Timewaster's Guide Archive
Local Authors => Brandon Sanderson => Topic started by: Crafty_Alex on February 23, 2009, 05:59:06 PM
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Hey folks,
Work on the Mistborn RPG is now in full swing, and I thought I'd take a quick survey of some of the trilogy's biggest fans to see what YOU are expecting/wanting/desperately hoping for out of a game like this.
Some specific questions that might help frame your thinking:
* What's your favorite part/most anticipated element of a Mistborn RPG?
* What are some character concepts you were hoping to play/see at the table?
* What parts of the game world do you most want to see done "right"?
* Are there aspects of the Mistborn setting you would like explored further, beyond what the books covered?
* Are there any particular elements that you have a tough time visualizing or would like to see an artistic treatment of?
While we've already made a number of key decisions about the game and structure of the book, the sky's the limit - just don't expect that because you asked for it, that it'll automatically be there :) Thanks in advance for your time and input!
Alex Flagg
Crafty Games
http://www.crafty-games.com
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*rubs hands together* muahaha I've been waiting for this.
(Do you have a potential release date yet?)
- I like d20 type systems.
- NO dual classing or gistaltalting(sp?). It just doesn't fit the universe. (Unless you're a Hemalurgist which then I guess you kind of do.)
- Hemalurgy. Lots of it, but the reqs for it should be ridiculous and it should be a prestige class.
- Prestige classes. (I forget what they are called off the top of my head and I don't have my books here.) Like what spook did. They would have super benefits, but also super hindrances.
- Feruchemists broken down into separate pieces.
- Make becoming a Mistborn difficult. I am not one who would, but a LOT of people will want to start as Mistborn. Maybe make it a level adjustment of some sort so that the person has to play as a normal person before they are able to 'snap.'
- Normal people classes. Classes for those who aren't Mistings or use Feruchemy or are Hemalurgists.
- Have it set in a time while TLR is still in command, but is before Kell and everyone is alive.
- I know I have more, but my brain suddenly died. I'll add more later.
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I want to see a) full Allomantic, Feruchemic, and Hemalurgic* details for all 16 metals, and b) details on what a combination Allomancer/Feruchemist can do and how. The Lord Ruler is the only example in the books of someone actually using the synergy possible between Allomancy and Feruchemy, and it's never explained except in vague speculation.
I would like the mechanics to be capable of handling everything from The Lord Ruler himself all the way down to random skaa and everything in between. Mistborn of various strengths, from the original few down to the last after the bloodlines get diluted too much, 16 types of Mistings with the same range of strength, 16 types of Allomantic savants including what it takes to become one, full Feruchemists ranging from TLR down to whatever the low end is, 16 Feruchemical "Misting" types, what happens for each possible combination of Misting + Feruchemy, etc. Game balance, for those who want parties of mixed Misting/Mistborn and normal people, should be in terms of how badass a normal person has to be to match the metal user, not in toning down the magic system.
Optional rules for Atium and Larasium, and possibly their alloys, would be useful tools for making plot devices.
Ideally I'd like setting information for several time periods, but doing a proper job of all of them would probably require extra rule books. Just to list them off, I'd like to see the time before Rashek and Alendi, the consolidation of the Final Empire under Rashek, a point or two during the millennium of TLR's rule, the time just before the trilogy (if it's significantly different in a way other than the typical strength of Allomancers), and a suitable period after the trilogy.
* I realize Hemalurgy is capable of some very complicated and advanced effects, like the creation of Koloss and changing mistwraiths to Kandra. I don't expect all of those to be fully specified or even mentioned, but the simple "use X spike to steal Y ability, losing Z strength" stuff should all be there.
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Honestly, so long as the action flows, I'm good. With the amount of crazy action in the Mistborn books, I can see a single fight taking way too long if the mechanics aren't perfect. If you get that right, then I'm just fine with whatever else you do with the game.
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Optional rules for Atium and Larasium, and possibly their alloys, would be useful tools for making plot devices.
