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Advanced Sorcery Arete


tooley1chris

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Here are a few more.

Iron Might

Brawn 50%

Self, Instant

The character's iron hard muscles are capable of incredible feats of strength. The Hero adds his POW to his STR attribute but only for the purposes of lifting, breaking, and contests of strength.

This edge may be taken a second time when the character reaches 100% in their Brawn skill. He now adds twice his POW to his STR attribute but only for the purposes of lifting, breaking, and contests of strength. This upgrade costs five advancement points.

Fleet of Foot

Athletics 50%

Self

The character is extraordinarily light and quick on their feet. Easily outracing their friends and enemies. The Hero's movement rate is increased from eight meters to twelve meters.

This edge may be taken a second time when the character reaches 100% in their Athletics Skill. The Hero's movement rate is increased from twelve meters to sixteen meters.

Two Gun Joe

A Combat Style incorporating Sidearms 50%

Self

The character is proficient in using a sidearm in either hand, and can use two of them with deadly effect. While wielding two sidearms the character gains a additional Combat Action.

This edge may be taken a second time when the character reaches 100% or more in a Combat Style that incorporates sidearms. While wielding two sidearms the character gains two additional Combat Actions.

Brawler

Unarmed 50%

Self

The character is a master of unarmed fighting, able to attack and defend with ease. In melee combat the character may use their Unarmed skill to defend.

This edge may be taken a second time when the character reaches 100% or more in their Unarmed Skill. While using their Unarmed Skill in melee combat the character gains one additional Combat Action.

Man of Many Faces

Disguise 50%

Self

The character is a master of disguise, able to change from one persona to another with but a moments notice. The character is able to make quick changes to their appearance, making themselves bland and unrecognizable. It does not affect their voice, mannerisms or physical size/ presence of the hero, but ensures they do not stand out from the crowd. He is actively ignored by anyone searching for him; he is simply overlooked and discounted.

This edge may be taken a second time when the character reaches 100% or more in their Disguise Skill. The character is now able to make quick changes to the appearance allowing them to disguise themselves as a specific person.

Wallflower

Stealth 50%

Self, Instant

The character is a master at staying hidden in plain sight. When using this edge the character adds his POW score to his Stealth Skill rolls.

This edge may be taken a second time when the character reaches 100% or more in their Stealth Skill. The character now adds twice his POW score to his Stealth Skill rolls.

Danger Sense

Perception 50%

Self

The character is preternaturally aware of danger, allowing him to act before others can. The character's Strike rank is equal to half of their POW + DEX + INT divided by two.

This edge may be taken a second time when the character reaches 100% or more in their Perception Skill. The character's Strike rank is equal to their POW + DEX + INT divided by two.

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I've got another one, not sure if I'm going to include it in the list of edges as it is more D&D than pulp.

Rage

A Combat Style incorporating a melee weapon 50%

Self

In combat the character is able to fly into a violent rage, savagely smiting their foes. The character's Damage Bonus die increases by one step (So if their damage bonus was a 1D4 it is now a 1D6). As the rage focuses them on the offense, the character may not parry or evade for the duration of the rage.

This edge may be taken a second time when the character reaches 100% or more in a Combat Style incorporating a melee weapon. The character's Damage Bonus die increases by two steps (so if their damage bonus was a 1D4 it is now a 1D8). As the rage focuses them on the offense, the character may not parry or evade for the duration of the rage.

I am wondering if the inability to evade or parry is to heavy a limitation, and if a flat penalty should be applied instead. Still a one die shift to the damage bonus is a big deal. I like this version of the rage better than the bonus to STR and CON that the Legendary/ Heroic Ability gave.

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I wrote up a version of Cleave for my list of edges. I ended up going the D&D 4.0 route with it.

Cleave

A Combat Style incorporating a edged melee weapon 50%

Personal

The character is capable of making multiple attacks with one action against adjacent opponent. For the primary target make your attack roll as normal, if this connects you may make a secondary attack roll against a adjacent foe. This secondary attack does damage equal to your Damage Bonus.

This edge may be taken a second time when the character reaches 100% or more in their relevant skill. The secondary attack now does damage equal to twice your Damage Bonus.

Over the last couple of months I've been toying with the idea of adding D&D3.5 feats to MW. The Arete chapter of the new Advanced Sorcery seems like a good way of doing this.

I've been working on feats tied to various skills, requiring a prerequisite % and possibly a prerequisite Characteristic #. I think this would add a lot of flavor to characters, as well as diversity.

Example:

Cleave: Weapon Skill 101%+ If the character kills an opponent with his first strike of the round, he or she may make an immediate attack against a different nearby opponent with a 50% penalty.

GREAT Cleave: Prerequisite: Cleave, Weapon skill 125%+ If the character kills an opponent with his first strike of the round, he or she may make an immediate attack against a different nearby opponent with a 25% penalty. If he also kills that opponent, he may make a third attack against a different opponent with a 50% penalty.

Was wondering if anyone else already did this, before I continue. Over powered? Not needed? Nick?

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You should just get it done, put it in PDF format and post the whole thing in downloads for all to enjoy. Not sure I'd make damage from secondary attack only DB. This allows a dagger the same threat as a great sword. Maybe cut total damage in half?

Also, since this is a free second attack maybe bump up prerequisite and don't allow any parry/dodge

Edited by tooley1chris

Author QUASAR space opera system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/459723/QUASAR?affiliate_id=810507

My Magic World projects page: Tooleys Underwhelming Projects

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I had a couple of other folks asking for a PDF, so I put one together organized by skill category. It is still a work in progress, I'd like to add a couple more pages of edges for the final document, and redo a couple of the edges. Included in the document is a brief synopsis on what edges are and how they work.

http://basicroleplaying.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=558

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I've been thinking about this lately, and I really don't see a need for this personally. No offense on the work being done however, as someone else may use it.

