Category Archives: Rules

House rules

Necropraxis House Rules PDF (click to download)

I have finally compiled my most frequently used house rules into a PDF. Click on the thumbnail image to download the PDF.

Some notable changes (probably only of interest to my immediate players):

Save to retain spells for magic-users is no longer active, mostly because we always forget to do it in practice. I still like the idea, though LS has informed me that adopting this rule in his own game has seemed to have made a particular magic-user PC dominant.
Scrolls now require only 1 week to craft, irrespective of the spell level (GP costs are unchanged). What this means in practice: players can make one scroll as a downtime action.
I managed to restrain myself and only sneak in one new house rule in the process of writing this document, which is sustaining spells (to replace traditional durations). This is from my recent work on magic for JRPG Basic.

Not currently present, but likely in some future update:

Poison rules. I still haven’t figured out a method that I am happy with, mostly because I would like something that makes thieves better at using poison than other classes.
Attack progressions. I’m currently using this attack ranks system, but I’ve come to feel that it is a bit cumbersome and the starting probabilities are maybe too generous. Possibilities that I have been considering: use the MEN ATTACKING table exactly as presented on page 19 of Men & Magic, but give fighters an additional flat +1 to hit, or switch to using hit dice as attack bonus (I floated this idea once, but the reaction from players was not enthusiastic).

Following are the house rules in HTML for easy reference, in both quick and detailed forms.

Quick

Death & Dying: save or die at 0 HP, success means unconsciousness.
Encumbrance: carry 1 significant item per point of strength, -1 cumulative penalty per extra item.
Two-Handed Swords: damage is 2d6, take highest result.
Dual Wielding: +1 to attack.
Burning Oil: 1 round to prep, ranged attack, 1d6 fire damage per round (save ends).
Falling: 1d6 damage per 10 feet fallen, save for half damage, save or die if falling more than 50 feet.
Suffocating & Drowning: 3 failed constitution checks followed by save or die every round thereafter.
Healing & Recovery: re-roll all hit dice at the start of every session.
Spell Duration: one non-instantaneous spell may be maintained indefinitely.

Detailed

Death & Dying

When reduced to 0 HP, make a saving throw. Success indicates unconsciousness, failure indicates death. Unconscious characters may be revived after combat with 1 HP.

Healing & Recovery

After spending time to recuperate in town, re-roll all hit dice. This will generally be done at the start of each session. This rule was inspired by Empire of the Petal Throne.

Melee Weapons

Weapons do 1d6 damage by default. Two-handed swords deal higher damage on average (roll 2d6 and take the highest result), but require both hands to use and so prevent the use of a shield. Dual-wielding two single-handed weapons is also an option, and provides +1 to the attack roll. Rules for two-handed swords and dual-wielding were borrowed from Philotomy (http://www.grey-elf.com/philotomy.pdf).

Burning Oil

Burning oil does 1d6 fire damage and requires the target to make a saving throw. On success, the fire goes out and will do no more damage. On failure, the fire keeps burning and will do another 1d6 damage (and require another saving throw) during the following round (repeat this procedure every round until the fire is extinguished). In addition to the per-round saving throw, a burning creature may opt to spend their turn trying to put out the fire (this grants an additional saving throw). Flasks of oil may be lit beforehand and then thrown (this takes two actions, one for prep and one for throwing) or thrown unlit and then ignited by a separate action (such as a thrown torch), requiring a second attack roll. In either case, the two actions may be taken by separate characters if situationally appropriate. A natural attack roll of 1 indicates that the attacker has fumbled and doused themselves in oil instead (if this oil is already burning, follow standard procedure as outlined above). A flask of oil is significant for encumbrance purposes.

Spell Duration

Any spell that is not instantaneous may be sustained indefinitely. Only one such spell may be sustained, and if another spell with duration is cast, the previously sustained spell ends. Sustained spells also end if the caster becomes unconscious.

