Working with CoreRPG for the first time

[Reynard203]

I hope this the right place to post this. Mods feel free to move it if not.

I have been running 5th Edition D&D with Fantasy grounds for a few months now and really like it -- both as a platform and with the ability to gather far flung gamers. I have a tendency to want to try lots of new games, though, most of which (obviously) do not have FG rulesets. I understand, though, that the CoreRPG "ruleset" is pretty versatile. So, I am looking for advice on how to learn to build what I need in the CoreRPG system in order to run a game.

In this particular case, the game is Russ Morrissey's (of EN World) What's Old Is New (WOIN) rpg. It uses a dice pool mechanic where you are likely to have a handful of up to 5 or so d6 plus sometimes a modifier. In addition, it uses a combat grid and PCs have access to the usual special abilities and equipment and such.

I do not expect to be able to build a complete rule set or anything. All I am really looking to do is be able to build pre-generated PCs with their basic stats, attacks and so on built in so the learning curve is a little light and we can get to trying out the game. I think I have enough experience with the map system to do that without issue unless it is notably different in CoreRPG than the 5E rules. And special abilities we will just adjudicate as well as we can (as we would do on a real table top). I would like to be able to use the combat tracker, since there are hit points (two kinds) and initiative and such.

What videos or tutorials will be most helpful in what I am looking to learn how to do? Has anyone found a quick way to cobble together a dice pool system? What is a good balance between trying to get stuff coded in and just running it like on a meatspace table?

Thanks a bunch!

[Mask_of_winter]

Check out MoreCore (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?34860-MoreCore-Ruleset).

[damned]

can you supply some (more than one) examples of how you construct the dice pools and the additional modifiers?
can you supply a basic outline of how a character is built? eg attributes + skills + other modifiers?
what do you measure success against?

[Reynard203]

can you supply some (more than one) examples of how you construct the dice pools and the additional modifiers?
can you supply a basic outline of how a character is built? eg attributes + skills + other modifiers?
what do you measure success against?

Certainly.

During character creation, you increase Attributes and Skills. Independently, the values of those Attributes and Skills will be given a dice pool (a number of d6s). Note that Skills are not tied to specific Attributes but during play when you make a test against a difficulty number you use an Attribute, a skill if it is relevant and perhaps some other modifier (characters have thing that are called Exploits that translate roughly to D&D style Feats or Savage Worlds style Edges). The only thing here I wonder about is how to combine different dice pools (Attribute, Skill and Special) into one roll, or even if that is possible in the CoreRPG.

In combat you have a dice pool for an attack as above (but usually pre-figured) which you roll against a target's Defense. (Note, there are two kinds of Defense: Defense and Mental Defense for psychic attacks.) Both types of Defense are pre-figured stats based on Attribute and Skill pools with possible Exploit and Equipment modifiers. Straight forward. However, you can also reduce your dice pool in order to gain advantages or use some of the above mentioned Exploits. In fact, your character's Grade (aka level) limits the maximum dice pool so it is often efficient to spend dice on these extra maneuvers or whatever. A common example is "spending" two attack dice to add one damage dice.

Damage taken is done to a hit point style health pool. However, there are also numerous "damage tracks" for detailing poisons, fatigue,critical effects and so on.

Finally, there is a Luck attribute that represents a pool of dice you may use to enhance other die rolls. Luck dice explode (and none other in the game do so).

I think that covers the basics of the system. What I am hoping to be able to do mostly is be able to adjust dice pools on the fly relatively easily and still allow player's to double click their way through combat, mostly for an ease of use kind of thing. Again, it is not strictly necessary but will improve the flow of the game.

Thanks.

[damned]

thanks Reynard203 for this to work as described I think you need to build your dice pool manually every time as there is nothing in CoreRPG (or MoreCore) to accept both additional dice and modifiers on the fly. I can make a dice roller that can accept additional dice (by way of modifiers) but not both additional dice and additional numbers. we are looking at adding another modifier box to MoreCore that would allow both to be added on the fly but that will only be ready when its ready...

