Book of Tricks

From Myth-Wiki

Role-Playing Game Mechanics

by Chris Breece

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Basic Rules 2.1 Player Statistics 2.1.1 Hit Points 2.1.2 Special Points 2.2 Combat 2.2.1 Books 2.2.2 Rounds 2.3 Finding Tricks 2.3.1 Items 2.3.2 Specials 2.3.3 Equipment 2.4 Speed 2.4.1 Trick Speed 2.4.2 Character Speed 3 Example Game 3.1 Andy builds a book 3.2 The battle begins 4 Detailed Rules 5 Tricks Games

Introduction

The idea behind Book of Tricks mechanics is to create a combat system that feels like a card game, but doesn't actually involve cards. In fact, one of the goals is to create a system with as few random elements as possible as well. The terminology in the game is inspired by the card game Spades.

I will start with a brief overview of the rules. I will follow this with an example game. Lastly, I will include an in-depth resource for clearer wording on the rules.

Basic Rules

The core of Book of Tricks mechanics is the Trick. Tricks are short descriptions of specific actions. If a player wishes to pelt an enemy with a fireball, he may be using a Trick that looks like this:

Fireball
Conjure an orb of fire and toss it at something.
15 Damage
Fire type

Player Statistics

Hit Points

• Maximum amounts of HP vary with each RPG
• When HP reachs 0, player is Knocked Out, KO

Special Points

• Spent to place Specials into your Book (described later)
• No maximum

Combat

Books

• Before a battle, every character builds his Book.
• Books must contain 10 Tricks

Rounds

• Every round each character selects 1 Trick
• Tricks execute in an order based on Speed (described later)
• Once a Trick is used, it cannot be used again for the rest of the Book
• Multiple copies of a Trick can be used if placed in the Book
• After 10 rounds, characters re-build their Books

Finding Tricks

Items

• Combat Items, not Unique Items, have Tricks
• Once you use an Item's Trick, the Item is used and gone
• Adding an Item to your Book does not use the Item

Specials

• Specials have Tricks that you can use multiple times
• Adding a Special Trick to your Book costs SP
• Unused Specials are refunded for SP after battle

Equipment

• Equipment that is equipped have Tricks that you can use multiple times
• Equip Tricks usually have no cost
• Equip Tricks are usually less effective and used as filler
• Equipment sometimes has specific rules for what can be equipped

Speed

• Overall Speed = Trick Speed + Combat Speed
  • or OS = TS + CS
• Tricks with the highest OS execute first
• Tricks with equal OS execute in order based on TS

Trick Speed

• When building a Book, players order their Tricks numerically
• Tricks are ordered from highest to lowest, 10 to 1
• This number is used as the Trick Speed, TS
• Tricks with a higher TS should be more important Tricks

Character Speed

• Before every Book, characters are ordered numerically
• Players and enemies share the same list
• Characters are numbered from highest to lowest
• This number is used as your character's Character Speed, CS
• Character Speed changes every Book
• CS is arbitrary and not based on any specific character traits
• The list of players, not enemies, should be rotated evenly so players will receive CS fairly.

Example Game

Andy, Brett, Chris, and Dave are all playing a Book of Tricks Fantasy game. They've been adventuring for a while now and have collected a decent amount of treasure. They've also learned several specials. Now they face a group of three goblins named Lil G, Reg G, and Big G. Their MC, Ender, will be directing all the action and deciding what the goblins do.

The players all have a maximum HP of 20 for this game.

Andy builds a book

Andy builds his first book. He starts with three potions from his inventory.

• Potion - Recover 10 HP

Andy has gained a total of 15 SP, but he doesn't want to use all that on some goblins.

Andy adds his favorite special to his book.

• Starstorm (5 SP) - Release a cosmic blast of arcane energy; 15 Damage to each enemy

He also adds three of his most often used special.

• Blade of Fury (1 SP) - Lightning fast combo full of rage; 5 Damage; IF HP < 11, Blade of Fury attacks twice; IF HP < 6, Blade of Fury attacks three times.

