RPGnet - User contributions [en]

Open4E:Defenses

2012-07-09T19:39:09Z

Ialdabaoth: /* Spot and Perception */

[[Category: Game System]]
[[Category:Open4E]]

=Defenses=

Whenever a hostile action targets you, the attacker must make a check to see if the action affects you. The DC for this action is called a defense, and is based on one of your skills or abilities.

==Armor==
Your Armor defense is equal to your Reflex defense + your armor’s defensive value if you are wearing light armor, or your Fortitude defense + your armor’s defense value if you are wearing heavy armor. Most physical attacks, including basic melee and ranged attacks, target your Armor defense.

==Reflex==
Your Reflex defense is equal to 10 + your Dexterity modifier, and determines your ability to dodge out of the way of attacks. Many magical attacks target your Reflex.

==Fortitude==
Your Fortitude defense is equal to 10 + your Constitution modifier, and determines your ability to withstand heavy blows, poisons, diseases, and magics that directly affect your life-force. While fewer attacks target your Fortitude than your Reflex, those that do can be much more dire.

==Will==
Your Will defense is equal to 10 + your Wisdom modifier, and determines your ability to withstand mental control, magical illusions, and psychic and morale attacks. Attacks that target Will tend to manipulate your behavior and perception, causing you to do things that you may not otherwise wish to do or forcing you to make choices that place you in great peril.

==Spot and Perception==
Finally, you have two additional “defenses” based on skills, which are used to determine whether you can see past attempts at stealth, illusion or deceit. Your Spot defense is equal to 10 + your Perception skill check modifier, and your Sense defense is equal to 10 + your Insight skill check modifier. Many skill effects, such as Stealth and Bluff, target your Spot or Sense defense, and these defenses determine how likely you are to notice particular features of any area that you are in.

=Full Defense=
In any situation where you need to defend yourself more fully, you may take a standard action to enter the full defense stance. This increases all your defenses by +2 and allows you to catch your breath - you may spend one of your healing surges to regain hit points.

=====Full Defense=====
* (At-Will Standard Action * Basic Stance)
* Effect: Until you end this stance, you gain a +2 stance bonus to all defenses. While you are in this stance, you may expend the use of your racial or lowest-rank encounter pool slot to spend a healing surge as a free action. You automatically end this stance at the beginning of your next turn unless you perform another standard action to maintain it. If you make any attack, you automatically end this stance before making your attack roll.

Open4E:Main Page

2012-07-09T19:38:17Z

Ialdabaoth: /* Open4E:Weapon Proficiencies */

[[Category:Game System]]
[[Category:Open4E]]

=Open4E=

This system is intended to be a streamlined and open tactical RPG. The primary source of inspiration is Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition.

Our system goals:

* A unified class design system, with simplified hybriding and multiclassing
* Better balance between power choices within a class
* Smoother progression between levels, and an elimination of "speedbump" and "tax" feats

=Sections=

==[[Open4E:Core_Mechanic|The Core Mechanic]]==
All situations are resolved through a single mechanic, called a [[Open4E:Core_Mechanic|check]]: you roll a D20, add modifiers based on your competency or the situation, and announce the result. The Dungeon Master (DM) will compare this check result to a difficulty class (DC) based on the situation and the inherent difficulty of what you’re trying to accomplish. If your check result matches or exceeds the DC, you succeed; if it doesn't, you fail.

==[[Open4E:Actions|Performing Actions]]==
When you want to do something in the game, you tell the DM what you want to accomplish, and then the DM assigns a difficulty class and tells you what modifiers apply to your check roll. While this is enough to get started, the game provides more detailed rules to determine what kinds of actions that you can perform at what times.

==Pacing and Tempo==
During the game, the flow of time may be measured in two distinct pacings, based on the tempo and tactical danger that the characters are in.

===[[Open4E:Scenes|Scenes]]===
Scenes are periods of improvisational acting and preparation, where second-by-second decisions are less important than maintaining a smooth flow of the dialog and narration.

===[[Open4E:Encounters|Encounters]]===
Encounters are periods of fast-paced action where every second counts.

==[[Open4E:Abilities|Abilities]]==
All characters in this game have six core abilities, which determine or influence all their other statistics: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Charisma, Intelligence, and Wisdom.

==[[Open4E:Skills|Skills]]==
In addition to Abilities, Skills are a more detailed way to specify your character's proficiencies.

==Other Traits==
In addition to Abilities and Skills, the following traits help define your character's capabilities in and out of combat.

===[[Open4E:Defenses|Defenses]]===
===[[Open4E:Hit Points|Hit Points and Vitality]]===
===[[Open4E:Proficiencies|Weapon Proficiencies]]===

Open4E:Main Page

2012-07-09T19:38:00Z

Ialdabaoth: /* Initiative and Weapon Proficiencies */

2012-07-09T18:47:28Z

Ialdabaoth: Created page with "=Skills= Skills are more specific abilities that your character can learn. All characters in this game share 18 broad skills, which determine your success at most actions outside..."

=Skills=
Skills are more specific abilities that your character can learn. All characters in this game share 18 broad skills, which determine your success at most actions outside of combat, and many actions within combat. Each skill is based on an ability; if you are untrained in that skill, your check value for that skill is equal to your D20 roll + your ability modifier for that ability. If you are trained in that skill, you gain a +3 proficiency bonus to all skill checks for that skill. Certain actions may be performed by any character (trained or no), while other actions may only be performed by trained characters.

�
==[[Open4E:Abilities#Strength|Strength]] Skills==

===Athletics===
Athletics is used when running, jumping, climbing, swimming, or performing feats of strength. Your Athletics skill check is based on your Strength modifier. The Athletics skill incurs an armor check penalty if you are wearing armor or a shield.

* Feat of Strength (At-will standard action * basic skill stunt)
* Effect: Describe to the DM the action you want to perform, then make an Athletics check. On a success, you succeed at the desired action; on a failure you do not accomplish anything noticeable.

* Climb (At-will move action * basic skill utility)
* Effect: Make an Athletics check.
* Success: You move half your speed.
* Failure: You do not make any progress. On a critical failure, you lose your grip and fall.

* Jump (At-will move action * basic skill utility)
* Target: One destination square within a number of squares equal to your speed
* Check: Athletics vs. 10, + 5 per square of distance that you leap over
* Special: You gain a +2 stance bonus to your roll for each square that you moved through this turn before making the jump, but may not abort the jump if you moved more than 4 squares.
* Success: You land in the targeted square.
* Failure: You may choose to jump a number of squares equal to the check result divided by 5 towards your destination square and land prone, or abort the jump. On a critical failure, you misjudge the distance and jump into the wrong square.

* Sprint (At-will move action * basic skill stance)
* Effect: Move your speed and then make an Athletics check as you enter this stance. Until you end the stance, you double your base speed and gain an additional stance bonus to speed equal to the check result divided by 5, but double all armor check penalties and suffer a further -2 penalty to all attacks and defenses. This stance ends automatically at the end of any turn if you moved less than 4 squares during that turn. At the end of each turn that you maintain this stance, you must make an Endurance check vs. a DC equal to half the number of squares moved, or suffer 1 damage from fatigue.

* Swim (At-will move action * basic skill utility)
* Check: Athletics vs. DC
* Success: You move half your speed
* Failure: You do not move, or are swept by the current. On a critical failure, you suffer 1 damage as you begin to drown.

* Break Grapple or Restraints (At-will standard action * basic skill saving throw)
* Save: Athletics vs. restraint’s DC, or vs. the attacker’s original Grapple check value if grappled.
* Success: You break the grapple or restraint.

�

==[[Open4E:Abilities#Constitution|Constitution]] Skills==

===Endurance ===
Endurance is used when braving pain, weather, extremes of temperature or environment, performing feats of endurance, staving off hunger or thirst, or holding your breath. Your Endurance skill check is based on your Constitution modifier. The Endurance skill incurs an armor check penalty if you are wearing armor or a shield.

