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Post by WildKnight on Nov 11, 2009 15:10:56 GMT -5
Special Acknowledgment: The vast majority of these ideas are not my own. Many are taken or adapted from MURPG 2.0 or Dorknight23's retread. In addition, any number of other players here have helped to shape my general attitudes and experiences regarding this game system. I acknowledge and appreciate everyone who has contributed, and give credit where it is due; to the community, not myself.
As I did the first time, I'll start with a few general rules of thumb that are the heart of a good MURPG experience, in my opinion.
1) KISS: Keep it simple, stupid. Often, the simplest rule is the best rule. This isn't always possible in the quest to properly reflect the setting, but I try to bear it in mind as much as humanly possible.
2) Game Balance: My views on this have changed a bit in the last year or so, as regards MURPG. While its still important to me for different game elements to balance against one another, my concern in this area has blended somewhat with my interest in seeing the game reflect the comic books I've always loved.
3) Respect Precedent: The game is, ostensibly, based off of comic books, and specifically the world of the Marvel Universe. As much as is possible while respecting rules 1 & 2, things should reflect what is shown in the comics. Many times, this isn't possible, as a lot of what occurs in comics happens only for the sake of telling the story, but efforts should still be made
4) Whatever makes a good story/rule of cool: Depending on the style of the game, the system should be flexible enough to allow for good storytelling and/or the rule of cool to apply.
Some new ideas
1) Very limited modifiers: This is pretty self-explanatory. My feeling is that, at the heart of things, Modifiers are necessary, but too many of them weaken the game's core mechanic.
2) Less specificity, more generic & flexible rules: This is directly opposed to what a lot of players want, and in many RPGs I would agree. However, things in MURPG are already so loosely defined, I feel there is a great potential advantage in giving fewer options with broader applications.
3) No more cheap outs: In short, no more cost reductions for powers based on having other powers. No more Disadvantages and Challenges that are meaningless.
To be continued...
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Post by WildKnight on Nov 11, 2009 16:16:32 GMT -5
Abilities
There are seven basic Abilities which define a characters physical capacities and limits. With the exception of Intelligence, these abilities are capped at 3 for normal humans, and 4 for "heroic" humans who sometimes exceed human limitations (Examples: Nick Fury, Captain America, Batman, etc). All 7 Abilities bear the standard cost (X1)
These abilities are Intelligence, Strength, Agility, Speed, Durability, Energy Reserve, and Regeneration. Intelligence, Strength, Agility, Speed, and Durability are described on the D&R chart.
Energy Reserve: Every character has an Energy Pool equal to 5X his Energy Reserve Ability. This Ability may have additional uses in some settings, or for particular character types (such as robots).
Regeneration: The amount of energy a character regenerates at the end of each page.
NOTE: Advantages and Modifiers that affect Energy Regeneration are no longer available. The only way to improve Energy Regeneration is to have a higher rating in Regeneration.
Advantages Affecting Abilities Efficient (+2 CL): For every 2 stones you spend from your energy pool, you receive 1 free stone from the general pool. When an Efficient Ability is used in conjunction with an Action as a Bonus, the Action is automatically considered Efficient as well.
As a Modifier (+6 CLs): All stones for this Ability are free, as if it were a Modifier.
Use for Initiative (+1 CLs): Typically, Agility is used for Initiative. A player can choose any other Ability to use for his Initiative, at a cost of +1 Cost Level.
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Post by WildKnight on Nov 12, 2009 7:55:00 GMT -5
Derived Ability: Willpower
Willpower (Intelligence + Durability/2, rounded up) Willpower represents one's ability to keep functioning when things are difficult. This Ability is the default ability for resisting mental intrusions, as well as social and emotional manipulations. GM's who do not want to use derived abilities should default this to Intelligence, instead.
At GM's discretion, Willpower may also act as an Ability Bonus to appropriate Actions.
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Post by WildKnight on Nov 12, 2009 9:18:16 GMT -5
Actions Note: Once I'm finished, if you don't see it here, its been cut.
A
Acrobatics: No change. Can be used as a movement action.
Astral Travel: No change
Animal Training: No change
B
Black Ops: No change
Business Skills: No change
Bio-Computing: No change
C
Combat, Close: No change
Combat, Ranged: No change
Concentration: No change
Create Illusions: No change
Computers: No change.
D
Drain Energy: No change
E
Energy Absorption/Reflection: Player must choose a specific energy type for the Force Blast this creates. No Reflection: - 1 CL
Emotion: As the Action "Fear." Almost any emotion is fitting, and can be used for the same distraction purposes.
