Castle & Crusades House Rules

1) Scrap the 12/18 base DC's. Instead, Primes give a +5 Bonus when used. DC's are then calculated per D&D 3.X/D20.

2) Each Player has 5 Action Points that refresh at the beginning of each session. An Action Point can be spent to give +1D6 Bonus to any Dice Roll a PC attempts. It must be specified BEFORE the die hits the table. So you can get a +1D6 Bonus to a Save, Level Check, Class Ability, Combat Roll, etc. Spellcasters can even roll 1D6 to Regenerate cast spell slots. However, the Regenerate from the lowest to the highest. So, if I've cast 3 1st Level, 2 2nd Level, 2 3rd Level & 1 4th Level spells today. And I spend an Action Point to Regenerate & roll a 4, then ONLY my 3 1st Level & 1 of my 2nd Level Spell Slots Return & may be cast again.
As an Option, I do allow a PC to spend an Action Point for +1D6 Bonus to their AC for a Round.
I also will reward an immediate free Action Point for a good description of an what a player is doing or if they make me laugh. The Point is either used on the roll being described or the next roll the player makes.

3) Classes may use any weapon, but they only do damage equal to their Hit Die.

4) Characters may be customized by Saving Action Points. At the end of any session, a player may spend unused Action Points to Improve their character. They choose an specific area to improve that has been used during the past session. The can roll any number of unused Action Points, and if any of the dice roll a 6, then that area, depending on its breadth, may improve. It doesn't matter if more than 1 die comes up a 6. A +1 is the max that can be gained per session from a Successful Improvement Roll.

A)A Skill (which includes Class Abilities, or player defined skills) gets a +1 with 1 Successful Improvement Roll. Note: BAB cannot be improved, but +1 with Long Swords, Daggers, or even Medium Shields (+1 AC) can be achieved.

B)A Specific Weapons gets a +1 Damage Bonus with 1 Successful Improvement Roll.

C)A Specific Spell can be cast one extra time per day with 1 Successful Improvement Roll.

D)Saving Throws can get a +1 bonus with 2 Successful Improvement Rolls (so a minimum of 2 sessions).

E)Attributes can get a +1 bonus with 4 Successful Improvement Rolls (so a minimu of 4 sessions).

F)Note that bonuses from Improvement Rolls do stack. So if I get 4 Successful Improvement Rolls on my Long Sword Skill, I have a +4 Bonus to my BAB when using a Long Sword.

What to do, what to do

Ok, so I ran my first story arc in Ptolus. I used True20, but I really am not to keen on the damage system.

So, I'm thinking of switching to Fate 3, Savage Worlds, nWoD, Unisystem or D&D.

Another approach is to just add Hit Dice to T20 & set Max Damage threshold at 10 over Combat, or 12 in Damage.

Fate 3 is kind of mind blowing for me.

Savage Worlds is pretty damn cool & the DL rules help magic out.

nWoD looks FAST.

Unisystem is cool becaus D&Z is cool.

D&D is tempting.


SIGH

MC

Possibilites

I've got alot of ideas floating around my head:

1)WFRP 2E Adventure that is outlined

2)Thundarr using nWoD- Savagery (1per+1 die); Super Science (1per+1 success); Sorcery (1per+1 die, 9 again, Morality rolls don't get 10 again)

3)Grandville:
Mind
Body
Soul
Reflexes
Senses
Health
Profession

System: Attributes & Skills are rated 1 to 10. When attempting a skill, roll a D10 at or under your attribute & skill (if you have it). If you succeed at one, compare the number rolled for difficulty. If you succeed at both, compare the number rolled x2 to difficulty.

4)Serenity/Bravestarr--change the damage system to Skill + Weapon, keep highest. Wounding Weapons can take you out with one hit if they succeed by your Vitality Die by 2.

5)Thieves world via nWoD

6)BPRD via nWoD

7)SPirit of the Century--probably using FS die mechanice, in place of Fudge Dice

8)Feng Shui

9)WFRP 2E or MRQ/BRP using a D20 system where you have to roll 20+to succeed.

10)Rifts via C&C

11)True20 D&D

Out

Full Dark

Well I'm really close to finalizing the direction the mechanics will take & have a kernel on the hook of the setting.

Ruleswise its Either:

1)Dice pool system, where an even result is a success.

2)Variant Percentile system.

More later, work calls.

MC

Setting a Course

Well, I'm moving a little backwards in my thinking. I've spent the week really looking at wether I want a Minimal (roll high) system or a Maximal (Roll Below) system. A Max system is easy on the GM & I have a very simple solution to how to determine simple difficulty mods or opposed rolls. Essentially a player looks at their Skill Level...lets say its a 67%. On a Simple task he rolls & if he succeeds its a done deal. On an Everyday task, the GM simply asks if he has the skill. If the GM thinks its a little tougher he sets a Difficulty Number (DN) between 1 & 5. The player rolls, if he passes his roll, he looks at his One's die AND if its higher than the GM's DN, he succeeds. In an opposed roll, both player's roll, if both player's pass their rolls, the Player with the Highest One's Die, wins.

