Can you fill in the missing pieces? -- system design questions

[vgunn]

Hello All,

Its my first post here. I have really just started to look at the forge in detail and I am hoping you could help me out.

I've been trying forever to get a copy of Cutthroat: the Shadow Wars RPG. It sounded like it had a promising d20 type of a system. But all I've got are bits and pieces from three reviews on rpg.net. Not much at all to go on.

Here are links to the three reviews:

http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_2803.html

http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_521.html

http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_2675.html

I am interested in the system, not the setting. Here is what I can gather:

Core Mechanic:

Roll high: Skill + d20 vs. TN. Somehow attributes ties into skills in a nifty way.

So are there margins of success or is it simply beat the TN? What would work better here?

What ties the attributes to the skills?

Combat Mechanic:

I've got no information on how initiative works or for actual fighting. The reviewer says it is simple, fast and deadly.

Again what would work best here?

"Each hit has a chance of killing it's target, regardless of weapon used or the target's toughness. Naturally, the bigger the weapon the more likely death will occur. Just as the bigger the target, the less likely death will occur. "

"The combat is straight to the point...no "hit points" to confuse or slow down realism...If you're wounded...you're WOUNDED..."

Without knowing more, how do you think the actual resolution would work?

Somehow Luck points factor into the equation: maybe to reduce the severity of the wound?

I have even little less to go on with the magic system. All we are told is "The game does not use pre-made skills or spell lists. The players are given "Spellcrafting" rules on how to design custom spells based on a list of various spell effects. I think this was simply an attempt to skimp on the magic system."

or "As far as the magic system goes...nothing (and I mean NOTHING) compares to it. Never have I seen such a fluid and workable spell system on the market...not even ARS MAGICA..."

So what can you make if this?

I'd like to see what y'all can come up with based on the limited information provided.

PS -- if anyone so happens to have the game, maybe you could give a detailed account of the system.

Thanks in advance!

[joepub]

The first review notes that it was put out by Stormworld Games, Inc.
I googled them, and did a bit of poking around... And it looks like Stormworld Games completely disappeared.
The game is not being offered on Ebay, that I can find.
It, unfortunately, looks like the company quickly vanished after publishing your game.

[vgunn]

The first review notes that it was put out by Stormworld Games, Inc.
I googled them, and did a bit of poking around... And it looks like Stormworld Games completely disappeared.
The game is not being offered on Ebay, that I can find.
It, unfortunately, looks like the company quickly vanished after publishing your game.

Joe, thanks for the reply.

Certainly not my game, but from what I've read I really would have liked the system. Therefore I was hoping to recreate the system based on what I know of it. Any thoughts?

[Gasten]

Any thoughts?

Yes, forget about it. If the company disappeared, your best chance is to run into it be luck. On a convention-sellout or something. Find another, or do your own, is my hint.

[vgunn]

Gasten,

Yeah. I haven't had any luck finding it. One of the reasons for the thread is to see of other could come up with ideas on how the system actually worked.

Here is what I want:

Going back to this idea:

1.) Skill + d20 (roll high vs. TN). The TN could be a Defense Score or a Weapon Threshold.

2.) Non-ablative approach to damage. No hit points, if you are wounded, you are wounded.

3.) Each hit has a chance of killing it's target, regardless of weapon used or the target's toughness.

4.) Luck Points can be used to reduce the severity of the wound and/or save off death.

So...

[Hans]

Going back to this idea:

1.) Skill + d20 (roll high vs. TN). The TN could be a Defense Score or a Weapon Threshold.

2.) Non-ablative approach to damage. No hit points, if you are wounded, you are wounded.

3.) Each hit has a chance of killing it's target, regardless of weapon used or the target's toughness.

4.) Luck Points can be used to reduce the severity of the wound and/or save off death.

Have you ever played Mutants and Masterminds?  Because what you describe above sounds pretty much like Green Ronin's implementation of d20 for that game.  I believe Green Ronin's "True20" system is an expansion of the system found in Mutants and Masterminds and made more generic.  See:

http://true20.com/about.php

[vgunn]

Certainly its got some things in common with True20, at least from what I've read in the quickstart rules. Thanks for the link.

I still would like to explore other ways as to how to build a system using the requirements listed.