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Vknight
2017-05-24, 03:27 AM
So for the better part on and off i have been working on my own RPG.
Not only the system but a setting.

Its been a journey and what, I well and truly need are people to playtest it people willing to run games critique say problems suggest ways to make it better look nicer and all of that.
I am at that point where I really want to start playtesting but am currently running 3 campaigns so just would not do that.
So I turn to the great people of the Playground can you all help.
Help me turn this scramble of text, rules, stats, and gibberish things into a cohesive and playable game.

The World

Petrol/Gasoline(1870)
Modern Artillery(1871)
Maxim Equivalent(1883)
Engines & Turbines(1884)
Diesel Engine(1886)
Dreadnoughts(1906)
The Great War(1908 -to- 1928)
Mounted Machine Guns(1909)
Tanks Prototypes(1910)
Submachine Gun(1912)
Tanks(1913)

Current Year(1941)

History of The World
The World and history there of is much the same too our own. But there are many differences, in both minuet and major differences.
The primary is the fact that certain things developed at a different pace such as cybernetic limbs, firearms and others pieces of technology.
The existence of magic though proven is rare. Magics sway and power on the world is nebulous, it fluctuates and changes with rhythms.
One is not magic or simply learns it when one has magic they are given it. You don’t seek magic it is thrust on you and if you don’t use it’s just as likely to vanish leaving you without it.
This rare bleep a flicker on the peripherals of one's mind for though this magic can make one great it doesn’t make armies.
In this world with the Qualla, the Natureborn, Treeple, Pizkie, Strix, Yawm, and the humble Humans.

If you wish to know more about humans and human cultures look into history and the time frames of the 1940’s-1950’s; for reference of what the many nations are like.
Though with the changes of technology and other things they are more modern in sensibilities, contingent reasoning, relations, and politics. The nature of the 1950’s still very much has sway on what makes this world its own.
Much of the world is reeling still from the Great War and its consequences
Parts of it have been greatly changed. Northern Africa has many spots and areas that are highly dangerous because of Nero and its toxic effects in the area leaving scatter Nero-Victims of both man and animals. Though the nations and its people still live it's far more dangerous with roving bands of Nero infected and many old trails of those who nomadically follow the dunes have tried too adapt. Meanwhile Southern Africa reels and many of its nations are merely the playgrounds of dangerous and powerful warlords with little control over their own men but with an iron grip on the country.
The Mob has a far stronger hold on the North Eastern United States as the hold of prohibition has become a state by state legislation; with 18 States maintaining the old system. These are Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Virginia. The rest of the US still battles for these states to discard this legislature.
Europe is still suffering with most of the main land not doing well economically. France suffers though the reparations from Germany have eased it. Germany has been taken over by a powerful political bloc called the Great Regime who seek to expand the influence and powers of the German people too the 4 corners of the World. Italy is controlled by an ineffectual fascist. Russia is split in two stuck in a war between two powers the Czar and his men vs. a political faction of Communists. Austria-Hungary is no more after the wake of the Great War and neither nation has fully recovered from the devastation with much of its people still being impoverished.
England and the British Empire thrives stronger than ever, some say that the Great War showed the world once more the power of the plucky island nation. Britain is also the seat of the Explorers Guild a collection of people from around the world who take it upon themselves to collect, explore, and catalogue artifacts, scientific discoveries and much more.

Every race has their own specific Racial Only Aptitudes.
Humans must have at least a 1 in all stats

Non-Humans have a group of requirements including taking their associated Physiology Aptitude
Qualla must have at least a 1 in all stats and a 2 in Durability, Qualla must have the Large aptitude.
Nature-Born Females, must have an appearance of 3 or higher, and Good Ears or Eyes. You must have a 2 in Charisma or Control and a 1 in all other stats. Nature-Born cannot have Intelligence or Cognition of 3 or higher at character creation
Nature-Born Males, must have a Somatics of 3 or higher, and the Toughness aptitude. You still must have a 1 in all other stats. Nature-Born cannot have Intelligence or Cognition of 3 or higher at character creation
Yawm, must have a Spirit of 2, and at least 1 in all other stats. Yawm cannot have Charisma of 3 or higher
Pizkie, must take the Short aptitude, they must have 2 Knowledge skills at rank 1, and at least 1 in all other stats. Pizkie cannot have Somantics of 3 or higher during character creation
Strix, must have Reflexes of 3, and Senses 2. Cannot have Durability of 3 or higher during character creation

Human Statistics
Height Range[5’2” to 6’2”] : Weight Range[105 to 195]
Humans have varying skin tones and complexions.
Humans have varying eye colours from Pink to Black
Humans grow hair it comes in many natural colours, and some uses dyes to make there hair more flamboyant
Humans are settled across the planet and have survived because of their tenacity and ability to adapt

