MyGame: Grey Lotus, a fantasy world with a faint Celtic bent

[Hamshrew]

I think that may be hard to fix with the "roll X dice take highest" mechanic. I've said already, I don't think critical hits are needed because of the exploding dice. Perhaps the same exploding mechanic could be used for botches. Only problem is, then higher skilled characters have a _greater_ chance of failing. Well, maybe not, because perhaps it would be balanced out by the fact that they have an equally better chance of getting exploding dice. It would pull everything back towards the middle, and you might lose some epicness.

Point taken.  At the moment, I'm leaving Criticals out.  It's possible to get an epic result from the exploding dice, and as for failures... it's Epic!  Failures should be due to lack of skill or penalties from circumstances, not dumb luck.  In another system, I'd disagree with myself, but this is supposed to be a tiny bit 'over the top.'

I don't want to add tokens or any materials beyond dice, or any 'drama dice' or whatever.  The original system with Bonus Dice was confusing enough.  I'd like something that fits in smoothly, and doesn't draw too much attention away from the setting or add too much complexity... I want a system that enhances mood, not a 'gimmick.'  I'm leaning toward pulling out the techique construction notes I had for DBZ and going with the 'personal style' thing.  But the idea of having 'battle conditions' is very tempting... I just don't want to have cards, or another die roll.

[bladamson]

I'm leaning toward pulling out the techique construction notes I had for DBZ and going with the 'personal style' thing.  But the idea of having 'battle conditions' is very tempting... I just don't want to have cards, or another die roll.

Ya know....  Why just have styles for only armed combat?  Magic styles might be cool too...  But how would that work...

I agree with the drama dice/cards, etc, etc not being a very good idea for your game.

[Hamshrew]

Ya know.... Why just have styles for only armed combat? Magic styles might be cool too... But how would that work...

Already considered.  I'll have styles for magic casting, as well... if this goes through.  I'm still working out the details, and at the moment, converting the existing system to the new, Scaleless system.[/quote]

[Mike Holmes]

On the subject of scale, have you seen how Hero Wars works?

Styles for magic sounds...de rigeur. Can't see having one and not the other. But on that subject, you've got an interesting challenge, and opportunity. In video games, the media is visual, which you can't compete with, likely. The logical thing to me would be to have some system whereby you would incentivize players for including the description of their abilities in the narration. But here's where the opportunity comes in. In video games, a maneuver looks identical each time it's performed (note how many games have taken to displaying battles and shots from different angles to combat this effect). The player is only limited by his imagination. Use that to allow the players to define the styles to their liking.

I propose something like this*: On each spell or attack, the player describes the action. The GM has three possible reward dice to give. If the GM thinks the action seems to represent a maneuver of the Style well he gives one die. If the maneuver seems particularly cool for the situation, he can give another. If the GM thinks that the maneuver was interestingly unique, cool, in it's description he gives another.

These would be successively harder to get. The Style die would be nigh automatic at first until the player had really defined the style. So, unless the maneuver as described voided some very specific rule about the Style (which there should be a few to give a framework for the players to work off of), it's good for the style die. Later, the style will take on a shape of it's own, and as such, it will be more obvious when a maneuver is not particularly in-Style.

The second die would be situation specific. If the maneuver seems particularly cool in a particular situation, or the player tailors it's description to take into account the enviroment and conditions, then he gets the second die. This one should be given for any reasonable effort to make the description unique in this case, and especially so if he's using an old maneuver that seems to fit the circumstances.

The third die would be specific to creating new maneuvers. It would only be given for exceptional creativity in introducing new maneuvers, and the like. Note that a new maneuver does not have to have a different game effect. You could have three maneuvers to represent parries, or more. This die should not be given if a player is overdoing things by just creating a maneuver every time he does something. They should instead cocentrate on getting the second die by using the most appropriate already used maneuver. New maneuvers should be saved for special occasions when the player really needs that third die, and it's exceptionally dramatic to reveal a new maneuver (boss fights come to mind).

Where appropriate, use the word spell instead of maneuver above.

*As I said, something like this. This probably won't work as described, but is simply intended to give you an idea of the sort of diraction that you could go off in to pursue this sort of color.

Mike

[Hamshrew]

On the subject of scale, have you seen how Hero Wars works?

No.  But I'll check it out sometime.

I propose something like this*: On each spell or attack, the player describes the action. The GM has three possible reward dice to give. If the GM thinks the action seems to represent a maneuver of the Style well he gives one die. If the maneuver seems particularly cool for the situation, he can give another. If the GM thinks that the maneuver was interestingly unique, cool, in it's description he gives another.

Not quite what I had in mind, but that's an interesting idea... I'll toy around with it.  The problem is that awarding extra dice isn't as much of a bonus for highly-skilled characters, so you're correct that it wouldn't work 'as-is'... but some 'reward system' is in line with my concept.  I've been discussing the whole 'style' thing with some of my players, and think I've got something workable there.  Perhaps allow the PLAYER, at creation time, to decide what 'bonus' each of the three rewards would give?  So, say, a highly aggressive character could get a bonus to damage in some cases, better armor penetration in others, and maybe a second, weaker attack as another, while a defensive character could get bonuses to Parry or special effects on the enemy...

[Mike Holmes]

The problem is that awarding extra dice isn't as much of a bonus for highly-skilled characters, so you're correct that it wouldn't work 'as-is'... but some 'reward system' is in line with my concept.

I agree that you ought to come up with something better. But it's interesting that the magnitude of the reward doesn't often matter. It's just that it exists. Because not only does the reward give you more power, but it also represents the GM saying that you've done a good job. And that's at least as important. The player will not be so excited to recieve the reward because of the potential havok that it can cause so much as that he's done a good job. The smile starts right when the GM physically passes the dice to them (and this should be mandatory; the actual act of handing is key).

Mike