Reaction-Roll Stealth

So far, the skill-based stealth system I've been using has been difficult to run without a battlemat, while the default "X on 1d6 to surprise" system still strikes me as pithy and undramatic (except in the simple case of encounters). But the reaction roll, which I've been using extensively through On the Non-Player Character, fits the bill perfectly - instead of binary success/failure, you get piling bonuses which slowly push you towards success or failure. Additionally, this is consistent with the current systemic division I'm contemplating - using d20s for the combat system, 2d6 for noncombat rolls, and dice pools for anything to do with magic. The following stealth system is mostly inspired by On the Non-Player character, and a bit from this Google+ discussion.

Stealth actions are resolved in segments of one minute, rolling 2d6 (plus Dex mod) each time. Bonuses are persistent, and cumulative. Consult the following table:

	Sneak	Backstab
2	Found or -4	You're surprised!
3 - 5	-2	No surprise
6 - 8	0	You surprise!
9 - 11	+2	Ranged backstab!
12	+4 or Hidden	Melee backstab!

Sneaking is used for any actions you take while undetected. The following bonuses apply:

No movement or other actions (hiding): +4
Combining two actions (moving twice, moving while tracking, etc.) -4 per action
Trickster/thief/etc. +level
Distance: +1 per 100' from nearest sentry/enemy, -1 per 10' closer than 100'
Terrain/weather/etc.: +2 or -2 depending on conditions

Found means that stealth ends (for you) and you're detected. Start encounter as normal - stealth can no longer be used. You can, of course, try to hide again - you can roll on the Sneak table instead of taking another action each round, with cumulative bonuses. Stealth starts again once you get Hidden.

Backstabbing is what you roll when you're trying to end stealth and initiate combat. On a 2, you totally bungle it, and your opponent gets to act against you in the surprise round, while on a 6 or higher, you surprise them, getting a free round. On a 9 or higher, you've spent enough time observing and positioning yourself to get a sweet sniper shot on an opponent, gaining a +4 to hit. On a 12, you're close enough to do it with a melee weapon, and can precisely target weak points or chinks in your opponent's armor - you get a +4 bonus to hit, and deal double damage.

Backstab bonuses:
Multiple actions (opening a door and then backstabbing, for example): -4 per action
Trickster/thief/etc.: +level
Distance: -1 per 100' from target, +1 per 10' closer than 100'
Terrain/weather/etc.: +2 or -2 depending on conditions

Crafting

Yes, yes, I haven't been providing a whole lot of context on overall structure. It's my blog. Like I mentioned last time, you can take a Specialization every third level. They're not like classes - you can take a different one each time, etc. There will ultimately be seven, not including change class/alignment, which requires no further explanation.

Anyway, I'm taking a page out of Numenera here:

"Crafting" is a specialization available to Lawful or Neutral characters. Each time you specialize in Crafting, you can put a word into each of the following blanks:

"I can use my [tool] to make [material] into [object]."

Everything else, of course, is dependent on what we know about the real world. This is a mundane, not a magical skill (though if you wish to insert spells, you are free to, so long as you can cast them). Therefore, combinations that obviously don't work, such as "I use my fork to make air into battleships" means nothing more than your character specializes in waving around cutlery and shouting like a madman. Lesser failures are, of course, still failures - you need wood and feathers to make arrows.

The effects are the logical results of attempting to make the object using the named tool and material, which of course means that complex objects will need extra descriptors, and you can build on them with additional specializations. So, you might start with, "I can use my adze to make wood into canoes," then later expand it to "I can use my adze and sewing kit to make wood and hides into (better) canoes." Or you can use additional specializations to learn how to make multiple objects. 

The Dragon, A New Character Class

I'm in the process of pondering my own ideas of classes, races, and race-as-classes, and I came upon Grognardling's old posts about unconventional classes. One of those mentioned was, "Dragon."

Firstly, I have no attachment to (or even much knowledge about) extant D&D dragon rules and lore, so I'm ignoring basically all of it. The class, I believe, works better in settings without tons and tons of dragons running around, as D&D and Pathfinder imply by having, like, four different types of dragons with seven colors for each, all running around.

The central idea for this class is that you get extreme power at the cost of extreme specialization and little flexibility. They age with level, which is pretty quick for any animal - but it helps explain why there aren't tons of "dragon litters" running around all over the place and allows the dragon to advance within the same ballpark as the rest of the party. Obviously, this hasn't been playtested yet.

As far as the "Alien Mind" problem goes, I'm not really interested in adjudicating player behavior, beyond mechanics and NPC reactions. Even if I did put in non-mechanical behavior guidelines, that would still be a human guessing at alien psychology, and I don't think I'm any more capable of it than my players are.

THE DRAGON

Saving throws as Halfling. Experience Point progression as the S&W Monk.

