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golentan
2009-12-08, 03:00 PM
Hey, guys, I'm well more than halfway through designing a roleplaying game. I don't think I'm ripping off any systems, but I figured I'd check. Are there any skill based systems where you expend a reserve of points for ordinary effects? I'm not talking White Wolf "burning" dots, I mean a defined skill reserve similar to hitpoints, that you are expected to draw on on a daily basis.

dsmiles
2009-12-08, 03:02 PM
Not that I know of, no.

Optimystik
2009-12-08, 03:08 PM
Action points? *shrug*

No idea.

The Rose Dragon
2009-12-08, 03:08 PM
Most diceless systems I know of.

Zom B
2009-12-08, 03:09 PM
Mana points sounds a lot like what you're talking about, which I'm sure is in a lot of games.

Other than, I know that in the West End d6 system, character points (what you normally spend to increase your stats) can be expended to add to your rolls and Force Points (for the Star Wars system) were hard-to-earn points that you could spend to substantially boost one roll.

I have a RPG that has PHP and MHP (physical hit points and mental hit points), the latter of which is taken up when you take blows to the head, take a mental attack, or use some special ability.

Artanis
2009-12-08, 03:20 PM
Mana points sounds a lot like what you're talking about, which I'm sure is in a lot of games.

Off the top of my head, DnD (psionics) and Exalted both effectively use mana points.

drengnikrafe
2009-12-08, 03:23 PM
DnD (psionics) .

Isn't this also on the SRD, making it OGL, and thusly can be used in a new system?

Optimystik
2009-12-08, 03:27 PM
Isn't this also on the SRD, making it OGL, and thusly can be used in a new system?

The guidelines of the license are here. (http://www.d20srd.org/ogl.htm) As for legal information, ask your lawyer - we can't give legal advice on this forum.

dsmiles
2009-12-08, 03:29 PM
Isn't this also on the SRD, making it OGL, and thusly can be used in a new system?

*shrug*

What TPAM said.

Artanis
2009-12-08, 03:31 PM
Mana points are a pretty universal concept. Even if psionics weren't in the SRD, there's nothing I know of to keep you from using a mana point system. The only place being in the SRD would matter is if you're trying to use the type of system specific to DnD 3.5e psionics.

valadil
2009-12-08, 04:02 PM
I'm writing a system that sounds similar to that. I don't have any published materials though, only a few blog and/or forum posts, so I don't think you're in any danger if infringing on there.

Here's a post I made with my initial thoughts on the system. You're welcome to judge if there are any similarities to what you're doing. http://gm.sagotsky.com/?p=9

Tyndmyr
2009-12-08, 04:05 PM
Mana points are a pretty universal concept. Even if psionics weren't in the SRD, there's nothing I know of to keep you from using a mana point system. The only place being in the SRD would matter is if you're trying to use the type of system specific to DnD 3.5e psionics.

This'd be my guess. Various mana-based systems are everywhere, so long as you don't actually copy an existing one, you should be good. There's enough systems that you're bound to get some vague simularities, but I wouldn't worry about that overmuch.

When you finish it/need playtesters, let us know!

golentan
2009-12-08, 04:22 PM
Alright, thanks for the feedback. Looks like my question's been answered. And tyndymyr, I'm looking to alpha within a month, and I'll be doing that here first and foremost.

LibraryOgre
2009-12-08, 04:45 PM
Also recall that systems can't really be copyrighted. If I have a system where I roll 1d20 + attribute modifier + skill modifier against target numbers determined by the difficulty, they'd have a pretty hard time proving that I was stealing directly from them. Certain things ARE going to be in common, no matter what, and the mechanics can't really be copyrighted. What can be copyrighted is presentation, and what you're doing with it.