Random DM nagging.

[Anastasia]

If there is still a story to be told about Moore's adventures, I'm all for it.

It's up to y'all who you choose to play. I generally won't veto unless...

1. It's an absurd choice.
2. You're pulling some manner of shenanigans.
3. Aurora general. See the following discussion. I don't want a rehash of B3, since it would likely slide right into that.
4. Everyone else gets torches, pitchforks and demands to burn you at the stake. Aka a crazy catchall of someone being a troll or otherwise detrimental.

<Iddy> Who counts as non-generals? I mean, we never really clarified where like Muirfinn, Surraruthru, and Moore are. I know at one point you said something like Colonel or something.
> Afina, Jaela, Ithea, Adrian, Gisfal.
> Two are NPCs so it's basically a three person list.
> Willim used to be one but dead.
<Iddy> Alright. Work trime.
<Iddy> time
<Iddy> Later
> And to be totally honest, a theoretical Merc return I'd even be willing to bend on Ithea in that case. I really just don't want B3.1 after just putting an ending on B3 a month ago. At least not yet.

[Anastasia]

I'm still working on that homebrew system. Here's a preview.

Elevator Pitch: System is a d10/d100 game that provides a loose structure that you fill in your own abilities with. The system is designed with flexibility for numbers to rise or stay low and still work, using those and large numbers of dice (via automated dice rollers online) to provide the players with a sense of growth and power. Think of video game mechanics more than typical RPG mechanics.

The Seven Attributes

Strength: Physical strength. It applies to your melee attacks and hit points.
Agility: General speed and flexibility. It applies to your ranged attacks and evasion.
Endurance: Overall health and fitness. It applies to your hit points.
Skill: How skilled you are at various trained skills and abilities. It applies to various perks that allow you to do things, like lockpicking, computer hacking, dancing or any other skilled pursuit.
Magic: How magically talented you are. It applies to your magic attacks and magic points.
Willpower: Mental fortitude and willpower. It applies to your magic points.
Luck: General luck. Luck does not apply to a particular ability by default.

Melee Attacks: Attacks with handheld weapons, such as swords, knives, clubs and so on. Your strength score is your base melee attack, though weapons, abilities and other things can raise this.
Ranged Attacks: Attacks with ranged weapons, such as archery, guns, thrown weapons and so on. Your agility score is your base ranged attack, though weapons, abilities and other things can raise this.
Magic Attacks: Attacks with supernatural forces, psionic powers and other magical abilities. Your magic score is your base magic attack, though weapons, abilities and other things can raise this.

The Dice Rolls

The main dice roll used in this system is 1d100, with multiple d10s being used to roll damage. Your goal is to roll equal or lower to your target number. Rolling equal or lower to your target number is called a success. Every successful roll has a number of successes, which are determined as follows.

Roll number=1 success.
Every 10 points between the roll number and the target number=1 success.

Examples

Melee attack roll of 23 against a target of 25. 23. 1 success.
Evasion roll of 48 against a target of 77. 48, 58, 68. 3 successes.
Willpower check roll of 89 against a target of 143: 89, 99, 109, 119, 129, 139. 7 successes.

High Numbers of Successes

When tallying successes for a roll that's a few hundred or more numbers away from the target number, use the following method. Take your roll and add 90 points to it, then count in increments of 100 until adding 100 would put you over the target number.  As the roll number counts as the first success, merely adding 100 to it will provide less successes than you are entitled to.

Magic attack roll of 15 against a target of 539. 105, 205, 305, 405, 505. 50 successes. 515, 525, 535. 53 successes.
Agility check of 93 against a target of 830. 183, 283, 383, 483, 583, 683, 783. 70 successes. 793, 803, 813, 833. 74 successes.

Evasion

When attacked, a character rolls an evasion check. Your goal is to roll equal or lower to your target number. Rolling equal or lower to your target number is called a success, this works just like any other sort of roll. You subtract your successes on the evasion roll from the attacker's successes on the attack roll. If you negate all of an attacker's successes, you take no damage from the attack. Otherwise, the remaining successes deal damage to you.

