Classy d20 System [PEACH]

[Lappy9001]

Classy d20
A classier system

Classy d20 is my love letter to Dungeons and Dragons (and Pathfinder!) and strives to create a game that is flexible, balanced, fast-paced, streamlined, and most importantly, fun to play. I'll be trying my best to adhere to the following goals.

Design Notes and Goals to Achieve:

Spoiler

Show

• Not to penalize. The idea is anyone can do something, but can only excel with training
• Loosely Class-Based
• Each Class gets their own sphere of abilities to focus on, but can (and are even encouraged to) dabble in the abilities of other classes
• Mages get Magic Points and Spells
• Rogues get Skills Points and Talents
• Warriors get Attack Points (BAB, essentially) and Maneuvers
• Magic focuses on AoE Damage, Buffing, Control, and Status Effects
• Skills focus on Crafting, Interaction, Luck, Mobility, Survival
• Maneuvers focus on Attack (and multiple attacks), Damage, Saves, Self-Sufficiency, and Tactics
• Each area of expertise stays within its own sphere so not to step on anyone else's toes.
• Weapons/Armor are custom-built
• Character Creation should be simple (in theory). Roll Attributes, pick a Race/Class, gain an Ability (Maneuver, Spell, or Talent), and pick equipment
• My plan is to keep play relatively simple in the beginning, but keep lots of options so complexity evolves as the characters grow.
• While players will still be able to pick any ability without meeting a single prerequisite (mostly), the groupings are more focused to encourage specializing in a couple of abilities instead of cherry-picking from a huge list (this also makes it quicker and easier to decide what to pick)

The way the system is designed allows you to focus in one area (fighting, spells, or skills), but allows you to dabble in either of the other two areas as you see fit. The classes are very general, but can fit many different gaming archetypes depending on your selection of abilities. When learning a new ability, you get 2 for the price of 1 (and one scales the more you invest into it). So dig in and have fun!

Table of Contents

• Introduction
  
  • Getting Started
  • Attributes
  • Determining and Using Attributes
• The Basics
  
  • Using the Dice
  • Damage Dice and Increments
  • Modifiers
  • Types of Rolls
  • Critical Damage and Natural Rolls
  • Damage Types and Resistance
  • Defense
  • Difficulty
• Actions and Combat
  
  • Combat Order
  • Space
  • Tactics
  • Essentia
• Adventuring and Exploration
  
  • Darkness
  • Difficult Terrain
  • Hazards
  • Overland Travel
  • Life and Death
  • Conditions
  • Natural Healing and Rest
  • Destroying Objects
• Races
  
  • Dwarf
  • Elf
  • Halfling
  • Human
  • Kobold
  • Orc
  • Racial Templates
    
    • Aasimar
    • Deep-Dweller
    • Graveborn
    • Half-Blood
    • Planetouched
    • Tiefling
• Classes and Leveling
  
  • Experience and Levels
  • Mage
  • Rogue
  • Warrior
• Maneuvers and Martial Disciplines
  
  • Attack Points
  • Combat Style and Proficiency
    
    • Archery
    • Heavy Armor
    • Light Armor
    • Mounted
    • One-Handed
    • Shield
    • Spellbreaker
    • Tactician
    • Two-Handed
    • Weapons Mastery
• Spells and Arcane Schools
  
  • Magic Points
  • Spell Effects and Metamagic
    
    • Divination
    • Enchantment
    • Flame
    • Healing
    • Ice
    • Necromancy
    • Protection
    • Storm
    • Summoning
    • Teleportation
• Talents and Skills
  
  • Skill Points
  • Using Skills and Trained Skills
    
    • Alchemy
    • Athletics
    • Endurance
    • Knowledge
    • Mechanics
    • Nature
    • Perception
    • Runecrafting
    • Speech
    • Stealth
• Equipment
  
  • Currency
  • Adventuring Gear
  • Weapons and Armor
    
    • Properties
    • Unarmed Combat
    • One-Handed Weapons
    • Two-Handed Weapons
    • Ranged Weapons
    • Light Armor
    • Heavy Armor
    • Shields
• Magic Items
  
  • Magical Properties
  • Crafting Magic Items
  • Alchemic Items
  • Magic Armor and Weapons
  • Wondrous Items
  • Artifacts
• Running the Game
  
  • Game Mastery
  • Rewards
  • Professions
  • NPC Class: The Commoner
• Custom Races

• Building Monsters
  
  • Monster Types
  • Monster Roles
• Monster Traits
• Bestiary
  
  Spoiler

  Show

  • Ash Strider (Level 4)
  • Blightling (Level 2)
  • Bonesplinter (Level ½ - 4)
  • Booze (Level 2)
  • Dryad (Level 4)
  • Familiar (Level 1)
  • Ghost: Spectral Adventurers (Level 4)
  • Gremling (Level ½)
  • Hobgoblin (Level 1-2)
  • Horse (Level 2)
  • Ogre (Level 3)
  • Revenant (Level 1)
  • Salamander (Level 2)
  • Soot Sprites (Level 2)
  • Tizali (Level 2)
  • Treant (Level 7)
  • Voidling (Level 3)

[Lappy9001]

Introduction
A world of fantasy and adventure, Classy d20 is a game fueled by your imagination. In this world, you play as a hero, a character that you create and control within the game. Working cooperatively with other players, each controlling their own hero, you combine forces as a team to venture forth, questing for fame, fortune, and the very fate of the world. Filling roles within your team, known as an adventuring party, you can be a stalwart warrior, a cunning rogue, or a powerful mage. As you master the rules of the game you can further customize your hero, and your role in the party, just about any way you see fit!

To play Classy d20, you need 3-6 players and someone to be the Game Master (GM). The GM describes the adventure, makes the final call for any rule disputes, and controls the world around the heroes. Each player controls their own hero, or Player Character (PC), while the GM handles the monsters, the environment, and the people who interact with the characters, called Non-Player Characters (NPCs).

A typical game session starts out with the GM describing the immediate surroundings of the players, who then ask the GM questions about the environment and what they can interact with. These sessions can be one-time gatherings, or gradually build on one another into an epic campaign of adventure. Sometimes quests involve delving into ancient ruins, negotiating politics between warring nations, or saving the lives of countless innocents from a rampaging monster or a ruthless tyrant. Each adventure is unique and the boundaries of a campaign are limited only by your group’s creativity.

Getting Started
To jump right in and create a character, you first need to determine their strengths and weaknesses in the Attributes section below. If you are unfamiliar with the rules, or role-playing games in general, continue on to The Basics. The chapter Actions and Combat is slightly more advanced, yet necessary to understand. Otherwise, skip on to Races and proceed down the sections.

Character Sheet can be found Here
Let me know ASAP if this link does not work for you for any reason.

Quick-Play!

• Determine attributes
  
  • +1 bonus to a number of skills equal to your Intelligence
• Choose a Race
• Choose a Class
  
  • Select primary attribute
  • Gain class features
• Select a maneuver, spell, or talent
• Buy equipment
• Don’t forget!
  
  • Tactics
  • Essentia pool of Intelligence (minimum 1) + ½ level
  • Rest to recover abilities (and gain a +1 bonus on saves if resting in comfortable surroundings)

Attributes
The most foundational aspects of your character are their attributes, which in turn, help define key parts of your character’s persona, as well as what they can physically accomplish. There are six attributes:

Strength (Str): Raw physical power and force of muscle, Strength is used for attack with close combat weapons, damage with weapons, breaking objects, wrestling opponents, and carrying heavy loads. Characters with high Strength are naturally very strong, and are very formidable in combat.

Constitution (Con): Durability and stamina, Constitution deals directly with physical health and how resistant you are to debilitating effects and adverse environments. Characters with high Constitution are remarkably tough and can fight longer and harder than others.

Dexterity (Dex): Coordination and agility, Dexterity is useful for stealth, dodging attacks, attacking with light or ranged weapons, reaction time, and reflexes. Characters with high Dexterity are extremely nimble and are capable of attacking and performing tasks with precision.

Intelligence (Int): Logic and reasoning, Intelligence is used for more skills than any other attribute, including knowledge, crafting, and language comprehension. Characters with high Intelligence are capable and clever, practiced in a diverse range of skills and talents.

Wisdom (Wis): Resolve and insight, Wisdom is often tied to spirituality, encouraging willpower, awareness, and understanding. Characters with high Wisdom are determined and perceptive, innately more aware of the world around them.

Charisma (Cha): Charm and force of personality, Charisma plays a part in your strength of self, and is essential for social skills such as diplomacy, deception, and intimidation. Characters with high Charisma tend to be very creative, have a strong presence and are capable of bending others to their will.

Determining and Using Attributes
Attributes are represented by a single number, initially ranging from +0 to +4, although they can be increased by your race and class. When an ability or roll calls for an attribute, it is referring to this number. You attributes are determined when you create you character, and you assign the number to which ever attributes you wish.

To see what your character's attributes are, roll 3d4 and add up the total, comparing the result to the table below to determine what number will be used for an attribute. Do this six times, and assign each bonus you generate to an attribute of your choice.

The GM may choose to make results slightly higher by having players rolling 4d4 and drop the lowest 1d4 roll or by rolling seven times and drop the lowest roll result (or both).

Result	Bonus
11-12	+4
9-10	+3
7-8	+2
5-6	+1
3-4	+0

Sometimes, the rolls used to determine attributes are simply too low for your liking. In this case (or if you choose to forego rolling entirely), you may choose to use one of the standard arrays presented below:

Average: +0, +1, +2, +2, +3, +4

Balanced: +1, +2, +2, +2, +2, +3

Specialized: +0, +1, +1, +3, +3, +4

Spoiler: Dice Pool (Variant)

Show

Using a dice pool distribution requires to instead roll 4d6. A result of 4-6 is a success, while 1-3 is a failure. Add up the total number of successes, using that total as the attribute bonus, and assign it to an attribute of your choice.

To create slightly higher results, roll 5d6 and drop the lowest 1d6.

Spoiler: Point Buy (Variant)

Show

Using point buy to determine attributes is to give each character 12 points and have them assign these points into six parts, none of which can be greater than +4 or smaller than +0. Each number is then assigned to an attribute of each player’s choice. It is best for all players to use the same method, as each has different results.

Table of Contents

[Lappy9001]

The Basics
Classy d20 involves a certain amount of strategy and assumes the PCs and monsters are being represented with miniatures, tokens, or other objects on a grid of 1-inch squares, or with a ruler. However, it is completely possible to play with only pencil and paper to record character information, and dice to determine the result of any challenge. Crucial to understanding Classy d20 is that any action that has a significant chance of failure is determined by the roll of a dice, with your character’s attributes modifying the end effect. Therefore, you wouldn’t need to roll to cross a bridge or hear an ally speak, but you would if the bridge was collapsing or if your ally was calling out to you in the middle of a storm.

Using the Dice
Several types of dice are used within the game:

• Four-sided dice (d4)
• Six-sided dice (d6)
• Eight-sided dice (d8)
• Ten-sided dice (d10)
• Twelve-sided dice (d12)
• And most importantly, the Twenty-sided dice (d20)

The dice are referred to by the number of dice used, the letter ‘d’, and the number of sides on the dice. For example, if you wanted to roll a single twenty-sided dice, you would roll 1d20. And if you wanted to roll four six-sided dice, you would roll 4d6.

Damage Dice and Increments
Weapons and spells alike deal damage using a certain dice, called damage dice. Some use multiple damage dice when dealing critical damage or with certain ranged weapons. Sometimes, the dice that are rolled are increased or decreased by a value known as an increment. Dice progress through increments as follows:

1d4 – 1d6 – 1d8 – 1d10 – 1d12 – 2d6 – 2d8 – 2d10

Modifiers
Dice rolls are influenced by numbers added to or subtracted from the dice roll, called bonuses and penalties respectively, or modifiers when being referred to as a whole. Rolling 1d20 with a bonus of +2 would result in 1d20+2. And rolling 4d6 with a -1 penalty would result in 4d6-1.

There are eight different types of modifiers:

Cunning, Might, and Spirit modifiers are granted from abilities (talents, maneuvers, and spells respectively).

Armor, Item, Shield, and Weapon modifiers are granted from equipment both magic and mundane.

Trait bonuses are granted from a specific set of abilities usually reserved for monsters, appropriately called traits.

Bonuses or penalties of the same type are not added (or ‘stacked’) together, although a bonus and a penalty from the same type can detract from each other. For example, a warrior benefiting from a +4 Might bonus to attack rolls, but suffering from a -2 Might penalty to attack rolls would have an overall bonus of +2. However, the warrior could not benefit from another +2 Might bonus, but could benefit from a +2 Spirit bonus.

Certain ‘untyped’ modifiers are an exception to this rule, and are added in with all other types, unless they come from the same source. The bonuses from a race or class are examples of untyped modifiers.

Types of Rolls
As previously mentioned, you roll the dice for anything that has a significant chance of failure. Any roll that does not use a specific dice (such as weapon or spell damage) uses a d20 plus any relevant modifiers. Rolls are usually compared to a static number such as Defense or Difficulty. In other words, you swing a sword against a goblin’s Defense, or resist the Difficulty of a mage’s magic. If the total result of the roll meets or exceeds the targeted result, it is successful. If you ever end up with a fraction, always roll down unless otherwise specified. Common rolls include:

Melee attack rolls are close combat attacks that (usually) target an adjacent enemy, and are made against that target’s Defense.

Roll 1d20 + Strength + Attack Points (AP) + Modifiers

Ranged attack rolls are long-range attacks that target enemies usually within a range of about 50 ft. (or 10 Squares), and are made against that target’s Defense.

Roll 1d20 + Dexterity + Attack Points (AP) + Modifiers

Damage rolls are made after a successful attack roll, or after using an ability that deals damage. Damage rolls use a specific dice known as damage dice. Some effects such as critical damage increase the number of damage dice used.

Roll damage dice (varies) + Strength (for attacks) + modifiers

Initiative rolls determine who goes first in combat. There are a few ways to increase Initiative, and the results can sometimes change throughout a battle.

Roll 1d20 + Dexterity + Modifiers

Skill rolls encompass a wide variety of tasks and are normally made against the Difficulty of the task as set by the GM.

Roll 1d20 + Attribute + ½ Level + Skill Points (SP) + Modifiers

Save rolls, called Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves are made as a last ditch effort to throw off a negative effect. These rolls usually come into play after an effect has already taken place, such as poison from a bite attack, or a spell that ignores Defense. Saves are usually made against an enemy’s Difficulty.

Roll 1d20 + Attribute + ½ Level + Modifiers

Attribute rolls are made whenever there is a chance of failure from a task, but there are no other rolls suitable to use. The attribute most likely related to the action is used, and is rolled against the Skill Difficulty chart, or an opposed roll if against another creature.

Roll 1d20 + Attribute + Modifiers

Critical Damage and Natural Rolls
Sometimes the result of a d20 roll is an unbelievable stroke of luck or a catastrophic failure, both represented by natural rolls. A natural 20 is when a 20 is rolled before modifiers, and the roll is automatically successful. Conversely, when a 1 is rolled before modifiers, it is called a natural 1 and the roll automatically fails. Natural rolls do not apply to skills.

When a natural 20 is made on an attack roll, an additional damage dice is rolled, and all damage is maximized (called critical damage). For example, a natural 20 on a weapon dealing 1d6 damage with a +2 modifier would deal critical damage of 14 (2d6 maximized +2).

A critical threat is when an attack can deal critical damage on a roll less than 20. When this occurs, another attack roll must be made. If the second roll is successful, the attack deals critical damage.

Damage Types and Resistance
There are four damage types: Cold, Fire, Physical, and Shock. Some abilities allow characters (and monsters!) to ignore damage of a certain type. A character with Resistance to a certain type of damage negates that amount taken from the total damage of the corresponding type. So a mage with +3 Fire Resistance hit for 8 Fire damage would only take 5 Fire damage.

Defense
Your Defense is your character’s primary protection against incoming attacks, usually through dodging the blow or by wearing armor. Defense is what attack rolls are made against. When you attack an opponent, or they attack you, the attack is successful if it meets or exceeds the target’s Defense.

