Yc


fantasy roleplaying game

 

Y   Psimancz   c

Version 4, June 2006

ã 2006 PapaBear ‘n’ Skillet Creations, All Rights Reserved

Psimancz is loosely based on Palladium™ Fantasy RPG

jebster44 AT hotmail dot com

Sean_Crumpler AT hushmail dot com

 


 

 


Table of Contents


Introduction. 2

Character Creation. 3

Setting and Adjusting Attributes. 4

Threads. 6

Skills, Gifts, and “Points” 6

Primary Skills (Classes) 8

Druid. 8

Fighter 8

Healer 9

Mage. 9

Priest 10

Psion. 11

Warlock. 11

Skill List (by skill weight) 13

Weight One Skills. 13

Weight Two Skills. 13

Weight Three Skills. 14

Weight Four Skills. 14

Specific Weapon Proficiencies. 15

Specific Skill Notes. 16

Skill List (by attribute) 18

Starting Equipment 20

Final Note. 20

Character Advancement. 21

Experience Points. 21

Feats. 21

Combat Forms. 22

General Talents. 24

Mystical Techniques. 24

Multi-classing. 25

Advancement Charts. 26

Combat and Adventure. 29

Doing It (Actions) 29

Combat Rounds and Initiative. 29

Aborting Actions (Jumping Initiative) 30

Doing Other Random Things (Attribute Checks) 30

Protecting Yourself (and Others) 31

Miss Factor 31

Declarations of Protection. 31

Dodging. 31

Parrying. 31

Armor 32

Bringing the Smack Down. 33

Attacking. 33

Simultaneous Strike. 33

Off-hand Attacks. 34

Grappling. 34

Special Attacks. 34

Oh, the Pain! (Damage and Its Effects) 35

Normal Damage. 35

Subdual Damage. 35

Unconsciousness and Death. 36

Damage Reduction. 36

Blindness. 36

Critical Hit Table. 37

Potpourri 37

Reading and Research. 37

Transformations. 37

Money and What to Buy. 38

Miscellany, Provisions, and Services. 39

Animals. 39

Beverages & Food (served) and Lodging (typical inns and taverns) 39

Buildings and Vehicles. 40

Rations. 41

Services and Other Stuff 41

Non-Magical Equipment, Sundry Items, and Weapons. 42

Clothing. 42

Equipment 43

Field Kits. 46

Hand-to-Hand Melee Weapons. 46

Missile Weapons. 47

Shields. 47

Tools. 48

Masterwork Equipment 49

Ye Olde Alchemist Shoppe. 50

Potions. 50

Charged Magic Items    Spell Scrolls. 50

Magically Enhanced Armor and Weapons. 51

Magic System.. 52

General Mystic Force Forms and Types. 52

Acquiring Spells. 53

Instruction (from Alchemist) 53

Instruction (from Wizard) 53

Personal Research (course 1) 53

Personal Research (course 2) 53

Spell Book. 53

Via Suppository. 54

Scroll Conversion. 54

BTTW Conversion. 54

Mystic Potpourri 54

Spell Level and Rank. 54

Stacking Magical Effects. 54

Index of Key Terms. 55

 

LIST OF CHARTS

 

Race Attribute Chart 3

Attribute Bonus/Penalty Chart 5

Thread Resistance. 6

Starting Equipment 20

Total-Experience-Based Bonuses. 21

Attribute, Level, Skill, and “Point” Costs. 26

Action and “Power Strength” Costs. 27

Combat Ability Costs. 27

Various Combat Bonus Costs. 28

Actions and Initiative Delay. 30

Armor Table. 32

Strength Penalties from Armor 33

Off-hand Strike Penalties. 34

Grapple Check Effects. 34

Transformation Rules. 37

Monetary System.. 38

Mystic Element Types. 52


Introduction

Trying to make the whole thing make sense.

P

simancz is a fantasy roleplaying game loosely based on Palladium™ Fantasy RPG. You can pretend to be a wizard or a warrior or a member of a strange race like dwarf, elf, or ogre. It’s all about imagination and fantasy. You take on the persona of a valiant hero (or whatever) in a magical realm full of wonder, adventure, swashbuckling, dragon slaying, and all that crap.  J

Currently (and probably forever), Jason Bergschneider and Sean Crumpler are making many revisions to the game to make it more balanced and logical, or in some cases Sean just had a wild hair up his butt. (They are doing most of the work, but they use input and contributions from all the playtesters.) Rules and other information will often be changing. As always, the main goal is to have fun with the game so don’t sweat the details too much, and please be patient with the changes. All suggestions are welcome.


Character Creation

“Character Building” is totally funny… captious cur.

F


irst choose a race. Each one has a number of starting character points (CP) and adjustments to the attributes after they are set. Distribute the character points across all the attributes and adjust as described below. The chart also contains some special characteristics of the races including lifespan, vision, starting hit point (HP) bonus, nsh.


 

Race Attribute Chart

Race

CP

INT

WIL

END

STR

PRW

REF

SPD

PRE

BTY

HP

life

R/PH

vision

Catman

115

---

-2

-2

---

+2

+2

+2

-1

---

+6

50

-2

NV

Changeling*

115

---

+3

-2

-2

---

---

---

+1

+1

+6

Imm.

-10

DV/NV

Dwarf

115

---

+2

+2

+1

---

---

-2

---

-2

+6

200

-1

DV

Elf (common)

115

---

---

-2

-2

+1

+1

+2

---

+2

+6

1000

+2

NV

Elf (high)*

115

+2

+2

-4

-4

+2

+2

+4

+2

+4

+6

2000

+3

NV

Goblin

115

-1

---

+2

+1

+1

+1

---

-2

-2

+10

40

-5

N

Gnome

115

+1

+2

---

-3

---

+2

-2

---

+1

+6

300

+1

DV

Half-Elf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Half-Orc

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Halfling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Human

120

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

+6

60

---

N

Kobold

115

+1

+1

+1

---

+1

+1

---

-2

-2

+6

160

-4

DV

Ogre

115

-3

-3

+3

+3

+2

+2

---

+1

-5

+20

60

-7

N

Orc

115

-2

-2

+2

+2

+2

+2

---

-1

-4

+15

50

-6

N

Troll

115

-4

-4

+5

+5

---

---

---

+2

-6

+25

120

-8

N

Wolfen

115

---

-2

+1

+1

---

---

+2

---

---

+6

50

-3

NV

*Changeling and High Elf are only available with GM approval.

 

+/-n (attribute adjustments by race) = whole attribute points, not character points

CP = starting character points for that race

HP = hit points (the character’s life force which equates to points of damage the character can sustain before going unconscious; death occurs when there has been enough damage to exceed the character’s hit points plus its Endurance)

life = years of average lifespan

R/PH = racial and personal hostility (from the human perspective)

 

vision types:

DV = darkvision (only usable in complete darkness; no color perception, black and white only)

N = normal (human-like) vision

NV = nightvision (enhanced vision in low-light conditions)

 

(See the chart below for definitions of the nine attribute abbreviations.)


Setting and Adjusting Attributes


All attributes start at zero and are set by using character points. Attribute values up to and equal to 15 cost one CP. Attribute values above 15 have a multiplier:

16-23: x2     Two CPs to raise one attribute point.

24-30: x3     Three CPs to raise one attribute point.

 

Thirty (30) is typically the highest value to which an attribute may be raised (GM’s discretion).

After initially setting the attributes by using all character points, they are then adjusted based on race. The adjustments are listed in the Race Attribute Chart above. The adjustments are whole attribute points, not character points, meaning an ogre gets


+3 STR on top of whatever the STR ended up being after distribution of character points. So if Gornak the Slayer, an ogre, used character points to get a 17 STR, he would now adjust the STR to 20.

See the chart below for descriptions of the nine attributes and how they affect game play. Attributes at an extreme value (below six or above fifteen) provide modifiers to various aspects of the character. The ‘notes’ column describes the types of modifiers in general corresponding to the modifier values in the table. The attribute descriptions below the table define the specific modifiers provided by each.

 


Attribute Bonus/Penalty Chart

attribute

value

points

init

saves

skill pts.

s/p/d

damage

skills %

 

 

 

     Notes

 

 

damage

    modifier affecting hand-to-hand (HTH)

    combat and thrown weapon damage (not

    missile)

init

    modifier to combat initiative

points

    modifier affecting HP, DSP, ESP, HSP, ISP,

    MSP, and NSP

saves

    modifier to saving throws

skill pts.

    modifier to starting skill points

skills %

    modifier to skill success rolls; skills have a

    particular listed attribute which provides the

    modifier (see charts below)

s/p/d

    stands for "strike/parry/dodge" modifier

0

-3

-4

-6

 

1

-2

-3

-5

 

2

-2

-2

-4

 

3

-1

-2

-3

 

4

-1

-1

-2

 

5

-1

-1

-1

 

6-15

---

---

---

 

16

+1

+1

+1

 

17

+1

+1

+2

 

18

+1

+2

+3

 

19

+2

+2

+4

 

20

+2

+3

+5

 

21

+2

+3

+6

 

22

+3

+4

+7

 

23

+3

+4

+8

 

24

+3

+5

+9

 

25

+4

+5

+10

 

26

+4

+6

+11

 

27

+4

+6

+12

 

28

+5

+7

+13

 

29

+5

+7

+14

 

30

+5

+8

+15

 

 

INT intelligence

    provides saving throw modifier versus all magical attacks, starting skill point modifier for new

    characters, and MSP modifier

WIL willpower

    provides saving throw modifier versus psionic attacks and ISP modifier

END endurance

    provides saving throw modifier versus physical attacks (acid, coma, concussion, poison, system

    shock, nsh.), HP modifier per 10 HPs purchased, and HSP modifier

STR strength

    provides damage modifier (HTH combat and thrown weapon, not missile)

PRW prowess

    provides HTH combat and ranged strike modifier

REF reflex

    provides HTH combat parry modifier

SPD speed

    provides HTH combat dodge modifier, base initiative value, initiative modifier, and miss factor

    (SPD ÷ 2 rounding any fraction down gives combat miss factor)

PRE presence

    provides DSP and ESP modifiers and roleplaying modifiers at GM’s discretion

BTY beauty

    provides NSP modifier and roleplaying modifiers at GM’s discretion

 



Threads


Threads are innate ‘stuff’ in the core of a character’s being. They exist as four aspects: fortune, magic, psionic, and spirit. Roll percentile dice for threads, with fortune set first. For the other three, make percentile rolls and pick where you want them to apply. You can set magic, psionic, and spirit threads with the three rolls however you wish; they can be distributed to best fit your character conception or by whatever criteria you want to use.

Having a high value for a thread provides the character with an increasing level of resistance to the applicable force. (Spirit applies to physical saves and gives true resistance to deathblows; fortune only gives true resistance to critical hits with no effect on any saving throws.)

Dying reduces the spirit thread by one (which is only relevant if the character actually comes back to life J).


Thread Resistance

thread value

resistance provided

0 to 50

None

51 to 90

+1 saving throw

91 to 100

+2 saving throw

101+

True resistance as a percentage equal to the thread value - 100 (true resistance is checked as a percentage roll before [and in addition to] the standard saving throw)

 

Skills, Gifts, and “Points”


Now, choose a profession and skills. Each character starts with one primary skill. This skill is the character's chosen profession or class. All primary skills give the character some base ability. For all except fighter, the primary class provides a gift for the character, which is a knack or innate ability for doing that sort of thing. The character also chooses other skills based on a starting skill point and skill weight system.

Each skill has a skill weight associated with it ranging from one to four. Beginning characters start with fifteen (15) skill points plus their Intelligence (INT) attribute plus the starting skill point bonus associated with INT. (For example, a character with a 22 INT gets 15 + 22 + 4 = 41 skill points.) Each skill point is equivalent to one skill weight; for example, mystic conversion (SW 3) would require three skill points to choose when creating the character. (The cost to advance skills and acquire new ones is also based on the weight. See Character Advancement below.)

In addition to acquiring starting skills, characters can use skill points to start with feats for literacy and additional languages in addition to speaking their native (usually their own racial) language and the common tongue (which has no written form). Each language acquired (spoken or literacy) requires one skill point. (Characters begin only knowing how to speak their native tongue, not reading and writing it. Starting with literacy, assuming the language has a written form, would also require a skill point.)

Normal skills have a chance of success associated with them. (Primary skills and weapon proficiencies do not.) The chance of success is a percentage and is ten percent (10%) per level for all skills regardless of their skill weight. Skills may receive a bonus or penalty to the success percentage from extreme attributes. (This modifier does not necessarily have to make sense rationally. It could be due to the magic of the world or some other innate, unexplainable effect.)

Characters have some “points” upon creation. All characters get hit points (HP). Depending on the chosen primary skill, the character may get divine spell points (DSP), elemental spell points (ESP), healing strength points (HSP), inner strength points (ISP), magical spell points (MSP), or nature spell points (NSP). [See Primary Skills below.]

Starting HP = (END) + (END HP modifier) + (racial HP listed in the race attribute table above).

Starting DSP, ESP, HSP, ISP, MSP, or NSP = (appropriate attribute) + (attribute point modifier) + 10.

“Points” recovery: “Points” are used by the character and return at one per power level per hour. For example, a level four warlock recovers four elemental spell points per hour. Hit points are the exception because they correlate with physical damage and must be healed.

 


 


Primary Skills (Classes)

Druid

Druids are freaky nature granola types who usually have wild, stringy hair and don’t bathe often. They also typically possess a creepy relationship with animals. They gain their abilities and spells from the Force of Nature (similar to the Magic: The Gathering® card of the same name but with less of a temper; however, some druids prefer to believe in a dirt-smudged, hairy-legged, epicene, willowy, Gaea chick as the provider of their power). Druids do not have true spell knowledge.

 

“Points” for druids are nature spell points (NSP):

§   Druids have and use NSP to power abilities and spells

§   NSP return each hour at one per level of the druid

§   NSP pool increases by 10 + BTY bonus to NSP at each level

 

All druids have the following things:

§   The druidic gift

§   One physical action (which may be used for druidic abilities) and one magic action (for spells and which may be used for druidic abilities)

§   Skill bonus of +10% to dowsing, identify plants/fruits, and zoology: general

§   All special druidic abilities at first level (see Psimancz Appendices)

§   Starting spells: choose two druidic spells plus NSP bonus (for spells, see Psimancz Appendices)

 

Advancement:

Druids advance in power level in the standard manner. (See the chart in Character Advancement.) They get all special druidic abilities corresponding to their power level. Druids gain two druidic spells plus NSP bonus each level. They may change one spell of a lower level each time they attain a new power level.

 

Quotations of typical druids:

§   “Don’t you dare even think about it, you knuckle-dragging troglodyte.” Said to Tordu, a human, as he pulled a rabbit out of his bunny bag to deactivate the ward.

§   “I’m not just a pretty face, you know.”

§   “Not that kind of ‘special,’ cretin.” In response to questions about his special relationship with his familiar, Dahry, a goat.

