Game Mechanics

[Antman9]

MSRD: States of Condition
Condition Summary

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 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 hero can’t see at all, and thus everything has total concealment to him or her. The character 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 GM deems sight to be important. The character can’t make Spot checks or perform any other activity (such as reading) that requires vision. Heroes who are blind long-term (from birth or early in life) grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them (at the GM’s discretion).
• Cowering: The hero is frozen in fear, loses his or her Dexterity bonus, and can take no actions. In addition, the character takes a –2 penalty to his or her Defense. The condition typically lasts 10 rounds.
• Dazed: Unable to act, a dazed character can take no actions, but still gets the benefit of his or her normal Defense. This condition typically lasts 1 round.
• Dead: A character dies when his or her hit points drop to –10 or lower, or when his or her Constitution drops to 0.
• Deafened: The hero can’t hear and takes a –4 penalty on initiative checks. The character can’t make Listen checks. Heroes who are deafened long-term (from birth or early in life) grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them (at the GM’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, and each round a dying character loses 1 hit point until he or she dies or becomes stable.
• Entangled: An entangled character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls in addition to a –4 penalty to Dexterity. If the entangling bonds are anchored to an immobile object, the entangled hero can’t move. Otherwise, the character can move at half speed, but can’t run or charge.
• Exhausted: Heroes 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.
• Fatigued: Characters who are fatigued can’t 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 Defense and cannot make attacks of opportunity.
• Grappled: When grappled, a hero can’t undertake any action other than attacking with his or her bare hands, attacking with a light weapon, or attempting to break free from his or her opponent. The character loses his or her Dexterity bonus to Defense, except on attacks from characters with whom he or she is grappling.
• Helpless: Paralyzed, sleeping, or unconscious characters are helpless. A helpless character has an effective Defense of 5 + size modifier. An attacker can attempt a coup de grace against a helpless character.
• 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.
• Paralyzed: Heroes who are paralyzed 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 Defense against melee attacks and loses his or her Dexterity bonus to Defense.
• Prone: An attacker who is prone (lying on the ground) takes a –4 penalty on melee attack rolls and can’t use bows or thrown ranged weapons. The character gains a +4 bonus to Defense against ranged attacks, but takes a –4 penalty to Defense against melee attacks.
• Shaken: A shaken character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks.
• Stable: A stable character is no longer dying, but is still unconscious.
• Stunned: A character who becomes stunned loses his or her Dexterity bonus, drops what he or she is holding, and can take no attack or move actions. In addition, the character takes a –2 penalty to Defense. The condition typically lasts 1 round.
• Unconscious: An unconscious character is unable to defend him or herself. The character is helpless and typically falls prone.

[Antman9]

Hand-to-Hand Combat

Hand-to-Hand Combat
In general, hand-to-hand combat – that of combat with no weapons other than a character’s own body – there are three types: General Hand-to-Hand Moves, Grapple Moves, and Martial Arts. Within these groups there are two levels of ability: That of the General character, and that of the Expert.

When describing a character’s actions during a combat round – while implementing hand-to-hand combat maneuvers – the player should be as detailed as possible. Keep in mind, for maneuvers such as Multiple and Flurry attacks below, it is not necessary to detail each strike per se, but rather to describe the general flow of the character through the scene/environment. The more details you give the better the GM can adjudicate your character’s actions. If you are performing a single specific attack from one of the tables below you should use that maneuver’s damage or the damage listed per attack type below. For general attack damage see the appropriate section (Multiple, Flurry, Defensive Attack sections).

General Character
The general character is not an expert in hand-to-hand combat, they perform this task more like a street brawl than anything else. The damage inflicted by this type of attack will always be of the non-lethal type. Any opponent whose health is reduced to “0” will fall unconscious for 2d6 turns (1 turn = 10 minutes). The Martial Arts category is not generally suitable for use by the general character; however, that should not deter a character from attempting to use it.

NOTE: Any attempt to use martial arts by a general character will be adjudicated appropriately, based on the DEX-DC roll by either the player or the DM (the DC level for such an attack will be much higher than that of an Expert character).

Single Attack
In a single attack the character focuses all of their attention on one specific target, thrashing and wailing on them, pulling of hair, poking eyes, grabbing nostrils, hugging the opponent, swinging wild punches, kicking, etc. During this type of attack the character must be within 5’ of their opponent.

• Attack
  • DEX-DC roll (3d6) + DEX modifier
  • Min Distance: 5’

• Damage
  • d4 + STR modifier (non-lethal)

Multiple Attacks
In the Multiple Attacks scenario, a General Character can attempt to fly into a rage in the midst of a group of individuals (typically 2-4 individuals of the same size class). In the multiple attack scenario, the character is basically yelling obscenities, jabbing here and there, kicking, throwing their body against multiple opponents, basically thrashing around like a madman. This type of attack, for the General character, comes at the cost of reduced accuracy and force, thereby negating any DEX or STR modifier bonuses. The benefit of this type of attack is it creates chaos in the enemy’s ranks, thus allowing greater accuracy from the character’s own party.

