Rules 2.0

Red Age > Rules > Rules 2.0

Knave 2e-based

Characters

Stats

• Str
  • forceful fighting, feats of strength, athletics, grapple
  • defense vs: forced movement, grappling, physical intimidation
• Dex
  • speed, agility, nimble fingers, stealth, acrobatics, finesse fighting, backstab dmg? throwing?
  • defense vs: dodging, trap evasion, quick reflexes, escaping
• Con
  • load, wounds, fatigue, bonus hp?
  • defense vs: poison, disease, fatigue, life-drain, health-affecting magics
• Int
  • craft, lore, sorcery, use arcane devices (even w/o being a sorcerer), alchemy, second sight comprehension, healing, fortune-telling / divination? talisman-making?, logistics, administration, law, tactics?
  • defense vs magitech malfunction
• Wis
  • marksmanship, wildcraft, navigation, perception, insight, spot trouble saves
  • defense vs: deception, illusion, misdirection, bluffing, temptation, charm???
• Cha
  • sway people, command, inspire, negotiate, Companions, Theurgy, divine bonds?
  • defense vs: assaults against the spirit or will, fear, charm???

Str? Dex? martial defense, resist martial techniques Int to analyze w/ second sight? (or is that Wis?) ??? lying, deceiving, guile, mockery, charm? (anything other than Cha?)

• Size: medium
• Speed: 30'
• Feat Points: 1 pt per level?

Defense

• Guard / Grit
  • Guard = 5 + 1 per odd-numbered level
  • Grit = 5 + Con + 1 per even-numbered level
• Strain
  • You can take up to (10 + Con) Strain, restoring Guard and Grit, before you start gaining Fatigue instead.
• Precalculated
  • 1st (11), 2nd (12), 3rd (13), 4th (14), 5th (15), 6th (16), 7th (17), 8th (18), 9th (19), 10th (20)
  • Durant: +2 + 1 per level
  • Con: +Con

Ancestry (choose 1)

• Human: no special effect
• Abhuman: take a flaw, suffer abhuman suspicion, you may spend feat pts on mutations (but don't get any extra)

Edges

• Red-Handed: +1 to attack effect rolls, once per combat can reroll an attack (if you miss, doesn't expend the use?)
  • reroll can be used for attack casting if you have Eldritch?
• Hard To Kill? Durant?: instead of gaining guard and grit on odd and even levels, you just gain 1 of each every level, once per combat can reroll a defense (vs attack, spell, etc) (if still hit, doesn't expend the use?)
  • reroll can be used for defensive / abjurative casting if you have Eldritch?
  • flat +2 guard and +2 grit. +2 hp recovered per die rolled (from natural rest and magical healing)
• Versatile: extra feats pts (can use for mutations if also Mutated)
  • maybe normally 1 feat per 2 levels, but with this 1 feat per level?
• Masterful: re-roll a non-attack / non-defense / non-casting roll. have 3 expertise pts per long rest, can use 1 use per brief rest / task, a short rest refreshes 1 pt (or just 1 use per scene? per hour? per 15 min?)
  • reroll can be used for casting if you have Eldritch
• Mutated: extra feat pts for mutations (must be abhuman)
• Eldritch: second sight, mana, casting; a semi-caster
  • sorcerers, if active and ready for the attack, can Int save against magic aimed at themselves, counterspelling / warding against it
  • allows both sorcery and theurgy
  • take Versatile and spend the feat pts on extra mana, improved casting, etc if you want to be a full caster

Archetypes

• Red-Handed + Hard to Kill = Fighter
• Red-Handed + Versatile or Masterful: fighting rogue / assassin
• Red-Handed or Hard to Kill + Eldritch = fighting theurge
• Eldritch + Versatile = full sorcerer / theurge (assuming you spend the feat pts on extra mana, casting buffs, etc)
• Red-Handed or Hard to Kill + Eldritch = mageslayer, arcane knight
• Eldritch + Masterful = arcane trickster (you can use the reroll for
• Abhuman + Eldritch = malison
• Abhuman + Mutated + Hard to Kill = brute
• Abhuman + Mutated + Red-Handed = reaver
• Abhuman + Mutated + Versatile = skulk

Feats

• skilled: +A to domain
  • partial version: roll d10 and take the higher, so it's reliable but not full +A
• fortune's favorite
• Animal Companion
• Battle Rage / Numb to Pain
• Mighty Deeds (fighter supremacy dice)?
• Sacred Vow / Code (paladins, monks)
• Inspiring
• fleet of foot? (dash as bonus action, +A running/jumping)
• acrobat? mighty?
• Alertness / Survival Instinct
• subtle casting???
• Gnosis???
• exotic weapon / martial feats?
• extra mana
• skilled casting?
• theurgic bonds
• evasion (if cover w/in 15', including large or 2x medium creatures, save: no damage on success, half damage on fail; w/o cover, save normally)

