Microlite20 : the smallest thing in gaming

[WSmith]

I do have a wishlist for Microlite20 House Rules that I'll plough through when I've time - unless someone else wants to do them first and see their name in the Macropedia:

- Using d6s - for those times when you've only a Yahtzee set to hand

I am a big Tunnels & Trolls fan, and have given the use of six-sided dice only some thought. I will let you know what I come up with.

 

[greywulf]

I am a big Tunnels & Trolls fan, and have given the use of six-sided dice only some thought. I will let you know what I come up with.

Thanks, W. I leave that in your more than capable hands

From one fellow T&T lover to another.

 

[Pilsnerquest]

All spells could potentially have damage, range, area of effect and duration. If they're unstated, then the defaults are used:

0 damage
touch range
0 area of effect
instant duration

In Microlite20 terms, each point allocated to damage would translate to 1d6 Hit Points lost. Or "damage" could be positive energy to make it a healing spell instead recovering 1d6 damage per point.

For example, an Awaken spell could be just 0 damage, range 1 (5'), 0 area of effect and instant duration.

How's that sound?

It looks great for Microlite, and I would use it exactly the way you have it written out for it. What I'm using is a modified version of Ultramicrolite20, the one you checked out, using a level-less idea, where casters are only going to be able to generate a max of 5 points (minimum of 1 on a final result of 1-4) to divy amongst effect, duration, range and area of effect. I'd really like to keep everything 1 for 1, (1 point derived from the magic roll for 1 hit of damge or 1 hit removed from healing, etc. and I'd like to limit the amount of reference tables. Spending points on "range" would soak up the available magic points to spend so I've allowed casters to target their spells anywhere within sight at no point cost.

Where problems pop up is when a caster casts, say a strength spell on a party member, needing at least 2 points to spend, 1 point on bumping the strength +1 and another 1 point for 1 round of duration, but only gets 1 point to spend from a lousy magic roll. I could use the instantaneous default and say the next swing is at +1 and then the spells gone but that would pretty much be the same as spending 1 point to have 1 round of duration. Maybe have the spell fail? Go with the instantaneous default as an easy fix?

Pilsnerquest

 

[greywulf]

I'd stay that gives them a +1 bonus to the next STR-based activity they carry out, so that could be +1 to hit and damage on their next roll, +1 to lift that boulder, etc.

It's still one round duration, but the 1 round is triggered when it's used.

Does that make sense?

I really ought to write this up in the Macropedia now.........

 

[Ry]

Alternatively, you might allow (as I'm going to for Rank20) a caster to keep a spell going by allowing anything to have a Concentration duration. So even on a crappy roll, the caster could keep his friends STR buffed by not making other actions on his turn.

 

[greywulf]

There you go. I've written up the Open Ended Magic System based on what's been discussed so far.

It's deviated a little from Realms of Renown, mainly because I've tried to make it accessible in both Microlite20 and ultramicrolite20, but not so much as you can't see it's heritage.

Comments and feedback, as ever, yadda yadda yadda.......

This is going to be playtested next Wednesday.

 

[Pilsnerquest]

I'd stay that gives them a +1 bonus to the next STR-based activity they carry out, so that could be +1 to hit and damage on their next roll, +1 to lift that boulder, etc.

It's still one round duration, but the 1 round is triggered when it's used.

Does that make sense?

Instantaneous default, yeah that makes sense. And I don't think it would be a loophole for characters to not spend a point on duration as some spells would benefit from lasting an entire round.

Alternatively, you might allow (as I'm going to for Rank20) a caster to keep a spell going by allowing anything to have a Concentration duration. So even on a crappy roll, the caster could keep his friends STR buffed by not making other actions on his turn.

Another good idea, this thread is a goldmine. Do you limit the type of spell this can be done with in your games?. I could see my rule-bending crew trying to have their caster concentrate on their ball of fire spell to keep dealing massive damage round after round while giving me their inncoent "its in your rules" looks.


Pilsnerquest

 

[WSmith]

I've written up the Open Ended Magic System based on what's been discussed so far.

Comments and feedback, as ever, yadda yadda yadda.......

This is going to be playtested next Wednesday.

I am looking forward to how this plays out. The difficulty I find in open ended magic is that newbies, at least IME, prefer that just have spells that do something specific like sleep, charm, or magic missile. However, veteran RPGers tend to shine with such systems.

I am going to read it again, as I am getting a little confussed with all the point allocations and such. It might just be me.

 

[Pilsnerquest]

There you go. I've written up the Open Ended Magic System based on what's been discussed so far.

It's deviated a little from Realms of Renown, mainly because I've tried to make it accessible in both Microlite20 and ultramicrolite20, but not so much as you can't see it's heritage.

Comments and feedback, as ever, yadda yadda yadda.......

Wow, the Open Ended Magic looks very solid the way all the pieces have been put together. Nothin left to do now but play.

(In the second example with Norris, I may have missed something but it looks like Norris got 1 extra point too many compared to his final magic roll result.)


Pilsnerquest

 

[WSmith]

I thought the same thing of Norris, too.

Also, when using for ultramicrolite20, how woud you work damage, since it uses hits instead of hit points.