New World Disorder may not seem like it, but it could run a rules-lite RPG game. Compare it to GDi...
Abilities: 1-3, rather than measuring a fixed potential, this indicates the number of dice that can be rolled for a given ability each turn. In that sense, it is even closer to measuring potential. Prostrated tests supplement the roll by sacrificing further rolls for the turn. So abilities are integral to tasks in both games.
Skills: 1+, rather than consistently adding to a test, each one has specific effects (which could be adding to a test). So these are similar to GDi skills in many instances.
Gimmicks: these provide special rules just like GDi gimmicks.
Tests/Checks: NWD tests typically consist of rolling one die, adding modifiers (like skill bonuses) and comparing it to the specified difficulty. This is real simple. Checks are a little different and do not count towards dice used in a turn. A number of dice equal to the specified ability rating are rolled. If at least one is equal to or greater than the difficulty, the check succeeds. Natural ones fail tests, but only neutralize dice in checks.
Damage: Now this is very different from GDi damage. A single die is rolled and added to the attacker's offensive value, while the target's defensive value is subtracted from it. The result is then compared to a table to determine if the target is either grazed, surprised, stunned, shocked, or out. Higher rolls also cause wounds, which deduct dice from an ability. When any ability is reduced to zero dice, the character is out of the game.
That's the gist of it. You could easily get double duty out of NWD, miniatures game and RPG, and without much fuss. |
