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07:03, 29th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game.

Posted by Skyman
Sojobo
member, 23 posts
Tue 16 Sep 2014
at 17:44
  • msg #5

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

MHR sounds good... maybe Fate Accelerated Edition or even Wushu?
Flarelord
member, 277 posts
Tue 16 Sep 2014
at 18:32
  • msg #6

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

My main thing is that I'm pretty awful at keeping a game moving from the Gm seat. I'm dabbling with some stuff I could share here, but if someone else is more inclined to run with it and let me advise them, my thought was a post- Book 3 Korra thing with a possible direction (by no means the only one) of delving into the spiritual sides of Earth and Firebending, since those haven't been super-developed. more stuff on both air and water's spiritual aspects could be cool too. I'm thinking no actual avatar PC characters, and allowing for normal humans to be equally awesome :D
Merevel
member, 779 posts
Gaming :-)
Very unlucky
Tue 16 Sep 2014
at 18:43
  • msg #7

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

Now you have caught my interest. I do not know what Wushu is, but I see not reason FATE or FAE would not work.
PsychoJester
member, 427 posts
Why so serious?
Gaymer
Wed 17 Sep 2014
at 02:48
  • msg #8

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

Dungeon World has a class based on these shows, it's called Elementalist. Depending on the system chosen, I would love to play.
Sojobo
member, 24 posts
Wed 17 Sep 2014
at 05:47
  • msg #9

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

For that matter, there is an entire *World game based on Avatar, here: http://www.story-games.com/for...on-v1-5-released-828
PsychoJester
member, 430 posts
Why so serious?
Gaymer
Wed 17 Sep 2014
at 05:54
  • msg #10

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

Hmmm, looks nice, but seems a bit overcomplicated to me. I will certainly read through it more. It seems to have a lot of promise. Still think that DW's Elementalist is better for Benders, but that's just my opinion.
bigbadron
moderator, 14675 posts
He's big, he's bad,
but mostly he's Ron.
Wed 17 Sep 2014
at 05:59

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

"A Wanderer's Romance" might also work for this idea - and it's free.  http://www.stargazergames.eu/g...a-wanderers-romance/
Skyman
member, 18 posts
Wed 17 Sep 2014
at 08:08
  • msg #12

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

Thanks for the suggestion bigbadron. I'm not sure I'd use A Wanderer's Romance for Avatar itself, since it relies on element combinations for many things and the Avatar setting is more about the single elements (outside of the Avatar him/herself), but it looks like a really evocative and unique system. Very well suited for play by post too. Could make for a very good game in the vein of Avatar without the same specific rules of bending.

Lots of other great suggestions here too which I'll check out. If anyone runs something in the setting (or something with similar themes like Wanderer's Romance) I'd be very interested, and I'll consider running something in the future if I have time and find an appropriate system.
the_Cava
member, 16 posts
Drapetomaniac
Wed 17 Sep 2014
at 13:38
  • msg #13

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

I wanted to thank bigbadron for the tip, the game looks absolutely wonderful, and I think it would be perfect to emulate the world of avatar with minor tweaks. But then again, I love AW and its hacks, and I think they can be easily adapted to any setting.
If I may say so, even though it's true benders work with a single element, it's also true that they apply features of other elements to their bending (let's just think about Iroh's lessons, when he emphasizes the importance of breathing, therefore to include air, or when he teaches the tecnique to redirect lightning, where he says it's inspired by waterbending).
Sojobo
member, 25 posts
Wed 17 Sep 2014
at 17:00
  • msg #14

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

Gotta agree about the combinations of "symbolic" elements: even though Tenzin, say, is an air-bending master, his personality is hardcore EARTH (stolid, stoic, responsible, methodical) more than air... Bumi is more an Air element (go with the flow, breezy, adaptable, unpredictable) than Tenzin is.  And although Korra is the Avatar from the Water Nation, she is fiery and stubborn, so more Fire and Earth than Water or Air.  So this isn't completely off topic, I'm going through what bigbadron posted... liking what I see so far.
Flarelord
member, 278 posts
Thu 18 Sep 2014
at 15:47
  • msg #15

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

I'm not personally a big fan of AW hacks just because I don't really get into the core of the AW gameplay, IE, GMs basically having the players put the world together with constant questions that I can never think of responses for :/ I like a more established setting, really.
the_Cava
member, 18 posts
Drapetomaniac
Thu 18 Sep 2014
at 16:33
  • msg #16

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

In reply to Flarelord (msg # 15):

You can make the players put the world together, it doesn't mean you must (even though basic AW seem to imply that).
What I like about AW, that I think fits an Avatar game very well, is the "success with complications" roll result. Successes are often built slowly, and through significant effort in the series' narrative, and that would also be the case with an AW hack mechanic.
Also, die rolls are few and quick, making them match the fast pace of action in confrontations.
Flarelord
member, 279 posts
Thu 18 Sep 2014
at 21:23
  • msg #17

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

I'm a big fan of Legends of the Wulin, which I'm just getting into now, but it would take a bit of hacking for it to clearly model what we see in Avatar.

