How to describe FGU systems? There are a lot of adjectives I can use: clunky, convoluted, and fiddly. A few others wouldn't fit tis board's posting guidelines. Don't get me wrong I like the system very much, but I think it could use a lot of work.
Bushido has attributes rated 0-40 -- Strength, Deftness, Speed, Wit, Will, Health. Each has one or more figured characteristics based on it. Of particular importance is stat / 3 (round down), strat / 2 (round nearest), and (stat + 5) / 10, round down.
A character is assigned a starting profession. That profession dictates starting skills and has some impact on how experience can be earned, social place, etc.
A character trains skills. There are a lot of skills. Each individual weapon type is a skill as is each magical school. There are a bunch of other skills as well. Skills are rated 0 - 200, but success is determined by rolling a d20 vs.( skill / 5 ) with special rules for skills < 10 and skills > 100.
Skills are increased from training or study.
Level: Levels are rated 0 - 6 with PCs starting at 1. Levels add to different things and can make quite a difference. For example, a Shujenka starts wth magic points equal to 1d10 + 1. Each level adds 1d10 + level number to that total. Levels are gained through the awarding of xp and On. The highest level is achieved from 1,000 xp and 1,000 On. XP is awarded from winning combats, developing strategy, commanding troops, and stuff. There is an alternate track for magic-users to gain xp.
Ki: Over time, a character will gain Ki from mastering an attribute or skill and leveling. Ki is useful as a sort of overall character defence bonus and can be temporarily drained by augmenting attributes and skills.
Status: Position in society is very important. It's partially based on profession, level, and On. Family status in society can have a large impact. Status dictates who can make requests of whom and who must give way. Failure to honour status results in On forfeiture. This applies NPC-->PC, PC-->NPC, and PC-->PC.
On: The number is tracked to indicate notoriety and societial acceptance. It increases for things that can be reasonably expected to bring a character pride (like mastering a skill) or society finds fitting and commendable (like defeating a notorious villain). It's lost by actions that can be reasonably expected to shame a character or that society finds repugnant like cowardice or acting rashly.
Navigating your place in society is a large theme.
