Journey Mechanics
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This page is deprecated, meaning that it is no longer relevant to anything going on whatsoever, and is probably going to be ignored forever. Information on this page is not usable nor viable for playtesting, so kindly ignore it. |
Journey is the name I have given to the mechanics system that Trinity will possibly be converting to, in lieu of 4e.
Journey arises due to a good deal of frustration with certain elements of 3.5, as well as disappointment with the direction 4e is headed. Combine these issues with some conceptual difficulties with the sort of game 3.5 and 4e encourage...
These systems were not intended for Trinity. Trinity may have begun as a D&D setting, but D&D - in any incarnation - can clearly no longer hold the setting. It doesn't feel right anymore.
Journey will feel familiar. It has roots in 3.5, and borrows some 4e concepts. It will not be a completely different game, but there will be differences. Some will be more pronounced than others.
This system will take a long time to write, especially since 4e mechanics are still forthcoming, and I am interested in seeing what can be cannibalized for Journey.
That's all for now.
Contents
Abstract
The 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons was an excellent step forward in game design, unifying the game under a single mechanic, introducing the ideas of symmetry to monster and character design, as well as providing new and interesting ways for characters to differentiate themselves. However, the system is not without its flaws: bland and overused magic items, a ridiculous economic system that is tied to core system balance, generally unbalanced mechanics that function well only in a small level span, and the sacrifice of flexibility in monster abilities.
The 4th edition of Dungeons & Dragons is another step forward, though perhaps more lateral than forward. It removes Vancian spellcasting, which widens the design space for casters, both mechanically and conceptually; it gives "spells" to non-casters, improving their versatility and allows the player to make interesting tactical decisions; it decreases the power of actual spellcasters, making them balanced against other party members through all levels of play; it tones down the importance of magic items; the monster design system allows the DM to design monsters quickly and without much headache. 4th, however, also has flaws: a major decrease in support for simulationist play, across the board. Design decisions are made from the gamist point of view, and this decision is reflected in all aspects of the system.
Journey, then, is the marriage of these two systems. It combines the symmetry, core mechanics, and simulationist style of 3e with the approaches to casting, monster design, and magic items of 4e. The best of both worlds are joined and bound together by (mostly) system-blind modular components, which further enhance the simulationist feel of the system. The end goal is a system that is internally complex and highly modular, but that provides for fast and easy play. While some components of the system may get mechanically involved, a player does not have to directly interact with these components. For the DM, Journey seeks to emulate 4e in its lightening of restrictions on monster and encounter design, encouraging variety while maintaining an appropriately simulationist feel. "Needless" symmetry is thrown away, but symmetry that strengthens the simulationist style is retained: while monsters and NPCs do not follow the same creation rules as PCs, the mechanics available to them are also available to PCs.
The mechanics in a system inform the player how an average session of the game will operate; if the system is heavy in mechanics for combat, the player will expect to see a fair share of such encounters in any given session. The goal of Journey, insofar as this concept is concerned, is to provide mechanics of enough depth for a variety of encounter types, which allows for a broadening of the scope of encounter design. Having rules and guidelines for social encounters that are as intricate as those used for melee combat informs the player that both of these are acceptable options, and that game direction is such that a character focused on social encounters will not be left behind, as is often the case in other systems.
To summarize: Journey seeks to be mechanically complex "under the hood," while offering to be simple-to-use for the player while retaining a thoroughly simulationist feel, offering enough options and modularity to remain interesting over a wide range of play.
Current Considerations
- Skills: How can we avoid a 3.5-style (read: "broken") skill system?
- Economy: This might be the next major thing to tackle...
- Items: Can we make a list of interesting items that aren't useless, but aren't overpowering? Should we use plus'd weapons and armor, or are the mastercraft qualities sufficient?
- Experience: Current consideration is the key system. Can it be modified to work? Can the keys be balanced against each other? If we don't use the keys, how else can we implement xp? Is level disparity really all that bad - and if so, is group xp the solution?
- Social Combat: How do we succeed where pretty much every other game designer has failed?
- Bonus Progression: Is having a 20-point disparity between how awesome an einhander attacks as compared to how crappily a mage defends himself a good idea? Can saves reasonably keep up with the best progression for Force use? Having such high bonuses at higher levels may give some the impression that armor and weapons don't matter at higher levels - should we cut the higher bonuses?
Random Ideas (from ATB 08-03-21)
- There should be city mechanics, which serve the same sort of purpose they do in d20.
- Parrying: you can devote any amount of your BAB to parrying; you make this decision each time you are attacked, and you decide how much of your BAB you "spend" on parrying. If you have no BAB left on your next turn, you can't attack.
- Skills: Skills themselves should be more generic, roughly, but have specializations available that allow for skill tricks with a particular aspect of that skill (ie: jump is a subset of athletics, and if you spend skill points to specialize in jump, you gain access to skill tricks with it).
- The "Highest Init Sets the Bar" init method seems acceptable.
- Facing seems like a good idea.
- We stick with the d20.
Random Ideas (from ATB 08-06-14)
- The concept of "level" is gone. Instead, when you would gain a level, you increase your Potential by 1, which represents a cap on how high you can raise your character attributes.
- You spend XP you gain to improve your character, with your Potential limiting how high you can increase things.
- When you spend XP, you must train to do so (something like 1 day/XP spent).
- Each of the big three game mechanics - combat, social encounter, crafting - have their own rewards for meta personalities. Combat rewards tactical thinking; social encounter rewards roleplaying; and crafting rewards whatever it's called when you solve puzzles.
- Crafting will have a puzzle-aspect to it, but we still need to work out just how optional it is.
- Each character will have a personality type, which will be used for social encounters, similar to this.
Economy
Base currency is the gold piece. It is assumed than an average laborer will earn 1g for a workday of 8 hours.
"Eating out," such as at an inn, would cost about 2 silver per meal, leaving you with 4s per workday if you eat out for three meals a day. This is accurate because it's far more expensive to eat out than to make food. Food costs for making food at home would be about 5-10g per month, so about 3s per day's worth of food.
Costs of living differ: (by month) 2g for poor, 5g average, 10g "well," 20g "gourmet." These numbers are to feed a household of four people.
To purchase an item, you have to pay the materials cost. There is then an additional cost of (DC - 20) ^ 2 as a labor/skill cost. The DC used to calculate cost is the DC after item qualities have been factored in.
Question: Maybe we should do additional cost of (DC - 15) ^ 2? A first-level tailor can probably hit a 14, but not a 15, unless he's better than average, and a second-level tailor can hit it. Maybe we should draw that distinction?
Result? Adventurers don't spend hundreds of thousands of gold on things. You spend dozens. Maybe hundreds.
Also, adventurers now make sense. "We need this rare material, but it only comes from chimerae." "We can do that."
However, low-level adventurers may have to do more mundane things to make money. Things like being trade goods in one city and transporting them to another may be a good way to make money, though potentially boring. It would be up to the DM, in these instances, to liven it up ( "On the way to the next city, while protecting a caravan loaded with salt, you have to travel through a goblin-infested wood... surprise, the caravan is attacked by gobbos!" ).
Material Costs
Here is a quick guesstimate at material costs.
