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BASIC RULES
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A tabletop role-playing game is a collaborative storytelling game where players narrate what their characters do in an imagined world, dice are rolled to resolve uncertain outcomes, and the setting and challenges are described by a game master as the story unfolds.
WHAT’S NEEDED
* Space to share a story (around a table or online).
* One character description per player.
* An adventure story outline for the Game Master.
* Several 20-sided dice (1d20) and 6-sided dice (1d6).
* One X-card per player.
* Items to track Luck Points (cards or coins).
* Pens, pencils, writing paper, or electronic tables to take notes.
AT A GLANCE
* Tasks: 1d20 + one ability modifier + one skill modifier vs. Difficulty
* Abilities: STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA.
* Skills: Varies by setting (Fighting FTR, Magic MAG, etc.)
* Difficulty (DIFF): Easy 5, Hard 15, Extreme 25; in combat, Armor Class.
* Opposed Difficulty: Highest total wins, re-roll ties.
* Hit Points: 3 + Skill hit points + Constitution hit points
* Dead at 0 hit points.
PLAYING THE GAME
* A Game Master (GM) describes a scene, including people, places, and things seen and heard.
* Players take turns describing characters’ actions within this scene.
* The GM controls the responses of non-player characters (NPCs).
* Task rolls are used for resolving uncertain actions, attacks, and saving throws.
* Dice notations show one die (1d6, 1d20) or the sum of multiple dice (3d6, three dice added together).
* X-Card Safety Tool: Anyone may tap or hold up an “X” card to skip or modify a scene without explanation.
TASK ROLLS (1d20 + one ability modifier + one skill modifier)
* Player describes the action and the intended outcome (how and why).
* Player rolls 1d20 and adds one ability modifier and one skill modifier.
* Some tasks offer a choice of modifiers per attempt.
* Difficulty Numbers (Diff): Easy 5, Hard 15, Extreme 25.
* Task roll totals equal to or higher than a task’s difficulty number succeed.
* Lower than difficulty number is a failure, or success at a cost (extra time, resources).
* Critical Results: A d20 roll of 20 (“natural 20”) always succeeds, while a roll of 1 (“natural 1”) always fails.
* Opposed Difficulty: Highest task roll total wins; reroll ties.
* Teamwork: All roll, use best roll + best ability among team + best skill among team.
ABILITIES
* Strength (STR) (physical prowess, using melee weapons)
* Dexterity (DEX) (agility, reflexes, dodging, using ranged weapons)
* Constitution (CON) (health, fortitude, concentration)
* Intelligence (INT) (knowledge, memory, reason)
* Wisdom (WIS) (awareness, empathy, willpower)
* Charisma (CHA) (appeal, communication, leadership)
SKILLS
Fantasy Worlds
* Fighting (FTR) (attacks with or without all types of weapons)
* Magic (MAG) (casting arcane spells, knowing supernatural lore)
* Divinity (DIV) (casting divine spells, harming fiends and undead)
* Thieving (THF) (stealth, bypassing locks and traps, deception, streetwise)
* Nature (NAT) (casting nature spells, tracking, wilderness survival)
* Qi (QI) (internal energy for focus, body control, martial arts)
Modern World
* Espionage (SPY) (cover identities, intel gathering, infiltration tech)
* Fighting (FTR) (attacks with or without all types of weapons)
* Medical (MED) (diagnosis, healing, medicines, diseases, surgery)
* Science (SCI) (identify substances, predict behaviors, research)
* Technology (TECH) (using and repairing machines, computers, devices)
* Thieving (THF) (stealth, bypassing locks and traps, deception, streetwise)
* Trade (TRD) (buying and selling cargos, business knowledge)
* Vehicles (VEH) (piloting, driving, navigating on land, air, and sea)
…in supernatural or occult modern horror stories:
* Magic (MAG) (casting eldritch spells, knowing occult lore)
* Divinity (DIV) (invoking divine powers, harming fiends and undead)
* Psionics (PSI) (telepathy, telekinesis, extra sensory preception)
Sci-Fi Worlds
* Cybernetics (CYB) (using and adapting bionics, controlling drones)
* Espionage (SPY) (cover identities, intel gathering, infiltration tech)
* Fighting (FTR) (attacks with or without all types of weapons)
* Medical (MED) (diagnosis, healing, medicines, diseases, surgery)
* Psionics (PSI) (telepathy, telekinesis, extra sensory preception)
* Science (SCI) (identify substances, predict behaviors, research)
* Starships (SHP) (faster-than-light travel, ship maneuvers in space)
* Technology (TECH) (using and repairing machines, computers, devices)
* Thieving (THF) (stealth, bypassing locks and traps, deception, streetwise)
* Trade (TRD) (buying and selling cargos, business knowledge)
* Vehicles (VEH) (piloting, driving, navigating on land, air, and sea)
LANGUAGES
* Choose a native language and one other language.
