The_JJ
2010-09-22, 06:52 PM
I like E6. Nice and sane, herons can be really legendary but not gods... but that brings up another point. For some reason things like Leadership work for me under E6. Partly because it's capstone, partly because the players can't even try to chain abuse it, but also because it makes more sense in context. They aren't superheroes, but they are good, so they call in some back up. In the same way an E6 Stronghold/Town builder type game is so much more satisfying than walking into a city and frying it's army in three rounds.
Soo... I was also thinking about Thieves Guilds, Mercenary Companies, and getting my players skill bonuses. Now one of the DMG's had a setup for something similar, but I never really liked that so... here's what I made up. Some commentary in red.
The Group System
Creating a group
Each group the GM should create a:
Leader, a Level 6 NPC
An Alignment, representing the general bent of both the group and the senior membership. This may not be discernible to outsiders. (Know: Local DC 10-30, depending. A GM may provide false information if the situation warrants.)
And a Secret specific to the campaign. (These groups are really going to be semi-keystone to the game, presenting quests and providing driving plot. A campaign specific Secret keeps things interesting. If the Holy Order of the Light follows the heretical belief in a prophesied messiah, that's... nice. Have fun with that. Now if the Messiah has arrived, that's a good group Secret.)
Primary characteristic and one (or two) Secondary characteristics. Samples include Military, Magical, Religious, Political, Mercantile, Thieving, Espionage, Civil, Hippy Natural, or Exploring.
For example: Military organizations are organizations with a significant martial wing. Examples might include a mercenary company, a nation with a large army (or possibly the nation's army itself as it's own group) or crusading order.
A Military group's skills are: Ride, Intimidate, and Knowledge: (Tactics)
It's standard gear includes: Armor and Weapons.
Template organizations are organizations related to template. For instance a template guild or people who template.
Templates skills are: Something technical, something social or thematic, and something scholarly.
It's standard gear includes: Template stuff.
Titles:
Are like ranks, only that would be confusing. Can vary from pretentious: (Servant of the Second Flame) to straightforward: (Sargent) to casual and not formalized: (old hand, been here a while)
Each group needs a:
Title for new members (gained rank 2)
Title for midlevel members (gained rank 4)
And a title for elite members (gained rank 7)
For each title level up a character is above an NPC in the same group, he gets a +2 bonus to Intimidate and Diplomacy checks. NPC's may be more resistant to taking advice, orders, or persuasion from PC of a lower rank.
Hypothetically Asked Questions (HAQs):
I'm a GM preparing a campaign/world and I intend to use this system. Should I make organizations ahead of time?
Yes, and you should present them to the players at the same time that you present the campaign world.
A/several of my player's didn't like any of the groups I made ahead of time. What should I do?
I'd highly recommend tailoring something to their interests. This system is intended to be a big part of the game, someone who doesn't have any options they like will feel sorely left out. In cases like there Schroedinger's Railroad Tracks may be your friend. Primary/Secondary characteristics are pretty mix and match Lego style and fluff is... fluff.
Joining a group
Membership (): Becomes a class skill for everyone. Add one to everyone's base skill points per level.
Players may put at most two skill points into Membership at level one.
Membership (), like Speak Languages, is not a skill that requires checks, but rather is a sort of upgrade.
Membership works like this:
0 ranks: unaffiliated.
1 rank: Entry level member. +2 to Know: (Local) checks related to the group.
2 ranks: New title.
3 ranks: Learn groups Alignment.
4 ranks: New title. +2 synergy bonus to skill checks from the group's primary characteristic.
5 ranks: Discount to gear relating to the groups primary characteristic.
6 ranks: +2 to Secondary characteristic skills.
7 ranks: Learn group's secret. New title.
8 ranks: +4 to primary characteristic skills. (Doesn't stack with first)
9 ranks: +2 to Leadership score when recruiting within the group, or command over a small squad: (4 level 1 NPC's, 2 level 2 NPC's or a level 3 NPC. GM's choice.)
Leaving a group:
A character may leave a group at anytime. They can not join another group for an in game month, and whatever ranks they once had may transfer over at a recommended rate of one per month. Leaving after rank 5 should lead to some repercussions (a reputation for conditional loyalty, perhaps, or) and leaving after rank 7 (and thus the revelation of the groups Secret) should be treated as high treason and result in serious attempts to silence the PC permanently. Hit squads (Generally for Chaotic or Evil factions) or lifetime imprisonment (Lawful or Good, likewise) await. Yes, this means it may be a toss up between CG and LE groups locking you up or offing you. Of course, these are just guidelines.
