Paradigm's RWBY TTRPG - Huntsmen's Handbook Volume 1 (V1.4) PDF

INTRODUCTION This is a fan-made RWBY Tabletop RPG and is not endorsed by Rooster Teeth. This is for fans, by fans and completely free! Thank you for taking a look at Paradigm’s RWBY...

INTRODUCTION This is a fan-made RWBY Tabletop RPG and is not endorsed by Rooster Teeth. This is for fans, by fans and completely free! Thank you for taking a look at Paradigm’s RWBY TTRPG system! The purpose of this rule set is to reimagine the Unofficial RWBY TTRPG it was inspired from in order to provide a much more challenging and rewarding system to play with while providing a higher sense of character progression. While you will still be able to trounce Beowolves and the like, individuals that are much more unique or special will be much more difficult to overcome and will truly be an achievement to defeat! This TTRPG system aims to allow Characters to perform a variety of cool and unique abilities each turn rather than focus on one specific manner of attacking or defending. The content within this document also adds a number of new mechanics while adding a plethora of additional options for specializations, assets, and other surprises! These changes are highly recommended for use in a battlemap style of combat over theater of mind style of combat. If you are familiar with the rule system that was used as inspiration, great! You will see elements of it still remain, however many have evolved. This is a standalone rulebook and will be laid out for you in the following pages to make sure you are eased into this variation of the RWBY universe in Tabletop RPG format. An independent document is available for Game Masters that curates the tenets of my own personal experience as a Game Master to provide satisfying experiences for Players. A GM may always make changes or edit things to better suit their own style and group’s desires. This document provides an idea of what content I have added to make the game more enjoyable for both the GM and the Players. Expect the rules in this document to reflect the start of fledgling Huntsmen and Huntresses or students just starting to attend a major Academy in Remnant. As characters progress in a Campaign, they will become stronger and will be able to handle challenging tasks. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS TTRPG VERSION: 1.4 04 CHARACTER CREATION 5. The Basics 6. Attributes 7. Resources 7. Character Progression 8. Specialization Selection 9. Build Your Weapon 11. Lien 12. Discover Your Semblance 14. Signature Action 16. Example Character Sheet 20 GAME MECHANICS 21. How To Play 27. Action Resolution 22. Terminology 28. Damage 23. Skill Checks 29. Actions 24. Advantage/Disadvantage 31. Status Effects 25. Critical Success/Failure 32. Falling Damage 25. Encounters 32. Player vs. Player 26. Rule of Cool 33. Character Defeat 26. Range Increments 33. Destiny 34 Specializations 35. Character Specializations 44. Negative Specializations 46. Faunus Specializations 48. Weapon Specializations 54. Pilot Specializations 64. Vehicle Specializations 56 Assets 57. Consumable Assets 59. Permanent Assets 60. Dust 62. Vehicles 64. Vehicle Chassis 70 REFERENCE 70. Index 3 Character Creation “You’re a Huntress! Can I have your autograph?” The following sections will lead you on the path to understanding the setting that RWBY takes place in, creating your first Character and becoming familiar with key Elements of the Character Sheet. 4  The Basics Welcome to the World of Remnant where its lands are inhabited by Humans, Faunus, and the deadly creatures of Grimm. Gifted individuals attend one of the many prestigious Academies across Remnant with the dreams of becoming a Huntsman or Huntress. Huntsmen and Huntresses are the defenders of Remnant and beacons of hope when such a prospect is devoid of one’s vision. Faunus, human and animal hybrids, face much discrimination in the world, needing to work harder in many areas, especially outside of Vale to find acceptance. Remnant is still full of mysteries, long forgotten artifacts and even whispers of magic. What will you pursue as a Huntsman or Huntress of Remnant? Character Outline Name: The name of your Character. Usually Characters in Remnant have names based on a color. This can be either a first or last name. Description: What does your Character look like? Hair color? Eye color? Physical build? Clothing style? Age: How old is your Character? Typically Huntsmen and Huntresses are enrolled in to combat schools in their teens. Height: Your Character’s height. Heritage: Which Kingdom does your Character consider themselves from? Vale, the most central Kingdom on Remnant with a diverse and inclusive population. Vacuo, the western Kingdom with a desolate and harsh desert where only the strong and hardy survive. Mistral, the eastern Kingdom with vast amounts of art, libraries, and exotic vegetation. Atlas, the northern Kingdom with its frigid lands and militaristic society. Perhaps you came from simple villages outside of the major Kingdoms where you developed your own community or perhaps became more…opportunistic. Are you a Faunus that lived in Menagerie? The tropical and cramped island community away from the hardships and discrimination of Humans? Gender: What Gender does your Character identify as? Personality: How does your Character act? Do they have quirks? What makes them happy, mad, etc? History: How did your Character get to where they are today? Try breaking up your Character’s history into 3 major events. Early life, midlife and present day. GRADIENTMGZ 5  ATTRIBUTES Attributes determine how skilled a Character will be when attempting a specific task before them. Do they struggle with lifting large or heavy objects? They will probably have lower Strength. Can they take a bit more punishment than others once their Aura is broken? Endurance is something that Character has invested in then. Strength (STR) Perception (PER) Your ability to perform physical tasks when Your ability to defend yourself relies on trying to physically exert and overpower an your Perception. Perception is used to spot obstacle uses Strength. Strength is one of weaknesses or incoming Attacks to better the primary attributes used for those who defend oneself as well as hone in on your possess great melee prowess. own intuition about others. Agility (AGI) Willpower (WIL) Your ability to move quickly, precisely, and Your ability to Influence others, understand with poise. Tasks that require accurate and the world, and manipulate your precise movement or use of delicate Semblance. You also have a knack for maneuvers require Agility. Agility is one of understanding how to approach aggressive the primary attributes used by those and delicate social interactions. excelling in ranged combat. It also affects your movement bonus. Endurance (END) Discipline (DIS) Your ability to take punishment after your Your ability to be studious and keep calm. Aura has been broken and how long you Characters with high Discipline exhibit can perform any task that requires physical extreme form and finesse when wielding exertion. Withstanding hazardous envir- Dust. Individuals with high Discipline are onmental and physical trauma is also a key highly skilled with Dust without applying it aspect of those with high Endurance. to a weapon. Additionally, Endurance determines a Character’s Health Points. Movement (MOV) Your ability to move around a battlefield at a certain speed. Your default Movement is 15ft +5ft for every 4 points of Agility you possess. Attribute Assignment Higher values indicate a Character who is more adept at that particular Attribute, while lower values indicate inadequacy with that set of skills. Your Attributes will dictate how successful you are at performing future Skill Checks as well as your performance in Combat environments. Specialized Assignment In order of importance to your Character, assign each Attribute from 1 to 6 without duplicates. This Attribute assignment caters to those looking for a focused build where you excel in a handful of categories, but not all. Work with Team Members to cover your weaknesses! Balanced Assignment Assign three 4’s and three 3’s to your Attributes. While leveling you cannot exceed a difference of 2 between any Attribute. This Attribute assignment caters to those looking for a more balanced build where you do not necessarily excel in one category or another greatly. With GM discretion, you may use alternate homebrew methods to allocate stats such as point buy or a randomized method. A GM may need to adjust the suggested Encnounters to accommodate for larger variations and higher ends of Attributes to provide a challenge. 