The Elden Ring RPG (module)

[GMMichael]

If you truly want to preserve dying as a key mechanic, you need to ask yourself how long combat takes.
If it's like 5e or other similar games, combat can take a long time. To get killed an hour in and have to do that combat again might not be very fun.

Well, if one is playing a game with slow-mo, tactical combat, there are two ways to address this:

• A character's death means a time-out from combat, while the character "returns" from a site of grace.
• PCs need to learn to run away, just as in Elden Ring, and collect/reunite with lost comrades.

How much fun that is to do that combat again depends on how the players feel about reclaiming XP and about that particular foe.

And how many players would there be? Solo it would be fine, but if you die early in a fight but your party keeps going, how would the game handle it?

I'm thinking multiplayer, per DRPG norm. Elden Ring has cooperative play. And PvP...

 

[GMMichael]

Turns out, turning Elden Ring into a DRPG is like an onion. You peel one layer off, and there's another layer underneath that just makes you cry more.

With that being said, I'm using these elements and trying desperately not to include more:

• Attributes contribute to damage
• Weapons scale - have a rating for how much extra damage your attribute contributes
• Stamina as number of actions per round
• Poise is the limit of damage one can take before being staggered
• Staggered means you lose an action/stamina
• Guard counters prevent reactions to the following action
• Bonus damage for flanking/sneaking
• Bonus damage for jump attacks
• Heavy attacks are good for breaking poise
• Defensive maneuvers include parry and dodge
• Armor slows you down
• Shield use reduces stamina
• Armor has a rating versus five (?) damage types
• Focus points for spells and armament skills
• A free light attack that pushes combat forward, unless you lose it to a guard counter
• Enemies play by their own rules - like not needing direct FP tracking
• Runes as XP and gold
• Dead PCs get revived as long as a finger maiden wants to help
• Torches matter
• Ashes of war mean that pretty much anyone can get powers
• Flasks of Tears are standard issue

That's most items, from the top of my head. The more I dig is the more mechanisms I find from the CRPG, and more realization that Elden Ring is a game designed/destined for computer, not for GMs. But that doesn't mean that a decent module can't be done.