<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Greetings, Phil from Idyll Creations here. Last November we released the Adventure System on DriveThruRPG.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> The Adventure System uses simple polyhedral dice mechanics to resolve conflict so you can drive the story and action. You roll a die and take the result at face value without adding or subtracting any modifiers from that value.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> The core rules allow you to breathe life into any campaign you can imagine for a roleplaying game and are suitable for any genre including alternate history, cyberpunk, fantasy, and science fiction. The core rules include everything you need.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> You will find the Core Rules here: (Link: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/293921/Adventure-System)https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/293921/Adventure-System
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> If you want something to look at, the Full-size Preview has all of Chapter 1 available.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> Thanks, Phil_AdventureSystem! The floor is open to questions!
<~Dan> Are there any settings available for the game, and if not, are any planned?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> There are three in the works…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> All have been in development for years…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Tested in my personal group…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> I don’t have the brain bandwidth to work on something that I don’t enjoy running with my friends…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Outland is currently getting the focus…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Set in the year 3648, humanity has spread throughout the Sol system in the wake of Martian genetic engineering and terraforming. An eon has passed since the Great Solar War and new powers have risen to shape the fate of the Outland.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> The other two are a traditional fantasy setting called Iron Lands and an alternate history called the Forever War
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> What are the big changes to history in the Forever War?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> World War II never ended and magic is real. Creatures fey and infernal live among us hidden by the veil that clouds the minds of those who simply don’t want to see the truth.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> I always loved the concept of Shadowrun and wanted to run something similar, but with a 1945 feel to it…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Magic is undercover in Forever War tho…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Mundane’s aren’t aware of what is going on…
* ~Dan nods
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> The short work of fiction in the beginning of the rule book is set in the Forever War…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> Do you have a character sheet available for viewing?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> There are four version up on the store… All free of course…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> They are also here: (Link: http://adventure-system.com/adventurers)http://adventure-system.com/adventurers
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> There is a copy of the short story also… on the same page…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> Give me just sec to pull one up here…
<~Dan> Looking it over…
<~Dan> Okay, so it looks like you have attributes and skills, both based on increasing die types?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Correct
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> A character’s statistics and skills are represented by a die type from d2 to d12. There are six basic statistics: three physical (Strength, Dexterity & Endurance) and three mental (Charisma, Intellect & Fortitude). Plus, the derived statistics Athletics (Strength + Dexterity), Quickness (Dexterity + Intellect), Spirit (Charisma & Fortitude),
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> and Toughness (Endurance & Fortitude); each is the average of the two basic statistics.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> The core concept of the system is dice mechanics with no modifiers…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Using polyhedral dice was key to that concept… otherwise, you tend to end up with modifiers…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> Is d12 a universal cap? And if so, how do you simulate superhuman beings?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> yes, and no…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> For normal humanoids, yes.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> There are rules for Monstrous Strength in the creatures section
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> And those rules are extended to other statistics in the Supers primer we included in the appendix
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> Can you say how those rules work?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Sure
<~Dan> (Howdy, Akyla!)
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> It starts at +d4
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> So, the first step is d12 +d4 and so on… up to d12 +d12
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> A giant for example has a Monstrous d12 +d8 Strength
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<+danhunsaker> The dice go up by evens, I presume? d2, d4, d6, d8, d10, d12? You don’t have d3, d5, d7, d9, or d11 rolls?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> correct
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> A d2 is shorthand for a d4 with Disadvantage. It is used mainly for untrained skill checks.
<~Dan> What is the relationship between the attributes and skills?
<+danhunsaker> Ah, so not a coin, then.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Negative… no coins
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Each skill has a linked statistic that determines the cost to improve the skill…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Improving the skill above the statistic costs double
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> So, if you have a d8 Dexterity, you can improve Stealth to a d8 before it becomes more expensive.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> So far — and I realize you’ve heard this before — the system is putting me in mind of Savage Worlds. What are some distinctions?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Fair question
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> I have run a campaign using the prior version; deluxe edition, I think…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> The Adventure System is similar because we use polyhedral dice to represent statistics and skills in the same way game systems that use a d20 or dice pools are similar.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> It diverges from there beyond some mechanics that are core to any polyhedral system…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> No modifiers
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Numerical initiative (no cards)
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> More standard wound system
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Fate & Destiny system
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Compass system
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Wealth system
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> and, the powers system is non-generic…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> I see… Very nice.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> The Core Rules include a lot of content: mythical races from elves to orcs; templates for futuristic home worlds; custom races & aliens; 12 archetypes; 30+ skills; 100+ talents; 25+ armors; 100+ weapons; 50+ vehicles; 150+ powers; 100+ adversaries
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> You get everything you need to run fantasy, cyberpunk or science fiction. We include three primers in the appendix that get you started on Old West, WWII and Supers.