Scrolls

Magic-users of any level may scribe scrolls. 100 GP per spell level and one week of work are required. Scrolls of spells that are level higher than can be prepared may be scribed, assuming that the magic-user has access to a spell book with the spell in question. For example, a first level magic-user can create a scroll of fireball (a third level spell) for 300 GP in one week. A scroll is significant for encumbrance purposes. The crafting rule was inspired by Holmes Basic.

Encumbrance

Adventurers may carry a number of significant items equal to their strength score. For each item beyond this limit, there is a cumulative penalty to all physical rolls (attack rolls, saving throws, and so forth). For example, a character with a strength of 9 may carry 9 items without penalty, but if that same character carries 12 items, there will be a penalty of 3 (12 items – 9 strength = 3) applied to physical rolls. Significant items include things like a sword, a scroll, a potion, a quiver of arrows, a coil of rope, or a book. Insignificant items include things like a coin, a sack, a ring, or a fishhook; a pouch of up to 100 insignificant items may be carried without using an encumbrance slot. The only special case is armor, which takes up one encumbrance slot per category (light = 1, medium = 2, heavy = 3). This rule was inspired by LS (http://www.paperspencils.com/2012/03/18/making-encumbrance-work/).

Falling

1d6 damage per 10 feet fallen, up to 5d6. Save for half damage. Additionally, if falling more than 50 feet, a save versus death must be made to avoid instant death.

Suffocating

Every round during which a character is unable to breathe (such as when under water), a constitution check is required. Three failures means breath can no longer be held, and the character’s lungs are exposed to the environment. For example, this might mean that gas is inhaled. If underwater, this means that the character is drowning, and every round thereafter a save versus death must be made. Failure means the character has drowned and is dead.

Experience

1 XP is gained for each GP of treasure spent. This is the only way to gain XP.

Spell Interpretations

Continual Light (cleric 3)

Each magic-user or cleric may have only one continual light spell active at a time, but continual light otherwise bypasses the normal spell duration rules (that is, another spell with non-instantaneous duration may be sustained along with the continual light).

Raise Dead (cleric 5)

A raised character must make a survival check (using the percentage as determined by constitution score). Failure means the character is not raised, and can never be raised. If the check is successful, the character is restored to life but also loses a point of constitution permanently. Further, life and death are not to be trifled with, and there will almost certainly be some other consequence to tampering with the order of things.

Sleep (magic-user 1)

A saving throw applies.

Magic-User spell selection

7 Replies

Based on a G+ conversation, I had a few thoughts about how magic-users acquire spells. The method that seems most commonly used is the following:

Several starting spells (often randomly determined)
A free spell when gaining a level (either chosen or rolled)
Spells may be copied from spell books (perhaps at small cost)
Spells may be copied from scrolls (which uses up the scroll)
New spells may be researched (at great cost, often only at higher level)
There might be an intelligence-based % chance to know roll (AD&D)

Taken together, these rules have some consequences, especially if rule 6 (% chance to know) is not enforced. Specifically, given that it is rational to share knowledge between party members, magic-user spell lists often converge as players trade spells. Further, magic-user spell lists grow without bound. The process of spell accumulation is fun, admittedly, but if you enjoy bounded power levels, such accumulation might be suboptimal.

If I were starting a new game of TSR D&D (or simulacra), instead I might do something like the following.

3 random spells to begin with
1 random spell per level gained
No spell books
The only mode of scroll use is one-shot casting

I would also divide the spells into schools and allow specialists, which would draw their random spells only from the chosen school. Specialists would also gain one extra spell slot to make up for the loss of versatility and represent their focus. Thus, a player that definitely wanted to play an offensive magic-user could opt for an evoker, and be guaranteed to only get evocation spells, at the cost of generality.

This would help keep power levels more controlled while still supporting my favorite aspects of the magic-user class (creativity, preparation, being able to bust out a big nuke solution every once in a while). Magic-users could still have access to an arbitrary number of spells through the use of scrolls, but scroll use needs to be more carefully considered since scrolls are nonrenewable resources. It would also encourage more emergent character development as not every magic-user would be able to cast sleep and fireball (to be fair, that is also addressed by % chance to know spell rules, but those rules have other issues, such as increasing the importance of the intelligence score).

