Saga Machine Unified - June
Saga Machine, our in-house RPG system, has evolved significantly since the release of Against the Dark Yogi in 2014, all the way through Age of Ambition in 2020. As we look to the future and consider the possibility of new editions of our games, we want to streamline and unify our mechanics in a way that supports our fans' preferences and makes it easy to go from one game line to another.

Throughout 2023, we plan to release a series of playtest packets, each accompanied by a feedback form. Every month we will focus on a different aspect of the system.

At first these playtest packets will be relatively small, as we determine the direction the revised system will take. But as they go on, each subsequent release will be more and more of a complete game.

Please remember to fill out the feedback form below.

Below is a projected timeline of the playtest packets and when they are expected to be available. Note that this timeline is subject to change, as we may decide that certain aspects of the system need additional focus and require an extra round of revisions.
  • February: Base Mechanics (closed) (playtest results)
  • March: Actions, Skills & Luck (closed) (playtest results)
  • April: Character Creation (closed) (playtest results)
  • May: Initiative & Combat (closed) (playtest results)
  • June: Health & Damage
  • July: Traits & Consequences
  • August: Equipment & Wealth
  • September: Powers & Fighting Styles
We wish to invite all of you to participate in the playtest, as your feedback is critical in helping define the future of Saga Machine. Thank you so much for your carefully considered feedback, and for being a fan!
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This month's playtest uses Health Points (HP) to model a character's health. Some other versions of Saga Machine (most notably Shadows Over Sol) have instead used wound consequences of differing severity. Which do you prefer?
Clear selection
What do you like or dislike about wound consequences vs. HP?
Below are three possible methods for determining the amount of damage that is dealt with an attack. Please rank them by order of preference.

Damage+Margin: The weapon's damage value + the attack's margin of success (as per this playtest)

Fixed Damage: Fixed damage based on the weapon (as per Against the Dark Yogi)

Damage Array: Look up damage values from an array based on the card or die's value (as per Age of Ambition)
First Choice
Second Choice
Third Choice
Damage+Margin
Fixed Damage
Damage Array
Clear selection
This month's playtest treats fatigue as a damage type that is mostly nonlethal, dealing an Exhausted consequence at 0 HP instead of a Grave Wound. Some other versions of Saga Machine have instead treated fatigue as a consequence that deals increasing penalties to all actions. Which do you prefer?
Clear selection
Some versions of Saga Machine (most notably Shadows Over Sol) handle major wounds and shock by imposing a Stun consequence when a character takes damage beyond a certain threshold. This month's playtest lacks any similar mechanic. How do you feel about this?
Clear selection
In this month's playtest, Armor provides a value that subtracts from the damage that a character is dealt. Some specific types of armor may have two values, which apply to varying damage types.

Please rate your satisfaction with this mechanic.
Very Unhappy
Very Happy
Clear selection
In this month's playtest, when an opponent is dealt a critical hit, they take a Grave Wound consequence, in addition to any damage. The specific effect of the Grave Wound is either determined by flipping on the Grave Wounds table or assigned by the GM.

In some previous versions of Saga Machine (notably Shadows Over Sol and Dime Adventures), critical hits instead prompt the player to pick a "critical effect" from a short list (knocked prone, dazed, disarmed, grappled, etc). Which do you prefer?
Clear selection
Please review the Grave Wounds table and share any thoughts you may have regarding your satisfaction with the outcomes, as well as the appropriateness of the results to a generic implementation of Saga Machine.
As currently written, a character may never have more than one Grave Wound consequence. Any additional Grave Wound instead becomes a Dying consequence.

This means that a player never has to keep track of more than one effect from a Grave Wound, but it may also makes it difficult to model the state of "multiple crippling injuries."

Please rate your satisfaction with this mechanic as currently written.
Very Unhappy
Very Happy
Clear selection
Please rate your satisfaction with the Dying mechanic as presented in this month's playtest.
Very Unhappy
Very Happy
Clear selection
Do you have any other feedback you would like to add?
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