Eidolon
Murderface Murderface
Preface: Here's the diddly doo I was working on back in December/January in the context of looking at Rebooting/revamping/replacing EN with a RPG I had my hand in.
I didn't chunk up the 'grading' part yet, but in essence, when writing is done and completed, the overseer for that group takes some time to provide feedback in terms of style, context, and contribution to the RP.
If players participate in PMs, they can be up for attribute/skill bumps, perks, or item pickups etc. In short, you've got a shot at 2 to 3 bumps per year.
The junk itself:
Character Abstraction
As we want to focus on writing enjoyment, and the development of a character as both a person and in the sense of the growth of their power, we will be using a representation system that keeps it fairly simple and yet, offers ample room for the previously mentioned goals.
Each Character has attributes and a grade assigned to them more or less representing their current prowess in that attribute. This is not their potential, but rather, their current status.
Grades:
-/+ indicates a worse, or better value of category, allowing for further honing of representing one’s abilities without going too into detail.
F: F is the absolute worst category. While generally speaking a ninja with an F attribute is still more capable then a normal person in the same area, they are by no means exemplary in this area. This would be the equivalent of a ninja who has just graduated from the academy, a fresh genin.
D: D is about the peak level of a human being who has no ninja training. Star athletes, Olympic in caliber, would have a D rating. A ninja with a D rating in agility wouldn’t want to try winning a race against a cheetah, but could easily keep up with any normal person. Fresh genin may have a few attributes at this level, and chunin may show their weak areas with this sort of rating.
C: This is considered above average for a ninja. A ninja with a C rating as a genin would be remarked upon as a prodigy in that area, while a chunin would still receive praise for having it. A character with a C agility would tie or win a race with a cheetah.
B: A remarkable attribute indeed. Usually only found in jonin level ninjas, and thus quite rare. A chunin with this kind of attribute might have a remarkable edge in their missions. A character with this kind of agility stat could probably race a car over short distances!
A: Considered a peak attribute, something truly impressive and likely shaping the career and choices a ninja makes. Not all jonin have an attribute this impressive. A character with this kind of agility would consider racing sports cars over short distances!
S: Beyond super human. This is the sort of prowess that gets one named as a Kage almost assuredly, assuming they live long enough to replace the current one. A character with this kind of attribute will likely become a legend in the Ninja world. A ninja with an S ranking in agility is the kind of person that is capable of snatching bullets out of the air!
Attributes
These are the key attributes that describe your characters base abilities.
Strength: How physically powerful you are.
Agility: How quick your reactions and overall movement speed are.
Chakra: How tough and enduring you are, as well as your repository of energy.
Wit: The measure of your mental capacity to understand situations and complex systems.
Charisma: A combination of looks and personality, and that intangible ability to sway others.
Ninja Arts
These measure your character’s prowess and understanding of the ninja arts.
Taijutsu: The ability to fight hand to hand, with archaic melee weapons and thrown weapons. Taijutsu techniques often require certain levels of strength, agility, or chakra to learn.
Ninjutsu: The ability to use ninja arts. This is the most varied and sweeping of technique categories, and may call upon some or all of agility, chakra, charisma, strength, and wit to learn.
Genjutsu: The ability to use mental techniques to confuse, bluff, or deceive. Typically, Genjustu is able to be learned based on Charisma, Wit, and Chakra.
Techniques:
Techniques are the specific tools of the various Ninja Arts. They are clustered into classes by grade. They may have prerequisites to learn, which typically grow steeper as the grade gets better. These include Attributes, Ninja Arts, and instruction from someone knowing the technique or Rank.
They also have a suggested means of describing how to use, and defend against them, but this is by far from set in stone. Remember to appreciate context!
Perks
Perks are special enhancements to your character that allow them to do things a bit better, gain access to certain techniques, or improve an Attribute or Ninja Art above their current level. They represent the heritage of your ninja (if you have a Kekkei Genkai) , innate capabilities (such as an enhanced Attribute), or intangible edge the ninja possesses. Some Perks may have prerequisites.