§   “I derive my immense power from the sacred heart of this vast land we now tread upon. Be wary, interloper!” Later, quietly to one of her companions, “Hey, can you parry for me?”

 

Fighter

Fighters are the butt-kickers of the Psimancz world. One can be an arbalester, archer, assassin, barbarian, bodyguard, bouncer, bounty hunter, brave, cavalier, chevalier, dart thrower, dragoon, fencer, gladiator, infantryman, kick boxer, knight, kung fu master, lancer, legionnaire, malla yodha, man-at-arms, mercenary, ninja, palace guard, paladin, pugilist, ranger, reaver, rogue, sailor, samurai, scout, sea rover, soldier, spearman, squire, thief, thumb wrestler, warrior or whatever hand-to-hand combat-oriented profession or style you can imagine. Fighter is the only ‘cool’ class; the rest are dorks.

 

“Points” for fighters are their hit points (HP). They get no power points unless they multi-class.

 

All fighters begin with the following things:

§   Autoparry (attempting to parry a strike does not require an action)

§   One physical action plus a second physical action (free, not floating)

§   +10 floating HP (these are not ‘purchased’ points, so they get no END bonus)

§   +1 floating bonus on any one thing (combat, perception, or whatever)

§   Feats: light and medium armor proficiency

 

Advancement:

Fighters don’t advance in power level; they improve their combat abilities.

 

Quotations of typical fighters:

§   “Bite me. It’s not like you’re going to do it.” Said by Tordu after he tossed the bunny.

§   “I have a brain, too, you know.”

§   “You call that stick a weapon? Bring it on, runt.”

 

Healer

Healers have the power to heal the sick and injured. They’re usually nice, but that trait is not a requirement for the class. Healer is a support class dedicated to helping others. Generally, they do not ‘adventure’ away from civilization, but there are always exceptions. Though they’re often described as ‘pansies’ or ‘namby-pambies,’ healers can learn to fight with a weapon as well as anyone else, but they look a little awkward and silly. (Besides, chopping people up seems so contrary to the concept of ‘healer.’) They typically gain their abilities from training and internal strength of self.

 

“Points” for healers are healing strength points (HSP):

§   Healers have and use HSP to power abilities

§   HSP return each hour at one per level of the healer

§   HSP pool increases by 10 + END bonus to HSP at each level

 

All healers have the following things:

§   The healing gift

§   One physical action and one healing action (for healing abilities)

§   Starting healing abilities: choose a number of first level abilities equal to one-third END (rounding up) plus END HSP bonus. (See Psimancz Appendices.)

 

Advancement:

Healers advance in power level in the standard manner. (See the chart in Character Advancement.) They acquire additional abilities by spending 100 experience points per level of the ability. There is no limit to the number of abilities acquired, but the power level of the healer determines the highest level of healing ability that can be activated.

 

Quotations of typical healers:

§   “Is it safe to go in now?”

§   “I’m not a namby-pamby, you know.”

§   “What? You think I can do this forever? Don’t do such stupid things that always get us cut up.” Said in response to an overheard comment, “Why’d we even bother bringing a healer?”

 

Mage

Mages are the manipulators of mystical forces in the world. A mage can be any user of magic from the local hedge wizard to the demon-summoning sorcerer, from the scholarly sage at the top of the hill to the potion-peddling alchemist on the wrong side of town, or even the surly necromancer living in the mausoleum under the graveyard. Mages typically gain their knowledge and magical powers through extensive study and training. There are four subclasses of mage, each having its own “gift” with which it is associated.

Diabolist (master of ward magic)

Necromancer (master of death magic)

Sorcerer (master of circle and ritual magic)

Wizard (master of spell magic)

 

“Points” for mages are magic spell points (MSP):

§   Mages have and use MSP to power magical abilities and spells

§   MSP return each hour at one per level of the mage

§   MSP pool increases by 10 + INT bonus to MSP at each level

 

All mages have the following things:

§   The mage subclass gift

§   One physical action and one magic action (which applies to any magic action: circle, necromantic, ritual, spell, or ward)

§   Starting spells for wizards: all wizards start with the common knowledge spells (decipher magic, mage light, sense magic, tongues) and choose half INT (rounding up) plus INT MSP bonus as levels of 1st through 5th level common spells. (See Psimancz Appendices.)

§   Diabolists, necromancers, and sorcerers start with magical powers as well, but it has not been written up yet.

 

Advancement:

Mages advance in power level in the standard manner. (See the chart in Character Advancement.) They acquire additional magical powers through learning, experimentation, and instruction. They cannot spend experience points for them.

 

Quotations of typical mages:

§   “Give me a minute to figure this out.”

§   “I’m not just a walking encyclopedia, you know.”

§   “Well, the magic should work like…”

§   “It should be safe to go in now… After you.”

 

Priest

The priest class refers to those who are devout followers of a specific god; many religious types are included in this category from wandering, bipolar, manitou-worshipping shamans to unctuous, dictatorial bishops. The god provides all the powers and spells that priests have at their disposal. They do not have true spell knowledge.

 

The first step in creating a priest character is to choose a patron (or matron) god. All gods have two spheres of influence. The spheres of influence that a god possesses will affect the choice of spells available to the priest.

 

“Points” for priests are divine spell points (DSP):

§   Priests have and use DSP to power spells

§   DSP return each hour at one per level of the priest

§   DSP pool increases by 10 + PRE bonus to DSP at each level

 

All priests have the following things:

§   The divine gift

§   Autoparry (attempting to parry a strike does not require an action)

§   One physical action and one magic action (for spells and priestly abilities)

§   Feat: light armor proficiency

§   Starting spells: see Spell Knowledge below

§   Turn Dead ability (see below)

 

Advancement:

Priests advance in power level in the standard manner. (See chart in Character Advancement.) See spell knowledge below for acquiring new spells as the priest advances.

 

Quotations of typical priests:

§   “Have you no concern for your eternal soul?”

§   “We’re not all like that, you know. I don’t even know that boy.”

§   “According to the teachings of <blank>, that’s just wrong.”

§   “Such things are of no concern to me, you benighted fool. I answer to a higher power.”

 

Spell knowledge:

A priest receives two spells per level. The spells must be equal to or lower than the power level of the priest. The priest may choose common spells equal to the power level of the character, uncommon spells equal to the power level minus one, rare spells equal to the power level minus two, and very rare spells equal to the power level minus three. All spells must be selected from the spheres of influence of the god to which the character is dedicated. (For the magic spell list, see Psimancz Appendices).

 

Turning dead (animated or un-):

Turn Dead is a spell-like ability all priests possess. It uses a spell action to cast and a standard magic save is required of all dead who attempt to pass within a five-foot radius per level of the priest. A priest can attempt to turn two minor dead per level and one major dead per level. A priest can attempt to turn dead up to their level times per day.

 

Minor dead:       These animated dead have no intelligence of their own. Typically minor dead do not have a bonus to saving throws. Skeletons, zombies and ghouls fall into this category.

 

Major dead:      These animated dead usually have a soul imbued into their mortal shell. Vampires and mummies fall into this category.

 

Psion

Psions mess with people’s minds and are either bald or appear to have a lot of static in their hair. They generally have an eerie air about them and are not to be trusted. They typically gain their abilities from training and internal strength of will.

 

“Points” for psions are inner strength points (ISP):

§   Psions have and use ISP to power abilities

§   ISP return each hour at one per level of the psion

§   ISP pool increases by 10 + WIL bonus to ISP at each level

 

All psions have the following things:

§   The master psionic gift

§   One physical action and one psionic action (for psionic powers)

§   Starting psionic powers: choose a number of first level powers equal to one-third WIL (rounding up) plus WIL ISP bonus. (See Psimancz Appendices.)

 

Advancement:

Psions advance in power level in the standard manner. (See the chart in Character Advancement.) They acquire additional powers by spending 100 experience points per level of the ability. There is no limit to the number of powers acquired, but the power level of the psion determines the highest level of psionic ability that can be activated. The nature of the “gift” also limits a psion. Those with minor psionics may only acquire first level powers; those with major psionics, first through third level powers; and those with master psionics, all powers.

 

Quotations of typical psions:

§   “I got your back.” To the guy parrying.

§   “We’re not all mendacious manipulators, you know.”

§   Running from a local card game, “Now why’d you have to go and tell them I could do a ‘cool trick’ shooting light out of my eyes?”

 

Warlock

Warlocks are wannabe mages who couldn’t cut it in multivariate calculus class, so they steal their power; they siphon it from the elemental planes. They do not have true spell knowledge. Warlocks begin with a power level dedicated to one of the four elemental forces: air, earth, fire, or water.

Multi-classing to another elemental force requires the purchase of another power level dedicated to that force. [Note: A warlock that multi-classes to another elemental force does not have to buy the warlock “gift” again, only the power level.]

 

“Points” for warlocks are elemental spell points (ESP):

§   Warlocks have and use ESP to power abilities and spells

§   ESP return each hour at one per level of the warlock

§   ESP pool increases by 10 + PRE bonus to ESP at each level

 

All warlocks have the following things:

§   The warlock gift

§   One physical action and one magic action (for spells and summoning)

§   Starting spells: see Spell Knowledge below

§   Special abilities associated with elementals, which are described below

o        Non-aggression from elementals; sense, speak, and summon elemental

 

Advancement:

Warlocks advance in power level in the standard manner. (See the chart in Character Advancement.) See below for increasing abilities and acquiring new spells as the warlock advances.

 

Quotations of typical warlocks:

§    “Thanks for the gift, but I don’t always have to wear white (or blue or green or red), you know.”

§   “No, I don’t have a book. Should I?”

§   “Damn, why didn’t I pick fire?”

 

Non-aggression:

Elementals will not attack their mortal brothers and sisters unless necessary, provoked or attacked first. If an elemental is forced to attack a warlock, it will warn the warlock of its mission first, and then attack without mercy. This courtesy is extended to all warlocks, regardless of their affiliation.

 

Sense/speak elemental:

Warlocks can sense a nearby elemental (within 100 feet) regardless of the elemental type. Also, a warlock can speak with all elementals to which the warlock is affiliated.

 

Elemental summoning:

Warlocks may summon an elemental companion of the same element to which the warlock is dedicated. The level of the elemental is equal to the power level of the warlock. The warlock summons the elemental as a magic action and the ESP cost is the same as the MSP cost for a typical spell of the same level. The elemental will remain for ten minutes per level of the warlock. No battle of wills is necessary to summon or control the elemental. (For the powers and abilities of summoned elementals, see Psimancz Appendices).

 

Greater elemental summoning:

This spell-like ability is similar to the elemental summoning ability except that it lasts for a longer duration. Once the warlock achieves sixth level, she can bind the elemental to the prime material plane for a longer duration. When the warlock performs a greater summoning, the elemental that is summoned is one level lower than if the elemental summoning ability were used, but the elemental will remain for one hour per level of the warlock.

 

Spell knowledge:

A warlock receives two spells, plus the ESP modifier from Presence, per level. The spells must be equal to or lower than the power level of the warlock. The warlock may choose common spells equal to the power level of the character, uncommon spells equal to the power level minus one, rare spells equal to the power level minus two, and very rare spells equal to the power level minus four. All spells must be selected from the element to which the character is dedicated. The warlock starts with first level Sense Magic spell automatically. (For the magic spell list, see Psimancz Appendices).

 


Skill List (by skill weight)

Weight One Skills


Acting                                             PRE

Animal husbandry                             PRE

Armorer: light                                  END

Astrology                                         WIL

Astronomy                                       INT

Breeding dogs                                  PRE

Brewing                                           END

Carpentry                                        STR

Cartography                                    PRW

Celestial lore                                    INT

Chemistry                                        INT

Chess                                              INT

Cook                                               WIL

Dance                                             PRW

Disguise                                          BTY

Dowsing                                          WIL

Elemental lore                                  INT

Erotic arts                                       BTY

Faerie lore                                       INT

Falconry                                          PRE

Fishing                                            WIL

Forgery                                           PRW

Gambling                                         PRE

General riding (air or ground)              END

Heraldry                                          INT

Identify plants/fruits                        INT

Imitate voices                                 PRE

Infernal lore                                     INT

Juggling                                          REF

Leatherworking                                STR

Masonry                                          STR

Mathematics                                    INT

Metal working                                  STR

Meteorology                                     INT

Mime                                              PRW

Mining                                             END

Mountaineering                                STR

Paint                                               REF

Philosophy                                       WIL

Planar lore                                       INT

Plant/farm lore                                INT

Play percussion instruments              END

Play string instruments                    PRW

Play wind instruments                      END

Pottery                                            REF

Preserve food                                  STR

Public speaking                                PRE

Racial histories                                INT

Read lips                                         WIL

Read mystic symbols                        INT

Recognize poison                             INT

Rec. precious metals/stones             WIL

Recognize weapon quality                 WIL

Religious doctrine                            INT

Research                                         END

Rope works                                      REF

Sailing                                             STR

Scale walls                                       STR

Sculpting/whittling                          PRW

Sense of direction                            WIL

Siege knowledge                              INT

Sign language                                  PRW

Sing                                                BTY

Sleight of hand                                PRW

Specialization                                   ---

Swim                                               SPD

Tailor                                             PRW

Undead lore                                     INT

Ventriloquism                                  WIL

Weapon proficiency: small                 ---

Wilderness lore                                INT

Witch lore                                        INT

Writing                                           WIL

Zoology: general                               INT

 

Weight Two Skills

Armorer: medium                            END

Combat riding (WP; air or ground)         ---

Court etiquette                                PRE

Criminal knowledge                          PRE

Divination                                       WIL

Fast-talk                                         PRE

Find/remove traps                           REF

General repair                                 STR

Herb lore                                         INT

Locate secret comp/doors                PRW

Medical                                            INT

Mystic lore                                       INT

Pathfinding                                      SPD

Pick locks                                        REF

Pick pockets                                    PRW

Prowl                                               REF

Psionic lore                                      INT

Psychology                                       WIL

Ritual lore                                        INT

Skinning and tanning                        STR

Study wards                                     INT

Surgery                                           PRW

Tactics                                            INT

Therapy                                           END

Track                                              END

Trap design and construction            STR

Urban lore                                       PRE

Use poison                                      PRW

Weapon proficiency: medium             ---

Weaponsmith: general                     STR

Wilderness survival                          END

Weight Two Skills (continued)

Zoology: mystic                                INT

 

Weight Three Skills

Acrobatics                                       SPD

Armorer: heavy                                END

Hunting & foraging                          SPD

Meditation                                       WIL

Mystic conversion                             INT

Mystic harvesting (prereq: mys zoology) INT

Psionic conversion                           WIL

Weapon proficiency: large                 ---

Weaponsmith: special                      STR

 

Weight Four Skills

Armorer: plate                                 END

Unarmed combat (WP; requires autoparry)

Weapon proficiency: huge (2H)          ---

 


Specific Weapon Proficiencies

 

Small (1d4)

Blowgun

Knife

Shield

Special

 

Medium (1d6)

Ball and chain

Battle-ax

Blunt

Shield

Sling

Spear/fork

Staff

Sword

Special

 

Large (2d6)

Ball and chain

Battle-ax

Blunt

Bow

Shield

Spear/fork

Staff

Sword

Special

 

Huge (3d6)

(must be two-handed)

Ball and chain

Battle-ax

Blunt

Crossbow

Pole arm

Sword

Special

 

Miscellaneous

Combat riding (air or ground)

Unarmed combat (requires autoparry)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weapon proficiency note: Those using a weapon for which they don’t have the skill suffer –3 to strike, parry, and damage. (Fighters with autoparry only suffer a –1 penalty except in the case of mounted combat. When mounted, even fighters get –3 if they don’t have the combat riding skill.) When a weapon proficiency skill is chosen for a starting character, the character gets one free (non-floating) +1 in whichever area it wants (strike, parry, or damage). This free bonus does not apply for an acquired weapon proficiency skill.

