MAKE SURE YOU ARE READING THIS DOCUMENT IN UTF-8 ENCODING (If it still looks messed up, try another font - make sure it's fixed-width) Log Horizon TRPG Rules Summary v0.3 This document as well as the Skill List incorporate translations originally done by Yukamichi. This summary does not correspond word to word (or even section to section) with the published rulebook. We believe the rulebook is not well organized and attempted to achieve greater clarity by reorganizing and rewriting it. This document includes some information from the official errata and FAQ, as well as online supplemental material that has been released. Please support the development team! Purchase the Log Horizon TRPG book on amazon.co.jp! Visit our Log Horizon Wiki page at http://lh.oksub.me/wiki/Log_Horizon_TRPG TABLE OF CONTENTS I. THE BASICS I.a. GROUND RULES I.b. ESSENTIAL TERMS II. CHARACTERS II.a. CHARACTER CREATION II.b. CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT II.c. READING SKILL BLOCKS III. SESSION FLOW III.a. SCENES III.b. ROUND PROGRESSION IV. COMBAT IV.a. SQUARES AND MOVEMENT IV.b. HATE IV.c. ATTACKS V. GAME MASTER V.a. PROPS V.b. ENEMIES V.c. EXHAUSTION V.d. NON-COMBAT V.e. TREASURE V.f. MAGIC ITEMS VI. REFERENCE VI.a. STATUSES VI.b. TAGS AND OTHER TERMS VII. Tips I. THE BASICS I.a. GROUND RULES The Golden Rule written down in the book is in short "Be excellent to each other," but for the purposes of this incomplete translation the Golden Rule is "If any of the rules aren't clear, it probably works like it does in Night Wizard! (or DoubleCross, or whatever F.E.A.R. TRPG you're familiar with.)" Despite the Log Horizon TRPG not (to my knowledge) having anything to do with F.E.A.R, the resemblance is uncanny. The basic dice mechanic used by the Log Horizon TRPG is 2d6 + Attribute roll over, but some effects may increase or decrease the number of dice rolled (the minimum number of dice is 1.) If you roll a 6 on two or more dice, you Critical, and if you roll a 1 on all dice, you Fumble. Criticals result in an automatic success, and Fumbles result in an automatic failure (if you need an exact number, Fumbles decrease the total result of the roll to 0; the attribute used is negated as well.) This die roll is sometimes compared against a difficulty level specified by the text or by the GM, which is called a Basic Check, or against a die roll made by the GM on an enemy or NPC's behalf, which is called an Opposed Check. Whoever rolls higher during an Opposed Check is the winner. Another fundamental concept of the the Log Horizon TRPG is Fate Points (which are very similar to Prana in Night Wizard!) Every PC has Fate Points and can spend them as the cost of certain skills or to produce these other effects: • Increase the number of dice in a single check (before making it) by one • Reroll all dice in a single check • Remove any one Bad Status you're currently affected by All PCs start each Session with their maximum number of Fate Points, and regain a Fate Point at the end of every Phase (see III. SESSION FLOW.) Almost everything characters do in the Log Horizon TRPG is considered an action. Actions have a Timing, which determine when and how often they can be used; a target that they affect; a cost, which is typically drawing the ire of enemies (see IV.b. HATE); and Check Type that the user must succeed at, unless they're simple enough to succeed automatically. Generally, outside of combat, only the Check Type needs to be given special consideration. See II.c. READING SKILL BLOCKS and the skill list (paying close attention to the Basic Actions section) for more information. I.b. ESSENTIAL TERMS • Action: In general, anything a character does that could conceivably fail, or take time and preoccupy them. Many actions, including all skills, have specific timings and difficulties set. • Timing: An abstract measure of the amount of time, focus and effort an action takes. Also expresses when it would be a reasonable time to perform such an action. Most important during combat. • Skill: An action a character must be proficient (by acquiring Skill Ranks) in to perform successfully. Alternately, the passive effects of various types of conditioning or training, represented by acquiring Skill Ranks. • Tag: A descriptive keyword, such as 'Adventurer' on a PC, 'Magic Attack' on a skill, 'Sword' on an item, 'Flame' on an attack's damage, or 'Goblin' on an enemy. Generally, tags have no effects of their own, but often interact with skills and other game rules. • Character: Any living entity in the game, whether a PC, NPC, or enemy. • Prop: Any non-living entity in the game, including walls, doors, unusual terrain, traps, and even abstract concepts with mechanical effects like the darkness of night. • Gimmick: A non-living entity that is represented as an enemy for mechanical purposes. Think of them as intricate traps. • Class: The twelve different types of adventurers, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Each class has different starting stats and a different skill pool. • Archetype: The four broad categories of character classes. They are Warriors, Healers, Weapon Masters, and Mages. In addition to class skills, each Archetype has access to a different skill pool. • Race: The eight races characters can be. Race influences your starting stats, though not to the same degree as class, and grants access to three racial skills. • Equipment: Items that a character wears or otherwise gains a passive benefit from. • Consumable: Items that a character can use during combat or at other times for an active, temporary benefit. • Connection: A relationship, usually an amiable one, to another