Ruins of Khazan - A Rumbles RPG - Sign Up/System Test

[Nik Hasta]

Okay, cast update;

Siriel is due to come to back to me at some point soon [today(?)] with adjustments to Arcadia's Techniques and deciding on whether he's going with Van or Arcadia for the game. Once we know who he's playing and finalise his Techniques, he should be good to go.

KingofPie for all his positive messaging hasn't contacted me further or made any moves to complete Ray as a character so I'm putting him on the bench for potential late insertion if he comes back with grampagen (when he returns from time away later this month) and potentially Miburo if his schedule allows.

Cthulhu still hasn't added his Techniques or at least linked them to his profile and my last post had a couple of questions and decisions to be made on that front so I guess he's on the bench as well at present but I don't think Arx is that far off being sea-worthy so this could change.

MrSandman Ella has come along pretty quickly. I think she's got a couple of Techniques to be ironed out, potentially a Trait change as well? A bit or work here but otherwise should be good to go.

Sharpandpointies and Postmania have been ready to go for a while.

So, I have a pretty busy weekend coming up IRL, so I'm thinking I will put up the game thread on Sunday [UK Time]. In the opening post will be what you need to create your opening post and starting location etc.

Once we move closer to a combat encounter in-game, I will create an additional thread for combat notation and queries because I don't want to choke up either the game thread with GM to player back and forth and I don't want game-centric communications to be lost in OOC chat in this thread either.

I'll restate this when I make the thread but please try to keep the combat notation and queries thread all business when it appears. Any random chat or general discussion should be kept to this thread.

So, assuming Sandy and Siriel come through - we'll have the following characters kicking off:

- Krys
- Jane
- Ella
- Arcadia or Van [Siriel to decide]

Those starting later will be:

- Kinu [late Feb]
- Arx [as and when she is complete]
- Maximo [if Miburo returns]
- Ray [if KingofPie returns]

For the next couple of days, I'm going to do the following:

- Try to squeeze in a final playtest to see if Arcadia's build fucks up the energy economy too badly to let her run as intended
- Update Grapples
- Codify Attacks of Opportunity
- Tweak mobs a little more
- Generate yet more lore and encounters because it never hurts to have enough
- Finish the possible system for weapons/items [this is a big maybe]

None of these are game critical enough that we can't start the game with them incomplete, though I imagine the results of the Arcadia playtest will influence Siriel's decision. These can run in conjunction to the game thread going live.

So. Sunday it shall be.

[Siriel]

Definitely today, I'm just waiting until I've eaten so I can figure my preferences out.

[Nik Hasta]

Definitely today, I'm just waiting until I've eaten so I can figure my preferences out.

Cool, let me know how you go and once you've looked at my comments on your Techniques.

As a heads up, I have been playtesting Arcadia a bit today to see if she represents a problem or problems that needs to be addressed at a system level.

At the moment, I'm not quite sure. Obviously, she is very much a glass cannon and, in my first playtest against putting her against some routine mobs, she got thoroughly ganked and actually killed in less than three full turns because she's made of spun sugar and her defences are all but non-existant at her default state.

So I was like; "Okay, that's a bit anticlimactic, let's just put her at the top of the order to see what she's like given a moment to establish herself and get her **** rolling,"

We then hit kind of the opposite problem. Not that she is overwhelming, due to some confusing design choices you have made, she's actually not very optimised and struggles to leverage what should be overwhelming power but she's got a lot of staying power through her various recovery abilities.

This staying power is sort of flagging an issue with energy economy and recovery but it's both not as big an issue as I thought it might and not the sort of thing that a system-wide fix could solve without hurting other players a lot more. I need to finish testing her, ideally with your finalised build if you do commit to her as your PC, and have a think about it because her presence indicates a larger question of encounter balance.

One thing that has come of the playtest is that I have refined the rules regarding Disinterest because they were clearly written with one-on-one in mind rather than in group contexts so those have been updated accordingly.

[Nik Hasta]

Okay, cast update;

Siriel is due to come to back to me at some point soon [today(?)] with adjustments to Arcadia's Techniques and deciding on whether he's going with Van or Arcadia for the game. Once we know who he's playing and finalise his Techniques, he should be good to go.