Qualla Statistics
Height Range[6’6” to 7’4”] : Weight Range[195 to 390]
Qualla are all reminiscent of a humanoid whale. Most closely resemble the Orca though this is not true across the people and they can resemble other whale species and the humanoid appearance. No matter what
Qualla Culture
The Qualla hold to the ancestors, the world, and nature. They speak reverently of the Mother Whale and Father of Storms the twin ideas of creation.
Qualla are found across the globe often along the coast they are powerful old and wise.
The Qualla as a society and species as a whole have a more neolithic view on relationships. Well the exploration of sex, sexuality is not discouraged sexual activity between partners unable to produce children is seen as wasteful or damaging
Qualla cities or rather cities that racially attach themselves to the Qualla are scattered around the world.
Even in the largest of these and the most densely populated with Qualla they at best make up 60% of the population within.
The doors of a Qualla’s home are open to their brethren any Qualla in need can call upon another borrow tools freely so long as they are returned without much issue or need of discussion. Qualla do not hold this same stance to other races except those who have passed the Wailing Rite
Qualla Culture has dozens of variations and nuances for becoming an adult. Each of these Rites comes in there own myriad of forms but the most commonly known and the only one which non-Qualla can do to be considered one is the Wailing Rite
The Wailing Rite is a treacherous and dangerous task where the would be hunter most prove their mettle against a dangerous and healthy Orca surviving or even slaying the creature with a ritual blade being there only weapon.
Supposedly there are many variants which change the weapon, the requirements for combat or even the targets but the most prestigious is battle with an Orca.
Qualla venerate whales the brethren of the sea, storms and more. As such they work to maintain the whaling populations, nurturing, and protecting whales when need be from over zealous whalers. These Qualla ‘pirates’ are brutal lightning raids on whaling camps showing the powerful strength these people are known for.
Qualla often carve symbolic totems onto the prow of boats, walls and support columns of homes and other vehicles they use, and even into their weapons and armour. These are too tell the story of those who carved them why and the Qualla’s legends. These carvings are a secondary purpose as the Qualla prefer an oral history of the world
Qualla, homes and ships are all uniquely designed for their intended use, and highly customized by their owners. Though not unique Qualla highly value this individuality and free form creation of the places they call home too show their own unique flair to life an expression of themself.
Many Qualla have a simple scarf, or blanket, or shawls which is made in a pattern that was half crafted by a parent and the Qualla finished the knitting of this the intricate patterns a tale of there deeds and family.
*Writers Noted : The Qualla are based on a mixture of Inuit, Swedish and other cultures of Northern regions

Nature-Born Statistics
Height Range[5’2” to 6’] : Weight Range[110 to 195]
Nature-Born are humans reborn or the child of 2 other Nature-Born.
Nature-Born Culture
The Nature-Born have no true culture as they are more of a political block or form small communities without much economic or political power to them
The Natureborn are easily controlled and manipulated because of their lack of any true unification under a culture, or nation, as they can and often do hold radically different views on what it means to be Natureborn, there own internal infighting dangerous too most long term goals.
The Treeple themselves do not possess anything more than a desire to propagate themselves and see the Natureborn as a means to an end for this purpose. Attempting to convince a Natureborn of this much like talking with a brick wall is fruitless, and exhaustive.

Yawm Statistics
Height Range[5’5” to 5’10”] : Weight Range[115 to 175]
Yawm have reds, golds, oranges, in various shades and hues for their hair. With there eyes holding a certain warmth never appearing as blue with it being frequent for them to be gold or red.
Yawm Culture
The Yawm people just sort of have been around walking among others. The sons of Djinn the ones made of fire. These large men and women have powerful existed forever among humans. Yawm are visually distinctive doubly so in their home regions with their blazing hair colours and powerful frames.
The Yawm adopt the cultures and practices of the region they live within.
The Yawm themself all feel warm alive boiling with strength, heat, passion, fire, this love of life and hunger leads into the claim that the Djinn both good and bad. For all this power gifted to them the Yawm find a beauty to it all
Yawm built cities are orderly lacking much modern technology; but incorporating it as needed for improved return. Though these cities are rare they are simple but efficient and beautiful in its simplicity

Pizkie Statistics
Height Range[4’6” to 4’11”] : Weight Range[75 to 125]
Pizkie are described as looking like small humans
Pizkie Culture
Pizkie has the culture of their region much like humans
Pizkie are often also called the wee folk, dwarves, imps, and many other names for small fetish creatures because of their antics. The actions of Pizkie as a race are not the things of legends they have had many important and great figures in their history and

Strix
Height[5’1” to 5’10”] : Weight Range[85 to 155]
Strix have short claws, that can extenda, along with downy feathers along their lower arms. The hair on there head has a downy appearance and feel reminiscent to feathers in some ways.
Strix Culture


The Google Doc I Will Provide The Link To All Who Ask For It

-Edit-
No one? Damn I was really hoping for help from the awesome people of the forum.

