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Use this when determining whether a character is surprised, or when a character is trying to see something that's difficult to see or nearly invisible. If a character is trying to view someone who has made a successful stealth roll or who is Walking Unseen, the GM might instead just require a new stealth roll if circumstances have changed.
In general, stopping to take a closer look at one's surroundings requires a Pass action. If the observer is engaged in other activities, the difficulty factor will be reduced.
| Difficulty Factor | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | The target's presence is completely unexpected |
| 2 | The character has only a general suspicion that something like the target might possibly be around |
| 3 | The character suspects that the target is in the area |
| 4 | The character believes the target is nearby |
| 5 | The character knows where to look |
Apply these modifiers to the resulting success chance:
| +10 | Target (if a living being) has 0 FT left (out of breath and panting) |
| +10 | Target is currently moving |
| -3 | For each 5 hexes (or fraction) after the first 5 from the observer to the target |
| -20 | Target occupies a sheltered hex |
| -10 | Starry night or shadowy interior |
| -20 | Cloudy night |
| -30 | Cave or unlit interior |
| -40 | Pitch blackness, or target is magically invisible (unless there are no other clues to the target's presence -- sounds, smells, bodily warmth, breathing, etc. -- in which case perception is impossible) |
A character can run by moving up to double the TMR score. The movement must be greater than the current TMR or it doesn't count as running. While running, each sudden turn or sudden stop runs a risk of falling. Attacking and being attacked also incur a risk of falling, to be checked after the attack. The success chance is [3 x (modified AG)]%. Failure indicates the character has lost footing and fallen. A character who falls while running has a [4 x (modified MD)]% chance of holding onto handheld items.
For each subsequent round of running, the character must make a Fatigue roll before continuing to run. The success chance is [4 x (current FT)]%. Success indicates the character can run again. Failure indicates the character can't run this time.
A running character must take a Pass action immediately after running.
See also the strike chance modifiers that apply to running characters.
To restrain an opponent, the chance of success is [50 + (attacker's PS + AG + 2 x Unarmed Rank) - (defender's PS + AG + 2 x Unarmed Rank)]%. For example, if Barrun (PS 23, AG 16, Unarmed 2) tries to restrain Cormac (PS 9, AG 18, Unarmed 0), the chance of success is 66%. Cormac's chance to restrain Barrun is 34%.
In a given round, multiple attackers can work together to carry out a restraining attack. Each attacker attacks in turn. If previous restraining attempts have been made in the same round, the current attacker can include previous attackers in the computation of the success chance only if:
| Advantage | For... |
|---|---|
| +30 | ...target is running |
| +60 | ...target is running with scissors :-) |
| Penalty | For... |
| -15 | ...attacker is running with pole weapon |
| -30 | ...attacker is running with non-pole weapon |
Skilled armorers (only) can make improved versions of armor. The improvements are increases of 1 or 2 steps in:
Each step of improvement adds in one multiple of the cost, plus either one step of "unimprovement" in some other aspect of the armor or yet another multiple of the cost.
Example: An armorer wants to make a very tough set of chain mail with a protection rating of 8 instead of the usual 6 (2 steps of improvement). It normally costs 200sp, so he's at least adding another 200sp to the cost. He could make the armor heavier (weight factor 8) and bulkier (agility loss -3) for a total cost of 400sp. Or he could make it heavier (weight factor 8) and avoid the extra awkwardness with costly modifications (total cost 600sp).
Example: An armorer is working on a set of leather armor designed for stealth (+10 instead of +0). If the armorer wants to avoid all extra bulk and weight without sacrificing the protection offered by the armor, he'll have to use costly materials and processes. The total cost would come to 80sp (base 20 + 20 for making any improvements + 40 for the 2 steps of improvement). Only a highly skilled armorer could do this; ordinary armorers would make "regular" leather armor.
If you can find a highly skilled maker of a given weapon, the maker might be able to provide an improved version of the weapon. The improvements come in two forms: increased base chance (in steps of 5%), and/or increased damage modifier (in steps of 1).
The weapon maker must account for each step of increase in one of the following ways:
Example: A broadsword normally costs 50sp, requiring at least 15 PS and 15 MD to achieve rank, with a base chance of 55% and a +4 damage modifier. You find a specially made broadsword that has a base chance of 60% and a +6 damage modifier, representing 3 steps of increase.
