GMMichael
Guide of Modos
Do you:
Free view on ProtonDrive (1st draft)
Streamlined edit (pending)
Please let me know what works for you and what doesn't, because my goal is to provide a simple walkthrough of the rules that's more interesting than the 5-page rules catalog (which is still at ObsidianPortal but harder to access), and less bulky than the 80+ pages of Modos 2. I'm intending to add some charts to aid with visual learning, and to add some level of formatting and graphic design, so the file is just fodder for wordsmiths at this point.
Share your (hopefully updated) opinion in the poll, ask or comment on whatever you'd like, and I'll update the link when the file gets updated.
Thanks for reading, and thanks will also be in the form of a free module once this is all finished!
GMMichael
Consolidated sections follow. Catalogued rule references appear like this: (000).
Combat:
- love reading about RPGs?
- consider yourself a grammar fanatic?
- enjoy bashing on RPGs that aren't yours?
- have a minimalist streak?
- want a new, free, game to play?
- exhibit none of the above?
Free view on ProtonDrive (1st draft)
Streamlined edit (pending)
Please let me know what works for you and what doesn't, because my goal is to provide a simple walkthrough of the rules that's more interesting than the 5-page rules catalog (which is still at ObsidianPortal but harder to access), and less bulky than the 80+ pages of Modos 2. I'm intending to add some charts to aid with visual learning, and to add some level of formatting and graphic design, so the file is just fodder for wordsmiths at this point.
Share your (hopefully updated) opinion in the poll, ask or comment on whatever you'd like, and I'll update the link when the file gets updated.
Thanks for reading, and thanks will also be in the form of a free module once this is all finished!
GMMichael
Consolidated sections follow. Catalogued rule references appear like this: (000).
Modos RPG is best played with four to six players. One player chooses to act as the Guide of Modos (GM) who will set the scenes, moderate the rules, adjudicate player-character (PC) ideas, and dictate non-player-character (NPC) activities over the course of the game (000). The rest of the players role-play as protagonists: the PCs. Players will use a standard set of polyhedral dice and paper or electronic character sheets.
The Guide creates a Campaign Theme which sets the tone for the game and gives players an idea of what to expect regarding setting, play style, and rulings (001). For example: "this is a game of high fantasy with titans and strategic combat. In the land of Arkynax, similar to ancient Greece, wizards and warriors go toe-to-toe against huge enemies in epic battles that shake the pillars of Earth." The campaign theme is important for adding focus to the many decisions that GMs and PCs face while setting up and playing the game.
The Guide creates a Campaign Theme which sets the tone for the game and gives players an idea of what to expect regarding setting, play style, and rulings (001). For example: "this is a game of high fantasy with titans and strategic combat. In the land of Arkynax, similar to ancient Greece, wizards and warriors go toe-to-toe against huge enemies in epic battles that shake the pillars of Earth." The campaign theme is important for adding focus to the many decisions that GMs and PCs face while setting up and playing the game.
Before you start making your character, there's one mechanism you'll want to know about because the rules revolve around it: the Contest (002). It is your d20 roll versus the Guide's d20 roll, and you will usually add an Attribute Bonus to yours, while the Guide's roll adds Difficulty (more on these later). There are three types of contest outcomes: Pro, Con, and Tie (003). If your roll is higher than the GM's roll, it's a Pro, a favorable outcome. If it's lower, it's called a Con, an unfavorable outcome. Sometimes the results will Tie, and the Guide decides if the outcome was neutral or if you should roll again. Whatever the result of your contest, you should suggest what that result means - what happens - so you can help the Guide continue the story. Throughout the game, you have the option to Halfmax your roll. To do so, before your roll you will tell the Guide that you are going to halfmax, and you treat your die roll as though it shows half of the die's maximum roll (012). This can save time as well as ensure that you don't get a bad roll when you don't want to risk one.
Every character has a character sheet, which is simply a collection of the elements that make up that character. Some characters take up both sides of a page, like a detailed, high-level player-character. Others, like a simple NPC, are just a name, character level, and short concept.
To build your PC, start by creating a Character Concept: a short description of the ideas that define your character (100). The Campaign Theme can help you focus on a type of character. Include a Flaw: something about your character that isn't perfect (101). Get your character motivated with a Goal: something the character wants to achieve on a short-term or long-term basis.
To build your PC, start by creating a Character Concept: a short description of the ideas that define your character (100). The Campaign Theme can help you focus on a type of character. Include a Flaw: something about your character that isn't perfect (101). Get your character motivated with a Goal: something the character wants to achieve on a short-term or long-term basis.