6  Resources The listed Resources are used when an Action requires them to be expended, your Character takes Damage, a special effect activates, etc. Health Points, Aura, Capacity, and Supplies are restored to their maximum values after each Episode unless your GM specifies otherwise. Effects cannot exceed a resource’s maximum values unless specified. It is reasonable to believe that Characters rest, heal, and gather new supplies in between Episodes. Health Points (HP) Aura Health Points = END+1 Aura = WIL+DIS+2 How much Damage a Character can withstand without their The physical manifestation of a Character’s soul. Every Aura before becoming Defeated. Health Points are commonly Huntsman and Huntress is trained in its capabilities. Aura acts referred to as HP. When your HP is 0, your Character is as a layer to protect your body from Damage. When your Aura considered Defeated. Only HP restoration can bring a is 0 your Character cannot use their Semblance; any Damage Character out of the Defeated state. inflicted will be directed to your HP. Beware! Some Attacks may bypass Aura! Armor Barrier Max Barrier = 1 + LEVEL / 2 Max Armor = 1 + 1 for every 4 points of STR An additional layer of protection generated from Dust or another Some Characters wear extra Armor, or a Faunus may have source. Barrier protects you from all incoming Damage and is natural Armor. Decrease any Damage that would be directed to always decreased first before Aura and HP. your HP by 1 for every point of Armor you possess to a minimum of 1. Beware! Some Attacks may bypass or even destroy Armor! Capacity Capacity = Determined by Ranged Weapon Form The amount of ammunition left in a magazine, emergency Destiny supplies, or easily accessible Dust a character possesses. A special Resource that is always available. It allows a re-roll of Capacity is expended when a Character performs a Ranged any die in the game! Attack, Dust Skill Check, or other Additional Actions. When your Capacity is 0 your Character cannot perform Actions that require Capacity to be performed. Capacity may be restored to Rule Of Cool (RoC) its maximum by using a Minor Action called Reload. Max RoC = 5 Supplies A special resource available in Combat Encounters. Rule of Supplies = 2 Cool may be awarded by GM for a lavish and cool description of an Attack, a partner Attack, team Attack, or anything at all Representing the amount of backup ammunition, Dust, or other they feel deserves it. essentials the Character has on their person but not readily available. Supplies are expended by 1 when a Character performs a Reload. When your Supplies are 0 your Character cannot perform a Reload. Character Progression Your starting level is 1. Character levels are awarded based on GM discretion, story milestones, or character milestones. When leveling, you may Even Level: Increase want to consider rounding out your Character by maximum HP or Aura by 1. focusing on areas that they don’t excel in. Or, you may even want to pump up a single stat to extreme Odd Level: Increase any levels. But, do be careful. Some challenges may Attribute by 1. require a diverse set of skills to overcome. Choose wisely! The table to the right is the recommended Every 4th Level: Select a progression rewards. new Specialization to obtain. The 4th Level progression bonus replaces the HP/ Aura increase that is normally obtained on an even GRADIENTMGZ 7 level. You obtain this bonus at level 4, 8, 12, etc.  Specialization Selection Specializations are unique characteristics and advantages that your Character or Weapon have for you to leverage and gain an extra edge in and out of Combat. Some Specializations have negative effects on a Character, either chosen at creation or developing over the course of a Campaign. Specializations are broken up into multiple categories. Character Specializations, Faunus Specializations, Negative Specializations, Pilot Specializations, Vehicle Specializations, and Weapon Specializations. When building your Character, you must select any combination of Character Specializations and/or Weapon Specializations totaling 3. You may select 1 Negative Specialization for your Character. If you do so, you may take a 4th Character or Weapon Specialization. You cannot gain further Character or Weapon Specializations by taking additional Negative Specializations. You cannot take a Faunus Specialization if you take a Negative Specialization. Your Character must be a Faunus to take a Faunus Specialization. You may select 1 Faunus Specialization as a 4th Specialization. You cannot take a Negative Specialization if you take a Faunus Specialization. Vehicle Specializations and Pilot Specializations are unique to Vehicle Assets and outlined in the Assets and Specializations sections of this ruleset. When you obtain a Vehicle for the first time, you may select 1 Piloting Specialization. Specialization Types Character Specializations Weapon Specializations Character Specializations will always apply to Weapon Specializations apply based on the Weapon your Character except in rare circumstances Form you currently wield as an active weapon. Some such as from Actions or Status Effects. Look to Weapon Specializations are only active with certain your GM to make the call on how to proceed Weapon Forms! with certain situations that may arise. PILOT Specializations Vehicle Specializations Pilot Specializations will always apply while Vehicles Specializations will always apply to your Character Pilots a vehicle. These the current form of your Vehicle. Each vehicle Specializations provide unique ways that you has a variety of ways to customize its abilities. maneuver, perform, and interact while utilizing a vehicle. Negative Specializations FAUNUS Specializations Negative Specializations are designed with Faunus Specializations are specifically for the intent to have a significant impact on your Characters that are Faunus and combine Character and are major choices that could aspects of Negative Specializations and be tied to the backstory of your Character. Character Specializations to provide a trait You may even be able to overcome these that can be leveraged to your advantage and Negative Specializations through incredible against you as a disadvantage. work and roleplay. Discuss this with your GM. 8  Build Your Weapon When constructing your weapon, consider it an extension of your Character. It should fit thematically with your Character concept and flow with their preferred method of combat. You may only have one Melee and Ranged Form Active at any time. The Specialization that is unique to each Weapon Form applies only while that weapon form is Active. Construct your weapon with the template below: Weapon Name: The name of your Weapon. Select an appropriate name for what it may do or be inspired from! Weapon Description: What does your weapon look like? Does it take the form of something common or does it have a more unique appearance? Make it unique here! Melee Form: Select 1 Melee Form. Ranged Form: Select 1 Ranged Form. Melee Forms AEGIS Aggressive ATTUNED Aegis weapons are defensive in Aggressive weapons often come in Fluid weapons harmonize or are nature, often forming a shield or large sizes, using pure ferocity to symbiotic in nature with the soul barrier to better protect the user defeat their enemies and inflict and often tied to one’s Semblance and their Allies. You may replace large amounts of Damage. in some manner. your Ranged Weapon Form with the Aegis Melee Form. Attacks from Aggressive Weapon Attacks from Attuned Weapon Forms are performed at Adjacent Forms are performed at Adjacent Attacks from Aegis Weapon range. range. Forms are performed at Adjacent range. While rolling to Attack, you utilize While rolling to Attack, you utilize your Strength and Endurance. your Strength and Willpower. 2D10 While rolling to Attack, you utilize 2D10 + STR + END + STR + WIL your Strength and Capacity. 2D10 + STR + CAPACITY Aggressive weapons always Attuned weapons always apply apply the Aggressive Power the Attuned Nature Specialization. Aegis weapons always apply the Specialization. Enduring Bastion Specialization. Your Maximum Capacity is 5 and replaces your Ranged Form’s Maximum Capacity. Dust Weaver Elegant Precise You are able to command the Elegant weapons are often Precise weapons are adept at elements of Dust with incredible dazzling to watch in action and are seeking out the cracks in an finesse, even so far as rapidly difficult for opponents to defend opponent’s defenses to inflict creating waves of an element at against due to their unique nature. Damage. point blank range in the face of danger. Attacks from Elegant Weapon Attacks from Precise Weapon Forms are performed at Adjacent Forms are performed at Adjacent Melee Attacks from a Dust range. range. Weaver are performed at Close range and are infused with 1 of While rolling to Attack, you utilize While rolling to Attack, you utilize your Active Dust. your Strength and Discipline. 2D10 your Strength and Agility. 2D10 + + STR + DIS STR + AGI While rolling to Attack, you utilize your Discipline and Endurance. Elegant weapons always apply Precise weapons always apply 2D10 + DIS + END. the Elegant Flourish Specialization. the Precise Strikes Specialization. Dust Weaver may only be utilized by Characters with the Dust Weaver Specialization. GRADIENTMGZ 9  Build Your Weapon Ranged Forms Automatic Automatic weapons come in various calibers, ranging from sub machine guns to assault rifles. These weapons usually compensate for accuracy and distance with volume of fire. Automatics may be fired at Medium range. While rolling to Attack, you utilize your Agility and Discipline. 2D10 + AGI + DIS Automatics always apply the High Rate of Fire Specialization. Your Maximum Capacity is 6. Dust Weaver The ability to summon projectiles or rain down elemental chaos from Dust with hand gestures alone. Ranged Attacks may be performed at Medium range and are infused with 1 of your Active Dust. While rolling to Attack, you utilize your Discipline and Agility. 2D10 + DIS + AGI You must select the Dust Weaver Specialization. Your Maximum Capacity is 8. Energy Weapons that use an energy source instead of manufactured bullets to fire projectiles. This provides a unique capability and is often the standard for many Atlas soldier’s weaponry. Energy weapons may be fired at Medium range. While rolling to Attack, you utilize your Agility and Discipline. 