Defense: 10 + ½ Level + Dexterity/Shield + Armor

Difficulty
Your Difficulty is what enemies attempt to make Save rolls against. Whenever an ability calls for an enemy to make a Save, they roll to meet or exceed your Difficulty. What attribute is used to determine the Difficulty depends on the type of the ability: Maneuvers use Strength, Spells use Charisma, and Talents use Intelligence.

Difficulty: 10 + ½ Level + Attribute (Strength, Intelligence, or Charisma)

Table of Contents

[Lappy9001]

Actions and Combat
While exploring, players generally have free reign to do as they will within their PC’s capabilities. But in combat, time is of the essence, and players must carefully choose how they spend that time. Combat takes place in rounds, with each round representing 6 seconds within the game world. During the course of a round, each participant has a turn to perform a number of actions, shown below from greater to lesser:

1 Major Action – 1 Move Action – 1 Minor Action

An action must be finished before beginning another. For example, you have a Speed of 6 Squares and move 4 Squares using a move action. Then, you attack a goblin using a major action. However, you could not move again, even though you have Speed left this turn, because you finished your Move action (unless, of course another effect allows you to move). Greater actions can be traded for lesser ones, such as a major action for a move action. Therefore, it is possible to move twice, or take three minor actions. Below are some common actions:

• Attack an enemy – Major
• Cast a spell – Major
• Charge – Move + Major
• Defend – Move
• Draw a weapon – Minor
• Move a distance equal to your Speed – Move
• Move twice your Speed – Move + Move
• Move 3 times your Speed – Move + Move + Minor
• Use an ability – Varies (Major, unless otherwise specified)
• Use an item – Minor (usually)
• Use a skill – Major (usually)

Some things, such as speaking or cancelling an active ability require little to no time and are called free actions. A PC technically has unlimited free actions during their turn, but the GM has the final say as to what constitutes a free action, and how many is too many.

Combat Order
Combat begins with each participant making an Initiative roll. Whoever rolls highest goes first, and the order proceeds down to the lowest Initiative result. After the participant with the lowest Initiative result has taken their turn, the round is over and a new round begins, starting with the highest Initiative result. When someone uses an ability that lasts for 1 round, it lasts until the beginning of their next turn.

It is possible for a character to voluntarily delay their turn to allow another character to go first. However, doing so forces the character to use their new result for the rest of the encounter (or until Initiative is rolled again if using the Active Initiative variant).

Spoiler: Variant: Active Initiative

Show

An optional rule, active initiative is a simple variant that makes combat less static, and benefits characters who have invested in high Dexterity and Initiative. At the start of each round, all combatants roll Initiative as if combat had just started and use the new results. Initiative is rerolled at the beginning of every round.

Space
Tokens or miniatures represent characters and monsters in combat, with each square 1-inch representing 5 feet of space in the world, known as a Square. Simulating space in combat is easily implemented with a 1-inch grid, but using a ruler or tape measurer can work just as well. One Square and all eight Squares around it are called adjacent space. So, if a warrior wanted to attack a goblin with his sword, he could only do so if the goblin was within a Square that was adjacent to the warrior’s own. However, ranged weapons and spells are often exempt from this rule, and instead use a range detailed in their description.

Tactics
To truly master the nuances of warfare can take years of practice and experience, but even the greenest of adventurers can make use of a handful of special abilities known as Tactics. The effectiveness of Tactics can be increased by the Shield, Tactician, and Two-Handed martial disciplines.

Charge
When you move at least 2 Squares, you can make a charge as a free action, granting yourself +2 bonus to Damage rolls made with melee weapons this round.

Defend
As a move action, you gain a +2 bonus to Defense for 1 round.

Flank
When you and an ally are on opposite sides of an enemy’s adjacent space, you both gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls against that enemy.

Essentia
All living creatures possess a spiritual energy known as essentia which is most often intertwined with their very being. However, the races of the world (dwarves, elves, halflings, humans, orcs, and kobolds) are separated from essentia, but can use it to alter their fate. These races have a pool of essentia that they can use a number of times per day equal to Charisma (minimum 1) + ½ their level (or until recovered by a Rest). One use of essentia can be expended as a free action to add 1d6 onto a d20 roll after the roll has been made but before hearing the result. Essentia can only be used to modify a d20 roll once per round.

Normally, only adventurers and other powerful individuals (or at least, those trained in its use) can actually use essentia. The majority of magical creatures are incapable of using their essentia to alter fate, but instead gain remarkable powers (many are the creatures presented in the Monsters section).

Table of Contents

[Lappy9001]

Adventuring and Exploration
While most of the danger that PCs face results from combat, traversing the vastness of the world can pose an equally deadly threat. From a lush forest, to a subterranean dungeon, and even to the crowded streets of a major city, the world can be very dangerous to the unwary.

Darkness
The average light source, such as a torch or lantern, emits light out in a 5 Square radius, allowing characters to see in the dark. When immersed in complete darkness, all targets are effectively Blinded unless they have an ability that allows them to see in darkness.

Difficult Terrain
Rubble, undergrowth, and slippery surfaces are all types of difficult terrain that impede movement. It takes twice as much movement to move through a Square that contains difficult terrain.

Bodies of water are effectively a different type of difficult terrain as you can swim through water at ½ Speed. Holding your breath underwater is detailed under the Endurance Skill.

Hazards
Environmental dangers that cause damage are called Hazards, typically using multiple d10’s for damage. Hazards include rockslides, suffocation, falling (for each 10 feet fallen), or each minute characters are exposed to extreme conditions (temperatures above 150 or below 0 Fahrenheit). The number of d10's rolled depends on the severity of the hazard, but usually never increase in increment.

Overland Travel
Position in combat is crucial, but movement outside of battle generally does not need to be recorded. When walking over vast distances, the amount of miles a character can walk in an hour is equal to ½ their Speed, and can be maintained for 8 hours out of a day before requiring a Rest. Characters can move faster if need be, moving miles per hour equal to their Speed but can only maintain this for 2 hours out of a day before requiring a Rest.

These speeds assume terrain that is easy to traverse, as more difficult stretches of land reduce the speed as deemed necessary by the DM (usually ½ Speed). Mounts and vehicles can ease this burden, and are described in the Equipment section.

Life and Death
How much damage your character can endure is represented by Hit Points (HP) and when damage is dealt, they lose HP. When a character reaches 0 HP they are Dying (See Conditions below) and when they drop to negative HP equal to their total Endurance bonus, they are Dead. Characters who have died can no longer interact with the world, end all ongoing abilities used by or affecting them, and unless quickly revived, their soul travels to another plane forever.

Conditions
The various effects that alter a character’s health are called Conditions. Some are helpful while others are detrimental. The same condition cannot be added onto itself, even if both come from different sources. Some Conditions can cancel out an opposing condition, but in doing so do not bestow any additional effects. There are 10 Conditions:

• Blinded: You are unable to see. You roll two d20’s for attack rolls and Perception rolls and take the lower result.
• Bolstered: You roll two d20’s for Saves and take the higher result. Bolstered cancels out Demoralized.
• Concealed: Enemies attack you as if they were Blinded.
• Demoralized: You roll two d20’s for Saves and take the lower result. Demoralized cancels out Bolstered.
• Dying: When at 0 HP and below, you can take no actions, and lose 1 HP each round at the start at your turn until you are restored HP or are Dead. Either way, you cannot take actions until you are above 0 HP.
• Hasted: You gain an additional minor action on your turn and your Speed is increased by 2 Squares. Hasted cancels out Slowed.
• Poisoned: You take damage at the start of your turn equal to twice your level +3.
• Regeneration: You recover HP at the start of your turn equal to ½ your level +1.
• Slowed: You lose a minor action on your turn and your Speed is reduced by 2 Squares. Slowed cancels out Hasted.
• Weakened: You roll twice for all damage dice and take the lower result. You cannot deal critical damage.

Natural Healing and Rest
Many abilities can only be used a number of times per day and must be recovered by taking a 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep or light activity, known as a Rest. During a Rest, characters regain full use of daily abilities as well as recovering full Magic Points and Hit Points. If the Rest is taken in comfortable surroundings such as an inn with warm beds and hot meals, characters also gain a +1 bonus to all saves for one day. An additional rest cannot be taken for 12 hours.

Outside of Rest, characters heal naturally, albeit slowly, recovering HP equal to their level every hour.

Destroying Objects
Sometimes, the obstacles that face the PCs are physical barriers that need to be destroyed in order to progress. Solid objects are hardier than living creatures, and can only be destroyed if their Hit Points are completely overcome. This represents a single assault that demolishes an object, or several attempts at chipping away at the material. If an object taking up a single Square loses all its Hit Points in a single round, the object is destroyed, and the Square it occupied becomes difficult terrain. If this happens to an object taking up more than 1 Square of space, only the Square that was hit is destroyed. Any effect that targets Squares of space affects all objects within.

Material	Hit Points	Example
Fragile	5 HP	Padded cloth, leather, thick glass
Average	10 HP	Treated leather, wooden furniture
Tough	25 HP	Solid wood, plaster, thick ice, manacles
Durable	50 HP	Iron door, masonry
Unyielding	100 HP	Solid stone

Spoiler: Variant: Collateral Damage

Show

An optional rule, after being pushed, if a character collides with a creature or a solid object (an object that takes up roughly 1 Square of space or more), both take 1d6 Physical damage for every Square the character was pushed back. Colliding into a creature or object ends the push, unless the object is destroyed or the creature killed. If the push continues, the effective number of Squares the creature was pushed is set back to 1. This damage counts as a Hazard.

For example, a warrior pushes a goblin back 4 Squares. The goblin is pushed back 1 Square into empty space, then into a glass window on the second Square. Both the goblin and the glass take 2d6 Physical damage. If the window does not take 5 damage the push ends. However, if the window is destroyed, the push continues. Now the goblin is pushed into empty space on the third square and a wooden chair on the fourth. Both the goblin and the chair take 2d6 Physical damage, because the goblin already collided with the window.

Traps
Traps are essentially artificial Hazards intended to waylay intruders and protect sensitive areas. A trap usually takes up a single Square and activates when a creature enters its space. When activated, a trap delivers the effect on all creatures within its Square, or its Square and a certain amount of adjacent space, and becomes inert until reset.

The Difficulty of a trap is 15 + Level. Disabling or resetting a trap takes a Mechanics roll equal to the Difficulty of the trap. There are several broad categories of traps:

Condition Trap: Condition traps inflict a Condition (Blinded, Demoralized, Poisoned, Slowed, or Weakened) and deal 1d6 (Cold, Fire, Physical, or Shock) damage per every 2 levels. Targets that succeed a Save (Fortitude, Reflex, or Will, depending on the trap) take half damage and ignore the effect.

Damage Trap: Damage traps deal 1d6 (Cold, Fire, Physical, or Shock) damage per level. Targets that succeed a Reflex save take half damage.

Movement Trap: Movement traps push targets back 1 Square per level in a single direction. Targets that succeed a Fortitude save are not pushed.

Pit Trap: Pit traps drop creatures 10 feet per level. A creature making a successful Reflex save can immediately move ½ their Speed as a free action. If unable to escape the affected area of the trap, they fall.

Terrain Trap: Terrain traps simple turn their affected area into difficult terrain.

Generally, traps are best used as part of an encounter with living opponents as they can become tedious and either too deadly or too ineffectual when used alone. And of course, a trap is likely given a unique description more flavorful than “Damage Trap.” For example, a bear trap may be a Slowed Condition Trap, or a movement trap may be a hidden catapult.

The costs of building a trap are generally up to GM discretion (considering the open-ended design of traps), and depends on the complexity of the trap. For example a pit trap is basically a disguised hole, but a Demoralizing Condition trap may use a complex magical apparatus.

Table of Contents

[Lappy9001]

Races
Many peoples and cultures populate the world, and your character’s race is an important aspect of their identity. Races grant different abilities and modifiers that help them in game, but they also have unique histories and traits that influence their perspective of the world. (Consider the races provided here to be 'core races.' Additional races can be found in the Custom Races section)

The following shows how to read a race’s description:

Attributes: Races grant a +1 bonus to a single attribute.
Speed: This is how fast a character can move during a move action.
Skill: Races grant a +1 bonus to two different skills.
Minor Ability: Each race has a unique passive ability.
Major Ability: Each race has a unique activated ability that can be used once per day. An additional use of this ability is gained every 3 levels. Using a race’s Major Ability is a free action unless otherwise noted, but can only be used once per round.
Language: Each race starts off knowing how to read, speak, and write one or two languages. Knowing a language also means being versed in cultural mores and traditions. Some widespread languages include:

• Common: The widespread language of humans is known by almost every race (English!)
• Draconic: An intricate and ancient tongue, the language of the dragons is rough to non-dragon ears, but commands a certain sense of power in the words.
• Dwarven: The language of the dwarves, Dwarven is simple for Common-speakers to grasp (being the language’s forbear), but the long-standing cultural traditions are far more complex.
• Elven: The beautiful and eloquent language of the elves allegedly requires decades of learning to retain more than a rudimentary understanding.
• Goblin: The rough language of the goblin folk that possesses no written alphabet.
• Runic: The language of the planes is a complex tongue with four main dialects of Aquan, Auran, Ingan, and Terran.
• Underword: The sibilant, quiet tongue of subterranean races that incorporates a fair amount of sing language.
• Wilden: The verbally simplistic, yet culturally complex language of the beastfolk and other races of the wild.

Dwarf
Dwarves are a hardy and stalwart people that build their stone cities on mountain peaks and rolling hills. Known for their enduring fortitude and loyalty, dwarves make excellent warriors and devoted allies. Standing no more than 4 ½ feet with stout builds, dwarven men sport long beards while women wear braids, with brown, grey, and dusky red being the most common hair and skin colors. Dwarves are also adept at engineering and are responsible for many clever inventions.

• Attribute: +1 Constitution
• Speed: 5 Squares
• Skill: +1 Endurance, +1 Mechanics
• Sturdy: Dwarves ignore Speed penalties from armor. In addition, dwarves affected by the Poisoned condition lose 2 fewer HP each round.
• Stone Soul: A dwarf can remove any one Condition (except for Dying) currently afflicting them.
• Languages: Dwarves speak Common and Dwarven.

Elf
Elves are a fair and beautiful race known for their long lives and even longer collective memory. Elves are recognized by their slim, tall frames standing above 6 feet, almond-shaped eyes, and long pointed ears to match their keen senses. Infamous keepers on knowledge, elves can live indefinitely if they have a devoted cause, but can become reserved and unsettled at advanced years. Regardless, elves are wise, patient, and masters of arcane magic.

• Attribute: +1 Wisdom
• Speed: 6 Squares
• Skill: +1 Knowledge, +1 Perception
• Magic Within: Elves learn 1 Cantrip ability from the mage class.
• Arcane Recollection: Immediately after casting a spell, an elf can recover all the MP used in the spell’s casting.
• Languages: Elves speak Common and Elven.

Halfling
Halflings are wanderers and nomads at heart, taken to traversing the vast wilderness in great caravans. Halflings are a short folk, rarely reaching higher than 3 ½ feet, possessing noticeably sharp features and wiry frames. While not known for strength, halflings can move with surprising alacrity when unencumbered and can do so almost silently. Blessed with an uncanny sense of luck, halflings are also adept at herbalism, leading many to become skilled healers.

• Attribute: +1 Dexterity
• Speed: 5 Squares
• Skill: +1 Alchemy, +1 Stealth
• Underfoot: A halfling gains a +2 bonus to Speed when unarmored or wearing light armor.
• Lucky: A halfling can gain a +1 bonus to Saves for 3 rounds. This bonus increases by +1 every 3 levels.
• Languages: Halflings speak Common and Wilden.

Human
Humans are metropolitan by nature and tend to group together to build massive cities of remarkable architectural prowess. Humans are fairly robust, standing at 5 to 6 ½ feet with rounded ears and incredible diversity in hair, eye, and skin color. Known for possessing a poor collective memory and occasional lack of foresight, humans are nevertheless skilled at crafting and are famously ambitious, able to achieve amazing feats when pressed.

• Attribute: +1 Intelligence
• Speed: 6 Squares
• Skill: +1 Mechanics, +1 Runecrafting
• Tenacity: Humans gain a +1 bonus to Fortitude, Reflex, or Will.
• Improvisation: A human can reroll a d20 immediately after making the roll, but before hearing the result.
• Languages: Humans speak Common and one other language (Dwarven, Elven, or Goblin).

