[Steerpike]

Just curious. Would like to run a Malazan-style RPG campaign. Thinking either GURPS or maybe Castles and Crusades, since it is so easily modified.

But since Steven and Ian moved to GURPS in their session, I was wondering whether anyone has tried asking one of them, via email, for the homebrew rules they used in their sessions. I wonder if there is any chance they'd be willing to share them? Probably not if there might be an official Malazan RPG in the works, but who knows. Thoughts?

[Tatterdemalion]

I don't know, Steerpike. Can't say.

I would like to say that I often think to myself, "Man, if only there was a 'street team' or some such method of helping them do something. I'd love to see some sort of Malazan board game (A Game of Thrones has a $70 board game which is actually wicked fun) or MAGIC-esque card game (I was never into these, but Malazan universe fits it perfectly). I feel like there is such a strong fanbase, if they wanted to they could really assemble us to help do something cool...

[Steerpike]

Tatterdemalion, on 14 April 2010 - 05:31 AM, said:

I don't know, Steerpike. Can't say.

I would like to say that I often think to myself, "Man, if only there was a 'street team' or some such method of helping them do something. I'd love to see some sort of Malazan board game (A Game of Thrones has a $70 board game which is actually wicked fun) or MAGIC-esque card game (I was never into these, but Malazan universe fits it perfectly). I feel like there is such a strong fanbase, if they wanted to they could really assemble us to help do something cool...

Yes, I think the fanbase is definitely there.

I'm working up a pencil-and-paper RPG for my group to experiment with, and it is influenced by the Malazan books. If it goes well, maybe I'll post it here when it is complete. The main issue right now is making sure magic is powerful and dangerous, while at the same time making sure non-magic characters are still attractive to players at higher power levels in the game.

[Tatterdemalion]

Always a problem, eh?

Balance.

Especially in a world of CRAZY BALANCE FLUCTUATIONS!
You don't really want Kalam vs. Tay just ending in Kalam a pile of ashes because Tay is a mage.

My brother made the most amazing bad-ass board game for Transformers (old school Transformers, not the Michael Bay shit) involving, like, one hundred transformers and three boards. You collect units by unlocking new robots based on the comic/TV show's chronology and try to defeat the other side, eventually heading to space and Cybertron. It is awesome but it takes ages to play through.

Anyway, here's how he got around the problem of Bumblebee vs. Devastator, etc. Each character had stats in 10 categories - things like strength, intelligence, firepower, cunning, courage, speed, etc. Then 11-17 were combinations of two of these traits. Then 18-20 were combos of 3 (on a D-20 here). Each robot got a boost based on their stats and a few other variables. So. Devastator was wicked strong, wicked firepower, was tough, etc. Bumblebee's a wimp in all those categories. In a STRENGTH battle, Devastator would likely have such a plus that there was no way Bumblebee would win, no matter the dice - or at least, crazy odds. In a COURAGE battle, though - Bumblebee would totally beat Devastator, as Dev is dense and Bumblebee is wicked-brave. Thus, it would go the other way (though not as drastically because the difference isn't as palpable). In a combo STR + COURAGE battle, assuming it was one of the combo options, the two would almost even out and you'd have to look to the dice. See what I mean? It also helps that my brother works as an economist for the Federal Government of Canada and is a probabilities expert at math. Go figure.

So compared Kalam vs. Tay here. Tayschrenn would have high numbers in intelligence, firepower, magic, etc. Kalam has cunning, strength, speed, etc. If you do your math properly across the board, you can have fair odds of who would win between them in a variety of types of match up. Throw Anomander Rake in, DAMN, he'd have some pretty good numbers. That's good, he should. But even though Optimus Prime had great numbers in the Transformers game, if he fights often enough, someone would eventually defy the odds and take him down. The odds of that you can count on.

Anyway, I was eating a rice lunch while typing. Now I'm done raving. Am gonna go watch Venture Brothers. Hope this might be a touch useful. Good luck!

This post has been edited by Tatterdemalion: 15 April 2010 - 05:21 PM

[Darkwatch]

Steerpike, on 13 April 2010 - 07:55 PM, said:

Just curious. Would like to run a Malazan-style RPG campaign. Thinking either GURPS or maybe Castles and Crusades, since it is so easily modified.

But since Steven and Ian moved to GURPS in their session, I was wondering whether anyone has tried asking one of them, via email, for the homebrew rules they used in their sessions. I wonder if there is any chance they'd be willing to share them? Probably not if there might be an official Malazan RPG in the works, but who knows. Thoughts?

Your best bet is to ask Malaclypse or Hetan to ask on your behalf.