"A long time ago, in ancient China, an evil general named Dragon Fist overthrew the old emperor in a coup and became the new ruler. Under his rule he created an oppressive regime, stamping out rebellion and consolidating his empire. Under the order of the Jade Emperor, several spirits were incarnated among men to restore peace to the land."
This is a new RPG I am starting with a completely different "game engine." Based on the wuxia genre of books and movies (think Hong Kong kung fu flicks), players will be able to choose from 3 classes, 5 elements (will be explained later), 11 skills, 9 fighting styles, and 12 weapons.
Most RPGs here borrow game mechanics from Sonny or Monsters Den, which is fine, but has the downside of becoming overly predictable. To address this, I have developed a system of combat utilizing playing cards. I'd like to demonstrate this system first before starting the game.
In this demonstration, I'll use the Brawl fighting style, which is the basic fighting style that thugs, soldiers, and those unversed in martial arts will use. We have two soldiers with 2 health, and basic attacks that deal 1 damage.
Each soldier has a deck of poker cards representing their moves. Number cards (2-10) represent their basic attacks, face cards their special moves, and aces their ultimate move. As you level up in this RPG, you will have the freedom to choose or even develop your own moves based on your fighting style, and build up your deck.
Now in order to deal damage to the opponent, one side must win a "bout" of 5 draws. To demonstrate this:
1st draw: Soldier #1 drew an 8. Soldier #2 drew a 4. Soldier #1 wins the draw. 2nd draw: Soldier #1 drew a 3. Soldier #2 drew a 6. Soldier #2 wins the draw. 3rd draw: Soldier #1 drew an 8. Soldier #2 drew an 8. Neither of them wins the draw. 4th draw: Soldier #1 drew a K. Soldier #2 drew a J. Soldier #1 wins the draw. 5th draw: Soldier #1 drew an Ace. Soldier #2 drew a 10. Soldier #1 wins the draw.
In this bout, Soldier #1 won the majority of draws, therefore, they get to deal damage. I choose the highest draw to become the damage dealer, which in this case is the Ace. In the Brawl fighting style, the Ace attack is the Strangle, which we'll say deals 2 damage in this case. Soldier #1 deals 2 damage to Soldier #2 and wins.
However, I will not reveal draws like this; instead, I will narrate them in a more active style. I might narrate this fight like this:
The two soldiers face each other, ready to battle to the death. Soldier #2 charges and attempts to throw a punch, but Soldier #1 side steps the attack, grabbing him by the throat and strangling him. The attack is fatal. Soldier #1 wins!
It might be a little complicated at first, but I have tested it thoroughly to make sure it works.
Flame of the East Level 5 Fighter Experience: 280/300 Element: Fire Skill: Art of War Fighting Style: Snake Weapon: Staff Inventory: 230 taels, bread, Snake manual, Fa Jin manual, jade pendant, gourd of spring water Chi Level 7: You can punch through steel with your fist, enter Strength Mode. Attributes: Body [7], Mind [5], Spirit [5]
You and your party quickly clamber up the trees and remain silent. The contingent sent to engage you runs down the path, oblivious to your presence. It looks like a unit of about 50 light infantry, armed with sabers. Your party is about 25 people, so it wouldn't be advantageous to jump into the fight. With your knowledge of the Art of War, you remember that there's a fork in the road ahead where they might split up their troops, which would work towards your advantage. Your party climbs down and follows in pursuit, just in time to see the contingent split along the fork.
A) Attack the group going down the left fork. It leads to a clearing, which would have no advantage or disadvantage. B) Attack the group going down the right fork. It leads into the deep forest, which would work in your favor, but it would make it harder to catch up to them in the first place. C) Split your part and try to attack them both at the same time. Each group of them has 25 troops; although they may be less skilled than you and your party, they have numerical superiority if you choose to do this.
Name: Gathering Storm Level 6 Monk Experience: 0/350 Element: Earth Skill: Soothsaying Fighting Style: Crane Weapon: Wind and Fire Wheels Inventory: 75 Taels, Bread, White Crane Manual, Nei Jin Manual, Antidote Attributes : [5] Body, [6] Mind, [12] Spirit Chi Level 6: All pressure points protected, withstand moderate poison, ability to go into Invincibility Mode
The relic is hidden inside a hollow stone table in the rear garden. Even from this part you can hear the sounds of battle and the pounding of the battering rams. Suddenly an arrow falls right next to you, and you dive into the building for cover as a rain of arrows falls ahead. A few of your comrades are too late and are shot to death.
You stay in the building, looking at the garden when the next volley of arrows comes. This time, though, they are flaming arrows meant to weaken the interior effort. Cries of fire ring out about the monastery.
A) Fight the fire in the garden. B) Fight the fire in the temple. C) Help draw water from the well. D) Other
YAAAY-This is the best RPG ever. Always looking forward to updates )
Flame of the East Level 5 Fighter Experience: 280/300 Element: Fire Skill: Art of War Fighting Style: Snake Weapon: Staff Inventory: 230 taels, bread, Snake manual, Fa Jin manual, jade pendant, gourd of spring water Chi Level 7: You can punch through steel with your fist, enter Strength Mode. Attributes: Body [7], Mind [5], Spirit [5]
A) I don't want to go too far from the battle. And seeing as we're more skilled and we have the same numbers, we should beat them.