Kobold
Kobolds are the malformed offspring of dragons, but the ones seen in civilized lands are far and away from their degenerate siblings. Extremely small, scrawny, and rarely reaching over 3 feet, kobolds possess draconic features, short tails, and dusky scales mimicking the colors of their dragon parents. Accomplished at elemental magic, kobolds have a surprisingly strong presence, and many become leaders among their pack while others steal away into the brighter outside world.

• Attribute: +1 Charisma
• Speed: 5 Squares
• Skill: +1 Speech, +1 Stealth
• Drake Skin: Kobolds gain a +1 bonus to Defense
• Dragon’s Wrath: Kobolds can roll maximum damage dice with a single spell that deals Cold, Fire, or Shock damage.
• Language: Kobolds speak Common and Draconic.

Orc
Orcs are natural survivors and seem instinctively drawn to some of the harshest environments on the fringes of the world. Powerfully built, orcs typically stand above 6 feet with skin varying from grey to green, notable tusks, and red, green, or yellow eyes. Extraordinary fighters, orcs challenge stronger opponents to better themselves, possessing a natural wanderlust. Many orcs hear the call of nature, and practice the ancient shamanistic traditions of their race.

• Attribute: +1 Strength
• Speed: 6 Squares
• Skill: +1 Athletics, +1 Nature
• Troll-Blooded: Orcs affected by the Regeneration Condition recover an additional 2 HP each round.
• Rage: An orc can enter a frenzied state and roll maximum damage dice with melee weapons for 3 rounds. However, they take a -2 penalty to Defense during Rage.
• Language: Orcs speak Common and Goblin.

Racial Templates
Perfect for players who want to play something more exotic or unusual than an elf or a dwarf, Racial Templates alter the way a Race is played, and grant new strengths and weaknesses to a character. A Racial Template is applied to a Race and swaps out many of its characteristics. Only one racial template may be applied at a time.

Attributes: The base race’s Attribute Bonus changes to this.
Speed: Reduce or Increase the base race’s Speed by this amount.
Skill: Replace a Skill Bonus with this Skill, or if the Skill is already possessed, increase it to +2, and lose the other Skill Bonus.
Minor Ability: Replace the base race’s Minor Ability.
Major Ability: Replace the base race’s Major Ability.
Languages: Adds to known languages.

Aasimar
There exist a rare few in the world who have been blessed by celestials. Often, a blessing is bestowed by an angel as a gift in return for a selfless deed, or to an individual favored by destiny. Aasimar have a natural empathy towards others, and while not all are virtuous, most do devote themselves to a just cause. The birth of an aasimar is seen as a good omen, and the gift can be passed down family lines. Aasimar look like a member of their native race, but with subtle angelic features such as white or gold hair, and can surround themselves with a halo of light.

(Minor) Halo: Aasimar learn the Light cantrip from the mage class.
(Major) Hallow: As a minor action, the aasimar and all adjacent allies recover HP equal to the twice the aasimar's level for 3 rounds.

Deep-Dweller
Far beneath the earth in subterranean cave complexes live those who have adapted to the darkness below. Physically similar to their above ground cousins, deep-dwellers tend to have dusky skin, sometimes pure black, white or silver hair, and white or gold eyes that emit a low glow in darkness. Deep-dwellers tend to be quieter, more wary, and possess more patience than those that live in the light. While uncommon, deep-dwellers find their own reasons to emerging from the depths of the earth, and bring a unique outlook to the world above.

(Skill) +1 Stealth
(Minor) Darkvision: You can see without any light sources (albeit without color) and ignore Concealment from darkness. You take a -2 penalty to Perception rolls when in direct sunlight.
(Languages) Deep-Dwellers speak Underword.

Graveborn
When a rare mortal with a strong will is slain with unfinished business, they may arise from the grave to complete in death what they could not in life. However, this second life has consequences, and graveborn are cursed in that they cling onto the barest spark of life, and remember almost nothing of their former selves except their unfinished tasks. Rising usually within a week of death, graveborn reveal significant decay, but vaguely resemble their former selves, albeit with glowing, determined eyes and a grave pallor.

(Speed) -1 Square
(Minor) Curse of the Grave: Graveborn only recover half the amount from any effect that restores Hit Points.
(Major) Undead Resiliency: Graveborn do not need to eat, drink, breathe, or sleep but must still take a Rest to recover abilities. Graveborn are immune to the Blinded, Poisoned, Slowed, and Weakened status conditions, and do not lose 1 HP per round when Dying. Unlike other Major racial abilities, Undead Resiliency provides a passive benefit.

Half-Blood
Most of the civilized races stem from a common ancestor, and a union between two different races results in a half-blooded child. Depending on the half-blood’s environment and upbringing, their dual heritage can be a gift or a burden, and is often both. Half-bloods blend the physical features of both parents and is identified with the name of both races (such as a human half-elf, or a dwarven half-orc). The dual heritage of a half-blood only lasts for one generation, a union with a full-blood will result in a full-blood of either race.

Creating a half-blood uses one race as a chassis (called the base race) with another (called the half-race).

(Skill) Replace one skill from the base race with one of the half-race, or increase a shared skill to +2, and lose the other skill bonuses.
(Minor) Replace the base race’s minor ability with the half-race’s minor ability.
(Languages) Gain the language of the half-race.

Plane Touched
The movements and phases of the planes can cause strange phenomenon in the physical realm. Those born when the planes align in certain positions often possess the traits of a particular element. This manifestation greatly changes a plane touched’s appearance depending on their favored element, from differently brightly colored skin and hair, glowing eyes, unusually high or low body temperature, and strange runes that cover the body. Plane touched have naturally powerful personalities and are adept at bending the elements to their will.

(Attribute) +1 Charisma
(Minor) Elemental Soul: Plane Touched gain a +3 bonus to Resistance against Cold, Fire, or Shock Damage.
(Languages) Plane Touched speak Runic.

Tiefling
Some souls are cursed by the demons long before their soul departs their body. Tieflings have little control of their heritage, passed on from an ancestor, most commonly through a demonic pact or a dark blessing to a favored minion. The birth of a tielfing is considered an evil omen, and many tieflings born to superstitious parents are abandoned at a young age. However, the fate of a tiefling is their own to decide and have no natural predisposition to good or evil. Tieflings look like their native race, but with subtle demonic features like red eyes or small horns.

(Minor) Darkvision: You can see without any light sources (albeit without color) and ignore Concealment from darkness. You take a -2 penalty to Perception rolls when in direct sunlight.
(Major) Curse: As a minor action you can inflict an enemy within 5 Squares with a penalty equal to ½ your level (minimum 1) to attack, damage, save, or skill rolls. The curse lasts for 3 rounds.

Table of Contents

[Lappy9001]

Classes and Leveling
A character’s class is like a very broad description that gauges how they learn new abilities, which attributes are most important, and what role they fill in a party. The three classes are mage, rogue, and warrior. Classes gain additional abilities as they gain Experience (XP) (See Experience and Levels in the section below). The following shows how to read a class’ description.

Starting HP: This is how many Hit Points the class gains at 1st level.

HP per Level: This is how many Hit Points are gained each level, determined by the roll of a particular dice known as a hit dice. You can retry this roll once each level, but must take the second result.

Save Bonus: All classes gain a bonus to Saves equal to ½ their level, but also gain a +2 bonus to a specific Save at level 1.

Trained Skills: This is how many skills a class can add ½ their level to. Other skills do not gain this bonus (See Skills and Talents).

Proficiency: This is what weapons and armor a class is trained to use (See Equipment and Weapons).

Vocation: Each class picks a vocation at level 1 that determines a character's primary attribute and grants a set of abilities that can be improved upon reaching a milestone.

Ability: Each level, a class learns an ability that they specialize in, as shown in their table. Abilities target yourself, an ally (which can still be you), an enemy, or a Square of space. You must be able to see the target or Square and cannot be obstructed in order for the ability to function. Unless otherwise stated, using an ability is a major action.

Bonus: Bonus levels (2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th) allow a character to pick an ability outside of their class specialty. In other words, a mage can select a maneuver or talent, a rogue can select a maneuver or spell, and a warrior can learn a spell or talent.

Milestone: Milestone levels (4th, 6th, and 8th) increase a character’s class abilities and increase their primary attribute and another attribute of choice by +1.

Experience and Levels
Characters face many challenges during their adventures, and are able to acquire more power through Experience (XP). Generally, whenever you win a combat encounter, or complete a challenging event, you receive a certain amount of XP depending on the difficulty of the situation. The GM assigns XP for a given encounter using the guidelines below based on how well the party fared. It’s a good idea to award XP for the entire party at once, but this may not always be the case. These guidelines are meant to be loose, so it’s up to the GM to decide how XP is to be assigned (if at all!).

Easy Encounter: 5 XP
Average Encounter: 10 XP
Challenging Encounter: 15 XP
Harrowing Encounter: 20 XP

Each time your character reaches 100 XP, they gain a level, progressing through to the next tier of their class.

Mage
Mages are wielders of magic and are capable of an impressive range of powers through their spells. Generally lacking on Hit Points and Defense, mages often avoid melee combat with ranged spells to decimate enemy ranks, bolster allies, and control the battlefield.

HP at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution
HP per Level: 1d6 + Constitution

Save Bonus: +2 Will
Trained Skills: 2

Proficiency: Mages are proficient with no weapons or armor.

Level	Benefit
1st	Cantrips, Spell, Vocation
2nd	Bonus, Spell
3rd	Bonus, Spell
4th	Mage Milestone, Spell
5th	Bonus, Spell
6th	Mage Milestone, Spell
7th	Bonus, Spell
8th	Mage Milestone, Spell
9th	Bonus, Spell
10th	Spell

Vocation
A mage must choose one of the abilities below to determine their primary attribute:

Cleric
Clerics use Wisdom as their primary attribute and gain the following abilities:

Divine Healing
Whenever you recover HP through or restore the HP of an ally through an ability (not including the Regeneration condition), add your Wisdom to the total HP healed.

Restoration
As a major action, you can relieve an adjacent ally of a single condition (other than Dying). This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to your Wisdom.

Elementalist
Elementalists use Intelligence as their primary attribute and gain the following abilities:

Elemental Focus
Upon gaining this ability, choose a damage type (Cold, Fire, or Shock). As a free action, you can augment the next spell you cast this round that deals Cold, Fire, or Shock damage to instead deal your chosen damage type.

Energy Shield
As a free action, whenever you or adjacent allies would be damaged by an effect that deals Cold, Fire, or Shock damage, you can alter the effect to instead deal your chosen damage type and reduce the damage by 2. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to your Intelligence.

Sorcerer
Sorcerers use Charisma as their primary attribute and gain the following abilities:

Arcane Ancestry
You can augment spells you cast as if you were 1 level higher.

Wild Magic
As a free action, you can augment the next spell you cast this round to gain one of the following effects: If the spell has a duration, it is increased by 3 rounds. If the spell deals Cold, Fire, or Shock damage, it deals +1 damage per damage dice. If targets of the spell can attempt a Save, the Difficulty of the spell is increased by +1. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to your Charisma.

Cantrips
You learn minor magic with certain abilities called cantrips. Using a cantrip is a minor action, although only one cantrip can be used in a single turn. At 1st level, you gain the Magic Missile cantrip and an additional cantrip of choice from the list below:

Arcane Shield
You gain a +1 Shield bonus to Defense for 1 round. This bonus increases by +1 each Milestone.

Elemental Roulette
You can change the damage type of Magic Missile to Cold, Fire, or Shock as a free action. Elemental Roulette can be used in the same round as Magic Missile.

Ghost Sound
You can conjure soft music, whispering sounds, or silent messages that can be sent to allies within 10 Squares.

Handy Haversack
You possess a tiny extradimensional portal always within hand’s reach. The portal is a cubic 1 ft. space and can hold up to 25 lbs. You can store or withdraw an object as a minor action.

Light
You create a heatless light source that lasts indefinitely, floating above you, in your hand, or on a held object. You choose the color and appearance of the light, and can move it up to 5 Squares as a minor action. The light is extinguished if you create another or if you choose to dismiss it as a free action.

Magic Missile
You deal 1d4+1 Physical damage to an enemy within 5 Squares. This attack automatically hits and requires no attack roll. The damage increases by 1d4+1 each Milestone.

Prestidigitation
You can change the visual appearance, color, taste, or touch of an unattended nonliving adjacent object. The effect lasts for 1 hour or until you dismiss it as a free action.

Prayer
Allies within 5 Squares 1d4+1 Hit Points. The HP recovered increases by 1d4+1 each Milestone.

Shadow Weapon
You summon a one-handed weapon in a free hand (assigning Properties if proficient with it) and gain a +1 Weapon bonus to attack and damage rolls with it, although you do not gain proficiency with the weapon. Shadow Weapon lasts indefinitely, until you dismiss it as a free action. The bonus to attack and damage rolls increase by +1 each Milestone.

Telekinesis
You can manipulate an unattended object of 5 lbs. and can move it up to 5 Squares away or towards yourself, although the force is not enough to deal damage. The weight of the objects you can lift increases by 5 lbs. each Mage Milestone.

Mage Milestone
Increase your primary attribute and an additional attribute of choice by +1. An ability granted by your Vocation improves as shown below:

Cleric: The HP restored by Divine Healing increases by 2.

Elementalist: The damage reduced by Energy Shield increases by 2.

Sorcerer: The bonus to damage granted by Wild Magic increases by +1 or 1 round.

Rogues
Rogues make up a jack of all trades class that excels in using skills and talents to overcome obstacles. Rogues are likely to have a trick up their sleeve to solve almost any encounter and can usually improvise if they don’t. Equally effective both in and out of combat, rogues can easily fill any class role, at least temporarily

HP at 1st Level: 16 + Constitution
HP per Level: 1d8 + Constitution

Save Bonus: +2 Reflex
Trained Skills: 4

Proficiency: Rogues are proficient with one-handed weapons, ranged weapons, and light armor.

Level	Benefit
1st	Lucky Shot, Talent, Vocation
2nd	Bonus, Talent
3rd	Bonus, Talent
4th	Rogue Milestone, Talent
5th	Bonus, Talent
6th	Rogue Milestone, Talent
7th	Bonus, Talent
8th	Rogue Milestone, Talent
9th	Bonus, Talent
10th	Talent

Vocation
A rogue must choose one of the abilities below to determine their primary attribute:

Assassin
Assassins use Dexterity as their primary attribute and gain the following abilities:

Agile Strike
You may use your Dexterity in place of Strength for damage rolls with One-Handed weapons.

Sneak Attack
As a free action, when you attack a Flanked enemy or an enemy that has not acted this turn, you can roll an additional weapon damage dice.

Bard
Bards use Charisma as their primary attribute and gain the following abilities:

Jack of all Trades
You gain a +1 bonus to either Attack rolls, Damage rolls, or Saves. You can move this bonus to either Attack, Damage, or Saves as a minor action. The bonuses granted by this ability do not stack with Jack of All Trades or Inspirational Performance.

Inspirational Performance
As a minor action, all allies within 5 Squares can gain your current Jack of All Trades bonus for 3 rounds. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to your Charisma.

Dilettante
Dilettantes use Intelligence as their primary attribute and gain the following abilities:

Expertise
You gain a +2 bonus to a single untrained skill.

Dabble
As a free action, you can move your bonus from Expertise to another untrained skill of choice. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to your Intelligence.

Lucky Shot
You use a 1d8 instead of 1d6 when modifying dice rolls with essentia. Your total pool of essentia is your Intelligence + ½ level + 1.

Rogue Milestone
Increase your primary attribute and an additional attribute of choice by +1. You gain an additional point of essentia. An ability granted by your Vocation improves as shown below:

Assassin: You can roll an additional damage dice with Sneak Attack.

Bard: The bonus granted by Jack of All Trades increases by +1.

Dilettante: The bonus granted by Expertise to untrained skills increases by +1.

Warrior
Warriors are formidable combatants capable of taking on the toughest of foes head on with brute force or clever tactics. Warriors tend to play offensively or defensively, and when they can't quickly dispatch an opponent, warriors can provide distractions or guard allies through their incredible resolve.

HP at 1st Level: 20 + Constitution
HP per Level: 1d10 + Constitution

Save Bonus: +2 Fortitude
Trained Skills: 2

Proficiency: Warriors are proficient with two-handed weapons, one-handed weapons, ranged weapons, heavy armor, light armor, and shields.