Characters have three Attributes that help them interact with the rules and give them a bit of definition, called Physical (P), Mental (M), and Metaphysical (MP) (103). Physical represents bodily presence and activity (105). Mental is for senses, thought, and knowledge (106). Metaphysical is for spirit and relationships (107).
Each attribute gets a score, which indicates higher ability or better fortune as it increases. The Guide might ask you to roll your initial scores or assign fixed scores. The average person scores are 10, 10, and 10, or for a slightly more realistic game/character: 12, 10, and 8.
Your attribute scores determine how many bonus points you get when rolling contests based on that attribute: the Attribute Bonus (104). Your bonus increases by one point for every two attribute points above 10, and it decreases by one point for every two attribute points below 11. For example, attribute scores of 6 and 7 have a -2 bonus (penalty), scores of 8 and 9 have a -1, scores of 10 and 11 have 0, scores of 12 and 13 have a +1 bonus, and scores of 14 and 15 have +2.
Each attribute gets a score, which indicates higher ability or better fortune as it increases. The Guide might ask you to roll your initial scores or assign fixed scores. The average person scores are 10, 10, and 10, or for a slightly more realistic game/character: 12, 10, and 8.
Your attribute scores determine how many bonus points you get when rolling contests based on that attribute: the Attribute Bonus (104). Your bonus increases by one point for every two attribute points above 10, and it decreases by one point for every two attribute points below 11. For example, attribute scores of 6 and 7 have a -2 bonus (penalty), scores of 8 and 9 have a -1, scores of 10 and 11 have 0, scores of 12 and 13 have a +1 bonus, and scores of 14 and 15 have +2.
Elements that make your character exceptional are called Perks (112). Some perks let you bend rules, and some provide other benefits beyond what skill points or attribute points do. Perks can be chosen from the Guide's list or module list, and you gain one at each character level.
Unlike the persistent skills and perks, Hero Points are renewable features that give you a heroic benefit once per day (114). You decide what your hero points do, within the limits of the campaign theme and the Guide's recommendations. You can spend a hero point at any time, and if you need to roll a contest to determine the quality of the outcome, the hero point lets you add a d6 to your result.
Your hero points renew daily, but the Guide can also renew a hero point as a reward (116). The Guide will usually renew a hero point when you role-play your Flaw to hinder progress toward your Goal.
Your hero points renew daily, but the Guide can also renew a hero point as a reward (116). The Guide will usually renew a hero point when you role-play your Flaw to hinder progress toward your Goal.
Characters gain levels when awarded by the Guide. A character level is a measure of the character's accomplishment or power. You start play with at least one character level, and each one grants you an attribute score point, a skill point, and a perk (113). You can apply these however you like when you earn them. When a new fictional day begins, you get one hero point per character level. Your character level is also a limit; you cannot have more skill points in one skill than you have character levels (110), and you cannot have more hero points than you have levels (115).
What possessions you need to record, called Gear for short, depend on the campaign theme and the gear List provided by the Guide. Two common types of gear, weapons and armor, are called equipment and provide your Physical damage and protection. Weapons cause Physical Damage, indicated by a type of die, like a d8 sword (309). Armor, which provides Physical Protection, reduces physical damage and is also indicated by a die type. In addition, armor has an encumbering effect as it gets bigger and heavier. Such armor has a Physical Penalty, which reduces your Physical attribute score, which in turn reduces your Physical attribute bonus, while you're wearing the armor (316).
A lot of Modos RPG is just role-playing: saying things as your character would, describing what your character does, creating fictional story with the other players. When your ideas conflict with the Guide's ideas, or when the Guide wants the rules to weigh in on what happens next, the Guide asks for one or more Contests. The process of using contests to shape the story you create is called Simple Conflict.
When in simple conflict, you will get to add various bonuses ("penalties" if subtracted) to your contests (007). The default bonus is your attribute bonus. For example in a Physical Contest, like pushing a stubborn mule, you roll a d20 and add your physical bonus to get the result. Sometimes you'll have a Skill that could improve your outcome. You can also add the skill points from that skill to increase your result. Tell the Guide which skill you're adding if it's not obvious. For example, if you have two skill points in the "farmer" skill, then that would probably make you better at moving mules. You would add two points to the contest result when using the Farmer skill.
