Premise: To make a different style of Dungeons and Dragons.
(A bit long. I hope I'm not being boring.)
I'll be honest - I'm not much of a DnD player but it's not due to lack of interest. I've tried to create campaigns for my brothers and friends. I always get hung up on the fact that I'm not a very good DM and I'm not particularly fond of the system. For anyone wondering - most of my understanding of DnD comes from 3rd edition rules.
I do check in every now and then to see if they've 'fixed' the game yet. I spent the day reading about 5th edition. I've come across many reviews written by people who say stuff like "I'll be sticking with 3.5 rules". I also would like to say on my own behalf that I am turned off by the idea of buying yet another DM manual. It seems that they want to make money off of the game but don't know what else to do than to release a new version of the rules every now and then. Maybe there's a money-making plan that I somehow failed to find?
Rather than spend hours explaining why I'm dissatisfied with the current product I thought I'd just explain what I would like to play. I'm not saying that I've solved anybody's problem but if you look at my idea, understand it and tell me that it's got potential then I'd be happy. I think that my idea would be easier to play. It would be slightly more expensive to play as well but I think that it would be more satisfying to spend money on the product I'm describing than to keep buying a new edition of the same book.
Here is how I envision the game.
On store shelves you'd have Figurines. That's your character (but figurines are not the innovation that I'm trying to share with you). I just want everyone to have a piece that they can hold in their hand. Rather than being ultra specific about what each piece can do I figure they'd be vague templates. Fighter, Mage, Cleric, Thief. Ideally there'd be new figurines coming out all the time. On the bottom of each figurine there'd be a 3d barcode. (Save that info for later) There would also be a character sheet, a d20, a pack of 15 playing cards specific to the template and a booster pack of playing cards.
Here is a mock-up of two sample playing cards:
There are two different types of card and they each have a different function.
The first type of card describes the sort of combat actions available to the player. The second type of card is equipment. They are differentiated from each other by having different card backs. I'm going to focus on the combat action cards first. Both of the cards pictured are combat action cards.
A 1st level player would be allowed to build a deck of up to 16 combat action cards. Every time you level up your deck size increases by 1. So therefore a 5th level player is allowed to have a deck of 20 cards. These cards are played one at a time every combat round but they are not "spent" when you use one. You can play the same card every round if it suits you.
How combat works:
Every round of combat consists of selecting one card and (usually) one target. All actions are revealed at the same time at the beginning of every round. The players are allowed to discuss their actions between rounds and are encouraged to hide their plans from the DM. When cards are revealed the order of resolution is set by the initiative score on the card. Using the above two cards as an example the player who used Risky Attack will resolve his action before the player who used Fully Engage.
Attack rolls are made. Damage is (or isn't) dealt. Combatants are wounded, healed or killed. DnD kind of stuff.
Once all of the actions are resolved the cards are picked up and the next round begins. The combat sequence will eventually resolve and the adventure will continue.
Explanation of the Rules Text on the Cards:
-The name of the attack is at the top. It is for flavor only.
-Initiative describes the speed of the action. Higher is better. It is possible for a card to have two discrete actions. In that case it would have two initiative scores. For example 16/6. The first action would apply at 16 and the second action would apply at 6.
-The text that says "Any Melee" or "Sword and Axe" is a limitation placed on the action. You may use that card only if you are carrying the appropriate equipment. This is to prevent someone using a bow from using "Fully Engage" as an action. There could very well be a card that allows a person with a bow to engage a target in melee combat - but not this card.
-The rules text describes the actions to be performed.
-In the bottom right you see a level restriction. Risky Attack may only be used by characters who are at least level 3.
Why Cards?
A few reasons. First of all because it gives the player something to collect. To put this in magic terms I do not wish there to be any cards that are as valuable as a Black Lotus. I want people to be able to find the card they want and I want it to be relatively affordable. I do want to give players product releases to look forward to. I want to be able to change the flavor of the game over time by releasing new cards. The collectibility of the cards should come from their art and their flavor.
The cards also serve to compartmentalize actions while at the same time avoiding simplification. With these cards in hand you can quickly reference a complex action without having to look it up in the rule book. Here is a complex action that wouldn't necessarily occur to a newer DnD player and might be difficult for an inexperienced DM to interpret:
"I want to attack my opponent in such a way that he can't run away from me and I want to prevent him from healing himself if I'm able."
