************************************************************************* TO DO: -> update TOC for magic * CORE * SECTION 2 DICE SECTION 3 CHARACTER CREATION -> Finish filling out Gifts/Foibles costs in sections 3.6 and 9.7.1.1 SECTION 4 SKILLS -> Finish the skills descriptions and verify all costs and default TDs -> Review the default TDs so that they fit with the new reference for TDs (character with skill 10) -> Add Fatigue ratings to skills (when appropriate) SECTION 5 TASKS -> revise 5.5 Contested Skill Task Resolution (to allow both opponents to roll as an optional rule) and to clarify what TD is. -> revise 5.6 Composite Task Resolution (add example) SECTION 9 MISCELLANEA -> Complete the Affliction rules (and agree upon them...). Then move them into the "GENERAL RULES" section -> Fill the weapons table -> Add effective and maximum range to all missile weapons -> Collapse the Armour types into more generic categories. We currently have 27 armour types, some of which require padding to be used. It would be best if padding was included in the armour weight and resistance and if we could cut down the number of armour to between 10 and 15. -> Remove or adjust the Fatigue modifiers for armor (to take into account the changes in the Fatigue rules). We may want to leave some Fatigue modifiers only for armors that are uncomfortable because their weight is not well balanced (e.g. chain mail) or because they can easily because very hot (e.g. plate mail). * COMBAT * -> Fill sections "7.6.1 Attack Reach" and "7.6.3 Combat Hex Grid" -> Clarify fend -> Decide on reach rules -> add modifier for uncoordinated attacks against a single defender? ************************************************************************* 3.0b1 (never posted) -> added Combat 3.0b1 into the alpha 2.0 rules -> made a few additional modifications in the rules, especially with regard to dice rolls (d10 now ranges from 0 to 9) 3.0b2 -> added Combat 3.0b2. -> changed the DEX definition to include fine motricity of the arms, which was necessary for some combat styles and related game balance. -> in character creation, moved the choice of the species before the choice of the career, so that it is easier to pay the EP Cost associated with the species. 3.0b3 -> separated the rules from the world specifics -> added current versions of templates 3.0b4 -> Modified the magic section. Added guidelines for spell creation and using other magic types. Added templates to the template section. '+' at the beginning of the line represents changes. 3.0b5 -> Clarified the reroll method (section 2.4) description. -> Added sentence in section 3.2 clarifying Talent scale and species modifiers (I hope). -> added LIFT and LOAD to the new STR table and deleted the old table. -> moved STR table to section 9.4 -> Rewrite of the Character Creation and Advancement section to include Gifts/Foibles as well as a reorganization of material. -> Added section 9.3 Affliction (please check this) -> Added recovery rules to Affliction -> Converted all skill costs to `EP cost' instead of `TEADV' so all tables and references are compatable -> Added Innate Gifts and Foibles section for species creation to the Species Template (section 9.7.1.1) -> Fixed minor spelling and wording problems. 3.0b6 -> removed the reference to the efficiency of Talent scores from section 3.2. -> reinserted the skill lists (general, combat and magic) in the main rules). 3.0b7 -> Added Healing rules (section 9.5) -> Made up a Master Skill List and put it in section 9.6 -> Renamed templates to Appendix A. Renamed other appendices accordingly. -> Added Fatigue rules (version 1.2) (sectio 9.8) -> Added Equipment list (ver 0.2) (section 9.7) -> Added optional Training rule (section 4.4.1) -> Added skills in Drawing/Painting, Sculpture/Carving, and Wood working. -> Updated equations for FATIGUE, Affliction, and Death as per discussions in DNCORE. -> Changed weapons table to include what style is needed to wield each. -> Added weapons to the weapons table (and we still need others and details) 3.0b8 -> revised the graded outcomes system to replace the multipliers (TDx2, TD/5) by additive offsets (TD+X, TD-X) -> corrected section 5.4 refering to resisting poison with an attribute check (actually got rid of the entire note about Attribute checks) -> Added 7.4.2.1.3 Called Shots (Should it go here?) -> Added Target Size modifier to 7.4.2.1.1 3.0b9 (there have been many changes to Core and Combat over the course of many internal revisions.) CORE -> Minor corrections in the Graded Outcomes section -> Updated the Task difficulty odds in section 5.3 -> Clarified slightly the Optional Training rule (4.4.1) -> Put back the paragraph about Attribute check, while removing the reference to poison (the sample attribute check is now "holding one's breath") -> Corrected the lift and load values in the STR table (they did not fit with the Strength Factor; scaled down the LIFT and LOAD values to accomodate changes in the Encumbrance and Lifting rules. -> Corrected some wording in "3.2 Talents" -> Moved a simplified version of the Strength Table from the appendix to "3.2.3 Strength Table". Since the Strength Table is mainly used for character creation and directly relates to the STR Talent, it makes sense to have it in the Talents section. -> Removed all the species that are not part of the system from the STR Table (both in 9.4 and in 3.2.3). We will have to add our species to these table as the species are completed. -> Changed the name of the "Running" skill to "Sprinting" -> Set the Untrained Penalty for the "Endurance" and "Sprinting" skills to 0 -> Changed the default tasks for "Endurance" and "Sprinting" skills -> Added a new section "PRACTICAL RULES" so that we can put rules like Fatigue, movement, healing, ... in a better place than in the appendix. -> Moved Healing from the appendix into the "PRACTICAL RULES" section -> Moved the Medicine skill description from the Healing section to the description of the Medicine skill in the skills section. -> Introduced the new Encumbrance rules (in "3.2.3 Strength Table", "9.4 Strength and Size Rating Table" and in "6.1 Encumbrance") -> Introduced the new Fatigue rules in section "6.2 Fatigue". I left the old Fatigue rules in section () for those who want to compare. We should remove them in the following reposts. -> Introduced the new Movement rules in section "6.3 Movement" -> Introduced basic Falling rules in section "6.5 Falling" -> Moved and expanded lifting rules in section "6.6 Lifting Weight" -> Added the Fatigue Rating to the movement speeds table of section "6.3.1 Movement Speeds". Changed the Fatigue Rating for the Base Speed. -> Removed "9.7 Old Fatigue Rules" -> Changed the dice roll from 2d10* to d10-d10. I modified all TDs by -10 to reflect the change and updated the Task difficulty odds in section 5.3. -> Major changes in "SECTION 3 CHARACTER CREATION" -> Beauty is now a Gift/Foible -> BODY is now a physical Talent -> Talents now cost 20 Talent Points per point of Talent (this only changes the conversion ratio between EPs and Talent Points. It will also be used for the optional pool of points rule when I manage to make it work correctly. (Guillaume)] -> New skill advancement method based on usage -> New skill advancement method based on usage and EP (this one is from Dale) -> Includes an updated version of the Weapons table. -> Includes the simpler Quick & Dirty movement system in section "6.3 Movement". The full system is now in section "6.4 Advanced Movement (Optional)". -> Clarifications to "6.3.1 Chases" -> Finished the update of the odds in "5.3 Task Difficulties" with numbers from Dale -> Changed back section "3.3.1 Buying Talents" to what it was is 3.0b8.3, except for the conversion ratio between Talent Points and EPs which is left at 1 to 20. -> Introduced an optional rule to pool Talent Points and EPs in section "3.1 Steps for Completing a Character". -> Added a column in Skill Acquisition Costs table to give the cost for Talents -> Removed "6.4.5 Moving among obstacles", which was far too complex to be useable. -> Removed "5.2 Relative vs Absolute Tasks" which was more confusing than helpful. -> Changed the odds in section "5.2 Task Difficulties" so that they are calculated relatively to what an experienced Journeyman (skill=10) can do. This seemed better after some early playtesting. -> Added a note in "5.4 Contested Skill Task Resolution" about the possibility of using the double of the talent value when the task is based mainly on the raw capabilities and not on any form of experience. -> Corrected the medicine skill to make it work with the Healing rules. COMBAT -> Added a short section about fatigue during combat ("7.7 Fatigue in Combat") -> Moved "7.6 Unarmed Combat" to section 7.5. The previous section "7.5 Movement and Distances in Combat" is now in section 7.6. -> Changed section "7.6.1 Combat Movement" to correspond with the new movement rules. -> Added "7.4.2.2.1 Precision" (please take a look at it Roger) -> Modified the Death equation to fit with the results of the vote on BODY values -> Changed the dice roll from 2d10* to d10-d10. I modified all TDs by -10 and BODY to 25 to reflect the change. -> Made all necessary changes to accomodate the fact that BODY is now a physical Talent that varies from -5 to +5 (for humans) -> Replaced beauty by BODY in the physical talents of the sample characters (since Beauty is now a Gift/Foible) -> Added a note to precision to explain that it can be deadly when rolled defense is used. -> Added a more detailed explanation of multiple actions in combat (7.4.2.3 Multiple Actions in Combat) -> Added skill modifiers for all-out attack and all-out defense in "7.4.2.1.2 Skill Modifiers" -> Minor change "7.6.1 Combat Movement" regarding AGI checks for moving in combat. MAGIC -> Corrected some formatting problems and removed all + that denoted where Del had added stuff. The new stuff is now fully part of the rules -> Made necessary changes to reflect the dice roll change from 2d10* to d10-d10. In fact, I only changed "2d10*" by "d10-d10" everywhere in the text as the rules are pretty unclear on the task difficulties... 3.0b10 -> introduced the first version of the magic system rewrite -> changed back the "5.2 Task Difficulties" to the viewpoint of the minimally experienced character, so that skill and talent checks TDs use the same scale. -> wrote missile weapon targetting rules (7.4.2.2 Targeting with Missile Weapons) -> slightly changed the modifiers for attack and defense when doing an all-out attack or all-out defense. -> small corrections to the Size Rating table -> rewrite of "7.4.2.1.3 Called Shots" ***************************************************************************** TABLE OF CONTENTS: SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 What is DNet? 1.2 Distributing DNet 1.3 Terms and Concepts 1.3.1 Talent 1.3.2 Training 1.3.3 Skill 1.3.4 Heaps SECTION 2 DICE 2.1 Task Resolution 2.2 Weapon Damage 2.3 Experience 2.4 Reroll Method SECTION 3 CHARACTER CREATION 3.1 Steps for completing a character 3.2 Talents 3.2.1 Physical Talents 3.2.2 Mental Talents 3.2.3 Strength Table 3.3 Generating Talents 3.3.1 Buying Talents 3.3.2 Rolling for Talents 3.4 Starting Experience Points 3.5 Careers 3.5.1 Career bonus 3.5.2 (Example) career table 3.6 Gifts and Foibles SECTION 4 SKILLS 4.1 Skill Competency 4.2 Skill Costs 4.3 Untrained Penalty (UP) 4.4 Skill Advancement 4.4.1 Optional Advancement Rules 4.4.1.1 Advancement by Utilization and EPs (Optional) 4.4.1.2 Advancement Check (Optional) 4.4.1.3 Advancement by Utilization Only (Optional) 4.5 General Skills 4.5.1 Artistic Skills 4.5.2 Athletic Skills 4.5.3 Craft Skills 4.5.4 Knowledge Skills 4.5.5 Movement Skills 4.5.6 Nature Skills 4.5.7 Social Skills 4.5.8 Subterfuge Skills SECTION 5 TASKS 5.1 Task Resolution 5.2 Task Difficulties 5.3 Task Resolution when no skill is used 5.4 Contested Skill Task Resolution 5.5 Composite Task Resolution 5.6 Combining efforts 5.7 Graded outcomes (Optional) SECTION 6 GENERAL RULES 6.1 Encumbrance 6.2 Fatigue 6.2.1 Efforts 6.2.2 Recuperation 6.3 Movement 6.3.1 Chases 6.4 Advanced Movement 6.4.1 Movement Speeds 6.4.2 Movement Checks 6.4.3 Heavy Sprinting 6.4.4 Movement Skills 6.5 Healing 6.6 Falling 6.7 Lifting Weight SECTION 7 COMBAT 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Basic Premises 7.2.1 The Combat Round 7.2.2 Combat Styles 7.2.3 Impact, Damage and Injury 7.2.4 Combat Round Sequence 7.3 Combat Skills 7.3.1 Combat Styles 7.3.1.1 Long Range Styles 7.3.1.2 Melee Styles 7.3.2 Other Combat Skills 7.4 Combat Sequence 7.4.1 Declaration 7.4.1.1 Initiative 7.4.2 Action resolution 7.4.2.1 Targeting 7.4.2.1.1 Task Difficulty Modifiers 7.4.2.1.2 Skill Modifiers 7.4.2.1.3 Called Shots 7.4.2.2 Targeting with Missile Weapons 7.4.2.3 Damage and Injury 7.4.2.3.1 Precision 7.4.2.4 Multiple Actions in Combat 7.4.3 Survival checks 7.5 Unarmed Combat 7.5.1 Unarmed Attacks 7.5.2 Unarmed weapon types 7.5.3 Unarmed Combat Styles 7.6 Movement and Distances in Combat 7.6.1 Combat Movement 7.6.2 Attack reach 7.6.3 Combat Hex Grid 7.7 Fatigue in Combat SECTION 8 MAGIC 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Overview 8.3 Magic Skills 8.3.1 Sources 8.3.2 Conductors 8.3.3 Skill List 8.3.3.1 Sources 8.3.3.2 Conductors 8.4 Magic Types 8.5 Magic Spells 8.5.1 Casting Spells 8.5.2 Spell Attributes 8.5.3 Tweaking Spells (Optional) 8.5.4 Making Spells SECTION 9 MISCELLANEA 9.1 Experience awards 9.2 Experience Dice (Optional) 9.3 Affliction 9.4 Strength and Size Rating Table 9.5 Master Skills List 9.6 Master Equipment List 9.6.1 Weapons 9.6.1.1 Weapons Table 9.6.1.2 Weapons Descriptions 9.6.2 Armour 9.6.2.1 Shields Appendix A TEMPLATES A.1 Species A.1.1 Innate Gifts and Foibles A.2 Culture A.3 NPC A.4 Deity A.5 Adventure A.6 Magic Type A.7 Spell Appendix B GLOSSARY Appendix C DESIGNER NOTES Appendix D DNET PARTICIPANTS *************************************************************************** SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION ----------------- 1.1 What is DNet? ----------------- DragonNet RPG ----------------- DragonNet (DNet) is a Role Playing Game (RPG) developed by a group of volunteers over the Internet. The game is donated to the gaming community as described under copyright and license. We hope that you enjoy our game. We encourage you to use it; to change parts that don't fit in your game worlds; to create new monsters, spells and rules; and to share your creative efforts with other gamers. Why Another RPG? ---------------- There are a lot of RPG systems out there. Almost everybody has their favorites. Everybody has played AD&D (tm). There are new games every year. Why another one? Well, we weren't happy with the other games we've seen for several reasons. We felt that if we could use what we've learned from years of gaming experience, we could develop a system that corrected the mistakes and imbalances of other games. We hope we've accomplished that. "First Kill all the Lawyers" - William Shakespeare --------------------------------------------------- As many of you know, TSR has recently cracked down on the distribution of user created materials for use with their AD&D (tm) game. The letter posted to rec.games.frp.dnd written by a TSR lawyer to a sysadmin caused quite a stir. Was there a company that provided a game where users were encouraged to develop material for the game and use it freely? We couldn't find one so we decided to develop our own. The intellectual property owned by some game company is not what makes role-playing an enjoyable hobby. (We argue it is their intellectual property that causes many of the problems!) We decided to develop our own fantasy RPG that would meet the needs of the net.community. One that could be enjoyed without fear of legal retaliation. Open Systems Development Philosophy ----------------------------------- Unix is a popular computer operating system for two primary reasons. One: it's free (usually), and Two it uses an open system architecture. Computer operating systems and RPG's actually have a lot in common. They are simply a set of logical rules combined with a syntax. This combination results in a system where user defined modules interact. RPG mechanics are also a set of rules and syntax for the purpose of role playing or story-telling. If Unix can be successful as a free system with open system architecture, DragonNet should be successful as a free open-system RPG. You already know what free means, and it's nice not to have to shell out $20.00 for the latest RPG game. Not to mention the continual drain on your pocketbook for the latest supplement. So what does open-system architecture mean? Well simply it means that you know all the information that was used to design the system. You are free to tinker with the insides of the system. You can change it. Improve it. Distribute it. Expand it. Bend it. Fold it. Mutilate it. Staple and spindle it. In fact we knew when we started this project we wouldn't have the time to fully develop every aspect of a good RPG. We hope you will take the opportunity to carve out a portion of reality. Study it carefully. Ponder it as you read through our Designer's Notes. Write up your new material and distribute it to the gaming world. That is after all why we started DragonNet. We felt it would serve our own self interest. We want to see what you can develop. Design Philosophy ----------------- If you want to design materials for use with DragonNet you have two options. You can develop unnofficial material yourself. Or you can join the DragonNet team. Either way, you'll want to understand the design philosophy we employed in creating the Dragon-Net Game. The Quest for Realism --------------------- Almost all of us started RPG's with one of the early RPG systems. It was fun for a while, but as we progressed they lost some of their charm. Perhaps our character had progressed to beyond the 10th level and game balance was forever lost. Maybe we no longer felt we had enough options, or it seemed stupid that our fighter could dive off a 100 foot cliff into solid rock and pick himself off the ground with relatively minor injuries. In any event, we decided we could improve the system. We started by working within the systems framework. Soon we exhausted all the possibilities. Many of the problems were fundamental flaws in the games themselves unable to be easily fixed without causing major problems somewhere else. Next we moved on to other systems. We tried RuneQuest(tm) or RoleMaster(tm). Then we moved on to "third generation" games such as Hero (tm) or G.U.R.P.S. (tm). Still we were unsatisfied. We questioned why. These games were rich with detail. The realism we craved was there. Why did they lack the charm of those first RPG sessions? The reason we believe is that realism is not the grail RPG designers should seek. Adding realism for it's own sake takes away the wonder of the game. The mechanics begin to bog down the flow of play. We lose the drama inherent in the plot. The story becomes dull. The game unplayed. The true alignment principle game designers should strive for is elegance. An RPG can be realistic to the extent that it uses simple, fast moving mechanics. Gritty realism is less important than plausibility. An RPG is much like a novel. Many realistic games get bogged down in the mechanics. This is as dangerous for a GM as concentrating on technique alone would be for a writer. The RPG system is there to enhance the story. The story is not a vehicle for the RPG system. Simplicity vs. Complexity ------------------------- Within the context of an elegant game, simplicity is key. When game mechanics are simple and can be handled quickly they contribute to an enjoyable role playing session. When they are bulky, get in the way, or require frequent die rolls or multiple table lookups we lose the sense of action, the drama of the events happening in the game world. Complexity is an enemy that must be guarded against. If we fail to be watchful it creeps into our systems. It destabilizes game balance and slows the play. The rules drive the game. This is not what a RPG should be. Key Development Principles -------------------------- Simplicity. DragonNet should be a very simple game to play. All the numbers needed for play should be available on the player's character sheet. NPC stats should easily fit on a 3x5 card. Table lookups should be infrequent or non-existent, particularly during play. Only a limited number of dice should be used (d10 and d6). Dice mechanics should be similar, and there should be no more than 2 or 3 varieties. Skill and attribute checks should occur in basically the same manner. Simplicity should not however preclude the richness of systems enjoyed by experienced players. Intuitive. DragonNet should be intuitive. Jargon and Acronymns should be avoided. High die rolls should be good, low rolls bad. Game abstractions should make sense relative to the real world. This should not be confused with realism. DNet is not a detailed, gritty, realistic system. Abstractions have a basis in reality. As an example in AD&D (tm), hit points are an abstraction that includes luck, skill, endurance and physical health. When you lose hit points in AD&D (tm) you are not necessarily taking wounds. This kind of abstraction should be avoided. Flexible. DragonNet as a licensed game will be available for all GM's to tinker with. This should be encouraged, even built into the system. Each section of the game, Character Creation & Advancement, Skills, Combat, Magic, etc. should have a set of basic rules that are easy to play, understand and use. Each section should also have a set of Advanced Rules that add flavor to the game. These advanced rules should allow characters to move seamlessly between the systems. All advanced rules would be strictly optional. GM's could pick and choose among the optional rules they will use. Expandable. DragonNet is an Open-System design. As such, it should be easily expandable by the user. The game design should be such that player and GM's can easily add monsters, spells, skills, character types and cultures without disturbing game balance or violating the integrity of the system. Quality. DragonNet should be a high quality product. Suitable for publication by any of the major game publishing companies. It should include quality color artwork, be well written and meticulously edited. It should be made available through anonymous ftp as text, postscript, and through www as hypertext formats. --------------------- 1.2 Distributing DNet --------------------- This game is available free of charge from the several on-line archives. This game may be freely reproduced & distributed electronically or in hardcopy, provided the following conditions are met: * Leave all copyright, distribution, attribution, and DragonNet Team information intact. Permission expressly granted for conversion to other formats. Translation of this game to other languages must include the following disclaimer on the title page, both in English and in the target language: "This document is a user translation of the DragonNet RPG. It is not endorsed or otherwise acknowledged by the DragonNet Team." You can contact the DragonNet Team for official approval of your translation. * For-profit distribution of printed versions of the guide is forbidden, unless permitted in writing. However, you may print out copies and recoup the cost of printing and distribution by charging a nominal fee. * Any for-profit non-paper distribution (such as shareware vendor diskettes, CD-Rom collections, etc.) must be approved by the DragonNet Team (the time- and usage-based access fees of on-line services, bulletin boards, and network access providers are specifically exempted). * You may not charge a for-profit fee specifically for this game, only for a collection containing the guide, with the exceptions of nominal copying charges and on-line usage fees as exempted above). * Qualitative modifications of this game must include the following disclaimer on the title page: "This document is a user contributed work designed for use with or in lieu of the DragonNet RPG. It is not endorsed or otherwise acknowledged by the DragonNet Team." ---------------------- 1.3 Terms and Concepts ---------------------- To play a DragonNet game, there are a few terms that must be known. We've tried to keep terminology to a minimum, but it inevitably creeps in. Where we have specific terms for RPG constructs, we have tried to make them as intuitive as possible. 1.3.1 Talent ------------ Talent describes a character's natural ability in a particular area. A character's strength talent is a measure of their ability to lift loads, carry weight and deal damage in combat. Other systems refer to a characters natural abilities as attributes or abilities. We use the term Talent (though you may find attribute in certain places in the draft rules). 1.3.2 Training -------------- Training is the amount of learned experience a character has in a given skill or area. This includes formal and informal education, obtained at a university or the school of hard knocks. A character gains training through practice, study and use of skills. Experience can be used to increase a characters training level in a skill. 1.3.3 Skill ----------- Skill is the effectiveness of a character in a particular area. Skill includes both the characters natural talent and his level of training. [Skill = Talent (Ta) + Training (Tr)] DragonNet is a skill based system, so most of a character's abilities will be described as skills. 