STARTING CHARACTERS & LEVELING UP
* Assign one bonus point (+1) to one superior ability and one penalty point (-1) to one weaker ability.
* Assign two bonus points (+2) to one skill or one point (+1) to two different skills.
* When leveling up, add +1 to one ability or skill.
Examples skill selections by archetype…
* Barbarian: Fighting +1, Nature +1
* Bard: Magic +1, Thieving +1
* Cleric: Divinity +2
* Druid: Nature +2
* Fighter: Fighting +2
* Magic-User: Magic +2
* Paladin: Fighting +1, Divinity +1
* Ranger: Fighting +1, Nature +1
* Thief: Thieving +2
TOTAL HIT POINTS: 3 + Skill hit points + Constitution (CON) hit points
* Skill Hit Points: Fighting skill x 5 plus any one other skill x 3
* Constitution Hit Points: CON x highest skill level
* Damage from attacks and hazards reduces current hit points.
Using hit points with living beings…
* Recover CON hit points (at least 1) per hour of rest.
* If under medical care, add lead caregiver’s Medical (MED) to hit points recovered per hour.
* At 0 hit points, creature is dead or unconscious (attacker’s choice).
* A creature dead less than CON minutes may be resuscitated to 1 hit point by a Hard (Diff 15) task roll of 1d20 + creature’s CON + caregiver’s DIV or MED (whichever is higher).
Using hit points with non-living targets…
* One hour of repair work restores a task roll total in hit points.
* At 0 hit points, machines and vehicles cease to function, structures collapse.
SAVING THROWS (SAVES)
* Instant response to hazards and power effects; does not count as an action.
* Physical effects: 1d20 + one of STR, DEX, or CON + highest skill modifier
* Mental effects: 1d20 + one of INT, WIS, or CHA + highest skill modifier
* Difficulty on the save is either a hazard number or a power task roll result.
* Success either negates an effect, reduces damage, shortens duration by half, removes a condition, or improves a status stage.
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COMBAT
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COMBAT TURNS
* One round is about 6 seconds.
* Initiative: 1d20 + DEX + FTR; highest roll takes first tunn.
* On a turn, do one action and one move, or two moves and no actions.
* After turn, choose next character or NPC to take next turn.
* After all sides have taken a turn in the round, re-roll initiative and repeat.
COMBAT ATTACKS
* Task roll made to cause damage to a target.
* Divide modifiers and damage to attack more than one target on same turn.
* Unarmed strikes: 1d20 + DEX or STR + FTR
* Light melee weapon: 1d20 + DEX or STR + FTR
* Medium or heavy melee weapon: 1d20 + STR + FTR
* Thrown weapon: 1d20 + DEX or STR + FTR
* Ranged weapon: 1d20 + DEX + FTR
ARMOR CLASS
* Counts as difficulty number for attack tasks.
* Light Armor: AC 12 + DEX
* Medium Armor: AC 15
* Heavy Armor: AC 17
* Shield: AC +1 small shield, AC +2 large shield
DAMAGE
* Light Weapon (punch, dagger, hand axe): 1d6 / 2
* Medium Weapon (sword, crossbow, pistol): 1d6
* Heavy Weapon (greatsword, pole arm, shotgun): 2d6
* Melee Weapon: add +STR to damage
* Ranged Weapon: add +DEX to damage
Types of damage…
* Acid: Industrial chemicals, battery acid, corrosive spills.
* Bludgeoning: Vehicle impacts, crowd surges, collapsing debris.
* Cold: Cryogenic exposure, vacuum chill, arctic winter weather.
* Fire: Explosions, incendiary weapons, open flames.
* Force: Shockwaves, kinetic barriers, directed energy impacts.
* Lightning: Electrical power surges, tasers, exposed high-voltage lines.
* Necrotic: Radiation sickness, nanotechnology infections, entropy fields.
