Interesting,
@Mannan. I've been musing on limiting total number of Acts per player as well, though in my case with a set number of Acts rather than a point system (3 Grand, 6 Lesser, unlimited Demi, Cosmic Acts still require cooperation/votes) that would replenish at certain Ages. The points where they are replenished could be linked to some kind of Fated Events (cosmic cataclysm, Silmarillion-type coming of a race, expansion of what's possible to create similar to your Epochs) that come on set Ages.
I've also tinkered with ideas for a PvP divine combat system between gods that a) does not take anyone out of play and b) changes the world just by happening. This would also include a move away from identityless Makers to asking questers to just give themselves names off the bat, I think.
Basically:
Divine Combat
You may attack another deity for additional Acts. A god can only initiate one Divine Combat per Age, though they can fight in several in succession if another god chooses to challenge them afterwards. Combats between gods are resolved with a d6 vs d6 contest. The difference between the rolls determines the result, with the higher total winning. Divine weapons, allies and other advantages can provide bonuses to these rolls.
You do not need to initiate Divine Combats against NPC entities and may just smite them with a regular Act if so desired. Very powerful godlike entities created through Cosmic or Grand Acts may be battled in this way, however.
Advantages
-Cosmic Act weapon or allies: +5
-Grand Act weapon or allies: +3
-Lesser Act weapon or allies: +1
-These do not stack; only the highest is counted. However, weapons and allies are counted separately.
Results
1 over: Minor Victory.
A shaming; a scar; a disruption of plans. The winner gains an additional
Lesser Act. A
Demi-Act's worth of consequences will occur in the world.
2-3 over: Victory.
A humiliation; a wounding; a sabotage of designs. The winner gains an additional
Lesser Act. The loser suffers from a
Flaw for the next Age they will Act on/their next X number of Acts, which will have unpredictable consequences for their Acts. A
Demi-Act's worth of consequences will occur in the world.
4-5 over: Major Victory.
A thrashing for the ages; a severe injury; a devastating setback. The winner gains an additional
Grand Act. The loser suffers from a
Flaw for the next Age they will Act on/their next X number of Acts, which will have unpredictable consequences for their Acts. A
Lesser Act's worth of consequences will occur in the world.
6+ over: Absolute Victory.
An infamous defeat; a crippling mutilation; a catastrophic collapse of schemes. The winner gains an additional
Grand Act and
two Lesser Acts. The loser suffers from a
Flaw for the next X Ages they will Act on/their next X number of Acts, which will have unpredictable consequences for their Acts. A
Grand Act's worth of consequences will occur in the world.
Design Goals
-Encourage mythos of divine warfare, but;
-Prevent anyone from ruining the Quest for someone else by permanently crippling or killing their god;
-Prevent stacking of obscene bonuses to combats by only creating powerful weapons and servants;
-Strengthen themes of chaos by always having
some unpredictable consequences from engaging in battle.
EX.
Phagoth, God of Decay, Prince of Black Bile and Master of Goblinkind, launches an assault on Valoros, God of Law, Defender of Civilization and Keeper of the Universal Tenets. Phagoth carries the Black-Bile Blade (Lesser Act, +1) and is assisted by the undying Nine Goblin Emperors (Lesser Act, +1). Valoros wears the Celestial Cuirass (Grand Act, +3), a mighty suit of god-forged star-steel.
Phagoth rolls a 2+1+1=4. Valoros rolls a 4+3=7. The difference of these totals is 3, meaning a score of Victory in favor of Valoros. The Black-Bile Blade clashes uselessly against the shining Celestial Cuirass, and Valoros' bolt of chaos-fire scours his flesh and sends him running.
Valoros gains a Lesser Act from this victory. Phagoth suffers a Flaw for some time; Flawed Acts always succeed in they attempt to do as normal, but additional consequences or changes may occur which can modify the original intent. Flaws will never ruin or stop an Act from succeeding.
In addition, the battle shakes the foundations of Creation simply by happening. The bilious black blood of Phagoth trickles from his wounds down to the wilds of Skaroth. There they boil and froth, sinking down into the roots of a great redwood tree. Phagoth's blood murders the tree, but will not let it die; it is trapped forever in tormented half-life, oozing poisonous sap and killing the land around it. The Black-Bile Tree has come to be. Demi-Act Consequence: The Black-Bile Tree.
With a higher difference, the consequences might be even greater. Without bonuses it is not possible to get an Absolute Victory with its Grand Act's worth of consequences, which could wipe whole continents off the face of Creation or cause mass extinctions! This means that an arms race of giving yourself weapons and allies may backfire for the whole world.
I'm thinking the loser can also accept the loss of an Act of equal value instead of taking the Flaw. In this case, Phagoth could have sacrificed the Nine Goblin Emperors, and we could say Valoros slays them instead as Phagoth makes his escape.
Any thoughts? I think this could be fun both for players and from the QM perspective, though I can see salt happening from the consequences as well.
