Well, I've burned a few bridges lately, but then I'm far to arrogant and self indulgent to be a free-lancer anyhow.  besides it divides my efforts and attention.  Still, I've got this fantasy world I've been working on for a grand campaign I wanted to run and I need a ruleset for it.  Galaxies in Shadow won't do because I want an oldschool level based game.

So here we go again...

Action Results
The success and failure of actions are determined by rolling percentile under a target number modified by adding the appropriate stats and skills.  In the case of opposed rolls, the opponents ratings are subtracted from the target number.  In some cases there will be a second target number such as the chance of striking a foe's armour.  If doubles are rolled, the resultant success or failure is exceptional.

Character Statistics
The core statistics are Strength, Agility, Endurance, Intellect, Willpower, Perception, and Empathy.

The ratings for these are rolled on 2d10.

Racial Statistics
The character's race does not modifiy their Statistics, rather there are racial characteristics like Size and Fae that modify specific actions.

Skills
There are hundreds of possible skills and it is easier to learn a little of a skill than it is to learn a lot of it.  Each level a character gets 25 points to spend on skills from the following categories.  The number of points added per level is squared.  Points can also be added for the whole category at twice the normal cost.

Animal (Riding, Husbandry, by type) Empathy, Agility, Endurance
Armour (By Type) Strength, Endurance, Agility
Athletic (Climbing, Swimming, Acrobatics) Strength, Agility, Endurance
CRAFT (Cooking, Baking, Smithing) Willpower, Intellect, Agility
Faith (Specific Rites) Willpower, Empathy, Empathy
Lore (Specific Fields) Intellect, Intellect, Willpower
Magic (Specific Spells) Intellect, Willpower, Empathy
Melee (Specific Weapons) Strength, Agility, Intellect
Missile (Specific Weapons) Agility, Perception, Intellect
Observation (Awareness, Tracking, Surveillance) Perception, Perception, Intellect
Outdoor (Survival, specific terrain) Perception, Endurance, Intellect
Social (Etiquette, Languages, Diplomacy, Lying) Empathy, Intellect, Willpower
Stealth (Pick Pockets, Sneak, Distract) Agility, Agility, Intellect
Technical (Clockwork, Locksmith, Weaving) Intellect, Intellect, Willpower
VEHICLE (Ship Handling, Boating) Perception, Agility, Intellect

Combat

Melee attacks are made by adding the attacker's Melee skill to a target number of fifty and subtracting the target's Melee skill.

Missile attacks are made by adding the attacker's Missile skill to a target number based on the distance to the target, 60 for short range, 30 for medium, and 15 for long.  The target's Size is added to the chance to hit.

Damage is determined by rolling d% and adding the character's Strength, Size, and any weapon appropriate modifiers.  If the attack roll is less than the target's Armour Coverage, their Armour Protection is subtracted from the damage.

Critical hits add 50 to the damage.

A character can suffer 50 + their Athletic points of damage before being incapacitated.

Hmmm...to make the numbers work I'm going to have to do something else with the stats.  I really like the three stats per skill category so it's probably staying.  It encourages diversification.  Also, I want to cap what you can spend on a stat.

Now on the skill front I'm changing the way you buy them a bit.  There's now a two point limit per level on skills and categories and a one point limit per level on statistics but the cost is one to one.

Initiative and combat sequence:

In a round, the combatants take their turns in order from the fastest to the slowest movement rate.  A waiting character can interupt to make an attack with a longer weapon or to move.  It is possible to make multiple attacks in a turn with a ten point penalty per attack after the first.

Just out of curiousity: I ALWAYS see an animal husbandry skill somewhere in a game. Always. Even in space games, swear.

Does anyone ever actually USE this skill?

If so: Why? Do we game to get that awesome adventure in farming???



I now return you to your regularly scheduled thread in progress.  Be Well, Citizen.

Because when you start breeding your own warhorses, you need to be able to tell the boys from the girls.

