Does a party full of Bards count?

There was a scooby-doo inspired rpg in Polyhedron a while back which had rules for fighting a Battle of the Bands

A music themed game would be neat. But the reason why it would be unlikely for game mechanics to run off it is because music's Creative is on the other side of the spectrum from RPG rules' Logic.

No matter how perfect the rules were, the game would never work. Because it's one thing for the DM to say "the monster attacks."
It's another thing entirely for him to say, "Okay, imagine some really cool original music. You play that."
WEAK

>Party all rolls Barbarians
>Take levels in Bard
>Speak only in metal lyrics

>>16090591
Isn't that pretty much the plot of Metalocalypse?

>>16090586
What if the players/DM used actual music in some way? Perhaps one could make some kind of mechanic based off such things as BPM or dB.

I wrote a Cyberpunk setting based on "Sandman" by America

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZN2-n_BIKI

or is that not what you are looking for?

I remember there was one rpg where you played alien rockers based off David Bowie and Ziggy Stardust

I could see this working as a board game. Maybe make it a grid based game that has a sort of fantasy thing going, maybe have the gm move monster pieces around while the players move their own players. Then they could like, I dunno, get ability cards that they can stick into the specialized board to make their piece (which the board will identify through technological magic) produce various sounds. Combine these all together and you get music.

Sorta like that one flash game grid-thing covered in lights that you can click on to have them all play notes until music happens.

What about the Rapverse where Gangsta Paladins go battle against Rasta Liches? Mix it up with other music-themed settings and you may just hit a jackpot.

>>16090586

Three out of the four players in my group (myself included) are all pretty accomplished musicians. It'd be awesome if we could all bring instruments to a session and play them for our characters.

I realize that not every gaming group has that scenario though.

>>16090591
>metal-themed RPG

FUND IT

Had a homebrew based on the concept of Music is magic, but passed though a filter of 80s music videos, the Rock Band opening cinematic, and the (unfortunate) d20 modern corebook. I'll write up the details, assuming this hurricane doesn't kill my power before i can post.

Oh hi guys whats going on in here?

>>16091233

"Shuffle" Magic Exists. Every time someone gets weepy from a classical sonata, every Fuck Yeah moment when the bass kicks in, every Drum Solo is charged with the will, the very soul of the performer.

No one know when it happened, long before our time, but the old world ended, not with a Bang, but with a ballad. A mad organist created a song so powerful, so wonderful, that the very fabric of reality danced to it, allowing the organist the power of the gods of old, He would have gotten away with it to, if the Band didn't go and fuck it up...

No one remembers their names, but they came, standing off against the organist with the power of rock. The Concert had begun, Classical Vs Rock, Order Vs Chaos, Band members began dropping left and right, until it was just the Lead Vs the Organist, After what must have been hours something happened, something unthinkable.

The Organist slipped.

>>16091400

In one instant, creation itself began to unravel, Most of the world disappeared into the void, leaving areas soaked in emotion as floating islands... but it was all too much to keep up, the organist was defeated, but fearing the void, changed the tune. Stitching the world together from the patchwork of surviving lands, created our world.

The basics: Magic is based off preform checks, but in a freeform way, Musical magic is based off elemental "Affinity" for each instrument, depending on play style and the instrument itself, allowing some customization, although the classic party classes could be equated to band positions. The musical magic would work based on what was done, and how awesome the player could describe it.

>>16091625

The World itself:

The world of Shuffle is a patchwork sphere, everyone lives inside it, mostly in and around the Spire, a massive amalgamation of the cities of the world, twisting towards the center of the planet, where the "sun" is. The Spire is separated into "Tiers", The top, and most of the exterior of the tower is First Tier, Classical music reigns here, everything is soaked in it, to the point that nearly all the residents play, It's an almost orwellian society, lots of practicing, for perfect practice makes perfect....

