Legamon: Mystery Dungeon - Problem Solving in a Modern World

 

    (see bottom of post for Legamon: Mystery Dungeon Character Creation)

    It occurred to me during the height of the Legamon hype on Phlox’s GLoG server that it would (could, should) be fun to play a Legamon variety of the Mystery Dungeon series.

    It then occurred to me that I would probably have to create it (alas, I could not find it in myself to try to press-gang Phlox into doing so, especially since he’s never played a Mystery Dungeon game, I believe), if I ever wanted to play it.

    And so here we are, about a week and a half into my process of building out this game, which has me experiencing the usual swings between a manic state of “I can create whatever I want, however I want, and do it exactly how I PREFER” productivity and the more depressing “I bit off more than I could chew in a confusing way, hm?” side. But that is process! It’s the same process I use for all my creative endeavors, I just feel like I should complain about it this time.

    So far, I have most of the basic outline of the game. Literal outline format, difficult to read and ugly as all heck. Due to this being Legamon Mystery Dungeon (WHAT. THE FUCK. IS A POKÉMON), I have opted for a heavier emphasis on items and a more... traditional (?) GLoG-esque character creation style, at least compared to the usual Mystery Dungeon video game. There is always something tricky about the thought-process of switching something from video game mechanics to table-top RPGs, even before making any actual rules to go off of. 

    This might be pretty obvious, but video games are, you know, programmed, so they can do all the math of an encounter very quickly, whereas we humans usually have to turn to that one person in the party that can actually keep all this shit straight before we can continue. This means that an encounter in the Mystery Dungeon games that is quick and easy becomes a draining and worthless roll of the dice to deal with in a table-top version.

    I don’t want to deal with that. You don’t want to deal with that. But most importantly - I really, seriously do not want to have to deal with that. 

    In all seriousness, an encounter in a table-top game should add something to the game you’re playing, because in a table-top game, you spend more energy and mind power doing something simple than the equivalent in a video game or other media type. That’s the nature of it, and the fun of it, if I’m honest with myself!

    But it does need to add something, either in mechanical rule-based interest, or in character interaction or in plot development or something like that. Who am I to tell you what you find to be a worth-while use of your energy? You get to decide that for yourselves.

    So when I decide it for myself, I must be truthful that rolling a single dice, coming to the conclusion that I have knocked out the attacking Legamon, and not getting anything from it, either in or out of game.... not useful. It shall not stand, not in this game system. Things can be boring, but they cannot be useless, according to my personal, highly developed morals on the matter.

And so I am left trying to figure out how to add interest to a tangental translation of a game that exists in a fairly different medium than the one I am creating.

    It... it is fun, though, I won’t lie. Does anyone have ideas of how to generate dungeons at various difficulty and size tiers? I have a few ideas, but none that I’ve really felt enthusiastic about. I am working on creating a number of example dungeons but part of the fun is going into a place multiple times and getting different layout and item generation than before. There will be less levels than in traditional Mystery Dungeon, as I think the more important bits are encounters and playing as a Legamon. 

    In any case, stay tuned for more updates if you’re interested, and assuming that I also, you know, stay interested and don’t go wandering off on a tangent of my own life.

Here’s what I have so far for character creation. It’s not everything and it’s clearly not done yet, but we’re getting there. If you like, let me know what you think. Or don’t, I don’t mind.

Legamon Character Creation 

• Picking a Legamon - You’re just picking a Legamon idea from this list, so you only need write down the Legamon name and type
• From this list by Lexi
• Or use this generator by Phlox to come up with a new one! 
• Stats - roll 3d6 four times, assign as seems reasonable for your Legamon
• Attack:    Ability to hit, damage
• Defense:    Ability to dodge, HP
• Speed:   How fast you are, determines who goes first and who may outpace others
• Friendship:    How friendly and personable you are, with party members and other Legamon

• Leveling - You level up your character after dungeons, separately from your Guild Ranking.
• At this point, Ren isn’t sure how they want to do leveling exactly, but assume that you get at least +2 HP, and 2 points to put into any of your stats.
• You may roll for a single new move and replace one you already have, to a total of 4 moves at any given time. You may only roll off tables of which your Legamon shares a type
• Evolution requires certain items, depending on the type of Legamon
• Moves - Each Legamon starts with one move at 1st level, rolled randomly based on type. Each level, you may roll for a single new move and replace one you already have, to a total of 4 moves at any given time. You may only roll off tables of which your Legamon shares a type

