Hi everyone,
I've been in the process of creating my own TTRPG for several years, spending a lot of time on it some years, and then setting it aside for 6+ months, and then coming back to it.
I'd like to try to brainstorm some additional ideas, and that's where you can help. What would you like to see in a new TTRPG? What do you consider to be innovative or key for a TTRPG?
Here are some of the most important guidelines for my new system:
- Rules light
- Characters have Vitality Points (VP - similar to HP, representing the ability to deflect/avoid attacks), Wound Points (WP - representing bodily harm), and Stamina Points (SP, representing a character's ability to perform spells/special attacks or abilities.)
- No classes - each character is built with Creation Points (CP). Certain races, and all skills/abilities/etc cost CP. After a certain number (estimated currently at 40) the spending of additional points will increase the amount of experience a character needs to gain a level.
- Gods may or may not exist, but if they do, they're unable to take physical form on the world. Believers at times claim to speak to their god in their dreams, at altars, etc.
- There is only one type of magic. Different spell casters use it in different ways, but its all the same power.
- Two different types of magical abilities/effects: Spells and Incantations.
- Spells are somewhat limited. A spells duration never lasts longer than concentration. Spell casters can have a limited number of buff-type spells in effect at one time, as long as they continue to concentrate on them. Doing so reduces a spell caster's Stamina. Blast and utility spells exist as instantaneous effects.
- Incantations (both individual and group) exist, and are used for very powerful effects and long-term magic (such as creating magic items, golems, floating castles, etc.)
I've been working on various systems to make different types of spell casting feel as different as possible. There are NO spells that overlap with other casting styles.
•Sorcery uses spellpoints and a very fluid system. The player gets to choose a specific damage type that cannot be unchosen without good reason. Once their energy has been drawn from a pool, they can wield it in multiple ways, hurling it, making a touch attack, adding energy damage to their weapon, etc. Bloodline abilities and more powerful ways to use their energy (rays, cones, etc.) can be unlocked as they level up.
•Wizardry is entirely resource dependent. Spells are performed by mixing reagents in specific ways, drawing complex symbols with chalk, or implementing magic items. Every spell effect can be customized using a system closer to a programming language than a spell list. Instead of spells per day, a Wizard gains spells that they can prepare without reffering to their spellbook.
•Divine Magic is performed with a difficulty check that is affected by previous passes or failures, status effects, and variables that occur from roleplay. Spells fall on the alignment axis, and campaigns are designed to make players make tough decisions that effect their ability to cast spells from from those axes. Ie; a Paladin type may be forced to choose between a 'Lawful' choice and a 'Good' choice, which will in turn determine how well they cast healing spells vs. throwing lightning bolts.
•Druids gain an amount of spell points whenever they commune with nature, and choose to level specific domains (or skill trees. Hee hee) seperately. These domains include flora, fauna, weather, and earth. They also receive bonuses from places of cultural or spiritual significance (since you are on Eagle-Eye Mountain, the party's ranged attacks can go an extra 10 feet without penalty, or double that if you choose not to share this bonus). They can choose wether they would like to shape-shift into something from their chosen domain, or gain control of it.
(Will update more later. Gotta work.)
there a bunch of new TTRPG, so if I would be to adopt a new one, it would be for it's distinct feel/style/niche. In other words, I'm not interested in another generic system; sell me something specific.
btw, when I say "distinct", i don't mean "new and revolutionary". If you're going for medieval fantasy, I want some mechanical tools to be able to pull all medieval fantasy tropes (mystical magic, shields and helmets important etc).
I'm fond of the "one distinctive mechanics that makes this game different". Whether this is a central mechanic or more of an accessory is not important.