2D8HP
2017-05-25, 08:01 AM
I'm confused about the role of non-humans in what looks to be an alternate history dieselpunk setting.

What kind of adventures do you imagine will take place?

Grod_The_Giant
2017-05-25, 08:47 AM
You might ask to move this to the Homebrew forum.

As is... well, there's not much to talk about? Your setting appears to be a basic interwar period (Your description sounds like the '20s, for reference), plus some nebulous mentions of magic and a couple nonhuman races of no clear import. What are you most looking for help with-- setting? mechanics? wording? organization?

Vknight
2017-05-25, 01:27 PM
I'm confused about the role of non-humans in what looks to be an alternate history dieselpunk setting.

What kind of adventures do you imagine will take place?

To answer the reason for the alternate dieselpunk and mixture/inclusion of non-humans we have to go back
-Non Humans/Demi Humans : In General :
(1) It makes the setting more Gonzo
(2) Some people are not comfortable with certain things and having many diverse races helps avoid and avert that
(3) Some subtle nods to things in the political spectrum and other things along with creating a rich tapestry. Unlike the great game Red Markets which is overt about its politics this is much less so

-Qualla : The Reasons :
(1)Whale people are fun interesting and they fit with one of the major fuels being made from whales
(2) I wanted something eye catching and the mental image of a whale person punching out a Killer Whale stuck to me
(3) Trolling a good friend of mine its not a major reason and is more tongue in cheek
(4) I just love the aesthetic but they also have some interesting ideas. Qualla are there own group and people and the proximity to humanity has greatly affected them well making them distinct

-Natureborn : The Reasons :
(1) They are a commentary on something;
(2) They are meant to be weird and came about in an early planning session with my friend Chris, of the Roleplaying Exchange in connection with the idea of Treeple;
(3) Treeple need minion cultists that can identify each other at a glance and most people will not think twice bout but still can tell as they wear it on there sleeves so to say(well some do as its easier to hide webbed feet)
(4) The just feel right too me
(5) Nature themed race and elven ideology intermixed with a certain other type

-Pizkie : The Reasons :
(1) The Natureborn were called Elves for the first 4 months. So Pizkie were dwarves
(2) The techy group and the small folk race
(3) The partie needs someone who can survive this bomb going off and can make 5 or more and laugh. Heck a special ability for them is 'Life is Explosive... If Short' which is very Pizkie. You make the most of life and enjoy it and if its short then so be it have a blast well living it.

-Yawm : The Reasons :
(1) I don't know when or why they kind of showed up
(2) They are sleeping giants, and things just a lot of references to Ifrit and more with them. Also a lot of armour against Fire damage just so much of it and the ability to lit there fists and weapons on fire
(3) More a cool idea and probably the point where I wanted to say magic but how much magic and why. The yawm could probably be removed but they also add an element of whimsy magically but dower seriousness

-Strix : The Reason
(1) More politicking is part of there plan
(2) I had a huge amount of fun coming up with one of there special things which is just a huge blurb of fluff about how they get matching tattoo's when traveling long distances and leave a loved one alone. The tattoo slowly fades out over 1 to 2 years to remind them to return home
(3) Bird-like people seemed a fun concept with the settings mix of grounded and fantastical elements making for a good melting pot that makes the Strix stand out in there own way
(4) I also have the fact the Strix have a thing called Aerial ballet which is one part that and one part martial arts training.

What kind of adventures that is a good question. The answer largely depends on the group
When it is members of the Explorer's traveling the world raiding tombs, helping the Dalai Llama from ninjas, or fighting whale pirates with cybernetic limbs
or
A group of soldiers surviving in the after math of Germany and France the rise in inflation and the threat of pockets of Nero and those infected
or
A group of Natureborn finding Nero infected to destroy and map out all the dangerous areas of Nero in Northern Africa for there masters
or
Criminal types working for Boss Giovanni is handling transport of the good stuff to those states where bans are still in place



You might ask to move this to the Homebrew forum.

As is... well, there's not much to talk about? Your setting appears to be a basic interwar period (Your description sounds like the '20s, for reference), plus some nebulous mentions of magic and a couple nonhuman races of no clear import. What are you most looking for help with-- setting? mechanics? wording? organization?
True it could do under Homebrew but i"m not sure where it should go.
And yes its heavily based on the interwar period it just happened within the setting at a later date.
Magic is meant to be nebulous at best because though I have ideas and they are included in the google doc they don't really have much of a system for it I'm not sure how I want to handle it in many ways. I've worked out some things for the magic in that I like the idea of it being granted you can study it but something needs to show you how to make a fireball
The Non-Human races see above

What I'm looking for is
People Opinions on the setting suggestions on where details should be added. Basically how much of a History lesson do I need to include vs. how much new information
The mechanics need to be playtested and the game needs to be run.
Wording is a given as it wasn't until 1 month ago I noticed several instances of me using Somantics when I meant Somatic considering one isn't an actual word
Yeah organizing the doc could help for example npc stuff is currently super messy but that is just because its a matter of how its been put pen to paper.

