The Worlds of Katherine Kurtz

Well this is the place for new rules. And rules clarifications. And even possible discussions of such changes.

The main power of the Deryni, in game, come from the following Traits:  (alphabetical listing)


Power (Deryni): Also, I can kill you with my brain. You have power because of your species or you are a human that has been granted power by another Deryni. You can read minds of others, create hand-fire or light a campfire or candle, you can tell if someone is lying. And you can communicate telepathically with others. Doing this is an action, and you must make a Test at a Disadvantage 1d6. If you are trying to manipulate an object or creature, you must have eye contact with it. You can also perform a simple Ranged attack, such as throwing a ball of kinetic energy, which is treated just like any other Ranged attack in Combat. Or even stopping someone's heart from a short distance.

Ritual Magic (Deryni): Given the Sacred Space and nothing is impossible. You are more adept at channeling the arcane power flowing through your veins and can empower greater magical effects through rituals. There are specific rituals for nearly every purpose. With a successful Test, you can affect a wider area, more targets, or create a more powerful result. As always, the Game Master is the judge of what you can and cannot attempt to do. You can dispel the magical effects of Artificer objects. Ritual Magic is a Standard Test that succeeds on a 4,5, or 6 due to the focal nature of Rituals. This Trait requires the Spell-Trained Trait.

Spell Master (Deryni): Be prepared to be impressed. You have learned to push your inherent magical abilities to their upmost potential. All of your Deryni power Tests at an Advantage. The Game Master is the judge of what you can and cannot attempt to do. This Trait requires the Ritual Magic Trait.

Spell-Trained (Deryni): A fully trained Deryni is dangerous. You have been given a full set of training in the Deryni Arts. There is almost nothing you cannot do with your powers. You use a Standard Test 2d6 on all of your Deryni powers now. This Trait requires the Power Trait.


The current order in which they must be learned currently by how its listed is this:


I've been thinking about that I really think it should be switched up just a bit and become the following instead:



The reasoning behind this is simple. Using how these Traits are currently defined. Ritual Magic is capable of just about anything the Deryni mage needs it to be capable of doing. She just needs the correct Ritual and time, place, and possibly more mages to join in with her to get it accomplished.

That seems to me something only Masters are capable of doing and creating such Rituals. Like Camber doing the original human empowering Ritual.

Thoughts/Comments/Am I insane or right on Track!

I'm not sure that one should be required to have Spell Master in order to have Ritual Magic.  It is possible to conduct rituals at an intermediate level of aptitude/training, particularly rituals that aren't as high-order as empowering a human.  Perhaps they need to be adjacent skills that can be acquired in either order, both requiring the Power (Deryni) and Spell Trained traits?

In other words, to perform a ritual requiring a high level of training and skill, one would need to have both Spell Master and Ritual Magic as traits, but to perform a lower-level ritual, such as setting a simple Wards Major, one would need only to have Ritual Magic but Spell Master would be in the category of "nice to have but not mandatory."

so



That is something to think about as well. Might have to reword and clairify the Spell Master Trait going that route. Not a big issue but something will have to be noted.

Quote from: Bynw on May 19, 2018, 11:45:08 AM
so

Power --> Spell Trained --> Ritual Magic or Spell Master

That is something to think about as well. Might have to reword and clairify the Spell Master Trait going that route. Not a big issue but something will have to be noted.

Yes, although I'd suggest "and/or" rather than just "or," since the traits are not mutually exclusive and in some cases would both be required for a particular operation.

So do any of the players have thoughts on this?

I think I like DR's view.

I'm with DR on this. As it affects Columcil there are some areas where his training as a priest and his border heritage would enable him to do lower level rutual magic without being a spell master - or at least that is how I read it.

I Like the original order, with Ritual Magic before Spell Master.  Alaric was able to raise the wards to protect Kelson in DR, but he was not a Spell Master.  I kind of think you need to have Ritual Magic before you can rise up the the ultimate level of Spell Master.  However, I have no big issue with and/or both.

I think one can have attained a very basic knowledge of Ritual Magic in addition to all of the lower level Deryni skills that come before that, without necessarily have gained enough knowledge yet to be a true Spell Master.  Spell Master, to me, implies complete mastery of everything, or at least nearly everything, that it is possible to learn about one's gift, not to mention a considerable amount of training and life experience in the use of both one's innate and trained powers. I could see Alaric and Duncan in the canonical books having the Ritual Magic skill, but Spell Master being someone more on the level of Denis Arilan (probably) or Azim (definitely).

Quote from: Jerusha on May 22, 2018, 12:12:33 PM
I Like the original order, with Ritual Magic before Spell Master.  Alaric was able to raise the wards to protect Kelson in DR, but he was not a Spell Master.  I kind of think you need to have Ritual Magic before you can rise up the the ultimate level of Spell Master.  However, I have no big issue with and/or both.

Quote from: Evie on May 22, 2018, 12:12:55 PM
I think one can have attained a very basic knowledge of Ritual Magic in addition to all of the lower level Deryni skills that come before that, without necessarily have gained enough knowledge yet to be a true Spell Master.  Spell Master, to me, implies complete mastery of everything, or at least nearly everything, that it is possible to learn about one's gift, not to mention a considerable amount of training and life experience in the use of both one's innate and trained powers. I could see Alaric and Duncan in the canonical books having the Ritual Magic skill, but Spell Master being someone more on the level of Denis Arilan (probably) or Azim (definitely).

Both of these comments make sense, on reflection.  In a number of esoteric traditions, one must train in various types of ritual work in order to master the higher-order workings.  So likely one would not achieve Spell Mastery without also being well versed in Ritual Magic.

Again, some Deryni rituals are pretty basic, such as generating handfire or setting Wards Major, but some are much more difficult, such as constructing a Portal or the scrying operation with the Haldana pendant fairly early in Saint Camber or the other uses to which Ward Cubes may be set, as hinted at a few times and at least one of which was demonstrated by Dom Queron at the black-and-white altar under Grecotha, with Joram and Evaine in attendance.  Ritual Magic would likely enable a Deryni to set Wards Major, and probably would also serve for up-to-intermediate Healing workings without requiring the Spell Master trait, but something like the Grecotha working or Camber's integration of Alister's memories some time after Alister's death would require both the Ritual Magic and the Spell Master traits.

I agree that Ritual Magic comes before Spell master. Ritual magic is just one of the scrolls of Orin. it is a single school of magic. Spell master is knowing ALL the scrolls of Orin with all the schools of magic touched on.

Now, that does not mean the Spell master knows all the esoteric spells on each scroll. There will allays be some new thing to learn, even as a spell master. But Spell master to me means they know the basics of all five scrolls. The exception would be the green scroll, they don't need to be a Healer but they understand some of the basics of what Healing does. They would understand how the heart pumps and how to keep it pumping or make it stop.

The alternative would be to have spell master know 3 of the 5 scrolls of Orin. or three of the 5 schools of magic. that leaves space for them to learn the last two scrolls at their leisure, like Camber and Elaine did. Someone who knows all 5 scrolls of Orin or all five schools of magic might be Prime Mage or some such title A life long Accomplishment.

Using the rules of DAG (Deryni Adventure Game) as a guide along with book Deryni Magic. Even your basic untrained Deryni will be able to control his heartbeat, his breathing, body temperature, control his own bleeding, and ignore wounds for a time. He will also be able to extend his senses and cast out beyond himself. He will be able to read the minds of others, have mind speech with others. He will have Shields. And he will be able to Truth-Read. Now he wont be able to do these things very well. But he can do them. He can also enter Rapport with other Deryni.

Now with a bit of training, he can conjure handfire, attune an object to him (like a Camber medallion), his powers of mind reading are better into compulsions, and control triggers and the like. But these are  not rituals. These are just considered mostly to be spells. Even in Deryni Magic this is called Operative Magic.

In both DAG and Deryni Magic. Rituals come last. Rituals turn humans into Deryni (like the Haldanes, or like Bran Coris, or Lord Ian). Creating a Transfer Portal. Ritutals seem to be the most powerful of all magics, almost anything is possible with one and the right tools, and available energy.

That's why I thought Spell Master should be before Ritual Magic. It might be equal to it however. But just because you are good with the spells, that everyone knows or could eventually learn. Some things cannot be taught ... they have to be discovered, and that is what Rituals are for ....

I think I see at least part of the problem.  We're all running on different definitions of basic terms, like "spell," "mastery," and "ritual."

KK mentions in Deryni Magic that the concept of ritual exists outside magic; she gives an example of the very commonplace ritual of brushing one's teeth, which most adults and even older children/adolescents do more or less the same way every time.

So perhaps we ought to define terms and reboot the discussion from there.

KK says in Magic that a spell is basically shorthand for a ritual, a preset series of actions and/or words to produce a desired (and generally fairly low-stakes/low-difficulty) result.  I believe she puts conjuring handfire and basic workings with actual fire (such as lighting candles or a campfire or increasing the flames, as Alaric does with the candles during his conversation with Dhugal about the nature of power) under that category as well as fatigue-banishing.  I'd assume that most of the other body-control operations (on one's own body, at least, unless one is a Healer) like controlling one's heartbeat, speed of breathing, and body temperature would fall in the same general area as fatigue-banishing.

I was running with the concept of ritual meaning a framework for some specific result, such as the more formal situations such as setting the Haldane potential in various Haldanes over the centuries (which would be too complex to be a spell per se but would definitely qualify as a ritual working) or the construction of a Portal.

Mastery, to me, implies that someone has spent a significant amount of time and energy learning the topic they have mastered, so someone with the Spell Master trait would be someone well-versed in both basic spells and in more involved rituals.

Where is everyone else coming from on the meanings of these terms?

I tend to understand those three terms in the same way DesertRose does.

DAG (Deryni Adventure Game) ranks these powers differently from how they are listed in the book Deryni Magic. There was to be a 2nd version of Deryni Magic for DAG but it hasn't ever surfaced.

So I'm going to go ahead and use Deryni Magic here as a bit of a guide to help us determine what falls where in the context of  the game. That way we all have a better understanding of what the Deryni can do and not do within the game itself.

