OGL Steampunk

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OGL Steampunk

Transcript of OGL Steampunk

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Armour for Unusual Creatures Size Humanoid Non-humanoid

Cost Weight Cost WeightTiny or smaller1 x1/2 x1/10 x1 x1/10Small x1 x1/2 x2 x1/2Medium x1 x1 x2 x1Large x2 x2 x4 x2Huge x4 x5 x8 x5Gargantuan x8 x8 x16 x8Colossal x16 x12 x32 x12

1 Divide the armour bonus by 2.

Donning Armour

Armour Type DonDon Hastily Remove

Shield (any) 1 move action n/a 1 move actionPadded, leather, hide, studded leather, or chain shirt

1 minute 5 rounds 1 minute1

Breastplate, scale mail, chainmail, banded mail, or splint mail

4 minutes1 1 minute 1 minute1

Half-plate or full plate 4 minutes2 4 minutes1 1d4+1 minutes1

1 If the character has some help, cut this time in half. A single character doing nothing else can help one or two adjacent characters. Two characters cannot help each other don armour at the same time.2 The wearer must have help to don this armour. Without help, it can be donned only hastily.

Wooden or Steel: Wooden and steel shields offer the same basic protection, though they respond differently to special attacks.

Shield Bash Attacks: A character can bash an opponent with a heavy shield, using it as an off-hand weapon. See the Weapons table for the damage dealt by a shield bash. Used this way, a heavy shield is a martial bludgeoning weapon. For the purpose of penalties on attack rolls, treat a heavy shield as a one-handed weapon. If a character is using the shield as a weapon, loses its DV bonus until his next action, which in practice is usually until the next round. An enhancement bonus on a shield does not improve the effectiveness of a shield bash made with it, but the shield can be made into a magic weapon in its own right.

Shield, Light, Wooden or Steel: As a heavy shield, but offering less protection. A light shield’s weight lets the wielder carry other items in that hand, although he cannot use weapons with it.

Shield Spikes: When added to a shield, these spikes turn it into a martial piercing weapon. The spikes also increase the damage dealt by a shield bash as if the shield were designed for a creature one size category larger than the wielder. A buckler cannot be fitted with shield spikes. Otherwise, attacking with a spiked shield is like making a shield bash attack, for which see above. An enhancement bonus on a spiked shield does not improve the effectiveness of a shield bash made with it, but a spiked shield can be made into a magic weapon in its own right.

Mastercraft ArmourJust as with weapons, a character can purchase or craft mastercraft versions of armour or shields. Such a well-made item functions like the normal version, with the benefit that its armour check penalty is lessened by 1. A mastercraft suit of armour or shield adds +1 to the purchase DC per bonus over and above the normal cost for that type of armour or shield; see the Master Artisan feat. The mastercraft quality of a suit of armour or shield never provides a bonus on attack or damage rolls, even if the armour or shield is used as a weapon. All suits of magic armour and magic shields are automatically considered to be of mastercraft quality.

Armour for Unusual CreaturesArmour and shields for unusually big creatures, unusually little creatures and non-humanoid creatures have different costs and weights from those given on the Armour and Shields table. Refer to the appropriate row on the table below and apply the multipliers to cost and weight for the armour type in question. The non-humanoid category listed on the chart provides the rules needed to craft barding for monstrous and mundane mounts alike.

Getting Into and Out of ArmourThe time required to don armour depends on its type; see the Donning Armour table.

� Don: This column tells how long it takes a character to put the armour on. One minute is 10 rounds. Readying (strapping on) a shield is only a move action.

� Don Hastily: This column tells how long it takes to put the armour on in a hurry. The armour check penalty and armour bonus for hastily donned armour are each 1 point worse than normal.

� Remove: This column tells how long it takes to take the armour off. Loosing a shield (removing it from the arm and dropping it) is only a move action.

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Adventuring GearThis section includes several items that characters can find useful when they go out into the wild, although some may have a use in relatively tamer environments like city sewers and discovered ruins.

Adventuring Gear and Other Goods

Several of the items listed on the above tables are described below, along with any special benefits they confer on the user.

Caltrops: A caltrop is a four-pronged iron spike crafted so that one prong faces up no matter how the caltrop comes to rest. A character scatters caltrops on the ground in the hope that his enemies step on them or are at least forced to slow down to avoid them. One two-pound bag of caltrops covers an area 5 feet square.

Each time a creature moves into an area covered by caltrops, or spends a round fighting while standing in such an area, it might step on one. The caltrops make an attack roll (base attack bonus +0) against the creature. For this attack, the creature’s shield, armour, and deflection bonuses do not count. If the creature is wearing shoes or other footwear, it gets a +2 armour bonus to DV. If the caltrops succeed on the attack, the creature has stepped on one. The caltrop deals 1 point of damage, and the creature’s speed is reduced by one-half because its foot is wounded. This movement penalty lasts for 24 hours, or until the creature is successfully treated with a DC 15 Heal check, or until it receives at least 1 point of magical curing. A charging or running creature must immediately stop if it steps on a caltrop. Any creature moving at half speed or slower can pick its way through a bed of caltrops with no trouble. Caltrops may not be effective against unusual opponents.

Candle: A candle dimly illuminates a 5-foot radius and burns for 1 hour.

Chain: Chains are assumed to be made of iron, have a hardness of 10 and possess 5 hit points. They can be burst with a DC 26 Strength check. Stronger chains may exist, at a higher cost, at the Games Master’s discretion.

Compass: A compass always points to the magnetic north and provides a +2 bonus to Navigate checks.

Crowbar: A crowbar grants a +2 circumstance bonus on Strength checks made for purposes of prying things open. If used in combat, treat a crowbar as a one-handed improvised weapon that deals bludgeoning damage equal to that of a club of its size.

Flint and Steel: Lighting a torch with flint and steel is a full-round action and lighting any other fire with them takes at least that long.

Grappling Hook: Throwing a grappling hook successfully requires a Use Rope check at DC 10, +2 per 10 feet of distance thrown.

Hammer: If a hammer is used in combat, treat it as a one-handed improvised weapon that deals bludgeoning damage equal to that of a spiked gauntlet of its size.

Ink: This category of item describes basic, coal-derived black ink. There are inks available in other colours but they cost +3. Certain special colours (such as violet and bright red) may have a purchase DC of +4 or +6 the listed price, depending on the rarity of the plants and minerals used to make them.

Jug, Clay: This basic ceramic jug is fitted with a stopper and holds 1 gallon of liquid.

Lamp, Common: A lamp clearly illuminates a 15-foot radius, provides shadowy illumination out to a 30-foot radius and burns for 6 hours on a pint of oil. A character can carry a lamp in one hand.

Lantern, Bullseye: A bullseye lantern provides clear illumination in a 60-foot cone and shadowy illumination in a 120-foot cone. It burns for 6 hours on a pint of oil. A character can carry a bullseye lantern in one hand.

Lantern, Hooded: A hooded lantern clearly illuminates a 30-foot radius and provides shadowy illumination in a 60-foot radius. It burns for 6 hours on a pint of oil. A character can carry a hooded lantern in one hand.

Lighter: A lighter holds a small amount of a flammable substance ignited by a flint striking metal, similar to a firearm. Its flame lights a 5-foot area as a candle does but it burns for 3 hours. A single flask of oil can refill two lighters. It is much easier to light fuses with a lighter than with any other source of flame.

Manacles and Manacles, Mastercraft: Manacles can bind a Medium-size creature. A manacled creature can use the Escape Artist skill to slip free, with a DC of 30, or DC 35 for masterwork manacles. Breaking the manacles requires a Strength check with a DC of 26, or DC 28 for masterwork manacles. Manacles have hardness 10 and 10 hit points. For the same cost, a character can buy manacles for a Small creature. For a Large creature, manacles have a purchase DC of the indicated amount +2 and for a Huge creature, the indicated amount +10. Only specially made manacles can hold Gargantuan, Colossal, Tiny, Diminutive, and Fine creatures.

Oil: A pint of oil burns for 6 hours in a lantern. A character can use a flask of oil as a splash weapon. Use the rules for alchemist’s fire, except that it takes a full round action to prepare a flask with a fuse. Once it is thrown, there is a 50% chance of the flask igniting successfully. A character can pour a pint of oil on the ground to cover an

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area 5 feet square, provided that the surface is smooth. If lit, the oil burns for 2 rounds and deals 1d3 points of fire damage to each creature in the area.

Rope, Hempen: This rope has 2 hit points and can be burst with a DC 23 Strength check.

Rope, Silk: This rope has 4 hit points and can be burst with a DC 24 Strength check. It is so supple that it provides a +2 circumstance bonus on Use Rope checks.

Spyglass: Objects viewed through a spyglass are magnified to twice their size.

Torch: A torch burns for 1 hour, clearly illuminating a 20-foot radius and providing shadowy illumination out to a 40- foot radius. If a torch is used in combat, treat it as a one-handed improvised weapon that deals bludgeoning damage equal to that of a gauntlet of its size, plus 1 point of fire damage.

Vial: A vial holds 1 ounce of liquid. The stoppered container usually is no more than 1 inch wide and 3 inches high.

Special Substances and ItemsA character may use the Craft (chemical) skill to make any of these substances, with the exception of the everburning torch. A Games Master may restrict access to these items and deny starting characters the option of purchasing them with starting funds.

Match: The alchemical substance on the end of this small, wooden stick ignites when struck against a rough surface. Creating a flame with a match is much faster than creating a flame with flint and steel (or a magnifying glass) and tinder, although not as fast as with a lighter. Lighting a torch with a match is a standard action (rather than a full-round action) and lighting any other fire with one is at least a standard action.

Adventuring Gear

ItemPurchase DC Weight

Backpack (empty) 6 2 lb.Barrel (empty) 6 30 lb.Basket (empty) 3 1 lb.Bedroll 2 5 lb.Bell 4 —Blanket, winter 3 3 lb.Bottle, wine, glass 6 —Bucket (empty) 3 2 lb.Caltrops 4 2 lb.Candle (10) 2 —Canvas (sq. yd.) 2 1 lb.Case, map or scroll 4 1/2 lb.Chain (10 ft.) 16 2 lb.Chalk, 10 pieces 2 —Chest (empty) 6 25 lb.Clock, alarm 15 1 lb.Compass 15 —Crowbar 6 5 lb.Firewood (10 days) 2 20 lb.Fishhook 2 —Fishing net, 25 sq. ft. 9 5 lb.Flask (empty) 2 1 1/2 lb.Flint and steel 4 —Grappling hook 4 4 lb.Hammer 3 2 lb.Ink (1 oz. vial) 5 —Inkpen 2 —Jug, clay 2 9 lb.Ladder, 10-foot 2 20 lb.Lamp, common 2 1 lb.Lantern, bullseye 13 3 lb.

Lantern, hooded 11 2 lb.Lighter 8 —Manacles 13 2 lb.Manacles, mastercraft 16 2 lb.Mirror, small steel 17 1/2 lb.Mug/Tankard, clay 2 1 lb.Oil (1-pint flask) 2 1 lb.Paper (sheet) 3 —Parchment (sheet) 2 —Pick, miner’s 8 10 lb.Pitcher, clay 2 5 lb.Piton 2 1/2 lb.Pocket Watch 18 —Pole, 10-foot 2 8 lb.Pot, iron 3 10 lb.Pouch, belt (empty) 4 1/2 lb.Rations, trail (per day) 3 1 lb.Rope, hempen (50 ft.) 4 10 lb.Rope, silk (50 ft.) 12 5 lb.Sack (empty) 2 1/2 lb.Sealing wax 4 1 lb.Sewing needle 3 —Signal whistle 3 —Signet ring 10 —Sledge 4 10 lb.Soap (per lb.) 3 1 lb.Spade or shovel 6 8 lb.Spyglass 23 1 lb.Tent 12 20 lb.Torch (10) 2 1 lb.Vial, ink or potion 4 1/10 lb.Waterskin 4 4 lb.Whetstone — 1 lb.

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Special SubstancesItem Cost WeightMatch 4 —Smokestick 14 1/2 lb.Sunrod 6 1 lb.Tanglefoot bag 17 4 lb.Thunderstone 16 1 lb.

Smokestick: This alchemically treated wooden stick instantly creates thick, opaque smoke when ignited. The smoke fills a 10- foot cube to provide concealment like a smoke grenade. The stick is consumed after 1 round, and the smoke dissipates naturally.

Sunrod: This 1-foot-long, gold-tipped, iron rod glows brightly when struck. It clearly illuminates a 30-foot radius and provides shadowy illumination in a 60-foot radius. It glows for 6 hours, after which the gold tip is burned out and worthless.

Tanglefoot Bag: When a character throws a tanglefoot bag at a creature (as a ranged touch attack with a range increment of 10 feet) the bag comes apart and the goo inside bursts out, entangling the target and then becoming tough and resilient upon exposure to air. An entangled creature takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls and a –4 penalty to Dexterity and must make a DC 15 Reflex saving throw or be glued to the floor, unable to move. Even on a successful saving throw, it can move only at half speed. Huge or larger creatures are unaffected by a tanglefoot bag. A flying creature is not stuck to the floor but it must make a DC 15 Reflex saving throw or be unable to fly (assuming it uses its wings to fly) and fall to the ground. A tanglefoot bag does not function underwater.

A creature that is glued to the floor (or unable to fly) can break free by making a DC 17 Strength check or by dealing 15 points of damage to the goo with a slashing weapon. A creature trying to scrape goo off itself, or another creature attempting to do the same to an afflicted creature, does not need to make an attack roll; hitting the goo is automatic, after which the creature that hit makes a damage roll to see how much of the goo was scraped off. Once free, the creature can move (including flying) at half speed. The goo becomes brittle and fragile after 2d4 rounds, cracking apart and losing its effectiveness. An application of mild acid to a stuck creature dissolves the alchemical goo immediately.

Thunderstone: A character can throw this stone as a ranged attack with a range increment of 20 feet. When it strikes a hard surface (or is struck soundly by a hard object or any attack capable of doing lethal damage) it creates a deafening bang that is treated as a sonic attack. Each creature within a 10-foot-radius spread must make a Fortitude saving throw at DC 15 or be deafened for 1 hour. A deafened creature, in addition to the obvious effects, takes a –4 penalty on initiative and has a 20%

chance to mispronounce activation words. Since a character does not need to hit a specific target, a character can simply aim at a particular spot. Treat the target spot as DV 5.

Professional EquipmentThis category covers a wide variety of specialised equipment used by professionals in adventure-related fields. Some objects contain the tools necessary to use certain skills optimally. Without the use of these items, often referred to as kits, skill checks made with these skills are at a –4 penalty. Skills and the kits they are associated with are listed below. See the descriptions of the kits for additional details. Note that kits should be restocked periodically, which involves a purchase DC 5 less than the original purchase DC. Note that some skills, by their nature, require a piece of equipment to utilize.

Skill Associated ItemClimb Climbing gearCraft (chemical) Chemical kitCraft (expression) Artisan kit

Photographic cameraCraft (mechanical) Mechanical tool kitCraft (pharmaceutical) Pharmacist kitCraft (structural) Mechanical tool kit

Artisan tool kitDisable Device Electrical tool kit

Mechanical tool kitLockpick set

Disguise Disguise kitForgery Forgery kitInvestigate Evidence kitPerform (keyboards) Instrument, keyboardPerform (percussion) Instrument, percussionPerform (stringed) Instrument, stringedPerform (wind) Instrument, windRepair Electrical tool kit

Mechanical tool kitMultipurpose tool

Treat Injury First aid kit Medical kitSurgery kit

Artisan Kit: These special tools include the items needed to make objects with the Craft (structural) skill with a more artistic bent, as well as the tools needed for Craft (expression) checks. Skill checks made without an artisan kit incur a –4 penalty.

Chemical Kit: A portable laboratory for use with the Craft (chemical) skill, a chemical kit includes the tools and components necessary for mixing and analysing acids, bases, explosives, toxic gases, and other chemical compounds.

Climbing Gear: Consisting of pitons, clamps, special pulleys, and other specialised gear, this is the perfect set of

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tools for climbing and gives characters a +2 circumstance bonus on Climb checks.

Disguise Kit: This kit contains everything needed to use the Disguise skill, including makeup, brushes, mirrors, wigs, and other accoutrements. It does not contain clothing or uniforms, however. A disguise kit is exhausted after ten uses.

Evidence Kits: Law enforcement agencies around the Empire use generally the same tools to gather evidence as forensics becomes a standard method of criminal investigation. Having an evidence kit does not grant access to an imperial agency’s crime lab; it merely assists in the proper gathering and storing of evidence for use by such a lab. Without an evidence kit, a character receives a –4 penalty to use the collect evidence option of the Investigate skill.

� Basic: A basic evidence kit includes clean containers, labels, gloves, tweezers, swabs, and other items to gather bits of physical evidence and prevent them from becoming contaminated.

� Advanced: An Advanced kit includes all the materials in a basic kit, plus supplies for analysing narcotic substances at the scene and for gathering more esoteric forms of physical evidence such as casts and moulds of footprints, as well as chemical residues and organic fluids. It also contains the necessary dusts, sprays, brushes, adhesives, and cards to gather fingerprints. It grants a +2 equipment bonus on Investigate checks under appropriate circumstances, which are occasions when the Games Master rules that the equipment in the kit can be of use in the current situation.

Using an Advanced kit to analyse a possible narcotic substance or basic chemical requires a Craft (chemical) check at DC 15. In this case, the +2 equipment bonus does not apply.

First Aid Kit: This kit contains enough supplies, along with simple instructions for their use, to treat an injury before transporting the injured person to a medical professional. A first aid kit can be used to help a dazed, unconscious, or stunned character by making a Treat Injury check at DC 15. A first aid kit can be used only once. Skill checks made without a first aid kit incur a –4 penalty.

Forgery Kit: This kit contains everything needed to use the Forgery skill to prepare forged items. Depending on the item to be forged, a character might need legal documents or other items not included in the kit.

Instrument, Keyboard: This is a keyboard instrument such as a piano or a clavichord, necessary in order to use the Perform (keyboard) skill.

Instrument, Percussion: This is a set of drums, necessary in order to use the Perform (percussion) skill.

Instrument, Stringed: This is a guitar or similar item, necessary in order to use the Perform (stringed) skill.

Instrument, Theremin: This strange device produces tonal sounds by varying electromagnetic frequencies. Both the Perform (keyboards) and Perform (stringed) skills are useful for playing the theremin, although Knowledge (physical sciences) and Knowledge (technology) work as well, bridging the gap between art and science. The theremin’s sound has hauntingly voice-like qualities when played right.

Instrument, Wind: A flute, necessary in order to use the Perform (wind) skill.

Lockpick Set: A lockpick set includes picks and tension bars for opening locks operated by standard keys. A lockpick set allows a character to make Disable Device checks to open mechanical locks (deadbolts, keyed entry locks, and so forth) without penalty.

Mechanical Tool Kit: This collection of hand tools and small parts typically includes a variety of pliers, drivers, cutting devices, fasteners, and even drillers.

� Basic: This kit, which fits in a portable toolbox, allows a character to make Repair checks for mechanical devices without penalty.

� Advanced: This kit fills a good-sized shop cabinet. It includes a broad variety of specialised hand tools and a selection of high-quality power tools. It grants a +2 equipment bonus on Repair checks for mechanical devices and allows a character to make Craft (mechanical) or Craft (structural) checks without penalty.

Medical Kit: About the size of a large tackle box, this is the sort of kit commonly carried by military and private medics. It contains a wide variety of medical supplies and equipment. A medical kit can be used to treat a dazed, unconscious, or stunned character, to provide long-term care, to restore hit points, to treat a diseased or poisoned character, or to stabilise a dying character, for which see the Treat Injury skill. Skill checks made without a medical kit incur a –4 penalty.

Multipurpose Tool: This device contains several different screwdrivers, a knife blade or two, can opener, bottle opener, file, short ruler, scissors, tweezers, and wire cutters. The whole thing unfolds into a handy pair of pliers. A multipurpose tool can lessen the penalty for making Repair, Craft (mechanical) or Craft (structural) checks without appropriate tools to –2 instead of the normal –4. The tool is useful for certain tasks as determined by the Games Master but may not be useful in all situations.

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It was some time before Heshia could induce Jerrek to look up at her, much less talk to her. She shot another sour look at the dwarf but was only greeted with the sight of an engineer looking far too pleased with himself. Gearbolt and Gailion were both staying out of the situation, though the cog was possibly seeking a level of revenge for Jerrek. Gearbolt was administering what seemed like very rough surgery to Thurdin in an attempt to get shrapnel out of his still-mangled arm, something the grinning dwarf was only barely tolerating without howling in pain.

‘Jerrek, it’s all right. My people do not embarrass easily.’

He rolled over to look at the tunnel wall again. ‘Well, mine do. I swear, I am going to get even with that cave-dweller some day. He has to sleep eventually.’

Heshia did not try to turn him around again. Instead, she put her hand on his shoulder and said quietly, ‘You wanted to know what I meant about about the gnomes?’ A tense nod was her only reply. ‘We did not have to curse the gnomes because they did it to themselves. The races of my world are very magical but the gnomes were more interested in science than sorcery. Magic is in our blood, Jerrek. It makes us what we are. It’s… it is why your world hurts us so much. You humans are killing its magic. That, in turn, is killing us.’

Before he could respond, she continued. ‘Gnomes developed science on our world long before they brought it here to yours. They did not listen to the wiser counsel of the elves; instead they kept pushing and pushing until they discovered the secrets of steel and steam. It… it changed them. To grasp science is, at some level, to turn one’s back on magic.’

Her hand clenched at him a little harder. ‘Magic is in our blood just like it is with the gnomes, but they gave up the greater part of that to learn their damned craft. They got what they wanted, but it cost them so much. Too much. Do you… do you understand?’

Photographic Camera: Photography is a new art as well as a science, threatening to displace painting and drawing as the way to depict reality in a static image. Characters are allowed to make Spot checks using the photograph of a scene or person at varying difficulties. The Games Master determines if the photograph does indeed contain anything useful for the characters to spot in the picture.

� Portable: This handy camera is slightly larger than a hatbox and can be hung comfortably from the neck with a leather strap. A portable photographic kit comes with a tripod and a flash bulb that uses, of all things, gunpowder equivalent to a shot from a flintlock firearm’s firing. Due to the basic quality of the lenses and the handling of resulting plates, Spot checks using the photographs have a base DC of 20, modified by whatever interesting thing can be found in the image.

� Studio: This big, hulking apparatus is heavy and cumbersome. A heavy camera with a wide array of lenses rests atop a wheeled contraption. The studio kit comes with a pair of rails to move the camera in and out, and a flash bulb as per a portable camera. Because of the higher-quality lenses of a studio camera, Spot checks using its photographs have a base DC of 15, modified by whatever interesting thing can be found in the image.

Photo Plate: This wooden or metal plate accommodates special paper that captures light shone on it by a camera’s

lens, turning it into an exact, although colourless, rendition of the scene it shot at. Developing a photo plate requires a Craft (chemical) check at DC 10.

Pharmacist Kit: A portable pharmacy for use with the Craft (pharmaceutical) skill, a pharmacist kit includes everything needed to prepare, preserve, compound, analyse and dispense medicinal drugs.

Surgery Kit: This small set of delicate and sterile tools includes tools for cutting flesh and bone as well as other apparently ghastly instruments that a character needs in order to perform surgery with the Treat Injury skill, provided he has the Surgery feat for the training necessary to both perform the procedures and use this kit’s tools.

ClothingThe items described here represent special clothing types, or unusual outfits that a character might need to purchase. For the most part, clothing choice is based on character concept. It is generally assumed that a character owns a reasonable wardrobe of the sorts of clothes that fit his or her lifestyle. Sometimes, however, a character might need something out of the ordinary. When that is the case, he will have to purchase it like any other piece of gear. Mastercraft clothing exists but its craftsmanship merely increases its value and perhaps makes it harder to rip or tear; otherwise, it has no other game effect other than to impress others. Clothes have two effects on game mechanics: one on Disguise checks, and one on Sleight of Hand checks.

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Professional Equipment

ItemPurchase DC Size Weight

Artisan kit 15 Small 3 lb.Chemical kit 16 Med 6 lb.Climbing gear 17 Med 8 lb.Disguise kit 12 Med 5 lb.Electrical tool kit Basic 14 Large 12 lb. Advanced 21 Huge 33 lb.Evidence kit Basic 7 Med 6 lb. Advanced 15 Med 8 lb.First aid kit 5 Small 3 lb.Forgery kit 12 Small 3 lb.Instrument, keyboard 12 Large 12 lb.Instrument, percussion 14 Huge 50 lb.Instrument, stringed 13 Large 7 lb.Instrument, theremin 13 Small 5 lbInstrument, wind 8 Tiny 1 lb.Lockpick set 9 Tiny 1 lb.Mechanical tool kit Basic 13 Large 22 lb. Advanced 20 Huge 45 lb.Medical kit 15 Med 5 lb.Multipurpose tool 9 Tiny 1/2 lb.Pharmacist kit 17 Med 6 lb.Photographic camera Portable 18 Small 5 lb. Studio 21 Large 40 lb.Photo plate 4 Dim 1/2 lb.Surgery kit 16 Med 5 lb.

First, clothing is part of a disguise. See the Disguise skill description for more on how appropriate dress affects Disguise checks. Clothes also help to hide firearms, body armour, and small objects. Tightly tailored clothing imposes a penalty on an attempt to conceal an object; clothing purposely tailored to conceal objects provides a bonus.

Clothing Outfit: An outfit of clothing represents everything a character needs to dress a part: pants or skirt, shirt, undergarments, appropriate shoes or boots, socks or stockings, and any necessary belt or suspenders. The clothes a character wears does not count against the weight limit for encumbrance.

� Commoner: This set of clothes consists of a loose shirt and baggy breeches, or a loose shirt and skirt or overdress. The shoes are simple and probably of poor quality.

� Courtier: This outfit includes fancy, tailored clothes in whatever fashion happens to be the current style in the courts of the nobles. Anyone trying to influence nobles or courtiers while

wearing street dress will have a difficult time doing so. This difficulty this translates to a –2 penalty on Charisma-based skill checks to influence such individuals. A courtier’s outfit that is worn without accompanying jewellery (Purchase DC 17) makes a wearer look like an out-of-place commoner.

� Explorer: This is a full set of clothes for someone who never knows what to expect. It includes sturdy boots, leather breeches or a skirt, a belt, a shirt (perhaps with a vest or jacket), gloves, and a cloak. Rather than a leather skirt, a leather overtunic may be worn over a cloth skirt. The clothes have plenty of pockets, especially the cloak. The outfit also includes any extra items a wilderness traveller might need, such as a scarf or a wide-brimmed hat.

� Noble: This set of clothes is designed specifically to be expensive and to show it. Precious metals and gems are worked into the clothing. To fit into the noble crowd, every would-be noble also needs a signet ring and jewellery, which have a purchase DC of 20.

� Royalty: This is just the clothing, not the royal sceptre, crown, ring, and other accoutrements. Royal clothes are still very regal and ostentatious, often adorned with gems, gold, silk, and fur in abundance.

� Street clothes: The perfect fit for a gentleman of means but not exceeding function, street clothes include pants, shirt and a simple coat or vest with belts or suspensors, or a simple yet proper dress or skirt. Street clothes are hardly appropriate for adventuring but are ideal for daily interaction.

� Uniform: From a dock official to a senior army officer, people on the job tend to wear uniforms, making such clothing an essential part of some disguises, since a uniform inclines people to trust the wearer.

Outerwear: In addition to keeping a character warm and dry, coats and jackets provide additional concealment for things a character is carrying. They often qualify as loose or bulky clothing; see Concealed Weapons and Objects.

� Coat: An outer garment worn on the upper body. Its length and style vary according to fashion and use.

� Cloak: This garment grants the wearer a +2 equipment bonus on Fortitude saves made to resist the effects of cold weather.

� Hat: Either a simple cap or beret, or an elegant top hat or utilitarian bowler hat, it is something that goes on the head both to protect it from the weather and to look good.

� Overcoat: A warm coat worn over a suit jacket or indoor clothing.

� Artisan’s Vest: Made of cotton with mesh panels to keep the wearer cool, the artisan’s vest has

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Clothing

ItemPurchase DC Size Weight

Clothing outfit Commoner Med 2 lb. 2 Courtier Med 6 lb. 16 Explorer Med 8 lb. 12 Noble Med 10 lb. 19 Royalty Med 15 lb. 22 Street Med 4 lb. 4 Uniform Med 2 lb. 9Outerwear Coat Med 2 lb. 8 Hat Tiny 1/2 lb. 7 Overcoat Med 3 lb. 9 Cloak Med 3 lb. 9 Artisan’s vest Med 1 lb. 9

Smoking jacket

Med 2 lb. 10

Tool belt Small 2 lb. 9

numerous obvious (and hidden) pockets. It counts as loose and bulky clothing when used to conceal Small or smaller weapons, and also grants the ‘modified to conceal an object’ bonus when used to conceal Tiny or smaller objects. It has many loops to allow a character to carry the tools from any of the profession kits.

� Smoking jacket: This coat is light and made to be used indoors to protect normal clothing from picking up the smell of burning tobacco, although they are quite finely crafted nonetheless.

Tool Belt: This sturdy leather belt has numerous pockets and loops for tools, nails, pencils and other necessities for repair and construction work, making it easy to keep about 10 pounds of items on hand. The pockets are, however, open and items can easily fall out if the belt is tipped.

Food and LodgingThis section covers the essential requirements of keeping a roof of some sort over one’s head and a hot meal on the table.

Inn: Poor accommodations at an inn amount to a place on the floor near the hearth. Common accommodations consist of a place on a raised, heated floor, the use of a blanket and a pillow. Good accommodations consist of a small, private room with one bed, some amenities and a covered chamber pot in the corner.

Meals: Poor meals might be composed of bread, baked turnips, onions and water. Common meals might consist of bread, chicken stew, carrots and watered-down ale or wine. Good meals might be composed of bread and pastries, beef, peas and ale or wine.

Housing: The purchase DC of a habitation covers the down payment, not the total cost of the home. The small house and flat are one- or two-bedroom homes. The large flat and medium house are three-bedroom homes with a small garden and space for a car, a cart or a wagon, plus a horse for the latter two. The large house is a four-bedroom home with a good-sized garden and space for a coach, or two cars, cart or wagon and the latter’s complimentary horses, while the mansion is a five- or six-bedroom home with an extra den, spacious rooms throughout, a spacious garden and space for two coaches or three cars, carts or wagons and the latter’s horses. All of these homes are of typical construction; luxury appointments are available with a +2 increase to the purchase DC.

Location dramatically affects a home’s value. The given purchase DC assumes a typical suburban location. An undesirable location, such as a bad neighbourhood or a remote rural site, reduces the purchase DC by 2. A particularly good location in an upscale neighbourhood or city centre increases the purchase DC by 2.

Special Accommodations: These are special rooms that are added to a home. A character that is obsessive enough could use one as his habitation. Each room allows for the use of a certain number of skills as per the professional kits by a single character and one assistant. Add +2 to the Purchase DC to make the accommodations into advanced versions that grant a +2 bonus to skill checks; add +2 for every additional character allowed to work at the same time and +1 for additional assistants. Note that the assistants must be paid for separately. Add +3 if the accommodation has a secret entrance.

� Personal Crime Lab: A character with a personal crime lab can analyse any evidence recovered in a crime scene with appropriate skill checks (Investigate, Knowledge and Craft skills).

� Personal Workshop: Within a personal workshop, a character can build items of up to Large size with the Craft (mechanical) and Craft (structural) skills. Add +3 for every size increment of items that may be built there.

� Personal Chemical Lab: A character working within this facility can craft substances with the Craft (pharmaceutical) and Craft (chemical) skills.

� Ritual Space: A character may conduct magic rituals and enchantments in his personal ritual space. The ritual space may be built upon a place of power (see pg 292) with an increase in its Purchase DC equal to the place of power’s bonus.

� Sanctum: A character may safely conduct séances and other psychic concentration efforts uninterrupted in his personal sanctum. A private sanctum adds a +1 to applicable skill checks made to use or maintain psychic powers but this benefit is only applicable to the single character the sanctum is constructed to serve.

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ItemPurchase DC Weight

Ale (gallon) 2Banquet (per person) 12 —Inn stay (per day) Good 6 — Common 4 — Poor 2 —Meals (per day) Good 4 — Common 3 — Poor 2 —Meat, chunk of 2 1/2 lb.Wine Common (pitcher) 3 6 lb. Fine (bottle) 8 1 1/2 lb.Housing Small flat 28 — Large flat 30 — Small house 30 — Medium house 32 — Large house 34 — Mansion 36 —Special Accommodations Personal crime lab 25 — Personal workshop 23 — Personal chemical lab 24 — Ritual space 25 — Sanctum 21 —

Transportation and Communication

In the Steampunk age, mobility across great distances is much easier than when progress had not started its mad dash towards technological solutions. However, the relative unreliability or excessive expense of some modes of transport means that the old modes of travel are still kept around.

The vehicles in this section were once made as amazing machines but they are so time-tested now that they acquired their own characteristics. As a result, they no longer abide by the rules of the amazing machines creation system, although they share characteristics; see the Power of Steam chapter. The rules for using vehicles in combat and action sequences are detailed in the A World of Adventure chapter.

Mounts and Related GearBarding, Medium Creature and Large Creature: Barding is a type of armour that covers the head, neck, chest, body and possibly the legs of a horse or other mount. Barding made of medium or heavy armour provides better

protection than light barding but at the expense of speed. Barding can be made of any of the armour types found on the Armour and Shields table. Armour for a horse (a Large non-humanoid creature) costs four times as much as armour for a human (a Medium humanoid creature) and also weighs twice as much as the armour found on the Armour and Shields table; see Armour for Unusual Creatures.

If the barding is for a pony or other Medium-size mount, the cost is only double and the weight is the same as for Medium armour worn by a humanoid. Medium or heavy barding slows a mount that wears it, as shown on the table below. Flying mounts cannot fly in medium or heavy barding.

Base SpeedBarding (40 ft.) (50 ft.) (60 ft.)Medium 30 ft. 35 ft. 40 ft.Heavy 30 ft.1 35 ft.1 40 ft.1

1 A mount wearing heavy armour moves at only triple its normal speed when running instead of quadruple.

Removing and fitting barding takes five times as long as the figures given on the Donning Armour table. A barded animal cannot be used to carry any load other than the rider and normal saddlebags.

Dog, Riding: This Medium dog is specially trained to carry a Small humanoid rider. It is brave in combat like a warhorse. Characters take no damage when falling from a riding dog.

Donkey or Mule: Donkeys and mules are stolid in the face of danger, hardy, surefooted, and capable of carrying heavy loads over vast distances. Unlike a horse, a donkey or a mule is willing (though not eager) to enter dungeons and other strange or threatening places.

Feed: Horses, donkeys, mules and ponies can graze to sustain themselves but providing feed for them is much better. If a character has a riding dog, it must be fed some meat as part of its daily diet.

Horse: A horse (other than a pony) is suitable as a mount for a human, dwarf, elf, half-elf, or half-orc. Warhorses and warponies can be ridden easily into combat. Light horses, ponies, and heavy horses are hard to control in combat.

Saddle, Exotic: An exotic saddle is like a normal saddle of the same sort except that it is designed for an unusual mount. Exotic saddles come in military, pack and riding styles.

Saddle, Military: A military saddle braces the rider, providing a +2 circumstance bonus to Ride checks related to staying in the saddle. A character knocked unconscious

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Transportation and CommunicationMounts and Related Gear Purchase DC WeightBarding Medium creature +3 x1 Large creature +5 x2Bit and bridle 6 1 lb.Dog, guard 15 —Dog, riding 21 —Donkey or mule 11 —Feed (per week) 2 10 lb.Horse Horse, heavy 22 — Horse, light 19 — Pony 16 — Warhorse, heavy 25 — Warhorse, light 21 — Warpony 20 —Saddle Military 14 30 lb. Pack 9 15 lb. Riding 12 25 lb.Saddle, Exotic Military 18 40 lb. Pack 13 20 lb. Riding 16 30 lb.Saddlebags 9 8 lb.Stabling (per day) 2 —VehiclesBicycle 10 60 lb.Carriage 20 600 lb.Cart 13 200 lb.Keelboat 32 —Rowboat 17 100 lb.Oar 6 10 lb.Sailing ship 36 —Sled 14 300 lb.Wagon 16 400 lb.Ironclad 44 —Steam Locomotive 37 —Steam Carriage 34 —Airship, cargo 45 —Airship, passenger 44 —Ornithopter 36 —ServicesTicket Coach cab 2 + 1 per 10

miles—

Train 3 +1 per 10 miles — Ship 4 +1 per 5 miles — Airship 5 +1 per 5 miles —Communication Messenger/Courier 2 + 1 per 5 miles — Postal mail 2 +1 per 10 miles — Telegraph 2 +1 per 20 miles —

while in a military saddle, has a 75% chance to stay in the saddle, as contrasted with the 50% chance when using a riding saddle.

Saddle, Pack: A pack saddle holds gear and supplies but not a rider. It holds as much gear as the mount can carry.

Saddle, Riding: The standard riding saddle supports a rider.

VehiclesBicycle: This simple mechanical device allows a person to travel faster and at greater distance under his own efforts. A bicycle adds 30 feet to a rider’s speed and grants the Run feat.

Carriage: This four-wheeled vehicle can transport as many as four people within an enclosed cab, plus two drivers. In general, two horses (or other beasts of burden) draw it. A carriage comes with the harness needed to pull it.

Cart: A single horse or other beast of burden can draw this two-wheeled vehicle. It comes with a harness.

Keelboat: This 50- to 75-foot-long ship is 15 to 20 feet wide and has a few oars to supplement its single mast with a square sail. It has a crew of eight to fifteen and can carry 40 to 50 tons of cargo or 100 soldiers. It can make sea voyages, as well as sailing down rivers thanks to its flat bottom. It moves about 1 mile per hour.

Rowboat: This 8- to 12-foot-long boat holds two or three Medium passengers. It moves about 1 1/2 miles per hour.

Sailing Ship: This larger, seaworthy ship is 75 to 90 feet long and 20 feet wide and has a crew of 20. It can carry 150 tons of cargo. It has square sails on its two masts and can make sea voyages. It moves about 2 miles per hour.

Sled: This is a wagon on runners for moving through snow and over ice. In general, two horses or other beasts of burden draw it. A sled comes with the harness needed to pull it.

Wagon: This is a four-wheeled, open vehicle for transporting heavy loads. In general, two horses or other beasts of burden draw it. A wagon comes with the harness needed to pull it.

IroncladThis steel, steam-powered monster marks the end of the sailing ship’s dominance of the ocean lanes. It is a low, blocky, unwieldy vessel with a metal hull propelled by a powerful steam engine. A pair of devastating cannons mounted in a rotating turret gives the ironclad warship tremendous firepower.

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Ironclad; Huge Vehicle, 10d4 SD, 25 sp; hardness 10; Man. -2, Spd 120 ft; Turn Rate 30 ft.; Acc/Dec 25/25; DV 6; Attacks 2 heavy cannons (1d4 structure damage, turret fire arc); SQ Construct qualities; Power Source: Steam power (60 charges); Crew: 20; Passengers: 30; Cargo: 2 tonnes; Purchase DC 44.

Steam LocomotiveThe signature of steam technology, the locomotive is a massive, blackened-steel engine that runs along iron rails laid out across the land. Steam locomotives pull cars loaded with coal directly behind the engine so that their boilers can be easily fed. Other cars carry grain, passengers, weapons or any other kind of cargo. Lashed down, tied on or bolted to the surface of these cars, just about anything can be found being towed by a locomotive along a lucrative railroad.

Steam Locomotive; Gargantuan Vehicle; 14d4 SD, 35 sp; hardness 11; Man. -4, Spd 100 ft; Turn Rate 40 ft.; Acc/Dec -/-; DV 5; Attacks -; SQ Construct qualities, restricted path; Power Source: Steam power (60 charges); Crew: 5; Passengers: 20 per car; Cargo: 1 tonne per car; Purchase DC 44, each car is DC 37.

Steam CarriageThe popular ‘horseless carriage’ is one of the most common forms of steam-powered transportation available, although it scares the daylights out of all the horses whose paths it crosses. Many models are constructed to fit various roles. Sturdy, dependable and requiring only a portion of fuel to operate, versions of the steam carriage can be used in most areas of society.

Steam Carriage; Large Vehicle; 8d4 SD, 20 sp, hardness 5; Man. -1, Spd 100 ft; Turn Rate 20 ft.; Acc/Dec 40/60; DV 8; Attacks -; SQ Construct qualities; Power Source: Steam power (60 charges); Crew: 1; Passengers: 3; Cargo: 200 lb.; Purchase DC 36.

Airship, CargoDesigned to carry goods instead of passengers, cargo airships carry heavy loads that would be extremely difficult to ship via land or sea. The load an airship can carry is limited only by the size of its airbag. Cargo airships usually have larger boilers than passenger airships and are less manoeuvrable. The cargo capacity of these airships is, of course, the best in their class.

Airship, Cargo; Colossal Vehicle; 18d4 SD, 45 sp, hardness 11; Man. -6, Spd 80 ft; Turn Rate 60 ft.; Acc/Dec 30/50; DV 2; Attacks -; SQ Construct qualities; Power Source: Steam power (60 charges); Crew: 5; Passengers: 15; Cargo: 35 tonnes; Purchase DC 45.

Airship, PassengerEssentially a long cabin or gondola slung underneath a steam-heated canopy of lighter-than-air gas, airships provide unparalleled service to transport people across

any form of terrain. Amongst the most luxurious forms of transportation available are the passenger airships that provide amenities rivalling any of the great ocean liners.

Airship, Passenger; Colossal Vehicle; 18d4 SD, 45 sp, hardness 11; Man. -6, Spd 80 ft; Turn Rate 60 ft.; Acc/Dec 30/50; DV 2; Attacks -; SQ Construct qualities; Power Source: Steam power (60 charges); Crew: 5; Passengers: 50; Cargo: 25 tonnes; Purchase DC 44.

OrnithopterThis curious flying vehicle is the culmination of years of design, testing and more than a few accidents. It is an aircraft that can carry two passengers and flies by beating its wings to create support, although rotors and aerodynamics also contribute greatly to the design, for the beating is not strong enough by itself to lift such a heavy machine into the air.

Ornithopter; Large Vehicle; 8d4 SD, 20 sp, hardness 5; Man. +0, Spd fly 100 ft. (no land speed); Turn Rate 20 ft.; Acc/Dec 40/60; DV 8; Attacks -; SQ Construct qualities; Power Source: Steam power (60 charges); Crew: 2; Passengers: 0; Cargo: 150 lb.; Purchase DC 36.

ServicesOne of the blessings of the new age is that a person does not have to own his own vehicle or have a large staff of retainers to travel or send along communications to other places. Guilds realised the growing need to keep in touch and created branches and exploited new discoveries to satisfy that need.

Whether for tickets to travel on board a vehicle or for transporting a message, the cost starts at a certain Purchase DC and increases according to the distance travelled or covered by the communication.

Tickets: A ticket is valid for one person or a Medium or Small creature. Smaller creatures than this may travel for free with a larger passenger. Larger creatures add a +1 to the Purchase DC and those that pose some difficulty to load or transport add an additional +1.

Communication: A messenger or courier can transport a message up to a book’s length. Postal mail can carry one or two sheets’ worth of writing; larger packages add +1 to the Purchase DC per 5 pounds. The price of telegraph communication covers a message that is 10 words long. Each five additional words add +1 to the Purchase DC.

Entertainment and LeisureWith more time in their hands, people have refined their tastes in entertainment, especially the wealthier sort. More and more venues are now open to them, with diversions ranging from the shows of professional performers to comfortable surroundings in which they might practice the simple art of sitting back and relaxing.

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Entertainments only really exist in the hearts of the few true cities left in the world; most of the planet is too busy trying to survive under the constant clouds of coal smoke and ash to worry about fashion and night clubs. Still, for campaigns set in the largest sprawls of the setting, this information can be of use to Games Masters.

Club Tab: This allows unrestricted entry to a private club filled with smoking and drinking rooms, bar, restaurant, gaming room and other quiet entertainment. Clubs are mostly for gentlemen, although adventuring ladies have also founded their own. A few mixed clubs do exist, although these are rare. Inside a club, all Gather Information checks have a +2 circumstance modifiers unless the characters delve into a delicate subject; club attendants are chatty, yet still concerned to observe propriety.

Tickets: This covers entry for one person; performance spectacles vary in quality, modifying the price by plus or minus 2.

� Theatre: Plays that may include music; low theatre includes cheap vaudeville acts, while high theatre includes superb acting and scriptwriting or fresh productions of classic traditional drama.

� ‘Flickers’: A series of photographs that, when run in rapid succession, simulate movement. The price is for a single viewing in a flicker parlour with more than one machine.

� Opera: Opera is a high-class spectacle, whose attendants are expected to dress their best or acquire a negative reputation.

� Concerts: Like theatre, paid concerts vary in quality and the size of the band or orchestra that is performing. Many ‘concerts’ are actually impromptu street performances where the price of entry is anything the attendees wish to donate.

Steam Bath: A relaxing session of hot air bathing and soaking in a pool of warm water. Relaxing in a steam bath grants +2 to Concentration checks made during the visit and adds a character’s Constitution modifier (if positive only) to the amount of hit points recovered that day. A character cannot spend more than two hours a day in a steam bath; the heat and moisture become detrimental after that amount of time and the visit’s benefits are lost.

Entertainment and LeisureItem Purchase DCClub Tab (per month) 18Tickets Theatre 12 Flicker 4 Opera 15 Concerts 8Steam Bath 12

Unique ItemsThese few tools are extraordinary in nature. They are very rare and expensive, yet still available as relatively normal equipment rather than being classed as magic, amazing technology or a hybrid of both.

Psychograph: This is a simple writing pen tool for automatic writing, a psychic technique used mainly for clairvoyance and contact with the dead. A psychic using any Clairsentience and Spiritism powers gains a +4 bonus to his Psychic Control checks when using a psychograph, as it helps him write what he is seeing and experiencing while actually aiding his concentration and trance.

Difference Engine: This complex machine is built with minute gears and levers much like a complicated mechanical abacus. Its purpose is to help its user to keep track of numbers and data, therefore granting a bonus to Intelligence-based skill checks, with the exception of the Ritual and Psychic Control skills. Magic-oriented difference engines grant their bonus to all Ritual skill checks (but not to any other skill check) and have a +2 modifier to their Purchase DC. No difference engine can help psychics activate their powers, for their discipline is one of intuition, not calculation.

Analytical Engine: This is an advanced machine that goes beyond the capabilities of the difference engine, in that it can actually be programmed with the functions the user wants it to perform. See the Craft (expression) skill for details. Analytical engines have a built-in Intelligence score, which must be activated by programming in order for it to receive any instructions. A program card is required to enter programming into the engine.

Pneumatic Prosthetics: Many people attribute pneumatic prosthetics to dwarves and the forgotten faerie race of the gnomes but like all inventions of the steam age, they are a purely human endeavour. Pneumatic prosthetics are made of wood and brass and replace a part of the owner’s body, be it a hand, an arm (with hand) or a leg. They are, however, inert and do not ordinarily move for themselves, thus imposing a -2 penalty to Dexterity. A wearer must operate the prosthetic with a free hand as a move action, although attacks performed with a hand or arm require a full-round action, broken down into one move action to activate the prosthetic and one standard action for the actual attack. Pneumatic prosthetics must be given maintenance every week, which requires a DC 15 Repair check. Failure to do so, either from neglect or failure in the Repair check, imposes a cumulative -1 penalty to actions with the prosthetic member; for a leg, this also includes a reduction of the character’s speed of 5 ft., though this is non-cumulative. A successful Repair check eliminates all accumulated penalties.

� Moderate: This is a simple prosthetic that replaces the functionality of the lost member with no other additional benefits.

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When next she tried to talk to him, Jerrek had moved to the other side of the burning hulk of steel. He was crouched down, staring at his hand. It was the first time she had ever seen him with his gloves off and when she came around to say something, she was surprised by what she saw.

Jerrek’s left hand was not flesh. It was a bright platinum-like metal, intricately jointed and adorned with several glowing stones embedded in its hinges. She had never seen a pneumatic hand that complex before. If she was not mistaken, it was made from pure arcanium, one of the scarcest materials in the world.

Jerrek heard her approach but did not look up. Before she could talk, his voice brought her up short. ‘She made this for me. It was the last thing she put together before her eyesight went bad. She took a year to make it because of her shakes, but it’s perfect.’ He held up his hand and Heshia could see that he was not exaggerating. The workmanship was so fine that the metal had even been patterned to match the silhouette of his other hand, making it indistinguishable from a human appendage when his gloves were on.

‘I lost my hand when I was ten. It was crushed under a war-roller that drove through our part of the ruins. Gailion pulled me out from under it but my hand got caught... torn off at the wrist. I was almost dead from shock. He carried me to see a friend. Merial took us in, gave us odd jobs to help out around her house and nursed me back to health. She was my best friend after Gail and… and this is all I have left of her.’

Heshia realised that words would be out of place here. She just sat down next to him and leaned him into her side. He did not look at her; he just kept staring at his fingers, flexing them one by one. Each joint flickered softly as it opened and closed, sending a tiny ripple of power down the inner workings of the hand. ‘I’ve hated your kind for so long because I thought elves took her away from me. Now I don’t know what to believe. I just…’ Jerrek’s voice broke down, but she did not mind. Heshia knew what he was trying to say.

The human would never be able to understand that it was just as hard for her to be here, this close to one of his kind, as it was for him to let go of his hatred for her people. This was all just a mess, a big, emotional, mess and the timing could not be worse. There was still a job to do, a mission to finish. Maybe when it was over, they could sit down and really talk… but not today. Today, they had to focus on the task at hand.

Today they had to kill some orcs.

� Complex: This is a stronger and more advanced prosthetic that grants a +2 bonus to Strength-based checks when using the member in question. Arms and hands have an exchangeable mounting that allows them to switch from the hand to any light or one-handed weapon or equipment that has been previously adapted to fit into the mounting. Adapting such weaponry or equipment requires a Craft (mechanical) check at DC 15.

� Advanced: The strongest prosthetic available, this item grants a +4 bonus to Strength-based checks when using the member in question. It has the same weapon mounting as the complex prosthetic and also has one free hard slot to accommodate a special feature from the Power of Steam chapter, which may be acquired at a Purchase DC of 20 plus the special feature’s CP cost. Add the special feature’s skill modifier to the Craft DC to make an advanced prosthetic armed with said feature.

� Arcanium: The prosthetic is made from arcanium, a mysterious magic-conductive mineral. An arcanium prosthetic can mystically connect to the wearer’s nerve endings through a minor ritual effect made permanent. The process requires a Ritual (transformation) check at a DC of 26. After the ritual is complete, the prosthetic is now

part of the wearer’s body, acting on his mental commands as a normal limb would and feeding off his life force to effect repairs and maintenance as if it were ‘healing.’ Such a prosthetic does not impose the -2 Dexterity penalty and does not count against the character’s encumbrance.

Unique ItemsItem Purchase DC WeightPsychograph 12 5 lb.Difference Engine 12 Simple (+1) 13 50 lb. Moderate (+2) 14 50 lb. Complex (+3) 15 50 lb. Advanced (+4) 16 50 lb.Analytical Engine 15 + Int score 150 lb. Program Card 10 —Pneumatic Prosthetic Hand 31 5 lb. Arm 32 15 lb. Leg 33 20 lb. Moderate (+0) +0 — Complex (+2) +3 — Advanced (+4) +5 — Arcanium +5 *

* See text

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a world a world of adventureof adventure

tthe previous chapters have presented the different options a character has to distinguish himself from the rest, determining his identity and role

in the world. This chapter will define what a character does. The world is filled with opportunities for adventure. Adventures involve risks that range from pitched combat against an enemy’s minions to thrilling chases and escapes from certain doom, although the adventures one might find in the halls of polite society also merit mention. The many travails of the wilderness compete for attention with the dangers of court intrigue and this chapter will deal with them all.

This is the rules chapter, where players and Games Masters will find answers to most of their questions regarding how the rules address one situation or another, from the different actions a character can take to how to face different dangers, ultimately addressing the different rewards all adventurers receive at the end of the day.

ActionsGaming sessions usually consist of the Games Master, the person guiding the story and the action of a game, asking questions and describing scenes and players suggesting actions their characters wish to take in response to these descriptions. Everything a character wishes to do, from waking up and putting on his socks to filling a band of street thieves full of steam-propelled bullets, is an action. Actions come in different types and have different rules attached to them.

Simple actions are tasks that do not require rolls except in the most adverse of conditions. Under normal circumstances, a character is allowed to tie his shoes without needing to make a die roll for success. If that same character had just survived a collision with a horse-drawn trolley after staggering out of a warehouse where thugs had been dosing him with opium to make him talk, it might be a different story. Whenever a character needs to make a simple action, something they can normally do everyday with no special skill or talent required, the Games Master will generally simply declare success or, like in the example just given, require a roll (also called a ‘check’) or simply declare failure.

Contested actions make up the largest part of the rule mechanics for combat and skills in this book. Whenever a character does something that might have a chance of failing because of someone else’s actions, skills, or abilities, the result is a contested roll. Jerrek shooting at an orc behind cover is an example of a contested action; his attack

roll is contested by the orc’s Defence Value modified by the bonus provided by the greenskin’s manlet, which is a portable enclosure used mainly during sieges. Contested checks are never guaranteed and even the most masterful of sharpshooters can miss his mark once in a while. Saving throws, which are a special type of check made to see if a character can escape the effects of something adverse, are another kind of contested roll.

A term used during contested rolls is DC, short for Difficulty Class. The DC of a contested check is the number a d20 check (plus or minus modifiers) must reach or exceed in order for the action to succeed. A roll that is lower than the given DC for an action fails. The d20 is the most common type of die rolled during an average gaming session, making it crucial to the system and the single most important die for any player to own.

Astute readers may have realised at this point that if contested checks have to beat a listed DC and they are all made using a single d20 then actions with a DC of 21 are impossible. On the surface, this is correct. This is where characters come in. Characters and the skills and abilities they gain come with modifiers that are added to or subtracted from certain kinds of checks. These modifiers can theoretically make ay check possible, no matter how high the DC might be.

Though it is often a convention with games running the d20 rules to allow all rolls of 20 on a d20 to be an automatic success, this is not always the case. By the same token, a roll of 1 (called a ‘natural’ 1 because it is the actual result on the die roll, just as with a ‘natural’ 20) is not an automatic failure. Instances in the rules where a natural 1 or 20 indicate automatic success or failure will be clearly marked in the text of the rules themselves.

The RoundIntense actions, such as combat, dangerous chases and daring escapes, occur in time units called ‘rounds.’ Each round represents about 6 seconds in the game world. A round is an opportunity for each character involved in the circumstances to take an action. Anything a person could reasonably do in 6 seconds, a character can do in 1 round.

Each round’s activity begins with the character with the highest initiative result and then proceeds, in order, from there. When a character’s turn comes up in the initiative sequence, he performs his entire round’s worth of actions. For exceptions, see Special Initiative Actions.

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With everyone as healed and repaired as they were going to get, the team started moving again. The juggernaut had apparently been part of a last-order defensive system, because after just one more heavily trapped and barricaded hallway, they broke through into the central hub of the under-city. The sewers here were in a horrible state of repair but they had been maintained enough for Jerrek to suspect the orcs were still using them for subterranean transport from time to time.

This theory was borne out when a team of orcish skirmishers set upon them an hour after their arrival. The brutish warriors were swiftly dispatched, leaving the group of orcs and the supplies they were guarding completely vulnerable. None of Jerrek’s people was interested in taking prisoners where orcs were concerned, so the greenskins were given as much mercy as they would have shown to a human caravan.

After clearing away the bodies with mechanical efficiency, Gearbolt reported that the handcarts were loaded down with food and munitions, two things they desperately needed. Orcish food was only barely edible but was better than nothing.

The impromptu meal was brief, as much because of its rank taste as their exposed location. Another patrol could have come by at any time, so they ate in haste and hid the bodies as best they could. Again, Gearbolt’s drilling attachment came in useful; it let them dig a quick trench and ditch the dead orcs. They took the handcarts with them, using them to carry the new supplies and the bomb they were here to set up. Gearbolt seemed as relieved as a cog could be to have the heavy thing off his back, Jerrek noticed.

The way was clear now; there was a single tunnel that cut through the rest of the undercity and headed straight for the centre of the inner labyrinth. It would probably be heavily guarded but the entire group agreed that they could not afford to have their strength eroded by patrols and pitfalls any longer. The straight shot would likely be a meat grinder but they were low on too many critical supplies to take any other route.

As they blew open the entrance to the main shaft, Heshia drew Jerrek aside and kissed him hard. As he staggered back, gasping and blushing, she winked at him and headed up to cover the dwarf.

‘Was… was that for luck?’

The leather-clad elf woman chuckled wryly and started shooting over Thurdin’s shoulder. ‘Nope,’ she said quickly as her bullets downed orc after startled orc in the tunnel. ‘Just a down payment.’

For almost all purposes, there is no significance to the end of a round or the beginning of a round. A round can be a set amount of game time starting with the first character to act and ending with the last but it usually means a span of time from a certain round to the same initiative number in the next round. Effects that last a certain number of rounds end just before the same initiative count that they began on.

Action TypesThe four types of actions are standard actions, move actions, full-round actions, and free actions. In a normal round, a character can perform a standard action and a move action. He may instead take two move actions; a character can always take a move action in place of a standard action. Alternatively, he can perform a single full-round action. A character can also perform as many free actions as the Games Master allows.

In some situations, such as in the surprise round, a character may be limited to taking only a single standard or move action.

Standard ActionA standard action allows a character to do something. A character can make an attack, use a skill or a feat (unless the skill or feat requires a full-round action to perform, for which see below) or perform other similar actions. During a combat round, a character can take a standard action and a move action. A character can take a move action before or after performing a standard action.

Move ActionA move action allows a character to move his or her speed or perform an action that takes a similar amount of time. A character can move his or her speed, climb one-quarter of his or her speed, draw or stow a weapon or other object, stand up, pick up an object, or perform some equivalent action. Refer to the Actions in Combat table for a list. A character can take a move action in the place of a standard action.

Full-Round ActionA full-round action consumes all a character’s effort during a round. A character can per form free actions during a full-round action as the Games Master allows.

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The Games Master’s Best Friend: The Even/Odd

RuleWhen, as a Games Master, you are in doubt as to whether or not an action should work, try to match it to some other rule in this book. If there is no easy resolution and the factors regarding the action could go either way, grab any die and roll it. If the result is even, the action is a success. If the die comes up odd, the action fails. This is a simple, arbitrary, unbiased way to resolve differences of opinions in game as well. If a rules call is under dispute and nothing else seems to solve it, the even/odd check can provide resolution without favouring either side.

Even/odds can be extrapolated to handle problems with more than two sides just by summing up the various solutions, assigning a die face (or faces) to each in equal number and rolling to determine which one will take precedent. Just be certain that all other options have been exhausted and that a random roll is the only way to determine the proper course of action first.

Free ActionFree actions consume a very small amount of time and effort. Over the span of the round, their impact is so minor that they are considered free. A character can perform one or more free actions while taking another action normally. However, the Games Master puts reasonable limits on what a character can really do for free. For instance, dropping an object, dropping to a prone position, and speaking a sentence or two are all free actions.

Standard ActionsThese are the different types of standard actions.

AttackMaking an attack is a standard action. The different types of attacks are covered in more detail in the Combat section.

Activate a ConduitA conduit is the vessel of magic, and its wielder can attempt to activate it with one or many standard actions. Conduits are covered in more detail in pg. 263 in The Occult chapter.

Dismiss a Magic Effect: Dismissing an active magic effect is a standard action.

Activate Occult ItemMany occult items do not need to be activated but some do, such as potions and scrolls. Activating an occult item is a standard action unless the item description indicates otherwise.

Completion Items: Activating a completion item is the equivalent of activating a conduit. A character loses the effect if his concentration is broken. He can attempt to activate the item while on the defensive, for which see Combat.

Command Word or Use-Activated Items: Activating any of these kinds of items does not require concentration.

Use Special AbilityUsing a special ability is usually a standard action but whether it is a standard action, a full-round action, or not an action at all is defined by the ability.

Occult Abilities: Using an occult ability requires concentration and can be disrupted. If concentration is broken, the attempt to use the ability fails but the attempt counts as a use of the ability. The time to use an occult ability is 1 standard action, unless the ability description notes otherwise.Using an Occult Ability on the Defensive: A character or creature may attempt to use an occult ability on the defensive. If the Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) fails, the creature cannot use the ability but the attempt counts as if the ability had been used.

Supernatural Abilities: Using a supernatural ability is usually a standard action, unless defined otherwise by the ability’s description. Its use cannot be disrupted and does not require concentration.

Extraordinary Abilities: Using an extraordinary ability is usually not an action because most extraordinary abilities automatically happen in a reactive fashion. Those extraordinary abilities that are actions are usually standard actions that cannot be disrupted and do not require concentration.

Move ActionsWith the exception of specific movement-related skills, most move actions do not require a check.

MoveThe simplest move action is moving the character’s speed. Many non-standard modes of movement are also covered under this category, including climbing and swimming (up to one-quarter the character’s speed), crawling (up to 5 feet), and entering a vehicle.

Accelerated Climbing: A character can climb one-half his speed as a move action by accepting a –5 penalty on the Climb check.

Manipulating ObjectsIn most cases, moving or manipulating an object is a move action. This includes drawing or holstering a weapon, retrieving or putting away a stored object, picking up an object, moving a heavy object and opening a door. If the

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character has a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, he can draw a weapon as part of his normal movement.

Direct or Redirect a Magic EffectSome rituals allow a character to redirect the effect to new targets or areas after activation. Redirecting a magic effect requires a move action and does not require concentration.

Stand UpStanding up from a prone position requires a move action. It provokes an attack of opportunity from opponents who threaten the character. A character can make a Tumble check at DC 20 to stand without provoking an attack of opportunity. If the Tumble check result is 30 or better, standing is a free action instead of a move action.

Start/Complete Full-Round ActionThe ‘start/complete full-round action’ move action lets a character start undertaking a full-round action (such as those listed on the Actions in Combat table) at the end of his round, or complete a full-round action by using a move action at the beginning of his in the round following the round in which the character started the full-round action. If the character starts a full-round action at the end of his turn, the next action that character takes must be to complete the full-round action.

Mount/Dismount a Steed or VehicleMounting or dismounting from a steed requires a move action, as does boarding and disembarking from a vehicle.

Fast Mount or Dismount: A character can mount or dismount as a free action with a DC 20 Ride check. His armour check penalty, if any, applies to this check. If he fails the check, mounting or dismounting is a move action instead. The character cannot attempt a fast mount or fast dismount unless he can perform the mount or dismount as a move action in the current round.

Full-Round ActionsA full-round action requires an entire round to complete. Thus, it cannot be coupled with a standard or a move action.

Full-Round Attack ActionsFull attacks happen when a character or creature has more than one attack allowed either because of a high base attack bonus or a racial ability. Full attacks and other full-round attack actions are covered in more detail in the Combat section.

Use Special AbilityUsing a special ability is usually a standard action but some may be full-round actions, as defined by the ability.

RunA character can run all out as a full-round action. When a character runs, he can move up to four times his speed in a straight line. The character loses any Dexterity bonus to DV since he cannot avoid attacks. However, he gets a +2 bonus to Defence against ranged attacks while running.

A character can run for a number of rounds equal to his Constitution score, but after that the character must succeed at a Constitution check at DC 10 to continue running. The character must check again each round in which he or she continues to run; the DC of this check increases by 1 for each check the character makes. When the character fails this check, he must stop running. A character who has run to his limit must rest for 1 minute (10 rounds) before running again. During a rest period, a character can move normally, but cannot run.

A run represents a speed of about 14 miles per hour for an unencumbered human.

Free ActionsFree actions do not take any time at all, though there may be limits to the number of free actions a character can perform in a turn. Some common free actions are described below.

� Drop an Item: A character can drop an item at his feet or nearby as a free action.

� Drop Prone: A character can drop to a prone position as a free action.

� Speak: In general, speaking is a free action that a character can perform even when it is not his turn. Speaking more than few sentences is generally beyond the limit of a free action.

� Cease Concentration: A character can stop concentrating on an active conduit effect or psychic power as a free action.

� Activate a Quickened Effect: A character can quicken the activation of a conduit or a psychic power (see the Quicken Spell feat) or any effect whose casting time is designated as a standard action as a free action. Only one such effect can be activated in any round and such effects do not count toward a character’s normal limit of one effect per round.

Miscellaneous ActionsSome actions do not fit neatly into the above categories. Some of the options described below are actions that take the place of, or are variations on, the actions described earlier. For actions not covered in any of this material, the Games Master determines how long such an action takes to perform and whether doing so provokes attacks of opportunity from threatening enemies.

Use Feat, Skill or TalentCertain feats, skills or talents let a character take special actions in combat. Other feats are not actions

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in themselves but they give a character a bonus when attempting something he can already do. Some feats are not intended for use within the framework of combat. The individual feat descriptions tell a character what he needs to know about them. Most uses of skills or talents in a combat situation are standard actions but some might be move actions or full-round actions. When appropriate, the description of a talent or a skill provides the time required to use it.

Renewing a Power SourceAmazing machines run on engines that eventually run out of power and must be renewed by a variety of methods. These may include cranking a lever, winding a mechanism, changing a battery or simply kicking harder on the pedals. Renewing a power source takes a move action, standard action or full-round action as specified by the renewal method on pg. 240.

ChallengesDuring the course of this chapter, there will be frequent reference to the following terms.

EncountersAn encounter is a situation where the characters face adversities and that may turn out badly for them if they do not succeed at its challenges. There are different kinds of encounters:

Combat Encounter: A combat encounter involves characters and its foes actively seeking to harm each other through attacks and special abilities. Characters use their weapons, talents, powers and tools to inflict damage or incapacitate their opponents. A combat encounter ends when one side eliminates all opposition either by death, incapacitation or surrender.

Action Encounter: An action encounter involves imminent danger that does not stem precisely from an opponent’s attack but definitely poses some risks to the characters. Such encounters involve traps, chases, daring escapes and so forth. An action encounter ends when the characters surpass the dangerous situations.

Adventuring Encounter: An adventuring encounter has the characters facing some ongoing threat that they are constantly aware of, whether or not they are engaging with it directly at any given moment. In an adventuring encounter, characters use their wits and talents to survive, such as exploring dense jungles, surviving natural disasters or swimming to the bottom of a lake. Unlike action encounters, adventuring encounters do not necessarily involve frantic actions and hair-trigger reactions. An adventuring encounter ends when the characters reach safe ground or the threat ceases to be.

Social Encounter: Not all danger facing the characters involves grievous bodily harm. Social encounters involve

facing up against opponents in a social milieu, such as a tense negotiation between rival corporations, an elegant ball where characters seek to slip past a lady’s entourage to warn her of danger, or a face-off between gang leaders in the bombed-out heart of a ruined city. A social encounter ends when the characters achieve their objective in initiating the encounter in the first place, such as making the rival leader back down without a costly fight or extracting a favour from someone.

Encounter Level (EL)Encounters are defined by their level, which is the challenge they represent to a group of characters. When the encounter’s level is equal to the average level of a four-member party, it will present a reasonable challenge that will not overly threaten the characters but will force them to spend a few of their resources.

The encounter level is useful for determining the experience gained by defeating it, as well as other rewards for the character.

Challenge Rating (CR)Challenge Rating is just like the encounter level, but instead of measuring the difficulty of an entire encounter, it measures the difficulty of defeating a particular element of the encounter. This is most commonly a creature to be defeated in combat but may also be a trap, a particular obstacle or a target person to be talked around.

The way to determine rewards from Challenge Ratings and Encounter Levels is explained in greater detail at the end of this chapter.

CombatCombat is often the cornerstone of a gaming session, with characters facing their enemies directly, exchanging fire, magic and blows to overcome them.

Combat in an OGL Steampunk game is played out in rounds. In each round everybody acts in turn in a regular cycle. Skills, feats, and equipment can modify combat rolls in numerous ways but do not change the basic tenets of how combat operates.

Com bat usually runs in the following way.

� Each combatant starts the battle flat-footed. Once a combatant acts, he is no longer flat-footed. Duelling Exception: When everyone involved in a combat knows that a battle is about to begin and spends more than one minute in full view of each other, no one is flat-footed during the first round, except in the case of an attack that comes in from outside the visible opponents.

� The Games Master determines which characters are aware of their opponents at the start of the battle. If some but not all of the combatants

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are aware of their opponents, a surprise round happens before regular rounds begin. The combatants who are aware of their opponents can act in the surprise round, so they roll for initiative. In initiative order, highest to lowest, combatants who started the battle aware of their opponents each take one move or standard action. Combatants who were unaware do not get to act in the surprise round. If no one or everyone starts the battle aware, there is no surprise round.

� Combatants who have not yet rolled initiative do so. All combatants are now ready to begin their first regular round.

� Combatants act in initiative order. Initiative is calculated using a Dexterity-based check as detailed below.

� When everyone has had a turn, whether they take advantage of it or not, the combatant with the highest initiative acts again and the previous two steps repeat until combat ends.

