The Campaign Builder's Guild

I like the three prime rules. Good work.

The main resolution system has three ways of affecting the probabilities (adding dice, TN and threshold). This basically means that it is hard to estimate the effects of modifiers.
I think it is generally unnecessary to have more than one way of altering the probability. This is especially true when the different methods are not used in different circumstances (e.g. only hero points/magic can change the TN, everything else alters threshold).


The elemental types probably make more sense in context. They are basically quite unrestrictive classes.


The ancients are a convenient way of adding high-powered loot to the game. That may or may not be the intention, but that was the first thing that came to mind. (If the requires high-powered loot, like normal D&D does, using ancient cultures of great power is very smart, of course.)


Dream pool is good. It has a distinct flavour and the mechanics support that flavour, as they should.
Echo pool is alright. Luck seems a bit redundant, setting-wise, and the uses could be folded into the two other pools fairly easily.
(Explaining that MVP means most valuable player might also be useful.)


If I didn't miss anything, skills and abilities are not combined in any way when making skill checks or learning the skills. Is there a reason for this, or did I misunderstand?


The backgrounds are a working simplification of BW's lifepaths. They do lose all that juicy setting stuff that BW lifepaths inherently have, which is a pity.


The resource costs for holdings and land seem a bit low. This will probably encourage players to take them, which, I presume, is the intended effect.


Contacts is a good mechanic. But why no clause of enmity (a failed check may lead to finding the right person, who just happens to hate your guts)?


There are lots of little rules for fighting under water and such. Can't they simply be handled with common sense and application of the favourable/unfavourable condition modifiers?


Weapon reach is brilliant.

Fatigue seems to be a lot of bookkeeping, especially in longer fights. Is it worth the trouble?

I doubt all those conditions require an entry. Most are common sense, and can be handled on case-by-case basis.

The eonomy rules seem functional. I'd suggest creating clear rules for selling stuff, too.



All in all, good game. I see influence of BW, TROS and D&D, personally.

Thanks for the interest.  The input is insightful and should be helpful to those trying to alter the system for their needs or make simple house rules.

At present, I can offer only brief response to each point.  I will give my reasoning for why it was the way it was first, then how I think it might be house-ruled to address your concerns.

Quote from: ThanuirThe main resolution system has three ways of affecting the probabilities (adding dice, TN and threshold). This basically means that it is hard to estimate the effects of modifiers.
I think it is generally unnecessary to have more than one way of altering the probability. This is especially true when the different methods are not used in different circumstances (e.g. only hero points/magic can change the TN, everything else alters threshold).

The elemental types probably make more sense in context. They are basically quite unrestrictive classes.[/quote]The ancients are a convenient way of adding high-powered loot to the game. That may or may not be the intention, but that was the first thing that came to mind. (If the requires high-powered loot, like normal D&D does, using ancient cultures of great power is very smart, of course.)[/quote]Dream pool is good. It has a distinct flavour and the mechanics support that flavour, as they should.
Echo pool is alright. Luck seems a bit redundant, setting-wise, and the uses could be folded into the two other pools fairly easily.
(Explaining that MVP means most valuable player might also be useful.)[/quote]If I didn't miss anything, skills and abilities are not combined in any way when making skill checks or learning the skills. Is there a reason for this, or did I misunderstand?[/quote]The backgrounds are a working simplification of BW's lifepaths. They do lose all that juicy setting stuff that BW lifepaths inherently have, which is a pity.[/quote]The resource costs for holdings and land seem a bit low. This will probably encourage players to take them, which, I presume, is the intended effect.[/quote]Contacts is a good mechanic. But why no clause of enmity (a failed check may lead to finding the right person, who just happens to hate your guts)?[/quote]There are lots of little rules for fighting under water and such. Can't they simply be handled with common sense and application of the favourable/unfavourable condition modifiers?[/quote]Fatigue seems to be a lot of bookkeeping, especially in longer fights. Is it worth the trouble?[/quote]I doubt all those conditions require an entry. Most are common sense, and can be handled on case-by-case basis.[/quote]The eonomy rules seem functional. I'd suggest creating clear rules for selling stuff, too.[/quote]All in all, good game. I see influence of BW, TROS and D&D, personally.[/quote]
TRoS most strongly, BW secondly, Shadowrun thirdly.  I would not claim D&D as an influence; any similarities are due either to SR's few similarities to the game, or the necessity of rules within a fantasy game system for dealing with certain circumstances.

Glad to see such a strong interest.  It gives me a few thoughts on perhaps improving it some time in the distant future.

This will probably be a last update; I want to give a general overview of what the Dreamworld is like and its inhabitants.  It is not an exhaustive list, just a starting point.

Zoein - The Dreamworld
Zoein is a mirror of Roaa, however, there are some differences.  For example, most buildings exist only on Roaa, though a few are found in both, and in some cases, only Zoein.  Also, a few areas, such as Starfall Vale in Azeldon, have geographic differences resulting from cataclysms during the Kosharitun.