* Maintain Concentration (At-will free reaction * basic skill utility)
Trigger: You take more damage than your Constitution modifier from a single hit while in a stance
Check: Endurance vs. the amount of damage you have taken.
Success: You do not break the stance.
Failure: You are forced to end the stance.

* Stabilize (Automatic Reaction * basic skill saving throw)
Trigger: You begin your turn while suffering from the dying condition.
Save: Endurance vs. 10 + twice the damage you have taken in excess of your Hearts
Success: You are no longer dying (unless you take further damage), but are still unconscious so long as you are at 0 Hearts. On a critical success, you regain ½ Heart.
Failure: You are still dying.

* Shrug it Off (Automatic Reaction * basic skill saving throw)
Trigger: You would take ongoing damage.
Save: Endurance vs. the check result of the effect that caused the condition.
Success: You take the ongoing damage, and the condition ends. On a critical success, you take no damage and the condition ends.
Failure: You take the full ongoing damage and continue to suffer any of its other ongoing effects.
�
==[[Open4E:Abilities#Dexterity|Dexterity]] Skills==

===Acrobatics ===
Acrobatics is used when tumbling, balancing, performing feats of agility, or escaping from bonds. Your Acrobatics skill check is based on your Dexterity modifier. The Acrobatics skill incurs an armor check penalty if you are wearing armor or a shield.

* Feat of Agility (At-will move action * basic skill stunt)
* Effect: Describe to the DM the action you want to perform, then make an Acrobatics check. On a success, you successfully pull off the stunt; on a failure you may fall or suffer some other effect determined by the DM.

* Balance (At-will move action * basic skill utility)
* Check: Acrobatics vs. DC based on conditions
* Effect: You may move half your speed across a rope, ledge or other narrow or unstable surface.
Failure: You do not make any progress. On a critical failure, you lose your footing and fall.

* Break Fall (At-will immediate reaction * trained skill utility)
* Trigger: You would take falling damage
* Check: Acrobatics (no DC)
Effect: You reduce your falling damage by one fourth of the check result.

* Escape from Grapple or Restraints (At-will standard action * basic skill saving throw)
* Save: Acrobatics vs. the restraint’s DC, or vs. the attacker’s original Grapple check value if attempting to break a grapple.
* Success: You are no longer grappled or restrained.

===Stealth===
Stealth is used to hide, move silently, and remain unseen. Your Stealth skill check is based on your Dexterity modifier. The Stealth skill incurs an armor check penalty if you are wearing armor or a shield.

* Hide (At-will move action * trained skill stance)
* Check: Stealth (no DC)
* Effect: While you are in this stance, you count as hidden to anyone whose Spot defense is less than your original check result.
* Special: Whenever you move more than 2 squares, all opponents gain a +5 bonus to their Spot defense to notice you until the beginning of your next turn. If you move more than 5 squares, this bonus increases to +10. Any creature which notices you continues to notice you as you move, until you make a new Stealth check.

===Thievery===

Thievery is used to pick locks, pick pockets, disable traps, and perform sleight-of-hand feats. Your Thievery skill check is based on your Dexterity modifier. The Thievery skill may incur an armor check penalty if you are wearing armor or a shield, unless the action requires little or no full-body movement.

* Sleight of Hand (At-will standard action * trained skill stunt)
* Effect: Describe the sleight of hand trick you attempt to pull off, then make a Thievery check vs. the higher of the target’s Spot or Sense. On a success, you may pick the target’s pocket, palm an item near the target, or perform some other act of legerdemain. On a failure, the target notices you, and you provoke an attack of opportunity while performing the action (although in most non-combat situations, your target will likely use the attack of opportunity to perform a grab rather than attacking outright with a weapon).

* Delay Trap (At-will minor action * trained skill utility)
* Check: Thievery + 5 vs. the trap’s DC.
* Success: The trap becomes disabled until the end of your next turn.
* Failure: The trap is still active. On a critical failure, you trigger the trap.

* Disable Trap (At-will standard action * trained skill utility)
* Check: Thievery vs. the trap’s DC.
* Success: The trap becomes disabled until it resets.
* Failure: The trap is still active. On a critical failure, you trigger the trap.

* Pick Lock (At-will standard action * trained skill utility)
* Check: Thievery vs. the lock’s DC.
* Success: The lock is opened.
* Failure: The lock is still closed. On a critical failure, you break the lock, which cannot be opened until destroyed or repaired.

==[[Open4E:Abilities#Intelligence|Intelligence]] Skills==

===Arcana===

Arcana is used to understand the laws and principles that govern the world. All magics, whether ultimately divine, arcane, or primal, follow certain arcane rules; the Arcana skill may thus be used to identify and explain them. Wizards use the Arcana skill in conjunction with their access to an arcane power source to perform their magics. Because armor tends to interfere with the gestures and innate sensitivity necessary to interact with magical energy, the Arcana skill incurs an armor check penalty to all non-knowledge checks if you are wearing armor or a shield. Your Arcana skill check is based on your Intelligence modifier.

* Arcane Lore (At-will free action * trained skill knowledge)
* Check: Arcana vs. the obscurity of the information.
* Success: You remember some particularly useful bit of arcane trivia that is applicable to the situation at hand.

* Detect Magic (Extended action (1 minute) * trained skill utility)
* Target: The area within Wisdom squares around you
* Check: Arcana vs. a DC determined by the aura or effect’s subtlety.
* Success: You become aware of any magical effects or auras within the area for which your check result exceeds that effect or aura’s DC, and their likely power source (primal, arcane, or divine).
* Special: You may make this roll for a particular effect or aura once per encounter or short rest.

* Read Magic (At-will minor action * trained skill utility)
* Target: One magical effect or phenomenon that you can see.
* Check: Arcana vs. a DC determined by the effect or phenomenon
* Success: You become aware of that effect’s power source (primal, arcane, or divine), and gain a general sense of what it does. On a critical success, you gain a precise understanding of the effect and all its likely consequences.

* Dispel Curse or Enchantment (At-will standard action * trained skill saving throw)
* Target: One curse or enchantment that has been cast upon you or an adjacent ally or object.
* Save: Arcana vs. the curse or enchantment’s check result
* Success: You dispel the curse or enchantment.

===Craft===

Craft is used to construct or appraise items, weapons, armor, and architecture. Your Craft skill check is based on your Intelligence modifier.

* Appraise (At-will free action * trained skill knowledge)
* Check: Craft vs. the obscurity of the information.
* Success: You notice some particularly useful bit of crafting detail that is applicable to the situation at hand.

* Craft Item (Extended action (8 hours) * trained skill utility)
* Check: Craft vs. the design’s crafting difficulty
* Success: You may craft a mundane item, weapon or armor from raw materials. The check result is the percentage of the item’s base market cost that is saved by making it yourself.
* Failure: The results are flawed and the materials used are wasted.

* Repair Item (Extended action (5 minutes) * trained skill utility)
* Target: One damaged mundane item, weapon or armor.
* Check: Craft vs. the difficulty of the repair
* Success: The item is repaired.
* Failure: The item is still damaged. On a critical failure, the item is ruined beyond repair.

* Rig Contraption (At-will standard or extended action * trained skill stunt)
* Effect: Describe the device you attempt to improvise, then make a Craft check. On a success, the contraption performs as expected. On a failure, it doesn’t work. On a critical failure, some kind of mishap occurs.�

===History===

History is used to remember historical facts and useful information. Your History skill check is based on your Intelligence modifier. When you perform any Knowledge check, you may substitute History for any other knowledge skill at a -10 penalty.

* Ancient Lore (At-will free action * trained skill knowledge)
* Check: History vs. the obscurity of the information.
* Success: You remember some particularly useful bit of lore or historical detail that is applicable to the situation at hand.

