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CartomanceR Rpg systeM Basic ruleS
♠ CreateD & WritteN by Michael medranO
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:: Part 1 :: Character creatioN :: Primary abilitieS :: To create a character, a player must define and determine the character's four Primary Abilities. Players distribute Character Points (CP) among the character's Primary Abilities. These four Abilities are: Knowledge, Strength, Finesse, and Psyche. Knowledge: A measure of a character's ability to reason and think logically, as well as the amount of information the character knows. Strength: A measure of a character's physical strength, endurance, and size. Finesse: A measure of a character's agility, artistry, and wits. Also describes the character's influence over other people. Psyche: A measure of a character's perception, intuition, and potential psychic ability. The amount of Character Points that a beginning character receives is determined by the type of campaign setting: Adventurous: All the characters are human or humanoid and exist in a world similar to ours. Magic and advanced science may exist but will be relatively unknown to most of the general population. Campaigns may occur in any time period up to the modern era. Beginning Character Points: 14 Fantastic: The characters may be of human, supernatural, or alien origin. Magic and high levels of technology are common. Campaigns may occur in any time period from the mythic past to the distant future. Beginning Character Points: 16 Epic: The characters may be of any origin and may have high-level Extraordinary Abilities. Any level of magic or technology may be encountered and campaigns may occur anywhere and in any time period. Beginning Character Points: 18
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Each Primary Ability has a rating from 1 to 6, which represents the quality or level of that Ability. Ability Rating 1 2 3 4 5 6
Knowledge Ignorant Simple General Learned Experienced Vast
Strength Frail Weak Healthy Athletic Olympian Heroic
Finesse Clumsy Cautious Able Proficient Agile Artistic
Psyche Naive Conscious Aware Willful Focused Stoic
:: Secondary abilitieS :: The next step is to calculate the character's Secondary Abilities. These are: Willpower, Endurance, and Health Levels. Willpower represents a character's mental and psychological determination and defends the character against trauma, stress, and psychic attack. It is equal to their Knowledge rank and Psyche rank added together. (Knowledge + Psyche = Willpower) Endurance represents a character's physical resistance to injury and helps to defend the character against physical attacks or damage. It is equal to their Strength rank and Finesse rank added together. (Strength + Finesse = Endurance) A character's health is measured with Health Levels. Add the character's Endurance rank and Strength rank to determine the amount of Health Levels the character receives. (Endurance + Strength = Health Levels)
:: The player's hanD :: The Hand rank determines how many cards a player has in their hand. When a character attempts to overcome a challenge, the cards in the Player's Hand can influence the outcome. Each player begins with a full hand at the beginning of the game and cannot have more cards than their full hand during the game. There are exceptions, of course, when a player's hand may exceed the normal limit, but all changes should be approved by the gamemaster, aka, the Seer. The size of the Player's Hand is also determined by the type of campaign setting but may also be altered by the Seer.
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Campaign Setting Adventurous Fantastic Epic
Hand Rank 6 7 9
:: Virtues and viceS :: Virtues and Vices are qualities that a character may possess that can help or hinder them. Beginning Players receive 3 extra Character Points to purchase Virtues. Virtues grant characters advantages in certain situations and can also create additional effects in a game if a player spends (or burns) Willpower to do so. Vices give you extra Character Points that can be used towards purchasing Virtues, Skills, or Extraordinary Abilities. Vices must be chosen carefully as they can deplete a character's other Abilities and/or grant penalties if the conditions of the Vice are not fulfilled. Unlike Skills, Virtues and Vices cannot be purchased at a later time, only during character creation. They can, however, be earned or eliminated during the game with the Seer's permission. Beginning characters should not have more than 3 Virtues or 3 Vices, as this could seriously affect the balance of the game. Players are not required to give their characters Virtues or Vices, but it is recommended, as they help to create more personalized and unique characters.
++ VIRTUES ++ Ambidextrous Cost: 1 point Description: The character can use either the right or left hand for basic tasks and does not suffer an off-hand penalty. Willpower Bonus: Spending a point of Willpower allows the character to use a complicated tool or weapon in either hand without penalty for one round. Attractive Cost: 1 point Description: The character has an attractive appearance or other quality that draws others to them. +1 Bonus to Persuasion attempts or social interactions. Willpower Bonus: Spending a point of Willpower allows the character to become more attractive to a specific person for one round and gives the character and additional +1 Bonus to Persuasion attempts involving the chosen target.
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Blessed Cost: 2 points Description: The character is blessed by a god or deity who acts as a guardian from time to time. +1 Bonus to the character's Defense Value when in combat. Willpower Bonus: Spending a point of Willpower grants the character an additional +1 Bonus to their Defense Value during a combat scene. Celebrity Cost: 1 point Description: The character is recognized as a famous personality and receives a +1 Bonus to Persuasion attempts involving social interactions with the general public. Willpower Bonus: Spending a point of Willpower allows the character to be recognized by someone in the immediate area who may be able to help them or grant them privileges for one scene. Charming Cost: 1 point Description: The character has a natural charisma and receives a +1 Bonus to any social interaction or Persuasion attempt. Willpower Bonus: Spending a point of Willpower allows the character to charm a specific person and convince the person to grant a favor if possible. The effect ends if the target is asked to do something that will endanger themselves or other people. Courageous Cost: 1 point Description: The character receives a +1 Bonus to resist fearful situations and fear based attacks. Willpower Bonus: Spending a point of Willpower grants the character an additional +1 Bonus against a specific source of fear for one round. Genius Cost: 2 Points Description: The character has a higher than average intelligence or an eccentric method of solving problems. +1 Bonus to the character's Knowledge and to Knowledge based attempts. Willpower Bonus: Spending a point of Willpower allows the character to gain specific knowledge about a situation or obstacle that may not be apparent to others. In game terms this means that the Seer will give the Genius additional information that may be able to help them overcome a challenge. Internal Compass Cost: 1 Point Description: The character possesses a natural sense of direction and does not get lost easily. The character receives a +1 Bonus to Knowledge attempts involving navigation. Willpower Bonus: Spending a point of Willpower grants the character an extra +1 Bonus when navigating unfamiliar locations.
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Iron Will Cost: 2 points Description: The character cannot be intimidated easily and receives a +1 Bonus to resist Intimidation or Mind Control. Willpower Bonus: If the character is the victim of Mind Control, the Player may spend a point of Willpower and draw a card from their deck for each round they attempt to break free. Limber Cost: 1 point Description: The character is naturally flexible and receives a +1 Bonus to resist injury by falling or overextension. Willpower Bonus: By spending a point of Willpower the character receives a +1 Bonus to escape attempts involving restraints. Lucky Cost: 3 points Description: The Fates have granted this character their blessing. The character receives one free Fate Point at the beginning of each scene. Any unused Fate Points are discarded at the end of the game. Willpower Bonus: By spending a Willpower point and 3 Fate Points the character may discard their entire Hand and draw a new hand from their deck. Patient Cost: 1 point Description: The character is not affected by stress or intimidating situations as easily as others and receives a +1 Bonus to resisting Intimidation or resisting stressful situations. Willpower Bonus: By spending a point of Willpower the character can have a calming effect on others in their group. In game terms, each character in the group also receives a +1 Bonus to resist Intimidation. Photographic Memory Cost: 1 point Description: The character can remember things or events they've seen with remarkable detail and receives a +1 Bonus to recall attempts involving anything the character has witnessed. Willpower Bonus: By spending a point of Willpower the character may recall a complicated or detailed memory, such as the entire chapter of a book, verbatim, or review a mental picture of previous events.
