Welcome to the world of bloodsports!House MagnusHouse FlaviusDiscordWarning: This game is being used to test some concepts. Rules are fluid and the game will be taking a back seat to Industrialized Warfare. If things don't seem quite fleshed out, just think of it as an Alpha for a future project. The good people of Rome have always been keen on spilling blood for entertainment - a just offering to the gods if there ever was one! Some entrepreneurial folk, sensing opportunity, made a business of these bloodsports. Few see sustained success in the business of training slaves to fight, but those that do drown in fame and fortune. You are a member of one of two branches of the same family, split generations beforehand due to some long forgotten disagreement. Blood is still bad between House Flavius and House Magnus, with attempted murder being not to uncommon. Both Houses have decided to step into the Ludus-owning business and so they are more publicly able to dominate and humiliate their rivals.
The SystemsEach turn will be divided into Phases:
-Planning: The first Phase will be the Planning Phase. Here you will get basic information on the types of games to expect in arenas where appropriate. You will need to select which fights you will participate in during this phase. Slots you may sign up for are identified as Unbooked, though they may also get filled by an..."NPC's" Gladiators.
-Action: In this phase you will use Tokens (see "Resources" below) to expand access to equipment, purchase new gladiators, upgrade your ludus, and expand the family estate, among other things. Unlike a typical Arms Race, you are asked to think in a more roleplaying manner. Each team is in charge of the continued existence of their House, and so if you have an idea you'd like to propose - things like holding an exhibition before a big game, or spying on the enemy family, or certain upgrades to your holdings, feel free to ask if it's possible. This is meant to go both ways: you can ask if doing x is a possibility and will get a yes/no answer without details on possible results, and you can ask if you can achieve y result and I'll let you know if it's something you can figure out. Think of it as a Design Phase with Benefits. A single d6 with modifiers will determine the effectiveness of actions. I will provide extra assistance during the first few turns so you guys get a grasp on things.
-Training: A Revision Phase oriented specifically towards upgrading Gladiators. You start out with 4d6 to allocate towards Gladiator Training. You choose a Gladiator and skill to upgrade as well as the number of dice, with each extra die adding a +1 to the roll, though it cannot exceed 6. For example, putting 3d6 into Vitality would mean I roll 1d6 and add 2 from the extra two dice, up to a total of 6. It is possible to come up with ways to add modifiers or change the number of dice available.
-The Games: The Games is a summary of the culmination of your actions that turn, including the details of arena combat. Once The Games are posted the next turn begins with the Planning Phase.
Gladiators are the lifeblood of your business. You can reasonably expect to be able to maintain a number of Gladiators equal to the amount of Food available. All Gladiators have four main stats, which you can easily remember using the very unique V.A.T.S.. Each attribute can be increased to a maximum of (placeholder rule, no limit at the moment).
Vitality is a Gladiator's general physicality. Higher Vitality generally means stronger blows and more stamina.
Agility is a Gladiator's ability to move and position themselves. Higher Agility makes a Gladiator faster and increases the likelihood of dodging attacks.
Technique is a Gladiator's skill with arms and armor. They will be assigned sub-attributes such as Technique (Flail) once assigned their first weapon, and if they cross-train the new one weapon type start at 0. Higher Technique means more familiarity with and skillful use of the equipment.
Style is a Gladiator's ability to inflame and inspire a crowd. Higher style will often net unexpected results in combat, and improve the Gladiator's chances of winning over the crowd.
Potential Gladiators for purchase will be displayed at the start of the Action Phase. As time goes on the slave stock will improve, but at the start each one starts with 1d6 in each attribute and Rags for armor. They all also have a "Racial" Trait which provides augmentation based on nationality, and may come with additional modifying traits such as Ex-Legionnaire, Bloodthirsty, or Gluttonous. Effects of traits are unknown until observed in an owned Gladiator.
There are also stats without a solid numerical identifier that will be expressed throughout updates. A Gladiator's Relationships, Loyalty, and Morale specifically are things to keep in mind while making decisions.
Property, which includes the basic starting Ludus and Familial Estate, can be upgraded and will provide appropriate bonuses based on the additions you make in design, decoration, and staffing. Adding various types of training equipment, a well, or an expanded Slave's Quarters are all possible means of improving your holdings. You can also purchase more land to add completely new buildings onto. The quality and effectiveness of property designs will be decided by a d6 roll.
Equipment is used primarily as a means of modifying a Gladiator's V.A.T.S. Different types of equipment will provide different bonuses and maluses. "Designing" a piece of equipment in this game often actually means purchasing it. As such it is much easier to get Roman equipment than that of other peoples. A roll of a d6 will affect quality of the equipment based on a nonstatic scale of difficulty (thank Abbera for that decision) generally influenced by how far the equipment's homeland is and/or how hard it would be to produce. Any Token may be used in exchange for "designing" new equipment.
You may also choose to design unique, personalized pieces of equipment with greater effects as a "Custom Request". These may be subject to multiple rolls and will be more costly, though a Custom Request's price need not be paid at once. Don't expect to get the piece before it's paid for in full though.