This will obviously not work well for players that want more control over the development of their character. It is not intended to be a panacea though, and I think it would be satisfying for players that enjoy the process of character emerging from the juxtaposition of randomly determined characteristics and events during play.

Second sight

3 Replies

Odilon Redon – Joan of Arc (source)

Being a replacement for elven infravision and the first level magic-user spells detect magic and detect evil.

Those with the second sight can see many things hidden to normal vision. Such perception often manifests as numinous auras of sometimes indescribable colors. To the second sight, magic-users radiate the presence of their prepared spells and enchanted items crackle with energy or leak glittering seepage. Specific enchantments reveal aspects of their nature visually; for example, a fire enchantment may seem to seem to be wreathed in smoke and smell of ash. Magical sigils seem to drip with esoteric power or burn with inner radiance, though exact interpretation requires read magic or equivalent sorcery. Cursed or doomed creatures are swathed in dark shrouds, or surrounded by horrible, gibbering entities. Magical invisibility is like a blazing beacon to one with the second sight. Supernatural or otherworldly creatures, such as demons, often reveal different aspects or dimensions of their true form, which nevertheless may be too terrible or incomprehensible even for those that can see into the hidden realms. Second sight does not allow the detection of illusions or reveal curses in items that have not yet attached to victims. If the second sight is a natural facility (such as for elves and other faeries), it is always active.

Adventurer class

5 Replies

Talysman had this idea about universal first level, the core of which is that all PCs start with the capabilities of first level in all four main classes. That is, a first level character is sort of like a multi-class character that can use all weapons and armor, can prepare one spell, can turn undead as a first level cleric, and can use all thief abilities as a first level thief. However, when advancing, the player must choose a class. Characters never lose those first level abilities, but must choose which set of abilities improve (by advancing in a particular class).

Here is my take on a similar idea, called the adventurer class, which is meant to be the only class available. Yes, this does defeat the underlying idea of class, but that’s okay. It’s a way to play “classless” D&D without actually changing the rules much. This class is probably slightly more powerful than most classes, but definitely weaker than the B/X elf, and maybe weaker than the traditional cleric. If only this class was available, I would use the fighter XP chart (because it is the easiest to remember), but if in mixed company (such as FLAILSNAILS) it would probably make sense to use the magic-user progression (for balance).

In a certain light, this adventurer class looks like another take on the thief. It could be played in many different ways, depending on the ability scores and choice of equipment. I think it would work well for a swords & sorcery setting. A martial (but stealthy) Conan type would be easy to construct, as would an agile failed wizard’s apprentice (like the Mouser), or a doomed swordsman warlock (Elric). A character with good physical stats would lean toward the fighter archetype, whereas one with high intelligence will be better at magic (due to the intelligence check scroll magic system).

The skill point system is designed so that only one skill choice is needed per level. It still allows individualization, choice, and progress, without the problems and complexity introduced by character builds and optimization.

Intelligence checks for magic use is intended to introduce some uncertainty into sorcery without requiring a heavy mechanical system. Also, given that magic must be found, it avoids the information overload potential of the magic-user class. Most sorcery being consumable (scrolls) avoids the power inflation problems of magic in a campaign (for those of us that enjoy the creative problem solving encouraged by low power campaigns).

The adventurer does not have the cleric’s turning ability, but can accomplish cleric functions with scrolls of protection, holy water, and healing potions.

Hit die: 1d6 per level up to level 9, +1 per level above 9
Attack: as fighter (+1 per HD if using attack bonus)
Save: as fighter
Weapons & armor: any (though armor penalizes skills)
Scroll magic
Adventuring skills

The adventurer uses the skill system created for the JRPG Basic game. Basic skills (climb, listen, search, and stealth) begin at 1 in 6. Expert skills (devices, locks, and steal) begin at 0 in 6. The force skill is 1+STR in 6 and may not be improved. Adventurers gain 1 skill point at first level which may be allocated to any of the basic or expert skills. Another such point is gained every time an adventurer gains a level. No skill may be raised above 5 in 6. Medium (chain) armor penalizes skills other than force by 1. Heavy (plate) armor penalizes skills other than force by 2.

