Post by Ravager Zero on Nov 9, 2014 15:33:41 GMT 12
Okay, you all know this system already, but think of it as a refresher—or a primer for anyone new that might show up.
Mechanics
The XD20 system is very simple. You shouldn't need more than two dice (maybe 3) to resolve any single situation. The first die you roll tells you whether or not you managed whatever it was you were attempting. The second roll tells you how badly you cocked it up. Or not. In order to determine your success, you must roll equal to or over your stat value. That's right, lower stats are better in this game.
If, for example, you had a Physique of 9, and were trying to punch an Orc in the face, you would have to roll a 9 or more. (The actual number may be higher, as the DM will apply any modifiers to the roll he thinks are appropriate; say a -2 in this case, because your hands are tied). You manage to roll a 13, and the DM grumbles, but you have hit the Orc. Success.
But… did you actually hurt the Orc, or merely annoy him—or manage some sort of embarrassing failure such as shoving a finger up his nostril? That's where the second roll comes in. It's a flat roll, where 1's are always bad, and 20's are always good. Anything in between has a more moderate effect. Continuing our example, on a 1, you might wind up stumbling, picking the Orc's nose; on a 20, however, you may well break the Orc's nose instead. Realistically, you get a 9. The DM, being kind, decides this is enough to stagger the Orc. Excellent.
Now you have to start rolling against your Intellect to find an escape route. And so it goes.
The basic effect categories (second roll) are as follows
1: Bad. Bad for you.
2-5: Well, it did… something.
6-10: Workable. Mostly.
11-15: Good job, that'll leave a mark.
16-19: Excellent. Never saw it coming.
20: Oh dear. Your dice aren't meant to have that number on them…
Basic Stats
First up, for character generation, you have 3 stats.
Physique: This covers all things physical, from brandishing swords to climbing to ballroom dancing or trying to sneak past unwary guards. It's a combination of strength, stamina, agility, and toughness.
Intellect: Any mental powers, from being suave and sophisticated to following the threads of criminal investigations to uncovering buried secrets uses this skill. Think intelligence, wisdom, charisma, and cunning.
Talent (Mystical): Any special powers, be they magic, psionic, innate, or otherwise. However, having a good number here does not grant you automatic use of those powers—only the knowledge of them. Think spirit, vitality, spells, and psykers.
Stat Generation
All stats are generated the same way. You start at 15 (or whatever starting value your DM judges as appropriate), then roll a D8, and subtract that number from your starting value. Normally this will give you a final value of between 7 and 14. You do this three times, once for each stat. It really is that simple. You might want to write those numbers down somewhere safe, they'll be important.
Health: This is a special stat, it is not generated by rolling, but by adding together your two lowest stats. This means the better your character is, the less damage they can take. At last, a game that balances out overpowered characters by its very nature. In addition, Health may be used to buy special abilities, at the DM's discretion. Permanently sacrificing 1 Health gets you a small buff; say the ability to vanish when in shadow. If you're willing to sacrifice 2 Health, you could get a powerful ability; say, being the most skillful swordsman within a city. Sacrificing a whopping 3 Health gets you a large bonus; maybe having a physical god intervene if you roll well enough (or badly enough).
Talented Characters: Any character with a special ability, such as magick, subtracts 2 from their Talent stat, and must add a total of 4 to their other stats. Such characters may trade 1 HP to increase the Talent bonus by 1 OR decrease the malus to other stats by a total of 1. 2 HP may be traded to increase the Talent bonus by 3 OR to reduce the malus to other stats by a total of 3.
Character Death
It will happen. You're playing a group of heroes, and heroes don't always survive their legend. Be bold, but don't be an idiot. Taking on a dragon single-handed is not smart. Doing so to buy time for your companions to escape or flank the dragon is.
When your character drops to 0 Health, you're dying. Unless something is done to save you, you will die.
If your character drops to negative Health, they're already dead. They might not know it yet though.
Death cannot be undone. It is permanent, and it is final. Only miracles and maybe very special tech or magic can resurrect your character as anything but a lifeless shell—but fear not, for you can always make another brave adventurer to join the party. Maybe this one will live longer.
