extremely territorial, far more
• Thermal Vision: Halves penalties for darkness against so than any great cat.
living creatures. Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d8, Strength
d12+3, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice
Gorilla d6, Stealth d8
Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Toughness: 11 (1)
Like most animals, gorillas tend to flee from humans Treasure: None
unless they feel threatened. Of course, that’s not much Special Abilities:
fun for a pulp game. Aggressive gorillas are a pulp staple, • Armor +1: Blubbery hides.
though it’s a little against their true nature. • Berserk: Hippos immediately go berserk if the sense
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8(A), Spirit d8, Strength intruders in their territory. While Berserk, its Parry
d12+2, Vigor d10 is reduced by 2 but he adds +2 to all Fighting and
Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation Strength rolls, and his Toughness. The hippo gains
d8, Notice d6, Stealth d8, Throwing d6 the Hardy ability while berserk.
Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8 • Bite: Str+2.
Treasure: None • Capsize: Hippos can capsize small boats. The hippo
Special Abilities: makes a Strength roll and compares the total to the
• Frenzy: A gorilla can make two Fighting attacks each boat’s Toughness (including Armor). If the hippo’s
round at –2 penalty. total is higher, it has capsized the boat, dumping the
• Size +1: Gorillas are about the same height as passengers into the river. Boats with Heavy Armor
humans, but are much stockier. cannot be capsized by a hippo.
• Slam: Str. • Dehydration: Hippos must immerse themselves in
water (salt or fresh) at least one hour out of every

54
 24. Those who don’t are automatically Fatigued each Most manimals are humanoid, but have the hands, feet,
day until they are Incapacitated. The day after that, and heads of animals. A few have tails.
they perish. Manimals are found far from civilized lands. They
• Large: Attackers gain +2 to attack rolls against a may be a result of experiments inflicted on slaves by
hippo due its size. an ancient, and now extinct, empire, superscience
• Semi-Aquatic: Pace 8. Hippos can stay submerged for experiments who have escaped, or just a freakish
about 5 minutes. mutation. For obvious reasons, they don’t like “normals”
• Size +4: Hippos weigh up to four tons. nosing around their territory. Whether or not they can
speak depends on your needs.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength
Hyena d10, Vigor d10
Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Intimidation d6, Notice
Hyenas are scavengers and hunters. The former is d8, Survival d6, Stealth d6, Tracking d6
preferred, as it’s generally easier. Hyenas have incredibly Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7
powerful jaws, voracious appetites (they can digest Treasure: Meager per 3 manimals
skin, flesh, and bone), and are brave enough to face off Special Abilities:
against lions. Their Taunt skill represents their unique • Bite/Claws: Str+1
laughing bark. • Manimal Types: A manimal’s animal features modifies
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6(A), Strength its statistics as follows:
d6, Vigor d6 • (Ape): Strength d12+2, Climbing d6, Throwing
Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d10, Intimidation d8, Notice d6.
d10, Taunt d8 • (Boar): Spirit d8, Guts d8, Vigor d12, Toughness 8,
Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Toughness: 4 Berserk (when Shaken)
Treasure: None • (Cat): Agility d10, Climbing d6, Fighting d10, Parry
Special Abilities: 7. A cheetah manimal also has Fleet Footed (d10
• Bite: Str+3, AP 2. running die).
• Fleet Footed: Hyenas roll a d10 when running. • (Dog): Fleet Footed (d10 running die), Notice d10,
• Size –1: Hyenas are relatively small creatures. Tracking d8.
• (Elephant): Strength d12+4, Armor (+1), Brawny,
Trunk (can use to make a Str attack at Reach 1),
Killer Whale (Orca) Tusks (Str+2), Toughness 9.
• (Hyena): Bite (Str+3, AP 2), Fleet Footed (d10
Killer whales are misnamed. Yes, they kill seals and running die), Taunt d8
penguins, but there has never been a recorded incident • (Piranha): Strength d8, Aquatic, Bite (Str+3),
of a killer whale attacking a human. Of course, that Improved Frenzy.
may simply be because there have never been any • (Rhino): Strength d12+3, Armor (+1), Brawny, Horn
witnesses or survivors. At least that’s how it works in (Str+2), Toughness 9.
a pulp setting.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8(A), Spirit d8, Strength
d12+4, Vigor d12 Martian
Skills: Fighting d10, Guts d8, Notice d12
Pace: 0; Parry: 7; Toughness: 12 Forget your tripod-driving lumps of slime, pulp
Treasure: None Martians are humanoid, have enlarged craniums, green
Special Abilities: skin, and carry ray guns. Their planet is dying and they
• Bite: Str+2. want to move to Earth. First they have to remove the
• Large: Attackers add +2 to their attack rolls when current inhabitants. Most Martians are not accustomed
attacking orcas due to their large size. to Earth’s diseases, higher radiation levels, and pollution,
• Semi-Aquatic: Pace 12. Orcas can stay submerged for and so must wear spacesuits. In true pulp fashion, these
about 5 minutes. have big, glass bubble helmets.
• Size +4: Orcas can grow up to 20’ in length. Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength
d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Intimidation
Manimal d6, Notice d6, Piloting d6, Repair d6, Shooting d8
Charisma: –6; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7(2)
Manimals are a mix between humans and animals. Hindrances: Anemic, Bloodthirsty, Outsider
Unlike werecreatures, manimals do not change form. Edges: Combat Reflexes, Dodge

55
Treasure: Meager Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation d10, Notice
Gear: Spacesuit (+2), at least on gizmo from the list d6, Stealth d4
below. Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7
Special Abilities: Treasure: None
• Gizmo: Martian technology is more advanced than Gear: Poleaxe (Str+4, Reach 1)
Earth’s and every Martian has at least one gizmo. Special Abilities:
The gizmo has a Weird Science skill of d10, meaning • Arcane Resistance: +2 Armor versus magic, and +2
anyone can use it, and 20 Power Points. to rolls made to resist magical effects.
Possible gizmos include, armor (forcefield belt), • Fear: Anyone seeing a minion must make a Guts
blast (atomic bazooka), bolt (ray gun), entangle (rifle roll.
that shoots sticky webs), fly (rocket boots), invisibility • Improved Sweep: A minion can attack all adjacent
(belt), puppet (hypnosis ray), shape change (illusion foes with no penalty.
generator; can become human for 5 Power Points), • Size +1: Minions stand 8’ tall.
and stun (stun pistol).

