Games with Descriptors in Place of Attributes/Stats

[Teotwawki]

Couldn't think of how to phrase this. I'm looking for games that have descriptive verbs, adjectives, adverbs in place of character stats/attributes. The two I can think of right now are Fate Accelerated (Approaches) & 2d20 Dishonored (Skills & Styles). Fate has 6 adjectives: Careful, Clever, Flashy, Forceful, Quick, Sneaky. Dishonored has 6 each of verbs and adverbs.

I know I've seen another games like this, but I probably wasn't interested in the game, so my brain didn't feel the need to save the file. Any suggestions.

We're in the laboratory this weekend conducting vivisection experiments to bring about a new in-house system. There are bits and pieces of skills and foci and even some organs and bloody hacked off sections of flaws and passions strewn about. But I want Descriptors, damnit!

 

[CaoCao]

Chaosium QuestWorlds should have something similar, albeit as free-form:

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ChaosiumInc/QuestWorlds/master/docs/QuestWorlds.pdf

 

[brettmb]

If we're talking exclusively open descriptors then I've got a universal system for free: StoryMax. Otherwise, here's a combination of my titles using main attributes plus open descriptors: The Character Archaic FRP, Foreign Element (think Aliens 2), Spooked, Inc, and Story Engine/Maelstrom Storytelling

 

[apOweyn]

PDQ had it built right into the name.

 

[Teotwawki]

Chaosium QuestWorlds should have something similar, albeit as free-form:

Looking for something already codified. Active imaginations and free-form processes tend to cause too much theory and not enough practice.

 

[CaoCao]

Looking for something already codified. Active imaginations and free-form processes tend to cause too much theory and not enough practice.

Not at my tables, but hey, every group is different!

 

[Savage Schemer]

Both Freeform Universal and the closely related "Action Tales" system (Neon City Overdrive, Tomorrow City) have only the descriptor without any sort of rating attached to it. So, where something like PDQ might have:

Expert [+4] Samurai
Good [+2] Father's Katana
Poor [-2] Dishonored

You have:

Samurai
Father's Katana
Dishonored

In other words, you either have it and it applies to your dice pool, or you don't.

 

[philig]

There's Fudge. Fudge begat FATE, but I try not to hold that against it.

 

[Savage Schemer]

There's Fudge. Fudge begat FATE, but I try not to hold that against it.

I still tend to prefer Fudge to Fate, using Steffan O'Sullivan's "VG Fudge" variant, which only modifies the adjective ladder by adding a "Very Good" between "Good" and "Great", and drops "Terrible" altogether.

 

[C.Jay]

Looking for something already codified. Active imaginations and free-form processes tend to cause too much theory and not enough practice.

Well, in that case, there's a game with descriptors like Strength, Dexterity, Constitution and a few others that you may be familiar with...

More seriously, there's Technoir.

 

[Silverlion]

High Valor uses Trait system, and three dice pools to power the traits.

 

[TristramEvans]

Risus, The Window, Fable, Over The Edge, and HeroQuest

 

[brettmb]

High Valor uses Trait system, and three dice pools to power the traits.

Yeah, sorry forgot about that. http://rpg.deals/highvalor

 

[NinjaWeasel]

There's been a bunch of good suggestions so far but there's a few excellent examples missed..

Other Worlds, if I understand correctly, grew out of Hero Wars/HeroQuest/Quest Worlds. Aside from a metacurrency called Spotlight, the characters are made purely of Descriptors. There's quite a lot of descriptors... Maybe too many... But it's easy to tinker with and a great system in my opinion. This system allows freeform descriptors but there are lots of worked examples, in the form of reusable templates, for players to use.

Wordplay, and it's recent successor Tripod Essence, are excellent dice pool games based on the use of descriptors with values Equal to a number of D6. Gran Meccanismo, from Osprey, is a great implementation of the system. Again, this can involve freeform descriptors or templates that provide most/all of them. Well worth a look.

Vagabonds of Dyfed is an OSR inspired implementation of PbtA, or World of Dungeons at least, and uses descriptors as it's primary way to define a character. Examples are provided for each class/profession.