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Royal Birth Cost: 1 point Description: The character has royal lineage and receives a +1 Bonus to Persuasion attempts involving members of state or government. This Vice may also give the character additional allies or enemies. Willpower Bonus: Spending a point of Willpower grants the character an additional +1 Bonus to Persuasion or Intimidation attempts involving subordinate NPCs (i.e. "commoners") for one scene. Seventh Son/Daughter Cost: 2 points Description: The character is the seventh child in their family, thus granting them more magical affinity and a +1 Bonus to attempts involving the Magic Skill. Willpower Bonus: Spending a point of Willpower increases the character's Magic Defense by +1 for one scene. Sixth Sense Cost: 2 points Description: The character has a heightened intuition and receives a +1 Bonus to Psyche perception attempts and +1 Bonus to initiative checks. Willpower Bonus: Spending a point of Willpower allows the character to detect hidden clues or information in one area for one turn. Supernatural Kin Cost: 2 points Description: The character is related to supernatural beings or creatures and receives a +1 Bonus to their Attack Value against supernatural creatures. The character also gains the Magery Skill at Level 1 for free. Willpower Bonus: Spending a point of Willpower grants the character a +1 Bonus which may be applied to the character's Defense Value against supernatural attacks or to the Damage Level of one of the character's magical attacks. Wealthy Cost: 2 points Description: The character has a large amount of resources available to them and can easily afford most luxuries. Willpower Bonus: None
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xx VICES xx Accident Prone Adds: 1 point Description: The character tends to be clumsy or awkward at times. Penalty: The character receives -1 to Finesse attempts attempts. Addiction Adds: 2 points Description: The character suffers from an addiction which must be satisfied once per day. Penalty: The character loses one level of Endurance for every hour the addiction is unfulfilled. If all Endurance levels have been exhausted then the character loses one level of Health for every hour the addiction is unfulfilled. Alien Adds: 2 points Description: The character is from another world or dimension and has difficulty adapting to the setting. The character may also gain Extraordinary Abilities. Penalty: The character receives -1 to social interaction attempts. Allergy Adds: 1 or 2 points Description: The character suffers from an allergic reaction to something. This can be anything from certain foods or even forces, such as magic. Penalty: Allergies at -1 Penalty level require the character to avoid contact with the cause of the reaction or lose an Endurance level each round. A -2 Penalty requires the character to receive medication or medical treatment or lose one Health Level per round. Anachronism Adds: 1 point Description: The character has difficulty understanding modern ideas or technology. Penalty: The character receives a -1 Penalty to Finesse or Knowledge attempts when dealing with current levels of technology or information. Cowardly Adds: 1 point Description: The character will attempt to flee conflict as soon as possible. Penalty: The character receives a -1 Penalty to Finesse attempts if the character is facing risky or life-threatening situations.
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Cursed Adds: 2 or 3 Points Description: The character is cursed. The Player must describe the conditions and effects of the curse. The curse may be specific or even physical. The curse may even compel the character to bring harm to his/her comrades as well. Penalty: The player must give the character one -1 Penalty to any ability related to the curse for each Point of this vice. (e.g. A character with a 2 point Curse receives two -1 Penalties) Daredevil Adds: 2 points Description: The character loves to live dangerously and can be somewhat reckless at times, encouraging unnecessary risk in dramatic situations. Penalty: The player of a character with Daredevil must burn 1 card to avoid impulsive actions during a dramatic or stressful scene. A character with this Vice cannot have the Patience Virtue. Guardian Adds: 1 point Description: The character is responsible for the protection of a certain person or people, location, or artifact. Penalty: The character receives a -1 Penalty to Psyche attempts for each day the responsibility is ignored. Loner Adds: 1 Point Description: The character prefers to work alone. Penalty: The character receives a -1 Penalty to attempts involving cooperation. Phobia Adds: 1, 2, or 3 points Description: The character struggles with a particular phobia, or fear, of something. Penalty: At the 1 point cost, the character receives a -1 Penalty to Psyche attempts; at 2 points the character receives a -1 to Finesse attempts; and at 3 points the character must make a Willpower check or become unable to take any action for one round. Physically Impaired Adds: 1, 2, or 3 points Description: The character has a physical impairment. Penalty: The level of Penalty depends on the degree of the limitation. A minor hindrance such as a damaged finger or painful joint is a -1 Penalty. An impairment that is regularly distracting, such as a twitch or blurred vision is a -2 Penalty. A broken limb, limited vision, or anything that impairs movement or operation of the body is a -3 Penalty. These Penalties are applied to either Strength or Finesse Abilities, whichever is more affected by the impairment.
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Short-Tempered Adds: 1 point Description: The character is easily angered and impatient. Penalty: The character receives a -1 Penalty to Willpower checks in stressful situations. Unattractive Appearance Adds: 2 points Description: The character is unattractive or possesses certain qualities that repel others. Penalty: The character receives -2 to social interactions, but +1 to Intimidation attempts. Wanted Adds: 2 points Description: The character is wanted for a crime or wrongdoing and must take extra precautions not to be recognized or draw attention. Penalty: The character receives a -1 Penalty to social interaction attempts or attempts involving the authorities.
:: SkillS :: Skills are learned abilities that a character gains by experience. As a character becomes more experienced during the campaign their chances for success at certain tasks improve. When a character is attempting to overcome a challenge, they may use any combination of relevant Skills for their Ability Check. Remember, a Skill not only gives a character the ability to use that Skill, but also insight to things that are related to the Skill. Keep this in mind when creating the character as it can sometimes mean all the difference between success and failure. Player's have 25 Character Points to spend on purchasing Skills. Beginning characters can purchase up to 3 ranks in any one Skill at the cost of 1 Character Point per rank. So, if a player wants to purchase the Firearms Skill at rank 3, the cost is 3 Character Points. Following is a list of General Skills available to beginning characters. These are the type of skills that can be learned by any average person. The higher the rank of a General Skill, the more broad knowledge a character has of that skill. Specialized Skills can be purchased as well, giving the character a greater advantage when dealing with specific situations. To purchase a Specialized Skill, a player must pay 1 Character Point for a General Skill at rank 1 first, then 1 Character Point for each rank in the Specialized Skill. Example : A Player wants to create a character that's a swashbuckling hero. To make this character an expert with a blade the Player purchases the Swordfighting Skill for 1 CP and then purchases the Specialized Skill, Rapier, with 2 CP. On the character sheet this is listed under Skills as Swordfighting : Rapier 2. This character will be proficient with any sword but will be an expert with a rapier. If a character has more than one Specialized
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Skill in the same category, they can all be listed together after the main General Skill. So if the aforementioned hero wants to add another Specialized Skill to his Swordfighting, this can be listed on the character sheet as Swordfighting : Rapier 2 / Broadsword 1. General Skills are listed first followed by any related Specialized Skills. Of course, not all possible skills are listed here. Any skill may be given to your character with approval of the Seer.
