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Old 06-16-2018, 07:19 PM   #81
Rick_Smith
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Coquitlam B.C.
Default Re: Experience Points

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Originally Posted by Anthony View Post
"Everyone knows a few spells" worked okay for Runequest, though I think it works better with a cap on how many talents/spells you can know.
I liked runequest, (tho only played a few times long ago). I liked the ability of anyone to take a spell or two, actually. It felt very exotic. (Tho I don't mind TFT's more specialized system.)

I picked up a *.pdf of Runequest's current rules a year ago (version 7 I think), and was actually very impressed with how far the rules had evolved. Their four types of magic mechanically used the same system, but played very differently. Very nice design.

Warm regards, Rick.
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Old 06-16-2018, 07:27 PM   #82
Rick_Smith
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Coquitlam B.C.
Default Levels of mage.

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Originally Posted by Anthony View Post
An alternative to the xp cost would be something like "wizards have -2 attribute points. Non-wizards learn spells at -4 to IQ". That gets rid of both "Why not create this fighter as a wizard" and "why not learn a couple spells".
Hi Anthony, everyone.
Yes I totally agree. You might want to do something like:

-- Magic Potential (1), you may cast spells with great difficulty. Experience cost to buy a spell is doubled, your IQ is considered to be two lower for IQ requirements for spells, and all spells are cast at -4 adj DX.

-- Magic Training (3), you have a strong background in magic. Experience cost is double for spells, but you can learn spells at your IQ and cast them normally with no DX penalty.

-- Skilled Mage (5), normal mage rules.

Then specifically suggests to GM's that they can tweak these costs. If you do not like many people having a spell or two, then make M.P cost 3, M.T. cost 4 and S.M. cost 5. etc.

Warm regards, Rick.
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Old 06-16-2018, 07:31 PM   #83
Chris Rice
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: London Uk, but originally from Scotland
Default Re: Experience Points

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick_Smith View Post
I liked runequest, (tho only played a few times long ago). I liked the ability of anyone to take a spell or two, actually. It felt very exotic. (Tho I don't mind TFT's more specialized system.)

I picked up a *.pdf of Runequest's current rules a year ago (version 7 I think), and was actually very impressed with how far the rules had evolved. Their four types of magic mechanically used the same system, but played very differently. Very nice design.

Warm regards, Rick.
I adapted TFT for Runequest many moons ago as I wasn't a fan of the RQ mechanics. It was very straightforward as TFT is such a malleable ruleset, just doing away with the Warrior/Wizard distinction and letting everyone learn spells as desired or allowed by their cult affiliations. My notes have long vanished but I do remember a very fun campaign for all involved, I even got to play a WereBear follower of Zelan the Beast. Good times.
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Old 06-17-2018, 08:11 AM   #84
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Default Re: Talent (or advantage) needed for spell casting.

I'm a fan of letting people create the character that they want to play, so if someone thinks they will have fun playing a wizard with a sword, or a warrior with a spell, I'd rather not have the rules getting in their way by stomping on their fun.
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Old 06-17-2018, 08:18 AM   #85
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Default Re: Experience Points

Regarding experience overall, I tend to reward "good roleplaying" first and foremost. If someone did something particularly clever I'll certainly reward that. If someone made the session particularly fun or memorable, I'll reward that too.

Adventure milestones are also places where I had out rewards.

I haven't run TFT as a continuing rpg in ages, however, so I'd need to think about how I'd implement those ideas.

Fwiw, I'm just coming off of a year+ of playtesting/running Star Trek Adventures. It's a wonderful system, very fast and it captures the feel of Trek, but my players and I find the experience system to be less than rewarding. So, while we had great fun with the system, there was always a bit of "That's it, all I get is this a stinkin' t-shirt" at the end of every mission.
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Old 06-17-2018, 12:24 PM   #86
JLV
 
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Location: Arizona
Default Re: Experience Points

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Originally Posted by Skarg View Post
As I continue to sleep on the system, I wonder if the hard cap at 40 might instead be some sort of exponential EP cost, so it's not impossible to go over 40, but just unlikely/inefficient, and also the arrival at 40 would be slower. Because I notice people are going straight to strategizing about targets for 32 and 40 as if it's not going to take years of play to get to 40 (which I'd hope it would, as it usually did for us in old TFT), and also about exceptional characters whom I wouldn't think were that way due to Wishes.
Hmm. I think I like this idea. In fact, I think I like it a LOT. (Mostly because I've never really liked "artificial" caps on things, but making them extremely difficult to achieve never seems to bother me). I wonder if Steve could include something like that as an "optional rule" somewhere down the line...

Last edited by JLV; 06-17-2018 at 01:13 PM.
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Old 06-17-2018, 01:44 PM   #87
tbeard1999
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Tyler, Texas
Default Re: Experience Points

Quote:
Originally Posted by Skarg View Post
I wonder if the hard cap at 40 might instead be some sort of exponential EP cost, so it's not impossible to go over 40, but just unlikely/inefficient, and also the arrival at 40 would be slower. Because I notice people are going straight to strategizing about targets for 32 and 40 as if it's not going to take years of play to get to 40 (which I'd hope it would, as it usually did for us in old TFT), and also about exceptional characters whom I wouldn't think were that way due to Wishes.
I think it will take between 4400 and 6600 xp for a human to reach 40 attribute points. At an average of ~100 xp per session, it will take about a year of weekly game sessions to get there. If characters have a 98% chance of surviving each session (an insultingly high survival rate for my campaigns), only about 1/3 of them will make it to 40 points.
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Old 06-17-2018, 04:05 PM   #88
larsdangly
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Default Re: Experience Points

It is definitely a bold move on SJ's part to impose such a modest cap on character advancement. I dig it, as I love games that make you work within defined limits. It's like, you only get one queen on your side in chess. Why can't you have 3 if you really, really want them? Because you only get one. Now deal with that and figure out how to actually play the game instead of 'grade inflating' your way to victory with ridiculous advantages. A 40 point character can be extremely good at a few things, or really good at a few more, or sort of good at everything. But he or she will always have to make tough, tough choices and run across situations where those choices bite you on the can. That's good for a game.

That said, I feel confident predicting that the second that becomes cannon, a bunch of house rules will crop up letting PC's advance to 45 or 50 or more points. And that will be fine; players have always made up ways to give their characters special advantages. But a strict, difficult official core system keeps a game grounded.
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Old 06-17-2018, 05:03 PM   #89
JLV
 
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Default Re: Experience Points

Though, of course, if you can get a couple of pawns across to the other side of the board, you can have three queens... ;-)
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Old 06-17-2018, 10:17 PM   #90
Steve Jackson
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Default Re: Experience Points

And if the GM wants to stay within printed rules while still having characters at 50 or whatever, he need merely be generous with magic items. It's the GM's game.
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