MECHANICS (part two)
As hinted by the title, this is the second post on the topic. I will attempt to clean up and explain in a more straightforward and succinct way rules that I have written and what experience they are meant to evoke.
Daumier, H. (1867b). Don Quixote reading (Don Quixote lisant) [Oil on wood panel]. National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
The basics
ATTRIBUTES describe and quantify certain aspects of characters and creatures. You roll 3d6 for each when making a character. They are MIND, BODY, and SOUL.
SAVES are called when a character is in danger or must prove something. Select an attribute that best fits the situation and roll a d20. By matching the selected score or rolling under it, the save succeeds.
SKILLS govern situations where an action is possible but requires the arbitration of dice. Roll 2d6 adding +1 for a high relevant attribute, background, specialised tools, etc. up to a maximum of +3. A penalty can be applied in the same way for unfavourable conditions.
TUF or toughness is a representation of skill in combat. It is the buffer between starting a fight and getting wounded. It is an abstraction of factors that would influence a real fight.
COMBAT is very simple. Attacks hit automatically, damage reduces TUF first and then BODY.
ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE can result from various factors in the game world. Simply roll your damage die twice and keep the higher roll if it is advantaged, and the lower roll if it is disadvantaged. This mechanic only affects combat rolls.
ARMOUR absorbs hits. A shield, a suit of armour, and a helmet each absorb one hit. The wearer declares the usage of armour after damage is rolled.
The details
INJURY occurs when TUF drops to or below 0, with the remainder deducted from BODY. This is the moment in the fiction in which the character or creature potentially suffers a real injury. It is also the moment in game that calls for a roll on the injury table.
RECOVERY is simple, player characters and enemies need only rest for 10 minutes and their TUF returns to its original value. Restoring damaged attribute scores requires an in-game week of rest in a safe location.
DEATH awaits when BODY reaches 0. The character or creature is slain and is always allowed to say its last word (it can be a longer speech).
FLEEING combat requires an idea of where you’re retreating to, and a successful save of the fleeing side’s choosing. If the save is not successful, those who retreat suffer another attack before disappearing from the scene.
MEGDAN is a duel between two characters. Refusing a megdan typically means the end of a character in one way or another. Losing a megdan is not as bad as refusing and does not always mean death. Winning in a megdan should always have great positive effects for the character. The arsenal normally includes a spear or rifle, mace, sword, shield, and dagger for each side. The combatants progressively get closer, but weapons may only be used once before breaking, becoming lost, or otherwise unusable in the duel.
FRIENDS AND FOES are the two important categories of NPCs. Background characters may change into friends or foes, friends into foes and vice versa. Friends should always be able to provide something to the group – a skill, a resource, authority, access to a location, etc. This distinguishes them from NPCs that are simply not hostile, likeable, or favoured by the players for another reason. Foes should have a personal problem with the group – an ideological opposition, a shared background, nasty run-in, they may dislike the type of person a character or group is. A guard who would anyway pursue disrupters of the Empire’s order is not a foe. A guard wounded by the group who has sworn to exterminate them is a foe.
HEROISM is to be rewarded with points, that the players can use to maximise a damage roll, automatically succeed on a save, or maximise a skill roll. Heroism points can be awarded for smaller actions such as helping individuals, pursuing justice, or standing up to villains.
MONEY exists in the world, but not in the game. Goods and services are obtained by trade. You can trade your labour, your word, another thing, or whatever is appropriate. Characters are always assumed to have pocket money to buy a drink, a meal, or something small. Getting rich or finding a lot of valuables should be an important moment in the game and treasure like this should always be tied to a person or location.
THE EXPLORATION ROLL is made every exploration turn (10 in-game minutes) when indoors and up to several times per day outdoors, or when things start to drag. Roll 2d6 referencing the relevant table.
Diffendale, D. (2014). Bone dice, river pebbles, and bronze studs from Vulci. Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/7945858@N08/15944516179
As you might intuit, there is some substance missing from this collection of rules. While I aim to make the PDF of the game available for pay-what-you-want in the end, I don’t think it’s great fun to read supplemental information about the rules or advice in this particular blog post. This is also the reason for me referencing tables that are not included here (explaining attribute scores, skill roll results, injuries, exploration roll).
Either way, I’m making a system that’s super easy to learn to run. Players won’t need to know the rules to be able to enjoy the game, but there will be depth there to provide a solid structure for the game. Trading, negotiating, collecting information, planning, making promises, and such activities will be the core gameplay loop. Action should be proportional to everyone’s mood and preference.
There you go! A glimpse under the hood. This is the core engine that makes the game run, mechanically speaking. Expect lots more in the final product and see you next week!
