[RCFG] RCFG Ongoing Development!
- Thread starter Raven Crowking
- Start date
Raven Crowking
First Post
Neat!
You know, one of the good things about a streamlined game is ease of monster creation. I've actually started working on flavour text because, IME, creating monster stats for RCFG is just so darn easy. Of course, I have a few tools at my disposal, such as a Saving Throw scale table, and an AC scale conversion table, that aren't available to the general public yet (but will be). One of the advantages of using an "average man" standard is that you can easily slot creature abilities on the basis of how good an "average man" is.
As far as your cool template goes, RCFG will fully support templates, so as to get the most bang from your (free) buck. My intention is that d20 material, as well as older D&D and AD&D material, can be quickly converted, so that GMs and players can quickly and easily add any element from anything even remotely related to D&D.
4e, of course, is a special case, because of the GSL. Nonetheless, I hold that 4e is actually quite close to 3e in many ways (apart from PCs) that most modules should be easily converted by plugging in the RCFG equivilent. IMHO, those modules will also be a heck of a lot more fun after conversion, but that could just be my ego talking.
I imagine that creating a class in RCFG based on the flavour of a 4e character class should be pretty simple as well. Indeed, IMHO many character concepts are already easier to stat up in RCFG than in 4e, due to what I view as the limiting nature of the class structure.
YMMV.
RC
Nellisir
Hero
BTW, RCFG Preview #3 is prominently titled Preview #4 on the first (title) page. File is numbered #3.
I've got spring break coming up and have started looking through the previews. Hope to have some comments soon. Biggest one, though, is the hd cap on elves, gnomes, and halfings. As far as I can tell, the effect, for elves, is to make than a d6 fighter instead of a d10. That's a major penalty. Why is it necessary?
I've got spring break coming up and have started looking through the previews. Hope to have some comments soon. Biggest one, though, is the hd cap on elves, gnomes, and halfings. As far as I can tell, the effect, for elves, is to make than a d6 fighter instead of a d10. That's a major penalty. Why is it necessary?
Raven Crowking
First Post
D'oh!
This is an artifact of the system I am using for naming the Word files (to keep my work in the order it will appear in the final product). Because it was a file named "04 Magic and Spellcasting" I just made it Preview 4. I'll fix that when I get a chance.
Nothing is set in stone at this point, but part of the goal is to have a humanocentric world that makes sense as a humanocentric world.
RC
Raven Crowking
First Post
More Monster Fluff Text
Opinions, please?
Also, thank you to those of you who've given XP for this thread.
RC
Wyvern
A wyvern is a type of lesser dragon without forelegs. They have hind legs and wings where forelegs attach to quadrupeds (thus being rather like the wings of birds). As with all lesser dragons, there is much speculation among sages as to their relationship with true dragons. All wyverns have greenish or brown scales. Crimson wyverns have a reddish tint to their wings and the scales along their heads and necks. They are able to breathe fire. Grey wyverns have duller scales, often muted to olive drab tones, and are equipped with a venomous sting on their tails. They are typically larger, but less aggressive, than crimson wyverns.
A crimson wyvern’s breath weapon takes the form of a 30-foot cone, and does a number of d6 in fire damage equal to the wyvern’s Hit Dice (Reflex save DC 10 + wyvern’s HD for half). A crimson wyvern has a 1 in 6 chance of being able to breathe fire on any of its actions.
The venom in a grey wyvern’s sting does 2d6 points of damage on the first round and 1d6 points of damage per round thereafter, for a total number of rounds equal to the wyvern’s Hit Dice. Each round, a free Fortitude save (DC 10 + wyvern’s Hit Dice) may negate that round’s damage.
Wyverns are not particularly intelligent creatures. Their attacks are often motivated by hunger, or in defence of the area immediately around their lair. Wyverns are more likely to attack larger creatures, such as horses, than they are to attack humanoids. Thus, a wyvern attack might mean the loss of a pack mule or two rather than the animals’ handlers, if the attack is uncontested. Unfortunately, not contesting such an attack might mean the wyvern returns night after night, picking off a horse here and a mule there so long as the travellers remain in its territory.
As with all dragons, wyverns are attracted to shiny things. They don’t go out of their way to collect them, but will line their lairs with incidental treasures. Wyverns prefer to lair in shallow caves overlooking their territory. When lairing in ruins, they prefer high places (such as towers or the upper stories of tall buildings). They are seldom found deep within ruins, or deep underground, as they become nervous when denied easy access to the sky.