Level	Benefit
1st	Challenge, Maneuver, Vocation
2nd	Bonus, Maneuver
3rd	Bonus, Maneuver
4th	Warrior Milestone, Maneuver
5th	Bonus, Maneuver
6th	Warrior Milestone, Maneuver
7th	Bonus, Maneuver
8th	Warrior Milestone, Maneuver
9th	Bonus, Maneuver
10th	Maneuver

Vocation
A warrior must choose one of the abilities below to determine their primary attribute:

Champion
Champions use Constitution as their primary attribute and gain the following abilities:

Battle Vigor
The first time you deal damage to an enemy with a weapon damage roll this round, you recover 2 HP.

Indomitable
As a free action, you can become immune to a single condition for 3 rounds. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to your Constitution.

Marksman
Marksmen use Dexterity as their primary attribute and gain the following abilities:

Sniper
You gain a +1 bonus to damage rolls made with ranged weapons with the Ammunition property.

Deadly Accuracy
As a free action, you can reroll a failed ranged attack roll with a +2 bonus. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to your Dexterity.

Ravager
Ravagers use Strength as their primary attribute and gain the following abilities:

Power Attack
As a free action, you can take a -2 penalty on your next melee attack roll this round, and gain a +2 bonus to damage if the attack is successful.

Relentless
As a free action after a failed melee attack roll, you can deal Physical damage to the target of the attack equal to your Strength. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to your Strength.

Challenge
You may challenge an enemy after attacking them (even on a failed attack roll) as a free action. They take a -2 penalty to attack rolls and saves if they target any creature other than you with an attack roll or ability. Challenge lasts 1 round and can only be used once per round.

Warrior Milestone
Increase your primary attribute and an additional attribute of choice by +1. You gain a +1 bonus on weapon damage rolls, and the penalty inflicted by Challenge increases by -1. An ability granted by your Vocation improves as shown below:

Champion: You recover +1 HP with Battle Vigor

Marksman: The bonus granted by Sniper increases by +1.

Ravager: The bonus to damage granted by Power Attack increases by +1.

Table of Contents

[Lappy9001]

Maneuvers and Martial Disciplines
The purview of warriors, maneuvers represent mastery over weaponry or tactics, and are divided into groups called martial disciplines. Granting bonuses to attack, damage, and rerolls on saves, maneuvers focus on overwhelming offense, imposing defense, teamwork, and self-sufficiency. When learning maneuvers, the base ability (called the base maneuver in this section) is automatically gained whenever another maneuver from the discipline is learned. However, the base maneuver grants no AP, nor does it benefit from itself if it increases in power from other maneuvers.

Attack Points
Whenever a maneuver is learned a single Attack Point (AP) is gained. Attack Points are automatically added to a character’s attack rolls and applies to any weapon they wield. Attack Points often passively affect maneuvers, increasing their potency.

Combat Style and Proficiency
Many martial disciplines focus on a certain group of equipment, and require a certain combat style in order work effectively. Typically, this is as simple as wielding a one-handed weapon in order to use the one-handed discipline.

Proficiency is gained from a character’s class or from a base maneuver of certain martial disciplines. A character using a weapon or armor they are not proficient with cannot benefit from any Properties the weapon or armor possesses (see Equipment and Weapons in the section below).

Archery
The archery martial discipline benefits the dexterous and perceptive combatant, and focuses on the speed and lethality of ranged weapons. Archery maneuvers rely on dealing critical damage and multiple attacks that greatly increase the chance for a deadly shot.
Combat Style: You must be wielding a ranged weapon.

Deadly Aim (Base Maneuver)
Increase the Critical Threat of ranged weapons by 2 for each Archery maneuver learned. You gain proficiency with ranged weapons.

Hit and Run
You can make a ranged attack roll (still as a major action) during a move action and continue moving with the same move action as long as you have Speed remaining this turn.

Penetrate Defense
After dealing critical damage to an enemy, your next successful ranged attack roll on that target within 1 round automatically deals critical damage.

Rapid Shot
After a successful ranged attack roll, you can make additional attack rolls with ranged weapons this round, each as a minor action.

Heavy Armor
The heavy armor martial discipline focuses in using the often cumbersome weight of mail to its full advantage. Heavy armor maneuvers are less about avoiding attacks, and more about absorbing damage, allowing wielders to fighter longer and worry less about their Hit Points.
Combat Style: You must be wearing heavy armor.

Damage Reduction (Base Maneuver)
You gain a +3 Might bonus to Physical Resistance (or increase an existing bonus by +3) for each Heavy Armor maneuver you possess. You gain proficiency with heavy armor.

Adamantine Stance
Whenever you are forcibly moved from your space, you may reduce the amount of space moved by up to 2 Squares, and an additional Square for every 3 AP you possess.

Great Fortitude
You gain a +2 Might bonus to Fortitude saves. Once per round, you may reroll a Fortitude save after making the roll but before hearing the result from the GM.

Fortification
Whenever you are dealt critical damage, you can, as a free action, ignore the additional damage dice from critical damage. You can use Fortification once per day, and an additional time per day for every 3 AP you possess.

Light Armor
The light armor martial discipline is a popular choice for rogues, duelists, and other skirmish fighters, focusing on mobility. Light armor maneuvers are useful for those who choose to be unburdened by heavy armor, and are effective when wearing no armor at all.
Combat Style: You must be wearing light armor, or no armor.

Mithril Stance (Base Maneuver)
As a free action, you may take a -1 Might penalty to attack rolls and gain a +1 Might bonus to Defense for 1 round. You can choose to increase the penalty by -1 and increase the bonus by +1 for each Light Armor maneuver you possess. You gain proficiency with light armor.

Lightning Reflexes
You gain a +2 Might bonus to Reflex saves. Once per round, you may reroll a Reflex save after making the roll but before hearing the result from the GM.

Momentum
After a successful attack roll, your Initiative result increases by 1.

Sidestep Dodge
Once per round for each light armor maneuver you possess, you can immediately move 1 Square as a free action after being targeted by a failed melee attack, even if you have no Speed remaining this round.

Mounted
Practitioners of the mounted discipline share their martial training with another, a faithful creature that carries them into battle. Mounted combat generally requires more space than normal combat styles, but can allow a fighter to quickly travel anywhere on the battlefield. Training a mount falls under the Nature skill, which is also used to control the mount. A character can use mounted maneuvers while riding any creature with the Mount trait.

A willing creature with the mount trait can allow a rider that does not possess the Giant trait to ride them. A mount and rider share the same space and combine actions, allowing a major, move, and minor action between them. Both act under the same turn, and can use either Initiative (whichever is higher), with the mount’s Speed. Any attack that affects a rider can instead affect the mount and vice versa, and effects that push can either knock the rider off the mount, or instead move the mount.
Combat Style: You must be riding a mount.

Shared Strength (Base Maneuver)
You can spend 1 day with a rideable creature and mark it as your designated mount, although you can only have one such mount at a time. While riding your designated mount, it gains a bonus to HP equal to ½ your HP total, and a bonus to Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves equal to ½ your total bonus for each save. The mount also gains a +1 Might bonus to defense, saves, and +10 HP for each mounted maneuver you possess.

Ride-By Attack
You can make a melee attack roll (still as a major action) during a move action and continue moving with the same move action as long as you have Speed remaining this turn.

Rider's Bond
Any temporary beneficial ability that affects you also affects your designated mount if you are riding or are adjacent to one another.

Spirited Charge
Increase Maneuver Difficulty by +2 while mounted.

One-Handed
Focusing on precision and speed, the one-handed martial discipline allows agile fighters to strike with multiple attacks, often while wielding multiple weapons. In addition to an increased critical threat range, one-handed maneuvers can block attacks and deal extra damage to slower or unwary opponents.
Combat Style: You must be wielding single or dual one-handed weapons.

Dueling (Base Maneuver)
Increase the critical threat of one-handed weapons by 1 for each one-handed maneuver you possess. You gain proficiency with one-handed weapons.

Dual Strike
After a successful melee attack roll, you can make additional attack rolls with melee weapons this round, each as a minor action.

Parry
Once per round as a minor action, you may make a damage roll after taking damage from an enemy attack or ability, and reduce the damage taken by that amount (to a minimum of 0). Parry can be used even if it is not your turn, but still requires the use of a minor action.

Precision
After a successful melee attack on a flanked enemy or an enemy with a lower Initiative result, you roll an additional damage dice for your damage roll. You can roll an additional damage dice for every 3 AP you possess.

Shield
The shield martial discipline focuses primarily on defense, allowing the wielder to deflect attacks rather than absorb them. Shield maneuvers also grant abilities to overrun opponents and guard nearby allies.
Combat Style: You must be wielding a shield.

Iron Stance (Base Maneuver)
You can use the Defend tactic as a Minor action. While using the Defend Tactic, you gain a +1 Might bonus to defense. The bonus increases by +1 for every Shield maneuver you possess. You gain proficiency with shields.

Overrun
When using the Charge Tactic, you can move through enemy space. Enemies in your path must succeed a Fortitude save or be pushed back or aside up to 2 Squares (your choice). If the enemy succeeds on the save, or if they are pushed back, your movement ends. The distance you can push back an enemy increases by 1 Square for every 3 AP you possess.

Shieldmate
When using the Defend tactic, adjacent allies gain a +1 Might bonus to Defense. This bonus increases by +1 for every 3 AP you possess.

Warden
Whenever a melee attack would target an adjacent ally, you can choose for that attack to target you instead.

Spellbreaker
The spellbreaker martial discipline takes use of specialized mental and physical techniques to channel arcane energy into attacks. Spellbreaker maneuvers allow wielders to rob casters of their Magic Points and can even cancel out beneficial spell effects.
Combat Style: None. Spellbreaker can be used with any weapon or armor combination.

Smite
After a successful attack, you can force the enemy you attacked to lose 1d4 MP or to lose 1 use of an ability that has daily uses. Targets that succeed a Will save ignore this effect. The MP loss increases by +2 and the ability loss increases by +1 for every Spellbreaker maneuver you possess.

Break Concentration
As a minor action, you force adjacent enemies attempting to cast spells to double the MP cost of the spell. Targets that succeed a Will save ignore this effect.

Dispel
As a minor action, you cause an enemy target affected by Smite since the start of your last turn must succeed a Fortitude save or have one spell or beneficial condition (Bolstered, Concealed, Hasted, or Regeneration) currently affecting them end immediately.

Iron Will
You gain a +2 Might bonus to Will saves. Once per round, you may reroll a Will save after making the roll but before hearing the result from the GM.

Tactician
Mastering the battlefield through strategy, mobility, and positioning, the tactician martial discipline allows wielders to stay one step ahead of their opponents, and take actions outside of their turn.
Combat Style: None. Tactician can be used with any weapon or armor combination.

Surround
When using the Flank Tactic, you can Flank from any angle, as long as you and an ally are adjacent to the same enemy's space. In addition, you and allies participating in the Flank gain a +1 Might bonus to attack rolls for every Tactician maneuver you possess.

Counter
After being targeted by a failed melee attack, you may use a minor action to immediately make a melee weapon attack against that target, even if it is not your turn. Counter may only be used once per round.

Impede
You can make an attack roll against an enemy who moves into or through your adjacent space as a free action, even if it is not your turn. Impede may only be used once per round, although it can be used even if you have no actions remaining.

Pursuit
When an enemy leaves your adjacent space, you may follow them as a move action up to your Speed if you have Speed remaining this round, even if it is not your turn. Pursuit may be only be used once per round.

Two-Handed
The two-handed martial discipline focuses on overwhelming offense to bring down even the most powerful of opponents. Two-handed maneuvers allow fighters to charge into position, scything through enemies and scattering their ranks.
Combat Style: You must be wielding a two-handed weapon.

Lancer (Base Maneuver)
When using the Charge Tactic, you gain a +1 Might bonus to Speed for each two-handed maneuver you possess. In addition, you gain a +1 Might bonus to Damage rolls for each two-handed maneuver you possess.

Cleave
After a successful melee attack, you may make another melee attack on an adjacent enemy as a minor action.

Knockback
After a successful melee attack, you may push an enemy backwards up to 2 Squares as a minor action. Targets that succeed a Fortitude save ignore this effect. The distance you can push back an enemy increases by 1 Square for every 3 AP you possess.

Sundering Assault
After a successful or failed melee attack, you may cause the space occupied by your opponent to become difficult terrain as a minor action.

Weapon Mastery
The martial discipline of weapon mastery focuses on using a weapon to its maximum potential for both damage and adaptability. By honing both the body and the mind, an adherent to weapon mastery can also use their fists as effectively as any blade.
Combat Style: None. Weapon Mastery can be used with any weapon or armor combination.

Weapon Specialization (Base Maneuver)
Increase the damage dice of any weapon (including your fists) you wield by 1 increment.

Adaptability
A single weapon you wield gains an additional property as long as you possess it. Once the extra property has been chosen, it cannot be changed. If you learn or have learned the Pugilist maneuver, your fists gain an additional property.

Pugilist
You gain a Might bonus to Defense equal to 2 plus ½ your AP when unarmored. Your fists gain two of the following properties and increase their damage dice by 1 increment; Flurry, Ki-Strike, or Natural Weapon.

Sure Hit
You can reroll a result of 1 on your weapon’s damage dice, once per damage roll.

Table of Contents

[Lappy9001]

Spells and Arcane Schools
The purview of mages, spells allows magic users to tug on the lines of reality and alter the world around them. Spells are divided into different groups of knowledge called arcane schools. Spells allow casters to clear out large clusters of enemies, weakening individual targets, and to empower allies. When learning spells, the base ability (called the base spell in this section) is automatically gained whenever another spell from the school is learned. However, the base spell grants no MP. All spells use Charisma to determine Difficulty.

Magic Points
Whenever a spell is learned, 1d4+3 Magic Points (MP) are gained. Just like Hit Points, the roll for MP can be rerolled once. Casting a spell uses at least 1 MP, and MP is fully restored during a Rest.

Spell Effects and Metamagic
Most spells become more powerful by spending additional MP when the spell is cast, although what happens by spending this extra MP is detailed in the spell’s description. If a spell forces a target to make a Save roll, each additional 1 MP spent in the casting of the spell increases the spell’s Difficulty by +1. The maximum MP that can be used on a spell equals the level of the caster. Unless otherwise noted, spells can be cast on a space or target within 5 Squares.

When all the spells in an arcane school are learned, the caster can augment the power of the base spell using effects called metamagic. Only one metamagic can be applied to a base spell, and once chosen cannot be changed. Metamagic can generally only be applied to certain base spells, as shown below:

Empower Spell
The damage dice of the base spell is increased by 1 increment. The dice used in Cure Wounds increases by 1 increment.
Spells: Blizzard, Cure Wounds, Fireball, Lightning Bolt.

Extend Spell
The base spell’s duration is increased by 3 rounds.
Spells: Barrier, Jinx, Necrosis

Permanency
The base spell costs 1 less MP to cast, allowing it to be cast without MP if only 1 MP would have been used in the casting.
Spells: Barrier, Blink, Blizzard, Cure Wounds, Fireball, Foresight, Jinx, Lightning Bolt, Necrosis, Recall Obect

Divination
The arcane school of foretelling future events, divination allows casters to alter fate and gain sight from afar. Divination spells are generally more useful outside of combat, although their ability to link allies together telepathically and predict outcomes can be indispensible.

Foresight (Base Spell)
You grant yourself or an ally a +1 Spirit bonus to all d20 rolls made within 3 rounds. The duration increases by 3 rounds, and the bonus increases by +1 for every additional 3 MP spent on this spell.

Augury
You gain a quick look into fate, allowing you to know the general result of an action as favorable, unfavorable, both, or neither. In addition, you can reroll your next essentia roll within 1 minute. Augury can only see into the short-term future of around half an hour. The duration of the spell increases by 1 minute for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Mindlink
You establish a telepathic link between yourself and an ally for 1 hour that persists regardless of distance. Participating targets can communicate with a shared language and know the general status of others in the mindlink such as: alive, injured, or dying. The duration increases by 1 hour for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Scrying
You can view a familiar object, creature, or space from afar for 1 minute. Your line of sight follows the target, and allows you to view the target's surroundings within 2 Squares. Targets that succeed a Will save ignore this effect and cannot be targeted by Scrying again for 24 hours.