Grod_The_Giant
2017-05-25, 02:11 PM
True it could do under Homebrew but i"m not sure where it should go.
And yes its heavily based on the interwar period it just happened within the setting at a later date.
Magic is meant to be nebulous at best because though I have ideas and they are included in the google doc they don't really have much of a system for it I'm not sure how I want to handle it in many ways. I've worked out some things for the magic in that I like the idea of it being granted you can study it but something needs to show you how to make a fireball
The Non-Human races see above

What I'm looking for is
People Opinions on the setting suggestions on where details should be added. Basically how much of a History lesson do I need to include vs. how much new information
The mechanics need to be playtested and the game needs to be run.
Wording is a given as it wasn't until 1 month ago I noticed several instances of me using Somantics when I meant Somatic considering one isn't an actual word
Yeah organizing the doc could help for example npc stuff is currently super messy but that is just because its a matter of how its been put pen to paper.
There's a subforum for worldbuilding, and the main forum for mechanics-- you could probably do one thread in each.
So... I do like the early 20th century as a setting. It's familiar, especially if you're setting it towards WW2-level tech given the masses of media relating to that. The level of detail is kind of dependent on you and your vision-- you can certainly have a small overview, with just a few pages of stuff and the expectation that the GM makes up their own detail, or you could have an entire book-length production. You will, I expect, need at least a bit of a history lesson, focusing mostly on the new elements-- the other races, the magic, and how they affect the world.

We can't do anything about the mechanics if you don't share them. And you definitely need to work out some things for magic before anything gets finalized; I'd expect the exact shape it takes to have a big effect on the world.

Vknight
2017-05-25, 08:05 PM
There's a subforum for worldbuilding, and the main forum for mechanics-- you could probably do one thread in each.
So... I do like the early 20th century as a setting. It's familiar, especially if you're setting it towards WW2-level tech given the masses of media relating to that. The level of detail is kind of dependent on you and your vision-- you can certainly have a small overview, with just a few pages of stuff and the expectation that the GM makes up their own detail, or you could have an entire book-length production. You will, I expect, need at least a bit of a history lesson, focusing mostly on the new elements-- the other races, the magic, and how they affect the world.

We can't do anything about the mechanics if you don't share them. And you definitely need to work out some things for magic before anything gets finalized; I'd expect the exact shape it takes to have a big effect on the world.

Fair and here are the mechanics
So stats and skills go between 1 and 6(wiht certain ways to increase them)
Specializations also work similarily

When you make a roll you roll a die for your stat+skill+specialization = total
You can get modifiers which can apply +1's and things to your die rolls

1 = d4
2 = d6
3 = d8
4 = d10
5 = d12
6 = 2d8
7 = 2d10
8 = 2d12
9 = 3d10
10 = 4d10


Difficulties
Poor[4] : Average[6] : Hard[9] : Perfect[13] : Legendary[20]

There is more and really fair enough I should probably put it here I'll post it up in there as well.
Oh and I'll include more details on stats and skills and things.

Anonymouswizard
2017-05-25, 08:40 PM
I'm confused about the role of non-humans in what looks to be an alternate history dieselpunk setting.

This is a big thing. I used to go crazy, adding nonhuman races to my settings just in case a player wanted to play a whatever. But really, what does the race do that can't be done by humans is always the question to ask.

Qualla: while whale people is a cool image, they don't seem to add anything to the setting beyond that. I like the idea, and if there's enough races with a reason to be there an additional race won't harm it.

Natureborn: being a commentary on something is good, but if you want the game to have a long life bare in mind the commentary might age.

Pizkie: 'we have elves so lets have dwarves' is a very, very bad reason. It's at the point where I'd have thrown it out of the window. High endurance is great, although a thing that I'd hesitate to apply to a race, but I semi-assumed that was a Qualla thing.

Yawm: they seem to have no real reason. Is there nothing here that can't be moved to another race instead?

Strix: is there any real reason beyond 'they're cool and politics'. I mean I like bird people as much as the next person, but there should be a real reason for their existence beyond that.

Beyond that I don't see any problems, have fun making the game!

Vknight
2017-05-25, 09:54 PM
This is a big thing. I used to go crazy, adding nonhuman races to my settings just in case a player wanted to play a whatever. But really, what does the race do that can't be done by humans is always the question to ask.

Qualla: while whale people is a cool image, they don't seem to add anything to the setting beyond that. I like the idea, and if there's enough races with a reason to be there an additional race won't harm it.

Natureborn: being a commentary on something is good, but if you want the game to have a long life bare in mind the commentary might age.

Pizkie: 'we have elves so lets have dwarves' is a very, very bad reason. It's at the point where I'd have thrown it out of the window. High endurance is great, although a thing that I'd hesitate to apply to a race, but I semi-assumed that was a Qualla thing.

