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<blockquote data-quote="GMMichael" data-source="post: 6228343" data-attributes="member: 6685730"><p><strong>Chapter 1: Introduction</strong></p><p></p><p>Welcome to Modos! Modos RPG is a modular, open-source roleplaying game designed for intermediate to advanced roleplayers. This Modos rulebook will tell you everything you need to know to play the Modos RPG, to make your own content for Modos, and nothing you need to know about being an experienced roleplayer. You'll have to learn those things for yourself.</p><p></p><p> Modos RPG is designed to be as simple as possible, while still being fun on its own. These simple rules were written first in outline form, so that anyone playing Modos could add or subtract rules as desired. This is what's meant by open-source. Further, Modos's simplicity allows it to take on new personalities when adding sets of rules or adventures. This is why it's called modular. The end result is, hopefully, the roleplaying game you've always wanted.</p><p></p><p> The last, and perhaps best, feature of Modos RPG is that it's completely free! Players of Modos are allowed to copy, transmit, and publish any and all parts of the Modos core rules, the rules in this book. Modos core rules are public domain, but Modos modules are the property of their designers. So ask or purchase before using modules!</p><p></p><p>The chapters of this rulebook are arranged in sequential order, beginning with the Introduction (chapter one). The first thing you'll need is a Game Master (chapter two). The roleplayers will then need Characters (chapter 3), who come equipped with Skills (chapter 4), perks (chapter 5), and Equipment (chapter 6). Special abilities for those characters are referred to as Magic (chapter 7), which is the optional and final preparation for Conflict (chapter 8). If player-characters and non-player characters aren't interesting enough to fight, a Bestiary (chapter 9) follows Conflict. These are all the rules. If you'd like to add more, you can introduce Modules (chapter 10) to the game. Finally, the appendices address any questions you might have about Modos RPG.</p><p></p><p>Here's a sample game session. [sblock] It will describe what happens during play, and leave the rules in the background, where they belong for now. In this session, Arnold, Betty, and Chris play characters with a goal of finding a nuclear physicist and extracting him to a place for interrogation. The game master, Greg, leads them through a top-secret facility. Note that the players were allowed to play their favorite types of characters, because Greg's campaign theme permits this.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Greg: the searchlight just went past. Now's your chance to cross through the darkness.</p><p>Arnold (playing Merloon, the wizard): I look at Montana and Number 2 with anticipation. Sneaking across secure compounds isn't something Merloon does often.</p><p>Betty (playing Montana Smith, the treasure hunter): I grab Merloon's hand and run across the yard. As long as he doesn't trip, we should be fine.</p><p>Chris (playing Number 2259, a hyper-soldier): Alright. I'm going. As I go, I turn on my motion-tracking goggles.</p><p>Greg: Arnold, does Merloon run with Montana?</p><p>Arnold: yeah, but he's old, so he stumbles a bit.</p><p>Greg: Betty, it would've been easy without Merloon. Arnold, you get a hero point. Betty, make a movement contest for Montana, minus 4 since Merloon makes it challenging.</p><p>Betty: (rolls a movement contest, and a penalty of 4 for difficulty) I got a 15. Montana scuffs his feet on the asphalt hauling Merloon back up as he stumbles.</p><p>Greg: Okay, you cross the yard with a few feet to spare when the searchlight comes back. You all pile up against the large facility outer wall. Chris, Number 2 thinks he sees movement in the static of his goggles, inside the building, but he can't tell for sure. Everyone roll detect.</p><p>All: (the players roll a d20 and add the mental modifier, plus detect skill. They announce 6, 7, and 19.)</p><p>Greg: Merloon and Montana, all you detect is distant guards walking through searchlights outside. Number 2 thinks he sees someone reclining inside the door ahead.</p><p>Chris: I ready my railgun!</p><p>Betty: Woah, boy. Ever heard of smooth-talking? I go up to the door, expecting that Number 2 saw someone inside he'd like to shoot.</p><p>Arnold: (to Betty) Tread lightly youth, for walls harken well. (To Greg) I take out my spellbook.</p><p>Greg: the door has a mag-reader. And it's very sturdy, so it probably doesn't get used often.</p><p>Betty: Montana fancies himself a lock-picker. Is there a keyhole?