Showing posts with label dnd. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dnd. Show all posts

Thursday, April 4, 2019

An Hundred Times Made Plain

LANGUAGE
A character starts play knowing a very small amount of languages, conceivably one. Each language they know can be fluent, accented, or broken. If they start play only knowing one language, they are fluent in that language. If they start play knowing more than one, they are fluent in one and accented in all others. If they have a positive intelligence modifier, they gain two language points. These may be spent to learn a new language brokenly, advance broken knowledge to accented, or accented to fluent.
Fluent speakers can hold conversations comfortably and seldom run into the borders of their vocabulary. Most native speakers of a language are considered fluent, even if they are not especially eloquent. “Accented” speakers not only have an accent but incomplete vocabularies. Broken speakers cannot create any but very simple sentences. An example of broken speech is Aldo Raine “speaking” Italian in Inglorious Basterds.
Every month in which a character is studying a language:

  • They may test diligence to gain a point. 
  • If they are immersed in a culture that primarily speaks that language, they may test nonverbals to gain a point.
  •  If they are studying formal or ancient documents, they may test implicature to gain a point.

Languages will not be listed here, because that should vary with the world in which the game is set.

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

The Real Friendship Was the Treasure We Found Along the Way


A lot of these items are very basic, and are shown mostly just to give you an idea of how crafting them works. I know you know what a bag of holding is.

MAGIC ITEMS
    Many magic items require some degree of magical ability to use. In general, only the magic of classes with the “spells” class feature count, since the magic of binders and priests is borrowed, and the moves of initiators is too niche.
    When creating a magic item, a magic user should note their progress made in hours every day. If they want to spend more than five hours in a day, test diligence every additional hour, with a -2 penalty per hour after the sixth. If they fail any such roll, they only count the first five hours of work that day. For each hour of work they must expend 2 gp. Some items have additional caveats or bonuses that should be considered in the construction.
    Magic items with domains listed after their names require a crafter to be able to cast at least one spell of one of those domains. The following list of items are merely those whose instructions for creation are either well-known or easily found. Excepting scrolls and wands, they do not represent even half of the magical items known to exist. If a PC wishes to make a specific magical item of their own, it is likely possible, but they should have to experiment with the principles of magic before they known enough to actually construct it.

Animated Object (item, enchantment)
  • An object imbued with some simple dog-level intelligence. Usually pretty clumsy, but can be precise in its typical use, such as an animated rope’s ability to tie itself into knots. The object serves its owner faithfully but often develops its own personality. This requires 6 hours to make if it can easily be held in one hand, more as the object gets larger. The cost of a non-magical item is added to the cost of the magic.
Anti-magic Items (dispel, metamagic, transmutation)

  • There exists an anti-magic substance, often created with the magic to anti-magic spell. By default, this substance is coarse and unrefined, and a five-pound clump can be dispersed over an ongoing magical effect. Test 14 minus the magnitude of the spell to suppress it for ten minutes. Every five pounds of anti-magic carried gives the target of spells the bearer casts a +1 bonus to resisting their spells.Anti-magic can also be forged into an alloy four times lighter and much harder than raw anti-magic. Targets of attacks by anti-magic weapons cease concentrating on any spells, and anti-magic armor gives a +3 bonus on tests to resist spells. Other items may have other effects. Anti-magic alloy must make up at least a third of a forged item’s metal content to be effective.
Blade of Attuned Essence (strikes, enchantment)
  • This weapon allows you to attune it on a turn you don’t move, dealing an additional d6 on its next attack. It also has a neon glow. This is redundant with the attune weapon spell. A successful craft check or investment of 25 gold on the blade gives any attempt to sunder it disadvantage. Both also give any attempt to disarm it disadvantage. This requires 72 hours of work to create, as well as the capacity to cast second-magnitude spells.
Cup of Corth (transmutation, water, poison)

  • Water that is poured into this simple cup is turned into wine. Wine that is poured into this simple cup is turned into ecstasy. Ecstasy that is poured into this simple cup is turned into poison. This requires 116 hours of work. Metal melted down from a saintly relic ameliorates double its value in costs.
Devil’s Lens (divination, demon)

  • a monocle fashioned from a cursed mirror’s glass fragments. Someone wearing the lens as a monocle always detects that which is bad, evil, ugly, or uncomfortable. This includes the thoughts of those they look at. Every hour in which the lens is used, its user takes 1d6 cold damage unless they are jaded or cynical. This requires 44 hours of work, but also the fragment of a cursed mirror, which is not usually available for sale.