1.3.4 Heaps ----------- Heaps are numeric values that start at 0 and go up. High Heap values are bad and low Heap values are good. Some Heaps used in DNet: Encumbrance Injury Fatigue Heaps work similarly to Task Difficulties (See Skills), except that they are variable. For example, when a character takes sufficient injury, he makes a survival check by rolling dice and comparing the result (modified by appropriate Talents, skills or Traits) to his Injury heap. *************************************************************************** SECTION 2 DICE --------- 2.0 Tasks --------- Characters in roleplaying games are constantly trying to do things. Picking pockets, casting spells, haggling the price of an item with a shopkeeper, etc. Whenever a character attempts to do something, it is referred to as a Task. DragonNet uses the same consistent format for all tasks. Whether you are swinging a sword, picking a lock, or fast-talking a town guardsman, you will always use the same game mechanics. ------------------- 2.1 Task Resolution ------------------- Tasks are resolved by rolling dice, adding the characters skill or ability to the die roll, and comparing the result to a Task Difficulty. If the die roll plus the ability is greater or equal than the difficulty, the task succeeds. If it is less, the attempt fails. Optionally, the Game Master may use the amount by which the attempt fails or succeeds to determine the degree of success or failure. Two ten sided dice are rolled for task resolution. DragonNet uses an open-ended die roll method designated d10-d10* (See re-roll method below). ----------------- 2.2 Weapon Damage ----------------- Six sided dice are used for weapon IMPACT. -------------- 2.3 Experience -------------- Experience Points can be awarded with Experience Dice (d6). Some GM's may not like this level of randomness, and are free to set EP's as a fixed amount as outlined in the section on experience. In that case the dice range can be used as a guide. ----------------- 2.4 Reroll Method ----------------- For Task Resolution, DragonNet uses two ten-sided dice of contrasting colors. Each dice can generate a result from 1 to 10: the 0 on the dice is considered to be a 10. Before rolling, choose which dice will be the positive dice and which will be the negative one. In the examples below, the white dice is positive, while the black one is negative. You then roll the two dice and substract the negative one from the positive one. Example: White dice (+): 6 Black dice (-): 7 Result: -1 When you roll a 10 on one (or both) dice, you compute the partial result and reroll the 10, adding or substracting the new roll, as appropriate. If you also roll a 10 on the reroll, you add it to the partial result and reroll again. You reroll as long as you keep rolling 10s... or until the GM asks to verify your dice. ;) Using this method is denoted as d10-d10 throughout the rules. Example: White dice (+): 10 Black dice (-): 2 Partial result: 8 White dice (+): 3 Final result: 11 Example: White dice (+): 7 Black dice (-): 10 Partial result: -3 Black dice (-): 3 Final result: -6 Example: White dice (+): 10 Black dice (-): 10 Partial result: 0 White dice (+): 10 Black dice (-): 3 Partial result: 7 White dice (+): 1 Final result: 8 *************************************************************************** SECTION 3 CHARACTER CREATION ------------------------------------ 3.1 Steps for Completing a Character ------------------------------------ Following is a basic outline describing the steps involved in creating a character for DragonNet. Each of these steps will be detailed in the following sections. Step 1: Ask your GM for the genre of the game (Realistic, Heroic or Highly Heroic). Use this genre to determine the number of Talent Points (TPs) your character will start out with and use them to buy starting Talents (section 3.3.1). If your GM prefers, you may roll randomly for starting Talents (section 3.3.2). Step 2: Ask your GM for the Experience Level of his campaign. With the Experience Level use the table in section 3.4 to determine how many Experience Points (EPs) your character begins with. (Alternatively, your GM may simply assign EP to you instead of having you use the table). Step 3: Select a Species Species that can be used as PCs will indicate this in their encyclopedia template. Species will also have a value in their Template called Cost. Human Cost = 0. All other species have a number relative to humans. Thus if a species has more negatives than positives, it will have a negative Cost. If a species has more positives than negatives, it will have a positive Cost. Refer to individual species descriptions in that part of the rules. Subtract Cost from EP. - Species will list +/- next to their talents. The +/- represent how much better or worse the species average is in that talent compared to human. For instance, if an Elf lists +5 PER, this means that the average Elven Perception is +5 greater than the human average. Species Talent modifiers cannot range higher than +5. Add these Talent modifiers to your character's Talents. Step 4: Select a Career if you wish. See section 3.5 for more details. Step 5: Select Gifts and/or Foibles if desired (see section 3.6) Gifts have a positive EP Cost. Foibles have a negative EP Cost. Subtract these Costs from EP. Step 6: Select a skill for the character (see Chapter 4). If the character has chosen a career, the skill should fall within one of the EP groups in which the character has some EP remaining. Step 7: Note the Skill Cost (1-5 EP per skill level) Step 8: Decide what level of Training you want your character to have with the skill. Step 9: Using the Skill Cost and the Desired Training Level, calculate the cost by using the value from the skill acquisition costs table (section 3.4) or by using the shortcut formula. Subtract this number from an EP group to which the skill belongs (Career EP or non-Career EP). Step 10: Repeat steps 6-9 until EP = 0 for all groups or you wish to stop purchasing skills. Record unused EP on your character sheet for later use. OPTIONAL: Step 1-2: Some gamers prefer to create their character using only one set of points. If the game master wishes that the players use such a method, he can convert the Talent Points into EP using: Talent EP = (Genre Talent Points)*(Genre Talent Points + 10) These Talent EP are added to the normal starting EP, and the pooled EP are used to buy both Talents and Skills. The cost of Talents is calculated as if they were skills with a Base EP Cost of 20 (see section 3.4). For example, a Talent of +5 would cost 300 EP, while a Talent of -3 would yield 120. Optionally, the game master can also decree that negative Talents only yield 20 EP per Talent point (-3 would yield 60 EP). If the career option is used, the characters should buy their Talents first and then divide the remaining EP between their career skills and general skills. ----------- 3.2 Talents ----------- In the DragonNet system, a character is defined by ten primary Talents. These are described hereafter and have been split into two categories - (1) physical and (2) mental. Physical: Fitness, Agility, Manual Dexterity, Strength, Body Mental: Intelligence, Will Power, Perception, Aura, Psyche Human Talents are in the range -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5. It should be noted that different player species may have modifiers to some Talents, thus moving them above or below the 'normal' human range of -5 to +5. Talent Description ------ ----------- -10* (Minimum Character Species Talent) -9* -8* -7* -6* -5 Minimal -4 Sub-"human" -3 Feeble -2 Deficient -1 Below Average 0 Average +1 Above Average +2 Exceptional +3 Gifted +4 Prodigious +5 Superior +6* Heroic +7* +8* +9* +10* (Maximum Character Species Talent) *Assuming modifiers for species 3.2.1 Physical Talents ---------------------- Agility (AGI) ------- Agility represents body control (static and motive) and connectivity. It includes balance, rhythm, and flexibility. Body (BOD) ---- Represents the amount of physical mistreatment that the character can endure before his vital organs cease to function correctly, i.e. he falls unconscious or die. Generally, body is proportional to the character's size. Manual dexterity (DEX) ---------------- Manual dexterity includes hand-eye coordination, fine motricity of the arms and hands, and sensitivity of touch. Fitness (FIT) ------- Fitness is an indicator of bodily health (immune system) and metabolic efficiency. Running for two hours without halt is a good example of a fitness related activity. Strength (STR) -------- Strength is a rating of physical power, both in its instantaneous explosive expression and in its prolonged and measured form. 3.2.2 Mental Talents -------------------- Aura (AUR) ---- Aura is the non-tangible complement to beauty. It represents a character's ability to impress, influence, seduce, command and lead people. Qualities such as natural charisma, personal magnetism, and sex appeal are greatly influenced by a character's aura. Intelligence (INT) ------------ Intelligence encompasses memory, analytical and reasoning ability, and speed of thought. A high intelligence indicates a natural aptitude for the generation, retention, and understanding of linear thought. Perception (PER) ---------- Perception includes alertness and observational acuity. A character with a high perception score has keen senses and is less likely to be surprised by unexpected developments. Psyche (PSY) -------------- Psyche is the emotional counterpart to intelligence. It rates a character's ability to engage in creative, intuitive, spiritual and transcendental thought. Amongst other things, Psyche enables interaction with the supernatural, including the gods, the spirit of Nature, and the mysteries of the universe. Willpower (WIL) -------------- Willpower is an indicator of self discipline (determination and persistence) and mental fortitude (resistance to influence, pain and stress). 3.2.3 Strength Table -------------------- Use the following table to determine how much your character can carry and lift based on its strength. It is suggested that you record those numbers on you character sheet for later use. LOAD Humanoid STR LIFT LOAD STEP species --------------------------------------- -20 200g 80g 8g -19 255g 100g 10g -18 340g 135g 14g -17 445g 180g 18g -16 590g 235g 24g -15 775g 310g 31g -14 1.0 410g 41g -13 1.4 540g 54g -12 1.8 715g 72g -11 2.4 940g 94g -10 3.1 1.2 120g -9 4.1 1.6 160g -8 5.4 2.2 220g -7 7.2 2.9 290g -6 9.5 3.8 380g -5 13 5.0 0.5 -4 16 6.5 0.7 -3 22 8.5 0.9 -2 29 11 1.1 -1 38 15 1.5 Elf 0 50 20 2.0 Human 1 65 25 2.5 2 85 35 3.5 3 115 45 4.5 4 150 60 6.0 5 200 80 8.0 6 265 105 11 7 350 140 14 8 460 185 19 9 610 245 25 10 805 320 32 11 1060 425 43 12 1400 560 56 13 1850 740 74 14 2440 975 98 15 3220 1290 130 16 4250 1700 170 17 5610 2240 225 18 7400 2960 300 19 9770 3910 390 20 12900 5160 520 --------------------------------------- STR: Strength Talent. LIFT: The weight a character can lift overhead easily. (in kg unless otherwise indicated) Attempting to lift a weight equal to LIFT overhead has a TD of -5. For every increase in weight equal to LOAD STEP, increase TD by 1 For every decrease in weight equal to LOAD STEP, decrease TD by 1 Shortcut Formula: TD = -5 + ( (Weight-LIFT) / LOAD STEP ) LOAD: LOAD is the amount of weight a character can carry before he will feel the effects of encumbrance. (in kg unless otherwise indicated) When a character carries a weight equal to or lower than LOAD, his Encumbrance Penalty is equal to 0. If the weight carried is greater than LOAD, then the Encumbrance Penalty is increase by 1 for every increase of weigth equal to the LOAD STEP (or a fraction of the load step). Shortcut Formula: (round up) Encumbrance Penalty = (Weight-LOAD) / LOAD STEP Example: STR = 0; LOAD = 20 kg; LOAD STEP = 2 kg Weight <= 20kg -> Encumbrance Penalty = 0 Weight = 20.5 kg -> Encumbrance Penalty = 1 Weight = 22 kg -> Encumbrance Penalty = 1 Weight = 22.5 kg -> Encumbrance Penalty = 2 Weight = 24 kg -> Encumbrance Penalty = 2 Weight = 35 kg -> Encumbrance Penalty = (35-20)/2 = 8 Humanoid Species: an example species of a given strength. ---------------------- 3.3 Generating Talents ---------------------- The first step in the character creation process is to generate Talents. There are two methods for doing this -- buying Talents with a point-cost method (3.3.1) or randomly rolling for Talents (3.3.2). 3.3.1 Buying Talents -------------------- A character begins with a number of Talent Points (TP) divided evenly into the two attribute categories, i.e. one half of the TPs must be spent on Talents for Physical attributes and the half on Talents for Mental attributes. The number of starting TP depends on the genre set by the Game Master: Highly Heroic -> 20 TP -> Average Talent = +2 Heroic -> 10 TP -> Average Talent = +1 Realistic -> 0 TP -> The adventurer is just as good as a normal human (Average Talent = 0) The Talent of each attribute is purchased at a cost equal to the Talent value. For example, a Talent of +5 in Strength costs five Talent Points, while a Talent of -2 would yield two Talent Points to be spent on other Attributes. A character cannot have a Talent over +5 or below -5 before the Species' modifiers are applied. OPTIONAL: When creating a character, a player has the choice to distribute starting TP into the two categories using any of the following breakdowns: (Physical/Mental) 60% / 40% (6 TP / 4 TP)* 50% / 50% (5 TP / 5 TP) 40% / 60% (4 TP / 6 TP) *Cost in parenthesis are given for the Heroic genre. OPTIONAL: At least half of the TP must be used when buying Talents in a category. Left over TP can be converted to Experience Points using a 1 to 20 conversion ration (1 TP = 20 Experience Points). The converted points can only be applied to skills whose primary attribute is a member of the category h(physical or mental) from which the points were converted. 3.3.2 Rolling for Attribute Talents ----------------------------------- To generate values in the -5 to +5 range, the basic die roll method is to roll 2d6 then subtract 7 (i.e. 2d6-7). This methods gives a -5 to +5 distribution that looks like a linear climbing ramp followed by a linear falling ramp, and has a mean of 0. The odds of rolling each extreme (-5 or +5) are 1 chance out of 36 for each roll. On ten rolls, the probability of having at least one +5 is about 25%. OPTIONAL: A simple variant to the method presented above is to roll more dice than needed and keep only the best. For example, one could roll 3d6 and keep only the two best, ignoring the result of the lowest dice (this result is NOT added). The use of this method is left to the discretion of the Game Master. Once the die rolling method has been chosen (by the Game Master), several procedures can be applied to generate a character's attributes. A few are: 1) Make a roll for each attribute in order. 2) Make ten rolls and assign the results to the attributes as you wish. 3) Make eleven or more rolls, drop the lowest and arrange to taste. ------------------------------ 3.4 Starting Experience Points ------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Experience | | Career | Maximum Starting Tr Level (Optional) Level | EP | EP | Adv cost= 1 2 3 4 5 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Starting | 250 | 193/82 | 10 8 6 4 2 Moderate | 500 | 385/165 | 12 10 8 6 4 High | 1000 | 770/330 | 16 14 12 10 8 Very High | 2000 | 1540/660 | 24 22 20 18 16 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Experience Level The average experience level of characters in the GM's campaign. Starting: Characters have few skills. Difficult skills have low Tr levels. Moderate: Characters have some skills. Difficult skills have moderate Tr levels. High: Characters have many skills. Difficult skills have high Tr levels. Very High: Characters have lots of skills. Difficult skills have very high Tr levels. EP The number of EP associated with the campaign's Experience Level. EP are used for selecting a species, buying gifts and foibles, and buying skills. The EP values listed represent the experience points that a character has accumulated throughout his lifetime. It quantifies the achievements the character has made since childhood and the experience the character has obtained from those achievements. GMs are encouraged to assign their own EP values if those listed do not fit with the GM's personal rate of awarding experience. Career EP If a player decides to select a Career for his character then EP is increased by 10% (rounded up). However, in order to receive this bonus, 70% of EP must be devoted to skills within the domain of the Career. A given career may further specify to which skills portions of that 70% must be devoted. The remaining 30% of EP can be used to freely select any other skills, including additional career skills. The "Career EP" column in the table gives the number of experience points that must be spent on career skill (the number preceeding the slash) and the number of experience points that can be spent on other skills (the number after the slash). Maximum Starting Training Level (Optional) Listed as an optional rule to control how much Training a player can acquire for a skill at character creation. It simulates the fact that at lower Experience Levels a character has not had enough time to develop skills to high levels of mastery. In particular, harder skills would not have been developed as much as the easier skills. If GMs have no problem with characters beginning with skills starting out at any Tr level, then they can ignore this option. The numbers in the table indicate the maximum training level a character may advance a given skill to start with. For example, if a character were just starting out, and wanted to learn Cooking (a low cost skill costing 1 EP (Adv cost) - see the skill lists in the `World' book, Chapter 2 - Skills for more information) and Armourer (a more difficult skill costing 4 EP), he could advance Cooking to a maximum level of 10 (at a cost of 55 EP - please see Skill Acquisition Costs table below), and Armourer to a maximum level of 4 (at a cost of 40 EP). The following table can be used to look up the EP cost for advancing a skill from a Training level of 0 to the desired training level in one step. This table is most useful when creating a character and buying skills for the first time. Skill Acquisition Costs Shortcut Formula: EP needed = (Desired Tr) * (Desired Tr + 1) * (EP Cost of skill) / 2 ---------+----------------------------------------+------------ Desired | Skill Advancement Cost | Talent Cost Tr Level | 1 2 3 4 5 | (OPTIONAL) ---------+----------------------------------------+------------ 1 | 1 2 3 4 5 | 20 2 | 3 6 9 12 15 | 60 3 | 6 12 18 24 30 | 120 4 | 10 20 30 40 50 | 200 5 | 15 30 45 60 75 | 300 6 | 21 42 63 84 105 | 7 | 28 56 84 112 140 | 8 | 36 72 108 144 180 | 9 | 45 90 135 180 225 | 10 | 55 110 165 220 275 | 11 | 66 132 198 264 330 | 12 | 78 156 234 312 390 | 13 | 91 182 273 364 455 | 14 | 105 210 315 420 525 | 15 | 120 240 360 480 600 | 16 | 136 272 408 544 680 | 17 | 153 306 459 612 765 | 18 | 171 342 513 684 855 | 19 | 190 380 570 760 950 | 20 | 210 420 630 840 1050 | 21 | 231 462 693 924 1155 | 22 | 253 506 759 1012 1265 | 23 | 276 552 828 1104 1380 | 24 | 300 600 900 1200 1500 | 25 | 325 650 975 1300 1625 | 26 | 351 702 1053 1404 1755 | 27 | 378 756 1134 1512 1890 | 28 | 406 812 1218 1624 2030 | 29 | 435 870 1305 1740 2175 | 30 | 465 930 1395 1860 2325 | ----------- 3.5 Careers ----------- 3.5.1 Career Bonus ------------------ Character's who embark upon a career have some small advantages over those who take a more generic approach. Specifically, upon creation, Characters receive a 10% bonus to Experience Points (EP's) provided at least 70% of their EPs are spent on skills in their career areas. 30% of their starting skill EPs may be spent on any skills. There is no bonus for choosing a career once play begins. Choosing a career does not limit a character to a certain set of skills exclusively, nor prevent a character from gaining skills outside their career areas. The character will simply have more starting EPs to spend on skills within their career areas. There is nothing to prevent, for example, a Soldier character from learning skills from the Magic area at some later time, provided he has the needed EP. 3.5.2 (Example) Career Table ---------------------------- Some common careers are shown below. GMs and players (with GM approval) are encouraged to develope their own careers. Career Skill Areas ----------- ---------------------------- Artist: artistic, athletic, social Assassin: athletic, combat, subterfuge Bodyguard: athletic, combat, social Craftsman: artistic, craft, social Gatherer: athletic, movement, nature Hunter: athletic, combat, nature Illusionist: knowledge, magic, subterfuge Magi: knowledge, magic, social Mentalist: knowledge, magic, social Merchant: knowledge, movement, social Priest: knowledge, magic, social Professional: craft, knowledge, social Rogue: athletic, social, subterfuge Sage: craft, knowledge, social Shaman: knowledge, magic, nature Soldier: athletic, combat, movement Spy: knowledge, social, subterfuge Traveler: athletic, movement, social ----------- ---------------------------- Artist: Someone who is skilled in one or more artistic areas (music, painting, sculpting, acting, etc.) Assassin: A person who is skilled in killing for fun and profit. A professional killer who is usually avalible for hire. Bodyguard: A person who is skilled in protective measures including combat, counter intelligence, investigations, etc. An excellent example would be the United States Secret Service. Craftsman: A person skilled in one or more crafts such as a blacksmith, bowyer, chef, seemstress or tailor, etc. Gatherer: A person skilled in living off the land, usually subsisting on gathered berries, fruits, roots, insects, etc. Hunter: A person skilled in living off the land, usually subsisting on wild game either trapped or hunted. Illusionist: Someone who is skilled in the use of magical or mundane means of sleight of hand, misdirection, and other illusions. Magi: A person skilled in one or more magical skills, not including priests. Mentalist: A person who is skilled in pseudo-magical skills of the mind, e.g. telepathy, ESP, precognition, telekinesis, etc. Merchant: A person who is skilled in the buying and selling of goods and services, including judging the quality of merchandise they are familiar with, negotiating prices, etc. Priest: A person who is knowledgable in the rituals and rites of a particular god (or sometimes more than one god), as well as being skilled in using magic associated with their god. Professional: ???? Rogue: A person who is skilled in one or more area of thievery, deception, or other generally illegal activities. Sage: Someone who is highly knowledgable in a particular area of study or small group of related disciplines. Shaman: A usually tribal spellcaster or medicine man. Soldier: Someone who is trained in the art of war including tactics, individual, small and large unit combat, and sometimes command. Spy: Someone who is skilled at infiltration and the gathering of information from government, military and civilian sources. This person is sometimes in the permanent employ of an organization and sometimes offers their services for hire. Traveler: ???? ------------------------------------ 3.6 Gifts and Foibles ------------------------------------ The following are available to ALL species at character creation time: Standard Gifts EP Cost (Multiples of 10) -------------- ------- Effectiveness 0 - Normal 1 - Mild 2 - Moderate 3 - Exceptional 4 - Rare Beauty +5 * Effectiveness Beauty simply defines how good a character looks in terms of sheer physical attractiveness, when regarded by one of his/her own species. It can be particularly important when you have no time to argue or express yourself but must still leave a good impression. Gives a +1 bonus to Seduction and similar skills per point of Effectiveness. Ambidexterity +20 Enhanced Vision +5 / 10 m Keen Hearing +10 Animal Empathy +20 Sixth Sense +20 Healing/Regeneration Variable Can replace limbs +1000 Per INJURY point +5 * Recovery Rate Recovery Rate per day x1 per hour x10 per minute x100 per combat round x1000 Night Vision +5 / 10 m Skill Aptitude, ISB ISB * Skill's EP Cost * 5 Ex: Climbing Aptitude, ISB +3 = 3 * 3 * 5 = +45 Standard Foibles EP Cost (Multiples of 5) ---------------- ------- Severity = 1 - 4 1 - Mild 3 - Severe 2 - Moderate 4 - Crippling Ugliness -5 * Severity Reverse of Beauty gift. Gives a -1 penalty to Seduction and similar skills per point of Severity. Age outside prime -5 / per age category away from prime Character suffers the effects related to his/her age. Consult age table in section ?.? Abnormal voice -5 * Severity Character stutters, squeaks, rumbles, etc. enough that people have a hard time understanding him/her. Skills that require a voice are reduced by -Severity. Color blindness -5 * Severity 1: Character is green/red color blind and suffers a -1 penalty to any skill check requiring the use of color. 2: -2 to any skill check requiring the use of color. 3: -3 to any skill check requiring the use of color. 4: Character is unable to see much difference in colors at all. People who are able to see through the character's eyes will see that everything is a grainy black-n-white. -4 penalty Deafness -10 * Severity 1: Character is deaf in one ear or sometimes unable to hear things being said. GM should require a PER check when the character is in a noisy or audibly distracting situation. 2: Character is often unable to hear things. GM should require a PER check whenever the character is being spoken to in a normal voice. Character can hear if being shouted at. Skills requiring hearing are at -2. 3: Character must be shouted at in order for him/her to have a chance to hear what is being said. GM should require a PER check (-5 if not being shouted at) Skills requiring hearing are at -4. 4: Character is completely deaf. Eyesight, poor -15 * Severity 1: Glasses/spectacles needed or PER is decreased by 2. 2: Glasses/spectacles needed or PER is decreased by 4. 3: Glasses/spectacles needed or PER is decreased by 6. 4: Character is blind. Eyesight, missing eye -15 Character is only able to see through one eye, and thus lacks stereo vision. PER is lowered by -5 for anything occurring on blind side. Distinguishing mark -5 Character has something distinguishing or odd about his appearance. (an eyeball not in line with the other, an abnormally large nose, a scar, etc.) People will easily remember the character based on the mark. Skills using BEA are decreased by -1. Mutated skin -10 * Severity 1: Acne, small rashes. BEA skills decreased by -1. 2: Albino, skin discolorations. BEA skills decreased by -2. 3: Skin blotches, rashes covering most of body. BEA skills decreased by -3. 4: Extreme skin blotches. BEA skills at -4. Sunlight causes damage. Overweight -10 * Severity 1: -1 FIT 2: -1 FIT, -1 AGI 3: -2 FIT, -1 AGI 4: -2 FIT, -2 AGI Phobias -5 * Severity agoraphobia (crowds, public places, open areas) arachnophobia (spiders) claustrophobia (enclosed/narrow places) xenophobia (foreigners, strangers, strange/foreign things) Primarily handed -5 * Severity Character is dependent on one hand more so than normal. Using other hand results in a penalty of -Severity. Sterile -5 Character is unable to produce children. Character may suffer social consequences as a result. *************************************************************************** SECTION 4 SKILLS A skill is an acquired ability, one that a character learns. -------------------- 4.1 Skill Competency -------------------- A skill is composed of two parts: 1) Talent (Ta) (determined by the attribute relevant to the skill) 2) Training (Tr) (determined by experience with the skill) Thus, Skill = Talent (Ta) + Training (Tr) Skill Competency Description ------ ---------- ----------- Tr=0 No Skill (A character who has no training with a skill.) <= 0 Novice (A character who has Training but low Talent.) 1-5 Apprentice (A character being taught a skill.) 6-10 Journeyman (A character who has learned his skill.) 11-15 Craftsman (A character who is proficient with his skill.) 16-20 Adept (A character who is an expert with his skill.) 21-25 Master (A character who is a master with his skill.) 26+ Grandmaster (A character who is legendary with his skill.) All skills confer the following abilities: - A character who has Tr > 0 in a skill can recognize the use of that skill by another. - A character who has Tr > 0 in a skill can recognize the Competency level of another person with the same skill. - A character can determine the actual skill level of another if the character's skill level is greater than the other person's. --------------- 4.2 Skill Costs --------------- All skill costs are measured in Experience Points. The higher the number of Experience Points, the harder the skill is to learn and master. Skill Difficulty Base EP Cost ---------------- ------------ Trivial 1 EP Easy 2 EP Average 3 EP Difficult 4 EP Very Difficut 5 EP -------------------------- 4.3 Untrained Penalty (UP) -------------------------- When a character attempts a task for which he has not been trained (Skill Competency is 'No Skill', see section 4.1), or to which no skill is related, he suffers an "Untrained Penalty". Some skills will have a special UP of Impossible. This indicates that the skill cannot be attempted when Skill Competency is 'No Skill'. BASIC RULE: The UP is equal to 5 for all tasks. OPTIONAL RULE: The UP is generally equal to 5 but can be changed by the game master. The game master may set a higher UP for a task that is normally performed using a skill requiring a lot of knowledge or practice (Difficult and Very Difficult skills). In the same way, the game master may reduce or eliminate the UP for tasks that are primarily based on attributes (ex: holding one's breath), or that do not benefit much from knowledge or practice (Trivial and Easy skills). As a guideline, a UP of twice the Base EP Cost (see section 4.2) of the related skill is suggested for tasks that are normally performed using a skill. UP = 2 * Base EP Cost --------------------- 4.4 Skill Advancement --------------------- To increase a skill to its next training level, a character must spend a number of experience points equal to the next training level times the Base EP Cost (see section 4.2) of the skill. Skill Advancement Formula: EP Cost = Next Tr * Base EP Cost For example, if Argis the ranger wants to increase his tracking skill (Base EP Cost = 4 EP) from training level 8 to training level 9, he must spend: EP Cost = Next Tr * Base EP Cost = 9 * 4 EP = 36 EP For those who prefer not to use the formula, a table is provided. Skill Advancement Costs Table: --------------------------------------------- Next | Skill Difficulty Tr | T E A D VD --------------------------------------------- 1 | 1 2 3 4 5 2 | 2 4 6 8 10 3 | 3 6 9 12 15 4 | 4 8 12 16 20 5 | 5 10 15 20 25 6 | 6 12 18 24 30 7 | 7 14 21 28 35 8 | 8 16 24 32 40 9 | 9 18 27 36 45 10 | 10 20 30 40 50 11 | 11 22 33 44 55 12 | 12 24 36 48 60 13 | 13 26 39 52 65 14 | 14 28 42 56 70 15 | 15 30 45 60 75 16 | 16 32 48 64 80 17 | 17 34 51 68 85 18 | 18 36 54 72 90 19 | 19 38 57 76 95 20 | 20 40 60 80 100 21 | 21 42 63 84 105 22 | 22 44 66 88 110 23 | 23 46 69 92 115 24 | 24 48 72 96 120 25 | 25 50 75 100 125 26 | 26 52 78 104 130 27 | 27 54 81 108 135 28 | 28 56 84 112 140 29 | 29 58 87 116 145 30 | 30 60 90 120 150 4.4.1 Optional Advancement Rules -------------------------------- The methods presented below aim to better model the relations between skill use, Talents and skill advancement. Some of them can be combined with the standard method, while others replace it. 4.4.1.1 Advancement by Utilization and EPs (Optional) ----------------------------------------------------- To advance a skill to the next training level, a player must first use the skill and place a utilization mark next to the skill on their character sheet. A mark may be placed even if the task is failed. (See Optional rule section 5.8). A mark may only be placed if the skill adds to the play of the game and is a relevant set of actions to achieve a goal. ie. One group of combat for survival is one mark. To open a chest with two locks is one mark, the goal being to open the chest. Also no marks are added for automatic success. Utilization marks may also be gained by training with someone who has the skill at the desired level + 3 (or level +1 if his passes a teaching skill TD) for 8 hrs * difficulty = 1 utilization mark. A) When a player wants to add a new skill after character creation they must receive training to gain utilization marks but may use EP freely. B) When a player wants to increase a skill they may at 20% per utilization mark of their starting unused EP for each skill. C) If a skill goes unexercised and untrained for six months or more the skill will lose its current utilization marks. (Very Optional) D) If a skill goes unexercised for six months or more the skill will operate at one level lower then the current training level. This operational loss remains in effect until the player receives three utilization marks at their current level. (Note: No new EP needs to be spent to regain your current skill level.) E) If a skill has no utilization marks, the player may not increase that skill. For each utilization mark above five the player may add one to his advancement check. (See Optional rule section 4.4.1) F) If the advancement check is failed the player may not increase his skill level and may try again after gaining more utilization marks. When GM deems it an appropriate time. G) After increasing a TR level all utilization marks for that skill are erased and utilization marks start fresh for the new training level. For the examples below Roland has 100 EP 1) Roland wants to add a new skill of swimming he may if he trains for 24 hrs. with some who has a swimming skill of four or more. 2) Roland wants to increase his running skill but has no utilization marks. He may not. But he may train to gain utilization marks. 3) Roland wants to increase his acting skill to 4 but has not used it in a year. He may not, and his acting skill will operate at his current TR - 1 until he receives three utilization marks or the GM allows him to seek training from a teacher with acting skill of seven or more to gain three utilization marks. 