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''The core rules chapters ability scores, proficiencies and ability checks, the main components of every creature. How these are used in encounters is what drives failure and success. They conceptualize both player characters and monsters in these encounters.'' | |||
<div class="mw-customtoggle-Basics-of-Play"><h2>Basics of Play</h2></div> | |||
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" id="mw-customcollapsible-Basics-of-Play"> | |||
Playing roleplaying games has a lot of different parts, but generally the most fundemental steps are the following. | |||
# The GM sets the scene, describes what's in their vicinity and any particulars of the space around. | |||
# A player then answers and follows the description laid out by the GM. He can choose to do something that seems possible, or ask for clarifications. | |||
# What follows is these two repeating steps, as a conversation between the GM and players makes a narrative continue. Players can act individually or as a group, all depending on their goals at that moment. | |||
During the game, two major things will probably come up. Firstly, rolling dice. Whenever something has a risk of failure, a dice roll will be present. This always comes in the form of either an Ability Check; these can come in the form of either an Attack Roll, a Contested Check or a Skill Check, or a Random Roll. Depending on the difficulty set by the GM and the roll result, the conversation continues. | |||
The second important piece is combat or turn-based phases. This is when time partly stops, letting each player in turn act what they want to do during the coming six seconds or whatever the scene requires. | |||
While this is the basic description of the gameplay, one has to remember that there are many rules to follow and how to fill a character sheet. The rulebook tells each player what they must do and what their duties are, as well as what they have to remember and write down. It also speaks on what authority lies with them and what lies with the GM. | |||
What's important to remember is, no one should control the story in its overall structure. The story should be the work of this conversation, and while premises may be set up on what characters, monsters and even the world may look like, the GM and the players tell the story together. Its a collaborative game, the grown up version of playing in the woods as kids imagining slaying dragons, just with more rules. | |||
====Dice==== | |||
The dice used for these rules are 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, 12- and 20-sided dice, each described with a 'd' before to refer to it as a die. | |||
Sometimes odd numbers are rolled and sometimes a d100 is called for, these are solved by rolling the die worth double the amount of sides or rolling two d10s. | |||
The rules should always tell you what die to roll, and as such, you only need access to at least these 7 dice (two d10) | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="mw-customtoggle-Ability-Scores"><h2>[[Ability Score]]s</h2></div> | |||
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" id="mw-customcollapsible-Ability-Scores"> | |||
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible">{{:Ability Score}}</div> | |||
<tabs> | |||
<tab name="Dexterity"> | |||
'''[[Dexterity]]''' | |||
<blockquote>{{:Dexterity}}</blockquote> | |||
</tab> | |||
<tab name="Perception"> | |||
'''[[Perception]]''' | |||
<blockquote>{{:Perception}}</blockquote> | |||
</tab> | |||
<tab name="Strength"> | |||
'''[[Strength]]''' | |||
<blockquote>{{:Strength}}</blockquote> | |||
</tab> | |||
<tab name="Constitution"> | |||
'''[[Constitution]]''' | |||
<blockquote>{{:Constitution}}</blockquote> | |||
</tab> | |||
<tab name="Intelligence"> | |||
'''[[Intelligence]]''' | |||
<blockquote>{{:Intelligence}}</blockquote> | |||
</tab> | |||
<tab name="Wisdom"> | |||
'''[[Wisdom]]''' | |||
<blockquote>{{:Wisdom}}</blockquote> | |||
</tab> | |||
<tab name="Charisma"> | |||
'''[[Charisma]]''' | |||
<blockquote>{{:Charisma}}</blockquote> | |||
</tab> | |||
<tab name="Luck"> | |||
'''[[Luck]]''' | |||
<blockquote>{{:Luck}}</blockquote> | |||
</tab> | |||
</tabs> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="mw-customtoggle-Proficiency"><h2>[[Proficiency|Proficiencies]]</h2></div> | |||
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" id="mw-customcollapsible-Proficiency"> | |||
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible">{{:Proficiency}}</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="mw-customtoggle-AbilityCheck"><h2>[[Ability Check]]s</h2></div> | |||
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" id="mw-customcollapsible-AbilityCheck">{{:Ability Check}}</div> | |||
<div class="mw-customtoggle-Contested-Scores"><h2>[[Contested Score]]s</h2></div> | |||
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" id="mw-customcollapsible-Contested-Scores"> | |||
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible">{{:Contested Score}}</div> | |||
<tabs> | |||
<tab name="Reflex"> | |||
'''[[Reflex]]''' | |||
<blockquote>{{:Reflex}}</blockquote> | |||
</tab> | |||
<tab name="Fortitude"> | |||
'''[[Fortitude]]''' | |||
<blockquote>{{:Fortitude}}</blockquote> | |||
</tab> | |||
<tab name="Sanity"> | |||
'''[[Sanity]]''' | |||
<blockquote>{{:Sanity}}</blockquote> | |||
</tab> | |||
<tab name="Will"> | |||
'''[[Will]]''' | |||
<blockquote>{{:Will}}</blockquote> | |||
</tab> | |||
</tabs> | |||
</div> |
Latest revision as of 20:34, 5 September 2024
The core rules chapters ability scores, proficiencies and ability checks, the main components of every creature. How these are used in encounters is what drives failure and success. They conceptualize both player characters and monsters in these encounters.
Basics of Play
Playing roleplaying games has a lot of different parts, but generally the most fundemental steps are the following.
- The GM sets the scene, describes what's in their vicinity and any particulars of the space around.
- A player then answers and follows the description laid out by the GM. He can choose to do something that seems possible, or ask for clarifications.
- What follows is these two repeating steps, as a conversation between the GM and players makes a narrative continue. Players can act individually or as a group, all depending on their goals at that moment.
During the game, two major things will probably come up. Firstly, rolling dice. Whenever something has a risk of failure, a dice roll will be present. This always comes in the form of either an Ability Check; these can come in the form of either an Attack Roll, a Contested Check or a Skill Check, or a Random Roll. Depending on the difficulty set by the GM and the roll result, the conversation continues.
The second important piece is combat or turn-based phases. This is when time partly stops, letting each player in turn act what they want to do during the coming six seconds or whatever the scene requires.
While this is the basic description of the gameplay, one has to remember that there are many rules to follow and how to fill a character sheet. The rulebook tells each player what they must do and what their duties are, as well as what they have to remember and write down. It also speaks on what authority lies with them and what lies with the GM.
What's important to remember is, no one should control the story in its overall structure. The story should be the work of this conversation, and while premises may be set up on what characters, monsters and even the world may look like, the GM and the players tell the story together. Its a collaborative game, the grown up version of playing in the woods as kids imagining slaying dragons, just with more rules.
Dice
The dice used for these rules are 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, 12- and 20-sided dice, each described with a 'd' before to refer to it as a die.
Sometimes odd numbers are rolled and sometimes a d100 is called for, these are solved by rolling the die worth double the amount of sides or rolling two d10s.
The rules should always tell you what die to roll, and as such, you only need access to at least these 7 dice (two d10)
Ability scores lay the foundation for every part of the game in some way or another. Either through ability modifiers which add a bonus to ability checks, or to fixed changes in effectiveness of many mechanics, rules and features. Carrying Capacity for example, is always affected by your Strength score.
Below is a short summary on each ability score and their main roles and effect on a character.
Ability Score | Summary | |
---|---|---|
Dexterity | (DEX) | Readiness, grace, quickness and reflexes. Dexterity affects initiative, Armor Level (AL) and gives bonus to certain Attack and damage rolls. |
Perception | (PER) | The interpretation of sensory information. Whether by sight or other senses. Perception affects Passive Perception, Initiative. |
Strength | (STR) | Bodily power and the extent to which you can exert raw physical force. Strength affects Carrying Capacity, Encumbrance, movement speed, throwing distance, melee Attack rolls and much more. |
Constitution | (CON) | Health, stamina, and vital force. Constitution affects hit point gain per level and movement Endurance. Constitution may affect some innate powers, like racial features. |
Intelligence | (INT) | Mental acuity, accuracy of recall, and the ability to reason. Intelligence affects the effectiveness of the Arcane and Cunning themes, by for instance Spellcasting. Additionally, it increases number of proficiencies. |
Wisdom | (WIS) | Reflects attunement to the world around you and represents perceptiveness and intuition. Wisdom affects the effectiveness of the Divine, Primal and Occult themes, by for instance Spellcasting. |
Charisma | (CHA) | Your force of personality and your general ability to interact with others. Charisma affects the effectiveness of the Innate theme, by for instance Spellcasting. Charisma also affects power of some innate capabilities like racial spells. |
Luck | Your fate's skewness to either fame and fortune or squalor and despair. Luck affects all rolls made against or for you that isn't an ability check. Rolls such as loot tables, Wild Surges and weather are included. |
Modifier
All Ability Scores has a modifier value which is what usually is being used when making a roll, it can either be positive or negative depending on your Ability Score.
Every second point from the baseline 10 add (or retract if negative) from the Ability Scores Modifier.
- Ability Score Modifier =
(Ability Score - 10) / 2
- Ability Score Modifier =
Ability Score | Ability Modifier |
---|---|
1 | -5 |
2 | -4 |
3 | -4 |
4 | -3 |
5 | -3 |
6 | -2 |
7 | -2 |
8 | -1 |
9 | -1 |
10 | 0 |
11 | 0 |
12 | +1 |
13 | +1 |
14 | +2 |
15 | +2 |
16 | +3 |
17 | +3 |
18 | +4 |
19 | +4 |
20 | +5 |
21 | +5 |
22 | +6 |
23 | +6 |
24 | +7 |
25 | +7 |
26 | +8 |
27 | +8 |
28 | +9 |
29 | +9 |
30 | +10 |
Dexterity score represents actions which require speed, agility and reflexes, or legerdemain and steadiness of hand.
Creatures with high dexterity can perform impressive acrobatic stunts like somersaults and vaults. It also determines a characters ability to be precise with weapons at long range, or when throwing objects at precise targets. Low dexterity however, makes for a clumsy creature, with slow reflexes and terrible accuracy when flinging or shooting objects.
Armor Level
You add your Dexterity modifier when calculating your Armor Level. Depending on the armor you wear, you might add some or all of your Dexterity modifier, as described in the Armor section in the Proficiency chapter.
Attack Rolls and Damage
You add your Dexterity modifier to your attack roll and your damage roll when making a slashing, piercing or ranged attack, such as a sling, longbow or rapier. For thrown attacks, you add your Dexterity modifier to your attack roll.
Dexterous Initiative
You add your Dexterity modifier when you roll initiative at the beginning of every combat. Initiative determines the order of creatures' turns in combat, as described in the Combat chapter.
Ranged Attack Distanc
Ranged Attack Distance (ft) is the distance at which a creature can hit another target at disadvantage with a ranged attack. This is their maximum accurate range, and ranges above automatically miss. At 1/4th of that range, a creature do no longer have disadvantage to attack the target with the ranged attack.
Ranged Attack Distance uses the same calculations as throwing distance, except for two things: The variables Strength and Athletics are replaced by Dexterity and Perception and the distance is reduced to 2/3rds of the distance otherwise calculated.
Additional modifying factors exist, and may be applied, just as with throwing distance.
- Ranged Attack Distance (ft) =
(2/3) x (Weight-2/3 x (your Dexterity score2 + your Perception Proficiency bonus2 + (your Dexterity score + your Perception Proficiency bonus)your Dexterity score / 10))1 - 0.001 x your Dexterity score
Example Calculation If a creature has a Dexterity score of 14 and a Perception Proficiency bonus of 4 and wants to shoot or throw a 1 lb object, their Ranged Attack Distance is 165 ft with disadvantage, and 40 ft. without. This is without any modifying factors, like a ranged weapon or misty field of view.
Precision Modifiers
Depending on an object's shape and its path's predictability, the vision to the target and other perception based factors, the ability to aim and hit may be altered. Additionally, ranged weapons often have a modifier that reduces or increases the effective range, affecting the Ranged Attack Distance too. More about this is found under the Weapons section under Proficiencies.
Perception score is the sum of a creatures attention, sharpness of senses and the general awareness of their surroundings.
Creatures with high Perception are able to detect incoming threats quickly, more easily spot something hidden in cluttered environments and in general use their senses to detect even minute details with their senses. Low Perception represents creatures may lack peripheral vision, are slow to act in high pressure situations and are in general oblivious most minor sensations, like the intricacies of a dish.
Passive Intuition
You add you Perception modifier to your passive intuition. Passive intuition represents your perception of your surroundings and general intuition in new situations and areas while exploring. More can be read about it in the rules of adventure chapter.
Perceptive Initiative
You add your Perception modifier when you roll initiative at the beginning of every combat. Initiative determines the order of creatures' turns in combat, as described in the Combat chapter.
Strength score is the major descriptor for the general athletic abilities of a character. High strength represents creatures whom can perform many great physical feats like lifting heavy boulders, pulling packed carts or cleanly cleaving an ogre's head off. Low strength represents creatures who lack muscle and bodily power to act effectively in the world with phyisical means, lacking the ability to move quickly, trading successful blows in a fisticuffs or carrying heavy objects.
Attack Rolls and Damage
You add your Strength modifier to your attack roll and your damage roll when making a cleaving, splitting or bludgeoning attack, or when you roll the damage for thrown attacks.
Movement Speed
Characters and monsters have a base speed (Walking) represented by intrinsic capabilities. This is then individually modified by individual statistics, like strength or athletic proficiency. This is called modified speed. They can use as much or as little of their modified speed on their turn. You can read more about this in the Movement Speed section.
Carrying Capacity
Carrying capacity determines the amount of weight you can carry. Carrying capacity increases exponentially with your Strength score, making strength more impactful, both as a penalty for low strength and a bonus for high strength.
