Finding the right multi-genre game mechanics

[Leitz]

I'm happy with the level based increased survivability in AD&D, but don't care for the "you only learn if you kill and steal" nature of experience points. I really enjoy the skill based systems like Traveller/Cepheus Engine, where you can learn skills and such without "adventuring." Pay some cash, spend the time, and there you go.

What I'm really trying to find is a game mechanic where those two ideas mesh. GURPS and the Hero System aren't too bad, but GURPS really doesn't seem to do superheroes or space well. Hero system is cool, as long as you don't mind starting from scratch every time.

Thoughts?

[dmw71]

I'm happy with the level based increased survivability in AD&D, but don't care for the "you only learn if you kill and steal" nature of experience points.

I very much want to avoid this as well and, while it's not perfect, until I devise a better solution I have switched the games I run to a milestone advancement system.

Once certain objectives have been met, the entire group will advance. It doesn't matter if anything or everything was killed in their path, it's the objective that matters.

[dmw71]

The Dungeon Craft is my favorite YouTube channel of late, and he has a video where he shares how he handles experience points and leveling up.

It's an extremely simple system that I'm definitely thinking of borrowing for my next game:

D&D XP the Fast & Easy Way! (8:20)

[Leitz]

Okay, I need to go watch this. Thanks!

[Leitz]

The Dungeon Craft is my favorite YouTube channel of late, and he has a video where he shares how he handles experience points and leveling up.

It's an extremely simple system that I'm definitely thinking of borrowing for my next game:

D&D XP the Fast & Easy Way! (8:20)

Very nice! I'd make 1st -> 2nd 5 XP in his system, and not max out hit points. I like the mid-levels, say 5-8-ish, for some interesting character challenges. In the 9-12 range it starts to get organizational, and that's a different challenge set.

Still not sure how to blend this with a skill system.

[Leitz]

In theory, given modern or sci-fi settings, most people won't go beyond first or second "level". In the D&D sense, a level denotes things like combat survivability and the ability to channel greater mystic power. It also links skills to levels, but that's the link I'm trying to disconnect. Someone could study rock-climbing and lock-picking and be a pretty decent "rogue/thief". Or they could do a lot of SCA style fighting but never have been in a life or death sword fight.

If you take those two "characters", and assume they can make the mental transition (pass their morale check), they would be much better off than the average person who has done neither of those. They could be second level and have a much higher survivability rate. But they could also have other skills, similar to Traveller or Basic Role Playing (BRP).

[Grognardsw]

I’ve found BRP to be good in crossing genres with its skill based system. It’s what I’m using in my 2112: The Prog Rock RPG, where the characters are rock musicians and genres will be crossed. Rather than XP, the successful use of a skill gives one the opportunity to improve it. BRP is taken to more sophisticated levels within Chaosium’s various games, but can also be used in its simple form for multi-genre. That simplicity is a plus for me compared to the complex GURPs.

[cybersavant]

best multi-genre => TORG, or the reboot TORG Eternity

[tibbius]

Tunnel Goons, or 2400 - either works well across a broad spectrum of settings.

[Leitz]

I don't really have an answer for this yet, but an idea started forming in the clouded recesses of my mind.

In AD&D (1st) PCs can have skills. So you run the PCs as AD&D and add BRP style skills. I'm particularly thinking of something like a 1632 based game where modern-ish people go back into a feudal or renaissance Europe. The risk, of course, is that I'm not a historian so my accuracy would be inaccurate.

In theory most non-spell casting classes would be easy, but without serious work a PC would be 1st level. If someone was a HEMA fighter with actual combat (military, big city police) experience, though, that would be possible. Monotheism is the order of the era, but a cleric could progress. A war time chaplain may even be higher than first level. Not sure on druids. So far I'm seeing two genres of wizards; the first is a non-magical technician who can replicate spell effects through technology. The other option would be someone who had distant fae blood and the temporal transition activated it.

PCs would start out with a few benefits; things like "great stats", "extra level", "Professional Skills", "Senior Skill (2pts)", or "Resource to be Determined (RtbD)". Maybe a two point cost "Major Resource to be Determined "MRtbD)". Give each PC three points and see what happens. A professional skill would be 50% plus stat mods, and a senior professional skill would be 75%+. Standard modern gear available, an RtbD might be the local pharmacy transferred intact and stocks are full. A MRtbD could be the same pharmacy but the delivery truck was unloading when things went sideways, and now stock levels are really good.

This would combine the AD&D survivability with non-class based skills. Not sure it would work at all, but it's been fun typing through.

[gurusql]

Being a HERO guy myself, I would naturally point you towards HERO. There are multiple pre-defined magic systems and lists of magic items that have different game effects vs AD&D. HERO out of the box without having classes at all allows you have have a thief that cannot pick pockets, but is very good at opening locks as an example. If you want to have a "predefined" class or race you can make a package deal. The big change is that game balance comes with points not built-in restrictions to races.

[Leitz]

Hero is a cool system, I started with the old blue Champions book in the early '80's and enjoyed it. Of course, everything back then was like Traveller; the rules were frameworks and you needed to put a lot of thought into building everything. A few years ago I was in a Lucha Libre game based off of 5th edition, I need to go find that character. He was pretty fun.

I also like the original 7th Sea, the Roll and Keep system. However, the magic system in that, uh, no.

[Spearmint]

It is coming up to the third year anniversary of my Barrowmaze campaign and usually I take that as a cue to look at various House Rules and systems I use that enhance (hopefully) the game flow and experience.

One of those which fits in with the context of 'gaining experience and skills' is what I term 'Character Investment' which is my dynamic for Players to customise their character beyond the tradition D&D class vanilla trope.

So basically players describe what they want to learn and I set a difficulty level vs an attribute skill, calling for a roll when they have invested gold piece & time to the specific project, research or skill upgrade.

So for example, in D&D, fighting blind or in darkness inflicts a -4 to hit penalty but you can counter this by learning 'Blind-fighting' as a skill and in stages can gain novice, adept, skilled and mastery (each stage deducting a -1 decrease in the penalty). So Warrior Wilbur trains to learn the skill using a base Dexterity check vs a [6d6] (scoring equal or lower to succeed) but his roll is modified by the training he puts in. So enrolling a mentor, paying cadets to mob him while blindfolded, meditating on acoustic sounds in the bat cave, practice catching a jingle bell thrown at him, experience from previous failed checks, etc. So the above might take a week of 'downtime' in-between adventure hours and cost a couple hundred in gold, but give him a modified [6d6-5] vs 17 for example. On s bell curve, a good chance to succeed which gives him a benefit of Blindfighting -1 (novice) and then can upgrade further but next checks start at 5d6, each check decreasing as experience is acquired until mastery (vs a check you will automatically pass such as 17 vs 3d6-1).

I have found challenging Players to invest; creating new spells, acquiring improved skills, upgrading existing talents means they feel a greater immersion into the game with character's development. It also balances the 'fateful' nature as no skill is guaranteed unless serious considerations and effort are put in to it. But certainly once acquired, Players are happy with their progress especially as I reward the gold piece expenditure back to them as a physical xp bonus which could also 'level up' characters in a normal way too.

I am always interested in feedback on what game mechanics work well and what needs tweaking.