Clunky perhaps - and if someone suggested it to me when I was the DM I might be inclined to tell them it's too many actions in one. Putting it on a card however makes it easy to understand and apply.
Finally you've introduced a small degree of strategy in building out a character. You don't have to have Fully Engage in your deck. If you like to get the first attack every round then you choose cards that have high initiative. If you want to specialize in making multiple attacks in a round or attacking multiple opponents at once or standing your ground or a little of everything - there's cards available for that.
What if you need to do an action that you don't have a card for? (like an archer who for some reason needs to swing a sword but doesn't have any actions that allow sword use) The DM can help with that. He or she should have their own deck of miscellaneous actions. Or the DM can do it the old-fashioned way by coming up with his own ruling. All he has to do is to ensure that it's consistent with the character's level and abilities and assign a penalty initiative of 1 to the action.
Remember I said there'd be equipment cards? If you want to equip a magic sword then you need to have the card for it. When DMs reward their players with magic rings and whatnot they'd simply give the appropriate card to the player. A piece of equipment like "Magical Sword +1" might grant +1 to attack rolls.
Wrapping up, the rest of the product line:
The DM's role would be similar but probably easier. I would want to have lots of different cardboard maps for sale. Make them quad-folds.
Booster packs would be 15 cards, randomized. Two degrees of rarity. There'd be 3 Rares and 12 commons in every pack.
The 3D Barcode on the bottom of the figurines would be used to integrate with a cell-phone app. Optional but highly recommended. The cell phone app would take a photo of the barcode and use that to populate a character sheet. The character sheet would track player info. HP, stuff like that. Totally free app btw.
So all in all it's not a revolution. I'd say it's more of a re-branding. It's still basically DnD but it's a 'card-ified' version of it.
In between battles the cards won't be used. They're not there to replace role-playing. They're to give players a physical product to collect and to compartmentalize complex rulings. If there's something that regularly comes up that I didn't address yet, maybe we can make a card for it. The cards are essentially replacing the rulebooks.
(A bit long. I hope I'm not being boring.)
I'll be honest - I'm not much of a DnD player but it's not due to lack of interest. I've tried to create campaigns for my brothers and friends. I always get hung up on the fact that I'm not a very good DM and I'm not particularly fond of the system. For anyone wondering - most of my understanding of DnD comes from 3rd edition rules.
I do check in every now and then to see if they've 'fixed' the game yet. I spent the day reading about 5th edition. I've come across many reviews written by people who say stuff like "I'll be sticking with 3.5 rules". I also would like to say on my own behalf that I am turned off by the idea of buying yet another DM manual. It seems that they want to make money off of the game but don't know what else to do than to release a new version of the rules every now and then. Maybe there's a money-making plan that I somehow failed to find?
Rather than spend hours explaining why I'm dissatisfied with the current product I thought I'd just explain what I would like to play. I'm not saying that I've solved anybody's problem but if you look at my idea, understand it and tell me that it's got potential then I'd be happy. I think that my idea would be easier to play. It would be slightly more expensive to play as well but I think that it would be more satisfying to spend money on the product I'm describing than to keep buying a new edition of the same book.
Here is how I envision the game.
On store shelves you'd have Figurines. That's your character (but figurines are not the innovation that I'm trying to share with you). I just want everyone to have a piece that they can hold in their hand. Rather than being ultra specific about what each piece can do I figure they'd be vague templates. Fighter, Mage, Cleric, Thief. Ideally there'd be new figurines coming out all the time. On the bottom of each figurine there'd be a 3d barcode. (Save that info for later) There would also be a character sheet, a d20, a pack of 15 playing cards specific to the template and a booster pack of playing cards.
Here is a mock-up of two sample playing cards:
There are two different types of card and they each have a different function.
The first type of card describes the sort of combat actions available to the player. The second type of card is equipment. They are differentiated from each other by having different card backs. I'm going to focus on the combat action cards first. Both of the cards pictured are combat action cards.
A 1st level player would be allowed to build a deck of up to 16 combat action cards. Every time you level up your deck size increases by 1. So therefore a 5th level player is allowed to have a deck of 20 cards. These cards are played one at a time every combat round but they are not "spent" when you use one. You can play the same card every round if it suits you.
