Updated the main post with a few things.Â
Figured that since I've been answering questions left and right on the mumble I frequent, I'd take some time to answer them here for others to see as well as the answer any other questions asked.
Q: Is this something you intend to use on a regular basis?
A: No, this is merely an optional alternative should people be interested in using a structured system in an RP setting.
Q: What about RPing out dungeons and fighting mobs in game and in real time?
A: This system was designed for use in a forum setting. The amount of calculations that the DM must make at the end of each round, while not overbearing or overly time consuming, would not fit within the real time environment of RPing in the game and thus would not be something that I feel would be appropriate for it.
Q: What about role playing player vs player fights?
A: A similar system could be made up that involves PvP and the use of character sheets, but I'm not touching PvP with a ten foot pole right now.
Q: My character is level 50 in-game in every class and I RP that accordingly, what does this mean within the structure of this proposed system?
A: The idea is that this system is made to create diverse characters and show what each individual character specializes in when placed in a group of other adventurers. While the system gives each character 10 allocation points to spend across 10 general weapon and spell affinities, characters aren't bound to just those 10 points. The thought is that the character profile is something that grows with your character overtime, meaning that a character could potentially be S ranked in 3 or more weapon or spell affinities. Honest assessment of the character is strongly encouraged.Â
Q: Your system seems stifling and appears to limit creativity. Limiting the amount of actions, determining results by dice roll, and using affinity profiles seems counter to what RP should be. Why would you design an RP system that limits RP?
A: The short of it is, I'm not, nor is that my intention in creating this. The long version is a little more complicated.Â
For one, I designed this system with two things in mind. Strategy and speed.Â
Yes, looking at the Great Wall of Text may seem daunting, but I feel from a the perspective of the player who is RPing a character involved in a situation using this system, it is rather casual for them as they aren't dealing with number crunching or anything of that nature. They are simply RPing as they would with a few guidelines and boundaries set in place.
All the logistical elements; i.e. the number crunching and dice rolling, would be done primarily by the DM. So long as the characters abide by the turn system in place, rounds should be very fast. Effectively, the length of an entire round is equivalent to about 30 - 60 seconds within the actual setting of the role play.Â
I also feel the mechanics in the system I proposed offer a level of tactics and strategy to the role play at hand, which are two things that I feel should be at the forefront of RP when a character is engaged in battle.Â
Limiting how much or far a character can move in one turn makes the character think about their positioning in the battle. Limiting possible actions and reactions to a standard number for all those involve allow battles to be sped up as well as encourage actual party role play dynamic. Instead of a single character simply steam rolling an NPC mob, all party members are able to be engaged in someway under this system.Â
Again, I'm not trying to stifle creativity, however, I do understand that the limitation of this system prevent characters from having long, elaborate actions in a single turn. In this case, the character would expand that long action over a series of turns or simply condense it in a way for it to work.Â
I feel that players/characters are still able to be quite creative under this system, but just in a different manner of thinking compared to the traditional free flowing forum RP.
Q: Since we don't have Arcanist spells yet, how would we handle that?
A: Until Arcanist is detailed further, I won't be using it in the current testing phases. While I have seen the translated list of spells, they can't be confirmed until the game comes out. All class abilities and items used within the system currently are things that were present pre 2.0.
Q: Are bows and quivers/arrows included as a single item or separate?
A: Ideally, I would say that a bow and a quiver take up their own item slots within the characters 25 slot inventory. Arrows are placed within the quiver, and thus do not take up any slot since it technically is in one already. The system doesn't take into account number of arrows and the DM will not use it in calculating results. I suppose that the number of arrows is something predetermined by the player-character before the session and they are held accountable for giving an honest portrayal of wielding their bow (i.e. Arrows don't just come from nowhere and typically quivers in real life hold between 5-15 arrows at a time.)
