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Modos Rulebook: the real-time editing thread
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<blockquote data-quote="GMMichael" data-source="post: 6233931" data-attributes="member: 6685730"><p><strong>Subchapter 8: Metaphysical Conflict</strong></p><p></p><p>The truly enlightened can use metaphysical conflict to reach higher levels of Nirvana. But normal characters just use it to avoid becoming catatonic, impress strangers, gather followers, and cast magic spells.</p><p><u></u></p><p><u>Metaphysical Damage</u>[sblock]</p><p> Metaphysical damage pools don't get a lot of attention. They're mostly threatened by heavy spellcasting and gnarly undead creatures. Metaphysical damage represents a weakening of the soul, or a loss of presence. Luckily, healing metaphysical damage is just as easy as healing mental damage; it takes just one hour to heal one point of MP damage. If that's not fast enough, a good concentration contest will increase hourly recovery to two points (see Skills). Note that a catatonic character, one at max metaphysical damage, does not heal MP damage at the normal rate without GM approval.</p><p></p><p> Preventing MP damage is no simple feat. A spellcaster can reduce some damage with the casting endurance perk, but further metaphysical protection is a higher-dimension secret.</p><p>[/sblock]<u></u></p><p><u>NPC Disposition</u>[sblock]</p><p> How PCs react to other PCs and NPCs is up to the players. But how NPCs react to PCs and other NPCs can be a bit more complicated. There are five states of disposition:</p><p></p><p>- Helpful. The character tries to help his friends.</p><p>- Friendly. The character is nice, but not helpful.</p><p>- Indifferent. The character doesn't lean either way.</p><p>- Unfriendly. The character dislikes another.</p><p>- Hostile. The character is out to hurt someone.</p><p></p><p>The GM should decide at what level NPCs begin feeling toward the PCs when they meet. Several factors should be considered: like the PCs' reputation, their intentions, their appearance, and the NPC's mood - just to name a few. To determine starting disposition randomly, first determine if the NPC is intelligent or unintelligent:</p><p></p><p>Intelligent: the PC rolls a metaphysical contest against the NPC. The PC's degrees of success determine how friendly or helpful the NPC is. The PC's degrees of failure determine how unfriendly or hostile the NPC is.</p><p>Unintelligent: these creatures never begin an encounter feeling friendly or helpful. The PC rolls a metaphysical contest against the NPC. Success means that the NPC is indifferent, failure means that the NPC is hostile.</p><p></p><p> The PCs can use conflict rules to improve NPC attitudes. This can be as simple as a persuade contest versus a willpower or another persuade contest. Or the characters can engage in a battle of wills, with each skill they use allowing another 1d6 friend-points (damage) against the opponent's MP ability. In this example, losing doesn't cause the catatonic condition; it just indicates which character improves his attitude by one step first.</p><p><u>[/sblock]</u></p><p><u>Allies</u>[sblock]</p><p> Since there's safety in numbers, there are several ways for Modos RPG characters to get allies to help them in their conflicts. These allies are, listed by ease of acquisition: hirelings, pets, followers, and cohorts.</p><p></p><p>Hirelings: someone you pay to do your bidding is a hireling. Characters can have as many hirelings as they can afford, but a hireling can't be trusted once the money runs out. Sometimes this happens before the money runs out.</p><p></p><p>Pets: pets can be bought or found, and they generally follow orders because they're trained to do so. Making good handle animal contests can determine how much your pet loves you. You can increase your pet's level (and that of all subsequent pets) with the heroic companion perk. Pets become a sort of magical creature with the familiar perk, which can give them human, or super-human, intelligence.</p><p></p><p>Followers: these people are after more than your money. They want your attention, to share your goals, and to follow your example. Followers are generally acquired with fame or power. They'll do your bidding, but followers are usually amateur or professional level, and they definitely won't put their lives on the line for you, nor give you much money. Level times metaphysical ability score is a good guideline for your number of followers. However, characters should reach paragon level (4) before attracting any followers.</p><p></p><p>Cohorts: perhaps the best kind of ally, the cohort is powerful and faithful. Your cohort is your right-hand man, your faithful sidekick. You cannot buy a cohort like you buy a pet; cohorts must be earned by using both character concept and campaign theme. Once you get a cohort, you can raise his level with the heroic companion perk. While your cohort cannot get hero points, he may use yours if you're willing to share.</p><p><u>[/sblock]</u></p><p><u>Magical Conflict</u>[sblock]</p><p> Casting spells in combat is just as easy as thrusting a spear, as long as you have read the spell that you wish to cast. This is because spells use actions, sometimes multiple actions, just like any other skill. It is worthwhile, though, to understand the details of the spell being cast, because it can have subtle, or blatant, effects on the outcome.</p><p></p><p> This section will discuss the casting of spells in combat, defending against these spells, counterspelling, and the interaction of two or more spells.