Technically not my invention, but a friend's. He asked me to review, so I'm enlisting the design minds of the Den.
http://forums.sediverse.com/viewtopic.p ... 9fb7cebbbb
He says he's been interested in dreams for a long time, and does have lucid dreams. So he decided to play with it.
Dream Mansion
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Dream Mansion
He jumps like a damned dragoon, and charges into battle fighting rather insane monsters with little more than his bare hands and rather nasty spell effects conjured up solely through knowledge and the local plantlife. He unerringly knows where his goal lies, he breathes underwater and is untroubled by space travel, seems to have no limits to his actual endurance and favors killing his enemies by driving both boots square into their skull. His agility is unmatched, and his strength legendary, able to fling about a turtle shell big enough to contain a man with enough force to barrel down a near endless path of unfortunates.
--The horror of Mario
Zak S, Zak Smith, Dndwithpornstars, Zak Sabbath. He is a terrible person and a hack at writing and art. His cultural contributions are less than Justin Bieber's, and he's a shitmuffin. Go go gadget Googlebomb!
--The horror of Mario
Zak S, Zak Smith, Dndwithpornstars, Zak Sabbath. He is a terrible person and a hack at writing and art. His cultural contributions are less than Justin Bieber's, and he's a shitmuffin. Go go gadget Googlebomb!
Reminds me of a game my spouse was invited to, where the characters were people who'd been up too long and saw things they weren't supposed to and now feared falling asleep lest the monsters catch them. They'd accrue more power as they stayed awake, but lose their grip of reality, becoming more susceptible to the monsters attacks and traps.
-Crissa
-Crissa
-
TavishArtair
- Knight-Baron
- Posts: 593
- Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:54 pm
This sounds like Don't Rest Your Head. Your character becomes increasingly fatigued and insane which actually enhances your relative powers but also comes with associated risks. I remember one thread of discussion on that basically including clips of random movies and stuff... at one point Alucard (of Hellsing) using the release and unleashing his familiars on the Valentine brothers, was referred to as a guy making liberal use of a rather demented Madness talent.Crissa wrote:Reminds me of a game my spouse was invited to, where the characters were people who'd been up too long and saw things they weren't supposed to and now feared falling asleep lest the monsters catch them. They'd accrue more power as they stayed awake, but lose their grip of reality, becoming more susceptible to the monsters attacks and traps.
-Crissa
Dreams
Everyone dreams. Everyone goes into that fantastic world of hallways, monsters, fears, love, grand landscapes, and wild imaginations. Some dream of fear, pain, and horor; some of fantasy, wonder, worlds they never want to leave. Not everyone remembers their dreams, but everyone dreams.
Many have studied dreams, trying to deduce meaning and cause for these night-time wanderings of the mind. There are numerous reports, books on the mystical interpretations of symbols and characters. The animus, the anima, the shadow, lost loves, parents, siblings, flight, blood, violence, sex, towers, mansions; they all have meaning.
This dream, though is not like any other. Lucid dreamers often experience their dreams in different ways than normal people, able to controls themselves and the world they reside in for those hours of sleep. Sometimes, though, they come to a place in dreaming where they aren't alone. Where the faces and figures are not people they know, nor characters from their imagination. A place where dreams meet, and the fear and wonder is shared. This is not a safe place.
The Mansion
The Dream Mansion has many names, and it is only whispered by those who study such things. It is often ignored as a coincidence, a rumour, or just a lie. It is a place where dreamers meet, not of their own will. They explore the dreamscape of their own minds, and the minds of others. In this process, night after night, their mind changes. They become stronger, more at peace, better people. Or, they break, and descend into madness.
At first, the mansion appears as its namesake; long, twisting hallways, intricate stairs, and many many doors. One can explore the halls themselves for eternity, and never find the end of it, never see the same place twice. Of course, one might also get lost and return to the same intersection forever, despite physical impossibilities. The laws of the real world do not apply in this place.
