With my most recent semester coming to a close this week I’ve actually had time to think about game stuff. That’s been pretty neat.
So I added a bit of progress to Steam Thieves and then got to thinking about my pipe dream game - the big original combat simulator that has been kicking around in my brain for the last few years.
I’ve decided to share some of my notes on this game (working title: Trinakum) below, past the quick update on Steam Thieves. If you check out those notes you’ll see they get thin towards the bottom. I’m not going to dive all the way into Trinakum yet, because I really want to finish Steam Thieves first. But this is me telling that project “I know you’re there… And I’ll see you soon.”
Steam Thieves
(Steampunk x Forged in the Dark, Ashcan here [link])
Setting Position and Effect
The Operator sets position and effect for an action roll at the same time, after the player says what they’re doing and chooses their action. Usually, Risky / Standard is the default combination, modified by the action being used, the strength of the opposition, and the effect factors.
The ability to set position and effect as independent variables gives you nine combinations to choose from, to help you convey a wide array of fictional circumstances.
Trinakum
(Original design - dice pool/grid-based/combat simulator with celtic/gaelic flavour)
Basic concept:
Players have a pool of three D6. The first thing they do on their turn is replenish their pool with any spent die from the previous turn. They can then use their dice to perform as many actions as they wish (so long as they have the right number of dice to do so). Combat takes place on a grid that represents approximate range, not literal measurements. Creatures are either in touch range (adjoining spaces), close range (one space between them). medium range (two spaces between them), long range (three spaces between them) or out of range (four or more spaces between them). Different weapons require different amounts of dice to be spent when using them (eg. a dagger requires 1 die, a hand-axe can be used 1 or 2, a longbow requires 2 dice, a great club requires 3).
Attributes
SPEED: How fast you can use your body or parts of it. How quickly you react to situations.
STRENGTH: How physically strong you are. How sturdy you are and how hard you can hit.
SENSE: Your ability to detect and analyze things with your senses. How well you can aim a weapon.
CUNNING: Your ability to interact with people and other creatures. How well you understand psychology and foresee the actions of others.
WISDOM: Your ability to apply information you have gathered from study or experience.
Actions
MOVE: Move one space in any direction. MOVE actions can also be used to change a single item’s status from equipped to held or vice versa. You may only take the MOVE action once per turn.
SPRINT: Move one space in any direction. Roll dice from your pool and add SPEED. If the result is 9 or higher, you may return a single die, which was rolled for this action, to your pool. If the score is 12 or higher, you may return two rolled dice, which were rolled for this action, to your pool.
STRIKE: Roll dice from your pool and add STRENGTH to make an attack against a creature within range of an equipped melee weapon. The result is compared to the creature’s Defenses. If the roll is equal or higher to the creature’s Defenses a Wound is inflicted against the target.
SHOOT: Roll dice from your pool and add SENSE to make an attack against a creature within range of an equipped ranged weapon. The result is compared to the creature’s Defenses. If the roll is equal or higher to the target’s Defenses a Wound is inflicted against the creature.
EVADE: Roll dice from your pool and add SPEED. Add the total to your Defenses. The EVADE action must be immediately followed by a MOVE or SPRINT action. This increase to your Defenses lasts until you take any action other than MOVE or SPRINT.
CAST: Choose one of the following:
Attack Cast - Roll dice from your pool and add WISDOM to cast a spell or make an attack against a creature within range of an equipped caster weapon. The result is compared to the creature’s Defenses. If the roll is equal or higher to the target’s Defenses a Wound is inflicted against the creature.
Spell - Perform a spell chosen from your character’s spell list. Follow the instructions for that individual spell.
MENACE: Declare a target within range of an equipped weapon. Roll dice from your pool and add SENSE. The result is added to the next STRIKE, SHOOT or CAST action that is directed at that same target.
GUARD: Roll from your dice pool and add STRENGTH. The result is added to the Defenses of a creature that is in range of an equipped melee weapon. You can target yourself with this action. The increase to the target’s Defenses remains until either you perform any other action, you suffer a Wound or the target becomes out of range of your equipped melee weapon.
HIDE: Select a creature and remove a die from your pool. That creature cannot target you with any actions until you perform one of the following actions: EVADE, MOVE, SPRINT, STRIKE, SHOOT or CAST.
