(Name Tentative, System WIP: 2023 4 16)
Four Stats
Body: physical ability and endurance
Mind: general intellect
Face: character, personality, looks.
Spirit: magical attenuity and defenses
All of these begin at a value of 0.
In character creation, players get 2 points to distribute. You can also subtract up to 2 points to spend elsewhere.
Character Size
Big: +1 Body. It represents a larger person, bulky or tall.
Medium: No changes to stats. It is an average sized person.
Small: -1 Body. Loli loli loli loli.
You can only be one size.
Background
Characters only get 1 background. Below is a list of those, and accompanying lore. It's important to note that despite this, every character has a cover to blend in with society.
Spoiler
Mundane
Civilian
People live in the city, and they are just trying to live life.
The Police
They have more rights than civilians have in society, but are meant to protect Civilians. Always at odds with crime, sometimes they end up looking the other way anyway. All police start a small firearm.
Gangsters
People live in the city, and they are trying to exploit other people. Or protect them? Who knows. They congregate into small squads of minor gangsters, or even into large groups to form a mafia. All gangsters start with a bladed weapon.
Monster Hunters
A scattered collection of people who have witnessed the supernatural and try to kill or exploit them. Monster Hunters start with any weapon that isn't a firearm.
Supernatural
Mages
There are many small orders of Mages, but they all answer to one High Council. The High Council of Mages works to create balance between the supernatural and mundane worlds, including keeping the two separated or at least with minimal interaction. The status quo should not be broken. Of course, the world is beyond anyone's control -- and there may even be unsavory mages who would take advantage of those crossing dimensions. Mages start with 1 Spell.
Warlocks, Witches
Somewhere in the 17th century or so, mortals would try to reach out to a higher power for magical abilities. Some of them ended up reaching out to Satan. While it is not solely the Devil that humans can reach out to when calling for a patron, they are still spellcasters -- ones that are paying a cost of their soul, perhaps. Time and time again have they been uprooted by mundane societies, and Mage Orders do not find friends in them either. Warlocks and witches begin with 1 Spell.
Assassins
A generalized term for individuals with a singular, specialized ability. While there are organizations formed of them with the intent to perform their goals outside the judgement of Mages, there may be lone wolves as well. They may as well be the underworld of the magic world. Assassins start with 1 Ability.
Evil Beings From Another Dimension
Tentacle monsters, multi-eyed beasts, oozes, and other weird things that you would consider to be bad and evil occasionally cross dimensions somehow in order to absorb life force, or something. Most of them are mindless, but there can occasionally be powerful, more sentient things that cross over with their own goals. Evil Beings From Another Dimension start with either 1 Ability or 1 Spell.
Evil Beings From This Dimension
Ghosts, youkai, cryptids. Unexplainable phenomenon found on this Earth often attributed to supernatural beasts. They are typically not evil and mind their own business, until they get on the news and a bunch of ghost busters come looking for trouble. Evil Beings From This Dimension start with 1 Ability or 1 Spell.
Exorcists
Shrine Maidens, Western Bishops, there are many who are trained in the ways of expelling the forces of darkness and evil from people and the land. As a result, there are many different factions -- and they scarcely know of each other, being more localized than most other backgrounds. While they may use different methods, the results are the same. Exorcists start with 1 Spell.
Magical Girls
Due to Evil Beings From Another Dimension crossing over into the world, the natural balance created these strange magical rabbit-looking animals. There are tales of girls who are pure of heart or of strong convictions having seen them, and being offered their power -- and, in taking it, become Magical Girls. They are tasked with removing Evil Beings From Another Dimension from this realm! Magical Girls start with the Magical Transformation Ability.
Civilian
People live in the city, and they are just trying to live life.
The Police
They have more rights than civilians have in society, but are meant to protect Civilians. Always at odds with crime, sometimes they end up looking the other way anyway. All police start a small firearm.
Gangsters
People live in the city, and they are trying to exploit other people. Or protect them? Who knows. They congregate into small squads of minor gangsters, or even into large groups to form a mafia. All gangsters start with a bladed weapon.
Monster Hunters
A scattered collection of people who have witnessed the supernatural and try to kill or exploit them. Monster Hunters start with any weapon that isn't a firearm.
Supernatural
Mages
There are many small orders of Mages, but they all answer to one High Council. The High Council of Mages works to create balance between the supernatural and mundane worlds, including keeping the two separated or at least with minimal interaction. The status quo should not be broken. Of course, the world is beyond anyone's control -- and there may even be unsavory mages who would take advantage of those crossing dimensions. Mages start with 1 Spell.
Warlocks, Witches
Somewhere in the 17th century or so, mortals would try to reach out to a higher power for magical abilities. Some of them ended up reaching out to Satan. While it is not solely the Devil that humans can reach out to when calling for a patron, they are still spellcasters -- ones that are paying a cost of their soul, perhaps. Time and time again have they been uprooted by mundane societies, and Mage Orders do not find friends in them either. Warlocks and witches begin with 1 Spell.
Assassins
A generalized term for individuals with a singular, specialized ability. While there are organizations formed of them with the intent to perform their goals outside the judgement of Mages, there may be lone wolves as well. They may as well be the underworld of the magic world. Assassins start with 1 Ability.
