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<blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 7313607" data-attributes="member: 82106"><p>Well, as some of you know, I am in the position where I've actually built a 4e hack. However, I changed a good many things. One of my initial goals was to streamline the game. So I wiped out most of the bonus rules and replaced most of it with 5e-style (dis)advantage. I also got rid of the minor action and put some restrictions on usage of off-turn actions (there are cases where you can get more than one per round, but not many). Multi-attacks have been rebalanced so that higher level high dice attacks are actually better (mostly because there's almost no bonus stacking anymore). </p><p></p><p>Once I got past that point I found that I really wanted more real improvements. I hacked away much of the power lists by redesigning classes, items, feats, etc. Powers are now generally granted by 'boons', and sometimes power sources. Boons replace themes, PPs, EDs, feats, and items. In fact you have a lot of flexibility in terms of how you 'embody' a boon (IE as an item or as training, etc). I also cut the game from 30 to 20 levels (removes a lot of 'I need more powers cuz I got more levels' stuff). Epic is now just a 3 level capstone.</p><p></p><p>Advancement is inverted. If, in the course of the narrative, a character acquires a major boon, he gains a level. This creates a much more narratively-focused dynamic and removes a LOT of the tendency to 'char op'. It is certainly still possible for a GM to run a game in the mold of 4e where players decide pretty much all the 'stuff' they get, but you can also focus on play and let things happen naturally. Advancement is no longer fixed to a certain amount of play, pace can be whatever you want, and can vary from one story to the next. </p><p></p><p>I restructured play in general such that players are always engaging in one of two modes of play, interlude (freeform non-conflict with few rules) and challenge, which can be either a general (skill) challenge, or it can be an action sequence (combat or possibly similar fast paced sequences with regulated turn structure). The upshot of this is there really are not ever any 'stand-alone' checks. If you are in conflict, its a challenge and there's a tally. I've pretty much stuck with the RC version of 4e SCs, although they are certainly a very loose structure that can be bent as-needed in different directions.</p><p></p><p>I've added elements to characters that allow more focused 'stake setting'. Characters have attributes like a background (pretty much like in 4e) but also a goal, a strength, and a weakness. These can be leveraged via an Inspiration die (IE explain why the attribute is relevant and you can create some sort of plot element, usually in your favor). You can't accumulate Inspiration, but you can EARN it by negatively leveraging an attribute of your character. Each session the players also start with inspiration, so you probably have it available most of the time. Thus characters can usually be counted on to have luck, preparation, etc when they most need it. </p><p></p><p>I've successively re-engineered 'rituals' and 'practices', which I have currently manifested as 'techniques'. These things allow you to create a narrative explanation for how you were able to apply a specific skill to a check in a challenge. Instead of the sort of 'spell-like' mechanic of 4e HoML techniques don't have highly specific mechanics. Instead they provide a narrative explanation of what the character can accomplish by utilizing it. Then the player can use that explanation to change the narrative such that he can bring a different skill to bear (which is obviously advantageous in most cases). It could also provide the same sort of advantage to ANOTHER PC, not just the one using it. Obviously there is also a narrative impact, which might alter the flow of the challenge. Characters can also burn a vitality point to earn a success when using a technique. This allows you to be 'really bad-assed' at some specific thing. Because the player is mostly in charge of how and when to try to invoke these, they don't suffer from the "DM Permission" issue that a lot of 'skills' have in other games (IE a language isn't much use unless the GM decides to have some NPC speak it in a situation where it has some real import). In HoML a player would say "I speak Orcish, I'm listening to the orcs make a plan to use the back entrance to their lair to outflank us, and learning where that entrance is." (consequences being narrative as well as something like being able to make a Perception check to find the back entrance and get a success in the 'break into the orc stronghold' SC). </p><p></p><p>The end result is a rather different game, although the combat mechanics and much of the other basic mechanical aspects of play are closer to 4e than say 5e is.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="AbdulAlhazred, post: 7313607, member: 82106"] Well, as some of you know, I am in the position where I've actually built a 4e hack. However, I changed a good many things. One of my initial goals was to streamline the game. So I wiped out most of the bonus rules and replaced most of it with 5e-style (dis)advantage. I also got rid of the minor action and put some restrictions on usage of off-turn actions (there are cases where you can get more than one per round, but not many). Multi-attacks have been rebalanced so that higher level high dice attacks are actually better (mostly because there's almost no bonus stacking anymore). Once I got past that point I found that I really wanted more real improvements. I hacked away much of the power lists by redesigning classes, items, feats, etc. Powers are now generally granted by 'boons', and sometimes power sources. Boons replace themes, PPs, EDs, feats, and items. In fact you have a lot of flexibility in terms of how you 'embody' a boon (IE as an item or as training, etc). I also cut the game from 30 to 20 levels (removes a lot of 'I need more powers cuz I got more levels' stuff). Epic is now just a 3 level capstone. Advancement is inverted. If, in the course of the narrative, a character acquires a major boon, he gains a level. This creates a much more narratively-focused dynamic and removes a LOT of the tendency to 'char op'. It is certainly still possible for a GM to run a game in the mold of 4e where players decide pretty much all the 'stuff' they get, but you can also focus on play and let things happen naturally. Advancement is no longer fixed to a certain amount of play, pace can be whatever you want, and can vary from one story to the next. I restructured play in general such that players are always engaging in one of two modes of play, interlude (freeform non-conflict with few rules) and challenge, which can be either a general (skill) challenge, or it can be an action sequence (combat or possibly similar fast paced sequences with regulated turn structure). The upshot of this is there really are not ever any 'stand-alone' checks. If you are in conflict, its a challenge and there's a tally. I've pretty much stuck with the RC version of 4e SCs, although they are certainly a very loose structure that can be bent as-needed in different directions. I've added elements to characters that allow more focused 'stake setting'. Characters have attributes like a background (pretty much like in 4e) but also a goal, a strength, and a weakness. These can be leveraged via an Inspiration die (IE explain why the attribute is relevant and you can create some sort of plot element, usually in your favor). You can't accumulate Inspiration, but you can EARN it by negatively leveraging an attribute of your character. Each session the players also start with inspiration, so you probably have it available most of the time. Thus characters can usually be counted on to have luck, preparation, etc when they most need it. I've successively re-engineered 'rituals' and 'practices', which I have currently manifested as 'techniques'. These things allow you to create a narrative explanation for how you were able to apply a specific skill to a check in a challenge. Instead of the sort of 'spell-like' mechanic of 4e HoML techniques don't have highly specific mechanics. Instead they provide a narrative explanation of what the character can accomplish by utilizing it. Then the player can use that explanation to change the narrative such that he can bring a different skill to bear (which is obviously advantageous in most cases). It could also provide the same sort of advantage to ANOTHER PC, not just the one using it. Obviously there is also a narrative impact, which might alter the flow of the challenge. Characters can also burn a vitality point to earn a success when using a technique. This allows you to be 'really bad-assed' at some specific thing. Because the player is mostly in charge of how and when to try to invoke these, they don't suffer from the "DM Permission" issue that a lot of 'skills' have in other games (IE a language isn't much use unless the GM decides to have some NPC speak it in a situation where it has some real import). In HoML a player would say "I speak Orcish, I'm listening to the orcs make a plan to use the back entrance to their lair to outflank us, and learning where that entrance is." (consequences being narrative as well as something like being able to make a Perception check to find the back entrance and get a success in the 'break into the orc stronghold' SC). The end result is a rather different game, although the combat mechanics and much of the other basic mechanical aspects of play are closer to 4e than say 5e is. [/QUOTE]
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