2D10 + AGI + DIS Energy weapons always apply the Limiter Release Specialization. Your Maximum Capacity is 6. Explosive Weapons that fire explosive payloads come in various forms. Grenade launchers and rocket launchers contain impressive firepower that can clear large groups of Grimm with a few blasts. Explosives may be fired at Long range. While rolling to Attack, you utilize your Agility and Strength. 2D10 + AGI + STR Explosive weapons always apply the High Explosive Specialization. Your Maximum Capacity is 4. Heavy Automatic Heavy Automatic weapons come in larger platforms such as a minigun or machine gun fed with belts or drum magazines. Heavy Automatics may be fired at Medium range. While rolling to Attack, you utilize your Agility, Strength, and Endurance. 2D10+ AGI + (STR / 2) + (END / 2) Heavy Automatics always apply the High Rate of Fire Specialization. Your Maximum Capacity is 5. Linked Linked weapons act as an extension of yourself and often take odd or unorthodox design forms. They usually are attached or float in various manners that bond to one’s Aura. Linked weapons may be fired at Medium range. While rolling to Attack, you utilize your Agility and Willpower. 2D10 + AGI + WIL Linked weapons always apply the Soul Coupler Specialization. Your Maximum Capacity is 5. Nonconventional Weapons that fire arrows, darts, shurikens, etc are quieter than firearms and provide better ambush opportunities. Nonconventional weapons may be fired at Medium range. While rolling to Attack, you utilize your Agility and Discipline. 2D10 + AGI + DIS While selecting a Nonconventional Weapon Form, you may select the Silent or Nozzle Disbursement Specialization. Your Maximum Capacity is 6. 10  Build Your Weapon Pistol Small or miniaturized firearms are built into your weapon. You may carry a sidearm instead of an integrated ranged component to your Weapon. Pistols may be fired at Close range. While rolling to Attack, you utilize your Agility and Discipline. 2D10 + AGI + DIS / 2 + (LEVEL / 2) Pistols always apply the CQB Ergonomics Specialization. Your Maximum Capacity is 7. Shotgun A sawed off or full sized shotgun in your weapon employs an effective range with every trigger pull. Shotguns may be fired at Close range. While rolling to Attack, you utilize your Agility and Endurance. 2D10 + AGI + END Shotguns always apply the Collateral Damage Specialization. Your Maximum Capacity is 5. Sniper Weapons that utilize powerful ammo and long barrels are usually larger weapons by nature that can fire at further distances than most firearms. Snipers may be fired at Extreme range. While rolling to Attack, you utilize your Agility and Discipline. 2D10 + AGI + DIS Snipers always apply the Heavy Caliber Specialization. Your Maximum Capacity is 5. Lien The currency of Remnant. This is used to purchase services, pay for goods, bribe individuals, or any other creative venture you may want to investigate. Players may earn Lien in a variety of methods such as undertaking missions, working a part time job or through more questionable methods… Standardized Starting Lien Randomized Starting Lien Each Character starts with a fund of 150 Roll 2D10 twice and take the higher Lien available to them. result. Multiply that result by 10 to obtain your starting Lien. When determining which method to use for your starting Lien, use whichever method you find more enjoyable. The Lien resource at the start is not as major of a power differential as Attributes are. I encourage Players to choose whichever method they would like to use. Your GM may recommend otherwise. GRADIENTMGZ 11  Discover YOUR SEMBLANCE Every Huntsman and Huntress has a Semblance, whether it is known to them or not. (Up to you as a Player!) Semblances are manifestations of the soul and can vary in a number of different abilities. During Character Creation it is important to keep in mind your Character’s personality and style, which should serve as a direct influence on their Semblance’s manifestation. A Semblance Skill Check and Semblance Defense Check may be utilized until your Character’s Aura is 0. Passive Semblance Passive Semblances do not apply their effect if your Aura is 0. These Semblances are typically less powerful than Immediate or Channeled Semblances, but provide a constant benefit without the need for Semblance Skill Checks or Semblance Activations. Refer to Yang Xiao Long’s Burn as an example of a Passive Semblance. Immediate Semblances An Immediate Semblance is an activated ability that performs its effect and then deactivates. You must use a Semblance Skill Check to activate an Immediate Semblance and your Aura cannot be 0. Immediate Semblances should use a tiered Semblance Difficulty Check. Refer to Ruby Rose’s Petal Burst as an example of an Immediate Semblance. Channeled Semblance A Channeled Semblance is a Semblance that persists over time and must be maintained each turn and any time you take Damage in order to continue its effect. Channeled Semblances are usually very strong due to their nature of requiring more focus and training to utilize effectively. You must use a Semblance Skill Check to activate a Channeled Semblance and your Aura cannot be 0. Maintaining a Channeled Semblance does not require the use of an Action when you perform the Semblance Skill Check. In order to maintain a Channeled Semblance’s Effects and abilities after activating it, refer to the steps below for maintaining a Semblance. Refer to Jaune Arc’s Aura Amp as an example of a Channeled Semblance. Maintaining a Semblance 1. Each time you take Damage, you must roll a successful Semblance Skill Check at a DC defined by the GM to maintain your Semblance’s effect. The higher the Damage, the more difficult your Semblance will be to maintain. 2. At the start of each of your turns, you may elect to maintain your Semblance by performing a Semblance Skill Check with a DC defined by the GM. The longer you maintain a Semblance during an Encounter, the higher the DC value. This difficulty increase persists even if you deactivate your Semblance and reactivate it immediately. The difficulty decreases as time passes. GM discretion is advised here. Hybrid Semblance A Hybrid Semblance is much more intricate than most Semblances and often contains a combination of the three dominating classes in effects. The Semblance Training Specialization is required to modify your Semblance into a Hybrid Semblance. You cannot start with a Hybrid Semblance unless you select Semblance Training. Refer to Weiss Schnee’s Glyphs as an example of a Hybrid Semblance. Semblance Creation Guidelines While developing a Semblance with a GM, ensure your Semblance has room to grow if you choose to undergo Semblance Training in the future. To ensure Semblances provide additional options and solutions for you rather than be a one size fits all solution, use the following guidelines. Simple Semblances are easy to remember and quick to work with. Immediate Semblances work best with 3 tiers of DC’s. The recommended tiers are 10, 20, and 30. Channeled Semblance maintenance is recommended to be 10 + 2 (For each Combat Round elapsed) and 10 + Damage inflicted when your Character takes Damage. Semblances should not solve all problems. It should provide options over stat increases. Gaining or inflicting effects that are from the RoC table should be avoided to keep RoC and Semblances unique and purposeful. When assigning values to your Semblance as it performs Damage, benefits, penalties, or etc, it is best to use the formula of your WIL / 2 to ensure the Semblance scales later on as you progress. This could be used to determine the damage inflicted, the number of Allies or Adversaries affected, the amount of a custom resource you may hold, etc. Work with your GM to create unique tiers to your Semblance as your character progresses. Taking the Semblance Training Specialization will allow you to enhance your Semblance abilities. 12  SEMBLANCE EXAMPLES Yang Xiao Long’s Jaune Arc’s Weiss Schnee’s Burn Aura Amp Glyphs Passive Semblance Immediate Semblance Channeled Semblance Hybrid Semblance This Semblance is always Active unless Apply 1 effect based on your Semblance While this Semblance is channeled, up Apply 1 effect based on your Semblance the Character’s Aura has reached 0 or a Skill Check. You may elect to use a lower to X Entities within Close range gain 1 Skill Check. You may elect to use a Detrimental Status Effect has negated DC effect if you roll above a desired Aura Point at the end of your Turn lower DC effect if you roll above a it. effect. where X is equal to WIL / 2. desired effect. DC10 = You may immediately perform a Intimidate Skill Checks are performed Move Action equal to your Movement You may perform the following to DC10 (Immediate) = Place a Glyph with Advantage. without being impeded by terrain or another Entity that is within Adjacent Marker within Close range. You may entities. range with a Minor Action. move to this Glyph Marker at any time If you are missing at least half of your with a Minor Action during your Turn as Maximum Aura, you may replace Boost DC20 = You may immediately perform a Expend your Aura by a value up to your long as it is within Long range. An with Empower on your Melee Attacks/ Move Action equal to your Movement +10 WIL / 2. Target Entity restores Aura Attack performed after moving to a Damage. Unarmed Attacks/Damage may without being impeded by terrain or equal to that amount. Glyph Marker is performed with utilize Empower. entities. and gain Advantage