If you fire up MoreCore and start a new character you can create a roll (example) called Strength (value: /rollover 2d6x14) and another roll called Sword Fighting (value: /mod 2) and another called Giant Strength (value: /mod 1) you would then click on Sword Fighting, Giant Strength and then Strength and it should roll 5d6 (it will also count values 14 and over as successes - this is just an example). You will see that we can add Dice on the fly. Repeat this with a new roll called Agility (value: /pbta 2d6) clicking Sword Fighting, Giant Strength and then Agility. You will see how this adds modifiers on the fly. But we cant add BOTH on the fly with the current architecture....

[damned]

Additionally no generic ruleset can roll against the targets roll or against the targets XYZ value as there is nothing in the generic systems code to say what roll is opposed by what roll. You would have the attacker roll and then the defender roll and the GM would adjudicate.

[Reynard203]

thanks Reynard203 for this to work as described I think you need to build your dice pool manually every time as there is nothing in CoreRPG (or MoreCore) to accept both additional dice and modifiers on the fly. I can make a dice roller that can accept additional dice (by way of modifiers) but not both additional dice and additional numbers. we are looking at adding another modifier box to MoreCore that would allow both to be added on the fly but that will only be ready when its ready...

If you fire up MoreCore and start a new character you can create a roll (example) called Strength (value: /rollover 2d6x14) and another roll called Sword Fighting (value: /mod 2) and another called Giant Strength (value: /mod 1) you would then click on Sword Fighting, Giant Strength and then Strength and it should roll 5d6 (it will also count values 14 and over as successes - this is just an example). You will see that we can add Dice on the fly. Repeat this with a new roll called Agility (value: /pbta 2d6) clicking Sword Fighting, Giant Strength and then Agility. You will see how this adds modifiers on the fly. But we cant add BOTH on the fly with the current architecture....

Thanks a bunch. That's very helpful. Just to be clear: MoreCore is a ruleset itself, not an extension, correct? So I would make my playtest campaign under that ruleset? Thanks again.

[Mortar]

Correct, its now a ruleset.

[damned]

Yeah MoreCore started life as a basic extension to CoreRPG and slowly grew. Its still doesnt have anything like the functionality of a 3.5e or 5e ruleset with the automation but it really does extend CoreRPG in some nest ways. Have a look at the City of Mist extension and Modules for CoreRPG to get an idea of what is easily achievable in MoreCore.

[Nylanfs]

The rules for WOIN are here now, it is all OGC (escept for the usual story and artwork stuff). But they don't have a handy text download for the tules.

https://www.woinrpg.com/

[Reynard203]

If you fire up MoreCore and start a new character you can create a roll (example) called Strength (value: /rollover 2d6x14) and another roll called Sword Fighting (value: /mod 2) and another called Giant Strength (value: /mod 1) you would then click on Sword Fighting, Giant Strength and then Strength and it should roll 5d6 (it will also count values 14 and over as successes - this is just an example). You will see that we can add Dice on the fly. Repeat this with a new roll called Agility (value: /pbta 2d6) clicking Sword Fighting, Giant Strength and then Agility. You will see how this adds modifiers on the fly. But we cant add BOTH on the fly with the current architecture....

I was messing around with this a little and it looks like the only dice string that accepts modifiers as additional dice is /rollunder. /pbta results in a numerical modifier.

[damned]

The rules for WOIN are here now, it is all OGC (escept for the usual story and artwork stuff). But they don't have a handy text download for the tules.

https://www.woinrpg.com/

I know :) but I dont have time to read and understand every game system thats out there.... :(

[damned]

I was messing around with this a little and it looks like the only dice string that accepts modifiers as additional dice is /rollunder. /pbta results in a numerical modifier.

Thats right. There is a single modifier stack so only one set of modifiers can be stacked. /pbta only uses numeric modifiers (like the majority of game systems). I will upload a /rollover later this week that works exactly the same way as /rollunder eg 5d6x5 would roll 5d6 and count 5s and 6s. It will accept modifiers that increase and decrease the dice count.

You are welcome to check out the dice rolling scripts and create your own. If you do so I will roll them into MoreCore and credit you for them and more people can use them.

[Reynard203]

You are welcome to check out the dice rolling scripts and create your own. If you do so I will roll them into MoreCore and credit you for them and more people can use them.

I am a writer and professional GM. Scripting in a code sense is far above my pay grade. ;)