Enchantment
The arcane school of the mind, enchantment spells focus on bending others to the will of the caster. Enchantment spells infiltrate the mind of a target directly, allowing a caster to both mentally cripple opponents in battle, and bolster allies.

Jinx (Base Spell)
You afflict an enemy with a -2 Spirit penalty to Attack and Damage rolls for 3 rounds. Targets that succeed a Will save ignore this effect. The duration increases by 3 rounds, and the penalty increases by -1 for every additional 3 MP spent on this spell.

Fear
You inflict an enemy with the Demoralized condition for 3 rounds. Targets that succeed a Will save ignore this effect. The duration increases by 1 round for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Heroism
You grant yourself or an ally the Bolstered condition for 3 rounds. The duration increases by 1 round for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Illusion
You create a illusion of an object, creature, or force that lasts for 3 rounds. The illusion replicates sight, smell, sound, and can be moved within 10 Squares of you as a minor action. The duration increases by 1 round for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Flame
The arcane school of heat energy, flame spells focus on dealing damage to multiple targets with the power of fire. Flame spells often affect the area around targets to explode in incredible waves of heat that can cause lingering fires or blinding flashes of light.

Fireball (Base Spell)
You throw a ball of flame affecting one Square and its adjacent space, dealing 1d8 Fire damage to all targets within the area. Targets that succeed a Reflex save take half damage. The damage increases by +1d8 for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Flame Shield
You wreathe yourself in flame for 3 rounds, causing any enemy that attacks you from your adjacent space to take 1d6 Fire damage. The damage increases by +1d6 and the duration increases by 1 round for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Flare
You afflict an enemy with the Blinded condition for 3 rounds. Targets that succeed a Will save ignore this effect. The duration increases by 1 round for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Wall of Fire
You cause up to 5 Squares (each Square must be touching another) to burst into flame for 3 rounds, dealing 1d4 Fire damage to all targets within or moving through the area. The damage increases by +1d4, the duration increases by 1 round, and the spell affects 1 more Square for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Healing
The arcane school of healing focuses on the healing of the body and spirit, allowing the wounded to bounce right back from harm. Healing spells can also grant beneficial Conditions, and can even bring recently killed characters back to life.

Cure Wounds (Base Spell)
You cause an adjacent ally to recover Hit Points equal to twice their level plus an additional 1d12 HP for every 1 MP spent on this spell.

Rejuvenate
You grant an adjacent ally the Regeneration condition for 3 rounds. The duration increases by 1 round for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Resurrection
You bring a dead adjacent ally back to life at 0 HP, then restore HP equal to twice their level. This effect can only revive an ally that died within 1 round for every 1 MP spent on this spell.

Vitality Surge
You grant an adjacent ally the Hasted condition for 3 rounds. The duration increases by 1 round for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Ice
The arcane school of ice focuses on dealing damage to multiple targets with the power of Cold. Ice spells can create temporary hail storms, freeze over areas of ground, or cause opponents to become frozen in their tracks.

Blizzard (Base Spell)
You show up to 3 Squares with icy shards, dealing 1d8 Cold damage to all targets within the area. Targets that succeed a Fortitude save take half damage. The damage increases by +1d8 and affects 1 more Square for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Flash Freeze
You inflict an enemy with the Slowed condition for 3 rounds. The duration increases by 1 round for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Ice Sheet
You freeze one Square and its adjacent space which becomes Difficult Terrain for 3 rounds. The duration increases by 1 round for every additional 3 MP spent on this spell.

Mist Cloud
You conjure a cloud of mist affecting one Square and its adjacent space for 3 rounds, granting the Concealed condition to all targets within. The duration increases by 1 round for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Necromancy
The arcane school of necromancy focuses sapping life energy and light away from targets. Necromancy spells can cause the bodies of living creatures to quickly rot and decay while draining away their essence. Those slain by necromancy may revive as a violent undead and strike down their allies.

Necrosis (Base Spell)
You afflict an enemy with the Poisoned condition for 3 rounds. Targets that succeed a Fortitude save ignore this effect. The duration increases by 1 round for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Animate Dead
You raise an adjacent corpse into a revenant that follows your commands to the best of its ability (see Revenant in the monster section). The revenant lasts for 1 minute, after which it crumbles to dust. If you are unable to give it commands, the revenant will attack the nearest enemy target while remaining within 5 Squares of you. The duration increases by 1 minute for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Death Knell
You create a field of negative energy affecting all space within 5 Squares of your for 1 minute. Each time an enemy is reduced to below 0 HP within range, you and any revenants under your control gain the Regeneration condition for 1 round. In addition, any enemies under the Dying condition within range must succeed a Fortitude save or immediately die. The duration increases by 1 minute for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Enervate
You inflict an enemy with the Weakened condition for 3 rounds. Targets that succeed a Fortitude save ignore this effect. The duration increases by 1 round for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Protection
The arcane school of protection focuses on creating magical barriers and wards to shield yourself and allies from harm. While protection spells are fairly straightforward, they can guard against a variety of effects including incoming attacks, elemental damage, and environmental hazards.

Barrier (Base Spell)
You grant yourself or an adjacent ally a +5 Spirit bonus to Cold, Fire, Physical, or Shock resistance for 1 minute. The duration increases by 1 minute, and the bonus increases by +5 for every additional 3 MP spent on this spell.

Feather Fall
You cause yourself or an ally within 10 Squares to become lighter for 1 minute, their weight is halved and they float gently from heights taking no falling damage. The duration increases by 1 minute for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Glyph of Invulnerability
You cause yourself or an adjacent ally to take no damage from extreme weather conditions for 1 minute. In addition, targets affected are no longer required to breathe. The duration increases by 1 minute for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Spell Shield
You grant yourself or an adjacent ally a +1 Spirit bonus to Defense for 1 minute. The duration increases by 1 minute and the bonus increases by +1 for every additional 3 MP spent on this spell.

Storm
The arcane school of storm focuses on dealing damage to multiple targets with the power of Shock. Emitting bolts of electricity, storm spells create a power force of energy that passes right through enemy defenses, and can even send them flying.

Lightning Bolt (Base Spell)
You send a bolt of lightning in a straight horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line, dealing 1d10 Shock damage to all targets within the space (where the bolt passes through the center of their occupied space). Targets that succeed a Reflex save take half damage. The damage increases by +1d10 for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Gust of Wind
You unleash a gale of wind at an enemy, pushing them away from you up to 2 Squares, or 4 Squares if the target is hovering of flying. If the enemy collides with a creature or solid object, both take 1d8 Physical damage for every 2 Squares they were pushed. Targets that succeed a Fortitude save ignore this effect. The distance you can push the target increases by 1 Square for every additional 3 MP spent on this spell.

Shockwave
You emit a shockwave, dealing 1d8 Shock damage to all adjacent enemies and pushes them back 1 Square. Targets that succeed a Reflex save either take half damage, or are pushed backed 1 less Square (their choice). The damage increases by 1d10 and the number of Squares creatures are pushed back increases by 1 for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Stormcloud
You summon a cloud that hovers over a single target for 3 rounds. Whenever the target attempts an attack or ability that targets you or one of your allies, the target takes 1d12 Shock damage. Targets that succeed a Fortitude save take half damage. The damage increases by 1d12 and the duration increases by 1 round for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Summoning
The summoning arcane school allows you to create intangible forces that can perform various tasks. Forces summoned are mindless, take up 1 Square of space, are affected by gravity (they remain ground-based), and cannot be attacked, but can take damage from effects that target space. Any force created through a summoning spell has 5 HP for every 1 MP spent on the spell.

Recall Object (Base Spell)
You can place an invisible mark on a single non-living adjacent item weighing less than 10 lbs. You can then summon the marked item into your hand as a free action, regardless of distance, as long as the item is unattended. Placing the mark on another item removes the previous mark.

Phantom Steed
You summon a transparent steed that possesses the Mounted monster trait and lasts for 1 hour that only you can ride or interact with. The phantom steed can only move while being ridden and has a speed of 6 Squares and can carry 200 lbs. The duration increases by 1 hour, the speed increases by 1 Square, and the weight carried increases by 50 lbs for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Supportive Spirit
You summon a supportive spirit that lasts for 1 minute and allows you to use spells that affect your adjacent space to instead affect the spirit's adjacent space. The supportive spirit can be commanded to move at a speed of 4 Squares as a minor action, but must remain within 10 Squares of you otherwise it dissipates. The duration increases by 1 minute for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Unseen Servant
You summon an unseen servant that lasts for 1 hour that can perform any simple task with a Difficulty lower than 10. The unseen servant can be telepathically commanded to perform a single task at a time, lift up to 25 lbs, or move at a speed of 4 Squares as a minor action, but must remain within 10 Squares of you otherwise it dissipates. The duration increases by 1 hour for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Teleportation
The arcane school of teleportation focuses on instantly moving from one place to another. Teleportation spells can distort the caster’s form to deflect attacks, shift the caster and allies from distant locations, and can swap the positions of combatants in battle.

Blink (Base Spell)
You instantly teleport up to 2 Squares to an unoccupied space as a minor action. After you teleport, you gain Concealment for 3 rounds. The duration increases by 1 round, and the distance you can teleport increases by 2 Squares for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Dimension Swap
You change position with another target, or swap the position of two allies. Targets that succeed a Will save ignore this effect.

Distortion Field
You cause the space you move through after casting this spell to become difficult terrain for 1 round. The duration increases by 1 round for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Spatial Recall
You create an invisible magical beacon in an adjacent Square that lasts for 1 day. You can then use this spell (costing no MP) to transport yourself and all adjacent allies to the beacon regardless of range, causing it to dissipate. If the beacon’s space is occupied when teleport is attempted, the spell fails. You may only have one beacon active at a time. The duration increases by 1 day for every additional 1 MP spent on this spell.

Table of Contents

[Lappy9001]

Talents and Skills
The purview of rogues, talents are tricks and powers representing expertise in a wide and varied field of skills. Useful both in and out of combat, talents focus on mobility, interaction, survival, crafting, and luck. When learning talents, the base ability (called the base talent in this section) is automatically gained whenever another talent from the skill is learned. However, the base talent grants no SP, nor does it benefit from itself if it increases in power from other talents.

Skill Points
Whenever a talent is learned 2 Skill Points (SP) are gained, added to the skill that the talent belongs to. Skill points stack with all other modifiers of a skill. All characters gain a +1 bonus to a number of skills equal to their Intelligence at 1st level. Each skill also has an associated Attribute that is added to the overall total of the skill. Unlike maneuvers and spells, some talents grant untyped bonuses.

Using Skills and Trained Skills
Each class gains a number of trained skills; two for mages and warriors, and four for rogues. Trained skills are selected at 1st level and add +5 to the overall bonus to the skill. All skills have multiple uses, and some take more than a single round to complete. Most skills are rolled against a Difficulty set or modified by the GM, while others (specifically Perception, Persuasion, and Stealth) are rolled against another character or monster. In the latter example, both skills are rolled against one another and the highest prevails.

Use the table below as a guideline for Difficulty. Difficulty 10 or lower doesn't normally require a skill roll.

Difficulty	Required Roll
Easy	10
Average	15
Above Average	20
Difficult	25
Challenging	30
Formidable	35
Heroic	40
Near Impossible	50

Alchemy (Intelligence)
The ancient craft of herbalism, the alchemy skill represents knowledge of ingredients both helpful and harmful that can be brewed into alchemical item. An alchemy roll can be used to identify plants, molds, and toxins, and can identify if food or drink are poisoned or otherwise safe to consume. Alchemy can also be used during the course of a Rest to double HP recovery with an Average Difficulty increased by +2 for each target being healed. You can create non-magical alchemical items (items other than potions, bombs, and poisons) with a Alchemy roll of Average Difficulty, 1 hour or work, and ½ the base price of the item in materials.

Alchemist (Base Talent)
You can now create potions, bombs, and poisons using essentia and the appropriate materials (See the Equipment section for details). You gain +3 Cunning bonus to Cold, Fire, or Shock Resistance (or increase an existing bonus by +3) for each Alchemy talent you possess.

Healing Touch
You can spend 1 essentia as a minor action to restore yourself or an adjacent ally Hit Points equal to your level plus your Intelligence, times 2. In addition, if the target is Blinded, Poisoned, or Weakened, the condition's duration is reduced by 3 rounds.

Masterful Alchemy
Whenever you craft an alchemical item, the process creates two items instead of one.

Transmutation
As a free action before using a bomb, you can change its damage type (Cold, Fire, Physical or Shock), and increase the bomb’s damage dice by 1 increment.

Athletics (Strength / Dexterity)
The Athletics skill focuses primarily on mobility, being used to balance, climb, jump, and swim and are almost always rolled against a Difficulty. The talents granted by athletics allow for new options to move around the battlefield and increased Speed. Unique among the skills, characters can choose to use either Strength or Dexterity as the associated attribute to athletics.

Fleet (Base Talent)
You gain a +1 Cunning bonus to Initiative and Speed while unarmored or wearing light armor for every athletics talent learned.

Evasion
You gain a +2 Cunning bonus to Reflex saves. You may use 1 essentia to move up to ½ your Speed after a successful Reflex save as a free action if you have Speed remaining this round.

Parkour
You may run up or across vertical walls up to ½ your Speed during a move action. You must end your movement on a horizontal space otherwise you take falling damage as normal. In addition, you can negate 10 ft. of falling damage for every 1 Speed you possess.

Tumble
You may move through an enemy’s space at half speed with a successful athletics roll, using the target’s Defense as Difficulty.

Endurance (Constitution)
Representing intense physical training and conditioning, Endurance is useful to survive lethal situations, and possibly evade death altogether. This skill can be used to hold your breath for a number of rounds equal to your Endurance bonus and to concentrate amid distractions. Creatures die when they reach negative Hit Points equal to their total Endurance bonus.

Toughness (Base Talent)
You gain 5 Hit Points for every endurance talent learned.

Conditioning
You increase the hit dice used in your class’ HP per level by 1 increment, and use that dice for all future levels. If you have already rolled HP for this level, you may choose to roll again using the increased hit dice.

Diehard
You maintain consciousness while Dying, allowing you to take a single action per round, however you still lose 1 HP.

Second Wind
You gain a +2 Cunning bonus to Fortitude saves. You may spend 2 essentia as a free action to gain the Regeneration condition for 1 minute.

Knowledge (Intelligence)
Knowledge both general and specific, knowledge rolls can be used to recall information about culture, history, religion, creatures, legends, and famous individuals. A knowledge roll can be used to identify the name and type of a monster, abilities the monster possesses, and weaknesses. Although the Difficulty is typically up to the GM depending on how well known the monster's existence is, a generally rule to use Easy Difficulty and add +2 for each monster level to identify name and type. If roll is successful, every 2 by which the Difficulty is exceeded reveals an ability or weakness (character's choice).

Knowledge rolls can also appraise the value of an item with an Average Difficulty and adding +1 for each increment of 100 Gold in the item's price. Knowledge rolls are usually a free action and normally can't be rolled again for the same topic.

Keen Intuition (Base Talent)
You may use 1 essentia as a minor action to immediately reveal abilities or weaknesses possessed by a monster as if you had succeeded on Knowledge roll. The effective roll is successful by an additional 2 for every Knowledge talent you possess.

Arcane Study
You learn two cantrips from the mage class, or learn an additional cantrip if you are already a mage. If you are not a mage, a cantrip that increases in power does so each milestone.

Detect Magic
You can identify spells being cast and spells effecting a target or object within 10 Squares. You can detect the school of a spell cast previously up to 1 day for each MP spend during the spell’s casting. You can also determine any Magical Properties an item possesses.

Surge of Insight
You gain a +2 cunning bonus to Will saves. You may use 1 essentia as a free action to gain a Cunning bonus equal to your level on all skill rolls made within 1 minute rounds.

Mechanics (Intelligence)
Mechanics represents the usage of tools and gadgetry, allowing users to open locks, pilot vehicles, and disable and set traps. Mechanics rolls are almost always made against a set Difficulty. The mechanics skill can be used to repair weapons damaged by the Disable Device as an Average Difficulty, restoring their original properties with the appropriate tools and 1 hour of uninterrupted work.

