I was going to say I have a few points, but actually I have a lot of points. I'll be quoting from the system directly.
This is fine, but you can trim the amount of rolls you have to make if you don't make a separate damage roll and just make damage derived from the difference between the attack and defense.
Cloud attacks Sephiroth. Cloud rolls 600, Sephiroth rolls 30. Cloud's attack is successful. The difference is 570, but Sephiroth only takes 400 damage.
You'll want to cut down on the number of rolls you make in general; you have many rules showing multiple /random attempts that appear in response to an action, and not only does this make those actions less valuable, but it will slow down the combat to an unreasonable degree.
For example, here. Recover is only useful if there are few characters who can interrupt the casting, and scales down in usefulness if there's a large number of opponents. You may need to find another way of having a Recover roll be interrupted that doesn't require every member of the opposing team to roll against it - perhaps an upper limit on the number of players who can attempt to interrupt, or require players to sacrifice an action to interrupt.
Further, having the recovery roll be more effective at healing than attacking is at inflicting damage could make fights drag out. You may want to make Recover provide less hp than more, in order to ensure that fight's end at some point.
Remember there should be an in-game justification for play choices. Setting aside that Retreat has the same problem above - more opponents, less chance of success, less likely to be used - I'm unclear as to why this would prevent a character from re-entering combat. What's the logic?
This role, as written, ensures that I will never attack a Tank if I can help it, because I know they can absorb damage but they can't stop me from attacking the healers or the DPS. So why would I?
You've correctly identified that part of being a tank is taking less damage, but you've missed that being a tank means taking other people's damage as well, and being more effective at it than they are. If you don't include a mechanic that allows Tanks to take damage for other people, or forces their opponents to attack them, then there is no reason for an enemy to do so, and in fact, it would be a bad choice.
This will make fights last a very long time, since there is no possibility of failure within resurrection. It's more potent than Recover, because enemies can't interrupt it, and it restores more HP than Recover. This will make fights drag on, and it encourages people dying and getting resurrected over receiving healing, which, while amusingly morbid, is probably not what you're going for.
Try including a time-limit for when a character can be resurrected, or make a resurrection roll difficult to perform. Put some risk/reward in there - the healer could be fixing somebody who still needs help, or they could take a shot at bringing back a combatant to join the fray.
This one's fine. Another possibility might be to choose to do double-damage on one attack, again for the sake of minimizing the amount of rolling you have to do.
(If that seems like a big concern of mine, it's because I know that freeform RPers can often be frustrated when a great deal of OOC material like /random or tactical discussions related to system mechanics interfere with the actual progression of a scene. Trust me, it can be a problem.)
I don't have many comments on Section 5, but I do have questions. Right now it's very vaguely defined. Bosses are tougher, and players can get loot. Okay. What kind of loot? Does it have an impact on their abilities in the system? Are they more likely to be running into events with boss characters, or fighting other players in this system? Do Bosses get any unique abilities, and do you have examples of those?
And above all, what is your goal in this system? What are you trying to achieve by mechanically representing what a number of players prefer to keep entirely arbitrary through freeform combat? I do not ask that to challenge you and say you shouldn't do it. I ask that because having a design goal will influence your decisions and make a more interesting system in the end.
Finally, come check this place out and seek me out for an invite:Â Roll Eorzea. We have an in-house dice system, but I'm always willing to talk shop and help other people with their own set-up.
Quote:Attack: Declare your target, roll /random. You target will also roll /random to determine their defense. If your roll is higher, it is a successful attack. Following a successful attack roll, the player must roll /random again to determine damage. A single attack may not exceed 400 damage.
eg; Cloud attacks Sephiroth, Cloud rolls 600, Sephiroth rolls 30. Cloud’s attack is successful. Cloud rolls 590. Sephiroth takes 400 damage.
This is fine, but you can trim the amount of rolls you have to make if you don't make a separate damage roll and just make damage derived from the difference between the attack and defense.
Cloud attacks Sephiroth. Cloud rolls 600, Sephiroth rolls 30. Cloud's attack is successful. The difference is 570, but Sephiroth only takes 400 damage.
You'll want to cut down on the number of rolls you make in general; you have many rules showing multiple /random attempts that appear in response to an action, and not only does this make those actions less valuable, but it will slow down the combat to an unreasonable degree.
Quote:Recover: State you are recovering, roll /random. This begins your recovery cast. All enemies must roll /random. If any enemy rolls higher than your recovery roll, your cast is interrupted. If no enemies roll higher than your recovery roll, your cast is successful. Following a successful cast, roll /random. The number that appears is how much HP you recover. Healers may nominate another party member for their recovery cast. A maximum of 500hp may be recovered in one cast.