Monkey, Trained
Mechanical Man
Trained monkeys are often used by minor villains as
Mechanical man, robot man, or automaton—all pickpockets. Monkeys “befriend” soft-hearted heroes,
descriptions of the same thing, a mechanical, metal- then lead their masters to their hideout at the first
skinned humanoid created by superscience. Pulp robots opportunity.
aren’t particularly hi-tech, typically containing lots of The monkey ’s Lockpicking skill covers picking
clockwork mechanisms, but they’re still deadly. pockets rather than disarming traps or actually opening
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d8, Strength locks.
d10, Vigor d8 Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8(A), Spirit d6, Strength
Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d8, Shooting d8 d4, Vigor d6
Pace: 4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 8 (2) Skills: Climbing d10, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Lockpicking
Treasure: None d8, Notice d8, Stealth d10, Swimming d6
Special Abilities: Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 3
• Armor +2: Metal skin. Treasure: None
• Construct: +2 to recover from being Shaken. No Special Abilities:
additional damage from called shots. Arrows, bullets, • Bite: Str+1.
and other piercing weapons do half damage. No • Size –2: Monkeys are only 1’ tall.
wound penalties. Immune to poison and disease. • Small: Attackers suffer a –2 penalty to attack monkeys
• Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation. because of their size.
• Machine Gun: Mechanical men have small machine
guns mounted in their left arms. Range 12/24/48,
Damage 2d6, ROF 3, Shots 50. Mummified Crocodile
• Rock and Roll: Mechanical men suffer no penalties
for using their MG in autofire mode. The Egyptian priests of Sobek, the crocodile god, kept
• Pincers: Str. sacred crocodiles in their temple precincts. When they
• Thermal Vision: Halves penalties for darkness against died, they mummified them. Such creatures are perfect
living creatures. “pets” for a villain of Egyptian origin.
Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d8, Strength
d12+3, Vigor d12
Minions of the Gods Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Notice d6
Pace: 3; Parry: 6; Toughness: 12 (2)
Many pulp stories have a supernatural element. Treasure: None
Minions are servants of the dark gods, sent to Earth to Special Abilities:
serve as a dark army for powerful priests. • Armor +2: Crocs have thick skins.
Although humanoid, minions take on characteristics • Aquatic: Pace 5
of their god. For instance, servants of Anubis have • Bite: Str+2
jackal’s heads, whereas servants of the Aztec god of death • Fear:  Anyone seeing a mummy must make a Guts
Mictlantecuhtli are skeletal (but not undead). rolls.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength • Rollover: Crocs are notorious for grasping their prey
d10, Vigor d8 in their vice-like jaws and rolling over and over with

56
 their flailing victims in their mouth. If one of these
large amphibians hits with a raise, it causes an extra
2d4 damage to its prey in addition to its regular Animal Mummies
Strength damage.
• Shuffling Gait: Mummies roll a d4 running die. The Egyptians didn’t just mummify
• Undead: +2 Toughness; +2 to recover from being humans. They also mummified cats, ibises,
Shaken; Immune to poison and disease; No additional baboons, and crocodiles. How do you make
damage from called shots; Half damage from arrows a creature, or a monster, into a mummy?
and other piercing weapons. Just apply the following template to the
• Weakness (Fire): The chemicals used in the regular stats and you’ve got a mummy ready
preservation process mean mummies take +4 to go..
damage from fire. • Reduce Agility by two steps (min d4).
• Increase Spirit by one step, or two for a
royal mummy.
Mummy Increase Strength 4 steps, or six steps for
a royal mummy.
Mummies are your typical walking dead from Egypt. • Increase Vigor by two steps.
Some serve mummy lords as minions, whereas other • Add the Arcane Resistance Special
guard the ancient tombs of the pharaohs. Ability, or the Improved version for a royal
Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d6, Spirit d10, Strength mummy.
d12+2, Vigor d12 • Add Fear if you want them to be really
Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation d8 scary. Also add fearless if a royal mummy.
Pace: 4; Parry: 6; Toughness: 10 • Add the Shuffling Gate Special Ability
Treasure: Meager. (which reduces Pace by 2).
Special Abilities: • Add the Undead Special Ability.
• Fear: Anyone seeing a mummy must make a Guts • If the culture or race uses tar or similar
roll. flammable substances to preserve the dead,
• Shuffling Gait: Mummies roll a d4 running die. add the Weakness (Fire) Special Ability.
• Slam: Str.
• Undead: +2 Toughness; +2 to recover from being
Shaken; Immune to poison and disease; No additional
damage from called shots; Half damage from arrows
and other piercing weapons. Gear: None
• Weakness (Fire): The chemicals used in the Special Abilities:
preservation process mean mummies take +4 • Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation.
damage from fire. • Fist: Str+2.
• Improved Arcane Resistance: +4 Armor versus
magic, and +4 to rolls made to resist magic effects.
Mummy Lord • Invulnerability: Mummy lords can only be wounded
by magic items, magic weapons, or arcane powers.
We’re not talking shambling corpses swathed in miles Other weapons can Shake them, but never cause a
of bandages here. These mummies are your honest- wound.
to-goodness resurrected Egyptian priests. Sure they • Phobia (Cats): A mummy lord who sees a cat must
once had bandages, or gooey flesh at least, but through make a Guts roll. On a failure, they suffer a -2 penalty
ancient magic they now walk the Earth in the form they to their trait rolls so long as the cat is visible. On a
had in life. critical failure, the mummy is Panicked.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d12, Strength • Powers: A greater mummy typically knows barrier
d12+4, Vigor d12 (wall of sand), bolt (swarm of beetles), deflection
Skills: Faith d12, Fighting d10, Guts d12, Intimidation (shield of sand), fear (unearthly cry), obscure (cloud
d10, Notice d8 of sand), and speed (becomes a sand whirlwind). (30
Charisma: +4; Pace: 4; Parry: 7; Toughness: 10 Power Points.)
Hindrances: Arrogant, Delusional (thinks a female is • Undead: +2 Toughness; +2 to recover from being
his lost love resurrected), Overconfident Shaken; Immune to poison and disease; No additional
Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), Combat Reflexes, damage from called shots; Half damage from arrows
Improved Level Headed, Very Attractive and other piercing weapons.
Treasure: Treasure Trove.

57
 Polar Bear • Natural Swimmers: A reptile man’s tail makes him
a powerful swimmer, giving a +2 on all Swimming
Polar bears are among the largest of the ursines. They rolls and increasing swimming Pace to equal their
are territorial, can smell a seal up to 20 miles away, and Swimming skill.
can dive for food as well, suffering no ill effects from the
icy polar waters. Compared to other bears, polar bears
are more willing to consider humans as prey, which is Rhino
bad news for explorers.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d8, Strength Despite being armor plated and shortsighted, rhinos
d12+5, Vigor d12 can do a lot of damage once they get fired up. They’re
Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d10, Notice d6, Stealth d8, fast on their hooves as well.
Swimming d8 Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d10, Strength
Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 12 (1) d12+5, Vigor d10
Treasure: None Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d10, Intimidation d10, Notice
Special Abilities: d4, Stealth d6
• Armor +1: Thick fur and fat. Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 13 (2)
• Bear Hug: Bears don’t actually “hug” their victims, Treasure: None
but they do attempt to use their weight to pin their Special Abilities:
prey and rend it with their claws and teeth. A bear • Armor +2: Thick hide.
that hits with a raise has pinned his foe and attacks • Fleet Footed: Rhinos have a d10 running die.
at +2 until the foe is freed. The opponent may only • Gore: A rhino uses the Charge maneuver to gore its
attempt to escape the “hug” on his action, which opponents with its horn. If it can charge at least 6”
requires a raise on an opposed Strength roll. before attacking, it adds +4 to its damage total.
• Claws: Str+2. • Horns: Str+2.
• Size +3: These creatures stand up to 9’ tall and weigh • Large: Attacks are +2 to attack rolls against rhinos
over 1200 pounds each. because of their size.
• Snow Walk: Polar bears’ feet are natural snowshoes. • Size +4: Rhinos are large creatures.
They move at their full Pace over snow and ice.

