Aristocrat Subclass
Player chooses two skills, one primary (which starts at skill level 4) and one secondary (which starts at skill level 2). Choose from General Skills and Profession Skills.
General Aristocrat Skills * Appraise * Animal
Handling
* Bluff
* Defense * First Aid * Fishing
* Gather
Information * Intimidate * Hunting
* LanguageSpeak (per
language)
* LanguageRead/Write
(per language) * Listen
* Memory
Recall
* Ride
* Running
Distance
* Running
Speed
*Search
*Spot
*Swim
*Tumble
*Weapon
Group: General
Commoner Subclass
Option 1) Player chooses two skills, one primary (which starts at skill level 4) and one secondary (which starts at skill level 2) Choose from General Skill or Profession Skills.
Option 2) Player choses one crafting skill at a skill of 5
General Commoner Skills * Appraise
* Animal Handling
* Brawling
* Defense
* First Aid
* Fishing
* Gather Information * Jump
* Language – Speak (per language)
* Listen
* Memory Recall * Ride
* Running – Distance * Running – Speed * Search
*Spot
* Swim
* Weapon Group: General
Aristocrat Professions * Chancellor: Memory Recall, Gather Information * Constable: Gather Information, Spot
* Diplomat: Bluff, Intimidate
* Herald: Memory Recall, Spot
* Judge: Sense motive, Gather Information * Knight: Ride, Animal Handling
* Nobleman: Bluff, Intimidate
* Sheriff: Gather Information, Spot
* Tax Collector: Appraise, Gather Information
Skill Points Per Level during Subclass (level 1 through 4) All characters receive six skill points at 1st level and each additional level to spend accordingly within the Aristocrat subclass or Commoner subclass with the following exceptions:
* Adam receive 12 skill points to spend
* Showrad receive 4 skill points to spend.
* Auctioneer: Haggle, Appraise
* Barber: Gather Information, Memory Recall * Chimney Sweep: Climb, Balance
* Cook: Memory Recall, Haggle
* Courier: Running, Memory Recall
* Farmer: Animal Handling; Search
* Fisherman: Fishing, Swim
* Groomsman: Animal Handling, Search * Herdsman: Spot; Animal Handling
* House Servant: Memory Recall, Bluff * Laborer: +1 to Physical Strength and Health * Lawyer: Sense Motive, Bluff
* Miller: Haggle, Sense Motive
* Teamster: Animal Handling, Memory Recall
Commoner Craft Trade (Craft Skill of Same Name) Spending Skill Points Skill Points may be spent on any skill within the subclass as follows: • 1 point to increase the skill by 1 for skill ranks 0 through 4
• 2 points to increase the skill by 1 for skill ranks 5 through 9
• 3 points to increase the skill by 1 for skill ranks 10 through 14
• 4 points to increase the skill by 1 for skill ranks 15 through 19
• 5 points to increase the skill by 1 for skill ranks 20 through 24
* Architect/Engineer * Armorer
* Baker
* Butcher
* Blacksmith
* Bookbinder
* Bower/Fletcher
* Brewer
* Candle Maker
* Carpenter
* Cobbler/Shoemaker * Doctor
* Dyer
* Glassblower
* Goldsmith/Silversmith * Jeweler
* Leather Worker
* Locksmith
* Mason
* Mechanic
* Potter
* Plumber
* Roofer
* Shipwright
* Stonecarver
* Tanner
* Weaver
* Weaponsmith
SKILLS BEYOND 4TH LEVEL Once a character has enough experience points to reach a character level of 5, the character must petition to join a guild. No character is allowed to progress to 5th level without joining a guild. This is often called the “guilding process”. At this time the character seeks out a representative of the guild he wishes to join. That guild will then test the character in a series of quests to determine if the character is worthy of being accepted within the guild. If accepted, the character is able to spend 12 skill points (Adam may spend 18) for skills as directed within the guild class.
Skills are divided into availability: General, Rogue, Ranger, Magi, Aristocrat, Commoner, Bard, and Warrior. The character’s chosen guild directly affects which skills the player may purchase or improve. The cost of purchasing skills is determined by the relation of the skill to the guild as follows:
General Skills: General skills are those available to any character regardless of class and may be purchased or improved as normal. General skills are the only skills a player may attempt if unlearned (Rank 0).
Class Skills: Class skills are those available directly to the specific class and may be pur- chased or improved as normal. Cross-Trained Skills: Cost-Trained skills are those outside of the character’s class skills but are not restricted to a specific class. A character must spend double the amount of skill points to purchase or improve skills that fall within this classification.
Class-Specific Skills: Class Specific skills are those skills restricted to a specific class. Only those characters of that specific class have access to these skills. Characters may purchase or improve these skills as normal while the character has access to them. Characters may not Cross-Train Class-Specific skills. In the case of multi-classing or changing guilds, a charac- ter loses the ability to increase or purchase Class-Specific skills they once had access to.
Example: A Commoner purchasing the Appraise skill at rank 1 would spend one skill point because it is a class skill. A Warrior, on the other hand, would need to spend two points to purchase that same skill at rank 1 because it is not a class skill for a Warrior. Neither the Commoner nor Warrior could spend skill points on Animal Empathy because that skill is Class-Specific for the Ranger guild.