* Translate Text (At-will minor action * trained skill knowledge)
* Target: A passage written in another language that you can see.
* Check: History vs. the obscurity of the language and subject matter.
* Success: You understand a sentence or two; you may continue performing this action to translate more of the passage.
* Failure: You need more time to translate. On a critical failure you get the translation entirely wrong.
* Special: In scene time, you may make a single roll to translate an entire document as an extended action, taking approximately 5 minutes per page.
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==[[Open4E:Abilities#Wisdom|Wisdom]] Skills==

===Heal===

Heal is used when tending to the sick or injured. Your Heal skill check is based on your Wisdom modifier.

* Stabilize Ally (At-will standard action * trained skill utility)
* Target: One dying ally (Heal vs. Moderate DC)
* Success: The target gains the +2 teamwork bonus to all Endurance saving throws until the beginning of your next turn. The target may immediately make one Endurance saving throw to stabilize. On a critical success, the target automatically stabilizes and regains ½ Heart.
* Failure: You provide no benefit.

* First Aid (Extended action (5 minutes) * trained skill utility)
* Target: You and your adjacent allies
* Check: Heal (no DC)
* Effect: You and your allies regain a total number of Hearts equal to one fourth the check result, divided evenly among each wounded ally.
* Special: If you perform First Aid during an extended rest, the party regains Hearts equal to half the check result, instead. You may distribute these Hearts as you see fit.

* Treat Disease or Poison (Daily extended action (1 hour) * trained skill utility)
* Target: One diseased or poisoned creature
* Check: Heal vs. the affliction’s DC.
* Success: The affliction’s progression is halted for one day, and the target gains an additional Endurance saving throw to shake off the affliction with a +2 teamwork bonus. On a critical success, treat the affliction as if the target had automatically succeeded at an additional Endurance saving throw.

===Insight===

Insight is used to read moods, sense motives, and gauge the truthfulness of statements. Your Insight check also determines your Sense defense value; your Sense is equal to your Insight check + 10. Your Insight skill check is based on your Wisdom modifier.

* Sense Motive (At-will minor action * basic skill utility)
* Check: Insight check vs. 10 + the target’s Bluff bonus.
* Success: You gain an accurate read of the target’s current motives and attitude.
* Special: You may only perform this action once per encounter on a particular creature, unless they perform an action that the DM deems provides new insight into their motivations.

* Sense Influence (At-will minor action * basic skill utility)
* Check: Insight vs. a DC of 15 + twice the Rank of the influencing effect.
* Success: You notice that something about the target is ‘off’, and may use an Arcana, Religion or Nature check to determine the source of the influence.
* Special: You may only perform this action once per encounter on a particular creature, unless they perform an action that the DM feels strongly suggests outside influence.

* Detect Illusion (At-will minor action * basic skill saving throw)
* Target: One perception that you believe to be an illusion.
* Save: Insight vs. the illusion’s check result
* Effect: The DM will compare your saving throw to the check value of any illusion you might be perceiving; success allows you to accurately gauge whether what you are experiencing is real, while critical success allows you to pierce the illusion and briefly glimpse what is underneath.

�===Nature===

Nature is used to gather food and resources in the wilderness, identify and track animals, navigate the wilds and avoid natural hazards. Barbarians use the Nature skill in conjunction with their access to a primal power source to perform their magics.

* Nature Lore (At-will free action * trained skill knowledge)
* Check: Nature vs. the obscurity of the information.
* Success: You remember some particularly useful bit of lore or natural detail that is applicable to the situation at hand.

* Forage (Extended action (5 minutes) * trained skill utility)
* Check: Nature (no DC).
* Success: You gather enough food, water and other resources for one person to eat well for one day. On an exceptional success, you find enough for five people. If you are searching for specific ingredients or materials, the DM may assign a DC to the task based on the rarity of what you're looking for within the area.

===Perception===

Perception is used to examine your surroundings, spot hidden things, and detect unusual sounds, odors or tastes. Your Perception check also determines your Spot defense value; your Spot is equal to your Perception check + 10. Your Perception skill check is based on your Wisdom modifier.

* Search Area (At-will minor action * basic skill saving throw)
* Target: One square within a distance of twice your Wisdom modifier that you can see.
* Check: Perception vs. any Stealth check results or Spot DC’s
* Effect: You notice any hidden creature, item or detail within a number of squares around the target square equal to your Wisdom modifier for which your saving throw exceeds that detail’s Spot DC or Stealth check value.

===Religion===

Religion is used to understand the nature of gods, religious ceremonies and rituals, and ethical standards. Priests use the Religion skill in conjunction with their access to a divine power source to work their miracles. Your Religion skill check is based on your Wisdom modifier.

* Divine Lore (At-will free action * trained skill knowledge)
* Check: Religion vs. the obscurity of the information.
* Success: You remember some particularly useful bit of lore or religious fact that is applicable to the situation at hand.

* Sense Alignment (At-will free action * basic skill utility)
* Requirement: You must have succeeded on a Sense Motive check against the target earlier in this encounter or scene.
* Target: One creature (Religion vs. 10 + the target’s Bluff skill)
* Success: You gain an reasonably accurate read of the target’s probable alignment.
* Special: You may only perform this action once per encounter on any given creature unless they perform an action that the DM deems provides new insight into their ethical values.

* Break Curse (At-will minor action * trained skill saving throw)
* Target: One curse or affliction that has been placed upon you or an adjacent ally.
* Save: Religion vs. the curse’s check result
* Success: You break the curse.

�
==[[Open4E:Abilities#Charisma|Charisma]] Skills==

===Bluff===
Bluff is used to fast-talk, lie, cheat, or seduce. Your Bluff skill check is based on your Charisma modifier.

* Create Diversion (At-will action * basic skill utility)
* Target: One creature (Bluff vs. Sense)
* Success: You manage to trick the opponent into paying attention to something else. You may immediately choose to either gain combat advantage against that enemy until the end of your next turn, or to immediately use the Stealth skill to attempt to hide from the target.
* Special: Each time you attempt this during an encounter, you suffer a -5 cumulative penalty for each time you have already attempted it.

* Attempt to Deceive (At-will standard action * basic skill utility)
* Effect: Describe how you attempt to deceive your target, then make a Bluff check vs. the target’s Sense defense. If you succeed, you manage to trick the opponent into believing what you say.

===Diplomacy===
Diplomacy is used to influence others with tact, etiquette, and social grace. You may make a Diplomacy check to change people’s opinions, to negotiate a deal in good faith, to inspire goodwill, or to haggle with a patron, or to comport yourself with etiquette and tact. Your Diplomacy skill check is based on your Charisma modifier.

* Haggle (Extended action (1 minute) * basic skill utility)
* Target: One merchant (Diplomacy vs. Sense, +5 per 10% price adjustment)
* Success: You may adjust the cost of one good you are selling or purchasing by the desired amount.

* Negotiate Surrender (At-will free interrupt * basic skill utility)
* Target: One creature which would hit you or an ally with an attack (Diplomacy check vs. the target’s Sense)
* Success: You may attempt to halt combat and negotiate the surrender of your allies.
* Special: You may only perform this action vs. opponents who are intelligent and willing to accept a surrender.

* Influence (Extended action (variable) * basic skill utility)
* Effect: Describe to the DM how you attempt to influence the target, then make a Diplomacy check vs. the target’s Sense. On a success, you influence the target into adopting a desired attitude, belief or action.

�

===Intimidate===
Intimidate is used to bully, frighten, or coerce others into doing your bidding. Your Intimidate skill check is based on your Charisma modifier.

Intimidate (At-will minor action * basic skill utility)
* Target: One creature (Intimidate vs. Will)
* Success: You may mark the target, force the target to surrender if bloodied, or coerce the target into taking some other action with the DM’s approval. On a critical success, the target becomes Dominated until the beginning of your next round if you are at least one Rank higher than it.

===Perform===
Perform is used to sing, dance, act, or woo a crowd. Your Perform skill check is based on your Charisma modifier.

* Perform (Extended action or at-will standard action * basic skill utility)
* Target: One crowd (Perform vs. highest Will)
* Success: You influence the crowd’s mood favorably towards you and your allies.