Scorpion
Reptile Men
Scorpions can be found in many deserts. There are
Reptile men are found in deep jungle or in swamps. many species, and ranging from tiny creatures to the
They may be a species of dinosaur, cut off from the event Emperor Scorpion, which can grow to a foot long. Venom
that caused the mass extinction and who later developed seems to be inversely based on size, with the smaller
sentience. Most scientists mock those who believe in scorpions being more deadly.
the existence of reptile men. Regardless of size, these stats can be used for all types
Reptile man society is extremely primitive, being akin of scorpions.
to man’s early Stone Age. They have never developed Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength
metalworking, but highly prize metal tools and weapons d4, Vigor d4
looted from the corpses of those who intrude in their Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d6, Notice d6, Stealth
realms. d12
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength Pace: 4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 2
d8, Vigor d8 Treasure: None
Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d8, Guts d8, Notice d8, Special Abilities:
Stealth d6, Swimming d8, Throwing d8 • Pincers/Sting: Str.
Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 7 (1) • Poison: Scorpions do little serious damage with their
Treasure: Meager per 5 reptile men. sting, but may inject venom. A character stung by a
Gear: Leather armor (+1), stiff hide shield (+1 Parry), scorpion must make a Vigor roll at -2. With success,
stone battle axe (Str+3), throwing stone (Range: 3/6/12, the afflicted area swells and becomes numb. The
Damage: Str+1). victim becomes Fatigued until healed. With a failure,
Special Abilities: the victim becomes Exhausted.
• Keen Senses: Reptile men “taste” the air, giving • Size –2: Most species of scorpion are less than 6”
them +2 to all Notice rolls. This ever-present across.
advantage means they are always considered “Active” • Small: Attacks suffer a –2 penalty to attack scorpions
when consulting the Stealth results table. because of their size.

58
 Sea Monster Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6,
Strength d8, Vigor d6
Sea monsters are akin to plesiosaurs but can come Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Notice d12
onto dry land for short spells using their paddle-like fins. Pace: —; Parry: 6; Toughness: 5
Despite their name, not all sea serpents actually live in Booty: None.
the sea. Some of the most famous live in deep lakes. Special Abilities:
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d8, • Aquatic: Pace 10.
Strength d12+8, Vigor d10 • Bite: Str+2.
Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation d10, Notice • Feeding Frenzy: Once there’s a significant amount of
d6 blood in the water (usually one wound), all the sharks
Pace: 4; Parry: 6; Toughness: 13 present go into a feeding frenzy and add +2 to their
Treasure: None. attacks and damage for the rest of the fight.
Special Abilities:
• Aquatic: Pace 12.
• Bite: Str+3, Reach 2. Heavy Weapon. Snake Man
• Large: Attackers get +2 to attack rolls due to the
creature’s size. Snake men are distantly related to reptile men (see
• Long Neck: A sea monster ’s long neck gives it a page 58), but come from a more civilized society. They
Reach of 2. are humanoid, but have scaly skin, tails, and the heads
• Quick: Sea monsters possess fast reflexes, able to of snakes.
turn in an instant and whip their long necks to Their society is broken down into two main castes—
attack passing prey. They redraw action cards of 5 warrior and priest. The castes are hereditary, and priests
or lower. are clearly distinguished from warriors by their cobra-
• Size +6: Sea monsters measure over 20’ long. like heads.
They are remnants of a civilization that flourished
long before humans evolved from apes. An ancient war
Shark with early humans, combined with a change in global
climate, left the serpent men race broken. They are now
For unknown reasons, villains often like to have man- found only in the heart of dense jungles or deserts, living
eating sharks in big tanks in their lairs. in their ruined cities and temples. They hate humans.

Great White Warrior

These statistics cover Great Whites, 18 to 25 feet long. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength
Larger specimens surely exist. Great whites often trail d8, Vigor d8
vessels at sea for days and wait for divers to go into the Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation
water where they strike suddenly and without warning. d8, Notice d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d8, Survival d6,
They might also nudge ships when they see crewmen Tracking d8
hanging over the side, such as when making repairs. Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7 (1)
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d8, Hindrances: —
Strength d12+4, Vigor d12 Edges: Combat Reflexes, Quick
Skills: Fighting d10, Guts d8, Notice d12, Swimming Treasure: Meager per three warriors.
d10 Gear: Scimitar (Str+3)
Pace: —; Parry: 7; Toughness: 12 Special Abilities:
Booty: Loot , in stomach. • Armor +1: Scaly hide.
Special Abilities: • Bite: Str+1.
• Aquatic: Pace 10. • Poison (+0): Snake men inject deadly venom through
• Bite: Str+3. their bite. A character bitten by a snake man must
• Hardy: Second Shaken does not cause a wound. make a Vigor roll. With success, the bite area swells
• Large: Attackers add +2 to their attack rolls when and becomes numb. The victim becomes Exhausted
attacking a Great White due to its large size. until healed. With a failure, the victim becomes
• Size +4: Great Whites can grow up to 25’ in Incapacitated and must make a second Vigor roll or
length. die in 2d6 minutes.

Man-eater Priest
These statistics cover most medium-sized mankillers, Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d10,
such as tiger, mako, and bull sharks. Strength d8, Vigor d8