<~Dan> Is task resolution just a matter of rolling one die vs. a target number?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> That is likely another distinction, I remember buying the fantasy and sci fi books… You don’t need that with the Adventure System…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Yes
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Roll the die in question against a Difficult Number (DN); a routine check is DN 4; Challenging DN 8; and Heroic DN 12. If the result exceeds the DN by 10 it is a Critical Success. A 1 is a Critical Failure.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> All circumstantial modifiers are replaced by Advantage & Disadvantage.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Some checks are made against an opponent’s passive value, which is the statistical average of the die rounded up: d2 (2); d4 (3); d6 (4); d8 (5); d10 (6); and d12 (7). For example, Stealth versus passive Notice. An orc has Notice d4, so the Stealth check would be against DN 3. That is if the orc was not on alert; if they were… they would make a Notice roll.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> Do the dice open-end?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Yes
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Once you decide to use polyhedral dice and not have modifiers some concepts simply become necessary. For example, you continue rolling on a Max Die. Because there are no modifiers, you need different Difficulty Numbers (DN) to represent challenge levels. With the standard DNs set at 4, 8, and 12, you must use the Max Die concept or those challenge levels beco
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> become impossible
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
* ~Dan nods
<~Dan> Can you say a bit about the Fate and Destiny system(s)?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Sure
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Characters begin play with their maximum Fate that is Charisma + Fortitude. They use Fate in play to either add their Spirit die to a roll or reroll.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> At the end of each session, the players are awarded 1 to 10 Fate in three categories: story, combat, and role-playing.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> The average session award is 15 Fate. First, any Fate spent is replenished and then the remainder flows over into Destiny.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Characters use Destiny to improve skill and statistics or buy talents.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Generally, if the characters spend 5 Fate in a session, they will have enough for an improvement after each session.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Some more expensive improvements may take a few sessions to accrue enough Destiny.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> Seems like a reasonable enough system.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> All-in-one, if you will…
* ~Dan nods
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> Can you describe combat?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Bloody, ha!
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Yes
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Initiative is based on a Quickness check; one roll for the whole combat
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Characters get two Standard Action or one Complex Action per turn
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> To attack, you make a check with the relevant combat skill against the target’s ranged or melee Defense
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> If you hit, they can use and action to Defend and try to roll higher to dodge or parry…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> If struck, you make a damage check against the target’s Toughness; each point that exceeds Toughness is a wound
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> How does the wound system work?
<~Dan> Are they just hit points, or something more complex?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> You have Wounds equal to Endurance + Fortitude
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> So… Endurance d6 and Fortitude d6 means Wounds 12
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> I know you don’t use modifiers, but are there wound penalties of any kind?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Just hit points, but they are fixed unless you increase your Endurance or Fortitude
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Yes, two…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> A dmagae check is made against your passive Toughness… So, a 4 if you have a d6…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Armor adds +1 to +3 to you Toughness
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> If the check equal your Toughness, you are Shaken
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> If you take over half your wounds in a single hit you are Devastated
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> When Shaken you cannot take Advanced Action
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> When Devastated you are Hindered, Prone, and Stunned…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Otherwise, you are full go until pushing up daisies…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> That is with intent…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> On a scale of 1-10, how gritty and brutal would you say combat is?