PC or NPC. It has few mechanical effects, but implies the other party can be asked for assistance or favors. • Union: A marker of membership in a group, anything from a party or guild like the Crescent Moon Alliance to a political bloc like the League of Freedom Cities Eastal. II. CHARACTER CREATION II.a. CHARACTER CREATION - Basics - All newly created PCs begin at Character Rank 1. Start by writing this down on your character sheet. Choose your PC's Main Class, which will also determine their Archetype. Then decide on their race. Both of these specify numbers that are added to determine your Base Stats, as per the chart below. Class STR DEX POW INT HP HP Modifier ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Guardian 4 2 1 3 50 +8 Samurai 4 2 2 2 50 +8 Monk 4 4 2 0 55 +9 Cleric 3 0 4 3 40 +6 Druid 2 1 4 3 35 +5 Kannagi 1 3 4 2 40 +5 Assassin 2 4 3 1 40 +5 Swashbuckler 3 4 2 1 40 +6 Bard 2 4 2 2 40 +5 Sorcerer 0 3 3 4 35 +4 Summoner 1 3 3 4 35 +5 Enchanter 2 2 2 4 35 +4 Race STR DEX POW INT HP Fate ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Human (+1 to any two) 8 1 Elf 0 1 1 0 8 1 Dwarf 1 0 1 0 16 0 Half-Alv 0 1 0 1 8 1 Werecat 1 1 0 0 8 1 Wolf Fang 2 0 0 0 16 0 Fox Tail 0 0 1 1 8 1 Race of Ritual 0 0 0 2 0 2 You also have five bonus points that you may distribute freely among your Base Stats. You cannot raise a Base Stat above 7 at this time. - Skills - Each Main Class possesses three automatic starting skills (these are listed in the Skill List under each Main Class's tab.) Choose three additional Combat skills and one General skill from amongst the Archetype, Main Class, Race, and Common skill lists. At CR 1, your maximum Skill Rank (SR) is 1. In addition, you can only acquire a maximum of two skills with the [Training] tag at this time. See II.c. READING SKILL BLOCKS for information on how to understand what skills do. For a full understanding, read the rest of this document first. - Ability Scores and Attributes - Add any modifiers from your skills to your Base Stats (these can raise your Base Stats above 7). Then calculate your final Ability Scores by dividing the Base Stat by 3 (round down). Now write down your Attributes. These are the things you actually use to make checks. They're determined by the corresponding Ability Score, plus any modifiers from skills and items. (You may wish to skip ahead and purchase items before finalizing these values.) • Athletics STR + modifiers from skills and items • Endurance STR + modifiers from skills and items • Disable DEX + modifiers from skills and items • Operate DEX + modifiers from skills and items • Perception POW + modifiers from skills and items • Negotiation POW + modifiers from skills and items • Knowledge INT + modifiers from skills and items • Analyze INT + modifiers from skills and items • Accuracy (Highest Ability Score) + modifiers from skills and items • Evasion DEX + modifiers from skills and items • Resistance POW + modifiers from skills and items Also record the following other values on your character sheet: • Max HP Main Class Modifier + Racial Modifier + modifiers from skills and items • Starting Fate Racial Modifier + modifiers from skills and items • Damage Damage Value of one equipped item + modifiers from skills and items • Magic Magic Value of one equipped item + modifiers from skills and items • Recovery Modifiers from skills and items • Physical Defense STR x 2 + modifiers from skills and items • Magical Defense INT x 2 + modifiers from skills and items • Initiative STR + INT + modifiers from skills and items • Speed 2 + modifiers from skills and items - Starting Items - Each PC starts with 350 gold, a Backpack, an Adventurer's Set, and a Sandwich. You should probably use the gold to purchase some equipment at this time, like weapons and armor. See the Item List spreadsheet. - Starting Connections - PCs receive one Connection at character creation. This should be to another PC. Player can work out amongst themselves their Connection, but it may be simpler to have each player form a Connection with the player to their physical right. PCs have no starting Union, however a GM may grant it to them if the scenario dictates that they should. For instance, PCs that are in the same party or Guild may warrant a Union. For information on how to use Connections and Unions in play, refer to V.d. NON-COMBAT below. - Personal Data - Now you should decide on the cosmetic aspects of your PC, if you haven't already. Make sure you've decided everything listed below: CName • Sex • Level (Elder Tale level, which is unrelated to your Character Rank and has no mechanical effect on play) • Starting Sub-Class (Mostly cosmetic, but may be a prerequisite for some Common skills) • Guiding Creed (basically, the reason your PC is an Adventurer; roll or pick a selection from the table below. The tag is really the only important part, as some may interact with Common skills. The tag is essentially an RP guide, otherwise, and may help generate ideas for characterization.) Die Roll Creed Name Principle Tag 1 Protection "Defend others from danger" [Soldier] 2 Friendship "Spend time with my friends" [Commoner] 1~2 3 Fortitude "Yield not to adversity" [Craftsman] 4 Conquest "Defeat the mighty" [Soldier] 5 Action "Lead by example" [Artist] 6 Chivalry "Conduct oneself gallantly" [Freeman] - 1 Support "Support everyone" [Statesman] 2 Justice "Uphold justice" [Craftsman] 3~4 3 Give-And-Take "Help and be helped in turn" [Merchant] 4 Effort "Put in my utmost effort" [Commoner] 5 Sagacity "Acquire knowledge" [Intellectual] 6 Expression "Express myself" [Artist] - 1 Trust "Believe in others" [Commoner] 2 Prosperity "Enrich