59
Skills: Faith d10, Fighting d6, Guts d10, Intimidation Tarantula
d8, Knowledge (Astronomy) d10, Notice d8, Shooting
d8, Stealth d8, Tracking d8 Tarantulas are hairy spiders common to Central
Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 (1) and South America. Despite many myths about their
Hindrances: — venom, a healthy human has very little chance of dying
Edges: Combat Reflexes, Frenzy, Quick from a bite.
Treasure: Meager. Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength
Gear: Scimitar (Str+3) d4, Vigor d4
Special Abilities: Skills: Climbing d10, Fighting d6, Notice d6, Stealth
• Armor +1: Scaly hide. d12
• Bite: Str+1. Pace: 4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 2
• Poison (+0): Snake men inject deadly venom through Treasure: None
their bite. A character bitten by a snake man must Special Abilities:
make a Vigor roll. With success, the bite area swells • Bite: Str.
and becomes numb. The victim becomes Exhausted • Poison: Tarantulas do little serious damage with their
until healed. With a failure, the victim becomes bite, but may inject venom. A character bitten by a
Incapacitated and must make a second Vigor roll or tarantula must make a Vigor roll at -2. With success,
die in 2d6 minutes. the bite area swells and becomes numb. The victim
• Powers: Armor (hardened scales), bolt (fire small becomes Fatigued until healed. With a failure, the
snakes), puppet (rocking motion), quickness (super victim becomes Exhausted.
reflexes), and speed (blurry motion); 20 Power • Size –2: Most species of tarantula are less than 6”
Points. across.
• Small: Attacks suffer a –2 penalty to attack tarantulas
because of their size.
Spitting Cobra
Spitting cobras are venomous snakes that usually Tentacled Thing
attack by spitting a toxin in the eyes of their prey, then
striking with their fangs while the prey is temporarily Tentacled things are ancient horrors, usually found
blinded. only in ruined temples and tombs. They are usually a
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength gelatinous sac covered with a swarm of long tentacles.
d4, Vigor d4 Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d10, Strength
Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Notice d12, Shooting d8, d12+2, Vigor d10
Stealth d8 Skills: Fighting d10, Intimidation d10, Notice d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 2 Pace: 4; Parry: 7; Toughness: 12
Treasure: None Treasure: None, but usually guards a Treasure Trove
Special Abilities: Special Abilities:
• Poison: Snakes this size do little serious damage with • Fear –2: Anyone who sees a tentacled thing must make
their bite, but may inject deadly venom. A character a Guts roll at –2.
bitten by a spitting cobra must make a Vigor roll. • Shapeless Mass: Tentacled things have no discernible
With success, the bite area swells and becomes numb. head, so cannot be targeted by called shots to that
The victim becomes Exhausted until healed. With a area.
failure, the victim becomes Incapacitated and must • Size +5: Tentacled things are as much as 20’ long.
make a second Vigor roll or die in 2d6 minutes. • Tentacles: Tentacled things can attack each and every
• Quick: Snakes are notoriously fast. They may discard creature within 2” for Str damage.
action cards of 5 or lower and draw another. They
must keep the replacement card, however.
• Size -2: Cobras are four to six feet in length, but only Trap
a few inches thick.
• Small: Anyone attacking a snake must subtract 2 from Traps are common enough is most pulp games—
his attack rolls. especially in ancient tombs bulging with treasure. Of
• Spit: Spitting cobras can spray blinding venom to a course, some tribes, especially cannibalistic ones, use
Range of 1/2/4. A raise on the attack means the victim traps. The system presented here is a Fast! Furious!
has been struck in the face. He must make a Vigor Fun! way of making deadly traps. When you need a trap,
roll at –2 or be blinded for 2d6 hours. While blinded, draw a single card from the Action Deck—this tells you
he suffers a –6 penalty to all physical trait rolls. everything you need to know

60
 Detecting: Detecting a trap requires a Notice roll. Werecreatures
Unless a character has Danger Sense, searching for traps
requires an action. Werecreatures aren’t just restricted to werewolves.
Disarming: Disarming a trap requires a Lockpicking Many cultures have stories of people able to turn into
roll. On a roll of 1 (regardless of Wild Die), the trap animals, either through natural gifts or using magic.
activates.
Initiative: Most traps activate with little warning to Werejaguar
the unfortunate victim. Use the rules for Surprise. A Werejaguars are common in pulp games, and are
trap catching a character by Surprise also has the Drop usually found in tropical realms. Depending on your
(where applicable). setting, werejaguars may be supernatural creatures, or
Area: Static traps, such as pits and blades, affect a 1” priests of dark and bloodthirsty gods who grant their
square on the battle grid. Nonmagical projectile traps, followers the ability to change form.
such as arrow traps, have a fixed range of 4”. Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d10, Strength
Duration: Nonmagical traps are one-shot devices. d12+1, Vigor d12
Once activated, they must be reset in order to work Skills: Climbing d10, Fighting d12, Guts d10,
again. Magical traps continue to work indefinitely, Intimidation d10, Notice d10, Stealth d12
having infinite Power Points. Pace: 8; Parry: 8; Toughness: 9
Effects: Check the card against the Trap Table (see Treasure: Meager
page 63). Special Abilities:
Notes: The following short codes are used on the • Bite/Claws: Str+3.
table. Sh = Shooting skill. Xdx = number and type of • Immunity: Werecreatures can only be Shaken by
dice damage. ROF = the number of attacks a projectile weapons that are not silver—not wounded.
trap makes against all targets in range, unless otherwise • Infection: Anyone slain by a werecreature has a 50%
stated. Traps which use Shooting do not suffer multi- chance of rising as a similar beast themselves. The
action penalties for a ROF more than 1. character involuntarily transforms every full moon.
He gains control of his lycanthropy only after 1d6
years as a werejaguar.
Venus Flytrap, Giant • Size +1: Werejaguars are taller than humans.
• Weakness: Werecreatures suffer normal damage from
Why should it just be animals that get giant versions silver weapons.
in pulp? This Venus flytrap has jaws large enough to
trap an adult human. Werelion
Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d8, Strength Found in Africa, werelions may be evil spirits able to
d10, Vigor d8 assume a man-lion hybrid form, or witchdoctors with
Skills: Fighting d6 special powers. Not all werelions are evil, as the lion is
Pace: 0; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6 considered a noble beast.
Treasure: Meager, around base Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d10, Strength
Special Abilities: d12+3, Vigor d12
• Digestive Juices: Powerful digestive enzymes cause Skills: Fighting d12, Guts d12, Intimidation d12, Notice
2d6 damage each round to trapped prey. Wood, cloth, d12, Stealth d10
and metal cannot be dissolved, and such items are Pace: 8; Parry: 8; Toughness: 10
disgorged once the prey’s flesh is dissolved. Treasure: Meager
• Plant: Called shots do no extra damage. Bullets, Special Abilities:
arrows, and other piercing weapons inflict half • Bite/Claws: Str+3.
damage. Not subject to Tests of Will. • Immunity: Werecreatures can only be Shaken by
• Size +1: The body of a Giant Venus Flytrap is 8’ weapons that are not silver—not wounded.
across. • Improved Frenzy: Werelions make two Fighting
• Tendrils: A Venus flytrap has 1d6+1 tendrils attached attacks each round at no penalty.
to its bulbous base by long stalks—Reach 1. Each is • Infection: Anyone slain by a werecreature has a 50%
capable of entirely engulfing a target of Size +1 or chance of rising as a similar beast themselves. The
less. On a successful Fighting roll the tendril engulfs character involuntarily transforms every full moon.
its prey. Breaking free requires a Strength roll at He gains control of his lycanthropy only after 1d6
–4. Trapped victims may not use weapons to free years as a werelion.
themselves. Each tendril is treated as a separate foe • Size +2: Werelions are much taller than humans.
for damage purposes—severing a tendril does not • Weakness: Werecreatures suffer normal damage from
harm the plant as a whole. silver weapons.