As far as the inhabitants of the world, they fall into three general categories:
Dreams - These beings side with the Sakiszun (Light Gods)
Nightmares - The servants of the Dariszun (Dark Gods)
Rogues - Dreamworlders that take no sides (pretty rare and usually non-sentient).  I might like a better name for this, but I cannot think of one at the moment.

In addition to alleigance, creatures have creature types (a concept probably familiar to fans of most games).

Animals
Animals are like their Roaa counterparts, except that they have human-like vocal cords and can speak.  Most only speak the faerie language or Kuli (the language of the Ancients).  Most species are Dreams, though a few are Nightmares.

Dragons
Reptilian behemoths created by the Dariszun - all Nightmares.  Sub-divided into several categories.  Most dragons are not sentient, but possess cunning and cruelty.

True Dragons - classic western-style dragons.  Two types exist for each element.  For example, for air, I use Mist and Thunder Dragons.  Possess almost-human-level intelligence, though few can speak.
Drakes - small winged dragons ranging from 6' - 18' long.
Serpents - land or sea-based legless dragons.  Also covers Dune-like sandworm dragons!
Behemoths - quadruped, wingless dragons covered in shaggy fur.  Not smart, but great for running around and smashing things.
Hydras - the classic.  I make one type of each element.  Mega regeneration, heads regrowing, all the good stuff.

Faeries
Faeries are perhaps the most important category, making up the bulk of both sides in terms of influence.  There are roughly equal numbers on each side, but specific faerie species determines allegiance.

Queleszun - The gods, now divided into Sakiszun and Dariszun.  Both are now gone, but the Dariszun are trying to return.  No word on the Sakiszun.  Come in any element, much like humans.

Pixies - Tiny (6") people with iridescent wings, usually named after flowers.  Dreams.  Because of weak physical abilities they rely on magic and cunning.  Come in all elements.

Stalker - Invisible Lights that prey on any that draw near.  Rogue.

Animal-Folk - All kinds of animals come in humanoid form.  Frogmen, catfolk, wolfmen, bearmean, and so forth.  Most are dreams, a few nasty ones are nightmares.

Satyrs - Dreams.  Musical abilities, dancing.  Earths.

Goblins - Nightmares.  Five-foot-tall green-skinned, pointy-toothed, freaks.  Come in all elements.  Very numerous.

Trolls - Nightmares.  Come in all elements, but there are vast physical differences between them.  For example, flame trolls are literally on fire, while rock trolls literally have rock-like skin.  Trolls are the elite of the Nightmares; very difficult for a human to defeat, but not very bright.

Mermaids - Dreams.  Kindly fish people with a love of combing their hair and singing!


Monsters
Covers everything from mythical beasts, to bizarre animal combinations (such as griffins, but also frogbears, spiderbears, batbears, donkeymonkeys, ottermonkeys, moosebears, batlizards, and any others desired).  Also covers elementally-charged animals, such as flaming baboons and aqua wolves (in such cases, the elemental charge determines element, not the element of the base animal).

Most monsters are Nightmares, with a few important exceptions (unicorns, gargoyles, and pegasi are Dreams).  A few non-sentient ones are rogues (griffins, krakens, etc.).

This category also covers most other bizarre, beastly creatures.


Spirits
Covers elementals, wood spirits, sea spirits, and the like.  Allegiance varies by type, but most (including all elementals) are rogue.  Also covers en-spirited objects, such as Stone Guardians (walking statues) or Ice Guardians (walking ice sculptures).


Undead
Pretty rare, usually covering angry ghosts.  The Dariszun sometimes create zombies/skeletons for a good scare, or revenants to do the dirty work.  Almost always Nightmares, with a few exceptions (Ghost Wolves are Dreams, for example).

I like that dreamworld. Combination of Narnia and the ages of legend. Phoenix you have a good way of putting things together in a neat but complex package.

Out of curiousity is there a sort of sense of overall conflict with some of these dreamworlds? Are they threatened?

One concept from the game Kult is the idea of dreamlords, people who have mastered the art of dreaming and creating or manipulating worlds. This idea also exists in H.P. Lovecraft. Not sure if you are familiar with it.

I forgot the animal-people faeries.  A good place for my classic frogmen and for bear-mean, now ported from Kishar!

Quote from: TybaltOut of curiousity is there a sort of sense of overall conflict with some of these dreamworlds? Are they threatened?

One concept from the game Kult is the idea of dreamlords, people who have mastered the art of dreaming and creating or manipulating worlds. This idea also exists in H.P. Lovecraft. Not sure if you are familiar with it.

surreal world, albeit briefly.

I've made some updates and have the system and some world info on the wiki. I'm hoping to run this soon, so I'm eager for some additional feedback.

I have made some changes since the pdf; the wiki version is current. Among other things, I toned down the fatigue rules to make bookkeeping less and streamlined the advantage/disadvantage mechanic.