Attack RollAn attack roll represents a character’s attempts to strike an opponent on the character’s turn in a round. When a Player makes an attack roll, he rolls 1d20 and adds his attack bonus. If the result equals or beats the target’s Defence Value, the character hits and deals damage. Many modifiers can affect the attack roll.

A natural 1 (the d20 comes up 1) on the attack roll is always a miss. A natural 20 (the d20 comes up 20) is always a hit. A natural 20 is also always a threat, that is, a possible critical hit.

If the character is not proficient with the weapon he or she is attacking with (the character does not have the appropriate Weapon Proficiency feat) then that character takes a –4 penalty on the attack roll.

Attack BonusA character’s attack bonus with a melee weapon is:

Base attack bonus + Strength modifier + size modifier

With a ranged weapon, a character’s attack bonus is:

Base attack bonus + Dexterity modifier + range penalty + size modifier

Strength ModifierStrength helps a character swing a weapon harder and faster, so a character’s Strength modifier applies to melee attack rolls.

Size ModifierCreature size categories are defined differently from the size categories for weapons and other objects. Since this size modifier applies to Defence Value against a melee weapon attack or a ranged weapon attack, two creatures

of the same size strike each other normally, regardless of what size they actually are. Creature sizes are compatible with vehicle sizes.

Size ModifiersSize (Example) Size ModifierLeviathan (walking fortress) –16Colossal (blue whale 90 ft. long) –8Gargantuan (grey whale 40 ft. long)

–4

Huge (elephant) –2Large (lion) –1Medium (human) +0Small (German shepherd) +1Tiny (housecat) +2Diminutive (rat) +4Fine (horsefly) +8

Dexterity ModifierDexterity measures coordination and steadiness, so a character’s Dexterity modifier applies when the character attacks with a ranged weapon.

Range PenaltyThe range penalty for a ranged weapon depends on what weapon the character is using and how far away the target is. All ranged weapons and thrown weapons have a range increment; see the Ranged Weapons and Melee Weapons tables. Any attack from a distance of less than one range increment is not penalised for range. However, each full range increment causes a cumulative –2 penalty to the attack roll. A thrown weapon has a maximum range of five range increments. Ranged weapons that fire projectiles can shoot up to ten increments.

Defence ValueA character’s Defence Value (DV) represents how hard it is for opponents to land a solid, damaging blow on the character. It is the attack roll result that an opponent needs to achieve to hit the character. The average, unarmoured civilian has a Defence of 10. A character’s Defence Value is equal to:

10 + Dexterity modifier + class bonus + equipment bonus + size modifier

Dexterity ModifierIf a character’s Dexterity is high, he is particularly adept at dodging blows or weapons’ fire. If a character’s Dexterity is low, he is particularly inept at this. Characters apply their Dexterity modifier to DV.

Sometimes a character cannot use his Dexterity bonus, whether because of an entanglement, being caught flat-footed, or for some other reason. If a character cannot react to a blow, that character cannot use his Dexterity bonus to Defence.

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Class BonusA character’s class and level grant him an innate bonus to DV. This bonus applies in all situations, even when the character is flat-footed or when the character would lose his or her Reflex save bonus for some other reason.

Equipment BonusIf a character has a shield, it provides a bonus to his Defence Value. This bonus represents the shield’s ability to deflect blows and cover the character’s vital areas from view, effectively meaning that attacks do not hit precisely enough to inflict damage.

Sometimes a character cannot use his or her equipment bonus to DV. If an attack will damage the character just by touching him, that character cannot add his equipment bonus to Defence. See Touch Attacks below.

Size ModifierThe bigger an opponent is, the easier it is to hit in combat. The smaller it is, the harder it is to hit. Since this same modifier applies to attack rolls, a creature does not have a hard time attacking another creature of the same size. Size modifiers are shown on the Size Modifiers table.

Other ModifiersOther factors can add to a character’s Defence Value.Feats: Some feats give a bonus to a character’s Defence Value.Dodge Bonuses: Some other Defence bonuses represent actively avoiding blows. These bonuses are called dodge bonus es. Any situation that denies a character his Dexterity bonus also denies his or her dodge bonuses. Unlike most sorts of bonuses, dodge bonuses stack with each other.

DamageWhen a character hits with a weapon by overcoming the target’s DV, he deals damage according to the type of weapon he is using. Effects that modify weapon damage also apply to unarmed strikes and the natural physical attack forms of creatures.

Damage is deducted from the target’s current hit points. Attacks against objects are dealt with in a separate section detailed below.

Armour Bonus and Damage ReductionIf a character wears armour, it gives him Damage Reduction. Damage Reduction is an amount of hit points the character or creature ignores from normal attacks; see the Special Abilities section. This bonus represents the armour’s ability to protect the character from blows, effectively meaning that they do not hit hard enough to inflict full damage.

If an attack will damage the character just by touching him, that character cannot add his or her equipment bonus to DR. See Touch Attacks, below.

Touch AttacksSome attacks disregard armour. In these cases, the attacker makes a touch attack roll. This may be either a ranged touch attack roll or a melee touch attack roll. The attacker makes his damage roll as normal if his attack succeeds but a defender’s DR does not include any equipment bonus or armour bonus. Defence Value modifiers remain unaffected except for the equipment bonus, which is ignored; all other modifiers such as class bonus, Dexterity modifier, and size modifier, apply normally.

Minimum Weapon DamageIf penalties to damage bring the damage result below 1, a hit still deals 1 point of damage. Hardness or Damage Reduction can drop this to zero; the minimum damage of 1 rule only applies to internal penalties on the damage roll itself.

Strength BonusWhen a character hits with a melee weapon or thrown weapon, add his Strength modifier to the damage. The Weapon Finesse feat applies only to attack rolls, not damage.

Multiplying DamageSometimes damage is multiplied by some factor, generally a x2 or more due to a critical hit. Roll the damage (with all modifiers) multiple times and total the results. Bonus damage represented as extra dice is an exception. Do not multiply bonus damage dice when a character scores a critical hit.

Critical HitsWhen a character makes an attack roll and gets a natural 20 (the d20 shows 20) then he hits regardless of the target’s Defence Value. He has also scored a threat of a critical hit. To find out if it is actually a critical hit, he immediately makes another attack roll with all the same modifiers as the attack roll that scored the threat. If the second roll also results in a hit against the target’s Defence Value, the attack is a critical hit. The second roll just needs to hit to confirm a critical hit; the character does not need to roll a second 20. If the second roll is a miss, then the attack just deals the damage of a regular hit.

A critical hit multiplies the character’s damage. Unless otherwise specified, the multiplier is x2. It is possible for some weapons to have higher multipliers, doing more damage on a critical hit. Some weapons have expanded threat ranges, making a critical hit more likely. However, even with these weapons, only a 20 is an automatic hit. The Critical column on the Ranged Weapons and Melee Weapons tables indicates the threat range for each weapon on the tables.

Non-Lethal DamageCertain attacks deal non-lethal damage. Other effects, such as heat or being exhausted, also deal non-lethal damage. When a character takes non-lethal damage, keep

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a running total of how much he has accumulated. Do not deduct the non-lethal damage number from the character’s current hit points. It is not ‘real’ damage. Instead, when non-lethal damage equals a character’s current hit points, he is staggered and when it is greater, he falls unconscious. It does not matter whether the non-lethal damage equals or exceeds the character’s current hit points because the non-lethal damage has gone up or because current hit points have gone down.

Non-lethal Damage with a Weapon that Deals Lethal Damage: A character can use a melee weapon that deals lethal damage to deal non-lethal damage instead but he takes a –4 penalty on his attack roll if he does so.

Lethal Damage with a Weapon that Deals Non-lethal Damage: A character can use a weapon that deals non-lethal damage, including an unarmed strike, to deal lethal damage instead but he takes a –4 penalty on his attack roll if he does so.

Hit PointsA character’s hit points tell how much punishment he can take before dropping. Hit points are based on the character’s class and level. His Constitution modifier also applies. When a character’s hit point total drops to 0, he is disabled. When it drops to –1, he is dying. When it drops to –10, he is dead.

SpeedA character’s speed tells how far he can move with a move action. Humans normally move 30 feet; some creatures move faster or slower. Wearing armour can slow a character down. A character normally moves as a move action, leaving a standard action to attack. The character can, however, use his or her standard action as a second move action. This could let the character move again, for a total movement of up to double his or her normal speed. Another option is to run all-out, which is a full-round action. This lets the character move up to four times his normal speed but he may only run all-out in a straight line and doing so affects his DV; see Run.

Saving ThrowsGenerally, when a character is subject to an unusual or magical attack, he may make a saving throw to avoid or reduce the effect. A saving throw is a 1d20 roll plus a bonus based on the character’s class and level (the character’s base save bonus) and an ability modifier. A natural 1 (the d20 comes up 1) on a saving throw is always a failure. A natural 20 (the d20 comes up 20) is always a success.

A character’s saving throw bonus is:

Base save bonus + ability modifier

The Difficulty Class for a save is determined by the attack or effect itself.

Saving Throw TypesThe three different kinds of saving throws are:

� Fortitude: These saving throws measure a character’s ability to stand up to massive physical punishment or attacks against his vitality and health, such as poison and paralysis. Apply a character’s Constitution modifier to his Fortitude saving throws.

� Reflex: These saving throws test a character’s ability to dodge massive attacks such as explosions or train wrecks. Often, when damage is inevitable, such as a blast filling an area, a character may make a Reflex saving throw to take only half damage. Apply the character’s Dexterity modifier to his Reflex saving throws.

� Will: These saving throws reflect a character’s resistance to mental influence, domination, and psychological effects. Apply the character’s Wisdom modifier to his or her Will saving throws.

Saving throws can reduce the harm done by a special attack, either halving or negating it, as indicated on the special attack’s description.

InitiativeEvery round, each combatant may take his allotment of actions. The combatants’ initiative checks, from highest to lowest, determine the order in which they act, from first to last.

At the start of a battle, each combatant makes a single initiative check. An initiative check is a Dexterity check. Each character applies his Dexterity modifier to the roll. Anyone with the Improved Initiative feat gets an additional +4 bonus on the check. The Games Master finds out what order characters are acting in, counting down from highest result to lowest and each character acts in turn. On all following rounds, the characters act in the same order, unless a character takes an action that results in his initiative changing, for which see Special Initiative Actions.

If two or more combatants have the same initiative check result, the combatants who are tied act in order of total initiative modifier, including Dexterity modifier and Improved Initiative bonus, if applicable. If there is still a tie, roll a die to decide who acts first.

Flat-Footed: At the start of a battle, before the character has had a chance to act (specifically, before the character’s first turn in the initiative order) he is flat-footed. While flat-footed, a character cannot use his Dexterity bonus and therefore loses his Dexterity bonus to DV.

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Joining a Battle: If characters enter a battle after it has begun, they roll initiative at that time and act whenever their turn comes up in the existing order.

SurpriseWhen a combat starts, if a character was not aware of his enemies but they were aware of him, then he is surprised. Likewise, a character can surprise his enemies if he knows about them before they are aware of him.

The Surprise RoundIf some but not all of the combatants are aware of their opponents, a surprise round happens before regular rounds begin. The combatants who are aware of the opponents can act in the surprise round, so they roll for initiative. In initiative order (highest to lowest) combatants who were aware of their opponents when the battle started each take an attack action or move action during the surprise round; see Action in Combat, below. If no one or everyone is surprised, a surprise round does not occur.

Unaware CombatantsCombatants who are unaware at the start of battle do not get to act in the surprise round. Unaware combatants are still flat-footed because they have not acted yet. This means they lose any Dexterity bonus to Defence.

Actions in CombatThe fundamental actions of moving and attacking cover most of what a character will want to do in a battle. Other, more specialised options are touched on in the Actions in Combat table and covered in Special Initiative Actions and Special Attacks.

Standard Actions in CombatMost common standard actions are described below. More specialised attack actions are mentioned in the Actions in Combat table and covered in Special Attacks.

Attack Action: This is a special action that can be taken as a standard action. However, it acquires a slightly different application when a character has more than one attack available as part of a full attack action because of a high base attack bonus or two-weapon fighting. An attack action is one where an attacker makes an attack roll against a defender; it may be a single standard action or a part of a full attack action.

Melee Attacks: With a normal melee weapon, a character can strike any enemy within 5 feet. Such enemies are considered adjacent to him. A character capable of making more than one melee attack per round must use the full attack action (see Full-Round Actions in Combat, below) in order to make more than one attack.

Fighting Defensively: A character can choose to fight defensively while making a melee attack. If he does so, he takes a –4 penalty on his attack in a round to gain a +2 dodge bonus to DV in the same round.

Unarmed Attacks: Striking for damage with punches, kicks and head butts is much like attacking with a melee weapon, except that an unarmed attack deals non-lethal damage. Unarmed strikes count as light melee weapons for purposes of two-weapon attack penalties and such like. The following exceptions to normal melee rules apply to unarmed attacks:

‘Armed’ Unarmed Attacks: Sometimes a character or creature attacks unarmed but the attack still counts as armed. A creature with claws, fangs and similar natural physical weapons, for example, counts as armed. The Improved Unarmed Strike feat makes a character’s unarmed attacks count as armed.

Unarmed Strike Damage: An unarmed strike from a Medium character deals 1d3 points (plus the character’s Strength modifier, as normal) of non-lethal damage. A Player can specify that his unarmed strike will deal lethal damage before the character makes his attack roll but he takes a –4 penalty on the attack roll if he chooses this option, because he has to strike a particularly vulnerable spot to deal lethal damage. The Improved Unarmed Strike feat makes a character’s unarmed attacks deal normal damage or non-lethal damage, as the Player prefers.

Ranged Attacks: With a ranged weapon, a character can shoot or throw at any target that is within the ranged weapon’s maximum range and in line of sight. A target is in line of sight if there are no solid obstructions between the character and the target. The maximum range for a thrown weapon is five range increments. For weapons that fire projectiles, it is ten range increments.

A character capable of making more than one ranged attack per round must use the full attack action (see Full-Round Actions below) in order to make more than one attack.

Shooting or Throwing into a Melee: If a character shoots or throws a ranged weapon at a target that is engaged in melee with an ally, the character takes a –4 penalty on his or her attack roll be cause he has to aim carefully to avoid hitting the ally. Two characters are engaged in melee if they are enemies and they are adjacent to one another. An unconscious or otherwise immobilised character is not considered engaged unless he is actually being attacked. If the target is so big that part of it is 10 feet or farther from the nearest ally, the character can avoid the –4 penalty, even if it is engaged in melee with an ally. An attacker using a rifle takes a –4 penalty on attacks against adjacent opponents, as the weapon has an unwieldy shape and size. If you have the Precise Shot feat, you do not take this penalty.

Fighting Defensively: A character can choose to fight defensively while making a ranged attack. If he does so, he takes a –4 penalty on his or her attack in a round to gain a +2 dodge bonus to DV in the same round.

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Actions in CombatStandard ActionsAttack (melee)Attack (ranged)Attack (unarmed)Attack (aid another)Bull rush (attack)Escape a grappleFeint (see the Bluff skill)Ready (triggers an attack action)Make a dying character stable Attack a weapon Attack an object Total defenceUse a skill that takes a standard actionMove ActionsMove the character’s speedUse a piece of equipmentClimb (one-quarter speed)Climb, accelerated (one-half speed)CrawlDraw a weapon1

Holster a weaponMove a heavy objectOpen a doorPick up an objectRetrieve a stored objectStand up from prone, sitting, or kneelingStart/complete full-round actionSwimUse a skill that takes a move action

Full-Round ActionsBull rush (charge)ChargeCoup de grace Full attackOverrun (charge)RunWithdrawExtinguish flamesUse a skill that takes a full roundFree ActionsDrop an objectDrop to prone, sitting, or kneelingSpeakAction Type VariesDisarm2

Grapple2

Load a weaponTrip an opponent4Use a feat3

No ActionDelay

1 If the character has a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, he can combine this action with a regular move. If the character has the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, he can draw two light or one-handed weapons in the time it would normally take to draw one.2 These attack forms substitute for a melee attack, not an action. As melee attacks, they can be used once in an attack or charge action, one or more times in a full attack action, or even as an attack of opportunity.3 The description of a feat defines its effect.

Total Defence: Instead of attacking, a character can use his standard action simply to defend. This is called a total defence action. The character may not attack or perform any other activity but he does benefit from a +4 dodge bonus to his Defence Value for 1 round. The character’s Defence Value improves at the start of this action, so it helps against any attacks of opportunity the character is subject to while performing his move action.

Move Actions in CombatA character can perform all the available move actions during a combat situation. In addition, the following considerations apply to movement during combat, which is called tactical movement.

Medium characters normally move 30 feet, although armour can slow a character down. Some creatures and automata move faster or slower. A character’s speed when unarmoured is sometimes called base speed.

Encumbrance: A character encumbered by carrying a large amount of gear or a fallen comrade may move slower than normal.

Movement in Combat: Generally, a character can move his speed as a move action. If a character uses his attack action as a move action, the character can move again, for a total movement of up to twice his normal speed. If the character spends the entire round to run all-out, he can move up to four times his normal speed.

Movement in Darkness: If a character moves when he cannot see, such as in total darkness, his speed is limited to one-half normal. The Blind-Fight feat reduces this penalty.

Passing Through: Sometimes a character can pass through an area occupied by another character, creature or object.

� Friendly Character: A character can move through a space occupied by a friendly character.

� Unfriendly Character: There are two ways to move through a space occupied by a resisting enemy. The character can attempt an overrun, or he can attempt to tumble through a square occupied by an enemy. He may only attempt the latter

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Magic Conduits in CombatMany rituals have a reach of ‘touch.’ To use these effects from a conduit, the character activates the effect and then touches the subject, either in the same round or any time later. In the same round that he activates the effect, he may also touch (or attempt to touch) the target. He may take his move before activating the effect, after touching the target, or between activating the effect and touching the target. He can automatically touch one friend or use the spell on himself but to touch an opponent, he must succeed on a touch attack, for which see above.

Holding the Charge: If the character does not discharge the effect in the round when he activated it, he can hold the charge indefinitely. He can continue to make touch attacks round after round. You can touch one friend as a standard action or up to six friends as a full-round action. If a character touches anything or anyone while holding a charge, even if this was not intentional, then the effect discharges. If he activates another effect, the touch effect dissipates. Alternatively, he may make a normal unarmed attack (or an attack with a natural weapon) while holding a charge. In this case, he is not considered armed. If the attack hits, he deals normal damage for his unarmed attack or natural weapon and the spell discharges. If the attack misses, he is still holding the charge.

if he has ranks in the Tumble skill; see the skill description. If an unfriendly character does not resist, then a character can move through a space occupied thereby as if the unfriendly character was friendly.

� Square Occupied by Creature or Object Three Sizes Larger or Smaller: Any creature can move through a square occupied by a creature or object three size categories larger or three categories smaller than it is.

Flanking: If a character is making a melee attack against an opponent and an ally directly opposite the character is threatening the opponent, the character and his ally are said to be flanking the opponent. Both characters gain a +2 bonus on their attack rolls. The ally must be on the other side of the opponent so that the opponent is directly between the character and the ally. A character does not gain a bonus for flanking when making a ranged attack.

Full-Round Actions in CombatA full-round action requires an entire round to complete.

Charge: Charging is a special full-round action that allows a character to move more than his speed and attack during the action. However, there are tight restrictions on how and when a character can charge.

Movement during a Charge: The character must move before his attack, not after. The character must move at least 10 feet and may move up to twice his speed. All movement must be in a straight line, with no backing up allowed. The character must stop as soon as he is within striking range of his or her target. He may not run past the target and attack from another direction.

During the surprise round, or any other time a character is limited to taking no more than a single attack action on his turn, he can still use the charge action but he is only allowed to move up to his speed, instead of up to twice his speed.

Attacking after a Charge: After moving, the character may make a single melee attack. He gains a +2 bonus to the attack roll. He also takes a –2 penalty to his DV for 1 round, until the beginning of his turn in the following round.

Even if the character has extra attacks, such as from having a high enough base attack bonus or from using multiple weapons, he may still make only one attack after a charge. Instead of attacking the target, a character can attempt to push the target back. See Bull Rush below.

Full Attack: If a character is entitled to more than one attack per action because his base attack bonus is high enough, because he fights with two weapons, because he is using a double weapon or for some other special reason, then he must use the full attack action to gain these additional attacks. He does not need to specify the targets of his attacks ahead of time. He is allowed to see how the earlier attacks turn out before assigning the later ones.

If a character is entitled to multiple attacks based on his base attack bonus, then he must make the attacks in order from highest bonus to lowest. If the character is using two weapons, he can strike with either weapon first. If the character is using a double wea pon, he can strike with either part of the weapon first.

Committing to a Full Attack Action: A character does not have to commit to a full attack until after the first attack. He can then decide whether to make his or her remaining attacks or to take a move action to move, draw or put away a weapon and so forth. See Move Actions, above.

Fighting Defensively: A character can choose to fight defensively when taking a full attack action. If he does so, he takes a –4 penalty on all attacks in a round to gain a +2 dodge bonus to Defence in the same round.

Attacking with Two Weapons: If the character wields a second weapon in his off hand, then he can make one extra attack per round with that weapon. Fighting in this way is very difficult, how ever. The character takes a –6 penalty on the regular attack or attacks with his primary

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hand and a –10 penalty on the attack with his off hand. Characters fighting with two weapons must use the same kind of weapon in each hand (both melee or both ranged) unless they possess the Two-Weapon Fighting feat. A character can reduce the penalties inherent in this kind of combat in two ways.

If the off-hand weapon is light, then reduce both the penalties by 2. An unarmed strike is always considered light. Also, the Two-Weapon Fighting feat lessens the primary hand penalty by 2 and the off-hand penalty by 6. The Two-Weapon Fighting Penalties table below summarises the interaction of all these factors.

Double Weapons: A character can use a double weapon to make an extra attack as if he or she were fighting with two weapons. The penalties apply as if the off-hand weapon were light.

Two-Weapon Fighting Penalties

CircumstancesPrimary Hand

Off Hand

Normal penalties –6 –10Off-hand weapon is light –4 –8Two-Weapon Fighting feat

–4 –4

Off-hand weapon is light and Two-Weapon Fighting feat

–2 –2

Withdraw: Withdrawing from melee combat is a full-round action. When a character withdraws, he can move up to twice his speed. Some forms of movement (such as climbing and swimming) require skill checks from most creatures. A character may not withdraw using a form of movement for which he must make a skill check.

Combat ModifiersThis section covers offensive and defensive modifiers provided by position. In the incredibly violent world of Steampunk, these modifiers can be the edge a Player Character needs to survive. As such, they are a vital part of combat.

Favourable and Unfavourable ConditionsGenerally speaking, any situational modifier created by the attacker’s position or tactics applies to the attack roll, while any situational modifier created by the defender’s position, state, or tactics applies to the defender’s Defence Value. The Games Master judges which bonuses and penalties apply, using the Defence Value Modifiers table and the Attack Roll Modifiers table as guides.

Defence Value ModifiersCircumstance Melee RangedDefender sitting or kneeling

–2 +21

Defender prone –4 +41

Defender stunned or cowering

–22 –22

Defender climbing –22 –22

Defender flat-footed +02 +02

Defender running +02 +22

Defender grappling (attacker not)

+02 +03

Defender pinned –44 +04

Defender helpless (such as paralysed, sleeping, or bound)

+02 +02

Defender has cover See CoverDefender concealed or invisible

See Concealment

1 May instead improve bonus to DV granted by cover. See Cover, below.2 The defender loses any Dexterity bonus to Defence.3 Roll randomly to see which grappling combatant the character strikes. That defender loses any Dexterity bonus to Defence.4 Treat the defender’s Dexterity as 0 (–5 modifier).

Attack Roll ModifiersCircumstance Melee RangedAttacker flanking defender1

+2 —

Attacker on higher ground

+1 +0

Attacker prone –4 –22

Attacker invisible +23 +23

1 A character flanks a defender when he or she has an ally on the opposite side of the defender threatening the defender.2 Some ranged weapons cannot be used while the attacker is prone.3 The defender loses any Dexterity bonus to Defence.

CoverCover provides a bonus to Defence Value. The more cover a character has, the bigger the bonus. In a melee, if a character has cover against an opponent, that opponent probably has cover against the character too. With ranged weapons, however, it is easy to have better cover than the opponent. The Games Master may impose other penalties or restrictions on attacks depending on the details of the cover.

Degree of Cover: Cover is assessed in subjective measurements of how much protection it offers. The Games Master determines the value of cover. This measure is not a strict mathematical calculation, because a character gains more value from covering the parts of

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CoverDegree of Cover (Examples)

Cover Bonus to DV

Reflex Saves

One-quarter (standing behind a 3-ft. high wall)

+2 +1

One-half (fighting from around a corner or a tree; standing at an open window; behind a creature of same size)

+4 +2

Three-quarters (peering around a corner or a big tree)

+7 +3

Nine-tenths (standing at an arrow slit; behind a door that is slightly ajar)

+10 +4*

Total (on the other side of a solid wall)

— —

* Half damage if saving throw is failed; no damage if successful.

his or her body that are more likely to be struck. If the bottom half of a character’s body is covered, that only gives one-quarter cover, because most vital areas are still fully exposed. If one side or the other of a character’s body is covered, the character gets one-half cover.

Cover Defence Bonus: The Cover table below gives the DV bonuses for different degrees of cover. Add the relevant number to the character’s DV. This cover bonus overlaps (does not stack) with certain other bonuses.

Cover Reflex Save Bonus: The Cover table also gives the Reflex saving throw bonuses for different degrees of cover. Add this bonus to Reflex saving throws against attacks that affect an area. This bonus only applies to attacks that originate or burst out from a point on the other side of the cover.

Striking the Cover Instead of a Missed Target: If it ever becomes important to know whether the cover was actually struck by an incoming attack that misses the intended target, the Games Master should determine if the attack roll would have hit the protected target without the cover. If the attack roll falls within a range low enough to miss the target with cover but high enough to strike the target if there had been no cover, the object used for cover was struck.

This can be particularly important to know in cases when a character uses another character

as cover. In such a case, if the cover is struck and the attack roll exceeds the Defence of the covering

character, the covering character takes the damage intended for the target.

If the covering character has a Dex terity bonus to Defence or a dodge bonus and this bonus keeps the covering character from being hit, then the original target is hit in stead. The covering character has dodged out of the way and did not provide cover after all. A covering character can choose not to apply his Dexterity bonus to Defence and/or his dodge bonus, if the character so desires.

ConcealmentConcealment includes all circumstances in which nothing physically blocks a blow or shot but something interferes with an attacker’s accuracy.

Degree of Concealment: Concealment is subjectively measured and is an assessment of how well concealed the defender is. Examples of what might qualify as concealment of various degrees are given in the Concealment table below. Concealment always depends on the point of view of the attacker. Concealment Miss Chance: Concealment gives the subject of a successful attack a chance that the attacker missed outright because of the concealment. If the attacker hits, the defender must make a miss chance percentile roll to avoid being struck. It does not matter who makes the roll or whether it is rolled before or after the attack roll. When multiple concealment conditions apply to a defender, use the one that would produce the highest miss chance. Do not add the miss chances together.

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Gearbolt hefted up one of the iron doors and propped it up for cover. Incoming fire slammed into the door’s surface, spraying molten metal and fragments all around. The cog set itself as a brace, keeping the door up while the rest of Jerrek’s team moved up behind him. They popped up, snapping off quick shots, then dove back behind the rent iron portal to avoid the orcs’ returning volleys.

‘I am not certain this barricade will hold for long, sir,’ Gearbolt droned as the orcs’ bullets began to pit the metal shield all around it. ‘I believe this will provide only another minute of protection before its surface ruptures.’

‘We are in trouble, Jer,’ Gailion commented as the enemy’s shots tore through his ephemeral body harmlessly. ‘There are fifty or sixty of them in there and they all have manlets built into the tunnel for protection. They can hold us off for a lot longer than we can batter away at them like this. We need another cannon blast or five.’

Thurdin shrugged, immediately regretting the gesture as his stitches pulled painfully. ‘No can do. I only had the one.’ He looked back at the handcarts they had just liberated from the orcish raiders a few minutes before. ‘I might be able to put something together out of this lot but I’ll need time to work.’ Thurdin popped up, took another shot at an orc running towards them with a lit bomb, and dashed back to the carts. The bomb detonated far too close to their cover; it took Gearbolt and Jerrek combined efforts, both braced as hard as they could, to keep it from flipping over and exposing them all.

‘Work fast!’ Jerrek reached into his pack and took out a little something he had been saving for a rainy day. The thunder of the orcish guns was enough of a storm to count, he reasoned. ‘I can buy us a few seconds. Gail, Heshia get that other door over here when this goes off!’ With a high overhand throw, he chucked the burn bomb over the barrier and into the middle of the orcish manlets. He took an iron crossbow bolt in the arm for his trouble but the glass shattered and flames raced all over the greenskins’ defensive position, throwing them into chaos. ‘Move!’

ConcealmentConcealment (Example) Miss

ChanceOne-quarter (light fog; light foliage) 10%One-half (shadows; dense fog at 5 ft.) 20%Three-quarters (dense foliage) 30%Nine-tenths (near total darkness) 40%Total (attacker blind; total darkness; smoke grenade; dense fog at 10 ft.)

50% and must guess target’s location

Helpless Defenders

A helpless foe, that is, one who is bound, sleeping, unconscious, or otherwise at the attacker’s mercy, is an easy target. A character can sometimes approach a target that is unaware of his presence, move adjacent to the target and treat him as helpless. If the target is in combat or some other tense situation, and therefore in a state of acute awareness and readiness, or if the target can use his or her Dexterity bonus to DV, then that target cannot be considered unaware. Further, any reasonable precaution taken by a target, including stationing bodyguards, placing his or her back to a wall, or being able to make Spot checks, also precludes catching that target unaware and helpless.

Regular Attack: A helpless defender has an effective DV of 5 + his or her size modifier. If a character is attacking with a ranged weapon and is not adjacent to the target, the character can use a full-round action to make the attack and gain a +5 bonus on the attack roll. If the character is

attacking with a melee weapon, or with a ranged weapon from an adjacent square, then he can use a full-round action to deliver a coup de grace.

Coup de Grace: As a full-round action, a character can use a melee weapon to deliver a coup de grace to a helpless foe. A character can also use a ranged weapon, pro vided he is adjacent to the target. He automatically hits and scores a critical hit. If the defender survives the damage, he must still make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + damage dealt) or die.

A character cannot deliver a coup de grace against a creature that is immune to critical hits.

Knockout Blow: As a full-round action, a character can make an unarmed attack or use a melee weapon that deals non-lethal damage to deliver a knockout blow to a helpless foe. A character can also use a melee weapon that deals lethal damage to do this but he takes a –4 penalty to the attack roll on any attempt to deal non-lethal damage with the weapon. The target has an effective DV of 5 + his or her size modifier. If the character hits, he automatically scores a critical hit; see Non-lethal Damage.

A character cannot deliver a knockout blow against a creature that is immune to critical hits.

Special Initiative ActionsUsually, when a character is in combat, he acts as soon as he can. Sometimes, though, a character wants to act later, at a better time, or in response to the actions of someone else. These decisions are not common in the ‘Shoot first,

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shoot often’ world of Steampunk combat but they are occasionally worthwhile.

DelayBy choosing to delay, the character takes no action and then acts normally at whatever point in the initiative count he decides to. In brief, when a character chooses to delay, he reduces his initiative result voluntarily for the rest of the combat. When his new, lower initiative count comes up later in the same round, he can act normally. The character can specify what this new initiative result will be, or just wait until some time later in the round and act then, thus fixing his new initiative count at that point. A character cannot interrupt anyone’s action with a delayed action, though he may do so with a readied action, for which see below.

Delaying Limits: The longest a character can delay before taking an action is until after everyone else has acted in the round. At that point, the delaying character must act or else forfeit any action in that round. If multiple characters are delaying, then the one with the highest initiative modifier (or highest Dexterity, in case of a tie) has the advantage. If two or more delaying characters both want to act on the same initiative count, then the one with the highest initiative modifier may act first. If two or more delaying characters are trying to act after one another, the one with the highest initiative modifier may go last; the others must go first or lose their action for the round.

ReadyThe ready action lets a character prepare to take an action later, in order to interrupt another character. Essentially, the character splits his action, taking the move action on his initiative count and the standard action at a later point. On the character’s turn, he prepares to take an action later, if a specific trigger condition is met. Then, later in the round, if the trigger condition occurs, the character takes the readied action, acting immediately before the triggering action.

Readying an Action: A character can ready a standard action or a move action. To do so, he specifies the action he will take and the conditions under which he will take it. Then, at any time before the character’s next action, he may take the readied standard action in response to those conditions. The readied action occurs just before the event that triggers it. If the trigger is part of another character’s actions, the readied action interrupts the other character. The other character continues his or her actions once the readied action is completed.

The character’s initiative count changes. For the rest of the encounter, it becomes the count on which the character took the readied action. The character acts immediately ahead of the character whose action triggered the readied action.

If the character comes to his next action and has not yet performed the readied action, he does not get to take the

readied action, though he may ready the same action again. If the character takes his readied action in the next round, before his regular turn comes up, then his initiative count rises to that new point in the order of battle and he does not get his regular action that round.

Special Attacks This section covers an assortment of other special attacks.

Aid AnotherIn combat, a character can help a friend attack or defend by distracting or interfering with an opponent. If the character is in position to attack an opponent with which a friend of the character is engaged in melee combat, the character can attempt to aid the friend as a standard action. The character makes an attack roll against a Defence Value of 10. If the character succeeds, he does not actually damage the opponent; instead, his friend gains either a +2 circumstance bonus to attack rolls against that opponent or a +2 circumstance bonus to DV against that opponent on the friend’s next turn. The aiding character may choose which bonus to apply.

Bull RushA character can attempt a bull rush as a standard action made during his move action, or as part of a charge. In general, a character cannot make a standard action during a move action; this is an exception. When the character bull rushes, he attempts to push an opponent straight back instead of attacking. A character can only bull rush an opponent who is one size category larger than him, the same size, or smaller.

Initiating a Bull Rush: First, the character moves into the target’s space. Second, the character and the target make opposed Strength checks. If the character and the target are different sizes, the larger combatant gets a bonus on the Strength check of +4 per difference in size category. The character gets a +2 bonus if he was charging. The target gets a +4 stability bonus if he has more than two legs or is otherwise exceptionally stable.

Bull Rush Results: If the character beats the target’s Strength check, he pushes the target back 5 feet. He can push the target back an additional 5 feet for every 5 points by which he exceeded the target’s check result, provided he moves with the target. A character cannot, however, exceed his normal movement for that action.

If the character fails to beat the target’s Strength check, then he moves 5 feet straight back to where he was before he moved into the opponent’s space. If that space is occupied, the character falls prone there.

Mounted CombatWarhorses and warponies can serve readily as combat steeds. Light horses, ponies, and heavy horses, however, are frightened by combat. If the character does not dismount, he must make a DC 20 Ride check each round

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as a move action to control such a horse. If he succeeds, he can perform a standard action after the move action. If he fails, the move action becomes a full round action and the character cannot do anything else until his next turn. The mount acts on the character’s initiative count as he directs it. The character moves at its speed but the mount uses its action to move. For simplicity, assume that a character shares his mount’s space during combat.

Combat while Mounted: With a DC 5 Ride check, a character can guide a mount with his knees so as to use both hands to attack or defend himself. This is a free action. When a character attacks a creature that is both smaller than the mount and on foot, he gains a +1 bonus to melee attacks for being on higher ground. If the mount moves more than 5 feet, he can only make a single melee attack. Essentially, the character has to wait until the mount reaches the enemy before attacking, so a full attack is impossible. Even at the mount’s full speed, the character does not take any penalty on melee attacks while mounted.

If a mount charges, the character also takes the penalty to Defence Value associated with a charge. If he makes an attack at the end of the charge, he receives the bonus gained from the charge. When charging on horseback, a character deals double damage with a lance; see Charge.

The character can use ranged weapons while the mount is taking a double move but suffers a –4 penalty to the attack roll if he does so. He can use ranged weapons while the mount is running (quadruple speed) at a –8 penalty. In either case, the character makes the attack roll when the mount has completed half its movement. He can make a full attack with a ranged weapon while the mount is moving. Likewise, he can take move actions normally

If A Mount Falls in Battle: If the mount falls, the character must succeed on a DC 15 Ride check to make a soft fall and take no damage. If the check fails, he takes 1d6 points of damage.

If the Rider is Dropped: If the character is knocked unconscious, he has a 50% chance to stay in the saddle, or 75% if he is in a military saddle. Otherwise he falls and takes 1d6 points of damage. Without a rider to guide it, the mount avoids combat unless it is of greater than animal intelligence, in which case it acts like a creature of its abilities and intellect and is generally controlled by the Games Master.

OverrunA character can attempt an overrun as a standard action made during his move action, or as part of a charge. In general, a character cannot make a standard action during a move action; this is an exception. With an overrun, the character attempts to move through an opponent’s area, going past or over the opponent. A character can only overrun an opponent who is one size category larger than

him, the same size, or smaller. A character can make only one overrun attempt per action.

First, the character must move at least 10 feet in a straight line into the target’s space. Then the target chooses either to avoid or to block the character. If the opponent avoids the character, then the character keeps moving, since a character can always move through a square occupied by someone who lets him by. If the opponent blocks the character, make a trip attack against the opponent; see Trip. If the character succeeds in tripping his opponent, then he can continue his movement as normal.

If the character fails and is tripped in turn, he falls prone in the target’s space. If the character fails but is not tripped, then he to move 5 feet back the way he came, ending his movement there. If that space is occupied, then he falls prone there.

TripA character can try to trip an opponent, or otherwise knock him down as an unarmed melee attack. A character can only trip an opponent who is one size category larger than him, the same size, or smaller.

Making a Trip Attack: The character makes an unarmed melee touch attack against the target. If the attack succeeds, the character makes a Strength check opposed by the target’s Dexterity check or Strength check, using whichever ability score has the higher modifier. If the character and the target are different sizes, then the larger combatant gets a bonus to his Strength check of +4 per difference in size category. The target also gains a +4 stability bonus on his check if he has more than two legs or is otherwise exceptionally stable. If the character wins, he trips the target. If the character loses, the target may immediately react and make a Strength check opposed by the character’s Dexterity check or Strength check to try to trip him.

Being Tripped (Prone): A tripped character is prone; see the Defence Modifiers table. Standing up from a prone position is a move action, as listed above.

Tripping with a Weapon: Some weapons, such as the chain and the whip, can be used to make trip attacks. If the character is tripped during his own trip attempt, then he can drop the weapon to avoid being tripped.

DisarmAs a melee attack, a character may attempt to disarm his opponent. If he does so with a weapon, he knocks the opponent’s weapon out of his hands and to the ground. If the character makes the disarm attempt while unarmed, the character ends up with the weapon in his or her hand.

If a character is attempting to disarm the wielder of a melee weapon, he and the target make opposed attack

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rolls with their respective weapons. If the weapons are different sizes, the combatant with the larger weapon gets a bonus on the attack roll of +4 per difference in size category. If the target is using a weapon in two hands, he gets an additional +4 bonus. Also, if the combatants are different sizes, the larger combatant gets a bonus on the attack roll of +4 per difference in size category.

If the character beats the target’s attack roll, the target is disarmed. If the character attempted the disarm action unarmed, he now has the weapon. If the character was armed, the target’s weapon is on the ground at the target’s feet. If the character fails the disarm attempt, the target may immediately react and attempt to disarm him with the same sort of opposed melee attack roll. If the opponent fails to disarm, the character does not get a free disarm attempt against him.

Ranged Weapons: To disarm an opponent wielding a ranged weapon, the character makes a melee attack or unarmed attack to strike the weapon in the opponent’s hand; see Attack an Object. If the weapon is held in two hands, it gets a +2 bonus to its DV. If the character’s attack succeeds, the ranged weapon falls to the ground or, if the character made the attack unarmed, winds up in the character’s hands. If the character fails, the target does not get to make a disarm attempt against him.

Disarming an opponent by using a ranged weapon is only possible if the character doing so possesses the Improved Disarm feat.

Grabbing Objects: A character can also use disarm to snatch away an object worn by a target. Doing this works in the same way as a disarm attempt (see above) with the following differences:

Modifiers: If the object is well secured or otherwise difficult to grab from the target, the target gets a +4 bonus. On the other hand, if the object is poorly secured or otherwise easy to snatch or cut away, the attacker gets a +4 bonus.Failed Attempts: Failing an attempt to grab an object does not allow the target to at tempt to disarm the character.

GrappleGrappling means wrestling and struggling hand-to-hand. With most people carrying guns and blades in OGL Steampunk, grappling can be a dangerous proposition but it can be a useful combat option in certain cases where normal methods of assault may not advisable or possible.

Grapple Checks: When a character is involved in a grapple, he will need to make opposed grapple checks against an opponent, often repeatedly. A grapple check is something like a melee attack roll. A character’s attack bonus on a grapple check is:

Base attack bonus + Strength modifier + grapple modifier

Grapple Modifier: A creature’s size works in its favour when grappling if that creature is Large or larger in size. Conversely, a creature of Small or smaller size is at a disadvantage because of its size when grappling. Instead of using a creature’s size modifier on a grapple check, as would be done for a melee or ranged attack roll, use the appropriate grapple modifier from the Grapple Modifiers table below.

Grapple Modifiers

Size (Example)Grapple Modifier

Leviathan (walking fortress) +20Colossal (blue whale 90 ft. long) +16Gargantuan (grey whale 40 ft. long) +12Huge (elephant) +8Large (lion) +4Medium (human) +0Small (German shepherd) –4Tiny (housecat) –8Diminutive (rat) –12Fine (horsefly) –16

Starting a Grapple: To start a grapple, a character first needs to grab and hold his target. Attempting to start a grapple is the equivalent of making a melee attack. If the character gets multiple attacks in a round, he can attempt to start a grapple multiple times, at successively lower base attack bonuses.

� Step One - Grab: The character makes a melee touch attack to grab the target. If the character fails to hit the target, he fails to start the grapple. If he succeeds, proceed to step 3.

� Step Two - Hold: Make an opposed grapple check as a free action. If the character succeeds, then he has started the grapple and deals damage to the target as if with an unarmed strike. If the character loses, he fails to start the grapple. The character automatically loses an attempt to hold if the target is two or more size categories larger than he is. However, he can still make an attempt to grab such a target, if that is all he wants to do.

Substance Hardness and Hit PointsSubstance Hardness Hit PointsPaper 0 2/inch of thicknessRope 0 2/inch of thicknessResin 0 3/inch of thicknessGlass 1 1/inch of thicknessCeramic 1 2/inch of thicknessIce 0 3/inch of thicknessHorn 2 5/inch of thicknessWood 5 10/inch of thicknessAluminium 6 10/inch of thicknessConcrete 8 15/inch of thicknessSteel 10 30/inch of thickness

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� Step Three - Maintain the Grapple: To maintain the grapple for later rounds, the character must move into the target’s space. This movement is free and does not count as part of the character’s movement for the round. The character and the target are now grappling. If the character cannot move into the target’s space, then he cannot maintain the grapple and must immediately let go of the target. To grapple again, the character must begin at step 1.

Grappling Consequences: While a character is grappling, his ability to attack others and defend himself is limited.

No Dexterity Bonus: A character loses his Dexterity bonus to DV (if he has one) against opponents he is not grappling. The character can still use it against opponents he is grappling.No Movement: A character cannot move while held in a grapple.

If the Character is Grappling: When a character is grappling (regardless of who started the grapple) he can attempt any of several actions on his turn. Unless otherwise noted, each of these options is equivalent to an attack. If the character normally gets more than one attack per attack action, he can attempt as many of these options as he has attacks available, using his successively

lower attack bonus for each roll. The character is limited to these options only; he cannot take any other actions.

� Damage the Opponent: The character makes an opposed grapple check; if he succeeds, he deals damage as from an un armed strike.

� Pin: The character makes an opposed grapple check; if he succeeds, he holds the opponent immobile for 1 round. The opponent takes a –4 penalty to DV against all attacks from other people but not from the character himself; however, the opponent is not considered helpless. A character cannot use a weapon on a pinned character, nor can he attempt to damage or pin a second opponent while holding a pin on the first. A pinned character cannot take any action except to attempt to escape from the pin.

� Escape from Grapple: The character makes an opposed grapple check. If the character succeeds, he can escape the grapple. If more than one opponent is grappling the character, the grapple check result has to beat all their check results to escape. Opponents do not have to try to hold a character if they do not want to. Alternatively, the character can make an Escape Artist check opposed by the opponent’s grapple check to escape from the grapple. This is an action that the character may only attempt once per round, even if the character gets multiple attacks. If the character has not used his move action for the round, then he may do so after escaping from the grapple.

� Escape from Pin: The character makes an opposed grapple check. If the character succeeds, he can escape from being pinned. Opponents do not have to try to keep the character pinned if they do

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not want to. The character is still being grappled, however. Alternatively, a character can make an Escape Artist check opposed by the opponent’s grapple check to escape from the pin. This is a standard action that the character may only attempt once per round, even if he gets multiple attacks.

� Break Another’s Pin: The character makes an opposed grapple check; if the character succeeds, he can break the hold that an opponent has over an ally.

� Draw a Light Weapon: A character can draw a light weap on as a move action.

� Attack with a Light Weapon: A character can attack with a light weapon while grappling but not while pinned or pinning. A character cannot attack with two weap ons while grappling.

If the Character is Pinned: When an opponent has pinned the character, he is held immobile (but not helpless) for 1 round and cannot attempt any other action. On the character’s turn, he can attempt to escape from the pin. If the character succeeds, he is still grappling.

Joining An Ongoing Grapple: If the target is already grappling someone else, a character can use an attack to start a grapple, as above, except that his grab attempt automatically succeeds. The character still has to make a successful opposed grapple check and move in to be part of the grapple. If multiple enemies are already involved in the grapple, the character picks one against whom to make the opposed grapple check.

Multiple Grapplers: Several combatants can be in a single grapple. Up to four combatants can grapple a single opponent in a given round. Creatures that are one size category smaller than the character count as one-half creature each. Creatures that are one size category larger than the character count as two creatures and creatures two or more size categories larger than the character count as four creatures. When involved in a grapple with multiple opponents, the character chooses one opponent against whom he makes his opposed check. The exception is an attempt to escape from the grapple; to escape, a character’s grapple check must beat the check results of all opponents.

Grenades and ExplosivesAn explosive is a weapon that, when detonated, affects all creatures and objects within its burst radius by means of shrapnel, heat or massive concussion. Its effect is broad enough that it can hurt characters just by going off close to them. Some explosives, such as grenades, can be thrown and they explode when they land. Others are planted, with fuses or timers, going off after a preset amount of time elapses.

Thrown ExplosivesAn attack with a thrown explosive is a ranged attack made against a specific 5-foot space, which can be occupied by a creature. Throwing the explosive is a standard action. If the target location is within one range increment, the character does not need to make an attack roll. If the target square is more than one range increment away, the character makes an attack roll. The target location has an effective DV of 10. Thrown weapons require no weapon proficiency, so a character does not take the –4 nonproficiency penalty. If the attack is successful, then the grenade or explosive strikes the targeted spot.

If the character misses the target, the explosive lands in a random direction. Consult the tables below to determine where the explosive lands. If the weapon was thrown two to three range increments (11 to 30 feet) then roll 1d4.

d4 Location Struck1 5 ft. beyond target2 5 ft. right of target3 5 ft. short of target4 5 ft. left of target

For ranges of up to five range increments (31 to 50 feet), roll 1d8.

d8 Location Struck1 10 ft. beyond target2 5 ft. beyond and right of target3 10 ft. squares right of target4 5 ft. short and right of target5 10 ft. short of target6 5 ft. short and left of target7 10 ft. left of target8 5 ft. beyond and left of target

After determining where the explosive landed, it deals its damage to all targets within the burst radius of the weapon. The targets may make Reflex saving throws for half damage. The DC varies according to the explosive type.

Planted ExplosivesA planted explosive is set in place through the use of the Knowledge (architecture and engineering) or Craft (mechanical) skills, with some kind of timer or fuse determining when it goes off. No attack roll is necessary to plant an explosive; the explosive sits where it is placed until it is moved or goes off. When a planted explosive detonates, it deals its damage to all targets within the burst radius of the weapon. The targets may make Reflex saving throws for half damage. The DC varies according to the explosive type.

Splash WeaponsA splash weapon is a ranged weapon that breaks apart on impact, splashing or scattering its contents over its target

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and nearby creatures or objects. Most splash weapons consist of liquids in breakable containers.

To attack with a splash weapon, make a ranged touch attack against the target. Thrown weapons require no weapon proficiency, so characters do not take the –4 nonproficient penalty. A hit deals direct hit damage to the target and splash damage to all other creatures within 5 feet of the target.

A character can instead target a specific 5-foot square, including a square occupied by a creature. Use the rules for thrown explosives. However, if a character targets a location, creatures within 5 feet are all dealt the splash damage and the direct hit damage is not dealt to any creature. If the character misses the target, whether he is aiming at a creature or a square, then check to see where the weapon lands, using the rules for thrown explosives. After determining where the object landed, splash damage is dealt to all creatures within 5 feet.

Attack an ObjectSometimes a character needs to attack or break an object. These rules are also used to determine what happens to large pieces of machinery that are struck by attacks specifically intended to damage them.

Strike an ObjectObjects are easier to hit than characters because they usually do not move, but many are tough enough to shrug off some damage from each blow.

Object Defence and Bonuses to Attack: Objects are harder or easier to hit depending on their size and whether they are immobile or being held, carried, or worn by opponents. The base DV of objects is shown on the Size and Defence of Objects table.

Size and Defence of ObjectsSize (Example) DVLeviathan (fortress) –11Colossal (airship) –3Gargantuan (traction engine) 1Huge (carriage) 3Large (big door) 4Medium (bicycle) 5Small (chair) 6Tiny (gramophone) 7Diminutive (paperback book) 9Fine (pencil) 13

If a character uses a full-round action to make an attack against an inanimate, immobile object, the character gets an automatic hit with a melee weapon, or a +5 bonus on his or her attack roll with a ranged weapon.

An object being held, carried, or worn has a DV equal to the above figure + 5 + the opponent’s Dexterity modifier + the opponent’s class bonus to DV.

Hardness: Each object has hardness. This is a number that represents how well it resists damage. Whenever an object takes damage, subtract its hardness from the damage. Only damage in excess of its hardness is deducted from the object’s hit points. See the Substance Hardness and Hit Points table and the Object Hardness and Hit Points table for reference.Hit Points: An object’s hit point total depends on what it is made of or how big it is. See the Substance Hardness and Hit Points table and the Object Hardness and Hit Points table for reference.Structure points: Some objects are particularly tough and have structure points rather than hit points to measure their physical integrity. A weapon or attack dealing damage in hit points must deal 10 hit points of damage in order to deal 1 structure point of damage, after subtracting the object’s hardness. Weapons that deal structure damage deal their damage directly and ignore the object’s hardness.

Energy Attacks: Acid and sonic attacks deal normal damage to most objects. Electricity and fire attacks deal half damage to most objects; divide the damage by 2 before applying the hardness. Cold attacks deal one-quarter damage to most objects; divide the damage by 4 before applying the hardness.Ineffective Weapons: The Games Master may determine that certain weapons just cannot deal damage effectively to certain objects.Immunities: Objects are immune to non-lethal damage and to critical hits.Saving Throws: Unattended objects never make saving throws. They are considered to have failed their saving throws. An object attended by a character (being grasped, touched, or worn) receives a saving throw just as if the character herself were making the saving throw.

Breaking ObjectsWhen a character tries to break something with sudden force rather than by dealing damage, use a Strength check to see whether he succeeds. The DC depends more on the construction of the object than on the material. If an object has lost half or more of its hit points, the DC to break it decreases by 2.

Repairing ObjectsRepairing damage to an object takes a full hour of work and appropriate tools. Without the tools, a character takes a –4 penalty on his Repair check. At the end of the hour, make a Repair check at DC 20. Success restores 2d6 hit points. If damage remains, the character may continue to make repairs for as many hours as it takes to restore all the object’s hit points. There are certain situations where repairing a specific item works in other ways; these exceptions are part of the item’s description when applicable.

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Object Hardness and Hit PointsObject Hardness Hit Points Break DCLock

Cheap 0 1 10Average 3 5 15High quality 5 10 20High security 10 120 35Ultra-high security 20 150 40

Manufactured objects*Fine 0 1 10Diminutive 0 1 10Tiny 1 2 10Small 3 3 12Medium 5 5 15Large 5 10 15Huge 8 10 20Gargantuan 8 20 30Colossal 10 30 50

Firearm, Medium 5 7 17Rope 0 2 23Simple wooden door 5 10 13Strong wooden door 5 20 23Steel door 10 120 35Cinderblock wall 8 90 35Chain 10 5 26Handcuffs 10 10 30Metal bars 10 15 30

* Figures for manufactured objects are minimum values. The Games Master may adjust these upward to account for objects with more strength and durability. Amazing machines have their own values as described in the next chapter.

Unusual Combat SituationsThere are all sorts of actions that can be taken in combat that are completely covered by the rules just presented. Inevitably, however, a Player is going to come up with something that is not so covered. Conflicts in this setting tend to be won or lost through the ideas and actions of those involved, not the person with the biggest gun. The problem with clever combat ideas is that they are usually unique, which makes it very difficult to pattern them to the common battle options given in this chapter.

This is not as much of a difficulty as one might think. Games Masters are the ultimate controllers of their stories and their decisions are law. If an idea for an action does not match anything here, the Games Master’s instincts usually suffice for the moment and an idea that gets used multiple times becomes a precedent. These form the basis for ‘house rules,’ something every campaign develops over time. As long as everyone involved in the game is having fun playing and the rules apply equally to everyone, there is no such thing as a ‘bad call.’ The Games Master has both the privilege and the responsibility of being the ultimate arbiter during play but he must act with impartiality or the spirit of fairness is lost.

Injury and RecoveryCombat and many other situations will damage a character and put him out of action for some time, or prevent him from functioning in top health.

Injury and DeathHit points measure how hard a character is to kill. Hit points mean two things in the game world: the ability to take physical punishment and keep going, and the ability to turn a serious blow into a less serious one.

At 0 hit points, a character is disabled.At from –1 to –9 hit points, a character is dying.At –10 or lower, a character is dead.

Massive DamageAny time a character takes damage from a single hit that exceeds his massive damage threshold, that damage is considered massive damage. A character’s massive damage threshold is equal to the character’s current Constitution score. You can increase this by taking the Improved Damage Threshold feat.

When a character takes massive damage that does not reduce his or her hit points to 0 or lower, the character

must make a Fortitude saving throw at DC 15. If the character fails the saving throw, then his hit point total is immediately reduced to –1. If the saving throw succeeds, the character suffers no ill effect beyond the loss of hit points.

Creatures immune to critical hits are also immune to the effects of massive damage.

Disabled (0 Hit Points)When a character’s current hit points drop to exactly 0, he is disabled. He is not unconscious but he is close to being so. The character can only take a single move or attack action each turn but not both, nor can he take full-round actions. The character can take non-strenuous move actions without further injuring himself; however, if he attacks or performs any other action that the Games Master deems to be strenuous, then he takes 1 point of damage after completing the act. Unless the activity increased the character’s hit points, the character is now at –1 hit points and is dying.

Healing that raises the character above 0 hit points makes him fully functional again, just as if he had never been reduced to 0 or lower.

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A character can also become disabled when recovering from dying. In this case, it is a step up along the road to recovery and the character can have fewer than 0 hit points. See the Stable Characters and Recovery section below.

Dying (–1 to –9 Hit Points)When a character’s current hit points drop below 0, the character is dying. A dying character has a current hit point total between –1 and –9 inclusive. A dying character immediately falls unconscious and can take no actions; he loses 1 hit point every round. This continues until the character dies or becomes stable naturally or with help; see below.

Dead (–10 hit points or lower)When a character’s current hit points drop to –10 or lower, he is dead. A character can also die if his Constitution is reduced to 0.

Stable Characters and RecoveryA dying character (one with –1 to –9 hit points) is un conscious and loses 1 hit point every round until he becomes stable or dies.

Recovering without Help: Each round, a dying character makes a Fortitude saving throw at DC 20. If the saving throw fails, the character loses 1 hit point and must make another saving throw on his turn the next round. If the saving throw succeeds, the character becomes stable. A stable character stops losing hit points every round but remains unconscious.

If no one tends to the stable character (see below) he remains unconscious for 1 hour, at which point he makes a Fortitude saving throw at DC 20. If the saving throw succeeds, the stable character regains consciousness, becoming disabled, for which see above. The character’s current hit point total remains where it is, however, even though it is negative. If the saving throw fails, the character remains unconscious.

An unaided stable, conscious character who has negative hit points (and is disabled) does not heal naturally. Instead, each day the character makes a Fortitude saving throw at DC 20 to start recovering hit points naturally that day; if the saving throw fails, he loses 1 hit point.

Once an unaided character starts recovering hit points naturally, the character is no longer in danger of losing additional hit points, even if his current hit point total is still negative.

Recovering with Help: A dying character can be made stable by the use of the Treat Injury skill, with a DC of 15. One hour after a tended, dying character becomes stable, he makes a Fortitude saving throw at DC 20 to regain consciousness. If successful, the character becomes disabled, for which see above. If the character remains

unconscious, he makes the same Fortitude saving throw every hour until he becomes conscious. Even while unconscious, the character recovers hit points naturally, and he can return to normal activity when his hit points rise to 1 or higher.

HealingAfter taking damage, a character can recover hit points through natural healing over the course of days or through medical technology, which is somewhat faster. In some campaign settings, magical healing is also available. In any case, a character cannot regain hit points past his full normal total.

Natural HealingA character recovers 1 hit point per character level per evening of rest, which is defined as 8 hours of sleep. Construct characters do not heal naturally, but they can be repaired.

Healing Ability DamageAbility damage returns at the rate of 1 point per evening of rest, which is defined as 8 hours of sleep. Complete bed rest (24 hours) restores 2 points per day. This healing happens at the same time as healing hit points.

Temporary Hit PointsCertain effects can give temporary hit points to a character. When a character gains temporary hit points, make a note of his current hit points before adding the temporary hit points. When the temporary hit points go away, the character’s hit points drop to that score. If the character’s hit points are already below that score at that time, all the temporary hit points have already been lost and the character’s hit point total does not drop. When temporary hit points are lost, they cannot be restored as real hit points can be, even with medical treatment or magic.

Increases in Constitution Score and Current Hit PointsAn increase in a character’s Constitution score, even a temporary one, can give the character more hit points (an effective hit point increase) but these are not temporary hit points. They can be restored through normal healing. When a character’s Constitution drops back down to its previous score after a temporary increase, the character’s full normal hit points go down accordingly.

Vehicle RulesFor simply travelling from point to point, the vehicle used is largely a matter of personal style and finances. Skill checks are only required in extraordinary circumstances. These rules are primarily focused on ground vehicles, namely cars, trucks, and light military vehicles. The rules can be modified for boats, heavier armoured vehicles, and aircraft. In a Steampunk setting, characters will most likely use these rules during car chases, one of the most exciting action scenes that can occur during game play.

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Speed ModifierSpeed Modifier5-50 +051-100 -2101-150 -4151-200 -6201-250 -8

Characters in VehiclesA character in a vehicle fills one of several possible roles, which determines what the character can do.

� Driver: The driver of the vehicle controls its movement. Most vehicles have only one position from where the vehicle can be driven, so the person seated there is the driver. Driving a vehicle is, at a minimum, a move action, which means that the driver may be able to do something else with his standard action. There can be only one driver in a vehicle at one time.

� Copilot: A copilot can help the driver by taking an aid another action. The copilot must be seated in a location where he can see the road and advise the driver. In a car, this generally means the front passenger seat. Aiding the driver is a move action, leaving the copilot with a standard action each round to do something else. A vehicle can have only one copilot at a time.

� Gunner: Some vehicles have built-in weapons. If such a weapon is controlled from a location other than the driver’s position, a character can man that position and become the gunner. A vehicle can have as many gunners as it has gunner positions.

� Specialist: Specialists operate special machinery or instruments in the vehicle, such as navigation, observation and communication posts. Operating such machinery is usually a standard action. A vehicle can have as many specialists as it has special function posts.

� Passenger: All other personnel aboard the vehicle are considered passengers. Passengers have no specific role in the vehicle’s operation, but may be able to fire weapons from the vehicle or take other actions.

Vehicle Movement

Unlike characters, vehicles do not spend actions to move. Each round, a vehicle moves its current speed. The character only gets involved when he wants the vehicle to speed up, slow down or perform a specific manoeuvre.

Vehicle SpeedEvery vehicle in this game has a speed score. This is simply the maximum number of feet the vehicle is capable of moving every round. A vehicle’s current speed can be anything between 0 and its speed score.

Speed ModifierThe speed at which a vehicle is travelling imposes a modifier on all Drive and Pilot checks to operate the vehicle. This modifier is listed in the Speed Modifier table. You can extend the table to determine the modifier for speeds higher than 250.

Changing SpeedA character in control of a vehicle can change its speed once each round as a free action by an amount up to the acceleration or deceleration scores listed in the vehicle’s description. This number is the value for moderate acceleration or deceleration, which is how much an operator can speed up or slow down at moderate risk of losing control of the vehicle. Low acceleration or deceleration is half the listed number, high acceleration or deceleration is twice the listed number and extreme acceleration or deceleration is four times the listed number.

Accelerating and decelerating require a Drive or Pilot check. The DC depends on the amount by which the operator is attempting to increase or decrease the vehicle’s speed. The check is also modified by the vehicle’s current speed before applying the effects of acceleration or deceleration and by the vehicle’s handling score.

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Vehicle ManoeuvresManoeuvre DCAvoid Hazard Fine 0 Diminutive 3 Tiny 6 Small 10 Medium 15 Large 20 Huge 25 Gargantuan 30 Colossal 35 Leviathan 40Climb/Dive 0Immelmann Turn 20Jink 20Jump 15 to 25+Landing 10Loop 20Ram Target’s DVRegain Control 10*Take Off 5Turns Soft 0 Sharp 15 Extreme 20 Handbrake 25Zoom Climb/Power Dive 15

* In addition to the vehicle’s handling score and speed, this check is also modified by the severity of the mishap, as detailed on pg. 190.

Changing SpeedAcceleration/Deceleration DCLow 0*Moderate 5High 10Extreme 15

* Low acceleration/deceleration succeeds automatically.

ManoeuvresIn addition to changing speeds as detailed above, characters operating vehicles can also attempt a wide range of manoeuvres. All manoeuvres are considered to be move actions. In a single round, a character operating a vehicle may perform either one manoeuvre along with a standard action (such as an attack) or two manoeuvres. Manoeuvres can be attempted at any point during a vehicle’s movement.

Manoeuvres require a Drive or Pilot check, as appropriate for the type of vehicle and both the vehicle’s handling and speed modifiers are applied. The various manoeuvres possible in vehicles and the DC required to attempt them are detailed below.

Avoid Hazard: Wrenching at his controls, the character operating the vehicle manoeuvres wildly to avoid an obstacle in his path. The DC of the Drive or Pilot check is based on the size of the hazard, as shown on the table above.

Climb/Dive: In the main, it is not necessary to track the altitude of aircraft in the game. So long as you know the distance between two fighting aircraft, combat can proceed without further complication. However, altitude can sometimes be an issue when an aircraft is involved in combat with a surface vehicle. In this case, the character operating the aircraft simply declares what altitude he is at, in terms of metres, at the beginning of the combat. By climbing or diving, a vehicle moves forward at half of its speed and either gains or loses altitude, as appropriate, by the same amount. Only aircraft can perform this manoeuvre.

Immelmann Turn: By climbing or diving vertically, then rolling before pulling level again, a vehicle can effectively change its direction to any facing. Only vehicles with aerial movement can perform this manoeuvre, and then only those with a manoeuvrability mode of good or better.

Jink: As a full-round action, an aircraft pilot may ‘jink’ his vehicle, taking extremes of evasive action in an attempt to throw off any attack. He gains a +4 dodge bonus to DV until his next action.

Jump: A vehicle can attempt to jump over an obstacle, such as another vehicle or a ravine. The Games Master sets the DC for the Drive check as he feels appropriate

to the distance and obstacle being crossed, but it should be noted that the speed modifier of the vehicle is used as a bonus when jumping, not a penalty. If successful, the vehicle makes the jump, but a second Drive check is immediately required in order for the character to control the vehicle when it lands. The speed modifier applies as normal to this second check. Only surface vehicles may attempt jumps.

Landing: This manoeuvre is used to land an aircraft on a flat surface, such as a runway, landing strip or carrier ship.

Loop: The vehicle executes a full loop over the course of the round. Though its speed need not change, the vehicle will effectively not move on a map. Only vehicles with aerial movement can perform this manoeuvre, and then only those with a manoeuvrability mode of good or better.

Ram: Though this is a highly dangerous manoeuvre, a character may intentionally attempt to ram another vehicle. The Pilot or Drive check must equal or exceed the target’s Defence Value. Ramming is covered in greater detail on pg. 192.

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Regain Control: A character must succeed at this manoeuvre in order to negate the effects of a mishap. The penalty for the mishap is always applied to the check, as well as the vehicle’s handling score and speed modifier.

Takeoff: This is the manoeuvre used by aircraft in order to launch themselves from the ground or a suitable other surface such as the roof of a particularly large building.

Turn, Soft: By making a turn, the character can change the facing of his vehicle by up to 45o.

Turn, Sharp: A successful sharp turn will allow a vehicle to turn up to 90o in the distance indicated by its turn rate, instead of just 45o in the distance indicated by its turn rate.

Turn, Extreme: Wrenching hard at the controls, a character may turn his vehicle violently. A successful extreme turn will allow a vehicle to turn up to 135o in the distance indicated by its turn rate, instead of just 45o.

Turn, Handbrake: A successful handbrake turn will spin a vehicle around up 180o to face the opposite direction of travel, while coming to a complete stop, that is, a speed of 0. Aerial vehicles cannot perform this manoeuvre unless their manoeuvrability mode is good. Aerial vehicles with a perfect manoeuvrability grant a +5 to the Pilot check to perform this manoeuvre.

Zoom Climb/Power Dive: Upon successful completion of this manoeuvre, the vehicle will climb or dive at an angle of between 45 o and 90 o. The character operating the vehicle may choose how much of the vehicle’s speed will be expended to gain or lose altitude but this must be more than half of its current speed. Surface vehicles cannot zoom climb or power dive.

MishapsWhenever a character fails a Drive or Pilot check while operating a vehicle, he will start to lose control. The vehicle may skid, spin or collide into an obstacle, which may prove deadly to the character and all his passengers. It will also be much more difficult to manoeuvre a vehicle while it is out of control and the character operating it must attempt to regain control, as detailed above. When a Drive or Pilot check is failed, note the amount by which it was failed and consult the table below to determine what happens to the vehicle.

Vehicle Mishaps

Check Failed By EffectDrive or Pilot check penalty

5 or less Slip -26-10 Slide -411-15 Skid -616-20 Spin -821 or more Collision Special

Slip: The vehicle starts to slip sideways, lose traction or begins to swerve slightly. The vehicle completes the manoeuvre being attempted but any further Drive or Pilot checks are made with a –2 circumstance penalty until control is regained.

Slide: The vehicle slides violently and teeters on the edge of being completely out of control. The vehicle only moves half of its current speed (though its actual speed does not change) and the manoeuvre is only partly completed. For example, any extreme or sharp turn will only result in a normal turn or a hazard will be clipped or sideswiped. If a jump was being attempted, the vehicle will not quite make the distance. Any further Drive or Pilot checks are made with a –4 circumstance penalty until control is regained.

Skid: The vehicle’s speed drops by 10 and it skids its length to the left or right, determined randomly or at the Games Master’s discretion. If this brings it into the same space as another vehicle or object, it collides (see below) and if any manoeuvre was being attempted, it fails completely. The vehicle’s speed continues to drop by ten and move one length to the side each round until control is regained, the vehicle stops or it crashes into something. If a vehicle with a manoeuvrability mode of average or worse reaches 0 speed, it stalls and begins to drop by 100 feet each turn until control is regained. Any further Drive or Pilot checks are made with a –6 circumstance penalty until control is regained, and stalling aircraft have this penalty increase by -2 each turn that it drops.

Spin: The vehicle goes into an almost uncontrollable spin. Its speed drops by 10 and it moves in a random direction; this continues every round until control is regained, the vehicle stops or it crashes into something. The same conditions for stalling aircraft apply as per the skid mishap. Any further Drive or Pilot checks are made with a –8 circumstance penalty until control is regained.

Collision: Control of the vehicle is completely lost and it crashes into a nearby vehicle or object; see below. If multiple vehicles and objects are nearby, the Games Master should choose the nearest one or determine one randomly. If there are no nearby vehicles or objects, the vehicle goes into a spin.

CollisionsIf a vehicle crashes into something, it immediately sustains damage based on its current speed and the size of the object or vehicle with which it collides. Damage Reduction or hardness applies as normal in collisions.