KingofPie for all his positive messaging hasn't contacted me further or made any moves to complete Ray as a character so I'm putting him on the bench for potential late insertion if he comes back with grampagen (when he returns from time away later this month) and potentially Miburo if his schedule allows.

Cthulhu still hasn't added his Techniques or at least linked them to his profile and my last post had a couple of questions and decisions to be made on that front so I guess he's on the bench as well at present but I don't think Arx is that far off being sea-worthy so this could change.

MrSandman Ella has come along pretty quickly. I think she's got a couple of Techniques to be ironed out, potentially a Trait change as well? A bit or work here but otherwise should be good to go.

Sharpandpointies and Postmania have been ready to go for a while.

So, I have a pretty busy weekend coming up IRL, so I'm thinking I will put up the game thread on Sunday [UK Time]. In the opening post will be what you need to create your opening post and starting location etc.

Once we move closer to a combat encounter in-game, I will create an additional thread for combat notation and queries because I don't want to choke up either the game thread with GM to player back and forth and I don't want game-centric communications to be lost in OOC chat in this thread either.

I'll restate this when I make the thread but please try to keep the combat notation and queries thread all business when it appears. Any random chat or general discussion should be kept to this thread.

So, assuming Sandy and Siriel come through - we'll have the following characters kicking off:

- Krys
- Jane
- Ella
- Arcadia or Van [Siriel to decide]

Those starting later will be:

- Kinu [late Feb]
- Arx [as and when she is complete]
- Maximo [if Miburo returns]
- Ray [if KingofPie returns]

For the next couple of days, I'm going to do the following:

- Try to squeeze in a final playtest to see if Arcadia's build fucks up the energy economy too badly to let her run as intended
- Update Grapples
- Codify Attacks of Opportunity
- Tweak mobs a little more
- Generate yet more lore and encounters because it never hurts to have enough
- Finish the possible system for weapons/items [this is a big maybe]

None of these are game critical enough that we can't start the game with them incomplete, though I imagine the results of the Arcadia playtest will influence Siriel's decision. These can run in conjunction to the game thread going live.

So. Sunday it shall be.

Just realised I left Beadle off this list.

He's also in bench town with KingofPie and Cthulhu until I get an update from him.

[Siriel]

We then hit kind of the opposite problem. Not that she is overwhelming, due to some confusing design choices you have made, she's actually not very optimised and struggles to leverage what should be overwhelming power but she's got a lot of staying power through her various recovery abilities.

I'll be honest, one thing that's becoming clear to me from your comments and every time I try to make a change to a character is that clearly something in the system isn't clicking into place in my mind, which I find confusing since I'm usually pretty good about this stuff and I've tried to read it a few times over.

I'm leaning toward sticking to Ván right now since it'd be simpler for both of us and she's more of a complete character where Arcadia was more of an experiment, even if one whose concept I like. Feels like I might regret trying to force playing Arcadia when I don't quite grasp the system properly.

[Postmania]

Looking forward to this, hoping we'll see more characters coming in soon too.

[Sharpandpointies]

Definitely looking forward!

[Nik Hasta]

Got to give these their own post.

Greater and Lesser Offensive Effects
These effects function with Greater or Lesser grading as in the Spirit Effects Guide and do not chain. They can be applied to Honed or Above Techniques. 1 Lesser on Honed Techniques, 2 Lesser or 1 Greater on Epic Techniques. These can also applied to Techniques with Chain Effects though they will be used as a Combo Ender and cannot link to anything else.

Lesser Effect - Submission (ATK STR vs STR + (SKI)/2.)
This is a variant on Grapple and can be launched from a suitable Technique, chained into from a Grapple Technique or initiated with Basic STR Attack on an already Prone opponent. Other attack types [PRE/CHR] cannot initiate a Submission. Submission functions as a restraining Grapple but does 10 DMG per turn that the hold is perpetuated. Submissions cannot be chained out of so when the opponent breaks free, the Technique, if initiated from a Technique, is at an end. If a submission is held for 3 turns consecutively, then a Debilitating Strike is inflicted automatically.