When one opens a door, however, any remaining belief that this could be a real place is shattered. A doorway could lead into a completely normal room, or it could lead into a massive hilled field, a graveyard, or into clouds. Once the door is stepped through, one cannot return that way; they must find a door within the dream they have walked into, and find themselves in another part of the mansion.
Remenants of nightmares and dreams roam the halls and rooms, both benign and hostile. Manifestations of fears and desires try to act on the minds of the dreamers, attacking or beguiling, leaving them to wake up in a cold sweat, shaken and disturbed. Especially powerful remenants can tear a mind asunder, barring it from dreams and leaving the person a gibbering mess. Overcoming these things, though, strengthens the one who does it, leaving them better when they wake up. It is a place of risk, but great rewards.
Lucid Dreamers
Have you ever had a dream that you knew was a dream? Did you get to control your actions? Did you control the dream itself? Could you fly, fight, or do things you know you shouldn't be able to do in real life? Those who find The Mansion have one thing in common: they are powerful lucid dreamers.
Dreams are mutable; they can be affected by a strong mind, even controlled. All lucid dreamers have the ability to control at least one thing in The Mansion: themselves. As they visit it, night after night, their measure of control increases, and they eventually gain abilities completely unheard of in the real world, becoming more mentally equipped to handle the dangers and challenges of this alternate world.
Manifestations
What happens to dreams once you wake up? Normally, they fade away, forgotten, and vanish. Some, though, are too powerful to die so easily. Some dreams, both good and bad, linger in the mind, and the Mansion. These are called Manifestations. They reside in the Mansion, exist there, where Dreamers are only visitors, and they do not always like the company.
These beings come in two main types: Benign and Malicious. Both these types exist in abundance within the Mansion, some prefering to remain in the room that most resembles the dream that spawned them; others prefer to roam the dream Mansion, and can act as guides, friends, bystanders, or even enemies to the visitors of their adopted home. Neither type has true emotions, as a Dreamer does; they instead echo the feelings that originally created them.
Benign Manifestations take many forms, but generally appear non-threatening. Though they tend to avoid Dreamers, they have been known to aid, defend, or simply interact with them if it suites their motivations. Of the two types of Manifestations, the Benign are likely to remain within their chosen realm where they are less likely to be destroyed by the more dangerous aspects of the Mansion. They value their existance, but are not truly sentient beyond that, though they may seem so.
Malicious Manifestations are perhaps the most dangerous thing in the Mansion; beyond simple hazards, they are literally the remenants of nightmares, and they feed on the terror they cause. They actively seek out Dreamers, rarely choosing to remain in their origin room unless trapped, seeking to decieve, destroy, or terrify the visitors in their realm. They can appear either harmless or dangerous, and it is sometimes hard to tell a deceptive one from a true Benign manifestation. Though they value their existance, they are willing to risk it in an attempt to cause harm or terror.
Basic Stats
Passion: Passion is a measure of a character will, ambition, and drive. A high Passion score would indicate a character who revels in action, has powerful emotions, and has trouble sitting still. A low Passion score incdicates a character who is generally lazy, cold, prone to lethargy and perhaps depression. In game, it is linked to attacking, healing, and improving abilities.
Reason: Reason is a characters ability to discern and think logically and to foucs on a task. A character with a high Reason is calm, intuitive, intelligent, and able to plan. A character with a low Reason could be discribed as flighty, unable to focus, and perhaps downright insane. It is linked to defense, and the ability to create objects.
Wonder: Wonder describes a characters tendency towards discovery, their curiosity, and interest in the world. A character with high Wonder is perceptive to emotions as well as sounds, sights, smells, and feelings. A character with a high wonder is a sensate who revels in new experiences. A character with a low wonder prefers monotony, and is often an introvert. In the game, it is linked to the ability to perceive the world, as well as deduce secret knowledge about the dream.
Invention: Invention is a measure of the creativity of a character, and their aptitude for non-linear thinking. A character with a high Invention may be artistic and charismatic, prone to original ideas. Low Invention indicates a character who has trouble thinking 'outside the box', and tends to be predictable. It is linked to movement and the ability to change the dream world.