 

Shield note: The size of the shield (S, M, or L) is used to determine several things. There are three different shield weapon proficiency skills available. The size gives the skill weight of each shield skill. The size also determines the amount of damage the shield does and the modifiers applied when an off-hand strike is made with the shield. Yet all shield skills of all sizes have bonus costs that are the same and are listed in the table below under Character Advancement as “WP SH.”

 


Specific Skill Notes

Acrobatics

This skill encompasses several abilities including exceptional balance, leaping, tightrope walking, nsh. Details will be described later.

 

Armorer

To be described.

 

Combat riding (WP; air or ground)

Two separate skills exist: one for ground-based mounts and one for flying mounts. (Other specialized mounts might require the purchase of another combat riding skill like in water, for example, if the character had a dolphin familiar.) Simply having the skill means the character can safely approach most war mounts of that type and fight while mounted without the usual -3 penalties. Combat riding skill does not provide the knowledge and abilities to properly care for or ride the mount. (General riding skill of the appropriate type is, therefore, a necessity for combat riding to be useful and should be considered a prerequisite.) Bonuses purchased with combat riding (prices listed under Character Advancement below) are cumulative with all other general HTH as well as weapon bonuses. (Yes, a well-trained mounted opponent is supposed to be scary!)

 

Fishing

Given an appropriate natural environment, fishing provides enough aquatic animal-based food to sustain one human-sized person per level. It is assumed that the character spends a couple of hours each day setting nets, checking fishing lines, nsh.

 

General riding (air or ground)

Two separate skills exist: one for ground-based mounts and one for flying mounts. (Other specialized mounts might require the purchase of another general riding skill like in water, for example, if the character had a dolphin familiar.) General riding provides the knowledge and abilities to properly care for and ride the mounts of the given type.

 

Herb lore

This skill assists in medical healing using salves, teas, nsh. (We need to create a level-based system for creation.)

 

 

 

Hunting & foraging

Given an appropriate natural environment, hunting & foraging provides enough animal-based and/or vegetarian food to sustain one human-sized person per level in addition to the character. It is assumed that the character spends a couple of hours each day setting snares, stalking prey, foraging for berries and tubers, nsh.

 

Medical

The character can heal wounds with this skill provided that a medical kit is used. (Having the skill and applying it to a wounded patient can prevent further damage even without the kit or if the roll is failed.) For each 10% (or part thereof) by which the skill roll is made, one hit point of physical damage is healed. For each point healed, the skill uses one “charge” of a medical kit. (For example, making the skill roll by 13% would heal 2 HP and burn 2 medical charges.) Further successes with medical will not heal more unless the number of hit points cured exceeds the number repaired in the most successful earlier attempt. And then, only the difference has effect, yet the full number of charges is used. New characters starting with medical receive a standard quality medical kit with 20 charges.

 

Meditation

This skill does not replace sleep. The maximum amount of time per day that can be spent meditating is eight hours. (During travel, it is typically four hours per day.) For each level of Meditation, the character regains one HPC, ISP, and MSP in addition to the normal recovery of energies.

 

Mystic harvesting

Prerequisite:

      zoology: mystic skill

This skill provides knowledge of whether a creature has components that are useful or valuable along with the ability to remove them intact.

 

Planar lore

The skill provides knowledge of the various planes and how they interact. It may also cover knowledge of specific planes and their inhabitants.

 

Read mystic symbols

The character can read and understand the usual markings and symbols used on magic items, mystical books, potions, nsh.

 

Recognize poison

In addition to recognizing toxins, the character can also create the proper anti-venom (given the appropriate ingredients).

 

Ritual lore

The skill provides knowledge about circle and ritual magic. (It replaces study circles skill.)

 

Surgery

To be described.

 

Therapy

To be described.

 

Unarmed combat (WP; requires autoparry)

Possessing this skill gives the ability to fight using only the body (including being able to parry HTH combat attacks without requiring a weapon). Characters without this skill cannot fight unarmed at all. The chart under “Character Advancement” below lists costs for unarmed combat abilities, bonuses, and damage dice.

 

Wilderness survival

A character with this skill can survive in typical wilderness for one week per level. It requires nearly full-time effort to survive.

 

 

(Note: Many more skills require explanation.)

 


Skill List (by attribute)

Skills get a modifier based on a particular attribute. Skill weights are shown.

 


Beauty

Disguise                                               1

Erotic arts                                            1

Sing                                                     1

 

 

Endurance

Armorer: heavy                                     3

Armorer: light                                       1

Armorer: medium                                 2

Armorer: plate                                      4

Brewing                                                1

General riding (air or ground)                   1

Mining                                                  1

Play percussion instruments                   1

Play wind instruments                           1

Research                                              1

Therapy                                                2

Track                                                   2

Wilderness survival                               2

 

 

Intelligence

Astronomy                                            1

Celestial lore                                        1

Chemistry                                             1

Chess                                                   1

Elemental lore                                       1

Faerie lore                                            1

Heraldry                                               1

Herb lore                                              2

Identify plants/fruits                             1

Infernal lore                                          1

Mathematics                                         1

Medical                                                2

Meteorology                                          1

Mystic conversion                                 3

Mystic harvesting                                  3

Mystic lore                                            2

Planar lore                                            1

Plant/farm lore                                     1

Psionic lore                                           2

Racial histories                                     1

Read mystic symbols                             1

Recognize poison                                  1

Religious doctrine                                 1

Ritual lore                                            2

Siege knowledge                                   1

Study wards                                          2

Tactics                                                 2

Undead lore                                          1

Wilderness lore                                     1

Witch lore                                            1

Zoology: general                                   1

Zoology: mystic                                     2

 

 

Presence

Acting                                                  1

Animal husbandry                                  1

Breeding dogs                                       1

Court etiquette                                     2

Criminal knowledge                               2

Falconry                                               1

Fast-talk                                              2

Gambling                                              1

Imitate voices                                      1

Public speaking                                     1

Urban lore                                            2

 

 

Prowess

Cartography                                          1

Dance                                                   1

Forgery                                                1

Mime                                                   1

Locate secret comp/doors                     2

Pick pockets                                         2

Play string instruments                          1

Sculpting/whittling                                1

Sign language                                       1

Sleight of hand                                     1

Surgery                                                2

Tailor                                                   1

Use poison                                            2

 

 

Reflex

Find/remove traps                                2

Juggling                                               1

Paint                                                    1

Pick locks                                             2

Pottery                                                 1

Prowl                                                    2

Rope works                                           1

 

 

Speed

Acrobatics                                            3

Hunting & foraging                               3

Pathfinding                                           2

Swim                                                    1

 

 

 

 

Strength

Carpentry                                             1

General repair                                      2

Leatherworking                                     1

Masonry                                               1

Metal working                                       1

Mountaineering                                     1

Preserve food                                       1

Sailing                                                  1

Scale walls                                            1

Skinning and tanning                             2

Trap design and construction                 2

Weaponsmith: general                          2

Weaponsmith: special                           3

 

 

 

 

Willpower

Astrology                                              1

Cook                                                    1

Divination                                            2

Dowsing                                               1

Fishing                                                 1

Meditation                                            2

Philosophy                                            1

Psionic conversion                                3

Psychology                                            2

Read lips                                              1

Recognize precious metals/stones         1

Recognize weapon quality                      1

Sense of direction                                 1

Ventriloquism                                       1

Writing                                                1

 

 



Starting Equipment

Every character starts with the following equipment if wanted.

New characters may spend as much of their starting coin on equipment as they wish.

 

 

 

 

Starting Equipment

1 complete set of clothing (choose style)

1 bedroll

1 backpack

1 belt pouch

 

1 knife

1 standard quality weapon for each WP skill

 

1 candle

1 personal kit

1 set of eating utensils

12 silver pieces

 


Final Note


When creating the character, don’t forget about the personality and general motivation. Having unique, interesting PEOPLE as characters in the game with cool backgrounds and quirky traits makes it more fun for everyone. As an aid, try to come up with “three words” for each character that give a quick overview. If they happened to be “capricious, friendly, and impatient,” or “callow, ebrious, and raffish” you’d have a pretty good idea of how the character might react in many possible situations. It’s just a suggestion.

 


Character Advancement

It’s all about improvement. (But then the monsters get tougher too. Those bastards!)

E


ach game session, the characters tromp around the GM’s imagined world participating in excellent adventures. One would expect that they might be able to learn a little something from their adventuring. Or not. J Regardless, the character gets to improve.


Experience Points


The game mechanic that represents a character’s life experience and capacity for improvement is called experience points (XP). You ‘spend’ XP to increase your character’s skills, abilities, and attributes. Use the advancement charts below to find the costs for increasing attributes, raising power or skill levels, learning new skills, gaining combat and weapon bonuses and abilities, increasing “points,” acquiring feats, nsh. Attributes, power levels, and skill levels are limited in the speed at which they can increase. Only a single attribute value increase or level advancement per game session is allowed. Combat and other bonuses, hit points, DSP, ESP, HSP, ISP, MSP, and NSP may increase as much as desired. Many classes gain things at each level. See Primary Skills above.

Keep track of the total amount of experience earned by the character. Extra bonuses for initiative, perception, and Presence are based on the total amount of experience, which acts as a rough gauge of approximate overall character level and power. (The total-experience-based bonuses for initiative and perception are ‘floating,’ which means they are always added on top of what you bought for the character with experience.)

Total-Experience-Based Bonuses

For every 10,000 total experience points, the character receives

 

     +1 floating initiative bonus

 

     +1 floating perception bonus

            (in a single sense category)

 

     +1 Presence CP

            (not full attribute point; not floating)

 

For every 50,000 total experience points, the character also receives

 

     +1 floating saving throw on all saves

     +1 full attribute point (not floating)

 


Feats


Feats are sort of like skills, but they do not advance in level. They can be purchased with experience as one-time expenditures during character advancement. (There are exceptions. A few primary skills start with feats and characters can use skill points to start with language feats.) There are three types of feats: combat forms, general talents, and mystical techniques.


Combat Forms

 

Ambidextrous conditioning

Prerequisites:

      off-hand attack feat, Prowess 13+

The character gains +2 to strike with off-hand attacks. Cost: 2500 XP

 

Armor proficiency

The wearing of armor requires training to use properly. (See Armor below for complete armor rules.) Characters cannot use armor for which they do not have the proficiency feat. Fighters start with light and medium AP for no cost; priests begin with light AP. Cost varies:

      Light:               500 XP

      Medium:           1000 XP

      Heavy:              1500 XP

      Plate:               2000 XP

 

Blind fighting

The character has a heightened sense of awareness when in hand-to-hand combat, so only suffers a -1 to strike, parry, and dodge when fighting blind. The reduced penalty only applies to melee combat (hand-to-hand attacks). Ranged attacks suffer the usual penalties. Cost: 5000 XP

 

Cover finesse

Prerequisite:

      autoparry

Fighters with this combat form are better at defending others. There is no penalty to parry attacks that are targeted against the declared protectee (except for the usual flank attack penalty, nsh.) Cost: 2000 XP

 

Deflect arrows

Prerequisites:

      autoparry, +2 parry in WP, Reflex 14+

This form allows characters to parry normal ranged (or thrown) attacks (not magical ranged attacks) as if they were using a shield. The parry bonus is based on the chosen WP. Each time this feat is purchased, it applies to another specific WP skill. Cost varies:

      WP small:         1000 XP

      WP medium:      1000 XP

      WP large:          1000 XP

      WP unarmed:     2000 XP

      WP huge:          3000 XP

 

Free kick

On a natural 20 parry, the defender gets to strike the opponent with a special kick that cannot be parried and does not take an action. It has the normal unarmed strike bonus and does 1d6 real damage plus damage bonus. Cost: 500 XP

 

Gang cover finesse

Prerequisites:

      cover finesse and gang fighting feats

Characters with this combat form are better at defending others against multiple attackers. There is no penalty to parry attacks against the declared ‘protectee’s flanks, and rear attacks can be parried at a -2 penalty. Cost: 2000 XP

 

Gang fighting

Prerequisite:

      autoparry

Fighters with this combat form are better at defending themselves against multiple attackers. There is no penalty to parry attacks against the flanks, and rear attacks can be parried at a -2 penalty. Cost: 3000 XP

 

Improved gang cover finesse

Prerequisites:

      gang cover finesse and improved gang

      fighting feats

Characters with this combat form are expert at defending others against multiple attackers. There is no penalty to parry attacks against the declared ‘protectee’s flanks or rear. Cost: 3000 XP

 

Improved gang fighting

Prerequisites:

      gang fighting feat

Characters with this combat form are expert at defending themselves against multiple attackers. There is no penalty to parry attacks against the flanks or rear. Cost: 3000 XP

 

Improved mobility

Prerequisites:

      mobility feat, autoparry

This form works the same as mobility except the character may attempt to parry (when applicable) if the dodge is unsuccessful. Cost: 2000 XP

 

Lightning interposition

Prerequisite:

      autoparry

Characters with this combat form are quicker at defending others. They can switch their declared ‘protectee’ in the middle of a round as an abort without costing an action. The feat can be purchased multiple times for multiple switches within a round. Cost: 2000 XP

 

Missile interception

Prerequisites:

      deflect arrows and ranged deflection feats

      Prowess 16+

By use of this form a character may attempt to parry a ranged attack using a ranged weapon. The character’s strike roll is used to stop the attack. Each time this feat is purchased, it applies to another specific WP skill. Cost varies:

      WP small:         1500 XP

      WP medium:      2000 XP

      WP large:          2500 XP

      WP huge:          3000 XP

 

Example: A character may shoot an arrow out of the sky with another arrow.