Xorn
A xorn is a roughly barrel-shaped creature from the Elemental Plane of Earth. It has three arms ending with rock-hard claws, and three short legs. Three eyes surround the gaping maw at the top of its body. Its skin is made of greyish-brown rock-hard material that is quite difficult to damage. They are extremely heavy – even a small xorn weighs over 800 pounds – due to their rocky makeup.
Xorns have the ability to teleport from the Elemental Plane of Earth to the material plane and back once every three centuries, and are able to transport up to three willing creatures no larger than themselves when doing so. They can swim through earth and stone at will, as though it were water, leaving no opening behind them. Likewise, they can treat earth and stone as solids whenever it suits them. This is a natural part of any move action they take, and makes it extremely easy for a xorn to escape almost any conflict that is going poorly, although they cannot transport other creatures through stone or earth in this manner. In addition to having darkvision to a range of 60 feet, xorn can see through solid earth or stone to a range of 30 feet.
Xorn eat precious metals and gems, which they can scent at a range of 120 feet, even through solid earth and stone. They usually only come into conflict with beings from the material plane over these “tasty treats”. Often, xorn attacks can be headed off by offering some portion of treasure (typically 50 gp x the xorn’s Hit Dice), and in some cases xorn have carried adventurers to the Elemental Plane of Earth in exchange for precious metals and gems worth 100 gp x the xorn’s Hit Dice, per person carried.
Yellow Mould
This orangish-yellow growth can occur nearly anywhere away from direct sunlight, thriving especially in dim, damp environments. It is not dangerous unless disturbed; in this case the mould releases a cloud of spores 10 feet in diameter. Any creature caught in the cloud can hold its breath with a DC 10 Reflexes save, or resist the spores with a DC 15 Endurance save. If the initial save is failed (either Ref or End), the spores cause 1d6 points of damage each round until a successful Endurance save (DC 20) ends the effect. Yellow mould can be destroyed by 2d6 rounds of exposure to sunlight (which immediately makes it dormant when exposure begins), or by fire. It is undamaged by other attacks.
In some cases, large colonies of yellow mould may gain a form of collective intelligence. In this case, the mould may have levels in the Sorcerer class (level 1d6–1). Yellow mould never gains a familiar, but is always able to cast any spell it knows without the use of components. The first spell source of any yellow mould colony is always Psionic. If a yellow mould colony has a second spell source, it may select from (1) Dreams, (2) Eldritch Horror, (3) Greenblooded, (4-5) Necromantic, or (6) Shadow. The numbers in parenthesis are for use with 1d6 to randomly select a second spell source.
Yeti
Yeti are large, ape-like monstrous humanoids dwelling in cold, high regions of the world. Their fur is a dirty white, and their eyes blaze with reddish or yellowish light. Yeti are believed to be shy and secretive, avoiding encounters with intelligent creatures more often than attacking. As a result, yeti tracks are seen more often than the creatures themselves. However, reports claim that yeti sometimes trail folk travelling the high passes, learning what they can about them. Sometimes, this results in an attack, and when a yeti chooses to attack, its attack can be devastating.
A yeti attacks with claws and fangs. Its weird, ululating cry can freeze opponents in terror, as can its malevolent gaze. A yeti can use its cry as an action, or its gaze as a reaction. Those who hear the cry or meet the gaze must make a save (Will or Reas, DC 18) or be stunned for 1d6 rounds. In addition, the yeti’s body radiates intense cold, so that any creature engaged in close melee combat with a yeti takes 1d6 points of cold damage each round.
Yeti sometimes lead bands of carnivorous apes. They may keep shiny objects, but the remainder of their treasure is usually found in some hidden area where they store the remains of their victims. There are rumours that yeti with dark fur roam some isolated temperate forests, occasionally terrorizing the inhabitants of remote settlements, hunting cabins, and logging camps.
Opinions, please?
Also, thank you to those of you who've given XP for this thread.