</p><p><u>[/sblock]</u></p><p><u>Casting Spells</u>[sblock]</p><p> The following are the steps used in spellcasting.</p><p>1) The caster must have specific knowledge of the spell being cast (see Skills chapter). This can be avoided by having certain perks.</p><p>2) The caster must have an action available for each spellcasting action of the spell. Only 1-action spells may be cast as reserve actions. If the caster does not have enough physical or mental actions available, he may use metaphysical actions instead.</p><p>3) The caster combines actions if necessary, and rolls a cast spell contest. A spell with more than one action can be cast only during the spellcaster's turn. If several casting actions are combined, keep only the highest cast spell result. Subtract the spell's difficulty from the contest. The result will be used multiple times before the spell ends. </p><p>4) A spell's contest must be higher than 10, or it does not take effect. If the contest is not higher than 10, the actions used to cast the spell are lost, but the spellcaster does not follow any further spellcasting steps.</p><p>5) A successfully cast spell deals 1d8 + spell level in MP damage to the caster, called casting damage. This can be reduced only by the casting endurance perk. This loss of MP health is what turns the spell into reality, so damage of 0 or less would not be enough to manifest a spell. If the casting damage puts the caster at max metaphysical damage, the spell may still take effect at the GM's discretion, but might not last longer than one round if the GM decides that the caster cannot take mental actions. See step #, regarding maintaining spells.</p><p>6) The "effect" of the spell takes place immediately, unless the spell description states otherwise. Everyone described as a "target" of the spell feels the effects.</p><p>7) If the spell deals damage, that damage occurs during each casting action unless the spell description states otherwise. This damage is dealt as though the spell were a weapon, so defenders can attempt to defend against each damage die, and undefended damage is still subject to protection. Since this damage occurs as the caster casts the spell, defenders cannot reduce the damage by defending on subsequent rounds. The first casting action listed in each spell description is tied to the ability used to defend against the spell. Spell damage is reduced by 50% when the caster is in defensive posture and the spell's targets are also in defensive posture.</p><p>8) If the spell has an effect other than damage, that effect also occurs immediately. However, once a target of the spell makes a successful defense against the spell, he becomes subject to the spell's half-effect, and no longer feels the full effect.</p><p>9) The spell ends at the beginning of the caster's next turn unless he starts his next turn with a maintain action to continue the spell. Maintain actions are mental actions that use the original cast spell contest if a character contests it.</p><p>10) A maintained spell continues to affect all targets unless those targets succeed on a number of defense contests equal to the number of casting actions used by the spell. Even if the caster maintains the spell longer, anyone who makes the required defenses goes unaffected by the spell.</p><p><u>[/sblock]</u></p><p><u>Additional Spellcasting Information</u>[sblock]</p><p> Magic spells can be cast by anyone with a singl e point in the corresponding cast spell skill, and the full amount of casting actions available each round. This means, for example, that a third level character can cast a sixth level spell, if the character has taken enough perks to have six actions per round. This wouldn't be the best idea for the character though, because a sixth level spell deals 1d8 + 6 casting damage, which could be enough to render him catatonic. Furthermore, the spell will not have an effect if the spell's difficulty reduces the caster's contest to 10 or lower.</p><p></p><p> Spells can be cast out of combat. The casting action requirement still applies, and is still a requirement of how many actions a character could use during his turn. It's true that a first level character, not in conflict, could chain together 20 actions, but since he can't use all those actions during one turn, he will not be casting any level 20 magic spells.</p><p></p><p> Spells can be countered. Counterspelling is the use of one spell to negate another. This doesn't require a special rule so much as it requires creative usage of the core rules and some GM imagination. The dispel spell (level 3) ends a spell if its contest is higher than the target spell. Since dispel takes three actions to cast, it can be cast only during the caster's turn. To use it as a counterspell, a caster would use the delay action, and take his turn after the turn of the caster who cast the spell to be counterspelled. He would then cast dispel to attempt to counter the spell. Alternatively, a caster could use first level spells to counter higher level spells as they were being cast. For example, if a caster uses a 4th level fire spell, a counterspeller could cast four 1st-level ice spells, one during each fire spell casting action, into the same area to counter the spell. This would require GM approval, and reasonable cast spell (ice) contests from the counterspeller.