Telepathic Functions I - Shields, Mind Speech, Energy Augmentation

Telepathic Functions II - Rapport

Telepathic Functions III - Truth-Reading, Memory, Mind Control, Starring Patterns

Clairsentient Functions - Scrying, Dowsing, Object Reading

Telefunctions I - Telekinesis (opening locks, deflecting arrows)

Telefunctions II - Transfer Portals (using, construction, destruction)

Operative Magic I - Handfire, Conjuring Flame, Fatigue Banishing, Attuning an Object, Shiral Crystals, Sympathetic Magic, Pure Conjury, Duel Arcane

Operative Magic II - Shape Changing, Preservation Spells on Bodies (healers only), The Forbidden Spell

Wards and Warding

Ward Cubes I - The basics

Ward Cubes II - Advanced methods

Healer Functions - Healing, Blocking

Dark Magic - Binding Souls, Sword Spells, The Forbidden Spell

Ritual - Casting a Circle, Empowering Humans, Detailed Scrying Techniques, Construction of a Portal


So where do all of the above fit in our Traits?
Power
Healing
Blocking
Shapechange
Artificer
Awaken
Beastspeaker
Ritual Magic
Spell Master
Spell-Trained
Telekinesis

Are there Traits that arent needed and can be folded back into something else?

The whole objective is to have a better understanding of what can be done by whom and so it works out nicely and stiff fits within the universe created by Herself

Quote from: Bynw on May 23, 2018, 12:03:51 PM
DAG (Deryni Adventure Game) ranks these powers differently from how they are listed in the book Deryni Magic. There was to be a 2nd version of Deryni Magic for DAG but it hasn't ever surfaced.

So I'm going to go ahead and use Deryni Magic here as a bit of a guide to help us determine what falls where in the context of  the game. That way we all have a better understanding of what the Deryni can do and not do within the game itself.

Telepathic Functions I - Shields, Mind Speech, Energy Augmentation

Telepathic Functions II - Rapport

Telepathic Functions III - Truth-Reading, Memory, Mind Control, Starring Patterns

Clairsentient Functions - Scrying, Dowsing, Object Reading

Telefunctions I - Telekinesis (opening locks, deflecting arrows)

Telefunctions II - Transfer Portals (using, construction, destruction)

Operative Magic I - Handfire, Conjuring Flame, Fatigue Banishing, Attuning an Object, Shiral Crystals, Sympathetic Magic, Pure Conjury, Duel Arcane

Operative Magic II - Shape Changing, Preservation Spells on Bodies (healers only), The Forbidden Spell

Wards and Warding

Ward Cubes I - The basics

Ward Cubes II - Advanced methods

Healer Functions - Healing, Blocking

Dark Magic - Binding Souls, Sword Spells, The Forbidden Spell

Ritual - Casting a Circle, Empowering Humans, Detailed Scrying Techniques, Construction of a Portal


So where do all of the above fit in our Traits?
Power
Healing
Blocking
Shapechange
Artificer
Awaken
Beastspeaker
Ritual Magic
Spell Master
Spell-Trained
Telekinesis

Are there Traits that arent needed and can be folded back into something else?

The whole objective is to have a better understanding of what can be done by whom and so it works out nicely and stiff fits within the universe created by Herself

Okay, that helps a lot.

At the moment, I'm not certain what is meant by the traits of Artificer and Awaken.  Could you please let me know where to find definitions of those traits, Bynw?

I think that the abilities in Magic of Shields, Mind-Speech, Energy Augmentation, Rapport, Truth-Reading, and Memory would all fall under the game trait of Power, because those are all fairly basic Deryni abilities.

The default position of a Deryni's Shields is raised but in a fairly relaxed fashion, IMO, and Shields tend to be present without conscious effort (and sometimes even without knowledge, as Dhugal's when Kelson discovers his Shields early in The Bishop's Heir, or as Darcy's in game).

Likewise the Deryni-specific enhanced Memory abilities seem to be fairly passive; it doesn't often seem like anyone in canon is trying very hard to remember clearly, except in a few specific instances.  One example of someone actually trying to utilize Memory might be Camber using the automatic writing-type operation to tap into his memory of what he saw through Ariella's eyes after the scrying operation, almost immediately afterward, for fear that the memory would fade if he didn't write it all down as soon as possible.

Truth-Reading seems to be a Deryni talent that doesn't require a lot of conscious effort, as demonstrated by Javan (Alroy's twin, not Kelson's son) just knowing that someone is lying, even though he does not at that point even know he has had his Haldane potential set never mind has he been trained or shown how to use the abilities.

Mind-Speech and Rapport both seem to require a little more deliberate use, but they do not seem to be difficult abilities to learn and use, assuming both parties are participating in the conversation or Rapport, and those are likewise fairly basic Deryni abilities.  Beast-Speaking reads to me like a specific application of Rapport, except between a Deryni and an animal rather than two (or more) people.

Energy Augmentation in turn requires more effort than Mind-Speech or Rapport but is also fairly easy to use, assuming again willing participation of all relevant parties.

Using Shiral Crystals as an aid to meditation and/or concentration also seems to be a fairly simple Deryni capability, so I think most of those are adequately covered by the basic Power (Deryni) trait.

Mind Control, Staring Patterns, Scrying, Dowsing, Object Reading, Handfire, Conjuring Flame, and Fatigue Banishing as well as setting Wards Major would all fall under Spell-Trained, since those require not only effort but knowledge of how to do those things.

Telekinesis the game trait would include the basic telekinesis Deryni ability (such as picking a lock or bringing an object closer to oneself), and I'd think also using a Portal (as opposed to building one, which is a much more involved undertaking) would also be a function of Telekinesis.

Ritual Magic (game trait) would be things like the Duel Arcane, Attuning an Object, Sympathetic Magic, some of the intermediate-to-advanced applications of Ward Cubes, Casting a Circle, and the more involved Scrying techniques.

Shape-Changing probably ought to require a character to be have the Telekinesis (because part of the operation involves shifting the mass of [usually] one's own body to resemble the desired shape), Spell-Trained, and Ritual Magic traits, since that's a fairly advanced application.

The sword spells that fall under Dark Magic in Deryni Magic I think are a combined function of Telekinesis and Spell-Trained.

I think Spell Master should be a required trait for any character wishing to construct or destroy a Portal, produce Pure Conjury, the more advanced operations with Ward Cubes, and Empowering Humans.  Also, the darker abilities, such as binding a soul to a dead body and the Forbidden Spell would probably be out of reach to anyone without the Spell Master trait.

A character with the basic Healing trait would require Spell-Trained in addition to be able to do any higher-order Healing work, including placing a preservation spell on a body, and they would also need the Blocking trait to be able to Block power, since in canon, Blocking is a sub-trait of certain Healers, but I think to do basic Healing functions, such as closing a wound, they just need the dice to fall in their favor. :D

Thoughts?

These are all of those Traits as the currently stand:


Artificer (Deryni):
You have learned to create magic items. To use this ability, describe what you want the item to do and perform a standard 2d6 Test. Failure means that it may not be set correctly with sometimes devastating results or no results at all. If successful, you know the proper recipe of ingredients needed to create the item. The Game Master will tell you what you need and how long it will take to craft the item. It is up to you to gather all the items. Once you have everything on the list, you must work uninterrupted until the item is complete.

Awaken (Deryni):
You can give Deryni like power to a Human. Thus they have the ability to learn further Deryni only Traits, with the Game Master's permission. The newly Awakened has the Power Trait automatically and can gain any others that the Deryni using this Trait has on a successful 1d6 Test.

Beastspeaker (Deryni):
You are able to communicate with animals. This form of communication is primitive and very simplistic.

Blocker (Deryni):
You have the ability to make any Deryni into a human by blocking their Psionic abilities with just a Standard Test. You can also restore any blocked Deryni with a Standard Test. This Trait requires the Healer Trait. There is no save Test against this Trait.

Healer (Deryni):
As an Action, you can Test 2d6 to heal another creature or Test 1d6 to heal yourself. If the Test is successful, the target creature is healed for 1d6 Hit Points or 1d6/2 (round up) Hit Point if used on yourself. This Trait can also be used to cure poison, disease, and other physical ailments that are non-magical. You must be next to the creature to heal it.

Power (Deryni):
You have power because of your species or you are a human that has been granted power by another Deryni. You can read minds of others, create hand-fire or light a campfire or candle, you can tell if someone is lying. And you can communicate telepathically with others. Doing this is an action, and you must make a Test at a Disadvantage 1d6. If you are trying to manipulate an object or creature, you must have eye contact with it. You can also perform a simple Ranged attack, such as throwing a ball of kinetic energy, which is treated just like any other Ranged attack in Combat. Or even stopping someone's heart from a short distance.

Ritual Magic (Deryni):
You are more adept at channeling the arcane power flowing through your veins and can empower greater magical effects through rituals. There are specific rituals for nearly every purpose. With a successful Test, you can affect a wider area, more targets, or create a more powerful result. As always, the Game Master is the judge of what you can and cannot attempt to do. You can dispel the magical effects of Artificer objects. Ritual Magic is a Standard Test that succeeds on a 4,5, or 6 due to the focal nature of Rituals. This Trait requires the Spell-Trained Trait.

Shapechange (Deryni):
As an Action, you can Test 2d6 to transform into someone else, compleating changing one's appearance and even gender. You can revert to your normal form as an Action.

Spell Master (Deryni):
You have learned to push your inherent magical abilities to their upmost potential. All of your Deryni power Tests at an Advantage. The Game Master is the judge of what you can and cannot attempt to do. This Trait requires the Ritual Magic Trait.

Spell-Trained (Deryni):
You have been given a full set of training in the Deryni Arts. There is almost nothing you cannot do with your powers. You use a Standard Test 2d6 on all of your Deryni powers now. This Trait requires the Power Trait.

Telekinesis (Deryni):
You can move small options just by thinking about it. You must have eye contact with the object and make a standard

Quote from: DesertRose on May 23, 2018, 12:58:42 PM

Okay, that helps a lot.