But the flow of the game feels just right, I love the resolution mechanics.
Skyman
member, 19 posts
Thu 18 Sep 2014
at 21:45
  • msg #18

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

Sojobo, I see what you're saying about the elements and character personalities, but I'm not sure your examples quite fit what we see in the elements of Avatar. Pretty much all of the adult airbenders we see, for instance, are relatively methodical and calm - the brief glimpses of Aang's teachers, Zaheer, Tenzin. Even Aang and Jinora, the two older kids we see, I wouldn't really describe as  unpredictable or breezy. Actually, now that I refer back to A Wanderer's Romance, the descriptions there might fit ok: Air is "Wit, Willpower, Courage, and Communication - Inwards to the Self" which fits at least with the airbenders' spiritual techniques. I suppose you could make sure they fit with the setting if you carefully look at how Iroh describes firebending or Tenzin airbending, etc., but you'd have to be careful, because we see benders with all sorts of personalities succeeding at different sorts of bending (Azula vs Iroh as firebenders, for instance).

the_Cava, that is a good point about how the elements can be combined. And an example like Iroh redirecting lightning could definitely make sense, as he does seem to bring in the "control, grace" etc. of water into the technique. I'm not quite sure the system's strong emphasis on paired elements is an easy fit, since many of the most powerful benders (like Ozai and Azula with their fiery "Passion and Drive") don't seem to bring in much outside of one element. It seems like something that is helpful for innovation but not necessarily pure ability. But I suppose it could make sense that, say, Azula would have high Fire, low other elements and low Balance, while someone like Iroh could be decent in multiple elements and have high Balance. I haven't read closely enough over the rules for combat to see how they'd match up, but it's an interesting idea.
dlantoub
member, 213 posts
Anime Fan
Virtually all genres
Sat 20 Sep 2014
at 00:01
  • msg #19

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

Definitely interested to play here, however it is set up.
Novocrane
member, 175 posts
Sat 20 Sep 2014
at 02:51
  • msg #20

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

I'd agree with Legends of the Wulin.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmw...me/LegendsOfTheWulin

http://eos-sama.com/legends-of-the-wulin-rpg/

The only change you really need make with it is to create something akin to Rage Of The Dragon Kings (essentially water-bending) available for other elements.
Skyman
member, 21 posts
Sat 20 Sep 2014
at 04:58
  • msg #21

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

Legends of the Wulin does look pretty interesting. Is there a sample available anywhere that you know of, or a good discussion of how it works in play? All the reviews I've been able to find have been pretty general.
Norwood
member, 225 posts
Sat 20 Sep 2014
at 07:01
  • msg #22

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

I definitely love Avatar, and Legends of the wulin is a system I have a lot of personal love for.

That said, I do think a few changes would need to be made to the base system to put things more in line with the Avatar universe. The most obvious is reducing the elements from 5 to 4, removing metal and wood and adding air. While this might seem like a big deal, it's no especially, since the conditions of the various elements have always been fairly loose and it's rather easy to eyeball things into their new elemental categories.

My second suggestion, however, is considerably more radical. I'd suggest removing the current Elemental internal styles completely. In the Avatar universe, nobody throws fire around that isn't a firebender, and frankly, the effects of being hit with fire don't deal with burns very often, so it makes limited sense to pigeonhole all firebenders into the same internal style. Similar arguments can be made for the other internal styles, especially since the current earth style has nothing to do with Avatar's earthbenders.

Beyond that, I'd mage Rage of the Dragon Kings generic and simply have it keyed to a single element chosen with purchase. It can then simply be titled "bending," and new internal techniques, formless internal techniques can be developed to represent specialty bending styles like lightning, lava, blood, etc. as the need arises.
Novocrane
member, 176 posts
Sat 20 Sep 2014
at 10:03
  • msg #23

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

In reply to Norwood (msg # 22):

#3: Rage Of The Dragon Kings being the kind of bending seen most commonly is a given. It generally results in simple physical attacks, and we rarely see things like burns result from it. While this should be element-specific, I see no reason to make it chi-specific.

#2: Internal Styles with elemental themes do hold together well when you consider them as fighting with more effort, less restraint, or specialised styles. Energy Attacks are more dangerous than what you would use in the pro-bending arena / if you didn't want someone dead or maimed, so let dangerous be dangerous - and let social, ethical, and legal implications come from that.
Non-elemental internals, on the other hand, generally support a martial theme of how one fights.
I support limiting elemental internals based on one's style of bending and experience, (also making new elemental internals available as things progress) but not the non-elementals, nor removing existing internals entirely.