Yawm: they seem to have no real reason. Is there nothing here that can't be moved to another race instead?

Strix: is there any real reason beyond 'they're cool and politics'. I mean I like bird people as much as the next person, but there should be a real reason for their existence beyond that.

Beyond that I don't see any problems, have fun making the game!

Qualla : Thanks and they are something I really fun

Natureborn : They work beyond the politics point as also elves and as other things as well

Pizkie : They are not so much as durable as a few of there abilities give them bonus armour vs explosives and being good at the sciences and more. I am trying to figure out some more niche maybe giving them some specific they are good at dieselpunk stuff

Yawm : I agree I am just don't know why and how I wanna go about it

Strix : There is more I just want to expand upon and it fits with a dichotomy of land, sea, and air which also adds to it. Which also fits well humans are land, qualla are sea, and strix are the air.

Also in addition link to the topic start in the Homebrew Section
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?525536-Vknight-Is-Making-An-RPG

meschlum
2017-05-26, 01:28 AM
Fair and here are the mechanics
So stats and skills go between 1 and 6(wiht certain ways to increase them)
Specializations also work similarily

When you make a roll you roll a die for your stat+skill+specialization = total
You can get modifiers which can apply +1's and things to your die rolls

1 = d4
2 = d6
3 = d8
4 = d10
5 = d12
6 = 2d8
7 = 2d10
8 = 2d12
9 = 3d10
10 = 4d10


Difficulties
Poor[4] : Average[6] : Hard[9] : Perfect[13] : Legendary[20]

There is more and really fair enough I should probably put it here I'll post it up in there as well.
Oh and I'll include more details on stats and skills and things.

Time to crunch some math!



Level
Poor
Average
Hard
Perfect
Legendary


1
25%
0%
0%
0%
0%


2
50%
16.7%
0%
0%
0%


3
62.5%
37.5%
0%
0%
0%


4
70%
50%
20%
0%
0%


5
75%
58.3%
33%
0%
0%


6
95.125%
84.375%
56.25%
15.625%
0%


7
97%
90%
72%
36%
1%


8
97.9167%
95.056%
80.56%
54.167%
10.4167%


9
99.9%
99%
94.4%
78%
28.3%


10
100%
99.95%


>50%



Which is a messy table. You don't get any reversals (cases where having a lower score is better than a higher one), but you have a drastic mode change at around 6 - with 5 or less, you're going to fail at a noticeable rate when trying a Poor task, at 6+ you're going to succeed most of the time at them (and moderate tasks make the same shift from 6 to 7).

Someone competent in their area of skill (6) can manage a Hard task more than half the time, which does not necessarily feel hard. Some of it is a matter of definition - what is a Poor task, and what does it mean to be unable to manage an Average task?

When going from 1 to 4, Poor success goes from 25% (uncommon) to 70% (fairly easy, can still fail). Going from 7 to 10, Legendary success goes from 1% (very rare, can happen a few times over the course of a game) to more than 50% (happens more often than not). So increasing your total score has a very different feel depending on what the base numbers are. Since it's a sum, you also have to watch out for efficiencies -attribute 6 and skill 2 is the same thing as attribute 4 and skill 4, or attribute 2 and skill 6. But if it's easier to get one combination, you're going to end up with lots of well trained people with poor native abilities, or lots of folk with innate talent and no training.

Vknight
2017-05-26, 02:40 AM
Time to crunch some math!



Level
Poor
Average
Hard
Perfect
Legendary


1
25%
0%
0%
0%
0%


2
50%
16.7%
0%
0%
0%


3
62.5%
37.5%
0%
0%
0%


4
70%
50%
20%
0%
0%


5
75%
58.3%
33%
0%
0%


6
95.125%
84.375%
56.25%
15.625%
0%


7
97%
90%
72%
36%
1%


8
97.9167%
95.056%
80.56%
54.167%
10.4167%


9
99.9%
99%
94.4%
78%
28.3%


10
100%
99.95%


>50%



Which is a messy table. You don't get any reversals (cases where having a lower score is better than a higher one), but you have a drastic mode change at around 6 - with 5 or less, you're going to fail at a noticeable rate when trying a Poor task, at 6+ you're going to succeed most of the time at them (and moderate tasks make the same shift from 6 to 7).

Someone competent in their area of skill (6) can manage a Hard task more than half the time, which does not necessarily feel hard. Some of it is a matter of definition - what is a Poor task, and what does it mean to be unable to manage an Average task?

When going from 1 to 4, Poor success goes from 25% (uncommon) to 70% (fairly easy, can still fail). Going from 7 to 10, Legendary success goes from 1% (very rare, can happen a few times over the course of a game) to more than 50% (happens more often than not). So increasing your total score has a very different feel depending on what the base numbers are. Since it's a sum, you also have to watch out for efficiencies -attribute 6 and skill 2 is the same thing as attribute 4 and skill 4, or attribute 2 and skill 6. But if it's easier to get one combination, you're going to end up with lots of well trained people with poor native abilities, or lots of folk with innate talent and no training.

