Experiment: Codex Alera RPG Using White Wolf Scion Rules

[Quantus]

I'll toss in my support for using the "Scion" rules for a couple of reasons. One is that, while the Scion system does allow for power-overload sorts of characters (which, considering the Vord, would be appropriate), it also focuses on just-beyond-human performance levels; "Exalted" seems to have a continuum all the way up to godlike in one book. (I know about "Scion: Demigod" and "Scion: God"; I was referring to the general scope and emphasis in "Hero" for use with the Alerans.) "Exalted" might be more appropriate if the gamemaster allows the PCs the potential to command the Greater Furies, especially if the game extends outside of Alera to cover the entire planet; the continent from which the Canim hail, the lands of the Icemen, and so on.

The other reason is slightly more pragmatic: I don't actually own any of the "Exalted" books, but I do own "Scion: Hero". Hey, money's tight at my house.

Whichever option you choose to use, please feel free to keep us updated!

Fair enough, but I do want to point out that if the worry is about power levels, the Exalted rules for the dragon-blooded are far weaker that those of the Solar, which is what the primary book was about.  The Dragon-blooded (terrestrials) were the weakest of the exalted breeds (solar, lunar, sidereal, and terrestrials).    So the power level thing wot be nearly an issue, the dragon-blooded were designed to be weaker , but to make up for it in numbers and worldly resources, which would be all campaign specific anyway.  And it has the added benefit of having more source material available (the primary book plus individual element expansions, etc).  It would take more investment (or some form of piracy i suppose) than Scion, but it would be much less work on the GM side. 

But for this sort of thing, it really comes down to what system your most comfortable with improvising in.  In most of my custom settings, ive trended toward D20, often not because it fit better than other but just that it was what I had the most experience in and was able to modify without allowing things I, as the GM, would later regret.

[TheMouse]

One problem I have with the Scion rules is that it's even easier to to make an ineffectual character than it is in Exalted. That is, if two characters are created using the same resources, it's quite easy for one of them to be much more effective than the other. If one character is built on the fast track to godhood and the other is built to be able to do nifty things within their purview, God-guy is going to come out way ahead in the power curve for the same amount of effort (ie experience points).

A similar problem exists in Exalted as well. I think of it as the "Dexterity wins problem." Namely, if someone takes physical as their tertiary category and sticks all four points into Dexterity (leading to Str 1, Dex 5, Sta 1), the character will in almost all ways be more effective than someone who chose physical as primary who put no points in Dexterity (leading to Str 5, Dex 1, Sta 5). This problem is replicated in Scion then exacerbated through epic Attributes (or whatever exactly they're called).

The more interested in mechanical rigor, and the higher level of power your group takes it, the less Scion holds up under the strain.

[Quantus]

One problem I have with the Scion rules is that it's even easier to to make an ineffectual character than it is in Exalted. That is, if two characters are created using the same resources, it's quite easy for one of them to be much more effective than the other. If one character is built on the fast track to godhood and the other is built to be able to do nifty things within their purview, God-guy is going to come out way ahead in the power curve for the same amount of effort (ie experience points).

A similar problem exists in Exalted as well. I think of it as the "Dexterity wins problem." Namely, if someone takes physical as their tertiary category and sticks all four points into Dexterity (leading to Str 1, Dex 5, Sta 1), the character will in almost all ways be more effective than someone who chose physical as primary who put no points in Dexterity (leading to Str 5, Dex 1, Sta 5). This problem is replicated in Scion then exacerbated through epic Attributes (or whatever exactly they're called).

The more interested in mechanical rigor, and the higher level of power your group takes it, the less Scion holds up under the strain.

I agree to an extent, but I think you are underestimating the importance of Stamina, since it gives you all your life and your soak which is harder to come by in scion than exalted).  Strength definitely falls short, but to me the Epic attribute help not hinder that, since they give you good combat options that are strength based.  But you are right, a fundamental failing of the system IMO is that accuracy is always more useful to build towards than damage, since accuracy directly becomes damage.  There are ways around it, but you have to go looking for them.