Collision Damage: This is the damage the vehicle sustains, in hit points. Apply the usual procedure for converting hit point damage to structure point damage if either or both the vehicles have structure points. For vehicles with very high speeds, the Games Master should consider reducing the number of dice rolled to one-tenth

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‘You done back there yet?’ Jerrek’s voice conveyed only part of the panic he was feeling. The orcs had all pulled back and although they were not firing at his team any more, this did not make him feel much better. The only reason the orcs would have pulled back and ceased fire was if they were planning something worse. He had seen this in a dozen other battlefields and he knew what it meant. Something was coming… something the orcs did not want to be in front of when it got here.

The dwarf yelled back over the din of his tools and the sound of shearing metal, ‘Almost! I just need another minute!’ His voice was also panicked, more so than Jerrek had ever heard a dwarf sound. Glancing back, he saw why. Thurdin was scratch-building a mine out of the weapons in the orcish handcarts. One slip and none of them would have to worry about the orcs any more.

‘We’ll buy you as much time as we can!’ Jerrek turned back and kept his rifle trained on the tunnel ahead. There was still smoke from his burn bomb lingering in the air but it was beginning to billow. A few moments later, they all saw why. A huge metal mass, roughly the size and shape of a horseless carriage, came rushing down the passage towards them. The manlets shattered underneath its spike-covered tracks, splintering into kindling in a cloud of destruction around its inexorable advance.

‘Change of plan!’ shouted Jerrek as he abandoned the metal shield with Gearbolt in tow. ‘Run!’

the standard amount but applying the damage in structure points. This is recommended for any crash that would otherwise require rolling more than around 20 dice or so.

If a vehicle crashes into a moving object, such as another vehicle, the Games Master must determine the total speed of the impact. If two vehicles are moving directly towards each other, add their speeds together for the purposes of determining collision damage. If they are moving in the same direction, use the difference of their speeds and if they are moving at angles to one another, use the highest speed.

The damage a vehicle sustains from a collision is also modified by the size category of the obstacle it crashes into, as shown on the table below.

The object struck by the vehicle will also take damage. The base damage is the same as for the vehicle, multiplied by the size category of the vehicle crashing into it.

A character controlling a vehicle may make a Drive or Pilot check as appropriate, in order to minimise the damage. This is a free action and the DC of the check is equal to half the speed of the collision. The modifiers for the vehicle’s speed and handling are applied as normal. If successful, the vehicle takes half damage from the crash. A character who is not in a vehicle (a pedestrian) but

is involved in a collision with one can attempt a Reflex saving throw at the same DC for half damage.

Any passengers and crew within a vehicle involved in a collision will sustain damage equal to half the speed of the collision after accounting for hardness, Damage Reduction and the operator’s Drive or Pilot check to minimise the damage. They can also make a Fortitude saving throw at DC 20 to further halve this damage.

Vehicle CombatVehicles engage in combat in a very similar way to characters and creatures, with a few modifications and adaptations, with attack rolls made by the vehicles’ pilots or gunners against their targets’ Defence Values, accounting for distance penalties.

Crew QualityWhether the Games Master is running Non-Player Character vehicles or just needs to fill out the ranks of the Player Characters’ crew, it is often helpful to have a general indicator of a crew’s skill with vehicle operations. The following table lists several levels of crew training and experience. The modifier should be used for attack rolls,

Collision DamageSpeed* Modifier5-50 1d1051-100 2d10101-150 3d10151-200 4d10201-250 5d10

* Extend the table to determine the damage for speeds higher than 250.

Collision Damage MultiplierSize of Obstacle Damage MultiplierFine 1/16Diminutive 1/8Tiny 1/4Small 1/2 Medium x1Large x2Huge x3Gargantuan x4Colossal x5Leviathan x6

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skill checks and ability checks related to the operation of the vehicle.

Crew QualityCrew Quality ModifierUntrained -4Green +0Veteran +2Expert +4Elite +8

InitiativeThere are a couple of initiative options to choose from during vehicle combat. When running an encounter between a Player Character vehicle and a Non-Player Character Vehicle, the Games Master can opt for the normal rules for character initiative. Characters will often have to delay their actions to wait for the pilot to manoeuvre the vehicle into position but combat should otherwise proceed as normal.

For encounters involving more than one vehicle or vehicles with large crews, the Games Master can ask for one initiative roll for each vehicle, in which case the initiative roll is the normal d20 plus the vehicle’s size modifier and its handling score.

Combat ActionsMovement and action in vehicle combat work just as they do in the normal combat rules. Each round, a character can move and take a standard action and a move action, two move actions or one full-round action. Operating the vehicle is a move action, so the pilot can do other things with his standard action, such as attacking or giving additional directions to the vehicle.

Attack: A character in a vehicle can make a ranged attack against another vehicle, character or creature. In addition to all the usual modifiers to the attack roll, the character applies the speed modifiers of both the vehicle he is travelling in and the vehicle he is targeting. This applies to characters using their personal weapons as well as to gunners using the vehicle’s mounted weaponry. If both vehicles are travelling in the same direction, consider the target vehicle’s speed to be half of what it is to determine its speed modifier to the attacker’s roll. A gunner with more than one attack due to a high base attack bonus may perform as many attacks as he is allowed as a full attack, provided that the weapon he is manning does allow for multiple shots in the same round.

Evasive Action: This is a standard action equivalent to total defence. The pilot manoeuvres in a way to avoid incoming attack, making a Drive or Pilot check (DC 10) applying the vehicle’s speed modifier and handling. For every 5 points by which he exceeds the DC, the vehicle and its passengers gain a +1 dodge bonus to DV until the start of the pilot’s next turn.

Ramming: As a standard action, a pilot can intentionally collide his vehicle with another that is adjacent to it. This requires a Drive or Pilot check applying the speed modifiers for both vehicles and the handling rating of the ramming vehicle. If the result equals or exceeds the target vehicle’s DV, the attack is successful. Collision damage is resolved for both vehicles as detailed above. The pilot of the target vehicle can make a Drive or Pilot check for half damage but the pilot of the ramming vehicle cannot, as he is specifically not trying to avoid the collision.

Targeting Run: As a standard action, a character operating a vehicle may manoeuvre into the optimum position from which to attack another vehicle. The operators of both vehicles make opposed Drive or Pilot checks, applying the handling score and speed modifiers of their own vehicles. If the attacking character wins the opposed check, all attacks and acquiring target actions from his vehicle to the target gain a +2 circumstance bonus until the start of his next action.

Vehicle Fire ArcsMany weapons carried by vehicles are extremely limited in the direction they can fire, usually due to the dynamics of the vehicle or its great mass. Permissible fire arcs are:

Front: Front mounted weapons may fire at any target within a 90o arc to the front of the vehicle.Left: Left mounted weapons may fire at any target within a 90o arc to the left of the vehicle.Right: Right mounted weapons may fire at any target within a 90o arc to the right of the vehicle.Rear: Rear mounted weapons may fire at any target within a 90o arc to the rear of the vehicle.Boresight: Normally reserved for driver-operated or aircraft-mounted weaponry, such weapons can only fire in a straight line directly ahead of the vehicle.Turret: Turret mounted weaponry can fire freely into any fire arc.

DamageVehicles and large structures do not have hit points or Hit Dice. Instead, they have structure points and Structure Dice as specified in their descriptions.

To reduce a single structural point from a target, an attack must deal 10 full hit points of damage after subtracting the target’s hardness or Damage Reduction, which is possible for fantastical creatures such as dragons or high-scope magic effects. Vehicle and artillery weapons are capable of dealing structure damage, which is subtracted directly from the structure point total, ignoring hardness.

Most siege weapons deal structure damage as well as hit point damage and ignore the target’s hardness. A siege weapon hitting a target with hit points rather than structure points deals the hit point damage amount, which is considerably less than if multiplying a structure point of damage by 10. This stems from the large projectiles used

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Critical Hit Effects

Severity

LocationFrame (hardness lost)

Engine (Spd/Acc lost)

Control (penalty)

Weapons (penalty)

Cargo (destroyed)

Crew (hp damage)

Light 1d6 1d4 x5 ft. -2 -2 20% 2d6Moderate 2d6 2d4 x5 ft. -4 -4 40% 4d6Heavy 3d6 3d4 x5 ft. -6 -6 60% 6d6Severe 4d6 4d4/1d2 x5 ft. -8 -8 80% 8d6Catastrophic 5d6 5d4/1d4 x5 ft. -10 Weapon

destroyed100% 10d6

by siege weapons distributing their full force along a large surface, which is the essence of structural damage; they are simply too large to cause penetrating injuries to creatures, which is the essence of hit point damage. In a structure weapon description, hit point damage comes before structural damage.

When a vehicle is reduced to 0 structure points or less, it is rendered completely inoperable; it cannot move, turn, manoeuvre, attack or do anything else. A ground vehicle will coast to a stop, reducing its speed by 10 feet every round until it stops or hits something. An aircraft will plummet to the ground and crash. A vehicle that has been reduced to 0 structure points or less is considered helpless and can be completely destroyed with a coup de grace attack.

Critical DamageUnlike other objects with the construct type, vehicles are subject to critical hits. When an attack inflicts a critical hit on a vehicle, however, no bonus damage is applied. Instead, the critical hit may cause a specific effect that hinders or degrades the vehicle’s performance or capabilities. If a vehicle suffers a critical hit, roll 1d6 on the following table.

Critical Hit Locationd6 Location1 Frame2 Engine3 Control4 Weapons5 Cargo6 Crew

The critical effect depends on the location hit and the severity of the damage. The severity of critical damage is measured in increments of its hardness, before the hardness rating is subtracted from the base hit point damage. Structure damage is multiplied by 10 to determine the severity of critical damage:

� Light damage: Damage exceeds the hardness, but is less than twice the vehicle’s hardness.

� Moderate damage: Damage is at least twice but less than three times the vehicle’s hardness.

� Heavy damage: Damage is at least three times but less than four times the vehicle’s hardness.

� Severe damage: Damage is at least four times but less than five times the vehicle’s hardness.

� Catastrophic damage: Damage is at least five times the vehicle’s hardness.

Frame: The vehicle’s frame, chassis or superstructure is damaged. The vehicle’s hardness is reduced by a random number based on the severity of the damage.

Engine: The vehicle’s engine or propulsion system is damaged. Reduce the vehicle’s top speed by a random number based on the severity of the damage. Severe and catastrophic damage will also reduce the vehicle’s acceleration rating; this number is listed after a slash. Aircraft and watercraft (including submersibles) have both their acceleration and deceleration reduced.

Control: The vehicle’s control systems are damaged. All manoeuvres suffer a circumstance penalty based on the severity of the damage.

Weapons: One of the weapons is damaged. Attacks with that weapon suffer a circumstance penalty based on the severity of the damage.

Cargo: Any cargo the vehicle is carrying is damaged. The percentage of the vehicle’s cargo (measured in pounds or specific items at the Games Master’s discretion) destroyed by the attack is based on the severity of the damage.

Crew: The attack bypasses the vehicle’s armour and strikes directly at its crew. Everyone on board the vehicle takes damage due to depressurisation, flying shrapnel, shock and collapsing structures, depending on the severity of the damage. Characters can make a Fortitude saving throw at DC 20 to halve this damage.

Repairing Critical Damage: A character with the Repair skill can attempt to repair critical damage to a vehicle. The DC for the Repair check is based on the severity of damage. Repairs to large vehicles require the coordinated efforts of at least 10% of the vehicle’s listed crew. The DC assumes that the technician has the necessary parts, although he can purchase them separately with a Wealth check with the listed DC for each level of severity. A

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successful repair reduces the severity of the critical damage by one step, such as from ‘heavy’ to ‘moderate.’ Each critical hit effect must be repaired separately. Critical hits to cargo cannot usually be repaired, as these represent the destruction of items that are not part of the vehicle.

Severity Repair DC Parts Purchase DCLight 10 4Moderate 15 6Heavy 20 8Severe 25 12Catastrophic 30 20

Attacking the CrewAn attacker has the option of aiming directly at a vehicle’s passengers or crew, either with a personal or a vehicle weapon. Unless the vehicle’s description states the contrary, a vehicle provides different degrees of cover to its occupants, usually from one-half to total cover. The Games Master determines the amount of cover that the vehicle’s own structure provides for its occupants, although some amazing machines have particular features or deficiencies that give specific values.

TrapsA trap or collection of traps is a particular kind of encounter that is a cross between a combat situation and an action sequence. They are opponents of sorts but are also situations.

Traps include pits, arrow traps, falling blocks, water-filled rooms, steam-driven compressors, whirling blades, and anything else that depends on a mechanism to operate. Players can construct mechanical traps through successful use of the Craft (mechanical) skill. See Designing a Trap on page 197 and the skill description.

Ruins and hideouts are frequently equipped with deadly mechanical traps. A trap typically is defined by its location and triggering conditions, how hard it is to spot before it goes off, how much damage it deals and whether or not the affected characters receive a saving throw to mitigate its effects. Traps that attack with arrows, sweeping blades and other types of weaponry make normal attack rolls, with a specific attack bonus dictated by the trap’s design.

Creatures who succeed on a DC 20 Search check detect a simple mechanical trap before it is triggered. A simple trap is a snare, a trap triggered by a tripwire, or a large trap such as a pit. A character with the trap sense class feature who succeeds on a DC 21 (or higher) Search check detects a well-hidden or complex mechanical trap before it is triggered. Complex traps are denoted by their triggering mechanisms and involve pressure plates, mechanisms linked to doors, changes in weight, disturbances in the air, vibrations and other sorts of unusual triggers.

Elements Of A TrapAll traps, mechanical or magical, have the following elements: trigger, reset, Search DC, Disable Device DC, attack bonus (or saving throw or onset delay), damage/effect, and Challenge Rating. Some traps may also include optional elements, such as poison or a bypass. These characteristics are described below.

TriggerA trap’s trigger determines how it is sprung.

� Location: A location trigger springs a trap when someone stands in a particular spot.

� Proximity: This trigger activates the trap when a creature approaches within a certain distance of it. A proximity trigger differs from a location trigger in that the creature need not be standing in a particular place. Creatures that are flying can spring a trap with a proximity trigger but not one with a location trigger. Mechanical proximity triggers are extremely sensitive to the slightest change in the air. This makes them useful only in places such as crypts, where the air is unusually still.

� Sound: This trigger springs a magic trap when it detects any sound. A sound trigger functions like an ear and has a +15 bonus on Listen checks. A successful Move Silently check and other effects that would negate hearing defeat it.

� Visual: This trigger for magic traps works like an actual eye, springing the trap whenever it ‘sees’ something. Sight range and the Spot bonus conferred on the trap are line of sight and +10 respectively. The trap cannot ‘see’ in the dark unless it is made as an amazing device.

� Touch: A touch trigger, which springs the trap when touched, is one of the simplest kinds of trigger to construct. This trigger may be physically attached to the part of the mechanism that deals the damage or it may not.

� Timed: This trigger periodically springs the trap after a set duration has passed.

ResetA reset element is the set of conditions under which a trap becomes ready to trigger again.

� No Reset: Short of completely rebuilding the trap, there is no way to trigger it more than once.

� Repair: To restore the trap to functionality once again, you must repair it.

� Manual: Resetting the trap requires someone to move the parts back into place. This is the kind of reset element most mechanical traps have.

� Automatic: The trap resets itself, either immediately or after a timed interval.

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CR Modifiers for TrapsFeature CR ModifierSearch DC

15 or lower –125–29 +130 or higher +2

Disable Device DC15 or lower –125–29 +130 or higher +2

Reflex Saving Throw DC (Pit or Other Save-Dependent Trap)15 or lower –116–24 —25–29 +130 or higher +2

Attack Bonus (Melee or Ranged Attack Trap)+0 or lower –2+1 to +5 –1+6 to +14 —+15 to +19 +1+20 to +24 +2

Damage/EffectAverage damage +1/7 points*

Miscellaneous FeaturesLiquid +5

Multiple target +1 (or 0 if never miss)Poison

Atropine +2Belladonna (plant) +4Black lotus extract +5Bloodroot +1

Blue-ringed octopus venom +3Blue vitriol +1Chloroform +4Curare (plant) +4Cyanide +3Deathblade +5Greenblood oil +2Insanity mist +3Knockout gas +4Lead arsenate (gas) +1Malyss root paste +3Mustard gas +4Puffer poison (fish) +2

Rattlesnake venom +1Sassone leaf residue +3Shadow essence +4Strychnine +5Vermin venom +1Wyvern poison +4

Onset delay 1 round +3Onset delay 2 rounds +2Onset delay 3 rounds +1Onset delay 4+ rounds –1

Pit spikes +1Touch attack +1

* Rounded to the nearest multiple of 7 (round up for an average that lies exactly between two numbers).

Repairing and Resetting Traps: Repairing a mechanical trap requires a Repair check against a DC equal to the one requited to build it. The cost for raw materials is half of the trap’s original Purchase DC. To calculate how long it takes to fix a trap, use the same calculations you would for building it but divide the end result by two. Resetting a trap usually takes only a minute or so. For a trap with a more difficult reset method, the Games Master should set the time and labour required.

Bypass (Optional Element)If the builder of a trap wants to be able to move past the trap after it is created or placed, it is a good idea to build in a bypass mechanism, which is something that temporarily disarms the trap.

� Lock: A lock bypass requires a Disable Device check (DC 30) to open.

� Hidden Switch: A hidden switch requires a Search check (DC 25) to locate.

� Hidden Lock: A hidden lock combines the features above, requiring a Search check (DC 25) to locate and a Disable Device check (DC 30) to open.

Search and Disable Device DCsThe builder sets the Search and Disable Device DCs for a mechanical trap. The base DC for both Search and Disable Device checks is 20. Raising or lowering either of these DCs affects the base cost and possibly the Challenge Rating. Refer to the Cost Modifiers for Traps and CR Modifiers for Traps tables.

Attack Bonus/Saving Throw DCA trap usually either makes an attack roll or forces a saving throw to avoid it. Occasionally a trap uses both of these options, or may use neither; see Never Miss.

Pits: These are holes, covered or not, into which characters can fall and take damage. A pit needs no attack roll, but a successful Reflex saving throw avoids it. The builder sets the DC. Other saving throw dependent mechanical traps also fall into this category.

Pits come in three basic varieties: uncovered, covered, and chasms. Pits and chasms can be defeated by judicious application of the Climb skill and the Jump skill. Uncovered pits serve mainly to discourage intruders from going a certain way, although they cause much grief to characters who stumble into them in the dark and they can greatly complicate a melee taking place nearby.

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Cost Modifiers for TrapsFeature Purchase DC ModifierTrigger Type

Location —Proximity +5Touch —Touch (attached) –1Timed +5

Reset TypeNo reset –3Repair –1Manual —Automatic +3 (or +0 if trap has timed

trigger)Bypass Type

Lock +1 (Disable Device DC 30)Hidden switch +1 (Search DC 25)Hidden lock +2 (Open Lock DC 30,

Search DC 25)Search DC

19 or lower – (20 – DC)/2 (round up)20 —21 or higher +(DC – 20)/2 (round up)

Disable Device DC19 or lower – (20 – DC)/2 (round up)20 —21 or higher +(DC – 20)/2 (round up)

Reflex Save DC (Pit or Other Saving Throw Dependent Trap)19 or lower – (20 – DC)/2 (round up)20 —21 or higher +(DC – 20) (round up)

Attack Bonus (Melee or Ranged Attack Trap)+9 or lower –(10 – bonus)/2 (round up)+10 —+11 or higher +(bonus – 10)/2 (round up)

Damage BonusHigh strength rating (ranged attack trap)

+1 x half bonus (max +4, round up)

High Strength bonus (melee attack trap)

+1 x half bonus (max +8, round up)

Miscellaneous FeaturesNever miss +5Poison Poison Purchase DC/4*Chemical item Cost of item*

* Half of Purchase DC if trap features automatic reset.

Covered pits are much more dangerous. They can be detected with a Search check at DC 20 but only if the character is taking the time to carefully examine the area before walking across it. A character who fails to detect a covered pit is still entitled to a Reflex saving throw at DC 20 to avoid falling into it. However, if he was running or moving recklessly at the time, he gets no saving throw and falls automatically.

Trap coverings can be as simple as piled refuse, such as straw, leaves, sticks and garbage, a large rug, or an actual trapdoor concealed to appear as a normal part of the floor. Such a trapdoor usually swings open when enough weight (usually about 50 to 80 pounds) is placed upon it. Devious trap builders sometimes design trapdoors so that they spring back shut after they open. The trapdoor might lock once it is back in place, leaving the stranded character well and truly trapped. Opening such a trapdoor is just as difficult as opening a regular door, assuming the trapped character can reach it. A Strength check at DC 13 is needed to keep a spring-loaded door open.

Pit traps often have something nastier than just a hard floor at the bottom. A trap designer may put spikes, creatures or a pool of acid, lava, or even water at the bottom. Spikes at the bottom of a pit deal damage as daggers with a +10 attack bonus and a +1 bonus on damage for every 10 feet of the fall, to a maximum bonus on damage of +5. If the pit has multiple spikes, a falling victim is attacked by 1d4 of them. This damage is in addition to any damage from the fall itself. Creatures sometimes live in pits. Any creature that can fit into the pit might have been placed there by the dungeon’s designer, or might simply have fallen in and not been able to climb back out.

A secondary trap at the bottom of a pit can be particularly deadly. Activated by a falling victim, the secondary trap attacks the already injured character when he is least ready for it.

Ranged Attack Traps: These traps fling darts, arrows, spears, or the like at whoever activated the trap. The

builder sets the attack bonus. A ranged attack trap can be configured to simulate the effect of a composite bow with a high strength rating which provides the trap with a bonus on damage equal to its strength rating.

Melee Attack Traps: These traps feature such obstacles as sharp blades that emerge from walls and stone blocks that fall from ceilings. Once again, the builder sets the attack bonus.

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traps simply deal the poison’s damage. Others deal damage with ranged or melee attacks as well.

� Pit Spikes: Treat spikes at the bottom of a pit as daggers, each with a +10 attack bonus. The damage bonus for each spike is +1 per 10 feet of pit depth, to a maximum of +5. Each character that falls into the pit suffers an attack from 1d4 spikes. Pit spikes do not add to the average damage of the trap; see Average Damage, below.

� Pit Bottom: If something other than spikes waits at the bottom of a pit, it is best to treat that as a separate trap (see Multiple Traps, below) with a location trigger that activates on any significant impact, such as a falling character.

� Touch Attack: This feature applies to any trap that needs only a successful touch attack (melee or ranged) to hit.

Designing A TrapThe creator simply selects the elements he wants the trap to have and adds up the adjustments to the trap’s Challenge Rating that those elements require (see the CR Modifiers for Traps table) to arrive at the trap’s final Challenge Rating. From the Challenge Rating, derive the DC of the Craft (mechanical) checks a character must make to construct the trap.

Challenge Rating of a TrapTo calculate the Challenge Rating of a trap, add all the Challenge Rating modifiers (see the tables below) to the base Challenge Rating for the trap type. The base Challenge Rating for a mechanical trap is 0. If the final Challenge Rating is 0 or lower, add features until it is 1 or higher.

Average Damage: If a trap deals hit point damage, calculate the average damage for a successful hit and round that value to the nearest multiple of 7. Use this value to adjust the Challenge Rating of the trap, as indicated on the tables below. Damage from poisons and pit spikes does not count toward this value, but damage from a high strength rating and extra damage from multiple attacks does.

Multiple Traps: If a trap is really two or more connected traps that affect approximately the same area then determine the Challenge Rating of each one separately.

Multiple Dependent Traps: If one trap depends on the success of the other (that is, a character can avoid the second trap altogether by not falling victim to the first) then they must be treated as separate traps.Multiple Independent Traps: If two or more traps act independently (that is, none depends on the success of another to activate) then use their Challenge Ratings to determine their combined Encounter Level as though they were monsters. The resulting Encounter Level is the Challenge Rating for the combined traps.

Damage/EffectThe effect of a trap is what happens to those who spring it. Usually this takes the form of either damage or a spell effect but some traps have special effects.

� Pits: Falling into a pit deals 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet of depth.

� Ranged Attack Traps: These traps deal whatever damage their ammunition normally would. If a trap is constructed with a high strength rating, it has a corresponding bonus on damage.

� Melee Attack Traps: These traps deal the same damage as the melee weapons they ‘wield.’ In the case of a falling stone block, the creator can assign any amount of bludgeoning damage he likes but must remember that whoever resets the trap has to lift that stone back into place. A melee attack trap can be constructed with a built-in bonus on damage rolls, just as if the trap itself had a high Strength score.

� Special: Some traps have miscellaneous features that produce special effects, such as drowning for a water trap or ability damage for poison. Saving throws and damage depend on the poison or are set by the builder, as appropriate.

Miscellaneous Trap FeaturesSome traps include optional features that can make them considerably more deadly. The most common such features are discussed below.

� Gas: With a gas trap, the danger is in the inhaled poison it delivers. Traps employing gas usually have the never miss and onset delay features; see below.

� Liquid: Any trap that involves a danger of drowning is in this category. Traps employing liquid usually have the never miss and onset delay features; see below.

� Multiple Target: Traps with this feature can affect more than one character.

� Never Miss: When the entire wall moves to crush the characters, quick reflexes will not help, since the wall cannot possibly miss. A trap with this feature has neither an attack bonus nor a saving throw to avoid but it does have an onset delay; see below. Most traps involving liquid or gas are of the never miss variety.

� Onset Delay: An onset delay is the amount of time between when the trap is sprung and when it deals damage. A never miss trap always has an onset delay.

� Poison: Traps that employ poison are deadlier than their non-poisonous counterparts, so they have correspondingly higher Challenge Ratings. To determine the Challenge Rating modifier for a given poison, consult the CR Modifiers for Traps table. Only injury, contact, and inhaled poisons are suitable for traps; ingested types are not. Some

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Trap CostThe base cost of a mechanical trap is DC 20. Apply all the modifiers from the Cost Modifiers for Traps table for the various features you have added to the trap to arrive at the modified base cost.

Trap final cost = modified base cost + Challenge Rating + extra costs.

The minimum cost for a mechanical trap is 10 + triple the CR.

After you have added the modified base cost and the Challenge Rating, add the cost of additional items or poison incorporated into the trap by dividing their Purchase DC by four (rounding down, with a minimum of 1) and adding it to the other costs for the trap for a final DC. If the trap uses one of these elements and has an automatic reset, double the poison or item modified purchase DC to provide an adequate supply of doses.

Multiple Traps: If a trap is really two or more connected traps, determine the final cost of each separately.

Craft DCs for TrapsOnce you know the Challenge Rating of a trap, determine the Craft (mechanical) DC by referring to the table and the modifiers given below.

Trap CR Base Craft (mechanical) DC1–3 204–6 257–10 30

Additional Components

Modifier to Craft (mechanical) DC

Proximity trigger +5Automatic reset +5

Making the Checks: To determine how much progress a character makes on building a trap each week, that character makes a Craft (mechanical) check. See the Craft skill description for details on Craft checks and the circumstances that can affect them.

Sample TrapsCR 1 Traps

Basic Arrow Trap: CR 1; proximity trigger; manual reset; Atk +10 ranged (1d6/x3, arrow); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Purchase DC: 26.Camouflaged Pit Trap: CR 1; location trigger; manual reset; DC 20 Reflex saving throw avoids; 10 ft. deep (1d6, fall); Search DC 24; Disable Device DC 20. Purchase DC: 23.Deeper Pit Trap: CR 1; location trigger; manual reset; hidden switch bypass (Search DC 25); DC 15 Reflex saving throw avoids; 20 ft. deep (2d6, fall); multiple

targets (first target in each of two adjacent 5-ft. squares); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 23. Purchase DC: 21.Fusillade of Darts: CR 1; location trigger; manual reset; Atk +10 ranged (1d4+1, dart); multiple targets (fires 1d4 darts at each target in two adjacent 5-ft. squares); Search DC 14; Disable Device DC 20. Purchase DC: 18.Poison Dart Trap: CR 1; location trigger; manual reset; Atk +8 ranged (1d4 plus poison, dart); poison (bloodroot, DC 12 Fortitude saving throw resists, 0/1d4 Con plus 1d3 Wis); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 18. Purchase DC: 20.Rolling Rock Trap: CR 1; location trigger; manual reset; Atk +10 melee (2d6, rock); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 22. Purchase DC: 22.Scything Blade Trap: CR 1; location trigger; automatic reset; Atk +8 melee (1d8/x3); Search DC 21; Disable Device DC 20. Purchase DC: 24.Wall Blade Trap: CR 1; touch trigger; automatic reset; hidden switch bypass (Search DC 25); Atk +10 melee (2d4/x4, scythe); Search DC 22; Disable Device DC 22. Purchase DC: 27.

CR 2 TrapsBricks from Ceiling: CR 2; touch trigger; repair reset; Atk +12 melee (2d6, bricks); multiple targets (all targets in two adjacent 5-ft. squares); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Purchase DC: 22.Camouflaged Pit Trap: CR 2; location trigger; manual reset; DC 20 Reflex saving throw avoids; 20 ft. deep (2d6, fall); multiple targets (first target in each of two adjacent 5-ft. squares); Search DC 24; Disable Device DC 19. Purchase DC: 23.Pit Trap: CR 2; location trigger; manual reset; DC 20 Reflex saving throw avoids; 40 ft. deep (4d6, fall); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Purchase DC: 22.Spiked Pit Trap: CR 2; location trigger; automatic reset; DC 20 Reflex saving throw avoids; 20 ft. deep (2d6, fall); multiple targets (first target in each of two adjacent 5-ft. squares); pit spikes (Atk +10 melee, 1d4 spikes per target for 1d4+2 each); Search DC 18; Disable Device DC 15. Purchase DC: 25.Tripping Chain: CR 2; location trigger; automatic reset; multiple traps (tripping and melee attack); Atk +15 melee touch (trip), Atk +15 melee (2d4+2, spiked chain); Search DC 15; Disable Device DC 18. Purchase DC: 29. Note: This trap is really one CR 1 trap that trips and a second CR 1 trap that attacks with a spiked chain. If the tripping attack succeeds, a +4 bonus applies to the spiked chain attack because the opponent is prone.

CR 3 TrapsCamouflaged Pit Trap: CR 3; location trigger; manual reset; DC 20 Reflex saving throw avoids; 30 ft. deep (3d6, fall); multiple targets (first target in each of two adjacent squares); Search DC 24; Disable Device DC 18. Purchase DC: 24.Ceiling Pendulum: CR 3; timed trigger; automatic reset; Atk +15 melee (1d12+8/x3, greataxe); Search DC 15;

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Disable Device DC 27. Purchase DC: 27.Hail of Needles: CR 3; location trigger; manual reset; Atk +20 ranged (2d4); Search DC 22; Disable Device DC 22. Purchase DC: 30.Poisoned Arrow Trap: CR 3; touch trigger; manual reset; lock bypass (Open Lock DC 30); Atk +12 ranged (1d8 plus poison, arrow); poison (Large monstrous scorpion venom, DC 14 Fortitude saving throw resists, 1d4 Str/1d4 Str); Search DC 19; Disable Device DC 15. Purchase DC: 24.Stone Blocks from Ceiling: CR 3; location trigger; repair reset; Atk +10 melee (4d6, stone blocks); Search DC 25; Disable Device DC 20. Purchase DC: 24.

CR 4 TrapsCamouflaged Pit Trap: CR 4; location trigger; manual reset; DC 20 Reflex saving throw avoids; 40 ft. deep (4d6, fall); multiple targets (first target in each of two adjacent 5-ft. squares); Search DC 25; Disable Device DC 17. Purchase DC: 24. Collapsing Column: CR 4; touch trigger (attached); no reset; Atk +15 melee (6d6, stone blocks); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 24. Purchase DC: 25.Wall Scythe Trap: CR 4; location trigger; automatic reset; Atk +20 melee (2d4+8/x4, scythe); Search DC 21; Disable Device DC 18. Purchase DC: 32.Water-Filled Room Trap: CR 4; location trigger; automatic reset; multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. room); never miss; onset delay (5 rounds); liquid; Search DC 17; Disable Device DC 23. Purchase DC: 32.Wide-Mouth Spiked Pit Trap: CR 4; location trigger; manual reset; DC 20 Reflex saving throw avoids; 20 ft. deep (2d6, fall); multiple targets (first target in each of two adjacent 5-ft. squares); pit spikes (Atk +10 melee, 1d4 spikes per target for 1d4+2 each); Search DC 18; Disable Device DC 25. Purchase DC: 26.

CR 5 TrapsCamouflaged Pit Trap: CR 5; location trigger; manual reset; DC 20 Reflex saving throw avoids; 50 ft. deep (5d6, fall); multiple targets (first target in each of two adjacent 5-ft. squares); Search DC 25; Disable Device DC 17. Purchase DC: 26.Moving Executioner Statue: CR 5; location trigger; automatic reset; hidden switch bypass (Search DC 25); Atk +16 melee (1d12+8/x3, greataxe); multiple targets (both arms attack); Search DC 25; Disable Device DC 18. Purchase DC: 31.Pit Trap: CR 5; location trigger; manual reset; DC 20 Reflex saving throw avoids; 100 ft. deep (10d6, fall); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Purchase DC: 25.Poison Wall Spikes: CR 5; location trigger; manual reset; Atk +16 melee (1d8+4 plus poison, spike); multiple targets (closest target in each of two adjacent 5-ft. squares); poison (Medium monstrous spider venom, DC 13 Fortitude saving throw resists, 1d4 Str/1d4 Str); Search DC 17; Disable Device DC 21. Purchase DC: 30.

Spiked Pit Trap (80 Ft. Deep): CR 5; location trigger, manual reset; DC 20 Reflex saving throw avoids; 80 ft. deep (8d6, fall), pit spikes (Atk +10 melee, 1d4 spikes for 1d4+5 each); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Purchase DC: 25.

CR 6 Traps Built-to-Collapse Wall: CR 6; proximity trigger; no reset; Atk +20 melee (8d6, stone blocks); multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. area); Search DC 14; Disable Device DC 16. Purchase DC: 28.Compacting Room: CR 6; timed trigger; automatic reset; hidden switch bypass (Search DC 25); walls move together (12d6, crush); multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. room); never miss; onset delay (4 rounds); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 22. Purchase DC: 39.Spiked Pit Trap (100 Ft. Deep): CR 6; location trigger, manual reset; DC 20 Reflex saving throw avoids; 100 ft. deep (10d6, fall); pit spikes (Atk +10 melee, 1d4 spikes per target for 1d4+5 each); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Purchase DC: 26.Wide-Mouth Pit Trap: CR 6; location trigger, manual reset; DC 25 Reflex saving throw avoids; 40 ft. deep (4d6, fall); multiple targets (all targets within a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. area); Search DC 26; Disable Device DC 25. Purchase DC: 35.Wyvern Arrow Trap: CR 6; proximity trigger; manual reset; Atk +14 ranged (1d8 plus poison, arrow); poison (wyvern poison, DC 17 Fortitude saving throw resists, 2d6 Con/2d6 Con); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 16. Purchase DC: 36.

CR 7 TrapsKnockout Gas Vapour Trap: CR 7; location trigger; repair reset; gas; multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. room); never miss; onset delay (3 rounds); poison (knockout gas, DC 18 Fortitude saving throw resists, 1d3 Dex/Unconsciousness 1d3 hours); Search DC 21; Disable Device DC 21. Purchase DC: 36.Water-Filled Room: CR 7; location trigger; manual reset; multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. room); never miss; onset delay (3 rounds); water; Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 25. Purchase DC: 35. Well-Camouflaged Pit Trap: CR 7; location trigger; repair reset; DC 25 Reflex saving throw avoids; 70 ft. deep (7d6, fall); multiple targets (first target in each of two adjacent 5-ft. squares); Search DC 27; Disable Device DC 18. Purchase DC: 32.

CR 8 TrapsDeathblade Wall Scythe: CR 8; touch trigger; manual reset; Atk +16 melee (2d4+8 plus poison, scythe); poison (deathblade, DC 20 Fortitude saving throw resists, 1d6 Con/2d6 Con); Search DC 24; Disable Device DC 19. Purchase DC: 36.Well-Camouflaged Pit Trap: CR 8; location trigger; repair reset; DC 20 Reflex saving throw avoids; 100 ft. deep (10d6, fall); Search DC 27; Disable Device DC 18. Purchase DC: 34.

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The iron coach was fast but they were keeping it from gaining on them. At least, it was not gaining very quickly. Unfortunately, they were in a maze now and there was no way out. The coach would not tire and eventually it would overtake them. It would have already caught them by now but one of its treads had suffered damage when it ran over Thurdin’s abandoned mine. That bit of luck was the only thing keeping them alive.

Gearbolt was carrying the bomb and Jerrek had Thurdin over his back. Heshia was sprinting as fast as she could, moving slightly faster than the rest. It made Jerrek feel better to know that even if they fell to the coach’s unstoppable advance, Heshia might be able to make it out alive. She kept running up ahead, scouting out ways for them to turn but the fatigue was starting to catch up with him. Jerrek’s legs were aching and his breath was like fire in his lungs. ‘Drop me, lad. Without my weight, you’ve got a chance!’ Jerrek ignored the dwarf; there was no way in the Hells he was leaving a team mate behind.

Heshia came dashing back to them again. ‘Jerrek, there’s a pit up to the left. We marked it on our first pass through. I think we can jump it!’ Jerrek looked at her and both their eyes widened. ‘You thinking what I am, human?’ she asked with a smirk. He nodded quickly and turned left with her at the next junction.

Two minutes later, they were all standing at the edge of a deep pit. Smoke and fire billowed up from its depths, gushing out of the twisted remains of an orcish iron coach. Three burning bodies were visible in the wreckage, but Jerrek figured there were at least two others. ‘That,’ he gasped, still trying to catch his breath, ‘was too damn close.’ Leaning against the wall, he tried to think about their next move. For now, he was just happy to be alive.

CR 9 TrapsDrawer Handle Smeared with Contact Poison: CR 9; touch trigger (attached); manual reset; poison (black lotus extract, DC 20 Fortitude saving throw resists, 3d6 Con/3d6 Con); Search DC 22; Disable Device DC 26. Purchase DC: 37. Dropping Ceiling: CR 9; location trigger; repair reset; ceiling moves down (12d6, crush); multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. room); never miss; onset delay (1 round); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Purchase DC: 37. Wide-Mouth Pit Trap: CR 9; location trigger; manual reset; DC 25 Reflex saving throw avoids; 100 ft. deep (10d6, fall); multiple targets (all targets within a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. area); Search DC 25; Disable Device DC 25. Purchase DC: 39.

CR 10 TrapsCrushing Room: CR 10; location trigger; automatic reset; walls move together (16d6, crush); multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. room); never miss; onset delay (2 rounds); Search DC 22; Disable Device DC 22. Purchase DC: 40.Crushing Wall Trap: CR 10; location trigger; automatic reset; no attack roll required (18d6, crush); Search DC 24; Disable Device DC 25. Purchase DC: 40.

AdventuringWhen characters set out to adventure, there are many situations that they can encounter and that will have any number of effects on them. Unlike other situations, adventuring encounters do not have a particular CR attached to them and do not have a system with which to award experience, as surpassing them depends as much on sheer luck as it does on inspired actions and careful

preparations. Surviving is experience enough. This section will deal with many situations that characters will have to consider whenever they set out to travel.

AcidCorrosive acids deal damage with each round of exposure. The amount of damage varies depending on the acid’s strength, as noted on the Acid Damage table.

Acid DamageAcid Strength Splash Attack* Total Immersion*Mild 1d6 1d10Potent 2d6 2d10Concentrated 3d6 3d10

*Damage per round of exposure.

Acid damage from an attack reduces hit points. A character fully immersed in acid takes potentially more damage per round of exposure than a character splashed with acid. The fumes from most acids are inhaled poisons. Those who come within 5 feet of a large body of acid must make a Fortitude saving throw at DC 15 or take 1 point of temporary Constitution damage. A second saving throw must be successfully made 1 minute later to avoid taking another 1d4 points of Constitution damage.

Carrying CapacityEncumbrance rules are based largely on a character’s Strength score and determine how much his armour and equipment slow him down. Encumbrance comes in two parts: encumbrance by armour and encumbrance by total weight. The former is not truly affected by Strength as it deals largely with the limits of mobility imposed by the armour itself. The latter is entirely based on Strength

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Carrying CapacityStrength Score

Light Load

Medium Load

Heavy Load

1 3 lb. or less 4–6 lb. 7–10 lb.2 6 lb. or less 7–13 lb. 14–20 lb.3 10 lb. or less 11–20 lb. 21–30 lb.4 13 lb. or less 14–26 lb. 27–40 lb.5 16 lb. or less 17–33 lb. 34–50 lb.6 20 lb. or less 21–40 lb. 41–60 lb.7 23 lb. or less 24–46 lb. 47–70 lb.8 26 lb. or less 27–53 lb. 54–80 lb.9 30 lb. or less 31–60 lb. 61–90 lb.10 33 lb. or less 34–66 lb. 67–100 lb.11 38 lb. or less 39–76 lb. 77–115 lb.12 43 lb. or less 44–86 lb. 87–130 lb.13 50 lb. or less 51–100 lb. 101–150 lb.14 58 lb. or less 59–116 lb. 117–175 lb.15 66 lb. or less 67–133 lb. 134–200 lb.16 76 lb. or less 77–153 lb. 154–230 lb.17 86 lb. or less 87–173 lb. 174–260 lb.18 100 lb. or less 101–200 lb. 201–300 lb.19 116 lb. or less 117–233 lb. 234–350 lb.20 133 lb. or less 134–266 lb. 267–400 lb.21 153 lb. or less 154–306 lb. 307–460 lb.22 173 lb. or less 174–346 lb. 347–520 lb.23 200 lb. or less 201–400 lb. 401–600 lb.24 233 lb. or less 234–466 lb. 467–700 lb.25 266 lb. or less 267–533 lb. 534–800 lb.26 306 lb. or less 307–613 lb. 614–920 lb.27 346 lb. or less 347–693 lb. 694–1,040 lb.28 400 lb. or less 401–800 lb. 801–1,200 lb.29 466 lb. or less 467–933 lb. 934–1,400 lb.+10 x4 x4 x4

as the stronger a character is, the greater the load he can handle without succumbing to the slowing effects of heavy and unwieldy burdens.

Encumbrance by ArmourA character’s body armour defines his maximum Dexterity bonus to Defence, armour check penalty, speed, and running speed. Unless your character is weak or carrying a lot of gear, you do not need to know more than this. The extra gear your character carries will not slow him down any more than the armour already does. If the character is weak or carrying a lot of gear, however, then encumbrance by weight will apply. Calculating carried weight is of utmost importance when a character is trying to carry some heavy object.

WeightTo determine whether a character’s gear is heavy enough to slow him down more than the armour already does, total the weight of all the character’s items, including armour, weapons, and gear. Compare this total to the character’s Strength on the Carrying

Capacity table. Depending on how the weight compares to the character’s carrying capacity, he may be carrying a light, medium, or heavy load. Like armour, a character’s load affects his or her maximum Dexterity bonus to DV, carries a check penalty (which works like an armour check penalty), reduces the character’s speed and affects how fast he can run, as shown on the Carrying Loads table. A medium or heavy load counts as medium or heavy armour for the purpose of abilities or skills that are restricted by armour. Carrying a light load does not encumber a character.

If a character is wearing armour, use the worse figure (from armour or from load) for each category. Do not stack the penalties, as a character can only suffer from one set of encumbrance penalties at a given time.

Lifting and DraggingA character can lift as much as his maximum load over his or her head. A character can lift as much as double his maximum load off the ground but he can only stagger around with it. While overloaded in this way, the character loses any Dexterity bonus to Defence and can move only 5 feet per round, as a full-round action. A character can generally push or drag along the ground as much as five times his maximum load. Favourable conditions can double these numbers and bad circumstances can reduce them to one-half or less.

Bigger and Smaller CreaturesThe figures on the Carrying Capacity table are for Medium bipedal creatures. A larger bipedal creature can carry more weight depending on its size category, as follows: Large x2, Huge x4, Gargantuan x8, Colossal x16, Leviathan x32. A smaller creature can carry less weight depending on its size category, as follows: Small x3/4, Tiny x1/2, Diminutive x1/4, Fine x1/8.

Quadrupeds can carry heavier loads than characters can. Instead of the multipliers given above, multiply the value corresponding to the creature’s Strength score from the Carrying Capacity table by the appropriate modifier, as

Carrying Loads Load Max

DexCheck Penalty

Speed (30 ft.) (20 ft.) Run

Medium +3 –3 20 ft. 15 ft. x4Heavy +1 –6 20 ft. 15 ft. x3

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follows: Fine x1/4, Diminutive x1/2, Tiny x3/4, Small x1, Medium x1-1/2, Large x3, Huge x6, Gargantuan x12, Colossal x24, Leviathan x48.

Tremendous StrengthFor Strength scores not shown on the Carrying Capacity table, find the Strength score between 20 and 29 that has the same number in the ‘ones’ digit as the creature’s Strength score does and multiply the numbers in that by 4 for every ten points the creature’s Strength is above the score for that row.Armour and Encumbrance for Other Base SpeedsThe table below provides reduced speed figures for all base speeds from 20 feet to 100 feet (in 10-foot increments).

Base Speed

Reduced Speed

Base Speed

Reduced Speed

20 ft. 15 ft. 70 ft. 50 ft.30 ft. 20 ft. 80 ft. 55 ft.40 ft. 30 ft. 90 ft. 60 ft.50 ft. 35 ft. 100 ft. 70 ft.60 ft. 40 ft.

Darkness and LightIt is a rare mission that does not end up in the dark somewhere, even in the gas-lit world of Steampunk. Characters need a way to see. See the Light Sources table for the radius that a light source illuminates and how long it lasts.

Light SourcesItem Light DurationCandle 5 feet 12 hoursTorch 20 feet 2 hoursHalogen lantern 40 feet 24 hoursFlashlight 20 feet* 6 hours

*Creates a beam 30 feet long and 5 feet high.

FallingA character takes 1d6 points of damage for every 10 feet of a fall, to a maximum of 20d6 points. If he succeeds on a Reflex saving throw (DC 10, +1 for each 10 feet fallen) then this damage is halved. If the saving throw fails, full damage is applied. A character can make a Tumble check at DC 15 to treat a fall as if it were 10 feet shorter than it actually is when determining the damage and Reflex saving throw DC required by the fall.

DiseaseWhen a character is exposed to a treatable disease, he must make an immediate Fortitude saving throw. The victim must make this roll when he comes into contact with an infectious carrier, touches an item smeared with diseased matter, consumes food or drink tainted with a disease or suffers damage from a contaminated attack. If the character succeeds, the disease has no effect on him. His immune system fights off the infection. If he fails the

saving throw, he takes damage after an incubation period; once per day thereafter, he must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw to avoid secondary damage. Two successful saving throws in a row indicate that the character has fought off the disease and recovers, taking no more damage.

Disease TraitsThe characteristics of some treatable diseases are summarised on the Diseases table. While medicine in a steampunk setting is much more advanced than that of any other fantasy world, there are still unnatural diseases that only magic can treat and which still refuse a scientific name, to the frustration of medical researchers; such diseases are written in italics in the table.

Type: This is the disease’s method of delivery, which may be ingested, inhaled, or transmitted via an injury, along with the DC needed for the saving throw. A wound as small as an insect bite can transmit some injury diseases. Most diseases that are inhaled can also be ingested and vice versa. Incubation Period: This is the amount of time before initial damage takes effect, if the victim fails his Fortitude saving throw.

Initial Damage: This is the damage the victim takes after the incubation period.

Secondary Damage: This is the amount of damage the character takes one day after taking initial damage if he fails a second saving throw. This damage is taken each day the saving throw fails.

Healing a DiseaseUse of the Treat Injury skill can help a diseased character as per the skill’s description. Characters recover points lost to ability score damage at a rate of 1 per day per ability damaged. This rule applies even while a disease is in progress. That means that a character with a minor disease might be able to withstand it without accumulating any damage.

ElectricityElectricity Damage

Type Examples DamageFort DC

Jolt Car battery, stun gun

1d3 10

Low voltage

Fuse box, electrical socket

2d6 15

Medium voltage

Industrial transformer, electric fence

4d6 15

High voltage

Power line, electric chair, lightning

8d6 20

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Damage from Falling Objects

Object Size ExamplesInitial Damage

Reflex Save DC

Strength Check DC

Fine Penny 0 n/a n/aDiminutive Paperweight 1 0 n/aTiny Wrench 1d3 5 n/aSmall Vase 1d4 10 5Medium Briefcase 1d6 15 10Large Garbage can 2d6 20 20Huge Oil barrel 4d6 25 30Gargantuan Piano 8d6 30 40Colossal Vehicle 10d6 35 50

Diseases

Disease TypeIncubation Period Initial Damage Secondary Damage

Anthrax Inhaled/Injury DC 16 1d2 days 1 Con 1d4 Con1

Demon fever Injury DC 18 1 day 1d2 Con1 1d6 ConDevil chills2 Injury DC 14 1d4 days 1 Str 1d4 StrGangrene Injury DC 12 1d3 days 1 Dex and 1 Con 1d3 Dex and 1d3 ConSmallpox Inhaled/Contact DC 15 2d4 days 1 Str and 1 Con 1d2 Str and 1d2 ConPneumonia Inhaled DC 12 1d4 days 1 Str 1d3 Str and 1d3 ConHantavirus Injury DC 14 1 day 1d2 Str 1d2 Str1 and 1d2 Con1

Mummy rot3 Contact DC 20 1 day 1d2 Con 1d6 ConNecrotizing fasciitis Contact DC 13 1d6 days 1 Con 1d3 Con1

March chills Injury DC 12 1d4 days 1 Dex and 1 Con 1d2 Dex and 1d2 Con1

Shivering flu Ingested DC 13 1 day 1 Str and 1 Dex 1 Str and 1d3 DexSlimy doom Contact DC 14 1 day 1d2 Con1 1d4 Con

1 If damage is sustained, make a second saving throw to avoid 1 point being permanently drained instead of merely damaged.2 The victim must make three successful Fortitude saving throws in a row to recover from devil chills.3 Successful saves do not allow the character to recover. Only magical healing can save the character.

Electrical hazards come in many forms, including stun guns, downed power lines and electric security fences. The Electricity Damage table gives damage values for various electrical hazards based on relative voltage. A character can make a Fortitude saving throw to reduce the damage by half. If that character is not grounded or is otherwise insulated from the current, then a successful saving throw indicates that no damage is suffered.

Falling ObjectsObjects that fall upon characters (or creatures or vehicles) deal damage based on their size and the distance fallen, as noted on the Damage from Falling Objects table.

Objects deal the initial damage given in the Damage from Falling Objects table if they fall 10 feet or less. An object deals an additional 1d6 points of damage for every 10-foot increment it falls beyond the first, to a maximum of 20d6 points of damage. Objects of Fine size are too small to deal damage, regardless of the distance fallen. A successful Reflex saving throw indicates that the target takes half damage. The size of the falling object determines the saving throw DC.

If the save fails by 10 or more and the object is at least three size categories larger than the character, then he is pinned under the fallen object. A pinned character cannot move but is not helpless. The character can make a Strength check to lift the object off himself or an Escape Artist check to get out from underneath, with a DC of 20 in either case. The Games Master can modify the DCs for these checks based on the circumstances.

Heat and ColdHeat and cold deal damage that cannot be recovered until the character counteracts or escapes the inclement temperature. As soon as the character suffers any damage from heat or cold, he is considered fatigued.

A character not properly equipped to counteract the heat or cold must attempt a Fortitude saving throw each hour at a DC of 15, +1 for each previous check. Failure means that the character loses 1d4 hit points. Heavy clothing or armour provides a –4 penalty on saving throws against heat but grants a +4 equipment bonus on saves against cold. A character who succeeds at a Survival check (DC 15) gains a +4 competence bonus on the saving throw; see the Survival skill.

Searing heat or bitter cold (desert or arctic conditions) forces a character to make a Fortitude saving throw every 10 minutes. Failure means that the character loses 1d6 hit points. Appropriate clothing and successful use of the Survival skill can modify the saving throw, as noted above.

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Movement and DistanceSpeed

15 feet 20 feet 30 feet 40 feetOne Round (Tactical)*

Walk 15 ft. 20 ft. 30 ft. 40 ft.Hustle 30 ft. 40 ft. 60 ft. 80 ft.Run (x3) 45 ft. 60 ft. 90 ft. 120 ft.Run (x4) 60 ft. 80 ft. 120 ft. 160 ft.

One Minute (Local)Walk 150 ft. 200 ft. 300 ft. 400 ft.Hustle 300 ft. 400 ft. 600 ft. 800 ft.Run (x3) 450 ft. 600 ft. 900 ft. 1,200 ft.Run (x4) 600 ft. 800 ft. 1,200 ft. 1,600 ft.

One Hour (Overland)Walk 1 1/2 miles 2 miles 3 miles 4 milesHustle 3 miles 4 miles 6 miles 8 milesRun — — — —

One Day (Overland)Walk 12 miles 16 miles 24 miles 32 milesHustle — — — —Run — — — —

* Tactical movement is often measured in squares on the battle grid (1 square = 5 feet) rather than feet.

Catching on FireCharacters exposed to open flames might find their clothes, hair, or equipment on fire. Characters at risk of catching fire are allowed a Reflex saving throw (DC 15) to avoid this fate. If a character’s clothes or hair catch fire, he takes 1d6 points of damage immediately. In each subsequent round, the burning character must make another Reflex saving throw. Failure means he takes another 1d6 points of damage that round. Success means that the fire has gone out; that is, once the character succeeds at the saving throw, he is no longer on fire.

A character who is on fire may automatically extinguish the flames by jumping into enough water to douse himself. If no body of water is at hand, rolling on the ground or smothering the fire with blankets or the like permits the character another saving throw with a +4 bonus.

Lava EffectsLava or magma deals 2d6 points of damage per round of exposure, except in the case of total immersion, such as when a character falls into the crater of an active volcano, which deals 20d6 points of damage per round. Damage from magma continues for 1d3 rounds after exposure ceases but this additional damage is only half of that dealt during actual contact, that is, 1d6 or 10d6 points per round.

An immunity or resistance to fire serves as an immunity to lava or magma. However, a creature immune to fire might still drown if completely immersed in lava; see Drowning below.

Ice EffectsCharacters walking on ice move at half speed and the DC for Balance and Tumble checks increases by +5. Characters in prolonged contact with ice may run the risk of taking damage from severe cold, for which see above.

MovementThere are three movement scales, as follows.

� Tactical, for combat, measured in feet (or squares) per round.

� Local, for exploring an area, measured in feet per minute.

� Overland, for getting from place to place, measured in miles per hour or miles per day.

Modes of Movement: While moving at the different

movement scales, creatures generally walk, hustle, or run. Each type of movement affects the speed of the character and the types of action that can be performed at the same time. The Combat chapter will explain simultaneous actions in greater detail.

� Walk: A walk represents unhurried but purposeful movement at 3 miles per hour for an unencumbered person.

� Hustle: A hustle is a jog at about 6 miles per hour for an unencumbered human. A character moving his speed twice in a single round, or moving that speed in the same round that he performs a standard action or another move action is hustling when he moves.

� Run (x3): Moving three times speed is a running pace for a character in heavy armour. It represents about 9 miles per hour for a human in full plate or heavy combat armour.

� Run (x4): Moving four times speed is a running pace for a character in light, medium, or no armour. It represents about 12 miles per hour for an unencumbered human, or 8 miles per hour for a human in chainmail or tactical body armour such as riot gear.

Tactical MovementUse tactical movement for combat. Characters generally do not walk during combat. Instead, they hustle or run. A character who moves his speed and takes some action is hustling for about half the round and doing something else for the other half.

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Hampered Movement: Difficult terrain, obstacles, or poor visibility can hamper movement. When movement is hampered, speed is reduced by half or, alternatively, that space takes double the amount of allotted movement. If more than one condition applies, multiply together all additional costs that apply. This is a specific exception to the normal rule for doubling.

In some situations, movement may be so hampered that the character does not have sufficient speed even to move 5 feet. In such a case, the character may use a full-round action to move 5 feet in any direction, even diagonally. The character cannot take advantage of this rule to move through impassable terrain or to move when all movement is prohibited.

You cannot run or charge through any square that would hamper your movement.

Local MovementCharacters exploring an area use local movement, measured in feet per minute.Walk: A character can walk without a problem on the local scale.Hustle: A character can hustle without a problem on the local scale. See Overland Movement, below, for movement measured in miles per hour.Run: A character with a Constitution score of 9 or higher can run for a minute without a problem. Generally, a character can run for a minute or two before having to rest for a minute.

Overland MovementCharacters covering long distances cross-country use overland movement. Overland movement is measured in miles per hour or miles per day. A day represents 8 hours of actual travel time. For rowed watercraft and muscle-operated vehicles, a day represents 10 hours of rowing. For a sailing ship or an aircraft, it represents 24 hours.

WalkA character can walk 8 hours in a day of travel without a problem. Walking for longer than that can wear him out; see Forced March, below.

HustleA character can hustle for 1 hour without a problem. Hustling for a second hour in between sleep cycles deals 1 point of non-lethal damage and each additional hour deals twice the damage taken during the previous hour of hustling. A character who takes any non-lethal damage from hustling becomes fatigued.

A fatigued character cannot run or charge and takes a penalty of –2 to Strength and Dexterity. Eliminating the non-lethal damage also eliminates the fatigue.

RunA character cannot run for an extended period of time. Attempting to run and rest in cycles, which is the preferred method for long-distance overland travel when time is not an important factor or in short supply, effectively works out to a hustle.

TerrainThe terrain through which a character travels affects how much distance he can cover in an hour or a day. See the Terrain and Overland Movement table. A highway is a straight, major, paved road. A road is typically a dirt track. A trail is like a road, except that it allows only single-file travel and does not benefit a party travelling with vehicles. Trackless terrain is a wild area with no paths.

Hampered MovementCondition Additional Movement CostDifficult terrain x2Obstacle* x2Poor visibility x2Impassable —

* May require a skill check

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Manoeuvrability

ManoeuvrabilityPerfect Good Average Poor Clumsy

Minimum forward speed None None Half Half HalfHover Yes Yes No No NoMove backward Yes Yes No No NoReverse Free –5 ft. No No NoTurn Any 90º/5 ft. 45º/5 ft. 45º/5 ft. 45º/10 ft.Turn in place Any +90º/–5 ft. +45º/–5 ft. No NoMaximum turn Any Any 90º 45º 45ºUp angle Any Any 60º 45º 45ºUp speed Full Half Half Half HalfDown angle Any Any Any 45º 45ºDown speed Double Double Double Double DoubleBetween down and up 0 0 5 ft. 10 ft. 20 ft.

Forced MarchIn a day of normal walking, a character walks for 8 hours. The rest of the daylight time is spent making and breaking camp, resting, and eating. A character can walk for more than 8 hours in a day by making a forced march. For each hour of marching beyond 8 hours, a Constitution check (DC 10, +2 per extra hour) is required. If the check fails, the character takes 1d6 points of non-lethal damage. A character who takes any non-lethal damage from a forced march becomes fatigued. Eliminating the non-lethal damage also eliminates the fatigue. It is entirely possible for a character to march into unconsciousness by pushing himself too hard on a forced march.

Mounted MovementA mount bearing a rider can move at a hustle. The damage it takes when doing so, however, is lethal damage, not non-lethal damage. The creature can also be ridden in a forced march but its Constitution checks automatically fail and again, the damage it takes is lethal damage. Mounts also become fatigued when they take any damage from hustling or forced marches.

Three-Dimensional MovementOnce movement becomes three-dimensional and involves turning in midair and maintaining a minimum velocity to stay aloft, it gets more complicated. Most flying objects have to slow down at least a little to make a turn; many

are limited to fairly wide turns and must maintain a minimum forward speed. Each flying object has a manoeuvrability mode, as shown on the Manoeuvrability table. The entries on the table are defined below. These rules are not intended for constant use; flying creatures usually have enough mobility to interact normally with creatures on the ground. In fact, three-dimensional movement should only be implemented when there are flying creatures or objects in conflict with each other.

� Minimum Forward Speed: If a flying object fails to maintain its minimum forward speed, it must land at the end of its movement. If it is too high above the ground to land, it falls straight down, descending 150 feet in the first round of falling. If this distance brings it to the ground, it takes falling damage. If the fall does not bring the object to the ground, it must spend its next turn recovering from the stall. Its pilot must succeed on a DC 20 Pilot skill check to recover, otherwise it falls another 300 feet. If it hits the ground, the object and its pilot take falling damage. Otherwise, it has another chance to recover on its next turn.

� Hover: The ability to stay in one place while airborne.

� Move Backward: The ability to move backward without turning around.

� Reverse: An object with good manoeuvrability uses up 5 feet of its speed to start flying backward.

� Turn: How much the object can turn after covering the stated distance; in some amazing machines, their Turn Rate replaces this value.

� Turn in Place: An object with good or average manoeuvrability can use some of its speed to turn in place.

� Maximum Turn: How much the object can turn in any one space.

Terrain and Overland MovementTerrain Highway Road or Trail TracklessDesert, sandy x1 x1/2 x1/2Forest x1 x1 x1/2Hills x1 x3/4 x1/2Jungle x1 x3/4 x1/4Moor x1 x1 x3/4Mountains x3/4 x3/4 x1/2Plains x1 x1 x3/4Swamp x1 x3/4 x1/2Tundra, frozen x1 x3/4 x3/4

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� Up Angle: The angle at which the object can climb.

� Up Speed: How fast the object can climb.� Down Angle: The angle at which the object

can descend.� Down Speed: A flying object can fly down at

twice its normal flying speed.� Between Down and Up: An average, poor,

or clumsy flying object must fly level for a minimum distance after descending and before climbing. Any flier can begin descending after a climb without an intervening distance of level flight.

Evasion and PursuitIn round-by-round movement it is impossible for a slow character to get away from a determined fast character without mitigating circumstances. Likewise, it is no problem for a fast character to get away from a slower one.

When the speeds of the two concerned characters are equal, there is a simple way to resolve a chase: if one creature is pursuing another, both are moving at the same speed and the chase continues for at least a few rounds, have them make opposed Dexterity checks to see who is the faster over those rounds. If the creature being chased wins, it escapes. If the pursuer wins, it catches the fleeing creature.

Sometimes a chase occurs overland and could last all day, with the two sides only occasionally getting glimpses of each other at a distance. In the case of a long chase, an opposed Constitution check made by all parties determines which can keep pace the longest. If the creature being chased rolls the highest, it gets away. If not, the chaser runs down its prey, outlasting it with stamina.

PoisonWhen a character takes damage from an attack with a poisoned weapon, touches an item smeared with contact poison, consumes poisoned food or drink, or is otherwise poisoned, he must make a Fortitude saving throw. If he fails, he takes the poison’s initial damage, which is usually ability damage. Even if he succeeds, he typically faces more damage one minute later (10 rounds) and can also avoid this with a successful Fortitude saving throw.

One dose of poison smeared on a weapon or some other object affects just a single target. A poisoned weapon or object retains its venom until the weapon scores a hit or the object is touched, unless the poison is wiped off before a target comes into contact with it. Any poison smeared on an object or exposed to possible handling in any way remains potent until it is touched or used.

Poisons can be divided into four basic types according to the method by which their effect is delivered, as follows:

Contact: Merely touching this type of poison necessitates a saving throw. It can be actively delivered via a weapon or a touch attack. Even if a creature has sufficient damage reduction to avoid taking any damage from the attack, the poison can still affect it. A chest or other object can be smeared with contact poison as part of a trap.

Ingested: Ingested poisons are virtually impossible to utilize in a combat situation. A poisoner could administer a potion to an unconscious creature or attempt to dupe someone into drinking or eating something poisoned. Assassins and other characters tend to use ingested poisons outside of combat.

Inhaled: Inhaled poisons are usually contained in fragile vials or eggshells. They can be thrown as a ranged attack with a range increment of 10 feet. When it impacts against a hard surface or is struck hard, the container releases its poison. One dose spreads to fill the volume of a 10-foot cube. Each creature within the area must make a saving throw. Holding one’s breath is ineffective against inhaled poisons, as they affect the nasal membranes, tear ducts, and other parts of the body.

Injury: This poison must be delivered through a wound. If a creature has sufficient damage reduction to avoid taking any damage from the attack, then the poison does not affect it. Traps that cause damage from weapons, needles, and the like sometimes contain injury poisons.

The characteristics of poisons are summarized on the Poisons table. Terms on the table are defined below.Type: The poison’s method of delivery (contact, ingested, inhaled, or via an injury) and the Fortitude saving throw DC to avoid the poison’s damage.Initial Damage: The damage the character takes immediately upon failing his saving throw against this poison. Ability damage is temporary unless marked with an asterisk (*) in which case the loss is a permanent drain. Paralysis lasts for 2d6 minutes.Secondary Damage: The amount of damage the character takes 1 minute after exposure as a result of the poisoning, if he fails a second saving throw. Unconsciousness lasts for 1d3 hours. Ability damage marked with an asterisk is permanent drain instead of temporary damage.Purchase DC: The cost of one dose (one vial) of the poison. It is not possible to use or apply poison in any quantity smaller than one dose. Restriction: The purchase and possession of poison is restricted and sometimes even illegal, depending on the substance as indicated by the table; even in big cities it can be obtained only from specialized, less than reputable sources.Craft DC: This is the DC for Craft (chemical) checks to make a poisonous substance.Time: How much time it takes a person to prepare the substance in controlled situations.

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Poisons

Poison TypeSave DC Initial Damage

Secondary Damage

Purchase DC

Craft DC Time

Atropine Injury 13 1d6 Dex 1d6 Str 3 14 1 hr.Arsenic Ingested 14 1d4 Str 2d4 Con 9 24 4 hr.Belladonna (plant) Injury 18 1d6 Str 2d6 Str 14 n/a n/aBlack lotus extract Contact 20 3d6 Con 3d6 Con 23 12 1 hr.Bloodroot Injury 12 0 1d4 Con + 1d3 Wis 10 9 2 hr.Blue-ringed octopus venom

Injury 15 1d4 Con 1d4 Con 14 n/a n/a

Blue vitriol Injury 12 1d2 Con 1d2 Con 3 9 1 hr.Chloral hydrate Ingested 18 1d6 Dex Unconsciousness

1d3 hours12 28 8 hr.

Chloroform 1 Inhaled 17 Unconsciousness 1d3 hours

— 9 24 4 hr.

Curare (plant) Injury 18 2d4 Dex 2d4 Wis 15 n/a n/aCyanide Injury 16 1d6 Con 2d6 Con 15 31 15 hr.Deathblade Injury 20 1d6 Con 2d6 Con 20 25 15 hr.Greenblood oil Injury 13 1 Con 1d2 Con 10 11 1 hr.Id moss Ingested 14 1d4 Int 2d6 Int 11 18 8 hr.Insanity mist Inhaled 15 1d4 Wis 2d6 Wis 19 27 4 hr.Knockout gas Inhaled 18 1d3 Dex Unconsciousness

1d3 hours12 26 8 hr.

Lead mist (gas) Inhaled 12 1d2 Str 1d4 Con 6 17 2 hr.Lead powder (solid) Ingested 12 1d2 Con 1d4 Con 6 18 2 hr.Malyss root paste Contact 16 1 Dex 2d4 Dex 15 13 1 hr.Mustard gas Inhaled 17 1d4 Con 2d4 Con 12 26 8 hr.Puffer poison (fish) Injury 13 1d6 Str Paralysis 2d6

minutes13 n/a n/a

Rattlesnake venom Injury 12 1d6 Con 1d6 Con 12 n/a n/aSassone leaf residue Contact 16 2d12 hp 1d6 Con 14 15 1 hr.Shadow essence Injury 17 1 Str3 2d6 Str 17 27 8 hr.Striped toadstool Ingested 11 1 Wis 2d6 Wis + 1d4 Int 12 n/a n/aStrychnine Injury 19 1d3 Dex 2d4 Con 9 23 4 hr.Vermin venom2 Injury 11 1d2 Str 1d2 Str 12 n/a n/aWyvern poison Injury 17 2d6 Con 2d6 Con 22 n/a n/a

1 Chloroform gives off vapour that causes unconsciousness. Applying chloroform to an unwilling subject requires a successful grapple check and pin.2 This represents venom from Small size and smaller creatures. For every size category over Small, increase Save DC by +2, increase damage by one die type and add +1 to Purchase DC. Scorpion/tarantula venom deals Strength damage; ant, centipede and wasp venom deals Dexterity damage.3 Permanent drain, not temporary damage.n/a: Certain poisons cannot be made with the Craft skill. Instead, such a poison must be obtained by extracting it from the creature in question.

Perils of Using PoisonA character has a 5% chance of exposing himself to a poison whenever he applies it to a weapon or otherwise readies it for use. Additionally, a character who rolls a natural 1 on an attack roll with a poisoned weapon must make a DC 15 Reflex saving throw or accidentally poison himself with the weapon.

Poison ImmunitiesCreatures with natural poison attacks are immune to their own poison. Nonliving creatures (constructs and undead) and creatures without metabolisms (such as elementals) are always immune to poison. Oozes, plants,

and certain kinds of outsiders are also immune to poison, although conceivably special poisons could be concocted specifically to harm them.

