What Are These D&D 5E Notes In Monte Cook Games' Numenera Shipments?

Here is also an article from The Alexandrian about GM Intrusions.

Doctor Futurity said:

GM Intrusions are a mechanic where the GM pays XP to a player, who then shares it with another, in exchange for an intrusive event. These events are flexible in that you can use them to reveal information for a cost, challenge the player, or make life more complicated. The player in turn can choose to refuse the XP, pay an XP to hand it back, and avoid his fate. Most players (ime) like to see what happens with GMIs, however. GMIs in Numenera/Cypher tie in to fumble and crit rolls, too....and the newest edition adds a Player Intrusion mechanic as well, although I haven't tried it out yet.

I've found the GMI adds the following elements in play: it's an easy way to hand out XP awards with a catch; it encourages the GM to think of interesting ways to make events for the the character more interesting or complicated, but it also means the player has some agency in the process. It reframes how and why complicated things happen, and encourages the GM to come up with situational scenarios that play off of the player's actions in the game in a way that lends more weight to their choices....even while being paid XP to accept those complications.

An example: a player is searching a hall for traps, and the GM knows that the traps are probably a level 3 difficulty to detect, so the player rolls and beats the target number (9 or better).but then the GM pays the players two XP and explains he may have found the trap the hard way and realizes he stepped on a pressure plate...if he lets his foot up then the trap goes off. The player can refuse the XP and pay 1 XP to say, "I got lucky and didn't put full pressure on the plate before spotting it" or he can accept the XP, hand one off to another player (maybe his buddy who will help figure out how to help him get off the pressure plate), and accept the intrusion.

Right now in most games including D&D 5E there's no mechanic like this.

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I see... this sounds a bit like the systems in the Dresden Files. In it, each character has a list of traits they come up with. You are strongly encouraged to make them flavorful and complex - for example "hulk smash!" is much better than "strong".

So if you want to kick open a stout door, you could invoke your "hulk smash!" trait to get a bonus to the door kicking attempt. BUT the GM can also invoke your trait. You are mildly insulted in a delicate negociation, do you hulk smash and flip out? If you go along with it, you get a fate point you can spend at another time to give yourself a bonus. Or you can say "no, my character is irked but he keeps it under control" and *spend* a fate point to not flip out.

If I would create a d20 version of a world for Cypher system I would use the action points from d20 Modern or something like this. If it is necessary these would be easier to be earned but also to be spent, like a treasure reward of a single-use magic item.

Other option could be to create a hybrid-mixture system because it would easier to be learnt by new players, for example a d20 with new abilities scores: courage, astuteness, grace (= luck/fate/karma/divine blessing or curse) and technique (crafting, art and pre-learnt martial arts maneuvers, the classic Des would become Agility).

Doctor Futurity said:

In Numenera the cyphers are bits of lost technology, one-use items which players can find and use. In Cypher System the concept extends to any set of impermanent items; a piece of relic tech in Numenera might reskin as a potion in a fantasy game or a temporary gadget in a SF setting. They can be omitted or modified as needed (see the feathers of Vurt for an example), but the idea behind cyphers is that they are items of power that players can both find and use without worrying about hoarding.....and they let the GM steer powerful but temporary effects to PCs without worrying about overall game balance.

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Those sound easy to model in 5E, since as you say, they're basically one-shot magic items.

GM Intrusions are a mechanic where the GM pays XP to a player, who then shares it with another, in exchange for an intrusive event. These events are flexible in that you can use them to reveal information for a cost, challenge the player, or make life more complicated. The player in turn can choose to refuse the XP, pay an XP to hand it back, and avoid his fate.

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Ah yes, I've played with similar systems in other games. I think that wouldn't be too hard to staple onto 5E. Either make it like inspiration--the GM can offer you advantage on a roll, and you could hand it back in exchange for voluntarily taking disadvantage on a roll, maybe--or incorporate action points, as was suggested above.

Von Ether said:

For those who have not heard of Numenera, it's MCG's flagship setting for their in house Cypher system. It's a science fantasy setting where Clarke's Law (suitably advanced science can appear as magic to the in) where strange Middle Ages/Renaissance cultures are swimming in the cast offs of 8 previous high tech civilizations

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I personally thought that this aesthetic choice was something of a missed opportunity. Based upon how the setting was pitched, I would have preferred something less generic than Middle Age/Renaissance cultures, possibly such as ancient Near Eastern or Mediterranean cultures of antiquity. But I suppose that the nature of the Amber Papacy lends itself more readily to a Middle Age aesthetic.

As I mentioned earlier, I am curious how MCG would rework character creation for the setting in 5e. As a general Primer for the curious...

In the Cypher System, characters are created by selecting their Descriptor, Type, and Focus. This is generally summarized as part of a phrase: "I am a ______ (descriptor) _______ (type) who ________s (focus)."

