Lots of fantasy worlds rely on a sort of fairy-tale logic, often taking the form of absolute rules. Lots of these made the transition over to D&D.
- Vampires cannot enter a home unless invited.
- Minotaurs can never get lost.
- Hags always gather as a coven of three.
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| Except these two, apparently. Maybe the snake is a witch? See how rules provoke interesting solutions? |
You might have heard some of these before you even played an RPG, just through old stories. Then you get weird D&D inventions that bring their own rules. Stuff you could only really know from playing or at least reading about this game.
- Black Puddings split in two if hit with slashing weapons or lightning.
- Sleep spells don't work on Elves.
- A Rust Monster's touch corrodes any ferrous, non-magical metal.
I love these Absolutes in monster design, especially in comparison to more watered-down versions of these effects. In writing this post I was looking through the 5e Monster Manual and was shocked to see that sunlight merely causes a Vampire 20 damage (out of 144hp as standard) and disadvantage on some rolls. That's the same amount of damage it can regenerate each turn once it gets back into the shadows. I can feel the disappointment of luring the vampire into just the right spot before blowing a hole in their castle wall, letting the burning sunlight fill the room before... they are dropped to 124hp and run to the shade to recover.
I'm not necessarily advocating for instant-dusting here, but this is a rule of the world that I'm trying to exploit here, and I want to feel like that was clever play! Maybe they get just one chance to escape or the sunlight pins them in place while they slowly sear.
But I sort of want there to be a rule there. Not a mechanic like "take 20 damage and disadvantage", but a proper rule of this fantasy world. Vampires turn to dust in sunlight.
See, I spend so much time talking about tearing rules off systems and throwing them into the bin, but I get the appeal of rules. There's a part of me that enjoys learning them, and I feel the satisfaction that comes with exploiting them to your advantage. But for me, the joy of using fictional rules to lure a Vampire into a track far outweighs that of finding two feats that synergise with each other to grant me higher damage output.
It all fits into this Qualitative Design thing I've been going on about. I'm keen to try this out with an actual game now that I'm finally able to get some friends around a table, most likely something like this:
If your action is Unchallenged, then there is no need to roll unless you are pushing for an extra benefit.
When there is opposition or risk to your action, weigh up whether you have an Edge. Generally this means you have the upper hand through careful preparations, innate capabilities, or specialist tools. If the obstacles or opposition facing you outweighs these, then you do not have an Edge.
Roll 2d12. Keep the High die if you have an Edge, and Low if you don’t. Consult the chart for an answer to the question “Do I get my desired outcome?”.
Whatever the outcome, things move forward.
When you suffer harm you can Ask the Stars for the fallout or go with the narratively appropriate result. This is noted where appropriate and affects your future actions.
Very FKR, I think.
Talking about this is all well and good, but I wanted to put it into practice through character design, dipping into the idea of playbooks. Nothing new, of course, but I like the idea of giving each player a small, folded-A4 playbook that gives you rules of the world, rather than a new set of mechanics to learn. A wizard's should feels more like a spellbook than a rulebook. A fighter's might list the ins-and-outs of all those specialist weapons and manoeuvres that can be attempted. A rogue's might contain some actual exploits that your character knows about getting around the city, perhaps coming pre-loaded with contacts, secrets, and even tip-offs.
And these are truths that might not be confined to your character. That same fighter can explain to the thief how a Warhammer is the perfect tool for the job in this situation, which might just give them the edge they need in the fight to come. Forget niche protection. Don't you want to share your cool stuff with your friends?
There's some similarity with PBTA here, of course, but I think there's an important distinction here. PBTA moves exist in a weird limbo where some advice tells the players to never speak the name of the Move, but the name Moves lures you in like a big button you want to press.
I want this book to almost exist diegetically (take a shot). This is stuff your character knows, or at least has written somewhere.
So let's try this out with the Ranger.
Intro
A Ranger is a traveller charged with upholding the laws of the wild, but you know some tricks to exploiting them too.
The Laws of the Wild
- You have sworn to uphold the Laws of Beasts, Day, and Night.
- These laws apply in any wilderness, even where it exists in small pockets.
- Any that swear to the life of a Ranger can use the exploits below for as long as they uphold their responsibilities.
Laws of Beasts
The territory of beasts must be respected - Studying a beast’s behaviour in secret reveals something about their surroundings.
The wisdom of beasts must be respected - By consuming a small piece of their diet and making them comfortable you can hold simple conversations with an animal.
The strength of beasts must be respected - If you and an animal swear to protect each other, you begin to share each other’s senses and emotions. This bond grows over time, with ranger and companion taking on traits of the other.
Laws of Day
Safe passage must be granted to those that mean no harm - While travelling through the Wilderness you can never be surprised.
The land must provide for respectful travellers - While travelling through the wilderness you can always find a vantage point, hiding place, or food source.
The sun must be granted its followers - You can strip some wood from a tree without damaging it. If you do so, the wood whispers something to you about the history of this place.
Laws of Night
The night must remain dark - You can see in the dark in places rich with wildlife.
The night must remain calm - You can move silently under starlight.
The night must be allowed to sing - You can mimic animal noises while under moonlight.
Necessary Slaying
Creatures that breach the laws of nature should rightfully be destroyed. There are numerous techniques to aid in this.
The Hunt
If you have a piece of a creature, or sample of their leavings, they are easier to track.
If you witness a creature attacking another target, you are more adept at avoiding their attacks.
When you witness a new behaviour in an unnatural creature you may ask the GM a yes/no question.
The Kill
If you have time to line up an attack from above your accuracy is near-absolute.
If you witness a creature suffering harm you get a clue to its weak point.
If a creature begs you for mercy, you get a clue to the source of its unnatural evil.
The Tribute
Spilling a slain creature’s blood returns a spoiled environment to its natural state.
Preserving a slain creature’s heart grants a single instance of protection against its unnatural ability.
Working a slain creature’s bones into weaponry grants an edge against similar monstrosities, but makes the weapon fragile.
Survival Gear
You know of the following, but there are more to be discovered. You start with two:
Wildrope: A strong rope that blends perfectly into its surroundings.
Signal Daggers: Small blades that can be easily concealed, thrown with great accuracy, and always catch the sunlight.
Wire Snare: A simple trap, strong enough to harmlessly entangle most mundane creatures.
Lots left open to interpretation, of course, but that's just sort of where I am right now. Perhaps my mood will change when I have to actually use these rules with other people at a table.
I'd like to expand this with some extra sections with blanks left to be filled in. Perhaps the Ranger notes things they have learned from their travels in here. Maybe they even start the game with a scribbled map, encouraging them to fill the blanks as we go.
There's nothing to stop other players from doing this, of course, but by putting those sections square in front of the Ranger player you're setting some expectations.