those around me" [Merchant] 5~6 3 Leadership "Lead everyone" [Statesman] 4 Discipline "Discipline thyself" [Craftsman] 5 Discovery "Indulge my curiosity" [Intellectual] 6 Adventure "Have fun adventuring" [Freeman] 7 - GM's Choice GM's Choice GM's Choice Congratulations. You've finished creating your PC and are ready to play! II.b. CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT - Log Tickets - At the end of each Session (during After Play), the GM will give each player a Log Ticket. By using this ticket, the players can improve their PCs in various ways. They also serve as a record of the adventures their characters have had. Log Tickets can be used during Pre-Play, After Play, or if the GM permits at any other time. The GM will sign the Log Ticket, which is now considered 'used', and the player who used it will have their PC gain the specified benefit. Types of Log Tickets include: • Character Rank Up: This ticket can be used to increase Character Rank by 1. • Fate Point Get: This ticket can be used only during Pre-Play. It gives the user's PC an additional Fate Point for the duration of the Session. • Treasure Get*: This ticket can be used to acquire Treasure. • Other Get: This ticket can be used to acquire a new Connection, Union or Sub Class. * = Please note that, as per the Official FAQ, Treasure Get tickets are largely used to reward GMs in the case of a gaming group that uses a revolving GM. Because GMs cannot earn Prizes for their character (see V.e. TREASURE below), these Treasure Get tickets are how to compensate for that. PCs should, in general, not receive them. GMs may choose to ignore this rule if they deem it appropriate or fun to do so, of course. - Increasing Character Rank - By using a Character Rank Up Log Ticket, a PC's Character Rank can be increased by one. This has the following effects: 1. Maximum HP Increases For each increase in Character Rank, a PC's Maximum HP increases by their Main Class HP Modifier. Class HP Modifier ───────────────────────────── Guardian +8 Samurai +8 Monk +9 Cleric +6 Druid +5 Kannagi +5 Assassin +5 Swashbuckler +6 Bard +5 Sorcerer +4 Summoner +5 Enchanter +4 2. Base Stats Increase For each increase in Character Rank, all of a PC's Base Stats increase by one. Recalculate their Ability Scores after this happens. 3. Attributes May Increase If any of the PC's Ability Scores increase, their Attributes will increase as well. Here's a reminder of which Ability Scores affect which Attributes: Ability Score Attributes ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── STR Athletics, Endurance, Phys. Defense, Initiative DEX Disable, Operate, Evasion POW Perception, Negotiation, Resistance INT Knowledge, Analyze, Magic Defense, Initiative Highest Accuracy 4. New Skills When a PC's Character Rank increases, they can acquire new skills. From CR 2-10, they can acquire or rank up two Combat Skills and one General Skill. At CR 11 and above, this changes to one Combat Skill and one General Skill. They can either acquire brand new skills from amongst the Archetype, Main Class, Race, and Common skill lists or increase the SR of a skill that they already possess by 1. However, a skill can never rank up beyond its Maximum SR or beyond the PC's Character Rank. - Acquiring a New Sub Class - An Other Get Log Ticket can be used to acquire a new Sub Class. There is no limit to the number of Sub Classes a single character may have. Unlike in the Log Horizon novels, acquiring a new Sub Class does not cause you to lose your previous one. Make a record of all Sub Classes you have. Take note, however, that while a PC can have as many Sub Classes as they desire, they must choose only one to 'equip' during Pre-Play, and they count as being *only* that Sub Class during the scenario. - Acquiring Connections and Unions - An Other Get Log Ticket may also be used to form a Connection or Union. Players may form these with other players, NPCs that have appeared during the game, or even a character from the original Log Horizon novels. They may even form Connections with NPCs that do not exist, if the player desires a Connection with a specific type of character (for instance, making the acquaintance of a Blacksmith when no Blacksmith NPCs have been introduced). A new Union may also be formed with as many characters as desired, however this requires a touch more story justification. Unions represent guilds, adventuring parties, or even a kingdom ruled by a league of nobles. There is no limit on how many Connections or Unions a PC may have. For more information on how Connections and Unions are used in play, see V.d. NON-COMBAT below. - Acquiring Treasure - A Treasure Get Log Ticket can be used to acquire items, gold, or magic item components per the table below: Treasure Type Ticket Cost Result ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Normal Item 1 Acquire a normal item with a rank of your CR or lower Consumable 1 Acquire two of a normal item with the [Consumable] tag and a rank of your CR or lower Treasure 1 Make a single roll on the Treasure Table with a modifier of +10. Skills, etc. that modify Treasure Rolls do not affect this roll. II.c. READING SKILL BLOCKS ┌──────────────────────────────┐ │ Name │ │ Skill Type Tag Tag Tag │ ├──────────────────────────────┤ │ Max SR Timing │ │ Check Type │ │ Target Cost │ │ Range Activation │ │ │ │ Description │ │ │ │ │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────┘ - Skill Type - Should be "Combat", "General" or "Basic." If the data block isn't for a skill, it's just another tag. - Max SR - The maximum Skill Rank that it's possible to raise the skill to. - Timing - The time at