Character Mechanics

03jun22: This page finalized and active; no changes are expected.

Character Abilities
All character abilities are measured by the number of dice which they add to your roll.

Attributes
Normal human Attributes range from 1 to 7 dice with 3 dice as the human average.


 * Muscles (aka STR) contributes strength and toughness to a die pool. Muscles is like STR and parts of CON in other games.
 * Nerves (aka DEX) contributes agility, awareness and hand/eye coordination to a die pool. Nerves is like DEX and parts of WIS in other games.
 * Spirit (SPI) contributes intuition and luck to a die pool. SPI is used for magic and the supernatural.
 * Hit Points (HP) = STR + DEX + SPI.

NPC’s have 3 additional Attributes: Intelligence, Morale, and Reaction. For social contests the player gets dice based on actions and roleplaying, and the NPC uses these Attributes to defend.

General Skills
General Skills are Melee, Missiles, Athletics, Awareness (which includes Stealth and Perception), and Magic. Each applies to a broad array of actions. Normal human General Skills range from 1 to 9 dice. Do not confuse the General Skills of Athletics and Stealth with the die rolls for Athletics and Stealth.

Melee, Missiles, and Magic are normally used together with a Narrow-Skill. Athletics and Stealth are mostly used for their respective rolls.

Derived Values
-- 05-04-22 -- Speed value has been added, formula for Reflex Save has changed. These used to be called "Simple Actions" with the implication that there could be many more than those listed here. I have tentatively capped them at 8 values and gave Dodge and Reflex Save the same dice for one less formula to remember. 05-20-22 -- I do not expect further changes to this section.

These 8 values are used frequently and do not change (except to subtract for damage and encumbrance), so it will be valuable to keep them handy.


 * Speed: 5 feet times (5 + the median of STR, DEX, and Athletics)
 * Dodging Roll and Reflex Save: DEX + SPI + Athletics (quickness, intuition and training)
 * Athletics Roll roll: STR + DEX + Athletics (muscles, quickness and training); use for running, climbing, jumping, etc.
 * Stealth Roll and Perception Roll roll: DEX + SPI + Stealth (quickness, intuition and training); use for attempts to see, hear, etc. or to remain unseen, unheard, etc.


 * Fortitude Save: STR + STR + SPI (mostly the body, but requires some will.)
 * Will Save: STR + SPI + SPI (mostly the spirit, but requires some stamina)
 * Magic Save: 'Hit Points + SPI - Magic (Hit Points with a bonus for SPI > Magic)
 * Strength Test: 3 times STR

Narrow-Skills
For most actions you don't really need a Narrow Skill; you can roll using just the appropriate Attribute and General Skill dice. Narrow Skills represent additional specialized training. A few actions (eg. spells) are difficult or impossible without this specialized training. Normal human Narrow Skills can range from 0 to 12 dice. Melee weapon skills are used both for attacks and for parries.

Weapon Skills
 * Brawling: Unarmed combat. May use gauntlet or brass knuckles to increase damage.
 * Dagger/Knife: a short, light, sharp blade.
 * Club/Mace: Includes all blunt weapons except short weapons.
 * Sword: Includes all 1-handed blades larger than a dagger.
 * Axe: Includes all 1 handed chopping weapons.
 * Spear/Polearm (Melee): Includes both 1 and 2-handed pole-arms and lances.
 * 2-Handed Weapons: Individual Narrow Skills for Greatsword, Battle Axe, and Staff.
 * Throwing: Includes rocks, throwing daggers, hatchets, javelins, and bombs.
 * Missiles: Individual Narrow Skills for Sling, Crossbow, Bow, and Firearms.

Other Narrow Skills
 * Individual Narrow Skills for magical spells or similar powers.
 * Individual Narrow Skills for Disguise, Lock Picking, Tracking (includes Hunting), [more?]

Bonus-Skills
-- 08-May-22 -- changed how Martial Arts, Riding and Swimming work. 20-May-22 -- Rolled back other proposed changes.

Bonus Skills also represent specialized training, but they grant dice which are in addition to the basic die pool. In most other respects they are like Narrow Skills.


 * Martial Arts is a bonus to unarmed attacks: roll STR + Melee + Brawling + Martial Arts. It also allows a bare-handed parry and riposte with a roll DEX + Melee + Martial Arts (Brawling is not included in this parry). Martial Arts dice cannot exceed Brawling dice.
 * Riding: Riding dice are added as a bonus to actions performed from horseback, but only when those actions would logically be more likely to succeed from horseback (eg. melee combat with an appropriate weapon). They can also be used with STR and DEX to save against mishaps while on horseback.
 * Swimming: Anyone can try to swim by making an Athletics roll, but Swimming adds a bonus to that roll.