<~Dan> 10 being “as brutal as it gets”.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Hmmm…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Probably a 6 or a 7…
* ~Dan nods
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> BUt, players have an advantage because they can spend Fate…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> If you miss by 2, you can spend Fate to add your Spirit die and most likely hit…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> The Max Die also applies to damage, so it can get ugly…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> That is why the players need Fate…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> I see that weapons have an associated die apart from damage. What is that used for?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> It is the statistic linked to the combat skill being used…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Fight is linked to Strength…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> So, if you have Strength d8 and hit with a longsword, also a d8, you roll d8 +d8 for the damage check
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Shoot is based on Fortitude and Throw on Dexterity…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> What was your reasoning behind linking Shoot to Fortitude?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Heresy…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Nah
<~Dan> 🙂
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> It is more concentration than Dexterity…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> You can slide Dex in there, however…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> There are a few Specilization that allow you to swap in Dexterity and the damage stat…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Primarily, Light Melee and Pistol
<~Dan> For context, what are some skills based off of Fortitude?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Improvement is still based on the normal linked statsuitic, however… it is only for damage…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Tech
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Ride
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Craft
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Divinity
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Search
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Treat Wouinds
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> Speaking of skills, it looks like they’re pretty broad. Is that accurate?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Yes
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> The system is meant to be simple…
* ~Dan nods
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Also, if you are great in melee… well, you are great in melee…
<~Dan> I see “Fight” on the sample character’s sheet, but you mentioned “Light Melee”. Is “Fight” unarmed combat?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Doesn’t make sense you to to become incompetent when you pick up a different weapon…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Fight is all melee
<~Dan> Oh, so Light Melee is a weapon category?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Light Melee is an available Specialization for Fight
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> And, it represents a weapon category…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Yep
<~Dan> How do specializations work?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> It is a talent
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> On the modifier front… gear, and some other things, provide a step bonus to your die, but they are permanent or semi-permanent…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> So, a Specialization grants +1 when using that type of weapon…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> If you had Shoot d6, but Specialization (pistol) when you used a pistol you would be a d8…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Applies to other skills as well…
<~Dan> Is there any drawback to having a specialization?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Allows for very broad skills that can be fine-tuned…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Sorry, missed that… nope.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> All Talents are beneficial…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> You spend Destin on them, so they need to be meaningful and advantageous…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> Ah, okay, I follow you now.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Of course, skills are important, but your character is built on talents…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Everybody will probably have Fight (maybe), but the selection of talents makes the characters different…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> It appears that Talents are where paranormal powers show up?
<+deviston> Question: How strict are the rules when it comes to roleplay? For example, is there a mechanic for “letting that slide because it’s thematically enjoyable” or is the system designed to be strict to the rules? (Leaving aside the caveat that ANY game can have the rules bent for any reason of course)
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> By, paranormal… you mean supers? Of, like undead…?
<~Dan> Well, just as shorthand for magic, psionics, superpowers, mutations, what have you.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Dev, that is a referee decision… I cover it lightly in the referee’s section of the rules.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Ah, okay… I consider magic normal 😉
<~Dan> 🙂
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> All powers work the same. This is covered in a few pages in chapter 6. There are separate chapters for Elementalism (four spheres), Sorcery (four schools), Divinity (nine domains), and Mentalism (four disciplines). Those are also the skill used for powers of that type.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> For example, you use Elementalism for elemental magic.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Powers are purchased individually as talents. This is critical because it very distinctly states what the character is all about as a spell caster. It also allows you to create classic characters by judiciously selecting those that represent that character.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Dev, I actually give an example of when to not roll and possible screw up something cool…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<+deviston> Thank you, follow on to that. How much focus is there on the roleplaying aspect of the game within the ruleset?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> That is a great question…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> I leave that to the individual game masters and players…
<+deviston> Understood, thank you kindly!
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> I made a decision early on to not include “what is roleplaying” or “how do you run a game” in the rules…
<+deviston> What was the motivation for that decision?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> I wanted them to be a manual for the technical aspect of the game; though it is quite simple…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> My criteria was… If an experienced GM would just skip it… I didn’t put it in…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> Can you go into some more detail about the various forms of magic?
<+deviston> Oh so it’s geared towards experienced folks as a target audience, also very good to know.