Dragon level advancement is accompanied by growth in size, toughness, and abilities. When a dragon reaches the end of a size category, it cannot level up further until it builds a nest out of precious gems and metals worth its current experience point total in silver pieces. The dragon must sleep within for one week to become a whelp, one month to grow to juvenile size, and one year to become an adult.
Dragons are also, generally, supremely wise and strong creatures, and add 1d6 to each of their ability scores, though 18 remains the maximum.

Dragon Sizes

• Nestling: Levels 1-5. Hit Dice: 1d6. Two claw attacks, each dealing 1d4 damage. AC: as leather. 
• The nestling dragon is green, brown, or white, depending on its birth environment, and about the size of a large cat. It cannot yet fly, nor can it speak any language other than draconic. 
• Whelp: Levels 6-10. Hit Dice: 1d12. Two claw attacks, each dealing 1d8 damage. AC: as chain.
• The dragon whelp gains language abilities, and can hover or glide, but remains incapable of true flight. Whelps are about the size of a man.
• Juvenile: Levels 11-15. Hit Dice: 1d20. Two claw attacks, dealing 1d10 damage, and one bite attack dealing 2d6 damage. AC: as plate.
• Juvenile dragons are ten feet long and about six feet tall. They gain full combat flight capability, but treat every hour of extended flying as a forced march Juveniles, no longer small enough to hide effectively, generally develop bright colors, like red, blue, or bright bronze.
• Mature: Levels 16+. Hit Dice: 1d20. Two claws dealing 1d12 damage and one bite dealing 3d6 damage, plus an extra 1d6 per five levels. AC: as plate, plus 2 per five levels. Adult dragons may fly freely. Older dragons begin to fade in color, with the oldest becoming dark indigo or jet-black.

Dragon Spellcasting

Dragons are innately magical creatures, though it takes time for their abilities to truly develop. They still require spellbooks to record and learn spells (though draconic runes usually suffice) but need not spend time memorizing spells. 

Nestlings can prepare 1 first-level spell per day, though they can never use Read Magic.

Whelps can cast Read Magic at will, an unlimited number of times each day. From 6th level on, they use the Elf's spell slot progression.

Dragon Breath

Dragons aren't born with the ability to breathe fire or lightning, instead developing more powerful breath weapons as they mature. A dragon's choice of breath weapon is final and cannot be changed. Most breath attacks are assumed to automatically hit since they affect huge areas, though they are technically projectile weapons and can be treated as such if necessary - such as during an epic dragon vs. dragon sky duel.

Nestlings and whelps have the choice of either acid spit, or paralyzation gas. 

Acid spit has a range of 10 feet per level, and deals 1d4 damage for a number of turns equal to the dragon's level, unless cleaned off. Acid spit hits only one thing, and must roll to hit like any other ranged weapon.

Paralyzation gas can be projected 2 feet per level, and forms a spherical cloud with a radius of 1 foot per level. 

A juvenile dragon develops a true, extraordinarily powerful breath weapon. The dragon has the choice of spitting lightning, breathing fire, or breathing frost.

Lightning affects a straight line with a range of 200 feet, plus 20 feet per level, inflicting 2d6 damage to everything hit. The lightning gains 1d6 damage every fifth level.

Flame and frost breath hit a 30 degree cone to a distance of 30 feet, plus 10 feet per level. They inflict 2d6 damage to everything they hit, gain 1d6 every fifth level, and will do flamey and frosty things to whatever they hit, contingent on your system's rules for flamey and frosty things.

After each breath weapon use, the dragon must make a CON check. If failed, the dragon's breath glands are exhausted - it must make a new CON check each week, and cannot use the breath weapon again until the check is successful.

Dragon Abilities

Dragons can climb and swim freely, with no penalties. Dragon combat movement is effectively twice that of a human, though they are less capable of disposing of waste heat, and march at similar rates. Mature dragons are capable of extended, high-altitude flight and have an overland movement rate triple that of an unencumbered human.

Dragons lack opposable thumbs, and thus cannot effectively hold or use weapons, items, locks, etc. Dragons also cannot effectively use any sort of armor or clothing, due to their musculature. Suits of fitted dragon armor are possible, but they will be either extraordinarily restrictive, or wear out quickly. Smaller items may work, if they are custom-made. Since dragons are universally viewed as the capricious and terrifying destroyers of cities and eaters of maidens, there are very few smiths willing to work on equipment for them, or even a town guard that won't attack on sight. 

Dragons require 1 ration of food per level, per day, and 1 ration of water per two levels, per day.

First Level as Survival Horror

Some tangential thoughts prompted by a discussion at The 9 and 30 Kingdoms:

What I value most in a class system and rule-set are the principles of definition through play, and the ability to play with understanding as little of the complete system as possible. Though I'm currently using LotFP's class system with few modifications (save the magic system), I'm working on a three-class system with "specialist classes" that are sort of like prestige classes, but available after 3rd level and with no other requirements. Basic classes would be reduced to the three archetypes - fighter, mage, thief.