Multi-Classing
A character may also choose to change classes every 10 levels of experience within a specific guild. This is called “multi-classing”. Adam are more flexible in multi-classing and may do so every 5 levels.
Class skills are determined by what skills are available to the character at that time. In the case of multi-classed characters, it is irrelevant if the character could once train in a ClassSpecific skill. You can only consider what skills are available at the time when skill points are spent.
Example: Thomas, an Adam, and Youish, a Gabad, came from a family of barbers. Youish received six skill points at first level while Thomas received 12. Both gained in level at the same time. When both reached 4th level, Thomas had 48 points to spend on skills while Youish had 24 to spend. Both were accepted to the Rogue Guild. By level 10, Youish had spent an additional 72 skill points while Thomas spent 108. Thomas decided to change guilds and became a Warrior at 9th level (4 levels of the Commoner subclass and 5 levels of the Rogue class). Youish wished to follow but could not because he did not have 10 levels of experience as a Rogue. Thomas has full access to all Warrior guild skills. While Thomas can still use the Rogue Class-Specific skills he learned in his 5 levels of be- ing a Rogue, he is barred from increasing those Class-Specific skills. He is further limited to spending double the skill points to learn Rogue skills that are now considered Cross-Trained.
Character Age
The stage of the character’s life cycle can affect attr
ibutes. While life cycles in Soterion vary, the overall effects are as follows: (Note that the attribute modifiers are totaled and not cumulative)
Child: Half character attributes (if determined)
Adolescent: No effect on character attributes
Young Adult: No effect on character attributes
Mature Adult: No effect on character attributes
Older Adult: Total -1 Physical Strength and -1 Physical Beauty
Senior Citizen: Total -2 Physical Strength, -2 Agility, -1 Health, -1 Manual Dexterity, and -2 Physical Beauty
Elderly: Total -4 Physical Strength, -4 Agility, -3 Manual Dexterity, -4 Health, and -4 Physical Beauty.
GAME MECHANICS
NUTS AND BOLTS
Once you have a character created, it is important to know the rules of the game. The game rules provide a structure for the player to navigate their character within the gaming world.
Skill Rolls
A successful skill roll is when a sum total of 3d8 is rolled and that roll exceeds the target number. Target numbers vary depending on the situation. Setting the skill Target Number (TN) is done by the Narrator. The base difficulties are 9 (easy), 15 (average), 21 (difficult), 27 (hard), 36 (heroic), and 48 (impossible) as defined previously. Once the target number has been assigned, the character’s total skill is reduced from the initial difficulty to determine the sum total needed to roll on 3d8 for success. A character must meet or exceed that number to succeed at the skill. In some cases, it may be necessary to set a target number higher than 48. In those cases, difficulty categories increase every 15 points. Note that the target number can never be reduced lower than 1 by the character’s skill AND that a natural roll of 2’s (2, 2, 2) is an automatic skill failure.
Total Skill A character’s total skill is determined by adding the skill rank the character has in a certain skill and the skill’s linked attribute. The linked attribute modifier is never considered within the base skill rank for purposes of buying or increasing certain skills. So, if a character has the Appraise skill at rank 3 and has a Knowledge of 18 (+2 modifier), then the total skill would be 5.
1’s and 8’s
For skill rolls, one d8 may be re-rolled and added to the sum for every five skill ranks if the natural roll is a 1 or 8. Example: Leevant is trying to craft a new sword. With access to a master crafting set, his base difficulty is 9. Leevant also has the Crafting: Weapons at skill rank 5. With Leevant’s skill level factored into the base difficulty, he would need to roll a sum total of 4 or more on 3d8 to succeed. The roll comes up as 1, 8, and 3. Because Leevant’s skill is 5, he can reroll either the 1 or the 8 and add that roll to the sum total. He chooses the 1 and rerolls a 5. The Sum total of the roll, then, is 17 (1 + 8 + 3 + 5). He succeeded by 13 points.
Skill Failure Skill failure occurs in two ways: either the sum total rolled on 3d8 is less than the target number OR the player rolls a natural 2, 2, 2. A roll where all three die are 2’s is called an Auto Failure. The consequences of skill failure are based on the actual skill being performed. It may mean that the character “misses” on an attack. It could also be more catastrophic, such as failing a swimming roll where failure means that the character drowns.
Performing Unlearned Skills As a rule, characters cannot perform tasks unless they have that skill. It is considered an auto failure. The only exceptions to this are General skills. General skills may be performed by characters who have spent 0 points in the skill. Success, however, is difficult and always at the most minimal result.
To set the target number needed for unlearned skills, the Narrator determines what the base target number would be for a character with the skill then the target number is increased by 15. The target number is then adjusted by the appropriate attribute modifier to determine the sum total needed to roll on 3d7. Regardless, a character cannot perform the task if the adjusted target number (base target number modified by the character’s related attribute modifier) is higher than 30.