Adventurers have the ability to cast spells from scrolls. To do so, an adventurer must make a successful intelligence check (1d20 less than or equal to the intelligence score). On failure, the scroll is not consumed, and the magic may be attempted again later. Adventurers may also use all magic items.

At first level, and when gaining a level, an adventurer gains +1 to the ability score of the player’s choice (max 18).

JRPG Basic white magic spells level 1

White Magic Spells Level 1

Absorb
Barrier
Courage
Cure
Endure
Gust
Light
Repel
Restore
Seal

Absorb

Properties: interrupt, ranged.

Spell contest to cancel all damage from a single target elemental spell, which need not be targeting the caster of absorb. Gain one temporary mana if the targeted spell is successfully absorbed.

Barrier

Properties: ranged, sustain.

Make a spell check (versus an enemy’s attack roll) to deflects mundane missiles directed toward the target of barrier. Mundane missiles include arrows, sling bullets, spears or snow balls, but not boulders. This effect works as an interrupt, but unlike most interrupts does not count toward the standard one interrupt per round limitation.

Courage

Properties: allies, sustain.

Dispel magical fear in all nearby allies. If sustained, grants a continuing +2 bonus to morale and saving throws versus fear.

Cure

Properties: ranged.

Target regains 1 HD +WIS HP. Deals 2d6 +WIS damage if cast against an undead target (half damage on miss).

Endure

Properties: ranged, sustain.

Choose an element. Target gains +1 to saving throws against that element and damage reduction equal to the caster’s WIS to damage of the chosen elemental type.

Gust

Properties: ranged.

Conjure a powerful blast or single target vortex of wind. This wind is strong enough to knock over a charging horse. Vortex will do damage to a flying creature (damage-2d6, half damage on miss). On a hit, the vortex will also knock the flying creature out of the sky.

Light

Properties: light, sustain.

Magical light radiates from the crystal. This light illuminates as a torch and wards against creatures of shadow.

Repel

Properties: area, sustain.

Spell check +WIS versus magic defense forces any affected undead to retreat from the caster. If sustained, any undead affected will retreat before the caster (though they may still fight in melee). The caster must spend another point of mana and make another spell check if more undead are encountered, thought the previous repel effect is maintained.

Restore

Properties: touch.

A medium sized mundane object may be mended or restored to working order. Restore will knit together a cut rope, straighten a bent sword, or repair a broken vase. Restore does not allow a new object to be created from disparate parts.

Seal

Properties: sustain.

Magically lock a door or gate. The spell must be broken for the portal to be opened (picking a lock, forcing a door, or massive damage will not work).

JRPG Basic combat positioning

4 Replies

Black Mage (personal sketch)

Here is an abstract system for managing combat options that hopefully provides trade-offs regarding risk and effectiveness and interesting tactical choices. I think this system has intuitive guidelines for attempting things like breaking off from combat, or setting up a surprise attack, which are often somewhat hard to handle when not using tools like grids or other cumbersome procedures. These are only part of the combat rules. The initiative and turn taking procedures are still to come.

Many early JRPGs make a distinction between frontline and rear combatants. For now, I don’t think this distinction deserves separate positioning rules, as it can be handled by the intercept rules (a character that is protected by an interception is much like a “rear” combatant). It may be worthwhile to add more depth to reach weapons, though.

I may formalize some of the terms that are currently handled more descriptively. For example, I was thinking of calling casting spells or firing missile weapons while engaged in melee a perilous action, but I also don’t want to fall into the trap of legalism.

Rules for cover at ranged position will probably also be added later (which may end up just being a simple AC bonus, as is probably familiar from other games).

Tactical Positioning

The relationship of combatants to each other in battle is managed by abstract positions. These postions determine the combat options available and restrict movement in certain ways.

Combat positions include ranged, melee, and concealed.