Evil Beings From Another Dimension
Tentacle monsters, multi-eyed beasts, oozes, and other weird things that you would consider to be bad and evil occasionally cross dimensions somehow in order to absorb life force, or something. Most of them are mindless, but there can occasionally be powerful, more sentient things that cross over with their own goals. Evil Beings From Another Dimension start with either 1 Ability or 1 Spell.
Evil Beings From This Dimension
Ghosts, youkai, cryptids. Unexplainable phenomenon found on this Earth often attributed to supernatural beasts. They are typically not evil and mind their own business, until they get on the news and a bunch of ghost busters come looking for trouble. Evil Beings From This Dimension start with 1 Ability or 1 Spell.
Exorcists
Shrine Maidens, Western Bishops, there are many who are trained in the ways of expelling the forces of darkness and evil from people and the land. As a result, there are many different factions -- and they scarcely know of each other, being more localized than most other backgrounds. While they may use different methods, the results are the same. Exorcists start with 1 Spell.
Magical Girls
Due to Evil Beings From Another Dimension crossing over into the world, the natural balance created these strange magical rabbit-looking animals. There are tales of girls who are pure of heart or of strong convictions having seen them, and being offered their power -- and, in taking it, become Magical Girls. They are tasked with removing Evil Beings From Another Dimension from this realm! Magical Girls start with the Magical Transformation Ability.
Skill Checks
As a 2d6 system, players will roll 2d6+stat when a skill roll is needed. It may be confusing as to when a player should use what stat when rolling skill checks, so here is a short list of what you can roll when encountering a specific situation:
Athleticism, Acrobatics: Body
Stealth, Lore, Perception: Mind
Deception, Persuasion, Charm: Face
Detecting or Resisting something of magical origin: Spirit
The result for checks that aren't opposed have preset difficulty levels. The Difficulty level is as follows:
Snake Eyes: Extreme failure. What you tried to do somehow makes the situation worse!
<=4: Failure. Whatever you were trying to do, doesn't work.
5-7: Partial success. You do the thing you were trying to do, but at some consequence.
>=8: Success. You did it. You did the thing.
Two Sixes: Extreme success! You do it really well, the thing you were trying to do.
You can push rolls if you aren't satisfied with your initial roll result. Similar to Call of Cthulhu, it is not a technical reroll, and some time passes between the first roll and the pushed roll. When pushing a roll, your character is making extra effort to get a better result. Players can only push rolls once per skill attempt.
However, pushing rolls increases your Exertion value. Exertion represents both your physical and mental exhaustion from making extra effort. It starts at 0. Exertion value is added to the Difficulty (aside from snake eyes and two sixes, of course). Exertion value resets to 0 when you go to sleep* for at least 8 hours. If you sleep less than 8, but more than 4, Exertion is reduced by 1 instead. You can also take a break (for at least 15 minutes) and reduce Exertion by 1 for an hour.
*Some characters do not sleep, such as monsters or mythical creatures. They instead might enter some kind of "resting state." So, anywhere that says sleep is just "resting state" or something.
Character Improvement
When rolling two sixes, an extreme success, your character can acquire a Talent. The only Talents they will be able to take at that time would be one that the character meets the requirements for, and if the talent's related stat is the same as the stat used for the extreme success roll.
If the stat is Spirit, and the character knows at least one spell, they can instead choose to learn a Spell instead of acquiring a Talent level. They can also increase the Level of an existing Spell, just like Talents.
When a character achieves five levels across any Talent or Spell, they can try to increase the base stat score that was used for the extreme success roll by 1. Roll a d4, and if you score a value higher than your current stat, you can increase the stat by 1. Upon failure, they can try again in the next five Talent or Spell levels.
Combat
Basics
Combat starts off with initiative. This is set only once for the entire combat encounter.
Many basic attacks are generally going to be 2d6+Body. This is opposed by a defense roll, which will also be 2d6+Body. Talents or abilities may alter the bonus to the 2d6. If the attack's value is higher than the defense, it deals damage according to the weapon used. For ranged attacks, attacking is 2d6+Mind, but the defense against a ranged attack is still Body. If the values are tied, roll again. If you tie twice in a row, and there is a winner for the third round, the loser is stunned. Tieing three times in a row will stun the person making the attack.
Magic attacks and defending against them are detailed in the Magic section.
Damage is dealt according to the weapon's damage value, with appropriate bonuses from talents or other sources. When a character takes one point of damage, they temporarily lose one point of a random stat determined by a d4 die. If a character takes damage to a stat that is already at -2, they are stunned for 1 round. When all stats reach -2 or when a single stat reaches -5, the character is incapacitated.
By the way, a Critical Hit (two 6's) will do 1 extra damage and stun the opponent for 1 turn. A Critical Failure (two 1's) will do 1 damage to whoever rolled it.
Damage to stats is recovered by Items, or through sleep. When sleeping for at least 8 hours, all stats recover by 1. If a character sleeps less than 8, but more than four, a random stat determined by a d4 will recover by 1.