Fertility mask (emotion, charm, enchantment)
  • creates an illusory double that represents the wearer’s sexual self. By interacting with this form, they may affect themselves as though with the fertility spell, though there may be other potential effects. With the use of a craft skill, this effect can be imbued into a ring, staff, or other item of power. This requires 44 hours to create, as well as the ability to cast first-magnitude loresage spells, or second-magnitude spells of another class.
Gri-Gri (poison, ritual)
  • A mystical drug that allows the user to become immune to nonmagical missile attacks, provided they follow three random taboos. Once revealed to an elder in a dream, this miraculous substance requires moral commandments to be effective. A successful survival or craft (drug) test to gather resources negate the additional material cost listed below. A successful expertise (dogma) test will allow the drug to require only two taboos instead of three. A dose requires 1 hour to create, as well as 6 gp of herbal resources.
Ism (charm, poison)
  • The subject of much rumor and intrigue, Ism is a poison that perverts the victim’s sense of morality. Those ingested or wounded by an Ism-coated weapon begin to act nefarious and without inhibitions, and make increasingly complicated plans to achieve even simple goals. They may test constitution -2 to resist this effect. The poison lasts up to a month. A successful expertise (nature) at -5 can identify an antidote. A dose requires 5 hours to create.

Lifting Powder (air, force)
  • A white powder that, when dispersed over an object, lifts it with the power of a strength 22 human. The height it hovers at is likewise comparable to a human carrying it. The item hovers for the next 4 hours, and can easily be pushed or pulled. A dose requires 2 hours to create.

Magic Bag (dimensions)
  • Looks like a satchel or carrier’s bag, but— sike!-- contains up to 10x10x10 in space. This requires 72 hours to create as well as the ability to cast second-magnitude spells. The heart of a moke lizard ameliorates double its value in costs.

Message Arrows (enchantment)
  • An arrow with a magical scroll wrapped around it that, rather than piercing a foe, unerringly seeks an ally to deliver its message. Usually takes about one day of flight per 1,000 miles travelled. Cannot be used to track the location of someone intentionally hiding, even if you can travel at over 40 miles per hour nonstop. This requires 6 hours to create as well as the ability to cast second-magnitude spells.

Narcomanta (leadership, tactics, enchantment)
  • A magical cloth banner proclaiming your deeds, soaked in incense and mystical drug. You bear it aloft on a flagstaff or wear it from your back like a samurai. While displaying it, you and your allies get an additional +1 to attack or damage rolls when a circumstantial bonus would assist you. Also, your allies may have nonmagical drugs you take affect them as well. This requires 44 hours to create. Any magical drugs consumed in the crafting ameliorate double their value in costs.

Philosopher’s Stone (transmutation, life, radiation, metal)
  • This lump of uneven stone can turn any amount of lead into silver and any amount of iron into gold. It can bring an intact dead body to life. It can force a foe to test constitution -2 or be conferred with a cursed illness. This requires 864 hours to create and 300 pounds of irradiated gold.

Potion/Scroll
  • When created, the maker specifies one spell with a single target they know, imbuing the spell into a brew that can be activated by consuming it. The potion goes off in time, lasting only as long as one week per magnitude of the spell. It cannot hold any spell of fourth-magnitude or higher. This requires 5 hours to create and the casting of the spell if it is of third-magnitude or lower. If it is a scroll of fourth-magnitude or higher, it requires 10 hours to create and the casting of the spell.

Raiments of Favor
  • When created, the maker specifies two first-magnitude spells. Those spells become cantrips for the wearer of the raiments, if they know how to cast them. In essence, they are automatically successful in petitioning or bargaining for those spells. Additionally, as long as the wearer is in good standing with their patron or god, they heal 1 hp every minute. A successful craft check or investment of 15 gold on the raiments gives any attempt to sunder it disadvantage. Both also give any attempt to grapple the wearer disadvantage. A gem or collar ornament of 200 gp or more gives a -1 penalty on tests to resist the raiment’s spells. This requires 144 hours of work to create, as well as the capacity to cast fourth-magnitude spells. Binders and priests may create raiments of favor, and they are the only ones who may do so.