- Carrying Capacity =
your Strength score2 + your Brawn Proficiency bonus2 + (your Strength score + your Brawn Proficiency bonus)your Strength score / 10
Encumbrance
Encumbrance comes in stages, affecting both movement speed as well as defensive capabilities. When you carry weight in excess of X your carrying capacity:
Exceeding
Carrying Capacity
ByDetriment 1/3 You are Encumbered.
Your speed is reduced by 1/3.
2/3 You are Heavily Encumbered.
Your speed is reduced by 1/2.
You have disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws that use Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution.1 You are Extremely Encumbered.
Your speed is reduced by 2/3.
In addition to previous effects, you are unable to use any Movement Actions.3/2 You are Over Encumbered.
Your speed is reduced to 0.
In addition to previous effects, you must succeed on a Strength (Brawn) check of DC10 + X for each 1/10 over your Carrying Capacity
each turn. On a failure, you either drop the object or objects you're holding if you can, or get crushed and knocked Prone by it, taking damage determined by what's appropriate by the DM.Strength Feats
(Strength Feats)
Your training and focus on bodybuilding allows you to perform feats that most others can’t:
- You count as one size larger when determining whether you can Shove, drag, Grapple or Lift an object or creature.
- You gain advantage on all Strength (Athletics) checks when attempting to Shove a creature. Additionally, when shoving a creature, you can push the target an additional 5 feet away.
- Any effect that would move you 10 feet or more against your will only moves you half the distance. You do not move if the action would move you 5 feet.
- You can climb on horizontal surfaces, such as ceilings, as if they were vertical surfaces.
- You gain advantage in all Strength or Dexterity checks to resist being shoved or moved against your will.
Constitution score describe the general fortitude, tolerance and perseverance of a creature.
Creatures with a high Constitution can withstand sickness and disease, pain and damage. They can endure taxing actions like swimming for long periods of time, or walking through burning buildings. Low Constitution however describes a creature who hardly resists poisons and disease, who have a lacking stamina and who generally have a deteriorating or worse health.
Endurance
Endurance is the use of constitution and athleticism to perform athletic abilities during an extended period of time, withstanding possible exhaustion.
The movement actions a character perform requires successful Constitution (Athletics) checks. The check is called an Endurance check, which even dashing requires, however each movement action has an active time period in which additional rolls for that movement action is not required.
The DLs for movement actions range from 14 to 22, however, failing these does not mean total failure, to make up for the difference between the roll and the DL you can use Endurance Points. These endurance points recuperate while no movement action is active, at a rate of three times the active time period for the movement action you took. When determining success, you may use your passive score or the roll, whichever is higher.
- Endurance Points =
your Constitution score + your Athletics Proficiency bonus
- Passive Endurance =
10 + your Constitution modifier + your Athletics Proficiency bonus
Endurance Table Action DL Active Time Speed Walk - ∞ 1x Dash 14 10 minutes (100 rounds) 2x Run 18 1 minute (10 rounds) 3x Sprint 22 6 seconds (1 round) 4x In Combat Ruling
In combat a Dash check is always made at the start of it. This cost is to allow dashes to be made freely, without having to control for it within combat during separate turns.
This ruling allows for dashing during 10 minutes, which translates into 100 turns.
Example
For example when Zalek the Orc Barbarian with a Constitution score of 17 and an Athletics Proficiency bonus of +4 first starts combat, he rolls a dash Endurance check to see if he can dash. However, his passive score already surpasses the DL, which lets him automatically succeed.
The next turn, Zalek decides that he wants to make a sprint towards the closest enemy, requiring a DL 22 Endurance check. He rolls a 12 on his d20, totaling the roll to 19. Fortunately, he can make up the difference between the DL of 22 and his roll of 19 with his Endurance points, which has the pool size of 21. Using 3 of his Endurance points lets him succeed on his sprint check.
Afterward, if he wants to regain the spent Endurance points, he has to wait three times the active time of the movement action he used. This means that he has to wait for 18 seconds, or 3 turns, without using any movement actions, to regain the 3 points he spent.
Hit Points
Hit points are determined by the size of a creature through their Hit Dice, and the Constitution modifier of the creature. You add your Constitution modifier to each Hit Die you roll for your hit points.
If your Constitution modifier changes, your hit point maximum changes as well, retroactively.
Temporary Hit Points
These are extra hit points gained through spells, equipment or feats, often with a limited timespan. You may go beyond your maximum hit points when gaining temporary hit points and damage suffered is first subtracted from your temporary hit points before taken from your regular hit points. It's recommendad to write down your temporary hit points seperately from your regular hit points.
Intelligence score measures creatures mental capacity and ability for complex thought. The higher a creature scores, the easier it has for pattern analysis, memory recall and deductive reasoning.
A creature with high Intelligence score can therefore problem-solve complex problems, able to easily speak, read and write languages and can quickly generalize knowledge gained. Low Intelligence however impacts a creature with faulty memory, low pattern recognition and an inability to retain and generalize knowledge.
Spellcasting with Intelligence
Intelligence is the spellcasting ability modifier for Arcane spellcasting. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. You are always proficient with your own spellcasting, where the bonus is level-based.
- Spellcasting modifier =
your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Tiered Proficiency Bonuses
Intelligence allow you to unlock the potential to learn more skills, tools, languages and performances, i.e. Tiered proficiencies.
For each point of Intelligence modifier you have, you may choose two proficiencies of your choice from the tiered proficiencies to gain or lose proficiency in.
When you gain proficiency from Intelligence gain, you may either increase the tier of a proficiency you already know by one, or gain the trained tier in a proficiency of your choice. When you lose proficiency from Intelligence gain, you must decrease the tier of a proficiency you already know by one.
This works retroactively, such that when you permanently increase or decrease your Intelligence modifier, you may either choose one tiered proficiency which gains a tier or one that loses one.
Wisdom score describes a creature's, well, wisdom. It represents the general sensitivity and accuracy of a creature's intuition, perceptiveness and will.
A creature with high Wisdom have can pick up small details in their environment, like being able to pick up lies, read between the lines of meanings and in general having an accurate and strong gut feeling. Being mindful often describes a wise creature.
Low Wisdom describes a creature which is the opposite, having trouble detecting hidden meanings and predicting changes through intuition.
Instinctive Initiative
You add your Wisdom modifier when you roll Initiative at the beginning of every combat. Initiative determines the order of creatures' turns in combat, as described in the Combat chapter.
Passive Intuition
You add you Wisdom modifier to your passive intuition. Passive intuition represents your perception of your surroundings and general intuition in new situations and areas while exploring. More can be read about it in the rules of adventure chapter.
Spellcasting with Wisdom
Wisdom is the spellcasting ability for the Divine, Primal and Occult themes. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. You are always proficient with your own spellcasting, where the bonus is level-based.
- Spellcasting modifier =
your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Charisma measures your force of personality. This represents your social adeptness and ability to interact effectively with others, like with confidence, eloquence, charm or dominance, but also the strength of one's sense of identity, self-esteem and ability to project their will to shape their surroundings.
Creatures with high Charisma scores have the ability to project a commanding presence, draw attention to their words and wishes, and have a unwaivering sense of self. Those of with lower Charisma scores have problem getting talked over constantly, nobody gives you the benefit of the doubt, and you have trouble commanding a room even when you're standing behind a podium giving a speech.
Attractiveness
While Charisma inherently do not affect physical attractiveness, characters who have favorable and pleasant physical features generally have an easier time to be confident, eloquent, charming and in turn more charismatic.
If you are physically attractive, you probably have high Charisma, but if you have high Charisma, you aren't necessarily physically attractive.
Spellcasting with Charisma
Charisma is the spellcasting ability for the Innate theme. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. You are always proficient with your own spellcasting, where the bonus is level-based, as seen in the Proficiency chapter.
- Spellcasting modifier =
your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Luck is a measure of a creature's destiny. Some creatures are more bound by the weave of time to experience fortunes and prosperity, while others are forced by fate to squalor and despair.
High luck scores are represent those who gamble and never lose, gain opportunities few can dream of and creatures that may survive incredible odds stacked against them.
Low luck describes those who may have lost their family fortune, who have a major problem of freak accidents or those who never really can catch a break in life.
Lucky
Whenever you make a roll, you can spend one Luck point to roll an additional roll. You can choose to spend one of your Luck points after you roll the die, but before the outcome is determined. You choose which of the rolls is used.
- Maximum number of Luck points =
your Luck modifier
You can also spend one Luck point when an attack roll is made against you. Roll a d20, and then choose whether the attack uses the attacker's roll or yours. If more than one creature spends a Luck point to influence the outcome of a roll, the points cancel each other out; no additional dice are rolled.
You regain expended Luck points when you finish a long rest.
Random Rolls
Whenever a random die roll is called for that does not use any proficiency bonus or ability modifier, and where your personal skill, Background or History has no bearing on its result, you may add or subtract your ability modifier to the roll.
However, when your ability modifier is negative, the DM chooses whether to add or subtract from the roll. For example, if you have a luck modifier of +2 and you roll on a loot table, you may add or subtract +2/-2 to the roll. However, if your luck modifier is -2, the DM make the addition or subtraction, always in the most unfavorable way.
Other examples include: directional d8 rolls, random encounter tables, random loot tables, monster targeting, etc.
Proficiencies represents the training and learning an individual has in a respective area and subject. This provides a variety of bonuses, mainly and most often that an individual may add a proficiency bonus to the ability checks or contests that involve that proficiency. There are some exceptions to this, mainly armor, which often do not require any rolls.
Additionally, some proficiencies represent a character's level rather than specific knowledge in one subject. Proficiency therefore comes in three different variants: level-based, simple and tiered.
Proficiency Bonus
Your proficiency bonus can't be added to a single die roll or other number more than once, however it may be doubled or halved for example, before you apply it. If a circumstance suggests that your proficiency bonus applies more than once to the same roll or that it should be multiplied more than once, you nevertheless add it only once, multiply it only once, and halve it only once.
Level-based Proficiency Bonus
Proficiency in weapons and spellcasting is determined by your character level, providing a fixed bonus. If something refers to your proficiency bonus, without referencing anything else, like a skill, it refers to this bonus.
- Proficiency bonus =
character level / 2 (rounded up)
- Proficiency bonus =
Level | Proficiency Bonus |
---|---|
1 | +1 |
2 | +1 |
3 | +2 |
4 | +2 |
5 | +3 |
6 | +3 |
7 | +4 |
8 | +4 |
9 | +5 |
10 | +5 |
11 | +6 |
12 | +6 |
13 | +7 |
14 | +7 |
16 | +8 |
17 | +8 |
18 | +9 |
19 | +9 |
20 | +10 |
Simple Proficiency Bonus
Proficiency in armor is a question of either - or, meaning that either you have it and gain the proficiency bonus or you don't. For armor, this means being able to wear it effectively, easing the burden of carrying it and maneuvering in it.
Tiered Proficiency Bonus
Proficiency in skills, tools, languages and performances come in tiered progression, determining a characters skill level. The tiers are: Trained, Skilled, Expert, Master and Legend, providing a proficiency bonus of +2, +4, +6, +8 and +10 respectively. Each time you gain proficiency in a skill, tool, language or performance, you increase your tier one step, increasing its level.
Tier | Bonus |
---|---|
Trained | +2 |
Skilled | +4 |
Expert | +6 |
Master | +8 |
Legend | +10 |
Tiered Proficiencies and Intelligence
At 1st level, for each point of Intelligence modifier you have, you may choose two proficiencies of your choice from the tiered proficiencies to gain or lose proficiency in.
When you gain proficiencies from Intelligence gain, you may either increase the tier of a proficiency you already know by one, or gain the trained tier in a proficiency of your choice. When you lose proficiency from Intelligence gain, you must decrease the tier of a proficiency you already know by one.
This works retroactively, such that when you permanently increase or decrease your Intelligence modifier, you may either choose one tiered proficiency that gains a tier or one that loses one.
Tiered Proficiency Gain per Level
After 1st level, every level you gain lets you choose one proficiency of your choice from the ones you already know, and increase its tier by one.
Proficiency Generalization
Some tiered proficiencies have sub-proficiencies which must be chosen instead, like languages. These determine how your general knowledge in a subject is applied. For example, proficiency in languages does not automatically make you more proficient in every language you speak, but rather gives a choice between becoming more proficient in one of the the ones you know, or learn a new one and becoming trained with it.
However, these sub-proficiencies often overlap in skill and proficiency, i.e. your proficiency generalizes. Learning languages usually becomes easier the more languages you learn, each new increasing one's ability to learn another.
Each time you gain proficiency in a tiered proficiency with proficiency generalization, you may choose an amount of sub-proficiencies equal to your current tier's proficiency bonus. Each sub-proficiency is increased separately in their own tiers, such that being Skilled in languages means that you may either choose three languages that you are trained with, or one that you are skilled with and one that you are trained with.
Additionally, you may only achieve a tier in a sub-proficiency equal to your proficiency tier plus one. For example, you have to be at least an expert linguist, to be masterful in a language, i.e. the expert proficiency tier is required for the proficiency to have mastery in a sub-proficiency.
Tier | Proficiency Bonus | # of sub-proficiencies |
---|---|---|
Trained | +2 | 1 |
Skilled | +4 | 3 |
Expert | +6 | 7 |
Master | +8 | 13 |
Legend | +10 | 21 |
Skill proficiencies describe the character's knowledge, ability and training in certain specific areas, such as Acrobatics, Coercion or History. Skill proficiencies are tiered proficiencies and tends to be the main way to alter ability checks.
This is done either by being called upon by the DM demanding a certain type of check, or asked by a PC when an ability check is called for, if an alternative can be used. Note that skills are separate from ability scores, meaning that even skills seemingly only used for physical purposes can be used with mental ability scores. For example, a Wisdom Athletics roll might be asked for by a PC to determine if they can find the safest route to climb up a steep cliffside.
See List of Skill Proficiencies where each skill proficiency is listed, as well as the main features they cover. Some have effects that affect passive featurs, like Brawn and carrying capacity, and some grant synergistic tool proficiencies, like Alchemy and Alchemy Supplies.