That's all for now, I'll update the Q&A as I receive them! Thanks everyone and I look forward to testing
Figured that since I've been answering questions left and right on the mumble I frequent, I'd take some time to answer them here for others to see as well as the answer any other questions asked.
Q: Is this something you intend to use on a regular basis?
A: No, this is merely an optional alternative should people be interested in using a structured system in an RP setting.
Q: What about RPing out dungeons and fighting mobs in game and in real time?
A: This system was designed for use in a forum setting. The amount of calculations that the DM must make at the end of each round, while not overbearing or overly time consuming, would not fit within the real time environment of RPing in the game and thus would not be something that I feel would be appropriate for it.
Q: What about role playing player vs player fights?
A: A similar system could be made up that involves PvP and the use of character sheets, but I'm not touching PvP with a ten foot pole right now.
Q: My character is level 50 in-game in every class and I RP that accordingly, what does this mean within the structure of this proposed system?
A: The idea is that this system is made to create diverse characters and show what each individual character specializes in when placed in a group of other adventurers. While the system gives each character 10 allocation points to spend across 10 general weapon and spell affinities, characters aren't bound to just those 10 points. The thought is that the character profile is something that grows with your character overtime, meaning that a character could potentially be S ranked in 3 or more weapon or spell affinities. Honest assessment of the character is strongly encouraged.Â
Q: Your system seems stifling and appears to limit creativity. Limiting the amount of actions, determining results by dice roll, and using affinity profiles seems counter to what RP should be. Why would you design an RP system that limits RP?
A: The short of it is, I'm not, nor is that my intention in creating this. The long version is a little more complicated.Â
For one, I designed this system with two things in mind. Strategy and speed.Â
Yes, looking at the Great Wall of Text may seem daunting, but I feel from a the perspective of the player who is RPing a character involved in a situation using this system, it is rather casual for them as they aren't dealing with number crunching or anything of that nature. They are simply RPing as they would with a few guidelines and boundaries set in place.
All the logistical elements; i.e. the number crunching and dice rolling, would be done primarily by the DM. So long as the characters abide by the turn system in place, rounds should be very fast. Effectively, the length of an entire round is equivalent to about 30 - 60 seconds within the actual setting of the role play.Â
I also feel the mechanics in the system I proposed offer a level of tactics and strategy to the role play at hand, which are two things that I feel should be at the forefront of RP when a character is engaged in battle.Â
Limiting how much or far a character can move in one turn makes the character think about their positioning in the battle. Limiting possible actions and reactions to a standard number for all those involve allow battles to be sped up as well as encourage actual party role play dynamic. Instead of a single character simply steam rolling an NPC mob, all party members are able to be engaged in someway under this system.Â
Again, I'm not trying to stifle creativity, however, I do understand that the limitation of this system prevent characters from having long, elaborate actions in a single turn. In this case, the character would expand that long action over a series of turns or simply condense it in a way for it to work.Â
I feel that players/characters are still able to be quite creative under this system, but just in a different manner of thinking compared to the traditional free flowing forum RP.
Q: Since we don't have Arcanist spells yet, how would we handle that?
A: Until Arcanist is detailed further, I won't be using it in the current testing phases. While I have seen the translated list of spells, they can't be confirmed until the game comes out. All class abilities and items used within the system currently are things that were present pre 2.0.
Q: Are bows and quivers/arrows included as a single item or separate?
A: Ideally, I would say that a bow and a quiver take up their own item slots within the characters 25 slot inventory. Arrows are placed within the quiver, and thus do not take up any slot since it technically is in one already. The system doesn't take into account number of arrows and the DM will not use it in calculating results. I suppose that the number of arrows is something predetermined by the player-character before the session and they are held accountable for giving an honest portrayal of wielding their bow (i.e. Arrows don't just come from nowhere and typically quivers in real life hold between 5-15 arrows at a time.)
That's all for now, I'll update the Q&A as I receive them! Thanks everyone and I look forward to testing