===Streetwise===
Streetwise is used to find out social details about an location, including who’s important, what areas are dangerous, and where to acquire goods or services. Your Streetwise skill check is based on your Charisma modifier.

* Local Lore (Extended action (5 minutes) * trained skill knowledge)
* Effect: Describe how you attempt to interact with the locals, then make a Streetwise knowledge check vs. a DC determined by the DM. On a success, you find out some particularly useful bit of lore or social detail that is applicable to the situation at hand.

Open4E:Main Page

2012-07-09T18:40:12Z

Ialdabaoth: /* Sections */

Open4E:Encounters

2012-07-09T18:38:30Z

Ialdabaoth:

[[Category:Game System]]
[[category:Open4E]]

=Encounters=
Encounters are periods of fast-paced action where every second counts. Encounters are divided into rounds, which represent about six seconds of action. Within a round, each character gets a turn, which is the point at which they get to act. Encounter challenges are typically combat challenges, where you must fight a group of enemies to determine how well you succeed and what happens next.

==Initiative==

Whenever a new encounter begins, each player makes an Initiative check to determine the turn order. The DM will then likewise make an Initiative check for each group of enemies in the encounter. Whoever got the highest Initiative check result goes first, and then each other player or NPC goes from next-highest Initiative to lowest. Specific rules for determining your Initiative check bonuses will be provided later.

Sometimes there is a chance that you might be surprised by the start of an encounter. If there is a chance to be surprised, the DM will set a difficulty level for the surprise; your Initiative check then also becomes your check to see if you’re surprised by the encounter. Being surprised means that you have to wait out the first round of the encounter to gather your wits; once everyone who isn’t surprised has gone, you stop being surprised and may participate normally in the second round. Even if there normally isn’t a chance to be surprised, a critical failure on your Initiative check will still cause you to be surprised for the first round of combat.

==Taking Your Turn==

When it becomes your turn during an encounter, you get to decide what your character does during the next few seconds. During your turn, you can perform four different kinds of actions. You can perform one standard action, one move action, one minor action, and a reasonable number of free actions (where “reasonable” is decided by the DM).

===Standard Actions===

During your turn, you may perform a single standard action. Standard actions are generally acts that require a good deal of your focus and concentration to pull off. You will have a good number of standard actions that you can perform, based on the choices you make when you create your character. However, all characters can perform the following basic standard actions, regardless of who they are.

Melee attacks are used to attack creatures who are within reach of your weapons, while ranged attacks are used to attack creatures who are too far away to reach with a sword or a spear. When you make a ranged attack, you provoke an opportunity attack from any adjacent creature - the creature can perform a basic melee attack against you as an immediate interrupt.

* Basic Melee Attack
* At-Will Standard Action * Basic Melee Attack
* Effect: You make a basic melee or unarmed attack against one creature.

Ranged attacks are used to attack creatures who are too far away to reach with a sword or a spear. When you make a ranged attack, you provoke an opportunity attack from any adjacent creature - the creature can perform a basic melee attack against you as an immediate interrupt.

* Basic Ranged Attack
* At-Will Standard Action * Basic Ranged Attack
* Effect: You make a basic ranged attack against one creature.

Full Defense is used when you don’t want to attack or perform some other action, but don’t want to be hit by an attack either. Full Defense is a stance - an activity that you begin with an action, but continue to maintain until you decide to stop it, or some other event causes the stance to end.

* Full Defense
* At-Will Standard Action * Basic Stance
* Effect: You enter into a defensive stance, which makes it harder to be attacked by other creatures and lets you catch your breath. More complete rules for the Full Defense action will be provided in the combat section.

Finally, Skills are specific collections of activities that you can gain training in. Most actions that aren’t attacks are covered by making skill-based checks.

* Use Skill
* At-Will Standard, Move, Minor or free Action * Basic Skill Utility
* Effect: You perform a standard, move, minor or free action listed in the Skill section.

Sometimes, you need to perform an extended action in combat. While this is risky, it is occasionally necessary. Extended actions are handled as stances:

* Perform Extended Action
* At-Will Standard Action * Basic Stance
* Effect: You begin performing an extended action. If you maintain this stance without interruption for a number of turns equal to the action’s duration in rounds (or ten time the action’s duration in minutes), you may make the check for that action.

===Move Actions===

During your turn, you may also perform one move action. Move actions generally involve legwork and maneuvering to perform. If you need to move quickly, you may also expend your standard action as if it were a move action, giving you a total of two move actions during your turn.

All characters have a speed rating, which is how fast they can move at a jog in one move action. Speed is measured in five-foot steps; if you have a speed of 3, you can move 15 feet in a turn. The most basic move action that you can perform is to move this distance. However, movement is not particularly defensive - if you are adjacent to a hostile creature when you attempt to move, you provoke an opportunity attack.

Move
At-Will Move Action * Basic Movement
Effect: You move a number of 5-foot squares equal to your speed.

If you need to move move safely, you may shift. Shifting only moves you five feet, but you maintain full awareness of all threats around you, and so you do not provoke opportunity attacks while shifting.

Shift
At-Will Move Action * Basic Movement
Effect: You shift one 5-foot square.

Some areas are more difficult to move through than others. Each square of difficult terrain counts as two squares, so you may not normally shift through it in a single move action. If you use two different actions to move, you may combine them into a single movement and count your speed as doubled for this movement - either shifting two squares (or shifting through one square of difficult terrain), or moving a total number of squares equal to twice your speed (counting each square of difficult terrain twice).

===Minor Actions===

You may also perform one minor action during your turn. Minor actions are simple, reflexive acts that you can perform without paying much attention, such as picking up an item, pulling something out of a pocket or holster, or taking a drink from a bottle. If you need to do several simple things in a turn, you may also expend your move action or your standard action or both as if they were minor actions, giving you a total of two or three minor actions during your turn.

===Free Actions===

Free Actions are simple things that you can do without really thinking about, such as speak a few words or give a hand signal. You can perform any number of free actions during your turn, but if it stretches the limits of credulity or bogs down play the DM is likely to cut you off and tell you to move on.

==Reacting to Other People’s Actions==

There are certain actions that you may perform in response to another character’s action. These are called Immediate Actions. You may perform one Immediate Action per turn, whether it’s your turn or not, but all immediate actions have a ‘trigger’ that must be fulfilled before you can perform the immediate action.

===Immediate Responses===

There are two kinds of immediate actions that you may take in response to an event: Immediate Reactions and Immediate Interrupts. Immediate Reactions must be performed after the triggering event has fully resolved; you get to perform your action in response to theirs. Immediate Interrupts, on the other hand, happen before the triggering event has resolved - if an Immediate Interrupt changes the circumstances around their action, you might cause that action to fail or succeed when it otherwise would not have, or enhance or degrade the effects of their success or failure.

Opportunity Attack
At-Will Immediate Interrupt * Basic Melee Weapon Attack
Trigger: An adjacent enemy attempts to move out of their square without shifting, or attempts to make a ranged attack, or performs another action that provokes opportunity.
Effect: You make a basic melee attack against the provoking creature.

===Free Responses===

In addition to immediate responses, some special powers or feats will allow you to take Free Reactions or Free Interrupts. A Free Reaction is just like an Immediate Reaction, except that you may perform any number of them per turn. Similarly, a Free Interrupt is just like an Immediate Interrupt, except that you may perform any number of them per turn. You may only respond to a single action once with any single response, however - you cannot perform a single response several times to the same triggering event.

===Automatic Responses===

Some responses occur automatically, even if you cannot perform a free or immediate action or response. These operate identically to free responses, except that you can perform them even while stunned or unconscious.