SmokeCharacters breathing heavy smoke or similar toxic gases must make a Constitution ability score check (DC 10, +1 for each previous check) each round or spend that round choking and coughing. Characters who choke for 2 consecutive rounds take 1d6 points of damage. Smoke also obscures vision, giving one-half concealment (20% miss chance) to characters within it.

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Jerrek walked up to Gearbolt and tapped it on the shoulder housing. ‘You all right? You’ve been staring at that pit for a while now.’ He was not sure what was wrong with the cog but it had not responded to its name, nor to his first order to move out away from the smoking trap.

‘Apologies for the lack of reaction, sir. I am cogitating.’ He knew that to mean thinking, but he had no idea what would keep the cog so occupied for so long. Asking what it was thinking about did not prompt an answer, so Jerrek backed away and told the team to hold on for a minute. Whatever Gearbolt was thinking about, it was probably important enough to wait for.

Gearbolt turned from the pit and began walking slowly towards the group. ‘I was reviewing my memory, sir. I have come across something that might be of use to us in our quest. If you will recall, some of the pits we have encountered had water at their depths. These pits were all more than sixty feet deep, which leads me to believe these sewers may have a second level.’

The cog waited for someone to speak. When they just looked at it expectantly, it continued to explain. ‘I believe the factory, being in the centre of a landlocked city, must have a run-off facility of some kind. Since there was nothing above ground that would serve and these tunnels are all dry, there must be another layer to handle its liquid waste elimination.’

Jerrek understood what the cog was driving at now. ‘So what you are saying is that the waterways below us might lead directly to the factory?’

Gearbolt nodded. ‘Correct, sir. Even more importantly, the water passage would be very difficult to guard, making it a much safer way to approach our end goal.’ The implication that there was a better way to reach the factory made them all a lot happier until Thurdin, who was never one to accept good news without finding the flaw in it, grumbled his objection to the cog’s otherwise damn fine plan. ‘This should go without saying, but I don’t breathe water.’

Starvation and ThirstSometimes characters might find themselves without food and water. In normal climates, characters need at least half a gallon of fluids and about one quarter of a pound of decent food per day to avoid the threat of starvation. In very hot climates, characters need two or three times as much water to avoid dehydration.

A character can go without water for one day plus a number of hours equal to his Constitution score. After this, the character must make a Constitution check each hour (DC 10, +1 for each previous check) or take 1d6 points of damage.

A character can go without food for three days, in growing discomfort. After this, the character must make a Constitution check each day (DC 10, +1 for each previous check) or sustain 1d6 points of damage. Damage from thirst or starvation cannot be recovered until the character consumes water or food, as needed. Even magical or psychic effects that restore hit points cannot heal this damage.

StrangulationWhen an instrument or an attacker strangles a character, use the rules below. A character can strangle or choke a target of the same size category or one size category larger or smaller. The strangling attempt incurs an attack of opportunity.

To begin the choke, the attacker must succeed at an opposed grapple check. If the grapple succeeds, the attacker can choose to deal normal unarmed damage as well as choke the target. The target can hold his breath for a number of rounds equal to his Constitution score. After this period of time, the target must make a Constitution check (DC 10, +1 for each previous check) every round to continue holding his breath. The target begins to suffocate on a failed check; see Suffocation and Drowning.

If at any time the target breaks free or slips free of the grapple, the stranglehold is broken, although any damage that was dealt remains. Note that a grappled target who is not pinned can use his attack action to attempt to strangle his attacker.

Suffocation and DrowningA character in an airless environment (underwater, vacuum) can hold his breath for a number of rounds equal to his Constitution score. After this period of time, he must make a Constitution ability score check (DC 10) every round to continue holding his breath. Each round, the DC of the Constitution check increases by 1.

When the character fails one of these Constitution checks, he begins to suffocate or drown. In the next round, the character falls unconscious with 0 hit points. In the

following round, the character drops to –1 hit points and is dying. In the third round after failing the check, the character dies of suffocation or drowning.

Water DangersAny character can wade in relatively calm water that is not over his head, no check required. Similarly, swimming

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in calm water only requires skill checks with a DC of 10. Trained swimmers can just take 10. Armour or heavy gear makes any attempt at swimming much more difficult. See the Swim skill description.By contrast, fast-moving water is much more dangerous. On a successful DC 15 Swim check or a DC 15 Strength check, it deals 1d3 points of non-lethal damage per round, or 1d6 points of lethal damage if flowing over rocks and cascades. On a failed check, the character must make another check that round to avoid going under.

Very deep water is pitch black in most cases, posing a navigational hazard. Worse, it deals water pressure damage of 1d6 points per minute for every 100 feet the character is below the surface. A successful Fortitude saving throw (DC 15, +1 for each previous check) means the diver takes no damage in that minute. Very cold water deals 1d6 points of non-lethal damage from hypothermia per minute of exposure.

Conditions During the course of their adventures, characters may endure harrowing conditions that may turn lesser men and women away. A number of adverse conditions can affect the way a character operates, as defined here. If more than one condition affects a character, apply both if possible. If this is not possible, apply only the most severe condition.

Ability Damaged: The character has lost 1 or more ability score points. The loss is temporary and these points return at a rate of 1 per evening of rest. This differs from ‘effective’ ability loss, which is an effect that goes away when the condition causing it goes away.

Ability Drained: The character has lost 1 or more ability score points. The loss is permanent.

Blinded: The character cannot see at all and thus everything has total concealment to him. He has a 50% chance to miss in combat. Furthermore, the blinded character has an effective Dexterity of 3, along with a –4 penalty on the use of Strength-based and Dexterity-based skills. This –4 penalty also applies to Search checks and any other skill checks for which the Games Master deems sight to be important. The character cannot make Spot checks or perform any other activity that requires vision, such as reading. Characters who are blind long-term (from birth or early in life) grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them, at the Games Master’s discretion.

Confused: A confused character’s actions are determined by rolling d% at the beginning of his turn: 01–10, attack enemies with melee or ranged weapons; 11–20, act normally; 21–50, do nothing but babble incoherently; 51–70, flee away from enemies at top possible speed; 71–100, attack nearest creature. For this purpose, a special

companion counts as part of the subject’s self. A confused character who cannot carry out the indicated action does nothing but babble incoherently. Attackers are not at any special advantage when attacking a confused character. Any confused character who is attacked automatically attacks his attackers on his next turn, as long as he is still confused when his turn comes.

Cowering: The character is frozen in fear, loses his Dexterity bonus and can take no actions. In addition, he takes a –2 penalty to his Defence Value. The condition typically lasts 10 rounds.

Dazed: Unable to act, a dazed character can take no actions but still enjoys the benefit of his normal Defence Value. This condition typically lasts 1 round.

Dazzled: The creature is unable to see well because of overstimulation of the eyes. A dazzled creature takes a –1 penalty on attack rolls, Search checks and Spot checks.

Dead: A character dies when his hit points drop to –10 or lower, or when his Constitution drops to 0. The character’s soul leaves his body. Dead characters cannot benefit from normal or magical healing but they can be restored to life via magic. A dead body decays normally unless magically preserved but magic that restores a dead character to life also restores the body either to full health or to its condition at the time of death, depending on the spell or device. Either way, resurrected characters need not worry about rigor mortis, decomposition and other conditions that affect dead bodies.

Deafened: The character cannot hear and takes a –4 penalty on initiative checks. The character cannot make Listen checks. Characters who are deafened long-term (from birth or early in life) grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them, at the Games Master’s discretion.

Disabled: The character has 0 hit points. The character can take only a single move action or attack action and takes 1 point of damage after any action.

Dying: The character is near death and unconscious, with –1 to –9 wound points. The character can take no actions. Each round, a dying character loses 1 hit point until he or she dies or becomes stable.

Energy Drained: The character gains one or more negative levels, which might permanently drain the character’s levels. If the subject has at least as many negative levels as Hit Dice, he dies. Each negative level gives a creature the following penalties: –1 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, ability checks; loss of 5 hit points; and –1 to effective level for determining the power, duration, DC, and other details of rituals or special abilities.

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Another emergency meal of orc food later, the group was in the second level of the sewers, making their way slowly upstream. Gearbolt’s theory suggested that since the water was being drawn up from a central well and used by the factory, it would all be flowing away from the facility. If that was true, they could find the factory just by moving against the current until they reached the spot from whence the water was coming. It was, at least, a better plan than letting the orcs chop them apart up above.

Thurdin’s objection to the plan had been circumvented. They were using the curved roof of the iron coach to trap air. A cracked glass panel on one side allowed them to see while they moved. Aside from the occasional spark as the iron dome grated against the stone ceiling overhead, it was working fairly well. There were interspersed pits along the route and when they encountered one, they could stand up fully, raise the dome to get fresh air inside and stave off the possibility of slow suffocation. It was a dangerous plan and if they did not keep finding places to refresh their air supply it could be a fatal one but it seemed to be working so far.

The real problem with travelling through the second level of the sewers was not the lack of air. It was the lack of light. With no direct access for travel, there was no need for the orcs to put light sources down here. That made it difficult for Jerrek and the others to find their way around. Gearbolt was able to gauge the motion of the water around it, keeping them moving upstream, but they had virtually no visibility at all. Even Thurdin and Gailion, with their eyes the best suited for seeing in the dark, could not see very far ahead because of the high water level. If they came across anything living down here, it would be on them before they could react…

the fascinating effect, for as long as the effect lasts. It takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen and Spot checks. Any potential threat, such as a hostile creature approaching, allows the fascinated creature a new saving throw against the fascinating effect. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the fascinated creature, automatically breaks the effect. A fascinated creature’s ally may shake it free of the condition as a standard action.

Fatigued: Characters who are fatigued cannot run or charge and take a penalty of –2 to Strength and Dexterity. After 8 hours of complete, uninterrupted rest, a fatigued character is no longer fatigued.

Flat-Footed: A character who has not yet acted during a combat is flat-footed, not reacting normally to the situation. A flat-footed character loses his or her Dexterity bonus to Defence Value.

Frightened: A frightened creature flees from the source of its fear as best it can. If unable to flee, it may fight. A frightened creature takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. A frightened creature can use special abilities, including magic, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape. Being frightened is like being shaken, except that the creature must flee if possible. Panicked is a more extreme state of fear even than these.

Grappled: When grappled, a character cannot undertake any action other than attacking with his bare hands, attacking with a light weapon, or attempting to break free from his opponent. The character loses his Dexterity bonus to Defence Value, except on attacks from characters with whom he is grappling.

Exhausted: Characters who are exhausted move at half speed and cannot run or charge. Furthermore, they take a –6 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. After 1 hour of complete, uninterrupted rest, an exhausted character becomes fatigued.

Fascinated: A fascinated creature is entranced by a supernatural or occult effect. The creature stands or sits quietly, taking no actions other than to pay attention to

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Helpless: Paralysed, sleeping, or unconscious characters are helpless. A helpless character has an effective Defence Value of 5 + size modifier. An attacker can attempt a coup de grace against a helpless character.

Incorporeal: Having no physical body. Incorporeal creatures are immune to all non-magical attack forms. The only things that can harm them are other incorporeal creatures, +1 or better magic weapons, rituals, occult effects, or supernatural effects.

Invisible: Visually undetectable. An invisible creature gains a +2 bonus on attack rolls against sighted opponents, and ignores its opponents’ Dexterity bonuses to Defence Value, if any. See Invisibility, under Special Abilities.

Nauseated: Characters who are nauseated are unable to attack or do anything else requiring attention or concentration. The only action such a character can take is a single move action per turn.

Panicked: A panicked character flees as fast as possible and cowers (see Cowering, above) if unable to get away. The character defends normally but cannot attack. Panicked is a more extreme state of fear than shaken or frightened.

Paralysed: Characters who are paralysed fall to the ground, unable to move. They have an effective (but not actual) Dexterity and Strength of 0. They are helpless.

Pinned: A pinned character is held immobile (but not helpless) in a grapple. The character takes a –4 penalty to Defence Value against melee attacks and loses his Dexterity bonus to Defence Value.

Prone: An attacker who is prone (lying on the ground) takes a –4 penalty on melee attack rolls and cannot use bows or thrown ranged weapons. The character gains a +4 bonus to Defence Value against ranged attacks but takes a –4 penalty to Defence Value against melee attacks.

Shaken: A shaken character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks. Shaken is a less severe state of fear than frightened or panicked.

Sickened: A sickened character takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.

Stable: A stable character is no longer dying but is still unconscious.

Staggered: A character whose non-lethal damage exactly equals his current hit points is staggered. A staggered character may take a single move action or standard action each round but not both, nor can he take full-round actions. A character whose current hit points exceed

his non-lethal damage is no longer staggered; a character whose non-lethal damage exceeds his hit points becomes unconscious.

Stunned: A character who becomes stunned loses his Dexterity bonus, drops what he is holding and can take no attack or move actions. In addition, the character takes a –2 penalty to Defence Value. The condition typically lasts 1 round.

Unconscious: An unconscious character is unable to defend himself. The character is helpless and typically falls prone.

Special AbilitiesCreatures and even some characters have special abilities that are beyond the scope of skills and feats but still fall short of psychic powers and the ability to wield magic. A special ability may be extraordinary, occult, or supernatural in nature.

Extraordinary Abilities (Ex): Extraordinary abilities are non-magical. They are not, however, something that just anyone can do, or even learn to do without extensive training. Effects or areas that negate or disrupt magic have no effect on extraordinary abilities.

Occult Abilities (Oc): Occult abilities, as the name implies, are magical abilities that are very much like the effects of rituals. Occult abilities are subject to magic resistance and protection magic. They do not function in areas where magic is suppressed or negated.

Supernatural Abilities (Su): Supernatural abilities are magical but are not within the realm of the occult. Supernatural abilities are not subject to magic resistance and do not function in areas where magic is suppressed or negated. A supernatural ability’s effect cannot be dispelled and is not subject to countermagic. See the table below for a summary of the types of special abilities.

Ability Score LossVarious attacks cause ability score loss, either ability damage or ability drain. Points lost to ability damage return at the rate of 1 point per day (or double that if the character gets complete bed rest) to each damaged ability, and the spells lesser restoration and restoration offset ability damage as well. Ability drain, however, is permanent, though restoration can restore even those lost ability score points.

Special Ability TypesAbility Type Extraordinary Occult SupernaturalDispel No Yes YesMagic resistance

No Yes No

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While any loss is debilitating, losing all points in an ability score can be devastating.

� Strength 0 means that the character cannot move at all. He lies helpless on the ground.

� Dexterity 0 means that the character cannot move at all. He stands motionless, rigid, and helpless.

� Constitution 0 means that the character is dead.� Intelligence 0 means that the character cannot

think and is unconscious in a coma-like stupor, helpless.

� Wisdom 0 means that the character is withdrawn into a deep sleep filled with nightmares, helpless.

� Charisma 0 means that the character is withdrawn into a catatonic, coma-like stupor, helpless.

Keeping track of negative ability score points is never necessary. A character’s ability score cannot drop below 0. Having a score of 0 in an ability score is different from having no ability score whatsoever.

Some rituals or abilities impose an effective ability score reduction, which is different from ability score loss. Any such reduction disappears at the end of the effect or ability’s duration, upon which the ability score immediately returns to its former value.

If a character’s Constitution score drops, then he loses 1 hit point per Hit Die for every point by which his Constitution modifier drops. A hit point score cannot be reduced by Constitution damage or drain to less than 1 hit point per Hit Die.

The ability that some creatures have to drain ability scores is a supernatural one, requiring some sort of attack. Such creatures do not drain abilities from enemies when the enemies strike them, even with unarmed attacks or natural weapons.

Blindsight and BlindsenseSome creatures have blindsight, the extraordinary ability to use a non-visual sense (or a combination of such senses) to operate effectively without vision. Such senses may include sensitivity to vibrations, acute sensivity to scent, keen hearing, or echolocation ability. This ability makes invisibility and concealment (even magical darkness) irrelevant to the creature, though it still cannot see ethereal creatures. This ability operates out to a range specified in the creature description.

� Blindsight never allows a creature to distinguish colour or visual contrast. A creature cannot read with blindsight.

� Blindsight does not subject a creature to gaze attacks, even though darkvision does.

� Blinding attacks do not penalize creatures using blindsight.

� Deafening attacks thwart blindsight if it relies on hearing.

� Blindsight works underwater but not in a vacuum.

� Blindsight negates displacement and blur effects.

Blindsense: Other creatures have blindsense, a lesser ability that lets the creature notice things it cannot see but without the precision of blindsight. The creature with blindsense usually does not need to make Spot or Listen checks to notice and locate creatures within range of its blindsense ability, provided that it has line of effect to that creature. Any opponent the creature cannot see has total concealment (50% miss chance) against the creature with blindsense and the blindsensing creature still has the normal miss chance when attacking foes that have concealment. Visibility still affects the movement of a creature with blindsense. A creature with blindsense is still denied its Dexterity bonus to DV against attacks from creatures it cannot see.

Breath WeaponA creature attacking with a breath weapon is actually expelling something from its mouth, rather than conjuring it by means of a spell or some other magical effect. Most creatures with breath weapons are limited to a number of uses per day or by a minimum length of time that must pass between uses. Such creatures are usually smart enough to save their breath weapons until they really need them.

� Using a breath weapon is typically a standard action.

� No attack roll is necessary. The breath simply fills its stated area.

� Any character caught in the area must make the appropriate saving throw or suffer the breath weapon’s full effect. In many cases, a character who succeeds on his saving throw still takes half damage or some other reduced effect.

� Breath weapons are supernatural abilities except where noted.

� Creatures are immune to their own breath weapons.

� Creatures unable to breathe can still use breath weapons. The term is something of a misnomer.

Charm and CompulsionMany abilities and particularly enticement magic can cloud the minds of characters and monsters, leaving them unable to tell friend from foe, or worse yet, deceiving them into thinking that their former friends are now their worst enemies. Two general types of enchantments affect characters and creatures: charms and compulsions.

Charming another creature gives the charming character the ability to befriend and suggest courses of actions to

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his minion but the servitude is not absolute or mindless. Essentially, a charmed character retains free will but makes choices according to a skewed view of the world.

� A charmed creature does not gain any magical ability to understand his new friend’s language.

� A charmed character retains his original alignment and allegiances, generally with the exception that he now regards the charming creature as a dear friend and will give great weight to his suggestions and directions.

� A charmed character fights his former allies only if they threaten his new friend. Even then, he uses the least lethal means at his disposal as long as these tactics show any possibility of success, just as he would in a fight between two actual friends.

� A charmed character is entitled to an opposed Charisma check against his master in order to resist instructions or commands that would make him do something he would normally not do even for a close friend. If he succeeds, he decides not to go along with that order but remains charmed.

� A charmed character never obeys a command that is obviously suicidal or grievously harmful to him.

� If the charming creature commands his minion to do something that the influenced character would be violently opposed to, the subject may attempt

a new saving throw to break free of the influence altogether.

� A charmed character who is openly attacked by the creature who charmed him, or by that creature’s apparent allies, is automatically freed of the spell or effect.

Compulsion is a different matter altogether. A compulsion overrides the subject’s free will in some way or simply changes the way the subject’s mind works. A charm makes the subject a friend of the caster; a compulsion makes the subject obey the caster. Regardless of whether a character is charmed or compelled, he will not volunteer information or actions that his master does not explicitly demand.

Cold and Fire ImmunityA creature with cold or fire immunity never takes cold or fire damage, respectively. It has vulnerability to the opposed form of damage (fire or cold respectively) which means it takes half as much damage again (+50%) from that damage type, regardless of whether a saving throw is allowed, or whether the saving throw is a success or failure.

Damage ReductionSome magic creatures have the supernatural ability to instantly heal damage from weapons or to ignore blows altogether as though they were invulnerable.

The numerical part of a creature’s damage reduction is the amount of hit points the creature ignores from normal attacks. Usually, a certain type of weapon can overcome this reduction. This information is separated from the damage reduction number by

a slash. Special materials may overcome damage reduction, as may magic weapons (defined as any weapon with a +1 or higher enhancement bonus,

not counting the enhancement from mastercraft quality), certain types of weapons (such as slashing or bludgeoning) and weapons imbued with an allegiance. If a dash follows the slash

then the damage reduction is effective against any attack that does not ignore damage reduction.

Ammunition fired from a projectile weapon with an enhancement bonus of +1 or higher is treated as a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Similarly, ammunition fired from a projectile weapon

with an allegiance gains the allegiance of that projectile weapon in addition to any allegiance

it may already have.

Whenever damage reduction completely negates the damage from an attack, it also

negates most special effects that accompany the attack, such as ‘injury type’ poison, or disease.

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Damage reduction does not negate touch attacks, energy damage dealt along with an attack or energy drains, nor does it affect poisons or diseases delivered by inhalation, ingestion, or contact.

Attacks that deal no damage because of the target’s damage reduction do not disrupt a character’s concentration upon magic and psychic powers. Rituals, occult abilities and energy attacks (even non-magical fire) ignore damage reduction.

Sometimes damage reduction is instant healing; in other cases damage reduction represents the creature’s tough hide or body. In either case, characters can clearly see that conventional attacks do not work. If a creature has damage reduction from more than one source, then the two forms of damage reduction do not stack. Instead, the creature gets the benefit of the best damage reduction in a given situation.

Armour provides damage reduction to its wearer, with all the effects it has when it blocks an attack completely. Like other types of damage reduction, the DR granted by armour does not stack with any natural armour that creatures or characters may have. Constructs are an exception if they weld the armour to their artificial bodies, as it provides an extra layer of armour plating to the one they already have.

DarkvisionDarkvision is the extraordinary ability to see with no light source at all, out to a range specified for the creature. Darkvision is black and white only. Colours cannot be discerned. It does not allow characters to see anything that they could not see otherwise. Invisible objects are still invisible and illusions are still visible as what they seem to be. Likewise, darkvision subjects a creature to gaze attacks normally. The presence of light does not spoil darkvision.

Disease and PoisonThe natural attacks of some creatures (and attacks by some especially unscrupulous cads) are infected with disease or laced with poison. A character injured by such attack must make an immediate Fortitude saving throw in addition to taking the attack’s damage. The Adventuring section discusses disease and poison with more detail.

Energy Drain and Negative LevelsSome horrible creatures, especially undead monsters, possess a fearsome supernatural ability to drain levels from those they strike in combat. The creature making an energy drain attack draws a portion of its victim’s life force from him. Most energy drain attacks require a successful melee attack roll. Mere physical contact is not enough. Each successful energy drain attack bestows one or more negative levels on the opponent. A creature takes the following penalties for each negative level it has gained.

� –1 on all skill checks and ability checks, including Ritual and Psychic Control checks.

� –1 on attack rolls and saving throws.� –5 hit points.� –1 effective level. Whenever the creature’s level is

used in a die roll or calculation, reduce it by one for each negative level.

Negative levels remain for 24 hours or until removed with an invocation ritual. After 24 hours, the afflicted creature must attempt a Fortitude saving throw, with a DC of 10 + half attacker’s HD + attacker’s Charisma modifier. If the saving throw succeeds, the negative level goes away with no harm to the creature. The afflicted creature makes a separate saving throw for each negative level it has gained. If the save fails, the negative level goes away but the creature’s level also drops by one.

A character with negative levels at least equal to his current level, or drained below 1st level, is instantly slain. Depending on the creature that killed him, he may rise the next night as a monster of that kind. A creature gains 5 temporary hit points for each negative level it bestows, though not if the negative level is caused by a magic ritual effect.

EtherealnessCertain creatures can exist on the Ethereal Plane. While on the Ethereal Plane, a creature is called ethereal. Unlike incorporeal creatures, ethereal creatures are not present on the Material Plane. Ethereal creatures are invisible, inaudible, insubstantial, and scentless to creatures on the Material Plane. Even most magical attacks have no effect on them. Some divination rituals reveal ethereal creatures.

An ethereal creature can see and hear into the Material Plane in a 60-foot radius, though material objects still block sight and sound; an ethereal creature cannot see through a material wall, for instance. An ethereal creature inside an object on the Material Plane cannot see. Things on the Material Plane, however, look grey, indistinct, and ghostly. An ethereal creature cannot affect the Material Plane, not even magically. An ethereal creature, however, interacts with other ethereal creatures and objects the way material creatures interact with material creatures and objects. Even if a creature on the Material Plane can see an ethereal creature the ethereal creature is on another plane. Only invocation effects with the Force descriptor can affect the ethereal creatures. If, on the other hand, both creatures are ethereal, they can affect each other normally.

A force effect originating on the Material Plane extends onto the Ethereal Plane, so that a wall of invoked force blocks an ethereal creature, and a magical missile made from force can strike one, provided the spellcaster can see the ethereal target. Gaze effects and protection magic effects also extend from the Material Plane to the Ethereal

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Plane. None of these effects extend from the Ethereal Plane to the Material Plane.

Ethereal creatures move in any direction (including up or down) at will. They do not need to walk on the ground and material objects do not block them, though they cannot see while their eyes are within solid material.

Non-Player Character ghosts have a power called manifestation that allows them to appear on the Material Plane as incorporeal creatures. Still, they abide on the Ethereal Plane and another ethereal creature can interact normally with a manifesting ghost. Ethereal creatures pass through and operate in water as easily as air. Ethereal creatures do not fall or take falling damage.

Fast HealingA creature with fast healing has the extraordinary ability to regain hit points at an exceptional rate. Except for what is noted here, fast healing is like natural healing.

At the beginning of each of the creature’s turns, it heals a certain number of hit points, defined in its description. Unlike regeneration, fast healing does not allow a creature to regrow or reattach lost body parts. A creature that has taken both non-lethal and lethal damage heals the non-lethal damage first. Fast healing does not restore hit points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation, nor does it increase the number of hit points regained when a creature polymorphs.

FearMagic effects, magic items, and certain monsters can affect characters with fear. In most cases, the character makes a Will saving throw to resist this effect and a failed roll means that the character is shaken, frightened, or panicked. The states of fear are: shaken, frightened, panicked and cowering, described in the Conditions section above.

Becoming Even More Fearful: Fear effects are cumulative. A shaken character who is made shaken again becomes frightened and a shaken character who is made frightened becomes panicked instead. A frightened character who is made shaken or frightened becomes panicked instead.

Gaseous FormSome creatures have the supernatural or occult ability to take the form of a cloud of vapour or gas. Creatures in gaseous form cannot run but can fly. A gaseous creature can move about and do the things that a cloud of gas can conceivably do, such as flow through the crack under a door. It cannot, however, pass through solid matter nor enter water or other liquid, as it is not ethereal or incorporeal. Winds or other forms of moving air affect it to the extent that the wind pushes it in the direction the wind is moving. However, even the strongest wind cannot disperse or damage a creature in gaseous form.

Gaseous creatures cannot attack physically or activate conduits; they lose their supernatural abilities, except for the supernatural ability to assume gaseous form, of course. Creatures in gaseous form have damage reduction 10/magic. Magic effects, occult abilities, and supernatural abilities affect them normally. Creatures in gaseous form lose all benefit of material armour, including natural armour, though size, Dexterity and deflection bonuses still apply. Discerning a creature in gaseous form from natural mist requires a DC 15 Spot check. Creatures in gaseous form attempting to hide in an area with mist, smoke, or other gas gain a +20 bonus. Gaseous creatures do not need to breathe and are immune to attacks involving breathing, such as poison gas and similar effects.

IncorporealitySpectres, wraiths, and a few other creatures lack

physical bodies. Such creatures are insubstantial and cannot

be touched by non-magical matter or energy. Likewise,

they cannot manipulate or exert physical force on objects. However, incorporeal beings have a tangible presence that

sometimes seems like a physical attack against a corporeal creature.

Incorporeal creatures are present on the same plane as the characters, and characters have some chance to affect them. Incorporeal creatures can only be harmed by other

incorporeal creatures, by magic weapons, or by

magic or supernatural effects. They are immune to all non-magical

attack forms. They are not burned by normal fires, affected by natural cold, or harmed by

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mundane acids. Even when struck by magic or magic weapons, an incorporeal creature has a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source, except for a force effect or damage dealt by an etheric weapon. Incorporeal creatures are immune to critical hits and to extra damage from being favoured prey and from precision attacks. The physical attacks of incorporeal creatures ignore material armour, even magic armour, unless it is made of force or has the etheric ability. They cannot trip or grapple incorporeal creatures.

Incorporeal creatures move in any direction (including up or down) at will and do not need to walk on the ground. They can pass through solid objects at will, although they cannot see when their eyes are within solid matter. Incorporeal creatures hiding inside solid objects get a +2 circumstance bonus on Listen checks, because solid objects carry sound well. Pinpointing an opponent from inside a solid object uses the same rules as pinpointing invisible opponents; see Invisibility, below. Incorporeal creatures pass through and operate in water as easily as they do in air and cannot fall or take falling damage. Incorporeal creatures have no weight and do not set off traps that are triggered by weight; they do not leave footprints, have no scent, and make no noise unless they manifest, and even then they only make noise intentionally.

InvisibilityThe ability to move about unseen is not foolproof. While they cannot be seen, invisible creatures can be heard, smelled, or felt. Invisibility does make a creature undetectable by vision, including darkvision.

Invisibility does not, by itself, make a creature immune to critical hits but it does make the creature immune to extra damage from being a hunter’s favoured prey and from precision attacks. Invisible creatures cannot use gaze attacks.

A creature can generally notice the presence of an active invisible creature within 30 feet with a DC 20 Spot check. The observer gains a hunch that ‘something is there’ but cannot see it or target it accurately with an attack. A creature who is holding still is very hard to notice, raising the Spot check DC to 30. An inanimate object, a non-living creature holding still, or a completely immobile creature is even harder to spot, raising the Spot check DC to 40. It is practically impossible (+20 DC) to pinpoint an invisible creature’s location with a Spot check, and even if a character succeeds on such a check, the invisible creature still benefits from total concealment, bestowing a 50% miss chance upon the attacker.

A creature can use hearing to find an invisible creature. A character can make a Listen check for this purpose as a free action each round. A Listen check result at least equal to

the invisible creature’s Move Silently check result reveals its presence. A creature with no ranks in Move Silently makes a Move Silently check as a Dexterity check to which an armour check penalty applies. A successful check lets a character hear an invisible creature ‘over there somewhere’. It is practically impossible to pinpoint the location of an invisible creature. A Listen check that beats the DC by 20 pinpoints the invisible creature’s location.

A creature can grope about to find an invisible creature. A character can make a touch attack with his hands or a weapon into two adjacent 5-foot squares using a standard action. If an invisible target is in the designated area, there is a 50% miss chance on the touch attack. If successful, the groping character deals no damage but has successfully pinpointed the invisible creature’s current location. If the invisible creature moves, its location, obviously, is once again unknown.

If an invisible creature strikes a character, the character struck still knows the location of the creature that struck him, until, of course, the invisible creature moves. The only exception is if the invisible creature has a reach greater than 5 feet. In this case, the struck character knows the general location of the creature but has not pinpointed the exact location.

If a character tries to attack an invisible creature whose location he has pinpointed, he attacks normally, but the invisible creature still benefits from full concealment and thus a 50% miss chance. A particularly large and slow creature might get a smaller miss chance.

If a character tries to attack an invisible creature whose location he has not pinpointed, have the player choose the space where the character will direct the attack. If the invisible creature is there, conduct the attack normally. If the enemy is not there, the Games Master rolls the miss chance as if it was there and does not let the player see the result, telling him that the character missed. That way the player does not know whether the attack missed because the enemy is not there or because the Games Master successfully rolled the miss chance.

If an invisible character picks up a visible object, the object remains visible. One could coat an invisible object with flour to at least keep track of its position, until the flour fell off or blew away. An invisible creature can pick up a small visible item and hide it on his person (tucked

Listen Check DCs to Detect Invisible CreaturesInvisible Creature is . . . DCIn combat or speaking 0Moving at half speed Move Silently check resultMoving at full speed Move Silently check result –4Running or charging Move Silently check result –20Some distance away +1 per 10 feetBehind an obstacle (door) +5Behind an obstacle (stone wall) +15

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in a pocket or behind a cloak) and render it effectively invisible. An invisible burning torch still gives off light, as does an invisible object with a light or similar effect cast upon it.

Invisible creatures leave tracks. They can be tracked normally. Footprints in sand, mud, or other soft surfaces can give enemies clues to an invisible creature’s location. An invisible creature in the water displaces water, revealing its location; it is, however, is still hard to see and benefits from concealment.

A creature with the scent ability can detect an invisible creature as it would a visible one. A creature with the Blind-Fight feat has a better chance to hit an invisible creature. Roll the miss chance twice, and he misses only if both rolls indicate a miss; alternatively, make one 25% miss chance roll rather than two 50% miss chance rolls. A creature with blindsight can attack (and otherwise interact with) creatures regardless of invisibility. Invisibility does not thwart divination effects. Since some creatures can detect or even see invisible creatures, it is helpful to be able to hide even when invisible.

Ethereal creatures are invisible. Since ethereal creatures are not materially present, Spot checks, Listen checks, Scent, Blind-Fight, and blindsight do not help locate them. Incorporeal creatures are often invisible. Scent, Blind-Fight, and blindsight do not help creatures find or attack invisible, incorporeal creatures, but Spot checks and possibly Listen checks can help.

Level LossA character who loses a level instantly loses one Hit Die. The character’s base attack bonus, base saving throw bonuses, and special class abilities are now reduced to the new, lower level. Likewise, the character loses any ability score gains, skill ranks, and feats associated with the level, if applicable. If the exact ability score or skill ranks increased from a level now lost is unknown, or the player has forgotten what was increased, lose 1 point from the highest ability score or ranks from the highest-ranked skills. If a companion creature has abilities tied to a character who has lost a level, the creature’s abilities are adjusted to fit the character’s new level. The victim’s experience point total is immediately set to the midpoint of the previous level.

Low-Light VisionCharacters with low-light vision have eyes that are so sensitive to light that they can see twice as far as normal in dim light. Low-light vision is colour vision. A character with low-light vision can read a scroll as long as even the tiniest candle flame is next to him as a source of light. Characters with low-light vision can see outdoors on a moonlit night as well as they can during the day.

Magic ResistanceMagic resistance is the extraordinary ability to avoid being affected by magic ritual effects. Some rituals also grant magic resistance. To affect a creature that has magic resistance, a character must make a character level check (1d20 + caster level) at least equal to the creature’s magic resistance. The defender’s magic resistance is like a Defence Value against magical attacks. If the caster fails the check, the ritual or conduit power does not affect the creature. The possessor does not have to do anything special to use magic resistance. Indeed, he need not even be aware of the threat for its magic resistance to operate.

Only spells and occult abilities are subject to magic resistance. Extraordinary and supernatural abilities, including enhancement bonuses on magic weapons, are not. A creature can have some abilities that are subject to magic resistance and some that are not. Even some rituals ignore magic resistance; see When Magic Resistance Applies, below.

A creature can voluntarily lower its magic resistance. Doing so is a standard action and, once a creature lowers its resistance, it remains down until the creature’s next turn. At the beginning of the creature’s next turn, the creature’s magic resistance automatically returns unless the creature intentionally keeps it down; to do this is also a standard action. A creature’s magic resistance never interferes with its own powers, items, or abilities.

A creature with magic resistance cannot impart this power to others by touching them or standing in their midst. Only the most rare of creatures and a few magic items have the ability to bestow magic resistance upon another. Magic resistance does not stack. It overlaps.

When Magic Resistance AppliesIn general, whether magic resistance applies or not depends on what the effect does:

Targeted Effects: Magic resistance applies if the effect is targeted at the creature. Some individually targeted effects can be directed at several creatures simultaneously. In such cases, a creature’s magic resistance applies only to the portion of the effect actually targeted at that creature. If several different resistant creatures are subjected to such an effect, each checks its magic resistance separately.

Area Effects: Magic resistance applies if the resistant creature is within the effect’s area. It protects the resistant creature without altering the effect itself.

Invocation Effects: Some effects summon or create something and are not subject to magic resistance. Sometimes, however, magic resistance applies usually to those that act upon a creature more or less directly.

Magic resistance can protect a creature from an effect that is already in place. Check magic resistance when the

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creature is first affected. Check magic resistance only once for any particular casting of an effect or use of an occult ability. If magic resistance fails the first time, it fails each time the creature encounters that same instance of the effect. Likewise, if the magic resistance succeeds the first time, it always succeeds. If the creature has voluntarily lowered its magic resistance and is then subjected to an effect, then the creature still has a single chance to resist that effect later, when its magic resistance is up.

Magic resistance has no effect unless the energy created or released by the effect actually goes to work on the resistant creature’s mind or body. If the effect acts on anything else and the creature is affected as a consequence, no roll is required. Creatures can be harmed by an effect without being directly targeted. Magic resistance does not apply if an effect fools the creature’s senses or reveals something about the creature. Magic actually has to be working for magic resistance to apply. Effects that have instantaneous durations but lasting results are not subject to magic resistance unless the resistant creature is exposed to the effect the instant it is cast.

When in doubt about whether an effect is direct or indirect, consider the effect’s discipline:

Protection: The target creature must be harmed, changed, or restricted in some manner for magic resistance to apply. Perception changes are not subject to magic resistance. Effects that block or negate attacks are not subject to an attacker’s magic resistance; it is the protected creature that is affected by the effect, becoming immune or resistant to the attack.

Invocation: These effects are usually not subject to magic resistance unless the effect conjures some form of energy. Effects that summon creatures or function like creatures are not subject to magic resistance. If an evocation effect deals damage to the creature, it is a direct effect. If the effect damages something else, it is an indirect effect.

Divination: These effects do not affect creatures directly and are not subject to magic resistance, even though what they reveal about a creature might be very damaging.

Enticement: Since enticement effects affect creatures’ minds, they are typically subject to magic resistance. Illusions, however, are almost never subject to magic resistance. Illusions that entail a direct attack are exceptions.

Necromancy: Most of these effects alter the target creature’s life force and are subject to magic resistance. Unusual necromancy effects that do not affect other creatures directly are not subject to magic resistance.

Transformation: These effects are subject to magic resistance if they transform the target creature. Transmutation effects are not subject to magic resistance

if they are targeted on a point in space instead of on a creature. Some transformations make objects harmful, or more harmful. Even these effects are not generally subject to magic resistance because they affect the objects, not the creatures against which the objects are used. Magic resistance works against these effects only if the creature with magic resistance is holding the objects when the characters use the effect on them.

Successful Magic ResistanceMagic resistance prevents an effect or an occult ability from affecting or harming the resistant creature but it never removes a magical effect from another creature or negates an effect on another creature. Magic resistance prevents an effect from disrupting another magic power.

Against an ongoing effect that is already in place, a failed check against magic resistance allows the resistant creature to ignore any consequence it might have. The magic continues to affect others normally.

Non-AbilitiesSome creatures lack certain ability scores. These creatures do not have an ability score of 0. Instead, they lack the ability altogether. The modifier for a non-ability is +0. Other effects of non-abilities are detailed below.

� Strength: Any creature that can physically manipulate other objects has at least 1 point of Strength. A creature with no Strength score cannot exert force, usually because it has no physical body or because it does not move. The creature automatically fails Strength checks. If the creature can attack, it applies its Dexterity modifier to its base attack bonus instead of a Strength modifier.

� Dexterity: Any creature that can move has at least 1 point of Dexterity. A creature with no Dexterity score cannot move. If it can perform actions, such as casting spells, then it applies its Intelligence modifier to initiative checks instead of a Dexterity modifier. The creature automatically fails Reflex saving throws and Dexterity checks.

� Constitution: Any living creature has at least 1 point of Constitution. A creature with no Constitution has no body or no metabolism. It is immune to any effect that requires a Fortitude saving throw unless the effect works on objects or is harmless. The creature is also immune to ability damage, ability drain and energy drain and automatically fails Constitution checks. A creature with no Constitution cannot tire and thus can run indefinitely without tiring, unless the creature’s description says it cannot run.

� Intelligence: Any creature that can think, learn, or remember has at least 1 point of Intelligence. A creature with no Intelligence score is mindless, an automaton operating on simple instincts or

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programmed instructions. It has immunity to mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) and automatically fails Intelligence checks. Mindless creatures do not gain feats or skills, although they may have bonus feats or racial skill bonuses.

� Wisdom: Any creature that can perceive its environment in any fashion has at least 1 point of Wisdom. Anything with no Wisdom score is an object, not a creature. Anything without a Wisdom score also has no Charisma score.

� Charisma: Any creature capable of telling the difference between itself and things that are not itself has at least 1 point of Charisma. Anything with no Charisma score is an object, not a creature. Anything without a Charisma score also has no Wisdom score.

RaysAll ray attacks require the attacker to make a successful ranged touch attack against the target. Rays have varying ranges, which are simple maximums. A ray’s attack roll never takes a range penalty. Even if a ray hits, it usually allows the target to make a saving throw, which is either Fortitude or Will. Rays never allow a Reflex saving throw, though if a character’s Dexterity and class bonus to DV are high, it might be hard to hit him with the ray in the first place.

RegenerationCreatures with this extraordinary ability recover from wounds quickly and can even regrow or reattach severed body parts. Damage dealt to the creature is treated as non-lethal damage and the creature automatically cures itself of non-lethal damage at a fixed rate.

Certain attack forms, typically fire and acid, deal damage to the creature normally; that sort of damage does not convert to non-lethal damage and so does not go away. The creature’s description includes the details. Creatures with regeneration can regrow lost portions of their bodies and can reattach severed limbs or body parts. Severed parts die if they are not reattached.

Regeneration does not restore hit points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation. Attack forms that do not deal hit point damage ignore regeneration, and those that can

cause instant death only threaten the creature with death if they are delivered by weapons that deal it lethal damage.

Resistance to EnergyA creature with resistance to energy has the ability (usually extraordinary) to ignore some damage of a certain type each round, but it does not have total immunity. Each resistance ability is defined by what energy type it resists and how many points of damage are resisted. It does not matter whether the damage has a mundane or magical source. When resistance completely negates the damage from an energy attack, the attack does not disrupt a magic effect. This resistance does not stack with the resistance that a magic effect might provide.

ScentThis extraordinary ability lets a creature detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. A creature with the scent ability can detect opponents by sense of smell, generally within 30 feet. If the opponent is upwind, the range is 60 feet. If it is downwind, the range is 15 feet. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the

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ranges noted above. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk, can be detected at three times these ranges. The creature detects another creature’s presence but not its specific location. Noting the direction of the scent is a move action. If it moves within 5 feet of the scent’s source, the creature can pinpoint that source.

A creature with the Track feat and the scent ability can follow tracks by smell, making a Wisdom check to find or follow a track. The typical DC for a fresh trail is 10. The DC increases or decreases depending on how strong the quarry’s odour is, the number of creatures and the age of the trail. For each hour that the trail is cold, the DC increases by 2. The ability otherwise follows the rules for the Track feat. Creatures tracking by scent ignore the effects of surface conditions and poor visibility. Water, particularly running water, ruins a trail for air-breathing creatures. Water-breathing creatures that have the scent ability, however, can use it in the water easily.

Creatures with the scent ability can identify familiar odours just as humans do familiar sights. False, powerful odours can easily mask other scents. The presence of such an odour completely spoils the ability to properly detect or identify creatures and the base Survival DC to track becomes 20 rather than 10.

Turn ResistanceSome creatures (usually undead) are less easily affected by the turning ability of ecclesiasts. This phenomenon is called turn resistance and is an extraordinary ability. When resolving a turn, rebuke, command or bolster attempt, add the appropriate bonus to the creature’s Hit Dice total.

Experience and Other RewardsExperience is the measure of how a character learns about himself and the world around him; it represents his growing ability to survive and to explore his skills, talents and powers.

Experience is measured in experience points (XP), which characters gain by beating the challenges that they come across.

Awarding Experience PointsThe Games Master awards experience points to all characters at the end of each adventure. This represents how characters learn from what happens to them and the time they take to train and improve themselves. The amount of XP awarded is based on the obstacles encountered and overcome in an encounter and the average level of a group of characters.

Encounter GoalsAs detailed in the earlier sections of this chapter, encounters come in different flavours and are overcome in different ways, whether defeating a foe in a combat

encounter, surviving an action sequence or role-playing one’s way out of a social encounter. Of course, a situation is not always as clear-cut; characters might turn a perfect negotiation with a band of cutthroats into combat, achieving the goal through different means.

Characters receive experience points for overcoming the obstacles that come between them and the final goal of the adventure. The Games Master must design encounters that match the characters’ levels, which might be difficult at first but becomes easier as he has time to learn how the players handle their characters and which powers and abilities they acquire. Experience awards are not set in stone; the Games Master may increase or decrease the amount he gives depending on how hard or easy of a time the characters had when beating the encounters.

Determining Encounter LevelsAs described before, the EL of an encounter indicates how challenging it is. The steps for determining the EL of an encounter are:

Determine Individual Challenge Ratings: When an encounter has more than one challenge, whether more than one opponent or a mix between opponents and dangers, determine all the individual CRs. Creatures have their CR listed in their descriptions, while characters’ CR is the same as their character level. Ordinary characters have a CR equal to their level minus 1. Other types of hazards have their CR based on the difficulty of the skill checks involved, although not all skill checks should be considered part of a challenge.

Check DC CRLess than 15 015-19 120-24 225-29 330-34 435-39 540+ 6

Calculate an Overall Challenge Rating: The total CR of an encounter can be calculated depending on circumstances.

If all have the same CR: Modify the encounter’s CR by the amount of obstacles. 2 obstacles increases the CR by +2, 3 obstacles by +3 and so on.

If the Obstacles Have a Different CR: Average the CR of all the obstacles and then add a modifier as above. For example, characters are facing a monster with CR 8 and its CR 4 handler in a situation worth CR 6. The average CR is 6 and, since there are three obstacles, it is modified by +3 for a final CR 9.

Consider the Encounter’s Threat Level: An encounter with a CR 11 enemy might not be so dangerous if the

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characters are not expected to defeat it in combat, nor a social encounter with an influential personage so threatening if answering the character’s questions is in her best interest. For high threat encounters use the same calculated CR, but for encounters that pose low or no threat, the actual CR is one half or one quarter the total CR.

Considering Encounter Circumstances: The Games Master adjusts the EL depending on how complicated or easy the encounter was to play out, which is completely under the Games Master’s judgement. An encounter can be complicated by circumstances that neither the Games Master nor the players expected, which may range from

Experience AwardsParty Level

Encounter Level1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1st-3rd 450 650 900 1,275 1,800 2,550 3,600 5,100 7,200 10,2004th 425 600 850 1,200 1,700 2,400 3,400 4,800 6,800 9,6005th 375 525 750 1,050 1,500 2,100 3,000 4,200 6,000 8,4006th 325 450 625 900 1,250 1,800 2,500 3,600 5,00 7,2007th 275 375 525 750 1,050 1,500 2,100 3,000 4,200 6,0008th 225 300 425 600 850 1,200 1,700 2,400 3,400 4,8009th – 250 350 475 675 950 1,350 1,900 2,700 3,80010th – – 275 375 525 750 1,050 1,500 2,100 3,00011th – – – 300 425 600 825 1,175 1,650 2,35012th – – – – 325 450 650 900 1,275 1,80013th – – – – – 350 500 700 975 1,37514th – – – – – – 375 525 750 1,05015th – – – – – – – 400 550 80016th – – – – – – – – 425 60017th – – – – – – – – – 45018th – – – – – – – – – –19th – – – – – – – – – –20th – – – – – – – – –Party Level

Encounter Level11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

1st-3rd – – – – – – – – – –4th 13,600 – – – – – – – – –5th 12,000 16,800 – – – – – – – –6th 10,000 14,400 20,000 – – – – – – –7th 8,400 12,000 16,800 24,000 – – – – – –8th 6,800 9,600 13,600 19,200 27,200 – – – – –9th 5,400 7,600 10,800 15,200 21,600 30,400 – – – –10th 4,200 6,000 8,400 12,000 16,800 24,000 33.600 – – –11th 3,300 4,700 6,600 9,400 13,200 18,800 26,400 37,600 – –12th 2,550 3,600 5,100 7,200 10,200 14,400 20,400 28,800 40.800 –13th 1,950 2,750 3,900 5,500 7,800 11,000 15,600 22,000 31,200 44,00014th 1,500 2,100 3,000 4,200 6,000 8,400 12,000 16,800 24,000 33,60015th 1,125 1,600 2,250 3,200 4,500 6,400 9,00 12,800 18,000 25,60016th 850 1,200 1,700 2,400 3,400 4,800 6,800 9,600 13,600 19,20017th 650 900 1,275 1,800 2,550 3,600 5,100 7,200 10,200 14,40018th 475 675 950 1,350 1,900 2,700 3,800 5,400 7,600 10,80019th – 500 700 1,000 1,425 2,000 2,850 4,000 5,700 8,00020th – – 525 750 1,050 1,500 2,100 3,000 4,200 6,000

inspired tactics by the Games Master’s characters or even extremely bad luck with the dice.

After determining the Encounter Level, the Games Master looks it up in the Experience Awards table then matches it with the row that defines the average party level, which is the average of the character levels of all characters in the group. After the amount is found, divide it equally amongst all characters whose levels were considered in the party average. For example, the party consists of a 7th level adventurer, an 8th level occultist, a 6th level socialite and a 6th level genius (average party level 6th) and they defeat an EL 7 encounter. The group earns 2,500 XP, which means that each character earns 625 XP for that encounter.

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the power the power of steamof steam

tthere is a nascent power in the world; it threatens to shake its foundations and displace the old order of magic and belief. The name of this

power is science and with it comes its belligerent child, technology. Unable to work magic as naturally as elves nor command the power of the etheric realms like the undead, mortals turned to that which they knew best: the art of building. With their drive to build came their drive to explore and when both impulses became focused on a quest for understanding, science began to progress, granting mortals the tools that they lacked for knowing and shaping their world. Science and technology are not the exclusive domains of humans but they are certainly the most apt and focused race to undertake the rigours of the scientific mindset. Gnomes might argue this point, but they are usually too busy researching new technologies to bother with debate.

As the world of science competes with the world of magic, both disciplines of knowledge begin to exchange notes on their findings, sometimes enhancing each other’s results, sometimes clashing violently until one literally crushes the other. Unfortunately, it would seem that science has the bigger, heavier, iron-shod boot. With magic dwindling and science dominating more and more of the world, steam is becoming more powerful, more destructive and more accessible to the masses than spells could ever be.

This chapter explores how science and technology are changing the world of OGL Steampunk, detailing the discoveries and advances that are shaping the people’s thoughts, as well as providing rules to create amazing inventions, some of which cross the line between technology and magic.

Principles of ScienceOnce humans began taking a long hard look at their surroundings, they began to truly discover how everything worked. Where explanations used to come from religion and dogma, scholars and students began to crack the secrets of nature not from the point of view of faith, nor even that of arcane magic, but from the vantage point of knowledge, observation and practice. With each new theory proven correct, science moves another step forward and it does not take long for technology to make use of each new discovery, prompting the finding of new phenomena for the new scientists to unravel. With such unstoppable progress, the days of magic would appear to be doomed, as lightning not only answers to the summons of a magician but also can now be trapped in a simple rotating coil of copper wire.

The different Knowledge skills yield information about a field of science or area of understanding. In OGL Steampunk the traditional forms of learning still share space with the new scientific drive to explore the darkest corner of everything. As educated study clashes with traditional hearth’s lore on one side and with ancient magical traditions on the other, characters must decide the truths they are willing to accept. As magic fades from the world, the power of life itself begins to be denied under the auspices of science. Discovery is negating reality in a fundamental way.

Industry and EngineeringRelated Skills: Knowledge (architecture and engineering), Craft (mechanical), Craft (structural)The most important advance in the steampunk world was the automation of tasks using a reliable power source. The first application of this was in the textile industry, where a simple steam engine powered a monstrous weaving machine that did the work of a dozen weavers in a fraction of the time.

Industrial production is still in its infancy but the various artisan guilds are beginning to see its dangers, losing journeymen and apprentices to crafts more suited to machinery than ‘lesser’ crafts like pottery and leatherworking, while craftsmen are being driven out of business and joining the increasing number of factory workers. Most handcrafts remain of better quality than machine-made crafts but it is only a matter of time before inventors create a better machine that delivers a product of equal quality, with ten times the reliability and a hundred times the volume.

The craftsmen who are knee-deep in the fiercest competition are metalsmiths. On one side, new techniques for alloying steel have given them access to cheaper and stronger material with which to work, not to mention access to stranger fare such as arcanium, etheric iron and stellar iron. On the other side, the practice of pouring large quantities of molten metal into moulds is eliminating the need for metalsmiths to produce the larger pieces of machines, cutting craftsmen off from this very profitable activity. Skilled smiths still manufacture the best hand-to-hand weapons and have the know-how to make a firearm from scratch, although most of them buy pre-manufactured parts from specialised smiths, or buy the moulds at a very high price in order to produce their own with a higher degree of reliability, simply filing off any imperfection rather than shaping the parts from the raw material.

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By the time they reached the access tunnel leading up into what they presumed was the factory, they were all more than ready to leave the water behind them. It was not only some of the most acrid, rancid fluid they had ever been exposed to, it was also beginning to dissolve their clothing and burning their exposed skin. Gearbolt’s waterproofing had suffered a severe ‘field test’ in his own words and would need major repairs before he could ever be immersed again. As it was, he was leaking power and would have to recharge for quite some time once this mission was completed.

They dragged themselves up to the nearest dry landing, knocking aside a thick layer of dried lichen and mud that was decades old. Together, Thurdin and Jerrek pulled Gearbolt up out of the mire below them and dragged him up onto dry stone.

‘Can you get him up and running again?’ Jerrek asked the dwarf.

By way of reply, Thurdin just started going over the cog’s slime covered chassis with a derisive growl. ‘I think so, but I doubt he’ll be at full repair. That was an ugly trip and the acids in the water affected his power source. Those little shocks we were suffering came from his battery.’ The dwarf sat down next to the motionless metal man and pulled the bolts holding its chest plate on. ‘I could use a full workshop and about a forge’s worth of spare parts.’

Jerrek shook his head. ‘You’ve got whatever’s on your belt and the parts in this bag. Make do.’ He stepped back out of the dim light his engineer would need to work by. ‘Gail, get over here and make yourself useful.’

The ghost of his best friend floated up and looked at him quizzically. ‘Jer, I can’t touch anything for more than a few seconds. How exactly am I supposed to help?’ Jerrek just pointed down to where Thurdin was working on Gearbolt, now much easier to see because of Gailion’s spectral radiance.

‘I don’t believe this. I’ve gone from night fighter to night light.’ The woe in his ethereal voice was unsettling, but Jerrek could not help but chuckle.

It was the only thing funny about this whole situation. They were all chemically burned and exhausted, with no food and the majority of the orcs’ military forces likely a few dozen yards above their heads. The situation was looking bleak but they were almost done. With the end of their mission in sight, Jerrek desperately tried to figure out how they could blow the greenskins’ factory and live to tell about it. The moment they came up out of the sewers, any sentry with two eyes in the complex would notice them. Their only chance was to somehow get out of here without beingseen but he could not see how that was possible.

Looking over at Gailion suddenly gave him an idea. What he really needed was to know what was up there past the plate steel portal leading into the factory catacombs. None of them could physically open the trapdoor without setting off whatever alarm was attached to it but Gail would be able to take a look without needing an opening. It was a still a risk; if his head was seen ‘ghosting’ up out of the floor, they would all be in a world of hurt.

Watching Heshia bandage her burns and Thurdin shake his head grimly while he tried to get Gearbolt functional, Jerrek knew it was a chance they would just have to take.

Cheap production of large quantities of steel and iron has had two major effects on the world: it enables humans to build larger and stronger structures (either static buildings or moving vehicles) and it is contributing to driving the Faerie away.

Bottled LightningRelated Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences), Craft (mechanical), Craft (chemical)Electricity has always mystified both mortals and supernatural creatures alike. Only magic was capable of manipulating the power of electricity until a couple

of theories and inventions demonstrated that mundane science could do so as well and much more reliably to boot.

Budding industrialists are still not sure about what to make of the new power to trap and generate electricity, so it sees use mostly by lone inventors wanting to take a novel approach to their latest work, or by scientists testing new theories.

The accepted facts about electricity and related phenomena are:

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� Electricity can travel through proper conductors.� Electromagnetic fields are produced by electricity,

and can produce electricity in return.� Chemical exchanges (batteries) can store electrical

energy.� Light and radio are electromagnetic phenomena

whose waves travel through aether just as sound travels through air.

The Composition of the WorldRelated Skills: Knowledge (earth and life sciences), Craft (chemical), Craft (pharmaceutical)There are two warring schools of thought regarding the way the world is composed. The classical magic school espoused by occultists and some philosophers states that everything in the world is composed of an interaction between four elements: air, earth, fire and water. The scientific school maintains that there are hundreds of elements and energies interacting, each with its own characteristics and abilities. The occultists scoff at the needless complexity of the scientists’ worldview and vice versa. The worst of it is that both camps seem somehow to be right, as magic rituals continue to work and scientific research continues to progress.

Unprejudiced researchers have reached a certain level of agreement between both schools. They understand that, by analysing the minute structures of matter and energy, they can create more efficient substances, learn to make better remedies and pave the way for others to find new applications of their discoveries, but at the same time they comprehend the subtle sympathetic relationships that some substances and processes have to the four classical elements. They understand the reactions of acid upon other matter on the basis that it has some relationship with the element of fire, because of its burning properties.

A novel theory espouses that neither matter nor energy are created nor destroyed, but merely transform from one state to another. Scientists and inventors have benefited from this theory just as much as magicians and psychics, all of whom have applied it to their trades in different ways. Scientists are better able to track the properties of substances and energies, inventors refine the materials and reactions that move their creations, magicians have a better grasp on invocation techniques, and psychics experiment with their notions for ectoplasm and animal magnetism.

Health and SanitationRelated Skills: Knowledge (earth and life sciences), Craft (pharmaceutical), Treat InjuryDisease has always been the bane of large human populations and one of humanity’s main resentments in its relationships with other races, particularly the undead, who often are carriers of disease but never suffer it, and the Faerie, who never seem to fall sick even when the humans do. Having been the concern of religious organisations for many centuries, health eventually became a topic of

scientific study and great advances resulted from this attention. There are more lay healers practicing mundane medicine than occultist faith workers invoking the power of life to mend injuries and scare off disease.

With the evolution of alchemy towards chemistry, science took a sidestep towards pharmaceutics, the creation of medicine. With a clearer understanding of how human and animal organisms work, medics are better able to repair damage or heal unnatural conditions.

Many scientists know of the existence of miniature organisms like viruses and bacteria that cause many ailments and they can target them more precisely through chemical remedies or even through magic, removing the offending organism from itshost and thus bringing about health.

A much debated theory also states that all living things are powered by a subtle energy, a life force, which separates a prancing deer from deer stew and a healthy man from a corpse… even a walking corpse. The life force grows stronger in great individuals, suffusing them with personal power and better health. The force is sometimes given peculiar names, such as ‘vril’ or ‘ov’. Attempts to manipulate life force without magic have thus far met with failure, evading the attempts of scientists and inventors to fully grasp it; even their best attempts result in mockeries of life, constructs made of flesh and bones but having none of the properties of a living, breathing organism. The putative opposite of a life force, namely a death force, is assumed to move the undead and explains why their powers are so inimical to the health of the living. This has proven to be even more resilient and stable than the life force but just as elusive to harness by scientific tools.

The Origin of Man (and Others)Related Skills: Knowledge (earth and life sciences), Knowledge (philosophy and theology), Knowledge (the otherworlds)Many insist that science is on a mad quest to explain everything away. This conception is not too far from the truth. Just as the workings of the human body were unravelled by educated medicine, many questions arose about the creation myths of religions and legends and science began to give very uncomfortable answers.

According to science, the world was not created by the gods, the Faerie may be related to humans, and dragons and other monsters may simply be the result of strange evolutionary phenomena, not of magic or the will of a divine being. There is mounting evidence against the case of religious leaders and the discovery of lost lands where prehistoric creatures still exist keeps supporting the arguments of evolutionary theorists. Most faeries find the notion of being related to humans and animals to be little short of revolting, as they claim to have originated from trees, rivers and mountains.

Scientific experimentation, rather than mere observation, has produced extraordinary results in the hybridisation

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Mof species. The human-animal hybrids proved that there was some shared origin between humanity and the beasts of the land and their ability to function as members of society opened new doors in the way that life was believed to operate.

Intrigued by the findings of scientists and long experienced in the creation of chimeras, magicians added their own ideas to the theories of shared parentage, quoting the Laws of Magic, particularly the Law of Sympathy (see The Occult chapter) to prove that a connection does indeed exist between all the living species of the world, adding that such connections could be used to augment magical rituals. Serious scientists prefer to ignore this, although they often use magical theory as a stepping stone towards figuring out more mundane explanations.

The Mysteries of the MindRelated Skills: Knowledge (behavioural sciences), Sense Motive, Psychic ControlWhile the body’s material existence provides easy grounds for research and experimentation, the domains of the mind are much more mysterious and even more fascinating for their obscurity. Understanding matters of the mind employs observation and little active experimentation, although less scrupulous researchers have been known to literally crack skulls open to dig around their interior.

Alienism is a new science that attempts to understand the

basic behaviour of sentient beings, as well as alterations to this behaviour due to mental disease or supernatural interference. Through long conversations to unravel the opinions and attitudes of a person, an alienist can gain secrets about his personality and motives. Sufficient observations performed over time can establish patterns to understand the general workings of an entire people’s way of thinking.

An independent discipline of understanding the mind, or at least exploiting its potential is mesmerism and mentalism, a bridge between natural and occult sciences. For ages, mesmerism affirmed that creatures had a certain magnetism that influenced others and was influenced in return. While any proof that personal magnetism is related to electrical magnetism remains indefinable, psychics have certainly benefited from scientific theories to explain the interactions of their minds with the Ethereal and Astral Planes.

The UniverseRelated Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences), Knowledge (the otherworlds)Not finished yet with exploring the horizons of their world, people are already probing its borders to find what lies beyond. With inquisitive minds, astronomers watch the sky and come up with ideas on why the stars move like they do. Long demonstrated is the fact that it is the planet that travels around the sun and not the other way around.

People are aware that their world is merely an island in a much vaster sea full of other islands. The urge to explore is taking hold and prompting many to set sail.

This extraplanetary sea is made of aether, an incredibly subtle substance that vibrates as light travels through it and therefore also responds to other electromagnetic phenomena, although inventors have not yet found quite the right frequencies to use. A subtler form of aether can be found in such a different state that it was dubbed a Plane of Existence. This, to be precise, is the Ethereal Plane, which ghosts inhabit as reflections of their former living shells and where magic acts upon the emotions and bodies of living beings. As scientists understand it, the Ethereal Plane is not a place to be travelled to but a state to vibrate into. They are

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not entirely wrong, for psychics and magicians have long known about this plane and even a higher one, the Astral, where higher thoughts manifest.

The universe is growing more complex with each new discovery. Beyond the rest of the planets, which may also be inhabited by intelligent species, there is also the matter of the otherworlds, strange places connected to the world by magical gates or strange dimensional phenomena. These otherworlds can be accessed mostly through magic but science is not content to leave this potential of adventure alone and constantly seeks ways to gain entry. Aetherships vibrate their own structure and passengers to other dimensions; submersibles explore sunken continents and complicated digging machines bore down to find the centre of the world.

On the subject of other dimensions, theories vary wildly. Some assume they are just subsets of the Ethereal Plane, while some remain entirely unconvinced of their existence. Whether they are real or figments of imagination, other dimensions are becoming increasingly harder to reach with magic as the world is cut off by the presence of science and the dwindling power of the supernatural. Whether this cutting off of the greater multiverse will have detrimental effects on the campaign world is anyone’s guess but alarmists believe it will cause the planet to stagnate and fall apart. Armageddon, they insist, is coming and it will be fashioned by the hand of man himself.

Amazing MachinesProgress is built on the backs of dreamers and courageous folk willing to push the boundaries of just about everything. In the world of OGL Steampunk, these constant pressures of progress express themselves in the form of technology, amazing machines that defy the rules believed to govern the world.

Characters can join the dash of technological progress if they have the patience, resources and, overall, the spark of genius to craft technological creations no one has ever seen before. This section presents the rules to create such machines, using a simple point selection system to assemble anything that the players or Games Master can imagine.

Machine DescriptionsThe different machines that can be built are described in ‘stat blocks’, a paragraph containing the information that describes the machine’s characteristics on what it is, what it can do and what can be done to it. The different types of machine have different stat blocks but share some common elements; the values for these characteristics are described under each type.

Name: This is the name of the amazing machine, which can go from something as simple as ‘airship’ to

‘Aerodynamical Multi-Positioner with Aeolopowered Propulsion’. The name should reflect what the machine does in some way, however obscure.

Type: All amazing machines are constructs by definition and have the same special qualities. Amazing machines are assigned to one of six broad categories and each requires that any potential creator have the corresponding item creation feat before setting pen to paper; see the Feats and Traits chapter. The categories are: automata, equipment, structures, personal weapons, vehicles and artillery weapons.

Size: The machine’s size depends on the creator’s wishes as much as it depends on its function. A vehicle must be able to carry one or more people, while a personal weapon cannot exceed the intended user’s size. As the creator designs his machine, he finds what the base size is for a machine with the functions he wishes and increases or decreases it with additional qualities. This list specifies whether weapons are light, one-handed or two-handed.

Operation: Amazing machines are not ordinary equipment and require a special skill set to work. This entry specifies which feat, skill or class feature is required to safely use the amazing machine. If a user does not have the required feat, ranks in a skill or class feature, he suffers a -4 competence penalty to any and all rolls involved in operating the machine. If this field is missing from the stat block or the base attribute listing, then the machine has no particular requirement or can operate itself. Weapons will have the proficiency they require to be wielded here.

Hit Dice: (automata only) This field gives the creature’s number and type of Hit Dice, and lists any bonus hit points. A parenthetical note gives the average hit points for a creature of the indicated number of Hit Dice. A creature’s Hit Dice total is also treated as its level for determining how occult effects influence the creature. Personal weapons and equipment do not have Hit Dice and instead have independent hit points based on their materials. Structure Dice: (structures, vehicles and artillery only) Some machines do not have hit points like ordinary automata, personal weapons and equipment and instead have structure points, as described in the Combat section on pg 170. Even an amazing vehicle that looks and works like a golem but is piloted by an operator uses SD rather than HD and the die type it rolls to determine its structure points depends on its subtype. Even little machines with one structure point are hardier than many creatures, able to withstand 10 points of normal hit point damage. Machines of Large size and bigger have two or more sections that have their own structure points.

DV: Like all creatures, machines have a base Defence Value of 10, modified normally by their size, their

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MDexterity if they are automata, their manoeuvrability in the case of vehicles and any other installed quality, such as an electrokinetic force field.

Hardness (or Armour): All objects, including machines, have a hardness rating. Whenever an object takes hit point damage, it subtracts its hardness from the damage. Only damage in excess of its hardness is deducted from the object’s hit points. Weapons and effects that deal structure damage ignore the hardness rating and inflict their damage directly. Machines of Large size and bigger have two or more sections that have their own hardness ratings. Structural targets have different hardness ratings, which are only subtracted from hit point attacks. Automata do not have a hardness score but they must certainly have an armour bonus that works just as well. Armour plating can increase the bonus to hardness or armour.

Manoeuvrability: (vehicles only) The manoeuvrability score is a bonus that applies to initiative and to the Drive or Pilot checks of its operator, as it represents whether the machine is agile or cumbersome. This depends on the vehicle’s size and any installed special qualities. The manoeuvrability mode is classified as clumsy, poor, average, good or perfect (see the vehicle combat rules in pg 206) and defines how well the machine moves. For movement modes other than flying, simply replace ‘fly’ with ‘walk,’ ‘burrow’ or ‘swim.’ For maritime vessels, ‘walk’ applies to their movement on the water’s surface, since ‘swim’ is meant for creatures and machines that can dive underwater.

Speed: (automata and vehicles only) This is how fast the machine advances in the different movement modes. This entry also specifies whether the machine is able to take the run action or not. For vehicles, this determines its maximum speed.

Acc/Dec: (vehicles only) This value is found immediately after the entry for ‘speed’ in vehicle descriptions. It defines by how much the vehicle may increase or decrease its speed as a moderate acceleration or deceleration. See the vehicle combat rules on pg 191.

Turn Rate: (vehicles only) This specifies how much distance the machine covers before making a normal 45º turn, whether horizontally or vertically. Drivers or pilots may attempt to force a sharper turn in the same distance, eliciting a Drive/Pilot check with an increased DC. Refer to the World of Adventure chapter, pg 166.

Attacks: This entry lists all the attacks and attack bonuses of a machine’s weaponry. Only if the machine is able to move by itself does it make attack rolls on its own. Otherwise, the number is an accuracy bonus granted to the attack roll of a wielder, pilot, operator or crew. Attacks listed here are from ‘normal’ weaponry or siege weaponry. Other attacks that stem from emulating a magic effect,

feat or ability go into the special qualities field. Weapons will have an entry specifying whether they are melee or ranged (projectile or thrown) in this field, as well as any range increment.

