N.E.W. RPG (was: Sequential Career Based RPG)

[Morrus]

[Note - this has progressed some since this post; see Post #3 for a current PDF].

I'm toying with this idea. It borrows from a few others (WFRP, old FASA stuff, and more). This would work for any genre, including fantasy and sci-fi. The example below is a sci-fi one.

I'd like to stress that these are really rubbish off-the-cuff examples. The choices would actually be much more interesting and varied! You could be a street orphan who begged for food, joined a gang as a teenager, spent some time in prison, then joined the suicide goblin hunters.

You have six attributes. Three start at 2 (your choice) and three start at 1 (your choice) for a total of 9 points. For example:

STR 2 DEX 1 CON 2 INT 1 WIS 1 CHA 2

To build a character you take a series of backgrounds. Each adds a number of years to your age and affects your attributes. You have 10 points you can spend, and each costs some of those points.


[TABLE="width: 100%"] [TR] [TD="width: 50%, bgcolor: #e6e6ff"] High School Jock (2)[/TD] [TD="width: 50%, bgcolor: #e6e6ff"] 4 Years[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 100%, colspan: 2"] Prerequisites: Any two physical skills at 2+.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="bgcolor: #e6e6ff, colspan: 2"] You were a football player in High School. You developed your physical and social skills, but your academic skills fell slightly behind.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 100%, colspan: 2"] STR 1 DEX 1 CON 1 INT 0 WIS 0 CHA 1[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="width: 100%"] [TR] [TD="width: 50%, bgcolor: #e6e6ff"] Football Scholarship (3)[/TD] [TD="width: 50%, bgcolor: #e6e6ff"] 4 Years[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 100%, colspan: 2"] Prerequisites: High School Jock[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 100%, bgcolor: #e6e6ff, colspan: 2"] You got into a university with a football scholarship. You received a decent education, and extensive athletic training.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 100%, colspan: 2"] STR 1 DEX 1 CON 1 INT 1 WIS 0 CHA 1[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="width: 100%"] [TR] [TD="width: 50%, bgcolor: #e6e6ff"] Military Academy (1)[/TD] [TD="width: 50%, bgcolor: #e6e6ff"] 1 Year[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 100%, colspan: 2"] Prerequisites: Con 2+[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 100%, bgcolor: #e6e6ff, colspan: 2"] You joined the military and completed basic military training.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 100%, colspan: 2"] STR 1 DEX 0 CON 1 INT 0 WIS 1 CHA 0[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="width: 100%"] [TR] [TD="width: 50%, bgcolor: #e6e6ff"] College (2)[/TD] [TD="width: 50%, bgcolor: #e6e6ff"] 4 Years[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 100%, colspan: 2"] Prerequisites: Int 2+[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 100%, bgcolor: #e6e6ff, colspan: 2"] You gained a Bachelor's degree at university.[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 100%, colspan: 2"] STR 0 DEX 0 CON 0 INT 1 WIS 0 CHA 1[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="width: 100%"] [TR] [TD="width: 50%, bgcolor: #e6e6ff"] Space Marines Tour (1) [repeatable][/TD] [TD="width: 50%, bgcolor: #e6e6ff"] 2 Years[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 100%, colspan: 2"] Prerequisites: Military Academy[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 100%, bgcolor: #e6e6ff, colspan: 2"] You completed a tour in the Space Marines. [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 100%, colspan: 2"] STR 1 DEX 0 CON 1 INT 0 WIS 0 CHA 0[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="width: 100%"] [TR] [TD="width: 50%, bgcolor: #e6e6ff"] Starfleet Tour (1) [repeatable][/TD] [TD="width: 50%, bgcolor: #e6e6ff"] 2 Years[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 100%, colspan: 2"] Prerequisites: Military Academy[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 100%, bgcolor: #e6e6ff, colspan: 2"] You completed a tour in Starfleet. [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 100%, colspan: 2"] STR 0 DEX 0 CON 0 INT 0 WIS 1 CHA 1[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Now, the choices would be much more complex than that. That just illustrates the idea. There would be many, many career building blocks. You would define your character's background and attributes at the same time.

So you'd end up with something like this:

STR 5 DEX 2 CON 3 INT 2 WIS 2 CHA 5

You'd also have an AGE at that point. That's important, because age modifiers will affect your attributes, too. I haven't worked out the numbers yet, but the physical skills will start to fall off while the mental ones may increase a little.

Task resolution is then accomplished by an attribute roll. The attribute tells you how many d6s you can roll vs. a target number. Other things can add or remove d6s, too. Target numbers are set in the rules, or they are opposed; for ease, opposed rolls vs. NPCs and monsters simply use an average target DC of 3 x attribute. So an attack might be STR vs. DEX, and the attacking PC rolls 5d6 against a target number of 12 (if the NPC's DEX is 4).

 

[Morrus]

Those attributes are, of course, just the D&D ones. I just used them as a placeholder.

I'm thinking that attributes like MAGIC or PSI would be appropriate. I'm leaning towards:

STRENGTH
AGILITY
TOUGHNESS
CHARISMA
WILLPOWER
INTELLECT
MAGIC
PSI

MAGIC and PSI would depend on a campaign model. In a fantasy RPG you might have a MAGIC score, but in a sci-fi game you might have a PSI score instead.

Attack is STR or AGI vs. AGI.

Most actions are attribute checks vs. difficulty. The 3 x formula is universal, so an adventure can easily mention a door that has 3 Hardness (DC 9 Strength to break down) or a wall that has 4 slipperyness (DC 12 Agility to climb).

Background options work a bit like 13th Age and give bonuses (in the form of an extra d6) to specific related activities. These could even stack. So if you took two combat related backgrounds in a row, you might have an extra 2d6 on your attack rolls.

(Yeah, I know there's nothing original here - it's a hodgepodge of existing systems).

 

[Morrus]

OK, I have done a bunch more!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Traveller's careers and Palladium's skill system (which I know mostly in RIFTS and Heroes, Unlimited) immediately spring to mind.

I like what those elements do in those games. They provide mechanical alterations, plot hooks & character development and- in some cases- equipment. As I recall, you can also get some benefits like this from the old Central Casting books.

It's the plot hook/character development aspect I've grown to love the most over the years. It gives a character "bones" that everyone in the game can interact with.

 

[Morrus]

Yep, Traveller is definitely an influence!

 

[Morrus]

I've replaced the PDF above (in post #3). It's come along a bit - you get skills with each career choice now, and also race is a background (currently Human, Elf, Dwarf, Ogre). Still all sci-fi for now (it helps my brain to stick with the one theme for the moment, but I definitely need to start thinking fantasy soon).

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

You might want to include some form of social status tracking, because in a fantasy setting, you probably can't simply take "noble" or "scribe" as a profession or skill...and hopping from career to career will be much more difficult.

 

[Morrus]

You might want to include some form of social status tracking, because in a fantasy setting, you probably can't simply take "noble" or "scribe" as a profession or skill...and hopping from career to career will be much more difficult.

That's what the REP score is. A combination of that and prerequisites (e.g. you can't choose Noble unless you already have Wealthy Upbringing) should take care of that!

(I just updated it again, BTW! )

 

[Morrus]

Updated again. This thing is now 26 pages long and is a basic workable - but completely unplaytested - RPG!

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

Interesting. I'm playing homebrewed heartbreaker at the moment (based on the Fabled Lands game books) so I'll definitely take a look.

But my real reason for posting was to say how much I approve of your Malcolm Tucker picture. It's F-star-star-tantastic.