on all Dodge Advantage. Glyph Markers persist until Defense Checks until the start of your Expend your HP by a value up to your used. You may have a maximum amount next turn. WIL / 2. Target Entity restores Aura of Active Glyph Markers equal to your equal to that value multiplied by 2. WIL / 2. DC30 = You and up to 3 Close range Entities may immediately perform a Move DC20 (Immediate) = Your Glyph Markers Action equal to your Movement +10 are not removed when used. Allies may without being impeded by terrain or also use your Glyph Markers with the entities and gain Advantage on all Dodge same rules. Defense Checks until the start of your next turn. Entities must end their DC30 (Channeled) = Summon an Entity movement Adjacent to you if they elect that you previously defeated while to be moved with this effect. maintaining this Semblance. It acts on your Turn and may act the Turn it is summoned. These are example versions of canon Characters and their Semblances. You may have come up with a different idea on how these operate and that’s totally fine! Use these examples as a base to create the rules around your Semblance and work with your GM to strike a balance of power with it. 13  Signature Action Create Your Signature Action Create a Signature Action that utilizes your Character’s characteristics and personality! These Actions may be described and flavored up to you! Signature Actions may be performed once per Episode, cannot be performed as Charge Attacks and cannot be performed with any Rule of Cool effect that inflicts a Detrimental Status Effect or Critical Damage. The requirements to perform Signature Actions are dependent on the features they possess. Create your Signature Action by following the steps below: Select 2 different Attributes you wish to utilize while performing your Signature Action. You gain additional benefits dependent on which Attributes are selected. The Signature Action formula and Attribute Benefits are as follows: Signature Action = 2D10 + Primary Attribute + Secondary Attribute Strength (STR) Agility (AGI) Endurance (END) Your Signature Action Damage gains A Signature Action that requires a Major Restore HP equal to your Double Advantage. Action now requires a Minor Action to Signature Action / 10 or remove 1 perform. Detrimental Status Effect. A Signature Action that requires 2 Major Actions now requires 1 Major Action to perform. Perception (PER) Willpower (WIL) Discipline (DIS) You may add an additional Detrimental You may add an additional Beneficial Your Signature Action gains Double Status Effect to your Signature Action if Status Effect to your Signature Action if Advantage. you selected one to inflict while performing you selected one to provide while per- your Signature Action. forming your Signature Action. Select what type of Signature Action you are performing: Melee, Ranged, or Other. Melee: Your Signature Action is performed within your Active Melee Weapon Form’s Range and benefits from applicable Weapon Specializations. Ranged: Your Signature Action is performed within your Active Ranged Weapon Form’s Range and benefits from applicable Weapon Specializations. Other: Your Signature Action is performed within Medium range and may be performed as a Dust Skill Check or Semblance Skill Check. Apply Character Specializations that utilize Dust Skill Checks or Semblance Skill Checks. Your Semblance Skill Check does not perform the effect or your Semblance. Select the amount of RoC required to perform your Signature Action. Signature Actions requiring 1 Rule of Cool expend 1 Major Action to perform. Signature Actions requiring 2 and 3 Rule of Cool expend 2 Major Actions to perform. Select a number of Signature Action Effects equal to the amount of Rule of Cool required to perform your Signature Action. You may not select a duplicate Signature Action effect or multiple Detrimental/Beneficial Status Effects. 14  Signature Action Signature Effects Detrimental Status Effects: Beneficial Status Effects: Bleeding Charged Burning Cover (Until the end of your next Turn) Chilled Diffraction Disoriented Extinguish Exposed Harmonized Poisoned Regeneration Shaken Reinforced Strained Weakened Area of Effect Fortify Your Target and Close range Adversaries and Allies to the You may distribute a total amount of Armor equal to your Target are affected by your Signature Action. Signature Action / 10 among yourself and Allies affected. If you are utilizing the Anti-Material Weaponry, Cleaving, Initiative Change Collateral Damage, High Explosive, or Returning Weapon You and Allies affected re-roll Initiative and you may apply Specializations, the effect changes to the following: the new Initiative at the start of the next Combat Round. Your Initiative roll is performed with Advantage equal to the Perform Signature Action Damage with Advantage instead if value of Rule of Cool required to use your Signature Action. any of the previous Weapon Specializations apply. Multi Target Critical Threshold You may Target Entities within range of your Signature Decrease the Critical Threshold of Adversaries affected by Action up to the value of the Rule of Cool required to use your Signature Action by 5 while calculating Signature your Signature Action. Action Damage. Outmaneuver Defense Bypass You and Allies affected may immediately perform a Move Ignore Barrier and Armor of your Target while calculating Action with a Capacity Move that does not expend a Minor Damage from your Signature Action. Decrease any Barrier Action. and Armor of your Target by half after your Signature Action resolves. Range Increase the range of your Signature Action up to the value Disrupt of the Rule of Cool required to use your Signature Action. While Targeting 1 or more Adversaries, you may move them up to 15ft in any direction and decrease their position by 1 in Recycle the Initiative Order. Restore Capacity equal to your Signature Action / 10. Dust Bolster Safeguard You and Allies affected apply the strongest Status condition You may distribute a total amount of Barrier equal to your if applicable from any Dust infused to your Signature Action. Signature Action / 10 among yourself and Allies affected. Add +5 to your Signature Action for the purposes of calculat- ing any Dust inflicted Status Effect that inflicts Damage Siphon when dividing by 10. Restore Aura equal to your Signature Action / 10. Teamwork Allies affected may immediately perform 1 Action. This Action utilizes their current Combat Round’s Action Pool. Performing Your Signature Action Signature Actions may perform the Boost Action and may be infused with Dust while utilizing the Melee and Ranged Types. While performing your Signature Action, always apply Damage and Detrimental Status Effects to Adversaries affected by your Signature Action. While performing your Signature Action, always apply Beneficial Status Effects to yourself and Allies affected by your Signature Action. If your Signature Action possesses effects that do not rely on a roll and does not inflict Damage, perform your Signature Action roll with your Target selected. Provide the affected Entity or Entities stacks of Advantage to their next Action equal to your Signature Action / 10 in addition to all applicable Signature Effects. An Ally is affected by a Signature Effect if it specifically mentions Allies in its effect. 15  Example Character Sheet 16 Example Character Sheet 17  Example Character Sheet 18 Example Character Sheet 19 Game Mechanics “Good luck studying. That’s wrong by the way.” The following sections will lead you on the path to understanding the setting that RWBY takes place in, creating your first Character, and becoming familiar with every aspect of the Character Sheet. 20 GRADIENTMGZ  How to Play Join or create your own group to play with and make sure someone is able to take on the GM role! You may need to reference topics in other sections of this ruleset in order to gain a better understanding of all your options. This tabletop game system uses D10 to perform most of its primary rolls. Each game that you play is considered an Episode, similar to how you would watch an episode of RWBY. A collection of Episodes create a Campaign Arc, or just Arc for short. Splitting up your Campaign into multiple Episodes to form an Arc allows you to provide a final climatic event in which Players are awarded something special outside of the normal progression for their achievement. All Characters restore their HP, Aura, Capacity, and Supplies to their maximum values at the end of each Episode unless otherwise specified by your GM. If you are playing with physical items, the minimum number of dice you need are 2D10 and 1D6. Extra dice can be helpful in common situations such as Advantage or Rule of Cool bonuses. Below is a bulleted list of the recommended items to bring to a game. You also have the option to play digitally through online mediums. 