Optional Rules
The following optional rules are not included in the main game because they slow down character creation, do not improve game balance, and are simply not important for the core game themes.
Contents
Races
Races are listed in rough order of suitability to the implied world's core themes. As this is an optional rule, the DM and players are especially encouraged to ban, add, or modify to taste.
Supporting Changes: Instantiate perfect human should be changed to either have other versions for some or all of the other races, or it should create a perfect member of the caster's own race.
Humans
Humans are a diverse bunch of mammals, coming in a wide range of colors and facial structures. Many of them care strongly about their physical and cultural differences, and aspire to demonstrate that their breed of Humans is the best. The civilized, bureaucratic Gray Humans, with their imposing cities and disciplined militaries, are particularly arrogant about the superiority of their regimented way of life.
The theocratic Dark Humans, living in the subterranean realms of the Nethergrounds, are quite confident in the unparalleled excellence of their White magic.
The savage Wild Humans in their forest homes know that no other kind of Human observes its surroundings as keenly.
The confident, ambitious Blood Humans of the desert know that their practice of rewarding enterprise over empathy has led them to produce the greatest architectural wonders and finest developments in the field of Orange magic of any type of Human.
Other races are jealous of the Humans' exceptionally long lives: some Humans can live to be over a hundred years old.
Base Stats
| Human Common — 3 points
| |
| AD 5 GD 5 Will 0 HP 1 Toughness 4 | |
| Accuracy {{{accuracy}}} Save DC {{{savedc}}} | |
| Stealth 0 Perception 2 Agility {{{agility}}} | |
| Descriptors {{{descriptors}}} | |
| Movement 6 meter land with 1 meter jump. 1 meter swim. | |
| Size 1 meter Reach 1 meter | |
| Weight 60-90 Kilograms |
Forbidden Options
Absurdly Huge: Humans are barely ever taller than 2 meters.
Belligs
These hairy, bipedal reptilians are purely carnivorous, and naturally both territorial and violent. They reach adulthood at 2 years old, and are extremely weak with age to the point of death by 40. Unlike Humans, they are not typically pack animals, and would have great difficulty maintaining any sort of technological or linguistic developments if it were not for their genetic memories, and more limited ability to ingest the memories of other creatures by eating their brains.
Base Stats
| Bellig Common — 3 points
| |
| AD 5 GD 5 Will 0 HP 1 Toughness 4 | |
| Accuracy {{{accuracy}}} Save DC {{{savedc}}} | |
| Stealth 0 Perception 2 Agility {{{agility}}} | |
| Descriptors {{{descriptors}}} | |
| Movement 4 meter land with 2 meter jump. 1 meter swim. | |
| Size 1 meter Reach 1 meter | |
| Weight 60-90 Kilograms |
By devouring the brain of a creature, the Bellig can learn any one language that creature knew, or a one-hour period of that creature's memories.
Belligs are somewhat attuned with Purple energies to the point that a predominance of other colors can impair their thinking. At the beginning of their turn, if they have more non-Purple gems implanted than Purple ones, they must waste a minor action ignoring the headache.
Forbidden Options
Defender, medic, healer, doctor, warlord: Belligs don't have the patience or empathy to appreciate protecting others to that extent.
Unique Options
| Ancestral Shaman Paragon Tier Expertise
| |
| Prerequisites Bellig. | |
| Bonuses: | |
| ♦ When rolling to save against a frightening thing you already failed a save against, you get a +2 bonus to your Will Save. | |
| ♦ When you eat the brain of a creature you may teleport to any place it has been in the last hour. | |
| ♦ You can use a +5 in Supernatural Philosophy or History instead of your normal bonus. |
Fireweasels
These weasels have ever-burning tails. Despite being related to solitary stealth hunters, they are quite sociable, possibly due to their extreme obviousness. A strong desire to impress other fireweasels with tales of their accomplishments leads to them being enthusiastic adventurers, liars, and scientists. They don't much like to share accomplishments with their competition, so are less likely to band together with other fireweasels than with members of different races.
