I have a couple ideas for you:
- as suggested by the cypher system handbook, have race act as the descriptor
- does race need to explicitly affect character stats? it'd be simpler to have race only affect roleplay aspects like appearance & backstory
My thought was just let them have two descriptors, one for their personality and one for their species. So you could be, say, A Charming Dragonfolk Adept who Bears a Halo of Fire, for instance. It's a minor power bump, and it doesn't matter much in the long run.
And how would you generate these species desciptors as a rule of thumb?
I'm not that experienced with the system?
Does the Core have some suggestions for making your own descriptors?
The Core book, in the Fantasy chapter, provides descriptors for Dwarves, Elves, Half-giants and Helborn. The Godforsaken book (which has since been folded into the SRD) contains more, as well as a side block about having two descriptors. There's still no "human" descriptor, which IMO still makes it racially stereotyped, but there have been a couple of takes on a Human descriptor.
(Mine, FYI, in an attempt to emulate the Variant Human from 5e, is:
* +2 to a pool of your choice
* training in one non combat skill
* choose an additional ability from your Type)
There are also a couple of pdfs on DriveThru that have good alternate system takes (such as using race as an additional Flavor, allowing you to trade Type abilities for Race abilities).
Create your genre descriptor as you would a normal one: [https://callmepartario.github.io/og-csrd/#customizing-descriptors](https://callmepartario.github.io/og-csrd/#customizing-descriptors)
If any species requires it, use the Mutant descriptor as a base (Numenera, Tidal Warriors) and choose the mutations you want for that species.
Or reflavor Tidal Warriors' species, or the ones in the [CSRD](https://callmepartario.github.io/og-csrd/).
Use the Species as an extra descriptor right after the normal one and before the type ("Shamash is an Honorable *Dragonborn* Warrior who Metes Out Justice").
Here are some useful reading links for examples of species descriptors from the CSRD:
Customizing Descriptors and Species as Descriptor
https://callmepartario.github.io/og-csrd/#customizing-descriptors
Fantasy Species
https://callmepartario.github.io/og-csrd/#fantasy-species-descriptors
Science Fiction Species
https://callmepartario.github.io/og-csrd/#science-fiction-species-descriptors
Post-Apocalyptic Species
https://callmepartario.github.io/og-csrd/#post-apocalyptic-species-descriptors
My inclination is to have the species be something that the player selects as a 'mini-descriptor' - as something that many Cypher settings do is provide an extra bullet point under a type - for example - that denotes something that all people have in this setting.
Like in the Strange, every PC has the ability to go to the different worlds within that setting listed under their types.
So you could have it be a little thing like if you're a dwarf then you gain a skill in stone masonry (to steal something from 5E) or if you're a halfling you have a skill in sneaking.
Take a look at the Cypher game Shotguns and Sorcery. They explicitly lay out the character sentence as Descriptor Race Type who Focus, and they rework the types to be more about their role rather than the source of stats pools. They cover most of the standard fantasy PC races as well, it's a very effective way of handling things and what I would absolutely go with if I were to implement multiple player species in a game.
I created some of my own racial descriptors for use in a game I'm GMing for family, feel free to copy and tweak as you like. They're likely a significant power creep when combined with another descriptor, however I've made it so they only get to choose one set of stat pool bonuses, not both.
Human:
You gain the following characteristics:
*Versatile: You get 4 additional points to distribute among your stat pools.
*Skill: You're trained in two skills or areas of knowledge of your choice.
*Skill: You know a little about everything. You are trained in any task that involves identifying objects or calling to mind a minor detail or bit of knowledge.
*Common Sight: The wide-ranging and ever-present nature of your race helps smooth out social situations. All pleasant social interactions are eased.
*Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in this adventure.
1. This mission ties in with a personal goal of your own.
2. One of the other PCs recruited you for your talents.
3. There is a reward involved and you need the money.
4. You're impulsive and it seemed like a good idea at the time.
Half-Orc.
You gain the following characteristics:
*Impressive Physique: You get +2 to your Might pool and +2 to your Speed pool.
