Hello Guild,
I understand that, in general, numeric values are not an avenue that most text-based RPers tend to lean for the RPs; not many people seem to be enthused by the idea of letting numbers dictate the results of a battle within an RP setting. I've seen my share of them over the past few years, but they always seem to be either underdeveloped, or otherwise left for dead before the RPs even get to a point of using combat. So, over the passed few months, I've been trying to construct a system that can work relatively smoothly within a text-based format, without the use of dice.
The main goals my work have been to provide a system that would:
- Establish a tangible sense of limitations.
- Help to ensure the brevity of combat.
- Provide a basis for character growth.
Currently, I'm fumbling between two different setups, though the latter is simply a... more exaggerated form of the second. In both systems, the stat categories are:
Health: (Amount of damages a character can take before they are defeated/KOed/Killed)
Attack: (The base damage that a character can deal with a physical attack)
Speed: (Still unsure of this name for it; it reflects character's ability to react to attacks, either by blocking or dodging).
Magic/Special Skills: (Character's capacity to utilize magical spells or activated abilities that would cost some manner of energy to apply).
In both systems, a point-buy system determines where characters land in each category; everyone starting at a comparable level would start off with the same amount of points to distribute to each of their four stats. Depending on how they distribute their stats, their character would have to function in a different manner.
Now, in 'System A,' the Health stat functions at it normally would in any RPG setting; you take X damage and it gets subtracted from your health and reaching zero means your character is effectively defeated to an agreed upon extent (from simply admitting defeat to being killed). The Attack stat is static in this system, just a base measurement of fighting strength that remains constant throughout a battle. The speed and magic stats both function on a point pay system. Paying X-Magic allows a character to use a spell of X-Power, either defensively or offensively. Paying from the speed stat allows one to divert a certain amount of damage; based on an attempted test run of this system, which utilized relatively low starting stats, paying 1 speed point allowed for the diverting of half of an attack's damage, while paying 2 allowed the entirety of the damage to be avoided.
In 'System B,' the Attack stat is reworked to function on a payment system: pay x-attack to deal x-damage to opponent; effectively, it is the expending of energy in the effort of fighting, every punch and kick tiring a character out more and more. Furthermore, in this system the 'speed' stat would function on a point-for-point basis. In other words, x-points pays diverts that amount of damage. Otherwise, Health and magic remain the same. This system would likely involve a higher starting point for the stat points used to distribute to the four stats.
In either system, Magic points would likely double in function for purchasing some set roster of spells and/or abilities.
The questions I have:
1. On paper, which system seems most fluid for RPing? If you had to use one, which would it be?
2. What sort of modifications can be made? That is, beyond simply scrapping both ideas? Stats to add?
3. Failing these, are there any existing systems that I might be able to looking into that can accomplish the same goals?
I understand that, in general, numeric values are not an avenue that most text-based RPers tend to lean for the RPs; not many people seem to be enthused by the idea of letting numbers dictate the results of a battle within an RP setting. I've seen my share of them over the past few years, but they always seem to be either underdeveloped, or otherwise left for dead before the RPs even get to a point of using combat. So, over the passed few months, I've been trying to construct a system that can work relatively smoothly within a text-based format, without the use of dice.
The main goals my work have been to provide a system that would:
- Establish a tangible sense of limitations.
- Help to ensure the brevity of combat.
- Provide a basis for character growth.
Currently, I'm fumbling between two different setups, though the latter is simply a... more exaggerated form of the second. In both systems, the stat categories are:
Health: (Amount of damages a character can take before they are defeated/KOed/Killed)
Attack: (The base damage that a character can deal with a physical attack)
Speed: (Still unsure of this name for it; it reflects character's ability to react to attacks, either by blocking or dodging).
Magic/Special Skills: (Character's capacity to utilize magical spells or activated abilities that would cost some manner of energy to apply).
In both systems, a point-buy system determines where characters land in each category; everyone starting at a comparable level would start off with the same amount of points to distribute to each of their four stats. Depending on how they distribute their stats, their character would have to function in a different manner.
Now, in 'System A,' the Health stat functions at it normally would in any RPG setting; you take X damage and it gets subtracted from your health and reaching zero means your character is effectively defeated to an agreed upon extent (from simply admitting defeat to being killed). The Attack stat is static in this system, just a base measurement of fighting strength that remains constant throughout a battle. The speed and magic stats both function on a point pay system. Paying X-Magic allows a character to use a spell of X-Power, either defensively or offensively. Paying from the speed stat allows one to divert a certain amount of damage; based on an attempted test run of this system, which utilized relatively low starting stats, paying 1 speed point allowed for the diverting of half of an attack's damage, while paying 2 allowed the entirety of the damage to be avoided.
In 'System B,' the Attack stat is reworked to function on a payment system: pay x-attack to deal x-damage to opponent; effectively, it is the expending of energy in the effort of fighting, every punch and kick tiring a character out more and more. Furthermore, in this system the 'speed' stat would function on a point-for-point basis. In other words, x-points pays diverts that amount of damage. Otherwise, Health and magic remain the same. This system would likely involve a higher starting point for the stat points used to distribute to the four stats.
In either system, Magic points would likely double in function for purchasing some set roster of spells and/or abilities.
The questions I have:
1. On paper, which system seems most fluid for RPing? If you had to use one, which would it be?
2. What sort of modifications can be made? That is, beyond simply scrapping both ideas? Stats to add?
3. Failing these, are there any existing systems that I might be able to looking into that can accomplish the same goals?