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Landsturning
10-21-2003, 04:37 PM
Some thoughts on RP/Action/GB Blooded & Non-Blooded Balance

From almost before I finished reading the BR rules the first time, I wanted I wanted more general base rules for pre-Deismaar, and other continents interaction, with a superstructure of the Blooded on top of it. I felt there was too much blooded-centric rules and not enough on what the rest of the population was and could do. Of course with a limited number of pages, concentrating on what's different in the setting is the way to go.

Obviously some type of pre-Deismaar governing was going on for inter-continental migrations and wars (though there was direct intervention and heavy-handed leadings by gods on both sides mutating events). I was interested in a general set of rules that would help run domain-level actions on other worlds -- as well as fascination with this specific setting, mutated by the accidental partial- Armageddon, the unforeseen Ragnarok, and the unplanned New Gods and god-touched Blooded learning by trial and error.

The BRCS does offer mechanics to run non-blooded realms. Many actions that required RP (agitate, diplomacy, rule holdings beyond level 1, trade routes ...) can just have gold and court actions thrown at them. RP is a modifier, but not an essential ingredient. So the BRCS team has done something I've been meaning to, but not getting around to spending the hundreds of hours to do for years now.

Thanks!
My objection now -- just no pleasing some people, is that the rules have too little emphasis on the accidental heirs of the gods -- as evidenced by the accumulation of leftover rp.

I think that there should be a solid "mundane" base to build on. In this phase I'd eagerly go checking medieval demographics, crops production, rat of mold in granaries and how often horseshoes needed to be replaced and development of windmills and horse collars and pike squares. For this phase, while there can still be much haggling over details (understatements 'R' us), the courts and actions are a tolerable mechanic.

What I think is more neglected is the divine and magical, religion, the effects of the War of the Gods on current politics. The "hey! How did he do that!" effects of a partially-divine ruler on the rest of the world.

A small suggestions follows.

To be continued,


Lyndon

Landsturning
10-21-2003, 05:16 PM
In BRCS some Court Actions do what only regency point could do in Classic Birthright rules. Modeling more of the "mundane" rules of what the non-blooded before Deismaar and on other continents could do is a Good Thing.

However not enough use for rp have been found, other than increasing bloodline, which will increase rp available, which will just increase the problem.

Currently court actions act as not only enablers but also restrictions -- as in agitate taking a court action per additional province. In Classic Birthright my priest regent would cheerily spend any available leftover rp on agitates far and wide, in BRCS apparently the world of the Archprelate extends only so far as court scribes can produce parchment copies in triplicate.

My suggestion is to model the divine heritage's ability to transcend normal limits by using rp to buy additional actions of the kind that once sponged up rp but are now channeled (and limited) by court actions.

At this point I don't have a cost-benefit spreadsheet analysis. If one is getting some stuff done "for free" by court actions without spending rp, then the cost for additional actions should be greater than in Birthright Classic. Perhaps N for each additional action? (Agitate 1 province for 1 rp, 2 more for the second, 3 more for the 3rd, so a total of 10 for the 4th?) I know priests I ran would fairly eagerly invest rp even at that rate.

Or more expensively, if the regent has 3 court actions, 4 rp for the 4th, 5 for the 5th, etc. Plus of course any normal gold and rp costs. Even Avan level regents will burn out
reserves pretty soon with that.

The point is make something available for rp to be spent on for settings with bloodlines.

teloft
10-21-2003, 11:41 PM
one bace for Rp.

the Rp is how much your followers are willing to do for you.

So I would say, one can spen Rp to find willing people to do anyting, but only if you supply the raw materials, the Gb's..

lets say, you are in need of some wood on your travel, you go to a small town, and the people there will help you chop down thows trees and work them, thay migth need some axses thow. but if thay had them no problem. and not exspecting anything in return. simply doing things becous you spent your Rp's

you cant force a unwilling person to do anyting by using Rp, but you can always intimidate the unwilling, then use your diplomacy to heal there attitude toward you afther the immitation.

spending Rp in tis way sould not be cost efective. But if in dier need it sould be awailable.

just a idee.