GMMichael
Guide of Modos
Appendix A: Fast Play Rules
Too busy to read the whole rulebook? Here's what you'll need to know as a player, in steps.
1) Create characters (chapter 3).
Give your character a name and a quick explanation of why he's a hero (or will be a hero). He'll start as a professional, level 2.
2) Add ability scores (chapter 3).
Your character gets three ability scores, physical, mental, and metaphysical: 10 in each. If you'd rather roll, put 3d6 in each. Add two points to one score, or one point to two scores.
3) Add skills (chapter 4).
Pick two things that your character does well, and give him a point in each. Choose these from the list of common skills in the Skills chapter. There are three primary defensive skills: parry, concentration, and willpower.
4) Add perks (chapter 5).
Pick two things that make your character interesting, but aren't an ability or skill. Choose these from the list of common perks in the Perks chapter.
5) Get hero points (chapter 3).
Hero points allow you to do things better. You get two per day, and using them means you roll 1d6 before the thing you want to do better, and add it to the contest (roll) result.
6) Buy some gear (chapter 6).
Ask the GM for whatever gear your character would have. In general, his gear should allow him to do as much damage and protection as the other PCs can.
7) Get special abilities (chapter 7).
If there's still something cool that your character can do, that hasn't been covered yet, trade one of your skills for one of the spells in the Magic chapter. The new skill is called "cast spell (X)" where the X is the spell you've chosen.
8) Roleplay.
Tell your group what your character says and does, and remember that Modos RPG rules are vague enough to allow you lots of room to interpret different elements. Decide what each element means in terms of your character as you play the game.
9) Conflict (chapter 8)!
When the GM doubts a character's ability to do something, he'll ask for a contest. Roll d20, add the skill points you have in the closest skill to the task (zero if you don't have the skill), and add your ability modifier of the ability relevant to that skill. The result is your contest. If it's higher than the GM's opposing contest, you'll succeed.
10) Battle (chapter 8).
If you're getting into a conflict that will take more than one contest, roll initiative (d20 + your highest ability modifier) to see who goes first. When your turn comes, you can use up to three actions against your enemies. Attack (with a spell or one of the fight skills) if you like, but if you want to defend yourself, you'd better save some of your actions for it.
11) Damage enemies (chapter 8).
If you've succeeded on a fight contest, or if your opponent was too busy to parry you, you'll deal damage. Roll the damage die of your weapon. Your opponent will roll his protection die to reduce your damage, but you'll always do at least one damage if your opponent fails to defend.
12) Take damage (chapter 8).
If you fail a defense contest, reduce the damage with your armor's protection die. Add the remainder to your damage pool that corresponds to the type of damage dealt. If the damage in that pool exceeds your ability score, the GM will give you a time-out.
13) Cast spells (chapter 7).
If you took a spell in step 7, you can cast that spell. During your turn, spend the actions listed in the spell's "actions" entry. Roll a cast spell contest for each action, keep the highest, and apply the "difficulty" amount to your result. If your result is below 10, the spell fails. If your result is over 10, roll 1d8 and add the spell level. This is the metaphysical damage you take in exchange for making the spell manifest. Then your spell happens.
14) Defend against spells (chapter 8).
If someone casts a spell at you, the GM will tell you which defense to use. If you have an action tied to the corresponding ability, you can use it to defend against the caster's cast spell contest. If you succeed against a damaging spell, you avoid one action's worth of damage. If you succeed against a non-damaging spell, you don't suffer the spell's effect; you suffer the half-effect. If the caster maintains his spell, you can end the half-effect with a total number of successful defenses equal to the spell's level.
What about taking half, combat postures, maintaining spells, difficulty, ranged weapons, level-ups, and all that other cool stuff? Read the whole rulebook!
Too busy to read the whole rulebook? Here's what you'll need to know as a player, in steps.
1) Create characters (chapter 3).
Give your character a name and a quick explanation of why he's a hero (or will be a hero). He'll start as a professional, level 2.
2) Add ability scores (chapter 3).
Your character gets three ability scores, physical, mental, and metaphysical: 10 in each. If you'd rather roll, put 3d6 in each. Add two points to one score, or one point to two scores.
3) Add skills (chapter 4).
Pick two things that your character does well, and give him a point in each. Choose these from the list of common skills in the Skills chapter. There are three primary defensive skills: parry, concentration, and willpower.
4) Add perks (chapter 5).
Pick two things that make your character interesting, but aren't an ability or skill. Choose these from the list of common perks in the Perks chapter.
5) Get hero points (chapter 3).
Hero points allow you to do things better. You get two per day, and using them means you roll 1d6 before the thing you want to do better, and add it to the contest (roll) result.
6) Buy some gear (chapter 6).
Ask the GM for whatever gear your character would have. In general, his gear should allow him to do as much damage and protection as the other PCs can.
7) Get special abilities (chapter 7).
If there's still something cool that your character can do, that hasn't been covered yet, trade one of your skills for one of the spells in the Magic chapter. The new skill is called "cast spell (X)" where the X is the spell you've chosen.
8) Roleplay.
Tell your group what your character says and does, and remember that Modos RPG rules are vague enough to allow you lots of room to interpret different elements. Decide what each element means in terms of your character as you play the game.
9) Conflict (chapter 8)!
When the GM doubts a character's ability to do something, he'll ask for a contest. Roll d20, add the skill points you have in the closest skill to the task (zero if you don't have the skill), and add your ability modifier of the ability relevant to that skill. The result is your contest. If it's higher than the GM's opposing contest, you'll succeed.
10) Battle (chapter 8).
If you're getting into a conflict that will take more than one contest, roll initiative (d20 + your highest ability modifier) to see who goes first. When your turn comes, you can use up to three actions against your enemies. Attack (with a spell or one of the fight skills) if you like, but if you want to defend yourself, you'd better save some of your actions for it.
11) Damage enemies (chapter 8).
If you've succeeded on a fight contest, or if your opponent was too busy to parry you, you'll deal damage. Roll the damage die of your weapon. Your opponent will roll his protection die to reduce your damage, but you'll always do at least one damage if your opponent fails to defend.
12) Take damage (chapter 8).
If you fail a defense contest, reduce the damage with your armor's protection die. Add the remainder to your damage pool that corresponds to the type of damage dealt. If the damage in that pool exceeds your ability score, the GM will give you a time-out.
13) Cast spells (chapter 7).
If you took a spell in step 7, you can cast that spell. During your turn, spend the actions listed in the spell's "actions" entry. Roll a cast spell contest for each action, keep the highest, and apply the "difficulty" amount to your result. If your result is below 10, the spell fails. If your result is over 10, roll 1d8 and add the spell level. This is the metaphysical damage you take in exchange for making the spell manifest. Then your spell happens.
14) Defend against spells (chapter 8).
If someone casts a spell at you, the GM will tell you which defense to use. If you have an action tied to the corresponding ability, you can use it to defend against the caster's cast spell contest. If you succeed against a damaging spell, you avoid one action's worth of damage. If you succeed against a non-damaging spell, you don't suffer the spell's effect; you suffer the half-effect. If the caster maintains his spell, you can end the half-effect with a total number of successful defenses equal to the spell's level.
What about taking half, combat postures, maintaining spells, difficulty, ranged weapons, level-ups, and all that other cool stuff? Read the whole rulebook!