So! I read through and I have feedback!
This has good potential! Especially in the Balance Condition vs Weakness setup!
I like the spells a lot as well, they have just the right amount of wibble for people to do a lot of funny stuff with.
In terms of art and presentation this is Very High Quality, the monster designs are great and the color coding of the text makes it very readable.
However, there are some things I would be interested in being elaborated on a bit. Mostly the Conditions system, it seems really interesting but also feels like a lot to leave up to gm fiat.
Similarly, when and how do monsters use their Attacks? When players fail? Whenever a player rolls? Once all players have acted?
Is the default assumption of a successful monster attack death? Or should a condition be inflicted instead?
I mostly like the roll resolution system, but I feel like Talents should give you a +1 like mutations instead of adding additional dice. Adding extra dice works for emotions because its making the action "Bigger" but I feel like Talents should be purely positive rather than potentially leading to more Despair.
First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to read the game and share your feedback, it’s hugely appreciated!
I’ve taken notes and will think carefully about how to refine those details. I can see that the weakest point is the heavy reliance on interpretive narration, which puts extra pressure on the GM.
While I still need to give it more thought, based on this feedback my first ideas are to expand the “flavors” section with a list of possible Conditions: not just their names, but also their potential origins. Regarding monster attacks, I originally imagined them as reactions to negative dice results when interacting with them. But after your good points, I’m considering adding more structured information, such as:
- Prompts explaining what provokes an attack: for example, the gargoyle strikes whenever someone stares at it because it hates being watched. Also which target they priorize when is their time to attack
Attack frequency, like “after every roll,” “only when a prompt is activated,” or “once every two or three attacks against the monster,” and so on.
Something I can do with Conditions, monster attacks, and the question of death: I could add a note to each monster clarifying which Conditions their attacks can inflict. That would also help define how a character can actually die. For example, a monster might inflict a Severe Wound when you roll Chaos against it. If you receive another Severe Wound, you’d roll again to determine lethality: Chaos equals death, Failure means incapacitation (and if it attacks again, you die), Success applies a different Condition (you’re hurt but can still fight), and Harmony might let you avoid this second wound. These outcomes would vary depending on each monster’s power level. I’d probably use a similar approach for NPCs if they become hostile or if characters try to attack them.
As for Talents, I agree with your point. Perhaps emotions could advance up to Stat 3, while Talents simply grant a +1 modifier, as you suggested. I’ll keep working on all of this. Again, thank you so much for the thoughtful feedback, and apologies for the length and tangle of my reply ^^U I’m brainstorming ideas for possible solutions to improve those points.