4) Roland wants to increase his climbing and cooking skills and has two utilization marks for each skill. He may use up to 40 EP for each skill and erases all his utilization marks for the skill if/when he increases that TR level. (Note: If he wished to raise his climbing skill to TR 11 he must either gain 10 more EP or gain one more utilization mark in climbing.) 5) Roland wants to increase his One-Handed Weapons skills and has eight utilization marks. He may use as much of his EP as he wants and adds three to his training check then erases all his One-Handed Weapon utilization marks if/when he increases his TR level. 4.4.1.2 Advancement Check (Optional) ------------------------------------ This rule can be used either with the standard advancement rule or the advancement from use and EPs rule. When a PC is ready to train a skill (he has enough EP to advance a Tr level), he must make an Advancement check. Training: d10-d10 + Adv Ta >= -10 + Desired Tr level + Base EP Cost If the advancement check is successful, the PC gains another Tr level. If the advancement check is unsuccessful, the PC has two options: 1. The PC must wait until he or she has received twice the number of base experience points for the skill in question (see example below). (The PC retains his EP) 2. Pay additional EP equal to the TD minus the result of the die roll. Ex. Ronan has STR 5, AGI -3, and 100 Experience Points. He wants to increase his Running skill from Tr 14 to Tr 15 and his Climbing skill from Tr 5 to Tr 6. He attempts an advancement check for Running: Running, Base EP Cost = 3, Adv Ta STR d10-d10 + 5 >= -10 + 15 + 3 He rolls a 6, for a total of 11. His attempt is successful and he decreases his EP pool by 15 * 3 = 45 EP. He now has 55 EP left. Ronan next attempts an advancement check for his Climbing skill: Climbing, Base EP Cost = 4, Adv Ta AGI d10-d10 + -3 >= -10 + 6 + 4 He rolls an 1, for a total of -2. His attempt is unsuccessful. Ronan must decide between option 1 or 2 above: 1. He can now either wait until he earns eight (8) more EP before making another Climbing advancement check (climbing has a Base EP Cost of 4, so 2*4=8). His EP remain at 55. 2. He can pay additional EP equal to the difference between the TD and the result of his roll: 0 (TD) minus -2 (the 1 he rolled plus his -3 Talent) = 2. Thus the total cost to move from Tr 5 to Tr 6 would be 6*4 + 2 = 24 + 2 = 26 EP leaving Ronan with 29 EP. 4.4.1.3 Advancement by Utilization Only (Optional) -------------------------------------------------- For those who feel that Experience Points do not model correctly the link between skill use and skill improvement, an alternate advancement method is provided. If you use this method, you should not use EPs, even if a mix of the two is possible. Each time your character successfully uses a skill in a relevant situation, put a check mark next to the skill. Your character doesn't gain any check mark for tasks with automatic success (if his skill is 10 points higher than the task difficulty). However, your character also gains a check mark if he rolls a mishap (if Graded Outcomes are used), since one also learns from his mistakes. If a skill has accumulated 5 check marks, you can make a skill advancement check the next time your character gets a respite of at least a day (or at any other time judged appropriate by the GM). After the check, remove the 5 check marks. The check is: d10-d10 + Advancement Talent >= -11 + 2 * EP Cost + Next Training Level To accelerate the calculations, it is suggested that you write the -11 + 2 * EP Cost value on your character sheet next to the EP Cost the first time you make an advancement check. If the check is successful, increase your skill to the next Training Level. If not, then your character has not learned enough from his adventuring experience and his skill does not improve. For example, Ronan has been involved in a few fights in the last weeks and it is time for him to improve is "One-Handed Weapon & Shield" style. His current Training is 8 and the style has an EP Cost of 4 and AGI as the advancement Talent. To improve his style, he will have to pass the check: d10-d10 + AGI >= -11 + 2 * EP Cost + Next Training Level d10-d10 + 2 >= -11 + 2 * 4 + 9 d10-d10 + 2 >= 6 Ronan rolls 8, to which his AGI of 2 is added, for a total roll of 10. The check is successful and Ronan's Training in "One-Handed Weapon & Shield" is now of 9. Your character can also train in a skill to improve it. The skill gains one check mark for each full day (8 hours) per Training level that the character spends learning with an instructor. For example, to increase a skill from Training 8 to Training 9, a character would have to spend 9 days of training with a tutor for each check mark. If a character trains without a tutor, it takes twice as long to earn each check mark and a mishap on the check indicates that he has developped a bad habit and has lost one Training Level (if Graded Outcomes are used). Your character only gets check marks for his skills when they are used in relevant situations. A relevant situation is a situation that adds to the game, that helps build the dramatic tension even if only in a small way. If a character decides to open the lock of his bedroom just to improve his open locks skill, he does not gain a check mark for every successful attempt. The situation does not add anything to the game and the character's actions thus fall under self-training. For combat skills, any skill or style that is used within a combat automatically gains a check mark at the end of combat, unless the GM says otherwise. Your character does not get a check mark for every successful hit, but still gets a check mark even if he does not hit. ------------------ 4.5 General Skills ------------------ This section describes general skills, i.e. those that do not require special rules. For Combat and Magic skills, please refer to sections 6 and 7 respectively. EP Attr. * Default tasks Skill name Cost Tal Adv UP TD Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ARTISTIC SKILLS Acting 3 AUR PSY 6 D/5 Convincing personification Disguise 2 AUR PSY 4 D/5 Render irrecognizable Drawing/Painting 3 DEX PSY 6 D/5 Draw or paint an average image Musical instrument 3 DEX PSY 6 D/5 Performing a common piece Sculpture/Carving 3 DEX PSY 6 D/5 Sculpt or carve a small piece Ventriloquism 4 AUR WIL 8 D/5 Simple speech ATHLETIC SKILLS Acrobatics 3 AGI PER 6 D/5 Dropping one floor in combat Climbing 4 AGI AGI 8 A/0 Normal brick wall Contortion 5 AGI AGI 10 D/5 Passing a torso-sized tunnel Endurance 3 FIT WIL 0 N/A N/A (see movement) Falling 4 AGI AGI 8 VD/10 Falling 10 meters unarmed Juggling 2 DEX PER 4 A/0 Juggling five normal objects Jumping 3 STR STR 6 ED/15 Jumping one's height Sprinting 3 STR FIT 0 D/5 Running 100m in 12 secs. Swimming 3 STR FIT 6 A/0 Swimming 1km at a good pace Tightrope walking 4 AGI PER 8 D/5 Walking 25m on a rope CRAFT SKILLS Agriculture 2 INT INT 4 A/0 Growing common plants Armourer 4 DEX DEX 8 A/0 Fabricating a chain mail Blacksmithing 3 DEX INT 6 A/0 Forging a cauldron Bowyer 3 DEX PER 6 A/0 Assembling a short bow Carpentry 2 DEX INT 4 A/0 Fabricating a chest Cooking 1 PSY INT 2 E/-5 Making a simple meal Fishing 2 INT INT 4 A/0 Catching "a meal" in 3 hours Leatherworking 2 DEX DEX 4 A/0 Making a leather backpack Medicine 4 PER INT 8 D/5 Healing a broken leg Mining 3 PER INT 6 A/0 Tunneling in normal rock Pottery 2 DEX DEX 4 A/0 Molding a decorated urn Rope use 2 DEX AGI 4 A/0 Tying up a person solidly Stonemason 2 STR DEX 4 D/5 Cutting tower stones Weaponsmithing 4 DEX DEX 8 A/0 Making a dagger Wood working 2 DEX DEX 4 A/0 Build a wooden chair KNOWLEDGE SKILLS Ancient History 3 INT INT 6 D/5 Recalling heroic stories Appraising 3 PER INT 6 D/5 Estimating the value of gems Botany 3 INT INT 6 D/5 Identifying rare plants Cartography 2 INT INT 4 D/5 Mapping a region from sight Cryptography 4 INT INT 8 VD/10 Deciphering a standard code Engineering 4 INT INT 8 D/5 Drawing plans for a catapult Geography 2 INT INT 4 A/0 Knowing country of city Heraldry 2 INT INT 4 D/5 Recognizing a coat of arms Herbalism 4 INT INT IMP D/5 Brewing a special remedy Identify magic 5 PER INT IMP ED/15 Identifying a magical item Language 3 INT INT IMP A/0 Understanding a foreign tongue Local History 2 INT INT 4 A/0 Recalling an important event Metallurgy 4 INT INT 8 D/5 Identifying a metal Navigation 4 INT INT IMP D/5 Finding one's position Read/write 4 INT INT IMP A/0 Reading a sign. Species enemy 2 INT INT 4 D/5 Recognizing behaviors Spelaeology 3 PER INT 6 A/0 Successfuly navigating a cave Spellcraft 4 INT INT IMP D/5 Recognizing a spell being used Teratology 3 INT INT 6 VD/10 Identifying monster indices Theology 3 INT INT 6 D/5 Remembering rites Tribal Memory 4 PSY INT 8 A/0 Recite oral history Zoology 3 INT INT 6 D/5 Identifying animal behaviors MOVEMENT SKILLS Direction sense 3 PER PER 6 VD/10 Determining current direction Riding (airborne) 4 AGI PER 8 ED/15 Maintaining mount control Riding (land) 2 AGI PER 4 A/0 Maintaining mount control Seamanship 3 PER INT 6 A/0 Rigging sails NATURE SKILLS Animal Training 3 PER PSY 6 VD/10 Training a horse Falconry 3 PER PSY 6 D/5 Training a falcon Fire-building 1 INT INT 2 A/0 Building a fire without f&s Foraging 2 PER INT 4 D/5 Finding a "meal" Hunting 2 PER PER 4 A/0 Shooting enough for a "meal" Hydrology 2 PER INT 4 A/0 Locate potable water in forest Survival 4 WIL INT 8 A/0 Finding shelter during storm Tracking 4 PER INT 8 VD/10 Finding a 4 day old trail Weather sense 3 PER PSY 6 D/5 Predicting next day's weather SOCIAL SKILLS Bardic influence 3 AUR PSY 6 D/5 Awe a crowd with performance Bribery 3 AUR PER 6 D/5 Bribing a guard Dragonshah 2 INT INT 4 E/-5 Drinking 2 FIT WIL 4 A/0 Drink FIT + 8 ales Eating 2 FIT WIL 4 A/0 Eat FIT + 6 Kg food Etiquette 2 AUR PSY 4 A/0 Acting courteously Gambling 2 DEX PSY 4 D/5 Win against unskilled opponent Haggling 1 AUR PSY 2 D/5 Getting an offer accepted Heroic Inspiration 4 PSY AUR 8 D/5 Succeed in inspiring fellow warriors Interrogate 3 AUR PSY 6 VD/10 Getting confession from WIL 0 Oration 4 AUR PSY 8 D/5 Successful speech to lrg aud. Streetwise 2 PER PSY 4 D/5 Obtaining "street" info Trading 3 AUR PSY 6 D/5 Getting a trade accepted Truthtell 4 PER PSY 8 L/20 Recognizing a lie SUBTERFUGE SKILLS Detect traps 3 PER INT 6 D/5 Detecting a needle trap Evade pursuit 2 AGI INT 4 VD/10 Losing pursuit (non-trackers) Forgery 4 DEX INT 8 VD/10 Copying an official document Move quietly 4 AGI AGI 8 D/5 Moving without armor Open locks 3 DEX INT 6 D/5 Opening standard locked door Pick pockets 3 DEX PER 6 D/5 Pulling coin purse, lg crowd Reading lips 4 PER INT 8 D/5 Deciphering speech, clear view Remove traps 4 DEX INT 8 D/5 Removing a needle trap Set snares 2 DEX INT 4 D/5 Setting a foot snare Shadowhide 3 PER AGI 6 VD/10 Medium shadow cover * Values listed in this column are for the optional Untrained Penalty (UP) rule found in section 4.3. If this rule is not being used then UP is either Impossible (IMP), 0 or 5 (GM's discretion). 4.5.1 Artistic Skills --------------------- Acting ------ Confers the ability to convincingly portray a character either from a literary work or of one's own creation. This includes improvisational acting. Disguise -------- Confers the ability to alter one's general appearance in order to avoid identification and deceive opponents. Encompasses alteration of height, weight, posture and/or facial and body features. Often combined with the acting skill. Drawing/Painting ---------------- Confers the ability to draw and paint life-like images as well as impressionistic images. Musical instrument ------------------ Confers proficiency in an instrument of choice. Sculpture/Carving ----------------- Confers the ability to shape and mold clay, stone and wood into life-like images of various sizes and compositions. Ventriloquism ------------- Confers the seeming ability to project one's voice so that it appears to emanate from inanimate objects, other people, or unusual locations. Good for party tricks and for starting ale-house brawls. 4.5.2 Athletic Skills --------------------- Acrobatics ---------- Confers the ability to swing from a chandelier, somersault through a stained glass window, and land on one's horse, ready to make a getaway. Can be used in combat to dodge or reduce the effects of a blow. Climbing -------- Lets a character scale vertical and near vertical surfaces such as smooth walls and rough cliff-faces. Harder with slippery or featureless surfaces or if burdened with accoutrements. Often combined with the falling and medicine skills :) Contortion ---------- Enables the manipulation of one's body in order to move through small openings, hide in absurdly small containers or edifices, and escape from bonds. Endurance --------- Enables prolongation of application with regard to physically demanding and/or mentally draining tasks. A swimmer nears exhaustion towards the end of long swim; they apply their endurance skill, and if successful, can continue swimming anew, as if refreshed for half as long again. Successive uses of the skill increase task difficulty and reduce prolongation span. Falling ------- Enables the reduction of falling damage by such methods as slowing the rate of descent by incidental surface contact, harm minimising impact postures, and "dodging the spikes/aiming for the soft bits." Juggling -------- Confers an ability to manipulate balls and other objects primarily for entertainment purposes. Subsumes minor sleight-of-hand techniques. Jumping ------- Confers a proficiency at spanning sudden drops such as those encountered during rooftop chases or across mountain gorges, ready leaps onto elevated stations such as tavern tables and desparation jumps out of first or second story abodes. Running ------- Through a combination of running and power-walking, enables movement at twice the normal rate for a fixed duration. A period of rest and recuperation is required at the end of such exertion. Swimming -------- Confers the ability to float upon deep water and to traverse same in a limited fashion. Heavy accoutrements, exhaustion, wounds, cold water, and high waves make things harder. Tightrope walking ----------------- Enables safe transition along a strong rope strung between two points or any similarly narrow and (generally) high-up path. 4.5.3 Craft Skills ------------------ Agriculture ----------- Confers the ability to raise plants for various reasons (crops, reforestation, etc.). This skill also allows the character to identify plants. [Includes related fields such as horticulture] Armourer -------- Enables the construction and repair of metal, mesh and/or material armour. NB: historically spans the trades of Armourer, Malemakre, Linen Armourer, Heaumer (helmets), and Targeter (shields) Blacksmithing ------------- Enables the working of iron to produce and repair domestic and agricultural items. Bowyer ------ Enables the construction and repair of bows, x-bows, arrows, and arrowheads. NB: historically spans the trades of Bowyer, Crossbow Makre, Fletcher (arrows), Arrowsmith (arrowheads), and Stringer (bow strings). Cooking ------- Enables the preparation of divers foods including flesh-meat and poultry, pasties, and confections. NB: Historically spans the trades of Cook, and Confectioner. Fishing ------- Enables the use of rod, net, and weir to catch a wide variety of species including pike, carp, trout, eels, catfish, lampreys and crabs. Leatherworking -------------- Confers the ability to make items from leather or other skins, including clothing, armour, saddles, etc. This skill includes the ability to etch, carve and stamp leather for design and artistic value, but does not confer the aritistic ability to make this work of high quality (see Drawing/Painting skill) Medicine -------- [Includes First Aid] Confers the ability to attenuate pain, stop bleeding, and prevent further injury as a result of cuts, bruises, abrasions, burns, broken and sprained limbs, bites and stings (see section 6.4 - Healing*). Enables two types of healing - emergency and palliative. Emergency healing can lessen the severity of a new wound. Treatment must commence within 1 minute following the wounding. TD is 5 per point of damage the healer attempts to recover. Add 5 to TD for each attempt after the first on the same character inside the same day. Example: Ronan sustains a 12 point wound; Kara attempts to reduce it to a 9 point wound. TD will be 15. If Ronan had been treated by Kara once already on that day, TD would instead be 20. Palliative healing enables natural healing to occur at the rate of 20% of (BOD+25) per day of low activity and 10% of (BOD+25) per day of moderate activity, provided the care-giver makes a Healing roll at TD 5 for each patient under his care. Medicine skill can also be use to alleviate the effects of poisoning and to diagnose and treat illnesses. A Healer who comes to the aid of a poisoned or diseased individual can attempt to reduce the VIRULENCE of the affliction. The Healer's TD for this action is 5 per point of VIRULENCE the Healer attempts to remove. Example Ronan drinks poison with a VIRULENCE of 25; Kara attempts to reduce the VIRULENCE to 20. Kara's TD would be 25. This must be done before the poisoned character begins to suffer the full effects of the affliction (see Affliction in section 9.3*). Mining ------ Confers a knowledge of ore prospecting, geological surveying, and extraction techniques and hazards. Pottery ------- Enables the working and firing of clay pieces to produce glazed and painted jars, pots and tiles. Rope use -------- Enables the character to tie effective knots for a variety of uses including mountaineering, restraint, building rope bridges, etc. Also includes splicing two pieces of rope together, care of rope, types and sizes of ropes needed for various jobs, etc. Stonemason ---------- Enables the shaping and dressing of stones used in the construction of houses, towers, and castles. Weaponsmithing -------------- Enables the construction and repair of knives, swords and miscellaneous weapons. NB: Historically spans the trades of Blader/Bladesmith (blades), Cutler or Swordsmith/Sword-Cutler (handles), Sheather (sheath/scabbard), Weaponsmith (everything else bar knives, bows, and swords). Wood working ------------ Enables the construction of common items from wood, including furniture of all types, utensils, and even buildings. While this skill allows the construction of high quality objects, it does not confer the ability to artistically carve or paint the items into true works of art (see Drawing/Painting and Sculpture/Carving skills). 4.5.4 Knowledge Skills ---------------------- Ancient History --------------- Confers an academic type knowledge of a past civilisation ("Atlantis") or a more generalised knowledge of a specific period of history (4th Century A.D.). Appraising ---------- Enables the considered determination of the value of a range of curiosa including objets d'art, jewelry, and collectibles. Easier if the item in question can be handled; harder if applied by sight or by description or from drawing alone. Botany ------ Confers knowledge of plants, lichens, flowers, trees, vegetables, and fruits. Cartography ----------- Allows one to make accurate map from topographical measurements. Also confers the ability to make reliable maps while traveling a region or visiting a building. Cryptography ------------ Confers proficiency in the field of codes, ciphers, and code-breaking. Engineering ----------- Confers knowledge of design and construction principles especially those of a public utility nature such as bridges, roads, aqueducts, harbours, and drainage works. Military Engineering concentrates on the construction of military works (including engines of destruction) for attack or defence. Geographie ---------- Confers knowledge of matters concerning the description of a world's surface, its form and physical features, natural and political divisions, climate, resources, and populations of various countries. Heraldry -------- Confers knowledge of the etiquette of chivalry, including the genealogies and armorial bearings of noble families, laws of succession, and orders of precedence. Herbalism --------- Confers a knowledge of the medicinal properties of herbs and plants. Identify magic -------------- Subsumes a general knowledge of the reputed origin and history of magical artefacts. Enables one so learned to recognise such items and to speculate as to their application and usefulness. Language -------- Confers knowledge of a verbal communication medium whether ancient, modern, or esoteric. NB: Dead and forgotten languages tend to have greater training requirements and higher TD ratings. Local History ------------- Confers a detailed knowledge of the development, stories, and events surrounding a thorp, county, province or region; the smaller the area, the more detailed the knowledge. Extends to such things as notable battlefields, regional politics, rumours, scandals, flood, fire and drought, lost treasures and the like. Metallurgy ---------- Confers a knowledge of metals and their behaviour under stress. Enables the identification of most types by virtue of familiarity with their physical characteristics. Navigation ---------- The ability to find one's position using the sun/stars, currents, ... Read/write ---------- Confers the ability to understand and prepare written communication mediums. Species enemy ------------- Confers an intimate knowledge of the behaviour, anatomy, strengths and weaknesses of a specified class of creatures such as giants or dragons or orcanthropoids. Spelaeology ----------- Confers a knowledge of caving techniques including familiarity with basic underground features and hazards. Spellcraft ---------- Confers the knowledge of common spells, sources and conductors, and effects of their combinations. It allows the character to recognize the likely effects of a given spell. Teratology ---------- Confers a knowledge of monsters and their characteristics including diet, powers (actual and reputed), activity cycles, friends, enemies, and habitat. Theology -------- Confers a general knowledge of the more significant of a world's religions. Includes creation and world building lore, deity virtues and spheres of influence, liturgical rites and practices, notable heroes, orders and authorities, sanctions, holy days and places, and religious festivals. Tribal memory ------------- A character with this skill can neither read nor write but has exceptional powers of memory. They can recall the exact topography of places they have visited, draw an accurate map of a five-thousand mile route, or recite three-thousand-line epics of poetry. Zoology ------- Confers a knowledge of natural animals and their characteristics including diet, behaviour, activity cycles, friends, enemies, and habitat. 4.5.5 Movement Skills --------------------- Direction sense --------------- Confers the ability to determine true north through a combination of familiarity with heavenly aspects, sensitivity to geomagnetic flux lines, and natural psychic affinities. Harder during the day, on occluded nights, and when underground. Riding (airborne) ----------------- Enables the riding of beasts of the air for rapid and safe conveyance. Riding (land) ------------- Enables the riding of beasts of burden and conveyance over lands both clear and rough, in a safe and comfortable fashion. Seamanship ---------- Confers a familiarity of working life aboard a water borne vessel and the practices and hazards of such a calling. Enables the safe passage of a water-borne ship through doldrum and tempest by virtue of familiarity with the heavens and the vagaries of wind and current. 4.5.6 Nature Skills ------------------- Animal Training --------------- Enables the training of domestic animals and beasts so as to obey instructions and learn specified routines. NB: at higher TD levels can be used to train semi-wild and wild animals and at the heights of the art, confer rudimentary speech in the more intelligent and cooperative types. Falconry -------- Confers knowledge of the art of the keeping and training of hawks and like birds of prey. Fire-building ------------- Confers the ability to start a small fire suitable for camping purposes. Ignition methods include eye-glass, flint and steel, and simple fricative. Difficulty varies according to environment and atmospheric conditions. Foraging -------- Enables survival off the land by virtue of familiarity with natural food and water sources, and their extraction/safe preparation methodologies. Hunting ------- Confers the ability to track and bag beasts of the hunt such as bears, wild boar, deer, foxes, hares, grouse, wild duck, and geese, by virtue of familiarity with their habitat, behaviour, and anatomy. Hydrology --------- Confers the ability to locate sources of fresh water above and below ground and to identify tainted holdings. Survival -------- Each survival skill conveys survival ability based on location/climate. Examples include Woodlands, Desert, Mountains, Arctic etc. Survival allows a character to build shelter, find food and water, etc... Tracking -------- Confers the ability to track all forms of ground based creatures. Weather sense ------------- Enables the anticipation of forthcoming meteorological phenomena. 4.5.7 Social Skills ------------------- Bardic influence ---------------- Facilitates the mood alteration of a passive listener or group of people through song, melody, humour and/or tragedy. NB: at higher TD levels can be used to invoke heroic inspiration, counter the effects of sirens and the like, and heal solely by the purity of voice and/or instrument. Bribery ------- Facilitates the circumvention of cumbersome laws, the cooperation of agents of inspection, and the ready consideration of petitions and entreaties and the like. Minimises the consequences of a rebuff. Dragonshah ---------- A boardgame analogous to chess. Played throughout the known worlds, often for agreed stakes. Drinking -------- Subsumes a good knowledge of alcoholic beverages. Enables one to drink those not so skilled, under the table. Eating ------ Confers an epicurean knowledge of food and wine. Depending on one's bent can also be used to out-gross those without the skill, in pig-out competitions. Etiquette --------- Confers knowledge of the proper mode of dress, behavior, and language when speaking to nobility. Gambling -------- Confers the ability to master games of chance either by "reading the odds" or by subtle manipulation/substitution of game equipment and paraphernalia. Haggling -------- Confers the ability to negotiate price effectively, including having an idea of when the price of an object has been inflated. To be the most effective, the use of this skill requires the character to have some idea of the true value of the item being haggled over. Heroic Inspiration ------------------ Interrogate ----------- This skill is used to extract special information through the use indiscriminate physical and mental persuasion. Oration ------- Enables the conveyance of ideas and concepts to groups of people ranging from small assemblies to raucous multitudes. Often used (and abused) by religious leaders and holders of public office, whether benign or corrupt, prospective or incumbent. Streetwise ---------- Confers familiarity with the ways of the street. Enables neutral interaction with members of urban underclasses, the location of discrete accommodation and food sources, and access to street knowledge, strongarms for hire, outlets for the acquisition and disposal of illicit or "borrowed" property, and similar questionable activities. Trading ------- Truthtell --------- Enables one to tell when a human, demi-human, or humanoid is lying by watching the subject's eyes, breathing, and so on. 4.5.8 Subterfuge Skills ----------------------- Detect traps ------------ Enables the detection of mechanically based traps: whether a small poisoned needle in a jewelry box or a pressure plate activated falling block in a passage. The character assays the item/area in question and is able to detect small irregularities in construction or tell-tale differences in contrast or surface homogeneity. Higher proficiency levels confer a limited ability to sense temperature inconsistencies and magical augmentation emanations. Evade pursuit ------------- Confers knowledge in the detection and evasion of persuit including effective hiding, switchbacks, covering tracks, etc. Forgery ------- Enables the production of facsimile documents, forged artwork, and artifical imitations of valuable stones and items of jewellery. Move quietly ------------ Facilitates movement which avoids the rustle of clothing and the padding of footsteps. Good for sneaking up on guards and sentries. Open locks ---------- Confers the ability to defeat locks and like security devices by manipulating their mechanical componentry. Pick pockets ------------ Confers the ability to extract baubles and the like from the pockets and purses of unsuspecting marks. Reading lips ------------ Enables the discernment of what is being said by the observation and interpretation of lip motion. Useful across a crowded room if discretion is required. Remove traps ------------ Enables the character to disarm or harmlessly set off common types of traps. Set snares ---------- Enables the character to install and build common types of traps. Shadowhide ----------- Enables the observation of goings-on from a position of concealment such as amidst a naturally camouflaged field or from within the depths of urban shadows. Can avoid house-to-house and all points searches by moving surreptitiously from hidey hole to darkened corner. *************************************************************************** SECTION 5 TASKS A Task is a situation in which a character applies his abilities to accomplish some action. A character may use his Talent or a skill when attempting to resolve the Task. ------------------- 5.1 Task Resolution ------------------- The process of resolving a Task is called Task Resolution. It is done via a roll of the dice. The applicable Skill is then added to the die roll and the result must be greater than or equal to the Task Difficulty set by the GM. Thus the standard Task Resolution Formula is: Formula: d10-d10 + Skill >= TD where: d10-d10 = Standard Dice Roll and: Skill = Ta + Tr and: TD = Task Difficulty If situational modifiers reduce a Task Difficulty to -10 or less, a Task Resolution roll is not required; the outcome is an automatic success. Similarly, and especially in non-crisis situations, a GM may waive the requirement for a task resolution roll when a character's skill rating is 5 points over the Task Difficulty rating e.g., Skill 6, TD 1. --------------------- 5.2 Task Difficulties --------------------- To aid the GM in determining task difficulties, the following task difficulties have been established relative to what an average character (Ta = 0) with minimal training in a skill (Tr = 1) can accomplish. Therefore, the values were derived from the following task resolution formula: d10-d10 + 1 >= TD Thus, when assigning a difficulty to a task, the Game Master should set the Task Difficulty as if the task was being attempted by a Ta = 0, Tr = 1 character. The Game Master should not base the difficulty on the skill level of the character attempting the task. In other words, figure out what the task is like, then use the table below to find the description that best fits the Task. With this description, use the TD value listed. For example, climbing a moss covered wall by someone with Ta = 0, Tr = 1 could be described as tricky. Tricky is listed under the "Could also be described as" column for Difficult. The TD associated with a Difficult Task is 5. Thus no matter what the Skill of a character attempting to climb a moss covered wall, the Task Difficulty is 5. If a character with Skill 3 in Climb Walls attempts to climb the moss covered wall, he uses the formula: d10-d10 + 3 >= 5. If a character with Skill 10 in Climb Walls attempts to climb the moss covered wall, he uses the formula: d10-d10 + 10 >= 5. ------------------------------------------------------ Description TD Odds* Could also be described as ------------------------------------------------------ Easy.............