The lists of actions provided should not be considered comprehensive. Anything may be attempted. The referee should adjudicate the outcome using the action examples given as a guideline and call for ability checks, contests, or saving throws as necessary. Particular class abilities or skills may provide additional options, such as a thief’s ability to use the steal skill. See the relevant ability description for details.

In general, attempting anything other than attacking in melee should probably be subject to a saving throw to avoid damage (following the example of firing a missile weapon while in melee), though more latitude is reasonable for combatants in ranged position.

Ranged

Combats begin with hostile participants in ranged position relative to each other.

Ranged attacks may be targeted against specific ranged enemies, but targets are determined randomly if firing into a melee.

Characters in ranged position are drawn into melee if attacked by a melee combatant using a melee attack. Not all characters in ranged position are necessarily subject to melee attacks, however. For example, a combatant on a balcony above a room, firing arrows down into the room, is not subject to most melee attacks, and thus cannot be drawn into the melee barring special circumstances.

Common ranged actions:

Use a ranged weapon against a specific target not in melee
Fire into melee (determine target randomly)
Charge into melee and attack
Hold action in preparation for an intercept
Flee current combat, assuming there is an escape route
Attempt to hide using the stealth skill

Melee

Melee includes all characters in a limited, abstract space attempting to physically harm each other. Exact positioning is not tracked. Ebb and flow is assumed as combatants jockey for advantage and defend themselves.

A melee attack against a character outside of melee that is not intercepted draws the target into melee, whether or not the attack was successful. Characters in melee may retreat from the melee to ranged position as an action.

Area effects, such as some spells, target entire melees, which includes all combatants participating in the melee.

Ranged weapon attacks may not be made against specific targets in a melee. Instead, the target is determined randomly and then resolved as normal (attack roll and so forth). This abstraction represents the chaos of battle. Random targeting does not apply to ranged spells with individual targets, however. For example, a black mage may target a specific melee combatant with the shock spell.

Characters that use ranged attacks or cast spells while in melee must succeed in a dexterity saving throw or take 1d6 points of damage.

Common melee actions:

Make a melee attack against an enemy in the same melee
Engage someone at range to draw them into the melee
Retreat from the melee to ranged position
Make a ranged attack or cast a spell (this involves extra danger)

Concealed

Concealed characters may take an action with surprise and may not be the target of individua effects. Concealed characters may, however, still be affected by some area effects, depending on the nature of the effect and how the character is hiding.

Characters at ranged position may attempt to hide. This requires a stealth check. If the check is successful, the character becomes concealed.

Concealment is not always an option. This is dictated by the environment.

Some effects allow the detection of concealed characters (such as spells of the heightened senses of some creatures).

Fleeing

Fleeing from combat is only possible from ranged position. Characters in melee must first retreat to ranged position (this is an action). When in ranged position, a character may spend an action to leave the combat, assuming there is an escape route. Any character at range is drawn into melee if subject to a melee attack (whether or not the attack hits). Melee attacks may be intercepted by other characters or effects, allowing retreat. See pursuit for handling situations where enemies attempt to give chase.

Multiple Melees

Most of the time, a single melee area is sufficient to represent an armed struggle. However, there are cases which require the consideration of multiple melees, such as an adventuring party being attacked from both sides in a hallway. Large open spaces may also sometimes demand the use of multiple melee zones which could potentially merge and divide based on game world circumstances. The melee/ranged abstraction is meant to structure combat in a way that logically represents the chaos and risk of armed struggle, and may be adjusted on an ad hoc basis as needed by the referee.

JRPG Basic Black Magic Spells Level 1

4 Replies

Though the power of spells is roughly proportional to their level, I have attempted to distinguish the utility of the various spells such that low level spells retain utility. For example, while the inferno spell is unarguably more powerful than the blaze spell (doing 3d6 +INT damage to all creatures in a melee), the blaze spell remains useful if, for example, there are friendlies in that melee (as blaze allows one to target a specific enemy, even though it only does 2d6 +INT damage).