Oh, and I'd be interested and amused to see rules for Atium Savants. I doubt it's even possible to become one without Ruin's (or Sazed's, after the trilogy) active cooperation, but it's still a detail that would make for a nice sense of completeness.
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I've been gaming for a while now and find that I enjoy games with lighter mechanics that focus on the storytelling and characters. Part of that is due to my ever shrinking amount of free time.
One thing I'd like to avoid is becoming too reliant on die rolls for the outcomes of things. I hope it would be possible to re-create situations like when Vin fought the more experienced Shan in the first book. It would be nice to have to allow players to pull off the "impossible" every once in a while without worrying about how to make the die rolls work out.
Another thing that was important to the Mistborn universe was the influence of Ruin upon people and the gradual revelations about how pervasive Ruin was. I'd like to see that incorporated into the game somehow.
I think a lot of people, myself included, would want to play a Mistborn. It seems like that a party of Mistborn should be possible, even though in the books the Mistborn are very rare. So I realize this is unrealistic in the world of the books, but for me it would be one of the big draws to the RPG. Maybe in the game it's just a lot tougher to level up as fast as Vin did in the books.
While I'd be curious about the history of the universe, I'd like the time period of the game to be during the Final Empire, shortly before Kelsier's revolution.
I would hope the system would encourage non-melee encounters and scenarios. While Mistborn fights are very cool, a lot of what I liked about the first book in particular was the intrigue involved with pulling off the plan. So if there were sometimes campaigns that were all about a heist and there was never a melee at all... I think that could be fun.
That's all I can think of right now. Thanks for being open to our ideas!
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One thing I'd like to avoid is becoming too reliant on die rolls for the outcomes of things. I hope it would be possible to re-create situations like when Vin fought the more experienced Shan in the first book. It would be nice to have to allow players to pull off the "impossible" every once in a while without worrying about how to make the die rolls work out.
That is completely reliant on the DM. He can say "Screw the die roll you just do it"
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One thing I'd like to avoid is becoming too reliant on die rolls for the outcomes of things. I hope it would be possible to re-create situations like when Vin fought the more experienced Shan in the first book. It would be nice to have to allow players to pull off the "impossible" every once in a while without worrying about how to make the die rolls work out.
That is completely reliant on the DM. He can say "Screw the die roll you just do it"
While I agree that it is mostly the GM, I have seen some games where the rules actually support doing crazy cool cinematic things.
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What is it with you, miyabi, always making me have to single you out :P :
How would no dual-classing work? Isn't that the coolness of having a Thug that can also use a Pewtermind?
(I'm going to keep my mildly presumptuous names confined to my very presumptuous thread.)
Of all the requests here(Which I do love, truly) there is one that would make the most sense for the universe and the story itself: If the RPG were to take place in the post-Final Empire/remade-Scadrial time period of rebuilding the world. Maybe two centuries after the end of MB3 so there are still Mistborn and there are new Hemalurgists and Feruchemical 'Mistings'
I think that's my only hope for the game because it would make the world perfect for playing.
What I would like to see:
-- The game taking place 200-250 years after the remaking of Scadrial. It would fill in the spots of the story between series one and series two(Said to be set 500 years after the end of MB3).
-- The gamut of Allomantic Mistings and Feruchemical 'Mistings' as well as full Mistborn and full Feruchemists.
-- Hemalurgy as a "secret" class. I could see the civilization that The Crew will have built would be hostile to Hemalurgy and Hemalurgists as a whole(They have to kill people to make themselves better.). But, within a few centuries there will have to have been a splintering of societies, possibly into ones that have neutral or positive stances on Hemalurgy. Either way, the PC could either start with spikes and have to secretly acquire more or have to start killing once in a play group. It's a neat idea.
