SYSTEM BASICS
Characters - Combat Turn - Rolling Dice -​ Hiding, & Tracking - Ending Combat - Combat Consequences
CHARACTERS
The HUD will walk you through both character creation and leveling up, but to better understand the system, here is how all important aspects of the system work.
RACE & CLASS
While important for RP, race & class have little mechanical impact on the system. Race is picked from our list of available races, only 3 of which require you to choose from a list of abilities at level 1, and you create your own class and flavor by picking a class name and deciding your skills and abilities at creation and when you level.
The 4 attributes are:
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Prowess: Determines your physical strength, agility, and skill with weaponry. Used for the Athletics and Stealth skills. Also used for the basic physical attack when making a Combat Roll.
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Insight: Determines your raw intelligence and ability to understand and notice things. Used for the Awareness, Deception, and Tinker skills. Also used for the Blast magical ability that can replace your normal physical Combat Roll.
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Wisdom: Determines your common sense and natural intuition. Used for the Heal and Survival skills. Also used for the Cure magical ability and the Shapeshift ability that can both replace your normal physical Combat Roll.
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Resolve: Determines your durability, willpower, and health. Not used for any skills but increases your hit points, used for rolls when downed, and is used for the rolls to stay steady in the face of a monster.
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When making any roll that uses an attribute, the HUD will automatically add the attribute to that roll.
ATTRIBUTES
HIT POINTS
Every character starts with 20 HP when at 0 Resolve and every additional point gives +2 HP (or subtracts 2 for every point below 0). You will also gain an additional HP on every even level. The HUD will handle all HP calculations.
DAMAGE & ARMOR
Damage: Applies to damage rolls. Gained from abilities and weapons, an increase will list if it is physical damage only or if it has no type and will apply to magical attacks (such as the Bless or Music abilities). Attributes do not increase damage.
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Armor: Subtracts from physical damage taken. Gained from abilities and armor. Armor does not affect magical abilities (such as Blast) but works normally if a weapon just has the magical tag. Attributes do not increase armor.
ABILITIES
LEVELING
* advanced abilities can be taken at these levels up to 2 total.
COMBAT TURN
GROUP SIZE
Combat can take a long time to roleplay out, so no group can ever have more than 4 individuals per side to keep it from getting too out of hand. This also applies when forming a party to attack creatures out in the wild (and they are generally balanced around this size of a group), but it does not apply to boss raid events where all are welcome.
INITIATIVE
It is rolled at the start of combat to determine the order of actions, though most often decided by the Initiative flag that handles the ordering itself.
COMBAT ACTION
Each round on a character's turn, they get exactly 1 Combat Action that can be used to attack or activate any other ability that uses the Combat Action (Cure, Blast, Sunder, etc.). This action is also used when a character swaps one weapon for another, uses a potion, or hands an item to another nearby character in combat.
FREE ACTION
Many actions and abilities simply don’t use an action themselves (Lucky, Defend, Pet, Shapeshift, Shield Slam, etc). Any or all of these can be activated in a single turn when it is your turn (or when damaged for Indomitable). Also, when a character is empty-handed, such as at the start of combat or after a weapon they were wielding is broken from Sunder, drawing another weapon is a Free Action.
MOVEMENT
A character is always considered to be able to move any needed distance to attack or heal a target within chat range as long as there are no impassable objects or terrain in the way that cannot be circumvented. This means, in general, movement and distance can largely be ignored.
ROLLING DICE
SKILL ROLLS
They determine the degree of success or failure with any character skills. A character does not need to have the skill to attempt the skill roll; it simply means they have a reduced chance of failure. It is a simple 2d6 roll plus attribute determined by the skill that is just a single button in the HUD, and failure or partial success gives a stacking -1 penalty for the rest of the day that the HUD will track. Skill rolls are not used in combat.
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Skill Roll Results:
A total of 6 or less is a failure; whatever you were attempting fails, and if it was a secretive action, you were noticed doing it. You are unable to try again for that specific action. Any additional rolls using that skill are made at a stacking -1 for the rest of the day.
A total of 7-9 is a partial success; you were successful in what you are attempting, but if it was a secretive action, you were noticed doing it; if this action was Stealth, you are not yet found, but those nearby know something is around and may roll Awareness to spot you. Any additional rolls using that skill are made at a stacking -1 for the rest of the day.
A total of 10 or higher is a full success; you do it without complications and were not noticed doing it if it was a secretive action (Deception or Stealth).
COMBAT ROLLS
They determine the degree of success or failure with any attack or ability that replaces your attack and requires a roll. Physical attacks and physical abilities are a Prowess roll, Blasts are an Insight roll, and Cures or physical attacks when Shapeshifted are a Wisdom roll. All combat rolls are 2d6 plus attribute and you can just click your attribute to roll. If an ability says to forgo your combat roll for the effect, no roll is needed, and you simply use the action activating that ability. A combat roll of 2-9 in the HUD will automatically turn the Vulnerable status on, which increases your damage taken by +3 on the next attack against you up until your next turn.
