Character Creation (Discussion)

Yea good point, I think I'll take the fighting on foot flaw and thats all.

I haven't finished with backstory yet, but i am already toying with traits, and well so far this is the result i got: Outlaw, quick hands, Finesse and stealth. But i have a question about weapon proficiency, as far as my guess goes, outlaw doesn't offer any, so i need to sacrafice one of the traits to be at least good in weapon of choice?

Edit: I pretty much finished my back story, some things may (and probably will) be edited/improved, but i think in general i will leave it they way it is, if you have no objections.

"Outlaw: whether your order knows it or not, you were once an outlaw. You know how bandits think, where they would like hide, and how they fight. You also know where rich people like to store their valuables. As the ranger in his forest, you can find your way and survive well in any urban environment. Knows where to hide, where to find food, and where to ambush his enemies. Knows “people” in nearly every city. You may or may not have redeemed yourself and work against your former brothers in crime."

You're correct. Outlaw has no free proficiencies. Seaman/NavalOfficer is the same way. Such backgrounds have other, non-trait bonuses instead.

Quick hands, Finesse, and stealth are within your 3 trait limit, so yes. It isn't entirely necessary to take a proficiency at the start. Such traits are probably the easiest to acquire over the course of the RP, especially at the lower level. Acquiring multiple, even just at the 'good' tier, would take much more time though.

It says you have a combat bonus when fighting in the city. I'm assuming that is referring to a command bonus rather than a personal skill bonus.

You've spent too much renown on troops.

8 Adventurers (10) = 80
8 One handed Weapon (5 * 1/4= 2 rounded up)= 16
8 Throwing Weapons (Same as above)= 16
8 Light Armor (10 * 1/4 = 3 rounded up) = 24

Total = 136. You can spend some of the other 50 on their equipment instead of Rivatha's own, if you wish.

Also, the Balanced upgrade requires the purchase of a weapon first. So the cost of the weapon plus the cost of the upgrade must be calculated. You do get one free weapon, but it is not upgraded for free.

Ohh i see what you meant with rounded up now,counted total of them not separately.Will fix it, thanks.

Ok edited it.But i am not sure how about stats now:

I believe stats of "lighter" orders(Silvermist etc.) are +1WP and +1Speed? Can i take those instead of Gauntlets +3WP since they fit my character and her story more.

At the moment they don't have a +1 speed bonus. It's just base WP for the Orders.

Ahh ok just 1 WP it is then, is there anything else that i need to change?

I don't see anything!

Okay, thanks for help and patience then

So as I've put into the rp already, Morek carries around a big tome, its not a weapon so do I need to spend renown for it?

That's fine.

Another question: Were the rules for armor changed? Is medium still -1 SP and heavy still -2 as of now?

They've been changed in the renown list, and added to the mechanics post.

Light is +1wp +1sp
Medium is +2wp
Heavy is +3wp -1sp

Regarding the Combat System Update:

The previous combat system was designed for Aftermath’s arena, for which, modesty aside, I consider it a good choice. Real Pendor, however, does not work in the controlled and sterile conditions of an arena fight, and the transfer of that system was not smooth – any fight that isn’t a duel is quite difficult to handle with it. Here RP is much more important, and the variables are much more numerous. Players are just too creative.

So I changed the system. With the purpose of improved RP in mind, I placed more emphasis to strategy, description and interaction.

This is most obvious in the tweaked items: choosing the right tool against your enemy’s choices is now of utmost importance. Choosing which tools you’ll carry is also a big deal, since from now on you can carry only two. And choosing your weapon specializations is also important.

This means that teamwork and planning are almost a necessity. If e.g. you find yourself using swords and arrows against an enemy that gets high defense against both of them (say, a Shadow Legionnaire or someone in Mettenheim armor), you may want to band with a fellow player who, luckily, has specialized in maces and throwing hammers.

As a sidenote, while developing these new rules I reflected about the differences between tabletop RPGs, digital RPGs, and forum-based RPGs. We can’t have character sheets, because we host more or less like a D&D gamemaster – only that we have 12, not 3 players. But the main characteristic is that here we have no means for visual or oral communication, so descriptions suffer. It is very easy to not write out exactly what we’re thinking. Or, when players do write what they are thinking, the GMs may not interpret the description in the way the player intended.

This is a problem especially for fights, but I think we can handle it by turning the system upside down: we don’t describe an action and then get the results (after GMs have converted it into numbers). Instead, I think we should first calculate the results, and only then prompt players to describe their action. I’m really willing to try this. So every combat round should be something like this:

Old combat system: description - roll - description
New combat system: roll - description

This speeds things up and save us from misunderstandings, while still giving the players some control over the battle and maintaining the RP factor. Examples in a further post.