which the skill can be used. • Constant: This skill is always in effect. • Pre-Play: This skill takes effect or can be used at the very beginning of the game session. • Interlude: This skill can be used in the interval between scenes • Briefing: This skill can be used during the Briefing Scene that takes place immediately before combat. • Rest Time: This skill can be used only when the PCs can calmly spend the time to do it (i.e. not during combat or tense situations.) • Major, Minor, Move, Instant: This skill can be used during the Main Process if an action of the specified type has not been taken yet. • Main Process: This skill can be used during the Main Process even if the Major, Minor, Move and Instant Actions have all been used already. • Setup, Initiative, Cleanup: This skill can be used during the specified Round Progression process. • Before (After) Check: This skill can be used immediately before or after making a check. • Damage Roll: This skill can be used immediately before a Damage Roll. • Before (After) Damage: This skill can be used immediately before or after taking or inflicting damage. • Action: This skill is used in response to another skill or action. See the description. • Refer: The timing of the skill is explained in the skill description. - Check Type - The type of check necessary for the skill to take effect. • None: No check is necessary, only a willing target. • Automatic: No check is necessary, the skill automatically succeeds. • Basic (Attribute/Difficulty): Requires a Basic Check against the specified attribute or difficulty. • Opposed (Attribute/Attribute): Requires an Opposed Check. If attributes are specified, the first is the user's and the second is the target's. • Refer: The necessary check is explained in the skill description. - Target - The target(s) affected by the skill. • Self: This skill can target only the character who is using it. • Single / n: This skill can target from 0 to n characters or Props with HP. If the target is written as 'Single', then n is 1. • Area (P/A): This skill targets all characters and Props with HP inside a single square of the user's choice (within range.) Pick (P) indicates that the user can choose a subset of these targets, such as only allies or only enemies. All (A) indicates that the skill affects allies and enemies alike. • Wide n (P/A): This skill targets all characters and Props with HP inside squares within n distance of a single square of the user's choice (within range.) For example, "Wide 1" includes the targeted square and the 4 squares cardinally adjacent to it, for a total of 5 squares. "Wide 2" includes the 8 squares cardinally adjacent to those 5 squares, for a total of 13 squares. (P/A) work as per Area. • Line n (P/A): The user must specify one of the four cardinal directions. This skill targets all characters and Props with HP in those squares within n distance of the user in the chosen direction. (P/A) work as per Area. • Refer: The target is explained in the skill description. * It should be noted that in Log Horizon, diagonals do not count as adjacent squares. Movement and ranges use what is known as Manhattan Distance. Squares in the four cardinal directions are the only ones that count as adjacent. In other words, moving diagonally one square would count as 'two squares'. More on this in the IV.a SQUARES AND MOVEMENT. - Range - The maximum range that can be targeted by the skill. • Close: This skill's range is limited to the square the user is within. • Weapon: This skill's range is the same as the weapon the user has equipped. • nSq: This action's range is up to n squares distant from the user. • Refer: The range is explained in the skill description. - Cost - The cost of the skill. • None (-): This skill has no cost. • Hate n: The user's [Hate] increases by n. • Fate n: The user's [Fate Points] decrease by n (they must have at least this many Fate Points.) • Cost n (Party): The user and all allies of theirs present must pay the specified cost. For instance, "Hate 1 (Party)" requires the user and their allies to all increase their Hate by 1. • Cost n (Allies): All present allies of the user must pay the specified cost. For instance, "Hate 1 (Allies)" requires all allies of the user to increase their Hate by 1. However, the user themselves does not need to pay the cost. • Refer: The cost is explained in the skill description. - Activation - The maximum number of times the skill can be used. • None (-): There are no limits on the skill. • Scenario n: The skill can be used only n times during a single scenario (game session). • Scene n: The skill can be used only n times during a single scene. • Round n: The skill can be used only n times during a single round of combat. • [Party]: This skill can be performed only once per scenario and only on the members of a single Party. • Other: The limit is explained in the skill description. - Description - Terms that may be used in the description. • "You": The character that possesses or is using the skill. • Target: The character, item, prop, etc. chosen as a target. • Secondary Target: An additional target chosen as specified in the skill description. The terms 'You' and 'Target' are in relation to this new target after it is chosen. • Ally: Characters that are friendly towards the user. In the case of PCs this typically includes all other PCs. • Enemy: Characters that are hostile towards the user. In the case of PCs this typically includes all monsters. • Sq: Short for Square. • BS/LS/CS/OS: Short for Bad Status/Life Status/Combat Status/Other Status. • "May move up to n Sq": The specified character may move to any valid Sq located