Synergistic Tools
Each time you gain a tier in a skill with a tool proficiency associated with it, you receive a tier in the associated tool. However, if more than one tool is associated with the skill, you may only choose one that increases.
For example, when gaining proficiency in the Geography skill, the character must choose between Cartographer's Tools or Navigator's Tools.
Acts and knowledge related to agility, balance, motor coordination and acrobatic stuns, such as dives, rolls, somersaults, and flips.Dexterity Contests
- Dexterity saving throws are replaced with Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks, contested by either an ability skill check, spellcasting check or a set DC.
Acts and knowledge related to alchemical substances, concoctions and chemicals like acids, antitoxins, oils, perfumes, potions, salts, powdered metals, and purified water.
See Alchemist's supplies.
Acts and knowledge related to training, calming, handling, intuit, rearing and domesticating animals and beasts.
Animal Training
Proficiency with the Animal Handling skill makes attempts to train and rear wild animals easier, as well as increases the amount of possible tricks you can learn trained animals.
Acts and knowledge related to arcane magic, spells, items, creatures, symbols and the planes of existence.Arcane Spellcraft
- Proficiency with the Arcana skill allows a character to identify cast arcane spells, identify & craft arcane magic items and more easily read, transcribe and prepare arcane magic.
Identify an Arcane Spell
- As a reaction, a character may attempt to identify a cast arcane spell.
Craft Arcane Magic Items
- When crafting arcane magic items you may add your Arcana skill Proficiency bonus during the creation process.
Identify an Arcane Magic Item
- When attempting to ascertain the properties of an arcane magic item you may add your Arcana skill Proficiency bonus.
Arcane Spell Research
- When studying, researching, crafting or copying (into a spellbook or a ritualbook) a arcane spell, you may add your Arcana skill Proficiency bonus to the associated check.
Acts and knowledge related to running, throwing, climbing, jumping, and swimming.
Endurance
- Athletics increases both the amount of Endurance Points a character has, as well as lets you add your Athletics Proficiency bonus to your Endurance checks.
Movement Speed
- Athletics increases your Modified Speed.
Throwing Distance
- Athletics increases the distance at which you can throw an object.
Acts and knowledge related to brute strength and fortitude, like forcing open doors, breaking locks, pushing a wagon, tip over a boulder or withstanding pain and poison (including alcohol).
Carrying Capacity
- Brawn increases your Carrying capacity.
Strength Contests
- Strength saving throws are Strength (Brawn) ability checks. Meaning, your proficiency in the Brawn skill is applied to the ability check.
Constitution Contests
- Constitution saving throws are Constitution (Brawn) ability checks. Meaning, your proficiency in the Brawn skill is applied to the ability check.
Acts and knowledge related to how to influence someone through acting in good faith, making cordial requests, or exhibiting proper etiquette, or through overt threats, hostile actions, and violence.
Acts and knowledge related to primal magic, runes, creatures, fey, spirits, rites, items and planes of existence.
Primal Spellcraft
- Proficiency with the Primal skill allows a character to identify cast primal spells, identify & craft primal magic items and more easily read, transcribe and prepare primal magic.
Identify a Primal Spell
- As a reaction, a character may attempt to identify a cast primal spell.
Craft Primal Magic Items
- When crafting primal magic items you may add your Primal skill Proficiency bonus during the creation process.
Identify an Primal Magic Item
- When attempting to ascertain the properties of a primal magic item you may add your Primal skill Proficiency bonus.
Primal Spell Research
- When studying, researching, crafting or copying (into a spellbook or a ritualbook) a primal spell, you may add your Primal skill Proficiency bonus to the associated check.
Acts and knowledge related to production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.
Acts and knowledge related to how to design and build machines, mechanical devices, structures, and other items.
See Engineering Kit.
Acts and knowledge related to the lands, features, places, inhabitants, the relationships between people and their environments and phenomena of the planes.
See Cartographer's Tools and Navigator’s Tools.
Acts and knowledge related to historical events, legendary people, ancient kingdoms, past disputes, recent wars, heraldry, famous bloodlines, noble families and lost civilizations.
Acts and knowledge related to the study and observations by close examination and systematic inquiry, to find out the details, facts and causes, in an attempt to discover the truth about it.
Acts and knowledge related to diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and prevention of illness, disease, wounds and injuries.
See Healer's Supplies and Surgeon's Kit.
Acts and knowledge related to tracking, hunting and guiding through wilderness. Predicting weather, avoiding natural hazards and the act of actually surviving under adverse or unusual circumstances, also complications with terrain, plants and animals, the weather, and natural cycles.
Acts and knowledge related to occult magic, spells, entities, items, creatures, symbols, rites, cults and the planes of existence.
Occult Spellcraft
- Proficiency with the Occultism skill allows a character to identify cast occult spells, identify & craft occult magic items and more easily read, transcribe and prepare occult magic.
Identify an Occult Spell
- As a reaction, a character may attempt to identify a cast occult spell.
Craft Occult Magic Items
- When crafting occult magic items you may add your Occultism skill Proficiency bonus during the creation process.
Identify an Occult Magic Item
- When attempting to ascertain the properties of an occult magic item you may add your Occultism skill Proficiency bonus.
Occult Spell Research
- When studying, researching, crafting or copying (into a spellbook or a ritualbook) a occult spell, you may add your Occultism skill Proficiency bonus to the associated check.
Acts and knowledge related to the innate power of the mind, body and soul, and to psionic magic, creatures, items and psionic disciplines and orders.
Acts and knowledge related to divine magic, items, rites, prayers, religious hierarchies, holy symbols, deities, the practices of secret cults and the planes of existence.
Divine Spellcraft
- Proficiency with the Divine skill allows a character to identify cast divine spells, identify & craft divine magic items and more easily read, transcribe and prepare divine magic.
Identify a Divine Spell
- As a reaction, a character may attempt to identify a cast divine spell.
Craft Divine Magic Items
- When crafting divine magic items you may add your Divine skill Proficiency bonus during the creation process.
Identify an Divine Magic Item
- When attempting to ascertain the properties of an divine magic item you may add your Divine skill Proficiency bonus.
Divine Spell Research
- When studying, researching, crafting or copying (into a spellbook or a ritualbook) a divine spell, you may add your Divine skill Proficiency bonus to the associated check.
Acts and knowledge related to legerdemain or manual trickery.
Acts and knowledge related to politics, political history, culture and customs, laws, traditions.
Acts and knowledge related to how to conceal yourself, slip away without being noticed or hide.
Acts and knowledge related to military strategy and tactics, military ethics, law, logistics, hierarchies and espionage.
Using Warfare is similar in the application of using Investigation on your surroundings, except Warfare is focused specifically on the martial nature of a creature or object.
Martial Initiative
- You add your Warfare Proficiency bonus when you roll initiative at the beginning of combat. Initiative determines the order of creatures' turns in combat.
- While you are able to use your action to make Warfare (Wisdom) checks like any other skill, the results will vary, but things you might deduce about a creature include; their power relative to your traits.
- You can choose to make a free Warfare Assessment at the start of your turn during combat.
For an overview of all tools, see List of Tool Proficiencies.
Tool proficiencies measure your aptitude with certain tools and objects, and your overall skill, knowledge, and ability with these implements. As with skill proficiencies, a check is most often called upon by the DM, but may be requested by the PC if they feel they're knowledge associated with these implements can be used in a certain challenge.
Below is each tool proficiency listed, describing their use and giving an example of what one can use the tool for. Note that there are a multitude of options and possibilities not described here that still apply to each and every tool. When and how is done in conversation between DM and player.
Alchemist's supplies include two glass beakers, a metal frame to hold a beaker in place over an open flame, a glass stirring rod, a small mortar and pestle, and a pouch of common alchemical ingredients, including salt, powdered iron, and purified water.
Alchemist's supplies enable a character to produce useful concoctions, such as acids, alchemist's fire, antitoxin, oil, perfume, or soap.
Possible Activities
- Purification. Your knowledge of alchemy enables you to purify water that would otherwise be undrinkable. As part of a long rest, you can purify up to 6 gallons of water, or 1 gallon as part of a short rest.
Beautician's Supplies (Disguise Kit)
This kit of skin care, personal care, fragrance, cosmetics, make-up, hair dye, and small props lets you care for, accentuate or change the appearance of the face or body.Beautician's supplies can be used to cleanse, replenish, exfoliate and protect skin and hair or to enhance one's appearance, such as with makeup and perfumes.
Potential Activities
- Create Disguise. You may use your Beautician's supplies to create a visual disguise, which may aid in attempts to adopt a false identity.
- Examples include making you look more fearsome, whether you want to scare someone away by posing as a plague victim or intimidate a gang of thugs by taking the appearance of a bully or enhance an audience's enjoyment of a performance, provided the disguise is properly designed to evoke the desired reaction.
Brewer's supplies include a large glass jug, a quantity of hops, a siphon, and several feet of tubing. Brewing is the art of producing beer. Not only does beer serve as an alcoholic beverage, but the process of brewing purifies water. Crafting beer takes weeks of fermentation, but only a few hours of work.
Potential Activities
- Potable Water. Your knowledge of brewing enables you to purify water that would otherwise be undrinkable. As part of a long rest, you can purify up to 6 gallons of water, or 1 gallon as part of a short rest.
Calligrapher's supplies include ink, a variety of papers and parchments, pens and quills, seals and sealing wax, gold and silver leaf, and small tools to sculpt melted wax to into a seal.
Calligraphy treats writing as a delicate, beautiful art. Calligraphers produce text that is pleasing to the eye, using a style that is difficult to forge. Their supplies also give them some ability to examine scripts and determine if they are legitimate, since a calligrapher's training involves long hours of studying writing and attempting to replicate its style and design.
Potential Activities
- Decipher Treasure Map. This tool proficiency grants you expertise in examining maps. You can make an Intelligence check to determine a map's age, whether a map includes any hidden messages, or similar facts.
- Forgery. As part of a short rest, you can produce a forged document no more than one page in length. As part of a long rest, you can produce a document that is up to four pages long. Your Intelligence check using a forgery kit determines the DC for someone else's Intelligence (Investigation) check to spot the fake.
Carpenter's tools include a saw, a hammer, nails, a hatchet, a square, a ruler, an adze, a plane, and a chisel. Carpentry enables a character to construct wooden structures. A carpenter can build a house, a shack, a wooden cabinet, or similar items.
Possible Activities
- Fortify. With 1 minute of work and raw materials, you can make a door or window harder to force open. Increase the DC needed to open it by 5.
- Temporary Shelter. As part of a long rest, you can construct a lean-to or a similar shelter to keep your group dry and in the shade for the duration of the rest. Because it was fashioned quickly from whatever wood was available, the shelter collapses 1d3 days after being assembled.
Cartographer's tools consist of a quill, ink, parchment, a pair of compasses, calipers, and a ruler. With cartographer's tools you can create accurate maps to make travel easier for yourself and those who come after you. These maps can range from large-scale depictions of mountain ranges to diagrams that show the layout of a dungeon level.
Possible Activities
- Craft a Map. While traveling, you can draw a map as you go in addition to engaging in other activity.
Cobbler's tools consist of a hammer, an awl, a knife, a shoe stand, a cutter, spare leather, and thread.
Although the cobbler's trade might seem too humble for an adventurer, a good pair of boots will see a character across rugged wilderness and through deadly dungeons.
Possible Activities
- Craft Hidden Compartment. With 8 hours of work, you can add a hidden compartment to a pair of shoes. The compartment can hold an object up to 3 inches long and 1 inch wide and deep. You make an Intelligence check using your tool proficiency to determine the Intelligence (Investigation) check DC needed to find the compartment.
Cook's utensils include a metal pot, knives, forks, a stirring spoon, and a ladle. Adventuring is a hard life. With a cook along on the journey, your meals will be much better than the typical mix of hardtack and dried fruit.
Possible Activities
- Prepare Meals. As part of a short rest, you can prepare a tasty meal that helps your companions regain their strength. You and up to five creatures of your choice regain 1 extra hit point per Hit Die spent during a short rest, provided you have access to your cook's utensils and sufficient food.
The engineering kit contains wrenches, hammers, a handful of screw drivers, a few slabs of iron, a torch, and an assortment of screws, nails, nuts, bolts, springs, and cogs, as well as ink, a quill, paper, magnifying lenses, calipers, rulers, protractors and a scale.
An engineering kit is used to design and draw up inventions and ideas, to then put those designs into practice through creation. With it you can manufacture complicated devices, inventions and other items.
Possible Activities
- Repair. You can restore 5 hit points to a damaged mechanical object for each hour of work. Depending on the complexity of the design, you may have to roll a Intelligence (Engineering) check, decided by the DM.
- For any object, you need access to the raw materials required to repair it. For metal objects, you need access to an open flame hot enough to make the metal pliable.
The tools include a blowpipe, a small marver, blocks, and tweezers. You need a source of heat to work glass. Someone who is proficient with glassblower's tools has not only the ability to shape glass, but also specialized knowledge of the methods used to produce glass objects.
Possible Activities
- Identify Weakness. With 1 minute of study, you can identify the weak points in a glass object. Any damage dealt to the object by striking a weak spot is doubled.
This kit of Healer's Supplies is a leather pouch containing bandages, salves, splints and a handful of various components for different remedies, like herbs, mosses and other ingredients.
Healer's Supplies are used by those trained in medicine to treat illnesses and injuries, often through prolonged treatment and care. With the use of such a kit along with cunning hands, they can prevent both festering wounds diseases from worsening, and might even cure them.
Possible Activities
- Decontamination
Provide long-term care to poisoned or diseased creatures. When a poisoned or diseased creature is cared for by you, they may every three days re-roll the contested roll that caused their illness using your Intelligence (Medicine) or Wisdom (Medicine).
