The SANIC Hack: Checkpoint 1

Don't worry; there's no special stage above this one.
Halfpipes suck.

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Howdy, Farmhands!

    I don't expect many people to read this post. Or maybe it'll be the post everyone reads to avoid reading the previous posts, idk. I've made 5 full blogposts detailing my design choices for this ttrpg heartbreaker, (though the first was really just an overview/declaration of intent) so TODAY I think I ought to compile the changes made into a more concise post. Consider this the elevator pitch, but like, we've already stopped at every single floor and I've followed you into the hallway even though I was originally headed elsewhere.

PART 1: INTRODUCTION

Originally posted April 10th, 2024

The fact of the matter is that I wish to put a Sanic in Cairn, and none of you have any authority nor power to stop me. But before I do, a couple of points must be made. Firstly, what do I think a Cairn is? And secondly, what the fuck is a Sanic?

    As of writing this post, it's actually been exactly one month since part 1 went live! Neat! This being my first Serious attempt at Poasting in this longer format (I'd posted before, but that was expected to only reach my existing Vtubing audience, not a greater fandom/design space) it's oddly verbose with a ton of links to images nobody really commented on. As a declaration of intent, it also didn't involve any interesting or actionable content. As a landing page, I think it's okay? Certainly helps weed out the people who aren't interested in This Sort of Thing without asking them to get invested before they leave. I only want to waste my OWN time, tyvm.

    TL;DR-

• Baseline system is Cairn (Later clarified as general Into The Odd-likes)
  
  
• d20 roll under stat (STR, DEX, WIS)
  
  
• HP refills quickly, but damage beyond HP lowers STAT
  
  
• Slot-based Inventory System
  
  
• Classless, with Gear being the primary method of customization
  
  
• Nobody commented on the image I linked so I'm linking it again here
   

PART 2: PROBLEM SOLVING

Originally posted April 18th, 2024

"Doesn't this mean it's much harder for the players to ever seriously experience danger?" yes, but it creates a few more layers of player choice before you reach the "you don't get to roll any more" stage with those blorbos.

    In hindsight, this was probably not the most interesting first, actionable post I could have made for this project, but it was the one I'd recently talked about on twitter, so my hands were tied. I spent the first section essentially trying to walk the reader through my thought process and first draft ideas for this topic, before jettisoning that work in favor of the final product in section 2.

    This was a mistake. Don't expect your audience to get invested in something if you're only going to betray that investment in the very next paragraph. Heed my words lest ye befall the same fate.

    TL;DR -

• DOWN: A character at ZERO HP. Must roll a STR Save if damaged further.  
  
  
• OUT: An unconscious character that has failed their STR save after taking damage beyond ZERO HP. Effectively removed from the combat/scene.
  
  
• CARRY: An action that can be performed by PCs to shield DOWNED Allies from further harm. All Rolls are IMPAIRED for the duration. Requires 5 free Inventory Slots per Ally carried. CARRIED allies regain 1 HP per round. 
  
  
• SCORE: Mostly theoretical at this point. A checklist of behaviors and goals with an amount of Metacurrency attached to them. This Metacurrency is awarded at the end of a Session, and can be used to 'Purchase' features or items to be used during normal play.

PART 3: BLESSED BE THE HOG

Originally posted April 21st, 2024

In an effort to differentiate Fantastic Furries from their less magical counterparts, I'm putting together a short list of options to be taken during Character Creation. I considered having separate combinations be available depending on what KIND of furry you're using, but frankly, that's boring.

     Tweaking how 'death' works in an Odd-like was important for giving this heartbreaker more of a Super-Heroic feel without completely rejecting the elements of the Adventure Game design philosophy that led me to choose Cairn as my starting point. Part 3, then, was intended to push a little further and see if anything broke. 

    The only thing that broke was my formatting. This was the first post I made that got pushed not because I thought it was 'complete' but because I was so fucking tired of editing it, and it shows. I SHOULD clean it up now that I'm thinking about it but fuck if I want to do that.

    One thing I should note here is that the list of Blessings available to PCs at Character Creation will be limited/curated by specific Lineage. I've established that I want to hold off on talking about My World Lore as long as possible, but the Fantastic Furries and the Ridiculous Rubber-people will both have overlapping but unique Blessings to choose from, while Humans are barred from picking a Blessing to start.

    TL;DR -

• BLESSINGS: A thematic set of minor additions to or alterations of standard game mechanics. Intended to be found rarely during gameplay by most PCs, though Furry Characters* choose one at character creation.

PART 4: SODA POTIONS

Originally posted May 8th, 2024

    I genuinely think this is my best post so far. Out of any of them. Like, this is the standard I'm going to be holding my writing to going forward. It's technically just a compilation of a brainstorming session on twitter that got out of hand, but the end result isn't just stable and actionable, it's GAMEABLE for people who AREN'T ME. Finally, I've moved out of the realm of theory and into actual Game Design, lookatmego. 