within a distance of 0-n, or choose to stay where they are. • (Outside) Close Range: The square the user is in, or in the case of "Outside Close Range", all Sq other than the one the user is in. • Cost: The effect or secondary effect of the skill has an additional cost that much be paid for it to take effect. • "May use this skill again": If the associated cost is paid, this use of the skill does not count towards its limit. • "Requires ---": The skill can only be acquired by characters satisfying the specified condition. • "--- Only": The item can only be equipped by characters satisfying the specified condition. III. SESSION FLOW III.a. SCENES When players meet to play the Log Horizon TRPG, it's called a Session. Each Session consists of multiple phases, as depicted below: Pre-Play ──→ Session Prep │ ↓ ┌→ Opening Phase Main Play ─┼→ Middle Phase │ ├→ Climax Phase │ └→ Ending Phase ↓ After Play ─→ Log Tickets - Pre-Play - During Pre-Play, the players and GM prepare for the game. They should be prepared before coming to the Session as well; each player and the GM should carefully review the rulebook and the GM should be familiar with the Scenario. Every player needs to bring a Character Sheet, and ideally their own rulebook and dice as well. The GM also needs the battle map, the Hate Management Sheet, and several Log Tickets per player. Everyone should introduce themselves to each other if they aren't already acquainted, and the GM should then describe the premise of the scenario to the players (they can also prepare a handout to do this with beforehand.) Any players who haven't created a character should do so now. Housekeeping tasks for PCs such as acquiring new Sub Classes and upgrading characters are also best performed at this time. Finally, any players who wish to use a [Fate Point Get] Log Ticket should do so, and skills with [Timing: Pre-Play] can be used if desired. After all the necessities are complete, Pre-Play ends and Main Play begins. - Main Play - Main Play is when the game itself takes place. It is divided into multiple phases, and these phases are likewise divided into scenes. At the end of each phase, all PCs recover a Fate Point. • Opening Phase: During this phase, the plot begins as the GM presents the players with a problem or situation that will draw them into the story. Often, this phase will only last for a single scene. Once the players understand the objective of the scenario, the game moves on to the Middle Phase. • Middle Phase: During this phase, the players pursue the objective that they acquired during the Opening Phase. They should be presented with challenges, trials, and possibly enemies to defeat. Once the GM believes they are close to accomplishing their goal, the Climax Phase should start. • Climax Phase: During this phase, the players confront the final barrier between them and their objective. Often, this is a powerful boss enemy. When (or if) they overcome the final challenge, the game enters the Ending Phase. • Ending Phase: The Ending Phase serves as an epilogue to the story, showing the players what they've accomplished. There are typically no further battles or challenges during this phase. After the story has been wrapped up, Main Play is over and After Play begins. - After Play - During After Play, the players and GM wind down and perform housekeeping tasks to end the session. All PCs have their HP restored to their Maximum HP and their Fate Points restored to their Starting Fate Points. The GM should fill out and hand out Log Tickets (see II.b. CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT.) Any treasure or unwanted items acquired during Main Play can be sold at this time. If players wish to use their Log Tickets to rank up their characters at this time, they can do so. Once all necessary tasks are performed, the Session is over. - Scenes - This section of the book is 20 pages of minutiae mostly obvious to anyone who's played a TRPG before, so here's a very brief summary of the important parts: • Bad Statuses do not last past the end of scenes. • If the GM deems it appropriate, they can have PCs recover an arbitrary amount of HP at the end of scenes, or be restored to full HP. • Incapacitated characters are restored to fighting condition at the end of scenes, but are very weak and in need of rest. See V.a. STATUSES. • An Interlude occurs between scenes. Skills with [Timing: Interlude] can be used at this time. III.b. ROUND PROGRESSION Round Progression generally takes place during combat, but may also be called for during other time-sensitive situations (such as running from a boulder trap, Indiana Jones style.) A flowchart demonstrating the steps of Round Progression is below: Briefing Scene ↓ Round Progression begins ↓ Setup Process ←──────New Round───────────┐ ↓ │ Initiative Process ←───Next Turn─────┐ │ │ │ │ ↓ ┌→ Major Action │ │ Main Process ─┼→ Minor Action │ │ │ ├→ Move Action │ │ │ └→ Instant Action │ │ ↓ │ │ Are all characters Post-Action? │ │ [Yes] [No] ───────────────────┘ │ │ │ └─────┐ │ ↓ │ Cleanup Process │ ↓ │ Has the objective been completed? │ [Yes] [No] ─────────────────────────┘ │ └─────┐ ↓ Round Progression ends Here are details on the various steps of Round Progression. - Briefing Scene (or Surprise) - The Briefing Scene happens just before a fight. This is the moment in MMOs when the party is about to engage in a battle they see coming, such as in a dungeon, and take a moment both to understand the enemy and then prepare for the upcoming battle. In a Briefing Scene, two things happen. The first is that the players may ask for the name, rank, tags, and statuses of any monsters they can see. Based