On a success, the poison or the disease is cured. Depending on the illness, some afflictions may be too difficult to cure.- Treatments
You can ease the suffering of one injured creature during its short or long rest. While spending Hit Dice to recover hit points during the rest, the creature can choose one of the dice and change it to the maximum value of the die.
Additionally, during a long rest the creature may roll two extra Hit Dice as part of the long rest.An herbalism kit includes pouches to store herbs, clippers and leather gloves for collecting plants, a mortar and pestle, vials and several glass jars. Proficiency with this kit allows herbalists to create remedies and potions like antitoxins, additionally it lets you identify, safely collect and apply herbs.
Possible Activities
- Identify Plants. You can identify most plants with a quick inspection of their appearance and smell.
Jeweler's tools consist of a small saw and hammer, files, pliers, and tweezers. Training with jeweler's tools includes the basic techniques needed to beautify gems. It also gives you expertise in identifying precious stones. Possible Activities
- Identify Gems. You can identify gems and determine their value at a glance.
Leatherworker's tools include a knife, a small mallet, an edger, a hole punch, thread, and leather scraps.
Knowledge of leatherworking extends to lore concerning animal hides and their properties. It also confers knowledge of leather armor and similar goods. Possible Activities
- Identify Hides. When looking at a hide or a leather item, you can determine the source of the leather and any special techniques used to treat it. For example, you can spot the difference between leather crafted using dwarven methods and leather crafted using halfling methods.
Mason's tools consist of a trowel, a hammer, a chisel, brushes, and a square.
Mason's tools allow you to craft stone structures, including walls and buildings crafted from brick.
Possible Activities
- Demolition. Your knowledge of masonry allows you to spot weak points in brick walls. You deal double damage to such structures with your weapon attacks.
Navigator's tools include a sextant, a compass, calipers, a ruler, parchment, ink, and a quill. Navigator's tools lets you chart a ship's course and follow navigation charts. Proficiency with navigator's tools helps you determine a true course based on observing the stars. It also grants you insight into charts and maps while developing your sense of direction.
Possible Activities
- Sighting. By taking careful measurements, you can determine your position on a nautical chart and the time of day.
Painter's supplies include an easel, canvas, paints, brushes, charcoal sticks, and a palette.
Proficiency with painter's supplies represents your ability to paint and draw. You also acquire an understanding of art history, which can aid you in examining works of art.
Possible Activities
- Painting and Drawing. As part of a short or long rest, you can produce a simple work of art. Although your work might lack precision, you can capture an image or a scene, or make a quick copy of a piece of art you saw.
Potter's tools include potter's needles, ribs, scrapers, a knife, and calipers. Potter's tools are used to create a variety of ceramic objects, most typically pots and similar vessels.
Possible Activities
- Reconstruction. By examining pottery shards, you can determine an object's original, intact form and its likely purpose.
Sewing & Weaver’s tools include thread, needles, and scraps of cloth. You know how to work a loom, but such equipment is too large to transport.Sewing & Weaver’s tools allow you to create cloth and tailor it into articles of clothing.
Possible Activities
- Craft Clothing. Assuming you have access to sufficient cloth and thread, you can create an outfit for a creature as part of a long rest.
Smith's tools include hammers, tongs, charcoal, rags, and a whetstone.Smith's tools allow you to work metal, heating it to alter its shape, repair damage, or work raw ingots into useful items.
Possible Activities
- Repair. With access to your tools and an open flame hot enough to make metal pliable, you can restore 10 hit points to a damaged metal object for each hour of work.
The Surgeon's Kit contains scalpels, scissors and saws, grasping forceps and tweezers, surgical needles and thread, tourniquets, dressings and bandages, and finally a few vials of alcohol and a face mask.
Surgeon's kits are used by those healers and doctors with both deft hands and a deep knowledge of anatomy. Skilled users of the Surgeon's kit may use it for a multitude of actions, from dissections and harvesting, to surgeries.
Possible Activities
- Dissection. You use the surgeon's kit to perform an autopsy for post-mortem research and examination or dissect and harvest parts of a creature. Depending on your familiarity and the size of the subject, and the circumstances of the operation, this takes between 1d4 hours and 10d4 hours.
- At the end of a dissection, you can make either a Wisdom or Intelligence check adding your Surgeon's Kit Proficiency bonus, to determine the cause of death or earlier health of internal organs, increase your anatomy knowledge of the creature in question and harvest safely organs of interest.
This kit comes in a sturdy briefcase and contains a variety of various colored inks, needles, and medical supplies needed for sterilization. The kit may also include a sketchbook filled with original tattoo designs or magical templates that the artist may find on their journeys.
Tattooist's Tools are needed to create any tattoos, whether they have magical properties or not. Each set initially contains a variety of ink colors.
Possible Activities
- Identify Technique. When looking at a tattoo or tattoo design, you can determine the style and source of the tattoo and any special techniques used to create it. You can often also determine a tattoo's purpose, whether it be of tradition or aesthetics.
Thieves' tools include a small file, a set of lock picks, a small mirror mounted on a metal handle, a set of narrow-bladed scissors, and a pair of pliers.
Perhaps the most common tools used by adventurers, thieves' tools are designed for picking locks and foiling traps. Proficiency with the tools also grants you a general knowledge of traps and locks.
Possible Activities
- Set a Trap. Just as you can disable traps, you can also set them. As part of a short rest, you can create a trap using items you have on hand. The total of your check becomes the DC for someone else's attempt to discover or disable the trap. The trap deals damage appropriate to the materials used in crafting it (such as poison or a weapon) or damage equal to half the total of your check, whichever the DM deems appropriate.
Tinker's tools include a variety of hand tools, thread, needles, a whetstone, scraps of cloth and leather, and a small pot of glue.
A set of tinker's tools is designed to enable you to repair many mundane objects. Though you can't manufacture much with tinker's tools, you can mend torn clothes, sharpen a worn sword, and patch a tattered suit of chain mail.
Possible Activities
- Repair. You can restore 10 hit points to a damaged mundane object for each hour of work. For any object, you need access to the raw materials required to repair it. For metal objects, you need access to an open flame hot enough to make the metal pliable.
Woodcarver's tools consist of a knife, a gouge, and a small saw. Woodcarver's tools allow you to craft intricate objects from wood, such as wooden tokens or arrows.
Possible Activities
- Craft Arrows. As part of a short rest, you can craft up to five arrows. As part of a long rest, you can craft up to twenty. You must have enough wood on hand to produce them.
Vehicle and Siege Engine Proficiency
Air Vehicles
Acts and knowledge related to air vehicles, including examining, analyzing and working most parts of the vehicle. Air vehicle examples include: airships, air balloons, gliders and any other flying aircrafts.
Air vehicles traverse the air, propelled most often by advanced engineering, alchemical designs, captured elementals or magic. In some cases, most often in larger air vehicles, a mix of air currents, alchemical engines and magic are combined.
Airship Movement
- Because of their nature, traveling through all three dimensions instead of only two, one general rule is applied: When an airship ascends, they must do so at half their current speed. When air vehicles descend, they can (but do not have to) move at double their current speed. After the ascent or descent, treat the vehicle’s current speed as it was before making the ascent or descent.
Land Vehicles
Acts and knowledge related to land vehicles, including examining, analyzing and working most parts of the vehicle. Land vehicle examples include: carriages, carts, chariots, wagons and any other land vehicles.
Land vehicles carry occupants and cargo over hard earth or similar terrain. They are typically propelled by muscle, but can be moved by a variety of propulsion methods.
Water Vehicles
Acts and knowledge related to water vehicles, including examining, analyzing and working most parts of the vehicle. Water vehicle examples include: Ships, boats and any other water vessels, like surfboards.
Water vehicles move across bodies of water, whether as small as a river or as large as an ocean. They are typically propelled by muscle or sail, but can be moved by a variety of propulsion methods.
Siege Engines
Acts and knowledge related to siege engines, including examining, analyzing and working most parts of the vehicle. Siege engines examples include: Ballistae, battering rams, cannons, catapults, siege towers and trebuchets.
Siege engines are large tools that are designed to break or circumvent heavy fortifications like castle doors, thick city walls or ship hulls in siege warfare. Some siege weapons can also be used on the battlefield as a larger ranged weapon, mainly helpful in breaking up formations and demoralization.
Language Proficiency
Languages are structured systems of communication that creature use, either through speech or gestures. Most languages have a visual written or iconographical representation to document the communication and its meaning.
Language proficiency describes a creature's competence in a certain language with skills such as reading comprehension, speech and writing proficiency. Additionally, higher proficiency also measures the width of a creature's vocabulary and the knowledge of the language's grammar, slang, proverbs and dialects. As well as the ability to understand and produce poetry and prose.
Tier Language Skills Trained Listening and Speaking Skilled or higher Reading and Writing The languages your character can speak by default is often associated with your background, which might give you access to one or more additional languages of your choice.
Some languages exists within a family, each separate instead being like a dialect to the other ones. For example, the Primordial language includes the Auran, Aquan, Ignan, and Terran dialects, one for each of the four elemental planes. Creatures that speak different dialects of the same language can communicate with one another. However, when choosing language proficiency, you must choose one of these dialects.
Language Generalization
Languages are affected by Proficiency generalization, which describes the interlinked nature of languages and how learning one increases the ability for a character to learn other ones faster.
Humanoid Languages
Humanoid languages include almost all of the languages spoken by the intelligent life walking the material plane. Some have history in other planes, some granted as a gifts of communication by the gods and most others just simply sprung up by the necessity to communicate. They are generally bound by their use on the flat material plane.
Common Languages Helian Is the current 'lingua franca' of the southern regions of Airetam. It is prominent in both Arahaz and Eberalen, reaching from the western elven mountain ranges of Miskunn to the eastern reaches of Ascaria and it's desolate white deserts and plains. Eiselar Is the most widely used language in the eastern continents. Rough and thick, its ancestry probably originates from the mistfalls and beyond. A speech born by the relationship between this plane's inhabitants and the astral dwellers on the other side. Zhenri Zhenri is the trade language used in the isles and continents strewn throughout the Weeping Sea, north of the center of Airetam. Any of these languages would count as a 'common' language, spoken and adopted by many as a means for trade, spreading knowledge and bridging societies.
Minor languages are those spoken relatively widely as with common languages, but in a more restricted population. It could be in a certain region, or by a certain type of people.
Minor Languages Littlish Spoken by most smaller folk, Littlish has evolved as a sort of travel language for those always trying to fit in in larger cultures, larger being literally the larget peoples. Its most frequent users are ratlings, mousefolk, halflings and gnomes, but also some dwarves. Giant Giants generally speak with tremendous force, which have in turn turned their language into its opposite. While they can speak loud and booming, most often they speak in whispers. This language was for a long time an exclusive language for the giant species, but has since spread to both highlander and human populations in certain regions. Species languages are a type of minor language, with the exception of a being rather exclusive to a certain species.
Species Languages Draconic One of the oldest surviving languages, mostly due to the extremely long life span that dragons possess. Draconic is an unchanging language where new words are a once in a century sort of thing, it is also the language most closely related to the arcane weave and its manipulation. This leads the language to a rather rigid structure and form with few synonyms and an almost non-existant realm of poetic prose. Dwarvish Dwarvish is slang for the rough Helian dialect that evolved and is spoken in the inner regions of the plane. Its name is obviously connected to the slang term for Homo Robustus, Dwarves, and is almost entirely spoken by them. The language is rough and coarse, filled with short abbreviations, proverbs and cursing. Elvish
Æztriska
(High Elven)Is the traditional and historical language of the elves. Its rigidity and structure hinders most any growth of language, and new words are seldom added. This proves to be both successful in keeping understanding and knowledge between the ages, but also a difficulty when explaining new phenomenon. Villriska
(Wild Elven)Is a rough and ... The language is very dependent on the region and is highly individual and communal. Depending on the region it might be coarse and rough or cordial and friendly. Kalasharr Kalasharr is a rather uncommon language, even within kalasharr tribes. The language developed mostly as a way to keep track of hierarchies, those being their biological ones. This is mainly through not having gendered nouns, but rather hierarchical ones. Special languages are languages spoken with a specific intent and purpose. Depending on the region it might be harder to communicate... usually these languages are inefficient to speak in and can't communicate every possible idea.
Special Languages Druidic Thieves' Cant List of Languages
Common
Minor
Racial
Special
From cloth to steel, a creature's armor is a creature's second skin. The one who wears the finest is usually the one who walks away. The one who don't, either need to be quicker than their opponent's blade or perish by it.
Armor has a variety of types and designs, most frequently used layered on top of each other. These categories, light, medium and heavy armor, are layered in successive order upon each other, and make up the bulk of the armor a creature uses, except shields.
The following section describes the concepts that make up armor and how proficiency with it works. If a character wants an armor custom made, they follow each step, otherwise they can find a list in the end of the section with a list of examples for armors.
Armor Proficiency
Anyone can put on a suit of armor or strap a shield to an arm, but only those proficient in the armor's use know how to wear and use it effectively. For each armor category that you lack proficiency with, the following effects apply:
- Your Dexterity score is reduced by 1.
- Your spells that require the somatic component, also requires a Sleight of Hand(Spellcasting Ability) check with the following DL:
- Spell cast when missing proficiency DL =
5 + (5 × Each armor piece)
- The weight of the armor piece is increased by 1.5x when it's equipped.
Armor Level
Determines your characters ability to avoid taking damage.
- Armor Level =
10 + your AL bonus from your armor + your Dexterity modifier
Armor however may reduce your Dexterity score when putting on the heavier kind.
Armor Category
The armor categories light armor, medium armor and heavy armor, are the defining factor for the general defensive capabilities of an armor piece. These are layered from light to heavy, and increase in weight and coverage as you layer them. Additionally, a shield can be used in combination with the armor piece, ranging from a light to heavy framework.