#1: You could do that, however it's not particularly necessary to do so once you have defined bending and internals. You lose more from removing the fluff and reasoning behind mechanics that comes with LotW than you gain by having only types of chi that specifically conform to A:tla/LoK elements.
I assume you don't support chi deviations, either, but in the event they aren't removed entirely (mental deviations, at least), the game would benefit from everyone having access to all kinds of deviations, rather than your bending element straight-jacketing your mental state.
This message was last edited by the user at 10:04, Sat 20 Sept 2014.
Norwood
member, 226 posts
Sat 20 Sep 2014
at 10:29
  • msg #24

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

#1: I'm not exactly sure what you think we'd lose. Things are rather seamlessly folded into new/existing elements, from chi-conditions to (element) hyperactivities. The only thing we really lose from the element shift is the close fluff/mechanical interaction for a setting that we're not actually using. The five element theory is very important for a setting based on mythical china, but the Avatar setting makes enough departures from this that many things become inappropriate.

#2 While it's true that the fire, ice, and lightning styles could all be kept, that still necessitates the creation of at least one new elemental style for the other types of bending lest we short-change air and earth. Even if you take Iron body and make that the "earth" style, we'd need something for air, and fire-bending would have two.

#3: I didn't say anything about making it chi-specific, nor would I advocate that. Elemental chi is hard enough to come by to make that a serious (and un-fun) limiting factor for the use of bending in combat.
Flarelord
member, 280 posts
Sat 20 Sep 2014
at 13:53
  • msg #25

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

Yeah, I'm crrently neck-deep in my first Legends of the Wulin combat in a game a friend is running just to teach us the system, but the game may not continue very far. I'm fairly new to the system, but I feel like I have a good enough grasp to play it. Still need to go over secret arts in full detail, though. If anyone wants to watch the learning-combats play out, they're all visible in group 0, but the game isn't looking for more members. I actually don't know / think I can link it here, so if you'd like to observe, shoot me an Rmail.
dlantoub
member, 216 posts
Anime Fan
Virtually all genres
Sat 20 Sep 2014
at 23:23
  • msg #26

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

I've not watched much legends of Korra because of it being blocked (mostly) where I am. But from what I can recall. Earth is the only element with two major deviations. Metal and Sand. Water has one (Blood) because Ice bending is ALREADY folded into the main style, Fire has one (Lightning) Air has.. none I know about but probably Breath would be a major deviation in the way blood is for water.

Consider that Spirit Bending is actually a separate style available to those who are sufficiently spiritually enlightened, or have enough direct contact with the spirit world. Otherwise how could general Iroh from the first series not be a spirit bender, when he was possibly, barring an avatar state avatar, the most powerful person in the original series.

How they choose to use spirit bending is another matter.
Norwood
member, 227 posts
Sat 20 Sep 2014
at 23:31
  • msg #27

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

There's just about no evidence for anyone outside an avatar having access to spirit bending (that isn't a lion turtle, at least). Supposedly, lion turtles might be able to give spirit bending to someone else the way they gave it to aang, but other than that . . .

And as far as deviations go, Earth is now actually up to 3 (if you count sand . . . which you probably shouldn't, actually, because while it's different, it's not such a radically new skill that an unpracticed earth bender can't do it at all). Lava bending becomes a major new plot ability of a couple earth benders in season 3.

Air displays a few nifty new tricks as well, and the old "combustion" bending is elaborated on a bit to be a true deviation in the same vein as lightning, albeit much less common.

Water also has healing.
Flarelord
member, 283 posts
Sun 21 Sep 2014
at 00:08
  • msg #28

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

Airbending also has Astral Projection, Jinora specifically notes thatit's an airbending technique.

That said, we've seen Jinora Astral Project, we know Iroh left his body behind and chose to live on in the Spirit World, we know that Benders of All (or, at least Air and Earth) elements can project into the spirit world. We've seen Unalok and Korra use Waterbending to calm and cleans Dark Spirits (And Unalok use a corrupt version on Jinora and Vaatulok do it to Korra.)

My general thoughts on how Avatar's bending and spiritual stuff works are as such;

Your standard benders do what they do with Chi, internal energy. This is why Chi Blockers who know how to mess with that energy can wreck them. The basic elemental bending doesn't strictly have anything to do with being spiritual.

I feel like spiritual awareness is another quality entirely, one that perhaps was more common before the Hundred Years War and even further back. I feel like even a normal non-bender could be spiritually aware, we saw Uncle Bumi interacting with Bum-Jun a lot as a regular guy. I feel like the Astral Projection thing does make sense as at the very least being easier for a spiritual airbender to do. I personally like the idea, though,that each of the four nations has a spiritual history and spiritual techniques they practice in line with their native element - IE, Unalok pacifying/tainting spirits using waterbending and spiritual energy.

By that token, I'd argue that perhaps spiritual stuff is possible for anyone, but the full on taking bending/restoring bending is, if not Avatar-Unique, definitely not a thing people could just pick up or develop with a few years training.
bigbadron
moderator, 14677 posts
He's big, he's bad,
but mostly he's Ron.
Sun 21 Sep 2014
at 06:14

Re: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra game

With this many replies in the thread, it should be clear by now whether or not there is sufficient interest in this idea to warrant creating an actual game.  Please save further discussion for game itself, created by Skyman (should they decide to go ahead with it) and linked to in the post immediately following this one.

Thank you.
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