PvP Mechanics

CHARACTER STATS

At character creation players have 15 points to distribute between five attributes.
No Attribute can be zero and no higher than five at character creation.
An attribute of 2 is considered average.
For each attribute at 3 or higher will confer a +1 bonus to the dice.
Any score of 1 will confer a -1 bonus to the dice rolls.
Example a strength of 3 is a +1 to the dice whereas a strength of 5 is a total of +3 to the dice roll.

CHARACTER SKILLS

Additionally, players have 15 points to distribute between twenty skills.
Skills will start at a base of zero and for every point spent, confers a +1 bonus to the d20 roll when using said skill.
No skill may be greater than 3 at character creation.
If you do not have the skill you will impose a -1 to the d20 roll since you are unskilled.
Future Feature

Any score higher than 3 is achieved through roleplay.

SAVING THROWS

There are two stats for saving throws, Fortitude and Willpower. Fortitude is mainly used for death saves, poisons and anything that will harm the physical body of the character. Willpower is used for anything that will harm the mental side of the body such as a mage trying to destroy your mind via a ritual. Failing a saving throw can have detrimental effects up to and including death.
Fortitude is determined by the average of strength and dexterity rounded down.

Strength + Dexterity ÷ 2 (rounded down)= Fortitude

Willpower is the average of intelligence and wisdom rounded down. The score generated is a bonus or negative to the die roll.

Intelligence + Wisdom ÷ 2 (rounded down) = Willpower

HEALTH

All players have a base health of 4. If you are reduced in health to 0 then you trigger a saving throw vs death. If both parties agree to forgo death then the player at zero health suffers a debilitating effect. The death save is a d20 plus Fortitude modifier roll against the target number of 15. If you succeed a death save you are unconscious with 1 hp. If you fail 3 death saves, sadly you have died.

DICE ROLL BASICS

Roll D20

Add modifier from your attribute and/or skill

Compare your result with your opponent.

Highest roll wins.

In the case of a draw, roll goes to defender.

A roll of Nat 20 is considered a critical success and a roll of Nat 1 is considered a critical failure. In the case of a tie on the dice roll, the roll will always go to the defender.

MAGIC ROLLS

(PvP spells)

If the magic is being used by the practitioner to cause damage to another individual then the roll is D20 plus Intelligence Modifier versus the target's Defense roll. eg. Attack on the mind. If the magic is a directed magic eg. fireball, then the defensive roll is D20 + Dexterity modifier (getting out of the way).
If the magic being used falls into the category of large scale magic use then a Magic Request must be submitted to the Story Team who will set a difficulty number for the mage to roll against. Somewhere in the range of 15 to 30 for the difficulty based on what the mage is trying to pull off.
Below is a guideline on how we adjudicate magic.

CASTING 101

Direct magic vs. ritual magic

Direct magic is mainly a damage dealing combat kind of magic, overt in nature. If you are wanting to use magic in PvP covertly then you will need to submit a magic request. Ritual magic takes time to perform and usually in conjunction wth other mages. Ritual Magic of any kind requires a Magic Request.

Power level of spells

The power or “level” of the spell is dependent on the level of the mage performing the spell. If working a ritual in conjunction with other mages, use the highest rank of the mage as the central focus of the spell.

Step One

Effect: What Do You Want to Do, and How?

• What Effect are you trying to accomplish?

Step Two

Ability: Can You Do It?

• How does your character focus belief and practice into making it happen?
• Which tools and/ or rituals are you using?
• How long does it take?
• Is what you're doing ritual or directed magic?
• Are any allies assisting you?

Step Three

Roll: Are You Successful?

• Roll your casting. D20 plus your intelligence modifier.
• For ritual magic the base difficulty is 12 which can be raised or lowered per the discretion of the storyteller.
• Directed magic is rolled like melee combat.
• Add or subtract modifiers
• Compared to the difficulty.if doing a ritual
• Repeat for extended rituals

Step Four

Results: What Happens?

