[MUD-Dev2] [DESIGN] Perma-death

[Steve "Bloo" Daniels]

Dana V. Baldwin wrote:
> 
> One of the systems I enjoy in table top is that of Hackmaster.
> 

[snip]

> Played in a strict campaign, each player is allowed to roll 5 characters
> at character creation and they are "hard rolled". No cheating. They also
> have a quirks and flaws system that can allow you to gamble rolls on
> making your character get extra points to spend but you might have
> chronic farting or a missing limb or any number of possible oddities.

This it not technically correct.  It is my interpretation of the
hackmaster protege and sidekick rules.  Your first character is
hard rolled.  3D6 in order.

Upon reaching level 2, that PC can create a sidekick, which the
player controls until he mistreats the sidekick or the sidekick
reaches the same level as the PC, at which point, the GM takes
control of the sidekick permanently.  Thus, if you elect to take
a sidekick at level 2, it had better not be a thief unless you are
also a thief, because it will outlevel you before too long.  A PC
can only ever have one sidekick.  (A sidekick can be promoted to
a PC upon the death or retirement of the PC).

A PC can also have "up to" 4 proteges.  A PC can communicate with
a protege to 'share experience' transferring up to 50% of his earned
XP to the protege.  The method and time between the 
experience-creating-event dimishes the XP received.  Sending a
letter (-50%) retelling the PCs deeds from last month (-40%) will
give the protege 10% of the transferred XP.  But if the protege were
also a camp-follower, tending the horses or whatever, a much larger
percentage can be transferred through direct communication almost
immediately after the event.  If the protege is directly involved
in an encounter, he can also earn XP directly, as well as a through
an 'after action' discussion with the Mentor PC.

However, this is a trap.  I interpret the HackMaster rules to mean
"4 proteges ever".  Thus, proteges who travel and adventure with
the PC are fair game, and killing them robs the PC of precious
XP (once the protege has been fattened up, of course).

Essentially, the protege is a way to level up a future PC out of
harm's way.  You can also send whatever loot you wish to the protege
and send her to the best schools (which can have huge starting
advantages).

Upon PC death or retirement, the player can activate a protege.  This
new PC can have his own sidekick and proteges.

Taking these rules together, there player is under no obligation to
help all of his proteges.  You can pick one you like and send all
your loot and XP to that one.  This is a significant advantage because
you can choose the best of the hard-rolled stats to advance.

There are also rules for generating stats for offspring, so you can
have your fantasy eugenics program if you like (and a lazy GM might
let you think you thought of it first and you create der UberPC and
rule the world, though a cruel GM will wait until you've invested all
your loot into the program then introduce you to the others in the
setting who already did that and don't want you getting any tougher).

It should be noted that HackMaster is a heavily modified version of
1st Edition Advanced D&D, with a skill system, and is essentially
a playable parody (though, just as the original AD&D, "playable"
is a very loose term, especially wrt tactical combat).  It implements
fully and expands upon the training requirements for levelling,
which is *very* expensive and takes a minimum of one month.
There is no ding-powerup.

http://www.kenzerco.com/

There was also an exception which allowed victims of a TPK (Total Party
Kill) create up to level 4 characters, when no proteges above level 2.
However, the player starts with Zero honor (HackMaster's Honor system
punishes those with too little or too much honor, which changes with
level), it can only be done once per gaming year with a gaming group,
and the entire gaming group is put on probation with the HackMaster
Player's Association.

-bloo