We used to do a lot and whilst the site is quiet, I would genuinely like to see if people might get involved - especially non-staff members.
The competition is as follows:
DESIGN A SYSTEM ADDITION.
Yup, those words just left my mouth. Consider it an expansion pack. Here's the skinny. What happens when someone caps out their acclaim? They earn no more talent points and acclaim just becomes a number. That's all well and good and there's still gear and stories to live for but really, what MIGHT we have? Should it be something complimentary? Something that kicks in earlier, like prestige classes? Titles? Secret moves?
Design a semi-thorough system that we can strap on tot the rules set we already have in play. Not just a one paragraph blurb on your idea, think it out, plot the numbers and post it in a like manner to what we already have. The winner will get an exclusive item for their character (I think) and their ideas might just be added to the game.
Daisy [M:15:0:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?board=cs&action=display&thread=746]"I kill for fun and profit. What's your excuse?"
So, a rule set that can be bootstrapped to what we already have; and deals with endgame acclaim levels?
I think I can make a suggestion.
That said, this is a competition, and if mine is the only real suggestion made, I don't want to win this thing by default. That just seems lame as hell.
TL;DR version : At endgame characters should be able to 'spend' 100 acclaim to buy a stunt based on a skill or skills in which they have mastery.
The relevant numbers : - Talents are ranked 0-5, where 0 is utterly unskilled and 5 is mastery.
- The All About Acclaim section in the Game Guide tracks acclaim out to 1055. On the way this means a character earns 21 points to assign to talents.
- That 21st point is awarded after earning 100 more acclaim.
- All characters begin with 25 points to assign to talents. Thus, at end game you're looking at a character with a total of 46 talent points.
- There are a total of 26 seperate talents in the game.
- So, an end game character could range anywhere from having an acceptable grasp on the skills of every talent, to being a complete master of 9 of them.
It has been said that in the real world it takes around 10,000 hours of practice to master a skill. I don't know if this is true, and the Menagerie isn't the real world anyway. What does hold true however is this : mastery of a skill requires constant practice. One does not just reach the level where they are called a master and then quit devoting time to the skill. Innovations are always being made in the field and if you don't keep up with them, it won't be long before you are no longer a "master". Muscle memory can be forgotten, if you do not continue to practice, you will lose your edge.
Given that is all true (I'm fairly certain it is) it seems logical to me that the next "step" as it were in game would be some sort of specialization. In much the same way a person in the real world might spend a couple of years or so researching a PhD thesis and improve the knowledge of their field by focusing on a very specific thing (think of an entomologist who's lived a life of bugs and then writes a paper on the aphid herding habits of brown ants in the Amazon basin); I think it would follow characters at end game with skill mastery should be able to purchase "stunts".
What would a "stunt" be? Glad you asked. For another 100 acclaim (1155/1255/1355/...) a character would be allowed to 'purchase' a unique ability, something that only a master of a skill could possibly pull off. In game terms a stunt would have to be : 1) unique to the character (this requirement to prevent stepping on role playing toes) or if not unique okayed by the other player(s) that possess the stunt already, 2) non game-breaking (no automatic one hit kills), 3) approved by admin (this should be obvious), 4) VERY specific/limited, 5) built on a skill (or skills) the character has mastery of (level 5 talent in).
A few examples to illustrate what I'm thinking :
- Whirlwind attack : once per scene (or maybe per adventure) the character could attack every enemy that was within melee range. This stunt could only be performed with a specific weapon (not a specific class of weapon (swords), or type of weapon (rapiers), but a single specific weapon the character has practiced with (his father's sword))
- Autosucceeding non-damage called shots : the character has become so damned good with a specific weapon (again, not a type, or a class but a specific individual weapon) they can almost always (because sometimes the GM might still say NO) pull off tricks that don't involve damage. They can cut away clothing, carve an initial into a buttock, disarm, etc almost every single time.
- The fireball that only burns non-living things : does what it says on the tin. Of course, the fires it _starts_ will burn anything.
- The holy/light sword construct that can only cut the unjust : a combination of holy/light magic that will only cause harm to those with a heart full of malicious intent. If it contacts the innocent it will do no harm.
- The Perfect Pickpocket : this thief is so good at misdirection and deft of hand they can pull off pocket pilfering that lesser mortals would consider impossible : either while they are being actively watched or even in the middle of a combat.
- Mind over Matter : built upon a character's endurance and/or brawn and martial prowess. The character has such an iron will or is just so bloody minded that they can actually physically ignore a slight amount of physical damage in combat.
- The Paragon/Renegade : built on a character's kinship, liaison, and physical appeal. The character is so damned nice that even the most hardened, jaded, and hateful individuals will find themselves hard pressed to motivate themselves to bring harm to the character. On the other end the character could be so damned intimidating that even the most hardened, jaded, and hateful individuals are just plain scared of the character. In game the GM should almost always give the character the ability to talk their way out of just about anything. I mean anything : even wars. They can talk sense to bigots. They're that damn awesome.
Some of these things may not be entirely appropriate or playable, but this isn't (obviously) a completely polished proposal. You should get the idea though.
That's my suggestion.
Edited to add : I implied it but didn't outright say it : once acclaim has topped out for normal talent points (1055) a character would not be able to buy any more normal talent points. Acclaim could only be further 'spent' on stunts. After all a person can only master so many skills, there are only so many hours in a day.