on this information, they may also wish to perform Scouting actions in order to gain more information or discover new threats they didn't previously see. Then, the party may act on this information by using skills with the Preparation tag. While any number of skills may be used, unless otherwise specified, only one instance of a Preparation tagged skill may be used. For example, a Kannagi may only use Purification Barrier once. Note that players do not incur Hate at this time. ** Many Scouting skills possess the condition '(Fumble): The enemy notices your scouting.' What this means is that the enemy force is alerted to impending attack, and take measures accordingly. Depending on what the GM feels is appropriate, the enemies may call for reinforcements, retreat to a better position, or take actions that generally make conditions worse for PCs. At the very least, if no ideas come to mind, increase all PC's Hate by +3 at the start of the combat. In the case of surprise attacks or ambushes, no Briefing Scene happens, even if the players are the attacking party. There are no set rules for determining surprise, the GM should simply rule as to whether a group is surprised or not. If Surprised, during the first round of the combat, any characters caught unawares (GM's call, but usually all of the defending side) cannot take Setup Process actions, and immediately acquire [Dazed] and [Post-Action]. - Setup Process - The Setup Process is the beginning of a new round. During this process, all characters are set or reset to the Pre-Action state, and characters may use actions with [Timing: Setup]. Once everyone is done, move on to the first Initiative Process. - Initiative Process - The Initiative Process consists of simply choosing the next character to take their turn, but characters may also use actions with [Timing: Initiative] at this time. If all present characters are in the Post-Action state, move on to the Cleanup Process. Otherwise, decide which character acts next using the following criteria: 1. Amongst the characters who are in a Pre-Action state, the one with the highest Initiative (unless they are on Standby.) 2. Amongst characters who are in a Pre-Action state and on Standby, the character with the lowest Initiative. If multiple characters have the same Initiative value, the PCs act before the NPCs. When PCs have the same Initiative value, they should decide amongst themselves who goes first, or have the GM decide if they are unable. For NPCs with the same Initiative, it is entirely the GM's decision. - Standby - A character that is about to enter their Main Process can instead declare that they are going on Standby. They gain the Other Status [Standby], and their Main Process is delayed until after all other characters not on Standby have taken their turn. When a character goes on Standby, skip their Main Process and move on to the next Initiative Process. Once a character on Standby takes their turn, remove the [Standby] status from them. A character must declare Standby prior to beginning their Main Process. If they have taken any kind of Main Process action, they can no longer go on Standby. Additionally, it is only possible to go on Standby once during each round. A character who has already been on Standby during this round cannot go on Standby again. - Main Process - During the Main Process, the character chosen by the Initiative Process gets to take their turn. The three types of actions usable only during the Main Process are the Move Action, Minor Action and Major Action, and it is only possible to take one of each during every Main Process. In addition, at any time during a character's Main Process, they may take a single Instant Action. Characters may choose not to take one or more of their possible Main Process actions if they have no need to do so. When a character has used all their possible Main Process actions or declared that they are finished, the Main Process ends. At this time, they transition from the [Pre-Action] to the [Post-Action] state, and if they are affected by the Bad Statuses [Staggered] or [Dazed], those statuses naturally expire. After a Main Process ends, return to the Initiative Process. - Cleanup Process - The Cleanup Process gets everything ready for the current round to end and a new round to begin. The steps of the Cleanup Process are listed below. 1. [Regen], [Decay] and other effects that may heal or damage a character take effect at this time. See the Status Glossary for details. If a character has multiple effects that would both heal and damage them, perform the effects that would heal them first. 2. If any character has an action with [Timing: Cleanup], they can use that action at this time. 3. Effects that can be sustained through multiple rounds, like Harmonies, are processed at this time. See the descriptions of these effects for further detail. 