<+deviston> (done)
<~Dan> (Heh. The (done) thing is just for the guests, deviston. No harm done, obvoiusly. 😀 )
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Dev, I wouldn’t necessarily say that because the rules are simple…
<+deviston> nods
<~Dan> (obviously, even)
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> I simply didn’t think it made sense to explain role-playing
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> If you are holding the book, you probably know…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> And, how to run a game is a great topic for a blog article…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> I wanted the rules to be lean and focused on the mechanics…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Elementalism has four spheres: air, earth, fire and water
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> One set of power governs them all, but the application is determined by the sphere you use…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> For example, the power Minor Elemental Control let’s you control minor aspects of the stated sphere…
<+danhunsaker> (But only until the Fire Nation attacks…)
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Put out torches (fire); entangle (earth); whisper on the wind (air), traverse water (well, water)…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Dan, they each have elemental strike, so the others don’t feel left out…
* ~Dan nods
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> But, each has a different elemental effect… For example, lightening (air) inflicts stun in addition to the standard damage…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Any questions on Elementalism?
<~Dan> Yes…
<~Dan> Are there individual spells under Elementalism, or can anyone with one of the spheres accomplish any of the effects?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> One set of powers used by all four; effects determined by sphere…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> I should add…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> When you purchase Elementalism as a talent, you pick one sphere and can by more later if you want…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> So, Dan would be a Fire Mage at the start…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Or, Danhunsaker…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> I meant…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Here’s the a good example…
* ~Dan chuckles
<+danhunsaker> (The Fire Nation is a group from the series Avatar: The Last Airbender. I was trying to be funny. 😀 )
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> The power Enhance Or Afflict allows you to add +1 step to a statistic or skill…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Air Magic is Dexterity, Charisma and their linked skills plus Athletics
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Earh Magic is Endurance, Fortitude and their linked skills plus Toughness
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> etc
<~Dan> And again, anyone with Elementalism can do that?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> It was funny BTW…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> Just by having the Elementalism Talent, I mean?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Heck, no…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> You buy Elementalism as a talent…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> That allows you to then buy and use elemental powers…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Youe get Mage Sight for free with Elementalism…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Then customize your character from the based on the powers you buy…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Powers are purchased individually as talents. This is critical because it very distinctly states what the character is all about as a spell caster. It also allows you to create classic characters by judiciously selecting those that represent that character.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> So this is jumping ahead a bit, but the sample character has Elementalism and Shamanism. I take it here Magical Powers are associated with both?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Shamanism is a talent that provides an additional benefits to an Elementalist if that is the concept of the character…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Grants you a benefit based on your totem animal…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> The Spirit of the Bear (earth) grants Enhance to either Toughness or Survival. For example…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> There are a bunch of other power enhancers that can be purchased as talents also…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> Hmm. I guess I’m not clear on how spells like Beast Sight and Spirit Walk fall under Earth Elementalism.
<~Dan> (Howdy, Silverlion!)
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Greetings
<+Cortana> (*falls over*)
<~Dan> (Howdy, Cortana!)
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Earth covers terrestrial animals (wolves, bears, etc.) and Beast Sight allows you to see through their eyes…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Spirit Walk is for all mages, so it includes sorcerer’s also… Any mage can take spirit walk…
<~Dan> Gotcha.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> It is important that the player define what their character is… without classes…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> You can build it, but the character needs a mission statement…
* ~Dan nods
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> I included a spot for “Archetype” on the character sheet…
<~Dan> What’s the story on Sorcery?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> The reason for that is… the player to state what they are all about in like two words…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Right, Eldritch Slayer is a mission statement…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> On to sorcery…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Four schools…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Conjuration, Enchantment, Necromancy, and Thaumaturgy
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> each has full set of powers…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> How do you define Thaumaturgy?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Very hard to spell… 😉
<~Dan> Pardon the pun? 🙂
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Never…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> The school of thaumaturgy allows mages to alter an object or even their own nature.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> I will admit, it was the hardest one to fill out…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Has powers like shape shift and witch skin
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> What does witch skin do?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Hardens the sorcerer’s flesh granting a natural armor bonus
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Each of the scholls has a defensive power
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> Divinity, I assume, is cleric type stuff?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Correct
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Nine domains
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Domains: Good, evil, law, chaos, dwarves, elves, misery, nature, and war