At the moment, I'm not certain what is meant by the traits of Artificer and Awaken.  Could you please let me know where to find definitions of those traits, Bynw?

I think that the abilities in Magic of Shields, Mind-Speech, Energy Augmentation, Rapport, Truth-Reading, and Memory would all fall under the game trait of Power, because those are all fairly basic Deryni abilities.

The default position of a Deryni's Shields is raised but in a fairly relaxed fashion, IMO, and Shields tend to be present without conscious effort (and sometimes even without knowledge, as Dhugal's when Kelson discovers his Shields early in The Bishop's Heir, or as Darcy's in game).

Likewise the Deryni-specific enhanced Memory abilities seem to be fairly passive; it doesn't often seem like anyone in canon is trying very hard to remember clearly, except in a few specific instances.  One example of someone actually trying to utilize Memory might be Camber using the automatic writing-type operation to tap into his memory of what he saw through Ariella's eyes after the scrying operation, almost immediately afterward, for fear that the memory would fade if he didn't write it all down as soon as possible.

Truth-Reading seems to be a Deryni talent that doesn't require a lot of conscious effort, as demonstrated by Javan (Alroy's twin, not Kelson's son) just knowing that someone is lying, even though he does not at that point even know he has had his Haldane potential set never mind has he been trained or shown how to use the abilities.

Mind-Speech and Rapport both seem to require a little more deliberate use, but they do not seem to be difficult abilities to learn and use, assuming both parties are participating in the conversation or Rapport, and those are likewise fairly basic Deryni abilities.  Beast-Speaking reads to me like a specific application of Rapport, except between a Deryni and an animal rather than two (or more) people.

Energy Augmentation in turn requires more effort than Mind-Speech or Rapport but is also fairly easy to use, assuming again willing participation of all relevant parties.

Using Shiral Crystals as an aid to meditation and/or concentration also seems to be a fairly simple Deryni capability, so I think most of those are adequately covered by the basic Power (Deryni) trait.

Mind Control, Staring Patterns, Scrying, Dowsing, Object Reading, Handfire, Conjuring Flame, and Fatigue Banishing as well as setting Wards Major would all fall under Spell-Trained, since those require not only effort but knowledge of how to do those things.

Telekinesis the game trait would include the basic telekinesis Deryni ability (such as picking a lock or bringing an object closer to oneself), and I'd think also using a Portal (as opposed to building one, which is a much more involved undertaking) would also be a function of Telekinesis.

Ritual Magic (game trait) would be things like the Duel Arcane, Attuning an Object, Sympathetic Magic, some of the intermediate-to-advanced applications of Ward Cubes, Casting a Circle, and the more involved Scrying techniques.

Shape-Changing probably ought to require a character to be have the Telekinesis (because part of the operation involves shifting the mass of [usually] one's own body to resemble the desired shape), Spell-Trained, and Ritual Magic traits, since that's a fairly advanced application.

The sword spells that fall under Dark Magic in Deryni Magic I think are a combined function of Telekinesis and Spell-Trained.

I think Spell Master should be a required trait for any character wishing to construct or destroy a Portal, produce Pure Conjury, the more advanced operations with Ward Cubes, and Empowering Humans.  Also, the darker abilities, such as binding a soul to a dead body and the Forbidden Spell would probably be out of reach to anyone without the Spell Master trait.

A character with the basic Healing trait would require Spell-Trained in addition to be able to do any higher-order Healing work, including placing a preservation spell on a body, and they would also need the Blocking trait to be able to Block power, since in canon, Blocking is a sub-trait of certain Healers, but I think to do basic Healing functions, such as closing a wound, they just need the dice to fall in their favor. :D

Thoughts?

Quote from: Bynw on May 23, 2018, 01:06:53 PM
These are all of those Traits as the currently stand:


Artificer (Deryni):
You have learned to create magic items. To use this ability, describe what you want the item to do and perform a standard 2d6 Test. Failure means that it may not be set correctly with sometimes devastating results or no results at all. If successful, you know the proper recipe of ingredients needed to create the item. The Game Master will tell you what you need and how long it will take to craft the item. It is up to you to gather all the items. Once you have everything on the list, you must work uninterrupted until the item is complete.

Awaken (Deryni):
You can give Deryni like power to a Human. Thus they have the ability to learn further Deryni only Traits, with the Game Master's permission. The newly Awakened has the Power Trait automatically and can gain any others that the Deryni using this Trait has on a successful 1d6 Test.

Beastspeaker (Deryni):
You are able to communicate with animals. This form of communication is primitive and very simplistic.

Blocker (Deryni):
You have the ability to make any Deryni into a human by blocking their Psionic abilities with just a Standard Test. You can also restore any blocked Deryni with a Standard Test. This Trait requires the Healer Trait. There is no save Test against this Trait.

Healer (Deryni):
As an Action, you can Test 2d6 to heal another creature or Test 1d6 to heal yourself. If the Test is successful, the target creature is healed for 1d6 Hit Points or 1d6/2 (round up) Hit Point if used on yourself. This Trait can also be used to cure poison, disease, and other physical ailments that are non-magical. You must be next to the creature to heal it.

Power (Deryni):
You have power because of your species or you are a human that has been granted power by another Deryni. You can read minds of others, create hand-fire or light a campfire or candle, you can tell if someone is lying. And you can communicate telepathically with others. Doing this is an action, and you must make a Test at a Disadvantage 1d6. If you are trying to manipulate an object or creature, you must have eye contact with it. You can also perform a simple Ranged attack, such as throwing a ball of kinetic energy, which is treated just like any other Ranged attack in Combat. Or even stopping someone's heart from a short distance.

Ritual Magic (Deryni):
You are more adept at channeling the arcane power flowing through your veins and can empower greater magical effects through rituals. There are specific rituals for nearly every purpose. With a successful Test, you can affect a wider area, more targets, or create a more powerful result. As always, the Game Master is the judge of what you can and cannot attempt to do. You can dispel the magical effects of Artificer objects. Ritual Magic is a Standard Test that succeeds on a 4,5, or 6 due to the focal nature of Rituals. This Trait requires the Spell-Trained Trait.

Shapechange (Deryni):
As an Action, you can Test 2d6 to transform into someone else, compleating changing one's appearance and even gender. You can revert to your normal form as an Action.

Spell Master (Deryni):
You have learned to push your inherent magical abilities to their upmost potential. All of your Deryni power Tests at an Advantage. The Game Master is the judge of what you can and cannot attempt to do. This Trait requires the Ritual Magic Trait.

Spell-Trained (Deryni):
You have been given a full set of training in the Deryni Arts. There is almost nothing you cannot do with your powers. You use a Standard Test 2d6 on all of your Deryni powers now. This Trait requires the Power Trait.

Telekinesis (Deryni):
You can move small options just by thinking about it. You must have eye contact with the object and make a standard

In that case, I think Artificer ought to require the Spell-Trained and Ritual Magic traits, with Spell Master as "nice to have but not mandatory," and Awaken ought to require Spell Master as well as Spell Trained and Ritual Magic.

A note on the Telekinesis Trait. I included it as a separate Trait since it was mentioned somewhere either in Deryni Magic or Deryni Rising that some Deryni weren't well skilled in it as Alaric Morgan was. But I also include it somewhat in the description of the basic Trait of Power for the ability to kill by stopping a heart.

It could be folded back into Power with better odds as one gets more training. Because with the Deryni in KK's world they aren't doing world shattering TK tricks. They aren't living Xwings out of a swamp. They aren't pulling down a castle at the molecular level and reassembling it. They aren't doing other fantastic TK feats either. They are just moving small things that don't weigh a lot. And it takes multiple Deryni to lift even 1 body.

Quote from: DesertRose on May 23, 2018, 12:58:42 PM


Shape-Changing probably ought to require a character to be have the Telekinesis (because part of the operation involves shifting the mass of [usually] one's own body to resemble the desired shape), Spell-Trained, and Ritual Magic traits, since that's a fairly advanced application.

I think I agree with most of DR's thoughts, except I tend to see this particular trait differently (and have been playing it differently in-game with Aliset's shape-changing).  I don't tend to see it as actually physically shifting one's mass from one set of features to another at the molecular or even cellular level,  although if I did visualize it that way, I can see why that might be a form of telekinesis.  But I don't think the Deryni telekinetic ability allows for anything quite that complicated.  How I see it is more along the lines as the ability to cast an illusory shape-change that others perceive, and that the caster him/herself can also perceive in a reflection, but which is actually more an advanced form of illusion magic than an advanced form of telekinesis.  It would be somewhat akin to Duncan being able to create the illusion of a wall of flame separating his followers from Sicard's men and Loris during the Mearan War, buying time for as many of them to get away as possible.  The flames looked real, they emitted heat and light, but they were ultimately an illusion.  I think shape-changing is a similar yet different skill.  It is similar in that it is a fairly advanced form of illusion magic, only it is one that is superimposed onto a physical form, and if the illusion spell is cast properly, able to be sustained indefinitely without conscious thought.

I should note that Aliset's template shows her as having the Spell-Casting trait but not Telekinesis, so if we do change this to have Spell-Casting be an advanced form of Telekinesis, then I will need to adjust her profile accordingly, but if I have to drop some other trait to add TK to her list, that might mean that some of her previous actions might therefore not fall under her amended abilities as a result.

Quote from: Evie on May 23, 2018, 03:28:23 PM

Quote from: DesertRose on May 23, 2018, 12:58:42 PM


Shape-Changing probably ought to require a character to be have the Telekinesis (because part of the operation involves shifting the mass of [usually] one's own body to resemble the desired shape), Spell-Trained, and Ritual Magic traits, since that's a fairly advanced application.

