Journey: The Forces

This is where we talk about everything force-relevant.

Force Definitions

Huzzah for definitions.

Reality

In this trinity, the rules are natural, physical laws.

• Magic: Magic changes the rules. A mage says, "I can make fire from nothing, because I say I can."
• Psionics: Psionics breaks the rules. A psionicist says, "I know I'm not supposed to do this, but I do anyway."
• Technology: Technology works within the rules. An inventor says, "This is how it's supposed to happen."

Remembrance

In this trinity, the rules are the laws of causality.

• Time: Time changes the rules. A templar says, "I can modify my own timeline, because I can."
• Chaos: Chaos breaks the rules. An anarch says, "To hell with you and your rules, I'm doin' it."
• Blue: Blue works within the rules. An akashic says, "I remember it being this way, and that is how it always is."

Philosophy

In this trinity, the rules are... what?

• Divine: Divine changes the rules. A priest says, "My deity says I can do this, therefore I can."
• Void: Void breaks the rules. A voidchild says, "I am nonexistence, so your existence-based rules do not apply."
• Nature: Nature works within the rules. A druid says, "This is how nature works."

Force Mechanics

Mechanics for general force usage.

Force Bonus

Each class has a base Force bonus. For pure Force classes (such as the psionicist or templar), their Force bonus is rather high. For hybrid Force classes (such as the learner or paladin), their Force bonus is slightly lower. General classes may or may not have an affinity for Force usage, while Combat classes tend to be the poorest at their use.

Your total Force bonus is equal to the base Force bonus of all classes you have. Your total Force bonus is indicative of your general ability to manipulate the Forces as a whole; knowledge you glean from one system can be applied to another. Understanding how magic breaks the rules does, in some ways, improve your ability to work with technology.

The Force Roll

Whenever you attempt to utilize a Force effect, be it a Magic spell or a Technology device, you make a Force check, which is opposed by your target's saving throw (or some other defense mechanic). You add your key ability modifier to your class-based Force bonus, and add the result to a d20, which is then compared to the target's saving throw. If you equal or exceed their result, you successfully affect them with the force effect.

Each Force is Different

Despite the base mechanics for each Force being the same, and knowledge of using one bleeding over to using others, each Force is distinct from the others. Each has unique behaviors that no other force - even ones that interact with their rules in the same fashion - has to deal with.

Magic (Spells)

Utilizing magic requires bizarre gestures, incomprehensible speech, and exotic components. Due to these limitations, Magic has the following mechanics:

• Whenever you cast a spell, you subtract your WT from your Force roll.
• If you are currently suffering from the (mute) status, you cannot cast spells.
• If you do not have a spell components pouch, you cannot cast spells.

Spells come in three varieties: at-will, encounter, and daily. At-will spells are never expended; you can continue casting them for as long as you have actions. Encounter spells refresh after 5 minutes of rest. Daily spells refresh after an extended rest (6 hours).

Psionics (Disciplines)

Psionics is little more than the application of the mind to the minds of others or to the physical world. However, given that Psionics is so tied to the mind, it has the following mechanics:

• If any of your Mental ability scores has a negative modifier, apply them to your Force roll when attempting to use a psionic discipline.

Disciplines come in three varieties: at-will, encounter, and daily. At-will disciplines are never expended; you can continue manifesting them for as long as you have actions. Encounter disciplines refresh after 5 minutes of rest. Daily disciplines refresh after an extended rest (6 hours).

Technology (Devices)

Technology is dependent upon items, and these items are subject to wear and tear, just like anything else. Also, technology has a tendency to possibly fail, and requires time to recharge. Technology has the following mechanics:

• Each time a device is used, if the d20 roll itself is less than or equal to the device's TDM, the device malfunctions.
• Devices can be attacked like other objects. A device reduced to 0 HP does not function.

Devices come in three varieties: at-will, encounter, and variable. At-will devices are never expended; you can continue activating them for as long as you have actions. Encounter devices refresh after 5 minutes of rest (the device must remain unused for 5 minutes after each use). Variable devices refresh after a variable amount of time; some may be nigh-instantaneous, while others could take days.

Time (Jikuu)

Time draws upon the timelines and gravitic fields of creatures around the user. The more creatures and large objects you have near you, the easier it is to use jikuu, because you have more "time" to work with. Time has the following mechanics:

• For each creature within range of the jikuu being used, you get a +1 bonus to your Force roll. (Maybe?)

Chaos (Avaos)

Chaos is unreliable, and so, too, are the powers that are drawn from it.

Avaos come in two varieties: at-will and encounter. At-will avaos are never expended; you can continue using them for as long as you have actions (in terms of d20, at-will avaos are their active avaos). Encounter avaos refresh after five minutes of rest (in d20 terms, encounter avaos are the causal and precausal avaos).

Divine (Prayers)

Those who wield divine power call upon the deities, saints, or lucavi to wreak havoc upon their foes and to support their allies. Prayers are a conduit for divine power, enabling the user to ignore the physical world and impose the metaphysical upon it. Divine has the following mechanics:

• A creature's Spirit affects their saving throws against Divine effects. The creature applies its Spirit modifier as a penalty to its saving throw (so a high Spirit means a penalty, whereas a low Spirit means a bonus).
• A creature with a 0 Spirit is immune to Divine effects.

Prayers come in three varieties: at-will, encounter, and daily. At-will prayers are never expended; you can continue invoking them for as long as you have actions. Encounter prayers refresh after 5 minutes of rest. Daily prayers refresh after an extended rest (6 hours).