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BrioFRPG:General Mechanics

2010-06-08T19:56:54Z

Fort Pwnall: Spelling, grammar and basic language corrections

[[Image:Brio Logo.JPG|right]]
The General Mechanics are the very basic rules, how they relate and the logic behind them.

Under Construction --[[User:Yaro|Yaro]] 18:48, 29 May 2005 (PDT)
*--[[User:Yaro|Yaro]] 08:37, 30 May 2005 (PDT)Added a little, reformated a little

* [[BrioFRPG:Main_Page|Return to Main Page]]

==The Rolls==

The only dice used in this system are 10 sided, 2d10 (a roll of two ten sided dice) is the most common roll in the game. Usually a number is added to this roll based upon the skill of the character.

There are, however, a number of different ways in which the results of these numbers are used to produce results with different ranges.

Range 2-20, the most common roll of 2d10 produces a bell curve with the following odds:

{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"
|+ align=Left|Standard 2d10 roll Weighting
|-
! style="background:#efefef;" |Roll Result
| 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 || 7 || 8 || 9 || 10 || 11 || 12 || 13 || 14 || 15 || 16 || 17 || 18 || 19 || 20
|-
! style="background:#efefef;" |Odds
| 1% || 2% || 3% || 4% || 5% || 6% || 7% || 8% || 9% || 10% || 9% || 8% || 7% || 6% || 5% || 4% || 3% || 2% || 1%
|}

This is the most common roll just for the reason of this weighting which is useful in any number of ways. It is a quick easy way to determine results that will most commonly have a result somewhere in the middle range.

Range 1-10, the easist and most basic roll of a single d10 obviously produces a value from 1 to 10 with a straight weighting of 10% each. This is also a roll which is commonly used to produce damage results or for chart references.

Range 1-5, The simple divide by 2 mechanism, a roll of a single d10 and divide the result by 2 thus resulting in an evenly divided set of odds at each of the numbers 1-5.

Range 2-10, Using the divide by 2 mechanism a weighted number ranging from 2-10 can be created. This is again useful in certian circumstances when such a weighting is quicker then a % roll, it is often also used in damage or chart rolls. The weighting is as follows.

{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"
|+ align=left (1d10 / 2 + 1d10 / 2) Weighting
|-
! style="background:#efefef;" |Resulting Value
| 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 || 7 || 8 || 9 || 10
|-
! style="background:#efefef;" |Odds(Approx)
| 4% || 9% || 13% || 17% || 19% || 17% || 13% || 9% || 4%
|}

Range 1-100, also known as the percentile roll, this is acomplished by rolling each of 2 10 sided dice seperatly (or having 2 dice of different colors to represent the differing significance). The first die represents the 10s colomn and the second die the 1s coloumn, this produces a useful straight percentage.

Those are the essential basic rolls and how they create the ranges, weighted or not, that are used for the most part throughout the game. There are, however, times when other ranges with other weightings are useful, these are created simply by using the percentile roll and assigning specific ranges to specific values in a chart or by formula.

For example, if we wished to create a weighted chart that created a bottom heavy 1-8 it might look something like this:

{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"
|+ align=left |Weighted example of range 1-8
|-
! style="background:#efefef;" |Percentile Result
| 1-15% || 16-30% || 31-45% || 46-60% || 61-70% || 71-80% || 81-90% || 91-100%
|-
! style="background:#efefef;" |Resulting Value
| 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 || 7 || 8
|}

Although this system can't produce "any range" with "any weighting" exactly, it is the most accurate system we use and has the most range, and even it is used rarely.

==Attribute Checks==

Attribute checks are made occasionally, when an attribute roll is called for simply roll the standard dice (2d10) and refer to the following chart applying the modifier to the attribute to be tested.

{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"
|+ Attribute Check Result
|-
! style="background:#efefef;" |2d10 Result
| 2 || 3 || 4-5 || 6-7 || 8-9 || 10-11 || 12-13 || 14-15 || 16-17 || 18-19 || 20
|-
! style="background:#efefef;" |Modifier
| -5 || -4 || -3 || -2 || -1 || 0 || +1 || +2 || +3 || +4 || +5
|}

===Specific Applications of Attributes===

====Strength====
When applying strength checks make sure to note that unless the character possesses the ability to apply an unnatural level of leverage (one not proportional to his weight and position) then even the strongest individuals can accomplish little.

