(DF) Points for delvers who do more than delve

Dalin · 01-06-2019, 08:14 PM

While I get that 250 points is already a huge budget, it's a lot of work to nerf each template and then add social options. I'm not sure it's worth the effort. They're already great for heroic dungeoneering, so I like the idea of providing additional points; I'd go with 5-25. I like the idea of lenses, but I'd probably just compile a list of skills and advantages and then vet the results as I would with any character concept.

For my existing DFRPG game, I haven't added any of that, but I'm not as wedded to pure DF as the game expects. So far the basic skills have been sufficient, but if we evolve to need more, I'd probably just provide some bonus points to be spent on a limited array of background options that we would assume had always been part of each character. I've never had problem with that sort of retconning in the past.

Anaraxes · 01-06-2019, 08:24 PM

If you're not wedded to pure DF, then the simplest thing to do is ignore the templates. You don't have to nerf them or invent new lenses. Just let players buy whatever skills they want.

The point of "must stay on template" rule in DF is simply to deliberately emulate old-school class-based games with bounded scope and enforce niche protection, so that each class has its own schtick guaranteed not to be stepped on too much by other classes, and characters are forced not to seem too much alike.

If that's not a concern, you don't need to strictly conform to templates. And if you're experienced enough with the system, you don't need the guidance that a template provides as to what a good fighter / mage / cleric / thief really ought to have, or at least think hard about not having, so you could just ignore templates entirely. (That's just getting back to basic GURPS, after all.)

mr beer · 01-06-2019, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dalin

While I get that 250 points is already a huge budget, it's a lot of work to nerf each template and then add social options. I'm not sure it's worth the effort. They're already great for heroic dungeoneering, so I like the idea of providing additional points; I'd go with 5-25. I like the idea of lenses, but I'd probably just compile a list of skills and advantages and then vet the results as I would with any character concept.

I wouldn't nerf any templates, I'd just say 'social stuff is a thing, so don't be 100% dungeoneer, everyone needs some ability to deal with normal society' and let them work it out.

Giving everyone some extra points and telling them it's specifically for social stuff would work fine too. Maybe 10 points? That's enough for everyone to have one Advantage like Charisma +1 or Attractive plus a couple of skills. If someone wants Status 3+, let them swap out a few points of Advantages from an existing template.

01-06-2019, 08:14 PM	#1
Dalin Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Saint Paul, MN	Re: (DF) Points for delvers who do more than delve While I get that 250 points is already a huge budget, it's a lot of work to nerf each template and then add social options. I'm not sure it's worth the effort. They're already great for heroic dungeoneering, so I like the idea of providing additional points; I'd go with 5-25. I like the idea of lenses, but I'd probably just compile a list of skills and advantages and then vet the results as I would with any character concept. For my existing DFRPG game, I haven't added any of that, but I'm not as wedded to pure DF as the game expects. So far the basic skills have been sufficient, but if we evolve to need more, I'd probably just provide some bonus points to be spent on a limited array of background options that we would assume had always been part of each character. I've never had problem with that sort of retconning in the past.

01-06-2019, 08:24 PM	#2
Anaraxes Join Date: Sep 2007	Re: (DF) Points for delvers who do more than delve If you're not wedded to pure DF, then the simplest thing to do is ignore the templates. You don't have to nerf them or invent new lenses. Just let players buy whatever skills they want. The point of "must stay on template" rule in DF is simply to deliberately emulate old-school class-based games with bounded scope and enforce niche protection, so that each class has its own schtick guaranteed not to be stepped on too much by other classes, and characters are forced not to seem too much alike. If that's not a concern, you don't need to strictly conform to templates. And if you're experienced enough with the system, you don't need the guidance that a template provides as to what a good fighter / mage / cleric / thief really ought to have, or at least think hard about not having, so you could just ignore templates entirely. (That's just getting back to basic GURPS, after all.)