Solo Legend: A Discussion on what you'd like to see..

[Hopeless]

Okay this is being discussed on the Mongoose News and Views on this forum under the sub-heading of What Should Mongoose Publish Next.

So I figured I'd test out some ideas to see if that might inspire some suggestions to get this moving along a bit.

Now there's a couple of avenues to look into before we can get into the meat of this, using a couple of examples of solo games I'm going to see if either of these appeal to you as good avenues for a Solo Legend game.

You might recognise the examples but don't let that stop you from providing your viewpoint on this, okay?

 

[Hopeless]

Okay example 1:

You start off with little in the way in detail of your solo character which is figured out through your choices during this particular example of a solo game.

Thus you're assumed to be running a human character as per Legend core rules so if you want to run a dwarf, elf or halfling character be sure to have a copy of the Monsters of Legend supplement as this isn't going to be a full on solo game.

Your character begins the game travelling aboard an old wagon on its way to the local town of Norwich.

1)The wagon creaks and groans as it rolls down the old crumbling road, beside you is Travis an old dwarven merchant guiding a team of mules with a steady hand preferring to keep silent than engage in gossip with you.
The sun is getting lower in the sky as afternoon is descending into evening and off to your left the forested hills are slowly drawing close as the wagon heads steadily down the road turning towards a destination thats still out of sight on the otherside of those forested hills that concern you so much as night draws ever closer.

Now here's is your first decision, for in Legend every character has both a home culture and a profession, it isn't yet time to decide what profession you'd fancy for your new character but its best you select the culture your character originated from.

There are four to select from and each provide you with a set nuber of abilities which you'll improve upon as this solo game continues.

So for now turn to the number that covers the culture you want your character to come from;

Turn to 2 if your character is from a Barbarian Culture,
Turn to 3 if your character is from a Civilised Culture,
Turn to 4 if your character is from a Nomad Culture and
Turn to 5 if your character is from a Primitive Culture.

 

[Hopeless]

Please let me know if I'm going too far or violating any of the forum's rules by doing this please?

2) Your character is from a Barbarian Culture:

You start off with a number of Skills which will be modified once we get to your character's ability scores.

For now on a sheet of paper list the following skills with the percentile number beside them.

Common Skills:
Athletics 10%
Brawn 5%
Barbarian Culture 30%
Perception 5%
Regional Lore both at 30%
Resilience at 10%
Ride 5%
Stealth 5%

Combat Styles:
Select three from the following list each will be known at 10%:
2H Axe, 2H Hammer, 2H Spear, Axe & Shield, Blowgun, Bow, Dagger, Hammer & Shield, Sling, Spear & Shield, Staff, 1H Sword, Sword & Shield and Unarmed.

Advanced Skills:
Native Language 50%
Survival 0%

And any one from the following list which is known at 0%:
Craft/Select one, Lore/Select one, Play Instrument/Specific or Track

Starting Money: As a Barbarian you usually start off with 4d6x20 in silver but for this game you're currently have a total of 12 gold, 19 silver and 10 copper pieces split between your belt pouch and a small sack in your backpack.

Now to avoid going through all of the cultures we're assuming you went with Barbarian, okay?

 

[Hopeless]

For the purposes of this solo example you're travelling on this wagon to reach Norwich a city with considerably more opportunities than you feel available to you back in your home village.

Shaken suddenly out of your train of thoughts as Travis beside you yells out in pain and almost drops the reins as you notice an arrow jutting out of his shoulder beside you!

With a shrill cry of challenge a group of mishapen creatures rush out of the bushes wielding crudely manufactured weapons and charge towards you.
Even as you react to their presence you notice the archer behind them reaching for another arrow as you recognise the brigands as goblins, mishapen primitives known for their disdain of authority.

So now comes your next choice, your profession there are plenty in the Legend core rules to select from but for now will assume you went for a knight;

If you go for a knight record the following for your ability scores: Strength 18, Constitution 14, Size 10, Intelligence 10, Power 11, Dexterity 12, Charisma 13

So your character would thus have Combat Actions of 2, Damaged Modifier of +1d2 and hit points for locations equal to : Each Leg has 5 hp, Abdomen has 6hp, Chest has 7hp, Each Arm has 4hp and your Head has 5hp which is how much damage you can take before either being knocked out (head hit for example) or the limb is immobilised (Arm or Leg).

Those skills you recorded earlier and also increased because you now have the ability scores that cover those skills along with extra ones covered by your character's profession;

Common Skills:
Athletics (Str+Dex) 45%, Brawn (Str+Siz) 33%, Barbarian Culture (Int x2) 50%, Influence (Cha x2) 31%, Perception (Int+Pow) 26%, Regional Lore (Int x2) 50%, Resilience (Con x2) 38%, Ride (Dex+Pow) 28%, Stealth (Dex+Int) 27%
Combat Styles:
Sword & Shield (Str+Dex) 50%, Bow (Dex x2) at 44% and Dagger at 40% Melee/34% ranged
Advanced Skills:
Courtesy (Int+Cha) 23%, Goblin Culture (Int x2) 20%, Native Language (Int+Cha) 73%, Survival (Pow+Con) 25%, Track (Int+Cha) 23%

You start off with the weapons you know how to use namely a sword, target shield, hunting bow, dagger as well as a scale coat and some leather greaves.

