Making Scion system using Authoring Kit

[Paragon]

I'm considering picking up the Authoring Kit; I know I'm pretty much on my own trying to make a system for Basic Roleplaying, but I'm wondering how hard it would be to use the WoD system version as a template to make one for Scion (and secondarily how hard it would be to set it up so it used experience costs for character creation instead of dots).

Anybody (including the developer) got an opinion?

[rob]

First of all, when you say "Basic Roleplaying", are you referring to Chaosium's BRP system? If so, you might have missed our announcement that we'll be releasing Call of Cthulhu data files in the next few weeks. We'll also be incorporating support for the BRP system as part of those data files, although BRP will be added after the CoC files are initially release.

With regards to adapting the current WoD data files to Scion, I honestly have no idea. That's because I have not had a chance to personally look through the rules for Scion yet. If you could outline the major similarities and differences for me vis-a-vis the core WoD rules, then I might be able to provide some guidance.

[Paragon]

Originally Posted by rob

First of all, when you say "Basic Roleplaying", are you referring to Chaosium's BRP system? If so, you might have missed our announcement that we'll be releasing Call of Cthulhu data files in the next few weeks. We'll also be incorporating support for the BRP system as part of those data files, although BRP will be added after the CoC files are initially release.

Yes, I was, and I did indeed miss that. Good news.

With regards to adapting the current WoD data files to Scion, I honestly have no idea. That's because I have not had a chance to personally look through the rules for Scion yet. If you could outline the major similarities and differences for me vis-a-vis the core WoD rules, then I might be able to provide some guidance.

Unfortunately, I'm only distantly familiar with the current system used in the nWoD. Looking at the demo, it appears that attributes have changed somewhat but are on the same scale and broken up a similar way. Scion is based (as I understand it, and this appears correct from my experience with it) on the revised old WoD system hybridized with the version of the system used in the Aeonverse games.

Basically, it breaks down attributes into a similar grouping to the modern WoD, though one or two are different and a couple others have been renamed; in addition to that, you buy Backgrounds, Epic Attributes (which are associated with the regular attributes), Knacks (one of which you get free with each dot of Epic Attribute) and supernatural Boons (some of which are bought standalone, some as a progressive cost continuous ability).

[rob]

I have zero exposure to the Aeonverse system, so I don't have a useful reference point there. And it's been almost 15 years since I played the old WoD system, so I don't remember any of the specifics. Without a good reference for comparing and contrasting, I really don't know how easy or hard it would be to adapt the WoD data files to Scion.

It sounds like Backgrounds, Epic Attributes, Knacks, and Boons *could* mirror merits, blood pool, disciplines, and rituals in WoD - at least in some abstract sense, and not respectively. But there's no way for me to know for sure. Even if there is a parallel, though, there could be subtle distinctions that would undermine an adaptation. I really don't know.

Probably the only way for me to be able to answer the question about Scion is for me to get ahold of the rulebook and spend a few hours pouring through it. Unfortunately, I have three weeks to get ready for a major tradeshow and I've got about 6-8 weeks of work to get done before it starts. So there's no way I can do this analysis until after the tradeshow. Sorry. :-(

[krathen]

The basic setup is very similar.
You have 3 groups of 3 attributes, a ton of skills, and then advantages that are now merits, but were "backgrounds" before. and of course your nifty cool powers (TM)

It'd basically require renameing a bunch of stuff, but everything in the current files could be set up to work in Scion, especially with Changeling added in (and their odd powers, pledges, and contracts)

Just a matter of someone taking the time.

[Paragon]

Originally Posted by krathen

The basic setup is very similar.
You have 3 groups of 3 attributes, a ton of skills, and then advantages that are now merits, but were "backgrounds" before. and of course your nifty cool powers (TM)

It'd basically require renameing a bunch of stuff, but everything in the current files could be set up to work in Scion, especially with Changeling added in (and their odd powers, pledges, and contracts)

Just a matter of someone taking the time.

I thought that was probably the case, but I wasn't sure how difficult it would be to do things like link the free knacks to the Epics, or have it do the progressive Epic Attribute calculation, or deal with the Boons yielded by the progressive dots in Pantheon Specific Purviews (of course that looks quite a bit like the way Vampire powers have classically been purchased, so if anything the individual Boons in the other purviews are the odd-men-out).

[krathen]

Coils of the dragon seem to mimic the boons sort of?

[rob]

It sounds like there are a lot of similarities to the systems, but it's the differences that are the killers. So it looks like I'm going to have to read through the rules to get a good handle on this.

Beyond the core rules, are there certain books that contain critical new character creation mechanics? Using Changeling as an example, the concept of dual kiths introduced a whole new set of complexities that needed to be handled, and those weren't outlined in the core rulebook.

Thanks!

[Jamz]

Originally Posted by rob

It sounds like there are a lot of similarities to the systems, but it's the differences that are the killers. So it looks like I'm going to have to read through the rules to get a good handle on this.

Beyond the core rules, are there certain books that contain critical new character creation mechanics? Using Changeling as an example, the concept of dual kiths introduced a whole new set of complexities that needed to be handled, and those weren't outlined in the core rulebook.

Thanks!

This may be a little old but if you have any questions, I run a nWoD game (with VtR, MtA, & WtF characters) and play in a Scion game so pretty familiar with both.

The "Main" difference in the games are how dice rolls count and combat/initiative but that wouldn't affect HeroLab much.

The main character creation difference are "Epic Dots". So for all the Attributes (same ones as in WoD), you get a "Square". Lets say you have 4 "Dots" in Strength and 3 "Squares" or "Epic Dots" in Strength, and you have 2 dots in Brawl, to attack you would roll 6 Dice (the dots) and then add in 4 "automatic successes" to that roll for your epic dots in Strength. (you get +1,2,4,7, etc for 1,2,3,4 etc epic dots, it's not a straight progression).

And for every "Epic Dot" you take, you get a free "knack", so that would be pretty close to "Disciplines" in VtR (3 dots in Auspex really nets you 3 different powers, but in Scion you get to pick your knacks from a pool).

Otherwise, creating Scion, IMO, would be REALLY easy (outside of adding Epic Attribute squares and tracking health slightly different). There are FIVE books TOTAL. And none really add anything "new" or "different", just the powers get more and more godly. You have Hero (character legend ratings or "levels" 1-4), Demi-God (rating 5-8) and God (9+). Ragnarock just adds a few more Knacks/Boons to pick from, and the Companion just adds more Patheons and so really just more Knacks/Boons.

As far as game systems go, this has to be one of the cheapest games to get into. I believe WW pretty much said this is all they are doing book wise, so once you buy 5 books, you are done (and you can skip Ragnarock as that is a side campaign really) and you don't really need Companion either.

[RedBeardSean]

If you do get the dataset for Scion set up, please put it on the internet somewhere that we can get to it- I would love to have this in Hero Lab.

<note to Lone Wolf: yep, enough so that I would even pay for it.>