MATERIAL COST/UNIT (gp) Cloth Linen 1 Wool 2 Silk 3 Denim 4 Hide Leather 2 Scale 4 Shell 6 Chitin 8 Wood Ash 3 Elm 6 Oak 9 Walnut 12 Metal Bronze 4 Iron 8 Steel 12 Platinum 16 Gem Crystal 20 Diamond 40
Time to Craft
The time required to craft an item is equal to half the materials (in units) required to make it, rounded up. If you beat the craft DC by 10, halve this time (this halving is cumulative. maybe).
Armor
Whenever you are hit, your armor usually prevents some of the damage; however, this damage doesn't simply vanish, but is instead applied to the armor itself. However much damage the armor absorbs due to its DR, the armor takes as damage. When armor is reduced to 0 hp, it no longer provides any benefits.
Armor may be subject to a wound system similar to how hps will theoretically work at the moment - that is, armor doesn't suddenly stop working, but will gradually lose effectiveness as it loses hp. Chances are good that this will be a relatively simple system, as to avoid massive complexity.
TABLE: ARMOR AC DR WT HP Light Clothes +1 1/- 0 10 Outfit +2 1/- 0 10 Gear +2 2/- 1 20 Medium Jack +3 2/- 2 40 Cuirass +3 3/- 3 60 Coat +4 3/- 4 60 Heavy Mail +4 4/- 6 120 Harness +5 4/- 8 120 Plate +5 5/- 10 150
Armor Materials
TABLE: ARMOR MATERIALS LIGHT MEDIUM HEAVY AC DR WT HP AC DR WT HP AC DR WT HP Cloth Wool --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Linen -1 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Silk +5 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Denim +1 +1 +5 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Hide Leather +10 -1 -1 Scale +1 +5 -1 -1 -2 -20 Shell +1 +1 +1 +2 +3 Chitin +1 +1 +2 +1 +1 +2 +1 +1 +2 Metal Bronze --- --- --- --- -1 -10 -1 -20 Iron --- --- --- --- +1 Steel --- --- --- --- +1 +1 +10 +1 +1 +10 Platinum --- --- --- --- +1 +1 +2 +1 Gem Crystal --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- +2 +2 +4 +10 Diamond --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- +3 +3 +6 +20 Other Wood --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -2 -2 +1 -20
Shields
Whenever you successfully block with a shield, the shield takes all the damage that would have been dealt to you.
TABLE: SHIELDS BD WT HP Light Buckler +1 1 30 Escutcheon +2 2 50 Medium Round +3 4 100 Tall +4 5 150 Heavy Kite +5 6 200 Tower +6 8 300
Shield Materials
TABLE: SHIELD MATERIALS LIGHT MEDIUM HEAVY BD WT HP BD WT HP BD WT HP Hide Leather -1 -1 -10 -2 -2 -50 --- --- --- Shell +1 +25 -1 -1 -25 --- --- --- Chitin +1 +1 +2 --- --- --- Wood Ash -1 Elm +1 +20 +1 +50 +2 +75 Oak +2 +2 +1 +1 +10 +1 +2 +25 Walnut +2 +1 +30 +2 +1 +20 +1 +75 Metal Bronze --- --- --- -1 -25 -2 -50 Iron --- --- --- -1 -25 Steel --- --- --- +1 +1 +25 Platinum --- --- --- +2 +3 +50 +1 +1 +25 Gem Crystal --- --- --- --- --- --- +2 +4 +50 Diamond --- --- --- --- --- --- +4 +6 +100
Crafting
Crafting equipment is going to be a major part of Journey. Does the local blacksmith not have the knowledge to craft you armor out of crystal? Then you're going to have to do it yourself, and perhaps you'll be good enough at crafting armor that you'll be able to make it better than run-of-the-mill armor.
Basic Crafting
In order to craft items, you have to have materials. The materials required to craft an item are abstracted: rather than needing 12 lbs of wood to make a shield, for instance, you need 1 unit of wood. While things like plate armor are not realistically made with just metal (you also need cloth for padding, leather for straps, etc), these smaller pieces are ignored - you only need units of the material that the item primarily consists of. Exceptions exist, and you can choose to use exotic materials for these smaller bits, possibly granting more benefits, but for the most part, crafting is relatively simple.
Crafting Armor
Crafting armor requires the Craft skill.
Units of material required are based upon the armor being made.
TABLE: MATERIALS FOR ARMOR Armor Units Options Clothes 2 1 Outfit 3 1 Gear 4 2 Jack 6 2 Cuirass 8 3 Coat 10 3 Mail 12 4 Harness 15 4 Plate 18 5
- Units: You must have this many units of the material the item is to be crafted from in order to craft the armor.
- Optional: If you choose to use an optional material (such as using darkhide straps for plate armor), you must have this many units of the material in question to gain the optional benefit.
TABLE: ARMORCRAFTING DCs Armor DC Clothes 9 Outfit 10 Gear 12 Jack 14 Cuirass 15 Coat 16 Mail 18 Harness 20 Plate 22 Modifier Material Light Medium Heavy Cloth Wool -2 --- --- Linen -3 --- --- Silk -1 --- --- Denim +0 --- --- Hide Leather +2 -4 -12 Scale +3 -2 -10 Shell +2 -3 -8 Chitin +3 -1 -5 Metal Bronze --- -3 -7 Iron --- -2 -5 Steel --- +0 -3 Platinum --- +2 +0 Gem Crystal --- --- +5 Diamond --- --- +10 Other Wood --- --- -5
Armorcrafting Options
Above and beyond simply crafting the armor, you can choose to make the armor mastercraft. Mastercraft armor provides additional benefits above and beyond armor type and material. When you craft an armor, you can choose to increase the DC by the amount listed for a quality; if you do, the finished armor has the chosen quality. A suit of armor can have any number of qualities, but each quality after the first increases the craft DC by +2.
Some mastercraft options require different materials in addition to those in the armor itself.
Note: All of these crafting options are mundane - that is, they are not magical, or effects based upon any of the forces.
Qualities
- Articulated [DC +5]: The armor is articulated, allowing a trained user to make use of the Articulated Armor Training [feat/talent?] while in the armor. Only medium and heavy armor can be articulated. Articulation increases the armor's WT by +2. [Materials: Hide (Any)]
- Bulky [DC -3]: The armor is bulky, making it more difficult to move in, increasing its WT by +1. An armor cannot have both this quality and the Lightweight quality. An armor can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
- Delicate [DC -4]: The armor is unusually delicate, reducing its ability to deflect blows; the AC it provides is decreased by 1. Armor cannot have both this and the Sturdy quality. An armor can have this quality multiple times; if an armor would be reduced to lower than +0 AC, the crafting attempt fails (that is, an armor can have a +0 AC bonus, but not lower). [Materials: None]
- Durable [DC +3]: The armor is durable and well-made, improving its HP by +15 if it's a Light armor, +30 if it's a Medium armor, or +60 if it's a Heavy armor. Armor cannot have both this and the Weak quality. An armor can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
- Fortified: The armor is fortified, with sections protecting vital areas reinforced with more material. Armor can only be fortified once.