Second Tier is the inside and lower levels of the Spire, a dark, neon lit realm with lots of police, but more personal freedoms than First. Turntables and mixers reign supreme here, Rave music, R&B, Rap, electonica, The stuff you'd expect in cities. Lastly, there's 3rd Tier, also known as Outside, the fringe, and other less than pleasant names. the further from the Spire, the more chaotic the Fringe is, sections of land from all around the world sewn together, dotted with settlements and radio stations. Most stations set up militias in order to protect their transmitter, as influence is power out here. The closer to the spire, the larger, and fewer, the stations. Around the Spire itself are three main stations, one being MMR. MMR has been rather benevolent as one of the big three, playing "Rock" music, not classic rock, not modern rock, or Alt, or any of the other flavors, but just rock, it's not uncommon to hear a brand new band after some Zepplin. MMR also runs the MMaRmy, originally their militia, but expanded to be almost the police force, stopping murders, people ripping off your gear, and generally being the awesome type of cops.


Next: leveling gear, spell scrolls, gig-combat, non-musician characters

>>16091922

Leveling Gear: The short version:

Gearless- minuses to preform (vocal) and (drums), other instruments are boned
Crap - ( Shitting sounding names Wally Guitar, Übercrappen Microphone, Gen Eric tuba) No bonuses
"New" Gear - (Awesome sounding names, Thunndar Bass, OONTZ 3000 mixer, Seraphim Brothers Sax) + 1-5 bonus
"Old" Gear - (Pre- Shuffle gear, real names) + 6-10
"Named" Gear - (Artifact instruments, either stuff from reality: The Red Special/Fireplace, or make up some of your own ) 10+ possibly additional effects

>>16092410

Leveling Gear: Long version

When musicians start out, generally their instruments are crap, Shitty walmart acoustics, while "Technically" a musical instrument, is made with as much love as a disposable razor, and generally suck. Cheap instruments don't give any bonuses to players attempting to do cool things. As they progress, they can start to pick up the good stuff. Equipment made with care after the Shuffle naturally picks up some of the background magic, aiding, but not by a lot. so it gives minor bonuses based on it's desired level, Stuff made after the shuffle generally have really silly/stupid names, Crappy gear should have names that scream "I wish i had more money" Stuff from first tier should have some pompousness to the name, reflecting their smugness, second tier has an eclectic mix of names, generally he more they sound like electronics manufactures, the better. And Third tier is just all about the awesome, name accordingly.

Pre-Shuffle gear that survived were things that either got played a lot, or things built by craftsman, generally if someone spent a lot of time with the gear, the more likely it was filled with the emotional charge to let it survive, the good stuff can be either a well-worn squire, or a brand new Taylor.

Named Gear: Stuff that is so infused with emotion, that the gear itself in noteworthy. The CryBaby pedal from the Shaft Theme is a lesser one, the Red Special, Brian May's homemade guitar is a potent one. Stuff from after the Shuffle that has achieved noteworthiness has a place here too.

>>16092415

Scrolls (a bit of flavor, but i liked it)

sometimes, you really need a hand, but no one's around, here's how we cope: each tier has their own type of one-shot, First tier has records, second has SD cards, and third has the call-in.

Records, while bulky allow for a wide range of power, from little 45rpm low level spells, to the high-level LP destruction, record players may be a pain to carry, but the power is undeniable (can change to cylinders for the even more classic feel) Second Tier has SD cards, cheap, one shots with a short time to load. letting you pepper a foe with little hits, or feed an SD to a remixologist and let the bass do the talking. And Third Tier has the call-in. Uncle Pete, a DJ on MMR has a vinyl collection large enough to be considered a natural resource, after a quick call-in, uncle pete will play your selected track, but limits you to one play a day, and if you're no where near a radio, your SOL.