Armor categories define the following statistics for an armor piece:
Cost (gp) The cost of the armor. Weight (lbs) The weight of the armor. Armor AL (Armor Level) The added AL to your Armor Level from your armor. Dexterity Reduction The reduction of Dexterity score from wearing the armor. Don/Doff Times The time it takes to put on or take off the armor. Any time below 6 seconds requires only a free item interaction. Skill Impediment The stacking skill disadvantage from wielding more armor. For each level of skill impediment, you gain disadvantage with the following skills, starting with and in order from: Light Armor
Light armor is the armor directly in contact with the body. It is often the most important piece of armor one can have in combat, reducing the damage one takes from most physical attacks. The armor is usually made of thick layers of clothing, but might for different reason be made of other materials too, either exclusive silks or hardened leather. It is also often easier to conceal under civilian clothing and used under external armor.
Medium armor
Medium armor is a layer of protection on top of light armor, made to further increase the defensive capabilities of the wearer, mainly by filling in the weaknesses of light armor, like further protection against slashing weapons. It is often made with steel in the form of chain mail. However, replacements like brigandine exists, but they also limit the possiblity of heavy armor use.
Heavy Armor
Heavy armor, the last layer of protection a wearer might choose to wear. It maximizes defenses and minimizes risks, however it may impose some difficulties in certain environments, most often social ones. The apparency of war is often hard to conceal. Heavy armor ranges from cuirasses to full suits of plate armour.
Armor Table
Cost (gp) Weight (lbs) Armor AL Dex.
Reduc.Don / Doff
TimeSkill
Imped.Other Effects Light 5 4 +1 +0 12 / 6 seconds No - Medium 50 10 +1 +0 30 / 15 seconds Yes Disadvantage on contests against exhaustion effects due to extreme heat. Heavy 150 18 +1 -1 6 / 2 minutes Yes Disadvantage on contests against exhaustion effects due to extreme heat. Armor Quality
The difference between simple and martial armor is their effectiveness. Simply put, simple armors are generally made by peasants, amateurs or with subpar materials, while martial armor is made with fine materials, by an artisan, specifically for warfare and combat. A masterwork, is martial armor that is beyond any normal production. These are often found worn by nobles, elite armies and guards or experienced adventurers who have the gold to spend.
Quality Cost (gp) AL Don / Doff Time Simple 1x +0 1x Martial 5x +1 2x Masterwork 25x +2 2x Frameworks
While the three types of armor categories tries to pin down three main categories, the armor framework further specifies these categories. The armor framework can either be defensive or agile, or neither. It can also allow for unique, special or exotic frameworks to be used in the armor's construction.
Light Armor Frameworks
By using more layers of cloth or more covering designs, or both, light armor can be made to be a more protective, especially against slashing and piercing objects.
On the other hand, light armors can be made with weight and ease of use in mind. At the cost of protection, slimmer designs with intricate weaves and layers can be made, still able to catch blades, spears and arrows.
Framework Cost (gp) Weight (lbs) Armor AL Dex.
Reduc.Don / Doff
TimeSkill
Imped.Other Effects Stuffy 2x 2x +1 -1 - Yes
- Advantage on contests against exhaustion effects due to extreme cold.
- Disadvantage on contests against exhaustion effects due to extreme heat.
- Weight tripled when soaked.
Slim 3x 0.5x +0 - 0.5x No
- Indistinguishable from common clothing.
Medium Armor Frameworks
By extending the coverage of your armor or efficiently allocating armor to the most vital parts, you can change the dynamic of your medium armor. Either way, each focus has its own batch of benefits and problems.
Framework Cost (gp) Weight (lbs) Armor AL Dex.
Reduc.Don / Doff
TimeSkill
Imped.Other Effects Coifed 2x 2x +1 -1 2x Yes - Lightweight 3x 0.5x +0 - 0.5x No
- No disadvantage for contests against extreme heat (removing the feature from the Armor Category).
Heavy Armor Frameworks
Heavy armor is the last piece of the ensemble of a full suit of armor one can wear, and the frameworks play a major part in how much protection they grant, how difficult they are to put on, and how much they weigh. However, regardless if one wants a more protective fit or not, the pieces are almost always tailored to one's fit. Additionally, they're often bulky, making it difficult to easily store the pieces.
Framework Cost (gp) Weight (lbs) Armor AL Dex.
Reduc.Don / Doff
TimeSkill
Imped.Other Effects Full Cover 2x 2x +1 -1 3x Yes
- Don & Doff times are reduced to 1/4 when another creature is helping (3/4 with the base increase from Full Cover).
Agile 3x 0.5x +0 - 0.5x No - Shield Framework
Shields come in many variants, filling many roles. Some are used in single one to one combat, and others in large scale formations. Some are used by archers and crossbowmen, and others in light skirmishes. The framework of the shield determines the general role your shield plays on the battlefield, beyond just protection.
Framework Cost (gp) Weight (lbs) Armor AL Dex.
Reduc.Don / Doff
TimeSkill
Imped.Maneuvers Other Effects Buckler 1x 0.5x -1 - 0.5x No
- You can don/doff the Buckler for free when you don/doff a weapon.
- Only come in martial or higher quality.
- Simple quality results in +0 AL shield.
Heater 5x 1x -1 - 1x No
- The AL bonus added to your Armor Level from the shield can extend over the AL limit of 20.
- Only come in martial or higher quality.
- Simple quality results in +0 AL shield.
Round 3x 1x +0 - 0.5x No - Kite 3x 1.5x +0 -1 1x Yes Formation (Hoplon, Scutum) 4x 2x +0 -1 0.5x Yes
- While donned, your base speed is reduced by 5 ft.
- The formation shields provide a +2 cover bonus to friendly creatures within 5 ft. if they they also wield a formation shield.
- Any creature that would gain a cover bonus by standing behind you, gain an additional level of cover bonus.
None - Half - Three-quarters - Full
BEHÖVER REDIGERAS, är KNASAn object for stabbin' or killin' or whatever you got to do some damage, is a weapon. From a simple rock to a legendary sword, their purpose is one and the same, take out the threat before the it takes you out.
Like with armor, weapons also have a handful of aspects that determine what the weapon actually is, and like with armor, there is one aspect that is the major factor, the weapon category. The weapon category determines the general purpose and construction of the object, and in turn, determines the type of damage it inflicts and the possible maneuvers associated with the weapon.
Other factors that determine the weapon's make is quality, materials, modifications and size.
Size
Weapons come in a variety of sizes. The tables below shows their damage and armor penetration depending on their Damage Type.
Light Weapons
Light weapons are used in one hand and are flexible and easy to use. They vary from hand and fist weapons to smaller blades or axes, making use of speed and accuracy rather than brute force. Special light weapons usually include stealth and discretion, like concealed hand crossbows, or weapons that serve a purpose other than attacking, like parrying and dueling daggers.
One-handed Weapons
One-handed weapons are short, usually never reaching beyond 2-3 feet in total length. Their primary strength is their adaptability to combat, yielding both offensive and defensive capabilities. This lets you have a hand free that you can use to grapple and push with, or use shields and cloaks to block with.
Versatile Weapons
Versatile weapons is a version of one-handed weapons that can be used one-handed or two-handed, changing the way one fights respectively. Versatile weapons can however not be used to dual wield with light weapons or to wield a shield with.
Two-Handed Weapons
Two-Handed Weapons are used in two hands and grant a whole lot more power to combat than smaller weapons, sacrificing defensive capability. This means they are generally more often seen used by those whom already have well crafted armor, where a shield might not be as critical.
Great Weapons
Great Weapons are unwieldier than most and can't easily be worn in a sheathe and must typically be carried in hand even when not in use. They still retain defensive capabilities, but often with the use of reach instead of with a shield.
These weapons are very often an obvious sign of their own creation and intent, war, which makes them more difficult to carry in certain circumstances, especially in more civilized areas or areas with a stronger rule of law.
When not wielding a melee Great Weapon in combat, it must be carried with your hands, usually by using one hand, and resting your weapon on the shoulder.
When not wielding a ranged Great Weapon in combat, it must be carried with your hands or put away on your back, a wagon or a cart, which means that they are not as easy to swap to in the time of need. Depending on how its stored, unless in hand, the time to get it ready for combat may differ, usually around 12 seconds if worn on the back, having to also ready it by for example stringing it.
Quality
Weapon quality measures the effectiveness of a certain weapon category. Like with armor, the different tiers represent a wide range of factors. From the quality of the materials used, to the expertise of the maker or to the intended use of the weapon.
A simple weapon is usually a quickly crafted weapon without much expertise behind the crafting, made from either a repurposed tool or simple materials that one already has access to. A martial weapon, is a weapon made to be exactly that, a weapon. It is not a repurposed tool and it is not crafted by someone without the skill and knowledge of how to do so.
Masterwork weapons are a type of martial weapon that has years of expertise behind its crafting, with exquisite materials. These weapons, in the hands of someone proficient, are comfortable to wield, expertly balanced, and usually decorated and signed by its maker.
The fourth weapon quality is a special quality type, exotic quality. Exotic weapons, like with martial weapons are made for battle and warfare, allowing them to also be made as masterwork variants. However, unlike martial weapons, exotic weapons are usually much more powerful, but harder to come by. Exotic weapons are either very advanced, made for a very special purposes or created with special materials. Exotic weapons have their own damage tables.
Damage Types
There are five types of physical damage; Slashing, Cleaving, Piercing, Splitting, Bludgeoning. Two of them, Cleaving and Splitting, are combinations of the other damage types.
Slashing
Slashing damage is done by making longs cuts and lacerations, where a better name for it could be slicing. The damage is mainly done by your weapons ability and sharpness rather than your strength and power in the cut. Slashing uses your Dexterity modifier.
Cleaving
Cleaving damage is done by trying to sever and chop. Hew attacks is a fair name for it too. Cleaving uses your Strength modifier.
- For resistances and vulnerabilities Cleaving counts as 50% Slashing & 50% Bludgeoning*
Piercing
Piercing damage is done by puncture wounds, usually done by either finding gaps in armor or sliding within and breaking armor like mail. Piercing uses your Dexterity modifier.
Splitting
Splitting damage is done by powerful puncturing blows, usually in arcing motions, often to penetrate armor. These attacks are done with a combination of force and the small surface area of the weapon, for example a pickaxe. Splitting uses your Strength modifier.
- For resistances and vulnerabilities Splitting counts as 50% Piercing & 50% Bludgeoning*
Bludgeoning
Bludgeoning damage is done by making heavy bludgeoning attacks, made to crush your targets and break, bruise and bash. Bludgeoning uses your Strength modifier.
Ammunition Dependent
Ammunition dependent damage is done by ranged weapons, which can use a variety of projectiles. This type of damage uses one of the other damage types depending on the ammunition used. The ammunition will generally be piercing, but may for example be exchanged for blunt damage when using blunt tips. Regardless of the damage type, Ammunition dependent damage uses your Dexterity modifier.
Armor Penetration
The five different physical damage types have a varying degree of effectiveness against armor, each having an armor penetration value from 0 to 3. Slashing is the least effective against armor but great against flesh, like a sabre wielded against lightly armored or unarmored foes is almost useless against heavily armored ones. Bludgeoning however is the most effective against armor, like a warhammer wielded against a plated knight. It will however be less useful against an unarmored foe.
Damage Type Armor
PenetrationSlashing 0 Cleaving 1 Piercing 1 Splitting 2 Bludgeoning 3
Armor Penetration Calculations
Your Armor Class is calculated as described in the Armor section above: *Your Armor Class is equal to 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your AC bonus from your armor.* Armor penetration ignores the AC calculated from your AC bonus from armor.
For example, if a creature has an Armor Class (AC) of 15, with a Dexterity modifier equal to 3 and an AC bonus from armor equal to 2, a bludgeoning weapon, which has an armor penetration of 3, will reduce the effective Armor Class down to 13 when determining a hit from an attack.
Noting ACs on your sheet
An easy way to keep track of your ACs during combat is to write down your base AC, your AC with the added Dexterity modifier and your AC with Dexterity and armor.
With the example described above, it could look something like this:
- **Base** **AC**: 10
- **Base + Dexterity AC**: 13
- **Base + Dexterity + Armor AC**: 15
Attack Distance
Attack Distance describes a weapon's reach, ranging from a few inches in melee range, to over hundreds of feet in ranged reach. It simply describes the range at which you can make an attack against a target.
Your attack modifier is the ability score modifier that you use when rolling an attack, as well as rolling for damage. The different ranges have different attack modifiers, either Strength or Dexterity.
Melee
A melee weapon's reach usually ranges from 1 to 3 metres, depending on the weapon used and its size. Melee attacks generally do more damage and can often do a wider range of damage, from slashing to bludgeoning. Melee weapons have a set and determined range dependent on its size and reach.
Melee weapons vary in their attack modifier; Cleaving, Splitting and Bludgeoning uses Strength, while Slashing and Piercing uses Dexterity.
Thrown
A thrown weapon's range depends on the user's accuracy, strength and training, and the weapon's weight and aerodynamics. Weapons with a thrown range are often melee weapons designed to be thrown as well. However, some only ranged thrown weapons also exist, like throwing darts and javelins.
Thrown weapons uses your throwing distance and ranged attack distance. These can be found in the Ability Score chapter under Strength and Dexterity. The distance and precision modifiers is shown in the tables below.
The attack modifier for throwing weapons is split. The attack roll uses your Dexterity modifier and the damage roll uses your Strength modifier.
Ranged
A ranged weapon's range is determined in two different ways depending on the weapon's construction: Drawn or Loaded.
Drawn weapons uses the user's strength to manually maintain a draw weight. This means that drawn weapons, like with thrown weapons, uses your throwing distance to calculate distance. However, because the draw weight depends on the weapon's construction, the wielder must also have a drawn weapon that can match the wielder's strength. Ranged weapons also have range modifiers that increase their range, ranging from twice as much to over four times as much.
Different drawn weapons require different amount of strength to use, take a longbow with a strength requirement of 14 as an example. With a range modifier of 3, it has a range of 645 ft, regardless of how strong the wielder is, as long as they have at least 14 strength. Drawn weapons with high poundage are rare as most are crafted for the common soldier.
