A PCs interaction with the physical world

[AresLunthar]

One of the elements of Novus (and many games in fact) I would like to see expanded is the rules for how a PC interacts with the game world.  By this I mean lifting, carrying, leaping, climbing, swimming etc.  In my experience clearly defining these actions should be the core of any RPG.  I know when Novus was being developed we looked at things like movement and settled on them being size based and related to size (to basically set a "stride") for each creature.  This was the easiest way to incorporate size into the game.  I'm not really opposed to it necessarily but am wondering if we can brainstorm other ideas.

For example:  Lifting.  Exactly how much can a PC lift?  Until a player or GM knows this it's not fair for a GM to use it as a challenge and uncertain on how the player can use it to their advantage.  To me I think this can be related easily to size again.  Maybe height and weight are part of the CharGen process somehow and a PCs lift TNs are based off %s of their weight?  I would imagine any physical training a warrior or such doing being solely based off of using their body weight...so this seems like the obvious measure.. something like 50% of your weight being a TN 15 etc...

Any thoughts?

[Maestro]

This came up with our last mission actually. One of my players drank a potion of ogre strength, but I was surprised that it didn't seem to change too much, in terms of in game effects.
  I think numbers of what strength and endurance can do should be partly based on the actual stat number, as opposed to the stat bonus. As it is, a character with 22 strength stands exactly the same chance of winning an arm wrestle as someone with 24 strength. Personally, I don't think that's fair. Not sure how I would fix it yet, though...

[AresLunthar]

I recall when Novus was being developed I was GMing Hero system.  Tim and I chatted a lot about the good aspects of that game that could be incorporated (the combat moves for example). One of the things Hero does well is give a lift/throw based on your stat value.  The reason I suggested it being based on your characters weight was because in a FRPG a Halfling might weigh 60lbs and a Dwarf 150lbs.  So, the variance between the "mighty" and the "meek" are almost built in already.  Your potion of "Ogre" strength could be reinterpreted to give the effective strength of a 600lb (listed as 500-700lbs) being.  So, a TN 15 Athletics Roll might give that PC a lift of 300lbs?   Size does matter- and I know Tim had started to address it in some of the monster making Libram Novus rules.

I personally am not a fan of stat values.  Novus 2 (whenever that happens) is eliminating them.  However, while they are present I would use them to break a tie in initiative for example.  Also, one of the ideas I was tossing around yesterday after typing this was to use them as the TN for actions against NPCs/Monsters/players.  At least this makes them relevant in gameplay.  One of the games I GM is MiniSix and the spell casting TNs etc are often vs. Defense+10 etc.   Defense is basically the pip value of your dice pool- so, you can look at a foe with 2d in Wits and know that the TN is 6+10=16.  While a better foe with 3d would be 19 etc.

For example, you are trying use trickery to palm a coin from a table; this could be Trickery vs. Stat Value+10.  So, vs. an average human (stat value 10) the TN would be 20.  In the case of your arm wrestle your Athletics (or whatever) would be rolled vs. your opponents stat value, and theirs against your inflated Ogre STR value.