Another type of bonus is called Difficulty, which can represent factors in favor of, or against, any particular effort (008). You will usually see Difficulty as a bonus to the Guide's contest that opposes yours, so it's called a Difficulty Contest (010). In the above example, you're trying to push a stubborn mule, and the campaign theme implies that this would be a Difficult task. The Difficulty Table (009) recommends 8 bonus points for Difficult tasks, so the Guide adds 8 to the difficulty contest. Difficulty can work in your favor, too. In the mule example, you might have someone helping you push the mule. The Guide decides that having a helper is worth one difficulty benchmark, and says that you get 4 difficulty points to add to your contest.
The contests in a simple conflict don't tell you what happens; they tell you how it happens. Your ideas still guide the story along, shaped by the Pro, Con, or Tie results of your contests.
When in simple conflict, you will get to add various bonuses ("penalties" if subtracted) to your contests (007). The default bonus is your attribute bonus. For example in a Physical Contest, like pushing a stubborn mule, you roll a d20 and add your physical bonus to get the result. Sometimes you'll have a Skill that could improve your outcome. You can also add the skill points from that skill to increase your result. Tell the Guide which skill you're adding if it's not obvious. For example, if you have two skill points in the "farmer" skill, then that would probably make you better at moving mules. You would add two points to the contest result when using the Farmer skill.
Another type of bonus is called Difficulty, which can represent factors in favor of, or against, any particular effort (008). You will usually see Difficulty as a bonus to the Guide's contest that opposes yours, so it's called a Difficulty Contest (010). In the above example, you're trying to push a stubborn mule, and the campaign theme implies that this would be a Difficult task. The Difficulty Table (009) recommends 8 bonus points for Difficult tasks, so the Guide adds 8 to the difficulty contest. Difficulty can work in your favor, too. In the mule example, you might have someone helping you push the mule. The Guide decides that having a helper is worth one difficulty benchmark, and says that you get 4 difficulty points to add to your contest.
The contests in a simple conflict don't tell you what happens; they tell you how it happens. Your ideas still guide the story along, shaped by the Pro, Con, or Tie results of your contests.
Combat:
Combat begins when the Guide calls for an Initiative Contest from all combatants (212). The call can be simple, like "roll initiative," or something thematic, like "battle stations!" It is a d20 roll plus your choice of attribute bonus. Characters take turns in order of highest to lowest initiative contest. Your initiative contest is also a tie-breaker; if timing is important in resolving an action, the character with the higher initiative contest acts first.
Combat takes place in rounds, and you get three Actions to use each round. After the character with the lowest initiative contest ends his turn, you lose your unused actions and the round ends. The Action List provides examples of actions that you can take. Common actions are Attack, Defend, Change Posture, and Flee, but if what you want to do isn't in the action list, just tell the Guide about it. The Guide will tell you how to do it and how many actions it will cost.
When your turn begins, you are the Initiating Character (213), and you get two benefits over the other characters in combat. One, you initiate the actions, which means that any characters wanting to React (see Defenses and Protection) must first wait for you to use an action, and your initiative contest is treated as the highest until your turn ends.
Two, you can Combine Actions only during your turn (204). When you combine actions, you use two or more actions to accomplish one task, like casting a magic spell or performing a three-hit combo. For any action after the first, you can use the result of your previous contest instead of rolling a new one. The last contest determines your outcome: Pro, Con, or Tie.
Two, you can Combine Actions only during your turn (204). When you combine actions, you use two or more actions to accomplish one task, like casting a magic spell or performing a three-hit combo. For any action after the first, you can use the result of your previous contest instead of rolling a new one. The last contest determines your outcome: Pro, Con, or Tie.
In combat, your typical goal will be to cause more damage to your opponent than she can sustain. To do so, you use an action to Attack. An attack is a Physical contest plus your attacking skill points if you have an attack skill (004). If your attack is a Pro or if your opponent doesn't defend, you cause Damage (309).
Damage is a measure of how close your opponent is to defeat, and it is rolled on a d4 unless your weapon uses a different die type. When an attacker damages you, you collect the damage in one place on your character sheet for that type of damage (P, M, or MP), called a Damage Pool (312). The Maximum Damage that a pool can hold equals your attribute score (313). If you collect more damage than your maximum, you become Disabled, which means you can no longer take significant actions in that conflict (314).
To recover from being Disabled, you and the Guide decide on a solution that best fits the story. You cannot remove damage from your damage pools while disabled, but you can otherwise remove one point of Physical damage each day, one point of Mental damage each day, and one point of Metaphysical damage each hour (315).
