Inspired by a recent obsession with MUDs and a lifetime appreciation of JRPGs, here is a Travail Saga!
It is written for Emp Dyn RPG (my recent little 2d6 system), get the rules for that here: https://lizardmandiaries.blogspot.com/2022/03/emp-dyn-rpg.html
Enjoy (I'll probably put out some generators for Travail in the near future)!
Making a Player Character (PC):
- Each PC has Attributes!
- Each PC starts with a pool of 8 to assign to their attributes! A PC can increase an attribute by 1 each time they increase in level.
- The attributes are:
- Body - the PC’s physical faculties.
- Mind - the PC’s mental faculties.
- Faith - the PC’s connection with a higher power. Can be restored through prayer.
- Magic - the PC’s pool of supernatural power. Can only be restored through rest.
- A PC MUST have at least 1 in Body and Mind, but does not need to have Faith/Magic (but not having these will stop them from casting spells).
- At creation a PC must decide their “Archetype” - determining what school/s of powers they will progress in. These schools are: Spells, Skills and Abilities. A PC must pick whether they will receive:
- +8 to one school and + 2 to another per level, or,
- + 4 to one school and + 2 to the two other schools per level.
- A PC gets these pools to allocate to their schools at level 1. A single power within a school can not receive a bonus of more than +2 per level!
The Schools:
Spells: Spells require either the Magic or Faith attribute to cast.
- In the list below an F indicates the spell can be cast with Faith, and an M indicates the spell can be cast with magic. F/M means either attribute can be used.
- The PCs current Faith or Magic attribute value is added to the rolled test for casting a spell, but the attributes current value is reduced by 1 each time a spell is cast. Faith can be restored to its maximum value by praying/meditating for an hour with a successful pray/meditate (skill) test. Magic can only be restored to its maximum value by resting for 12 hours.
- The magical powers listed here are not descriptions of exact spells, but suggestions of periodic elements of magic. What can be attempted with a magical power is determined by the PC and the possibility, difficulty and outcome of that attempt is determined by the referee and the spell test.
Bless - F
Curse - F
Cleanse - F
Heal - F
Banish - F
Summon Light - F/M
Calm - F/M
Glamor - F/M
Mesmerize - F/M
Hold in place - F/M
Predict future - F/M
Summon silence - F/M
Summon barrier - F/M
Summon wind - M
Accelerate - M
Shrink - M
Invisibility - M
Intangibility - M
Warp internal organs - M
Reflect - M
Summon water - M
Weaken - M
Summon acid - M
Grow - M
Panic - M
Summon vegetation - M
Warp form of external flesh - M
Summon fire - M
Crumble - M
Telekinesis - M
Harden - M
Soften - M
Summon lightning - M
Summon earth - M
Summon hole - M
Slow - M
Cause terror - M
Cause pain - M
Summon shadows - M
Summon sickness - M
Abilities: Some of the below abilities are self evident and do not require further explanation other than their name. Others are more specific and have brief explanations of their suggested mechanics, but as with spells, what can be attempted is determined by the PC and the possibility, difficulty and outcome of that attempt is determined by the referee and a test.
- Note: Test success value = the numerical value that a PC rolls above a test difficulty target or opposing test roll
- Unarmed strike - Hits a target twice with a single test (damage x 2), knocks target unconscious at 0 Body rather than killing, attackers unmodified body value is added to test but roll and bonus halved if the target is heavily armoured.
- Pressure point unarmed strike - incapacite a target for test success value turns. The bonus in this ability can only be as high or equal to the value of Unarmed strike.
- Wrestle - Holds a target in place and unable to move for test success value turns, the wrestler must devote themselves to this task for this time (can’t attempt other actions).
- Dodge - Add Body to roll if not wearing any armour.
- Intimidate - Target won't attack PC for test success value turns.
- Holy smite - A melee attack where the PC’s current Faith value is added to the roll.
- Ranged attack
- Thrown weapon attack - Ranged attack, PCs Mind value added to the roll but the weapon must be recovered after the attack, and there is a chance it may be lost.
- Hide
- Sneak attack - an attack on an unaware target, rolled as 4d6 x 2 (instead of the normal 2d6 for a melee attack).
- Pickpocket
- Hamstring - Target can only hobble slowly for test success value turns.
- Torture
- Blind - PC uses whatever is at their disposal to blind a target test success value turns, or permanently if the tools and success value is deemed high enough by the referee.
- Poison edge - Apply poison to a blade, being effective for test success value turns.
- Throw net - Holds a target in place and unable to move for test success value turns, but the net is lost in the process.
- Melee attack
- Two handed strike - A melee attack using both hands, uses 3d6 instead of 2d6 but always attacks last in a round.
- Charge - An opening melee attack that requires an appropriately length run up, uses 4d6 + Body value (instead of 2d6).
