Character Creation

An Innate Ability is an exceptional natural talent, specific to a character's ancestry. It is an instinctive aptitude, capable of turning around a difficult situation.

Innate Abilities can be used at any time, as long as circumstances do not prevent it (for example if the character is immobilized, neutralized, or deprived of their means).
They require no particular action to be used: you do not need to wait for a specific turn or sacrifice a movement or attack. They simply activate when the player chooses to trigger them, as soon as the narrative or events lend themselves to it, for example when their turn comes.

In exchange for their power, an Innate Ability can generally only be used once per day.

Each class assigns 1 or more Hit Dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, or d12) to your character. For example, 2d4 for the Believer class.

Hit Dice are key to calculating your Hit Points (HP). At level 1, you receive the sum of the maximum of the hit dice.

A Believer with 2d4 hit dice will have max HP at level 1 of 8 HP.
A Mystic with 1d6 will have 6 HP at level 1.

At each level up of your character, a roll of your hit dice will be required to calculate your new max HP; we will return to this concept in the section dedicated to leveling up.

The Magic Stat (MAG) is an essential stat for spellcasters and users of magical abilities. It is none other than the total value of the stat (STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA) specifically designated as the magic stat for the character's class.

By default, Intelligence (INT) is designated as the Magic Stat (MAG) but this stat can vary depending on the character's class.

Magic points fuel your magical skills and special abilities.

Magic points are calculated by adding the value of the Magic Stat (MAG) to the character's level then doubling the result obtained.

Here is the formula to apply to determine the number of MP:

Max MP = 2 x (MAG + Level)

Let's calculate at level 1 the max MP of a Mystic character with INT at +4.
Max MP = (4+1) x 2 = 10.

If the total MP is less than zero, then the PC has 0 MP.

Initiative is of paramount importance as it influences the order in which characters act during combat.

Its starting value is equal to 10, to which is added the character's total Dexterity (DEX) modifier.

Initiative = 10 + DEX

Defense scores represent a character's ability to absorb or resist enemy attacks.
They are compared against the opponent's attack rolls (opposed rolls) to determine whether enemy attacks have an effect.

Each character has two types of defenses; the Outfit you choose will grant bonuses or penalties that are added to these defense scores.

• Physical Defense (Phys Def) used to resist physical melee and ranged attacks:

  Phys Def = 10 + CON + Level + Outfit Bonus/Penalty
  

• Magical Defense (Mag Def) used to resist magical attacks:

  Mag Def = 10 + WIS + Level + Outfit Bonus/Penalty
  

During combat, an attack performed by a PC is carried out in 2 steps: an attack roll followed by a damage calculation.

Starting weapons and off-hand equipment are determined by your Outfit.

Afterwards, you will have the opportunity to acquire new weapons to replace them and/or upgrade them to make them more powerful. The weapon purchase and upgrade mechanics are detailed in the Game Master's Guide.

Outfit Abilities enrich the actions your character can undertake. Some abilities are specific to the combat phase, others are intended for roleplay, and some are versatile, usable in both contexts.

The Ability system being common to Creatures and Outfits, we will return to their structure in detail in a later section.

Each Outfit offers 8 Abilities that you can unlock. To unlock an Ability and its evolutions, you must use Ability Points (AP) accumulated during your adventures during a long rest phase.

Acquiring an Ability or an Ability evolution costs 3 AP. It is important to note that evolutions require a minimum level to be unlocked.

Here is an example to illustrate unlocking ability evolutions.

Surprise Action
If the character is stealthy or behind the opponent, they can perform a surprise action. The character gains a +2 bonus to their action test.

• Level 3: The bonus increases to +3.
• Level 5: The bonus increases to +4.
• Level 7: The bonus increases to +5.

Your character has acquired the "Surprise Action" ability. At level 1, this bonus is +2. Upon reaching level 3, they spend 3 AP to unlock the first evolution, increasing their bonus to +3. This evolution is only accessible because your character has reached the required level.

When creating your character (level 1), you freely choose 2 Abilities among the 8 offered by your Outfit: they are granted for free, without spending any AP. Evolutions of these abilities remain subject to the level and cost rules described above.

Outfits offer defense bonuses or penalties that directly impact the character's defense stats.

