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mastermind
2011-01-02, 05:35 PM
I wish to hear criticism on Stat Blocks (http://tobedet.webs.com/rules.htm).

Stat Blocks is a RPG system which only utilizes skills. In a way, this simpler method of calculating abilities is similar to MMORPG's such as World of Warcraft or Runescape.

Instead of HP, you have a skill called 'Vitality.'

Instead of levels, you train each skill separately. I. E., for history, 30 minutes of training/tier is 1 point. However, the amount of points in a skill might not be equal to the modifier. For strength, each point is 1/4 of the modifier. This is because it is one of the two most important combat skills (The other being magic).

Spells are created completely by the character, although there is a ratio for the damage, range, and number of targets so that if you multiply all of the three together, you get 4.

I tried to home-brew most of the races, however they do not add any benefits based on which one you choose (Except for that pixies can fly, but are incredibly tiny)

In combat, the skills used are temporarily diminished, so you may only use some of your skill at a time. However, there is a skill called 'Second Wind' that allows you to regain points in a skill. However, you can also use up points in that skill, too.

The GM usually decides when the points are refreshed, and how many. I am thinking of writing up some rules for that.

Death is extremely hard to remove, except for with story-related quests. One of the things necessary is "A drop of lava turned to rock by holy water from an untouched spring and blessed by the finest hands (30 or higher Priesthood check)."

Of course, divine intervention always helps, and if one of the characters is a Demi-God, they may have contacts in the divine realm.

Also, there are things called 'Life Points', which are lost if a character runs out of vitality. "If you hit +0, you are knocked unconscious, and bleeding. When bleeding, you lose one Life Force point each minute. You have a max of 5 life points when you start the campaign. Lose all 5 and die."

When raised, a life point is lost. If they get down to zero, they're gone forever.

However, most of the death rules are open to story-based solutions, as deemed by the DM. But these are the standard ones, and there may be a fountain in the caves of Balloter that replenishes Life Points.


There's a little more information in the link, but the above is a summary.

Please criticize.

Stat Blocks Rules (http://tobedet.webs.com/rules.htm)

Kobold-Bard
2011-01-02, 05:53 PM
I like the look of it, but I can't really wrap my mind around how it works; this isn't a criticism of the system, I just fail at learning new systems without actually building a character/playing the game.

I do like the idea of the skills system though. Any chance you or someone else would be interested in running a game based on it?

Temotei
2011-01-03, 02:05 AM
"Aria has 15 vitality points, 20 magic points, 15 combat magic points, and 10 points in both her lightning touch spell and her fire missile spell.

Tim has 16 vitality points, 12 strength points, 6 swords points, and 5 long-swords points."

I just have to say that my name is Tim, and I just made a character named Aria. My dwelling has been infiltrated.

Knaight
2011-01-03, 02:22 AM
The current organization is completely awful, but the game seems solid conceptually. That said, I have a few major points.

The first regards skill improvement. Unless other parts of the system are quantified properly the connection between skill improvement and time spent is asking for lots of book work. The gradually increasing cost idea is fine, and worth keeping, as is the system being mainly skills, but some research into other methods would be ideal. Burning Wheel and GURPS should probably both be looked at. If you don't want to spend money, there is GURPS Lite, Savage Worlds Quickstart, and Fudge.

There is also a concern regarding subsystems, and lookup involved. That said, both the spell system and speed table can probably be included on a well designed character sheet, so that isn't as much of a problem as it could be.

mastermind
2011-01-03, 07:42 AM
Do you think it would be easier to have it be "points earned per day," and combat training to be a bonus?


And as to a game based on it, it is called "Tyran," and is in my sig.

Knaight
2011-01-03, 11:54 AM
Do you think it would be easier to have it be "points earned per day," and combat training to be a bonus?


And as to a game based on it, it is called "Tyran," and is in my sig.

The easiest method is a slightly more narrative one. Let each skill get one use per scene, tops, noted. Then have some notes as to what constitutes a scene. Every fight is a scene, so a point goes to combat, and it integrates with the rest of the system.

BarroomBard
2011-01-03, 05:30 PM
I don't understand how a character "uses up" his points. I read through the example of play several times, and I can't figure out how the math adds up.

mastermind
2011-01-03, 09:56 PM
You have a set amount of available bonuses, and you may stack them. Sort of like "Spells per day" of D&D 3.5, except you may use more than 1 at once.