Hit Points and Mana Points
Harmony
Harmony indicates how together a character is within the Realm. Attacks, and anything that might cause fear will lower a characters Harmony. When a character reaches 0 Harmony, they become fearful and lose control, seeking only to escape their current situation.
Lucidity
Lucidity, in dream terms, represents control of yourself in dreams, as well as control of the Realm itself. It can be used to produce effects beyond your capabilities in the waking world. When Lucidity reaches 0, you no longer control yourself or the dream and tend to drift along in whatever direction the dream flows.
If both Harmony and Lucidity reach 0, you 'die', awakening in terror and may be unable to enter the Dream Realm for a time, and may develop certain mental conditions, such as phobias or insomnia.
Skills
Move: The Move skill is used to move both quickly, and across difficult terrain. It is based on Invention, and generally takes 1 action to make use of.
Attack: This skill is used to both determine both your ability to hit with a physical attack, and the damage you deal. It takes one action to make use of, and is based on Passion.
Resist: This is used to avoid attacks and hazards, and to reduce the damage dealt when they do hit. It does not take an action, being purely reactional, and is based on Reason.
Perceive: Used to notice hidden things within the dream realm, anything you can use your five senses on; an unusual texture, a strange smell, a hidden object, a quiet sound, or a foul taste. It is based on Wonder, and does not generally use up an action.
Create: Used to create an object in the Dreamscape, from a marble to a car. The amount of skill required, and the lucidity invested depends on the size and complexity of the object. It is based on Reason.
Self: This is used to increase Harmony in yourself and others, and to improve your skills (Attack, Resist, Move, and Percieve only). The difficulty of the task depends on the total you are raising the skill to, or the amount of Harmony being added. It uses Passion.
Shape: A complex skill dealing with changing the appearance and purpose of objects and terrain within the dream world, and yourself. The size and scope of the change determines how hard it is to do. This skill is based on Invention.
Discern: While Perceive deals with the five sense, Discern goes beyond them. It reveals the true nature of things and people within the dream world, unearthing secrets and meaning for all to see, expending energy based on the level of the deception. It uses Wonder.
Character Creation
Basic Stats start at 1, and are increased by spending Stat Points and through character advancement. Characters begin with 10 stat points to spend, and can raise a stat up to 5 at character creation, a one-for-one basis.
Benchmarks
1-Human Minimum, crippled
2-Below Human Average, weak area
3-Human Average
4-Above average, talented
5-Well above average, gifted
6-Peak of human potential, adept
Move, Attack, Resist, and Percieve all start at one, while the other skills start at 0. A character has 6 skill points to spend at creation, again on a one-for-one basis, up to a maximum of 5.
Harmony and Lucidity start at 10, and are modified by basic Stats. Add Passion and Wonder to Harmony, Invention and Reason to Lucidity.
Quirks
You can get or spend Stat Points by picking up one or more Quirks. These things are either unusual fears, strengths, or modifiers that either help or harm your experiences in the Dream Mansion. They give or cost either 1 or 2 points. Feel free to make your own, but keep in mind that if a quirk is not appropriate, too powerful, crippling, or otherwise not suitable for use might either need to be toned down or left out. A good quirk improves roleplaying, and adds depth to the experience of the game.
Examples include:
Nemisis; a creature or entity more powerful than you that relentlessly hunts you in the dream realm.
Guide; a benevolent guardian that aids you in the dream realm.
Phobia; something terrifies you, ussually something completely non-threatening. You lose Harmony and Lucidity when it appears in the dream realm.
Talents
When increasing the level of a Skill, you can instead choose to gain a Talent. A Talent is a new capability or modification of the skill that improves its use without directly affecting power level. Talents are a good place to get creative with your characters advancement, giving them things such as flight, the ability to shoot beams of energy, or be able to tell where the door is in a room.