Consider the physics of a 200lbs man trying to lift a two ton boulder, it is entirely within the realm of posibility for the a 200lbs construct approximating a man to have the physical power to create enough force to lift a boulder, but unless that individual is capable of getting under the boulder in some way they certienly wouldn't be able to simply bend over and pick it up.

==Skill Usage==
Although many (if not most) skills have specific rules surounding there use which will be described in the skills section, most fall into one of a number of general categories. There are the IU/IF (Immediate Use/Immediate Effect) skills which are used in a short amount of time and generally create an immediate effect, the MU/DE (Multiple Use/Delayed Effect) or delayed actions which usually involve a number of rolls and an extended time frame, Contested Rolls which involve two or more people rolling in direct opposition to each other, and the Extended Contested Rolls which usually involve a first to a specific number or overage (i.e. fixed or relative to the opponent).

===Immediate Use, Immediate Effect===

{|Align=right style="background:#ffdead;" border="1"
|-
| Width="300px" | Example: if Elreus with a Agility of 7(lock picking is an agility based skill), and a lockpicking level of 4 rolls a 11 (on 2d, the basic for any roll) then the total roll would be 7 (for the agility level) - 2 (skill basic modifier) + 4 (skill level) + 11 (the roll) = 20 (the total which would determine the effect). So in this case with a total of 20 the charcter would open any lock with a difficulty of 20 or less.
|}
There are a number of different types of skills and a number of different ways to use them. This section is about the use of basic skills such as Lock Picking(3/-2) which is an agility skill and is called a immediate effect skill, which simply means that you use the skill against a pre-determined target(based on the quality of the lock) and immediately you know whether you have had an effect. This type of skill and skill roll is the easiest and most straight forward.

Although there are modifiers which may be applied, depending on circumstances this is the basic form for any '''Immediate Use, Immediate Effect''' skills.

===Multiple Use, Delayed Effect===

{|Align=right style="background:#ffdead;" border="1"
|-
| Width="400px" |Example: Galaius is a master swordsmith(3/-1) from the town of Metia, He has an intellegence of 7 and a swordsmith(3/-1) skill of 7, he also has a master forge and a great deal of time which provide him with a circumstance bonus of +3 to his roll. To create a regular sword takes one day under normal circumstances but since he is taking extended time he will spend up to 3 days creating one. For every 6 hours at the forge he must roll (as determined by the skill) so he must roll a total of 6 times (a maximum of 12 hours per day, also as determined by the skill), he rolls 9, 14, 12, 15, 10, and 8. The difficulty for creating a sword is 20, and since his totals after adjustment for skill and intellegence are 25, 30, 28, 31, 26, 24 he has more then succeeded, his total overage for the use of this skill (the amount by which he beat his required number) is 5+10+8+11+6+4 for a total of 44. Thus he has created a mastercraft weapon, indeed master galaius has created a truly magnificent blade which provides a number of bonuses to its wielder.
|}
There are also a number of different skills for which a character may have to make a few or even several rolls over an extended period of time to determine their effect. For the most part these skills have to do with the creation of items, weapons, armour, magic wands and all require time, facilities, money, and rolls. Each of these skills can present a number of modifiers depending on the circumstances under which the items are being created.

Most extended rolls involve a definitive time span, a number of checks and an aggregate overage. The same check is rolled a number of times and the total by which the character succeeds (while noting any failures for side-effects) is used to determine the extent to which a character succeeds.

Most MU/DE skill rolls follow this line to some extent, they are most likely the most complex of all the skill rolls and are fairly rarely used.

===Contested Use, Immediate Effect===

{|Align=right style="background:#ffdead;" border="1"
|-
| Width="300px" |Example: we have two characters characters playing a game of Go, one of them Kierak the Wise, who has an Intellegence of 7, and a Go(2/0) of 5 and Ekerian who has an intellegence of 9 and a Go(2/0) of 3, because of Ekerian's great intellegence and Kierak's superior skill they are tied for modifers with a total modifier of 12. So any game between them is a matter of pure rolls. So if Kierak rolls a 9 for a total of 21 after modifers but Ekerian only rolls a 6 for a total of 18, then Kierak wins this contest but both are very evenly matched players.
|}
The most common type of combat roll, this is usually used when two individuals are competing with one another. Most types of combat strikes are contested (a players offensive total vs. a players defensive total) but there are also other types of contested rolls. Contested rolls are actually one of the easiest to use. Although circumstances can (not surprisingly) give one side or the other a handicap, it is usually as easy as each contesting character rolling and then comparing everyone's result.

