Friday Food for Thought #26

Role-playing Game Theory - What is Proficiency?

While I haven't been posting much, that doesn't mean development on various projects of mine has stopped. Though I will admit to being very behind on many of my projects, especially the writing projects, I have not completely stopped.  Sadly, with the end of the school term and with it my tutoring gig, I'll have a lot more time on my hands... when I'm not sending out more job applications anyway.

One of those projects that I'll have more time to work with is Project Roll-Play, my attempt to make a universal D20 level based RPG game system.  For inspiration, I've been going through and looking at the various D20 derived systems (Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder, D20 Modern, Star Wars: Saga Edition, and a variety of others). Since one of my friends said something about a 5th Edition campaign for Dungeons and Dragons, I took a look at the system.

For those that are unfamiliar, Dungeons and Dragons has gone through a plethora of changes over the years... each major change is a different 'edition' of the game.  While some of these changes are little more then the equivalent of patching a computer game (look at changes from 3.0 to 3.5) others are massive overhauls and changes to base mechanic systems.  The transition from 3.5 to 4th edition is jarring, unless you look at some of the experimentation Wizards of the Coast did with Star Wars and Star Wars: Saga Edition.

The latest version of the Dungeons and Dragon game is interesting in that the designers started with a couple of rather jarring concepts compared to how mechanics had worked in previous editions.  Among these concepts is the idea of 'bounded accuracy'.  In 3.0, 3.5, Star Wars: Saga Edition, D20 Modern, and so forth the base attack bonus of a character increased between 1 to 1/2 point a level.  A 20th level fighter had a base attack bonus of +20, while a 1st level fighter had a base attack bonus of +1.

5th Edition dramatically reduces the maximum base bonus for an attack roll.  Base attack bonus has been replaced by a 'Proficiency Bonus', ranging from +2 to +6.  As a result a 20th level fighter has a bonus of +6 and a 1st level fighter has a bonus of +2.  Since AC bonuses to armor haven't really been affected that much, this means that basic armor is more effective.

I have very mixed feelings on this, it makes 20th level a bit more... ordinary.  However, there is one thing about this change that I actually love...

They made proficiency a bonus.

D20 in general has usually ran with the idea of proficiency allowing you to use a weapon without penalty (usually a -5 penalty), the thing with this is that when you're rolling a D20 +0 vs. an AC10 target, someone that's proficient with a weapon only has around a 52.5% chance to hit. Now... I challenge you to go to your local pistol range, and watch.

Most people that are using guns on those ranges aren't supermen... but, unless you've got a total beginner in a lane, most of them will hit the paper target just about every time.  So assuming an average human silhouette is an AC 10 target, most people will have around +10 to attack?  Even that idiot in the lane with a silhouette target at 5 feet blazing away with rapid fire is going to hit more than 50% of the time.  The only people that have a real 50% accuracy for a weapon tend to be those that aren't proficient with the weapon.

The same is perhaps even more true for melee weapons, as a thrown punch or club swing is pretty likely to contact the target, even if you have no idea what you're doing.  If you are proficient with a weapon... well, there's a reason most kendo and fencing matches are so short. Really proficienct combatants rarely miss.

So what does this mean for my Project Roll-Play, design.  Well, I've decided to change up quite a bit of things recently due to thinking about proficiency and standardizing my level bonuses.

Almost all rolls (with a few exceptions) will be granted a bonus equal to their level. So a level 10 character will have +10 to their various defenses, +10 to skill rolls, and +10 to hit from their level.  A character's base attack bonus will be 5 + their level, which actually matches the way that training skills grants a +5 bonus to the roll.

Being non-proficient still incures a -5 penalty to the attack roll, and grants the defender an attack of opportunity.

Overall this results in higher defenses, skill DC numbers, and armor classes after I've calibrated the DCs to reflect this.  Ironically when I plotted out the capabilities, I've found that the old 4E guide of 'Heroic levels', 'Paragon levels', and 'Epic levels' actually fit this quite well.

