Is this a RPG that beginners will be able to play, or do you have to be an experienced RPG player?We'll try to make it as accessible as possible, but this is a game chock full of powers and a few intricate system concepts. In my experience, beginners can still play systems like that, but it might help to have someone riding shotgun with them. :)
It was actually a legitimate question for the game developers.
What's the deal with the Blackstaff? Is it an artifact and a title, or just a title?Indications are strongly towards: Both. But we haven't seen the staff in action yet if the physical thing exists.
About how many pages will it be?We have too much awesome for one book, it's looking like we may have to split it into two. Our current page count estimate is around 600 total (which would be divided into two books).
So Fred, is it looking like a rules/setting split or more of a character/world split a'la Hero 6th?
We have too much awesome for one book, it's looking like we may have to split it into two. Our current page count estimate is around 600 total (which would be divided into two books).
Six hundred pages? I was looking forward to this game. Now I'm a little scared... ;)
I know there are sensible reasons for breaking it into two books. Still, it would be fun to have a single-volume edition for the shock value. "OK folks, we'll get started on character creation as soon as you commit this (THUMP!) to memory."
I'm guessing both books will be released simultaneously, correct?
Excellent!
Now, for an even more important question - have decided on covers for both books? ;D
Well, reducing that shock value is actually a good thing in terms of getting people on board. :):o Wow, I'm really glad that the characters and the setting are getting this kind of detailed treatment. Licensed products that just throw the stats of the main characters at the back of the book with just a few pages bug me.
All the core rules are gonna be in the first book, but the 150-page chapter on (nearly) every character in the first 10 books, all the monster writeups, the discussion of political factions, and Kenneth Hite's chapter on real-world Occult Chicago will land in the second. If we're lucky enough to get a little vignette story from Jim, that'll be in book 2 as well, I suspect. So there's plenty of incentive to get both I'd say, while still saying, "Hey, don't worry, the core *game* itself is over in this first one."
This sound like very good news for the people who have no interest in paying for Dresden setting material and character writ-ups when they plan to either have a game set in a different part of or time period the Dresden world, in which case much of the setting write-up material would be superflous, or don't plan to play in the Dresden setting at all (just look at how variously the SotC rules were used) and mostly just want Fate 3.0 with some tweaks and rules for fantasy stuff.
I know I'm buy the rulebook the first chance I get, but I'm not sure what I'll run it for, probably either modern day Dresdenverse Seoul or heavily Nehwon-inspired Sword and Sorcery. Hell, I'd happily pay for the rulebook for the magic rules alone but I don't think I'd ever use a single character write-up for anything except giving players examples of good aspects.
I do plan to pick up both books, but I know for sure that I'm going to use the thing for more than just Dresden gaming. If the rules can handle the various NPCs we've seen, they should be able to handle low powered supers pretty well. I also totally want to run a fantasy game with them as well.
And of course, I can finally get around to playing a Buffy-verse game.
And of course, I can finally get around to playing a Buffy-verse game.You don't like the Unisystem then?
You don't like the Unisystem then?
All the core rules are gonna be in the first book, but the 150-page chapter on (nearly) every character in the first 10 books, all the monster writeups, the discussion of political factions, and Kenneth Hite's chapter on real-world Occult Chicago will land in the second. If we're lucky enough to get a little vignette story from Jim, that'll be in book 2 as well, I suspect. So there's plenty of incentive to get both I'd say, while still saying, "Hey, don't worry, the core *game* itself is over in this first one."
I'm really, really happy if you go to the two books aproach, as then the core rules could be more portable to game sessions, which is a big thing for me these days. I like Starbalzers, but the book is huge to carry around. Diaspora is perfect sized, but I can do something bigger if need to.
Yep, we're almost certain to be doing the two book thing at this point. When I got to the 75% mark on layout and saw we had around 460 pages of material already, the decision sort of made itself.
Are there any concrete ideas as how they are sold? In "handsome slipcase" by any change?
And is there possibility for special Dresden Files Fudge Dices? Color theme or even special symbols?
Are you guys thinking of offering any preorder incentives, like copies signed by the development team or anything?
I'll be preordering these things (wallet willing) when they're offered, regardless. ;D
Are you guys thinking of offering any preorder incentives, like copies signed by the development team or anything?
Will the books be shipped worldwide? 'Cause I want to preorder both books. But I live in Japan. :-\They'll ship worldwide, but I'm betting the shipping costs will be pretty terrifying. (Close to 10 pounds, Priority Mail International... guh.)
My question is: do you have to go through a lot of rigmarole to cast a simple Thamutergy spell like Harry's tracking spell, or the old "Make a magic circle" trick?
Second question: Are there any magical tricks that even mundane mortals can do? (Like the above mentioned Circle; Butters used this trick pretty easily in Dead Beat).
Are there a few examples of good Mental tasks? That's one area I have trouble thinking of good examples of. And in some cases, it's tough to understand where Social and Mental tasks differ in practice.
