Ruminations on a true 3rd edition

[aegisflashfire]

[Zarm R'keeg]

Some interesting ideas here, aegisflashfire!
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[aegisflashfire]

Additional thoughts:

I like the skill challenge mechanic as a tool to get players into the storytelling. I'll probably include it as an optional tool for GM's. I've been meaning to use it again, I liked how it came out.

RE: Hasted actions.

for those that remember the 1st Edition, there was an option to take a 1D penalty to your die rolls in a round to 'haste' an action.

I'm mulling returning to that system (or something like it). It allowed a character with cruddy initiative to take an action just with a penalty.
I think 1D wasn't harsh enough a penalty, so maybe a 2D penalty instead. I donno on that one.


I also think Initiative will likely go to one roll per encounter rather than re-rolling every round. Possibly with a re-roll if the person rolling for a side is taken out.
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GM of Falling Star: D6 Star Wars Campaign Podcast

[garhkal]

On the skill groups, how's about taking a page out of Shadowrun? Have it where skill groups put all those skills at the group level, but you can't spec, nor can they be say 3d-4d higher than the base attribute. If you just take the skill itself though, it can go higher than that AND you can spec in that skill.

Sort of
Hand to hand combat
Melee
Melee parry
brawl
brawl parry
lightsaber

Personal ranged weapons
firearms
bows
bowcaster
blaster
pulse wave
flamers

Heavy personal ranged weapons
missile launcher
grenade launcher
heavy blasters
vehicle blasters
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[aegisflashfire]

these can be characteristics of the item OR a status effect on the item

Vehicles
dogfighter - vehicles capable of moving in and out through a combat zone, performing advanced dogfighting techniques.
bomber - capable of making bombing runs
strafer - capable of making strafing runs
cumbersome -
unstable - vulnerable to attacks which unbalance them. (Wheelbike, AT-ST/AT-AT)
armored - occupants ignore external damage less than heavy
fully enclosed- occupants cannot be targeted from the outside
partially enclosed- to-hit penalty against occupants, occupants can return fire with hand weapons
automated - not under a character's direct control
Euclidian - limited to 2 dimensional motion (does not preclude jumps)
unique build - difficult to find parts for, difficult to upgrade
customizable - easy to adapt new equipment in
finicky - prone to particular failures, doesn't like being modified
atmospheric- capable of atmospheric travel
vacuum - capable of travel in a vacuum
submarine - capable of travel under water
aquatic - capable of travel on the water


Characters




Weapons
bulky : cannot be used to parry
automatic: capable of using Suppressive fire action
hold-out: Implies concealable, +5 bonus to hide skill
concealable: may be hidden on your person using the hide skill opposed by search
discrete: May be declared as out of sight, and thus not given as part of a character description
fragile: roll only 1d for strength when damaged
delicate: automatic 1 for strength when damaged
robust: double strength roll when damaged
scoped: add an additional +1D when taking a round to aim
magnified: Reduce ranges beyond medium by 1 step when an additional round is taken to aim
energy weapon:
physical weapon
powered weapon: Typically I see this coming into play in situations where an energy dampening field is in place or someone is scanning for power sources
Area of Effect:
single use - expended after use
one hand - requires only one hand to use and operate
two handed - requires 2 hands to use
unbalanced - +5 penalty to hit with when used as melee weapon, -5 penalty when used to parry
precise -
loud - various bonuses for detecting a weapon shot, various penalties if you're playing a species with sensitive ears
quiet - various penalties for detecting a weapon shot
silent - cannot be heard
suppressed - penalty to locate shooter visually
recoilless - reduced penalties for autofire
balanced - no penalties for use as a melee weapon even if improvised
intimidating - bonus to intimidation rolls



Objects
powered
unpowered -
heavy - will probalby impose movement penalties
restrictive - typically used with armor (though I can see it for a heavy equipment pack, etc) would handle the 1D dex penalty for most tasks (though i'm considering removing it for marksmanship skills and other fine manipulations since those arent really restricted by armor)
odoriferous - bonus to detecting with scent, potential penalties for those with sensitive noses
loud -
intimidating



Anything
Stationary: +10 to hit stationary targets
immobilized: Imply Stationary,
tiny: -5 penalty to hit tiny targets
large: +5 bonus to hit large targets
huge: +10 bonus to hit huge targets
gargantuan: +15 bonus to hit gargantuan targets
Blinded: +5 bonus to hit blinded targets, +20 penalty for someone/thing blinded to hit anything else

(the idea here is that I can have a character scale monster that's the size of a house, (easier to hit) but you don't have to sweat scales. These penalties would all be within a scale range.