Skill List Acrobatics This is the ability to perform jumps, flips, and fall safely from dangerous heights. This Skill also be helpful when attempting to Evade an attack. Alchemy Alchemy is the science and magic of transmutation. Purchased alone it gives a character insight to the inner workings of how things change and allows them to create simple potions, salves, and tintures. If the character also has the Magery Skill, they have the potential to create more powerful compositions that can transform actual objects. Animal Handling This is the knowledge of animal behavior in regards to taming and domesticating. Specialized Skills :: Horse, Dog, Cat, Hawk, Lion, Bear, Fantastic Animal Arcana This Skill gives the character knowledge about magical, archaic, or alien symbols, theories, and philosophies. If the character also has the Magery Skill, they may also have access to forgotten magic as well. Specialized Skills :: Lore, Ritual Archery This is the ability to handle and use a bow and arrow. Specialized Skills :: Compact Bow, Crossbow, Longbow Architecture This is the knowledge about the structure and construction of buildings. Combining this Skill with the Art Skill gives the character the ability to create fantastic structures. Specialized Skills :: Ancient, Classical, Modern Artifacts This Skill gives the character knowledge of ancient relics, locations, and cultures. If the character also has the Arcana Skill, they may be able to use or activate artifacts as well. Specialized Skills :: Historical, Magical, Religious, Scientific
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Art This is general knowledge of art and art history and allows the character to create art pieces and compositions. Specialized Skills :: Acting, Music, Painting, Poetry, Sculpture, Writing Athletics This Skill gives the character a basic knowledge of exercise and physical fitness and represents an above average fitness level for the character. Can be useful when attempting to Evade. Specialized Skills :: Jumping, Running, Sports (specify) Blacksmith This is the knowledge of forging weapons and objects from metal and also provides a general knowledge of metalworking. Business This Skill grants the character knowledge of the workings of business and any business related activity. Specialized Skills :: Stock Market, Banking Carpentry This is the knowledge of woodworking and the construction of objects from wood. Computer This is the knowledge of how to operate the basic functions of a computer. Specialized Skills :: Hacking, Programming, Repair Cooking This Skill gives the character the knowledge of food preparation and its components. Diplomacy This Skill gives the character an understanding of peace negotiations and the protocols of ambassadors. Disguise This is the ability to conceal one's identity by appearing as someone else. Dodge One of the most useful of Skills, this gives a character a greater chance to Evade attacks or danger. Drive This is the basic knowledge of vehicle operation. Specialized Skills :: Automobile, Bulldozer, Chariot, Hovercraft, Motorcycle, Tank, Truck, Wagon
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Engineering This is the application of scientific and mathematical principles to practical ends such as the design, manufacture, and operation of systems. Specialized Skills :: Electrical, Mechanical Etiquette This is the understanding of social interactions and what is considered acceptable behavior. Espionage This Skill gives a character the ability to complete missions, infiltrate targets, and perform undercover. Specialized Skills :: Surveillance, Sabotage Fighting This Skill gives a character knowledge and experience of physical combat. Specialized Skills :: Boxing, Karate, Knife/Dagger, Kung Fu, Wrestling Firearms This Skill allows a character to handle and use a firearm. Specialized Skills :: Handgun, Machine Gun, Raygun, Rifle, Shotgun, Six Shooter, Tommy Gun First Aid This is the knowledge of basic healing methods and techniques. Gambling This Skill gives the character insight to odds or games of chance. History This is the knowledge of the culture and events of the past. Specialized Skills :: Local, Regional (specify), World Hypnotism This Skill allows the character to place others in a hypnotic state. The target(s) must be in a relaxed or calm state and may perform a Willpower Check against the character during their turn to attempt to break free from the trance. Intimidation This Skill can help to persuade others to do as the character suggests, albeit in a harsh and direct way. The target may perform a Willpower Check at -2 to resist following the suggestions or commands.
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Investigation The Skill gives a character knowledge about the methods used to track down sources, information, or solve mysteries. Journalism This is the knowledge of reporting, writing, editing, photographing, or broadcasting news or of conducting any news organization as a business. Kinesics This is the study of the interpretation of body language such as facial expressions and gestures or, more formally, non-verbal behavior related to movement, either of any part of the body or the body as a whole. Languages This is the ability to communicate in languages other than the character's native tongue. Specialized Skills :: English, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, etc., Elvish, Draconian, Dwarfish, Alien Race (Specify) Law This is the knowledge of the legal system, its methods, and operation. Leadership This is the ability to gain the respect of others and inspiring them to follow. Linguistics This is the knowledge of the construction of language and how it is combined to form communication. Specialized Skills :: Reading, Writing Lockpicking This Skill grants a character the knowledge of the construction of locks and how to disable or open them. Magery* (Special) This Skill allows a character to become a wizard, witch, sorcerer or other type of character who can cast spells and create magical effects. It is a prerequisite to purchase Magic spells from the Extraordinary Abilities section and costs 2 Character Points to purchase at Level 1, 3 CP for Level 2, and 4 CP for Level 3. A character must have a Psyche of at least 3 to purchase this Skill. Mechanics This is the ability to understand the construction and working components of machinery. Specialized Skills :: Design, Repair
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Medicine This Skill allows the character to heal others through the use of modern medicine or holistic remedies. Specialized Skills :: Pharmaceuticals, Herbal Remedies Meditation This Skill grants a character the ability to put themselves into a self-induced trance. The recovery time for a character's Willpower is reduced by half for every round spent in meditation. Specialized Skills :: Focus, Trance Melee Weapons This is the general knowledge of melee weapons, other than swords, and their use in battle. Specialized Skills :: Battleaxe, Lance, Mace, Shield, Spear, Staff, Warhammer Metaphysics This is the branch of philosophy that examines the nature of reality, including the relationship between mind and matter. Navigation This Skill grants a character basic knowledge of methods used to locate destinations through use of star constellations and/or geography. Specialized Skills :: Ocean, Space Occult This is the knowledge of hidden magical or cult rituals that are usually reserved for initiates and members of secret organizations. Performance This is the Skill of performing a ceremony, play, piece of music, etc., for an audience. Pilot This is the ability to pilot, fly, or operate certain types of craft. Specialized Skills :: Aircraft, Spacecraft, Submarine Politics This is the general knowledge of the art and science of political government. Specialized Skills :: Local, Regional, National, International Paraphysics This is the study of paranormal phenomena and its theories. Specialized Skills :: Ghost Hunting, Psychic Phenomena, Cryptozoology
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Persuasion This is the Skill of influencing and convincing others. Psychology This is the study of the mind and of mental states and processes. Religion This is the study of organized religion and its rituals and practices. Specialized Skills :: Denomination (specify), Foreign, Alien, Ancient Repair / Tinker This is the ability to repair, assemble, and disassemble mechanisms or constructs. Specialized Skills :: Electronics, Firearms, Vehicles (specify) Riding This is the ability to ride and control a mounted animal. Specialized Skills :: Elephant, Horse, Fantastic Creatures (specify) Science This is the attainment of knowledge through observation and experimentation. Specialized Skills :: Anthropology, Archeology, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Genetics, Mathematics, Physics Stealth This Skill allows the character to remain undetected while moving or taking position. Strategy This is the science or art of combining and employing maneuvers and long-range plans to achieve a goal. Survival This is the ability to endure through harsh or unusual circumstances. Specialized Skills :: Desert, Jungle, Wasteland, Space, Dimensional Swordfighting This is the Skill of wielding and using a bladed weapon. Specialized Skills :: Broadsword, Cutlass, Energy Blade, Foil, Katana, Longsword, Rapier, Saber, Scimitar Swimming This Skill allows the character movement in water or liquid environments.
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Thrown Weapons This is the Skill of wielding and using weapons that are tossed or thrown. Specialized Skills :: Boomerang, Dagger, Grenade, Javelin, Knife, Shuriken, Spear Tracking This is the Skill of locating and trailing a target through the use of physical evidence or patterns. Writing This is the knowledge of grammar and its usage in the written word. Specialized Skills :: Native Language, Foreign Language, Alien Language
:: Extraordinary abilitieS :: Superhuman powers, psionic abilities, and magic fall under the category of Extraordinary Abilities. Beginning characters receive 3 Character Points to purchase these abilities from the Powers or Magic lists. Additional CP gained from Vices may also be used to purchase Extraordinary Abilities.
}} PowerS {{ Powers are abilities that a character is born with or obtains by some other means, such as scientific experimentation or through the use of technology. Players should decide the circumstances that granted a character their Powers before the start of the game. Powers for beginning characters cost 1 Character Point for each level of an ability. For example, a beginning character can purchase up to 3 separate abilities (e.g. Pyrokinetics, Flight, Nightvision) at level 1, or one ability at level 3. Some Powers are very powerful and thus have a higher cost than normal. These Powers are indicated with an asterisk (*) and list the Character Point cost in the Description. Following is a list of abilities with a description of their effects at Levels 1 through 3. Some abilities (like Nightvision) are Automatic and don't require Level descriptions or activation costs; the character either has the ability or not. Any Powers not listed here, of course, may be used with the approval of the Seer. Body Armor The character can withstand large amounts of damage. Level 1 : Resistant to normal punches, kicks. Level 2 : Resistant to blunt melee weapons. Level 3 : Resistant to sharp melee weapons / bulletproof.