RC
Wyvern
A wyvern is a type of lesser dragon without forelegs. They have hind legs and wings where forelegs attach to quadrupeds (thus being rather like the wings of birds). As with all lesser dragons, there is much speculation among sages as to their relationship with true dragons. All wyverns have greenish or brown scales. Crimson wyverns have a reddish tint to their wings and the scales along their heads and necks. They are able to breathe fire. Grey wyverns have duller scales, often muted to olive drab tones, and are equipped with a venomous sting on their tails. They are typically larger, but less aggressive, than crimson wyverns.
A crimson wyvern’s breath weapon takes the form of a 30-foot cone, and does a number of d6 in fire damage equal to the wyvern’s Hit Dice (Reflex save DC 10 + wyvern’s HD for half). A crimson wyvern has a 1 in 6 chance of being able to breathe fire on any of its actions.
The venom in a grey wyvern’s sting does 2d6 points of damage on the first round and 1d6 points of damage per round thereafter, for a total number of rounds equal to the wyvern’s Hit Dice. Each round, a free Fortitude save (DC 10 + wyvern’s Hit Dice) may negate that round’s damage.
Wyverns are not particularly intelligent creatures. Their attacks are often motivated by hunger, or in defence of the area immediately around their lair. Wyverns are more likely to attack larger creatures, such as horses, than they are to attack humanoids. Thus, a wyvern attack might mean the loss of a pack mule or two rather than the animals’ handlers, if the attack is uncontested. Unfortunately, not contesting such an attack might mean the wyvern returns night after night, picking off a horse here and a mule there so long as the travellers remain in its territory.
As with all dragons, wyverns are attracted to shiny things. They don’t go out of their way to collect them, but will line their lairs with incidental treasures. Wyverns prefer to lair in shallow caves overlooking their territory. When lairing in ruins, they prefer high places (such as towers or the upper stories of tall buildings). They are seldom found deep within ruins, or deep underground, as they become nervous when denied easy access to the sky.
Xorn
A xorn is a roughly barrel-shaped creature from the Elemental Plane of Earth. It has three arms ending with rock-hard claws, and three short legs. Three eyes surround the gaping maw at the top of its body. Its skin is made of greyish-brown rock-hard material that is quite difficult to damage. They are extremely heavy – even a small xorn weighs over 800 pounds – due to their rocky makeup.
Xorns have the ability to teleport from the Elemental Plane of Earth to the material plane and back once every three centuries, and are able to transport up to three willing creatures no larger than themselves when doing so. They can swim through earth and stone at will, as though it were water, leaving no opening behind them. Likewise, they can treat earth and stone as solids whenever it suits them. This is a natural part of any move action they take, and makes it extremely easy for a xorn to escape almost any conflict that is going poorly, although they cannot transport other creatures through stone or earth in this manner. In addition to having darkvision to a range of 60 feet, xorn can see through solid earth or stone to a range of 30 feet.
Xorn eat precious metals and gems, which they can scent at a range of 120 feet, even through solid earth and stone. They usually only come into conflict with beings from the material plane over these “tasty treats”. Often, xorn attacks can be headed off by offering some portion of treasure (typically 50 gp x the xorn’s Hit Dice), and in some cases xorn have carried adventurers to the Elemental Plane of Earth in exchange for precious metals and gems worth 100 gp x the xorn’s Hit Dice, per person carried.
Yellow Mould
This orangish-yellow growth can occur nearly anywhere away from direct sunlight, thriving especially in dim, damp environments. It is not dangerous unless disturbed; in this case the mould releases a cloud of spores 10 feet in diameter. Any creature caught in the cloud can hold its breath with a DC 10 Reflexes save, or resist the spores with a DC 15 Endurance save. If the initial save is failed (either Ref or End), the spores cause 1d6 points of damage each round until a successful Endurance save (DC 20) ends the effect. Yellow mould can be destroyed by 2d6 rounds of exposure to sunlight (which immediately makes it dormant when exposure begins), or by fire. It is undamaged by other attacks.
In some cases, large colonies of yellow mould may gain a form of collective intelligence. In this case, the mould may have levels in the Sorcerer class (level 1d6–1). Yellow mould never gains a familiar, but is always able to cast any spell it knows without the use of components. The first spell source of any yellow mould colony is always Psionic. If a yellow mould colony has a second spell source, it may select from (1) Dreams, (2) Eldritch Horror, (3) Greenblooded, (4-5) Necromantic, or (6) Shadow. The numbers in parenthesis are for use with 1d6 to randomly select a second spell source.
