The Grizzly Rant

There are many things separating ICRPG from other tabletop RPGs.  Right now, I'd like to write briefly about 2 of them: Effort and Loot-based classes.  This is important background information for what I really  want to get off my chest, which is an argument for running a class/race combination a certain way at your table. Effort and Loot: Effort is a system which attributes health and combat-like mechanics to non-combat tasks.  In short, it's a method of time control for the GM to employ at his or her table, effectively forcing tasks to require multiple turns and/or group "effort."   Players have four different dice they may roll to complete Effort, depending on the situation.  For more information, see ICRPG Core 1.3.3, pg 24.  For our purposes, we just need to know about two: Basic Work and Ultimate effort. Basic Effort is rolled on a d4 for any task done with bare hands.  Ultimate Effort is rolled in special occasions on a d12.  The most common spec

Ultimate Effort Podcast's most contested topic in Episode 3 was that of Towns; how to run them in ICRPG, or if they should even exist.  Many were strong proponents of simply doing away with towns altogether.  And why not?  Towns are boring places which only serve to waste time and pocket change, two things that are quite different in this system.  I, however, propose something else: make town useful, nay, vital  adventures to the player characters' journey. By this, I mean to simply use the basic principles of ICRPG's Room Design with your towns the same as with any dungeon. The only caveat here (or perhaps not, depending on the type of game master or style of game you are running) is that towns should be avoided if they are not story, plot, or adventure relevant. Player characters can rest anywhere in the wilds given a campfire, abandoned ruin or random tavern on the roadside. The foundation of the game is adventuring to find loot and with no official commerce syste