Pandora Development Thread ~ RPGsite

[sithson]

~Reposted from another site, im not getting enough feedback Included in this one post is all the posts i made~

Okay, I hope the forum mod's don't mind and since I don't have a blog, or webpage or anything like that yet, I'm sticking / creating this thread here.

Purpose of this thread is to talk about the game I'm developing called pandora. I will use this thread to sort of keep mental note on what decisions I have made, and also forumlate questions and queeries to the rest of the populace out there, on to what it's going to be about and what it's going to contain.

So, what is pandora? Right now I don't have a answer for you. It's a loosly formed thought, which i'm building up slowly. All I know for sure is that pandora is the right name for this game, becuase it envokes a feeling of mystery (Whats in that box?) and a sense of knowing, plus a little bit of the fantasy flair kind of word.

So the things that are IN: With the game so far:

1. The name is pandora

2. The dice system will be 3d6 with special modifications

3. The game will address three different play styles and merge them into a single form of expression that all can enjoy.

4. The layout will be meticulious in it's design and implimentation (ie charts always stay on the outside margins so you dont have to crack the cover, that sort of thing that I think is really going to make the game be loved by all)

5, There will be nine stats, heres the info I have on it so far, not yet totaly complete: so the following is not verbatium, just sort of what I had written down at the time, so far its 3 categories, with three stats in each category, and like a wheel interplay with each other.

http://home.roadrunner.com/~keyofsolomon/LIFE.pdf

Physical is divided into three categories:

Power (Inner tree): This is what I would call your inner strength. It's base mechanic is for raw damage, and other physical feats. This is a passive Attribute and and be called upon during certain circumstances

Control: This is how well you can control your power. Its base mechanic is for how well you can use your power (I.e hit) or used for upshifts in raw physical feats, its basically how well you control your physical actions.

Body: This is how tough you are, how well you keep your self. It's base mechanic is for physical damage taken and can be used for upshifts in resistance. This is how well you keep your physical body.

Mental is divided into three categories

Intiution (inner tree): This is your raw intlect and mental power stat. It's base mechanic is for figuring out mental tasks or puzzels or memories.
It's passive and can be called upon, but this is the spark of the gods that makes you be able to think.

Creation: This is how well you can use your ideas from intiution to solve a problem at hand, typicaly math related problems or other mental activities that are logical. It's also used to create drawings and other things.

Focus: This is how well you can remember ideas from intiution and use knowldege and other hard earned skills in practice come together.

Reaction: This is a hybrid attribute which is the combined features of focus and control, it is in essence your reflexes. The better you are at controlling your body and maintaining your foucs the better you can dodge the sword, or what not comming your way. Normally people associate reflexes with non thinking but in reality in order for the stunt men and heros of old, it took lots of control and focus in order to do the heroing feats they had to do.

Spirtual is divided into three categories

Purity: Is the raw spirtual essence of your being, it is who you are and how well you portary that to the world. This is your soul.

Awareness: Is how aware you are of things around you, as well as within yourself and your spiritual connection.

Drive: Is how dermined you are to see your essence or your ideas spread out to the world around you or how foucused you are into perfecting your innerself.

Spirit: Is a hybrid between Drive and creation, and in essence your willpower and mental ability at creating new things ideas and spells.

Aggression is a hybrid between Body and awareness and in essence how well you can control your inner rage, and how well you can use your perceptions to defeat a foe.

The primay powers Intiution, power, and purity are passive attributes
For a break down to get a more complete picture

Body = Constitution
Control = Dexterity
Focus = Wisdom
Creativity = Intellegence
Power = Strength
Awareness = Charisma

Reaction = AC / Reflex saves
Spirt = Magical adjustments / Will power saves
Aggression = To hit / Fortitude

Why the three other skills intiution, Purity, drive? I felt as if certain aspects of DnD and as well as other games didn't capture some critical junctures in my mind. LIke rolling spot or listen was boring, or search, or skills in the game that were felt like they were being forced, that's why I came up with intuiton. Drive was the need to see clerics and holy figures and mad man and determined people do what they did, and purity was to represent a persons conceince and inner self of the character.

The nice thing is that I cleverly built into this circle a hidden feedback loop that would favor some one who was not into putting all their points in to strength and con, and call it a day. Instead, to have a high hit value your going to need to be aware of your surroundings as well as having a buffed body. To perform feats of dare you need to have focus and control. To cast spells you need to have a clarity of drive and the spark of creation.

This kind of give take method, favors some one who builds a smart theif, or a keen fighter (No he doesnt need to be bright as you can see by the layout)

My next hurtle is to decide what the final values will be wnad where I want them to be.

6. The game will be free online

7. The game will feature decent arists

8.
9.
10.
etc.

Okay thats all i have for now.
Okay so I was thinking today, about how i'm going to lay out the chapters

The book will be the main supplement, and have the Player Dungeon master and monsters in it. Unless it gets too big ( I don't see that happining, at least I hope)

So how should it be layed out?

Oviously were going to want to divide the book and have the player character information up front, but heres a question, should you just jump into the character creation rules? Should ou have a section before that for setting? Where should it be placed?

So heres the main chapters I have lets decide on placement, where everything should go.

Front pages: Table of contents, credits
Chapter 1: Basic game infromation / flavor More later in the world building section
Chapter 2: Character creation, Charts for abilities
Chapter 3: Character description, fleshing out
Chapter 4: Skills or feats or whichever (I havent decided on this game mechainic yet)
Chapter 5: Reserved for if theres feats or whatever
Chapter 6: Spells etc
Chapter 6: Equipment
Chapter 7: Magical/whichever type equipment, other charts for players (Basic info creation and the like)
Chapter 8: More game information, setting stuff
Chapter 9: Gm section, campagin info how to GM
Chapter 10: Specific rules questions and faq stuff
Chapter 11: How magic and or whatever works, and how to use in the game
Chapter 12: Outdoors encounters and adventures
Chapter 13: City adventures
Chapter 14: Dungeons
Chapter 15: Traps
Chapter 16: NPC's
Chapter 17: Equipment / other magical GM charts (Specific how to rules etc)
Chapter 18: Monsters section
Chapter 19: Using them in your adventure, charts for encounters
Chapter 20: Rules on figuring out xp, and loot and where to go next
Chapter 21: Special monster section
Chapter 22: Monster spells
Chapter 23: FAQ for monsters and what not
Chapter 24: All charts in the game
Chapter 25: DM maps, tools and print out sheets
Chapter 26: Player sheets and print out area
Chapter 27: Index

Note that as before if the item description has a lets say spell associated with it, it wil ALWAYS have a reference page number for easy look up!