* Piercing: Ballistics, shrapnel, hypersonic fragments.
* Poison: Nerve agents, contaminated water, synthetic toxins.
* Psychic: Neural overload, mental attacks, extreme stress and trauma.
* Radiant: Nuclear radiation, solar flares, focused particle beams.
* Slashing: Industrial blades, high-speed shrapnel edges, bladed weapons.
* Thunder: Sonic booms, concussive blasts, shock pulses.
CONDITIONS
* Hindered (Ability): -1 or worse on all rolls using a specific ability modifier.
* Shaken: Cannot take task actions but may move.
* Immobilized: Cannot move or take task actions.
* Pinned: Cannot move but may attempt task actions.
* Prone: Crawl at half speed or lose half speed to stand up.
* Unconscious: Cannot move, take actions, sense surroundings, or communicate. Melee attacks automatically hit.
Specific situations…
* Blindness: Shaken and Hard (15) physical saving throw to move over difficult terrain.
* Fear: Shaken while source of fear is in line of sight, cannot approach source of fear.
AREA ZONES AND MOVEMENT
* A zone is roughly 30 feet by 30 feet (10 meters x 10 meters).
* An area or event may contain multiple zones.
* Movement places a character in an adjoining zone, or run to move two zones.
* Difficult terrain (icy surfaces, uneven ground, through crowds) cuts movement by half.
RANGES
* Touching: Held, grappled, connected
* Melee Range: Same zone, up to 6 feet (2 meters) (hand-held weapons)
* Throwing Range: Adjacent zone, 50 feet (15m) (hand axes, javelins)
* Short Shooting: About 330 feet (100m) (bows, pistols, shotguns)
* Long Shooting: About 1,000 feet (600m) (rifles, beam weapons)
* Distant Range: About 15 miles (25 km) (artillery, cannons)
SPECIAL COMBAT RULES
* Partial Cover: Adds +2 to protected targets’ AC scores.
* Total Cover: Beings cannot be targeted but cannot attack outside cover.
* Overflow Damage: If a target is dropped to 0 hit points, remaining damage applies to another target of the same AC or less in same zone.
* Aiming: Spending a turn’s action aiming a ranged weapon at a target grants a +3 bonus on the next round’s attack task roll.
* Close Defense: An attack task roll total may replace Armor Class against all melee attacks instead of hitting for damage. This defense lasts until start of the character’s next turn and provides no bonus against ranged attacks.
* Two-Weapon Attacks: Treat two light weapons as one medium damage attack. An attacker cannot use a shield if dual wielding weapons.
* Sneak Attack: If a living target doesn’t expect an attack, the first attack causes double damage if it hits.
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POWERS
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POWERS
* Creates supernatural effects, but at dangerous risks.
* Requires +1 or more in a power-related skill (MAG, DIV, or PSI).
* Users know two powers from one style list per +1 of power skill modifier.
* Style of power determines related ability and skill for every attempted effect.
* Attempting to use a power counts as an action during a round.
* Ending a power’s effect early does not count as an action.
* A target may reduce or resist an effect by making a saving throw.
* Difficulty number to save against a power effect is equal to the power task roll total.
* A character may have multiple power effects active at the same time.
Range and duration limits…
* Power effects are limited to targets within the character’s same zone unless noted otherwise.
* Duration of effects are either instant, or 1d6 rounds, minutes, hours, or days.
* A character always knows the duration of their own power effects and can end them early.
POWER TASK ROLL (1d20 + Power ability + Power skill + other modifiers)
* Power ability is usually Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.
* Power skill is usually Magic, Divinity, or Psionics.
* Requires a power task roll versus an effect’s difficulty (diff) to work.
* If power works, targets may still be allowed a saving throw versus with the difficulty number equal to the power task roll total.
* Power task rolls under a power’s difficulty result in a power failure backlash.