I think I agree with most of DR's thoughts, except I tend to see this particular trait differently (and have been playing it differently in-game with Aliset's shape-changing).  I don't tend to see it as actually physically shifting one's mass from one set of features to another at the molecular or even cellular level,  although if I did visualize it that way, I can see why that might be a form of telekinesis.  But I don't think the Deryni telekinetic ability allows for anything quite that complicated.  How I see it is more along the lines as the ability to cast an illusory shape-change that others perceive, and that the caster him/herself can also perceive in a reflection, but which is actually more an advanced form of illusion magic than an advanced form of telekinesis.  It would be somewhat akin to Duncan being able to create the illusion of a wall of flame separating his followers from Sicard's men and Loris during the Mearan War, buying time for as many of them to get away as possible.  The flames looked real, they emitted heat and light, but they were ultimately an illusion.  I think shape-changing is a similar yet different skill.  It is similar in that it is a fairly advanced form of illusion magic, only it is one that is superimposed onto a physical form, and if the illusion spell is cast properly, able to be sustained indefinitely without conscious thought.

I should note that Aliset's template shows her as having the Spell-Casting trait but not Telekinesis, so if we do change this to have Spell-Casting be an advanced form of Telekinesis, then I will need to adjust her profile accordingly, but if I have to drop some other trait to add TK to her list, that might mean that some of her previous actions might therefore not fall under her amended abilities as a result.

Well, what Aliset did might in fact be more of an illusion than an actual shape-change, but when KK discusses the concept of magically changing one's shape in Deryni Magic, she mentions that the subject being shape-changed needs to be fairly similar in terms of physical height, build, and general proportion to the person whose shape they are taking, as with Camber and Alister; both men were fairly tall, fairly thin men, so the actual shape-changing wasn't all that difficult (by Camber's metric, and he is likely one of the great Spell Masters of canon, to say the least!).  For a slightly later example, Davin and the royal guard whose shape he takes to try to protect the princes are likewise of similar height and size.  I believe she even says, probably with tongue firmly in cheek, that shape-changing is not a Deryni substitute for dieting.

That's what leads me to believe that some small-scale telekinesis is involved in terms of rearranging the features of the shape-changer to the configuration required to pass as the other person.

Quote from: DesertRose on May 23, 2018, 03:40:50 PM

Quote from: Evie on May 23, 2018, 03:28:23 PM

Quote from: DesertRose on May 23, 2018, 12:58:42 PM


Shape-Changing probably ought to require a character to be have the Telekinesis (because part of the operation involves shifting the mass of [usually] one's own body to resemble the desired shape), Spell-Trained, and Ritual Magic traits, since that's a fairly advanced application.

I think I agree with most of DR's thoughts, except I tend to see this particular trait differently (and have been playing it differently in-game with Aliset's shape-changing).  I don't tend to see it as actually physically shifting one's mass from one set of features to another at the molecular or even cellular level,  although if I did visualize it that way, I can see why that might be a form of telekinesis.  But I don't think the Deryni telekinetic ability allows for anything quite that complicated.  How I see it is more along the lines as the ability to cast an illusory shape-change that others perceive, and that the caster him/herself can also perceive in a reflection, but which is actually more an advanced form of illusion magic than an advanced form of telekinesis.  It would be somewhat akin to Duncan being able to create the illusion of a wall of flame separating his followers from Sicard's men and Loris during the Mearan War, buying time for as many of them to get away as possible.  The flames looked real, they emitted heat and light, but they were ultimately an illusion.  I think shape-changing is a similar yet different skill.  It is similar in that it is a fairly advanced form of illusion magic, only it is one that is superimposed onto a physical form, and if the illusion spell is cast properly, able to be sustained indefinitely without conscious thought.

I should note that Aliset's template shows her as having the Spell-Casting trait but not Telekinesis, so if we do change this to have Spell-Casting be an advanced form of Telekinesis, then I will need to adjust her profile accordingly, but if I have to drop some other trait to add TK to her list, that might mean that some of her previous actions might therefore not fall under her amended abilities as a result.

Well, what Aliset did might in fact be more of an illusion than an actual shape-change, but when KK discusses the concept of magically changing one's shape in Deryni Magic, she mentions that the subject being shape-changed needs to be fairly similar in terms of physical height, build, and general proportion to the person whose shape they are taking, as with Camber and Alister; both men were fairly tall, fairly thin men, so the actual shape-changing wasn't all that difficult (by Camber's metric, and he is likely one of the great Spell Masters of canon, to say the least!).  For a slightly later example, Davin and the royal guard whose shape he takes to try to protect the princes are likewise of similar height and size.  I believe she even says, probably with tongue firmly in cheek, that shape-changing is not a Deryni substitute for dieting.

That's what leads me to believe that some small-scale telekinesis is involved in terms of rearranging the features of the shape-changer to the configuration required to pass as the other person.

Well, yes, it certainly could mean that, but it could also simply mean that one can't very well convincingly superimpose the image of a mouse on something the size of a terrier, to pick a fairly ridiculous example, or for something more to the point, it would be hard to convince anyone that a 6'4" man is actually dainty little Meraude, no matter how skillfully one casts the illusion of her features and general form, because that is a pretty big size disparity!

Good point.

I'm going to let Bynw chime in before I say anything else, which will also give me a little cogitation time.  :)

so we are still going with the progression of Power ---> Spell Trained ---> Ritual Magic ---> Spell Master like the original order?

Quote from: Bynw on May 23, 2018, 05:07:36 PM
so we are still going with the progression of Power ---> Spell Trained ---> Ritual Magic ---> Spell Master like the original order?

I think so, yes.

What do you think regarding Shape-Changing vis-a-vis Telekinesis?  :)

Quote from: Bynw on May 23, 2018, 05:07:36 PM
so we are still going with the progression of Power ---> Spell Trained ---> Ritual Magic ---> Spell Master like the original order?

This progression makes the most sense to me.

TK wont be required for Shapechanging. It will just kinda be part of the magic of that Trait over all. We know it's limitations. It's half illusion and half real. Like a HoloDeck.

For me the problem with Columcil comes with his border heritage which in Canon can give ability to do things akin to those a Deryni might, though at a primitive level. Ciard is a very good example of this. He knows about some sort of warding, can sense power (the rings taken from Loris and Goronowy) and the presence of people ( he knows that Dhugal and Kelson are approaching Transha) and teaches Duncan and Morgan to dowse. Is any of this allowed for in the role-playing rules? Or do I just carry on as I have been doing, using it occasionally and hoping for the good graces of the Games Master?

Quote from: revanne on May 24, 2018, 10:19:59 AM
For me the problem with Columcil comes with his border heritage which in Canon can give ability to do things akin to those a Deryni might, though at a primitive level. Ciard is a very good example of this. He knows about some sort of warding, can sense power (the rings taken from Loris and Goronowy) and the presence of people ( he knows that Dhugal and Kelson are approaching Transha) and teaches Duncan and Morgan to dowse. Is any of this allowed for in the role-playing rules? Or do I just carry on as I have been doing, using it occasionally and hoping for the good graces of the Games Master?

Just carry on for now. He's what Deryni  Magic would call a Were-Deryni if he isnt just a Deryni in disguise.

This might not be a cannon explanation but I strongly believe that 2nd sight is a separate genetic way of using the magic that is in the 11 kingdom world. If magic is an innate physical force in this world, then different peoples from different areas would have evolved to use that physical force in different but similar ways.
(ie in the real world, flying is a possibility. Birds developed flight by evolving highly structured feathers that cup and hold the air in such a way that they can maintain altitude. For an Elephant this will seem like Magic. Other creatures can fly too. Bats developed extending lengths of skin with little hair that can cup the wind and carry them in flight. Watch a monkey-bat fly and be amazed at it's size and wonder how it can stay aloft. Flying squirrels formed similar stretches of skin to allow them to jump from tree to tree. Flying fish formed special fins that wave so fast they can skim across the water.)
IF the physical force of flying exists, than nature can developed many forms to use it.

Magic is just like flying. Many forms of magic have evolved in different groups of people. Deryni are the Birds, highly specialize to use that physical force to the best advantage. Peoples with second sight are like the bats, they found their own way to use the magic in their world. There may be other forms of animals that actually use magic too, like the flying squirrels and the flying fish. And people like us humans watch all those that can fly or those that can use magic and we are jealous and envious to the point where we find a way to fly too. If there weren't birds in our world, we would never have thought to build airplanes. Our players live in a medieval world where science has not yet progressed enough to study how magic works and to find a way to do it if you were not born to it. But that may come in time.

You know Laurna, I like that. Might create a new Trait for 2nd Sight for those seventh sons of a seventh son and others too of course.

That is a great explanation, Laurna.  It makes me think of Morgan's discussion with Dhugal wherein Alaric uses fire as a metaphor for power in general and Deryni abilities specifically.  :D

To extend this theory into the animal world, I think there are creatures in dark places that can create and extinguish light like handfire, Light they can even move away from their bodies. I will bet there are colonies of animals that can use Rapport among st themselves to warn of danger. Not verbal calls like in our world but mental calls. I think there might even be small creatures like reptiles or such that send out energy pulses to stun their prey. Let us be thankful the dinosaur sized lizard that can do that has become extinct. I love the idea of creatures that favor certain types of stone that they have become attuned to. When danger comes they portal between their favored stones, making them impossible to find or to catch.
If we stay in the world of the eleven kingdoms long enough and start to do scientific studies we might just discover these things.
But alas at the moment we are not explorers.

That is fascinating and a very helpful way of looking at it.

"Our players live in a medieval world where science has not yet progressed enough to study how magic works and to find a way to do it if you were not born to it. But that may come in time."

The limiting factor for the Deryni world to do this exploration might be the challenge it posed to Deryni. KK has provided a strong ethical framework but we see so many times how that is subverted by those who wish to see their power unchallenged. 

I can see a parallel in our world. In many ways there was no reason why the ancient world could not have developed technology, the mathematical framework, even allowing for the absence of zero was there. What was lacking was motivation. The prevalence of slavery, and the ready supply of slaves in the Roman Empire together with the disregard for their well-being meant that there was plenty of man-power available to provide a comfortable and leisured lifestyle for the wealthy and powerful.

So what have we seen the Border Second Sight character due in KK's writings?