-- The ability to, if the DM and players so wish, play as those people that Rashek put at the south pole. They, obviously, weren't in any of the storage caches and they weren't standing there when Spook and everyone else emerged from them. This means that they are somewhere else on Scadrial because I don't see Sazed killing anyone. Maybe as a limited form of play. No Feruchemy, no Mistborn, possibly no Hemalurgy. Just Allomantic Mistings could make for interesting play.
-- The Kandra and possibly even the Koloss as playable races. It's on the spoiler thread that Sazed made the Koloss a true species and he changed their mentality so that they're not just killing machines. Plus, being a Kandra would be cool.
-- Expansion books for 'Old Scadrial Era', 'Rise of The Final Empire Era'(Or maybe just 'Ascension Era'), 'The Final Empire Era', and, maybe after it starts being published, 'Modern Scadrial Era'
-- D20 all the way!
That's my 37 cents... I'm sure there will be more to come.
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as big a proponent as I am for D20, I can't see it working very well for a mistborn RPG. It would have to be something much more freeform/open ended to me, which is why I would want something like a Palladium style of system.
Also, IMO the best way to do character creation is a point buy system sort of like shadowrun's. That way you can have normal people/misting/mistborn all from the get go, and it'll be relatively balanced, since the normal people will have more points to allocate to things that make themselves better, whereas being a mistborn is more expensive in points giving them less of an ability to spread around to other areas of their character
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Thanks for the replies everyone - and keep them coming!
Just to let you know where we're leaning right now: Mistborn will likely be a non-d20 system, for many of the reasons Eerongal and mking pointed out. My hopes are to make a game that reflects the fun, fluid action of the series, encourages creative play and use of powers, and is easy to get into and start playing. Not that d20 can't be that way, but moving a bit outside that box does present us with some interesting opportunities to do some very interesting things.
However, our new d20/OGL game, Fantasy Craft (http://www.crafty-games.com/node/348), will be releasing later this year, and I'm hoping, time and projects permitting, that we can do a treatment of Mistborn as a modification/supplement to that game at some point after the MBRPG hits. So you all can have your cake and eat it, too :)
Timelines are an interesting thing - Brandon's been great in letting us run about and play in the spaces he hasn't already established, but I doubt the base setting will be post-reboot of the world. First and foremost, we don't want to get into Brandon's way for any future trilogies; secondly, that's a bit off target for some of the broader audience who may discover Mistborn after finding our game on the shelves first (and trust me, there are MANY gamers out there who had no idea MB existed until we started talking about doing a game for it).
Presuming the core book is well recieved for us, I can certainly see us starting to do more in the different eras. I'm particularly intrigued by the dawn of the Final Empire, as TLR is marching on the many societies of the world, the environment is suddenly and catastrophically changing, Mistborn are everywhere, and the Terris are on the run. Ah, sweet dystopia.
Wherever we go, we're not the type of company to say "you know that cool thing you want to do? Yeah, you can't do that" :) Spycraft 2.0, our mainline product, is one of the most (if not the most) notoriously cinematic d20 game out there and I think you'll be seeing a lot of that spirit here too. Mistborn *should* be playable, as should kandra and all the other cool things you see in the books - but there will be tradeoffs, drawbacks, and limitations so the Dox's and lowly skaa of the world have their place and fun too. it's all up the GM and the players to decide what sort of fun they want to have and letting them have it. :)
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also, I would like to see something kind of action point/chtzupah system, where you have a reserve of points/whatever, that you are allowed to spend to do much more cinematic things. That way you can pull off some of the epic battles as shown in the books while not being able to do that sort of stuff all the time. I'm thinking along the lines of something you spend to give a temporary boost to stats/health/whatever to allow for the amazing, improbable comback in very dire situations.
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I don't know if you need an action point system. The DM just needs to regulate the amount of metal you acquire and there needs to be rules on how much metal is burned doing certain actions.
Oh and consequences for doing things like the pewter runs.
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as big a proponent as I am for D20, I can't see it working very well for a mistborn RPG. It would have to be something much more freeform/open ended to me, which is why I would want something like a Palladium style of system.