- Hide [DC +2]: The armor is better-protected with hide stitched into sections covering vital areas. This quality grants the wearer a 10% chance to negate a sneak attack, critical hit, or similar precision-based damage effect. [Materials: Hide (Any)]
- Metal [DC +5]: The armor is better-protected with metal sewn into sections covering vital areas. This quality grants the wearer a 25% chance to negate a sneak attack, critical hit, or similar precision-based damage effect. [Materials: Metal (Any)]
- Gem [DC +7]: The armor is better-protected with gem plates sewn into sections covering vital areas. This quality grants the wearer a 50% chance to negate a sneak attack, critical hit, or similar precision-based damage effect. [Materials: Gem (Any)]
- Fragile [DC -4]: The armor is brittle, reducing its ability to absorb damage; the DR it provides is decreased by 1/-. Armor cannot have both this and the Tough quality. An armor can have this quality multiple times; if an armor would be reduced to DR 0/- or lower as a result, the crafting attempt fails. [Materials: None]
- Lightweight [DC +5]: The armor is unusually light, decreasing its WT by 1 (to a minimum of 0 for Light armor, 1 for Medium armor, and 4 for Heavy armor). Armor cannot have both this quality and the Bulky quality. An armor can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
- Plated: The armor is plated in a different material from the one that makes up the majority of its construction. Armor can only be plated with one kind of material, but may be plated multiple times, depending on the material. Plating armor increases its WT by +1, regardless of what the armor is plated in or how many times it is plated. The term "plating" applies to anything with which you coat armor - clearly you do not plate denim clothing in chromium, but you can apply thin chromium plates to denim clothing, which has the same sort of effect.
- Chromium [DC +5]: The armor is plated in chromium, a metal that has an unusually high melting point. The armor and its wearer have resist fire 5. Armor can be plated in chromium up to three times. [Materials: Chromium]
- Rubber [DC +4]: The armor is plated in rubber, a tough material that is highly resistant to electricity. The armor and its wearer have resist electricity 5. Armor can be plated in rubber up to three times. [Materials: Rubber]
- Tantalum [DC +5]: The armor is plated in tantalum, a metal that is highly resistant to acid. The armor and its wearer have resist acid 5. Armor can be plated in tantalum up to three times. [Materials: Tantalum]
- Runecloth [DC +3]: The armor is "plated" in runecloth, a material that is resistant to magical effects. The armor and its wearer have resist arcane 5. Armor can be plated in runecloth up to four times. [Materials: Runecloth]
- Sturdy [DC +5]: The armor is exceptional in terms of defense provided, improving its AC bonus by +1. Armor cannot have both this quality and the Delicate quality. An armor can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
- Studded: The armor is studded with a different, strong material. The difficulty of studding armor, and its benefits, is based upon what sort of studs are in the armor. Armor can only be studded once.
- Wood [DC +5]: The armor is studded with wooden pegs, improving its durability but making it somewhat heavier. Only cloth and hide armors can have the studded (wood) quality. This quality increases the armor's DR by +1/- and its HP by +5, but increases its WT by +1. [Materials: Wood (Any)]
- Metal [DC +7]: The armor is studded with metal pegs, improving its durability but making it somewhat heavier. Only cloth and hide armors can have the studded (metal) quality. This quality increases the armor's AC by +1, its DR by +1/-, and its HP by +10, but increases its WT by +1. [Materials: Metal (Any)]
- Gem [DC +10]: The armor is studded with gem pegs, vastly improving its durability but making it somewhat bulkier. Only cloth, hide, and metal armors can have the studded (gem) quality. This quality increases the armor's AC by +2, its DR by +1/-, and its HP by +20, but increases its WT by +2. [Materials: Gem (Any)]
- Tough [DC +6]: The armor is exceptionally tough, allowing it to absorb more damage; the DR it provides increases by 1/-. This also increases the armor's hit points: Light armor gains +5 HP, Medium armor gains +10 HP, and Heavy armor gains +20 HP. Armor cannot have both this quality and the Fragile or Weak qualities. An armor can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
- Weak [DC -3]: The armor is unusually weak, decreasing its HP by -5 if Light, -15 if Medium, and -30 if Heavy. Armor cannot have both this and the Durable or Tough qualities. An armor can have this quality multiple times; if an armor would have 0 or fewer HP as a result, the crafting attempt fails. [Materials: None]
Magic (?) Armor Qualities
Adding magical or other force-based qualities to armor requires a Spellcraft check against a specific DC. Some effects can be improved by increasing the DC; this choice is made before the roll is made.
If a magic armor quality has required materials, the armor must have that many units of the material as indicated by its "options" column.
- Secret [DC 25]: Once per encounter, the wearer of this armor can turn invisible, as per the spell. [Materials: Ghostweave]
Divine Armor Qualities
- Minerva [DC 26]: The wearer of this armor gains resist holy 10 and vulnerable shadow 5. [Materials: Heavenly Dust]
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The resist granted by this item increases by 2, and the vulnerable increases by 1.
- Umbral [DC 26]: The wearer of this armor gains resist shadow 10 and vulnerable holy 5. [Materials: Shadow Mote]
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The resist granted by this item increases by 2, and the vulnerable increases by 1.
Crafting Shields
Crafting armor requires the Craft skill.
Units of material required are based upon the armor being made.
TABLE: MATERIALS FOR SHIELDS Shield Units Options Buckler 2 1 Escutcheon 3 1 Round 4 1 Tall 6 2 Kite 8 2 Tower 10 2
- Units: You must have this many units of the material the item is to be crafted from in order to craft the shield.
- Optional: If you choose to use an optional material (such as using darkhide straps for a kite shield), you must have this many units of the material in question to gain the optional benefit.
TABLE: SHIELDCRAFTING DCs Shield DC Buckler 8 Escutcheon 10 Round 13 Tall 15 Kite 18 Tower 20 Modifier Material Light Medium Heavy Hide Leather -2 -5 --- Shell +1 -3 --- Chitin +1 -2 --- Wood Ash +0 -1 -4 Elm +1 +1 +1 Oak +1 +2 +1 Walnut +2 +2 +2 Metal Bronze --- -3 -5 Iron --- -1 -2 Steel --- +1 +0 Platinum --- +3 +3 Gem Crystal --- --- +5 Diamond --- --- +10
Shieldcrafting Options
Blah blah, +2 for each option beyond the first, mkay.