Loaded weapons have a range independent on the user's own strength. It usually requires a tedious process of loading the weapon, but its range is set dependent on the power of the launching mechanism.
The attack modifier for ranged weapons is your Dexterity modifier, while the damage modifier is the draw strength of the weapon.
Melee Weapons
Simple Weapons
Simple melee weapons are either tools from common trades, like woodworking, smithing or cooking, or weapons crafted for hunting, like spears. Additionally, tools repurposed as weapons also fall under the simple category, like warscythes or swordstaffs.
Martial Weapons
Martial Weapons are weapons explicitly made for warfare. These are more specialized, granting the proficient wielder more damage and maneuvers for use in combat.
However, certain martial weapons may impose hardships while trying to socialize if the martial weapons are visible. This depends on the region, but some people may not appreciate a halberd in their face.
- Martial weapons gain the maneuvers and properties of their simple counterpart.
- Light martial weapons can be made as thrown weapons. This reduces their damage to the simple damage category, but allows it to be thrown more effectively.
Weapon Damage
→ Weapon Damage
The damage a melee-weapon can do is dependent on several factors.
- Which kind of attack you make with the weapon, each corresponding to the five types of physical damage; Slashing, Cleaving, Piercing, Splitting, Bludgeoning. Cleaving and Splitting are combinations of the other damage types.
- Your modifier for Dexterity or Strength, depending on which kind of attack you make.
- The quality of the weapon; Simple, Martial or Exotic.
- Any enchantments on the weapon.
High
Quality
TypeGreat Two-Handed One-Handed Light Simple D10 D10 D6 D4 Martial D12 D12 D8 D6 Exotic Exotic weapons are rare and all have specific stats Medium
Quality
TypeGreat Two-Handed One-Handed Light Simple D8 D8 D4 D2 Martial D10 D10 D6 D4 Exotic Exotic weapons are rare and all have specific stats Low
Quality
TypeGreat Two-Handed One-Handed Light Simple D6 D6 D2 1 Martial D8 D8 D4 D2 Exotic Exotic weapons are rare and all have specific stats Armor Penetration
The five different physical damage types have a varying degree of effectiveness against armor, each having an armor penetration value from 0 to 3. Slashing is the least effective against armor but great against flesh, like a sabre wielded against lightly armored or unarmored foes is almost useless against heavily armored ones. Bludgeoning however is the most effective against armor, like a warhammer wielded against a plated knight. It will however be less useful against an unarmored foe.
Damage Type Armor
PenetrationSlashing 0 Cleaving 1 Piercing 1 Splitting 2 Bludgeoning 3 Armor Penetration Calculations
Armor penetration ignores the AL calculated from your AL bonus from armor.
For example, if a creature has an Armor Level (AL) of 15, with a Dexterity modifier equal to 3 and an AL bonus from armor equal to 2, a bludgeoning weapon, which has an armor penetration of 3, will reduce the effective Armor Level down to 13 when determining a hit from an attack.
Noting ALs On Your Sheet
An easy way to keep track of your ALs during combat is to write down your base AL, your AL with the added Dexterity modifier and your AL with Dexterity and armor.
With the example described above, it could look something like this:
- Base AL: 10
- Base + Dexterity AL: 13
- Base + Dexterity + Armor AL: 15
Weapon Categories
Axes
Simple Axes are axes primarily used for woodworking, felling trees and butchery. Examples include Handaxes, Felling Axes, Broad Axes, Hatchets.
Martial Axes are either made to cleave through limbs and light armor, or split through, bend and bash armor. Examples include Battleaxes, Tomahawks, Long Axes.
Damage Types
Simple Martial Range Melee Maneuvers
Simple Martial 2h Maneuvers
Simple Martial Blades
Simple Blades are blades primarily used for farming, skinning and cooking. Examples include Scythes, Sickles, Knives, Machetes
Martial Blades include all kinds of swords and special daggers. Blades can be double-edged or single edged, curved or straight, straight and thin, or short and heavy.
Martial Variations
Curved
→ Curved Blade
Curved Blades are swords with a back-bending blade. These are heavily favored for lightly armored combat and often in the hands of cavalry. They favor slicing, cutting and slashing. Examples are Scimitars, Falchions and Sabres.
- As a Bonus Action, while mounted, when you attack with a Curved Blade, you may make an extra attack with the same weapon.
Straight
→ Straight Blade
Straight blades are the weapons of choice for those who require versatility. They give like most swords a good balance of offense and defense, but their double-edged blade yields the possibility of either hacking and cleaving, finding gaps and piercing the opponent, but also half-swording to split and swapping the grip to bash with the pommel. Examples are Daggers, Shortswords (Arming Swords), Longswords, Bastard Longswords, Greatswords (Zweihanders).Thrusting
Thrusting Swords are either made for civilian life and personal protection, which are weapons designed to pierce lightly armored opponents, or made for warfare with heavier blades made to pierce and split thick armor. Examples are Rapiers, Estocs and Stilettos.
Statistics Table
Damage Types
Simple Martial Slashing
Cleaving
Piercing
Curved Blade Slashing
CleavingStraight Blade Slashing
Cleaving
Piercing
Splitting
BludgeoningThrusting Blade Slashing
Piercing
SplittingRange Melee Maneuvers
Simple Martial
Curved Blade Straight Blade Thrusting Blade 2h Maneuvers
Simple Martial Tripping Attack
Sweeping AttackMenacing Attack
Power Attack
Positioning StrikeBludgeons
Simple Bludgeons are tools usually used for carpentry, masonry and hunting. Examples include Hammers, Sledgehammers, Clubs. Also includes equipment for mining or climbing, like Pickaxes and Ice-picks.
Martial Bludgeons are weapons specially made for enemies with strong armor. Either with a splitting edge or a lump of steel, bludgeons can cause concussions, broken ribs and a whole variety of bodily harm. Bludgeons however, are not as effective against unarmored opponents.
Damage Types
Simple Martial Bludgeoning
or
SplittingBludgeoning
and/or
SplittingRange Melee Maneuvers
Simple Martial 2h Maneuvers
Simple Martial Spears
Simple Spears includes farming tools and fishing tools, or simple weapons for hunting. Examples include Tridents and Hunting Spears.
- Simple spears can only be of the versatile size or smaller. Two-Handed or great sizes spears must instead be polearms.
Martial Spears are spears made for warfare rather than hunting. These range from javelins to longspears and pikes, and are generally the weapon of choice for large cohorts and armies. Even in one on one are they favored if the terrain is open and allows for longer weaponry.
Damage Types
Simple Martial Piercing
or
SplittingPiercing
and/or
SplittingRange Melee, Thrown Maneuvers
Simple Martial 2h Maneuvers
Simple Martial
Polearms
Simple Polearm examples includes most improvisational weaponry made from farming tools, or simple weapons like longer spears. Examples include Warscythes, Pitchforks, Quarterstaffs and Swordstaffs.
Martial Polearms are a combination of several weapons put on a stick. Often times seen as a pure battlefield weapon and made for large scale combat. Examples include Halberds, Poleaxes, Pikes.
- Polearms must always be great sized weapons.
- Martial polearms can choose to forego one of the chosen weapon categories for a hook. This grants the wielder advantage on checks when trying to unmount a mounted creature.
Damage Types
Simple Martial Bludgeoning
plus the Damage Types from one simple melee weapon category of your choice.Bludgeoning
plus the Damage Types of two martial melee weapon categories of your choice.Range Melee 2h Maneuvers
Simple Martial
- Pushing Attack
- Brace
- plus the maneuvers of the chosen weapon category.
- Menacing Attack
- Lunging Attack
- plus the maneuvers of one of your chosen weapon categories.
Melee Weapon Examples
Ranged Weapons
Simple ranged weapons are weapons and tools that are used at range and primarily used for hunting and fishing.
- Simple ranged weapons always requires both hands to reload, regardless of size.
- Simple ranged weapons can not be of the versatile weapon size.
Martial ranged weapons are usually heavier and unwieldier compared to simple ranged weapons, and are specifically made for war. The bows in this category is not only made to penetrate hide and flesh like with a hunting bow, but also, pack a massive punch, enough to dent, break or even penetrate heavy armor. The ranges for these weapons are also further, allowing better accuracy at more distant targets.
Draw Strength
Draw strength is the amount of strength a ranged weapon requires and maintains to be shot. This determines both the possible size of a ranged weapon, as well as the distance it can travel when shot.
Simple drawn weapons are ranged weapons that use the wielders strength in each shot. These are mainly weapons used for hunting, where examples include Slings, Hunting Bows, Self Bows, Simple Bows.
Simple drawn ranged weapons have a strength requirement equal to its Draw Strength. This requirement explains the draw weight of the weapon and the required strength of the wielder to draw and hold it while shooting.
Martial drawn weapons, like with simple drawn weapons, utilize the strength of the wielder to maintain a draw weight. However, the martial drawn weapons often have a much higher draw weight. Examples includes a variation of Longbows and Warbows.
Damage Types Ammunition Dependent Range Ranged Maneuvers
Simple Martial 2h Maneuvers
Simple Martial
Size Modifier Draw
StrengthRange Load Time (Loaded Weapons)Examples Light
Simple Martial 0.5x 1x Simple Martial Small Sling 7 25 ft 50 ft 0 8 30 ft 65 ft 0 9 40 ft 80 ft 0 10 50 ft 100 ft 1 One-handed
Simple Martial 1x 1.5x 9 80 ft 120 ft 1 Large Sling 10 100 ft 150 ft 2 11 125 ft 185 ft 2 12 150 ft 225 ft 3 Two-handed
Simple Martial 1.5x 2x 11 180 ft 250 ft 3 Simple Bow 12 225 ft 300 ft 4 13 270 ft 360 ft 4 14 320 ft 430 ft 5 Great
Simple Martial 2x 2.5x 13 360 ft 450 ft 5 Hunting Bow 14 430 ft 535 ft 6 15 520 ft 650 ft 6 16 620 ft 775 ft 7 Loaded Weapons
Simple loaded weapons are ranged weapons that unlike all the other simple weapons, are nearly always made for warfare. Because of the simplicity of crossbows and the lack or need of expertise, almost any fool can pick one up to shoot. Simple loaded weapons are almost exclusively crossbows of different variations and sizes.
- Simple loaded weapons do not have disadvantage while prone or within 5 ft. of an enemy.
- Simple loaded weapons are treated as if they were a martial weapon when calculating for damage and range.
- Attacking with a simple loaded weapon requires loading it beforehand.
Martial loaded weapons, like the simple loaded weapons, are made mainly for war. However, unlike the simple kind, the martial type is often made for a trained combatant. Examples include heavy crossbows or firearms.
- Martial loaded weapons are treated as if they were an exotic weapon when calculating for damage and range, i.e. one damage die tier higher.
Damage Types Ammunition Dependent Range Ranged Maneuvers
Simple Martial 2h Maneuvers
Simple Martial Load Time
The loading time for a loaded weapon is one attack action, plus one more attack action for each size larger than light. Additionally, the ability score modifier of the draw strength increases or reduces the loading time respectively.
Added Damage
A loaded weapon can be made to have its loading time increased by two attack actions to increase its damage with one extra damage die. A martial loaded weapon can utilize this feature twice.
- Examples of this include simpler guns like flintlock rifles and muskets or more powerful crossbows that require increased time to wind up.
Magazine (Attacks before reload)
A loaded weapon can be made with a magazine, increasing the amount of attacks it can make before having to reload it at the cost of increased loading time.
For each time the magazine size is increased by 1, the loading time is also increased by 1, up to a maximum magazine size of 12. When adding a magazine, the damage is reduced to the simple weapon damage category. Martial loaded weapons increases their loading time by half, rounded down, when increasing their magazine size.
Speciality Weapons
Simple Specialty Weapons
Specialty simple weapons includes a wide variety of tools used for different work and trades, but when used in combat are not effective in the same way a blade is. Their primary use is usually not for the physical damage they cause. Lassos and Bolos are the obvious examples.
Blowgun
Blowguns are a type of simple loaded weapon that lack the punch that most weapons have, instead they are often made to deliver a powerful toxin. These generally come in small disguisable sizes, or large two-handed long range versions.
- Blowguns do not deal any physical damage when they hit, instead they deliver a poison.
- Blowguns have a set range depending on their size, as seen in the Range row below, from light to great.
- Attacking does not automatically reveal you when using a blowgun. If you hit, the target must succeed a contested Wisdom (Perception) check against your Dexterity (Stealth) to determine where you are. This do not stop intelligent creatures from investigating the scene, even if they haven't directly seen you.
Damage Types — Range Ranged (75 ft., 150 ft., 225 ft., 300 ft.) Maneuvers Point Blank, Volley 2h Maneuvers Distant Shot Lasso
Lassos are a loop of rope designed as a restraint to be thrown around a target and tightened when pulled. The lasso is usually used in animal husbandry, but with a skillful user, it can be used to restrain a dangerous opponent.
- Lassos are always two-handed with a 15 ft. melee range (without being a great weapon).
- A grappled creature from restraining attack still has the ability to move in the area within 3 meters of you.
Damage Types — Range Melee 2h Maneuvers Restraining Attack, Disarming Attack, Tripping Attack Bola
Bolas are a type of throwing weapon made of weights on the ends of interconnected cords, used to capture animals by entangling their legs.
- Can use the Restraining Attack maneuver even when thrown.
- The Bola's weapon maneuvers are free maneuvers, allowing other maneuvers to also be used.
Range Ranged Maneuvers Tripping Attack, Restraining Attack
For lists of spells, see Spell Lists.
Spellcasting is the art of conjuring, creating and using magic. For some, this is a matter of study and practice, while others its natural cunning, instinct and genetics. Some gain this power from their gods, others through the spirits around them, and some through occult rites. These different sources are described as the four main practices of magic: Arcane, Divine, Primal and Occult.