Greater Effect - Rush Attack (No Check, Multi-Attack)
The attacker makes an initial attack and, whether it hits or not, then makes a further three (3) additional attacks. These follow-ups will be at 50% of the initial attack, 75% and then 125%, in that order. If they successfully land all three ATKs, the target will take an additional 25% DMG based on the initial attack at the close of the Technique to their Core HP. Counters can be made on all attacks, if the target has suitable RAC, but the sequence cannot be stopped unless the Attacker is downed, knocked Prone, Stunned or moved out of attacking range by a Counter Technique via Fling or Shove or via a Dodge Technique.

Greater Effect - Debilitating Strike (ATK STR vs (DUR + RES/2)
An attack that inflicts lasting and debilitating damage to the opponent. If the attack and the check failed a permenent status effect is inflicted and will do one (1) of the following effects at the discretion of the attacker, until the end of the encounter or until a recovery Technique is used on the target. Once on of these has been applied, it cannot be applied again, another effect must be chosen if additional Debilitating Strike Techniques are used.

- Reduce Movement Value by 75% - ineffective if the target has a flight or teleportation ability.
- Reduce Basic ATK damage on Body or Spirit Affinity by 60% - does not effect Technique attacks.
- Reduce AGI stat by -30
- Reduce SPD stat by -30
- Reduce SKI stat by -30
- Reduce total Mastered ENR capacity by 75, both lowering their total capacity and instantly removing this amount from the target's current resources.
- Remove 1 Action (Basic ATK/Technique) from the target
- Remove 1 RAC point from the target

While the numerical damage may be healed from the ATK with one healing Technique, three (3) healing Techniques are required to fully heal from a debilitating strike. Where a numerical value greater than 1 is applied, each heal will reduce the stat or mechanical impact on the target by 1/3rd (30 -> 20 -> 10 -> 0). For single point (RAC/Action) removals, the effect will not be removed until all three heals are complete. Narratively, the debilitating damage will not be healed until the stat deficit is reduced completely.

Greater Effect - Shadow Walk (ATK AGI vs Target SPD)
On a designated target, if the target fails the associated check the attacker moves directly behind them and will remain in their blind spot until the start of the attackers next turn. Any Body or Spirit attacks that attempt to hit the Shadow Walker during that time will hit the enemy they are shadowing instead. Unlike other Body Techniques, on an offensive Technique, Shadow Walk requires a Perfect Dodge to escape, Imperfect Dodge will still prompt the effect check.

Offensive Combo Body Status Effects Guide

Defensive Body Techniques Guide

[Nik Hasta]

Right this morning will be mechanical updates.

First; a bunch of tweaks and buffs to Body Techniques starting with the promised revision of Grapple mechanics:

- Grapple: ATK STR vs STR + (SKI)/2. The attacker attempts to grab the target and initiate a grapple. The target attempts the outlined strength/skill check to see if they can break or escape the grapple. If the grapple is successful, the attacker can either restrain their target, take a free basic attack action by slamming the opponent or chaining into another Body Status if their initial Technique allows for it. Slamming an opponent will knock them Prone. Choosing to restrain a target will automatically end the attacker's turn.

If the target is restrained, at the start of their next turn, they must contest the grapple again before taking any other action. This secondary check will be made against the attacker's basic STR stat. If they escape then their turn can continue but they lose 1 Basic Attack Action breaking the hold and their movement is halved. If they fail then they can take no action as the grapple continues.

If the grapple holds, on the attacker's next turn, they can either choose to initiate a slam or other suitable Chain Action as before and then take their turn as normal, or extend the hold (repeat the process) and sacrifice all their actions on their turn to do so. This secondary check will be made against the attacker's [Basic STR stat] - [the previous check score] so it will be easier to break. Subsequent attempts on the grapple will drain that same amount of STR from the hold until it breaks. If a third party attacks the Grappler while hold is in place, then whatever they damage they take is subtracted from the STR check as well. While making a grapple, the attacker can take no defensive actions as just has to soak damage. Chain Point: Upon successful Grapple Check

I have also rewritten a bunch of the Body Combo Techniques effects to better make use of a new codified mechanic; Prone.