Open4E:Core Mechanic

2012-07-09T18:37:41Z

Ialdabaoth: moved Open4E:Core Mechanic to Open4E: Core Mechanic

#REDIRECT [[Open4E: Core Mechanic]]

Open4E: Core Mechanic

2012-07-09T18:37:41Z

Ialdabaoth: moved Open4E:Core Mechanic to Open4E: Core Mechanic

[[Category:Game System]]
[[category:Open4E]]

=The Core Mechanic=

As you play your character, you will describe things that you want to do. The DM’s job is to help determine what happens as a result of your actions. In this game, all of these situations are resolved through a single mechanic, called a [[Open4E:Core_Mechanic|check]]: you roll a D20, add modifiers based on your competency or the situation, and announce the result. The Dungeon Master (DM) will compare this check result to a [[Open4E:Core_Mechanic#Difficulty|difficulty class]] (DC) based on the situation and the inherent difficulty of what you’re trying to accomplish. In many common situations, the process for determining the check modifier and DC have been worked out in detail, but always remember that you and the DM can decide to arbitrate situations that haven’t been specifically spelled out in the rules, or modify the check or DC of well-established rules based on special circumstances.

==Difficulty==
Some tasks are easier to perform than others. In general, the base DC of a task will be one of five numbers.

* Trivial tasks have a DC of 5. These are actions that, in general, the DM should just declare that you succeed at rather than having you roll at all. A DM might require a roll on a trivial task in extraordinary circumstances.

* Easy tasks have a DC of 10. These are actions that an average, untrained person is expected to have an even chance of accomplishing successfully. Examples: walking eight hours along a paved road without rest, assembling a puzzle, applying bandages to a wound, remembering the name of the capital city of a neighboring province.

* Average tasks have a DC of 15. These are actions that the average person can pull off with some luck, and which a competently trained person is expected to have an even chance of accomplishing. Examples: walking eight hours through a hilly woodland without rest, assembling a model ship, sewing up a wound, remembering the name of the capital city of every province in your country. If no task difficulty is specified, assume that the task has an average DC.

* Hard tasks have a DC of 20. These actions require a good amount of expertise, training, and natural ability to pull off well, and are only accomplishable through extraordinary luck otherwise. Examples: carving a path through a densely overgrown jungle for eight hours without rest, assembling a clockwork pocketwatch, digging a barbed arrowhead out of a wound without causing more damage, remembering the name of every capital city of every country in the world.

* Legendary tasks have a DC of 25. These are tasks that a normal person might accomplish once in a lifetime, and which are noteworthy even for heroes. Examples: assembling a working clockwork model of the solar system, performing open-heart surgery without the aid of magic or modern medicine, remembering the name of every city in your country with a population of 50 or more.

* Impossible tasks have a DC of 30 or higher. These tasks seem utterly impossible to perform, but the truly gifted might pull them off once in a lifetime. Examples: assembling a thinking, feeling clockwork man, reviving the dead, remembering the name of every city the world and a specific historical fact about each of them.

==Check Modifiers==
Each time you make a check, one or more modifiers will most likely apply to the roll. Modifiers go in two directions - bonuses are added to your die roll, while penalties are subtracted from it.

===Bonuses===
Most bonuses come from a particular source; these modifiers will have an adjective to describe them, such as feat bonuses or class bonuses or circumstance bonuses or racial bonuses. If several bonuses apply to the roll you are about to make that all have the same adjective, only the highest one applies, and only once. For example, if you have a +2 class bonus to saving throws, and a +5 class bonus to saving throws vs. charm effects, then you apply the +5 modifier when making a saving throw vs. a charm effect, not the +7 that you would get from adding them together. However, if you have two different bonuses, such as a +2 class bonus and a +3 proficiency bonus, you may add them both to the roll. Untyped bonuses are bonuses which have no type - you add all of these together when you make your roll.

===Penalties===
Penalties, on the other hand, always accumulate regardless of their source. While many penalties will have adjectives, the adjectives are only important when specific powers or capabilities allow you to reduce or ignore a particular type of penalty; once you are ready to roll the dice, add all penalties that apply to the dice roll together and subtract that from the result.

==Rewarding Creativity==
Even in situations where the mechanics are well established, creative and appropriate responses to situations should be rewarded. Check modifiers or DC modifiers of -2 to +2 are appropriate in situations where player ingenuity should reasonably lean the odds in your favor. Players who find a creative and novel way of approaching a situation might even adjust the difficulty level of the task by a difficulty level or more (such as hard to moderate, or moderate to easy), which is equivalent to a +5 or higher bonus. As always, the DM is the ultimate arbitrator of what modifiers are appropriate and when.

==Critical Success and Failure==
Most of the time, you only care if you succeed or fail. You succeed on a roll whenever the check result is equal to or greater than the DC; you fail on a roll if your check result is less than the DC. If the check result is exactly equal to the DC, you only achieve a basic success - you succeed, but only barely. This has no effect on gameplay, but can sometimes add cinematic flavor to the flow of the story.

Whenever you roll a natural 20, if the check result is sufficient to have succeeded at the roll, you achieve a critical success. Critical successes with attack rolls are called critical hits. When you achieve a critical success, you perform the action spectacularly well, and may optionally negotiate a relevant benefit from the DM. Certain special circumstances may allow you to achieve a critical success on a natural roll of 19, or even lower. You must still succeed at the roll (i.e., have a check value higher than the DC) to achieve a critical success.

If the DC of a check is ever higher than your total modifier + 20, you can only succeed at that task by sheer luck. If your natural die roll is a 20 before any modifiers are applied, you still achieve a basic success (but not a critical success) on that task - luck was simply on your side.

On the other hand, whenever you roll a natural 1, if the check result was insufficient to have succeeded on the roll, you achieve a critical failure. Some horrible mishap occurs, causing complications that are up to the DM to resolve. Even if your check result was sufficient to have succeeded on the roll, you still achieve a basic failure (but not a critical failure) on a natural 1 - you were simply unlucky.

==Saving Throws==
Most rolls that you make are against a specific DC - either an attack vs. a creature’s defense, or a skill check against a specific difficulty. Sometimes, however, you need to make a roll in opposition to another roll that was made. These rolls are called saving throws. To make a saving throw, roll your skill, proficiency or ability modifier vs. the original roll’s check result, as if it was a DC. When you perform an action against another character that they can save against, write down your check result in case that creature later attempts to make a saving throw against your action.

Open4E:Scenes

2012-07-09T18:37:14Z

Ialdabaoth:

[[Category:Game System]]
[[category:Open4E]]

=Scenes=

Scenes are periods of improvisational acting and preparation, where second-by-second decisions are less important than maintaining a smooth flow of the dialog and narration. Scenes are divided into minutes, and an average scene should take around five minutes. Most extended actions occur at scene pacing; if an extended action takes longer than five minutes, the DM is allowed to simply say “a few hours later” and skip to the next scene, in which you’ve finished that action or something else interesting happens. Scene-based challenges are typically skill challenges, where your character’s skills determine how well you succeed and what happens next.

==Performing Actions in a Scene==

Actions that you take within a scene can take anywhere between a few seconds and several hours. You can always perform any action during a scene; simply declare the action that you want to perform, and the DM will keep track of how long it will take to finish, and may ask you to describe how you’re performing the action. Remember that good descriptions and clever ideas are rewarded, but don’t drag down the game with florid prose that doesn’t advance the story or entertain the other players. Remember that everyone’s first goal is to have fun as a group.

===Use Skill===
At-Will Extended Action * Basic Skill Utility
Effect: You perform any action listed in the Skill section.

===Use Weapon===
At-Will Extended Action * Basic Weapon Utility
Effect: You use a weapon for a non-combat purpose.

==Reacting to Actions in a Scene==
If you want to react to an action in a scene, tell the DM that you want to react to it, and then describe the action that you want to perform in response. Within a scene, the precise order that things happen in isn’t usually important; if it is, the DM will likely have you make an Initiative check to determine if you can pull it off fast enough. The rules for initiative, and for other actions, will be given later.

Category:Open4E

2012-07-09T18:36:37Z

Ialdabaoth: Created page with "category:Game System Open4E is an attempt to create an OGL "retro-clone" of 4th Edition D&D."

[[category:Game System]]

Open4E is an attempt to create an OGL "retro-clone" of 4th Edition D&D.

