Jan 23, 2023 3:21 pm
Attributes:
This game uses the standard d20 ability scores, and you get 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8 at character gen. All characters at the start of the game are humans; as such, you increase one score by +2, and two others by +1 each. These cannot be the same score. You may also select a score to receive a -2 to increase two other scores by +2. As before, none of these may be the same scores, meaning you will potentially have three scores with +2, two scores with +1, and one score with a -2.
Skills:
Afterwards, you'll notice each Attribute has skills associated with it. You receive a number of skill points to assign to these equal to their ability score modifier, plus a number of skill points for all your scores equal to your intelligence score. This means that if you have a Strength Score of 14, and an Intelligence score of 17, you'll have two points to spend on Strength skills, and 17 to spend on any skill.
Defense: Your character's Defense at Character Creation is equal to 10 + their Dexterity Modifier.
Speed: Humans have a 30 foot movement speed
HP: All characters get 1D8 Hit Die at each level, and they get maximum HP at first level and 4+1d4 HP at every level afterwards. These amounts can go down with disadvantages, and up with feats.
Sanity: (Cha + Wis) - Int + 10
Languages: Your character starts being able to speak English, plus a number of languages equal to their ranks in Linguistics and their Intelligence modifier.
Hobbies: You gain 4 additional skill points to spend on skills that pertain to Hobbies your character may have. Remember to list the Hobby and the corresponding skill it is related to. The first time your Hobby comes up during a scene, you gain 10 x Level in XP.
Background: Your background represents what your character did before the beginning of the game. It grants you 6 + Intelligence Modifier skill points to spend on the listed skills, and a base wealth score.
Occupation: While your background indicates things your character has done in the past, occupations represent the things your character currently does for a living, even if they aren't actively engaged in it. Occupations provide three main benefits: salary, professional skills and perks. The skills listed under professional skills grant two ranks in those skills that can exceed the maximum.
Feats: Your character starts with 5 feats.
Tool Training: Your character is trained in the use of certain weapons, armor, tools, software, etc. These are all considered Tools, and are listed here. Without training, they grant Disadvantage. Characters are considered Trained in the use of all basic weapons, basic armor, and 6 plus their Intelligence modifier in tools at character creation. Occupations and skill ranks also generally contribute to Training.
Allegiances: A character may have up to three allegiances, listed in order from most important to least important. These allegiances are indications of what the character values in life, and may encompass people, organizations, or ideals. This first time an Allegiance comes up during a scene, you gain 10 x Level in XP, unless it adversely affects you, in which case you gain 20 x Level in XP.
Reputation: Reputation measures your character’s influence in the wide world. You gain Resource Points (RPs) equal to your Reputation to spend on Access, Contacts, Followers, Privilege, and Favors. Every time your Reputation score increases, you can reallocate your RPs. Your reputation is equal to your level plus you Charisma modifier plus your ranks in Presence. The first time your reputation adversely affects you in a scene, you gain 20 x Level in XP.
Wealth: Wealth represents your total spending power, including cash on hand, salary, credit and so forth. Backgrounds and Occupations, and some Feats, can determine this score at character creation. Use the following table to determine what kind of financial situation your character is in at the start of the game:
Action Points: You start the game with 5 Action Points. You regain action points when your disadvantages work against you. The Maximum number of Action Points a character can have is 6 + 1/2 Level + 1/2 ranks in Wits
Disadvantages: Characters are not just a collection of abilities for what they can achieve. Their flaws add to their appeal just as much (if not more) than their heroic deeds. Disadvantages grant Action Points equal to their rating when they work against you, and when the GM decides to award them. Other than leveling up, this is the ONLY way to earn back Action Points. The first time Disadvantage comes up in a scene, you gain 10 x Level in XP, unless it adversely affects you, in which case you gain 20 x Level in XP.
Personality Traits: Fleshing out your character’s personality will help you bring him or her to life as you play the game. They also help them earn XP. Five categories of characteristics are presented here: bonds, quirks, aspirations, dislikes, and fears. The first time a Specific Personality Trait comes up in a scene, you gain 10 x Level in XP, unless it adversely affects you, in which case you gain 20 x Level in XP.
Bonds: Bonds are an especially important aspect of this game. They represent a character’s connections to people and places in the world. They tie you to things from your background. They might inspire you to heights of heroism, or lead you to act against your own best interests if they are threatened. Create 4 bonds for your character. No more than 1 can be unrelated to the Island-town of Motivation. I highly encourage you to make at least one bond related to LIVING family members or close friends. If you want to make a lone wolf character, then this game is the story about how they stop being a lone wolf.
Quirks: Quirks are small, simple ways to help you set your character apart from every other character. Your quirks should tell you something interesting and fun about your character. They should be self-descriptions that are specific about what makes your character stand out. These are commonly likes, mannerisms, overly used phrases, habits, compulsions, vices, and odd beliefs. You should have no less than 3, and no more than 5.
