OpenBRP Project

[Mankcam]

Regarding Feats mechanics, here's some ideas rattling around in my brain at present.

May or may not be useful for development with OpenBRP:

Suggested Feats Mechanics

I don't think Feats have a place in a gritty game, but they can be great in pulp action settings like Heroic Fantasy, Jazz Era Adventure, Contemporary Action, etc. I think Feats should feel very pulpy.

Some rpgs have a Talent system which includes lower-range Feats. I don't think this really adds much to the game, and in BRP this kind of thing can be assumed just with Skills. 

Feats really shouldn't be just a list of 'additional things' that characters can do. Just like Passions, they work best when they are defining features of the character, so even in a pulpy game I wouldn't want to see a character with an array of Feats, just one or two which add to the character concept.

Personally I would just keep the core mechanics simple, with a Feat having one of the following effects:

* Allows  particular Skill use to occur under unusual circumstancers, or allows for another Skill to be effectively used place of a Skill typically used for that action

* Allows for a Skill Roll to ignore any circumstantial modifiers

* Grants a Bonus Dice to be used for an action under circumstances relevant to the Feat

 (as in CoC 7E - when  using D100%, roll an additional D10 for the 'tens' dice, picking the best result)

Most Feats have a colourful narrative that one of these mechanics can fit within, or be adjusted to. Keeps things simple if there are a few common mechanics for Feats, rather than an array of different rules for every Feat.

 

Alternatively: Passions Mechanics

Perhaps the easiest solution for Feats may be just to re-trap the Passions rules for Feats.

So instead of it being an emotive trait, it is more of a behavioural or idiocentric feature defining the character.

The same Passion mechanics would apply - you would make a 'Feats' roll, and if successful, gain a +20% to a relevant subsequent Skill roll ( or possibly another kind of bonus, for example +5 to DEX Rank for an 'Initiative' or 'Quickness' Feat, for instance)

The more I think of this, the more I like it.

I envision this version of Feats being very loose, possibly using a narrative phrase.You wouldn't have a list of Feats in the rules, but could provide suggestions and examples. In many ways this would move away from the Feats/Talents ideas you see in D&D, GURPS, RM, etc and be much closer to the Descriptor/Aspects mechanics from more contemporary systems like Fate.

So you could have titles like 'Skilled Marksman' or 'Charismatic'; or go down a more loose colourful route with titles like 'Handy With A Gun' or 'Gift of the Gab', stuff like that.

I haven't given it too much thought, but from the outset, most Feats could probably fit within the same mechanics as Passions.

Not sure if I would call them Feats either, perhaps Talents or Traits may be a more fitting title here.

Just throwing it out there. 

Edited April 16, 2020 by Mankcam

[Lloyd Dupont]

I keep thinking about it.. and I am still not satisfied with what I came up with... (Am I ever? 😮 ) 

Anyway I finally got a new idea..... Bear with me a second.. you might not share my dissatisfaction... but you might be curious about the results hey?!

So my problems in a nutshell....
1. spell casters have all the fun, also for too cheap a XP cost
2. Elemental spell, while fun in theory, feel unsatisfying practically (high cost, no fireball, but hey, unavoidable area damage is part of the problem)
3. cool class power (hide in shadow, complete dodge, healing song, etc..) and cool race power (tifling's flame) would be a nice addition
4. on a different topic normal general HP feels low (10 HP in a  gun fight.. gulps), but the option of doubling the HP can be problematic too (30 HP hey?)