NOTE: This maneuver can only be used against a group of 2-4 targets.

• Attack
  • DEX-DC roll (3d6)

• Damage/Hit
  • 2 hp / target

• No. Successful Moves

  DEX Roll	No. Moves
  3-7	1
  8-11	2
  12-15	3
  16+	4

NOTE: targets hit take -2 to attacks during their present round (depending on their Initiative roll) or on their next.

Expert Character
The expert character has been trained in some form of martial arts and has a background/pathology granting them a greater advantage over the common adventurer. To perform an Expert Martial Arts move the player describes their attack, in as much or little detail as they see fit, followed by a DEX-DC roll, adding the appropriate modifiers. The DEX-DC represents the level of success based on all pertinent factors, allowing the GM to adjudicate the action appropriately. An Expert can choose to make their attacks “lethal” or “non-lethal” (must be chosen at the time of the attack, not after). Expert characters have five methods of attacking: Single, Multiple, Flurry, String, and Defensive attacks. The type of attack must be stated at the time of the attack.

Single Attack
In a single attack the character focuses all of their attention into one specific target. During this type of attack the character must be within 5’ of their opponent. The resulting damage will be normal, doubled, or tripled based on the outcome of the DEX-DC roll (see the DEX-DC table below) then added to any STR and Level modifiers.

• Attack
  • DEX-DC roll (3d6) + DEX modifier + Character level

• Damage
  • 1d6 + STR modifier

• DEX-DC Table

  DEX Roll	Damage Multiple
  3-9	1
  10-16	2
  17+	3

Multiple Attacks
In a Multiple Attacks scenario, the character targets two to three opponents, all within close proximity (must be within 5’ of each other). A successful attack results in each target taking the full damage from a single attack, plus any STR modifier.

NOTE: This maneuver can only be used against multiple targets.

• Attack
  • DEX-DC roll (3d6) + DEX modifier

• Damage/Target
  • 1d4 + STR modifier | (to each target)

• No. Targets Table

  DEX Roll	No. Targets
  3-9	1
  10-16	2
  17+	3

String Attack
In a String Attack, a character targets one specific opponent with a string of attacks. The player can, and should describe what they specifically aim to accomplish. i.e. the player states they will punch the target’s throat, kick them in the knee, then finish up with a haymaker. Optionally they can simply say they are performing a String Attack and let the DM adjudicate accordingly.

• Attack
  • DEX-DC roll (3d6) + DEX modifier

• Damage/Target
  • 3 hp/successful move + STR modifier
  • i.e if the DEX roll is a 12, where two moves are pulled off = (3 + 3) + STR modifier

• No. Successful Moves

  DEX Roll	No. Moves
  3-8	1
  9-14	2
  15+	3

Flurry Attack
A flurry of attacks allows a character to hit a quantity of opponents (up to five) in a general area without targeting any specific individual. This type of attack negates accuracy and force for quantity. Each opponent will incur 2 hp of damage upon a successful roll. The benefit of this type of attack is it creates chaos in the enemy’s ranks, thus allowing greater accuracy from the character’s own party.

• Attack
  • DEX-DC roll (3d6) + DEX modifier

• Damage
  • 2 hp (to each opponent)

NOTE: targets hit take -2 to attacks during their present round (depending on their Initiative roll) or on their next.

Defensive Attack
During a defensive attack the Martial Arts Expert maintains a constant vigil against attacks. Attacks of this nature give the character a defensive advantage from opponent attacks, both direct and indirect. The character is always aware of their surroundings in this state. The goal of this type of attack is to target specific areas on an opponent (generally speaking) to disable/hinder their ability to defend and attack while defending one’s own hide. This type of attack can only be performed against one opponent.

• Attack
  • DEX roll (3d6)+ DEX modifier

• Damage
  • 3d2 (to one opponent)

• Successful Attack Result
  • -4 to the target’s AC and attack during the next/subsequent round

NOTE: If a successful attack is incurred by an opponent before they have made their attack in a given round (due to initiative), their attack during that round will be at a -4, as well as the normal -4 to their next/subsequent round’s AC and attack.

Grapple Maneuvers
To grapple an opponent a player must make a successful opposed grapple roll. Once the grapple has been initiated the player only need make successive opposed grapple checks each round thereafter to maintain the hold. Different types of maneuvers result in different types of results (listed below). The type of grapple (see table below) should be announced (but can be left to DM’s discretion).