Grappling
This is different from a standard attack. You forgo doing damage to limit the opponent's ability to move. This is done with a 2d6+Body, versus the opponent's 2d6+Body if they are trying to overpower you, or 2d6+Mind if they are trying to find a weakness in your hold to slip out to.
When you put someone in a hold, the difficulty of breaking out is affected by your grapple roll (these are modified by Exertion):
Less than 5: Difficulty is reduced by 1.
5-7: No change in difficulty.
8+: Difficulty is increased by half Body (rounded down, minimum 1).
While you have an opponent grappled on your turn, you can do half Body (rounded down, minimum 1) temporary damage. This damage is nonlethal and is explained in a section below.
When you have an opponent grappled and it's their turn, they have the following options:
1. Break out of the hold with 2d6+Body.
2. Find a weakness in your hold with 2d6+Mind.
When performing option 1, the difficulty of breaking out of their hold is as follows (modified by Exertion, as well as the the above difficulty change from the grapple roll):
Less than 5: Failure.
5-7: They escape. Temporary damage is not recovered for another two turns.
8+: They escape, and they recover their temporary damage.
When performing option 2, the difficulty results as follows (modified by Exertion only):
Less than 5: Failure, and take 1 temporary damage as they aren't focused on the struggle.
5-7: You get a +1 to your escape roll, which stacks during this grapple.
8+: You can break out now, at whatever bonus you have, and add half Mind (round down, minimum 1).
Temporary Damage
Temporary damage is generally the same as nonlethal damage and should be considered as such. Note how much temporary damage is taken separately. When you reach -5 in a stat from temporary damage, or -2 in all stats, you become stunned for 1 round but recover all of your temporary damage. If you are stunned up to Body times (minimum 1) during an encounter, you become incapacitated.
If you do not take temporary damage for a whole round, you start recovering temporary damage by 1 each turn. You may choose which stat gets recovered first if you have taken temporary damage to multiple stats.
Verbal Combat
Physical beatdowns and magical fireworks are not the only way to take down an opponent. Characters that have invested their stats in Face can verbally maim, insult, and confuse their enemies. When making a verbal attack, your attack roll becomes 2d6+Face, which is defended against the opponent's Face roll, and deals half Face (round down, minimum 0) in temporary damage.
Magic
Spirit is the only stat directly tied to magic, though there are Talents that will allow use of other stats to aid magic. Depending on one's origins, the method to obtaining magic can be different, and can even be acquired in the middle of a character's growth rather than their past, should events allow that to happen.
Spells require investment of Spirit in order to be cast or maintained. This investment is returned when the spell is used to its completion (an attack spell ends after its attack), or when it is broken (in the case of maintained spell being destroyed). When a point of Spirit is invested into a spell, the character's Spirit will be depleted by that point. Spirit is recovered from completed spells at the beginning of the character's next turn, or, in the case of broken spells, two turns afterwards.
Example
A Mage has Spirit 2. He casts an attack spell -- unlike normal stats, which would roll 2d6+2, he must instead choose to invest his available Spirit: 0, 1, or 2. If he invests 2 points, he can roll 2d6+2. His Spirit is now at 0.
Let's say the opponent is also a Mage, and she fires off a magical attack spell as well. The first Mage has no more Spirit to invest into his defense. He can only roll 2d6 to resist the opposing spell. Once it is his turn again, however, his Spirit will return to 2.
Talent List
Spoiler
Extra Stamina
Req: None
Whether mental or physical, you can withstand more than the average person thanks to your lifestyle habits.
You can push rolls up to two times before Exertion starts to increase.
At Level 3: Taking a break will reduce Exertion for the day rather than just an hour. If you fail to rest, it will return the next day.
At Level 5: You can push rolls up to three times before Exertion increases. Taking a break eliminates Exertion by 1, so it won't return the following day.
Ignorance
Req: At Most Face -1
You're not very good at public affairs, but as a result you've become more apathetic to it.
You ignore 1 damage from Verbal Combat.
At Level 3: Your defense against verbal combat becomes the opposite value of your current Face.
At Level 5: You can completely ignore Verbal Combat by turning away from the opponent and spending your turn focusing on something else that isn't the opponent.
Insightful Defense
Req: At Least Body 1 and Mind 1
Instead of taking a hit, you figured out that you can simply move yourself of them out of the way.
When being attacked, your defense roll becomes Body plus Half Mind (rounded down).
At Level 3: The modifier increases to Body plus Mind.
At Level 5: One die can be rerolled.
It can be noted that this talent follows the Skill Hybridization template.
Talent Memory <Stat>
Req: At least 1 Talent
When damaged and missing the requirements for a talent, you can still use it.
For now, this talent only goes to 1 damage for a chosen stat, for 1 Talent.
At Level 3: This talent goes up to 1 damage for the stat for all of your talents.
At Level 5: This talent goes up to 2 damage for the stat.
Magic Memory
Req: At least 1 Spell
When damaged and missing the requirements for a spell, you can still use it.
For now, this talent only goes up to 1 Spirit damage for only 1 Spell.
At Level 3: This talent goes up to 1 spirit for all of your spells.
At Level 5: This talent goes up to 2 spirit.