Damage: Any weapon in a machine’s arsenal has its damage listed here. Some attacks may deal structure damage, in which case it is expressed as two damage types separated by a slash, the first to indicate hit point damage against creatures and the second for structure damage against objects. Weapons include the type of damage they inflict (bludgeoning, piercing, slashing or structural) as well as their chances to score a critical hit and the amount of damage that a critical hit deals.

Special Features: Any effect stemming from advanced science, or that emulates magic effects, feats or other special abilities, is listed here. Such abilities are very costly to emulate through technology and some may not be possible at all at the Games Master’s discretion. Enchanting an amazing machine with a pure magic effect requires an appropriate item creation feat and follows the normal rules for creating magic items. The full list of special qualities is given at the end of this chapter. Some special qualities require charges to function, in which case this is detailed between parentheses after the quality’s name.

Saves: Objects do not have any inherent saving throw. If unattended, they fail automatically. If a bonus is present here, it means that the machine is built in such a way as to give its wielder, operator or crew a bonus to their own saving throws to protect their machine from harm. Luckily, most machines are immune to a lot of magic effects. Automata do have saving throw bonuses and roll their saving throws like any other character or creature.

Abilities, Skills and Feats: Machines do not have any inherent ability scores, skill ranks or feats but the creator may emulate them through installing a special quality. Automata do have all ability scores except Constitution but do not have skills or feats. Construct characters are another matter entirely, as their analytical engine brains are sophisticated enough to learn skills and feats as normal characters.

Power Source: Most machines require energy to work. The power source provides this energy in the form of charges, which are then spent by the actions the machine takes. If this field is missing, the machine’s operation does not require internal energy. Crew: (structures, vehicles and artillery only) This is the minimum number of operators that a machine requires to perform its functions.

Passengers: (vehicles only) This is the number of creatures a technological wonder may accommodate in addition to the crew.

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Weight: (personal weapons and equipment only) This field gives the weight of the machine in pounds. Structures, creatures, vehicles and artillery do not list a weight because they cannot normally be carried; for extraordinary cases where one machine will carry another, use a rough guideline based on its size. See under each machine’s base attributes. Purchase DC: This is the final cost that any character must meet to buy a machine, although the creator is free to attach any bonus to the Purchase DC based on uniqueness or sentimental value. The cost to actually make the machine is part of the construction process and is described later.

Malfunction Threshold: The more complex a machine is, the more likely it is to malfunction. This field lists the machine’s malfunction threshold; see pg 135. If this field is missing in the stat block, it means that the machine is solid and reliable and never malfunctions.

Amazing Machine Construction Concepts

The following are some concepts used by all kinds of amazing machines.

Base AttributesMachines have a set of attributes with predetermined values according to their nature and size, given in the tables under the description of each machine type. Creators can customise these options by increasing or decreasing the values and altering the final attributes of the machine.

Construction Points (CP)The system to build anything from simple to complex amazing machines has a basic building block: construction points, referred to as CP from now on. Every framework, material, feature and deficiency carries a cost measured in points. As the player or Games Master makes his choices on size, materials and abilities, he adds the points assigned to each, or subtracts points by intentionally introducing deficiencies. The final CP amount is then used to figure out the cost of creating the machine, as well as playing a part in the research and construction process.

Hard Slot (HS)Depending on their size, amazing machines have limited space to accommodate some of the abilities measured in hard slots. Some options in machine construction have a hard slot value (referred to as HS from this point onwards) in addition to their CP, which they subtract from the machine’s HS as they fill up space. HS is a relative value, as a slot in a small machine is not the same as a slot in a larger machine but the options that occupy one slot also change sizes to represent the additional potency that they muster in order to work in a larger machine. Options without an HS value either do not take up significant

space in the machine’s frame, or are so evenly distributed throughout as to add nothing to it. The HS value will affect the machine’s total weight.

Size ModifiersMachines have a size just as creatures do, although they may be shaped a little strangely. The same size modifiers that apply to a creature’s DV and attack (see the combat rules on pg 171) also apply to machines of similar size. That way, a Large creature and a Large machine both have a -1 to DV and attack. Even if the machine was not designed for combat, someone might still try to hit it.

Skill ChecksTo make an amazing machine, an inventor must make a number of skill checks in order to successfully design and build the machine and all its parts. The first of them, the Research check, is a Knowledge check using a knowledge category appropriate for the machine in question such as technology or physical sciences. Specialties do apply here. The rest are Craft checks, most of them of the structural and mechanical category, although sophisticated machines may require a Craft (expression) check in the case of telluric circuitry. The number of checks necessary is determined by the particular options the inventor installs on his machine and in the final CP cost.

ChargesComplex creations require an energy source to activate their functions; this energy requirement is expressed in charges. Some options need a specific number of charges to work each time they are activated and energy sources have a finite charge capacity. Spent energy sources must be renewed, by refuelling, rewinding or recharging, depending on the individual technology.

Construction ProcessDesigning and constructing an amazing machine is a matter of effort as well as inspiration; the process for devising one and later constructing it can be summarised in the following steps.

1. Select Type: First of all, the creator selects the kind of machine that he wants to build. He chooses to make a structure, an automaton, a vehicle, a personal weapon, a vehicle and artillery weapon, or a piece of equipment.

2. Select Size, Base Attributes and Options: From the appropriate tables, the creator selects the size of his machine, which will define its base attributes and initial CP cost; he assigns the base options by adding or subtracting to the CP cost.

3. Select Materials: After deciding on the type and size of the machine, the creator chooses the basic materials for the frame. Each material modifies the base attributes inversely proportionate to its quality.

4. Install Features and Deficiencies: The creator installs the machine’s functions, either altering the

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On the Creation of Non-Human Races

The world of steampunk can incorporate a number of different scientific approaches, each one oriented towards a given racial type. The default scientific method discussed below is human but other species would have their own take on how things go together in a steampunk setting. Elves might work exclusively in wood and magical metals, while the dwarves could have steel as their sole material and runic magic empowering all of their creations. This approach makes every race distinct and interesting, something that Games Masters should always strive to foster in their games.

Keep in mind the psychology of any race with the capacity to grasp science in any form. Project that unique mindset into their creations, using the rules in this chapter to bear out their designs. Orcs might have huge, crude creations with all the dependability of landmine-covered dancing shoes and the dangerous lethality to match. In the darkest reaches of the world, limbless aberrations could use articulated suits to give them manipulative arms while aquatic horrors move on land in huge automated water tanks, grinding all opposition beneath their treads.

Technology can even adapt to fit the needs of creatures not commonly associated with craftsmanship. Imagine a terrible empire based on the concept that dragons have grasped the dubious wonders of science and created draconic automatons to patrol their vast kingdoms. In a setting like this, heroes might have to take to the skies in flying vehicles with amazing firepower to combat the advance of massive scaled dictators, fighting desperate battles to preserve the last free lands of the Humanoid Coalition. Orcs, elves, and men could fight side by side, putting aside their differences in the face of an unimaginably powerful enemy. The possibilities are endless when steam and spells combine to create the ultimate fantasy setting.

base attributes or adding and subtracting abilities with features and deficiencies. Each option has its own requirements and costs.

5. Install Power Source: Based on the technology and the energy requirements of the installed options, the creator now installs a power source to feed the machine’s various systems.

6. Calculate Derived Values: With all systems in place, the creator adds up all the modifiers from options and special qualities to the base attributes.

7. Calculate CP: The creator totals all the CP from the base attributes and the installed options.

8. Calculate Cost and Weight: Based on the CP and HS values, find the actual Purchase DC and weight of the machine.

9. Research, Design and Construction Checks: The character makes as many Knowledge checks as required to design the machine with all the planned characteristics, then purchases the raw material and finally makes all the necessary Craft checks for the main body and all special qualities that are installed as independent, smaller machines.

TypesAs described earlier, there are six different machine types that a character may design and build if he has the appropriate feat.

Amazing AutomataAn automaton is essentially a machine pretending to be alive. The first constructs were powered by raw magic, being neither true machines nor creatures but lumps of matter animated by a hapless elemental shoved inside. Magicians with a bent for craftsmanship made their creation rituals easier by building their constructs in such a way that they already had articulated bodies and could thus potentially move, although they lacked a motor force. These were the first true automata as science understands them: machines that simulate the workings of a living body, moved by a power source. If it can act on its own, even if it cannot move from a fixed spot, then it is an automaton.

Amazing EquipmentA general definition of a piece of equipment is ‘an object that is useful for something’. Amazing machines designated as equipment are, along with structures, the machines with the most room for variety. A piece of equipment is defined by its purpose and by a user’s ability to wield it or wear it in order to accomplish some task or another. Tools such as hammers or screwdrivers are not considered amazing equipment, for anyone can build them; it takes a special spark of genius to create a hydraulic hammer or a rotogyro screwdriver. Amazing armour falls into the equipment category.

Amazing Personal WeaponsThe races of the world have something in common when it comes to technological pursuits: everyone is looking to build better ways to kill everyone else. Personal weapons are those that a user can carry with him (cumbersome though they might be) and use freely. Amazing personal weapons characterise themselves by being hard to operate but in exchange can be devastatingly effective. Basic firearms are a technology already mastered by mundane craftsmen and early industrial processes but advanced and exotic firearms fall squarely into the category of amazing machines that only a few may build.

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An Example of Amazing Machine Construction

The City Fathers have turned their attention to the needs of their people for once and want to construct a sentry that will help their agents’ missions, especially the more dangerous ones. They decide to build an automaton, one that will incorporate the knowledge they have gleaned from decades of ruthless experimentation and subjugation of the magical world around the city-state of Megadon.

Amazing StructuresStructures are like equipment in that they serve a purpose that accomplishes a task, or help the user accomplish a task. These machines are not built to be moved but rest in their place for a reason. They may range from great technological fortresses to automated mills. Making a fortress is better served by making a normal one and outfitting it with smaller amazing machines. There are, however, are some that must be structures, such as an arcanium decanter. If it looks like a building but is designed to move, then it is not a structure but a vehicle.

Amazing VehiclesVehicle design is one of the most well known areas where geniuses can flex their creative muscles; an inventor’s neighbours are used to seeing strange apparatuses blast from the house’s ceiling (or walls) as the creator experiments with propulsion systems, energy sources or structural design. The form of a vehicle can lead it to be confused with other amazing machines but the basic definition is that if it is piloted by someone, either a pilot or a remote controller and it moves, then it is a vehicle. Remote-control drones can be confused with automata, as can giant bipedal, humanoid, steam-powered armour suits, but since they are controlled by an operator, they count as vehicles.

Amazing Vehicle and Artillery WeaponsLike personal weapons, these machines are built for the purpose of destroying or incapacitating a target; the difference is that they go in for large-scale effects. Vehicle and artillery weaponry cannot be carried by individuals, although once set in place they can be used by a single operator. Vehicle weapons can go from gigantic swords for humanoid vehicles to telluric energy artillery emplacements; they are designed to hurt vehicles and structures, rather than just individuals. If a creator wants to equip a huge automaton, a structure or a vehicle with assault weapons, he must design them separately as vehicle and artillery weapons, or make the machine capable of using mundane artillery such as ballistae or cannons.

Base Attributes and OptionsThe creator selects the type, size and base attributes and options at the same time. In order to build each type of machine, he must have the appropriate item creation feat, such as Craft Automata or Build Vehicles. Under each type’s description, a table describes the base attributes for a machine of each size, plus other attributes that are already defined by the type regardless of the machine’s size. At this point, the character is able to customise his machine by selecting options for it, such as general shape or method of use. The options presented under each type are exclusive of that type, and no other kind of machine may take them. Other more general options are available as special features.

Base AttributesAll machines have their base attributes defined in two forms: in a general list and in a table. The list describes those attributes that apply to all machines of the same type, regardless of size, while the table describes those that vary according to the machine’s size.

Base OptionsThe creator can skip ahead of the process and select a number of special features as base options before accounting for materials and power sources. These are listed under the base attributes. The machine must still comply with any requirement that the special feature demands. Special features chosen as base options cost 1 CP less than their normal cost, but unlike special features, they are an integral part of the machine. They cannot be removed, altered or replaced without a major overhaul of the machine’s main framework. Even if the special feature can normally be taken out of the machine and repaired independently, all Repair checks on it are made with the DC appropriate for the whole machine.

AutomataAn automaton has a basically humanoid shape: one head, one torso, two arms ending in hands and two legs ending with feet. The designer can alter this shape by taking options and special features. An automaton’s intelligence does not come for free. Its brain must be developed separately with the Artificial Intelligence feature, which installs a small analytical engine in the automaton’s body to work as a substitute for true sentience. An automaton without this special feature is simply a useless toy.

Size: Chosen by the creator; see the table on page 232.Construction Points: Each automaton size has a different CP cost; see the table below. The total cost adds the CP from special features.Hard Slots: Each automaton size has its own number of hard slots; see the table on page 232.Operation: None, unless the automaton is operated by remote control, for which see the Remote Control special feature.

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MAutomata Base Attributes

Size CP HS HD (d10) Speed Armour Damage Str DexFine 20 2 1 10 ft. +0 1 -4 +4Diminutive 25 3 2 10 ft. +1 1d2 -4 +4Tiny 30 4 3 20 ft. +1 1d3 -2 +2Small 35 5 4 20 ft. +1 1d3 -2 +2Medium 40 6 6 30 ft. +2 1d4 +0 +0Large 45 7 8 30 ft. +2 1d6 +2 -2Huge 50 9 10 25 ft. +2 1d8 +2 -2Gargantuan 55 12 14 25 ft. +3 2d6 +4 -4Colossal 60 16 18 20 ft. +3 3d6 +4 -4Leviathan 65 20 22 20 ft. +3 2d10 +6 -6

The City Fathers decide that their automaton should be large and impressive, so they choose a Large-sized chassis and all its characteristics: CP cost of 45, 7 hard slots, 8 HD, base speed of 30 ft., +2 to its armour, a base slam damage of 1d6 and a +2 modifier to Strength, plus a -2 to Dexterity.

Hit Dice: Each automaton size has its own number of Hit Dice; see the table above. Hit points are determined either by rolling each die or by setting an average.Initiative: As with a normal creature, this is the automaton’s Dexterity modifier, plus any other modifier from a special feature.DV: As with a normal creature, it is 10 + size modifier + Dexterity modifier + any other modifier from a special feature.Armour: Each automaton size has its own bonus to its armour’s DR, which is added to the machine’s material hardness; see the table above. The armour bonus can be strengthened or weakened with special features.Speed: Each automaton size has its own base speed, for which see the table above. The speed is considered to be walking speed. Speed can be increased and movement modes added with special features.Base Attack/Grapple: The base attack bonus of an automaton is equal to that of a journeyman character with as many levels as the automaton has Hit Dice. The grapple bonus of an automaton is its base attack bonus + size modifier + Strength modifier + any other modifier from a special feature.Attacks: An automaton has a basic slam attack that causes damage depending on its size. It can be outfitted with a weapon or a special attack from a feature instead.Full Attack: An automaton has as many attacks per round as a journeyman character with as many levels as the automaton has Hit Dice, plus any extra attack granted by a special feature.Damage: Each automaton size has its own base damage to its slam attacks; see the table above. Alternate attacks from weapons or features are defined by their own methods.Space/Reach: The same as a creature of the same size.

Special Attacks (SA): The automaton has no inherent special attacks but some may be installed as special features.Special Qualities (SQ): Construct qualities apply to an automaton. Additionally, it can install more through special features.Special Features: The automaton has Land Movement (legs) as a base special feature.Saving Throws: All the saving throws of an automaton follow the least convenient advancement track; they add the appropriate ability modifier, plus any other modifier from special features.Abilities: Upon construction, an automaton has the following ability scores: Str 10 + modifier (see table above); Dex 10 + modifier (see table above); Con –; Int –; Wis 10; Cha 1. All abilities can be modified with special features.Skills: Automata with an Intelligence score have 2 skill points per HD. An automaton’s class skills are the same as its creator’s.Feats: Automata gain no feats but some can be installed as special features.Power Source: Like all amazing machines, an automaton does not have a power source. One must be installed.Purchase DC: See the table Machine Costs later in this section.Malfunction Threshold: An automaton suffers a malfunction with a natural roll of 1 in the following tasks: attack rolls, skill checks and Fortitude saves. Malfunction also happens on a natural roll of 1 on using any special feature but the malfunction affects only the special feature and can be repaired separately.Base Options: Additional Hard Slot, Horizontal Frame, Swerving Hips, Limited Sentience

EquipmentThe size of a piece of equipment is relative to the size of its intended user, just like weapons described in the Equipment and Wealth chapter. A Large, one-handed piece of equipment is equivalent to a Medium-size two-handed piece of equipment in size, although grips and buttons will have different placements for each respective size of user. Equipment cannot perform any task unattended; the limits of its automation give a bonus to a user to perform certain tasks.

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Equipment Base AttributesSize CP HS hp HardnessFine 8 1 01 +0Diminutive 11 2 0 +0Tiny 14 3 0 +0Small 17 4 1 +0Medium 20 4 2 +1Large 23 4 3 +1Huge 26 5 5 +1Gargantuan 29 6 8 +2Colossal 32 7 12 +2Leviathan 35 8 17 +2

1 Hit points are provided with the material in the next stage of construction.

Size: Chosen by the creator; see the table above.Construction Points: Each equipment size has a different CP cost; see the table below. The total cost adds the CP from options and special features.Hard Slots: Each equipment size has its own number of hard slots; see the table above.Operation: If the equipment mimics or provides a bonus to a skill, use that skill; if it is a feat, there is no skill requirement.Hit Points: Each equipment size has a different number of individual hit points; see the table above. This number can be increased with materials and special features.Hardness: Each equipment size has its own hardness, which is added to the machine’s material own hardness; see the table above. Hardness can be strengthened or weakened with materials and special features.Special Qualities (SQ): Construct qualities apply to equipment. More can also be installed through special features.Special Features: The equipment has the One-Handed Use feature for free, which can be modified with base options.Saving Throws: Equipment cannot make saving throws on its own. Any saving throw listed is a bonus it grants to the saving throw of its user or operator when made to protect the machine.Abilities: Equipment does not possess ability scores. It can provide equipment bonuses to a user’s ability scores, however.Skills: Equipment does not have skills but can provide equipment bonuses to a user’s skill checks.Feats: Equipment gains no feats but some can be installed as special features.Power Source: Like all amazing machines, equipment does not have a power source; one must be installed. If a piece of equipment requires a power source and does not have the space for it, an external power source increases the handling size by one: from light to one-handed, from one-handed to two-handed and from two-handed to worn/carried.Weight: Equipment’s weight is calculated with its size and occupied HS at the end of the construction process.Purchase DC: See the table Machine Costs later in this section.

Malfunction Threshold: Equipment suffers a malfunction with a natural roll of 1 in any rolls that it complements. Malfunction also happens on a natural roll of 1 on using any special feature but the malfunction affects only the special feature and can be repaired separately.

Base Options: Additional Hard Slot, Feat Assist, Light Use, One-Handed Use, Skill Assist, Two-Handed Use, Worn/Carried Use.

Personal WeaponsLike equipment, the size of a weapon is relative to the size of its intended user. A personal weapon cannot attack on its own. The limits of its automation are in its internal systems, which may provide a number of effects. The base mode of attack of a personal weapon is melee. Modification is necessary to make it into a ranged weapon.

Size: Chosen by the creator; see the table on page 234.Construction Points: Each personal weapon size has a different CP cost; see the table on page 234. The total cost adds the CP from options and special features.Hard Slots: Each personal weapon size has its own number of hard slots; see the table below.Operation: All amazing personal weapons are exotic weapons, requiring that a potential user has the Exotic Weapons Proficiency feat for that specific weapon, that the creator somehow made it user-friendly and defines it as a simple or martial weapon, or that the operator has the Use Amazing Device feat.Hit Points: Each personal weapon size has a different number of individual hit points; see the table on page 234. This number can be increased with materials and special features.Hardness: Each personal weapon size has its own hardness, which is added to the machine’s material own hardness; see the table on page 234. Hardness can be strengthened or weakened with materials and special features.Damage: A personal weapon has a base damage die based on its size, which can be increased or decreased by making it light or two-handed and further amplified by adding special features.Range Increment: A personal weapon has a base range increment based on its size; this range increment only applies if the weapon is ranged.Special Qualities (SQ): Construct qualities apply to equipment. More can also be installed through special features.Special Features: A personal weapon has the One-Handed Use feature for free, which can be modified with base options. It is also by default a melee weapon, although this can also be modified with base options.Saving Throws: A personal weapon cannot make saving throws on its own. Any saving throw listed is a bonus it grants to the saving throw of its user or operator when made to protect the machine.

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MPersonal Weapon Base Attribute

Size CP HS hp Hardness Range Increment DamageFine 10 1 01 +0 5 ft. 1d2Diminutive 13 2 0 +0 5 ft. 1d3Tiny 16 3 1 +1 10 ft. 1d4Small 19 4 2 +1 10 ft. 1d6Medium 22 4 3 +1 20 ft. 1d8Large 25 4 5 +2 40 ft. 2d6Huge 28 5 8 +2 80 ft. 2d8Gargantuan 31 6 12 +2 80 ft. 2d10Colossal 34 7 17 +3 130 ft. 2d12Leviathan 37 8 23 +3 180 ft. 3d10

1 Hit points are provided with the material in the next stage of construction.

Abilities: A personal weapon does not possess ability scores; it can provide equipment bonuses to a user’s ability scores, however.Skills: A personal weapon does not have skills but can provide equipment bonuses to a user’s skill checks.Feats: A personal weapon gains no feats but some can be installed as special features.Power Source: Like all amazing machines, a personal weapon does not have a power source; one must be installed. If a personal weapon requires a power source and does not have the space to provide it, an external power source increases the handling size by one, from light to one-handed, from one-handed to two-handed and from two-handed to worn/carried. The weapon can keep its handling size by making the power source a wearable item but not a carried one.Weight: A personal weapon’s weight is calculated with its size and occupied HS at the end of the construction process.Purchase DC: See the table Machine Costs later in this section.Malfunction Threshold: A personal weapon suffers a malfunction with a natural roll of 1 in attack rolls. Malfunction also happens on a natural roll of 1 on using any special feature but the malfunction affects only the special feature and can be repaired separately.

Base Options: Additional Hard Slot, Light Use, One-Handed Use, Ranged Attack (any), Two-Handed Use, Worn/Carried Use, Increased Range.

StructuresA structure’s shape is completely up to the creator; the dimensions column only indicates an imaginary box containing the structure. Structures have aptly named Structure Dice and structure points instead of Hit Dice and hit points.

Size: Chosen by the creator; see the table on page 235. Structures have a minimum size of Tiny.Construction Points: Each size category has a different CP cost; see the table on page 235. The total cost adds the CP from options and special features.

Hard Slots: Each size category has its own number of hard slots; see the table on page 235.Operation: If the structure mimics or provides a bonus to a skill, use that skill. If it is a feat, there is no skill requirement.Structure Dice: Each structure size has its own number of Structure Dice; see the table on page 235. Structure points are determined either by rolling each die or by setting an average.DV: As a normal creature, it is 10 + size modifier + Dexterity modifier + any other modifier from a special feature.Hardness: Each structure size has its own hardness, which is added to the machine’s material own hardness; see the table below. Hardness can be strengthened or weakened with special features. This hardness only applies against weapons that deal hit point damage.Dimensions: A structure occupies a space limited by an imaginary box of a number of units per side based on its size; see the table on page 235. A creator can move around units from one dimension (width, length and height) to another.Special Features: The structure has no base special feature.Saving Throws: A structure cannot make saving throws on its own. Any saving throw listed is a bonus it grants to the saving throw of its users or occupants.Abilities: A structure does not have any ability scores but it can be granted a limited amount of Intelligence for purposes of automated tasks.Skills: Structures with an Intelligence score have 2 skill points per SD; its class skills are the same as its creator’s.Feats: A structure gains no feats but some can be installed as special features.Power Source: A structure has a base wind/water power source, which means that it must be placed near a river or on a hill. You can change the power source by paying the cost of the new one.Crew: Structures need and accommodate one operator for every 30 full CP.Passengers: In the case of structures, these are occupants. Structures can accommodate 1 occupant of two size categories smaller than the structure per unoccupied hard slot. The amount of room taken up by occupants smaller

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Structure Base AttributesSize CP HS SD (d12) Hardness Dimensions1

Tiny 40 6 02 +1 18 inchesSmall 45 8 1 +1 3 ft.Medium 50 10 2 +2 5 ft.Large 55 12 2 +2 10 ft.Huge 60 14 3 +3 20 ft.Gargantuan 65 16 4 +3 35 ft.Colossal 70 20 6 +4 55 ft.Leviathan 75 24 10 +4 80 ft.

1 Units per side.2 Bonus structure points are provided with the material in the next stage of construction.

than this is halved for each size category smaller yet that they are. They require two hard slots per occupant of one size category smaller and double for each size category larger. A structure cannot accommodate occupants of the same size category or larger than itself.Purchase DC: See the table Machine Costs later in this section.Malfunction Threshold: A structure suffers a malfunction with a natural roll of 1 in any rolls that it complements. Malfunction also happens on a natural roll of 1 on using any special feature but the malfunction affects only the special feature and can be repaired separately.

Base Options: Additional Hard Slot, Feat Assist, Skill Assist, Magic Effect.

VehiclesVehicles are defined as large tools used for transport, controlled by an operator who rides on the vehicle as he controls it most of the time. If it moves and someone other than the machine is responsible, then it is a vehicle, although some vehicles have a very advanced autopilot system with an analytical engine of limited intelligence. The appearance of the vehicle is completely up to its creator, constrained only by the limits of its size category.

Size: Chosen by the creator; see the table on page 236.Construction Points: Each vehicle size has a different CP cost; see the table on page 236. The total cost adds the CP from options and special features.Hard Slots: Each vehicle size has its own number of hard slots; see the table on page 236.Operation: Drive skill for land- and water-based (surface) movement, Pilot for air-, aether-, underwater and underground based movement. These skill checks utilise the vehicle’s manoeuvrability modifier.Structure Dice: Each vehicle size has its own number of Structure Dice; see the table on page 236. Structure points are determined either by rolling each die or by setting an average.DV: As a normal creature, it is 10 + size modifier + manoeuvrability modifier + any other modifier from a special feature.Hardness: Each vehicle size has its own hardness, which is added to the machine’s material own hardness; see the

table on page 236. Hardness can be strengthened or weakened with special features.Initiative: A vehicle acts on its operator’s initiative slot but applies its manoeuvrability modifier to the operator’s roll.Manoeuvrability: Each vehicle size has its own manoeuvrability score and mode; see the table on page 236. Both the score and the mode can be increased or decreased with special features.Speed: Each vehicle size has its

own base speed, for which see the table on page 236. The speed is considered to be maximum land speed; speed can be increased and movement modes added with special features.Acc/Dec: Each vehicle size has its own acceleration and deceleration rates, for which see the table on page 236. These values are considered a moderate acceleration or deceleration. The value can be increased or decreased with special features.Turn Rate: Each vehicle size has its own turn rate; see the table on page 236.Weapons: Vehicles have no base weapons mounted. Any weapon must be built separately and installed on special weapon mountings, which are a special feature. The choice of weapon will define the damage and any special characteristics.Space/Reach: The same as a creature of the same size.Special Attacks (SA): The vehicle has no inherent special attacks but some may be installed as special features.Special Qualities (SQ): Construct qualities apply to a vehicle. It can install more through special features.Special Features: The vehicle has Land Movement as a base feature. The creator chooses which mode of land movement the vehicle will have at no CP cost but uses the vehicle size’s base speed.Saving Throws: A vehicle cannot make saving throws on its own. Any saving throw listed is a bonus it grants to the saving throw of its user or operator when made to protect the machine.Power Source: Like all amazing machines, a vehicle does not have a power source; one must be installed.Crew: A vehicle has a base crew of one, which must be expanded with special features if any more crew members are needed to operate weapons or other special features. The vehicle must be large enough to accommodate its intended crew.Passengers: Vehicles can accommodate 1 additional occupant of two size categories smaller than the vehicle per unoccupied hard slot. The amount of room taken up by occupants smaller than this is halved for each size category smaller yet that they are. Vehicles require two hard slots per occupant of one size category smaller and double this for each size category larger. A structure cannot accommodate occupants of the same size category or larger than itself. It could, but it would not move.

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MVehicle Base Attributes

Size CP HS SD (d4) Hardness Manoeuvrability1 SpeedTurn Rate Acc/Dec Cargo

Fine 25 2 1 +0 Perfect (+6) 20 ft. 0 ft. 10/20 -Diminutive 30 2 2 +0 Perfect (+4) 30 ft. 5 ft. 10/20 -Tiny 35 2 3 +0 Good (+2) 40 ft. 5 ft. 15/25 1 lb.Small 40 4 4 +1 Good (+1) 60 ft. 10 ft. 20/40 2 lb.Medium 45 6 6 +1 Average (+0) 80 ft. 10 ft 30/50 4 lb.Large 50 10 8 +2 Average (-1) 100 ft. 20 ft. 40/60 8 lb.Huge 55 14 10 +2 Poor (-2) 120 ft. 30 ft. 50/70 32 lb.Gargantuan 60 20 14 +3 Poor (-4) 100 ft. 40 ft. 40/60 256 lb.Colossal 65 26 18 +3 Clumsy (-6) 80 ft. 60 ft. 30/50 1 tonneLeviathan 70 34 22 +4 Clumsy (-8) 60 ft. 120 ft. 20/40 2 tonnes

1 The manoeuvrability score is the value between parentheses.

Cargo: Any hard slot not defined as passenger areas can hold a maximum cargo weight as defined on the table, depending on the vehicle’s size.Purchase DC: See the table Machine Costs later in this section.Malfunction Threshold: A vehicle suffers a malfunction with a natural roll of 1 in the operator’s Drive or Pilot checks. Malfunction also happens on a natural roll of 1 on using any special feature but the malfunction affects only the special feature and can be repaired separately.

Base Options: Additional Hard Slot.

Vehicle and Artillery WeaponsVehicle and artillery weapons are just like their personal versions, but bigger… much bigger. They cannot move independently but they can come equipped with wheels so they can be towed by another vehicle. In practice, they see more use by being mounted on one. Although they are not wielded by hand, vehicle and artillery weapons are considered two-handed weapons for vehicles and structures of the same size to which they are mounted.

Any other machine can mount one vehicle and artillery weapon of its same size, two of one size smaller, four weapons two sizes smaller, 8 weapons of three sizes smaller, or any combination totalling the maximum capacity. No machine can mount weapons larger than itself.

Size: Chosen by the creator; see the table below. Vehicle and artillery weapons have a minimum size of Small.Construction Points: Each vehicle weapon size has a different CP cost; see the table on page 237. The total cost adds the CP from options and special features.Hard Slots: Each vehicle weapon size has its own number of hard slots; see the table on page 237.Operation: Having ranks in Knowledge (tactics), ranks in Knowledge (technology), a base attack bonus of at least +6 or the Use Amazing Device feat is sufficient for a gunner to operate a vehicle and artillery weapon.Speed: Vehicle and artillery weapons cannot move by themselves. They must be mounted on or hauled by a vehicle or an automaton to have some amount of mobility.Structure Dice: Each vehicle weapon size has its own number of Structure Dice; see the table on page 237.

Structure points are determined either by rolling each die or by setting an average.Hardness: Each vehicle weapon size has its own hardness, which is added to the machine’s material own hardness; see the table on page 237. Hardness can be strengthened or weakened with materials and special features.Damage: A vehicle weapon has a base damage die based on its size. Note that this is structure damage, not hit point damage. A vehicle weapon striking a creature or object that has hit points deals 10 points of hit point damage for every point of structure damage, and it ignores armour and hardness.Range Increment: A vehicle weapon has a base range increment based on its size; this range increment only applies if the weapon is ranged.

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Vehicle and Artillery Weapon Base AttributesSize CP HS SD (d6) Hardness Range Increment DamageSmall 27 6 1 +1 50 ft. 1d4Medium 30 6 2 +1 70 ft. 1d6Large 33 6 2 +2 100 ft. 1d8Huge 36 7 3 +2 140 ft. 1d10Gargantuan 39 8 4 +3 190 ft. 1d12Colossal 42 9 5 +3 250 ft. 2d8Leviathan 45 10 6 +3 300 ft. 2d10

Special Qualities (SQ): These machines have construct qualities and more can installed through special features.Special Features: A vehicle weapon has the Ranged Attack feature for free (the creator chooses the kind of ranged attack) which can be modified with base options. It is also by default a melee weapon, although this can also be modified with base options.Saving Throws: A vehicle weapon cannot make saving throws on its own. Any saving throw listed is a bonus it grants to its user’s or operator’s own saving throw when made to protect the machine.Abilities: A vehicle weapon does not possess ability scores. It can, however, provide equipment bonuses to a user’s ability scores.Skills: A vehicle weapon does not have skills but can provide equipment bonuses to a user’s skill checks.Feats: A vehicle weapon gains no feats but some can be installed as special features.Power Source: Like all amazing machines, a vehicle weapon does not have a power source; one must be installed.Crew: A vehicle weapon has a base crew of one, plus one extra crewmember for every 20 full CP in the final cost.Purchase DC: See the table Machine Costs later in this section.Malfunction Threshold: A vehicle weapon suffers a malfunction with a natural roll of 1 on attack rolls. Malfunction also happens on a natural roll of 1 on using any special feature but the malfunction affects only the special feature and can be repaired separately.

Base Options: Additional Hard Slot, Increased Range.

MaterialsAn important decision to make when planning an amazing machine is what it is going to be made of. Matters of cost and weight are disadvantages to be considered but are balanced by the advantages of resistance and efficiency. Cheap materials make for relatively inexpensive and easy construction but they break down easily and need a lot of maintenance to keep running. Expensive materials can take quite a beating and are very reliable but they are exactly that; expensive.

This material makes up the majority of the machine’s body, which means that it can have parts made of other materials that do not count towards the final cost. Materials do not have a CP cost. Instead, they multiply the cost of the

base frame’s CP after base options have been installed but before special features. Each kind of material also adds a number of bonus hit/structure points depending on the machine’s size category; a Medium automaton made from hard metal adds 30 hit points, as hard metals provide 6 hit points per size category and Medium is 5 size categories. The hardness of each material simply adds its hardness modifier to the machine’s own bonus based on size. Since some materials are harder to work with than others and each has a modifier to the DC of all Craft and Repair checks made for the machine.

Inert Organics: Inert organics are once-living tissue, or material that was once part of a living being. The most normal inert organic materials are wood, leather and hemp rope but some more sinister inventors have been known to make machines out of bones and dead flesh, particularly when building something for a necromancer.

Live Organics: It is tremendously expensive to build a living machine, be it from live wood (a Faerie favourite) or more chillingly, a living organism. If this were not enough, the machine must be kept ‘fed’ in order to function. For all their enormous costs, live organics do provide many benefits. Unlike other machines, one made from live organics heals 2d4 hit or structure points per resting period and may be healed with the Treat Injury skill rather than Repair, although death effects do influence it and it is susceptible to critical hits. The power source of a live organic machine is also organic, depending on the material itself. A living wood machine needs a steady source of water and sunlight and will probably take root, although its nutrients can be provided for at the same costs and renewal rates as steam power with fuel renewal, with the exception that the fuel is, basically, food.

Soft Minerals: There are very few machines made from soft minerals, basically clay and mud, baked and hardened but still somewhat brittle.

Hard Minerals: Structures are more likely to be made from hard minerals, namely rock, stone, crystal and its derivates, than any other kind of machine, although the dwarven race is famous for its gigantic stone gears for the gates of their underground fortresses.

Exotic Minerals: There are two kinds of exotic minerals that inventors have played with successfully: levistone and

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Marcrystal. No machine can be made entirely from these minerals, so another base material must be chosen first. The mineral is then added to choice locations, adding the indicated number to the base material’s multiplier.

� Levistone: Legends speak of a strange bluish stone that has the natural ability to float when subjected to some form of energy, becoming the ideal material for airships. Machines outfitted with levistone increase their aerial speed by 20 ft., their manoeuvrability score by +2 and their manoeuvrability mode by one step.

� Arcrystal: A variety of quartz that resonates strongly with telluric energy, arcrystal fittings increase the reliability of telluric power sources, imposing a -10 modifier to the d% rolls to check for malfunction effects; see Malfunction on pg 135. Also, if the machine has telluric circuitry to channel a magic effect, the Ritual check DC is reduced by –4. See the Magic Effect special feature on pg 248.

Soft Metals: Soft metals include gold, lead, silver, bronze and brass, which are easy to work with but not as resilient as many inventors would like. Brass and bronze are preferred, as gold and silver are simply too expensive; the CP multiplier is x1.5 instead of x1.2.

Hard Metals: Since industrial production turned its head towards iron and steel, these hard metals are more available for technological pursuits.

Exotic Metals: Although iron and steel suffice for most technological needs, exotic metals such as stellar iron, etheric iron and arcanium provide inventors with plenty of additional properties to combine with their theories.

� Stellar Iron: Extracted from meteorites falling to the surface or actually mined at source from worlds beyond the aether, stellar iron is an incredibly hard metal, stronger than steel and just as light. Efforts to smelt stellar iron or alloy it with other minerals

have failed, so it can only be used in its pure form. Machines made from stellar iron apply half their hardness rating to structure damage, which normally ignores hardness, and add +2 points per size category to their hit/structure point bonus.

� Etheric Iron: A strange metal that alloys iron with ectoplasm before it dissolves, etheric iron can only be made in the presence of a talented psychic. All effects of machines made from etheric iron affect the Ethereal Plane normally, as the machine actually has an etheric body that functions simultaneously with its material one. Ghosts can thus use it without them needing to project. Vehicles and automata made from etheric iron increase their manoeuvrability mode by one, and their manoeuvrability or Dexterity score by +5, though this only works if they somehow travel physically to the Ethereal Plane. It also works in the aether of outer space, giving scientists another piece of evidence that the two are related.

� Arcanium: The fabrication of this metal is an alchemical secret that was recently cracked by a scientist with an occult interest. It is now part of many inventors’ work, although it remains incredibly hard to make. Arcanium is a supreme magic conductor, even better than arcrystal, and it is the standard material for telluric circuitry. If a machine’s main material is actually arcanium, a malfunction result has a -50 modifier for malfunction effects. In addition, the process of channelling a magic ritual effect lasts half the normal ritual duration, as the metal literally pulls the power onto itself.

Power SourcesMost amazing machines do not operate by themselves; they need fuel to power their abilities. Automata, vehicles and machines equipped with features that require charges all must have some sort of power source.

Material Characteristics

MaterialCP multiplier

Hit/Structure point bonus

Hardness/ Armour

Craft/Repair DC modifier Special

Inert Organics x1 2 per size 3 +0 -Live Organics x2 1 per size 1 +8* Machine heals, its fuel is organic.Soft Minerals x1.1 3 per size 4 +0 -Hard Minerals x1.3 3 per size 6 +5 -Exotic Minerals +0.4 - - +2 Lightness or telluric conduction.Soft Metals x1.2 4 per size 7 +3 -Hard Metals x1.4 6 per size 8 +5 -Exotic Metals x1.8 6 per size 12 +8 Hardness, etheric body or

telluric conduction.* Treat Injury check instead of Repair.

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The City Fathers opt for bronze for their automaton, a soft metal that multiplies the base CP cost by x1.2, adds 4 hit points per size (six sizes for Large, which means +24 hit points) and has a base hardness of 7, which added to the Large automaton’s +2 bonus totals an armour of 9. Bronze adds a +3 to all Craft and Repair checks.

Further discussion leads to the conclusion that they want their automaton to fly. To this end, they add levistone fittings, which increases soft metal’s modifier to x1.6 and adds a further +2 to Craft checks. It also grants the automaton all the benefits that levistone gives to flying machines.

Power Source Size ModifierSize ModifierFine1 +8Diminutive1 +6Tiny1 +4Small +2Medium +1Large +0Huge +1Gargantuan +2Colossal +4Leviathan +6

1 It is impossible to make the following power sources of this size: work, steam, electrical.

For the purposes of the construction system, power sources include generators, storage and conduction, using the most efficient combinations of each in a neat package. Instead of describing the power source by the type of technology, the rules divide them by function: output, which is the amount of energy provided, and renewal, which is how often and by what means a power source must be refuelled to keep working.

All power sources take up hard slots inside the machine, some more than others, as they require additional cargo space for their fuel, like steam engines and their coal.

Work Power: This creates energy by movement actively generated by something or someone called an ‘operator’. This does not necessarily require qualification. In practice, an ‘operator’ could be a horse. Mechanical power sources range from rowing and pedalling to manual-operation cranks and even the simple act of pushing and pulling. In order to work, the machine needs constant operation of its power source and a crew of operators to do so.

Wind/Water Power: This method uses the power of natural elements in order to create energy instead of manual operation but uses almost all the same parts as mechanical power sources. Sails and fans like those of a windmill harness the power of wind; the power of water is converted to motion by waterwheels in static machines, and so on. Static structures have no renewal rates and always operate at maximum capacity.

Clockwork Power: This method stores kinetic energy in tightly wound springs and transmits it by gears, belts and chains. A clockwork engine is always made of metal, as the precision and strength necessary for its operation exceeds the capacity of softer materials. Clockwork springs eventually unwind. The user must twist them for them to be wound again.

Steam Power: Steam power uses the pressure of water vapour to exert force and thus create movement. This power source must have a boiler where fuel burns in order to heat the water and also needs water reservoirs for that purpose; both of these elements are included in the engine’s HS allotment.

Electrical Power: Electrical power is stored in batteries and converted into force by the electrical engine. Electricity is the most space-efficient of power sources but is likewise very expensive. Batteries are not rechargeable ‘in the field’ but require a special machine to either create a new battery or recharge the old one, which is why machines running on electricity keep a reserve battery, just in case.

Telluric Power: This mysterious force vibrates in crystals and resonates according to the geometric shapes of its conduits, rather than the materials they are made of. Telluric power is akin to magic and it is the only way to include magic effects as part of a machine’s performance, for no other power source operates on the subtle levels that magic requires. Of course, a magician might actually enchant the machine as a magic item, but that violates everything inventors stand for.

Other: There are, of course, other ways to generate force but they are mostly equivalent to those outlined above. Technology that relies on combustion of fuel can be grouped with steam power, while those that rely on the entrapment of elemental beings are equivalent to (and actually require) telluric engines and conduits.

Acquiring the Power SourceAn inventor builds or purchases a power source separately from the machine and installs it later. A construction team usually works on the machine and its engine at the same time, following the blueprints.

The actual size of the power source affects both the purchase and the Craft DCs, as large engines are difficult and expensive for the weights and amounts of material,

while miniature ones add the intricacy and handiwork they require. Like weapons, a power source’s size does not indicate its actual dimensions but what kind of machine it is designed to move. Therefore, the actual size category of an engine (independent from its functional size category) is about one or two sizes smaller than the machine for which it is meant. The size modifier is applied to the Purchase and Craft DCs of each power source but leaves the HS unchanged.

To make a power source, use the Craft skill for the technology type indicated in the table. The Difficulty Class for

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MPower Sources

Power Source HS Purchase DC Craft (DC) Repair DCWork Power 3 20 mechanical (10) 10Wind/Water Power 4 21 mechanical (15) 10Clockwork Power 2 24 mechanical (20) 15Steam Power 3 23 mechanical (18) 13Electrical Power 1 26 mechanical (15) and chemical (20) 15Telluric Power 0 28 structural (10) and expression (20) 15

Power Source CharacteristicsPower Source Maximum Capacity Delivery Rate Renewal MethodsWork Power * 1 use Work actionWind/Water Power 30 charges 10 charges Infinite1

Clockwork Power 45 charges 5 charges RewindSteam Power 60 charges 10 charges RefuelElectrical Power 60 charges 5 charges Exchange, recharge, rewindTelluric Power 75 charges 10 charges Regeneration, magic, elementals

* Work power cannot store energy and deliver sufficient charges for one use of a function.1 Wind/water power sources are always at maximum capacity unless their motor forces are blocked.

purchasing or making the power source is equal to the value on the table plus the power source’s size modifier, not the machine’s!

OutputOnce the power source is installed, the inventor connects everything together so the power source can feed the different functions of the machine. See Using an Amazing Machine on pg 261. Each type of engine has a maximum capacity, which is the number of charges it can hold before it empties, and a delivery rate, which is the maximum number of charges that the engine can deliver in one round. Work power sources cannot store energy, but must constantly work towards providing charges.

Renewal MethodsOnce an engine is spent, its charges must be renewed; each power source can accommodate one of a few renewal methods.

Work Action: The operator pulls on a lever, pushes a wheel, cocks a trigger, pulls a rope and so on. There is no skill check required to perform a work action renewal but the work itself takes one move action to provide 2 charges. If this is insufficient to power a function, then the work action must be repeated, adding up the charges until they meet the requisite amount and the operator triggers the function, spending all the charges ‘stored’ temporarily.

Rewind: The operator twists a crank, pushes a spring, turns a dial or takes other such actions that restore a clockwork’s springs to their latent positions. It takes a full-round action to restore 5 charges to a clockwork power source, with no skill check required. Unfamiliar machines may require a Knowledge (technology) check at DC 15 to find the rewinding mechanism.

Refuel: The operator pours more fuel into the power source’s tanks, which are constantly feeding the engine. Steam engines allow the operator to pour in more fuel in the middle of operation before they run out of energy, although some other equivalent engines may not be so generous. Fuel reserves can hold up to three times an engine’s maximum capacity. It takes a move action to restore 5 charges to a steam power source, but it requires a Knowledge (technology) check, Craft (mechanical) check or Profession (engineer) check per round at DC 10 to know how much fuel to add, or which kind.

Exchange: Once a battery runs out, it needs to be changed for a fresh one. It really is as simple as that. It takes one person to change the battery of a Medium or smaller machine and smaller but it takes two to change the battery of a Large machine, three for Huge one, four for a Gargantuan machine and so on. It takes a full round to exchange a battery, which usually restores the power source to full capacity and requires a Knowledge (technology) check, Craft (mechanical) check or Profession (engineer) check at DC 10. Spent batteries are useless but rechargeable ones exist, for which see below.

Recharge: Electrical batteries that can be recharged add +1 to the purchase DC. Their chemicals can be reactivated either by hand with a Craft (chemical) check or with another machine whose purpose is to recharge batteries. In essence, this is a machine that can perform the Craft (chemical) check on its own. The battery recovers a number of charges equal to the check result, which takes 1 minute. Of course, some magicians can recharge batteries with magic but that is considered ‘cheating’ in the strictly principled world of invention.

Magic: Magicians with a taste for technology have devised a number of rituals to keep their machines running.

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Power Source RenewalMethod Action Renewal RateWork Action 1 move 2Rewind 1 full round 5Refuel 1 move (skill check) 5Exchange 1 full round AllRecharge 1 minute 1 per check resultMagic Ritual/Conduit duration As per magicElementals 1 day Elemental’s HDRegeneration 1 minute 1

As the City Fathers mean to have their automaton travel to places where fuel and batteries may be scarce, they make their automaton a clockwork one. Its power now depends on winding its springs without the need of an external source for its energy. A clockwork power source takes up 2 hard slots and would have a Purchase DC of 24 but the City Fathers can build their own with a Craft (mechanical) project at DC 20. This power source will hold 45 charges and have a delivery rate of 5 charges, with rewinding as a method for renewing the power source’s charges at a rate of 5 charges per full round of recovery.

Consult the Occult chapter for the rules to design rituals for almost any purpose.

Elementals: When an elemental creature is bound to a machine in order to power it, the machine will basically run forever. An elemental can provide as many charges as it has hit points, with each use of its nature draining it. If an elemental is reduced to 0 hit points, it dissipates, so magicians install safeguards that stop the machine when the elemental is at 1 hit point. An elemental recovers hit points/charges after 8 hours of rest, during which the machine must remain inactive. After they rest, elementals recover an amount of hit points equal to their HD.

Regeneration: Only telluric engines are capable of regenerating on their own, picking up ambient energy at a rate of 1 charge per minute. The user can accelerate this rate by putting the machine on top of a place of power, which would add the nexus or ley line’s bonus to the renewal rate each minute.

Special FeaturesSpecial features have their own format for their descriptions; note that they are very similar to feats that characters can take.

Name (type): This is the option or feature’s most common name, although different inventors may have different names according to their pet theories and field of expertise. A voltaic inductor is the same as an electrical projector, for example. Next to the name, a parenthesis indicates to which type of machine the feature applies.

Requirements: An option or special feature may require that the machine provide either a particular attribute at a certain value or another special quality to be present before it can be installed. If this field is missing, the special quality has no requirements.Description: This is a description of the special quality’s effects.Skills: The option lists a number of modifiers to the DCs that it imposes on the final Knowledge and Craft checks. If the Knowledge check is described as

a DC rather than as a modifier, it means that installing the option needs its own separate Knowledge check in addition to those required to build the machine. If the Craft check is described as a DC rather than as a modifier, it means that the special feature is a separate machine by itself and must be constructed separately before installing it on the machine. It also means that it can be salvaged from another machine of the same size, or bought from another creator. If this field is missing, the special feature has no effect on the Knowledge and Craft checks.Costs: This field includes the Construction Point costs for installing the special quality; the charges it consumes, if any; the Hard Slots it occupies. A cost expressed in negative values (a minus ‘-’ sign) not only costs nothing but actually returns some of the expense to the creator; a negative CP value subtracts from the total CP cost of the machine, while a negative HS value actually adds hard slots to the machine instead of occupying them.

Ability Increase (Automata)The automaton’s mechanism is above average.Requirements: Ability score of 1 or more.Description: By installing this feature, a machine gains +2 points to any applicable ability score, barring restrictions. This feature can be chosen more than once; its effects stack for each ability.Skills: Knowledge (technology) +1; Craft (structural for Str, mechanical for Dex, expression for Int, Wis and Cha) +1 per four ability points above normal.Costs: 3 CP.

Accessories (any)The machine has additional features, which provide useful but mundane non-combat-related advantages.Description: Accessories are minor features such as an: airlock, burglar alarm, emergency lights and fog horn, loudspeaker, headlights, luxurious decor, code flags, internal pipe communication system, tow cable, or wet bar. A machine need not acquire accessories that are implied by its other capabilities; a machine with sailing water travel can be assumed to have appropriate rigging. It also need not acquire accessories that are ubiquitous, like a handle in a firearm.Costs: 1 CP per 3 accessories. The Games Master determines whether an accessory consumes 1-3 charges

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MSpecial Features

Type Special FeaturesAny Accessories, Additional Hard Slot, Armour Plating, Energy Conservation, Energy Weapon,

Extra Charge, Feat, Increased Range, Magic Effect, Power Converter, Basic Remote Control, Advanced Remote Control, Self-Destruct, Speech, Sturdy, Limited Sentience, Full Sentience, Skill Assist, Skill Use, Summonable, Tesla Field, Voice Recognition

Automata Ability Increase, Accuracy, Aerial Movement, Booster, Burrowing Movement, Chameleon Field, Combat Programming, Defensive Manoeuvres, Electrokinetic Field, Extra Arm, Extra Head, Fast, Firing Ports, Greater Damage, Hangar, Horizontal Frame, Jumping, Miscellaneous Limb, Natural Weaponry, Ranged Attack, Reaching, Swerving Hips, Underwater Movement, Voltaic Claws, Wall-Crawling, Water Movement, Weapon Mounting, Concealed Weapon Mounting

Equipment Ergonomic, Light Use, One-Handed Use, Skill Assist, Two-Handed Use, User-Friendly, Worn/Carried Use

Personal Weapons Damaging, Ergonomic, Greater Damage, Harmful, Light Use, One-Handed Use, Reaching, Two-Handed Use, Worn/Carried Use, Ranged Attack, User-Friendly

Structures Chameleon Field, Concealed Weapon Mounting, Electrokinetic Field, Extra Arm, Firing Ports, Hangar, Rooms, Sealed Environment, User-Friendly, Weapon Mounting

Vehicles Aerial Movement, Aetheric Movement, Agile, Booster, Burrowing Movement, Chameleon Field, Concealed Weapon Mounting, Ejection Seat, Electrokinetic Field, Extra Arm, Extra Leg, Fast, Firing Ports, Hangar, Jumping, Manoeuvrable, Rooms, Sealed Environment, User-Friendly, Underwater Movement, Wall-Crawling, Water Movement, Weapon Mounting

Vehicle and Artillery Weapons

Accuracy, Damaging, Greater Damage, Harmful, Reaching, User-Friendly

upon operation but most are taken care of by the machine’s ordinary fuel consumption.

Accuracy (Automata, Personal Weapons, Vehicle and Artillery Weapons)

The machine’s attacks benefit from its precise instruments.Description: The machine gains a +1 competence bonus to attack rolls.Costs: 3 CP.

Additional Hard Slot (any)The automaton was built to have a greater capacity for special features and options.Description: The machine adds one additional hard slot to its total; the CP cost for an additional hard slot varies depending on the machine’s size. Each additional hard slot imposes a -1 circumstance penalty to manoeuvrability and attack rolls.

Size CP costFine 1Diminutive 1Tiny 1Small 2Medium 2Large 2Huge 3Gargantuan 3Colossal 3Leviathan 4

Aerial Movement (Automata, Vehicle)

The machine has a method for flying across the sky.Description: The machine gains a mode of flying, with the same speed as its base speed and a manoeuvrability corresponding to its size. Automata gain the manoeuvrability mode of a vehicle of the same size. Upon installing this feature, select one of the following methods of flight:

� Glider: The machine moves by the strength of the wind. Its manoeuvrability is one mode worse, although its score remains the same. A glider requires no fuel or power source, but it requires a successful Pilot check (DC 15) to take off. Take-off and landing require a landing strip of at least 100 feet. Gliding flight costs 5 CP and takes up 1 HS.

� Propeller: The machine moves by the action of a propeller placed in the front or back and has fixed wings. This is the standard method of flight and uses all the base characteristics of the machine. It also requires a landing strip. Propelled flight costs 6 CP and takes up 1 HS.

� Airship: This method involves hanging the machine from a balloon filled with gas or hot air. The inventor may choose which option to use. The machine derives its HD/SD, manoeuvrability and turn rate from its size but its dimensions, size modifier to DV and speed correspond to those of a machine one size category larger, to account for the gas bag. An airship can take off and land

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vertically, without the need for a landing strip. Airship flight costs 6 CP and takes up 2 HS.

� Gyrocopter: The machine has wings that rotate by the action of its movement. It has the same characteristics as propeller-based flight but it requires a landing strip of only 50 feet in length. Gyrocopter flight costs 7 CP and takes up 1 HS.

� Ornithopter: The machine’s wings beat and move to simulate the movements of a bird in order to achieve flight and manoeuvrability. Ornithopters cannot be Gargantuan, Colossal or of Leviathan size. An ornithopter gains a +1 to its DV because of its wild movements during flight but imposes a -1 penalty to Concentration checks by characters on board. An ornithopter only requires 20 feet of running start to fly, not necessarily on a landing strip. Ornithopter flight costs 8 CP and takes up 2 HS.

Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences) +2; Craft (structural or mechanical) +3.Costs: Varies; 3 charges per hour.

Aetheric Movement (Vehicle)The machine can travel to other dimensions or to outer space.Requirements: Sealed Environment (life support), a telluric power source in the case of planar travel, or any other power source in the case of space travel.Description: The machine gains a mode of travelling through the aether. Upon installing this feature, select one of the following methods of propulsion:

� Planes of Existence: The machine can travel to the Etheric and Astral Planes, vibrating itself and all its occupants there and back. It may be able to find gates to otherworlds and cross them but this is still the subject of much speculation and exploration. It requires 10 charges to vibrate from one plane to the other but once there, its movement is the same as its base speed. If stranded, travellers must find their own way back home. Planar travel costs 10 CP and takes up 1 HS.

� Space: The machine can abandon the planet to traverse the aether between worlds. It takes 8 charges per round to blast off the planet for 5 continuous rounds and 4 charges to land for another 5 continuous rounds, in addition to which a Pilot check is needed at DC 15. Once in space, its movement is the same as its base speed. Space travel costs 6 CP and takes up 3 HS.

� Time: This method of travel is open for experimentation and research. The Games Master assigns CP, charges and HS costs as he deems appropriate for his setting. He may also design the rules of time travel.

Skills: Knowledge (occult sciences) +5 (planar travel), Knowledge (physical sciences) +5 (space travel); Craft (mechanical and expression) +5.Costs: Varies; 3 charges per hour.

Agile (Vehicle)The machine is designed so that either its operator or itself may react better to changes of movement.Requirements: A manoeuvrability score.Description: The machine’s manoeuvrability score increases by +2 and its acceleration and deceleration rates increase by 20%. This special feature can be chosen multiple times, each time it adds an extra +2 bonus and 20% increase to the original rates. It costs the same amount of CP but the skill checks remain the same. If an automaton has a movement mode that gives it a manoeuvrability score, it can install this feature as well.Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences) +2; Craft (structural) +2.Costs: 2 CP.

Armour Plating (any)The armour plating covering the machine is stronger than normal.Description: The machine’s armour or hardness is increased by +1. This feature can be chosen multiple times; each instance increases the CP but not the Craft (structural) modifier.Skills: Craft (structural), DC 10 +1 per bonus to hardness or armour.Costs: 1 CP; 1 HS per full +4 bonus.

Booster (Automata, Vehicle)The machine can accelerate greatly for short periods of time.Description: A booster is any system that gives a machine a temporary ‘kick’ of speed, such as special treated coal that burns in a steam engine with a greater heat. A booster will only affect one type of movement: air, land, water, underwater, or aetheric flight. A machine can take different boosters for different movement types, however. Boosters provide an increase in speed for 1 hour per day, although the duration need not be consecutive. Boosters increase a machine’s speed by 20%. This feature can be chosen up to five times. Each time it is chosen, boosted speed increases by another 20% of the original speed.Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences) +1; Craft (chemical or mechanical) +2.Costs: 2 CP; 4 charges; 1 HS.

Burrowing Movement (Automata, Vehicle)

The machine can burrow through the earth.Requirements: Sealed Environment (life support) (vehicle only), Sturdy.Description: The machine gains a burrow speed equal to half its walking speed. It cannot burrow through solid

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Mrock but it can drill through worked stone at half its burrowing speed.Skills: Knowledge (earth and life sciences) +2; Craft (structural or mechanical) +4.Costs: 6 CP; 4 charges per hour; 4 HS.

Chameleon Field (Automata, Structures, Vehicles

The machine can blend with its surroundings.Requirements: An electrical or telluric power source.Description: Upon its activation as a standard action, this feature grants the construct three-quarters concealment (30% miss chance) for 1d6 rounds. The machine can activate this effect three times per day. Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences) +4; Craft (expression) DC 15.Costs: 2 CP; 1 charges per round.

Combat Programming (Automata)

The automaton is capable of sophisticated combat manoeuvres.Requirements: Limited or Full Sentience.Description: The automaton can attempt special fighting techniques without direction, such as flanking, charging, tripping, trying to overrun and bull rushing an opponent.Skills: Knowledge (tactics) +2; Craft (expression) +2.Costs: 2 CP.

Damaging (Personal Weapons, Vehicle

and Artillery Weapons)The weapon has a chance to inflict grievous damage.Requirements: Damage die (hit or structure point) must be 1d6 or greater.Description: A weapon with this feature increases its critical damage multiplier by +1; thus x2 becomes x3, x3 becomes x4 and so on. This special feature can be purchased a maximum of twice but the multiplier cannot be raised to greater than x4.Skills: Craft (structural or mechanical) +2.Costs: 2 CP.

Defensive Manoeuvres (Automata)

The construct knows how to defend itself better in battle by blocking, parrying and dodging.Requirements: Limited or Full Sentience, Combat Programming.

Description: The construct can attempt to fight defensively, engage in full defence or aid another, as described in pg 174, without outside direction.Skills: Knowledge (tactics) +1.Costs: 1 CP.

Ejection Seat (Vehicle)

Operators can escape from a doomed vehicle.Description: A spring- or explosive-based escape system allows the crew to eject from a damaged machine. It is possible that not all of the crew will be equipped with this system. As a free action, the character sitting in an ejector seat may eject at any time. Any canopy or rooftop is opened clear by a coordinated system and the seat launched at least 20 feet into the air. On the next round, a parachute unfolds, carrying the occupant down to the ground. The ejected character may make a Pilot check (DC 20) to guide the parachute to a specific place within 100 feet of the vehicle. If the occupant has no Pilot skill, or fails, the Games Master randomly determines where he lands. Make a Reflex saving throw (DC 10, or DC 15 if landing in woods, mountain, or urban areas; +5 DC if dropping from aetheric heights) to avoid falling damage.Skills: Craft (mechanical) DC 12.Costs: 1 CP; 1 charge.

Electrokinetic Field (Automata, Structures, Vehicle)

The machine is protected by a crackling aura of electrokinetic force.

Requirements: Electric or telluric power source.Description: The machine projects a protective field that absorbs incoming

damage from weapons and energy attacks. An electrokinetic field provides 3 extra hit points that absorb damage if the machine is hit. Damage is first applied to the electrokinetic field, before armour is subtracted.

The field can be raised or dropped as a free action but only

one of each may occur during a single round. It consumes its cost in charges every round it stays up. An electrokinetic field can quickly recover if left undisturbed. It recovers 1 hit point per round for a Medium machine or smaller, 2 hit points if Large or Huge and 3 hit

points if Gargantuan, Colossal or Leviathan. The field may not recover hit points

in any round on which it took damage, whether it is ‘up’ or not. This feature may be chosen more than

once. Each time, the field’s hit points increase by 3 but the skill modifiers are unchanged.

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Energy WeaponEnergy Weapon Effect Damage Saving Throw CP HSAcid 5 ft. x 20 ft. 2d4 (initial), 2d4 automatic for 3

additional roundsReflex half (DC 15) 4 1

Cold Cone 20 ft. 6d6 Reflex half (DC 15) 4 1Electrical 5 ft. x 60 ft. 6d6 Reflex half (DC 15) 4 1Fire Cone 20 ft. 6d6 Reflex half (DC 15) 4 1Gas 10 ft. x 10 ft.

in front1d4 temporary Con (initial), unconsciousness for 1d4 minutes (secondary)

Fortitude negates (DC 17)

6 2

Sonic Cone 30 ft. radius

2d6, plus deafened for 2d6 rounds Fortitude partial (DC 17)

4 1

Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences) +3; Craft (mechanical or expression) +4.Costs: 2 CP; 2 charges per round; 1 HS.

Energy Weapon (any)The machine can shoot a jet or cone of a particular form of energy or matter.Description: The machine can launch a special attack of one of six forms: acid, cold, electrical, fire, gas or sonic. These are the most common forms of attack, but the player can come up with new ones with the Games Master’s approval.Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences) +2; Craft (mechanical) DC 15 + CP cost.Costs: Varies; 5 charges.

Ergonomic (Equipment, Personal Weapons)

The machine accommodates well to a wielder’s grip and movements.Description: Upon installation, the machine grants a +2 bonus to the wielder’s Strength, his Dexterity or his Constitution. This bonus is applicable only to tasks involving the machine in question. For example, an ergonomic crossbow would confer its bonus to the wielder’s Dexterity while it was being used to fire a bolt but not while the wielder was attempting to move silently. This feature can be chosen up to twice. Each time the CP costs stack but the skill DC modifiers and the hard slot remain the same.Skills: Craft (structural) +4.Costs: 2 CP; 1 HS.

Extra Arm (Automata, Vehicles, Structures)

The inventor designed the machine with one extra arm (or one arm if there were none originally), increasing its number of actions.Description: The machine has an extra off hand and can perform one extra standard action at –5 to every roll with it. An operator, either inside the machine or using remote control, must control the arms of the vehicle or structure; all arms end in hands. This feature can be chosen more than once at normal costs.

Skills: Craft (mechanical) +2.Costs: 3 CP; 1 HS.

Extra Charge (any)The power source has more capacity than usual.Requirements: An internal power source.Description: This feature alters the engine of a machine, optimising so that its maximum capacity is 20% higher than the original. This option can be taken up to five times, each time adding another 20% of the original capacity.Skills: Knowledge (technology) +2; Craft (structural) +4.Costs: 4 CP; 1 HS.

Extra Head (Automata)The inventor designed the automaton with one extra head, increasing its perception.Description: The construct has a +1 enhancement bonus to initiative, and every round it can roll a Reflex saving throw to avoid being flanked, with a DC of 10 + enemy’s character level or HD. This feature can be chosen more than once at normal costs.Skills: Craft (mechanical) +3.Costs: 3 CP; 1 HS.

Extra Leg (Automata, Vehicles)The inventor designed the machine with one extra leg, increasing its stability.Requirements: Must have a walk speed based on legs.Description: The construct gains a +4 stability bonus to Balance checks and against bull rush attacks and other effects that might throw it off balance. This feature can be chosen more than once at normal costs.Skills: Craft (mechanical) +2.Costs: 4 CP; 1 HS.

Energy Conservation (any)The machine can be turned off to conserve energy.Requirements: The machine must have a feature that drains charges over time, such as ‘1 charge per hour’. Cannot have a work power source.Description: When the machine is turned off, it shuts down completely and does not spend any charge to

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Installing OGL FeatsNot all feats are suitable for installation with the Feat special feature. However, due to the sheer quantity of feats available in this book as well as from other OGL products, making hard and fast rules and provisions for all of them would take up far too much space. General guidelines apply instead:

� Only general feats can be installed. Metamagic, item creation and special feats depend on a character’s special abilities and cannot be reproduced by machinery.

� If the prerequisites include a rare racial, supernatural or spell-like ability or a spellcasting requirement, the feat cannot be installed, since that would fall into the purview of magic items.

� Combat feats like Weapon Focus, Cleave and so on should only be installed on weapons or objects that could be wielded as weapons. There are exceptions of course, such as a vehicle having Trample.

� Machine feats cannot reproduce magic effects; there is a special feature for that.

power its functions, keeping fuel or battery. Turning the machine back on requires a move action, and the machine is fully operational within 1d4 rounds.Skills: Craft (mechanical) +1.

External Power Source (any)The machine’s power source is located somewhere other than within its body.Description: Instead of using up the machine’s hard slots, the power source is located outside and is connected by pipes, cables or other sorts of conduits. The external engine is one or two size categories smaller than the machine it powers. A creature can carry on its back an engine that is one or more size categories smaller but for larger power sources a cart or some other vehicle is needed. A machine can travel as far from its power source as the conduits allow. The conduits are vulnerable to cutting; most conduits will have 2d6 hit points plus the size modifier plus the material’s bonus hit points and the machine’s material’s hardness -2. If the conduits are cut, the machine has a number of charges left equal to the engine’s maximum output.

Machine Size Engine Size CP Cost RangeFine Fine 1 6 inchesDiminutive Fine 1 9 inchesTiny Fine 1 1 ft.Tiny Diminutive 2 5 ft.Small Diminutive 2 5 ft.Small Tiny 3 10 ft.Medium Tiny 3 15 ft.Medium Small 4 20 ft.Large Small 4 25 ft.Large Medium 5 30 ft.Huge Medium 5 35 ft.Huge Large 6 40 ft.Gargantuan Large 6 45 ft.Gargantuan Huge 7 50 ft.Colossal Huge 7 55 ft.Colossal Gargantuan 8 60 ft.Leviathan Gargantuan 8 65 ft.Leviathan Colossal 9 70 ft.

Skills: Knowledge (technology) +2; Craft (structural) DC 12 + CP cost.Costs: Varies.

Fast (Automata, Vehicles)The machine is designed for speed.Description: The machine’s speed increases by 10 ft. This special feature can be chosen multiple times. Skills: Knowledge (technology) +8; Craft (mechanical) +8.Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences) +2; Craft (mechanical) +3.Costs: 4 CP.

Feat (any)The machine can perform a feat, or grants its user the ability to perform one.Requirements: Varies; see text.Description: When adding this feature, the creature must select whether a feat is available for the machine’s use, or for its user. Adding a feat for the user is similar to the Skill Assist feature and has no requirements. If the machine will benefit from the feat, it must meet all prerequisites involving the possession of other feats (which must be purchased separately) but may ignore other prerequisites that do not involve a minimum Wisdom or Charisma score. Automata may never possess feats with a Wisdom or Charisma score prerequisite.Skills: Craft (mechanical) +3.Costs: 5 CP; 1 charge; 2 HS.

Greater Damage (Automata, Personal Weapons, Vehicle and Artillery Weapons)

The machine’s attacks are more damaging than normal.Requirements: The machine must have a base damage.Description: Upon installing this feature, the machine’s base damage is increased by one extra die of the same type. Thus a machine that deals 1d4 points of damage would deal 2d4 points. This feature can be chosen up to four times; each time the CP costs stack, but the skill DC modifiers and the hard slot remain the same.Skills: Craft (structural) +2.Costs: 3 CP; 1 HS.

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Hangar (Automata, Structures, Vehicles)

The machine can host and launch smaller machines.Requirements: Gargantuan size or larger.Description: Any portion of a machine’s cargo capacity can be designated as a hangar bay for storage of other (smaller) machines. A machine can host one machine of one size smaller, two machines of two size categories smaller, four of three size categories smaller and so on. The CP cost represents the hangar bay’s opening size and what size of machine can fit through it, regardless of how many can fit inside.Skills: Craft (structural) +4.Costs: 1 CP (Fine), 3 CP (Diminutive), 5 CP (Tiny), 10 CP (Small), 15 CP (Medium), 20 CP (Large), 25 CP (Huge), 30 CP (Gargantuan) or 60 CP (Colossal). CP; 4 HS.