Good table one problem

Stat = 4 = 1d8
+
Skill = 3 = 1d6
You roll 1d8+1d6 not 2d10

Though maybe your system could work better hmmmm
And thank you for the help that is a very useful and honest critique

Grod_The_Giant
2017-05-26, 07:10 AM
So your total will typically be somewhere between 2d4 and 4d8, with an average of (presumably) 2d8?

Vknight
2017-05-26, 07:39 AM
So your total will typically be somewhere between 2d4 and 4d8, with an average of (presumably) 2d8?

Correct which is why I'm debating the exact value of Hard, and Average as currently a character with 3 in the stat and 3 in the skill(easily possible in character creation) succeeds on hard checks 50% of the time at the other hand well with just the stat you get those numbers, so it balances.

If you have a max stat and max skill of 6(before you get things that let you increase them further); your best roll is 4d8 and 5d8 if you have a maxed specialization in it.

Grod_The_Giant
2017-05-26, 10:01 AM
Correct which is why I'm debating the exact value of Hard, and Average as currently a character with 3 in the stat and 3 in the skill(easily possible in character creation) succeeds on hard checks 50% of the time at the other hand well with just the stat you get those numbers, so it balances.

If you have a max stat and max skill of 6(before you get things that let you increase them further); your best roll is 4d8 and 5d8 if you have a maxed specialization in it.
I mean, if 3/3 is meant to represent a fairly skilled specialist, that sounds about right to me-- you should be good at what you specialized in, right? But that's also a somewhat subjective measure; it depends on what feel you're trying to capture, among other things.

Vknight
2017-05-26, 10:56 AM
I mean, if 3/3 is meant to represent a fairly skilled specialist, that sounds about right to me-- you should be good at what you specialized in, right? But that's also a somewhat subjective measure; it depends on what feel you're trying to capture, among other things.

I think that works well yes heck the specialist things like npc's are 3/3 with things maybe 4/3 or 3/4 you know

meschlum
2017-05-27, 02:36 AM
Good table one problem

Stat = 4 = 1d8
+
Skill = 3 = 1d6
You roll 1d8+1d6 not 2d10

Though maybe your system could work better hmmmm
And thank you for the help that is a very useful and honest critique

Then I misunderstood your description of the system - "roll a die for your stat+skill+specialization = total" read to me like one die was rolled, not a die for each component.

In this setup, stats and skills are still interchangeable, so you get the same odds with 1/5 as with 5/1. So let's explore a few cases.

Mac McWorst has all stats and skills at 1.
Poor: 91.25% chance of success
Average: 37.5% chance of success
Hard or more: always fail.

So Poor difficulty is going to almost always succeed for anyone, making it less than useful.

Sir Best has all stats and skills at 6.
Poor: 100% chance of success (anyone worse still has a tiny chance of failing)
Average: 99.878% chance of success
Hard: 98.29% chance of success
Perfect: 88.01% chance of success
Legendary: 37.598% chance of success

So the only real challenge is whether a roll is Legendary or not, with occasional bits of poor luck when it's only Hard.

Balanced John has all stats and skills at 4 (John the lesser has them all at 3 instead)
Poor: 97% chance of success (or 95.3%)
Average: 90% chance of success (or 84.375%)
...
See the totals I computed for 7 and 6.

Ivan the Expert has all stats at 2 and all skills at 6 (Brutal Bill has all stats at 5 and all skills at 1)
Poor: 99.74% (or 93.75%)
Average: 98.4% (or 79.167%)
Hard: 86.46% (or 54.167%)
Perfect: 50% (or 20.83%)
Legendary: 2.6% (or 0%)

So a specialist with a score of 6 will be better than a generalist. At lower levels, the specialist is better at Perfect and Legendary tasks and worse at Poor to Average ones compared to someone who tries to develop stat and skill together. This may or may not match the dynamics you want, but it's there.


Overall:

Poor challenges are there to make players sad - they'll pass them most of the time, so it's just a way to add complications if the players are unlucky.

Average challenges quickly become easy to deal with, though there is a non negligible chance of failure when skills and attributes are 4 or less.

An attribute / skill of 6 is a game changer, giving a stronger boost than other increases (which is expected - from 1-5, gaining one point increases the average roll by 1, while 2d8 has an average of 9, which is 2.5 more than the average of 1d12).

Until they get a score of 6, specialists are better at difficult tasks and worse at easier ones, so the decision to specialize or not depends on how common the different difficulties are. If most tasks are average, it's not worth it to be a specialist unless a score of 6 is possible. If most tasks are harder, specialization is the way to go.

Vknight
2017-05-27, 10:13 AM
Then I misunderstood your description of the system - "roll a die for your stat+skill+specialization = total" read to me like one die was rolled, not a die for each component.