Levels 1-10 are Heroic Levels - At 5th level, the character is roughly equal in skill as a fully trained professional, be that soldier or accountant.  Normal (human) individuals will not usually exceed 10th level in their lifetime.  Most teenagers, conscripts, and those that topped out as a high school graduate are around 4th level.

Levels 11-20 are Paragon Levels - By 11th level the character has exceeded the capability of the vast majority of the population. Elite forces, commandos, and other well trained or skilled individuals may exist with levels this high.  A Delta Force operator would be a Paragon Level opponent, so would a Top Gun instructor.

Levels 21+ are Epic Levels - By 21st level the character has exceeded what is generally considered the peak of human performance. This is the realm of the best and most dangerous opponents. This is the realm of historical top aces, legends, and so forth.  While a typical german ace might be a Paragon challenge, the Red Baron or Japanese top-ace Saburo Sakai would be an epic level foe.  Beyond anomalously good humans, this is the realm of otherworldly foes and the paranormal - demons, devils, demi-gods.

General Updates

Well, I haven't actually said much about what I've been doing lately, so it's time for a little update or two...

1.) A Fox's Tale: The Smith's Son - The second book in the A Fox's Tale series is done... all that's left is a bit of editing and cover design.  Unfortunately, my sister was the one that produced the cover for A Fox's Tale, and she's in the middle of a rather heavy semester in High School, so it may be some time before it's actually released.

Sorry...

Also, I've taken A Fox's Tale off the KDP select system and will soon be releasing it through Smashwords as well.

2.) VALKYRIE: Into the Heavens - I've started initial work on VALKYRIE #3 - Outer Reaches.  At the same time I've started learning both Blender and Sculptris... My plan is to port the models I've made in Sketchup to Blender, give them proper textures and use Blender to produce new covers and trailers for Youtube, but that's slow going.

3.) THE GREATEST GAME - Sadly, this series is on the back burner right now, as interest has been relatively low.  I do have plans for the series, but with so few people reading the books and my already full work load, it's probably better if I focus more on VALKYRIE: Into the Heavens and a couple projects I have going for more traditional publication.

4.) PROJECT ROLL-PLAY - Development is still ongoing, and I've become fairly active on the Giants in the Playground's Homebrew forum discussing various elements of RPG design.  Right now I'm focused on providing enough magical spells and rules to roughly equal that which you'd get in the 'core' rulebook for a game like Pathfinder or DnD.

5.) Traditional Publication Projects - I've been actively working on a book meant to be published through traditional channels, as it's a bit more mainstream in SF content then VALKYRIE: Into the Heavens.  This book is being developed under the provisional title 'Midshipmen', and, much like the Honor Harrington series, is largely being inspired by the old Horatio Hornblower stories.

Unlike Honor Harrington, I'm not going out of my way to use such things as 'broadsides' and so forth in the stories, but real world physics and a sort of twisted reflection of the way officers were trained and worked in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic wars.  In some ways it might be closer to the whole Master and Commander series in it's depiction of midshipmen and apprentice officers.

The story will revolve around the careers of two midshipmen: Astra Tanaka and Miles Ambrose while on their first shipboard assignment to Peregrine-class Gunboat Swift Fox during the initial lead up to and outbreak of hostilities between the United Empires of Anglica and Nihon (UEAN) and the Imperial Republic of C'Hall (IRC), essentially playing along the same historical roles as the UK and Republican France.

As the UEAN is settled by colonists from Britain and Japan, there are a number of direct references to the period.  The main UEAN naval facility in their home system is known as Spithead, and so forth.  The IRC is made up of former colonies of France and Russia, with French being the official language.

A large number of other nations will also make their appearance, echoing the multiple powers involved in the period.

Roll-Play: The Age of Sail

Well, I've been working on other... less interesting bits of the game system, but I figured some of you might be interested in something a bit more 'real'.

For those of you familiar with the era of the Horatio Hornblower novels, here are a couple ships for you to examine.

