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TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#1: Jun 21st 2012 at 11:11:43 AM

UPDATE: Due to a lukewarm response, my own schooling, and other ongoing campaigns, I'm putting this game on indefinite hiatus.

Alright, well, as my Dungeons and Dragons campaign is coming to a (somewhat premature) end, it's time to start recruiting and conceptualizing for the next game. But, there's a bit of a catch:

This game is going to focus mostly on player decision making. It's not a combat based game, but likewise, it's not about skill checks. And as for the system, well, I haven't even decided upon that-I was even considering going entirely freeform, but that has the tendency of not polling very well.

So, what's the genre/setting? Well, it's a bit multi-genre. The campaign starts off as a pretty generic fantasy RP where the players are mercenaries, but things will spiral out from there. As part of the "doing fun things" part, various JRPG tropes will be thrown in for fun.

If I don't think of anything else, the game will run using modified 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons rules-"modified" because I will be eliminating the "X encounters per day" balancing mechanic entirely, redoing how healing surges and dailies work, specifically to encourage avoiding combat entirely.

For those who've played with me before, the notion of "Wait, we're supposed to avoid combat?" will seem like I've pulled a 180.

Anyhoo, questions, concerns, feel free to put em out there. This game is at minimum a month away though-I'm just getting started early so I have a feel for the temperature of the room.

DETAILS: Don't know about what day of the week (Tuesday is the day I've been running on for my current game, but I may change to another-though Tuesday is optimal for other reasons), but the game will likely START between 8 and 9 PM Eastern Standard Time, and will likely END between 12:00 and 1:00 Eastern standard time, occasionally ending early.

edited 10th Jul '12 8:07:27 AM by TheyCallMeTomu

Envyus Since: Jun, 2011
TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#3: Jun 21st 2012 at 3:08:20 PM

Lemme amend the initial post to include some more details.

Envyus Since: Jun, 2011
TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#5: Jun 22nd 2012 at 7:47:30 PM

Good to know.

Though no one else has signed on, and TBH, I'm a bit unclear on the specifics of the campaign myself, aside from that it'll be a lot more sandboxy than I'm used to running.

KyleJacobs from DC - Southern efficiency, Northern charm Since: Mar, 2011 Relationship Status: One True Dodecahedron
TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#7: Jun 22nd 2012 at 9:24:17 PM

Welp that's two. This game is "unusual" so it only requires three players at minimum. BTW: What system would you guys prefer? I'm pretty open this time around, mostly because I mostly won't be using it since this game is more puzzle/experiment oriented and the like.

Muramasan13 Since: Nov, 2009 Relationship Status: Not war
#8: Jun 22nd 2012 at 9:25:51 PM

I nominate Genius: the Transgression as the system.

Oh, and also volunteer.

Smile for me!
TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#9: Jun 22nd 2012 at 9:26:57 PM

Not familiar with that system. Link?

KyleJacobs from DC - Southern efficiency, Northern charm Since: Mar, 2011 Relationship Status: One True Dodecahedron
#10: Jun 22nd 2012 at 9:40:45 PM

It's an NWOD fan game. https://sites.google.com/site/moochava/genius

Personally, I'm still pushing for Fate.

TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
KyleJacobs from DC - Southern efficiency, Northern charm Since: Mar, 2011 Relationship Status: One True Dodecahedron
Erock Proud Canadian from Toronto Since: Jul, 2009
Proud Canadian
#13: Jun 23rd 2012 at 9:38:01 AM

I'm interested but can't post for a while after this Friday.

If you don't like a single Frank Ocean song, you have no soul.
TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#14: Jun 23rd 2012 at 9:56:25 AM

Okay, clarification: This will be an IRC based (+Maptool, for the instances of combat) RP, not a play-by-post.

Also, if anyone hates the idea of psionics, GTFO because it's gonna be in the campaign.

Reading up on Fate now.

UPDATE: Fate is out. I really don't like the "Roll Xd Y, and results blah blah blah are yadda yadda and results yadda yadda are-" thing.

edited 23rd Jun '12 10:09:20 AM by TheyCallMeTomu

Kayeka (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#15: Jun 23rd 2012 at 12:01:17 PM

I'd like to join, if you don't mind taking in a total noob to maptools. But we've already been over that, non?

TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#16: Jun 23rd 2012 at 12:02:48 PM

Maptools newb = no problem, it was 4E that I didn't want newbs to. This game, however, is fairly newb friendly, because it's more RP centric.