4. Effects that do not last multiple rounds end at this time. 5. The Cleanup Process is over. Move to the Setup Process of the next round. IV. COMBAT IV.a. SQUARES AND MOVEMENT In the Log Horizon RPG, the world is divided into square tiles like those of a chessboard. These tiles are known as Squares (Sq for short.) Distances or numbers of Squares are expressed as 1Sq, 2Sq and so forth. All characters and Props occupy a Square. Movement, skill and weapon ranges are all specified using Squares. By default there is no limit to the number of characters which can occupy a single Square, but if the GM decides Squares are too small to hold an unlimited amount of people, they are free to set a limit. Squares are about 5 square meters in size. The GM is free to alter this, but should not alter any distances or ranges as a result; this risks unbalancing the game. If the space between two Squares contains an impassable Prop such as a wall, it isn't possible to move directly between those two Squares. Additionally, Squares themselves may be occupied by an impassable Prop. Impassable Props generally block line of sight as well. A character without a direct line of sight to a Square cannot make that Square or anything in it the target of actions. Distances are measured using Manhattan rules. In any given square, only the cardinal direction squares are considered adjacent. Therefore, with a speed of '2', a character could move one square to the left and one square up, and even though visually they are only one square away, they still are two squares from their starting position. 4 - 3 - 2 - 3 - 4 | | | | | 3 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 3 | | | | | 2 - 1 - X - 1 - 2 | | | | | 3 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 3 | | | | | 4 - 3 - 2 - 3 - 4 Keep these rules in mind for skill targeting and attack ranges, as well. In combat, all characters have the ability to [Hinder] each other. If a character within close range (same square) as you attempts a [Normal Move], you may declare a [Hinder]. That character's movement will immediately end. Note that by default, [Hinder] can only target enemies, and not allies. At the GM's discretion, they may rule that [Hinder] can be applied to non-enemies. Good examples would be in the case of NPCs, or characters whose allegiance you are unsure of. There are three kinds of movement: [Normal Move] [Safe Move] and [Teleport]. [Normal Move] is the basic kind of movement and has no special rules. It can be used while [Swimming] and is affected by [Hinder]. [Safe Move] ignores the effect of enemies, but not terrain, and is NOT affected by [Hinder]. [Teleport] ignores enemies and terrain. So long as a valid square is picked, the character instantly moves to that square, and cannot be affected by [Hinder] or Props (however line of sight may still be required). Certain effects can produce what is known as 'Forced Movement'. In this way, characters are made to make moves they may not wish to. Typically these kinds of effects will be noted with 'forced [Safe Move]' '[Safe Move (forced)]'. If a character begins movement of their own accord but are interrupted by forced movement, treat the forced and non-forced parts of the movement according to the appropriate movement rules. IV.b. HATE To any player of an MMO, Hate is a familiar mechanic. It may be known by other names like aggro or threat, but its effect is the same: it is a measure of an enemy's recognition of your character as a threat. In MMOs, Hate is usually tracked per enemy, but to ease book keeping, Hate in this game is tracked per character. That is, if you have 5 Hate, all enemies in the scene treat you as having 5 Hate. There are two conditions to be concerned about when dealing with Hate: [Hate Top] and [Hate Under]. These conditions are treated as Other Statuses (see V.a. STATUSES). The character with the highest Hate in the party at any given time is considered [Hate Top]. If characters are tied for highest Hate, then they are all [Hate Top]. A character who has the [Hate Top] condition takes extra damage any time they are attacked and fail their [Dodge Check]. In addition to the regular damage of the attack, they take direct damage equal to [(The [Hate Top] current Hate) x (the enemy's Hate Multiplier)]. This additional damage is known as Hate Damage. Each enemy's Hate Multiplier is listed in their stats. Characters who are not [Hate Top] are known as [Hate Under]. If a [Hate Under] character is targeted by an enemy's attack, they enjoy a +2 bonus to their [Dodge Check]. In this way, the GM is encouraged to attack the [Hate Top]. However, it should be noted there is NO obligation to attack the [Hate Top]. Hate is a mechanic of incentives, not of hard rules. Hate can never be reduced below 0. There is no upper limit on Hate. Hate resets to 0 at the beginning, and at the end of combat. Hate is typically only incurred through the use of skills in combat, and the skill's cost will list how much Hate is gained through its use. Hate may also be affected by a skill's effect, and will be noted. The only other effect that manipulates Hate is failed [Dodge Checks]. Each time a PC is attacked by an enemy and the PC fails their [Dodge Check], that PC's Hate is immediately reduced by -1. Note this may change who is [Hate Top], so it is important to track this. Enemies and Props do not have Hate. NPCs may, however, have Hate (that's up to the GM). PCs who become [Incapacitated] no longer are subject to Hate rules. Their current Hate level is sustained and tracked, but they cannot become [Hate Top] or [Hate Under], and enemies typically ignore them. However, if the PC recovers from [Incapacitated] and would be [Hate Top], then they immediately become that. IV.c. ATTACKS Attacks are divided into three types. [Weapon Attacks] are attacks made with a weapon, and are further divided into [Melee Attacks] and [Ranged Attacks], which are both considered [Weapon Attacks]. [Magic Attacks] are attacks using magic to inflict damage. [Special Attacks] use mechanic equipment, spiritual power, songs, or other powers to make attacks that are not explicitly weapon or magic based. To make an attack, you first need to declare it. Hereafter, the character making the attack is referred to as the Attacker, and the character(s) targeted by the Attacker are the Defenders. To declare an attack, the Attacker must choose a usable action to make the attack