Qualities
- Articulated [DC +5]: The shield is articulated, allowing a trained user to make use of the Articulated Armor Training [feat/talent?] while using the shield. Only medium and heavy shields can be articulated. Articulation increases the shield's WT by +1. [Materials: Hide (Any)]
- Bulky [DC -3]: The shield is unusually bulky or heavy, making it more difficult to move with, increasing its WT by +1. A shield cannot have both this quality and the Lightweight quality. A shield can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
- Delicate [DC -4]: The shield is unusually delicate, reducing its ability to deflect blows; the BD it provides is decreased by 1. A shield cannot have both this and the Sturdy quality. A shield can have this quality multiple times; if a shield would be reduced to lower than +1 BD, the crafting attempt fails. [Materials: None]
- Durable [DC +5]: The shield is exceptionally tough, increasing its HP by +50 if Light, +100 if Medium, and +200 if Heavy. A shield cannot have both this and the Weak quality. A shield can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
- Lightweight [DC +5]: The shield is unusually lightweight, decreasing its WT by 1 (minimum 1 for Light shields, 2 for Medium shields, and 4 for Heavy shields). A shield cannot have both this quality and the Bulky quality. A shield can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
- Spiked [DC +3]: The shield is spiked, allowing a trained user to make use of the Shield Attack [feat/talent?] while using the shield. The shield spike is itself a separate item and must be constructed before it can be attached to the shield. A shield spike increases the shield's WT by the WT of the shield spike attached. [Materials: Shield Spike]
- Sturdy [DC +5]: The shield is exceptionally sturdy, increasing its BD by +1. A shield cannot have both this and the Delicate quality. A shield can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
- Weak [DC -4]: The armor is unusually weak, decreasing its HP by -25 if Light, -50 if Medium, and -100 if Heavy. A shield cannot have both this and the Durable quality. A shield can have this quality multiple times; if a shield would be reduced to less than 1 HP, the crafting attempt fails. [Materials: None]
Magic (?) Qualities
- Reflecting [DC 30]: The shield is capable of reflecting magical effects. Whenever you would be allowed a saving throw against a Magic effect, you may instead opt to make a Block Defense roll. If you succeed by less than the shield's BD value, the spell is reflected back at the caster. [Materials: Carabini]
General Items
Here are some ideas for general items that could be crafted. I don't know if this is how this will actually work, but this is the idea at the moment.
Crafting these general items requires a check of some sort. For general items, it would be some sort of normal crafting check... for the magic (?) items, it would also require some sort of Spellcraft check, maybe.
General Items
- Boots
- Battle Shoes [DC 19]: Your movement speed increases by 5 feet. [Materials: Hide (Any) (x4)]
- Spike Boots [DC 19]: You gain a +5 bonus to Jump checks. [Materials: Hide (Any) (x4), Metal (Any) (x1)]
- Germinas Boots [DC 23]: Your movement speed increases by 5 feet, and you gain a +5 bonus to Jump checks. [Materials: Germinas Leather (x2), Hide (Any) (x2)]
- Sprint Shoes [DC 23]: You gain a +5 bonus to Initiative checks. [Materials: Germinas Leather (x4)]
- Gloves
- Thief Glove [DC 19]: You gain a +5 bonus to Thievery checks. [Materials: Germinas Leather (x2), Hide (Any) (x2)]
- Consumables
- Phoenix Down [DC 25]: As a standard action, you can revive a dead creature that has been dead for 60 ticks or less. The creature gains the benefit of a healing surge. [Materials: Phoenix Feather (x2)]
- Phoenix Pinion [DC 30]: As a standard action, you can revive a dead creature. The creature gains the benefit of a healing surge. [Materials: Phoenix Feather (x5)]
Magic (?) Items
- Boots
- Feather Boots [DC 25]: Once per encounter, as a swift action, the wearer of this item can use float, as per the (spell?). [Materials: Feather (x5), Hide (Any) (x3)]
- Bracers
- Gold Armlet [DC 27]: You gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against (petrification) effects. Once per day, you can automatically succeed on a saving throw against a (petrification) effect. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x2), Gold (x2)]
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The bonus granted by this item is increased by +2. This item can have this upgrade multiple times.
- Upgrade [DC +6]: You gain an additional use of the per-day ability of this item. This item can have this upgrade up to two times.
- Gold Armlet [DC 27]: You gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against (petrification) effects. Once per day, you can automatically succeed on a saving throw against a (petrification) effect. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x2), Gold (x2)]
- Cloaks
- Feather Mantle [DC 20]: Once per encounter, as a swift action, the wearer of this item can use feather fall, as per the spell. [Materials: Feather (x5), Cloth (Any) (x3)]
- Mage Mantle [DC 22]: You gain resist arcane 5. [Materials: Runecloth (x3)]
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The resist arcane granted by this item is increased by +5. This item can have this upgrade up to three times.
- Vanish Mantle [DC 25]: Once per encounter, as a swift action, the wearer of this item can turn invisible, as per the spell. [Materials: Ghostweave (x2)]
- Headgear
- Golden Hairpin [DC 30]: Once per encounter, as a swift action, you can recharge a Magic per-encounter spell. [Materials: Gold (x3), Caribini (x1)]
- Twisted Spectacles [DC 20]: Once per encounter, as a swift action that is part of casting, you can increase the range of a spell you are casting by 10 feet. [Materials: Silver (x1), Crystal (x2), Glass (x1)]
- Upgrade [DC +2]: You can use this ability can additional time per encounter. This item can have this upgrade up to two times.
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The range bonus is increased by +10 feet. This item can have this upgrade multiple times.
- Rings
- Crystal Ring [DC 22]: You gain resist poison 5. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x1), Crystal (x1)]
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The resist poison granted by this item is increased by +5. This item can have this upgrade up to three times.
- Reflect Ring [DC 25]: Once per encounter, when you would be allowed to make a saving throw against a Magic effect, you may instead opt to make a Block Defense roll with a +10 bonus. If you succeed, the spell is reflected back at the caster. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x1), Gem (Any) (x1), Carabini (x1)]
- Upgrade [DC +2]: The bonus on the Block Defense roll is increased by +1. This item can have this upgrade multiple times.
- Crystal Ring [DC 22]: You gain resist poison 5. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x1), Crystal (x1)]
- Miscellaneous
- Arcane Pocket [DC 18]: This pouch is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. Increase the bag slots of the container by +4. This quality does not affect the number of Readily-Available slots the container has. [Materials: Any container]
- Upgrade [DC +2]: This quality increases the bag slots by an additional +2. This item can have this upgrade multiple times.
- Arcane Pocket [DC 18]: This pouch is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. Increase the bag slots of the container by +4. This quality does not affect the number of Readily-Available slots the container has. [Materials: Any container]
Psionic (?) Items
- Bracers
- Nekai Armlet [DC 27]: You gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against (charm) and (confusion) effects. Once per day, you can automatically succeed on a saving throw against a (charm) or (confusion) effect. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x3)]
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The bonus granted by this item is increased by +2. This item can have this upgrade multiple times.
- Upgrade [DC +6]: You gain an additional use of the per-day ability of this item. This item can have this upgrade up to two times.
- Nekai Armlet [DC 27]: You gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against (charm) and (confusion) effects. Once per day, you can automatically succeed on a saving throw against a (charm) or (confusion) effect. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x3)]
- Headgear
- Telepathy Helm [DC 25]: You gain telepathy with a range of 20 feet. [Materials: Cloth (Any) (x3)]
- Upgrade [DC +2]: The range of the telepathy is increased by +10 feet. This item can have this upgrade multiple times.
- Psionicist's Hat [DC 22]: You gain resist psychic 5. [Materials: Hide (Any) (x2), Crystal (x1)]
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The resist psychic granted by this item is increased by +5. This item can have this upgrade up to three times.
- Telepathy Helm [DC 25]: You gain telepathy with a range of 20 feet. [Materials: Cloth (Any) (x3)]
Tech (?) Items
- Belts
- Surge Protector [DC 22]: You gain resist electricity 5. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x2), Rubber (x1)]
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The resist electricity granted by this item is increased by +5. This item can have this upgrade up to three times.
