Avatar Bending Mechanics
Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:56 pm
I'm wondering if a system like this already exists.
Bending in the show is very diverse but at its base it often follows two phases: first the bender gathers a certain amount of their element, and then they do something with it. The idea is to model the element-bending from the Avatar franchise by using a resource-management mechanic:
Performing different bending techniques requires a different amount of the element to be under the bender's control. We can divide these amounts into "bending units". Let's say one bending unit of water is roughly one cubic meter. This is enough to use a simple water whip technique but not enough to summon a wave to surf around the battlefield, which would require around 6 bending units of water. In the game we can then use coloured tokens to track how many bending units of water are currently under Katara's control.
Bending techniques are then sorted by how many bending units are required to initiate them, and how many bending units are left in the bender's possession after execution. This can be a net positive or negative: some techniques will allow the bender to seize more of their element, whereas others (typically attacks) will make them spend some or all of their bending units.
Bending techniques also have an Initiative cost: we divide techniques into Actions and Reactions. Whoever has the highest Initiative in that turn gets to use an Action-type technique, and their target(s) then get to counter with a Reaction-type technique.
Example Actions:
- Gather Element (reduces Initiative by a certain fixed amount, but allow an extra Action if Initiative is still higher than opponent after gathering)
- Direct Attack (high Initiative cost)
- Engulf Enemy (very high Initiative cost)
- Close Distance to Enemy (low Initiative cost)
Example Reactions:
- Block with an Elemental Barrier (large Initiative increase)
- Dodge (low Initiative increase)
- Escape Engulf (moderate Initiative cost)
- Flee (high Initiative cost)
As Initiative ebbs and flows, both opponents will alternately get to Act or React as they whittle each other's HP or try to land a good Engulf that will make the opponent unable to fight.
We then combine both mechanics and adjust the costs to create the four binding styles:
- Earth: Earthbenders stand their ground and prefer a straight-forward approach. Blocking moves cause very little loss in bending units and give particularly large Initiative increases. They also have excellent engulfing powers.
- Air: Airbenders are very defensive and reactive players. Dodging moves cause a net positive in bending units, but they have trouble generating enough Initiative to get land a good direct attack.
- Water: Waterbenders are extremely versatile, with good mobility, attack and engulf powers, but often limited by the available total number of bending units in the arena. They can convert water bending units to ice and fog for special techniques.
- Fire: Firebenders are very aggressive and have good mobility (Iron Man hands and feet), but otherwise lack versatility (no engulfs, lack of non-lethal moves). They have an advantage to generating bending units independent of arena constraints, but at high costs to Initiative since they're using their own resources.
Another interesting thing that happens when two benders of the same element battle is that they can wrest control of each other's bending units as a Reaction, using an enemy's resources against them. This situation also arises when a bender is using a mixed element, or sub-element (yet more coloured token types):
- Water and airbenders can steal each other's fog bending units.
- Water and earthbenders can steal each other's mud bending units.
- Earth and airbenders can steal each other's sand bending units.
- Firebenders are greedy and never learned to share (I'd have said scuffles with earthbenders over lava, but that is no longer canon)
All that would be left would be to write up some techniques for each bending style and come up with an adequate dice resolution technique to introduce some randomness to success and failure.
The main problem I see with this system is that it would be very tough on the GM: they'd basically have to be the Avatar and master all four styles if they're going to be fighting against every player. The system seems much better for PvP than PvE. I wonder if different enemies could just be statted out with simple algorithms representing preferred strategies that the GM can then floow semi-blindly.
Bending in the show is very diverse but at its base it often follows two phases: first the bender gathers a certain amount of their element, and then they do something with it. The idea is to model the element-bending from the Avatar franchise by using a resource-management mechanic:
Performing different bending techniques requires a different amount of the element to be under the bender's control. We can divide these amounts into "bending units". Let's say one bending unit of water is roughly one cubic meter. This is enough to use a simple water whip technique but not enough to summon a wave to surf around the battlefield, which would require around 6 bending units of water. In the game we can then use coloured tokens to track how many bending units of water are currently under Katara's control.
Bending techniques are then sorted by how many bending units are required to initiate them, and how many bending units are left in the bender's possession after execution. This can be a net positive or negative: some techniques will allow the bender to seize more of their element, whereas others (typically attacks) will make them spend some or all of their bending units.
Bending techniques also have an Initiative cost: we divide techniques into Actions and Reactions. Whoever has the highest Initiative in that turn gets to use an Action-type technique, and their target(s) then get to counter with a Reaction-type technique.
Example Actions:
- Gather Element (reduces Initiative by a certain fixed amount, but allow an extra Action if Initiative is still higher than opponent after gathering)
- Direct Attack (high Initiative cost)
- Engulf Enemy (very high Initiative cost)
- Close Distance to Enemy (low Initiative cost)
Example Reactions:
- Block with an Elemental Barrier (large Initiative increase)
- Dodge (low Initiative increase)
- Escape Engulf (moderate Initiative cost)
- Flee (high Initiative cost)
As Initiative ebbs and flows, both opponents will alternately get to Act or React as they whittle each other's HP or try to land a good Engulf that will make the opponent unable to fight.
We then combine both mechanics and adjust the costs to create the four binding styles:
- Earth: Earthbenders stand their ground and prefer a straight-forward approach. Blocking moves cause very little loss in bending units and give particularly large Initiative increases. They also have excellent engulfing powers.
- Air: Airbenders are very defensive and reactive players. Dodging moves cause a net positive in bending units, but they have trouble generating enough Initiative to get land a good direct attack.
- Water: Waterbenders are extremely versatile, with good mobility, attack and engulf powers, but often limited by the available total number of bending units in the arena. They can convert water bending units to ice and fog for special techniques.
- Fire: Firebenders are very aggressive and have good mobility (Iron Man hands and feet), but otherwise lack versatility (no engulfs, lack of non-lethal moves). They have an advantage to generating bending units independent of arena constraints, but at high costs to Initiative since they're using their own resources.
Another interesting thing that happens when two benders of the same element battle is that they can wrest control of each other's bending units as a Reaction, using an enemy's resources against them. This situation also arises when a bender is using a mixed element, or sub-element (yet more coloured token types):
- Water and airbenders can steal each other's fog bending units.
- Water and earthbenders can steal each other's mud bending units.
- Earth and airbenders can steal each other's sand bending units.
- Firebenders are greedy and never learned to share (I'd have said scuffles with earthbenders over lava, but that is no longer canon)
All that would be left would be to write up some techniques for each bending style and come up with an adequate dice resolution technique to introduce some randomness to success and failure.
The main problem I see with this system is that it would be very tough on the GM: they'd basically have to be the Avatar and master all four styles if they're going to be fighting against every player. The system seems much better for PvP than PvE. I wonder if different enemies could just be statted out with simple algorithms representing preferred strategies that the GM can then floow semi-blindly.