The swordsmith could just let the weapon require a minimum PS of 17 (for the two steps of damage increase) and a minimum MD of 16 (for the single step of increase in the base chance). In this case, the weapon would also weigh an extra 6 ounces, and it would cost 200sp (having added in an extra 50sp for each step of increase.
If the same weapon were made to avoid any increase in weight or minimum PS or MD, the weapon would cost 350sp (base 50sp, plus 100sp added in once per step). Alternatively, the maker could keep the costs down a little by letting the sword be a little more breakable: 200sp, but there's a risk of breakage on attack rolls of 93-99 instead of the usual 99.
In general, a caster can terminate the effects of a spell he cast before its full duration runs out.
In general, the caster must be within range and, if necessary, have a line of sight to the spell effect, but the final interpretation is up to the GM. If the necessary requirements are met, the caster can take a Pass action to terminate the spell effect.
Later, when the item is used, any cast chance modifiers that would apply to the original caster apply at that time, but with an exception. Any modifiers that were invested into the item won't be applied again. If an air magician invests an item on a mountaintop, the spell gets the +20 cast bonus built in. If the item is later used on a mountaintop there is no further advantage. If the item is used underground, the -15 modifier applies, for a net modification of +5 from the original cast chance.
The ward can only detect what the caster would have been able to detect at the time the ward was created. If an invisible character passes through the ward, but the caster had no ability to detect invisible characters, then the ward won't be triggered.
| Star Mages | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Full daylight | -40 | Penalty becomes -10 (starless night) if in the darkness created by
the Spell of Darkness (G-3) or
the Wall of Darkness (G-6, pillar form only)
Penalty cancelled altogether if in starlight created by the Wall of Starlight (G-5, pillar form only) |
| Starless night | -10 | Penalty cancelled altogether if in starlight created by the Wall of Starlight (G-5, pillar form only) |
| Night of the new moon | +30 | Bonus cancelled if in darkness created by the Spell of Darkness (G-3) or the Wall of Darkness (G-6, pillar form only) if spell is at Rank 6 or higher |
| Night of the full moon | +10 | Bonus cancelled if in darkness created by the Spell of Darkness (G-3) or the Wall of Darkness (G-6, pillar form only) if spell is at Rank 6 or higher |
Night Vision has to have some light to work with, at least starlight. Deep underground in a cavern, the Adept is as blind as anyone else, unless there is light filtering in from somewhere.
In general, the Adept is presumed to be using normal human vision unless the player says otherwise.
Using Night Vision at Rank 0, the Adept would be unable to spot small objects or recognize facial features. Only overall shapes could be recognized. At Rank 20, the Adept could read handwriting or thread a needle by starlight.
| Rank | Difficulty Factor |
|---|---|
| 0-1 | 5.0 |
| 2-3 | 4.5 |
| 4-6 | 4.0 |
| 7-8 | 3.5 |
| 9-11 | 3.0 |
| 12-13 | 2.5 |
| 14-16 | 2.0 |
| 17-18 | 1.5 |
| 19-20 | 1.0 |
A ranger of Rank 2 or better specializes in a certain terrain type. Having reached Rank 2, a ranger can search for healing herbs (those of rule 51) in the terrain of specialty.
Rule 51 gives flat percentage chances of finding herbs, according to the herb's frequency. Rule 64.5 gives a Rank-based percentage without considering the herb's frequency. Combining these two approaches, we'll use the following: base success chance = [80 + (6 x Rank)]%. Modifiers: -20% in spring and fall, -50% in winter, -50% for uncommon herbs, -70% for rare herbs, -90% for very rare herbs. The penalty for frequency is ignored if the ranger is returning to a previous location where the herb was found. The maximum success chance is [90 + Rank]%.
For the time requirement, we'll factor in frequency, indirectly, by letting higher rolls result in quicker success. If the attempt to find the herb succeeds, the time required is [12 - (tens' digit of the die roll)] hours. For example, on a successful roll of 18, the herb was found after eleven hours of searching. If the attempt fails, the ranger spent a full 12 hours searching without any luck.
The following healing preparations are available to rangers (of Rank 2 or higher). See rule 51.9 for further details.
The abilities of rule 64.5 are still available. We'll assume they come from herbs not listed in section 51. We'll use the success chance as described in rule 64.5. We may as well handle the time requirement for finding these herbs as described above. A ranger of Rank 2 or better can implement these abilities as a healer of half the ranger rank.