Quote from: Bynw on May 24, 2018, 03:10:17 PM
So what have we seen the Border Second Sight character due in KK's writings?

Ciard seems to have been the main example, and he could dowse, feel the approach of people he knew well, and seemed to be at least slightly prescient.

Bethane could also be an example. Unless I am misremembering she isn't Deryni, although she was married to one. So there is some skill at least in spell craft. I have never been sure whether the Jessamin (spelling?) crystal which killed Bronwen and Kevin was misset by accident or by malice. There is some suggestion that long years of loneliness and brooding on the past have sent her slighty mad.

KK drops quite a few hints that it is "Second Sight" that has bred a greater tolerance for Deryni in the borders so I think that it must have at least some Deryni traits, most likely in the area of knowing more than is the normal human range.

Quote from: revanne on May 24, 2018, 03:32:28 PM
Bethane could also be an example. Unless I am misremembering she isn't Deryni, although she was married to one. So there is some skill at least in spell craft. I have never been sure whether the Jessamin (spelling?) crystal which killed Bronwen and Kevin was misset by accident or by malice. There is some suggestion that long years of loneliness and brooding on the past have sent her slighty mad.

KK drops quite a few hints that it is "Second Sight" that has bred a greater tolerance for Deryni in the borders so I think that it must have at least some Deryni traits, most likely in the area of knowing more than is the normal human range.

That's a good point.  I think KK deliberately left a question about the setting of the jerraman hanging as to whether Bethane just messed up or meant it to be fatal.

And it might well be that those who have the Second Sight are in something of a gray area between human and Deryni.

Waren De Gray  could be a second sighter  that just happened to be lucky enough and rare enough to have gained healing. He is not Deryni at all but he could have boarder blood. it might be a rare boarder gift that is seen but the healer usily is just a clan physisian who appears to be skilled or  really good. maybe the healing is not as high a quality as a Deryni Healer.

As I recall thougu, Warin de Gray healed a man with severe crush injuries and multiple broken bones which seems equal to Deryni healing. Don' T think it was ever resolved where his healing ability came from. Still a mystery  I think,

SKILL TEST?

The question has come up on what/how to accomplish an accurate skill test. I know that I did it wrong. I will not change my posting, but I would like to know how to do it right.
The characters have discovered the portal cordinates(that is a seperate test for this)
This is how Bynw explained the next step:

QuoteNow, anyone can check for a Trapped Portal before making a jump. It's a Standard Test (2d6) vs the skill of the person who set the trap. In a tie, defender (the person who set it always wins.) If the person who set the trap wins the roll, then the person checking for the trapped Portal cannot tell if it is or not trapped. But they wont know how it is trapped. I would give a Spell Master Advantage at checking for a trapped Portal.
On this particular Test. The person checking to see if it is Trapped or not, must get 2 or more successes.  (2 successes means that two dice in one roll must be a 5 and or 6)

1)So a character checking to see if the portal is trapped has to do a skill test against the person who set the trap.
I was thinking that the skill test was like an initiative test. Who ever scored highest wins. Apparently this is wrong.

First, I think that the person setting the trap should roll for his skill level at the time that he set the trap and then every one else after that just has to beat that number. But as Bywn has tried to explain it to me this still is not correct. Just a bit confused here.

2) Once a character has detected a trap. Bywn said:

QuoteAs you can already tell I made the trap non-lethal. A Ritual Magic Trait or Spell Master Trait roll would be required to break the enchantment of the Trap without destroying the Portal. This would also take two Successes.

My NPC's did not get this far so I did not even try for this test. Still confused.

Therefore, I had the NPC (poor Sextus) jump to a trapped portal that he did not know was trapped.

QuoteYes the Portal is trapped, to what degree is the question really. Feyd is skilled but his not a Master. I'm going to go with it causing unconsciousness in anyone not properly attuned to it. They would get a Save Test (2d6 to avoid being unconscious but they would be highly disoriented.)

Sextus did a Save test and the poor man failed miserably. Snake eyes. (I have seen dozens of snake eyes in this game and only once seen double 6's, I have to question that, but that is for a different conversation about cursed Torenthi dice.)

So let us go back to the beginning. What should I have done?

Quote from: Laurna on May 27, 2018, 12:35:48 PM
SKILL TEST?

The question has come up on what/how to accomplish an accurate skill test. I know that I did it wrong. I will not change my posting, but I would like to know how to do it right.
The characters have discovered the portal cordinates(that is a seperate test for this)
This is how Bynw explained the next step:

QuoteNow, anyone can check for a Trapped Portal before making a jump. It's a Standard Test (2d6) vs the skill of the person who set the trap. In a tie, defender (the person who set it always wins.) If the person who set the trap wins the roll, then the person checking for the trapped Portal cannot tell if it is or not trapped. But they wont know how it is trapped. I would give a Spell Master Advantage at checking for a trapped Portal.
On this particular Test. The person checking to see if it is Trapped or not, must get 2 or more successes.  (2 successes means that two dice in one roll must be a 5 and or 6)

1)So a character checking to see if the portal is trapped has to do a skill test against the person who set the trap.
I was thinking that the skill test was like an initiative test. Who ever scored highest wins. Apparently this is wrong.

First, I think that the person setting the trap should roll for his skill level at the time that he set the trap and then every one else after that just has to beat that number. But as Bywn has tried to explain it to me this still is not correct. Just a bit confused here.

2) Once a character has detected a trap. Bywn said:

QuoteAs you can already tell I made the trap non-lethal. A Ritual Magic Trait or Spell Master Trait roll would be required to break the enchantment of the Trap without destroying the Portal. This would also take two Successes.

My NPC's did not get this far so I did not even try for this test. Still confused.

Therefore, I had the NPC (poor Sextus) jump to a trapped portal that he did not know was trapped.

QuoteYes the Portal is trapped, to what degree is the question really. Feyd is skilled but his not a Master. I'm going to go with it causing unconsciousness in anyone not properly attuned to it. They would get a Save Test (2d6 to avoid being unconscious but they would be highly disoriented.)

Sextus did a Save test and the poor man failed miserably. Snake eyes. (I have seen dozens of snake eyes in this game and only once seen double 6's, I have to question that, but that is for a different conversation about cursed Torenthi dice.)

So let us go back to the beginning. What should I have done?

For your skills/Traits, including combat with hand to hand or weapons, all of these Tests are done either at Disadvantage (1d6), Normal/Standard (2d6), or Advantage (3d6). Each die is taken separately from the others. In other words they are not added together. Success is generally a 5 or 6 on any single die. Although this number number can be as low as 3 in some cases or in others it needs to be a 6. In some cases you will need to acquire more than 1 success in order to succeed.

Initiative Test, which is done at the beginning of Combat, is the only Test (currently) that the dice are added together.

For the Trapped Portal. I did roll the dice for Feyd ahead of time. He got 1 success on 2d6, which was a 6. If I am remembering correctly, the other die was a 1. Thus was the ruling to determine if it was trapped by another Deryni reaching out  to it would have to get 2 successes. And anyone with Spell Mastery would be able to Test with Advantage.

If the Deryni is successful in detecting the Trap, then again they could make another Magic Test to see if they can disable that trap. Since the Trap was set with 1 success, it would take 2 to disarm it.

I was attempting to keep it simple, with minimal die rolls involved. But we could, going forward if all agree, to make that minor change of adding the dice to see how powerful it is and then using the same to detect it and break it. It would still be 2 rolls, one would still have to know there is a trap to disarm it.

Columcil immediately decides never to use a trapped portal.

Quote from: revanne on May 27, 2018, 01:20:44 PM
Columcil immediately decides never to use a trapped portal.

The bad news is, you don't always know if a portal is trapped BEFORE you attempt your jump to it. We have Camber and Eviane going to the Michaliene Portal. It was basically in a closet with the door bolted that no Deryni could open the bolts with magic from inside the Portal. And it was air tight too. Other traps have been talked about such as you can jump into the location, but then cannot jump out of it. And most horrifying was the portal described that you jump to it but never appear anywhere.

Horses or feet on roads are good.
I wonder how the portals that don't go anywhere work as  if I understand it correctly you have to know the "signature " of the portal you are going to before you jump.

Quote from: revanne on May 27, 2018, 01:43:42 PM
Horses or feet on roads are good.
I wonder how the portals that don't go anywhere work as  if I understand it correctly you have to know the "signature " of the portal you are going to before you jump.

Yes but it's trapped so you don't end up anywhere. So you think you are going to the Portal at location Z and never arrive because the moment you did actually arrive it bounced you to no where or never let you materialize or something horrible like that.

Thank you -that makes a horrible  sort of sense.

Ack! let us not do that. There would be no time for even a saved test from that. Unless a successful saved test bounced you back where you started. A failed saved test and you are dead, Instantly.

I still prefer the idea that a trapped portal has a set number assigned to it.  and everyone has to test themselves against that number.
Now because the person making the trap would have plenty of time to get it right. I would think they could choose the higher number from two separate rolls to assign to the trap. Maybe a Spell trained person rolls 2d6 but can get 2 rolls to pick the highest number, A ritual magic trait user 2d6 gets 3 rolls to pick the highest number, and a Spell master gets  3d6 with 2 rolls to pick the highest number.  and Archmage ( do we have that) gets 3d6 with 3rolls to pick the highest number.
The portal is assigned that number until the trap is disabled or the portal distroyed.

Example test for setting a trap
Ritual magic user rolls three times
12:00   Portaltrap   !roll 2d6
12:00   derynibot   5, 3 == 8
12:00   Portaltrap    !roll 2d6
12:00   derynibot   1, 1 == 2
12:07   Portaltrap   !roll 2d6
12:07   derynibot   4, 5 == 9

His highest score is 9. the portal trap is set at 9 and any one trying to detect that trap has to roll better than a 9.

Spell master setting a trap.
12:05   Portaltrap   !roll 3d6
12:05   derynibot   3, 4, 2 == 9
12:06   Portaltrap   !roll 3d6
12:06   derynibot   6, 1, 3 == 10
his highest number is a 10.  the portal trap is set at 10 and anyone trying to detect that trap must roll better than a 10.

