Crown & Skull - The Teach (pt 1/3)

[@KanesKiln]

Woot! So excited for Crown & Skull! It's going to be a great addition to the shelf. Thanks for the thoughtful coverage🛡

[@PaladinProse]

Awesome to see the interest in C&S blossom. I was honored to play test the game, and it's truly something special. Phases have completely revolutionized the way I think about combat in TRPGs. Get amongst it!

[@tagg1080]

Absolutely loving the packet released so far. Going to try to spin up a one shot in the next few weeks.

[@jfacegames7354]

Describe to me more why phases changed your view point? I’d love to know what I might be missing in terms of their major tactical relevance. Unless there are Core Abilities and monster abilities I’m unaware of Also, can every player go in the same phase? Or do they have to separate themselves?

[@KanesKiln]

@@jfacegames7354 Yes, every player could go in the same round. May be missing out in later rounds when you don't have the ability to react to the monsters actions though. Depends on what the party's plan. Also for the monster taactics, the Tactic number on their stat block does denote how many Tactic rolls they get each phase. So the Elite Skeleton does roll Tactics 3 times every Phase 4. Hope and pray you don't roll three 6s 😆

[@PaladinProse]

Phases really start to shine at the table with a party of players. I've observed my players recognize that their phase is as much a part of their role in the party as their spells, abilities, and flaws. It's tempting on paper to gang up on a certain phase, or dogpile on the early phases, but healing on later phases is crucial for survivability. From a GM perspective, I've also noticed that phases keep my players LOCKED IN. Combat moves at a fast clip, and rounds blaze by. Tactics dice also give monsters a certain dice-driven "AI" that allows the GM to become an arbiter of narrative rather than a decision maker of who's getting ganked this round. Players notice this, and begin to embrace the puzzle of manipulating the battlefield, in their phase order, and bracing for the randomness that comes when the monsters are up to bat. It's sort of like FF Tactics or Fire Emblem in my head. Phases allow players to utilize the mechanics of combat in ways that other systems simply can't.

[@jfacegames7354]

The random Tactic is akin to Monsters in Dragonbane (which I love). I get what you’re saying about phases, and I like that it would be super fast compared to other initiative systems. I just need to see the tactics I suppose in action

[@PossumMedic]

The frog-folk reminds me of how Dragonbane is like "We like animal folk... but only ducks and wolves!" 🤣 I'm really looking forward to this one! Thanks for the vid! :D

[@jfacegames7354]

Haha, agreed. Thanks for tuning in

[@lordofdorknessdm3085]

Huge fan of Brandish Gilhelm and all his projects/incarnations. I'm super stoked to try this out. It seems like a really interesting blend/mix of older RPGs (early D&D, Champions/HERO system, etc.) and some innovative concepts/systems (no core attribute scores, no GM rolls, etc.). I love Viking Death Squad and ICRPG, so I'm really excited to check this out. Thanks so much for the condensed teaser info in this video.

[@StarshipsSteel]

Gang's all here! Looking forward to this RPG! Had blinders on previous to the player's guide being dropped. Knew it was being worked on, but nothing more than that, too busy with other stuff. I like a lot of what I see in the system! New ideas are always AWESOME! FROGKIN

[@jfacegames7354]

Gangs all here?! Other commenters are buddies of yours? Haha

[@StarshipsSteel]

@@jfacegames7354 Buddies is probably a strong word, but certainly all lumpy headed weirdos...

[@jfacegames7354]

Weirdos make the best companions

[@grumpyguy7656]

narrative min maxing. you make your awesome character in game.

[@PhilipDudley3]

I really enjoy seeing Crown & Skull out here in the wild! Unravel mysteries and we need the full book to fully comprehend it! Right now, we've got a slice of what's to come. Only speculation do we generate.

[@jfacegames7354]

Totally agree in wanting the whole book

[@SkittleBombs]

Do you think this game is going to be about horizontal progression

[@PhilipDudley3]

@@SkittleBombs define horizontal progression?

[@SkittleBombs]

@@PhilipDudley3 Skills go sideways instead of big numbers goes up

[@9HPRuneScape]

Great video - very informative! 🙏 Subscribed (:

[@anonymousbosch9265]

I’m looking forward to the system

[@krelraz5486]

Those are really similar to the phases that I'm going to use. Instead of choosing it is based on what you are doing. I wasn't aware of any TTRPG that had a system like that.

[@jcraigwilliams70]

I am curious how things look in the fiction... Characters buy equipment using Hero Points, so does that also represent gold that they have on hand? If not, when they get a new sword from the smith, what are they "paying" with?

[@KeineMaerchen]

Awesome that you cover Crown and Skull. Like the calm and focused style of your videos. What kind of software do you use for screencasts?