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Combat Roll Results:
A total of 6 or less is a failure; your attack or magic fails, and you become Vulnerable until your next turn.
A total of 7-9 is a partial success; your attack or magic succeeds, but you become Vulnerable until your next turn. However, you may decide to forgo your damage or heal roll to remove your Vulnerable status.
A total of 10 or higher is a full success; you attack successfully without complications.
DAMAGE & HEAL ROLLS
They are used to determine the damage of a successful attack or the healing of a successful Cure. These rolls use a d8 dice and will have bonuses determined by your weapon, and special abilities chosen. The HUD contains Physical, Magical, and Cure buttons for rolling your damage/healing when needed. Magical damage is used for Blast and other abilities that ignore armor (Shield Slam), not for weapons with the magical tag.
ATTRIBUTE ROLLS
These rare rolls are used to determine a few things in the system, such as Fatigue, Last Breath, and others. They function the same as Combat Rolls, except they are generally made outside of combat and they gain no bonus from effects that specifically increase Combat Rolls.
HIDING & TRACKING
STEALTH
If you have a reason to enter a scene hidden, you must inform those nearby and roll a Stealth skill check to determine success or failure. Failure (2-6) means you have been spotted attempting to hide. Partial success (7-9) means you have stayed hidden, but those in the scene have noticed something with one of their senses and may attempt an Awareness skill check to potentially find you. Success (10+) means you have hidden well enough to stay unnoticed in the area.
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Other important aspects of stealth:​
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You must have some valid reason for hiding your presence before encountering any other players, such as invading an enemy camp, keeping unseen while moving through a dangerous area, or planning to eavesdrop on a meeting you were already aware of or just recently left.
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Encountering people talking or standing nearby is not enough reason to be hidden, as you hearing/spotting them means they have heard/spotted you.
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If you are already hidden and attempting to follow someone, you must roll an additional Stealth skill check to follow them, and then another at their destination.
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Attacking or using any magic will reveal you, but attacking while hidden puts you first in the initiative order unless someone has the Reflexes ability.
DISGUISES
If you use a disguise to try and hide your identity, you automatically fool anyone you pass by or that whom you only have minor interaction with, but you must make a Deception skill check to determine the success of fooling anyone you have extended interaction with, or that is actively checking peoples faces, such as a gate or door guard checking anyone entering. Failure (2-6) means your disguise isn't fooling anyone. Partial success (7-9) means your disguise could work, but those in the scene interacting with you or inspecting you may attempt an Awareness skill check to potentially spot your disguise. Success (10+) means your disguise is hiding your true identity well.
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For undead that already have passable living appearances and are simply trying to appear as though they are living, the deception is much easier to maintain as long as they haven't already been outed as undead to those present before. Such characters are automatically considered to have passed any Disguise checks, but someone pointedly checking them with a successful Heal check or testing their reaction to Blightsteel, Truesilver, or the Holy Symbol ability will give away the disguise and make any future Disguise attempts with those that know their face require the much more difficult base Disguise checks.
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The tests using Blightsteel and Truesilver would require a cut or some other wound to be inflicted on the individual, and the target may make a Deception check to hide their reaction with only a 10+ being successful. 9 or less allows those inspecting the target to roll an Awareness check and any partial or successful rolls will reveal their true nature. Tests using the Holy Symbol ability needs to touch flesh, removes any chance for the target to make a Deception check, and any successful Awareness check will reveal their true nature. Tests using the Heal skill can only be done if the target is willing to allow a physical inspection (or is helpless and unable to stop one), and if done, any successful Heal check will reveal their true nature.
TRACKING
You may attempt to follow the tracks of an individual or party if you know what to look for. To even find the right tracks to follow, an Awareness skill check must be made unless you specifically saw them leave the tracks yourself or have them pointed out by someone that did. Once you know exactly which tracks to follow, you must make a Survival skill check to determine success or failure. Failure (2-6) means you cannot try again as you’ve lost the tracks. Partial or complete success (7+) allows you to follow the tracks until there is a significant change in them, such as a terrain change, or they go through water (road to wilderness, forest to swamp, snow to forest, walking through water, etc.), in which case another successful roll must be made to continue to follow the tracks.
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Other important aspects of tracking:
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Water and hard surfaces that don't leave footprints require another check to continue after the gap. You lose the tracks permanently if these gaps are numerous or continue over an extended length.
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Every day that passes after the tracks were made applies a -2 penalty to the Awareness check to find the tracks and the Survival checks to follow them.
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Following tracks doesn't get around the 24 hours given to captors with their captives before a rescue can be attempted.
ENDING COMBAT
FLEEING
Attempting to flee a battle uses your combat action and is rolled using the Unmodified skill roll in the skills section of the HUD. You cannot do any other actions when you attempt to flee in this way, including free actions.
If it is your first turn, or if you have attempted to flee every turn in the encounter, add +2 to this roll. If you or your group is outnumbered (still counting fled or downed characters), you may add +2 to this roll. You do not gain these bonuses if you are perpetrating a crime or hostile action (poisoning, theft, spying, an attack), and the attack is in response to this. You also do not gain these bonuses if you have already been captured or arrested and are attempting to escape, you count as the aggressor in this situation.