Prone: Being knocked Prone is a common thing in Body Techniques and means the following things for the target:

- After being knocked Prone, on their next turn, the target must spend 1 Combat Action (Basic ATK/Technique) to get up from the floor.
- Upon getting up from Prone, the target's movement value will be halved for their next turn.
- While Prone, the target loses 1 active RAC point and can no longer respond to attacks with Counter or Dodge on Reaction.
- While Prone, the target is vulnerable to Submission attacks.
- Taking HP damage from a Basic ATK while Prone will automatically trigger a Crater effect on the target (see below) in addition any other effects the attack might inflict.

Submissions can now be applied, at no ENR cost or Technique requirement on a Prone opponent if a STR attack is used.

Lesser Effect - Submission (ATK STR vs STR + (SKI)/2.)
This is a variant on Grapple and can be launched from a suitable Technique, chained into from a Grapple or initiated with Basic STR Attack on an already Prone opponent. Other attack types [PRE/CHR] cannot initiate a Submission. Submission functions as a restraining Grapple but does 10 DMG per turn that the hold is perpetuated. Submissions cannot be chained out of so when the opponent breaks free, the Technique, if initiated from a Technique, is at an end. If a submission is held for 3 turns consecutively, then a Debilitating Strike is inflicted automatically.

Shove and Sweep now both have considerably more Chain Options attached to them;

- Sweep can chain into Fling, Crater, Grapple or Charge.
- Shove can chain into Thunderclap, Sweep, Grapple, Fling or Crater.

Added additional options to Debilitating Strike:

Greater Effect - Debilitating Strike (ATK STR vs (DUR + RES/2)
An attack that inflicts lasting and debilitating damage to the opponent. If the attack and the check failed a permenent status effect is inflicted and will do one (1) of the following effects at the discretion of the attacker, until the end of the encounter or until a recovery Technique is used on the target. Once on of these has been applied, it cannot be applied again, another effect must be chosen if additional Debilitating Strike Techniques are used.

- Reduce Movement Value by 75% - ineffective if the target has a flight or teleportation ability.
- Reduce Basic ATK damage on Body or Spirit Affinity by 60% - does not effect Technique attacks.
- Reduce AGI stat by -30
- Reduce SPD stat by -30
- Reduce SKI stat by -30
- Reduce total Mastered ENR capacity by 75, both lowering their total capacity and instantly removing this amount from the target's current resources.
- Remove 1 Action (Basic ATK/Technique) from the target
- Remove 1 RAC point from the target

While the numerical damage may be healed from the ATK with one healing Technique, three (3) healing Techniques are required to fully heal from a debilitating strike. Where a numerical value greater than 1 is applied, each heal will reduce the stat or mechanical impact on the target by 1/3rd (30 -> 20 -> 10 -> 0). For single point (RAC/Action) removals, the effect will not be removed until all three heals are complete. Narratively, the debilitating damage will not be healed until the stat deficit is reduced completely.

Buffed Rush Attack:

Greater Effect - Rush Attack (No Check, Multi-Attack)
The attacker makes an initial attack and, whether it hits or not, then makes a further three (3) additional attacks. These follow-ups will be at 50% of the initial attack, 75% and then 125%, in that order. If they successfully land all three ATKs, the target will take an additional 25% DMG based on the initial attack at the close of the Technique to their Core HP. Counters can be made on all attacks, if the target has suitable RAC, but the sequence cannot be stopped unless the Attacker is downed, knocked Prone, Stunned or moved out of attacking range by a Counter Technique via Fling or Shove or via a Dodge Technique.

So Body is now a lot more scary and Prone is a big factor in their gameplan and will impact vulnerability of targets for other attackers.

[Nik Hasta]

Refining RAC Point use outside of defence and codifying Attacks of Opportunity.

Reaction Points outside of Defence
While RAC points are principally used to manage defensive options in a given combat engagement, they can also be used outside your turn to influence or attack opponents.

Attacks Of Opportunity
Outside of your turn, if an enemy leaves your melee range with normal movement then you can choose to spend a RAC Point to attack them with a Basic ATK. If the enemy is Flung or uses a Movement Technique, Dodge Technique, Charge Technique or any other form of ENR expenditure to enhance or facilitate their movement then an attack of opportunity is not possible.

