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 Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 9:48 am
These rules ensure that the game proceeds in an orderly and fair fashion. If you have any questions regarding these rules, do not hesitate to ask any staff member as they are all intimately familiar with them. Though these rules may seem complex at first, they are actually quite simple. But just to make sure you know what you're doing, all new members must attend the NPG Academy in order to familiarize themselves with the gaming system. Don't worry - it shouldn't take you more than a few posts to graduate and begin RPing in the threads of your choosing!
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 9:49 am
RULE SET #1: A Roll of 15 or Higher = Success
Newpark Games use a dice roller to determine how successful any significant action a character takes may be.
Routine, day-to-day actions such as walking down the street or eating a hamburger require no roll. It is assumed that anyone with half a brain is competent enough to perform common actions without much difficulty.
However, actions that are out of the ordinary such as swinging a sword or leaping across a pit require a Feat Roll.
Feats are rolled on a single d20. If the dice rolls a number equal to or greater than 15, the Feat is called a Natural Success.
Natural Successes are relatively rare, however. And so, in order to succeed, a character must apply his skill in an area when attempting to do something out of the ordinary. The stat and skill most related to the task at hand are combined in order to provide a Modifier.
Modifiers are usually the combination of two stats or skills (add the two stats/skills together for the total modifier) or the raw score of a single stat or skill.
This modifier is added to the d20 roll and if the result is equal to or greater than 15, the Feat was a success.
There is a level of both success and failure beyond the normal. These are called Critical Succes and Critical Failure. A Critical Success means that the character performed his feat so well that something above and beyond his expectations happened; his attack dealt double damage, he was able to counter his enemy's move, etc. On the other hand, a Critical Failure means that the character's abject failure wound up costing him dearly; not only did he fail to make the jump, but fell and broke his leg...not only did his attack miss, but he dropped his sword.
There are 4 levels of success when considering a feat:
Critical Success
Success
Failure
Critical Failure
Whether your character succeeds or fails initially depends on his feat roll (1d20+Modifier = 15+). A natural 20 always equals success: no matter how crazy the odds or difficult the manuever, a roll of 20 means success no matter what. Conversely, a natural 1 always means failure no matter what.
After rolling for success or failure, the player has the option of rolling 1d12. This roll is called a Dare roll. The option to roll Dare is available for every feat. If this roll is successful, it will move the Feat's initial result up one degree on the success scale; meaning it can turn a failure into a success or a normal success into a Critical Success. But if this roll fails, it moves the Feat's result down one degree on the success scale; meaning it can turn a success into a failure and a normal failure into a Critical Failure.
By default, a roll of 12 means success and 1-11 means failure. However, this is where the character's Luck score comes into play. Critical Threat = 13 - the characte'rs Luck score. So, since Luck naturally starts at 1, players must roll a 12 to succeed on a Dare roll. However, a Luck of 3 would mean that 10, 11, and 12 would mean a successful Dare.
Keeping in mind that a 20 can never fail, it is always in a players best interest to roll Dare if he gets a natural 20. Even if he fails his Dare roll, his feat will still succeed since 20 never fails. On the flipside, a natural 1 prevents the character from rolling Dare as his feat has nowhere to go but down since 1 can never succeed.
EXAMPLE: Darren is attempting to leap across an 8 foot chasm. This is pretty out of the ordinary, so he needs to roll a Feat in order to succeed. His Agility (which ranks at 3) is the most relative stat and his Athletics (which ranks at 2) is the most relative skill. This provides him with a total modifier of +5. He rolls a d20 and gets an 11. 11 + 5 = 16 (success), so Darren leaps across.
Now it's Sheila's turn to leap across. She has an Agility of 4 and an Athletics of 3 for a total +7 modifier. However, she rolls a 5. 5 + 7 = 12 (failure). Normally, she would end up coming just shy of the edge and tumbling down into the raging waters below (bye-bye Sheila!). However, Sheila is feeling lucky. She rolls her Dare and because she has a Luck of 4, needs a 9 or higher to succeed. Her d12 displays an 11. Success! Instead of her roll ending in total failure, she lands on the other side of the chasm successfully with Darren.
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 9:51 am
RULE SET #3: TAKING TURNS
Each Post (also known as a Turn), a character is allowed to take one significant action (such as attacking an enemy target, picking a lock, or binding a wound) and make one significant movement (such as jumping across a gap, climbing a ladder, or opening and stepping through a door). Significant actions normally take less than a few seconds to accomplish and are often accompanied by a Feat roll of some sort. Characters may talk as much as they like during a post. There is no regulation regarding dialogue, though for excessively long speeches, the Judge might rule that they span several turns.
It isn't difficult to determine what constitutes an action or a movement - just ask yourself, "could what I'm attempting reasonably fit within the span of a single snapshot in time?" That's all a turn really is; a single moment filled with brief action. Though Judges are normally lenient, they may ask you to revise your post if they feel you have done more than a single action and a single movement. A good method for ensuring this doesn't happen is to sum up your posts at the end by stating what the action and movement were. For example:
Gen looked around the wood, hoping to spot something edible. As he wound down the path, the sight of berries caught his eye. 'Finally,' he said with relish, bending over to pick some.
