The limited sessions and telling an epilogue for each character really makes me think that this would be amazing as a Rogue-like RPG... The stories passed down to the next generation for them to learn from and the worlds these would build... even having the option to create the next in the family (or incarnation) line. this is some Amazing work, and love watching your process.
I've only skimmed the rules but there is a PbtA game kinda like that called Legacy: Life Among the Ruins, and aspects like that are in King Arthur Pendragon.
The dharma system is so beautiful. (As is Adam's reaction to discovering it!) It makes for a very new game, I should think. Implicit in Court of Swords and the five session rule is that campaigns are meant to be chained together: after the five sessions, we play a new set of five. What are the rules for persistence, for ripple effects? What links the games of a series?
It looks like one of those "beat you over the head with a statement" games but it's great you're including a lore-fitting flexibility to the rules. I feel like similar systems (Sagas of the Icelanders, The Sprawl and probably many others) can be a bit overbearing and pretty much convey what they want in a couple of sessions which also dictates how you should play them (shorter sessions, less freedom as a player, less replayability) so the extended rules might take it to something bigger that a micro-RPG. Also I love how quickly you put basic concepts to writing and expect to reiterate later, I usually get stuck trying to account for all the aspects from the start which is just not how big projects are done. As they say, writing is rewriting... :)
I think more "legacy" mechanics like the persistence of spells could unlock interesting game play across cycles. Otherwise I'm into this as a concept. It reminds me of the SaGa JRPGs in a good way.
Spending Dharma to draw/choose a new tarot bond seems kind of counterproductive because mechanically the tarot bonds only exist to enable a character to earn dharma. I could be wildly misinterpreting the role of bonds though.
Well, in that case it depends on how he prices the ability get a new bond. This is the way I see it: a single bond will earn you 5 dharma over the course of the game if you play into it every session so that leaves two possibilities. 1: the ability costs more dharma than it will pay out in the end, making the mechanic functionally useless. 2: the ability is priced low enough for a character to conceivably make back the Dharma they spent. The way I see it this is a real problem for the game's theme, The character just got closer to enlightenment by refusing to accept the hand that fate dealt them Which is the antithesis of what the dharma system was supposed to encourage.
Adam ... what about my favoraite race that despertly need some fixing ... what about the poor dragonborn .... the race that has Dragon in its name but actually almost weaker than kobolds ... :\
The passion in this episode was so awesome! I felt absolutely electrified. Thanks Adam! :)
I just barely watched Court of Swords, but this Dharma-hoarding idea makes me NEED to play this game.
The limited sessions and telling an epilogue for each character really makes me think that this would be amazing as a Rogue-like RPG... The stories passed down to the next generation for them to learn from and the worlds these would build... even having the option to create the next in the family (or incarnation) line.
this is some Amazing work, and love watching your process.
I've only skimmed the rules but there is a PbtA game kinda like that called Legacy: Life Among the Ruins, and aspects like that are in King Arthur Pendragon.
I love when he puts his arms up, and the green parts of his tattoos are see through.
The dharma system is so beautiful. (As is Adam's reaction to discovering it!) It makes for a very new game, I should think.
Implicit in Court of Swords and the five session rule is that campaigns are meant to be chained together: after the five sessions, we play a new set of five. What are the rules for persistence, for ripple effects? What links the games of a series?
It looks like one of those "beat you over the head with a statement" games but it's great you're including a lore-fitting flexibility to the rules. I feel like similar systems (Sagas of the Icelanders, The Sprawl and probably many others) can be a bit overbearing and pretty much convey what they want in a couple of sessions which also dictates how you should play them (shorter sessions, less freedom as a player, less replayability) so the extended rules might take it to something bigger that a micro-RPG. Also I love how quickly you put basic concepts to writing and expect to reiterate later, I usually get stuck trying to account for all the aspects from the start which is just not how big projects are done. As they say, writing is rewriting... :)
xp name = Devotion
I think more "legacy" mechanics like the persistence of spells could unlock interesting game play across cycles. Otherwise I'm into this as a concept. It reminds me of the SaGa JRPGs in a good way.
vampires are the bad guy in the mortal kombat movie
Spending Dharma to draw/choose a new tarot bond seems kind of counterproductive because mechanically the tarot bonds only exist to enable a character to earn dharma. I could be wildly misinterpreting the role of bonds though.
Blaze the Dragon I think the point would be you could pick a tarot that's easier for you to use to gain more XP later
Well, in that case it depends on how he prices the ability get a new bond. This is the way I see it: a single bond will earn you 5 dharma over the course of the game if you play into it every session so that leaves two possibilities.
1: the ability costs more dharma than it will pay out in the end, making the mechanic functionally useless.
2: the ability is priced low enough for a character to conceivably make back the Dharma they spent. The way I see it this is a real problem for the game's theme, The character just got closer to enlightenment by refusing to accept the hand that fate dealt them Which is the antithesis of what the dharma system was supposed to encourage.
Adam ... what about my favoraite race that despertly need some fixing ... what about the poor dragonborn .... the race that has Dragon in its name but actually almost weaker than kobolds ... :\