None of these any longer require a Second-Roll or an ability check in addition to the main roll, so total rolls are reduced.

The Basic Die Pool
The Basic Die Pool consists of dice from 3 abilities (ie. Attributes, General Skills, and Narrow Skills (but not Bonus Skills. Use whichever abilities are most appropriate to your action. Your final die pool may also include dice for such things as as armor, spell effects, Bonus Skills and environmental factors. Action and Defense Rolls get a minimum of 3 dice in their final die pool; thus you always have enough dice to take an action. Characters who are unconscious, bound, etc. cannot act, but still get 3 dice if for some reason a roll is needed.

The concepts Basic Die Pool and-Standard Action are explained to help you both remember the standard rolls and improvise appropriate ad-hoc rolls.

Basic Die Pools For Standard Actions
If an appropriate General Skill and an appropriate Narrow Skill exist for an action, then it is a Standard Action. Add the most appropriate Attribute and you have the formula for your roll. Examples are:


 * Melee attack: STR + Melee + Narrow Skill for weapon used.
 * Parry: DEX + Melee + Narrow Skill for weapon used.
 * Missile attack: DEX + Missiles + Narrow Skill for weapon used.
 * Magic spell: SPI + Missiles + Narrow Skill for the spell being cast.

Basic-Die-Pools For Other Actions
-- 05-04-22 -- New lock-picking die pool Attributes and Skills can be combined in other ways, if that better represents the situation being resolved. However, you may never use more than 3 of your abilities (Attributes, General Skills and Narrow Skills) to form your Basic Die Pool for an Action or Defense Roll, nor more than 2 for a Second-Roll.
 * Lock-picking: DEX + SPI + Lock Picking

Damage and Recovery
Like abilities, Damage is measured in dice. Damage is the total of the below 4 values and is subtracted from Action and Defense Rolls (but not from Second Rolls). The main difference between these different types of Damage is how rapidly they can be healed. Also, Wounds and LTD require a Healing Roll to be made.


 * Stun is momentary disorientation. All Stun is removed immediately after Action Rolls are made.
 * Fatigue is reduced by 1 die after each Turn (10 minutes) of rest or 3 Turns (30 minutes) of very light activity (eg. unburdened walking).
 * Wounds gets a Healing Roll each dawn. All LTD (and any Coma) must be healed before any Wounds can be healed.
 * Long-Term-Damage (LTD) gets a Healing Roll each week. Healing LTD requires rest in town or equivalent.

Healing Roll
-- 13-Mar-22 The Healing Roll is [Hit Points - (Wounds + LTD)] vs. [Wounds + LTD]. Success heals 1 Damage, 4 or more Victories heal 2 Damage.

First Aid
-- 01-May-22 -- Time for First Aid to be effective was changed from 1 hour to -1 die for each full hour.

First Aid prevents infection. It can also change Wounds to Fatigue if a Healing Roll is successful. This Healing Roll is reduced by one die for each full hour since the wound was taken. First Aid requires Healing Kit or successful use of Doctor's Ingredients (see Potions). Under normal conditions (bandages, clean water, etc.) time for First Aid is 1 Turn (10 minutes).

Conditions Needed for Healing
Recovery of Wounds and LTD require requires attention to injuries (fresh bandages, clean water, etc.), restful days, and ample food and sleep. Don’t count any day which includes combat, strenuous exercise, or damage taken. LTD recovery requires rest in town or equivalent.

Unconsciousness and Coma
Recovery from unconsciousness is rolled once per hour, beginning after all Fatigue is healed. Recovery from coma is rolled each dawn, beginning after all LTD is healed and before any Wounds are healed.

System Shock, Automatic Death
-- 13-Mar-22 System Shock occurs when total Damage exceeds Hit Points; you fall unconscious immediately and must make a System Shock roll on the table below at the end of the combat. Automatic death results when Wounds + LTD >= Hit Points.

The System Shock roll is [Hit Points - (Wounds + LTD)] vs. [Wounds taken in this combat].

Increasing Abilities
To increase an ability a character must pick his field of study before each session of play. At the end of that session he will receive experience points in that ability. When a character has earned enough experience points in an ability, he gets a permanent increase of 1 die. Narrow Skill cost is based on the number of dice to which the skill is being raised. Attribute and General Skill cost is based on the total value of all your Attributes or all your General Skills.