Combat
Combat occours when a Dreamer interacts with a dangerous Manifestation, or a Hazard in the Mansion. Attack rolls are made against a Resist roll, and damage occours based on the degree of success, and the Resist and Attack levels of the defender and attacker respectively. Damage is ussually dealt to Harmony, but some especially dangerous Hazards and Manifesations might also damage Lucidity.
Paul is attacked by some strange shadow creature while exploring a room. It rolls an attack and gets 15. Paul rolls Resist and gets 13. The shadow succeeded by 2, and has 1 level in attack, so the damage is 3 (2+1). Paul has 2 levels in Resist, reducing the damage to one. He's startled, and scratched up, but okay.
Mary stumbles into a dangerous room, and bolts of lightning fall from the sky. The bolt of lightning makes an attack, and gets 19. Mary rolls poorly, getting a 7. The lightning counts as having 5 levels in attack, so the damage is 17 (12+5). Mary only has 2 level in Resist, so she takes 15 damage. She smells burning flesh before she even realizes what is happening, and falls to the ground, charred and moaning in agony.
Paul makes an attack against the shadow now, swinging wildly with a torch he manifested using the Create skill. He gets a 14, and the shadow rolls a 13. Paul has 2 levels in attack, and succeeded by 1, so his damage is 3. The shadow, however, has 3 levels in Resist so it is completely unharmed, taking 0 damage, and ready to attack again.
Combat order is determined by the Percieve and Move skill levels. You add the values together, and roll dice, as normal. The highest number goes first. Each character gets two actions on their turn (move, then attack; attack, and attack again; use a dream skill, attack; move, move faster; etc). A character may choose to 'delay', moving one action to a number 6 lower.
After being ambushed by the shadow creature, Paul rolls to determine his order in combat. His friend, Simon, is also with him, as well as two shadows lurking beyond sight. Paul rolls 18, Simon 14, the shadows get 16, 11, and 8. The turn order goes as follows: Paul, Shadow1, Simon, Shadow2, Shadow3.
Everyone dreams. Everyone goes into that fantastic world of hallways, monsters, fears, love, grand landscapes, and wild imaginations. Some dream of fear, pain, and horor; some of fantasy, wonder, worlds they never want to leave. Not everyone remembers their dreams, but everyone dreams.
Many have studied dreams, trying to deduce meaning and cause for these night-time wanderings of the mind. There are numerous reports, books on the mystical interpretations of symbols and characters. The animus, the anima, the shadow, lost loves, parents, siblings, flight, blood, violence, sex, towers, mansions; they all have meaning.
This dream, though is not like any other. Lucid dreamers often experience their dreams in different ways than normal people, able to controls themselves and the world they reside in for those hours of sleep. Sometimes, though, they come to a place in dreaming where they aren't alone. Where the faces and figures are not people they know, nor characters from their imagination. A place where dreams meet, and the fear and wonder is shared. This is not a safe place.
The Mansion
The Dream Mansion has many names, and it is only whispered by those who study such things. It is often ignored as a coincidence, a rumour, or just a lie. It is a place where dreamers meet, not of their own will. They explore the dreamscape of their own minds, and the minds of others. In this process, night after night, their mind changes. They become stronger, more at peace, better people. Or, they break, and descend into madness.
At first, the mansion appears as its namesake; long, twisting hallways, intricate stairs, and many many doors. One can explore the halls themselves for eternity, and never find the end of it, never see the same place twice. Of course, one might also get lost and return to the same intersection forever, despite physical impossibilities. The laws of the real world do not apply in this place.
When one opens a door, however, any remaining belief that this could be a real place is shattered. A doorway could lead into a completely normal room, or it could lead into a massive hilled field, a graveyard, or into clouds. Once the door is stepped through, one cannot return that way; they must find a door within the dream they have walked into, and find themselves in another part of the mansion.
