Greywander
2019-07-27, 04:36 AM
I've been thinking about creating an original system using Fudge as a base, but I'm not fully content to take Fudge as-is. Fudge seems to be a decent enough generic system, but what I'd like to do is find some interesting ways of implementing Fudge dice to make the game more interesting and fun to play. I'd especially like to use it in some way that grants players more choices about how to play the game, for example by choosing to risk more to gain more, expressed through the dice mechanics.
Here's a couple of ideas I've got so far.
Borrowing from D&D 5e's (dis)advantage mechanic, each degree of advantage lets you roll one die (of the standard 4dF) where a [ ] counts as a [+], and each degree of disadvantage lets you roll one die where a [ ] counts as a [-]. This skews your odds more towards success or failure, but without actually changing the minimum or maximum possible values.
Instead of skills simply adding to (or subtracting from) your roll, you add a number of dice where either [-] or [+] count as [ ]. For example, if your skill is Great (+2), then you'd roll two extra dice where a [-] counts as a blank roll, but if you have a Poor (-2) skill, then you roll two extra dice where the [+] counts as nothing. Thus, instead of just giving you a bonus (or penalty), it merely gives you a chance for a bonus (or penalty). We'd need to greatly extend the number of skill ranks, though, in order to keep up, numerically.
This could also be used as an alternative to the advantage/disadvantage system above, i.e. having advantage adds an extra die were [-] counts as [ ], so you have a no risk chance for an extra [+].
Are you feeling lucky? How about giving the choice of replacing one or more standard Fudge dice with a special die where a [+] means +2 instead of +1, but if you get a [ ] it counts as a [-]. Higher risk for higher reward.
Fortunately, these are all things that could be done with standard Fudge dice (although you could get custom dice made specifically to represent these). There are some other things you could do with custom dice, for example the Fudge die with four blank sides and only one each of [+] and [-]. An inverse of this would be the die with no blank sides and three each of [+] and [-]. You could also do dice with more or less sides, although the only benefit I can see for Fudge dice is more finely tuning the probability curve.
What are some other interesting things I might be able to do? What are some different ways I can involve attributes and skills (aside from being flat bonuses)?
Edit: Another idea for skills and other bonuses is to make them go in smaller steps than a simple +1. So for one rank, you'd add a die where a [-] counts as [ ] (1 in 3 chance for +1). For two ranks, a [ ] would also count as [+] (2 in 3 chance for +1). And with three ranks, it would go up to just a flat +1. This would be one way to add a small bonus that is less valuable than a +1, as +1s are worth quite a bit in Fudge.
Here's a couple of ideas I've got so far.
Borrowing from D&D 5e's (dis)advantage mechanic, each degree of advantage lets you roll one die (of the standard 4dF) where a [ ] counts as a [+], and each degree of disadvantage lets you roll one die where a [ ] counts as a [-]. This skews your odds more towards success or failure, but without actually changing the minimum or maximum possible values.
Instead of skills simply adding to (or subtracting from) your roll, you add a number of dice where either [-] or [+] count as [ ]. For example, if your skill is Great (+2), then you'd roll two extra dice where a [-] counts as a blank roll, but if you have a Poor (-2) skill, then you roll two extra dice where the [+] counts as nothing. Thus, instead of just giving you a bonus (or penalty), it merely gives you a chance for a bonus (or penalty). We'd need to greatly extend the number of skill ranks, though, in order to keep up, numerically.
This could also be used as an alternative to the advantage/disadvantage system above, i.e. having advantage adds an extra die were [-] counts as [ ], so you have a no risk chance for an extra [+].
Are you feeling lucky? How about giving the choice of replacing one or more standard Fudge dice with a special die where a [+] means +2 instead of +1, but if you get a [ ] it counts as a [-]. Higher risk for higher reward.
Fortunately, these are all things that could be done with standard Fudge dice (although you could get custom dice made specifically to represent these). There are some other things you could do with custom dice, for example the Fudge die with four blank sides and only one each of [+] and [-]. An inverse of this would be the die with no blank sides and three each of [+] and [-]. You could also do dice with more or less sides, although the only benefit I can see for Fudge dice is more finely tuning the probability curve.
What are some other interesting things I might be able to do? What are some different ways I can involve attributes and skills (aside from being flat bonuses)?
Edit: Another idea for skills and other bonuses is to make them go in smaller steps than a simple +1. So for one rank, you'd add a die where a [-] counts as [ ] (1 in 3 chance for +1). For two ranks, a [ ] would also count as [+] (2 in 3 chance for +1). And with three ranks, it would go up to just a flat +1. This would be one way to add a small bonus that is less valuable than a +1, as +1s are worth quite a bit in Fudge.