The Hidden Elegance of ACKS...A Little TOO Hidden

General ACKS Forums General Discussion
61

At first glance it kind of looks like BECMI but we played it on a grid using the Temple of Elemental Evil and it was small things like the cleave rules and the proficiency system that made it different. A little bit of power creep over classic BECMI but the party was 5 instead of 8 in size.

ACKs has the simplicity of BECMI for the most part with some character options from 2E and 3E but without the bonkers power level problems mostly limited to +1 to hit, AC or damage not some out right abuse.

We are trying out 5E ATM but I want to play ACKs again house ruling in BAB and ascending ACS in the same format as WoTC D&D, Pathfinder, Castles and Crusades, Basic Fantasy etc.

62

Here is 2cp from someone who sucks at designing rules.

ACKS is a Porsche.

I don’t quite know how every bolt and gear fit together, beyond a basic understanding of how all explosion engines work, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the craftsmanship, the quality, the attention to detail.

Hopefully, the more I drive it, the better I’ll appreciate it all.

Rock on, Alex &co.

63

That’s exceptionally high praise. Thank you!

64

I found something out and I am curious if it was intentional.

The weighted average wage of human mercenararies, non-veteran, weighted by percentage who can become each troop type, is 15.87.

The weighted average wage of leveled characters, weighted by frequency in the population (including level 0 characters who make up 91% of the population) is 15.88.

This is close enough that it makes me suspect collusion and roundoff error.

65

Sometimes the elegance is really, really, really hidden.

66

The professional proficiency progressions model very near the same chances of success as Surprise.

A PC against an opponent with Naturally Stealthy is surprised on 3-, 50%.

An apprentice is surprised (does not know) something about their profession on a 10-, 50%.

A PC against a regular opponent is surprised on 2-, 33%.

A journeyman is surprised on 6-, 30%.

A PC with Animal Reflexes surprises against a regular opponent on 1-, 16.67%.

A master is surprised on a 2-, 10%.

(the last one is the furthest off)

I.E. - the better you are at something, the less likely you are surprised by anything that comes up during your work day.

Table form (scroll to bottom of post):

http://crowbarandbrick.blogspot.com/2015/07/professional-surprise.html

67

Neat observation!