skills

• Nimble Fingers (lock picking, trap disarming, sleight of hand, sheer climbing)
• Guile / Deceit (lying, inscrutability, disguise, mimicry, misdirection, forgery)
• Shadow (stealth, ambush, Survival Instinct w/ hiding)
• Keen-Eyed (perception)
• Artisan
• Virtuoso
• Mighty (feats of strength, rough climbing, grappling, unarmed dmg)
• Fleet (running, jumping, riding? acrobatics?)
• Wildcraft (tracking, navigation, survival)
• Sailor
• Alchemist
• Healer
• Tactician
• Leader
• Silver-Tongued (intrigue, etiquette, charm, persuasion)
• Insightful (judge of character, danger sense, boost use of second sight? saves vs deception/misdirection?)
• Imposing (intimidation, war-leader)
• Hale (health saves)
• Strong-Willed (will saves)
• Reflexes (dodge saves, initiative, quick reaction, Survival Instinct?)

Domains

• languages, weapon profs, biome wildcraft, cultures, crafts

battle rage revamp - for 2.0 or current - crib from MCDM Beastheart and Companion rules. - you build and spend Fury / Ferocity points - shrug off harm - whirlwind - power strike - charge / leap / dash - exceed 10 fury and Spirit save or go berserk, charging and attacking nearest foe, then dropping to 1d4 fury (or 0?) - passive benefits based on your current fury total? - when you want to do something rational, must roll above your current fury on d10? (d8? d6?)

- split this into 2 pts worth of feats, Battle Rage and Numb to Pain?

Mighty Deeds (fighter supremacy dice) revamp - d6, Seeing An Opening on a 4+ on a d6; can keep it open on later turns if you roll equal or less than the number you rolled initially. - can learn special techniques letting you roll d8 instead of d6, can also increase die if weapon is well suited to intended deed - can do a thing, rider effects call for an effect roll, +D to your roll if it's a hard rider (stunned, disarmed, etc) - also get a set of Martial Virtues, earning Prowess pts when you embody them. spend to get +A to martial stuff, or auto-Get An Opening - Glory, Skill, Justice, Defense, Honor/Honesty, Duty/Loyalty, Courage, Benevolence / Mercy, Courtliness / Propriety, Self-Discipline, Dominance, Brutality

Chargen

• Level 1
• Pick 2 primary stats and 3 secondary stats (retain these choices for advancement).
• Randomly add 2 pts to primaries, 1 point to secondaries, and then place 2 pts freely. Can't exceed 3 in a stat at 1st level
• Choose 2 Edges and spend 2 Feat Points.
• Determine your relevant domains based on feats, edges, and background.
• Derive Guard and Grit. Determine martial defenses.
• Speed 30

Advancement

• +1 Guard, +1 Grit per level
  • +1 Life per level?
• +1 to a random primary stat and +1 to a random secondary stat, and then +1 to any stat of your choice. Can't gain more than 1 to a stat per level, and can't save points. stats are capped at 10.
• feat pts? (+1 per level?)

• parry defense = half your attack bonus with your weapon + armor bonus, rounded up
• ranged defense = half your Dex + armor bonus
• if you have a shield or at least 6 armor (heavy) you can use parry against ranged attacks
• dodge: defend w/ Dex. if used against melee attacks, you can't attack / deed this turn. you can dodge spells or missiles and still attack

• armor: +1 armor guard per armor, +1 defense against weapon attacks (parry, block, evade ranged) per 2 armor
• max 7 slots of armor
• shield: +2 defense against weapon attacks (parry, block, evade ranged)
• magic armor can grant extra armor pts (probably not more than 2)

• melee attacks deal shock
• shield lets you ignore 1 instance of shock per turn
• sufficiently high armor rating may prevent some attacks from dealing shock
• shock from swarm attacks penetrates all armor and shields

• armor and shields get notched if you roll a 1 on defense (shield before armor)
• weapons get notched if you roll a 1 on attack
• item breaks if it gets notches equal to its quality (maybe 3 on average for a weapon and shield, maybe 2 notches removes 1 slot of armor?)
• notches are assumed to be repaired during an extended rest, even in the field (maybe non-magic shield notches can't be repaired?)

attack

• capped at 3 or (level, max 10)
• forceful weapon: str
• finesse weapon: dex
• balanced weapon: str+dex
• projectile: wis
• thrown: wis + half dex or half str (depending on if the weapon is forceful or finesse, or either if balanced)

everyman options

• alchemy (Int)
• talisman-making (Int)
• poisons (int)
• healing (Int)
• fortune-telling / divination?
• tactician (grant warlord type benefits?) (Int?)
• magitech sorcery (Int)
• ttheurgy (cha)
• craft

System

core mechanic: d20 + stat / bonus vs DC

Equipment

Encumbrance

• light: 5 + half Con slots
  • no penalties
• medium: 10 + Con slots
  • +D to swim, climb, jump; +D in a race with someone w/ light load
  • can't fly with wings
• heavy: 15 + 1.5 x Con slots
  • as medium
  • +D to Str and Dex checks, attacks, defenses
  • -10' move
  • can't jump, climb, etc, swim.
• overburdened: 20 + 2 x Con slots
  • can only stagger 5', can't use guard/grit
  • if you exceed overburdened, you collapse