Serpent’s Hide (transformation, animal)
  • This olive-tinted leather outfit protects as light armor, and three times per day its wearer can suddenly become as flexible as a snake. They can bend their limbs in all directions, slither along the ground without any penalties for being prone, and take up drastically less space than otherwise, granting advantage on stealth rolls while remaining still. A successful craft check or investment of 50 gold allows the outfitter to enchant a set of scaled metal armor pieces, which protects as medium armor. Both also reduces the armor check penalty by one. This requires 72 hours to create. The skin of a magical reptile ameliorates double its value in costs.

Staff
  • When created, the maker specifies three first-magnitude spells, one first-magnitude spell and one second-magnitude spell, or one third-magnitude spell. That spell or spells becomes a cantrip for the bearer of the staff, if they know how to cast it. A successful craft check or investment of 15 gold on the staff gives any attempt to sunder it disadvantage. Both also give any attempt to disarm it disadvantage. A gem or topping ornament of 200 gp or more gives a -1 penalty on tests to resist the staff’s spells. This requires 144 hours of work to create, as well as the capacity to cast fourth-magnitude spells and a material component symbolic of the spells within the staff.

Usurping Blade (emotion, strike, tactics)
  • This weapon is forged with a specific kind of target in mind, more particular even than an errant’s target of Those Set out for Smiting. This could be the court of corrupt king, the conspirators of a coup, or one’s family members. When wielding a usurping blade against its designated targets, you get +2 to hit and damage, but with each hit you inflict, you take 2 damage. A successful craft check or investment of 25 gold on the blade gives any attempt to sunder it disadvantage. Both also give any attempt to disarm it disadvantage. The crafter may permanently sacrifice one wisdom. If they do, the weapon is intelligent and can telepathically communicate with its wielder. The crafter may permanently sacrifice one constitution. If they do, whenever the wielder slays a usurpation target, they regain 2 hp per level of the victim. This requires 100 hours of work to create, as well as the capacity to cast third-magnitude spells.
Wand
  • When created, the maker specifies one spell domain. Spells of that domain give a -1 penalty on tests to resist them when the caster casts them through the wand. This requires 44 hours to create.


Thursday, March 28, 2019

Sweetheart Skills

TESTS AND SKILLS
Most simple tests are roll-under a given attribute. There are sixteen categories of tests that are connected to “skills, which a given character is either proficient or not proficient it. If a character is not proficient, simply have them roll under the specified attribute and select the outcome. If they are proficient, they add their level to the attribute. More difficult tasks can modify the attribute in a negative way, but a standard skill roll is no modifier— remember, they’re inherently harder than simple tests. Three skills— logistics, expertise, and craft— are not tied to an attribute. Instead, use the listed values on the table below. The first listed number is for characters who are not proficient; the second for characters who are. Three skills— perform, craft, and expertise— require a specification when they are taken. Examples are listed in the skill explanation below. A character can be proficient in these skills multiple times, each time with a different specification.

Many skills in other systems are not represented as skills here. Such tasks as swimming, perception, and detecting lies should either be represented by simple attribute tests or player skill. It is possible for abilities to give a character proficiency in special skills that are not on this list.

Daniel Romanovsky
Table X: Standard Skills
Perform (cha)
Implicature (int)
Stealth (dex)
Survivalism (wis)
Craft (5/15 trained)
Logistics (5/10 trained)
Expertise (5/15 trained)
Bolt (dex)
Acrobatics (dex)
Diligence (wis)
Rumor (cha)
Library Science (int)
Nonverbals (cha)
Sleight (dex)
Spellcraft (int)
Psychology (wis)

