ShatteredPrism:Rules Book

Shattered Prism RPG

Introduction

This represents the current playable rules. These rules are still in development, but should be playtest ready.

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Character Generation

Attributes

Primary Attributes

Primary Attributes are measures of raw mental and physical capabilities. While skills help determine what your character *knows* how to do, Attributes will help determine how well they can do it.

Physical

Strength

Physical Strength is a measure of your body's ability to deal out raw, natural power. Physical Strength focuses on muscular tone, lifting power and the strength of a punch. A person with a high physical strength would be able to run faster, leap higher, punch harder and lift more.

Coordination

Physical Coordination is a measure of the body's ability to react to events and avoid them if necessary. Physical Coordination focuses on one's reflexes, reaction time, and flexibility. Someone with a high dexterity would be able to dodge a blow, climb a wall, squeeze through a fence and do acrobatics better.

Endurance

Physical Endurance is the raw capacity of the body to resist trauma and damage. Physical Endurance focuses on the strength of one's immune system: the ability to stay awake and active longer; the resilience of one's skin, muscle and bone. A person with a high endurance would be able to run a longer distance, resist more damage to his/her body, and maintain normal health without food and water for longer periods of time.

Potential

Physical Potential is a measure of your body's ability to build itself up and to go beyond present capabilities. Someone with high Potential would be able to master physical skills faster and be better equipped to raise their physical abilities beyond present levels.

Mental

Strength

Mental Strength is a measure of the mind's raw processing power and intelligence. Mental Strength focuses on memory and IQ. Someone with a high Intelligence Quotient would perform better on a test, have stronger mental abilities, and generally be considered "smarter" than someone else.

Coordination

Mental Coordination is a measure of the mind's quickness of reaction, perception of details, general alertness and wits. Mental Coordination focuses on being able to quickly adapt to drastic changes in a situation, notice small details in a room, not be taken by suprise, and think one's way around a problem.

Endurance

Mental Endurance is a measure of the mind's ability to keep working despite mental Trauma, stress or lengthy periods of danger, as well as to work out problems with lower level, or "instinctual" responses, as opposed to the higher level thinking involved with Mental Strength. Mental Endurance focuses on wisdom, willpower, and sheer determination.

Potential

Mental Potential is a measure of your brain's ability to build itself up and to go beyond present capabilities. Someone with high Growth would be able to master intellectual skills faster and be better equipped to raise their mental abilities beyond present levels.

Determining Primary Attributes

Determining the Primary Attributes can be accomplished in one of two ways:

Method 1

Start by assigning 4 points to each Primary Attribute. Then roll 1d6 die. Add the result to the attribute of your choice. Repeat for each attribute.

Method 2

Start by assigning 5 points to each Primary Attribute. Then distribute a total pool of 36 points however you like among the attributes. (Pool of 48 for 8 attributes)

There are advantages and disadvantages to both methods. The first method is primarily used by those players who do not yet have a character concept in mind, and want to create their character around their Attributes, while the second method allows those with a clear concept to sculpt the attributes around that concept. Use whichever method you prefer.

Derived Attributes

Initiative

Determines what Tick the character starts combat on. Value must have a range who’s max value is a multiple of 5. (PC + MC / 4) (Min: 1, Avg: 3, Max: 5) (Invert)

Damage Threshold

This is an amount of damage that is ignored thanks to inherent defenses or toughness. Expressed in absolute values of damage ignored from every attack. Any damage exceeding this amount is deducted from either Health or Stun Pools.

Wounds

Total number of wound levels before the character becomes incapacitated. All damage types reduce this stat, though the in-game effects may differ. Expressed as an absolute value.

Energy

A form of all encompassing energy source. Describes everything from mana, psi-energy, and shii, to stamina, bio-electric energy and other innate consumable energy sources. All actions during combat require the expenditure of Energy. In addition, activating any power, in or out of combat, requires Energy. Expressed as an absolute value with no upper limit. (PE + ME x30) (Min: 300, Avg: 420)

Reputation

Personal reputation of the character. Expressed as two values. The first ranges between 1 and 20, the second is absolute value with no upper limit.

Rank

Rank of the character within the Freelancer organization. Each Rank will have an associated salary which is added to the bank account at the completion of each Mission, and can be modified based on performance. Expressed as absolute value.

Health

This is a measure of the total abuse or damage the body and mind can endure. When the Health Pool is reduced to zero, coma and potential death ensues.

Stun

This is a measure of the total abuse or damage the body and mind can endure. When Stun is reduced to zero, the character will fall unconscious and possibly slip into a non life threatening coma.

Energy

The Energy attribute is used to measure energy expended in combat, or any other strenuous activity. When performing actions or attacks in combat, Energy is used up, and is regained when resting. Running out of Energy in combat can then be considered very dangerous, as no energetic actions can be performed until the body has had a chance to rest. Pacing one’s depletion of Stamina is often the key to surviving combat encounters.

Select Skills

All skills which are not bought by a character default to a base value of 1. Normal difficulty tasks can be attempted by any character, even without formal training. It is up to the GM to determine if a particular task requires formal training to attempt. When a player spends Improvement Points to train a skill, the initial value acquired is 5, and goes up from there.

Templates

Trait Templates

Trait Templates are packages of skills and associated ratings, attached to a descriptor. An example would be the Fighter Pilot template, found within the Occupation category.

Species

Contains traits and values common to all members of selected species.