</p><p> </p><p> Spells can overlap. This is known as spell coincidence. Generally, overlapping spells should take effect as normal. If the spells are mutually exclusive, the spell with a higher contest takes priority. If the spells are diametrically opposed, the GM should treat them as counterspells (see above). More rarely, coinciding spells can have strange or dangerous results (rule zero).[/sblock]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="GMMichael, post: 6233931, member: 6685730"] [b]Subchapter 8: Metaphysical Conflict[/b] The truly enlightened can use metaphysical conflict to reach higher levels of Nirvana. But normal characters just use it to avoid becoming catatonic, impress strangers, gather followers, and cast magic spells. [U] Metaphysical Damage[/U][sblock] Metaphysical damage pools don't get a lot of attention. They're mostly threatened by heavy spellcasting and gnarly undead creatures. Metaphysical damage represents a weakening of the soul, or a loss of presence. Luckily, healing metaphysical damage is just as easy as healing mental damage; it takes just one hour to heal one point of MP damage. If that's not fast enough, a good concentration contest will increase hourly recovery to two points (see Skills). Note that a catatonic character, one at max metaphysical damage, does not heal MP damage at the normal rate without GM approval. Preventing MP damage is no simple feat. A spellcaster can reduce some damage with the casting endurance perk, but further metaphysical protection is a higher-dimension secret. [/sblock][U] NPC Disposition[/U][sblock] How PCs react to other PCs and NPCs is up to the players. But how NPCs react to PCs and other NPCs can be a bit more complicated. There are five states of disposition: - Helpful. The character tries to help his friends. - Friendly. The character is nice, but not helpful. - Indifferent. The character doesn't lean either way. - Unfriendly. The character dislikes another. - Hostile. The character is out to hurt someone. The GM should decide at what level NPCs begin feeling toward the PCs when they meet. Several factors should be considered: like the PCs' reputation, their intentions, their appearance, and the NPC's mood - just to name a few. To determine starting disposition randomly, first determine if the NPC is intelligent or unintelligent: Intelligent: the PC rolls a metaphysical contest against the NPC. The PC's degrees of success determine how friendly or helpful the NPC is. The PC's degrees of failure determine how unfriendly or hostile the NPC is. Unintelligent: these creatures never begin an encounter feeling friendly or helpful. The PC rolls a metaphysical contest against the NPC. Success means that the NPC is indifferent, failure means that the NPC is hostile. The PCs can use conflict rules to improve NPC attitudes. This can be as simple as a persuade contest versus a willpower or another persuade contest. Or the characters can engage in a battle of wills, with each skill they use allowing another 1d6 friend-points (damage) against the opponent's MP ability. In this example, losing doesn't cause the catatonic condition; it just indicates which character improves his attitude by one step first. [U][/sblock] Allies[/U][sblock] Since there's safety in numbers, there are several ways for Modos RPG characters to get allies to help them in their conflicts. These allies are, listed by ease of acquisition: hirelings, pets, followers, and cohorts. Hirelings: someone you pay to do your bidding is a hireling. Characters can have as many hirelings as they can afford, but a hireling can't be trusted once the money runs out. Sometimes this happens before the money runs out. Pets: pets can be bought or found, and they generally follow orders because they're trained to do so. Making good handle animal contests can determine how much your pet loves you. You can increase your pet's level (and that of all subsequent pets) with the heroic companion perk. Pets become a sort of magical creature with the familiar perk, which can give them human, or super-human, intelligence. Followers: these people are after more than your money. They want your attention, to share your goals, and to follow your example. Followers are generally acquired with fame or power. They'll do your bidding, but followers are usually amateur or professional level, and they definitely won't put their lives on the line for you, nor give you much money. Level times metaphysical ability score is a good guideline for your number of followers. However, characters should reach paragon level (4) before attracting any followers. Cohorts: perhaps the best kind of ally, the cohort is powerful and faithful. Your cohort is your right-hand man, your faithful sidekick. You cannot buy a cohort like you buy a pet; cohorts must be earned by using both character concept and campaign theme. Once you get a cohort, you can raise his level with the heroic companion perk. While your cohort cannot get hero points, he may use yours if you're willing to share. [U][/sblock] Magical Conflict[/U][sblock] Casting spells in combat is just as easy as thrusting a spear, as long as you have read the spell that you wish to cast. This is because spells use actions, sometimes multiple actions, just like any other skill. It is worthwhile, though, to understand the details of the spell being cast, because it can have subtle, or blatant, effects on the outcome. This section will discuss the casting of spells in combat, defending against these spells, counterspelling, and the interaction of two or more spells. [U][/sblock] Casting Spells[/U][sblock] The following are the steps used in spellcasting. 