Dragonbane general thread

[overgeeked]

Then you haven't tried to find all the optional piercing damage rules then.

Most people don't know that cramped terrain does not give a bane to piercing damage weapons.

The easy fix is don’t use those optional rules. Bam. No need to find them. And like that, the game is even lighter.

 

[TheHand]

I’ll be running my first Dragonbane session here soon!
A couple of gear questions I have for veteran players: Is there a discernible difference between large and small shields, other than the durability rating? I couldn’t seem to find any explanation in the rules.
And with music instruments, are flutes intended to be the best value? Lowering WP cost for the musical HA by 2 seems really strong, not to mention they’re cheaper. What am I missing?

Thanks! I’m sure to have more questions and observations after my first run.

 

[Maggan]

I’ll be running my first Dragonbane session here soon!
A couple of gear questions I have for veteran players: Is there a discernible difference between large and small shields, other than the durability rating? I couldn’t seem to find any explanation in the rules.

Small and large shields work the same, and it is only the durability, strength requirement and cost that set them apart.

I haven't really checked to see how much more protective a large shield is, a difference of 3 in durability seems a bit on the smaller side, but is is on average sort of a d6 worth of damage that can be avoided if we compare small and large shields.

And with music instruments, are flutes intended to be the best value? Lowering WP cost for the musical HA by 2 seems really strong, not to mention they’re cheaper. What am I missing?

A flute lowers the WP cost to 2, not by 2.

 

[Bill Zebub]

I have to admit I do find it a little odd that this one particular Heroic Ability can so easily have its WP cost reduced just by buying a piece of equipment.

It does make me think that in lieu of traditional "+1" magic weapons, an interesting option for magic items would be to similarly reduce the WP cost for other HAs.

 

[Maggan]

It does make me think that in lieu of traditional "+1" magic weapons, an interesting option for magic items would to similarly reduce the WP cost for other HAs.

That's a great idea.

 

[TheHand]

Small and large shields work the same, and it is only the durability, strength requirement and cost that set them apart.

I haven't really checked to see how much more protective a large shield is, a difference of 3 in durability seems a bit on the smaller side, but is is on average sort of a d6 worth of damage that can be avoided if we compare small and large shields.


A flute lowers the WP cost to 2, not by 2.

Appreciate the answer and clarification!

 

[Aldarc]

Quoting myself here for context:

I sometimes like to practice grokking systems by doing a little homebrewing. As my partner liked Numenera but bounced off the Cypher System, I was musing about modifying Dragonbane for a post-apocalyptic science-fiction/science-fantasy setting that is inspired by Nausicaä: Valley of the Wind with additional influences from Numenera, Thundarr the Barbarian, Dark Sun, etc.

But this homebrew project is coming along slowly. I think that I have settled on my core group of kin:

• Human: a monkeyfolk kin that somehow survives
• Bugling: the alien insectoid kin a bit like thri-kreen
• Leorin: lionfolk, mok, wookie sort of furry bestial kin
• Newt: your reptile-like amphibian or amphibian-like reptile kin
• Shrooman: weird, short mushroom people

However, I am taking a slightly different approach to them from the core rules. Most of these kin will get to choose their starting ability from a small list of kin-based abilities. Then when the PC gets a heroic ability, they can alternatively choose to take another kin-based heroic ability.

The bugling, for example, can choose at character creation between Carapace (spend up to 3 WP for armor), Four-Armed (pick things up from ground or inventory without an action), Tough (see Orcs), and Wings (see Karkions).

With humans, I am probably swapping out the standard Adaptive, for an alternate ability that I saw in another homebrew called Tenacious; however, I am renaming it to 'Perseverance.' The gist of the ability is that humans can activate the ability for a boon on their pushed rolls. I prefer this as it gives a sense of humanity's desire to survive in this world and to push on despite all of their hardships. At this point, I don't have any alternative or further kin abilities for humans.

 

[Von Ether]

I have to admit I do find it a little odd that this one particular Heroic Ability can so easily have its WP cost reduced just by buying a piece of equipment.

It does make me think that in lieu of traditional "+1" magic weapons, an interesting option for magic items would be to similarly reduce the WP cost for other HAs.

Well, a lyre and a harp are two handed items?

 

[overgeeked]

The unofficial Dragonbane discord is doing another fan content contest. This time it’s factions. More details on the discord.

Join the Dragonbane Community Discord Server!

 

[The Soloist]

After playing DB solo for over a year with three characters, I really love this system. The skill system, coupled with the conditions and the combat rules, meshed perfectly.

After 28 two-hour sessions, the characters are still vulnerable despite some skill increases and a few additional heroic abilities. It's a welcome change from my solo D&D 5.5 characters, who zoomed to level 4 in no time (using XPs) and are already starting to feel superheroic after only six sessions.

If I were 15 again, I would love to start playing RPGs with Dragonbane.