So, this spring I made a (computerized) gamebook. I'm happy with how it came out. Success was moderate, but there's still time. Trouble is, my pet rule system had to be slashed significantly to fit the medium, even though it's designed from the start for computer and/or solo games.

As I hope to make more gamebooks like that, a simplified version is in order, and after some thinking figured out how the stats should work. Not so much combat. Guess I need to read more about similar systems, but they're relatively uncommon.

Please recommend me some RPG rule systems where enemies are treated like static difficulty targets to roll against, rather than active opponents that hit back on their own, casting spells and whatnot. Right now the only one I can think of is D6 Dungeons. (Edit: preferably free because right now my disposable income is rather small. Apologies.)

If it helps, my new system will also deemphasize gear, in order to simplify coding: heroes will be more likely to have a signature weapon than finding semi-disposable loot in every hole. Was thinking to maybe add fancy moves / techniques for them to learn and improve, so as to make combat spicier and provide a progression system at the same time, while not bogging things down with levels or stat increases.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Right now my ideas about this are somewhat muddled; sorry about that. Ask if you need details.

I like it, it sounds fun, sadly I don't know any rpg systems like that

(Rewriting this from scratch since nobody answered anyway.)

So, whatever I tried didn't quite work. My big idea was that you'd have three main stats: Power, Grace and Focus. Power means how much damage you can dish and take. Grace means how well you move, in particular how hard you are to hit. Focus means how easily you notice things, how fast you learn, spellcasting ability and the like. You'd start with two points in each, and get three more points to distribute as you like. Each point represents a d6, so an average score of 3 in a stat means you roll 3d6 for it. Other stats like maximum health would be implicit.

Question is, how to use all that. I considered giving each opponent a combat score as described above, and rolling against that. I considered opposed rolls, in various combinations. Nothing quite worked. The problem here is likely that I keep trying to treat this like a simplified version of my other rule system, and it's the entirely wrong direction.

But what else to do? No idea yet. Oh well, thanks for reading my ramblings, and see you around.

I got it! The trick is to use success counting rather than summing. That allows for fewer dice, too: start with just one point in each attribute, and distribute three more at will. Roll as many d6 as you have points in each attribute. Each 5 or 6 on a die is a success. In opposed rolls, you compare the number of successes. This should work!

Now for combat. I want the point balance to matter, so in a straight fight both opponents roll Grace. Whoever comes on top now rolls Power, and deal as much damage as they get successes. Plenty of room for variation here, like the initial margin of success (from Grace) being used as an extra damage die, or even automatic damage. Anyway.

(Your Power score would also indicate how much damage you can take without collapsing. So a wimpy wizard with just one die in Power would have 2 HP basically.)

The best part? From here on a lot of variation is possible. Like a "charge" action: roll Power directly, and deal damage accordingly. But! The opponent gets to roll Grace unopposed and otherwise handle it like a normal attack. That makes an extreme build with all the points in Power viable, but not overpowered.

As for casting? Roll Focus against the opponent's Grace. If they win, they roll for damage as above. If you win, the margin of success can be used in various ways:

• deal automatic damage, rationalized as magic missiles, throwing stars or whatever fits;
• gain a magic shield that absorbs some damage before fizzling out;
• gain energy, that can be used on subsequent combat rounds to pay for rerolls, extra dice to roll or the like.

To keep spellcasters from just spamming their special attacks, make each success on a Focus roll cost a magic point from a pool; once this pool is depleted, the caster takes damage instead.

As for choosing the strategy of enemy NPCs? Remember that my original goal was to do without a GM or AI when it's not practical to have one, such as in a gamebook. Hence why the default is to roll for attack (with Grace) in response to pretty much any action. But you could also have special enemies, like a charging bull that always, well, charges. Or an evil wizard with a big pool of magic points who keeps shooting magic missiles.

(Of course, magic points could slowly replenish during combat, one per turn or by other means.)

That's all I have for now. None of this has been tested yet, but seems sound and should work. Feedback would be most welcome.