Example: Johnathon, who cannot swim, is thrown into a still pond. Swim is a General skill and performable even though Johnathon is without the skill. Normally, this would be an easy task for a swimmer (target number 9 minus the character’s skill and ability modifiers). Johnathon’s target number, however, would be 24 (9 + 15). Let’s say that Johnathon is thrown into a raging river. This would be a hard task for a swimmer (difficulty of 27 minus the character’s skill and attribute modifiers). Johnathon’s target number would be 42 (27 + 15 = 42). Since the target number exceeds 30, there is no chance Johnathon could succeed, and therefore he would drown.
Skill Success Some skills require only a pass/fail to determine success. Swimming, for example, is not affected whether the character succeeds by 1 point or by 20 points on the skill roll. Other skills, however, are controlled not only by success but how much the skill roll “beat” the Target Number. When the amount of success is important, the “skill modifier” adjusts the final result as follows:
A skill success that exceeds the target number by 0 points has a result modifier of -5. In crafting, the crafted item has its base value reduced by 10%. The result modifier increases on a point by point basis thereafter. For crafting, the value adjustment is by 2% per point of successes.
Example: Referring to Leevant’s new sword, he succeeded the target number by 13. His new sword provides a +8 modifier and increases the base value of the weapon by 16%. This +8 modifier INCREASES the amount of damage the sword by 8 points. If Leevant had just succeeded the target number then the weapon would have a modifier of -5; meaning that the damage of the weapon would be reduced by 5 points (never causing less than 1 point of damage)
Shot in the Dark “Shot in the dark” allows the character to re-roll all natural “8” as if the attribute or skill is 21 or higher. If the character succeeds in roll a full set of “8” (a natural 48 roll) then the charac- ter succeeds. This success is always at its most minimal. The purpose of this skill is to allow the character to perform the impossible. The odds of rolling six “8” is minimal, at best. But sometimes, you just get lucky.
Attribute Checks Attribute checks are used to determine character reactions or when the character is using a physical feat not addressable by a listed skill (example: poison effects). In the event an attribute check is required, the Narrator assigns a difficulty. There are many factors that go into determining a difficulty check. The necessary roll needed to succeed on an attribute check is the assigned difficulty minus the character’s attribute.
Some factors in setting the initial difficulty are the character’s situation, environment, physi- cal condition, and what not. The
Narrator should assess the situation to
determine the needed target number.
Sometimes, the preset number can
come from traps, poisons, or anything
else that can affect the character.
Resisting Effects When a character is faced with making
an attribute check that has a specific
effect, such as poison, the character
may always roll an attribute check to resist that effect. A successful attribute check halves the consequences.
When Health if Affected
Health is a valuable attribute within game. It determines bonus hit points to the character’s Health pool, is a base attribute in many attribute checks, and is also a base for physical activity. The character can no longer physically function when the Health attribute is reduced to 0. The reduction to the Health attribute does not affect modifiers, the Health Pool, or other functions outside what the specific deduction is for (like fatigue).
Character Movement
A character’s movement is based on stride. The longer a character’s stride then the more ground he or she can cover. There are three modes of movement: Walking, Jogging, and Sprinting. The movement rate is the distance a character can move in 1 round (8 seconds).
Walking: A character’s walking distance in a round is the character’s height in feet mul
tiplied by 4. A character can walk for up to four hours before needing to take a rest. Jogging: A character’s jogging distance in a round is the character’s height in feet multiplied by 12. A character can jog for up to five times the character’s Health attribute in rounds be- fore needing to take a rest.
Sprinting: A character’s sprinting distance in a round is the character’s height in feet multiplied by 40. A character can sprint up to 1/3rd the character’s Health attribute (round up) in rounds before needing to take a rest.
Drowning/Suffocation
A character can hold his breath for 4 seconds for every point of Health. He/she loses one point of Health for every round which exceeds the character’s ability to hold his/her breath. The character goes unconscious when the character’s health reaches 0. The character continues to lose 1 point of health if the condition persists. Note: when swimming, a character loses 1 point of Health for every failed swim roll.
Flight
Gabad and Nepsah are two playable races that have the ability to fly. Much like normal movement, flying has three “speeds”: Hover, Moderate, and Fast.
Hover: A character’s hovering distance in a round is the character’s height in feet multiplied by 4. A character can walk for up to four hours before needing to take a rest.
Moderate: A character’s moderate distance in a round is the character’s height in feet multiplied by 12. A character can jog for up to five times the character’s Health attribute in rounds before needing to take a rest.
Fast: A character’s fastest flying distance in a round is the character’s height in feet multi- plied by 40. A character can sprint up to 1/3rd the character’s Health attribute (round up) in rounds before needing to take a rest.
Unlike standard movement, the character’s agility plays a substantial part of flying. Agility equals maneuverability. A character can perform up to 8 of the following maneuvers in one action while flying: Stop, go, and turn 45 degrees. Also, the character can only perform 1 maneuver per three Agility points. The other difference from standard movement is that a flying character has three dimensions to maneuver in. Any maneuver that would exceed the character’s ability to perform in one round is an action that would require a flight skill roll.
Bridge Worlds: Soterion Page 12
