Rules Changelog: First Playtest

Rules Changelog and Errata

The original rules posts will be updated at some point soon. Until then, this changelog should list all the changes made to those rules as a result of the first playtest.

1. Combat

• Effect calls are now written in UPPERCASE to make them visually distinct.
• CLEAVE is renamed SMASH.
• Point of clarification: In addition to their regular effects, STRIKEDOWN, STAGGER, IMPALE and SMASH still do a single point of damage when they strike a person.
• When a player is healed after being struck by an IMPALE, their armour is still on zero hits until it is repaired (whilst not intuitive, this is to make sure that players only have to remember a single number of hits).
• FEAR is altered from “will by preference not come within 5 metres of the source” to “will avoid attacking the source”.
• HATRED is altered to “The target now should attack the source of this call by preference for the rest of the encounter. This does not force the target to directly attack the source if doing so would be impractical (for example, due to being separated by an impenetrable mass melee, or being physically restrained by other party members, or not carrying weapons). They should also roleplay being angry at or having an irrational hatred of the source.”
• The durations of FEAR and HATRED are altered to “until the end of the encounter or one minute, whichever is shorter”
• The GLOBAL call is removed, in favour of explicit OC instructions from the GM whenever a global-scale effect occurs.
• Feet on the floor are now valid targets.
• The working ratio of beads in a bead bag is 17 white, 2 red, 1 black.
• A character healed from Incapacitated through use of the Healing skill is restored to one hit, plus the number of additional maximum body hits granted by skills like Toughness.
• The wording “Each blow struck on an incapacitated person causes them to draw an extra bead from the bag” is changed to “Each blow struck on an Incapacitated person on the ground causes them to draw an extra bead from the bag”. This means that you have to be hacking someone to death on the ground in order to increase their chances of death rather than getting a quick hit in whilst they’re falling over.
• When a character chooses to Burn Out they are restored to 10 base body hits plus the number of additional maximum body hits granted by skills like Toughness, and gain one RESIST to IMPALE per encounter. They may not be healed or have their body hits restored through any method, and once either reduced to zero body hits, or a dramatically appropriate period of time has passed (as determined by the GM, usually the rest of the adventure) are completely and finally dead and completely gone.

2. Skills

• All characters may use and strike with great weapons without requiring a skill.
• The Great Weapon skill is altered as follows:
• Rank 1: You gain one RESIST to SMASH per encounter which targets a great weapon you are wielding. In addition, you gain one STAGGER per encounter.
• Rank 2: You gain a second STAGGER per encounter and one STRIKEDOWN per encounter.
• Rank 3: You gain a third STAGGER per encounter and a second STRIKEDOWN per encounter.
• The Archery skill is altered as follows:
• Rank 1: You are proficient with bows and may use them in combat. Normal characters may not use bows. You may at GM discretion recover a proportion (usually up to half) of the arrows that you fire, at the end of an encounter.
• Rank 2: In addition, you may at GM discretion fashion arrows in the field, given time and materials. One minute’s appropriate roleplaying is enough to recover all lost arrows.
• Rank 3: In addition, you may, once per encounter, call STRIKEDOWN against a target on a successful hit with an arrow.
• The Healing skill takes approximately 1 minute of uninterrupted roleplaying to heal a person.
• At rank 3 (only) the Healing skill may be used mid-combat. The skill text is reworded so it is clear that it is not possible to do this at lower ranks.
• In general, regaining a lost body hit through the use of the Healing skill is something that requires overnight rest; more hitpoints require more time. Rituals are intended to be the source of quick healing.
• The Repair skill takes approximately 1 minute of uninterrupted roleplaying to repair an item or to repair a suit of armour to full hits.
• The HATREDs granted by the Presence skill can now be targeted at anyone, not just the closest people.
• The Cleaving Blow skill is removed.
• The Strength skill is altered as follows:
• Rank 1: You are exceptionally strong, gaining one STAGGER per encounter and one STRIKEDOWN per encounter.
• Rank 2: You gain a second STAGGER per encounter and one SMASH per encounter.
• Rank 3: You gain a third STAGGER per encounter and a second STRIKEDOWN per encounter.
• In addition, the Ranger skill from rank 1 onwards allows you to intuit aspects of local geography.

3. Magic

• Most Minor rituals take approximately one minute of uninterrupted concentration to perform. Major rituals take approximately five minutes of uninterrupted concentration to perform. Powerful communion rituals may take longer, at GM discretion. Use of rituals in combat is at GM discretion.

4. Equipment

• Arrows – GMs may assume that a typical archer is carrying at least ten arrows unless they are physrepping more.
• GMs are encouraged to design interesting and varied unique items, including ones which are effective outside combat as well as ones which are effective in combat.
• Unique items are the system’s primary method of differentiating characters outside of skill choices (which at have a tendency towards homogeneity when characters are sufficiently advanced), so a truly unique item is an effective way of creating this differentiation between characters.

B. Safety

• Players are reminded to be vigilant and aware of their fellow players mid-combat, particularly those who are on the ground or who may be in your way if you are struck with a STAGGER. This is especially important if you are wearing a heavy or bulky armour physrep.
• GMs are encouraged to tailor the calls given to NPCs to the party and the terrain in order to keep combats safe.

D1. Social Contract

• PCs looting weapons, shields and armour from the corpses of NPCs is explicitly acceptable behaviour.
• NPCs attacking PCs on the ground is currently at the individual discretion of the GM, and needs more testing. Either way both PCs and monsters should be made explicitly aware of what is to be expected on each individual adventure.

Notes – B. Safety

B. Safety

Safety rules are as White City, with some exceptions and alterations.

B.1 Grapping and Unarmed Combat

Unarmed combat is not part of this system. Unarmed combat and grappling may only be performed with the strict and explicit prior consent of both parties (said consent should be acquired before each and every instance), and should never involve actual strikes that are likely to injure. Players should always err on the side of caution – if in doubt, don’t do it.

B.2 Claws

Players may use claw physreps for clawed characters or monsters. These must be coreless and project a reasonable distance from the hand in use. These should be checked and approved by a designated weapons checker (by default, the LARPO) before each and every adventure in which they are used. Per the social contract, players may not drum-roll with any weapon – claws are not excluded from this rule. Players should take special care to avoid punching or slapping whilst using claws – again, always err on the side of caution.

B.3 Collapsible-Tip (AKA Stab “Safe”) Weapons

Players may use collapsible-tip weapons, provided they have been checked and approved by a designated weapons checker (by default, the LARPO) before each and every adventure in which they are used. Players may never stab with any weapon unless they are absolutely certain that the weapon has been specifically checked and approved for that use on that particular adventure.

B.4 Arrows

Arrows are subject to the same safety rules as White City, with the additional note that to enforce the “no parrying” rule, arrows still deal their Impale effect to the target even if they are blocked by a weapon (accidentally or otherwise).

B.5 Thrown Weapons

In addition to coreless throwing weapons, the LARPO may wish to approve the use of specially designed throwing javelins at their discretion. These are subject to the same checking and safety rules as collapsible-tip weapons, and after having been thrown are subject to the same safety rules as arrows (e.g. may not be parried by weapons, etc.).

B.6 Vigilance

Players are reminded to be vigilant and aware of their fellow players mid-combat, particularly those who are on the ground or who may be in your way if you are struck with a STAGGER. This is especially important if you are wearing a heavy or bulky armour physrep. Similarly, GMs are encouraged to tailor the calls given to NPCs to the party and the terrain in order to keep combats safe.