Tradeoffs
Tradeoffs are a lot like perks, in that they tend to bolster your character in some way, yet, they always come with a price. An example of a simple tradeoff is shown below.
Gain one, lose one
Description: As a part of your formulative years as a ninja, or perhaps due to a predisposition of genetics, you possess a weakness in one Attribute or Ninja Art, yet you also possess a bit of a gift in another.
Effect: Pick one Attribute or Ninja Art to assign one lower – to, and pick one to assign one + too. May not assign the penalty and bonus to the same Attribute or Ninja Art, both must be above F.
Disadvantage
Disadvantages are the opposite of Perks. Having one of these only has a noticeable negative impact on your character. No one is forced to take a Disadvantage when creating their character, however those that do gain one additional Perk. Disadvantages gained after you’ve created your character do not give you Perk. However, if you would gain a Perk, you may use it to remove a Disadvantage. Writing how and why this happened is highly encouraged.
Making a Character
Character need to have a certain flesh themselves out to start out their lives as genin. This section shows you how that is done.
Attributes
The five attributes are Strength, Agility, Chakra, Wit, and Charisma. When creating a character, you receive Four increases and two + to distribute. No attribute may start higher than a C, and the minimum rating is an F.
An example of this distribution would be:
Strength: D
Agility: C
Chakra: D
Wit: F+
Charisma: F+
This Ninja would be as strong as an Olympian, as quick as a cheetah, have a good amount of Chakra for a genin while their generally wit and charisma were unremarkable.
Next you decide how to allocate your Ninja Arts. You receive one grade increase, and one + to distribute between Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, and Genjutsu.
Our example ninja, wanting to be a fighter type, decided on:
Taijutsu: D
Ninjutsu: F+
Genjutsu: F
For a genin, he’s a dangerous close in fighter, has a limited selection of ninjutsu, and likely knows no genjutsu.
Next, you may select a perk. You don’t have to, but, these are free bonuses for your character and I highly suggest doing so.
Our example ninja, as mentioned before, wants to fight in close, so he took the Taijutsu Aptitude Perk.
Taijutsu Aptitude
Description: You have spent time honing your combat prowess, or simply have a natural aptitude towards fighting and it really shows.
Effect: Your Taijutsu increases by one grade. If selecting this perk when creating a ninja, you may not increase your Ninja Art above a C+.
By choosing that perk, our ninja’s Ninja Arts now look like this.
Taitjutsu: C
Ninjutsu: F+
Genjutsu: F
Fast and good at fighting, our ninja’s desires to be a close combat fighter are being realized.
Now, if we want, we can assign our ninja a Tradeoff and or Disadvantage. Remember, taking a disadvantage when creating your character allows for another Perk to be taken.
In the case of our Ninja, we decide to take a Tradeoff, but not a disadvantage. For our Tradeoff, we select:
Skill over Prowess
Description: While not quite as gifted in raw prowess, you possess a slight edge on other ninja with your refined technique.
Effect: You receive a – to one Attribute (Attributes may not be lower then F) but a + to one Ninja Art (when creating a ninja, Ninja Arts may not be above a C).
We chose to lower our speed to a C-, but improve our Ninjutsu to a D-. Remember, since it was an F+, adding a + turns this into a D-. This might get us the ninjutsu that will give us an edge over other genin in a fight.
Lastly, you pick the Techniques you wish your Ninja to have. An F Ninja Art rating grants you 0 techniques in that category, and each grade + above an F gives you one technique. Remember you must meet the Prerequisites to take a technique. As an example, our ninja takes a Taijutsu Technique.
Soft Strike
Rank: Rookie Chunin
Prerequisites: Agility C- or better, Taijutsu C- or better, instruction from a chunin(may be taken during creation).
Description: Relying on speed and grace to strike vital points on your opponent’s body, if you hit your opponent on a limb it will become numbed and difficult to wield properly. When using that limb, their Agility, Strength, Ninjutsu, and Taijutsu are all considered one grade lower for two turns.
