Mano a Mano:Character Points
Many things described in the Mano a Mano Role-Playing System - including characters, equipment, templates and abilities - are worth Character Points (CP). CP is a rough estimate of how valuable that thing is.
This value can be used in various ways. For example, players could design characters within a CP limit, or the strength of opposing teams could be compared by the CP of their characters and equipment. Typically an "average beginning character" is worth about 25 CP, not including equipment.
Template CP
Template CP is the sum of the template's ability, disability, variability, toughness, power, speed, agility, natural weapon and armor CP.
- Template Ability CP
- The CP of a template ability is the ability modifier times 15: 15 CP for a modifier of 1 or 30 CP for a modifier of 2.
- Template Variability CP
- No variability is worth -10 CP. Low variability is worth -5 CP. Medium variability is worth 0 CP. High variability is worth 5 CP.
- Template Toughness CP
- Each point of template toughness is worth 5 CP.
- Template Power CP
- Each point of template power is worth 10 CP. A natural weapon point of additional power is worth 5 CP, but natural weapon power does not increase the character's carrying capacity or make it easier to wield hefty weapons in any way.
- Template Speed CP
- 1/4 speed is worth -30 CP. 1/2 speed is worth 0 CP. 1 speed is worth 30 CP. 2 speed is worth 60 CP. 3 speed is worth 90 CP.
- Template Agility CP
- 0 agility is worth 0 CP. 1 agility is worth 30 CP. 2 agility is worth 60 CP. 3 agility is worth 90 CP. 4 agiilty is worth 120 CP. 5 agility is worth 150 CP. 6 agility is worth 180 CP.
- Natural Armor CP
- The CP of natural armor is 5 multiplied by the cover and absorption. For example, natural armor with 3 cover and 2 absorption is worth 30 CP.
The CP of template's natural weapons is based on their quantity, sharpness and number of hands:
- Quantity CP
- Quantity CP is based on the total quantity of all of the template's natural weapons. No natural weapons (0 total quantity) is worth -50 CP. A single natural weapon (1 total quantity) is worth -20 CP. Two or more natural weapons is worth 0 CP.
- Template Range CP
- The range of a natural weapon is worth 1 CP per meter.
- Sharpness CP
- Blunt sharpness is worth 0 CP. One sharp natural weapon is worth 20 CP, two or more sharp natural weapons is worth 30 CP. One padded natural weapon is worth 5 CP. Two or more padded natural weapons is worth 8 CP. For example, the sharpness of 10 razor blades (sharp) and 10 electro-shock tentacles (padded) would be worth a total of 38 CP (8 + 30.)
- Hand CP
- Each natural weapon that is a "hand" capable of wielding tools or weapons is worth an additional 10 CP.
Templates can also have various "qualities":
- Flight
- "Powered Flight" is worth 15 CP. "Gliding" is worth 10 CP. "Soaring" requires Powered Flight or Gliding, and is worth 5 CP. "Parachuting" is worth 5 CP.
- Mechanical
- Being Mechanical (rather than organic) is worth 3 CP. (Being organic is worth 0 CP and does not need to be specified if the character is not mechanical.)
- Sensory Impairment
- Blind is worth -70 CP. Deaf is worth -30 CP.
- Communication Impairment
- Dumb is worth -10 CP. Mute is worth -15 CP.
- Physical Impairment
- Lame is worth-30 CP. Immobile is worth -70 CP.
- Mental Impairment
- Inept is worth -20 CP. Unintelligent is worth -40 CP.
Extra CP
- Total CP
- A character's total CP value is the sum of the character's template CP and extra CP. Total CP must not be greater than your Character Point allowance. (See Game Design/Templates/Template CP.)
- Extra CP
- Extra CP is the sum of the character's extra ability, qualities, toughness, power, agility and speed CP.
- Maimed Characters
- A character who has lost (or never had) the use of a limb may have the lame quality, missing natural weapons or reduced natural weapon quantity. Typically, players need the GM's permission to create characters with missing or disabled limbs. If the character's natural weapons are different from their template, recalculate their template CP. (See Game Design/Players and Characters, Game Design/Abilities/Disabilities and Game Design/Templates/Template CP.)