Tools of the Trade (Base Talent)
You can create traps using the appropriate materials. Whenever you use an item that grants an Item bonus or a weapon with the Masterwork Property, you increase the bonus provided by +1. In addition, traps you create increase their Difficulty by +2 for each Mechanics talent learned.

Disable Device
After a successful melee attack as a minor action, you can force one adjacent enemy to lose a property of one weapon they carry. Targets that succeed a Reflex save ignore this effect. In addition, you are able to jam a lock to prevent it from being opened. Doing so takes 1 round and increases the Difficulty to open a lock by 5.

Jury Rig
You can reassign the damage dice and Properties of a weapon as an Above Average Difficulty with the appropriate tools and 1 hour of uninterrupted work. Applying the Masterwork or Ammunition Properties in this manner requires no gold.

Trapsmith
When you attempt to disable a trap, you do not set the trap off if you fail the roll by 5 or more. In addition, once you successfully reset a trap, you can allow yourself and your allies to pass through the trap's space without setting off the trap.

Nature (Wisdom)
The ability to survive any type of hostile setting falls under the purview of the nature skill. Nature rolls can be used to forage for food, find water, and to track, tame, and ride animals. Nature rolls are made against a Difficulty, except when tracking or taming a creature. If the tracked creature is attempting to hide their tracks, opposed nature rolls are made. Using an opposed nature roll against a non-hostile animal can allow the user to befriend the creature, and teach a trick if tamed and taught the trick over the course of a week. Riding a creature trained as a mount requires a roll of Easy Difficulty, but increases during combat or if the mount is hurt or spooked. An opposed roll is used if the creature refuses to bear the rider.

Endure Elements (Base Talent)
Reduce the damage dice you take from hazards by 1 increment (minimum 1d4) for every Nature Talent you possess.

Beast Friend
You gain a familiar as a companion. You choose which type of familiar you receive when you learn this talent and designate a specialized skill (Athletics, Endurance, Nature, Perception, or Stealth). While within 5 Squares of your familiar, you gain a +2 bonus to the designated skill. You can summon your familiar into your space or dismiss it as a minor action, in which it disappears until summoned again. If killed your familiar disappears, and can be summoned again in 1 day.

Expert Tracker
Reduce the Difficulty to track a creature by 5 for each Nature Talent you possess; if this reduces the Difficulty below 10, you automatically succeed at tracking that creature.

Wild Walker
When determining how many miles your character can traverse in a day use your Speed +2. In addition, you ignore Speed penalties from Difficult Terrain.

Perception (Wisdom)
Relying on the senses, perception is used to spot, hear, smell, or feel objects and creatures that are hidden, or to sense deception. Perception is rolled against a Difficulty when searching for a hidden object (unless a creature is trying to conceal an object on their person), and rolled against either an opposed Stealth roll to find hiding creatures, or an opposed Speech roll to see through lies and falsehoods.

Second Glance (Base Talent)
You may immediately reroll a Perception roll after it was made, but before hearing the result. Second Glance can be used once per day for every Perception talent learned.

Blind Sense
You can see in low light conditions as if they were fully lit. You can make a Perception roll as a minor action to act normally if Blinded or otherwise unable to see. This roll is made against an enemy’s Defense if attacking, or a skill’s Difficulty.

Uncanny Intuition
As a free action, you can make a perception (prompted by the GM) when being viewed from afar or within 2 Squares of a concealed door or passage. You cannot be Flanked.

Weak Point
As a minor action, you can make a Perception roll against an enemy’s defense to determine their current Hit Points.

Runecrafting (Int)
Talented scribes often find that the pen is mightier than the sword, and can sometimes make the sword more powerful. Runecrafting encompasses the use of mundane written language, ancient ciphers, and magic runes alike. Runecrafting can be used to decipher secret codes and create or identify forgeries using opposed Runecrafting rolls.

Artificer (Base Talent)
By scribing a rune on the chosen item, you bind a part of your essence into the object. You can now apply magic properties to weapons, armor, and gems (to create wondrous items) using essentia and the appropriate materials (See the Equipment section for details). You gain an additional point of essentia for every Runecrafting talent you possess.

Arcane Conduit
You can benefit from an additional magical property.

Disruption
You can spend 1 essentia as a minor action to force one adjacent enemy to lose the magical property of one magic item they carry for 1 hour. Targets that succeed a Will save ignore this effect.

Extract Essence
You can destroy a held magical item and use its residual energy in place of your essentia when creating a magical item. However, your total essential pool is still reduced by 1 until the item is destroyed.

Speech (Charisma)
The refined art of communication and language, the speech skill is used while interacting with others to barter, negotiate, intimate, lie, and seduce. Typically a speech roll is rolled against another target’s speech roll when trying to barter, negotiate, intimidate, or seduce. However, when practicing deception, the speech roll is made against the target’s perception roll.

Well Versed (Base Talent)
You learn an additional language for every Speech talent you possess.

Fast Talker
You may immediately reroll a Speech roll after it was made, but before hearing the result. Fast Talker can be used once per day for every Speech talent learned (including this one).

Haggle
When you make a successful Speech roll to buy or sell an item, you can increase the Gold amount by 10% (if selling) or decrease it by 10% (if buying). If both the seller and buyer possess Haggle, the effects are negated.

Powerful Presence
As a minor action, you cause all Bolstered allies or Demoralized allies within 5 Squares to be affected by the condition for an additional round. Targets that succeed a Will save ignore this effect.

Stealth (Dexterity)
The art of deception and remaining unseen, the stealth skill is used whenever a creature attempts to hide or move silently, although they move at half speed while doing so. The stealth skill is typically rolled against an opposed perception roll, determining whether or not they have been detected.

Probably Just the Wind… (Base Talent)
You may immediately reroll a Stealth roll after making the roll, but before hearing the result. Probably Just the Wind… can be used once per day for each stealth talent learned.

Disguise Self
You can disguise yourself to seem up to 50 lbs. in weight and 1 ft. in height different. You roll two d20’s when you attempt to deceive others with your disguise, and use the higher result.

Muffled Movement
You can move at your full Speed when using the stealth skill to hide or move silently.

Steal
After a successful melee attack, you can steal an unsecured object weighing less than 5 lbs. on the person of the enemy you are targeting. Using Steal is a minor action.

Table of Contents

[Lappy9001]

Equipment
No matter how powerful and self-sufficient a character may be, adventurers need items and equipment to help them on their way. This section details the mundane tools, weapons, and armor that adventurers use daily, as well as prices for rent and purchase of amenities outside of the dungeon.

Currency
The standard of wealth in most of the world is the gold piece (g). Often just referred to as ‘gold’ this currency may be given different names in other regions or named after famous nobles. The titles ‘crown’ and ‘sovereign’ are common terms for the gold piece. For a sense of scale, the average untrained laborer makes about 50g a week totaling to about 2,000 to 4,000g each year, while those in skilled professions make roughly twice that (around 5,000 to 8,000 g or 100 g per week).

Each character starts with 150g at level 1 representing all that they have acquired prior to the start of the adventure.

Equipment can be bought at the price shown on the equipment table below and sold for half that price. However, prices may be more or less expensive depending on region and scarcity. When price disputes arise, opposed Speech rolls are used to barter.

Adventuring Gear
Below are some items that regularly appear in the inventories of prepared adventurers. Items that warrant a special description are detailed below the table. Ed. Note: Prices are roughly based off real-world estimates, where available!

Item	Cost
Backpack	4g
Barrel	3g
Bedroll	4g
Blanket	3g
Candles (5)	1g
Canvas, 1 square yard	2g
Chest	20g
Climbing Piton	2g
Cookware, ceramic	5g
Cookware, brass	20g
Crowbar	5g
Fishing net, 25 ft	4g
Flint and Steel	1g
Grappling Hook	5 g
Healer's Kit	50g
Lantern	10g
Magnifying Glass	25g
Manacles	25g
Mirror	10g
Oil, 1 pint	2g
Parchment, 10 sheets	1g
Rope, 50 ft.	5g
Shovel	3g
Spyglass	50g
Tankard	1g
Torches (5)	1g
Waterskin	2g

Candle: A candle sheds dim light, covering 1 Square of space when lit and burns for 1 hour.

Climbing Pitons: These small metal stakes can be used to traverse vertical surfaces, and when used with rope grant a +2 Item bonus to Athletics rolls made to climb.

Crowbar: A crowbar can be used to break open a door or object, and provides a +2 Item bonus to the Strength rolls made to break objects.

Flask: Made from glass or steel, a flask holds 10 ounces of liquid.

Flint and Steel: Flint and steel can be used to spark a small fire as a major action.

Grappling Hook: When tied to a rope, a grappling hook can be thrown using Strength or Dexterity like a ranged weapon with an effective range of 3 Squares.

Healer's Kit: Filled with mundane alchemic items, a healer's kit grants a +2 Item bonus to Alchemy rolls to increase healing during a rest. The ingredients typically found in an average healer's kit are common and are normally unfit to be created into magical alchemic items (although these reagents can certainly be stored in a healer's kit).

Lantern: A lantern illuminates all space within 5 Squares and lasts for 6 hours with one pint of oil.

Manacles: Varying by quality, a normal set of manacles restrains the use of a creature's hands with a Difficult Difficulty to slip out of (with a Dexterity roll), or break (with a Strength roll).

Magnifying Glass: This fine seeing glass magnifies objects seen at close, granting a +2 Item bonus to Knowledge rolls to appraise an item.

Mirror: Made from a reflective material like glass, crystal, or polished steel, a mirror can be used to reflect light and see around corners. Casting the Scrying spell while touching a mirror allows you to display the scryed image into the mirror's surface.

Oil: One pint of oil burns for 6 hours when used in a lantern.

Rope: Rope has traits of an Average material, and can be broken or slipped out of with an Above Average Difficulty.

Spyglass: A useful hand-held telescope, a spyglass can be used to gain a +2 Item bonus to Perception rolls when looking from afar.

Torch: A torch illuminates all space within 5 Squares and lasts for 1 hour.

Vial: Made from glass or steel, a vial holds 1 ounce of liquid.

Weapons and Armor
Although weapons and armor are most important to the warrior, all characters can benefit from having a weapon handy at their side. Weapons and armor come in all shapes and sizes, and are sorted into six categories. Weapons include one-handed, two-handed, and ranged while armor includes light, heavy, and shields.

Properties
In order to represent the incredible variety of weaponry available, weapons are custom-built to reflect just about any implement an adventurer could want. This is done through the weapon's damage dice and Properties. All non-magical weapons deal Physical damage and use a specific damage dice. Each weapon group has two possible damage dice (one higher, one lower), and can have one or two different Properties assigned to the weapon. Weapons with lower damage dice can have two Properties, while weapons with higher damage dice only have one Property. Of course, this is an abstraction; characters do not actually assign traits to their weapon (normally), and weapons are pre-assigned their damage dice and Properties upon creation. A character can only benefit from a weapon's Properties if they have Proficiency with the weapon group.

In their description, weapons list the available damage dice and Properties, while armor lists a Defense bonus, skill penalty, and Speed penalty. The Defense bonus provides the wearer with an Armor or Shield bonus to Defense, while the Skill penalty inflicts an Armor or Shield penalty to Athletics and Stealth. The Speed penalty also inflicts an Armor or Shield penalty to the wearer's Speed.

Unarmed Combat
Sometimes, adventurers are caught without their equipment but still need to fight, and others may willingly choose to forsake weapons in favored of more personal forms of combat. Races like humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, halflings, and kobolds use their fists, while monsters normally use claws. Unlike other weapons, fists and claws deal 1d4 damage and only gain Properties from certain Abilities.

• Natural Weapon: You may use your Dexterity in place of Strength for Attack rolls.
• Ki-Strike: Your fists are counted as ranged weapons with a range of 5 Squares
• Flurry: Your fists are counted as one-handed weapons.

One-handed Weapons
One-handed weapons tend to focus on speed and precision, and as the name implies, can be wielded in a single hand. Weapons like daggers, short swords, maces, scimitars, katar, whips, flails, and morningstars are all one-handed weapons. One-handed weapons cost 5g and can have the following properties:

• Bludgeoning: You gain a +1 Weapon bonus to damage rolls with this weapon.
• Dual: If wielding two one-handed weapons and one has this Property, you gain a +2 Shield bonus to Defense.
• Finesse: You may use your Dexterity in place of Strength for attack rolls.
• Masterwork: You gain a +1 Weapon bonus to attack rolls with this weapon. However, the price of the weapon doubles. This property does not count towards the total number of properties a weapon possesses.
• Piercing: Extra damage dice from Precision maneuver and Opportunist ability become 1d8 instead of 1d6.
• Slashing: Increase the critical threat of this weapon by 1 with the Dueling maneuver.

Damage Dice	Properties
1d4	2 Properties
1d6	1 Property

Sample One-Handed Weapons

Weapon	Damage Dice	Properties
Dagger	1d4	Finesse, Piercing
Katar	1d4	Dual, Finesse
Morningstar	1d6	Bludgeoning
Rapier	1d6	Finesse/Piercing
Scimitar	1d6	Slashing
Shortsword	1d6	Piercing/Slashing
Whip	1d4	Finesse, Slashing

Two-handed Weapons
Two-handed weapons allow for far more attacking power than lighter weapons, at the cost of requiring two hands to wield. Two-handed weapons include battle axes, greatswords, warhammers, halberds, mauls, lances, glaives, spears, scythes, and falchions. Two-handed weapons cost 15 Gold and can have the following Properties:

• Bludgeoning: You gain a +1 Weapon bonus to damage rolls with this weapon.
• Massive: You can push an enemy back an additional Square with the Knockback maneuver.
• Masterwork: You gain a +1 Weapon bonus to attack rolls with this weapon. However, the price of the weapon doubles. This property does not count towards the total number of properties a weapon possesses.
• Piercing: You gain a +2 Weapon bonus to damage rolls when using the Lancer maneuver.
• Reach: Adjacent space for the Impede maneuver counts as 2 Squares.
• Slashing: You may make one additional attack roll with the Cleave maneuver, each as a Minor action.

Damage Dice	Properties
1d8	2 Properties
1d10	1 Property

Sample Two-Handed Weapons

Weapon	Damage Dice	Properties
Battle Axe	1d8	Massive, Slashing
Greatsword	1d10	Slashing
Halberd	1d8	Slashing, Reach
Lance	1d10	Piercing
Maul	1d8	Bludgeoning, Massive
Scythe	1d8	Reach, Slashing
Spear	1d8	Piercing, Reach

Ranged Weapons
Ranged weapons have an advantage in that they are meant to be fired or thrown at a distance. Weapons like longbows, crossbows, throwing stars, javelins, darts, slings, boomerangs, and firearms are all ranged weapons. Characters using ranged weapons must be at least 1 Square away from an enemy to attack. Ranged weapons have an effective range of 5 Squares, but can be thrown or shot farther with a cumulative -2 penalty for every 5 Squares outside of their effective range to a maximum of 30 Squares.

Ranged weapons cost 10 Gold and can have the following properties:

• Ammunition: This weapon is used with two hands and requires ammunition (arrows, bolts, bullets, etc.) in order to function, which can be drawn as a free action. You do not add your Strength to Damage rolls with this weapon. However, you roll two damage dice when rolling damage (as shown on the table). The price of this weapon triples.
• Close Range: You gain a +1 Weapon bonus to damage rolls with this weapon when used on an enemy within the weapon's effective range.
• Long Range: Increase the effective range of this weapon by 5 Squares, and maximum range by 30 Squares.
• Masterwork: You gain a +1 Weapon bonus to attack rolls with this weapon. However, the price of the weapon doubles. This property does not count towards the total number of properties a weapon possesses.
• Returning: This weapon returns to you when used within the weapon's effective range. Cannot be added to weapons with the Ammunition Property.
• Versatile: This weapon also counts as a one-handed weapon or a two-handed weapon. Cannot be added to weapons with the Ammunition Property.

Damage Dice	Properties
1d4 (2d4 with Ammunition)	2 Properties
1d6 (2d6 with Ammunition)	1 Property

Sample Ranged Weapons

Weapon	Damage Dice	Properties
Boomerang	1d4	Close Range, Returning
Crossbow	2d6	Ammunition
Javelin	1d6	Versatile
Longbow	2d4	Ammunition, Long Range
Musket	2d4	Ammunition, Close Range, Masterwork
Shortbow	2d4	Ammunition, Close Range
Throwing Axe	1d4	Close Range, Versatile

Light Armor
Light armor works best with techniques to dodge incoming attacks, but is still effective at protecting its wearer. Characters add their Dexterity to their Defense when using light armor, but if not Proficient, only gain ½ the Defense bonus (minimum +1). Light Armor costs 25 Gold.