Aspirations: Aspirations are your characters desires, goals, hopes, and dreams. Some might be personal, some might be external desires for a better world, far beyond their control. Your character should have at least 3, no more than 5, one of which should be something that they can achieve for themselves, and at least one which reflects your character's hope for the world, like the cure to a disease, the death of a certain individual, or the elimination of a certain attitude within the world; they don't necessarily have to be striving for such lofty dreams, just hoping that it happens.
Aversions: Call them dislikes, pet peeves, disgusts, turn-offs, revulsions, loathsome ideas, annoyances, everyone has things that they do not enjoy, and actively try to avoid, not out of fear, but out of a strong disapproval aroused by something the character finds unpleasant or offensive. They should have at least 1, and no more than 5.
Fears: Like Aversions, fears are things that appear to be particularly dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat for your character. These might make complete rational sense, like a fear of death, rational but highly unlikely, like a fear of losing a loved one to a rare disease, or completely irrational and/or unlikely, like a fear of the vacuum of space. They should have at least 1, no more than 4. It should be noted that fears are NOT phobias; these do not paralyze your character from taking action, they are just present to some extent in their decision making. Just to emphasis what I mean, I will share that I have a fear of hitting a child with my car, which means that I try to drive slowly in housing areas, but I don't avoid them.
Lifting
How much a character can lift is dependent on his Lifting Score. Calculating your Lifting Score is simple: Strength Modifier + Athletics RANKS + Athletics Skill Bonus + Athletics Equipment Modifier + Athletics General Modifier. These all use their Static modifier.
The table below lists the maximum amount a character can move or lift. How much weight a character is hauling around will also affect his movement and/or defense, as explained below.
Light Load: Your character can lift and carry this amount of weight without penalty.
Medium Load: If your character is carrying this amount of weight he suffers a –10 ft. movement penalty, a –3 Equipment penalty to Defense and a –3 Equipment penalty to the following skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Arcana (when casting spells), Conjuration (while conjuring), Endurance, Heavy-Weapons, Legerdemain, Maneuvering, Melee, Occultism (when casting rituals), Resistance, Reflexes, Riding and Stealth.
Heavy Load: If your character is carrying this amount of weight he suffers a –20 ft. movement penalty, a –3 Equipment penalty to Defense and a –3 Equipment penalty to the following skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Arcana (when casting spells), Conjuration (while conjuring), Endurance, Heavy-Weapons, Legerdemain, Maneuvering, Melee, Occultism (when casting rituals), Resistance, Reflexes, Riding and Stealth.
Max Load: If your character is carrying this amount of weight his maximum movement is 5 ft. per round. Your character is also always considered Surprised and has a maximum Defense of 10. Also, your character cannot actively perform any of the skills modified by a heavy load, and take a -10 Equipment penalty when using them reactively.
Push/Drag: Your character can push or drag this amount of weight with a movement penalty of –10 ft. per round, modified by terrain.
This game uses the standard d20 ability scores, and you get 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8 at character gen. All characters at the start of the game are humans; as such, you increase one score by +2, and two others by +1 each. These cannot be the same score. You may also select a score to receive a -2 to increase two other scores by +2. As before, none of these may be the same scores, meaning you will potentially have three scores with +2, two scores with +1, and one score with a -2.
Skills:
Afterwards, you'll notice each Attribute has skills associated with it. You receive a number of skill points to assign to these equal to their ability score modifier, plus a number of skill points for all your scores equal to your intelligence score. This means that if you have a Strength Score of 14, and an Intelligence score of 17, you'll have two points to spend on Strength skills, and 17 to spend on any skill.
Defense: Your character's Defense at Character Creation is equal to 10 + their Dexterity Modifier.
Speed: Humans have a 30 foot movement speed
HP: All characters get 1D8 Hit Die at each level, and they get maximum HP at first level and 4+1d4 HP at every level afterwards. These amounts can go down with disadvantages, and up with feats.
Sanity: (Cha + Wis) - Int + 10
Languages: Your character starts being able to speak English, plus a number of languages equal to their ranks in Linguistics and their Intelligence modifier.
Hobbies: You gain 4 additional skill points to spend on skills that pertain to Hobbies your character may have. Remember to list the Hobby and the corresponding skill it is related to. The first time your Hobby comes up during a scene, you gain 10 x Level in XP.
Background: Your background represents what your character did before the beginning of the game. It grants you 6 + Intelligence Modifier skill points to spend on the listed skills, and a base wealth score.
Occupation: While your background indicates things your character has done in the past, occupations represent the things your character currently does for a living, even if they aren't actively engaged in it. Occupations provide three main benefits: salary, professional skills and perks. The skills listed under professional skills grant two ranks in those skills that can exceed the maximum.
