Designing a Table Top RPG Mahou Shoujo Game

[Medb]

Hello,

So I am slowly designing a table top rpg about one of my favorite things, Mahou Shoujo. In the process I have come to a stumbling block, not plagiarizing. So right now I am drawing up Spell Lists for the "Classes" which in my game are basically themes on the spell lists and the abilities. A quick example would be the themes of the sailor senshi, with all of the senshi having a elemental theme (or love, or time, or silence). So what I'm asking is for people to throw out spell names and what they do for any any general elemental theme.

Edit: The Reason I'm asking people for help is making up names of attacks that don't sound repetitive, are direct copies of names from anime/manga, or just sound stupid. I have some 30 already written down but if im trying to make 20 per "class" im running short.

Edit2:
There is the only ones I can remember, will update when home
Light

• Luminous Burst
• Shining Blow

Water

• Frost Blast

Wind/Air

• Exploding Gale

Earth

• Magma Blast

Fire

• Inferno Blast

 

[Acatalepsy]

Paging @open_sketchbook. I understand that Mr.Book has written some WORDS about MAGICAL GIRLS and RPGS.

 

[Hyacinthium]

Actually watch/read Mahou Shoujo series that aren't just the ones made to pander to adult males with fanservice. Genre has been around since the 60s, so go have at it.

 

[Medb]

Actually watch/read Mahou Shoujo series that aren't just the ones made to pander to adult males with fanservice. Genre has been around since the 60s, so go have at it.

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Are you saying that I should watch/read them? because if so I have read a huge amount of manga with mahou shoujo. I'm not a huge fan of fan service, and unless its hot guys I'm not reading them for fan service.

 

[Snow]

So what I'm asking is for people to throw out spell names and what they do for any any general elemental theme.

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I think the name Luminous Sanctuary sounds rather nice.

Actually watch/read Mahou Shoujo series that aren't just the ones made to pander to adult males with fanservice. Genre has been around since the 60s, so go have at it.

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Um, she was asking for name ideas, not advice about game design?

 

[Usandru]

If you want them to be coherent, you should probably demonstrate the names you already have, or just post the entire list of them.

Even if you don't want to post the list, you should still explain what kinds of names you want for these things, and what kinds of attacks they need to be applied to.

 

[Medb]

If you want them to be coherent, you should probably demonstrate the names you already have, or just post the entire list of them.

Even if you don't want to post the list, you should still explain what kinds of names you want for these things, and what kinds of attacks they need to be applied to.

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Im planning on posting them when i get home from work, im doing this from my work computer which doesnt have my work saved on it.

 

[open_sketch]

Why don't you let people name their own attacks? Half the fun is always the ridiculous and nonsensical nature of the attack names, and while that would be confusing in mechanics it can only be fun during gameplay, so give the attacks totally generic names and then give a guideline for naming them! Heck, I'm doing a random generator!

Remember, this is the genre that gave us the attack Star Gentle Uterus! so there is literally no way to go over the top with this.

(The fact you want to farm for attack names without telling us what attacks you have mechanically, or the fact your Magical Girl game is class-based but uses the elements (which are usually just cosmetic) instead of the team roles (the actually important part) is raising some game design red flags, but I don't wanna be mean. I'm always up for discussions about game design though, especially for this given the subject matter.)

 

[Snow]

Why don't you let people name their own attacks? Half the fun is always the ridiculous and nonsensical nature of the attack names, and while that would be confusing in mechanics it can only be fun during gameplay, so give the attacks totally generic names and then give a guideline for naming them! Heck, I'm doing a random generator!

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I assumed that these were to be the generic names, but with a bit of a magical girl flavour to them to help with distinguishing it from spells in other genres. But I agree, players should be the ones naming their character's moves. It just seemed so obvious that that's what would happen that I didn't think the names here could be intended to serve as the actual names of the characters' moves. (I totally intend to use "Luminous Sanctuary" myself though, if I ever make a character with a suitable power. )

I do think including guidelines and generators for names is a wonderful idea though! I often struggle to come up with good names, and those would help a lot.

 

[Medb]

Why don't you let people name their own attacks? Half the fun is always the ridiculous and nonsensical nature of the attack names, and while that would be confusing in mechanics it can only be fun during gameplay, so give the attacks totally generic names and then give a guideline for naming them! Heck, I'm doing a random generator!

Remember, this is the genre that gave us the attack Star Gentle Uterus! so there is literally no way to go over the top with this.

(The fact you want to farm for attack names without telling us what attacks you have mechanically, or the fact your Magical Girl game is class-based but uses the elements (which are usually just cosmetic) instead of the team roles (the actually important part) is raising some game design red flags, but I don't wanna be mean. I'm always up for discussions about game design though, especially for this given the subject matter.)

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The reason for wanting prechosen names is I don't plan on making it a standard RPG I'm working for a game made for sitting down for a few hours and being able to play it from start to finish. The way its going its going to be less focused on RP more on battles.

 

[Eukie]

The reason for wanting prechosen names is I don't plan on making it a standard RPG I'm working for a game made for sitting down for a few hours and being able to play it from start to finish. The way its going its going to be less focused on RP more on battles.

Click to shrink...

If you're designing a boardgame, going at it from the perspective of "character classes" is the wrong approach. That's probably one of the least important parts of the actual game. That you haven't told us anything about how the game is played is something of a warning sign here. How is your game played? What are the end/victory conditions? What can you do to fulfil those victory conditions?