And an idea hit me this morning (more accurately slowly crept in):
BTW: Classic Fantasy: https://www.chaosium.com/classic-fantasy-pdf/

1. all the changes relate to Magic tweaks (Sorcery, Psionics, Superpowers, Mutations are fine)
2. Magic should be democratised! everybody got spells! yeah! but works together with a few other changes
3. use Classic Fantasy Rating (Common, Uncommon, Rare) and Lore (Spell) (=> cost reduction (max INT/2), additional spell slot (max INT)), maybe 50% is required for common spell? (but not for the one below)
3.a. thinking to make Uncommon & Rare spell take +1 round to cast (unless one has access to next rating perhaps?) (i.e. there is quick / combat magic, and there is other stuff... not just expensive but slower to cast too, though more powerful)
4. adding "cantrip", i.e. many Folk Magic spell from Mythras (they too take INT slots) (lots of good stuff there!) (some of them could be cultural spell... ie. Shock for Tiefling!)
5. adding practical magic: i.e. spelllike ability (which too take an INT slots) but often work with another skills (like cantrip/folk-magic they only have 1 level.. no "empowering" them)
5.a. create class-like spell-like abilities as practical magic, such as: Hide In Shadow (use (skill+stealth), 1mp, being seen is hard), SongOfHeal (use (skill+perform), 3mp, heal 3mR for a D6), Displacement (use (skill+dodge), 2mp, avoid all damage on succesfull dodge roll, including area damage), EldritchBlade (use (skill+weapon), 2mp, +D6 magic damage for 10r on weapon, not cumulative with Sharpen/Bludgeon).. you get the idea...
.....
A. Maybe add a Ceremony skill where multiple wizard can work in concert, or do sacrifice, (rituals only) for summoning and such like...
B. Still not sure whether I do the double HP for players....

Should be.. 1. more fun for everyone... 2. feeling that powerful wizard is not just more spell or more Manapool items... 

 

Edited April 17, 2020 by Lloyd Dupont

[Prinz Slasar]

56 minutes ago, Lloyd Dupont said:

4. adding "cantrip", i.e. many Folk Magic spell from Mythras (they too take INT slots) (lots of good stuff there!) (some of them could be cultural spell... ie. Shock for Tiefling!)

Just a suggestion: For Mythras, the upcoming Lyonesse RPG will have a huge amount of Cantrips

[Lloyd Dupont]

Oh.. I might have to buy it too!  

Edited April 17, 2020 by Lloyd Dupont

[g33k]

One of the things I enjoy from a "feats" system is getting "unusual" traits that would be too expensive any other way.

Stuff like "knack for languages" which gives someone fluency with a BUNCH of different languages, but doesn't leave them with a huge deficit of skill points for other things.

[Lloyd Dupont]

17 minutes ago, g33k said:

One of the things I enjoy from a "feats" system is getting "unusual" traits that would be too expensive any other way.

Stuff like "knack for languages" which gives someone fluency with a BUNCH of different languages, but doesn't leave them with a huge deficit of skill points for other things.

I see G33k... That was not quite my angle... 

Just thinking aloud here.... how about, your problem would be first to come up with a long enough list to be interesting and then find some criteria to get some item from that list... maybe a fix number for characters... or it comes out of character creation point (trading 30% for a trait) or something....

Edited April 17, 2020 by Lloyd Dupont

[Chekmx]

So from a logistical stand point would you be looking at something like this  https://github.com/eepMoody/open5e?  

[Megapolimancy]

I love this idea and would especially like to see genre supplements. Old School Essentials is looking to do the same thing with their B/X clone.

I'm a newcomer to BRP, but while social distancing for the past month the SRD has really inspired all of my tinkering. 

Eager to see what the community here comes up with!

[Austin]

20 hours ago, Chekmx said:

So from a logistical stand point would you be looking at something like this  https://github.com/eepMoody/open5e?  

I honestly don't know. When I explore that link, I see a lot of things which look like coding, and that's a region I have no knowledge or competence regarding. There's a reason I've started writing fiction and pen-and-paper games, not video games!

2 hours ago, Megapolimancy said:

I'm a newcomer to BRP, but while social distancing for the past month the SRD has really inspired all of my tinkering. 

