NWoD With A Medieval Twist

[Wargor]

Hey all.

As the thread title implies, I'm trying to modify the basic New World of Darkness rules slightly to work for a campaign set in Medieval times. Now, the rules themselves will work just fine for the most part, the real problem I have is some of the skills, such as Computers and maybe Science.

Computers I'd considered changing for Religion, but I wasn't sure if this would actually turn out to be useful. Science, well it could be left in I suppose, but I'm not really sure about it. Firearms I'm just going to swap for Ranged weapons, and Drive I might change to Pilot perhaps (so it can cover both horses and carriages and such).

I was just hoping some of you might either have some experience with this, or might have some useful ideas to contribute.

Thanks in advance. :smallsmile:

[The Rose Dragon]

Do you have Mirrors? It gives some help in creating lower tech games.

If that fails, I'm sure the Requiem for Rome also has similar rules.

[Wargor]

The only books I have access to at the moment are the main core rulebook and the core books for each of the sub-games.

[The Rose Dragon]

Well, buy the Mirrors book if you can afford it, then. It should be helpful with that, plus tons of other things.

[Wargor]

Hmm, ok, thanks for the advice.

EDIT: Anyone else got any ideas?

[ThunderCat]

If you have access to any oWoD dark ages books that could be a help. The 2002 edition includes archery, hearth wisdom (basically folk lore and practical knowledge), ride, seneschal (administering holdings), and theology.

[Wargor]

Ahh, thanks, I may steal some of those then. My biggest conundrum really is what to replace Computers and Science with. I suppose science could be replaced with herbalism maybe? But I'd rather keep it as realistic as I can. Hmm.

[The Glyphstone]

I think Requiem for Rome replaces Computers with Religion and Science with War, but I'm not certain.

[Doran]

Science = Alchemy perhaps? Basically science in the 2300s, so some chemistry etc.

As for computers, mathematics/accounting/scribing instead?

[Wargor]

War? That could work actually, I've got someone interested in playing a Knight so using it for tactics and things like that could be useful. Seems like I might need to get that book. Do you know a general idea of what the skill covered in game terms? Both of them actually? And I was trying to stay away from alchemy but it's a possibility, both of those are actually.

[Callista]

How about replacing Science with something like Architecture? Knowing how a building is put together can be surprisingly useful; and in the late middle ages and definitely in the Renaissance they were beginning to use some pretty advanced techniques.

As for religion: Yes. Absolutely a useful skill. Huge part of life back then and lots of things were based around it.

[Wargor]

I think I'll definitely use Religion, but I'm not sure exactly what it should exactly cover game wise. Any ideas? Architecture could work too, but that also could just come under Academics as a Specialisation. Hmm, I'm still unsure.

[The Rose Dragon]

As for religion: Yes. Absolutely a useful skill. Huge part of life back then and lots of things were based around it.

Religion is not really a skill, it's an organization. Theology is a better skill name.

[Wargor]

Either one make sense really, it's more the application of the skill I'm unsure of now. What sort of things do you think it should be used for?

[The Glyphstone]

Religion is not really a skill, it's an organization. Theology is a better skill name.

Science isn't really a skill either*, but an activity/body of knowledge.




*Except Girl Genius. Sparks are happy to "Do science to you!"

[The Rose Dragon]

According to Mirrors, you can use it to impersonate clergy and perform proper rites (some of which, at the ST's discretion, might even have actual supernatural effects!), as well as know academic facts forbidden to the layman.


Science isn't really a skill either*, but an activity/body of knowledge.

Technically, it is none of them, but a method of learning and analysis. :smalltongue:

[Wargor]

Perfect, that's given me some good ideas. Right, Theology is set instead of Computers then. Just need a definite replacement for Science.

[The Rose Dragon]

Perfect, that's given me some good ideas. Right, Theology is set instead of Computers then. Just need a definite replacement for Science.

Warfare is the replacement for Science or Computers (the other one is replaced by Religion). It allows you to, well, know about warfare. Also lead troops tactically.

[Wargor]

Hmm, yeah I might just go with that, especially if we have a Knight who might eventually want to orchestrate some large scale battles.

[The Rose Dragon]

Also, Firearms is replaced by Archery while Drive is replaced by Ride. Everything else stays the same.

[Wargor]

That sounds about right, though I might make it Ranged Weapons and Pilot, as that more easily includes Crossbows and Wagons/Carriages and the like.

[The Rose Dragon]

That sounds about right, though I might make it Ranged Weapons and Pilot, as that more easily includes Crossbows and Wagons/Carriages and the like.

Archery works with crossbows, since they are archery weapons. But if you name it Ranged Weapons, not only is it unwieldy and ugly, but it will also steal thrown weapons from Athletics in addition to bows. Also, if you name it Pilot, someone will expect to fly a ship somewhere.

((You use Animal Ken for vehicles pulled by animals, by the way.))

[Wargor]

Ah that's true about the thrown weapons, I hadn't considered that. Archery is probably fine then. I didn't know that about Animal Ken, that's a little...odd, but makes sense in a way. In that case I'll leave it as ride. Thanks for the help people. :smallsmile:

[Fox Box Socks]

A few factions and "races" don't chronologically exist in a medieval setting. The Carthian Movement, the Iron Masters, the Wretched, and a number of Legacies are all fairly recent inventions and ideas, so they should be absent.

Also, if you have any Sin-Eaters, I'm not sure how the Industrial Key should function in a medieval society.

[Wargor]

To be honest, I'm going to keep it much simpler than that and not bother with many of the as presented organisations and such. I'll make some where appropriate and just give everything my own flavour. I'm going to have them start as mortals in any case.

[MightyPirate]

You may want to edit the Athletics skill somewhat if you're replacing Firearms with Ranged Weapons or Archery. If I'm recalling correctly Athletics covers not only thrown weapons (as The Rose Dragon pointed out) but also bows (not crossbows). You can actually use either skill (Firearms or Athletics) for bows.

My thought process on this is just that Firearms loses a fair bit of versatility as a skill going to simply Archery. It should at least be the only skill that allows the use of such weapons if you want someone to take the skill for any reason other that "I want a crossbow." Athletics is already an immensely versatile skill and it should still be balanced even without bows.

[SurlySeraph]

Also, if you have any Sin-Eaters, I'm not sure how the Industrial Key should function in a medieval society.

Awesomely. You can merge crossbows into your hands. Or merge your body into a tower's crennelations. And the archaeotech thing means you get bonuses for interacting with old Greco-Roman roads and pottery and aqueducts, and penalties for interacting with that newfangled Gothic architecture and wine presses.

[Wargor]

Another slight problem that I've got is how to handle resources. In modern day it works fine with bank accounts and credit cards. Back in these kind of times though, it doesn't work so well. A monetary system could work, but I just wanted to see some opinions first before I decided.

[Fox Box Socks]

Awesomely. You can merge crossbows into your hands. Or merge your body into a tower's crennelations. And the archaeotech thing means you get bonuses for interacting with old Greco-Roman roads and pottery and aqueducts, and penalties for interacting with that newfangled Gothic architecture and wine presses.
I know the Industrial Caul gets a lot of flack for letting you merge with a semi truck to become Optimus Prime, but for some reason I really like the idea of being able to merge with a goddamn church.