Tag Hack 2.0 - Stripped down and rebuilt for ICME

hack
#1

After returning to 5e for nearly a year to appease a new group, I am confidently stepping back into the world of ICRPG with my new and improved Tag Hack 2.0.

TheTagHack_v2.0

  • No Dump Stats Every Stat matters and doubles down on what makes the Stat unique.
  • Combability with ICME meant to be used with my schwanky collector’s edition at the table.
  • Hard Fantasy A bit tougher on the Players with lower Stats and steadier levelling, but plenty of room for Loot to make a world of difference!
  • Maze Rats Magic Intended to be used as a combo of Maze Rates spells and ICME: Magic spell creation from p.321.

All the concepts are centered on the importance of a single word or phrase. Legacies, weapons, armor, magic. Everything has a Tag concept imbedded. Nothing revolutionary or new. Only laid bare and obvious.

Goes without saying, this is not a complete document with room for improvement. Take what you like, ignore what bothers you.

Thanks,
ThatPillager

#2

This is great! I really like the tiers idea. It’s a pretty clever way to make unique characters.

#3

I like it a lot.

The defense and armor stuff is pretty elegant, might be a bit too high for my taste, with the “average” example you have a 14 treshold, which would need a pretty heavy hit to actually inflict damage to anything, I suppose durability of the armor compensates for this.

Will give it a try in my next one shot.

#4

I found the same thing after some testing. The thresholds for Hit Die were too high, too. Felt silly. The Hit Die still matters, but now they are literal Hit Points instead of a target.

The goal was to provide a risk reward with the Pushes for lower HP and Armor. I think there is one of two routes:

  1. Armor is separate like Defense.
    Example Light Tier II Armor ignores damage below 6 (d6) and can be pushed 3 time before destroyed. Each Push still reduces Tier, but the threshold still increases the longevity of an item.

  2. Armor adds to HP and pushes deplete Armor to ignore a huge attack.
    Example Light Tier II Armor increases HP by 6. Pushing the Armor ignores all (or maybe 10 Effort? feels a bit strong to negate ALL effort) and reduces the Tier by one to Tier I. At Tier I the bonus is HP is 4. Another Push would reduce the Tier to 0 destroying it.

I think it is really important to make armor feel distinct and valuable. The trade off between wearing Heavy Armor and Light is critical. The +3 Durability (aka 3 more Pushes) is realistic without being doggedly simulationist; heavy armor means better protection, even it if is 3 out your 5 Load.

#5

Sounds like a good tweak.

#6

Link broken? I’d love to see the TagHack…

#7

Thread necro but I too would love to see this document.