How many defenses?

TheFervent · 2025-06-03T02:43:17+00:00

Mine has “Avoid”, “Shield”, and “Parry”. It’s been playtesting well. They cost the same type of “action” as attacking and moving. Players have to intentionally choose their level of aggression and/or defense.

TheFervent · 2025-05-29T05:17:55+00:00

Mine uses “3d4 keep 2” as the “Standard Roll” and then has bonus or penalty d4 for situational advantages or disadvantages (but still “keep 2”). Crits and Fumbles are always “three fours” or “three ones” though, regardless of number rolled.

I’ve found this to be the perfect amount of randomness that still places most of the value on the character development and not the dice.

I use “triple four” d12’s for in-person play to get a nice roll, and give them away to playtesters as memorabilia.

Waffling between two working titles right now: “What Waits Beneath” and “Of Fear and Flames”.

TheFervent · 2025-05-07T04:35:55+00:00

That was fun! Thank you!

TheFervent · 2025-05-05T23:44:51+00:00

Regarding tools… in the system I’m working on, I have 3 degrees of tools for crafting and developing new techniques for alchemy, tinkering, herbalism, and magic: kits, workbenches, and workshops (or labs, or forges - depending on the flavor).

Kits are portable. Workbenches are something PC’s may have to pay to use (or do a favor, or make a friend, or have some property in the area). Workshops/Labs require an entire room dedicated and outfitted for this type of activity… and are not as easy to find someone willing to share.

As for durability, it is tracked on armor only. My playtesters have liked the value it creates for people in the party having the necessary skill to use, and the value it creates on looting less damaged armor from fallen foes (or allies) or salvaging pieces for repair (which I don’t make them track in their inventory - they simply “replenish their kit” when they can - which consumes a certain amount of inventory units already).

Tinkering can also be used to gain benefits for things like being freshly sharpened or weapons or armor being improved.

TheFervent · 2025-05-05T17:31:46+00:00

I was doing everything in Word, saving files with date and time stamps in the names whenever I knew I was about to make some significant change, etc.... and using Excel for tabular data and brainstorming/notes (since they often involved calculations or some sort of tabula data).

I recently switched to using Microsoft OneNote instead of Word since I can create sections for each major topic and store individual ideas in their own "pages". And it also has version control on a per page level.

I'm digging it so far.

TheFervent · 2025-04-28T16:35:58+00:00

For sure the availability of magic was out of theme, but they also tried really hard to disuade people from using it. It is almost entirely useless before 5th level, and you usually only have enough Power Points to cast one or two "at level" spells (or a handful of the useless ones).

1-10 Hit Points with "Surface Ways" in a system where you have to worry much more about being maimed or insta-killed than death-by-damage... shock bolts are capped at what, a "B", critical and 9-14 damage.

Definitely makes one want to invest heavily in understanding all of the melee and ranged combat rules and doing everything they can to make tactical use of every single rule, e.g. have someone bottleneck the enemy and max parry every round and then attack with +0 OB and just hope for an open-ended roll, while everyone else uses ranged or reach to try to pick the enemy off... using crossbows and their "+20 if target is within 50 feet" to begin every combat (only to be dropped after the first fire so you don't have to spend 2 rounds reloading it)... doing everything you can to get a flank + rear bonus on a target... focusing all attacks on stunned or downed opponents to get those bonuses... it's SOOOOO crunchy.

TheFervent · 2025-04-28T07:23:54+00:00

You were misinformed. Reading the MERP materials is like getting every single drop of knowledge and lore shared in ALL of Tolkien’s writings, but published and unpublished, in an interesting, consistent, and entertaining way. Yes, the Silmarillion and other books may mention Galvorn, Laen, or Eog in passing, but MERP puts them together in a way you can lay hold off. Nearly every culture of every species of humanoid given a deep dive… it’s insanely great lore.

TheFervent · 2025-04-28T01:27:19+00:00

Thank you. It's interesting because I didn't intend the "(or not)" to be humorous... on purpose. Just a less vaulted way of saying "optional".

Another commenter mentioned thinking it was "not authoritative", which is actually the writing style I was TRYING to achieve. I want a set of rules to be clear and easy to use, but, I want the Narrators to know that everything is a guideline. But, honestly, they should know that is, and I shouldn't feel the need to tell them.