Firing Ports (Automata, Structures, Vehicles)

The machine allows passengers to attack on their own.Requirements: Space devoted to passengers or occupants.Description: The machine has one or more firing ports, sufficient to let passengers fire out of the machine with their own ranged weapons. The firing ports provide nine-tenths cover, the equivalent of arrow slits.Costs: 1 CP per 3 firing ports.

Harmful (Personal Weapons, Vehicle and Artillery Weapons)

The weapon is more likely to cause greater damage.Description: A weapon with this feature increases its critical damage threshold by 1; thus 20 becomes 19-20, 19-20 becomes 18-20 and so on. This special feature can be purchased a maximum of three times but the threshold cannot be raised higher than 17-20.Skills: Craft (structural or mechanical) +2.Costs: 3 CP.

Horizontal Frame (Automata)

The automaton stands on four legs, not two.Requirements: This special feature can only be installed as a base option.Description: The automaton gains a +4 stability bonus against bull rush attacks and other effects that might throw it off balance. It also increases its walk speed by 10 feet. This feature is used to simulate the shape of a four-legged creature. The construct loses the ability to manipulate objects, so it cannot install features that rely on hands or holding objects.Costs: 1 CP; -2 HS.

Increased Range (any)The machine can extend its effects over greater distances.Requirements: An ability, skill or special feature that works over distance.

Description: A machine with this feature increases its range by a half. All pertinent abilities enjoy this improvement, such as remote control, vision range, ranged attacks and so on.Skills: Craft (mechanical) +2.Costs: 2 CP; 1 HS.

Jumping (Automata, Vehicles)

The machine can make high jumps.Description: The machine can make very high, unaided, vertical jumps but cannot actually fly. It may use explosive jets, powerful leg muscles or some similar contrivance to gain a +5 bonus to Jump checks. This special feature can be chosen up to three times. The effects stack with one another.Skills: Craft (mechanical) +2.Costs: 3 CP; 3 charges per jump; 2 HS.

Land Movement (Automata, Vehicles)

The machine has a method for moving on solid surfaces.Description: Upon installing this feature on a vehicle as a base option, the inventor decides whether to make the movement based on wheels, treads, legs or hovering levitation. Automata start with the ‘legs’ version automatically. Changing an automaton’s movement mode, such as by providing it with wheels in preference to legs, requires that the creator install this special feature as a base option.

� Wheels: This is the standard medium of land travel. Each wheel above four grants the vehicle or automaton a +1 bonus to manoeuvrability. A vehicle cannot have more than 8 wheels or tyres. Two wheels cost 1 CP, plus 1 CP for every additional wheel.

� Treads: These are jointed strips of metal connected in a continuous tread, allowing the wheels to literally carry a road with them. Treads reduce a vehicle’s turn rate by half and grant a +2 stability bonus to manoeuvrability, while they increase an automaton’s base speed by 10 ft. Treads cost 3 CP.

� Legs: Automatons move through lifelike movements with their legs and vehicles mimic that. Legged vehicles have a standard of two legs and have no turn rate. An inventor can add more legs to a legged vehicle through the Extra Leg special feature. A pair of legs costs 4 CP.

� Hover: Instead of moving on the ground, a hover vehicle floats above it. The vehicle’s turn rate increases by half but it suffers no penalties for difficult terrain and may travel over liquids; see A World of Adventure on pg 166. A hover vehicle requires a telluric energy source. A hover system costs 6 CP and takes up 1 HS.

Costs: Varies; 1 charge per hour; 1 HS (hover only).

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Magic EffectMagic Effect CP Charges HSTrivial 3 2 1Minor 6 4 2Moderate 9 6 3Major 12 8 4Extreme 15 10 5

Light Use (Equipment, Personal Weapons)

The machine is light and easy to use.Requirements: This special feature can only be installed as a base option.Description: The machine is considered a light weapon for purposes of handling by creatures of the weapon’s designated size. Weapons have a base damage equal to a weapon one size smaller.Costs: -1 CP; 1 HS.

Manoeuvrable (Vehicles)The machine is designed so as to move with more grace.Requirements: A manoeuvrability mode.Description: The machine’s manoeuvrability mode increases to the immediately superior mode. This special feature can be chosen up to twice. If an automaton has a method of movement that gives it a manoeuvrability mode, it can install this feature as well.Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences) +2; Craft (structural) +2.Costs: 3 CP.

Magic Effect (any)The machine can mimic the effects of magic.Requirements: Telluric power source.Description: The machine can act in a manner similar to a conduit, for which see pg 297. The inventor must either know magic or hire someone who does, as the telluric circuitry must be etched in the most appropriate pattern for the desired effect. The one responsible for the magic effect designs the ritual according to the rules for magic, for which see pg 277. The magician or inventor etches the telluric circuitry with the Craft (expression) check and then performs the ritual on it. Note that if the circuitry is made with arcrystal, the Ritual check’s DC decreases by -4 but the Craft check’s DC remains unchanged. The CP cost depends on the ritual effect’s scope, as do the charges it consumes with every use in the case of instantaneous durations, or for every 5 time units in the case of timed durations.Skills: Ritual DC as per the ritual; Craft (expression) DC equal to the ritual effect’s +5.

Costs: See table.

Miscellaneous Limb (Automata)

The inventor designed the machine with an extra set of miscellaneous limbs, increasing its actions or movement.Requirements: Must be of a certain minimum size; see table.Description: The construct gains certain abilities or increases existing ones, depending on the limb chosen. This feature can be chosen multiple times, once for each type of limb. If a limb has more than one possible effect, the limb can be chosen again to select an additional effect for that limb, costing additional CP but taking up no additional HS.Skills: Craft (mechanical) +2.Costs: 5 CP; 2 HS.

Natural Weaponry (Automata)

The automaton is equipped with a ‘natural’ weapon like horns, claws, a barbed tail or some similar monstrous contrivance.

Miscellaneous LimbMiscellaneous Limb

Min. Size Effect

Long neck Tiny Reach for Tiny, Small, Medium and Large creatures increases by 5 ft. Reach for Huge, Gargantuan and Colossal creatures increases by 10 ft.

Larger torso Small Choose one: Armour increases by +1, Strength score increases by +3, crawl speed if No Legs deficiency is chosen.

Tail Fine Choose one: Extra slam attack, swim speed same as walk speed, or +2 stability bonus.

Fins / flippers Diminutive Swim speed same as walk speed plus 10 feet.

Size

Fangs, tusks and the like

Claws, stings, limb spines

Horns, antlers, head ridges and similar

Fine - - 1Diminutive - 1 1d2Tiny 1 1d2 1d3Small 1d2 1d3 1d4Medium 1d3 1d4 1d6Large 1d4 1d6 1d8Huge 1d6 1d8 2d6Gargantuan 1d8 2d6 2d8Colossal 2d6 2d8 4d6Leviathan 2d8 4d6 5d6

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Requirements: The automaton must have an appropriate limb on which to install the natural weapon.Description: The construct gains a bite, gore, sting, or other natural attack, chosen from the table on page 248. This feature can be chosen multiple times, once for each type of weapon. Natural weaponry from secondary limbs suffers a –5 penalty to attack rolls, which can be reduced to –2 with the Multiattack feat installed via the Feat Assist feature.Skills: Craft (structural or mechanical) +2.Costs: 3 CP; 1 HS.

One-Handed Use (Equipment,

Personal Weapons)The machine can be used in one hand.Requirements: This special feature can only be installed as a base option.Description: The machine is considered a one-handed weapon for purposes of handling by creatures of the weapon’s designated size.Costs: 0 CP; 0 HS.

Power Converter (any)The machine can produce electrical effects.Requirements: Any power source but electric.Description: The power converter transforms the force of any power source into electrical energy. The machine can install special features that require an electrical power source. The final effect is slightly less efficient than if the machine had an electric power source to begin with; all electrical features cost 1 additional charge to activate or maintain.Skills: Craft (mechanical) +2.Costs: 2 CP; 1 HS.

Ranged Attack (Automata, Personal Weapons)

The machine’s base attack can be performed over a distance.Description: For weapons, this feature can only be chosen as a base option; automata can install it as a special feature and have a range increment equal to a weapon of their size. Upon choosing this feature, the creator defines which type of ranged attack the machine can perform:

� Thrown: The automaton or wielder throws the weapon with muscular force. Its maximum range is 5 range increments.

� Projectile: The weapon shoots projectiles, which must be reloaded manually. The mechanism can be simple tension for bows and crossbows, pneumatic pressure for high-power blowguns, or spring mechanisms for small ballistae, catapults and their ilk. A projectile weapon’s maximum range is 10 range increments.

� Ballistic: The weapon shoots projectiles, which must be reloaded manually, via some force

reaction that propels the projectile forward at great speeds. The reaction can be a detonation such as those found in firearms, magnetic polarity, or even telekinetic power or invocation magic effects, although the last two must be provided for separately. A projectile weapon’s maximum range is 10 range increments and its critical multiplier is increased by +1.

� Energy: Instead of shooting a physical projectile by whichever means, the weapon projects energy in a line (fire, electricity) or a cone (cold, sonic). An energy weapon’s maximum range is 8 range increments, and it spends charges from a power source.

Skills: Knowledge (technology) +1 for thrown, +2 for projectile, +3 for ballistic, +5 for energy; Craft (structure) +1 for thrown, Craft (mechanic) +2 for projectile, +4 for ballistic, +6 for energy.Costs: 2 CP; 1 charge for projectile and ballistic, 2 charges for energy; 1 HS for ballistic, 2 HS for energy.

Reaching (Automata, Personal Weapons,

Vehicle and Artillery Weapons)The machine’s melee attacks can strike at targets steps further away.Requirements: For melee attacks only.Description: A machine with this feature increases its reach by 5 feet. This special feature can be chosen twice.Skills: Craft (structural) +1.Costs: 1 CP; 1 HS.

Remote Control, Advanced (any)

The machine can be operated from a distance with greater reliability.Description: As Basic Remote Control, but the machine requires less supervision. The operator can also do other things at the same time, including operating his own machine, or controlling more than one advanced remote control machine. If he divides his concentration in this way, the character suffers a cumulative -2 penalty on all actions for each machine being remotely controlled.Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences) +2; Craft (expression) +5.Costs: 10 CP.

Remote Control, Basic (any)

The machine can be operated from a distance.Requirements: Electrical or telluric power sources.Description: An operator controls the machine from outside, by means of a control system up to 200 feet away. Doing so requires the operator’s full attention. He cannot do anything else, just as if he was actually inside the machine and operating it. This also means the operator can only run one machine at once. This method uses

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Mthe operator’s statistics as if he was aboard the machine and controlling it. The creator must specify whether the control system is located in another machine, a base, or a hand-held apparatus. A machine operated by remote control has a +1 to its Malfunction threshold. If the machine has a crew requirement, a team equal in size to that requirement must be used to control it. This feature can be chosen multiple times; each time it adds 200 feet to the control range, up to a maximum of 1,000 feet.Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences) +1; Craft (expression) +3.Costs: 5 CP.

Rooms (Structures, Vehicle)The machine has internal habitation areas.Requirements: Colossal or Leviathan size.Description: An inventor can build specialised rooms inside his machine, occupying a different number of hard slots and costing different CP.

� Kitchen: Meals may be prepared aboard the machine, providing room for two cooks to work. The designer must invest in multiple kitchens for larger facilities. Costs: 1 CP, 1 HS.

� Conference Room: Meetings are held in this room. Costs: 1 CP, HS cost according to number of occupants.

� Science Lab: This fully equipped science lab gives a +2 equipment bonus to any relevant scientific Knowledge or Research check. Two scientists can work at a time; for larger facilities, buy multiple labs. Costs: 3 CP, 1 HS.

� Sick Bay: A fully equipped sick bay has surgical and diagnostic features and allows 2 people to

be treated at a time. For hospital facilities, buy multiple sick bays. Costs: 3 CP, 1 HS.

� Workshop: This fully equipped machine shop includes a variety of specialised tools and spare parts. It grants a +3 equipment bonus on Repair checks for mechanical devices and lets character make Craft (mechanical), Craft (expression), or Craft (structural) checks without penalty. Costs: 3 CP, 2 HS.

Skills: Craft (structural) DC 12 + CP cost + HS (one check per room).Costs: Varies.

Sealed Environment (Vehicle, Structures)

SizeClimate Control CP

Life Support CP

Fine - Medium 1 3Large 2 6Huge 3 9Gargantuan 4 12Colossal 5 15Leviathan 6 18

The occupants of a machine can live comfortably while hostile conditions rage outside.Description: There are two sorts of sealed environment features. Each of them has different costs for different machine sizes. Climate control allows the occupants to be comfortable in a wide variety of temperatures, ranging from arctic to sweltering jungle. With life support, the machine can operate in the aether, at high altitudes,

underwater or on a world without breathable air. Any occupants have their own oxygen supply, which lasts as long as the machine operates. Life support includes climate control.Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences) +2; Craft (structural or mechanical) +2.Costs: Varies; 2 HS.

Self-Destruct (any)The machine can blow itself up.Description: The construct can destroy itself in a fiery explosion that deals damage to all creatures within 60 feet. The machine activates its self-destruct mechanism when reduced to 0 hit points, when a particular control is employed or when it is ordered by other means; see the Voice Recognition feature. A manually operated self-destruct mechanism has a timer that the operator sets between 0 (if suicidal) and 6 rounds. The

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damage for machines with Hit or Structure Dice is 1d6 points of damage per HD or 1d8 per SD; for machines with only hit and structure points, the damage is equal to twice the machine’s hit points or triple its structure points. A successful Reflex saving throw (DC 18) halves this damage. The construct is completely destroyed and cannot be repaired or even salvaged for parts.Skills: Craft (structural) +1.Costs: 2 CP; 4 charges; 2 HS.

Sentience, Limited (any)

The machine is possessed of artificial intelligence of some sort.Description: The machine has an analytical engine that allows it to operate on its own but it has no self-initiative. It can be given orders or programmed with directives but obeys in a slavish, unimaginative fashion. The machine has no emotions or desires. A machine with limited sentience will have a Wisdom score of 10 and a Charisma score of 1. It may never exceed this. Machines with limited sentience have a virtual Intelligence score of 10, which can be raised to 20 through the Craft (expression) skill after it is finished, as described in the Craft (expression) skill description.Skills: Knowledge (technology) +2; Craft (mechanical or expression) DC 20.Costs: 3 CP; 1 charge per day; 1 HS.

Sentience, Full (any)

The machine has a fully sentient mind of its own.Description: The machine is capable of exercising (or at least simulating) self-initiative and creativity but remains loyal to the character that owns it unless the creator programs it otherwise. A machine with full sentience has Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores of 10 and may increase them with special features.Skills: Knowledge (technology) +4; Craft (mechanical or expression) DC 25.Costs: 8 CP; 1 charge per day; 2 HS.

Skill Assist (any)The machine is a tool that helps its user perform certain tasks better.Description: This feature gives the machine a +2 bonus to a certain skill, which it imparts to its user’s corresponding skill checks. This feature can be purchased multiple times, either by choosing a different skill or increasing an existing one’s bonus by an extra +2 up to a maximum of +10; the CP cost increases, but the skill check modifier and HS remain the same for each skill regardless of its bonus. The HS cost represents any protrusions, tools and gadgets that the machine needs to perform the skill.Skills: Craft (mechanical) +1.Costs: CP cost varies (see table); 1 charge per use; 1 HS.

Skill Use (any)The machine can perform tasks on its own.Requirement: Limited or Full Sentience.Description: This feature gives the machine 2 ranks in a certain skill, which it can use to perform any task related to the skill. This feature can be purchased multiple times, either by choosing a different skill or increasing an existing one’s ranks by an extra 2 without a maximum limit; the CP cost increases but the skill check modifier and HS remain the same for each skill regardless of its bonus. Machines with Limited Sentience can perform a task for 1d4 rounds plus one round per rank in the skill; machines with Full Sentience can use their skills as if they were characters.Skills: Craft (mechanical) +2Costs: CP cost varies (see table); 1 charge per use; 1 HS.

Skill Assist and Skill Use

SkillSkill Assist

Skill Use CP

Balance Yes Yes 2Climb Yes Yes 1Craft (chemical) Yes Yes 2Craft (mechanical) Yes Yes 2Craft (pharmaceutical) Yes Yes 2Craft (structural) Yes Yes 2Craft (expression) Yes Yes 3Decipher Script Yes Yes 4Disable Device Yes Yes 4Disguise No Yes 3Drive Yes Yes 1Escape Artist Yes No 2Gather Information Yes No 3Handle Animal Yes No 3Hide Yes Yes 3Intimidate Yes No 3Jump Yes Yes 1Listen Yes No 2Move Silently Yes Yes 2Navigate Yes Yes 2Perform Yes Yes 3Pilot Yes Yes 1Profession Yes Yes 2Repair Yes Yes 1Ride Yes No 2Search Yes No 3Sense Motive Yes No 4Sleight of Hand Yes Yes 1Spot Yes No 2Survival Yes No 2Swim Yes Yes 1Treat Injury Yes No 3Tumble Yes Yes 2Use Rope Yes Yes 1

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The machine can speak with audible words.Requirements: Limited or Full Sentience.Description: The automaton can talk through a system of bellows and funnels. The construct can speak Common and the language of its creator and gains two additional languages for each time this ability is installed.Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences) +1; Craft (mechanical) +5, Speak Language (the language to be installed).Costs: 1 CP; 1 HS.

Sturdy (any)The machine is more resistant to damage.Requirements: Cannot be made from inert or living organic material.Description: The machine gains 1 Hit Die or Structure Dice or, if it does not have any, it gains +4 hit points or structure points.Skills: Craft (structural) +2.Costs: 2 CP.

Summonable (any)The machine can be brought forth from apparently nowhere.Requirements: Telluric power source for machines of Large size or bigger.Description: In contrast to what the name might imply, magic is not always involved in this feature, although for big machines, it assuredly is. For Medium and smaller machines, the inventor has an option to make them capable of ‘folding’ into a smaller object, which a character uses to ‘summon’ the machine. As an alternative, for machines of all sizes, a telluric circuit is placed on an object so that it can summon the machine linked to it by magical means. In both cases, the user of the summoning control pushes the button or completes the circuit as a move action and the machine ‘appears’ in front of him in 2d6 rounds. The summon control can be anything, from a medallion to a piece of clothing or a suitcase into which the machine folds.Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences or occult sciences) +3; Craft (mechanical or expression) +6.Costs: 8 CP; 5 charges per summoning or dismissal; 1 HS.

Swerving Hips (Automata)The automaton’s torso can rotate 360 degrees, widening its area of influence.Requirements: Basic Sentience, Combat Programming, Dex 13+. This special feature can only be installed as a base option.Description: The construct can turn to face in any direction as a free action. It cannot be flanked.Skills: Craft (mechanical) +2.Costs: 3 CP.

Tesla Field (any)The machine electrocutes any that approach it.Requirements: An electric power source.Description: The machine becomes highly charged with electricity, waiting only for something to ground its current. The machine spends the charges for the effect every round. While this feature is active, anyone that approaches within 30 feet of the machine attracts an electrical discharge that deals 4d6 points of damage, with a Reflex saving throw at DC 15 allowed for half damage. The machine is insulated so that it does not shoot lightning towards its occupants or wielders, although everyone else is fair game.Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences) +4; Craft (mechanical) +5.Costs: 5 CP; 5 charges; 2 HS.

Two-Handed Use (Equipment, Personal Weapons)

The machine must be used with two hands.Requirements: This special feature can only be installed as a base option.Description: The machine is considered a two-handed weapon for purposes of handling by creatures of the weapon’s designated size. Weapons have a base damage equal to a weapon one size bigger.Costs: 1 CP; -1 HS.

Underwater Movement (Automata, Vehicle)

The machine can move underwater.Requirements: Sealed Environment (life support) (vehicles only), Water Movement; cannot be a sail vessel.Description: The machine can sink beneath the water’s surface in addition to travelling on it.Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences) +2; Craft (structural or mechanical) +4.Costs: 4 CP; 2 charges per hour; 1 HS.

User-Friendly (any except Automata)

The machine was designed for use by the uninitiated and its controls are easy to read and operate.Description: The penalty for using this machine without the necessary skill is reduced to -2. If the machine is a weapon, it becomes a martial weapon, instead of an exotic one. Only weapons can choose this feature a second time, in which case they become simple weapons.Skills: Knowledge (technology) +1, Knowledge (behavioural sciences) +8; Craft (mechanical or expression) +4.Costs: 2 CP; 1 HS.

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Voltaic Claws (Automata)

The automaton’s limbs can produce rippling arcs of electricity.Requirements: An electric power source.Description: By spending the indicated amount of charges, the construct can conduct electricity from its power source directly to its fists, with small lightning arcs travelling across its arms. A successful melee attack deals +1d8 extra points of electrical damage in addition to the normal attack, discharging the effect. The automaton can maintain the charge for 3 rounds plus its Strength modifier; if he does not hit anything in that time, it recovers all but one of the charges spent.Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences) +3; Craft (mechanical) +3.Costs: 2 CP; 2 charges; 1 HS.

Voice Recognition (any)The machine recognises command words.Requirements: Basic Remote Control.Description: When this feature is installed, the machine is capable of recognising spoken commands or sound cues. The creator sets up a command word or sound for each of the machine’s functions, which it performs when anyone utters the word or makes the sound within 60 feet of it. For an additional CP, the creator can increase the sophistication of the system so that it only recognises the commands coming from one voice or sound source.Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences) +2; Craft (expression) +5.Costs: 3 CP.

Wall-Crawling (Automata, Vehicle)

The machine can climb like an insect.Requirements: Land Movement.Description: The machine can use spikes, adhesive pads, or some other means to climb walls and ceilings as if it were an insect. The machine gets +8 on all Climb checks, and may take 10 while climbing, even if threatened or distracted.Skills: Knowledge (physical sciences) +2; Craft (mechanical) +3.Costs: A number of CP equal to half the machine’s hardness or armour; 1 charge per round of wall or ceiling movement; 3 HS.

Water Movement (Automata, Vehicle)

The machine has a method for travelling over water.Description: The machine gains a mode of skimming over the water and other liquids, with the same speed as its base speed. Upon installing this feature, select one of the following methods of propulsion:

� Oars: One or more occupants move the machine by rowing. Oar-based machines always have a work power source, requiring one rower for every 20 ft. of speed. Oar-powered movement costs 1 CP.

� Sails: The machine moves by the strength of the wind. Its manoeuvrability is one mode worse, although its score remains the same. Sailing vessels always have a wind/water power source. If there are no winds, the machine cannot move. Sail movement costs 2 CP and takes up 1 HS.

� Mechanical: The machine moves by the action of rotating paddles, propellers or screws placed in the back. Mechanically powered machines reduce their turn rate by 10 feet. Mechanical movement costs 4 CP and takes up 2 HS.

Skills: Craft (structural or mechanical) +2.Costs: Varies; 2 charges per hour.

Weapon Ability (Automata, Personal Weapons, Vehicle and Artillery Weapons)

The machine replicates the effect of magic qualities.Requirements: Skill Assist for Ritual (transformation); must be able to deal damage with itself.Description: One of the machine’s attacks can be equipped with a weapon ability from the Occult Items section regarding weapons and armour. The effects are the same, although the sources are different.Skills: Craft (mechanical) +4.Costs: CP cost equal to ability’s Purchase DC bonus x5; 1 charge per use or per round; 1 HS.

Weapon Mounting (Automata, Vehicle, Structures)

The machine has weapons incorporated into its frame. An automaton usually mounts weapons on its arms or forearms but alternate limbs are also used.Requirements: Combat Programming (automaton only).Description: A hard slot is devoted to a vehicle and artillery weapon, or a mundane weapon of appropriate size. Mounted weapons must be of the same size category as the machine and a machine can only mount a maximum of three weapons. These weapons cannot be lost as they are part of the machine’s body. An automaton is automatically proficient with weapons mounted on it. Vehicles must specify the fire arc of the vehicle; for which see Vehicle Combat on pg 191. A turret mounting costs extra, while a boresight mounting costs less. A rotating weapon mounting in a vehicle occupies 1 extra HS if it is not a turret, making the weapon capable of targeting anything in its fire arc.Skills: Craft (mechanical) +1.Costs: 4 CP, 5 CP for a vehicle turret, 3 CP for vehicle boresight; 1 HS, 2 HS if rotating.

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Now comes the really exciting part. The City Fathers debate what they want their automaton, which by this point they have christened as ‘Thunderstorm’, to do and select the appropriate special features to install. First, they want it to have electrical attacks in the form of Voltaic Claws, which take 2 CP and 1 HS. They also give it an Energy Weapon for electricity, taking 4 CP, 1 HS and an independent Craft (mechanical) check at DC 19. They need a Power Converter, taking 2 CP and 1 HS to power these options, though.

Next, they add the functionality of flight with Aerial Movement, for which they select the ornithopter option: Thunderstorm will flap its wings to take off. This takes 8 CP and 2 HS. They give serious consideration towards enhancing their automaton’s resistance and ability to enter combat. The result of this discussion is thickened armour with Armour Plating +5, for 5 CP and 1 HS. They also increase its Strength and Dexterity by 4 each, for 12 CP, allowing it to better defend itself in a battle and inflict damage on its targets.

The City Fathers want their automaton to be able to fight for itself but do not need it to be particularly smart since it will always be in the presence of a human agent. Therefore, they add a simple analytical engine to grant Limited Sentience, for 3 CP and 1 HS and punch in some Combat Programming for 2 CP. With their plans complete, the City Fathers realize that Thunderstorm lacks sufficient space for all its intended features, so they build into the final creation two Additional Hard Slots, for 4 CP and a -2 penalty to manoeuvrability and attack.

DeficienciesType DeficienciesAny Berserk, Flammable, Impedance, Noisy, Low Charge, Short-Range, Start-Up Time,

Unarmoured, Unskilled, Volatile, Vulnerability, Weak SpotAutomata Cumbersome, Clumsy, Hangar Queen, Inaccuracy, Lesser Damage, No Arm, No Hand,

No Land Movement, No Leg, Ponderous, Restricted PathPersonal Weapons Inaccuracy, Lesser DamageStructures Open, Poor VisibilityVehicles Clumsy, Cumbersome, Hangar Queen, No Land Movement, Open, Ponderous, Poor

Visibility, Restricted Path, Road VehicleVehicle and Artillery Weapons

Inaccuracy, Lesser Damage

Weapon Mounting, Concealed (Automata, Vehicles, Structures)

One or more of the mounted weapons in the machine are hidden until they are needed.Requirements: Weapon Mounting.Description: At the expense of one charge and as a free action, the machine can draw its weapons from its concealed mounting. The first time the machine attacks with a concealed weapon in a single encounter, it gains a +1 surprise bonus to its attack roll.Skills: Craft (mechanical) +1.Costs: 2 CP; 1 charge; 1 HS.

Worn/Carried Use (Equipment, Personal Weapons)

The machine must be worn or carried in the body in order to be used.Requirements: This special feature can only be installed as a base option.Description: The machine must be worn on some part of the user’s body. The possible locations for wearing or carrying are the following:

� Head (helmets, hats, goggles, visors)� Neck (ties, pendants, medallions, torques)� Whole body (armour, full suit of clothing)� Back (backpacks, cloaks, jackets, coats)� Torso (harness, vest)� Arm (bracers, bracelets)� Hand (ring, glove, gauntlet)� Hip/Leg (trousers, harness, holster, belt)� Foot (footwear, ankle sheathes)

Costs: 1 CP; -1 HS.

DeficienciesA creator can introduce deficiencies into his design on purpose, so as to reduce the overall costs of construction. The values in CP and HS are always in the creator’s favour; that is, instead of adding up to the total construction point cost and taking up hard slots, the deficiency subtracts from the CP cost and provides additional hard slots. Some of them also make the task of building the machine easier, reducing the different Craft DCs.

Berserk (any)A semi-sentient machine acquires a dangerous temper.Requirements: Limited or Full Sentience.Description: When the machine enters combat, there is a cumulative 1% chance each round that it will go berserk. The uncontrolled machine attacks the nearest living creature, smashes some object smaller than itself if no creature is within reach, or moves in a random direction to

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spread more destruction. This state lasts for 2d4 rounds, after which the machine recovers and its berserk chance resets to 0%.Skills: Craft (expression or mechanical) -3.Costs: -2 CP.

Clumsy (Automata, Vehicles)The machine is the proverbial elephant in the glasshouse.Requirements: A manoeuvrability mode.Description: The machine’s manoeuvrability mode decreases to the next worse mode. This deficiency can be chosen up to twice. If an automaton has a method of movement that gives it a manoeuvrability mode, it can install this deficiency as well.Skills: Craft (structural) -2.Costs: -3 CP.

Cumbersome (Automata, Vehicles)The machine reacts poorly to sudden movement.Requirements: An unmodified base Dexterity score or a manoeuvrability score.Description: The machine’s Dexterity or manoeuvrability score is reduced by -2. This deficiency can be chosen multiple times. Each time it subtracts an extra -2 penalty and awards the same amount of CP but the skill checks remain the same.Skills: Craft (structural) -2.Costs: -1 CP.

Faulty Function (any)One of the machine’s features is prone to disaster.Description: Select a particular check the machine or an operator makes with the machine. The malfunction threshold for this check increases by +1 and malfunction effect rolls have a +10 to their roll. Skills: Craft (structural or mechanical) -2.Costs: -1 CP.

Faulty Movement (Automata, Vehicles)The machine’s movement is very far from perfect. Requirements: Aerial Movement, Aetheric Movement, Burrowing Movement, Land Movement or Water Movement.Description: When the machine moves a certain distance depending on its size, it is prone to overheat, jam or stall. For every span of distance equal to twice the machine’s speed that it moves, the machine either makes a Fortitude saving throw or the operator makes the appropriate skill check (Drive, Pilot, and so on) with both rolls having a DC of 15. The DC increases by +1 for every successful check or save after the first, so that the second span of movement causes a saving throw or skill check with a DC 16, the third round one of DC 17 and so on. Should the saving throw or check fail, the machine grinds to a halt and it takes one full round to kick-start it again. For each round on which the machine remains immobile, the DC is reduced by -1 until it reaches its initial DC 15. Aerial machines drop from the sky and underwater ones begin to

sink. Machines moving through another medium simply stop.Skills: Craft (mechanical) -2.Costs: -1 CP.

Flammable (any)The machine catches on fire easily.Requirements: Soft organic materials or steam power source.Description: The machine’s structure and armour are made of wood or similar flammable material. Its armour does not protect at all against fire or other fire-based damage. Saving throws against fire attacks are made at a -4 penalty.Skills: Craft (structural) -4.Costs: -1 CP per hardness or armour bonus.

Hangar Queen (Automata, Vehicles)

The machine requires extra careful maintenance to work properly.Description: The machine spends much of its time in a garage, shop, port or similar undergoing repairs. For every hour it was used, it should be given at least an hour of maintenance. If this care is not provided, the machine’s malfunction threshold increases by 1 every day the machine’s maintenance is not completed.Skills: Craft (mechanical) -4.Costs: -8 CP.

Impedance (any)The machine’s power source cannot conduct much power.Requirements: An internal power source.Description: The delivery rate of the power source is cut in half.Skills: Craft (structural) -4.Costs: -3 CP; -1 HS.

Inaccuracy (Automata, Personal Weapons, Vehicle and Artillery Weapons)

The machine’s attacks can go wildly off its mark.Description: The machine gains a -1 competence penalty to attack rolls.Costs: -2 CP.

Lesser Damage (Automata, Personal Weapons, Vehicle and Artillery Weapons)

The machine’s attacks are weaker than expected.Requirements: A base damage.Description: The machine’s base damage is reduced to one less damage type, which affects all damage dice in the attack. A 2d8 attack will deal 2d6 just as a 1d6 attack will deal 1d4.Skills: Craft (structural) -2.Costs: -2 CP.

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MLow Charge (any)

The machine’s power source has less capacity than usual.Requirements: An internal power source.Description: This feature alters the engine of a machine, downgrading it so that its maximum capacity is 80% of its original. This option can be taken up to five times, each time reducing the original capacity by 20%.Skills: Craft (structural) -4.Costs: -4 CP; -1 HS.

No Arm (Automata)One or both of the automaton’s arms are missing on purpose.Description: If the automaton only has one arm, it cannot wield two-handed weapons nor perform any task in which two arms and leverage are required; in addition, it suffers a –1 balance penalty to DV. If both arms are missing, the automaton cannot attack unless it has other limbs that can do so. Skills: Craft (structural or mechanical) -2 per arm.Costs: -2 CP per arm; -1 HS per arm.

No Hand (Automata)One or both of the automaton’s arms end in stumps.Description: The machine cannot wield weapons nor grab anything with the handless limb. This deficiency can be chosen once per arm in the automaton’s body; each time deducts 1 CP from the total and frees an additional hard slot.Skills: Craft (structural or mechanical) -1.Costs: -1 CP; -1 HS.

No Land Movement (Automata, Vehicle)

The machine is incapable of moving on land.Requirements: A base walk speed.Description: The machine cannot move along the ground. This is usually the case for sentinel statues or airships that cross the sky but do not cruise the roads.Skills: Knowledge (technology) -2; Craft (mechanical) -2.Costs: -3 CP; -2 HS.

No Leg (Automata)One or both of the automaton’s legs are missing on purpose.Description: If the automaton only has one leg, it suffers from a -2 stability penalty against bull rush attacks and other effects that might throw it off balance. It also decreases its walk speed by 10 feet. If both legs

are missing, the machine is stationary, and changing its facing is a move-equivalent action. It cannot take any feature that would require the presence of a leg, such as Fast or Jumping. Note that if the character changed the automaton’s mode of Land Movement as a base option, the machine already has no legs and it does not benefit for this deficiency. If the machine has the Miscellaneous Limb (torso) feature twice and Miscellaneous Limb (tail), it can slither like a snake, subtracting 20 feet from its normal walk speed, with a minimum of 10 feet.Skills: Craft (structural or mechanical) -3 per leg.Costs: -3 CP per leg; -2 HS per leg.

Noisy (any)The machine can be heard from afar when it is working.Requirements: Cannot have a telluric power source.Description: A noisy machine can easily be detected by Listen checks, giving any would-be listeners a +10 on their Listen checks. A noisy machine can never attempt to Move Silently. This deficiency can be chosen twice. Its effects and reductions stack. A machine with one instance of this deficiency is as noisy as an automotive engine, while one with two is as noisy as a steam train.Costs: -3 CP.

Open (Structures, Vehicles)The occupants of the machine are open to damage.Description: The machine’s armour does not protect the crew or passengers, only the machine itself. This is common for machines like galleys, automotives, bicycles, open-cockpit ornithopters or automaton horses. The machine provides half cover, or no cover if the machine is the same size or smaller than the rider.Skills: Craft (structural) -3.Costs: -1 CP per two points of hardness or armour; -2 HS.

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Ponderous (Automata, Vehicles)The machine’s materials are heavier, making its movements clumsier.Description: The construct’s walk speed is reduced by 10 feet, with a minimum of 10 feet per round. In addition, automata cannot run.Skills: Knowledge (technology) -2; Craft (mechanical) -2.Costs: -2 CP.

Poor Visibility (Structures, Vehicles)The passengers or occupants cannot see well outside the machine.Requirements: May not have the Open deficiency.Description: The machine has very poor visibility, due to having small windows or none at all, along with a lack of compensating instruments or other problems. The only way to get unrestricted vision is to actually stick one’s head out of a hatch or window, leaving one with only half cover, as per the Open deficiency. Otherwise, Spot checks from inside are at -2 if looking directly forward and -4 if looking in any other direction. This is a common deficiency for tanks.Skills: Craft (structural) -1.Costs: -2 CP; -1 HS.

Road Vehicle (Vehicles)The vehicle depends on roads and highways for its top performance.Requirements: Land Movement (wheels).Description: The vehicle attains full land speed only on a smooth flat surface such as a paved road. Its land speed is halved in other circumstances, such as on a dirt road, off-road or similar surface.Skills: Craft (mechanical) -2.Costs: -1 CP per 20 feet of land speed.

Restricted Path (Automata, Vehicles)The machine travels along a predetermined route.Description: For one reason or another, the machine cannot leave a narrowly restricted area. This may represent an automaton that is programmed to follow a specific guard route, a railway train, a cable car that cannot leave its track, or a towed carriage. The inventor decides if it is a long path, such as a railway line, or a short path such as a tether or a building interior.Costs: -1 CP Fine, -3 CP Diminutive, -6 CP Tiny, -9 CP Small, -12 CP if Medium, -15 CP if Large, -18 CP if Huge, -21 CP if Gargantuan, -24 CP if Colossal or -27 CP if Leviathan; x2 if a short path.

Short-Range (any)The machine cannot extend its effects over a very great distance.Requirements: An ability, skill or special feature that works over distance, including ranged attacks.Description: A machine with this feature reduces its range by half; all pertinent abilities suffer from this

deficiency, such as remote control, vision range, ranged attacks and so on.Skills: Craft (mechanical) -2.Costs: -2 CP.

Start-Up Time (any)The machine takes a while to recover from a shut down state.Requirements: Energy Conservation feature.Description: If the machine is shut down, a character cannot just flip a switch and start off from cold. The boiler takes a while to heat up, the energy cells take some time to become fully active, the springs are not properly aligned, a piece of armour takes some time to put on and so forth. While the start-up process progresses, the machine cannot engage any of its functions. The CP bonus is greater the longer it takes the machine to start.Skills: Craft (mechanical) -2.Costs: -1 CP if 1 minute, -2 CP if 10 minutes, -4 CP if an hour, -8 CP if 4+ hours.

Unarmoured (any)The armour plating covering the machine is weak.Description: The machine’s armour or hardness is decreased by -2. This deficiency can be chosen multiple times; each time weakens the armour or hardness by a further –2, to a minimum of zero.Skills: Craft (structural) -2.Costs: 1 CP.

Unskilled (any)The machine cannot perform skill-based tasks.Description: The machine cannot gain skill ranks either as part of its base skills or by acquiring the Skill Assist or Skill Use features.Skills: Craft (mechanical) -3.Costs: -2 CP or -1 CP for every 4 skill points lost.

User-HostileThe machine is hard to operate.Description: Anyone other than the creator who tries to operate the machine must have 5 ranks in Knowledge (technology) to understand the controls. Even if a character meets all other operation requirements, including this one, he still suffers a -2 penalty on all rolls related to operating the machine.Skills: Craft (expression) -2Costs: -1 CP.

Volatile (any)The machine may blow up if sufficiently damaged.Requirements: Hit Dice or Structure Dice.Description: Fuel, a boiler, ammunition, or overloaded telluric circuits may explode if the machine is disabled or destroyed. If the attack that disables or destroys the machine deals damage past its hardness equal to or greater than half its normal full hit points, then the machine will explode after 1d6 rounds. This explosion deals 1d6

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Now that the City Fathers’ chief engineer has all the automaton’s characteristics documented for her, she goes on to change the base characteristics of a Large Automaton to turn it into Thunderstorm at last. She considers a soft metal’s bonus hit points as well as its base hardness, which in this case becomes Armour. She also considers levistone’s modifiers to Aerial Movement as well as the new Strength and Dexterity modifiers to all pertinent values like Initiative, attack and damage as well as save bonuses. She also calculates in the -2 penalty for the additional hard slots.

damage per full 5 hit points that the machine had when undamaged (minimum 2d6) to everyone within the machine. A Reflex saving throw is allowed at DC 20 for half damage. Half that damage is inflicted to everyone and everything within a number of feet equal to the machine’s full Hit Points of the blast. Again, a Reflex saving throw is allowed, this time at DC 15, for half damage.Skills: Craft (structural) -4.Costs: -1 per full 10 hp the machine has.

Vulnerability (any)The machine is particularly vulnerable to certain attacks.Description: The machine takes double damage from one of the following types of attack: air, cold, earth, fire, force, electrical, rust, sonic, and water. Alternative vulnerabilities include bludgeoning, piercing or slashing weapons, certain materials, and disciplines of magic.Costs: -4 CP.

Weak Spot (any)The machine is particularly vulnerable in a certain part of its body.Requirements: Medium size or larger.Description: The construct is subject to double damage from critical hits, but not to sneak attacks. Opponents who succeed at a Spot check (DC 5 + machine’s HD or half its HD/SD) can attempt to target the weak spot by applying a –2 to their attack rolls and deal +1d4 damage if successful.Skills: Craft (structural) -5.Costs: -4 CP.

Derived ValuesOnce all the options and alterations to the machine’s design are in place, it is time to fill up its stat block. The ‘base attributes’ section given for each type of machine indicates the different fields in that machine type’s stat block. Consider the multipliers to hardness and hit points provided by the material, write down the characteristics of the chosen power source and list all the special features in the appropriate field. If a special feature or deficiency alters some of the characteristics of the machine, then apply them at the end of this phase.

Cost CalculationsAfter every characteristic of the machine is laid down and confirmed, it is time to calculate what it is going to cost to build it.

The first value to calculate is the machine’s Purchase DC, which is what the inventor can expect to sell his machine for to a third party.

Purchase DC = CP cost divided by 2.5 and rounded down.

This Purchase DC does not include the power source but it does include other independently made subsystems, like special features with full Craft Difficulty Classes instead of Craft DC modifiers.

Raw Materials’ Purchase DC = Machine’s Purchase DC -3.

Some inventors know how to cannibalise leftover wire and spare conductors, as well as converting suitably shaped items such as dustbins or teapots, to reduce the cost of raw materials as per the Scrounge Parts talent.

Salvaging PartsIf an inventor has the parts that correspond to a special feature he wants to install into another machine, he halves the CP cost of the salvaged special feature and deducts the result from the raw material’s Purchase DC. The actual Purchase DC of a special feature acquired independently would be its CP cost multiplied by 5. Only special features with full Craft DCs can be purchased in this way. All others are created for the machine.

Note that the special feature must have a relative size category equal to the machine it is supposed to fit into; if trying to fit a special feature for a smaller or larger machine, all Craft DCs increase by +3. A machine can fit salvaged parts up to two size categories smaller or larger.

WeightEquipment and personal weapons have a weight value. Weight is calculated as follows.

Weight = CP cost divided by 2 lb.

This only applies to equipment and personal weapons; all other machines calculate their weight, if needed, as follows.

Weight = CP cost x10 lb.

Construction Begins!Once every detail is in place and all materials are available, the inventor proceeds to make all his hard brainstorming into reality. He achieves this in two main steps. These are the ‘research and design’ step and the ‘construction’ step. Most of the research and design phase is represented

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Lorei, the City Father’s engineer, makes a list of all the costs incurred by their requested machine. The resulting construction cost looks like this:

� Large Automaton 45 CP x1.6 (Bronze + Levistone) = 72 CP.

� Ability Increase x4 = 12 CP� Aerial Movement (ornithopter) = 8 CP� Armour Plating +5 = 5 CP� Combat Programming = 2 CP� Limited Sentience = 3 CP� Electrical Weapon = 4 CP� Voltaic Claws = 2 CP� Power Converter = 2 CP� Additional Hard Slot x2 = 4 CP� Total = 114 CP

The Purchase DC of Thunderstorm is 46 (114 / 2.5), and the raw materials are DC 43, although Lorei can fish into her scraps bin and the stored salvage at the Megadon dump to reduce that. She could purchase a clockwork power source at DC 24 but she prefers to build it herself.

in the selection of all the machine’s characteristics but the inventor still needs to ground all his plans and concepts into reality through actual in-game research.

ResearchThe research phase involves one or many Knowledge checks. All special features that include a Knowledge DC modifier add that particular knowledge category to the research. For example, if a machine’s special features include two DC modifiers for Knowledge (physical sciences) and one DC modifier for Knowledge (technology), it means that the inventor must make one Knowledge (physical sciences) check and one Knowledge (technology) check, adding all the modifiers together.

Knowledge check DC = 10 + special features’ DC modifiers.

The inventor only makes one check for every Knowledge category. Research time is one week per 5 points in the DC or part thereof. The inventor works for 8 hours each day. He cannot rush the process by working longer each day but the days need not be consecutive and the inventor can use the rest of his time as he sees fit. A character can work on only one machine at a time. If a character starts work on a new research, all effort spent on the ongoing research is wasted.

ConstructionThe construction phase involves many Craft checks. First come those for the power source (if the inventor is building it himself ) and all special features that have an independent Craft DC.

The independent Craft checks represent that the inventor has the parts ready and only needs to install them in the machine’s body during its construction. As in the research phase, special features that indicate a Craft DC modifier add that particular craftsmanship category to the construction. For example, if a machine’s special features include one DC modifier for Craft (structural) and three DC modifiers for Craft (mechanical), it means that the inventor must make one Craft (structural) check and one Knowledge (mechanical) check, adding all the modifiers together.

Special features that express the modifier in optional pairs (i.e. ‘mechanical or structural’) give the inventor the option to add the modifier to either one of the Craft categories, meaning that he can possibly avoid one type of Craft check altogether. Special features that express the modifier in inclusive pairs (such as ‘mechanical and structural’) add their modifier to both Craft DCs and therefore add both categories to the construction.

Craft check DC = 5 + special features’ DC modifiers.

The inventor only makes one check for every Craft category. Construction time is one week per 5 points in the DC or part thereof. The inventor works for 8 hours each day. He cannot rush the process by working longer each day but the days need not be consecutive and the inventor can use the rest of his time as he sees fit. A character can work on many machines concurrently but may only do this by devoting one full day to each machine’s work at a time, as the days add up to the weeks required for the construction.

Success and FailureThe better the inventor does in the different checks, the faster his results will come about. For every point above the DC that the character succeeds, he cuts 1 day from the check’s duration.

Likewise, doing badly in the checks will have detrimental effects on the machine. The degree of failure determines the severity of the inventor’s blunders, which translate as errors in design or in the actual construction. If the character fails a check by up to 5 points, the machine’s malfunction threshold increases by 1 for every function; this increase stacks with those of deficiencies such as Faulty Function. If the threshold ever reaches 1-5, any further failed check does not increase the threshold but instead gives a +5 modifier to the malfunction effect rolls, for which see pg 135.

If the roll fails by more than 5 points but up to 10, the inventor makes a serious mistake and must begin again. In the case of research this only means wasted time, but in the case of construction this also means that the inventor spoils part of the raw materials and must replace a portion of them. He must purchase replacement material at the same Purchase DC minus 4 before he can begin the

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Lorei is now ready to begin working out just how she will put the Thunderstorm together. The different special features add up to a Knowledge (physical science) modifier of +7 and a Knowledge (technology) modifier of +3, for DC 17 and DC 13 respectively. She will spend 2 weeks in the physical sciences research and another week in the technology research.

After the research is over, she applies herself to the task of construction. The first Craft check is to build the clockwork power source, a Craft (mechanical) check with a DC of 20, which takes her 4 weeks. She rolls 26 on her check, so she deducts 6 days from the construction of the engine.

The next check is the armour plating, a Craft (structural) check DC 15, which takes her 3 weeks. Once again, she rolls high for a result of 23, which deducts 8 days from the work of hammering down the armour plates.

She next builds the electric coil that makes up the Energy Weapon, a Craft (mechanical) check DC 19, which takes her another 4 weeks. This time she barely makes it with a result of 19, so she does not subtract anything from the four weeks required to wind endless lengths of wire around spindles and painstakingly solder contact brushes into place.

Once all the independent components are complete, Lorei sets to work on the machine itself. The different components mean that the machine requires the following skill checks:

� A Craft (mechanical) check at DC 21, taking 5 weeks� A Craft (structural) check at DC 11, taking 3 weeks� A Craft (chemical) check at DC 10, taking 2 weeks� A Craft (expression) check at DC 12, taking 3 weeks

The first check gives her trouble as she rolls a 19, so she makes no progress in one week and the Thunderstorm now has a malfunction threshold of 1-2. She fares better on the next check with a 25, subtracting 4 days from the 5 weeks. The Craft (structural) check goes incredibly well with a result of 19, deducting 8 days from the 3 weeks. The Craft (chemical) check has a result of 20, deducting 10 days from the 2 weeks. Finally, the Craft (expression) check comes up with a 15, deducting 3 days from the 3 weeks. After many weeks of hard work in the City Fathers’ construction garages and research laboratories, Lorei is ready to crank up the switch and let the Thunderstorm come to life.

The ThunderstormLarge AutomatonHit Dice: 8d10 +24 hp; DV: 10; Armour: 9; Speed: 30 ft.; fly 50 ft. (Good (+1)); Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+1/ +10; Attacks: Slam +6 melee (1d6+3); Full Attack: Slam +6/+1 (1d6+3); Space/Reach: 5 ft./10 ft.; Special Attacks: Voltaic Claws, Electrical Weapon; Special Qualities: Construct qualities, Levistone fittings; Special Features: Ability Increase x4, Aerial Movement (ornithopter), Armour Plating +5, Combat Programming, Limited Sentience, Electrical Weapon, Voltaic Claws, Power Converter, Additional Hard Slot x2; Saves: Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +2; Abilities: Str 16; Dex 12; Con –; Int –; Wis 10; Cha 1.

Construction Points: 114Hard Slots: 7+2Material: Bronze + LevistonePower Source: Clockwork Power SourcePurchase DC: 46Malfunction Threshold: 1-2Research: Knowledge (physical sciences) DC 17, Knowledge (technology) DC 13Construction (Body): Craft (mechanical) DC 21, Craft (structural), DC 11, Craft (chemical) DC 10, Craft (expression) DC 12Construction (Other): Clockwork Power Source Craft (mechanical) DC 20, Armour Plating +5 Craft (structural) DC 15, Electrical Weapon Craft (mechanical) DC 19

process once more. If he does not renew his work in one week, all materials are wasted. (In this event, the inventor gains one scrap point if he belongs to the genius class.) If a roll fails by more than 10 points, research goes in an entirely erroneous direction and imposes a -2 penalty

on all Knowledge checks during the inventor’s next try on the same machine. If the failed roll corresponds to a Craft check, things go seriously wrong and there is an accident involved, dealing 1d8 points of damage to the inventor and a surrounding area of 10 feet. In this event, all materials are lost beyond recovery.

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Adapting ItemsA creator can use items that already exist such as those available in the Equipment and Wealth chapter and add special features to them, making them into amazing machines. There are some guidelines to follow when doing this.

� Completed items have only one hard slot available. An inventor may use the Additional Hard Slot feature if he wants to fit more machinery in the item but each hard slot adds one-tenth of the item’s weight. A completed item cannot have more than 6 additional hard slots installed on it.

� Completed items cannot fit special features that require charges without having a power source installed or already in place, as is the case of vehicles. If an item is to be fitted with a power source, use the size most closely describing the item.

� The additions have a base Purchase DC of 15 + total CP. These are independent from the base item’s own Purchase DC.

� Determine whether the base item is simple, moderate, complex, advanced or extreme for purposes of the Craft skill and use the DC given as a base for both research and construction. Add all skill modifiers for the special features to the base DC.

� Follow the process of construction as normal, including the addition of malfunctions.

Using an Amazing MachineThe machine’s type determines mostly how it will be used. Vehicles will be ridden, weapons will be fired and structures will either be left to fulfil their functions or they will be inhabited. The different operations of machines determine whatever rolls are needed to make the machines perform.

Fuel ConsumptionAll machines that are left running consume 1 charge per day in addition to the charges used up by their different functions. The machine uses this charge to maintain its machinery and fuel any accessory or internal function. Every time a machine uses a special feature that has a cost in charges, it deducts that number of charges from the power source’s capacity until the power source is depleted.

An operator can renew the power source by the method expressed in the engine’s description before it runs out of charges, in order to ensure a smooth and continuous operation. Alternatively, the Energy Conservation feature allows the machine to be shut down in order to preserve its charges from being spent by continuous operation.

Overtaxing the Power SourceSometimes, a character will need more power from the machine that it was designed to deliver, which is the case when activating several features during the same round. This is usually done in combat but also during extreme situations where the machine is expected to perform well in order to save its owner’s life.

To overtax a power source, the operator makes a skill check to squeeze more power out of the

machine. Acceptable skill checks are Drive, Pilot, Knowledge (technology), Craft (mechanical) or Profession (engineer).

Overtax check DC = 15 + number of charges needed.

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‘Well, that’s it. This is the best I can do.’ Thurdin stepped back after turning a gear on the side of the cog’s neck. Gearbolt stood up, steam venting from several thin spots and cracks along its torso. The limbs seemed a little unsteady but it was mobile. That was a far cry better than the cog had been just an hour beforehand. Jerrek clapped his engineer on the back and congratulated him on another minor miracle.

‘Minor, my coal-covered ass! You are looking at a fragging act of the gods, lad. That should have been a junker, and I ain’t tellin’ no lie.’

Gearbolt took a moment to adjust the orientation of its head. ‘I thank you, organic Thurdin, for my resuscitation. Under my own power, repairs would have taken quite some time. I do not believe a return trip though that miasma is an advisable way to leave this place.’ The groans and nods all around it confirmed the team’s agreement. One way or another, they would be leaving by a different route. No one wanted to back out through the sewers.

‘Okay, people. Gail was able to catch a glimpse up high without any of those bastards seeing him. You want to fill them in on what you saw?’ Jerrek looked to his friend, the glowing afterimage of a lion hybrid hovering a few feet away on the landing.

‘Certainly,’ came Gailion’s whisper-quiet voice. ‘I saw a team of orcs in heavy armour at the base of a huge support column. I think it’s the lynchpin of the factory and the key to bringing it down. The orcs are at least twenty strong, they have some monstrous support and they are guarding that column pretty tightly. I did not see anything else waiting for us. I think we got lucky a little bit.’

The dwarf snorted. ‘That would be a bloody first.’

Gail nodded, leaving a trail of ghostly light where his mane swept through the air. ‘Indeed. It seems they do not know about this opening. There’s a thin sheet of fieldstone over the grating above. I think we can break through without too much trouble, but it covers the door and keeps it concealed. We may actually have the element of surprise.’

Now it was Jerrek’s turn to sound incredulous. ‘That would be a first, too. Okay, then. Here’s the plan as I see it. I’ll lay this out for you all step-by-step and we can give it a quick discussion. This is endgame, people, and I don’t want anyone going along with it without sounding off on the idea. You have a problem now, you let me know. Once we go topside, I need to depend on all of you doing your part.’

Heshia laid her hand on his real one, her eyes catching his and not letting go. ‘Jerrek, we are with you. All the way.’ A deep bass voice, a spectral sigh, and the melodic chime of a metallic throat echoed her sentiment. ‘Just tell us what to do and we’ll get it done.’

A failed check means that the operator is not able to squeeze more power from the engine. This outcome has no further effect beyond failing to deliver enough power to do what the operator wants to do. Success means that, during one round, the overtaxed power source provides the desired number of charges above its ordinary delivery rate.

Overtaxing an engine does not come for free. The machine’s malfunction threshold increases by 1 and at the end of the round the operator rolls 1d20; if the result is within the malfunction threshold, he rolls for a malfunction effect. The new malfunction threshold remains in place until the engine is fixed with a normal Repair check. The DC for the power source is in its description.

Damage and RepairA machine becomes damaged when it is attacked, when it suffers from a major malfunction or by simple wear

and tear. On each day on which an amazing machine has unrepaired damage and is operated anyway, its malfunction threshold increases by 1. A simple Repair check returns the threshold to its normal levels. Note that this Repair check does not get rid of an increased malfunction threshold derived from failed checks during research and construction, nor from deliberate deficiencies. Leaving an amazing machine idle for a day without operating it at all does not increase its malfunction threshold.

Repair check DC = DC of highest Craft check used to build the machine -5.

In addition to reducing the malfunction threshold, a successful Repair check restores 1d4 points of damage for every 5 points or part thereof by which the check result exceeds the DC. The repairs restore either hit or structure points, depending on the machine. Consult the Repair skill description for the costs for spare parts to make the repairs, using the closest DC to that of the machine.

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the occultthe occult

eeven as science and technology discover new truths and abolish old ones, magic refuses to completely fade away. Polite society refers

to magic as ‘occult science’ in order to gloss over the uncomfortable implications of primitivism or arcane lore, so that the supernatural lurks under the veneer of normalcy and sophisticated civilization. Many occultists study supernatural phenomena under the pretext of science, using arcane formulae from ancient cultures or alluding to obscure traditions from exotic lands.

This chapter explores the aspects of the occult in the world of OGL Steampunk, describing the effects of their presence upon the world and detailing the world of psychic powers, magical rituals and occult items of power. Not all of the old ways have faded completely from the land and though magic may be on its last legs in most steampunk settings, those limbs still have a great deal of strength left in them.

Psychic PhenomenaPsychics wield a variety of powers, few of which can be explained by science and its branch of psychic research. As students of the supernatural turn their attentions to the ways of psychic phenomena, they are coming up with various theories as to how they work, what they can do and where they come from. Regardless of any scientific underpinnings, psychics exercise their talents by sheer intuition, lending their extraordinary perceptions and abilities to many purposes, which range from the altruistic to the utterly selfish. Most people can develop psychic potential to some degree but it usually abides at a very low level unless the person devotes time and effort towards developing his power.

The Astral and Ethereal PlanesPsychic sensitivity seems to be linked to the Astral and Ethereal planes, the frequencies of thought and emotion respectively. Occultists of theosophical persuasion identified that the bodies of sentient creatures resonate in more than one frequency and have called those frequencies ‘Planes of Existence.’ The planes are not exactly places that can be reached, despite being classified as ‘otherworlds,’ although psychics and powerful magicians may make ‘travels’ there, or ‘look into’ them. In reality, they are just adjusting their bodies to a new frequency of existence, transforming their bodies into the matter that exists in those planes and thus shifting into them, or attuning their senses so that they can perceive things on those planes’ frequencies.

The Material PlaneThe Material Plane is where all matter exists and sentient beings form their material bodies from the plane’s matter. Most people are only ever aware of their material bodies.

The Ethereal PlaneThe Ethereal Plane is the frequency of life energies (not life itself ) and lower feelings and is therefore where ghosts exist, as they are psychical echoes of their former emotions, given a semblance of life without bodies to channel it. A psychic who looks into the Ethereal Plane will see a world much like that to which he is accustomed, though slightly muted and blurry, all things drained of colour and covered by thin fog. Depending on how he adjusts his senses, he can perceive auras, psychic echoes or even the spirits of the dead that are within view in an ethereal state.

The Ethereal Plane is mostly empty of structures and impediments, with the substance known as ether pervading everything. Ether as occultists understand it is the same substance that scientists postulate as the medium through which light propagates, except that mediums and psychics perceive and manipulate a more sublime manifestation of the substance. Ectoplasm is basically ether manifested in the Material Plane by the will of a talented psychic, acquiring several special qualities by becoming denser; see the Ectoplasm sidebar on page 272.

While it is possible to see into the Material Plane from the Ethereal Plane, the Ethereal Plane is usually invisible to those on the Material Plane; except through psychic powers like the sight. Normally, creatures on the Ethereal Plane cannot attack creatures on the Material Plane and vice versa. A traveller on the Ethereal Plane is invisible, incorporeal and utterly silent to someone on the Material Plane.

Magic rituals of the Protection discipline can create effects of mystical force that affect ethereal beings. Psychics may manipulate ectoplasm on the etheric side to achieve similar effects. Only psychics who can manifest ectoplasm can affect the Material Plane if they are travelling in the Ethereal.

All living things have an etheric double, which looks exactly like them but is formed of etheric matter. Etheric doubles usually reside in the same space as the material body, shielded from ethereal creatures and effects by the material coating. Some magical effects or psychic powers may target a person’s etheric body directly, causing great harm to the person.

The Astral PlaneAstral matter exists superimposed with ethereal and material substance but it is of such sublime composition that it is imperceptible by anyone and anything, even appearing to have no consistency at all. The Astral Plane is the frequency of higher thoughts and emotions and it is a threshold to even higher states of existence.

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Supernatural agents exist in this plane, like spirits, elementals, and ghosts before they materialise. From the Astral Plane, psychics and magicians can set forth towards mythical lands, such as the lands of Dream and even Heaven and Hell, whatever forms these might take in a given campaign.

When attuned to astral sight, psychics may be able to read the thoughts of people by analysing the colours of their astral auras, and ascertain higher emotions from them as well. Dreamers and occultists can detach their astral bodies (see below) and travel around the world; while in this state, a traveller sees a great, endless sphere of clear silvery sky, both above and below. Occasional bits of solid matter can be found there but most of the Astral Plane is an endless, open domain. A traveller must reattune his senses to be able to observe the Material Plane from there.

There is no way that mortals may affect the Astral Plane. They may only perceive it and travel through it, being too anchored to their lower vibrations to do anything else.

Only sentient beings possess an astral body. Like the etheric body, it coexists within the material shell. Psychics can detach their astral bodies and send them to travel. As the Astral Plane is timeless, it allows them to see the other side of the world if they know how to get there. Astral bodies are totally imperceptible from both the Material and the Ethereal Planes but with a little effort, an astrally projecting person can see into the Ethereal and Material Planes. When travelling thus, an astral body is connected to its material anchor by an almost imperceptible silver cord. Only natives of the Astral Plane may affect an astral body outside its material shell.

Powers of the MindPsychic powers are all about extrasensory perception, and the senses of psychics are so incredibly sharp that they can perceive what is invisible for ordinary people. Most of a psychic’s abilities manifest when he opens his perceptions to the Ethereal and Astral Planes, at which point he gains access to a different world of sensory input. Once this channel is open, the more accomplished psychics need not limit themselves to taking in the impressions but may also exert their will in subtle ways to alter what they see. Going by the occult maxim ‘as above, so below’, such changes have repercussions in the Material Plane.

Other psychics are more adept at creating the channel between the subtler planes and the Material through their own bodies, such as mediums who can speak with the voices of the dead or bring forth ethereal matter in the form of ectoplasm, which the psychic can then mould and manipulate to create different unsettling effects.

The different psychic powers are divided into trees, starting with a ‘root’ or base power and branching into derived psychic talents. Most psychics concentrate on

developing a handful of base powers and deepening their perceptions and abilities to reach their potential, although a few strive to broaden their understanding of the interactions between the Material, Ethereal and Astral Planes, learning many different abilities but hardly reaching the depths of more focused savants.

Gaining a Base PowerBase powers are learned as feats. Any character can develop his psychic potential by spending one of his character feats, provided that he meets the feat’s prerequisites. Only occultists gain psychic powers as bonus feats provided by their class and may even ignore some of the prerequisites. All other characters must use the feats they gain at 1st, 3rd and every three levels thereafter in order to gain a base psychic power.

Gaining Derived PowersOnce a character learns a base power, improving it becomes a matter of practice and commitment. Upon gaining a base psychic power, the character has automatic access to the power’s basic effects and may use them freely. Derived powers require the psychic to have a better grasp on his talent and to be capable of exerting much finer control than demanded by the base power. In addition to this, he must practice; he explores the nuances of his perceptions until he finds the right combination of awareness and manipulation.

In order to learn a derived power, the character must first have a certain number of ranks in the Psychic Control skill, as indicated under each power’s description. He may start practicing before he has the required ranks but he cannot gain the derived power until he meets that number.

Each derived power also has a practice target, which is the number of points in a practice pool that the character must devote towards learning the power. A character can increase his practice pool in three different ways:

� Instead of buying ranks in any skill, the character can invest some of the skill points he gains at each level towards the psychic practice pool, converting on a one-for-one basis. He may do this only upon gaining a new character level. He may not convert practice points back into skill points at any time.

� Once per level, the character can sacrifice ranks in the Psychic Control skill to increase his practice pool. He adds one point per rank sacrificed. Note that if he sacrifices so many ranks that he fails to meet the derived power’s rank requirements then he cannot learn the power until he increases his Psychic Control ranks to the required level. Sacrificed skill ranks are no longer usable for Psychic Control checks, effectively decreasing the character’s ability to use his powers. He cannot convert practice points back into skill ranks at any time.

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‘I need a concentrated force to burst this grate. Heshia, do you think you can do that?’ Jerrek was surprised at how gentle his voice sounded now whenever he talked to her. The tone was not lost on the elf woman either. Her cheeks coloured slightly, even as the dwarf turned to Gailion behind her and stuck his finger down his throat, mockingly. Jerrek made a mental note to have the engineer beaten profusely as soon as they finished this mission.

‘I think so. Just clear back and give me some room.’ Heshia waited for everyone to retreat to the far side of the landing from her, then pulled out a piece of blessed chalk and a pouch of magical foci. She selected a small sphere of crystal and kept it in her palm while she drew a careful circle around herself on the discoloured stone of the floor. She added a series of mystic symbols to the four corners of the circle, elements of magic intended to help her gather the power she would need to force open a trap door of solid iron.

With a quick look to make sure the group was safely clear of her in case the spell should go awry, she began her chant. This was a powerful spell, one of the strongest she knew. If it was not spoken word for word with her mind clear of all distractions and doubt, the energies she called up could easily rage out of control. This used to be so easy, or so the legends of her people said. That was before the lines of iron were laid over the world and magic began to suffer in the wake of invention. Now, power was a fickle, difficult thing to call up and an even harder challenge to keep in check. If she made a mistake now, it could injure or even kill her outright.

The crystal bauble in her hand began to pulse with the gathering storm of the magic at her command. It was glowing like a tiny star and she knew that it would not be able to hold much more. Even now, she could feel the power trying to escape, seeking any flaw in the sphere for a way out of its confinement. When she could no longer chance drawing on the ether, she spoke the final word of binding and hurled her sphere at the opening above.

It was a perfect throw, guided by the energies still flaring around her like a silver flame. The sphere struck the metal door and erupted, hammering into it with the force of a giant’s maul. The metal blew out of shape, shattering the stone above and blasting free several feet into the air on a clap of glowing thunder.

That was the cue for Thurdin and Gearbolt to act. They both launched grenades out of the hole in the direction of the guards as Gailion had last seen them. Even before they landed and detonated, the ghost was on the move. Gailion shot up out of the passage, immediately drawing fire away from Jerrek’s team as they came up into what would be, for good or ill, their final battle in the depths of the ancient city.

� Once per level, the character can spend one action point to add 3 practice points to his pool.

Once the character has accumulated enough points in his practice pool, he can spend them to learn any derived power that he can afford and for which he has the base power, keeping any leftover points so that he may learn other derived powers. He can do this at any time in which he meets all the costs and requirements for the derived power.

For example, Heshia is an accomplished occultist with the Psychic Sensitivity and Sight base powers. She wishes to learn the Astral Aura Sight power, derived from the Sight base power. This requires her to have 10 ranks in the Psychic Control skill and costs 6 practice points. She already has 5 points in her practice pool and has 10 ranks in Psychic Control. When she gains a new level in the occultist class, she spends 3 of her skill points to increase her practice pool to 8 but decides to wait on purchasing any powers.

During one of her travels, Heshia comes upon tense negotiations with a local group of city leaders in the human lands. She has enough points to learn the Astral Aura Sight power, which would enable her to gain a glimpse on

the leaders’ dispositions and true powers, so she chooses to do so and see what her newfound power can reveal. She immediately spends the 6 practice points necessary to learn the derived power and, in a flash of inspiration, her senses open to the Astral Plane, allowing her to read the group’s auras. Their power is unmistakable; these are the City Fathers of Megadon. Unfortunately, she cannot pick out which one is the focus of her quest for vengeance. She will have to work her way into their good graces and hope for a chance to examine them all more closely…

Using PowersWhenever a psychic makes use of his talents, he is opening his consciousness to a vaster world, one that normal perceptions are not prepared to handle. In order to use his powers, a psychic must enter an altered state of consciousness, however brief. In short, he must enter a trance, visualise his effect and activate the power.

The TranceThe character must roll a Concentration check (DC 15) to put mind and body in attunement with the psychic energy. This is a standard action that a character can perform once per round, with failure meaning that the character is not able to focus his will. Success puts the

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Backlash EffectsPsychic Control Check Fails Effect*…by 5 points or more 1d6 damage, dazed for 1 round.…by 10 points or more 2d6 damage, stunned for 1 round, Concentration check (DC 15) or snap out of

trance....with a natural 1 on the die 3d6 damage, snap out of trance, exhausted.

* These effects do not stack if more than one failure condition is met. Use the most severe applicable condition.

character into a trance, during which he can use any and all of his psychic powers, but the trance distracts him from the comings and goings of the real world, bestowing a –2 penalty to initiative checks, attack rolls, Defence Value and checks for skills based on Strength and Dexterity. He looks distracted while in a trance, his eyes glazed over and his reactions slower than normal.

The trance lasts as long as the character wills it, but if he is distracted by such influences as violent motion or physical damage, he must roll a new Concentration check with the DC indicated in the description for the Concentration skill. If he fails, he snaps out of the trance before being ready to do so; he becomes fatigued, unable to run or charge and taking a penalty of –2 to Strength and Dexterity. The psychic can recover from this kind of fatigue after 4 hours of complete, uninterrupted rest.

A psychic can maintain a trance for 10 minutes per point of Constitution modifier; he must roll another Concentration check after that time but the DC increases by a cumulative +1. If he fails, he snaps out of the trance as above. If he succeeds, he can maintain the trance for another span of time equal to the previous one. He makes subsequent checks every time his concentration falters and each time the DC increases by +1. Note that some powers take up much more time than that, so the psychic must find a way to keep his wits about him.

