Final Fantasy Zero: Design Diary continued

[Arkhandus]

In FF5, at least, Bio heals the undead.

Responding to something rather old (dunno why I didn't notice it months ago), but....that was before the Dark/Shadow element was introduced formally as an opposite to Healing/Holy effects. With a Dark or Shadow element, it'd be best for that to heal undead and harm the living, but Bio really seems more oriented towards just being a poison-and-slowly-kill-the-living spell line.

Me too....

....just looking forward to killing 4e and taking it's stuff.

I'd rather you didn't, heh, not that my opinion matters. I'd rather see the stuff be 3E-compatible. Too bad I don't have a proper group to try this stuff out with right now.

 

[Stomphoof]

Does anyone have a full list of the all the PDF's so far released for this system? I am curious about it.

 

[Arkhandus]

Just scroll up to the first post on this page, and click the spoiler button in Kamikaze Midget's signature. He has the links for his FFZ PDFs in there, aside from the few more recent PDFs that he put in posts on this page (and maybe the previous page).

 

[Exen Trik]

looking forward to killing 4e and taking it's stuff.

We have quite of bit of 4e stuff to work with now, how goes the killing and looting thereof?

 

[I'm A Banana]

The Moogles have been tinkering...

Gilgamesh has been searching...

The Crystal was shedding it's light silently...​

Super-secret members-only preview behind the spoiler bar...website coming in the fall...the world hasn't seen the last of Final Fantasy Zero...

[sblock]

Cloud is a level 1 genome samurai.

Combat Stats
HP: 34, MP 22

Attacks: Katana +2 (1d10, For 5)

BUSHIDO:

~ Sparkler +0 Ranged Magick Single (5 mp, 1d6, Sor -2)

Defenses: Weapon 12 (Vit 3), Magick 10 (Spr -3)

Luk +2, Agi +0

Stats: Str 18 (+4), Dex 11 (+0), Con 14 (+2), Int 7 (-2), Wis 5 (-3), Cha 12 (+1)

Limit: Monstrosity (Four melee attacks at 4x damage each attack).

Limit Modes: Stioc, Warrior

Passive Stats

Equipment: Buster Sword, Bronze Plate

Totema: None

Tribal Trait: Inhuman Strength (+1 dmg with physical attacks)

Job Traits: Plate Armor (Bronze Plate: +1 Vit), Katana (Buster Sword: +1 Luk); Doublehand (+2 Force when not using an accessory)

Tribal Art (Genome Soldier): Quick Katana: 1 less delay on Bushido abilities

[/sblock]

 

[Alzrius]

So...is it staying 3.5-based, or going 4E, or what?

 

[I'm A Banana]

So...is it staying 3.5-based, or going 4E, or what?

As always: Cherry-picking from everything.

To add a little more detail with the edit: Ideally, like your AE Greenbond, you'll be able to run your FFZ moogle right beside your 3.5 Tatooed Monk, and like your Eberron gnome artificer, also right beside your 4.0 Warlord, and possibly right beside your SWSE Jedi.

I'm not sure how achievable that is entirely, but that's what between now and the fall is for. I've got a game here, I just need to see how it runs alongside the other games. Like "Compared to 3rd edition characters, FFZ characters will be more robust at first level, but with a few less strategic options" and "Compared to 4th edition characters, FFZ characters won't be able to freely modify their attacks as often, but they will have more variety in their per-encounter powers."

Full adventure coming with the website....

 

[Exen Trik]

Super-secret members-only preview behind the spoiler bar...website coming in the fall...the world hasn't seen the last of Final Fantasy Zero...
[snip stats]

As always, an interesting blend of D&D and videogame elements, and now 4e makes it even more interesting. Some questions (which you don't have to answer ):

-Are Vitality, Luck and Spirit just renamed Fortitude, Reflex and Will?

-Still using an incremental initiative, instead of round based?

-Not taking advantage of healing surge mechanics? How about encounter/daily powers?

-Are limits/totema necessarily parts of the system, or can a game or just individual characters be balanced without them?

-Why wait until fall? I'd make an alpha preview game for level 1 adventuring sooner than that, if I were making such a game.

 

[I'm A Banana]

-Are Vitality, Luck and Spirit just renamed Fortitude, Reflex and Will?

Not exactly. Vitality is more like DR, Luck is kind of new, and Spirit is kind of like DR for spells.

-Still using an incremental initiative, instead of round based?

I've smoothed out some of the earlier notes so that it is round-based, but it changes from round to round.

-Not taking advantage of healing surge mechanics? How about encounter/daily powers?

Limits are now like daily powers. Most MP-based effects are like encounter powers. Most Delay-based effects are like at-will powers. FFZ characters should be at nearly full power at the start of every encounter, and every encounter should be kind of dangerous.

-Are limits/totema necessarily parts of the system, or can a game or just individual characters be balanced without them?

You could go without them, if you want. Just means the DM drops the boss's hp. They follow an expected formula, so it's pretty easy to just remove that formula.

-Why wait until fall? I'd make an alpha preview game for level 1 adventuring sooner than that, if I were making such a game

I want to kind of have a "release" with the website. I also want to give me time to work in any 4e aspects we're still missing, and to hone the adventure to a fine point. A preview game is a definite possibility before then, though, especially if the June release won't reveal too many more big ideas.

 

[Exen Trik]

Not exactly. Vitality is more like DR, Luck is kind of new, and Spirit is kind of like DR for spells.

Interesting. I wonder how that will compare to 4e resistances. Are you still using the F/R/W defenses, though?

I've smoothed out some of the earlier notes so that it is round-based, but it changes from round to round.

A little more rolling, but no additional bookkeeping. Just enough to allow for the delay mechanic, yes?

Limits are now like daily powers. Most MP-based effects are like encounter powers. Most Delay-based effects are like at-will powers. FFZ characters should be at nearly full power at the start of every encounter, and every encounter should be kind of dangerous.

Is this only in reference to strength, or frequency?

I can see limits as simply per day, or being a little more common like action points. Your reference to limit modes indicate some way of earning them, possibly using a 4e monster styled recharge mechanic, that triggers under certain conditions?

MP using powers like spells are, if styled after the games, usable round after round like an at will power, but limited by MP so it they should be around the power of a per encounter ability. Depending how easily and often MP is regained and what the costs look like, they might be either stronger or weaker. Probably either, depending on power.

Delay based powers sound interesting. Assuming it is some kind of one round initiative modifying effect, you would have strong moves landing more likely after enemies, and faster ones earlier. I can already see using fast powers followed by slow ones to try and double up your actions before the enemy can react. I think was doing the same thing in FFT actually.

You could go without them, if you want. Just means the DM drops the boss's hp. They follow an expected formula, so it's pretty easy to just remove that formula.

Ah, so I take it a FF7 themed character with limits wouldn't be balanced if paired with a FF4 themed character without them? Not really a problem I guess, so long as limits cover all the themes you're aiming to use.

I want to kind of have a "release" with the website. I also want to give me time to work in any 4e aspects we're still missing, and to hone the adventure to a fine point. A preview game is a definite possibility before then, though, especially if the June release won't reveal too many more big ideas.

An early open playtest of the basic mechanics and ideas was my notion, with the disclaimer that some or all of it may be altered or scrapped before actual release. It would be useful feedback methinks.