Quote from: David JohansenBecause when you start breeding your own warhorses, you need to be able to tell the boys from the girls.

that's a Myth I tell ya.  A Myth. Let those Zany Kids work it out for themselves! the boy horses are the ones that get on top!:D

Here's some notes on the world, though not the languages because I'm not sure I'm going with them.  I mainly want them as a consistant nameing convention, but currently the names that come out of it aren't great...

Creation
     The old man grew weary as he wandered in the void and so he laid himself down to rest and as he slept he dreamed of a woman who warned him that he could only find what he sought in the place where he lay.  When he awakened he drew the stars out of the light of his eyes and hung them in the heavens so that he could see the earth beneath his feet.  Being hungry he caused trees to grow, bearing fruit and all other things which are good to eat.  Being thirsty, he made the rivers and the oceans, and being lazy filled them with fish.

Note
     The common assumption that the gods are a family descended from Grandfather and Grandmother is incorrect for they were never man and wife nor did they consort with one another.  Rather, each created races as suited their own whims and purposes and these created their gods, not the other way around as it is often told.

Gods are local phenomena, that is to say in one place at one time.   They used to have realms in the physical world but have moved off into the dream/spirit realm as they've killed each other off.

Elves and orcs were created when the light was sundered from the darkness.  They are the ways and means of the original separation.  As elves have declined from beings of pure light, so to have the orcs declined from beings of pure darkness.  Elves worship gods and many still practice human sacrifice.  Orcs are atheists by their very nature, worshiping only their own will to power, they are practical idealists who delight in the pleasures of life and are good with animals.

Dwarves were later created by Grandfather as servants and laborers.

Many gods started as elves or stars.

Grandfather's occasional servants are prophets.

Grandmother is the crone and death as well as fate.  In Grandmother's house, or in Grandmother's Garden are colloquialisms for death.  Dragons are descended from the guardians of Grandmother's Garden.

Primary faith worships Father, Mother, and Child a trinity which has set itself up as a family and is widely accepted in human lands.  Some still worship the gods of the elves or the orcs.

Most gods are conceptual entities that inhabit neverlands and dreamplaces rather than other planes in the literal sense. A few are wanderers like

Grandfather or universal principals like Grandmother but not many.
Humans were created by the gods to be a source of power with a faster turn around time.

There are no actual demons, but the servitors of other gods often appear demonic and gods can become demonized over time if their followers turn to evil.
World

Many (20-30) smaller kingdoms, no great empires.  Small continent and some major islands in known world.

The Brackenfells

Time Line
     Ancient Empire / Earth Masters - ork friends, evil rigid stagnant
     
     Tribal migration speeds decline- Exodi are elf friends and practice human sacrifice
     
     First Kingom - Former Glory - City States League with powerful chieftains
     Dark Age
     Rise of Neighbour Empire New Fait
     Renewal
     Neighbour in decline
     Neighbour Sacked - orcs or exodi?
 
    Forign Saviours - worshipers of The Judge - an outsider / wayfarer like Grandfather
          Mariners, Merchant Houses + Reign of the Judges  Advanced island kingdom that is more the enduring sort of evil which is more self serving than sadistic.

PC Races
Humans
Dwarfs
Giants
Elves
Fae
Wee Folk

Elves and orcs share a creation myth and are mirror images of each other rather than orcs being debased elves.  Elves were the servitors of a god.
Trolls are a natural race with several varieties, more beastial than rocky or rubbery.

Most monsters are one of a kind accidents of creation rather than races.
Dragons and more especially the smaller ones are quite common.

And here's a cleaned up version of the core rules.  One goal I have is a very small rules kernel.

