homebrew mini system (mostly mana magic)

[Rigon]

this is the latest version of the system to be used in a mini-tactical-computer-rpg.
temporal state, will change soon... needs accuracy fixes lol
i call it RPG because of the lvl+stat+skill system, the story+world will be pretty simple. maybe a rock or two.

tree prime stats:
STR = Strength (HP, physical resistance, melee)
DEX = Dexterity (damage avoidance, ranged)
NRG = Energy (MP, magic resistance, magic power)

HP: STR*3+Level
MP: NRG*3+Level

attack(atk): melee (STR + DEX) / 2, ranged DEX, magic (DEX+NRG)/2
damage(dmg): equals to the attribute connected (STR/DEX/NRG)

defense: ability to block/parry attacks (full AC)
5+STR+DEX

evasion: ability to evade single target attacks (touch AC)
10+DEX

damage calculation:
hit = (attack-def) + D20

if crit (see below) and hit<20 then hit = 20
else if hit>20 then hit = 20

hit = hit - prot (the protection against the specified damage type)

dmg = (hit*max damage)/20
rounded down, but minimum 1.

protection: reduction of incoming damage. one for each type.
/currently: Bludgeon, Slash, Pierce, Arcane, Vital, Elemental, Divine/

resistance: against status modifiers and other spell effects. /currently: stun, bleed, poison, push, curse ... will add more/

flee: ability to escape from affected areas (like reflex saving throw)
(DEX-STR)

step: how many steps can a character have in one turn
3+(DEX-STR+Level)/8 rounded down

jump: how high can a character jump
step/3 rounded down

fall: free fall height without damage (falling does bludgeoning damage).
2+(DEX+STR)/15

protections by stat and level:
B (STR+Level)/5
S (STR+Level)/5
P (STR+Level)/5
A (NRG+Level)/5
V (STR+DEX)/10
E (NRG+STR)/10
D (NRG+Level)/5

resistances by stat and level:
Stun (STR+Level)/10
Push (STR+Level)/10
Bleed (STR+Level)/10
Poison (STR+Level)/10
Curse Level/3 //used for undefined bad statuses
Blind NRG-DEX/2
Illusion (NRG+Level)/10
Fear Level/3

critical: chance to deal maximum damage on hit (not applied to status type actions), minimum 1 (5%), maximum 20(100%)

Skill Level (SL) : mastery level of selected skill. ranging from 1 to 5.

possible bonuses:
higher grounds +1/elevation
flank +2 from the side / +5 from behind.
only one of each stance, aura, style.
and any count of curses and buffs.

rogue type:
on level 1: STR 5, DEX 7, NRG 3, HP: 16, MP: 10, STEP 4
base attack type: piercing
back stab: melee attack, +SL+Level vital dmg
shadow(aura): covered in dark veil. +(SL+1)/2 attack +SL eva
feint(style): melee atk rolled twice (2nd gains +SL atk), bigger applies
sting: ranged attack, +SL dmg
aim(style): attacks have chance to cause bleeding (SL*5%)
falcon(aura): +3 atk, +1 dmg, +(SL+1)/3 crit
poison splash: 1 cell area attack, poison injured/bleeding character
reflex(aura): +SL evasion, +SL flee

fighter type:
on level 1: STR 7, DEX 6, NRG 2, HP: 22, MP: 7, STEP: 3
base attack type: slashing

defensive(stance): +SL def
offensive(stance): +SL atk
frontal pierce: melee attack, affects (SL+1)/2 aligned cells, piercing dmg
full swing: melee attack, affects SL cells(SL5: 1st is hit twice), slashing
gore-belly: 3 attacks with (-5+SL atk,-6+SL atk, -8+SL atk)
chop-stun: melee attack, chance to stun (1+SL)/3
strike: melee attack, +SL to crit.
train: rush forward to damage and push target, hurts self too

cleric type:
on level1: STR 5, DEX 5, NRG 5, HP: 16, MP: 16, STEP: 3
base attack type: bludgeoning

lum: light area of effect, dispels shadow and blind chars SL turns
vigor(buff): +SL prot / V D /
heal: almost obvious. targets prot / D / adds to healed value
regenaration(buff): (SL+targetSTR)/2 hp healed per round
cure: remove (SL+1)/2 negatice physical status modifier. range SL/2
holy bolt: ranged divine damage
resurrect: resurrect dead character with SL*15% of maxhp
remove curse: remove 1 negative magical status modifier. range SL

mage type:
on level1: STR 3, DEX 4, NRG 8, HP: 10, MP: 25, STEP: 3
base attack type: bludgeoning

