I typically jot down problems I want to solve in the game and then ideate based on those in a giant Google Doc, but I thought I would share some of the more random ideas I've had recently as I ramp development on Bug & Claw back up.
Reducing RNG and providing more agency
One of the bigger complaints I hear about many TTRPGs is having too much random number generation (RNG), which detracts from the player's character development and control. The most common solution I hear is that if it makes sense for a character to do something, just let them do it—basically, the polar opposite problem, and now things are boring.
Ideas to find a sweet spot:
- Make several rolls beforehand and then decide where to spend those rolls (like Citizen Sleeper)
- Defer, echo, or resonate a roll to your next move or skill check
- Have points equal to each skill state you can spend for successes. Once through is when RNG kicks in.
- Choosing when to add bonus or penalty dice to influence rolls.
- Spend a resource point to push yourself and try again or influence the outcome in some way, like flipping a die to an adjacent side.
- Skills that suspend particular dice types from gameplay (B&C is toying with the idea of scaling dice difficulties, so suspending one dice type may enforce the use of another in its place).
- Failed rolls provide a spendable resource
Maybe it's all of these or none of these, but I'll keep experimenting and trying things out, as well as looking into low RNG systems. I still want RNG, just not as much.
Bond/companion bonuses and mechanics
Even if playing Bug & Claw solo, making friends, recruiting hirelings, and travelling with a companion will be greatly encouraged. Adventuring is better together. I've been looking into more systems that have mechanics to aid this as well as brainstorming my own.
- Group skills– skills that are literally used as a group, not individually
- Resonance score– playing off of every Bug-kin having a crystal in their head, the more you travel and do things together the higher your resonance becomes. You can use this for skills, interacting with crystal technology, and other things.
- Bonus dice you can give to each other.
- Give someone you have high resonance with another dice roll or other benefit.
- Possibility to increase the outcome of an ally's action if rolling to meet your relationship score.
- XP bonuses for helping allies
- Requiring an ally to guard you in a dedicated way in order to moult (level up) safely
- Characters already know each other instead of meeting as the game starts
- High-infection characters could transfer infection to save a dying character
- High-resonance characters could sacrifice resonance to heal a dying character
- A resonance ability has to be taken by at least two characters in order to work
- Infection abilities can cause infection to spread (for parties who want that)
- Simple boost to any roll or stat involving a character or place you have a bond with (similar to Ironsworn)
- Bonds/relationships have XP just like the characters themselves
I am unclear on which path to go here, and I need to do more research on bonds in other games in the meantime. Something is forming, though.
Mites/symbiosis
One of the early on ideas I had was based on how larger insects get infected with mites in the real world. I thought about how in the future world of Bug & Claw, it could be interesting if mites evolved along with Bug-kin. It could be rare but your character has a symbiotic relationship with certain mites they encounter that manifests as a type of worker placement mini-game that affects your stats or other outcomes. I'm still not sure if I will go ahead with this idea for the ashcan edition, but we'll see.
- You can "equip" a certain amount of mites equivalent to one of your ability scores
- Some mites are infection-based and are forcefully equipped, their removal causing an ailment
- Mites may help you heal flesh or grit when resting
- Mites may increase the likelihood of regaining base ability points you've temporarily lost
- Mites could cleanse you of certain toxins
- Mites could increase your infection resistance
- The person to your right makes any of the mite's rolls
If you have any ideas or opinions, feel free to toss them my way via social media!