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Post by David Okum on Jul 22, 2011 0:49:52 GMT -5
OK, so this skirmish system I've been working on since 1991 has suddenly become the basis for a Role Playing Game I'm writing. Wait! You mean you didn't know I was writing a Dark Ages Tabletop RPG  Well neither did I until a few weeks ago. The thing is I just can't do anything easily. If I had any sense I'd write a straight fantasy game set in a mythic world where monsters lurked the forests and dragons slept under mountains on piles of treasure. Thing is, I wanted to go for a historical time period so the myth will be there, but will be just that, myth. Fairy folk and monsters will be reasonably explained, or just malarky! And I'd have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for you meddling kids! First off, the era: The game is set in 9th century Ireland. The PCs are a rowdy collection of freelance warriors known as Fianna. There will be options for Monks, Druids, Vikings and other groups, but the adventures will mostly deal with clan intrigue and tribal hatred as well as the invasions of the Vikings. Next up: Character Creation. |
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Post by David Okum on Jul 22, 2011 23:34:26 GMT -5
Character Creation is probably the hardest thing I've had to figure out for the DK system. It is at it's heart, a boardgame/wargame skirmish system and has hold-overs from that. Creating a way to define characters seemed like a natural thing, but it turned out to be quite challenging.
First off, I thought I'd use a point-based system, but that got fiddly right from the get-go. I wanted this game to be quick and rules-lite.
A points system seemed too particular and would take too long to sort out. Considering how deadly the combat system was, I wanted players to be able to make characters 'on the fly' if need be.
So the ideas of a "level" seemed to make this easier. It basically does the same thing as points, but simplifies the process.
There are only two "stats": Ability, which represents the overall quality of the character and Wounds, which represents how many injuries a character can sustain before the figure is taken out of play.
To define the abilities of the character further there are also Talents. Talents represent skills, training, natural abilities, social status, connections and perks of the character.
This is further fleshed out with gear, or equipment the character uses.
With a point based system I wanted to avoid a class-based character creation stage, but as I researched the era, archetypes or classes became more of an option.
I really wanted a Class List and an Everyman List of Talents, that is, Talents specific to the archetype or class concept and Talents available to anyone.
The other important factor was that I wanted Magic to be implied and psychological, not real. I was greatly inspired by the Marshall McLuhan quote here “I wouldn’t have seen it if I hadn’t believed it.” I wanted it to play up coincidence and faulty logic.
Next: A Class Act
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Post by labrat on Jul 23, 2011 9:23:58 GMT -5
I like where you are going with this. I have wanted to create an RPG for a long time now, but never gotten past the dreaming stage. It takes a lot to make a good one, but I think you are right. Character creation lies at it's core. And character development is what makes it really fun and keeps people interested. The rest is all fluff.
Keep up the good work, and if you need a playtester down the road, I'm happy to help with that.
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Post by David Okum on Jul 26, 2011 1:37:10 GMT -5
A Class Act
It’s tempting to just follow what has come before and use the classic D&D Classes as a start, but I’m thinking of the classes more as Character Archetypes that are maybe a bit more specific. I thought of the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Careers and felt that they were maybe closer to what I was imagining.
I jotted down some rough ideas and even made a character or three. Things seemed to work alright, but it was still a bit rough around the edges.
I took a bit of a break, read a few books on Celtic and Irish history and felt that I had a better handle on things. I retooled the class list I originally created and made a list that was much more specific to the geography and era.
The final playtest class list became: Druid, Fian, Cruithni Warrior, Christian Monk,
Bóaire (Yoeman), Flaith (Noble Knight), Eachlach (female only, messenger/scout), Bandit, and Bard. The plan was to make a list of Everyman Talents and then a list of Class Specific Talents. Trouble is, I didn’t know how many Talents I would need and if some were too specific to appear on the Everyman Talent list. I was still working on it as my players were making their playtest characters. I can see the need to tweak the list as I go.
The characters would be first ‘level’. I really didn’t want to do the level, but as I mentioned earlier, it seemed to simplify the character creation.
Next Up: Geas and other Foibles
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Post by David Okum on Jul 26, 2011 23:39:45 GMT -5
Geas and other foibles
Geasa are vows that can be short term or long term for a hero, often
Breaking a geas bums out the character and they will function at a -1 for a day. Fulfilling a geas jazzes the character and they will function at a +1 for a day. The bonuses aid attack, defense and Ability Saves. Thing is, some Geas are easier to fulfil than others, but that’s kind of the point of them. I am thinking another way of using them is to reward a “pip” or “fate” or “hero” point (used to bump up rolls, negate bad rolls, and generally cheat fate). These Pips are usually awarded when a critical hit is rolled by the player. Losing a pip would be tough as they are often the only way characters can survive in such a deadly system. Upon some consideration it was decided to keep the “jazzed” and “bummed out” system.
All that was left was to consider how to establish Geasa. The Pendragon supplement Pagan Shore had a random chart, but there had to be some better way to go about this.
I finally decided with the feedback of the playtesters to have one thing that the player can never do (taboo) and one thing that the player must always do. This would emulate the sagas quite nicely and provide quite a bit of internal conflict and character-driven angst.
Geasa are Foibles, that is disadvantages that limit the character in some way.
For every Foible, the character gains a new Talent. I’m thinking of limited the number of Foibles a character can have at any one time to 3.
Next up: Ireland’s Got Talent(s)
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Post by stevelortz on Jul 27, 2011 9:41:41 GMT -5
Thing is, some Geas are easier to fulfil than others, but that’s kind of the point of them. I am thinking another way of using them is to reward a “pip” or “fate” or “hero” point (used to bump up rolls, negate bad rolls, and generally cheat fate). "Cheat fate" points... I LIKE that! Have fun! Steve |
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Post by adamsouza on Jul 27, 2011 10:30:01 GMT -5
Sounds really interesting, especially how you want to handle magic.
Reminds me a little bit of the "coincidental" magic from MAGE. In MAGE a well thought out spell really was magic, but could be written off as coincidence.
Grom charged the chanting shaman, and was rewarded with taste of dirt and his own blood as he fumbled over his own boot lacings...
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Well neither did I until a few weeks ago. 