Also, IMO the best way to do character creation is a point buy system sort of like shadowrun's. That way you can have normal people/misting/mistborn all from the get go, and it'll be relatively balanced, since the normal people will have more points to allocate to things that make themselves better, whereas being a mistborn is more expensive in points giving them less of an ability to spread around to other areas of their character
What about using True20 or Mutants and Masterminds then?
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as big a proponent as I am for D20, I can't see it working very well for a mistborn RPG. It would have to be something much more freeform/open ended to me, which is why I would want something like a Palladium style of system.
Also, IMO the best way to do character creation is a point buy system sort of like shadowrun's. That way you can have normal people/misting/mistborn all from the get go, and it'll be relatively balanced, since the normal people will have more points to allocate to things that make themselves better, whereas being a mistborn is more expensive in points giving them less of an ability to spread around to other areas of their character
What about using True20 or Mutants and Masterminds then?
never played either, so I can't really say :P
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Pretty basic stuff and some of it has already been said, but:
1)The ability to be an Allomancer, Feruchemist or Hemalurgist.
2)An established system for how Ruin effects people, i.e. if you use Hemalurgy, then you need to have a system for being corrupted by Ruin. This could potentially mean that players end up fighting each other.
3) A skill system for the allomantic metals, i.e. you don't just have the ability to burn steel, you have a certain amount of points of skill with burning steel that affect how well you can use it.
4) The ability to be creative with items. Ex: Feruchemical stores that pierce skin, Feruchemical stores that double as weapons, etc. Also, a clearly defined system for how much of a Feruchemical charge items can hold.
5) An intuitive way for gm's and players to keep track of metal sources in the area, especially metal items that are part of the setting, like torch brackets, hanging lanterns, window frames and such. Detailed maps of different settings would be helpful, for example.
6) Guidelines for what a Feruchemist's abilities will be when filling different metalminds. For higher level Feruchemists, perhaps the possibility of filling stores at different rates (instead of being completely weakened, you could only be partially weakened, and store strength more slowly, for example).
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What about using True20 or Mutants and Masterminds then?
If we were going to do a d20-derived system for MBRPG, it would definately be one of our own. We've spent a LONG time getting things "right" on that front, and I doubt very much we would go to M&M (and True20 is right out).
Like I said, though, Fantasy Craft + a MB supplement should probably handle most of what you'd want out of a d20 version of the RPG.
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well i also want it set during TLR's reign but before the books. make it so mistings r more powerful than mistborns in their ONE talent (since mistborns have them ALL), there must be keepers but with limits like it takes a while to build up strength, weight, ect. oh and the thing with the peircing (i just cant think up of the names ) to become extra powerful (anyone should be able to do it) except it needs a good drawback to balance with the others. maybe less health since it only takes one pull on a spike (in the back) to kill it
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Major SPOILERS in this post. Sorry, I just like explaining my reasoning.
If the story for the RPG is going to be in post-Ascension, pre-iceball Scadrial then there will be no:
Mistborn -- There would only be ten and they would either be or serve The Lord Ruler.
Feruchemists -- They were all turned into Mistwraiths so there is no one in the world with Feruchemical abilities.
Hemalugists -- I don't know if they existed before the Ascension, but with Mistings being so rare I doubt it. If so, only TLR can use Hemalurgy.
Kandra -- Only the Firsts would exist during this time and they were specific people(Non-PC).
Koloss -- All of them are under the direct control of TLR, if he's even created them yet.
In addition to all this, Mistings are going to be extremely rare because the top generals that are also Mistborn aren't going to have descendants yet. As an expansion it would be interesting to do because of all these limitations, but the main people that are going to buy this at first are going to be those that read the series and the story occurring then would feel very limiting.
Mr. Sanderson seems to like having reality in his fantasy and I like that very, very much so I think I say this with a little bit of confidence: After TLR pushed the world too close to the star and how he ""fixed"" it, there would only be a few years(Probably less) that the majority of Scadrial would remain inhabitable.
