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View Full Version : The Awakening of Rock. (New System)



Malfunctioned
2009-12-29, 06:45 PM
I've had an idea brewing in my head for quite a while spurred a little by the discovery of Brütal Legend but it's only know that I've decided to actually write it down since I was never able to develop more than VERY bare bones. And that's why I'm hoping you guys will be able to help me. Well, without further delay here's what I've got even though it's barely anything. :smalltongue:


Summary
Awakening of Rock (Name pending :smalltongue:) is a slightly satirical game set in a fantasy world or a modern world or even a high tech futuristic world, it doesn't really make a difference just as long as the world has travelling rock bands empowered by the POWER OF ROCK!
in order to become the greatest band in the country/world/galaxy.



Rolls
I've decided on using 2d6 + Stat + Skil for rolls. There's no particular reason for this but I do want this to be a heavily skill powered game.



Stats
I was thinking of using a base of six stats, each given by rolling 2d6 and assigning them as desired. A base human stat is around 4, though Rockers can become as high as 20. The stats that I've come up with are as follows.

Sex Appeal - Used to win over crowds, seduce groupies and demoralise other bands.
Aggression - Used mainly for attacking but could also be used for special techniques, activating features such as rages.
Rythym - Determining...well speed really, but like Aggression could also be able to power a lot of special techniques, maybe acting like Dexterity in the D20 system.
Badassery - Pretty much acting like Constitution, so hitpoints and toughness.
Cool - This determines a characters ability to cope with stressful situations and play their instrument under pressure, which brings us on to our next stat.....
Playing (Probably will need a new name for this.) - This is the characters actual skill at playing their instrument under normal circumstances or in band battles and pretty much any situation where none of the other effects will be needed.


Genre
Since there are several Genres of rock music I think they would make a good subsitute for races in this system, classes will be exchanged for the instrument but more on that later. Each Genre gives a +2 to a single stat and a special ability that only that Genre can use. The Genres that I can think of now (And of course are open to suggestions) are as follows.

Metal - Stats: Gives +2 to Badassery. Special Ability: 'Overdrive' - Any attacks made against amoured enemies can ignore up to four points of armor.

Soft Rock - Stats: Gives +2 to Sex Appeal. Special Ability: 'Serenade' - Once per day a Soft Rocker can serenade an NPC, this requires a roll of Sex Appeal + (Instrument of Soft Rocker) against an opposing Agression roll (If the NPC that is being serenaded is also a Rocker and of a different Genre than Soft Rock then they also also add Taste to that rol). If the roll succeeds then the subject will obey the next command of the Soft Rocker as long as it doesn't endanger themselves or goes against their nature. Multiple commands be be issue but for each one new rolls must be made, if one is failed then all previous commands are ignored and the subject regains control.

Pop Punk - Stats: Gives +2 to Rythym. Special Ability: 'Double Time' - Once per battle a Pop Punk can make an opposed Rythym + (Instrument of the Pop Punk) roll against the target of the chosen attack, if succesful the Pop Punk gains another attack against the same target.

Indie Rock - Stats: Gives a +2 to Cool. Special Ability: 'It is music! I promise!' - Indie Rockers (Hipsters) can unleash a baffling burst of music which seriously confuses one opponent in range. The Hipster makes a Cool + (Instrument of Hipster) roll if it beats the damage rating of the opponents instrument then they cannot use that instrument for the next (Hipsters Cool score) rounds.

Glam Rock - Stats: Gives a +2 to Playing. Special Ability: 'Hair Power!' - Once per battle a Glam Rocker can add their Sex Appeal to any other roll they make. If their hair is covered then this ability can not be used.

Punk Rock - Stats: Gives a +2 to Aggression. Special Ability 'Screw The Man' Once per day the Punk can inspire either fear or anger in an opponent or crowd. If they chose fear then no target will approach within 10 feet of the Punk and will take a -4 to any attacks made against him. If anger then the target will attack the nearest person to them, friend or foe. To activate this ability the Punk must make an Aggression + (Instrument of Punk) roll, the number rolled controls the amount of people that can be affected by this ability.


Positions
For this system I've decided to use Positions in place of classes. It's not the best fit but it should work. A character cannot change either it's Genre or Positions unless special requirements are met. (More on that later.) All special abilities last for one round.