- Surge Protector [DC 22]: You gain resist electricity 5. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x2), Rubber (x1)]
- Bracers
- Repulsor Armlet [DC 22]: You gain resist magnetic 5. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x4)]
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The resist magnetic granted by this item is increased by +5. This item can have this upgrade up to three times.
- Repulsor Armlet [DC 22]: You gain resist magnetic 5. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x4)]
- Gloves
- Grappler Gloves [DC 25]: Once per encounter, as a swift action, you can double your threatening reach for 1 round. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x2), Rubber (x2), Battery (x2)]
- Upgrade [DC +2]: The duration of this item's effect lasts for an additional round. This item can have this upgrade up to four times.
- Magneto Gloves [DC 25]: Once per encounter, as a swift action, this glove functions as a magnetic glove, as per the device. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x3)]
- Grappler Gloves [DC 25]: Once per encounter, as a swift action, you can double your threatening reach for 1 round. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x2), Rubber (x2), Battery (x2)]
Time (?) Items
- Belts
- Accurate Watch [DC 27]: You gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against (stop) effects. Once per day, you can automatically succeed on a saving throw against a (stop) effect. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x2), Quintessence (x1)]
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The bonus granted by this item is increased by +2. This item can have this upgrade multiple times.
- Upgrade [DC +6]: You gain an additional use of the per-day ability of this item. This item can have this upgrade up to two times.
- Accurate Watch [DC 27]: You gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against (stop) effects. Once per day, you can automatically succeed on a saving throw against a (stop) effect. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x2), Quintessence (x1)]
- Boots
- Blink Boots [DC 30]: Once per encounter, you can teleport up to 30 feet. [Materials: Hide (Any) (x4), Germinas Leather (x2)]
- Upgrade [DC +5]: The range of the teleport is increased by +10 feet. This item can have this upgrade multiple times.
- Blink Boots [DC 30]: Once per encounter, you can teleport up to 30 feet. [Materials: Hide (Any) (x4), Germinas Leather (x2)]
- Bracers
- Freedom Armlet [DC 27]: You gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against (disable) and (immobilize) effects. Once per day, you can automatically succeed on a saving throw against a (disable) or (immobilize) effect. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x3), Quintessence (x1)]
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The bonus granted by this item is increased by +2. This item can have this upgrade multiple times.
- Upgrade [DC +6]: You gain an additional use of the per-day ability of this item. This item can have this upgrade up to two times.
- Diamond Armlet [DC 27]: You gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against (slow) effects. Once per day, you can automatically succeed on a saving throw against a (slow) effect. [Materials: Diamond (x2), Metal (Any) (x2), Quintessence (x1)]
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The bonus granted by this item is increased by +2. This item can have this upgrade multiple times.
- Upgrade [DC +6]: You gain an additional use of the per-day ability of this item. This item can have this upgrade up to two times.
- Freedom Armlet [DC 27]: You gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against (disable) and (immobilize) effects. Once per day, you can automatically succeed on a saving throw against a (disable) or (immobilize) effect. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x3), Quintessence (x1)]
Divine Items
- Bracers
- Minerva Bangle [DC 22]: You gain resist holy 5. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x2), Heavenly Dust (x2)]
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The resist holy granted by this item is increased by +5. This item can have this upgrade up to three times.
- Minerva Bangle [DC 22]: You gain resist holy 5. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x2), Heavenly Dust (x2)]
- Headgear
- Shadow Necklace [DC 22]: You gain shadow resist 5. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x2), Shadow Mote (x2)]
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The resist holy granted by this item is increased by +5. This item can have this upgrade up to three times.
- Shadow Necklace [DC 22]: You gain shadow resist 5. [Materials: Metal (Any) (x2), Shadow Mote (x2)]
- Rings
- Angel Ring [DC 32]: Once per day, when you would swoon, you gain a second wind. [Materials: Heavenly Dust (x2), Metal (Any) (x1), Gem (Any) (x1)]
Weaponcrafting Qualities
Here's some general ideas for weaponcrafting.
General Qualities
- Dull [DC -3]: The weapon is unusually dull, or otherwise of inferior construction. The weapon suffers a -1 penalty to its DMG. A weapon cannot have both this and the Sharp quality. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
- Keen [DC +5]: The weapon is exceptionally sharp, or otherwise more likely to cause serious damage. The weapon's critical threat range is increased by 1, to a maximum of double its original range. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
- Lightweight [DC +2]: The weapon is well-balanced, resulting in a -1 to its WT, to a minimum of 0 for Light weapons, 1 for One-handed weapons, and 2 for Two-handed weapons. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
- Fragile [DC -2]: The weapon is fragile, suffering a penalty to its HP of -5 if Light, -10 if One-handed, or -20 if Two-handed. A weapon cannot have both this and the Sturdy quality. A weapon can have this quality multiple times; if a weapon would be reduced to less than 1 HP, the crafting attempt fails. [Materials: None]
- Sharp [DC +3]: The weapon is exceptionally sharp, or otherwise constructed in such a way as to increase the amount of damage it deals. The weapon has its DMG increased by +1. A weapon cannot have both this and the Dull quality. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
- Sturdy [DC +2]: The weapon is sturdily-constructed, increasing its HP by +10 if Light, +20 if One-handed, or +40 if Two-handed. A weapon cannot have both this and the Fragile quality. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
- Unwieldy [DC -2]: The weapon is unwieldy to handle, resulting in a +1 to its WT. A weapon cannot have both this and the Lightweight quality. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
- Vicious [DC +6]: The weapon's construction is exceptionally vicious, improving its ability to leave grievous wounds. Whenever you score a critical hit with this weapon, it inflicts an additional TP. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
- Wounding [DC +5]: The weapon causes horrible wounds, which continue to bleed after the strike. A creature struck by a weapon with this quality takes 1 point of damage each round until healed. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
Melee Qualities
- Flurrying [DC +7]: The weapon is exceptionally and expertly lightened and balanced, allowing a trained user to make use of the Flurrying Strikes [feat/talent?]. The weapon's WT is reduced by -1. [Materials: None]
- Mercurial [DC +2]: The weapon is constructed with an interior channel and reservoir, filled with quicksilver, which weights the end of the weapon when swung. This results in +2 DMG, but the quicksilver also adds +2 to its WT. [Materials: Quicksilver]
- Parrying [DC +5]: The weapon has an exceptionally-crafted hilt or guard, improving its parrying ability. The weapon's PD is increased by +1. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
Ranged Qualities
- Balanced [DC +3]: The weapon is exceptionally balanced, making it excel as a thrown weapon. The weapon's range increment is increased by +10 feet. A weapon can only have this quality if it has the Thrown quality. A weapon can have this quality multiple times. [Materials: None]
Magic (?) Qualities
- Blood [DC 30]: The weapon has been imbued with vampiric magic, causing it to drain the life of those it strikes. Whenever the weapon strikes, you gain a second wind. [Materials: None]
- Energy: The weapon is enhanced with the power of an energy type, causing it to deal energy damage. A weapon can only have one energy quality.
