Set 3 Open Playtest

[Krylancelo]

Second: I expect that this will be instantly dismissed, but it seems like a good idea that Green Ronin offer alternatives to those powers and bonuses that refer to Exploration and Roleplaying stunts. I don't know whether we're alone in this, but our group finds those game features slightly abhorrent.

Same here. We ignore these two types of stunts altogether. Thus we removed the new talents "Intrigue", "Observation" and "Oratory" as well as the rogue's level-6-class power, and we changed "Carousing (Master)". For us, it works better this way.

[Arimmus]

Some people don't use them, so I agree with this. I do, but then again when a player makes a Perception) Searching test, the dragon die results in the level of success, not the amount over it. I normally have things set up to have between 2-6 levels of success. Like finding a hidden door, i would have 3 levels of success, first being, you find a void in dust, 2nd being you feel a cool breeze and the third being you find a gap in the wall that looks like it is clear behind it. My search tests normally take time (I use maptools so I can track time better than normal) usually about 5 minutes for a simple test. and if It is hidden really well, I may throw on a ST, normally no harder than 13. The Dragon Die on each test gives hints to where the door might be. So Exploration stunts are handy here.

As far as roleplay stunts, I Created something called Social Initiative, in which players roll Communication (Etiquette) for order, and then they each take rolls trying to achieve a goal. (Normally I set both sides at ST 13 for said goal)Some stunts give bonuses to their ST, and some stunts take away from the opposing side ST. The first side to reach the ST is the winning side (have yet to fully test, about to use with Dalish Curse Encounter). Of Course Hostile action end this and Combat initiative begins.

[La Cipolla]

Hm, what I would like: One table with 3-5 basic, simplified, generally usuable stunts for each area (Fighting, Magic, Social...). The only reason I ignore not-combat-stunts is that there are already so many combat-stunts to use, even without Set 2 and 3 (but then even more so of course). I don't want to chill out my players by adding even more.
Fan-project anybody?

It's really a shame that such a great mechanism is not put to use, especially when mainstream-role-playing-rules tend to be (too) combat-oriented in general.

[Arimmus]

The hardest part is keeping track of them all. I have them set up under a list on my framework for maptools (its almost done peeps, Just gotta input a few more rules that i may or may not have input yet).

[Zapp]

A table with half a dozen stunts of each type is a great idea!

It would really send across the message that all sorts of activities is equally important and equally well supported by this great game!

[si1vergecko]

I actually made a document that had the majority of stunts and magical mishaps on it on side side though after playing with it in game it had a few errors and before I even think about posting it online I would want to go back to the drawing board (one of the big things is I originally made it landscape but I think I will make future versions portrait) and fix those errors as well as add all of the new stunts (which I will probably revise again after the actual ser 3 comes out).

Also something that I thought about was the rouge level 17 ability rapid shot is really only good if you already loaded at the beginning of the round and have taken the journeyman level of Archery training assuming you can reload multiple times in a round with it (it says load as a free action though also does not give a stipulation of once per round as others do). Personally I would be tempted to instead have the ability to backstab with a ranged attack but that's just me. Unfortunately it was something I only thought about for the deadline.

In a similar vein the warrior ability that allows you to melee attack with a -2 to attack is somewhat redundant if the character already has dual weapon style which allows them to attack as a minor action (though does not allow stunts and attacks with half strength). I know they are different and the warrior one is certainly better but still I am sure you at least seen the train of thought behind it.

[5trangeCase]

Really, with the diversity of the Rogue class, there should be several different options for Backstab in my opinion. A ranged one is obvious, another example: alternating the position of Bluff and Backstab for a more suave, talkative (high COMM) Rogue. With my Avvar Rogue, we've worked out another alternative. Seeing as she is a staff-fighter and isn't the type to "backstab", she has an alternate takedown ability. While equipped with a quarterstaff, she rolls Stealth vs. Perception as usual, if its a success the enemy is immediately knocked prone, and she can make a normal attack (with the usual +2 to hit backstab against them with her spear (she uses a spearstaff). This is in physical terms, tripping her enemy with her staff and then instantly attacking them on the ground.

Although it hasn't come up and thus I haven't thought of one yet, a good option for example the Ferelden Crafstman Chantry people would be nice as well.

[Pytorb]

Well I've just emailed in the playtest submission from our group. 31 additional points, a few more than last time, though some are repeats of points we made in our Set 2 submission.

[Konzill]

- I have two big, essential problems with the stunt system: even at High level, it stays too random (which I generally like, but only for starters!), and the huge choice of stunts is just too much for this kind of game. Although reorganization (as well of effects in stunts as of stunts themselves in groups and tables - thinking of "starter table" and such) and cutting down to basics could help this one quite a bit.

Instead of Double focuse giving you +3 make it give +1D6 to ability test rolls. This would make doubles occure more frequently, giving characters with sufficent training more oportunity to use stunt points.

[Andferne]

I like the overall idea of taking a Focus the second time granting a +1d6 to the roll. However that might be a bit powerful. Not too sure as I haven't number crunched anything. Another optional rule along those lines is letting you keep the highest 3 of the 4 rolled dice.

So Rogue with one focus rolls a 3, 4, 5 and gets a 14 total.
Rogue with two focus in same area rolls the same set up 3, 4, 5 and for fourth roll gets another 4. His total would then be 15.

[Elfie]

If you were to go that route, I'd actually say they get to pick which two of the three non-dragon-dice to keep. That way they could keep a roll that might have a lower total, but would result in stunt points.

[La Cipolla]

We houseruled that a high-level character (what exactly that is depends on the campaign) can claim one stunt per battle after rolling, without having doubles. It's easier than all of these stunt-point-pool houserules and works perfectly to bring some more strategy into the battle.
I could even imagine a talent which either allows a player to use this (or a similar mechanism) or improves upon it, perhaps by "reloading" this effect with another stunt which is not used, or when certain numbers are rolled, or something.

The option with a fourth dice is a bit too complicated for me.

[Zapp]

An interesting concept and indeed its simplicity works well in AGE!

Though two minor comments if you please...:

We houseruled that a high-level character (what exactly that is depends on the campaign) can claim one stunt per battle after rolling, without having doubles.

You mean you can decide to generate stunt points whenever and then look at the Dragon Die to see how many you got?

Do you still need to succeed at the roll, or could you gain, say, 5 Stunt Points when the dice show [1,1,5] and your Test is failed?

It's easier than all of these stunt-point-pool houserules and works perfectly to bring some more strategy into the battle.

One advantage of a stunt point pool is that it is more granular. That is, it is easier to gradually increase. (Conceivably, you could award a +1 to the pool every level if you want.)

[La Cipolla]

You mean you can decide to generate stunt points whenever and then look at the Dragon Die to see how many you got?

Do you still need to succeed at the roll, or could you gain, say, 5 Stunt Points when the dice show [1,1,5] and your Test is failed?

Yeah, you would still have to succeed.

It is of course a very coarse method. A pool is more detailled and more strategic; what you prefer depends on how simple the game should be. ^^