Welcome! I hope the BRP OGL's able to encourage your tinkering. If you're interested in OpenBRP, at the moment the best way to help is to take a look at the outline/concept doc I posted and provide some feedback. I'm still not in a place where I'd say "Yes, this project is taking off" or even "Yes, I am in charge of and running this thing." At the moment, I'm still sort of gauging interest because the simple truth is I can't do it all myself.

On the feats discussion:

I've been lurking and letting it mull around in the back of my head, and @Mankcam's post leads me to think that a Feats chapter shouldn't be in OpenBRP's genre packs because they, like "High Magic" in my OpenBRP: Fantasy outline, fit best when tailored to a specific setting. I additionally am leaning away from them because they seem, from Lloyd's comments, to integrate best with an XP system. Since the SRD follows the skill-based approach to character improvement, rather than an XP pool like Mythras or Revolution D100 (to the best of my understanding of those games), and since I think OpenBRP should be as exactly compatible as possible with the SRD, I don't believe OpenBRP should use Feats.

HOWEVER. I do think an OpenBRP: Feats pack could be useful for players, gamemasters, and game designers. So, a separate pack describing one or more modalities for introducing Feats into the OpenBRP system. So, the author of a scenario could say "This book uses the rules from OpenBRP: Fantasy and OpenBRP: Feats" and so on.

Naturally there will be a limit to how modular an OpenBRP system can be, but I think this sort of modular approach best suits the project.

[Lloyd Dupont]

Well, I was not quite happy.. and plenty of time to think at the moment!  
So I came up with an alternative... where everything use INT slot (my latest comment)
I am not quite sure about the Double HP as one of them... :~ but the others seems fine, I think...
But I am curious what you think of it...

here is a snippet from my updated home rules

-----

 

Appendix: Practical Magic

Practical Magic abilities are extraordinary abilities that can only be learned from expert in their field. They use the energy of the cosmos to empower mundane actions, requiring mastery of both some specific skill and inner energy, hence their blend of magic and mundane requirements.

They use spell slot and mana as well. Hence one can hardly know many spell and practical magic abilities at the same time.

They need to be researched or learn in much the same way a spell would be. And when prerequisite are skills, they must be known at 50% to have enough talent to master the ability.

Armor Master

Prerequisite: Wearing Armor, 1 Combat Skill at 50%
INT Slots 2
Cost: none
When wearing any heavy armour, gain +2AP. Or when wearing light armour gain +1AP.

Artful Dodge

Prerequisite: Light Armor, Dodge 50%
INT Slot 3
Cost: 3mp
When taking half damage from an area attack after a successful dodge, can negate all damage for 3 Magic Point.

Arrow Cutting

Prerequisite: 1 Combat Skill at 50%
INT Slot 2
Cost: 1MP for 10 rounds
When using this power, historical projectile can be parried with a weapon for 10 rounds, and not just a shield.

Battle Fury

Prerequisite: Any Combat Skill at 50%,
INT Slot 1
Cost: 1MP for 10 rounds
You can enter Battle Fury as bonus action. While in Battle Fury you automatically succeed any CON resistance roll. After 10 round the fury stops and the character suffer 10 additional Fatigue Point.

Diamond Soul

Prerequisite: Allegiance 50%,
INT Slot 1~4
Cost: 1MP
You can use your inner life force to stay impervious to POW attack. Granting a bonus of +2 ~ +4 bonus to all resistance rolls for a single round, the exact number is power level x2.

 

[Chekmx]

22 hours ago, Crel said:

I honestly don't know. When I explore that link, I see a lot of things which look like coding, and that's a region I have no knowledge or competence regarding. There's a reason I've started writing fiction and pen-and-paper games, not video games!

Gitlab allows you to keep a record of changes to text documents and for people to submit request to change that text.   Its what they are using for the the Questworlds SRD

https://github.com/ChaosiumInc/QuestWorlds

 

Something like this

https://github.com/chekmx/BasicRoleplayingOpenSRD

Edited April 27, 2020 by Chekmx