Yeti
Yeti are large, ape-like monstrous humanoids dwelling in cold, high regions of the world. Their fur is a dirty white, and their eyes blaze with reddish or yellowish light. Yeti are believed to be shy and secretive, avoiding encounters with intelligent creatures more often than attacking. As a result, yeti tracks are seen more often than the creatures themselves. However, reports claim that yeti sometimes trail folk travelling the high passes, learning what they can about them. Sometimes, this results in an attack, and when a yeti chooses to attack, its attack can be devastating.
A yeti attacks with claws and fangs. Its weird, ululating cry can freeze opponents in terror, as can its malevolent gaze. A yeti can use its cry as an action, or its gaze as a reaction. Those who hear the cry or meet the gaze must make a save (Will or Reas, DC 18) or be stunned for 1d6 rounds. In addition, the yeti’s body radiates intense cold, so that any creature engaged in close melee combat with a yeti takes 1d6 points of cold damage each round.
Yeti sometimes lead bands of carnivorous apes. They may keep shiny objects, but the remainder of their treasure is usually found in some hidden area where they store the remains of their victims. There are rumours that yeti with dark fur roam some isolated temperate forests, occasionally terrorizing the inhabitants of remote settlements, hunting cabins, and logging camps.
Nellisir
Hero
It's the stick, in other words. You can slant players one way or another with a carrot or a stick, and that's the stick.
It's an out-of-balance solution. The HD penalty only affects classes with d8 or d10 and higher HD (depending on size) and has no effect on low HD classes, so you'll skew those races that way. I didn't see a HD cap for dwarves, so dwarves are OK to play? I can understand not having one for half-elves and half-orcs. Linking it to size makes it additionally discriminatory - you don't like elves, but you really don't like gnomes and halfings! It also suggests large races should get a HD bonus. And it doesn't do anything to support that idea that hit points reflect, in part, your ability to evade, lessen, or mitigate a hit and the effects thereof - an ability that should be independant of size.
I think level limits are probably a better way to go. If you're really hooked on hit dice, then say elves drop down a die size (from d10 to d8, or d8 to d6) and small characters drop two sizes; both to a minimum of d4. That keeps it more abstract.
I'll post more later. I know you're looking forward to it.
Nell.
Raven Crowking
First Post
The basic idea for the HD cap comes from Basic Fantasy.
Actually, I like elves, and gnomes, and halflings. But, as with all game designers, I have design goals in mind when creating a game. Thus far, in the playtests, I've not seen short characters crippled by the HD restriction.
Of course, RCFG is being designed as a modular system, so that individual GMs and groups can alter the rules in various ways to reflect the game they wish to play.
And, yes, I am looking forward to it!!!!
Actually, I like elves, and gnomes, and halflings.
But, as with all game designers, I have design goals in mind when creating a game. Thus far, in the playtests, I've not seen short characters crippled by the HD restriction.Of course, RCFG is being designed as a modular system, so that individual GMs and groups can alter the rules in various ways to reflect the game they wish to play.
And, yes, I am looking forward to it!!!!
Nellisir
Hero
To recap BFRPG, elves & halflings are limited to a d6 HD; but fighters only have a d8 HD; clerics & rogues have a d6; wizards have a d4. Elves do not have a Con penalty; they have a Con. cap instead. Also, elven fighter/magic-users have a d6 HD for all levels, which evens out the issue for them (that's design by carrot).
RCFRPG limits elves to d8 AND assigns them a Con penalty (dropping their average hit points an additional point per die, or equal to a d6); gnomes and halflings to an actual d6. Paladins, Fighters, and Barbarians have d10 or higher hit dice; sorcerers & wizards have d6 or lower hit dice. Only sorcerers and wizards don't penalize short characters. All other classes have d8 - elves don't have a HD penalty, but they'll lag in hit points in all classes because of the Con penalty.
Yes, but if I can change your mind now, I avoid a houserule in the future. Efficiency.
I find your lack of enthusiasm troublesome.
Last edited:
Raven Crowking
First Post
Point.
I'll take it under consideration.
I find your lack of enthusiasm troublesome.
What can I say?
glass
(he, him)
Can that not be explained in thinks which are not (usually) the province of game mechanics: fecundity, bureaucratic/logistical aptitude, etc?
glass.
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