Hmmm... wow, already got a lot of people. Oh well, I'm sure once I determine the exact day/time and system people will start leaving in droves XD

Kayeka (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#17: Jun 23rd 2012 at 12:33:21 PM

As long as I don't find a job (AKA, for the foreseeable future), I'm fine with any time.

TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#18: Jun 23rd 2012 at 12:43:52 PM

Good to know. It's still about a few weeks out mind you.

Right now, I'm thinking of a sort of video gamey classical fantasy setting with the P Cs being mercenaries hired by the cartoonish king to save the princess. With psychic powers.

Yeah, it's kind of a weird campaign.

Kayeka (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#19: Jun 23rd 2012 at 2:14:24 PM

Right, right. Now, psionics is unknown terrain for me. Our group never bothered with Player's Handbook 3. Eh, should be fine, I guess.

Should we be calling dibs on classes yet? Got an idea for a starting level?

TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#20: Jun 23rd 2012 at 2:39:59 PM

I don't even know what game system I'm using! Note that, even if I use 4E, the psionics element each character will use will be "added on" rather than baked into their class, so you'll be able to play basically whatever you want.

Essentially, psionics will replace gear (and feats to some extent, since I won't be using any of the traditional "feat tax" feats). Current concept is that each character has an "Archon Level" which will give a bonus to attack and damage.

Envyus Since: Jun, 2011
#21: Jun 25th 2012 at 10:28:14 AM

I could care less what we use I am hardly know any of them.

TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#22: Jun 25th 2012 at 10:38:56 AM

Well, this will be (again, VERY unusual for me) a low level game where the P Cs are not gods that smash everything with their bare hands, so the system and optimization isn't as important.

TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#23: Jun 29th 2012 at 11:31:35 PM

Alright, so, I'm finalizing myself on making the game 4E. I'll start a wikidot shortly, but for now, here are the game mechanics of relevance.

1.) No magic items. Period. Characters gain 1st level starting gear.

2.) No feat bonuses to attack or damage, or to Fortitude, Reflex, or Will. Armor Specialization and Unarmored Agility (aka feat bonuses to AC) get a pass-For now <Ominous music>. Any other +damage feats are subject to DM approval (which means ask first).

3.) Characters have what is known as an Archon Level. In the context of the campaign, this means mastery over special unique powers-psionics essentially, even for characters without psionic classes. A character gains a +1 bonus to attacks, damage rolls, and all defenses equal to their archon level. The P Cs start out at Archon Level 1.

4.) The P Cs are 3rd level at the start of the campaign. Again-this is not a game for slugging it out with the Tarrasque.

5.) Interaction skills function differently. Rather than rolling diplomacy in order to determine the success or failure of a speech or the like, characters will react appropriately to the narrative. However, a player can use skills (Insight, Bluff, Diplomacy) in order to obtain "clues" about what to say in order to be effective in the scenario. That being said, if you're not good at making epic speeches player wise, don't expect that your skills are going to let your character be good at making epic speeches-player ability is more important than character ability for most non-physically oriented tasks.

6.) No rituals. This is a low magic setting. Any character with the Ritual Caster feat from their class may instead select any one Superior Implement Training feat.

7.) That being said, there is no Raise Dead ritual.

8.) Despite the usage of 4E, this campaign does not use many of the tropes 4E is famous for. Namely, instant healing is more difficult. Characters recover healing surges at a rate of 1/day, each character gains only half as many healing surges per day, and failed death saves require an extended rest rather than a short rest in order to recover from. Furthermore, enemies will generally have less HP but deal more damage, making initiative more important. Avoidance is generally a good policy (and most encounters are designed to be avoidable).

9.) Daily attack powers can be used only once per character's lifetime unless recovered through an external source. However, after a daily power has been used, you may retrain to a different power during an extended rest.

10.) Leveling will be deliberately very slow, and not be contingent upon slugging it up with monsters.

Kayeka (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#24: Jun 30th 2012 at 1:56:09 AM

What about alchemy? Is that restricted as well?

TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#25: Jun 30th 2012 at 9:46:51 AM

The problem with alchemy is that it's resource intensive. Like, VERY resource intensive. and since this is a 0 magical item campaign, I'm not going to be dropping cash left and right. Gold will not be tied to character power, basically-it's another part of the narrative.

That being said, if you take the Alchemist theme, it's possible to get free alchemical items 1/encounter, so that's fine.

FAIR WARNING: The P Cs will start out as a mercenary group or group of heroes all Light Warriors style at the start of the campaign (work it out yourselves), so make sure you're not trying to play an underwater basket weaver.

edited 30th Jun '12 10:19:27 AM by TheyCallMeTomu


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