Example power task rolls by style and effect list themes…
* Bard: 1d20 + CHA + MAG (song-based spells)
* Cleric: 1d20 + WIS + DIV (blessing and healing)
* Druid: 1d20 + WIS + NAT (animal, plant, and weather)
* Sorcerer: 1d20 + CHA + MAG (innate spell-like powers)
* Wizard: 1d20 + INT + MAG (grimoire-based spells)
* Enchanter: 1d20 + INT + MAG (emotion and will control)
* Exorcist: 1d20 + INT + DIV (banishing hostile spirits)
* Illusionist: 1d20 + INT + MAG (false sights and sounds)
* Medium: 1d20 + WIS + MAG (channeling the dead and remote seeing)
* Monk: 1d20 + WIS + QI (discipline and body mastery)
* Necromancer: 1d20 + INT + MAG (death, decay, and undeath)
* Oracle: 1d20 + CHA + DIV (foreseeing future events)
* Shaman: 1d20 + CHA + NAT (influencing spirits)
* Technomancer: 1d20 + INT + MAG (machines and networks)
* Telekinetic: 1d20 + WIS + PSI (moving objects without touching them)
* Telepath: 1d20 + INT + PSI (reading and influencing minds)
OTHER MODIFIERS (+1 or more each, based on GM approval and story narrative)
* Empowered items (magic wand, holy symbol, psi crystal, eldritch sign, etc.)
* Empowered places (magic circle, ley line nexus, holy ground or sacred grove, etc.)
* Auspicious times (full moon, spring equinox, alignment of certain planets, etc.)
* Known true names (of targets, places, or spirits)
* Extended attempt time (minutes needed to use power instead of one round action)
* Group ritual (multiple empowered assistants or witnesses contributing)
* Recklessness (automatic power backlash even if power task roll is successful)
POWER SAVING THROWS
* Roll equal to or greater than power task roll total to reduce or resist an effect.
* Physical effects: 1d20 + two different abilities (STR, DEX, or CON).
* Mental effects: 1d20 + two different abilities (INT, WIS, or CHA).
POWER FAILURE BACKLASH
* Occurs when power task roll is below an attempted power’s difficulty.
* Successful power effects that are resisted by target’s saving throws do not suffer backlash.
* If power’s difficulty is more than 10 + user’s power skill, no effect and no backlash.
* Multiple power failure outcomes stack on previous backlash results.
Backlash (roll 1d6)
* 1 … Power exhaustion, cannot attempt to use this same power again for 1d6 hours.
* 2 … Physical or psychic wounds, instantly take damage equal to half the power’s difficulty; heals normally.
* 3 … Random ability modifier (1d6: 1 STR, 2 DEX, 3 CON, 4 INT, 5 WIS, or 6 CHA) reduced by 1 for 1d6 hours.
* 4 … Summoned hostile monster instantly appears and attacks (AC equals difficulty, hit points diff x 2, attacks modifier and damage equal half difficulty).
* 5 … Cursed luck, suffer -1 on all task rolls for 1d6 hours.
* 6 … Corruption, permanent minor mutation, scar, aura, or tell.
SUPERPOWERS
* Superpowers are the same as powers but ignore difficulty to use, always work when attempted, and do not trigger backlash. Targets are allowed saving throws to reduce or resist effects as normal.
* Power task rolls may still be needed if a superpower effect can be reduced or resisted by a target’s saving throw.
* Reckless use of superpowers adds +2 but causes minor backlash for shorter durations
Superpower Backlash (roll 1d6)
* 1 or 2 … Power exhaustion, cannot attempt to use this same power again for 1d6 minutes.
* 3 or 4 … Physical or psychic wounds, instantly take 1d6 damage; heals normally.
* 5 or 6 … Random ability modifier (1d6: 1 STR, 2 DEX, 3 CON, 4 INT, 5 WIS, or 6 CHA) reduced by 1 for 1d6 minutes.
POWER EFFECT EXAMPLES
* Summon Luck (Diff 14): Re-roll one d20 result (for yourself or another character) once each round and choose either number. Lasts for rounds.
* Enhance Ability (Diff 10): One being gains a +1 bonus on one ability modifier for minutes. Repeated uses extend duration but do not increase the modifier bonus.
* Charm Person (Diff 12): One person sees you as a trusted friend for days unless harmed by you or your allies (save to fully resist).
* Charm Animal (Diff 12): One animal sees you as a trusted friend for days unless harmed by you or your allies (save to fully resist).
* Charm Monster (Diff 16): One creature sees you as a trusted friend for days unless harmed by you or your allies (save to fully resist).
* Protection from Evil (Diff 12): For hours, you cannot be touched by fiends and undead creatures, and you gain +1 on saving throws against such monsters’ powers.
* Protection from Faeries (Diff 12): For hours, you cannot be touched by fey creatures, and you gain +1 on saving throws against such monsters’ powers.