- Arcanic [DC 25]: Raw magic has been inlaid in the weapon, wreathing it in arcane energy whenever it strikes. Half of the weapon's DMG is arcane damage. [Materials: Carabini]
- Fiery [DC 25]: Magic that evokes flame has been inlaid in the weapon, wreathing it in fire whenever it strikes. Half of the weapon's DMG is fire damage. [Materials: Magma Rock]
- Icy [DC 25]: Magic that evokes cold has been inlaid in the weapon, coating it in frost whenever it strikes. Half of the weapon's DMG is cold damage. [Materials: Chill Gel]
- Shocking [DC 25]: Magic that evokes electricity has been inlaid in the weapon, enveloping it in electricity whenever it strikes. Half of the weapon's DMG is electricity damage. [Materials: Coral]
- Rune [DC 35]: Once per encounter, when you are the target of a Magic effect that allows a saving throw, you may make a Parry Defense roll with this weapon instead. If you succeed, the weapon harmlessly absorbs the effect, and until the end of the encounter, half of the weapon's DMG is arcane damage. [Materials: Carabini]
Technological Qualities
- Energy: The weapon is enhanced with the power of an energy type, causing it to deal energy damage. A weapon can only have one energy quality.
- Acidic [DC 25]: A complex network of valves and pumps in this weapon connect to an interior reservoir filled with acid. Half of the weapon's DMG is acid damage. [Materials: Strong Acid]
- Electric [DC 25]: Conductive metals and complex wiring on this weapon cause it to crackle with electrical power. Half of the weapon's DMG is electricity damage. [Materials: Battery]
- Magnetic [DC 25]: Highly magnetic metals producing oscillating magnetic fields have been forged into the weapon. Half of he weapon's DMG is magnetic damage. [Materials: Nickel]
Divine Qualities
- Avenger [DC 30]: When you are bloodied, this weapon deals an additional 5 holy damage. [Materials: Heavenly Dust, Angel's Tear]
- Upgrade [DC +4]: The extra damage granted by this quality improves by 2 points.
- Defender [DC 22]: This weapon can function as a shield, with a BD equal to its PD. [Materials: Heavenly Dust, Holy Water]
- Energy: The weapon is enhanced with the power of an energy type, causing it to deal energy damage. A weapon can only have one energy quality.
- Holy [DC 25]: Divine power has been channeled into the weapon, the blessing of a deity imbued into it. Half of the weapon's DMG is holy damage. [Materials: Heavenly Dust]
- Shadow [DC 25]: Infernal energy has been trapped in the weapon, power that is unleashed each time it strikes. Half of the weapon's DMG is shadow damaage. [Materials: Shadow Mote]
Nature Qualities
- Energy: The weapon is enhanced with the power of an energy type, causing it to deal energy damage. A weapon can only have one energy quality.
- Solar [DC 25]: The blade has been imbued with the light of the sun. Half of the weapon's DMG is radiant damage. [Materials: Sunstone]
- Venom [DC 25]: The blade has been supernaturally envenomed. Half of the weapon's DMG is poison damage. [Materials: Poison Sac]
- Flametongue [DC 25]: The weapon has been imbued with the spirit of fire. Once per encounter, as a swift action, you can cause the next creature you hit to take ongoing fire 5 damage for 3 rounds. [Materials: ???]
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The ongoing fire damage caused by this weapon increases by 1.
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The duration of the additional effect of this quality increases by 1 round.
- Icicle [DC 25]: The weapon has been imbued with the spirit of ice. Once per encounter, as a swift action, you can inflict the (immobilize) status on the next creature you hit. [Materials: Chill Gel]
- Upgrade [DC +5]: You can use this quality an additional time per encounter.
- Stormstrike [DC 25]: The weapon has been imbued with the spirit of lightning. Once per encounter, as a swift action, you can inflict the (stun) status on the next creature you hit. [Materials: ???]
- Upgrade [DC +5]: You can use this quality an additional time per encounter.
- Windfury [DC 30]: This weapon has been imbued with the spirit of wind. Once per encounter, as a swift action, you can push the next creature you hit 10 feet. [Materials: ???]
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The movement caused by this quality increases by 5 feet.
Temporal Qualities
- Ancient [DC 30]: This weapon has been imbued with great age, which it can confer onto those it strikes. Once per encounter, as a swift action, you can cause the (slow) status on the next creature you strike. [Materials: Worm Antenna]
- Upgrade [DC +5]: You can use this quality an additional time per encounter.
- Ejecting [DC 35]: This weapon has an extradimensional space stored in it, which it can use to trap creatures it strikes. Once per encounter, as a swift action, you can affect the next creature you strike with the eject jikuu. [Materials: Dark Matter]
- Upgrade [DC +5]: You can use this quality an additional time per encounter.
- Rapidity [DC 30]: This weapon has been imbued with quintessence, which is can confer upon its wielder. Once per encounter, as a swift action, you can gain the (haste) status for 1 round. [Materials: Quintessence]
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The duration of the status effect increases by 1 round.
- Skipping [DC 30]: This weapon has been imbued with quintessence, which it uses to manipulate the timeline of those it strikes. Once per encounter, as a swift action, you can affect the next creature you strike with the temporal skip jikuu. [Materials: Quintessence]
- Upgrade [DC +5]: You can use this quality an additional time per encounter.
- Timeless [DC 35]: This weapon has been imbued with unstable quintessence, which it can confer onto those it strikes. Once per encounter, as a swift action, you can cause the (stop) status on the next creature you strike. [Materials: Quintessence, Dark Matter]
- Upgrade [DC +5]: You can use this quality an additional time per encounter.
- Timestealing [DC 30]: This weapon has been imbued with temporal energy, such that it can steal time from those it strikes. Once per encounter, as a swift action, you can affect the next creature you strike with the steal time jikuu. [Materials: Quintessence, Worm Antenna]
- Upgrade [DC +5]: You can use this quality an additional time per encounter.
Chaotic Qualities
- Entropic [DC 30]: Whenever this weapon deals damage to an item, the item takes 5 additional damage. [Materials: ???]
- Upgrade [DC +3]: The additional damage dealt by this quality increases by 2.
- Lucky [DC 22]: Once per encounter, as a swift action, you can gain a Luck point. [Materials: Luckstone]
- Upgrade [DC +6]: You can use this ability an additional time per encounter.
- Energy: The weapon is enhanced with the power of an energy type, causing it to deal energy damage. A weapon can only have one energy quality.
- Madness [DC 25]: This weapon is imbued with madness. Half of the weapon's DMG is psychic damage. [Materials: ???]
Special Materials
Some materials go above and beyond the capabilities of normal materials. They require special treatment and knowledge to make, or special circumstances to cause their formation.
In some cases, you may decide to craft normal items out of these special materials. Usually, these materials are components for various mastercraft or magical enhancements; while something like ghostweave can be used in place of silk, unless the item is being used in a specific way, it has no additional qualities beyond its base material unless otherwise specified.
General Materials
- Germinas (Hide [Leather]): A tough, resilient leather, germinas leather is made by soaking the leather in an herbal mixture. [Materials: Leather (x1), Swiftthistle (x2)]
- Orichalcum (Metal [Steel]): Incredibly rare, orichalcum is much stronger and more durable than normal metals. Orichalcum behaves as steel, but increases the item's HP by +5 per WT.
