Website regulars have probably already taken note of the fact that I’ve annihilated the old dMetric section of the website. This was for various reasons; the most obvious one being that we haven’t touched the game outline for nearly a year. Sometimes my thoughts still wander to the game though, and last weekend I sat down and attempted to devise a simplified combat system for the ruleset.

Like most of my projects, my simple thoughts soon grew incredibly complicated, and I ended up devising a “Point Based Combat System” that is probably too unwieldy for practical use. Rather than let the ideas rot in my notebook, I’ve transcribed the rules breakdown into pdf format for your perusal. Do bear in mind that this is pretty much unedited and has not been properly proofread.

Here’s a quick excerpt for you to check out:

Point Based Combat System V1.0

dMetric uses a simple system to dictate what actions a character may take, and how powerful they are when executed. This system is based upon class-specific skill decks, which contain a wealth of ability cards that allow classes to do anything from launching basic attacks to casting mighty spells.

Although ability cards are diverse and plentiful, they all follow two basic rules:

May 28, 2012 Michael dMetric, Game Design, Random Thoughts No comments

The campaign setting for dMetric is something we’ve been developing under the radar for some time now. You’ve seen hints of it in the class overviews, but we’ve yet to reveal solid information about the world of dMetric and the people who inhabit it.

Today I’m happy to reveal one of the regions of dMetric, The Shining Coast. This area includes three of The Seven Kingdoms of the Freeman empire, the most populous alliance in the world of Ob. It’s a region that was won and secured through conquest and one whose vast borders continue to be contested to this day.

The three kingdoms of The Shining Coast region are highly varied. Braunegar is the political capital of The Seven Kingdoms. It is home to the most populous cities among the kingdoms, as well as the Freeman capital Kingsrest where current grand ruler Elias Braun resides. Vast farmlands stretch cross the southern tip of Braunegar and many mining operations sprawl across the Sunken Mire.

The geography of Galileigh, to the west, is dominated by the Waking Woods. This mysterious forest is tainted by ancient evils that threaten to swallow the kingdom whole. Hightemple serves as both the political capital of the region as well as a sprawling barracks for the Knights of the Old Order, an ancient guild of warriors that are sworn to protect the residents of Galileigh.

Fordring, to the north, is a rugged and untamed region. The Hinterlands and Great Fish Lake boast limitless wealth in the form of timber, ore, and fish, but for every man who has found their fortune here two have found their death. The port city of Everwake has boomed as a bustling trading post for the goods harvested from the wilds, making it one of the most important economic powers in The Seven Kingdoms.

The Shining Coast and its two neighbouring nations – to be covered in future updates – compose the core world of dMetric. The region is intended to function as a self-enclosed campaign setting in itself as well as to be easy to expand upon in the future. Let us know what you think!

November 23, 2011 Radiostorm dMetric No comments

The Engineer, Eclectic Genius

Engineers are complicated. Few roleplaying games attempt to tackle the engineer archetype due to the muddiness that results from blending technology with high fantasy. Instead, guns and explosives are either implemented as toys belonging to a tertiary trade skill or ignored entirely.

The question is, how do you balance a class that relies entirely on crafted items to be useful? Furthermore, how do you introduce a potentially game-breaking weapon like a rifle to a medieval setting without trivializing combat? To be honest, I don’t think there’s an easy answer to these inquiries. The engineer is very much a work in progress – it was the last class to be announced for a reason! All we can do is try to have fun with the class and put out fires wherever we see them.

Overview

Engineers are stalwart tinkerers that are capable of inventing, constructing, and deploying powerful mechanical devices. The utility of these devices ranges from explosives to grappling hooks to flying machines. There are many different streams of tinkering for a budding tinkerer to specialize in although steam power is one of the most common. Engineers play a strong support role in groups and are capable of dealing large amounts of damage using their rifles and other advanced weapons.

Lore

The nations of Tol and Venizzia are home to the world’s most renowned inventors. For the Tolann, technological advancement was a necessity to deal with the harsh climate of their homeland. The Venizzian approach was less practical, having developed advanced technology during a veritable renaissance of art and culture in their society.