Examples

Evasion roll of 43 against a target of 59. 43, 53. 2 successes. This is against a total of 8 successes on the attack roll, so only 6 successes get through to damage the the defender.
Evasion roll of 92 against a target of 239. 182. 10 successes. 192, 202, 212, 222, 232. 15 successes. This is against a total of 14 successes on the attack roll, so the defender takes no damage.

Damage

Every form of attack deals a set number of d10s per success of damage. Multiply the total of successes after evasion by this number of d10s and roll that to determine damage.

Examples

A brawler manages 4 successes against an enemy in a barroom brawl. He deals 2d10 damage per success with his bare fists, for a total of 2*4=8d10 damage.
A mage casts a fire spell on a goblin and gets 14 successes through. The fire spell deals 5d10 damage per success, for a total of 14*5=70d10 damage.

Special Rolls

A roll of a natural 1 is an automatic success. On an attack roll, you double the successes from your attack. On an evasion roll you automatically negate all the successes against you for that attack. For an attribute check, you automatically succeed on the check. On an opposed attribute check, you automatically win unless your opponent also rolls a natural 1, in which case check total successes to determine who wins the roll.

A roll of a natural 100 is an automatic failure. Attack rolls automatically miss, evasion rolls dodge no successes and attribute checks fail.


---

So basically it's a d100 system with successes by powers of 10?

Pretty much. It's designed to be easy to count one you practice a bit, even if it reaches higher numbers.

If the numbers get really high, don't previous enemies or allies start getting left behind, as they can't hit enemy evasion scores?

Yes, and honestly, that's as designed. It's meant to have a distinct feel of power levels and tiers to it. Again, this is meant to emulate video game systems. That goblin that you fought at level 2 isn't going to do much to you by level 20, are they?

When the numbers start getting higher, there's almost no chance of an attack missing unless you're attacking someone with a good evasion score.

That's intentional again. Depending how evasion is scaled in a particular game, it may keep up or it may more function like a video game defense score. It doesn't really stop attacks, but it takes a good part of the damage away.

Okay, where's the rest of it? This is just the bare bones of things.

It is a preview. That aside, it's meant to plug created systems into it to emulate whatever you want. Like any RPG system, it has its strengths and weaknesses, things it does well and things it doesn't do well. It's meant to be flexible rather than specializing in any style, beyond what's noted already. There's meant to be space in the margins to expand in, not be locked into any one genre.

---

As a note, if this resembles another system, let me know? I'm not up on d10/d100 game systems, I made this from scratch. For all I know, I'm treading on well established ground already.

[Ebiris]

Could be rehashing what I said when you previewed this in chat, but a few observations.

There's no stat for social stuff like charisma or personality.

Counting for high numbers of successes seems really cumbersome. Here's my suggestion of another way to do it if you have a handy calculator: subtract whatever was rolled against the ability score, then round up to the next highest ten. Like in your examples?
Magic attack of 15 against magic score of 539? 539-15 = 524. Increment up and you have 53 successes.
Agility check of 93 against agility score of 830? 830-93 = 737. Increment up and you have 74 successes.
Just seems a lot easier than counting up, and since this is meant to be about getting super high numbers and automating the dice rolling as much as possible, that seems better than counting on your hands.

Since the roll mechanic is based on the d100, when stats are below 100 combat and challenges will be a lot more swingy, with missed attacks and successful defences occuring in equal measure, but then as they get higher attacks will always get at least some successes barring critical failures. Not necessarily saying that's bad, but the tenor of encounters will be substantially different on either side of the 100 stat cutoff.

In essence it's a lot like Tristat just with more stats and using d100 rather than d12 as its core mechanic.

[Anastasia]

There's no stat for social stuff like charisma or personality.