Drummer - Drummers are the main powerhouse for of any band. Their drums can deliver large amounts of damage in close combat but are useless when out of range.
Special: 3 times a day Drummers can attack all enemies surrounding them at once. The attack uses one roll and hits are resolved seperately. The attack affects all opponents within (Damage rating of drum x 2.5 rounded down) feet.

Guitarist - Guitarist are the Mario of AoR, their abilities are nothing special but they can attack from medium range and still deal decent damage.
Special: 3 times a day Guitarists can attack all enemies standing in a line. The lines length is equal to the damage rating of the guitar used x10ft.

Bassist - Bassists cannot reach the same range as Guitarists but their blasts can deal more damage. Most bands bring a bassist in to protect the others because of their special. Most bassists would prefer to play guitar.
Special: 3 times a day Bassists can produce a shield that lowers damage by the damage rating of the bass in use. This ability can affect any group members within 10 feet.

Keyboardist - A Keyboardist is sometimes seen as weak by those who have never fought one in battle, 'Very very catchy' by those who have watched a fight and 'The most infuriating thing I've ever met' by those that have fought a well-trained one. They have the same general range as a guitarist but very low damage. Instead a Keyboardist can infuse his music with special rythyms that can cause effects in opponents. A keyboardist can choose one effect from the list below and gain more as they level up.
Special: 3 times a day Keyboardists can temporarily gain the use of an effect that they do not possess from the list. This effect is usuable on the next attack only.

Keyboardist Rythym List
All effects require the target to make a Cool + Taste roll, against the Keyboardists attack roll result. If beat the roll they do not suffer the effect. All keyboardist effects can be cancelled out by another keyboardist playing the same rythym with the intention of cancelling out the effect.

Sleep - The target falls into a deep sleep for the next 1d6 rounds, they cannot be awoken during this time except by another Keyboardist playing the same rythym. Whilst asleep the target cannot interact with it's enviroment in any way apart from maybe hitting stuff on the floor when they collapse.

Headworm - The Keyboardist plays a incredibly catchy yet infuriating rythym which gets stuck in the targets head causing (1/2 Keyboard damage rating) Damage per turn.

Amnesia - The target suddenly forgets how to play their instrument. For 1d6 + (1/2 damage rating) rounds the target cannot use their instrument.

Heal - Just like it says, a keyboardist can heal their target for 2d6 + (1/2 damage rating) HP. Heal cannot be countered by another keyboardist.

Anger - This particular rythym spurs feelings of anger deep in the mind of another Rocker. They try to attack the nearest target to them, whether they be friend, foe, child, groupie or strangely aggresive balloon animal. The anger ends once there are no targets in a 10ft radius around them or the rythym is countered.

More to be added.

Vocalist - These are the frontmen of the band. The ones who make everyone else look both good and bad in comparison. Almost every band has one, though instrumentalist bands aren't unheard of. The voice of a vocalist can reach for much further than a guitarist but can't deal as much damage.
Special: 3 times a day a vocalist can launch a hard-hitting blast of extreme vocal power. This attack has a damage rating of double the normal amount and can travel through solid objects. In return the vocalist damages their throat and can't attack for 2d6 rounds, this amount can be reduced by the Heal rythym at the rate of 1 point of healing for 1 round of recovery.



Coming up next.....Instruments

Siosilvar
2009-12-29, 07:55 PM
For Toughness: how about Badassery?

Malfunctioned
2009-12-29, 07:59 PM
Sounds good, editing it up now. I'm just writing up Instruments now.

Malfunctioned
2009-12-29, 08:29 PM
Updated with positions.

CarpeGuitarrem
2009-12-30, 03:00 AM
Interesting. Although...the stats at the moment (with the exception of Cool and Playing) seem to correspond pretty well to the standard D&D stats. You may want to look a little more out of the box. It's cool, though.

Owrtho
2009-12-30, 03:20 AM
Interesting. Although...the stats at the moment (with the exception of Cool and Playing) seem to correspond pretty well to the standard D&D stats.

Even cool and playing seem to correspond pretty well to wisdom and intelligence respectively. After all, wisdom tends to be one's ability to deal with situations (without training for said situation), and intelligence is what you've learned (which corresponds to playing being how much you know how to play your instrument).