[@jfacegames7354]

Thanks! And welcome to the channel. I use OBS studio for the recording (might have name a bit off), and Obsidian.md for my note taking in most videos

[@KeineMaerchen]

@@jfacegames7354 cheers mate 🧉

[@rikconant1228]

Attrition shouldn't cause much of a death spiral b/c it is so specific. You break your sword? Use something less optimal. It's no worse than Vancian magic or other resource based abilities, where you may lose them over time.

[@jfacegames7354]

That’s a fair point

[@ravenshadowz2343]

Is there a sample of the character sheet filled out?

[@jfacegames7354]

I didn’t have one specifically filled out unfortunately. Not their official ones

[@GateKeeperPat]

I’m still confused on the skills. If someone has 9 points in stealth, roll 9 or lower. What about someone who wants to be sneaky with no skill in it? Is the difficult for an unskilled player “always 5” or something similar? Kind of like Fantasy AGE skill checks.

[@tagg1080]

The player guide says skills have a minimum of 3. So that might be a minimum? It also might be like older dnd thief though, anyone can climb, but a thief can climb sheer flat walls with a roll. So anyone can walk quietly, but actual stealthy sneaky around people and things is a super skill. Idk though. I don't think the free guide specified.

[@lordofdorknessdm3085]

From what I glean, there's no such thing as an 'unskilled' check. You either have the skill to do it or not. This is what gives the Attrition mechanic teeth - if you take damage and lose access to the skill, you can no longer use it to make checks (just as if you never had the skill).

[@tagg1080]

@@lordofdorknessdm3085 i guess that makes sense. I feel like there is a really thin line between the attrition being too harsh then. If skills are too necessary then it is too difficult, if skills are too fluffy then attrition doesn't matter. Tough line. I will have to look at the skills in the guide again. It might fit the game better when we have the full picture.

[@jcraigwilliams70]

My understanding, based on the official video for the game, is that you cannot roll for a skill you don't have. The point of this is to differentiate characters as much as possible and really bring in the "team" aspect of playing together. Each character will do things that other characters can't rather than everyone being able to do anything to varying degrees. "Losing" a skill due to Attrition is meant to represent things like being unable to Jump effectively when taking a leg wound, or you break three fingers, leaving you unable to use Lockpicking. So rather than saying "you can't use it!" which does sound harsh, think more "you can technically use it, but you will automatically fail due to your injury."

[@GateKeeperPat]

@@jcraigwilliams70 That makes a lot of sense. Thank you for the further explanation. I guess I have trouble understanding one person can jump because they have a jump skill, while everyone else can't. So I guess the jump skill only comes into effect in situations of great achievement and heroism.

[@vexxdk]

Love the skill system, hate the damage system (I am homebrewing a simpel hitpoint/wounded system), hate the phase system, it makes no sense. I think the only thing I am taking from this game, is the skill and defence system.

[@jfacegames7354]

I could be wrong, but I think the phase system is supposed to be more psychological than mechanical for the players. Just to prime them and to keep flow going. but for the monsters there are mechanical aspects (this power occurs in phase 2 & 5) etc. I’d have to play with actually experienced players to get a real feel, but as of now I don’t know how I feel about that yet.

[@echoradius2299]

The player damage, or attrition (I think that's what you call it)... Does the GAME account for a player hording items to game the system? I know people that would pick up every little thing, no matter how small, to game the system as 'hit points'. "You just got smoked by a zombie".. cool, I'll just sack this fork I found. Later I'll sack the spoon, then this toothpick, then this dry leaf, this dead bug, this random stick, etc.

[@jfacegames7354]

Haha, “sack this fork” :P. I think that the inventory slots/skill slots are 20 deep and that’s it. I’d assume that non-essential equipment could just be written in other areas on the character sheet, but that you put the essential stuff in those slots. Armor, weapons, toolkits, etc. That’s how I interpreted it, but others might be able to chime in

[@echoradius2299]

@@jfacegames7354 I just ordered the book. It looks like you're right, at least as far as i can tell for now. You have a max number of 'things' that act as your HP. All that little stuff is just random things in a backpack or whatever.

[@PpAirO5]

5 Minutes in, and still haven't said what this game is about 👎

[@jfacegames7354]

Sorry that you aren't into my Teaches. The KZbin channel is geared a lot towards people trying to design their own TTRPGs (which is what i'm trying to do). Therefore there is a heavy focus on getting straight to the mechanics. I do discuss how those mechanics touch on the "feel" of games, but I don't usually dive straight into settings. I appreciate your feedback though, and hope that after watching some of the video you get a better vibe for what this channel is trying to do. Thanks for swinging by!

[@SkittleBombs]

The reason for that is this game lays out its table of contents setting first , game mechanics last

[@ravenshadowz2343]

It's a grim dark sword and sorcery RPG.

[@john-lenin]

Seems like a lot of awkward solutions to nonexistent problems.