As it is, each class knows some of the elements of each of the other classes - thieves and mages know how combat works and can use some weapons and armor. Mages and fighters have a limited ability to find and disarm traps. Everyone's a little bit of a jack-of-all trades, enough to give a bit of leeway in adverse circumstances.

What if, instead, the only "combat system" available to a mage was, "The orc stabs you in the guts and you die?" Obviously, this would absolutely require the dungeon to be structured such that every problem lent itself to all three conflict-resolution systems, or at the very least, complete avoidance. The "obviously present" trap becomes paramount. And it would also require the GM to be open to players creatively forcing problems into their niche ("All I can do is attack? Well, I attack the trap mechanism!"). But if Amnesia: The Dark Descent could get away without letting the character attack the monsters, at all, ever, why can't a dungeoncrawl?

So far, I've been assuming only one player. A party composed of characters like this wouldn't be immune to the survival-horroresque problems faced by the single character - as each individual is still only capable of one type of action, and vulnerable to all the others. Teamwork becomes an absolute necessity. And, most of all, creative play becomes the only possible way to survive.

Dice pool contingency

Contingency
Wizard Level 6
Duration: Instantaneous
Range: 0
Contingency allows the Wizard to cast a second, companion spell upon herself, which only takes effect once a series of conditions are completed. Any number of Contingency spells may be cast, but the casting force must be higher than the number of pre-existing Contingencies, otherwise all prior Contingencies are lost, replaced by the newest one.

The LotFP Contingency spell allows only one active at a time, with the any new casting always replacing the old one. Using a dice-pool system with the above version allows a wizard to cast as many as she wants - but each attempt is more difficult, and runs the risk of undoing all previous work. Like gambling.

Sleep
Wizard Level 1
Duration: 1d4 Turns
Range: 30'
2d8 Hit Dice worth of creatures are magically lulled to sleep for the spell's duration. The spell can only affect creatures of a level or Hit Dice total equal to or lower than the casting force. A successful casting will always affect at least one such creature.

Modifying Sleep in this way allows it to scale with the number of dice put into the spell, and organically scales the difficulty according to creature size. Sleep and Contingency are good example of an alternate use of casting force in spells - rather than a straight bonus to the effect, as with the Cure spells, and most others (casting force can easily be applied as a damage bonus or saving throw modifier), I've used the number to achieve different effects - Sleeping larger creatures, or creating extra Contingencies.

Dice pool casting: healing spells

Hack & Slash just posted a fun new take on the 2d6-to-cast style magic that I've been using in my campaign. It reminds me of Warhammer's magic pool casting, and represents a caster's available power in a very tactile way.

It also lends itself to things like this:

Cure Minor Wounds
Cleric Level 1
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant
Heals 1 HP of damage sustained per target creature's level/HD, and 1 additional HP of damage per point of casting force.

Cure Major Wounds
Cleric Level 5
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant
Heals 1 HP of damage sustained per target creature's level/HD, multiplied by the casting force.

Here, "casting force" is the total casting roll, minus 10. Instead of 9-11 counting as "cast at start of round, retain spell," it is 9-10, and every point above 10 counts as an additional point of "casting force." So, Cure Major Wounds cast on a Level 2 character, rolling a 12, heals 2 x 2 = 4 points of damage. Level 4, rolling a 16 (using multiple dice, no doubt) is 6 x 4 = 24 points healed.

I'm scaling healing by recipient level so that a minor wound remains a minor wound across all levels, rather than starting out, functionally, as "cure moderate wounds" and ending as "cure infinitesimal wounds." With the Hack & Slash take on dice pool casting, Minor Wounds becomes a low-risk, low-healing spell that can be mildly powered up by rolling additional dice without much chance of losing dice, while Cure Major Wounds functions as a potent healing burst, that scales up quickly but burns most of your dice. In lieu of any rules for wild magic effects, I'm ruling that each duplicate die roll inflicts 1 point subdual damage on the caster, which makes the decision to power-up a spell with extra dice even riskier.

More thoughts this weekend.

Party battle stances

I've been running LotFP, where some classes get expanded access to battle stances like Press (sacrifice AC for a hit bonus) and Defensive (vice versa). Nobody has been really using these (even though it's printed right on the character sheet), but everyone's been pretty involved in figuring out combat tactics, which is heartening considering most of us are newcomers to RPGs. The problem is, nobody's attempting to use the mechanics for combat tactics.

It came to a head (for me) in the last session, when the fighters and rangers (who could use stances) were in the rear with ranged weapons, since they'd taken a lot of licks and the cleric and specialist were in the front line, with mercenaries. The players wanted to try a fighting retreat against a large goblin horde charging out of the Caves of Chaos but nobody had the abilities to really do it.

I think next session I'll change the battle stances so they're accessible to the entire party - but only work if everyone agrees on the same thing. This would reflect the advantage of coordinated tactics, and make each class a bit more flexible in combat, and hopefully reward teamwork.