Remenants of nightmares and dreams roam the halls and rooms, both benign and hostile. Manifestations of fears and desires try to act on the minds of the dreamers, attacking or beguiling, leaving them to wake up in a cold sweat, shaken and disturbed. Especially powerful remenants can tear a mind asunder, barring it from dreams and leaving the person a gibbering mess. Overcoming these things, though, strengthens the one who does it, leaving them better when they wake up. It is a place of risk, but great rewards.
Lucid Dreamers
Have you ever had a dream that you knew was a dream? Did you get to control your actions? Did you control the dream itself? Could you fly, fight, or do things you know you shouldn't be able to do in real life? Those who find The Mansion have one thing in common: they are powerful lucid dreamers.
Dreams are mutable; they can be affected by a strong mind, even controlled. All lucid dreamers have the ability to control at least one thing in The Mansion: themselves. As they visit it, night after night, their measure of control increases, and they eventually gain abilities completely unheard of in the real world, becoming more mentally equipped to handle the dangers and challenges of this alternate world.
Manifestations
What happens to dreams once you wake up? Normally, they fade away, forgotten, and vanish. Some, though, are too powerful to die so easily. Some dreams, both good and bad, linger in the mind, and the Mansion. These are called Manifestations. They reside in the Mansion, exist there, where Dreamers are only visitors, and they do not always like the company.
These beings come in two main types: Benign and Malicious. Both these types exist in abundance within the Mansion, some prefering to remain in the room that most resembles the dream that spawned them; others prefer to roam the dream Mansion, and can act as guides, friends, bystanders, or even enemies to the visitors of their adopted home. Neither type has true emotions, as a Dreamer does; they instead echo the feelings that originally created them.
Benign Manifestations take many forms, but generally appear non-threatening. Though they tend to avoid Dreamers, they have been known to aid, defend, or simply interact with them if it suites their motivations. Of the two types of Manifestations, the Benign are likely to remain within their chosen realm where they are less likely to be destroyed by the more dangerous aspects of the Mansion. They value their existance, but are not truly sentient beyond that, though they may seem so.
Malicious Manifestations are perhaps the most dangerous thing in the Mansion; beyond simple hazards, they are literally the remenants of nightmares, and they feed on the terror they cause. They actively seek out Dreamers, rarely choosing to remain in their origin room unless trapped, seeking to decieve, destroy, or terrify the visitors in their realm. They can appear either harmless or dangerous, and it is sometimes hard to tell a deceptive one from a true Benign manifestation. Though they value their existance, they are willing to risk it in an attempt to cause harm or terror.
Basic Stats
Passion: Passion is a measure of a character will, ambition, and drive. A high Passion score would indicate a character who revels in action, has powerful emotions, and has trouble sitting still. A low Passion score incdicates a character who is generally lazy, cold, prone to lethargy and perhaps depression. In game, it is linked to attacking, healing, and improving abilities.
Reason: Reason is a characters ability to discern and think logically and to foucs on a task. A character with a high Reason is calm, intuitive, intelligent, and able to plan. A character with a low Reason could be discribed as flighty, unable to focus, and perhaps downright insane. It is linked to defense, and the ability to create objects.
Wonder: Wonder describes a characters tendency towards discovery, their curiosity, and interest in the world. A character with high Wonder is perceptive to emotions as well as sounds, sights, smells, and feelings. A character with a high wonder is a sensate who revels in new experiences. A character with a low wonder prefers monotony, and is often an introvert. In the game, it is linked to the ability to perceive the world, as well as deduce secret knowledge about the dream.
Invention: Invention is a measure of the creativity of a character, and their aptitude for non-linear thinking. A character with a high Invention may be artistic and charismatic, prone to original ideas. Low Invention indicates a character who has trouble thinking 'outside the box', and tends to be predictable. It is linked to movement and the ability to change the dream world.
Hit Points and Mana Points
Harmony
Harmony indicates how together a character is within the Realm. Attacks, and anything that might cause fear will lower a characters Harmony. When a character reaches 0 Harmony, they become fearful and lose control, seeking only to escape their current situation.