One sustained effect may be maintained while the mage continues to cast other spells. So, for example, on turn 1 a black mage could cast electrify to boost the damage output of a frontline combatant’s weapon, and then keep that effect going (without need to spend more mana) while casting blaze to directly damage an enemy at range on turn 2. If the mage wanted to cast weakness (another spell that requires sustaining) on turn 3 against another enemy, however, the electrify effect would end.

Though it is not explicitly spelled out in each spell description, any offensive spell that targets an enemy directly requires a spell check (1d20 +level +INT versus target magic defense). Some spells have reduced effect (rather than no effect), on a miss though (this is indicated by the half property). For example, spells like blaze, frost, and shock always do some damage, unless the target is totally immune to the damage type. (The half property needs a better name.)

I know that the spells are probably overly focused on combat currently, but I plan on adding more utility spells as well.

Black Magic Spells Level 1

Blaze
Charm
Chill
Slow
Darkness
Electrify
Frost
Ignite
Shock
Weakness

Blaze

Properties: damage-2d6, fire, half, ranged.

A jet of flame arcs toward a target.

Charm

Properties: psychic, ranged, sustain.

On hit, improves social reaction by one category. May be terminated as an interrupt to inflict 2d6 psychic damage.

Chill

Properties: ice, ranged, sustain.

Target weapon is suffused with bone chilling cold. This weapon inflicts magical ice damage and does +1 damage per hit. Liquid targets must save or freeze.

Darkness

Properties: area, shadow, sustain.

Area is plunged into inky darkness. In addition all light sources within the area are extinguished. Sight within the darkness is impossible.

Frost

Properties: damage-2d6, half, ice, ranged.

A blast of ice against a single target.

Ignite

Properties: fire, ranged, sustain.

Target weapon is wreathed with arcane fire. This weapon inflicts magical fire damage and does +1 damage per hit. Flammable targets must save or ignite. Weapon sheds light as a torch.

Shock

Properties: damage-2d6, half, lightning, ranged.

Lightning arcs from your fingers to strike a single target. May also be useful to power strange devices or mechanical creatures. Becomes a weak area effect (1d6) in a submerged environment.

Slow

Properties: sustain.

On successful spell check, target acts on initiative count 6.

Taint

Properties: poison, ranged, sustain.

Target weapon gains a sickly aura of poisonous corruption. This weapon inflicts magical poison damage and does +1 damage per hit. Any creature hit by a weapon enchanted with taint must save or become poisoned.

Weakness

Properties: ranged, sustain.

Target takes 1d6 damage and an ongoing -2 penalty to all physical rolls.

JRPG Basic Spell Properties

Spell Properties

Acid

Inflicts acid damage. Save or cause permanent disfigurement, to either sufaces or creatures. Weakens a breakable object subject to acid (such as a door with metal hinges); +2 to future force checks against affected objects.

Allies

Effects all allies that could be reached by a ranged effect.

Area

Affects all creatures in one skirmish melee (the size of a large room). Does not distinguish friendlies from enemies.

Chain

For each hit, allows another target to be selected within the same melee (which requires a further spell check). Think chain lightning, arcing between multiple targets. The first miss terminates the effect.

Damage-N

Inflicts N +INT damage on hit.

Fire

Inflicts fire damage. Flammable objects, such as flasks of oil or bombs, must save or ignite.

Half

Spell still inflicts half damage (or half effect, which should be clear contextually) on a miss.

Ice

Inflicts cold damage. Liquids affected must save or freeze. On successful save, targets still take a -1 physical penalty to actions on their next turn due to the slowing. May be used to create treacherous ice in combination with water.

Interrupt

May be cast out of turn. No more than one interrupt spell can be cast per round by a given spell caster.

Lightning

Inflicts lightning damage. May also be useful to power strange devices or mechanical creatures. Becomes a weak area effect (1d6 area) in a submerged environment.

Poison

Inflicts poison damage.

Psychic

Only works against creatures with a mind or consciousness. If the spell inflicts damage, the damage is psychic, and has no physical manifestation. Generates aura that can be perceived by psychically attuned creatures. On a miss, psychic targets may take a free counterattack as an interrupt. Targets with animal intelligence or lower take half damage on a hit and no damage on a miss if the spell also has the half property.

