My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: The RPG?

virgil · Post by **virgil** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 8:37 pm

Obviously this thread is for people who want to be constructive.

For those who have seen the new MLP show, it definitely has its conflict (Nightmare Moon, Manticores, Hydras, etc). I don't think a straight D&D conversion would be a good idea though, as the adventures would be notably different. Wealth solely exists as a means to afford luxury goods, and unless greed is part of your personality, then you only seek out enough to maintain your character's standard of living.

Conflict resolution includes talking many times, and the killing is essentially never an option. Defeating a giant monster with brute force isn't going to happen. You have to use either psychological techniques (like berating it), distracting it long enough for something big enough to be used, or take advantage of its weak points. For example, they defeated the kaiju bear by realizing it was actually an Ursa Minor (baby giant bear beast) and it was rampaging because it was woken from its nap, so they just sung it a lullaby and gave it a bottle.

I have a few more ideas/contributions, but I don't have time to type it all out (errands and junk until tomorrow evening). I would love to hear ideas on an MLP RPG.

Josh_Kablack · Post by **Josh_Kablack** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 9:26 pm

I endorse this project.

But I doubt that I will be any actual help.

CatharzGodfoot · Post by **CatharzGodfoot** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 9:30 pm

The most developed diplomatic system I can think of is the one in Sundown. So use that as a chassis. Supernatural type and power source can be tattoo-based.

DSMatticus · Post by **DSMatticus** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 10:43 pm

This totally should have stayed a joke in the MPSIMS thread.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 10:57 pm

actually, After Sundown could work... You'd need to develop new magics, and you'd probably have vastly fewer types, but it could work. Though I think violence should be possible for those who want to play Rainbow Dash and yet still solve problems with "I hoof it in the face. Repeatedly."

edit:....is that supposed to be a SPIKE PONY!?

sake · Post by **sake** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 12:02 am

This is a pretty early one that popped up on /co/ a while back:
http://puzzlesandponies.deviantart.com/ ... /#/d354jxv

And here's a somewhat grimdark'ed up one using the "Don't rest Your Head' rules
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd76 ... LPDRYH.png

Someone also made stat blocks of the pony races for Pathfinder:
http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?569 ... hell-Paizo

Also I'd think the Gurps Toon book would also work just fine. Maybe even Bunnies and Burrows, if you were just running earth ponies and low powered unicorns. But, all in all I think a rules light, MTP heavy rules set would work best for it.

Username17 · Post by **Username17** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 7:43 am

I have never seen an episode of MLP: Friendship is Magic. I have heard surprisingly good things about it however. From what I understand, almost every adventure involves ponies talking at enemies until they give up. Is that correct?

Under the circumstances, it seems like it would be a reasonable life goal to have a game where social "combat" would be the order of the day. Literally talking at people until they give up would be the entire point.

After Sundown has a good set of social maneuver options, but it still defaults to vague "awesomeness levels" upon getting results. You'd want instead to go to a "challenge round" setup, where each character their appeals or contentions in turn, and the total argument was shifted each round based on aggregate results and counters and such.

-Username17

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 8:06 am

FrankTrollman wrote:I have never seen an episode of MLP: Friendship is Magic. I have heard surprisingly good things about it however. From what I understand, almost every adventure involves ponies talking at enemies until they give up. Is that correct?

Under the circumstances, it seems like it would be a reasonable life goal to have a game where social "combat" would be the order of the day. Literally talking at people until they give up would be the entire point.

After Sundown has a good set of social maneuver options, but it still defaults to vague "awesomeness levels" upon getting results. You'd want instead to go to a "challenge round" setup, where each character their appeals or contentions in turn, and the total argument was shifted each round based on aggregate results and counters and such.

-Username17

Ah, to appeal to that booming 9 year old girl aspiring lawyer demographic.

sake · Post by **sake** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 9:09 am

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

There's at least a couple characters whose favorite problem solving method is slamming their hooves into the monster's face but it is a cartoon for little girls, so that has to always fail to actually do anything.

The only times they've had a monster of the week actually get talked to defeat normally involve the character with the semi-magical intimidation ability. The rest of time it's creative uses of magic and/or skills or the old 'trick person into defeating themselves' method, and once even a friendship powered magic rainbow death laser. Plus, it seems like the original direction the show's creator wanted for the show was more or less "Sailor Unicorn and the Pony Scouts" before it became more slice of life.

Besides, they're intelligent horses that can throw shit around with their minds, fly and control the weather. no reason they couldn't beat the hell of most anything that tried to start something.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 9:18 am

sake wrote:
FrankTrollman wrote: From what I understand, almost every adventure involves ponies talking at enemies until they give up. Is that correct?
There's at least a couple characters whose favorite problem solving method is slamming their hooves into the monster's face but it is a cartoon for little girls, so that has to always fail to actually do anything.

The only times they've had a monster of the week actually get talked to defeat normally involve the character with the semi-magical intimidation ability. The rest of time it's creative uses of magic and/or skills or the old 'trick person into defeating themselves' method, and once even a friendship powered magic rainbow death laser.