A character's Descriptor is generally a defining personality trait (clever, weird, etc.) , quality (stealthy, rugged, graceful, unlucky, etc.), or background (noble, wealthy, etc.) , but it can also be (sub)species (mutants, vargellen, golthiar, etc.). This will generally provide several bonuses to your stat pools, bonus skills (or inabilities), or other small mechanical perks.

The Type is the analogue for class. It goes up to six tiers (i.e. levels). Numenera initially had three types: Glaive (warrior), Jack (jack-of-all-trades), and Nano (mage). Character Options 2 expanded this to include the Glint (the face) and the Seeker (explorer). The newest "edition" of Numenera, however, reworked the Types, scrapping the Glint and Seeker and reworking the Jack so it has a more unique identity.

Types for Numenera 2 include the Glaive (warrior), Jack (rogue), Nano (mage), Arkus (leader/face), Delve (explorer/salvager), Wright (inventer/engineer). These last three were more purposefully created with the new emphasis on establishing and bolstering communities in the rules.

The Focus is your unique thing, flavor, or niche. Examples include "Wears a Sheen of Ice," "Fuses Flesh with Steel," "Sees Beyond," "Crafts Illusions," "Fell From Another World," "Works Miracles," or even "Travels Through Time." Only one player per table can pick a particular Focus. Just like with your Type, your Focus also has six tiers (i.e. levels).

But this character creation allows for a lot of mix-and-matching of options. So if you wanted to be a sort of wilderness ranger, one person might pick a "Relentless Glaive who Hunts" while another could pick a "Rugged Delve who Lives in the Wilderness." Or maybe you like the idea of having fire-themed powers. So what do you want to be? A warrior Glaive who Bears a Halo of Fire? How about a magical Nano who Bears a Halo of Fire? Or even a charismatic Arkus who Bears a Halo of Fire?

Although it's interesting to speculate on how the rules of Numenera might be adapted to 5E, I think we can't rule out the possibility that they're just putting together a setting guide. All of the pages in the original post are monster conversion notes, which would fit with that. And that in itself could be very cool!

Whoa I got a mention on Enworld... Sweetness. Welcome over to Cypher Unlimited on Discord and let's chat about it.

Wow I just read this entire thread. Some people on here have very high opinions of themselves. I've been into this gaming scene since 1977 and all I have to say wow.

People play what you like and enjoy what you like. I've played every edition of D&D countless other games. I've played system heavy games as well as system weak games. I own quite nice 5E collection to boot. I also kickstarted Numenera way back in 2013. To top it all off I still purchase D&D materials today. I love the lore and will always honor my roots.

I say all to get to the point of I haven't run or played a game of D&D going on 4 years now. There is no love lost either. I just prefer Cypher System, I enjoy the freedom to tell grand tales and not be bogged down by system mechanic and rules. If you just take the time to appreciate a system built to get out of one's way. A set mechanics that promotes the narrative and frees the GM then come Cypher with me.

In the last 4 years I have brought at least 75 people into the gaming world thru Cypher system. I'm in touch with a few of them and many have tried other systems, but most always come back to Cypher because they feel a freedom that many other system don't give.

AR the end of the day, enjoy what you like but don't throw salt on other people's joy.

jayoungr said:

Although it's interesting to speculate on how the rules of Numenera might be adapted to 5E, I think we can't rule out the possibility that they're just putting together a setting guide. All of the pages in the original post are monster conversion notes, which would fit with that. And that in itself could be very cool!

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Sure, but I'm not sure how "just a setting a guide" would work with Numenera given that the classes reflect the setting. You can't just plop a standard 5e wizard or fighter into the setting without some heavy tuning. You would almost need Monte Cook Games to design, dare I say, an Arcana Evolved-like book, albeit one that uses 5e instead of 3e as its mechanical basis.

Aldarc said:

Sure, but I'm not sure how "just a setting a guide" would work with Numenera given that the classes reflect the setting. You can't just plop a standard 5e wizard or fighter into the setting without some heavy tuning. You would almost need Monte Cook Games to design, dare I say, an Arcana Evolved-like book, albeit one that uses 5e instead of 3e as its mechanical basis.

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Never underestimate the "subgenre" of D&D. Many GMs and players are much happier to get a small taste of a different world brought into their regular D&D game than learn new rules or new game systems.

So while I might find it "inaccurate" to bring Numenera monsters and locales before a PC party that would be right at home in Forgotten Realms, others would find it perfectly normal and maybe even a breath of fresh air -- before killing an Aeon priest and taking their stuff. And more power to them if that's their thing.

A small number of them would look into Numenera and scratch their head and an even smaller number that would make the leap to Cypher.

So even a setting book could be a win-win but the MCG crew are tricky so I'll wait and see what they are really up to.