Magic Study
Req: At Least Mind 1 and Spirit 1
You can use up to half Mind (rounded down) when investing Spirit instead of Spirit.
At Level 3: The modifier increases to Mind, but you can only use Mind or Spirit per spell roll.
At Level 5: You can add Mind to your investment without depleting Mind.
Martial Arts
Req: At Least Body 1 and Mind 1
You are better trained in unarmed combat than most, and have specialized in a particular technique. Select Forward or Counter.
Forward: Increase your attack rolls by 1.
Counter: Increase your defense rolls by 1.
At Level 3: Select Strike, Grapple, or Throw.
Strike: Forward: Your damage with unarmed increases to Body; Counter: If you win defense, deal half Body (round down) damage.
Grapple: Forward: You can deal actual damage instead of stat damage when grappling; Counter: If you win defense, you immediately grapple your opponent (but the difficulty to escape is not increased).
Throw: Forward: Instead of dealing damage, you can throw your opponent anywhere within 2 distance; Counter: If you win defense, you not only take no damage, but you throw your opponent to the ground and stun them.
At Level 5:
Strike: Forward: If you roll doubles, even if you miss, you can attack again; Counter: If you win defense, deal Body damage.
Grapple: Forward: The difficulty of the grapple becomes your grapple roll minus 3 for a partial success, and your grapple roll for a complete success; Counter: If you win defense, you immediately grapple your opponent and can roll grapple to increase the difficulty as if you initiated it on your turn.
Throw: If you throw your opponent to the ground or into an object, they are stunned; Counter: if you win defense, you can throw your opponent anywhere within 1 distance, and if they hit an object (or, you threw them to the ground), they are stunned.
Spirit Hole
Req: At Most Spirit -1
You are so lacking in magical energies that you become a void for it.
You ignore 1 damage from magical sources.
At Level 3: Your defense against Spirit becomes the opposite of your current Spirit.
At Level 5: When an enemy uses an invested spell on you, ignore the spell, and your Spirit is increased by the amount of Spirit they invested in the spell. The opponent does not recover this invested spirit until they rest.
Trained Sleep
Req: None
You have trained yourself to enter a ready state with less sleep than what would be typical.
As a result, you only need 6 hours of rest for the full benefit of sleep.
At Level 3: You only need 4 hours of rest for the full benefit of sleep.
At Level 5: In addition, you recover an extra point of a random stat and an extra point of Exhaustion when not getting enough sleep.
Vocabularic Breadth
Req: Face 1
Your speaking skills are greatly enhanced and specialized in hurting your opponent's feelings and otherwise throwing them off their game.
Your Verbal Combat damage increases to Face.
At Level 3: You can push verbal combat rolls as you lengthen the amount of words you can say in a single round.
At Level 5: You can choose to deal half the temporary damage as actual damage.
<Template> Skill Replacement
Req: Replacement stat at least 1.
You realized that you can shore up your weaknesses in a particular skill by using a different stat.
Instead of the skill's stat, use a different stat (the replacement stat) as its bonus but half rounded down.
At Level 3: Bonus increases to the full replacement stat.
At Level 5: You've learned enough on how to do this skill that you can broaden your horizons, giving you +1 to the replaced stat.
<Template> Skill Specialization
Req: The skill's stat at least 1.
You are trained in some particular task, action, or skill. It should be something more specific than the stat.
It gets +1 bonus to the roll when the skill is used.
At Level 3: The bonus increases to +2.
At Level 5: You can reroll one of the die.
<Template> Skill Hybridization
Req: Two skill stats at least 1.
You find that you can synergize something from one area and use it in another.
Pick a main stat for the skill. Then, for the roll, your bonus from this talent will be stat plus another stat (half, round down).
At Level 3: The bonus increases to stat plus the other stat.
At Level 5: You can reroll one of the die.
Req: None
Whether mental or physical, you can withstand more than the average person thanks to your lifestyle habits.
You can push rolls up to two times before Exertion starts to increase.
At Level 3: Taking a break will reduce Exertion for the day rather than just an hour. If you fail to rest, it will return the next day.
At Level 5: You can push rolls up to three times before Exertion increases. Taking a break eliminates Exertion by 1, so it won't return the following day.
Ignorance
Req: At Most Face -1
You're not very good at public affairs, but as a result you've become more apathetic to it.
You ignore 1 damage from Verbal Combat.
At Level 3: Your defense against verbal combat becomes the opposite value of your current Face.
At Level 5: You can completely ignore Verbal Combat by turning away from the opponent and spending your turn focusing on something else that isn't the opponent.
Insightful Defense
Req: At Least Body 1 and Mind 1
Instead of taking a hit, you figured out that you can simply move yourself of them out of the way.
When being attacked, your defense roll becomes Body plus Half Mind (rounded down).
At Level 3: The modifier increases to Body plus Mind.
At Level 5: One die can be rerolled.
It can be noted that this talent follows the Skill Hybridization template.
Talent Memory <Stat>
Req: At least 1 Talent
When damaged and missing the requirements for a talent, you can still use it.
For now, this talent only goes to 1 damage for a chosen stat, for 1 Talent.
At Level 3: This talent goes up to 1 damage for the stat for all of your talents.
