What is Ysgarth?
Ysgarth is a fantasy roleplaying system and a campaign setting designed to place emphasis on character development and world background. Roleplaying takes place in the imagination, so our mechanics are simple, flexible and non-intrusive. They support and assist you in expressing your creativity, rather than providing artificial limitations.
These are not the complete rules to Ysgarth. These Minirules are the most basic version of the rules, with enough information to actually play a limited game, but without many of the details and refinements. Complete mechanics can be found in the full version of the forthcoming 7th edition rules.
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Four Steps to Describing the Character Background Development
Determine Primary Characteristics
Determine Secondary Characteristics
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We encourage you to create a character using these rules, or get together with friends and create several characters to get a feel for the variety which is possible. Use them to play around with the system some. While we have not provided all the races, professions, skills and spells you might want, there ought to be enough here to get you started. We hope that some experience with these Minirules will encourage you to find out more about Ysgarth.
The most important parts of making a character are creating his personality and developing his background. Most of this work is done in the players imagination. The mechanics of character creation exist so that you can describe your ideas in game terms to make it more practical to determine the outcome of things the character does. If you start out with some familiarity with the world and a clear conception of who your character is, the system will take that information and guide you in expressing the character accurately and effectively. Because your choices in character background influence play in significant, concrete ways, be sure that you think your character through as a person before putting anything on paper.
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Quick Character Creation Use this method if you want to start playing very quickly once players have the basic concept of their character roughed out. Primary Characteristics
Secondary Characteristics
Learning Skills
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Determining Basic Characteristics
The fuction of numerical characteristics is to describe your character in game terms to make it easier to determine the results of his interraction with other characters and the world around him. Determining these characteristics is a descriptive process where you decide what your character is like as a person in abstract and then assign points to specific characteristic to represent that character conception within the limits of the laws of nature and world in which he lives.
You start with 160 points to distribute to Basic Characteristics, but the gamemaster can assign more or fewer points to represent the level of experience he wants characters in his campaign to have. These initial points are divided between twelve characteristics.
The 12 basic characteristics are divided into the Social (APPearance, CHArisma, ZEAl & SOCial Standing), Mental (INTelligence, JUDgment, WILl & TALent) and Physical (CONstitution, STRength, DEXterity & AGIlity) groups. You must assign at least 36 points in each group and may put no more than 72 points in any group. For normal humans no characteristic should be lower than 1 or higher than 24.
Characteristics Compared Range General Appearance Charisma Zeal Social Stat 1-3 Awful Hideous Repulsive Antitheist Slave 4-6 Very Poor Ugly Hateful Atheist Serf 7-10 Poor Unattractive Annoying Agnostic Peasant 11-14 Average Plain Innocuous Indifferent Commoner 15-18 Good Attractive Pleasant Faithful Bourgeois 19-21 Very Good Beautiful Charming Zealous Aristocrat 22-24 Exceptional Breathtaking Mesmerizing Saintly Royalty Range General Intelligence Judgment Will Talent 1-3 Awful Mindless Redeless Vegetative Powerless 4-6 Very Poor Idiotic Foolish Docile V. Weak 7-10 Poor Slow Witted Unwise Weak Weak 11-14 Average Normal Average Average Mediocre 15-18 Good Clever Sound Strong Above Av. 19-21 Very Good Insightful Wise Obstinate Strong 22-24 Exceptional Brilliant Venerable Steel Will Overwhelming Range General Constitution Strength Dexterity Agility 1-3 Awful Dying Feeble Spastic Crippled 4-6 Very Poor Sickly Puny Palsied Lame 7-10 Poor Unhealthy Weak Inept Clumsy 11-14 Average Moderate Unremarkable Average Average 15-18 Good Healthy Strong Adept Agile 19-21 Very Good Robust Powerful Dexterous Speedy 22-24 Exceptional Glowing Herculean Nimble Blindingly Fast |
Determining Secondary Characteristics
Secondary characteristics are derived from the 12 basic characteristics and define certain specific values used in the game.
Size: Physical size of the character. Humans start at 12 for females and 13 for males. Other races may be higher or lower. SIZ can be increased or decreased freely at the choice of the player. SIZ may not be lowered to less than half normal or raised to more than one and a half times normal for the character's race. Keep in mind that there are both physical and social difficulties associated with extremes of size.