Okay so Am i missing anything? DO you think I should add more?

Why I set it up this way: I purposly put game world info and cmapagin dm notes very near each other for a easy transistion and less reading if your the DM, becuase the gear and easy magical stuff is right next to the gm section so you dont have to flip forward into the book, which i find annoying as all get out. Then theres another DM section that details the weapons and gear further, and then further in the monster section and then finally all the charts go in one section, ala hackmaster.

Thoughts? Comments?
I'm looking for some forum users here to help me create this:
I'm looking for:

A creative Director
Content Writers
Rules Writers
Artists
Layout: (Covered)

Im currently canvasing artists atm, but if you know some one or are some one whos intersted in helping me devolpe this game. Thanks,

aslo see above for chapter layout, i would like soem thoughts and comments fromt he forum users.
Pandora Feel Document

I. Breaking stereotypes
Pandora isn't the first or the last game to try to break the typical stereotypes that we find in dungeons and dragons, or their offshoots. Instead, Pandora will revision the roles and races that has made these games so generic, and as of late bland and replayed. Using historical texts and modern day thinking of ancient legends and myth as a base line, Pandora will radically change what we think about these races roles and places for the better. One of the biggest stereotypes that Pandora will focus on is the over encompassing role that humans play in the fantasy settings. Typically the humans portrayed in these games can find close resemblance to historical and modern day factions, and as well as being the everyman's race, one that all players could identify with, or measure from as a baseline.

Pandora will break this habit and instead of humans being highly common, it will reverse it to very rare occurrences and portray other races and factions as the dominant role on this new world. In addition, the stereotypical fantasy world as we know it will no longer be, instead the world of Pandora will be one of that of ancient thinking, and mystery and the landscapes will be completely alien and magical, but not so much so as to remove the common elements that we could point to on our own planet for inspiration.

Finally Pandora is about choices and risk and will break the biggest stereotype of any game system, as it will include how one could modify tweak and smooth out homebrew transitions as well as offering players and gm's ways to figure out what play style they prefer. It will offer three play styles and sets of rules, that won't be in the way, and will be intensely crafted and molded into a system that every one can enjoy!

II. Fantasy Punk

Pandora is all about choices and risk, and should have the feeling of a game where the sword can meet crafted geared steel, where magic also could also feel like picking up a mysterious glowing electric ball that can be used to blast away sinister monsters and arcane creations. This is not steam punk; this is a world where magic devices are just as rare or studied as a clockwork machine, or a plasma conduit. The technology in Pandora should be non intrusive, not weapons but useful and powerful devices, an almost a sort of magic it's self. But this is to say that the technology found is also very rare and far between. Rare enough to be sought as great relics but common enough that the races accept their use.

III. Hope & Heroic play
The world of Pandora is pretty dark, and should be but also be a place where there is eternal hope and gallantry. This is a critical aspect of this world, even though it might be in utter despair. This was the corner stone of the original story itself as it were, along with choice, risk and the unknown but should also translate into the game too. To bring this forward, the chosen, who are the players are grand adventures who represent the hope of the world as they use their swords, magic and technology to fight back the bitter shadows of despair and death, shining beacons in a black world.


(Ill have more as i come up with it, still looking for help here)
Well, its been a week and heres the latest devlopments

We have a Rules Writer! I conscripted one of my more knowledgable and twinkish player from one of the games I go to to help with rules writing. He knows all the inns and out of most of the major games and with him by my side I can craft something that most powergamers are not going to be able to break min/maxing. So This weekend ill get him to the forums, His name is Ryan.

So, now that we have a rules writer, we did discuss some stuff, and one of the biggest hurldes to come across, and now we need some mechanic help!

So, if you have read previous, there are 9 attriubtes in pandora
We have nailed down the physical categories
Control, Body, and Power

So far the basic generation, is the same as almost every single DnD clone or system you have come across. We did this only becuase it felt right, and made it the one thing that's common between any variation out there. Also, for conversion sake, we did that.

There are 6 stats that players will actuall roll for

Control = Dex
Body = Con
Awareness = Cha
Drive = Str
Focus = Wis
Creation = Int

The power attribute is derived by adding Control + Body
This represents your raw untapped physical power and for ease of reference this number also equals your weight you can lift over your head x10 Depending on your size, this multiplier goes up or down, which makes things very easy.

For instance a elf with 18 body , and 18 control will have the ability to lift 360 pounds over their head with moderate effort. X2 of this weight is their maxium wieght they can lift over their head for a period of time to be determined later, were going to proboly say rounds or seconds equal to their power score, and if its equal to or under their normal moderate effort weight, well up that time to minutes or segments, but then again we havent come to time units yet.

Mental catergory has also been nailed down
Focus + Creation = Intiution. This number is your basicaly an IQ score if you times it by x10. Yes, depending on certain races this multiplier can go up or down. This is for ease of reference for AD&D or before that monster definitions of supra mental genious and the like.
You know how every one says you can't measure an IQ, well here we are becuase this number is , like power the theoritical amount of IQ you can generate. We think a total general IQ (This is counting all the five aspects of IQ) of 360 for some one who has focus and creation at 18 is very reasonable, just as a amount of wieght of 360 pounds a very buff but not supra mega wightlifter body builder person could lift over their heads.

One of the methods behind this madness is to look at real world olympic and mental IQ's of the very best in the modern world, so we feel these numbers represent the typical range for some one who has 18's This allows gods and mind flayers to have a much higher base stats realative to characters, as they should. More on the effects of having these high scores will be discussed later

Spirtual Category is still in the works, as were not quite sure of what to do there.
Like the other categories, the center stat, purity is Awareness + Drive x 10. Now the idea behind this stat is to have a stat of a force of will, this is my attempt to get a phsyic psion stat in there, that is your driving force.

Notice, how all the stats are married to each other to generate a more balanced system. More importantly why did I move strength (Drive) into the spirtual category, next to charsima (Awareness)? some will claim that this totaly destroys their concept or whatever when they convert over from lets say dnd to this one. Well, i did that becuase I feel strength in these system isnt about dealing damage its about wanting to deal it. Its about willing your power to crush down the door. In reality your body and its mucless (Body) is doing this. Same goes with the other categories, if you rolled up a 18 strength 8 con fighter.... hes not going to be able to lift that pile of whatever over his head, his bones will simply snap, even if hes got the strength to do it. It plain, doesnt make sense. Youve also got to be dextrious and be able to move and adjust to the wieght as you lift it too so this is why I feel Con + Dex = Power.