Armor	Defense Bonus	Skill Penalty	Speed Penalty
Cloth	+1	-	-
Leather	+2	-1	-
Hide	+4	-2	-1

Heavy Armor
Heavy armor is designed to absorb and deflect attacks, but can be cumbersome to wear. Characters cannot add their Dexterity to their Defense when using heavy armor and if not Proficient, only gain ½ the Defense bonus. Heavy armor cost 50 Gold.

Armor	Defense Bonus	Skill Penalty	Speed Penalty
Chain	+6	-3	-1
Scale	+8	-4	-1
Plate	+10	-5	-2

Shields
Shields are used to deflect attacks away from the wielder, and are best utilized with the Defend Tactic. Shields require one hand to wield. Characters cannot add their Dexterity to their Defense when using a shield and if not Proficient, only gain ½ the Defense bonus. Shields cost 15 Gold.

Armor	Defense Bonus	Skill Penalty	Speed Penalty
Small Shield	+1	-	-
Large Shield	+2	-2	-
Tower Shield	+4	-3	-1

Table of Contents

[Lappy9001]

Magic Items
Magic items represent several groups of objects that have been infused with arcane energy from their creator. Magical items are divided into four categories: magic armor and weapons, alchemic items, wondrous items, and artifacts.

Magical Properties
Much like weapons, magic items are assigned a magical property that determines the benefits the item grants. Each category of magic items contains a unique set of magical properties.

Magic items draw on the user’s energy, and many require essentia to be used as if altering a dice roll but instead activating the magic item’s effect. A creature can only benefit from 4 magic properties (not including artifacts or alchemic items) at a time, and cannot benefit from multiple items with the same magical property. If a character could benefit from more than 4 magic properties through wearing multiple items, they can swap one effect for another during a Rest.

Crafting Magic Items
Creating a magic item requires a specific talent, depending on the item which you intend to craft. The Artificer talent is required to create magic armor, magic weapons, and wondrous items, letting you infuse a gem set into the object with a magical property. The Alchemist talent is required for alchemic items, causing a reaction in a special herbal concoction to become a magical property. Only the finest materials can retain the energy; the gem set into the object must be worth at least 500 gold and the regents of alchemic items must be worth at least 25 gold. Purchasing a magic item is generally around 1,000 gold plus the base cost of the item or around 50 gold for alchemic items.

It requires 1 hour of uninterrupted work and at least 1 essentia to infuse the object with energy. Doing so reduces the creator’s total essentia pool by 1, transferring their energy into the item to grant it a magical property. Alchemic items do not reduce the total essentia of the creator, but the creator can only craft a number of alchemic items equal to their current essentia total.

The creator’s essentia remains reduced until the item is used up (in the case of an alchemic item) or destroyed. The creator of a magic item can destroy the object, regardless of distance, by focusing for 1 uninterrupted hour, after which the magical property is removed and their essentia is returned. If the creator of a magic item dies, items they created still retain their magical property.

Alchemic Items
Herbal mixtures are potent on their own, but when imbued with essentia, they become potent arcane creations. All of the concoctions from the Equipment section can be granted magical properties.

Potions must be consumed to gain their effect as a minor action. Poisons can be applied to a weapon as a minor action, and take place on the next successful attack. Bombs can be thrown at an enemy or an area of space within 5 Squares as a major action, and affect all adjacent space to where the bomb lands. Bombs deal 1d4 damage for every 2 levels of the thrower, plus their Intelligence. Alchemic items can have 1 magical property from the list below.

Alacrity (Potion): For 1 hour, whenever you are affected by the Hasted condition, it lasts an additional 3 rounds.

Combustion (Bomb): This bomb deals Fire damage.

Darkness (Poison): For 1 hour, whenever the target is affected by the Blinded condition, it lasts an additional 3 rounds.

Dread (Poison): For 1 hour, whenever the target is affected by the Demoralized condition, it lasts an additional 3 rounds.

Exhaustion (Poison): For 1 hour, whenever the target is affected by the Weakened condition, it lasts an additional 3 rounds.

Frost (Bomb): This bomb deals Cold damage.

Healing (Potion): You can spend 1 essentia to recover Hit Points equal to 3 times your level, plus your Intelligence.

Heroism (Potion): For 1 hour, whenever you are affected by the Bolstered condition, it lasts an additional 3 rounds.

Invisibility (Potion): For 1 hour, whenever you are affected by the Concealed condition, it lasts an additional 3 rounds.

Lightning (Bomb): This bomb deals Shock damage.

Mana (Potion): You can spend 1 essentia to recover Magic Points equal to 1d4 + your Intelligence.

Paralysis (Poison): For 1 hour, whenever the target is affected by the Slowed condition, it lasts an additional 3 rounds.

Restoration (Potion): For 1 hour, whenever you are affected by the Regeneration condition, it lasts an additional 3 rounds.

Sustenance (Potion): You do not need to eat, drink, or sleep for 1 day, although you must still take a Rest to recover daily abilities and MP.

Venom (Poison): For 1 hour, whenever the target is affected by the Poisoned condition, it lasts an additional 3 rounds.

Magic Armor and Weapons
Magical properties applied to armor and weapons generally improve the effectiveness of mundane properties or maneuvers. A weapon or armor may have up to 2 magical properties from the list below.

Aegis (Shield): Increase the bonus from the Iron Stance maneuver by +1.

Bull Rush (Shield): You can push an enemy back an additional 2 Squares with the Overrun maneuver.

Charging (Weapon): Increase the bonus from the Lancer maneuver by +1.

Cold (Weapon): You can choose the damage type of this weapon (Cold or Physical) as a free action. You can spend 1 essentia to roll an additional damage dice of Cold.

Determined (Heavy Armor): You can use the Fortification maneuver an additional time per day.

Dispelling (Weapon): The MP loss from the Smite maneuver increases by +2.

Dodging (Light Armor): Increase the bonus from the Mithril Stance maneuver by +1.

Evading (Light Armor): You can use the Lightning Reflexes maneuver an additional time per round.

Fire (Weapon): You can choose the damage type of this weapon (Fire or Physical) as a free action. You can spend 1 essentia to roll an additional damage dice of Fire.

Hawkeye (Ranged Weapon): Reduce the penalty for using the weapon outside of its effective range by 1.

Fluid (Heavy Armor/Light Armor): Decrease the Skill and Speed Penalty inflicted by 1.

Ironskin (Heavy Armor): Increase the bonus from the Damage Reduction maneuver by +3.

Keen (One-Handed/Ranged Weapon): Increase the weapon’s critical threat by 1 with the Deadly Aim or Dueling maneuvers.

Longshot (Ranged Weapon): Increase the effective range of the weapon by 5 Squares.

Resilient (Heavy Armor): You can use the Great Fortitude maneuver an additional time per round.

Resolve (Armor/Shield): You can use the Iron Will maneuver an additional time per round.

Shock (Weapon): You can choose the damage type of this weapon (Physical or Shock) as a free action. You can spend 1 essentia to roll an additional damage dice of Shock.

Wondrous Items
Magical properties can be applied to gems, and worn in jewelry or accessories, creating wondrous items. Wondrous items include amulets, rings, belts, gloves, boots, circlets, or any other worn item that can have a gem embedded within. Wondrous items may have 1 magical property from the list below.

Alchemic Conversion: You can increase a bomb’s damage dice by 1 additional increment with the Transmutation talent.

Camouflage: You can use the Probably Just the Wind… talent an additional time per day.

Cheetah Speed: Increase the Speed and Initiative bonuses from the Fleet talent by +1.

Comprehend Languages: You can speak and understand two additional languages with the Polyglot talent. Once chosen, these additional languages cannot be changed.

Disruption: You can affect two magic items with the Disruption talent.

Equilibrium: You can spend 1 essentia to use the Parkour talent to walk on water and unstable surfaces as if they were vertical walls.

Guises: You can use the Disguise talent to seem up to 100 lbs. in weight and 2 ft. in height different when deceiving others.

Health: You gain 10 Hit Points with the Toughness talent. If lost, these HP are not restored again until healed.

Intuition: You can use the Second Glance talent an additional time per day.

Life Force: You can restore HP with the Healing Touch talent equal to your level plus your Intelligence times 3.

Nature’s Ally: Reduce damage dice taken from environmental hazards by an additional increment with the Endure Elements talent.

Persuasion: You can use the Fast Talker talent an additional time per day.

Predator: Increase the bonus from the Hunter talent by +1.

Spider Climb: You may run up to your Speed when using the Parkour talent.

Artifacts
Unlike other magic items, artifacts are relics from a bygone age, whose creation has been lost to time. No more than a handful of each artifact exists in the world, and some are entirely unique. Artifacts also do not have magical properties, they have their own special arcane powers.

Astral Beacon: A glowing crystalline orb around two feet in diameter, an astral beacon allows the caster of a Spatial Recall spell to use the astral beacon in place of the magical beacon created by the spell. Some cities have been built around astral beacons, often placed on ornate pedestals allowing for instant transit between two locations.

Auferstehung: This Charging Fire Masterwork Slashing Two-Handed Weapon is incapable of dealing Fire damage to monsters without the Unliving trait. Against monsters with the Unliving trait, it automatically is treated as if 1 essentia had been spent on rolling additional Fire damage. In addition, if it deals a Critical Hit against a monster with the Unliving trait, that monster loses that trait.

Dark Skull: Carved from black obsidian, this unholy object, once activated with an evil rite, causes all creatures that have died within 1 mile to rise as revenants within 1 round. Any creature killed by a revenant created by the dark skull itself becomes a revenant within 1 round.

Dread: This Keen Dispelling Finesse Slashing One-Handed Weapon can be used to inflict the Demoralized or Weakened conditions instead of dealing damage. These conditions last until the victim has a Rest.

Planar Gate: Planar gates are arched structure that vary in size, but are usually at least twenty feet wide and high. Covered in glyphs of the Runic language, a planar gate transports any creature that walks through it to an accompanying gate on another plane.

Staff of True Resurrection: Carved from wood that still lives, a staff of true resurrection allows the caster of a resurrection spell to revive an ally that died within 1 day for every 1 MP spent on the spell.

Statue of the Lost Soldiers: Three rough hewn statues of unarmed soldiers stand upon a dark marble pedestal studded with 6 glowing gems. When a weapon or shield is placed within the open hand of a statue, it gains a random magical property. Once the item is removed, the hand that held the item closes, and a crystal fades, releasing its power. Once the gems no longer glow, the statue is drained of its magic.

Table of Contents

[Saidoro]

Not terribly much to say yet, but I'll comment on what's up roughly in order.
I like that you're including the ability to use dex as a fighting stat without forcing people to burn a feat on it or anything.
I like that you're allowing everyone to move and act in the same action, that should do a good amount to help keep things balanced.
Ugh. I've never understood why randomly generating ability scores was seen as a good idea. The ability to re-roll certainly helps as does your new table capping the attribute score bonus at +5. But still, that sort of randomness focused on such a small number of rolls really isn't a good thing from a balance standpoint.
The races look mostly alright, if rather uninteresting apart from one major flaw. Odd ability score bonuses don't work. They mean that someone will either gain a significant bonus (+1 to their modifier) or a almost nonexistent one based on a fairly random variable. Someone who rolls pretty much all even attributes will gain very little from their race while someone who would have put odd numbers into both of the things their race boosts anyway gain quite a bit.
The classes are pretty fantastic. With a sufficiently detailed ability list they should be able to replicate almost anything a player wants to play. There are a few improvements that could be made, though:
First off, just a warning. Everyone in the party needs to be able to do something in combat and to make some sort of contribution to a reasonably wide variety of non-combat situations regardless of class. They don't need to be able to instantly solve every conceivable situation the way hi-op characters can in 3.5 and in fact probably shouldn't ever be able to do that but just because someone's a warrior that doesn't mean you can completely neglect them as soon as swords are put away. I apologize if I'm repeating something you already now, but this is important enough that I'm willing to risk that.
Have you considered giving characters a hit point bonus at first level beyond just the maxed die? At low levels in 3.5 modifiers and hit point values are so small that combat is basically entirely random and the only way to ensure victory is to greatly outnumber your opponent and what you have up so far doesn't really seem to fix this.
I worry that the potentially stack-able numeric bonus provided by the warrior's maneuver and rogue's perk features mean they will be the only ones able to perform those functions competently at higher levels. I obviously haven't been able to playtest this, and it's possible that the spell/maneuver/perk system will render this complaint invalid but it's something to be aware of.
Is there going to be any way for characters to retrain their abilities or otherwise access powers they don't currently have? Characters in your system really don't have all that many abilities and placing one in something that turned out to not be useful could be a significant hit to player power. This really isn't that bad, far better than, say, a 3.5 fighter but it does have the unfortunate trait of hurting people who choose their powers for roleplaying reasons or organically based on what their character has been doing the hardest and those are the people who most DMs least like to punish for their design choices.

[WyvernLord]

Looks good so far looking forward to the rest.
Also it is shield not shied for AC. Though it would be a hilarious idea.

[Lappy9001]

Running the Game
Perhaps the most important part of the game is running the world, and the Game Master inheirits the bulk of that task. To ease in the endeavor of making the world more believable or fantastic, playing in a pre-existing universe may hold appeal. Of course, you can just as easily write up your own world either in advance or develop it solely based off the player's actions.

Players can help flesh out the world by designing backstories, characteristics, and motivations for their characters. Each action a character takes is an act of roleplaying, whether they choose to talk or fight, if they're cunning, quiet, adventrous, brash, or anything else in between.

Gamemastery
Becoming a good GM takes time, paitence, practice (and likely the assistance of some online guides) just like anything else, but here are a few tips to help out:

Fun
You are, after all, playing a game with friends. The most important thing is that everyone has fun. What this means can vary from group to group, but try to keep in mind that everyone's enjoyment trumps rules or story alike. Sometimes this means constant battles and dungeon crawls, while othertimes it means straight role-playing where dice are hardly rolled. And sometimes it means fudging dice rolls to increase the challenge of a boring encounter, or giving a haggard character a break. Of course, everyone playing has a role in making sure the game night is enjoyable, each making sure to treat everyone else with respect and open-mindedness.

Consistency
When a GM makes a decision, it is a good idea to stick with that ruling. If you, as a GM decide that standing from a high vantage point grants a +2 bonus to Perception rolls, try to remember that when it comes up again. Of course, sometimes it's easier to make a ruling on the fly as opposed to stalling the action while everyone scrambles to find a rule for 10 minutes. But if your game has rules, it's best to stick with them as often as possible so noone feels cheated.

Flexibility
Sometimes a GM creates an elaborate puzzle or trap with a solution that seems obvious at the time, but thoroughly stumps the players and grinds their progress to a halt. Sometimes the players follow a completely different path than what the GM had intended. Don't be opposed to creative solutions to problems that you may not have thought of, and be ready to make up something off the top of your head when the adventure runs off the rails. Of course, no one can plan or improvise for everything, and it is a courtesy of the players to give the GM some slack if they are struggling to show what happens after something completely unexpected.

Rewards
With the dangers PC's face every day, they tend to be rewarded handsomely for their exploits. The most common reward is XP, but gold, titles, land, and favors often follow to successful adventurers. When trying to assign appropriate XP or treasure for the party, use the party's average level by adding the level of each character, then dividing the result by the number of characters in the party. So if you have a party of 3 adventurers at level 2 and 1 adventurer at level 4, the party's average level is 3 (2+2+2+4 = 10 / 3 = 3.3). The encounter difficulty for monsters works the same, by adding up the level of each monster, then dividing the result by the number of monsters involved in the encounter.

To determine the amount of XP granted from an encounter or adventure using the Experience and Levels rules in the Class section, use the following formula:

Encounter Difficulty < Party Level = Easy Encounter: 5 XP

Encounter Difficulty = Party Level = Average Encounter: 10 XP

Encounter Difficulty (by +1) > Party Level = Challenging Encounter: 15 XP

Encounter (By +2 or more) > Party Level = Harrowing Encounter: 20 XP

To determine the gold value rewarded from an adventurer or encounter:

XP earned x average level of the party + 1d4 per level

Naturally, treasure earned by a party isn't always found as bags of gold coins (although it certainly does happen), but also includes gems, valuable materials, and artwork.