Tinker

The engineer is capable of building and repairing a variety of devices using schematics. He can learn only schematics that have a difficulty class equal to or lesser than his level.

Mechanical Mastery

An engineer chooses a single field of engineering to specialize in at first level: steam, clockwork, black powder, or arcane. He may only learn schematics related to his field, but gains a passive bonus related to this field that increases with each level.

Ingenuity

Engineers are eclectic and resourceful thinkers. Like the alchemist, and engineer gains an additional character point every level.

Steady Aim

Engineers are the only class capable of using firearms to their full potential. An engineer gains a +1 bonus to hit with pistols, rifles, and firearms with each level.

November 5, 2011 Radiostorm dMetric No comments

The Knight, Master of Arms

Let’s not dawdle here. The knight is likely the most straightforward class in dMetric, and its simplicity is not something I’m ashamed of. They are heavily armored frontline fighters – no more, no less. Every game needs a class to directly engage the opponent and keep his squishier comrades from getting aggressed. The champion can manage this feat, but it’s really the knight who shines in this role.

The only aspect of the class I feel necessary to clarify is that knights are not limited to the standard Britannic interpretation. A knight in dMetric is a soldier, whatever that may mean to the society he exists as part of. Samurai, dragoons, and even town guards are all subtypes of the knight class, and skills and weapon proficiencies will be available to mold the class into these roles. As long as it involves swinging a weapon, the knight will be able to manage it.

One-Paragraph Overview

Knights are armed to the teeth and covered head to toe in armor. They are powerful physical fighters with keen blades and impregnable defenses. Alone, a knight is more than capable of holding his own, but he shines brightest when operating as a point man in a group. He is the foremost physical tank in the game.

Lore

Knights are the first and last line of defense for any army. Although weapons, style of armor, and designations may vary, each nation employs their own form of knights. The Freeman have their royal guard, the Vaan their watchmen, and the Khor their outriders.

Abilities

Heavy Armor Proficiency
Knights are trained to use heavy armor, such as plate mail, and do not suffer any of the movement or dodge penalties associated with wearing such armor.

Defender
A knight gains an additional +1 to his block checks and an additional +1 to his parry checks for each level he obtains.

Opportunity
A knight may make an attack of opportunity against a foe who attempts to move past or disengage him during combat. The power and number of these attacks increases with each level.

Bravery
A knight gains additional resistance to fear and other mind-altering effects with each level.

October 18, 2011 Radiostorm dMetric No comments

The Champion, Hero of the Masses

Finally, a tank! Melee classes are actually a lot tougher to design than caster or hybrid classes. I could sit here for hours rattling off ideas for spellcasters – druids, necromancers, conjurers, enchanters, red mages, blue mages, calculators, etc. Since magic users are only a peripheral participant of the healer/tank/damage holy trinity, they can get away with being eclectic – or even downright absurd. The purview of a tank is much narrower. Above all else, he needs to be a big, honking meat shield. If he can’t succeed in this role, his party is doomed.

The champion pulls no punches in this regard. He is a titanic, ambulatory slab of meat. Wielding a massive two-handed weapon and shrugging off arrows like they were toothpicks, the champion is feared by his enemies and cheered by his allies. Great examples of this archetype include Conan the Barbarian and Achilles of Greek mythology. Even in this early stage, champions are panning out to be one of the most fun classes to play. The amount of damage they can dish out is simply heroic.

One-Paragraph Overview

Champions are powerful warriors who wield large weapons and don little armour. While they lack the formal training or refined equipment of knights and soldiers, they make up for it with brute strength and determination. Champions are capable of dealing and absorbing great amounts of damage and are masterful at initiating encounters and controlling the battlefield. They are one of the two primary tanking classes in the game.

Lore

Champions are the heroes of their people. They are barbarians, highlanders, and gladiators who fight not just to protect their homelands, but for glory. While uncommon in the more sophisticated lands of Tol and Venizzia, fearsome champions still exist among the ranks of the Khor and Beastmen.

Abilities

Charge

The champion may move an additional distance per class level as long as he is moving towards an opponent and he follows this movement with an offensive action. This action can be a standard attack, an intimidate attempt, or a tackle attempt. A champion cannot charge if his movement is impaired by heavy armour.

