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jasales
May 22nd, 2012, 19:43
Just wondering if Talislanta is in the works for FG.

ddavison
May 23rd, 2012, 04:31
Nothing official from SmiteWorks in the works for it. I had a buddy back in the day that was big on it though. Perhaps someone from the community will post and say that they've built or started a fan-made ruleset for it.

SmokinDeist
February 1st, 2017, 07:02
This should be added since the IP owner allowed the fans to scan and post the PDFs for the game on talislanta.com

damned
February 1st, 2017, 07:41
what are the core game mechanics?

SmokinDeist
February 1st, 2017, 07:47
It is an intent-based system. The players describe their actions and the GM figures out what skills or attributes are used and assigns a degree of difficulty. Then you roll a D20 and apply the modified result to the below table:
17718

The GM then interprets the results. For combat, mishaps means the GM applies some sort of nastiness to the character, failure is a miss, partial success is usually half damage, full success is full damage and critical success is a critical hit.

damned
February 1st, 2017, 08:06
What are example skills?
How do they effect the roll?
What are example attributes?
How do they effect the roll?

How do you end up with a number on that scale taking into account the roll, the skills, the attributes and the difficulty?

SmokinDeist
February 1st, 2017, 09:14
What are example skills?
How do they effect the roll?
What are example attributes?
How do they effect the roll?

How do you end up with a number on that scale taking into account the roll, the skills, the attributes and the difficulty?

OK, skills are broken up into categories but they all run the same way. Each skill is tied to an attribute plus it has a rating that you can increase by spending XP--more in a minute.

Background Skills reflect where your character grew up. These can be things like Urban, rural or nomadic. These are usually tied to specific locations so Background: Urban (Cymril) would be used for things relating to knowing the best places to go eat or where you may find illegal goods--as one example.

Common Skills are basic thinks like Cook, Ride (Specific Creature) and more.

Language Skills are obvious.

Combat Skills covers different weapons and styles of combat.

There are more categories and these are important when you create a character since the archetypes may give you a choice of skill within a specific category.

Now all attributes are listed as a die modifier. Average rating is a 0, below average attributes are negative numbers (-1, -2, ...) and above average attributes are positive numbers. (+1, +2, ...) Attributes cover the basics such as STR (strength) or INT (intelligence). They also include the important MR (magic rating) and CR (combat rating)

To use a skill you combine the skill with the appropriate attribute. The GM applies a degree of difficulty, a negative modifier to your roll. Sometimes--such as in combat with someone who has an "active defense", ie. not caught by surprise--you use your combat rating+skill--such as long sword--and you subtract the combat rating and skill of your opponent from the roll (D20). Other tasks may just have a difficulty assigned by the GM.

If you're just doing an attribute roll, you double the attribute and apply it to a D20 roll. Examples would be a CON roll versus poison. (Attributes are your saves.)

For non-opposed rolls, the degree of difficulty typically runs from +10 to -10 depending on how hard or easy the task is. This system give a fair amount of leeway to the GM on assigning modifiers though there are some set modifiers. For instance, multiple actions are doable but each action gains a cumulative -5 modifier to the roll. So first action is a normal roll, second add a -5 modifier, third add -10, ...

Attributes are pretty much set in generation but magic items can modify those. This includes your base BR or MR. Until 4th edition, the game had levels which you would gain by spending a specific amount of XP to level up. You could also "concentrate" in certain skills by spending XP to add a bonus to that specific skill. 4th ed. removed leveling--and left you with a fixed HP--and shifted to a skill-based system. I like this since anyone caught completely flat-footed can die just as easy as anyone else but if they are aware and bring up an active defense, high-"level" characters can mop up the place with much lower characters. A large enough difference can make a guaranteed (except for a natural 20) mishap or a guaranteed critical success.

It not a hard system to crack into but if you play 4th ed, use the Codex Magicus optional rules to impose a limitation to the number of spells you know starting out.

damned
February 1st, 2017, 10:38
So - MoreCore with the addition of a new /talislanta roll can do that... Im sure my effort above has many errors but basically you click all your modifiers and then you click the Talislanta and it will roll and output all your inputs and a result.

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=17719&d=1485945523

SmokinDeist
February 4th, 2017, 06:16
Pretty good. I don't know if you had to use an attribute rating of 14 to simulate a Talislanta attribute. Agility would be DEX--again I understand making this work for a different game--and an average attribute would be 0. A +1 is not too unusual to see or even below average attributes like -1.

Here's a sample character from the 4th Ed Tal Adventure "the Weight of Water"

CORPORAL TONFA, THRALL WARRIOR
6;8”, 300lbs. Corporal Tonfa is a young Thrall looking
to prove himself. Over-eager and a little nervous
about his first command, he is overcompensating by
acting much tougher than he feels. His tattoos are
predominantly yellow and green and are marked by
a repeating blue-fl ame motif, including the large lick
of flame rising up from his chin, over his lips and
nose and ending in the middle of his forehead. He
is wearing full garde and carries a large broad-axe
strapped to his back.