 

[zcthu3]

City of Mist has narrative ‘tags’ rather than numerical attributes. You add as many relevant tags to a move as you want and gain +1 to a roll for each tag.

Someone already mentioned Free-form Universal, which does a similar thing (adding extra dice if you have more positive then negative descriptive traits that might affect a roll, and vice versa)

 

[Teotwawki]

Well, in that case, there's a game with descriptors like Strength, Dexterity, Constitution and a few others that you may be familiar with...

More seriously, there's Technoir.

As if there's no vast gulf between free form from anything and D&D stats. That's like making the leap from seeing something unknown in the night sky and immediately leaping to the conclusion of visitation from extraterrestrial intelligence.

Technoir is a good suggestion; it's in the arsenal of systems we've examined, and we've taken some bits from it to see if it works as we want them to.

 

[Teotwawki]

There's been a bunch of good suggestions so far but there's a few excellent examples missed..

Other Worlds, if I understand correctly, grew out of Hero Wars/HeroQuest/Quest Worlds. Aside from a metacurrency called Spotlight, the characters are made purely of Descriptors. There's quite a lot of descriptors... Maybe too many... But it's easy to tinker with and a great system in my opinion. This system allows freeform descriptors but there are lots of worked examples, in the form of reusable templates, for players to use.

Wordplay, and it's recent successor Tripod Essence, are excellent dice pool games based on the use of descriptors with values Equal to a number of D6. Gran Meccanismo, from Osprey, is a great implementation of the system. Again, this can involve freeform descriptors or templates that provide most/all of them. Well worth a look.

Vagabonds of Dyfed is an OSR inspired implementation of PbtA, or World of Dungeons at least, and uses descriptors as it's primary way to define a character. Examples are provided for each class/profession.

Gran Meccanismo is familiar to me, but the others are not. Will have to check those out.

 

[Teotwawki]

Risus, The Window, Fable, Over The Edge, and HeroQuest

The first three I am not familiar with, so there's some more homework. HQ is old hat and OTE is already a foundation in this endeavor. We'd like something a bit more crunch than OTE (or UA) and have come perilously close to using a declarative system for Skills inspired by Hōl.

This thread has offered some great suggestions and a handful system unfamiliar to me, which is what I wanted.

Overall, we like the verb and adverb descriptors for what we're trying to do. The Free-Form stuff feels like we'd be avoiding the issue of narrowing the focus of character creation, but it does still offer inspiration.

 

[WillPhillips]

Well, in that case, there's a game with descriptors like Strength, Dexterity, Constitution and a few others that you may be familiar with...

More seriously, there's Technoir.

Technoir doesn't get nearly enough recognition.

 

[Ronwise Gamgee]

OVA (Open Versatile Anime) has descriptors that are either Strengths or Weaknesses. Relevant Strengths and Weaknesses add/subtract 1d6 per rank to the base 2d6 roll.

 

[sdmsec]

I'm not sure if Star Scoundrels meets the criteria or not, but it uses descriptors such as Trademark, Edges, Flaws, Gear to add dice to an action dice pool and harm, danger level, or other negative conditions to add dice to a danger dice pool. You roll both pools with numbers in the danger pool eliminating, one-for-one, any matches in the action pool. The degree of success or failure is based on what's left after eliminating the matches.

 

[TheoryofGame]

Would TSR's Marvel Super Heroes count? It's AMAZING!

 

[AsenRG]

I was going to recommend Tech Noir, Enemy Gods and Freeform Universal, but two out of three were recommended already!

 

[Stumpydave]

Grim Jim's Neverwhere game uses descriptive traits folded into a brief bio.

Your character might be 'skilled with a blade', 'cunning' and 'very fast'. Each descriptor gains you one (or more) dice in the relevant situation.

 

[Teotwawki]

Would TSR's Marvel Super Heroes count? It's AMAZING!

View attachment 81805

I don't know if it would count...
My aversion to the superheroes genre and Marvel/DC in particular has kept me from checking it out. However, in the interest of research, I shall set aside my opinions and dive into the system. I think one of the nephews has MSH, so I will borrow it and further my knowledge on this subject.

