I just picked up a copy of Promised Sands, and I'm digging on the setting. The system seems interesting, too, if a bit heady to take in at once. I was wondering if anyone had done an example character creation, as the apprenticeship step is really where things start to get murky for me.
I've run the game before, but I haven't had a chance to make a character in quite some time. Could you be a tad more specific? I have the book near me, so I can easily look stuff up with page numbers.
Where does your murkiness begin?
Okay, here's my issues:
1) SEC has entries for contacts, but looking at the templates I'm unsure if you actually get them. And if you do, the lower SECs (p. 50) specify "street contacts" for some of them. I can't see anywhere that explains what a street contact is.
2) The tertiary focus (p. 65) says that you can choose not to spend it on a specific occupation, but that if you do you gain no money, income or contacts. Thing is, I know I read somewhere else that you don't get any money or contacts from your tertiary focus anyway. So what's the advantage of choosing a specific occupation to spend your tertiary focus on?
3) Are you supposed to attempt to advance out of your apprenticeship if you're not taking an advanced occupation? I initially didn't think so, but then I got confused.
4) This is actually a pretty stupid question, but is the exotic number for each profession's contacts what you have to roll to get an exotic if you're a member of that occupation or is it what you have to roll if your contact is a member of that occupation?
5)Regarding Maroc - is there an advantage to having multiple ranks in a fixed mahaya like the template on page 118 does? (I think this question has more to do with there being so much to take in than the text being unclear)
That's it for now, I think, but I'll probably come up with more in a bit.
Quote from: BrantaiOkay, here's my issues:
And here's my answers...of sorts
Quote from: Brantai1) SEC has entries for contacts, but looking at the templates I'm unsure if you actually get them. And if you do, the lower SECs (p. 50) specify "street contacts" for some of them. I can't see anywhere that explains what a street contact is.
Well, here I fudged (as I did most things in this book)...I gave everyone the contact "slot" and they could make up a contact where appropriate. I think I require the use of a DISk, to do that though.
A "street contact" is someone of low SEC who is typically seen as a criminal or undesireable.
Quote from: Brantai2) The tertiary focus (p. 65) says that you can choose not to spend it on a specific occupation, but that if you do you gain no money, income or contacts. Thing is, I know I read somewhere else that you don't get any money or contacts from your tertiary focus anyway. So what's the advantage of choosing a specific occupation to spend your tertiary focus on?
There really isn't and few of my players took the option (except the Maroc).
Quote from: Brantai3) Are you supposed to attempt to advance out of your apprenticeship if you're not taking an advanced occupation? I initially didn't think so, but then I got confused.
You were right, and kinda thought over it. You don't have to advance out of your apprenticeship at all...really, the experience system doesn't support advanced occupations all that well. It really is a point based XP system.
Quote from: Brantai4) This is actually a pretty stupid question, but is the exotic number for each profession's contacts what you have to roll to get an exotic if you're a member of that occupation or is it what you have to roll if your contact is a member of that occupation?
It's what you have to roll to get an exotic if you're a member of that occupation.
Quote from: Brantai5)Regarding Maroc - is there an advantage to having multiple ranks in a fixed mahaya like the template on page 118 does? (I think this question has more to do with there being so much to take in than the text being unclear)
Laser Beam. The most broken spell in the game. Yes, mahaya are all pretty much broken at anything over 35%. It's good to have a good mix. Don't allow Laser Beam in your game though, or cap it at 40%.
Quote from: BrantaiThat's it for now, I think, but I'll probably come up with more in a bit.
Let's see how I did and maybe I'll try again!
Here's a quick one - I didn't notice before since the marroc have a fixed amount of starting money, but the bowman entry on page 78 says you roll for money each term. Term? :confused:
Quote from: joewolzLaser Beam. The most broken spell in the game. Yes, mahaya are all pretty much broken at anything over 35%. It's good to have a good mix. Don't allow Laser Beam in your game though, or cap it at 40%.
I couldn't find anywhere that said where you use the ranks in fixed mahaya. I'm presuming you add them to a roll somewhere?
Is this the game designed by Evan Moore?
No, it was designed by Ben Rogers. It looks like Evan Moore is credited as being on the "primary playtest team", however.
I just read a couple of reviews. Setting sounds interesting, anyway.
Quote from: AosI just read a couple of reviews. Setting sounds interesting, anyway.
The setting is an amazing thing. Absolutely astounding. Ben and I are friends and I've spoken to him extensively about the game and how it was shaped by his life. He visited the Middle East often before and right after the book was published, as his real job bid him to do so.
He even had a gigantic beard (which he shaved when he had to find a new job) so he would be more trustworthy looking to Middle Easterners.
It really is an incredible piece of work, there's just so much of it. Although that's the sort of problem you want to have. :D
Joe is he planning on a second edition? Every review i've looked at is down on the system.
Quote from: AosJoe is he planning on a second edition? Every review i've looked at is down on the system.
He was, he started a company called Harsh Realities (http://www.harshrealities.info/) and is still inventing a new system. Not a lot of moving forward though.
I wrote some stuff for the first or second sourcebook, but it will probably never see the light of day :(.
Quote from: AosJoe is he planning on a second edition? Every review i've looked at is down on the system.
The system actually isn't bad. It could use a revised or second edition, but IMO that would really only be to add rules clarifications and fix some layout issues.
Edit: BTW, thanks for your help so far, Joe. Am I right in assuming that rolling for money every term just means one roll/year of apprenticeship?
I know you're working on mechanics for the actual book, but didn't you convert the whole damn thing to True20 not too long ago Brent?
Quote from: BrantaiEdit: BTW, thanks for your help so far, Joe. Am I right in assuming that rolling for money every term just means one roll/year of apprenticeship?
Right, if that's what you decide a term is...It's a flexible word, after all.
I did know there was a True20 version in the works. Is it done?
Quote from: AosJoe is he planning on a second edition? Every review i've looked at is down on the system.
Mine wasn't (http://www.therpgsite.com/?q=node/665). At least, not very.
RPGPundit
The system really isn't in bad shape. The book really just needs a literal second edition, just a cleanup and clarification at points.
Other than char gen (which seems to be where systems seem to be the most bulky anyway) the system is pretty damn simple. The percentile roll is a binary succeed/fail and the effect die tells you, on a scale of 1-10 how good/bad the success/failure was.
Quote from: Thanatos02I know you're working on mechanics for the actual book, but didn't you convert the whole damn thing to True20 not too long ago Brent?
I have been working on a fantasy post-apoc desert setting for True20, but it wasn't a conversion of Promised Sands. That said, I don't think a True20 conversion would be difficult. It might strip away a lot of the flavor if you didn't work up some sort of lifepath system, though. I've been kicking the idea for that sort of thing around in my head, anyway, so if there's a demand for conversion rules I would certainly whip them up.