Scion: Origins
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So the PDF for the first book came out the other day for backers and I've been pouring through it. Man, I really want to love this game. I do. Like to the point where I'd love for it to inspire me to wanna make a MUX using it. For some reason, however, I just can't get on board with it. This is far from a comprehensive review but here are a few of the issues I'm having trouble with.
1: Character creation seems unnecessarily complicated. Choose these paths, prioritize these paths, assign dots according to prioritization...if that's too many dots in 1 skill put it where ever...Same with attributes and arenas. Part of me likes it, it gives a reason for points to be in certain places, and it makes it easy to play a non-scion (want to be a Satyr? Just take the Satyr path instead of a divine path). That's pretty cool but the overall process just seems complex, especially given the more narrative approach they seem to be going for. That said, I have yet to actually make a character. Gonna get together with a few people tonight or tomorrow to try that out.
2: Scale. This is a bigger pain for me. I like it. I think it makes sense and i like how it cuts down on potentially ridiculous ranks in attributes and skills. I just don't like how there is seemingly no mechanical method to assigning scale. In their example it makes sense that Hogzilla is Scale 1 or 2 or whatever it was when facing Sigrun because he's so much bigger than she is. But in the same paragraph they say that Sigrun would be scale 1 when fighting Joe Generic Scion...just because. As far as I can see there are no knacks that set you at Scale 1 in fighting or speed or leadership, it's just decided.
Then there's the scale example chart. According to that being a manager at a 7-11 entitles you to the benefits of, like, Scale 2 in Leadership rolls. I can get behind the c-gen, especially since I haven't tried it yet, but the hand wavy implementation of scale (they even use that phrase when describing how to use scale) really puts me off.
3: I could not find a way to replicate Donnie Rhodes as depicted in the opening fiction in the book. He's not done up as a sample PC and I wanted to see what kind of Knack would be in use for the "universal love and adoration" he receives. Except...there isn't one. I'm a huge believer that you need to be able to emulate whatever you depict in your book using the rules in said book and...well I couldn't. Unless I missed something (which is entirely possible).
So that's my stance on Scion as of right now. I was curious how other people were finding the game? It's better than First Edition, I do think that, at least so far but...still not quite playable. At least based on what I've experienced so far.
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@zombiegenesis When it comes to RPGs I always seem to compare how steep is the learning curve versus the fun I will get from actually mastering the system.
Many White Wolf/OPP games just feel... needlessly complicated while bringing almost nothing to make learning said systems worth your time. It has always been like this, oWoD or nWoD, but it wasn't until I hit Promethean 2nd Edition that this dawned on me.
OPP/White Wolf seems obsessed with paths, auspices, clans, entitlements, contracts, pledges, gifts, rites, blood sorcery, rotes, praxes, clans, transmutations, keys, etc, and... there is no real gain from making things so complex, especially when they are notorious for fucking balance up? It even keeps new players at bay. I cannot, in my right mind, recommend Promethean 2e to anyone who doesn't LOVE systems.
Like, if I remember correctly, Scion 1e was using a simplified version of their Exalted 2e system. The sheets were simple to make, and it seemed what someone wanting to play Scion would want. Going this complex over a game with a power cap as crazy as Scion's seems like OPP shooting itself on the foot again.
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I believe Scion used and is still using parts of Aberrant, eg the Super Attribute scale.
I like complexity when it's well designed. In theory, this would be about defining traits so that people feel unique enough, while not allowing everyone to have whatever, whenever.
I like the ideas of Scion, but I have always used a homegrown game system to implement it.
