Revision of the game

[Tim Falkenberg]

Hi all,

With all this talk of trying to (illegally) revise the game, I thought
it might be valuable to hear a few testimonials and criticisms of it.
If we have a good idea what we do and don't like, revising and (gasp)
FIXING certain parts of the game would certainly go more smoothly.  I
suspect most of us will be attracted to the same portions...

I'll begin.

Magic system:  This game has my favorite magic system (outside of Ars
Magica).  It is one of the few that allows for truly amazing power.  I
don't think there is anything here that I dislike.

Skills:  This is a hodgepodge.  There are not enough and they are
poorly organized.  Throw out the "super" skills like forester and
miner and replace them with something simpler.  Characters end up
focusing around these every time.  Take a look at Harnmaster for an
example of a really good skill system (Harn is also a skill based
game.  They have organized the skills into professions, but they are
not classes.  I'd like to see something similar in P&P).

Priests:  I'm not sure how many people actually play with Priests in
P&P.  I find them interesting but too powerful for my tastes.  I
prefer over the top mages and ineffectual clergy.

Experience:  This is one of the aspects that really make this game
stand out.  I love the fact that skills go up as you use them.  I like
the way some of the characteristics go up with time, although I think
I would limit this to physical characteristics and leave the others
fixed.

Energy Level:  This is a strong concept that I haven't seen elsewhere.
 It seems to represent the soul or life force.

Combat:  Great but a little slow.  However, I'm not sure I would
change anything to speed thing up either.

Creatures:  Not enough definition on each of the creatures or
differentiation(sp?) between creatures.  The originality is wonderful.
 There are creatures you don't see in any other games, but the
creature statistics just seem to be all the same to me.  I'd like to
see different types of physical attacks from the monsters.

Treasure: Wonderful

Special events: ditto.  Could be more though.

Character creation:  Bulky, but I'm not sure what to change.

Perilous Lands:  I would change nothing here.  This is my favorite of
all fantasy worlds.  It is complex without too much detail.  Leaves
lots of room to mess around.  I love Burton's cultural variation chart
although I have changed and expanded it to my own taste (skills
outside of combat, less of a range for cultural height).  Definitely
could use more published adventures! (Can't see any hope here.)


Mostly what P&P needs is reorganization.  I have tried to do some of
this myself in the past.  I'll try to get some of it on the list, but
I have sporiadic access to my e-mail...  I have pages on experience,
priests, magic, and a bit of Lands info.

For your information:  I haven't been very vocal on this list, so I'll
introduce myself.  I have 16 (that many?!) years experience playing
RPGs.  I own far too many....  I've played quite a bit over the years
with Paul Ming, also on this list.

I hope that people disagree with some of the things I've said and we
can get a dialogue going and try to keep this list busy!

Tim Falkenberg.



===




As your attorney, it is my duty to inform you that it is not
important that you understand what I'm doing or why you're
paying me so much money.  What's important is that you
continue to do so.
-- Hunter S. Thompson's Attorney

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