Open4E: Core Mechanic

2012-07-09T18:34:55Z

Ialdabaoth:

2012-07-09T18:30:03Z

Ialdabaoth: /* Sections */

[[Category:Game System]]
[[Category:OpenD20]]

=Open4E=

This system is intended to be a streamlined and open tactical RPG. The primary source of inspiration is Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition.

Our system goals:

* A unified class design system, with simplified hybriding and multiclassing
* Better balance between power choices within a class
* Smoother progression between levels, and an elimination of "speedbump" and "tax" feats

=Sections=

==[[Open4E:Core_Mechanic|The Core Mechanic]]==
All situations are resolved through a single mechanic, called a [[Open4E:Core_Mechanic|check]]: you roll a D20, add modifiers based on your competency or the situation, and announce the result. The Dungeon Master (DM) will compare this check result to a difficulty class (DC) based on the situation and the inherent difficulty of what you’re trying to accomplish. If your check result matches or exceeds the DC, you succeed; if it doesn't, you fail.

==[[Open4E:Actions|Performing Actions]]==
When you want to do something in the game, you tell the DM what you want to accomplish, and then the DM assigns a difficulty class and tells you what modifiers apply to your check roll. While this is enough to get started, the game provides more detailed rules to determine what kinds of actions that you can perform at what times.

==Pacing and Tempo==
During the game, the flow of time may be measured in two distinct pacings, based on the tempo and tactical danger that the characters are in.

===[[Open4E:Scenes|Scenes]]===
Scenes are periods of improvisational acting and preparation, where second-by-second decisions are less important than maintaining a smooth flow of the dialog and narration.

===[[Open4E:Encounters|Encounters]]===
Encounters are periods of fast-paced action where every second counts.

==[[Open4E:Abilities|Abilities]]==
All characters in this game have six core abilities, which determine or influence all their other statistics: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Charisma, Intelligence, and Wisdom.

Open4E:Main Page

2012-07-09T18:28:55Z

Ialdabaoth: /* Performing Actions */

Open4E:Main Page

2012-07-09T18:28:11Z

Ialdabaoth: /* The Core Mechanic */

[[Category:Game System]]
[[Category:OpenD20]]

=Open4E=

This system is intended to be a streamlined and open tactical RPG. The primary source of inspiration is Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition.

Our system goals:

* A unified class design system, with simplified hybriding and multiclassing
* Better balance between power choices within a class
* Smoother progression between levels, and an elimination of "speedbump" and "tax" feats

=Sections=

==[[Open4E:Core_Mechanic|The Core Mechanic]]==
All situations are resolved through a single mechanic, called a [[Open4E:Core_Mechanic|check]]: you roll a D20, add modifiers based on your competency or the situation, and announce the result. The Dungeon Master (DM) will compare this check result to a difficulty class (DC) based on the situation and the inherent difficulty of what you’re trying to accomplish. If your check result matches or exceeds the DC, you succeed; if it doesn't, you fail.

==[[Open4E:Actions|Performing Actions]]==
==Pacing and Tempo==
During the game, the flow of time may be measured in two distinct pacings, based on the tempo and tactical danger that the characters are in.

===[[Open4E:Scenes|Scenes]]===
Scenes are periods of improvisational acting and preparation, where second-by-second decisions are less important than maintaining a smooth flow of the dialog and narration.

===[[Open4E:Encounters|Encounters]]===
Encounters are periods of fast-paced action where every second counts.

Open4E:Main Page

2012-07-09T18:26:35Z

Ialdabaoth: /* Pacing and Tempo */

Open4E:Main Page

2012-07-09T18:26:01Z

Ialdabaoth: /* Scenes */

Open4E:Main Page

2012-07-09T18:25:40Z

Ialdabaoth: /* Pacing and Tempo */

Open4E:Actions

2012-07-09T18:24:31Z

Ialdabaoth: /* Action Description Blocks */

=Performing Actions=
When you want to do something in the game, you tell the DM what you want to accomplish, and then the DM assigns a difficulty class and tells you what modifiers apply to your check roll. While this is enough to get started, the game provides more detailed rules to determine what kinds of actions that you can perform at what times.

There are multiple kinds of actions that you can perform in the game, divided into how long they take and how often you can perform them.

==Free Actions==
Free actions take almost no time or effort to perform, like noticing something that you’re looking at or speaking a word or two.

==Minor Actions==
Minor actions take a half second or so of your concentration, like drinking from a cup or picking up keys that are lying on the table.

==Move Actions==
Move actions take enough concentration to watch where your feet are going, but not much more. As you would expect, move actions typically let you move around from place to place, but other move actions use your legs or body to do other things.

==Standard Actions==
Standard actions take several seconds of your full attention to pull off, like aiming and firing a weapon, threading a needle, or working the controls of a complex machine.

==Extended Actions==
Finally, Extended actions take more than a few seconds to perform, and hence tend to keep you committed for more time than the tempo of combat allows for.

==At-Will Actions==
At-Will actions can be free actions, minor actions, move actions, standard actions or extended actions; the key qualification is that you can perform an at-will action whenever you feel like. Thus, if something is an “at-will move action”, that means that whenever it’s your turn and you feel like it, you can decide to spend as much effort as it takes to walk across the room to perform that action.

==Per-Encounter Actions==
Per-Encounter actions tend to be fatiguing, and so can only be used a limited number of times before you need to sit down and rest. Like at-will actions, per-encounter actions can be free, minor, move, standard or extended.

==Daily Actions==
Daily actions tend to be epic feats that take a good deal out of you, and so can only be used a limited number of times per day before you need a full night’s sleep to recharge. Like at-will and per-encounter actions, daily actions can be free, minor, move, standard or extended.

=Action Description Blocks=

Whenever these rules wish to describe an action that you may perform, they will use an action description block. An action description block looks like this:

* Take a Drink
* At-Will Minor Action * Basic Utility
* Requirement: You must have a drink in your hand.
* Special: When you perform this action, you may stop and not take the drink if you notice that it tastes odd.
* Effect: You take a drink from the drink in your hand.

The first line, in bold, is the name of the action - in this case, “Take a Drink”. This means that when you want your character to do this action, you tell the DM “I’m going to Take a Drink” so he knows what’s going on and can react appropriately.

The next line, in italics, is the action’s type and keywords. This is two blocks, separated by an asterisk. The first block tells you when you can perform the action (in this case, at-will), how complicated the action is (in this case, it’s a minor action), and whether it’s an Action (which you can do any time on your turn) or a Reaction or Interrupt (which you can do on your or other players’ or NPC’s turns, but only in response to specific triggers).

The next lines will list special circumstances around performing the action, such as ‘Prerequisites’, ‘Requirements’, ‘Triggers’ or ‘Special’ blocks. A Prerequisite is something you need to have before you can even learn to do the action - in this case, taking a drink has no prerequisites. A requirement or trigger is a need that must be met before you can perform the action - in this case, it is a Requirement that you have a drink in your hand in order to take a drink, which makes perfect sense. A Special block just tells you some special rules or circumstances around this action that don’t fit into any other category, such as the fact that you can decide to stop taking the drink before it affects you if it tastes odd.

The next lines will list what happens when you perform the action. Each of these lines will say ‘Effect’, ‘Check’, ‘Target’, ‘Save’, ‘Success’, ‘Failure’, ‘Hit’ or ‘Miss’, and will be listed in the order that they occur. An ‘Effect’ block always happens when you perform the action; just read the line and assume that that effect occurs. A ‘Check’ or ‘Target’ line means that you must make some kind of check at this step, while a ‘Save’ means you must make a saving throw. ‘Target’ lines have you make a choice, usually selecting a particular creature or area, before making the check; the check’s DC will be based on the target that you choose. Finally, ‘Success’ and ‘Hit’ lines only occur if you succeed at the last check that you made, while ‘Failure’ and ‘Miss’ lines only occur if you didn’t succeed at the last check that you made.