Ranged

Equivalent in range to a missile weapon. Requires line of sight.

Self

May only affect the caster.

Shadow

The antithesis of light.

Sustain

Spell effect may be sustained indefinitely after the initial mana cast is paid, as long as the caster remains conscious and does not cast another spell with the sustain property.

Touch

Requires touching the target (this is an unarmed melee attack if the target is unwilling).

JRPG basic magic

6 Replies

Here is the core of the magic system. Spell crystals alone function sort of like scrolls (consumed when used, no mana cost), or they can be inserted into foci for repeated use (such use requires mana). I think this creates an interesting and diegetic magic economy while not compromising either simplicity or flexibility. They system for sustaining spells also reigns in the complexity of stacked effects without artificially limiting the power of spells. Right now, I see black and white mages starting with a wand (focus) and 3 crystals of 1 mana spells and red mages starting with a wand and 2 crystals of 1 mana spells.

Magic

Magic is the ability to use the power of mana to reshape reality. On its own, however, mana is raw potentiality. It is dangerous and overwhelming. Only some character classes, notably mages, have the ability to use magic.

Types of Magic

Magic comes in two varieties, black and white. Black magic is mostly destructive and offensive, while white magic is mostly supportive and defensive. The two types of magic are different enough that they require different skills to master. Black mages can only cast black magic and white mages can only cast white magic. Red mages learn how to manipulate both kinds of magic, but this generality comes at the cost of specialization.

Spell Crystals

In order to focus and tame the dangerous power of magic, mages have learned how to encode spells in special, alchemically prepared crystals.

Spell crystals may be used directly to cast the spell contained. No external mana is required, as the spell draws upon the mana originally used to encode the spell, but using a spell crystal in this way consumes it. In other words, when using spell crystals directly, spells may be cast “for free,” but this uses up the crystal, leaving only a worthless, burned out husk.

Spell crystals are considered insignificant items for purposes of encumbrance.

Creating Spell Crystals

Mages can manufacture copies of any spell crystal they have access to, though the process requires expensive material components (50 GP per point of mana spell cost) and takes a full town turn. Sometimes special components, such as unrefined meteor crystals, may be used in place of purchased alchemical reagents for spell crystal creation.

Foci

Spell crystals, on their own, are consumed when used. However, with the help of a focus, mages can use spell crystals multiple times. Foci allow a mage to supply the mana required for spell casting themselves rather than drawing on the inherent mana infused in the spell pattern. Most foci are wands or staves, as something about that shape helps facilitate the channeling of mana. Each focus may hold one spell crystal. Traditionally, all apprentices of the three primary mage orders are given a wand (that is, first level mages begin with one wand focus). Each focus carried is encumbering. Special foci exist that can add benefits to the casting of certain spells. For example, a particular magical staff might add extra damage to fire spells that are cast using it as a focus.

Modifying Foci

Attaching a spell crystal to or removing a spell crystal from a focus is a complicated and delicate procedure, and may only be done during town turns. Any number of foci may be modified (within reason), however, and this does not consume an entire town turn.

Mana

Mages often need to draw on their own personal mana to cast spells, such as when using a focus.

Recovering Mana

A character’s mana is replenished following a night of restful sleep. Certain items (such as mana potions) or spells (such as the black magic spell leech) may allow limited mana recovery between rests.

Temporary Mana

Some items or effects may provide temporary mana. This mana functions like normal mana, but should be tracked separately, and evaporates after combat or one exploration turn.

Casting Spells

To cast a spell, a character must have the ability to use the type of magic in question (black or white) and either consume a spell crystal or spend mana to cast a spell through a focus. No magic is possible without spell crystals.

Magic Defense

PCs use wisdom saving throws to determine their magic defense, but most NPCs have a static magic defense (10 by default).

Spell Checks

Offensive spells require a spell check to determine their effectiveness. Mechanically, this is an intelligence check opposed against the magic defense of any targets.

