🚀 go-pugleaf

Greetings:

	While I'm not involved with the whole Net.Rpg discussion, nor
do I really have the time to be, I'd just like to recommend White Wolf's
Ars Magica (3rd edition) as being a real compendium of ideas for what the
next generation role-playing game should contain.

	Some facts about Ars Magica:
	* Characteristics and are described with zero being average,
	  with plusses or minuses being directly added to a single
	  d10 roll to determine success.  THe progression is
	  somewhat logarithmic, since +5 is considered a "mythic char-
	  acteristic."
	* Options exist for both rolling your characteristics and for
 	  choosing them.
	* 8 characteristics, in four pairings.  Intelligence/Perception,
	  Strength/Stamina, Communication/Presence, Dexterity/Quickness.
	  These are still considered 8 seperate attributes.
	* Skills are rated from 1 on up, there's a sort of geometric
	  progression regarding the experience point cost for each
	  additional level of skill.  Skill levels are coupled with
 	  attributes to resolve most actions. (Ex: Perception plus
	  Scan ability equals bonus to a d10 roll to spot something).
	* Combat runs smoothly, but with just enough complexity.  You
	  make an attack roll vs. a defense total, then you make a
	  damage roll vs. a soak total (armor, stamina) to determine
	  damage, expressed in a number of body levels lost.  Bigger
	  creatures have more body levels.  Locations are not specified,
	  criticals are more or less assigned by the GM.
	* The magic system is, in my opinion, quite exceptional.  It's the
	  showpiece of the system, though not really generalizable to
	  other genres.  I won't waste bandwidth describing it.
	* Role-playing is stressed, and all characters take virtues, flaws,
	  and personality traits in order to become more unique.

	The reason why I'm posting this is just that I found SO MANY of the
things I always wanted to see in a fantasy game in this system.  You might
say I'm something of a zealous convert, and maybe this belongs on rec.games.
frp.advocacy.  However, I hate to read this group and watch you guys try
to re-invent the wheel.  I feel this game makes an excellent resource for 
folks looking to design an rpg, and you might find that several of the 
mechanics that you're trying to work out have already been described 
somewhere else.
	I hope my recommendation is a little bit helpful.  I'm not trying
to influence the discussion, btu I just want to say that my urge to design
a fantasy RPG was completely statiated once I read the Ars Magica rules.

						Jim Scannell
						v121mhb5@ubvms