The same number holds for deactivating the trap.

What do you think?

There is only one ArchMage and that is Camber.

Quote from: Laurna on May 27, 2018, 02:12:21 PM
Ack! let us not do that. There would be no time for even a saved test from that. Unless a successful saved test bounced you back where you started. A failed saved test and you are dead, Instantly.

I still prefer the idea that a trapped portal has a set number assigned to it.  and everyone has to test themselves against that number.
Now because the person making the trap would have plenty of time to get it right. I would think they could choose the higher number from two separate rolls to assign to the trap. Maybe a Spell trained person rolls 2d6 but can get 2 rolls to pick the highest number, A ritual magic trait user 2d6 gets 3 rolls to pick the highest number, and a Spell master gets  3d6 with 2 rolls to pick the highest number.  and Archmage ( do we have that) gets 3d6 with 3rolls to pick the highest number.
The portal is assigned that number until the trap is disabled or the portal distroyed.

Example test for setting a trap
Ritual magic user rolls three times
12:00   Portaltrap   !roll 2d6
12:00   derynibot   5, 3 == 8
12:00   Portaltrap    !roll 2d6
12:00   derynibot   1, 1 == 2
12:07   Portaltrap   !roll 2d6
12:07   derynibot   4, 5 == 9

His highest score is 9. the portal trap is set at 9 and any one trying to detect that trap has to roll better than a 9.

Spell master setting a trap.
12:05   Portaltrap   !roll 3d6
12:05   derynibot   3, 4, 2 == 9
12:06   Portaltrap   !roll 3d6
12:06   derynibot   6, 1, 3 == 10
his highest number is a 10.  the portal trap is set at 10 and anyone trying to detect that trap must roll better than a 10.

The same number holds for deactivating the trap.

What do you think?

I dont think 2 rolls and taking the best one would be good. There are Traits that allow for Luck that way to re-roll some Traits. Just one roll is all you get to get your number. But yes a with a Spell Trained/Ritual Magic you get 2d6 and with Spell Master you get 3d6.

As for Archmage, no there isnt anything for that in this rule set of the Deryni.

Quote from: Laurna on May 27, 2018, 02:41:01 PM
There is only one ArchMage and that is Camber.

I would say Camber was close but Orin was the one and only.

i am relieved that Darcy has no idea how to use a portal.  Or even what a portal is. 

Topic - Wards and Wards Major

I've been looking through the past posts that we have had in the game concerning Wards/Warding/Wards Major aka Ward Cubes. And I have found the following to be true and we should continue to use this pattern.

• Creating Wards or Warding requires a Test
• Activating Ward Cubes or dispelling Ward Cubes (by the owner of said set) does not require any Test
• Using someone else's Ward Cubes would require a Test

This has been what we have been doing all along just wanted to make it Official.

Quote from: Bynw on May 27, 2018, 02:51:02 PM

Quote from: Laurna on May 27, 2018, 02:41:01 PM
There is only one ArchMage and that is Camber.

I would say Camber was close but Orin was the one and only.

I would argue that Dom Emrys, Dom Queron, and Lady Evaine came pretty close as well, and Joram probably also.

I have updated the Trait list in the Character Creation Thread. I am also putting it here as well.


TRAIT LIST

Acrobat: You gain Advantage when Testing to do acrobatic tricks such as tumbling, long-distance jumps, climbing, and maintaining balance.

Additional Weapon Mastery: You can choose another weapon to have Mastery within any weapon group you are proficient in.

Additional Weapon Proficiency: You can choose a 2nd or more weapon group to be proficient with allowing you to use more weapons without penalties.

Alchemist: Provided the right reagents and recipes, you can mix potions, elixirs, and poisons. You also gain Advantage when identifying unknown liquids.

Ambush Specialist: You gain Advantage on Tests to locate, disarm, and detect ambushes and traps. You also gain Advantage on Save Tests to avoid traps.

Anger Issues: When you are down to your last hit point, your anger-fueled attacks do 2 Hit Points of damage. You cannot flee, stop fighting, or heal yourself until the encounter is over.

Armor Master: You have mastered wearing armor like a second skin. When wearing any form of armor, you have an extra 3 Hit Points that must be lost before you take physical damage. These hit points cannot be healed and must be restored via repairing your armor. It takes a full 8 hours to repair all 3 Hit Points.

Awaken (Deryni): You can give Deryni like power to a Human. Thus they have the ability to learn further Deryni only Traits, with the Game Master's permission. The newly Awakened has the Power Trait automatically and can gain any others that the Deryni using this Trait has on a successful 1d6 Test. This Trait requires the Ritual Magic Trait.

Backstabber: When using the Focus Action, your next attack on a surprised opponent inflicts 2 points of damage.

Beastspeaker (Deryni): You are able to communicate with animals. This form of communication is primitive and very simplistic. This Trait requires the Power Trait.

Blind-Fighter: You are able to fight in total darkness or while blinded without Disadvantage.

Blocker (Deryni): You have the ability to make any Deryni into a human by blocking their Psionic abilities with just a Standard Test. You can also restore any blocked Deryni with a Standard Test. This Trait requires the Healer Trait. There is no save Test against this Trait.

Born Of Stone: You gain Advantage when building with stone and working in mines. When searching for secret doors and passages in caves, mines, dungeons, etc., you are successful on a Test of 4, 5, or 6. This Trait works with Perceptive.

Brawler: You gain Advantage when making unarmed attacks.

Butcher: If you drop an opponent with a melee attack, you get an immediate extra melee attack against an opponent within reach. You cannot move before using this extra attack. You can do this once per turn.

Charismatic: You gain Advantage when attempting to convince someone of something or otherwise influence them.

Connected: You have connections to a group or organization, from a local government official to a criminal syndicate. You gain Advantage when Testing to gain a favor from the person or group. If your Test is successful, the group will grant you access to equipment, share information, remove red tape, etc.

Defender: When you defend an area by taking a stand and sacrificing all offensive attacks, you get a melee attack on all opponents who come within your reach.

Diehard: When an attack would reduce you to 0 Hit Points, it instead reduces you to 1 Hit Point. You can do this once per day.

Drunken Master: When fighting while intoxicated, your attacks are successful on a Test of 4, 5, or 6. This cannot be used with the Focus Action.

Dungeoneer: You gain Advantage when attempting to find your way through a dungeon or cave system, and when attempting to identify creatures native to dungeons or caves.

Ecologist: You gain Advantage when attempting to find your way through natural environments, and when attempting to identify dangerous creatures.

Educated: You gain Advantage when checking to see if you know specific information.

Eidetic Memory: When Testing to recall information you have seen or heard previously – even in passing – you succeed on a roll of 4, 5, or 6.

Escape Artist: You gain Advantage when attempting to slip out of restraints.

Fleet of Foot: Your speed increases from 25 feet to 30 feet.

Fly Swatter: When both hands are empty, you can Test 1d6 whenever you are hit by a ranged weapon. If your test is successful, you swat the projectile out of the air and do not take damage. Common sense and the GM should limit which types of ranged weapons can be deflected. Arrows, yes! Boulders, no!

Hatred: You have a profound hatred for one specific type of creature. When you successfully attack such a creature, you cause 2 points of damage.

Healer (Deryni): As an Action, you can Test 2d6 to heal another creature or Test 1d6 to heal yourself. If the Test is successful, the target creature is healed for 1d6 Hit Points or 1d6/2 (round up) Hit Point if used on yourself. This Trait can also be used to cure poison, disease, and other physical ailments that are non-magical. You must be next to the creature to heal it. This Trait requires the Power Trait.

Inspiring: Your inspirational words can bring out the greatness in others. With a successful Test, nearby allies gain Advantage on all Tests for a number of rounds equal to the number of dice with a success on your Test.

Marksman: When using the Focus Action, your next attack with a ranged weapon is successful on a Test of 3, 4, 5, or 6.

Nimble Fingers: You gain Advantage when Testing to pick locks, steal, or do slight-of-hand.

Opportunist: If an enemy within range fails to hit with an attack against you, you may immediately make an attack with Disadvantage against that enemy.

Perceptive: You gain Advantage when Testing to gain information about your surroundings or find things which may be hidden. You gain this even while asleep.

Precise Attacker: IWhen using the Focus Action, your next attack with a light melee weapon is successful on a Test of 3, 4, 5, or 6.

Predator's Sense: One of your senses is particularly keen. When examining your surroundings to gain information with this sense, you are successful on a Test of 4, 5, or 6. One sharp sense is chosen at Adventurer Creation. This Trait works with Perceptive.

Prepared: You gain Advantage when making a Cinematic Ammo Test at the end of a fight. Twice per mission you can Test with Disadvantage to see if you brought a specific piece of Common equipment with you.

Protective: You can Test with Advantage to block a successful attack on an adjacent ally. If your Test is successful, you and your ally take no damage. You can do this once per round of combat.

Power (Deryni): You have power because of your species or you are a human that has been granted power by another Deryni. You can read minds of others, create hand-fire or light a campfire or candle, you can tell if someone is lying. And you can communicate telepathically with others. Doing this is an action, and you must make a Test at a Disadvantage 1d6. If you are trying to manipulate an object or creature, you must have eye contact with it or better yet be touching it.

Quick Shot: You are able to reload a Ranged Weapon and fire it in one Action.

Resolute: You gain Advantage on all Save Tests.

Resourceful Fighter: You are Proficient with improvised weapons. This is in addition to the weapon group chosen at Adventure Creation.

Ritual Magic (Deryni): You are more adept at channeling the arcane power flowing through your veins and can empower greater magical effects through rituals. There are specific rituals for nearly every purpose. With a successful Test, you can affect a wider area, more targets, or create a more powerful result. As always, the Game Master is the judge of what you can and cannot attempt to do. Ritual Magic is a Standard Test that succeeds on a 4,5, or 6 due to the focal nature of Rituals. This Trait requires the Spell-Trained Trait.