 

Mobility

Characters with this form are extremely active in combat. As long as they are aware of the attack, they can attempt a free dodge once per round. All dodge bonuses apply. If the free dodge attempt fails, there is no option to attempt a parry. Cost: 2000 XP

 

Multiple attack

Prerequisites:

      off-hand attack feat, 30,000 total XP

The form allows a character to attack a single creature with each weapon held in the same initiative instant. Each attack still requires the appropriate action (that is, a physical action and an off-hand attack action). The defending creature can attempt to parry both attacks if trained in a simul-parry feat. Cost: 4000 XP

 

Example: Drogo has a dagger in one hand and a long sword in the other. He uses the multiple attack feat to strike his opponent twice simultaneously, once with the sword and once with the dagger. The attacks still cost two actions (one physical, one off-hand), but they happen on the same initiative instant.

 

Multiple interposition

Prerequisite:

      autoparry

Characters with this powerful combat form can have more than one free declared ‘protectee’ at the beginning of a round and have the ability to defend all of them simultaneously. (I know; it seems insane; Psimancz is a fantasy role-playing game, after all.) Cost progresses:

      2nd protectee     5000 XP

      3rd protectee      10,000 XP

      4th protectee      15,000 XP

      And so on

Oak hands

Prerequisite:

      WP unarmed combat

This form allows fighters to do half real damage with unarmed attacks (instead of just subdual damage), if they wish. Cost: 2000 XP

 

Off-hand attack

Prerequisites:

      simul-parry feat, 3 physical actions

This form gives the fighter an extra attack that can be used to strike with the weapon or shield used in the off-hand. This action cannot be used for any other purpose, and if it is not used, it does not add five to next initiative. Cost progresses:

      1st attack           1000 XP

      2nd attack          3000 XP

      3rd attack          9000 XP

 

Offensive disarm

On a natural d20 roll attack, the opponent is disarmed if he is attempting to parry with a ‘dislodgeable’ weapon. Cost varies:

      20:                   1000 XP

      19:                   2000 XP

      18:                   4000 XP

      17:                   8000 XP

 

Parry ranged attacks

Prerequisites:

      deflect arrows feat, Reflex 16+

This form allows characters to parry magical ranged attacks as if they were using a shield. The parry bonus is based on the chosen WP. Each time this form is purchased, it applies to another specific WP skill. Cost varies:

      WP small:         1000 XP

      WP medium:      1000 XP

      WP large:          1000 XP

      WP unarmed:     2000 XP

      WP huge:          3000 XP

 

Quick change

This form allows the character to put a weapon (or shield) away (on own body) and draw another weapon, with no action cost. This feat can only be used once per round. The weapon's speed still applies for replacing and drawing the weapon. Cost: 1000 XP

 

Quick draw

Allows the character to draw or replace a weapon (from own body) with no initiative delay. This feat can be purchased multiple times. Each time this form is purchased, it applies to another specific WP skill (including shields). Cost: 500 XP x WP skill weight

Ranged deflection

Prerequisites:

      deflect arrows feat, Prowess 14+

This form allows a character who is currently using a ranged weapon to attempt to parry a melee attack against a character they have declared. This feat may also be aborted to in cases where the defended was not declared at the beginning of the round. The attempted deflection uses an action. Each time this form is purchased, it applies to another specific WP skill. Cost varies:

      WP small:         1000 XP

      WP medium:      2000 XP

      WP large:          2500 XP

      WP huge:          3000 XP

 

Example: Jorgo the Archer is in the trees covering his companions as they fight the evil SwordMaster. Lantra the Brave is disarmed and has no weapon to parry with. The SwordMaster turns to Lantra and attacks. Jorgo knows Lantra is close to zero hit points, so he uses the Ranged Deflection feat to fire an arrow to deflect (or parry) the SwordMaster’s thrust.

 

Simul-parry, shield

Prerequisite:

      autoparry

This form allows fighters to use a shield to parry simultaneous attacks directed at them. Cost: 1000 XP

 

Simul-parry, weapon

Prerequisite:

      autoparry

This form allows fighters to use a weapon to parry simultaneous attacks directed at them. Cost: 2000 XP

 

Steel hands

Prerequisite:

      oak hands feat

This form allows fighters to do all real damage with unarmed attacks (instead of any subdual damage), if they wish. Cost: 2000 XP

 

 

General Talents

 

Awareness

The character is highly aware of her surroundings and is allowed an extra first perception roll when she is the target of a sneak attack. Cost: 1500 XP

 

 

Damage reduction

Prerequisite:

      Endurance 16+

The character is quite hearty and able to withstand damage. The maximum damage reduction is equal to the character’s END - 15. This form may be purchased multiple times with each adding one point of damage reduction up to the maximum. Cost: 3000 XP

 

Evade traps

Characters possessing this feat are allowed to make a dodge roll to avoid traps whenever they trigger a single-target trap or are caught within an area of effect trap. Cost: 4000 XP

 

Language

Prerequisite:

      having a brain and other appropriate organs

This talent allows characters to speak another language or read and write a language, including their native tongue (assuming the language has a written form). Only ‘mortal’ languages can be chosen. (Examples would be elven, giant, human, and kobold, but not dragon, faerie, or infernal.) There is no percentage chance associated with knowing a language. In the future, there may be increasing levels of fluency. Cost: 250 XP

 

 

Mystical Techniques

 

Imbue Spell

Prerequisite:

      ability to cast spells (wizard gift)

      wizard power level 4

This technique allows the mage to cast any ‘self’ targeted spell onto another. The range is effectively changed to ‘touch,’ and the SP cost for casting the spell is increased by 8 points. Cost: 1000 XP

 

 


Multi-classing

Characters can acquire another primary class by purchasing it with experience points. Better explanation will be added later.

8000 XP        autoparry (fighter or priest)

5000             any non-psionic gift

                        (separate for diabolist, druid, healer, priest,  sorcerer, warlock, and wizard)

4000             power level zero

                        (druidic, healing, mystic [separate for each], priestly, psionic, and warlockish)

1000             minor psionic gift (first level abilities only)

2000             major psionic gift (first through third level abilities)

3000             master psionic gift (all abilities available)

 

Restrictions on multi-classing: no multi-god priests or mixing of druid, priest, and warlock. (Warlocks, however, can have multiple elemental forces.)

 


Advancement Charts

Attribute, Level, Skill, and “Point” Costs

attribute

value

XP cost

 

attribute

value

XP cost

 

Power level (druid, healer, mage (4), priest, psion, warlock)

XP cost

1

100

 

16

3200

 

1

400

2

200

 

17

3400

 

2

800

3

300

 

18

3600

 

3

1200

4

400

 

19

3800

 

4

3200

5

500

 

20

4000

 

5

4000

6

600

 

21

4200

 

6

4800

7

700

 

22

4400

 

7

8400

8

800

 

23

4600

 

8

9600

9

900

 

24

9600

 

9

10,800

10

1000

 

25

10,000

 

10

16,000

11

1100

 

26

10,400

 

11

17,600

12

1200

 

27

10,800

 

12

19,200

13

1300

 

28

11,200

 

13

26,000

14

1400

 

29

11,600

 

14

28,000

15

1500

 

30

24,000

 

15

30,000

 

Advancing skills:

The cost to advance a skill by one level is a base amount of experience points (dependent on the new skill level) times the skill weight times the level to which the skill is being raised. All skills can only be raised one level per game session.

    levels 1 – 5:        base cost 50 XP

    levels 6 – 10:      base cost 100 XP

    levels 11 – 15:    base cost 150 XP

For example, raising mystic conversion (SW 3) to second level would cost 300 XP (50 × 3 × 2). Raising it to sixth level would cost 1800 XP (100 × 3 × 6).

Acquiring new skills:

When learning new skills, the XP cost to obtain the skill at zero level is 200 XP times the skill weight. For example, learning mystic conversion (SW 3) as a new skill costs 600 XP. At zero level the skill has no percentage, nor do attribute modifiers apply. Once the skill is learned, it can be raised as normal (base × SW × level) after the next game session. A character must have the zero-level skill for one game session before raising it to first level.

Purchasing “points”:

DSP (divine spell points), ESP (elemental spell points), HP (hit points), HSP (healing strenth points), ISP (inner strength points), MSP (magic spell points), and NSP (nature spell points) all cost the same to increase. The experience point cost is equivalent to ten times the value of the point you are purchasing. (For example, the first point costs 1 × 10 = 10 XP, and the 32nd point of that type costs 32 × 10 = 320 XP. Math helper: as a group, points 1-10 costs 550 XP total, 11-20 costs 1550 XP, 21-30 costs 2550 XP, and so on.)

Automatic increase of “points”:

DSP, ESP, HSP, ISP, MSP, and NSP go up by 10 + (stat bonus) for each power level. These points are in addition to the ones purchased. HP do not go up automatically but instead get the stat bonus added for each ten points purchased.

 


Action and “Power Strength” Costs

action

physical

healing, magic,

or psionic

 

bonus

power strength

1

free

1000

 

+1

1000

2

1000

3000

 

+2

3000

3

3000

9000

 

+3

6000

4

9000

15,000

 

+4

9000

5

15,000

 

 

+5

12,000

 

Note: “Power strength” is the amount added to the target’s required saving throw versus various forms of attack. For example if Waldo the Wizard has +3 spell strength, targets of his spells would need a 17 to save instead of the usual 14. Separate “power strengths” must be purchased for the different types of power: circle, druidic, healing, psionic, spell, and ward. (And yes, the “power strength” table was shoved in here because it fits nicely. If you were wondering. J )

 

 

 

Combat Ability Costs

CRITICAL HIT

 

natural d20 roll

 

SPECIAL

table

×2

×3

×4

×5

 

 

disarm/free

stun

free

1000

2000

3000

4000

 

20

 

1500

1000

9000

3000

4000

5000

6000

 

19

 

3000

2000

27,000

5000

6000

7000

8000

 

18

 

4500

3000

54,000

7000

8000

9000

10,000

 

17

 

6000

4000

 

9000

10,000

11,000

12,000

 

16

 

7500

5000

 

Note: The character must have the previous ability before purchasing subsequent abilities. For example if you want to purchase stun on 18, the character must first possess the stun on 20 and stun on 19 abilities. The same applies for critical damage multipliers in both directions. The character needs ×3 on 19 and ×4 on 20 before acquiring ×4 on 19.

 

 

WP unarmed damage roll*

XP cost

1d4

free

1d6

500

1d8

1000

1d10

1500

1d12

2000

 

 

*each damage roll is a prerequisite for the next higher roll

 


Abbreviations used below        

HTH      general hand-to-hand combat          S      small (1d4 dam)                CR     combat riding

init       initiative                                       M     medium (1d6 dam)           SH     shield (all)

perc      perception (three separate)            L      large (2d6 dam)                UA     unarmed combat

saves    saving throws (three separate)       H     huge (3d6 dam)                WP    weapon proficiency

 

Various Combat Bonus Costs

combat bonus

XP cost formula

 

combat bonus

XP cost formula

HTH damage

bonus x 200

 

WP M damage

bonus x 400

HTH dodge

bonus x 100

 

WP M parry

bonus x 200

HTH parry

bonus x 300

 

WP M strike

bonus x 300

HTH strike

bonus x 400

 

WP S damage

bonus x 400

WP CR damage

bonus x 200

 

WP S parry

bonus x 300

WP CR parry

bonus x 400

 

WP S strike

bonus x 200

WP CR strike

bonus x 300

 

WP SH damage

bonus x 300

WP H damage

bonus x 200

 

WP SH parry

bonus x 200

WP H parry

bonus x 400

 

WP SH strike

bonus x 400

WP H strike

bonus x 300

 

WP UA damage

bonus x 200

WP L damage

bonus x 300

 

WP UA dodge

bonus x 100

WP L parry

bonus x 200

 

WP UA parry

bonus x 300

WP L strike

bonus x 400

 

WP UA strike

bonus x 400

 

Above are the formulas that require you to do some heavy-duty arithmetic. For example, the cost for a +9 strike with a medium-sized battle ax proficiency is bonus x 300 = 9 x 300 = 2700 XP. Below, you can look them up directly in one huge table.

 

bonus

HTH dodge

WP UA dodge

HTH damage

WP S strike

WP M parry

WP L parry

WP H damage

WP SH parry

WP CR damage

WP UA damage

HTH parry

WP S parry

WP M strike

WP L damage

WP H strike

WP SH damage

WP CR strike

WP UA parry

HTH strike

WP S damage

WP M damage

WP L strike

WP H parry

WP SH strike

WP CR parry

WP UA strike

init

perc

saves

+1

100

200

300

400

1000

500

200

+2

200

400

600

800

2000

1000

400

+3

300

600

900

1200

3000

1500

800

+4

400

800

1200

1600

4000

2000

1200

+5

500

1000

1500

2000

5000

2500

1600

+6

600

1200

1800

2400

6000

3000

2000

+7

700

1400

2100

2800

7000

3500

2400

+8

800

1600

2400

3200

8000

4000

2800

+9

900

1800

2700

3600

9000

4500

3200

+10

1000

2000

3000

4000

10,000

5000

3600

+11

1100

2200

3300

4400

 

 

 

+12

1200

2400

3600

4800

 

 

 

+13

1300

2600

3900

5200

 

 

 

+14

1400

2800

4200

5600

 

 

 

+15

1500

3000

4500

6000

 

 

 


Combat and Adventure

This is the shiz-nit, baby! You get to see your little playing piece that you’ve built and developed for so long actually perform. (And it’s just a piece of paper.)

F


ighting nasty villains and slaying vile monsters is one of the most exciting aspects of fantasy roleplaying games. Developing a system to simulate combat situations is extremely difficult. Starting with an existing framework like Palladium helps, but there are still lots of issues. Jason and Sean constantly discuss the tradeoffs between making the system more rational and realistic versus keeping it simple. It’s tough to balance. Lots of rules are still at an experimental stage and may need work. We should keep that in mind since it’s in our best interest to help create a better system. We’re really playtesters for the future, official Psimancz game, and Wizards of the Coast will eventually be paying us millions of dollars for the rights to it. J


Doing It (Actions)


Combat Rounds and Initiative

Combat is divided into melee rounds that are roughly equivalent to a minute of time. During each round, characters, NPCs, and other entities perform actions. All actions in combat fall into one of three basic types: physical, psionic, or spell. Each action is independent of one another. For example, a beginning wizard starts with one physical action (available to all characters) and one spell action, for a total of two actions in one round. The actions may not be swapped for each other. If an action remains unused at the end of the melee round, it may apply as a +5 bonus to the character's initiative the next round. Bow actions are physical actions, and the crossbow takes one physical action to shoot and one physical action to reload.

Each melee round is divided into thirty initiative segments starting at thirty and counting down to one. Initiative rolls determine the order in which characters and others are able to use their actions during the combat round. Players determine each character’s individual initiative by rolling a d10, adding the character’s speed, and then adding the character’s initiative bonus (including +5 for each unused action of any type from the previous round). If the total is greater than 30, the character may begin acting on initiative 30.