Flame of the East Level 6 Fighter Experience: 160/350 Element: Fire Skill: Art of War Fighting Style: Snake Weapon: Staff Inventory: 230 taels, bread, Snake manual, Fa Jin manual, jade pendant, gourd of spring water Chi Level 7: You can punch through steel with your fist, enter Strength Mode. Attributes: Body [8], Mind [5], Spirit [6]
Your party gives chase down the left road, bursting into the clearing and confronting the soldiers.
You confront one of them with your staff; the light infantry are well-trained and puts up a very stiff resistance, but you manage to kill him. Moving on to another, he also puts up a fierce resistance and manages to slash you on the leg, then across the chest. Thankfully the wounds are superficial, but you are wounded. He tries to slash at you with his sword, but you grab his hand, wrestling the saber out of his hands and stabbing him with it. Another charges at you, and the two of you lock weapons, pushing. You are much stronger than him though, and you push him away, bashing him down.
The light infantry have lost most of their men, with the rest routing. Your party has lost five men in the fighting, with three wounded including yourself. You defeated three infantry and gained 60 exp. for each of them, leveling up. You have two attribute points to spend.
A) Chase the routed down and kill them all. B) Swing over to the right fork and hopefully engage the group there. C) Return to the monastery. D) Use your spring water to heal the wounded. E) Other
Flame of the East Level 6 Fighter Experience: 160/350 Element: Fire Skill: Art of War Fighting Style: Snake Weapon: Staff Inventory: 230 taels, bread, Snake manual, Fa Jin manual, jade pendant, gourd of spring water Chi Level 7: You can punch through steel with your fist, enter Strength Mode. Attributes: Body [9], Mind [6], Spirit [6]
E) Use my spring water to heal myself and return to the monastery (I forgot, have I sabotaged their super-machine yet)
Flame of the East Level 6 Fighter Experience: 160/350 Element: Fire Skill: Art of War Fighting Style: Snake Weapon: Staff Inventory: 230 taels, bread, Snake manual, Fa Jin manual, jade pendant Chi Level 7: You can punch through steel with your fist, enter Strength Mode. Attributes: Body [9], Mind [6], Spirit [6]
(You have.)
You use your spring water to heal yourself, and carry your wounded comrades through the forest to the back of the monastery to find the garden in the back of the monastery burning. Monks are running everywhere with water, trying to put down the flames. You assist, using your strength to carry larger buckets of water. The fire in the garden is put out, but there's a fire raging in the temple still. The gate is trembling mightily under the enemy's battering rams, and their ladders and siege towers are still pounding away. Where do you go?
A) Fight the fire in the temple. B) Man the wall's defenses. C) Neutralize the threat of the siege tower. D) Other
Flame of the East Level 6 Fighter Experience: 160/350 Element: Fire Skill: Art of War Fighting Style: Snake Weapon: Staff Inventory: 230 taels, bread, Snake manual, Fa Jin manual, jade pendant Chi Level 7: You can punch through steel with your fist, enter Strength Mode. Attributes: Body [9], Mind [6], Spirit [6]
A) Fight the fire in the temple but be ready to assist the defence at a moments notice.
Flame of the East Level 6 Fighter Experience: 160/350 Element: Fire Skill: Art of War Fighting Style: Snake Weapon: Staff Inventory: 230 taels, bread, Snake manual, Fa Jin manual, jade pendant Chi Level 7: You can punch through steel with your fist, enter Strength Mode. Attributes: Body [9], Mind [6], Spirit [6]
The doors of the temple are fastened shut, so you use your Fa Jin to punch through the doors. The fire is not extensive, but it has destroyed part of the altar. That's something that can be fixed later. Suddenly there is an explosion. You run out to see that a huge chunk of the wall has been blasted away, and that soldiers are swarming in. Tactically you have a few options.
A) Fall back into the buildings. B) Rush forward to engage the soldiers. C) Rally and escape with the relic. D) Other
Flame of the East Level 6 Fighter Experience: 160/350 Element: Fire Skill: Art of War Fighting Style: Snake Weapon: Staff Inventory: 230 taels, bread, Snake manual, Fa Jin manual, jade pendant Chi Level 7: You can punch through steel with your fist, enter Strength Mode. Attributes: Body [9], Mind [6], Spirit [6]
I think we could sustain less casualties and hopefully escape with the relic if we go with C)
Name: Gathering Storm Level 6 Monk Experience: 0/350 Element: Earth Skill: Soothsaying Fighting Style: Crane Weapon: Wind and Fire Wheels Inventory: 75 Taels, Bread, White Crane Manual, Nei Jin Manual, Antidote Attributes : [5] Body, [6] Mind, [12] Spirit Chi Level 6: All pressure points protected, withstand moderate poison, ability to go into Invincibility Mode
There's an explosion, and you hear the sounds of the wall breaking and the clamor of battle behind. Still, you and your monks stay put. Just then, the rear door bursts open and several black-clad Renzhe swarm in, fulfilling your prophecy that the monastery will be broken. You engage the Renzhe in combat with your Crane style, subduing one quickly. Another puts up a stronger resistance, but you block his move and take him down. After taking down a third, the wall entirely collapses. There's a cannon on a nearby hill that had blasted it away. Soldiers are streaming into the place; and the monastery is trapped by a pincer movement. Your only hope is that the relic is safely hidden.
A) Fall back to the building. B) Rush forward to engage the army. C) Rally and try to escape. D) Other