Creating A Character
     1. Roll Traits
          Agility, Endurance, Dexterity,  Knowledge, Logic, Perception, Strength, Talent, Willpower
 
         2d10

          Roll_____Maximum
          19-20______20
          17-18______19
          15-16______18
          13-14______17
          11-12______16
          9-10_______15
          7-8________14
          5-6________13
          3-4________12
          1-2________11

     2. Chose Race
          Racial Trait modifiers are added to the character's current and maximum ratings.
     3. Chose Culture
          provides skill modifiers and limits profession
     4. Chose Profession
          apprenticeship skills and starting gear
     5. Chose Skills

Skills and Categories
     Since there are hundreds of possible skills, they are organized into Fields of Endeavors to simplify things.  Each field of Endeavor gets a bonus from three different Characteristics.

Maximum Expenditure Per Level
Current___Skill___Field___Trait
0 - 19_____3_____2_______1    
20 - 39____2_____1_______1
40 +_______1_____0______1

Animal = Agility + Perception + Talent
Athletic = Agility + Endurance + Strength
Craft = Knowledge + Perception + Dexterity
Lore = Knowledge + Perception + Logic
Magic = Knowledge + Willpower + Talent
Melee = Strength + Agility + Dexterity
Missile = Perception + Dexterity + Strength
Nature = Perception + Knowledge + Endurance
Observation = Perception + Willpower + Logic
Social = Talent + Perception + Willpower
Stealth = Agility + Perception + Willpower
Technical = Intellect + Intellect + Perception

Action Results
     The success of an action is determined by rolling percentile under the character's total skill rating.  In cases where the target of an action is able to resist, there is a fifty point bonus but the target's total skill is subtracted from the chance of success.

Combat Sequence
     Combatants take their turns in order from the fastest moving to the slowest.  A weapon's attack speed is the penalty to hit for each additional attack made each turn.

Armour has a Coverage rating that is the base chance of landing a blow on bare flesh.  This is modified by the character's skill, just as the base chance to hit is.  If the attack roll is lower than the modified Coverage rating the target's armour provide's no protection.

Damage
     When an attack hits, roll percentile and add any weapon bonuses and subtract the target's armour Protection to find the number of points inflicted.  When a character has suffered points equal to their Athletic Field total, they are incapacitated.  Once incapacitated they can be finished off by a coup de grace.

There will be an optional Hitlocation / Critical Hit system.

Incidentally, this isn't really just me trying to re-create Rolemaster, there's lots of elements of games that I want to steal, errr, emulate.

Wizard's Realm - directness of character creation, class is what you call what you do, as opposed to profession as what you learned to do during adolescence.

High Fantasy - Living spell books, some of the magic system.

Sword Bearer - Nodes (I loves me some nodes)

Fantasy World - The ultimate in scalable percentile magic, truely elegant.

The Arduin Adventure - Priests who can't heal those who don't share their faith.

Chivalry and Sorcery - Realm management, Enchanting

Dragon Quest - Effort to actually have spells from folklore and fiction in the rules, honestly an expanded Dragon Quest is very much where I want to go with this.

Here's a bit of a magic system I've been toying with.  It's right along the lines I'm thinking, being very much about building up effects from a limited number of spell types and tying spells directly to a specific culture and order of magicians through specific bits and pieces of mystical knowledge. The only thing is that it doesn't quite take advantage of the level based system yet.  It would work well with Galaxies in Shadow, oddly enough...

Magic

     Mystical Power: A magician has a number of "Magic Points" equal to their Magic Skill to
spend on working spells and rituals.

Chance of Success: Skill In The Spell - Power Level + Magic Points Spent

Binding:
     These spells are used to link the spirits and objects.  These items are then attuned to the
magician.  The number of Magic Points spent on a Binding becomes the maximum amount of
power that can be manipulated through that link.

Focus Binding: A focus is a magical tool that allows the magician to spend magic points to
counteract the penalty from the Power Level of the spell.  Most foci are limited to aiding the
magician in casting certain types of spells.

Power Binding: A vessel is a magical tool that allows the magician to store extra magic points.

Pact Binding: A pact is a magical contract containing terms and consequences.