Health Points: Ability to withstand physical damage and other adversity. When a character is wounded the severity of the wound is compared to this value to determine the results of the wound. Average: 50. HP=10+2CON+SIZ.
Action Points: How much a character can do in a six second round. All actions have a cost in AP. For example, a Short Sword Attack costs 10AP, Dodging a blow is 12AP. Average: 30. AP = ((INT + JUD)/2) + DEX + AGI - SIZ.
Mana: Used to cast spells. A typical spell costs 6 to 10 MP. Mage Average: 125 Priest Average: 40. Mage MP = TAL x 10. Priest MP = ZEA x 3. Mage regeneration is TAL per day. Priest regeneration is ZEA/3 per hour of prayer.
Skill Points: There are two types of Skill Points, Basic Skill Points and Advanced Skill Points. ASP may be spent on any skills of the player's choice. BSP may only be spent on specified skills (generally non-combat, non-magic skills). A starting character has 40 Basic Skill Points and 40 Advanced Skill Points. As play progresses a character will gain additional skill points of both types, assigned by the gamemaster.
After determining basic characteristics each character should pick a profession and a cultural background. These determine which skills he can spend his Skill Points on prior to play. A starting character may only spend Skill Points on skills from the lists for his Culture and Profession. Basic Skill Points may never be spent on combat or magic related skills. Advanced Skill Points may be spent on any skills available to the character.
Cultural Background Skills: At least half of a new character's initial Skill Points of both types must be spent on skills appropriate to his cultural background (see racial descriptions). He must spend points on at least 3 skills from his race's list and may not spend more than half of these starting points on any one skill.
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Cultural Skill Groups When a skill listed is a secondary or tertiary skill the character learns its primary skill, and must spend more contribution points on the listed skill than on any other skill at its level in the hierarchy. Aescian: Navigation, Hurley, Helm/Pilot, Riding, Net Fishing, Herding, Trap Fishing, Tanning, Battle Axe, Light Lance Aetruvian: Teaching, Legal, Pilum, Research, History, Politics, Short Sword, Writing, Mechanical, Mathematics, any 1 Language Auscian: Conning, Viticulture, Merchant, Crossbow, Buckler, Chariot, Any 2 Craft or Mercantile Skills Caludae: Riding, Herding, Farming, Round Shield, Great Sword, Heavy Lance, ,Bastard Sword, Golf, Brewing, Hurley. Combrian: Longbow, Great Sword, Spear, Chevron Shield, Riding, Herding, Diplomacy, Curriery, Mining, Broadsword. Evarian: Farming, Herding, Vintining, Cooking, Brewing, Merchant, Short Bow, Running, Fishing, Short Sword. Fersian: Light Lance, Heavy Lance, Short Bow, Riding, Broadsword, Hunting, Surgery, Farming, Embroidery, Soccer Gottian: Armory, Cart/Wheelwright, Bladesmithing, Herding, Ironsmithing or Tailor, Short Sword, Halberd, Pike, Round Shield Icheni: Longbow, Hunting, Wilderness Survival, Fishing, Bowyery, Tanning, Broadsword, Round Shield Inisian: Sailing, Navigation, Rowing, Fishing, Bastard Sword, 1 Aeromancer Spell, Spear, Round Shield, Berserkergang, Swimming. Kernic: Climbing, Courtly Love, Bowling, Net Fishing, Pick, Whip, Tinsmithing, Mining, Disguise, Braziery Koulo/Houkosi. Sleight of Hand, Pick Pocket, Silent Movement, Concealment, Somatic, Dagger, Conning or Seduction, Sexual Technique, One Conjurer Spell. Kyvenians: Folklore, Poetry, Broadsword, Voice/Singing, Writing, Strategy Macharian: Hunting, Mountaineering, Dagger, Short Bow, 1 Covert Skill, 1 Craft Skill, 1 Agricultural Skill, Trailing, Garrote Marmarian: Logistics, Cartography, Geography, Dowsing, Leeching, Dancing, Trident, Scimitar, Net, Round Shield Metzian: Navigation, Cartography, Wagering, Oracle, Trident, Mace, Javelin, Round Shield Orvadian: Merchant, Cartography, Oracle, Dowsing, Surgery, Dancing, Spear, Mace, Whip, Round Shield. Rakosian: Hunting, Planting, Dagger, Epee, Any 1 Craft Skill, Viticulture, Backstrike, Leeching or Dancing Saesian: Geography, Generalship, Tactics or Strategy, Short Sword, Masonry/Engineering, Javelin, Pilum, Legion Shield, Net. Schilding: Light Lance, Leadership, Riding, Folklore, Round Shield, Herding, Spear, Leathersmithing, Mountaineering, Storytelling Sribinian: Hunting, Trapping, Geography, Dowsing, Backstrike, Garrote, Pilum, Discus, Scimitar, Round Shield Tolemeian: Street Sense, Merchant, One Craft, One Thieving Skill, One Language or Dagger, One Magical or Priestly Skill Ukralan: Herding, Torture, Glassmaking, Intrigue, Sled Driving, Whip, Crossbow, Carving/Woodworking, Spear, Skiing Uztarian: Set Traps, Tracking, Dagger, Crossbow, 1 Survival Skill, 1 Agricultural Skill, Cartwright, Garrote Vaen: Light Lance, Leadership, Riding, Leathersmithing, Herding, Storytelling, Broadsword, Folklore Varian: Bowyery, Net Weaving, Shortbow, Merchant, Flail, Trident, Street Sense, Net Fishing |
Professional Background Skills: Half of a new character's initial Skill Points of both types must be spent on skills from the list for his profession (see profession descriptions). He must spend points on at least 3 of these skills and may not spend more than half of these starting points on any one skill.
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Professional Skill Groups When a skill listed is a secondary or tertiary skill the character learns its primary skill, and must spend more contribution points on the listed skill than on any other skill at its level in the hierarchy. Apothecary: 1 Physician Skill, 1 Chirurgical Skill, 1 Clerical Skill, 3 Herbology Skills, 1 Mercantile Skill, 1 Floromancy Charm, Alchemy Assassin: 2 Combat Skills, 1 Movement Skill, 1 Perception Skill, 2 Deception Skills, 1 Mercantile Skill, 1 Political Skill, 1 Military Skill Athlete: 2 Sport Skills, 2 Combat Skills, Gaming, 1 Perception Skill, 2 Movement Skills Burglar: 1 Manual Skill, 1 Combat Skill, 1 Movement Skill, 1 Perception Skill, Climbing, Concealment, Silent Movement, Pick Locks Chirurgeon: 3 Chirurgical Skills, 1 Medical Skill, 1 Herbology Skill, 1 Persuasion Skill, 1 Clerical Skill, 1 Mercantile Skill, 1 Physician Charm. Clerk: Mathematics, Clerical, Merchant, Politics, Any 1 Language, Research, Any 1 Diviner Charm Cook: Cooking, Baking, Greengrocery, 2 Artistry Skills, 1 Medical Skill, Aesthetics, 1 Victuelry Skill Cozener: Conning, 1 Manual Skill, 1 Craft Skill, Oratory, 1 Combat Skill, Storytelling, 1 Political Skill, Research, 1 Magical Charm Drayman: Driving, Animal Tending, Wheelwright, Durability, Endurance, 1 Combat Skill, Street Sense, 1 Mercantile Skill, 1 Language Skill Elemental Mage (Aeromancer, Hydromancer, Pyromancer, Geomancer): Any 1 Casting Skill, Any 1 Empowering Skill, 2 Spells within a Guild, 1 Technical Skill, 1 Nautical Skill, 1 Craft Skill. Gladiator: 3 Combat Skills, Durability, Endurance, Combat Reflexes, Combat Tactics, 2 Movement Skills High Mage (Necromancer, Sorcerer, Enchanter, Wizard, etc.): Any 1 Casting Skill, Any 1 Empowering Skill, Mana Shield, Will Enhancement, 2 Spells within a Guild, Lost Scripts, Writing, Magical Research. Knight: 2 Attack Skills, 1 Shield Skill, Riding, Law, Leadership, 1 Military Skill, Endurance, Durability. Laborer: Endurance, 1 Craft Skill, Falchion, Spear, Begging, 1 Combat Skill, Durability, Survival Lawyer: Law, Politics, Conning, 1 Deceit Skill, 1 Perception Skill, 1 Clerical Skill, Oratory, 1 Lore Skill, 1 Mercantile Skill Low Mage (Physician, Herbalist, Diviner, Beastmaster, etc.): Any 1 Casting Skill, Any 1 Empowering Skill, 2 Spells within a Specific Guild, 1 Craft Skill, Business, Writing. Merchant: Merchant, Any 1 Language, Assess Person, Assess Value, Accounting Any 1 Craft Skill, Persuasion, Any 1 Weapon Skill, Nautical Noble: 2 Political Skills, 1 Combat Skill, 1 Persuasion Skill, 1 Gaming Skill, 1 Lore Skill, 1 Musical Skill, 1 Deceit Skill, 1 Hunting Skill Peasant: 2 Agricultural Skills, 2 Craft Skill, 1 Woodland