Hodge Podge Gaming or You Got Your Chocolate in My Peanut Butter

[dm4hire]

I was wondering if anyone uses a mixed system format to run their games (i.e. use one system for attacking, another for magic, and so on)? The reason I'm asking is that I am playing with the idea of running a game where each class uses a different dice mechanic to determine their success.

My thought in doing this is it would help give a distinctive flavor to each class and therefore no two would play the same. To make it work I'm thinking of adding different defenses that each class targets. So if I used d20 for fighter then the traditional AC or Reflex would be used by everyone while if I decided to use World of Darkness for magic then there would be a magic defense that all classes have that fits that system stat wise. Any thoughts?

 

[SiderisAnon]

While some groups might find this quite interesting, I have to say that it is a RPG rule system that I would never GM and probably wouldn't want to play. Issues of balancing multiple system types against each other aside, this system would be a nightmare for the GM just based on the rules themselves. It's enough trouble to have to remember all the fiddly rules of many game systems, without having to memorize an entirely different set of rules for every class of character out there. While an individual player might know their class well, imagine trying to run a mixed group of opponents where each enemy has their own different rule system.

About the only way I could see this working would be something where both monsters and NPCs used the same system and it was its own separate system.

In addition, you would need some way to ensure that the PCs were using the correct rules without the GM having to know them all. My only thought at the moment would be a system where each player had a deck of cards that had their abilities and just used them off of the cards, so that nobody had to go searching for rules, kind of like how in Magic the different colors play differently. However, you're still using a unifying underlying system there...

 

[Pentius]

This sounds like it would be hard to learn, as a player. Also, consider that if each class has a defense for each other class, you'd need to modify each existing class if you ever wanted to add a new one.

 

[Swedish Chef]

Seems overly complicated to me, and an amazing amount of work for the DM. Player's have it a bit easier, as they only have to memorize for their specific class. Either way, a lot of different math to track.

But, if you can get it to work, more power to you!

 

[dm4hire]

A little more detail I think is needed judging from the sounds of it.

My plan is to use one back bone system which would be used for all skill checks and one of the four core classes (or possibly three roles similar to how True20 is setup) which would most likely be the rogue. The rogues attack aspect would be turned into a skill check which would then fit into the scheme, allowing them to target a specific defense.

Next, with the exception skill checks, the wizard would use a pool system to not only generate a success result, but determine damage and backlash/fatigue all in one roll. This would be a modified version of HEX that wouldn't use the Ubiquity dice, instead the player would roll whatever amount and type was called for by the spell. Here is how it would work if the character was casting fireball and was fifth level: Fireball is normally d6 per level up to10 so the player would roll 5d6; it's also a 3rd level spell that would require three successes from the five dice rolled. The player decides odd numbers equal success so rolls and gets 5, 3, 3, 2, 1. Three odds mean the spell worked dealing 14 damage to the target(s) and caused two points of backlash/fatigue for the caster.

The fighter uses a modified version of the base system, if not the base system, with my intention being that they roll 3d10 for results of 2-30. I used AnyDice to analyze the probability and I feel that it would allow for a more unique critical hit system with instant death being possible since the odds of rolling 30 is .1% or one in 1000 chance.

Finally clerics would either be rolled in with wizards, being a variant, or another system might be used to allow for determining degree of success. I haven't decided what would work yet, but the degree of success would reflect their strength of faith at the time of evoking their deity's name, giving importance toward roleplaying the characters devotion or lack there of and its importance in the game.

I agree that initial learning might be a step above most games, but its meant to be a game for seasoned players who know various rules. I hope that helps clarify what I'm thinking of.

 

[KidSnide]

A little more detail I think is needed judging from the sounds of it.

The rogues attack aspect would be turned into a skill check

the wizard would use a pool system to not only generate a success result, but determine damage and backlash/fatigue all in one roll. This would be a modified version of HEX that wouldn't use the Ubiquity dice

The fighter uses a modified version of the base system, if not the base system, with my intention being that they roll 3d10 for results of 2-30.

Finally clerics would either be rolled in with wizards, being a variant, or another system might be used to allow for determining degree of success

Sounds like a confusing mess to me. You're group might enjoy a confusing rules mess for the pure chaos of it, but it's not something I'd build a campaign around... or, for that matter, want to run or play in.

YMMV. Good luck!

-KS

 

[amerigoV]

Having played a bit of 2e recently - 1e or 2e is not far off of what you want. Its got the backbone system in place. Fighters roll d20s and whatever damage dice, thieves roll d% for their skills, magic users usually do not roll anything to active their stuff and have their own subsystem for resolution (ie, whatever the spell says), and clerics are a combo of fighter and MU.

After having been away from the old system for quite awhile - it was a jumbled mess, but it was distinctive and fun.

 

[Swedish Chef]

A little more detail I think is needed judging from the sounds of it.

My plan is to use one back bone system which would be used for all skill checks and one of the four core classes (or possibly three roles similar to how True20 is setup) which would most likely be the rogue. The rogues attack aspect would be turned into a skill check which would then fit into the scheme, allowing them to target a specific defense.

Next, with the exception skill checks, the wizard would use a pool system to not only generate a success result, but determine damage and backlash/fatigue all in one roll. This would be a modified version of HEX that wouldn't use the Ubiquity dice, instead the player would roll whatever amount and type was called for by the spell. Here is how it would work if the character was casting fireball and was fifth level: Fireball is normally d6 per level up to10 so the player would roll 5d6; it's also a 3rd level spell that would require three successes from the five dice rolled. The player decides odd numbers equal success so rolls and gets 5, 3, 3, 2, 1. Three odds mean the spell worked dealing 14 damage to the target(s) and caused two points of backlash/fatigue for the caster.

The fighter uses a modified version of the base system, if not the base system, with my intention being that they roll 3d10 for results of 2-30. I used AnyDice to analyze the probability and I feel that it would allow for a more unique critical hit system with instant death being possible since the odds of rolling 30 is .1% or one in 1000 chance.

Finally clerics would either be rolled in with wizards, being a variant, or another system might be used to allow for determining degree of success. I haven't decided what would work yet, but the degree of success would reflect their strength of faith at the time of evoking their deity's name, giving importance toward roleplaying the characters devotion or lack there of and its importance in the game.

I agree that initial learning might be a step above most games, but its meant to be a game for seasoned players who know various rules. I hope that helps clarify what I'm thinking of.

Wow. The way you've described it above really confuses me now.

Having said that, it may work, but it would have to be worded very carefully so that it is 1) easy to follow and 2) conveys the complexity without breaking it or invalidating (1).

I would be interested in reading through a more fleshed out version.

 

[the Jester]

What exactly is the goal? Is it simply to make different classes play differently? Because right now, it's a confusing mess that looks like it would be full of "look what issues we discovered in play" screech-to-a-halt moments.

Sorry, man, but it really looks like more trouble than it is worth for a payoff you could get just by playing a system like 2e.

 

[BriarMonkey]

There's just too much going on. There are too many variants on the dice - even with 1E or 2E there were still basic die rolls that everyone shared (Saving Throws, To Hit). But with this system, it looks like everyone rolls something different; and that is just begging for problems.

If you want everything to feel distinct and unique within the classes, either make the class very distinct - but use a unified die mechanic; or use dice pools for which each class can have a differing impact (IE [very rough]: in melee combat everyone gets three dice for their melee pool, Fighter types get a bonus of +3 to their dice pool while Spell Slingers get a penalty of -1 to their dice pool).

Otherwise, this is a hot mess.