I personally think MW does the system fine as is. At over 100%, you get to attack more often. This is not only more realistic than your Cleave example, it simply makes more sense. You've worked with your weapon for so long you can simply do everything quicker and with more finesse than your opponent. However, doesn't your Cleave example step on the toes of the system already in place for very little gain? I mean, attacking three times at 50% each would accomplish the same thing as a three person Cleave right? Also, when in an BRP game would you want to be surrounded and need to Cleave? You'd almost certainly be dead before you could Cleave them all down. If they are small simple opponents that you cleave down then was Cleave needed at all or was the character ever really in danger? Overall this seems like a niche option that's already covered by the system. It's providing more options and thus bloating the system where I personally don't see it's need.

Another thought I had was how do you handle the "feats" from certain other skills without stepping on role playing opportunities? For example, the feat proposed for athletics. Now, jump rolls that would normally be very tense are trivial for someone with a high athletics. Also, any PC without the expanded jump probably couldn't make jumps the PC with it could make. It's completely removing some role playing and tension building options at the GM's disposal and making a character so good at one thing they can completely control the narrative if that situation comes up. The situation a GM can call for jump rolls would be completely dominated by the PC with the feat and he would have to craft entire situations on making sure PC's with certain feats don't have those situations arrive often because they'll then dominate the narrative. For example, there's a pit in a crumbling dungeon that drops down into an abandoned cell. The PC's have to jump over it to continue. Normally this would be a pretty tense moment with failure having a pretty severe consequence. Now, instead, the PC with the jump feat effortlessly jumps over the pit, ties down a rope to something, and the PC's just scuttle across. Zero tension, zero consequence. You can't make the pit bigger to make the jump PC have more tension, because then if he fails the whole thing is shot and it just cements his control over the narrative. I'm not saying it's a usable example in actual game play, it's just the first one I thought of.

I just don't see a good way to handle this with your standard MW campaign. This is fine for superhero type campaigns as they all have their niche and can save the people or thwart the villain with that one niche and it's fine. But for run of the mill adventurers obtaining super powers through play, I'm not sure I could ever find a good use for this. I'm OK with PC's learning spells to tackle these types of situations as that has a cost but slowly working your way towards super human every time you make a successful roll under stress (as per the rules of gaining experience rolls) makes this system too hard to GM. As a good rule of thumb, remember what your players talk about the most. Do your players ever remember that time you simply selected a feat you had and jumped across the gap? Mine don't. Do your players remember the time you had the right spell for the occasion and helped everyone leap across? Sometimes, but most of the time it makes for some good hi5's and we move on. Do your players remember the tense moments where everyone has to make a skill roll and Bill failed but then was caught by a quick reflex roll from Jill and pulled to safety? Absolutely. 

Not trying to criticize here, but lately I've been trying to import more "flavor" into BRP games myself. However, for every mechanic I think about porting over I think about the increased burden of GMing, as well as how it impacts game play. So far, I haven't found a single mechanic that fits my rule of thumb for porting over, as none of them really solve any role playing needs. The more I try, the more I realize why I switched over to a rules light system. Does that mean you guys shouldn't keep it up? Absolutely not as somebody may see some use for these in a unique campaign. However, for run of the mill MW campaigns, I would advise against tacking on extra systems unless they are magic systems.

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One of the glorious things about MW is that it is a rules light system that allows spot rules to enhance game play as the chronicler sees fit. I am curious, however, if you refer to MY system, which is why I started the thread, posted here:

Or CthulhuFnords system he also posted on this thread? Or Advanced Sorcery Aretes which are much more under powered?

Some of my feats may seem OP but my games are more cinematic than most. I really don't think any feat makes that much of a difference bewtween PCs, but yes. Some ARE going to be better at certain skills than others. Not much more than occupations granting a higher rate of learning for occupation skills.

In any case I appreciate your input. I value what others think of my endeavors and weigh such pros and cons when developing other SPOT rules I may share.

Author QUASAR space opera system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/459723/QUASAR?affiliate_id=810507

My Magic World projects page: Tooleys Underwhelming Projects

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BRP is a game system whose default setting is usually quite gritty, hence Call of Cthulhu being the flagship. I really like it being so, as the default rules support this very well. However, there is also room for a more cinematic approach, and I think Feats/Stunts and such are a great bolt-on option for that kind of setting (see Blood Tide).

 

I guess the main thing is not to bloat the game up with too many extra options and abilities, as lack of such has become one of the strong features of BRP, rather than seeing it as a deficit in this area. Many BRP players like having a streamlined skill system approach, and tend to use the outcome of the rolls to narratively portray how well an action has been achieved; its up to the GM as to whether the skill scope is mundane or if it can portray more broader aspects.

 

I do prefer this from a GM point of view, although players from more pulpy style rpg systems do tend to not grasp this, and will often be looking for a Feat or an Edge that gives them a major advantage or defines their character This is understandable, and not wholly inappropriate if you like a cinematic flavour to your games.

 

I'm not sure where MW sits, but core BRP suits a gritty sword n sorcery setting, whereas the use of Stunts would lend a High Fantasy fllavour to the genre. I'm sure BRP can handle both styles equally well, and again Blood Tide is a useful reference for this.

" Sure it's fun, but it is also well known that a D20 roll and an AC is no match against a hefty swing of a D100% and a D20 Hit Location Table!"

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