====== Dungeons and Dragons Highball ======

To fit the original scope of the Arcydean world and its modern developments, there are some variants on power level as ascribed to traditional D&D versus this world. This aims to cover some of the basics so we know how hard it is to stab someone.


For now, these are quick notes about the ideas I'm using - I'll get the rules such as they are together later.

==== Arcane and Divine Magics ====

=== Magic Rating ===
Magic ratings are determined by one's capabilities and power. A person may have a very high magic rating and still be unable to cast any spells if they haven't received any tutelage on the subject. 'Arcane' magic rating can be boosted or diminished by effects that change the mana of the vicinity; 'divine' magic rating can be boosted or diminished by effects that change the sanctity of the area or the mortal's connection to their god. A rating of 5 is equivalent to being a 5th level wizard or sorcerer for computing the possible limits of their spells, and so forth. Magic rating does -not- affect what spells a person can learn, but does affect how powerful these spells can be.

=== Spell Points ===
Spell Points: This is the total raw energy a person has to power spells, with lesser spells drawing less power than greater spells (and a 5d6 fireball drawing less power than a 10d6 fireball). When a caster reaches half their allotment, they become fatigued, and at a quarter or less, they are exhausted. Both arcane and divine magic draw from this pool, although divine blessings may temporarily increase the supply. If an exhausted character rests for one hour, they become fatigued instead, and are brought up to one third of their normal point total (round down). A second hour of rest will restore them to two thirds of their total; a full eight hours are required to completely restore spell points and shake off the effects of fatigue. Effects that remove fatigue or exhaustion effectively restore the caster to two-thirds of their maximum spell points. A caster still requires eight hours to change their spell allotment if they normally need to do so. Casters may cast beyond their limits but make an immediate Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level). Failure causes both lethal and non-lethal damage equal to the level of the spell cast.

=== Blood As Component ===

Mages can use blood sacrifice - their own or someone else's - to pay some of the cost of a spell. A mage can voluntarily inflict 1 point of damage to generate sufficient blood to replace a material component costing one gold piece or less, using a small knife cut; this can be done without a Concentration check. They may inflict 5 points of damage to generate sufficient blood to replace a component between 1 and 50 gold in cost; 11 points of damage to generate sufficient blood to replace a component between 50 and 300 gold in cost; 17 points of damage to generate sufficient blood to replace a component between 300 and 750 gold in cost; 23 points of damage to generate sufficient blood to replace components costing more than 750 gold; or at least 3 points of damage to avoid paying spell points at a rate of one per three points. If inflicting more than a single point of damage on themselves, they must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + damage taken + spell level) to successfully cast the spell.

The maximum limit of blood that can be generated is equal to the amount of damage required to reduce the victim to -10 hit points (which kills the victim). Blood sacrifices work similarly (although sacrificing someone with too few hit points will ruin the spell, and this is usually seen as a very Evil act if not given willingly by the participant, especially if it kills them.)

Some mages specialize in blood magic, and cannot use material components at all. This is marked as part of their character class. For those who have class levels in both blood magic and non-blood magic, they do not use their blood magic class levels for spells that use normal components.

=== Improvisational Magic ===

Standard spells work in predictable and logical ways. Unfortunately, some people can't afford to wait for the predictable and logical to protect them. This is where improvisational magic comes in.

Treat improvisational magic as a skill roll against Spellcraft. Sorcerers and bards may add their Charisma bonus; clerics may add their Wisdom bonus; wizards may add their Intelligence bonus; those with levels in multiple classes can add each attribute type they qualify for, as their versatility benefits them in this endeavour.

Use of improvisational magic always costs at least 1 SP, plus the cost of a comparable spell if it can be compared to an existing spell (for example, an exploding sphere of water could be compared to a fireball).

DC 10: Create a very minor magical effect, such as making a flame flicker and dance briefly.

DC 15: Create a minor magical effect that is sustained for more than a second, such as making smoke form a shape or changing the color of a flame for a brief period, or create an effect on par with a cantrip in power.

DC 15 + Spell Level: Create an effect equivalent to that in power of a leveled spell on the spur of the moment.

Failure still expends the energy; if the DM rules that you were trying for an effect outside of your normal range (read: you cast something you couldn't normally cast), spell points expended are doubled (as is damage taken if you overcast yourself).

A natural 1 always results in some sort of magical disaster, usually based around whatever the user was attempting to cast, and usually centered on or targeting the caster; similar will occur if the user fails a Concentration check when attempting to cast if disrupted. (If uncertain, a Chaos roll (d100) will indicate the severity involved, with higher numbers implying worse fates.)

A natural 20 always results in the best possible effect for what the user was trying to commit (maximum damage for damaging effects, in particular), and always costs only 1 SP regardless of the normal cost of the spell.