 

[Teotwawki]

I'm not sure if Star Scoundrels meets the criteria or not, but it uses descriptors such as Trademark, Edges, Flaws, Gear to add dice to an action dice pool and harm, danger level, or other negative conditions to add dice to a danger dice pool. You roll both pools with numbers in the danger pool eliminating, one-for-one, any matches in the action pool. The degree of success or failure is based on what's left after eliminating the matches.

Hm. Sounds a bit like the system used for Neon City Overdrive and Hard City (different publishers, but both by the same author).

I really like the Trademarks/Truths being part of character Attributes, so I'll try to track down some more about these starry scoundrels you mention.

EDIT: Scoundrels sounds like NCO & HC because it's another game by the same author! ...excellent.

 

[Gringnr]

Over the Edge 2E and 3E

 

[Gabriel]

Would TSR's Marvel Super Heroes count? It's AMAZING!

View attachment 81805

I wouldn't think so. Neither would FATE's Ratings (Average, Fair, Good, etc), as both systems just use the names as stand ins for numbers. Castle Falkenstein is another system like this which uses adjective ratings for attributes, but they are merely stand ins for the numbers which are used in resolution.

I think it's more requesting systems where characters don't have any standard attributes/abilities whatsoever, and are instead purely defined by descriptors with no specific numeric equivalent.

But then again the OP specifically mentions FATE Accelerated Approaches, which are exactly like Attributes/Abilities/Statistics in other games. All characters have them and they're each rated in the FATE standardized adjective rating system which is just a stand in for numbers. So I don't know.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

I think it's more requesting systems where characters don't have any standard attributes/abilities whatsoever, and are instead purely defined by descriptors with no specific numeric equivalent.

But then again the OP specifically mentions FATE Accelerated Approaches, which are exactly like Attributes/Abilities/Statistics in other games. All characters have them and they're each rated in the FATE standardized adjective rating system which is just a stand in for numbers. So I don't know.

As I understand OP's request, it's exacly something like FATE's Approaches they're looking for. They want a predetermined list, because it makes character creation faster and easier.
So a game, there you create a biography of your character and then determine the characters stats based on that, would not qualify.
Something like Smallville's Values (Duty, Glory, Justice, Love, Power and Truth) or Leverage's Roles (Grifter, Hacker, Hitter, Mastermind and Thief) could qualify I think.

 

[Teotwawki]

Over the Edge 2E and 3E

I'm there with 2 and had to walk away from 3. That said, we've used a variation of the Party Scenario for 3E in an OTE/UA kind of game. The variation was having the party an unwholesome mix of what would have been Kubrick's orgy sceneº if Sister Ray showed up with Duck and Sally and some Sailor in pink and leather (just got here from Alabama)†. Seemed an appropriate venue for that evening.

º Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut
† "Sister Ray" by the Velvet Underground

exacly something like FATE's Approaches they're looking for

I would have thought so, too. I like the Approaches--really like the Approaches--but most of the FATE system just doesn't groove well with me. This is where the quest began. Like FATE, but not FATE. I really like the 2d20 variant of Dishonored. It's FATEy, in the character composition. And its use of Truths, which are basically Tags in some other games.

It's looking like we're going to use part of Nathan Russell's system with a skill selection like Hōl and and how the truth tags work in Dishonored.

A simple but unholy vivisection of system engines that will reflect the content of the campaign it will power.

 

[Savage Schemer]

Hmm. Makes me think of John Carter's attributes: Daring, Cunning, Empathy, Might, Passion & Reason.

Not freeform, but not based on the classic physical / mental split.

 

[Dr. Mindermast]

If you like FAE's approaches, you might also appreciate In A Wicked Age. Every roll is a combination of two approaches, chosen from:
Directly
Covertly
For Myself
For Others
With Love
With Violence

 

[AsenRG]

If you like FAE's approaches, you might also appreciate In A Wicked Age. Every roll is a combination of two approaches, chosen from:
Directly
Covertly
For Myself
For Others
With Love
With Violence

And watch out for the player who maxes out the Directly, With Violence pool...