Pretty much intentional. Let that and intelligence be in the realm of roleplaying rather than a mechanical number.

Counting for high numbers of successes seems really cumbersome. Here's my suggestion of another way to do it if you have a handy calculator: subtract whatever was rolled against the ability score, then round up to the next highest ten. Like in your examples?
Magic attack of 15 against magic score of 539? 539-15 = 524. Increment up and you have 53 successes.
Agility check of 93 against agility score of 830? 830-93 = 737. Increment up and you have 74 successes.
Just seems a lot easier than counting up, and since this is meant to be about getting super high numbers and automating the dice rolling as much as possible, that seems better than counting on your hands.

To be entirely honest, I find my way faster for myself, but if that's faster for someone? More power to them. As long as you get the right numbers, count away.

Since the roll mechanic is based on the d100, when stats are below 100 combat and challenges will be a lot more swingy, with missed attacks and successful defences occuring in equal measure, but then as they get higher attacks will always get at least some successes barring critical failures. Not necessarily saying that's bad, but the tenor of encounters will be substantially different on either side of the 100 stat cutoff.

Yeah. I noticed that in development. I feel like it's two realms the system can work in. The lower realm is more traditional pen and paper, while once you get over the one hundred hump things become more video gamey. I'd ultimately see that as a feature to be used and noted.

In essence it's a lot like Tristat just with more stats and using d100 rather than d12 as its core mechanic.

Really? I haven't played anything Tristat beyond SMRPG's basic system in a loooooooooooooooooooooong time. I have only the vaguest memories of that one game we did with Tristat DX.

[Anastasia]

Got some great feedback in PM on this from Cor, thanks Cor. I'll be cleaning up some language issues and enhancing clarity for the next draft.

[Anastasia]

My new game pitch will probably be in a few days. Maybe tomorrow, maybe Thursday or Friday. I'm in part waiting for feedback on that system preview, since part of is determined by how much more work the system needs. So posts of feedback there are super appreciated.

[Nephrite]

I'll be honest, the new system seems a bit confusing to me, but I'm usually a bit daunted by this sort of thing.

I think if we have a practice run it'll be easy enough to understand.

[Anastasia]

I'll be honest, the new system seems a bit confusing to me, but I'm usually a bit daunted by this sort of thing.

I think if we have a practice run it'll be easy enough to understand.

Fair enough, I'm usually in the same boat as you. I feel like it plays easily enough but I haven't adequately explained it, which is what I was struggling with.

[Anastasia]

First of all, thanks to everyone who gave feedback on that mechanics preview. I'd still love anyone who speaks up about it, as after either B4SS or the next day game I intend to use it. Right now it still needs a bit more time in the oven, as well as a worked up setting to use with it. Meanwhile, more in the next post.

[Anastasia]

Here's the pitch. Questions welcome.

Balmuria 6: The Answer.
Players: 3-6.
Themes: Each PC is a world, answers to the deepest questions, Shar is really a bitch so we should do something about that, personal connections, events around the multiverse.
Posting Style: Mondays through Fridays, trying to aim for normal Balmuria time when possible for posting runs. However, when people aren't connected this is somewhat more flexible.
Level: 30.
Duration: None, until the end.

First of all, if you haven't, read this post here: http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,101729.msg1108943.html#msg1108943

Okay? Good.

This game will focus on PCs leading their own groups - called nodes - who go about and get shit done in the multiverse. Bad things are happening. Devils are taking over worlds, demons are running amok, dark deities execute horrid plans and Shar remains a looming threat thanks to the Prophecy of Primus. You play one of the great champions who fights to make the multiverse a better place, working at the top to solve problems that can consume entire worlds in hellfire or eternal darkness.

