From the introduction:
Welcome to the latest version of my Mass Effect conversion for Savage Worlds. A few things before we get started:
The major change since the last version (v3.0) is the addition of a bestiary. I’ve also added a section on heavy weapons, changed how shields work a bit, modified some talents, and tweaked the racial edges and hindrances a bit. There are also a variety of smaller changes and corrections that I won’t enumerate here.
This is still primarily a conversion of the first video game; however, it does contain some things from the second game (e.g., a couple of PC races, a few talents / powers, some bad guys for the bestiary, etc.). Please don’t contact me to tell that certain things work differently in the second game than in the first- I know already, thank you.
This is in no way a complete point-by-point conversion of every little thing from the video games. I draw your attention to the following excerpt from the SWEX core rule book: "All too often conversions of other games try to account for every element- massive skill lists, minute details, and hundreds of powers. This isn’t Savage Worlds, and bringing in those elements is likely to burden the rules to the point where the game play is no longer fast, furious, or fun" (137). Indeed, FFF is my guiding principle. As such, you won’t find stats for every single different brand of pistol, or skills that match every single aspect of the (first) video game character skill system. I’ve also occasionally done things differently than the video games for gameplay balance or in order to make certain aspects of the Mass Effect universe cohere better with the SW rules (again, please don’t contact me to tell me that things work differently in the games than I have here- I know). Ultimately, I’m only interested in playing Savage Worlds with a Mass Effect flavor, not playing an exact replica of the video games in pen-and-paper form.
You won’t find much fluff here- mainly just crunch. I don’t spend a lot of time describing the Mass Effect universe, the races and cultures, the inhabitable worlds, the technology, or anything like that. I’m assuming that if you’re interested in this conversion, then you are already familiar with the video game, and don’t need me to tell you about it. If you are looking for a bit more information, there are various wiki- Google will help you find them.
I’ve made this for myself as GM. As such, I’ve designed it for my personal preferences. I understand that there may be a variety of different ways to convert Mass Effect, all equally legitimate, but I’ve stuck with creating a conversion that I want to run. If your preferences differ, just use from this what you like and change the rest.