Rules
Dice System Overview:
This game uses a simple D10 (10-sided dice) system, similar to the Storyteller System, allowing players and the Dungeon Master (DM) to be creative. Each point in an ability, skill, spell, or talent typically equals 1D10. The DM decides how many successes are needed and which abilities can be combined.
If you prefer a more complex system, you can switch to Dungeons & Dragons, The Chronicles of Darkness, or another rule set. This particular system was created specifically for the World of Aedelore.
Core Abilities and Dice:
Your character’s main abilities (like Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom, etc.) determine how many dice you roll:
1-2 points: 1 die
2-4 points: 2 dice
4-5 points: 3 dice
Example: If your character has 5 Strength and 2 Athletics, you roll 3 dice for Strength + 2 dice for Athletics, for a total of 5 dice.
Success Levels:
To determine if you succeed, roll the dice and check the results:
1-6: Failure 6-7: Barely a success (minimal effect)
7-9: Success (you achieve what you aimed for)
10: Critical success (you achieve more than expected, and roll the die again for a possible extra bonus)
Example: If you roll a 10, roll that die again for a chance to improve your result further.
Combat:
Before starting a battle, each player rolls a D6 (6-sided die) to determine the order of turns, where 1 is the lowest and 6 is the highest. If there are more than 6 players, use a D10 instead to determine turn order.
Example of Attacking with a Sword:
To attack with a sword, you’ll first roll based on your Strength to see if the attack succeeds, then roll for damage based on your weapon. If your sword has a +2 attack power and +2 damage, you roll 4 dice in total: 2 dice for attack bonus 2 dice for weapon damage The number of successes will determine whether you hit and how much damage you inflict.
The DM will make the final decision on the result.
Abilities and Spells:
Melee Classes:
Melee classes, such as Thief, Warrior, Hunter, or Outcast, have specific actions related to their roles.
For example, a thief may pickpocket, hide, or deceive, while a hunter excels at handling animals. Some special abilities may be needed in more extreme situations.
Example of Using an Ability (Thief's Vanish): To use the Vanish ability, the player checks its description and sees it uses Stealth as the bonus. The player also notes that the ability grants 4D10, meaning they roll 4 extra dice for the action if they succeed in the check. The player rolls 1D10 for each point in Stealth. They need at least 1 success to use the ability successfully. If they succeed, they gain an extra 4D10 for the action and then pay the abilities cost in "weakened".
Magic Classes:
Magic classes, such as Conjurers and Druids, may always use spells that align with their nature. For instance, Druids can influence nature and animals, while Conjurers always may perform small magical tricks like moving objects or summoning minor items.
The DM will decide if a roll is needed or if the action succeeds automatically.
Casting Spells:
When casting a spell, check the spell type and the main ability it uses.
Example of Casting a Spell (Druid's Rebirth): If a Druid wants to cast Rebirth, they check the spell type (Nature) and the main ability (Nature). They then roll 1D10 for each point in Nature, needing at least 1 success to cast the spell.
Example of Offensive Spell (Conjurer's Ray of Frost): If a Conjurer casts Ray of Frost (an Arcana-based offensive spell), they roll 1D10 for each point in Arcana, needing at least 1 success. To calculate damage, check the spell’s details. For Ray of Frost, you roll 1D6 for damage. If the die shows a 4, the total damage is 3 x 4 = 12.
The DM will decide if there are any disadvantages and what happens if the spell fails.
Changing Spells: Magic users, like Conjurers and Druids, can learn more spells than they can use at once. When switching spells, they don’t forget the old one—it just becomes inactive. Spells can only be changed in a safe, restful area like a city or village, not in the wilderness or small camps.
Exhaustion and Bleeding: Melee classes like Warriors and Thieves can push themselves hard in combat, which can lead to exhaustion, tracked as "weakened" points. Each player has 6 weakened points. Certain abilities or actions may cost a varying number of weakened points. When all weakened points are used, the character may faint or die, depending on the situation. The DM will ask the player to roll 1D10 + their Toughness.
Outcomes:
1-3: Complete exhaustion, resulting in death
3-6: Full exhaustion, causing fainting
6-10: Full exhaustion, but the character can still move (though they cannot continue to fight)
Bleeding Example: If a character suffers a critical wound, they may start bleeding. Roll 1D6 per turn to determine how much blood is lost: 1-2: Lose 3 points 3-4: Lose 2 points 5-6: Lose 1 point Once all blood points are lost, roll 1D10 + Toughness to determine survival:
1-3: Full blood loss, leading to death
3-6: Barely alive
4-6: Fainted, unable to move or fight
Weapons and Armor:
Different weapons rely on different core abilities:
Melee Weapons (like swords): Strength
Axes/Clubs: Strength
Daggers: Dexterity
Thrown Weapons: Dexterity
Bows: Dexterity
The DM may decide if other abilities or skills are needed for a successful attack.
Example of a Jumping Attack: If a player wants to jump and shoot an arrow at an enemy, they would:
1. Roll for Acrobatics or Athletics to successfully jump.
2. Roll for weapon damage with the bow. More successes lead to a stronger attack and more damage.
Armor Mechanics: When hit, or about to be hit, you can choose how to respond:
Dodging: Roll 1D10 + Dexterity + skill to avoid the hit.
Parrying: Roll 1D10 + Strength + weapon attack bonus to block.
Blocking: Roll 1D10 + Strength + shield or armor to reduce damage.
Taking the hit: Roll 1D10 + Strength + armor to reduce the damage received.
Food, Water, and Arrows:
Your "Class, Race Bonus Sheet" shows how much food, water, and arrows you start with. These resources are tracked using dice.
Example of Food Supply: If you start with 1D10 food, roll 1D10 at the start of each day:
Roll 6-10: Keep your food at 1D10.
Roll 1-5: Reduce your food to 1D6. If you roll a 3 or lower on the D6, you run out of food and have 1 day before suffering damage due to hunger. You can restock food in towns or by hunting in the wild. The same rules apply to water.
Arrows: After each battle, roll to see how many arrows you lost or gained.
Worthiness and Reputation: Your reputation is crucial when dealing with kings, leaders, and authorities. It also influences how people treat you in towns and cities. A bad reputation might lead to guards or townspeople attacking or expelling you.
Reputation Mechanics: Good deeds, like helping others or performing heroic acts, earn you points. Bad deeds, like unnecessary killing or theft (especially when witnessed), make you lose points.
Potions: You start with three types of potions: Adrenaline Antidote Poison The number of potions you can carry depends on your character sheet. If you run out, you can buy more in towns or attempt to steal them.
Any additional potions can be stored in the "Miscellaneous" section of your inventory. Note that you cannot use poison to create poisonous arrows.
Miscellaneous: This system is designed to create smooth and flexible gameplay. It’s not meant to be easy just becuase, but it gives the DM the freedom to create fun and challenging adventures.
Example: If enemies are heavily armored, the DM will account for this in combat. High Strength alone doesn’t guarantee success in defeating every foe.
If your character follows a religion, you may experience certain advantages or disadvantages. For more details, check the "Religions and Creeds" page.