D&D 5E DARK SOULS' New 5E Mechanics

Steamforged Games released their first look at the 5E mechanics which will be powering their upcoming Dark Souls tabletop RPG, based on the video game. The game will be available for preorder next week with a release date in March. Steamforge say they "cut 5E to ribbons before reanimating it", which implies some fairly extensive changes to the system. Here's what they highlighted...

Steamforged Games released their first look at the 5E mechanics which will be powering their upcoming Dark Souls tabletop RPG, based on the video game. The game will be available for preorder next week with a release date in March.

DS-RPG-Core-Book-Promo-Shot.png


Steamforge say they "cut 5E to ribbons before reanimating it", which implies some fairly extensive changes to the system. Here's what they highlighted:
  • Position. Position combines 'health' and 'stamina' (two things in the video game). It measure health, but it's also a resource you can spend to boost die rolls or use special abilities. Presumably, this means that hit points have gone by the wayside.
  • Bloodied. A mechanic from D&D 4E, a creature is bloodied when it hits half Position. This can trigger bonuses and new abilities.
  • Magic. Vancian magic is gone entirely. Instead is a flexible system drawn from the video game. You have attunement slots, and spells take up a number of slots. Some require Position to cast or boost.
  • Death. At 0 Position you die. No saves. However you then respawn. But each time you die you lose part of yourself; it's not specified what that means exactly.
https://steamforged.com/blogs/brands/first-look-at-new-mechanics-in-dark-souls™-the-roleplaying-game
 

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Jaeger

That someone better
Steamforge say they "cut 5E to ribbons before reanimating it", which implies some fairly extensive changes to the system. Here's what they highlighted:
  • Position. Position combines 'health' and 'stamina' (two things in the video game). It measure health, but it's also a resource you can spend to boost die rolls or use special abilities. Presumably, this means that hit points have gone by the wayside.
  • Bloodied. A mechanic from D&D 4E, a creature is bloodied when it hits half Position. This can trigger bonuses and new abilities.
  • Magic. Vancian magic is gone entirely. Instead is a flexible system drawn from the video game. You have attunement slots, and spells take up a number of slots. Some require Position to cast or boost.
  • Death. At 0 Position you die. No saves. However you then respawn. But each time you die you lose part of yourself; it's not specified what that means exactly.

Ok so they are making real rule changes to make the game more evocative for Dark Souls... And they currently show "5e Compatible" on their product mock ups in their promotional shots

Which I think is fine.

But to play a little devils advocate:

Back in the 5e Symbaroum thread I was told in no uncertain terms that what I was Hoping FL would do with their "5eish" version of Symbaroum would not make it 5e Compatible anymore.

Specifically:
@Jaeger: with respect, if you don't want to play in Middle-Earth (or Symbaroum) using the "D&D mold", then don't buy a 5E-compatible ruleset...?


How much System Drift can a game like Dark Souls have, and still call itself "5e Compatible" ?

Asking for a friend...
 



Weiley31

Legend
Keynote in this blog: Bosses, like Players, can use Position to tweak their dice rolls.

PC: Oh sweet: The boss, Gundyr, rolled a 19. He needed a 20 or higher to hit beat my AC.

Gundyr proceeds to spend one Position to change his dice roll from a 19 to 20.

DM: Oh sorry PC, you died.

 

Weiley31

Legend
Also: in the boss blog, it seems like Gundyr, is capable of always acting first in the Initiative order. This could potentially mean that ALL Bosses in Dark Souls TTRPG always go first at the start of each combat round.
 


TheSword

Legend
Also: in the boss blog, it seems like Gundyr, is capable of always acting first in the Initiative order. This could potentially mean that ALL Bosses in Dark Souls TTRPG always go first at the start of each combat round.
That is such a great move. I’ve lost count of how many cool bosses have ended up going last and then lost 1/2 their hp and are playing defensive the rest of the combat.
 


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