Rewriting Dwindle pt 5 Classes and Abilities

One of the best RPGs I have ever read is Pokethulhu. I don't know how well the actual mechanics would hold up during play, I think it would be to difficult for PCs to fail. However, the tie-in between the setting and the mechanics is spot-on. Not to mention the evocative (and funny) description of the rules that also expands on the setting of the fictional anime of the same name.

But the most stealable bit of their game is the Pokethulhu ability system. Every little monster has the same 4 abilities, and two affinities. You then assign an affinity to an ability, and give the combination a descriptive name. So the Injure ability might be a Bolt from the Blue if lightning is your affinity, or Death by a Thousand Cuts, if your affinity is paper.

As someone that enjoys thinking about games, but hates creating a set number of abilities for each class, this was a lightbulb moment.

This was the inspiration for Gods of Aureata. The ability to allow Players to mix and match abilities and affinities to create their own powers. It wasn't until after the GoA playtest, when I began to get an itch to rewrite Dwindle, that I came up with a way to throw the mechanic into Dwindle. So, here it goes.

Classes & Abilities

One of your backgrounds should be your Class. This can be any setting suitable role. Examples can include: Alchemist, Bard, Cleric, or Druid in a fantasy setting, or Gunner, Hacker, Infiltrator, Junker, or Killer in a cyberpunk setting.

For your abilities, you will need to select 1 ability plus 1 additional ability for each Tier of your group. You will combine these abilities with your class and create a descriptive name for it.

The abilities are:

• Break is the ability to cause harm either to an object or a person. This ability cause damage equal to weapon damage + 2. Each additional point of damage causes + damage.
• Mend is the ability to heal harm to either an object or a person. This ability heals damage equal to Each additional points adds +1 to the amount healed.
• Illuminate is the ability to both create light and to also show things which are hidden. This ability lasts 1 round. For each additional point invested in the ability, the effect lasts for 1 additional round.
• Obfuscate is the ability to both confuse targets and to cause a target to be hidden. This ability lasts 1 round. Additional points each add 1 round to the effect/
• Banish is the ability to temporarily remove a target from a scene. The target will be removed for a minimum of 1 round. Additional points cause the target to be banished for 1 additional round each.
• Summon is the ability to temporarily bring a target into a scene. The target will be present for a minimum of 1 round.  Extra points grant +1 round each.
• Assist is the ability to grant advantage to the target. The target will gain advantage to the named roll and an additional +1 flat bonus per extra point invested in this ability.
• Hinder is the ability to cause a target to have disadvantage. Lasts for 1 round. Each additional point grants + 1 round. PCs rolling against the target will have advantage against the target. If the target makes rolls, the rolls will be at disadvantage.
• Tempt is the ability to cause a target to take an action prescribed by the caster. The action must make logical sense for self preservation to the target, thus simply telling the target to die or to jump of the cliff will normally not work. But they may be tempted to surrender, to assist you, or to tell you valuable information. 1 target and 1 action. Each extra point grants + 1 additional target or action.
• Protect is the ability to stop a target from taking harm. This may be applied before hand (as an ablative shield) or used as an interrupt to reactively stop damage. The amount of protection is equal to 1d. Each extra point adds +1 additional point of protection.

My Necromancer has the Break ability. There are a few ways that I can name it. I could call it Bone Spear, and describe it as a spectral spear of bone that skewers my target. Or I could call it Zombie Rush, and describe it as a zombie that suddenly rises from the ground, claws the target and then dissolves into a rotten puddle.

Note that I am still thinking about the timing for the duration abilities. I also realize that the Hinder sounds really better than the Assist, but that would only be in combat and other contests. Assist could help a target stealth past a guard, climb a wall, swim across a lake, or succeed on any other skill check. But Hinder is more limited in that you have to have a target that is intentionally opposing you in some way to be effective. Hindering a wall that you should scale, just doesn't work.

To use your abilities, you will use your class resource die. Simply declare you are using the ability and determine the outcome. Next, roll your class resource die, if it results in a 1 or 2 it will dwindle.

Class resource dice are reset to full at the beginning of each session. Kind GMs may allow the party to refresh 1 step after appropriate rests, or upon completing milestones.