3D10 8D6 Printed Character Sheet Pencil Eraser The first 2D10 that you roll are classified as your Natural D10s. These dice repres- ent your Action. In some cases, there will be modifiers that increase your roll by a set value or even an additional D10. These instances will be covered further into this ruleset. D6 dice are primarily used for determining Damage dealt during Combat Encounters. The first 1D6 that you roll is classified as your Natural D6. Most Damage rolls start with 1D6 and can be modified from there based on other effects and variables. Whenever you are dividing numbers and a remainder is left over, you will always round remainders of 5 and above up while remainders of 4 and below are rounded down. Your Character sheet contains all the information to play your character, keeping your Attribute modifiers and Resources available at a glance over the course of an Episode. Always look to your GM if you are unsure how to proceed in a situation. They will instruct you on any checks you must perform or additional modifiers that apply which can be positive or negative depending on the situation! Your GM will guide you through a number of scenes, and often coax out Character interactions. While Roleplay may seem daunting at first, don’t be afraid to take the initiative and interact with the world around you. Talk to your teammates and NPCs! Investigate! Explore the world of Remnant and together make a journey to remember! In the event that a rule or effect is forgotten after the roll is made, and is not caught immediately, my personal GM recommendation is to simply move on. Even if the result may have been significantly different with the alteration. Retroactively changing the past has the potential to stall a game to a standstill, and at the end of the day, we’re all human and make mistakes. GRADIENTMGZ 21  Terminology Action: A Major Action, Minor Action, or Miscellaneous Action. Action Pool: The collection of your Major and Minor Actions that you may perform in a Turn. At the start of your Turn, your Action Pool is set to 3. Active: A Weapon Form, Asset, or other special rule that is currently in effect or can be utilized. Adversary: A hostile Entity. Ally: A friendly Entity other than yourself. Arc: A collection of Episodes in a Campaign. Attack: Any Action that is used offensively. Attribute: How skilled a Character will be when attempting a specific task before them. Campaign: The overall story that has developed with your GM through the course of multiple Arcs. Character/PC: The Character you control and roleplay as. Combat Encounter: A turn-based combative scenario against one or more Adversaries. Combat Round: The collection of Turns from all Entities engaged during a Combat Encounter. Critical Threshold: The value at which Critical Damage occurs. Entity: A Character, Nonplayable Character (NPC), or Inanimate Object. Episode: A single game session. Game Master (GM): The individual who creates and runs each Episode for the Players. They assist in moving the story forward, resolving the Players’ creative solutions and above all ensure that the game meets everyone’s expectations. Inactive: A Weapon Form, Asset, or special rule that is not currently in effect or cannot be used. Infuse: Utilizing dust with creative, destructive, or supportive potential. Initiative Order: The order in which Entities take their Turn in a Combat Encounter. Major Action: A type of Action available in your Action Pool. Major Actions are reserved for high impact or complicated tasks such as Attacking. You may only perform 2 Major Actions per Turn unless otherwise specified by a special rule or effect. Minor Action: A type of Action available in your Action Pool. Minor Actions are used for tasks that would be stressful while in the heat of battle or Additional Actions. There is no limit to the number of Minor Actions you may perform as your Action Pool permits. Player: The individual playing as a Character. Resource: A limited amount of Aura, Armor, Barrier, Capacity, Health Points, and Supplies: used primarily in Combat Encounters. Roleplay: Speaking and interacting with other Characters or NPCs as if you were your Character. Rule of Cool (RoC): A special resource based on the performance of one or more Characters In action, roleplay, or anything the GM deems worthy. Skill Check: A test of a Character’s prowess and abilities to ensure they can complete a task. Social Encounter: A non-combat scenario in which one or more Characters must prevail with their mind, creativity, and social skills. Specialization: Unique characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages that your Character, Vehicle, or Weapon have for you to leverage and gain an extra edge. Status Effect: Detrimental or Beneficial effects that persist for a certain period of time. Target: The intended Entity you wish to interact with or perform an Action against. Turn: A single Character or NPC’s time to perform Actions within a Combat Encounter. A Turn ends when you have no Actions left to perform or have chosen to pass with remaining Actions available. Weapon Form: A Melee Form or Ranged Form. 22  Skill Checks At times in play your GM will call for a Skill Check, providing a hurdle for Characters to overcome. While success can offer reward, be wary of the consequences of failure. In this section the eighteen types of Skill Checks are outlined, along with their applications. Carry Deceit Dust Carry = 2D10 + STR + END Deceit Check = 2D10 + AGI + WIL Dust Check = 2D10 + DIS + (LEVEL / 2) Ugh! The ability to carry large or heavy Look at this! You have a knack for Try this! Harnessing the power of Dust, you objects without tiring or collapsing. Ex: concealing away your true intentions, attempt to bend the environment to your Carrying a number of wounded Huntsmen/ information, and your own body language will, adding or molding it in a manner you Huntresses to safety or lugging around a to make yourself hard to read. Ex: see fit. You may perform a Dust Attack by large case with a prototype technology. Convincing a security guard that you are a utilizing a Major Action. Ex: creating a wall contract worker coming to do work, slipping of ice, an updraft of air, or creating a raised a note to an ally, or lying to an adversary pedestal of earth. Refer to Dust under about your skills. Assets for more information on how to use a Dust Skill Check. Endure Engineering Expertise Endure Check = 2D10 + END Engineering Check = 2D10 + AGI + Expertise Check = 2D10 + DIS + WIL + (LEVEL / 2) (LEVEL / 2) I know that! You have extensive knowledge Grrr! Being able to tough out pain to your Careful! Working on simple or complex in one or more particular fields that you body whether it be external or self-induced equipment takes a delicate hand. have read or studied in some manner. from overexertion. Ex: Taking a strong Ex: Working on your weapon, hotwiring the Ex: Understanding complex dust formulas, Attack from a Grimm, resisting a poison security of a door, or performing disabling a weapon system on a that attempts to take hold of your body, or unauthorized upgrades to your scroll. dangerous vehicle or connecting to the fighting an illness brought on by a security cameras of an entire warehouse. mysterious gas. First Aid Force Grapple First Aid Check = 2D10 + PER + END Force Check = 2D10 + STR + (LEVEL / 2) Grapple Check = 2D10 + STR + PER Every second counts! You are able to identify Brute force! Use your Character’s might to Gotcha! Having the keen eye and strength and understand the limits of the physical destroy or remove an obstacle in your path to keep hold of your Target. Ex: Latching body’s tolerances. This allows you to provide that is preventing you from moving forward. on to a fleeing foe to keep them in place or medical attention, stabilize an individual or Ex: Smashing down a door, pushing heavy throwing out a grappling hook to an ally in assess what an individual is specifically rocks away from a cave entrance or even need. During Combat Encounters, you may suffering from. Ex: Stabilizing a critically shoulder tackling through a number of perform a Grapple Skill Check within wounded ally or finding the cause behind an weaker adversaries to break through to the Adjacent range of another Entity. Compare individual’s inability to walk. other side. your Grapple Skill Check against the Defense or Ability/Skill Check of your Target. Success inflicts the Grappled Detrimental Status Effect. You must perform a successful Grapple Skill Check during your following Turn or if an Entity attempts to free itself to maintain the Grappled Detrimental Status Effect. Intimidate Intuition Investigate Intimidate Check = 2D10 + STR + WIL Intuition Check = 2D10 + PER Investigate Check = 2D10 + PER + DIS + (LEVEL / 2) Hey you! Attempting to use impending What’s that? Careful observation and force or tone of voice to force another It’s quiet…too quiet. Through quick checking of a particular item, individual, or individual to be persuaded or give up. Ex: listening and observation, you are able to location may reveal more than what is on Interrogating a defeated enemy, preventing identify someone being deceitful of their the surface. Ex: Performing a thorough a robber from escalating to violence, or intentions, or something off about your investigation of an oddly placed statue in a threatening someone with your voice so surroundings. Ex: Determining if another manor or taking the time to examine a they will cease their actions. individual is lying to you, observing an snow-covered cavern where you swore oddity of the environment, or figuring out if you saw an area glow. someone is hiding a key piece of information. GRADIENTMGZ 23  Skill Checks negotiate PERFORMANCE Reflex Negotiate Check = 2D10 + WIL + PER Performance Check = 2D10 + END + DIS Reflex Check = 2D10 + AGI + PER Let’s calm down! Taking in the atmosphere Putting your expertise to work is tough! No Uh oh! You have trained your motor skills and feeling of the situation, you are able to matter how long you are showing off to to perform precise movements and react in attempt to negotiate, diffuse a situation, or your friends or allies with your skills, it can a