Introduction link h2
In this game-mechanics post, we wanted to highlight the central tenet that initially inspired Andrew to develop Guild Chronicles - games are more fun if you are rewarded for working together. With this core philosophy in mind, we’ve created rules that allow for:
- engaging player interactions,
- builds that fill a specific combat role, and
- powers that provide additional mechanical benefit when used to benefit allies.
We hope that this update will provide enough game materials for people new to the system to imagine playing in it. Below, you will find the full text of fifteen abilities from the Core Rules. Each will illustrate a way that Guild Chronicles allows players to:
- fill the role of “tank” in ways that are fun and tactically effective
- play a “healer” that does more than just heal turn after turn
- support their team with unique buffs and abilities that multiply allies’ effectiveness
- select combinations that provide impactful bonuses to the entire team
- interact with other players in ways that create dynamic potential to strategize and employ tactics
Playing a tactical “tank” in a TTRPG link h2
For years after World of Warcraft launched, Andrew loved playing tanks. For all of the potential of this role though, tanks in TTRPGs had an ongoing flaw: most games allowed players to create well-armored tanks, but didn’t provide effective ways of maintaining “aggro”. Sure, you could make a character with a huge defense, but smart monsters would just stop trying to hit them and crunch on lightly armored allies.
Having powers that increase survivability and create situations that force or encourage attackers to hit the tank allows for incredibly fun individual play that is not often found in TTRPGs. It also unlocks much deeper tactical play on a group level. Here are some powers that each unlock this kind of play in unique ways.
Note: Many of the Powers below reference Heroic Bonuses - these bonuses are derived from a character’s current Experience Points and increase as characters advance. For clarity, an example value (reflecting each bonus at character creation) is included in parentheses.
Challenge link h3
Prerequisite: Defender Class
Action: Attack Action
Use: At-Will
Effect: Choose an Enemy within 3 Squares of you. Move them to the closest available Square Adjacent to you and Strike them. On their next Turn, your Target must include you as a Target of each of their Attacks before Attacking your Allies.
With this Power, a Defender can reposition an enemy away from vulnerable allies and command its attention on its next turn.
Runeshield link h3
Prerequisite: Runeblade Class, Spellshield
Action: Attack Action
Use: At-Will (Spell)
Effect: Strike an Adjacent Target. Twice before your next Turn, you may elect to have a Spell that Targets an Ally within 5 Squares Target you instead. You gain Temporary Hit Points equal to your Legendary Heroic Bonus (4). You gain +1 Defense for as long as you have Temporary Hit Points.
With this Power, a Runeblade can choose which spells to redirect away from its allies after increasing their own resistance to magic and elemental damage.
Bramblegrowth link h3
Prerequisite: Wylder Class
Action: Minor Action
Use: Limited (Spell)
Effect: Count the number of Adjacent Enemies and roll that many d4s. You Heal Hit Points equal to the Result. Until the beginning of your next Turn, Adjacent Enemies’ Speed is reduced to zero and, once before your next Turn, when an Adjacent Enemy Attacks an Ally you can Strike them as a Reaction after the Attack is clarified.
After gathering as many enemies adjacent to you, a Wylder can use this Power to recover a significant number of Hit Points and lock enemies in place, punishing them if they still elect to target an ally.
The Defender, Runeblade and Wylder all have unique ways to protect their allies and command the attention of enemies. Each plays differently and shines under different circumstances. If you enjoy this kind of playstyle, Guild Chronicles provides plenty of options.
Say goodbye to boring “healers” link h2
Many players are drawn to roles that support their allies in combat, and healing is a pretty common way to accomplish this goal. Players quickly get turned off by healing in many TTRPGs, though. If all you do each turn is return some Hit Points, you’re likely to get bored pretty quickly.
In Guild Chronicles, healing is always part of another action, providing opportunities to affect other portions of the battle or interact with allies in other ways. Here are three unique healing powers, each with their own strengths. Remember, each of these will allow the player to Strike with whichever of the 40 starting Weapons they choose, providing nearly one hundred possible combinations.
Wyld Growth link h3
Prerequisite: Wylder Class, Font of Life
Action: Attack Action
Use: At-Will (Spell)
Effect: Strike. Heal yourself for 1d6 Hit Points. Until the start of your next Turn, when an Ally uses a Main-Hand Strike on your Target, you Heal that Ally for 1d6 Hit Points. This Attack deals Poison Damage.