- Flurry attack - PC attacks d6 + level times in a round but only rolls 1d6 (instead of 2d6) for each attack.
- Parry - The PC defends against attacks using their blade, adding the blades normal melee attack bonus to the roll. A PC cannot attack and parry in the same turn.
- Riposte - The turn after a successful parry test the PC can attack a parried target, also adding their weapons melee attack bonus and the parry test success value and multiplying the total by 2.
- Feint - Any other being attacking the target of a feint adds the test success value amount to their roll for that turn.
- Concussive blow - a melee attack with a blunt weapon, does double damage to heavily armored targets.
- Slice - a melee attack with a blade, does double damage to unarmoured targets
- Wild strike - a randomized melee attack, the PC rolls a d6 : 1- 2) a miss, 4 - 5) roll 4d6 instead of 2d6 for a wild strike attack 6) roll 4d6 instead of 2d6 for a wild strike attack but assume 2 of the dice are rolled as automatic 6s
- Dual wield strike - Attack twice in a turn, distributing the skill bonus over both attacks
- Enrage self - Add test success value amount to any melee attacks for test success value amount turns, but target attacked is determined at random.
- Enrage other - target only attackers enrager for test success value turns.
- Shield block - defense with a shield, adding the shield's Body bonus to the test.
- Protected retreat - PC retreats from combat while defending. move back slowly as defending
- Armour self - Test success value amount added to Body defense tests for PC level x 2 turns.
- Find weakness - Test success value added to attack rolls against the target for for PC level x 2 turns.
- Open wound - A melee attack with a blade rolled with 1d6 instead of 2d6 but half of any damage value is automatically applied to the target for d6 rounds after the attack.
- Disarm - Target drops weapon on success
- Shred armour - Target’s Body bonus granted by armour reduced by success value.
- Predict opponent - PC deduces the action the target will take in the next round, if PC is in combat with the target test success value can by added to a test against or defending against the target.
- Exhaust opponent - targets Body value is reduced by half for test success value turns.
- Topple opponent - The target falls to the ground, prone.
- Bite - Add half of Body value to roll, 1 Body value restored for each separate opponent bitten
Skills: The skills listed here are broad and suggestive, what can be attempted with a skill is determined by the PC and the possibility, difficulty and outcome of that attempt is determined by the referee and the spell test.
- Meditate/pray
- Negotiate
- Law Knowledge
- Theoretical and academic research
- Forensic investigation
- Rumour milling
- Judge intentions
- Monster knowledge
- Historical knowledge
- Disguise, costuming and performance
- Artistic creation
- Navigation
- Weather prediction
- Sailing
- Beast riding
- Wilderness survival
- Mountaineering and climbing
- Hunting and fishing
- Herblore
- Alchemy
- Poison brewing
- Move stealthily
- Lock picking and escape artistry
- Tracking
- Surgery and barbering
- First aid and medicine
- Economics and merchantry
- Valuation
- Prospecting
- Farming and woodchopping
- Cooking and meal preparation
- Smelting
- Mining
- Weapon crafting and repair
- Armour crafting and repair
- Building and masonry
- Skinning and butchery
- Tanning and textiles
- Sewing and tailoring
- Contraptioning and engineering
Limit Breaks: All 6’s rolled by PC’s “explode”, the 6 added to the rolled total and that d6 re-rolled.
- Level times a session/day a PC can choose a dice roll to be an automatic 6 and explode (except for XP aplomb bonus rolls)!
XP and Leveling:
- When a PC levels they receive their chosen archetype bonus to their chosen schools and +1 to an attribute of their choice.
- Level 2 requires a PC to gain 10 XP - this requirement is doubled each level ad infinitum (20, 40, 80, 160, 320, 640, 1280, 2560, etc).
- PCs gain xp by:
- Killing things: XP = Total of all attribute/spell/ability/skill bonuses and value of entity slain.
- Successful tests outside of combat: XP = Test difficulty target (Note: PC’s do not gain XP for successful tests if their bonus for the tested attribute/spell/ability/skill is equal to or greater than the test difficulty target).
- Completing quests: XP = Total of all attribute/spell/ability/skill bonuses and value of entity assisted.
- Earning currency = 1 coin = 1 XP.
- Aplomb Bonus: If the referee deems that the PC gained some XP through particularly stylish, in character, or otherwise impressive or entertaining means, that XP is multiplied by a roll of 2d6 roll by the PC. Limit Break rules apply (meaning rolled 6’s “explode”, the 6 added to the rolled total and the d6 re-rolled).
Additional PC Rules:
- Items and equipment: A PC can only carry/wear a number of items equal to double their body attribute.
- Equipment Bonuses: Can not be greater than half the base attribute/spell/ability/skill value. A PC can wear/wield equipment that grants a greater bonus than this but the bonus will be capped until they increase their base attribute/spell/ability/skill value.