However, there are exceptions...
Ideological Defections
When a character reaches rank 3 and learns their groups Alignment, and find it in opposition to their own they may choose to leave. They can join another group they've had contact with with all their ranks intact. In order to help prevent further confusion, a GM may reveal to a player whether or not the organization is willing to take their character in. (e.g. has an alignment closer to their own than the group they are quiting.) Immediate defection like this should be treated by the old group as a betrayal, with above normal consequences.
Likewise, after the revelation of a Secret a play may choose to defect. Again, they may join a new group with instant rank transfer, but the consequences should be very, very extreme.
Metagame:
This sort of system will lend itself well to open sandboxes but at the same time provide a. goals for the player to strive for and b. ready made plot hooks for the GM. Generally, avoid spotlighting any one player's group for too long. One mission, then rotate. Part of the beauty of the system is that the groups can operate independently of the player. Also the PC's friendship could be an excuse for two groups to work together, with the PC's as liaisons.
Two things to consider might be requiring certain RP or IC actions to unlock rewards, particularly Titles and the Secret. The Secret, obviously, shouldn't magically appear in a newly leveled char's head. Likewise, why should slaying a vampire for a friend's Browncoat group land a promotion with the BSG Fight Club?
Sample group:
The Imperial/Ramrez Trading Company.
Founded a decade ago by the Mydidan merchant Roland Ramrez, the Imperial/Ramierez Trading Company burst on to the international stage. It's main area of operations, the new found East Lee Islands, went from jungle outback wilderness to sugar and spice plantations in a matter of years, shattering the Argalian monopoly on such goods. Controversial for it's use of penal labor, prisoner contracts are bought at a rate of 500 gold for one year's sentence. While hard labor in the fields or refineries allow most workers to halve their effective time, many others, often the worst dregs of Mydida, are recruited into the Company for shady deals that earn them freedom far faster.
Primary characteristic: Mercantile
Secondary characteristics: Exploring, possibly Military. or if campaign is really nautical, Naval.
Enemy groups: The Mazat Pirates, the Argali Navy, the Argali Merchant Princes.
Allied groups: The Empire of Mydida, the Emperor's Choosen, the Justicars and Knights of the City of Mydida, the Porosan Trade League.
Characters:
GM cheatsheet.
Leader, Mr. Ramrez. LN Human Expert 6 with merch skills, diplobluff, etc. out of everywhere.
Lieutenants:
Luther CG Half Orc Barb 4, power attack, greataxe, etc. Surprisingly high INT and CHA. Role: Enforcer, right hand man.
Anya Oilanda CN Human Swashbuckler 4. Role: Ship captain, main explorer.
Random ship captain x: Expert 2
Random sailor: Warrior1/Expert1
Random thugs: Thug 2 to 4.
Random 'workers': Some commoner 1s, A few rogues, experts, etc.
Alignment:
Know Local check of 10: *shrug*
Know Local check of 11-20: Probably not good, fairly neutral. Mention prisoner labor.
Know Local check of 21-25: NE. Cite rumors of thugs let loose on enemies.
Know Local check of 25/The Truth: TN. They're mostly in it for the money, and they are good at keeping their 'employees' on a tight leash.
BTW, I roll knowledge, sense motive, spot/search etc. checks behind the screen. Very good habit to get into.
Secret:
Ramrez is working with the Justicars and Knights of the City of Mydida (secretly LG) to overthrow the Empire of Mydidan (LE) in a coup. The Justicars have been sending the Company political prisoners to train and arm, to which the Company will be adding their own considerable if less honorable forces forces.
Plot hooks for members:
Ship needs fighters for journey.
Prisoners escaped!
Ship arrives in port town where PC's are, needs help dealing with local officials.
Expedition to find legendary continent.
Undercover mission to Pirate Bay.
Disrupt rivals agriculture.
Deliver goods.
The most pertinent advice I seek:
Thoughts on the idea in general?
Thoughts on the ranks and rewards. Too much? Potential abuses?
Equipment discounts. How much, if at all? Should I even bother? Maybe I should make specialized things quest rewards?