Skill, 1 Artistry Skill, 1 Musical Skill Physician: 2 Physician Skills, 1 Chirurgical Skills, 2 Herbology Skills, 1 Persuasion Skill, 1 Clerical Skill, 1 Mercantile Skill, 1 Physician Charm. Priest: Empowering, Casting, Medical, Priest, Persuasion, 2 Priest Spells or 2 Appropriate Mage Spells, Writing, Preaching. Sailor: 2 Nautical Skills, Swimming, 1 Combat skill, 1 Woodworking Skill, 1 Leathersmithing Skill, 1 Fishing Skill, 1 Clothworking skill. Scribe: Calligraphy, Any 2 Languages, Illumination, Writing, Literary Criticism, Business. Shaman: Empowering, Medical, Persuasion, Any 2 Shaman Spells, Will Enhancement, Mana Shield. Soldier: Any 2 Weapon Skills, Dodge Defense, Endurance, Durability, Bind Wounds, Survival. Thief: 1 Gaming Skill, 1 Combat Skill, 1 Deceit Skill, 2 Movement Skill, 2 Perception Skills, 2 Manual Skills Thug: Intimidation, 1 Movement Skill, 1 Combat Skill, 1 Perception Skill, Durability, Street Sense, Ambush, Damage Strike Tradesman: 1 Craft Skills, 1 Business Skill, Street Sense, 1 Combat Skill, any 2 Secondary Craft Skills. Witch: Spell Empowering Skill, 1 Spell Casting Skill, 1 Divinatory Skill, 1 Persuasion Skill, 2 Medical Skills, 1 Perception Skill, 2 Shaman Spells |
Purchasing Skills: You learn skills by spending Skill Points. Each Skill Point spent on a skill becomes one Skill Level. The higher the Skill Level the more effective the character is with that skill. Basic and Advanced Skill Points are spent when the character is first created. Points from later experience can be applied to any skills which the character already has or which he has had an opportunity to learn or observe instructively in the course of play. Once points are spent they are all treated in exactly the same way, regardless of the source.
Skill Hierarchies: Skills are classified in three levels based on how specific they are. Each Primary skill has a number of Secondary skills beneath it in the hierarchy. Each Secondary skill may have Tertiary skills under it, though not all do. Secondary skills are usually more specific sub-fields of knowledge or skill. Tertiary skills are usually very specialized applications of skill. When using a Secondary or Tertiary skill the character is more effective if he knows levels of the skills above it in the hierarchy, because ability with more general skills applies to the more specific skills under them. See the accompanying example of hierarchies in action. Skill Points are only spent on Primary skills, but they are passed on to Secondary and Tertiary skills through contribution In many cases the skill list does not provide all the possible secondary skills and it usually offers very few tertiary skills. Players should feel free to add skills they need to the list in a logical manner with the approval of their gamemaster.
Skill Contribution: After learning levels of a Primary skill you get an equal number of Contribution Points to divide between Secondary skills below it in the hierarchy. You must divide these points between at least 3 skills and may put no more than half of them in any one skill. When using that specific secondary skill these levels add in to the character's total Skill Level. Similar contribution is done from Secondary skills to Tertiary skills. If a secondary or tertiary skill falls under more than one primary skill, distributed levels may accumulate to greater than half of the points available from either of the primary skills. For example, if a character had 10 levels of Lore he would have 10 additional points to contribute to secondary skills under it. He might have 5 levels of History, and 3 Levels of Evarian Regional History. So his total effective Skill Level with Evarian Regional History would actually be 18.
Skill Aptitude: A character's Aptitude is a bonus added to his Skill Rating based on an aptitude cahracteristic specified for that skill. It is normally added directly to his Skill Rating. This Aptitude value can be used as a default chance of success with skills the character has no training in.