Typically, the GM will count down the initiative segments starting at thirty and giving the characters a chance to declare their actions. Once the initiative countdown arrives at the character’s initiative, it may begin to act. The character is not obligated to declare an action, however. Characters can delay their actions as long as they want to. Any action not used by initiative one of the round is lost but will give +5 to initiative next round. The exception occurs when the character has not delayed at all but performs actions that require enough initiative segments to drop below initiative one. In those rare cases, the actions roll over into the next round counting down initiative segments as usual. Once an action is declared, depending on its type, it could take from zero to many initiative segments before the action actually is completed. Experimental weapon speed rules: Weapons have different speeds based on their size. Small weapons have a speed of zero, medium weapons one, large two, and huge weapons have a speed of three. The speed determines how many initiatives to count down after declaration until the action actually occurs. Psionic actions occur instantly. Spell actions have a speed equal to the spell’s level. The spellcaster declares the spell, begins casting, and it “goes off” after a number of initiative segments equal to its level have passed. This rule does not apply to defensive counterspells like “negate magic” or to simultaneous strikes. Declared actions can be cancelled without losing the action, only the lost initiative segments. A new action declaration needs to occur then the initiative countdown begins again for the new action.

In general, “draw and do X” counts as a single action, especially in the case of a weapon designed for throwing.


 

Actions and Initiative Delay

action

speed factor

note

Draw weapon

weapon’s speed

first is free

(no action)

Draw and throw weapon designed for throwing

weapon’s speed

 

Strike with weapon

weapon’s speed

 

Perform psionic ability

0

 

Cast magic spell

spell’s level

 

Pick up item from ground

4

 

Take potion from potion belt

2

 

Get item from pouch

4

 

Get item from backpack

6

 

Mount a mount

2

 

Tie a knot

2

 

Perform combat medical skill

4

 

?

?

 

 


Aborting Actions (Jumping Initiative)

As long as a character has actions left in the round, she may choose to abort and act out of sequence. This initiative jump can only be for a defensive action. (Negate magic spell, non-auto parry, auto parry for another, force field, nsh.) The only exception to this rule is the simultaneous strike (described below), which may be aborted to. All aborted actions cost one action. Actions aborted for another, such as parry and dodge, have a penalty of -2.

Doing Other Random Things (Attribute Checks)

At times, a character may wish to attempt any number of bizarre, unexpected actions like leap into the window of a speeding carriage or decipher the meaning of a goblin tribe’s funky body language. How success is determined and even whether a particular action is possible to attempt is heavily dependent on the judgment of the GM. If a particular skill does not apply to the situation, the GM may require an attribute check with appropriate (in the GM’s opinion) modifiers. An attribute check is successful if a d20 roll is equal to or less than the modified attribute in question.

For example, Gornak the Slayer wants to hurl his kobold buddy over a ten-foot wall. The GM determines that given the pudgy kobold’s weight and the amount of loot he is carrying, the Strength check will be made with a -5 penalty. Gornak the Slayer has a 20 STR. With the penalty, he needs to roll a 15 or less on the d20 in order to succeed.

Attribute versus attribute checks. In these cases, two or more characters are competitively attempting some feat. Whoever succeeds at the appropriate attribute check, as determined and modified by the GM, by the greatest amount (or fails by the least amount) does the “best.”


Protecting Yourself (and Others)


Miss Factor

Regardless of whether anything is done to defend against an attack, a strike may miss anyway. All conscious, mobile, active combatants have a miss factor (MF). If the strike does not surpass the miss factor, the target does not get hit. Divide the character’s Speed by two (rounding down) to calculate the miss factor. (For example, Xq’#wa&, the savage bushman, has a speed of 17. His miss factor is 8. Any strike of 8 or less will miss him entirely.)

Miss factor can be affected by the encumbrance of armor. Based on the bulkiest piece of armor worn, there is a maximum miss factor allowed regardless of the character’s Speed. See the Armor Table below.

Declarations of Protection

Combatants can protect one another by physically positioning themselves so that the protector defends against the attacks and the ‘protectee’ hides behind. The protector decides for each attack whether or not to take the damage (assuming the strike hits) or let it through to the protectee. Combatants get a “free declaration” of protection on initiative thirty of each combat round.

[I forget the rest of the details on switching declares and crap.]

Dodging

A dodge is a defensive action that involves moving the entire body out of harm’s way, not deflecting the attacks but completely avoiding them. A dodge requires a physical action. A single dodge roll is made to avoid all strikes targeting the combatant in one initiative segment.

A combatant may choose to move another character out of harm's way by dodging her. The same penalties as parrying for another apply when dodging someone else (-4 normally, -3 for fighters).

Parrying

Physical melee combat attacks (typically with weapons) can be parried. If the character does not possess autoparry, it requires an action to attempt to parry. A weapon or shield is required to parry most attacks. Missile attacks typically require a shield to parry.

Up to six (6) human-sized creatures can surround a human-sized opponent and attack. Strikes from the three opponents facing the defender can be parried normally with no penalties. Attacks from the two opponents flanking the defender to her left and right can be parried at -2. Strikes from the single opponent attacking from behind the defender cannot be parried normally.

When parrying for another, all flanking rules and penalties still apply. Parrying strikes against another (the ‘protectee’) is more difficult and suffers a -4 penalty (-3 for fighters). If the pair of combatants is surrounded, the assumed formation is back-to-back. Two fighters fighting back-to-back make a declared team. This coordination and mutual defense forces the enemies to attack each fighter individually (three against each).

Armor

Armor can absorb attacks that aren’t avoided entirely. The combined armor rating (AR) of the armor pieces worn (or other types of protection) is added to the miss factor (which is potentially reduced by the encumbrance of the armor worn) to get the armor class (AC). In order for an attack to successfully connect with the target, the strike roll must exceed the target’s armor class (assuming the strike wasn’t first dodged or parried).

Formula for armor class:

AC = MF + AR

 

Formula for successful hit:

strike roll > target’s AC

 

Base AR is used to calculate Strength armor penalty. These penalties result from wearing armor that is too heavy and are in addition to the base armor penalties listed in the armor table below.


 

Armor Table

category

type

piece

SPD / prowl*

base AR

max MF

base cost (sp)

Light

Padded

Cuirass

-0

+1

15

1

 

 

Leggings

-0

+1

15

1

 

Leather

Cuirass

-0/-5%

+2

14

2

 

 

Leggings

 

+2

14

2

 

Studded Leather

Cuirass

-1/-5%

+3

13

4

 

 

Leggings

 

+3

13

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Medium

Chain Mail

Cuirass

-1/-10%

+4

10

5

 

 

Leggings

 

+4

10

5

 

Double Mail

Cuirass

-1/-15%

+5

9

10

 

 

Leggings

 

+5

9

10

 

Scale Mail

Cuirass

-2/-20%

+6

8

20

 

 

Leggings

 

+6

8

20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heavy

Splint Mail

Cuirass

-2/-25%

+7

4

25

 

 

Leggings

 

+7

4

25

 

Banded Mail

Cuirass

-3/-30%

+8

2

50

 

 

Leggings

 

+8

2

50

 

Plate and Chain

Cuirass

-4/-35%

+9

0

100

 

 

Leggings

 

+9

0

100

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plate

Full Plate

Cuirass

-5/-40%

+10

0

125

 

 

Leggings

 

+10

0

125

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* base armor penalties

 


Strength Penalties from Armor

Strength armor penalty

Subtract Strength from total base AR (all pieces). If the total is a negative number the penalty is zero. The resulting number is the strength armor penalty.

Speed

Subtract the strength armor penalty from the character's armor adjusted Speed. The result is the character's new adjusted Speed.

Prowl

Multiply the strength armor penalty by five. Subtract this amount from the armor adjusted Prowl skill percentage. The result is the character's new adjusted Prowl percentage.

 


Masterwork and Magical Armor

Masterwork armor is not “in stock” and must be measured and custom-made for the wearer. Light armor is typically available within one day, medium within one week, heavy in one month, and plate in six months. Masterwork quality armor can offset base armor penalties but not strength armor penalties. It does not increase AR. The usual cost of masterwork armor is the base cost x 10 for no bonuses. To reduce base armor penalties by +1/+5% costs base x 20, +2/+10% costs base x 30, and so on. Bonuses can only offset negatives; they do not increase the armor wearer’s speed or prowl.

Magical augmentation can offset base armor penalties and strength armor penalties as well as add to AR. To be enchanted, the armor must be of masterwork quality. (See Ye Olde Alchemist Shoppe for prices.)


Bringing the Smack Down

Now we’re talking. It’s “kill or be killed.”


Attacking

The most common case is when a combatant goes over to an opponent and bops him upside the head. One could use something pointy or something big and heavy or something with a long, sharp edge. One could throw that thing or project it at great speed with a clever device or just swing it really hard. Even fists, feet, knees, elbows, and heads would work. It all comes down to making the other guy hurt.

Roll a d20 to strike, adding all appropriate strike bonuses (like from Prowess, hand-to-hand combat ability, weapon proficiency, magic, or maybe even something extra from the GM because the target happens to be the size of a stagecoach.) If the attack hits (meaning it doesn’t miss and the opponent doesn’t parry it), roll up some damage.

Simultaneous Strike

A combatant has the option to simultaneously strike (simul) an opponent who is attacking her. This can be done only if the attack is not being defended by another (that is, there is no declared protector in the way). Simul strikes cost one action and forfeit the character's option to parry. The exception is having a simul-parry combat form to allow it.

 

Off-hand Attacks

Fighters with the off-hand attack combat form have the ability to attack with an off-hand weapon or shield. There is a penalty to strike when attacking with the off-hand. The penalty depends on the size of the weapon in each hand and is shown in the following chart.

Off-hand Strike Penalties

main weapon size

off-hand weapon or shield size

penalty

S

S

-2

M

-3

L

-4

M

S

-3

M

-4

L

-5

L

S

-4

M

-5

L

-6

 

Multiple attacks made in the same round with the off-hand have increasing penalties. The second off-hand attack takes an additional -2 penalty to strike, and the third is at -4.

Grappling

(Modified from D&D rules.)

For those occasions when it is inconvenient or unwarranted to skewer the opponent with something pointy (like if you’re fighting on a priceless Persian rug or if your opponent just happens to be your best friend, only charmed), it may be time for some grappling. (Or you may just want to knock the person out without causing death. For “Subdual Damage” rules, see below in the damage section.) Grappling consists of two steps: the initial grab and then the grapple.

First, grab the opponent. Use a standard unarmed attack. If successful, the opponent is grabbed.

Second, grapple the opponent. Once an opponent is grabbed, one may attempt to grapple. Success is determined by a Strength versus Strength attribute check (or “grapple check.”) Upon first grab, the attacker gets a “free” grapple check. Subsequently, either opponent may use an action to attempt further grapple checks. Whoever wins a grapple check has several options available for the result shown in the chart below.

Note: If more than one opponent is grappling with the target, the target must beat all with the Strength versus Strength grapple check.

Grapple Check Effects

option

Effect

Deal damage

Unarmed combat damage (or small WP).

Pin

Lasts for one melee round (can use other actions to attempt deal damage option); target is held immobile (no movement and no Miss Factor); however, the target can still use actions. Opponents have a +4 bonus to strike a pinned target.

Escape

The target is no longer pinned but is still grappling

 

Special Attacks

Most of these attacks come into play when a combatant has a special combat ability and a particular natural roll (unmodified) occurs on the d20 to parry or strike an opponent in combat. The effects begin when a ‘natural twenty’ is rolled. Purchased combat abilities can reduce this number.

A critical hit happens during a strike and causes increased damage or other nasty results. The attacker chooses whether to use the Critical Hit Table for additional effects (like maiming and amputation) in conjunction with the normal damage from the attack or inflict double damage instead. If the attacker, due to combat ability, already does double damage with that particular natural roll, instead of using the table, damage could be tripled. [Wow, that was a sweet run-on sentence.] The same progression applies for higher multiples of damage. For example, quadrupled damage and a roll on the Critical Hit Table could increase to quintupled damage instead.

[Definitions still required for disarm, free action, stun, nsh.]


Oh, the Pain! (Damage and Its Effects)


Normal Damage

Damage to the body hurts and often makes one bleed. Subtract the amount of damage from the victim’s hit points. Normal damage can be healed instantly by a healer or with magic. The medical skill can also repair damage in a limited fashion.

For natural healing, hit points recover one per day (1 HP/day) with moderate activity. Bed rest can speed it up to two per day (2 HP/day). If the wounds are being regularly tended by someone with the medical skill, the rate of hit point return doubles.

Subdual Damage

A less harmful form of damage to an opponent is possible; it’s called subdual damage. It’s generally used with the intent to subdue rather than injure and kill. Subtract the amount of subdual damage from the victim’s hit points. It combines with normal damage for the purposes of going unconscious (see Unconsciousness and Death), but it won’t kill anyone.

Any unarmed attack (with or without WP: unarmed combat skill) deals only subdual damage. (Note: without having WP: unarmed combat skill, an attacker does 1d2 unarmed damage with a punch and 1d3 damage with a kick, plus damage bonuses.) With a blunt weapon (club, mace, staff, nsh.), anyone can choose to deal half subdual damage (and half normal). Make the attack with a penalty of -3 to strike. With a bladed weapon, only those with the appropriate weapon proficiency can deal half subdual damage (and half normal) on a successful strike, also made with a penalty -3 to strike.

Those with the WP: unarmed combat skill may purchase additional feats to increase the amount of real damage dealt in combat. (See Feats.) Even with a feat, a character striking unarmed always has the option of doing just subdual damage. Some weapons, such as brass knuckles, will increase the amount of real damage dealt from an unarmed strike.

Subdual damage is always rounded up for the purposes of real versus subdual damage; for example if Zhun-Li attacked unarmed for 13 HP of damage, the breakdown would be 7 subdual, 6 real.

Things and creatures without an Endurance attribute are immune to subdual damage (like the undead, constructs, robots, elementals, oozes, flatware, wheelbarrows, and plants, for example).

Subdual damage heals normally at a rate of one hit point every ten minutes (1 HP/10 min). A healer can instantly restore subdual damage at twice the amount rolled with a normal healing touch.

 

Unconsciousness and Death

Characters go unconscious when they reach zero hit points (whether from normal damage or subdual damage). Characters die when the total damage done to them (which must be normal damage) exceeds their total hit points plus Endurance attribute. When one dies, reduce the character’s spirit thread by one.

One can try to stay conscious even when at negative hit points. At the beginning of each round that the character has negative hit points, in order to stay conscious, the character needs to successfully roll under the character’s Endurance less the negative hit point value. If the roll fails, the character loses consciousness. Whether successful or not, the attempt to stay up does one hit point of damage.

There are rules about bleeding, but I don’t remember them. See the bottom of the Critical Hit Table in the Psimancz Appendices for bleeding effects due to amputation.

Damage Reduction

Damage reduction: As its name implies, an entity with damage reduction subtracts that amount from each and every physical source of damage that does not require a saving throw.

