Zman
2019-09-18, 08:45 PM
What is Blood, Steel, and Fire?
Blood, Steel, and Fire is a fantasy role-playing game aimed at capturing a grittier, harder, more real take on heroism. Heroes in Blood, Steel, and Fire are real, mortal men and women made of flesh and blood and bone. Some will possess fantastic powers, summoning the elements to do their bidding, harnessing the powers of their mind, exhibiting feats of supernatural physicality, and even commanding the fates finding themselves the arbiters over life and death. Others will have naught but steel between them and the horrible monstrosities lurking in a dark and unforgiving world. But all heroes have one thing in common, they’ll bleed.
Background
I've been modding and tweaking and rewriting RPGs since I started playing them. This is the natural culmination of that work. I decided that instead of modding systems that didn't fit what I was looking for, I'd start from the ground up and build my own. It has been a ton of fun and the process has come a long way, long enough that it has reached the point where I need extra eyes and am ready for some input from others. My goals are to publish it in the next year or so and it still has a long way to go. In addition to this thread looking for feedback, I'll be running a Playtest Arena which should go up in the very near future. So, I'm looking for any feedback people are willing to give and I'm looking for anyone who is willing to do some play-testing. The Arena will take two characters built at level 1 to challenge it. They'll die, and when they do they get advanced to level 5, then 10, then 20 to see how far they get and how the challenges play out. Anyone that chooses to help will be thanked in a dedication as a playtester etc. Arena Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?598399-Arena-with-Map-Solo-Duo-Welcome-to-the-Arena(Blood-Steel-and-Fire-RPG-Playtest))
Blood, Steel, and Fire V0.90 (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1YHgcYoz5vOveiSZ0AORtS1bCZ2sQqSXd)
Blood, Steel, and Fire Character Sheet V0.90(PDF) (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1dQ86tyBGPliK0FBg6dF2ZypX01JgXBnY)
Updateable Google Sheets character sheets (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1VZgII48EY6MTLMLsQjZMYg4eHJFDkui-Yez3i-jJxbo)
Sample Level 10 Character- Zaavariel(Made in V.85) (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1XJRHnwIZO8bZMqCY_0l86G2Jqdmnx3eKyCZOM2Hbn Qg)
Mechanical Features
Classless- There are no classes. The entire system revolves around spending character points to purchase Abilities, Traits/Flaws, Feats, and Powers. You even spend Character Points on more HP and Skill Points. Abilities etc followed an escalating costs curve, essentially higher ranks in abilities cost more per rank than lower ones. The entire system is built around balanced opportunity cost.
Bound- The system is bound. Numbers always mean something, though characters scale in power an appreciable amount, numbers for Defense, Attack, Damage etc are always bound to a meaningful scale.
Wound Point/Hero Point System- Characters possess both Wound and Hero Points. Wounds Points represent bodily harm and armor can potentially prevent it. Hero Points represent a characters plot armor and armor can add a small resistance to it. Criticals bypass Hero Points and are negated by Luck saves. If Wound Point damage from a single attack bypasses a threshold characters take Wounds that can last for a number of days.
Micro-Leveling- Characters level often, essentially once every session from levels 1-50. Leveling is easy, character earn more CPs which they spend on whatever they wish.
Advanced Advantage/Disadvantage System- BSF makes extensive use of Advantage and Disadvantage using it to eliminate many cumbersome modifiers. Advantage and Disadvantage are additive and subtraction to Double Advantage and Double Disadvantage.
Proficiency Gates- Skills and Checks make extensive use of Proficiency Gates. It isn't enough to merely have a high enough skill modifier or to roll well, most Skill checks will have a required proficiency for success. An Expert lockpick will never pick a Master Lock.
Passive Checks- Some checks, namely Perception(Listen and Spot) and Insight never need to be rolled and are always used in their Passive form with possibilities to create Advantages and Disadvantages. This is designed to greatly speed up play and reduce numerous cumbersome checks and awkward situations ie Stealth and Perception. No more asking for a roll to let someone know there is a trap present.
3 Action System- BSF uses a 3 Action system. It might be more accurate to say it uses a six half action system as some actions and reactions cost a half action. Steps, Drawing Weapons, Raising Shields, etc are quick and only take a half action to complete. In play it plays quickly and allows characters to to be very mobile and tactical.
Flexible and Scaling Spells- Spells, known as Manifestations, are all scaling and dependent on the amount of power used. Essentially every spell can be cast using additional actions and upscaled with additional power.
Wealth and Currency System- BSF uses a Wealth and Currency system. Essentially all day to day expenses such as food and lodging are accessible if the character has a high enough wealth score. Character's possess currency that is earned each level based on their wealth and is used for purchasing equipment. Outside of notable loot, this represents the bulk of a characters finances.