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It wouldn't have to be right after the ascension. There are a thousand years worth of time to play with. I just think it would be more fun to play under TLR and would easily allow for two sects of good/evil.
ha ha ha. Mr. Sanderson . . . . that reminds me of an old topic called "MR. OR MRS. SANDERSON PLEASE READ" ROFLMAO!
Anyway, generally we call him EUOL or Brandon on the forums. ;]
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I personally would like the setting to be very thorough in the game.
Descriptions of all the different cities (not just Luthadel), description (and/or maps) of the keeps. Paintings. Info on the Noble Families. The ability to play noble or ska or merchant.
basically a fleshed out highly visual world. Not just "go read the book" for the setting. The various cultures should be addressed. Skills or bonuses depending on upbringing.
This is not just a random Fantasy world, so extreme attention must be payed to render the setting correctly and make sure that the characters have something detailed and alive with which to interact.
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I think it would have to be a point-buy system, like GURPS is. The setting would be completely up to the GM and the players. Why not be able to play in the period after Sazed's Ascension? Or anytime?
I think it would work best to have an ordinary, generic system, plus the ability to use your character's development points to buy certain abilities: Misting, Mistborn, Feruchemist, Feruchemical Misting (only exists post-Sazed's Asc.), Hemalurgist. Hemalurgists can get their abilities in several ways: they can get a single random spike, or they can be a Steel Inquisitor, Koloss, or Kandra. Although koloss may not be entirely sentient, so they might not be very fun to play.
Ultimately, it's the GM's responsibility to enforce things like Feruchemists being Terrismen, Hemalurgists being influenced by Ruin, Skaa mistings/mistborn being very rare and hunted by the Steel Inquisitors, and Nobles trying to figure out who is a misting/mistborn.
If you want to do a class system, I suggest this:
Basic Classes:
Skaa (With thieving, stealth, underworld contacts, crafting, and merchant abilities)
Noble (With diplomacy, contacts, merchant, scholar, etc. abilities)
Terrisperson (Spying, scholar, contacts)
Kandra (Spying, stealth, Blessings give bonus to strength&speed/senses/intelligence/emotions, speed for forming a new body--must serve Contract) (Kandra couldn't be a prestige class because humans don't become kandra through hemalurgy; mistwraiths do.)
You could also replace Skaa, Noble, and Terrisperson with Thief, Soldier, and Diplomat or some such thing.
Prestige Classes:
Obligator (from Noble or very, very well-connected Skaa)
Steel Inquisitor (from Obligator)
Crew Boss (from Skaa or Kandra)
Misting Specialist
Misting Savant (from Misting Specialist)
Trained Mistborn (must be Noble or have a trainer)
Keeper (from Terrisperson)
Sorry if that's too much. I really enjoy coming up with ideas for things like this. :)
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Thank you all for continuing with the feedback - the patterns are starting to show themselves, and maybe you all are starting to see some of the conflicts/challenges that arise from developing a game like this ("system should be generic" but also "the system needs to be specific to express the property", point build vs. class-based, etc. etc.) :) I *have* made a number of significant strides these past few weeks - including making a major system change (for the better) literally in my sleep! I ended up getting up at 3:30 a.m. and writing for an hour and a half on the structure so as not to forget...
So, let's ask some more specific questions in this thread. Question 1: Should Steel Inquistors be a playable character option? Consider that Marsh loses a great deal of control due to the drawbacks of his transformation - would you find something like not being able to control your character's actions interesting or frustrating? Why play an Inquisitor instead of a Mistborn (which will absolutely be an option in this game)?
Brandon has his own opinion about this, but I want to see what you all think.
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Thank you all for continuing with the feedback - the patterns are starting to show themselves, and maybe you all are starting to see some of the conflicts/challenges that arise from developing a game like this ("system should be generic" but also "the system needs to be specific to express the property", point build vs. class-based, etc. etc.) :) I *have* made a number of significant strides these past few weeks - including making a major system change (for the better) literally in my sleep! I ended up getting up at 3:30 a.m. and writing for an hour and a half on the structure so as not to forget...