The Cormorant-class Sloop was one of the most common ships deployed by the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic and French Revolutionary Wars.  She is a rather classic Sloop at 33 meters in length and weighing in at 422 tons burthen.

Cormorant-class Sloop                                                          CL 26

Colossal Naval Vessel (sailing ship)

Init -5; Senses Perception +10                                                                                        

Defenses AC 18 (18 flat-footed); Ref 5; Fort 31; +13 armor, +10 defense, -10 size

hp 4,300 (3,300 base); DR 65; Threshold 880                                                              

Speed swim (surface only) 4-squares (max velocity 25 km/h)

Ranged battery of 24-pounder carronades +9 (see below) and

Ranged battery of 12-pounder carronades +1 (see below)

Fighting Space 50-squares; Cover Total (+5 for gunners, none for deck crew)

BaB +10, CMB +31, CMD 36;                                                                                            

Abilities Str 33, Dex 1, Int -

Skills Drive -5, Mechanics +10, Initiative -5, Perception +10                                      

Crew 125 (average); Passengers 20

Cargo 11 mT; Consumables 3 months; Carried Craft 4 whaleboats

Payload 320 rds. of 12-lb shot, 640 rds. of 24-lb shot (may carry grapeshot or chain-

shot)

Availability Military; Cost Not Available for Sale

24-Pounder Carronade Battery (8 gunners)

Atk +9, Dmg 2d8+5x10 Penetrating-100, Range 10-squares, Critical x4,

Special battery (8 guns): gains a +2 bonus per additional gun to attack

rolls and a bonus die of damage for every 2 the attack rolls exceeds the

armor class to a maximum bonus die equal to the number of additional

guns, single shot, long reload: It takes 150 standard actions to reload this

weapon (15 rounds for a full crew).

12-Pounder Carronade Battery (4 gunners)

Atk +1, Dmg 2d6+5x10 Penetrating-100, Range 10-squares, Critical x4,

Special battery (4 guns): gains a +2 bonus per additional gun to attack rolls

and a bonus die of damage for every 2 the attack rolls exceeds the armor

class to a maximum bonus die equal to the number of additional guns,

single shot, long reload: It takes 100 standard actions to reload this

weapon (10 rounds for a full crew).

The Endymion-class frigate, is one of the last classes of frigates to be launched by the Royal Navy in time for the end of Napoleonic Wars.  She is about standard for her time, classed as a fifth-rate frigate. I'm sure you could find some use for her if you wanted to play in a setting with age of sail navies.

Endymion-class Frigate                                                         CL 36

Colossal (frigate) Naval Vessel (sailing ship)

Init -5; Senses Perception +10                                                                                        

Defenses AC 18 (18 flat-footed); Ref 5; Fort 30; +13 armor, +10 defense, -10 size

hp 10,250 (7,750 base); DR 65; Threshold 2,150                                                         

Speed swim (surface only) 4-squares (max velocity 25 km/h)

Ranged battery of 24-pounders +19 (see below) and

Ranged battery of 32-pounder carronades +21 (see below) and

Ranged battery of 9-pounder chase guns -3 (see below)

Fighting Space 50-squares; Cover Total (+5 for gunners, none for deck crew)

BaB +10, CMB +30, CMD 35;                                                                                            

Abilities Str 31, Dex 1, Int -

Skills Drive -5, Mechanics +10, Initiative -5, Perception +10                                      

Crew 300 (average); Passengers 40

Cargo 24 mT; Consumables 3 months; Carried Craft 4 whaleboats

Payload 120 rds. of 9-lb shot, 2,240 rds. of 24-lb shot, 1,600 rds. of 32-lb shot (may

carry grapeshot or chain-shot)

Availability Military; Cost Not Available for Sale

24-Pounder Cannon Battery (13 gunners)

Atk +19, Dmg 2d8+5x10 Penetrating-120, Range 15-squares, Critical x4,

Special battery (13 guns): gains a +2 bonus per additional gun to attack

rolls and a bonus die of damage for every 2 the attack rolls exceeds the

armor class to a maximum bonus die equal to the number of additional

guns, single shot, long reload: It takes 150 standard actions to reload this

weapon (15 rounds for a full crew).