Blood Steel and Fire V0.90 (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1YHgcYoz5vOveiSZ0AORtS1bCZ2sQqSXd)
Blood Steel and Fire Character Sheet V0.90 (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1dQ86tyBGPliK0FBg6dF2ZypX01JgXBnY)
Blood, Steel, and Fire is a fantasy role-playing game aimed at capturing a grittier, harder, more real take on heroism. Heroes in Blood, Steel, and Fire are real, mortal men and women made of flesh and blood and bone. Some will possess fantastic powers, summoning the elements to do their bidding, harnessing the powers of their mind, exhibiting feats of supernatural physicality, and even commanding the fates finding themselves the arbiters over life and death. Others will have naught but steel between them and the horrible monstrosities lurking in a dark and unforgiving world. But all heroes have one thing in common, they’ll bleed.
Background
I've been modding and tweaking and rewriting RPGs since I started playing them. This is the natural culmination of that work. I decided that instead of modding systems that didn't fit what I was looking for, I'd start from the ground up and build my own. It has been a ton of fun and the process has come a long way, long enough that it has reached the point where I need extra eyes and am ready for some input from others. My goals are to publish it in the next year or so and it still has a long way to go. In addition to this thread looking for feedback, I'll be running a Playtest Arena which should go up in the very near future. So, I'm looking for any feedback people are willing to give and I'm looking for anyone who is willing to do some play-testing. The Arena will take two characters built at level 1 to challenge it. They'll die, and when they do they get advanced to level 5, then 10, then 20 to see how far they get and how the challenges play out. Anyone that chooses to help will be thanked in a dedication as a playtester etc. Arena Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?598399-Arena-with-Map-Solo-Duo-Welcome-to-the-Arena(Blood-Steel-and-Fire-RPG-Playtest))
Blood, Steel, and Fire V0.90 (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1YHgcYoz5vOveiSZ0AORtS1bCZ2sQqSXd)
Blood, Steel, and Fire Character Sheet V0.90(PDF) (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1dQ86tyBGPliK0FBg6dF2ZypX01JgXBnY)
Updateable Google Sheets character sheets (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1VZgII48EY6MTLMLsQjZMYg4eHJFDkui-Yez3i-jJxbo)
Sample Level 10 Character- Zaavariel(Made in V.85) (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1XJRHnwIZO8bZMqCY_0l86G2Jqdmnx3eKyCZOM2Hbn Qg)
Mechanical Features
Classless- There are no classes. The entire system revolves around spending character points to purchase Abilities, Traits/Flaws, Feats, and Powers. You even spend Character Points on more HP and Skill Points. Abilities etc followed an escalating costs curve, essentially higher ranks in abilities cost more per rank than lower ones. The entire system is built around balanced opportunity cost.
Bound- The system is bound. Numbers always mean something, though characters scale in power an appreciable amount, numbers for Defense, Attack, Damage etc are always bound to a meaningful scale.
Wound Point/Hero Point System- Characters possess both Wound and Hero Points. Wounds Points represent bodily harm and armor can potentially prevent it. Hero Points represent a characters plot armor and armor can add a small resistance to it. Criticals bypass Hero Points and are negated by Luck saves. If Wound Point damage from a single attack bypasses a threshold characters take Wounds that can last for a number of days.
Micro-Leveling- Characters level often, essentially once every session from levels 1-50. Leveling is easy, character earn more CPs which they spend on whatever they wish.
Advanced Advantage/Disadvantage System- BSF makes extensive use of Advantage and Disadvantage using it to eliminate many cumbersome modifiers. Advantage and Disadvantage are additive and subtraction to Double Advantage and Double Disadvantage.
Proficiency Gates- Skills and Checks make extensive use of Proficiency Gates. It isn't enough to merely have a high enough skill modifier or to roll well, most Skill checks will have a required proficiency for success. An Expert lockpick will never pick a Master Lock.
Passive Checks- Some checks, namely Perception(Listen and Spot) and Insight never need to be rolled and are always used in their Passive form with possibilities to create Advantages and Disadvantages. This is designed to greatly speed up play and reduce numerous cumbersome checks and awkward situations ie Stealth and Perception. No more asking for a roll to let someone know there is a trap present.
3 Action System- BSF uses a 3 Action system. It might be more accurate to say it uses a six half action system as some actions and reactions cost a half action. Steps, Drawing Weapons, Raising Shields, etc are quick and only take a half action to complete. In play it plays quickly and allows characters to to be very mobile and tactical.
Flexible and Scaling Spells- Spells, known as Manifestations, are all scaling and dependent on the amount of power used. Essentially every spell can be cast using additional actions and upscaled with additional power.
Wealth and Currency System- BSF uses a Wealth and Currency system. Essentially all day to day expenses such as food and lodging are accessible if the character has a high enough wealth score. Character's possess currency that is earned each level based on their wealth and is used for purchasing equipment. Outside of notable loot, this represents the bulk of a characters finances.
Blood Steel and Fire V0.90 (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1YHgcYoz5vOveiSZ0AORtS1bCZ2sQqSXd)
Blood Steel and Fire Character Sheet V0.90 (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1dQ86tyBGPliK0FBg6dF2ZypX01JgXBnY)