Intimidate

The champion attempts to scare a foe, causing them to flee or lose their next action. This ability can be used outside of combat to root information out of squeamish NPCs.

Bull Rush

Using his superior strength, the champion can attempt to run and tackle an opponent. If the attempt is a success, the champion may choose whether to grapple his foe or knock them back one square.

Toughness

Each level, the champion gains 1 point of passive damage resistance. This damage resistance does not stack with the damage resistance provided by heavy or massive armor.

October 11, 2011 Radiostorm dMetric No comments

The Alchemist, Practical Magician

One of the more divergent aspects of the dMetric campaign setting is our complete kibosh on traditional arcane magic. There is no wizard class that uses a spellbook, components, wands or scrolls to cast spells. While the sorcerer is certainly capable of lobbing fireballs and lightning bolts, his powers are tapped from his aberrant heritage rather than studious research. Likewise, the oracle is foremost a priest archetype, drawing power from a mystical entity. This makes magic rather uncommon from a lore perspective.

The alchemist helps to fill the void in our class roster that would typically be occupied by specialist wizards, bards, and other casters. He’s a practical magician, making do with herbs and volatile chemicals in place of genuine magical power. His cornucopia of potions, poisons, and bombs makes him a veritable jack-of-all-trades, but he is best utilized as a support character and secondary healer. Part of the alchemist’s design is admittedly inspired by Pathfinder’s daring interpretation of the class in their advanced player’s guide – and perhaps just as much by the eccentric SNES classic Secret of Evermore.

One-Paragraph Overview

Alchemy is the science of mixing herbs and other ingredients to create powerful potions. An alchemist is simultaneously capable of hindering his foes with poisons and acids and aiding his allies with healing potions and enhancing flasks. There is also a dark side of alchemy, involving nasty tricks such as transmutation and preserving the dead. An alchemist is invaluable as a third or fourth party member and is a strong choice for multiclassing.

Lore

Alchemists are common wizards. The sundering left the world without proper wizards and magic, so cunning witch doctors and shaman took their place. While the smoke and flashes of potions only inspire fear and awe in the more remote and primitive regions of Ob in the current age, alchemists are still considered valuable assets to modern adventuring parties.

Abilities

Brew Potion

The alchemist is adept at brewing potions, poisons, and other concoctions. He can learn any alchemy recipe that has a difficulty class equal to or lesser than his level.

First Aid

Using his knowledge of medicine, the alchemist can attempt to treat an injured party member. He can stabilize the dying, cure light wounds, and remove poisons or diseases on a successful attempt.

Throw

The alchemist is able to throw bombs, molotovs, and flasks of acid with uncanny accuracy. He gains a +1 to hit with all thrown items with each level.

Multitalented

Alchemists devote their lives to research and experimentation. An alchemist gains an additional character point with each level.

October 6, 2011 Radiostorm dMetric No comments

The Hunter, Cunning Marksman

Archers are a bit of an anomaly in pen and paper games. While they are a lionized archetype in fantasy literature, they are rarely the basis for a dedicated class. Proficiency in bows and crossbows is generally considered a secondary asset, likely due to the prevalence of arcane spell blasting. Even when a ranger class exists, seemingly to fill this role, their archery skills are portrayed as an equally weighted counterpoint to another skill set – whether it be ambidextrous fighting or animal handling.

The hunter in dMetric is far more focused. He fights best with a bow and arrow and doesn’t stray far from his bread and butter. Although he possesses secondary utility and combat abilities, it’s almost never a good idea for him to wade into the midst of combat. That’s what knights and champions are for! Consequently, many of his abilities focus on creating and maintaining range. It’s a different flavor for sure, but this deliberately narrow focus makes multi-classing into hunter exceptionally potent.

One-Paragraph Overview

The hunter is a cunning archer capable of dealing crippling damage with his bow and arrow. Fast and maneuverable, the hunter is capable of traversing the battlefield with ease and operates best from a concealed or flanking position. His intimate knowledge of beasts – both wild and magical – and dungeon crawling in general makes him a valuable asset to any group. He is capable of the highest sustained ranged damage-per-second out of any other class but falters in close quarters.