61
Weretiger mountains, far above the snow line. Aggressive and
Weretigers are almost exclusively found in India. territorial, they have caused the death of many explorers
Some are among the lowest of the castes, living off the and mountaineers.
poor and sick. Others are born to a noble caste, and see Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d8, Strength
themselves as protectors of India. d12+1, Vigor d10
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d10, Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d8, Guts d6, Notice d8,
Strength d12+5, Vigor d12 Stealth d8
Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d12, Guts d10, Intimidation Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 9 (1)
d8, Notice d12, Stealth d12 Treasure: None, Meager in lair
Pace: 8; Parry: 8; Toughness: 11 Special Abilities:
Treasure: None • Armor +1: Thick fur.
Special Abilities: • Claws: Str+2.
• Bite/Claws: Str+2. • Camouflage: Yetis add +4 to Stealth roll in snowy
• Improved Frenzy: Weretigers may make two Fighting terrain because of their white fur.
attacks each action at no penalty. • Immunity (Cold): Yetis suffer no damage from cold
• Immunity: Werecreatures can only be Shaken by weather or cold-based attacks.
weapons that are not silver—not wounded. • Size +1: Yetis are taller and brawnier than humans.
• Infection: Anyone slain by a werecreature has a 50%
chance of rising as a similar beast themselves. The
character involuntarily transforms every full moon. Zombie
He gains control of his lycanthropy only after 1d6
years as a weretiger. Pulp zombies are usually created by evil priests rather
• Maul: A weretiger that succeeds in a Grapple attack than a product of alien viruses or other such triggers.
has knocked its prey to the floor and may make a They are no less deadly, however.
Fighting attack with no multi action penalty. So long
as the victim remains prone, subsequent attacks are Typical Animated Dead
made at +2. Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d4, Strength
• Size +3: Weretigers are huge man-tiger hybrids. d6, Vigor d6
• Weakness: Werecreatures suffer normal damage from Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d8, Notice d4, Stealth
silver weapons. d6
Pace: 4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7
Treasure: None
Woolly Mammoth Special Abilities:
• Claws: Str.
Mammoths are large elephants with long, curling • Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation.
tusks and thick, woolly coats. • Undead: +2 Toughness; +2 to recover from being
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength Shaken; Called shots do no extra damage; half damage
d12+6, Vigor d12 from piercing weapons.
Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Notice d4 • Weakness (Head): Shots to a zombie’s head are +2
Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 16 (2) damage, and piercing attacks do normal damage.
Treasure: None.
Special Abilities: Zombie Cannibal Pygmy
• Armor +2: Thick hide and fur. Lying deep in the jungles of Africa and Mesoamerica
• Immunity (Cold): Mammoths take no damage from are numerous lost tombs. Many explorers have gone
cold, including magical attacks. searching for their ruins, but none have returned, for
• Large: Attackers have +2 to attack rolls against these guarding them are fierce zombie cannibal pygmies.
beasts due to their size. Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength
• Size +6: Mammoths weigh over 5,000 pounds. d6, Vigor d6
• Trample: Str. Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d8, Guts d6, Intimidation
• Tusks: Str+2. d6, Notice d6, Shooting d8, Stealth d10, Throwing d6
Charisma: –6; Pace: 8; Parry: 7; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: All Thumbs, Bloodthirsty, Mean, Small
Yeti Edges: Fleet Footed, Frenzy, Quick, Woodsman
Treasure: Meager per 5 warriors
The Himalayan cousin of Bigfoot, the yeti, or Gear: Spear (Str+2, +1 Parry), blowgun (Range 2/4/8,
abominable snowman, is found only in the high 1d6+1)

62
Special Abilities: to attack and damage. Its Parry is reduced by –2
• Bite/Claws: Str+1. until its next action when performing the maneuver
• Poison (–2): Darts are coated with deadly poisons. however.
Anyone Shaken or wounded by a poison dart must • Undead: +2 Toughness. Called shots to no extra
make a Vigor roll at –2 or suffer an automatic damage to such creatures. +2 to recover from being
wound. Shaken. Arrows, bullets, and other piercing weapons
• Undead: +2 Toughness. Called shots to no extra do half damage.
damage to such creatures. +2 to recover from being • Wall Walker: Zombie soldiers can move across walls
Shaken. Arrows, bullets, and other piercing weapons and ceilings, but must drop to all fours to do so.
do half damage. They use their normal Pace when walking on walls
or ceilings, and may even run.
Zombie Egyptian Soldier
While many ancient Egyptian soldiers encountered in Zombie Martial Artist
pulp games are mummies, the zombie Egyptian soldier is Zombie martial artists are rarely found outside of
created as required using a special version of the zombie China. Most are summoned by Chinese mystics (p.41)
power. By special, we mean that villains can create these using scrolls of power to serve as their minions. Although
monsters but heroes can’t. zombies, they still retain some of their martial arts skills,
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength and are faster than regular shambling dead.
d8, Vigor d8 Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength
Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d10, Notice d6, Vigor d6
d6, Stealth d6 Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d6,
Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 10 (2) Throwing d6
Treasure: Meager per 3 soldiers Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 8; Toughness: 7
Gear: Ancient armor (+2), assorted bronze melee Hindrances: —
weapons (Str+2) Edges: Acrobat, Block, Frenzy, Sweep
Special Abilities: Treasure: Meager, per 3 zombie martial artists
• Claws: Str. Gear: Various martial arts weapons (Str+2)
• Control: Zombie Egyptian soldiers are created through Special Abilities:
magic. Anyone knowing the right spell can gain • Claws: Str.
control of them. To control a zombie Egyptian soldier, • Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation.
a hero must have the zombie power (either as a spell • Martial Artist: Zombie martial artists never count as
he knows or written in some ancient tome). The Unarmed Defenders.
effects of the spell, however, work like the puppet • Undead: +2 Toughness; +2 to recover from being
power. Zombie Egyptian soldiers can be ordered to Shaken; Called shots do no extra damage; half damage
perform any act and never receive a roll to break free from piercing weapons.
of the spell’s influence. • Weakness (Head): Shots to a zombie’s head are +2
• Pounce: A zombie soldier can leap 1d6” to gain +4 damage, and piercing attacks do normal damage.