Still needs work but let me know what you think ok?

 

[Hopeless]

The alternative is to have a set character which you're introduced to before the game starts...

For example you've been asked by a local village leader to look for a missing shepherd up in the hills where he normally tends to his flock.
You eventually find an open cairn with tracks leading inside and decide to check inside.

It gives you your skills, equipment and motive for the adventure.

Which would you prefer an introductory solo adventure where you can decide during the game what culture and profession your character is but might require your character's ability scores to be decided upon or one where you know what character you're playing and go straight into the adventure once you read through what your character can do?

What would you like to see in a series of Solo Legend adventures that you can play by yourself?

 

[soltakss]

Whilst the idea of introducing your character through the solo game is intriguing, I would prefer to be able to run a PC through a series of Solo games.

If you introduce the character through the game then you will have pages of stats that don't really help the game flow.

 

[Hopeless]

Whilst the idea of introducing your character through the solo game is intriguing, I would prefer to be able to run a PC through a series of Solo games.

If you introduce the character through the game then you will have pages of stats that don't really help the game flow.

So would you prefer a set of books say separated by culture or professions?

I'd assume the initial one would involve just a character with culture preset and then a selection of half a dozen professions that seem appropriate, but for a series of solo gamebooks would that be enough?

Would you prefer the gamebook series to be generic or for example be a series of Solo Conan gamebooks using the Legend core rules?

 

[Hopeless]

Hmm maybe a series of gamebooks with a sample character to use in case they don't have access to the Legend core rules to design their own character... however magic would have to be dealt with carefully...

Maybe have a note to turn to a certain page when casting spells otherwise the only magic would be whats available for the sample character and more importantly whats picked up during the adventure.

 

[Old timer]

The only problem i see with this idea is the complexity of the legend system, i am not sure it would lend it self to the solo game book idea. The books already out there, or games that can be run solo tend to have very straight forward systems, like Fighting fantasy, Lone wolf, Tunnel and Trolls.
How would you deal with combat, spell resistance and other such rules in a legend solo book?

 

[soltakss]

So would you prefer a set of books say separated by culture or professions?

Not really.

It depends what you mean by a Solo Gamebook, I suppose. The ones that I saw for RQ way back when were adventures with choices that took you to different areas. They were adventurer-independent, so you could use any adventurer with them.

For example, in the example that you gave, would it really matter if I played a Knight, Man at Arms, Adventurer or Thief? Not really, as all I would need to do is make some skill rolls, make some decisions and go top the multiple-choice page referenced. That doesn't really matter what character I had chosen.

I'd assume the initial one would involve just a character with culture preset and then a selection of half a dozen professions that seem appropriate, but for a series of solo gamebooks would that be enough?

If you wanted it as a standalone book, then that is fine. However, if you assume access to the Legend rules, or at least a cut-down version, then you wouldn't need that.

If you wanted to generate a character as part of the book, then you could do that in the first chapter and then go on to the main adventure afterwards.

Would you prefer the gamebook series to be generic or for example be a series of Solo Conan gamebooks using the Legend core rules?

For Solo games, probably generic. However, setting-specific solo books are always good for one-off scenarios.

 

[soltakss]

The only problem i see with this idea is the complexity of the legend system, i am not sure it would lend it self to the solo game book idea. The books already out there, or games that can be run solo tend to have very straight forward systems, like Fighting fantasy, Lone wolf, Tunnel and Trolls.

They worked pretty well for RQ - Scorpion Hall, for example, was a good scenario, as were the other RQ Solo Adventures. There were even some short ones in Heroes, for example.

How would you deal with combat, spell resistance and other such rules in a legend solo book?

What you wouldn't do is to detail the combat at all.

You are faced with two goblins carrying shortswords and not wearing armour.
If you try to hide, go to Page 50.
If you run away, go to Page 60.
If you stand and fight, go to Page 70.

Page 50:
The goblins have Perception 50%. Match your Stealth skill against their Perception skill in an opposed roll.
If you win, go to Page 65.
If you lose, the goblins see you and run to attack you, go to Page 70.

Page 60:
The goblins have Athletics 50%. Match your Athletics skill against their Athletics skill in an opposed roll.
If you win, go to Page 65.
If you lose, the goblins catch you and attack you, go to Page 70.

Page 70:
The goblins have the following stats ...
If you defeat both goblins, go to Page 63.
If you defeat one goblin then the other runs off, go to Page 64.
If the goblins defeat you then they capture you, strip you of all your weapons and take you prisoner. Go to Page 100.

Page 63:
The goblins have 4 silvers between them and two shortswords, which you can take with you.
Go to Page 65.

Page 64:
The goblins have 2 silvers and one shortsword each, which you can take with you.
One goblin is still free, which might become important later on.
Go to Page 65.

Page 65:
You carry on with your journey ...