Faction

Faction templates contain skills which most or all citizens of that faction would likely learn if they grew up there.

Culture

Contains traits and values common to most/all individuals growing up in this type of culture/area.

Previous Occupation

Represents the occupation/s of the character prior to joining a Freelancer team. Contains traits and values common to most/all practitioners of that occupation/s.

Age

Age templates, if used, allow multiple Occupation templates to be chosen for older characters. May also contain traits and values which only appear at certain ages.

Skill Catagories

Physical Skills

Physical skills are those areas of knowledge that rely heavily on physical activity and training, and include such skills as climbing, swimming, acrobatics, and martial arts.

Knowledge Skills

Knowledge skills are those areas of knowledge that primarily rely on mental study and memorization of facts. Examples include Mathematics, chemistry, demonology, and law.

Practical Skills

Practical skills are a sort of hybrid between physical effort and learned knowledge, and include such things as demolitions, automotive mechanics, carpentry, and gunsmithing.

Social Skills

Social skills is a fairly narrow category, and includes skills which are intended to be used primarily in situations where a PC must engage an NPC in a social situation, and needs/wants a hard determination to the degree of the NPC’s reaction. Examples include seduction, haggling, intimidation, interrogation, and leadership. It should be noted that these skills are *not* intended for PC vs PC social interaction, this should primarily be accomplished through roleplaying whenever possible.

Skill Specialties

Skill Specialties

These can be purchased which represent particular training or natural knacks which the character possesses. These Specs can be almost anything (With GM approval of course), and can be applied to many different skills. In all instances, Specs provide a flat bonus of 20% to the TN of any rolls.

Example: Specialty "Invertibrate Anatomy" might usually be coupled with Skill "Biology" but it may be applied to any skill, as with Skill "Firearms" it means "knowing where to shoot those pesky alien molluscs" or with Skill "Doctoring" it means "knowing how to heal those poor alien molluscs someone keeps shooting."

Select Dis/Advantages

Dis/Advantages

Advantages and Disadvantages are a way a player can create a more varied and unique character. They are special traits about the character which do not directly translate into Attributes or Skills. All Advantages and Disadvantages will have a listed cost, advantages cost these points, and disadvantages give you more points to spend. Advantages can take the form of inherent abilities, advantages to social or financial status, or other circumstances which give a clear advantage over the average character. Disadvantages can include mental or physical handicaps, social or financial difficulties, enemies (known or unknown), and other circumstances. When selecting Advantages, keep in mind the GM will often set a ‘limit’ on the total costs of all Advantages and Disadvantages.

Advantages

Physical

Physical Advantages include such things as greater than normal strength, double jointedness, ambidexterity, and other physical traits which give the character a clear advantage.

Mental

Mental Advantages can include, but are not limited to, photographic memory, facility with languages, speed reading, etc...

Social

Some examples of Social Advantages: Social patron, wealth or economic freedom, being famous, or having many friends/contacts to turn to.

Esoteric

Esoteric Advantages are a sort of miscellaneous category for advantages which do not fit the other categories. This is also where one finds such things as Psionic, Magic, or Shii related capabilities. In order to use Magic, a player must select the Mage advantage from the Esoteric category. Keep in mind that some advantages in this category are mutually exclusive, and once one is selected, some others become restricted.

Disadvantages

Physical

Examples of Physical Disadvantages: Blindness, paralysis, deafness, weak bones, low pain threshold, etc.

Mental

Examples of Mental Disadvantages: Phobias, manias and other mental disorders, dyslexia, etc

Social

Examples of Social Disadvantages: Being poor, negative fame, enemies, wanted by authorities, a ward which must be protected (Child, friend, etc), etc.

Esoteric

Esoteric Disadvantages are a sort of miscellaneous category for disadvantages which do not fit the other categories. In addition, any disadvantages dealing with special abilities or powers will be here. Some examples of Abilities Disadvantages: Allergy to Magic (All forms of magic harm the character, even beneficial spells), poor psionic control (Powers can go off randomly), etc.

Abilities & Powers

Psionics

Psionics

Psionics differs from true magic in that Psionics relies on predictable and measurable rules and patterns. In order to use a Psionic ability, the subject must have specific neural structures and pathways in the brain. These neural structures are dependant on genetic traits, thus Gene crafters can not only isolate the gene codes for these abilities, but with careful study can even transfer these abilities into normally non psionic subjects.

Teeks/TK/Telekinesis

Teeps/TP/Telepathy

ESPer/Sensory

Magic

Magic

Mages utilize training in the use and manipulation of Thaumic energy, (also called Bio Aether, or Mana) to achieve otherwise impossible events and effects. Thaumic energy is produced by all natural (those not bio engineered) organic life, and radiates in fields around these life forms. When released, the energy permeates local reality and begins adjusting quantum probability until the mage’s desired reaction comes into being.

Shii'Kho

Shii'Kho

Shii'Kho energy at first seems to be simply another form of Thaumic energy. However, Shii energy is actually drawn totally from within the Shii Artist’s own body, as a totally new energy waveform. Both Shii and Thaumic energy share the ability to affect local reality around the point of release, adjusting quantum probability until the user’s desired outcome is brought to being in static reality. The difference lies not in the method of use, but the source of the energy.

Cybertech

Cybertech

Cybernetics

Bionics

Biocybe

Gene-Crafting

Nanomods

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