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Chameleon The character can blend in with the colors and shading of their surroundings. Level 1: Can blend with single colored backgrounds. Hard to detect. Level 2: Can blend with simple patterns. Tough to detect. Level 3: Can blend with complex patterns. Daunting to detect. Cryokinesis The character can lower temperatures, freeze objects, and is immune to the effects of cold. Level 1 : Lower temperatures. Level 2 : Create frost. Level 3 : Freeze object. Electrokinesis The character can project or control electricity. Level 1 : A spark, a static shock, immune to small shocks. Level 2 : A large jolt, overload circuitry, immune to large shocks. Level 3 : Hurl a bolt of electricity, control current, immune to lightning. Energy Bolt The character can fire a bolt of energy that can stun or kill. In game terms, damage levels from an Energy Bolt may not be absorbed by Endurance. Also, the character must perform a Willpower Check or be rendered immobile. Level 1 : 1-2 Health Levels of damage, Stun for 1 round, Willpower Check 7. Level 2 : 3-5 Health Levels of damage, Stun for 2 rounds, Willpower Check 10. Level 3 : 5-10 Health Levels of damage Stun for 3 rounds, Willpower Check 13. Enhanced Speed The character can run, fly, or swim at fantastic speed. Level 1 : Up to 40 mph. Level 2 : Up to 70 mph. Level 3 : Up to 100 mph. Enhanced Strength The character has superhuman strength. After selecting the level of strength, adjust the character's Primary and Secondary Abilities accordingly: Level 1 gives the character a Strength rank of 7, Level 2 gives a rank of 8, and Level 3 gives a rank of 9. Level 1 : Up to 500 lbs. Level 2 : Up to 1000 lbs. Level 3 : Up to 1 ton.
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Force Field The character can generate a personal or extended wall of force. The field can withstand 10 Health Levels of damage per Level of the Power before it is exhausted. Level 1 : Personal force field, absorbs 10 HL. Level 2 : Extended field, 5 foot radius, absorbs 20 HL. Level 3 : Extended field, 10 foot radius, absorbs 30 HL. Flight The character can fly and can only carry as mush as their normal strength allows +10 lbs. Level 1 : Levitation. Level 2 : Up to 20 mph. Level 3 : Up to 40 mph. Growth The character can grow to a larger than normal size, thus increasing their Strength and Endurance. As a result, however, the character is easier to target. Level 1 : 10 feet, +1 to Strength/Endurance, -1 to Defense Value. Level 2 : 20 feet, +2 to Strength/Endurance, -2 to Defense Value. Level 3 : 40 feet, +3 to Strength/Endurance, -2 to Defense Value. Intangibility The character can pass through solid, physical objects and may also make other objects or people intangible. Level 1 : Only the character may become intangible. Level 2 : Extended intangibility, can be extended to 1 other person/object. Level 3 : Extended intangibility, can be extended to 3 other people/objects or 1 large object. Invisibility The character can become invisible or undetectable by normal, visual, methods and may extend this Power to others. Level 1 : Personal invisibility, entire body. Level 2 : Extended invisibility, single object or person. Level 3 : Extended invisibility, 10 foot radius. Leaping The character can jump great distances, either vertically or horizontally, as well as land safely from great heights. Level 1 : 20 feet vertical, 30 feet horizontal. Level 2 : 40 feet vertical, 60 feet horizontal. Level 3 : 80 feet vertical, 100 feet horizontal.
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Metamorphosis The character can alter their appearance or shape to resemble other people, animals, or objects. Level 1 : Simple change: hair color, height/weight, slight change in features. Level 2 : Advanced change: duplicate other person, grow claws, animal features. Level 3 : Complete change: Duplicate others/animals perfectly, resemble objects. Nightvision Automatic. The character can see in near, not total, darkness like a cat. This power is only purchased at Level 1. Pyrokinesis The character can control or generate normal fire and flame and may be immune to the effects of heat. Level 1 : Ignite flame. Level 2 : Ignite and control flame, immunity to fire and heat. Level 3: Generate, control, immunity to fire, heat, and lava. Regeneration The character can regenerate physical damage and even lost body parts. In game terms, the character recovers Health Levels faster than normal. Level 1 : Recovers one Health Level every 5 turns. Level 2 : Recovers one Health Level every 3 turns. Level 3 : Recovers one Health Level every turn. Shrinking The character can reduce their size or the size of other objects or people. This makes the character more susceptible to injury but also increases the Defense value of the character. Level 1 : 1/2 original size, +1 to Defense Value. Level 2 : 1/4 original size, +2 to Defense Value. Level 3 : 1/8 original size, +3 to Defense Value. Telekinesis The character can move objects with the force of their mind. Level 1 : Lift 30 lbs. Level 2 : Lift 60 lbs. Level 3 : Lift 130 lbs. Telepathy The character can read minds or send telepathic messages to others. Level 1 : Detect single words, images. Level 2 : Detect and project simple thoughts. Level 3 : Detect and project phrases, memories.
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Time Control* The character can slow down or stop time. Time Control is a very powerful ability and thus costs 2 CP to purchase at Level 1, 3 CP to purchase at Level 2, and 4 CP to purchase at Level 3. Restrictions for this Power are recommended and should be agreed upon by both the Seer and the Player. Level 1 : Slow/stop time for 1 turn. Level 2 : Slow/stop time for 2 turns. Level 3 : Slow/stop time for 3 turns. Teleportation The character can move from one location to another instantaneously. Level 1 : Up to 100 yards. Level 2 : Up to 1/2 mile. Level 3 : Up to 1 mile. Weather Control* The character can influence or manifest weather conditions in a localized area. This Power costs 2 CP to purchase at Level 1, 3 CP to purchase at Level 2, and 4 CP to purchase at Level 3. Level 1 : Change barometric pressure, alter temperature, summon 20 MPH winds. Level 2 : Create localized rain, snow, summon 40 MPH winds. Level 3 : Control regional weather, summon tornadoes, call lightning (50 HL of damage).
** MagiC ** Magic, unlike Powers, can be learned and wielded by just about anybody, as long as they are willing to take the time to learn it. It is also more versatile than Powers, giving a magician access to a wide array or abilities at a lesser cost. Magic does take longer to perform, however, whereas Powers are instantly activated. Spells or effects can be purchased by a character that has a Psyche rank of at least 3. First, the Magery Skill is purchased at the cost of 2 Character Points for Level 1, 3 CP for Level 2, and 4 CP for Level 3. Then, the Player may select spells or effects at that Level of Magic, at the cost of 1 Character Point per spell. Example: A Player wants their fledgeling wizard to have 2 spells for his first adventure. The Player has 3 CP to purchase Extraordinary Abilities and an extra 1 CP from selecting a Vice for their character (for a total of 4 CP). First, the Player purchases the Magery Skill at Level 1 at the cost of 2 Character Points, then selects the Push/Pull and Shield Spells (both Level 1 Spells) at the cost of 1 Character Point each. The Player may also have opted to purchase the Magery Skill at Level 2 at the cost of 3 Character Points and then selected a Level 2 Spell, let's say the Flame Spell, at the cost of only 1 Character Point.
