Fireborn

[Brother Shatterstone]

Wow, I;ve really sidetracked this thread. Sorry bout that.

Yes. Yes you have and I hope that Crothian whacks you good for it too!

 

[Macbeth]

Yes. Yes you have and I hope that Crothian whacks you good for it too!

Not Corthian-beatings! Anything but that!

 

[Crothian]

Fireborn, people, we are talking about Fireborn!!

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Fireborn, people, we are talking about Fireborn!!

Aye.

Master of the Game, the combat seems to be very cinematic…

A word I’ve seen tossed around a lot due to Episode III hitting the movie theater… Would you agree? Would this not be a good system for lightsaber combat?

What else does Fireborn have to offer? How hard is it to make a character? Four stats... Seems like it would be very easy to do.

 

[Crothian]

I think it could do it, I wouldn't use it for star wars though. Personally I would use d6 or d20 depending on the players I had.

Personally, I think Fireborn has more to offer in unique setting and game play then mechanics. The idea that the character is figureing things out of who and what he is and gains memories of the mythic age, and then the game switches to the mythic age and you are playing a Dragon. I really like the duality of that, very Highlander

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Personally, I think Fireborn has more to offer in unique setting and game play then mechanics. The idea that the character is figureing things out of who and what he is and gains memories of the mythic age, and then the game switches to the mythic age and you are playing a Dragon. I really like the duality of that, very Highlander

Oh I don't disagree with you, I do think its best feature is the unique setting than anything else but I do think every RPG systems mechanics has something to offer to the community as a whole.

 

[Victim]

I'm curious, what of the setting annoys you?

Well, my biggest problem is that the mythic age is a bit too far in the past, thereby removing most cultures' connections to magic. That devalues much of the mythic basis of the game - the mythic age setting basically has nothing to do with Earth Also, the modern setting seems a bit too far advanced regarding public knowledge and acceptance of magic.

 

[Master of the Game]

Master of the Game, the combat seems to be very cinematic… A word I’ve seen tossed around a lot due to Episode III hitting the movie theater… Would you agree? Would this not be a good system for lightsaber combat?

I agree that a lot of people say their games are cinematic, but in this game it's an actual game-play mechanic. I'd say it really hits dead on here, in a way not seen since Feng Shui, and in a way that easily outstrips that much-beloved system.

As for Starwars, I love both the d6 and d20 systems, but I think you could do it better with Fireborn. Karma and Taint are great substitutes for the force/darkside, and powers could mimic many physical abilities, while spells take care of the mental ones. The only downside, is you would have to get rid of the excellent advancement system (dual advancement). Not hard to do, but it's fabulous, and would be missed.

What else does Fireborn have to offer?

Other than combat mechanics, it has a great character advancement system that drips with flavor. Basically, you gain two types of experience, noral experience you get as a day-to-day human that can be used on skills and edges (think feats), and experience you get from the flashbacks that can be spent on powers and adapting to your draconic form. Further, you have to bring them all together, this is done by using flashbacks to locate portions of your horde. As you gain mystic experience, normal experience, and uncover your horder you come closer to meeting your true potential... becoming a dragon again.

Beyond mechanics, the story is great. The initial adventure, for instance starts you off in the ancient past, helping to broker a peace treaty. Then you wake up from the dream and you are a normal human. You go about you life, but things have changed, you're just a little bit better than everyone else... then, flashback, bad stuff in ancient times. All this leads to an enemy you barely stopped before, that is coming back to confront you now.

Before I go any farther, I should point out, I'm just an avid fan, and have nothing to do with this game, but I am glad to answer questions. The more it catches on, the more they print, and the more goodies I get to play with.

Next, is the interesting way you play a group of characters in the past and present. You are all members of a brood... a group of dragons raised together so closely that you are karmically bound to one another. You can communicate mentally, and each time you reincarnate you eventually find one another... even if you're not trying or don't know it's happening.

The intersting thing is, because dragons are eternal they always reincarnate. You can die in a flashback, but still be there during the next one. Only dragons in human form don't remember their past lives. Of course, you get a lot more experience if you survive the flashback....

How hard is it to make a character? Four stats... Seems like it would be very easy to do.

Other than the fact you have to make two characters (scion and dragon) it's pretty easy. Assign your attribute points, pick your human background, choose your draconic nature (think Avatar from White Wolf's Mage), add a few bonus points to skills (your basic skills are free from your background), pick a few edges (initial edges are based on draconic nature), then pick spells and/or fighting styles.

Dragons are much the same, just choose your breeds in place of background and nature, and powers in place of edges.

 

[Master of the Game]

Well, my biggest problem is that the mythic age is a bit too far in the past, thereby removing most cultures' connections to magic. That devalues much of the mythic basis of the game - the mythic age setting basically has nothing to do with Earth Also, the modern setting seems a bit too far advanced regarding public knowledge and acceptance of magic.

I kind of agreewith this. It doesn't take away from the experience, but it leaves you thinking "How cool would this be throughout known time, or before anyone ever heard on magic?" At the same time though, it give you a chance to flex your wings (so to speak) a bit, and embrace your draconic nature... In both time periods.

I'm actually thinking of having my players make a third character... a human with no magic or modern abilities.... to use during flashbacks to ancient rome and the middle ages... showing that these are all reincarnated forms through all of time, not just the truely ancient stuff.

I already decided that in my game very few people know about magic, and those who do are trying to cover it up.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Master of the Game, this sounds totally awesome. Expect for getting caught back up on my WotC books it will be my next buy.