Talon Sky
2013-02-11, 09:20 AM
Title basically says it; I've been working on a role playing system for an Avatar: The Last Airbender style game. It's been bumbling around in my head, and I'd like some feedback as I progressively get it written down.
The essential concepts are borrowed from D&D 3.5 and the Star Wars Saga game. All the bending arts are treated as skill checks: you determine what you want to do with your bending, I set a DC, and you roll for it. As you level up, characters will learn 'Bending Styles', which will essentially determine what DCs are considered 'freebees'.
For example, a level 1 Firebender can add flame to a martial attack for free, as well as extend the fire damage (not the damage of his martial attack, however) 5 feet out for free. Basic Firebending. For every 5 feet he wishes to add on to the extended attack, it's a stacking DC of 5: to shoot fire 10 feet out, it's a DC 5 Firebending check. A level 1 character will have an excellent shot at getting that, maybe even out to 15 feet, but there will be a chance of failure.
Then, at level 3, when he learns his first Bending Art, the range of his fire attack will automatically be able to extend out 10 feet.
A little more obscure, say said Firebender wishes to create a fireball in a 2x2 square and fire it 15 feet. At level 1, the DC to make said fireball would be....I dunno, 10. And then an additional 10 for the range. At a DC 20, that would be difficult to do at the lower levels, and almost trivial....and maybe simply free....at mid-to-higher levels.
Blocking enemy attacks with your own element would run a similar concept, like countering the Force with the Force in Star Wars Saga. A Waterbender attacks our Firebender with an extended attack. She makes her skill check and rolls the attack roll. If our Firebender wants to use fire to block, he needs to roll a Firebending skill check and match or best her attack roll. But here's the kicker: characters can only block a number of attacks per round equal to half their class levels; at level 1, our Firebender's simply not proficient enough to block enemy attacks. At level 2 he's got the concept down but is still mastering it; but level 10, he can block 5 attacks from one or multiple enemies at once and has a fairly solid defense.
There will be more soon, but thoughts?
The essential concepts are borrowed from D&D 3.5 and the Star Wars Saga game. All the bending arts are treated as skill checks: you determine what you want to do with your bending, I set a DC, and you roll for it. As you level up, characters will learn 'Bending Styles', which will essentially determine what DCs are considered 'freebees'.
For example, a level 1 Firebender can add flame to a martial attack for free, as well as extend the fire damage (not the damage of his martial attack, however) 5 feet out for free. Basic Firebending. For every 5 feet he wishes to add on to the extended attack, it's a stacking DC of 5: to shoot fire 10 feet out, it's a DC 5 Firebending check. A level 1 character will have an excellent shot at getting that, maybe even out to 15 feet, but there will be a chance of failure.
Then, at level 3, when he learns his first Bending Art, the range of his fire attack will automatically be able to extend out 10 feet.
A little more obscure, say said Firebender wishes to create a fireball in a 2x2 square and fire it 15 feet. At level 1, the DC to make said fireball would be....I dunno, 10. And then an additional 10 for the range. At a DC 20, that would be difficult to do at the lower levels, and almost trivial....and maybe simply free....at mid-to-higher levels.
Blocking enemy attacks with your own element would run a similar concept, like countering the Force with the Force in Star Wars Saga. A Waterbender attacks our Firebender with an extended attack. She makes her skill check and rolls the attack roll. If our Firebender wants to use fire to block, he needs to roll a Firebending skill check and match or best her attack roll. But here's the kicker: characters can only block a number of attacks per round equal to half their class levels; at level 1, our Firebender's simply not proficient enough to block enemy attacks. At level 2 he's got the concept down but is still mastering it; but level 10, he can block 5 attacks from one or multiple enemies at once and has a fairly solid defense.
There will be more soon, but thoughts?