-5 89% Routine, Simple, Trivial Average...........0 63% Engaging, Fair, Intermediate Difficult.........5 25% Difficult, Tough, Tricky Very Difficult...10 6% Challenging, Demanding, Tasking, Vexing Extremely Diff...15 2.4% Exacting, Formidable, Punishing Limit............20 0.6% Extreme, Ballistic Crushing.........25 Backbreaking, Monumental Herculean........30 Epic, Staggering, Superhuman Gargantuan.......35 Stupefying Titanic..........40 Awesome Unbelievable.....50 Impossible Inconceivable....60 Shattering God-like.........70 Legendary, Mythic Immortal.........80 Celestial, Eternal Cosmic..........100 Transcendental *Odds are calculated for a Talent = 0, Training = 1 character. ----------------------------------------- 5.3 Task Resolution when no skill is used ----------------------------------------- If a character attempts a task for which he does not possess a skill or to which no skill is related, he uses (Ta - UP) in place of Skill and the Task Resolution Formula becomes: Formula: d10-d10 + (Ta - UP) >= TD where UP is the "Untrained" Penalty. UP is generally equal to 5 but see Section 4.3 for GM options. Note: Attributes checks are conducted using this method, since they do not involve a skill. Because it is sometimes difficult to tell if a task could be done using a skill or not, it is the responsibility of the GM to set an UP of 0 for what he feels to be a true "Attribute Check". An example of a true attribute check would be holding one's breath to which a character's Fitness would be applied using the formula d10-d10 + FIT >= TD. ----------------------------------- 5.4 Contested Skill Task Resolution ----------------------------------- Formula: d10-d10 + Skill^ >= TD + Opponent's Skill^ ^If contestant is not using a skill (generally because he is untrained), replace Skill with (Ta - UP). OPTIONAL: If a contested task is based on Talent only, i.e. it does not rely on the use of a skill, the game master may wish to double the value of each opponent's talent, to reflect the fact that the task depends more on their raw capabilities than on any form of experience. For example, a contest of Strength between Joe Blow and Conan could be resolved using: d10-d10 + 2 * Joe Blow's STR >= 2 * Conan's STR ----------------------------- 5.5 Composite Task Resolution ----------------------------- There is a TD for the task as a whole. A roll is made at an effective skill equal to the sum of his skills which are involved in the task against that TD. If the roll succeeds, the task succeeds. If the roll fails, the task fails. --------------------- 5.6 Combining efforts --------------------- When many characters unite their strength, intelligence, etc. to accomplish a Task, they are often more efficient than if they were trying to accomplish the Task independently. In such a situation, the success of the attempted Task is obtained by having each character roll independently against the Task Difficulty. The TD is lowered by 1 for every character working on the Task beyond the first. The Task Resolution Formula for each character is therefore: d10-d10 + Skill >= TD - (N-1) where N is the number of characters attempting the task. The Task is successful if at least one of the characters makes his roll. The GM must decide, based on the Task, if more than one character can attempt the Task. If he decides that more than one character can attempt the Task, he must then decide the maximum number of characters that can take part in attempting the Task. ------------------- 5.7 Graded outcomes (Optional) ------------------- For GMs who prefer a slightly less absolute (success or failure) system of determining the result of Task Resolution, the following system is provided as an option for measuring the degree of success or failure. Bonus: roll >= TD + 10 Success: TD + 1 <= roll <= TD + 9 Partial: TD - 1 <= roll <= TD Failure: TD - 9 <= roll <= TD - 2 Mishap: roll <= TD - 10 Bonus - A really good outcome which surpasses normal expectations. If the GM cannot think of a reasonable Bonus then the outcome should simply be treated as a Success. Success - A successful outcome which achieves the desired result. Partial - An outcome that could be categorized as somewhere between success and failure. The exact result is left to GM discretion. As a guideline, if roll = TD, then the GM should make sure that the end result is a success. Likewise, if roll = TD - 1, then the end result should be treated as a failure. Failure - An unsuccessful outcome which does not achieve the desired result. Mishap - A particularly bad failure that exposes the character to additional misfortune, harm, penalty or confusion. If the GM cannot think of a reasonable Mishap then the outcome should simply be treated as a Failure. Example: Shardra the Ranger has Tracking 4. She tries picking up the trail of a wounded bandit. The DM decides that this will be hard, as it's been raining. The Task Resolution formula becomes: d10-d10 + 4 >= 5 If Shardra's player's total roll is 15 or higher, a Bonus, not only does Shardra pick up the trail, she also picks up the overlying trail of a pursuing wolverine. If she rolls 7 to 14, a Success, Shardra picks up the bandit's trail. If she rolls 4 or -5, a Partial, Shardra only picks up enough of the trail to determine the general direction taken by the bandit. If she rolls -5 to 3, a Failure, Shardra is unable to pick up the trail because it has been washed away. If she rolls a -5 or less, a Mishap, Shardra picks up the wrong trail that leads her in a totally different direction. ************************************************************************** SECTION 6 GENERAL RULES --------------- 6.1 Encumbrance --------------- The load that each character can carry without ill effects varies with his Strength and is given in the Strength Table. When a character is loaded with more weight than his Strength allows, his Fatigue rises faster than if he was normally loaded. The additional Fatigue that a character suffers when he is heavily loaded is equal to the Encumbrance penalty, which is calculated from the LOAD and LOAD STEP values of the Strength Table. When the carried weight is lower than or equal to the character's allowed LOAD, then the Encumbrance Penalty is equal to O. When the weight carried is greater than this LOAD, the Encumbrance Penalty is increased by one for every increment of weight equal to LOAD STEP (or fraction of LOAD STEP). Encumbrance Penalty = (Weight-LOAD) / LOAD STEP (round up) For example, a character with STR = 2 can normally carry 35 kg and has a LOAD STEP of 3.5 kg. If the character chooses to carry 40 kg, i.e. he carries 5 kg more than allowed, he faces an Encumbrance Penalty of 2. Encumbrance Penalty = (40 kg - 35 kg) / 3.5 kg = 5 kg / 3.5 kg = 1.43 = 2 (rounded up) Each time this character will increase his Fatigue heap, he will increase it by 3 (1 plus the Encumbrance Penalty). See the Fatigue rules for more details. The encumbrance system only takes into account the mass of items, not their bulkiness. As always, a gamemaster may state that the character suffers an additional penalty on his skill checks because he is loaded with large items. For example, a game master has the right to impose a penalty of 10 on all skill checks to a character who is carrying a canoe, even if the character has the strength to do it. This is left to each game master, as we feel that such situations are not very common and that threating them here would just add unnecessary complexity to the rules. OPTIONAL: The game master can decide that the Encumbrance Penalty is also applied on some or all skills checks in addition to contributing to Fatigue; he can also decide that Encumbrance only affects skill checks if the Fatigue system is not used. When the Encumbrance Penalty is applied on a skill check, the task difficulty is increased by the value of the Encumbrance Penalty. For example, if the character from the example above wants to jump over a 1.5 meters fence while carrying 40 kg, the game master can decide to apply the Encumbrance Penalty on the skill check: d10-d10 + Jumping Skill >= Task Difficulty + Fatigue + Encumbrance Penalty ----------- 6.2 Fatigue ----------- 6.2.1 Efforts ------------- Each time a character performs an action, he accumulates Fatigue, be it mental or physical. This accumulated Fatigue makes it harder for him to perform subsequent actions. At some point, he is too fatigued to do anything correctly and has to rest. (For simplicity, both mental and physical fatigue are encompassed by the Fatigue heap). Some skills will tire a character faster than others. For example, reading is less draining that moving 10 kg rocks to build a wall. Thus, the person moving rocks will get tired much faster than the person who is reading. To take this into account, each character has a Fatigue heap, which is initially at 0 when he is fully rested and which increases as the character performs various activities. The more exacting these activities are, the faster the Fatigue heap increases. Taking a second look at our above example, we could qualify reading as a light effort, while moving rocks would be a moderate exercise. The character moving rocks would thus have to increase is Fatigue every 15 minutes, while the one reading would only increase it every hour (see the table below). The Fatigue heap is always increased by 1 plus the Encumbrance Penalty (see section "6.1 Encumbrance"*) each time it is augmented, no matter which activity is performed. The frequency at which the Fatigue heap is increased depends on the effort required by the skill or activity. In the case of skills, one or more Fatigue Ratings will be associated with various uses of the skill, which makes it easy to find the Fatigue increment frequency. For movement, this frequency depends on the movement speed and the appropriate rules can be found in "6.3 Movement"*. As usual, the game master can always change the frequency at which Fatigue is increased. While many skills will have one or Fatigue ratings associated with them, the game master will often have to determine how wearing is a task. In that case, we recommend that the game master describes the effort required in words and then associates this effort with the appropriate frequency for increasing Fatigue. For example, a task that requires a moderate-heavy effort would require to increase the Fatigue heap every 4 minutes. ---------------------------------------------------------- Effort Recuperation Frequency Fatigue Rating ---------------------------------------------------------- Light ... 1 hour (1) ... ... 30 minutes (2) Moderate Rest 15 minutes (3) ... Sleep 8 minutes (4) ... ... 4 minutes (5) ... ... 2 minutes (6) Heavy ... 1 minute (10 rounds) (7) Strenuous ... 5 rounds (30 secs) (8) ... ... 3 rounds (9) ... ... 1 round (10) ---------------------------------------------------------- Note: the Fatigue system is optional for most skill checks but is recommended for the magic and movement systems. In the magic system, Fatigue limits the number of spells that can be cast, while in the movement system it limits the distance that can be covered. If you do not use Fatigue for magic or movement, you will end up with an insanely heroic setting (where characters can sprint for 100 km or cast 100 spells in a row...). 6.2.2 Recuperation ------------------ A resting character recovers one Fatigue point every 15 minutes. A sleeping character recovers one Fatigue point every 8 minutes (or two every 15 minutes). Samples activities that can be considered as resting are: talking, eating, sitting, meditating, ... Of course, the character must not perform another activity at the same time. ------------ 6.3 Movement ------------ There are five basic speeds for characters movement. The base speed is a very slow walk, the walking speed is a good long distance pace and the running speed is a normal jogging. The sprinting speed is the highest speed at which most characters can go and the maximum speed is the absolute maximum speed at which a member of a given species can go (for humans, the maximum speed is that of olympic sprinters). +-------------+----------------------+-----------+-------------+ | | Human | | | | | km/hour m/round | Base TD | TD increase | +-------------+----------------------+-----------+-------------+ | Base | 3 5 | -5 | 1/hour | | Walking | 6 10 | -5 | 1/hour | | Running | 12 20 | -5 | 4/hour | | Sprinting* | 24 40 | -5 | 1/10 rounds | | Max** | 36 60 | 15 | 1/round | +-------------+----------------------+-----------+-------------+ Characters have to make movement checks periodically to continue moving at the same speed. The task difficulty is increased before making the movement check. For speeds below the sprinting speed, the check is made using the Endurance skill: d10-d10 + Endurance >= Movement TD For speed at or over the sprinting speed, the check is made using the Sprinting skill: d10-d10 + Endurance >= Movement TD If a character fails a check, he must slow down. If he was running he starts to walk, if he was sprinting he goes down to jogging, ... The task difficulty of the movement check remains the same (except if the character goes from max speed to sprinting, in which case the TD is reduced by 10). When the character wants to move at the maximum speed, he must make an initial movement check. Failure indicates that he can move at most at the sprinting speed. The task difficulty is not increased before this initial check. The game master is free to change the period at which the checks are made, converting the TD increase appropriately (Running could require one check per 15 minutes, with a TD increase of 1). More complete movement rules are provided in section "6.4 Advancement Movement". 6.3.1 Chases ------------ If a chase takes place in a crowded environment, the participants must make an additional AGI check every round. This check is made against the current movement TD: d10-d10 + AGI >= Movement TD Each participant that passes the check can move at the full sprinting speed or over, otherwise he can only move at the running speed or less. Of course, if the character attempts to go over the sprinting speed, he must have passed a movement check before he can make the AGI check. If the graded outcomes system is used, a partial indicates that the participant moves a bit slower than sprinting (generally sprinting minus base, but the GM can change this). A mishap indicates that he has tripped, or any other unfortunate event that the GM can devise, while a bonus allows him to cover an extra distance equal to his base speed. If the chase occurs on clear and level ground, the same method can be used except that AGI is replaced by STR in the check... -------------------------------- 6.4 Advanced Movement (Optional) -------------------------------- The movement rules detailed below attempt to cover in a sensible manner most game situations where movement plays a critical part. However, they might be cumbersome in situations where movement is not critical and the game master is free to use them when and as he wishes. It is only suggested that he employs the standard movement speeds (base, walking, running, sprinting and maximum). 6.4.1 Movement Speeds --------------------- Movement speeds are divided in 5 broad categories: base, walking, running and sprinting and maximum. The base movement speed is the reference from which the three others are calculated. The speed of a character in a melee combat situation is also equal to the base speed (see "7.6.1 Movement in Combat"). The walking speed is equal to a good but sustainable walking pace, the running speed is a moderate jogging and the sprinting speed is a hurried run. For comparison purposes, olympic marathoneers runners move at a pace between running and sprinting (~19 km/h) and the maximum movement rate listed is that of the olympic sprinters (100 meters in 10 seconds). In order to simplify the rules, it is considered that all members of a species can sustain the speeds given in the table below, for a short period of time (until their first movement check). +-------------+----------------------+------------------------+---------+ | | Human | Other Species | Fatigue | | | km/hour m/round | | Rating | +-------------+----------------------+------------------------+---------+ | Base | 3 5 | In species description | (1) | | Walking | 6 10 | 2*Base | (1) | | Running | 12 20 | 4*Base | (3) | | Sprinting* | 24 40 | 8*Base | (7) | | Max** | 36 60 | 12*Base | (10) | +-------------+----------------------+------------------------+---------+ *: 100 meters in 15 secs **: 100 meters in 10 secs 6.4.2 Movement Checks --------------------- A character must do periodic movement checks to see if he can continue to move at a given speed despite the accumulated fatigue. The checks are done using: d10-d10 + Training + Talent >= -5 + Fatigue At the end of each movement period, the character's Fatigue heap must be increased by one plus his Encumbrance Penalty. The check is made after fatigue has been increased. The Talent that is used in the check depends on the speed at which the character goes: FIT for speeds below Sprinting and STR for speeds above that. The character's training in "Endurance" or "Sprinting" is also added to the roll (see "6.3.4 Movement Skills"). If the character's roll added to his Talent and Training is greater than his accumulated Fatigue minus 5, then the character can continue running at the same speed. If not, then the character must slow down by his base speed (a human running at 12 km/h would slow down by 3 km/h and would thus end up at 9 km/h). A character can accelerate at any time, as long as he has been successful in his last movement check. Note that Fatigue is necessary for the movement system, even if it is not used in other parts of the system. Using Fatigue with the movement mechanics gives pretty realistic results. While the base TD is -5 up to the sprinting speed, the frequency of the checks changes with the movement rate. For example, a character needs to check only once per hour when walking but must make a check every minute when sprinting. The faster the character goes, the faster he gets fatigued. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Activity level Check frequency/ Movement rate Fatigue Fatigue increment Category ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Light 1 hour Base, Walking (1) 30 minutes 3*base (2) Moderate 15 minutes Running (3) 8 minutes 5*Base (4) 4 minutes 6*Base (5) 2 minutes 7*Base (6) Heavy 1 minute (10 rounds) Sprinting (7) Strenuous 5 rounds (30 seconds) 9*Base (8) 3 rounds 10*Base (9) 1 round 11*Base or more (10) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Basically, the frequency of the checks double each time the movement speed increases by the base speed. A character can always start to walk, run or sprint without a check, as long as he doesn't try to go over the standard sprinting speed (see "6.3.3 Heavy Sprinting") or does not suffer from heavy fatigue. If the game master judges that a character is too tired to move, he can require a movement check before the character starts to move (no fatigue is added to the Fatigue heap before making this check). If the check passes, then the character moves normally. If the check fails, then the game master can either impose a maximum speed for the character or require that the character rests before starting to move. In the later case, the character can attempt to move as soon as his Fatigue heap has been reduced by one point or more. Example: A human runner wants to finish a marathon in about 2 hour and 10 minutes. To cover the 42 km in 130 minutes, he needs to go at about 19 km/h, which is approximately equal to 6 times the base speed of 3 km/h. He will thus have to make a movement check every 4 minutes. (Note: running a marathon in 2h10min is a world class performance.) Our marathon runner has an Endurance skill of 30 (Training = 25, FIT = +5). After 4 minutes of running, his Fatigue heap is increased by one and he has to make a first movement check: d10-d10 + Endurance >= -5 + Fatigue d10-d10 + 30 >= -5 + 1 It is quite obvious that he has virtually no chance of failing this check. In fact, he is almost certain of being successful in the first 25 checks (unless he rolls a fumble). This well trained runner can thus run at 19 km/h for 100 minutes (25 checks * 4 minutes/check) without any major problem. It only starts getting difficult for him in the last 30 minutes, when he has to give his last energies to maintain the same rhythm. If a similar situation occurs in a game, it is strongly suggested that the game master does not require the players to roll for checks that are always successful unless the character fumbles. The players should not have to roll as long as their skill is 10 points higher than the task difficulty. For our marathon runner, this means that we need to roll only the last seven check. The first of these check is: d10-d10 + 30 >= -5 + 26 while the seventh is: d10-d10 + 30 >= -5 + 32 If he makes these seven movement checks successfully, he will have completed the marathon in 2 hours and 10 minutes! 6.4.3 Heavy Sprinting --------------------- The sprinting speed given in the movement rates table is the speed that all members of a species can sustain for a short period of time (1 minute). If a characters wants to go faster than the standard sprinting speed, he faces a greater difficulty than just having to make more frequent checks. For each increment of speed equal to the base speed, 5 is added to the task difficulty. Thus, to run 100 meters in 10 seconds, a character would need to go at 60 meters/round, which means an increase of 20 of the task difficulty. In addition, the character needs to make a movement check every round. The check that a human needs to make to run 100 meters in 10 seconds is: d10-d10 + Talent + Training >= 15 + Fatigue When a character wants to move at a speed greater than the standard sprinting speed, he also needs to make an initial movement check. No fatigue is added to the Fatigue heap before making this check (Fatigue is always added at the end of the movement period). If a character tries to move faster than the sprinting speed but fails his check, the maximum speed that he can reach is obtained by substracting Fatigue from his total roll and comparing the result with the Movement TD in the table below. The maximum speed that he can reach corresponds to the maximum movement TD that is smaller than or equal to his adjusted roll. For example, if a sprinter rolls a total 6 on his movement check and has a Fatigue of 3, then his adjusted roll is 3 and he can reach a maximum speed of 9 times the base speed (45 meters/round for a human). The maximum speed that a character can reach is equal to 12 times the base speed. For a human, this speed is equal to 60 meters/round, which is equivalent to running 100 meters in 10 seconds, a feat that only olympic athletes can achieve. Of course, the game master is free to remove this limitation on maximum speed. ---------------------------------- Speed Movement TD ---------------------------------- Sprinting or below -5 9*Base 0 10*Base 5 11*Base 10 Maximum 15 ---------------------------------- Example: An olympic athlete with Sprinting skill of 25 (Training = 20, STR = +5) is on the starting line for the 100 meters race. As he is fully rested, his Fatigue is initially equal to 0. Upon hearing the gun, he jumps from the starting blocks. An initial movement check is made: d10-d10 + Sprinting Skill >= Movement Task Difficulty + Fatigue d10-d10 + 25 >= -5 + 20 + 0 -2 + 25 >= 15 23 > 15 -> success This initial movement check is successful and the character is thus moving at 60 meters per round. However, since his speed is equal to 12 times the base rate, he must make a check every round. He will thus have to make another check after one round (6 seconds) of running. His Fatigue heap is increased by 1 due to the first round of sprinting and his second movement check is: d10-d10 + Sprinting Skill >= Movement Task Difficulty + Fatigue d10-d10 + 25 >= -5 + 20 + 1 3 + 25 >= 16 28 > 16 -> success This second check is also successful and the sprinter makes it to the finish line in 10 seconds! 6.4.4 Movement Skills --------------------- For movement slower than sprinting, players should use the "Endurance" skill in the movement check, or Fitness if their character does not possess the Endurance skill. For movement at or above the sprinting speed, players should use the "Sprinting" skill or the Strength talent of their character in the movement check. If a character does not have a Training in either Running or Sprinting, he does not face an Untrained penalty (UP=0). These skills are considered to be common enough that everyone has a basic training in them. ----------- 6.5 Healing ----------- Activity - Per day - Weekly level Example w/o Healer w/healer* bonus --------------------------------------------------- Low Bed rest 10% 20% +2d6 Moderate Travelling 5% 10% +1d6 High Fighting 0 1 0 * conditions apply (ref. Medicine skill) Healing rates per day are based on a percentage of the injured person's BODY Talent increased by 25. For example, a person with a BOD of -3 would heal 2 points of injury per day without healer (10% * (-3+25)). Activity level - means the most demanding level of activity undertaken during any particular day or week. Weekly bonus - requires a successful Fitness roll vs Injury (d10-d10 + 10 + FIT >= INJURY). If successful, INJURY is reduced by the indicated roll. ----------- 6.6 Falling ----------- A character falling on hard ground suffers 1d6 points of damage for each 2 meters of his fall. This damage is not reduced by armor resistance. ------------------ 6.7 Lifting Weight ------------------ The maximum weight that a character can lift easily is given by the LIFT value from the Strength Table. When lifting weight, the following equation is used: d10-d10 >= Lift TD [+ Fatigue] -------------------------------------------------------- Action Lift TD Fatigue Rating -------------------------------------------------------- Lift just above ground -15 (8) Lift at waist height -10 (9) Lift at head height -7 (10) Lift overhead -5 (10) -------------------------------------------------------- For every increase in weight equal to LOAD STEP, increase TD by 1 For every decrease in weight equal to LOAD STEP, decrease TD by 1 Shortcut Formula: TD = Lift TD + ( (Weight-LIFT) / LOAD STEP ) *************************************************************************** SECTION 7 COMBAT ---------------- 7.1 Introduction ---------------- "... violence is the last refuge of the incompetent." Isaac Asimov When other means of achieving objectives have failed, the party of adventuring characters may find themselves in an encounter that leads to combat. Combat can take many forms including melee, archery, arcane, etc. Good combat rules should cover all those situations, while being simple enough not to prevent the players from having fun. Like everything else in the DragonNet system, combat rules seek to achieve a balance between realism, simplicity and heroism. In a completely realistic system, serious wounds often prove fatal and the game master has to take great care not to create a situation where combat is unavoidable. At the opposite, in a heroic system where the characters can endure extreme wounds without flinching, combat often becomes the preferred mean to resolve situations of conflict. In our vision, combat should not limit character development by ending it whenever it happens, nor should it prevent it by being a universal solution to all problems. Therefore, the DragonNet combat system is deadly enough that characters won't always seek combat as the solution to their problems, but not so deadly as to make the characters flee each time brute force is required. ------------------ 7.2 Basic Premises ------------------ 7.2.1 The Combat Round ---------------------- As in many RPG system, combat in DNET is resolved by dividing its duration into rounds. During a round, each character can perform one action: attacking an opponent, casting a spell, reloading a bow, etc. Each combat round represents six seconds of action, giving ten rounds per minute. During a combat round, each protagonist will get to accomplish one action, without consideration for who acts first or last. Each attack/defense confrontation is in fact an exchange of blows and the damage inflicted by the protagonists upon each other is the summation of the effects of each individual blow. It is therefore perfectly possible for two combatants to finish off each other in the same round, giving a situation similar to the final combat scene in the movie "Excalibur". 