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> And Mentalism?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Psionics… had to be a rebel…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Four disicplines
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Biomancy, Psychokinesis, Redaction, and Telepathy
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> Redaction?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Mental programing…
<~Dan> Ah.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Then can implant engrams that trigger on set conditions…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Plus make engramic force weapons…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> Is there any sort of limit on spellcasting?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> There is no limit on the use of powers, but there are backfire rules for a Critical Failure and if the character fails to manifest a power (ergo, fails their check) they are Shaken.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> . A character that is Shaken cannot take Advanced Actions.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Using a power is an Advanced Action. So, they can’t use their powers until they use a Defend Action and make a successful Spirit check.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Shaken has broader applications than just for the use of magic. Advanced Actions are also used in combat: Charge, Double Strike, Full Attack, Full Defense, Grapple, Knockdown, Maim, Preemptive Strike, and Seize Initiative.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> What other powers does the game cover? I know you mentioned superpowers already…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Super Science leverages the other powers because it is free form…
<+danhunsaker> (Carpe Marte)
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> You use existing powers as a guide to determine how to gauge the desired effect of the gadget or invention…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> One of the cooler aspects of magic I forgot to mention is the runeforging power…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> It is a third tier Elemental power and expanded as a tier two Exchanter power…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> It allows mages to collect spirit and create entry level magic items…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Bridges the gap between starting gear and more powerful magic…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> And, the players can more actively make it happen v. finding something…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Late last year, I wrote an article on our blog where I recreated all of the classes from the D&D 5e PHB: (Link: http://adventure-system.com/classic-characters-fantasy)http://adventure-system.com/classic-characters-fantasy
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> If anybody wants to take a look…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<+danhunsaker> I always wonder…. What’s your LEAST favorite thing about Adventure System?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> How much work it was… 😉
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Nothing really…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> I built it originally for my use, so I made what I wanted to run and would want to play in…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> The comparisons to Savage Worlds… which are understandable…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> But, once I decided on pure dice mechanics… polyhedral dice were really the only choice…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Or dice pools maybe…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> But, I wanted less dice…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Faster
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> From there, certain similarities are unavoidable…
<~Dan> What was the thinking that went into creating specific magic systems for the game?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> I didn’t do anything just to be different… I did what I thought would be the best for the system…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> I always felt that some multi-genre games power systems felt a bit bland… or generic…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> I didn’t want to do that…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> So I built them out specifically to feel distinct from one another…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> While using the same underlying mechanics…
* ~Dan nods
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> I also tried to have the powers be as different from each other as possible…
<~Dan> Oh, I almost forgot: What is the compass?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> So, there aren’t six powers with different names that mostly work the same that blast people with fire… there’s one…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Oh, yeah…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> That’s what you’re seeing in the middle of the sheet…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> The Adventure System uses a unique system to track a character’s honor, morality, and sanity called the Compass.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Each typically starts at a rating of zero and is then adjusted in play based on your character’s actions and experiences.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> When the character’s honor, morality, or sanity crosses a certain threshold, they receive adjustments that affect the character in play.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> What’s an example of how they might affect a character?
<~Dan> (Howdy, GenoFoxx!)
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> So, you start with a Morality of zero… after doing your fair share of dastardly deeds your Morality is -4…
<+GenoFoxx> (hiya Dan)
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> You are now Menacing (a trait) that grants +1 step to Intimidate…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> At Morality -8 you are now Evil; meaning, you have crossed the threshold and are in the same league as a vampire for example…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> This opens up some talents that require Evil as the prerequsite…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> same for all the others…
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> (done)
<~Dan> In the time remaining, is there anything we haven’t covered that you’d like to bring up?
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Not if you have no further questions.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> I really appreciate the time and opportunity.
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> If you are interested in a deeper look at the History & Design of the Adventure System, I wrote an article on our blog here: (Link: http://adventure-system.com/blog)http://adventure-system.com/blog
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> In the future, you can reach me directly at Scribe@Adventure-System.com if I can be of any assistance…
<~Dan> Standard reminder: If you’ve enjoyed this Q&A, tips are welcome at (Link: https://www.ko-fi.com/gmshoe)https://www.ko-fi.com/gmshoe . Anything’s appreciated! 🙂
<~Dan> Now, if you’ll give me just a minute, I’ll get the log posted and link you!
<+Phil_AdventureSystem> Thanks, have a great evening!
<+danhunsaker> (I’m assuming you want that email in the logs for whoever reads them later?)