Game Master's Screen

A forum to discuss the Eldritch Role-Playing System.

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Banesfinger
Wild-Eyed Zealot
Posts: 90
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2007 10:46 am

Game Master's Screen

Post by Banesfinger »

The Game Master's Screen is available for download at the Eldritch site.

It does bring up several questions:

Table 2.1: what is a D16? (Is that just 3d6-2)

On Table 3.1: why did designers choose to mix labels (L, I, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, P, T) instead of just all numbers or all letters?

Defense vs. Attack: Both Melee & Missile attacks have 3 defense Pools they work against, but Arcanum only has 1 (Dodge sometimes). Did any playtest find this becoming a balance issue?

Skill Successions:
What skill is used to oppose (spot) a Stealth > Hide skill? Is that Scrutiny > Movement?

In any playtest, did you find the shear number of skills overwhelming to players? (I count about 95+ specializations (even more with combat skills) and roughly 200 Mastery-level skills).
dancross
Cold-Blooded Diabolist
Posts: 530
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:32 pm

Re: Game Master's Screen

Post by dancross »

Banesfinger wrote:The Game Master's Screen is available for download at the Eldritch site.

It does bring up several questions:

Table 2.1: what is a D16? (Is that just 3d6-2)

On Table 3.1: why did designers choose to mix labels (L, I, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, P, T) instead of just all numbers or all letters?

Defense vs. Attack: Both Melee & Missile attacks have 3 defense Pools they work against, but Arcanum only has 1 (Dodge sometimes). Did any playtest find this becoming a balance issue?

Skill Successions:
What skill is used to oppose (spot) a Stealth > Hide skill? Is that Scrutiny > Movement?

In any playtest, did you find the shear number of skills overwhelming to players? (I count about 95+ specializations (even more with combat skills) and roughly 200 Mastery-level skills).
First, the GM screen is being revised tonight to clear up a few minor things. Now to your questions...

Table 2.1: D16: 3D6-2 looks fine to me. Me? I'd probably just roll 2D8 every time, recognizing it as a range from 2 to 16.
The developer who suggested that die-rank for monsters (normal PCs go up to D12) said just roll D20 and re-roll anything over 16.
Q: On Table 3.1: why did designers choose to mix labels (L, I, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, P, T) instead of just all numbers or all letters?
A: To reinforce the idea that most rounds are 5 phases, because most creatures fall within the D4 to D12 range. Anything above or below I gave a letter designation in the chart lending emphasis to it being an unusual die-rank.
Q: Defense vs. Attack: Both Melee & Missile attacks have 3 defense Pools they work against, but Arcanum only has 1 (Dodge sometimes). Did any playtest find this becoming a balance issue?
A: Early on in playtest, sure. The trick was to get the passive defenses scores right in their formulations. Early on in playtest I was calculating the passive Resilience Defense Pool as "Resistance + Willpower MRV". It didn't take long to see characters dropping like flies in the face of Harm spells, as Resilience DP was quickly depleted and Toughness DP lacked the benefit of armor protection. So we calculate that score Resistance x2 + Willpower + Arcanum Tree. But then in some ways it was a fair balance, for to be a truly competent magic user you've got to put a lot of points into stats that won't contribute much to Weaponry, Evade, Dodge or Deflect active defenses. That means that a fighter can cut down a mage fast at close range, but on the flip side, a mage can cut down a fighter with little Resilience with a little distance, luck, or prep time. Dodging comes into play against spells when it seems possible to do so...(usually one compares the spell's radius with the character's Speed x2. If the result (of Speed MRV x2) is equal to the radius, the PC can doge to reduce damage. If not, he cannot move fast enough to dodge). GMs may "tweak" the system to taste (usually by messing with how passive scores are calculated) to reflect the relative power of magic in their campaigns.
Q: Skill Successions:
What skill is used to oppose (spot) a Stealth > Hide skill? Is that Scrutiny > Movement? In any playtest, did you find the shear number of skills overwhelming to players? (I count about 95+ specializations (even more with combat skills) and roughly 200 Mastery-level skills).
A: Looks good, yes. And the names of the specializations can be infinitely expanded, changed, or whatever.

As for the number of skills, your number count certainly puts down the idea that ERP is solely a combat game! Hehehe. The character sheet in the core rules has the basic 28 abilities that form the root of all respective ability trees. Some players might want extra direction in choices, which is why we provide occupational paths, with lists of suggested abilities, including specializations and masters like a Paladin would have Endurance, specialize in one weapon group (of his choice) plus shield specialization and...
Animal Handling > Riding > Charger (warhorse)
Melee > Pole Arms > Lance
Knowledge > Heraldry
Arcanum > Supernatural > Theurgy

There are many more examples like that in an occupational chart in the book.
nstr
Far-Sighted Wanderer
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2008 1:43 pm

Re: Game Master's Screen

Post by nstr »

Would it be possible to also make a regular version of the GM's screen (instead of landscape). I have the World's Greatest Screen by Hammerdog Games and it does not use landscape format (I would have to look at is sideways). I tried to figure out how to print it normal on my printer, but I could not figure it out.

I am pumped to get my hands on Eldritch RPG! Here is hoping my FLGS gets it soon.
dancross
Cold-Blooded Diabolist
Posts: 530
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:32 pm

Re: Game Master's Screen

Post by dancross »

nstr wrote:Would it be possible to also make a regular version of the GM's screen (instead of landscape). I have the World's Greatest Screen by Hammerdog Games and it does not use landscape format (I would have to look at is sideways). I tried to figure out how to print it normal on my printer, but I could not figure it out.

I am pumped to get my hands on Eldritch RPG! Here is hoping my FLGS gets it soon.
I'll ask the guy in Team Eldritch that put that together (Mangus) and see if we can't get that done soon. ;-)
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