magic bolt: ranged arcane dmg (range:(SL+3)/2)
life drain: ranged arcane dmg, half of dmg drained (range:(SL-1)/2)
cold spray: area of effect elemental dmg (SL area increase)
lightning: (multiple) ranged elemental dmg (max SL target hits)
mirage(curse): fool with illusion to lower DEX (SL success rate increase)
mana block(curse): chance to disable mana consuming abilities for n turns.
fireball: area of effect, massive elemental dmg (+SL*2 dmg)
charge: transfer mana to target. (-SL mana cost, +SL mana charged)

monster type:
most enemies will be these
on level1: STR 6, DEX 6, NRG 3, HP: 19, MP: 10
base attack type: slashing

bite: melee, slashing, chance to absorb half dmg
sting: as by rogue
howl (curse): chance to cause fear in a big self-centered area.
murder: drains all MP and adds it to attack. +10 crit
fire spit: ranged elemental dmg
boom: self destroying attack. elemental area dmg

messenger type:
on level1: STR 5, DEX 5, NRG 5, HP: 16, MP: 16
base attack type: bludgeon

web: the cells in the area get "web" mod (w-cell). SL increases area
spike: SL*20% chance to attack (ranged, piercing) enemies on w-cells.
wave: SL*5% chance to stun enemies on i-cells for 1 round.
glue: target (on w-cell) has SL*20% chance to lose 1-3 move next round.
sacrifice: kill self to completely restore an ally on w-cell (can't resurrect)

token type:
on level1: STR3, DEX 5, NRG 3, HP: 10, MP: 10, step: 3
base attack type: piercing

thorn: melee, piercing, on critical SL*5% chance to cause bleed.
turbo(aura): +5 eva, +2 flee, +1 step
1 unique skill depending on which boss summons it.

boss type:
on level1: total stats of 30, step usually between 4-6.
base attack type: slashing

summon: summons a token (max 3 at once), like a resurrect for token only
consume: destroy a token, tokens hp healed to caster
2-3 unique skills for each boss

please comment. ideas are welcome too.

[Baron Corm]

It depends on how powerful the spells are and how often you want them to be used. If, at the time he gets them, you expect a spellcaster to be able to sling level 9 spells around each round during an encounter with relatively low problems, leaving him with low mana, and then gain it all the mana back through regeneration between encounters, that's different than only being able to cast two or three level 9 spells per day at the time you get them. The former is more common to the RPGs with mana, and the latter is more like what DnD is like. Once you decide that it should be relatively simple to set up a maximum mana, a system for lowering costs, etc.

[Rigon]

the more i try to think about it... the more it sounds like a failure. it won't be taking spell ideas from dnd. it will be simple. lvl9 512 mana... sounds bad. especially if i can cast 2 lbl8 spells which might do more harm together.

i will have to make it simpler. much more simpler.
if simple works then simple shall it be

you gave me an important point ... dnd is time (day) based... and my game will be encounter based (characters are healed between encounters). i will have to drop the dnd concept completely... well life goes on.

melee attack: mostly based on STR
ranged attack: mostly based on DEX
attack: bonuses to "attack" apply both to melee and ranged
protection: reduction of incoming damage. one for each type.
/currently: Bludgeon, Slash, Pierce, Arcane, Vital, Elemental, Divine/
resistance: against status modifiers and other spell effects. /currently: stun, bleed, poison, push, doom, curse ... will add more/
defense: ability to block/parry attacks (natural AC)
evasion: ability to evade single target attacks (touch AC)
flee: ability to escape from affected areas (like reflex saving throw)
critical: chance to deal maximum damage on hit (not applied to status)

rogue type:
on level 1: STR 5, DEX 7, NRG 3, HP: 17, MP: 9
back stab: adds melee attack bonuses to do slashing damage
shadow cloak(buff): covered in dark veil. +1 attack +4 evasion
feint: next attack throw is made twice, bigger one applies
sting: ranged attack (instead of crossbows, y'know)
aim: next attack has chance to cause bleeding.
eagle eyes(buff): +2 attack, +2 ranged damage
poison splash: 1 cell area attack, poison injured/bleeding character
reflex(buff): +1 evasion, +4 flee

fighter type:
on level 1: STR 7, DEX 5, NRG 3, HP: 19, MP: 8
defensive(buff): +2 defense, +1 protection/ B S P /
offensive(buff): +2 attack, +2 damage/ B S P /
frontal pierce: melee attack, affects 1-3 aligned cells, piercing damage
full swing: melee attack, affects 1-4 cells, slashing (turn around slash)
gore-belly: 3 attacks (one for each melee damage type) with -5, first miss makes following attacks miss too
chop-stun: melee attack, chance to stun
leap: jumping melee attack, increased power, on miss hurt self
train: rush forward to damage and push target, hurts self too

cleric type:
on level1: STR 5, DEX 5, NRG 5, HP: 15, MP: 12
lum: light area of effect, dispels shadow cloak and stun cloaked chars
vigor(buff): +2 prot / V D /
heal: almost obvious. targets prot / D / adds to healed value
aid(buff): +1 attack, +1 defense
bless: +2 damage / D /
holy bolt: ranged divine damage
resurrect: resurrect dead character with % of maxhp
remove curse: remove 1 negative magical status modifier.

