Ok so here's the general system I have worked out.
Stat based, no skills. d2-d10, with d6 being the average or +0.
Stats
Potency: Does two things. First, when you create a spell I roll potency and the number on the die is the number of words that the spell uses. Ie, if you have a 5 word spell, then you need to roll 5 or higher for it to go off without a hitch. Otherwise, if you roll too low, I randomly substitute words out. IE a 5 word spell where you roll 3 would result in 3 words as you said them, then 2 random words. Spells cannot exceed the max size of your die. Ie if your potency is d6, you can only use a max of 6 words. The second thing it does is act as the "power" of the spell, giving me an idea of how powerful the spell will be.
Memory: How many words you can have in your deck. Starts at 10 and each level adds 5, so d2:10, d4:15, D6:20, D8:25 D10:30.
Strength: Used for anything melee or close range (including things like body explosions), from spells to weapons. Used both as the to hit and the damage, with higher numbers being harder to dodge and dealing more damage.
Dex: Same as strength, but with ranged attacks.
Speed: Two uses: 1. Rolled between attackers for initiative. 2. The max of your die is the number of spaces you can move in a turn. Ie d6=6 spaces. We're doing it Xcom style where you can either move and act, or act and move, or double move and then not act.
Vitality: Rolled when you get hit by standard physical damage. Like a brick or a lightning bolt. If you roll higher than the attack and have some armor that can block or partially block the attack, then it does so. If not, then a successful roll just makes the injury a little less bad. Failures mean you take the full brunt of the damage, maybe even more if you fail badly.
Endurance: Used to resist things like disease, fear, mind control, forced transformations and other effects that are not direct damage but are things you don't want. Like everything, its a "roll higher" deal.
Intelligence: Multiple uses. If you summon a creature, you must roll equal to or higher than the number of words used to make the creature to have it follow your instructions. This is only rolled once, at the moment of summoning, and if you fail, it will always have free will. If you succeed it will always obey. Similarly, enchanting objects requires an Int roll equal or greater than the number of words used in the spell. And so on.
Awareness: This stat does two things: Lets you roll to see if you notice something (like an incoming attack) and lets you dodge. This is the dodge stat.
Basic steps of combat:
(Its highest number is winner)
For Melee or ranged normal attacks
1. Roll str or dex, depending on attack. Defender rolls Awareness to dodge.
2. If the defender succeeds, the attack is defeated. If the attacker succeeds, roll defender Vitality to see how bad they get hurt.
For Magic
1. Roll Potency to see how well the spell is formed and its power
2. Roll Str or Dex depending on range. Defender rolls Awareness or Endurance depending on the nature of the spell to dodge or resist. If it cannot be dodged or resisted, then jump straight to rolling vitality
3. If they don't avoid or resist it, roll vitality to see how bad they get hit, with the potency roll as the thing being rolled against.
Words come in unlimited or limited forms. Limited are used up by casting with them. How many times you can do it before they vanish varies. Unlimited can be used any number of times without vanishing. However, think of words as physical objects. For instance, lets assume "Fire" is unlimited use. I can cast "Fire" as much as I want. However, I cannot cast "Fire Fire" without more than one fire word in my deck. Think of each word as a card and casting a spell as lining those cards up in a row. If you don't have two fire "cards" then you can't create a line in which the card appears twice.
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Topic: Mad Max With Wizards: I need opinions (Read 6791 times)