How well does this rule carry over its use?

[Callan S.]

I'm not sure the forge is into discussing house rules. But I will say what I'm about to present is damned likely to end up in anything I write, it just happens to be a patch for Rifts at the moment. Really the system its stuck onto doesn't matter, it could go anywhere so lets ignore the IP its attached to for now.

Anyway, I was going to make my first test with it at the RPG.net play by post section. So I'm typing it up and its gotten to that point where it's a size where you loose punchyness and better hope its delivering its idea.

So I'm wondering:
1. How much is it getting the idea across
2. What else should I add (I could think of a dozen things, but I want to whittle down that via others opinions)
3. And most important in terms of the forge, what do you think of the idea

So here's the write up so far:

There will also be something very unusual about this game system wise. All players will have some GM power to create rules that apply to their character, designing them from a strict guideline. This means that shaping up the rules to suit will largely possible for each player to do for themselves.  There is no GM veto and no waiting for a GM ok, their already okay just as if you were GM. This is described in detail further down in 'How you can make your own rules'.

The only input the GM has is a 'Guts' rating for each player, which are displayed for everyone to see. This rates the player by a number between zero and ten, starting at six, evaluated by the GM based on how much the rules are being used to tailor the game to your needs Vs just making it a cake walk for yourself. With rule creating powers, it would be easy to make a character unstoppable, but this hardly looks cool when your GM is lowering your guts rating in front of everyone and maybe then gonging you out at one or zero guts. Any character that's player has spent too long at zero guts gets retired automatically. After a newly made rule has been applied for the first time, I'll get in contact with the player if the next time its used I would decrease their guts rating (so they can not use if they don't want to). It will be pretty rare for any designed rule to immediately loose a player a point. On the other end of the spectrum, players who model good tactics aptly will slowly increase their guts rating.

*snipped out some boring rifts stuff from here that doesn't revolve around this*

HOW YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN RULES
1. Once in play and  time to make a choice has come, observe the current game world situation and decide on a tactic that fits your characters resources and the situation.
2. Check what bonuses/penalties the system currently gives for that tactic.
3. Decide what bonuses/penalties you think the tactic deserves. Compare that with the current system.

If you decide there should be something in addition to the system, go through these steps.
1. Give a basic description of what the rule is about.
2. Give the specifics of when the rule applies and any resources it requires. Make it specific, but keep the word count as low as possible.
3. Remember the rule only applies to your character (though after careful consideration as GM I may suggest others use it). It doesn't even have to apply to your character latter, if you don't want it too. But that risks a one off lowering of your guts rating.
4. Choose from the following list what modifier(s) it applies. Use one or more of them. All are added on top of normal system bonuses.

* Bonus to hit/parry/dodge or skill use of up to +5.
* Bonus damage of up to 3 six sided dice of mega damage.
* Bonus damage of 4D6 MD or 5D6 MD if no bonus to strike taken and instead a -1 or -2 respective penalty to hit is applied against system bonuses instead.
* Bonus of up to +5 on a save for your character to avoid the effects of an opponents power.
* Penalty of up to -5 on a targets save to avoid the effects of your characters power.
* Reduce MD damage to armour by 5 MD and instead 1D6 SDC damage is done to the wearer (1D6 MD if the wearer is a mega damage being). Special note: You don't need to use  the online dice roller for this roll, just make it yourself.
* Effect: Mega damage done to the SDC character is converted to 10 points of SDC for every point of MD that would have otherwise been done.

In addition you may want to add resource drains, like using up ISP or PPE, using up personal SDC due to exertion, use more shots or anything else you can think of. Making expenditure of a resource part of rules that give a good bonus helps avoid any guts rating issues.

Other modifiers you can choose from may be added to the list latter. If any modifiers are removed from the list, that doesn't invalidate previously made rules that employ them.

Once you have designed your rule, post it in it's entirety in the IC thread before then using it in any following post. You only have to post it for general viewing, you don't have to wait for a GM okay to apply it as you've already got that authority.

[Callan S.]

45 Views and no responce. I guess it carries over its idea that well. Damn.

If I can sum it up quickly, players can define their own rules by choosing from a menu of options. Unlike other games which have this sort of thing (universalis comes to mind), there is no system currency involved. They can make the worst rules if they like and never run out of any currency or be challenged by someone elses currency. There is, however, a 'Guts' rating assigned to each player by the GM. This is basically a direct appraisal of step on up (as I understand it) and I'm surprised that didn't get any comment. In the end I suppose there is a currency involved, but its social currency...its hard to feel your character is a bad ass (since you built rules so he has a cakewalk) when the GM is publicly giving you a zero guts rating.

I hope that summed it up briefly enough.