Strike! Thread

Also, fuck you, that's literally happening to a dog I know in a week and now I'm sad.

Fuck.

I backed this game on Kickstarter, and like it. IMO it takes a lot of the crunch of 4th ed (which I think was really underrated) and makes it into a lighter, generic system. If I had one wish for the game, I'd like some high level options (level 10+)

I'm interested in this but after a quick look there are a lot of things that make me wonder about the person writing it.

Not OP, but the obvious 'bandaid' fix for most of it's awkwardness, which I've also seen suggested on Veeky Forums, is to use it's combat mechanics and the noncombat elements from a different RPG.

Do you do something similar, and if so what rules do you supplement it with?

What about them makes you wonder.

Mainly how you can pick the combos between role and source

Strike is not good for mecha combat, and you would be better off with a specialized system designed with mechs in mind, like MZ or Heavy Gear or even MBM.

Bump

I've been curious about Strike for a while, would like to seem some in-depth discussion

I've ran it as-is, with some very minor house-rules a few times, but am going to use it to run Overwatch while using (again, slightly modified) The Sprawl's mechanics for out of combat.

Really? I was reading the rules (I own a copy) the other day and I was getting lots of ideas for how to run it for a mecha-oriented space opera game.

Where ia the forum that is referenced in the beginning? I'd like to look at it.

What do you mean "source"? Do you mean classes? 4e style power sources?

Could Shadow of the Demon Lord it and have characters pick a second class at 11 and maybe even a third at 21.

Probably way too many powers though.

Can confirm that it works, one of the games I ran was Armored Core inspired and it worked pretty well. Mekton-user is just being a memester.

How good would this system be for running a Mass Effect inspired game?

It'd be good at reflecting a group of diverse spacefaring adventurers each with their own tactical niches. So I'd say it'd work.

Basically, use Strike! when you want a lightweight game that does its best to not get in the way with stats and modifiers and a tactical combat system relying on positioning and combining the different abilities of a bunch of specialized characters.

If those are the parts you want of Mass Effect, it fits.

I think it's probably this one: forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3758699

So how does it differ from 4E? Why should I play it instead?

It uses a d6 instead of d20, 5e's advantage/disadvantage mechanics, and close to 0 numeric modifiers. There are degrees of success instead of pass/fail.

Separating the role/class combinations let them pack a lot of possible concepts and fighting styles into one smaller package.

There's also a bunch of minor rules changes for combat, like Marks not overriding each other but stacking, opportunities hitting automatically, slows disabling shifting, etc. Numbers are a lot lower, with the average attack doing 2 damage, a character having 10HP for its entire career (unless he decides to tank it up).

Feats are a lot more meaningful, none of that sitational bonuses crap.

On the skills side, it doesn't have a set skill list (players are either supposed to make up their own, or have the GM make a list), and it also utilizes Tricks and Complications, which were nabbed from Fate I think; playing out complications nets you Action Points which you can use for your Tricks.

There's also many optional systems to expand on the simple core rules, like Kits (gives a sort of "theme" for your character that gets him flavor based abilities) Team Conflicts (a bit abstract alternative to a 4e skill challenge), Chases, stuff like that.

What it doesn't have at the moment is a real equipment system. I heard it's in the works, but the dev had to put it on the back burner because of personal problems. Also, the layout is a mess.

If you are happy with how 4e plays there's a chance you'll find Strike! a bit too stripped down. It lacks the massive amount of content and built in flavor 4e has, and just doesn't bring the same sort of "numbers go up" thrill. There's also noticably less charop/character building puzzle.

If those sound like positives, you should give it a try. If they sound like negatives... still give it a read at least, maybe you'll find something you like.

>There are degrees of success instead of pass/fail.

Go on...

>Marks not overriding each other but stacking
That seems hilariously brutal

>opportunities hitting automatically
Mite b cool. Did they give fighters a sop in that case, since being beasts at OAs was their thing?

>slows disabling shifting
...I'm pretty sure it did in 4E as well. Or had some interaction, at any rate.

>Numbers are a lot lower, with the average attack doing 2 damage, a character having 10HP for its entire career (unless he decides to tank it up).
u wot

>That seems hilariously brutal
It really is.

>Mite b cool. Did they give fighters a sop in that case, since being beasts at OAs was their thing?

Well, technically because OAs are not attacks but automatic damage, so you can't really add your attack riders, I'd say it evens out. (also, fighters are not a class anymore, but you can slap Defender on anyone).

>...I'm pretty sure it did in 4E as well. Or had some interaction, at any rate.

I thought so too! Imagine my surprise...

>u wot

You heard me. You have 10 HP. A basic attack deals 2 damage. Attacks almost always have Effects and Boosts that convert into around 2 extra damage in total on top of that (usually in effects that aren't damage, but not for, say, strikers).

Accounting for miss chance, this means an average character goes down in 3-4 attacks from average foes.

>Go on...

Right, forgot the most important.

Attacks are a d6.
1: miss, you get a strike and a miss token
2: miss, gain miss token
3: grazing hit: you either deal damage or do the effect of your move, you decide
4-5: normal hits, you do both effect and damage
6: crit, doubles the damage of the move

Miss tokens can be spent to improve the result of a later roll by one tier (miss->graze, graze->hit, can't improve it to crit) by spending them.

don't fall off the board before I get home bump

Bump in the interest of further lurking.

So how the fuck do I learn this game? The rulebook is fucking terrible.

Check some PbtA systems out to get a hold on twists/costs. Check the linked forum thread for some other tips, there's a bunch of useful tools there.

