Meta-Mechanics Worth Stealing

[mmadsen]

I got the idea from the new version of Pendragon, where characters roll to see what their father did in each year to determine when he died, and how much honour he had at the time.

The lifepath gives you a nice little history lesson about the conflicts in the region in the past 40 years, and helps the character feel attached to his family and fiefdom.

Yes, that's an excellent element of Pendragon. It's a bit more work to port over than many of these meta-mechanics, but I think it would be worth it.

Another Pendragon meta-mechanic worth borrowing is rolling on a random table -- which table depends on your character's background -- for some lucky boon: an heirloom sword, a fabulous charger, a magic potion, etc. (Again, "Nice! I inherited a magic ring from my uncle!")

 

[HellHound]

Yes, that's an excellent element of Pendragon. It's a bit more work to port over than many of these meta-mechanics, but I think it would be worth it.

Another Pendragon meta-mechanic worth borrowing is rolling on a random table -- which table depends on your character's background -- for some lucky boon: an heirloom sword, a fabulous charger, a magic potion, etc. (Again, "Nice! I inherited a magic ring from my uncle!")

Background table rolls. They were used extensively in MERP and Rolemaster. Weaker races got more rolls on the background tables.

 

[Seeten]

We didnt roll for our background options, we picked them, much like feats. We also used the "High ability score special abilities" from RM Companion 3.

Stuff like a +30 presence score allowing you to indimidate better, +30 strength giving you bonuses with weapon types, etc.

 

[Wik]

I just remembered a few metamechanics I love. Both come from FASA.

In Shadowrun, characters get a number of skill points to spend on knowledge skills. These represent areas of knowledge that may not come in handy very often during the game, but help define the character... there are no specific skills, so that the player has to dream up whatever knowledge skills make sense for his character (skills like basketball statistics, drug culture, and smuggling rings).

In Earthdawn, there's a similar mechanic regarding artistic skills. Since all mortals in Barsaive practice a craft (it shows that they are not touched by the horrors), all PCs pick up a rank in some sort of craft skill (again, defined by the player) that fits the character. I always went with storytelling.

I think Earthdawn also had a knowledge system somewhat similar to shadowrun, but I'm not sure.

Both systems are great, and I think they'd be really easy to port over to D&D. In fact, I'm considering it as we speak.

 

[Timeboxer]

In Nobilis, the player characters are in charge of a Chancel, which is essentially like their own little demesne. They can spend Chancel Points to give their area associated benefits, such as borderguards, as well as taking away points with disadvantages like being actively hated by the populace -- but it's a zero sum game. A significant part of the character creation process often involves putting together the Chancel, which can literally be almost anything -- my last group had a Chancel created from separating the London Underground from reality.

Fundamentally it's like letting the players create the campaign setting, and it tends to yield very good results, in my experience.

 

[ZeroGlobal2003]

This is an absolutely awesome thread.

 

[Someone]

Ars Magica also has the concept of Covenant, a group of mages and mundanes working together. In a way, the covenant is the campaing's (or saga) main character, and is created much like a character would. While player characters may come and go, the Covenant stays and evolves, providing a framework for wildly diferent people to work together

 

[jeffh]

Hmm, that's not how we're playing it. We're using beliefs as goals that drive play.

I think you're doing it correctly.

One thing mmadsen hit on the head, though, is that Instincts (a seperate though related aspect of Burning Wheel) are perfect for D&D. How many times have you gotten hosed becasue someone forgot to say "I check for traps first"?

 

[Master of the Game]

Care to share? here (when finished), or at a thread at House Rules (no matter the stage it is in, you can finish it there... maybe even get suggestions)

Sure, sorry it took me so long to remember this.

The system isn't complete, and it's much to long and jumbled to post as it is, but I posted an example here. That'll give you an idea where I'm taking it (most of which is stolen from T20), and I can post a full version of it once it gets cleaned up a bit.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Has anyone put together a lifepath system for D&D? (I assume they have...)

Well, I used to use one in the late '70s that was published in Dungeoneer... One of my PCs was the sole surivivor of a decimated army... three times!