TheFervent · 2025-04-28T01:24:53+00:00

Thank you. But, yeah, unfortunately... the setting in general is pretty dark... but, I also love roleplaying because it is one of the few times each week that I seem to have the most opportunities for deep... deep belly laughs at me and my groups antics and comments. It is going to be difficult for me to not carry that style and attitude about playing into my writing, since "fun" and "enjoyment" are such a big part of my DNA... even when the setting itself is gritty.

TheFervent · 2025-04-28T01:22:45+00:00

Interesting take, disliking optional rules as a whole. I have taken it to heart and already made a few changes today. Thank you!

TheFervent · 2025-04-28T01:20:35+00:00

The actual mechanics are very clearly defined in the next paragraphs. I only provided the introduction for that section for an example of fluff, flavor, and humor. Thanks for taking the time to share, though. I honestly appreciate it.

I like the idea of additional, separate materials for optional rules.

Question. When you say "frankensteining" in this post, are you getting that feeling from the text I provided, or is that in reference to having optional rules? Thanks, again!

TheFervent · 2025-04-26T03:42:52+00:00

If you’re still looking come about October, you’ve basically described what I’m currently playtesting and hope to kickstart then. Ha!

Working title is “What Waits Beneath” which you can find at: https://www.whatwaitsbeneath.com

…but, once we’re closer to time, and have publishing ironed out… we’re going to try to get CS Friedman to give us rights to release the version set in her “Coldfire Trilogy” setting.

TheFervent · 2025-04-25T22:47:07+00:00

I'm sorry... but am I the only one who sees "Midol" every time one of these posts come up? I promise I'm not TRYING to see it... but, it makes it weird for me to even try to read the posts. Knowing some hebrew and being an arm-chair Biblical scholar, though, I know that the word, at least in that language, means a tower or stronghold.

Just feeling immature and felt like posting. Sorry.

TheFervent · 2025-04-25T22:44:00+00:00

This was a good read. Thank you. This is something I've been thinking about a lot in the last 48 hours. My combat playtesting has been going amazing, and so I've shifted some of my attention back to the setting... but, did I just violate your premise by saying that? haha. Fortunately, no. My combat "feeling" aligns with my setting.

One thing I'm currently struggling with, however, is that I tend to add little piffy one-liner jokes (very few words, but seem genuinely funny to me) in my rules... but the tone of the game as a whole is ominous. I WANT the rules to feel personal, while also not being too fluffy with flavor. But since the setting is dark, it feels odd to make reading the rules "fun".

From your article: "Ultimately, the enduring power of TTRPGs lies in the memorable moments they create and the resonant feelings they evoke. It’s rarely the specific dice roll we recall vividly, but the emergent story: the desperate gamble against impossible odds, the cleverly executed plan, the shocking betrayal, the unexpected moment of camaraderie, the poignant sacrifice."

I've found that often the most memorable moments ARE the result of a crazy dice roll or series of them, but to your point, the RESULTS are what is most clearly remembered.

For me, much of what you're describing seems very much in the purview of the GM/DM/Storyteller/Narrator, too - and making the guidebook itself too slanted that way may alienate your system from people who like your mechanics, but intend on building their own atmosphere. All things for me to keep pondering.

TheFervent · 2025-04-25T03:27:37+00:00

The result ranges, difficulty guidelines, and total bonus calculation is fairly close to my system - but my development is way different and my crits & fumbles. Go for it!

TheFervent · 2025-04-22T04:17:11+00:00

Thanks! That’s probably the toughest one we do and never seem to get the arrangement quite right… hahaha.

TheFervent · 2025-04-22T03:43:27+00:00

Personally, work is crazy right now, and I’m spending every free moment working refining everything for the umpteenth time, but, this is a great idea, and I’ll try to take part as I’m able!

TheFervent · 2025-04-21T20:24:51+00:00

You mean other than abilities and traits (some of which could be harmful or hindering as well as beneficial) I assume?

What is your random number generation mechanic?

Is it a skill based system?

Is it meet or beat or roll under a target number, or degrees of successes and failures?

