The Cypher System is proof that no matter what Monte Cook tries to do, in the end he will always recreate D&D 3.0. As for this specific game, even if it wasn't hyper-targeted to fans of a specific podcast these kind of Americana settings do nothing for me.
What gets me the most is that he thinks he's innovative for copying - but not entirely understanding - stuff from FATE and other narrative systems onto his faint carcass of a d20 system. (Bonus points if he includes a spellcaster class that is the objectively best choice, and a fighter class that can't do much besides fighting despite his constant reminderrs that the game is totally not about fighting.)
You are not wrong. If there were one great sin in 3E…well it would have been prestige classes…but if there were two great sins then one of them would definitely be the feats. When I scraped off the frost coating the surface of the cypher system I saw the frozen corpse of 3E feats staring back at me unblinking. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like deciding if I should get +1 to a skill I actually use multiple times per session or +1 to three different skills I’ll never use as much as the next guy, but filling my character sheet with the mechanical equivalent of vegetables so I can earn the privilege of a cookie every 4 levels isn’t exactly the most thrilling design.
Fun fact! "Yabbit" is a meme I forced in Pippa's chat. I've never heard of thee podcast, but after looking at a synopsis, I like the idea of it but I don't think I will listen to it. I'm a huge not-fan of Numineria, though I do really like combat systems where the GM doesn't do a lot of rolling. It's actually the only thing I unambiguously like about Black Hack. Attacks are only an attack roll and defending is only a player-rolled save does a lot to keep combat going fast. Even if its' not doing much to make combat move faster, it does make it feel faster and I like that.
I'm not versed with the system or the setting, but from what you described, this feels like a game that is really *only* for people who are *already* fans of the Podcast. At first I was thinking "okay, but when does it get interesting?" But on further thought, while it doesn't tickle my autism, it should tickle someone's. If they're happy playing this weird game, more power to them.
I keep forgetting how many Cypher Games there are. Seems they don't quite get as much attention anymore after the ridiculously expensive physical cube set he came up with for Invisible Sun. Do these games _still_ contain weird jabs at 4th edition?
I find a lot of resolution systems these days are bad because they are too meta. Anything that takes more than a couple seconds or requires tabletalk to resolve is inherently a bad core resolution mechanic.
The d40 system is a simple case of "roll integer dice, roll d40, do basic middle school division to see how many times integer fits into d40 roll. This determines successes." I love this dumb system lol
I tried to get into Cypher System. I like the system, I like the Numenera setting. But I stopped giving them my money after First Responders left a bad taste in my mouth.
The Cypher System is proof that no matter what Monte Cook tries to do, in the end he will always recreate D&D 3.0.
As for this specific game, even if it wasn't hyper-targeted to fans of a specific podcast these kind of Americana settings do nothing for me.
What gets me the most is that he thinks he's innovative for copying - but not entirely understanding - stuff from FATE and other narrative systems onto his faint carcass of a d20 system.
(Bonus points if he includes a spellcaster class that is the objectively best choice, and a fighter class that can't do much besides fighting despite his constant reminderrs that the game is totally not about fighting.)
You are not wrong. If there were one great sin in 3E…well it would have been prestige classes…but if there were two great sins then one of them would definitely be the feats. When I scraped off the frost coating the surface of the cypher system I saw the frozen corpse of 3E feats staring back at me unblinking. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like deciding if I should get +1 to a skill I actually use multiple times per session or +1 to three different skills I’ll never use as much as the next guy, but filling my character sheet with the mechanical equivalent of vegetables so I can earn the privilege of a cookie every 4 levels isn’t exactly the most thrilling design.
Fun fact! "Yabbit" is a meme I forced in Pippa's chat.
I've never heard of thee podcast, but after looking at a synopsis, I like the idea of it but I don't think I will listen to it. I'm a huge not-fan of Numineria, though I do really like combat systems where the GM doesn't do a lot of rolling. It's actually the only thing I unambiguously like about Black Hack. Attacks are only an attack roll and defending is only a player-rolled save does a lot to keep combat going fast. Even if its' not doing much to make combat move faster, it does make it feel faster and I like that.
I see you everywhere dude, what's with the profile pic?
@@mattcollins5974 its a commission I bought of one of my OCs. I use it as my pfp in most places.
I played it in a demo in UKGE. Game stalled for 15 min cuz no one managed to roll higher than a 7 on a d20
I'm not versed with the system or the setting, but from what you described, this feels like a game that is really *only* for people who are *already* fans of the Podcast. At first I was thinking "okay, but when does it get interesting?" But on further thought, while it doesn't tickle my autism, it should tickle someone's. If they're happy playing this weird game, more power to them.
Oof. That comment about The Strange hurt me physically. I loved that setting
I do like how benefits and powers reduce the target number. Also that the pools are faculties that become smaller.
sounds like a bunch of convoluted abstractions
gurps gang wins again
I keep forgetting how many Cypher Games there are. Seems they don't quite get as much attention anymore after the ridiculously expensive physical cube set he came up with for Invisible Sun.
Do these games _still_ contain weird jabs at 4th edition?
Please do not hit Pippa with a baseball bat
She already doesn't have very many braincells
god forbid they actually connect
this feels like shoving every IP in the 3.xe D&D OGL all over again
It truly has Monte Cook's fingerprints all over it.
Can you cover Mecha Hack?
Monte Cook game? Ugh Pass!
I find a lot of resolution systems these days are bad because they are too meta. Anything that takes more than a couple seconds or requires tabletalk to resolve is inherently a bad core resolution mechanic.
The d40 system is a simple case of "roll integer dice, roll d40, do basic middle school division to see how many times integer fits into d40 roll. This determines successes."
I love this dumb system lol
I tried to get into Cypher System. I like the system, I like the Numenera setting. But I stopped giving them my money after First Responders left a bad taste in my mouth.