Homebrew DesignRoll up your sleeves and get working: there's lots of homebrewin' to be done! Post your custom creation for critiques or review those of your peers.
So as I'm sure others have noticed the d12 is a sorely neglected die. I have one lucky d12 who just never gets to be used, and is very sad about it, so I decided to make a system based around it. Drawing inspiration from systems like All Flesh Must Be Eaten for a simplified universal resolution mechanic, and from systems like the D02 or RUP for a rules-light approach to skills and other thing like that I've created something I like to call the American Dream.
Base Mechanic
Spoiler
The base mechanic is roll a d12, add relevant modifiers, and 12 or more is a success. The base stat for heroes is 3, and there are only 3 stats. Bonuses like Background, Cause, and Equipment. A 12 is an automatic success, though a 1 is not an automatic failure. There is no exploding of dice or anything, though damage for attacks is based off the result of the dice minus the target number. Another concept that will be used is that of advantage from the 5th Ed. playtest, rolling twice and taking the highest result.
Character Creation
Spoiler
Character creation is very simple, with a standard build of 9 points for 3 attributes, and a max of 5 in any one stat. Otherwise the max stat is 9, giving only 1/6 chance of base failure, though generally enemies of that level have very high opposed checks. The minimum in a stat is 1, though mooks and civilians can have 0.
Health is Guts x 4 + 12, healing generally heals 3 x Guts, though apple pie baked with love may heal more. Magic is Patriotism x 3 and is restored through patriotic ballads and defiant acts of heroism. Other stats like speed, initiative, saves, and skill points are either decidedly a base ability roll or are merely arbitrated. American heroes move as fast as they want, and always move first.
After that role-playing is introduced with the concept of background directly affecting the game. Nationality gives +1 to one stat, such as general American giving +1 to Patriotism, but something like born in the streets giving +1 guts, or raised in the jungle +1 to Vigor. Anything that can have any justification can be used, and it does not necessarily have to be American or even geographical, any back-story can give benefits.
The second part of back-story is the deed that made you great. It does not have to be something tat killed you, or something that defined you, but it does have to be extraordinary. Whenever you do something related to your deed, however thinly if the FM allows it, you gain advantage.
Next is the character's Cause, why they do what they do and what they strive for. This is not only a defining aspect of a character but gives them a +2 bonus on any check which could be considered part of it. Example Causes include fighting for the Law, the rules of the lard are all that matters. Another would be Freedom, a near polar opposite and something many strive for when they already have it. All causes are for some nebulous concept that is never completely attainable, but small victories are possible.
The final crunch step in character creation is choosing a piece of equipment. For the FM's benefit there will be tiers of items for a sense of progression. Items almost always add bonuses 1-3 to a check such as dodging or creation checks. Something such as an American Flag may give +2 to morale checks, or something like a baseball bat may add 2 to hit and damage, and do more on a MoF.
Combat/Conflict Resolution
Spoiler
Combat system at its base is player rolls, adds Vigor, and any character bonuses, if they get more than target's defense (base 12) they deal damage equal to their vigor plus how much they beat the defense by. This works, but results in a fairly boring combat even with detailed description. This is augmented through the use of patriotism, with spells available to everyone but more powerful more magical in nature. Defense is the same way, uses vigor for base attribute and miscellaneous modifiers from items or Cause. Magic can also augment this, with certain spells labeled as counters. Players go first, then the enemies, then any NPCs, and then whoever shouts the loudest or makes the best argument goes first amongst the players.
Exact positioning is relatively unimportant, none of the spells or abilities deal with feet or squares or anything like that. Other things not dealt with are encumbrance, assorted equipment, and weapons or armor. All weapons that are not equipment function the same, anything from a stick to a handgun to a herring function the same, as long as the FM allows it. Armor is the same, from a loincloth to a fullplate it functions the same unless you deem it equipment and assign it formal stats.
Every turn a player has one action, which consists of: attacking, magic, Patriotic Speech, Ignore Pain, or an equipment action. You can move, talk, eat dirt, spit, or do anything else that's reasonable as much as you want as long as it is not an action. A Patriotic Speech gains you Patriotism magic points, Ignoring Pain gives you Guts x 2 health. Other actions are defined by the individual actions.
At the beginning of every battle/scene magic and health is restored, because it takes very little time to restore them out of combat anyway. When your health is reduced to 0 you gain a scar, while not necessary it is recommended to write down what gave you the scar. Every scar reduces health by Guts, up to 4 times. After than one more scare brings it down to 5, and one more is dead, ascension to heaven or hell. Scars are removed by either confronting and detecting what caused it assuming it was a major foe or obstacle, or by a long period of time determined by the FM.
Now the magic system is not a traditional magic-users or wizards get it, everyone gets it and it contains a number of extraordinary maneuvers such as morale boosters and in combat things like hitting all opponents around you or leaping up to the sky. Larger scale or more expensive magic (10+) involve large firework displays to burn groups of enemies or epic ballads to lead a charge with.