The amount by which a character defeats his opponent in a very general way determines just how loopsided the victory was. In general a victory by 1-2 points is a very close match, while a victory by 5 or 6 is very definitive.

===Extended Contested===

==Basic Combat==

Combat is done a little differently than in most games. This system relies on a principle of combat flow rather then the simple trading of blows.

{|Align=right style="background:#ffdead;" border="1"
|-
| Width="300px" | Example: 2 characters are fighting, char one has an intitive value of 2d +3, and character 2 has an initiative value of 1d + 8. In order to determine initiative, each character rolls their score and subtracts that amount from 30. So if charcter 1 rolled a 7 and a 4, their total would be 14 (7 + 4 + 3) resulting in an initial initiative of 16 (30-14). If the second character rolled a 5 their total would become 13 (5 + 8), the finial intiative would then be 17 (30-13) for the second character. The first character having the lower initial score would then become the first character to act.
|}
'''Combat Breakdown''' 
# Initiative is rolled by each party then subtracted from 30
# The character with the lowest Initiative score chooses there actions
#* A posture is chosen
#* A maneuver is chosen
#* The maneuver is resolved
# The character then adds the Action Cost (AC) of the maneuver to his initiative
# Go back to 2 and continue until there is a successful disengagment or combat ends.

===Initiative===
Each character has an initiative score and methodology. This score determines how quickly they can act from a disengaged posture, since this is the starting point.

===Postures===
Postures are representative of the characters current approach to the encounter.

There are several basic postures which are known by every character; Balanced, Aggressive, and Defensive. There are also many advanced postures used by those with advanced combat training.

'''Balanced''' 
'''Modifiers''': None 
This is the basic posture and provides no bonuses but also has no disadvantages.

'''Aggressive''' 
'''Modifiers''': This character is unable to apply defensive maneuvers, the AC of the character's offensive maneuvers are 1/2 (rounded up) normal 
The character takes a relentless approach, attacking without thought to defense.

'''Defensive''' 
'''Modifiers''': -4 to all offensive maneuvers, +4 to all defensive maneuvers 
The character takes a cautious and methodical approach concerning themselves with not allowing any offensive measures on the part of their opponent at the potential success of their own attack.

Prepared
Modifiers: +5 to the character's first offensive maneuver, -4 to

===Maneuvers===
Maneuvers are specific often used and specifically useful actions. They can be a punch, a kick, a thrust of a sword or the firing of a bow. Each Maneuver is different and the maneuvers of different individuals is unique to that individual. There are however some basic maneuvers that are common to most members of a species. For example, most humans know how to throw a punch (yes there are substantial differences in ability but most understand the basic mechanics), while pretty much every bear you meet will know how to bite.

Each Manuever has a number of statistics: 

'''Related Skill''' 
The skill that is used when determining a characters base proficency at performing a specific maneuver.

'''Action Cost(AC)''' 
The initiative cost of the maneuver in question.

'''Offensive Adjustment''' 
The modifier for any attack rolls made using the maneuver, it is directly added to the related skill value.

'''Defensive Adjustment''' 
The modifier for the user's base defensive value.

'''Damage''' 
The basic damage done with the maneuver so long as all basic conditions are met.

'''Effects''' 
Any other effects that the maneuver causes. Sometimes it is special damage, other times it is simply a conditional modifier but whatever it is if it doesn't fall into one of the other categories then it belongs here.