So, let's ask some more specific questions in this thread. Question 1: Should Steel Inquistors be a playable character option? Consider that Marsh loses a great deal of control due to the drawbacks of his transformation - would you find something like not being able to control your character's actions interesting or frustrating? Why play an Inquisitor instead of a Mistborn (which will absolutely be an option in this game)?
Brandon has his own opinion about this, but I want to see what you all think.
It's good to hear it's coming along well!
As far as your question goes, I say absolutely! Part of the fun of an RPG is you can take control of a character other than yourself, good guy or bad guy. I think as you gain more and more spikes/become a stronger inquisitor, you should find it harder and harder to dictate your own actions. For example, in D20 sort of terms (just to put it in kinda a way many people understand) if you choose to do an action against what Ruin/TLR/whatever wishes, you have to make a save, with the DC being based upon your level.
I know it won't be D20 based, but just kinda what I would expect out of playing one. As such, I feel that you can allow Steel inquisitors to be significantly more powerful than your run of the mill misting and even most mistborn, because the draw backs can make it harder for a character to do what's needed.
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While I personally wouldn't want to play a Steel Inquisitor, I think it should be an option. There's some opportunity for some epic tragedy there that could be appealing for some stories and wouldn't be the same if played as a Mistborn. Not being able to control your actions is an interesting wrinkle. There should be a way to resist Ruin's influence, especially so that the player can do something extraordinary at a pivotal moment, like in the books.
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For the Steel Inquisitor, you could have something like a resistance bar that builds up gradually. The longer you are obedient to Ruin, the more you can do when you decide to do something that Ruin doesn't want.
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**SPOILERS!**
The Lord Ruler created the Steel Inquisitors, and during his reign he controlled them. During WoA, the Steel Inquisitors were largely controlled by Ruin, but seemed to have a small amount of autonomy (for example, Marsh apologizes before attacking Sazed). After Ruin was released, Marsh seemed to have difficulty so much as wiggling his finger on his own. It took all of his will to make one quick movement at the end. Afterward the world's rebirth, Sazed could have controlled Marsh, the last Inquisitor, but it seems out of character for Sazed to do so.
However, I think that some GM's will want to stray slightly from the canon of the books and allow Steel Inquisitors more autonomy, or allow them in time periods where they really did not exist. So, if you want players and GM's to have that kind of freedom, then go for it.
Regardless, you will definitely need mechanics for Steel Inquisitors. They'd make delightful villains, so GM's will need to know what their rules are.
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Personally, I would want to play a campaign with a mostly misting crew, probably pre-colapse. Composition similar to Kelsier's crew, with maybe 1 mistborn, several mistings, and some ska. I agree that game balance will be challenging but necessary (Snapping conveniently allows for players to "buy" mistborn status after playing for a while). I also agree that I wouldn't want to play an inquisitor myself, though I would like the rules to allow for that. I especially would like a list of hemalurgic spikes, with costs and benefits for each. Enhancing mistings with small spikes is definitely a way for mistings to keep up with the party mistborn.
For the Steel Inquisitor, you could have something like a resistance bar that builds up gradually. The longer you are obedient to Ruin, the more you can do when you decide to do something that Ruin doesn't want.
I think that you wouldn't want your character to become that far gone. In the long run, the "catch Ruin by surprise" will only work so often.
Personally, I wouldn't mind hemalurgic spikes not having any consequence (or only minor consequence) on "corruption", etc. Example, one person has a single spike which gives them a minor advantage; you shouldn't need to worry too much about corruption. Or, what if we stopped worying about players loosing controll, but treat it more as mental instability? Pentalties to saving throws? At low-to-medium levels of hemalurgic corruption, Ruin might be taking controll only once in a while. I think the question of mental influence will have to be worked out somehow anyway, if only because of Soothers and Rioters.