Feats: Your character starts with 5 feats.
Tool Training: Your character is trained in the use of certain weapons, armor, tools, software, etc. These are all considered Tools, and are listed here. Without training, they grant Disadvantage. Characters are considered Trained in the use of all basic weapons, basic armor, and 6 plus their Intelligence modifier in tools at character creation. Occupations and skill ranks also generally contribute to Training.
Allegiances: A character may have up to three allegiances, listed in order from most important to least important. These allegiances are indications of what the character values in life, and may encompass people, organizations, or ideals. This first time an Allegiance comes up during a scene, you gain 10 x Level in XP, unless it adversely affects you, in which case you gain 20 x Level in XP.
Reputation: Reputation measures your character’s influence in the wide world. You gain Resource Points (RPs) equal to your Reputation to spend on Access, Contacts, Followers, Privilege, and Favors. Every time your Reputation score increases, you can reallocate your RPs. Your reputation is equal to your level plus you Charisma modifier plus your ranks in Presence. The first time your reputation adversely affects you in a scene, you gain 20 x Level in XP.
Wealth: Wealth represents your total spending power, including cash on hand, salary, credit and so forth. Backgrounds and Occupations, and some Feats, can determine this score at character creation. Use the following table to determine what kind of financial situation your character is in at the start of the game:
| Wealth Score | Lifestyle | Description | Housing |
| 0-5 | Impoverished | You are nearly penniless, owning nothing more than what you carry with you. | A bed at a shelter, a tiny room at a Boarding house, an extended stay motel room, your parent's house, a friend's couch, a tent, squatting on abandoned property, a drug den, a counterculture house |
| 6-15 | Struggling | You are considered poor, having only minimal income, meager shelter, and modest possessions. Your transportation is unreliable, and you are likely in debt. | Studio apartment in a bad neighborhood, a dorm room, a dated camper, a shanty boat |
| 16-25 | Comfortable | You are in the upper-lower class, lower-middle-class, likely renting a large apartment, townhome, or small house with modest furnishings and driving a reliable car. You likely have some debt but are managing it. | Small house or large apartment/townhome, typical mobile home, a float house |
| 26-35 | Doing well | You are dead center of the middle class. You may very well own your own residence, or you might even be renting a condo. Money might be tight at times, but the debt you have is intentional, likely tied up in multiple investments, and you might even own more than one vehicle | Standard house, Condo, top of line mobile home, a standard house boat, Schooner, Dockominium |
| 36-45 | Afluent | You are in the upper-middle-income range. You likely own a designer home and one or more luxury vehicles. Your finances are secure and any debt you have is less than the assets you own. | Designer Home, Small Ranch, Luxury Condo, Deluxe Mobile Home, Luxury House Boat, Luxury Dockominium, Small Yacht |
| 46-55 | Wealthy | You are modestly wealthy. As long as you don’t spend extravagantly, you don’t need to worry about money. You have a large home, one or more nice vehicles, conveniences that anyone might wish for, and significant savings. | A Mansion, Large Ranch, A luxury extended-stay hotel, top floor luxury condominium, a Yacht |
| 56-60 | Lavish | You are a multimillionaire, probably owning more than one home, multiple vehicles, a yacht, and whatever other luxuries you desire. You have extensive assets and savings, which might include owning one or more businesses. | An estate, a Large Yacht |
| 60+ | Opulent | You are filthy rich, enjoying all the benefits of being a billionaire owning and profiting from some huge corporation or massive financial enterprise. | A castle, a nuclear bunker, anywhere you want |
Action Points: You start the game with 5 Action Points. You regain action points when your disadvantages work against you. The Maximum number of Action Points a character can have is 6 + 1/2 Level + 1/2 ranks in Wits
Disadvantages: Characters are not just a collection of abilities for what they can achieve. Their flaws add to their appeal just as much (if not more) than their heroic deeds. Disadvantages grant Action Points equal to their rating when they work against you, and when the GM decides to award them. Other than leveling up, this is the ONLY way to earn back Action Points. The first time Disadvantage comes up in a scene, you gain 10 x Level in XP, unless it adversely affects you, in which case you gain 20 x Level in XP.
Personality Traits: Fleshing out your character’s personality will help you bring him or her to life as you play the game. They also help them earn XP. Five categories of characteristics are presented here: bonds, quirks, aspirations, dislikes, and fears. The first time a Specific Personality Trait comes up in a scene, you gain 10 x Level in XP, unless it adversely affects you, in which case you gain 20 x Level in XP.
Bonds: Bonds are an especially important aspect of this game. They represent a character’s connections to people and places in the world. They tie you to things from your background. They might inspire you to heights of heroism, or lead you to act against your own best interests if they are threatened. Create 4 bonds for your character. No more than 1 can be unrelated to the Island-town of Motivation. I highly encourage you to make at least one bond related to LIVING family members or close friends. If you want to make a lone wolf character, then this game is the story about how they stop being a lone wolf.