* Protection from Elementals (Diff 12): For hours, you cannot be touched by elemental creatures, and you gain +1 on saving throws against such monsters’ powers.
* Magic Missile (Diff 12): One target within long shooting range instantly suffers damage equal to half your power task roll total (no attack roll or save allowed).
* Fireball (Diff 16): Everything within 20 ft. (6 meters) of a spot within short shooting range instantly suffers twice your power task roll total in fire damage (save for half damage).
* Summon Tiny Animal (Diff 10): One tiny natural creature (mouse, songbird, etc.) appears and obeys your commands for minutes. (Animal: AC 10, 1 hit point, -2 attack, 1d6-2 damage, -4 STR).
* Summon Small Animal (Diff 12): One small natural creature (dog, eagle, etc.) appears and obeys your commands for minutes. (Animal: AC 11, 4 hit points, +0 attack, 1d6 damage).
* Summon Medium Animal (Diff 14): One medium natural creature (wolf, panther, etc.) appears and obeys your commands for minutes. (Animal: AC 12, 8 hit points, +2 attack, 1d6+2 damage, +2 STR or speed 50 ft. [15 m]).
* Summon Large Animal (Diff 16): One large natural creature (bear, tiger shark, etc.) appears and obeys your commands for minutes. (Animal: AC 13, 12 hit points, +4 attack, 2d6 damage, +4 STR).
* Summon Huge Animal (Diff 20): One huge natural creature (elephant, orca, etc.) appears and obeys your commands for minutes. (Animal: AC 15, 25 hit points, +8 attack, 3d6 damage, +6 STR).
* Small Illusion (Diff 12): One small-sized illusion or 5 ft. x 5 ft. x 5 ft. (1.5 m) area looks, sounds, and moves as if real for rounds, but it has no solid substance (save to disbelieve).
* Medium Illusion (Diff 14): One human-sized illusion or 10 ft. x 10 ft. x 10 ft. (3 m) area looks, sounds, and moves as if real for minutes, but it has no solid substance (save to disbelieve).
* Large Illusion (Diff 16): One large-sized illusion or 20 ft. x 20 ft. x 20 ft. (6 m) area looks, sounds, and moves as if real for hours, but it has no solid substance (save to disbelieve).
* Huge Illusion (Diff 18): One huge-sized illusion or 40 ft. x 40 ft. x 40 ft. (12 m) area looks, sounds, and moves as if real for hours, but it has no solid substance (save to disbelieve).
* Deadly Small Illusion (Diff 14): One small illusion you have already created becomes partially real. (Illusion: AC 11, 4 hit points, +0 attack, 1d6 damage, speed as human). Can be disbelieved but still attacks and can cause damage.
* Deadly Medium Illusion (Diff 16): One medium illusion you have already created becomes partially real. (Illusion: AC 12, 8 hit points, +2 attack, 1d6+2 damage, speed as human). Can be disbelieved but still attacks and can cause damage.
* Deadly Large Illusion (Diff 18): One large illusion you have already created becomes partially real. (Illusion: AC 13, 12 hit points, +4 attack, 2d6 damage, speed as human). Can be disbelieved but still attacks and can cause damage.
* Teleport Nearby (Diff 16): You vanish from one spot and appear at any spot within throwing distance (adjacent zone).
* Teleport Far (Diff 18): You vanish from one spot and appear at any spot within long shooting distance.
* Teleport Anywhere (Diff 20): You vanish from one spot and appear anywhere else on the planet.
* Empower Undead (Diff 18): One undead creature within throwing range regains your power skill modifier in hit points and gains a +1 bonus on all task rolls and damage.
* Cure Wounds (Diff 12): Your touch instantly restores a living creature’s hit points equal to the power task roll. Does not heal not undead or constructs.
* Detect Evil (Diff 12): Notes if harmful intent is focused on you from all within short shooting range.
* Detect Magic (Diff 12): Notes if any power effects or items are active within throwing range.
* Light (Diff 12): An object glows equal to torchlight for hours.
* Cure Disease (Diff 16): Your touch permanently removes all current diseases from one living creature.
* Obscurity (Diff 14): Others cannot notice you in crowds, record you clearly, or find you in records unless winning an opposed task roll versus your spellcasting roll.
* Dispel Magic (Diff 16): Make an opposed task roll against the difficulty of an existing magical power’s effect. If successful, duration of effect ends.