• What sorts of results did your magic have? (Damage, Duration, apparent effects, etc.)
• If directed magic did the target defend against the spell being cast? If the spell being used is one that can be avoided (dodged) the defender rolls a D20 plus their Dexterity Modifier. If the spell being used is one that cannot be avoided the defender will roll a D20 plus their Wisdom Modifier. An example of this kind of magic is attacking their mind.
• Did you succeed? If so, determine its results. All ties go to the defender.
• For extended ritual casting. One failed roll and the ritual fails.
• If the roll is a natural 1 on the d20 then magical consequences happen due to the utter failure of the spell. If it is a ritual that multiple spellcasters are part of, all involved suffer the consequence.
• If a Natural 20 is rolled no matter the modifier the spell is an overwhelming success. If a direct spell it hits and isn't defendable. If it is a ritual, it goes off in a shorter period of time.

Modifiers to Difficulty ratings:

+1 per person helping with spell or ritual (Maximum of +3 to difficulty) -1 to the dice roll if casting directed magic while engaged in melee combat. -4 to any water based magic performed in the borders of Valyria and triggers the Brotherhood that magic was used in the Freehold automatically.

-1 to -4 to fire magic the further a fire mage gets from the volcanos +1 bonus to blood magic rolls if the sacrifice is willing -1 negative modifier for blood magic if the sacrifice is unwilling.

CONSEQUENCES OF MAGIC

If a maegi rolls a natural 1 on the casting roll, regardless of modifiers, that is a complete failure and can trigger a consequence based on the type of magic being used. The consequences can be as minor as hair changing color to more major consequences that can include death. Storyteller adjudication is required for consequences. To be a player character mage is to agree to these consequences affecting your character.
Each time a spell is used, be it large or minor, there is a cost that comes with it. Mages will be expected to implement this in their roleplay in a realistic manner. It can be written as exhaustion, short term illness, or other temporary “nerfs”.

Magic is meant to enhance the roleplay experience and bring the world of Old Valyria alive, not be a means to an end. Choose wisely when you choose to use it and remember if it is used at the wrong time or place, it may end storylines rather than further them.
No means no. Respect your fellow writer when they deny OOC consent. Any attempts to coerce other players to allow your character’s magic be successful will be considered metagaming and be handled as such.

COMBAT 101

When combat is initiated both players roll a straight d20. High roll goes first and then in descending order.

Attacker rolls d20 plus their melee skill modifier

Defender rolls d20 plus their melee skill modifier

High Roll wins.

If attacker wins, defender takes 1 point of damage

If the defender wins, No damage.

Ties go to the defender.

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If an attacker rolls a natural 20 regardless of modifier another d20 roll is made by both.
If the attacker wins the second roll then the defender is knocked out.
Conversely, if the attacker rolls a natural 1 regardless of modifiers then another d20 with modifiers roll is made.
If the defender wins that roll then the attacker is knocked out. If for some reason the second roll is a natural 20 regardless of modifiers. The defender is knocked unconscious and dying. If the attacker rolls a natural 1 regardless of modifiers on the second roll then the attacker is knocked unconscious and dying.

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Damage done via melee or magic cause 1 point of damage.

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Blood & Sacrifice

Willing sacrifice will provide a +1 circumstance bonus to the casting dice roll.

Unwilling sacrifice will confer a -1 circumstance penalty to the casting dice roll.

NOTE: The spellcaster can not take advantage of this bonus by sacrificing his own blood to fuel the magic.

A sacrifice is defined as someone being used for the casting. Blood must be spilled but death need not happen. Higher power rituals/casting will result in the death of the sacrifice.

Ways Blood Mages can impact an RP encounter:
With a sample of blood they can determine if a person has the potential for magic. They can place sigils on someone to empower them, granting the individual a temporary +1 bonus to their strength.

• Strength: Used for combat and strength related tasks
• Dexterity: Used for defense, ranged combat and dex based tasks
• Intelligence: used for magic and knowledge based tasks
• Wisdom: Social defense/Perception
• Charisma: Social combat etc…