Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!security!genrad!grkermit!masscomp!clyde!floyd!harpo!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!parsec!ctvax!uokvax!andree From: andree@uokvax.UUCP Newsgroups: net.games.frp Subject: Re: Homebrew rules sets - (nf) Message-ID: <5104@uiucdcs.UUCP> Date: Mon, 23-Jan-84 22:55:35 EST Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.5104 Posted: Mon Jan 23 22:55:35 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 27-Jan-84 09:35:26 EST Lines: 63 #R:shark:-21000:uokvax:2400029:000:3256 uokvax!andree Jan 22 01:57:00 1984 Yeah, I homebrew my FRP rules. The second universe I built had homebrew rules (the second universe EVERYBODY in our group built had homebrew rules - we had all so severely hacked the D&D rules (this is app pre-AD&D) that it was a natural), to the extent that it didn't look at all like D&D. I think that D&D's most fatal flaw is the system of levels. I can't rationalize how somebody can go from "probably dead after one sword blow" to "Oh, did we get fireballed?". The second problem I see is the VERY HIGH distinction between character classes. Doesn't make sense to me. Finally, the fact that magic tends to overpower swordplay at high levels [I'm not sure this can be escaped - but I try to push the level as high as possible.] Given this, my first set of homebrew rules through out levels, and character classes. The key driving force was "experience points." You got ep for knocking other people out of a battle. You then got to spend this (along with some cash) on improving your abilities in any given area (swordplay, etc). Magic was spell point driven, each spell having a formula for determing how much it cost (to learn, to throw, and to maintain). The total number of spell points you had between rests was whatever you had spent learning spells. This suffered from the problem that, no matter how good you were with a weapon, you could (in theory) find somebody arbitrarily better. The effect was about right, in that if he were n times better than you, you would hit him 1/n'th as often as he hit you, and he might NEVER hit you, but it still felt weird. I also added fatigue in such a way as to make wearing heavy armor possible if you were a wimp, but very costly. For my third (and current) universe, I used the runequest system - modified, of course. No more experience points. You now have some skill level with a weapon (initial level determined by combination of base characteristics and chance), and every time you succeed at something, there is a chance (that decreases as you get better) that you learned enough to get better at what you did. It's all flat. For example, if you currently have a 20% parry ability with a sword, you'll parry 20% of the hits made on you (you have to use a sword, of course). Everytime you succeed, there's an 80% chance of you getting better. People tend to get to 60-70% fairly quickly (or they get dead), and then hang, getting better slowly. It mimics the learning curve very nicely. Character classes came back, of a sort. Magic now comes in 6 colors, and there is a 2/3 or so chance that any given character will be able to practice one color. Some people can use more than one, some can't use any. This is done by having a a randomly determined base ability in each color, such that you usually can't succefully throw ANY spells, hence can't get better at that color. The spells in a color are logically related, and can be combined (thought nobody but me knows it, yet) in interesting ways. The whole thing is manna driven (and manna leaks away at a known rate, hehe), and staffs and wands are channels/amplifiers. This too, hangs together in a way that feels right to me. I am interested in what others have done, as I'm always willing to use somebody else's good idea.