Shapechange (Deryni): As an Action, you can Test 2d6 to transform into someone else, compleating changing one's appearance and even gender. You can revert to your normal form as an Action. This Trait requires the Spell-Trained Trait.

Sharpshooter: When using the Focus Action, you may Test to make a called shot. You can pin a target to a wall, tree, etc., or knock an item out of their hand. This does not grant an instant kill unless your opponent loses their last Hit Point. You must have Mastery with a Ranged weapon.

Shield Bearer: While wielding a shield, Test with 2d6 on Evade Actions instead of 1d6. If you choose this Trait, your Adventurer gains a shield at Adventurer creation.

Sneaky: You gain Advantage when Testing to hide or sneak around without others noticing you.

Spell Master (Deryni): You have learned to push your inherent magical abilities to their upmost potential. All of your Deryni power Tests at an Advantage. The Game Master is the judge of what you can and cannot attempt to do. This Trait requires the Ritual Magic Trait.

Spell-Trained (Deryni): You have been given a full set of training in the Deryni Arts. There is almost nothing you cannot do with your powers. You use a Standard Test 2d6 on all of your Deryni powers now. This Trait requires the Power Trait.

Strong: You gain Advantage when Testing to do something with brute force.

Survivalist: You gain Advantage when Testing to forage for food, find water, seek shelter, or create shelter in the wild.

Tactical: With a successful Test, your allies gain Advantage on the next Initiative Test.

Team Player: You know how to make the most of fighting alongside your allies. When fighting alongside someone else with the Team Player Trait, you gain an additional non-movement Action during your turn (for a total of three Actions).

Telekinesis (Deryni): You can move small objects just by thinking about it. You must have eye contact with the object and make a standard 2d6 Test. This Trait requires the Power Trait.

Tough: You gain 1 additional Hit Point. This Trait can be taken more than once.

Tracker: You gain Advantage when Testing to track someone or an animal in the wilderness. While outside, you can also locate true north without Testing.

Trader: You can Test with Advantage when negotiating a financial transaction. If your test is successful, you save or earn 10% extra for each die with a success on your Test.

Trapmaster: You gain Advantage when Testing to create, locate, and disarm traps. You also gain Advantage on Save Tests against traps.

Vigilant: You gain Advantage on Initiative Tests.

Vocal Mimicry: You gain Advantage when Testing to reproduce a voice you have heard before.

Well Trained: You gain Advantage when fighting with one specific type of weapon, like daggers, for example. This weapon is chosen at Adventurer Creation, and you start with one of these weapons. This is in addition to the Mastered weapon chosen at Adventure Creation.

Quote
Telekinesis (Deryni): You can move small objects just by thinking about it. You must have eye contact with the object and make a standard 2d6 Test. This Trait requires the Spell-Trained Trait.

I noticed you changed Telekinesis to say that it requires the Spell-Trained trait.
Washburn has used Telekinesis several times during battle an I still want him to have Telekinesis. I Would love to give him the Spell Trained Trait too. I know we have agreed that he has had spell training from his family but had not completely finished it.  That is why he rolls 1d6 with a success on 4,5,6.
He is currently learning Healing. I would have finished off his Spell Training trait first, as it would have been much faster to do 6fails and 6 successes, if I had realized in the early months just how long the Healing Training takes. There has only been a few times that he could heal.( and that is impossible to pursue in his current state!) So Where does Washburn stand on Spell Training and Telekinesis?

Quote from: Laurna on May 28, 2018, 03:05:34 PM

Quote
Telekinesis (Deryni): You can move small objects just by thinking about it. You must have eye contact with the object and make a standard 2d6 Test. This Trait requires the Spell-Trained Trait.

I noticed you changed Telekinesis to say that it requires the Spell-Trained trait.
Washburn has used Telekinesis several times during battle an I still want him to have Telekinesis. I Would love to give him the Spell Trained Trait too. I know we have agreed that he has had spell training from his family but had not completely finished it.  That is why he rolls 1d6 with a success on 4,5,6.
He is currently learning Healing. I would have finished off his Spell Training trait first, as it would have been much faster to do 6fails and 6 successes, if I had realized in the early months just how long the Healing Training takes. There has only been a few times that he could heal.( and that is impossible to pursue in his current state!) So Where does Washburn stand on Spell Training and Telekinesis?

Thanks for pointing that out. It was a typ0. Just not paying attention when I'm typing sometimes. It's been fixed to Power Trait being required.

Falling Damage

Since Washburn decided to fly out of the ruins, but fortunately for him he failed. That does bring up the possibility of getting hurt from falling. There is always the "he needs to be hurt for the story line". In that case it would be automatic and the player would get to have fun with it.

Now on the other hand if falling is a random act and we need to determine by the roll of the dice if there is any damage. Use this as a guideline.

• If a character falls less than 15 feet (roughly less than 5 meters) then there is NO damage unless you want him to have it.
• If a character falls 15 to 29 feet (roughly 5 to 10 meters) then that character makes a Save Test, failure is 1 HP of damage.
• If a character falls 30 to 49 feet (roughly 10 to 17 meters) then that character makes 2 Save Tests, failure is 1 HP of damage each failed Test.
• If a character falls 50 to 74 feet (roughly 17 to 25 meters) then that character makes 3 Save Tests, failure is 1 HP of damage for each failed Test plus 1 HP.
• If a character falls 75 to 124 feet (roughly 25 to 42 meters) then that character makes 4 Save Tests, failure is 1 HP of damage for each failed Test plus 1 HP.
• If a character falls 125 to 174 feet (roughly 42 to 58 meters) then that character makes 5 Save Tests, failure is 1 HP of damage for each failed Test plus 2 HPs.
• If a character falls 175 feet or more (roughly 59 or more meters) then that character makes 6 Save Tests, failure is 1 HP of damage for each failed Test plus 3 HPs.

So follow the Rule of Thumbs. Don't fall.

All I can say is, I am glad our characters are made of a bit more rubber than us mere humans are. Don't change it, but a 175 feet usually means 'died of cement poisoning'. Our characters have a chance of actually surviving that. If you can get at least one save point in and they weren't already down a hit point of two.  :o
Wash promises to not doing any attempts at flying. :-\  "Falling with style" Now, that might be more fun.  ;)

Quote from: Laurna on June 12, 2018, 04:10:09 PM
All I can say is, I am glad our characters are made of a bit more rubber than us mere humans are. Don't change it, but a 175 feet usually means 'died of cement poisoning'. Our characters have a chance of actually surviving that. If you can get at least one save point in and they weren't already down a hit point of two.  :o
Wash promises to not doing any attempts at flying. :-\  "Falling with style" Now, that might be more fun.  ;)

Are characters are not the man on the street type. They are a cut above the rest. I would say, using Tiny D6, that your average normal man on the street only has 3 HP, maybe 4 HP if they are more hardy. So that fall that does an automatic 3 will kill them.

Quote from: Bynw on June 12, 2018, 04:21:07 PM

Quote from: Laurna on June 12, 2018, 04:10:09 PM
All I can say is, I am glad our characters are made of a bit more rubber than us mere humans are. Don't change it, but a 175 feet usually means 'died of cement poisoning'. Our characters have a chance of actually surviving that. If you can get at least one save point in and they weren't already down a hit point of two.  :o
Wash promises to not doing any attempts at flying. :-\  "Falling with style" Now, that might be more fun.  ;)

Are characters are not the man on the street type. They are a cut above the rest. I would say, using Tiny D6, that your average normal man on the street only has 3 HP, maybe 4 HP if they are more hardy. So that fall that does an automatic 3 will kill them.

Also, since all of our PCs are Deryni (whether or not they've actually been trained to use their powers), there's that tiny chance that they will manage to reflexively use their magic in such a way as to break their fall just that tiny bit that spells the difference between certain death and barely clinging to survival.

Quote from: Laurna on June 12, 2018, 04:10:09 PM
Don't change it, but a 175 feet usually means 'died of cement poisoning'.

And here we have a truly fine specimen of the dry, gallows humo(u)r often found in those in medical fields of work.  ;)

(Love you, Laurna; I'm just teasing.  I hope that my intended silliness is apparent.)

Love it Laurna

So, let's do the longest survived jump, without a parachute and without injury.
1)Indiana Jones, jumping out of a plane at several thousand feet altitude, with a 500-1000 foot fall using only an inflatable raft to land, which he makes very smartly on a steep ice covered mountain side, missing all the rocks, not puncturing the raft and sliding  all the way down the mountain to end up floating down a river. Not only saving himself but also his two companions from injury. I am not going to even try to count the number of successful Save rolls and hero points used.  :P ;D

Having just visited some waterfalls within a mountain on holiday I have returned even more convinced that Kelson and Dhugal's survival in QfSC is nothing short of the miraculous. So there is good precident for Washburn to fly without wings.

I am writing up some detailed rules for Portals. Once I have them written up. I will post them to this thread.

How to Trace a Transfer Portal Jump

The character must have the Spell Trained Trait and the jump that is being traced must be less than 24 hours old at the time it is being investigated. This is just a standard 2d6 Test. There maybe additional issues to make the Test more difficult or less difficult imposed by the Game Master. This can only be attempted once by a single Deryni. Success learns the unique coordinates of the destination Portal.

Checking to see if a destination Portal is Trapped

The character must know the unique coordinates of the Portal in order to check it to see if there is a magical based trap imposed on it. This is accomplished by the Deryni reaching out from one Portal to the destination Portal and probing it to see if he can detect a trap.

A Test is called and if successful then the dice are totaled. This is a contest of skills. The user vs the trapper. The total here must be equal to or greater than the dice total that the trapper made when setting the trap in the first place. If the total indicates a successful detection, the user will know if the trap is lethal or not. But may not know the full extent of what the trap actually does.

If the roll is not successful or the total is not high enough. The user is unable to detect any traps. He may attempt to do so again after 24 hours time has passed.

Setting, disarming, removing a Trap from a Portal

At this point the character is required to have the Spell Trained Trait.

To set a trap on a Portal, one must be physically present in relationship to the Portal. A Test is made and if successful the dice are totaled. This is the strength of the trap on the Portal. The number that will be used by others to see if they can detect, disarm, or remove the trap.

