[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

(TFT) Runes of the New World house rules.



Scott_Moore@praxair.com wrote:
> 
> Could you explain how your house rules on Stats work in more detail.  Sounds
> interesting.

Seems everyone in my neck of the woods has tweaked TFT.  Until I found
this list, I thought it was a local geeky aberration.  I'm not sure how
I feel about being normal.  Well, more normal. :)

I'll explain the stats in the process of building a character, since
they are related topics.

Note I started with certain assumptions.  I wanted skilled characters,
seasoned professionals, since I knew I would be dropping them into the
middle of heck.

Start with 8pts each, ST, DX, IQ.  Add 8 pts to any of these as you
wish.  Sounds familiar, I'm sure.  Then set HT (Health, or Hits) equal
to ST.  Then set MEmory equal to 1.5 IQ (Round down).  Set ENdurance 0. 
Set POwer 0.

After this point, costs for stats vary.  DX is still 1/1.  ST, IQ, HT,
ME are all 1/2pt each.  EN and PO are 1/3pt each.

ST is used for picking weapons and determining damage, carrying
capacity, and character weight.

DX...  but I'm preaching to the choir, here.

IQ is used to make saves, choose skills and spells, play games, etc.

HT is used to take damage and to save versus diseases, poisons, and the
like.

EN is used for strenuous activity, which ordinarily saps HT.  If you
have EN, you spend EN first.  EN is also hit first by Drain Strength
spells and similar phenomena.

PO is used to power spells.  I wanted powerful elf-babe magicians; I
didn't see them weighing 300 pounds.  If you have PO, spend it first,
then spend HT.

HT recovers as usual for wounds, more quickly for fatigue.  EN and PO
both recover a bit more quickly than normal fatigue 'damage', I'd have
to check (find) old notes.

This system can build pretty much anyone.  (Designer's arrogance, I
know.)  But seriously, Elric: low ST, low HT, lots of PO.  Straight TFT:
Can't go there.

Don't get me wrong, TFT rocks the house.  It's the only game I'm still
playing twenty years later.  Runes needed more detail.  I wanted Jara
Telman, our little priestess, to be able to cast more than one spell.  I
wanted the fencer I knew one guy would build to be able to stand and
take it without needing to be played by Swartzenegger.

Maybe some games don't need this.  Maybe most games don't.  Mine did.

Sorry if I'm sounding defensive, but I imagine myself being descended
upon by Mnorens, Bug Basics, and telepathic Dragons.  "You will forget
what you have learned, forget what you have done; it is not True TFT..."

It's a lot truer to TFT to actually play it, than to look wistfully at
those three stats, and have folk go play Hero.
=====
Post to the entire list by writing to tft@brainiac.com.
Unsubscribe by mailing to majordomo@brainiac.com with the message body
"unsubscribe tft"