trained manner to a variety of situations. convince someone of an alternative. take a toll on you. Ex: Playing an Ex: Rolling out of the way of falling debris, Ex: De-escalating a situation between you instrument at a concert or cooking meals performing a delicate dance with your and other Huntsmen/Huntresses or for the entirety of Beacon Academy! weapon or side stepping to avoid falling haggling for a better deal with a specialty through a hole. shop. RESOLVE Semblance Stealth Resolve Check = 2D10 + END + WIL Semblance Check = 2D10 + WIL Stealth Check = 2D10 + AGI + DIS + (LEVEL / 2) Mind over matter! You are able to steel Shhh! You make adjustments while moving your mind and nerves against negative Activate! Your mind is calm and clear, quickly, making sure you are both unheard influences that would otherwise cause focusing for a split moment on using the and unnoticed with the utmost care and doubt. Ex: Resisting the thoughts seeded gift you possess. Your semblance comes to precision of movement through practice. by a nefarious Grimm or continuing to push power or has always been there. Ex: Sneaking into an abandoned ware- through when hope is bleak. Semblance Skill Checks are used to house under the cover of night, avoiding activate or Maintain your Semblance. detection from security, or covertly moving Passive Semblances do not require a through the thickets of a forest. Semblance Skill Check. You cannot perform a Semblance Check if your Aura is 0. Ex: Ruby Rose sweeping up her friends from danger. Advantage / Disadvantage Advantage and Disadvantage are provided based on unique ideas by Players with GM approval, a Specialization, RoC effect or a unique ability from an NPC. When a GM declares that you have either Advantage of Disadvantage on a specific roll, perform that roll twice. For Advantage, you may take the highest value rolled. For Disadvantage, you must take the lowest value rolled. For example, if you have Advantage and roll a 16 and a 21, you may use either the roll for 16 or 21. In the case of Disadvantage with the same rolls, you would use the roll of 16. If circumstances cause a roll to have both Advantage and Disadvantage, your roll is considered to have neither as the bonus and detriment negate each other. Double Advantage / Disadvantage If a GM provides you with an additional stack of Advantage/Disadvantage while you already have Advantage/Disadvantage, perform your roll three times. For example, if you have Double Advantage and roll a 16, 21 and 24, you may use either the roll for 16, 21, or 24. In the case of Double Disadvantage with the same rolls, you would use the roll of 16. Triple Advantage / Disadvantage In rare cases, but with incredible coordination, team work or misfortune, if your GM provides an additional stack of Advantage/Dis- advantage while you already have Double Advantage/Disadvantage, perform your roll four times. For example, if you have Triple Advantage and roll a 16, 21, 24, and 11, you may use the roll for 11, 16, 21, or 24. In the case of Triple Disadvantage with the same rolls, you would use the roll of 11. You cannot gain any further benefit or detriment past Triple Advantage/Disadvantage. 24  Critical Success / Failure When a Player performs any Action that involves their Natural 2D10, a result of two 10s is considered a Critical Success while two 1s is considered a Critical Failure. Any additional D10s added by other bonuses or effects are not used when determining a Critical Success or Critical Failure as these are not the Natural 2D10 from the roll. A Critical Success will always result in a success. Likewise, a Critical Failure will always result in failure. It is up to your GM to consider how a Critical Success or Failure will play out during a Roleplay or Social Encounter. In Combat Encounters, a Critical Success will always succeed while performing an Action, Inflict Critical Damage, Increase your Rule of Cool by 3 and every other Team Member’s Rule of Cool by 1. The Rule of Cool gained by performing a Critical Success does not count towards your personal or team Rule of Cool for that turn. In Combat Encounters, a Critical Failure will always fail while performing an Action and decrease your Rule of Cool by 1. The GM may even rule that you have fumbled your weapon or some other catastrophic event in the result of a Critical Failure! Encounters Social Encounters Some types of Encounters may be Social Encounters in which a Player or Players engage in Roleplay with NPCs that pose a challenge to overcome not with violence, but with words. The results of Social Encounters could advance a plot, impact a personal journey or reveal a key piece of information that had remained hidden. A GM may not always ask for a roll during a Social En- counter and it’s not expected that you will always perform a Skill Check during a Social Encounter except in cases where a major request or accusation is made. Sometimes no conclusion can be reached and more aggressive communication becomes introduced! Combat Encounters When negotiating a peaceful outcome or when an opposing individual or individuals just can’t be reasoned with, a Combat Encounter may occur in order to resolve the problem! Sometimes they can be initiated by the Player Characters, catching their opponents off guard or vice versa! Usually, most Combat Encounters are initiated with both parties aware of each other. Many of your Resources will come into play during a Combat Encounter, including Combat Encounter only mechanics such as Rule of Cool and Combat Abilities. When entering a Combat Encounter, a GM will call for an Initiative roll. The GM will note the values rolled by the Player Character team by ordering them accordingly in an Initiative Order. Players and Entities take their Turn based on the Initiative Order. A Turn is classified as the moment when you are able to act in the Initiative Order. Each Turn your Action Pool is set to 3 Actions. You may only ever perform 2 Major Actions during a Turn unless otherwise specified by a specific effect or rule. A Combat Round is the collection of Turns performed by all Entities involved in the Combat Encounter. Once all Entities have performed a Turn, that Combat Round ends and a new Combat Round begins from the top of the Initiative Order. GRADIENTMGZ 25  Rule Of Cool (RoC) RoC is a resource accumulated throughout combat encounters and social encounters based on how flavorful and dazzling your Character and other Characters perform. Your RoC becomes 0 once a GM declares a Combat Encounter has started or ended. You may activate all RoC option below while in a Combat Encounter. While out of Combat, you may only activate the RoC options that increases an Action by 1D10. A GM may award RoC after an Action when a Character’s Actions are described in eloquent/ vivid detail, curious/interesting dialogue, team attacks (all participating members will gain RoC), etc. A GM has the option to not award RoC if a Character’s Actions are repetitive, the same team Attack is used in the encounter, and any other place the GM finds it relevant. The maximum RoC you may possess is 5. You may gain 1 RoC by performing Personal, Partner, and Team attacks/ interactions. While gaining Partner or Team RoC, gain 1 RoC at the end of your Turn. Characters utilizing the Balanced Attribute Assignment gain 1 RoC at the end of their Turn if they earned a Personal RoC. You may not select duplicate RoC options while performing an Action during your Turn. Expend RoC to perform the effects below. Gain an additional Minor Action this Turn. 1 Rule of COol Re-roll your Initiative and you may apply the new Initiative at the start of the next Combat Round. The following RoC options may be used during Action Resolution and Damage Calculation. Increase an Attack, Defense Check, or Skill Check by 1D10. Increase Damage by 1D6. 2 Rule of COol Gain an additional Major Action this Turn (This may exceed your allotment of 2 Major Actions performed in a Turn). All Attacks, Defense Checks, and Skill Checks are performed with Advantage until the end of the next Combat Round. The following RoC option must be declared prior to performing your Attack. Apply Stagger with your next Attack this Turn. That Attack gains +5 to its Attack and cannot inflict Critical Damage. 3 Rule of COol The following RoC options must be declared prior to performing your Attack. Apply Crippled with your next Attack this Turn. That Attack gains +5 to its Attack and cannot inflict Critical Damage. Apply Broken with your next Attack this Turn. That Attack gains +5 to its Attack and cannot inflict Critical Damage. Apply Impaired with your next Attack this Turn. That Attack gains +5 to its Attack and cannot inflict Critical Damage. Perform Critical Damage with your next Attack this Turn. That Attack rolls double the dice for Critical Damage. Range Increments Distances are measured from one Character to another Entity or Location. Range Increments are measured in feet. When using a battlemap, each tile would count as 5ft. Long: Long range Entities or Locations are Adjacent: Adjacent Entities or Locations are within 60ft of the Character. Reserved for only within 5ft of the Character. Directly next to the modified weapons or those with additional Character. Melee Attacks are commonly at this sighting capabilities. range. Extreme: Extreme range Entities or Locations Close: Close Entities or Locations are within are within 90ft of the Character. Reserved for 15ft of the Character. Melee weapons with only high range weapons like Snipers or enhancements or modifications can reach this vehicle mounted weapons. range along with some niche ranged weapon forms. Distant: Distant range Entities or Locations are past 90ft of the Character. This distance is out Medium: Medium range Entities or Locations of reach of Actions. It is also difficult to see are within 30ft of the Character. Most Ranged anything that is Distant, requiring magnification Attacks have Medium range as their upper or excellent vision. limit. 