Activating the PowerTo activate a psychic power, the character makes a Psychic Control check against the DC indicated by the power in question. Derived powers use the same DC as their base power.

If the check succeeds, the psychic activates his power successfully. If he fails, the power does not activate and he is at risk of suffering from backlash, depending on how bad the failure was.

All powers remain in effect while the character concentrates on them. The character may only concentrate on one power at a time; if he activates a second psychic power, any previous active power ends immediately. Ectoplasmic Secretion is exempt from this rule, as it works in tandem with other powers. The Broad Attention feat allows a psychic to concentrate on more than one power at a time.

The use of psychic powers is very hard to detect. A Sense Motive check (the DC is the result of the character’s

Psychic Control check) will allow a bystander to notice the intense concentration on the part of the psychic but he will need additional clues to determine that a psychic power is being used, such as the violent manifestations of psychokinesis, the appearance of ectoplasm, a target’s sudden change of attitude or other obvious cues. Only then can a witness identify the psychic as the source of the phenomenon.

Psychic PowersThe following are the psychic powers available to characters in OGL Steampunk. Each base power lists its derived powers under its entry, as they share many characteristics.

Prerequisites: As they are feats, base powers have their own prerequisites a character must meet in order to learn them. A prerequisite can be another base power, in which case the character does not need to have any of its derived powers for it to count as meeting the prerequisite. Since simply having the base power unlocks the possibility of learning a derived power, the character only needs to meet the latter’s Psychic Control ranks requirement and practice points cost.

Control/Save DC: These are two numbers separated by a slash (/). The first one is the power’s control DC. This is what the psychic must roll on a Psychic Control check to activate the base power and all its derived powers. The second number is the DC that a victim must beat with a Will saving throw; if there is a dash (-) instead of a number, the psychic power either does not allow a saving throw or its effect does not require one.

Effect: A description of what the power does in terms of rules mechanics. This applies to the base power, as derived powers have their own entries later.

Derived Powers: The list and description of the derived powers a character can learn with practice once he gains the base power. Each derived power starts with its name, its effect, the ranks in the Psychic Control skill that the character must have to learn it, and the practice points he must spend.

Psychic SensitivityThe character has a preternatural sense that alerts him when he is in the presence of extraordinary things and an acuteness of vision that allows him to perceive hidden details. This is the power that opens the realm of the

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Psychic Powers TablePower Prerequisite/Cost EffectPsychic Sensitivity Wis 15+ or occultist 1st level +2 to Search and Sense Motive, detect the

presence of the supernaturalHyperaesthesia Psychic Control 3 ranks, 2 points +4 to Spot and ListenIntuition Psychic Control 10 ranks, 6 points Get a hunch about a situationDeeper Trance Psychic Control 5 ranks, 2 points +4 to Concentration to maintain tranceThe Sight Psychic Sensitivity See the Ethereal and Astral PlanesAstral Aura Sight Psychic Control 10 ranks, 6 points Read astral aurasDowsing Psychic Control 3 ranks, 2 points +4 to Search even through solidsEtheric Aura Sight Psychic Control 5 ranks, 4 points Read etheric aurasPierce Concealment Psychic Control 8 ranks, 4 points See hidden and invisible subjectsMesmerism Cha 15+, Psychic Sensitivity +2 to Diplomacy and Intimidate, influence action

dice bonus for Cha-based skillsAwe-Inspiring Psychic Control 9 ranks, 5 points Cause shaken condition on subjectsCharm Psychic Control 3 ranks, 2 points Make subjects into friendsCommand Psychic Control 12 ranks, 4 points Force subjects to perform a specific actionEntrancement Psychic Control 3 ranks, 2 points Captivate a subject’s attentionInduce Emotion Psychic Control 10 ranks, 4 points Cause emotion on subjectsSuggestion Psychic Control 9 ranks, 6 points Influence subject’s actionsEctoplasmic Secretion

Concentration 5 ranks, Psychic Sensitivity, The Sight

Secrete cloud of ectoplasmic matter

Harden Ectoplasm Psychic Control 6 ranks, 2 points Make solid part of an ectoplasmic cloudFine Manipulation Psychic Control 4 ranks, 2 points Use ectoplasm as second pair of handsSensory Input Psychic Control 8 ranks, 4 points See and hear through ectoplasmExtrasensory input Psychic Control 6 ranks, 6 points,

Sensory InputEctoplasmic senses have Darkvision and channel powers from The Sight

Telepathy Attentive, Psychic Sensitivity Sense Motive and Gather Information are class skills, detect presence of sentient minds

Mental Contact Psychic Control 4 ranks, 2 points Establish telepathic communicationMental Scream Psychic Control 4 ranks, 2 points Stun subjects with telepathic barrageMind Wall Psychic Control 4 ranks, 2 points +2 to Will saves against psychic powersPlant Impulse Psychic Control 6 ranks, 4 points Plant an attraction or aversion on a subjectRead Thoughts Psychic Control 6 ranks, 4 points Read subject’s thoughtsSense Emotions Psychic Control 6 ranks, 2 points Read large crowds and detect liesPsychokinesis Iron Will, Psychic Sensitivity Lift small objects, cause minor phenomenaEctenic Force Psychic Control 6 ranks, 6 points Move objects with the mindLevitation Psychic Control 6 ranks, 4 points Float off the groundClairsentience Psychic Sensitivity, The Sight

(deeper trance)+2 to initiative, Reflex saves, and DV against traps

Future Sight Psychic Control 10 ranks, 6 points Gain information on future eventPast Sight Psychic Control 6 ranks, 4 points Read the past of a place, object or creaturePsychic Hound Psychic Control 6 ranks, 4 points Locate direction of creature or objectScry Psychic Control 8 ranks, 6 points See a faraway place or creatureSpiritism Psychic Sensitivity, The Sight,

Ectoplasmic Secretion+2 to all saves and to Cha-based checks vs. the dead and the undead, or as Mesmerism

Aid Ghost Psychic Control 4 ranks, 4 points Bonus to a ghost’s abilitiesAstral Travel Psychic Control 14 ranks, 8 points Send astral body awayChannel the Dead Psychic Control 12 ranks, 6 points Ask questions to the deadPoltergeist Psychic Control 6 ranks, 2 points Throw objects in an areaWilful Possession Psychic Control 8 ranks, 6 points Allow spirit to possess psychic’s bodyPsychic Healing Treat Injury skill, Knowledge (earth

and life sciences) skill, Psychic Sensitivity

+2 to Fortitude saves and to Treat Injury checks

Facilitate Recovery Psychic Control 4 ranks, 6 points Speed recovery of hit points or cure themPurge Malignancy Psychic Control 10 ranks, 4 points Eliminate the effects of poison, drugs and diseaseRecuperate Body Psychic Control 8 ranks, 4 points Heal ability damage, negative levels and lost levelsWithstand Pain Psychic Control 4 ranks, 2 points Convert lethal to non-lethal damage

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Element DCPlace of power (nexus or ley line)

Depends on power rating; see the Magic section

Supernatural creature 20 minus half creature’s HD or character levelOther occultists 30 minus highest ranks in an occult skill, that is, Ritual (any) or Psychic ControlMagic effect Depends on the aura strength; see the Law of Resonance on the Laws of Magic

sectionOther Games Master’s judgement

Ethereal and Astral Planes to the new psychic’s senses and the foundation stone upon which he builds his entire potential.Prerequisites: Wisdom 15+ or occultist 1st level.Control/Save DC: 15/-Effect: Even when the character is out of a trance, he gains a +2 psychic bonus to Search and Sense Motive checks. If he comes within 60 feet of occult elements such as vampires, ghosts, ley lines, entrances to otherworlds or other psychics, he can make an automatic Psychic Control check to have a flash of insight that reveals the presence of the occult element, although not its nature, exact location or strength. The DC of this check depends on the strength of the element, such as a place of power’s strength, a supernatural creature’s inherent power or the depth of an occultist’s skills.Derived Powers: Characters with the Psychic Sensitivity base power can eventually learn the following derived powers.

� Hyperaesthesia: When he is in a state of trance and activates this power, the psychic sharpens his senses to the world. The character ignores the trance penalty for Spot and Listen checks, instead gaining a +4 psychic bonus. Requirements: Psychic Control 3 ranks, 2 practice points.

� Intuition: The psychic has an innate ability to sense trouble in the air, even when he is out of a trance. The character can make a Psychic Control check to activate this power. If successful, the character gets a hunch that everything is all right, or a bad feeling about a specific situation, based on the Games Master’s best guess relating to the circumstances. Requirements: Psychic Control 10 ranks, 6 practice points.

� Deeper Trance: The character can enter a much deeper trance than other psychics. He gains a +4 circumstance bonus to Concentration checks in order to

resist snapping out of a trance from distraction. Requirements: Psychic Control 5 ranks, 2 practice points.

The SightOnce his perceptions are opened to the occult, a psychic can attune his senses in order to perceive the subtler realities of the Ethereal and Astral Planes.Prerequisites: Psychic Sensitivity.Control/Save DC: 20/10 + character’s levelEffect: By entering a trance and activating this power, the character can now perceive the world of spirits. He can now see any ghosts, astral travellers and any other creature within normal sight range but hiding in the Ethereal or Astral Planes. He can hear and talk with such creatures, provided that he can speak their language.

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Derived Powers: Characters with the Sight base power can eventually learn the following derived powers.

� Astral Aura Sight: The character attunes his senses to the astral auras surrounding every sentient being. When activating this power, the psychic can look at a person or an object and ask one of the following questions per point of Wisdom modifier:

� Character level� Person’s identity� One mental ability score (Intelligence,

Wisdom or Charisma)� Attitude (hostile, unfriendly, indifferent,

friendly, or helpful)� One psychic power and derived powers� Highest skill bonus with a mental key

ability� Ranks in one Ritual skill� Whether an object is a conduit, magic

item or construct

If the creature or object being analysed has reason to conceal any of this information, it can make a Will saving throw to resist. Places of magic power have a coruscating aura around them, which any psychic with ranks in Knowledge (occult sciences) recognises on the spot. Requirements: Psychic Control 10 ranks, 6 practice points.

� Dowsing: The character enters trance and holds either a pair of metal rods or a forked wooden stick in his hands. Thus equipped, he scours an area. If he succeeds at the Psychic Control check, he gains a +4 psychic bonus to all Search checks, which he can use merely by passing the balanced dowsing utensil over the area through which he is searching. He can even search through solid matter up to a distance of 10 feet per Wisdom modifier in any direction, although a thin sheet of lead will conceal anything beyond it. The character must state what he is looking for in general terms, such as ‘anything made of metal’, ‘a dead body’, ‘coins’, ‘water’, ‘an open passage’, ‘a ley line’, and so on. The psychic cannot search for live creatures but he can search for undead and constructs. He can maintain the intense concentration necessary for dowsing for 30 minutes, after which he must make a Concentration check at DC 15 or snap out of the trance. He must make a subsequent check every minute thereafter, with the DC increasing by +1 cumulatively for every previous successful check. Requirements: Psychic Control 3 ranks, 2 practice points.

� Etheric Aura Sight: The character attunes his senses to the etheric auras surrounding every

living being. When activating this power, the psychic can look at a person or an object and ask one of the following questions per point of Wisdom modifier:

� Number of hit points remaining� Person’s gender and general health

information� One physical ability score (Strength,

Dexterity or Constitution)� The presence of poison and disease,

though these still need a Treat Injury check to identify them

� Basic and powerful emotions like hate, love, desire, friendship and the like

� Highest skill bonus with a physical key ability

� A creature’s type, such as animal, humanoid, construct or undead

If the creature or object being analysed has reasons to conceal any of this information, it can make a Will saving throw to resist. Requirements: Psychic Control 5 ranks, 4 practice points.

� Pierce Concealment: By entering a trance and activating this power, the psychic can concentrate his senses on the auras of creatures and objects, instead of their physical appearance and location. He ignores a creature’s cover and concealment bonuses and can see invisible or otherwise hidden creatures. The information he gains is vague; he merely focuses on the presence of the auras’ owners. He can ‘see’ through solid matter up to 10 feet thick, although he cannot perceive auras through a thin sheet of lead. Requirements: Psychic Control 8 ranks, 4 practice points.

MesmerismMany psychics develop a property not usually attributed to people, namely magnetism. This magnetism radiates from their every pore. They learn to shape and direct it so that it achieves definite effects on the reactions and emotions of others.Prerequisites: Charisma 15+, Psychic Sensitivity.Control/Save DC: 15/10 + half character level + Cha modifierEffect: When the character is out of a trance, he gains a +2 psychic bonus to Diplomacy and Intimidate checks. In addition, when he spends an action point to bolster any Charisma-based skill check, a result of 1 or 2 on the action dice automatically becomes 3. Despite the mind-affecting nature of mesmerism powers, they do still affect constructs and undead, as the psychic’s influence is magnetic in nature. Where not specified, the range of all Mesmerism powers is 10 feet plus 5 feet per character level.Derived Powers: Characters with the Mesmerism base power can eventually learn the following derived powers.

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� Awe-Inspiring: When the character enters a trance and activates this power, all opponents within 10 feet who have fewer levels than he does must make a Will saving throw. An opponent who fails his saving throw is shaken, taking a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws and skill checks for a number of rounds equal to 1d6 plus the character’s Charisma modifier. The character can use this power once per round as a free action until the trance ends. Requirements: Psychic Control 9 ranks, 5 practice points.

� Charm: By synchronising his magnetism with a subject’s, the psychic makes a subject regard him as its trusted friend and ally; treat the target’s attitude as friendly. If the subject is currently being threatened or attacked by the psychic or his allies, however, it receives a +5 bonus on its saving throw or breaks the effect if the subject was already affected. This power does not enable the character to control the charmed subject as if he was an automaton but the subject does perceive his words and actions in the most favourable way. The psychic may try to give the subject orders but must win an opposed Charisma check to convince it to do anything it would not ordinarily do. Retries are not allowed. An affected subject never obeys suicidal or obviously harmful orders but he might be convinced that something very dangerous is worth doing. The affected creature must speak the psychic’s language to understand his commands, though pantomiming can convey some degree of intent at the Games Master’s discretion. Requirements: Psychic Control 3 ranks, 2 practice points.

� Command: The character sends a sharp wave of his magnetism towards one or more subjects, issuing a single command, which they obey to the best of their ability at the earliest opportunity. You may select from the following options.

� Approach: On its turn, the subject moves toward you as quickly and directly as possible. The subject may do nothing but move during its turn.

� Drop: On its turn, the subject drops whatever it is holding. It cannot pick up any dropped item until its next turn.

� Fall: On its turn, the subject falls to the ground and remains prone. It may act normally while prone but takes any appropriate penalties.

� Flee: On its turn, the subject moves away from you as quickly as possible. It may do nothing but move during its turn.

� Halt: The subject stands in place; it may not take any actions but is not considered helpless.

The psychic can project enough magnetism to affect a number of subjects equal to his character level divided by 4, rounded down. These continue to be affected after they fail their Will saving throws for as long as they remain within 60 feet of the psychic. The character can maintain his concentration for 1 round per character level, although he does not snap out of his trance when he is forced to suspend his magnetic waves. If the subject cannot carry out a command on its next turn, the effect automatically fails. Requirements: Psychic Control 12 ranks, 4 practice points.

� Entrancement: Upon activating this power, the psychic can transmit his state of trance to one or more subjects. The psychic and his subjects must be within 90 feet, able to see and pay attention to each other. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels a psychic attains beyond the first, he can target one additional creature with a single use of this power. Unlike other derived powers of Mesmerism, the DC for each affected subject’s Will saving throw against the effect is the result of the Psychic Control check. If a subject’s saving throw succeeds, the character cannot attempt to entrance that subject again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the subject sits quietly and stares at the psychic, taking no other actions, for as long as the psychic continues to keep this power active up to a maximum of 1 round per character level. While entranced, a target takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen and Spot checks. Any potential threat requires the psychic to make a Concentration check and allows the creature a new saving throw. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing or aiming a weapon, activating an obvious psychic power, a magic conduit, or a wondrous machine, automatically breaks the effect. Requirements: Psychic Control 3 ranks, 2 practice points.

� Induce Emotion: The psychic can induce one of the following emotions on a subject which whom he speaks for at least one full minute.

� Despair: The subject suffers a –2 morale penalty to saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls. This emotion would cancel an existing state of hope.

� Fear: The affected target flees from the character whenever they see him. This emotion would cancel an existing state of rage.

� Friendship: The affected target reacts more positively toward others. Their attitude shifts to the next more

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favourable reaction: hostile to unfriendly, unfriendly to indifferent, indifferent to friendly, or friendly to helpful.

� Hate: The affected target reacts more negatively toward others. Their attitude shifts to the next less favourable reaction; helpful to friendly, friendly to indifferent, indifferent to unfriendly or unfriendly to hostile.

� Hope: The affected target gains a +2 morale bonus to saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls. This emotion would cancel an existing state of despair.

� Rage: The affected target gains a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution scores, a +1 morale bonus on Will saving throws and a –1 penalty to DV. He is compelled to fight heedless of danger. This emotion would cancel an existing state of fear.

The subject may be affected willingly by foregoing his Will saving throw. Unwilling subjects who fail their saving throws remain affected as long as they remain within 30 feet of the character, while willing ones retain the effect while standing within 15 feet. Subjects remain affected for 5 more rounds after the effect ends for whatever reason. Requirements: Psychic Control 10 ranks, 4 practice points.

� Suggestion: While in a trance, the psychic can influence the actions of a target creature by suggesting a course of activity, limited to a sentence or two. The suggestion must be worded in such a manner as to make the activity sound reasonable. Asking the creature to do some obviously harmful act automatically negates the effect of the power. The suggested course of activity can continue for the entire time the psychic stays in the trance, his magnetism transcending distance. If the suggested activity can be completed in a shorter time, the subject is no longer affected by the power when he finishes what he was asked to do. A very reasonable suggestion causes the saving throw to be made with a penalty, such as –1 or –2. Requirements: Psychic Control 9 ranks, 6 practice points.

Ectoplasmic SecretionThe psychic is able to coalesce etheric matter into a denser form in the Material Plane in the form of ectoplasm, which he can manipulate at will.Prerequisites: Concentration 5 ranks, Psychic Sensitivity, The Sight.Control/Save DC: 20/-Effect: By entering a deep trance, the character can

secrete ectoplasm from his body (see boxed text on page 272) at the rate of one five-foot cube each round, plus an extra cube per Charisma modifier. He can maintain a maximum number of cubes equal to twice his character level but may stop secreting the substance at any time before reaching his maximum. He can dictate the shape of the area the ectoplasm covers. Subjects inside an area covered in ectoplasm suffer a -2 penalty to Will saving throws against psychic powers and magic abilities given the psychoactive nature of the substance but suffer no other ill effects.Derived Powers: Characters with the Ectoplasmic Secretion base power can eventually learn the following derived powers.

� Harden Ectoplasm: With a fair amount of concentration, the psychic can harden any part of his ectoplasmic cloud so that it becomes truly solid. He can harden one cube 5 feet per side (enough to envelop a normal human) per Charisma modifier. The ectoplasm in that area adds +10 to its hardness. Subjects in a hardened area can make a Reflex saving throw (DC 11 + character’s Charisma modifier) to avoid becoming trapped. They receive a +2 bonus if the psychic is trying to harden ectoplasm around their heads. Any subject failing its saving throw cannot move but can break loose by spending 1 round and defeating the psychic in an opposed check of Strength or Escape Artist versus Psychic Control. If the subject’s head is covered by hardened ectoplasm, he starts to suffocate, for which see the rules for suffocation on page 209. The psychic may not move or secrete more ectoplasm while he concentrates on hardening a part of it. Requirements: Psychic Control 6 ranks, 2 practice points.

� Fine Manipulation: The psychic has such control of the matter he is secreting that it can act as an additional hand. The character can manipulate objects and perform tasks he would normally be able to do with his hands at any point of the cloud of ectoplasm. The character can only concentrate on one point of his ectoplasmic secretion at any one time, so he cannot perform multiple remote actions in the same round. The psychic must be able to see or perceive what he is doing with any of his other senses. He cannot lift or wield objects with the ectoplasmic tendrils and can only use them as fingers and impromptu tools. Requirements: Psychic Control 4 ranks, 2 practice points.

� Sensory Input: The character can employ the ectoplasm as if it were part of his body, so that he can see and hear from any point of the ectoplasmic cloud as if he were standing there. His vision and hearing are normal and he may only concentrate

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EctoplasmAs explained earlier, ectoplasm is etheric matter made denser and brought into the Material Plane by the talents of a psychic. It is a greyish substance, slightly translucent and with a soft greenish glow. The psychic must use his own body to produce ectoplasm. It is usually excreted from the mouth but may also be exuded from the pores on the hands, face and other parts of thebody.

Ectoplasm is psychoactive, which means that it reacts to the thoughts of the psychic producing it. It has hardness equal to the psychic’s total Will saving throw bonus, which the psychic can voluntarily reduce to 0 at any point. Ectoplasm bobs and oozes in an amorphous cloud of floating matter. A patch occupying a cube 5 feet per side will have 2d10 hit points plus the psychic’s Charisma modifier.

Ectoplasm can float freely, seeming to have no weight at all. It moves away from the psychic at the rate of 5 feet per round in any direction and as for as far as the psychic can maintain a steady stream of the substance. The mass of glowing ooze always remains connected to the psychic by several strands of various thicknesses; see hardness and hit points above. As it is no longer ethereal, ectoplasm cannot pass through walls but it can squeeze through even the smallest of openings. If the psychic snaps out of the trance, the ectoplasm formed dissolves into thin air in 1d4 rounds, as does any part that is broken off or loses contact with the psychic.

The ectoplasmic cloud obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. A creature 5 feet away has concealment; attacks have a 20% miss chance. Creatures farther away have total concealment; attacks have a 50% miss chance and attackers cannot use sight to locate targets. A moderate wind (11+ mph), disperses the cloud in 4 rounds, while a strong wind (21+ mph) disperses it in 1 round, unless the psychic makes a Psychic Control check (DC 15 for moderate and 20 for strong) to maintain the cloud’s integrity. Fire burns away the ectoplasm harmlessly, erasing any part of the cloud with which it comes into contact.

Ghosts and any other ethereal creature inside the ectoplasm will become visible unless they succeed at a Will saving throw with a DC equal to the Psychic Control check result. Their forms are blurred and indistinct, and their voices faint. Ethereal creatures attacked whilst inside a cloud of ectoplasm receive half damage from material sources, to which they are normally immune.

The derived powers for Ectoplasmic Secretion grant a psychic better control over ectoplasm’s properties, as well as allowing him to use it for a variety of effects.

on one point of his ectoplasmic secretion at any one time, so he cannot perceive everything that happens around his secretion in the same round. The psychic must be able to see or perceive what he is doing with any of his other senses. Unlike other psychic powers, this property does not require a Psychic Control check to activate but is an automatic property of the ectoplasm he secretes. Requirements: Psychic Control 8 ranks, 4 practice points.

� Extrasensory Input: The psychic must already have the sensory input derived power before he can learn extrasensory input. By activating this power, the character can now see through his ectoplasm as if he had darkvision and can use any powers from The Sight through the ectoplasm. Requirements: Psychic Control 6 ranks, 6 practice points.

TelepathyThe psychic opens his mind to the astral winds, which transport thoughts and higher emotions from mind to mind.

Prerequisites: Attentive, Psychic Sensitivity.Control/Save DC: 15 base (see below)/10 + half character level + Charisma modifierEffect: When the psychic learns this power, Sense Motive and Gather Information become class skills or, if he already has them as class skills, he gains a +1 psychic bonus to Sense Motive and Gather Information checks. The character can enter a normal trance and concentrate on actively detecting the presence of sentient minds within the range he specifies before rolling the Psychic Control check to activate the power. All Telepathy powers have a base DC of 15, which can increase or decrease depending on the derived power and the focus of his range. All telepathy powers work in close range (25 ft. + 5 ft. per character level) but the psychic can try to increase that range by increasing the DC of the Psychic Control check.

Range ModifierRange DC modifierMedium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) +5Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level) +10Overland (1 mile/level) +15Continental (100 miles/level) +20

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The more familiar the character is with a subject, the greater his chance of establishing telepathic contact, as noted in the table below. Even if he is on another continent, a telepath may be able to contact an intimate friend to warn him of danger.

Connection Modifier

ConnectionDC modifier

Second-hand knowledge +5First-hand knowledge or any knowledge, but subject is within sight

+0

Familiar knowledge –5Intimate ally –10Likeness or picture –2Possession or garment –4Body part, lock of hair, bit of nail or similar

–10

Derived Powers: Characters with the Telepathy base power can eventually learn the following derived powers.

� Mental Contact: The character can attempt to establish a connection between his mind and that of a subject. He must make a Psychic Control check at the base DC if he is contacting an ally, at +2 to the base DC (DC 17) if contacting a neutral person and at +5 to the base DC (DC 20) if contacting a hostile subject. Unwilling targets, which may include friends, make their Will saving throws as normal. If the psychic manages to establish mental contact, he and the subject can converse for as long as he maintains his trance. Communication takes place heedless of language barriers, as it is thoughts that are being transmitted in raw form. Requirements: Psychic Control 4 ranks, 2 practice points.

� Mental Scream: The psychic opens a telepathic channel but instead of attempting contact in either direction, he simply floods his target with psychic energy. The DC for this power has a +5 modifier. If the subject fails his Will saving throw, then he is stunned for 3d4 rounds, during which the psychic can leave his trance without shortening the effect. Requirements: Psychic Control 8 ranks, 4 practice points.

� Mind Wall: The character can shield his mind from psychic phenomena by exploiting his expertise with the astral winds. He enjoys a +2 bonus to Will saving throws against all applications of psychic powers and mind-affecting magic. He may even gain a saving throw even if he is not entitled to one by the effect’s description, such as avoiding detection by the Psychic Sensitivity or Telepathy base powers. Requirements: Psychic Control 4 ranks, 2 practice points.

� Plant Impulse: The psychic plants a compelling attraction or a strong aversion in the mind of the target. The impulse can be toward a particular person, an object, an action or an event. The power’s subject takes reasonable steps to meet, get close to, attend, find, or perform the object of its implanted attraction, or avoid, get away from, or miss the object of the aversion. For the purposes of this power, ‘reasonable’ means that while fascinated, the subject does not suffer from blind obsession. The subject will not undertake obviously self-destructive actions and can still recognize danger but will not flee unless the threat is immediate. If the psychic makes the subject feel an impulse towards himself, he cannot command the subject indiscriminately, although the subject will be willing to listen to the psychic even if the subject disagrees with what he is told. If the feeling is aversion, the subject will do all in his power to stay up to 30 feet away from the psychic. While active, this power grants the psychic a +4 bonus to his or her Charisma modifier when dealing with the subject. Requirements: Psychic Control 6 ranks, 4 practice points.

� Read Thoughts: The psychic can concentrate closer on the whispers of the astral winds and read the surface thoughts around him. He chooses a single subject within the specified range and makes his Psychic Control check. The subject can make a Will saving throw to prevent the character from reading its thoughts. If the subject fails, the character can ‘listen in’ to what the subject is thinking at the moment but cannot pry deeper. A subject can still sense that its mind is being invaded if he failed his saving throw by less than 5, while a character with Psychic Sensitivity needs to fail by less than 10 to do so. Also, if the subject beats the saving throw DC by 10 or more, he repels the attempt and realises someone has just tried to read his mind, while a psychic sensitive needs only to succeed by 5 or more to achieve this. Creatures of animal intelligence (Int 1 or 2) have simple, instinctual thoughts that the psychic can pick up. By increasing the Psychic Control check DC by +10, the psychic can attempt to reach deeper inside a subject’s psyche, to ask one question per point of his Wisdom modifier. The subject gains a +2 to his Will saving throw to resist the deeper probing but must subconsciously answer the psychic’s questions if he fails. Requirements: Psychic Control 6 ranks, 6 practice points.

� Sense Emotions: With a successful Psychic Control check, the psychic in a trance can use the Sense Motive skill to ascertain the exact feelings of large crowds or focus his preternatural attention on a single individual. When reading large crowds, the psychic detects the mood of 10 living beings

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per check, which must be in the specified range. When focused on a single person, the psychic can instantly tell if that person is lying or hiding something. Requirements: Psychic Control 6 ranks, 2 practice points.

PsychokinesisThere are many theories regarding how a psychic can manipulate physical phenomena with his mind. Some point to subtypes of ectoplasm as a possible reason, while others formulate theories around a psychic’s attunement to subtle magnetic forces within and without his body, or his ability to channel ectenic force from the Ethereal Plane.Prerequisites: Iron Will, Psychic SensitivityControl/Save DC: SpecialEffect: The psychic can enter a trance to lift objects no heavier than 5 lbs. and move them around up to 15 feet per round with a successful Psychic Control check at DC 10. He can also create short, sudden movements on heavy objects, such as tables (especially séance tables) and other furniture. Finally, he can make noises by telekinetically rapping on walls and other objects and creatures. The rapping is not damage, but is felt as a strong poke and may distract a target, prompting opposed Psychic Control and Concentration checks.Derived Powers: Characters with the Psychokinesis base power can eventually learn the following derived powers.

� Ectenic Force: The character can exert greater force upon his surroundings by channelling ectenic force to move them. Unlike other psychic powers, the outcome of using ectenic force depends on how good the Psychic Control check result is. With higher results, the psychic can lift heavier objects and move them more quickly. If the character spends an action point, he can push the object with sufficient speed to cause damage, ignoring the maximum speed but acknowledging the maximum weight of the object. The target of a damaging object can make a Reflex saving throw against the result of the Psychic Control check to suffer half damage.

Check Result

Maximum Weight

Maximum Speed Damage*

less than 10 failure failure failure10-12 5 lb. 15 ft. -13-15 10 lb. 15 ft. 1d616-19 25 lb. 20 ft. 2d620-23 50 lb. 20 ft. 3d624-28 100 lb. 40 ft. 4d629-34 250 lb. 60 ft. 5d635-40 1,000 lb. 100 ft. 6d6

* Character must spend an action point.

If an object is being held by someone, the character makes a second Psychic Control check, opposed

by the holder’s Strength check. The character can move objects in any direction without any additional effort. Requirements: Psychic Control 6 ranks, 6 practice points.

� Levitation: The psychic can move himself or another willing subject up and down at will. A creature must be willing to be levitated. The psychic can mentally direct the vertical movement as much as 20 feet each round as a move action and up to a maximum height depending on the Psychic Control check result. The psychic cannot elicit horizontal movement, although the psychic or the subject can push across a ceiling or wall at half their base land speed. A levitating creature that attacks with a melee or ranged weapon finds itself increasingly unstable; the first attack has a –1 penalty on attack rolls, the second –2 and so on, to a maximum penalty of –5. A full round spent stabilizing allows the subject to begin again at –1.

Check Result Maximum Heightless than 10 failure11-15 20 ft.16-20 60 ft.21-25 180 ft.26-30 500 ft.

Requirements: Psychic Control 6 ranks, 4 practice points.

ClairsentienceThe psychic fine-tunes his perceptions of psychic energy so precisely that he transcends distance, time and even fate in the visions that he gains.Prerequisites: Psychic Sensitivity, The Sight (deeper trance)Control/Save DC: 18 base (see below)/opposedEffect: When he is not in a trance, the psychic can have little glimpses of the next few seconds, particularly when he is in danger. He gains a +2 psychic bonus to initiative, to Reflex saving throws and to DV against traps. The derived powers have different modifiers, which they apply to the base Psychic Control DC made to activate them.Derived Powers: Characters with the Clairsentience base power can eventually learn the following derived powers.

� Future Sight: The psychic moves forward in his visions, trying to discern the potential futures that express themselves in the astral winds. This power provides the psychic with a useful piece of advice in reply to a question concerning a specific goal, event, or activity that is to occur within a certain amount of time. The advice can be as simple as a short phrase, or it might take the form of a cryptic rhyme or omen. If the character does not act on the information, the conditions may change so that the information is no longer useful. The base chance for a correct answer is 70% + 1%

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per character level, to a maximum of 90%. If the dice roll fails, the psychic is aware that the power has failed. The psychic decides how far ahead he wants to see, which adds a modifier to the Psychic Control DC. Regardless of the result, the psychic must maintain his trance for 10 minutes to gain a vision of the future.

Time DC modifier1 week +01 month +51 year +1010 years +20100 years +30500 years +401,000 years +50+500 years over 1,000 +5 each

Multiple attempts concerning the same topic by the same psychic use the same dice result as the first use of the power and yield the same answer each time. Requirements: Psychic Control 10 ranks, 6 practice points.

� Past Sight: The psychic concentrates on a location at which he is present, or on an object or person that he is touching and has a vision regarding its history. The types of events most likely to leave psychic impressions are those that elicited strong emotions: battles and betrayals, marriages and murders, births and great pain, or any other event where one emotion dominates. Everyday occurrences leave no residue for the character to detect, although if reading an object, each time it was gained and lost counts as an important event from the object’s perspective. This sensitivity extends a number of years into the past depending on the result of the Psychic Control check:

Check Result YearsLess than 15 Failure15-16 10017-18 20019-20 30021-25 50026-30 1,00031-40 2,000

The vision of the event is dreamlike and shadowy. The psychic does not gain special knowledge of those involved in the vision, though he might be able to read large banners or other writing if they are in an understood language. The character can sense one distinct event per round of concentration, if any exist at all. Requirements: Psychic Control 6 ranks, 4 practice points.

� Psychic Hound: The psychic can attune his senses to the distinct psychic echoes of an object or creature known to him. By activating this power, the character senses the direction of a well-known or clearly visualised object or creature, although not the distance to it or its surroundings. The character can search for general items or a creature of specific kind, in which case he locates the nearest one matching the criteria if more than one is within range. Attempting to find a certain item or creature requires a specific and accurate mental image; if the image is not close enough to the actual object, the power fails. The psychic may not specify a unique item or creature unless he has observed it first-hand or knows it intimately. Other psychics with Telepathy (mind wall) are entitled to a Will saving throw opposing the character’s Psychic Control check to avoid being located. Objects in their possession likewise benefit. A thin sheet of lead or running water effectively blocks this power. Trying to locate a creature increases the Psychic Control check DC by +4. Requirements: Psychic Control 6 ranks, 4 practice points.

� Scry: You can see and hear some creature or the surroundings of a location, which may be at any distance. The Psychic Control check DC is determined by how familiar the psychic is with the location or creature but the latter is entitled to a Will saving throw opposing the Psychic Control check result to avoid being scryed upon.

Knowledge DC modifier

None1 +10Second-hand (you have heard of the subject)

+5

First-hand (you have met the creature or visited the location)

+0

Familiar (you know the subject well)

–5

1 You must have some sort of connection to a subject you have no knowledge of.

Connection DC modifier

Likeness or picture –2Possession, garment or furniture once in contact with the subject

–4

Body part, lock of hair, bit of nail, scrap of painting, thread of tapestry or the like

–10

If the psychic successfully activates this power and forces his perceptions on the creature or location, he can see or hear (sense chosen upon activation)

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Heshia could hear the combat raging above her but she needed a moment to recover from the use of her magic. She also needed a few seconds to achieve a trance state and prepare herself for battle. At first, not surprisingly, her mind was too active and furtive to calm down and give her access to her powers but she forced herself to achieve a sense of calm. The future would unfold as fate ordained and nothing she could do would change the will of the world. All that she could do was struggle to survive, just as she always had.

Once her thoughts were at peace, Heshia set her body’s amazing healing abilities into motion. Now, for as long as she could maintain it, any injury would be mitigated considerably. Her muscles hardened and her skin thickened with the power of her mind coursing along every limb. She expected to get hurt but this would keep her going a lot longer and help her recover if her wounds were not immediately fatal.

There was no more time to lose. The team needed her. Jerrek needed her. That last thought almost shattered her concentration; the image of the human was so strong and carried so much emotional power with it that Heshia nearly lost her focus. Resolving to deal with that if she lived through the next few minutes, the elven warrior hefted her pistols and joined the fray.

the subject and its immediate surroundings, to a distance of approximately 20 feet in all directions of the subject. If the subject moves, the psychic’s senses follow at a speed of up to 150 feet. The psychic has his full visual acuity, including any occult effects. If a creature succeeds in its saving throw, the character may not attempt to scry on that subject again for at least 24 hours. Requirements: Psychic Control 8 ranks, 6 practice points.

Psychic HealingThe psychic can harmonise life energy by touching the etheric body of another person to achieve miraculous feats of healing. He may even work this effect upon his own body.Prerequisites: Treat Injury skill, Knowledge (earth and life sciences) skill, Psychic Sensitivity.Control/Save DC: 15/-Effect: Even when he is not in a trance, the character gains a +2 psychic bonus to Fortitude saving throws and to Treat Injury checks.Derived Powers: Characters with the Psychic Healing base power can eventually learn the following derived powers.

� Facilitate Recovery: With a successful Treat Injury check while this power is active, the psychic can manipulate events so that one hour of rest transpires in but 10 minutes. As a consequence, a person heals as much damage in nearly an hour and a half as he would heal with a full night’s rest, while being tended to. By spending an action point while using this power, the psychic can make a Treat Injury check with the purpose of helping a subject to recover hit points but instead of healing 1d4 hit points, the psychic is able to restore 1d8 hit points for every five points by which the Treat Injury check exceeds DC 15. The psychic can only use either version of this power once per day on a single subject, including himself. Curing hit points deals 1d4 points of non-lethal damage to the psychic when he leaves the trance. Requirements: Psychic Control 4 ranks, 6 practice points.

� Purge Malignancy: The psychic removes any serious imbalance in a subject’s etheric body, transferring it to another vessel. This power cures all diseases from which the subject is suffering, as well as eliminating any parasites, poisons or drugs coursing through its system. The psychic may have a ready vessel to which to transfer the ailment, which must be any organic substance, with plants and eggs being the most common but animals also providing adequate vessels. The psychic may transfer the ailment towards himself if he lacks any appropriate vessel, in which case he makes any pertinent saving throw as if he had been

the original target of the condition. He may later purge them with this power if he fails the saving throw or throws and is affected. Ectoplasm can also receive the purged malignancy, needing just a tiny trickle of its matter to contain it. As they are affected, the vessels (except the psychic) turn black and start to wither and spoil. Even if they are not contagious, the psychic is advised to get rid of these vessels as quickly as possible. Requirements: Psychic Control 10 ranks, 4 practice points.

� Recuperate Body: The psychic can restore the flows of energy in a body ravaged by disease, poison or another debilitating condition. A successful Treat Injury check at DC 15 while the character has this power activated cures 1d4 points of temporary ability damage to one of the subject’s ability scores. It also eliminates any fatigue suffered by the character and improves an exhausted condition to a fatigued one, although the psychic cannot eliminate the fatigued condition for a failed Psychic Control check. By adding a +10 modifier to the Psychic Control check to activate the power, the psychic may also remove negative levels and restore one level lost to energy drain orsimilar abilities. Requirements: Psychic Control 8 ranks, 4 practice points.

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� Withstand Pain: While this power is active, the psychic takes a portion of any attack that deals damage as points of non-lethal damage equal to his Strength modifier. This power is not retroactive and thus may not be applied to wounds received prior to activating this power. Requirements: Psychic Control 4 ranks, 2 practice points.

The SéanceAlthough psychics are able to enter trance and use their powers on their own, many have found that entering trance with the help of others helps enormously. A séance is a special gathering in which a psychic channels the talent inherent in even the dullest of people and uses it to bolster his own ability.

A séance can have many purposes, with the most common being to contact the spirits of the dead for guidance. Any psychic may attempt a séance. This is usually a chance for a social gathering before and after the actual ceremony. Some psychics use props and disguises to complicate the workings of a séance to the eyes of all lay participants but they are not needed except for flavour; an honest psychic could hold such a ceremony even in the middle of the street, allowing for all distracting factors.The first step in a séance is to arrange all the participants

in a circle. They must be touching each other in some way, either by holding hands or by touching their spread fingers on the surface of a table. At this point, the psychic usually gives a small performance to help the participants into the right frame of mind, uttering strange incantations and arranging elements of the ceremony, such as candles, a psychograph, tarot cards and similar paraphernalia.

The participants of the séance make a Concentration check at DC 15 to enter a mild trance state, echoing the psychic’s. Although the initial ceremony is mostly for cosmetic effect, the psychic can help the participants of the séance become more receptive to his words with a successful Perform (act) check at DC 15, which grants them a +2 morale bonus to their Concentration checks. Any participant who does not wish to enter a mild trance may refrain from so doing.

Once every participant is in a trance, the psychic enters his own to activate whatever power the séance was organized for. For each participant in a mild trance, the psychic gains a +2 bonus to his Psychic Control checks and his Concentration checks. The risks of the séance method are sceptics and the distracted. Every participant who fails or forfeits his Concentration check imposes a -2 penalty to the psychic’s checks, which is why he strives to get

everyone into the right mood.

The psychic can end the séance at any time, simply by ending his trance and breaking contact. If one of the participants breaks contact, the psychic must make a Concentration check at DC 20 or snap out of the trance with all the adverse consequences. If he succeeds at the check, the circle is still broken and everyone’s trance ends but the psychic is not affected.

MagicMagic is a mysterious force that none can comprehend fully. Even psychic phenomena possess a number of scientific theories to explain their operation, unproven though they may be. Magic is altogether different. It is a science with laws of its own, one which requires a unique mindset.

The origins of magic are lost in history. Every fresh incarnation generates new theories to explain its underlying principles. The most frustrating thing about magic is that although the methods and instruments are important, as with any other science, there does not appear to be a consistent set of rules governing what works and what does not. As dismissive as an arcane ritualist may be of the ways

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Magic Style and Key AbilityWhen a magician chooses his magic style, he also determines which ability he will use to modify all his Ritual skill checks: Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma. He may choose a style each time he gains his first rank in a Ritual skill. This choice is final and cannot be changed. The magician learns the methods and rules for that discipline of magic and cannot change his focus without losing all his gained ranks as he unlearns the methods he had previously learned.

Magic Style Key Ability How It LooksArcane ritualism Intelligence Ritual (necromancy) (Int), Ritual (invocation) (Int) and so on.Faith working Wisdom Ritual (protection) (Wis), Ritual (divination) (Wis) and so on.Animism Charisma Ritual (enticement) (Cha), Ritual (divination) (Cha) and so on.

For example: Heshia is an 11th level occultist (magician) and chose to be an arcane ritualist upon learning her first ranks in the invocation, protection and transformation specialties of the Ritual skill, all of them using her Intelligence modifier as a bonus to Ritual checks. In one of her first missions for the City Fathers, she comes upon holy texts regarding the calling of divine beings, which would help her in her Ritual (invocation) checks if not for the fact that they are written from a faith worker’s perspective (based on Wisdom) and thus useless to her.

On the outskirts of ruined Megadon, she also talks at great length with a local shaman, an animist magician who has much to teach in the arts of necromantic magic. This gives Heshia the option of gaining Ritual (necromancy) ranks using the animist style, therefore making Ritual (necromancy) a Charisma-based skill for her rather than an Intelligence-based skill. In this way, multiple arts can be encountered by a single worker of magic and either be incorporated at the cost of skill points or avoided as being too divisive of the magician’s talents.

of an animist, both ways of working magic create results, even if those results are disguised as coincidences.

Regardless of how widespread the practice of magic is in any given setting, its actual practitioners are few, for magic requires not only dedication and discipline similar to that of the scientific method but also special talents.

Working MagicMagic is a fickle mistress and an unwieldy one to boot. The reason why magic remains the purview of elite scholars and gifted individuals is that unlike the products of technology, it is not instantaneous in its operation and the wielder of magic risks much more than simple bodily harm in the case of failure.

The products of sorcery require special tools and spaces, such as a laboratory and an arcane library, a prayer sanctum, a sweat lodge or any similar location that will grant a practitioner the privacy and comfort he requires. Magicians work their abilities, through rituals and ceremonies that channel their wills and knowledge and which they perform alone or with assistants. These rituals include all the paraphernalia of the magician’s style and usually take quite a while to complete but are the central practice of magic.

Given this unwieldiness, magic does not lend itself to casual improvisation, which is why the most common rituals involve enchanting a conduit. A conduit is the proverbial wizard’s staff or witch’s wand, a tool into which the magician introduces a number of effects born

from rituals and from which he can unleash them at his leisure by simply repeating a simplified form of the ritual. Conduits are expensive in both material and spiritual cost, as a magician must use part of his essence to bind rituals into them.

A magician is not rendered powerless by the removal or destruction of his conduit, as magic is a matter of study, practice and expertise like any of the natural sciences. The lack of a conduit simply poses an obstacle to his work outside his sanctum.

Magic StylePrimitive people describe magic as a force rather than an art. They are not altogether wrong, for its power is very generous, providing a broad variety of forms that can channel it. Unlike more stringent forces like electricity or even light, magic flows freely and obeys subtle laws that are apparently divorced from natural laws, or work on a more transcendental level. These subtle laws nudge magic into answering the efforts of magicians using apparently disparate methods and materials to perform the same effects.

Upon taking his first steps in the world of the occult and of magic in particular, a magician chooses his style for performing magic, depending on how he learned it. The different styles are incompatible, so that a magician who starts learning a particular style finds it inconceivable that the other styles should work and may even believe them to be different arts altogether, whereas in reality the only things that differ are the words and the tools. Despite this

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underlying connection, a magician has a very hard time learning magic from sources of a style other than his own. There are three different magic styles, born from different cultures and circumstances.

Arcane Ritualism: By far the most publicly acknowledged of the styles, arcane ritualism sees magic as just another science, albeit with its unique laws and principles. Arcanists approach magic meticulously and write down the tiniest observations, analysing and synthesising the methods that work. Arcanism is the prevalent magic method, with most occultists considering it the one true art and the one that combines best with technology, for which see the previous chapter.

Methods: Arcanism relies on magical diagrams, alchemy, astrology, numerology, obscure formulae, magical geometry, forgotten languages and the like. Its rituals involve magical circles and laboratories complete with obscure substances and materials, while its conduits are commonly staves, wands, crystal rods or complex apparatuses. Arcane ritualists rely on their keen capacity for devising, analysing and memorising complex principles and formulae.

Faith Working: Many students of ancient societies propose that magic and religion are just different sides of the same coin. Faith working is a style of magic practiced by the ordained priests of the different religions of the world, although only the truly faithful can muster enough power of will to work magic and these are not always ordained. Devotion and sheer conviction are the keys to working successful faith rituals.

Methods: Faith workers use holy symbols and sacred paraphernalia, beads and other praying aids. Faith rituals are prayer circles, lectures from holy scripture, anointment with sanctified substances and sometimes extreme demonstrations of faith, like self-flagellation, fasting or pain tolerance. Faith workers with psychic powers explain them as gifts from their chosen deity. Faith workers rely on their awareness and intuition to comprehend the vastness of their deity’s will.

Animism: The way of primitive people, animism is the belief that all things have a soul, including plants, animals and even machines, an assertion that hybrids and sentient constructs will be happy to consider. Animists perform magic by calling upon the power of the spirits inhabiting the world and channelling their power, a dubious assertion that has not been able to hold its ground against scientific analysis, although it still works. Animist magic is intuitive to such a degree that it has frequently been confused with psychic phenomena. An animist magician will often develop psychic powers, as he trusts in his awareness to the invisible to work magic.

Methods: Animist magic uses herbs and animal remains, simplistic warding circles, chanting and mind-altering

substances to reach trances, another common element with psychic phenomena. Animist rituals involve wilderness retreats, sweat lodges and crude meditating circles, with conduits ranging from primitive musical instruments, carvings, fetishes, drums and jewellery to any other material that might resonate well with any spirit the magician worships. Animists rely on their sheer strength of personality to impress and cow the spirits into serving and helping them.

The Laws of MagicThrough effort and constant study, students of the magical, be they actual practitioners or merely observers, have compiled a set of general rules by which magic seems to function. Although not as precise and binding as the scientific principles of natural laws, the laws of magic do seem to apply throughout the different styles and traditions, so that experienced magicians pen their findings and archive their notes, jealously guarding their discoveries or bragging about them in social and professional circles.

The Law of Sympathy: The most powerful principle of magic is, without doubt, the Law of Sympathy. It determines which substances and materials have a demonstrable effect on magic rituals, it dictates how they affect their targets and it establishes what can a magician expect from his workings. In general terms, the Law of Sympathy states that all things are related to others by virtue of their properties or nature and that a magician can use such connections to create or empower an effect. Magic words, gestures and components resonate with the sympathy they have with magical effects. Ancient traditions took to the task of identifying which of these were more effective, thus giving rise to magic as an art that can be taught and codified. The Law of Sympathy has three subcategories that better define its influence:

� The Law of Similarity: This aspect of sympathy maintains that like produces like. In more explicit terms, it means that the image or likeness of something will produce the effect it is reproducing, or will influence that which it depicts. Psychics can attest to the veracity of this law, for they can better channel their divinatory talents towards a person if they possess his portrait, sculpture or other likeness. The power of names has its foundation in the Law of Similarity, for a name represents the person who bears it with much more intimacy than a simple depiction. In the case of magical components, magicians choose those that are related to the effect they wish to produce: an illusionist will generally have a prepared depiction of the imagery he wants to produce as part of his ritual’s components, or a healer will use a bloodstone to cure haemorrhages.

� The Law of Contiguity: The basic principle of this law is that what once was part of a whole,

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continues to reflect the whole. This law is the reason why many magicians seek fervently for the parts of magical creatures such as dragon scales, griffon feathers or clippings from a unicorn’s horn, for they retain reflections of their previous owners’ power. More mundane materials work just as well, such as using a cat’s hair in a ritual designed to increase agility, or a bull’s horn to increase brute strength. By means of this law, a magician may also create a direct channel between his ritual and an intended target by using something that belonged to it, such as a strand of hair or a piece of frequently-used clothing, another principle that psychic phenomena takes advantage of. The last application of this law relies on the principle of contagion, considering that objects that come in contact with something retain for a little while a connection with that something. While not as powerful as a direct connection, magicians exploit this principle mostly for divinatory purposes; see the Law of Resonance.

� The Law of Antipathy: The last variation of the Law of Sympathy states that opposites cancel each other. Simple as it sounds, the applications of this law can become quite arcane, for the same reasons as those governing why the Law of Similarity works. A magician can use a piece of burning coal as a component in a ritual intended to neutralise a poison, because the coal’s relationship with fire opposes poison’s relationship with water. Magicians use this principle mostly for countering other magical effects.

The Law of Equity: No one gains anything without giving something in return. Contrary to popular belief, magic cannot produce something out of nothing. Even when magic makes things appear from thin air, subtle etheric and astral forces as well as multiple resonances have come into play, demanding that the magician fuel his rituals with the right materials, utter the precise incantations and perform the correct gestures. The more powerful the intended effect, the more costly or exotic the materials become and the more difficult it is to perform. Many magicians try to complement this difficulty by performing their rituals in places of power and on dates when magic forces flow with greater strength, for if they fail to provide magic with that which it demands, it will exact its price from the magician’s body and soul.

The Law of Consequence: The natural law that declares that ‘for every action in nature there is an equal and opposite reaction’ also applies to magic, convincing many scholars that magic is simply a more subtle natural force. Unlike measurable phenomena, the consequences of magic are anything but obvious. A magician who only uses his knowledge for the welfare of others will have good things happen to him, while one who treads the darker paths will begin to suffer from ill fortune. These effects are so subtle

that they may take years or decades to manifest and are therefore well-nigh impossible to trace back to the magical working that caused them. Only when the magician fails spectacularly at harnessing the magical forces in a ritual does the Law of Consequence react in its most destructive manner.

The Law of Geasa: Magicians discovered this principle following their dealings with two apparently disparate magical species, namely elementals and demons. The law states that any oath, vow or promise taken under the auspices of a magical ritual is absolutely binding. Oath takers cannot break their word unless they want to face dire consequences in the form of crippling curses that fade away when the oath ends. When magic is active, it echoes the words of a promise and imprints them on the astral bodies of the oath takers, so that they will burn with great magical power at the moment on which the oath is broken, causing great pain and misfortune to the oath breaker until he rights his actions. Called geasa, magical promises are always part of deals between magicians and magical beings, the latter of which are quite adept at bending a promise’s meaning to catch inexperienced magicians unaware.

If he fails to comply with the geasa for 24 hours, the oath breaker takes a –2 penalty to each of his ability scores. Each day, another –2 penalty accumulates, up to a total of –8 but never dropping below 1. These penalties are removed 24 hours after the subject resumes obeying the geasa. Disobeying a complex geasa has much more dire consequences. The subject takes 3d6 points of damage each day on which he does not attempt to follow his oath. Additionally, each day he must make a Fortitude saving throw at a DC of 15 or become sickened. These effects end 24 hours after the creature attempts to resume the geasa.

The Law of Resonance: Derived from the Law of Sympathy, this principle states that every being, object and event radiates an aura in the etheric or astral frequencies, or both. This aura reflects the nature and strength of its origin, and can sometimes grow so strong as to be noticeable by mundane senses. Necromantic magic, for example, exudes a feeling of decay and loss, while the invocation of fire will certainly leave a magician with an aura of restlessness. Psychics can read these auras, while magicians may use them to discern the nature of magical items, as well as to aid them with their own divination attempts.

Aura Strength: An active aura’s power is equal to the ritual’s scope. If an aura falls into more than one category, the stronger of the two dominates the other. A magical aura lingers after its original source dissipates, in the case of a ritual, or is destroyed, in the case of a conduit or magic item. Psychic powers and divination effects pointed at such a location indicate an aura strength of ‘dim,’ even

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ScopeScope Ritual Check DC Saving Throw DC Base Reach Base Duration in…1

Trivial 12 10 Close RoundsMinor 16 12 Close RoundsModerate 20 14 Medium MinutesMajor 24 16 Long 10 minutesExtreme 28 18 Extreme Hours

1 Effects that deal or cure damage always have a base instantaneous duration.

weaker than a trivial aura. How long the aura lingers at this dim level depends on its original power:

ScopeDuration of Lingering Aura

Psychic Sensitivity DC

Trivial 1d6 rounds 18Minor 1d6 minutes 16Moderate 1d6x10 minutes 14Major 1d6 hours 12Extreme 1d6 days 10

The Magic RitualPerforming a ritual is a matter of knowledge, preparation and talent. The principles of magic apply to all styles thereof. Therefore, while the methods and tools of performing magic rituals differ, the mechanics remain the same.

The Ritual CheckCharacters perform magic rituals by making a Ritual check. Determining the parameters of this check takes a little time and forethought but with proper preparation, a magician can be capable of almost anything.

Before figuring out what he needs to do, the character must first know what he actually wants to achieve, so that he can begin the steps of performing a magic ritual.

1. Select scope, discipline and descriptor: Determines which particular skill the magician needs and how powerful the raw effect will be.

2. Determine subject: Defines who and/or what the ritual will affect.

3. Determine reach: Defines how far away the target can be and still be affected. This characteristic is more useful when enchanting conduits.

4. Determine duration: For how long the subject will suffer from the ritual’s effect.

5. Consider conditions: Special circumstances which might affect the ritual’s performance.

6. Make the Ritual checks: The character determines the Ritual Check DC by adding all the modifiers from the scope, target, reach, duration and conditionsand rolls 1d20 + Ritual skill bonus + modifiers. Add the results of all checks until the target number is met; see later in this section for details.

Step 1: Discipline, Scope and Descriptor

Magic is divided into six disciplines that cover the different areas of research and practice, as exemplified in the different specialisations of the Ritual skill. Each discipline covers a particular kind of magic, although sometimes their areas of influence overlap, if only slightly. A ritual’s scope measures how powerful its effects are, which can go from the trivial, such as changing the colour of a necktie, to the extreme, such as causing a rain of igneous rock to destroy a fortified manor. Selecting discipline and scope go hand in hand as the magician devises the effect he wishes his ritual to have. A character needs at least one rank in the adequate Ritual skill in order to perform a ritual for that discipline, regardless of the scope, although it is highly recommended that the magician have as high a Ritual skill bonus as possible. Some disciplines have sub-disciplines that categorise the kinds of effect a magician may create, with their own small set of rules and guidelines.

The effects described under the scope of each discipline are examples of what the discipline is capable of at that level of power. Players and Games Masters should not feel constrained by the examples in this chapter and are free to invent their own effects of equivalent power that would fall under each discipline’s area of influence.

The ritual’s scope will not only determine the relative power of the magic effect but will also set down the base DC for the Ritual check, as well as the base saving throw DC that potential victims must beat to avoid being affected by the ritual. It also determines a base subject (in its own section), reach and duration that can later be modified to personalise the ritual.

DivinationDivination rituals enable the magician to learn secrets long forgotten, to predict the future, to find hidden things and to foil deceptive magic. Divination magic is all about gaining information, whether it is from the immediate surroundings or from far away locations, the past, the present or the future in any span of time, and about revealing the properties of objects and living beings, which can go from their physical composition to their history and deepest secrets.

Scrying: A scrying effect creates an invisible magical sensor that sends information to the character. Unless noted otherwise, the sensor has the same powers of

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sensory acuity as the magician, including any special vision granted by magic acting on the magician’s body, but not emanating from him or his position. The sensor is treated as a separate, independent sensory organ. As such, it functions normally even if the character is blinded, deafened, or otherwise suffers sensory impairment. Any creature with an Intelligence score of 12 or higher can notice the sensor by making a DC 20 Intelligence check. Psychics can perceive it as a magic effect of corresponding strength, or spot it at once if their senses are attuned to the Astral Plane. The sensor can be dispelled as if it were an active magic effect. Lead sheeting or magical protection blocks a scrying effect and the character senses that the spell is so blocked.

Trivial Effects: Detect the presence of magic, substances, animals, plants, simple objects and undead. Know true north. Understand written and spoken information of magical or mundane nature, including that of animals. Gain a +1d4 bonus to a single action as the result of knowledge of the immediate future. Know a single set of physical characteristics of targets such as the health of living creatures, the exact dimensions of an object or the powers and method of activation of an occult item.

Minor Effects: Detect the presence in the immediate vicinity of subtler targets such as thoughts and invisible creatures. Skim the surface thoughts of a target. Gain the ability to speak in any language. Ask one question about events in the immediate future and past and the consequences of present actions in the short term. Maintain updated knowledge of a set of characteristics of targets. Grant a target magical sight that allows him to see spirits, hidden and invisible things, or auras in the Etheric and Astral Planes. Know the general directions of objects. See and hear what happens at a different location by scrying.

Moderate Effects: Permit telepathic communication. Know the general directions of creatures. Know the truth of any spoken statement. Ask three questions about events in the short-term future and past. Project one sense and move it around. Gain knowledge of the physical characteristics of a wide area. Grant a target magical sight that allows him to see things as they really are. Contact beings in a higher plane to ask one question per key ability modifier.

Major Effects: Gain complete knowledge of the characteristics, both physical and magical, of a target,

including tales and rumours surrounding it. Gain useful advice on future events or detailed information of past events on a longer term.

Extreme Effects: Know the exact location of a target. Gain an active sixth sense to warn of danger. Gain visions of the far future or the ancient past.

EnticementThis is the magic that fools the senses and twists minds at the occultist’s bidding. It makes targets see and hear things that are not there and hold opinions they did not have before, or fail to perceive things that are indeed there and change their minds inexplicably. Enticement is the magic of illusion and manipulation. The elves are legendary masters of this discipline of magic.

Charms: A charm effect changes how the subject views the magician, typically making it see him as a good friend.

Fabrications: A fabrication is a false perception, either because it appears out of thin air or because it is changing the sensory qualities of a target, including its very visibility. Fabrications are not real, even if they do act on the physical senses.

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Manipulations: A manipulation ritual forces the target to act in some manner, changes the way its mind works, or plants false perceptions directly into its mind that none other can see.

Patterns: Patterns are evident sensory effects that have an impact on the minds of those who see them or are caught up in them.

Trivial Effects: Confound the senses of up to 4 HD worth of creatures so that they lose their actions for a round, fall asleep or are kept fascinated. Make a person believe that the magician is a friend. Change the magician’s appearance. Create simple sensory inputs out of thin air including (but not combining) images, simple sounds, smells and sensations. Create false astral auras to make an object appear to be magical, or make a magical object appear to be mundane. Increase morale to grant a +1 bonus to a particular kind of rolls or decrease morale for the opposite effect. Remove or induce extreme emotions, such as fear, rage and such like.

Minor Effects: Confound the senses of up to 1d4+6 HD worth of creatures so that they lose their actions for a round, fall asleep or are kept fascinated or distracted. Manipulate a person into complying with a simple action. Blur, displace or multiply the image of a subject to make it harder for others to attack it directly. Make a subject invisible, although direct interaction cancels this invisibility. Remove sound around a subject. Create more complex illusory sensory inputs out of thin air combining two senses in a simple way. Create false auras to make an object appear to be trapped, or to mislead divination magic. Deal 1d6 points of damage to a target’s mental abilities, namely Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma. Create feelings of superiority or encouragement that grant a +2 bonus on two kinds of rolls, or feelings of inferiority and discouragement for the opposite effect. Compel targets to tell the truth. Paralyse a person by making him believe he cannot move.

Moderate Effects: Confound the thoughts of creatures so that they behave oddly and chaotically or distract them so they suffer a -2d4 penalty to Intelligence and to Will saving throws. Put a large number of creatures to sleep whose HD add up to twice the character’s level. Make any kind of creature believe the magician is a friend. Control the actions of a person. Impose a simple oath on a target according to the Law of Geasa, though the target cannot have more than 8 HD. Make a subject invisible with no limits to his actions. Create illusory landscapes complete with terrain and structures. Create an illusion that divination effects perceive instead of the real events. Reduce a target’s mental abilities to 1. Affect a target’s dreams to convey a message or cause nightmares, grant it a wakeful vision of its worst fear or modify itsmemories. Mimic the effects of trivial and minor invocation rituals with 20% effectiveness. Paralyse any kind of creature.

Major Effects: Confound the thoughts of creatures so that they are driven insane, or remove a single creature’s sense of sight. Impose a complex oath on a target according to the Law of Geasa. Create complex sensory inputs out of thin air that combine three senses and remain established and unchanging, or forfeit the deception of one of the senses in exchange for the ability to trigger the illusion to respond to some event. Create an illusory double of a creature, capable of limited interaction with the physical world. Create feelings of superiority or encouragement that grant a +4 bonus on three kinds of rolls, or feelings of inferiority and discouragement for the opposite effect. Mimic the effects of trivial, minor and moderate invocation rituals with 40% effectiveness.

Extreme Effects: Force any creature to take a particular kind of action or remain imprisoned by powerful enchantments. Control the actions of any creature. Make an object or location particularly attractive or repulsive to a particular kind of creature. Hide a location completely from divination effects. Order a creature to die. Mimic the effects of trivial, minor and moderate invocation rituals with 80% effectiveness.

InvocationThe art of invocation brings forth energy, matter and creatures from one place or another, or even from thin air by conjuring them from the Astral Plane. A creature or object brought into being or transported to the magician’s location by an invocation effect cannot appear inside another creature or object, nor can it appear floating in empty space; it must arrive in an open location upon a surface capable of supporting it. The creature or object must appear within the ritual’s reach but it does not have to remain within this limit after it appears.

Calling: A calling effect transports a creature from another plane of existence into the magician’s presence. The ritual grants the creature the one-time ability to return to its plane of origin, although the spell may limit the circumstances under which this is possible. Creatures that are called actually die when they are killed; they do not disappear and reform, as do those brought by a summoning effect, for which see below. The duration of a calling spell is instantaneous, which means that the called creature cannot be dispelled.

Creation: A creation ritual manipulates matter to create an object or creature in the place the magician designates, subject to the limits noted above. If the effect has a duration other than ‘instantaneous’, then magic holds the creation together and when the spell ends, the conjured creature or object vanishes without a trace. If the effect has an instantaneous duration, then the created object or creature is merely assembled through magic. It lasts indefinitely and does not depend on magic for its existence.

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Evocation: Evocation effects manipulate energy in a similar way to that in which creation rituals manipulate matter, tapping an unseen source of power to produce a desired end. Many of these rituals produce spectacular effects and evocation spells can deal large amounts of damage. Evocation effects are a favourite to enchant into conduits.

Healing: These spells channel psychic energy into creatures’ etheric bodies in order to heal them, harmonise their bodies and remove adverse effects. Healing energy is harmful to undead, dealing damage to them rather than repairing it. Only occultists of the ecclesiast vocation can muster the faith to channel healing energy.

Summoning: A summoning ritual instantly brings a creature or object to a place the character designates. When the effect ends or is dispelled, a summoned creature is instantly sent back from whence it came. A summoned creature also goes away if it is killed or if its hit points drop to 0 or lower. It is not really dead but it takes 24 hours for the creature to reform, during which time it cannot be summoned again. When the spell that summoned a creature ends and the creature disappears, all the magic or occult abilities it employed expire. A summoned creature cannot use any innate summoning abilities it may have. Moreover, it refuses to perform any magic that would cost it XP, or to use any occult abilities that would cost XP if they were spells. A summoning ritual’s subject is always the target creature or creatures being summoned, who appear at any point within the ritual’s reach as designated by the magician.

Teleportation: A teleportation spell transports one or more creatures or objects a great distance. The most powerful of these spells can cross planar boundaries. Unlike summoning spells, the transportation is, unless otherwise noted, one-way and may not be dispelled. Teleportation is instantaneous travel through the Astral Plane. Anything that blocks astral travel also blocks teleportation.

Trivial Effects: Create light to illuminate an area over a long time, or to dazzle a target instantaneously. Create a burst of matter or energy that deals up to 2d6 points of damage. Replenish a machine with 2d6 charges of raw energy or fuel. Create small amounts of a particular substance or energy for utilitarian purposes. Improve armour by 2 points of hardness. Call a simple creature for work. Summon a creature of CR 1 to fight. Create thin mist. Cure 1d8 points of damage +1 per caster level, to a maximum of +5.

Minor Effects: Create light to blind creatures or cling to invisible creatures, revealing their outlines. Create a burst of matter or energy that deals up to 4d6 points of damage. Replenish a machine with 4d6 charges of raw energy or fuel. Call a strong creature for work, the HD of which cannot exceed 8. Summon a creature or creatures with a total EL of up to 3 to fight for the character. Create thick

fog. Fill an area with obstacles or with an inconvenient substance or force, including darkness. Create a crude and small shelter. Cure 3d8 points of damage +1 per caster level, to a maximum of +10. Delay the effects of poison; remove blindness and deafness, paralysis and diseases. Remove penalties to ability scores and heal 1d4 points of ability damage.

Moderate Effects: Create a burst of matter or energy that deals up to 8d6 points of damage. Replenish a machine with 8d6 charges of raw energy or fuel. Call a creature of up to 6 HD and force it to perform any task. Summon a creature or creatures with a total EL of up to 5 to fight for the character. Teleport a living target across a distance of up to 100 miles per character level. Create fog that chokes with the intent to kill. Fill an area with a substance or force that actively hampers those within. Create one mundane object of cloth, metal, stone or wood. Call forth a small cottage. Surround an object or creature with an aura of a certain type of energy. Create a wall of energy or simple matter such as stone or ice. Create a force to provide cover, push, grab, attack or crush things surrounding targets. Cure 5d8 points of damage +1 per caster level, to a maximum of +15. Remove poison and restore drained levels and ability points. Restore a creature to life that has been dead for up to one day per character level.

Major Effects: Create a burst of matter or energy that deals up to 12d6 points of damage. Replenish a machine with 12d6 charges of raw energy or fuel. Call a creature of up to 12 HD and force it to perform any task. Summon a creature or creatures with a total EL of up to 7 to fight for the character. Teleport a living target, an object or a prepared object to the character’s present position. Travel to an otherworld. Call forth a mansion for a few hours. Surround an object or creature with a cage of force that entraps it. Create a wall of strong matter, such as iron. Create a force to grab things and push them around. Set a trigger or time delay to an effect. Cure 10 points of damage per level as well as all diseases. Regenerate severed limbs. Bring a deceased creature back to life from its remains, provided the death occurred within the magician’s lifetime.

Extreme Effects: Create a burst of matter or energy that deals up to 20d6 points of damage. Replenish a machine with 20d6 charges of raw energy or fuel. Call a creature of up to 16 HD and force it to perform any task. Summon a creature or creatures with a total EL of up to 9 to fight for the character. Create a circle that teleports any who step on it to a predesignated spot. Create a doorway to an otherworld. Trap a target in an extradimensional maze. Trap a soul inside a vessel. Cause earthquakes.

NecromancyNecromancy effects manipulate the power of death, unlife and the life force. Rituals involving undead creatures make up a large part of this school, as do those intent on causing subtle harm to a target, such as the loss of

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Moving from column to column for cover, Heshia fired until her guns were dry. She knew she would not have the chance to reload them, so she holstered them quickly and relied on her other firepower, which was raw magic. It was time for her to draw on the arts she had kept buried for so long. Somehow, even when she denied these talents in her soul, she had always known she would have to rely on them again someday. Now, with her team-mates falling back and the orcs’ superior numbers pressing down on them hard, today was that day.