7.2.2 Combat Styles ------------------- There is more to combat than just swinging a weapon; most of the reflexes that make a good fighter have more to do with the way he uses his weapon than with the particular weapon used. The skills your character has to learn to be a proficient fighter are thus named combat styles. The primary style for a fighter with military training would probably be "Weapon and Shield". A northern barbarian wielding a claymore would most often use the "Two-handed weapon" style. A magic oriented character would probably opt for a low cost style such as "Staves", giving him basic combat abilities while letting him focus most of his efforts on magic lore. As your character gains experience, he can advance in one or more combat style. Since combat styles are used for both attack and defense, improving them makes you both harder to hit and better at hitting your opponents. 7.2.3 Impact, Damage and Injury ------------------------------- When you hit an opponent with a weapon, you generally intend to cause him some physical damage. The DragonNet system uses a specific procedure with its associated terminology to calculate this damage; the basics of the damage calculation procedure are exposed here, so that you can better understand the rest of the system. The complete procedure will be described in detail later in the combat chapter. Every physical attack is said to cause an IMPACT. For example, a hit with bastard sword made by an average human causes 2d6+4 points of IMPACT. If the target is wearing armor, part of the attack's IMPACT is absorbed by the armor, while the remaining part, if any, constitutes the true physical DAMAGE, which is added to the target's INJURY heap. If the target suffers too much INJURY, i.e. more than what is BODY allows, he will pass out and eventually die. 7.2.4 Combat Round Sequence --------------------------- Most gamers hate it when the mechanics of combat system take more time than the actions and tactical decisions of the characters. In other words, the mechanics should not slow down the combat flow and bring down the climactic tension. The combat round sequence outlined here and described more fully later in the text will generally be most effective one for smooth combat resolution. The combat round begins with the declaration phase, during which each player announces the actions of his character(s) and the game master states the actions of the non-player characters (NPC). The order of the declaration can be arbitrary or determined by rolling for initiative. In both cases, it is advantageous to declare last, since you can decide the actions of your character in regard of what others have announced. After all actions have been declared, the resolution phase begins. No particular order is required, as all actions are considered to be simultaneous and every character is assured that he will have a chance to attempt its planned actions. For attacks, resolution is divided in two steps: the attacker first attempts to hit the defender in a contest of skills; if he is succesful, damage is calculated using the procedure outline above (sec. 7.2.3). At the end of each combat round, after all actions have been resolved, characters that have been wounded during the round must check to see if they remain conscious and alive. ----------------- 7.3 Combat Skills ----------------- 7.3.1 Combat Styles ------------------- One of the fundamental premises behind the DNET combat system is that one's fighting style is more important than the actual weapon used. A fighter used to fighting with a broad sword and a shield will find it much easier to fight with a bastard sword and a shield than to fight with a broad sword alone. His combat reflexes are tuned to certain strike sequences relying on the shield to parry blows. For him, fighting without the shield means developping new strike sequences, something that is not always easy to do in the middle of a melee. +--------------------+------+-----+-----+----+----+-------------------------+ | | EP | Attribute | | | | | Style Skill Name | Cost | Tal | Adv | AM | DM | Special Characteristics | +--------------------+------+-----+-----+----+----+-------------------------+ | | | | | | | | | LONG RANGE STYLES | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Archery | 4 | PER | DEX | | | extreme, 0 def | | Cross Bows | 2 | PER | DEX | | | extreme, 0 def, slow ROF| | Thrown Weapons | 3 | DEX | PER | | | near, no defenses | | | | | | | | | | MELEE STYLES | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Articulated W. | 4 | AGI | AGI | +1 | | entangle, +2 disarm | | Articulated W. | 5 | AGI | AGI | +1 | * | shield bonus/bash | | & Shield | | | | | | entangle, +2 disarm | | Bolas, Whips, | 3 | DEX | AGI | | | trip/entangle, 0 def | | Ropes, Nets | | | | | | +3 disarm | | Close Weapons | 2 | DEX | AGI | | | | | Close W. & Shield | 3 | DEX | AGI | | * | shield bonus/bash | | Dual Weapon | 4 | AGI | AGI | +2 | -1 | | | Fencing | 5 | DEX | AGI | +2 | | DEF Fencing/Close only | | One-Handed Weapons | 3 | AGI | AGI | | | | | One-Handed Weapons | 4 | AGI | AGI | | * | shield bonus/bash | | & Shield | | | | | | | | Polearms | 4 | AGI | AGI | +1 | -1 | 2nd rank, fend | | Staves | 2 | AGI | AGI | | | | | Thrusting Weapons | 3 | PER | AGI | | | 2nd rank, fend | | Thrusting Weapons | 4 | PER | AGI | | * | shield bonus/bash | | & Shield | | | | | | 2nd rank, fend | | Two-Handed Weapons | 3 | STR | AGI | | -2 | 2nd rank | +--------------------+------+-----+-----+----+----+-------------------------+ *: see style description Table Description ----------------- EP Cost - This is the training cost associated with the skill Attribute Tal - The attribute which forms the basis for using this skill. (i.e. The attribute acts as a modifier for use of the skill in the targeting equation.) Attribute Adv - This attribute is used as a modifier for advancement of the skill. AM - Attack modifier DM - Defense modifier Special Characteristics ----------------------- Range: Close (0 - 1 m; actually engaged in close combat) Near (1 - 10 m; engaged or able to move to engage this round) Far (11 - 100 m; not in melee range, but probably in missile weapon range) Extreme (> 100 m; out of all but the longest range missile weapons) 2nd rank: extended weapon reach to attack opponents from a distance, as from behind a line of friendly shield bearers. Fend: Basically Fend keeps opponent with shorter weapon at a distance unable to attack. Opponent who loses against Fend either cannot attack or takes automatic hit at full damage (maximum for thrusting weapon and STR bonus). A Fend can be started if an opponent is outside of Close range at the start of a combat round. Otherwise, a successful Fend means that an opponent who is at Close range is unable to attack in the next round. A successful Fend must occur in each subsequent round to keep the opponent at bay. Entangle: entangle limbs. A successful attack will entangle the limbs of the defender, unless an AGI check against a TD equal to the attacker's total roll is made by the defender. The attacker must specify that he is trying to entangle during the declaration phase. Trip: entangle legs and trip opponent. A successful attack will entangle the legs of the defender, unless an AGI check against a TD equal to the attacker's total roll is made by the defender. The attacker must specify that he is trying to trip during the declaration phase. Shield bonus: +1 to +5 defense bonus depending on the type of shield Shield bash: ability to use shield as a weapon. Blow causes 1d6 + 1 point per size category of the attacker + STR of attacker. Defender is knocked off his feet unless a successful AGI check against a TD equal to the attacker's total roll is made. DEF Fencing/Close only: Defense against Fencing and Close styles only. ---- 7.3.1.1 Long Range Styles ---- Archery ------- EP Cost: 4 Talent Attribute: PER Advancement Attribute: DEX Special: Extreme Range, No Defenses Weapons allowed: Any (non-cross) bow Description: ROF is generally one arrow per round. Cross Bows ---------- EP Cost: 2 Talent Attribute: PER Advancement Attribute: DEX Special: Extreme Range, No Defenses, slow Rate of Fire Weapons allowed: All crossbows Description: ROF will be determined by weapon and STR. High STR crossbow weapons may only allow occasional fire 1/3 rounds to 1/10 rounds. If there is a 1/1 rate of fire, damage is minimal e.g. per dagger. Thrown Weapons -------------- EP Cost: 3 Talent Attribute: PER Advancement Attribute: DEX Special: Near Range Weapons allowed: Any weapon which can be thrown. Effectiveness is greatly limited with weapons that were not designed to be thrown. Weapons designed to be thrown -- axe, knives, boomerang, darts, javelin, discus, etc. Description: ROF is 1 per round if the weapon is appropriately carried on the body (at girdle or similar -- not in pack). When throwing into a melee situation, ROF is reduced to 1/2 rounds or roll randomly for target. ---- 7.3.1.2 Melee Styles ---- Articulated Weapons ------------------- EP Cost: 4 Talent Attribute: AGI Advancement Attribute: AGI Special: Entangle, +2 disarm Weapons allowed: Any articulated weapon Description: Leveraged weapons (like a flail) are harder to use than a more straightforward weapon. This covers all such weapons, one or two handed, when used without a shield. If a shield is used, a penalty of -5 is applied to the skill. Articulated Weapons & Shield ---------------------------- EP Cost: 5 Talent Attribute: AGI Advancement Attribute: AGI Special: Entangle, +2 disarm, shield bonus, shield bash Weapons allowed: Any one handed articulated weapon used with a shield. Description: Leveraged weapons (like a flail) are harder to use than a more straightforward weapon. This covers all such one handed weapons, when used with a shield. If no shield is used, a penalty of -5 is applied to the skill. The use of a shield gives a bonus to defense of 2 plus the shield bonus, which depends on the type of shield (from 1 for a buckler to 5 for a tower shield). OPTIONAL: Instead of the fixed +2 defense bonus, the Shield Use skill gives a +1 bonus for every 5 levels, i.e. +1 at levels 1 through 5, +2 at levels 6 through 10, +3 at levels 11 through 15, ... Bolas/Whips/Ropes/Nets ---------------------- EP Cost: 3 Talent Attribute: DEX Advancement Attribute: AGI Special: No Defenses Weapons allowed: Bolas, whips, ropes and nets Description: Close Weapons ------------- EP Cost: 2 Talent Attribute: AGI Advancement Attribute: AGI Special: Close Range Weapons allowed: Any weapon with a reach of 0, such as knives, daggers, brass knuckles, etc. Description: Opponents must be at close range. If not they can FEND. If a shield is used, a penalty of -5 is applied to the skill. Close Weapons & Shield ---------------------- EP Cost: 3 Talent Attribute: AGI Advancement Attribute: AGI Special: Close Range, shield bonus, shield bash Weapons allowed: Any weapon with a reach of 0, such as knives, daggers, brass knuckles, etc. Description: Opponents must be at close range. If not they can FEND. If no shield is used, a penalty of -5 is applied to the skill. The use of a shield gives a bonus to defense of 2 plus the shield bonus, which depends on the type of shield (from 1 for a buckler to 5 for a tower shield). OPTIONAL: Instead of the fixed +2 defense bonus, the Shield Use skill gives a +1 bonus for every 5 levels, i.e. +1 at levels 1 through 5, +2 at levels 6 through 10, +3 at levels 11 through 15, ... Dual Weapon ----------- EP Cost: 4 Talent Attribute: AGI Advancement Attribute: AGI Special: +2 Attack Skill, -1 Defense Skill Weapons allowed: Any 2 non-articulated weapons which can be wielded with one hand with a reach of 1 or less. Description: Comments: minus on defense, or limit defense as in previous post. (i.e. can not defend against weapons more than one `class' larger than secondary weapon without loosing attack. Limit weapons to those smaller than medium with respect to character size/strength. Fencing ------- EP Cost: 5 Talent Attribute: DEX Advancement Attribute: AGI Special: +2 Attack Skill, Fencing defense can only occur against Fencing and Close Weapons. Against other Styles, reduce DEF to 1. Weapons allowed: Rapier, Sabre, Dagger, Epee, foil Description: Parry repost style fighting with light weight weapons -- edge or point attacks. This is not for unbalanced weapons like Axe or Mace. One-handed Weapons ------------------ EP Cost: 3 Talent Attribute: AGI Advancement Attribute: AGI Special: Weapons allowed: Any non-articulated weapon which can be wielded with one hand with a reach of 1 or 0. Description: If a shield is used, a penalty of -5 is applied to the skill. One-handed Weapons & Shield --------------------------- EP Cost: 4 Talent Attribute: AGI Advancement Attribute: AGI Special: shield bonus, shield bash Weapons allowed: Any non-articulated weapon which can be wielded with one hand with a reach of 1 or 0. Description: If no shield is used, a penalty of -5 is applied to the skill. The use of a shield gives a bonus to defense of 2 plus the shield bonus, which depends on the type of shield (from 1 for a buckler to 5 for a tower shield). OPTIONAL: Instead of the fixed +2 defense bonus, the Shield Use skill gives a +1 bonus for every 5 levels, i.e. +1 at levels 1 through 5, +2 at levels 6 through 10, +3 at levels 11 through 15, ... Polearms -------- EP Cost: 4 Talent Attribute: AGI Advancement Attribute: AGI Special: +1 Attack Skill, -1 Defense Skill, 2nd rank, fend, 3rd rank at -3 on Attack Skill (if formation and length avail.) Weapons allowed: Halbards, poles with ax, blade, pick, or exotic ends of reach 2 to 2.5. Description: Pole arms are commonly swung, having blade or pick. They have a higher moment of inertia than two-handed weapons. They also have some closer grip style that allows some parry action with the either end ala quarter staff. Most wielders of pole arms do not like to use that style, prefering to use weapon from second rank. If the weapon has a spear point, it may also be used in Thrusting Weapons style. Staves ------ EP Cost: 2 Talent Attribute: AGI Advancement Attribute: AGI Special: Weapons allowed: All staves Description: Thrusting Weapons ----------------- EP Cost: 3 Talent Attribute: AGI Advancement Attribute: AGI Special: 2nd rank, fend Weapons allowed: Any spear weapon with a reach of 2 or more. Includes pike which is a reach 3 spear. Description: This to cover spears and such. Thrusting style does not use nether end for block, but forward shaft. Thrusting style also includes Fend as an alternative to Attack & Defend. If a shield is used, a penalty of -5 is applied to the skill. Thrusting Weapons & Shield -------------------------- EP Cost: 4 Talent Attribute: AGI Advancement Attribute: AGI Special: 2nd rank, fend, shield bonus, shield bash Weapons allowed: Any one-handed spear weapon with a reach of 2 or more. Includes pike which is a reach 3 spear. (*pike is one-handed?) Description: This to cover spears and such. This includes shield use for smaller shields. Thrusting weapon may be one handed with shield. Thrusting style does not use nether end for block, but forward shaft. Thrusting style also includes Fend as an alternative to Attack & Defend. If no shield is used, a penalty of -5 is applied to the skill.The use of a shield gives a bonus to defense of 2 plus the shield bonus, which depends on the type of shield (from 1 for a buckler to 5 for a tower shield). OPTIONAL: Instead of the fixed +2 defense bonus, the Shield Use skill gives a +1 bonus for every 5 levels, i.e. +1 at levels 1 through 5, +2 at levels 6 through 10, +3 at levels 11 through 15, ... Two-handed Weapons ------------------ EP Cost: 3 Talent Attribute: STR Advancement Attribute: AGI Special: 2nd rank, -2 Defense Skill Weapons allowed: Any non-articulated weapon which can be wielded with two hands with a reach of 1.5 to 2. Description: 7.3.2 Other Combat Skills ------------------------- EP Attr. Default tasks Skill name Cost Tal Adv NSP TD Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Catch Missiles 4 PER AGI 10 D/5 Catch an incoming spear Disarm 4 STR DEX 8 D/5 Make opponent drop weapon Dodge 3 AGI AGI 6 N/A Not applicable Evade Missiles 3 PER AGI 6 A/0 Dodge an incoming spear Catch Missiles -------------- Gives the character a chance to catch missiles, but only if the player says he will try to do so in the declaration phase. The task difficulties (TD) for the various kind of missiles are given below: Missile TD Spear D/5 Axe, dagger, etc V/10 Arrow ED/15 Crossbow bolt L/20 Disarm ------ This skill is used in place of a normal attack to attempt to disarm an opponent. The success check is: d10-d10 + att's skill + STR >= d10-d10 + def's STR + def's skill This skill can be used by both armed and unarmed combatants. Some combat styles may have modifiers that are added to your roll when you attempt to disarm an opponent. OPTIONAL: Both opponents can add the mass of their weapon (rounded to the nearest kilogram) to their roll. Dodge ----- EP Cost: 3 Talent Attribute: AGI (PER?) Advancement Attribute: AGI Description: The Dodge skill allows the character to attempt to escape blows from two opponents for each Dodge action. It can be used in conjunction with the Style attack/defenses using the multiple actions mechanism. For example, if a fighter wants to attack one opponent and Dodge two others, the Style actions (attack and defense) and the Dodge action (evading the blows from the two other opponents) will be rolled with a -5 penalty. If the dodge skill is used in conjunction with a shield, the bearer can add the shield bonus to his defense roll. Evade Missiles -------------- Allows character to dodge incoming missiles. The player must declare that the character will try to do so during the declaration phase. Task difficulties are: Missile TD Spear A/0 Axe, dagger, etc D/5 Arrow V/10 Crossbow bolt ED/15 ------------------- 7.4 Combat Sequence ------------------- This section explains in detail how combat is resolved in the DragonNet system. To this end, a game situation leading to combat is developped as the rules are presented. Combat is broken down into rounds. Each round is considered to last 6 seconds. All actions that occur within a round are independent of each other and are considered to take place at the same time. Thus it is always possible for two combatants to strike each other down in the same round. Within a combat round, attacks and defenses are viewed as a passe d'armes, not as individual strokes. Game situation: Neila and Jalik have been cautiously exploring the ruins of a temple of Hekari, an almost forgotten deity of darkness and disease, in the hope of lifting a curse that as been plaguing a pixie community for centuries. As they are about to despair, their efforts are rewarded by a hollow sound from a flagstone reveals a hidden passage. After doublechecking their torches and pushing the stone safely aside, they engage in the the shadows of a stairway. The characteristics and appropriate skills and equipment of the two characters are given here for reference purposes. Neila (Bob's character) Physical Talents: AGI: 2; BOD: 2; DEX: -2; FIT: 1; STR: 3 Mental Talents: AUR: 0; INT: 1; PER: 0; PSY: 1; WIL: 2 Combat skills: Ta + Tr = Skill One Handed W. & Shield: 2 + 6 = 8 Attack: 8 Defense: 8+2+4 = 14 Dodge: 2 + 7 = 9 Defense: 9+4 = 13 Equipment: War Hammer (IMPACT = 2d6+4) Kite (defense bonus = 4) Soft leather bezainted armor (RESISTANCE = 6) Jalik (Roger's character) Physical Talents: AGI: 3; BOD: 1; DEX: 2; FIT: 0; STR: 0 Mental Talents: AUR: 1; INT: 1; PER: 2; PSY: 0; WIL: 0 Combat skills: Ta + Tr = Skill Dual Weapons: 3 + 6 = 9 Attack: 9+2 = 11 Defense: 9-1 = 8 Dodge: 3 + 5 = 8 Equipment: 2 small swords (IMPACT = 2d6+2) a 2 meters wooden pole Quilt armor (RESISTANCE = 3) 7.4.1 Declaration ----------------- At the beginning of every combat round, the game master must ask every player to declare the actions of his character for the round. The game master must also state the actions of all NPCs and monsters during that phase. Once stated, these actions cannot be changed, unless the game master feels that there has been a misunderstanding; in that case, every player should be allowed to redeclare the actions of his character. The declaration order does not really matter as long as the actions of all protagonists are stated. A fixed order, such as *going around the table will generally speed game play. Note that a character can attack multiple targets only if he is in close range (0 to 1 meters) of both targets at declaration time. Game situation: Jalik and Neila reach the bottom of the stairs about 5 meters below the ground level. Game master: In the torchlight, you can see that the floor is littered with bones. Roger: "[Whisper] Cover me." I slowly crouch to inspect the bones. Game master: They look like humanoid bones, generally human sized. Roger: I inspect the walls, looking for holes or any trace of a mechanism. Game master: You spend 5 minutes doing as careful an inspection you can without stepping on the floor. The walls are plain and smooth. You can detect any obvious crevasse. Roger: I slowly pass the wooden pole along the floor and the walls. Game master: (rolling a few dice to make good impression) Nothing happens. Bob: "[Whisper] It looks ok?" Roger: "[Whisper] Yes... I go first, you follow me 4 steps behind." I advance in the passage, tell me when I notice anything different. Game master: After 4 meters, the floor is clear of bones. The transition is gradual. Roger: I continue. Bob: I still follow about 2 meters behind. Game master: You walk two more steps and hear a concert of clicking sounds as the bone quickly move along the floor to reassemble into three distinct shapes. Two of the shapes are near Neila, while the third is behind Jalik's back. What do you do? Bob: "[Loud] Watch your back!". Neila attacks the nearest shape and will dodge the two others if necessary. Roger: Jalik drops his pole and takes out his two swords. He will also attack the nearest shape. Game master: Jalik's attack won't happen until next round, but they won't be able to attack this round either. Neila, you realize that you can bash at the nearest one without worrying about dodging the other. ---- 7.4.1.1 Initiative (OPTIONAL) ---- Some role players find that basing the declaration order on the Talents of their characters allow for more strategy during combat. A declaration method which allow the characters with the best perception to react to the actions of others is presented here. Determining initiative: 1) Roll 1d10 2) Add PER (you may get negative results) INITIATIVE = 1d10 + PER All players should roll for initiative and the game master should also roll it for NPCs and monsters. In large combats, the game master may wish to roll initiative for groups of monsters or even for all monsters at the same time. Actions are then declared starting with the lowest initiative roll to the highest. This gives a chance to characters with the highest PER to adjust their actions to those of others. [Should we add weapon speed and spell casting time here? It seems weird to me to add such a modifier before the action has been declared if the goal of the initiative roll is of determining who will declare first so that one can adjust himself to the actions of others. (Guillaume)] 7.4.2 Action resolution ----------------------- Once all actions have been declared, they are resolved using standard skill checks. The order of the resolution does not matter since all actions within a round are considered to be simultaneous. Again, resolving the actions in a fixed order will speed up the game and simplify combat. While there are no strict limits to the actions that can be attempted during combat, we will focus here on the actions that are directly related to the resolution of combat. ---- 7.4.2.1 Targeting ---- The determination of an attack outcome is achieved using the targeting equation: d10-d10 + Att Sk [+ Sk mods] >= d10-d10 [+ TD mods] + Def Sk [+ Sk mods] If the left hand side is greater than or equal to the right hand side, then the attacker scores a hit and should proceed to determine damage. While this expression may seem complex, it summarizes a very simple process: 1) Both the attacker and the defender roll d10-d10, as in a skill check. 2) The attacker adds his Attack Skill to his roll, while the defender adds his Defense Skill to his roll. 3) They also add any situation combat modifiers that the game master judge necessary to their respective rolls. 4) If the attacker's total is greater than or equal to the defender's total, then the attacker is successful in his attack and should now roll for DAMAGE. The targeting roll can be modified by situation combat modifiers. These situation combat modifiers are chosen by the game master and are broken into two categories: - Task Difficulty Modifiers (TD mods): modifiers that affect the difficulty of the combat task. - Skill Modifiers (Sk mods): modifiers that affect the skill of the combatants. Situation combat modifiers are detailed in sections 7.3.2.1.1 and 7.3.2.1.2. OPTIONAL: For NPCs, the GM may replace the defender roll by a constant value of 0 to accelerate combat resolution: d10-d10 + Att Sk [+ Sk mods] >= 0 [+ TD mods] + Def Sk [+ Sk mods] This increases the effects of a difference between the skill levels of the attacker and defender, i.e. the opponent with the skill will win more often than when both opponents roll for defense. Of course, the game master can decide that neither PCs, nor NPCs roll for defense. Game situation: (first round) Neila swings her war hammer at the nearest skeleton. -> Bob rolls 3 and adds Neila's attack skill of 8 for a total of 11. -> The game master rolls -2, adds the skeleton guardian defense skill of 8 and a skill modifier of -2 due to the fact that the guardian is still taking shape, for a total of 4. Neila hits the skeleton and sends crushed bones flying. In the meantime, Jalik wields his two swords. (sixth round) Neila is still engaged with two Guardians; she has suffered a few hits but has nearly destroyed the first while dodging the other. Jalik has also hit is Guardian a few times, while taking only two hits. Neila's attack: -> Bob rolls 23 (!), adds Neila's attack skill of 8 and substracts 5 because of the multiple actions (attacking and dodging) for a total of 26. -> Game master rolls -7 (!) and adds the skeleton defense skill (8) for a total of 1. ---> Neila scores another precise hit on the first skeleton. 1st skeleton's attack: -> Game master's roll: -9 + 8 = -1 -> Bob's roll: -2 + 14 - 5 = 7 ---> Neila blocks the skeleton attempts. 2nd skeleton's attack: -> Game master's roll: 3 + 8 = 11 -> Bob's roll: -1 + 13 (dodge skill) - 5 = 8 ---> The skeleton hits Neila. Jalik's attack: -> Roger's roll: 6 + 11 = 17 -> Game master's roll: -1 + 8 = 7 --> Jalik successfully stabs at the skeleton. 