With this Power, a Wylder Strike with their Weapon and provide ample healing for a group that is focused on attacking the same target.
Inspiring Strike link h3
Prerequisite: Umbramancer Class
Action: Attack Action
Use: At-Will (Spell)
Effect: Strike, dealing half Damage. You or an Ally within 5 Squares are Healed for 2d8 Hit Points.
Augmented: Increase the Healing done to 4d6; or Heal yourself and all Allies within 5 Squares.
(Umbramancers can use a Limited Power to Augment any of their Powers, getting an increased effect)
This Power reduces the damage of a Strike but allows the Umbramancer to deliver big heals when they’re needed.
Spirit of Hope link h3
Prerequisite: Summoner Class
Action: Attack Action
Use: At-Will (Spell)
Effect: Strike. Allies Adjacent to your Spirit Companion(s) are Healed by an amount equal to your Major Heroic Bonus (2).
Special: If you do not have a Spirit Companion in play, you may opt to suffer Piercing Damage equal to your Legendary Heroic Bonus (4) to summon one in a Square within 5 Squares.
(Summoners control a small number of companions at a time and use their Attack Powers to conjure them)
Summoners can make use of this power and well-positioned Spirit Companions to provide ongoing small heals that might even overlap.
Select Powers that aid allies link h2
Guild Chronicles also provides other more nuanced abilities to aid allies in ways that require coordination and strategizing as a group. Notably, it’s not just spellcasters that provide these opportunities; martial warriors have options that can enable their group in dynamic ways as well.
Exploit Vulnerability link h3
Prerequisite: Armsmaster Class, Exploit Weakness
Action: Attack Action
Use: Limited
Effect: Strike. You get a Critical Hit (in addition to additional Critical Hits that might result from your Attack). The next Ally that uses a Main-Hand Strike against your Target gets a Critical Hit (in addition to additional Critical Hits that might result from their Attack). This Power replaces Exploit Weakness.
By coordinating the order players take their turns, an Armsmaster can use this Power to guarantee a Critical Hit for an ally when they really need it (to Recharge a Power or trigger an important ability).
Leyline link h3
Prerequisite: Wizard Class
Action: Movement Action
Use: Limited (Spell)
Effect: Mark an Adjacent Square or a Square you are on. You tap into the latent magic in that Square, creating a temporary leyline. Until the end of the Encounter, while you or an Ally are Adjacent or on the Marked Square, they can add your Major Heroic Bonus (2) to their Spell Strikes and Healing rolls. As a Movement Action, a creature benefiting from the leyline can drain it, ending this Power but Recharging one non-Capstone Spell of their choice.
To effectively use this Power, a team will have to not only position the leyline well, but protect vulnerable characters so that they can continue to stand near this great source of power.
Uncanny Foresight link h3
Prerequisite: Seer Class, Flash of Foresight
Action: Attack Action
Use: At-Will (Spell)
Effect: Strike. Twice before your next Turn as a Reaction, you may add or subtract 1 from the Result of a die roll. This can cause the roll to become a Critical Hit or negate a Critical Hit.
A strategic Seer can really enable an entire group. Using this Power, a Seer could prevent a devastating Critical Hit against a wounded ally, turn a near-Critical Hit into an actual one, or even manipulate unique rolls like miss-chances due to concealment.
Utilize Powers that provide outsized benefits to your whole team link h2
One of Andrew’s favorite builds is a mid-level Ranger that’s incredibly specialized in providing damage bonuses to their allies. This character doesn’t shine in individual damage, but it provides an incredible increase to the damage to their team. Guild Chronicles has plenty of these little perks that reward selfless playstyles that focus on the group instead of the individual.
Pack Master link h3
Prerequisite: Ranger Class, Lead the Pack
Action: Attack Action
Use: At-Will
Effect: Strike. Until the end of your next Turn, Strikes against your Target made by your Allies gain a Bonus equal to your Major Heroic Bonus (2). If you have an Animal Companion and it is Adjacent to your Target, it may Attack, dealing 1d8 Piercing Damage.
With this build, the Ranger directs the targeting of the entire group, allowing the group to focus their fire and benefit from this Power and more.