Damage resistance (DR): Damage resistance is conditional damage reduction. It is typically represented as a number followed by a slash and another factor (for example, 10/+1[or, silver]). The first number (10) represents the amount of damage that is absorbed by the effect from each damage source. The second factor (+1[silver]) represents the limitations of the reduction. If the target is affected by the second factor, the DR has no effect. For example, if a normal sword were used to attack a werewolf (DR: 20/silver), 20 HP of damage would be absorbed. If that same werewolf were attacked with a silver plated sword, the werewolf would take full damage. A plus sign followed by a number represents the potency of a magical weapon. To determine the potency of a magical weapon, take its total (magical) bonus to strike, parry, and damage and divide the total by three. Other effects of a magical weapon may be included (like spell casting, nsh.), at the GM’s discretion. A magical weapon or effect will always supersede a mundane limitation (like silver or iron).

Hardness: [No, it’s nothing dirty.] Hardness is damage reduction for inanimate objects (such as a door or chest). The hardness rating is the amount of damage that is absorbed from each damage source before any damage is done to the object.

Blindness

Being blind totally blows. When blind, the victim has the following penalties: 50% chance of missing an attack, loses miss factor in armor class calculation, and suffers a -5 penalty to parry.

 


Critical Hit Table

Critical hits that call for rolling on the table can seriously jack up the victim. For the nasty effects caused, see the Critical Hit Table in the Psimancz Appendices. Oh, and sometimes, they end up being pretty bogus. He’s an f’ing dragon! J

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Potpourri


Reading and Research

A character can read effectively and with comprehension and retention for up to their Willpower attribute in hours per day and up to their Intelligence attribute in days before needing to take a one day break.

Transformations

Sometimes, people, creatures, and things transform. It can be magical or other strange forces that cause it. Some general rules apply:

Transformation Rules

*  Requires one action (of applicable type) and two initiative segments

 

*  Must have adequate space to change or the effect automatically fails

 

*  Must be able to survive in environment or the effect automatically fails

 

 


 


Money and What to Buy

Who doesn’t need a Turbo 2000 backpack?

H


ere is the first attempt at creating a standard list of equipment, weapons, and magic items. It is a tough task. Figuring out how the costs of various things relate to each other is extremely difficult. I (Scott) certainly welcome suggestions where things seem to be too far out of whack. In the weapons list, you may notice that there are some discrepancies. To explain, I started with a base listing from the Ars Magica roleplaying system. With some Internet research, it seemed to be the closest in terms of having actual historical prices listed based on medieval times. With that list and several others from various fantasy roleplaying source books, I did my best to consolidate it all and make it as consistent as possible with the base price being related to the way Jason and Sean see the value of gold in their worlds. Nick Weinberger did a lot of work on the clothing and equipment lists. During the games, I will add directly to the lists as new items get discussed and priced.

The weight of all items is included if we ever move to some sort of encumbrance system. Except where noted, all prices are for ‘standard’ quality items purchased in an average place where these sorts of goods are readily available. GMs will certainly adjust things based on location, quality, the buyer’s race, Presence, and behavior, or their whim. J

To get back to the weapon discrepancies, a sword costs a lot more than an ax or pick that does the same damage. (And wooden weapons are much cheaper in general.) No attempt was made to balance these sorts of things. I went with the historical prices as a baseline. A fine sword was a sign of nobility and wealth while an ax, flail, hammer, pick, or the like was a farmer or craftsman’s tool being used as a weapon. (Even if the ‘tool’ is actually designed and created as a good quality weapon, it’s only the perception that matters. In the fantasy world, however, a dwarf may certainly have a much different perception than a human.) So if your character wants a sword, suck it up. J It will be up to the GMs to create a world where the perceptions related to the different types of weapons actually matter in game play.

For normal quality and masterwork armor, see the Armor section above. For magical armor, see Ye Olde Alchemist Shoppe below.


 

Monetary System

Everything revolves around the core unit of currency, the silver piece (sp). Other units of currency are related to silver pieces based on a decimal system as shown below:

 

            brass bit (bb)                           0.01 sp

            copper piece (cp)                     0.1 sp

            silver piece (sp)                       1.0 sp     standard currency

            gold piece (gp)                       10.0 sp

            platinum piece (pp)              100.0 sp

            mithril piece (mp)               1000.0 sp

 


Miscellany, Provisions, and Services

Notes:

§         The Beverages, Food, and Lodging list contains a random selection of items from three levels of establishment. Depending on the particular location, the quality available and prices charged may vary greatly.

§         I made up a general rule that a place to sleep in a common room will usually be included with the purchase of a meal at an inn. A lame bath may also be included depending on the location.

§         Some things are hard to categorize so you might want to check various lists.

Animals

animal

description

cost

(sp)

Chicken

 

0.05

Cow, milk

 

4.1

Donkey

 

7.2

Goat

 

0.5

Horse, draft

 

13.8

Horse, riding

 

21.4

Horse, war (light)

 

40.5

Horse, war (charger)

 

53

Mule

 

9.5

Ox

 

3.2

Pig

 

0.9

Pony

 

6.3

Sheep

 

0.7

 

Beverages & Food (served) and Lodging (typical inns and taverns)

item

Description

quality of place

cost

(sp)

Ale

Large mug of ale

middling +

0.02

Ale

Large mug of ale, watered down

low-end

0.01

Brandy

Glass of good brandy

high-end

0.2

Brandy

Glass of excellent brandy

middling

0.1

Cheese

Good size portion to accompany a meal. The size goes down and the quality goes up as the place gets nicer.

all

0.01

Coffee

Mug of hot coffee, bitter

low-end

0.01

Joint of meat

Good size portion

middling

0.05

Mead

Large mug of mead

High end

0.07

Mead

Large mug of mead

middling

0.06

Mead

Large mug of mead, watered down

low-end

0.03

Meal, banquet for one

Banquet style all-you-can-eat and drink (the beverage is ale or good quality wine; only available on very special occasions). *

middling

0.2

Meal, hearty for one

Special of the day. Breakfast includes fruit; lunch and dinner include dessert. *

high-end

0.1

Meal, hearty for one

Special of the day. Breakfast includes fruit; lunch and dinner include dessert. *

middling

0.08

Meal, hearty for one

Special of the day. Breakfast includes fruit; lunch and dinner include dessert. *

low-end

0.06

Meal, light

Minimal meal. Very good. *

high-end

0.06

Meal, light

Minimal meal. Usually includes oatmeal, hearty soup, or stew with choice of breads and cheeses. *

middling

0.04

Meal, light

Minimal meal. Usually includes porridge or thin soup with some bread and cheese. *

low-end

0.02

Milk, cow or goat

Large mug of cool milk

high-end

0.03

Milk, cow or goat

Large mug of cool milk

middling

0.03

Milk, cow or goat

Large mug of cool milk

low-end

0.02

Private room rental, daily

Per night. Very nice room.

high-end

0.06

Private room rental, daily

Per night. Good room.

middling

0.03

Private room rental, daily

Per night, simplest accommodations (with noise).

low-end

0.02

Private room rental, monthly

Per month, near kitchen, must do chores.

middling

0.5

Private room rental, monthly

Per month, upstairs, no chores.

middling

1

Private room rental, monthly

Per month, simplest accommodations (with noise).

low-end

0.2

Spirits

Shot of alcoholic beverage, excellent

high-end

0.12

Spirits

Shot of alcoholic beverage

middling

0.08

Spirits

Shot of alcoholic beverage, watered down

low-end

0.05

Stew, bowl

Large bowl of stew, tasty.

middling

0.02

Stew, bowl

Bowl of stew, adequate but not very tasty.

low-end

0.01

Tea

Tea infuser filled with excellent tea leaves. Comes with as much hot water as you want.

high-end

0.04

Tea

Tea infuser filled with tea leaves. Comes with as much hot water as you want.

middling

0.02

Wine, quality 1, elven

Only sold by the jug (two pints).

high-end

15

Wine, quality 2, vintage

Glass of vintage quality wine

high-end

0.6

Wine, quality 3, fine

Glass of excellent quality wine

high-end

0.1

Wine, quality 3, fine

Glass of excellent quality wine

middling

0.08

Wine, quality 4, good

Glass of average quality wine

high-end

0.04

Wine, quality 4, good

Glass of average quality wine

middling

0.03

Wine, quality 4, good

Glass of average quality wine

low-end

0.02

Wine, quality 5, poor

Glass of low quality wine

middling

0.01

Wine, quality 5, poor

Glass of low quality wine, watered down

low-end

0.01

 

* Meal includes a spot to sleep in the common room if available

 

Buildings and Vehicles

item

description

cost

(sp)

Cart

 

1.8

Castle, king's

 

30,000

Castle, large

 

12,500

Castle, small

 

9,000

Coach, closed

 

9.8

Coach, open

 

5.4

Forest shack

 

8

Fortified manor house

 

500

Fortified town house

 

400

Longboat

 

11

Peasant cottage

 

30

Rowboat

 

5.4

Ship, merchant

 

350

Wagon

 

2.7

 


Rations

item

Description

weight

  kg     lb.

cost

(sp)

Ale, local

Per pint, filled from barrel. *

0.45

1

0.02

Brandy

Per pint, filled from jug. *

0.45

1

0.2

Bread, loaf, large round

Hard bread, travels well.

0.6

1.3

0.02

Cheese

Hunk of hard cheese (travels fairly well).

0.1

0.22

0.01

Dried oats

One pound, filled from large sack. *

0.45

1

0.01

Fruit

Includes apples (4), avocados (2), berries (pint), oranges (5), pears (4), or tomatoes (5). (Any one type for this cost.)

0.11-0.45

0.25 - 1

0.03

Herbs, small bunch

Includes basil, chilies, cilantro, garlic, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, or thyme.

0.03

0.07

0.01 - 0.05

Mead, local

Per pint, filled from cask. *

0.45

1

0.05

Rations for travel

One week’s worth (varies): dried fruit, dried meat, and hard cheese.

1.1

2.4

0.25

Salt, one ounce

Filled from large bag. *

0.03

0.07

0.01

Sausage, smoked

Large sausage

0.45

1

0.04

Spice, exotic, one ounce

Includes cinnamon, cocoa, ginger, saffron, vanilla, or white pepper. Rarely available. Comes in small wooden box.

0.03

0.07

4

Spice, local, one ounce

Includes allspice, black pepper, clove, coriander, dill, nutmeg, paprika, or red pepper. Filled from large bag. *

0.03

0.07

0.05

Tea, four ounces

Filled from large jar. *

0.1

0.22

0.1

Wine, quality 1, elven

Two pints, comes in a special jug with minimally enchanted seal to retain quality.

1.2

2.6

15

Wine, quality 2, vintage

Per pint, filled from special cask. *

0.45

1

0.75

Wine, quality 3, fine

Per pint, filled from cask. *

0.45

1

0.1

Wine, quality 4, good

Per pint, filled from barrel. *

0.45

1

0.03

Wine, quality 5, poor

Per pint, filled from barrel. *

0.45

1

0.01

 

* Buyer must have own container into which this item will be dispensed.

 

Services and Other Stuff

item

description

cost

(sp)

Courtesan's compassion

Compare with "Harlot's pity." (Price may vary.)

0.8

Farrier

Clean horse and fix bridal, hooves, shoes, and tack. (Does not include new shoes.)

0.05

Fine, civil crime, major

Includes…

20

Fine, civil crime, minor

Includes…

6

Guild membership, group, Adventurer Guild

Group benefits, must stay as a group and be hired as a group

* Cost based on group size: 2-5 is 8 cp each, 6+ is 6 cp each

*

Guild membership, indiv., Adventurer Guild

Individual benefits, hired as individual

1

Harlot's pity

Compare with "Courtesan's compassion." (Price may vary.)

0.2

Healing

Typical consultation (treatment or medicine extra)

0.2

Hot bath

Very clean bath at high-end establishment

0.4

Massage and wrap

Relaxing body massage and herbal wrap at high-end establishment

0.6

Mercenary's services

Per week, must also feed and lodge

0.5

Money lending (bank)

Lend gold at a monthly interest rate

2%

Money saving (bank)

Keep safe any amounts deposited, annual charge

0.1

Mud bath and facial

Includes face, head, and neck massage at high-end establishment

0.8

Passage, caravan

Depends on length of trip, food not included

0.1 – 1

Passage, ferry

 

0.03

Passage, ship

Depends on length of trip, food not included

0.3 – 2

Rent, tenant family acreage

Annual, paid to landowner

1.5-2.5

Rental of cart and two horses

Per day, includes driver (must feed and lodge driver on trips)

0.2

Servant's services

Per week; excellent service, skills, and knowledge

0.3

Tax, monthly residency

Typical town

0.02

Wage for hired archer

Per day

0.5

Wage for hired knight

Per day

2

Wage for hired serf

Per year

1

Wage for serving girl

Per day at low-end establishment, includes meals and accommodations

0.01

 

Non-Magical Equipment, Sundry Items, and Weapons

Notes:

§         All clothing listed is average quality; price can vary greatly depending on quality and outward appearance of status.

§         All weapon weights and lengths may vary, depending on the wielder's preference (especially the length of hafted weapons). Also, for many of the weapons, there is no current weapon proficiency skill.

 

Clothing

item

description

weight

  kg     lb.

cost

(sp)

Baldric

 

0.6

1.3

0.25

Belt

 

0.4

0.9

0.18

Belt, sword

 

0.6

1.3

0.25

Blouse or shirt (silk)

 

0.2

0.4

0.8

Blouse or shirt (wool/cotton)

 

0.35

0.8

0.2

Boots, cloth

Various heights available

1.2

2.6

0.5

Boots, hip high, leather

 

2.1

4.6

0.9

Boots, low, leather

Soft leather

1.5

3.3

0.6

Boots, riding, leather

Knee high

1.95

4.3

0.8

Boots, work, leather

Reinforced hard leather

1.8

4

0.7

Cap, pull over

 

0.15

0.3

0.15

Cape, long

 

0.8

1.8

0.6

Cape, long hooded

 

0.8

1.8

0.7

Cape, short

 

0.45

1

0.35

Cloak

 

1

2.2

0.55

Cloak, fur

 

3.5

7.7

1.1

Dress, common

 

1.4

3.1

0.15

Dress, fancy

 

1.8

4

0.35

Gown

 

2.3

5.1

0.35

Gown, night

 

0.55

1.2

0.1

Hat, large brim

 

0.75

1.7

0.4

Hat, large brim leather

 

0.91

2

0.6

Hat, short brim

 

0.5

1.1

0.3

Hood

 

0.7

1.5

0.2

Hose (stockings)

 

0.1

0.2

0.2

Jacket (long, down-filled)

 

1.6

3.5

0.7

Jacket (short, down-filled)

 

1.3

2.9

0.5

Jacket, fur (common, heavy)

 

2.35

5.2

1

Jacket, heavy

 

1

2.2

0.3

Jacket, leather

 

1.2

2.6

0.45

Jacket, light

 

0.6

1.3

0.25

Leggings, fur

 

2

4.4

0.75

Pants

 

0.45

1

0.2

Pants, work

 

0.8

1.8

0.4

Robe, heavy

 

2.5

5.5

0.6

Robe, heavy hooded

 

2.5

5.5

0.6

Robe, light

 

1.6

3.5

0.45

Robe, night

 

1

2.2

0.1

Sandals

 

0.7

1.5

0.15

Scarf

 

0.1

0.2

0.08

Shoes, canvas or cloth

 

0.9

2

0.2

Skirt

 

0.8

1.8

0.15

Socks

 

0.01

0.02

0.05

Surcoat

 

0.4

0.9

0.25

Sweater

 

0.5

1.1

0.22

Tunic (or tabard)

 

0.6

1.3

0.35

Vest

 

0.4

0.9

0.18

Undergarment

 

0.01

0.02

0.05

 

Equipment

item

description

weight

  kg     lb.

cost

(sp)

Backpack

Up to 35 kg of stuff

0.32

0.7

0.25

Bag, cloth with handle

 

1.15

2.5

0.15

Bag, leather with handle

 

1.35

3

0.45

Bedroll

 

4.1

9

1

Blanket, heavy

Covers up to two people

3.5

7.7

0.6

Blanket, light

Covers up to two people

2

4.4

0.3

Book, 100 blank pages

 

1.35

3

3.5

Book, 20 blank pages

 

0.3

0.7

1.1

Book, 250 blank pages

 

2

4.5

5

Book, 50 blank pages

 

0.7

1.5

1.8

Book, skill primer, weight one skills

Character must spend 1 hour reading per experience point (for example: 200 hours for a new skill, 100 hours to raise a skill to second level).  Each book may only be read by a character once.