This gives a significant bonus to say, an A-Wing or a Fanblade fighter compared to say a Toscan or Skipray which will both be starfighters & dogfighters, but the tiny vessels are harder to target.

Another example might be a Corellian Gunboat (tiny capital ship) vs a Star Destroyer (Huge capital ship) vs. a Super Star Destroyer (gargantuan capital ship) Its obviously much easier to hit the SSD than the gunboat.

I'm thinking scales will ignore size (thus a starfighter targeting a SSD isn't working any harder to target it than a corvette)

I might do away with a couple of scales (the scale conversion chart is sometimes confusing anyway)
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GM of Falling Star: D6 Star Wars Campaign Podcast

[klhaviation]

Really cool stuff here. Definately a departure from traditional d6, but a good one. I think this has a lot of promise.

[DougRed4]

My group would be really hesitant to ever change, but I have to agree that you've got a lot of really good ideas here, aegis.
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Currently Running: Villains & Vigilantes (a 32-year-old campaign with multiple groups) and D6 Star Wars; mostly on hiatus are Adventures in Middle-earth and Delta Green

[aegisflashfire]

I welcome any keywords people want to suggest.

More brainstorming:
Personal skills family:
Con
Bargain
Bureaucracy
Command
Gambling
Cultures
Intimidation
Streetwise
Persuasion

Observation skills family:
Search
tactics
Investigation
Sensors
Value

Athletics skill family:
Dance
Dodge
Swimming
Climbing/jumping
Stamina
Throwing
Running
Flight

Shooting skill family:
Marksmanship- skills
Gunnery skills

Piloting skill family:
Repulsorlift operation
Starship piloting
ground vehicle operation
aquatic vehicle operation


Operator skill family
Droid programming
Computer programming
Sensors
Communications
Shield operation


Hard sciences skill family
Scholar: Chemistry
Scholar: Physics
Scholar: Mathematics
Scholar:

Social sciences skill family
Scholar: History
Scholar: Psychology
Business
Economics

Life sciences skill family
First Aid
Alien Species
Scholar: Biology
Scholar: Botany


Financial skill family
Value
Business
Economics
Gambling
Bargain

Engineering skill family:
Droid Repair
Computer Programming/Repair
various repair skills[/b]
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http://swfallingstar.podbean.com
GM of Falling Star: D6 Star Wars Campaign Podcast

[klhaviation]

Check out the MegaTraveller skill list if you have access to it, its probably listed on the web. There are a lot of good skills and keywords. Their task system is akin to skill chalkanges too, you might want to check it out for inspiration.

[aegisflashfire]

Considering the following rule:

Characters may move up to 4 times in a round at up to their base move speed. Doing so each time is a single action. Each move after the 1st adds 1D to the difficulty to hit the target. (instead of adding dice to blaster skill MFTAS will simply ignore movement associated targeting penalties)
This would generally offset most of the penalty for moving all out and dodging. (if I make 4 run actions and a dodge, I take 5 actions total for -4D, but because 4 of those were move actions I get +3D to dodge, meaning even running all out, I only lose 1D net), but still pretty much precludes any other actions (I'm taking a 4D penalty to any other skill roll I want to make)



Also considering turning partial dodges/parries/ into always beneficial (in part to avoid the ridiculous situation where you're better off not trying to parry a weapon that has a high difficulty.) Perhaps as partial dodge will only be 50% effective (half die roll, round down)


This will likely result in slightly higher average to-hit difficulty in any given situation, but I suspect it will be offset by a slightly higher attack skills from skill families and advantage/disadvantage system.
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GM of Falling Star: D6 Star Wars Campaign Podcast

[klhaviation]

Makes sense but it will increase the workload on the gm. Half penalties get crunchy when you factor in pips. A lot of mechanical consessions are made with the core rules, but they do make it simplet. I would keep in mind simplicity for cinematic gameplay.

[aegisflashfire]

I'd strictly do half-after roll. (or could do half the number of dice round down. So 6D - 7D+2 = 3D)
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http://swfallingstar.podbean.com
GM of Falling Star: D6 Star Wars Campaign Podcast

[aegisflashfire]

Considering using tactics to replace perception to determine initiative.
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GM of Falling Star: D6 Star Wars Campaign Podcast

[klhaviation]

Will you choose an individual initiative order, or simply opposing side order. Individual initiative order really complicates the combat rules (well, not complicates, but they require a lot of rewriting)

[DougRed4]