Lucidity
Lucidity, in dream terms, represents control of yourself in dreams, as well as control of the Realm itself. It can be used to produce effects beyond your capabilities in the waking world. When Lucidity reaches 0, you no longer control yourself or the dream and tend to drift along in whatever direction the dream flows.
If both Harmony and Lucidity reach 0, you 'die', awakening in terror and may be unable to enter the Dream Realm for a time, and may develop certain mental conditions, such as phobias or insomnia.
Skills
Move: The Move skill is used to move both quickly, and across difficult terrain. It is based on Invention, and generally takes 1 action to make use of.
Attack: This skill is used to both determine both your ability to hit with a physical attack, and the damage you deal. It takes one action to make use of, and is based on Passion.
Resist: This is used to avoid attacks and hazards, and to reduce the damage dealt when they do hit. It does not take an action, being purely reactional, and is based on Reason.
Perceive: Used to notice hidden things within the dream realm, anything you can use your five senses on; an unusual texture, a strange smell, a hidden object, a quiet sound, or a foul taste. It is based on Wonder, and does not generally use up an action.
Create: Used to create an object in the Dreamscape, from a marble to a car. The amount of skill required, and the lucidity invested depends on the size and complexity of the object. It is based on Reason.
Self: This is used to increase Harmony in yourself and others, and to improve your skills (Attack, Resist, Move, and Percieve only). The difficulty of the task depends on the total you are raising the skill to, or the amount of Harmony being added. It uses Passion.
Shape: A complex skill dealing with changing the appearance and purpose of objects and terrain within the dream world, and yourself. The size and scope of the change determines how hard it is to do. This skill is based on Invention.
Discern: While Perceive deals with the five sense, Discern goes beyond them. It reveals the true nature of things and people within the dream world, unearthing secrets and meaning for all to see, expending energy based on the level of the deception. It uses Wonder.
Character Creation
Basic Stats start at 1, and are increased by spending Stat Points and through character advancement. Characters begin with 10 stat points to spend, and can raise a stat up to 5 at character creation, a one-for-one basis.
Benchmarks
1-Human Minimum, crippled
2-Below Human Average, weak area
3-Human Average
4-Above average, talented
5-Well above average, gifted
6-Peak of human potential, adept
Move, Attack, Resist, and Percieve all start at one, while the other skills start at 0. A character has 6 skill points to spend at creation, again on a one-for-one basis, up to a maximum of 5.
Harmony and Lucidity start at 10, and are modified by basic Stats. Add Passion and Wonder to Harmony, Invention and Reason to Lucidity.
Quirks
You can get or spend Stat Points by picking up one or more Quirks. These things are either unusual fears, strengths, or modifiers that either help or harm your experiences in the Dream Mansion. They give or cost either 1 or 2 points. Feel free to make your own, but keep in mind that if a quirk is not appropriate, too powerful, crippling, or otherwise not suitable for use might either need to be toned down or left out. A good quirk improves roleplaying, and adds depth to the experience of the game.
Examples include:
Nemisis; a creature or entity more powerful than you that relentlessly hunts you in the dream realm.
Guide; a benevolent guardian that aids you in the dream realm.
Phobia; something terrifies you, ussually something completely non-threatening. You lose Harmony and Lucidity when it appears in the dream realm.
Talents
When increasing the level of a Skill, you can instead choose to gain a Talent. A Talent is a new capability or modification of the skill that improves its use without directly affecting power level. Talents are a good place to get creative with your characters advancement, giving them things such as flight, the ability to shoot beams of energy, or be able to tell where the door is in a room.
Combat
Combat occours when a Dreamer interacts with a dangerous Manifestation, or a Hazard in the Mansion. Attack rolls are made against a Resist roll, and damage occours based on the degree of success, and the Resist and Attack levels of the defender and attacker respectively. Damage is ussually dealt to Harmony, but some especially dangerous Hazards and Manifesations might also damage Lucidity.