===Combat Skills===
Combat skills encompase both hand to hand skills and weapon skills. These are the basic levels of competence of performing

===Dual Wielding===

===Combat Statistics===

BrioFRPG:Introduction

2010-06-08T16:03:06Z

Fort Pwnall: Changed minor spelling and grammer errors (there -> their ; to -> too ; apostrophes) where applicable

[[Image:Brio Logo.JPG|right]]
Welcome to Brio, I will attempt to outline here the precepts and tenets which guided me In my attempt to create a system and setting which will result in the only real goal which is just to have fun!
* [[BrioFRPG:Main_Page|Return to Main Page]]

==Basic Mechanics Outline==

A few points about the system:

* Class Based
* Medieval Technology Level-no real working guns
* Hybrid Level System
* School Based Magic System
* Variable Character Construction (roll built or point built)
* Low Power Progression

I have no doubt that this list could be expanded 10 fold if I spent the next 5 minutes thinking about it but that would defeat the purpose of a basic overview of the system.

==Character Races==

There are about a dozen character races available, including the ubiquitous Humans, Dwarves, and Elves which are (along with the Durask, Altor, and the Gen) basic and balanced races which are all relatively equal in capability and thus require no handicap.

However for a point based cost there are also a number of other species which could be considered normally unbalanced.

''It was my intent to create a system in which almost any intelligent species could be played with only internal mechanics, a basic point cost determined by the abilities of the individual race seemed most appropriate and has worked quite will for me in keeping overall game balance.''

==Character Archetypes==

Similar in vein to the standard character classes of most systems, archetypes are a point cost selected group of abilities. They may or may not include reduced cost progression tables and are not mutually exclusive with any other abilities or with each other, as a general rule.

For example, it is quite possible to have a spell casting knight, or a sword wielding wizard. There is however a price to be paid for spreading out ones abilities. There is a great variety in the number of character archetypes available and there is no general restrictions on combining archetypes. There are some archetypes that may be restricted by, for example, race (such as Spiderguards) or Intelligence (such as Force Conjurers) but these are on a per case basis.

Although characters can select from any skill or trait (in general), those skills and/or traits best aligned with their archetypes are going to be the cheapest and thus characters that try to cross too many lines will find a cost for it.

''I have tried to create as flexible a system as possible while still maintaining the feel of fairly classical lines and to prevent the excessive min-maxing that results in to many characters following a single path because of its eventual or obviously excessive power differential.''

==Attributes==

There are two distinct tiers of attributes. The primary tier consists of Mind, Body, and Soul. The secondary tier is divided into three sub attributes for each of these. For Mind there is Intelligence, Perception, and Acumen. For Body there is Strength, Agility, and Stamina. For Soul there is Willpower, Discipline, and Charisma.

When assigning attributes points are purchased or rolled in the primary tier and then distributed as averages in the secondary tier.

Attribute points in general are rated between 1 and 10 for normal humans.

''I have tried to create realistic characters to an extent using this system, it has been my general observation in life that people who demonstrate extreme capabilities in one area (a specialty on the level of what one sub-attribute is meant to represent) rarely displays extreme capabilities in related areas (other sub attributes under the same attribute). For example, the strongest people in the world rarely display either extreme agility or stamina and the same is true of those that display extreme agility.''

==Characteristics==

There are a number of characteristics which, while not attributes, and not determined using the same methodology, are very important to determining a character's overall capability. A characteristic may be determined using attribute values, character level, archetype, race, traits, and/or magic (and I am sure I have forgotten some).

A few of the basic characteristics and how they are determined:

'''Hit Points''' are determined by a combination of your Stamina, your archetype(s), your race, and traits. Normal starting Hit Points will range anywhere from 20 to 50. Hit Points(HPs) are related to wound levels and used in certain circumstances to determine the severity of an injury inflicted on your character.

'''Wound Levels''' are determined by your race, size, and traits. Wound Levels(WLs) are related to Hit Points and are used to determine the general health of your character.

'''Fatigue Points''' are determined by your characters race, archetype, traits, and stamina. FPs are representative of your characters energy level. FPs are used for everything from rock climbing to casting spells.

'''Movement Rate''' is determined by your race, agility, and traits. It is the measure of your ability to flat out run with minimal encumbrance.

'''Avoidance''' is determined by your race, size, and traits. It is a measure of your ability to detect and avoid injury threatening attacks or circumstances.

'''Fate''' is determined by your characters race, archetype, and traits. It is the measure of luck that your character possesses.

''I created characteristics (as a group) because of the very basic differences between attributes and other types of statistics which define the abilities of a character.''

