Characters (Arden-Vul)

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Arden-Vul > Rules > Characters


Stats

Generating Stats

  • 4d6, keep 3, down the line.
  • May swap the values of a pair of stats of your choice.
  • Apply racial modifiers.

Stat Mod

  • 0: dead or incapacitated
  • 1: -5
  • 2: -4
  • 3: -3
  • 4-5: -2
  • 6-8: -1
  • 9-12: +0
  • 13-15: +1
  • 16-17: +2
  • 18: +3
  • Above 18: +(stat value - 15)

Stat Effects

  • All
    • Add MOD to stat checks using the stat.
    • Stats may be damaged by effects, lowering their rating and effective MOD. If a stat reaches 0, the character is dead or incapacitated, depending on the nature of the cause.
    • If your class's prime requisite stat MOD (or average value, for multiple primes) is...
      • -2 or lower: -20%
      • -1: -10%
      • 0: none
      • +1: +5%
      • +2 or higher: +10%
  • Strength
    • Add STR to melee attack bonus.
    • Add STR to melee and thrown damage.
    • Affects weight capacity (see Encumbrance).
  • Intelligence
    • May learn INT extra languages, beyond those granted by class and race.
    • Literacy: <6 (illiterate), 6-8 (basic), 9+ (literate)
  • Wisdom
    • Add WIS to saves against spells that affect your mind or spirit, including illusions.
    • Grants extra spells to Clerics (but not Druids)
  • Dexterity
    • Add DEX to ranged attack bonus (but not damage).
    • Add DEX to defense.
    • When using melee finesse weapons, you may use DEX instead of STR for attack bonus (STR is still used for damage).
    • Improves certain skills available to Thieves, Bards, and Hunters.
  • Constitution
    • Add CON to hp gained at each level, up to 9th.
    • You can hold your breath for Constitution rounds before suffocating.
  • Charisma
    • You may command up to (Charisma / 2) henchmen, rounded down.
    • +2 CHA or better can grant +A to Reaction Rolls. -2 CHA or worse can grant -A.
    • The loyalty rating of each of your henchmen starts at 7+CHA.

Stat Checks

  • Roll d6+MOD vs DC (often 4 or 6)
  • ???Roll d20 + (stat-10) vs DC (often 11, 16, or 21)
  • Stat Checks
    • All
      • Relevant background skills (crafts, etc)
    • Str
      • Feats of Strength (bend bars, lift gates, open stuck doors)
      • Breaking out of grapples
      • Swimming
    • Int
      • Arcane research
      • Medicine
    • Wis
      • Reading a person or situation
    • Dex
      • Escaping grapples
      • Rough climbing and balancing
    • Con
      • Enduring labor without becoming fatigued
      • Successfully resting in poor conditions
    • Cha
      • Persuasion, deception, and rapport

Class & Race

Classes

  • Mage (Mage)
    • HD: d4 (+1 heroic hp)
    • Base Attack: (level-1) / 3 (rounding down)
    • Base Save: (0.3 x (level-1)) + 6 (round normally)
      • Doom (+0), Transform (+2), Breath (+0), Spells (+3)
  • Priest (Cleric, Druid)
    • HD: d8 (+2 heroic hp)
    • Base Attack: (level-1) * 0.7 (rounding down)
    • Base Save: (0.4 x (level-1)) + 4 (round normally)
      • Doom (+6), Transform (+3), Breath (+0), Spells (+1)
  • Rogue (Bard, Thief)
    • HD: d6 (+2 heroic hp)
    • Base Attack: (level-1) / 2 (rounding down)
    • Base Save: (0.25 x (level-1)) + 4 (round normally)
      • Doom (+3), Transform (+4), Breath (+0), Spells (+1, and use 2x level when calculating "base")
  • Warrior (Warrior, Hunter)
    • HD: d10 (fighter +3 heroic hp, hunter +2 heroic hp)
    • Base Attack: (level-1)
    • Base Save: (0.65 x (level-1)) + 3 (round normally)
      • Doom (+3), Transform (+2), Breath (+2), Spells (+0)