Finally he fills in the last three slots with attacks from the sword he has equipped.

• Silver Sword Attack - 2 Damage; Option: Heavy Swing - drop to the end of the list, attack for 4 Damage

Now, Andy has 7 SP. The SP for his specials is used. The potions he placed in his book are still in his inventory, and will be until he uses those tricks in battle.

His book looks like this:

• Potion
• Potion
• Potion
• Starstorm
• Blade of Fury
• Blade of Fury
• Blade of Fury
• Silver Sword Attack
• S. Sword Attack
• S. Sword Attack

Now Andy should put them in order to choose their Trick Speed. He orders them like this:

• 10 Starstorm
• 9 Blade of Fury
• 8 Potion
• 7 Blade of Fury
• 6 Potion
• 5 Blade of Fury
• 4 Potion
• 3 Silver Sword Attack
• 2 S. Sword Attack
• 1 S. Sword Attack

His best attack has the highest TS while his S. Sword Attacks have the lowest because they aren't the best attacks.

Andy now has a book and is ready to fight.

The battle begins

MC Ender gives them the Character Speed list for the first Book before they begin.

• 7 Andy
• 6 Reg G
• 5 Brett
• 4 Lil G
• 3 Chris
• 2 Big G
• 1 Dave

This list is arbitrary and not based on any character traits. Andy got lucky enough to have a CS of 7. This means his attacks will usually go first. He should probably decide his Trick first as well.

Everyone shows their Books to the MC including Andy. And the MC shows the goblins' Books to all the players. Reg G's Book looks like this:

• 10 Goblin Surprise
• 9 Goblin Attack
• 8 Goblin Grog
• 7 Goblin Attack
• 6 Goblin Grog
• 5 Club
• 4 Club
• 3 Club
• 2 Club
• 1 Club

MC Ender doesn't tell the players what the Tricks do. He'll tell them after he uses them. The other goblins' Books looks similar with a few different Tricks.

MC Ender declares the start of the first round. Andy posts first, opening up with a special.

• 5 Blade of Fury

Brett: (Ninja)

• 6 Fire-Blade Jitsu

Chris: (Pirate)

• 5 St. Elmo's in a bottle

Dave: (Druid)

• 4 Magic Shield

MC Ender then reveals the goblins' chosen tricks:

Reg G

• 3 Club

Lil G

• 4 Knife

Big G

• 8 Goblin Kick

Adding the TS and CS we get this order of execution

• 13 Andy, Blade of Fury
• 11 Brett, Fire-Blade Jitsu
• 10 Big G, Goblin Kick
• 9 Reg G, Club
• 8 Chris, St. Elmo's in a bottle
• 8 Lil G, Knife
• 5 Dave, Magic Shield

You'll notice that even though Big G has a CS of 2, because he chose a higher priority move, he'll be going third this round. Also, Chris and Lil G both had an OS of 8, but since Chris had chosen a higher priority move with a TS of 5 he goes before Lil G who chose a move with a TS of 4.

Characters now choose their targets in order of their attacks.

• Andy uses Blade of Fury on Reg G for 5 Damage
• Brett uses Fire-Blade Jitsu on Reg G for 5 Damage
• Big G uses Goblin Kick on Dave for 6 Damage
• Reg G uses Club on Andy for 2 Damage
• Chris uses St. Elmo's in a bottle on all enemies for 5 Damage each. Reg G is KO
• Lil G uses Knife on Chris for 3 Damage
• Dave uses Magic Shield on himself, reducing damage on him by 1 for the rest of the Book

After a few more rounds, our heroes fend off the pathetic goblin squad. Andy still has six tricks left:

• 10 Starstorm
• 9 Blade of Fury
• 8 Potion
• 7 Blade of Fury
• 6 Potion
• 2 S. Sword Attack
• 1 S. Sword Attack

Not only are the two potions still in his inventory, but he also gets 7 SP back for the unused specials. So he walks away with 14 SP.

Detailed Rules

Coming soon...

Tricks Games

Monster Juice