I decided to start a project of a TTRPG with 5 main pillars, that can be put on or taken out yo better suit the preferances at each table:
- COMBAT: For when people want to tell stories focused on resolution through direct conflict & violence. This combat will have tactical elements but more simplified (like minimal movemtn, single attacks and less complex interactions), being more based on combat of Classic JRPGs like Dragon Quest and a focus of Player-facing rolls.
- SOCIAL/BONDS: For when people want to tell stories focused on resolution through conversation & connections. This will a system of levels of connections between PC/NPC, PC/PC and NPC/NPC, both good and bad. As these bonds advance, both PCs and NPCs will gain additional effects based on the type and tier they have between each other (like a friend being more helpful, a honorable rival demanding just duels and a arch-nemesis being more harmful but blinded by vengeance)
- EXPLORATION: For when people want to tell stories focused on resolution through problem solving & rational thinking. This includes Puzzles, Travels, Survival, Mysteries and the such.
- PROJECTS: For when people want to tell stories focused on resolution through long term planning & resource management. This is more downtime stuff that focus around planning big thing for the future. For example, the construction of a base of operations for the group, the achivement of a royal domain or title, the making of a legendary artifact, gathering info about a lost person, hidden secret or formidable foe.
- JOURNEY: This one is unfortunately the one I have the hardest time explaining since its the more underdeveloped. Basically, you would choose a "journey to embark on and surpass", like a mix of backgrounds & aligments. You gain passive bonuses and penalties based on the journey chosen tha modify how you play. For example, you chose the "Journey of Courage" and set up the goal of "reaching the depths of the Underworld and return alive". FOr this, you gain resistance to fear effects but if you still fail against such effects, they are even stronger on you, and after you finish your goal, you lose your penalty and must choose a new Journey to go on.
I've then planned to have a few more things revolving around 5 and its multiples:
- 5 Sources of Power (Arcane, Divine, Occult, Primal and Mundane/Void)
- 5 Main Attributes (Ambition, Determination, Integrity, Perception, Zeal)
- 5 Major Gods, each connected to a Source of Power
- 5 Fantastic Ancestries, being Humans + 4 others like humanoid crustaceans, shadow goblins/demons, angel-robot mix & many armed people
- 15 Core Classes, going from 1st to 10th level
My ideia for these 15 classes is
A) While each class leans into one source of power more, they can choose any 1 of the 5 to represent their powers.
B) They must be able to work in any of the 5 pillars well enough, even if they aren't the best at it, just being able to participate and help in any way possible would be great.
My problem comes when naming each class in a that at first I was just on auto pilot and giving them generic RPG names, like Fighter, Paladin, Barbarian, Monk, etc. But how does a Fighter work in a game that doesnt use the Combat pillar? and so I now want to see names that could fit into every pillar without much trouble. The ones I chose for now are:
| ARCANE | DIVINE | OCCULT | PRIMAL | VOID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mystic/Psion | Champion | Marauder/Executioner | Outlander | Brave |
| Bard | Ascetic | Charlatan | Ranger/Sentinel | Rogue |
| Sage | Vessel | Invoker | Shifter | Artisan |
- Artisan is self explanatory, someone who use a mix of science, art and magic to make incredible inventions.
- Ascetic = Monk, not only the Martial Arts part but also the more wise and disciplined notion.
- Bard is, wellm a Bard. Music, Folk Lore, Jack of All Trades.
- Brave = Fighter, in the sense of "normal person so good they seem supernatural".
- Charlatan being a Trickster, Liar, Whisperer, Mesmer, Illusionist and Agent of Chaos.
- Champion = Paladin, but made more general-purpose for the idea of "chosen warrior with a fantasied code of conduct", like Knights, Samurais, Faris, Mamluks and the such.
- Invoker is a summoner, be it undead, elemental spirits, homunculus, divine beings, animals, etc. + a D&D Warlock vibe of a Witchm her Familiar and her Patron.
- Marauder are the other side of the Champion coin. Where one focus on protection and helping others, the Marauder focus on executions and being vindictive.
- Mystic is basically a psychic with warrior training, like a mix of Remedy's CONTROL + a Jedi from Star Wars.
- Outlander = Barbarian, a warrior of the outskirts with a intense well of raw strength within.
- Ranger is not only a wanderer explorer but a guardian of civilization against the evils from outside.
- Rogue is the normal Rogue: stealthy, specialists, scheming, but with an extra pinvh of luck manipulation.
- Sage = Wizard, a studious master of magic and searcher of mysteries.
- Shifter = Druid, controlling weather, fauna, flora, the elements and transforming into cretures.
- Vessel is my take on Cleric, where you embody divine spirits into your self to unleash their powers.
Considering all this, are these names okay? Or should I change one or more?
Source: r/RPGdesign · by /u/ThatOneCrazyWritter