Yet this is a time of prophecy, a time that may well be the last era of Creation. One world and one city on the Prime shines brightly, a beacon of rebirth as the End looms larger and larger. Destiny swirls around that world, so tight as to draw others into it and pervert normal destinies into something far grander. Deep below the earth, a caged, false deity awaits, guarded by a two dragons forever in orbit of one another. Such is the will of Ao and the so called Arbiter, the same will that has empowered Shar and so much worse.

Can the PCs make Creation a better place, and perhaps ensure that this is not the end? Can they carve a place for themselves in the highest levels of power as worlds fall and great wars brew across the planes? All the players have pieces on the board, ready to play this great game to a climax, or perhaps THE climax. Will you claim the secrets of Creation, learn of them and finally find answers? Will you be able to make stalwart and true friends who will stand with you, no matter what? Will you and your friends become a radiance that become hope eternal?

Finally, let it be understood that no one is an island. Each PC will need to be supported by powerful allies and expand those bonds. From these bonds will come power - real, material power that aids you in your quests, beyond merely gaining more allies. Just as much a part of apocalyptic happenings, printing your will on the cosmos and doing what you want will be developing those bonds.

Note: While the tone is a little ominous here, I don't intend for this game to be overly dark. Things look darkest before the dawn, and well, y'all may be the dawn a whole lot.

Character Selection

You have two options for characters.

1. Use an existing character. This will start you with a pre-established character and allies suitable to them, as well as the bonuses they accrued in previous games.
2. Use a new character. Downside, you start from scratch. Upside, you start from scratch. Freedom can be a blessing and a bane.

New and returning characters will begin at level 30 at the moment (though I'm flexible on this if anyone has concerns, if you do speak up). Character generation for new characters will be Balmuria standard, I may tweak this a little bit due to the power level of the game if needed. Old characters will likely need some adjustment and rebuilding, this is perfectly okay. We'll work that all out, I expect this and will generally work to make those adjustments work.

Additionally, it is not impossible to begin play with a divine character (DvR0 or 1). As Balmuria 1 elaborated, the deities are sponsoring more demigods ascending to help against Shar. Due to Ao this is far from safe, as those he does not approve of are accursed into the abomination known as a hunefer. Alicia and Seira, if chosen, are already divine and past that risk. Returning characters beyond those two are not eligible to start with divine rank, though it is entirely possible to seek to obtain it in play. Indeed, in such times, paths of power beyond the approval of Ao may reveal themselves. A new character with a sufficiently good setup could be one of those newly risen DvR1 demigods or DvR0 quasi powers.

Note that divine characters will have at least one complication to compensate for the added power. For example, Seira and Alicia have the whole Arbiter quest to sort out.

More on the divine rules will be discussed further below.

Mechanical Details

- This game will aim to be challenging, but true PC death will be difficult. Entities of your statures rarely die forever. Outsiders respawn, deities lose an avatar or reform in their realm and so on. Death carries various prices of course, but unlike in many games, it need not be the end.
- I want a medium level of optimization. Bear in mind that this is an epic level game with divine rules being a factor - frankly, you don't need to optimize too hard to be powerful, especially if you have DvR1 or higher. Literally, you get a souped up wish/limited wish to spam at will.
- Returning characters are obviously whatever race they already were. New characters can assume up to LA+4 in either templates or an advanced race. I may go beyond this with a sufficiently good concept.
- As this is a Balmuria game, it uses those houserules. This includes gestalt, so bear that in mind. Likewise custom material from the R&S board is fair game. Note that as this game will function at that level of power, the divine rules are also relevant.
- Note that this uses the new gestalt rules, so pick a side for BAB and saves. Any imports from B3 will need to rebuild to be complaint with this.
- New character generation will be two !rollchars on Serith or another !rollchar capable bot. This is 5d6 drop lowest two. Make sure I'm in the chat room and around when you roll or the rolls will not count. Once I'm there and you've rolled, I'll have you post them here (or on our board for that if that's set up already). I may allow a third roll if you really bungle the first two, but this is purely up to me and will likely depend on my mood at the time.