There are two types of resources you must keep an eye on:
Food is a singular resource that relates directly to how many Gladiators you can care for. Having surplus food has a chance of providing additional tokens. A deficit in food gets progressively worse. For every Food missing each Gladiator suffers a temporary 1d6 malus to a random stat for the turn thanks to reduced rations. If any stat hits 0 or below this way then they are unable to fight that turn. At (-5) all your Gladiators are starving and will be unable to fight regardless of their stats. Though chances are if things get that bad starvation will be the least of your worries.
Tokens come in a variety of types, and can often be used interchangeably. The type of token used will however affect how the action plays out and events further down the line. Token types as of now are as follows:
Fortune Tokens will be most common and represent using wealth as your means to an end. If you're buying something or greasing palms, this is the Token you want to use. You'll gain Fortune Tokens for too much to list.
Favor Tokens represent an exchange of deeds in order to achieve an acquired goal. You can gain Favor Tokens through events and can use them to call on people you've met for aid.
Fame Tokens represent using your name and standing to get what you want. You will gain these through fights as well as events.
Fate Tokens represent the universe just...going your way. These can be gained for any number of reasons, and will sometimes be paired with other Token rewards.
There are a number of locations that host a variety of games, each with it's own requirements for entry, possible game types, and rewards. These locations are as follows:
Back Alley Pit: A dirty alleyway where a dirtier crowd gathers to bet on even dirtier fights. Victory can give Fortune and Fate Tokens, though a loss guarantees Gladiator death. Opponents and match type are randomized.
Gambling Den: A building that blends in with it's neighbors, though it holds many vices within. Entry requires the use of Any Token, to be refunded on Victory. Token Rewards are also determined and known to you in the Planning Phase. Fights are always standard but opponents are randomized, though the payout may be a good judge of their experience...
Racing Track: A tract of land meant for racing man and beast. Participation will require access to a Horse. Barring accident, these should be nonlethal races. You may only sign on for one race per turn. The lower odds of winning, due to most races having more than two participants, are countered by the chance to win two Tokens.
Forum Arena: A fenced-off pit off to the side of the local forum. Victory gives the opportunity to acquire either a Fortune, Favor, or Fame Token, with a 50% chance to gain another. Match type is predetermined, as are opponents, usually. Contenders also tend to be less experienced.
Hippodrome: A massive track meant for the greatest racing spectacles the world has to offer. Requires an invitation to participate in (the most well-known method being victory at the Racing Track). Races can involve Horses or Chariots, can be very lethal, and will net a Fame Token as well as two other Tokens.
Colosseum: The grandest arena, where men become legends, and legends become gods. Entry requires an invitation, often gained through victories in other arenas. Victory grants Two Fortune Tokens as well as two random Tokens. Opponents and match type are predetermined, but changes can and will occur; this is the entertainment industry, after all. Some matches may also have specific requirements to fulfill (equipment, traits, mounts, nationality, etc.).
Games will be resolved using a series of d20 rolls using various attributes and traits as modifiers to how the combat plays out. Generally it will be GM discretion based on stats, traits, and equipment, however the addition of opposing rolls is meant to provide a hint of the chaos of combat.
Updates will be done in each of the team threads and with a high level of OpSec. Combat will generally be described the same, but you'll need to devote resources to discovering more about your enemies.
Can screw off. No need to worry about fitting your gladiators into specific equipment loadouts (unless a match requires it), and generally if Rome and a nation existed at the same time you can try to access their equipment. I don't want to hear any "But those gross barbarians with the screaming women existed 50 years after these filthy ones we got the fur socks from".
While your most apparent goal is to outclass your rivals in the arena, your ultimate aim is to crush the whole lot of them, to turn their name - or flesh - to dirt. You may wish to be cautious about acting outside of the law, though...
House Flavius are descended from the familial line that entered trade and politics. Smart dealings have left them well-off, and they've even managed to hold political offices! While generally considered less disciplined than their Magnus kinsmen, their abilities to orate and party are practically unrivaled. Gladiators in
House Flavius suffer -1 to rolls training Agility but a +1 to rolls training Style. This +1
can bring the max total past 6. Their generosity also means Gladiators tend to loose less and gain more Morale. Thanks to their trade and senatorial practices
House Flavius also starts with
2 Fortune Tokens,
2 Favor Tokens, and
1 Fame Token.
House Magnus opted to work their way to power through the military. Many heroic tales and a few promotions later and
House Magnus has managed to cut out a nice bit of territory for themselves. Known for their skill and sacrifice, Gladiators of
House Magnus suffer -1 to Vitality training rolls but get +1 to Technique training rolls. This +1
can bring the max total past 6. Known for their honor, the Gladiators of
House Magnus also gain Loyalty faster and lose it slower. Due to their status both on and off the battlefield,
House Magnus starts with
1 Fortune Token,
2 Fame Tokens, and
2 Fate Tokens.
Remember, you're not fighting over territory this time around. It's all about thriving at the cost of your distant relative's lives. Since this will be a very high OpSec game, I ask you decide your allegiance before reading the threads. There will be some immediate differences. I will however make clarifications as necessary, and as the rules evolve.
Author
Topic: Blood of Champions - A Gladiatorial Arms Race-like - Core Thread (Read 1865 times)