Physical Defense (Phys Def) or Magical Defense (Mag Def) bonuses/penalties range from -4 to +4.

For example, an Outfit could add +1 to Physical Defense (Phys Def) and +3 to Magical Defense (Mag Def), improving resistance to physical and magical attacks.

Each Outfit has an initial durability that ranges from 5 to 10 points. The outfit's condition deteriorates when it has been exposed to damage during combat.

The impact on durability is determined at the end of combat and depends on the level of damage sustained by the character.

• No damage sustained: The outfit's durability remains unchanged.
• Damage sustained without reaching 0 HP: The outfit loses 1 durability point.
• Damage sustained with 0 HP: The outfit loses 2 durability points.

When an outfit's durability reaches 0, it is broken. The character can no longer use the abilities associated with that outfit and no longer benefits from its defense bonuses.

The character must then repurchase the same outfit but can repair it before it comes to that.

Outfits as well as Creatures can have resistances and/or weaknesses to certain damage types (Fire, Ice, Bludgeoning, etc.) exploitable during combat phases.

When a character attacks an opponent by exploiting their weakness, they gain an additional +3 bonus to their attack roll.
Conversely, when a character attacks an opponent resistant to their attack type, they suffer a -3 penalty to their attack roll.

In the case of a critical success or the use of the Progressive Damage Bonus advanced rule, the damage bonus granted by the gap between the attack roll and the opponent's defense must take this bonus or penalty into account.

The handling of critical successes and critical failures will be explained in detail in an upcoming section.

Weapons and equipment are subject to specific usage constraints:

• Main Hand: The weapon or equipment must be held in the character's main hand. This type of constraint is typical for swords, or other weapons or equipment that require precise control and are used as primary tools in combat.
• Off-Hand: The weapon or equipment is intended to be used in the non-dominant hand. These items can include shields, daggers, or accessories that provide additional support or defense but are not the primary offensive tools.
• Versatile: The weapon or equipment can be used interchangeably in the main hand or off-hand. This category offers flexibility for equipment that can be used with either hand, such as certain light swords or magical items.
• Two-Handed: The weapon or equipment requires the use of both hands to be wielded effectively. This often includes items such as bows, halberds, or certain longswords that require two-handed handling for optimal use.

For example, a Short Sword must be held in the Main Hand and a Shield in the Off-Hand.

Exceptionally and for simplicity reasons, certain two-handed weapons may sometimes be paired with an off-hand equipment item.

Although not technically held in hand, a quiver is classified as off-hand equipment when used with a bow.

Weapons are divided into 3 categories, each associated with a specific attack type:

• Melee: Melee weapons are designed for close-quarters combat. They include swords, axes, hammers, etc.
• Ranged: Ranged weapons are used to attack targets from a distance. They include bows, crossbows, rifles, etc.
• Magical: Magical weapons allow users to perform magical attacks. They include magical staves, scepters, wands, etc.

When your character attempts an attack, whether melee, ranged, or magical, an attack roll is necessary to determine whether the attack hits its target. Each weapon uses a specific stat for this test, which defines the bonus to add to the attack.

Short Sword STR+1 DM 1d6+1
Here, STR+1 indicates that when attacking with this weapon, you roll a 20-sided die (D20) and add your character's Strength (STR) bonus plus an additional bonus of +1.
Remember that your level must also be included in the calculation of the total attack score: STR+1 + Level.

The weapon type also determines the attack type during the attack roll, which then defines the defense type against which the result of this test is compared.

• Melee or Ranged Weapon: When using this type of weapon, you perform a Physical Attack (Phys Atk). You must succeed on a physical attack roll then compare it to the opponent's Physical Defense (Phys Def).

  Phys Atk Roll => Compare to Phys Def
  

• Magical Weapon: When using this type of weapon, you perform a Magical Attack (Mag Atk). A magical attack roll is required which you then compare to the opponent's Magical Defense (Mag Def).

  Mag Atk Roll => Compare to Mag Def
  

As we have seen, each weapon benefits from a specific bonus for attack rolls associated with a Test Stat, reflecting the quality and precision of the weapon you are using.

Short Sword STR+1 DM 1d6+1

When your attack roll succeeds, the damage dealt by your weapon is determined by a specific damage roll associated with the weapon, indicated by the abbreviation DM (for "Damage").

