The Fury
2018-01-20, 01:30 AM
I've been kicking around ideas in this vein for a while, and I was hoping for some feedback. I've been working on a comic for a friend that takes place in a fantasy RPG universe and I've been sort of coy on specifics. Though things like character classes and experience points are stated to exist. So what I've been trying to do is come up with a unique RPG system as something of a background element. It's possible that I'm way over-thinking this, I'll admit.
Mainly I wanted something functional but easy to understand quickly. Character stats work like this:
Intelligence
Strength
Guts
Each of the stats is on a scale of 1-10. "1" being awful, "5" being average, "10" being exceptional. Outliers also exist, such as people that have stats as high as 12, but those would be considered superhuman.
I imagine that hit points would be a function of Strength and Guts. Just for the sake of keeping it simple, probably either multiplying or adding them together. I think the deciding factor for which would be how damage is calculated.
Similarly, I imagine a characters resistance to mental control or fear would be a function of Intelligence and Guts.
Advancement Points would be awarded at each character level. I'm think that they can be saved but only spent whenever a character gains a new level.
Spellcasting works differently depending on what class of caster you're playing. For a wizard, "casting" is a little bit more like item-crafting. Basically, you craft a tool that has the desired magical effect. For example, a shield that can be levitated and can be directed at will, a harmonica that allows you to teleport and such. I'm thinking that the Advancement Points spent on magic might be the determining factor for how many magical effects a wizard can know, while Character Level might be the determining factor of how potent a spell is, (how many shields can you levitate, what kind of range your teleport has, and so on.)
A Warlock uses a different form of magic. There are three different types:
Frostflame Warlocks can use their right hand to produce heat and fire, and their left to produce intense cold.
Lightninghand Warlocks can generate electricity, their right hand acting as a positive terminal, and their left being the negative.
Brightshadow Warlocks can generate light with their right hand and darkness with their left.
I imagine that the range and potency of Warlock abilities would be affected by either Character Level or Advancement Points, I'm still not quite sure how I'd break it down. A low-level Warlock would need to be close enough to touch a would-be target in order to use their powers, a higher level one might be able to target something from across the room.
Combat skills are something I'm sure that Advancement Points can be spent on. I imagine that Character Classes like Knight would have access to most of them, including but not limited to:
Swords, Shields, Polearms, Fisticuffs, Axes, Clubs, and Bows
Aside from the obvious, (if you have points in that skill, you can use that weapon,) I'm thinking that the number of Advancement Points spent would play a part in calculating the weapon damage, (probably a function of Advancement Points in Skill, Weapon Value and Strength.) Again, for the purpose of keeping things easy to understand, maybe just adding them together.
Crafting Skills are something else that Advancement Points can be spent on. I'm thinking that not all Character Classes will have access to all crafting skills. I still haven't hashed out much in Character Class specifics, so I'll come back to that one. Beyond the general "making stuff" skills, Potions specifically are a Crafting Skill as well.
Potions work as very short-term status buffs. The names effects and flavors of some of them:
Spring Elixir: Allows drinker to jump high, tastes like licorice.
Snooze Booze: Induces sleep, tastes like cough syrup.
Strong Sauce: Makes drinker much stronger, (+5 Strength,) tastes like chile salsa.
Night Vision Fizz: Allows drinker to see in the dark, tastes like carrots and is fizzy.
Warp Water: Causes drinker to teleport a random direction and random distance, tastes like sweaty feet and is somewhat oily in consistency.
Ygdrassil Draught: Cures disease, tastes piney.
Fin Gin: Turns drinker into a mer-person temporarily, tastes salty.
Speed Mead: Makes drinker fast and energetic, tastes like sugary coffee.
So that's what I have for right now. It's admittedly not yet close to a workable system, and it's a little too obvious that I've never tried to make anything like this. Anyway, thoughts? Feedback?
Mainly I wanted something functional but easy to understand quickly. Character stats work like this:
Intelligence
Strength
Guts
Each of the stats is on a scale of 1-10. "1" being awful, "5" being average, "10" being exceptional. Outliers also exist, such as people that have stats as high as 12, but those would be considered superhuman.
I imagine that hit points would be a function of Strength and Guts. Just for the sake of keeping it simple, probably either multiplying or adding them together. I think the deciding factor for which would be how damage is calculated.
Similarly, I imagine a characters resistance to mental control or fear would be a function of Intelligence and Guts.
Advancement Points would be awarded at each character level. I'm think that they can be saved but only spent whenever a character gains a new level.
Spellcasting works differently depending on what class of caster you're playing. For a wizard, "casting" is a little bit more like item-crafting. Basically, you craft a tool that has the desired magical effect. For example, a shield that can be levitated and can be directed at will, a harmonica that allows you to teleport and such. I'm thinking that the Advancement Points spent on magic might be the determining factor for how many magical effects a wizard can know, while Character Level might be the determining factor of how potent a spell is, (how many shields can you levitate, what kind of range your teleport has, and so on.)
A Warlock uses a different form of magic. There are three different types:
Frostflame Warlocks can use their right hand to produce heat and fire, and their left to produce intense cold.
Lightninghand Warlocks can generate electricity, their right hand acting as a positive terminal, and their left being the negative.
Brightshadow Warlocks can generate light with their right hand and darkness with their left.
I imagine that the range and potency of Warlock abilities would be affected by either Character Level or Advancement Points, I'm still not quite sure how I'd break it down. A low-level Warlock would need to be close enough to touch a would-be target in order to use their powers, a higher level one might be able to target something from across the room.
Combat skills are something I'm sure that Advancement Points can be spent on. I imagine that Character Classes like Knight would have access to most of them, including but not limited to:
Swords, Shields, Polearms, Fisticuffs, Axes, Clubs, and Bows
Aside from the obvious, (if you have points in that skill, you can use that weapon,) I'm thinking that the number of Advancement Points spent would play a part in calculating the weapon damage, (probably a function of Advancement Points in Skill, Weapon Value and Strength.) Again, for the purpose of keeping things easy to understand, maybe just adding them together.
Crafting Skills are something else that Advancement Points can be spent on. I'm thinking that not all Character Classes will have access to all crafting skills. I still haven't hashed out much in Character Class specifics, so I'll come back to that one. Beyond the general "making stuff" skills, Potions specifically are a Crafting Skill as well.
Potions work as very short-term status buffs. The names effects and flavors of some of them:
Spring Elixir: Allows drinker to jump high, tastes like licorice.
Snooze Booze: Induces sleep, tastes like cough syrup.
Strong Sauce: Makes drinker much stronger, (+5 Strength,) tastes like chile salsa.
Night Vision Fizz: Allows drinker to see in the dark, tastes like carrots and is fizzy.
Warp Water: Causes drinker to teleport a random direction and random distance, tastes like sweaty feet and is somewhat oily in consistency.
Ygdrassil Draught: Cures disease, tastes piney.
Fin Gin: Turns drinker into a mer-person temporarily, tastes salty.
Speed Mead: Makes drinker fast and energetic, tastes like sugary coffee.
So that's what I have for right now. It's admittedly not yet close to a workable system, and it's a little too obvious that I've never tried to make anything like this. Anyway, thoughts? Feedback?