Base Stats
| Fireweasel Common — 5 points
| |
| AD 6 (+2 factor) GD 5 Will 1 (+1 factor) HP 1 Toughness 4 | |
| Accuracy {{{accuracy}}} Save DC {{{savedc}}} | |
| Stealth -1 Perception 3 (+1 factor) Agility {{{agility}}} | |
| Descriptors {{{descriptors}}} | |
| Movement 9 meter land with 3 meter jump. | |
| Size 0.25 meters Reach 0.25 meters | |
| Weight 1-2 Kilograms | |
| Classes Fire Attunement 1 |
The Fireweasel can use its mouth as a single "hand".
Fireweasels are somewhat attuned with Orange energies to the point that a predominance of other colors can impair their digestion. At the beginning of their turn, if they have more non-Orange gems implanted than Orange ones, they must waste a minor action ignoring the stomachache.
Forbidden Options
Any Ability which adds to Health or Toughness: Fireweasels are never particularly durable.
Unique Options
| Fire Attunement Common Tier Expertise
| |
| Prerequisites Fireweasel | |
| Bonuses: | |
| ♦ You gain Heat Resist 1. Taken a second time, this improves to 2. A third time, you gain Cold Resist 1 | |
| ♦ You may have your unarmed attacks deal 1d6-1 Heat damage, be [ Magic-Damage ] instead of [ Muscle-Damage ], and light wounded targets on fire. Taken additional times, the damage increases by 1 each time. | |
| ♦ You get +2 meters to your movement speeds. | |
| Special: This class may be taken up to three times. |
| Paragon Orange Power Paragon Tier Expertise
| |
| Prerequisites Fireweasel | |
| Bonuses: | |
| ♦ Choose one of the following spells: cannibalism, slow, delay spell, fireball. You may cast that spell (sans Boosts) without needing charges or a gem. | |
| ♦ You get +3 meters to your movement speeds. | |
| ♦ You get +1 to Agility | |
| Special: This class may be taken multiple times. |
| Legend Orange Power Legend Tier Expertise
| |
| Prerequisites Fireweasel | |
| Bonuses: | |
| ♦ Choose one of the following spells: wall of eternity, fire burst, souzaque, haste, annihilate item, temporal feast, or invasive surgery. You may cast that spell (sans Boosts) without needing charges or a gem. | |
| ♦ You get +5 meters to your movement speeds. | |
| ♦ You get +1 to Agility. | |
| Special: This class may be taken multiple times. |
Deathtouched
These pale, white-haired Humans were subjected to high but nonlethal amounts of White energies for significant periods of time, or are the descendants thereof.
Base Stats
| Deathtouched Common — 3 points
| |
| AD 5 GD 5 Will 0 HP 1 Toughness 4 | |
| Accuracy {{{accuracy}}} Save DC {{{savedc}}} | |
| Stealth 0 Perception 2 Agility {{{agility}}} | |
| Descriptors {{{descriptors}}} | |
| Movement 6 meter land with 1 meter jump. 1 meter swim. | |
| Size 1 meter Reach 1 meter | |
| Weight 60-90 Kilograms |
Deathtouched live on a diet of bones, and when they kill a Common-tier or stronger creature with a heavy attack in melee, they may immediately heal 1 wound.
Deathtouched are somewhat attuned with White energies to the point that a predominance of other colors can impair their ability to live. While they have more non-White gems implanted than White ones they get -1 to Toughness.
Unique Options
| Paragon White Power Paragon Tier Expertise
| |
| Prerequisites Deathtouched | |
| Bonuses: | |
| ♦ Choose one of the following spells: animate skeletons, trace bindings, bone prison, or turn undead. You may cast that spell (sans Boosts) without needing charges or a gem. | |
| ♦ You can see 5% farther. | |
| Special: This class may be taken multiple times. |
| Legend White Power Legend Tier Expertise
| |
| Prerequisites Deathtouched | |
| Bonuses: | |
| ♦ Choose one of the following spells: wall of bone or spine throw. You may cast that spell (sans Boosts) without needing charges or a gem. | |
| ♦ You can see 5% farther. | |
| Special: This class may be taken up to two times. |
Arthropi
Young Arthropi look like large eyes in a shiny black chitinous shell, with four equidistant legs, as well as two arms protruding from the centers of opposite sides of the shell.