Trap Table
Value Trap Clubs Diamonds Hearts Spades
2–3 Pit Trap 3 yards, 2d6 5 yards, 2d6 10 yards, 2d6+5 20 yards, 2d6+10
4 Spiked Pit 3 yards, 2d6+2 5 yards, 2d6+5 10 yards, 2d6+10 20 yards, 2d6+15
5–6 Projectile Sh d6, 2d6, ROF 2 Sh d8, 2d6, ROF 3 Sh d10, 3d6, ROF 2 Sh d12, 3d6, ROF 3
7–8 Blade Fighting d6, 1d6 Fighting d8, 2d6 Fighting d10, 3d6 Fighting d12, 4d6
9 Poisoned Treat as Projectile. Vigor roll per hit or suffer an automatic wound.
10 Poisoned Treat as Blade. Vigor roll at –2 or suffer an automatic wound.
Jack Death Ray* Sh d6, 2d6, ROF 2 Sh d8, 2d6, ROF 3 Sh d10, 3d6, ROF 2 Sh d12, 3d6, ROF 3
Queen Gas** +0, KO 2d6 mins –2, KO, 2d6 hours +0, auto wound –2, auto wound
King Boulder “Runs” in a straight line at Pace 8 (+1d6 running die). Causes 4d10 damage.
Ace Wall Walls close in at 1” per round. Crushed characters suffer 4d6 damage per round.
Joker The trap is faulty and does not function.
* Death rays have a range of 12”. Trappings vary. All attacks are made against the closest target.
** Victims must make a Vigor roll with the listed modifier or suffer the listed effects.

63
 Hazards & Swarms

This section presents a number of different hazards All characters in the party must make an Agility roll
and animal swarms. at –2. On a success, the character has managed to leap
clear or find a nook in which to hide.

Hazards On a failure, the character is swept along with the

avalanche for 10+2d10”, suffering 1d6 damage per 5”
or part thereof. A roll of 1, regardless of the Wild Die,
Whether your heroes are 1930s adventurers exploring means the characters is swept 20+2d10”.
the deserts or jungles of Earth, or space pulp rocketship
pilots discovering new worlds, Mother Nature can be Blizzard/Sandstorm
a fickle mistress. This section presents a number of Those caught in a blizzard or sandstorm must make
hazards suitable for most pulp games. For more space a Fatigue roll at –2 every hour until they find shelter
pulp hazards, check out the Sci-Fi Bestiary Toolkit or the (Survival at –4, one roll per group). A roll of 1, regardless
Slipstream space pulp setting. of any Wild Die, indicates not only failure but the
Hazards in a pulp game should be placed as part of the character wanders over a crevasse as well.
adventure, rather than randomly inserted on the whim Driving through a sandstorm gives a –4 penalty to
of dice. They are a source of danger and excitement, and Driving or Piloting rolls. A roll of 1, regardless of any
thus are perfect for using as a cliffhanger at the end of Wild Die, means the vehicle takes an Engine Critical Hit
the session. as sand clogs the intake or the engine freezes.
Of course, these aren’t the only hazards that exist, A typical storm lasts 1d4+2 hours, but you should
and if you think of some cool natural event you can use, have the storm last as long as your plot requires.
then write it up.
Don’t reinvent the wheel when designing hazards— Cave-In
make use of existing rules wherever possible. For Like avalanches, cave-ins only seem to occur in pulp
example, avalanches or crevasses simply inflict physical settings when the heroes are in the area.
damage, heat waves and cold snaps use the Fatigue rules Every character in the tunnel or cave must make an
if the temperature reaches an extreme, and quicksand Agility roll at –2. Success indicates the character manages
uses the Drowning rules if the character is sucked to leap out the way and avoids taking damage. A failure
under. means the character is struck by falling rocks for 2d10
damage. A roll of 1, regardless of the Wild Die, means
Avalanche the hero suffers 3d10 damage and is buried alive.
Avalanches, whether they be rocks or snow, are Buried characters may extricate themselves. This
common occurrences in pulp settings, even in places requires a Strength roll at –6 and each roll takes one hour.
they’ve never occurred before. Of course, villains can Non-trapped heroes may, of course, dig their friend free
trigger these with a few well-placed sticks of dynamite with a Strength roll at –2. Depending on the width of the
or a new dastardly machine—such as a weather control tunnel, this may be a Cooperative roll or a lone endeavor.
device or an earthquake generator. Again, each roll requires an hour of hard work.

64
 The Game Master may decide that the cave-in has sucked under and immediately begins drowning (as per
separated the party. Roll 1d6+3” to determine how much the Savage Worlds rules).
of the area is impassable. Removing the rubble requires Heroes aiding a sinking comrade need to make a
an hour of digging and a Strength roll at –2. Each success Strength roll to drag the unfortunate being from the
and raise clears 1” of rubble. quicksand. On a critical failure, they are pulled in and
begin sinking as well.
Crevasse Once a character is under the surface he cannot
Crevasses exist in rocky, icy, or desert terrain (they extricate himself and must be dragged out by allies on
are called sinkholes in sandy deserts). This result means the surface. In order to find the character, those searching
such a formation lies in the party’s path. Allow the lead for him must first make a Notice (–2) roll. Hauling a
character a Notice roll at –2 to detect the hidden crack. submerged character out requires a Strength (–2) roll.
Failure means a tragic fall. Vehicles sink to their axles. Getting the vehicle free
The depth of the crack is 1d10 x 10”. Falling damage can be achieved through careful driving (Driving roll at
is halved in ice or desert terrain due to snow or sand. –4) or by digging it clear. The latter requires a Strength
Victims can climb back out 10” with a successful roll at –6 and one hour of time per attempt. This can
Climbing roll. A victim caught in a sand or snow be made as a cooperative roll.
crevasse must make a Fatigue roll each round to avoid
suffocation. Stampede
Stampedes are caused when herds of animals panic
Forest Fire and charge across the countryside. These may be large
Forest fires typically occur in temperate forests when animals, like buffaloes or elephants, or in certain pulp
the ground vegetation is very dry (the East Coast of settings, weird herds like stegosaurs! Regardless of
America), and in hot grasslands (sub-Saharan Africa), size, the large herd poses a danger to characters in their
though here they are called brush fires. path.
To escape the fire, the characters must make a Survival Characters caught in a stampede have little hope of
roll at –2. With a failure, they suffer 2d10 damage from outrunning the herd, and so must seek cover. Finding
the combined effects of fire, heat, and smoke. On a cover in time requires an Agility roll at –2.
critical failure, they suffer 3d10 damage and have a On a failure, the character is kicked by a few animals
chance of catching fire. as they thunder past, and suffers 2d6 + the animals’
If you are planning on using a forest fire in an average Size damage. So, a herd of adult elephants would
adventure, you can make it more dramatic by using the typically cause 2d6+5 damage.
Chase rules to represent the flight from the fire. Should the character roll a 1 on his Agility die,
regardless of any Wild Die, he is caught in the path of
Locust Swarm the stampede and trampled. He takes 4d6 damage +
Aside from forming swarms that attack people (see twice the animals’ average Size damage. The elephant
page 66), locusts pose a hazard to planes and vehicles. herd would cause 4d6+10 damage, for instance.
A large swarm may be composed of millions of locusts,
and cover several miles in area. Storm
Each turn a pilot or driver spends in a locust swarm, Storms are typified by dark skies and lashing rain. The
he must make a Piloting or Driving roll (as applicable). downpour reduces visibility (treat as Dark for Lighting
On a failure, the vehicle goes Out of Control. If the roll penalties), extinguishes most normal fires within 1d10
if a 1, regardless of any Wild Die, the vehicle suffers rounds, and only volatile materials have a random
an automatic Critical Hit as thousands of dead locusts chance of igniting from fire-based attacks.
block vital systems. Storm conditions inflict a –1 penalty to most actions
due to slipping, difficulty hearing, strong winds, and so
Quicksand on. The Game Master must decide if other actions are
Quicksand comes in two forms, wet (swamp) and dry affected.
(desert). The game mechanics are identical.
Allow the lead character a Notice roll at –2 to detect Thunder Storm
the hidden crack. Failure means he plunges in to his Visibility is reduced to just 12” (and still subject to
waist (neck for Small characters) and begins sinking. Dark Lighting penalties) and the ground turns into a
Those stuck in the hazard sink completely in three quagmire. Any character running must make an Agility
rounds (one round for Small characters) unless extracted. roll or fall prone and become Shaken. Most actions in
They can make a Strength roll (–4) to pull themselves this weather suffer a –2 penalty, including Driving or
out. A success stops them sinking any further, and a Piloting rolls (due to slippery roads, poor visibility, and
raise pulls them. On a critical failure, the character is high winds).