So what can we do about the disparity however? Well, perhaps there can be a game mechanic where you could use your purity to enhance your power score, or vice versa? I think in this case it all comes out to a more balanced system in the end. but this has yet to be worked on.

Which leads to the final crux of where we stopped, and that's the actual combat section.

What I want to do is to have Control and Focus = Defence, Awareness and Body = Agression and Creation and drive = Spirt

But our problem is the actual to hit mechanics, and thats where i come to the fourms for help.

Were using the 3D6R System (R meaning random) to generate numbers between 1-20 for to hit rolls, with an average of 14 rolled. But my problem is figuring out what to do with the aggression score, and defence score. Ive also designed that these scores double as your saves defence for reflex aggression for fort saves, and spirt for wil saves obsensively.

We have come up with a solution, but i don't feel that this is the right move, so let us know what you think

Using the base scores you roll to hit, 3D6R and add your aggression score
The opposing player rolls 3D6R and adds his defence score. Monsters will have a fixed number that being 12+their defence (Or rolled by the gm if he wishes, say for the BBEG) My problem with this solution is that it generates really big numbers. Is that a problem?

Same goes for saves, you add your aggression or whatever to 3D6R against a target number.

As for damage, we are going with the following. Every one is familiar with almost every weapon. You can pick something up and stab, beat, whatever with it. However, the amount of damage your going to do isn't going to be as good as the trained assassin. There fore, we impliment a Dice method of damage. 1D6 or (insert die type) for improvised or weapon your not trained in its use, 2D6 or (2D4, etc) for trained weapons
and 3D6R or (3Dinsert die type) for specialized damage.

to mitigate possible constant hits, and better than average damage
the armor system now = More DR instead of losts of defence to hit. Monks and other classes or players will get a bonus to their defence to hit as they go up (Harder to hit, but squishy) where as tanks will be a bit easier to hit, but difficult to damage. Additionaly, for benifits of getting way better than what you needed to hit some one, you get additional damage to mitigate DR or that lucky hit that hit the rouge right in the kidney. There will be a maxium cap on the bonus damage of +5.

So heres how I see it happining (Figure out who goes when, time segments yet to be worked on) combat phase (Also incomplete atm)
To hit, Add aggression which is Body + Awareness + 3D6R
To defend Add Defence which is Control + Focus + 3D6R

Calculate to hit. Johnny rolled 20 (Aggression) + 14 for 34 to hit
Bobby rolled 18 (Defense) + 12 = 30 defence. Johnny rolled 4 better than bobby for +4 to damage with his great sword (Non specialized) which deals 2D6R for a total of 12 (8+4) damage
Bobby has plate mail on however which is +6 DR so he only takes 6 damage, where as if he had leather on, it would of been +2 DR and would have taken 10 damage

Hit points are now called something else (yet to re-name) this score will be ...yet to be determined. This is as far as we got, thoughts? Comments?
Also, To clarify the 3DXR system heres how it works

For the "Feel" Of the game, most if not all rolls to hit what not will involve between 1 and three dice, with one dice always being weighted, or attached to it a modifier which is , also random depending onthe players play preference.

Example, a regular attack roll is 3D6. One of the dice is a different color than the others this is the fate dice, which if rolled on a 1 the result generated is -2 on a 6 of the fate dice the result is +2. However, depending on your play style Risk or Choice, this can change.
Risks players start the session having to declare how many fate dice they will use (Between 1 and three) Each Fate dice they declare they will use this game session has the same -2 or +2 depending on what they roll. This is to represent more risk, and possible rewards or faliures.
A choice player has much more flexibility but can only ever have one fate dice. On any roll before hand they can declare its modifiers result (From +1 to +3 on a 6) the negative modifer mirrors the bonus of their result if they happen to roll a 1 (So if they declare a +2 for the modifier bonus on a 6, on a 1 the modifier penalty is -2) Average players get the flat -2 on a 1 or +2 on a 6 on one fate dice for a result of 1-20.

This continues to other facets of the game, like in damage. The first damage dice you use is always a fate dice, and the remaining dice if added conform to the risk/choice/average senario as above. (A risk fighter with a specialization of longsword and with three Fate dice to attack has to always roll three fate dice when they roll damage or two if they arn't using a speclized weapon, one if they are using a weapont hey are not trained in)
Okay so with a quick review of the mechanics this weekend, we have decided to move drive and awareness around, so that drive and body can = aggression, and awareness and creation can = spirit. As far as the power, purity and intution cores scores, were also happy with them. Were not happy with the high numbers being resulted when rolling 3d6+your scores, and conceed that it acts (and the numbers act) more like a percentile system which is not what were looking for. We also want to lower the numbers to make it a bit saner. Were going with our third option, which is still to stay away from the charts but an with a twist.
Beacuse I wanted to have a minimal power creep, instead of a huge power creep and to flavor it with the feel of pandora, and its three's system, were going to say to add the two attribute scores together. However instead of using that score, were going to say that you get 1 point per 10 points into that score. (I need to reword that) so for example if you had 24 points by adding your body and drive scores together you would get a 2 in aggression. I guess you could say divdie the score by 10 and round down to get the number too. Still that doesn't sound right either. meh.. the low number is what were looking for. this makes combat much easier to figure out! Thank goodness.

Anyways, next were going to be figureing out wounds if thers goign to be any or what the heck were going to do with that, and skills.

For skills they are going to be instead called common, uncommon and rare 'Qualities' commong qualities are skills like cooking, etc uncommon are more focused but build off the common skills becuase everyone knows how to cook, foir the most part you place something in a pan, under heat. how well you do this is up to the indivudual but the idea is there. The uncommon skill would be preperation, which would be knowing what herbs and what not to use in the making of the dish, and presentation would be the rare skill, knowing how to plate it as well as what looks or tates good together visually. Each step results in a level of skill as it progresses from common to rare. Players can basically "Upgrade" Skills to the higher funtions as they place (insert mechanic) into it and it gets better, and thus evolves. The truest form of "leveling" skills that I have tought up of. I think its a neat idea!

Thoughts and or comments?

[signoftheserpent]

how can you not know what it's about?

[sithson]

Note that most of this was multiple posts merged into one post. So we know what its about pretty much now. I corss posted it here for feedback

[sithson]

We have some cover art (The art portion, not the layout)
http://home.roadrunner.com/~keyofsolomon/WiP_101.jpg

Comments, or suggestions? The murky clouds that apear around the box will have scenes of adventure, and or mosters / floating cities Etc

[Sean]

nice box, missus!