</p><p>Greg: a small one in the lower-right corner of the mag-reader.</p><p>Betty: I whip out the lockpicks and give a Harrison Ford sly grin. My Larceny skill is a +6. And I use a hero point, (rolls d6) plus 2.</p><p>Greg: (rolls for Montana) the lock feels very foreign inside. You're not sure you'll make progress.</p><p>Betty: Watch and learn, Number 2 (she motions for Number 2 to lower his weapon). I knock on the door, using my revolver if I need something heavy.</p><p>Greg: (simulates knocking sound). Strangely enough, you hear a hyrdaulic sound, and the door opens slightly outward. A guardsman wearing a beret and headcom sticks his head out. "Are you the pizza guy?"</p><p>Betty: erm, the delivery guy's at the east gate. They won't let him in. (Rolls a skill contest) Deceive 22.</p><p>Greg: Let's call that unlikely difficulty...I'll give you a roleplaying bonus. (Uses guard's voice) "Oh, <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />. Look, I hit the alarm when you knocked, wasn't expecting anyone but the pizza guy. Let me go call a false alarm...wait, who the hell are you, anyway?" The guard looks you up and down, school teacher outfit, tie, and fedora.</p><p>Chris: (scoffs) smooth-talk? Let's dance! I shoot him.</p><p>Greg: roll initiative.</p><p>All: Each player rolls a d20, and adds his highest ability modifier. Chris took the Off-the-Mark perk, so s/he adds an additional 4 to initiative.</p><p>Greg: Merloon rolled highest. Wisdom comes in handy, huh?</p><p>Arnold: This time. I take defensive posture and wait to cast Shadow Hide You if other guards show up. (Arnold has renamed the Darkness spell for character flavor).</p><p>Greg: Done. Number 2?</p><p>Chris: since I got the jump on him, I steady my railgun for an action, and then fire. (Rolls Fight-Missile skill) Missile 12 plus 4 for aiming, damage 12! Skreee-blam (simulates railgun sound)!</p><p>Greg: no one wants to get hit by a railgun. He parries (rolls d20). Ouch. (Rolls d8) he gets 6 protection. For 6 damage, the guard flings himself back into the room, trips over his office chair and hits the floor really hard. He gets up holding his right shoulder, which is smoking. It's the guard's turn, and he has two actions left. He draws a pistol and shouts, "intruders!" Number 2's goggles pick up several guardsmen coming from the far side of the monitor room. Montana?</p><p>Arnold: Wait, what's the room look like?</p><p>Greg: It's a small, very dark security center. Two banks of computers, at an L shape, add a dull blue glow to the room. On the far side of the room is an open security door.</p><p>Betty: I take cover behind the doorframe. Number 2, you can shoot through the walls, right? (Chris confirms). Okay, I wait for a guard to take aim at me.</p><p>Greg: the round is about to end, Betty. You'll have a better chance at that with higher initiative. Want to delay?</p><p>Betty: Okay, I delay, but I reserve my last action in case that guard tries to shoot me.</p><p>Greg: Gotcha. He's not asking for trouble. But three more guards join the fray, running up to the doorway on the far side of the room. (Rolls initiative.) Betty, they're contending for highest initiative, so give me another contest.</p><p>Betty: (Re-rolls initiative) 13.</p><p>Greg: The new guards go first, and Montana's next. Two stay at the far entrance, in defensive posture. One runs up to his buddy to make sure he's okay. Betty?</p><p>Chris: Hang on! I shoot one of the guards hiding at the far door! Take half: 14! (Rolls 1d12) Damage is 8. Remember, I shot him through the wall.</p><p>Greg: That's one reserve action. You're lucky that no one else can shoot through walls...he tries to parry anyway, with a serious penalty. (Rolls parry, then rolls protection.) He screams some obsenity after getting his helmet knocked off, and since you acted during his turn, he can still act. He flees.</p><p>Chris: One down, three to go. I say this through our commo.</p><p>Betty: I'm pretty sure that Merloon owes us a Stasis spell, I pass. But I gesture at the nearest guard, looking at Merloon.</p><p>Arnold: Merloon is already closing his spellbook and casting. He knows the Stasis spell by heart.</p><p>Greg: Merloon will have to move to offensive posture, otherwise he won't have line-of-sight, since you're basically fighting through a doorway.</p><p>Arnold: Ugh. That's all my actions. Okay, I move to offensive, then cast Stasis. Rolling contests (rolls two Cast Spell-Stasis contests). 9 and 16. Not bad. "Freeze, you fool!" (Rolls 1d8) MP damage is 4.