For example, here. Recover is only useful if there are few characters who can interrupt the casting, and scales down in usefulness if there's a large number of opponents. You may need to find another way of having a Recover roll be interrupted that doesn't require every member of the opposing team to roll against it - perhaps an upper limit on the number of players who can attempt to interrupt, or require players to sacrifice an action to interrupt.
Further, having the recovery roll be more effective at healing than attacking is at inflicting damage could make fights drag out. You may want to make Recover provide less hp than more, in order to ensure that fight's end at some point.
Quote:Retreat: State you are retreating, roll /random. This begins your retreat. All enemies must roll /random. If any enemy rolls higher than your retreat roll, your retreat fails. If no enemies roll higher than your retreat roll, you escape successfully and may flee from battle. You will be unable to re-enter combat.
Remember there should be an in-game justification for play choices. Setting aside that Retreat has the same problem above - more opponents, less chance of success, less likely to be used - I'm unclear as to why this would prevent a character from re-entering combat. What's the logic?
Quote:Tank: Special skill - Mighty Guard: At any time upon taking damage, the Tank may Roll /random. The number that appears is how much damage they absorb from an attack roll, a maximum of 300hp may be absorbed from an attack. In addition, they enter a guard stance until their next turn. The Tank will be unable to take any action on their next turn.
Eg; Dps successfully attacks for 400 damage, Tank uses Heavy Guard roll to mitigate the damage and rolls 200. The Tank recieves 200/400 damage from the attack and will recieve half damage from any further attacks until their next turn. The tank can take no action on their next turn.
This role, as written, ensures that I will never attack a Tank if I can help it, because I know they can absorb damage but they can't stop me from attacking the healers or the DPS. So why would I?
You've correctly identified that part of being a tank is taking less damage, but you've missed that being a tank means taking other people's damage as well, and being more effective at it than they are. If you don't include a mechanic that allows Tanks to take damage for other people, or forces their opponents to attack them, then there is no reason for an enemy to do so, and in fact, it would be a bad choice.
Quote:Healer: Special skill - Raise: At any time upon ally death. The Healer may sacrifice their next turn to resurrect a fallen ally. The healer rolls /random to determine how much HP the raised ally will have.
Eg; Healer uses Raise, /random result is 650. Tank is resurrected and has 650hp. Healer can take no action on their next turn.
This will make fights last a very long time, since there is no possibility of failure within resurrection. It's more potent than Recover, because enemies can't interrupt it, and it restores more HP than Recover. This will make fights drag on, and it encourages people dying and getting resurrected over receiving healing, which, while amusingly morbid, is probably not what you're going for.
Try including a time-limit for when a character can be resurrected, or make a resurrection roll difficult to perform. Put some risk/reward in there - the healer could be fixing somebody who still needs help, or they could take a shot at bringing back a combatant to join the fray.
Quote:DPS: Special skill - Double attack: During their own attack the DPS may make another attack roll immediately following their first. The DPS will be unable to take any action on their next turn. Both attack rolls may be reacted to by Tank’s Mighty Guard skill.
Eg; Dps successfully attacks, rolling 400 damage, and then makes a double attack roll, dealing an additional 200 damage. Combined damage may not exceed 800 damage.
This one's fine. Another possibility might be to choose to do double-damage on one attack, again for the sake of minimizing the amount of rolling you have to do.
(If that seems like a big concern of mine, it's because I know that freeform RPers can often be frustrated when a great deal of OOC material like /random or tactical discussions related to system mechanics interfere with the actual progression of a scene. Trust me, it can be a problem.)
I don't have many comments on Section 5, but I do have questions. Right now it's very vaguely defined. Bosses are tougher, and players can get loot. Okay. What kind of loot? Does it have an impact on their abilities in the system? Are they more likely to be running into events with boss characters, or fighting other players in this system? Do Bosses get any unique abilities, and do you have examples of those?
And above all, what is your goal in this system? What are you trying to achieve by mechanically representing what a number of players prefer to keep entirely arbitrary through freeform combat? I do not ask that to challenge you and say you shouldn't do it. I ask that because having a design goal will influence your decisions and make a more interesting system in the end.
Finally, come check this place out and seek me out for an invite:Â Roll Eorzea. We have an in-house dice system, but I'm always willing to talk shop and help other people with their own set-up.
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Current Fate-14 Storyline:Â Merchant, Marine
Current Fate-14 Storyline:Â Merchant, Marine