* Turn Away Undead (Diff 12): All undead within throwing range must flee if their current hit points are less than your spellcasting roll.
* Dispel Undead (Diff 16): All undead within throwing range take 3d6+DIV damage and, if surviving, must flee if their current hit points are less than your spellcasting roll.
* Animate Small Undead (Diff 14): One small corpse or carcass becomes undead and obeys your commands for days. (Undead: AC 10, 1 hit point, -2 attack, 1d6-2 damage, immune to necrotic damage).
* Animate Medium Undead (Diff 16): One medium corpse or carcass becomes undead and obeys your commands for days. (Undead: AC 11, 4 hit points, +0 attack, 1d6 damage, immune to necrotic damage).
* Animate Large Undead (Diff 18): One large corpse or carcass becomes undead and obeys your commands for days. (Undead: AC 13, 12 hit points, +4 attack, 2d6 damage, immune necrotic damage).
* Clairvoyance (Diff 16): You see as if viewing from a spot within long shooting range, or unlimited range if location is well known to you.
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THREATS
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THREAT STATS QUICK STATS
* Threat Level 1 (Difficulty 10, AC 10, 1 hit point, -2 attack, 1d6-2 damage)
* Threat Level 2 (Difficulty 12, AC 11, 4 hit points, +0 attack, 1d6 damage)
* Threat Level 3 (Difficulty 14, AC 12, 8 hit points, +2 attack, 1d6+2 damage)
* Threat Level 4 (Difficulty 16, AC 13, 12 hit points, +4 attack, 2d6 damage)
* Threat Level 5 (Difficulty 18, AC 14, 16 hit points, +6 attack, 2d6 damage)
* Threat Level 6 (Difficulty 20, AC 15, 25 hit points, +8 attack, 3d6 damage)
* Threat Level 7 (Difficulty 22, AC 16, 40 hit points, +10 attack, 3d6 damage)
* Threat Level 8 (Difficulty 24, AC 17, 60 hit points, +12 attack, 4d6 damage)
* Threat Level 9 (Difficulty 26, AC 18, 85 hit points, +14 attack, 4d6 damage)
* Threat Level 10 (Difficulty 28, AC 19, 130 hit points, +16 attack, 5d6 damage)
* Threat Level 11 (Difficulty 30, AC 20, 190 hit points, +18 attack, 5d6 damage)
* Threat Level 12 (Difficulty 32, AC 21, 290 hit points, +20 attack, 6d6 damage)
* Threat Level 13 (Difficulty 34, AC 22, 430 hit points, +22 attack, 6d6 damage)
Examples from a natural or fantasy world…
* Threat Level 1: small livestock, kobold, giant vermin
* Threat Level 2: dog, orc, undead skeleton, bandit
* Threat Level 3: wolf, hobgoblin, gnoll, giant spider
* Threat Level 4: panther, black bear, ghoul, lizard men
* Threat Level 5: lion, tiger, ape, ogre, worg
* Threat Level 6: allosaurus, elephant, troll, minotaur
* Threat Level 7: great white shark, chimera, manticore, wyvern
* Threat Level 8: tyrannosaurus rex, sperm whale, orca, hill giant
* Threat Level 9: blue whale, stone giant, hydra
* Threat Level 10: huge dragon, frost giant
* Threat Level 11: demon champion, lich
* Threat Level 12: gargantuan dragon, demon lord
* Threat Level 13: cosmic elder thing, demigod
Examples from a modern or science-fiction world…
* Threat Level 1: unarmed civilian, frightened cultist, malfunctioning service robot
* Threat Level 2: street thug, private security guard, colonial laborer, basic drone
* Threat Level 3: police officer, trained gang member, militia trooper
* Threat Level 4: SWAT officer, elite mercenary, alien scout
* Threat Level 5: special forces operative, powered exo-trooper
* Threat Level 6: heavy infantry, combat android, elite bounty hunter
* Threat Level 7: cyborg enforcer, psychic operative, shock trooper
* Threat Level 8: alien warrior caste, powered armor commander
* Threat Level 9: elite supersoldier, prototype war machine
* Threat Level 10: large mecha or kaiju, alien warlord
* Threat Level 11: huge mecha or kaiju
* Threat Level 12: gargantuan war mech or kaiju
* Threat Level 13: autonomous dreadnought, godlike AI intelligence
(AC 10, 1 hit point, -2 attack, 1d6-2 damage)
(AC 11, 4 hit points, +0 attack, 1d6 damage)
(AC 12, 8 hit points, +2 attack, 1d6+2 damage)
(AC 13, 12 hit points, +4 attack, 2d6 damage)
(AC 14, 16 hit points, +6 attack, 2d6 damage)
(AC 15, 25 hit points, +8 attack, 3d6 damage)
(AC 16, 40 hit points, +10 attack, 3d6 damage)
(AC 17, 60 hit points, +12 attack, 4d6 damage)
(AC 18, 85 hit points, +14 attack, 4d6 damage)
(AC 19, 130 hit points, +16 attack, 5d6 damage)
(AC 20, 190 hit points, +18 attack, 5d6 damage)
(AC 21, 290 hit points, +20 attack, 6d6 damage)
(AC 22, 430 hit points, +22 attack, 6d6 damage)
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GAME MASTERING
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STATUS STAGES
* Hazards that impose degrees of conditions or damage over time.
