While Plumb (and even its foundation, Spelunk) is able to model many Mario games quite well, it requires a few further additions to model the Paper Mario games more accurately and more entertainingly. One of the major additions required is an Experience Point system.
((Note: the below numbers have not yet been playtested. >.>))
In Paper Mario and The Thousand-Year Door - the two primary sources for this concept - the titular character "levels up" when he gains 100 EXP, no matter what level he is already at. This holds true for Plumb: After 100 EXP, a level-up occurs.
There, the exact duplication ends. Because ALL characters are equally important in Plumb, as opposed to Paper Mario's hero-and-sidekicks setup, a qualification is in order: There is one party total for EXP, and every enemy defeated contributes to that total. When this total reaches 100, the entire party levels up.
Further, upon leveling up, Mario could choose to gain 5 HP, 5 FP, or 3 BP ("Badge Points", covered later). Again, in Plumb, the same is mostly true, but changed to fit the party nature of the game: Upon a level-up, the party may choose to distribute 5 HP among its members, add 5 FP to the party's maximum FP, or to mix and match (such as adding 1 HP to two people, and adding 3 FP to max FP). In addition, everyone in the party gains 1 BP, NOT split among the group.
The only way to gain EXP is by defeating enemies, but it is important to know just how much EXP an enemy gives when defeated. The answer is simple! When you create a monster, keep track of how many character creation points it would take to create that enemy, NOT including the basic stats a character usually gets; this is an enemy's Rating. That number, minus the party's level, is the amount of EXP given when the enemy is defeated. This number can go down to zero (resulting in an enemy worthless for the party to fight), but you cannot lose EXP by defeating an enemy.
Examples: The basic Goomba enemy has a move of 1, an attack of 1, and a jump of 1. A Level 1 party that defeats a Goomba would gain 2 EXP (3 minus 1), while a level 4 party that defeats a Goomba will not gain any EXP at all.
As a recommendation, easy enemies should give a party 1-3 EXP, medium difficulty enemies should give 4-6 EXP, and difficult enemies should give up to 10 EXP. Minibosses should give up to 25 EXP, and bosses should give up to 50 EXP. No enemy may give more than 100 EXP in a single fight, though it's possible a multi-stage Final Boss of some kind might give large chunks of EXP between stages.
(this section should be expanded to its own page when I have enough to justify it, and once I'm convinced this EXP scheme will work out okay.)
Goomba, Rating 3. Move 1, Jump 1, Strike 1.
Green Koopa Troopa, Rating 5. Move 1, Jump 0, Strike 2, Weak to Jump -2, Resist 2, Sinks -1, Koopa Tackle +3.
Badges are optional equipment a character can wear to increase their skills, add new attacks and moves, and otherwise increase a character's awesomeness.
In order to equip a Badge, a character must have enough Badge Points to handle a Badge's cost. As a guideline, a badge's "BP Cost" is equal to its cost in character creation points. If a character does not have at least that many BP available, they cannot wear the badge - and wearing the badge "takes up" those points. Removing a Badge releases the BP it was using back to the player, allowing them to replace it with a new Badge.
However, in the end, a badge's final cost, effect, and other details are entirely up to the gamemaster. A badge that changes only your character's coloring may cast 0, or may cost more if it really helps; an attack badge might be 3 points, or more if it synergizes well or does something no one else can do.
Unlike items, Badges cannot be removed by force; if a character does not want to take a badge off, then tough luck. Also unlike items, badges cannot be switched out in stressful conditions, such as a heated battle.
A Badge's BP cost is equal to its total creation points.
((This should be expanded to its own page when I have enough entries to justify it.))
Power Fashion: 0 BP. Changes the wearer's clothes to how they'd look if he or she had a Fire Flower, but grants no bonuses or additional attacks. If used when the character does in fact have a Fire Flower equipped, then causes clothes to flash brightly, in the manner of an Invincibility Star.
Slow Go: 0 BP. Reduces Move to 1.
Deep Focus: 1 BP. Allows the wearer to use the "Charge" technique (see Techniques and Magic)
Dizzy Attack: 1 BP. Allows the wearer to use the "Dizzy Attack" technique (+3 Stun Hazard, -2 FP Dependant).
Power Rush: 1 BP. When the wearer's HP is at 5 or less, he or she may grant themselves Strike-Up +2. (When In Danger -3, Stat-Up +4)
Sleepy Stomp: 1 BP. One of the wearer's attacks (his or her choice when putting on the badge) may now, by expending 2 FP (-2 FP Dependent) when they make an attack, is now a Stun Threat (+3).
Last Stand: 1 BP. While its wearer is in Danger (-3), his Resist is increased by 4 (+4).
Ice Power: 2 BP. The wearer's attacks are now charged with the Ice element (+0), and is now Fire Resistant (+2).
Mega Quake: 3 BP. Allows the wearer to use the "Mega Quake" technique (-1 Ground-Bound, +5 Range, +5 Damage, -6 FP dependant).
Zap Tap: 3 BP. The wearer gains an Electric-element (+0) Damage Aura of 1 (+1), and becomes Electricity Resistant (+2).
Defense Plus: 5 BP. The wearer gains +1 Resist.
Offense Plus: 6 BP. The wearer gains +1 Strike.
Flower Saver: 6 BP. Up to six of the user's abilities cost 1 FP less than normal, chosen when the Badge is put on. (You cannot use this badge to decrease an ability's cost by more than one FP.) (+6)
A Badge may only have one effect on it.
No Badge may be worth more than 7 BP.
Typically, a Badge that provides an ability or move for the wearer to use has a BP cost equal to the ability's character creation points.
A Badge that increases a statistic permanently, however, costs 5 BP, except for HP and Strike, which cost 6 BP.