Black Flag Black Flag Playtest 2: Magic, Luck, Fighter, Wizards!

Kobold Press has released the 2nd playtest package for its Project Black Flag, which showcases magic, the luck system, and the fighter and wizard classes.

Black Flag is the codename for Kobold Press' open source 5E 'replacement' game.

 

[Lucas Yew]

Overall improvement from the WotC version, but Fighters (and "lesser spell slot classes" in general) still need more starting Skills to compensate...

 

[James Gasik]

Overall improvement from the WotC version, but Fighters (and "lesser spell slot classes" in general) still need more starting Skills to compensate...

I can agree with this, but another way to tackle the problem is to have skills do more. In addition to having a few skills, the Fighter's class skills are somewhat lackluster in their application, I've found.

 

[tetrasodium]

I can agree with this, but another way to tackle the problem is to have skills do more. In addition to having a few skills, the Fighter's class skills are somewhat lackluster in their application, I've found.

Making it so a PC's skills are more in line with the character's niche like blackflag has done in the packets we've seen so far goes a long way to doing that bold bit. The resulting niche protection even allows for more & new applications of skills that carry more weight.
Fighter has "Choose two from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, and Survival"
Wizard has "Choose two from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, and Religion"

Those carve out a fairly distinct niche for each even before factoring in the gains from backgrounds. We only have two backgrounds so far but those have skills/secondary proficiencies (languages/vehicles) linked to their theme in addition to gating starting talent selection choices to further stake out a PC's niche.

Part of the (many) troubles with 5e's skill system is how it makes it too easy for every player to choose the A&S tier skills and only those skills across each PC at the table. You wind up with a bunch of skills that become unusable simply because the GM can't expect anyone to ever consider trying to use them let alone choose them. With PBF carving a bit deeper into the PC thematic niche with skills those become useful by hooking into the PC's theme when the player or GM needs to justify/describe/narrate/adjudicate results of their use.

 

[Nebulous]

I’ve had both style players in the same games. The DCC mighty deeds does give an escape hatch by listing examples that can be canned up for those players that do not want to or can’t be extemporaneous. The trick for me is knowing who’s who.

Right, they have an extensive list of options, and I think there's even a rule for a "signature move" which is their default move, so even if the player doesn't explicitly say "I'm doing such and such" or forgets, it's assumed the character would have tried anyway. Thh Mighty Deeds are very flexible and really should accommodate any kind of gamer, whether they want to fully indulge their imagination or not.

 

[Marc Radle]

Project Black Flag Friday: Design Diary #2, Foundations:

Project Black Flag Friday: Design Diary #2, Foundations - Kobold Press

 

[Voidmoji]

In Blue Rose, a Romantic Fantasy game as you know, Arcana are all cast as a check against a Target Number. Arcana are not all that powerful in the grand scheme of things, as a lot of what are regarded as attack spells or spells that aren't cast with the consent of the subject are considered "Sorcery." I could potentially see something similar with Tolkien's wizards.

Which version of Blue Rose? AGE or the original True20?

 

[Aldarc]

Which version of Blue Rose? AGE or the original True20?

Essentially both. The original Blue Rose's Arcana used the idea of powers from M&M. So the roll for using magic was a d20 skill check against a DC, which risked exhaustion/fatigue in some cases. Blue Rose AGE did much of the same, except adjusted for a 3d6 against a Target Number.

 

[Voidmoji]

Essentially both. The original Blue Rose's Arcana used the idea of powers from M&M. So the roll for using magic was a d20 skill check against a DC, which risked exhaustion/fatigue in some cases. Blue Rose AGE did much of the same, except adjusted for a 3d6 against a Target Number.

Thanks! I don’t have access to the AGE version, but I’ll download my copy of the older from DTRPG.