You may immediately flee without a roll if a greater than 2:1 ratio actively attacks you. This does not mean you can run as long as you are near a crowd of potential enemies, only if those that join the initiative against your group are greater than 2:1.
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Flee Roll Results:
A total of 8 or less is a failure; you could not escape your attackers but may try again next turn.
A roll of 9 or higher is a success; your character must leave the area, or they may be re-engaged immediately and cannot rejoin or retrieve any help in time to affect the outcome of the battle or prevent potential kidnappings.
INJURY
HP damage is generally taken in combat, and regardless of how much damage is done to them, a character cannot drop below 1 HP before they have had their first turn in the initiative order.
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The first time in combat, when reduced to 0 or less HP, a character must roll a Resolve Attribute Roll to determine their condition.
Last Breath Roll Results:
A total of 6 or less is a failure; your fate is sealed. You are Helpless, and the person responsible for reducing you to 0 HP will decide right now whether you are unconscious or dead. If death is chosen, you do not die until the scene after the battle for a potential death or farewell scene, but you are too far gone to be saved even with magic.
A total of 7-9 is a partial success; you’ve cheated death! You’re at 1HP and in a bad spot, but you’re still alive -- you are helpless until you've rested. You cannot be healed or further retaliate until you've rested. However, you can immediately attempt a roll to Flee, and it is your only available action on any future turns.
A total of 10 or higher is a full success; you end up with 1HP, can keep fighting, and be healed as normal. You can choose to immediately attempt to Flee upon making this roll.
Any additional times a character is reduced to 0 or less HP after the first, the character is considered to have failed their roll.
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Once all characters on one side of a combat have fled or are helpless, the combat is over.
FATIGUE
After taking part in combat, all characters involved must make a Fatigue roll that is a Resolve Attribute Roll with success (10+) meaning they are not fatigued. Otherwise, they take a stacking -1 to all Combat Rolls (including abilities) and future Fatigue rolls until they’ve had a night's rest. Simply go to options, select Fatigue and you will have the choice to input any bonuses from equipment (do not include your attributes, it will do that for you), and then a second choice to make the actual Fatigue roll with the HUD handling the outcome. You must do this after every combat.
LOOTING
Each character still standing (not helpless) after a combat can loot 1 item from a downed enemy. A character that has been successfully defeated in combat can have exactly 1 item looted, regardless of how many are left standing and whether they lived or died. The player should list their inventory by going to Inventory and clicking the word Silver at the bottom, then selecting "Show Items" from the dialog prompt, and a person in the party that downed them can select any 1 item that must then be handed over.
COMBAT CONSEQUENCES
HEALING
After combat, HP damage will linger on a character unless it is healed by the Cure ability, the Heal skill, select items, or by resting at a physician's office (living) or in a negative energy bath (undead). A scene of being healed by any of these is enough to restore one to full HP, though niggling injuries can be played while having full HP for roleplay flavor if desired. For faster recovery, such as while in a dungeon, Cure rolls should be made and healing items consumed.
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While the above will repair damage and fully restore HP, the Restoration ritual must be used to regrow severed limbs or destroyed body parts.
DEATH
While all characters can be killed without consent from combat, death here is a rather large part of the RP and can be taken more as unplanned character development than an end to the character.
Upon a character’s death, a DM or Admin should be notified, and the player then has a choice in front of them. Do they wish to be brought back by the beacon of their faction and lose 2 full levels worth of experience? Or do they wish to instead be brought back by the beacon of their enemy and lose 1 full level's worth of experience? IC, the forces of living and undead are fighting over the soul, and it is unknown where it will end up. This choice will of course affect the characters
It is not a question of if your character will die on this sim, but when. It is imperative you do NOT make a character here that you do not expect this to happen to and that you are of the mindset to be able to turn this into RP development instead of OOC drama. Our HUD provides the ability to play more than 1 character, so you can always visit the other faction and RP with friends when you wish.
RESURRECTION
Being brought back by the beacons is an ordeal and a character will lose some amount of levels depending on their choice, as well as having their memory becoming foggy.
Resurrecting on the same faction leaves you weaker but more of your memory intact, only forgetting what transpired the day of your death. Potentially allowing your killer to remain unknown.
Resurrecting on the opposite faction leaves your memory in tatters. Not only do you not remember the day of your death, but you are unable to remember details of your time spent with the other side. There may be emotions or feelings attached to people or places to make interesting RP, like an undead roughly remembering their past lover, but you do not have details of the people, places, or plans you once had. If you are unsure if what you remember may be metagaming or not, it is always best to err on the side of caution if you are even questioning it, but in general, if something would assist you or your new faction against the other faction or someone on it, you don't remember it.
Other than the days of your death, your memories are restored when returning to the side they were made on, even after time spent on the opposite faction. So if you were living and were killed and became undead, you would have little memory of your life while living, but if you are later destroyed while undead and return to the living, all of those initial memories of your living days other than the days of your death return while your days while undead would fade.
UNDEATH
See the Undeath page for details.