Mechanics
The XD20 system is very simple. You shouldn't need more than two dice (maybe 3) to resolve any single situation. The first die you roll tells you whether or not you managed whatever it was you were attempting. The second roll tells you how badly you cocked it up. Or not. In order to determine your success, you must roll equal to or over your stat value. That's right, lower stats are better in this game.
If, for example, you had a Physique of 9, and were trying to punch an Orc in the face, you would have to roll a 9 or more. (The actual number may be higher, as the DM will apply any modifiers to the roll he thinks are appropriate; say a -2 in this case, because your hands are tied). You manage to roll a 13, and the DM grumbles, but you have hit the Orc. Success.
But… did you actually hurt the Orc, or merely annoy him—or manage some sort of embarrassing failure such as shoving a finger up his nostril? That's where the second roll comes in. It's a flat roll, where 1's are always bad, and 20's are always good. Anything in between has a more moderate effect. Continuing our example, on a 1, you might wind up stumbling, picking the Orc's nose; on a 20, however, you may well break the Orc's nose instead. Realistically, you get a 9. The DM, being kind, decides this is enough to stagger the Orc. Excellent.
Now you have to start rolling against your Intellect to find an escape route. And so it goes.
The basic effect categories (second roll) are as follows
1: Bad. Bad for you.
2-5: Well, it did… something.
6-10: Workable. Mostly.
11-15: Good job, that'll leave a mark.
16-19: Excellent. Never saw it coming.
20: Oh dear. Your dice aren't meant to have that number on them…
Basic Stats
First up, for character generation, you have 3 stats.
Physique: This covers all things physical, from brandishing swords to climbing to ballroom dancing or trying to sneak past unwary guards. It's a combination of strength, stamina, agility, and toughness.
Intellect: Any mental powers, from being suave and sophisticated to following the threads of criminal investigations to uncovering buried secrets uses this skill. Think intelligence, wisdom, charisma, and cunning.
Talent (Mystical): Any special powers, be they magic, psionic, innate, or otherwise. However, having a good number here does not grant you automatic use of those powers—only the knowledge of them. Think spirit, vitality, spells, and psykers.
Stat Generation
All stats are generated the same way. You start at 15 (or whatever starting value your DM judges as appropriate), then roll a D8, and subtract that number from your starting value. Normally this will give you a final value of between 7 and 14. You do this three times, once for each stat. It really is that simple. You might want to write those numbers down somewhere safe, they'll be important.
Health: This is a special stat, it is not generated by rolling, but by adding together your two lowest stats. This means the better your character is, the less damage they can take. At last, a game that balances out overpowered characters by its very nature. In addition, Health may be used to buy special abilities, at the DM's discretion. Permanently sacrificing 1 Health gets you a small buff; say the ability to vanish when in shadow. If you're willing to sacrifice 2 Health, you could get a powerful ability; say, being the most skillful swordsman within a city. Sacrificing a whopping 3 Health gets you a large bonus; maybe having a physical god intervene if you roll well enough (or badly enough).
Talented Characters: Any character with a special ability, such as magick, subtracts 2 from their Talent stat, and must add a total of 4 to their other stats. Such characters may trade 1 HP to increase the Talent bonus by 1 OR decrease the malus to other stats by a total of 1. 2 HP may be traded to increase the Talent bonus by 3 OR to reduce the malus to other stats by a total of 3.
Character Death
It will happen. You're playing a group of heroes, and heroes don't always survive their legend. Be bold, but don't be an idiot. Taking on a dragon single-handed is not smart. Doing so to buy time for your companions to escape or flank the dragon is.
When your character drops to 0 Health, you're dying. Unless something is done to save you, you will die.
If your character drops to negative Health, they're already dead. They might not know it yet though.
Death cannot be undone. It is permanent, and it is final. Only miracles and maybe very special tech or magic can resurrect your character as anything but a lifeless shell—but fear not, for you can always make another brave adventurer to join the party. Maybe this one will live longer.