One thing though, are instruments going to be like weapons (as in specific instruments and brands)? Because otherwise the instruments and positions tend to seem rather redundant. If they're going to be classes, I'd suggest renaming the positions to the role filled rather than the type of instrument normally used to fill that roll (lest it become confusing).

Owrtho

Anonymouswizard
2009-12-30, 03:53 AM
Instead of genre=races how about music uses a similar system to magic, and the genres are schools? Scrap that idea.

However, for band battles work it a bit like psionics. Each person has a certain number of techniques that they can use and an amount of energy with which to use them. The similarities stop there. Instead of having a certain number of techniques known players can use techniques that require the notes and chords that they know. They form techniques from notes and chords and then make a skill check, with more complex techniques being harder. They throw blasts from these techniques at opposing band members, and when one band is out of members they lose.

There should be a feat called Jimmy Hendrix, that lets you deal more damage in melee with your gitar.

Edit: make them memorize notes and chords from sheets of music. That will give them some utility and restrictions.

Owrtho
2009-12-30, 04:17 AM
However, for band battles work it a bit like psionics. Each person has a certain number of techniques that they can use and an amount of energy with which to use them. The similarities stop there. Instead of having a certain number of techniques known players can use techniques that require the notes and chords that they know. They form techniques from notes and chords and then make a skill check, with more complex techniques being harder. They throw blasts from these techniques at opposing band members, and when one band is out of members they lose.

That sounds kinda neat. If you wanted to make it so people could make their own techniques, then maybe you could make the parts each have an effect, then have something like easy changes, and hard changes listed. Could be something like the skill check is base amount + part amount + change amount (for example staying the same is 0, easy is 1, unlisted is 2, hard is 3) +next part amount etc. Thus they could go and try designing them by figuring out how to get from one part to another (might have some that have no effect outside being good for linking two other parts).

Owrtho

Malfunctioned
2009-12-30, 04:34 AM
One thing though, are instruments going to be like weapons (as in specific instruments and brands)? Because otherwise the instruments and positions tend to seem rather redundant. If they're going to be classes, I'd suggest renaming the positions to the role filled rather than the type of instrument normally used to fill that roll (lest it become confusing).

Owrtho

Yeah, instruments are going to act as weapons. But since I couldn't really imagine a drummer lugging around a drumset with him everywhere he went I came up with the idea that all the instruments they use are magical and are stored inside of necklaces/bracelets/earings etc. To be used the Rocker grasps the charm hanging off of the piece of jewelery which summons the instrument in front of them. They start off with a base instrument (So drummers start off with a base drum and bassists with a base bass.) but they can later upgrade them into famous and recognisable models that have their own abilities.

Owrtho
2009-12-30, 04:53 AM
But since I couldn't really imagine a drummer lugging around a drumset with him everywhere he went I came up with the idea that all the instruments they use are magical and are stored inside of necklaces/bracelets/earings etc.

I just got this awesome image of a guy in what looks like armor going around only for the round panels of it to float off and reveal themselves to be a drum set (the silent electric kind).

Anyways, seems like maybe there should be some more positions (though I can't think of any at the moment). Also i take it vocalists will use mics?

Owrtho

Malfunctioned
2009-12-30, 05:17 AM
I just got this awesome image of a guy in what looks like armor going around only for the round panels of it to float off and reveal themselves to be a drum set (the silent electric kind).

Okay, if you will accept it, I would like to offer you the position of Generator of Ideas of the Most Heinous Variety.


Anyways, seems like maybe there should be some more positions (though I can't think of any at the moment).
I've had a couple of friends suggest a few, mainly things like violins, theremins and acordians, but I didn't think they could fit too well into the game.


Also i take it vocalists will use mics?

Owrtho

Yup, you got it.

Xallace
2009-12-30, 10:24 AM
I've had a couple of friends suggest a few, mainly things like violins, theremins and acordians, but I didn't think they could fit too well into the game.