At Level 5: This talent goes up to 2 damage for the stat.
Magic Memory
Req: At least 1 Spell
When damaged and missing the requirements for a spell, you can still use it.
For now, this talent only goes up to 1 Spirit damage for only 1 Spell.
At Level 3: This talent goes up to 1 spirit for all of your spells.
At Level 5: This talent goes up to 2 spirit.
Magic Study
Req: At Least Mind 1 and Spirit 1
You can use up to half Mind (rounded down) when investing Spirit instead of Spirit.
At Level 3: The modifier increases to Mind, but you can only use Mind or Spirit per spell roll.
At Level 5: You can add Mind to your investment without depleting Mind.
Martial Arts
Req: At Least Body 1 and Mind 1
You are better trained in unarmed combat than most, and have specialized in a particular technique. Select Forward or Counter.
Forward: Increase your attack rolls by 1.
Counter: Increase your defense rolls by 1.
At Level 3: Select Strike, Grapple, or Throw.
Strike: Forward: Your damage with unarmed increases to Body; Counter: If you win defense, deal half Body (round down) damage.
Grapple: Forward: You can deal actual damage instead of stat damage when grappling; Counter: If you win defense, you immediately grapple your opponent (but the difficulty to escape is not increased).
Throw: Forward: Instead of dealing damage, you can throw your opponent anywhere within 2 distance; Counter: If you win defense, you not only take no damage, but you throw your opponent to the ground and stun them.
At Level 5:
Strike: Forward: If you roll doubles, even if you miss, you can attack again; Counter: If you win defense, deal Body damage.
Grapple: Forward: The difficulty of the grapple becomes your grapple roll minus 3 for a partial success, and your grapple roll for a complete success; Counter: If you win defense, you immediately grapple your opponent and can roll grapple to increase the difficulty as if you initiated it on your turn.
Throw: If you throw your opponent to the ground or into an object, they are stunned; Counter: if you win defense, you can throw your opponent anywhere within 1 distance, and if they hit an object (or, you threw them to the ground), they are stunned.
Spirit Hole
Req: At Most Spirit -1
You are so lacking in magical energies that you become a void for it.
You ignore 1 damage from magical sources.
At Level 3: Your defense against Spirit becomes the opposite of your current Spirit.
At Level 5: When an enemy uses an invested spell on you, ignore the spell, and your Spirit is increased by the amount of Spirit they invested in the spell. The opponent does not recover this invested spirit until they rest.
Trained Sleep
Req: None
You have trained yourself to enter a ready state with less sleep than what would be typical.
As a result, you only need 6 hours of rest for the full benefit of sleep.
At Level 3: You only need 4 hours of rest for the full benefit of sleep.
At Level 5: In addition, you recover an extra point of a random stat and an extra point of Exhaustion when not getting enough sleep.
Vocabularic Breadth
Req: Face 1
Your speaking skills are greatly enhanced and specialized in hurting your opponent's feelings and otherwise throwing them off their game.
Your Verbal Combat damage increases to Face.
At Level 3: You can push verbal combat rolls as you lengthen the amount of words you can say in a single round.
At Level 5: You can choose to deal half the temporary damage as actual damage.
<Template> Skill Replacement
Req: Replacement stat at least 1.
You realized that you can shore up your weaknesses in a particular skill by using a different stat.
Instead of the skill's stat, use a different stat (the replacement stat) as its bonus but half rounded down.
At Level 3: Bonus increases to the full replacement stat.
At Level 5: You've learned enough on how to do this skill that you can broaden your horizons, giving you +1 to the replaced stat.
<Template> Skill Specialization
Req: The skill's stat at least 1.
You are trained in some particular task, action, or skill. It should be something more specific than the stat.
It gets +1 bonus to the roll when the skill is used.
At Level 3: The bonus increases to +2.
At Level 5: You can reroll one of the die.
<Template> Skill Hybridization
Req: Two skill stats at least 1.
You find that you can synergize something from one area and use it in another.
Pick a main stat for the skill. Then, for the roll, your bonus from this talent will be stat plus another stat (half, round down).
At Level 3: The bonus increases to stat plus the other stat.
At Level 5: You can reroll one of the die.
Spoiler
Magic Attack
Req: Any spell.
Basic attack spell for any magically-inclined combatant. Flavor it how you want.
Damage: Spirit
Magic Defense
Req: None.
Everyone is allowed to use Magic Defense to defend against Magic. Doesn't count as a spell.
When you successfully defend against a magic attack, you gain no ill effects, not even damage.
Ally
Req: At Least Spirit 1
Whether you summon something from another dimension, or turn some object into a friend, your magic creates a friend that assists you or fights by your side. They start at [-2 -2 -2 -2] and deal 1 damage, but Body increases by the amount of Spirit you invest.
At Level 3: They start at [0 0 0 0] and attack as if using the Unarmed weapon. Body and Spirit increases by the amount of Spirit you invest.
At Level 5: All stats increase by the amount of Spirit you invest, and they attack with whatever sort of weapon you choose.
Fabrication
Req: At Least Spirit 1
You can create any object, and it lasts as long as the spell is invested into. This also includes weapons -- however, the weapon will break instantly if you roll below a 5+E when using the weapon. Attacking or defending with the weapon will use the stat normally used for that weapon.