Each source draws their power from something specific, for arcane spellcasters, this is the arcane weave, which flows through everything like an encoded memory of the world. For divine spellcasters, they receive their power from either higher powers and creatures or just pure faith.
Each source has their own way of creating magic, which means that the way they use components, learn spells or prepare and cast spells may differ.
The Weave
Thunder
Air
Void
Lightning
Storm
Fire
Mist
Dust
Fog
Elemental
SphereMetal
Crystal
Ice
Earth
Mud
Water
Magma
Acid
Steam
Knowledge
Ambition
Passion
Mind
Spirit
Soul
Illusion
Dream
Tranquility
Awakening
SphereOrder
Death
Reason
Nature
Creativity
Life
Inertia
Body
Motion
Divine
Planar
Chaos
Dimension
Good
Balance
Ethereal
Morality
Law
Evil
Occult
Falsehood
Veracity
Illumination
Light
Truth
Dark
Fate
Arcane
Time
Primal
Luck
Spell Level
Every spell has a level from 0 to 9. A spell's level is a general indicator of how powerful it is. Cantrips are simple level 0 spells that characters can cast without expending their resources. The higher a spell’s level, the higher level a Spellcaster must be to use that spell.
Spell Level and character level don’t correspond directly. Typically, a character has to be at least 17th level, not 9th level, to cast a 9th-level spell.
Spell Points
Characters and creatures that uses spellcasting has a pool of spell points (SP) to fuel spells. Each spell level has an associated point cost as shown in the Spell Points Table. Cantrips do not require spell points.
The number of spell points you may spend is based on your themes' spellcasting feats.
Regain Lost Spell Points
You regain all spent spell points when you finish a long rest.
When you roll any number of hit dice during a short rest – to regain your hit points – you also regain spell points equal to the resulting face of the dice. This can be done, even if you are at maximum hit points.
Spell Components
V Verbose You must be able to speak to cast the spell. S Somatic You must be able to physically move your hands to cast the spell. M Material You must have the required material to cast the spell. Rituals
Certain spells have a special tag: ritual. Such a spell can be cast following the normal rules for spellcasting, or the spell can be cast as a ritual. The ritual version of a spell takes 10 minutes longer to cast than normal. It also doesn't expend spell points, which means the ritual version of a spell can't be cast at a higher level.
To cast a spell as a ritual, a spellcaster must have the ritual casting feat. The caster must also have the spell prepared or on his or her list of spells known.
Thematic Spellcasting Differences
While all types of spellcasting are similar in many ways, they do have some distinctions, see the individual page:
→ Arcane Spellcasting
By drawing power from the arcane weave, an arcane spellcaster can redraw and bend reality to its will. With the use of specific gestures and sounds a spellcaster can interact with the weave, commanding it and telling it what to do. These maneuvers takes years upon years to master, are often long and tedious to cast and perform and can be almost impossible to remember without a spellbook.
While a few arcane spellcaster can cast spells that are fixed in their mind, even in the most dire circumstances, most arcane spellcasters circumvent that problem with an arcane focus. Arcane Spellcasting Ability
Arcane Spellcasting Ability
Arcane spellcasters use Intelligence as their spellcasting ability modifier. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasitng ability. You are always proficient with your own spellcasting, and the proficiency bonus is level-based, as described above in the Proficiency introduction.
- Arcane Spellcasting Ability =
8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Learning & Preparation
Arcane spellcasters learn spells that they then must prepare. Each time you learn an arcane spell from either a class feature, feat or other feature, you know it by heart. When you prepare your arcane spells, you prepare them from the spells that you have learned.
Preparing your arcane spells requires time spent studying, practicing and memorizing the incantations and gestures you must make to cast the spell, as well as storing arcane functions within a focus.
You can change your prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of spells requires you spend at least 5 minute per spell level for each spell on your list. Mental Preparation
Mental Preparation
An arcane spellcaster can prepare a number of arcane spells in their mind from their known spells equal to the total arcane spell level of their Intelligence score. Each spell level counts as one level higher for preparation purposes, such that a level 1 spell counts as a level 2 spell and cantrips, which are level 0 spells, count as level 1 spells.
- Mentally Prepared Arcane Spells =
(your total sum of preperation spell levels)2 / 2 (rounded up) = your Intelligence score
Arcane Focus
An arcane focus is a special item used by manipulators of the arcane weave to more easily cast their spells. They come in many variations: orbs, rods, staves, wands, or some similar item - designed to channel the power of arcane spells, but tying them all together is the use of a crystal.
Crystals are used by their wielders by imprinting arcane functions into its crystalline structure. This takes time and preparation, but lets their wielders more easily prepare and remember spells. The arcane functions works as a shortcut to the weave, repeating complex patterns, gestures and other arcane components.
- Arcane Focus Prepared Spells =
the sum of your prepared memory spells + your prepared width spells
Crystals however are not all the same, different structures and bonds have different strengths and weaknesses. These strengths and weaknesses are scored by the Conductivity, Memory and Width factors. Depending on the wielder of the arcane power, their focus and choice of crystal may vary. The following are the factors each crystal have.
Crystal Structures
Conductivity
You gain a bonus to spell attack rolls and to the contested check DCs of your arcane spells.
Degree / Quality Simple Martial Masterwork Low -2 -1 +0 Medium -1 +0 +1 High +0 +1 +2 Memory
You can prepare a number of spells from your known spells up to a sum of total spell levels.
Degree / Quality Simple Martial Masterwork Low 8 16 24 Medium 12 24 36 High 16 32 48 Width
You can prepare a number of spells from your known spells of a spell level equal to or lower than (1/3/5), determined by the quality of the crystal: (Simple/ Martial/ Masterwork).
Degree / Quality Simple Martial Masterwork Low 0 0 0 Medium 8 16 24 High 16 32 48 The three main types of crystals
Salt Crystals
Salt crystals are foci used primarily for use when wielding a wide arsenal of simple spells. Casters who use these crystals are often specialists that have to be ready for anything. They generally do not have the capacity for high level magic, but rather many low level spells.
Simple Martial Masterwork Conductivity [Medium]
Spell bonus-1 +0 +1 Memory [Low]
Number of Memory spells8 16 24 Width [High]
Number of Width spells
(Max. spell level)16
(1)32
(3)48
(5)Metal Crystals
Metal crystals are used mainly in warfare by wielders focused on a few destructive spells, like warmages or spellswords, or by specialized magicians that focus only on very specific spells, like forge-mages and transmuters.
Simple Martial Masterwork Conductivity [High]
Spell bonus+0 +1 +2 Memory [Medium]
Number of Memory spells12 24 36 Width [Low]
Number of Width spells
(Max. spell level)0
(1)0
(3)0
(5)Gem Crystals
Gem crystals are a wide range of arcane crystals that also is the most common type of focus for most mages. These crystals main advantage is their large memory and capacity to store arcane functions. For those not worried about being the most accurate and effective, but rather varied in both high level and low level magic, gem crystals are perfect.
Simple Martial Masterwork Conductivity [Low]
Spell bonus-2 -1 +0 Memory [High]
Number of Memory spells16 32 48 Width [Medium]
Number of Width spells
(Max. spell level)8
(1)16
(3)24
(5)→ Divine Spellcasting
Divine magic, as the name suggests, is the power of the gods, flowing from them into the world or brought upon in through sheer will. Divine casters are conduits for that power, manifesting it as miraculous effects. This power is not granted to everyone who seeks it, but only to those chosen to fulfill a high calling.
Harnessing divine magic doesn't rely on study or training. A divine caster might learn formulaic prayers and ancient rites, but the ability to cast spells relies on devotion and an intuitive sense of a deity's wishes or their internal ardor.
Divine casters are wide in their magic, from helpful magic of healing and inspiring their allies with spells that harm and hinder foes to provoking awe and dread, lay curses of plague or poison, and even call down flames from heaven to consume their enemies.
Divine Spellcasting Ability
Divine spellcasters use either Wisdom or Charisma as their spellcasting ability modifier, dependent on their source of power. You use your Wisdom or Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. You are always proficient with your own spellcasting, and the proficiency bonus is level-based.
- Divine Spellcasting Ability =
8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom or Charisma modifier
Preparation
Divine casters do not need to prepare their spells. They can cast all spells on their domain spell lists, as long as they can cast their spell level.
Divine Focus
Divine foci are a special items tethered to the source of a divine caster's power. Whether it is an icon dedicated to a deity, a personal object of great importance or just as a simple means to expel their divine power to the material plane.
Divine foci can range from simple carved holy symbols to jeweled icons of the praised deity, but books are also a common foci and even natural objects like twigs, rocks or leaves from holy places. Whatever object is used, the wielder often has to have it in hand, to project its power.
Divine Domains
Divine casters choose two domains related to their deity from the list of domains below. Each domain details their own spell list and once you gain a domain spell, you always have it prepared.
Domain Channel Divinity
Divine casters also have access to the Channel Divinity options associated with their domains.
Elemental Domains
Divine
DomainChannel Divinity Description Acid Acidic Meltdown
- As an action, you touch a creature or an object within reach. A creature must make a Reflex check, taking
5 × your level
in acid damage on a failed check and half as much on a successful one. An object takes5 × your level
in acid damage.
- Additionally, if the target carries or wears corrodable armor or weapons, it must make a Reflex check. On a failed save, one piece of armor or weapon of your choice takes a permanent and cumulative -1 penalty. Armor reduced to an AL of 10 or a shield that drops to a +0 bonus is destroyed. Weapons reduced to -5 to hit and to damage are destroyed.
Air Shockwave Invocation You channel a forceful blast of wind. Crystal Arcane Bulwark
- As a reaction, when you take damage from a spell or other magical effect from a creature within 3 meters of you, halve the damage. Streams of ethereal magic then arcs out from your body, and the creature who damaged you takes force damage equal to
2d10 + your level
.Dust Dust to Dust You augment your offensive spells, the better to unleash the infinite chaos of the Abyss on your foes.
- When you cast a spell that deals damage to one or more creatures, you may add
your divine spellcasting modifier
to the damage. Any creature reduced to 0 hit points by this spell is disintegrated into a fine grey dust, along with anything it is wearing or carrying (except for magic items). The creature can be restored to life only by means of a true resurrection or a wish spell.
- Any Large or smaller nonmagical object or a creation of magical force that would be hit by the spell is also disintegrated.
Earth Fire Fog Ice Ice Prison
- As an action, you can brandish your holy symbol, facing a creature you can see within 10 meters of you. It must make a Fortitude save or the ice forming around it will encase it for 1 minute. While encased in this way a creature is incapacitated and its speed becomes 0, it is also immune to all damage while trapped. At the end of each of its turn it can try to repeat the Fortitude save, breaking free of the ice on a success.
Inertia Lightning Magma Metal Divine Forging
- As an hour-long ritual, you present your holy symbol, you can craft a nonmagical item that include some metal:
- a simple or martial weapon
- a suit of armor
- 30 pieces of ammunition
- a set of tools
- or another metal object
- At completion, the object is created. Additionally the following rules apply.
- It must be worth equal to or less than 50 gp per level.
- You must have the required metal to create the object, and any additional non-metal parts required.
Mist Mud Steam Storm Thunder Water Awakening Domains
Divine
DomainChannel Divinity Description Ambition Apathy Body Creation Bring to Life Bring to Life Death Touch of Death Your touch can increase entropy and wither the life from living things.
- As an action, make a melee spell attack against a creature within your reach. On a hit, that creature takes
1d4
necrotic damage. If one of these dice rolls a 3 or a 4, roll two additional dice of one size larger (d6, d8, d10, d12, d20), rolling again if these dice rolls their maximum value, and so on.- This attack's initial damage increases to
2d4
at 5th level,3d4
at 11th level and4d4
at 17th levelDisplacement Dream Slumber Slumber Emotion Illusion Invoke Duplicity Invoke Duplicity Knowledge Life Preserve Life
- As an action, you present your holy symbol and evoke healing energy that can restore a number of hit points equal to
5 × your character level
. Choose any creatures within 10 meters of you, and divide those hit points among them.
- This feature can restore a creature to no more than half of its hit point maximum.
- You can't use this feature on an undead or a construct.
Mind Nature Sanity Soul Spirit Drain Spirit Drain Spirit Tranquility Aether Domains
Divine
DomainChannel Divinity Description Arcane Create Tear Create Tear Astral Chaos Dark Divine Evil Falsehood Fate Seer's Omen Seer's Omen Good Truce Truce Law Light Radiance of the Dawn
- As an action, you present your holy symbol, and any magical darkness within 10 meters of you is dispelled.
- Each hostile creature within 10 meters of you must make a Fortitude contest. A creature takes radiant damage equal to
1d10 + your divine spellcasting modifier
, per point of proficiency bonus on a failed check, and half as much damage on a successful one.
- A creature that has total cover from you is not affected.
Luck Chaos of Battle Chaos of Battle Occult Blood Puppet Blood Puppet Planar Arcane Abjuration Arcane Abjuration Primal Truth → Innate Spellcasting
Innate Spellcasting Ability
Innate spellcasters use Charisma as their spellcasting ability modifier. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasitng ability. You are always proficient with your own spellcasting, and the proficiency bonus is level-based, as described above in the Proficiency introduction.
- Innate Spellcasting Ability =
8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Preparation & Learned Spells
An innate spellcaster replaces the mechanics of another spellcasting type. They never have to worry about preparing magic, instead any spell they learn is always prepared. Instead of learning any spells from their spellcasting feats, they learn one spell per spellcasting feat.
Body as Focus
An innate spellcaster can use themselves as a spellcasting focus when casting spells. When doing so they use Charisma as their Spellcasting ability modifier instead of another defined Spellcasting ability modifier.
→ Occult Spellcasting
Your occult research and the magic bestowed on you by your patron have given you facility with spells.