[sithson]

Anybody else want to chime in? ANYBODY? What could be done to make this cover better?

[Xanther]

The face is very static and needs more expression.  You also have a change in style between the face and hands.  I actually like the style of the hands better than the face.  The face looks like some basic computer generated image that anyone could create if they bought the right program package.

If you want some serious and very specific critiscism from artists post your art on conceptart.org.   If this is to be the cover art that sells the game it needs a fair amount of work still IMO.

[sithson]

Please note the following is stuff compiled over a week or so. Sorry if its rambling

~

Basic Pandora Character creation Version Alpha 0.1

Step 1. (Optional) Life path, Random or Chosen life path, with bonus perks and or flaws if the random choice is made. Choice perks and flaws are less potent.

Step 2. Assign Attributes. Roll 3D6, assign to 6 stats, possibly either in order, or player choice. If step one was taken adjust attributes accordingly. In order the stats are Body, control, Awareness, Drive, Focus, Creation. As with D&D there will be point buy and optional dice path creation systems.

Step 3. Determine path (With random elements, and choice elements)

Pandora Basics:

1. Character sheet
a. Stat Block A, Physical
i. Control (Dexterity)
ii. Body (Con)
1. Power (control + body)
b. Stat Block B, Mental
i. Focus (Know)
ii. Creation (Intelligence)
1. Intuition (creation + focus)
c. Stat Block C, Spiritual
i. Drive (Strength)
ii. Awareness (Charisma)
1. Purity (drive + awareness)
d. Linked stats
i. Aggression (body + drive)
ii. Reaction (control + focus)
iii. Spirit (awareness + creation)

Control: Governs all motor skills for the player. Every point over 10 = 1 extra non-strenuous physical activity they can perform. Example Chew gum, and pat tummy at same time equals an 11 control. Chew gum, rub tummy, jump jacks, dribble a ball, and pat head at same time equals a 14 control. Additionally this stat is also tied into many spells, and ranged or non-ranged abilities linked to certain classes or talents.

Body: Governs how physical fit the character is. In addition this stat also is the base save for members of the opposite sex when trying to resist your advances. (A 18 Body Female will be much more attractive physically than a 10 female.) It also governs how well you can resist damage, how well you fend of disease and how fast you can recover from physical damage.

Power: Based off Body + Control this number x your size modifiers (regular size is x10) equals how much you can lift over your head for a number of minutes equal to you body score, in a non-combat. In combat this time is reduced to your aggression score. Your max press for a one round to lift overhead equals your average lift x 2. Example a fighter with a 32 power can lift 320 pounds over his head, for 18 minutes (He's got a body of 1 In combat this is lowered to one his aggression score (lets say in this example its three). After you have lifted something you must either wait one minute or four rounds before attempting to lift again. You can push double your maximum lift, drag your maximum lift Any other physical activity such as bending bars, breaking down doors always use the aggression score roll to attempt. Every twenty points in Power equals a once a session re-roll on any power roll.

Focus: Governs how well your recall and remember important facts, and maneuvers such as martial arts. Used mostly for knowledge this stat is also the basis for learning new techniques and maneuvers for use later.

Creation: Governs how well you are at solving problems, such as math and puzzles. Also used in conjunction with awareness to bring about spell effects.

Intuition: Based off Focus and Creation, this number x your mental rate (Normal is x  is your IQ score. Every 8 points in intuition equals a new language you can learn. Every 20 points in intuition equals a once a session hint, or re-roll on an intuition roll.

Awareness: Governs not only your self-awareness but also your perceptions of the things around you. You are able to tell how your reactions or mannerisms affect some one else, and adjust them to get a better reaction to the situation. This is also used to spot traps, detect if some one is telling you a lie or used to take advantage of a situation in battle, or during conversation for a reaction adjustment.

Drive: Governs your spiritual strength and motives. Great strength come form within and as such this attribute is your driving force. (Mechanic to be later added to use this score to temporary boost other scores, abilities or talents.)

Purity: Drive + Awareness = Purity. This score is how pure you are. No function yet for this ability, will most likely be tied with casting spells, or certain class abilities (Cleric / Paladin)

Sub Attributes

Aggression: Based off Body + Drive. Every 10 points equal 1 aggression. Used for attacking, breaking or anything else physically related. Also, every point equals one extra damage; also used for certain physical saves of toughness.

Reaction: Based off Control + Focus. Every 10 points equal 1 reaction. Used for defending, catching or anything else that requires quick reactions. Also used for certain reaction based saves to avoid damage.

Spirit: Based off Awareness and Creation. Every 10 Points equal 1 spirit. Used to augment spells and other mental saves. *Not fully defined as of yet it's roll.

Hope: Based off a Die and another mechanic (Yet to be named) is now your hit points. Hope recovers quickly, at one point per hour. Certain consequences slow this down, or stop this. *Still in development, and may be called something else.

Combat

1. Round Sequence:
a. Determine who goes when.
i. Roll 3D6r and add your aggression modifier. Certain classes and talents can add to this result.
ii. Whoever got the highest score goes first, down the line to the lowest score. In the possibility of a tie, who ever has the higher awareness goes first, or is the same, to dice off with 1D6.
b. Determine your actions.
i. Roll 1D3 to calculate your number of actions you can do in a round. There is no current mechanic for spells or how long they take to cast. Rounds last 5 seconds. There is also in the works mechanics for more actions at later levels, or peaks.
c. Attack
i. Roll 3D6r and add your aggression modifier to hit.
ii. The enemy combatant rolls 3D6r and adds their Reaction modifier, or picks the default value. (10 + reaction modifier + misc.)
1. If the player hits consult their expertise with weapon
a. If they are not proficient in the weapon it does 1Dr the listed value, if proficient 2Dr of the listed value, and specialized 3Dr of the listed value.
i. For every point over the target number to hit, the player gets a bonus to damage up to plus 5 (5 points over needed to hit) certain classes and talents can change this.
ii. Each point over the target number also confirms a consequence. 1-2 points over = glancing blow. 3 points over –1 to hit next round, 4 points –1 to hit and defense, and saves, 5 points –1 to all rolls, including damage.) This effect lasts until the end of next round, and does not stack. You take the higher of the effects if struck multiple times. Certain classes and talents can enhance this effect.