I swiped these descriptions from the ILR scale (Interagency Language Roundtable), which has proficiency ratings 0, 0+, 1, 1+, and so on up to 5. That fits pretty well into a 0-10 rating system like ranks in DragonQuest. For reference, DragonQuest's language requirements for various skills are listed too. (For example, the "Spy > 2" entry for Rank 4 means someone with the Spy skill must read and write a language at Rank 4 or better to acquire better than Rank 2 with the Spy skill.)
| Rank | Proficiency | Speaking | Reading | Skill Literacy Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | None | Knows a few words | Knows the alphabet | |
| 1 | Memorized | Memorized phrases and sentences | A few isolated words and phrases | |
| 2 | Elementary | Basic courtesies, simple conversation | Simple writings | |
| 3 | Elementary, plus | Basic ability to get by | Straightforward descriptions of basic subjects | Thief > 3 |
| 4 | Limited Working | Social conversations, detailed instructions | Uncomplicated prose on familiar subjects | Spy > 2 |
| 5 | Limited Working, Plus | Considerable ability, occasional mistakes | Most general writings | |
| 6 | General Professional | Debating, haggling, negotiating | Writings on known specialized subjects, limited ability to read sophisticated texts | Mechanician > 0, Merchant > 0, Military Scientist > 2, Navigator (advanced skills) > 0 |
| 7 | General Professional, Plus | Facility on a variety of topics | Long or complex writings on specialized topics | |
| 8 | Advanced Professional | Educated fluency, long and detailed explanations of concepts | Almost all writings in known specialties | Alchemist > 0, Astrologer > 0 |
| 9 | Advanced Professional, Plus | Well-educated fluency, skilled rhetoric and oratory | Difficult or abstract prose, cultured writing | |
| 10 | Mastery | Highly educated fluency, complete mastery of all aspects of the language, ability to handle archaic and the most artistic forms | ||
Characters do not necessarily begin with Rank 8 in their spoken language(s). In fact, they probably don't. The initial language rank will be based on the character's likely level of education and need.
Here's a revised schedule of FT loss, indexed by the AG modifier incurred because of PS vs. weight carried:
| Rate of Exercise | Agility Point Reduction (from original DragonQuest table 82.9) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 12 | |
| Light | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Medium | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 16 |
| Heavy | 3 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 21 | 24 |
| Strenuous | 4 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 20 | 25 | 27 | 32 |
Using the same average human example: Carrying 125 pounds (AG -12), this person wouldn't last an hour running hard. Jogging with a 50-pound load (AG -5), he'd last almost 3 hours. Walking with a 20-pound load (AG -2), he'd last 10 hours.
| Advantage | For... |
|---|---|
| +3 | ...each five hexes (or fraction) after the first five between the character and a possible observer |
| +10 | ...character is kneeling, prone, or otherwise partially obscured from view |
| +10 | ...starry night or shadowy interior |
| +20 | ...cloudy night |
| +30 | ...cave or unlit interior |
| +40 | ...pitch blackness, or character is completely obscured from view |
| Penalty | For... |
| -PC | ...observer's PC if observer is unaware of character's presence |
| -3xPC | ...observer's PC if observer is aware of character's presence |
| -5 | ...character is moving no more than half TMR |
| -10 | ...character is moving more than half TMR, up to full TMR |
| -20 | ...character is running |
| -10 | ...character has 0 FT remaining (out of breath) |
This climbing skill is a variation of the climbing ability of the thief skill. It also replaces that ability for thieves. The climbing skill has the same experience track as the Stealth skill. If a character's Thief skill is ranked higher than the Climbing skill, the Climbing skill costs only half the usual experience.
Simple climbing situations (a simple ladder, a slope that can easily be mounted on foot, etc.) require no climbing skill and no climbing roll. The climbing skill is required only when the climbing is a challenge in some sense: difficulty in finding handholds and footholds, a need for speed, a need for careful balance, a long way to climb, or climbing while under attack.
The success chance is [(base chance) + (5 × Rank)]%, with a maximum of [90 + Rank]%. Check each round of combat (every 5 seconds). Use the rank of the character's climbing skill or thief skill, whichever is higher. The base chance is described below.
Success means the character climbs a number of feet equal to his TMR. Failure by up to half the base chance means the character made no progress this time. Failure by more than that, or a roll of 00 in any case, means the character falls from the current height.
