TheOOB
2011-01-22, 01:22 AM
I'm starting to work on an RPG system of my own, and I figured along the way I'd post some of my ideas up here for some feedback/advice. I think I'm starting off fairly well, but I'm always starved for input.
I have a setting in mind for the system, and I'll go into that in the future, but for now all that is needed to be known is that the system will be a soft sci-fi swashbuckling age of exploration story. For now though, I'd like to share my ideas for the most important part of any system: the dice mechanics.
For this system, I've decided to keep things simple, limit the game to one type of die, in this case a d6 as the die is common, has a fairly small range, and is easy to roll and add together several of them. The rolling system will combine aspects of standard dice systems(D&D) and dice pool systems(White Wolf, AEG, ect). To put it simply, you roll a certain number of 6 sided dice, very rarely more than 5(and usually only 2 or 3), and add a modifier(rarely more than 6 to 8, rarely more than 3 to 4). The resulting total of dice results + modifier is your roll.
How you'll assemble your die roll is where the system is a bit different than other system. Like many systems, your character will have attributes(broad areas of ability usually due to natural talent or experiance), and skills(more narrow areas of ability due to training or practice). Attributes will determine the number of dice you roll, and skills determine the modifier of the roll. So if your combat attribute is 3, and your melee weapons skill is 4, you would roll 3d6+4.
This would create a system where people with a lot of natural talent(ie high attributes) would have a lot of potential, but not very reliable rolls, whereas people who are well trained(ie high skills), will have very reliable rolls but a lower ceiling on their abilities. Of course characters who have both will have the best of both worlds, but that may come at the price of weaknesses elsewhere.
Perhaps another way I am differing from more common systems is the attributes I am planning on using. Rather then working with specific physical and mental qualities like strength or wisdom, I've decided to make the attributes focused on areas of expertise. I'm trying to make a system with less overlap between abilities, but also where it is easier to be good at a certain area of expertise without an overly huge investment. The attributes I have planned are(names subject to change):
Combat - Attacking and defending in personal combat. Also covers tactics and military and group combat organization
Physical - Including running, jumping, swimming, feats of strength, stealth, ect.
Mental - Including knowledge, perception, science & technology, and willpower
Social - Including persuasion, bluffing, disguising, seduction, ect
Resources - Includes money, contacts, resources, allies, ect.
Power - Your ability to control your inherent psychic powers(not all characters have this attribute).
I am considering reworking combat and physical to make one attribute cover most combat pursuits and strength based abilities, and make the other one cover elements of subterfuge(sneaking, stealth, ect). The idea here is that each attribute contains all the skills necessary for a type of profession, though many people(PCs especially) would need more than one. Resources is an attribute in this system because wealth, class, and status are all important elements in the setting, and having a good name and money can be just as useful as a tool as anything else.
Anyways, thoughts? Opinions?
I have a setting in mind for the system, and I'll go into that in the future, but for now all that is needed to be known is that the system will be a soft sci-fi swashbuckling age of exploration story. For now though, I'd like to share my ideas for the most important part of any system: the dice mechanics.
For this system, I've decided to keep things simple, limit the game to one type of die, in this case a d6 as the die is common, has a fairly small range, and is easy to roll and add together several of them. The rolling system will combine aspects of standard dice systems(D&D) and dice pool systems(White Wolf, AEG, ect). To put it simply, you roll a certain number of 6 sided dice, very rarely more than 5(and usually only 2 or 3), and add a modifier(rarely more than 6 to 8, rarely more than 3 to 4). The resulting total of dice results + modifier is your roll.
How you'll assemble your die roll is where the system is a bit different than other system. Like many systems, your character will have attributes(broad areas of ability usually due to natural talent or experiance), and skills(more narrow areas of ability due to training or practice). Attributes will determine the number of dice you roll, and skills determine the modifier of the roll. So if your combat attribute is 3, and your melee weapons skill is 4, you would roll 3d6+4.
This would create a system where people with a lot of natural talent(ie high attributes) would have a lot of potential, but not very reliable rolls, whereas people who are well trained(ie high skills), will have very reliable rolls but a lower ceiling on their abilities. Of course characters who have both will have the best of both worlds, but that may come at the price of weaknesses elsewhere.
Perhaps another way I am differing from more common systems is the attributes I am planning on using. Rather then working with specific physical and mental qualities like strength or wisdom, I've decided to make the attributes focused on areas of expertise. I'm trying to make a system with less overlap between abilities, but also where it is easier to be good at a certain area of expertise without an overly huge investment. The attributes I have planned are(names subject to change):
Combat - Attacking and defending in personal combat. Also covers tactics and military and group combat organization
Physical - Including running, jumping, swimming, feats of strength, stealth, ect.
Mental - Including knowledge, perception, science & technology, and willpower
Social - Including persuasion, bluffing, disguising, seduction, ect
Resources - Includes money, contacts, resources, allies, ect.
Power - Your ability to control your inherent psychic powers(not all characters have this attribute).
I am considering reworking combat and physical to make one attribute cover most combat pursuits and strength based abilities, and make the other one cover elements of subterfuge(sneaking, stealth, ect). The idea here is that each attribute contains all the skills necessary for a type of profession, though many people(PCs especially) would need more than one. Resources is an attribute in this system because wealth, class, and status are all important elements in the setting, and having a good name and money can be just as useful as a tool as anything else.
Anyways, thoughts? Opinions?