Message:Fantasy City-State
This is a GEAR oriented game. That said, I plan to make the adventures emphasize riddle, clue whodunits of a Gygax underworld style.
Characters
All players start with twelve points. They gain one more point for each level advanced by Gold (XP). The allocation may change every session. Minus any damage the character carries over.
The twelve are used to select for Gear slots, HPs, Make-Rolls and Global Pips.
Gear Slots: The number of pieces of separate Gear you can carry to perform actions or as LOOT.
HPs: Amount of damage you can take before dying at zero.
Make-Rolls: Number of times each session you can declare a roll as made.
Global Pips: Where the Make-Roll is one and done, the global Pips are added to every roll you make. This stat number may never be more than four.
Six Aspect Tests
Dark Magic, Light Magic, Luck (Morale), Restoration, Utility, Weaponry
Dark Magic: Fail and Gear off for the rest of the session.
Light Magic: Success and additionally heal an HP on anyone.
Luck (Morale): Fail and add a group Hazard Card, increasing the problem aspects of the event.
Restoration: Fail and suffer three damage, instead of one.
Utility: Fail and auto decline Quality of this or something else you carry.
Weaponry: Roll until Success.
Aspect Tests
All events of the adventure are described in terms of the six Aspect Tests. e.g., Climb may need Utility. Pitfall could be Utility -or- Luck, Gas trap = Restoration. Enigma = Luck (or players solve by correct answer-explanation).
Combat
Weaponry as a Test suggests something to fight. Yet Undead may require Weaponry & Restoration. Fae = Weaponry & Light magic. Demons = Weaponry & Dark Magic.
All combat should occur with at most six rolls (very rare), all Aspects. Players would then interpret the result as slaying the beasts or driving them away or themselves escaping.
Gear Explained
This is a GEAR oriented game. Gear has intrinsic powers, covering certain Aspects. e.g., Rope may be Good Quality Utility. Orb may be Dark and Light Magic of Great power. Father's Sword = Poor Luck and Weaponry. Mom's Poultice = Good Restoration and Light Magic.
Before you start out to adventure (continue in the session), you outfit yourself with Gear from your group arsenal (or private cache).
Quality (D20)
Gear is rated as Poor, Good, Great.
Poor: Success on 12+, Durable on 4+
Good: Success on 9+, Durable on 9+
Poor: Success on 5+, Durable on 7+
Note: Add character Pips to both of these rolls.
Whenever a success roll is failed, the character suffers damage. Additionally roll against Durability with fail causing decline.
Typical Vendor Prices
1 sp. Poor Restoration, Utility or Luck
3 sp. Poor Weaponry
5 sp. Poor Dark Magic
7 sp. Poor Light Magic
10 sp. Poor any Pair, not Magic nor Luck
12 sp. Poor any Pair, not Luck
15 sp. Poor any Pair
18 sp. Good Utility
20 sp. Good Weaponry
24 sp. Good Restoration
28 sp. Good Dark Magic
30 sp. Good Light Magic or Luck
35 sp. Good any pair
Note: Great is found only on adventures or as quest reward.
D20+10 sp. Repair Good Gear
Note: You cannot repair Poor or Great Gear. Exceptions apply.
Selling Loot
You still are limited in your Gear Slots. But during a respite (between sessions often), you can sell any price of Gear for 5% to 60% (D12 x 5%) of the value in whole silver coins (round down). e.g., Good Utility Rope might sell for 0 to 10 sp.
If you have no slots, well, you are only hauling your purse of silver coins. Don't get robbed.
Party Wipe
If the whole party perishes, start again. Someone finds a diary of what has happened so far in the campaign.
Free-Style Descriptions
Each player must say what he is doing with his Gear. In some cases the Referee will ask for more or deny the action. Try again! If you had a nice Hat for Luck, you might need to describe how that Hat managed to let you find a key. "It covered my eyes, perhaps, allowing just the light of the hiding spot to be seen." Or, "I bent down to pick-up a pocket handkerchief right as the swing blade extends." Strive for Bilbo Baggins whimsical.
I want to see more clever and amusing use of Gear, NOT just I make three rolls with my Pickax. Magic is easy. Rest a bit harder.
Mike, assuming he tries this, is allowed to check Ignobles.
Note to Self (Generating Play)
Some adventures will be pre-designed. Others will be maps with Skull& Crossbones of Aspect Cards
Ace: Luck or Light Magic (single roll)
2: Luck or Dark Magic (single roll)
3: Luck or Light Magic (group roll)
4: Luck or Dark Magic (group roll)
5: Weaponry or Luck (group roll)
6: Restoration or Luck (group roll)
7: Weaponry or Magic* (group roll)
8: Weaponry or Utility (group roll)
9: Weaponry or Restoration (group roll)
10: Remove any Aspect for rest of session. e.g., No Dark Magic.
Jack: Weaponry or Restoration (single roll)
Queen: Weaponry or Magic* (single roll)
King: Weaponry or Utility (single roll)
Note: * Either Magic; whole table has No Banes
Hearts: No Addition.
Diamonds: Add Luck (Morale)
Clubs: Add Utility (Obstacle)
Spades: Add Weaponry (Monster)
You never roll the same Aspect twice. So if you have a Ace Diamonds that means you roll Luck and Light Magic.
Yours,
IronRed
17-Nov-2024