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.

 

[deganawida]

DCC has Mighty Deeds for the fighter that lets you do whatever you can think of, within confines of the die roll and the circumstances at hand. It's the best iteration of the fighter class I've ever seen. Also, since DCC relies heavily on crit tables, the Fighter has the best, most damaging Crits. And they can burn luck to offset critical failures, unlike other classes, so mechanically the Fighter is very unique in that game.

Yeah, I've thought that the best way to fix the 5e fighter would be to give maneuvers to the base class, remove the description and effects, and let the player describe what they are attempting to accomplish, letting it be similar to the DCC Mighty Deeds. You still have a bit more you can do that simply attack*, but you are still allowed to let your imagination run wild and Flynn it up.

*Personally, I've never understood that. Maybe it's the writer in me, but I always describe my attacks as vividly as possible. My normal DM/best friend likes adding riders to it if I paint a really well done scene.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I first saw the term "Circle" used in place of spell levels in the CPRG, Ultima VII. I have a bit of a bias towards it.

Me too. Exactly my reference. Loved that game!

 

[Micah Sweet]

Yeah, I've thought that the best way to fix the 5e fighter would be to give maneuvers to the base class, remove the description and effects, and let the player describe what they are attempting to accomplish, letting it be similar to the DCC Mighty Deeds. You still have a bit more you can do that simply attack*, but you are still allowed to let your imagination run wild and Flynn it up.

*Personally, I've never understood that. Maybe it's the writer in me, but I always describe my attacks as vividly as possible. My normal DM/best friend likes adding riders to it if I paint a really well done scene.

The only problem with letting people describe the cool thing they're doing is you're actually forcing them to describe the cool thing they're doing. Not everyone likes being regularly put on the spot like that, and new players are IMO even more likely to feel that way.

 

[darjr]

The only problem with letting people describe the cool thing they're doing is you're actually forcing them to describe the cool thing they're doing. Not everyone likes being regularly put on the spot like that, and new players are IMO even more likely to feel that way.

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.

 

[deganawida]

The only problem with letting people describe the cool thing they're doing is you're actually forcing them to describe the cool thing they're doing. Not everyone likes being regularly put on the spot like that, and new players are IMO even more likely to feel that way.

Easy to work around, as @darjr mentioned, by having a list of examples one can choose from, and their effects. All the players who don't like to be put on the spot have to do is pick one.

 

[Zaukrie]

The only problem with letting people describe the cool thing they're doing is you're actually forcing them to describe the cool thing they're doing. Not everyone likes being regularly put on the spot like that, and new players are IMO even more likely to feel that way.

This is very true

 

[Bacon Bits]

I first saw the term "Circle" used in place of spell levels in the CPRG, Ultima VII. I have a bit of a bias towards it.

That's where I remember it from! Argh I've been trying to puzzle it out. Thank you!

 

[FallenRX]

That said, I see once again Kobold (like WotC) have been copying Paizo's homework in that that there are universal spell lists that every class will share.

Wasn't this like a thing in the game since like...a long time.

 

[cbwjm]

Wasn't this like a thing in the game since like...a long time.

2e had the priest vs wizard magic divide rather than each class having specific spell lists, but more importantly, 4e had the exact division that WotC is using. I feel like they aren't so much copying Paizo as much as looking back at earlier editions (also, maybe copying Paizo).

 

[ProfessorDetective]

I would not mind wizards as much if they used spells or magic as sparingly as Gandalf did or were on a similar power level.

Old-School Essentials put out a D&D Basic class in their 'zine series, Carcass Crawler, called the Mage. It's both a Gandalf send up AND a thought experiment: what if you replaced spell memorization with the Thief's percentile skill rolls. You get things like "open/close", "detect magic", "rally/fear", etc. and roll on the table to see if they work. You can also cast from scrolls. Clerics would get the Acolyte as their "skill roll" equivalent, using things like "bless" and "turn undead".