So Ahmed wants to punch Lassiter. Ahmed has a 81% in Punching. Lassiter has a 66% in Dodge. Ahmed rolls a 73. Lassiter rolls a 19. Both pass, but Lassiter dodges Ahmed's blow.

I like this system. The One's die is arbitrary, but why use a percentile if the one's die is so secondary?

HOWEVER, I like Minimal (roll high systems). They feel right to me. And if its my game it should feel right to me. I doubt I'll ever publish this. Its not my thing. And if I did, some of my ideas have some overtures to FUZION. So I might have to get a license anyway.

Here is what I'm thinking:

Skills will either a)Have very specific funtions (Int gives extra skill points, Ref gives a bonus to Initiative, Str a bonus to damage, Con a bounus to hit points, Personality bonus contact, and Proffession a bonus to skills that fall under your career) OR b)Let you roll extra D10's that YOU DO NOT KEEP.

Not sure how to go yet on that one. Its the next big question.

Basically the system is that your skills Default to a d10 roll. You can then go from -2 to +6 or more in them. Rolling a 1, means you have to roll again & another 1 is a critical failure. Rolling a 10 means you roll again, on a 1-5 you add that number & reroll 5's, you ignore 6-10 and stop rolling.

Thats the basics.

I have lunch with Todd monday. I miss going over this stuff with him.

MC

Road Blocks

Where I always run into road blocks are game mechanics. I can't focus. I have too many ideas.

I want a simple system for the GM to set Difficulty & a simple system for the Player to check for success. But I also want a cross between Castle Falkenstein's Skill System & Over the Edge's Dice Mechanic. And then there are the other ideas.

On one hand I want say a Default of 10 (with no limit) in Skill. The GM then sets Difficluty by the amount of Dice the Player rolls:
1D Simple
2D Easy
3D Average
4D Challenging
5D Hard
6D Difficult
7D S.O.L.

On the other hand you could have Skills Default to 2d & then the better you are, the more dice you roll. Difficulty on the Dice could be Standard of 4 OR the GM could set the number.

Then there is the lighter rules method.

Skills Default to 1D10, if you have a Skill the first level in it gives you 2D10, basically you & the GM or other player could simply dice off, with the high roll winning. However, additional Skill levels grant 1 automatic success either per scene or session.

So if I the Guns skill at level 5, it would look like this:
Guns (2d/4), I would roll 2d10 whenver I used it AND 4 times in a set period could automatically succeed

More later.

MC

Thinking...

I've been doing alot of thinking about FD. I want a simple, approachable system that allows you creat a character from a novel, quickly & easily.

I have some thoughts on character creation being some simple questions, with the answers being tied to the mechanics.

What do you do for a living?

Did you go to College or into the Military & if so, what was your major/specialty?

What are you interested in?

What is your hobby?

Are you Strong, Smart, Quick, Healthy, Wise, or Charming?

Are you Weak, Dumb, Clumsy, Sickly, Gullible or Mean?

From those questions I'd like to build a character set in a modern world.

Thats how I'd like character creation to go.

MC

Every. Single. Day.

Well I won't accomplish that. I just won't. I'd hoped to have spent some time working with Todd on Full Dark, but it hasn't happened. LGD is still me & Pris. Although if a certain friend has a falling out with someone, I might make an overture to right a wrong. Todd has a new love & he deserves to follow that right now.

I've decide to use this as a signpost for my gaming ideas.

I'm really infatuated with Green Ronin's True20 variation on the D20 system. Currently a friend is running Star Wars with it. I'm thinking of working something out for Full Dark with it.

More later.

MC

33

So today, right about now, I was born into this world. Happy Birthday to me. I've hrumphed some today. Mostly trivial stuff. Had to eat crow. Had to miss a dinner (sorry B, C & R). Had lunch with my mom & dad! And barely had time to be with my kids...

Thats the problem with the new digs, I love em, but sometimes I wish P could stay home or maybe both of us worked half the amount we do...oh well. Not yet.
But its getting there. I had the ephiphany last week that the goal we've been working for, won't be some big switch its lots of little, bittie things everyday that I take on. And between you & me...I'm not sure its worth it. But I'm gonna finish it, 'cause thats what I do.

A big hug to all my friends, my family and my partner.

Extra big hug to H, M, & E.

Cya on the road to 34.

Make good choices.
;)

MC

Past Imperfect

Ok, here we go again. Less (people) will hopefully be more this time. I'll start by posting about setting. Part of me really wants to tackle Full Dark. I think we could wrap & polish it quickly anyway.

Otherwise that leaves Swashbuckling Space Opera. Rocket Warriors. The Waywalkers. Cult of Chod'Xoth. The Terran Solar Republic. The Galactic Confederation of Commerce and Industry. Vsmularians. Sciborgs.

Then there is Conspiracy laden Post-Pulp SF. X-files meets Doc Savage meets Wild Cards. The Conspiracy wants me because I can start fires with my mind, but I'm the only stopping the Sasquatch from killing. Again.

Always too many ideas. Full Dark is farther along. Its still not too done. A hammer & some anviling and we can .PDF. And then wait. Who knows.

Todd?


MC