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* What's your favorite part/most anticipated element of a Mistborn RPG? (1)
* What are some character concepts you were hoping to play/see at the table? (2)
* What parts of the game world do you most want to see done "right"? (3)
* Are there aspects of the Mistborn setting you would like explored further, beyond what the books covered? (4)
* Are there any particular elements that you have a tough time visualizing or would like to see an artistic treatment of? (5)
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1) Uh... the fact we will all get to play it? Okay, seriously... I have to admit I'm an RPG-addict, and I believe Mistborn's world to be one of the best to hold an RPG.
2) Mistings of the allomantic metals that didn't appear in the books! That, and the fact I don't want any Mistborn as a playable character, or everyone will have Mistborn powers. Mistings are fine, though, and Terris people and hemalurgic "mistings" are, too.
3) Skaa plantations or villages. I believe thay should be a nice scenario for holding the RPG.
4) Terris people. Definitely.
5) Yes. I would like to know how exactly Atoum and Larasium are Ruin and Preservations's bodies, and whilst Preservation goes well with Larasium's effects, why Atium doesn't sound anything riuned.
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* What's your favorite part/most anticipated element of a Mistborn RPG? (1)
* What are some character concepts you were hoping to play/see at the table? (2)
* What parts of the game world do you most want to see done "right"? (3)
* Are there aspects of the Mistborn setting you would like explored further, beyond what the books covered? (4)
* Are there any particular elements that you have a tough time visualizing or would like to see an artistic treatment of? (5)
1. Playing it! The creativity of being able to create and play all sorts of different characters?
2. Kandra are incredibly cool.
3. Powers. I'm hoping for a way to keep Mistborn, Mistings, and other characters balanced and realistic. (For instance, someone who spends all their time training their Mistborn powers may not be as knowledgable, diplomatic, or sneaky without their powers.) A simple battle system that doesn't bog down gameplay looking up endless technicalities and rolling endless dice would also be very helpful.
4. Yes--cities outside of Luthadel. Wouldn't it be fun to have a campaign in a yet-unexplored Dominance during the Collapse?
5. Art ideas... the inside of Luthadel keeps... Misting battles... Feruchemist feats... You could show a metalworker refining Allomantic metals.
Here's a quick idea: one hindrance for Mistborn and Mistings is that they need to buy their allomantic metals from a specialist, and they run out of pewter relatively quickly. OOC, they could have a pool of tokens representing their Pewter stores. The other metals tend to last long enough that they usually don't have to worry too much. They could flare their pewter by spending three tokens for double the strength (since flaring is less efficient).
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I'd prefer:
No prestige class business. It doesn't seem to fit the mistborn world.
I personally don't think Steel Inquisitors would make a very good natural PC class. Maybe in a supplement?
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BTW, I don't like supplement books. Then I have to pay more, it's harder to find what I'm looking for, etc... I like simplicity so the average player can understand how things work.
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BTW, I don't like supplement books. Then I have to pay more, it's harder to find what I'm looking for, etc... I like simplicity so the average player can understand how things work.
honestly, I love supplements. Minus the cost thing, of course. Without them, an RPG is doomed to be the same way it is forever, with no added options/flavor/backstory/variety. Besides, it's almost impossible for one book to cover anything and everything you'll need.
But that's off topic. What does everyone think metal tracking and usage should be? I can't really see anything outside of a "power/magic point" type system, but i still think this doesnt feel right.
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I think two constant rates for burning metals should be implemented.
One rate for normal burning and one for flaring.
Everyone burns/flares/uses the metals at the same rate though with differing efficacy due to skill/power.
Each metal has a constant percentage which is multiplied by the usage rate to determine how fast or slow a certain metal burns. Because we know that certain metals burn slower than others.