- Extra Ability CP
- Ability CP is ability level times ten. An extra ability modifier of 1 (student) is worth 10 CP, 2 (expert) is worth 20 CP, 3 (master) is worth 30 CP and 4 (legend) is worth 40 CP.
- Extra Quality CP
- If a character has extra qualities beyond what his template defaults to, use the CP normally used for template qualities.
- Extra Toughness CP
- Each point of extra toughness is worth 3 CP. Extra toughness can be positive or negative. For example -3 extra toughness is worth -9 CP.
- Extra Power CP
- Each point of extra power is worth 5 CP. Extra power can be positive or negative. For example -2 extra power is worth -10 CP.
- Extra Agility CP
- The CP value of 1 extra agility is 20 CP. The CP value of -1 extra agility is -20 CP.
- Extra Speed CP
- If speed is 1/4, 1/2, or 1, doubling speed is worth 20 CP. If speed is 1/2 or 1, halving speed is worth -20 CP. If speed is more than 1, one additional speed is worth 20 CP.
Equipment CP
- power CP
- The CP of power is 10 times it's modifier. (So for example, a power of 3 would be worth 30 CP.)
- heft CP
- The CP of heft is -10 times it's modifier. (So for example, a heft of 3 would be worth -30 CP.)
- absorption and cover CP
- Absorption and cover CP is 5 multiplied by cover and absorption. For example a piece of equipment with 5 cover and 2 absorption has 30 CP worth of absorption and cover.
- special modifier CP
- +1 parry (Par) or grapple (Grp) is worth 10 CP. +1 attack (Atk) is worth 10 CP.
- sharpness CP
- Most items can be used as a blunt weapon, so the CP of "blunt" sharpness is 0. Padding a weapon so that it only does stun damage is difficult and actually increases it's CP value by 5 CP. Making a useful cutting or piercing tool is more difficult and makes the item a deadlier weapon, so "sharp" sharpness is worth 20 CP.
- Range CP
- Each meter range is worth 1 CP.
- Two Handed
- A weapon being two-handed is worth -10 CP.
- Combat Bonus
- Some weapons give an extra combat bonus (Cmb). An additional combat bonus modifier of 1 is worth 20 CP.
The number of shots a bow or gun can fire without reloading and the number of turns required to reload the weapon can reduce the weapon's CP:
| CP | shots | CP | reload time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 10 or more | 0 | 1 turn | |
| -1 | 9 | -4 | 2 turns | |
| -2 | 8 | -6 | 3 turns | |
| -3 | 7 | -8 | 4 turns | |
| -4 | 6 | -10 | 5 turns | |
| -6 | 5 | -12 | 6 turns | |
| -8 | 4 | -14 | 7 turns | |
| -10 | 3 | -16 | 8 turns | |
| -15 | 2 | -18 | 9 turns | |
| -20 | 1 | -20 | 10 or more |
An item's mass also modifies its CP:
| mass | CP | mass | CP | mass | CP | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 g | -1 | 1 kg | -10 | 1 tonne | 19 | ||
| 2 g | -2 | 2 kg | -11 | 2 tonnes | 20 | ||
| 5 g | -3 | 5 kg | -12 | 5 tonnes | 21 | ||
| 10 g | -4 | 10 kg | -13 | 10 tonnes | 22 | ||
| 20 g | -5 | 20 kg | -14 | 20 tonnes | 23 | ||
| 50 g | -6 | 50 kg | -15 | 50 tonnes | 24 | ||
| 100 g | -7 | 100 kg | -16 | 100 tonnes | 25 | ||
| 200 g | -8 | 200 kg | -17 | 200 tonnes | 26 | ||
| 500 g | -9 | 500 kg | -18 | 500 tonnes | 27 |
- Easily Detected weapons
- A weapon having a flash is worth -5 CP (the weapon makes a bright, but not blinding, flash when fired, like a gun.) A weapon having a report is worth -10 CP (the weapon makes a loud, but not deafening, noise when fired, like a gun.) A weapon having smoke is worth -20 CP (the weapon makes a lot of smoke when fired, which impairs aiming and stealth, like a black powder gun)