In this setup, stats and skills are still interchangeable, so you get the same odds with 1/5 as with 5/1. So let's explore a few cases.

Mac McWorst has all stats and skills at 1.
Poor: 91.25% chance of success
Average: 37.5% chance of success
Hard or more: always fail.

So Poor difficulty is going to almost always succeed for anyone, making it less than useful.

Sir Best has all stats and skills at 6.
Poor: 100% chance of success (anyone worse still has a tiny chance of failing)
Average: 99.878% chance of success
Hard: 98.29% chance of success
Perfect: 88.01% chance of success
Legendary: 37.598% chance of success

So the only real challenge is whether a roll is Legendary or not, with occasional bits of poor luck when it's only Hard.

Balanced John has all stats and skills at 4 (John the lesser has them all at 3 instead)
Poor: 97% chance of success (or 95.3%)
Average: 90% chance of success (or 84.375%)
...
See the totals I computed for 7 and 6.

Ivan the Expert has all stats at 2 and all skills at 6 (Brutal Bill has all stats at 5 and all skills at 1)
Poor: 99.74% (or 93.75%)
Average: 98.4% (or 79.167%)
Hard: 86.46% (or 54.167%)
Perfect: 50% (or 20.83%)
Legendary: 2.6% (or 0%)

So a specialist with a score of 6 will be better than a generalist. At lower levels, the specialist is better at Perfect and Legendary tasks and worse at Poor to Average ones compared to someone who tries to develop stat and skill together. This may or may not match the dynamics you want, but it's there.


Overall:

Poor challenges are there to make players sad - they'll pass them most of the time, so it's just a way to add complications if the players are unlucky.

Average challenges quickly become easy to deal with, though there is a non negligible chance of failure when skills and attributes are 4 or less.

An attribute / skill of 6 is a game changer, giving a stronger boost than other increases (which is expected - from 1-5, gaining one point increases the average roll by 1, while 2d8 has an average of 9, which is 2.5 more than the average of 1d12).

Until they get a score of 6, specialists are better at difficult tasks and worse at easier ones, so the decision to specialize or not depends on how common the different difficulties are. If most tasks are average, it's not worth it to be a specialist unless a score of 6 is possible. If most tasks are harder, specialization is the way to go.

Hmmm yeah that is part of what I'm going with may knock things up 1 more but yeah.
I want poors to be when your unlucky and with bonuses etc plenty of ways to get around that.
The average is a challenge but well most characters are rolling d8+d6 or 2d8 for there preference in combat.
Thanks that is all very helpful with keeping the statistics put together, in a neat and orderly way.

Yeah I can appreciate that its a big difference part of why beyond 6 is not possible without certain features(Qualla's can get one that lets them make Durability and Somatics go above 6 for example), Natureborn it will be 2 difference stats, same with Strix etc. Well humans can make it any 1 stat

I decided after much soul searching to remove the Yawm at this time until such a time I can find a place for them at best they are in passing but won't have anymore work put too them.
I

Vknight
2017-05-31, 04:20 PM
More Information

Building Your Character

Character start with 56 Experience points to spend on increasing your Stats
Stats start at 1
Spirit is different from every other Stat in the game in that it isn’t meant to be rolled most of the time. Spirit lets you add your Spirit Rating +1 to a die roll(so long as it is not a critical failure), you can do this a number of times per session equal to your Spirit Rating.
Example : A character with Spirit 3, can 3 times per session add a +4 to his rolls

Increasing a Stat
1 to 2 : 4 Exp : 4 Exp from 0
2 to 3 : 6 Exp : 10 Exp from 0
3 to 4 : 10 Exp : 20 Exp from 0
4 to 5 : 14 Exp : 34 Exp from 0
5 to 6 : 20 Exp : 54 Exp from 0

Characters start with 25 Experience points to spend on gaining Skills

Increasing a Skill
0 to 1 : 1 Exp : 1 Exp from 0
1 to 2 : 2 Exp : 3 Exp from 0
2 to 3 : 3 Exp : 6 Exp from 0
3 to 4 : 5 Exp : 11 Exp from 0
4 to 5 : 7 Exp : 18 Exp from 0
5 to 6 : 10 Exp : 28 Exp from 0

Characters also start with 50 Experience points to customize their character
Other Increases
Increasing and/or Buying a Specialization
+0 to +1 : 2 Exp : 2 Exp from +0
+1 to +2 : 2 Exp : 4 Exp from +0
+2 to +3 : 3 Exp : 7 Exp from +0

Buying an Aptitude
Every aptitude has a noted cost on it.