Base Stats
| Arthropi Common — 3 points
| |
| AD 7 (+8 Factor (Armor)) GD 5 Will 0 HP 1 Toughness 4 | |
| Accuracy {{{accuracy}}} Save DC {{{savedc}}} | |
| Stealth 0 Perception 2 Agility {{{agility}}} | |
| Descriptors {{{descriptors}}} | |
| Movement 6 meter land with 1 meter jump. 1 meter swim. | |
| Size 0.5 meters Reach 0.5 meters | |
| Weight 8-12 Kilograms |
Arthropi do not benefit from armor or from the implantation of gems.
Forbidden Options
Apprentice and all classes that require it: Arthropi are incapable of wielding gem-based energies.
Unique Options
|
| Acid Blood Common Tier Genomorph
| |
| Prerequisites None. | |
| Technologies Genetic Programming | |
| Bonuses: | |
| ♦ Any melee attack which wounds you inflicts 1d6 Acid damage on the weapon (or the creature, in the case of an unarmed attack). | |
| ♦ You can secrete acid at will, dealing +1 Acid damage with Unarmed attacks. | |
| ♦ You gain Acid Resist 1. |
| Pheromones Elite Tier Genomorph
| |
| Technologies Genetic Programming | |
| Bonuses: | |
| ♦ You can release calming pheromones that soothe people as a standard action. Make a ranged attack against GD against all other creatures in a 5 meter Muscle-Area blast: creatures you hit get a -2 penalty to Will Saves and Insight and treat all Insight checks against them as being 2 points higher. This effect lasts for 5 rounds. | |
| ♦ You can release intimidating pheromones that terrify people as a standard action. Creatures in a 5 meter Muscle-Area blast find you Frightening. After 5 rounds, creatures who were still suffering from this fear automatically recover. | |
| ♦ You can suppress your scent as a standard action. This lasts until you use a pheromone ability, and quarters the distance at which you can be smelled. |
| Lengthened Form Elite Tier Expertise
| |
| You grow a few millipede-like segments from one edge of your body. | |
| Prerequisites Arthropus race. | |
| Bonuses: | |
| ♦ Your size and reach increase by 50%. You get +1 Muscle, and your weight triples. | |
| ♦ You get +5 meters to your movement speeds. | |
| ♦ You can clamber up walls and ceilings as though they were the floor. |
|
| Acid Spit Elite Tier Genomorph
| |
| Prerequisites Acid Blood | |
| Technologies Genetic Programming | |
| Bonuses: | |
| ♦ The Acid damage inflicted upon weapons or creatures that attack you is repeated one round later. | |
| ♦ You gain a Muscle-Damage acid spit weapon, with 10m/40m range, which deals 1d6-1 Acid damage. If the attack hits, it also deals another 1d6-1 Acid damage one round later. | |
| ♦ Your Acid Resist increases by 1. |
Orcs
Part Cactus, part Human, these green desert-dwellers have a strong desire to form mobs every five years, for a period of about three months each time. When in mobs like this, they seldom manage to stay supplied with provisions, so mobbing times usually result in them deciding to raid nearby settlements.
For this reason, Blood Humans and Orcs are especially antagonistic towards each other.
Base Stats
| Orc Common — 3 points
| |
| AD 5 GD 5 Will 0 HP 1 Toughness 4 | |
| Accuracy {{{accuracy}}} Save DC {{{savedc}}} | |
| Stealth 0 Perception 2 Agility {{{agility}}} | |
| Descriptors {{{descriptors}}} | |
| Movement 4 meter land with 0.5 meter jump. 1 meter swim. | |
| Size 1 meter Reach 1 meter | |
| Weight 60-90 Kilograms |
When the Orc is hit with an unarmed attack, the attacker takes 1d6-2 Physical damage.
Unlike most creatures, Orcs die at -4 HP instead of -2.