Bonds

While good roleplaying and connecting with characters is its own reward and allure, that doesn't mean it can't be a literal reward. Connecting deeply with your friends and allies can lead to bonuses, powers and even level ups. So be prepared for a lot of roleplaying going in along with all the multiversal going-ons. After all, no one is an island, even the greatest powers have countless servants, allies and friends.

I will be keeping track of how you get along with people and handing these out when the time is right. So don't worry about tracking them, just enjoy the bonuses when you get them. The DM will take care of all behind the screen.

Yes, it is a bit Persona-esque, if you're familiar with those games. Not on purpose, it's just the direction things when in. Heck, remember the name of the sword Alicia was given at the end of B1 - Bonds. It's been a theme for awhile, and in this case I'd like to make it more direct and literal.

Divinity

First of all, I suggest reading the divine rules link at the bottom of this post. Get familiar with these rules. Also read the salient divine abilities as well as the individualized one in the last post in that topic.

The divine template will be used as written with the following adjustments.

1. Divine PCs get their relevant alignment domains for free. As I'm trying to keep optimization within fair bounds, consider this a freebie in exchange. This covers the good, evil, law and chaos domains. A true neutral PC can get the balance domain for free if this fits them, but are otherwise out of luck here.
2. Divine PCs get the following ability. It's meant to serve to cover the sheer tidal wave of information a deity gets in a simple and easy way.

Divine Knowledge (Ex)

A deity is the focus of an incredible amount of knowledge, both from prayer and her superior ability to understand the world. This allows the deity to know almost anything, from obscure knowledge to the customs of a particular Prime Material world. The deity can make a special Knowledge check, this is 1d20 + her Intelligence modifier + her divine rank to see if she knows information about what she desires. This can be anything she wishes and can be made in addition to a normal Knowledge check. The DC is the same as a normal Knowledge check about that information. A deity can always take 10 when using this ability.

For example, a deity could use this to make a Knowledge (Local) check about the customs of the region her avatar is passing through, then a Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) to see if a bridge she is about to cross will hold or collapse. If those checks fail, she can choose to use any normal skills she has as well. Most deities always take 10 with this ability and use skills when this ability fails.

---

For speed of play, I'd prefer it if the take 10 option was used and this skill is invoked whenever a PC desires or directly into the text as needed. If you want to roll it anyway, that's fine too.

B1r Note

Back when it first looked like B1r was going to happen post B3, I did a lot of work on that. I may or may not use all of this precisely, mostly the magic item structure. I can provide links and answer questions about this if y'all go this way and need a refresher.

Previous powers from epic destinies in B1 will generally be brought over, I'll talk to y'all about more specifics if it looks to be relevant.

Custom Material

Odds are at least someone will require custom material. If you think you will, speak up soonest so I have plenty of time to develop it. Or heck, make your own and submit it to me if you'd prefer.

Level 30 Characters

What does a typical level 30ish character look like in Balmuria? Have a few examples. Use these as examples to help model your characters.

The Wandering Giver, Succubus 31//Fighter (Zhentarim) 10/Mutilator 21
Lady Honeydip, Eladrin Hero, Pixie 4/Marshal 25//Fighter 29 with the eladrin hero template
Amea, High Summoner of Levistus, Gelugon 30//Conjurer 20/Master Specialist 10
Lucial, Blade of the General, Valeoloth 33//Fighter 23/War Hulk 10
Matellus, Solar's Rictus 32//Divine Corpsecraft (Lixer) 4/Entropic Creature 2/Evolved 4/Marshal 22
Nemiel, Herald of Beezlebub, Fallen Solar 29//Marshal 19/Herald of Beezlebub 10
Nassrapk, slaad wild mage, White Slaad 28//Wizard 10/Wild Mage 18
Sayuel, Throne Archon, Throne Archon 30//Knight 10/Defender 20
Latha, Diamond Angel of Radiance, Astral Deva 29//Cleric 29
Donald Smurth, Duskblade 29//Fighter 18/Dragon Disciple (Copper) 11

Demigods

In case you need them, here are some examples of demigods in Balmuria. This should give you a grasp of generally how powerful they are.