Non-Humans have a group of requirements including taking their associated Physiology Aptitude
Qualla must have a 2 in Durability, Qualla must have the Large aptitude.
Nature-Born Females, must have an appearance of 3 or higher, and Good Ears or Eyes. You must have a 2 in Charisma or Control. Nature-Born cannot have Intelligence or Cognition of 3 or higher at character creation
Nature-Born Males, must have a Somatics of 3 or higher, and the Toughness aptitude. Nature-Born cannot have Intelligence or Cognition of 3 or higher at character creation
Pizkie, must take the Short aptitude, they must have 2 Knowledge skills at rank 1. Pizkie cannot have Somatics or Durability of 3 or higher during character creation
Strix, must have Reflexes of 3, and Senses 2. Cannot have Durability of 3 or higher during character creation

Initiative is rolled
Initiative Order is Set

Initiative is Rolled
Reflexes + Senses + The Greater of Perception or Athletics + Spirit
Your roll is your Initiative result. The highest number acts first, and it goes in descending order. A character acts again on their Initiative roll -10, so long as the result is still a positive number. A character can act a third time on their Initiative roll -20, so long as the result is still a positive number.
Example
Arthur rolls a 28 and Jamie roll a 19; and the dangerous sniper they are trying to find rolls a 18
Arthur acts at 28
Jamie acts at 19
The Sniper acts at 18
Arthur acts at 18
Jamie acts at 9
The Sniper acts at 8
Arthur acts at 8
This repeats in the next round with Initiatives being adjusted for any wounds the characters have taken.

Initiative Ties are Broken in the Following Order
1st : Who has yet to act or has had less actions this round goes First
2nd : Who has the Higher Ranks in the Lucky Aptitude goes first
3rd : Who has the Higher Reflexes goes first
4th : Who has the Higher Spirit goes first

Attack Roll
Stat + Skill + Speciality + Misc Bonuses
If this number beats the target's passive defense then you hit.

Damage Roll
Damage + Stat Bonus(Somatics for Melee & Thrown and Senses for Ranged) + Bonuses - Protection
This is the amount of damage the attack inflicts

A Characters Turn
1 Major Action : This is moving, shooting or doing other time intensive actions. Using two weapons 1 in each hand is a Major and 1 Minor Action
2 Minor Actions : This is minor things chambering a single round, peaking around the corner
A Character can convert here major action into 2 additional Minor Actions, but not the other way around

-------------------

Universal Modifiers
Blind Fighting
-4 to -6 penalty
Misfit Weapon Small
-1 penalty
Misfit Weapon Large
-2 penalty
Suffocating
-2 Penalty
Target Huge
+2 bonus
Target Large
+1 bonus
Target Tiny
-4 penalty
Two Handed Weapon Use 1 Handed
-2 penalty
Wound Penalties
-# Wound Modifiers

Melee Combat Modifiers
Charge
+2 to hit but decrease your passive defense by 2
Greater Reach
+1 for having greater reach. If you have 3 greater reach increase this to +2

Ranged Combat Modifiers
Burst Fire 3 Rounds
-1 penalty to hit : +1d6+2 to damage : Consume 3 shots when doing this attack
Burst Fire 5 Rounds
-2 penalty to hit : +1d8+3 damage : Consume 5 shots when doing this attack
Burst Fire 10 Rounds
-3 penalty to hit : +1d10+7 damage : Consume 10 shots when doing this attack
Concealed or in Cover
-3 Penalty
Point-Blank Target
+2 to hit
Moving - Walking
No penalty.
Moving - Running
-2 penalty
Shooting into Melee
-2 penalty
Shooting at Long Range
The Xm listed is the weapons initial range long range is double this. Well shooting at long range take a -3 penalty, and a -1 penalty to damage.

Maneuvers
Aiming
+1 up to a maximum of a +5 for every round spent aiming on the target
Breaking
Can attempt to break a weapon must make a hit that hits the targets Passive Defense +3
Called Shot
You can target various body parts and limbs, depending on the size determines the increase to the targets Passive Defense to hit. Arms/Legs +2 : Head/Hands/Feet +4 : Joints +3 : Eyes +6
Disarm
Can attempt to disarm you both may make a parry check on a success you disarm them
Disorient
You throw sand, knock the target upside the head etc. They take a -2 penalty to attacks and other associated actions for 1 round
Double Attack
You make two attacks with the weapon in 1 hand(if you are dual wielding this means you could make 4 total attacks); take a -1 penalty to the first attack and a -3 penalty to the second attack.
Finishing Move
You do this on a unconscious, knocked down, or unaware target and deal a critical hit with an additional +1 damage
Full Offense
You take a -2 penalty to your passive defense but gain +2 damage
Knockdown
You can knock-down a target with your attack, inflicting half damage. Must declare this before making the attack
Parry
Well Parrying you take a -1 penalty to all rolls, but gain a +2 to your passive defense
Sweep
You strike multiple targets in your melee range for each target take a -1 penalty.
Two Weapons
You can attack with the weapon in your offhand with a -3 penalty
Vicious Blow
You take a -2 penalty to your attack but gain +2 damage(you can do a vicious Full offensive strike)