(I don’t have the move effects written down yet, sorry. Make up your own ideas for now)

• Normal
• Smack
• Crunch
• Super Speed
• Running Leap
• Cutting Wind
• Super Speed
• Water
• Puddle Jump
• Swim
• Waterspout
• Dew Drop
• Splash
• Red Tide
• Fire
• Firestarter
• Ember
• Fiery Punch
• Pyroclastic Flow
• Fire Walk
• Fiery Blast
• Grass
• Grass Blade
• Lawn Mower
• Petal Power
• Bud Burst
• Entangle
• Vicious Vines 
• Electric 
• Shock
• Electric Screech
• Electrify
• Static Electricity
• System Shock
• Recalibrate
• Ice
• Biting Wind
• Icy Kiss
• Freezing Bite
• Ice Armor
• Cold Shoulder
• Freezer Burn
• Fighting
• High Kick
• Double Punch
• Team-Up
• One-Inch Punch
• Leg Sweep
• Sucker Punch
• Poison
• Spike Armor
• Giga Poison
• Sting
• Spur Jab
• Paralytic Bite
• Quill Throw
• Ground
• Dig
• Ground Pound
• Rock Slide
• Seismic Activity
• Trench Dig
• Entomb
• Flying
• Peck
• Flight
• Feathery Doom
• From Above
• Air Slash
• Aerospace 
• Psychic
• Confusion
• Spoon Bend
• Teleport
•  Mind Missile
• Panic
• Ability Swap
• Bug
• Pinchers
• Goo Spit
• Cocoon 
• Sticky Webbing
• Stickbugged
• Bioluminescence
• Rock
• Rock Toss
• Rock Smash
• Rolling Hit
• Stone Guard
• Landslide
• Stone Skull
• Ghost
• Ouija Board Break
• Nightmare
• Unfinished Business
• Possess
• Jumpscare
• Creepy Message
• Dark
• Blood Pact
• Taunt
• Traitorous Smile
• Blood Healing
• Night Slash
• Shadow Claws
• Dragon
• Atomic Breath
• Dragon Wing
• Scintillating Scales
• Righteous Fury
• Withering Glare
• Roar of Destruction
• Steel
• Gun
• Magnetize
• Alloy
• Metal Shards
• Racket
• Metal Strike
• Fairy
• Pixie Dust
• Fae Circle
• Fairy Queen’s Kiss
• Delightful Dream
• Sparkly Doom
• Entrancing Eyes
• Personal - consider:
• Name
• Sex and/or Gender if applicable
• Background in life. Do you have a job? Education? Do you live in the wild or are you a house Legamon?
• Family
• Personality - What makes you you? Your character is a person - are they trying to improve themselves? Are they hiding from themselves or others for some reason? Are they avoiding personal change or are they embracing it? Where are they trying to go in life, and are they even aware of what they’re trying to do?
• Abilities - Pick one as seems reasonable for your Legamon, or roll for it if you prefer
• Digital Monster: At will, you may retreat into a disc or legaball. Your party must retrieve you or let you out.
• Duelist: If you and an opponent are the only legamon battling, no type of move is super effective against you.
• Fins: Water is not an obstacle to you
• Fire-Proof: You cannot sustain burns
• Hard Armor: +1 to defense
• Hot-Blooded: Take 1 less damage from fire-based attacks
• Insomniac: Cannot be put to sleep
• Levitation: Ground-based moves do not hit you
• Mental Fortitude: Less likely to flee
• Perfect Form: if any of your stats are lowered, get +2 defense.
• Play Rough:
• Prickly: Physical Attacks may hurt the attacker of this Legamon - if the attack roll is a 1 or 2, they take 1 point of damage
• Rage: If you have HP lower than ¼ of your max, get +2 to attacks
• Slippery: Cannot be bound by traps or moves
• Soft and Cuddly: +1 to Friendship
• Sure Step: Add +1 when attempting to dodge traps
• Thief: When you deal damage to a target, if your attack roll was even you may steal the item they are holding.
• Toxic Blood: Poison has no effect on you
• Toxic Spikes: Physical attacks may poison the attacker of this Legamon - if the attack roll is a 1 or 2, they are poisoned
• Wings: Open air is no obstacle to you