Brass sections show up in rock, you could have a trumpeter. Pianist, or organist, as well. And violins do show up from time to time... Maybe things like Ska Punk and Orchestral Rock could show up as "Prestige Genres." :smalltongue:

Admiral Squish
2009-12-30, 05:13 PM
Brass sections show up in rock, you could have a trumpeter. Pianist, or organist, as well. And violins do show up from time to time... Maybe things like Ska Punk and Orchestral Rock could show up as "Prestige Genres." :smalltongue:

Maybe odd istruments would be like, exotic weapons. A guitarist takes special training to go from electric guitar to electric violin. If you've ever heard the Trans Siberian Orchestra, you know how badass a violin can be. this opens lots of doors. Maybe drummer could do some STOMP stuff.

Also, problem. Drummer is the most stationary when playing, but he has to be in melee with moving targets? I don't think setting up anbd taking down a full drumset should be instantaneous, no matter the magic involved. Maybe make drummer a battlefield control/buffer. Bass could do melee.

SurlySeraph
2009-12-30, 05:22 PM
Brass sections show up in rock, you could have a trumpeter. Pianist, or organist, as well. And violins do show up from time to time... Maybe things like Ska Punk and Orchestral Rock could show up as "Prestige Genres." :smalltongue:

Makes sense, but be aware that there are more metal subgenres than elven subraces.

Altaria87
2009-12-30, 05:25 PM
Brass sections show up in rock, you could have a trumpeter. Pianist, or organist, as well. And violins do show up from time to time... Maybe things like Ska Punk and Orchestral Rock could show up as "Prestige Genres." :smalltongue:
Don't forget Death Metal and maybe Alternative as Prestige Genres.

Also Mock Rock, can only be used by a band with two Guitarists and a Drummer, called Jack, Kyle and Lee

Mythestopheles
2009-12-30, 06:55 PM
I like this. It seems cool, and well thought out.

I have the idea for genres, maybe have types of playing, like say playing fast or slow, or specific types of playing styles. make it maybe so people can choose what genre their char plays. Maybe have bonuses if everyone plays a similar style. Not too sure if this would work out, feel free to use it or not.

On another note, I really need to play Brütal Legend soon.

Malfunctioned
2009-12-30, 07:22 PM
Well I was hoping that people here could actually try to build some of the ideas that are being come up with though I can try to respond to a couple.


Also, problem. Drummer is the most stationary when playing, but he has to be in melee with moving targets? I don't think setting up anbd taking down a full drumset should be instantaneous, no matter the magic involved. Maybe make drummer a battlefield control/buffer. The instruments they summon will be floating around them, pretty much like Owrtho's suggestion. So mobility wouldn't need to be a problem.


Brass sections show up in rock, you could have a trumpeter. Pianist, or organist, as well. And violins do show up from time to time... Maybe things like Ska Punk and Orchestral Rock could show up as "Prestige Genres." :smalltongue: I'm not too sure how to handle these though, I haven't even got a method for leveling up done yet so I'm not too sure if these could fit in. If anyone could help think of a method it would be much appreciated.

Owrtho
2009-12-30, 08:26 PM
Maybe for leveling up you could have something like a point buy sytem for abillities. There would be some that would be posiion specific (as in could only be done by certain insturments), and some that might be something like focused techniques.
Focused techniques would be ones that are more advance (rather than just basic) and would tend to be things that are more genera or playing style specific. As such they would generaly cost more, but have things that could reduce the cost (such as if your from the genera it shows up in most often, or if you know a similar technique already, or have high enough ranks in a certain skill). These could each possibly reduce the cost by 1 or 2 (but it should mostly be uniform for each type of reduction), and usualy bring it back down to the cort of normal techniques if you meet enough of them. Thus a player gould be something of a generalist knowing a few techniques in each area (due to their costs keeping him from getting more), or a specialis, knowing alot of similar techniques in a small are (able to do mostly the same thing a lot of different ways, but lacking the more general versatility of the generalist).
You would also have skill points gained on level up, as well as likely hp, and possibly stats.

Anyway, I'm not sure if i'd be able to fill that posision myself, but I can at least try to help.

Owrtho

Mythestopheles
2009-12-30, 08:56 PM
I imagine it as:
At certain levels you get:
-Techniques, in other words special moves (Blast beat being an example) and the like.
-Some other ability refering to playing fast/slow or the like.

I'm in a rush right now so I'll help stat stuff out in a sec.