Ask me cause I have no life...

Is Strike good for vehicular combat?

There's a vehicle combat splat. I would say it doesn't do it exceptionally well.

Shoot, most of the stuff here I read about unique tactical roles and the like seemed cool for an armoured combat game.

Well, it'd still be good, but it's just a tweak on using the usual class/role things with some rules to make it more "vehicle-like" than its own thing.

I have the PDF somewhere, will upload if I can find it tomorrow.

'Ere we go

>(also, fighters are not a class anymore, but you can slap Defender on anyone).

Wait what

That system seems like a pain in the butt.

What do Strike tokens do?

You can mix and match Classes and Roles, so if you wanted a classic beefy Fighter you would could just play one of the two or three melee-focused classes and the Defender role, which gives them a lot more staying power and the ability to mark people.

There are classes but they are just a string of basic abilities and some quirky mechanics. Class is separate from your role. The classes are Archer, Bombadier, Buddies, Duelist, Magician, Martial Artist, Necromancer, Shapechanger, Summoner and Warlord (as well as some 'Simplified Classes' but no one really uses those). Your roles are Blaster, Controller, Defender, Leader, and Striker, they define HOW you would play. By mix and matching you can get some really nifty combos. Take Necromancer and Leader - You raise up your enemies to defend your allies while buffing them to be a more effective and cohesive unit. Or maybe you want some DBZ action and go Martial Artist with the Blaster role! Maybe you go classic noir and pick Buddies with Controller, getting into shoot outs with corrupt cops while your 'buddy' assists you by pinning them down.

>Buddies
>Class

The fuck

Yeah, you either get a weaker goon or are weaker and get a strong goon.
Good for animal companions or Batman and Robin (or more like Green Hornet and Kato if the secondary guy is stronger)

Shit!

Strikes aren't tokens, they are... strikes.

At the end of combat you count the strikes your group got to determine how well off you are. If you got 1 strike, you are okay, 2 means a bit bruised, 3 means you are hurt, 4 means very hurt, etc.

You get strikes when:
- you roll a 1 on an attack
- first time you drop below half HP
- any time you drop to 0
- any time you are hit while on 0

It takes the place of the extended resource management thing of Hit dice/healing surges, tying the results of combat back into the narrative.

Now I'm imagining some monstrous hybrid of Strike!, 13th Age, and 4E

13th Age is the odd one out.

Throw in Legend instead.

Never heard of it. But 13th Age is pretty damn related, being designed by Rob Heinsoo and being a slightly more meta 4E.

Legend (by Rule of Cool) is a d20 heartbreaker that has a bunch of cool ideas, such as the concept of "tracts". Each class is built from 3 tracts, but you can mix and match tracts for your character (for example, taking a tract from the barbarian and the paladin to make it a raging holy-warrior-man). This could be considered analogous to Strike!'s Background/Class/Role setup (except Strike! doesn't bundle them into one thematic package, while Legend does, and Strike!'s design for each is more goal oriented, while Legend tracks merely have general themes).

It also retains the importance of positioning for combat. Very worth a read if you like d20 fantasy games.

13th Age meanwhile strips the positioning out of combat, massively reducing its tactical depth. It does take some (some more superficial than other) 4e concepts like rules-like language and formatting, but when compared to 4e and Strike! it really is the odd one out.

Tactical depth is the greatest as far as I'm concerned. Does Legends have some of the 4E depth, or is it more like 3.x?

It's about halfway I'd say. Much less explicit roles than 4e, but also a lot less gamebreaking than 3.5, despite keeping the much less formulaic class design from it.

Seriously tough, decide for yourself, it's up for free, and it's not like it's that long.

Legend is pretty nice. Honestly, the only real strike against it for me, and a lot of people I've seen talk about it on Veeky Forums, is that there's not a pre-built bestiary and you have to build creatures yourself using its tracks and templates.

I've been thinking about learning programming just to put together a utility to make that easy, sort of like 4e's character builder. Given that you would just plug in tracks and level, or set it to one of the enemy templates like Mook or Agent, I would think it to be pretty straightforward.

Literally what I was thinking of trying to homebrew.

Masterplan:

1. Grab Strike!
2. re-write core rules based on d20/5e
3. repackage classes and roles with a kit included for thematics (basically mimic 3 tracts from Legend),
4. Use natural language and obfuscate mechanics
5. Upload to DMG
6. Trick people without their own imagination to create characters into playing Strike!
7. ???
8. PROFIT!

I just need to get past step 0 (getting off my ass).

You're mostly describing Fantasy Craft, I think. Although, it also has some more cumbersome mechanics bundled in with the sort of stuff you're after.
Each class has one or two niche party roles (Backer, Combatant, Specialist, Solver, Talker, Wildcard), there are interesting powers gained via feats (by way of stances and 'tricks' which modify normal actions) and on top of other bits of customization every character gets a thematic kit called a "Specialty" that gives a more personalized spin on a character, helping define how they fit into the fiction and augmenting their abilities in ways that are relevant for their entire career.

One way I've seen it described is that the Specialty is what most characters would describe themselves or what they would say their career is, while their class is how they go about doing that or what sets them apart in how they do it.

Eh, I remember FC being very fiddly with modifiers, almost 3.5 level (or more). This'd still be on 5e complexity (with that shit at least).

You can totally make a pair of beefy luchadors if you make your partner large sized + large HP+grabby take the tough feat.

Speaking of which, may as well get some characters in.

Jesus Christ.