the 7th edition

Signed-off-by: Christine Dodrill <me@christine.website>

blog/7e-2020-12-20.markdown

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+---
+title: The 7th Edition
+date: 12/20/2020
+tags: 
+ - ttrpg
+---
+
+# The 7th Edition
+
+You know what, fuck rules. Fuck systems. Fuck limitations. Let's dial the
+tabletop RPG system down to its roots. Let's throw out every stat but one:
+Awesomeness. When you try to do something that could fail, roll for Awesomeness.
+If your roll is more than your awesomeness stat, you win. If not, you lose. If
+you are or have something that would benefit you in that situation, roll for
+awesomeness twice and take the higher value.
+
+No stats.<br />
+No counts.<br />
+No limits.<br />
+No gods.<br />
+No masters.<br />
+Just you and me and nature in the battlefield.
+
+* Want to shoot an arrow? Roll for awesomeness. You failed? You're out of ammo.
+* Want to, defeat a goblin but you have a goblin-slaying-broadsword? Roll twice
+  for awesomeness and take the higher value. You got a 20? That goblin was
+  obliterated. Good job.
+* Want to pick up an item into your inventory? Roll for awesomeness. You got it?
+  It's in your inventory.
+
+Etc. Don't think too hard. Let a roll of the dice decide if you are unsure.
+
+## Base Awesomeness Stats
+
+Here are some probably balanced awesomeness base stats depending on what kind of
+dice you are using:
+
+* 6-sided: 4 or 5
+* 8-sided: 5 or 6
+* 10-sided: 6 or 7
+* 12-sided: 7 or 8
+* 20-sided: anywhere from 11-13
+
+## Character Sheet Template
+
+Here's an example character sheet:
+
+```
+Name:
+Awesomeness:
+Race:
+Class:
+Inventory:
+ * 
+```
+
+That's it. You don't even need the race or class if you don't want to have it.
+
+You can add more if you feel it is relevant for your character. If your
+character is a street brat that has experience with haggling, then fuck it be
+the most street brattiest haggler you can. Try to not overload your sheet with
+information, this game is supposed to be simple. A sentence or two at most is
+good.
+
+## One Player is The World
+
+The World is a character that other systems would call the Narrator, the
+Pathfinder, Dungeon Master or similar. Let's strip this down to the core of the
+matter. One player doesn't just dictate the world, they _are_ the world.
+
+The World also controls the monsters and non-player characters. In general, if
+you are in doubt as to who should roll for an event, The World does that roll.
+
+## Mixins/Mods
+
+These are things you can do to make the base game even more tailored to your
+group. Whether you should do this is highly variable to the needs and whims of
+your group in particular.
+
+### Mixin: Adjustable Awesomeness
+
+So, one problem that could come up with this is that bad luck could make this
+not as fun. As a result, add these two rules in:
+
+* Every time you roll above your awesomeness, add 1 to your awesomeness stat
+* Every time you roll below your awesomeness, remove 1 from your awesomeness
+  stat
+
+This should add up so that luck would even out over time. Players that have less
+luck than usual will eventually get their awesomeness evened out so that luck
+will be in their favor.
+
+### Mixin: No Awesomeness
+
+In this mod, rip out Awesomeness altogether. When two parties are at odds, they
+both roll dice. The one that rolls higher gets what they want. If they tie, both
+people get a little part of what they want. For extra fun do this with six-sided
+dice.
+
+* Monster wants to attack a player? The World and that player roll. If the
+  player wins, they can choose to counterattack. If the monster wins, they do a
+  wound or something.
+* One player wants to steal from another? Have them both roll to see what
+  happens.
+
+Use your imagination! Ask others if you are unsure!
+
+## Other Advice
+
+This is not essential but it may help.
+
+### Monster Building
+
+Okay so basically monsters fall into two categories: peons and bosses. Peons
+should be easy to defeat, usually requiring one action. Bosses may require more
+and might require more than pure damage to defeat. Get clever. Maybe require the
+players to drop a chandelier on the boss. Use the environment.
+
+In general, peons should have a very high base awesomeness in order to do things
+they want. Bosses can vary based on your mood.
+
+Adjustable awesomeness should affect monsters too.
+
+### Worldbuilding
+
+Take a setting from somewhere and roll with it. You want to do a cyberpunk jaunt
+in Night City with a sword-wielding warlock, a succubus space marine, a bard
+netrunner and a shapeshifting monk? Do the hell out of that. That sounds
+awesome.
+
+Don't worry about accuracy or the like. You are setting out to have fun.
+
+## Special Thanks
+
+Special thanks goes to Jared, who sent out this tweet[1] that inspired this
+document. In case the tweet gets deleted, here's what it said:
+
+[[1]: heres a d&d for you](https://twitter.com/infinite_mao/status/1340402360259137541)
+
+> heres a d&d for you
+
+> you have one stat, its a saving throw. if you need to roll dice, you roll your
+> save.
+
+> you have a class and some equipment and junk. if the thing you need to roll
+> dice for is relevant to your class or equipment or whatever, roll your save
+> with advantage.
+
+> oh your Save is 5 or something. if you do something awesome, raise your save
+> by 1.
+
+> no hp, save vs death. no damage, save vs goblin. no tracking arrows, save vs
+> running out of ammo.
+
+> thanks to @Axes_N_Orcs for this
+
+> What's So Cool About Save vs Death?
+
+> can you carry all that treasure and equipment? save vs gains
+
+I replied:
+
+> Can you get more minimal than this?
+
+He replied:
+
+> when two or more parties are at odds, all roll dice. highest result gets what
+> they want.
+
+> hows that?
+
+This document is really just this twitter exchange in more words so that people
+less familiar with tabletop games can understand it more easily. You know you
+have finished when there is nothing left to remove, not when you can add
+something to "fix" it.
+
+I might put this on my [itch.io page](https://withinstudios.itch.io/).