32-Pounder Carronade Battery (10 gunners)

Atk +13, Dmg 2d10+5x10 Penetrating-100, Range 10-squares, Critical x3,

Special battery (10 guns): gains a +2 bonus per additional gun to attack

rolls and a bonus die of damage for every 2 the attack rolls exceeds the

armor class to a maximum bonus die equal to the number of additional

guns, single shot, long reload: It takes 150 standard actions to reload this

weapon (15 rounds for a full crew).

9-Pounder Chase Gun Battery (2 gunners)

Atk -3, Dmg 2d6+5x10 Penetrating-120, Range 20-squares, Critical x4,

Special battery (2 guns): gains a +2 bonus per additional gun to attack rolls

and a bonus die of damage for every 2 the attack rolls exceeds the armor

class to a maximum bonus die equal to the number of additional guns,

single shot, long reload: It takes 100 standard actions to reload this

weapon (10 rounds for a full crew).

Announcing - Project Roll-Play

You know, I've developed a bit of an unhealthy fascination with a number of different pen and paper, roleplaying games over the years.  I think it must be my background with computer gaming and modding, but when I played many of them... especially when I GM'ed campaigns, I found myself constantly tweaking the rules attempting to streamline and simplify them.

Roll-Play is the ultimate result, my personal attempt to make a D20 RPG gaming system that can handle... quite simply anything... Here's a little preview.

Augment (Humanoid)

The result of genetic experiments, bioengineering, or other less ethical practices, Augments are often times shunned or even hunted down as game.  Due to their nature as creations of science and technology they vary widely in abilities, nature, and appearance.

                Anatomy:  Augments usually feature a mix of human and other species traits such as feline, reptilian, or canine features.  Other augments feature a mix of many sources this mix results in a variety of different traits that can be beneficial or less than helpful.

                Biochemistry:  Organic, Carbon-based.  As carbon-based organics augments consume carbon-based foods primarily.  Their bioengineered metabolism may allow them to break down almost any material to use as fuel for their bodies including heavy metals and even rock itself.  It may also dramatically increase their caloric intake.

                Diet:  Augments usually have a diet similar to their basic creature.

                Habitat:  Augments can live almost anywhere, though they tend to prefer the same sort of environment of their base creature.

                Psychology:  Augments live on the run or in the service of a master or corporate entity.  Paranoia runs deep among those that have escaped to freedom and trust does not come easily, if at all.

                Sociology:  Augments rarely congregate in any fashion, but when they do, the societies that are formed tend toward the extremes and isolationism.

Playing as an Augment:

Augments are versatile, and extremely adaptable.  As an augment you’re a specialist who has been bred, engineered, or otherwise ‘tailored’ to be best at a specific set of abilities.

                In most settings augments are often times despised by those that lack the augmentations they’ve been given.  Whether they’re in more powerful positions due to their augmentation depends entirely on setting.  You’re either a leader or a pauper depending on the world in which you’re playing.

Fighting Augments:

The best way to fight an augment is to figure out their specialty and remove it from play.  If they’re clearly a master of melee combat, fight from range.  For every ability they have maxed there will be one drained and once you identify it, you can exploit it.

Augment (Humanoid) Species Traits

Humanoid Augments share the following species traits:

                Ability Modifiers:  +4 to two ability score modifiers of your choice, and a -4 ability modifier to an ability score of your choice, these three modifiers can stack atop each other.

Medium Size:  As medium creatures, Augments have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Senses:  Augments are designed with improved senses for use in combat.  These senses come in various forms.  Please select one from this list on character creation:

·         Animal Senses:  Augments with this form of sensor perception gain low-light vision and the scent special ability.  Augments with low-light vision ignore concealment from darkness but not total concealment.

·         Blind Sense: Augments with this form of sensory perception ignore all concealment on targets within 6-squares.