Magic Materials
- Chill Gel: A light-blue, pasty, sticky substance, chill gel is a powerful cooling agent. [Materials: Icecap (x2)]
- Carabini (Metal [Orichalcum]): Orichalcum soaked in magical residue, carabini finds all sorts of uses in magical enhancements, enabling items to reflect, enhance, or even absorb arcane energy. [Materials: Orichalcum (x1)]
- Ghostweave (Cloth [Silk]): Specially-treated silk, ghostweave is nearly translucent in appearance. The creation of ghostweave requires the treating of silk in a powder made from ghost mushrooms. [Materials: Silk (x1), Ghost Mushroom (x1)]
- Runecloth (Cloth [Silk]): Silk that has been infused with arcane power. [Materials: Silk (x1)]
Combat
This section will go into brief detail regarding combat-centric information.
Bonuses
In d20, you have three kinds of bonuses to deal with: attack, reflex, fortitude, and will. Journey adds two more: defense and force. Defense rolls are what you use to oppose attack rolls (though some defenses are static). The "Force" bonus is what you roll when you utilize a Force effect - it is how you set the saving throw DC. You also use it to overcome spell resistance or similar (which is static, similar to how AC is static).
All bonuses follow one of the following progressions.
-- COMBAT ROLLS -- LVL Worst Poor Avg Good Best 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 1 1 2 2 3 1 1 2 3 3 4 1 2 2 4 4 5 1 2 3 5 5 6 2 3 4 5 6 7 2 3 4 6 7 8 2 4 5 7 8 9 3 4 6 8 9 10 3 5 6 9 10 11 3 5 7 9 11 12 4 6 8 10 12 13 4 6 8 11 13 14 4 7 9 12 14 15 5 7 10 13 15 16 5 8 10 13 16 17 5 8 11 14 17 18 6 9 12 15 18 19 6 9 12 16 19 20 6 10 13 17 20 21 7 10 14 17 21 22 7 11 14 18 22 23 7 11 15 19 23 24 8 12 16 20 24 25 8 12 16 21 25 26 8 13 17 21 26 27 9 13 18 22 27 28 9 14 18 23 28 29 9 14 19 24 29 30 10 15 20 25 30
Offense
If you are taking an offensive action, you will most likely use either your attack bonus or your force bonus for whatever it is you are rolling. Your weapon may impact your total attack bonus, whereas your implement (if you have one) or other similar effect may impact your total force bonus.
Physical attacks are modified either by Strength, Dexterity, or Perception. Force rolls are modified by your class's key ability.
Defense
There are eight kinds of defense in Journey. Four of these are acknowledged as defenses: they are usually applicable only to physical attacks. Three are the traditional saving throws, useful against protecting yourself from the various side-effects of some physical attacks, or from magical effects. The fourth is spell resistance.
Two of these - armor class and spell resistance - are static numbers. Regardless of what your saving throw or defense roll is, an attack of any kind must surpass either your AC or SR in order to affect you.
This creates an interesting kind of symmetry between physical attacks and magic effects.
Physical Defenses
- Armor Class (AC): Your armor class is 10 + your armor's AC bonus + your defense bonus.
- Block Defense (BD): Your block defense is d20 + your shield's BD value + your defense bonus. You may only block once a round, which refreshes on your turn. Some classes or abilities may allow you to block multiple times.
- Parry Defense (PD): Your parry defense is d20 + your weapon's PD value + your defense bonus. When you parry, you can make one less attack on your next turn.
- Dodge Defense (DD): Your dodge defense is d20 + your Dex modifier + your defense bonus. You can attempt to dodge any number of attacks in a round, but each attempt after the first suffers a -2 penalty for each previous dodge defense attempt.
Saving Throws
- Spell Resistance (SR): Your spell resistance is 0 + any modifiers.
- Fortitude Save (Fort): Your fortitude save is d20 + your Con modifier + your class's Fort save.
- Reflex Save (Ref): Your reflex save is d20 + your Dex modifier + your class's Reflex save.
- Will Save (Will): Your will save is d20 + your Wis modifier + your class's Will save.
Hit Points (HP) and Trauma Points (TP)
Neither system we are taking liberally from deals well with damage dealt in combat. HP is a relatively abstract concept, and you can fight just as well at 1 HP as you can at 400. Clearly, this is an issue for simulationism.
Journey's take on HP is rather similar to 4e. You will have a larger number of HP at low levels, with lower increases over the course of gaining levels. The second wind mechanic will be used, to represent the idea that some hit points are an abstract combination of luck, skill, dodging, and the ability to turn nasty blows into lesser ones.
However, at some point, the ability to turn blows aside or dodge out of the way goes away, and you start taking real damage. Real damage is represented by trauma points (TP).
Hit Points
At 50% of your hit points, you become bloodied - whatever damage you just took actually landed, and you are now visibly wounded. Being bloodied has a few mechanical ramifications; it is a trigger that changes how some of your abilities work. Aside from this, being bloodied has no impact on your ability to function.
At 25% of your HP, you become wounded. The attack that puts you into the wounded status is mildly crippling, and lessens your ability to function. While you are wounded, you suffer a -2 penalty to all d20 rolls.
At 0% of your HP, you swoon. You fall unconscious, and will most likely die rather soon. There is a chance you will recover, that whatever attack reduced you to 0 HP or less was not as life-threatening as it seemed, but for the most part, this is serious business.
At -50% (or maybe -25%) of your HP, you die. While bleeding in the swooned condition doesn't actually deal damage, other creatures may choose to continue to attack you once you fall unconscious. These attacks will rapidly prove fatal.
Trauma Points
When you are fully-rested, you have 0 TP. The fewer TP you have, the better off you are. Each TP represents a grievous wound. While you can walk off most HP damage, and recover most of your hit points after a reasonable rest, recovering TP requires days to do, or the help of a trained physician.
You gain a trauma point whenever one of the following things happens:
- You suffer a critical hit.
- An attack deals 50% of your max HP in damage to you.
- You drop to wounded status.
- You swoon.
If gaining a TP would cause you to have TP equal to your Constitution score, you have taken so much brutal punishment that you may die. You must make a successful Fortitude save against a DC equal to your Constitution score, or die. Every TP you gain thereafter requires a similar saving throw, with the DC increased by +1 for each TP you have above your Constitution score. If you gain multiple TPs from a single attack, you only have to make a single save for your total TP after the attack.
Every time you gain TPs (regardless of how many you gain), there is a chance that you will suffer a more permanent injury. First figure out where the hit landed, then roll d20 + TP - your Con score. If the result is less than 0, nothing happens; otherwise, bad things happen.
Social Combat
Interesting ideas are found here.
Review of an interesting book found here.
Also consider this, this, and this.
This has its own wiki page now: Here.
Experience
Journey will attempt to move away from the strict "kill stuff and take their loot" paradigm that dictates advancement in d20. Instead, level advancement will be tied to your character's goals and motivations. This will hopefully lead to a game that is a little more RP-intensive; also, it allows for NPCs to be higher than 1st-level without them having to have gone out and killed things.
- Key of the Caregiver: Your character finds great worth in caring for the mental and physical well-being of others.