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Each spell is listed with a Cast Time (the amount of time required to produce the effect), the Duration (how long the effect will last), and a Description of the effect. The Duration of a spell increases one step per Level as the character's Magic Skill rises. For example, the Breeze spell lasts for 1 Round when cast by a Level 1 Magician, and lasts for 2 rounds when cast by a Level 2 Magician. If the Duration for a Spell is Instantaneous, the effect occurs instantly after it is cast and then ends. Enchantments are spells that are permanent and remain in effect until dispelled, either by the original caster or by a magician of the same level as the spell. The Duration for these type of effects is listed as Duration: Enchantment. Resisting Magic Any living target with a Psyche of 3 or greater may attempt to resist the effects of a Spell. If this occurs then there is a Willpower Contest between the caster and the target. If the caster wins the contest, the Spell takes effect. If the target wins, the contest, the effect is dispelled and any cards or Willpower burned to activate the Spell are lost. Willpower Contests are explained in full in Part 2 : Playing a Game. Artifacts : A player may wish to give their character magical artifacts that duplicate the effects of a spell, such as a magical sword that allows the wielder to fly, for example. In this case, the cost for each artifact is 1 Character Point, plus 1 CP for each level of the desired spell or effect. The casting time for all artifacts is considered to be instantaneous, regardless of the level of the spell. Players who purchase magical artifacts are not required to purchase the Magery Skill. All artifacts must be approved be the Seer.
* Level One Spells* Animalspeak Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 1 Round Description: Allows the caster to communicate with ordinary animals.
Bewitch Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 1 Round Description: Causes people to feel friendly about the character and will trust the character enough to perform minor favors for them. The spell is broken if the target is attacked or threatened by the caster.
Bless Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 3 Rounds Description: Caster may choose to increase a target's Endurance, Attack Value, or Defense Value by +1.
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Breeze Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 1 Round Description: Causes a small breeze to blow, fanning small flames or scattering paper.
Chill Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 1 Round Description: Lowers the temperature in a 15 foot radius, causing breath to be visible and targets to shiver. Living targets receive a -1 Penalty to Finesse attempts.
Darksight Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 1 Round Description: Allows the caster to see in total darkness.
Decipher Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 1 Round Description: Allows the caster to understand languages and encrypted codes.
Flash Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: Instantaneous Description: Causes a blinding flash that disorientates those who view it for 3 turns.
Ignite Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: Instantaneous Description: Creates a small spark of heat that can ignite candles, fuses, or paper.
Light Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 2 Rounds Description: Creates a sphere of light that illuminates an area within a 15 foot radius.
Push/Pull Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 1 Round Description: Moves light objects (book, eyeglasses, keys, etc.) towards or away from the caster.
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Shield Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 1 Round Description: Creates a barrier of force in front of the caster that will absorb 6 Levels of Damage.
Sleep Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 2 Rounds Description: Causes a target to fall into a deep, pleasant sleep.
Summon Animal Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 1 Round Description: Summons an ordinary animal of the caster's choosing to the area.
* Level 2 Spells * Befuddle Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 2 Rounds Description: Causes a target to be confused and unable to perform any actions.
Deflect Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 2 Rounds Description: Creates a shield of force that can repel up to 15 Levels of Damage from projectiles or energy rays.
Disenchant: Minor Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: Instantaneous Description: Cancels any Level 1 or Level 2 Spell.
Fear Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 2 Rounds Description: Causes a target to become frightened, making it difficult for them to perform an action. Target receives -1 to all actions and must overcome a Willpower Check (LC 12) or become paralyzed with fear.
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Flame Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: Instantaneous Description: Creates a large flame that can consume medium-sized objects, such as a book or chair, or deals burning damage directly to a target for 15 Levels of Damage .
Frost Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 2 Rounds Description: Covers an object or target with a layer of frost. Living targets will shiver and receive -1 to Finesse checks and must make an Endurance Check (LC 12) or suffer 2 Health Levels from frostbite.
Levitate Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 2 Rounds Description: Causes a person or human-sized object to rise and float in the air. The target will continue to rise for the duration of the Spell unless stopped or moved by some other means.
Lock/Open Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: Instantaneous Description: Seals an object shut with a magical lock or unlocks a locked object (normal or magical).
Shock Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: Instantaneous Description: Deals 3 Levels of Damage to a target, either by touch or channeled through a conduit, that cannot be absorbed by Endurance.
Stun Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 2 Rounds Description: Renders the target immobile, unable to take any actions. Target remains conscious, but just barely.
Wind Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: 2 Rounds Description: Causes a strong gust of wind to blow through the area, blowing up dust clouds or loose debris. Can also be used to power sails on ships.
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* Level 3 Spells * Apportation Cast Time: 2 Turns Duration: Instantaneous Description: Causes the caster or target to disappear from one location and reappear in another. Range is up to 10 miles.
Aegis Cast Time: 1 Round Duration: 3 Rounds Description: Creates a wall of force that not only repels projectiles, but cannot be passed physically.
Banish Cast Time: 1 Round Duration: Enchantment Description: Causes a spirit or otherwordly entity to return to its plane of origin.
Bono Presto Cast Time: 1 Round Duration: 3 Rounds Description: This lucky effect increases the caster's chance for success. When cast, the target's Player draws 3 cards from their Deck, selects one of those cards, and then places the 2 other cards back on top of their Deck in any order. This effect allows the Player to have more than their maximum Hand for the duration of the Spell.
Coyoteskin Cast Time: 1 Round Duration: 3 Rounds Description: Allows the caster to transform themselves into an ordinary animal or duplicate of another person.
Dragonflame Cast Time: 2 Turns Duration: Instantaneous Description: Conjures a spray of flame with a range of 50 feet that causes 30 Levels of Damage or 3 spheres of flame that can be hurled at separate targets which each cause 10 Levels of Damage.
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Eldritch Bolt Cast Time: 2 Turns Duration: Instantaneous Description: Allows the caster to discharge a bolt of magical energy that causes up to 4 Health Levels of damage that cannot be absorbed by a target's Endurance or avoided by intangible targets.
Erase Memory Cast Time: 1 Turn Duration: Enchantment Description: Allows the caster to remove a specific memory from a target. It may be possible, however, to retrieve the memory through magical means.
Flight Cast Time: 1 Round Duration: 3 Rounds Description: Allows the caster or target to fly at speeds up to 30 mph. The caster cannot carry more than their normal strength allows + 10 lbs.
Freeze Cast Time: 2 Turns Duration: Instantaneous Description: Freezes a target or human-sized object inside a chunk of ice. Target must be removed in 1 Round or lose 1 Endurance Level per Turn, then 1 Health Level per turn.
Heal Cast Time: 1 Round Duration: Instantaneous Description: Heals up to 6 Health Levels of damage of the caster or target.
Illusion Cast Time: 2 Turns Duration: 3 Rounds Description: This spell creates a convincing illusion with appropriate sound effects. It covers an area with a radius of 20 feet. Victims of the illusion must make a Psyche Check (Level of Challenge 10) each round or be affected by the illusion as if it were real. If the victim believes they are killed, however, they will only fall unconscious for 3 Rounds.
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Mal Fortuna Cast Time: 1 Round Duration: 3 Rounds Description: This powerful enchantment places a curse on a target which attracts bad fortune. For the length of the spell, the target's Endurance is reduced to 0 and that character's Player must reduced their Hand by half (rounding down if necessary).
Weathercraft Cast Time: 1 Round Duration: 3 Rounds Description: This spell allows the caster to manipulate the weather, creating thunderstorms, heat waves, or powerful winds and such. Note: The magician can summon, not control the weather with this spell.
Wrath of Zeus Cast Time: 1 Round Duration: Instantaneous Description: Caster can throw a bolt of electricity at a target. Deals 15 Levels of electrical damage and target is immobile for the rest of the scene.