 

[Triumvir]

Symbaroum - Accurate, Cunning, Discreet, Persuasive, Quick, Resolute, Strong, Vigilant

In general, you can easily take whatever attributes you want and switch the names to adjectives from the nouns - although I'm not sure what's gained?

 

[Silverlion]

Does anyone use Foundry? I got an email from a chap who is putting High Valor up on Foundry...

 

[Malckuss]

If we're talking exclusively open descriptors then I've got a universal system for free: StoryMax. Otherwise, here's a combination of my titles using main attributes plus open descriptors: The Character Archaic FRP, Foreign Element (think Aliens 2), Spooked, Inc, and Story Engine/Maelstrom Storytelling

I love the Story Engine. It was my first brush with systems in this vein.

PDQ had it built right into the name.

Sword's Edge does something similar, except with d10s instead of d6s.

Both Freeform Universal and the closely related "Action Tales" system (Neon City Overdrive, Tomorrow City) have only the descriptor without any sort of rating attached to it. So, where something like PDQ might have:

Expert [+4] Samurai
Good [+2] Father's Katana
Poor [-2] Dishonored

You have:

Samurai
Father's Katana
Dishonored

In other words, you either have it and it applies to your dice pool, or you don't.

To embellish, your trademark applies or it doesn't, usually with keywords as triggers telling you what their penumbra is; each trademark can further be defined by edges, areas in which the person with that trademark excels, giving you an extra die.

Well, in that case, there's a game with descriptors like Strength, Dexterity, Constitution and a few others that you may be familiar with...

More seriously, there's Technoir.

The verbs and adjectives in Technoir are amazing, though NCO plays more the way I thought Technoir worked in my head. In play, it is more methodical and slow.

High Valor uses Trait system, and three dice pools to power the traits.

CORES on Itch.io works reminiscent of the meters in Red Dead Redemption.

...I like the Approaches--really like the Approaches--but most of the FATE system just doesn't groove well with me. This is where the quest began.

It's looking like we're going to use part of Nathan Russell's system with a skill selection like Hōl and and how the truth tags work in Dishonored.

A simple but unholy vivisection of system engines that will reflect the content of the campaign it will power.

If you are looking at the Action Tales system (what Nathan called the system in NCO, Star Scoundrels, et al.) you should look at Tomorrow City, by him through Osprey Publishing instead of Peril Planet. It's the most in-depth iteration of the system, by far.

I have pondered fusing the verbs, adjectives, and connections from Technoir into the Tomorrow City version of Action Tales as a sort of 'advanced' Neon City Overdrive.

Cortex Prime does some Fate-type things without being Fate. I used a version of Fate Accelerated's approaches to build Star Wars and Android setting hacks; the sheets can be seen at those links.

 

[TristramEvans]

I don't know if it would count...
My aversion to the superheroes genre and Marvel/DC in particular has kept me from checking it out. However, in the interest of research, I shall set aside my opinions and dive into the system. I think one of the nephews has MSH, so I will borrow it and further my knowledge on this subject.

If you are at all interested in RPG design, it is essential reading. It's influence on the hobby since is almost indefinable, it is so pervasive and revolutionary.

But just in the context of this thread, no it's not going to offer anything specifically related. It simply "names" the ranks of attributes.

 

[Nakana]

Maybe check out the Simple Game System at https://tsgs.atomicunicycle.com/
its created by Chris Gonnerman (Basic Fantasy rpg guy)

it’s a d6 dice pool system where you pick attributes like strong, tough, clever or disabilities like weak, sickly, dense and the bonus/penalty degrees of each uses very, extremely, super, etc.

skills work the same way except they are freeform

 

[Mankcam]

Hack100 uses 'Specialisms' which replaces Skills/Feats, and are entirely free form - they can be pretty much whatever you want.
Even Vocations or Backgrounds (like in 13th Age).

Come to think of it, 13th Age's Backgrounds are pretty individualised and free form.

I was gonna say PDQ, HeroQuest/Questworlds, and RISUS, but they have already been mentioned.
So instead I'll add Tricube Tales to the ring

 

[Moonglum]

I think of Spirit of the Century as the first 'it girl' game of this type, but it doesn't seem to be on people's minds in this thread. Did it fade away completely?