- Gain 1 XP every time your character heals an ally.
- Gain 2 XP every time your character heals someone neutral.
- Gain 5 XP every time your character heals someone hostile.
- Buyoff: Decline to heal an ally.
- Key of the Craftsman: Building is what you love to do the most; having some concrete representation of your efforts in life is something you strive for.
- Gain 1 XP every time you craft an item with a craft DC equal to your take 10 with that craft.
- Gain 2 XP every time you craft an item with a craft DC greater than your take 10 with that craft.
- Gain 5 XP every time you craft an item with a craft DC equal to your take 20 with that craft.
- Buyoff: Intentionally destroy an item you have crafted.
- Special: You cannot gain XP from crafting if you take 10 or take 20.
Fixing the Level Disparity
Clearly, this system will probably wind up with the issue of having really low-level people in the same group as really high-level people.
While 4e encounter design (which is the base assumption for Journey, not 3.5 encounter design) is such that such disparity isn't a guaranteed TPK, it could still be irritating to be at the low end of the level scale in a party.
As such, a party tracks two types of XP: each member has their own individual XP, and then the group - as a whole - has group XP.
Individual XP is just that - it's experience you, as a character, gain. In the course of seeking to attain your goals, you become more experienced and better at what you do.
Group XP is the idea that, regardless of how much or how little skill any one individual may have, the whole is more than the sum of its parts: the low-level fighter in the party may not be the best at fighting, but everyone in the group knows and understands his tactics and weaknesses, which allows him to compensate in other areas. While with the group, the fighter is essentially higher-level, due to this group understanding.
Whenever you gain XP, you contribute that XP amount to both your XP and the group XP. In order for the group to "level," the group must gain XP equal to the XP normally required to hit that level times the number of players. The reason that the number of players is used instead of group members is to allow for campaigns in which each player has multiple characters - this method ensures that the characters that aren't being played have a chance to keep up with the others.
Example #1: A group of five players sits down to play. In the first session, player A gains 3 XP, B gains 7, C gains 1, D gains 0, and E gains 28 (he was rather busy!). In order to get to 2nd level, a character must have at least 10 XP - meaning that D gains a level. In order for the group to get to 2nd level, the group must earn 50 XP (10 * 5 = 50). The group has gained only 39 XP, meaning that the group has not leveled - the level disparity remains, but will most likely be shortly remedied.
Example #2: A group of four players, each with one character of 1st-level, sits down to play. Player A gains 9 XP, B gains 3, C gains 22, and D gains 13. C and D level. Group XP is 47, which is higher than 40 (10 * 4 = 40). Therefore, everyone in the group must be at least 2nd level, and those who are not, gain levels sufficient to bring them to that point. Should A or B choose to leave the group at this point, they would revert back to 1st, as they do not have enough experience as an individual to be 2nd.
This system does not mean that individuals go unrewarded for pursuing their characters' goals. There is no upper limit on what level you can be - it may be possible to be 12th in a group of otherwise 7th level characters. What it does, however, is ensure that the gap is not too large to make the game unplayable for some (ie, a 1st-level character in a group of 9th-level characters).
It is also simulationist, in the sense that - even if you have no personal goals you are working towards - constantly being around other people and interacting with them in a variety of situations will teach you something. This is sensical.
TABLE: XP PROGRESSION 1 Individual Group (2) Group (3) Group (4) Group (5) Group (6) Group (7) Level XP Required XP Required XP Required XP Required XP Required XP Required XP Required 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 3 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 4 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 5 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 6 150 300 450 600 750 900 1050 7 210 420 630 840 1050 1260 1470 8 280 560 840 1120 1400 1680 1960 9 360 720 1080 1440 1800 2160 2520 10 450 900 1350 1800 2250 2700 3150 11 550 1100 1650 2200 2750 3300 3850 12 660 1320 1980 2640 3300 3960 4620 13 780 1560 2340 3120 3900 4680 5460 14 910 1820 2730 3640 4550 5460 6370 15 1050 2100 3150 4200 5250 6300 7350 16 1200 2400 3600 4800 6000 7200 8400 17 1360 2720 4080 5440 6800 8160 9520 18 1530 3060 4590 6120 7650 9180 10710 19 1710 3420 5130 6840 8550 10260 11970 20 1900 3800 5700 7600 9500 11400 13300 21 2100 4200 6300 8400 10500 12600 14700 22 2310 4620 6930 9240 11550 13860 16170 23 2530 5060 7590 10120 12650 15180 17710 24 2760 5520 8280 11040 13800 16560 19320 25 3000 6000 9000 12000 15000 18000 21000 26 3250 6500 9750 13000 16250 19500 22750 27 3510 7020 10530 14040 17550 21060 24570 28 3780 7560 11340 15120 18900 22680 26460 29 4060 8120 12180 16240 20300 24360 28420 30 4350 8700 13050 17400 21750 26100 30450
I think that that table may be too punishing.
TABLE: XP PROGRESSION 2 Individual Group (2) Group (3) Group (4) Group (5) Group (6) Group (7) Level XP Required XP Required XP Required XP Required XP Required XP Required XP Required 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 3 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 4 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 5 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 6 150 225 300 375 450 525 600 7 210 315 420 525 630 735 840 8 280 420 560 700 840 980 1120 9 360 540 720 900 1080 1260 1440 10 450 675 900 1125 1350 1575 1800 11 550 825 1100 1375 1650 1925 2200 12 660 990 1320 1650 1980 2310 2640 13 780 1170 1560 1950 2340 2730 3120 14 910 1365 1820 2275 2730 3185 3640 15 1050 1575 2100 2625 3150 3675 4200 16 1200 1800 2400 3000 3600 4200 4800 17 1360 2040 2720 3400 4080 4760 5440 18 1530 2295 3060 3825 4590 5355 6120 19 1710 2565 3420 4275 5130 5985 6840 20 1900 2850 3800 4750 5700 6650 7600 21 2100 3150 4200 5250 6300 7350 8400 22 2310 3465 4620 5775 6930 8085 9240 23 2530 3795 5060 6325 7590 8855 10120 24 2760 4140 5520 6900 8280 9660 11040 25 3000 4500 6000 7500 9000 10500 12000 26 3250 4875 6500 8125 9750 11375 13000 27 3510 5265 7020 8775 10530 12285 14040 28 3780 5670 7560 9450 11340 13230 15120 29 4060 6090 8120 10150 12180 14210 16240 30 4350 6525 8700 10875 13050 15225 17400
The other problem is that all the numbers, thus far, have been written with the idea that only one member of a five-person party has been actively gaining XP. With any progression in which the above numbers are cut, you instantly wind up with a situation in which your group level is higher than the highest individual level in the group - which is clearly not acceptable.
Probably the best way to do this would be to say that you use either group xp or individual xp to figure out level, with the cap on level being the highest individual xp's level.
Also, adjust all xp gained from keys by your level - so you add your level to any key-based xp you get. If you have one key, and play once a week, you'll hit 30th level in 3.8 years of playing. Might be a little too intense - could rectify by handing out more keys (I think that was the idea, anyway). Doing key buyoff will have to be hella worth it.
...the journey of a thousand miles...
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Journey
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...begins beneath your feet...
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