Free-Form System

[tarnishedarmour]

If it's going to be broken down again, I would go with Leather, Mail, and Plate. It's the most concise and definitive.

Let's just not fall in to the trap of D&D and try to describe and categorize anything and everything. It's the simplicity and ease of the mechanics that attract people tot his game in the first place (in fact the reason I left D&D 15 years ago was because it started having a rule for everything).

[DracoDruid]

I am quite happy that there is some kind of discussion again in here.

My 2 cents:

For my FF-System, I will keep the armor names as they are.

Right now, I am not really conviced about splitting the talent(s) into Leather/Mail/Plate.

I really like the idea about Mail armor being the Hybrid that works with both talents,
and being that, will be sort of the best armor, if you invest in BOTH talent trees.
Making you fast AND well protected.

About the Heavy versions: The idea is simple for all three of them: Trade 1 AR for 1 AP.
I think I will have another look at the prices and make Heavy +50% of Light version. But not sure yet.
Another "interesting" thing about my altered list is, that all 3 Heavy versions have the same AR/AP ratio (3:2).
While all Light versions always have a better ratio than that (that worsens for higher tier armor, however)
Don't know why, but I like stuff like that. Gives a feeling of logic and intention...

[tarnishedarmour]

I'm okay with that too since that is how I'm currently working with it (about to start my first play-test with your rules here next weekend). I think it is a good system as is and am looking forward to if anyone notices your heralded mail wearing or if they'll assume it's one or the other.

I know it's been a while, but reworking a world and all... will keep you posted on the player reactions and comments as I get them.

[DracoDruid]

Hey that 's great!
Keep me posted, and tell me where problems show up.

You might take a special look into SPELLS. I think they are too cheap for 1 point.

[tarnishedarmour]

Actually I was working on an idea for the "improvement" of spells based on the 1 point cost. Not for the inclusion in to your system, as I never thought that was the point, but more to handle the complaints I got from run my previous AGE campaign of spells tapering off in effectiveness at higher level (at least damage dealing spells) as compared to warriors and rogues. It's just an idea I'm trying out anyway.

If one of my players starts a character and buys the entire magical catalog at creation I'll let you know though. Otherwise since I am testing an additional system for magic anything in that regard may be skewed and hard to separate out for feedback. For the most part I think require the purchase of the ability to use magic in addition to the spells themselves should curb most abuses though.

[jessa1]

Wow! Hello Zapp.

Don't know why I wasn't informed about all your posts.

I will try to reply to all of them as good as I can.


1) Stunt bonus:
I don't see any real danger in this. When to take a look into the later level stunt bonuses, those stunts aren't really game breaking.

2) I changed the AL to spell stunts in order to preserve the "Spell Lance" special ability. Since Set 3 I consider allowing the AL to both Spell and Combat stunts, only problem, both tables have "2 SP = +1d6 damage".

3) Backstab/Master: This is actually an original text from the book, but I like your suggestion.
(or I can't remember changing it... )

4) Dual Weapon. Yes, novices still have -2 to STR & DEX, but every additional Talent degree reduces this by 1.
(effectivly negating it at Master)

5) DuA/Elist: Thanks!

6) Skill Focus: Thanks again.

7) Armor Rating: I wanted to make the difference between, Leather/Mail/Plate more important than Light/Heavy.
I chose (after much consideration) a fix difference of 2 points between heavy X to next Light Y.
And as I wrote, I wanted the heavy versions always have +1 AR but -1 AP.
Finally, I thought, that 3 AR for the least possible armor was just a bit too good, so I started with 2 points.
(And I heard many people complaining about the damage curve being to low, so slightly less AR seems a good thing)

8 ) The weapons are acutally more of a personal preference.
a) I thought the "Staves" group was just plain stupid. I was just another blugdeon group.
b) The "Dueling" group was similar. Since I already included the "Shield" group as weapons the "spiked buckler" was redundant, and the "main gauche" was nothing else as a dagger. So the only interesting weapon was the Rapier, which could perfectly replace the "throwing knife".
c) I thought a single "Thrown" group better than splitting those weapons into other, since training to throw a weapon is different than fighting with it in close combat.
d) finally, I thought that only "natural weapons" (aka fists) should have NO Min. Str. so I adjusted those too.



BTW: A new version will be up in the next days or so.

Wow thank you for your effort in writing this. I'm interested the Rapier to be a perfect weapon.

[Zapp]

FWIW, I don't force my Mage players to pay xp that otherwise could have been used for regular improvements for their spells. That would only mean Mages would advance slower than Warriors and Rogues, and that's not how the core game works: Mages gain spells in addition to regular upgrades.

Thus, in my (xp driven) game, there's regular XP and there's "fade XP". Mages gain 1 fade XP for every regular XP they (and everybody else) gets.

Thus spell learning is tied to regular advancement without actually forcing the Mage to choose between better stats (etc) and new spells.

Something similar could be done for the free form system.

Zapp

[Gamesmaster]

Thanks very much for this. I had begun writing something similar myself. I may just adapt what you have written.

[DracoDruid]

Glad to be of service.
Feel free to use whatever you like.
(But a credit is always welcomed. )

Didn't work on this for quite some time.

If anyone cares to finish what was started, please contact me.

----------------

EDIT:

Version 1.6 is now live and pdf now.

The armor naming issue has been solved (simple/reinforced) and some layout has been changed.

[DracoDruid]

Version 1.7.

Actually, I have no idea what I changed. I think I dropped the new stunts and changed some layout.

There is still some stuff to be finished.

Don't know if I will do that anytime soon though...

@all: Happy New Year!

[tarnishedarmour]

Still using this. My players prefer it. Even when we resurrected the characters (not in the literal sense) they wanted to convert them and begin using the free form system even though they were created under the original. Kudos. Will download this new and let you know if i see anything.

Also, any feedback you want or are looking for? We've been using it long enough I could get some solid comments I think.

[DracoDruid]

Wow. Great to hear that!
Am happy you guys have fun with it.

And yes, please keep me posted if you find anything odd or unbalanced or whatever!

- I am still not 100% sure how to let mages aquire spells,
- and I know that the Agent/Spy Specialization is still a big empty frame.
(It is supposed to replace the Bard)
- I removed the two new combat stunts, don't know why or if they were actually any good
- When Set3 is acutally out (whenever this might be) I might have to add/change some more things, but for now...

Thanks!