Quirks: Quirks are small, simple ways to help you set your character apart from every other character. Your quirks should tell you something interesting and fun about your character. They should be self-descriptions that are specific about what makes your character stand out. These are commonly likes, mannerisms, overly used phrases, habits, compulsions, vices, and odd beliefs. You should have no less than 3, and no more than 5.
Aspirations: Aspirations are your characters desires, goals, hopes, and dreams. Some might be personal, some might be external desires for a better world, far beyond their control. Your character should have at least 3, no more than 5, one of which should be something that they can achieve for themselves, and at least one which reflects your character's hope for the world, like the cure to a disease, the death of a certain individual, or the elimination of a certain attitude within the world; they don't necessarily have to be striving for such lofty dreams, just hoping that it happens.
Aversions: Call them dislikes, pet peeves, disgusts, turn-offs, revulsions, loathsome ideas, annoyances, everyone has things that they do not enjoy, and actively try to avoid, not out of fear, but out of a strong disapproval aroused by something the character finds unpleasant or offensive. They should have at least 1, and no more than 5.
Fears: Like Aversions, fears are things that appear to be particularly dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat for your character. These might make complete rational sense, like a fear of death, rational but highly unlikely, like a fear of losing a loved one to a rare disease, or completely irrational and/or unlikely, like a fear of the vacuum of space. They should have at least 1, no more than 4. It should be noted that fears are NOT phobias; these do not paralyze your character from taking action, they are just present to some extent in their decision making. Just to emphasis what I mean, I will share that I have a fear of hitting a child with my car, which means that I try to drive slowly in housing areas, but I don't avoid them.
Lifting
How much a character can lift is dependent on his Lifting Score. Calculating your Lifting Score is simple: Strength Modifier + Athletics RANKS + Athletics Skill Bonus + Athletics Equipment Modifier + Athletics General Modifier. These all use their Static modifier.
The table below lists the maximum amount a character can move or lift. How much weight a character is hauling around will also affect his movement and/or defense, as explained below.
Light Load: Your character can lift and carry this amount of weight without penalty.
Medium Load: If your character is carrying this amount of weight he suffers a –10 ft. movement penalty, a –3 Equipment penalty to Defense and a –3 Equipment penalty to the following skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Arcana (when casting spells), Conjuration (while conjuring), Endurance, Heavy-Weapons, Legerdemain, Maneuvering, Melee, Occultism (when casting rituals), Resistance, Reflexes, Riding and Stealth.
Heavy Load: If your character is carrying this amount of weight he suffers a –20 ft. movement penalty, a –3 Equipment penalty to Defense and a –3 Equipment penalty to the following skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Arcana (when casting spells), Conjuration (while conjuring), Endurance, Heavy-Weapons, Legerdemain, Maneuvering, Melee, Occultism (when casting rituals), Resistance, Reflexes, Riding and Stealth.
Max Load: If your character is carrying this amount of weight his maximum movement is 5 ft. per round. Your character is also always considered Surprised and has a maximum Defense of 10. Also, your character cannot actively perform any of the skills modified by a heavy load, and take a -10 Equipment penalty when using them reactively.
Push/Drag: Your character can push or drag this amount of weight with a movement penalty of –10 ft. per round, modified by terrain.
| Lifting Score | Light Load | Medium Load | Heavy Load | Max Load | Push/Drag |
| -5 | 3 lb. | 6 lb. | 10 lb. | 20 lb. | 50 lb. |
| -4 | 6 lb. | 13 lb. | 20 lb. | 40 lb. | 100 lb. |
| -3 | 13 lb. | 26 lb. | 40 lb. | 80 lb. | 200 lb. |
| -2 | 20 lb. | 40 lb. | 60 lb. | 120 lb. | 300 lb. |
| -1 | 26 lb. | 53 lb. | 80 lb. | 160 lb. | 400 lb. |
| 0 | 33 lb. | 66 lb. | 100 lb. | 200 lb. | 500 lb. |
| 1-4 | 43 lb. | 86 lb. | 130 lb. | 260 lb. | 650 lb. |
| 5-8 | 58 lb. | 116 lb. | 175 lb. | 350 lb. | 875 lb. |
| 9-12 | 76 lb. | 153 lb. | 230 lb. | 460 lb. | 1,150 lb. |
| 13-16 | 100 lb. | 200 lb. | 300 lb. | 600 lb. | 1,500 lb. |
| 17-20 | 133 lb. | 266 lb. | 400 lb. | 800 lb. | 2,000 lb. |
| 21+ | 173 lb. | 346 lb. | 520 lb. | 1,040 lb. | 2,600 lb. |