</p><p>Greg: the guard lets you cast, since he's never seen a magic-user before. He resists the mental attack (rolls concentration skill), but fails and doesn't budge. [/sblock]</p><p></p><p>The skirmish rages on, but goes poorly for the highly-outnumbered heroes. That is, until they fully utilize the magic of the past and the technology of the future. In your game, you can do one, both, or neither. For any of these, you'll need a game master.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="GMMichael, post: 6228343, member: 6685730"] [b]Chapter 1: Introduction[/b] Welcome to Modos! Modos RPG is a modular, open-source roleplaying game designed for intermediate to advanced roleplayers. This Modos rulebook will tell you everything you need to know to play the Modos RPG, to make your own content for Modos, and nothing you need to know about being an experienced roleplayer. You'll have to learn those things for yourself. Modos RPG is designed to be as simple as possible, while still being fun on its own. These simple rules were written first in outline form, so that anyone playing Modos could add or subtract rules as desired. This is what's meant by open-source. Further, Modos's simplicity allows it to take on new personalities when adding sets of rules or adventures. This is why it's called modular. The end result is, hopefully, the roleplaying game you've always wanted. The last, and perhaps best, feature of Modos RPG is that it's completely free! Players of Modos are allowed to copy, transmit, and publish any and all parts of the Modos core rules, the rules in this book. Modos core rules are public domain, but Modos modules are the property of their designers. So ask or purchase before using modules! The chapters of this rulebook are arranged in sequential order, beginning with the Introduction (chapter one). The first thing you'll need is a Game Master (chapter two). The roleplayers will then need Characters (chapter 3), who come equipped with Skills (chapter 4), perks (chapter 5), and Equipment (chapter 6). Special abilities for those characters are referred to as Magic (chapter 7), which is the optional and final preparation for Conflict (chapter 8). If player-characters and non-player characters aren't interesting enough to fight, a Bestiary (chapter 9) follows Conflict. These are all the rules. If you'd like to add more, you can introduce Modules (chapter 10) to the game. Finally, the appendices address any questions you might have about Modos RPG. Here's a sample game session. [sblock] It will describe what happens during play, and leave the rules in the background, where they belong for now. In this session, Arnold, Betty, and Chris play characters with a goal of finding a nuclear physicist and extracting him to a place for interrogation. The game master, Greg, leads them through a top-secret facility. Note that the players were allowed to play their favorite types of characters, because Greg's campaign theme permits this. Greg: the searchlight just went past. Now's your chance to cross through the darkness. Arnold (playing Merloon, the wizard): I look at Montana and Number 2 with anticipation. Sneaking across secure compounds isn't something Merloon does often. Betty (playing Montana Smith, the treasure hunter): I grab Merloon's hand and run across the yard. As long as he doesn't trip, we should be fine. Chris (playing Number 2259, a hyper-soldier): Alright. I'm going. As I go, I turn on my motion-tracking goggles. Greg: Arnold, does Merloon run with Montana? Arnold: yeah, but he's old, so he stumbles a bit. Greg: Betty, it would've been easy without Merloon. Arnold, you get a hero point. Betty, make a movement contest for Montana, minus 4 since Merloon makes it challenging. Betty: (rolls a movement contest, and a penalty of 4 for difficulty) I got a 15. Montana scuffs his feet on the asphalt hauling Merloon back up as he stumbles. Greg: Okay, you cross the yard with a few feet to spare when the searchlight comes back. You all pile up against the large facility outer wall. Chris, Number 2 thinks he sees movement in the static of his goggles, inside the building, but he can't tell for sure. Everyone roll detect. All: (the players roll a d20 and add the mental modifier, plus detect skill. They announce 6, 7, and 19.) Greg: Merloon and Montana, all you detect is distant guards walking through searchlights outside. Number 2 thinks he sees someone reclining inside the door ahead. Chris: I ready my railgun! Betty: Woah, boy. Ever heard of smooth-talking? I go up to the door, expecting that Number 2 saw someone inside he'd like to shoot. Arnold: (to Betty) Tread lightly youth, for walls harken well. (To Greg) I take out my spellbook. Greg: the door has a mag-reader. And it's very sturdy, so it probably doesn't get used often. Betty: Montana fancies himself a lock-picker. Is there a keyhole? Greg: a small one in the lower-right corner of the mag-reader. Betty: I whip out the lockpicks and give a Harrison Ford sly grin. My Larceny skill is a +6. And I use a hero point, (rolls d6) plus 2. Greg: (rolls for Montana) the lock feels very foreign inside. You're not sure you'll make progress. Betty: Watch and learn, Number 2 (she motions for Number 2 to lower his weapon). I knock on the door, using my revolver if I need something heavy. Greg: (simulates knocking sound). Strangely enough, you hear a hyrdaulic sound, and the door opens slightly outward. A guardsman wearing a beret and headcom sticks his head out. "Are you the pizza guy?" Betty: erm, the delivery guy's at the east gate. They won't let him in. (Rolls a skill contest) Deceive 22. Greg: Let's call that unlikely difficulty...I'll give you a roleplaying bonus. (Uses guard's voice) "Oh, :):):):). Look, I hit the alarm when you knocked, wasn't expecting anyone but the pizza guy. Let me go call a false alarm...wait, who the hell are you, anyway?" The guard looks you up and down, school teacher outfit, tie, and fedora. Chris: (scoffs) smooth-talk? Let's dance! I shoot him. Greg: roll initiative. All: Each player rolls a d20, and adds his highest ability modifier. Chris took the Off-the-Mark perk, so s/he adds an additional 4 to initiative. Greg: Merloon rolled highest. Wisdom comes in handy, huh? Arnold: This time. I take defensive posture and wait to cast Shadow Hide You if other guards show up. (Arnold has renamed the Darkness spell for character flavor). Greg: Done. Number 2? Chris: since I got the jump on him, I steady my railgun for an action, and then fire. (Rolls Fight-Missile skill) Missile 12 plus 4 for aiming, damage 12! Skreee-blam (simulates railgun sound)! Greg: no one wants to get hit by a railgun. He parries (rolls d20). Ouch. (Rolls d8) he gets 6 protection. For 6 damage, the guard flings himself back into the room, trips over his office chair and hits the floor really hard. He gets up holding his right shoulder, which is smoking. It's the guard's turn, and he has two actions left. He draws a pistol and shouts, "intruders!" Number 2's goggles pick up several guardsmen coming from the far side of the monitor room. Montana? Arnold: Wait, what's the room look like? Greg: It's a small, very dark security center. Two banks of computers, at an L shape, add a dull blue glow to the room. On the far side of the room is an open security door. Betty: I take cover behind the doorframe. Number 2, you can shoot through the walls, right? (Chris confirms). Okay, I wait for a guard to take aim at me. Greg: the round is about to end, Betty. You'll have a better chance at that with higher initiative. Want to delay? Betty: Okay, I delay, but I reserve my last action in case that guard tries to shoot me. Greg: Gotcha. He's not asking for trouble. But three more guards join the fray, running up to the doorway on the far side of the room. (Rolls initiative.) Betty, they're contending for highest initiative, so give me another contest. Betty: (Re-rolls initiative) 13. Greg: The new guards go first, and Montana's next. Two stay at the far entrance, in defensive posture. One runs up to his buddy to make sure he's okay. Betty? Chris: Hang on! I shoot one of the guards hiding at the far door! Take half: 14! (Rolls 1d12) Damage is 8. Remember, I shot him through the wall. Greg: That's one reserve action. You're lucky that no one else can shoot through walls...he tries to parry anyway, with a serious penalty. (Rolls parry, then rolls protection.) He screams some obsenity after getting his helmet knocked off, and since you acted during his turn, he can still act. He flees. Chris: One down, three to go. I say this through our commo. Betty: I'm pretty sure that Merloon owes us a Stasis spell, I pass. But I gesture at the nearest guard, looking at Merloon. Arnold: Merloon is already closing his spellbook and casting. He knows the Stasis spell by heart. Greg: Merloon will have to move to offensive posture, otherwise he won't have line-of-sight, since you're basically fighting through a doorway. Arnold: Ugh. That's all my actions. Okay, I move to offensive, then cast Stasis. Rolling contests (rolls two Cast Spell-Stasis contests). 9 and 16. Not bad. "Freeze, you fool!" (Rolls 1d8) MP damage is 4. Greg: the guard lets you cast, since he's never seen a magic-user before. He resists the mental attack (rolls concentration skill), but fails and doesn't budge. [/sblock] The skirmish rages on, but goes poorly for the highly-outnumbered heroes. That is, until they fully utilize the magic of the past and the technology of the future. In your game, you can do one, both, or neither. For any of these, you'll need a game master. [/QUOTE]
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