Attempt at a modular system
Hey all!
Like most pen-and-paper people I know, I've been trotting around the idea of making my own pen-and-paper RPG (DnD-esque) for a long while now and, after getting inspirations here and there, I had in mind a modular class system that I would be curious to hear your opinions about.
It would be setting-neutral (not in a specific world or time period, but with the basic medieval-fantasy framework in mind) and, for now, heavily focused on the mechanical aspects.
What I'm focusing right now are:
ways to gain resources (Power Sources)
ways to spend resources (Archetypes)
I want them to be modular so any power source can be matched to any archetype and that combination determines your "class" (inspiration from DnD 4th ed). Power sources would be the biggest narrative influence and the archetypes would influence mechanics mostly (and partly narrative).
Currently, each Power Source has different ways to gain their resources (some easier to play than others) and Archetypes would be what determines your abilities and such. Power Sources are kinda fleshed out (no numbers, but yield and scaling principles are determined)
The Power Source I developped for now are:
Animism (druidic-like - attuning to natural concepts give a steady amount while you follow thematicallt-appropriate action restrictions.
Arcanum (wizard-like - invoking your personal constellation of glyphs that yield when triggered by the presence of their associated meaning)
Ardor (WtA's Rage-like - an escalating threshold based meter rises with emotion-based triggers and yield increasingly more until Burnout)
Cadence (mastery of timing and controlling when one's turn occurs in the Initiative Wheel determines the gains)
Covenant (cleric & warlock-like - submitting yourself to extraplanar entities's whims give random resources and push-your-luck mechanics can stop the yield altogether)
Noetic (monk & psion-like - restraint and meditation extend your psychic field's range so that others' sentience fuels you)
Praxis (fighting game & Pathfinder 2e inspired - every archetypes abilities have tags and chaining the proper tags into flows yields
Archetypes arent fleshed out yet, but I'm trying to take inspiration from general tabletop stuff and loosely Darkest Dungeon):
Vanguard (aggressive frontliner)
Lurker (burst skirmisher)
Conduit (support midfielder)
Channeler (long distance artillerist)
Cipher (versatile all-rounder)
With these, an Arcanum Vanguard would be something like a Rune Knight, a Praxis Conduit would be a Warlord, and an Animism Channeler could be a Druid/Ranger.
What do you guys think? Any glaring flaws I'm blind to?