As an alternative for more experienced players, Aptitude can be used as a modifier to Facility. If you use this option, players should be given the choice whether to use Aptitude as a Skill Rating bonus or as a Facility modifier. If you choose to use Aptitude as a modifier, it increases Facility before multiplying by Skill Level to determine Skill Rating. Use the table below to determine the amount of the bonus, based on the default Facility for the skill and the character's value in the Aptitude characteristic.
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Facility Aptitude Bonus Facility Characteristic 1-2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1-6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 8 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 9-10 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 11-12 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 13-14 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 15-16 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 17-20 0 1 1 1 2 2 2 21-24 0 1 1 2 2 2 2 |
Each skill has a Facility and an Aptitude. Facility indicates how easy that skill is to perform. Aptitude is a basic characteristic or combination of characteristics which indicate natural ability with that skill.
Skill Rating: Your chance of success with a skill is determined by your Skill Rating. The higher it is, the better you are with the skill. Skill Rating is equal to Skill Level times Facility. When using a Secondary or Tertiary skill your total Skill Rating is based on the total of your Skill Levels with it and all the skills directly above it in the hierarchy. So if you had a 10 SL of a Primary skill, 5 SL with a Secondary skill under it and a 3 SL with a Tertiary skill under that, your total SL with the Tertiary skill would be 18, and your Skill Rating with that skill would be 18 times the Facility of that skill.
Skill Outcome:
To determine success with a skill you roll 1D100 and try to roll
as low as possible. Until you learn the pattern of results you
can check this value against the following table:
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Skill Resolution 1D100 Result Over Skill Rating Failure Under Skill Rating Marginal Success Under Skill Rating/2 Superior Success Under Skill Rating /4 Exceptional Success Under Skill Rating/8 Critical Success |
Failure means the skill just doesn't work. Marginal Success
means minimum adequate results are produced. The skill works,
but not well. Superior Success means the skill does what it is
supposed to do. Exceptional Success means that the skill meets
the users highest expectations. Critical Success indicates a superlative
result, better than one could ever hope for.
Adjusted Rolls: Skill rolls may be adjusted for any
special difficulty of the situation under which the skill is used.
This usually takes the form of the gamemaster requiring a higher
level of success for the skill to actually work, though it might
also take the form of a numerical reduction of the character's
Skill Rating.
Comparative Skills: When the skill of one player is
competing against the skill of another both players roll and the
result is based on the relative qualities of their rolls. If both
achieve the same skill result (on the table above) they neutralize
each other. If one achieves 1 step better than the other he gets
a Marginal Success result. If he achieves two steps better than
his opponent he gets a Superior Success result. If he beats his
opponent by 3 steps he gets a critical Success. Thus, a Superior
Success rolled against a Marginal Success would become a Marginal
Success instead.
Skill Hierarchy Example Primary/Secy/Terty FAC SL Total SR Blade Weapons 2 20 40 Broadsword 10 60 Attack 5 70 Parry 3 66 Disarm 2 64 Greatsword 5 50 Attack 2 54 Parry 2 54 Disarm 1 52 Shortsword 5 50 Attack 2 54 Parry 2 54 Disarm 1 52 |
Everything you do takes time. In game terms how long it takes
to do something is represented as a cost in Action Points. Each
character has a set number of AP and they regenerate every round.
Every action has a cost in AP. When that cost is paid the action
is completed. A character who has a large number of AP can complete
a given action faster than a character with fewer AP.
There are three general types of actions, Continuous, Extended
and Immediate. Continuous actions cost a certain set number of
AP each round during which they are being executed and these points
are spent as long as the action continues. Extended actions take
place over a large period of time and have an AP cost which may
be spent over any length of time at a variable rate determined
by the character. Immediate actions have a single total AP cost
and when it is paid the action has been completed, even if it
takes more than 1 round to meet that cost, For example, walking
is an continuous action, casting many spells would be an extended
action and swinging a sword is an immediate action.
Using Action Points AP Spent Result 1 x Cost 1 x Skill Rating 3 x Cost 2 x Skill Rating 6 x Cost 3 x Skill Rating 10 x Cost 4 x Skill Rating |
A character can take more time and try harder to make himself more effective with an action. This is represented by spending additional Action Points. If more AP are spent the character's Skill Rating or the magnitude of effectiveness goes up, but at a decreasing rate as indicated below.