The formula for the base chance depends on the situation. The multipliers for the characteristics in the formula will total 4. The table below shows when to use certain combinations.
| Base Chance | Example Situations |
|---|---|
| 2 × PS + 2 × EN | Climbing a free-hanging rope |
| 4 × MD | Climbing a ladder (or some other structure with evenly spaced hand and foot holds) under difficult conditions |
| 2 × MD + 2 × AG | Climbing a tree with closely spaced branches or a rocky slope with ample but randomly spaced hand and foot holds |
| PS + MD + AG + EN | Climbing a vertical or irregular surface, where the character needs, at different stages of the climb, brute strength, great coordination, balance, and sheer endurance |
Example: Climbing a free-hanging rope is a test of strength and endurance. Barrun has PS 23 and EN 21. Let's say for this example that his Climbing skill is Rank 3. His current TMR is 4. Every 5 seconds, his success chance would be 103%, but since he's Rank 3 his success chance is capped at 93%. If he rolls 01-93, he climbs 4 feet. If he rolls 94-99, he makes no progress this time. If he rolls 00, he falls from the current height.
Another Example: Capricus attempts the same climb. He has PS 12 and EN 12. He is currently a Rank 1 Thief, and his current TMR is 6. His success chance is 53%. If he rolls 01-53, he climbs 6 feet. If he rolls 54-77, he makes no progress. If he rolls 78-00, he falls.
One More Example: This time, Barrun and Capricus are trying to climb a tree. Barrun has MD 16 (without his shield) and AG 11 (encumbered by armor and gear). Capricus has MD 24 and AG 21 (fully unencumbered for the climb). Barrun's success chance with the tree is 69%. If he rolls 01-69, he climbs 4 feet higher. If he rolls 70-96, he makes no progress. If he rolls 97-00, he falls out of the tree. Capricus has a success chance of 91% (reduced from 95% because he's only Rank 1). On a roll of 01-91, he climbs 6 feet higher. On a 91-99, he makes no progress. Only on a roll of 00 will Capricus fall out of the tree.
If the equipment aids climbing, it gives a 20% bonus to the climbing chance.
If the equipment is simply a safety measure, it could save the character from a fall. If a climbing roll indicates a fall, the chance that the safety equipment will work is [50 + (5 × the climbing rank of the person who readied the equipment)]%. If the safety equipment works, the character loses 1-10 feet of height and dangles in the air (instead of falling). While the character is in this state, the climbing roll has an altered meaning. Success means only that the character has gotten back to normal climbing, without gaining any height. Failure means the character is still dangling. A roll of 00 means the safety equipment suddenly fails and the character falls after all.
Installing the climbing equipment takes at least one Pass action. For things like pitons that must be installed throughout the climb, the character must pause every other round to install the equipment.
The swimming skill uses the same experience track as horsemanship.
A character with any swimming rank can swim readily enough in calm waters; no die roll is required. A die roll is required only if the swimming is done under difficult circumstances: strong currents, swimming while under attack, swimming in a hurry. Check in each round of combat (every 5 seconds).
The success chance is [(PS + MD + AG + EN) + (5 × Swimming Rank) - (10 × Turbulence)]%. The chance is reduced by 10% for each encumbered limb, and 20% for each useless limb. Reduce the chance by 20% if stunned, and by 20% if the character is out of FT.
Success means the character can cover distance. The swimming TMR equals [Rank/2, rounded down] or [normal TMR/2, rounded down], whichever is lower, with a minimum of 1.
Bodies of water, unless they're stagnant (turbulence 0), push the character in a given direction. In a river, use a "water speed" of [2 × Turbulence]. At sea or on a lake, use [1 × Turbulence]. To simulate the effects of the current, conduct movement as follows. First, move the character downstream by a number of hexes equal to the water speed; this is not under the character's control. Next, let the character use some or all of his swimming TMR to move from that point, in any direction. This method doesn't show the path the character actually took. If the path is important, assume the character veered toward the destination hex from the originating hex.
If the swimming roll fails, the character is not in control of his movement. He goes with the current as described above, and the move ends there.
Every round, swimming costs FT points (or EN points when FT runs out). If the swimming roll is successful, the character loses [Turbulence/3] points (rounded off). If the swimming roll fails, the character loses [Turbulence + (D10-5)] points due to drowning.
A character with no swimming rank uses the swimming success chance, cut in half. Success in this case means only that the character is treading water, not swimming. The character can only go where the current takes him.