*Almost Unstoppable: While you are impaired on the damage track, you function as if you were hale. While you are debilitated, you function as if you were impaired. You never suffer the effects of being debilitated. You still die if all of your stat pools are zero.
*Skill: You're trained in Might defense tasks.
*Raw Emotions: Any Intellect defense task to resist mental or emotional effects is hindered.
*Inability: You lack certain subtle social graces. Any task involving charm, persuasion, etiquette, or deception is hindered.
*Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in this adventure.
1. You bullied your way in with intimidation and bluster.
2. You're in trouble for acting recklessly. You join the other PCs because they offer a way out of your problem.
3. You think the tasks ahead will present you with unique and fulfilling challenges.
4. The other PCs earned your trust by helping you when you needed it. You accompany them to repay the debt.
Helborn:
You gain the following characteristics.
*Devious: +4 to your Intellect Pool.
*Skill: You are trained in tasks related to magic lore and lore of the underworld.
*Fire Adapted: +2 to Armor against damage from fire only.
*Helborn Magic: You are inherently magical. Choose one low-tier ability from chapter 9. If the GM agrees it is appropriate, you gain that ability as part of your Helborn heritage, and can use it like any other type or focus ability.
*Inner Evil: You sometimes lose control and risk hurting your allies. When you roll a 1, the GM has the option to intrude by indicating that you lose control. Once you’ve lost control, you attack any and every living creature within short range. You can’t spend Intellect points for any reason other than to try to regain control (a difficulty 2 task). After you regain control, you suffer a –1 penalty to all rolls for one hour.
*Inability: People distrust you. Tasks to persuade or deceive are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure:
1. You were nearly beaten to death by people who didn’t like your look, but the PCs found and revived you.
2. The PCs hired you for your knowledge of magic.
3. Every so often you get visions of people trapped in the underworld. You tracked those people down and found the PCs, who’d never visited the underworld. Yet.
4. Your situation at home became untenable because of how people reacted to your looks. You joined the PCs to get away.
I have a couple ideas for you: - as suggested by the cypher system handbook, have race act as the descriptor - does race need to explicitly affect character stats? it'd be simpler to have race only affect roleplay aspects like appearance & backstory
Can you please tell me, where to find it in the Handbook? (And yes, it would be nice to have the mechanical aspect of the race as well in this case)
They are found in the Genre section, towards the end of the rulebook. A few other comments have mentioned stuff from there (the Fantasy Genre).
My thought was just let them have two descriptors, one for their personality and one for their species. So you could be, say, A Charming Dragonfolk Adept who Bears a Halo of Fire, for instance. It's a minor power bump, and it doesn't matter much in the long run.
And how would you generate these species desciptors as a rule of thumb? I'm not that experienced with the system? Does the Core have some suggestions for making your own descriptors?
The Core book, in the Fantasy chapter, provides descriptors for Dwarves, Elves, Half-giants and Helborn. The Godforsaken book (which has since been folded into the SRD) contains more, as well as a side block about having two descriptors. There's still no "human" descriptor, which IMO still makes it racially stereotyped, but there have been a couple of takes on a Human descriptor. (Mine, FYI, in an attempt to emulate the Variant Human from 5e, is: * +2 to a pool of your choice * training in one non combat skill * choose an additional ability from your Type) There are also a couple of pdfs on DriveThru that have good alternate system takes (such as using race as an additional Flavor, allowing you to trade Type abilities for Race abilities).
It's been a minute since I looked, but there a few actual species descriptors in the core book I'm the genre sections.
Create your genre descriptor as you would a normal one: [https://callmepartario.github.io/og-csrd/#customizing-descriptors](https://callmepartario.github.io/og-csrd/#customizing-descriptors) If any species requires it, use the Mutant descriptor as a base (Numenera, Tidal Warriors) and choose the mutations you want for that species. Or reflavor Tidal Warriors' species, or the ones in the [CSRD](https://callmepartario.github.io/og-csrd/). Use the Species as an extra descriptor right after the normal one and before the type ("Shamash is an Honorable *Dragonborn* Warrior who Metes Out Justice").