1 slot is ~5 lbs

• each point of Fatigue fills a slot
• each point of damage not blocked with hp inflicts a Wound. Flesh Wounds take up slots, but don't have additional effects, and heal a point each day
  • serious wounds occupy slots equal to the damage that caused them, have additional effects, and are much slower to heal (weeks)

Harm & Recovery

• each point of Fatigue fills a slot
• each point of damage not blocked with hp inflicts a Wound. Flesh Wounds take up slots, but don't have additional effects, and heal a point each day
  • serious wounds occupy slots equal to the damage that caused them, have additional effects, and are much slower to heal (weeks)

Fatigue / System Strain / Reserve? Wounds? Shock? Auto-Damage?

Resting

• Brief Rest
  • Restore armor pts.
• Short Rest
  • Requires food and water present in the party but they are not consumed.
  • Restores Guard.
• Long Rest
  • Requires each individual to consume food and water.
  • Restores Guard and Grit. Removes 1 strain. Removes 1 fatigue, or 1 Flesh Wound if no Fatigue.
  • works toward removing serious wounds if no fatigue or flesh wounds

• when you restore guard or grit, mark 1 strain and roll 1d6 (+2 if Hard to Kill). If this restores more guard or grit than you need, don't mark strain (restore guard, with chance for free heal, then restore grit with chance of free heal). keep healing until you're done
• if you have strain = 10 + Con, then instead of strain gain fatigue
• armor restores without applying strain

• any reason to distinguish between fatigue and flesh wound? flesh wound is harder to heal?

• if you reach 10 + Con serious wounds, you die
• if you reach 20 + (2 x Con) serious wounds, flesh wounds, and other fatigue, you die

• when you take direct damage (bypassing armor, guard, and grit), you can't suffer a mortal wound (including dead adventurer walking, but allowing bleeding out fast / slow) unless ??? (no hp?)

Magic

• https://www.reddit.com/r/UnearthedArcana/comments/14e5sa0/spell_points_that_actually_work_strain_and/
• replace simple mana points with something like this? (since caster level caps at 10-ish, don't have to worry about high level casters getting 0-cost spells)
• there are different rules / tables in the post and in each link, investigate which works best for me

Second Sight

• ??? all use of Second Sight is like opening your mind, risky. depth of insight and what is beheld affects risk. you can use it to probe many facets of something, it's magic, but also psychometry, etc.
• DnD 2e's Identify spell is actually pretty decent for deep-diving on a complex piece of magic

Magitech Sorcery (Artifice?) - carry panoply that takes up slots, hook together and invoke for effects - all about tech components, wiring them up and using them

- system borrowed from Alien RPG dice mechanic: roll a d6 pool, some from ability, some from "stress". Might sum the dice, or look for rolls that beat a TN (e.g. 6). Any 1's on the stress dice trigger a panic check, rolling 1d6 + current stress. Up to 5 or 6, no sweat. Above 6, you start getting impairments, like tremors, or immediate mishaps like freaking and running. At 10+, your rolls are actually failing as a result of panic. you can push a failed / insufficient roll by gaining 1 stress and rerolling, as long as there were no 1s on stress dice (no panic roll). - as a magic system, stress would represent opening your soul to astral power; you are both empowered and strained. Rolling a 1 on a stress die would trigger a backlash roll, which could inflict harm or statuses. - you'd roll extra stress dice for overcasting power (you'd gain stress for overcasting), for overreaching your mana potential, and maybe also because you chose to get your stress up a bit to be rolling extra dice. You could push as well. - stress fades through long rests. - base dice would come from panoply, Int stat, level, etc.

Theurgy - carry relics that take up slots, or forge bonds - all about forming ties to magical forces / entities, channeling their power / gifts. a sorcerer may do both magitech and theurgy. - a familiar may grant abilities, an occult patron, a place of power / sanctum / shrine, a relic. you might get abilities through transfiguration

- part of gods being dead is having a hard time reaching followers. thus the need for relics. you have to keep the relic attuned by periodically doing things to keep the patron appeased and empowered, and recharge relics at your shrine. while active, the relics confer access to the patron and grant spells, boons, etc.

Mutations - represent abhuman abilities, as well as abilities from transfiguration, and maybe exotic weapon arts

Other Abilities - could use a caster-like mechanism for exotic weapon arts???

Alchemy - includes medicine and poisons

Rewards

- xp costs plateau around 5th or 6th? (1st 0k -> 2nd 2k -> 3rd 4k -> 4th 8k -> 5th 16k -> 6th 32 k) - sorcery: components, formulae, scrap - theurgy: relics, divine bonds, favors - mighty deeds: weapon techniques, trophies - rogues: bragging rights - contacts, friends, favors, Companions - reputations, titles, domains - completed vows - backgrounds - renown for projects