Animal Companion link h3
Prerequisite: Ranger Class
Effect: You gain an Animal Companion. It has your Defense & Speed, a d6 for all Attributes, and Maximum Hit Points equal to half of yours. You and your Allies get a Major Heroic Bonus (2) to Attacks made against Enemies Adjacent to your Animal Companion. Once per Round, as a Free Action on your Turn, you can Move your Companion up to its Speed. It cannot make its own Attacks.
Special: If it is killed, you can find and train a new one, but it takes a month of effort.
Animal Companion provides another boost to group damage that’s focused and coordinated.
Commander’s Relic link h3
Main-Handed Weapon
Attribute: Wisdom
Benefit: When you get a Critical Hit, roll a d6. On a result of 5 or 6, an Ally (other than yourself) within 3 Squares of you or your Target Recharges a Limited Power.
Lead the Charge link h4
Main-Hand Strike (Spell)
Range: 3 Squares
Damage: Wisdom + 1d10 Force Damage
Effect: Your Allies get a bonus to Attacks against your Target equal to your Minor Heroic Bonus (1) until the beginning of your next Turn.
Even the Ranger’s Weapon selection synergizes with this build. Instead of opting for an archetypical bow, this Ranger selects a spellcasting Weapon that further boosts group damage.
With build opportunities like this one, it can be very fun (and rewarding) to build characters collaboratively and seek out synergy between builds. Furthermore, a group of heroes with diverse roles and builds will be much more effective than homogeneous groups. If your gaming group enjoys building characters together, Guild Chronicles will provide even more rich opportunities to be creative collaboratively.
Select Powers that interact with allies for additional layers of tactical play link h2
During playtests, powers that allow players to interact and coordinate were especially popular and well-received. This type of ability allows a player to swoop in to protect an ally, get an ally out of a tight spot, or provide a quick benefit that turns the tide of a battle.
Opening link h3
Prerequisite: Warrior Archetype
Action: Minor Action
Use: Limited
Effect: You may Move an Ally within 5 Squares of you up to their Speed. If your Ally is Adjacent to you, this Power is not Expended.
This Power fits into almost any Warrior build and with minimal investment can open up a lot of strategic play. A tank can utilize it to move allies out of danger, or a damage dealer can utilize it to move the tank into a better position.
Steal Haste link h3
Prerequisite: Wizard Class, Slow
Action: Attack Action
Use: At-Will (Spell)
Effect: Make an Attack. The Target suffers a -2 Penalty to Speed, and you may Move the Target 2 Squares. Select an Ally within 5 Squares of you. They may take an additional Movement Action on their next Turn.
An extra Movement Action (which can be converted down to a Minor Action) can be incredibly useful to builds that utilize all of their actions each turn. It can also be a good way to allow for simple repositioning of teammates that would not otherwise be possible.
Gem of Luck link h3
Two-Handed Weapon
Attribute: Wisdom
Benefit: Once per Turn, when more than one die (that can result in a Critical Hit) in an Attack Results in the same number, you get a Critical Hit.
Contagious Luck link h4
Range: 5 Squares
Damage: Wisdom + 1d10 + Greater Heroic Bonus (3) Force Damage
Effect: Put the dice rolled in this Strike aside. Once before your next Turn, you can replace a die (of the same size) in an Ally or Enemy’s Attack with one of these dice.
Even Weapons can provide any build with opportunities to influence others’ turns. This Strike can be used to increase ally rolls or mess with an enemy’s.
Interactions like these provide countless moments of teamwork that can leave a group feeling bonded; together you can recall the great challenges you faced together and you can tell stories about times when you saved each other from the clutches of death!
Games are more fun if you are rewarded for working together link h2
We believe so strongly in this tenet that we designed a game with it at its core. We think you’ll agree. Guild Chronicles’ rules allow for tactical, dynamic combat, enable players to create unique builds that fit into engaging diverse roles, and reward collaboration by design. We sincerely hope you’ll join our growing community and meet us in Verden.
We’re honored to be a featured project on Kickstarter! Our Kickstarter Campaign is running through April 21st in celebration of Autism Acceptance Month. If you want a new TTRPG to try, or are interested in how role playing games can foster social emotional skills, we’d love for you to check it out!
#ProjectsWeLove