Free Actions: The following moves can be done by a character without rolling dice or taking any of the above actions: Speak, point or make other gestures, pick up a single item that is close by, reload ammunition for a ranged weapon, drop any number of items from either or both hands, drop prone.
Fumbles, Criticals & Brutals
If you use a single die when performing the STRIKE, SHOOT or CAST (attack) actions to target a creature and you roll a 1, your attack is unsuccessful.
If you roll two or more dice and the result includes two 6s, this is a Critical. If you roll three or more dice and the result includes three 6s, this is a Brutal.
When a Critical is rolled all Wounds inflicted as a result of the action are doubled. The doubling effect of the Critical is always applied last when calculating Wounds.
When a Brutal is rolled all Wounds inflicted as a result of the action are tripled. The tripling effect of the Brutal is always applied last when calculating Wounds.
Players are to be aware of the maximum wounds and wounds remaining of any creature they face in battle.
Non Lethal Attacks
After a successful STRIKE, SHOOT or CAST player can choose not to inflict Wounds, but to instead inflict non lethal damage. If the wounds that would have been inflicted would have killed the target, the target is instead unconscious. If the wounds inflicted would not have killed the target, the target suffers no Wounds.
Death & Healing
When a player creates a character, that character has 100 LIFE. Their Maximum Wounds are determined by their roles and level.
When a character’s LIFE total reaches 0 they are dead.
When a character’s Wounds equals their Maximum Wounds they are Downed. A Downed character falls prone and drops everything they are holding. A Downed character cannot perform any actions.
When a character is Downed, they immediately lose 10 points from their LIFE total. The player must not remove or add any dice to their pool when their character is Downed. When a character is Downed their Defences are 1.
If a character is Downed on their turn they may attempt a RECOVER check.
To perform a RECOVER check the Downed player rolls a single D6 from their pool (if they have a die available).
If they roll a 1, 2 or 3, they have failed to recover and remain Downed. If the player rolls a 4, 5 or 6 they have succeeded. When a character succeeds a RECOVER check their Wounds are reduced by 1 and they lose the Downed condition.
A character may attempt one RECOVER check on each of their turns, immediately after replenishing their dice pool.
Anytime a Downed character would receive a Wound, instead they lose 10 LIFE.
Roles
KEMPE
STRENGTH +3
Proficiencies: Kempe are proficient in all weapons, armour and shields excluding those with the caster trait.
Kempe’s Lore: Kempe can recall and infer knowledge associated with being a Kempe.
When using the STRIKE action, add your Kempe Level to the roll.
Archetypes: Choose a Kempe archetype and follow their instructions.
Kempe archetypes
BRUT, DUELERE, SCIRMISHERE, WICCEBLADE
BRUT
STRENGTH +1.
Increase one ability from 0 to 1.
Increase one other ability from 0 to 1.
Choose a melee weapon with the heavy trait.
Level 1
Powerful strikes: Whenever a STRIKE is successful the total Wounds you inflict is equal to the number of dice you rolled for that STRIKE.
Effortless strength: When performing a STRIKE with a heavy weapon, you may use one less die than is required (according to that weapon’s description). When performing a STRIKE with a weapon that is not heavy you may roll an additional die than is required (according to that weapon’s description), Dice Pool permitting.
Level 3
Improved Defenses: When you are holding a heavy weapon you have a +1 bonus to Defenses.
Power block: When you are the target of a STRIKE, roll any dice available to you and add STRENGTH. Add this total to your Defenses against that attack only.
Level 5
Armour smasher: Instead of inflicting Wounds as a result of a STRIKE, you may instead reduce the target’s Defenses by 1 for every die rolled on the STRIKE. On a Critical Success this total is doubled. On a Brutal Success this total is tripled.
Level 7
Crushing miss: When performing the STRIKE action, you may re-roll a single 1 result. You must accept the second result. A Critical Success or a Brutal Success cannot be applied as part of a Crushing miss.
Level 9
Sweeping blow: When you take the STRIKE action with a heavy weapon you may target 2 or 3 creatures within range of that attack, as long as there are no other creatures between each target. If the STRIKE is successful all targets receive the total Wounds inflicted.
DEULERE
CUNNING +2.
Increase one ability from 0 to 1.
Increase one other ability from 0 to 1.
Level 1
Pick one of the following Duelere Moves: Parry, Counter, Feint, Flourish, Taunt, Trip, Disarm.