26  Action Resolution ATTACK RESOLUTION During your Turn you may perform an Attack that Targets an Entity using your offensive method of choice. Perform an Attack following the steps below: 1. Declare an Attack to perform. Check the range of your Attack to your Target. If your Target is not within range, you cannot perform that Attack. 2. If the Target is within range, perform the Attack against the Target, expending any Resources required. You may expend 1 Capacity to infuse your weapon with 1 Active Dust’s Offense effect. Dust Weavers always infuse their Attacks with 1 Active Dust without expending 1 Capacity. 3. If the Target is a Player Character, a Defense Check is performed and compared, otherwise compare the Total Attack against the Defense of the Target. If the Attack is infused with Dust or is an offensive Semblance, compare the Total Attack against the Special Defense of the Target instead. 4. A Targeted Adversary may perform a Boost, Empower, Persevere, or a Rule of Cool Effect. You may respond after your Adversary elects to perform or not perform one of the previous options. Repeat this process until both Entities cease per- forming these options. 5. If the Attack does not meet or exceed the Target’s Defense, Defense Check, or Special Defense, the Attack fails, otherwise perform Damage Calculation. 6. Apply all applicable Effects simultaneously from the Attack. Check if a Detrimental Status Effect is afflicting the Target that can be upgraded. Upgrade any applicable Detrimental Status Effect that existed before starting Attack Resolution if an effect would apply to do so. SKILL CHECK RESOLUTION During your Turn you may perform a Skill Check that Targets an Entity using the skill set of your Character. Perform a Skill Check following the steps below: 1. Declare a Skill Check to perform. Check the range of your Skill Check to your Target. If your Target is not within range, you cannot perform that Skill Check. 2. The Skill Check Difficulty will be defined by an effect detailed in the rulebook or by the GM in creative scenarios from Players. 3. If the Target is within your range, perform the Skill Check against the Target, expending any Resources required. 4. A Targeted Adversary may perform a Boost, Empower, Persevere, or a Rule of Cool Effect. You may respond after your Adversary elects to perform or not perform one of the previous options. Repeat this process until both Entities cease per- forming these options. 5. The Skill Check is evaluated against the Difficulty. If the Skill Check does not meet or exceed the Difficulty, the Skill Check fails, otherwise apply the effect or your Skill Check if there are rules for it and/or the result determined by the GM. 6. Perform Damage Calculation if applicable. 7. Apply all applicable Effects simultaneously from the Skill Check. Check if a Detrimental Status Effect is afflicting the Target that can be upgraded. Upgrade any applicable Detrimental Status Effect that existed before starting Skill Check Resolution if an effect would apply to do so. Defense CHECK RESOLUTION Adversaries will Attack you either by instinct or through intelligent reasoning. Whenever you are affected by an Adversary’s Action, you may Defend by following the steps below unless otherwise specified: 1. Declare a Defense Check to perform. 2. Apply modifiers to the Defense Check as directed by the GM. 3. Perform the selected Defense Check. 4. You may perform a Boost, Empower, Persevere, or a Rule of Cool Effect. Your Adversary may respond and perform or not perform one of the same options. Repeat this process until both Entities cease performing these options. 5. If your Defense Check is equal to or higher than the value of the Action, the Action fails against you. If your Defense Check exceeds the value of the Action by 5 or more, you may perform your Defense Check’s effect if applicable during the final step of Defense Check Resolution. 6. If your Defense Check is lower than the value of the Action, follow the steps for Damage Calculation if applicable. 7. Apply all applicable Effects simultaneously from the Action or Defense Check. Check if a Detrimental Status Effect is afflicting you that can be upgraded. Upgrade any applicable Detrimental Status Effect that existed before starting Defense Check Resolution if an Action would apply to do so. GRADIENTMGZ 27  Damage Base Damage Each Attack inflicts varying Damage when you are successful. The list below displays the Damage values for each Attack. Melee: 1D6 + STR Dust: 1D6 Melee (Dust Weaver): 1D6 + (DIS / 2) Unarmed: 1D6 Melee (Aegis): 1D6 + (CAPACITY / 2) Thrown Melee: 1D6 + (STR / 2) Ranged: 1D6 Signature Action: (RoC Required x 1D6) Ranged (Dust Weaver): 1D6 + (Level / 2) Charge Attack: Damage + (Capacity Expended x 1D2) Critical Damage A Target’s Critical Threshold is 15 above its Defense and Special Defense. If Critical Damage would apply multiple times during an Attack, inflict Critical Damage with Advantage for each additional time. Critical Damage is added to Damage when determining Total Damage dealt. Determine the additional number of D6 to roll for Critical Damage with the following formula: Critical Damage = Attack / 10 Ex. A Ranged Attack’s final result is 28. 3D6 would be used for Critical Damage. Damage Calculation Subtotal Damage = Base Damage + Additional Damage + Critical Damage Total Damage = Subtotal Damage - Damage Reduction Total Damage Calculation follows the steps below: 1. Perform an Attack’s Base Damage. 2. Calculate Additional Damage by summing all applicable Damage modifying effects. 3. Perform Critical Damage if it occurred. 4. Calculate the Subtotal Damage and then perform Diffraction’s effect against the Subtotal Damage if applicable. 5. Identify the Resource that would be decreased. 6. Calculate the Damage Reduction Total by summing all Damage reducing effects. 7. Decrease the Resource by subtracting the Total Damage from it. 8. If the Resource is depleted and there is Total Damage remaining, repeat steps 5-7 using the remaining Total Damage as the new Subtotal Damage. 28  Actions Each Turn you are alloted 3 Actions. The following Actions may be performed during Combat. Defense Checks are performed as many times as required during an opposing Entity’s Turn and do not use your Action Pool. You may only perform 2 Major Actions during your Turn unless otherwise specified by a special rule or effect. Charge Attack Major Actions You may expend 2 Major Actions to perform a Melee Attack, Ranged Attack, or Thrown Melee Weapon Attack as a Charge Attack. When declaring you are performing a Charge Attack you may expend up to 3 Capacity. Increase your Attack by XD2 and any Damage by XD2 where X = the amount of Capacity expended. Your Charge Attack and Damage are performed with Advantage. Dust Skill Check You may expend a Major Action to perform a Dust Skill Check infusing a location or Target within Medium range. Dust Skill Checks must expend 1 Capacity and are performed using 2D10 + DIS + LEVEL / 2. Dust Skill Checks are used to create various environmental advantages that the GM will determine the outcome of. Refer to page 59 for possible effects. Melee Attack You may expend a Major Action to perform a Melee Attack using your weapon’s Melee Form. Follow the rules under Action Resolution to resolve a Melee Attack. You must expend 1 Capacity to perform a Dust Weaver Melee Attack. Ranged Attack You may expend a Major Action to perform a Ranged Attack using your weapon’s Ranged Form. Follow the rules under Action Resolution to resolve a Ranged Attack. You must expend 1 Capacity to perform a Ranged Attack or Dust Weaver Ranged Attack. Signature Action You may expend your Rule of Cool and Action(s) to perform your Signature Action. Signature Actions may only be performed once per Episode and cannot be performed with any Rule of Cool option that inflicts a Detrimental Status Effect or Critical Damage. Refer to Signature Actions on page 28 to build your Character’s Signature Action and view their full rules. Thrown Melee Weapon Attack You may expend a Major Action to perform a Thrown Melee Weapon Attack against a Target within Medium range. A Thrown Melee Weapon Attack is performed by using 2D10 + STR + AGI. You gain the Detrimental Status Effect Disarmed at the end of a Thrown Melee Weapon Attack’s resolution. You must pick up your weapon at the Target’s location to remove Disarmed. The Returning Specialization modifies this Action. Refer to page 51 to view Returning’s effect. Unarmed Attack You may use a Major Action to perform an Unarmed Attack against a Target in Adjacent range. An Unarmed Attack is performed by using 2D10 + STR + END / 2 + AGI / 2. You may not infuse Unarmed Attacks with Dust. Dust Check effects, Dust Focus effects, Dust Weaver effects and Weapon Specializations do not apply to an Unarmed Attack. The Unarmed Proficiency Specialization modifies this Action. Refer to page 40 to view Unarmed Proficiency’s effect. Dust Swap Minor Actions You may expend a Minor Action to change your Active Dust with an Inactive Dust. Move You may expend a Minor