mage type:
on level1: STR 3, DEX 4, NRG 8, HP: 10, MP: 18
magic bolt: ranged arcane damage
life drain: ranged arcane damage, random % of damage healed to caster
cold spray: area of effect elemental damage, chance to lower DEX
chain lightning: (multiple) ranged elemental damage, chance to stun
mirage: chance to fool with illusion to drop defense, evasion, flee and attack
mana block: chance to disable mana consuming abilities for n turns.
fireball: area of effect, massive elemental damage, chance to burn
charge: transfer mana to target.

please comment. ideas are welcome too.

[OverWilliam]

I would just like to start out by saying that I think you're onto something here that, with a little luck, could end up being severely sweet. Don't get discouraged.

Now, down to brass tacks; IMHO, it would be neat to see a system that calculates the caster's ability both from how much they've done (caster level) AND on how much work they put into it (recent voluntary study). If a caster knows a spell they know the spell (which is probably not permanent either, but for the sake of this argument let's ignore that for a moment) but if they review and study the spell in spite of their memorization of that spell then it benefits them in the casting therof. I am reminded of my early NetHack days when once I read a spellbook it became dead weight because I knew that my character would not survive long enough to forget the spell. What if there was a system where knowing the spell and being an experienced caster is all well and good, but even a caster of lower level who has just read the spellbook right before the encounter would be able to cast the spell with greater efficiency and potency than the more powerful caster opposite him because even though they both know and can cast the spell skillfully, the one has more recent experience with the spell and therefore has the advantage? In numbers this would translate to mana reduction, damage increase, and on some spells higher chance of inflicting status effects or broadening of area-of-effect. This would, in a way, reference the preparation of specific spells in a DnD system, but instead of only being able to cast those spell that were chosen, all spells that the caster knows are available, but those that were studied have the potency required for the given circumstance? Then the limit for spellcasting would rely not on the caster needing to re-prepare their spells, but on the stamina that they have in casting them repeatedly.

[Rigon]

short term memorizing should beat long term learning? memorizing a spell without really mastering it shouldn't give such an edge i think. but learning AND memorizing should (i case there is a system where you can memorize without learning it first).

but i must say "recently voluntary study" isn't present in my system... too much hustle. and the times between encounters will be minimized as much as possible. so memorizing isn't something good for me.

[OverWilliam]

Nono, you misunderstood-- long-term memorizing has to be present in both cases or the spell wouldn't work at all. Long term memorizing is necessary, short term review is voluntary and, when stacked with long term memorizing, gives a boost to the spell's effect. Now that's not to say that the more experienced caster wouldn't still be able to do more damage with a spell that they know but havn't used in a while than an apprentice who has been cramming the book for the last few weeks. The more experienced caster would be able to cast the spell more easily due to their overall fluency with magic and would most likely win the encounter. However, the apprentice, whose spells are mostly parlor tricks and low-level harassment spells, would be able to improve the punch for a spell enough to cause the higher level caster some headache. It's not necessarily enough to win because the two levels are so unevenly matched to begin with, but when you have two casters who are nearly the same that could mean the difference between barely enough and stalemate. This could even allow a caster of marginally lower ability to overcome a more powerful opponent, but only by the use of strategy and forethought.

But I understand if you don't want to use that kind of system for your game-- it is a little complicated, and you yourself said you're trying to keep it simple. Anyway, it was just a thought. ^_^

[Rigon]

i don't know if i understand it correctly but that would mean like you put together sorcerer and wizard in a way... but memorizing would rather mean empowering and not readying for use. sounds interesting but kinda complicated.

[Rigon]

this is the latest version of the system to be used in a mini-tactical-computer-rpg.

Click the arrow in the quote to jump to the latest version of the system.
Please comment it... i need opinions/ideas.

[Rigon]

Another update.
Trying to move each random value to D20.

[Rigon]

added "default monster" as a new type.
added some resistance update.
added STEP
maybe adding jump too.

[Rigon]

edited def and evasion
added jump, fall, messenger type, token type and boss type.

ideas are welcome (especially for balance, attacking someone from the front with about equal abilities should give a 50% success rate).