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View Full Version : Original System First attempt at building a system [PEACH]



Strormer
2015-07-11, 01:00 AM
Good evening, playgrounders!

So, to make a very long backstory short, I'm growing weary of the systems that I've been playing (mostly PF/3.5) and rather than reteach myself another system that I haven't used in a while, or a new one altogether, I thought I'd try to flex my creativity a bit and see what I could build up on my own. Wanting to deviate from d20, I've decided to try my hand at a d6 variant. Now, up to this point, my only experience with d6 based systems has been a very loose introduction to Green Ronin's AGE system (via Dragon Age and watching Titansgrave on YouTube). Outside of AGE, my influences, I think, are fairly obvious, but I've played a lot of d20, some WoD d10 stuff, and the old Serenity Cortex system.

My questions are really just these two:
1. Is this concept too similar to an existing system out there and, if so, which one?
2. Does this (admittedly very rough) concept even seem like a workable base for a system? I have this gnawing feeling about the difficulties getting convoluted quickly (with how large the numbers can get), but perhaps I'm just being too cautious.

Anyway, here's the very basic thing (I apologize for odd grammar, this is just to get the idea written down.)
Players have stats marked between 0 and 6
0 equates absolute failure in a stat, for example, an Int 0 character is a vegetable, a Str 0 character is incapable of exerting bodily force.
6 is the pinnacle of possible achievement on the physical plane. Only divine beings may have stats beyond 6, and those are marked as X, for example, a divine of knowledge would have Int X which would represent omniscience.
These numbers equate to d6 (d2x6) rolls. A character with a Str 2 would roll 2d6 to determine success in an action.
Stats are determined at character creation and can never be improved beyond these limits short of divine intervention. Stats may, however, be temporarily improved or diminished.
Stats: Strength (Str), Agility (Agi), Stamina (Sta), Intellect (Int), Charm (Cha), Focus (Foc), and Luck (Luc). [Luck is a special Stat which has no associated skills. Luck may be substituted for another stat on any roll where the character has no applicable bonus (skills, advantageous situation, etc.)]

Skills represent a static + number which is added to a roll provided by a stat.
For example, our character from above with a Str 2 and a Climb +3 would roll 2d6+3 when attempting to determine the success or failure of the roll.
Skills may not exceed a score of 10. At 10, skills may take on a “specialization.” Spec skills add an additional 1 to any roll which they influence and can only be gained by the character seeking a master’s instruction. No skill may have more than one Spec skill (unless a gift allows it).

Difficulty is the target number which must be reached or exceeded by the player’s roll in order to achieve the desired result.
If a difficulty is less than or equal to the character’s Stat # plus Skill number, then that action is an automatic success and no roll is required. In our example above, if the climb the character is attempting is a Diff 5, then the Str 2 and Climb 3 would mean that the character automatically succeeds without rolling.
If a difficulty is higher than the characters maximum roll, then that action is impossible for that character’s skill level. In our example, if the climb the character is attempting is a Diff 16, then the climb is simply not possible for that character.
Difficulties range from 1 (practically impossible to fail outside catatonia) to 50 (grand master level). Some difficulties are determined by an opposed roll (such as defending against a sword).

Purchasing stats, at creation, and skills, at creation or later via experience, are point-buy systems with associated costs being calculated via exponential growth. That is, the higher the stats/skills the character already possesses, the more expensive the next improvement to be bought. These costs calculate off of the total number of stat/skill points as well, not just the points spent on the skill that is to be improved, meaning that maxing out your archery skill makes picking up the basics of dance more expensive.
The same pool of points is used to purchase stats, skills, gifts, proficiencies, and health.

Gifts are special abilities which allow the character to perform special actions, alter their abilities, and generally do extraordinary things which require specialized training.

Proficiencies represent tools which the character has learned how to use. This could be everything from knowing how to use carpenter’s tools effectively to knowing how to properly wield an arming sword.

Health. It’s what you need to live. The red bar on the hud. I’m not explaining this part. Highly limited resource, with wounds being far more deadly in this system than in some others.


A HUGE thanks in advance for any and all input. I know people post this kinda stuff all the time and I really just want to make sure I have a good direction to move in before I start putting in all the time-consuming work to make this thing real. So yeah, thanks!