With continuous actions increased AP spending must be carried
out within each round that increased results are desired. Immediate
actions can be carried over from one round to another, but no
more than one round worth of AP can be spent on an immediate action
from the point at which it is initiated, and it cannot be paid
for incrementally. Multiple actions can be carried on at the same
time if the AP are available.
Sample Action AP Cost Broadsword Attack 11 Create Mist Spell 150 Dodging 12 Longbow Attack 20 Picking a Lock 50 Riding 15 Walking 10 Wearing Chainmail 8 |
Combat uses the same basic skill system. Characters purchase
attack and defense skills with specific weapons or techniques,
and the SRs with these skills are compared to determine the results
of attacks.
Combat Skills: Characteristically combat skills are
broken down to the level of Tertiary skills more often than other
skills. The Primary skills for combat are generally broad weapon
groups (Blade Weapons, Bow Weapons, etc.). The Secondary skills
beneath those are specific weapons (Shortsword, Broadsword, etc.).
The Tertiary skills under each weapon are Attack, Parry and Disarm
(plus possibly Entangle and Unbalance, depending on the weapon).
Action Points in Combat: All attack and defense skills are considered to be immediate actions, except for Dodge which is treated as a continuous action. Each time the AP cost of a combat action is spent that action may be repeated until the character runs out of AP for that round. In addition to being able to increase SR with a combat skill, additional AP spending can also be used to increase the damage of an attack skill. Paying the AP cost of an attack counts towards both SR and damage, but from that point they must be spent on separately if the character wishes to increase them.
Weapon Damage Modifier and AP Cost Weapons WDM AP Cost Battle Axe 5 11 Broad Sword 6 10 Dagger 8 8 Glaive 4 12 Halberd 3 13 Javelin 6 10 Longbow 6 15 Short Sword 7 9 Spear 6 10 |
Attack: At the start of an attack the attacker declares which part of the defenders body he is aiming at (Head, Chest, Abdomen, Arm, Leg, Hand, Foot). Just as with any other comparative skill the Attacker rolls against his attack skill, modified for the body area he is aiming at and the Defender rolls against his defensive skill (if any). The results are compared. The effectiveness of the Attack is modified appropriately for the effectiveness of the defense as outlined in the general skill system.
Possible results for different levels of success with an attack
are listed here. In all cases when there is a choice to be made
(between two possible results or choice of location) it is made
by the defending player. This is a mechanism to simulate general
strategy, not a conscious decision by the defending character
to redirect damage.
Combat Results Skill Result Attack Effect Failure Miss Marginal Redirected by Target Superior On Target Large Area/Redirected Small Area Exceptional On Target Any Area Critical Attacker's Choice of Any Area |
Redirected means the target of the blow relocates it to any area adjacent to the target area chosen by the attacker. On Target means the attacker hits the area he aimed for. Choice of Areas means the attacker can choose to locate the blow in any area adjacent to the one he aimed for if he wishes. Small areas are Head, Hands and Feet. All other target areas are large areas.
Defense: Once an attack has been declared the target may
roll against it to defend himself. If he uses the skill Dodge
he pays 12 AP to use it for that entire round and may roll against
any attacks which come his way, but the Facility of Dodge is very
low. If he has the skill to Parry with his weapon or a shield
he may use that as well, rolling against individual attacks, but
every time he rolls he pays the AP cost for that Weapon and those
AP are no longer available to spend on other actions that round.
So if a character had 32 AP and a weapon which costs 10 AP to
Parry and was being attacked 3 times, he might attempt to parry
all three blows, but would have no points left over for any other
actions. Or if he also had Dodge he might use Dodge against all
three blows, Parry the one which he thought would be most deadly,
and have 10 points left over to make an attack.
Doing Damage: Once a part of the body is hit, damage is
determined. Each character has a damage value for the weapon he
is using. To determine the weapon's damage value when a particular
character is wielding it, add together the character's STR and
SIZ and divide by the Weapon Damage Modifier for the weapon -
(STR+SIZ)/WDM. To determine damage done, roll 2D10, take the lower
of the two numbers and multiply that by weapon damage. The average
base damage with a broadsword in the hands of an average character
is 5, so with an average die roll he would do 15 or 20 points
of damage.