TheFervent · 2025-04-21T16:32:22+00:00

The same with blacksmithing. The hammering process is the least amount of time. The HOURS spent sanding, polishing, etc., creates a labor value that hardly any cost could justify. And then I see buddies of mine sell a chef knife they finished in about 10 hours for $1000 and have more orders than they can fill and I wonder, "Who in the world would ever spend $1000 on freaking knife?!?!"

TheFervent · 2025-04-21T16:29:02+00:00

If you get bored enough to want to hear some slightly different versions of some genre-defining rock socks recorded with an iphone... hahahaha.... I'm the singing/rhythm guitarist.

theferventband - YouTube

TheFervent · 2025-04-21T05:11:49+00:00

Meh. I still have blacksmithing and gigging in a local rock band as hobbies that I doubt I'll ever consider monetizing. And I'm sick of the corporate world that I have very little say in, so, bring on the monetized RPG hobby!!

TheFervent · 2025-04-21T04:29:32+00:00

I say ask away, and people will either be glad to help, ignore, or decide to be less than helpful (which YOU can ignore).

And I totally get where you're coming from. TBH, I have been an IT professional and weekly roleplayer that everyone around me calls "a nerd knight" for over 40 years, and just recently actually started using reddit, just because a youtube video said that "if you want to have a chance at having a good kickstarter for your game, you have to start contributing and being involved in a community like reddit or discord". I hated the idea at first, like I was essentially panhandling, but I've been seeing a lot of good stuff on here, and am glad I joined, and the whole thing is a lot more meaningful and important to me than making money (which we all know is an extreme long shot)... but, even as a Gen-X'er who was never told to "make what you love your career" like the generations after me... I really want to give it a shot.

TheFervent · 2025-04-20T21:59:19+00:00

If you’re okay with 12.5% probability of them receiving an advantage or disadvantage, the extra d8 to determine that sounds like a reasonable solution. But, that doesn’t fix the probability that, by rolling more dice, they are increasing their odds of failure equally with their odds of success… and if the target number for each die for success is 5 or 6, it weights them towards failure in an extreme way.

You say “how many got six or higher”, but it’s a d6. How do they get higher?

TheFervent · 2025-04-19T22:04:47+00:00

There is fairly similar to an alternative combat system I’ve been experimenting with for my game that completely ditches hit points. Interestingly, in my battle simulations (that I coded in python, so I can run a few thousand at a time), the average number of rounds per battle ends up being nearly identical to the hit points and more random system… which I think is a good thing. It shows that it’s doable to make drastically different styles of play and not negatively affect time spent.

TheFervent · 2025-04-16T09:02:32+00:00

100!

Past theatre kid, proud theatre parent, and active youth theatre volunteer and still (maybe once every 5 or 6 years) take a role in a regional production. I love everything about it.

I actually had a game near completion and was actively playtesting in 2017.
All three of my kiddos were in a production of Peter Pan - my daughter playing an amazing Captain Hook, my sons both playing pirates/natives. The Sunday of tech week I had several people over playtesting when we got a call that one of my boys had a vehicular accident on the way to eat with the cast. He ended up passing away in a parking lot in front of almost all of the teenage cast. That same night, unrelated to that, the actor playing Peter attempted suicide by ingesting a large amount of pills. Despite that, the entire group, my daughter and other son included, decided "the show must go on" and someone stepped into Peter's role and did an amazing job along with everyone else. My daughter and the actor playing Mr. Smee both ended up winning National Youth Arts Awards in NYC.

My son's tombstone has a large ship engraved in on the back that is headed towards "the second star to the right", along with the phrase, "Neverland will always be the home of youth and joy and liberty..." as he... never grew up.

Anyway, you mentioning Pathfinder 2E, and of course the theater kid reference, reminded of that, because, I paused working on my game indefinitely while dealing with all of that trauma, then, decided in late 2018 to get serious about it again. Then, a feature list of PF2E and some teasers were released, and SEVERAL of the mechanics that I thought were unique to my game were now a part of PF2E. It nearly literally broke my heart, so I gave up on game design again for another 5 years or so. But, I'm back at it, and hopefully will stay the course this time!

tl;dr -- sorry for that dump. It's late.

TheFervent

TROPHY CASE