0.23

0.5

20

Bottle, pint

 

0.3

0.7

0.12

Bowl, earthenware

 

0.3

0.7

0.08

Bowl, pewter

 

0.7

1.5

0.3

Bowl, silver

 

1

2.2

8.7

Bowl, wooden

 

0.2

0.4

0.05

Box, large metal

Holds up to 7.5 kg

5

11

5

Box, large wooden

Holds up to 7.5 kg

4

8.8

0.8

Box, medium wooden

Holds up to 2.5 kg

2

4.4

0.25

Box, small metal

Holds up to 2.5 kg

1

2.2

1.2

Box, small wooden

Holds up to 0.5 kg

0.45

1

0.08

Box, snuff

 

0.2

0.4

0.08

Brushes (low quality)

Each

0.01

0

0.05

Brushes (sable hair)

Each

0.01

0

0.1

Bucket, metal, 5 gallon

 

1.2

2.6

0.5

Bucket, wood, 5 gallon

 

1

2.2

0.1

Candle (3 hours)

Each

0.05

0.1

0.12

Candle (45 minutes)

Each

0.05

0.1

0.03

Candle holder (uncovered)

Keeps wax from dripping off

0.5

1.1

0.05

Candle lantern (glass)

Protects candle from wind

0.23

0.5

0.14

Case, map or scroll

 

0.22

0.5

0.15

Cask (wood, 10 gallons)

 

5

11

0.5

Cask (wood, 25 gallons)

 

10

22

1.25

Cask (wood, 4 gallons)

 

2.25

5

0.2

Cauldron, iron

Large pot over a hearth fire

5

11

1.6

Chain, heavy

Per foot, supports 3500 pounds

1.5

3.3

2.2

Chain, light

Per foot, supports 1700 pounds

0.8

1.8

1.5

Chalk (12 sticks)

Various colors available

0.01

0

0.04

Charcoal (per pound)

 

0.45

1

0.08

Charcoal stick (12 sticks)

Sorry, black only

0.01

0

0.02

Crow quill pen

4 quills

0.001

0

0.03

Cup or mug, earthenware

 

0.35

0.8

0.04

Firewood

Per day

9.1

20

0.02

Glass

Made of glass

0.2

0.4

0.08

Goblet

Basic metal

0.4

0.9

0.15

Grapnel (grappling hook)

Supports 500 pounds

1

2.2

0.5

Hammock

 

2.5

5.5

0.65

Hanger, weapon

 

0.35

0.8

0.1

Harness, weapon

 

0.7

1.5

0.4

Hourglass

 

0.3

0.7

1.7

Ink (black)

6 ounces1, in a small glass vial

0.13

0.3

0.1

Ink (colored)

6 ounces1, in a small glass vial

0.13

0.3

0.25

Iron spike (or piton)

 

0.2

0.4

0.03

Jar (glass, 2 pints)

 

0.45

1

0.07

Jar (glass, 4 pints)

 

0.7

1.5

0.1

Jar (glass, gallon)

 

1.3

2.9

0.25

Jar (glass, pint)

 

0.35

0.8

0.05

Jug, 1/2 gallon

 

0.85

1.9

0.2

Jug, 5 gallon

 

4

8.8

0.7

Jug, gallon

 

2

4.4

0.35

Knapsack

Up to 20 kg of stuff

0.25

0.6

0.17

Lamp, oil burning, 1 pint

2

1.4

3.1

0.8

Lamp, oil burning, 2 pint

2

1.7

3.7

1.4

Lantern, oil burning, 1 pint

2

2

4.4

1.7

Lantern, oil burning, 2 pint

2

2.7

5.9

1.5

Lantern, oil burning, metal casing

2

3

6.6

5

Lock, key

 

1.2

2.6

1

Lock, tumbler

 

1.2

2.6

2.5

Manacles, hand

 

5

11

3

Manacles, leg

 

7.5

16.5

4.5

Net, fishing

25 square feet

2.25

5

0.3

Net, human-sized

Entangle a human-sized creature

3

6.6

1.4

Net, hunting

 

1.4

3.1

0.6

Net, mosquito

 

0.35

0.8

0.5

Oil, 1 pint

2

0.82

1.8

0.1

Pan, iron

Large iron skillet

2.2

4.8

0.2

Paper, 1 sheet

Thin paper from wood pulp

0.001

0

0.03

Paper, heavy, 1 sheet

Includes banana paper & papyrus

0.005

0

0.05

Parchment, 1 sheet

Includes vellum and hide-based

0.01

0

0.1

Perfume, per ounce

In a glass vial. Cheapest around.

0.08

0.2

0.1

Pole, wooden

6 - 10 feet, too flimsy for weapon

1.5

3.3

0.1

Pot, earthenware

Cooking pot

1.45

3.2

0.1

Pot, iron

Cooking pot

2

4.4

0.25

Pouch, belt

Up to 3 kg of stuff, size a factor

0.55

1.2

0.1

Pouch, belt, spell component

Up to 3 kg, compartments

0.65

1.4

0.2

Pouch, tobacco

Holds up to 6 ounces

0.03

0.1

0.1

Purse, belt

 

0.05

0.1

0.05

Purse, large shoulder

 

0.8

1.8

0.3

Purse, small pocket

 

0.02

0

0.02

Purse, small shoulder

 

0.4

0.9

0.1

Quicksilver (mercury), 1 ounce

In a glass jar

0.03

0.1

20

Rabbit skin glue, 1 pound

Dried. Must add water.

0.45

1

0.6

Rope

Per 10 feet, supports 300 pounds

0.9

2

0.2

Rope ladder

Per 10 feet, supports 500 pounds

2

4.4

0.8

Rope, heavy

Per 10 feet, supports 1000 pounds

1.7

3.7

0.5

Sack, large

 

0.15

0.3

0.03

Sack, small

 

0.23

0.5

0.06

Saddle bags

 

2.1

4.6

0.7

Saddle, bit, bridal, etc.

 

7

15.4

3

Sheath, knife

 

0.1

0.2

0.05

Sheath, sword

 

0.6

1.3

0.1

Silver point

2" long silver needle (for inking)

0.001

0

0.15

Slate board (18" x 24")

 

9

19.8

2

Soap, per ounce

Basic unscented

0.03

0.1

0.08

Sundial

Standard, permanently mounted3

n/a

n/a

1.4

Tent canvas (4 square feet)

 

0.23

0.5

0.53

Tent, 1 person

 

4.55

10

1.75

Tent, 2 person

 

8.65

19

2.63

Tent, 4 person

 

14.3

31.5

3.5

Tobacco, chewing

per ounce

0.03

0.1

0.04

Tobacco, dried

per ounce

0.03

0.1

0.02

Torch, treated

Lasts three hours

0.55

1.2

0.13

Torch, untreated

Lasts one hour

0.55

1.2

0.04

Trap, bear

 

6.55

14.4

2.7

Trap, beaver

 

2.55

5.6

0.8

Trap, wolf

 

4

8.8

1.7

Trunk, large metal

Holds up to 25 kg

15

33

12

Trunk, large wooden

Holds up to 25 kg

11.5

25.3

2.5

Trunk, small metal

Holds up to 12.5 kg

8.5

18.7

5

Trunk, small wooden

Holds up to 12.5 kg

6

13.2

1

Vial (glass, 2 ounce)

 

0.05

0.1

0.05

Vial (glass, 6 ounce)

 

0.1

0.2

0.1

Water skin, 1/2 gallon

 

0.5

1.1

0.3

Water skin, 2 pint

 

0.23

0.5

0.1

Water skin, gallon

 

0.95

2.1

0.65

Wax, bee's

per pound

0.45

1

0.5

Wax, clear

per pound

0.45

1

0.7

 

1 enough ink to fill twelve standard sheets

2 one pint of oil will burn in a lamp or lantern for twelve hours

3 includes the set-up by a skilled artisan

 

Field Kits

item

description

weight

  kg     lb.

cost

(sp)

Cooking Kit

Basic pot, pan, eating utensils, and mixing implements made of lightweight materials for traveling

1.8

4

1

Fishing Kit

Fishing tackle, hooks, lures, and floaters

0.5

1.1

0.7

Medical Kit

Required for effective use of medical skill. Starts with 10 "charges" of expendable medical supplies.

1.2

2.6

2.5

Medical Kit "charges"

Expendable medical supplies, 10 "charges"

n/a

n/a

1

Personal Kit

Includes a towel, soapstone, razor, grooming implements, small metal mirror, tooth stick, nsh.

0.2

0.4

0.6

Tinder Box, Flint & Steel

Used to create sparks, box keeps tinder relatively dry

0.2

0.4

0.3

 

Hand-to-Hand Melee Weapons

weapon

WP skill

weight

  kg     lb.

length

  cm       in.

cost

(sp)

Axe, Battle

L - Battle-ax

1.7

3.7

81

32

4.2

Axe, Francisca

M – Battle-ax

1.1

2.4

46

18

2.1

Axe, Great

H – Battle-ax

2.8

6.2

114

45

6.7

Axe, Hand (hatchet)

S - Ax (doesn't exist)

0.6

1.3

36

14

1.4

Axe, Small

S - Ax (doesn't exist)

0.8

1.8

61

24

1.1

Baton

S - Blunt (doesn't exist)

0.55

1.2

46

18

0.2

Bullwhip

S - Special?

0.9

2

396

156

0.5

Club

M - Blunt

0.8

1.8

61

24

0.4

Club, Great

H - Blunt

1.8

4

107

42

1.1

Club, War

L - Blunt

1.2

2.6

86

34

0.7

Dagger

S – Knife

0.36

0.8

46

18

0.8

Flail, Battle

H – Ball and chain

2.6

5.7

122

48

9.8

Flail, Bladed

M – Ball and chain

1.3

2.9

91

36

3.7

Flail, Goupillon

H – Ball and chain

2

4.4

91

36

18.5

Flail, Military

L - Ball and chain

1.8

4

102

40

6

Flail, War

M – Ball and chain

1.5

3.3

76

30

4.5

Halberd

H – Pole arm

4.1

9

244

96

14.4

Hammer

M – Blunt

1.3

2.9

56

22

1.3

Hammer, Small

S - Blunt (doesn't exist)

0.8

1.8

38

15

0.7

Hammer, War

L – Blunt

1.6

3.5

76

30

1.8

Iron Staff

L - Staff

2.4

5.3

152

60

1

Katana

L - Sword

1.3

2.9

99

39

20

Knife

S – Knife

0.25

0.6

25

10

0.3

Lance

L - Special

2.9

6.4

396

156

0.5

Mace

L – Blunt

1.3

2.9

58

23

2

Mace, Great

H – Blunt

2.5

5.5

71

28

4

Mace, Small

M – Blunt

1.1

2.4

46

18

1.5

Maul

H – Blunt

3.3

7.3

122

48

2.9

Morningstar

L - Ball and chain

1.6

3.5

76

30

3.9

Ninjato

M - Sword

1.4

3.1

86

34

16

Pick

M – Battle-ax or Blunt?

1.2

2.6

64

25

2

Pick, Great

H – Battle-ax or Blunt?

2.3

5.1

107

42

5.7

Pick, Military

L - Battle-ax or Blunt?

1.5

3.3

79

31

3.5

Pick, Small

S – ditto? (neither exist)

0.7

1.5

41

16

1.2

Pole Axe

H – Pole arm

3.5

7.7

213

84

6.7

Quarterstaff

M - Staff

1.8

4

168

66

0.2

Sai

S - Knife

0.5

1.1

46

18

2

Spear

L - Spear/fork

1.1

2.4

127

50

0.3

Spear, Long

H - Spear/fork

2.1

4.6

274

108

0.5

Spear, Medium

M - Spear/fork

1.5

3.3

188

74

0.4

Stiletto

S – Knife

0.18

0.4

30

12

0.9

Sword, Bastard

L – Sword

1.8

4

102

40

15.4

Sword, Broad

L – Sword

1.3

2.9

86

34

9.8

Sword, Great

H – Sword

3

6.6

157

62

24

Sword, Long

L – Sword

1.2

2.6

94

37

10.2

Sword, Short

M – Sword

0.9

2

71

28

3.8

Wakisashi

M - Sword

0.7

1.5

56

22

14

 

Missile Weapons

weapon

WP skill

weight

  kg     lb.

length

  cm       in.

cost

(sp)

Arbalest

 

2.7

5.9

102

40

13.5

Arrow, longbow

 

0.12

0.3

89

35

0.1

Arrow, normal bow

 

0.1

0.2

71

28

0.07

Blowgun

 

0.45

1

102

40

0.7

Bolt, crossbow

 

0.16

0.4

76

30

0.15

Bow, Heavy

 

1.4

3.1

132

52

5

Bow, Light

 

0.8

1.8

102

40

1.2

Bow, Medium

 

1.1

2.4

117

46

2.5

Crossbow, Heavy

 

2.3

5.1

91

36

7.2

Crossbow, Light

 

1.8

4

81

32

3.7

Dart, blowgun

 

0.03

0.1

8

3

0.05

Javelin

 

0.9

2

152

60

0.3

Longbow, Heavy

 

1.6

3.5

183

72

15

Longbow, Light

 

1

2.2

157

62

4

Longbow, Medium

 

1.3

2.9

170

67

9

Shuriken/Darts

 

0.08

0.2

8 -13

3 - 5

0.2

Sling

 

0.2

0.4

86

34

0.3

Staff Sling

 

1.4

3.1

137

54

0.6

Throwing Knife

 

0.3

0.7

23

9

1.2

 

Shields

weapon

WP skill

weight

  kg     lb.

size

cost

(sp)

Wooden, Small

 

1.5

3.3

15" d.