At Level 3: You can transmute the item into whatever is convenient on your turn.
At Level 5: The weapon no longer breaks, and you can add your invested Spirit to rolls when attacking or defending with the weapon. Item transmutation can be done immediately at any time.
Heal
Req: At Least Spirit 1
Use magic to heal damage and remove fatigue in an unnatural way. Can be targeted on someone else.
You recover up to half Spirit (round down, minimum 1) damage from any stat.
At Level 3: You recover Spirit, and also recover half Spirit (round down, minimum 1) in Exhaustion.
At Level 5: Recover all damage and set Exhaustion to 0.
Hypnosis
Req: At Least Spirit 3
You use magic to manipulate the target's mind.
While this skill is invested, the target will be combative. Their attitude towards you won't change, but they won't enter combat if they aren't already fighting you. If used in combat, they will not attack until attacked (which breaks the spell), or until they shake off the spell, which they can do as if it were a grapple.
At Level 3: They become friendlier and may stop fighting altogether. This spell still breaks when they are attacked, or if they shake off the spell.
At Level 5: They will obey commands and any attitude adjustments you order them to have. When in combat, combat ends. Spell ends when you dismiss the spell, or take a break. Suggestions may persist beyond the spell duration at this stage.
Inhibit
Req: At Least Spirit 2
Loose jolts of magic into the target's nervous system and inhibit their movement or thought.
While this skill is invested, the target takes a penalty of the investment to a skill, attack, defense, magic attack or resistance, etc. You can only choose 1. The target can choose to shake off the spell as if it were a grapple.
At Level 3: The penalty increases to half Spirit, but applies to all rolls while in effect.
At Level 5: Penalty increases to Spirit.
Magic Lock
Req: At Least Spirit 1
Keep something mundane in forced suspension, such as a lock.
At Level 3: You do not need to invest any Spirit to maintain the spell.
At Level 5: You can use this to hold down biological creatures.
Portal
Req: At Least Spirit 1
Change your location. In combat, this lets you change your Distance, up to Spirit times per encounter.
At Level 3: You can use this spell on other characters.
At Level 5: You can use this spell during an opponent's turn to evade attacks or change their target up to Spirit times per encounter.
Sanctum
Req: At Least Spirit 2
You can open up your own pocket dimension. It's full of furnishings and whatever you want, as if it were a real location. The door is pretty much any door, after you chant the spell. When the door shuts, it leads back to wherever it was supposed to go. The pocket dimension exits through any door in the world.
At Level 3: You can escape into your pocket dimension in combat. It no longer requires a door. You simply slip into another dimension.
At Level 5: You warp the space around you, transporting you and whoever you want into the pocket dimension, without anybody even physically moving.
Timesight
Req: At Least Spirit 1
Gain the power of foresight. Out of combat, this will net you some clues for your objective. In combat, add half Spirit (rounded down) when defending against mundane attacks.
At Level 3: The bonus increases to Spirit. When using mundane attacks, you can add half Spirit.
At Level 5: Mundane attack bonuses increase to Spirit.
<Template> Siphon
Req: At least Spirit 2
Pick one stat for this template. When you attack with this spell, which does damage up to Spirit, you recover a point of the selected stat. This does not go beyond your original stats.
At Level 3: Instead of recovering, you gain the stat. If it goes beyond your original stat, the bonus you gained only lasts until you rest or until you lose it from damage.
At Level 5: You gain points up to Spirit instead of just 1.
Req: Any spell.
Basic attack spell for any magically-inclined combatant. Flavor it how you want.
Damage: Spirit
Magic Defense
Req: None.
Everyone is allowed to use Magic Defense to defend against Magic. Doesn't count as a spell.
When you successfully defend against a magic attack, you gain no ill effects, not even damage.
Ally
Req: At Least Spirit 1
Whether you summon something from another dimension, or turn some object into a friend, your magic creates a friend that assists you or fights by your side. They start at [-2 -2 -2 -2] and deal 1 damage, but Body increases by the amount of Spirit you invest.
At Level 3: They start at [0 0 0 0] and attack as if using the Unarmed weapon. Body and Spirit increases by the amount of Spirit you invest.
At Level 5: All stats increase by the amount of Spirit you invest, and they attack with whatever sort of weapon you choose.
Fabrication
Req: At Least Spirit 1
You can create any object, and it lasts as long as the spell is invested into. This also includes weapons -- however, the weapon will break instantly if you roll below a 5+E when using the weapon. Attacking or defending with the weapon will use the stat normally used for that weapon.
At Level 3: You can transmute the item into whatever is convenient on your turn.
At Level 5: The weapon no longer breaks, and you can add your invested Spirit to rolls when attacking or defending with the weapon. Item transmutation can be done immediately at any time.
Heal
Req: At Least Spirit 1
Use magic to heal damage and remove fatigue in an unnatural way. Can be targeted on someone else.
You recover up to half Spirit (round down, minimum 1) damage from any stat.
At Level 3: You recover Spirit, and also recover half Spirit (round down, minimum 1) in Exhaustion.
