I am looking into the possibility of running a Codex Alera campaign. However given the lack of existing systems that well portray the setting, significant conversion work will be needed. Before I embark on such a task I want to make sure there is interest in such a campaign. My initial thought was to use GURPS but a modified world of darkness may work as well. Which system do people think would work better?
What about Savage Worlds?
What about Savage Worlds?
Never used savage worlds but I will take a look.
Yeah. I might be talked into a Savage Worlds version.
I've never used Savage Worlds and I don't really remember GURPS, but I could see Mage Spheres working (Forces, Life, Mind, and Matter but not Entropy, Prime, Time, or Spirit) to simulate the elements. And I guess you could put points into a Background to simulate a named Fury.
If you ever used it, and since you already mentioned a White Wolf system, I think White Wolf's Aberrant superhero system could work better than Mage.
This is Kirin from the Eberron game, by the way.
I still need to look at savage worlds in more detail but from what I have seen so far it would definitely work. Not entirely sure how to handle the initiative mechanic (only 2 jokers makes things complicated).
If I was to do it using world of darkness it would likely be using the core rules (removing and adding skills as needed) then creating custom disciplines for each of the 6 elements.
Regardless there does seem to be enough interest to look into this further.
etc
Jokers are highest, followed by Ace-2 of spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs.
It gets tricky, of course, because when you roll a 13 (ace of clubs) and then you roll another 13 and its the two of diamonds, and a ton of book-keeping if you want to keep going through the deck until you get a joker.
What I've seen in SW games on these forums is pretty much GM honor system initiative.
Yeah. I run and play in a couple of SW games on these boards, and I just use a regular card deck, and post the results.
Yeah. I run and play in a couple of SW games on these boards, and I just use a regular card deck, and post the results.
That is probably the best way.
Mutants and Masterminds 3rd edition could also do it.
I would be very interested in a SW game.
The way I handle SW initiative in PbP is to roll a d1000 to "guarantee" different values for everyone, with the highest values going first. A value of 37 or less would have about the same probability as getting one of the two Jokers.
This isn't *perfect*, but it is pretty close. So far (knock on e-wood) no two numbers have matched, and no more than two people have gotten a 37 or less on one round.
And in a SW PbP game I'm in, we just let the DM deal the cards at home and post the results.
I'm not familiar with Codex Alera - can you give a synopsis of the setting (fantasy, post-apocalypse, sci-fi future, modern, etc.)?
Fantasy setting, think medieval Europe with some elements of the Roman empire. All humans have some amount of control over elemental magic. The fact that everyone has at least some access has dominated society, technology is based of it, career paths dictated by your magical abilities, even social standing. This magical ability is created by people's connection to furies. The power of a fury can vary wildly. Peasants would have a connection to a weak fury, high nobility are usually strongly gifted in several areas with at least some ability in all 6, lesser nobility, knights somewhere in between.
How much does the magic system compare to bending? Also are there summoned?
How much does the magic system compare to bending? Also are there summoned?
Not sure on the bending. Physically manifesting your fury is possible at least for some elements. But it requires furies on the more powerful side and is exhausting, earth furies seem to be the easiest to manifest, followed by air and water. Only two people are known to have manifested metal furies ever.
The six elements are
Earth
Air
Fire
Water
Wood
Metal
Sounds like the "trappings" of Savage Worlds' Powers would adapt itself nicely to that at first glance, depending on how true to the book you want to be.
All you have to do is say that each Power either affects or is implemented using a specific element.
You could make taking different trappings (elements) an Edge that you can only take once per Rank.
And there is a "Summon Ally" Power, FWIW.
Sounds like the "trappings" of Savage Worlds' Powers would adapt itself nicely to that at first glance, depending on how true to the book you want to be.
All you have to do is say that each Power either affects or is implemented using a specific element.
You could make taking different trappings (elements) an Edge that you can only take once per Rank.
And there is a "Summon Ally" Power, FWIW.
I need to look at the powers in more detail, likely what will happen if savage worlds is used is each element will be an edge that would grant some benifits, and also unlocking access to powers that make sense for that element. Chances are not all powers would make sense in the setting and some powers may need to be added but a lot looks like it is already there.