If the target makes their HIT Check and chooses to spend their own RAC, they will automatically attempt to Dodge regardless of whether it is the most optimal choice. Countering or Blocking are not possible when reacting to an Attack of Opportunity as either option would arrest the target's movement. Otherwise, they will Soak the hit as they leave.

If the attacker has Basic Ranged Attacks and they were not attacked by the target on their last turn then their Attack of Opportunity will be calculated under Point Blank conditions. If they were attacked on the target's last turn then their Attack of Opportunity will be calculated under Point Blank Engaged conditions.

If you have a Persistent Technique active then performing an interruption will proc ENR maintenance costs every time you make an attack of opportunity. If said Persistent Technique grants additional effects that would stop movement (Grapple/Crater/Sweep/etc.) and the target Soaks the attack, then their movement will be arrested and the effect will need to be resolved before the target could continue their turn.

Interruptions
Outside of your turn, if an ally is attacked near to you (within melee distance) and you have a RAC point, you can spend the point to choose to interrupt the opponent's attack.

This resolves as subtracting 50% of your chosen HIT stat (SPD/SKI/BRA) from the opponent's HIT stat and ATK stat. This is not likely to not stop the attack outright but it will make it significantly less effective, may grant your ally a reaction opportunity and will lessen the damage if they still get hit.

Example: Opponent attacks with 50 SKI carrying 80 PRE, is interrupted by a character with 60 SKI.

> 60 SKI/2= 30 -> (50 SPD - 15 = 35 SPD) (80 PRE - 15 = 65 PRE)

If you have a Persistent Technique active then performing an interruption will proc ENR maintenance costs at that time.

[Sharpandpointies]

Good stuff, Nik - lots of work, there.

Two questions.

1. If Krys is using Heat Death, does she pay ENE every single time she counters? (Sub question: If so, is there a way to avoid this, such as not having any bonus to PRE?) Similarly, with Interrupts and AoO?
2. Is there a reason you divided 60 by two twice, here?

This resolves as subtracting 50% of your chosen HIT stat (SPD/SKI/BRA) from the opponent's HIT stat and ATK stat. This is not likely to not stop the attack outright but it will make it significantly less effective, may grant your ally a reaction opportunity and will lessen the damage if they still get hit.

Example: Opponent attacks with 50 SKI carrying 80 PRE, is interrupted by a character with 60 SKI.

> 60 SKI/2= 30 -> (50 SPD - 15 = 35 SPD) (80 PRE - 15 = 65 PRE)

Hit Stat/2 is 30 here, but you've subtracted half that from each.

[Nik Hasta]

Good stuff, Nik - lots of work, there.

Two questions.

1. If Krys is using Heat Death, does she pay ENE every single time she counters? (Sub question: If so, is there a way to avoid this, such as not having any bonus to PRE?) Similarly, with Interrupts and AoO?

Krys pays a single round of maintenance at the start of their turn if they begin the turn with Heat Death active. While it is active, they have infinite RAC and their Counterattacks are entirely free. If Krys is attacked and they both make the HIT Check and have sufficient ENR to cover the counter in the case where it is Imperfect, they can just do that as long as people attack them. No additional cost required beyond the 10 ENR per turn of maintenance.

However, because Attacks of Opportunity and Interruptions constitute them acting outside the remit of counterattacks, I have decided that while they still have infinite RAC to play with, it will cost them one additional maintenance ENR cost per use.

2. Is there a reason you divided 60 by two twice, here?

Hit Stat/2 is 30 here, but you've subtracted half that from each.

Yes. Interruptions are powered by 50% of your active HIT Stat (Example: 60/2 =30), as in that is the maximum amount you can reduce from the oncoming attack across both HIT and ATK. That divded HIT stat [30] is then split evenly between the attacker's ATK and HIT stats (30/2 = 15 from HIT and ATK).

The wording might not be clear enough?

[Sharpandpointies]

Awesome! Thank you

Yeah, the wording is not clear. Based on the wording, it sounds like the subtraction of 50% of the hit stat comes off of both of them, not divided between them.

Totally understood now, though.

[Sharpandpointies]

Out of curiosity, for the paying of 10 energy, is that after Krys uses up their normal RAC, or every time?

[Nik Hasta]

Out of curiosity, for the paying of 10 energy, is that after Krys uses up their normal RAC, or every time?

Every time