>>16092422

Gig-Combat:

Combat can be split into two types, full blown "Ima Kill u" full blown fightan with music, and there's gig-combat, two bands enter, one band leaves.... the other band having to help their roadies pack. Combat is simple: disable the other band, either by having their equipment malfunction (they get an apposing check with their instruments, while stuff like amps and set dressing, doesnt), outplaying them (boosting the DC to the preform check for the next round, or playing to assist (lowers the DC for your allies for the next round) Rap battles work by having the singers roll against their opponents perform, or charisma. The idea is to drop either to the point that the crowd hates him, or his ego is so bruised that he ragequits

>>16092550

Additionally, for the first style of gig combat, there are roadies. Roadies appear to try and fix stuff while the band is playing, targeting them in order to trip them up or make them mess up is possible, the main thing is that gig-combat isn't about killing your opponents, it's showing them up.

Non- Musical PCs: even in a world where music is magic, some people just suck at it. Bands need roadies, and PC ones are more effective in gig-combat than the mook-like ones provided by the venue. Drive is a useful skill to get to gigs (The further into the fringe, the more Mad Max enactments there is) as are faces, managers and the like to help squeeze promoters for the good stuff...


I'll be damned if i can find the full-on rules, but i hope this helps someone make their own game

I remember once upon a time /tg/ came up with an idea like this. Back in the days of dagda and anonymouse.

>>16092596

Yeah, i'm really decent at world building, but i suck with numbers

>>16091233
>>16091400
>>16091625
>>16091922
>>16092410
>>16092415
>>16092422
>>16092550
>>16092596
That is awesome.

>>16092626
Hope you don't mind if I steal this for my next campaign.

I had a random encounter once, just for shits and giggles. Four Vikings in full battle armour but suspiciously lacking weapons, walking in silence the opposite way from the party. The players saw the hook and naturally questioned them about the lack of weapons.

The four of them produced instruments. Strange, northern instruments - three stretched, elongated lutes, and a wardrummer with a variety of skins hung about him and holding two bones. "We do not fight with conventional steel" the closest spoke. "Only our instruments to call upon our Gods."

The party barbarian laughed in their face. He said he had looked up to the warriors of the north as prized fighters, not bardic nancies.

>>16092886

The speaker glared at the barbarian as the three other vikings formed a line along side him. The vikings began to draw their hands over their instruments - not playing them, just seeming to begin some ritual. The party noticed strange, runic symbols appear on the surface of the instruments, runes none of them could recognise. The sky began to cloud over, with dark, storm-brining clouds. The rain then begins to fall.

I put on a track I had prepared earlier. I described the scene in time with the music as it played. “You hear the high-pitched whine of unseen daemons as the runes glow brighter, in red and blue chaotic light. Long, harrowing cries chill you to the bones as the rain above grows heavier, The wardrummer pounds his bones on the skins draped around him, and with his strikes thunder rolls above.

“The warriors appear to be ‘waking up’ their instruments; it’s the only word that comes to mind in describing the scene. The runic symbols appear on the ground, and the bards own eyes began to glow likewise. And then, the men begin to play.”

>>16092896

The music on the track breaks into the second half of the intro, timed perfectly with my description.

“This is no lighthearted twing-twang of a jester’s lute. Truly the noise produced by these warrior-bards is roared forth by whatever demon is bound inside their strange instruments. The booming crack of the noise hammers into your ears, each of you with less than… 18 fortitude defence, taking… 8 thunder damage. The four Vikings manipulate their instruments, calling out further, louder demonic barks and snarls, the wardrummer creating a thunder all of his own with his set-up. Then, as soon as the ‘music’ began – it stops, with a crash of thunder.”

The track, pre-edited by me, went back to a rain-and-thunderstorm, also on time. I described the runes fading and the four men holstering their stretched lutes and returning to their previous stoic silence.

This was the track I used.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8ZqFlw6hYg

Two of the players at the table aplauded.

Pre-bedtime Bump. Hope this thread is still here when I wake up.

Have a bump, just to keep the thread alive.

>>16092732


go for it, dude. Just remember to post the share the epic stories when you're done

>>16090341
>Are there any RPGs based off music, whether that be through setting or game mechanics?

Oh, hey. You called?

There is a RPG based on Metal - Umlaut

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=79824&src=FrontPage