Professions
Professions represent a broad skill set (but does not technically count as a skill) that encompasses all mundane occupations and crafts. With appropriate tools, characters can make a profession roll to craft mundane equipment with one hour of work, as well as provide labor or trade to earn weekly income in gold, equal to the result of a profession roll. A profession roll is either:

Weekly Income: 1d20 + Attribute used in associated skill + 25 per Talent in associated skill

Other Uses: 1d20 + Attribute used in associated skill +2 per Talent in associated skill

Characters can increase their expertise in a profession by learning talents associated with the chosen profession. For each talent associated with the chosen profession, you gain a +25 bonus to the profession roll to earn weekly income or a +2 bonus for any other uses. Skills that are associated with professions include (but are not limited to):

Alchemy: Apothecary, brewer, baker, cook, herbalist.

Knowledge: Architect, cartographer, mason.

Mechanics: Armorer, blacksmith, clock maker, engineer, fletcher.

Nature: Farmer, fisher, gamekeeper, gardener, guide, herder, hunter, rancher, sailor, trainer.

Runecrafting: Barrister, bookkeeping, clerk, librarian, scribe.

Speech: Courtesan, diplomat, herald, innkeeper, merchant, performer.

NPC Class: The Commoner
Not all people in the world are suited for a life of adventure. Many are unable or unwilling to risk life and limb on a daily basis in a quest for treasure or glory, and instead focus on more down-to-earth pursuits. These are the farmers, the workers, the merchants, and every day normal people.

The commoner class works slightly differently from a normal class in that each level is effectively half a level. After a commoner passes level 1, they choose mage, rogue, or warrior as their new class, starting at level 2 and gaining the appropriate abilities. They do not, however gain any save bonuses, trained skills, or proficiency of their new class, although they do use the new HP per Level and select a primary attribute from Specialization (but do not gain any other benefits).

HP at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution
HP per Level: 1d4 + Constitution

Save Bonus: +1 Fortitude, Reflex, or Will
Trained Skills: 1

Proficiency: Commoners are proficient with no weapons or armor

Level	Benefit
0th	Basic Training
1st	Advanced Training

Basic Training
Commoners have only a rudimentary training in many walks of life, reflected in their Basic Training. At 0th level, choose one ability from below:

Arcane Training
You learn one cantrip of choice from the Mage class.

Martial Training
You gain proficiency with in a single weapon or armor group (one-handed, two-handed, ranged, light armor, heavy armor, or shields).

Skill Training
You gain a +1 bonus to two Skills of choice.

Advanced Training
Continuing their pursuits in life, a commoner continues to hone their Abilities. At 1st level, choose one Ability from below:

Advanced Arcane Training
You learn one cantrip of choice from the Mage class and gain 1d4+2 Magic Points.

Advanced Martial Training
You gain proficiency with a single weapon or armor group, and gain a +1 bonus to Attack rolls.

Advanced Skill Training
Choose an untrained skill. That skill becomes a Trained Skill. You gain a +1 bonus to two Skills of choice.

[Triscuitable]

I'd like to compile this into a PDF, if that's cool. It'd be handy to keep on my PC in case a friend wants to do some quick role-playing.

[Lappy9001]

I'd like to compile this into a PDF, if that's cool. It'd be handy to keep on my PC in case a friend wants to do some quick role-playing.

PDF is in the works, my friend!

It looks a hell of a lot nicer too

Edit: Also, anything in ??Red?? is something I don't have an idea for. If you want, you can all be awesome and suggest something!

[Amechra]

So, how I'm reading this is that Rogues are the only ones who get skills, am I right?

I do have to express disappointment that you didn't go with a non-skill-point based system, but it's your creation.

Trapsmith should let you jury-rig simple traps, and the last Speech perk should be Polyglot (i.e., pick up new languages with ease, allowing them to act as a proper party face.)

How are you handling multiclassing? Because might I suggest going for a more 4e-ish or Gestalt approach? Because the one thing that I did like about 4e are the multiclass feats.

[Lappy9001]

So, how I'm reading this is that Rogues are the only ones who get skills, am I right?

I do have to express disappointment that you didn't go with a non-skill-point based system, but it's your creation.

Not quite, but they do get the most, and the most Perks. This system is at least a little better than 3.5, because Skill DC's are very broad, eliminating things like Diplomacy cheese. Also, I personally think the Perks are hella cool. They're my favorite part so far.

Edit: I see how you came to "Rogues Only." Fixing...

Trapsmith should let you jury-rig simple traps, and the last Speech perk should be Polyglot (i.e., pick up new languages with ease, allowing them to act as a proper party face.)

I think I know how I'm gonna do traps, and Polyglot is an awesome idea, thanks!

How are you handling multiclassing? Because might I suggest going for a more 4e-ish or Gestalt approach? Because the one thing that I did like about 4e are the multiclass feats.

There isn't any. You'll effectively to become whatever the heck you want within the basic 3 class chassis. I even have a section for creating archetypes, like a Paladin as a Warrior who specializes in Shield and Armor maneuvers, and Restoration magic.

[Saidoro]

You can make whatever the heck you want (+1 Int, +1 Cha orcs, woo!), but it does come at the expense of the races being mechanically uninteresting. Also, you only get a +1 to modifiers, 'cause that's all you use. You don't reference that 16 Strength again, just the +3.

Therefore, a Halfling with a +1 Str bonus, increases his +3 into a +4

I must have misread that, carry on then.

I wouldn't worry for Mages, though, just about all of the damage spells auto-hit without a save. I'm also using Psionic Augment system, so Mages will get alot of bang for their buck.

This was actually based off a misunderstanding, the perks section wasn't up yet so I thought only rogues got the +3 from picking a perk and only warriors got the +1 from picking a manuever. Looks mostly fine now. I would recommend maximizing everyone's first MP die, though. A mage can pretty much shrug off a few ones, that guy who was raised by wolves and just picked up one spell so he can talk to animals less so.

I'm liking the perks system, someone could still use it to optimize combat and nothing else, but presumably anyone doing so would know exactly what they're getting into so that's pretty much fine. Also, I'm having a hilarious image of a rogue putting all their points into haggle and having people give him money to take their stuff. Might want to add a caveat to that one.

Speaking of which, I'm a bit disappointed that you aren't doing away with the whole wealth=character power thing. It has a way of restricting a lot of campaigns and encouraging unfortunate behavior from the players. We generally don't want the players to tear apart the Brass fortress and sell it for scrap or spend an hour after every fight picking copper pieces off the kobold army's corpses.

[Lappy9001]

I must have misread that, carry on then.

Will do, guv'nah!

This was actually based off a misunderstanding, the perks section wasn't up yet so I thought only rogues got the +3 from picking a perk and only warriors got the +1 from picking a manuever. Looks mostly fine now. I would recommend maximizing everyone's first MP die, though. A mage can pretty much shrug off a few ones, that guy who was raised by wolves and just picked up one spell so he can talk to animals less so.

Good idea!

I'm liking the perks system, someone could still use it to optimize combat and nothing else, but presumably anyone doing so would know exactly what they're getting into so that's pretty much fine. Also, I'm having a hilarious image of a rogue putting all their points into haggle and having people give him money to take their stuff. Might want to add a caveat to that one.

It'll cap at 30%, which is a lot, but that's 3 Perks you could have been putting into Endurance or Profession to deal more damage and not get killed so it should balance out.

Speaking of which, I'm a bit disappointed that you aren't doing away with the whole wealth=character power thing. It has a way of restricting a lot of campaigns and encouraging unfortunate behavior from the players. We generally don't want the players to tear apart the Brass fortress and sell it for scrap or spend an hour after every fight picking copper pieces off the kobold army's corpses.

Oh, I'm not even there yet, just you wait

[Saidoro]

Here's a speech perk for you:
Inspiring Word As a minor action you may grant a single ally within 60 ft a +1 bonus to Attack rolls, Damage rolls or resistance rolls until the beginning of your next turn. Increase the bonus by +1 and the number of things you can give a bonus to by one each time this perk is selected.
Roughly balanced it against performer, it can never be used on more than one person at a time but you can use it all day long if you want to and can provide a whole bunch of bonuses at once if you focus on it.

Also, the skill cap is 2+level but skill points don't seem to be multiplied at first level. Is this intentional?

[Lappy9001]

Here's a speech perk for you:
Inspiring Word As a minor action you may grant a single ally within 60 ft a +1 bonus to Attack rolls, Damage rolls or resistance rolls until the beginning of your next turn. Increase the bonus by +1 and the number of things you can give a bonus to by one each time this perk is selected.
Roughly balanced it against performer, it can never be used on more than one person at a time but you can use it all day long if you want to and can provide a whole bunch of bonuses at once if you focus on it.

And you can use it more often, nice; I'll consider it.

Also, the skill cap is 2+level but skill points don't seem to be multiplied at first level. Is this intentional?

A'yup. Mostly 'cause of the reeeally condensed skill list.

[Stubbazubba]

For those of you who are replying complaining about the classes being too narrow, go through and read the Bonus class feat for each of the classes and figure out what it does. Everyone will have access to everything, just more so of their main thing. I applaud this approach.

I love a lot of what you've got here. In fact, I'd say there's nothing I particularly dislike. The things that standout the most; reducing spell bloat, giving Warriors options in Core, and allowing every class a little bit of access to every one else's pie.

[*]Regeneration: You regain 1 hp per round each time you select this perk.

So, if my level 1 Rogue uses all 3 of his perks on Regeneration and have enough Dex to keep my AC high enough, I pretty much can't die? Heck, even taking this once, I'd say this dramatically changes the balance of the game. Is this intended to be so powerful?

Also, the Rogue write-up says that "For each Perk a rogue learns, they gain a +3 bonus to the Skill the perk was gained from." Is this in addition to the +3 that Perks usually get, or is it just being restated?

Also, I fear Rogues would very easily get way way way off the RNG compared to others. If a Rogue always kept his Stealth maxed out, there is no Stealth challenge that he could fail that a same-level Wizard could succeed at (the disparity between their bonuses is greater than the entirety of the RNG). Assuming the Rogue keeps his Stealth at max, then at level 1 his Stealth will be 3, +4 DEX, +9 from perks, while the Mage may have +0. OK, that's not off the RNG yet (the disparity is only 16, not 20), but that's at level 1, by level 3, with the Attribute Increase, it's possible to be off the RNG, and by level 10, he's got +8 DEX, +12 Ranks, and +9 from Perks, for a total of +29, before any Magic Items, while the Mage might generously have +2 DEX and +5 ranks, a total of +7. If he's used one of his Perks for Stealth, that at least brings it to +10, but that's somewhat unlikely. So, the Wizard can't succeed on a 20 any test that the Rogue might actually fail. Unless the Wizard is expected to use his MP (this may or may not be unrealistic, since I don't know how MP works yet) to succeed at any and all tasks past a certain point (like, level 5), then something needs to be done. This is a problem with skill-based systems.

I have five suggestions to remedy this:

• Cap Ability Modifier at +6, this will encourage players to diversify horizontally with their later Ability Increases.
• Do away with Skill Points/level: Instead use 4e's Trained/Untrained arrangement; At first level, Mages get 2 Trained Skills, Warriors get 4, and Rogues get 6. Instead of choosing a Perk, allow a Skill to become Trained instead, if desired. Trained Skills get a +3 bonus, and if you train the same skill again, it raises to +6, but that's all you can train it.
• Add 1/2 level to all rolls. This will maintain the power disparity between levels, just not within the same level.
• Perks give a +2 bonus to it's skill, not +3.
• Magic Items don't give a lot of vertical power, biggest magical bonus is +2.
• Total level-independent bonus is now +6+6+6+2 = +20, which is technically still off the RNG from +0, but only by 1 point.

Now, the same level 10 Rogue is rolling d20+25 (+20 above, +5 from level), while the same level 10 Mage is rolling d20+10 (+2 DEX, +3 Trained, and +5 from level), meaning that the Rogue is still doing 75% better, but the appropriate DCs actually overlap (albeit only from 26-30).

I realize this has neutered the power level of level 1 a bit, and I don't know what you had in mind for Magic Items, so this is obviously just a suggestion, if you even see people being off the RNG from each other in skill disparity as a bad thing. It might be seen as too much sacrifice for too little gain, and that would be perfectly justifiable.

[Knaight]

Comments:
There is really no reason to retain the score-modifier system. Make the modifier the score, change the rolling system (d6-d6, unless you just shift the entire scale up, in which case it can be just 2d6). It is almost entirely gone already, so the tiny bit more required to get rid of it and subsequent simplification is very much desirable.

It might be better to have a d6, d8, d10 hit point progression instead of a d4, d6, d10. This achieves two things: It puts humans in the center of the range, leaving a d4 for really fragile monsters and a d12 for really tough monsters, and it removes a gap and makes it easier to remember.

A rogue with 20 int (+5 mod) gets 11 skill points per level. There are 10 skills.

The Athlete, Allure, and Shadow Leap perks seem questionable - I'd normally be wary of multiplicative effects on difficulty in a linear die system, though they make sense when significantly increasing the effect of luck. Maybe this can be switched to +level or +5.

The Haul perk implies the existence of an encumbrance system that directly tracks weight. I'd strongly caution against this.

The Artificer perk is currently worded in such a way as to only allow upgrading one weapon past the first enchantment.

As it is now, lots of concepts aren't really explained, but need an understanding of D&D mechanics to make sense. You'll probably want to change that eventually.

Other than all this, the system looks fantastic. I can't wait to see more.

[eftexar]

Hm... While I agree on most of your points, Knaight, what's wrong with having encumbrance and a weight system? It is realistic, otherwise you could carry everything. My willing suspension of disbelief won't allow for an infinite carrying capacity. On another note if it is there it should be more realistic than 3.5 (because in 3.5 once your strength gets to a certain point it just doesn't matter anymore).
On another note I hope this system isn't heavily reliant on magic items. That's one of the biggest things that irritated me about 3.5 (though it (and WoD) still remains my favorite system).

Edit > A couple of other concerns though. How do you plan on doing spells? I'm sort of hoping for a massive reduction in range (anything past 200 is just insane) and durations (especially for buffs), plus the elimination of auto success spells (but that's just more my two cents than anything).

[Knaight]

Hm... While I agree on most of your points, Knaight, what's wrong with having encumbrance and a weight system? It is realistic, otherwise you could carry everything. My willing suspension of disbelief won't allow for an infinite carrying capacity.

A few things.
1) Weight based encumbrance really isn't that realistic, as distribution counts for a lot. So it fails even that.
2) For this realism you are paying a high price in micromanagement. There are much better ways to handle this, without enabling the carrying of infinite amounts of stuff.

[eftexar]

Fair enough, but the only other system I can think of is space. Certain items take up so much space (like sacred if anyone has played it). Do you think something like that would work better?

[Knaight]

Fair enough, but the only other system I can think of is space. Certain items take up so much space (like sacred if anyone has played it). Do you think something like that would work better?

Suffice to say there is the whole matter of varying degrees of abstraction. In any case, this is getting to be a bit of a derail, though so far it's provided useful clarification - if you want to continue this discussion, PM me or start a new thread and PM me the link to it.

[WyvernLord]

I love this system. It makes me want to play rogues over warrior characters. That is very weird with me.
Congratulations you crazy man this is awesome. You can totally sig that. :p yes I know about smilies they aren't invisible though.
Can't wait for the spells. Will be staring at this thread.
Is there supposed to be a d20 in the damage line? Because that would be scary with these HP.
Love the weapons and their fighting styles. Impede plus polearm and a shield fighter with safeguard next to you is a tough nut to crack. Add some range behind those two and it will be massacre-licious. Only problem is the wording and specials on one handed weapons is wonky. For example only swords get to add Dex to damage but daggers don't. That's weird.
Also no Str to attack with one-handers. What about the burly shield fighter I wanted to play.
Also I recommend changing staff to rod if it is one-handed. Just thinking about it. What if you actually want to hit someone with it. You aren't going to do any damage if you use a staff one handed.
That went longer then expected.