Paul is attacked by some strange shadow creature while exploring a room. It rolls an attack and gets 15. Paul rolls Resist and gets 13. The shadow succeeded by 2, and has 1 level in attack, so the damage is 3 (2+1). Paul has 2 levels in Resist, reducing the damage to one. He's startled, and scratched up, but okay.
Mary stumbles into a dangerous room, and bolts of lightning fall from the sky. The bolt of lightning makes an attack, and gets 19. Mary rolls poorly, getting a 7. The lightning counts as having 5 levels in attack, so the damage is 17 (12+5). Mary only has 2 level in Resist, so she takes 15 damage. She smells burning flesh before she even realizes what is happening, and falls to the ground, charred and moaning in agony.
Paul makes an attack against the shadow now, swinging wildly with a torch he manifested using the Create skill. He gets a 14, and the shadow rolls a 13. Paul has 2 levels in attack, and succeeded by 1, so his damage is 3. The shadow, however, has 3 levels in Resist so it is completely unharmed, taking 0 damage, and ready to attack again.
Combat order is determined by the Percieve and Move skill levels. You add the values together, and roll dice, as normal. The highest number goes first. Each character gets two actions on their turn (move, then attack; attack, and attack again; use a dream skill, attack; move, move faster; etc). A character may choose to 'delay', moving one action to a number 6 lower.
After being ambushed by the shadow creature, Paul rolls to determine his order in combat. His friend, Simon, is also with him, as well as two shadows lurking beyond sight. Paul rolls 18, Simon 14, the shadows get 16, 11, and 8. The turn order goes as follows: Paul, Shadow1, Simon, Shadow2, Shadow3.
A few questions:
first off, what purpose does shape have? is it mostly ad-hoc where the DM (or the position's equivalent) assigns a random value to be rolled against, or does it have its own specific check mechanics. moreover, self seems to be the most logical skill to pump points into, so does it have a drawback, and if so, what is it?
also, is talent a way to explain the increase in a skill(congradulations! your heat vision has become +1 heat vision of scalding) or is it something seperate, like bonuses in only certain situations?
Overall, I love the feel of the way it's shaping up. I'm looking forward to clarification and extrapolation.
first off, what purpose does shape have? is it mostly ad-hoc where the DM (or the position's equivalent) assigns a random value to be rolled against, or does it have its own specific check mechanics. moreover, self seems to be the most logical skill to pump points into, so does it have a drawback, and if so, what is it?
also, is talent a way to explain the increase in a skill(congradulations! your heat vision has become +1 heat vision of scalding) or is it something seperate, like bonuses in only certain situations?
Overall, I love the feel of the way it's shaping up. I'm looking forward to clarification and extrapolation.
Thanks for the questions and comments!belkalra wrote:A few questions:
first off, what purpose does shape have? is it mostly ad-hoc where the DM (or the position's equivalent) assigns a random value to be rolled against, or does it have its own specific check mechanics. moreover, self seems to be the most logical skill to pump points into, so does it have a drawback, and if so, what is it?
also, is talent a way to explain the increase in a skill(congradulations! your heat vision has become +1 heat vision of scalding) or is it something seperate, like bonuses in only certain situations?
Overall, I love the feel of the way it's shaping up. I'm looking forward to clarification and extrapolation.
First off, Shape (and most of the dream skills) has a lot of different uses. Mostly within the theme of changing the dream realm, and yourself. Adding abilities, making terrain more advantageous, etc. Right now I'm doing fairly ad-hoc until I get more of a feel for what people will try to do. Self pretty much covers healing and skill boosting, so it's limited but powerful (whereas Shape could give you, say, flight, or make the ground spikey and dangerous).
Talents are esentially little add-ons that the skill doesn't really cover. For example, throwing a Ranged Talent on your attack skill would not increase the level of the skill, though it would cost a point; it would simply allow you to attack at range. For the first playtest, I'm encouraging a lot of creativity in the players for Talents and Quirks so I can get a list going and expand on it.
I hope that answers your questions.