By the way, don’t bother with the GM calculations. If you want to know them, check the spoiler below. Else just jump to the next topic.

Spoiler:

[Continuing from previous post]

Well, no longer do we have countless traits, each with modifiers and submodifiers. Things, as life, should simple. For this, read below.

Combat scenes

This is a new feature. On some occasions, the presence of certain factors will bring up a “combat scene”.

This is essentially a RP-focused combat scene, in which one or more players will describe a single moment in the fight. Consider it as a slow-motion close-up of a bigger battle, as if the world around suddenly stopped and the screen was centered in a single action of your character(s).

Technicalities

GMs will announce when one is triggered. Players can choose to skip them and just keep to the rolls, thus progressing with the battle, but this is a great opportunity to describe epic actions. Describing them also earns you extra renown (because if your character did something awesome (or awesomely stupid), you should well tell us how great it was).

While the player is writing his description, the battle will stop for a while.

It is triggered by:

- Normally, any extreme result (for instance, 8 or -8 in a -8 to 8 roll) will trigger a combat scene. In this particular case, the player will be asked to elaborate what has happened during the critical hit or miss.

- Ranged weapon stand-off: when two PCs are aiming at each other.

- Using one of the special abilities of the fighting styles: so you’re a dedicated Mettenheimer and want to use the horse cleaver against that Marleons heavy cavalry. The dice say you hit and horseman is dead. Please tell us how that happened.

- Mid-fight assassination: yes, that’s a thing.

- Wounds: you got a wound. If you got one, if means you lost. If you lost, it means you have no voice here. The player who made your wound (and thus won the fight) describes how exactly it happened. NPC-made wounds, however, are entirely up to the victim.

- An otherwise uncommon situation: remember when Iskar jumped at the wall and dove with his spear against Marcus from above? This is the kind of situation that would call for a more elaborate combat scene.

- And, of course, by the GM’s whim.


New Character and Fighting System

Weapon choice is now of utmost importance. Now they are no longer simple items with higher or lower damage and skill values, but, as in medieval times, they were the difference between victory and defeat. Carefully selecting your weapons before going to battle is a necessity. Yes, I've said this before. The reason why I'm saying it again it to stress its importance.

Cool changes, should be interesting to play with them

Since several of the backgrounds and traits have been clarified, you're all welcome (and encouraged!) to recreate your character if you wish to do so. There's no pressure if you don't feel like going through it all again, of course.

(/pressure! )

Two questions I woud ike to be clarified:

1.) To what extent are we allowed to customize our weapons? Is it easier for Master Smiths?
2.) How does the trait system work now?

Otherwise, awesome.

So, I guess this is it. Anything missing, GMs?


EDIT: oh yeah, fighting styles.

-----

What to do know?

Players, as you see, the character system has changed. I hope this is the last major change we make, as we understand how annoying for you this kind of thing is. I'd kindly ask you to change the respective stats for your weapons and armors on your character sheets (for example, heavy armor now give +4WP instead of +3WP, and so on).

Players who joined recently could also rework their character according to the new rules. Older player have the choice to keep their characters as their are (i.e. with the traits and equipment) or rework them. If chosen to rework the PCs, please stick to the new traits (for example, the Legendary trait is now much, much harder to get. Masterwork weapons as well).

At any rate, from now every player is allowed to carry only 2 weapons (unless you have the Pack Rat trait). This is compulsory and you should inform which ones you're carrying on you character sheet.

Quote :

1.) To what extent are we allowed to customize our weapons? Is it easier for Master Smiths?
2.) How does the trait system work now?

1) Only master smiths can customize. Although any character can make an Improvised custom weapons (I don't know why they'd do that, though, since a wooden stick would be more effective).

2) I suppose that falls under the jurisdiction of Renown Master Isabel. How many free traits do players get at character creation now, Izzy? Two?

Jing Ming wrote:

Quote :

1.) To what extent are we allowed to customize our weapons? Is it easier for Master Smiths?
2.) How does the trait system work now?

1) Only master smiths can customize. Although any character can make an Improvised custom weapon.

2) I suppose that falls under the jurisdiction of Renown Master Isabel. How many free traits do players get at character creation now, Izzy? Two?

1.) Ehehehe... Hehehe...

What use is a knowledge of banners and noble houses?

Does it have any IC advantages?

Great, so I have to redo my character now?

I like the combat system though

Only if you want to, Arcanum. You only have to choose your two weapons.

Aelos: yes, although the gain if for RP only. For instance, you may recognize that the two approaching parties are of old enemies of lady Greysword, or that there are no D'Shar ships on Windholm harbor, and this information reveals a bit of events unfolding behind the curtains.