To use: Agility, Taijutsu
To defend: Taijutsu, Agility.
I didn't chunk up the 'grading' part yet, but in essence, when writing is done and completed, the overseer for that group takes some time to provide feedback in terms of style, context, and contribution to the RP.
If players participate in PMs, they can be up for attribute/skill bumps, perks, or item pickups etc. In short, you've got a shot at 2 to 3 bumps per year.
The junk itself:
Character Abstraction
As we want to focus on writing enjoyment, and the development of a character as both a person and in the sense of the growth of their power, we will be using a representation system that keeps it fairly simple and yet, offers ample room for the previously mentioned goals.
Each Character has attributes and a grade assigned to them more or less representing their current prowess in that attribute. This is not their potential, but rather, their current status.
Grades:
-/+ indicates a worse, or better value of category, allowing for further honing of representing one’s abilities without going too into detail.
F: F is the absolute worst category. While generally speaking a ninja with an F attribute is still more capable then a normal person in the same area, they are by no means exemplary in this area. This would be the equivalent of a ninja who has just graduated from the academy, a fresh genin.
D: D is about the peak level of a human being who has no ninja training. Star athletes, Olympic in caliber, would have a D rating. A ninja with a D rating in agility wouldn’t want to try winning a race against a cheetah, but could easily keep up with any normal person. Fresh genin may have a few attributes at this level, and chunin may show their weak areas with this sort of rating.
C: This is considered above average for a ninja. A ninja with a C rating as a genin would be remarked upon as a prodigy in that area, while a chunin would still receive praise for having it. A character with a C agility would tie or win a race with a cheetah.
B: A remarkable attribute indeed. Usually only found in jonin level ninjas, and thus quite rare. A chunin with this kind of attribute might have a remarkable edge in their missions. A character with this kind of agility stat could probably race a car over short distances!
A: Considered a peak attribute, something truly impressive and likely shaping the career and choices a ninja makes. Not all jonin have an attribute this impressive. A character with this kind of agility would consider racing sports cars over short distances!
S: Beyond super human. This is the sort of prowess that gets one named as a Kage almost assuredly, assuming they live long enough to replace the current one. A character with this kind of attribute will likely become a legend in the Ninja world. A ninja with an S ranking in agility is the kind of person that is capable of snatching bullets out of the air!
Attributes
These are the key attributes that describe your characters base abilities.
Strength: How physically powerful you are.
Agility: How quick your reactions and overall movement speed are.
Chakra: How tough and enduring you are, as well as your repository of energy.
Wit: The measure of your mental capacity to understand situations and complex systems.
Charisma: A combination of looks and personality, and that intangible ability to sway others.
Ninja Arts
These measure your character’s prowess and understanding of the ninja arts.
Taijutsu: The ability to fight hand to hand, with archaic melee weapons and thrown weapons. Taijutsu techniques often require certain levels of strength, agility, or chakra to learn.
Ninjutsu: The ability to use ninja arts. This is the most varied and sweeping of technique categories, and may call upon some or all of agility, chakra, charisma, strength, and wit to learn.
Genjutsu: The ability to use mental techniques to confuse, bluff, or deceive. Typically, Genjustu is able to be learned based on Charisma, Wit, and Chakra.
Techniques:
Techniques are the specific tools of the various Ninja Arts. They are clustered into classes by grade. They may have prerequisites to learn, which typically grow steeper as the grade gets better. These include Attributes, Ninja Arts, and instruction from someone knowing the technique or Rank.
They also have a suggested means of describing how to use, and defend against them, but this is by far from set in stone. Remember to appreciate context!
Perks
Perks are special enhancements to your character that allow them to do things a bit better, gain access to certain techniques, or improve an Attribute or Ninja Art above their current level. They represent the heritage of your ninja (if you have a Kekkei Genkai) , innate capabilities (such as an enhanced Attribute), or intangible edge the ninja possesses. Some Perks may have prerequisites.