...why am I not watching this show!?

Count Arioch the 28th · Thu Jun 02, 2011 2:40 pm

Prak_Anima wrote:
sake wrote:
FrankTrollman wrote: From what I understand, almost every adventure involves ponies talking at enemies until they give up. Is that correct?
There's at least a couple characters whose favorite problem solving method is slamming their hooves into the monster's face but it is a cartoon for little girls, so that has to always fail to actually do anything.

The only times they've had a monster of the week actually get talked to defeat normally involve the character with the semi-magical intimidation ability. The rest of time it's creative uses of magic and/or skills or the old 'trick person into defeating themselves' method, and once even a friendship powered magic rainbow death laser.
...why am I not watching this show!?

Don't be a Bronie.

NoDot · Post by **NoDot** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 5:24 pm

FrankTrollman wrote:I have never seen an episode of MLP: Friendship is Magic.

Go watch it. Now. It's on Youtube. (I recommend starting with 1x07 - Dragonshy.)

Count Arioch the 28th · Fri Jun 03, 2011 4:16 am

NoDot wrote:
FrankTrollman wrote:I have never seen an episode of MLP: Friendship is Magic.
Go watch it. Now. It's on Youtube. (I recommend starting with 1x07 - Dragonshy.)

... I'm actually surprised at how good this cartoon is.

Sir Neil · Post by **Sir Neil** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 6:35 am

virgil wrote:For example, they defeated the kaiju bear by realizing it was actually an Ursa Minor (baby giant bear beast) and it was rampaging because it was woken from its nap, so they just sung it a lullaby and gave it a bottle.

That's adorable. I have to find that episode and have my soldiers watch it.

virgil · Post by **virgil** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 6:56 am

The episode with the Diamond Dogs is another good one, as are the first two which is the style closer to what Lauren Faust wanted to go. The execs have been pretty harsh on slice-of-life episodes, the Cutie Mark Crusaders in particular. Fortunately, the show has been popular enough with the ratings that they gave Faust free reign on the design of the second season, which is beautifully promising.

Nightmare Moon is essentially the season's only sentient/speaking villain that wasn't defeated via social combat, but she seems to follow the format closer to Sailor Moon villains (assumption here, as I never saw the show). And even with her, her motivation for being a villain is because she wanted to be as loved as her sister and took the "love through fear" route when she went bad.

DSMatticus · Post by **DSMatticus** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 7:10 am

Arioch wrote:... I'm actually surprised at how good this cartoon is.

And that's how eunuchs are made.

Kidding, kidding. One day I'll probably have to suck it up and see what all the internet rage is about, but until then I'm going to keep acting like I have some dignity left (emphasis: acting).

Lago PARANOIA · Post by **Lago PARANOIA** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 2:24 pm

Any of you guys familiar with the system of Mouse Guard?

Both the good (and bad) parts of that system seems like it could fit the format of the show with some facelifting and reappropriation of some skills --most of the survival skills need to go, replaced with social interaction skills like bluffing and performance.

Lago PARANOIA · Post by **Lago PARANOIA** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 2:26 pm

Also, even though I haven't seen even one MLP episode, being a fan of FIM would make me nowhere near as embarrassed as admitting that I'm a fan of Exalted, Star Trek: Voyager, or Yu-Gi-Oh.

Ravengm · Post by **Ravengm** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 4:58 pm

Lago PARANOIA wrote:Yu-Gi-Oh.

You are in good company, brother.

Hieronymous Rex · Post by **Hieronymous Rex** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 7:00 pm

Double Post

Hieronymous Rex · Post by **Hieronymous Rex** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 7:15 pm

Ponycraft 2

While we're at it, Shaolin Showdown, Flapjack, and Adventure Time are good shows.

Dominicius · Post by **Dominicius** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 8:22 pm

MLP has very few things in the realm of dice rolls. On average there is only a single dice roll per episode (ie. Rainbowdash races, Twilight tries to cast a spell, Applejack throws a laso at something).

So for the most part you can just MTP it.

virgil · Post by **virgil** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 8:48 pm

But if you notice, in many of those episodes, there's little in the way of conflict. It's mostly 'slice of life' plotlines. In the more significant episodes, such as the Friendship is Magic two-parter, Dragonshy, Fall Weather Friends, & Dog and Pony Show; there's actually enough conflict to warrant a plurality of dice rolls. Those are the episodes to stick closer too.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 10:26 pm

Apparently, someone has already done this
http://sollitudialbacklash.pbworks.com/ ... and-Ponies

erik · Post by **erik** » Fri Jun 17, 2011 12:23 am

Ravengm wrote:
Lago PARANOIA wrote:Yu-Gi-Oh.
You are in good company, brother.

I used to enjoy watching and laughing at what a brazen cheater Yu-Gi is. Try that heart of the cards business in a serious poker game and you will be shitting your teeth out the next day.

Edit:
Oh and in case nobody guessed it. I has interest in dis! Like Josh I endorse but due to my current distractions will likely be of little value as assistance. Hell, am still trying to find time to flesh out my expanding awod sketches. =-(

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My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: The RPG?

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