Action: Picking berries
Movement: Walking down the path
Other: None
The amount of time that must pass between posts/turns is measured by the character's Wait stat. This numerical amount indicates how many other posts must pass before the character can take another turn. All characters start with a Speed of 4.
In some scenarios, players may post before their next turn rolls around. Such Reflexive Actions result either because the character needs to react in order to survive (i.e. being targeted by an attack) or need to post before another character can take their own turn (i.e. their turn is based upon the character's reaction to something else). Reflexive Actions may be attached to a character's turn/post without using up his action or movement (though this should be noted). All reflexive actions count towards a character's Defensive Limit; the number of times per round that he can defend himself from attack.
If too few players are involved in the current scenario for a character's Wait/Post ratio requirement to be met, players will simply wait until everyone else has posted before taking their next turn. This pattern will continue until there are enough parties involved in the current scenario to resume normal turn-based play.
Example: There are 3 characters, each with a Wait of 4. Character A goes, followed by Character B. Character A cannot post again until Character C has posted. Once Character C has posted, the cycle begins anew.
Characters may speak and role-play freely, even when it is not their turn. However, they cannot take any significant action or make any significant movement until it is their turn.
Here's an example of this rule in play (names have not been changed - screw the innocent). Actions which would count towards one's Wait requirement are listed in bold.
0. Arty - Action (steps onto the field and ties a balloon around her ankle)
1. Jonny - RP (yells at Kate for popping his balloon)
2. Scias - Action (moves towards and smacks Jonny upside the head)
3. Arty - RP (laughs at Scias and Jonny)
4. Kate - RP (cries at all the violence)
5. Typhen - Action (pulls out a water balloon and throws it at Scias)
6. Scias - Reflex (defends against Typhen's attack)
7. Rakinu - Action (moves behind Typhen and disarms him)
8. Mercurius - Action (pulls out a water balloon canon and goes to town on Typhen)
9. ??? (Arty could act again. So could Jonny or Kate, assuming they hadn't already taken their turns)
RULE SET #4: COMBAT
In combat, the rules regarding Feats are no different than they are otherwise:
To Attack: Agility + Combat = Modifier. Modifier + Roll > 15 = success
To Defend: Agility + Defense = Modifier. Modifier + Roll > 15 = success
To use a Special: Will + Target Ability's Modifier (specified in ability's description) = Modifier. Modifier + Roll > 15 = success
When a target is attacked, they must defend themselves. If successful, the damage will be dodged, blocked, parried, or however else the character wishes to RP their defense specifically. If they fail to defend, however, they will receive damage.
The attacker rolls the appropriate number and side of dice and adds the total rolled to their Strength (in the case of physical attacks) or Power (in the case of magical attacks). The Armor score of the defender (either Physical, Elemental, Biological, or Magical, depending on the nature of the attack) is subtracted from this number and the remainder is then deducted from their Health.
EXAMPLE: Darren is fighting a giant spider creature. He swings his sword bravely, rolling a d20 to hit. His Agility (3) + Combat (4) gives him a +7 modifier, though his roll of 17 gives him a natural success anyway. His weapon gives him +2d8 Physical damage (he rolls a 4 and 6 for a total of +10 dmg) and his Strength of 5 makes his total damage to the spider 15. The spider has a Physical Armor score of 6, which reduces the damage done to it to 9 points. The spider's health drops from 24 to 15.
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 9:52 am
RULE SET #5: OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Burned by Acid: Similar to being engulfed in flame, a character affected by acid will take 4 Biological damage for every round the acid remains in contact with his body. This will last until the acid eats through him (which will prove fatal if the head or torso is affected or sever any affected extremities) or is neutralized by a base.
Disease: Some diseases are worse than others, but all can cause great discomfort and even death if allowed to progress. Unlike poisons, diseases are divided into 5 levels, each representing a more deadly set of illnesses than the last:
Level 1: The Cold, Dysentery, Chicken Pox, or Troll Wart
Level 2: Influenza, Leprosy, Fairy Flu, or Fin Fungus
Level 3: Ardent Fever, Consumption, Pneumonia, or Yellow Fever
Level 4: Gangrene, Smallpox, STDs, Black Death, or Malaria
Level 5: Cancer, Spotted Plague, or Kulu
Those with a Stamina equal to or greater than the disease's Level may roll a Stamina feat for each day of rest they take. The number of successes they must accumulate is equal to the disease's Level x 5. Though heroic individuals like PCs aren't likely to die from disease, the Judge is free to use his discretion when infecting and killing PCs with infectious diseases.
Drunkeness: When a character is drunk, there is a +3 Difficulty placed on all feats that require coordination, balance, quick reaction time, and focus. Also, he probably makes quite an a** of himself.
Engulfed in Flame: If engulfed in flame, a character will suffer 8 Elemental damage every minute he remains enflamed. This will last until the fire is doused or he is burned to a crisp - whichever comes first.