Short Sword STR+1 DM 1d6+1
Here 1d6+1 means you must roll 1 six-sided die (1d6) and add +1 to the result to get the total damage.

In addition to attack roll bonuses and damage calculations, some weapons and equipment have Special Effects. These effects can include:

• Elemental damage (Fire, Ice, etc.) additional;

  Flaming Sword STR+1 DM 1d6+1 (+1d4 Fire)

• Test bonuses in certain situations (Ranged/Melee Atk or Magical);

  Quiver +1 Ranged Atk

• Defense bonuses (Phys Def or Mag Def);

  Shield +1 Phys Def

• MP regeneration as a free action (F).

  Sacred Censer (F) +1 MP Regeneration

The mechanisms for improving the test bonus, damage, or impact of special effects of weapons and equipment are detailed in the Game Master's Guide.

You have the ability to equip and master 2 weapon sets. Each weapon set can be configured in one of the following ways:

• Hybrid Equipment: A set can consist of a one-handed weapon in the main hand (sword, dagger, axe, etc.) accompanied by either a second one-handed weapon or defensive equipment (such as a shield or grimoire) in the off-hand.
• Two-Handed Weapon: The other option allows equipping an imposing weapon requiring two hands to wield (such as a greatsword or a halberd).

In the heat of combat, characters have the option to switch weapon sets, consuming a movement action (M). We will return to the different action types in an upcoming section dedicated to Combat.

Meta-information, or simply Meta, provides details on ability usage. It is indicated near the ability name to facilitate understanding and application.

Here are the different possible Meta-information items, illustrated by progressively detailed examples.

The ability description provides all the information necessary for the player to use it effectively and apply its effects. It may also include details on various aspects:

• Effect duration: For abilities generating a lasting effect, the duration is indicated in number of full turns around the table.
• Magic Points (MP) cost: For magical abilities, the MP cost is generally specified and ranges from 1 to 5.

These parameters are likely to change with the different ability evolutions.

Arcane Shield | C - MA - Support: The character can create an Arcane Shield for a cost of 1 MP, reducing all damage taken by 1d12 for 3 turns. Only the character casting the ability can benefit from the Arcane Shield.

Note that creatures are not affected by MP costs. To compensate, it is necessary to limit the number of uses of abilities per combat or to indicate cooldowns.

Abilities may require a cooldown before they can be used again.

The cooldown is a waiting period that must elapse after using the ability before it can be activated again. The cooldown is expressed in game turns with the countdown beginning on the character's next turn.

Lightning Strike | C - A - PHY(DEX): The character can perform a quick and precise attack, targeting the enemy's weak points to deal 1d4 additional damage.

Cooldown: 3 Turns

The character must wait 3 Turns before being able to use this ability again.

Certain abilities have limitations on their usage. These limitations determine at what frequency an ability can be used. An ability's usage limitation is generally incompatible with cooldowns. For example:

• 1 / Day: The ability can be used only once during a game day, generally reset after a long rest period.
• 1 / Encounter: The ability can be used only once during a combat.

Pain Resistance | C - F: The character can reduce damage taken from all attacks by 1d4 for 2 turns. After this ability's duration, the character takes 1d6 damage.

Limitation: 1 / Encounter

This ability is usable only once per combat.

Abilities offer improvements at specific level thresholds such as test bonuses, additional effects, or damage.

Characters can unlock evolutions by spending Ability Points (AP), if they have reached the required level. Each evolution costs 3 AP and can be acquired during a long rest phase.

Pain Resistance | C - F: The character can reduce damage taken from all attacks by 1d4 for 2 turns. After this ability's duration, the character takes 1d6 damage.

Limitation: 1 / Encounter

• Level 3: Reduces damage taken by 1d6 and takes 1d8 damage after pain resistance ends.
• Level 5: Reduces damage taken by 1d8 and takes 1d10 damage after pain resistance ends.
• Level 7: Reduces damage taken by 1d10 and takes 1d12 damage after pain resistance ends.

A character at level 5 can unlock the evolutions for levels 3 and 5 for 6 AP (3 + 3), but cannot unlock level 7.

It should be noted that in the case of creature abilities, these evolutions are entirely optional.