Hit Point Distribution Area Area HP 1x 2x 3x Head HP/5 U # D Hands HP/5 I B S Arms HP/4 I B S Feet HP/4 I B S Legs HP/3 I B S Abdomen HP/3 U # D Chest HP/2 U # D |
Damage is done to the character's Health Points. Each body area
has a specific number of Health Points assigned to it, and if
it takes damage equal to that value the character suffers negative
results. Health points by area are determined from the basic Health
Point value. When an area takes 1, 2 or 3 times as much damage
as it has Health Poits assigned to it various results are produced
as indicated on the chart below. An average character would have
13 Health Poits assigned to his arm, so an average blow with a
broadsword would incapacitate the limb.
U=Unconsiousness for # of Combat Rounds equal to total damage.
#=Death (in CON-Damage Rounds). I=Incapacitated (must roll within
(WILx3)-Damage on 1D100 to use). B=Broken or Bleeding. S=Severed
(Unconscious in CON-Damage Rounds if not treated). D=Immediate
Death. Under normal circumstances a Wound heals in Damage/HP days.
Armor: Armor reduces damage directly. It has a value between 1
and 7 and that amount is subtracted from any damage done to the
area covered by the armor. Armor is bulky and has a cost in AP
which reduces the available AP of the character wearing it every
round.
Armor Type Value AP Cost Leather 1 3 Studded Leather 2 4 Boiled Leather 3 5 Ringmail 4 6 Chainmail 5 7 Scale/Light Plate 6 8 Heavy Plate 7 9 |
Magic is part of the world background in Ysgarth. Magic is
employed by in many different ways and is present in many creatures
and enduring powers in the world.
Types of Magic: There are several different ways to do magic in Ysgarth. The two most important division is between Theurgy and Goesy. Theurgy is magic which is performed through the use of power drawn from an outside agency (a god, demon or spirit). Goesy is magic performed solely though the use of the mage's internal reservoir of Mana. The other important division is between Formal and Informal magic. Formal magic is performed through the use of specific pre-designed spells and formulae. Informal magic is performed solely through the skill of the mage in manipulating Mana with no pre-determined pattern or model. Formal magic is generally more powerful while Informal magic tends to be more flexible.
Magical Power: All spell casting is powered through the
use of Mana Points. These can originate in the natural magical
ability of the spell caster as defined by his Talent, or can be
acquired in a number of other ways from a variety of sources.
Priests get Mana Points from their deity, for example.
Learning Spells: When studying formal magic a mage will
enter a guild or college specializing in a particular sort of
magic, or enter an apprenticeship under a mage and study the style
or type of magic which that mage practices. Each special discipline
of magic is a primary skill and the spells appropriate to that
discipline are secondary skills under that primary skill. A mage
will pick one of these specializations, allocate points to it
and distribute them to the spells he wishes to learn. The more
points he devotes to a particular spell the more skillful he will
be with it. In addition to his specialization, all mages are allowed
to purchase levels in General Magic which can be assigned to its
secondary skills which are a selection of common spells available
to every mage. In most cases mages may not study more than one
primary discipline because of societal restrictions on who can
study what kind of magic and what a mage has to go through in
order to qualify to practice his chosen profession. Unlike other
skills these magical disciplines have no natural Aptitude and
in addition their Facility applies only to general knowledge of
the area and does not apply to specific spells which are handled
somewhat differently.
Magical Disciplines Discipline FAC Aeromancer 4 Beastmaster 4 Diviner 4 Enchanter 3 General Magic 5 Geomancer 4 Herbalist 4 Hydromancer 4 Necromancer 3 Mystic 4 Pyromancer 4 Sorcerer 3 Wizard 3 |
Spell Casting Skills: Each mage learns a Casting skill and an Empowering skill. They may learn more than one of each. Casting skills (Somatic, Symbolic, Ritual, etc.) represent the methods by which spells are cast. They add to Action Points and help determine the spell casting Skill Rating of the character. The Facility of all Casting skills is 1, but they are based on different Aptitude characteristics, add varying numbers of AP, and not all work with all kinds of spells. Empowering skills (Relative, Contagion, Sympathy, etc.) are the methods by which Mana are directed into spells They reduce Mana Point cost and can provide valuable situational modifiers if the right components or conditions are present.