If the Test fails, then the character must wait another 24 hours before he is able to again attempt to set a trap on the Portal.

Traps can do many different things. This is left to the player, the character and the Game Master to decide what takes place and what triggers the trap to be sprung.

To disarm a trap on a Portal, one does not need to be physically present. This can be done from the destination Portal as one is making the jump connection. Also, the character must know that the trap is actually there, although the Game Master can "go along" and let the player do as they will.

The user makes a Test and if successful he totals the dice. If the total is equal to or greater than the above strength of the trap, then it is disabled. Note that a disabled Portal will automatically re-enable itself again after 24 hours. This does not remove the trap, it only disables it.

If the Test succeeded but the dice total was too low. The trap is still enabled, but the character may be unaware of the failure and think that the trap has been disabled.

If the Test failed, then the character knows he failed at disabling the trap.

In either of these cases, the character may try again to successfully disarm the trap after 24 hours have passed.

In order to completely remove a trap from a Portal. The character does need to be in physical contact with it, just like when setting a trap. And the player must announce that he is indeed attempting to remove the trap from the Portal permanently.

The trap must first be disarmed before it can be removed. For the removal, another Test is made, if successful, then the dice are totaled once again. This total must be 3 points higher than the strength of the trap that was placed in order to remove it.

Like the previous rolls. If the Test is successful and the total is less than the required. The character might believe he has removed the trap. Also, like the previous actions, this can only be attempted by the character once every 24 hours.

The person that set the trap is able to disarm or remove it entirely, without the need of a Test.


Destroying a Transfer Portal

Destroying a Portal is not an easy task. It requires a lot of energy and the Ritual Magic Trait.

A standard 2d6 Test is made, even if being preformed by a Deryni Master Trait character. And this requires a specific number of successes to be successful at ripping the Portal from reality. However, if a character does have the Telekinesis Trait, they succeeded on a roll of 4, 5, or 6.

The number of successes required are based on the age and other factors of the Portal that is being destroyed. The following chart is a guideline on Portal age and the number of successes required.

Portal Age	# of needed Successes
Hours to Days	2
Days to Weeks	3
Weeks to Months	4
Months to Years	5
Years to Decades	6
Several Decades	7
A Century	8
More than a Century	9

The Game Master can increase or decrease the number of needed successes to destroy a Portal based on another of different circumstances, including but not limited to the skill of the Portal creator and how frequently the Portal is used.

In order for the character to be able to get the required number of successes outside help is required or the character may trade in 1 Hit Point for each success. These 1 Hit Points must be declared prior to making the Test.

Creating a Transfer Portal

Creating a Portal generally requires both time and manpower. This also requires the Ritual Magic Trait in order to attempt to create a Portal.

The location of the Portal must have a base of natural earth or rock and it is usually octagonal in shape. The selected area is warded with Wards Major and then power is poured into the area. At this point a Test is made. Like the destruction of a Portal, the Telekinesis Trait allows successes on a 4, 5, or 6. Generally speaking at least 5 successes are necessary to create a Portal. The Game Master may raise or lower this number based on situational factors.

The extra successes are generally pulled from the energy reserves of others within the ritual framework. At the cost of 1 Hit Point per success. And can be spread out amount all the participants. The player making the Test decided, before the Test is rolled, who and how much he is drawing from the others.

Bynw, you amaze me with your ability to create  and construct these parts of the game.
What you did with the Poreal and how they work was very impressive.

How does this sound for a new trait for the list:

Second Sight - The Sixth Sense (Human Only)

Even though you are Human, you have a knack for things. You can sometimes tell if someone is lying to you. You can sense things that cannot normally be detected by the 5 senses. If someone attempts to influence your thoughts, actions, or memory with mind affecting powers, you can make a Standard Save Test and succeed on a 4, 5, or 6 to resist. Your abilities are not hindered by Merasha or improved by Blue Fyre.

I know I'm  not a player and I'm  just learning but I like it. Would Seamus have theses abilities.

Quote from: Bynw on June 30, 2018, 09:32:49 AM
How does this sound for a new trait for the list:

Second Sight - The Sixth Sense (Human Only)

Even though you are Human, you have a knack for things. You can sometimes tell if someone is lying to you. You can sense things that cannot normally be detected by the 5 senses. If someone attempts to influence your thoughts, actions, or memory with mind affecting powers, you can make a Standard Save Test and succeed on a 4, 5, or 6 to resist. Your abilities are not hindered by Merasha or improved by Blue Fyre.

That sounds good and yes Seamus would have them.

Second Sight - The Sixth Sense (Human Only)

Even though you are Human, you have a knack for things magical. You can sometimes tell if someone is lying to you. You can sense things that cannot normally be detected by the 5 senses. If someone attempts to influence your thoughts, actions, or memory with mind affecting powers, you can make a Standard Save Test and succeed on a 4, 5, or 6 to resist. Your abilities are not hindered by Merasha or improved by Blue Fyre.

I have slightly modified the above Trait. For anything someone does with Second Sight is just a Standard 2d6 Test, and you need a 5 or 6 to succeed unless otherwise noted.

the Trait Beastspeaker I think should be renamed. That way it doesn't get confused with the actual Tiny Dungeon Trait of the same name that I just tagged with (Deryni) because in many ways Rapport with Animals which is really what Deryni do is far more effective that the Tiny Dungeon basic Trait. I'm just looking for ideas on what to call it.

There is Beast Whisperer or Animal Whisperer, or Whisperer of creatures great and small.  :D

What about Haldane powers?

Quote from: JediMatt1000 on July 17, 2018, 11:49:10 AM
What about Haldane powers?

Haldane powers are the same as Deryni powers. Just like any other human who is given Deryni-like powers through a power assumption ritual like what originated with Cinhil

More on XP

Also for 10 XP you can get an additional Action.

There is a limit though on actions and movement. But I'm not sure yet what they will be. Probably 4 Actions and 50 feet but we will see.

Quote from: Bynw on June 12, 2018, 12:37:35 PM

Falling Damage

Since Washburn decided to fly out of the ruins, but fortunately for him he failed. That does bring up the possibility of getting hurt from falling. There is always the "he needs to be hurt for the story line". In that case it would be automatic and the player would get to have fun with it.

Now on the other hand if falling is a random act and we need to determine by the roll of the dice if there is any damage. Use this as a guideline.

• If a character falls less than 15 feet (roughly less than 5 meters) then there is NO damage unless you want him to have it.
• If a character falls 15 to 29 feet (roughly 5 to 10 meters) then that character makes a Save Test, failure is 1 HP of damage.
• If a character falls 30 to 49 feet (roughly 10 to 17 meters) then that character makes 2 Save Tests, failure is 1 HP of damage each failed Test.
• If a character falls 50 to 74 feet (roughly 17 to 25 meters) then that character makes 3 Save Tests, failure is 1 HP of damage for each failed Test plus 1 HP.
• If a character falls 75 to 124 feet (roughly 25 to 42 meters) then that character makes 4 Save Tests, failure is 1 HP of damage for each failed Test plus 1 HP.
• If a character falls 125 to 174 feet (roughly 42 to 58 meters) then that character makes 5 Save Tests, failure is 1 HP of damage for each failed Test plus 2 HPs.
• If a character falls 175 feet or more (roughly 59 or more meters) then that character makes 6 Save Tests, failure is 1 HP of damage for each failed Test plus 3 HPs.

So follow the Rule of Thumbs. Don't fall.

With a bit of work and simplification to the above. The following are the new rules on falling damage:

• Falling 20 feet or less the character makes a Save Test or suffers 1 HP of damage
• Falling 21 to 40 feet the character must make 2 Save Tests or suffer 1 HP of damage for each Test that failed
• Falling 41 to 80 feet the character must make 3 Save Tests or suffer 1 HP of damage for each Test that failed
• Falling 81 to 120 feet the character will take 1 HP of damage and must make 4 Save Tests or suffer 1 HP of damage for each Test that failed
• Falling 121 to 160 feet the character will take 2 HP of damage and must make 5 Save Tests or suffer 1 HP of damage for each Test that failed
• Falling 160 feet or more the character will take 3 HP of damage and must make 6 Save Tests or suffer 1 HP of damage for each Test that failed

As this game continues to advance I'm going to post more additional rules here. Or of course if something comes up I will do the same.

These are hard limitations on character Advancement.

Movement, starts at 25 feet and can be increased with XP in 5 feet intervals. There is a limit here, you can only increase that base movement to 40 feet.

Hit Points, you can increase these until the sky turns pink with orange poka dots. In otherwords, there are no limits to this.

Traits, you can have up to 7 Traits. At this point you can either swap out an old Trait for a new Trait at the cost of 10 XP, but you cannot remove your Heritage Trait (Deryni this is Power). The other thing you can do is go beyond the 7 Trait limit by spending 20 XP for the 8th Trait, 30 XP for the 9th Trait, 40 XP for the 10th Trait, and so on.

Weapon Proficiencies, well there are only 3 or 4 of them. So it wont take long to max them out. Weapon Mastery, each individual weapon will require that. So there will eventually be a limit once you learn every weapon in existence.

So did you only have a certain # for the whole game before?

Quote from: judywward on March 06, 2019, 08:03:00 PM
So did you only have a certain # for the whole game before?

Everyone has a Heritage Trait, for the Deryni that is Power. Humans get to choose one. And then everyone gets 3 more Traits. With XP you can bring that up to a total of 7 Traits.

Wash now has the full 7 traits plus Power. I am very glad to see that it is possible to go beyond that because I was thinking that would be all he could do.
Check out Washburn's character sheet on the character page if you want to see the listing. I keep it up to date.

One thing that is present in the Deryni Books that isn't being used in the current Ghosts of the Past game is the idea that certain uses of Deryni magic causes fatigue. It is tiring and even exhausting.

But fear not. I already have those rules penciled up for future play. But they wont be used in GotP. But any future game being ran using these same rules will have the added fatigue mechanic added in.