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Core Design Principles - Tales of Dremoria
In no particular order
The group should always be incentivized to act in a cooperative way.
Many talents and systems are in place, so that the most optimal usage is in a cooperative way. It should always be easier to overcome challenges together. For Example: The Guild system is in place, so there is a common Goal, and some sort of Anchor to the group. The Guild can be leveled, and gives bonuses. It provides the collective Purse and Vault as well as a home and sense of collective, hopefully even family.
Streamline first, optional rules to expand.
Systems in ToD are designed to be simple. Not dull or shallow (hopefully), but easy to understand and use. If your group wants to get deeper in a certain aspects of the game, there are more complex options for many of the systems. For Example: Buying/Selling standard gear is as simple as checking the Guilds corresponding stats, to see what’s available to the Players, and pay those Items from the Guilds Vault. If you want to go to the Bazaar, and Haggle for yourself – you can do this as well.
Injuries should be Impactful and rare.
In order to achieve this, we introduce a value called Resolve. It represents the determination, will to live, and durability of your Character. Getting hit by some sort of attack, magic or misfortune will challenge your characters Resolve. You can choose to reduce the damage an attack deals by means of sheer willpower (power through the Pain, bring yourself to an unknown level of speed, to be able to dodge,...), as long as you have enough Resolve left in you. That way, only when your Resolve runs out – you will be injured. Every Injury you suffer will have impact on the physical capabilities of your character, and have a certain Severity. After reaching a certain threshold of Severity, your character will slowly(or sometimes not so slowly) fade to the afterlife.
Race.
We are aware, that it is very popular amongst TTRPGs, that you can choose a Race for your character. This often stems from the fantasy, of playing a very exotic character, escaping the common human form. We don’t like to impose stereotypical limitations on your characters, but still want you to be able to play them, if you like to. Therefore, we made the decision, to move almost all mechanical features away from the Race, since – you know – not every elf is more intelligent than every orc. Maybe on average, but that says nothing about your character… When we did this, we realized, that the things left, had more to do with the physical form of your characters body, and maybe traditions, than with actual Race. So, we decided to call it Form instead.
Impactful and difficult choices
While designing or leveling your character, you should always face interesting choices. Deciding for one option should satisfy, but leave you wondering, if you made the right call.
On the other hand, it should not be a choice between raw mechanical power and character building. To achieve this, your character will progress with Advances, which are always just mechanical advances, like +1 Rank to STR, or +2 Ranks to Class Skills of your choice, and Talents, which give your characters new Options or bolster whats already there in interesing ways.
Player Agency
Many Game Systems promote the Idea (intentional or not), that the Game Master or Dungeon Master is playing against their players. Sometimes even to the extend, that players feel robbed of their agency – after all, it’s the GMs World. They make the rules, Players are just Pawns.
To prevent this, we try to design systems in a way, that gives Agency to the Players, giving the Storyteller - or Skjald more time to focus on the scene and the overarching story.
For Example: To streamline combat, in ToD, Players share their turn, and instead of a GM rolling for attack of each enemy, the Players roll to defend against attacks. So, the Skjald has time to focus on the narrative of the scene, and the Players decide their own fate. Also – screw tracking initiative!
Characters are not just one Class
While we like the idea of playing a Paladin, or a Wizzard, being able to recognize and identify those types of character, we also believe, that one of the most satisfying parts of ttrpgs is your journey as a group and with your character. We dont think it should be set in stone, what your character is. We want you to play a whole character arc rather than a snapshot. Therefore we designed the class system in a way, that you can start out as new adventurer and change into the hero(or villan) you were allways ment to be.
No alignments or pre-determined quirks
While you can have a good point of reference, what a lawful good paladin would do, or it might be fun to think in flaws and strengths to guide you characters roleplay, we dont think, that pre-determined charakteristics like that hold up. Your character changes. Your groupdynamics change. Your foes might become friends. We deem it limiting to define too much from the get-go. You know your character best - live it! Instead we want to provide guidance for roleplay by providing a system of Roles your character takes on. They might be a bruiser on the battlefield, dishing out damage in melee, while holding their ground, and be your groups diplomat when approaching the lords and ladies of Dremoria. Simply pick your classes of choice and try to fill the roles in your party its designed to filled. How you approach this, is your decision to make!