Open4E:Encounters

2012-07-09T18:23:38Z

Ialdabaoth: /* Standard Actions */

=Encounters=
Encounters are periods of fast-paced action where every second counts. Encounters are divided into rounds, which represent about six seconds of action. Within a round, each character gets a turn, which is the point at which they get to act. Encounter challenges are typically combat challenges, where you must fight a group of enemies to determine how well you succeed and what happens next.

==Initiative==

Whenever a new encounter begins, each player makes an Initiative check to determine the turn order. The DM will then likewise make an Initiative check for each group of enemies in the encounter. Whoever got the highest Initiative check result goes first, and then each other player or NPC goes from next-highest Initiative to lowest. Specific rules for determining your Initiative check bonuses will be provided later.

Sometimes there is a chance that you might be surprised by the start of an encounter. If there is a chance to be surprised, the DM will set a difficulty level for the surprise; your Initiative check then also becomes your check to see if you’re surprised by the encounter. Being surprised means that you have to wait out the first round of the encounter to gather your wits; once everyone who isn’t surprised has gone, you stop being surprised and may participate normally in the second round. Even if there normally isn’t a chance to be surprised, a critical failure on your Initiative check will still cause you to be surprised for the first round of combat.

==Taking Your Turn==

When it becomes your turn during an encounter, you get to decide what your character does during the next few seconds. During your turn, you can perform four different kinds of actions. You can perform one standard action, one move action, one minor action, and a reasonable number of free actions (where “reasonable” is decided by the DM).

===Standard Actions===

During your turn, you may perform a single standard action. Standard actions are generally acts that require a good deal of your focus and concentration to pull off. You will have a good number of standard actions that you can perform, based on the choices you make when you create your character. However, all characters can perform the following basic standard actions, regardless of who they are.

Melee attacks are used to attack creatures who are within reach of your weapons, while ranged attacks are used to attack creatures who are too far away to reach with a sword or a spear. When you make a ranged attack, you provoke an opportunity attack from any adjacent creature - the creature can perform a basic melee attack against you as an immediate interrupt.

* Basic Melee Attack
* At-Will Standard Action * Basic Melee Attack
* Effect: You make a basic melee or unarmed attack against one creature.

Ranged attacks are used to attack creatures who are too far away to reach with a sword or a spear. When you make a ranged attack, you provoke an opportunity attack from any adjacent creature - the creature can perform a basic melee attack against you as an immediate interrupt.

* Basic Ranged Attack
* At-Will Standard Action * Basic Ranged Attack
* Effect: You make a basic ranged attack against one creature.

Full Defense is used when you don’t want to attack or perform some other action, but don’t want to be hit by an attack either. Full Defense is a stance - an activity that you begin with an action, but continue to maintain until you decide to stop it, or some other event causes the stance to end.

* Full Defense
* At-Will Standard Action * Basic Stance
* Effect: You enter into a defensive stance, which makes it harder to be attacked by other creatures and lets you catch your breath. More complete rules for the Full Defense action will be provided in the combat section.

Finally, Skills are specific collections of activities that you can gain training in. Most actions that aren’t attacks are covered by making skill-based checks.

* Use Skill
* At-Will Standard, Move, Minor or free Action * Basic Skill Utility
* Effect: You perform a standard, move, minor or free action listed in the Skill section.

Sometimes, you need to perform an extended action in combat. While this is risky, it is occasionally necessary. Extended actions are handled as stances:

* Perform Extended Action
* At-Will Standard Action * Basic Stance
* Effect: You begin performing an extended action. If you maintain this stance without interruption for a number of turns equal to the action’s duration in rounds (or ten time the action’s duration in minutes), you may make the check for that action.

===Move Actions===

During your turn, you may also perform one move action. Move actions generally involve legwork and maneuvering to perform. If you need to move quickly, you may also expend your standard action as if it were a move action, giving you a total of two move actions during your turn.

All characters have a speed rating, which is how fast they can move at a jog in one move action. Speed is measured in five-foot steps; if you have a speed of 3, you can move 15 feet in a turn. The most basic move action that you can perform is to move this distance. However, movement is not particularly defensive - if you are adjacent to a hostile creature when you attempt to move, you provoke an opportunity attack.

Move
At-Will Move Action * Basic Movement
Effect: You move a number of 5-foot squares equal to your speed.

If you need to move move safely, you may shift. Shifting only moves you five feet, but you maintain full awareness of all threats around you, and so you do not provoke opportunity attacks while shifting.

Shift
At-Will Move Action * Basic Movement
Effect: You shift one 5-foot square.

Some areas are more difficult to move through than others. Each square of difficult terrain counts as two squares, so you may not normally shift through it in a single move action. If you use two different actions to move, you may combine them into a single movement and count your speed as doubled for this movement - either shifting two squares (or shifting through one square of difficult terrain), or moving a total number of squares equal to twice your speed (counting each square of difficult terrain twice).

===Minor Actions===

You may also perform one minor action during your turn. Minor actions are simple, reflexive acts that you can perform without paying much attention, such as picking up an item, pulling something out of a pocket or holster, or taking a drink from a bottle. If you need to do several simple things in a turn, you may also expend your move action or your standard action or both as if they were minor actions, giving you a total of two or three minor actions during your turn.

===Free Actions===

Free Actions are simple things that you can do without really thinking about, such as speak a few words or give a hand signal. You can perform any number of free actions during your turn, but if it stretches the limits of credulity or bogs down play the DM is likely to cut you off and tell you to move on.

==Reacting to Other People’s Actions==

There are certain actions that you may perform in response to another character’s action. These are called Immediate Actions. You may perform one Immediate Action per turn, whether it’s your turn or not, but all immediate actions have a ‘trigger’ that must be fulfilled before you can perform the immediate action.

===Immediate Responses===

There are two kinds of immediate actions that you may take in response to an event: Immediate Reactions and Immediate Interrupts. Immediate Reactions must be performed after the triggering event has fully resolved; you get to perform your action in response to theirs. Immediate Interrupts, on the other hand, happen before the triggering event has resolved - if an Immediate Interrupt changes the circumstances around their action, you might cause that action to fail or succeed when it otherwise would not have, or enhance or degrade the effects of their success or failure.

Opportunity Attack
At-Will Immediate Interrupt * Basic Melee Weapon Attack
Trigger: An adjacent enemy attempts to move out of their square without shifting, or attempts to make a ranged attack, or performs another action that provokes opportunity.
Effect: You make a basic melee attack against the provoking creature.

===Free Responses===

In addition to immediate responses, some special powers or feats will allow you to take Free Reactions or Free Interrupts. A Free Reaction is just like an Immediate Reaction, except that you may perform any number of them per turn. Similarly, a Free Interrupt is just like an Immediate Interrupt, except that you may perform any number of them per turn. You may only respond to a single action once with any single response, however - you cannot perform a single response several times to the same triggering event.

===Automatic Responses===

Some responses occur automatically, even if you cannot perform a free or immediate action or response. These operate identically to free responses, except that you can perform them even while stunned or unconscious.

Open4E:Encounters

2012-07-09T18:22:59Z

Ialdabaoth: Created page with "=Encounters= Encounters are periods of fast-paced action where every second counts. Encounters are divided into rounds, which represent about six seconds of action. Within a roun..."

=Encounters=
Encounters are periods of fast-paced action where every second counts. Encounters are divided into rounds, which represent about six seconds of action. Within a round, each character gets a turn, which is the point at which they get to act. Encounter challenges are typically combat challenges, where you must fight a group of enemies to determine how well you succeed and what happens next.

==Initiative==

Whenever a new encounter begins, each player makes an Initiative check to determine the turn order. The DM will then likewise make an Initiative check for each group of enemies in the encounter. Whoever got the highest Initiative check result goes first, and then each other player or NPC goes from next-highest Initiative to lowest. Specific rules for determining your Initiative check bonuses will be provided later.