Action to move in any direction up to your Movement. If a Character wishes to move up or down, they must make an appropriate Skill Check to do so. Capacity Move You may expend your Capacity by 1 to increase the distance you travel during a Move Action by up to 10ft. You may only use a Capacity Move if you are not under the effect of Disarmed. You may only perform a Capacity Move once per Move Action. Reload You may expend a Minor Action to reload your Capacity to its maximum value. While performing a Reload, you must declare any Dust you are Activating. Skill Check You may expend a Minor Action to leverage your Character’s skills to perform a creative task. Declare what you are attempting to do and the GM will provide you an appropriate Skill Check to roll in order to accomplish this task. The GM will determine the Difficulty and result of the scenario on a case by case basis. GRADIENTMGZ 29  Actions Weapon Transformation You may expend a Minor Action to change your Active Melee Form to an Inactive Melee Form or change your Active Ranged Form to an Inactive Ranged Form that you have available. When you Activate a new Ranged Weapon Form, modify your current Capacity to the new Active Weapon Form’s maximum Capacity If your Capacity would exceed your maximum Capacity. MISCELLANEOUS Actions Ambush An Ambush occurs when one or more Entities Attack Adversaries who are unaware before Initiative is rolled. An Attack with Advantage may be performed by each Entity that is performing the Ambush. Boost Once per Action you may expend your Capacity by 1 to Increase a Melee Attack, Ranged Attack, Thrown Melee Weapon Attack, Parry Defense Check, Dodge Defense Check, Dust Defense Check, or Dust Skill Check by 1D3. You cannot use Boost if you are under the effect of Fumbled or Disarmed. Boost may be used after you see your roll. Characters may utilize their Dust/Ammunition to obtain an extra boost to their Actions. Defense Check When you are targeted for an Attack by another Entity, you may perform any of the following Defense Checks. You may only perform the effects of each Defense Check once per Combat Round unless otherwise specified. Dodge Defense Check = 2D10 + PER + AGI When you successfully perform a Dodge Defense Check and exceed the Attack by 5 or more, you may perform a Move action in any direction after all Attacks from Entities within Adjacent range have resolved. Dust Defense Check = 2D10 + PER + DIS You must possess Dust and at least 1 Capacity to perform this Defense Check. When you successfully perform a Dust Defense Check and exceed the Attack by 5 or more, you may gain the Support effect based on the type of Dust you have Active by expending 1 Capacity. Parry Defense Check = 2D10 + PER + STR When you successfully perform a Parry Defense Check and exceed the Attack by 5 or more, you may inflict X Damage to your Attacker where X is your PER. You cannot use a Parry Defense Check against Ranged Attacks. Resist Defense Check = 2D10 + PER + END When you successfully perform a Resist Defense Check and exceed the Attack by 5 or more, remove 1 Detrimental Status Effect except Disarmed, Fumbled, Grappled, or Poisoned from yourself after the Attack has resolved. When you fail a Resist Defense Check, you may take the Damage to your HP instead of your Aura and may use this effect multiple times per Turn. A Resist Defense Check may utilize the Persevere Action. Persevere You may decrease your HP by 1 to increase your Endure Skill Check or Resist Defense Check by 1D6. You cannot perform this Action if your HP is 1. You may only perform Persevere once per Endure Skill Check or Resist Defense Check. Semblance Defense Check = 2D10 + PER + WIL When you successfully perform a Semblance Defense Check and exceed the Attack by 5 or more, you may activate your Semblance’s effect if it is not a Passive Semblance effect. You may only activate your Semblance this way once per Combat Round. A Semblance Defense Check may utilize the Empower Action. Semblance Defense Check cannot be used if your Aura is 0. Empower You may decrease your Aura by 1 to increase your Semblance Skill Check or Semblance Defense Check by 1D6. You cannot perform this Action if your Aura is 0. You may only perform Empower once per Semblance Skill Check or Semblance Defense Check. Hold Action You may hold 1 Major Action or 1 Minor Action per Combat Round to be used during another Character’s Turn (With their consent) or after an Adversary has resolved their Action. Actions performed by multiple Characters during the same Turn are considered to execute simultaneously with one another. Initiative Performed at the start of a Combat Encounter when the Players and other Entities are aware of one another. This is also performed after any Ambush has occurred, either from the Players or other Entities. Players use 2D10 + PER + AGI to determine their Initiative Order. NPC Entities will use their Speed attribute to determine their placement in the Initiative Order. 30  Status Effects A variety of effects and ailments can be applied by Weapons, Abilities, the environment, or Entities during Encounters! An Entity may only be affected by 1 of each Status Effect unless otherwise specified. Status Effects that accumulate and utilize stacks may never exceed 9. Consider the following for tracking stacks. If you are playing in person, utilize D10s and rotate them to meet the stack number for Detrimental Status Effects next to Entities. If multiple are afflicted such as a group of Beowolves, I would recommend tracking it via a piece of paper. For VTT and Roll20, there are methods to assign numerical values and icons to Tokens. Utilize these to track Status Effects. Detrimental Status Effects Bewildered Exhausted Decrease Attacks and Abilities by 2 until the end of the next Combat Round. If Decrease Defense, Dodge, Parry, and Resist Defense Checks by 4 until the Bewildered would be applied while an Entity is already Bewildered, upgrade end of the next Combat Round. Persevere cannot be used. Bewildered with Blinded. If an Entity is Blinded, Bewildered does not apply. Exposed Bleeding Critical Damage occurs from an Attack that rolls at least a single 10 on its Take Damage equal to the stacks of Bleeding you possess at the end of your Natural D10s. Lose Exposed after Critical Damage is inflicted. Turn. Bleeding may only be applied when an Action with this effect is directed to HP. If Bleeding would be applied, inflict stacks of Bleeding equal to the Action / Fumbled 10. Bleeding stacks may be decreased by performing a First Aid Skill Check. You may not perform Boost, Dust Swap, and Reload Actions until the end of the Decrease Bleeding stacks equal to a First Aid Skill Check / 10. Bleeding next Combat Round. If Fumbled would be applied a second time while an Entity persists until removed. is already Fumbled, also gain Disarmed. Blinded Frostbitten Decrease Attacks and Abilities by 4 until the end of the next Combat Round. Move and Capacity Move distance is decreased by 10ft until the end of the next Combat Round. The next Action performed requires an additional Action of that Broken type to be performed. If an Entity is Frostbitten, Chilled does not apply. Decrease Defense, Resist Defense Checks, Parry Defense Checks, and Dodge Defense Checks by 5 until the end of the Combat Encounter. Grappled You cannot perform the Move Action. All Actions performed against an Entity Burning with Grappled are performed with Advantage except for the Grapple Skill Take Damage equal to the stacks of Burning you possess at the end of your Check. If the Action performed does not utilize a roll, it adds +5 to its value Turn. If Burning would be applied, add stacks of Burning equal to the Action / instead. 10. Burning stacks may be decreased by performing a relevant Action (GM Discretion). Decrease Burning stacks equal to the Action / 10. Burning persists Impaired until removed. Decrease Special Defense, Dust Defense Checks, and Semblance Defense Checks by 5 until the end of the Combat Encounter. Chilled Move and Capacity Move distance is decreased by 5ft until the end of the next Immobilized Combat Round. The next Move Action or Skill Check performed requires an Move Actions cannot be performed until the end of the next Combat Round. additional Action of that type to be performed. If Chilled would be applied while an Entity is already Chilled, upgrade Chilled with Frostbitten. Poisoned Decrease all Aura and HP restoration by the number of Poisoned stacks you Concussed possess. Take Damage equal to half the stacks of Poisoned each time a new Decrease Special Defense, Dust Skill Checks, Semblance Skill Checks, and Detrimental Status Effect is afflicted to you. Poisoned may only be applied when Semblance Defense Checks by 4 until the end of the next Combat Round. an Action with this effect is directed to HP. If Poisoned would be applied, add Empower cannot be used. stacks of Poisoned equal to the Action / 10. Poisoned stacks may be removed by performing a First Aid Skill Check. Remove Poisoned stacks equal to a First Confused Aid Skill Check / 10. Poisoned persists until removed. While performing an Action that results in failure, inflict Damage equal to their Action / 10 until the end of the next Combat Round. Shaken All of your Actions are performed with Disadvantage and you do not gain Crippled benefits from effects that require rolling at least a single 10 on your Natural Decrease Attacks, Abilities, and Skill Checks by 5 until the end of the Combat D10s until the end of the next Combat Round. Encounter.