Maerok
2008-11-19, 08:43 PM
Alright, so I finally checked out Monte Cook's World of Darkness and was pleasantly surprised. It looks great and shiny and fixed a lot of what I despised about DnD's system (mechanically and in philosophy to a certain degree) while still grabbing my interest.
There were four parts to DnD 3.5 (haven't taken a look at 4.0) that always got in my way: inventory (adding up nickels and dimes for the dozens of things under Adventuring Gear; stabbing implements and anti-stabbing implements in vast numbers, the question of which to pick becoming more difficult as I 'progress' through making a character), magic, min/maxing (more classes, feats, races, and prestige classes than you can shake a ten foot pole at; helped me plan and pick out my classes in a sane manner), and skills (they ought to give you an accounting minor between adjudicating skill points and cp/sp/gp).
At least for me, inventory has been kicked aside, magic has been spiced up, and min/maxing has been combobreakered (though stats on werewolves look as beastly as I could have imagined). I also liked the general theme of (n)WoD, but not the avalanche of splatbooks with iterative avalanches of stats, figures, and rules.
On the other hand, I'm not all that keen about demons. I think there could have been a few more archetypes beside Scourge or Tempter. But there's a framework/pattern there to add on to it. I'll probably end up favor a mage with an affinity for tech (magically empowered dual-wielded weapons).
Issue 1
Now the one thing that I dread about MCWoD is that skills have only multiplied in number like so many damned Zurg rushing across a battlefield. What I'd like to do is hammer down this last squeaky nail of tedium with the refreshingly blissful ease of Star Wars Saga's skill system.
What Saga did, for those who haven't seen it, is the following:
Skill Outcome = 1/2 Level + 5 for being trained in it + 5 for skill focus + ability mod + armor check penalty
Depending on your class (Jedi, soldier, noble, etc) you got a number of skills + Int to pick to be trained in. You could take a feat later on to add a skill to be trained. Skill Focus added a +5 bonus.
I might lower the bonuses from +5 to +3.
I also despise DnD's use of skill synergies (which MCWoD adopts), which would not be needed in this variation.
So...
Awakened: 7 +Int trained skills to start with
Demon (Tempter): 5+Int trained skills to start with
Demon (Scourge), Vampire, Werewolf, Mage: 3+Int trained skills to start with
Issue 2
The skill focus thing about choosing an aspect to decide your class skills and a +2 bonus to one of four abilities seems rather unnecessary. I'm not a particular fan of it and I don't think it will have much of an impact if I were to remove it entirely.
There were four parts to DnD 3.5 (haven't taken a look at 4.0) that always got in my way: inventory (adding up nickels and dimes for the dozens of things under Adventuring Gear; stabbing implements and anti-stabbing implements in vast numbers, the question of which to pick becoming more difficult as I 'progress' through making a character), magic, min/maxing (more classes, feats, races, and prestige classes than you can shake a ten foot pole at; helped me plan and pick out my classes in a sane manner), and skills (they ought to give you an accounting minor between adjudicating skill points and cp/sp/gp).
At least for me, inventory has been kicked aside, magic has been spiced up, and min/maxing has been combobreakered (though stats on werewolves look as beastly as I could have imagined). I also liked the general theme of (n)WoD, but not the avalanche of splatbooks with iterative avalanches of stats, figures, and rules.
On the other hand, I'm not all that keen about demons. I think there could have been a few more archetypes beside Scourge or Tempter. But there's a framework/pattern there to add on to it. I'll probably end up favor a mage with an affinity for tech (magically empowered dual-wielded weapons).
Issue 1
Now the one thing that I dread about MCWoD is that skills have only multiplied in number like so many damned Zurg rushing across a battlefield. What I'd like to do is hammer down this last squeaky nail of tedium with the refreshingly blissful ease of Star Wars Saga's skill system.
What Saga did, for those who haven't seen it, is the following:
Skill Outcome = 1/2 Level + 5 for being trained in it + 5 for skill focus + ability mod + armor check penalty
Depending on your class (Jedi, soldier, noble, etc) you got a number of skills + Int to pick to be trained in. You could take a feat later on to add a skill to be trained. Skill Focus added a +5 bonus.
I might lower the bonuses from +5 to +3.
I also despise DnD's use of skill synergies (which MCWoD adopts), which would not be needed in this variation.
So...
Awakened: 7 +Int trained skills to start with
Demon (Tempter): 5+Int trained skills to start with
Demon (Scourge), Vampire, Werewolf, Mage: 3+Int trained skills to start with
Issue 2
The skill focus thing about choosing an aspect to decide your class skills and a +2 bonus to one of four abilities seems rather unnecessary. I'm not a particular fan of it and I don't think it will have much of an impact if I were to remove it entirely.