The turbulence rating indicates how rough or fast the water is, on a 0-10 scale. If the Spell of Wave Making is in effect, the turbulence rating is increased by one half of the spell rank. If the Maelstrom Spell is in effect, the turbulence rating is raised (but not lowered) to [5 + (spell rank/2)], rounded off. Magical effects can increase the turbulence beyond 10. The Spell of Calming Waters reduces the turbulence rating by one half the spell rank.
| Turbulence | Rivers | Seas and Lakes |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Stagnant offshoot | Still waters; dead calm |
| 1 | Lazy current | Small wavelets |
| 2 | Moderate current | Waves big enough to break; some foam |
| 3 | Swift current | Breaking waves; "white horses" |
| 4 | Fast water, not quite rapids | Waves with some spray |
| 5 | Straightforward rapids | Large waves, taller than a person |
| 6 | Rapids with some strong currents and turbulent eddies | Huge waves; spray diminishes visibility |
| 7 | Powerful but mostly predictable rapids | 20' waves |
| 8 | Violent rapids with many challenges | 30' waves, lots of foam |
| 9 | Raging, unpredictable white water | Waves of 40' height or more; sea completely white with churning water |
| 10 | Deep whirlpool or tall waterfall | Tidal waves, maelstroms |
The geas has additional effects, listed below, if the geased being fails to respect the requirements or restrictions of the geas. All quantities equal the caster's rank with geas.
Without these attentions, the normal healing rates apply: 3 days per point if the character stays above 1/2 original FT the whole time, or 4 days per EN point otherwise.
| Category | Human | Orc | Dwarf, Halfling | Shape- Changer |
Elf, Giant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercenary | 600 | 500 | 400 | 300 | 240 |
| Adventurer | 1200 | 1000 | 800 | 600 | 480 |
| Hero | 1500 | 1250 | 1000 | 750 | 600 |
Each year, if the character's rank in the appropriate language is below the target rank for the profession, the character's language rank goes up by one.
Example: Adalbert the Saxon speaks British at Rank 1. He lives among Britons as a commoner. The first year, his Speak British skill will go to 2 automatically. The next year, the skill will go up to 3 automatically. After that, he'll get no automatic increase from living as a commoner among Britons. His "job" has no need for literacy, so he gets no automatic increases for reading and writing.
If Adalbert later becomes a merchant among the Britons, he will get an automatic increase each year in Speak British and Read/Write British until they reach Rank 6. If the merchants in his area routinely deal with Romans as well, he'll also start getting automatic increases in Speak Latin and Read/Write Latin until they reach Rank 6.
Characters don't lose language ranks for lack of practice. Adalbert won't forget how to speak Saxon, for example.
The idea is that each character is a real part of the game world, not just a generic "adventurer" with no role in the world. Therefore, the character follows a particular walk of life in the time between adventures. The character also benefits from skills used or picked up in that walk of life.
Each "job" has some skills associated with it, designated by the GM. Primary skills are the most important ones. For a practicing healer, the Healer skill would be primary. For a knight, certain weapon skills would be primary. Secondary skills get less use. A knight might have a dagger as a secondary skill, because it's a normal weapon for a knight, but it's not the primary weapon. Incidental skills are the ones that don't get much use, but they still might get used every once in a while. A healer has little need for weapons, for example, so at most a healer would get a dagger as an incidental skill.
During the character maintenance period of each game year, the GM keeps a separate tally of experience points for each primary, secondary, or incidental skill, for each character (yuck, paperwork). Primary skills get the base experience amount. Secondary skills get half that amount, and incidental skills get a quarter of that amount. When a skill's total finally reaches the amount needed to gain a rank, the character gets the next rank.
Here's an example. A human character is a merchant between adventures. A merchant has the Merchant skill as a primary skill. Secondary skills are horsemanship and an appropriate weapon (a short sword, for example). The incidental skills are dagger and stealth. Each game year, this character gets 600 points towards the Merchant skill, 300 each toward horsemanship and short sword, and 150 each toward dagger and stealth.
If the character's Merchant skill is currently Rank 2, he needs 850 points to reach Rank 3. The first game year, he'd get 600 points toward Merchant, which isn't enough. The second game year, he'd get another 600 points. He'd get an automatic increase to Merchant Rank 3, leaving 350 points toward the next rank (600 + 600 - 850). If he starts out with Dagger 0, the first year he'd get 150 points for dagger, which is enough to bring him up to Rank 1 (25 points), leaving him with 125 points to carry forward. The next year, he'd get another 150 (275 total), so he gets another automatic increase to Rank 2 (50 points). Other skills would follow the same pattern.
| Pole Arms | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lance | 250 | 325 | 400 | 550 | 700 | 850 | 1000 | 1350 | 1700 | 2600 | 3500 |