3rd skeleton's attack: -> Game master's roll: 7 + 8 = 11 -> Roger's roll: 7 + 8 = 11 ---> The skeleton hits Jalik. Skeleton Guardians Physical Talents: BOD: 0; AGI: 0; STR: 2 Mental Talents: INT: -8; PER: 0; Combat skills: Skill Claw attacks: 8 Attack: 8 Defense: 8 Dodge: 5 Special: Claw IMPACT: 2d6 Natural Resistance: 5 -2 to combat skills while taking shape. Fights until destroyed (no Unconsciousness checks) ---- 7.4.2.1.1 Task Difficulty Modifiers ---- Condition Modifier --------- -------- Target Semi-prone -1 Target Prone -2 Target Partly Immobile -4 Target Immobile -8 Target Invisible +3 Target out of range +1 / 10% beyond weapon's range Target Size (SR Attacker - SR Target) ---- 7.4.2.1.2 Skill Modifiers ---- The modifiers below apply to both attack and defense skills, unless noted. Modifiers that apply only to the attack skill are identified with "+X Attack", while those applying only to defense are noted with "+X Defense". Condition Modifier --------- -------- Semi-prone -1 Prone -2 Partly Immobile -4 Immobile -8 Poor Footing/Environment -1 to ... (Left to GM discretion) On higher ground than oppon +1 Charging +2 Attack, -2 Defense Set to receive a charge +2 Defense (assuming Attacker is charging) Hasted +2 Slowed -2 Invisible +3 Additional Action Attempted -5 per additional action All-Out Attack +1 Attack, -2 Defense (stackable) All-Out Defense +1 Defense, -2 Attack (stackable) Injury -1/5 points (OPTIONAL) Fatigue -1/point (OPTIONAL) ---- 7.4.2.1.3 Called Shots ---- Targeting a specific body part is refered to as a called shot. While targeting vital organs can increase the deadliness of an attack, those vital organs are often small and thus more difficult to hit. The table below gives Impact modifiers for some human body parts. These modifiers are based on the probability of hitting a vital organ in the targeted part. The effect of hitting non-vital organs is left to the game master. For example, a serious blow to the hand might cripple its victim in addition of doing normal Impact. Listing all such consequences is beyond the scope of these rules. ------------------------------- Impact Modifier Body Part ------------------------------- +10 Head +15 Throat +20 Eye ------------------------------- When making a called shot, the targeting roll of the character is modified by the size rating of the body part targeted. This size rating (SR) can be determined from the Size Rating table below. You can either estimate the average dimension of the targeted part and look for a matching number in the size column, or just scan the examples for a part of similar size. Targeting equation for called shots: d10-d10 + Attack Skill + SR >= Task Difficulty Called shots are generally applied to missile weapons. In melee combat battling an opponent larger than you does not make him much easier to hit since he also benefits from an extended reach... Most values listed are for human body parts. You can convert to the species being targeted very simply, by adding the Size Rating of the species to the Size Rating of the human body part. Body Part SR = Human body part SR + species SR Example: SR of human arm = -4 SR of weejon arm = SR of human arm + SR of Weejon = -4 + -3 = -7 What happens if a player targets an opponent's eye or another body part and miss by one on his attack roll? Since we don't want to get into overly complicated and cumbersome mechanics, we leave this to the interpretation of the game master. It could either be treated as a complete miss, a hit to a nearby bone that only does normal Impact or a full hit to the head. Situational modifiers that may influence this decision include the movement speed of the opponent, the fact that he may be wearing a helmet, etc. ----------------------------------------------------------- Size Factor SR Size Creature, body part or object ----------------------------------------------------------- 0.0155 -15 3cm Human eye 0.0205 -14 4cm 0.0270 -13 5cm 0.0357 -12 6cm 0.0471 -11 8cm 0.0623 -10 11cm 0.0822 -9 15cm 0.108 -8 19cm Human hand, Human throat 0.143 -7 26cm Dagger 0.189 -6 34cm Human head 0.250 -5 45cm 0.329 -4 59cm Human arm 0.435 -3 78cm Weejon 0.574 -2 1.0m Human chest 0.758 -1 1.4m 1.0 0 1.8m Human, Elf 1.32 1 2.4m 1.74 2 3.1m 2.30 3 4.1m 3.04 4 5.5m 4.01 5 7.2m 5.29 6 9.5m 6.98 7 13m 9.22 8 17m 12.2 9 22m 16.1 10 29m ----------------------------------------------------------- Size Factor: A number showing a creature's size relative to humans. Size Factor = 1.32^SR SR: Size Rating, to be used in called shots. SR = log1.32(Size Factor) Size: The average size of a creature or object with a certain SR. Mainly based on height, but also factors is width. Creature, body part or object: an example creature, body part or object of a given size rating. ---- 7.4.2.2 Targeting with Missile Weapons ---- Missile weapon styles are handled as standard skills, with a TD that is mainly dependent on the distance between your character and its target. For simplicity, the base task difficulty does not depend on the weapon used and is given in the following table: +---------------------+-------------------+---------+ | Distance qualifier | Range | Base TD | +---------------------+-------------------+---------+ | Near | 0 to 10 meters | 0 | | Medium | 11 to 50 meters | 5 | | Far | 51 to 100 meters | 10 | | Very Far | 101 to 500 meters | 15 | +---------------------+-------------------+---------+ The targeting equation is: d10-d10 + Missile Weapon Skill >= Task Difficulty Since all missile weapons are not equal in effectiveness, an effective range is associated with each one. When the target is beyond a weapon's effective range, additional penalties are applied to the task difficulty. The TD increases by 1 for each 2 meters over the effective range of Thrown Weapons and by 1 for each 5 meters beyond the effective range or bows and crossbows. As usual, the game master can either apply this rule as a strict rule, as a simple guideline or even completely dismiss it. Sometimes, it is simpler to just consider all situational modifiers and make a quick decision on the TD. +---------------------+-------------------------------------+ | Weapon Type | TD modifier | +---------------------+-------------------------------------+ | Thrown | 1 per 2 meters over effective range | | Bow | 1 per 5 meters over effective range | | Cross Bow | 1 per 5 meters over effective range | +---------------------+-------------------------------------+ Missile weapons also have a maximum range beyond which they cannot send a missile. This maximum range is normally listed in the weapons description. Damage and called shots are handled in the same manner than for melee attacks. Examples: In the following examples, we use one weapon of each group: a dagger, (effect. range: 15m; max. range:40m), a short bow (effect. range: 90m; max. range: 225m) and a heavy arbalest (effect. range: 60m, max range: 330m). Situation 1: Target is 8 meters away. TD is 0 with all three weapons, since the target is near and within their effective range. Situation 2: Target is 20 meters away. TD is 7 with the dagger since the target is in medium range (TD 5) and is 5 meters over the dagger's effective range (we choose to round at the players advantage here...). TD is 5 with both the short bow and arbalest, since the target is within their effective range. Situation 3: Target is 100 meters away. Such a dagger throw is "impossible" since the target is beyond the dagger's maximum range. TD is 12 with the short bow since the target is far (TD 10) and is 10 meters over the bow's effective range. TD is 18 with the short bow since the target is far (TD 10) and is 40 meters over the bow's effective range. Situation 4: Target is 500 meters away. Don't even think about it... OPTIONAL: In some situations, it makes sense to take into account the size of the target. In these cases, the task difficulty can be modified by substracting from it the size rating (SR) of the target. For example, hitting a giant (SR: 4) standing 20 meters away with with a short bow has a TD of 1, while hitting a weejon (SR: -3) at the same distance has a TD of 8. As a reference, humans have a Size Rating of 0. The game master is free to apply this rule whenever he wishes. Size Rating Adjustement: Adjusted TD = Standard TD - Size Rating ---- 7.4.2.3 Damage and Injury ---- When a successful hit has been scored, DAMAGE is computed by substracting the defender's RESISTANCE from the attacker's IMPACT. DAMAGE = IMPACT - RESISTANCE The attacker's IMPACT is the sum of his Strength and his weapon's Impact: IMPACT = Weapon IMPACT + STR The RESISTANCE of the defender is the sum of his Natural Resistance and his armor's Resistance: RESISTANCE: Natural Resistance + Armor Resistance Armor Resistance is always a positive value that depends on the type of armor being worn. Natural Resistance is a value representing the natural body covering of a species (see the species description). Natural Resistance can be negative. Because of this, RESISTANCE can be negative as well. If DAMAGE is lower than 0, then it is considered to be 0. A DAMAGE of 0 or less is considered to be just a scratch. If DAMAGE is greater than 0, then it should be added to the INJURY heap. INJURY = INJURY + DAMAGE Game situation: (first round) To determine the IMPACT done by Neila's hit on the skeleton, Bob rolls 11 on 2d6+4 (the war hammer Impact) and adds Neila's STR for a total of 14. The game master substract the Natural Resistance (5) of the Guardian from Neila's IMPACT and adds 9 to the Guardian's INJURY heap (previously at 0). (sixth round) (Note that DAMAGE calculations are normally done just after determining if an attack was successful. All DAMAGE calculations are presented here in the same section for explanation purposes) -> Neila hits the first skeleton for 11+3=14 points of IMPACT. This increases the skeleton's INJURY by 9 to a total of 36. -> The second skeleton hits Neila for 8+2=10 for a DAMAGE of 4 after the attack has passed through the armor (RESISTANCE=6). This brings her INJURY heap to 26. -> Jalik hits the third skeleton for 6 points of IMPACT. Only 1 point passes the skeleton's Natural Resistance, bringing its injury heap to 24. -> The third skeleton does 13 points of IMPACT to Jalik. His armor only absorbs 3 points, adding 10 points of DAMAGE to INJURY, for a total of 18. ---- 7.4.2.3.1 Precision (OPTIONAL) ---- This optional technique for computing damage has the advantage of reducing the need to resort to called shots, but give the same IMPACT distribution to all weapons. When using Precision, IMPACT is not rolled but is computed from the targeting roll. Each weapon has a constant IMPACT, which is equal to the average of its normal IMPACT reduced by 4. For example, a bastard sword which has an IMPACT of 2d6+4, with an average of 11, would have an IMPACT of 7 when using the Precision rule. Precision weapon IMPACT = Average normal weapon IMPACT - 4 When a hit occurs, the total IMPACT inflicted is equal to the sum of weapon IMPACT and the value of the targeting roll that is over what was needed to hit. For example, if the attacker has a total roll of 19 and the defender has a total roll of 16, then the Precision IMPACT is 3 and the total IMPACT done with a bastard sword is 10 (7 + 3). The total roll is the sum of the character's skill, the situational modifiers and the rolled die. If the attacker's roll is lower than the defender's roll, then no hit has occured; precision does not change the targeting rules, only the manner in which damage is calculated. Note: When defense is rolled, precision can cause very high IMPACT values if the attacker has a high roll and the defender a very low roll. The game master should be warned that it can increase the death rate of characters, as a character can go from nearly unconscious to dead with one hit. ---- 7.4.2.4 Multiple Actions in Combat ---- The multiple actions mechanism is used frequently in combat. When a character wants to defend against multiple opponents, he has to buy multiple actions for a penalty of 5 on all his skills. Each additional combat style action gives both one attack and one defense. For example, if a character attacks and defends against two opponents, his two attacks and two defenses are done with a -5 penalty. Similarly a character attacking one opponent and dodging two others would have a -5 on his rolls in both his combat style and dodge skill. Actions that are not related to combat also impose a -5 penalty on all skill checks when they are performed while the character fights. If a character wants to catch an object while fighting, he would face a -5 penalty on both his catching roll and his attack and defense. Note that the defense skill of the character can never be lowered below 0 by any penalty, since a defense of 0 is that of a moving target within range. It is considered that your character cannot do worse if he tries to defend than if he does not try to. 7.4.3 Survival checks --------------------- At the end of the combat round, after all actions have been resolved, every combatant that has been injured during the round (i.e. that has seen his INJURY heap increase) must make Unconciousness and Death checks. An Unconsciousness check is made by rolling d10-d10 and adding 25 plus the character's Willpower and BODY. If the total is greater than or equal to INJURY, then the check is successful and the character stays conscious. Unconsciousness: d10-d10 + 25 + BOD + WIL >= INJURY It is not necessary to make an Unconsciousness check if 25 + BODY + WIL is over INJURY by 10 points or more. A Death check is similarly made by rolling d10-d10 and adding 40 and the character's BOD. If the total is greater than or equal to the INJURY, then the check is successful and the character stays alive. Death: d10-d10 + 40 + BOD >= INJURY It is not necessary to make an Unconsciousness check if 40 + BOD is greater than INJURY by 10 points or more. OPTIONAL: If the Graded Outcomes rules are used, a partial outcome indicates that the character is not Unconscious but suffers from such pain that he is not able to do anything beside moaning and screaming. He remains generally aware of what is happening around him. Game situation: (first round) The INJURY heap of the first Skeleton Guardian is now equal to 9. Since this is much lower than 40 plus the BOD of the skeleton, there is no need for a Death check (the skeleton does not check for Unconsciousness, see description). (sixth round) -> Bob's roll for Neila: -3 + 25 + 2 (WIL) + 2 (BODY) = 26 (INJURY) Neila remains conscious enough to continue the fight. -> Roger's roll for Jalik: -2 + 25 + 0 (WIL) + 1 (BODY) > 18 (INJURY) Jalik remains conscious. -> Game master's roll for the 1st skeleton: -6 + 40 + 0 (BOD) < 36 (INJURY) The skeleton crumbles into a heap of broken bones. -> The INJURY of the third skeleton (24) is much lower than his BODY + 40 (0), so there is no need for a death check. ------------------ 7.5 Unarmed Combat ------------------ 7.5.1 Unarmed Attacks --------------------- There are five types of unarmed attacks. For game mechanics, they are handled the same way as weapons are handled in armed combat styles. They have an associated damage, reach, etc, just as weapons do. An unarmed defender against a weapon gets no defence or a penalty, depending on the fighting style being used. +-----------------+--------+--------+-------+-------+--------+-------+-------+ + NAME | ACTION | IMPACT | REACH | MASS | LENGTH | HANDS | SPEED | +-----------------+--------+--------+-------+-------+--------+-------+-------+ | | | | | | | | | | UNARMED | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | hand | B | 2d6-8 | C | 0 | 0 | 1 | | | foot | B | 2d6-6 | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | bash | B | 2d6-4 | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | throw | B | 2d6-6 | C | 0 | 0 | 1* | | | hold | B? | 0 | C | 0 | 0 | 1* | | +-----------------+--------+--------+-------+-------+--------+-------+-------+ 7.5.2 Unarmed weapon types -------------------------- Attacks with hands or fists do 2d6-8 IMPACT, 2d6-6 if using brass knuckles. Kicking attacks to 2d6-6 IMPACT. Bashing attacks include body slams and tackles. IMPACT is 2d6-4. A running start is required to do damage, so no IMPACT is done if you are already at close range. (possible to force backwards even if starting at close range) Throws include leg sweeps and judo/wrestling throws. IMPACT is 2d6-6 and is not modified by STR. Success leaves the defender prone. Hold attacks include judo holds and wrestling pins. After a successful attack the defender must make a roll if he wants to try to break the hold. d10-d10 + STR + skill >= holder's STR + skill The "skill" may be from any style which includes "hold" attacks. If the hold is successful, the attacker may choose to inflict damage: IMPACT is 2d6-4 (+STR). * Note about HANDS: There are holds and throws which require two hands, and some which require no hands. The GM may judge if a maneuver is possible or more difficult (skill penalty) in some situations, such as if the player has his hands bound. 7.5.3 Unarmed Combat Styles --------------------------- I would like to use a minimal list of unarmed combat styles, since it is more in the spirit of the current weapon styles. A well rounded martial artist using this list would learn Karate for the hand and foot maneuvers, Close Weapons for the usual list of Chinese peasant weapons, Judo for the throws, Staff, and One-Handed Weapon skills. +-------------------+------+-----+-----+----+----+---------------------------+ | | EP | Attribute | | | | | Style Skill Name | Cost | Tal | Adv | AM | DM | Special Characteristics | +-------------------+------+-----+-----+----+----+---------------------------+ | Boxing | 2 | AGI | FIT | | | hand, no def vs Wpn | | Brawling | 3 | STR | FIT | | | hand, bash, -5 def vs Wpn | | Karate | 3 | WIL | FIT | | | hand, foot, -3 def vs Wpn | | Judo/Wrestling | 3 | WIL | FIT | | | hold, throw, no def vs Wpn| +-------------------+------+-----+-----+----+----+---------------------------+ Boxing ------ EP Cost: 2 Talent Attribute: AGI Advancement Attribute: FIT Special: No defence vs weapons Weapons Allowed: hand, brass knuckles Description: Boxing-ring, or bare-fist style fighting. Brawling -------- EP Cost: 3 Talent Attribute: STR Advancement Attribute: FIT Special: -5 defence vs weapons Weapons Allowed: hand, bash Description: Barroom brawl style. Karate ------ EP Cost: 3 Talent Attribute: WIL Advancement Attribute: FIT Special: -3 defence vs weapons Weapons Allowed: hand, foot Description: Generic style for basic Eastern martial arts. We may want to limit weapon defences for Brawling and Karate for small and maybe medium size weapons. Judo/Wrestling -------------- EP Cost: 2 Talent Attribute: WIL Advancement Attribute: FIT Special: No defence vs weapons Weapons Allowed: hold, throw Description: Generic style for Western-style wrestling and Eastern-style Judo ------------------------------------ 7.6 Movement and Distances in Combat ------------------------------------ 7.6.1 Combat Movement --------------------- While it may be possible for some characters to cover 60 meters in a standard 6 seconds round, this is not a typical character nor a character loaded with equipment. Even if he was, he would be in no condition at the end of the round to carry out other actions. Moreover this speed allows for only the gentlest of turns; Combat movement involves turns and other actions. The maximum speed that a character can move at in melee and still be able to perform other actions without penalty is the base movement speed (see the movement rules in section 6.3). For example, a human character might move up to 5 meters during a round and attack without penalty. If a character wants to move faster than the base movement speed in melee combat, the game master can require him to make an AGI check against a TD ranging from 0 to 5. A character can always move at the base movement speed without a check (as long as he is not crippled). When moving in a combat situation, a character must increase his Fatigue heap at least every 5 rounds (30 seconds). He may have to increase his Fatigue more often if he manages to move very fast (above the sprinting speed). 7.6.2 Attack reach (OPTIONAL) ------------------ 7.6.3 Combat Hex Grid (OPTIONAL) --------------------- --------------------- 7.7 Fatigue in Combat --------------------- In combat, be it melee or missile combat, the Fatigue heap must be increased every 5 rounds (30 seconds), no matter what actions are performed (fighting, moving, dodging, tending a wounded comrade, ...). As usual, Fatigue is increased by 1 plus the Encumbrance Penalty. If a character does not perform any action (he just stands there), then his Fatigue does not increase. ****************************************************************************** SECTION 8 MAGIC ---------------- 8.1 Introduction ---------------- ------------ 8.2 Overview ------------ Like every other aspect of DragonNet, the magic system is essentially made up of skills and tasks which use those skills. In the specific case of the magic system, the skills are those which give a character the capability to cast a magical spell, and the tasks are: first, the use of source skills to access the power for the spell, and second, the use of conductor skills to actually cast the spell. For example, to cast the "Fireball" spell involves two tasks, the first of which requires the application of the "Power of Energy" skill and the second of which requires the application of the "Fire Focus" skill. Magic often varies from gameworld to gameworld, but the mechanics of how magic works are still the same. In here we will use examples of how magic works of the type of magic found in Corellus. The guidelines presented for created types of magic and spells are just that: guidelines. ---------------- 8.3 Magic Skills ---------------- There are two categories of magic skills in the DragonNet system. These are source skills and conductor skills. For a character to successfully cast a spell, he or she must successfully use source skills to make magical power available, and then conductor skills to use that power. For example, a magus' "Fireball" spell requires the caster to use the "Elemental Power of Energy" source skill and then the "Elemental Fire Focus" conductor skill. Thus, the character must succeed on two task resolutions: the first to gather the necessary magical energy (source), and the second to use the energy made available (conductor). 8.3.1 Sources ------------- Source skills represent the ability of the caster to draw upon a particular source of supernatural energy and make that energy available for the casting of a spell. Sources are much like outlets in the modern world. Outlets are useless by themselves, but when their energy is used by an appliance, technological wonders occur. So, too, are source skills useless by themselves, but when their energy is used by a conductor skill, magic happens. Whenever a caster wishes to cast a spell, he must make the energy for that spell available by using one or more source skills. Making the energy available is a simple matter of making a task check using the source skill required of the spell at the Source Task Difficulty (TD) of the spell. For example, the "Fireball" spell has a Source TD of 13 and to use that spell the caster must first make the Source task check: d10-d10 + "Elemental Power of Energy" Skill >= 13 If the task check fails, the caster is unable to gather the energy required for the spell and the spell fizzles. If the composite task check succeeds, the character has successfully gathered the energy, and may proceed to harness that energy using the appropriate conductor skill. 8.3.2 Conductors ---------------- Where source skills represent an ability to draw upon a particular source of supernatural energy, conductor skills represent an ability to use that energy in a particular way. Where a source skill is an outlet in the modern world, a conductor is an appliance. Without electricity, appliances are useless by themselves, but when they are given energy to work with they can do amazing things. So, too, are conductor skill useless without energy from a source skill, but when they have that energy, magic happens. We must also take the analogy one step further. Not all appliances can plug into all outlets throughout the world; they must have compatible voltages and have the same type of current. Conductors, too, can only be used with those sources with which they are compatible. Energy from any other incompatible source is useless to them. The sources with which a given conductor is compatible are listed in the description for that skill. Once a caster has gathered the energy from a source, he or she can utilize that energy by using a conductor skill. Similar to using source skills, harnessing and shaping energy using conductor skills is a simple matter of making a task check using the conductor skill required of the spell at the Conductor Task Difficulty (TD) of the spell. For example, the "Fireball" spell from above has a Conductor TD of 5 which uses the "Elemental Fire Focus" conductor. Therefore, to finish casting this spell (once energy has been made available from the appropriate source), the caster must make this task check: d10-d10 + "Elemental Fire Focus" Skill >= 5 If the composite task check fails, the caster was unable to successfully conduct the spell's energy and an unpredictable result may occur; the power was not properly "focused." Once the conductor task check has succeeded, the spell is cast. Optionally, a failure of the source check can cause damage to the caster. 8.3.3 Magic Skill List ---------------------- --- 8.3.3.1 Sources --- +-----------------------------+-------+-----+-----+-------------------------+ | |EP Cost| Ta* | Adv | Compatible Conductor(s) | +-----------------------------+-------+-----+-----+-------------------------+ | Celestial Power of Darkness | 3 | INT | INT | the Celestial Foci | | Celestial Power of Daylight | 3 | INT | INT | the Celestial Foci | | Elemental Power of Energy | 3 | INT | INT | the Elemental Foci | | Elemental Power of Entropy | 3 | INT | INT | the Elemental Foci | | Kundalini | 5 | WIL | WIL | the Chackras | | Spirit of [spirit] | 3 | AUR | AUR | Communion with Spirits | | Doctrine of [deity] | 4 | PSY | PSY | Piety to [same deity] | +-----------------------------+-------+-----+-----+-------------------------+ *All Sources have an UP of Impossible. Table 8.3.4.1 Celestial Power of Darkness The Celestial Power of Darkness is one of the two Celestial Powers, those source skills used by Celestial Magi. This particular source allows a magus to call upon 'negative' magical energy to use with the Celestial Foci, those conductor skills compatible with the Celestial Powers and used by Celestial Magi. Darkness, when used with a Celestial Focus, destroys or diminishes that which falls under the purview of that Focus. The Power of Darkness is not an evil power, as many seem to believe, it is simply one of the destructive powers of the universe. Celestial Power of Daylight The Celestial Power of Daylight is the 'positive' Celestial Power. It is used to build up and enhance in ways depending upon which aspect of the power the magus chooses to focus into form and reality. Elemental Power of Energy The Power of Energy plays the role for Elemental Magi that the Power of Daylight plays for Celestial Magi. This power creates, enhances, and builds up the elements. Elemental Power of Entropy The Power of Entropy is the opposite of the Power of Energy. Its role is similar to that of the Power of Darkness of the Celestial Magi. It tears down, destroys, and subdues the elements under its control. It is the unrelenting force in the universe that will not rest until all is destroyed. Again, this Power is not evil inherently, only when used for evil deeds. Kundalini Kundalini is the raw energy which exists in the Astral Plane. The Psionic draws upon Kundalini and uses it through different Chakras (the associated conductors) to achieve different effects. The Psionic is more versatile than the Magi, but less powerful at manipulating his reality. None surpass the Psionic's mastery of the mind, however. Spirit of [spirit] The Spirit world is the domain of the Shamanic spell-caster. For each type of Spirit the Shaman wishes to contact and commune with, the Shaman must have a Source skill. After the Spirit has been contacted using this Source skill, the Shaman must commune with the Spirit using the Communion conductor skill to attempt to explain to the Spirit what is desired, and to convince the Spirit to do as it is asked. Doctrine of [deity] The power of the gods is available to those who call themselves Priests. Priests worship one (or, rarely, more) deity who answers his Priests' prayers and requests in the form of Miracles (spells). In order to have one's prayers heard by a deity, the Priest must have a skill in that deity's Doctrine. This skill represents how well the Priest knows the teachings and requirements of the deity necessary to get part of the deity's attention. The higher the character's skill in Doctrine, the greater portion of the deity's attention is gained. Once the Priest has successfully contacted the deity with a Doctrine skill, he must pray the the deity does as he wishes, the success of which is determined by the Priest's Piety skill to that deity. --- 8.3.3.2 Conductors --- +---------------------------+-------+-----+-----+--------------------------+ | |EP Cost| Ta* | Adv | Compatible Source(s) | +---------------------------+-------+-----+-----+--------------------------+ | Earth Elemental Focus | 4 | INT | INT | the Elemental Powers | | Fire Elemental Focus | 4 | INT | INT | the Elemental Powers | | Air Elemental Focus | 4 | INT | INT | the Elemental Powers | | Water Elemental Focus | 4 | INT | INT | the Elemental Powers | | 5th Elemental Focus | 4 | INT | INT | the Elemental Powers | | Aurora Celestial Focus | 4 | INT | INT | the Celestial Powers | | Comet Celestial Focus | 4 | INT | INT | the Celestial Powers | | Firmament Celestial Focus | 4 | INT | INT | the Celestial Powers | | Light Celestial Focus | 4 | INT | INT | the Celestial Powers | | Moon Celestial Focus | 4 | INT | INT | the Celestial Powers | | Stars Celestial Focus | 4 | INT | INT | the Celestial Powers | | Sun Celestial Focus | 4 | INT | INT | the Celestial Powers | | Astral Chackra | 3 | WIL | WIL | Kundalini | | Body Chackra | 3 | WIL | WIL | Kundalini | | Dream Chackra | 3 | WIL | WIL | Kundalini | | Emotion Chackra | 3 | WIL | WIL | Kundalini | | ESP Chackra | 3 | WIL | WIL | Kundalini | | Mind Chackra | 3 | WIL | WIL | Kundalini | | Reality Chackra | 3 | WIL | WIL | Kundalini | | Temporal Chackra | 3 | WIL | WIL | Kundalini | | Piety to [deity] | 4 | AUR | AUR | Doctrine of [same deity] | | Communion with Spirits | 5 | PSY | PSY | Spirit of [any spirit] | +---------------------------+-------+-----+-----+--------------------------+ *All Conductors have an UP of Impossible. Table 8.3.3.2 Elemental Earth Focus The earth is the focus of physical power. This aspect of energy affects all things with solid physical form. With this power the magus may raise up great mountains, or bring them crashing down upon his foes. The earth aspect of entropy allows the magus to destroy the physical. With it he can disintegrate physical objects and beings, or create doorways where none were before. Elemental Fire Focus Fire is the form of true power. Fire is heat, warmth, life, and energy. By mastering the aspect of fire, a magus can hurl balls of flame towards his enemies, or keep warm on a cold winters night. He can cause forest-fires in the dead of winter, or light a dark passage. Using entropy, the magus can hurl balls of ice, or stamp out natural or magical flames, or even put out the fire within each person. Elemental Air Focus The focus of air is the ethereal aspect of the elemental powers. It controls winds and gravity. With the energy of air, a magus can fly above his enemies, or blow thunderstorms over their heads. The entropy of air can cause suffocation of his enemies, or bring things down to earth. Elemental Water Focus The water focus is the domain of the seas and the lakes. It has complete control over liquids in all its forms. It can bring water into being for the benefit of the magus, or drown the magus' enemies. It can also create patches of ice, or slippery stones. The