    Unlike PART 2: where I failed to properly guide the reader through my thought process and instead invalidated their investment two paragraphs in, this post does a very good job of describing both the starting point of the design from Cairn, the specific areas I've already made changes to, and the slice of design I intend to affect with the NEW design the audience is about to be introduced to. I did it Ma, I'm a blogger!!!!

    I'm now legally required to repeat that I'm not going to explain Bar'd to you. Maybe I'll discuss Smackjeeves/The City RPs at a later date, from which you can triangulate what Bar'd is about, but that's somewhere down the line.

TL;DR -

• POTIONS: I'm just going to copy paste from the main post.

Potions are a consumable liquid that produce an effect in the drinker.
    
    They come in 3 Tiers, JUICE, SODA, and ENERGY, each with an associated Die Value (d4, d6, etc). A Potion that restores a resource (HP, Dice Pools) instantly grants that resource equal to the Die value of it's Tier. A Potion that grants an effect (Extra Damage, Invisibility, Extra Armor) temporarily grants that effect for a number of Rounds equal to the Die Value of it's Tier.

    In Inventory, Potions of the same Tier and Flavor may be stacked up to the maximum determined by their Tier.

    In Combat, 1 Potion may be Chugged each turn, before and separate from that PC's Action. In order to Chug a Potion, the PC must have at least 1 hand free to hold the container, and 1 forehead free to crush the container against once emptied.

•     JUICE: 1d4, No Associated Save.  Stacks up to 16. Usually served in Juice Boxes.
  
  Arguably Healthy, considering the amount of sugar.
  
  
  
•     SODA: 1d8, Save against WIL or BURP*. Stacks up to 12. Served in Cans.
  
  Carbonated, which makes the Magic Better or something.
  
  
  
•     ENERGY: 1d12, Save against WIL or BURP*. Stacks up to 8. Also served in Cans.
  
  Contains the maximum recommended daily dose of various questionable chemicals. Drinking more than 1 per 24 hours risks a CRASH**

*BURP: Failing a WIL save after Chugging a Potion of SODA or ENERGY Tier results in a BURP, replacing your Action for the Round with a loud belch.

**CRASH: A Floating value Equal the number of ENERGY Tier potions consumed within 24 hours after the first. At any point after accruing any value of Crash, should the PC BURP, Fatigue equal to the Crash Value is instantly applied.

• HOMEMADE/CUSTOM BREWS: Crafted Potions do 1 die-size less than their store-bought counterparts. Mixed drinks do 1 die-size less of an effect per effect mixed. 

PART 5: RELICS, SPELLS, SCROLLS, AND OTHER SOME-SUCH

Originally Posted May 9th, 2024

Magical nonsense happens frequently, even if it isn't recognized as such... There's no chanting or latin, or even an agreed upon method of categorizing specific phenomenon. There is only chaos, and those who can temporarily control it. 

     You'll notice the weeks-long gap in posting between 3 and 4, and the literal 19 hours between 4 and 5. This is because Part 5 was ORIGINALLY intended to follow up after Blessed Be The Hog, and was a bitch to edit. Also, I had to do construction on my house after my wife fell through the floor. Don't worry about it. I'm happy with the final result, but the Soda Potions post was finished quicker, so it became part 4. 

    This is an Important Post for this project, even if it's mostly reflavoring existing Cairn/ItO mechanics to match the fantasy. With these terms and their uses described, however, I can now refer back to them as needed going forwards. It's all downhill (/pos) from here, lads.

    TL;DR -

• TECHNIQUES: A special maneuver performed by a PC who has memorized it. Always requires a Save, with Failure imparting FATIGUE. Techniques do not exist within the Inventory, though may require an Object to trigger. (Comparable to Spells)
  
  
• UPGRADES: An object containing a limited number of uses of a specific Technique.  Takes up an Inventory slot, and comes with specific Recharge requirements. Use does not risk Fatigue. (Comparable to Relics)
  
  
• POWER-UPS: A stackable object containing a single, limited use of a specific Technique. Usable by anyone with the object in their possession. The object is fully consumed upon use. Use does not risk Fatigue. (Comparable to Scrolls)
  

FINAL PART: CHECKPOINT 1

hey, wait a minute

    Going back over the previous set of posts in this series has actually been really interesting. It's odd, looking at the disparate ramblings as one cohesive project, and seeing the spots that still need attention. If I had to start the project over, I'd definitely post them in a different order, beginning with the reflavoring of existing mechanics such as in Part 5, tweaking Death mechanics such as in Part 2, and THEN introducing new content by way of Blessings and Soda Potions in 3 and 4. Hindsight is 2020 I'm afraid, so there's not much I can do about it now.

    What I CAN do is give a brief overview of what I plan to do next. The blogpost following this one SHOULD be about Weapons, how they'll be categorized, and how specializing in one fighting style can earn PCs Weapon-specific Techniques. After that, the project should be 'Complete' mechanically, with the bones ready to be filled with meat. A few d66 tables later, and I'll be ready to begin Telling You About My World Lore, and probably giving this project it's own unique name. We'll see how much of the above I actually accomplish by Checkpoint 2.

    Until Next Time,

        -Farmer Gadda