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Moiraine · 03-07-2001, 05:26 AM

OK, Ramon, I will add some explanations about the fighting system, and the skills/feats/abilities.

The AC system has been simplified (BTW, you will have to adjust to the fact that it has been reversed - now, it is the higher AC the better).

Facing your ennemies, you generally have the AC given by your armor plus your Dex bonus.
At the beginning of an encounter, every character rolls an initiative dice (Dex check, the higher the better), which will last for all the rounds of the encounter. The DM rolls a single initiative check for all the ennemies.
During the first round only, a character or a foe is 'flat-footed' if his initiative is lower than that of his opponent(s), which means that his Dex bonus does not apply.
A surprised character or foe also remains flat-footed for a full round, and is allowed no action during this round.
Some feats allow characters to avoid being flat-footed, like the level 3 'Uncanny Dodge' Rogue ability.
Sometimes the context doesn't allow you to get your Dex bonus, for example if you are attacked by an invisible opponent (you can't dodge).
When a mage casts a spell requiring touch, he must first succed in touching, which is an attack roll against which the armor AC does not apply (Dex bonus only). Against some rare weapons (like the whip, if I am not mistaken), the armor AC does not count either.
A character or foe can also make additional 'attacks of opportunity', provoked by an action of his opponent - for example, if a mage starts preparing a spell, or if your opponent starts to flee, you have an attack of opportunity against him.
Then, each round, every character can perform an action, in the order of his initiative.
You also have the notion of 'partial action', which is basically a standard action without a move. An attack of opportunity is a partial action.

This way, the combats run much faster than with older D&D rules, and are much simpler to explain to new players.

Also, do not mix skills and feats. A skill is an ability for which you have a score that you can raise by spending skill points that you get when you gain levels.

Depending on your character class, you have access to :
- 'Class skills' : if you spend 1 skill point in this skill, you get 1 skill rank
- 'Cross-class skills' : if you spend 1 skill point in this skill, you get 1/2 skill rank
For example, the 'Hide' skill is available to all classes, but is a class-skill only for Bards, Monks, Rangers and Rogues. Also, some skills are unavailable for some classes - for example, the 'Read Lips' skill is unavailable for anyone but the Rogue.
Every skill has a key ability - means that you add your ability bonus to your skill rank. (Ex; The 'Handle animal' skill is related to Charisma).

A feat is a special ability with no score attached. Some classes get access to more feats than others when gaining levels (the Rogue has more skill points, the fighters classes have more feats). Some feats you need a minimum ability score to get them. Some feats you have to already have a previous feat to get them. For example :
- You need a Dex 15+ to get the 'Ambidextry' feat
- You need to be a Spellcaster level 3 to get the 'Brew potion' feat
- You need to have a Str 13+ AND the 'Power Attack' feat to get the 'Cleave' feat (if you have an opponent dropping (e.g. he goes below 0 HP), then you get an extra melee attack against any other melee opponent - VERY powerful !)

And - there are also special abilities that are neither feats nor skills, and that you automatically gain when you raise a level - like the Rogue level 3 'Uncanny Dodge' ability.

ALl these add new interests every time you get a new level - you are not only better at what you already did before, you also have new powers.

What you were talking about (bookbinding, alike) are not skills - I'll try to search what you were referring to.

List of skills : Alchemy, Animal empathy, Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft (1 skill / craft), Decipher script, Diplomacy, Disable device, Disguise, Escape artist, Forgery, Gather information, Handle animal, Heal, Hide, Innuendo, Intimidate, Intuit direction, Jump, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (all), Listen, Move silently, Open lock, Perform, Pick pocket, Profession (1 skill / profession), Read lips, Ride, Scry, Search, Sense motive, Speak language (1 skill / language), Spellcraft, Spot, Swim, Tumble, Use magic device, Use rope, Wilderness lore.

List of feats I will write later (big list this one).

Any question ?

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[This message has been edited by Moiraine (edited 03-07-2001).]

03-07-2001, 05:26 AM	#12
Moiraine Anubis Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: Up in the Freedomland Alps Age: 61 Posts: 2,474	OK, Ramon, I will add some explanations about the fighting system, and the skills/feats/abilities. The AC system has been simplified (BTW, you will have to adjust to the fact that it has been reversed - now, it is the higher AC the better). Facing your ennemies, you generally have the AC given by your armor plus your Dex bonus. At the beginning of an encounter, every character rolls an initiative dice (Dex check, the higher the better), which will last for all the rounds of the encounter. The DM rolls a single initiative check for all the ennemies. During the first round only, a character or a foe is 'flat-footed' if his initiative is lower than that of his opponent(s), which means that his Dex bonus does not apply. A surprised character or foe also remains flat-footed for a full round, and is allowed no action during this round. Some feats allow characters to avoid being flat-footed, like the level 3 'Uncanny Dodge' Rogue ability. Sometimes the context doesn't allow you to get your Dex bonus, for example if you are attacked by an invisible opponent (you can't dodge). When a mage casts a spell requiring touch, he must first succed in touching, which is an attack roll against which the armor AC does not apply (Dex bonus only). Against some rare weapons (like the whip, if I am not mistaken), the armor AC does not count either. A character or foe can also make additional 'attacks of opportunity', provoked by an action of his opponent - for example, if a mage starts preparing a spell, or if your opponent starts to flee, you have an attack of opportunity against him. Then, each round, every character can perform an action, in the order of his initiative. You also have the notion of 'partial action', which is basically a standard action without a move. An attack of opportunity is a partial action. This way, the combats run much faster than with older D&D rules, and are much simpler to explain to new players. Also, do not mix skills and feats. A skill is an ability for which you have a score that you can raise by spending skill points that you get when you gain levels. Depending on your character class, you have access to : - 'Class skills' : if you spend 1 skill point in this skill, you get 1 skill rank - 'Cross-class skills' : if you spend 1 skill point in this skill, you get 1/2 skill rank For example, the 'Hide' skill is available to all classes, but is a class-skill only for Bards, Monks, Rangers and Rogues. Also, some skills are unavailable for some classes - for example, the 'Read Lips' skill is unavailable for anyone but the Rogue. Every skill has a key ability - means that you add your ability bonus to your skill rank. (Ex; The 'Handle animal' skill is related to Charisma). A feat is a special ability with no score attached. Some classes get access to more feats than others when gaining levels (the Rogue has more skill points, the fighters classes have more feats). Some feats you need a minimum ability score to get them. Some feats you have to already have a previous feat to get them. For example : - You need a Dex 15+ to get the 'Ambidextry' feat - You need to be a Spellcaster level 3 to get the 'Brew potion' feat - You need to have a Str 13+ AND the 'Power Attack' feat to get the 'Cleave' feat (if you have an opponent dropping (e.g. he goes below 0 HP), then you get an extra melee attack against any other melee opponent - VERY powerful !) And - there are also special abilities that are neither feats nor skills, and that you automatically gain when you raise a level - like the Rogue level 3 'Uncanny Dodge' ability. ALl these add new interests every time you get a new level - you are not only better at what you already did before, you also have new powers. What you were talking about (bookbinding, alike) are not skills - I'll try to search what you were referring to. List of skills : Alchemy, Animal empathy, Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft (1 skill / craft), Decipher script, Diplomacy, Disable device, Disguise, Escape artist, Forgery, Gather information, Handle animal, Heal, Hide, Innuendo, Intimidate, Intuit direction, Jump, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (all), Listen, Move silently, Open lock, Perform, Pick pocket, Profession (1 skill / profession), Read lips, Ride, Scry, Search, Sense motive, Speak language (1 skill / language), Spellcraft, Spot, Swim, Tumble, Use magic device, Use rope, Wilderness lore. List of feats I will write later (big list this one). Any question ? ------------------ [This message has been edited by Moiraine (edited 03-07-2001).]