Characters Without Context
A few years ago I was working on a quickstart set for Echelon. Until I got distracted (scope blown out because I Had An Idea) I was working on a small adventure with some pregen characters.
Given only the mechanical description of task resolution being "roll some number of dice and count how many meet or exceed a target number"), is there enough information to have a sense of what these characters are and what they do?
@kjdavies Lacking any context, I think each character is distinctive and familiar enough to understand who they are and what they can do.
I'm especially intrigued by "many stoneshapers will shape weapons and armor from available stone rather than carry such gear," and "on the other hand, a human wizard is not able to breath fire, tear his enemies to shreds with his bare hands, nor simply shrug off minor attacks." 👍🏽
@glecharles I basically made those up -- several years ago -- on the spot and don't have the talents defined.
I expect stoneshapers will have the ability to craft items from available stone. So instead of packing around weapons and armor (and certain other gear, I suppose), if they know they're going to be in a rocky area and have time to prepare they might just make the items they need as they need them. Then discard when they're done because they can make more when needed.
@glecharles A higher-level character (level 17, nominal D&D/PF level 9), also using Advantage Dice System (I've got versions of her using a few different rules systems on this blog).
(I was going to put up links to a couple more characters, but I see they're somewhat out of date -- from before the recalibration; most of their dice expressions should be one die bigger -- and because the posts are so old I'd basically need to rewrite them... thanks Wordpress.)
http://www.echelonrpg.com/blog/sample-character-amren-ja-warrior-queen-advantage-dice-system/
@glecharles I imagine few people are familiar with the Advantage Dice System, since I invented it and that blog gets very little traffic :)
Basically, you roll 1-4 dice of varying sizes. Name originally came because you used the highest-value one, but certain applications look for number of times you meet or beat a target number.
You always have one die based on your tier (level band), then can gain 1-3 more from the talents you have.
Explained in more detail at
http://www.echelonrpg.com/core-rules/basics/advantage-dice-system/
@glecharles Originally was probably closer to an alternate character construction system (i.e. still used feats and whatnot, but packaged them in a way that didn't require you to track prerequisites and the like (talents would grant the feats, etc.).
Then it became classless as I realized the classes were just means of packaging things. Then I experimented with different rules systems for implementation and here I am... it'll be a new game altogether.
@glecharles Though I'll add that making high-level play (or at least character/monster construction) absolutely is a major part of my goal here. I hate having to 'plan builds' to make sure my character is legal and capable.
I want to be able to go "legendary swordsman means I do this, this, and this" and it has everything I need. D&D 3.x, my original base, you might have to plot out when certain feats become available so the character could take them at the right time, and that's a drag.
@glecharles Well, 'Echelon' is the game system, 'Advantage Dice System' is the task resolution engine.
Anyway, cornerstone and common talents don't have prereqs, capstone talents do. Talents of the same type don't stack for rolls. 'Ride Anything' and 'Ride Anywhere' are both common talents, if you have both you take only the bigger die they give... but at a high-enough tier you can ride your giant snake through the sky.
Keith Davies
Guy LeCharles Gonzalez (MOVED)