2. Deal damage
a. Adjust damage for armor (Damage resistance) or class and talent abilities.
b. Subtract hope from the wounded character.
i. If the total hope of the player is 0 or less (negative numbers), the player rolls to fight to survive. They roll 3D6r and their target number is their current negative score. Certain crits, classes, and talents can automatically force a player to roll to fight to survive with the target number being the damage of the blow, but subtract their hope normally.
1. If the player doesn't make the target number, they are knocked out. Players die at –20 hope.
2. During the period the player is bellow positive hope they are –1 to all rolls. This can stack with current consequences. The roll to fight to survive is done at the end of the turn.


Pandora Feel Document

I. Breaking stereotypes
Pandora isn't the first or the last game to try to break the typical stereotypes that we find in dungeons and dragons, or their offshoots. Instead, Pandora will revision the roles and races that has made these games so generic, and as of late bland and replayed. Using historical texts and modern day thinking of ancient legends and myth as a base line, Pandora will radically change what we think about these races roles and places for the better. One of the biggest stereotypes that Pandora will focus on is the over encompassing role that humans play in the fantasy settings. Typically the humans portrayed in these games can find close resemblance to historical and modern day factions, and as well as being the everyman's race, one that all players could identify with, or measure from as a baseline.

Pandora will break this habit and instead of humans being highly common, it will reverse it to very rare occurrences and portray other races and factions as the dominant role on this new world. In addition, the stereotypical fantasy world as we know it will no longer be, instead the world of Pandora will be one of that of ancient thinking, and mystery and the landscapes will be completely alien and magical, but not so much so as to remove the common elements that we could point to on our own planet for inspiration.

Finally Pandora is about choices and risk and will break the biggest stereotype of any game system, as it will include how one could modify tweak and smooth out homebrew transitions as well as offering players and gm's ways to figure out what play style they prefer. It will offer three play styles and sets of rules, that won't be in the way, and will be intensely crafted and molded into a system that every one can enjoy!

II. Fantasy Pulp

Pandora is all about choices and risk, and should have the feeling of a game where the sword can meet crafted geared steel, where magic also could also feel like picking up a mysterious glowing electric ball that can be used to blast away sinister monsters and arcane creations. This is not steam punk; this is a world where magic devices are just as rare or studied as a clockwork machine, or a plasma conduit. The technology in Pandora should be non intrusive, not weapons but useful and powerful devices, an almost a sort of magic it's self. But this is to say that the technology found is also very rare and far between. Rare enough to be sought as great relics but common enough that the races accept their use.

III. Hope & Heroic play
The world of Pandora is pretty dark, and should be but also be a place where there is eternal hope and gallantry. This is a critical aspect of this world, even though it might be in utter despair. This was the corner stone of the original story itself as it were, along with choice, risk and the unknown but should also translate into the game too. To bring this forward, the chosen, who are the players are grand adventures who represent the hope of the world as they use their swords, magic and technology to fight back the bitter shadows of despair and death, shining beacons in a black world



IV. Mythos

The mythos story of Pandora is one hopefully that will be completely divergent of the standard fare that we see today in gaming. Set in a time where the world is just being created by the demi-urge the master of the forge the world is just forming, with seas, mountains and other places simply just ending into a great sea of the void. We are going to have live living titan's walking the earth the size of a large city, with their kingdoms being but a living area that they roam about in. Giants will be truly giant standing impossibly tall admits the background of a world coming together. Roles have been reversed with regards to creation myth, for in the beginning evil creates good and life not the other way around. We are going to revision and revisit old stories and add new twists to them in unexpected ways that you have never imagined.

V. The first Epoch

Being that the setting for Pandora is set during the first age of creation, characters will themselves be the makers of legend and myth for the future. They will get to battle and face odds that the heroes of stories told through time did.
Here, in the deep past they will get to witness, and be a part of that which was only told about in song. However this is not a prequel to a game for the future, instead this is a new remastering of legend and myth as Pandora grows and expands into the future.

VI. Landscape

The Landscape in Pandora will be able to fulfill the DM's and the characters wildest imagination. Anything is possible when the world is just forming. Flowing rivers connecting, flowing through the vastness of space as two large islands that from another vantage float in a sea of nothingness. Crystal spires growing from a blasted and earth-scorched land, seas that end literally into the abyss as the water spills over into the gaping maw of destruction.
If you have played burning crusade and have visited outlands, then you have a good idea of what you will expect with Pandora, except in this instance the world is forming, not breaking apart, into a solid whole.

VII. Magic & tech

Magic is raw. Magic is untamed. It's not completely understood, and seems to just 'work' this is the magic of Pandora. Technology, high futuristic technology is also a part of Pandora. Created by the still living titans, it's not going to be uncommon to find a ball of plasma laying about a still and silent, massive house that once a titan lived in, but now has wandered into the sea of stars. These in our traditional fantasy games would be ancient ruins and relics that no one else could understand, but in Pandora this is not the case, for its not the future. It is the now.

~Races in Pandora~

Elves: Elves are the predominate race in Pandora. The first spark of the demiurge creates them as he hammered existence into creation from the shards of urge and shadow. Graceful, curious they seek to create and achieve greatness. They are able to weave creation from nothing.

Orcs: Orcs are undead elves and dark embers, twisted and reborn into the world hungry for life. They seek to devour life and become stronger, and materialized into a living physical manifestation of that life. Therefore orcs become stronger and more full of life as they develop into a society. The orcs must destroy in order to create.

Titans: Titans are built into the mold of existence as the master creates it. They are his children and his helpers as he continues to pound reality into itself.

Humans: Nomadic tribes. Hope filled journeys of barbarians. They are the spawn of the titans and giants.

Dwarves: The shadow of creation from the birth of elves, the dwarves are almost as tall as an elf, but have black hair and pale skin. Unlike their brethren the elves, they must take borrow or use materials to create.

Giants: The children of titans.

Trolls: Born from mystic energies wielded by the elves. They are powerful and terrible at the same time. They seek seclusion.

Furries: The spirit animals born from creation. A secret society of nature's guardians.

Elementals: The war machines. Isolated, power hungry arch enemies on the verge of clashing.

Little folk Mischievous and mayhem. Tiny troublemakers and how they blend in.

Draconic races – The serpent's coil. Reptiles rise from near extinction.

Other: the fragments societies. Rare societies clinging to ancient traditions.

Gnomes, goblins.


~

Beyond the years and throughout the past there was always a song of creation. Its melodic rapture spoke of a time before time where only the darkness lived, sullen and alone in a sea of nothingness. Yet this great beast of shadow was stricken with a terrible urge in the pit of it's being, a festering hunger for an unknown reality that we know today. This urge grew in the dark terrible abyss of nothing, slowly growing, feeding off the nothingness itself, and subsisting its life from the darkness. In the process the black maw of undoing turned upon the newborn seed of creation, that it itself had created. This would be it's end for neither its urge nor the darkness could now possible exist without each other. In the act of consuming its urge, the universe was created; the shattering of the dark veil upon the warm light of its own creation destroyed and sent spilling the two primal forces of creation to the edges of reality, as untold shards of light erupted into the vastness of itself creating what we know as the span of ages.