==Skills==

Skills are the same as in pretty much every other RPG, statistics which determine the level of your characters training in any particular area. It should be noted that there are several different categories of skills however. There are in particular Three different skill types that should be taken note of: Knowledge, Magic, and Combat.

'''General Skill Notes'''

Skills are each rated by the number of character points that is required to advance a level in them. For example the skill Doctor(5/-2) means that to purchase the first level of the skill doctor requires a character point investment of 5 (the first number in brackets). It also means that to raise a skill it requires an expenditure of the skills current level plus its base cost. For example to raise Doctor(5/-2) from level 1 to level 2 would require an additional expenditure of 6 Character Points (current level(1) + Base Cost(5) for a total of 11 Character Points to achieve level two in doctor.

Each skill is also related to one or more attribute(s) which is added to the skill level to determine the ability level at which the skill is used. Some skills provide a modifier to this initial attribute starting level, for example Doctor(5/-2) means that the initial skill level of a doctor is actually equal to there related attribute -2 (the second number in the brackets).

'''Combat Skills'''

Different combat skills represent different techniques for combat, they can combine any number of different principles of fighting from stance to a particular methodology of defense or include any number of specific principles. For example, Kung-Fu(4/0) is a skill which will provide a character with distinct advantages and disadvantages when compared to Pugilism(4/0). These skills are different then most because they usually entail gaining certain other abilities called maneuvers at distinct levels of ability.

'''Knowledge Skills'''

Knowledge skills are different then active skills in that they are based on pure academics, they are a test of innate knowledge which cannot be learned from experience. For example the ability to read an ancient language is for the purposes of most games impossible without some type of key. Either you know the language or you don't, and if you don't you can spend what is for all practical purposes forever staring at the writings and you probably won't be able to decipher it in any kind of practical time frame.

'''Magic Skills'''

Magic skills are representative of different methods of creating magical effects. For example one of the most common magical skills is the skill of Casting(4/-1), which is the skill related to creating magical effects using a combination of hand motions, a spoken component, and/or basic material components. Some other common magical skills are Circles(4/-2), Wards(4/-1), Runes(4/-1), Ritual(4/-3), and Artificing(4/-4). There are others but those represent the majority of the magic practiced in/on Brio.

''Although I began with skills being very generic the development of the more specific skill types was a surrender to practicality that I made later after much game play.''

==Traits==

Traits are an all encompassing group of abilities which cover (for all intents and purposes) any abilities that a character might have that isn't covered in some other way. For example, the trait:

Natural Aptitude[10-40cp] is representative of a character having a level of natural talent in a skill well above and beyond the norm. Whenever a character rolls a success test in a skill which they have a natural aptitude in they roll a third die and replace either of the initial 2 dice they wish.

==Magic==

The Magic system used in this game is very undefined intentionally. It is based on schools of magic which are each representative of a different way in which magic can be created, some represent a different magical language others represent a different source of power, or any of a thousand different potential differences.

'''Magic Schools'''

Each magic school possesses a few common elements, a group of basic common spells which anyone who is an initiate of the school knows, a/several power source(s) from which the magical energy that is used is drawn (most commonly a characters own FP), and a methodology for customizing spells.

'''Customized Spells'''

Custom spells are spells which the character has tailored for themselves. They have different (better) statistics then the basic spells which they are based on but are specific to that caster and can't be used by anyone else. One of the principle reasons that these customized spells are better is because a character skilled in the use of a particular school of magic is able to use specific elements that are particular to them personally such as the ability to vocalize sounds that not everyone can make or the ability to create more complex hand gestures. There is also a difference in the flow of energy for each person and casters become intimately familiar with there own (and on rare occasions another’s) energy flow. Each caster is different and a skilled caster learns to take advantage of their own abilities while minimizing their weaknesses.

''The reason I left magic (in its way) so nebulous is so that magic maintains its mystery, characters never know what they will encounter and they can only guess at the relative power level of any particular spell in the hands of any particular caster even if they are familiar with the caster's school.''

==Summary==

I believe that those are the basic game elements with which someone using the system will have to contend. There are of course setting issues and equipment issues but those are left largely to the Appendices which will most likely find their way in last since they will be a monstrous undertaking. --[[User:Yaro|Yaro]] 17:11, 29 May 2005 (PDT)