F
Flight: (AN +0) Can use strength to carry additional weight (does not require a separate Action box) Supersonic (+1 CL): Can exceed the speed of sound Powerful Flight (+1 CL): Use Flight rather than Strength to carry additional weight Unstoppable (+2 CL): While flying, can break through barriers equal to or less than Flight AN
Force Blast: (AN +0) Classic comic book energy blasts. Comes with +2 worth of options for free (generally, though not always, X2 damage or Area Affect). Charge Objects (+1 CL): You require a non-living, physical object to charge with energy before you can make an attack. You can carry a charged object or objects, and reabsorb the energy if you do not use it. The maximum amount of energy you can put out at any given time is equal to your Action Number (so a character with this option and a Force Blast AN of 6 could carry a single charged item of 6 stones, or 2 items of 3 stones each, etc) Fireworks (+2 CLs): You create floating motes of energy that can explode, harming your enemies. As per Charge Object, but no physical objects are required.
Force Field: (AN +3) Stones in the Force Field box are automatically shifted to defense. The Force Field provides additional defense stones up to the amount initially spent, but this defense drains the targets Energy Pool (in effect, transforming it into stun damage)
G
Gambling: No change
General Knowledge: No change
Growth: CAN be improved with LOE Lesser Growth: (+1 CL). Only grow 10'/AN, but Strength and Duration improvement remains the same.
H
Healing Medical (AN+0) Magical or Mutant (AN+2)
Hex Spheres: No change (I'm still working on this one, but for now I'm content with GM Fiat)
Hunting/Tracking: No change
I
Invisibility: No change
J, K
L
Leadership (AN +1) The character may grant a +2 SitMod to one or more followers for one of their actions int he following panel. For each stone spent, the character may benefit an additional target. Targets must be able to see or hear the character in order to benefit. Strategist (+1 Cost Level): You may specify a particular Action (such as Black Ops or Technology) when granting a bonus to an ally. He may activate the SitMod at any point afterward, until the end of the issue. Inspirational Leadership (+3 Cost Levels): You need not spend stones to inspire your allies. You automatically grant a +2 SitMod to a single action of a number of your allies, designated by you, who can see or hear you, up to a maximum of your Action Number, each panel.
M
Mastery: For the most part, this remains unchanged. Some options work in a slightly different manner. Immunity to Effects (+1 CL) Transform into Element (+ 3 CL): Transformation requires one panel. You gain Toughness or Reflexive Dodge, whichever is most appropriate, equal to one-half your AN (rounded down). However, if you gained Toughness your Agility and Speed are each reduced by 1 for the duration of the Transformation. If you gained Reflexive Dodge, your Strength and Durability are each reduced by 1. These defenses overlap (DO NOT STACK) with existing Modifiers. Barrier Creation (+1 CL): You create barriers of your chosen Element. Generally passing through the barrier will either cause damage equal to the stones you invest, or impede progress until damage equal to the number of stones invested is caused to the barrier. Since passing through the barrier is voluntary, this damage cannot be negated except by immunity to the same element, or Energy Defense. Force Blast (+1 CL): As per the Action Force Blast. Advantages in addition to the free +2 worth must be paid for as normal. Accumulate Energies for Major Effect (+2 CL): You can add stones to your Action box up to your Action Number each panel for a number of panels equal to your Willpower (Durability if Willpower is not being used). In the panel after which you stop adding stones to your Action Box, you are stunned for a number of panels equal to the number of panels for which you accumulated energy. NO COST REDUCTION FOR FLIGHT Unlimited Create/Manipulate (+3 CLs): The ability to create working devices, including weapons, armor, and just about anything else the player can imagine, from the chosen element. May have additional costs if the Element is particularly prolific (GMs discretion). Free Force Field (+2 CLs): As barrier manipulation, but the barrier is mobile and protects the user. The area of a barrier can be increased by expending extra stones (per the D&R chart)
Manipulate Body Density: No change
Manipulate Mutagenic Fields: No change. This action is not generally appropriate for Player Characters
Metamorphosis: No changes. Transform Self By Touch (-2 CLs): A specialized form of "only one alternate form possible." You may add stones only to Strength, Durability, and Toughness, to a maximum (in each) equal to the Hardness of the substance you've touched.
Personalized Actions: No change
Phase Shift: The user must pay 1 stone for each living target she wishes to phase, and stones equal to the Area for larger objects. These count against the total stones the character can spend for phasing.
Psi-Weapon: Although the stones need only be placed in the Action Box once, Psi-Weapon takes up one of the user's Actions in each panel during which the Psi-Weapon benefit is gained.