Lore

Hunters are a staple of any society, primitive or modern. The archers of the Freeman empire defend the bulwarks of their nation’s fortresses with a unwavering eye, while the horseback archers of the Khor are venerated for their hunting prowess.

Core Abilities

True Shot (Passive)

The hunter gains a +1 bonus to range with all ranged weapons he is proficient with.

Tracking

Allows the hunter to track any beast, monster or humanoid he encounters evidence of.

Dungeoneering

Hunters hold an intimate knowledge of monsters and their lairs. They are able to identify vulnerabilities in a monster’s defenses and detect potential danger in ruins, dens, tombs, and other dangerous locales.

Swiftness (Passive)

A hunter may move an additional square per round per level as long as he is not heavily armored and only if he does not take an action that round.

September 27, 2011 Radiostorm dMetric No comments

The Oracle, Mysterious Gatekeeper

The oracle was the last class we conceived for dMetric. The timing is ironic considering the class fills the role of primary healer – widely considered to be the most integral role in any party-based game. The cause of the delay was a disagreement between my me and my brother. I debated that dedicated healers were inherently boring to play. My experiences in World of Warcraft – where healers were frustratingly uncommon – fueled my ideology. I suggested that, instead, healing abilities should be meted amongst all classes equally.

I eventually yielded to my brother’s logic, largely to preserve the simplicity of play we strive for in dMetric. However, we compromised by deciding to grant the oracle powers over both life and death. This allows the class to fill the role of a dedicated healer as well as that of a soft necromancer. Debuffing, light conjuration, and utility would help round out what might have been a two-dimensional caster.

One-Paragraph Overview

Oracles are masters over the powers of life and death. They have to ability to channel the sustaining powers of the aether to heal and reenergize their allies and channel the deathly forces of the nether to weaken and demoralize their opponents. Each oracle is accompanied by a small familiar known as a psychopomp that grants them numerous extrasensory abilities. Oracles are the most proficient healers in the game and are a welcome addition to any party.

Lore

Oracles are guardians of life and death. It is their responsibility to ensure the aether (the world of the living) and the nether (the world of the dead) do not mingle. In order to become an oracle, an individual must attract a psychopomp familiar; a small creature that serves as a liaison between the living and dead. In ages past oracles were a rare sight, but since the cracking of the nether seal the need for their kind has escalated.

Core Abilities

Wake / Pass On

The oracle touches a dying creature, choosing either to stabilize their condition or cause them to pass on immediately.

Psychopomp

At first level, an oracle attracts a psychopomp familiar. Psychopomps are small spirit creatures that shepherd the souls of the recently deceased to the afterlife. Psychopomps possess a kit of strange and marvelous abilities that increase in potency as the oracle gains levels.

Consecrate / Desecrate

By completing a brief ritual, the oracle can either consecrate or desecrate a circle around him. Consecration creates a field that repels and weakens undead and other chaotic creatures as they enter it. Desecration creates a field that attracts and empowers these creatures.

September 22, 2011 Radiostorm dMetric 2 comments

The Rogue, Chivalrous Scoundrel

What is there to say about rogues? Rogues are a pen-and-paper staple. They’ve long been considered one of the four anchors of the roleplaying quadrumvirate, sitting next to the warrior, priest, and fighter since the very first incarnation of Dungeons and Dragons. I’ve yet to encounter a class-based game that doesn’t include some interpretation of the rogue – whether it be the smugglers of The Old Republic or the spies of Team Fortress 2.

Regardless, the niche of the rogue has never been as clear-cut as his counterparts. A fighter can outlast a rogue in any form of straight melee combat, while a wizard can overpower him in any damage contest. The key strength of the rogue lies in his utility. He is the sole character in possession of tools necessary to overcome specific social and explorative challenges. Locked doors, deadly traps, frustratingly vigilant city guards… these are all obstacles we take for granted, but that are capable of grinding an adventure to a halt. A rogue can neutralize these risks and turn them into vast rewards.

One-Paragraph Overview

The rogue is a stealthy ne’er-do-well who operates in the seedy underbelly of society. He is adept at sneaking by his enemies unnoticed, pilfering their valuables, and breaking and entering into their strongholds. While a rogue tries never to directly enter combat, he can cause substantial damage with his backstabs and situational attacks. Rogues are natural dabblers, commonly borrowing skills from other classes; this trait lends them well to multi-classing.

