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Dragon Age RPG

RPG Name: Dragon Age

Description: Dragon Age RPG

What are your reviews for this classic role-playing game? Would Dragon Age play by post work well? If you have actually used this system please give your reviews both as a player or game master.

Played As: Dragon Age PBP RPG? or See more RPG systems

RPG Age Dragon

I have only had the opportunity to play Dragon age a couple of times, twice as an online one shot and once as a play-by-post that I ran several months back. I never completed the play-by-post game in all honesty because I got hooked up in this site and dedicated my time and efforts here on other games and I'd wished that I'd started the Dragon Age game on this site instead because there are several really good players/writers here and the quality wasn't as good on the other site. But overall I enjoyed Dragon Age.

If I wrap up one of the games that I'm currently running I would certainly consider trying to start up a Dragon Age Role-playing Game. The setting is very rich and detailed and anyone who has played the video games would have a good foundation of understanding as far as the campaign world goes. The dice roller might have to be adjusted a little as the Dragon Age system utilizes three six sided dice, one of which is referred to as the 'Dragon Dice.' The dragon dice is referenced when two out of the three dice roll the same number (Two three's or two sixes for example). When this happens the dragon dice is used to determine the number of stunt points that the player can apply to the outcome of the roll.

The use of stunt points is great for adding more narrative flair to the results and often grants various mechanical benefits as well. However, stunt points would also be problematic with this site because with the current embedded dice roller you do not see the results of the roll for thirty minutes which would slow things down because the player would have to wait to determine if they had in fact rolled stunt points, how many they can use, and then determine how they want to use them before applying the final results.

For example lets say your warrior attacks an enemy, rolls the dice and hits the target number with: 3, 3, and a 6 on the dragon dice. This gives him six stunt points to work with but he has a lot of options because different stunts with different point costs can be applied. He could spend five stunt points to use lethal blow and add another 2d6 damage to the roll and then spend the remaining point to 'stay aware' or the player could spend three points on 'lightening attack' to make a second attack and then another three points to 'set up' and give one of his allies a +2 bonus on an ability roll of their choosing. There are a lot of options but until the results of the roll are revealed the player will not know what those options are nor be able to adjust the narrative appropriately because they could not modify their post. It would essentially require them to make one post for the roll, wait until the thirty minutes is up and they can see the results, and then make the narrative post.

If the above limitation could be worked around, and assuming of course that Green Ronin permitted the use of its materials for a play-by-post game, Dragon Age would be a great system for the creative writers found on this site in my opinion.

Character creation may be seen as somewhat problementic for players who are used to systems like Pathfinder and Dungeons & Dragons which tend to offer a bit of variation and are pretty open to playing very unique characters. While in Pathfinder or Dungeons & Dragons ones race, culture, or background does not necessarily restrict class options, that is not the case with Dragon Age. Dwarves, for example cannot be mages and skills, focuses and talents are generated by race and background rather than a player building a character from a list of skills and abilities or feats. Additionally there are only three classes and there is no multi-classing. Once a warrior, always a warrior; once a rogue always a rouge; once a mage, always a mage. Some might feel that this is limiting because they want to play a Dwarven mage/rogue… sorry, you can't, they don't exist.

Though there are several backgrounds to choose from ranging from an Antivan Wayfarer to a Tevinter Soporati; I think that there are those who would feel fairly limited by these backgrounds. Not only do the backgrounds dictate what benefits the character starts with, but they also can limit race and class. The player may want to play an Avvar mage but they can't; the background limits them to playing a warrior or a rogue if they choose to be an Avvar.

I personally appreciate some restrictions on character building to help limit the bright and unique snowflake type characters, you know the type, the part Celestial, part orc, part elf wizard/fighter/cleric/summoner that acts as a one person party. Or the Pixie paladin/sorcerer with a fiendish bloodline. I think Dragon Age does well to tighten the reins a little on character generation and keep the setting from turning into a free for all.

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Edited: Aericsteele on 3rd Feb, 2017 - 1:35am