Tradeoffs
Tradeoffs are a lot like perks, in that they tend to bolster your character in some way, yet, they always come with a price. An example of a simple tradeoff is shown below.
Gain one, lose one
Description: As a part of your formulative years as a ninja, or perhaps due to a predisposition of genetics, you possess a weakness in one Attribute or Ninja Art, yet you also possess a bit of a gift in another.
Effect: Pick one Attribute or Ninja Art to assign one lower – to, and pick one to assign one + too. May not assign the penalty and bonus to the same Attribute or Ninja Art, both must be above F.
Disadvantage
Disadvantages are the opposite of Perks. Having one of these only has a noticeable negative impact on your character. No one is forced to take a Disadvantage when creating their character, however those that do gain one additional Perk. Disadvantages gained after you’ve created your character do not give you Perk. However, if you would gain a Perk, you may use it to remove a Disadvantage. Writing how and why this happened is highly encouraged.
Making a Character
Character need to have a certain flesh themselves out to start out their lives as genin. This section shows you how that is done.
Attributes
The five attributes are Strength, Agility, Chakra, Wit, and Charisma. When creating a character, you receive Four increases and two + to distribute. No attribute may start higher than a C, and the minimum rating is an F.
An example of this distribution would be:
Strength: D
Agility: C
Chakra: D
Wit: F+
Charisma: F+
This Ninja would be as strong as an Olympian, as quick as a cheetah, have a good amount of Chakra for a genin while their generally wit and charisma were unremarkable.
Next you decide how to allocate your Ninja Arts. You receive one grade increase, and one + to distribute between Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, and Genjutsu.
Our example ninja, wanting to be a fighter type, decided on:
Taijutsu: D
Ninjutsu: F+
Genjutsu: F
For a genin, he’s a dangerous close in fighter, has a limited selection of ninjutsu, and likely knows no genjutsu.
Next, you may select a perk. You don’t have to, but, these are free bonuses for your character and I highly suggest doing so.
Our example ninja, as mentioned before, wants to fight in close, so he took the Taijutsu Aptitude Perk.
Taijutsu Aptitude
Description: You have spent time honing your combat prowess, or simply have a natural aptitude towards fighting and it really shows.
Effect: Your Taijutsu increases by one grade. If selecting this perk when creating a ninja, you may not increase your Ninja Art above a C+.
By choosing that perk, our ninja’s Ninja Arts now look like this.
Taitjutsu: C
Ninjutsu: F+
Genjutsu: F
Fast and good at fighting, our ninja’s desires to be a close combat fighter are being realized.
Now, if we want, we can assign our ninja a Tradeoff and or Disadvantage. Remember, taking a disadvantage when creating your character allows for another Perk to be taken.
In the case of our Ninja, we decide to take a Tradeoff, but not a disadvantage. For our Tradeoff, we select:
Skill over Prowess
Description: While not quite as gifted in raw prowess, you possess a slight edge on other ninja with your refined technique.
Effect: You receive a – to one Attribute (Attributes may not be lower then F) but a + to one Ninja Art (when creating a ninja, Ninja Arts may not be above a C).
We chose to lower our speed to a C-, but improve our Ninjutsu to a D-. Remember, since it was an F+, adding a + turns this into a D-. This might get us the ninjutsu that will give us an edge over other genin in a fight.
Lastly, you pick the Techniques you wish your Ninja to have. An F Ninja Art rating grants you 0 techniques in that category, and each grade + above an F gives you one technique. Remember you must meet the Prerequisites to take a technique. As an example, our ninja takes a Taijutsu Technique.
Soft Strike
Rank: Rookie Chunin
Prerequisites: Agility C- or better, Taijutsu C- or better, instruction from a chunin(may be taken during creation).
Description: Relying on speed and grace to strike vital points on your opponent’s body, if you hit your opponent on a limb it will become numbed and difficult to wield properly. When using that limb, their Agility, Strength, Ninjutsu, and Taijutsu are all considered one grade lower for two turns.
To use: Agility, Taijutsu
To defend: Taijutsu, Agility.