In its dark and terrible death, the urge bore the maker, the demiurge. Prodogeny of darkness and light the demiurge was the master of the two, furnished in a home of shattered pieces of reality as they were strewn about in his creation. In this forge of fate the smith gathered his tools, and set about a task to bring the shards of his broken past into a physical manifestation. With a hammer built from the still white hot ember of its creator and using the cold empty steel of darkness the creator set about to forge reality, and our world. Sent through the fires of eternity, darkness and light were crafted as the demiurge begun to pound into the soft, hot, shadowy steel of reality. With the first true strike upon the cooling essence of life the elves were born, the first sparks from the crafting of our world to fly from the hammer of the demiurge, their pure and glowing essence descending upon the newly minted land as the master forged it.

~More Updates~
To facilitate a good reason for the reason why the world is still forming, the mythos will be expanded.

The sun is the forge, and will possibly be called the forge, or some latin variation on that theme. The moon is the hammer of creation (Why its dented and glows with the the absence of the fire of the forge) And is indicative of the the master forging the world, and hammering away at it with his hammer. The titans are fromed as the master creates reality, and are his helper, his children. In turn their children are the giants and the humans are from that vien.

~Further~

Dice damage mechanics. After much thought and deliberation (And possibly more thought) Were going to add a weight and speed factor mechanic to damage. Heres how that works, first lets go to initiative.

We realize in battle time is all funky. We dont like that you have a 5% chance of going first or last in the current d20 system, also other systems that other junk aren't doing it for us. Instead, we think that your "Build" should really work into this system of who goes when durring battle.

So Heres how inititave works: There is no rolling. It is bassed off your awarness + any class or talent features you might have. In some situations, your not going to have the ability to add your awarness score (suprise attack) and in others youll be able to add a modifier (Like if some one yells "look out!" right before a suprise atack).

Optionally, you could roll 3D6r and add your agression score for your position.

Now Say a mighty and very heavy two handed battle hammer wieghs 12 pounds. However, becuase its so damn heavy it has a low reset speed factor, in the hands of an average person. However some one much stronger would be able to swing this heavy item easily, like a baseball bat.

To combat this, weapons will have a agression rating. Light small weapons dont do much damage, but light long weapons (like a short sword or long sword) deal additional damage up to or equal to your defence score (control + focus). Heavy large weapons deal more damage, but slow you down unless your really strong. Therefore they have agression slow down mechanic that slow you down temporarly. (lets say the mighty two handed battle hammer has a agression modifier mechanic of 4 this slows your battle position down after you swing the next round by 4. You can combat this with a higher aggression score (Your stronger lets say you have a 4 in agression, and elimnate the penalty) or lets say you have a 2, which reduces the penalty by 2. You can never gain position by having a higher agression score than the aggression modifier of the weapon.

~Further~

So We have hammered out the weapon system

A weapon in pandora will look like this:

Dagger, 1D3 Initial Damage, 0 Agression Rating ~ 2 Finess

What it means:
A normal person can pick up in pandora and wield a weapon. Unless it's specifically ackward, not ment to be a weapon or very unusuall, there are no negatives to hit. However, since your not very adept on how to use it you deal less damage than you would a if you did know how to use it.
Therefore there are three modes of damage. Not familiar with a weapon, 1D damage. Some one whos proficent does 2D damage, and specialized do 3D damage.

This has no Agression rating to use. So its very light. Some weapons have more than others. What aggression rating means:

Lets say you have a 1 aggression, and you are trying to wield a Giant two handed slege hammer. Its agression rating is lets say in this example, a 4.

On your turn (Your awareness score+agression or defence or spirt depending on your class) You swing the sledge hammer. Since it's agression rating is 4 it takes an aggression of 4 to swing it every round without slowing down, otherwise, you slow down the next round by its agression rating. You offset this by your own agression. So in our example of a 1 agression score vrs a agression modifier of 4 you only slow down by three, not four.

A dagger is very light so it doesn't have a aggression modifier.

Finess rating: Becuase its so light you can control the dagger more, and there for attack more often than some one with a heavy weapon who doesnt have the strength to use it. To normilize damage therefore we have added in a finess rating. What this means:

For every point over the finess score over your defense rating, you deal an extra damage, up to 5. Lets say you have a rogue with 0 aggression and a 4 defense. In this instance, with a dagger, hes able to deal 2 additional points of damage with each strike. (since he has two points over the required 2 of the dagger)

This is the basic mechanics thus far. We have not worked out any crits yet.

We work next week on armor and defence and what it means, as well as further elaborating the setting.

[kryyst]

I see a lot of clunk and conditional modifiers but it's not really adding anything to it.  I see that you are trying to simulate elements of realism.  But not all so in your Hammer weighs 12lbs example, sure it takes longer to get it up to speed then say a dagger.  But once it's at speed the momentum can be deadly from blow to blow you don't need to reset you just use the concussion from the hit to pre-charge your next swing because it never penetrates, it never gets stuck.  A sword on the other hand, you have as a fast weapon.  Now compared to a hammer it's certainly quicker to bring to bare.  However a sword penetrates and the momentum is lost almost instantly on impact.  If it actually penetrates they usually get stuck, hopefully your opponent is dead though.

My point being.  If you are going to try to simulate some aspects of reality, then you should be trying to simulate all aspects.  Otherwise, you create balance in some areas and totally destroy it in others, leaving you with a game that isn't simulation, isn't cinematic, isn't really anything.

Furthermore, it's quite clear you're trying to be both the Anti-D&D (which is pointless to try to be) and at the same time be anything to everybody, which again is pointless since your games focus is pretty much to be opposite and it has no real focus of it's own.  You are mixing up the setting with the rules and making assumptions on it.

Really at the end of the day, I haven't seen anything in there, that makes your game mechanically better then Hero system, D20, Gurps, Rolemaster or Harn in terms of making it more real.  It does try to make certain things more real, but at the end it's all just as abstract and as arbitrary as those systems.

So then you have to have a reason to draw players in.  They'll need to see something in the setting that turns a light bulb on or more importantly (since setting alone can be easily transplanted) something in the Setting that calls out and says "Ah yes, these rules make this setting complete"  which, they don't.

Sorry, can't really be more positive then that.