With a hissing invocation to the sprits of the dead, she channelled energy so black and alien to the soul of an elf that it left her as cold as ice and nearly sent her sprawling to the ground. It was everything she could do to contain the power for long enough to give it direction and purpose. Without those two things, the death magic would have claimed her own life. As it was, all she needed to do was send it towards the orcs; the magic did the rest.

Dark shadows erupted from her outstretched hand, chilling her flesh as they passed through her body. They screamed in the void between her fingers and the startled orcs, some of whom had the wherewithal to throw themselves from the area just as the shade-storm erupted around them. The orcs in its path howled once in utter terror and tearing pain, then fell silent as the darkness flowed into their mouths and quenched their souls. A dozen brutes fell to their knees, then forward onto their dead, ashen faces. Heshia did not know if it would be enough to save them, but it was the best she could do. Another spell like that would kill her for sure.

the senses, disease and direct damage. Necromantic effects that would damage the living actually repair damage to undead.

Trivial Effects: Deal 1d6 points of damage to an undead creature. Induce fatigue. Induce fear to a creature of 5 HD or less. Deal 1d6 points of Strength damage. Curse water so it deals damage to good outsiders. Determine how close to death a living creature is. Repel 1d4+5 HD worth of undead creatures.

Minor Effects: Command, charm or paralyse an undead creature. Induce exhaustion. Remove a sense from a target. Induce a greater state of fear. Create an astral connection to a dead limb to act as if it was part of the character’s body, even over distances. Preserve a corpse from decomposing. Steal up to 2d6 hit points from a living target. Deal 3d8 points of damage to the living. Gain 1d8+1 per level temporary hit points. Speak with the dead. Repel 1d4+9 HD worth of undead creatures.

Moderate Effects: Animate dead remains into skeletons and zombies, up to a total of 4 HD per character level. Induce a curse, a disease or 1d4 negative levels. Wither plants. Possess a living being. Deal 3d6 points of Strength damage. Deal 5d8 points of damage to the living. Gain immunity against death and energy drain effects. Poison a target. Repel 2d4+13 HD worth of undead creatures.

Major Effects: Kill 1d4 HD worth of either living or undead creatures per level. Create a permanent ghoul

or a mummy from a corpse; ignore subject and duration designations. Control undead creatures, who are allowed a Will saving throw to resist. Destroy a single creature and its remains, with no additional targets allowed. Deal 10

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points of damage per level to a creature. Repel 2d4+17 HD worth of undead creatures.

Extreme Effects: Create a clone that a soul can inhabit upon its original body’s death. Create a permanent shadow, wraith or spectre from a corpse, ignoring subject and duration designations. Deal 1d6 points of damage per level to all creatures in an area; the maximum is 20d6 and the subject is always an area. Separate the astral body from its physical shell and go travelling. Impose 2d4 negative levels. Repel 3d4+21 HD worth of undead creatures.

ProtectionProtection rituals create physical or magical barriers, negate magical or physical abilities, harm trespassers or even banish the subject of the spell to another plane of existence. If one protective effect is active within 10 feet of another for 24 hours or more, the magical fields interfere with each other and create barely visible energy fluctuations. The DC to find such spells with the Search skill or psychic powers and divination magic drops by 4. If a ritual creates a barrier that keeps certain types of creatures at bay, then that barrier cannot be used to push those creatures away. If the magician forces the barrier against such a creature, he feels a discernible pressure against the barrier and the effect ends if he continues.

Dispelling: Protection magic can be used to counter or cancel another magic effect, although this discipline is only strong enough to counter minor effects at first. To dispel another magic effect, the character must first choose the scope of the dispelling attempt and perform the dispelling ritual as normal, or through a conduit. A dispelling effect can only cancel effects of equal or lower scope. The dispelling check must beat its normal DC for the ritual but the ritual’s casting time is determined by the target effect: multiply the DC of the effect the character wishes to cancel by 12, with the resulting number being the target to reach by adding the different Ritual check results together. See Casting Time on pg 293. It takes a full round to activate a dispelling effect from a conduit.

Trivial Effects: Gain a +1 bonus to saving throws. Magically lock a door shut, adding +5 to DCs to open it. Create an alarm to guard an area. Protect from extreme hot and cold weather. Grant a subject +2 to DV and saving throws against a particular kind of creature, or +1 against any creature. Surround a creature with a field that imposes a 20% miss chance to ranged attacks. Conceal a target’s presence from a certain type of creature. Remove the effects of magical fear. Magically ward a subject so that potential attackers must succeed at a Will saving throw to attack him. Guard your allegiance against attempts to ascertain it with divination magic.

Minor Effects: Magically lock a door or chest shut, adding a +10 to DCs to open it. Hide an object or creature from divination effects. Grant a subject immunity to one kind of normal attack. Ignore the first

10 points of damage from individual energy attacks of a particular type or absorb up to 12 points of damage per level from a particular type of energy attack. Cancel minor and trivial magical effects. Create a barrier that deals up to 4d6 points of damage to creatures that cross it. Grant subjects in an area +2 to DV and saving throws against a particular kind of creature, while protecting them from any mind-affecting powers. Transfer damage dealt to another creature to the magician.

Moderate Effects: Bar travel from or through the Astral Plane, including callings and summonings. Hide an entire area from divination effects. Keep one kind of creature from approaching a subject or push it away. Create traps on an object that can be opened, which deal up to 3d6 points of damage. Prevent trivial and minor magic effects from functioning, or cancel existing moderate, minor and trivial magical effects. Ignore the first 10 points of damage from all attacks. Grant a target immunity to a magic effect of a given discipline and scope. Break harmful magical effects upon a target, including curses, transformations and enticements. Send a creature back to its home plane, though the creature gains a +4 to its Will saving throw to resist the effect. Create a field that grants a +4 bonus to DV and saving throws against a specific kind of creature and which can be discharged to cancel a magic effect caused by that kind of creature. Allow a creature to move freely across magical effects that impede or slow movements and actions. Gain Magic Resistance equal to 10 + character level.

Major Effects: Negate magic effects in a small area. Prevent trivial, minor and moderate magic effects from functioning, or cancel existing major, moderate, minor and trivial magical effects. Keep creatures from approaching a subject. Reflect 1d4 magic effects of up to major scope back to their origin. Send a creature back to its home plane, with a normal saving throw for the creature.

Extreme Effects: Protect a subject from all mental magic as well as divination effects. Prevent trivial, minor, moderate and major magic effects from functioning, or cancel existing extreme, major, moderate, minor and trivial magical effects. Gain a +8 bonus to saving throws or opposed checks against all magic and psychic abilities. Entomb a creature, or liberate it from the same. Ruin occult items and conduits. Bestow three or more kinds of protection against a particular kind of creature. Repel a particular kind of matter.

TransformationTransformation effects change the properties of some creature, thing, or condition. These can range from simple increases in physical or mental prowess to the classical turning of people into frogs and the much sought-after transmutation of lead into gold.

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Trivial Effects: Move or animate small objects. Repair 1d8 points of damage to an object. Make minor repairs to an object. Open and close unlocked doors, chests and other objects with lids and doors. Increase or reduce the size of a person by 1d4+1 x 10%. Make a creature lighter so it can jump higher (+20 to Jump checks), fall slower (2d6 x10 feet without damage), run faster (+1d4 x10 feet in speed), or leave no trace of its passing, making it impossible to track. Make a weapon slightly magical with a +1 enhancement bonus. Make water holy or purify it along with food. Shape terrain wildly to create obstacles.

Minor Effects: Transform subject into creature of the same type or into mist. Repair 3d8 points of damage to an object. Shrink an object. Shape the form of wood. Gain a minor physical extraordinary ability, such as seeing in darkness or breathing water. Increase one ability score by +2 or grant 1 point of armour by toughening the skin. Open locked objects. Move a target up and down or gain the ability to fly. Move very briefly into the Ethereal or Astral Plane. Increase or decrease a target’s speed. Increase the effectiveness of a weapon or of armour, or grant a weapon a greater magical bonus or ability to deal energy damage. Increase or decrease the size or thickness of vegetation. Alter the temperature of an object. Sink into stone. Make the ground itself attack adversaries.

Moderate Effects: Transform subject into the form of any other living creature. Repair 5d8 hit points or 2d6 structure points of damage to an object. Alter the shape and properties of mud and rock. Increase the size of animals and vermin. Order plants around. Control the strength of wind. Transform raw materials into finished product. Rust metallic objects. Mimic telekinesis. Grant sentience to animals and plants. Allow creatures to reincarnate.

Major Effects: Raise or lower liquid levels and influence weather patterns. Repair 7d8 hit points or 3d6 structure points of damage to an object. Unravel the form of a creature or object. Transform creatures into non-living or etheric matter and back. Grant inanimate objects and plants a semblance of life and movement. Shape large quantities of stone. Affect gravity.

Extreme Effects: Transform anything into anything else. Repair 8 structure points of damage per level to an object. Travel in the Ethereal Plane. Stop time.

DescriptorsMany magical effects carry with them an automatic connection that describes their effect in a finer detail than their discipline and scope. This connection is expressed by a descriptor, which is a label that indicates the connection, along with what the ritual can affect and by what it can be affected.

Energy/Matter: Most invocation effects carry an automatic descriptor detailing the kind of element they are conjuring

from thin air, particularly damaging effects. Protection rituals also carry these descriptors when they are meant to protect against such an energy/matter type. An effect acquires one of these descriptors automatically when manipulating that kind of energy. ‘Force’ refers to an intangible and raw magical energy akin to the telekinesis psychic power. Sonic energy does not work in areas of silence and deaf creatures gain a +4 bonus to save against effects that employ it.Descriptors: Acid, Cold, Electrical, Fire, Force, Sonic.

Elemental Descriptors: When a ritual corresponds to or uses sympathy with one of the four elements, namely air, earth, fire and water, it acquires the appropriate descriptor. Effects can range from controlling winds, an air effect, to creating water from thin air, a water effect, to shaping the very ground into any particular form, an earth effect.Descriptors: Air, Earth, Fire, Water.

Philosophical Descriptors: These are very hard descriptors to adjudicate, as not even the magician may be aware that his magic has a particular leaning. Magic that affects members of a particular philosophical allegiance acquires a descriptor corresponding to the opposing allegiance. The most common applicable allegiances are Good and Evil, although occultists with an axe to grind against scientists may apply Progress or even The Scientific Method as a philosophical descriptor.Descriptors: Varies.

Necromantic Descriptors: Despite being most closely associated with necromantic magic, rituals that have a strong death or fear component may also belong to enticement or invocation. Death effects are those that fill a target with death energy, sucking away at its life and most probably killing them on the spot. Fear effects are merely those that create any degree of fear, from shaken to panicked.Descriptors: Death, Fear.

Enticement Descriptors: Likewise, characteristics most commonly found in enticement magic can also apply to other kinds. Language-dependent effects assume that either the target or the magician (or both) can understand what is being spoken. Unlike other descriptors, ‘language-dependent’ represents a restriction to an effect and lowers the Ritual check’s DC by -2. Mind-affecting magic is precisely that, and can only be resisted with Will saving throws. Psychics with the mind wall telepathic power apply their bonus to their saving throws against mind-affecting effects. All enticement magic is mind-affecting.Descriptors: Language-dependent, Mind-affecting.

Multiple EffectsA ritual normally has only one effect but a magician may combine the base effect with others by increasing the DC of the Ritual check. The magician selects which effect will be the core of the ritual and complements it with the additional effects.

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Additional EffectScopeTrivial Minor Moderate Major Extreme

Same discipline +2 +4 +6 +8 +10Different discipline +3 +6 +9 +12 +15

A magician may add one extra effect to a ritual per point in his key ability modifier. Additional effects may not be of a higher scope than the core effect. Also, the character must have at least 5 ranks in the extra effect’s appropriate Ritual skills in order to combine it with the core effect; he gains a +2 competence bonus for every extra Ritual skill in the effect for which he has 10 or more ranks.

Each additional effect increases the Ritual check’s DC according to its scope but leaves the saving throw DC untouched.

Additional effects must complement the core effect, rather than being consecutive actions. That is, a composite ritual cannot have a divination effect to find a creature and then an invocation to shower it with a rain of lightning. However, it can be a blessing that increases a target’s Strength with a transformation and his DV with a protection effect. As always, the Games Master is the final arbiter on whether any combination is possible.

For example: Heshia wants to perform a ritual that will allow her to explore the depths of a lake in search of a fabled elven treasure lost to her people for centuries. The watery depths are pitch black and Heshia, despite excellent elven sight, cannot see in utter darkness. Therefore, she wants to combine a divination effect that will project her senses into the deep water with a transformation effect that will grant her the extraordinary ability to see in utter darkness. Sense projection is a moderate divination effect, for a Ritual check of DC 20, while enhancing her sight is a minor transformation effect, with the DC modifier set at +6, as transformation is a different discipline from divination. The final Ritual Check DC for the ritual is thus 26.

Several years later, a more experienced Heshia wants to gain visions of the man she is hunting in her quest to find the true murderer of her family. She intends to relive the time of their deaths; while there, she plans to explore the thoughts of the slaughterers who were acting on the orders of the person she seeks. Seeing the recent past with some amount of detail is a moderate divination effect (DC 20) while skimming surface thoughts is a minor divination effect (+4 for being the same discipline) for a total DC of 24.

Step 2: SubjectEvery ritual aims to affect something or someone, be it a person, a creature, an object or a place. This is called a ‘subject’ and a character performing a ritual must define what the subject type for his ritual is before he makes the first preparations. Depending on the ritual’s scope, the magician will be able to affect more or larger subjects.

Many subject definitions are incompatible with the act of performing full rituals, so they are meant to be enchanted into conduits and magical items, from which the effect will burst forth.

Invocation effects that summon or call a creature have no subject other than the individual creature, which appears at any point within the effect’s reach.

Self: The subject of the magic ritual is the character performing it, so he stands in the centre of the ritual circle or activates the conduit upon himself.

Target: This refers to a person, creature or object that the ritual will affect. ‘Target’ must be specified precisely, such as ‘one animal’, ‘one weapon’, ‘an ally’, ‘a door’, and so forth. More powerful rituals are capable of affecting more than one target, also depending on the magician’s character level; for example, an 8th level character can affect four targets with a minor ritual, eight targets with a moderate ritual, 16 targets with a major ritual and 32 targets with an extreme ritual. All targets must be in the line of sight of the character and visible to him. Multiple targets must be within 30 feet of each other and inside the effect’s reach, for which see below.

Area/Volume: A ritual that intends to affect a location rather than a specific target has an area or volume. The magician determines whether the area is a circle or a square. It assumes the maximum dimension allowed for his level and the ritual’s scope, although he can make it smaller by half, decreasing the Ritual check’s DC by -2. If the magician wants to shape the area to forms other than a circle or a square, then the Ritual check’s DC increases by +4. The advantage of area effects is that they affect everything inside; the disadvantage is that the magician’s friends may be in there too. The area is measured from a point of origin and extends to all sides equally; this point of origin must fall inside the effect’s reach, which can be the magician himself.

Cone: A cone-shaped effect shoots away from the magician in a quarter-circle in the direction he designates and as far as the effect’s reach. Cone effects will not go around corners. This subject designation is most often reserved for conduits.

Ray: A magician aims a ray as if using a ranged weapon, with the Ritual check result acting as a ranged attack roll, although the target gains a +4 bonus to its DV and range penalties apply; see pg 171 for ranged combat rules. As with a ranged weapon, the magician can fire into the dark or at an invisible creature and simply hope to hit something, since the rules for cover and concealment

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Base Subject by Scope

Subject TypeScopeTrivial Minor Moderate Major Extreme

Self - - - - -Target 1 target 1 target/2 levels 1 target/level 2 targets/level 4 targets/levelArea/Volume (feet per side)

5 ft. 5 ft./2 levels 5 ft./level 10 ft./level 15 ft./level

Cone Per reachRay Per reach

Altering Subject by ScopeOriginal Scope

New ScopeTrivial Minor Moderate Major Extreme

Trivial +0 +3 +6 +9 +12Minor -2 +0 +3 +6 +9Moderate -4 -2 +0 +3 +6Major -6 -4 -2 +0 +3Extreme -8 -6 -4 -2 +0

function normally. If a ray effect has a duration, then it is the duration of the effect that the ray causes, not the length of time for which the ray itself persists. If a ray spell deals damage, the character can score a critical hit just as if it were a weapon. A damaging ray effect threatens a critical hit on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a successful critical hit.

The character may alter the Ritual check’s DC by broadening or narrowing the affected subject. He can use the subject designation for a lower or higher scope than the ritual he is performing.

For every scope by which the character reduces the subject designation, the Ritual Check DC decreases by -2. For every scope that the character augments the subject designation, the Ritual Check DC increases by +3. Use the following table for quick reference.

For example: As an 11th level character, Heshia performs a ritual for a major invocation effect (DC 24), which would allow her to affect 2 targets per level, or 22 targets. However, she only wishes to affect the band of half a dozen ruffians terrorising a group of elven refugees without affecting anything else. She reduces the target designation to that of a minor effect, which would allow her to target five out of the six ruffians (1 target per 2 levels, rounded down), reducing the ritual’s DC to 20, calculated as DC 24 minus 4 for two scopes in reduction.

Step 3: ReachAlong with a subject, the magician must take into consideration the distance that separates him from that which he wishes to affect. Each scope level has a base reach, and this is what magicians fiddle with most when performing a ritual. Even a long reach may be inappropriate for most rituals, given the time and preparation needed to perform one, so the shorter reaches

are reserved for enchanting effects inside conduits and occult items.

An effect’s reach is the maximum distance from the character at which it can occur, as well as the maximum distance at which the character can designate the effect’s point of origin. If any portion of the effect’s area would extend beyond this range, that area is wasted.

The reach determines the effect of cone and ray target definitions, defining how far they extend.

No Reach: The spell does not act upon a distance. Divination spells that extend through time and have to do with fate also have no physical reach but merely grant visions and information to the magician. Divination effects that are used to observe any location other than the character’s immediate vicinity do have a reach. Individual targets that stand at the centre of the ritual’s diagrams, circle or other tools also present have no reach either, since they stand at the epicentre of the magic’s origin. Even if conduits stand at the centre of the ritual, the magic they are being enchanted with is meant to act from the conduit outwards and must therefore have an appropriate range. Effects with a target definition of ‘self ’ automatically have no reach and do not benefit from a reduction of the reach designation in this step. Effects with no reach cannot be enchanted into a conduit.

Touch: The character must touch a creature or object to affect it, either with his hands after performing a ritual, or with an activated conduit, which cannot under any circumstances be thrown as a ranged weapon. A touch effect that deals damage can score a critical hit just as a weapon can, threatening a critical hit on a natural roll of 20 and dealing double damage on a successful critical hit. Some touch rituals allow the character to touch as many willing targets as he can reach as part of the effect but all targets of the ritual must be touched in the same

round in which the character finishes performing the ritual or activating the conduit.

Close: The spell reaches as far as 25 feet away from the character. The maximum range increases by 5 feet for every two full character levels.

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Altering Reach

ScopeReach

No Reach1 Touch Close Medium Long Extreme Unlimited2

Trivial -4 -2 +0 +2 +4 +6 +10Minor -4 -2 +0 +2 +4 +6 +10Moderate -6 -4 -2 +0 +2 +4 +8Major -8 -6 -4 -2 +0 +2 +6Extreme -10 -8 -6 -4 -2 +0 +4

1 Effects with a reach of ‘self ’ already have no reach and receive no benefit from reducing their reach at this stage.2 Divination and necromancy magic use the same connection modifiers to the Ritual check DC as the Clairsentience (scry) psychic power, for which see pg 274.

Medium: The spell reaches as far as 100 feet + 10 feet per character level.

Long: The spell reaches as far as 400 feet + 40 feet per character level.

Extreme: The spell reaches as far as 1 mile + 1 mile per character level.

Unlimited: The spell reaches anywhere on the same plane of existence.

The character may alter the Ritual check’s DC by lengthening or shortening the reach. He can use the subject designation for a lower or higher scope than the ritual he is performing. All rituals can be focused inward to have no reach, as their effect is focused in achieving something else and therefore provides no particular advantage to the ritual’s performance. Find the ritual’s scope and modify its DC by its reach.

For example: A priest is trying to fry Heshia, calling her an inhuman spawn of evil. The human priest is using his holy symbol, which he enchanted previously as a conduit for an invocation effect. The invocation effect the priest is using is of minor scope, dealing 4d6 points of damage with a DC of 16 to the Ritual check; since the priest is a careful man who does not wish to be too close to his targets, he created his ritual with a medium reach rather than a close one, increasing the Ritual Check DC by +2 to a total of 18.

Step 4: DurationThe duration of an effect is determined in a similar way to subject and reach, starting with the effect’s scope. The base duration of an effect is measured in a number of time units per the magician’s character level. A minor effect would last one round per character level, while an extreme effect would last one hour per character level. There are a number of ways by which a magician can alter the duration of a ritual’s effect to increase or decrease the Ritual check’s DC.

Instantaneous: The magic energy comes and goes the instant the effect takes place, though the consequences might be long lasting. All magic effects that deal damage have an instantaneous duration regardless of the scope, as

do those that heal damage or remove harmful effects and conditions. These cannot be made permanent under any circumstances. Making an effect have an instantaneous duration when it does not need to have one decreases the Ritual check’s DC by -4.

Unit Durations: The effect’s scope determines which time unit the effect uses to multiply it by the magician’s character level. The units are rounds, minutes, 10 minutes, hours, days and years. The character can will a ritual’s effect to stop at any time before its stated duration. The character can alter the duration of his ritual’s effect by increasing or decreasing the number of time units; for example, a 3rd level character can make his 3-round effect last 4 rounds or 2 rounds. He may also convert the time units to the next type in either direction; the 3 rounds may become 3 minutes, 30 minutes, 3 hours and so on.

Permanent: Once the effect starts, it does not stop until cancelled by the character who initiated it or by a magician proficient in protection magic.

Concentration: The effect lasts for as long as the character concentrates on it. Concentrating to maintain a magic effect is a standard action but anything that can break a character’s focus when performing a ritual or maintaining a psychic trance can also break his concentration while maintaining the effect, thus ending it. The character cannot activate a conduit or perform another ritual while concentrating on the effects of the first. Making an effect dependent upon concentration decreases the Ritual check’s DC by -4.

Altering DurationDuration Ritual DC modifierIncrease by 1 unit +1Decrease by 1 unit -1Convert to higher unit +4Convert to lower unit -4Make permanent +12Make instantaneous -4Concentration -4

ComponentsAs outlined before, a magician cannot work magic with knowledge alone. Magic requires ritual components to

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FociA focus is a special component that is not spent, but can be reused. A character may craft his own foci or purchase and dedicate them. A character can have many foci, although each particular focus only works for one Ritual skill and may not work with all the effects related to that skill.

A focus is useful to perform any ritual that has a Ritual check DC equal to the focus’ Purchase DC +5. It is, however, limited to effects of a single Ritual skill such as divination, enticement, necromancy and so on. The player consults with the Games Master regarding what would make a proper focus for the Ritual skill, such as a silver mirror for divination, the mummified remains of a long-dead sorcerer for necromancy or a ruby ring for invocation.

A focus does not grant any bonus for sympathetic connections and acts as a reusable set of generic ingredients, although the magician may add wondrous components to gain a bonus. Foci cannot be made into conduits.

Component Ritual DamageRitual DC EffectLess than 5 Character is fatigued6-10 Character suffers 1d6 points of non-lethal damage and is fatigued11-15 Character suffers 1d6+2 points of non-lethal damage and is exhausted16-20 Character suffers 3d6 points of non-lethal damage and is exhausted21-25 Character suffers 1d4 points of key ability damage and is fatigued26-30 Character gains 1 negative level31+ Character gains 1d4+1 negative levels

create a resonance and trigger the desired effect, or else it will begin to feed on the practitioner, which is not an altogether pleasant experience.

Before enacting a ritual, the magician must procure the correct ingredients. There are two ways he can go about this. He can either pay for generic but nonetheless useful components, or he may seek truly wondrous ones. The components the magician chooses must reflect his magic style; an arcane ritualist will purchase dusted gold to trace a magical diagram on a slab of marble instead of the exotic incense and offerings that a faith worker prefers, with neither of them looking to find the rare herbs or the skulls of exotic beasts that the animist knows work best for his style of magic.

Generic components have a Purchase DC equal to one third of the Ritual check’s DC. They are spent at the end of the ritual. Generic components do not provide any particular modifier.

Wondrous components are difficult to put a price to as they vary wildly in nature. The Games Master should determine the value of any particular component he introduces to the game or that the players think up, assigning it a bonus to Ritual checks ranging from +1 to +5, with a Purchase DC equal to the bonus multiplied by 5. Then again, the character may acquire such wondrous

components as a result of his own personal endeavours, following rumours and doing his own foraging, mining or hunting, in which case the component has no financial cost; the Games Master determines the bonus awarded by judging its quality as well as how closely it adheres to the Laws of Magic and the ritual the character wants to perform. All components are used up after a ritual, whether it was successful or not.

In an emergency, a character can dispense with components for a ritual but this has grave consequences for him. At the end of a successful ritual performed without components, the magician suffers automatic damage to his mind and body as the magic feeds from him to power its effects. He cannot save himself from this damage in any way, nor can he prevent it, as his connection to the ritual opens a direct way for magic to extract the resonance it needs from him. Consult the table for the effects depending on the ritual’s DC.

Step 5: ConditionsPerforming a magic ritual can be a very delicate operation; the slightest mistake can cause a drawback in the casting, while the direst can sap the magician’s mind and body, which is why most magicians seek to create the most favourable conditions for their rituals, while keeping a close watch on unfavourable ones.

Ritual CirclesA magician may gather a circle to help him perform complicated rituals, or even simple ones whose effects he wishes to broaden. A ritual circle can even include people without any occult understanding, so long as they can follow instructions. Each member of a circle provides a bonus to every Ritual check that he helps the magician perform but this bonus varies depending on the circle member’s connection to the occult.

Add up the character levels of all combined participants of each type, apply the bonus by dividing that total by the amount indicated in the Ritual Circle Bonuses table and drop any fractions. Any total of less than 1 does not grant a bonus. Multiclass characters count their various class levels separately. At the Games Master’s discretion, class levels that are not sufficient to generate a bonus level on their own may be added to the next lowest type of class levels in the circle. For example, a 4th level occultist (other) does not achieve a bonus on his own but his levels

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Ritual Circle BonusesParticipant Bonus…is an occultist (magician), same magic style

+1/3 level

…is an occultist (magician), different magic style

+1/4 level

…is an occultist (other)* +1/5 level…is not an occultist +1/10 level…has 5 or more ranks in the same Ritual skill

+2

…has 10 or more ranks in the same Ritual skill

+4

…has 15 or more ranks in the same Ritual skill

+6

…has 20 or more ranks in the same Ritual skill

+8

*Optional, see the following entries.

Places of Power

Power RatingBonus (nexus)

Bonus (ley line)

Psychic Sensitivity DC (nexus)

Psychic Sensitivity DC (ley line)

Weak +2 +1 15 20Minor +4 +2 14 18Moderate +6 +3 13 16Major +8 +4 12 14Overwhelming +10 +5 11 12

could be applied to the total non-occultist levels.

Should the ritual fail even despite the collective efforts, the leader of the circle suffers the brunt of the backlash effect (see below) as normal and the rest of the participants suffer as if the ritual had failed by one step lower in severity. This means that if a Ritual check fails by 5 or less, participants suffer no effect.

Places of PowerParticular places such as temples, groves, stone circles and ancient ritual sites become linked with power as magic gathers on them through years of witnessing magical rituals, or because they stand on top of a nexus or a ley line. For obvious reasons, powerful magicians have already claimed most of the nexuses, although there are still several unclaimed in the unexplored parts of the world, which is one reason why magicians join risky exploration expeditions. Ley lines are much more numerous and may be tapped at any point of their length, although a few roads and tracks built on top of them are restricted, all their power devoted to maintaining a particular magic effect or to fuelling advanced transport machinery.

A particular site has a power rating that ranges from weak to overwhelming, offering different bonuses to Ritual checks performed on top of them. These bonuses are added on top of any generated by other conditions such as a ritual circle.

The Games Master may rule that the bonus from a particular site is only available to occultists who meet certain prerequisites, such as some places being particularly attuned to arcane ritualism rather than faith working rituals. A Games Master can define the access limits to places of power by class, race, allegiance, magic style or nearly any other criteria. Such limitations not only give a certain personality to the place, they also limit its usefulness. Places of power from which any occultist can draw are likely to be highly prized and sought after, with most of them already under the control of groups of casters. Places of power may also only affect certain types of rituals, such as divination, necromancy and such like.

Places of power are not always clearly marked on maps and many may have been forgotten by history. Psychics are ideally suited to find places of power, while magicians need to perform divination magic to try to find one. As nexuses and ley lines resonate with power, they are much easier to detect than other targets of divination. Psychics can feel the presence of such sites with the psychic sensitivity basic power using the DC listed in the table below. Other psychic powers as well as divination magic used to locate a place of power have a bonus to their Psychic Control or Ritual (divination) checks equal to half the bonus the place grants to magic rituals.

Rushing a RitualThe steps of a ritual each have their own pace and placement but a character may attempt to cut corners and skip a few of the less essential steps in order to have the effect ready in less time. This puts a greater strain on both the magician and the ritual itself, as the components are being asked to yield their power more rapidly. The Ritual check suffers a -2 circumstance penalty per minute that is cut from each interval between Ritual checks, although the magician may not reduce the casting time to less than one minute in total.

For example: Heshia is in a hurry to complete a ritual that would normally take hours. She cuts five minutes from each Ritual check, suffering a -10 penalty, reckoned as -2 multiplied by 5 minutes. Succeeding by the barest of margins, Heshia realises she is making good time and can afford to relax her concentration. She decides not to cut time from the last two checks, which will now take 10 minutes each but carry no penalty for rushing.

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Laws of MagicIf a character takes pains to conform to the Laws of Magic with his ritual work, he can find magic performing more than satisfactorily, making its power more potent and harder to resist.

To take advantage of the Law of Sympathy, the magician must procure some piece of material that obeys its tenets, in addition to the normal components. An object following the Law of Similarity could be a portrait, a lithograph, a photograph, a doll fashioned after a target, a scale model of a location or some similar item. An object following the Law of Contiguity would be a piece of clothing from a target person, a handful of dirt from a target place, a mechanical part from a target machine and so forth. Objects following the Law of Antipathy must show some opposition to the target of the ritual. Objects conforming to the Law of Sympathy increase an effect’s saving throw DC by +2, following which their sympathy quotient is used up, although the object is not destroyed.

The character obeys the Law of Equity by using components, be they generic or wondrous, as well as foci.

A magic effect abides by the Law of Consequence by posing the danger of backlash.

The Law of Geasa is hard to implement into a ritual but clever magicians may learn of oaths taken by their target and fashion their magic effect to mimic oaths taken, so as to force the target to fall victim to the effect. The Games Master is the final arbiter of whether an effect follows the terms of an oath taken by the target and awards a bonus to the effect’s saving throw DC of +1 to +5, depending on how well the magician integrates his effect with the target’s oath.

As all magic has a resonance, other magic may be used to target it more efficiently. If the magician knows that his target is under a magic effect and has already identified its aura strength and discipline, he can increase his own ritual’s saving throw DC depending on the target effect’s aura strength.

Target Scope Save DC modifierTrivial +0Minor +1Moderate +1Major +2Extreme +2

Step 6: Ritual ChecksOnce all the parameters of the ritual’s effect are set and all preparations complete, the character finally starts the process of making a series of Ritual checks using the Ritual skill bonus for the appropriate effect.

Casting TimePerforming a ritual takes time, with each complication adding to the total duration of the ritual. A magic ritual’s casting time is the amount of time that the character must spend in tracing diagrams, preparing components, chanting, reciting mantras, drumming or using whatever other methods his particular magic style dictates. More powerful rituals need more time to prepare and perform and rushing things is a bad idea. The total casting time for a magic ritual depends very much on the talents of the magician; they are usually long and drawn-out affairs and may exhaust a practitioner before he even gets halfway through the process.

All magic rituals have a target number equal to their DC multiplied by 10. When a character makes a Ritual check, he notes his total result if the check succeeds. He makes subsequent checks at the same DC, adding all results together until the sum is equal to the target number. Each Ritual check represents 10 minutes, so the higher the results he achieves with his checks, the sooner he reaches the ritual’s target number and the less time it takes to complete the ritual.

If the ritual’s total time is over an hour, the character must make a Concentration check at DC 10 in addition to the Ritual check for every 10 minutes over the hour. The Concentration check’s DC increases by +1 with each consecutive successful check. A failed Concentration check means that the ritual fails because the magician realises he is too tired to continue, cancelling the ritual on his own without risking backlash. The components are still lost.

For example: Heshia wants to perform an invocation ritual with a DC 16, which thus has a target number of 16 times 10, for a total of 160. Her first Ritual (invocation) check equals 20, a clear success, so her Player writes down this number. Heshia has now been performing the ritual for 10 minutes. She makes a second check against the same DC and succeeds again. She now adds the second result to the first. Heshia makes another check once every 10 minutes until her total result is equal to or more than 160.

The magician must not interrupt the casting for any reason. If he is interrupted for more than five minutes per point of key ability modifier, which is Intelligence for arcanists, Wisdom for faith workers and Charisma for animists, then the ritual fails and all previous results go to waste.

BacklashSo long as the magician keeps succeeding at the Ritual checks, he continues to perform the necessary steps towards success. Failure may, however, stem from other quarters than just a simple interruption. Failing the check by different amounts has different consequences, see the Backlash Effects Table on page 294.

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Backlash EffectsRitual check fails Effect… by up to 5 points Deduct 5 from check running total.… by 6-10 points 1d4 damage to key ability, deduct 10 from check running total, Concentration check

(DC 15) or ritual fails.… by 11 or more points 1d6 damage to key ability, ritual fails.... and the die shows a natural 1

1d6 damage to key ability, gain 1 negative level (DC 12 to remove), ritual fails, character may not perform any magic ritual nor activate any conduit until all ability damage is healed. There is a 50% chance that the effect backfires and affects the character negatively.

Saving ThrowsEvery victim of harmful or detrimental magic has a chance to resist its effects. The victim makes a Fortitude saving throw if the effect would target his body directly, a Reflex saving throw when the effect has a physical component that he could avoid with quick reactions and a Will saving throw if the effect targets his mind and perceptions. The ritual’s saving throw DC is fixed depending on the original scope of the ritual. The magician also adds his key ability modifier (Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma) to this base number, along with any modifier granted by feats, adherence to the Laws of Magic or other circumstances. See the Magic Ritual section for the base DCs.

Willing targets may forfeit their saving throws, such as when receiving beneficial magic effects.

Sample RitualsThese are a few examples of the kinds of effects of which a magician can be capable when using ritual magic.

Dark DemiseDiscipline(s) and Scope: Extreme necromancyRitual Check DC: 26Components DC: 8Subject: Area 15 ft./level per sideReach: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)Duration: InstantaneousEffect: All creatures inside the area suffer 1d6 points of damage per character level from a blast of death energies.Game Mechanics: An extreme necromancy effect (DC 28) with a base subject of a 15 feet per level per side area (unmodified) with an extreme range reduced to long (-2) and, since it is an effect that deals damage, a base duration of instantaneous.

Distant DeductionDiscipline(s) and Scope: Trivial divinationRitual Check DC: 12Components DC: 4Subject: 1 personReach: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)Duration: InstantaneousEffect: The character is able to discern the profession of an observed person with a feat of magical deduction.Game Mechanics: A trivial divination effect (DC 12) with a base subject of 1 target (unmodified) with a close

range augmented to long (+4) and a base duration of 1 round per level reduced to an instantaneous flash of insight (-4).

EspionageDiscipline(s) and Scope: Minor divinationRitual Check DC: 29Components DC: 9Subject: Area 5 ft./level Reach: Extreme (1 mile + 1 mile/level)Duration: 1 minute per levelEffect: For a few minutes, the character Game Mechanics: A minor divination effect (DC 16) with a base subject of an area 5 ft. per two levels per side, augmented to 5 ft. per level per side (+3), with a close range augmented to extreme (+6) and a base duration of 1 round per level increased to 1 minute per level (+4). If the character only wishes a brief glimpse of the area, he can leave the duration unmodified for a DC of 25, and he may use an object from the area to create a sympathetic connection for a bonus to the Ritual (divination) check.

Eternal EngineDiscipline(s) and Scope: Trivial invocation (descriptor varies)Ritual Check DC: 22Components DC: 7Subject: 1 machineReach: TouchDuration: PermanentEffect: The magician makes an engine he touches have an eternal store of fuel, whether it runs on voltaic batteries, steam power or even fossil fuels. The effect acquires the appropriate descriptor if using an energy type.Game Mechanics: A trivial invocation effect (DC 12) with a base subject of 1 target (unmodified) with a close range reduced to touch (-2) and a base duration of 1 round made permanent (+12).

Etheric WardDiscipline(s) and Scope: Moderate protection, combinedRitual Check DC: 26Components DC: 8Subject: Area 5 ft./level per sideReach: No reachDuration: 2 hours + 1 hour/level

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Effect: The character creates a barrier around him that no ghost can penetrate either by walking, or by travelling through the Ethereal or even the Astral Plane. If a ghost is present at the moment of the ritual’s or conduit’s activation, it is pushed away to the edge of the effect.Game Mechanics: A multiple effect, the core is a moderate protection effect (DC 20) combined with a second moderate effect of the same discipline (+6) with a base subject of an area 5 ft./level per side (unmodified), with a medium range to no reach (-6) and a base duration of 1 minute per level augmented to 1 hour per level (+4) and two additional hours (+2).

Flamebane SphereDiscipline(s) and Scope: Minor protection (fire)Ritual Check DC: 16Components DC: 5Subject: 1 targetReach: TouchDuration: 1 minute per levelEffect: The character can envelop a target he touches with a field that absorbs all damage from fire, until it has absorbed 12 hit points per character level, or the duration expires.Game Mechanics: A minor protection effect (DC 16) with a base subject of 1 target per 2 levels reduced to 1 target (-2) with a close range reduced to touch (-2) and a base duration of 1 round per level augmented to 1 minute per level (+4).

Healing BrothDiscipline(s) and Scope: Minor transformation and trivial invocationRitual Check DC: 21Components DC: 7Subject: 1 bowl/2 levelsReach: TouchDuration: 1 minute per levelEffect: Grant 1 bowl of soup per two character levels the ability to cure 1d8 points of damage to any who imbibes it.Game Mechanics: This is a multiple effect; the core effect is a minor transformation (DC 16) that grants a special characteristic to a target. Since the healing characteristic is the purview of invocation, the ritual must have multiple effects. A trivial invocation effect to cure 1d8 points of damage raises the DC by +3 (a trivial effect of a different discipline), and the character must have at least 5 ranks in Ritual (invocation) to weave the effect in the transformation. Minor effects have a base subject of 1 target per 2 levels, a base close reach and a base duration of 1 round per level, so raising the duration so that the effect lasts longer increases the DC by +4, and lowering the

reach to touch decreases it by -2. The character could alter the target so that it only affected a single bowl of soup, reducing the DC by -2.

Magical MaintenanceDiscipline(s) and Scope: Moderate transformationRitual Check DC: 12Components DC: 4Subject: 1 vehicleReach: TouchDuration: InstantaneousEffect: The character touches a vehicle (or kicks it, as is more common) and repairs 2d6 points of structure damage it received.Game Mechanics: A moderate transformation (DC 20) with a base subject of 1 target per level reduced to just 1 target (-4) and a base medium reach reduced to touch (-4).

Major RefuellingDiscipline(s) and Scope: Major invocation (electrical)Ritual Check DC: 14Components DC: 4Subject: 1 machine powered by electrical batteriesReach: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)Duration: Instantaneous

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Using OGL SpellsMany fantasy Open Game Licence products use an individual spell system for their magic-using characters, divided into nine levels of powers. Players and Games Masters can adapt the spells from those products into OGL Steampunk rituals easily with the following guidelines:

Caster Level: Treat as character level. If the spell description specifies that this only acts upon levels of a magic-using class, consider it to be occultist levels.Spell Name: Use it as the name for the ritual.School (type): Adapt the spell’s school and type into their corresponding disciplines and sub-disciplines as follows;

School/type DisciplineAbjuration ProtectionConjuration (types unchanged)

Invocation

Divination DivinationEnchantment Enticement Charm Charm Compulsion ManipulationEvocation InvocationIllusion Enticement Figment Fabrication Glamer Fabrication Pattern Pattern Phantasm Manipulation Shadow NoneNecromancy NecromancyTransmutation Transformation

Descriptor: Unchanged, convert alignment descriptors into allegiance.

Level: Convert into scope as indicated in the following table. There are no limitations on what character class can perform which ritual in OGL Steampunk, but if the Games Master wants to impose limitations, the bard, wizard and sorcerer classes are arcane ritualists, the cleric and paladin classes are faith workers and the druid and ranger classes are animists.

Spell level Scope Ritual Check DC0-1st Trivial 122nd-3rd Minor 164th-5th Moderate 206th-7th Major 248th-9th Extreme 28

Components: Ignore these and use the components’ and exotic components’ Purchase DC.Casting Time: Ignore this and use the ritual’s formula to calculate casting time in both ritual and conduit versions.Range: Leave unchanged; this is equivalent to the reach, but consider the parameters to be already adjusted for the Ritual check’s DC from the spell level phase.Target, Effect, Area: Leave unchanged as above; this is equivalent to the subject.Duration: Leave unchanged as above.Saving Throw: Use only the pointed on which kind of save it is, otherwise, all rituals allow saving throws.Spell Resistance: Ignore this; creatures gain a Magic Resistance score instead and it always applies.

Effect: The character points at a machine within range and replenishes 12d6 electrical charges to its batteries.Game Mechanics: A major invocation effect (DC 24) with a base subject of 2 targets per level reduced to just 1 target (-6) with a base long range (unmodified) and a base duration of 10 minutes per level reduced to an instantaneous refuelling (-4).

Mummified ServitorDiscipline(s) and Scope: Major necromancy, combinedRitual Check DC: 24Components DC: 8Subject: 1 corpseReach: No reachDuration: PermanentEffect: Animates a corpse inside the ritual’s diagram into a mummy that automatically obeys its creator.Game Mechanics: A combined necromancy effect, this has a core major necromancy effect (DC 24) and also a major necromancy secondary effect (+8). It normally has a base subject of 2 targets per level, but the particular effect ignores this. It has a base long reach reduced to no

reach (-8) and a base duration of 10 minutes per level, also ignored by the particular effect.

Pat on the ShoulderDiscipline(s) and Scope: Minor enticement (language-dependent, mind-affecting)Ritual Check DC: 18Components DC: 6Subject: 1 target/2 levelsReach: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)Duration: 1 minute/levelEffect: The character walks amongst a staff of assistants, giving a speech that praises their hard work and granting them a +2 morale bonus to their Craft checks. The staff must understand the language the character speaks.Game Mechanics: A minor enticement effect (DC 16) with a base subject of 1 target per 2 levels (unmodified) with a close reach (unmodified) and a base duration of 1 round per level augmented to 1 minute per level (+4). The effect is language-dependent (-2).

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or marks the item with the diagrams and symbols that the conduit needs to store and channel magical effects. The character determines the maximum power capacity of his conduit, which is the highest scope of an effect that the item can store. Trivial conduits cannot store minor effects and above; extreme conduits can store any effect.

In order to craft a conduit of adequate power, a character must be of a minimum character level and spend a number of experience points upon creating the conduit, as indicated on the table below.

Conduit Creation

PowerExperience Points

Minimum Character Level

Trivial 200 1stMinor 600 3rdModerate 1,200 6thMajor 1,800 9thExtreme 2,400 12th

While the conduit is bound to the magician, the reverse is not true. A character will not suffer any ill effect from the loss or destruction of a conduit save being deprived of a handy tool for working magic. A character can have more than one conduit at any time, enchant them with different effects and carry them around, although this has its dangers; see below in Activating a Conduit.

Enchanting a ConduitEnchanting magical effects into conduits has the same process as any magical ritual, except that the conduit stands at the centre of the ritual’s circle and the effect does not manifest as normal at the ritual’s end. Instead, it is channelled into the conduit, which is why certain effects are designed with touch, close, medium and sometimes long reaches, as they are meant to be used from conduits, not from the character’s ritual circle.

Once enchanted into a conduit, a magic effect’s parameters are set; upon activation, the magician may choose a subject that is valid for the effect (an effect designed to affect machines will not affect plants, for example) but he cannot change the reach or duration, much less the scope. The Ritual Check DC for the effect in the conduit is the same for the original ritual.

Any character can enchant a maximum number of effects into a conduit equal to one-fourth of its character level, rounded up. Characters from the occultist (magician) class add their key ability modifier (Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma) to this limit and their ability to maintain effects inside a conduit grows much faster than that of ordinary characters who dabble in the magic arts.

The character can remove an effect from the conduit simply by willing it and replace it with another effect by performing the corresponding ritual.

Projection of SelfDiscipline(s) and Scope: Major enticement (mind-affecting)Ritual Check DC: 23Components DC: 7Subject: 5 ft.Reach: Extreme (1 mile + 1 mile/level)Duration: 30 minutes + 10 minutes/levelEffect: The character creates an illusory double of himself to confuse enemies, lead others into unsafe areas, or generally draw trouble away from the caster.Game Mechanics: A major enticement effect (DC 24) with a base subject of 10 feet per level per side reduced to 5 feet (-6) with a long reach augmented to extreme (+2) and a base duration of 10 minutes per level increased by 30 additional minutes (+3).

ConduitsPerforming rituals requires time and preparation, which are not always readily available to characters wishing to enact them. However, just as technology gives science a way to manifest in the hands of users, magic also has tools available so that practitioners can manifest their power freely. Conduits are specially prepared items that store the power and effect of a ritual so that its creator can manifest it at will, without the need for costly components.

Despite what many dabblers in the occult affirm, an item’s cost and quality bear little relevance to their adequacy as conduits; what is important is that a practitioner of the magic arts devotes part of his very being to the crafting of his tool. The character can make almost anything into a conduit. This reflects his personality as well as his style of magic. The arcane ritualist’s most common choice is the staff or cane topped with a motif evocative of the occult, such as a crystal sphere or a dragon’s head. Faith workers invariably use the symbols of their worship as conduits, while animists prefer to use quaint tools that would please the spirits they hear.

Regardless of its form, it is hard to disguise a conduit as something other than a channel for magic energies, for it is covered by magical markings and exudes a faint aura of power, recognisable by any psychic power or divination effect. It also becomes enveloped in oddly coloured heatless flame when it is actively manifesting a power stored therein.

Creating a ConduitTo create a conduit, a character must first select its physical form. It can be anything from a piece of jewellery to a working tool or even a weapon, although it is sometimes unwise to make weapons into conduits, as the magician might be separated from his tool in places where bearing arms is prohibited.

The ritual to consecrate a conduit is very simple and takes only 10 minutes, during which the character carves, paints

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Pain raced along her side as the slashing impact of an orc’s sword cut through her armour and into her flesh. It was a shallow wound but she knew it would bleed profusely. Her mental powers were still in effect; she could already feel her vessels closing off, limiting the loss of blood from the injury. She answered with a slash of her own, Jerrek’s dropped sword serving her well as she took her attacker’s tusked jaw clean off with a powerful double-handed stroke. It died in twitching agony as she tried to scramble back into cover.

Nearby, she could see Jerrek fighting over Thurdin’s fallen form. The dwarf was still alive but he was prone in a pool of crimson. She had seen the shot that dropped him and if she could reach him quickly, she might be able to save him. Otherwise, he would bleed out from the wound in his gut. Had the shot been higher, the tough old dwarf would already be dead. Jerrek was faring little better but his endurance was serving him well again. Bleeding from a dozen cuts and gunshot wounds, the human was still fighting, refusing to go down. Her eyes lingered on his grim and determined face, admiring him more with each passing moment.

It was almost a moment too long. An orc slammed into her side, knocking her down to the broken stone at its heavy iron-booted feet. ‘You die now, elf!’ it grunted in a broken mockery of Elvish. She spat up into its twisted face and pulled both her guns at the same time. Her fingers squeezed the triggers and the pistol’s hammers fell in unison, clicking loudly as they slammed into empty chambers.

The orc snorted in derision. ‘Your guns are empty, just like your skull!’ It pulled back its iron shard-studded war club to bring down on her head but the blow never landed. Just as the orc started to swing, a pulse of burning light leapt out of both pistols and ripped through its chest. Firing her guns when they were unloaded had activated the magic she had placed in them a long time ago. Magic-workers called the process ‘enchanting a conduit’. Right now, she called it ‘last ditch life saver’.

As the dead orc fell, its torso still blazing from the twin rays of fire that had burned through it, Heshia was already on her feet and diving behind the overturned column Jerrek was using for cover. She rushed to Thurdin’s side and put a hand on his chest but his heartbeat was too faint for her to feel.

The dwarf looked up at her, blood trickling from the corners of his mouth. ‘You did good, lass, getting me here in one piece, but I think this is where I check out. It was a glorious… fight…’

Activating a ConduitThe real benefit of crafting conduits is apparent when it is time to use them. To activate an effect enchanted inside a conduit, the character simply grasps it and concentrates, calling the effect forth.

The character makes an activation check, which is 1d20 plus the character’s level, with a target number equal to the effect’s Ritual Check DC. Again, dedicated magicians are better at using conduits and characters from the occultist (magician) class add their key ability modifier (Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma) to this check. Activating a conduit entails speaking the ritual’s basic incantations and tracing the ritual’s symbols in the air with the conduit or a part thereof, so a muted, gagged or immobilised character cannot activate a conduit.

The activation check takes a standard action. If the check result does not equal the effect’s Ritual Check DC, it is not considered a failure; the character makes consecutive activation checks on the following rounds, adding the result to the ones from previous attempts until the sum equals or exceeds the effect’s Ritual Check DC, at which moment the conduit activates and unleashes the effect.

Rolling a 1 in any of the checks causes an automatic failure of the activation and the character must make a Fortitude saving throw at DC 15 or suffer 1d6 points of non-lethal damage.

If the character is distracted during the conduit’s activation, he must roll a Concentration check; see the Concentration skill description on pg. 74 for DCs. Failure indicates that he loses his mental focus and cannot activate the conduit correctly, losing all accumulated activation check results.

The character does not need any components other than the conduit itself, as the ritual that enchants the effect into the conduit has already provided the necessary components. The character can still benefit from using materials with a sympathy resonance, from activating the conduit atop a nexus or ley line, or from other conditions that provide bonuses to the Ritual check, rather than modifying its Difficulty Class.

The desired effect takes place as it was enchanted by the ritual, with its effect, subject, reach and duration unchanged, although some metamagic feats may help the character alter the effect’s parameters upon activation, without changing the original effect stored in the conduit.

Only the conduit’s creator can activate it, as it is his own power and knowledge as a magician that becomes intertwined with the vessel at the moment of creating and enchanting the conduit. For any other character, the conduit is nothing more than a mundane item; beautiful, perhaps, but still useless.

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‘Hells, no!’ she shouted and poured as much healing magic as she could muster into his body. ‘You are not dying on me, you insufferable bastard! We need you!’ The power flared along her hands and flooded like a heavy torrent into his chest wound but she could tell there was nothing for it to do. It could not heal him fast enough. The dwarf was slipping away.

Thurdin glanced to Jerrek, who was still fighting to hold back the flood of green around the column. ‘It’s okay, elf. We… we worked it all out. You keep him safe, you… hear? He’s a good… good lad.’ Then Thurdin’s eyes closed and the light around Heshia’s hands faded. There was no life to sustain within him. The dwarf ’s soul was free from the pain of this world.

Then she saw Jerrek fall and whirled around to see Gearbolt standing over him with blood on its metal fist.

‘What…’ she began, uncomprehending, as the cog turned from Jerrek to her. She tried to bring up an arm to ward off its next blow but she was too tired to react in time. A pulse of electricity shot through her and drove her into the pitch black of unconsciousness.

‘No,’ she whispered, as darkness fell all around.

She dimly regained consciousness several times, each time lapsing back into the shadows after a few moments. She could feel her body being dragged somewhere. The darkest parts of her mind imagined that the orcs had gotten ahold of her and were taking her to the kitchens for their nightly feast. She knew from past experience that the bestial race enjoyed dining on elf flesh when they could get it, having rescued several of her people from their larders in the past. The bitter irony of becoming a meal herself turned her stomach almost as much as Gearbolt’s betrayal.

She only regretted not having had the chance to tear the metal man’s head off herself before dying. She had never trusted cogs, as the humans and gnomes called them. The steel clad bastard had obviously decided to turn on them because the odds were in the orcs’ favour. That was the problem with creatures of logic; how could they fail to act logically? The battle was all but lost, so the automaton must have decided to try and switch sides to preserve its own existence.

So, she and Jerrek must be gifts for the orcs, then, to prove the cog’s loyalty. The mission was over. If she ever regained consciousness, it would be to watch the orcs kill her slowly. She felt an ache in her heart for Jerrek; the human had deserved better than this. She wished she could see him just one more time, just long enough to tell him what she felt. She had buried so much for so long, she hoped she would at least get to tell Jerrek the wonder he had achieved. They might have failed in their mission to destroy the factory but the human had accomplished something so much less possible.

The world lurched around her but she was not sure if she was asleep, awake, or perhaps already dead. A pain flashed through her back, but it did not hurt for long. Everything was dark again and her limbs were turning cold. Perhaps this was death after all; an oblivion that would soon claim her senses and let her drift into a blissful void…

A year ago, she would have welcomed it. She had been a wanderer then, with nothing but vengeance to live for and nothing more important than the hunt keeping her going. She would not have fought very hard to survive back then but no matter how severe the risks she had taken, she had always come back from them alive. Now she had something to live for, someone to be with, and she did not want to let that go.

Damn it! Was this all there was to life? Just a brief flash of pain, followed by the echoes of cruel gods’ laughter at the final joke of your demise? Well, frag that! Heshia was not content to let that be the end of everything. If she was fated to end up on an orc’s dinner plate, she would choke him on the way down. This was not over! Not by a long shot!

Then a clap of thunder somewhere nearby deafened her and the darkness grew darker still. Anger faded in the face of deeper unconsciousness. Heshia wanted to live but life would have to wait. Sleep came now, deep, forceful, and impossible to deny.

It was a long time before Heshia regained consciousness. When she did, she was lying face up on the stone landing of the sewer passage from before. Above her, there was a dimly lit hole leading into darkness. She was covered with a thick cloak and a bedroll was tucked under her head.

Sitting up cautiously, she felt her body rebel against the action but she forced herself to do it anyway. Her wounds had been bound, though it was not a very careful job. Still, the wrapping had probably kept her from bleeding to death, so she really could not complain.

Though Heshia was alone in the hole, she could hear something moving above her in the factory chamber. She knew it would not be easy but she had to stand. Grabbing the nearby ladder rung, Heshia lifted herself up off the ground

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and stood there for a while regaining her strength. Once she knew her legs would support her, she started climbing the passage cautiously.

Heshia was not sure what she expected to find when she cleared the entrance to the tunnel but she was certainly not prepared for the sight that awaited her. Jerrek was there, covered in crudely applied bandages of his own, standing next to a pile of twisted metal parts. Past him, the entire centre of the chamber was filled with rock and rubble. The support column was gone, blasted into a thousand pieces and buried under the rubble of what she assumed to be the factory from above their heads. It was over. Somehow, Jerrek had managed to succeed in their mission.

Then her vision cleared a little more and she saw what the junk at Jerrek’s feet was. The broken pile was unmistakable; Gearbolt’s chassis and head and several pieces of its limbs were lying there, covered in burn marks and battered nearly beyond recognition. She was elated that Jerrek had gotten revenge for them both. Still, something did not feel right about all this.

‘You’re awake,’ Jerrek’s weary voice filled what was left of the chamber. As he spoke, an almost invisible, obviously exhausted Gailion drifted close, carrying another piece of the cog to add to the pile. ‘I… I was afraid you wouldn’t make it. I am sorry if I didn’t do a very good job with your wounds.’ There was so little emotion in Jerrek’s voice that it sent a chill down Heshia’s spine.

‘What happened here?’ she asked quietly. ‘Jerrek, what is going on?’

The human sat down. He was pale from blood loss and trembling slightly from fatigue. ‘When Gearbolt hit me, he only stunned me. I wasn’t unconscious when he dragged us into the hole. I…’ Jerrek’s voice trailed off for a moment as Gailion brought another piece of the automaton from somewhere deep in the ruined cavern. ‘It took me a few seconds to come to my senses and climb back up. When I did, I saw the cog with the bomb attached to him. When Thurdin fixed him that last time,’ Jerrek’s voice dropped to an almost inaudible whisper, ‘they must have rigged the bomb to use him as a power boost or something.’

Heshia bitterly choked back a sob. She took back all the horrible things she had thought, the curses she had flung at the metal man. It… he had not been a traitor after all, but a martyr. Gearbolt had given his life, mechanical though he might have been, to save them both and Thurdin had been part of the plan. Bless them. Bless them both.

‘I couldn’t move to stop him. Someone held me back.’ Jerrek’s glance shifted to Gailion, who avoided his look and headed back into the shattered cave to search mutely for more parts. ‘I watched Gearbolt walk through a rain of fire. I… I watched him get ripped apart plate by plate but he kept going. He walked up to the column and blew up. The force threw me back into the hole. I… I think I landed on you.’ Then, almost incredulously, Jerrek said, ‘Sorry about that.’

Heshia came up out of the sewer passage and sat down next to her human. ‘Don’t be. I am just glad you are alive. We, I mean. I am glad we are alive.’ She slipped her hand into his, alarmed at how cold it felt but glad to feel it close around hers. ‘They sacrificed themselves for us, Jerrek. We owe it to their memory to live through this now. Do you have a plan for getting us out of here?’

Jerrek turned to the beautiful elven woman, his eyes heavy with the soul-weariness of his wounds and the trauma of the day. ‘No, I don’t. I’m sorry…’

She slipped her arm around his shoulders. ‘Don’t be, Jerrek. You are exhausted. We both are. I am sure we’ll find a way out. You will. You will find a way out of here. I believe in you.’ In her heart, no truer words could be spoken. That was it. She could feel again, and this human had, without meaning to, restored her faith in life. She wanted to shout for joy, but the utter sorrow on Jerrek’s face brought her back down. As Gailion approached empty-handed, she asked her human softly, ‘What is troubling you, Jerrek? Why are you so shadowed?’

Jerrek shook his head. ‘They died for us, Heshia.’ He looked up at Gailion, obviously seeing his friend’s ghost as another sacrifice for his own safety. ‘Not for the mission, for us. How… how can we even begin to honour them all for something like that?’

Heshia leaned forward and kissed him . This one was much softer, but it held infinitely more promise than the last time their lips had touched. ‘By naming our children after them, of course. Do you think Gearbolt is a better name for a girl or a boy?’

The entire chamber echoed with the ghostly laughter of a spectral lion as Jerrek, finally suffering one shock too many, passed out cold…

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IndexIndexaAbilities 7

Generating Ability Scores 7Ability Modifi ers 8

Ability Checks 70Ability Score Loss 212Acid 200Acquiring Skill Ranks 69Acquiring Speciality Ranks 69Actions 166Actions in Combat 174Action Points 31Action Types 167Adapting Items 261Adventurer 32

Adventurer Vocations 34Adventuring 200Adventuring Gear 154Agile Riposte 105Aiding Another 71Allegiance 25

Allegiances and Infl uence 26Pledging Allegiance 25

Alternate Form Tree 122Amazing Health Tree 123Amazing Machines 227Amazing Machine Construction Concepts 229Animal Senses Tree 123An Example of Amazing Machine Construction 231Armour and Protection 150Armour Descriptions 151Armour for Unusual Creatures 153Armour Profi ciency (Heavy) 106Armour Profi ciency (Light) 106Armour Profi ciency (Medium) 106Astral and Ethereal Planes, the 263Attack an Object 185Attack Roll 171Automata 231Awarding Experience Points 221

bBackground Points 10Balance 72Base Attack Bonus 29Base Attributes and Options 231Base Saving Throw Bonuses 29Blind-Fight 106Blindsight and Blindsense 213Bluff 73

Bottled Lightning 224Breath Weapon 213Brew Potion 118Broad Psychic Attention 106Build Structures 119Build Vehicles 119

cCarrying Capacity 200Challenges 170Challenge Rating (CR) 170Character Creation Summary 7Charm and Compulsion 213Checks without Rolls 71Clairsentience 116Class and Level Bonuses 28Class Features 30

Feats 31Talents and Traits 30

Cleave 106Climb 74Clothing 158Cold and Fire Immunity 214Combat 170Combat Concentration 106Combat Expertise 106Combat Modifi ers 177Composition of the World, The 225Concentration 75Conditions 210Conduits 297

Activating a Conduit 298Creating a Conduit 297Enchanting a Conduit 297

Construction Begins! 258Cost and Occult Items 119Cost Calculations 258Craft 75Craft (chemical) 76Craft (expression) 78Craft (mechanical) 77Craft (structural) 77Craft Automata 119Craft Conduit 119Craft Equipment 120Craft Magic Arms and Armour 120Craft Personal Weapons 120Craft Vehicle and Artillery Weapons 121Craft Wondrous Item 121

dDamage 172Damage Reduction 214Darkness and Light 202Darkvision 215Dead Aim 106Decipher Script 80Defence Value 171Defi ciencies 254Derived Values 258Designing a Trap 197Diehard 106Diffi culty Class 69Diplomacy 80Disable Device 81Disease 202Disease and Poison 215Disguise 81Divination Talent 116Dodge 107Dominion Tree 123Drive 82Drive-By Attack 107Dwarven Heritage Tree 124

eEclectic 107Ectoplasm 272Ectoplasmic Secretion 116Electricity 202Elements of a Trap 194Elusive Target 107Elvish Heritage Tree 124Empower Effect 116Encounters 170Encounter Level (EL) 170Endurance 107Energy Drain and Negative Levels 215Enlarge Effect 116Entertainment and Leisure 163Enticement Talent 116Equipment 232Escape Artist 82Etherealness 215Exchange Rates 135Exotic Weapon Profi ciency 108Experience and Other Rewards 221Explosives and Splash Weapons 148Extend Effect 116

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fFalling 202Falling Objects 203Fame and Infamy 31Far Shot 108Fast Healing 216Favourable and Unfavourable Conditions 70Fear 216Feral Instinct Tree 125Feral Soul Tree 126Foci 291Food and Lodging 160Forgery 83Forge Ring 121Fortune Tree 126Framework Tree 127Free Actions 169Full-Round Actions 169

gGaining a Base Power 264Gaining Derived Powers 264Gamble 84Gaseous Form 216Gather Information 85Genius 37

Genius Vocations 39Getting Into and Out of Armour 153Ghostly Terror Tree 128Ghost Corporeality Tree 127Greater Magic Focus 108Greater Magic Penetration 108Greater Psychic Focus 108Greater Two-Weapon Fighting 108Greater Weapon Focus 108Greater Weapon Specialisation 108Great Cleave 108Great Fortitude 108Grenades and Explosives 184

hHandle Animal 85Healing 187Health and Sanitation 225Heat and Cold 203Hide 87Hit Die 28Hit Points 173

iImproved Critical 109Improved Disarm 109Improved Feint 109Improved Grapple 109Improved Initiative 110Improved Knockout Punch 110Improved Overrun 110Improved Precise Shot 110Improved Sunder 110Improved Trip 110Improved Turning 110Improved Two-Weapon Fighting 110Improved Unarmed Strike 110Improvised Weapons 138Incorporeality 216Industry and Engineering 223Initiative 173Injury and Death 186Injury and Recovery 186Intimidate 88Investigate 88Investigator 42

Investigator Vocations 44Invisibility 217Iron Will 110

jJourneyman 47

Journeyman Vocations 49

kKnockout Punch 110Knowledge 90

lLanguage 91

Language Groups 91Laws of Magic, The 279Level-Dependent Benefi ts 30Level Loss 218Light, One-Handed, and Two-Handed Melee Weapons 137Lightning Refl exes 111Listen 92Losing Wealth 134Low-Light Vision 218Low Profi le 111

mMachine Descriptions 227Magic 277Magic Conduits in Combat 176Magic Focus 111Magic Penetration 111Magic Resistance 218Magic Ritual, The 281Magic Style 278Magic Style and Key Ability 278Malfunction 135Martial Weapon Profi ciency 111Mastercraft Armour 153Mastercraft Weapons 139Master Artisan 111Materials 237Maximise Effect 116Melee and Ranged Weapons 136Mesmerism 117Miscellaneous Actions 169Modifi er Types and Stacking 71Mounted Combat 111Mounted Firing 111Mounts and Related Gear 161Movement 204Move Actions 168Move Silently 93Multiclass Characters 66

Adding a Second Class 66Multiple Effects 287Musket Firearms Profi ciency 111Mysteries of the Mind, The 226

nNatural Weaponry Tree 128Navigate 93Necromancy Talent 117Noble 61

Noble Vocations 63Non-Abilities 219

oOccultist 51

Occultist Vocations 53On the Creation of Non-Human

Races 230Opposed (Contested) Checks 70Origin of Man (and Others), The 225

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pPerform 94Personal Background Tree 128Personal Quality Feats 105Personal Weapons 233Pilot 94Pistol Firearms Profi ciency 111Point Blank Shot 112Poison 207Powers of the Mind 264Power Attack 112Power Sources 238Precise Shot 112Principles of Science 223Prodigy Tree 129Profession 95Professional Equipment 156Protection Talent 117Psychic Control 95Psychic Focus 112Psychic Healing 117Psychic Phenomena 263Psychic Powers 266Psychic Sensitivity 117Psychokinesis 117Purchasing Equipment 132

qQuicken Effect 117Quick Draw 112

rRaces 11

C.o.G.S (Creations of Generated Sentience) 15Dwarves 17Elves 18Ghosts 22Gnomes 20Humans 11Hybrids 12Vampires 23

Rapid Reload 112Rapid Shot 112Rays 220Regaining Wealth 134Regeneration 220Renown 113Repair 95Reputation 31

Using the Reputation Bonus 32Research 97Resistance To Energy 220Ride 97

Ride-By Attack 113Ritual 98Ritual Check, The 281Run 113

sSample Traps 198Saving Throws 173Scent 220Scoundrel 57

Scoundrel Vocations 59Search 98Selling Items or Information 134Sense Motive 99Services 163Shield Profi ciency 113Shot on the Run 113Silent Effect 117Simple, Martial, and Exotic Weapons

136Simple Weapons Profi ciency 113Skill Checks and Automatic Rolls 69Skill Focus 113Skill Synergy 71Skip Shot 113Sleight of Hand 99Smoke 208Social Ties Tree 130Spark of Genius Tree 129Special Abilities 212Special Attacks 180Special Features 241Special Initiative Actions 179Special Substances and Items 155Speed 173Spot 99Spring Attack 113Standard Actions 168Starting Feats 28Starvation and Thirst 209Still Effect 118Strangulation 209Streetfi ghting 113Suffocation and Drowning 209Supernatural Gift Tree 130Surgery 113Surprise 174Survival 100Swim 101

tTelepathy 118The Sight 118Three-Dimensional Movement 206Time and Skill Checks 71Tools 71

Toughness 113Track 114Traits 122Trample 114Transformation Talent 118Transportation and Communication 161Traps 194Treat Injury 101Trying Again 70Tumble 102Turn Resistance 221Two-Weapon Defence 115Two-Weapon Fighting 115Types of Feats 104

uUnique Items 164Universe, The 226Untrained Skill Checks 70Unusual Combat Situations 186Upgrade Tree 131Use Amazing Device 115Use Rope 103Using an Amazing Machine 261Using Powers 265Using Skills 68

vVehicles 162, 235Vehicle and Artillery Weapons 236Vehicle Combat 191Vehicle Dodge 115Vehicle Movement 188Vehicle Rules 187Vital Statistics 26

wWater Dangers 209Wealth Bonus 132Wealth Bonus of +0 134Wealth Check, The 132Wealth System, The 132Weapons 136Weapon Descriptions 139Weapon Finesse 115Weapon Focus 115Weapon Qualities 138Weapon Size 138Weapon Specialisation 115Whirlwind Attack 115Windfall 115Working Magic 278

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SEOPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (‘Wizards’). All Rights Reserved. 1. Defi nitions: (a)’Contributors’ means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)’Derivative Material’ means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modifi cation, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) ‘Distribute’ means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)’Open Game Content’ means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identifi ed as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifi cally excludes Product Identity. (e) ‘Product Identity’ means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identifi ed as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifi cally excludes the Open Game Content; (f) ‘Trademark’ means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) ‘Use’, ‘Used’ or ‘Using’ means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) ‘You’ or ‘Your’ means the licensee in terms of this agreement. 2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affi x such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License. 3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License. 4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content. 5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are

Your original creation and/or You have suffi cient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License. 6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute. 7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity. 8. Identifi cation: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content. 9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorised version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License. 10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute. 11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so. 12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected. 13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License. 14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable. 15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Modern System Reference Document Copyright 2002, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Charles Ryan, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, Peter Adkison, Bruce R. Cordell, John Tynes, Andy Collins, and JD Wiker.OGL Steampunk is Copyright 2004, Mongoose Publishing Limited.

Matthew Williams (order #2215890) 141.157.188.166