Private Investigation: No change
Psychiatry: No change
Pheremones: No change
Limited Phoenix Force: No change
Power Boost: No change
Q, R
S
Shape Shifting: No change
Shrink: No change
Social Skills: No change
Stretching: (AN +3) Strength not reduced by stretching: +1 CL
Statecraft: No change
Swimming: No change
T
Technology: This Action now requires specialties. Some individual actions (Computer, Vehicle Operations) can be taken as Specialties of Technology, however no specialties for those Actions can be taken as Technology Specialties (denying the character access to those specialties unless he also buys the action in question)
Telekinesis: No cost reductions for other Actions or Ability Bonus
Telepathy: (No Broadcast Options) Illusions: No change Project Thoughts/Control Others: May only control a single target at a time. Mental defense must be overcome each panel, and may be subject to SitMods the more the targets behavior is forcibly different than their nature. Create Links With Others: 1 stone/target. 1 stone/panel to maintain. All targets can communicate mentally. Stray thoughts and strong emotions may also be transmitted unintentionally. Telepathic Communication: This option is free with Telepathy. User may only communicate with one target/panel, and must overcome Mental Defense even for willing targets. 1 stone/panel to maintain. Mental Bolts: No change Repair Minds: No change No cost reductions for other Actions or Intelligence Bonus
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Post by Brainstem on Nov 12, 2009 18:47:12 GMT -5
Does Inspirational Leadership still require you to spend one of your Actions?
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Post by WildKnight on Nov 12, 2009 18:57:19 GMT -5
No, its a cheaper version of "as a modifier" specifically for Leadership. Of course, it doesn't actually make Leadership into a Modifier, which has the downside of still requiring one of your 9 Action Boxes, but the benefit of only costing as much as an Action to improve with LOE, rather than the cost of of a Modifier.
Also, don't be offended when I delete your post in order to keep all of my game elements in consecutive posts. ;D
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Post by Brainstem on Nov 12, 2009 22:26:17 GMT -5
Oh not at all, I kind of expected it to go away at some point. I'm just going to go on the record and say that I plan to play a Leader with that in a game of yours sometime in the future because man.
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Post by WildKnight on Nov 14, 2009 10:52:49 GMT -5
After some careful consideration, I'm going to shelf this indefinitely (probably permanently) in favor of putting some finishing touches on 2.0 (like rules for magic), and adding a few house rules (I'm definitely going to be doing some changes to Leadership).
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Post by samusv on Nov 18, 2009 15:42:31 GMT -5
Why do people hate psy-weapon that much? There has been a ton of treads dealing with that 'it takes 1 of your actions that panel'. Any other way and you force players to take special actions like Ninja to say you have acrobatics and attack at the same time.
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Post by WildKnight on Nov 18, 2009 20:05:13 GMT -5
Because if it doesn't take one of your actions in the panel to use, its simply too powerful. Psi-Weapon already acts as a close or ranged weapon modifier far larger than most people will ever have, that can be raised through LOE, that basically never goes away once you spend the stones for it.
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Post by Brainstem on Nov 19, 2009 22:33:14 GMT -5
I don't know, it's not really that overpowered. When you consider that Claws and Targeting are both +4 Modifiers and that they don't require any initial Action to start up, plus have no Energy input to get going, it isn't that bad. While Psi-Weapon covers Ranged and Close, I don't think it allows for you to create a weapon that can do either, just that you have the ability to create one or the other when you make your Psi-Weapon.
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Post by jeffhazelwood on Nov 19, 2009 22:41:13 GMT -5
WK allows you to beable to make either type like one char I had sent in for a game of his could make it a bow or tomahawk but I think I had respend stones when change the use[ like going from a bow to tomahawk] but I could make diffrent weapons with it.
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Post by Brainstem on Nov 20, 2009 0:14:49 GMT -5
Well yeah, the rules allow that, but you couldn't make a 6 stone Sword on Panel 1 and suddenly have a 6 stone Gun on Panel 2 unless you dismiss the Sword and spend a new 6 stones toward the Gun.
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Post by bias on Nov 20, 2009 11:28:45 GMT -5
I think that being able to do that would be at least a +1 to CL.
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Post by WildKnight on Nov 20, 2009 14:25:18 GMT -5
I don't know, it's not really that overpowered. When you consider that Claws and Targeting are both +4 Modifiers and that they don't require any initial Action to start up, plus have no Energy input to get going, it isn't that bad. While Psi-Weapon covers Ranged and Close, I don't think it allows for you to create a weapon that can do either, just that you have the ability to create one or the other when you make your Psi-Weapon. One major flaw in that theory. Psylocke, the poster child for this action, can both stab and throw her psi-weapons. So... yeah. Theres also a major benefit to being able to easily increase Psi-Weapon, as opposed to Modifiers, that shouldn't be overlooked. Also! If someone has the option "Can always combine with" such as Hawkeye having "Can always combine with Close Combat" for Acrobatics... would you allow him to use both as a single Action? I don't think so.
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