Falling Damage: Generally speaking, characters take 1 Physical damage per 100 lbs they weigh (round up) per 5 feet they fall. However, falls under 10 feet deal no damage. If a character falls into water, falling damage is halved. Example: Rupert, who weighs 200 lbs, will take 2 Physical damage for every 5 feet he falls. Rupert falls 50 feet. Rupert takes 20 physical damage. Splat.
Holding Breath: Characters may hold their breath for an amount of minutes equal to their Stamina. With a Stamina+Athletics feat, they may add an additional minute to this time. Once this time has run out, if the character is able to take a breath, he will do so automatically. If unable to breathe, he will lose consciousness and slowly asphyxiate to death.
Loss of Life: When a character reaches 0 Life or less, he loses consciousness and must make a Stamina feat to evade death. He must make this feat every round on his turn. If he fails 3 times (each failure is called a Strike), he dies (3 strikes you're out). He must continue making these Stamina feats until treated by a Medicine feat (though he will remain unconscious for at least 6 hours). His deathly condition may also be ended if a healing spell, potion, or other supernatural effect brings him back up to at least 1 point of Life (taking negative numbers into account).
Dead characters may be brought back to life with a Judge's permission and if events in the story permit (some Judges are more lenient than others in this matter). Certain circumstances may overrule this guideline (being eaten, crushed beneath a collapsing building, falling into a volcano, etc.); the Judge is free to use his discretion.
Loss of Consciousness: If a character loses more than half his Life from a single attack, he must make a Stamina feat or lose consciousness. A character who loses consciousness in this manner will awaken about an hour later.
Poison: Poison's potencies are graded in levels 1-10 (with 1 being the weakest and 10 being the strongest). A character may attempt to resist any poison whose level is equal to or less than his Stamina score; success results in half the poison's effect taking place. Poisons must be counteracted by an antidote whose level is equal to or greater than their own in order to be cured immediately. Poisons with a level less than or equal to the character's Stamina will naturally leave his system within a day or two (if they don't kill him first).
Recovering Life: Life recovers at a rate equal to the character's Constitution for every 5 minutes spent resting. This rate is doubled when the character has been treated by a Medicine feat. If attacked while resting, the character cannot defend and takes double damage. Life and Mana also recover completely when the character spends at least 6 hours sleeping.
Recovering Mana: While resting, Mana recovers at a rate equal to the character's Spirit for every 5 minutes spent resting. This rate is doubled when the character is actively meditating via a Will feat. If attacked while resting/meditating, the character cannot defend and takes double damage. Life and Mana also recover completely when the character spends at least 6 hours sleeping.
Sleep Deprivation: If the character recieves less than 6 hours of rest every 24 hours, he begins to suffer the effects of sleep deprivation. A +2 Difficulty is added to all feats which require mental focus or clarity each day the character goes without sleep. He may stay awake a number of days equal to his Will score before simply collapsing of exhaustion.
Throwing Objects: For small, hand held objects, the distance the item can be thrown is equal to the character's (Strength + Athletics) x5 yards. For heavier objects (the Judge will determine what constitutes a heavy object based on the character's Strength and the object's weight), distance (in yards) is equal to the character's Strength x 5 (possibly less for especially heavy items).
Treating Injuries: A simple Medicine feat is all that is required to bind a targets wounds with bandages (the bandages will be lost after doing so). Once treated, a target will recover Life at twice the normal rate when resting. This effect lasts for a single rest.
More considerations will be added as the games progress and various situations arise.
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 9:53 am
LIST OF CRITICAL SUCCESS EFFECTS
When a character attains a critical success, he succeeds at what he was attempting to do in a big way. In order to better help players know what to expect from critical successes, here is a partial (and growing) list of some effects that critical successes can have. In the case of multiple effects, players can choose which one happens in their particular scenario.
What happens if I roll a critical when I...
Attack an enemy: Double damage
Defend against an attack: Counter-attack (if enemy is in range) - this must be a standard attack...however, it cannot be defended against.
Use a Special Ability: Double the intended effect -or- double the intended duration of the effect -or- use the ability at no Mana cost
This list will continue to grow as critical successes are attained and the Judges regulate what happens in each scenario.
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 9:54 am
LIST OF FEAT MODIFIERS
There are a billion actions a character can take at any given time and, likewise, many combinations of Stats and Skills to provide a modifier for these actions when a feat must be rolled. Hopefully this eternally growing list provides some idea of what to roll for the more commonly used actions.
Physical Actions
Attack (melee): Agility+Combat-Melee
Attack (ranged): Agility+Combat-Ranged
Cast a Spelll: Will+Power
Defend against attack: Agility+Defense
Use a Stunt: Will+Stunt's Modifier (see Stunt description for Modifier)
Social Actions
Detect deception: Charisma+Awareness
Intimidation (Mental): Intellect+Influence
Intimidation (Physical): Strength+Influence
Mental Actions
Environmental Actions
Break Down a Door: Strength alone
Listen/Look/Smell/etc: Perception+Awareness
Pick a Lock: Agility+Guile
Search area: Intellect+Awareness
Misc. Actions
This list will continue to be updated as the Judges assign modifiers to the feats Players must roll in various scenarios.
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