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:: Weapons & equipmenT :: Players can select any weapons or equipment that is appropriate to their character concept and the campaign. Any equipment not listed here may be added with the approval of the Seer. An area is approximately 40 yards, or 120 feet. Weapons Automatic Rifle Axe Bazooka Club Compound Bow Crossbow Flamethrower Handgun Knife Laser Gun Laser Rifle Longbow Machine Gun Shuriken Spear Sub- Machine Gun Sword Rifle Shotgun Sniper Rifle Whip
Range in Areas 5 Melee 9 Melee 5 4 1 2 Melee 7 9 4 8 1 Melee 7 Melee 3 2 10 Melee
Levels of Damage 12 8 + Strength 36 6 + Strength 12 10 Flame Damage* 7 4 + Strength 12 18 10 30 8 10 + Strength 24 8 + Strength 10 20 15 3
Any Melee weapon can be thrown for half of its normal damage level. *Flame Damage is 15 Levels of Damage per round, until the flame is extinguished.
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Equipment A Player may select any type of equipment or gear that is related to their character. When trying to determine how much equipment a character has, common sense is the rule. Thus, a character has as much equipment as he or she can actually carry on their person. Characters may have access to larger items, such as vehicles, as long as the items fit with their role. Ammunition Arrows Astrolabe Backpack Binoculars Blanket Briefcase Bullets C-4 Explosive
Camera Gloves Canteen Goggles Cloak Glue Compass Grappling Hook Cooking Gear Gun Powder Detonator Ink Fishing Gear Lantern Flint and Steel Life Jacket Gas Mask Lighter
Lockpick Kit Maps Matches Mechanic's Tools Paper Phone Radio Rope Scissors
Shovel Silencer Sleeping Bag Tape Tape Recorder Telephone Tent Torch Watch
:: StorY :: Creating a character's Story is the final step in Character Creation. Where does your character come from? What skills or experience have they obtained in their travels? How does the rest of the world view your character? With the Seer's approval, Player's may include any contacts, allies, or history that they feel is relevant to their character. Virtually any personal experience can define a character’s background and also provide the Player with a sense of their character’s personality, fears, dreams, and challenges. Defining your character this way will make it easier for you to bring your character to life. Following is a list of character Story ideas that may help define your character more clearly: Civil War Veteran Space Pirate Warrior Monk Fallen Patriot Mythical Champion Last Survivor Exiled Leader
Lone Cowboy Paranormal Investigator Knight of the Realm Lost Soldier Lucky Bastard Genius Inventor Champion of Justice
Super Hero Magical Adept Mad Scientist Reluctant Hero Wisecracking Trickster Mystical Warrior Mysterious Drifter
:: DescriptioN :: Any physical traits and general appearance of a character can be listed under Description. You may feel comfortable with the traditional look and appearance of your type of character or you may feel the desire to customize a style that helps your hero stand out. Either choice is fine as long as you feel that your character’s style helps to define them in the story.
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:: Part 2 :: Playing a gamE To play through a campaign with the Cartomancer Roleplaying System, each player will need to have a deck of standard playing cards that contains only one Joker. When the game begins, each player draws a number of cards equal to their Hand rank from their deck. During the game players will use and discard cards from their Hand to accomplish certain feats and tasks. A Player cannot draw a new Hand from their deck until they have discarded all the cards from their current Hand. Players may choose to draw cards from their deck for Ability Checks, but cards played this way go directly to a Player's Discard Pile after they are used. When a player has no more cards to play, they may draw a new Hand from their deck. If a Player uses all of the cards in their deck, they may reshuffle a new deck from the Discard Pile.
:: Ability checkS :: During a Game, characters will face challenges and obstacles which they will need to overcome in order to succeed or reach their goals. Players determine if their characters are capable of success by performing Ability Checks. When a character faces a challenge or contest of skill, the Seer determines the Level of Challenge. To overcome it, the character's Ability Score must be able to succeed against the Level of Challenge with the combined points of the appropriate Primary or Secondary Ability, Skills, Bonus Points, and one card from the Player's Hand. If the character's Ability Score is equal to or greater than the Level of Challenge, they succeed. If not, they fail and the character may be affected in some way. For most challenges, only the numbers on the cards are used. The suits come into play only under special circumstances designated by the Seer. (Ability Score = Ability + Skills + Bonus Points + 1 Card from Player's Hand) The following table gives approximate Levels of Challenge and their description. Level of Challenge 1-3 4-6 7-9 10-12 13-15 16-18 19-21 22-24 25+
Description Automatic Easy Fair Hard Tough Daunting Formidable Epic Legendary
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If none of the cards in a Player's Hand are enough to succeed against the Level of Challenge, the Player can still try to overcome it by attempting a Draw. The Player draws a card from their deck and uses its value for the Ability Check. A card played this way must be used for the Ability Check even if its not enough to succeed. If a Player fails an Ability Check this way, they are affected by a Degree of Consequence determined by the Seer. Once the card is played, it is discarded.
♠♥ Face cards, the Joker, & the ace of spadeS ♣♦ In the Cartomancer Roleplaying System, Face Cards represent the many guises of Fate. As such, they cannot be used from a Player's Hand for Ability Checks. A Player may choose, however, to discard a Face Card during an Ability Check in exchange for a Draw attempt. If the drawn card is a numbered card of the same suit as the discarded Face Card, the Player uses the numbered card towards their Ability Check and receives a +1 Bonus. If the drawn card is another Face Card, the Player receives a +1 Bonus, and draws again. If the Player happens to draw another Face Card, they receive another +1 Bonus and draw again, repeating this process until a numbered card is revealed. The Player then uses the numbered card towards their Ability Check and adds all Bonuses. The Joker represents an unpredictable bit of luck that a character can use to alter a situation that may seem impossible. A Player may choose to play a Joker card from their Hand for an Ability Check. If they do, the Ability Check is an automatic success, even if the Player does not have enough combined points to overcome the Level of Challenge. If the Joker is the result of a Draw attempt, the result is the same: automatic success. The Ace of Spades represents a counterbalance to the luck of the Joker. A Player may choose to play an Ace of Spades from their Hand for an Ability Check as normal. However, if the Ace of Spades is the result of a Draw attempt, the result is an automatic failure, even if the Player has enough points to overcome a challenge. Example of Play A sword-wielding warrior is going to attempt to sneak into a fortress and assassinate an enemy. The warrior's first task is to make sure that he is successful at remaining unnoticed. The Seer decides that the presence of guards at the wall sets the Level of Challenge for this first task at 10, Hard. The Player will use their character's Finesse Score to attempt this since this a feat that requires stealth and dexterity. The Player must succeed against the Level of Challenge with an equal or greater amount of points. The warrior's Finesse is 3, not nearly enough, so to that the Player adds the character's Stealth Skill which is a 1. 3 + 1 = 4, still not enough to beat 10. So to make sure that the plan goes smoothly, the Player plays a 6 card from their Hand, for an additional 6 points. Adding up all of the numbers results in a Finesse Score of 10 (3+1+6), enough to overcome the challenge.
