Sunday 29 May 2011

DemonLord design diary 1 - items



DemonLord is all about exploring castles and finding items with awesome names. The real aim is to become a walking tank who can eviscerate anyone in your path, so items and equipment are a big part of the game.

I wanted to blend action RPGs like Diablo with tabletop games like Tunnels and Trolls and Dungeons and Dragons. I really love the special weapons and items that can be found in Diablo and the notion of kitting yourself out with a range of glowing magic items that make you look badass.

So in DemonLord I want the player to have the same feeling of awe and accomplishment after they emerge from a dungeon, scarred to hell but carrying amazing equipment. There are several 'slots' on the character that can be used for items: weapons, armour, rings, bracers and necklaces. Each slot enhances a specific attribute making them perhaps much more agile, better fighters or give them better knowledge of the world.

A character who has survived quite a few adventures may look like the following:

Serra Lionscarr
Level 4
Fighting 18 + 4
Social    16 + 3
Lore      10 + 0
Athletics 13 + 2
Defence  12 +1
HP          18 
Total Attack: +6
Total Defence: +3 
Armour: Devilspawn Leather + 2
Weapon: Dagger of the Godeye +2 (1d6+1)
Ring: Ring of Glory +1 (Social)
Necklace: Reapersnare Necklace +2 (Lore)
Bracers: Godeater Braces +1 (Athletics) 
Because of the simple mechanics in DemonLord it's really easy for the Demon Master (Games Master) to create kick-ass new items. This is really a game for people who want to be awesome. However, DemonLord is designed to be a deadly game (hence its tagline) so it may take some time before you have the character of your dreams, which makes it all the more sweeter when you finally get there.

4 comments:

  1. Demonlord sounds very interesting -- looking forward to it when it comes out.

    ReplyDelete
  2. @Bard Cheers man. Fancy playtesting it? :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. You know, just today I was wondering whether I could find a game with a focus on super cool items. Having no idea where to even start, I gave up. And then, in my aimless internet wanderings, I stumbled onto this post. I'll be giving this a look when it's out. :D

    ReplyDelete
  4. That's an extremely tempting proposition, Scott. I don't have a gaming group, but if I recall, your earlier post said it was solo-friendly, correct? I am neck-deep in other commitments, but depending on your time frame, I might be able to do it (I just don't want to promise anything I can't deliver). How long does a typical (solo) session take? How many sessions do you think would be needed for me to be able to give you meaningful feedback? When would you need the feedback?

    ReplyDelete