1) The caster must have specific knowledge of the spell being cast (see Skills chapter). This can be avoided by having certain perks. 2) The caster must have an action available for each spellcasting action of the spell. Only 1-action spells may be cast as reserve actions. If the caster does not have enough physical or mental actions available, he may use metaphysical actions instead. 3) The caster combines actions if necessary, and rolls a cast spell contest. A spell with more than one action can be cast only during the spellcaster's turn. If several casting actions are combined, keep only the highest cast spell result. Subtract the spell's difficulty from the contest. The result will be used multiple times before the spell ends. 4) A spell's contest must be higher than 10, or it does not take effect. If the contest is not higher than 10, the actions used to cast the spell are lost, but the spellcaster does not follow any further spellcasting steps. 5) A successfully cast spell deals 1d8 + spell level in MP damage to the caster, called casting damage. This can be reduced only by the casting endurance perk. This loss of MP health is what turns the spell into reality, so damage of 0 or less would not be enough to manifest a spell. If the casting damage puts the caster at max metaphysical damage, the spell may still take effect at the GM's discretion, but might not last longer than one round if the GM decides that the caster cannot take mental actions. See step #, regarding maintaining spells. 6) The "effect" of the spell takes place immediately, unless the spell description states otherwise. Everyone described as a "target" of the spell feels the effects. 7) If the spell deals damage, that damage occurs during each casting action unless the spell description states otherwise. This damage is dealt as though the spell were a weapon, so defenders can attempt to defend against each damage die, and undefended damage is still subject to protection. Since this damage occurs as the caster casts the spell, defenders cannot reduce the damage by defending on subsequent rounds. The first casting action listed in each spell description is tied to the ability used to defend against the spell. Spell damage is reduced by 50% when the caster is in defensive posture and the spell's targets are also in defensive posture. 8) If the spell has an effect other than damage, that effect also occurs immediately. However, once a target of the spell makes a successful defense against the spell, he becomes subject to the spell's half-effect, and no longer feels the full effect. 9) The spell ends at the beginning of the caster's next turn unless he starts his next turn with a maintain action to continue the spell. Maintain actions are mental actions that use the original cast spell contest if a character contests it. 10) A maintained spell continues to affect all targets unless those targets succeed on a number of defense contests equal to the number of casting actions used by the spell. Even if the caster maintains the spell longer, anyone who makes the required defenses goes unaffected by the spell. [U][/sblock] Additional Spellcasting Information[/U][sblock] Magic spells can be cast by anyone with a singl e point in the corresponding cast spell skill, and the full amount of casting actions available each round. This means, for example, that a third level character can cast a sixth level spell, if the character has taken enough perks to have six actions per round. This wouldn't be the best idea for the character though, because a sixth level spell deals 1d8 + 6 casting damage, which could be enough to render him catatonic. Furthermore, the spell will not have an effect if the spell's difficulty reduces the caster's contest to 10 or lower. Spells can be cast out of combat. The casting action requirement still applies, and is still a requirement of how many actions a character could use during his turn. It's true that a first level character, not in conflict, could chain together 20 actions, but since he can't use all those actions during one turn, he will not be casting any level 20 magic spells. Spells can be countered. Counterspelling is the use of one spell to negate another. This doesn't require a special rule so much as it requires creative usage of the core rules and some GM imagination. The dispel spell (level 3) ends a spell if its contest is higher than the target spell. Since dispel takes three actions to cast, it can be cast only during the caster's turn. To use it as a counterspell, a caster would use the delay action, and take his turn after the turn of the caster who cast the spell to be counterspelled. He would then cast dispel to attempt to counter the spell. Alternatively, a caster could use first level spells to counter higher level spells as they were being cast. For example, if a caster uses a 4th level fire spell, a counterspeller could cast four 1st-level ice spells, one during each fire spell casting action, into the same area to counter the spell. This would require GM approval, and reasonable cast spell (ice) contests from the counterspeller. Spells can overlap. This is known as spell coincidence. Generally, overlapping spells should take effect as normal. If the spells are mutually exclusive, the spell with a higher contest takes priority. If the spells are diametrically opposed, the GM should treat them as counterspells (see above). More rarely, coinciding spells can have strange or dangerous results (rule zero).[/sblock] [/QUOTE]
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