Acrobatics (dex)
  • Feat: If you succeed, you complete the attempted feat capably. If you fail, pick one. For every five you fail by, pick another one: end up prone, drop something, you are fatigued, you take strain.
Bolt (dex)
  • Run: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: you don’t end up where you intended, you are fatigued, or you left something important behind. Can be opposed. Worse roll takes an additional pick.
Craft (5/10) (e.g. alchemy, smithing, woodworking, stonecutting, jewelry)
  • Create: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: the item is created quickly, created cheaply, has intricate details.
  • Appraisal: ask a question about the item. If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. The answer is precise, expansive, or quick.
  • Dismantle: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. You are quick, you make progress in dismantling the item, you don’t damage any pieces, you are quiet.
Diligence (wis)

  • Practice a trick: spend a commensurate amount of time practicing. If you do, test on diligence instead of another skill for that one attempt.
  • checking in with allies: They are heartened, they take you into their confidence, ask a hypothetical about what they would do in a certain circumstance. If the target is a PC or significant NPC, they pick.
  • Enduring tedium or pain: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. Your resolve is strengthened, your attitude is positive, you are stable.
Expertise (5/15) (e.g. heraldry, surveying, theology, nature, streetwise, myth, liberal arts)
  • Ask a question. If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. The answer is precise, expansive, or quick.
Implicature (int)
  • Bargain: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. They don’t demand immediate payment, they must deal honestly, ask a question about their intentions, they keep the deal confidential, they don’t know exactly what they’ve agreed to. Can be opposed. May negotiate picks for a bonus to the roll.
  • Appraise rhetoric: ask a question about the artifact. If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. The answer is precise, expansive, or quick.
  • Cyphering: Obscure text so that it is difficult to decode. If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. Deciphering is ambiguous, deciphering is arduous, or its difficult to tell what is part of the code.
Library Science (int)
  • Ask a question. If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: the library is quickly navigated, it has a deep investigation of the topic, it has multiple different views on the topic.
Logistics (5/10)
  • Organize a project: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. The project is under budget, effectively directed, meets its deadline.
Nonverbals (cha)
  • Act: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. People are willing to help you out, you seem like you belong, you evoke strong emotions.
  • Nonverbal communication: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick two. The target gets the gist of your message, any observers fail to get the gist of your message. This skill can communicate simple messages even to animals.
Perform (cha) [e.g. strings, singing, poetry, painting, sculpture, dance, wind)
  • Performance: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three. People are willing to help you out, you seem like you belong, you evoke strong emotions.
Psychology (wis)

  • Analyze: ƒIf you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: they are heartened or disheartened, they don’t notice your inquiry, you evoke strong emotions, you get an answer to your question.
  • Predict: If you succeed by less than five, pick one at random. If you succeed by 5+, pick three at random or pick one and another at random: ask what someone is going to do, what they want to do, what what they’ve decided not to do.
Rumor (cha)
  • Gossip: ƒIf you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: you get answers to your questions, you’re sure no one witnessed your inquiries, you don’t answer any of their questions, people start talking about something of your choice.
Sleight (dex)
  • Conceal: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: the item is hidden quickly, it is especially out of the way, it is easy to draw out quickly.
Spellcraft (int)

  • Tweak: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: there is no unintended feedback, there is no diminished effect, it is not more difficult to cast.
  • Design: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: it doesn’t cost much, it is straightforward, it doesn’t take much time.
Stealth (dex)
  • Hide: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: behind cover, silent, traceless, good vantage point
Survivalism (wis)

  • Jaunt: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: know where you’re going, find food and water, find warmth and shelter.
  • Overland travel: If you succeed by less than five, pick one. If you succeed by 5+, pick three: arrive exactly where you intend to, with some provisions to spare, not fatigued.

Sweetheart D&D

Daniel Romanovsky
Alright, so I'm doing that thing everyone eventually does where I reinvent the wheel of D&D. The basis is like Skerples's GLOG rules when it doesn't say otherwise. Aren't you people supposed to lean towards rulings over rules?

This article will mention the basics, later ones to go into further detail.
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NUMBERS AND RACE
  • 4d6, drop lowest, any order
  • 3+con HP per level
  • roll-under attacks
  • 30 ft. base move speed.
  • Enemies attacking you get a penalty equal to your dex mod plus any armor bonus. This is AC.
  • Enemies tripping, grappling, etc. get a penalty equal to your dex mod plus your attack bonus. This is maneuver defense(?) It needs a better name.
  • Carry a number of things equal to strength score. For every thing you carry in excess, you get a -1 penalty to dexterity tests, AC, and resisting maneuvers. Points of fatigue are added to your inventory and recovered at a rate of one point per two hours spent resting.
  • XP bleh. One simple way to treat levelling up is that each session in which a character makes significant progress, whatever that means, they get 1 XP. Once the amount of XP equals the next level, they spend that much XP and gain a new level. 
  • Each class has up to 10 levels, but characters may take levels in multiple classes, though the number of classes a character possesses may never exceed half of their level (after first level.