* Saving throws are made once per round, minute, or hour.
* Each stage imposes a condition or causes damage.
* A failed saving throw advances a character to the next stage.
* A successful saving throw improves a character to the previous stage.
* If medical help is available, saving throw can be 1d20 + affected character’s CON (physical) or WIS (mental) + medical helper’s MED.
* A doses of counter agent, antidote, or anti-venom adds +10 to these saving throws.
POISON
* Describe symptoms to possibly include some mix of ringing in the ears, headache, nausea, drowsiness, confusion, rapid breathing or shortness of breath, abdominal pain, pain while swallowing, coughing, and eyes tearing up.
GAMBLING (mini-game)
* Step 1: All players pay ante, then each openly rolls a d6.
* Step 2: Any player may then raise, forcing other players to match, raise, or quit.
* Step 3: Players still in the game each openly roll another d6 and add to their initial roll.
* Step 4: Any player may then raise, forcing other players to match, raise, or quit.
* Step 5: Players still in the game each openly roll a final d6 and add to their final totals. Highest total wins the pot, ties split the pot.
* Cheating: Before rolling a die, a character may roll 1d20 + DEX or INT + THF and declare the value of their roll instead of actually rolling the die. Observers making an opposed roll of 1d20 + INT or WIS + THF notice the cheat.
LANGUAGE EXAMPLES
* Common Fantasy Languages: Common Tongue, Dwarvish, Elvish, Giant, Gnomish, Goblin, Halfling, Orc.
* Rare Fantasy Languages: Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic, Deep Speech, Infernal, Primordial/Elemental, Sylvan/Faerie, Undercommon.
* Secret Fantasy Languages: Druidic, thieves’ cant (criminal doublespeak).
* Common Modern Languages: Arabic (Middle East, North Africa), Bengali (Bangladesh, eastern India), English (United States, United Kingdom, Australia; global for business, science, aviation), French (Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, Canada), Hindi (India, South Asia), Mandarin Chinese (China, Taiwan, Singapore), Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal, parts of Africa), Russian (Eastern Europe, Central Asia, scientific communities), Spanish (Spain, Latin America, much of the U.S.), Urdu (Pakistan, parts of India)
* Common Sci-Fi Languages: Terran Standard, Orbital Cant, Dockside Trade, regional dialects (EuroCore, Neo-Nordic, Afrolink, Sinosynth).
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STRENGTH BENCHMARKS
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Maximum carry capacity…
* STR -3: 10 lbs. (4 kg)
* STR -2: 20 lbs. (9 kg)
* STR -1: 50 lbs. (22 kg)
* STR +0: 100 lbs. (45 kg)
* STR +1: 200 lbs. (90 kg)
* STR +2: 300 lbs. (135 kg)
* STR +3: 400 lbs. (180 kg)
* STR +4: 500 lbs. (225 kg)
* STR +5: 1,000 lbs. (450 kg)
* STR +6: 1 ton (900 kg)
* STR +7: 2 tons
* STR +8: 4 tons
* STR +9: 8 tons
* STR +10: 15 tons
* STR +11: 30 tons
* STR +12: 60 tons
* STR +13: 125 tons
* STR +14: 250 tons
* STR +15: 500 tons
* STR +16: 1,000 tons
* STR +17: 2,000 tons
* STR +18: 4,000 tons
* STR +19: 8,000 tons
* STR +20: 15,000 tons