Damage is a measure of how close your opponent is to defeat, and it is rolled on a d4 unless your weapon uses a different die type. When an attacker damages you, you collect the damage in one place on your character sheet for that type of damage (P, M, or MP), called a Damage Pool (312). The Maximum Damage that a pool can hold equals your attribute score (313). If you collect more damage than your maximum, you become Disabled, which means you can no longer take significant actions in that conflict (314).
To recover from being Disabled, you and the Guide decide on a solution that best fits the story. You cannot remove damage from your damage pools while disabled, but you can otherwise remove one point of Physical damage each day, one point of Mental damage each day, and one point of Metaphysical damage each hour (315).
When someone attacks you, you will take Damage unless you defend with a Pro contest. A Defense is an action that can nullify the effects of an Attack (005). In combat, this is a Physical contest plus defense skill points if you have a defense skill.
Defending is a Reaction, which is any action announced in response to the initiating character's action (214). All announced actions generally happen simultaneously, but if timing matters, the initiating character's action happens first, followed by the reactions in order of highest initiative contest to lowest. Also, the Guide might decide that some reactions aren't possible, depending on the situation, and ask you to save your action for later in the round. This usually happens during combined actions or when you are unaware of an attack (006).
Whether you defend or not, you use Protection to reduce the damage from each attack (309). When an attack damages you, roll protection to reduce the damage that goes in your damage pool, to a minimum of one (211). If you wear armor, you have physical protection from physical damage, indicated by a die type. Unlike physical damage, characters have no protection by default.
Defending is a Reaction, which is any action announced in response to the initiating character's action (214). All announced actions generally happen simultaneously, but if timing matters, the initiating character's action happens first, followed by the reactions in order of highest initiative contest to lowest. Also, the Guide might decide that some reactions aren't possible, depending on the situation, and ask you to save your action for later in the round. This usually happens during combined actions or when you are unaware of an attack (006).
Whether you defend or not, you use Protection to reduce the damage from each attack (309). When an attack damages you, roll protection to reduce the damage that goes in your damage pool, to a minimum of one (211). If you wear armor, you have physical protection from physical damage, indicated by a die type. Unlike physical damage, characters have no protection by default.
Character movement in combat is fluid, and you can usually move freely to perform your actions. The Guide may require a physical contest for you to achieve difficult movements. The Guide can let you move to a position that gets you a tactical advantage if you use an action to move, called a Posture Change. There are five of these positions you can take, called Postures.
Offensive posture is the default posture (301). This is where you usually begin combat. You can think of this posture as a melee or brawl.
Defensive posture is where you go to get cover or distance from offensive posture (302). You can take defensive posture if there is a reasonable defensive position to take, like standing behind protective allies, climbing to an elevated position, or just distancing yourself from the melee. Defensive posture's benefit is that it puts you at Short Range from your opponents (see Range).
Flanking posture is what you use to get behind your enemies (305). In this posture you treat offensive opponents as defensive, and you treat defensive opponents as offensive. Your opponents treat you as offensive, though you are out of range of your allies. When you use an action to enter flanking posture, any opponent can attempt to stop your flank with an action and a Physical contest. If your Physical contest is a Con, you remain in your previous posture.
Mounted posture represents using a mount or vehicle to maneuver (307). After using an action to enter mounted posture, all opponents treat you as though you're in defensive posture. When you use an action, you can choose which posture you want to be in (offensive, defensive, or flanking), and you go back to mounted posture when that action ends. For each round that you want to remain in mounted posture, you must use the first action of your turn to "maintain," or stay in, mounted posture. Otherwise, the Guide chooses your new posture.
Flying posture is used for characters who can fly or who have flying mounts (308). It costs one action to enter flying posture and one to maintain flying posture at the beginning of your turn, like mounted posture. While flying, all characters treat you as though you are at Medium Range (see Range, next). When you act, you can choose to remain at medium range from all characters, or you can take a new posture (offensive, defensive, or flanking) until your action ends. However, all characters in flying posture treat each other as though they are in offensive posture.
Offensive posture is the default posture (301). This is where you usually begin combat. You can think of this posture as a melee or brawl.
Defensive posture is where you go to get cover or distance from offensive posture (302). You can take defensive posture if there is a reasonable defensive position to take, like standing behind protective allies, climbing to an elevated position, or just distancing yourself from the melee. Defensive posture's benefit is that it puts you at Short Range from your opponents (see Range).
Flanking posture is what you use to get behind your enemies (305). In this posture you treat offensive opponents as defensive, and you treat defensive opponents as offensive. Your opponents treat you as offensive, though you are out of range of your allies. When you use an action to enter flanking posture, any opponent can attempt to stop your flank with an action and a Physical contest. If your Physical contest is a Con, you remain in your previous posture.