Spell check: 1d20 +level +INT vs. magic defense

This functions sort of like an attack roll, but for mages, though there are a few important differences, the biggest being that spells that “miss” can sometimes still affect the target, though in a lesser manner. For example, spells with the save-half property still inflict half damage on a miss. For spells with multiple targets (such as area effect spells that affect an entire melee), roll once and compare that roll to each target’s magic defense score to determine the outcome.

Add INT to damage done by spells (to the whole damage, not to each die). For example, a black magician with INT +2 does 2d6+2 damage with a blaze spell.

Sustained Spells

Some spells have effects that persist. Only one persistent effect may be maintained by a mage at any given time; sustaining a spell does not consume any additional mana beyond the initial cost. If another spell with the sustain property is cast, the previous sustained effect ends. Instantaneous spells (that is, any spell that does not have the sustain property) may be cast while sustaining a spell. For example, a black mage that is sustaining the fly spell may cast a shock spell from the air, but if they cast a darkness or invisibility spell (both of which also require sustaining), then the fly spell will end. Sustained spells also end if the caster becomes unconscious.

JRPG Basic Town Inventory

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For this JRPG game, I want to create an impartial “treasure table” style system for determining what is for sale in a given town. I’ve had good experiences doing something similar in my Vaults of Pahvelorn OD&D game (Thracle’s Grand Emporium). I wanted to create something similar, but more transparent, simpler, and also reactive to player actions such as selling items into the economy. Here is the basic structure, which I think should be easy to remember and manage. Some lists of uncommon and rare items will come in future posts. “Town turn” procedure will also need to wait for the main gameplay and movement post.

Town Inventory

There are four types of items available in a town. Common, uncommon, rare, and special.

Common items are generally always available and may be purchased freely. Items may have a chance of running out if PCs buy a large number of them, however. This threshold will differ based on the town in question, but a reasonable default would be to have a 1 in 6 chance of running out if more than 6 common items of the same type are bought at once (how many grappling hooks is a small town likely to need, anyways?). Assume that they come back into stock during the next town turn. By default, all common items cost one gold piece.

There will always be a few uncommon items available also, and occasionally a rare item. Uncommon items usually cost around 50 GP, and rare items much more than that. In addition, there may also be special items available to reflect particular residents or capabilities of the settlement in question. For example, a town with a witch might always have 1d6 potions available. It should be clear how to handle those sorts of special inventories based on the other systems described below.

Initializing the Town Inventory

Roll 1d6 for the number of uncommon items available.
Determine each uncommon item randomly.
Check if there is a rare item available (1 in 6 chance).
If so, determine that rare item randomly.

This procedure only needs to be done once per town. The inventory will then fluctuate naturally based on further die rolls and how PCs interact with the economy.

Updating a Town Inventory

The referee’s town turn should include updating the current town’s inventory. Follow these steps.

Check if each uncommon item was sold (1 in 6).
Roll 1d6 to see how many uncommon items should be for sale.
If there are not enough items for sale already, determine new uncommon items randomly to fill any vacancies.
If there is a rare item for sale, roll to see if it was sold (1 in 6).
If the rare item was sold, or if there was no rare item for sale, check to see if a new rare item becomes available (1 in 6). If so, determine that rare item randomly.

The inventories of other towns may be updated similarly, but this is not necessary. Don’t bother unless you enjoy watching fictional economies fluctuate. A town that hasn’t been visited for a long time can always be reinitialized when it is visited.

Selling Item

The maximum number of items for sale with rarity of uncommon or above that a given town’s shops can support is as if the dice had come up at their full value. That is, a town that rolls 1d6 for the number of uncommon items available can support up to 6 such items. If the town only has, for example, 3 items currently for sale, then there are three vacant “uncommon item slots.” Assuming there is space in a town inventory, PCs may sell items for 50% of the list price. Add any sold items to the town inventory. This may prevent the town from getting new stock in, as those items must go through the same process of selling before the merchants will invest in new items.

Larger Towns

The system above is designed for a small town, but it is easy to adjust for a larger settlement. Just modify the key numbers to reflect greater availability. For example, a larger town might have 2d6 uncommon items available, and 1d3 rare items.