Game Mechanics - The Necessity of Regency Points?

[Sore]

I personally prefer GB since it does go into decimals and for a low magic setting makes more sense to me.

[arpig]

So they have derivations and blood abilities that are thematically
related to them, or is it the bloodline strength/ability to collect RP alone?

Yeah they have bloodlines & abilities, and use their bloodlines in RP collection, as per normal. The only difference is rather than naming the derivations after the dead gods I just letter them A - G.

[Birthright-L]

At 12:48 PM 2/17/2011, arpig wrote:

>Yeah they have bloodlines & abilities, and use their bloodlines in
>RP collection, as per normal. The only difference is rather than
>naming the derivations after the dead gods I just letter them A - G.

Ah, OK. (I`m just trying to get a sense of what it is you`re doing
with the system, so that helps a bit.)

When it comes to using RP, as a couple of folks have mentioned,
there`s no real requirement. One could use other things: GB being
the most obvious, but you could also do things like have hero points,
adventure points based on their actions, the results of skill checks,
magic items, etc.

However, since you`re already using most of the features of
bloodline, why not use RP too? The thing is, using RP allows a ruler
to create/increase the size of a realm much more quickly than most
folks would find realistic. Really, that issue has more to do with
the pace and scope of the domain rules rather than
bloodlines/regency, but using RP allows a regent to assure the
success actions in a system that is already fast. That is, using the
regular BR rules it is possible to go from a population level of 0 to
10 in under three years, which is hard to justify for most
things. Using RP one could make that rise certain (barring, of
course, competition from other regents and such things controlled by the DM.)

But if you`re using blood abilities, then the characters who have
them are already exhibiting powers beyond the norm, so using RP fits
in a little more easily. A comparable magical energy is aiding the
unnaturally rapid expansion of the domains. Not having bloodline
derivations does make the origin/rationale for those bloodlines a
little odd, but if the players don`t have a problem with it, then you
needn`t either. It does seem like coming up with an explanation for
bloodlines might serve as an interesting campaign theme or long-term
goal, though.... Especially if a player or two starts to role-play
such questions. If they were to discover that in the background of
the campaign world there were some Cerilians who somehow planeshifted
into your world (Ravenloft did it...) then that could form the basis
of the bloodlines in your world, and provide some interesting adventure hooks.

Gary

[arpig]

However, since you`re already using most of the features of
bloodline, why not use RP too?

There seems to some misunderstanding, I do use RP. I use the whole system, just without the Deismarr story to explain the origin of bloodlines. IMC bloodlines are simply [part of reality, some members of pretty much every race has bloodlines and thus can rule realms.
Bloodlines thus have no "origin", they started when the first creatures were created. They are simply the expression of the innate magical nature of the world sort of a "Land's choice" writ large. This solves the problem of how rulers beyond Cerilia (or IMC beyond the core campaign area) rule their lands...they do it in exactly the same way as everybody else.

[Sorontar]

Bloodlines thus have no "origin", they started when the first creatures were created. They are simply the expression of the innate magical nature of the world sort of a "Land's choice" writ large. This solves the problem of how rulers beyond Cerilia (or IMC beyond the core campaign area) rule their lands...they do it in exactly the same way as everybody else.

So it is like "the blood is strong in this one, Obi Wan Kenobi"? You either have the mutant blood ability or you don't. Not all are born equal.

[DanMcSorley]

On Fri, Feb 18, 2011 at 12:05 AM, Sorontar <brnetboard@gmail.com> wrote:
> So it is like "the blood is strong in this one, Obi Wan Kenobi"? You either have the mutant blood ability or you don`t.
> Not all are born equal.

That`s how it is in bog-standard Birthright, too. I`m not a big fan of
"born special" in most fiction, but it makes an interesting premise
once in a while.

The current campaign that I`m running takes this to its natural
conclusion, I think. The gods are dead, the story that Haelyn et al
succeeded them may be just a myth, so every person (and especially PC)
is his own moral compass. It`s interesting territory to explore.

--
Daniel McSorley

[Lord Rahvin]

On Fri, Feb 18, 2011 at 6:01 AM, Daniel McSorley <mcsorley.1

> The current campaign that I`m running takes this to its natural
> conclusion, I think. The gods are dead, the story that Haelyn et al
> succeeded them may be just a myth, so every person (and especially PC)
> is his own moral compass. It`s interesting territory to explore.
>


Is it, really? I mean, it sounds a lot like the world just outside my
cubicle...

[arpig]

So it is like "the blood is strong in this one, Obi Wan Kenobi"? You either have the mutant blood ability or you don't. Not all are born equal.

Well yeah, hadn't thought of it that way, but...yeah, that's pretty much it. In fact that opens up a few possibilities I hadn't considered, such as perhaps some sort of "Blood training" to access the full potential of one's bloodline, or in order to access new abilities when one's Bloodline strength increases.

Hmmmmm