So:
M= amount of metal in milligrams (mg)
t= time
R= M/t = burn rate (how much is burned per unit time) (mg/s)
R= M^2/t = flare rate
m = metal constant (ex. m_Iron = 1.5; m_Pewter = 0.35)
B= amount burned (mg)
Say a normal burn is 2mg/s
and the flare rate is 4mg/s
B=mRt
So if you have 10 mg of Pewter which you burn for 10 seconds... B= 0.35*2*10 = 7 mg burned
The person has 3mg of Pewter left.
Now, actual output of power (P) would be related to amount of skill (K) and the amount burned.
It could be a straight linear relationship, or there could be a constant based on the type of action taken.
I have not accounted for gravity, friction, or an opposite push on your push/pull, mainly because I just thought of this very quickly and am not even sure it would work....
I think I may have unnecessarily complicated things though...
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I think the most realistic way to do it is to only keep track of Pewter and Atium mathematically. The other metals don't seem to run out fast enough to make a big difference, but the GM could always say, towards the end of a prolonged battle, "your iron and steel are running out" or something.
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First post, and mainly because I'm so psyched for this game!
First, I think classes are too limitting for most games. Especially when your skillset is going to be as important as your super powers, I think point buy is the way to go! Especially in this setting, with such a diversity of characters to choose from. It also has a built in limit for mistborn: at character creation, you can buy one misting ability, or all of them. No in between. Maybe offer a discount to make it doable, but making the limitation for mistborn inherent for character creation would be a good thing. Having additional perks + skills related to the abilities would be a great way for characters to improve their abilities in that area.
Second, I think that most hemalurgy is not a good thing to put in the hands of players. It should have detailed rules, but should mostly remain in the hands of the GM. Other games, like the new star wars and Shadowrun, turn fallen characters (see The Dark Side and Blood Magic etc.) over to the GM because at the point they lose their free will to the Big Bad, because they really cease to be adventurers/good guys. I think that's a good thing unless you a playing a 'certain sort' of campaign. That's not to say a bit of hemalurgy wouldn't make for great character development...
Finally, the thing I hope most for in this game, is that it prioritizes fun over strict rules for every little thing. Keeping some things deliberately abstracted never hurt anyone, and gives the players more freedom to do things as they like.
Thanks much for putting all your hard work into making a game for all of us to play ;D
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I was just thinking today. Did anyone ever play FFXII? The way the skills/class table thing worked on there would be an awesome way for the skills here to work. (Like your every day skills and how well you can use your branch of Allomancy.)
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Hey all :)
I don't know if this topic's still hot but I'd like to throw my two cents in here.
First, concerning the game system, I'm no fan of D20 and other very mathematical systems. The less counting and option the bigger the space for the story and the characters. The game system is going to be tricky to design specially for the metal burning and how it can vary from an individual to an other.
Maybe something inspired by the White Wolf's Storytelling System could be interesting, like pools of points one can spend and a global Allomancy or Feruchemy skill/trait that represents one's knowledge about burning metal(s) or filling/tapping metalminds.
E.G.
Allomancy :
Each Misting/Mistborn has an Allomancy score. That would represent how much they can burn per turn, and how akeen to the burning they are. Each vial would restore metal points, and then the GM could refer to an action table that summarizes the most common actions and the cost in metal points to get enhanced effects. Allomacy skill could act as a multiplying ratio.
Don't know if I'm making sense here but the idea is still not fully formed in my mind :p
Then, concerning time settings, I'd rather play after TLR's ascension, before the Collapse. Probably at the time when the Mistborns and Mistings were numerous and more powerful.
What would I really want to see in the RPG ? Well, tons of background, anything that helps describing this dark world, the weighted atmosphere, the despair and yet the tiny spark of hope. Then, I'd love more information about culture, about the Steel Ministry, about the nobility and their politics.
In conclusion, I'm expecting Crafty Games to make up a decent magic system that will be fluid enough to avoid calculation on a large scale (no D20 !), that will allow easy character creation and mainly give room for narration.
Playing characters in a world we love is all this is about, isn't it ? :p