Sometimes there is a chance that you might be surprised by the start of an encounter. If there is a chance to be surprised, the DM will set a difficulty level for the surprise; your Initiative check then also becomes your check to see if you’re surprised by the encounter. Being surprised means that you have to wait out the first round of the encounter to gather your wits; once everyone who isn’t surprised has gone, you stop being surprised and may participate normally in the second round. Even if there normally isn’t a chance to be surprised, a critical failure on your Initiative check will still cause you to be surprised for the first round of combat.

==Taking Your Turn==

When it becomes your turn during an encounter, you get to decide what your character does during the next few seconds. During your turn, you can perform four different kinds of actions. You can perform one standard action, one move action, one minor action, and a reasonable number of free actions (where “reasonable” is decided by the DM).

===Standard Actions===

During your turn, you may perform a single standard action. Standard actions are generally acts that require a good deal of your focus and concentration to pull off. You will have a good number of standard actions that you can perform, based on the choices you make when you create your character. However, all characters can perform the following basic standard actions, regardless of who they are.

Melee attacks are used to attack creatures who are within reach of your weapons, while ranged attacks are used to attack creatures who are too far away to reach with a sword or a spear. When you make a ranged attack, you provoke an opportunity attack from any adjacent creature - the creature can perform a basic melee attack against you as an immediate interrupt.

Basic Melee Attack
At-Will Standard Action * Basic Melee Attack
Effect: You make a basic melee or unarmed attack against one creature.

Ranged attacks are used to attack creatures who are too far away to reach with a sword or a spear. When you make a ranged attack, you provoke an opportunity attack from any adjacent creature - the creature can perform a basic melee attack against you as an immediate interrupt.

Basic Ranged Attack
At-Will Standard Action * Basic Ranged Attack
Effect: You make a basic ranged attack against one creature.

Full Defense is used when you don’t want to attack or perform some other action, but don’t want to be hit by an attack either. Full Defense is a stance - an activity that you begin with an action, but continue to maintain until you decide to stop it, or some other event causes the stance to end.

Full Defense
At-Will Standard Action * Basic Stance
Effect: You enter into a defensive stance, which makes it harder to be attacked by other creatures and lets you catch your breath. More complete rules for the Full Defense action will be provided in the combat section.

Finally, Skills are specific collections of activities that you can gain training in. Most actions that aren’t attacks are covered by making skill-based checks.

Use Skill
At-Will Standard, Move, Minor or free Action * Basic Skill Utility
Effect: You perform a standard, move, minor or free action listed in the Skill section.

Sometimes, you need to perform an extended action in combat. While this is risky, it is occasionally necessary. Extended actions are handled as stances:

Perform Extended Action
At-Will Standard Action * Basic Stance
Effect: You begin performing an extended action. If you maintain this stance without interruption for a number of turns equal to the action’s duration in rounds (or ten time the action’s duration in minutes), you may make the check for that action.

===Move Actions===

During your turn, you may also perform one move action. Move actions generally involve legwork and maneuvering to perform. If you need to move quickly, you may also expend your standard action as if it were a move action, giving you a total of two move actions during your turn.

All characters have a speed rating, which is how fast they can move at a jog in one move action. Speed is measured in five-foot steps; if you have a speed of 3, you can move 15 feet in a turn. The most basic move action that you can perform is to move this distance. However, movement is not particularly defensive - if you are adjacent to a hostile creature when you attempt to move, you provoke an opportunity attack.

Move
At-Will Move Action * Basic Movement
Effect: You move a number of 5-foot squares equal to your speed.

If you need to move move safely, you may shift. Shifting only moves you five feet, but you maintain full awareness of all threats around you, and so you do not provoke opportunity attacks while shifting.

Shift
At-Will Move Action * Basic Movement
Effect: You shift one 5-foot square.

Some areas are more difficult to move through than others. Each square of difficult terrain counts as two squares, so you may not normally shift through it in a single move action. If you use two different actions to move, you may combine them into a single movement and count your speed as doubled for this movement - either shifting two squares (or shifting through one square of difficult terrain), or moving a total number of squares equal to twice your speed (counting each square of difficult terrain twice).

===Minor Actions===

You may also perform one minor action during your turn. Minor actions are simple, reflexive acts that you can perform without paying much attention, such as picking up an item, pulling something out of a pocket or holster, or taking a drink from a bottle. If you need to do several simple things in a turn, you may also expend your move action or your standard action or both as if they were minor actions, giving you a total of two or three minor actions during your turn.

===Free Actions===

Free Actions are simple things that you can do without really thinking about, such as speak a few words or give a hand signal. You can perform any number of free actions during your turn, but if it stretches the limits of credulity or bogs down play the DM is likely to cut you off and tell you to move on.

==Reacting to Other People’s Actions==

There are certain actions that you may perform in response to another character’s action. These are called Immediate Actions. You may perform one Immediate Action per turn, whether it’s your turn or not, but all immediate actions have a ‘trigger’ that must be fulfilled before you can perform the immediate action.

===Immediate Responses===

There are two kinds of immediate actions that you may take in response to an event: Immediate Reactions and Immediate Interrupts. Immediate Reactions must be performed after the triggering event has fully resolved; you get to perform your action in response to theirs. Immediate Interrupts, on the other hand, happen before the triggering event has resolved - if an Immediate Interrupt changes the circumstances around their action, you might cause that action to fail or succeed when it otherwise would not have, or enhance or degrade the effects of their success or failure.

Opportunity Attack
At-Will Immediate Interrupt * Basic Melee Weapon Attack
Trigger: An adjacent enemy attempts to move out of their square without shifting, or attempts to make a ranged attack, or performs another action that provokes opportunity.
Effect: You make a basic melee attack against the provoking creature.

===Free Responses===

In addition to immediate responses, some special powers or feats will allow you to take Free Reactions or Free Interrupts. A Free Reaction is just like an Immediate Reaction, except that you may perform any number of them per turn. Similarly, a Free Interrupt is just like an Immediate Interrupt, except that you may perform any number of them per turn. You may only respond to a single action once with any single response, however - you cannot perform a single response several times to the same triggering event.

===Automatic Responses===

Some responses occur automatically, even if you cannot perform a free or immediate action or response. These operate identically to free responses, except that you can perform them even while stunned or unconscious.

Open4E:Scenes

2012-07-09T18:21:44Z

Ialdabaoth: Created page with "=Scenes= Scenes are periods of improvisational acting and preparation, where second-by-second decisions are less important than maintaining a smooth flow of the dialog and narra..."

=Scenes=

Scenes are periods of improvisational acting and preparation, where second-by-second decisions are less important than maintaining a smooth flow of the dialog and narration. Scenes are divided into minutes, and an average scene should take around five minutes. Most extended actions occur at scene pacing; if an extended action takes longer than five minutes, the DM is allowed to simply say “a few hours later” and skip to the next scene, in which you’ve finished that action or something else interesting happens. Scene-based challenges are typically skill challenges, where your character’s skills determine how well you succeed and what happens next.

==Performing Actions in a Scene==

Actions that you take within a scene can take anywhere between a few seconds and several hours. You can always perform any action during a scene; simply declare the action that you want to perform, and the DM will keep track of how long it will take to finish, and may ask you to describe how you’re performing the action. Remember that good descriptions and clever ideas are rewarded, but don’t drag down the game with florid prose that doesn’t advance the story or entertain the other players. Remember that everyone’s first goal is to have fun as a group.

===Use Skill===
At-Will Extended Action * Basic Skill Utility
Effect: You perform any action listed in the Skill section.

===Use Weapon===
At-Will Extended Action * Basic Weapon Utility
Effect: You use a weapon for a non-combat purpose.

==Reacting to Actions in a Scene==
If you want to react to an action in a scene, tell the DM that you want to react to it, and then describe the action that you want to perform in response. Within a scene, the precise order that things happen in isn’t usually important; if it is, the DM will likely have you make an Initiative check to determine if you can pull it off fast enough. The rules for initiative, and for other actions, will be given later.

Open4E:Main Page

2012-07-09T18:20:52Z

Ialdabaoth: /* Pacing and Tempo */

Open4E:Main Page

2012-07-09T18:20:01Z

Ialdabaoth: /* Sections */