At Level 5: Recover all damage and set Exhaustion to 0.
Hypnosis
Req: At Least Spirit 3
You use magic to manipulate the target's mind.
While this skill is invested, the target will be combative. Their attitude towards you won't change, but they won't enter combat if they aren't already fighting you. If used in combat, they will not attack until attacked (which breaks the spell), or until they shake off the spell, which they can do as if it were a grapple.
At Level 3: They become friendlier and may stop fighting altogether. This spell still breaks when they are attacked, or if they shake off the spell.
At Level 5: They will obey commands and any attitude adjustments you order them to have. When in combat, combat ends. Spell ends when you dismiss the spell, or take a break. Suggestions may persist beyond the spell duration at this stage.
Inhibit
Req: At Least Spirit 2
Loose jolts of magic into the target's nervous system and inhibit their movement or thought.
While this skill is invested, the target takes a penalty of the investment to a skill, attack, defense, magic attack or resistance, etc. You can only choose 1. The target can choose to shake off the spell as if it were a grapple.
At Level 3: The penalty increases to half Spirit, but applies to all rolls while in effect.
At Level 5: Penalty increases to Spirit.
Magic Lock
Req: At Least Spirit 1
Keep something mundane in forced suspension, such as a lock.
At Level 3: You do not need to invest any Spirit to maintain the spell.
At Level 5: You can use this to hold down biological creatures.
Portal
Req: At Least Spirit 1
Change your location. In combat, this lets you change your Distance, up to Spirit times per encounter.
At Level 3: You can use this spell on other characters.
At Level 5: You can use this spell during an opponent's turn to evade attacks or change their target up to Spirit times per encounter.
Sanctum
Req: At Least Spirit 2
You can open up your own pocket dimension. It's full of furnishings and whatever you want, as if it were a real location. The door is pretty much any door, after you chant the spell. When the door shuts, it leads back to wherever it was supposed to go. The pocket dimension exits through any door in the world.
At Level 3: You can escape into your pocket dimension in combat. It no longer requires a door. You simply slip into another dimension.
At Level 5: You warp the space around you, transporting you and whoever you want into the pocket dimension, without anybody even physically moving.
Timesight
Req: At Least Spirit 1
Gain the power of foresight. Out of combat, this will net you some clues for your objective. In combat, add half Spirit (rounded down) when defending against mundane attacks.
At Level 3: The bonus increases to Spirit. When using mundane attacks, you can add half Spirit.
At Level 5: Mundane attack bonuses increase to Spirit.
<Template> Siphon
Req: At least Spirit 2
Pick one stat for this template. When you attack with this spell, which does damage up to Spirit, you recover a point of the selected stat. This does not go beyond your original stats.
At Level 3: Instead of recovering, you gain the stat. If it goes beyond your original stat, the bonus you gained only lasts until you rest or until you lose it from damage.
At Level 5: You gain points up to Spirit instead of just 1.
Spoiler
Body Weapon
For whatever reason there is a weapon that is a part of your body. Maybe it comes out of you. Who knows.
You pick one weapon with this ability. It is something you can bring out at any time, whenever you want, and it doesn't break or get disarmed or whatever.
At Character Level 5: Damage increases by half Body. When rolling 8+ (Exertion adds to this value), you can attack again.
At Character Level 10: Range increases to infinity. When rolling 8+ (Exertion is ignored), you can attack again.
Drug Resistance
You have a high tolerance to poisons, alcohols, sedatives, and other chemicals hazardous to the body or mind.
The duration of such a thing is reduced by 1, whatever its duration unit is.
At Character Level 5: The duration is still reduced by 1, but the unit is reduced by 1 step.
At Character Level 10: The duration is reduced by Body, and the unit is reduced by 2 steps. Additionally, once you are poisoned with something specific, you cannot be poisoned by that thing ever again.
Magical Transformation
Whether through some conduit, a patron, or your own willpower, you have the ability to summon a lot of magical power to enhance your very existence for a period of time. The transformation may alter your appearance or clothes. During transformation, all stats increase by 1, except for Spirit, which increases by 2. When Spirit reaches 0 due to damage, the transformation ends. A character that undoes their transformation can only transform again after a period of rest.
At Character Level 5: All Stats increase by 2, except for Spirit, which increases by 3.
At Character Level 10: All Stats increase by 4.
Magic Resistance
You become accustomed to the magical effects of a particular caster. During an encounter, every time you are hit with a magic attack, the next attack is reduced by 1. This reduction will reset if a round passes and they do not hit you with that spell.
At Character Level 5: The reduction resets if two round passes instead, and they do not hit you with that spell.
At Character Level 10: The reduction counts for all spells from that opponent, and does not reset if they use a different spell.
Physical Transformation
Whether it's because you're a werewolf or you inject roids into yourself or something, you can enhance your physical abilities, and this probably makes you look different. The transformation only lasts your pre-transformation Body in hours. When transformed, your stats all increase by 1, except for Body, which increases by 2. Unlike Magical Transformations, you do not transform back if your Body reaches 0. You do transform back if you become incapacitated. When the transformation ends, you won't be able to transform again until a period of rest.