Tome Binding: A tome or spell book with rituals and spells recorded in it becomes a part of the
magician.  The magician will never forget a spell that they have inscribed in a Bound Tome.

Absorption: Translates power from other spells or damage from specific sources directly into
Magic Points.  Obviously the difficulty is that the spell must be cast at a greater power level than
the number of points expended on it.

Area: the spell fills or affects one cubic pace per Power Level.

Attack: The target takes d% + Power Level damage.

Duration: Spells normally last for a single Round.  Rituals are generally permanent or at least
very long lasting.  A spell can be maintained by spending a number Magic Points equal to the
Power Level each round.

Movement: The target can move a number of Paces per Round equal to the Power Level.

Protection: Translates Magic Points directly into armour against a specific type of damage.

Resisted Effect: The spell casting attempt is treated as a contest, adding fifty to the chance of
success and subtracting the indicated rating.

The Brothers of the Inferno

     A well known order of magicians, specializing in the manipulation and conjuration of
fire.  The brotherhood is well known and often work closely with The Guild of Metal Workers.

Vessel of Wrath
     Ritual Preparation, Power Binding

     The magician prepares a lanthorn, brazier, or firebox by filling it with a mixture of oils
and charcoal while chanting the words of power.  The vessel can then absorb and contain power
for the magician's use.  The vessel is a bound item and can only contain and release power for its
creator.

Holocaust Cloak
     Ritual Preparation, Focus Binding

     The magician prepares an orange velvet robe by embroidering mystic signs on it in thread
of fine twined brass.  The robe will then serve as a focus for working magic relating to fire. The
cloak will not burn and protects its wearer from fire.

Conspiracy of Arson
     Conjuration Ritual

     A spirit of elemental fire is summoned into a Vessel of Wrath where it can communicate
with the magician through the Binding Link.  The magician must negociate a pact of service with
the spirit, where upon it can be unleashed into an existing fire.

Consume Flame
     Absorption Spell

     The magician inhales flames and translates them into mystic power to restore their own
reserve or fill a vessel.

Wraiths of Smoke and Shadow
     Area Illusion Spell

     Existing smoke from a fire is shaped into images and forms as the magician desires.

Word of Fire
     Area Attack Spell

     The magician returns fire they have absorbed as mystical power and unleashes it.


Smoke Also Rises
     Movement Spell

     Fire and smoke billow from beneath the magician's cloak as they are hurled into the air.

Billowing Smoke
     Area Spell

     Black, sticky smoke billows from any available source of fire choking those in the area
filled and obscuring those within and beyond it from sight.

Quote from: SpikeJust out of curiousity: I ALWAYS see an animal husbandry skill somewhere in a game. Always. Even in space games, swear.

Does anyone ever actually USE this skill?

If so: Why? Do we game to get that awesome adventure in farming???



I now return you to your regularly scheduled thread in progress.  Be Well, Citizen.

It gets my player's vote as most useless skill.

-clash

Animal Husbandry only comes in handy in a Western RPG. The rest of the time it's as useless as 90 percent of the rest of the Skills listed in most RPG books. Of course, people bitch and whine when a game lacks a long list of useless skills. I like the way the OP has shortened the Santa Claus Skill list down to some essential Skill sets.

Thanks

One thing about the setting / system I'm building here will be a structured in-game economy.  Guess what?  Just as in history, livestock will be a far more common commodity than buckets of jewels.  What do you do when the big treasure is a hundred head of cattle?

Quote from: David JohansenWhat do you do when the big treasure is a hundred head of cattle?

Steal the cattle?

Quote from: David JohansenThanks

One thing about the setting / system I'm building here will be a structured in-game economy.  Guess what?  Just as in history, livestock will be a far more common commodity than buckets of jewels.  What do you do when the big treasure is a hundred head of cattle?

Kill them and take their cattle?

-clash

Sdit: Bah! Scooped! By a Canadian!

Quote from: flyingmiceBah! Scooped! By a Canadian!

We're clever that way.