0.8

Wooden, Normal

 

3

6.6

24" d.

1.2

Wooden, Large

 

5.3

11.7

24" x 48"

2.3

Steel, Small

 

2

4.4

15" d.

3

Steel, Normal

 

4

8.8

24" d.

7.7

Steel, Large

 

7

15.4

24" x 48"

10.5

 

Tools

item

description

weight

  kg     lb.

Cost

(sp)

Anvil

 

heavy

heavy

11.2

Carpenter's set of tools

 

4.1

9

4.2

Crowbar

 

1.7

3.7

0.6

Grapnel (grappling hook)

Supports 500 pounds

1

2.2

0.5

Hatchet

 

0.8

1.8

0.7

Hammer

 

1.3

2.9

0.4

Hatchet

 

0.8

1.8

0.7

Lock picks

Quality can affect their usefulness

n/a

n/a

1

Manacles, hand

 

5

11

3

Manacles, leg

 

7.5

16.5

4.5

Mason's set of tools

 

5

11

3.8

Pitchfork

 

1.5

3.3

0.7

Plow

 

15

33

1.2

Pulley, 2:1

 

2

4.4

3.2

Pulley, 3:1

 

2.3

5.1

5.5

Pulley, 4:1

 

2.7

5.9

8.9

Scythe

 

1.6

3.5

0.9

Shovel

4 feet long

2.5

5.5

0.8

Shovel, folding

2.5 feet long, collapses

1.2

2.6

0.7

Snare (small)

Implement to capture small game

0.22

0.5

0.4

Trap, bear

 

6.55

14.4

2.7

Trap, beaver

 

2.55

5.6

0.8

Trap, wolf

 

4

8.8

1.7

Whetstone

Required to keep weapons sharp *

0.3

0.7

0.05

 

* A weaponsmith could find one given some time and suitable terrain.

 

 


Masterwork Equipment

 

Everything listed above is assumed to be standard quality. ‘Masterwork’ quality describes a level of superior craftsmanship. Any item that is to be permanently enchanted must be masterwork quality.

 

Masterwork cost = 5 x base cost of standard item (and provides no bonuses)

 

The cost for a weapon with masterwork enhancements (the bonus applying to all three areas: strike, parry, and damage) is the base cost of the standard weapon times a factor:

 

Bonus          Factor

 

+1              x 10

+2             x 100

+3           x 1000

+4        x 10,000

+5      x 100,000

 

A weapon cannot be incrementally enhanced by masterwork craftsmanship. It is originally created with the enhancement bonus purchased.


Ye Olde Alchemist Shoppe

Potions

“Points” Potions

Healing (HP)

Magic Restoration (MSP)

Psionic (ISP)

1d6 HP              1 cp

1d6+5               5 cp

2d6+10              1 sp

3d6+15              5 sp

4d6+20              1 gp

5d6+25              5 gp

6d6+30              1 pp

50                     1 pp

100                   5 pp

 

1d6 MSP            5 bb

1d6+5               1 cp

2d6+10              5 cp

3d6+15              1 sp

4d6+20              5 sp

5d6+25              1 gp

6d6+30              5 gp

50                     5 gp

100                   1 pp

 

1d6 ISP             1 sp

1d6+5               5 sp

2d6+10              1 gp

3d6+15              5 gp

4d6+20              1 pp

5d6+25              5 pp

6d6+30              1 mp

50                     1 mp

100                   5 mp

 

Saving Throw Potions

Physical

Magic

Psionic

+1 save             5 sp

+2                     1 gp

+3                     5 gp

+4                     1 pp

+5                     5 pp

 

+1 save             1 sp

+2                     5 sp

+3                     1 gp

+4                     5 gp

+5                     1 pp

 

+1 save             1 gp

+2                     5 gp

+3                     1 pp

+4                     5 pp

+5                     1 mp

 

Miscellaneous Potions

General Spells (Common)

Soul

Accoutrement

1st level             2 cp

2nd level 1 sp

3rd level 2 sp

4th level 2 gp

5th level 10 gp

6th level 20 gp

7th level 200 gp

 

Soul holding       10 gp

Soul catch         10 pp

 

Potion belt        2 cp

6 vials & flask   1 cp

(flask capacity = 12 vials)

 

 

Charged Magic Items                                Spell Scrolls

General spells (common)                                    General spells (common)

Cost per charge:                                                (Must be able to read the language to cast)

 

1st level             1 sp                                          1st level             5 cp

2nd level 5 sp                                          2nd level             2.5 sp

3rd level 1 gp                                          3rd level 5 sp

4th level 10 gp                                        4th level 5 gp

5th level 50 gp                                        5th level 25 gp

6th level 100 gp                                      6th level 50 gp

7th level 1000gp                                      7th level 500 gp

 

Note:  The base cost of the item is equal

to the cost of an individual charge.

 


Magically Enhanced Armor and Weapons

 

Bonuses

 

Armor pieces can have their AR increased by magical enhancement. Weapons can be magically enhanced (the bonus applying to all three areas: strike, parry, and damage).

 

Bonus          Cost         Restriction on material

 

+1           100 gp      item must be masterwork quality

+2           300 gp      item must contain mithril

+3         1000 gp

+4         5000 gp      item must contain adamantium

+5      50,000 gp

 

 

Spell effects

 

Use the factors below as cost multipliers where the base cost is the price of one charge for a charged magical item.

 

Effect                                Factor             Note

 

Abortable charge                  x 2

Continuous                        x 1000             for creation of new item

Multiple use (X / day)     x (X x 100)          for creation of new item, each use lasts six minutes

 

 


Magic System

So what’s the difference between a sphere and a globe again?

T


he magic system is centered around spells and wizards, though there also exist magic circles, necromantic arts, rituals, rune magic, and wards along with their respective practitioners. As the rules and guidelines for the different mystic arts get written up, I’ll add them to this rulebook. Or not. (Man, there sure are a lot of those “or not” phrases running around this document. J )


General Mystic Force Forms and Types


The forms correspond to manifestations of magical forces that are usually created by a spell. They are blast, bolt, field, globe, imbue weapon, resist element, and summon elemental force. (More may be added later.) The types correspond to the special effect causing the damage (or resisting) and fall under the five main ‘elemental’ categories of air, earth, fire, water, and spirit. The different rarities of occurrence of the mystic element types do not relate to a difference in quantity of damage or power, only in how difficult it is to defend against that type of damage.

See Magic Spells in the Psimancz Appendices for how these spell forms work.

Note concerning very rare damage types: Even if a target makes a successful saving throw (when applicable) against a very rare damage type, the target still takes half damage.


 

Mystic Element Types

Types

Air

Earth

Fire

Water

Spirit

Common

Static

Shockwave

Flame

Frost

Soul

Uncommon

Lightning

Concussion

Balefire

Cold

Chi

Rare

Vacuum

Magma

Plasma

Drowning

Death

Very Rare

Tornado

Gravity

Phoenix

Acid

Chaos

 


Acquiring Spells

How do wizards and other mages acquire new powers? They earn them.


Unlike psions, warlocks, and all those other wusses who just have their powers spoon-fed to them, mages have to find, buy, learn, or research new powers in-game. Spell knowledge is the lifeblood of wizards. Here are the methods that wizards may use to attempt to gain the knowledge of how to cast a spell.

Instruction (from Alchemist)

“Throw gold at it.” Guaranteed learning, fast, safest, and most expensive.

 

 

Duration to learn: one hour per spell level

 

Cost: 50 times the cost for a charge of that spell. (See Charged Magic Items above.)

 

Success criteria: automatic, no chance of failure

 

Instruction (from Wizard)

“Come on, dude. If you show me yours, I’ll show you mine.” Slower but safe.

 

Duration to learn: one week per spell level

 

Cost: no standard; negotiated with wizard

 

Limitation: The teacher must have a wizard power level at least twice the level of the spell. It is possible to teach higher level spells than this restriction implies, but there is a decrease in the success rate.

 

Success criteria: standard mystic conversion roll for student with modification. Wizard’s can teach spells with no penalty to the student’s skill roll if the spell is equal to or less than one half the teacher’s power level (rounding up). For spells above that and up to the teacher’s power level, there is a -20% penalty per spell level. Above the teacher’s power level, the penalty is -40% per level. If the roll fails, the student cannot learn that spell from that teacher.

 

 

 

Personal Research (course 1)

“Booooorrrrriiiiinnnnnggggg.” Guaranteed and safe, but damn slow.

 

Duration to learn: one year per spell level, full time

 

Limitation: need a method to record experimentation; can even invent spells

 

Success criteria: automatic success, no chance of failure. Net result is a “spell book” entry.

 

Personal Research (course 2)

“If I just fiddle long enough…” Safe, but slow and requires skill.

 

Duration to learn: one month per spell level, full time, but can be interrupted

 

Limitation: need a method to record experimentation; can even invent spells

 

Success criteria: standard mystic conversion roll with the penalty the same as being taught by another wizard but with self as teacher; if you fail the roll, you can try again with more research time of one week per level of the spell. Net result is a “spell book” entry.

 

Spell Book

“You can learn anything from a book.” Slower but safe.

 

Duration to learn: one week per spell level

 

Cost: perhaps a checkout fee at a Wizard Guild (but would probably have to use the book on the premises)

 

Limitation: must be able to read the language of the book

 

Success criteria: standard mystic conversion roll without modification regardless of the spell level; if the roll fails, can try again with another block of study time, one week per level of the spell

 

 

 

Via Suppository

Heh, heh. Sweet.

 

Scroll Conversion

“Just go for it, puss.” Fastest, very dangerous.

 

Duration to learn: instant

 

Cost: price of scroll

 

Success criteria: standard mystic conversion roll with a penalty of -20% per level of the spell. If the roll fails, the scroll is used up and BAD THINGS HAPPEN.

 

 

BTTW Conversion

“Yee-haw, m-er f-ers! I’m gonna do that too!” Fastest, most dangerous, and least expensive.

 

Duration to learn: instant

 

Cost: it’s freeeeeeee

 

Limitation: converting wizard must have sense magic and decipher magic spells active when the target spell is first being cast

 

Success criteria: standard mystic conversion roll with a penalty of -10% per level of the spell, cumulative (1st level -10%, 2nd level -30%, 3rd level -60%, and so on). If the roll fails, VERY BAD THINGS HAPPEN.


Mystic Potpourri


Spell Level and Rank

These concepts are separate in order to clarify aspects of progressive spells. The spell level generally corresponds to the overall power level of a spell. Rank (indicated by a Roman numeral) applies to the specific power level of a progressive spell. For most progressive spells, the spell level is equivalent to the rank. For some, rank one can begin at a higher spell level. For example, plasma field II (rank two) is a fourth level spell. (See Progressive Spells under Magic Spells in the Psimancz Appendices.)

 

 

 

 

Stacking Magical Effects

Magical items and spells that give bonuses (like to saving throws in particular) cannot always stack together for an increased total effect. It depends on the level of the effect.

Simple effect: This effect is the weakest and most basic. It can only add to attribute and thread bonuses. (It cannot be used with any bonuses that a character has purchased or anything from other spells, nsh. All of these supersede a simple effect.)

Standard effect: This effect adds to all personal bonuses. It also combines with standard effects of different energy types (but multiple standard effects of the same type do not add up together).

Greater effect: This effect is a trump effect. It adds to all other bonuses.


 


Index of Key Terms


A

armor............................................... 32

armor class (AC)..................... 32, 36

armor rating (AR).......................... 32

attribute check.............................. 30

autoparry............................. 8, 10, 31

cost............................................. 25

B

base armor penalty....................... 32

beauty (BTY)................................... 5

bleeding......................................... 36

blindness....................................... 36

C

chance of success.......................... 7

character points (CP)................. 3, 4

critical hit................................. 34, 37

D

damage reduction......................... 36

damage resistance (DR)............... 36

darkvision........................................ 3

diabolist (mage subclass).............. 9

divine spell points (DSP)..... 5, 7, 10

druid (primary skill)........................ 8

E

elemental spell points (ESP) 5, 7, 12

endurance (END)............................ 5

experience points (XP)................. 21

F

feat.................................................. 21

combat form............................... 22

general talent............................. 24

mystical technique.................... 24

fighter (primary skill)...................... 8

floating........................................... 21

free declare.................................... 31

G

gift..................................................... 6

costs........................................... 25

divine.......................................... 10

druidic........................................... 8

healing.......................................... 9

mage.............................................. 9

psionic........................................ 11

warlock....................................... 12

goat............................................. 8, 39

milk.............................................. 40

grappling........................................ 34

H

hardness........................................ 36

healer (primary skill)....................... 9

healing strength points (HSP) 5, 7, 9

hit points (HP)................... 3, 5, 7, 35

I

initiative (init)................ 5, 21, 28, 29

jumping....................................... 30

inner strength points (ISP).. 5, 7, 11

intelligence (INT)............................ 5

L

language feat............................. 6, 24

M

mage (primary skill)........................ 9

magic spell points (MSP)...... 5, 7, 9

magical effect................................ 54

greater......................................... 54

simple.......................................... 54

standard..................................... 54

masterwork armor......................... 33

masterwork equipment................. 49

miss factor (MF)................. 5, 31, 36

mystic element types................... 52

N

namby-pamby................................. 9

natural healing.............................. 35

nature spell points (NSP)...... 5, 7, 8

necromancer (mage subclass)...... 9

nightvision...................................... 3

normal damage.............................. 35

O

off-hand attack.............................. 34

P

perception...................................... 21

physical attack.............................. 33

points (HP, DSP, ESP, HSP, ISP, MSP, NSP)   5, 7, 26

points recovery............................... 7

power level

cost for zero............................... 25

costs........................................... 26

power strength.............................. 27

presence (PRE)................................ 5

priest (primary skill)...................... 10

primary skill (class)......................... 6

progressive spells........................ 54

protectee........................................ 31

prowess (PRW)............................... 5

psion (primary skill)...................... 11

R

reading and research.................... 37

reflex (REF)...................................... 5

S

sea rover.......................................... 8

silver piece (sp)............................. 38

simultaneous strike (simul)......... 33

skill points................................... 5, 6

skill weight....................................... 6

sorcerer (mage subclass)............... 9

speed (SPD)..................................... 5

spell level and rank....................... 54

spirit thread............................... 6, 36

staying conscious........................ 36

strength (STR)................................ 5

strength armor penalty................ 33

subdual damage............................ 35

T

threads............................................. 6

transformations............................. 37

U

unarmed damage......... 23, 24, 27, 35

unconsciousness and death....... 36

V

very rare damage type................. 52

W

warlock (primary skill).................. 11

weapon speed............................... 30

willpower (WIL).............................. 5

wizard (mage subclass).................. 9