Creating a Monster Roleplaying Game

[Gnomemaster]

So, I am creating my own pen and paper roleplaying game that will involve a hero teaming up with a monster who can grow and evolve. I need some feedback and help designing the game, but I have the basics hammered out.

You the player represent two character: The Human Tamer and the Monster itself.

This isn't a game where you collect creatures, instead you raise the one monster that you choose from 5-10 choices. This is a rookie level monster, lowest of the low. As you get into fight with wild monsters and trained monsters, you gain levels. at every level you gain one skill point that you can use to increase your special unique skills.

At level ten, your monster evolves, becoming a champion level monster. To decide what kind of champion this creature evolves into you look at what kind of skills you have.

This way, I only need to create a few rookie monsters, that can become any kind of champion depending on how many ranks of which skill he has.

There are going to be 4-5 different creature rankings. Rookie, Champion, Ultimate, Mega, and God.

Any thoughts? anyone interested in helping me?

[the_taken]

OK. Little thing first, this topic goes in the Meta area, cause it looks like you're asking for help with rules.

More importantly: Do you intend to have this game played with a group of people? Or mostly one on one stuff going on?

[Gnomemaster]

This would be played with a group of people, 4-5 players and one GM to referee and represent NPCs and enemies.

[the_taken]

Give me a sample group of players, please. No numbers, just a description of six PCs.

[Gnomemaster]

Todd, a boy from Phoenix, Arizona, first joined forces with Skorpinor in the unmerciful desert. After becoming lost he was attacked by huge Vulture Creatures, Skorpinor saw him in peril and intervened. Skorpinor is the size of a German Sheppard. He has a deep purple carapace with a pair of vice like claws and a poison tipped tail.

Carrie, Todd's Sister, also has a creature of her own. She works together with Grizzled Bear, they are both ferocious in battle. Grizzled Bear is a big creature with claws that can rip a man in half. He is known to fly into a fit of rage.

[the_taken]

OK, never mind. Too complimicated

What you are trying to do is create a game that mimics some aspects of certain genres of anime. Obviously, this is one of those "I'm a guy that has this monster that beats up the monsters of other guys, or just other monsters" types. We know what we want.

The process of game design is not to creation of a world, that's campaign setting creation. Game design is the creation of absolute laws of physics within the game; the cold and heartless aspects that are abstraction of actions. And this is what we have to do first because there are no monster tamer games we know of that work well for our medium.

When designing a game from the ground up, do not come up with any roleplaying elements. Ever. Don't decide backgrounds, don't define personalities, don't even give names. You have to define the mechanical aspects before you can create specific entities that will choose a combination of the mechanical aspects to express the abstractions that define their abilities.

With all of this in mind, state all of the situations you care to have the results and actions determined by randomly generate numbers.

[Stargate525]

It's an interesting concept, but I think you might be better served going with more creatures, or being able to assemble them ala carte, then have a set tree of them, ending with five or six pre-determined critters. For instance, say my pet scorpion is going to evolve. Instead of him moving onto the 'next tree,' I can give him wings and a second pair of claws, or something. Custom, you know?

[Atlantis]

yeah, kinda like a graft in dnd

[the_taken]

I'm advising against using D&D as the base system. I'm advising against using the d20 system period.

[Eclipse]

Actually, as far as d20 goes (and I'm going to sound like a broken record on these forums soon) mutants and masterminds can cover this quite well, using the optional level rules from the masterminds manual. It would allow you to, every level, gain X points you spend on abilities for you creature, whereas you would be a PL 5 or so hero, with 75 points to spend on yourself. Alot of the leg work would be eliminated, since the players would build their own monsters, as opposed to you having to design several different types of monsters, balance them against each other, and then find players want a different monster.

[Tangential]

Eclipse is quite right.

BESM (both TriStat and d20) also have extensive rules for monster trainers and their monsters that can provide inspiration.