[sithson]

kryyst, Please bear in mind that alot of these conditional modifiers are embryonic, and that this game is at that stage too. This game is not anti-dnd, rather story wise it could be considered prequil material, but of that where there will be a new time line, instead.

Also, Im left kind of hanging on some of the critisims you have. While your sword / hammer one is good with its critisim, the others are leaving me flat, could you site specific spots where im mixing up settings and rules?

Also when it comes to realisim, there comes a certain point when you have to do abstraction. Theres no way around it, other wise it becomes whole to complex. Finaly what, or why do you feel that the rules dont match with this setting?

I'm just trying to see what why you came up with these critisims, and what your answer would be to fix them. While its nice to hear that you think x or y is a problem, you dont offer any solution or advice (other than the weapon) in your response. Please be more specific, otherwise I can only guess as to fix what your looking for, and I cant fix them.

[kryyst]

I'll address this in another fashion.

You highlight in your goals that you are going to turn fantasy on it's heals, that it's not D&D etc....  But just being not-anything doesn't make you something.  If you want to generate interest in your game you have to capture it by promoting what your game is, not what it isn't.

So your mechanics aren't D&D.  But they aren't from your examples better then D&D they aren't more realistic, they aren't more streamlined they are just different.  So you have to sell someone on why your idea is better and by selling it you can't just say it's better because it's not X.

Your setting even though it's not human centric is still stock fantasy, as far as the races and what not.  It's not different then most other fantasy games, except perhaps in the percentage of populace those races cover.  But that's just setting.  If the rules don't promote that idea then there is no symmetry between setting and system.  So there is little point in saying there aren't a lot of humans around.  I've seen and played in many Fantasy games where a GM says Low Magic, or No elves, and there will always be players that want to be those things.  The mechanics don't push the setting.  Which is exactly what your seems to be doing.  You say one thing but so far I see nothing in your rules that promote that setting.  It's all just generic fantasy so far.

Also when it comes to realisim, there comes a certain point when you have to do abstraction. Theres no way around it, other wise it becomes whole to complex. Finaly what, or why do you feel that the rules dont match with this setting?

That's the point.  You are trying to push certain elements of realism, but they feel tacked on and don't run smoothly through the rest of the rules.  So you have these timing/speed rules built around your weapons based on weight.  Which is fine.  But then you have some arbitrary number of attacks rule where you just roll 1d3 - nothing realistic about that, nothing based on skill or positioning or anything, just a random roll.  So you criticize D20's initiative fore being random, then you make something utterly random - why the disjunction.

Next why the distinction between Aggression and Power, yes they are different mechanics stats that make them up.  But it looks like you are just trying to cover all your bases.   You have a tonne of things you need to keep track of and from looking at the stats it's not making that much of a mathematical difference as the weighting is only going to be slightly off.  I see no benefit to the added complication.  Also aggression, when it comes to combat is a bit of an encompassing state, from initiative, to hit rolls, to damage.  Certainly can be unbalancing.  I also find it odd that your control (dexterity) has nothing to do with your hit modifier, feels just odd to me.

Finess rating: Becuase its so light you can control the dagger more, and there for attack more often than some one with a heavy weapon who doesnt have the strength to use it. To normilize damage therefore we have added in a finess rating. What this means:

This is just contradictory to other things.  You suggest that you can attack more but you aren't adjusting attacks, just damage.   Touching on realism.  What makes a dagger not deadly?  A strike from a dagger will either cut you, superficially or pretty much gut you, ripping you open.  Also as you account for weight and speed, but you don't account for reach, again realism in one aspect and nothing to balance it out.

This brings me back to my original points.  You have rules trying to simulate certain, very specific areas but leave everything else very arbitrary or even worse ignored.  So you need to decide are you trying to make a realistic game, or a more cinematic game.  Right now you have neither, nor is it a mix somewhere in the middle.

[sithson]

Okay thats better. Ill address some of these issues.

Ill have to agree that the feel document is wrong. It highlights the wrong thing, and your totally right with that. So Right off the bat I need to promote what it is and not what it isn't. I think that will defently help, and help clarify some confusion.

As far as stock fantasy, yes races wise this is the case (With the exception of elves beign the predominate race) however, I think I haven't made my self clear that this world is that of one just being formed. That huge mega titans are walking the lands (ancients), etc. this is a prequil if you will to the fantasy genre.

Next, yes the number of attacks per round.. this is still being developed its not set in stone yet, and will proboly be changed. These arn't even alpha rules at this point.

As for the number of stats, this is actually about the same number as 3.e
Aggression is proboly not the best word for the one stat however. As for its all encompasing state, this was done on purpose, the one number is the key to all attacks, bonus damage and saves no need to look up three different numbers. Used carefully with consideration i dont think this can get unbalanced. I like that this one number is the only thing you really need to remember when attacking or to make a fort save, what have you. It simplifies things, i think.

As for the dagger, with the cut, vrs gut spilling and reach, we havent decided on reach yet. But as far as cut vrs gut spilling, that coems to proficency, a specialized user of a dagger can do a lot more dmage than joe 6 pack who picks one up off the bar room table. Sure he could gut rip some one open, but hes not very proficent at it, thus less damage he will do (Note we havent worked on crits yet) where as a ninja assassin will be more mor eable to gut spil you becuase he knows where to stab.

So going back to your orginal points. Yes we have rules for very specific areas and are blank on others becuase we haven't worked out the details of it all yet. That's what Ill be working on, so the reason why you dont see a realistic or cinematic game right now (or a mix) is becuase I havent put that down yet. Hopefully our goal is a mix in the end.

I hope that clears up some questions and thanks for citing yoru conerns, it points to where I should be looking to fix things. =D

[kryyst]

As far as stock fantasy, yes races wise this is the case (With the exception of elves beign the predominate race) however, I think I haven't made my self clear that this world is that of one just being formed. That huge mega titans are walking the lands (ancients), etc. this is a prequil if you will to the fantasy genre.

That's all well and good - but the question comes down to why do I want to use your mechanics to play in that setting.  If it's your setting that's important why not just publish a setting book for use with D20 (as an example).  Realistically you'll have more of a chance of drawing in players as the majority of gamers play D20 and don't like to learn new systems.  It would free up your time from designing a system and you could focus all your efforts into your setting.  Alternatively if you think that your rules are intrinsic in getting your setting across then you really need to tie them together at a deeper level.   Character types, Combat, and Magic are typically the 3 best ways to pull a setting together with a system.  For example look at White Wolf's Mage.  The key that makes that setting popular is the rules for magic.  How it ties to the various traditions and flows throughout the world.  You couldn't easily take the Mage setting, apply stock D20 magic to it and have it work.  Warhammer FRP is another example.  The setting is based around a grim world where the players are not much better off then the norms, the exception being they are blessed by fate.  It's grim, it's gritty and it's a game the blends the symmetry of it's setting with it's systems.  Playing Warhammer with say (because I like to pick on it) Stock D20 wouldn't work at all.  You'd just be playing Stock D20 with some names for flavor.