Zquujaj, Knight of the Pale Mother (Note: Overleveled for a demigod, they usually clock in between 30-40 hit dice. He's included for the sake of completeness.)
Empress Sulia, the Martyr's Mother
Sharess, Mother of Cats (Note: Slightly overleveled and discussed in the notes section of her statblock.)
Ty-h'kadi, the Stormbringer
Zaaman Rul, Prince of Good Fire Creatures
The Red Knight

Misc Notes

1. B3's bonus scenes in the credits are likely relevant here, so bear them in mind.
2. NPCs will probably start at level 30 as well, ala B5. They're meant to be tighter to you and more competitive.
3. Deities can stack a stat to something twice, so long as one is something from the divine rules. Example: A DvR1 paladin gets both Charisma to saves thanks to divine grace and the divine template. Note that they still have to be stackable bonus types - in that case untyped and resistance, respectively. Bonus types that overlap still overlap.
4. The differences between powers and deities will be gone into as relevant during character creation. Cor asked about this recently, so heads up.
5. Game start will be a month or so, so plenty of time to consider and do all the mechanical work a level 30 character requires.
6. Please post any questions that aren't private, since odds are I'll be asked a lot of them and it saves repetition on my end. I won't be mad or anything if you don't, but it does make my life easier. You'd be amazed at how often I repeat myself in PMs. No really, you'd be amazed at how often I repeat myself. It's absolutely amazing how often I repeat myself.
7. Strictly speaking there's no B3 embargo beyond my desire to avoid a general being played, since that turns into B3 Redux pretty quick, but I'd like B3 and Hell to take a backseat for awhile beyond any returning characters or PCs intentionally going there.
8. In case Surru and Seira are both played, you may have to work out a time share or something with Kascha. That's up to you two. Just don't turn it into a Mommy and Daddy are getting divorced and you spend every weekend with Daddy sort of deal, okay? But seriously, if those two are played that's a bit of a spot so I'd want to talk to both of you to hammer that out. It's not a huge deal but it would need to be addressed.

Bonus Links For Reference

Balmuria Houserules: http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,103071.0.html
Homebrew: http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,103074.0.html
Characters and Monsters: http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,103072.0.html
Epic Level Rules: http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,103118.0.html
Divine Rules: http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,103815.0.html

[Anastasia]

Obvious point I forgot to mention: Post interest when you're ready and all of that. No hurry, it's a decent amount to read and digest.

[Ebiris]

Sign me up then, I'll look into rebuilding Alicia to be gestalt compliant at some point.

(man, looking at her old sheet she'd get completely wrecked by Afina)

[Anastasia]

Sign me up then, I'll look into rebuilding Alicia to be gestalt compliant at some point.

(man, looking at her old sheet she'd get completely wrecked by Afina)

She would, non-gestalt and not as optimized.

http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,103072.msg1054636.html#msg1054636

A prop build I did for her in case I needed it. You may find this helpful. As I noted in PM, DvR1 should largely sort out numbers issues by themselves along with a competent rebuild.

NPCs will probably resemble the builds I did for them, though I'll give you some creative control there if you have any suggestions or preferences.

[Nephrite]

I am interested. If there'd be any bonuses or whatever Moore would be getting, can I have those in advance? I've got a long list of math ahead of me for the save rebuilding.

[Anastasia]

I am interested. If there'd be any bonuses or whatever Moore would be getting, can I have those in advance? I've got a long list of math ahead of me for the save rebuilding.

Anything you got in B3 plus the three levels to reach 30. Under what I'm calling the Kascha rule (blame Iddy), I'd generally allow you to import one reasonable NPC from B3 to get you kickstarted with your own node. They'd have to be willing to accept, of course.