Chaosians and Wildmages can roll a Double Chaos roll to attempt to improve or change the outcome; the 'Good' Chaos roll determines the extent of beneficial side effects, while the 'Bad' Chaos roll determines the extent of harmful side effects.


==== Combat Rules ====

Defensive Bonus: The more experience you earn, the better your ability to evade attacks. This is not cumulative with armor (you take the higher bonus), but armor does reduce damage whereas being skilled does not, while being skilled does increase your touch AC whereas armor does not.

Armor as Damage Reduction: Armor is less helpful at avoiding attacks, but better at tanking attacks that hit.

==== Other Rules ====

Chaos and Double Chaos: Arcydea is a land of chaos and disorder, and as such, there are special rules that can be invoked to take advantage of this. A Chaos roll gives you a d100 chance to modify the extent of an effect - 50 being the 'normal' effect, 01 being minimal or nonexistent, and 100 being more powerful than should be possible. The DM rules on what Chaos effects do in a particular circumstance. There is also Double Chaos - which is invoked in some circumstances and can be deliberately invoked by Chaosians and Wildmages in circumstances where normal Chaos rolls would be used. Double Chaos invokes both Good Chaos (one Chaos check to see what could possibly go better than normal) and Bad Chaos (one Chaos check to see what could possibly go worse than normal); if deliberately invoked by a character, this replaces the normal Chaos check to see how bad/good the outcome could be. Typically, Chaos rolls can do anything from negate to double the raw impact of an outcome, but special cases may result in special outcomes. Those with skill in chaos manipulation can influence Chaos in either direction they choose by up to 1 percentile point per character level.

Luck Be A Lady Tonight: Luck is an attribute, and one which you can voluntarily reduce in exchange for a chance to reroll an attack or success roll in order to convert a non-critical into a critical, or a success into a failure, or a failure into a success; also, some challenges directly challenge Luck, and you can attempt to make a Luck challenge to try for a serendipitous 'lucky break' at times. In order to press your Luck, you roll a d20 and compare it to your current attribute score; then reduce it by 1 point. Luck recovers over time at the same rate as other temporary attribute losses. Failures or successes caused by Luck are considered to be 'by 1', where it matters; critical successes or fumbles are considered 'as originally rolled', where it matters.

==== Gestalts ====

Each character develops as part of a Gestalt class. Gestalt classes effectively get the best bonuses from two classes, as well as the features and talents of these classes, making them higher-powered than heroes from less fantastic realms. This also, however, means that adversaries have this capability too...

=== Character Level versus Class Level ===

Character Level, which is used to determine some effects (as opposed to Caster Level, which is determined by Magic Rating, or Class Level, which is determined by the total levels in that class the user possesses), increases with experience points. As a new character level is earned, a new gestalt of two classes is gained, and each class gains a level.

Bonuses that take into account a primary class level as well as subsidiary class levels use the most advantageous class as well as levels in secondary classes up to Character Level when determining effects. For example, a person with three levels of Fighter, two levels of Monk, and three levels of Thief might use the Monk levels plus two of whichever is more advantageous (Fighter or Thief) when determining save bonuses.

=== Bonus Class Levels ===

Through extensive discipline and study, characters can earn Bonus Class Levels to increase their skill in a particular class, up to the limit of their current Character Level. (Kieran is an example, as all of his classes are matched to his Character Level, giving him the best advantages of all worlds.) This does not increase Character Level, but other effects work as normal.

Example: George is presently Character Level 10, and is a Class Level 3 Sorcerer. He is, however, working to improve his magics, and while he may not reach Character Level 11 for a while, he may increase his Class Level to 4 through sufficient study and discipline.



=== Rule Verdicts ===

Characters who gain feats as part of a class feature (bonus feats at specific levels) gain them when their total levels in that class reach the target amount. 

Characters always gain a feat every third character level and an attribute point every fourth character level.



==== Divine Champions ====

By sacrificing a portion of their own power and focus, Gods can temporarily empower their faithful. This requires that the faithful has at least one level of Cleric (to provide the spell points needed), and the effect is tiring for both the God and the mortal; both parties lose one spell point per round the effect lasts. However, this has three benefits for the mortal:

  * The Deity in question may temporarily lower their Divine Rank in order to increase their chosen Champion's Character Level and all Class Levels by one per point of Rank thus diminished.
  * The Deity may pay for any or all of the SP costs of any spell or ability the mortal uses during the effect.

On the other hand, when the effect expires, the mortal in question is automatically exhausted (and reduced to 1/3 normal spell points if not already below this point), and the Deity cannot imbue that Champion again for 24 hours.