Lore

Every society has its thieves, from the back alleys of Salvann to the caravans of the Great Desert. While means and methods differ from nation to nation, the scourge of crime is unavoidable. While there are many rogues that operate altruistically, even heroically, by definition there are none who operate within the reach of the law.

Core Abilities

Stealth

The rogue may attempt to move undetected past an NPC or monster. This is accomplished through a mix of moving silently and blending in with shadows. The rogue possesses many abilities that may only be used when in stealth.

Detection

Rogues have an eye for detail, allowing them to detect traps and secret doors in dungeons.

Disarm

Allows the rogue to pick locks and dismantle any traps he may find, as well as disarm or sabotage complex mechanical devices.

Reflexes (Passive)

A rogue’s base chance to dodge attacks and area of effect spells increases linearly every level, but he loses this bonus while wearing heavy armour.

September 12, 2011 Radiostorm dMetric No comments

After some dawdling and retooling, we’re finally ready to start posting profiles for each class that will appear in dMetric. Over the coming months, I’ll be posting a new class profile every week. Each update will follow the same basic formula: a personal introduction, a general overview of the class, a short blurb about how the class fits into the campaign setting, and a list of core abilities. My goal is to provide a clear idea of what each class is capable of without bogging y’all down with too many numbers and details.

The Sorcerer, Master of the Elements

The first class being featured is, appropriately, one of the first classes conceived for dMetric – the sorcerer. Out of all the classes, the sorcerer has probably seen the least change from its original conception. We knew from the beginning – even before the game was called dMetric – that we wanted an elemental spellcaster. We were keen on having a standard fireball-and-lightning-bolt spell blaster in the same vein as the wizards from our childhood escapisms. If you’ve played any computer or console roleplaying game made between 1985 and now, you’ll now exactly what we’re going for.

Blended into this archetype is a more modern interpretation of the hereditary magic user, popularly seen in Pathfinder and the Harry Potter franchise. This is mainly a product of our campaign setting, but it did allow us to strip out a lot of the spellbook management and metamagic dynamics that may have overcomplicated the archetype.

One-Paragraph Overview

A sorcerer is capable of casting powerful elemental magic from one school of their choice: earth, fire, wind, or water. They are unsurpassed in their ability to cause raw destruction on the battlefield. Sorcerers can communicate with creatures from the elemental planes and can control magical forces through sheer willpower. Although possessing some of the most devastating abilities in the game, they are physically fragile and easily dispatched if cornered.

Lore

Sorcerers are humans who are touched by magic in some way, either through aberrant heritage or extraordinary circumstance. They are the only humans left since the sundering who can cast conventional magic. They are often feared in Ob – even hunted by superstitious people such as the Vaan. Consequently, sorcerers often live on the fringe of society or conceal their true nature.

Core Abilities

Every class possesses a set of iconic abilities that define their role in a group. These capabilities scale directly with level, creating an incentive for a player to stick with an individual class for a few levels rather than dabbling indiscriminately.

The sorcerer’s selection of abilities aptly includes a number of magic-oriented feats, including the pen-and-paper staple detect magic.

Elemental Link

A sorcerer chooses a single element – earth, water, fire, or wind – at first level. He or she may only cast sorcerer spells of this element. A small bonus to damage resistance against this spell school is gained with each level.

Cantrip

The sorcerer may attempt a minor magical feat related to their chosen element. This includes but is not limited to the following: invoking a spark to ignite a campfire, conjuring a shiny pebble, creating a small gust of wind to extinguish a candle, or filling a glass with clean water. The allowed complexity of this cantrip increases with every level.

Detect Magic

The sorcerer may attempt to detect magic on an area, item, person, or creature. Illusions, enchantments, or hidden relics or magical beasts are all revealed by this spell.

Dispel Magic

A sorcerer may attempt to control and disperse enchantments, seals, curses, and illusions. The difficulty class of each such attempts is determined by the game master.

September 9, 2011 Radiostorm dMetric No comments