Races

  • Human
  • Elf / Alfar
  • Homunculus / Goblin
  • Trollkin
  • Hand of Ptah / Dwarf
  • Mi'it (Bast-ling) / Grimalkin

Hit Points

  • 1st to 9th: (level)dHD + (level * CON)
    • May use the average value of class HD instead of rolling, in which case, round up.
    • Optional (if rolling): each level, reroll your full pool of HD. It becomes your new HP if higher than your current value.
  • Above 9th: +(class heroic HP) per level

Attack & Defense

Attack Bonus

  • Melee: Base + STR (or + DEX w/ finesse weapon)
  • Ranged: Base + DEX

Damage Bonus

  • Melee: +STR

Defense Bonus

  • Base: armor bonus + shield bonus + DEX - 1
    • Immobility, surprise, etc can remove shield and DEX bonuses (but not penalties).

Static Attack and Defense

  • Static Attack: 12 + attack bonus
  • Static Defense: 11 + defense bonus

Saves

Rolling Saves

  • 1d20 + base bonus + type modifier for class vs DC 20
    • Stronger or weaker effects may alter the DC.

Type Modifier

  • Doom (poison, death magic, paralysis, slipping and falling)
  • Transform (petrification, polymorph)
  • Breath (breath weapons)
  • Spell (spells from casters and magic items, unless Doom or Transform supersedes)
    • Effects from Rods, Staves, and Wands (and other magic items) are just a little weaker than proper spells. Take +1 to saving throws against them.
    • Add WIS to saves against spells that affect your mind or spirit, including illusions.

Skills

  • Listen (1)
    • Hear faint noises or eavesdrop at a distance when quiet and focusing.
  • Search (1)
    • Notice traps, secret doors / compartments, and other subtle clues while searching (usually for a Turn or more).
  • Sneak (2)
    • Go unnoticed when moving slowly and cautiously, gaining surprise or avoiding an encounter.
  • Survival (1)
    • Foraging , fishing, or hunting for food in the wilderness, locating / producing shelter, starting fire in adverse conditions.

Some races and classes get bonuses to these base skill values.

Skill Checks

  • Roll equal or under your skill rating
    • Roll: d6 (average), d4 (easy), or d8 (hard)
    • Modifiers are added to or subtracted from your skill rating (beneficial or adverse conditions, good or bad tools, etc).

Encumbrance & Speed

  • Base Speed: 40'
  • Use the higher Load level of your carried weight and armor worn.
  • Add Strength Modifier to the weight limits for each load level.

Load Levels

  • Unencumbered
    • 1x Speed, +1 Sneak, +1 to Climbing/Jumping, +1 Swimming.
  • Light Load
    • 3/4x Speed.
  • Medium Load
    • 1/2x Speed, lose any Sneak bonuses (but not penalties), -1 Climbing/Jumping, -2 Swimming.
  • Heavy Load
    • 1/4x Speed, -1 Sneak and lose any Sneak bonuses (but not penalties), -2 Climbing/Jumping, -4 Swimming.

Weight

  • 0 to 35 lbs: Unencumbered
  • 36 to 70 lbs: Light
  • 71 to 105 lbs: Medium
  • 106 to 150 lbs: Heavy

Armor

  • Leather: Unencumbered
  • Banded, Chain Shirt, Padded, Ring, Studded: Light
  • Plate, Scale, Splint: Medium

Strength Modifier

  • 3 or less) -35 lbs
  • 4-5) -25 lbs
  • 6-7) -15 lbs
  • 8-11) none
  • 12-13) +10 lbs
  • 14-15) +20 lbs
  • 16) +35 lbs
  • 17) +50 lbs
  • 18) +75 lbs

Alignment

  • Good/Evil and Law/Chaos

Advancement

  • There are no class or race level limitations.
  • It takes 1d4+1 weeks spent training with a mentor, manual, or valuable context to realize a new level.
    • This may require money, gifts, reputation, etc to gain access.