RPG Rules Ideas

Alternative Advancement System: A Matrix Game

6/6/2018

D&D is fun in part because as you play, your character gains experience and grows stronger. You build this up by the actions you do so the player gets to have some control over the game world. This along with gathering treasure and magical items make your character better. I supplemented this advancement system using a simple Matrix Game. Matrix Games allow players to add elements to the game world by making an argument why some event would happen. Players get to make matrix arguments like this before and after gaming sessions.

Matrix Game Rules: The player makes an argument for something to happen. The GM asks them to do this about a variety of topics that the GM picks. The GM judges how likely an action is to happen and gives the player a number to roll equal to or over on 1d20. If the player succeeds, what they said happens. This changes the world. If they fail their roll the action does not happen but the player is not punished more than that. There are no partial successes. The player may try an action again later when they get to make another matrix argument.

I use matrix arguments before a game to help build the adventure the players are about to do. I use matrix arguments after sessions to allow players to make their characters grow in ways beyond just gaining power. Here are a list of what I ask players to argue about.

What weird stories do you hear about? Each story can be worked into a future adventure.

Why are you going on the adventure today?

What do you hope to find?

Say one thing that happens just before you leave.

Tell an event that happens in the game world far away from where the game is set.

Say an event that happens in the game world that has nothing to do with the player characters.

Describe how your character grows as a person.

Say how a character's relationship with their contacts grows.

I've used Matrix Games for character growth in role play games since the late 80's. What I've found is that they increase the players commitment to the game and allow them to think beyond their main player character. They in effect become co-game masters because they share in crafting the story of the game world.

Jousting

6/5/2018

I'm interested in running a D&D game set in the real world setting of Northern France in 1370, a little after the time depicted in the wonderful movie "A Knight's Tale." So I have to have a way to run jousts. But I don't want the game to be about jousting so the rules need to be easy and fast. I have a few ideas...

Real jousting rules have competitors do three passes with the lance. You score one point for breaking a lance. You score two points for dismounting an opponent (you also get his horse), and three points for knocking the helmet off your opponent. There are other scoring schemes but these will do for now. Have two players draw a card off the top of the deck for each pass. Interpret them as follows.

If both cards are five or less both sides miss. Zero points.

If one card is two higher than the other, that player breaks a lance. One point.

If a face card is drawn they dismount their opponent. Two points.

If both players draw face cards, the higher card wins. Break ties by suits: Hearts, Diamonds, Spades, Clubs.

If the opponent plays a card five or less they avoid being dismounted. Instead the winner just breaks a lance. One point.

An ace knocks the helmet off of the opponent. If both draw aces both helmets are knocked off. Three points.

This will allow players to act out jousting matches they see very quickly. They can even gamble on the matches if they want to. If the players are involved in the joust it works a little differently. Two players take on the roles of the opposing knights. The players usually draw a hand of cards and pick which one to play for each pass. The results are as listed above.

Non-fighters draw two cards for each pass and must play the lower card. They will likely lose, as they should!

Inexperienced knights draw four cards and discard the highest card. They play a card from their hand for each pass.

Normal knights draw four cards and discard the lowest card. They play a card from their hand for each pass.

Experienced knights draw five cards and discard the lowest two. They play a card from their hand for each pass.

This offers a little choice but not so much that it slows down play.