Combining Simple Concepts

[MacLeod]

After a recent exposure to The Pool, my constant urge to use the Otherkind dice mechanic went into overdrive. So I combined the ideas and mixed in some other stuff and here we are. Not a fully playable ultralite game but I was just wondering what people thought. If nothing else, I'd like to hear what y'all have to say applying Otherkind dice to a game. =)

The Pool (download)
http://www.randomordercreations.com/thepool.rtf
Otherkind Dice
http://www.lumpley.com/archive/148.html

Character Creation

Step 1) Distribute 10 points amongst the four Attributes; Body, Coordination, Mind and Will. 2 is considered an average score while 5 is considered to be the human peak.
Step 2) Choose 6 Abilities; one rated at 3, two rated at 2 and three rated at 1. Abilities define things you can do which require skill and/or talent. They may be broad, such as 'Wind Magic' or specific like 'Fencing Mastery.' The GM must okay your Ability choices, anything too broad should be narrowed down a bit, Abilities such as Magic are entirely too broad.
Step 3) Finally, describe your character. Be sure to include all six Abilities in this description. You may also want to take into consideration your Attribute scores.

Task Resolution

The sorts of actions you can perform rely completely upon how your GM intends to interpret the natural capabilities of your character and his Abilities. It is easy to assume that any human can climb. However, climbing a perfectly smooth, sheer surface would require an Ability such as Spider-Like.
If in a situation where multiple individuals are going to perform an action, each action is announced and rolled for simultaneously.
Whenever you attempt to perform an action, you must roll 3D10. You may choose to roll additional dice, doing so adds Dangers. It is recommended that the GM only allow players to add a maximum of two Dangers per action. Note that the GM may add Dangers to any action if he wishes (out of spite, logic, etc.).
After rolling the dice you must assign the result of each die to one of the following categories; Narration, Time, Success and any Dangers involved. Higher the better.
If you have an Attribute and/or an Ability that corresponds with the action being performed, you may distribute their value amongst your dice as a bonus. This step is performed before the dice rolled, you simply choose which Categories you wish to apply any bonuses to.
If you are performing an action that is being opposed by an opponent, compare their highest relevant Attribute and/or Ability to your own. Whomever is higher is allowed to use the difference in order to modify the dice as they see fit. This means that if an opponent is more skilled than you, he may apply penalties to particular categories before you roll.

Reading Results

Narration

Narration allows you to take hold of the story and move in a direction of your choosing. Use Narration as a tool to assist in completing objectives. At the GM's option, you may even use Narration to make things more difficult for opponents in combat (making a trip part of your attack, for instance).
1 ~ 3 : The GM narrates the outcome of the action.
4 ~ 5 : The GM narrates the outcome of the action while taking into account one reasonable suggestion made by the Player.
6 ~ 7 : The player narrates the outcome of the action while taking into account one suggestion made by the GM.
8 ~ 10 : The player narrates the outcome within reason. The GM may opt to change a player's narration if it gets out of hand.

Time

Time represents how quickly you perform and/or respond to an action.
Simultaneous Actions: When others take actions in the same round as you, this value determines the order in which it occurs, highest to lowest with ties being resolved with a roll off.
1 ~ 3 : The action takes double the amount of time it would have normally.
4 ~ 7 : The action resolves within an amount of time deemed normal by the GM.
8 ~ 10 : The action takes half of the amount of time it would have normally.

Success

Success simply states whether or not the action is a successful one.
1 ~ 4 : The action fails utterly.
5 ~ 6 : The action is partially successful
7 ~ 10 : The action is completely successful.

Dangers

Dangers are problems inherent to the action you are performing. They always have negative effects.
1 ~ 3 : The danger is fully realized and hampers the action in a major way.
4 ~ 6 : The danger merely hampers the action in a minor way.
7 ~ 10 : The danger is avoided completely.

[jp_miller]

I like it but a few things...

What's wrong with otherkind? It seems to be a bit simpler to run and keep track of than your variant.

Why the 4 attributes? Isn't Coordination akin to Body? Isn't Will akin to Mind? I think you might be hanging on to an unnecessary presumption about role playing. That is, for example, you are presuming that those who play the game will find coordination important, making characters who are acrobats, martial artists, ballerinas etc.

Whenever you attempt to perform an action, you must roll 3D10. You may choose to roll additional dice, doing so adds Dangers. It is recommended that the GM only allow players to add a maximum of two Dangers per action. Note that the GM may add Dangers to any action if he wishes (out of spite, logic, etc.).

I don't quite get any of that at all.

8 ~ 10 : The player narrates the outcome within reason. The GM may opt to change a player's narration if it gets out of hand.

Ouch! I think you will need to set a few more definitive guidelines about narrating (see the Pool for a very basic start) so you don't have to go this far.

Just a few bob from me.

[MacLeod]

What's wrong with otherkind? It seems to be a bit simpler to run and keep track of than your variant.

Simpler can be good and bad. For me is something is too simple it will breed boredom. I need some complexity. Well, its not that I need it... its just that I can handle it. I prefer a little more in most cases I guess. Chalk it up to preference. =) I'm perfectly aware and not bothered by the fact that others are quite fine with paper thin mechanics.

Why the 4 attributes?

Body represents Strength/Toughness, Coordination represents Dexterity/Perception, Mind represents Intelligence/Wit, Will represents Persistence/Creativity/Charisma.
I presume that if I am going to play a game... that I will want my character's basic abilities quantified. That's what I look for in game. While I can simply say, "Oh yeah, my d00ds strong. Real strong." This doesn't mean anything to the game mechanics.
Another way to put is, I'm not capable of creating anything that is purely for the narrative style of play... That's why I avoid bell-curve game mechanics when I can and always avoid diceless "games" like Nobilis.

I don't quite get any of that at all.

I guess a better way to say that is... You must roll 3 10-sided dice at minimum. After that, you add one or two Dangers. Adding a Danger gives you an additional Die to throw. Thus, adding two Dangers adds two dice. This is for desperate situations where you must get a high number on one of the primary categories. Essentially, you are risking a dangerous outcome for a potentially better result. The instances where players would make use of this rule should be rare and desperate... unless they feel like spicing up a scene. On the other hand, the GM may add Dangers to your action whenever he wants.

Imagine, if you will, that a PC is fighting a red dragon in a forest. The dragon has been breathing flame and catching the forest on fire. The round begins, the PC wants to stab the dragon's eye in order to defeat the beast. The dragon is going to eat the PC's face. Red dragons are mighty foes, of course, so allowing the dragon to bite one's face will result in immediate death. The PC needs to be both successful and fast! Unfortunately the trees are an added Danger, as they are collapsing all over the area. This means the PC will have to devote one of his good rolls towards that Danger lest he be killed by that instead of the dragon.

Ouch! I think you will need to set a few more definitive guidelines about narrating (see the Pool for a very basic start) so you don't have to go this far.

As I said before, its not a fully playable system... I am confident in my own skills as a GM to use the system-as-is but it definitely needs expanded explanations and examples to operate in someone else's hands... At least, I'd imagine so. I don't want to offend anyone's intelligence or anything! O_O