Parry: After you are targeted with a STRIKE, roll any amount of dice available and add CUNNING. Add the result to you Defenses versus that attack only.
Counter: After you are targeted with an unsuccessful STRIKE, roll any amount of dice available and add STRENGTH and CUNNING and compare to the Defenses of the creature that targeted you. If you meet or exceed their defenses, deal Wounds depending on your equipped weapon.
Feint: Choose a target in range of your equipped weapon. Roll any amount of dice available and add CUNNING, the result is taken as a penalty against the target’s Defenses versus your next STRIKE against them.
Flourish: When you take the STRIKE action, add your CUNNING to the dice roll.
Taunt: Choose a target that is aware of you. Roll as many dice as you wish (and are available to you) and add CUNNING. The result is the negative modifier the target suffers on the next attack they attempt.
Trip: After a successful STRIKE, instead of inflicting a Wound you can choose to knock your target Prone.
Disarm: After a successful STRIKE, instead of inflicting a Wound you can choose to force the target to drop a single held weapon.
Level 3
Pick a Duelere Move.
Level 5
Pick a Duelere Move.
Dueling combinations: After completing a Duelere Move, you may recall a single die spent during that action and then immediately use it on either a STRIKE or another Duelere Move. You may do this once per turn.
Level 7
Pick a Duelere Move.
Dueling combinations: You may use the Dueling combinations ability twice per turn.
Level 9
Receive all other unpicked Duelere Moves.
Coup d’grace: A successful STRIKE causes an extra wound for every Duelere Move that was completed prior to the STRIKE on this turn.
SCIRMISHERE
SPEED +2.
Increase one ability from 0 to 1.
Increase one other ability from 0 to 1.
Level 1
Polearm master: When using a polearm weapon add your SPEED to your die roll when taking the STRIKE action. You may use any polearm weapon with one hand. You may STRIKE with any polearm weapon using a single die.
Charge: If a successful STRIKE action is taken immediately after a MOVE or SPRINT action you inflict an extra Wound for each square of movement taken.
Level 3
Quick reflexes: If targeted with either a STRIKE or SHOOT, you may roll as many dice as are available, add SPEED and add this to your defenses for this STRIKE or SHOOT only.
Useful reach: When using a polearm you may use your SPEED ability for GUARD and MENACE actions instead of SENSE and STRENGTH.
Level 5
Running blow: After a SPRINT, you may inflict a Wound to one target within range of your weapon. The target can be in range of this weapon either before or after the SPRINT action was taken.
Level 7
Effortless speed: You can take two MOVE actions per turn.
Level 9
Double jab: Each successful STRIKE with a polearm deals two Wounds.
WACHERE
SENSE +3
Proficiencies: Wachere’s are proficient in all weapons, armour and shields excluding those with the caster trait.
Wachere’s Lore: Wachere’s can recall and infer knowledge associated with being a Wachere.
When using the SHOOT action, add your Wachere Level to the roll.
Archetypes: Choose a Wachere archetype and follow the instructions listed.
Wachere archetypes
BLITSCEOT, HAILSCEOT, WYLDE ARCHERE
HOOD
Get a dice back when enemy turn starts. Add hoode level to either attack roll or wounds committed on the enemy’s turn. The hoode moves around and snipes on their turn and delivers death blows on the enemy’s turn.
Hood archetypes
SPIEN, KUTT PURS, KUTT THROTE, TRIKKSTER
DRUWIT
Druwits are sturdy support characters or tanks. Easiest magic class to use.
Druwit archetypes
PROTECTERE, PUNISCHER
WYLDE
Wylde archetypes
CHANELERE, SUMOUNERE
The chanelere is a tank, drawing attention from the enemy. The sumounere is a support class, adding stuff to the battlefield.
WICCE
Wicce archetypes
HALER, HEXER
Haler is pure healer, stays back and keeps everyone alive (by spending their own Life points). Can also buff, by temp. increasing ability scores. Hexer is a debuffer, stay back and torment the enemy.
Haler can make potion. Hexer can make poison.
VATES
Vates archetypes.
POETE, PROPHETE
Poete is all about buffing other players by making more dice available to them. Poete’s give their dice to others and at higher levels create a community pool of dice. Prophetes are about changing, replacing and freezing dice rolls. The most powerful Prophetes can burn their three dice to change the results on other players’ roles.