Sigil, system in the works

[Hannu Hurme]

My game is still work in progress, but at least it has gone forward in the last two weeks or so. I first posted about it in this thread Since then I left it alone for quite a while and recently started to work on it again.

I've made the decision to call the game "Sigil". Hopefully there aren't too many rpg's with that name or I may have change it. The concept from the earlier thread hasn't changed, although the system didn't end up being anything as exotic as Otherkind or Torchbearer.

Okay, here we go:
Characters have abilities which are made up by the players. These abilities represent skills and attributes and have value from 1-6. Theoretically there is no upper limit and the maximum value is mostly a comfort issue, to keep the number of dice low. Wild animals and such might have abilities with higher value due to their exceptional strength, agility and so on. Players also set values for their abilities.

There wont be a reward system as such, raising or lowering values (and adding new and removing old abilities) is done as dictated by the story. If either gamemaster or player feels a change is needed it is then negotiated between the two.

Basic resolution goes:
Roll amount of D6 equal to your ability value. Pick highest number. Opposing person will do the same. Person with higher number can check out if he rolled any other dices with the same (highest) number. Each additional dice adds one to his result. If both roll same number they can both check for additional dices.

Losers value is subtracted from winners, and this the "victory margin". This is mostly used in combat where it determines how deadly the wound is. Bonuses are added directly to the highest number (after checking for extra dices), not to dice pool.

Magic uses the same system:
Along with abilities, players also choose Inspirations. These can be persons, places, feelings and so on. Each also has value from 1-6 (why break the symmetry) which player also chooses. All character have also an ability called "Self".

Inspiration is rolled against the self value. If Inspiration wins, the magic happens. If self wins, nothing happens. Self also has a positive use. Characters bound to inspirations (ie player characters and other magic users) are also compelled to follow them when situation so calls. If they do not want to, they can try to pry themselves free with self vs inspiration roll.

Inspirations can change, disappear and new inspirations can be born as the story goes on. Self abilitys value will change accordingly too. I'm thinking about creating an actual mechanism for these changes, but I'm not sure about it although it's basically already done.

In the earlier post I wrote about the possibility of botching when using inspiration to use magic. Not sure if going that route although the idea is fascinating.

Sorry for the poor english and bad choice of words, I'm writing this in a rush. Comments, questions and critique are all welcome. :)

[Mark Johnson]

I've made the decision to call the game "Sigil". Hopefully there aren't too many rpg's with that name or I may have change it.

Just to note that Sigil is the the setting of Planescape D&D line.  No doubt most American gamers might think that your game is somehow related to Planescape.  It is such a cool name though...

[Hannu Hurme]

Yes it is a cool name. At this point the name doesn't really mean much, I just want to call it something else than "MyGame". Inspiration, Dreamer, what not... I'm hoping to write a playable version of the game in the coming week or two. The rules are very simple, but may need lot of explaining for anyone else to grasp how it works. The combat and magic especially.

About the combat, there wont be any rounds or turns. It starts with someone attacking another person and from there on it's reaction based. You can do pretty much what ever you want as long as it is possible. That is what gamemaster deems possible and if players agree with it. It should work as long as the group can discuss such things and then play by their own rules.

Combat will be quite deadly as well as quick, or that's the purpose. I'm trying to form a group for myself so I can play this game and see how it works for real.

[Hannu Hurme]

I'd like to clear what I wanted feedback with, I was rather tired when I wrote the post that started this thread.

First read my original post in the thread I gave you link to. It explains the magic and how it should play. Then read first post on this thread on how the system works. If something stays unclear please ask, I've propably overlooked thing or two.

What I'd like to know is how does all this sound? Do you think the magic system will work like this? Does it sound feasible?

[Eric J.]

If both roll same number they can both check for additional dices.

This is confusing.  Also, I would like to point out that with your system people are going to be tying pretty often if I'm clear on how it works.
Just test it.

It will become almost completelly karmic (If I can use the word) once you get to higher dice values.

7D vs 6D

7D will amost always get a value of 12 and 6D will almost always get you a value of 11.

If there's something I'm missing, just tell me.

[Daniel Solis]

Basic resolution goes:
Roll amount of D6 equal to your ability value. Pick highest number. Opposing person will do the same. Person with higher number can check out if he rolled any other dices with the same (highest) number. Each additional dice adds one to his result. If both roll same number they can both check for additional dices.

Losers value is subtracted from winners, and this the "victory margin". This is mostly used in combat where it determines how deadly the wound is. Bonuses are added directly to the highest number (after checking for extra dices), not to dice pool.

PUNK is pretty much like this, except it uses d10s instead of d6s. One question: When two players have a tie of their highest results, are you using their next highest results as the tie-breaker?

[Hannu Hurme]

A small change to that conflict resolution, below is quote from the playtest version I'm writing:

Conflict resolution is term for situation where character is facing an obstacle and is determined to win. Unless the situation very clearly gives the advantage to either side, a conflict resolution is made by rolling dices. Term dice always refers to regular dice with six faces and numbers from one to six.

Each side chooses a relevant ability. Because abilities are not predetermined it's likely that participants may use different abilities for same purpose. In this case, it's up to the gamemaster to decide should either side have an advantage or are the abilities equal in the given situation.

Roll amount of dice equal to your ability score. Pick the highest individual number you rolled, this is your success grade. Then count all dices with that same number, each raising the success grade by one.

Subtract the success grade of losing side from the winners and you will have the margin he wins by. This can be used to determine how great the victory is, which is especially important when conflict resolution deals with combat or conjuring.

Difference for the last version was that only winner was allowed to count those extra dices. I made the change because it was rather confusing. About tie-ins, I haven't gone that far yet, but I believe small tweaks are easily made so I wont worry too much.

Tonight I will meet some new people who will hopefully play this game with me. Lots of things like are the passions (new name for inspiration) too powerful or too difficult to use, although the difficult part should be up to players imagination. Oh and I'm thinking about going from Sigil to Passion (not to be mixed with that upcoming movie, heh) not that it matters much. It just sounds more proper.

Thanks for the questions and hopefully my reply cleared them up.

[Mike Holmes]

7D vs 6D

7D will amost always get a value of 12 and 6D will almost always get you a value of 11.

If there's something I'm missing, just tell me.

Not even close, Eric. I think you must have misread it. In fact, the system tends to have little adantage for the 7D guy in this case, and ties are very common. The chances to get the scores that you're listing is, in fact, miniscule. You're saying that both sides will roll all sixes, which is very unlikley.

Mike