Just a caution - if you've never used SW before, it's tricky to modify and/or add things like Powers and Edges, and have them end up well-balanced.
I've been using/studying it *in-depth* for four months now, and still only make tiny changes so far (and still have to re-tweak those sometimes!).
Also, keep in mind you get only a very few Edges over the course of the character's "career", even assuming they make it all the way to Legendary Rank ("20th level" in D&D terms).
It would probably be helpful to get the fantasy companion if you can.
Just a caution - if you've never used SW before, it's tricky to modify and/or add things like Powers and Edges, and have them end up well-balanced.
I've been using/studying it *in-depth* for four months now, and still only make tiny changes so far (and still have to re-tweak those sometimes!).
Also, keep in mind you get only a very few Edges over the course of the character's "career", even assuming they make it all the way to Legendary Rank ("20th level" in D&D terms).
Thus why I am leaning more towards either world of darkness or GURPS as I have actually used those systems before. I realize some people find GURPS overly complicated, but I have found once you have a character it isn't that bad. and as a PBP there is less of an issue with people taking time to look things up.
Or wait! FATE!
(Just providing opinions based on experience here, with the hope they'll help, not stating preferences.)
I'm familiar enough with GURPS that I can use it no problem. But I never became familiar enough with its magic system to know how easy or difficult it would be to convert it to furies and elements.
You might want to look into Mage the Ascension *in GURPS*! The magic system was incredibly complex, and it took a lot of tweaking to get it balanced in GURPS (some friends and I spent quite a lot of time doing just that), but the "spheres" may work as your furies or elements. And within in sphere there are "ranks" (I think that was the name) that allow you to do more powerful things within that sphere. And it's open-ended, there are no fixed spells - the player describes what they want to happen and together you decide what sphere and rank would be needed for that. And you could just drop the whole Sleepers/Vulgar/Paradox stuff, that was a really sticky wicket.
Fate requires a *completely* different mind-set on the part of the players in order to work well. As in, they have to understand it as well as the GM right from the start.
However, I would like to suggest again that you consider just using the "trappings" aspect of SW to implement the elements (doesn't change the system mechanics which would be the tricky part), but I don't know enough about Codex Alera to know if trapping could really give you the feel of CA you want.
Cheers!
I have settled on the system I am going to use.
The base will be Dark Ages: Vampire, the medieval version of Vampire the masquerade. The vast majority of the system won't need to be changed. The various forms of furycrafting will be treated in a way similar to disciplines.
I looked at Savage Worlds but didn't feel like the system would do what I wanted it to.
No ETA on when I will be ready to launch the campaign.
Progress is slowly being made.
Each of the 6 types of furycrafting will be its own "discipline" but unlike disciplines each dot after the first you have in one of the elements of furycrafting lets you pick an ability from a list of available abilities. most of the elements have a total of 5 options to pick from at this point, so a character with 5 dots in one element will be able to use all but one of the possible abilities available to that element.
Are you still recruiting? Does the campaign take place before during or after the books?
Considering your using the White Wolf system adding the Canim would be as simple as adding crinos form werewolves however adding the Marat and Icemen could be more challenging.
Are you still recruiting?
I haven't started recruitment yet this thread is merely to ensure there is sufficient interest to warrant doing the conversion. still in the process of figuring out exactly how I want to run things.
Interested.
Also if you didn't notice I added some questions to my above post.
It would be pre-books, probably just after Septimus' death. Thus stats for any of the other races are likely not needed, unless I feel like making the characters deal with an attack by one of the other species. But Alera knows almost nothing about the other races at that point. They know the marat bond with animals (which could probably simply be represented by buffs to a pair of stats that make sense for the bonded animal), they think the Icemen are barbarians interested in nothing more than pillaging civilized lands and think of the Canim as little more than seaborne raiders. I am much more interested in exploring Alerian society pre-books than post-books (the post book society doesn't really interest me).
besides there is enough of interest within Alera without having to bring anything into the country to mess with it.