Amber Diceless Role Playing - Amber with Dice Redux

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Dec 15, 2009, 8:07pm

Amber Diceless Role Playing :: Amber, past and present :: Non-Canon Amber :: Amber with Dice Redux

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Topic: Amber with Dice Redux (Read 40 times)

tarondor
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Amber with Dice Redux
« Thread Started on Aug 23, 2009, 1:15am »

Not sure why the "Amber with Dice" thread is locked, but...

I don't think it's necessary to reinvent the wheel. I prefer a diceless Amber, but if diced, I think the d20 system would work just fine, especially if everything (including combat) is treated as a skill.

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keltset
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Re: Amber with Dice Redux
« Reply #1 on Aug 23, 2009, 10:42am »

I'm guessing because there were two threads, so maybe the Admin didn't want to spread out the fun. (I'd say encourage anyone to post anywhere, but that's just me.)

But, to address your main point....

I wonder if d20 is too rules intensive. I think there was a d20 Amber rules set done by AverageBear (or some name like that) for a while and I just found that the rules seemed heavy compared to the diceless game.

Maybe the point would be to run something mostly diceless, only with an occasional die roll. I know that when I'm Game Master for D&D sometimes the dice rolls can surprise all of us, and that's kind of a neat thing sometimes.

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KELT-SET
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"The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules." -- Gary Gygax
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Finarvyn
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Re: Amber with Dice Redux
« Reply #2 on Aug 23, 2009, 10:47am »

Aug 23, 2009, 10:42am, keltset wrote:

I'm guessing because there were two threads

That was my thought, yes. In retrospect, it does seem sort of odd since one of the threads was more general and the other my specific system. I guess they don't overlap quite as much as I had at first anticipated.

I'd unlock it again, but now that Tarondor has started this one then it can be the "general" thread again.!

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Finarvyn
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tarondor
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Re: Amber with Dice Redux
« Reply #3 on Aug 25, 2009, 2:48am »

Aug 23, 2009, 10:42am, keltset wrote:

I wonder if d20 is too rules intensive. I think there was a d20 Amber rules set done by AverageBear (or some name like that) for a while and I just found that the rules seemed heavy compared to the diceless game.

Maybe the point would be to run something mostly diceless, only with an occasional die roll. I know that when I'm Game Master for D&D sometimes the dice rolls can surprise all of us, and that's kind of a neat thing sometimes.

Yep. I'm reasonably certain that I'd prefer to run Amber using ADRP's rules instead of d20. But as a long-time D&D GM, I know that just about any game can be modeled using the d20 mechanic.

I'm -not- suggesting that d20 Amber would involve all the rules of D&D (or even the fascinating "Mutants and Masterminds"), but using the d20 core mechanic would be very simple for things like combats and just about any other skill-based task.

Instead of fighting it out round by round, you could use the d20 system to quickly decide a combat's outcome and move on with the narration.

Example: Gerard and Corwin are engaged in a battle using improvised weapons. Corwin has an iron from the fireplace and Gerard has a tapestry and a wooden chair. Call Corwin's attack a +30 and Gerard's a +24.

GM rolls a 16 for Gerard and a 12 for Corwin. The result (42 barely beats a 40) tells him that Corwin's going to win this fight and smack across the forearm with that fire iron. But maybe that close score is enough to decide that Gerard can now get close enough to initiate a grapple check.

I agree that all this is unnecessary with ADRP. But it is possible and need not be slow. So those who just -have- to have some dice involved could do it.

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Dilvish
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Re: Amber with Dice Redux
« Reply #4 on Aug 25, 2009, 9:11pm »

Yeah, I'm a bit worried about any attempt to "improve" the diceless mechanic in ADRP. Heck, I've looked at several other diceless games on the market (Everway, Theatrix, Nobilis...) and none of them "flow" as eloquently as ADRP.

The basic "compare me to you" thing is genius.

If I ran Amber with dice, however, I'd try to keep it as simple as possible. No advantage in taking a dice-free game and making it into dice-heavy.

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tarondor
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Re: Amber with Dice Redux
« Reply #5 on Aug 26, 2009, 12:11am »

Take a look at "Extreme Dungeon Mastery" at http://www.xtremedungeonmaster.com/XDM_Intro.html. Despite it's heavy emphasis on humor to make a point, XDM is a very rules light application of the d20 mechanic to make any game system move quickly. It is essentially just over the line from diceless!

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keltset
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Re: Amber with Dice Redux
« Reply #6 on Aug 27, 2009, 10:21pm »

Aug 25, 2009, 9:11pm, Dilvish wrote:

The basic "compare me to you" thing is genius.

It is!

I'm constantly surprised when folks say that they don't "get" Amber Diceless, because the fundamental system is so simple. You can make it complex if you like or keep it simple, cuz it's your game!

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KELT-SET
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xenomancer
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Re: Amber with Dice Redux
« Reply #7 on Nov 9, 2009, 11:23pm »

dICELESS please. I have never seen better games than ADRP. Ever. I consider it akin to graduate work for role playing gamers. Such a unique facet to the experience should'nt be abandoned. I feel that it brings the best out of the gamemaster as well. Thanks for all.

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Finarvyn
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Re: Amber with Dice Redux
« Reply #8 on Nov 25, 2009, 10:25pm »

Nov 9, 2009, 11:23pm, xenomancer wrote:

I have never seen better games than ADRP. Ever.

I exalt you for this statement! Amen!

The ADRP system is somewhat unique in that it can be as simple or as complex as desired. I really think that Erick's entire diceless concept is one of the rare innovations in RPGs, and probably the most significant since Dave Arneson's "let's go into a dungeon" concept.

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