Race
Advantage
Disadvantage
Reroll
Human
Extra skill
Forgetful
any
Warforged
Modular
Maintenance
str
Orc
Bonus vs. divine
Save vs. beauty
str
Dwarf
Crafted proficiency
Save vs. full moon
con
Gnoll
Shaper
Save vs. conformity
con
Hobbit
Second breakfast
20 ft. speed
dex
Eulogy
Prone without penalty
cold-blooded
dex
Ordena
Extended critical range
Hamartia (extended critical range)
int
Locust
Brief flight (begin/end turn on foot)
Hibernation
int
Elf
One with nature
Save vs. ugliness
wis
Suriah
Natural duelist
Save vs. passion
wis
Birdfolk
Mimic sounds
Pushed back by blows
cha
Serset
Possession
Parasitic
cha
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  • Human: Pick any one skill and become proficient in it. The DM doesn’t have to remind you of something your character should know (but won’t be too cruel with this ability.) You can reroll any one attribute.
  • Warforged: (Magitech automatons) You can have any conceivable mechanism installed into your body. This requires craft tests. You do not heal naturally, and need to spend two hours with a repair kit every day to heal hp. You may reroll strength.
  • Orc: Divine magic is not accustomed to you, conferring a +3 to saves against it. When you are confronted with beautiful things you must test any mental attribute or shun it. You may reroll strength.
  • Dwarf: You are proficient in all craft skills. When you are exposed to the full moon, you must test wisdom or be transfixed by it until it leaves your sight. You may reroll constitution
  • Gnoll: You gain a bonus based on the last significant creature you ate. If it was an intelligent race, get a +2 to the reroll that race gets. If it is a monstrous creature, gain a themed ability based on its capabilities. When you would oppose the consensus of your group, test charisma or go along with them. You may reroll constitution.
  • Hobbit: If you have a hearty meal, you may heal an additional 1 HP per level per day. Your base move speed is 20 ft. speed. You may reroll dexterity.
  • Eulogy: (reptile people) You know how to slither, and take no penalty for being prone. Since you are cold-blooded, you cannot survive long in extreme heat or cold. You may reroll dexterity.
  • Ordena: (Grey philosopher race) In combat, you score a critical success on a 2. Foes targeting you score a critical success on a 2. You may reroll intelligence.
  • Locust: (grasshopper people) Once every other round, a locust may flutter through the air, flying 100 feet and landing on a sturdy surface. You must hibernate seven out of eight years. You may reroll intelligence.
  • Elf: You can exist comfortably in the wilderness, and are proficient in survivalism for the purpose of jaunts. When you are confronted with grotesque things you must test any mental attribute or shun it. You may reroll wisdom.
  • Suriah: (stocky saffron-colored people) Once per day while wielding a bladed weapon, you may parry an incoming attack, reducing its damage by 1d12. When you feel a very strong emotional urge you must test intelligence or act on it. You may reroll wisdom.
  • Birdfolk: You can perfectly imitate other voices, and test charisma to imitate other sounds. Because of your hollow frame, any time you take damage you are sent away five feet from the source of the harm. You may reroll charisma.
  • Serset: (mind-controlling slugs) When you crawl into a target’s ear, you can access the brain and pilot them. This does not require a test, though you aren’t allowed to test to evade any attempt they make to stop you. You start with a host of your choice, and can read basic emotions it feels. In your true form, you are a pitiful slug. Your physical attributes outside of your host have a score of one. Hosts do not add bonuses to your abilities; your primary attributes are a measure of how you use your body, not the body you have. If your host dies while you inhabit it, you will suffocate in an hour. As long as your host is alive, you can burrow out of its ear, a process which takes 3 rounds. You may reroll charisma.

Oh, also some preemptive attributions: