My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: The RPG?

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Sun Jun 19, 2011 8:28 pm

so, races.

(disclaimer, I have yet to watch this show, so my knowledge is basically just talking to a friend that watches it).

So there are three pony races, earth, pegasus and unicorns, and possibly a few non-pony races (dragon hatchlings? gryphons?)

Earth ponies are like being human, nothing special, but without disadvantages of other races (like they're stronger than unicorns). Unicorns have telekinesis, and one spell like ability, with the ability to learn more, and possibly a wizard class to learn pretty much everything. Pegasi have the advantage of flight, obviously, apparently a low stamina, and I would say a heightened personal capability (Rainbow Dash's speed, Scootaloo's agility, Fluttershy's charisma, etc.).

So I'd basically just literally use human stats for earth ponies (or regular pony stats from MM and raise int to 10), then -2 str and a spell like from a list for unicorns, maybe with a +2 int, and -2 con, maybe +2 cha, and a heightened stat from a list for pegasi.

virgil · Post by **virgil** » Sun Jun 19, 2011 10:16 pm

Lauren Faust wrote:While not magical like the other pony types, Earth Ponies do have a connection to the land that other types do not. In Equestria, growing food and tending animals (Fluttershy's talent with animals is unusual for a pegasus, I always imagined she feels more at home on the ground than in the sky) is just as necessary, as managing weather and magic. Perhaps more important, don't you think?

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Sun Jun 19, 2011 11:42 pm

Ok, so earth ponies have more subtle magic that is steroids for plants and animals?

virgil · Post by **virgil** » Sun Jun 19, 2011 11:49 pm

Outside of the Evergreen Forest, it's arguable that they're more fundamental than steroids. Trees can't grow, animals can't reproduce, and other things can't happen without their magic; much like how Princess Celestia is necessary for the sun to rise and set. I'm sure if they put their minds to it, they could make it full on steroids compared to normal, as evidenced by the hollowed out tree houses that are still alive.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 4:47 am

Ok, so earth ponies basically get a choice between an Overgrowth or Magic Fang (or the like) spell like ability, possibly functioning continuously in an area around them?

Oh, actually, how about Earth Ponies getting woodwarp/shape for any plant matter or the +4 stat boost spells?

edit: I want to include other races, but it seems like everything that isn't a pony is a douchbag....

NoDot · Post by **NoDot** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:47 am

Prak_Anima wrote:(disclaimer, I have yet to watch this show, so my knowledge is basically just talking to a friend that watches it).

The series can be found on Youtube, and I gave a good starting episode on the previous page.

Prak_Anima wrote:edit: I want to include other races, but it seems like everything that isn't a pony is a douchbag....

Spike would like a word with you.

(Oh, there's a wiki, too.)

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:49 am

Ok, so, seriously, what system does this want to be, because I'm totally ready to pound stuff out.

We could do d20 or a variant like M&M (though honestly, both are probably more complicated than desired or needed). Maybe an After Sundown Skill+Attribute(+Equipment) v TN?

Sure, why the hell not, it can already handle social conflict and physical conflict well enough. A number of things will need to be built from the ground up anyway, so it's not like using d20 saves a lot of work.

Friendship is Magic, Your Reward is Clothes
Money is only vaguely nodded to, and gems are more commonly food or decor than wealth. On the other hand, ponies are regularly rewarded with something much more useful, friends. That's right, when you complete an adventure, or defeat an enemy, you don't loot the bodies, you gain a new friend. This may seem useless, but remember that one of the themes of MLP is loyalty and helping those in need. When you have completed an adventure, or overcome an opponent, you've at least earned a favour, and usually won a friend who will come to your aid when you're in need. Typically ponies have fairly niche skills, so it can be very helpful to befriend someone whose talent is something no one in your party can do.
The other notable reward is wearables, whether the elements of friendship, or the clothes awarded in the MLP web game. These clothes bring prestige, notoriety and, occasionally, actual abilities. A nice side effect of this situation is that greyhawking a dungeon will happen exceedingly rarely.

Playable Types
So, obviously the core type is Pony, with three subtypes, Earth, Pegasus, and Unicorn. Earth ponies encourage the growth of animals and plants by their simple presence, and can possibly shape the same with concentrated effort. Pegasi control weather, can fly, tread on clouds, and have a single enhanced trait (speed, agility, charisma, etc.). Unicorns have unique magics, anything from detecting gems to prestidigitation and illusions, to teleportation, as well as telekinesis, which they typically use for relatively mundane purposes.

The world certainly seems to hold other sentient races that might be playable, though. Zebra may have an enhanced focus on plants, sensing and knowing a great deal about them, along with a better than average dexterity. Buffalo are a tribal race, but I don't see much about the species in the wiki. Dragons are typically voiceless kaiju, and many of Spike's peculiarities may be due to his status as Twilight's assistant, but I don't see that as a reason to not include them, since a lot of people would love to play a dragon. Finally, as far as I can tell, only one gryphon appears so far, but they're sentient, and not even particularly ostracized, except for Gilda being a bitch.

So I'm thinking it winds up looking something like this:
Ponies

Earth
Unicorn
Pegasus

Chimera

Gryphon
Manticore (yes, I know, but I think there need to be a few more)
Something else that's a hybrid of multiple "normal" creatures. Hippogryph would be amusing

Dragons
(three types, possibly land, sea, and sky if we decide that sea serpent is close enough to dragon)

(Non-pony animals)

Zebra
Buffalo
Diamon Dog

More would be nice, I think, but I'm not sure how many are necessary, and what else should get included.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:51 am

NoDot wrote:
Prak_Anima wrote:(disclaimer, I have yet to watch this show, so my knowledge is basically just talking to a friend that watches it).
The series can be found on Youtube, and I gave a good starting episode on the previous page.

Prak_Anima wrote:edit: I want to include other races, but it seems like everything that isn't a pony is a douchbag....
Spike would like a word with you.

(Oh, there's a wiki, too.)

I've been using the wiki. Spike has his moments of slight dickishness too.

NoDot · Post by **NoDot** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 1:34 pm

Prak_Anima wrote:Spike has his moments of slight dickishness too.

Not more than everypony else.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 7:33 pm

NoDot wrote:
Prak_Anima wrote:Spike has his moments of slight dickishness too.
Not more than everypony else.

Hm, true, but that could be due to basically being raised by ponies. The show makes just about everything else a jerkass antagonist.

Sir Neil · Post by **Sir Neil** » Thu Jun 23, 2011 5:24 am

FrankTrollman wrote:From what I understand, almost every adventure involves ponies talking at enemies until they give up. Is that correct?

Not for long: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSlnZxvi37s

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Thu Jun 23, 2011 10:46 pm

Well, cool. That really helps the game.

So, from what I've seen, everyone has a flaw, which is probably pretty similar to the AWOD master passions, though more individualized. For example, Twilight's is probably Anger, Spike's hunger or greed, Pinkie Pie's Despair, etc.

Also, what character types would people like to see? I could bullshit a few more types, but what's desired?

Cynic · Post by **Cynic** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 2:50 am

I have MLP on the list.

But is there room so that this girl's dreams can also be made part of this rpg?

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 2:58 am

Cynic wrote:I have MLP on the list.

But is there room so that this girl's dreams can also be made part of this rpg?

Strictly speaking, yes. Because Hasbro owns the toy license for Star Wars, and thus, technically, MLP occupies a universe with Star Wars, Transformers, GI Joe, etc.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 7:15 am

If we were to do this as d20, I think that'd replace the standard alignments...[/spoiler]

virgil · Post by **virgil** » Tue Dec 17, 2013 10:06 pm

http://kotohi.com/ryuutama/

Described as Hayao Miyazaki's Oregon Trail, the rules haven't been released in English yet. I'm fascinated by the idea that the DM actually gains XP and gains abilities with level. Resolution seems simple; you only have ability scores represented as dice, and you roll two together (d4 to d10) against a DC (might be fixed at 7) when asked to do stuff.

The whole thing holds promise in being an easy conversion to MLP because of the slice-of-life + journey genre.

bosssmiley · Post by **bosssmiley** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 12:38 am

Possibly relevant to discussion.

MLP: Friendship is Dungeons & Dragons - MLP and D&D archetypes, and
Unknown Ponies: Failure is Awesome - an MLP RPG using the Unknown Armies system.

Both by Erin Palette.

Stahlseele · Post by **Stahlseele** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 10:10 am

This could be relevant and a fun read as well:
http://friendshipisdragons.thecomicseri ... ics/first/

Zaranthan · Post by **Zaranthan** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 4:52 pm

While we're all posting random PRPGs, here's Pony Tales, featuring bounded skills, Final Fantasy combat lines, and 100% attack accuracy. Remember to get your cutie mark in "Is Batman".

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LaH ... qDazQ/edit

Dogbert · Post by **Dogbert** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 1:05 am

FATE doesn't distinguish between physical, social, or mental. Conflict is conflict and it's all handled under the same mechanics (with separate social and mental stress/HP bars too).

Also, FATE's Aspects mean a character can choose to "weaponize" every single talent during a conflict no matter how apparently trivial as long as it can be justified (which is why FATE isn't recommended in tables where you don't have unanimous support of the social contract, buyer beware).

You can easily tailor a hack using Legends of Anglerre if you want to keep things simple. If you prefer to keep to a d20-ish comfort zone, however, you might prefer Strands of FATE which is rather "FATE as written by a d20 fan."

Mask_De_H · Post by **Mask_De_H** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 3:09 am

Yeah, if you just want Ponies fucking their way through 18th century Bavaria solving problems by talking and tricks and friendship, FATE Accelerated Edition is even more freeform personality based play. We're talking one step removed from Amber Diceless here. There's even a single stress track and consequences that you can fill without violence.

Watch out for one-approach wonders, which the book gives you no real way to handle.

TiaC · Post by **TiaC** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 5:59 am

Mask_De_H wrote:Yeah, if you just want Ponies fucking their way through 18th century Bavaria solving problems by talking and tricks and friendship, FATE Accelerated Edition is even more freeform personality based play. We're talking one step removed from Amber Diceless here. There's even a single stress track and consequences that you can fill without violence.

Watch out for one-approach wonders, which the book gives you no real way to handle.

Yeah, you could have one player put all their resources into "magic" and the requisite knowledges, while another player spread their points across animal husbandry and sewing and modeling and things like that...

Mask_De_H · Post by **Mask_De_H** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 7:04 am

Er, it's more you can explain one character's stat special effects as "magic" and one character's stat special effects as "animal husbandry". You use the same six stats for every character.

Stunts and Aspects are where you get the "Is Batman"/"my effects have better phlebotinum than yours", but since this is pony that is narratively less of a concern.

sendaz · Post by **sendaz** » Tue Sep 13, 2016 7:07 pm

*dusts off the thread*

http://gamespeopleplay.smackjeeves.com/ ... onna-call/

http://www.equestriadaily.com/2016/06/o ... -gets.html

Shrapnel · Post by **Shrapnel** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 1:43 am

What kind of world is this where Hasbro makes an MLP RPG, but NOT one for Transformers?