• 1st Round
  • Opposed DEX roll (3d6) + DEX modifier + Character level

• Subsequent Rounds
  • (upon successful opposed DEX roll the previous round)
  • Opposed DEX roll (3d6) + DEX modifier

• Results
  (refer to Grapple table below)
  • * Move can be held for extended period of time or until broken. Requires apposed check. A headlock, if held for three rounds, will result in the opponent passing out for 1d6 rounds (1 round = 1 min).
  • ^ Opponent takes a -2 to AC and attack rolls on their next round.
  • ~ Opponent is knocked prone and take a -4 to AC and attack on their next round

Grapple Moves Table

Move	Damage
Arm Lock*	n/a
Arm Twist^	n/a
Bear Hug*	n/a
Headlock*	n/a
Leg Lock*	n/a
Leg Twist^	n/a
Throw~	n/a
Trip~	n/a

* Move can be held for extended period of time or until broken. Requires apposed check. A headlock, if held for three rounds, will result in the opponent passing out for 1d6 rounds (1 round = 1 min).
^ Opponent takes a -2 to AC and attack rolls on their next round.
~ Opponent is knocked prone and take a -4 to AC and attack on their next round

[Antman9]

What Your Ability Score Means:
D&D Stats in Simple Language

Strength
1 (–5): Morbidly weak, has significant trouble lifting own limbs
2-3 (–4): Needs help to stand, can be knocked over by strong breezes
4-5 (–3): Knocked off balance by swinging something dense
6-7 (–2): Difficulty pushing an object of their weight
8-9 (–1): Has trouble even lifting heavy objects
10-11 (0): Can literally pull their own weight
12-13 (1): Carries heavy objects for short distances
14-15 (2): Visibly toned, throws small objects for long distances
16-17 (3): Carries heavy objects with one arm
18-19 (4): Can break objects like wood with bare hands
20-21 (5): Able to out-wrestle a work animal or catch a falling person
22-23 (6): Can pull very heavy objects at appreciable speeds
24-25 (7): Pinnacle of brawn, able to out-lift several people

Dexterity
1 (–5): Barely mobile, probably significantly paralyzed
2-3 (–4): Incapable of moving without noticeable effort or pain
4-5 (–3): Visible paralysis or physical difficulty
6-7 (–2): Significant klutz or very slow to react
8-9 (–1): Somewhat slow, occasionally trips over own feet
10-11 (0): Capable of usually catching a small tossed object
12-13 (1): Able to often hit large targets
14-15 (2): Can catch or dodge a medium-speed surprise projectile
16-17 (3): Able to often hit small targets
18-19 (4): Light on feet, able to often hit small moving targets
20-21 (5): Graceful, able to flow from one action into another easily
22-23 (6): Very graceful, capable of dodging a number of thrown objects
24-25 (7): Moves like water, reacting to all situations with almost no effort

Constitution
1 (–5): Minimal immune system, body reacts violently to anything foreign
2-3 (–4): Frail, suffers frequent broken bones
4-5 (–3): Bruises very easily, knocked out by a light punch
6-7 (–2): Unusually prone to disease and infection
8-9 (–1): Easily winded, incapable of a full day’s hard labor
10-11 (0): Occasionally contracts mild sicknesses
12-13 (1): Can take a few hits before being knocked unconscious
14-15 (2): Able to labor for twelve hours most days
16-17 (3): Easily shrugs off most illnesses
18-19 (4): Able to stay awake for days on end
20-21 (5): Very difficult to wear down, almost never feels fatigue
22-23 (6): Never gets sick, even to the most virulent diseases
24-25 (7): Tireless paragon of physical endurance

Intelligence
1 (–5): Animalistic, no longer capable of logic or reason
2-3 (–4): Barely able to function, very limited speech and knowledge
4-5 (–3): Often resorts to charades to express thoughts
6-7 (–2): Often misuses and mispronounces words
8-9 (–1): Has trouble following trains of thought, forgets most unimportant things
10-11 (0): Knows what they need to know to get by
12-13 (1): Knows a bit more than is necessary, fairly logical
14-15 (2): Able to do math or solve logic puzzles mentally with reasonable accuracy
16-17 (3): Fairly intelligent, able to understand new tasks quickly
18-19 (4): Very intelligent, may invent new processes or uses for knowledge
20-21 (5): Highly knowledgeable, probably the smartest person many people know
22-23 (6): Able to make Holmesian leaps of logic
24-25 (7): Famous as a sage and genius