·         Night-vision: Augments with this form of sensory perception ignore all concealment from darkness, including total concealment.  Unfortunately you treat normal light as bright light, and bright light as blinding light in exchange. Essentially this acts as Darkvision plus the Light Sensitivity flaw.

Natural Weapons:  Augments may choose from these possible selections of natural weapons.

·         Claws and Teeth:  2 primary claw attacks which deals 1d4 damage + strength modifier and 1 primary bite attack which deals 1d6 damage + twice strength modifier.

·         Claws and Talons:  2 primary claw attacks which deals 1d4 damage + strength modifier and 2 secondary talon attacks which deals 1d4 damage + ½ strength modifier.

·         Brutal Fists:  2 primary slam attacks which deal 1d8 damage + strength modifier.

                Speed:  Augment base speed is dependent on their design, select one of the two following traits for their base speeds.

·         Aquatic:  Base speed is 6-squares, and they gain a swim speed of 6-squares.

·         Arboreal:  Base speed is 6-squares, and they gain a climb speed of 6-squares.

·         Swift:  Base speed is 8-squares.

                Crib Languages:  None

Human

The baseline from which all other species and races tend to be compared.  Humans or Homo Sapiens are considered the norm, the average.  Neither particularly strong or fast, wise or smart, humans are unapologetically average.  Not that it's particularly a bad thing.

                Anatomy:  Humans are mammalian creatures with an average height of 1.8 meters tall and an average weight of between 60-80 kilograms, however significant deviance from this norm is possible due to obesity, diet, hormonal imbalance, and genetics.  Human skin tone varies widely from a pale ashen color to a dark black.  Hair and eye color vary widely from red and blonde to brown and black.  Eyes are generally a shade of grey, green, blue, or brown.  Eye dimorphism is rare but possible.  Genetics indicate that other hair and eye colors (such as blue hair, red eyes, gold eyes, and so forth) are possible but extremely unlikely.  Like many mammals Humans are sexually dimorphic with clear visible differences between male and female members, however this dimorphism is not so severe as to affect their statistics.

                Biochemistry:  Organic, Carbon-based.  As carbon-based organics humans consume carbon-based foods primarily and many heavy metals are considered toxic to them.

                Diet:  Humans are omnivores that tend toward cooked meats.  Fruits and vegetables can be consumed both cooked and uncooked.  Humans that eat nuts, fish, and fruits have a tendency toward slightly longer life spans then those that consume primarily red meats.

                Habitat:  Humans without clothing or other technology are most comfortable in a tropical or sub-tropical habitat, but simple heavy clothing can allow them to endure typical arctic conditions.  It's common for human settlements to be established on or near coastlines, but it's not uncommon for large settlements to be established almost anywhere.

                Psychology:  You name it, humans have done it when it comes to psychology.  It's better to consider human psychology a baseline with which to compare other species.

                Sociology:  Human culture and organization spans just about every conceivable means for mammalian creatures.  From nomadic bands to fascist nation states and agrarian farm villages to vast continent spanning democracies, all have existed so far in our world, so there's little reason to think that other futuristic cultures couldn't be spawned by human minds.

Playing as a Human

Playing as a human is one of the most natural fits for novice players due to their flexibility and ease of getting in character.  Humans in many ways are unapologetically average and flexible allowing for easy customization for specific game concepts.

Fighting Humans:

Since humans are not predisposed to good or ill, it’s rather easy for a group of heroes or villains to find themselves fighting humans.  Their inherent flexibility and variability make it so no singular strategy is guaranteed to work with great success against them so being cautious and flexible in your approach is likely the best choice.

Human Species Traits

Humans share the following species traits:

                Ability Modifiers:  +2 to an ability score of your choice.

                Medium Size:  As medium creatures, Humans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

                Speed:  Human base speed is 6-squares.

                Bonus Trained Skill:  Humans are highly adaptable and often proficient in a wide variety of skills.  A Human character chooses one additional trained skill at 1st level.