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Next, the challenge will be to climb the wall of the fortress. The Seer determines that the Level of Challenge is 13, Tough...it's a very steep wall and it wasn't really built for climbing. The Player adds up the warrior's Finesse of 3, plus a Climbing Skill of 2, plus a 8 from their Hand for a total Finesse Score of 13 points ...success! As the warrior reaches the top of the fortress wall and enters through a window, he finds his target, the Emperor, fast asleep. All that remains for him to do is to assassinate the Emperor and sneak back out of the fortress. The Seer determines that, to do this quietly, the Level of Challenge is 16, Daunting, because he is attempting to assassinate someone in a darkened and possibly guarded room. The warrior's Finesse Ability (3) and Stealth Skill (1) add up to 4, 12 points short of success. Fortunately, the character has the Espionage Skill at 2, so this kind of task in not completely unfamiliar to him. This gives him a Finesse Score of 6 so far (3+1+2), but he is still 10 points short. The Player checks their Hand and sees an Ace, a 2, a 3, and a 5. None of their remaining four cards have enough points to meet the Level of Challenge. The Player decides to attempt a Draw and draws a card from their deck. The Player draws a 10, for a total Finesse Score of 16! Success! The warrior inches closer to the sleeping Emperor and unsheathes his sword. He drives the blade downward, only to discover that he has stabbed a decoy! A torch flares to life in the room and reveals the Emperor and two guards in a previously darkened corner. It's a trap! The warrior flees towards the window and decides that it would be easier to climb up rather than down. The Seer determines a Level of Challenge at 19, Formidable, since the warrior is being chased by guards as well. The Player can choose to allow his character to be captured or attempt another Draw. The Player chooses the latter ("You'll never take me alive!" the warrior cries) and draws a card. The result is a Face Card, the Jack of Spades. The Player receives a +1 Bonus point and draws again: a 4 of Diamonds. Unfortunately, it is not enough. Finesse (3) + Climbing Skill (2) + Bonus (1) + Draw (4) = 10; 9 points short of the goal. The Seer tells the Player that a guard has grabbed the warrior's foot as he scrambled out the window and is pulling him back into the Emperor's room. The Player decides that the warrior will make one last effort to escape. The Seer sets the Level of Challenge at 25, Legendary. If he gets out of this, he WILL be the stuff of legend! The Player attempts a Draw and draws a Joker! Automatic success! "As the warrior is pulled downward," the Seer says, "he slips and falls out of his boot, which the guard was holding onto, and lands outside of the fortress wall into a hay cart, which is hitched to a pair of horses. The warrior then jumps up into the driver's seat, salutes the Emperor who is looking out from above, and drives the horse and the hay cart into the cover of night.
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:: Willpower and endurance checkS :: There are times when a character will need to overcome challenges that will test the character's resolve, both mentally and physically. Willpower represents a character's mental toughness and a characters ability to withstand psychic intimidation and attacks. Endurance represents a character's physical toughness and a character's ability to survive harmful situations. When a character's mental or physical resolve is affected, the Seer sets a Level of Challenge that must be overcome in order to prevent permanent damage to a character's mind or body. To perform a Willpower Check, a Player determines a character's Willpower Score by adding together the character's Willpower, any relevant Skills, Bonuses, and one card from their Hand. As with other Ability Checks, if the Willpower Score is equal to or greater than the Level of Challenge, the character succeeds. To perform an Endurance Check, a Player determines the character's Endurance Score by adding together the character's Endurance, any relevant Skills, Bonuses and one card from their Hand. If the result is equal to or greater than the Level of Challenge, the character succeeds. Unlike other Ability Checks, however, a Player may not attempt a Draw for the Willpower or Endurance Score. The Player may only use a card from their Hand.
Using Extraordinary Abilities During the course of a game, a character may wish to use Powers or Magic to influence the outcome of a situation. Player's may have their characters use any of their Extraordinary Abilities at any time as long as the Player can pay the Activation Costs for doing so. To activate a Power, a Player pays its Activation Cost by discarding a card from their Hand for each Level of the Power they intend to use. In game terms this is called burning a card. For example, if a character wants to use Electrokinesis to hurl a bolt of lightning (a Level 3 Power), the Player will need to discard, or burn, 3 cards from their Hand. The value of the burned cards is ignored, so the Player will have to select their cards carefully. To use Magic, a Player must burn 1 card from their Hand and temporary lose 1 Willpower for each Level of the Spell that is cast. Willpower is regained at the rate of 1 point every other round. If a character has and uses the Meditation Skill, the rate of recovery is reduced to 1 point per round. Characters can only cast spells that are equal to or lower than their Level of Magic Skill. Casting a spell requires that a character concentrate for the duration of the spell's casting time. If the character is distracted or interrupted, the spell fails. Any cards that were burned and Willpower used to activate the spell are lost and are recovered as normal.
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:: Combat and contestS :: There are times when a character will have to face combat situations or direct contest with another character in order to reach their goals. Disputes between characters and opponents are settled during Combat/Contest Scenes. A Combat/Contest Scene consists of one or more Combat/Contest Rounds, which are a sequence of turns between the opposing characters. At the beginning of a Combat Round, Players' Hands return to maximum and every Player involved determines initiative, or who will take the first action, by drawing a card from their deck. The Player or opponent with the highest number or Face Card goes first, then the second highest, and so forth. If a Player draws a Joker for initiative, that Player's character may act whenever they choose during that Combat Round. All ties are considered to happen at the same time in the story of the game. The Combat Round Combat begins when the first Player announces an attack. Then, all Defending characters may choose to Evade, Block, or Parry. To make an attack, the Player adds their Finesse rank and any other modifiers (Skills, Virtues, Enhanced Weapons, etc.) together, and may play 1 card from their Hand. The result is the offensive character's Attack Value. If the defender has chosen to Evade the attack, they must attempt to overcome the Attack Value with their Defense Value, which is Finesse rank plus any modifiers (Skills, Virtues, Enhanced Weapons, etc.) plus 1 card. If the offensive character's Attack Value is greater than (not equal to) the defender's Defense Value, the defender takes Damage. If both values are equal or the defender's is greater, the attack has been evaded. The Combat Round continues until all defending and attacking characters have had a turn to act. At the beginning of the next Combat Round, Players draw for initiative again and the process is repeated over and over until each Player has discarded their Hand in combat or until winners and losers are determined. This is the end of the Combat Scene. If a Player's Hand is discarded before the end of the Scene, they may choose for their character to surrender combat or attempt a Draw for each remaining Combat Round. If a player chooses to use Powers or Magic during combat, all Activation Costs must be paid as well. A Character's Defense Value can be increased by +1 during combat if the Player decides to directly Block an attack instead of attempting to Evade it. If a Player decides to Parry an attack, the character must still Evade it, but receives a +1 Bonus to their next Attack Value.