How combat works:
Every round of combat consists of selecting one card and (usually) one target. All actions are revealed at the same time at the beginning of every round. The players are allowed to discuss their actions between rounds and are encouraged to hide their plans from the DM. When cards are revealed the order of resolution is set by the initiative score on the card. Using the above two cards as an example the player who used Risky Attack will resolve his action before the player who used Fully Engage.
Attack rolls are made. Damage is (or isn't) dealt. Combatants are wounded, healed or killed. DnD kind of stuff.
Once all of the actions are resolved the cards are picked up and the next round begins. The combat sequence will eventually resolve and the adventure will continue.
Explanation of the Rules Text on the Cards:
-The name of the attack is at the top. It is for flavor only.
-Initiative describes the speed of the action. Higher is better. It is possible for a card to have two discrete actions. In that case it would have two initiative scores. For example 16/6. The first action would apply at 16 and the second action would apply at 6.
-The text that says "Any Melee" or "Sword and Axe" is a limitation placed on the action. You may use that card only if you are carrying the appropriate equipment. This is to prevent someone using a bow from using "Fully Engage" as an action. There could very well be a card that allows a person with a bow to engage a target in melee combat - but not this card.
-The rules text describes the actions to be performed.
-In the bottom right you see a level restriction. Risky Attack may only be used by characters who are at least level 3.
Why Cards?
A few reasons. First of all because it gives the player something to collect. To put this in magic terms I do not wish there to be any cards that are as valuable as a Black Lotus. I want people to be able to find the card they want and I want it to be relatively affordable. I do want to give players product releases to look forward to. I want to be able to change the flavor of the game over time by releasing new cards. The collectibility of the cards should come from their art and their flavor.
The cards also serve to compartmentalize actions while at the same time avoiding simplification. With these cards in hand you can quickly reference a complex action without having to look it up in the rule book. Here is a complex action that wouldn't necessarily occur to a newer DnD player and might be difficult for an inexperienced DM to interpret:
"I want to attack my opponent in such a way that he can't run away from me and I want to prevent him from healing himself if I'm able."
Clunky perhaps - and if someone suggested it to me when I was the DM I might be inclined to tell them it's too many actions in one. Putting it on a card however makes it easy to understand and apply.
Finally you've introduced a small degree of strategy in building out a character. You don't have to have Fully Engage in your deck. If you like to get the first attack every round then you choose cards that have high initiative. If you want to specialize in making multiple attacks in a round or attacking multiple opponents at once or standing your ground or a little of everything - there's cards available for that.
What if you need to do an action that you don't have a card for? (like an archer who for some reason needs to swing a sword but doesn't have any actions that allow sword use) The DM can help with that. He or she should have their own deck of miscellaneous actions. Or the DM can do it the old-fashioned way by coming up with his own ruling. All he has to do is to ensure that it's consistent with the character's level and abilities and assign a penalty initiative of 1 to the action.
Remember I said there'd be equipment cards? If you want to equip a magic sword then you need to have the card for it. When DMs reward their players with magic rings and whatnot they'd simply give the appropriate card to the player. A piece of equipment like "Magical Sword +1" might grant +1 to attack rolls.
Wrapping up, the rest of the product line:
The DM's role would be similar but probably easier. I would want to have lots of different cardboard maps for sale. Make them quad-folds.
Booster packs would be 15 cards, randomized. Two degrees of rarity. There'd be 3 Rares and 12 commons in every pack.
The 3D Barcode on the bottom of the figurines would be used to integrate with a cell-phone app. Optional but highly recommended. The cell phone app would take a photo of the barcode and use that to populate a character sheet. The character sheet would track player info. HP, stuff like that. Totally free app btw.
So all in all it's not a revolution. I'd say it's more of a re-branding. It's still basically DnD but it's a 'card-ified' version of it.
In between battles the cards won't be used. They're not there to replace role-playing. They're to give players a physical product to collect and to compartmentalize complex rulings. If there's something that regularly comes up that I didn't address yet, maybe we can make a card for it. The cards are essentially replacing the rulebooks.
Would you be interested in something like this?