65
 Non-game effects include flash floods and lightning Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d12,
strikes, possibly damaging nearby buildings, drowning Strength d8, Vigor d8
creatures, and preventing planes taking off leaving or Skills: Notice d6
landing. If you want to be cruel, you can have the heroes’ Pace: 10; Parry: 4; Toughness: 6
vehicle struck by lightning for 2d10 damage (AP 10). Treasure: None
That should wake them up. Special Abilities:
• Bite: The swarm automatically hits for 2d6 damage

Swarms to everyone within the Template.

• Split: When the swarm is first wounded, it splits into
two Small Burst Template swarms. The Toughness of
Swarms are a host of creatures, usually small ones each swarm is lowered by –2 (i.e. to 5). When these
such as insects, but are treated as a single entity. swarms take a wound they are dispersed and become
You can easily convert these over to a space pulp ineffective.
setting simply by changing the name. A Piranha Swarm, • Swarm: Parry +2. Because the swarm is composed
for instance, could just as easily be a Venusian Devil of dozens of little dinosaurs, cutting, piercing, and
Fish Swarm. energy weapons do no real damage. Area-effect
Whatever the name they make a great challenge in weapons work normally. Stomping does Str damage
a pulp setting as they are fast-moving and hard to get each round.
rid of. They can be used to foreshadow certain events
in your stories, so the Egyptian Flesh Eating Beetles Egyptian Flesh Eating
always presage the arrival of the risen Mummy Lord, for
instance. This adds drama as the party tries to defeat
Beetle
the swarm in time to face the evil they know is coming Flesh eating beetles are usually found in ancient
for them! temples or tombs. Exactly what they live on to survive
so long is a mystery. The swarm fills a Medium Burst
Amazonian Flesh Eating Template.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d8, Strength
Insect d8, Vigor d10
These tiny bugs are harmless on their own, but when Skills: Notice d6
they form a swarm they can strip a carcass to the bone Pace: 10; Parry: 4; Toughness: 8
in just a few minutes. The swarm fills a Medium Burst Treasure: None
Template. Special Abilities:
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d12, Strength • Armor +1: Carapace.
d8, Vigor d10 • Bite: Beetle swarms inflict hundreds of tiny bites
Skills: Notice d6 every round to their victims, hitting automatically
Pace: 3; Parry: 4; Toughness: 7 and causing 2d4 damage to everyone in the template
Treasure: None (victims in completely sealed suits are immune).
Special Abilities: • Split: Beetle swarms are clever enough to split into
• Bite: The swarm automatically hits for 2d4 damage two smaller swarms (Small Burst Templates) should
to everyone within the Template. their foes split up. The Toughness of these smaller
• Fly: Flying Pace 10, Climb 5. swarms is lowered by –2 (to 6 each).
• Split: When the swarm is first wounded, it splits into • Swarm: Parry +2; Because the swarm is composed of
two Small Burst Template swarms. The Toughness of scores, hundreds, or thousands of creatures, cutting
each swarm is lowered by –2 (i.e. to 5). When these and piercing weapons do no real damage. Area-effect
swarms take a wound they are dispersed and become weapons work normally, and a character can stomp
ineffective. to inflict his damage in Strength each round.
• Swarm: Parry +2. Because the swarm is composed of
hundreds of tiny bugs, cutting, piercing, and energy Killer Bees
weapons do no real damage. Area-effect weapons work Ah, the old killer bee swarm so loved by B-movies.
normally. Stomping does Str damage each round. Killer bee swarms can be found in any jungle or hot
(but usually not arid) environment. The swarm fills a
Compsognathus Medium Burst Template.
Also known as “compies,” these chicken-sized Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d12,
dinosaurs attack in small swarms, using their razor Strength d6, Vigor d10
sharp teeth to tear prey to pieces. Compies fill a Medium Skills: Notice d6
Burst Template when swarming. Pace: 10; Parry: 4; Toughness: 7