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Example of Combat Round : White Tigress Vs. Demon King A brave ninja warrior, the White Tigress, faces off against the source of chaos in her realm, the Demon King. So far, she has managed to track down the demon and follow him to his lair, an abandoned temple. She enters the temple and finds the Demon King waiting for her. "'No more of these games!', the demon cries at White Tigress. 'I will end your pursuit here!'" the Seer, as the Non-Player Characters (NPCs) narrates. The ninja and demon will now enter a Combat Scene to determine victory and also to determine the outcome of the story. The Player refills her Hand to maximum (7 for this campaign) and draws for initiative. The Seer, who plays the role of the NPCs, need only draw for initiative. The Player draws a 6 and the Seer draws an 8, which means the Demon King gets to act first. "The Demon King lunges with his spear at the White Tigress," the Seer says. The Seer adds up the demon's Attack Value: the Demon King has a Finesse of 8, the Melee Weapon Skill at 3, and the Specialized Skill Melee Weapon : Spear at 3. The Seer draws a card from the Seer's Deck and gets a 4. The Demon King's first Attack Value is a whopping 18 (8+3+3+4)! The White Tigress better have some tricks up her sleeves! The Player declares that the White Tigress will Evade the Attack and adds up the ninja's Defense Value: White Tigress' Finesse is 6 and she also has the Dodge Skill at 3, and the Athletics Skill at 2. The Player decides to play a 7 from their Hand for a total of 18 (6+3 +2+7). "You won't kill me so easily," the Player, as White Tigress, says. "The nimble ninja leaps out of harm's way as the demon closes in," the Seer adds. The next Combat Round begins and this time the Player draws a 5 for initiative versus the Seer's draw of a 3. The Player goes first and declares that White Tigress is going to use a ninja power against her foe. She activates her Cryokinesis Power to cover the demon in frost in hopes of lessening its fire attacks. To do this, the Player burns 2 cards from her Hand (Cryokinesis Level 2) and targets the demon. "Let's see how you like the cold," says White Tigress. The Seer says that the demon attempts to counteract the cold with its Pyrokinesis Power and discards 2 cards from the Seer's Deck. "The temperature in the room drops, and every surface becomes covered in frost. The Demon King seems to be weakened for a bit, but then surrounds himself with a raging fire." Both characters have had a chance to act so the Combat Round ends and the next one begins. This time, the Demon King goes first. "'Enough of this foolishness!' the Demon King cries, and throws his spear, now aflame with green fire, at White Tigress", the Seer says. Once again, the demon's Attack Value is summed up: Finesse (8) + Thrown Weapons Skill (3) + Specialized Skill Thrown Weapons: Spear (4) + a drawn card (6) for a total of 21! The Player looks at the remaining cards in her Hand: a Jack, an 8, a 5, and a 2. This could be a problem, since the ninja's current Defense Value is 11 (Finesse (6) + Dodge Skill (3) + Athletics Skill (2)). Even if she plays her highest card (8) she still will only have a 19, 2 points short of
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Evading the attack. She could play the Jack and risk a Draw attempt, but she would need to draw a 10. It's a big risk, since she knows that the demon's fire drains the soul from its victims. If her character fails, she will die. The Player decides that the ninja will Parry the attack and informs the Seer. She adds up White Tigress' Defense Value (6+3+2) again, but this time the Player includes the ninja's Swordfighting Skill (3) and her Specialized Skill Swordfighting : Katana (2) for a total of 16. Now, the Player uses the 5 from her Hand and succeeds with a 21! Her decision to Parry the attack allowed the ninja to use her swordfighting skills to Parry the thrown spear. "With a swift and graceful arc, White Tigress knocks the spear aside," the Seer says. The next Combat Round begins. The Seer Draws a 4 for initiative and so does the Player, but because her character Parried the last attack, she adds a +1 to her initiative for a total of 5. The ninja gets to act first. "Yes! Enough foolishness!" the Player, as White Tigress, declares. The Player informs the Seer that her character is going to attempt to stab the Demon King in the heart. This time the ninja's Attack Value is determined: Finesse (6) + Swordfighting Skill (3) + Specialized Skill Swordfighting : Katana (2) for a total of 11. However, because she is now on the offensive, the ninja also receives a +2 Bonus. Her sword, an artifact named Heaven's Breath, grants its user a +2 Bonus if it's used to attack otherwordly beings. So, now her Attack Value is 13. The Player decides that she will use the 8 from her hand which gives her a total of 21! The Seer announces that the Demon King attempts to Evade and adds up his Defense Value: Finesse (8) + Dodge Skill (6) for a total of 14. Since he is no longer holding the spear, he can't use it to defend. He is still 7 points short of what he needs to Evade the attack. The Seer draws a card to see if the demon escapes, and draws the Ace of Spades! Automatic Failure! "With the strength of her ancestors, White Tigress thrusts Heaven's Breath through the Demon King's heart. The monster cries out, and all that can be heard are the wails of a thousand souls as they're released from their prison. The Demon King disintegrates into ash and cinders and drifts away on the wind," describes the Seer. Since a clear winner has been determined, both the Combat Round and Combat Scene end. The Contest Round There may be situations that a character will face that will require him or her to be more clever, stronger, or more perceptive than an opponent. A Contest Round is used to settle these disputes between characters without combat. To begin, each Player involved in the contest refills their Hand to maximum. The Seer then determines if the contest requires an initiative check. If it does, each involved Player draws a card from their deck, and as in the Combat Scene, highest number or Face Card goes first and Jokers may act at any time. Ties are considered to occur at the same time. There are six possible types of Contest Scenes, one for each Primary and Secondary Ability: Knowledge, Strength, Finesse, Psyche, Willpower, and Endurance. Each Player
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compares the Contest Value of their character to the Contest Value of each opposing character. The character with the highest Contest Value wins. To obtain a character's Contest Value a Player combines the points of that character's contested Primary or Secondary Ability, any relevant Skills, Virtues, modifiers and the value of one card from their Hand or Deck. Once a winner is determined, the Contest Round ends. If no other characters choose to challenge the winner, the Contest Scene ends as well. Example of Knowledge Contest Captain Starchaser races against time to reach the Saturn 9 outpost before the rebel aliens do. The outpost is hidden in the Tartarus Mountains on the planet's surface. Few visitors have ever seen it, and even less tend to remember exactly where it is. The Captain hopes that the alien's scout and navigator doesn't know about the outpost. The Seer determines that this calls for a Knowledge Contest between Captain Starchaser and the alien scout, with no initiative check as this is all happening at the same time. The Knowledge Contest begins and the Player controlling Captain Starchaser adds up the character's Contest Value. The good captain has a Knowledge Ability of 4, a Navigation Skill of 3, and a specialized skill, Lore: Saturn 9, at 2. So far, the character has a Contest Value of 9 (4+3+2). The Player decides to use one of the captain's Virtues, Internal Compass, for an additional point and plays a 3 from their Hand. That puts the captain's Contest Value at 13 (9+4). Pretty impressive. The Seer adds up the Contest Value of the alien scout (Knowledge 3, Navigation 2, Cartography 2) and draws a card from the Seer's Deck. The result is a 5 for a total of 12 points, just one short or the captain's Contest Value. Looks like Captain Starchaser will reach the outpost first.
:: DamagE :: When a character receives Damage from combat or other means, an Endurance Check is performed to determine how much of the character's Health is affected. A character's Endurance will absorb up to its level of damage before any Health Levels are lost. If the damage is lower than a character's Endurance, the damage is absorbed and the character does not lose any Health Levels. If, however, the damage is greater than a character's Endurance, the character loses Health Levels equal to the difference. For example: A character with an Endurance of 7 will absorb up to 7 levels of damage. If the character is affected by 8 levels of damage, 7 levels are absorbed and 1 level of Health is lost. When a character's Health Levels are reduced to 0, the character falls unconscious and begins to lose Endurance at the rate of 1 Endurance Rank per round. If the character receives medical attention the loss of Endurance may be avoided or stopped, and the character will regain Endurance at the rate of 1 rank every 5 rounds. Once a character's Endurance reaches its maximum, Health Levels may be recovered at the rate of 1 level every 10 rounds. A character dies if all Health Levels and Endurance Ranks are reduced to 0.
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:: The hand of fatE :: In the Cartomancer RPG System, each Primary Ability corresponds to one of the suits in a deck of playing cards:
Primary Ability
Suit
Knowledge Strength Finesse Psyche
Ace Diamonds Clubs Hearts
A Player's Hand of Fate consists of four specific cards that the Player must possess in their Hand. The rank of a Primary Ability determines which specific playing card is part of a Player's Hand of Fate. So, if a character has a Knowledge of 4, Strength of 3, Finesse of 5, and a Psyche of 3, than that Player's Hand of Fate consists of a 4 of Aces, a 3 of Diamonds, a 5 of Clubs, and a 3 of Hearts. Whenever a player possesses all of the cards in their Hand of Fate, they receive a Fate Point. A Fate Point counts as a single Ace card and may be used during a game to add a +1 Bonus to any Ability Check, burned to activate Extraordinary Abilities, or add a +1 Bonus to Combat/Contest Values. Fate Points can be accumulated and used however a Player chooses during the course of a game, but must be erased at the end of a gaming session.
:: Experience Points :: As a character progresses through Story after Story, it is natural for them to improve their Abilities. At the end of a gaming session, Player's are awarded Experience Points by the Seer. The following list is used to determine how Experience Points (XP) may be spent to improve an Ability to the next rank or level or to purchase new Skills, Powers, or Spells.
Ability Improvement
New Abilities
Type Primary Skill Specialized Skill Power Magic
Type XP Cost New Skill 3 New Specialized Skill 1 New Power 5 New Spell 3
XP Cost Current Level x 2 Equal to Next Level Equal to Current Level Next Level + 3 Next Level + 4
If any of a character's Primary Abilities are altered, then adjust the Secondary Abilities (Willpower, Endurance, Health Levels) accordingly.
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