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Game Designers: Balance These Stats
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<blockquote data-quote="GMMichael" data-source="post: 6331972" data-attributes="member: 6685730"><p>Good questions, [MENTION=1363]ashockney[/MENTION]. Funny you should mention 5e's three pillars, since:</p><p>1) I started writing my game as a response to the announcement of 5e,</p><p>2) the number 3 is coming up a lot in my game: 3 abilities, 3 actions per round, 3 main character mechanics...</p><p>3) 5e shares yet another feature of my game: free core rules.</p><p></p><p>The questions you asked depend mainly on GM preference, but here's some info that might shed general light on the subject:</p><p></p><p>The game puts roleplaying first by saying, "you can do it if it's easy for your character." Even if something might not be easy, PCs can always take half of their d20s, meaning they can roll a 10 anytime they want. All the challenges in the game are based on this idea, and the difficulty table (based on the GM's idea of the difficulty to an average person):</p><p>Easy - 0</p><p>Challenging - 4</p><p>Difficult - 8</p><p>Arduous - 12</p><p>Impossible - 16</p><p>Divine - 20</p><p></p><p>So, given my example, Zaphod can easily persuade someone who would be challenging to persuade, while Ford can easily persuade someone who would be difficult to persuade. Both can take half to all-but-guarantee their results.</p><p></p><p>To your questions specifically:</p><p></p><p>Types of challenges: anything. Literally anything. From hitting doorsteps with newspapers, Paperboy-style, to deflecting dragonbreath with a sword, to convincing the super-villain to reveal his evil plot, to projecting one's self onto the astral plane while dodging sour-aura-dissipations.</p><p></p><p>Appropriate challenge ratio: again, anything. But, the "combat" rules also stand to support any other type of conflict. So your "attack" could be a handle animal contest instead, and your "damage" could just be a weakening of the donkey's will. Point: any skill can become a challenge.</p><p></p><p>Resources used in challenges: only power usage, called "spellcasting" in a fantasy setting, uses resources in the default rules. Cast a spell, take d8+spell level metaphysical damage. Missile weapons, obviously, use resources. And characters can take, and face grave danger from, damage to any ability - physical, mental, or metaphysical. So it's not just physical damage that can suffer in conflict.</p><p></p><p>Rewards: up to the GM. As a general rule, PCs can get an ability point, skill point, or perk after each session, depending on which muscle got the most flexing.</p><p></p><p>Back to the example:</p><p>Ford has a distinct advantage over Zaphod when it comes to using powers and MP skills. But Zaphod's lucky day perk can help keep him in conflict when he's at the edge, the observant perk allows him to explore better, and the extra head is just plain fun. Very subjective.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="GMMichael, post: 6331972, member: 6685730"] Good questions, [MENTION=1363]ashockney[/MENTION]. Funny you should mention 5e's three pillars, since: 1) I started writing my game as a response to the announcement of 5e, 2) the number 3 is coming up a lot in my game: 3 abilities, 3 actions per round, 3 main character mechanics... 3) 5e shares yet another feature of my game: free core rules. The questions you asked depend mainly on GM preference, but here's some info that might shed general light on the subject: The game puts roleplaying first by saying, "you can do it if it's easy for your character." Even if something might not be easy, PCs can always take half of their d20s, meaning they can roll a 10 anytime they want. All the challenges in the game are based on this idea, and the difficulty table (based on the GM's idea of the difficulty to an average person): Easy - 0 Challenging - 4 Difficult - 8 Arduous - 12 Impossible - 16 Divine - 20 So, given my example, Zaphod can easily persuade someone who would be challenging to persuade, while Ford can easily persuade someone who would be difficult to persuade. Both can take half to all-but-guarantee their results. To your questions specifically: Types of challenges: anything. Literally anything. From hitting doorsteps with newspapers, Paperboy-style, to deflecting dragonbreath with a sword, to convincing the super-villain to reveal his evil plot, to projecting one's self onto the astral plane while dodging sour-aura-dissipations. Appropriate challenge ratio: again, anything. But, the "combat" rules also stand to support any other type of conflict. So your "attack" could be a handle animal contest instead, and your "damage" could just be a weakening of the donkey's will. Point: any skill can become a challenge. Resources used in challenges: only power usage, called "spellcasting" in a fantasy setting, uses resources in the default rules. Cast a spell, take d8+spell level metaphysical damage. Missile weapons, obviously, use resources. And characters can take, and face grave danger from, damage to any ability - physical, mental, or metaphysical. So it's not just physical damage that can suffer in conflict. Rewards: up to the GM. As a general rule, PCs can get an ability point, skill point, or perk after each session, depending on which muscle got the most flexing. Back to the example: Ford has a distinct advantage over Zaphod when it comes to using powers and MP skills. But Zaphod's lucky day perk can help keep him in conflict when he's at the edge, the observant perk allows him to explore better, and the extra head is just plain fun. Very subjective. [/QUOTE]
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