"Murder" and "Justice" imply "moral judgements" based on nothing more than how the majority of people feel about the taking of another's life. I don't concern myself with such things; they're too subjective. Whether or not there's gold in my pocket is what matters.
Thank you for your submission. And yes, if no one else enters; you will win be default. Entries aren't assured to be adopted, but we reward for ideas and effort. To that end, more than one person may win something.
Daisy I loved this suggestion. And ideas are the point here. You should be rewarded for good ones whether anyone else has one to post or not. That is the hard part, yeah?
Eternity
“Put some clothes on, you weird, yellow-eyed, table-dancing, werewolf-training, cryptic, stare-me-right-in-the-eyes-and-don't-even-blink wench.”
The only trouble with Prestige classes would be covering the bases that people might want.
Were I to introduce Prestige Classes into our system I would do it through the Faction system.
Each Faction would have a ranking system. (Could be based on Acclaim((Every 3 levels gained or something like that)), could be based on leader choice and RP performance as far as when one moves from rank to rank. Probably alittle of both so as to not give leaders a huge boost right away...) Each rank would offer a selection of benefits that the person could chose from that fit that faction. The character would pick one from the appropriatate level or below when hitting the rank.
This way there are options to the player without getting too out of hand. there is a bit of specialization available. It promotes the Factions as well. But also controls it a bit.
I know you wanted more detail than this, but the idea just hit me and I wanted to get it on paper before it left.
And regardless of how its done I think the idea of tying the prestige classes (if we decide to include them) to the factions would be a good idea as they almost already are that.
My first thought was, he lied in every word, That hoary cripple, with malicious eye Askance to watch the workings of his lie On mine, and mouth scarce able to afford Suppression of the glee, that pursed and scored Its edge, at one more victim gained thereby.
What if we gave starting characters a small amount of gold to begin with? (Say 50 - 100gp at most) Very few RPGs, with the exception of video games, have their players start with no money whatsoever and we see alot of begining characters talking in the tavern or such about how their person has no money to buy food or anything. Giving them a bit of gold to start could get them buying something small from the shop to start with if they wanted or they could save it. The market would be something they would have interest in that much sooner.
"I do not aim with my hand; he who aims with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.
I aim with my eye.
I do not shoot with my hand; he who shoots with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.
I shoot with my mind.
I do not kill with my gun; he who kills with his gun has forgotten the face of his father.
I kill with my heart."
I wonder if you cannot just change the 'Acclaim' system.
- Talents could be a maximum of ten points, leading to more diversity. - Points could be earned more often. - Higher levels could cost more points. (1 for 1 level, 2 for level 2 and so on.)
This would make a maximum level of ten quite remarkable and something only much higher characters would have more than once. It would also add much length to the system you already have.
In the interest of promoting talents that dont usually see much use, I bring you:
A light/simple crafting system...
Characters would be allowed to craft items that already exist in the stores with the exception of those listed as unique.
The cost of crafting such items would be the listed price -5% per point in Ingenuity and Arts.
For example someone with a point in Arts and a point in Ingenuity (or two in just one or the other) would be able to craft a 1000gp item for 900gp.
This would help promote these underused skills by allowing people to "make" things but limit it by the amount of gold the person has. They wouldnt be able to just crank out a ton of stuff cause they wouldnt have the gold to support it. And at most with both skills maxed they would only get a -50% bonus. So that 1000gp item would still cost 500gp AND they have placed alot of points in those skills as opposed to other ones in order to get it. So it would be balanced.
Items not listed in the store COULD be created, but would need admin approval and cost to create would be based on the same principle. A regular cost would be assigned and then the "discount" would be applied.
Ahem. (Tries not to stab Neko for mentioning crafting.)
By the same token, we could say that people with Liaison get a discount when buying goods, due to their silver tongues. This is common in many RPGS.
However, it has been our experience in the past that people will max out anything that gives them a discount for the sole purpose of being greedy and that crafting systems are never adopted. I've tried a few, none worked. Fun ideas though.
I would like to remind everyone that the competition is to mainly address the end game dilemma. Please, keep your suggestions coming.
Ummm, we could chooses allegiances to the gods in the pantheon for bonuses, but that would eliminate other, unknown faiths.
You could allow more than 5 points in certain skills, if you're in a certain faction. Kind of like Alex's idea - you can study inside the faction and unlock a sixth point or something. Problem is, people might go from faction to faction. You could also have entirely new talents, specific to each faction. The Noctis could get that mental fatigue talent that Kiko suggested a while ago.
Actually, I kind of like that idea. The Vanguard could get super cool bounty hunter skills, or something.
Actually, I like Daisy and Khorek's ideas combined too. You could have more points to lengthen the game and when you mastered a talent, you could choose from a list of stunts specific to that talent. That would be a lot of work, but it could work kind of like a skill tree. That and people would get them much earlier.
And Dani suggested starting money, which might be nice.
An easy fix to people going from Faction to Faction would either be the loss of the bonuses (dependant on what they are) or the other Factions deciding they don't want some flighty git swooping in with no intention of staying. (Or dragging out the promotion process so they dont get new stuffs so fast...)
Well it starts with something to dull the senses, usually, but not always. It then moves into the incisions and careful cutting of the bone to remove the top of the skull and the brain within. These are the hardest steps. From there it gets much easier.