Occult spellcasters seek knowledge in the unknown and unexplained. They are seekers of the deep hidden secrets of the world, those that can't be explained by simple science or knowledge of the arcane or otherwise. Occult magic is the
some seek what lies hidden in the fabric of the multiverse. Through pacts made with mysterious beings of supernatural power, warlocks unlock magical effects both subtle and spectacular. Drawing on the ancient knowledge of beings such as fey nobles, demons, devils, hags, and alien entities of the Far Realm, warlocks piece together arcane secrets to bolster their own power.
The magic bestowed on a warlock ranges from minor but lasting alterations to the warlock's being (such as the ability to see in darkness or to read any language) to access to powerful spells. Unlike bookish wizards, warlocks supplement their magic with some facility at hand-to-hand combat. They are comfortable in light armor and know how to use simple weapons.
Occult Spellcasting Ability
Occult spellcasters use either Intelligence or Charisma as their spellcasting ability modifier, dependent on their source of power. You use your Intelligence or Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. You are always proficienct with your own spellcasting, and the proficiency bonus is level-based, as described in the Proficiency introduction.
- Occult Spellcasting Ability =
8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence or Charisma modifier
Preparation
Eldritch Power
Occult spellcasters always cast their spells at their maximum level,
→ Primal Spellcasting
A druid weaving the flora around her to protect her from the weather, a warden calling upon the primal powers of the elements to bring thunder and lightning down on his foes or warriors granted ancestral powers by their forefathers, each of these represent the power of the Primal domain.
Primal magic is the power of nature, the power of spirits and the power of the elements. These powers is manifested only if the primal casters will is granted by nature or the spirits or whatever source they channel from, which results in a need of balance between their power and their source. Primal magicians rely on study, but also understanding and wisdom. Most of their magic is granted by having a relationship with the places around them.
Primal Spellcasting Ability
Primal spellcasters use Wisdom as their spellcasting ability modifier. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasitng ability. You are always proficient with your own spellcasting, and the proficiency bonus is level-based, as described above in the Proficiency introduction.
- Primal Spellcasting Ability =
8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Preparation
A primal caster has the whole width of primal spells at their disposal, but not all at once. Primal casters can prepare a select few spells each day at the end of each long rest, from all primal spells.
- Prepared Primal Spells =
1 + your number of Primal Spellcasting Feats + your Wisdom modifier
Primal Leylines
Primal casters are magically bonded to the locations they visit, the weather and the spirits that surround them. This makes some of spells easier to cast in certain places and locations.
Primal spells has an Affinity Tag that determines when they are easier to cast. Spells that create gusts of freezing air are easier to cast in ice cold tundra, while calling upon fire would be easier in a scorching desert.
When an affinity tag is active, the primal caster can cast a chosen spell with half the required spell points. If the affinity tag is vague and difficult to know whether its active or not, the DM has final say over whether it counts or not. Generally, if you have to roll exhaustion contests for heat, the heat tag is active, and vica versa for cold climates, and if you are in a terrain type the heavily matches the affinity tag, it is active.
Primal Domains Primal Leylines Anima Soul
BodyCaelum Heat (Energy)
Cold (Inactivity)Elementus
TerraLand
Water
WindFauna
Flora
FungiLife
DeathRainforest
DesertHeat
Cold (🤷♂️?)
Primal Focus and Components
Primal spellcasting encompass a very wide span of different types of spellcasters. Some channel their
Primal foci channels the force
A druidic focus might be a sprig of mistletoe or holly, a wand or scepter made of yew or another special wood, a staff drawn whole out of a living tree, or a totem object incorporating feathers, fur, bones, and teeth from sacred animals. A druid can use such an object as a spellcasting focus.
Multiple variations of this item exist, as listed below:
For every ability check, the GM decides which of the eight ability scores is relevant to the task at hand and the difficulty of the task, represented by a Difficulty Level. The more difficult a task, the higher its DL. To make an ability check, roll a d20 and add the relevant ability modifier. If the total equals or exceeds the DL, the ability check is a success—the creature overcomes the challenge at hand. Otherwise, it’s a failure, which means the character or monster makes no progress toward the objective or makes progress combined with a setback determined by the GM.
Almost every ability check also includes bonuses and/or penalties that are added to the roll. These bonuses are usually covered by the four main types of ability checks that are rolled: Attack Roll, Spellcasting Check, Proficiency Check and Contest Check. These are covered below.
Difficulty Level
Difficulty Level | DL | Description |
---|---|---|
Routine | 0 | Anyone can do this basically every time |
Simple | 3 | Most people can do this most of the time |
Standard | 6 | Typical task requiring focus, but most people can usually do this |
Demanding | 9 | Requires full attention; most people have 50/50 chance to succeed |
Difficult | 12 | Trained people have a 50/50 chance to succeed |
Challenging | 15 | Even trained people often fail |
Intimidating | 18 | Normal people almost never succeed |
Formidable | 21 | Impossible without skills or great effort |
Heroic | 24 | A task worthy of tales told for years afterward |
Immortal | 27 | A task worthy of legends that last for lifetimes |
Impossible | 30 | A task that normal humans couldn’t consider (but doesn’t break laws of physics) |
Attack Rolls
1. Determine the possibility of attacking:
When you make an attack, the attack must:
- Be within range.
- Have a targetable concealment level.
When you make an attack, whether by weapon or spell, the target must be within a specified range. For melee attacks this range is usually between 1 to 3 meter, decided by their size (Light & One-Handed = 1 meter, Two-Handed = 2 meters, Great = 3 meters), while ranged attacks either has a specified maximum range, or two ranges. When an attack has two ranges, the lower number is the normal range and the higher number is the long range. Any attack at long range is done at disadvantage, and you are unable to attack above the long range or maximum range. Any ranged attack made within 2 meters of an opponent is made with disadvantage, as long as the creature is able to sense and target you, see concealment, and doesn't have disadvantage against you if they were to make an attack.
2. Roll a d20:
The attacker rolls a twenty-sided die.
- Advantage. If the attacker has one advantage or three advantages on the attack roll, the attacker rolls two or three d20s respectively, and takes the higher of the two or three.
- Disadvantage. If the attacker has one disadvantage or three disadvantages on the attack roll, the attacker rolls two or three d20s respectively, and takes the lower of the two or three.
3. Attack Modifiers:
To the result of the d20 roll, the attacker adds relevant modifiers. These modifiers include:
- Proficiency Bonus. The character or creature adds their proficiency bonus if applicable. Spellcasting always adds their proficiency bonus.
- Ability Modifiers. Strength is used for melee cleaving, splitting and bludgeoning attack rolls. Dexterity is used for melee slashing and piercing attack rolls, as well as ranged attack rolls (including throwing). Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma is used for spellcasting rolls.
- Bonus Modifiers. Any additional bonuses from magical weapons, class features, or other situational effects.
- Multiple Advantages. At your 2nd, 4th
The defender adds relevant temporary bonuses or situational effects to their AL, for example cover bonuses.
- Cover Bonus. There are three degrees of cover. If a target is behind multiple sources of cover, only the most protective degree of cover applies; the degrees aren't added together. For example, if a target is behind a creature that gives half cover and a tree trunk that gives three-quarters cover, the target has three-quarters cover.
Type of Covers
Cover Details Half Cover Three-quarters Cover Total Cover
4. Compare the Total to the target's Armor Level (AL)
The total result is compared to the Armor Level of the target. If the attacker's total is equal to or greater than the target's AC, the attack hits. If it's lower, the attack misses.
- Critical Success & Critical Failure
- If the attack exceeds or fails the AL by 10 or more, the attack counts as either a critical success or a critical failure. Additionally, when rolling a natural 20 or a natural 1, the attack results in an increased or decreased degree of success or failure respectively. This usually results in a critical success or critical failure.
5. Roll for Damage
If the attack hits, the attacker typically rolls dice to determine the amount of damage dealt. The type and number of dice rolled depend on the weapon, spell, or attack being used.
6. Damage Modifiers
To the result of the damage roll, the attacker adds relevant modifiers. These modifiers include:
- Ability Modifier.
- Melee cleaving, splitting and bludgeoning damage rolls uses Strength.
- Melee slashing and piercing damage rolls uses Dexterity.
- Ranged thrown damage rolls uses the corresponding melee damage ability modifier.
- Ranged drawn and loaded damage rolls uses Draw Strength
- Spell damage rolls do not usually add any damage from their ability modifier.
- Immunities, Resistances, Susceptibilities and Vulnerabilities. Depending on the creature's defenses against the damage type caused, the damage may be negated (immunity), halved (resistance), increased by half (susceptibility) or doubled (vulnerability).
- Critical Success & Critical Failure
- If the attack is a critical success, i.e. a critical hit, the damage is doubled after all positive modifiers have been applied.
Spellcasting Checks
When a character or creature declares it is casting a spell, the following steps typically occur:
1. Select the Spell
Choose a Spell: Review your prepared spells and select the spell you wish to cast. Ensure you meet the following criteria:
- Prepared: Ensure your character has prepared the spell you wish to cast and has access to a focus if required.
- Spell Range: Be within range of its intended effect.
- Spell Points: The caster has enough spell points to perform the spell.
- Incantation Components: Be able to perform all incantation components of the spell.
- Other: Follow any special restrictions of the spell.
If the spellcast is an attack roll, follow the rules for attack rolls.
1. Roll a d20:
The spell caster rolls a twenty-sided die.
- Advantage. If the caster has one advantage or three advantages on the spellcasting roll, the caster rolls two or three d20s respectively, and takes the higher of the two or three.
- Disadvantage. If the caster has one disadvantage or three disadvantages on the spellcasting roll, the caster rolls two or three d20s respectively, and takes the lower of the two or three.
2. Spellcasting Modifiers:
To the result of the d20 roll, the caster adds any relevant modifiers. These modifiers usually include:
- Proficiency Bonus. The character adds their level-based proficiency bonus.
- Ability Modifiers. The character adds their Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma modifier, depending on their spells origin.
- Bonus Modifiers. Any additional bonuses from magical items, class features, or other situational effects.
- Multiple Advantages/Disadvantages. At your 2nd, 4th and above advantage or disadvantage, you add +2 or -2 to your roll for each subsequent advantage or disadvantage you have.
3. Compare the total to a measure of success
a. If the spell cast is a spell attack - Compare the total to the target's Armor Level (AL).
The total result is compared to the Armor Level of the target. If the attacker's total is equal to or greater than the target's AC, the attack hits. If it's lower, the attack misses.
b. If the spell cast requires a contested check - Compare the total to the target's contested check.
The target must roll a contested check determined by the spell.
The total result is compared to the of the target. If the attacker's total is equal to or greater than the target's AC, the attack hits. If it's lower, the attack misses.
c. If the spell cast needs to meet a DL - Compare the Total to the target's Armor Level (AL)
The total result is compared to the Armor Level of the target. If the attacker's total is equal to or greater than the target's AC, the attack hits. If it's lower, the attack misses.
If the attack exceeds or fails the DL by 10 or more, the attack is affected by either a critical success or a critical failure. Additionally, when rolling a natural 20 or a natural 1, the attack results in an increased or decreased degree of success or failure respectively. This usually results in a critical success or critical failure.
4. Roll for Damage
If the attack hits, the attacker typically rolls dice to determine the amount of damage dealt. The type and number of dice rolled depend on the weapon, spell, or attack being used.
If the attack is a critical success, i.e. a critical hit, the damage is doubled after all positive modifiers have been applied.
5. Damage Modifiers
To the result of the damage roll, the attacker adds relevant modifiers. These modifiers include:
- Ability Modifier.
- Melee cleaving, splitting and bludgeoning damage rolls uses Strength.
- Melee slashing and piercing damage rolls uses Dexterity.
- Ranged thrown damage rolls uses the corresponding melee damage ability modifier.
- Ranged drawn and loaded damage rolls uses Draw Strength
- Spell damage rolls do not usually add any damage from their ability modifier.
- Immunities, Resistances, Susceptibilities and Vulnerabilities. Depending on the creature's defenses against the damage type caused, the damage may be negated (immunity), halved (resistance), increased by half (susceptibility) or doubled (vulnerability).
- Critical Hit.
Proficiency Checks
Contest Checks
Scores are calculated when rolled like ability checks, but are always called for when affected by something, never when causing an effect. It is calculated as such:
- Contest result =
d20 roll + 1st ability score modifier + 2nd ability score modifier + other bonuses + penalties
- Contest result =
Contested Score | Combined Ability Score Modifiers |
Summary |
---|---|---|
Reflex | Dexterity Perception |
Your physical reaction time and how quickly and gracefully you can avoid physical effects. |
Fortitude | Strength Constitution |
Your physical ability to withstand and shrug off effects and afflictions of the body. |
Sanity | Intelligence Constitution |
Your mental ability to withstand and shrug off effects and afflictions of the body. |
Will | Wisdom Charisma |
Your mental reaction time and how quickly and gracefully you can avoid mental effects. |
Reflex is the Contested Score used to measure your physical reaction time and how quickly and gracefully you can avoid physical effects. This includes most traps, weather conditions and attacks. The reflex score is calculated as
- your Reflex score =
your Dexterity modifier + your Perception modifier + any other bonuses/penalties
Fortitude is the Contested Score used to measure your physical ability to withstand and shrug off effects and afflictions of the body. This includes most poisons, extreme weather conditions and contests of endurance. The fortitude score is calculated as
- your Fortitude score =
your Strength modifier + your Constitution modifier + any other bonuses/penalties
Sanity is the Contested Score used to measure your mental ability to withstand and shrug off effects and afflictions of the body. This includes most afflictions, curses and psychic attacks. The sanity score is calculated as
- your Sanity score =
your Constitution modifier + your Intelligence modifier + any other bonuses/penalties
Will is the Contested Score used to measure your mental reaction time and how quickly and gracefully you can avoid mental effects. This includes most charm effects, curses and spell effects. The will score is calculated as
- your Will score =
your Wisdom modifier + your Charisma modifier + any other bonuses/penalties