RetroRoleplaying: The Blog

The classes are Adventurers and Sorcerers. Characters normally begin at Level 1 (unless directed otherwise by the GM).

Adventurers can wear any kind of armor, can use any weapon and may use shields. Hit Points (HP), Physical Combat Bonus PCB), Magical Combat Bonus (MCB), Saving Throw (Save), and Minimum Experience Points Required for Level (XP) are listed on the table below. Maximum Level is 6.

Sorcerers can wear any type of armor, can use any weapon, may not use shields – however, wearing armor and using anything but one-handed light weapons will interfere with spell casting. Physical Combat Bonus is level/4, round up. Hit Points (HP), Physical Combat Bonus PCB), Magical Combat Bonus (MCB), Saving Throw (Save), and Minimum Experience Points Required for Level (XP) are listed on the table below. Maximum Level is 6.

Class Special Abilities

Some classes have special abilities which are described in this section.

Adventurer Special Abilities: All Adventurers have the following special ability.

Cleave - After an Adventurer kills an opponent, he may immediately make another attack against any still-standing foe within 5 feet. The maximum number of attacks he can make in one round is equal to twice his level.

Adventurers may select one special ability from the following list at levels 2, 4, and 6. Each special ability may only be selected once.

Accuracy – An Adventurer with this special ability rolls one die size larger for damage (1d6 instead of 1d4, 1d8 instead of 1d8, etc.) with thrown or missile weapons.

Berserker Rage – An Adventurer with this special ability may go into a berserker rage when in combat. During a berserker rage, the always fighter attacks the nearest foe (determine randomly if multiple foes in range). His ferocity adds his level to his attack roll and his damage. To break off combat (before all foes are dead) the berserk fighter must make a MIND save versus a DC of 10 (plus 2 for every opponent still standing) in order to break off from fighting. Each round the fighter is berserker costs him 2 hp, subtracted immediately after the berserker rage ends. A berserk fighter cannot use any combat stunts nor the Find Weakness, Leadership, or Tactical Expertise fighter special abilities.

Brutal Attack – An Adventurer with this special ability rolls one die size larger for damage (1d6 instead of 1d4, 1d8 instead of 1d8, etc.) with melee weapons.

Danger Sense: An Adventurer with this special ability has a sixth sense for danger and can never be surprised so long as he is conscious and aware.

Dodging - When not wearing armor, an Adventurer with this special ability may add 1/2 his level plus 1 for every point of dexterity above 15 to his AC.

Find Weakness - When attacking an unaware opponent, an Adventurer with this special ability may ignore any AC bonus the opponent has due to armor worn. He is hitting at his opponent’s weak, exposed areas.

Leadership - When an Adventurer with this special ability is leading a group of hirelings under their command, the hirelings subtract the Adventurer’s level in any morale checks and add the adventurer’s level to their attack and damage rolls.

Tactical Expertise – An Adventurer with this special ability has a number of Tactics Points per day equal to twice his level plus one for every point of intelligence above 13. These points are spent directly before the attack roll of anyone in the adventurer’s party, giving a +1 per point spent. Tactics Points can also be spent before any enemy’s attack roll, giving a -1 per point spent.

Unarmed Combat – An Adventurer with this special ability does 1d6 damage with his bare hands (instead of the standard 1d2 bare handed damage).

Sorcerer Special Abilities: All Sorcerers have the following special abilities.

Minor Magic - Sorcerers can cast minor "everyday/non-combat" magic at will. Basically, any everyday thing someone could do mundanely, a sorcerer can do with minor magic. Attempting something the GM considers abusive fails and causes the magic-users wand or other implement to explode (doing 1d6 backfire damage to the magic-user unless a WIL save is made). Usable once per round if no other action taken. Requires waving a handmade wand. Minor Magic is considered Grey Magic and each use costs HP equal to 1 + the number of corruption points the caster has (if any).

Some examples: Light a candle or pipe with a flame from the wand tip. Dust things – at first level a minor magic spell might be needed for each shelf or piece of furniture, while at third level a single spell might dust a room and at sixth level the magic-user's the entire floor of a house or tower. Tie or untie a knot. Float coins from the magic-users coin purse to a merchant's hand. Open a cabinet. Mix drinks. Dress/undress.

A Sorcerer knows how to create the handmade wand required for this ability. The wand must be made by the Sorcerer using it to function. Creating the wand requires a knife, a living tree to cut the wand from, and 12 minus the Sorcerer's level hours (minimum of 1 hour) of uninterrupted time.

Cast Spells (From Memory) – Sorcerers can memorize and cast directly cast (without a ritual) first and second level spells as described in the magic section of these rules. Any sorcerer may memorize and directly cast first level spells. Second level spells can be memorized and directly cast once sorcerer reaches fourth level.

Scribe Scrolls – Sorcerers may create scrolls from spells recorded in their spell books, provided that the level of the spell being copied is less than their level. Creating a scroll costs 100 gp for materials and one day of full time careful effort per level of the spell being copied. (For example, a scroll with the 3rd level spell Hold Person would cost 300 gp and take three days to scribe.)

Scrolls created in this manner can only be used by Sorcerers. A scroll can be created so that anyone able to read the language it is written in can use it. Such a scroll costs 200 gp for materials and 3 days of full time careful effort per level of the spell and requires a successful MIND Saving Throw or the scroll is ruined and useless.

When cast from the scroll, the spell costs 50% of its normal cost in hit points and costs the normal amount of corruption points if the spell is black magic. Copying a third through fifth level spell to a scroll allows it to be directly cast. Scrolls are consumed by magic energy when the spell they hold is cast.

The Cost of Sorcery: Delving into the mystic arts takes a toll on the Sorcerer’s body. A Sorcerer must accept one of the following handicaps at levels 2 and 5. Except for Phobia, each handicap can only be taken once. The handicap may be determined randomly or the GM may allow the player to select.

Frail: the Sorcerer is unhealthy and weak of frame, subtracting 1 from the number of hit points gained at each level (minimum 0).

Meager Fortitude: Character is sickly and weak of stomach, taking a -3 penalty on STR saves.

Noncombatant: The Sorcerer’s intensive studies have left him inept at melee combat; take a -2 penalty on all melee attack rolls.

Phobia: The Sorcerer has acquired a fear of some common object or situation so strong it can overwhelm him. Phobias can be temporarily overcome with a MIND save.

Poor Reflexes: The Sorcerer’s lack of time for physical activity has left him with poor reflexes -- he  zigs when he should zag -- taking a -3 penalty on DEX saves.

 Shaky: The Sorcerer has become slightly shaky and is relatively poor at ranged combat, taking a -2 penalty on all ranged attack rolls.

Unlucky: The Sorcerer has delved into things man was not meant to know and has developed bad luck, usually at the worst possible time. The GM will arbitrarily make something go wrong for the character each game session. This bad luck cannot kill the character outright, but just about anything else goes.

Unreactive: The Sorcerer is so caught up in his mental preparations that he is slow to react to danger, taking a -4 penalty on initiative checks.