So what you need to factor in more with your game is why your setting needs your system.   From what you've presented so far I can take that setting and use a variety of existing games with it.  If I played it with Gurps, Warhammer, D20, Rolemaster etc... The game would play out differently, but the setting would be the same.

Next, yes the number of attacks per round.. this is still being developed its not set in stone yet, and will proboly be changed. These arn't even alpha rules at this point.

Fair enough

As for the number of stats, this is actually about the same number as 3.e
Aggression is proboly not the best word for the one stat however. As for its all encompasing state, this was done on purpose, the one number is the key to all attacks, bonus damage and saves no need to look up three different numbers. Used carefully with consideration i dont think this can get unbalanced. I like that this one number is the only thing you really need to remember when attacking or to make a fort save, what have you. It simplifies things, i think.

You mustn't have exposure to a lot of players.  That sort of mega stat is often ripe for exploitation.  I can understand the logic in that you don't want to have to look up 3 different numbers.  But that tells me that you are wanting to simplify things.  Which I don't have a problem with.  But creating a bucket stat isn't they way to do it.  If your actions in combat are straight forward then you don't need 1 big stat.   Most systems have several stats that you rely on for your combat roll and it works fine.  By having a few stats it means you have to spread your character out more which helps prevent min/maxing from happening and also helps to promote more varied characters.

As for the dagger, with the cut, vrs gut spilling and reach, we havent decided on reach yet. But as far as cut vrs gut spilling, that coems to proficency, a specialized user of a dagger can do a lot more dmage than joe 6 pack who picks one up off the bar room table. Sure he could gut rip some one open, but hes not very proficent at it, thus less damage he will do (Note we havent worked on crits yet) where as a ninja assassin will be more mor eable to gut spil you becuase he knows where to stab.

I've really got to shudder at your example.  Joe 6 pack with a dagger can do a hell of a lot of damage, stick it in and rip.  Skill really doesn't equate to being able to more damage.  Skill may play a roll in hitting certain areas more frequently.  However you stab someone in the guts with a dagger, doesn't matter how skilled you are it's going to do some serious damage and most people know well enough to aim for the sensitive areas, groin, throat, face.  It's the skilled defender that can better make those areas difficult to hit.  But if he gets tagged doesn't much matter how skilled his attacker is he's going to feel it.

So going back to your orginal points. Yes we have rules for very specific areas and are blank on others becuase we haven't worked out the details of it all yet. That's what Ill be working on, so the reason why you dont see a realistic or cinematic game right now (or a mix) is becuase I havent put that down yet. Hopefully our goal is a mix in the end.

I hope that clears up some questions and thanks for citing yoru conerns, it points to where I should be looking to fix things. =D

It does clear up some questions.  But I think what you need to figure out before really going much further with the rules is where you want it headed.  Realism, cinematic, something in between.  You really need to have the finished picture in view before you can start painting it.  If you just start tacking rules together without a solid idea of where that end result is you'll just make your system bloated and disjointed.

I'll give you this piece of advice as clearly as possible

1) Think of your end result - how do you want the game (mechanically) to feel.
2) Introduce rules that provide that feel.  SO with every rule you are essentially asking yourself does this rule, belong in my picture.  Does it benefit it.  Does this rule make my picture better.

[sithson]

Yup more stuff to work on. More later.

[sithson]

Designing a weapon for Pandora Game system

Name: This is the name of the weapon

Finesse rating: This rating determines how light and easy this weapon is to use in the hands of a skilled fighter. Compare this number to your defense score. For every point of defense over the weapons rating, you gain one additional damage to a hit result, to a maximum of ten additional damage. This rating is also used when determining how well you can use the weapon to deflect blows, parry and defend your self. When determining your defense score to be hit in combat, you can add the weapons finesse rating. If you are using one or more weapons that are not classified as light at the same time, only the lower of the two weapons finesse ratings may be used to determine your defense score to be hit.

Aggression rating: This rating determines the speed and weight of the weapon and how hard it hits. Compare this number to your aggression score. For every point under the weapons rating, you slow down by that much after each attack during the combat phase. If your aggression score is over the rating, then you suffer no speed penalty. Resting and refocusing for a round will revert your attack round score to its original number if you are affected by the aggression rating. Additionally, this rating determines your maximum aggression bonus damage dealt with a successful hit result.

Category: A weapons category is first broken into three sections: simple, normal and exotic. From there it is further broken down into subcategories: light, medium, heavy, and ranged. These categories will let you know how the weapon functions and acts. Simple weapons are crude, easy to use and don't benefit a player unlike some better-crafted weapons, while normal weapons are a good balanced type of weapon. Exotic weapons are very specific in their uses. Light weapons can be used in one hand very easily, while medium and heavy weapons typically need two hands or a stronger grip to use. Ranged weapons can be light, medium or heavy.

Type: This is the weapons damage type. Some weapons excel at doing damage to certain types of armor. To simulate this, the weapons damage type deals an additional die of damage to armor that lists its weakness as the same as the weapons damage type. In addition certain foes will be more susceptible to certain damage types as well.

Damage: This is the weapons base damage. Use this damage if the player is not proficient with the weapon. If the player is proficient with the weapon increase the damage by one dice, two if they are specialized in its use.

Weight: How much the weapon weighs.

Length: Length of the weapon. Some weapons have reach and are able to hit an opponent from an adjacent square or further. These are listed in special rules for each weapon.

Range increment: If the weapon is ranged, this number is the weapons range increment before penalties are applied. The maximum distance for a ranged weapon is three times its increment.

Price: This is how much the weapon typically sells for in a major city. Faction and reaction adjustments can modify this number.

Cost: The materials and time needed to craft the weapon, as well as crafting target numbers.

Example weapon: (Baseline)
Name: Short Sword
Finesse Rating: 2
Aggression Rating 2
Category: Normal, Light
Type: Slashing
Damage: 1D4
Weight: 1.8 lbs
Length: 28"
Price: 1 gold, 6 silver
Cost: 4 iron bars, 1 light leather, 1 simple wood, 6 hours. Target craft number 18.