entropy aspect of this focus destroys water, soaks it up. This aspect can turn an enemy into parched dry bones instantly, or dry up a lake which happens to be in the way. The 5th Elemental Focus Powerful Elemental Magi have theorized the existence of a 5th Element of unknown properties which could be used with the Energy or Entropy sources of Elemental magic. Unfortunately, no one has yet discovered this elusive Element, or determined its probable nature. Perhaps the sages of DnExotica will, in time, solve this perplexing mystery :). Current theories include the concept of an Element of Nothingness, or Void, an Element of Pure Magic, an Element of Spirit, an Element of the Aether, that which fills the Void, or a Quintessential Element. It is believed that once the 5th Element is discovered, many of the mysteries of Elemental magic will be solved. Celestial Aurora Focus The aurora, which appears in the northern night sky, is the most beautiful and entrancing of all celestial elements. Through the study of this wondrous effect, magi are able to draw upon and use its ability to charm and entrance the observer. With this focus, the magus may charm an enemy and calm his friends. With the darkness of the aurora, a magus may strike fear into his enemy, remove charmed influences from his friends, and prevent beguiling effects from manipulating himself or others. Celestial Comet Focus The comet is the messenger of the heavens. Continually moving at blinding speeds throughout the night sky, it is the master of all movement. By studying the properties of the comet, the magus is able to use its movement for himself. With this focus he can instantly move anywhere in the world, or, in combination with the focus of the firmament, he can even move out of this world. The darkness of the comet prevents movement, imprisoning and trapping enemies, and preventing others from coming near. Celestial Firmament Focus The light of the sky and the heavens above is the study of the firmament. Those magi who strive to understand the magnitude of the firmament, are able to transcend this reality and get a glimpse into other realities of infinite varieties. Through this study, magi can commune with gods or angels or demons. In combination with the field of comet, magi are even able to walk the infinite planes of existence. Through the study of the night sky, the darkness of the heavens, magi are able to block off the conduits through which these inter-planar communion occur. With this discipline, magi can return foreigners to their home realities, and prevent their return, or stop the communication of other magi with extra-planar beings. Celestial Light Focus Light is purity incarnate. This focus allows the magus to wield true power, without manipulation. With it bolts of pure magical energy can spring forth from the casters hand, or magical effects can be detected or enhanced. The dark allows the magus to cancel the magic of others or inhibit magic. Celestial Moon Focus The moon is the mistress of mysteries, the lady of the night. Under her pale glow, reality takes on new dimension. By studying the moon, magi are able to use her light to mask reality, to make what isn't really there come to life. With this power, magi can weave strange and powerful illusions of things which only exist by the light of the moon, though the moon does not need to actually be shining for the magus to draw upon her power. Those who study the dark side of the moon, on the other hand, can see through all pretenses and appearances to the stark reality underneath, though the vision is not always a pleasant one. Illusions have no affect on those who wield the power of the dark side of the moon, and all that was once hidden comes clear. Celestial Stars Focus The stars in their infinite formations hold the knowledge of all that was, all that is, and all that will be. Through the study of starlight, the magus can glean some small inkling into the vastness of the universe and can divine what is and what will come. Through knowledge of the light of the stars, all knowledge comes clear. However, by manipulating the dark stars, magi are able to obscure the meaning the stars hold. They can prevent less powerful magi from discerning particular knowledge, or even misdirect such inquiries. Celestial Sun Focus The sun is the giver of life, the celestial orb that brings warmth and health to all the realms. Therefore, the sun is the focus of life. The celestial magus who masters the sun aspect of daylight masters life itself. He is capable of healing, or even of bringing those which were dead back to the realms of the living. However, the one who masters the darkness aspect of the sun learn the true meaning of death, and with that knowledge can bring death to others and undo the work of the sun. Astral Chakra This is the Chakra that allows the Psionic that in addition to the normal capabilities of drawing power from the Astral Dimension, allows the Psionic to also travel into this dimension and to summon creatures from the Astral dimension. Body Chakra Man is not made of only a mind, but also a physical body. Through the use of this Chakra, the Psionic can utilize the Astral energy to enhance his physical attributes. Dream Chakra This powerful Chakra allows the Psionic to achieve superhuman feats, as he accomplishes them not in this world, but the world of his dreams. Of course, the unnaturally good is tempered with the unnaturally bad--most Dream powers carry some penalty, as they are under control of the Psionic subconscious, and not his conscious mind. Emotion Chakra This Chakra deals with the emotional, colorful side of the mind, whereas Mind deals with the cold, logical side of the mind. ESP Chakra Clairvoyance, reading the future, picking up auras would be included in this Chakra. It would also affect how much the psionic can perceive while in the astral plane. Mind Chakra The Psionic's most powerful tool is his mind. Utilizing the Chakras of mind allows the Psionic not only to delve deeper into his mind than he normally would be capable of doing, but it also allows him to delve into the mind of others when it is used in conjunction with other Chakras. Reality Chakra This Chakra is about imposing a Psionic's will over reality. Control over Fire, Air, Water, and Earth would be included in this Chakra. A psionic wouldn't be able to manipulate these elements as well as an elemental magus. An example of this Chakra would be a fire-starter (pyrogenic). Temporal Chakra This Chakra would be allow the psionic to affect the flow of time and to perceive in things in the future and/or past. Examples of this would be (in conjunction with other Chakras) slowing down metabolism, fortune telling, speeding healing, etc. Piety to [deity] The Piety skills represent how devout and reverent a character has learned to act towards a particular deity. Because the nature of worship required by separate deities is different, there is a unique Piety skill for each deity. Pragmatically, the Piety skills are what keep Priests on the 'good' sides of their deities. That is to say, the Piety skill helps to convince the deity to act in the best interests of the Priest, after the Priest has gotten part of the deity's attention, instead of, say, killing the priest :) Because the Priest must be able to gain a part of the deity's attention before making his request, the Priest must first have at least 1 level of training in the Doctrine skill of a deity before he may be trained in the Piety skill of that deity. Communion with Spirits The Communion conductor is what allows those who weave Shamanic spells to commune with the denizens of the Spirit world. It is this communion which allows the caster to communicate to the Spirits his or her desires. Without this, the Spirits would be powerless to help the caster. The skill level a caster possesses in the Communion skill represents how capable the caster is of communicating complex wishes to Spirits. Before using the Communion skill, the caster must first contact the Spirit with which he wishes to commune using the appropriate Spirit skill, and he must, therefore, have some skill in a Spirit skill before gaining training in the Communion skill. ---------------------------- 8.4 Fatigue and Casting Time ---------------------------- Casting spells is neither instantaneous, nor easy. While some very simple spells can be cast in one or two seconds and with little effort, most spells take at least a full round to cast and leave the magic user fatigued. When casting a spell, the magic user has to channel the magical energy, which is a very demanding activity for the magus body. The fatigue created by the spell is thus proportional to the amount of energy tapped, i.e. to the Source Task Difficulty. The Fatigue heap of the magus is increased by one plus one fifth of the Source TD, rounding up, after the spell has been completed. If the spell fails, the magus suffers from only half the normal Fatigue associated with the spell. This Fatigue affects all subsequent actions, including other spells cast by the magus. While tapping a Source of magical energy takes time, it is a fast process which does not impact much on the casting time of the spell. Harnessing and shaping that energy into a useful spells takes more time and the casting time of a spell therefore depends on the Conductor TD. The casting time of a spell is equal to 5 plus the Conductor TD in seconds. The spell goes off in the round during which its casting ends. For example, the "Fireball" spell has a Conductor TD of 5 and thus takes 10 seconds to cast, going off in the round after the casting has begun. A spell with a casting time of 18 seconds would go off in the third round of the casting. In the DNET system, each round lasts 6 seconds, so that there are 10 rounds per minute. OPTIONAL: If Fatigue is not used with the rest of the rules, the game master may wish to simplify its application for the magi. One option is to increment Fatigue normally when casting a spell, but not to apply it as a penalty to subsequent actions. As a limiting factor to spell casting, the magi are only able to cast spells for which their Source skill is greater than their Fatigue heap. For example, if a magician has a skill of 15 in the "Elemental Power of Energy", he could only cast the Fireball spell has long as his Fatigue heap remains below 15. -------------------------- 8.5 Magic Types Guidelines -------------------------- Magic can come in many types and flavors. The GM will probably decide on the types of magic depending on the type of world that is being played in. The magic types in the standard world 'Corellus' provide good examples of how to set up the types of magic. The first thing that needs to be decided is what types of magical energy are available for use. These are the sources that the players can use. Are there any restrictions on these sources (e.g., priestly sources have the restriction that the priest must be in good favor with that deity). Sources have a base EP cost associated with them that reflects how hard it is to draw on that source. The next decision is, how can these sources be manipulated. These will be the conductors. The conductors also usually have a base cost associated with them. Other modifiers can be used from the table above. The game master can also decide that each form of magic is associated with a different vision of the world and that a single individual cannot embrace more than one. For example, a magician specialized in the Elemental theory would not be able to perform any Celestial spell, and might also have some difficulty with Psionics. Once again, this kind of limitations are very world specific. A template for magic types can be found in section 9.5. ---------------- 8.6 Magic Spells ---------------- The casting of magic spells is the primary task to which source and conductor skills are put. The variety in types of spells is as infinite as a player's imagination. Spell effects may be small or large, blatant or subtle. Types of spells range from powers of the mind to pyrotechnics of the skies. Yet even with all of these differences, there are some basic rules and guidelines governing the creation and use of spells in the DragonNet system. 8.6.1 Casting Spells -------------------- Casting a spell operates just like any other task in the DragonNet system with two minor exceptions: 1.) Successful spellcasting requires two consecutive, successful task checks: the first to make the energy available to the caster, using source skill(s), and the second to harness that available energy using conductor skill(s). No conductor check is needed if the source check is failed 2.) Secondly, spellcasting is much more tiring work than most activities. To reflect this, the caster's fatigue heap is incremented by one plus one fifth of the Source TD the spell the caster attempts to cast. If the spell fails, the caster only suffers from half the normal Fatigue increase. Other differences may occur beyond those mentioned above, depending on the spellcaster(s), the spell(s), and the skill(s) involved. For example, some conductor skills require spells to be researched or otherwise learned before they can be used. In the standard rules, no spell requires any spell component, obvious incantation or specific gesture. It is not meant that such requirement are inappropriate, only that their application is left to the game master. Some optional rules that integrate those elements may be included with the standard rules in the future. 8.6.2 Spell Attributes ---------------------- All spells have many of the same basic attributes. These attributes bear no relation to a character's attributes, except in that they serve to define the basic nature of the spell in the same way that character attributes serve to define the basic nature of a character. The basic attributes and their values are: Source(s) Each spell must also define which source(s) of energy are used to draw the power required by the spell. Source TD The total TD associated with gathering the energy from the source(s). Conductor(s) Each spell must also define which conductor(s) must be used to harness the energy once it is gathered from the source(s). Conductor TD The total TD associated with making use of the conductors. Fatigue The Fatigue created by the spell. Casting Time This value represents the amount of time it takes to successfully cast the spell. This value is the Conductor TD of the spell, in seconds. Duration This value represents the length of time the spell lasts once it has been successfully cast. Range This value represents the maximum distance, in meters, from the caster that the spell effect may be centered or initiated. Volume of Effect This value represents the volume of space which is directly affected by the casting of this spell. (Note that secondary effects, like falling rocks, may extend beyond this range.) Spell descriptions may augment or supersede this list of attributes. --- 8.6.2.1 Sample Spell --- Fireball -------- Source: Elemental Power of Energy Conductor: Elemental Fire Focus Source TD: 13 Conductor TD: 5 Fatigue: 4 Casting time: 2 rounds (10 seconds) Duration: 1 round Range: 40 meters Volume of Effect. A sphere with a radius of 5 meters Allows the mage to create a ball of fire of 10m radius at up to 40m from the caster. Any person within the ball must make an AGI roll against a TD of 5 to receive only half damage. The fire causes 2d6+1 of damage to anyone who misses the resistance roll. The center of the fireball is located at most 1 meter from the area determined by the mage. 8.6.3 Making Spells ------------------- The procedure and rules used for making a new spell are entirely dependent upon the types of conductor skills to be used by the Spell. Some conductors require research and memorization, some require learning, others allow for 'on-the-fly' creation. Please see the conductor skill lists for specific rules. Standard spell creation rules have been designed for use with the magic rules presented in this chapter. They mainly consist in a set of standard tables designed to calculate the Source and Conductor Task Difficulties. All spells provided with the DNET system have been created using those tables and all spells submitted will see their Source and Conductor TD evaluated using them. You are free to ignore them completely if you find them too cumbersome. 8.6.4 Tweaking Spells (VERY OPTIONAL) ------------------------------------- Note: All the material presented in this section is optional. The ability to tweak a spell allows a spellcaster to modify one or more of the basic attributes of a spell, or (depending on the spell) some of the specific effects of the spell (for example, putting more energy into a simple "Fireball" spell can increase the damage it does, which is not a basic attribute). For those spellcasters restricted to previously learned or researched spells, the ability to tweak those spells they already know is a godsend. However, the degree to which spells may be tweaked is limited, as are the ways in which they may be tweaked. When a caster tweaks a spell, he changes an aspect of the spell result by changing either the Source TD, Conductor TD or both. Which aspects of a spell may be tweaked, and to what degree at what cost, are generally specific to the spell being cast. However, there are two general 'tweaks' which should be available to almost all casters and for almost all spells: 1.) The fatigue caused by a spell may be reduced by using more finesse. For every point by which the Source TD is decreased, the Conductor TD is increased by 2. Fatigue and casting time are adjusted to reflect the changes. 2.) The casting time of a spell may be reduced by using more brute force. For every point by which the Conductor TD is decreased, the Source TD is increased by 2. Fatigue and casting time are adjusted to reflect the changes. Almost all other 'tweaks' change the Source or Conductor TD (and subsequently both the casting time and the fatigue incurred) of the spell. Examples of aspects of a spell which might be capable of being tweaked in this way include: * Duration * Range * Volume of Effect * Damage If the game master is very familiar with the magic system, he can guess the variations in Source and Conductor TD on the fly when a mage attempts to tweak a spell. Otherwise, it is suggested to use the spell creation tables from the standard spell creation system. 8.7 General Principles of Magic ------------------------------- [ This section is under construction ] * spell effects repeat for the whole duration and are reapplied once per round. * permanent creation or destruction is very difficult if not impossible. * spells cannot be initiated outside their range * spell effects disappear after the duration has expired. Exception: movement or shaping spells. ************************************************************************** SECTION 9 MISCELLANEA --------------------- 9.1 Experience Awards --------------------- Experience Points (EP) are awarded in five categories - (a) Adventure/goals fulfilled (b) Bard's tale/heroics (c) Conflict/danger (d) Forethought/ingenuity (e) Growth/interaction 1-6 dice can be awarded in each category depending on the significance of the event or session. Significance Dice (d6) Constant ------------ --------- -------- None 0 0 Noteworthy 1 4 Impressive 2 8 Spectacular 4 16 Legendary 6 24 Simple examples by category --------------------------- (a1) surviving one session whilst actively adventuring (i.e., in the midst of potential danger and/or intrigue) (a4) successfully completing a campaign requiring a significant expenditure of time and resources in an environment of considerable danger (a6) as above but one of those "save the world" type conclusions (b2) a character rescues a hostage from bandits (b4) loot in hand, a character leaps off a balcony, grabs the swinging chandelier, completes a somersault through a stained glass window, and lands safely on the snow covered ground outside (c0) Ronan defeats an orc (c1) a character wins a Dragonshah tournament (c2) a character defeats an opponent but is seriously wounded (c4) a character leads an army and scores a crushing victory (c6) David beats Goliath (d1) a character takes a simple precaution that saves the party's bacon (they spiked the door) (d2) a character exhibits a novel use of an attribute or skill (d4) by logic, deduction, and a touch of intuition, a character uncovers a major plot element that leads to the successful conclusion of an adventure (e1) a character attends a social engagement and makes a good impression on the assembled nobility (e2) a character displays convictions of belief in the face of ridicule (e4) a character saves the life of a servitor (e4) using only accrued clout and connections, a character successfully initiates a socio-political "power-play" from a distance (e6) a character with a barbarian background becomes king of a mighty nation through repute, force of arms, and power politics Using experience dice --------------------- Once the experience dice have been awarded by the Game Master, the player has three options: 1.) He can roll the dice and get a number of experience points equal to their total. 2.) He can play safe and get a number of experience points equal to 4 times the number of experience dice (1 dice = 4 EP). 3.) He can divide his experience dice between the two options above, choosing to roll some of them and to cash in the remaining ones. The player must decide how many dice will be rolled before he starts rolling. Of course, the Game Master may rule that some options are not available if he feels that they are detrimental to the game. Example ------- Say a player is awarded 10 experience dice. The player could: 1.) Roll all 10 dice, which would generate from 10 to 60 points, with an average of 35. 2.) Exchange the 10 dice for 40 experience points. 3.) Roll 3 dice and cash in the remaining 7, which would generate between 31 and 46, with an average of 38.5. ------------------------------ 9.2 Experience Dice During Play (Optional) ------------------------------ During a game session, if a character has some experience dice saved up, he may use them for purposes other than skill advancement. In this case, Experience Dice can be used for: 1. Improving a Task Resolution (d10-d10) roll 2. Increasing an Impact roll To avoid a penalty, a player must declare the use of experience dice BEFORE he makes his roll. He should tell the GM that he wishes to modify his pending dice roll with some experience dice. After the GM has been told how many experience dice are going to be used in this way, the player rolls the total of the original dice plus how ever many experience dice he told the GM he was going to use. If a player wishes to modify a die roll AFTER he has rolled the dice, he must do so at a penalty of three times the cost; therefore, the player pays three experience dice for each die added to the roll. ============================== 9.3 Affliction ============================== Affliction is the general term given to any condition which will affect a character adversly, such as poison and disease. The mechanics for determining the results of disease or poisoning are the same. 9.3.1 Mechanics ----------------- All poisons and deisease have a VIRULENCE rateing. In basic terms, the VIRULENCE is a measure of the strength of the poison or disease; the difficulty a person has in overcoming it's effects. There are two stages of affliction: Partial Effects and Full Effects. The effect on a creature will vary from affliction to affliction. Some example afflictions will be given below. A character will suffer partial effects from the affliction if they fail to make their Afflicted roll, and likewise, they will suffer the full effects if they fail to make their Resistance roll, as given below: Afflicted: d10-d10 + WIL + BODY >= VIRULENCE Resistance: d10-d10 + FIT + BODY + 5 >= VIRULENCE Each affliction will also be given an Onset Time. It is after the Onset Time has passed that a character is allowed to make their Afflicted roll. Should a character succeed in making their Afflicted roll, they will suffer no adverse effects from the affliction. Should the Afflicted roll be failed, and after the Onset Time has passed again, the character is allowed to make their Resistance roll. If the character makes their Resistance roll, the affliction will proceed no further and the character will recover in (VIRULENCE - WILL - FIT) days. If the Resistance roll is failed, the character will suffer, in addition to the partial effects, the full effects of the affliction, and, if they survive, will recover in (VIRULENCE - FIT) days. 9.3.2 Dosage ------------ Doseage for all afflictions is given as `LD50 doseage'. The LD50 doseage is defined as the dosage that will cause death in 50% of the creatures exposed to that doseage. The LD50 doseage is given or must be determined for each poison or disease. For the administration of either larger or smaller doseages, the following table is used to determine VIRULENCE: Dose TD --------------- .125 10 .25 15 .5 20 (Half the LD50 Dose) 1.0 25 (LD50 dose) 2.0 30 (Double the LD50 Dose) 4.0 35 8.0 40 For each doubling in administered dose, +5 is added to the TD. GM's should note that, for poisons, an increased doseage administered will increase the chance of the poison being detected. All LD50 Doseages are given assuming roughly human body size and weight. 9.3.3 Example Afflictions ------------------------- Poisons ------- Sodium Cyanide LD50: 1.1 g Onset Time: 5 minutes Partial Effects: -3 to STR, -3 to FIT, 2d6 pts of INJURY Full Effects: -2 STR, -2 FIT, 3d6 pts of INJURY Comments: has a distinctive burnt almond taste. When put in acid, generates hydrogen cyanide gas. Tetrodotoxin LD50: .001 g Onset Time: 2 minutes Partial effects: -3 DEX, -1 AGI Full effects: -2 DEX, -1 AGI, 3d6 pts of INJURY Comments: Found in puffer-fish, and with a low LD50 would be good for coating weapons, but also effective as ingested poison. Neurotoxin. Sarin LD50: .001 g Onset Time: 2 minutes Partial effects: -1 DEX Full Effects: -2 DEX, 5d6 pts of INJURY Comments: Nerve gas. Effective as contact poison, inhaled, or ingested. Neurotoxin. Bungarotoxin LD50: .012 g Onset time: 10 minutes Partial effects: -2 STR, -2 FIT Full effects: -1 FIT, 3d6 pts INJURY Comments: Common neurotoxin from snakes. Amanitin LD50: .01 g Onset time: 30 minutes Partial effects: -2 STR, -2 FIT Full effects: -1 STR, 3d6 pts INJURY Comments: Poison found in some poisonous mushrooms. If whole mushrooms or pieces are eaten, then the LD50 dose becomes 10 g. Concentrated form effective ingested and injected. Diseases -------- ---------------------------------- 9.4 Strength and Size Rating Table ---------------------------------- The following table can be used to determine a number of factors relating to a creatures size and strength. Size Strength Humanoid LOAD Humanoid Factor Factor SR STR Height LIFT LOAD STEP species ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 0.0623 0.0039 -10 -20 11cm 200g 80g 8g 0.0715 0.0051 -9 -19 13cm 255g 100g 10g 0.0822 0.0068 -9 -18 15cm 340g 135g 14g 0.0944 0.0089 -8 -17 17cm 445g 180g 18g 0.108 0.0118 -8 -16 19cm 590g 235g 24g 0.125 0.0155 -7 -15 22cm 775g 310g 31g 0.143 0.0205 -7 -14 26cm 1.0 410g 41g 0.165 0.0271 -6 -13 30cm 1.4 540g 54g 0.189 0.0357 -6 -12 34cm 1.8 715g 72g 0.217 0.0472 -5 -11 39cm 2.4 940g 94g 0.250 0.0623 -5 -10 45cm 3.1 1.2 120g 0.287 0.0822 -4 -9 52cm 4.1 1.6 160g 0.329 0.108 -4 -8 59cm 5.4 2.2 220g 0.378 0.143 -3 -7 68cm 7.2 2.9 290g 0.435 0.189 -3 -6 78cm 9.5 3.8 380g 0.500 0.250 -2 -5 90cm 13 5.0 0.5 0.574 0.329 -2 -4 1.0m 16 6.5 0.7 0.659 0.435 -1 -3 1.2m 22 8.5 0.9 0.758 0.574 -1 -2 1.4m 29 11 1.1 0.870 0.757 0 -1 1.6m 38 15 1.5 Elf 1.0 1.0 0 0 1.8m 50 20 2.0 Human 1.15 1.32 1 1 2.1m 65 25 2.5 1.32 1.74 1 2 2.4m 85 35 3.5 1.52 2.30 2 3 2.7m 115 45 4.5 1.74 3.04 2 4 3.1m 150 60 6.0 2.00 4.01 3 5 3.6m 200 80 8.0 2.30 5.29 3 6 4.1m 265 105 11 2.64 6.98 4 7 4.8m 350 140 14 3.04 9.22 4 8 5.5m 460 185 19 3.49 12.2 5 9 6.3m 610 245 25 4.01 16.1 5 10 7.2m 805 320 32 4.60 21.2 6 11 8.3m 1060 425 43 5.29 28.0 6 12 9.5m 1400 560 56 6.08 36.9 7 13 11m 1850 740 74 6.98 48.8 7 14 13m 2440 975 98 8.02 64.4 8 15 14m 3220 1290 130 9.22 85.0 8 16 17m 4250 1700 170 10.6 112 9 17 19m 5610 2240 225 12.2 148 9 18 22m 7400 2960 300 14.0 195 10 19 25m 9770 3910 390 16.1 258 10 20 29m 12900 5160 520 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Size Factor: A number showing a creature's size relative to humans. Size Factor = 1.32^SR Strength Factor: A number showing a creature's strength relative to humans. Strength Factor = 1.32^STR SR: Size Rating, to be used in targeting rolls (OPTIONAL). SR = log1.32(Size Factor) STR: Strength Talent. STR = log1.32(Strength Factor) Height: The average height of a humanoid creature with a certain STR, given that it has the same proportions as a human. LIFT: The weight a character can lift overhead easily. (in kg unless otherwise indicated) Attempting to lift a weight equal to LIFT overhead has a TD of 5. For every increase in weight equal to LOAD STEP, increase TD by 1 For every decrease in weight equal to LOAD STEP, decrease TD by 1 Shortcut Formula: TD = -5 + ( (Weight-LIFT) / LOAD STEP ) LOAD: LOAD is the amount of weight a character can carry before he will feel the effects of encumbrance. (in kg unless otherwise indicated) When a character carries a weight equal to or lower than LOAD, his Encumbrance Penalty is equal to 0. If the weight carried is greater than LOAD, then the Encumbrance Penalty is increase by 1 for every increase of weigth equal to the LOAD STEP (or a fraction of the load step). Shortcut Formula: (round up) Encumbrance Penalty = (Weight-LOAD) / LOAD STEP Example: STR = 0; LOAD = 20 kg; LOAD STEP = 2 kg Weight <= 20kg -> Encumbrance Penalty = 0 Weight = 20.5 kg -> Encumbrance Penalty = 1 Weight = 22 kg -> Encumbrance Penalty = 1 Weight = 22.5 kg -> Encumbrance Penalty = 2 Weight = 24 kg -> Encumbrance Penalty = 2 Weight = 35 kg -> Encumbrance Penalty = (35-20)/2 = 8 Humanoid Species: an example species of a given size and strength. ---------------------- 9.5 Master Skills List ---------------------- EP Attr. ** Default tasks Skill name Cost Tal Adv UP TD Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ARTISTIC SKILLS Acting 3 AUR PSY 6 D/5 Convincing personification Disguise 2 AUR PSY 4 D/5 Render irrecognizable Drawing/Painting 3 DEX PSY 6 D/5 Draw or paint an average image Musical instrument 3 DEX PSY 6 D/5 Performing a common piece Sculpture/Carving 3 DEX PSY 6 D/5 Sculpt or carve a small piece Ventriloquism 4 AUR WIL 8 D/5 Simple speech ATHLETIC SKILLS Acrobatics 3 AGI PER 6 D/5 Dropping one floor in combat Climbing 4 AGI AGI 8 A/0 Normal brick wall Contortion 5 AGI AGI 10 D/5 Passing a torso-sized tunnel Endurance 3 FIT WIL 6 D/5 Jogging for two hours Falling 4 AGI AGI 8 VD/10 Falling 10 meters unarmed Juggling 2 DEX PER 4 A/0 Juggling five normal objects Jumping 3 STR STR 6 ED/15 Jumping one's height Running 3 STR FIT 6 D/5 Running 100m under 15 sec. Swimming 3 STR FIT 6 A/0 Swimming 1km at a good pace Tightrope walking 4 AGI PER 8 D/5 Walking 25m on a rope CRAFT SKILLS Agriculture 2 INT INT 4 A/0 Growing common plants Armourer 4 DEX DEX 8 A/0 Fabricating a chain mail Blacksmithing 3 DEX INT 6 A/0 Forging a cauldron Bowyer 3 DEX PER 6 A/0 Assembling a short bow Carpentry 2 DEX INT 4 A/0 Fabricating a chest Cooking 1 PSY INT 2 E/-5 Making a simple meal Fishing 2 INT INT 4 A/0 Catching "a meal" in 3 hours Leatherworking 2 DEX DEX 4 A/0 Making a leather backpack Medicine 4 PER INT 8 D/5 Healing a broken leg Mining 3 PER INT 6 A/0 Tunneling in normal rock Pottery 2 DEX DEX 4 A/0 Molding a decorated urn Rope use 2 DEX AGI 4 A/0 Tying up a person solidly Stonemason 2 STR DEX 4 D/5 Cutting tower stones Weaponsmithing 4 DEX DEX 8 A/0 Making a dagger Wood working 3 DEX DEX 6 A/0 Making a wooden chair KNOWLEDGE SKILLS Ancient History 3 INT INT 6 D/5 Recalling heroic stories Appraising 3 PER INT 6 D/5 Estimating the value of gems Botany 3 INT INT 6 D/5 Identifying rare plants Cartography 2 INT INT 4 D/5 Mapping a region from sight Cryptography 4 INT INT 8 VD/10 Deciphering a standard code Engineering 4 INT INT 8 D/5 Drawing plans for a catapult Geography 2 INT INT 4 A/0 Knowing country of city Heraldry 2 INT INT 4 D/5 Recognizing a coat of arms Herbalism 4 INT INT IMP D/5 Brewing a special remedy Identify magic 5 PER INT IMP ED/15 Identifying a magical item Language 3 INT INT IMP A/0 Understanding a foreign tongue Local History 2 INT INT 4 A/0 Recalling an important event Metallurgy 4 INT INT 8 D/5 Identifying a metal Navigation 4 INT INT IMP D/5 Finding one's position Read/write 4 INT INT IMP A/0 Reading a sign. Species enemy 2 INT INT 4 D/5 Recognizing behaviors Spelaeology 3 PER INT 6 A/0 Successfuly navigating a cave Spellcraft 4 INT INT IMP D/5 Recognizing a spell being used Teratology 3 INT INT 6 VD/10 Identifying monster indices Theology 3 INT INT 6 D/5 Remembering rites Tribal Memory 4 PSY INT 8 A/0 Recite oral history Zoology 3 INT INT 6 D/5 Identifying animal behaviors MOVEMENT SKILLS Direction sense 3 PER PER 6 VD/10 Determining current direction Riding (airborne) 4 AGI PER 8 ED/15 Maintaining mount control Riding (land) 2 AGI PER 4 A/0 Maintaining mount control Seamanship 3 PER INT 6 A/0 Rigging sails NATURE SKILLS Animal Training 3 PER PSY 6 VD/10 Training a horse Falconry 3 PER PSY 6 D/5 Training a falcon Fire-building 1 INT INT 2 A/0 Building a fire without f&s Foraging 2 PER INT 4 D/5 Finding a "meal" Hunting 2 PER PER 4 A/0 Shooting enough for a "meal" Hydrology 2 PER INT 4 A/0 Locate potable water in forest Survival 4 WIL INT 8 A/0 Finding shelter during storm Tracking 4 PER INT 8 VD/10 Finding a 4 day old trail Weather sense 3 PER PSY 6 D/5 Predicting next day's weather SOCIAL SKILLS Bardic influence 3 AUR PSY 6 D/5 Awe a crowd with performance Bribery 3 AUR PER 6 D/5 Bribing a guard Dragonshah 2 INT INT 4 E/-5 Drinking 2 FIT WIL 4 A/0 Drink FIT + 8 ales Eating 2 FIT WIL 4 A/0 Eat FIT + 6 Kg food Etiquette 2 AUR PSY 4 A/0 Acting courteously Gambling 2 DEX PSY 4 D/5 Win against unskilled opponent Haggling 1 AUR PSY 2 D/5 Getting an offer accepted Heroic Inspiration 4 PSY AUR 8 D/5 Succeed in inspiring fellow warriors Interrogate 3 AUR PSY 6 VD/10 Getting confession from WIL 0 Oration 4 AUR PSY 8 D/5 Successful speech to lrg aud. Streetwise 2 PER PSY 4 D/5 Obtaining "street" info Trading 3 AUR PSY 6 D/5 Getting a trade accepted Truthtell 4 PER PSY 8 L/20 Recognizing a lie SUBTERFUGE SKILLS Detect traps 3 PER INT 6 D/5 Detecting a needle trap Evade pursuit 2 AGI INT 4 VD/10 Losing pursuit (non-trackers) Forgery 4 DEX INT 8 VD/10 Copying an official document Move quietly 4 AGI AGI 8 D/5 Moving without armor Open locks 3 DEX INT 6 D/5 Opening standard locked door Pick pockets 3 DEX PER 6 D/5 Pulling coin purse, lg crowd Reading lips 4 PER INT 8 D/5 Deciphering speech, clear view Remove traps 4 DEX INT 8 D/5 Removing a needle trap Set snares 2 DEX INT 4 D/5 Setting a foot snare Shadowhide 3 PER AGI 6 VD/10 Medium shadow cover MAGIC SOURCE SKILLS Celestial Darkness 3 INT INT IMP *** the Celestial Foci Celestial Daylight 3 INT INT IMP *** the Celestial Foci Elemental of Energy 3 INT INT IMP *** the Elemental Foci Elemental of Entropy 3 INT INT IMP *** the Elemental Foci Kundalini 5 WIL WIL IMP *** the Chackras Spirit of [spirit] 3 AUR AUR IMP *** Communion with Spirits Doctrine of [deity] 4 PSY PSY IMP *** Piety to [same deity] MAGIC CONDUCTION SKILLS Earth Elemental Foc. 4 INT INT IMP *** the Elemental Powers Fire Elemental Focus 4 INT INT IMP *** the Elemental Powers Air Elemental Focus 4 INT INT IMP *** the Elemental Powers Water Elemetnal Foc. 4 INT INT IMP *** the Elemental Powers 5th Elemental Focus 4 INT INT IMP *** the Elemental Powers Aurora Celestial Foc. 4 INT INT IMP *** the Celestial Powers Comet Celestial Foc. 4 INT INT IMP *** the Celestial Powers Firmament Celestial F.4 INT INT IMP *** the Celestial Powers Light Celestial Foc. 4 INT INT IMP *** the Celestial Powers Moon Celestial Focus 4 INT INT IMP *** the Celestial Powers Stars Celestial Focus 4 INT INT IMP *** the Celestial Powers Sun Celestial Focus 4 INT INT IMP *** the Celestial Powers Astral Chackra 3 WIL WIL IMP *** Kundalini Body Chackra 3 WIL WIL IMP *** Kundalini Dream Chackra 3 WIL WIL IMP *** Kundalini Emotion Chackra 3 WIL WIL IMP *** Kundalini ESP Chackra 3 WIL WIL IMP *** Kundalini Mind Chackra 3 WIL WIL IMP *** Kundalini Reality Chackra 3 WIL WIL IMP *** Kundalini Temporal Chackra 3 WIL WIL IMP *** Kundalini Piety to [deity] 4 AUR AUR IMP *** Doctrine of [same deity] Communion w/ Spirit 5 PSY PSY IMP *** Spirit of [any spirit] COMBAT SKILLS Catch Missiles 4 PER AGI 10 D/5 Catch an incoming spear Disarm 4 STR DEX 8 D/5 Make opponent drop weapon Dodge 3 AGI AGI 6 N/A Not applicable Evade Missiles 3 PER AGI 6 A/0 Dodge an incoming spear COMBAT STYLES AM DM Special Characteristics LONG RANGE STYLES Archery 4 PER DEX 8 0 0 extreme, 0 def Cross Bows 2 PER DEX 4 0 0 extreme, 0 def, slow ROF Thrown Weapons 3 DEX PER 6 0 0 near, no defenses MELEE STYLES Articulated W. 4 AGI AGI 8 +1 0 entangle, +2 disarm Articulated W. 5 AGI AGI 10 +1 * shield bonus/bash & Shield entangle, +2 disarm Bolas, Whips, 3 DEX AGI 6 0 0 trip/entangle, 0 def Ropes, Nets +3 disarm Close Weapons 2 DEX AGI 4 0 0 none Close W. & Shield 3 DEX AGI 6 0 * shield bonus/bash Dual Weapon 4 AGI AGI 8 +2 -1 none Fencing 5 DEX AGI 10 +2 0 DEF Fencing/Close only One-Handed Weapons 3 AGI AGI 6 0 0 none One-Handed Weapons 4 AGI AGI 8 0 * shield bonus/bash & Shield Polearms 4 AGI AGI 8 +1 -1 2nd rank, fend Staves 2 AGI AGI 4 0 0 none Thrusting Weapons 3 PER AGI 6 0 0 2nd rank, fend Thrusting Weapons 4 PER AGI 8 0 * shield bonus/bash & Shield 2nd rank, fend Two-Handed Weapons 3 STR AGI 6 0 -2 2nd rank UNARMED STYLES Boxing 2 AGI FIT 4 0 0 hand, no def vs Wpn Brawling 3 STR FIT 6 0 0 hand, bash, -5 def vs Wpn Karate 3 WIL FIT 6 0 0 hand, foot, -3 def vs Wpn Judo/Wrestling 3 WIL FIT 6 0 0 hold, throw, no def vs Wpn *: see style description **: Values listed in this column are for the optional Untrained Penalty (UP) rule found in section 4.3. If this rule is not being used then UP is either Impossible (IMP) or 5 (GM's discretion). ***: See Section 7 - Magic for spell casting TDs. Table Description ----------------- EP Cost - This is the training cost associated with the skill Attribute Tal - The attribute which forms the basis for using this skill. (i.e. The attribute acts as a modifier for use of the skill) Attribute Adv - This attribute is used as a modifier for advancement of the skill. Default Task TD - The average difficulty associated with using this skill (not used for Combat Styles (see Section 6)) Default Task Description - An example of an average use of this skill (not used for Combat Styles (see Section 6)) AM - Attack modifier (only used for Combat Styles) DM - Defense modifier (only used for Combat Styles) Special Characteristics - Features of various Combat Styles (see individual style descriptions section 4.5.9) ============================== 9.6 Master Equipment List ============================== ------------- 9.6.1 Weapons ------------- 9.6.1.1 Weapons Table --------------------- +-----------------+----+------+-----+-----+------+-----+-----+ | WEAPONS | | | | | | | | | (BY STYLES) |TYPE|IMPACT|REACH|MASS |LENGTH|HANDS|SPEED| +-----------------+----+------+-----+-----+------+-----+-----+ | | | | | | | | | | ARCHERY | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Long Bow | T | 11 | F | 0.7 | 1.8m | 2 | |*d | Short Bow | T | 6 | F | 0.6 | 1.2m | 2 | |*d | | | | | | | | | | ARTICULATED | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Flail* | B | 11 | C | 2.5 | 1.6m | 1 | | | Morning Star | B | 11 | C | 2.5 | 1.0m | 1 | |*d | Chigiriki | B | 11 *| N | 2.6 | 2.0m | 2 | |*d | | | | | | | | | | CLOSE WEAPONS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Butcher Knife |C/T | 4 | C | 0.4 | 0.3m | 1 | |*d | Dagger | T | 6 | C | 0.3 | 0.3m | 1 | |*d | Katar | T | 9 *| C | 0.5*| 0.4m | 1 | |*d | Knife |T/S | 4 *| C | 0.2 | 0.3m | 1 | |*d | Misericorde | T | 6 | C | 0.3 | 0.4m | 1 | | | Tanto |T/S | 6 | C | 0.4*| 0.3m | 1 | |*d | | | | | | | | | | CROSS BOWS | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Light Arbalest | T | 6 | F | 3.4 | 0.7m | 2 | |*d | Medium Arbalest | T | 11 | F | 4.1 | 0.7m | 2 | |*d | Heavy Arbalest | T | 16 | F | 7.5 | 0.7m | 2 | |*d | Siege Arbalest | T | 21 | F |10.2 | 1.0m | 2 | |*d | | | | | | | | | | ONE HANDED | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Bastard Sword |C/T | 11 | C | 2.1 | 1.0m*| 1 | |*d | Broad Sword |C/T | 11 | C | 1.6*| 0.8m*| 1 | |*d | Battle Axe | C | 11 | C | 2.1 | 0.8m | 1 | |*d | Club | B | 7 *| C | 1.3*| 0.6m*| 1 | |*d | Falchion |C/T | 11 | C | 1.6 | 0.8m | 1 | | | Fighting Pick | T | 11 *| C | 1.8 | 0.6m | 1 | |*d | Katana |S/T | 11 *| C | 1.4*| 1.1m*| 1 | |*d | Longsword |C/T | 11 | C | 1.5 | 0.8m | 1 | |*d | Hand Axe | C | 7 *| C | 1.0 | 0.4m | 1 | |*d | Mace | B | 11 | C | 2.0 | 0.7m | 1 | | | Rapier | T | 9 *| C | 0.8*| 1.0m | 1 | |*d | Sabre |S/T | 11 | C | 1.3*| 0.7m*| 1 | |*d | Shamshir | S | 11 | C | 1.4 | 0.9m | 1 | | | Short Sword |S/T | 9 | C | 1.2 | 0.7m | 1 | |*d | Shotel |S/C | 9 | C | 1.2 | 0.8m | 1 | | | War Hammer | B | 11 | C | 2.1 | 0.7m | 1 | | | Wakizashi |S/T | 9 | C | 0.8*| 0.6m*| 1 | |*d | | | | | | | | | | POLEARMS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Bill | C | 16 | N | 2.9 | 2.2m | 2 | | | Fauchard |C/T | 16 | N | 2.9 | 2.1m | 2 | | | Glaive |C/T | 16 | N | 4.0 | 2.3m | 2 | | | Guisarme |C/T | 16 | N | 2.6 | 2.5m | 2 | | | Halberd |C/T | 21 | N | 2.8 | 2.2m | 2 | | | Partisan | T | 11 | N | 2.2 | 1.8m | 2 | | | Pike | T | 11 | N | 6.5 | 5.5m | 2 | |*d | Pole Axe | C | 16 | N | 2.9 | 2.1m | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | STAVES | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Quartertaff | B | 11 | N | 1.5 | 1.8m | 2 | |*d | Staff | B | 7 *| N | 1.2 | 2.0m | 2 | |*r | | | | | | | | | | THROWN WEAPONS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Afr. Thr. Irons | C | 11 | F | 1.2 | 0.7m | 1 | | | Quoit (Chakram) | C | 6 | M | 0.2 | 0.3m | 1 | | | Throwing Axe | C | 9 *| M | 1.0 | 0.4m | 1 | |*d | Throwning Knife | C | 4 *| M | 0.2 | 0.3m | 1 | |*d | | | | | | | | | | THRUSTING | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Boar Spear | T | 11 | N | 2.3 | 1.5m | 2 | |*d | Javelin | T | 11 | N | 1.7 | 2.1m | 2 | |*d | Lance | T | 16 *| N | 3.7*| 4.0m*| 1 | |*d | Oxtongue | T | 11 | N | 2.2 | 1.8m | 2 | | | Spear | T | 11 *| N | 2.2 | 2.0m | 2 | |*r | | | | | | | | | | TWO HANDED | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Claymore |C/T | 16 *| C | 2.9*| 1.2m*| 2 | |*d | Maul | B | 11 | C | 4.0 | 1.1m | 2 | | | War Axe | C | 11 | C | 2.0 | 1.1m | 2 | |*r | | | | | | | | | +-----------------+----+------+-----+-----+------+-----+-----+ NAME: The name of the weapon. Common usage names should be used where possible. Unique names can be added to authenticate the fantasy background. TYPE: B - bludgeoning: shock and concussion C - chopping: heavy cleaving action to hack or sever S - slashing/cutting: drawing weapon across target to slice it T - thrusting/piercing: penetrate or stab IMPACT: A measure of the strength and efficiency of the weapon blow. Only the average IMPACT is listed. Two random IMPACT values are given in the table below, along with the IMPACT that must be used if the Precision IMPACT rule is used. The game master should choose which IMPACT column is to be used in his campaign. +----------------+-------------------+------------------+-----------+ | Average IMPACT | Best distribution | Best scalability | Precision | +----------------+-------------------+------------------+-----------+ | 4 | 1d6 | 2d6-3 | 0 | | 6 | 1d6+2 | 2d6-1 | 2 | | 7 | 2d6 | 2d6 | 3 | | 9 | 2d6+2 | 2d6+2 | 5 | | 11 | 3d6 | 2d6+4 | 7 | | 14 | 4d6 | 2d6+7 | 10 | | 16 | 4d6+2 | 2d6+9 | 12 | | 21 | 6d6 | 2d6+14 | 17 | +----------------+-------------------+------------------+-----------+ REACH/RANGE: in meters C - close, N - near, M - moderate, F - far, E - extreme close = use Reach (0 - ???) near = 1-10 meters moderate = 1-25 meters far = 10-100 meters extreme = 100- meters Rating is Reach value in meters OR Rating is N,F or E followed by a number within the range. MASS: in kg LENGTH: in meters HANDS: Number of hands needed for normal use. SPEED: Used for rolling for declarations in combat. (See 6.5.1) STYLE: Shows the Combat Style that covers the use of each weapon. 9.6.1.2 Weapon Descriptions --------------------------- ARTICULATED ----------- Flail ----- Two stout sticks swiveled end to end. One stick serves as a handle while the other thrashes about. CONCUSSION ---------- Mace ---- Maces made all of iron or steel are found wherever body armor has been used. Their weight and hardness, especially when focused into a spike or narrow flange, made them more effective than any type of sword. Although usually directed against the head, a mace blow on a limb could break a bone even if the armor was not pierced. (from me: there've been records showing attempts to ban the mace from the field by Europeans during the medieval times because it was so effective in staving and buckling armor -not to mention its ability to cripple its foe if not kill him) -these attempts to ban them failed most likely because they were so darned effective. They can be found either one handed or two handed (heavy maces)) Maul ---- A heavy wooden hammer used to pound stakes into the ground. DAGGERS/KNIVES -------------- Misericorde ----------- A dagger which was called the "dagger of mercy" with the idea that it was used for the quick dispatch of a suffering loser; actually it was the persuader which, presented point first to a fallen foe, impelled him to plead for mercy and come across with a health ransom. HAMMERS/AXES ------------ War Hammer ---------- After a a paragraph about battle axes... A more simple, and perhaps more brutal weapon was the war-hammer. Although called a hammer (implying a blunt head), in fact it usually had a pointed head which was more in the nature of a pick. Such weaons were developed by man primitive tribes and were comparable to stone or metal axes but with a pointed shape. They were adopted in Europe during the 14th century when chain mail and other forms of armour protection were in vogue. The pointed head of a war-hammer proved to be an effective method of defeating mail, provided that the point and head were thin enough, and it could also be used to penetrate the joings of plate armour. With a pointed head on one side of the weapon and a blunt head on the other, the war-hammer became a twofold weapon in so far as the blunt head could be used to stun the opponent or unhorse him, after which the pick could be used to defeat his armour and give the finishing blow. The war-hammer saw considerable use in Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries, but its use declined as the armoured knight disappeared from the battlefield. MISSILE ------- African Throwing Irons ---------------------- A "throwing knife" used by various groups in Africa (Sudan, Bwaka, Nigeria, and the Congo to name a few). These knives have multiple points and come in various fancy shapes, having a center of gravity somewhere above the handle from which the various points branch out. These tend to be made of iron or steel and when thrown can pierce the traget "at almost any attitude of impact". There doesn't appear to be a name for these -if there is, it probably has a great many since it can be found all over Africa. Stones' "A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor" mentions these but also does not provide the native name, additional information below is from that tome; "...there are many special forms of knife made to be thrown that would be of little use if handled the ordinary way. They are used extensively in Central Africa and are of the most extraordinary shapes. They are thrown horizontally from right to left and may hit with any one of the branches. The trajectory is a curve that inclines towards the right of the thrower. The maximum range is said to be about 100 yards; at 40 to 50 is is quite accurate. "Certain travellers relate that this arm thrown by a skillful hand can cut off a man's leg at 20 metres. Trials at the Musee du Congo Belge showed that when thrown from distances of 15 metres some of these throwing knives would go through a board 15 mm in thickness" (Congo, Feb 1922 p.1) (added by Lbeals) Quoit (Chakram) ----- One of the more remarkable thrown missiles was the Sikh chakram or throwing quoit, a simple circle of metal with a sharp outer circumference, which could be spun and then released with considerable velocity and accuracy. (Range: 25 meters) POLEARMS -------- Bill ---- A long shafted weapon having its head a hooklike cutting blade with a beak at the back. Fauchard ---------- A larger glave with a few spurs on its unsharpened side. Glaive ------ A big knife blade on a pole. Guisarme ---------- A bill with two or three extra spikes Halberd ---------- A pole axe with a longer spear part and a crescent-shaped blade. Partisan -------- A oxtongue with a couple of curved points at the base of the blade. Pole axe -------- A battle-axe on a long pole. SPEARS ------ Oxtongue -------- A spear with a two-edged blade with a pole for a handle. SWORDS ------ Falchion ---------- In war, though not in tournaments, the falchion became deservedly popular. It was a real snickersnee -- a sword, but built more like a knife or a cleaver, and nearly three feet long, with a single, curved cutting edge supported by a very thick-backed blade, which gave it weight and authority. Shamshir -------- Referred to by Europeans as a scimitar. For game purposes, I would group with this weapon the Saif and the Kilij. All of these blades are curved and single edged (except the kilij -specifics will be discussed later on) and the distinctive middle eastern cross shaped guard. The Shamshir has a blade length of roughly 80 cm (in a straight line -this length would be longer if the blade were straightened) and tends to be thinner than the saif. The differences between the shamshir and the saif is that the saif tends to be a bit shorter and broader and can be found with a groove in the blade (I wouldn't call it a blood groove since the usage of these particular blades are in the draw cut style and tend not to employ stabbing motions). The Kilij is more similar to the shamshir with the exception that the blade broadens near the tip usually and has a straight sharpened edge on the back of the blade (only near the tip). The Saif is Arab in origin, the Shamshir Persian, and the Kilij Turkish. Shotel ------ The shotel is an Ethiopean sword with a blade that extends straightward for about 7 cm or so then curves in a crescent arc ending in a steadily tapered point. It is double edged and the curvature is meant to be used to reach around an opponent's shield. Not found in the compendium (do we want to keep those) --------------------------- Hand-and-a-half (Long) --------------- This type of sword was generally used when dismounted, since it demanded the use of both hands to develop the necessary force of blow. 9.6.1.3 Non-Human Weapons ------------------------- If a weapon has not been designed to be used by humans, then its impact can be calculated from: Weapon Impact = Human Weapon Impact + Species STR Human Weapon Impact: given in the Human Weapons table (below) Species STR: average strength of the species for which the weapon was made (given in the species description). For example, a pixie longsword would do an impact of: Pixie Longsword Impact = Human Longsword Impact + Pixies average STR = 2d6+4 + (-6) = 2d6-2 ----------- 9.6.2 Armor ----------- Armour names and resistance value where extracted from the Palladium "Compendium of Weapons, Armour and Castles". Resistance is an approximate average of cut, chop, thrust and impact resistance. Armor Resistance Mass* FATIGUE modifier ----- ---------- ---- ---------------- Bare skin 0 -- + 0 Medium cloth 1 2.5kg + 0 Soft Leather 2 3.7kg + 0 Heavy Cloth 2 3.7kg + 0 Studded soft leather 2 6.0kg + 1 Quilt 3 5.0kg + 1 Hard leather 3 5.0kg + 1 Padded 4 5.0kg + 1 Studded Hard Leather 4 7.5kg + 2 Soft leather ringmail 4 7.5kg + 2 Heavy Cloth ringmail 5 7.5kg + 2 Cuir-bouilli 5 5.0kg + 2 Quilt ringmail 5 10kg + 3 Soft Leather bezainted 6 7.5kg + 3 Hard leather ringmail 6 10kg + 3 Mail 6 20kg + 4 Hard leather jazeraint 7 10kg + 4 Hard leather bezainted 7 10kg + 4 Double Mail 8 22kg + 5 Augmented Mail 8 22kg + 5 Cuir-bouilli bezainted 9 10kg + 5 Cuir-bouilli lamellar 9 10kg + 5 Metal jazeraint 10 20kg + 6 Metal lamellar 10 18kg + 6 Laminated 11 20kg + 7 Metal brigandine 11 22kg + 7 Plate 13 25kg + 8 Ribbed Plate 14 25kg + 8 *Mass does not include padding, which is necessary for metal armors. From the descriptions of complete set of armour found in the compendium, armour values for fully armored characters should go no higher than 23 (plate over padding, 35kg). 9.6.2.1 Shields --------------- +---------+-------+--------+---------+--------+ | NAME | Size | Weight | Defense | Bash | | | (m) | (kg) | bonus | IMPACT | +---------+-------+--------+---------+--------+ | Targe | 0.0 | 1 | +0 | 2d6-5 | | Buckler | 0.0 | 2 | +1 | 2d6-5 | | Round | 0.5 | 4 | +2 | 2d6-3 | | Knight | 1.0 | 4 | +3 | 2d6-5 | | Kite | 1.0 | 5 | +4 | 2d6-3 | | Tower | 2.0 | 8 | +5 | 2d6-1 | +---------+-------+--------+---------+--------+ Size: The size of the shield (diameter or height) in meters. Weigth: The mass of the shield in kilograms. Defense bonus: A bonus to the defense skill on the relative size of the shield. This bonus accounts for the fact that merely wielding a shield provides a limited amount of cover. Bash IMPACT: The amount of impact done when the shield is used in an attack. ============================== Appendix A - Templates ============================== ------------------------------ A.1 DNet Species Template ------------------------------ ------------ Species Name ------------ Version Number: World: Author: ------------ Cultures: Can be a PC: (Yes/No) EP Cost: (Use Species EP Cost rules above) Average Ht: (in cm) Average Wt: (in kg) Size Rating: (relative to humans) Lifespan: + Talents: (List Talent and + value, ex: STR +1) - Talents: (List Talent and - value, ex: INT -2) Body points: (list both a constant and a die roll equivalent) Speed: Innate Gifts: (List Gift and positive EP Cost. See below for some example Innate Gifts.) Innate Foibles: (List Foible and negative EP Cost. See below for some example Innate Foibles.) Innate Gifts and Foibles are what ALL members of a species are born with. Individual members may still have other Gifts/Foibles. Cultures: List of cultures and how the culture of this species is different from the default culture description. Description: A.1.1 Innate Gifts and Foibles for Species Creation ------------------------------------------------------ The following are available to all NON-HUMAN species for species creation: Innate Gifts EP Cost ------------ ------- Amphibious +500 Attack method, physical +5 for every 4 points of IMPACT per attack method IMPACT 1-4 +5 5-8 +10 9-12 +15 etc. Blinking +20 Disease attack +50 * strength (GM's determination) Fear attack +40 Fire attack +50 Flying ability +100 Immunities Elements Magic Weapon Infravision +5 / 10 m Invisibility Paralysis attack Petrification attack Poison attack +50 * strength (GM's determination) Shapechanging Variable Per form +50 (Unlimited forms = +1000) n times daily x n (Unlimited = x1000) Telepathy Specific creature +20 Specific species +200 Multiple species +2000 Any species +20000 Teleporting Variable Per every 10 m +10 (Unlimited = +100000) n times daily x n (Unlimited = x10000) Innate Foibles EP Cost -------------- ------- ------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ A.2 DNet Culture Template ------------------------------ ------------ Culture Name ------------ Version Number: World: Author: ------------ Habitat: Social Structure: Political Structure: Economic Structure: Skill Packages: (List the package name and skill areas) Common Skills: (common types of skills possessed by members of the culture. List individual skills, skill areas, or descriptions of the type of skills. These are NOT skills that all members of the species will have; they are just common skills that a majority would probably have) Notable relations with other cultures: (relations with other cultures that play a large role in the culture (e.g. long lasting blood feud/war, dependency on or providing for other cultures)) Description: ------------------------------ A.3 NPC Template ------------------------------ short form: Name: ------------- World: Version: Author: ------------- Species: Culture: Age: Possessions: Skills: (only those relevant to their role) Gifts/Foibles: (not present in the species) Notes: (information relevant to their role, possibly including brief personality/history) Long form: NPCl Name: ------------- World: Version: Author: ------------- Species: Culture: Age: Physical Characteristics attributes physical description Abilities skills Gifts/Foibles Possesions personal items real estate Personality Goals/Interests Morals/Ethics (in particular how it differs from their culture) History Organizations associated with Conflicts with persons or organizations Current place of residence (including game world) Outline tracing past actions and changes ------------------------------ A.4 Deity Template 1.0 ------------------------------ Name: Influence: Version: Author(s): Personality: History: Friends: Enemies: Species Created: Important Dates: date: ------------------------------ A.5 Adventure Template ------------------------------ Title: Author: Game World: Location: Time: Participants: Background: Plot Sketch: Notes: Example: ======================= Title: (Not yet decided upon a title) Author: Tom Game World: (?) Location(s): This is a maritime adventure with possibility of piracy. The technology can be called enlightened medeval. The naval technology reaches out into the 18th century as far as sailing technology is concerned. There is no gun powder, however, so there are no guns or cannons. The world has no moon, instead it has a second sun which is somewhat brighter than the moon illuminating the sky at very dark levels of twilight illumination when the yellow sun is absent from the night sky. The year is 400 days long with each season lasting 100 days. There are no months since there is no moon. There is also an 80 year climate cycle called the grand season, this is due to that second orange sun. At the time of this adventure the world is in its second year of grandsummer about 10 days into local spring. The origins of the use of the metric system in an otherwise medeval setting are lost in the mists of time and legend. Time: 10 days into spring, second year of grandsummer. Participants: Player Characters, Pirates, seamonsters Background: Plot sketch: A map to a treasure is found, location of treasure is at an abandoned castle. Notes: More details will be forthcoming. ======================= + + ----------------------------- + A.6 Magic Type + ----------------------------- + Name: + Game world: + Author: + Version: + + Sources: + Name Base Cost Min Max Domain Special + + Conductors: + Name Base Cost Max Domain Special + + Name - The name of the source/conductor + Base Cost - The base of using the source/conductor + Min - The minimum amount that can be drawn from the source + Max - The maximum amount that can be drawn or the maximum + TD that the spell involving this conductor can be. + Domain - What conductors can be used with the source. + What effects the conductors can produce + Special - Any effects/conditions/side effects that are specific + to this source/conductor. + + + -------------------- + A.7 Spell Template + -------------------- + Name: + Game world: + Author: + Version: + + Source(s) + Source TD + Conductor(s) + Conductor TD + Power Level + + Casting Time + Duration + Range + Volume of Effect +