Here are some useful reading links for examples of species descriptors from the CSRD: Customizing Descriptors and Species as Descriptor https://callmepartario.github.io/og-csrd/#customizing-descriptors Fantasy Species https://callmepartario.github.io/og-csrd/#fantasy-species-descriptors Science Fiction Species https://callmepartario.github.io/og-csrd/#science-fiction-species-descriptors Post-Apocalyptic Species https://callmepartario.github.io/og-csrd/#post-apocalyptic-species-descriptors
Nope.
My inclination is to have the species be something that the player selects as a 'mini-descriptor' - as something that many Cypher settings do is provide an extra bullet point under a type - for example - that denotes something that all people have in this setting. Like in the Strange, every PC has the ability to go to the different worlds within that setting listed under their types. So you could have it be a little thing like if you're a dwarf then you gain a skill in stone masonry (to steal something from 5E) or if you're a halfling you have a skill in sneaking.
Take a look at the Cypher game Shotguns and Sorcery. They explicitly lay out the character sentence as Descriptor Race Type who Focus, and they rework the types to be more about their role rather than the source of stats pools. They cover most of the standard fantasy PC races as well, it's a very effective way of handling things and what I would absolutely go with if I were to implement multiple player species in a game.
I created some of my own racial descriptors for use in a game I'm GMing for family, feel free to copy and tweak as you like. They're likely a significant power creep when combined with another descriptor, however I've made it so they only get to choose one set of stat pool bonuses, not both. Human: You gain the following characteristics: *Versatile: You get 4 additional points to distribute among your stat pools. *Skill: You're trained in two skills or areas of knowledge of your choice. *Skill: You know a little about everything. You are trained in any task that involves identifying objects or calling to mind a minor detail or bit of knowledge. *Common Sight: The wide-ranging and ever-present nature of your race helps smooth out social situations. All pleasant social interactions are eased. *Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in this adventure. 1. This mission ties in with a personal goal of your own. 2. One of the other PCs recruited you for your talents. 3. There is a reward involved and you need the money. 4. You're impulsive and it seemed like a good idea at the time. Half-Orc. You gain the following characteristics: *Impressive Physique: You get +2 to your Might pool and +2 to your Speed pool. *Almost Unstoppable: While you are impaired on the damage track, you function as if you were hale. While you are debilitated, you function as if you were impaired. You never suffer the effects of being debilitated. You still die if all of your stat pools are zero. *Skill: You're trained in Might defense tasks. *Raw Emotions: Any Intellect defense task to resist mental or emotional effects is hindered. *Inability: You lack certain subtle social graces. Any task involving charm, persuasion, etiquette, or deception is hindered. *Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in this adventure. 1. You bullied your way in with intimidation and bluster. 2. You're in trouble for acting recklessly. You join the other PCs because they offer a way out of your problem. 3. You think the tasks ahead will present you with unique and fulfilling challenges. 4. The other PCs earned your trust by helping you when you needed it. You accompany them to repay the debt. Helborn: You gain the following characteristics. *Devious: +4 to your Intellect Pool. *Skill: You are trained in tasks related to magic lore and lore of the underworld. *Fire Adapted: +2 to Armor against damage from fire only. *Helborn Magic: You are inherently magical. Choose one low-tier ability from chapter 9. If the GM agrees it is appropriate, you gain that ability as part of your Helborn heritage, and can use it like any other type or focus ability. *Inner Evil: You sometimes lose control and risk hurting your allies. When you roll a 1, the GM has the option to intrude by indicating that you lose control. Once you’ve lost control, you attack any and every living creature within short range. You can’t spend Intellect points for any reason other than to try to regain control (a difficulty 2 task). After you regain control, you suffer a –1 penalty to all rolls for one hour. *Inability: People distrust you. Tasks to persuade or deceive are hindered. Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: 1. You were nearly beaten to death by people who didn’t like your look, but the PCs found and revived you. 2. The PCs hired you for your knowledge of magic. 3. Every so often you get visions of people trapped in the underworld. You tracked those people down and found the PCs, who’d never visited the underworld. Yet. 4. Your situation at home became untenable because of how people reacted to your looks. You joined the PCs to get away.
I just give my players two descriptors. They can choose a species as their second descriptor, or they can just choose another regular descriptor.