Battleaxe Fantasy Role-Play

[Chambers]

Battleaxe Fantasy Role-Play is a new roleplaying game based on Warhammmer Fantasy Roleplay and Legend of the Five Rings. The game world is inspired by other fantasy stories, particularly Thieves World, Diablo, and the Chronicles of Amber.

I started writing it about two years ago and managed to release a mostly complete Alpha version of it earlier this year. I took a break from it for a few months and am now looking to get back to working on it and hopefully finishing it. I'm creating this thread because I'd like to get some feedback on it.

All the art is public domain and credited accurately to the best of my ability.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

One of the things about the game that I think is really neat is the magic system. Instead of a spells per day system, characters learn spells and then can use a spell any number of times per day as long as it's prepared. Here's the text from Chapter Three: Magic that explains it.

Learning Spells

An adventurer may learn a spell by spending experience points. Each spell learned costs a number of experience points equal to one plus the current number of spells known. For example, if an adventurer knows 3 spells it would cost 4 experience points to learn a new spell. The first spell an adventurer learns does not cost experience points. They learn a spell of their choice for free when they gain their first rank in Spellcraft.

Preparing & Casting Spells

An adventurer may have a number of spells prepared equal to their ranks in Spellcraft. Each spell takes one hour to prepare and then is ready until the adventurer chooses to prepare a different spell in its place. Once prepared there is no limit to how often a spell may be cast. Each spell provides a benefit or ability that the adventurer may use as long as the spell is prepared.

Maintaining Spells

Spells that have a duration last as long as the spell is maintained. No action or special focus is required to maintain a spell but the spell cannot be cast again while it is being maintained. Spells may be maintained while sleeping but not while dead.

Types of Spells

Spells have a type that describes how the spell functions, such as Armor or Summons. An adventurer can only benefit from one of each type of spell at a time.

Attack. A spell that causes harm to an opponent.
Armor. A spell that increases Defense or Damage Reduction.
Augment. A spell that adds an extra effect to an attack.
Dweomer. A spell that creates a wondrous effect.
Summons. A spell that creates or summons a creature.
Warding. A spell that provides a non-armor based protection.

Any character can choose to learn spells by spending XP (which is simple to earn; each character gets 10xp after each session) and preparing spells is somewhat like equipping them. Diablo 3 was an inspiration for this. You can have any number of each type of spell prepared but you can only benefit from one of each at a time. So if your character knows the Mage Armor spell and Stoneskin spell, they can prepare both but only have one active on themselves at a time.

The system is intended to be...well, not exactly rules light but rules intuitive. If it makes sense that something should work a certain way then that's how the Referee should rule. I've tried to be clear in the text about the rules but I haven't had any feedback so it's a toss up whether this makes any sense to other folks!

Any response, critique, or criticism is welcome. Thanks for checking it out.

[Telok]

Currently reading...
1. Under "rolling dice" you need to explicitly mention that you're using d10s. Also, check mu sig for a roll & keep dice calc/roller. If you can't find it easy, just say and I'll get you a easy version pretty quick.

2. Between "conditions" and "helping" you mention rolling one extra die and +1k0. I know the 5k2 type notation was mentioned but you may also want to explicitly state things like adding a kept die can be noted as -0k1. Also maybe explicitly address having fewer rolled than kept and how to handle 28k0.

3. Maybe let players choose to spend Treasure on resource tests after they roll instead of before? There's a feel-bad in throwing a +3k3 and finding out your base 2k2 would have made it anyways. Or perhaps sone bonus fir massive over rolling (but not quite as good as having tried directly for the higher target?).

4. Ok, status and resources should obviously be changing during play. They're a spend. But you don't mention gaining them (other than the placeholdered treasure to resource), rate of gain, or expected & common levels. Your 30/50/70 percents on 5k5 are roughly 25/30/35, but without a calculator to tell me I wouldn't know that the base "find a person to help" us barely 50/50 with 5k5.

5. Command has rumors, etiquette has morale. I think I see where it's going over all, but the skill names are... off? And those two specialties should probably swap. Is "battle" like "tactics"? Consider two pages for skills and add a descriptive/explain blurb or sentence?

6. Death save, just use a single d10 and +3 per condition with 11+ killing. Same chance and you don't need to explain percentile dice or add big numbers.

7. You've run tests of combat right? Actual PC vs three mook ruffians type stuff? Real rolling and run through it a couple times?

8. Did you note at the beginning that PCs have order & chaos stats? It caught me by surprise. Also p.16 mentions wealth & glory, I presume resources & status?

9. Opinion: Tonsured -> 'educated'. False honor, friends in low places, hero of the people, may need more mechanical oomph.

Gotta stop for now. Looks solid so far. Have done no math checks yet.

[Chambers]

Thanks for such detailed feedback! The answer to pretty much all of your math questions is that none of these numbers have been rigorously tested. I squinted at them and did some quick back of the envelope math and they seemed ok for now. That's on my list of stuff to do.

[Telok]

P.33 transmuting infusion, 'skin' -> stein
P.35 assassin is a... church inqusitor or something?
P.37 correspondences is harsh!
P.41 bardic knowledge is "better at whar you already know", supposed to be on stuff you don't have an emphasis? For veils, page ref your illusion rules.
P.43 battle lore, thats a flat +number bonus right? Not +dice?
P.45 companion attack, is it "(ally or animal) under control" or is it "ally or (annmal under control)"? Pretty sure its former but people are... people. Also same q as battle lore. But good design on the oath.

Excelent use of social/mentals on warriors. Barb & paladin missing them tho.

P.57 quicken spell, should extra action be only for casting?
P.63 guildmage has no guild connection. Page ref for familiar rules & creatures.

One thing to think of, giving all classes something social option that ties them to the setting. Guild, tribe, company, church, etc. Many already have, thats good. Same with mental & physical abilities. Not as much an issue with casters usually, but it's good to have stuff that benefits the warrior types not dumping everything but body & combat.

Times up again. Will return.