Pygmies
These are Humans, but smaller. Some breeds of pygmy are also exceptionally stout and well-bearded. A particularly rare breed of pygmy can't comprehend the concept of property.
Base Stats
| Pygmy Common — 3 points
| |
| AD 5 GD 5 Will 0 HP 1 Toughness 4 | |
| Accuracy {{{accuracy}}} Save DC {{{savedc}}} | |
| Stealth 0 Perception 2 Agility {{{agility}}} | |
| Descriptors {{{descriptors}}} | |
| Movement 6 meter land with 1 meter jump. 1 meter swim. | |
| Size 0.5 meters Reach 0.5 meters | |
| Weight 8-12 Kilograms |
Forbidden Options
Absurdly Huge: A giant pygmy? Don't be ridiculous.
Unique Options
Absurdly Tiny Ability (Stealth Category): The Pygmy gets a +1 bonus to Stealth, and +1 meter to all of its movement speeds. Its space and reach are halved, its carrying capacity is divided by 4, and its weight is divided by 8. Skills: Acrobatics, Legerdemain, Strongman
Puny Horse
These small talking horses speak in high-pitched voices, and are adorned with large, mysterious icons. Their front hooves are remarkably flexible.
Base Stats
| Puny Horse Common — 3 points
| |
| AD 5 GD 5 Will 0 HP 1 Toughness 4 | |
| Accuracy {{{accuracy}}} Save DC {{{savedc}}} | |
| Stealth 0 Perception 2 Agility {{{agility}}} | |
| Descriptors {{{descriptors}}} | |
| Movement 8 meter land with 1 meter jump. 1 meter swim. | |
| Size 1 meter Reach 1 meter | |
| Weight 60-90 Kilograms |
Puny horses can use their front hooves as hands, except while Running. The unarmed attacks they make without using any hands deal +1 Damage.
Unique Options
|
| Pegasus Legend Tier Expertise
| |
| You sprout a majestic pair of wings from your flanks. | |
| Prerequisites Puny horse. | |
| Bonuses: | |
| ♦ You gain a 10 meter fly speed with 12 meter aerobatics distance. | |
| ♦ You get +5 meters to your movement speeds. | |
| ♦ When you Rush a creature after flying towards it from at least 8 meters away, your first attack against them stuns them for 1 round on a successful wound. |
Flaws
These are ways in which a character can have special weaknesses. The number of flaws each character gets should be standardized for the campaign: one suggested distribution would be 1 flaw for a common tier character, another flaw for every Tier upgrade, and another flaw if they have the Hero class.
Nervous: Every time the character detects a creature he hasn't seen before in the past hour, if he suspects that the creature might be antagonistic, and he isn't in a squad with any other creatures, he finds that creature Frightening X, where X depends on the creature's tier (5 for Common, 7 for Elite, 9 for Paragon, 11 for Legend).
Decrepit (Mobile creatures only): The character's movement speeds are halved, and they get -8 to Initiative Bonus.
Obese (Mobile creatures only): The character is always carrying an amount of Fat equal to their normal weight. They also need to eat twice as much.
Blind (Sighted creatures only): The character's visual sense does not function.
Deaf (Hearing creatures only): The character's auditory sense does not function.
Unpyroscient (Thermosympathetic creatures only): The character's thermosympathetic sense does not function.
Paranoid: The character can make Insight checks as a cheap action, but whenever they roll a natural 1 for an Insight check, they become utterly convinced that the offending statement or appearance is false.
Mute (Creatures that can speak only): The character cannot speak.
Armless (Creatures with a finite nonzero number of hands only): The character has one fewer hand.
Geometrically Challenged: Whenever the character enters an extradimensional space, they take 1d6+2 damage.
Frail: The character gets -1 to Toughness.
Clumsy: The character gets -1 to AD.
Grabbable: The character gets -1 to GD.
Uncertain: The character gets -1 to Will Saves.
Obvious: The character gets -1 to Stealth.
Oblivious: The character gets -2 to Perception.
Hemophilia: At the end of the character's turn, if they have any wounds, they suffer one wound.
Gentle: The character gets -1 to Attack Bonus and -1 to any Save DCs they cause.