Attributes:
INT -3* PER +0
WIL +2 CHA +0
STR +4 DEX +3
CON +4 SPD +2
CR: +6 MR: -5
*+3 for tactical and combat related rolls
Hit Points: 34
Attacks: War Axe: CR +9, DR 8; Tazian Combat:
CR +9; DR 4 (full garde)
Armor: PR 5, Full Garde
Skills: Mounted Combat +6, Tactics +7, Command
+5, Guard +6
Languages: Low Talislan, native
Special Abilities: Immune to fear. Unable to
comprehend magic.

damned
February 4th, 2017, 09:17
Hey SmokinDeist the number of games I dont know the mechanics for... well thats a lot... Im just trying to support the games that people ask and that Im capable of doing...

In this screen shot I took Dex+3, Combat+3, WarAxe+9 and then Defender-10 (opposed defenders modifier?)... Is that something more like it?

If its not right let me know and Ill fix it... In this example its Dexterity /talislanta 2d20+3, Combat /mod +3, War Axe /mod +9, Defender /mod -10
You would click all the modifiers - indicated with +/- symbols on the buttons and then click the Dexterity for the actual roll. You could make the Attributes the rolls, or the skills the rolls - it doesnt matter.

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=17752&d=1486199855

SmokinDeist
February 7th, 2017, 09:59
In the case of this NPC, I believe that the Effective rating has already been calculated. But combat skills are modified the the CR (Combat Rating Attribute) and not DEX or STR. Though STR does add to melee damage. So the base calculation--barring any other situational modifiers would be War Axe Rating + CR. (Since this was taken from an adventure, they did the math for you.) This is rolled versus the opponent's Combat Skill + CR.

If this Thrall were to attack a basic Za Bandit, You'd do initiative (An attribute roll using SPD. With plain attribute rolls you double the modifier and add a D20 roll.) Tonfa rolls a 10 and adds +4 (SPD +2 x 2) to the roll, getting a 14. The Za Bandit has a SPD of 0 so he just rolls a D20 and gets a 12. This give Tonfa initiative.

There are four categories of tactics in a combat round and using one counts as one action. They are Attack, Defend, Move and Stunt. We are trying to keep this simple so Tonfa swings at the Za Bandit with his axe. Considering that Tonfa is a low-level Thrall and looking at his stat block, we see that his CR is a respectable +6 and that his total skill is +9. (A +3 skill is about right for the character so +9 total looks right.) The Za Bandit has a +5 CR and is armed with a Za Broadsword with a skill of +4. This makes his total skill +9 so it's an even roll in this case. Tonfa rolls a 14 and scores a full success so he gets a good hit and does damage. The DR (Damage rating) for the war axe is 8 and Tonfa has a +4 STR, bringing the total damage to 12. If the Za has any armor, then you subtract the PR (Protection Rating) from the damage. Let's say he has leather armor (PR 2) so that would reduce the damage to 10. Total HP for an average Za is 29 so the guy is hurt but still in the fight.

Defend is an option that I must note here as well. Before the attacker rolls, the defender can sacrifice an action to either Dodge or Parry. If the Za were to have initative and attack first, Tonfa could take this chance to, as an example, parry the sword with either the axe or his Garde--the Thrall's spiked parrying armor. If he uses his Garde, then he would roll using his Tazian Combat and CR--total here looks like a 9 minus the Za's +9 with his broadsword. Tonfa squeaks the roll with an 11. With a full success or higher, the attacker doesn't have to roll.

However if say Tonfa decides to parry the Za's attack during the round in which Tonfa attacked, he can do so but he incurs the multiple action penalty (-5 cumulative modifier for each additional action) That parry would then be at a net -5 (9-9-5=-5). That 11 he roll would be dropped to a 6, just a partial success. The Za can then roll and if he hits, the partial success on the parry would be enough to halve the damage.

This is long to describe but in practice, things go pretty quick.

The sampler for Tal 4th edition is a good way to preview the rules--it is just missing a lot of the world info and most of the magical orders. For the most part, the mechanics have been fairly stable across the editions. Weapon damage going from rolled to fixed in 4th edition is one of the major changes and magic really has evolved between most of the editions. The sampler can be found here. (https://peedeepages.com/talislanta/pdf/4e_d20/final/originals/talislanta_fantasy_roleplaying_sampler.pdf) And the full archive is in downloads section at talislanta.com (https://www.talislanta.com).

SmokinDeist
February 10th, 2017, 00:02
Damn, I was going through some of the tutorial information and I discovered that I need at least the Full version...

damned
February 10th, 2017, 00:06
To use and test this you can use the Demo version.
To run a demo game where it doesnt save you can use a Demo version.
To save/export content you will need a license.
You can get a license for a month for $4 and if you dont think its for you request a cancellation and refund prior to 30 days and you will get your money back.

I personally think the license costs are pretty fair.

SmokinDeist
March 13th, 2017, 19:58
Good news is I now have a part-time job to supplement my Social Security--it a pain to do this with all of the rules but I needed money badly for a "new" car and other things. I'll be able to save up for FG a lot easier now. Then I can continue this project once I can buy the program. Perhaps I should play with some programming tools so I'm more familiar with the proper syntax and formatting.

damned
March 14th, 2017, 07:56
Good luck with everything SmokinDeist