Monday, March 22, 2010

ARCADE RULESET: REVAMPED

As I intended, last weekend I run the introductory adventure for the Dragon Age RPG. And as I expected, I liked it very much; and I think the players liked it too, if only for the fact that they were able to learn a new rpg in about half an hour and start playing.

So now its thinking time again. I want to use it as the basis for my generic system, but without totally discarding what I had done so far with my own Arcade ruleset. How can I adapt and merge the two systems?
To begin with, so far I'll keep the general basis of Arcade, but giving it the two main DA characteristics: the 3d6 roll as the only type of roll, and the "dragon die" and its utilities. You may want to re-read now the article that offered general overview of the Arcade ruleset before continuing.
HP: You begin with 5 points for free, and then buy dice of HP. Two construction points per die.
MOV: Based on race. 5 is the standard free stat; you can add 1 per construction point, or substract one for one extra construction point.
INI: A derived stat, equals AGI (free) + racial bonus (add 1 per construction point) + class bonus or special training (add 1 per construction point).
MAR: Very changed, as there won't be special combat dice anymore, but the catch-all mechanic of the 3d6 roll. MAR will now be a bonus to the 3d6 roll; add 1 per 2 construction points.
RAR: Again, changed similarly to above: RAR will now be a bonus to the 3d6 roll; add 1 per 2 construction points.
MDR & RDR: Very changed. To start with, I'm fusing them together. Also, DR is now the number you have to roll equal to or higher with the MAR or RAR test. If you succeed, then you roll for damage. Armour won't add to the Defense Rating, instead its rating will be subtracted from inflicted damage (like Damage Reduction in the d20 system). Add 1 per 2 construction points.
MP & MR: Only for Ajsalium. Lightly changed, as I adopt the Dragon Age system. There will be a Magic skill for everybody, which will be used for resistance rolls. Only magic users will have also Mana Points, needed for casting spells. A spell is cast by spending the MPs listed, and then succeeding in a difficulty test. Add 1 to MAG per 2 construction points; add 1 to MP per construction point.
FOR: As it was before, but now it's also a damage bonus to weapons based on strength (see below). This last use make it more expensive than before: add 1 per 2 construction points.
AGI: As it was before, but now it's also an initiative bonus. This last use make it more expensive than before: add 1 per 2 construction points.
DEX: As it was before, but now it's also a damage bonus to weapons based on dexterity (see below). This last use make it more expensive than before: add 1 per 2 construction points.
PER: As it was before (add 1 per construction point).
INT: As it was before (add 1 per construction point).
SOC: As it was before (add 1 per construction point).
KNO: As it was before (add 1 per construction point).
Specialities: As they were before. Standard price will be one speciality (or +1 to an existing one) per construction point. Maximun number of specialities per corresponding "mother" skill equals to said skill's stat. I need to rethink the way these will be used in Necronomicon; if I get rid of the "automatic success" rule, the value will be 1 per construction point spent; but that would be compensated with making PER, INT, SOC and KNO more expensive, as they will be more widely used in these games (add 1 per 2 construction points).
Powers: Only for Ajsalium. As they were before, each class will have their own, and their construction point value will range from 1 to 3 depending on how useful they are for life-threatening situations.
Weapons: They'll be classified in two broad groups, based on the key skill to use them: FOR (such as axes, mauls or swords) and DEX (such as daggers, quarterstaffs or bows). Each weapon will cause some damage (typically, 1d6 or 2d6), to which the corresponding skill stat will be added.
Sanity points: Only for Necronomicon. Basically remains unchanged; the sanity test will be a 3d6 roll.
Stunts: They will (very likely) be added, in the three settings. But I still need to think quite a lot about them, truth to be told.

Ummm... that's basically the new Arcade ruleset incorporating principles from the Dragon Age RPG. It's a big change, but actually not a profund one. Next thing, I'll check how this version looks like redoing the character sheets I had already done, and seeing if I need to tweak the construction points table yet once again.
More than ever, comments and suggestions would be very welcomed. Now, I'm off to buy a lot of d6's :-)

No comments:

Post a Comment