Wisdom
1 (–5): Seemingly incapable of thought, barely aware
2-3 (–4): Rarely notices important or prominent items, people, or occurrences
4-5 (–3): Seemingly incapable of forethought
6-7 (–2): Often fails to exert common sense
8-9 (–1): Forgets or opts not to consider options before taking action
10-11 (0): Makes reasoned decisions most of the time
12-13 (1): Able to tell when a person is upset
14-15 (2): Can get hunches about a situation that doesn’t feel right
16-17 (3): Reads people and situations fairly well
18-19 (4): Often used as a source of wisdom or decider of actions
20-21 (5): Reads people and situations very well, almost unconsciously
22-23 (6): Can tell minute differences among many situations
24-25 (7): Nearly prescient, able to reason far beyond logic

Charisma
1 (–5): Barely conscious, probably acts heavily autistic
2-3 (–4): Minimal independent thought, relies heavily on others to think instead
4-5 (–3): Has trouble thinking of others as people
6-7 (–2): Terribly reticent, uninteresting, or rude
8-9 (–1): Something of a bore or makes people mildly uncomfortable
10-11 (0): Capable of polite conversation
12-13 (1): Mildly interesting, knows what to say to the right people
14-15 (2): Interesting, knows what to say to most people
16-17 (3): Popular, receives greetings and conversations on the street
18-19 (4): Immediately likeable by many people, subject of favorable talk
20-21 (5): Life of the party, able to keep people entertained for hours
22-23 (6): Immediately likeable by almost everybody
24-25 (7): Renowned for wit, personality, and/or looks

MSRD: Ability Scores
Wizards of the Coast HTML
WotC RTF Download

This material is Open Game Content, and is licensed for public use under the terms of the Open Game License v1.0a.

ABILITY SCORES

Every character has six basic Ability Scores:

• Strength (STR)
• Dexterity (DEX)
• Constitution (CON)
• Intelligence (INT)
• Wisdom (WIS)
• Charisma (CHA)

The Score of these Abilities ranges from 0 to infinity. A limit, if any, will be specified in the rules. The normal human range is 3 to 18. It is possible for a creature to have a score of "none". A score of "none" is not the same as a score of "0". A score of "none" means that the creature does not possess the ability at all. The modifier for a score of "none" is +0.
A character with a CON of 0 is dead. A 0 in any other score means the character is helpless and cannot move.
Keeping track of negative ability score points is never necessary. A character’s ability score can’t drop below 0.

Ability Modifiers

• Each ability will have a modifier. The modifier can be calculated using this formula:
  (ability/2) -5 [round result down]
• The modifier is the number you add to or subtract from the die roll when your character tries to do something related to that ability. A positive modifier is called a bonus, and a negative modifier is called a penalty.

Use Of Ability Scores
Strength

• Any creature that can physically manipulate other objects has at least 1 point of Strength.
• A creature with no Strength score can't exert force, usually because it has no physical body or because it doesn't move. The creature automatically fails Strength checks. If the creature can attack, it applies its Dexterity modifier to its base attack instead of a Strength modifier.

Dexterity

• Any creature that can move has at least 1 point of Dexterity.
• A creature with no Dexterity score can't move. If it can act, it applies its Intelligence modifier to initiative checks instead of a Dexterity modifier. The creature fails all Reflex saves and Dexterity checks.

Constitution

• If a character's Constitution changes enough to alter his or her Constitution modifier, his or her hit points also increase or decrease accordingly at the same time.
• 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 save unless the effect works on objects. The creature is also immune to ability damage, ability drain, energy drain, and massive damage, and always fails Constitution checks.

Intelligence

• Any creature that can think, learn, or remember has at least 1 point of Intelligence.
• A creature with no Intelligence score is an automaton, operating on simple instincts or programmed instructions. It is immune to all mind-influencing effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns and morale effects) and automatically fails Intelligence checks.

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, and vice versa.

Charisma

• Any creature capable of telling the difference between itself and things that are not itself has at least 1 point of Charisma.

Changing Ability Scores

• Ability scores can increase with no limit.
• Poisons, diseases, and other effects can cause temporary ability damage. Ability points lost to damage return naturally, typically at a rate of 1 point per day for each affected ability.
• As a character ages, some ability scores go up and others go down.
• When an ability score changes, the modifier associated with that score also changes.

Age
As the character ages, his or her physical ability scores decrease and his or her mental ability scores increase, as detailed on Table: Aging Effects. The effects of each aging step are cumulative.

Table: Age Modifiers

Age Category	Ability Adjustments
Child (1-11)	-3 to Str and Con; -1 to Dex, Int, Wis and Cha
Young adult (12-15)	Original scores
Adult (16-39)	Original scores
Middle age (40-59)	-1 to Str, Dex and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha
Old (60-79)	-1 to Str, Dex and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha
Venerable (80+)	-1 to Str, Dex and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha

[Antman9]

The City of Dragons belch is quite large and has just about anything you might want.

I will honor items and prices listed on the following sites (I will consider other sources as well, just let me know what your source is):

http://www.d20srd.org/
http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/