Casting the Spell: Like any skill, casting a spell requires
a successful skill roll. To determine Skill Rating with a spell
you take the character's Skill Rating with his Casting skill,
multiply it by the number of skill levels he has with that specific
spell and divide that total by the Difficulty of the spell. Spells
have Difficulty instead of Facility, unlike other skills. Possible
results of a spell casting are as follows:
Spell Casting Results Skill Result Attack Effect Failure No result. All costs are still paid. Marginal Spell Works as Stated Superior +1 Step to Damage, Range, Duration or other Effect Exceptional +2 Steps to Damage, Range, Duration or other Effect Critical -3 Steps to Damage, Range, Duration or other Effect |
In addition, when casting a spell a Critical Failure is possible
if the mage's roll is greater than 95.
Variable Spell Casting: When casting a spell you can increase
the power of the spell by casting it at additional Casting Levels.
Each CL can increase one characteristic of a spell by one increment
of effectiveness (Range, Damage, Duration, etc.). Each additional
Casting Level increases the Difficulty of the spell by its original
value. Each additional CL also increases Mana Point Cost by its
original value.
Spell Costs: When a spell is cast, even if it fails it uses Action Points and Mana. Mana Point cost is set, but can be adjusted by to your Empowering skill., or increased because of higher Casting Levels Activity Point cost is also set, but additional AP can be paid to increase Skill Rating, as with other skills. This is often necessary to compensate for increased Casting Level. In addition, there is a Fatigue Point cost for spells equal to the AP cost divided by 30.
Basic Spell List SPELL DF MP AP RAN DUR RES DAM Anaesthesis 3 7 59 T 10Mi CON 0 Animal Affinity 6 9 219 T W WIL 0 Attract Beast 7 14 196 10K 1H WIL 0 Aware Air 8 47 100 1M NA 0 Call Wind 6 9 59 30 10M AGI 5 Cement 7 18 729 T X NA NA Circle of Protection 9 9 59 1 1M MAG 10 Create Air 8 10 135 1 X NA 0 Create Food 10 16 576 T X NA 0 Create Light 2 4 15 T 10M NA 0 Create Mist 12 12 156 10 1M AGI 50AP Create Water 6 10 180 1 X NA 0 Dissent 6 10 144 10R 10M JUD 0 Eliminate Mana 3 3 25 3 I MAG S Empathic Cure 7 7 111 T X NA 15 Eyes of the Serpent 6 9 219 10 1M DEX 0 False Fire 4 4 35 T 10Mi NA 0 Farhearing 8 9 117 100 10Mi Farsight 7 8 70 S/30K 1M NA 0 Flamepoint 2 3 9 T I MIS 5 Flash of Light 9 9 59 10R 1M DEX 0 Knots of Pain 7 14 343 10 1Mi WIL 80 Mending 3 6 99 T X NA 50HR Microvision 5 6 39 T 10Mi NA 0 Mirror 5 4 12 1 1Mi NA 0 Need Suspension 4 10 45 S 3Da NA 0 Nightvision 4 5 45 S/10 10Mi NA 0 Odor Alteration 5 7 103 10M 1Ho JUD 0 Pacify 6 9 98 10 1M WIL 0 Palm of Light 3 3 5 T 10M NA 0a Preservation 3 9 81 T 1W NA 0 Repel Water 3 6 29 S 10M NA 0 Scrying 5 11 109 T/X 10M NA 0 Sealing 4 10 225 T 10Mi NA 80R Shattering 4 11 212 T I NA S Sincerity 3 6 33 S 10Mi INT 0 Sleep 2 9 61 3 10M WIL 0 Sobriety 5 10 60 T 1Da CON 0 Spatial Awareness 5 6 52 3 10M NA 0 Steal Sight 3 14 177 10 1Ho TAL 0 Stealth 4 5 45 S 1M INT 0 Stoneflesh 4 4 28 S 1M NA +1AV Striking Stones 3 7 10 10 I MIS 10CL Summon Water 3 7 108 T 1Da NA 0 True Sight 5 6 39 S 10Mi NA 0 Voice of the Wind 8 6 98 1K I NA 0 Wakefulness 4 10 54 S 3Da NA 0 Word of Command 5 7 71 10 1Mi WIL 0 Word of Warding 5 10 100 10 1Mi TAL 10CO |
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