At Character Level 5: All Stats increase by 1, except for Body, which increases by 4.
At Character Level 10: All Stats increase by 2, except for Body, which increases by 5.
Projectile Deflection
Either you can see it coming, or you just happen to tense up right before impact, projectiles don't harm you that much. Pick 1 of your stats -- up to that many times per encounter, you ignore a mundane ranged attack.
At Character Level 5: You can defend against ranged Magic attacks as if it were a melee attack.
At Character Level 10: You can ignore magical ranged attacks, but they count towards your pool of ranged cancellations.
Regeneration
You heal at an impossibly fast rate.
At any point in time, you can recover 1 damage up to Body amount of times during an encounter, for Body stat only.
At Character Level 5: You can recover up to half Body (round down) amount of damage, Body amount of times during an encounter, but across any stat. Any source of temporary damage you take is reduced to half of what it is, to a minimum of 1 and rounded down.
At Character Level 10: You recover up to Body amount of damage, Body amount of times during an encounter, but across any stat. Also you become immune to temporary damage.
<Template> Absorption
You absorb a chosen stat in order to sustain yourself. Blood, Qi, spirit energy, whatever. In terms of combat, you can do 1 Stat damage to an opponent you have grappled.
In doing so, you recover 1 damage in the chosen Stat.
At Character Level 5: You recover 1 damage, but you can choose to recover a different stat.
At Character Level 10: You can recover more than your maximum stats, though this is temporary and only lasts until you rest or lose the bonus stats.
Spoiler
Weapons will generally have their own trait. Depending on the attack roll result, different things may occur.
Note that Exertion applies to the results here as well. So if your exertion is 1 and you roll a 5, you do not meet the 5-7 range as it is 6-8 due to exertion.
If a weapon is two-handed, add 1 to the base damage.
Melee
Short Blades
A knife-type weapon. They can only be used at a distance of 0.
Damage: Body
5-7: Bleeding deals 1 additional damage at the end of the next round.
8+: 1 more attack.
Long Blades
A sword-type weapon. They can only be used at a distance of 0-1.
Damage: 1+Body
5-7: Bleeding deals 1 additional damage at the end of the next round, and gain +1 bonus to defense on your next turn.
8+: Deal 1 additional damage on hit, 1 damage at the end of the next round, and gain +1 bonus to defense on your next turn.
Axeheads
Axe-type weapons with thick blades. They can only be used at a distance of 0-1.
Damage: 1+Body
5-7: Deal 1 additional damage.
8+: Deal 2 additional damage, and move the opponent 1 distance anywhere.
Blunted Arms
A bat, a hammer, something like that. They can be used at a distance of 0-1.
Damage: 1+Body
5-7: Deal 1 additional damage.
8+: Deal 1 additional damage, and you stun the opponent until your next turn.
Unarmed
For when you've got no weapons! They can only be used at a distance of 0.
Damage: half body
5-7: 1 additional damage.
8+: 1 more attack.
Ranged
Small Crossbows
Concealable weapons that fold out and launch a sharp projectile at the enemy.
Damage: 1
5-7: Deal 1 additional damage.
8+: Deal 1 additional damage. Until your next turn, if the opponent moves, they take 1 additional damage.
Handgun
Small firearms. Despite their size, they have a great deal of stopping power.
Damage: 4
5-7: Stun the opponent until your next turn.
8+: 1 more attack, but at -1.
Note that Exertion applies to the results here as well. So if your exertion is 1 and you roll a 5, you do not meet the 5-7 range as it is 6-8 due to exertion.
If a weapon is two-handed, add 1 to the base damage.
Melee
Short Blades
A knife-type weapon. They can only be used at a distance of 0.
Damage: Body
5-7: Bleeding deals 1 additional damage at the end of the next round.
8+: 1 more attack.
Long Blades
A sword-type weapon. They can only be used at a distance of 0-1.
Damage: 1+Body
5-7: Bleeding deals 1 additional damage at the end of the next round, and gain +1 bonus to defense on your next turn.
8+: Deal 1 additional damage on hit, 1 damage at the end of the next round, and gain +1 bonus to defense on your next turn.
Axeheads
Axe-type weapons with thick blades. They can only be used at a distance of 0-1.
Damage: 1+Body
5-7: Deal 1 additional damage.
8+: Deal 2 additional damage, and move the opponent 1 distance anywhere.
Blunted Arms
A bat, a hammer, something like that. They can be used at a distance of 0-1.
Damage: 1+Body
5-7: Deal 1 additional damage.
8+: Deal 1 additional damage, and you stun the opponent until your next turn.
Unarmed
For when you've got no weapons! They can only be used at a distance of 0.
Damage: half body
5-7: 1 additional damage.
8+: 1 more attack.
Ranged
Small Crossbows
Concealable weapons that fold out and launch a sharp projectile at the enemy.
Damage: 1
5-7: Deal 1 additional damage.
8+: Deal 1 additional damage. Until your next turn, if the opponent moves, they take 1 additional damage.
Handgun
Small firearms. Despite their size, they have a great deal of stopping power.
Damage: 4
5-7: Stun the opponent until your next turn.
8+: 1 more attack, but at -1.