66
Treasure:.None attack.everyone.within.every.round.
Special Abilities: Attributes: Agility.d8,.Smarts.d4(A),.Spirit.d8,
•.Poison (–2):.Anyone.Shaken.or.wounded.by.a.killer. Strength.d8,.Vigor.d10
bee.swarm.must.make.a.Vigor.roll.at.–2.or.suffer.a. Skills: Notice.d6
level.of.Fatigue..This.can.lead.to.Death. Pace: —;.Parry: 4;.Toughness: 7
•.Split: Bee.swarms.are.clever.enough.to.split.into.two. Treasure: None
smaller.swarms.(Small.Burst.Templates).should.their. Special Abilities:
foes.split.up..The.Toughness.of.these.smaller.swarms. • Aquatic: Pace.6.
is.lowered.by.–2.(to.5.each). • Bite: Swarms.infl.ict.hundreds.of.tiny.bites.every.round.
•. Sting: Bee. swarms. infl.ict. hundreds. of. tiny. stings. to.their.victims,.hitting.automatically.and.causing.
every. round. to. their. victims,. hitting. automatically. 2d6.damage.to.everyone.in.the.template.
and.causing.2d4.damage.to.everyone.in.the.template. • Split: Piranha. swarms. can. split. into. two. smaller.
(victims.in.completely.sealed.suits.are.immune). swarms. (Small. Burst. Templates). if. necessary.. The.
•.Swarm: Parry.+2;.Because.the.swarm.is.composed.of. Toughness.of.these.smaller.swarms.is.lowered.by.-2.
scores,.hundreds,.or.thousands.of.creatures,.cutting. (to.5.each).
and.piercing.weapons.do.no.real.damage..Area-effect. • Swarm: Parry.+2;.Because.the.swarm.is.composed.
weapons.work.normally,.and.a.character.can.stomp. of. hundreds. of. creatures,. cutting. and. piercing.
to.infl.ict.his.damage.in.Strength.each.round. weapons. do. no. real. damage.. Area-effect. weapons.
•. Weakness (Smoke):. Killer. bees. become. drowsy. in. work.normally.
smoke..Reduce.the.size.of.the.swarm.to.a.Small.Burst.
Template..If.the.swarm.is.already.Small,.it.becomes. Rat
inactive. Rats. may. not. be. the. most. deadly. of. creatures,. but.
they.are.a.pulp.staple..Rat.swarms.fi.ll.a.Medium.Burst.
Locust Template.
Locust.swarms.are.found.mainly.in.Africa,.but.they. Attributes:. Agility. d10,. Smarts. d6(A),. Spirit. d12,.
can.travel.vast.distances..Normal.locusts.don’t.usually. Strength.d8,.Vigor.d10
attack.humans,.but.anything.is.possible.in.a.pulp.game..
The.swarm.fi.lls.a.Large.Burst.Template.
Attributes:. Agility. d8,. Smarts. d4(A),. Spirit. d12,.
Strength.d8,.Vigor.d10
Skills:.Notice.d6
Pace:.10;.Parry:.4;.Toughness:.7
Treasure:.None
Special Abilities:
•. Bite: Locust. swarms. infl.ict. hundreds. of. tiny. bites.
every.round.to.their.victims,.hitting.automatically.
and.causing.2d4.damage.to.everyone.in.the.template.
(victims.in.completely.sealed.suits.are.immune).
•.Gluttonous:.Locust.swarms.have.voracious.appetites..
A. swarm. can. devour. all. vegetation. under. the.
Template.in.a.single.turn.
•.Split: Locust.swarms.are.clever.enough.to.split.into.
two.smaller.swarms.(Small.Burst.Templates).should.
their.foes.split.up..The.Toughness.of.these.smaller.
swarms.is.lowered.by.–2.(to.5.each).
•.Swarm: Parry.+2;.Because.the.swarm.is.composed.of.
scores,.hundreds,.or.thousands.of.creatures,.cutting.
and.piercing.weapons.do.no.real.damage..Area-effect.
weapons.work.normally,.and.a.character.can.stomp.
to.infl.ict.his.damage.in.Strength.each.round..

Piranha
Real.piranhas.don’t.usually.attack.humans,.but.pulp.
piranhas. are. dangerous. killers.. Jumping. out. of. water.
defeats.a.piranha.swarm.pretty.quickly..Piranha.swarms.
cover.an.area.equal.to.a.Medium.Burst.Template.and.

67
Skills: Notice d6 Because the creatures travel in such huge numbers,
Pace: 10; Parry: 4; Toughness: 7 they fill a Large Burst Template.
Treasure: None Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d12, Strength
Special Abilities: d8, Vigor d12
• Bite: Rat swarms inflict hundreds of tiny bites every Skills: Notice d6
round to their victims, hitting automatically and Pace: 10; Parry: 4; Toughness: 8
causing 2d4 damage to everyone covered by the Treasure: None
template (victims in completely sealed suits are Special Abilities:
immune). • Bite: Ant swarms inflict hundreds of tiny bites every
• Infection: Anyone Shaken or wounded by a rat swarm round to their victims, hitting automatically and
must make a Vigor roll or suffer a level of Fatigue causing 2d4 damage to everyone covered by the
from infected bites. Cumulative bites can lead to template (victims in completely sealed suits are
Incapacitation, but never to Death. One Fatigue immune).
level is recovered every 24 hours or with a successful • Poison (+0): Anyone Shaken or wounded by an ant
Healing roll. swarm must make a Vigor roll or suffer a level of
• Split: Rat swarms are clever enough to split into two Fatigue from the poisonous bites. Cumulative bites
smaller swarms (Small Burst Templates) should their can lead to Exhaustion, but no higher. One Fatigue
foes split up. The Toughness of these smaller swarms level is recovered every 24 hours or with each success
is lowered by –2 (to 5 each). and raise on a Healing roll.
• Swarm: Parry +2; Because the swarm is composed of • Split: When the swarm is first wounded, it splits into
scores, hundreds, or thousands of creatures, cutting two Medium Burst Template swarms. The Toughness
and piercing weapons do no real damage. Area-effect of each swarm is lowered by –2 (i.e. to 5). When these
weapons work normally, and a character can stomp swarms take a wound, they split into two Small Burst
to inflict his damage in Strength each round. Templates (Toughness stays at 5). Further wounds
disperse them.
Scorpion • Swarm: Parry +2; Because the swarm is composed
Found only in desert regions, scorpion swarms can of thousands, even millions, of creatures, cutting
quickly kill a fully-grown adult with their venom. and piercing weapons do no real damage. Area-effect
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d12, weapons work normally, and a character can stomp
Strength d8, Vigor d10 to inflict his damage in Strength each round.
Skills: Notice d6
Pace: 10; Parry: 4; Toughness: 8 Spider
Treasure: None Spiders rarely swarm in the real world, but in a
Special Abilities: pulp setting it’s just the sort of thing heroes have to
• Armor +1: Carapace. face. Spider swarms can be found in jungles or deserts,
• Bite: Scorpions swarms inflict dozens of tiny stings depending on the type of spider. Spider swarms fill a
every round to their victims, hitting automatically Medium Burst Template.
and causing 2d4 damage to everyone covered by Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d12, Strength
the template (victims in completely sealed suits are d8, Vigor d10
immune). Skills: Notice d6
• Poison (+0): Anyone Shaken or wounded by a scorpion Pace: 10; Parry: 4; Toughness: 7
swarm must make a Vigor roll or suffer a level of Treasure: None
Fatigue. This can lead to Death. Special Abilities:
• Swarm: Parry +2; Because the swarm is composed of • Bite: Spider swarms inflict dozens of tiny bites every
scores, hundreds, or thousands of creatures, cutting round to their victims, hitting automatically and
and piercing weapons do no real damage. Area-effect causing 2d4 damage to everyone covered by the
weapons work normally, and a character can stomp template (victims in completely sealed suits are
to inflict his damage in Strength each round. immune).
• Paralysis (+0): Anyone Shaken or wounded by a spider
Soldier Ant swarm must make a Vigor roll or be paralyzed for 2d6
Living in jungle regions, columns of soldier ants (also rounds from the venom.
called army ants) are a danger to everything in their • Swarm: Parry +2; Because the swarm is composed of
path. Unlike most ants, this variety is an aggressive and scores, hundreds, or thousands of creatures, cutting
voracious hunter, swarming over much larger creatures and piercing weapons do no real damage. Area-effect
and using their bites to bring creatures to their knees, weapons work normally, and a character can stomp
ready to be stripped of their flesh. to inflict his damage in Strength each round.

68