... I meant mental CONFLICTS. Whoops. :P
That was spooky...no sooner did I finish this off then I get a twitter about the new blogpost with all the answers.
Do Minions exist in the DFRPG?
Nope. Everything is dangerous. If you want to model a weak/easily disposed group, it's better to just treat that as a single character or as a challenge. SOTC's minions rules are more... pulpy.
Ah, I was wondering about this as well. Does this apply also to companions? That is, is there an analogue of the companions rules from SotC in DFRPG?
So what separates them from anything else in the Nevernever? Why is summoning a Demon something bigger than say, whipping out a fey or whatever it is Binder was calling up? Why are Demons bad news?
Are we given examples of any monsters that haven't appeared in the books? If our players have read them all, is there anything we'll have to surprise them from the Goes Bump chapter? :)
Fred, I seem to recall that in the early inception of DFRPG that you guys posted about, different weapons did different kinds of stress/effects. Some ate more boxes while others I think were likely to jump over boxes (to reach consequences faster). The example being a knife ate more stress boxes, a shotgun jumped to consequences faster.
Did that get changed?
Can we get a comparison of the knife vs. shotgun now? Or maybe a peek at the stats for one?
Reading this, it sounds like you guys have boxes for Mild, Medium, and Severe tiers. Looking at Harry's sheet though, he only has a physical box set, a mental box set, adn a social one. So, what gives?
So the damage is situational?! How does that work?Knife in a dark cramped alleyway is more lethal than a knife out in the open against a dude with a sword.
So, does a Death Curse cast by an enemy add an Aspect to you? Or is it like a Thaumaturgical Declaration?It's ... got elements of that, and more. Better handled by the book than by a forum answer.
How are transitions between templates handled? I.e True Believe -> Champion of God, or changeling -> fey or human? Speaking of which, which template does a changeling take if they choose humanity? How much of the characters has to be reworked when one of these transitions occurs?
Question here, how does bleeding out work in this game in both mid-combat and out-of-combat situations?We don't have a specific simulation of "bleeding out". I could see it coming about as the result of a particular taken out or concession result, though.
Question here, how does bleeding out work in this game in both mid-combat and out-of-combat situations?
If so, I'd say that "Sucking Bleeding Chest Hole" Severe Consequence gets hit for compels. Maybe it'd be a good time to Concede so I don't have to squish you.
Despite the semi heart attack you just gave me, I'll expand my question a bit. How do you deal with attacks that have slowly cause a person to get weaker and weaker? One round their leg takes a slice, no biggy, arteries still in place, but 15-20 seconds later, that guys looking a little pale.
It's not just about the GM's side of things though, Scott -- but something's getting missed in the conversation here. It's the victim that describes the consequence, not the attacker. So bleeding out is only going to happen if the recipient is interested in that as an expression of a consequence or a concession... The attacker's only ever going to get to stipulate something like that if the attacker inflicts a taken out result.
So really, you'll see "bleeding out" when a GM does it to an NPC because that's what a PC is gunning for and the GM's all too happy to provide it. But I don't think you'll see a lot of PCs experiencing the same thing, unless they think it's an interesting way to concede or what-have-you.
It's not just about the GM's side of things though, Scott -- but something's getting missed in the conversation here. It's the victim that describes the consequence, not the attacker. So bleeding out is only going to happen if the recipient is interested in that as an expression of a consequence or a concession... The attacker's only ever going to get to stipulate something like that if the attacker inflicts a taken out result.
So really, you'll see "bleeding out" when a GM does it to an NPC because that's what a PC is gunning for and the GM's all too happy to provide it. But I don't think you'll see a lot of PCs experiencing the same thing, unless they think it's an interesting way to concede or what-have-you.
Oh! There's also a thing in DF that isn't in SOTC -- now there's a fate point payout for conceding. So some of what we're talking about here is baked in, because that payout exists as an incentive for the player to say "Okay, I'm going to concede at this point and take my payout. Cool?"
Oh! There's also a thing in DF that isn't in SOTC -- now there's a fate point payout for conceding. So some of what we're talking about here is baked in, because that payout exists as an incentive for the player to say "Okay, I'm going to concede at this point and take my payout. Cool?"
A hangnail that takes as long as a broken arm to recover from? Good lord. :)
I've run this at conventions... a lot. Some people are just crazy. The table rules advice in Diaspora and Mouse Guard are pretty good for this.Yeah, I hear you. A general-service "sniff test" rule is not a bad one to have in your arsenal. :)
Normally, the player taking the consequence gets to describe what it is, so long as it’s compatible with the nature of the attack that inflicted the harm. The GM arbitrates the appropriateness of a consequence and there may be some back and forth conversation before settling on one. The GM is the final authority on whether a player’s suggested consequence is reasonable for the circumstances and severity.
Actually, it looks like we may have tweaked the language to make the GM the "sniffer" -- I wonder if that was in response to some playtester feedback. :)