Other issues:
PC's building groups! Should totally be an option! How to go about doing it? How to transition to self employment, for instance, might be hard what with the steep penalty for quiting.
PC's don't want to be in group! How to balance/keep them interested?
Oh, and some alternate names for the system/groups would be good.
Soo... I was also thinking about Thieves Guilds, Mercenary Companies, and getting my players skill bonuses. Now one of the DMG's had a setup for something similar, but I never really liked that so... here's what I made up. Some commentary in red.
The Group System
Creating a group
Each group the GM should create a:
Leader, a Level 6 NPC
An Alignment, representing the general bent of both the group and the senior membership. This may not be discernible to outsiders. (Know: Local DC 10-30, depending. A GM may provide false information if the situation warrants.)
And a Secret specific to the campaign. (These groups are really going to be semi-keystone to the game, presenting quests and providing driving plot. A campaign specific Secret keeps things interesting. If the Holy Order of the Light follows the heretical belief in a prophesied messiah, that's... nice. Have fun with that. Now if the Messiah has arrived, that's a good group Secret.)
Primary characteristic and one (or two) Secondary characteristics. Samples include Military, Magical, Religious, Political, Mercantile, Thieving, Espionage, Civil, Hippy Natural, or Exploring.
For example: Military organizations are organizations with a significant martial wing. Examples might include a mercenary company, a nation with a large army (or possibly the nation's army itself as it's own group) or crusading order.
A Military group's skills are: Ride, Intimidate, and Knowledge: (Tactics)
It's standard gear includes: Armor and Weapons.
Template organizations are organizations related to template. For instance a template guild or people who template.
Templates skills are: Something technical, something social or thematic, and something scholarly.
It's standard gear includes: Template stuff.
Titles:
Are like ranks, only that would be confusing. Can vary from pretentious: (Servant of the Second Flame) to straightforward: (Sargent) to casual and not formalized: (old hand, been here a while)
Each group needs a:
Title for new members (gained rank 2)
Title for midlevel members (gained rank 4)
And a title for elite members (gained rank 7)
For each title level up a character is above an NPC in the same group, he gets a +2 bonus to Intimidate and Diplomacy checks. NPC's may be more resistant to taking advice, orders, or persuasion from PC of a lower rank.
Hypothetically Asked Questions (HAQs):
I'm a GM preparing a campaign/world and I intend to use this system. Should I make organizations ahead of time?
Yes, and you should present them to the players at the same time that you present the campaign world.
A/several of my player's didn't like any of the groups I made ahead of time. What should I do?
I'd highly recommend tailoring something to their interests. This system is intended to be a big part of the game, someone who doesn't have any options they like will feel sorely left out. In cases like there Schroedinger's Railroad Tracks may be your friend. Primary/Secondary characteristics are pretty mix and match Lego style and fluff is... fluff.
Joining a group
Membership (): Becomes a class skill for everyone. Add one to everyone's base skill points per level.
Players may put at most two skill points into Membership at level one.
Membership (), like Speak Languages, is not a skill that requires checks, but rather is a sort of upgrade.
Membership works like this:
0 ranks: unaffiliated.
1 rank: Entry level member. +2 to Know: (Local) checks related to the group.
2 ranks: New title.
3 ranks: Learn groups Alignment.
4 ranks: New title. +2 synergy bonus to skill checks from the group's primary characteristic.
5 ranks: Discount to gear relating to the groups primary characteristic.
6 ranks: +2 to Secondary characteristic skills.
7 ranks: Learn group's secret. New title.
8 ranks: +4 to primary characteristic skills. (Doesn't stack with first)
9 ranks: +2 to Leadership score when recruiting within the group, or command over a small squad: (4 level 1 NPC's, 2 level 2 NPC's or a level 3 NPC. GM's choice.)
Leaving a group:
A character may leave a group at anytime. They can not join another group for an in game month, and whatever ranks they once had may transfer over at a recommended rate of one per month. Leaving after rank 5 should lead to some repercussions (a reputation for conditional loyalty, perhaps, or) and leaving after rank 7 (and thus the revelation of the groups Secret) should be treated as high treason and result in serious attempts to silence the PC permanently. Hit squads (Generally for Chaotic or Evil factions) or lifetime imprisonment (Lawful or Good, likewise) await. Yes, this means it may be a toss up between CG and LE groups locking you up or offing you. Of course, these are just guidelines.