Mounted posture represents using a mount or vehicle to maneuver (307). After using an action to enter mounted posture, all opponents treat you as though you're in defensive posture. When you use an action, you can choose which posture you want to be in (offensive, defensive, or flanking), and you go back to mounted posture when that action ends. For each round that you want to remain in mounted posture, you must use the first action of your turn to "maintain," or stay in, mounted posture. Otherwise, the Guide chooses your new posture.
Flying posture is used for characters who can fly or who have flying mounts (308). It costs one action to enter flying posture and one to maintain flying posture at the beginning of your turn, like mounted posture. While flying, all characters treat you as though you are at Medium Range (see Range, next). When you act, you can choose to remain at medium range from all characters, or you can take a new posture (offensive, defensive, or flanking) until your action ends. However, all characters in flying posture treat each other as though they are in offensive posture.
The tactical advantage of changing posture is that it determines whether your attacks can reach your opponents and whether their attacks can reach you. This is called Range: the set of postures that your attack can affect (306). Weapons, powers, and other attacks have a Range attribute for this.
Range is best illustrated by lining up four postures, or character positions: defensive allies, offensive allies, offensive opponents, and defensive opponents. The smallest range is Close range, which affects targets in your posture or in a neighboring posture. Short range is one step larger, so it affects targets up to two postures away. Medium range affects all postures. If a target is at Long range, it can be seen or sensed, but it can only be affected with a long range attack.
Different attacks can have different rules for Range. For example, physical weapons can cause one Damage (319) to targets that are just outside their range (in the next larger category). This keeps battles from reaching a stalemate, in terms of damage. Powers (see Magic) have no effect beyond their range unless the Guide rules otherwise.
Range is best illustrated by lining up four postures, or character positions: defensive allies, offensive allies, offensive opponents, and defensive opponents. The smallest range is Close range, which affects targets in your posture or in a neighboring posture. Short range is one step larger, so it affects targets up to two postures away. Medium range affects all postures. If a target is at Long range, it can be seen or sensed, but it can only be affected with a long range attack.
Different attacks can have different rules for Range. For example, physical weapons can cause one Damage (319) to targets that are just outside their range (in the next larger category). This keeps battles from reaching a stalemate, in terms of damage. Powers (see Magic) have no effect beyond their range unless the Guide rules otherwise.
While Physical attacks and Physical damage are the most common, combat can involve Mental and Metaphysical attributes as well, especially at high character levels. Mental attacks are uncommon, but a campaign theme involving psychic powers could make Mental attacks common, for example. Metaphysical attacks are rare, but using Powers (see Magic) regularly involves taking Metaphysical damage.
Mental and Metaphysical have defense skills and damage pools just like Physical does. Taking damage that exceeds your attribute score in either attribute also results in being Disabled, as described in Attacks and Damage.
Mental and Metaphysical have defense skills and damage pools just like Physical does. Taking damage that exceeds your attribute score in either attribute also results in being Disabled, as described in Attacks and Damage.
The combat module is built on the extended conflict module, and the Guide can use the latter to resolve non-combat conflicts. Such conflicts can use initiative contests, rounds, turns, and actions to determine who prevails in a conflict, and who suffers defeat. The main difference from combat is that extended conflict uses Progress points to measure progress toward the conflict's goal, instead of Damage (206). There will typically be two Progress pools, one for each side of the conflict, and if each side has the same goal, each side will attempt to achieve the same amount of Max Progress (207)(208). You make progress with a Pro attack which uses d8 by default, versus the default d4 used in combat.
The Guide can tailor many variables based on the nature of the conflict, or use combat as the default model. For example, a public debate might use a round consisting of one action (one side's statement) and one reaction from the other side (that side's rebuttal). In the following round, the second side would make a statement, followed by the first side's rebuttal. Another optional rule is Regress: the Protection of non-combat conflicts (210). Regress reduces Progress by a default d8, but it is only suited to certain kinds of conflict.
The Guide can tailor many variables based on the nature of the conflict, or use combat as the default model. For example, a public debate might use a round consisting of one action (one side's statement) and one reaction from the other side (that side's rebuttal). In the following round, the second side would make a statement, followed by the first side's rebuttal. Another optional rule is Regress: the Protection of non-combat conflicts (210). Regress reduces Progress by a default d8, but it is only suited to certain kinds of conflict.
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But I'll set that aside for now. Here are some attempts at clarification, in case a little clarity inspires you to let me know how I might word things differently:
