Today we're taking a look at how items, leveling, and progression are handled in Mirthwood. We're tossing items into the discussion because they exist in a shared context with these other systems; they can often play off of one another, sometimes to great effect.
Let's start with leveling. In Mirthwood, you'll level up individual skills simply by performing them. The more time you spend working the fields, the more adept a farmer your character will become. Perhaps you will specialize in crops, orchards, or animal husbandry. You might even craft a wine so delicious that your brand becomes famous across the world.
But, what if you'd rather role-play a ranger or Robin Hood type? Maybe a charismatic charmer? Your time spent performing actions in those categories will play a part in how skilled your character is there. We want you to feel that your character is a reflection of your actions, and so those actions contribute to relevant skills rather than a generic XP pool.
There are currently six skill areas you can progress in; Melee, Archery, Farming, Trades, Social, and Survival. So then, what does progression in these categories look like?
Once you've leveled up a skill a few times, you'll be rewarded with skill cards. These cards serve as perks or boosts for your character. The further you progress in a particular skill, the more fun and powerful cards you'll receive.
Cards will need to be added to your hand to take effect, but thoughtfully so, as your hand has a limited number of slots. This is where you'll need to think about the composition of your hand as it relates to your character or playstyle. Do you want to stack your hand with Charisma cards, or remain balanced and mix skills?
You'll never be completely locked into a particular hand, we want you to experiment and have fun. Opportunities to swap cards and expand your hand will be present during the game. But if you want to completely recompose your hand, it'll take some time and effort.
Lastly, let's touch on items and how they impact the world of Mirthwood.
Continuing in theme, items are presented in card format in your inventory and when trading or crafting. Mirthwood will employ a rarity system, with card colors informing you what rare or legendary gear you might have on hand. Stats will be displayed on item cards, and in some cases, an item might have a Trait attached to it.
Traits are a way for items to have impact beyond base stats. A Jester's Hat might have a Silly trait, persuading townsfolk that you might actually be funny (even though, let's face it, you're not). Wearing the complete Jester's outfit will render the Silly trait even more potent. Further still, try pairing the Jester's outfit with the Comedian skill card sitting in your hand. Even the grumpiest of grumps will find your jokes funny.
Many different traits can be found on items throughout the world. Some impact social behavior, while others might offer unique combat abilities. It's up to you to see what else you might find out there.
By combining the systems we've covered here, our hope is that players will have the tools to experiment and build fun characters, or dive into role-playing by stacking their hand. Either way, we'll put the power in your hands.