Format: Name-
Description-
Targets-
Cost-
Stat-
Some Basic Fluff
Spoiler
Essentially when great heroes from any place in the world die, they go to a spaceship called the Santa Maria. It contains a number of heroes from America's past, such as George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, and Nikola Tesla. These people serve as friendly NPCS for the player, with Washington as the leader of the ship, dolling out missions and serving as a leader for all of the other heroes. Roosevelt is the drill sergeant, instructing new recruits about how the world functions and offering to train them. Tesla is the Q of the world, creating new equipment and acting insane.
Basically the ship travels through space because everyone on board believes that it can, and the belief is what carries it to the right places. When arriving on a new planet or opposing ship a raiding party is sent out, generally consisting of the party, and often one notable historical figure, and they go in and defeat the forces of evil. These include vague threats like evil, or unhappiness, represented by physical things like demons or an enormous cloud of darkness, but others are are forces like a stereotyped Redcoat, British oppressors.
So that's the base of the system, most of the mechanics are sorted out, though a lot of actual numbers need to be put in, so I'm curious what the playground thinks. Now the concept is not particularly political, though some of the fluff has some leanings towards that, so I'll avoid posting anything from the last 50 or so years.
If you're ever in a situation where you can't survive, go for the broke and fill all of creation with chickens. Just imagine the reaction of people halfway around the world when every square inch of space in their world is suddenly and completely full of chickens.
No one has any comments, is it terrible or does it look like it could be good but you need more details? I plan to actually make a full PDF of the system but need any comments or advice before I can.
If you're ever in a situation where you can't survive, go for the broke and fill all of creation with chickens. Just imagine the reaction of people halfway around the world when every square inch of space in their world is suddenly and completely full of chickens.
I think part of the reason your not getting responses is the distinct lack of fluff. While crunch is all fun and nice, if your making an entire system it is ultimately the fluff that draws people. While there are a few systems that are made to be generic and fit any kind of fluff you want, most systems rely on at least a general set of tropes that help people identify what kind of game the system is ideally made for and thus give them something to attach themselves to other then a set of rules. Rules are the soul of the game, but it's the fluff, or at the least the tropes and general non-crunch concept of the game that draws people to it. All we know about this game is it's crunch and that it has something to do with Americana. I think you'd get more responses for this if you gave at the least a short blurb about what kind of setting and game this system is trying to capture and...dare I say it...perhaps some minimal fluff.
So would this basically be for playing the "Team America" movie as a campaign?
In a word, yes.
Essentially when great heroes from any place in the world die, they go to a spaceship called the Santa Maria. It contains a number of heroes from America's past, such as George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, and Nikola Tesla. These people serve as friendly NPCS for the player, with Washington as the leader of the ship, dolling out missions and serving as a leader for all of the other heroes. Roosevelt is the drill sergeant, instructing new recruits about how the world functions and offering to train them. Tesla is the Q of the world, creating new equipment and acting insane.
Basically the ship travels through space because everyone on board believes that it can, and the belief is what carries it to the right places. When arriving on a new planet or opposing ship a raiding party is sent out, generally consisting of the party, and often one notable historical figure, and they go in and defeat the forces of evil. These include vague threats like evil, or unhappiness, represented by physical things like demons or an enormous cloud of darkness, but others are are forces like a stereotyped Redcoat, British oppressors.
If you're ever in a situation where you can't survive, go for the broke and fill all of creation with chickens. Just imagine the reaction of people halfway around the world when every square inch of space in their world is suddenly and completely full of chickens.
It has been awhile since I've update but figured I'd try making a sample character just to see how long it took. It turns out it takes about half an hour, which I think is a very reasonable time. Honestly the concept is what took the longest, which is the way it should be for a rules light game.
Lincoln Jones
Vigor 4, Guts 3, Patriotism 3
Health 24, Loyalty 6
Named after the president Lincoln and born to a political family (+1 patriotism) he was expected to do great things. However he didn't believe in this idea of leading a country through words and decided what he needed to do was be a soldier. Before fighting his enemies however he decided he needed to know them, and went out on a search to figure out every culture he could. He set out with no money and journeyed for many years. However after talking to so many people and learning so many different things he found that everyone had good points to make, and decided that he had to help spread peace. (Whenever he tries to make peace between groups he gains advantage.)
He strives for peace, in whatever form that may take. (He gains +2 to checks involving spreading peace.) For a weapon which also functions as equipment he carries a placard bearing the peace symbol. This gives him a +1 Bonus to hit and damage, and +2 bonus to reduce hostility. He has 3 basic combat maneuvers: One is a counter, if he is hit he can declare that he has No Intent to Harm and reduce the damage by three for two Loyalty, he can also convince a group to Stop the Violence for one turn for five Loyalty, and he can throw back an enemy as a Protest for one loyalty.
If you're ever in a situation where you can't survive, go for the broke and fill all of creation with chickens. Just imagine the reaction of people halfway around the world when every square inch of space in their world is suddenly and completely full of chickens.
So I made some significant progress over the weekend and ended up with something that in my opinion looks decent, but I'm very curious about the playground's opinions. Right now it is just the first chapter, and it's a very brief thing, just a couple of pages, but a good test for the amount of effort it requires, especially in terms of formatting.The download link is here.
If you're ever in a situation where you can't survive, go for the broke and fill all of creation with chickens. Just imagine the reaction of people halfway around the world when every square inch of space in their world is suddenly and completely full of chickens.
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