Change Log [2017/05/25] (Beta 4)

Some more changes/updates, mostly coming out of the playtest:

• [Core Rules] Each character can make only one skill check per turn
• [Core Rules] Intimidate now only requires the Immobilized condition; Elite monsters will still require the Bloodied condition
• [Core Rules] Clarified the rules around Teleport; you cannot move to or from High Ground using teleportation, unless specifically allowed by the ability
• [Core Rules] Abilities with the [Form] keyword all can now be activated as part of an initiative check, or activated/changed as a Move Action
• [Core Rules] HP rules clarified; maximum can be exceeded during combat but extra is lost at the end of the encounter
• [Core Rules] Clarified the "Weakened" condition when applied to skill checks with Advantage
• Assassin's skill expertise changed to "all untrained skills from your core skills lists"
• Assassin can no longer Stealth after using Sneak Attack ability to deal d20 bonus damage
• Skald's Inspiring Shout granted attack changed; instead of "double roll and stack in place of attack or damage" it is now "double roll; stack in place of attack, OR use higher in place of damage"
• Skald's intimidate checks changed so that they can target any bloodied enemies
• Spellbinder's intimidate checks changed so that they can target enemies with sigil or hex without needing them to be Immobilized
• Swordmage can now make a melee basic attack OR a skill check as part of a teleport (not both)
• Spellbinder's skill training options altered slightly
• [Cleric] Bless changed to a minor action, but now only benefits 1 ally. Also gains the [Sustaining] keyword.
• [Cleric] Divine Smite basic attacks still get advantage on the damage roll, but can now stack the damage if an ally is engaged with the target; Life Domain smite basic attack now heals a Nearby ally OR one engaged with the target; War Domain can now make divine smite basic attacks as a minor action
• [Cleric] Crusader gets advantage on Opportunity Attacks; changed the Crusader's iconic attack from "make a basic roll and use either result for damage" to "you can power attack with this ability; you gain Advantage on the attack rolls if you do."
• [Cleric] Invoker gains a Minor Action self-teleport and a Move Action to shift enemies; Invoker's reserve-burning damage on iconic attack now does damage, hit or miss.

Monster Math -- Part 1: Rolls & Actions

Today I'm going to start talking about some of the basics behind the monster design for The Next Project (with apologies to Bobby "Boris" Pickett, for the horrible pun in the title.)

The most immediate things we need to consider are what actions the monsters can take, and what rolls they can or will actually make. Where this system fundamentally differs from most d20 games, is that the players are always rolling to determine the result of an attack (whether they are making the attack, or suffering one.) Notably, this means that monsters will never deal a critical "hit" to the PCs. This also narrows down the the types and numbers of rolls that monsters will make, quite significantly. The list of what remains looks something like this:

• Initiative checks
• Skill checks
• Damage rolls
• Opportunity Attacks

While specific monsters may also be able to make Trade-offs (depending on their ability sets) those are pretty much it for monster rolls.

For initiative checks, we can give monsters a separate "score" or "bonus" for the roll, or we can have them simply use a skill, as the PCs do. In terms of actual skill checks, monsters (by necessity) only need to be assigned Training or Expertise with Combat skills, rather than also needing other "core" skills, or "background" skills. So that narrows down the list of specific skills that monsters need a "score" for to this list:

• STR: Brawl (including grapple/reverse grapple, and shove), Break Objects, Climb, Intimidate
• AGIL: Escape, Tumble, Jump, Stealth
• WIS: Perception

Now, we may want to limit which skills certain types of monsters can use. To wit, monsters that appear in larger numbers probably should not be able to simply overwhelm the PCs and mitigate their tactics through the sheer volume of skill checks they can make. This is another limitation we should consider, which can also serve to help simplify the job of the DM.

In terms of damage, monsters should be doing about 10 damage per "hit," as was outlined in a previous post. To come up with this result, I am proposing that we should use 1d6+1d10 for our monster damage rolls; this can also be used for their Opportunity Attacks, but we can apply bonuses separately to each of these types of rolls, in order to help flavour and differentiate our monsters.

The reason behind this thinking comes from its use in a previous untitled RPG that I wrote, and my familiarity with it, statistically. This dice expression produces a result with an average of 9, having all numbers from 7 through 11 be equally likely (10% each.) This damage caps out at 16, which is just over half the HP of the average PC. Using existing game language such as Expertise and "double roll" mechanics, we can increase the minimum and average results of this dice expression, without increasing the maximum; these tools will be used to further diversify our rogue's gallery.

To further streamline the DM's job of controlling the party's antagonists, monster skill checks will use this same roll. This means that monsters will not be capable of reaching the statistical benchmarks that PCs can (in terms of their baseline skill effectiveness, and capability to critically succeed) but it does allow the DM to roll the same dice regardless of the action a monster ends up taking. Potentially, the DM could decide the action after seeing the result of the roll, or such a perk could be limited to certain monster types.

In order for this unique type of roll to fit within the game's existing mechanical framework, we'll have to make some adjustments and specific exceptions for when these elements interact with monsters. In particular, things like Advantage or Disadvantage (as well as statuses which may grant them) will need to be ironed out.

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Next blogpost will be another change log, but following that, the Monster Math series will continue, at least until the "summer break" (and possibly after) which begins in late June.

Playtesting (Beta 4)

We put together a party of 5 for the playtest game, with each Class Die represented.
Here's what the composition looked like:

• Druid (d4)
• Rogue [Assassin] (d6)
• Cleric [Invoker] (d8)
• Paladin [Blackguard] (d10)
• Spellbinder [Swordmage] (d12)

Some of my thoughts so far:

Druid

The boosts to maximum HP from Wildshape don't functionally do anything, since there is no cap on "overhealing" when you're in combat. Overall, the class needs damage boosts, and the Summoner in particular needs some improvements to get rolling faster, since combat is so short. The form of the Great Eagle is meant to be for utility, but might not be useful enough to see much play. I'm strongly considering giving the Druid a healer ability, because the class might not have enough to do, and it feels weird not having one.

Assassin

Overall, the class seems to function well; it definitely does a lot of damage (as intended) but there still doesn't seem to be enough incentive to get into melee. I might end up limiting the use of combat skills to 1/turn. I'm also considering limiting the d20 bonus damage ability of the Assassin, so that you cannot become hidden on the same turn that it is utilized.

Invoker

Since this class relies on area attacks to hit its damage benchmarks (and its area attacks are so reliant on positioning) I'm going to look at giving the Invoker some "battlefield control" abilities, such as being able to either shift or teleport enemies into a maelstrom. Bless also didn't get much love; as a standard action, it is very powerful, but perhaps this is mitigated (again) by the short combat. I'm considering changing it to a minor action, but curbing its potency in some fashion.

Blackguard

As with the Assassin, this is one of the oldest classes, and so has had a fair bit of design energy put into it. The class works well as an attacker, but getting the most out of its defensive perks relies on your allies' positioning. It's definitely a class that relies on using the "basic moves" in order to get some variety in combat; these may need to be highlighted in the class itself, rather than just being spelled out in the core rules.

Swordmage

This class can function very well as a damage-dealer, particularly if you're able to win initiative and/or get favourable positioning, albeit burning reserves at a good clip. We saw this class get a lot of the spotlight in combat. I definitely think I will need to cut back on some of the action economy perks the class gets, and I may limit their reserve ability to 1/encounter. The class perk to Intimidate will need some revision (as will the similar Skald ability) which touches on enemy design a bit, too. Mechanically, I think the class functions well, all around.

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As part of the testing, I've been trying out some of the ideas I've had for how to use and customize the party's opponents, so the next blog update will probably touch on that.