However, there are exceptions...
Ideological Defections
When a character reaches rank 3 and learns their groups Alignment, and find it in opposition to their own they may choose to leave. They can join another group they've had contact with with all their ranks intact. In order to help prevent further confusion, a GM may reveal to a player whether or not the organization is willing to take their character in. (e.g. has an alignment closer to their own than the group they are quiting.) Immediate defection like this should be treated by the old group as a betrayal, with above normal consequences.
Likewise, after the revelation of a Secret a play may choose to defect. Again, they may join a new group with instant rank transfer, but the consequences should be very, very extreme.
Metagame:
This sort of system will lend itself well to open sandboxes but at the same time provide a. goals for the player to strive for and b. ready made plot hooks for the GM. Generally, avoid spotlighting any one player's group for too long. One mission, then rotate. Part of the beauty of the system is that the groups can operate independently of the player. Also the PC's friendship could be an excuse for two groups to work together, with the PC's as liaisons.
Two things to consider might be requiring certain RP or IC actions to unlock rewards, particularly Titles and the Secret. The Secret, obviously, shouldn't magically appear in a newly leveled char's head. Likewise, why should slaying a vampire for a friend's Browncoat group land a promotion with the BSG Fight Club?
Sample group:
The Imperial/Ramrez Trading Company.
Founded a decade ago by the Mydidan merchant Roland Ramrez, the Imperial/Ramierez Trading Company burst on to the international stage. It's main area of operations, the new found East Lee Islands, went from jungle outback wilderness to sugar and spice plantations in a matter of years, shattering the Argalian monopoly on such goods. Controversial for it's use of penal labor, prisoner contracts are bought at a rate of 500 gold for one year's sentence. While hard labor in the fields or refineries allow most workers to halve their effective time, many others, often the worst dregs of Mydida, are recruited into the Company for shady deals that earn them freedom far faster.
Primary characteristic: Mercantile
Secondary characteristics: Exploring, possibly Military. or if campaign is really nautical, Naval.
Enemy groups: The Mazat Pirates, the Argali Navy, the Argali Merchant Princes.
Allied groups: The Empire of Mydida, the Emperor's Choosen, the Justicars and Knights of the City of Mydida, the Porosan Trade League.
Characters:
GM cheatsheet.
Leader, Mr. Ramrez. LN Human Expert 6 with merch skills, diplobluff, etc. out of everywhere.
Lieutenants:
Luther CG Half Orc Barb 4, power attack, greataxe, etc. Surprisingly high INT and CHA. Role: Enforcer, right hand man.
Anya Oilanda CN Human Swashbuckler 4. Role: Ship captain, main explorer.
Random ship captain x: Expert 2
Random sailor: Warrior1/Expert1
Random thugs: Thug 2 to 4.
Random 'workers': Some commoner 1s, A few rogues, experts, etc.
Alignment:
Know Local check of 10: *shrug*
Know Local check of 11-20: Probably not good, fairly neutral. Mention prisoner labor.
Know Local check of 21-25: NE. Cite rumors of thugs let loose on enemies.
Know Local check of 25/The Truth: TN. They're mostly in it for the money, and they are good at keeping their 'employees' on a tight leash.
BTW, I roll knowledge, sense motive, spot/search etc. checks behind the screen. Very good habit to get into.
Secret:
Ramrez is working with the Justicars and Knights of the City of Mydida (secretly LG) to overthrow the Empire of Mydidan (LE) in a coup. The Justicars have been sending the Company political prisoners to train and arm, to which the Company will be adding their own considerable if less honorable forces forces.
Plot hooks for members:
Ship needs fighters for journey.
Prisoners escaped!
Ship arrives in port town where PC's are, needs help dealing with local officials.
Expedition to find legendary continent.
Undercover mission to Pirate Bay.
Disrupt rivals agriculture.
Deliver goods.
The most pertinent advice I seek:
Thoughts on the idea in general?
Thoughts on the ranks and rewards. Too much? Potential abuses?
Equipment discounts. How much, if at all? Should I even bother? Maybe I should make specialized things quest rewards?
Other issues:
PC's building groups! Should totally be an option! How to go about doing it? How to transition to self employment, for instance, might be hard what with the steep penalty for quiting.
PC's don't want to be in group! How to balance/keep them interested?
Oh, and some alternate names for the system/groups would be good.