                Bonus Feat:  Humans gain one bonus feat at 1^st level.

                Bonus Talent:  Humans gain one bonus talent at 1^st level.

                Crib Languages:  Various (English, German, Norse...)

Nymph

Mystical creatures of immense beauty, poise, grace, and magic, Nymphs are renown for their beauty and magical skills.  Their exact appearance changes dependent upon the world in which they are present within, though most appear to be blindingly beautiful variations of humans or elves.

                Anatomy:  Nymphs are mammalian creatures with an average height of 1.6 meters tall and an average weight of between 30-50 kilograms, this weight is surprisingly universal as Nymphs do not normally suffer from hormonal imbalance or obesity.  Nymph skin tone is usually a very pale white to bronze or a blue-white.  Hair color spans the known spectrum, though dark browns and blacks are the most common.  Eyes coloration varies wildly with red, gold, purple, and violet colors appearing.  Eye dimorphism is rare but possible.  Unlike most species, Nymphs are exclusively female, but capable of reproducing with almost any mammalian humanoid.  Usually the female results of such unions are full Nymphs while the males assume the traits of their father’s species.

                Biochemistry:  Organic, Carbon-based.  As carbon-based organics Nymphs eat carbon-based foods primarily and many heavy metals are considered toxic to them.

                Diet:  Nymphs are omnivores that tend toward various natural produce instead of meat.  They prefer fruits, olives, apples, peaches, and various grains.

                Habitat:  Nymphs are at home in deep forests, oasis, and even small rural settlements.  Due to their beauty and the attention they often attract, most Nymphs are somewhat solitary and reclusive.

                Psychology:  Nymphs tend toward being quite and introverted.  As a result, Nymphs tend to blend into the background in most confrontations or avoid conflict entirely.  However few can argue with the persuasive powers of an experienced Nymph diplomat.

                Sociology:  Nymph society tends to be highly isolated from other societies in an attempt to escape the attention of the other races.  They also tend to be small, usually revolving around a group of sisters or a mother and her female children.  Occasionally daring Nymphs may integrate themselves in other societies but this is rare.

Playing as a Nymph

Nymphs have a unique appeal and a rather understated roll in most parties.  Their diplomatic prowess makes them excellent negotiators and their bonus to charisma can make them devastating spell casters.  Playing as a Nymph can be very rewarding but also quite challenging as their utility in combat leaves something to be desired often times.

Fighting Nymphs:

It is a rare occurrence for a party to find themselves in combat with a Nymph, in large part due to their conflict avoidance and passive nature.  However when a Nymph is fully riled into defending their homes or children they can make a dangerous, or even devastating opponent.  Players should be wary of attempts to seduce, confuse, or enchant their comrades to fighting in the Nymph’s defense, as her charismatic talents are her greatest weapons.

Nymph Species Traits

Nymphs share the following species traits:

                Ability Modifiers:  -2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, and +4 Charisma:  Nymphs are charismatic and manipulative but weak and frail.

                Medium Size:  As medium creatures, Nymphs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

                Speed:  Nymph base speed is 6-squares.

                Always Female:  There are no males of this species, all members are exclusively female.

                Ageless:  Nymphs are immune to the penalties of advanced age.  They do not take the penalty to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution from old age.

                Enhanced Ability (Charisma):  A Nymph grows more beautiful and manipulative as they age.  A Nymph gains the Enhanced Ability (Charisma) Power as a bonus Talent even if they lack the prerequisites.

                Crib Languages:  Auran.

Roll-Play is designed from the ground up as a classless system, revolving around the selection of Talents and Feats at each level to progress a character. This allows characters to specialize or generalize without the worry of multiclassing and other complications.

The Talents are designed to allow for a vast array of play styles and various settings, ranging from Anime and Comic Book superheroes to the dark and gritty reality of trench warfare. Roll-Play is meant to be able to handle them all as one single book.

As you might imagine, this is an absolute mountain of work for any one person to get through... but I'll get their eventually... And here's the Character Sheet I've got at present.