Please rip this to shreds in the most constructive way possible.
*(note: if you don't like dice pool mechanics, then you're probably not gonna like this -- can't please everybody)*I've been hammering away on my own attempt at game design. And I'm ready to throw myself to the wolves -- just make sure to be specific in your criticism, if you please.
At the moment, I'm mainly concerned with
just the resolution mechanic; but am happy to discuss other areas (though, be forewarned -- this is all still in the basic R&D phase, so I'm not sure how detailed I'll be able to be)
Well,
HERE's an alpha-prototype of the proposed character sheet (I still have to finish up the margin info; but that's dependent upon finishing the product), to help give a visual off what I'm talking about.
The game is meant to revolve around "action/horror", with the PCs filling the role of "
Action Survivor" (eventually leveling up to "
Badass").
Oh, and this uses exclusively d12s. Why? Because I like them, and feel that they don't get enough love in RPGs.
Okay, so on to it .... here's how it works: (spoilered for space)
For the resolution mechanic, there are 3 main areas that you need to note: 1) Skills ; 2) Traits ; 3) Survivalism
The dice pool = general skill + specialty. Traits determine chance of success. Survivalism is related to exploding dice.
1) Skills:
Skills are broken down in to "general skills" (the bolded skills with the left-set rank boxes) and "specialties" (the un-bolded skills with the right-set rank boxes).
-- CharGen note: you can add ranks in a specialty only after first getting at least 1 rank in the relevant general skill. All skill rolls are linked to specific traits.
In the even that you have to roll a skill and you don't have any ranks at all in that skill, you default to a "chance die". A Chance Die is just 1 die, that can never explode, and if you get a "12", you severely fucked up. This is just a specific case of the general critical failure rule, which says that if all of your dice roll a 12, you just royally fucked up (and we're still working on what exactly a critical failure means mechanically)
2) Traits:
Your ranks in a trait determine your success range. If the # on the die is less than or equal to your ranks in the respective trait, it counts as a success.
3) Survivalism:
Every 3 (or 4 -- still working that one out) ranks in Survivalism adds +1 to your explosion range (known as your "survivalism modifier"). Dice don't explode at all until you get your 3rd (or 4th) rank in Survivalism; at which point, 1s explode. So, at Survivalism 12, your dice explode on a 4- (or 3-, depending on how the final decision works out).
-- character note: Your actual ranks in Survivalism is your dice pool for "survival rolls" .... which is the equivalent of a "saving throw" or a "willpower roll" or whatnot.
Combat:
Your basic attack roll will be a normal weapon skill roll. Damage dice pools and success ranges will be determined strictly by the weapon (i.e., each weapon will have its own exclusive die pool and hit #); with attack successes counting as "auto successes".
Defense will subtract from attack dice pool, and Grit subtracts from damage hits.
Everything else on the character sheet is open to discussion as well; but like I said earlier, I'm probably only going to be able to give vague general answers. However, discussion of these areas will also do me a lot of good.
-------------
So, there you go. Let me have it.
Thanks.
EDIT: changed explanation on how the #s are read. also corrected defense info.