with. Then, they must declare a target for that attack. The GM must make certain this attack is valid, taking into consideration the attack's Range, Target, and any other things like Props. If the attack is valid, it has been declared. Next, the Attacker makes a [Hit Check] using their Accuracy. The Defender(s) make an opposed [Dodge Check], using either their Evasion or Resistance, as dictated by the attack. If the Attacker rolls higher than the Defender, then they are successful, and move on to the next step. If they fail, the attack ends and the round proceeds as normal. ** Ties go to the Defender. In the case of Automatic Successes/Criticals, if both Attacker and Defender roll criticals, then the Defender wins. ** Keep in mind PCs get a +2 bonus to [Dodge Checks] for being [Hate Under]. ** Failing a [Dodge Check] may also trigger certain Bad Statuses, like [Pursuit] and [Weakness]. If the Defender is a PC, they may also take Hate Damage. Check IV.b. HATE for information on Hate Damage, and V.a. STATUSES for information on Bad Statuses. Note, however, that some skills have 'Automatic' listed for their Check. In these cases, a Defender cannot fail a check they did not make, so none of these effects will apply. After the Attack Roll comes damage. First, an explanation on damage types. HP Damage is divided into four types with different rules. Physical Damage is inflicted by weapons or environmental effects, and is resisted by [Physical Defense]. Magical Damage is done through magical fire or lightning, and is resisted by [Magic Defense]. Penetrating Damage is special damage that ignores armor and shields; it is resisted by nothing. Direct Damage is applied to HP directly, and is a special exception to normal damage processing rules. [Physical Defense] and [Magical Defense] as well as the [Cancel] status are ineffective, and actions with [Timing: Before/After Damage] cannot be used in response to it. The Defender's HP simply decreases. However, [Barrier] still works. Refer to this handy chart. | Phys. Def. | Mag. Def. | Cancel | Barrier | Reactions Allowed ------------|------------|-----------|--------|---------|------------------- Physical | Y | N | Y | Y | Y Magic | N | Y | Y | Y | Y Penetrating | N | N | Y | Y | Y Direct | N | N | N | Y | N The Damage Roll is usually listed in the skill's description, something like [Attack Power + 2D]. In this case, the Attacker rolls 2d6 and adds their [Attack Power] to the result. The Attacker may also use skills with [Timing: Damage Roll] at this time. Apply those effects as described. Note that no matter what effects may apply, the amount of dice rolled for a Damage Roll can never be reduced below 1D. If there are multiple Defenders, make only one Damage Roll. Certain attacks may have damage listed like '(SRx4)' or may only inflict Bad Statuses. In these cases, there is no Damage Roll, therefore no skills with [Timing: Damage Roll] may be used. After damage from all sources is calculated, it is time to apply damage to the Defender. Any characters that possess an action with [Timing: Before Damage] can use them now, except in the case of Direct Damage, as noted above. At this time, the Defender applies their [Physical Defense] in the case of Physical Damage, or [Magic Defense] in the case of Magical Damage. Other effects such as [Cancel] may also apply. Once these effects are calculated, inflict the remaining damage to the Defender. Apply damage first to any [Barrier] status. If Defense, Cancel, and Barrier manage to reduce the damage to 0 or below then the damage is ineffective, and certain Bad Statuses or effects can not be applied. The only exception is in the case of [Pursuit] [Weakness] and Hate Damage. If the Defender failed their [Dodge Check], then even if the damage is reduced to 0 or less, these three statuses still effect the Defender. Once all damage has been dealt to the Defender, if the Defender is at 0 HP or less, they are immediately [Incapacitated]. ** Note that [Pursuit] [Weakness] and Hate Damage are applied separately from the Damage Roll. This is important in the case of [Barrier]. If a character would take damage from a Damage Roll, a [Pursuit] effect, a [Weakness] effect, and also Hate Damage, then EACH damage source is first applied to [Barrier], with the Damage Roll being considered first, and the other three in any order. If the attack inflicts other conditions such as Bad Statuses, they happen after all damage has been inflicted. If the Defender is a PC, and the PC failed their [Dodge Check], then the PC reduces their Hate by -1 after Bad Statuses have been applied. If the attack applies any kind of secondary effect, such as HP recovery for the Attacker, it happens after everything else. If the attack calls for the selection of a secondary target, those effects happen here as well. In case the above is simply too much, here's a summary. Attack Declaration → An attack skill and target must be specified. │ The attack occurs only with the GM's permission. ↓ Hit Check ─────→ Hit Check > Dodge Check: Success │ Hit Check <= Dodge Check: Failure │ ↓ ┌→ [Timing: Damage Roll] actions] Damage Roll ───┼→ Make the Damage Roll │ ├→ Calculate Other Attack Damage │ └→ Calculate Hate Damage │ ↓ ┌→ [Timing: Before Damage] actions Applying Damage ─┼→ Phys./Mag. Defense Damage Reduction │ ├→ Other Damage Reduction │ ├→ Apply HP Damage ┬→ Hate Damage │ │ ├→ Pursuit Damage │ │ └→ Weakness Damage │ ├→ Other Damage and Effects │ ├→ [Timing: After Damage] actions │ └→ Defender's Hate Decreases ↓ Secondary Effects V. GAME MASTER The folllowing section gives the essential details for a GM to run a game of LHTRPG. Before we begin, let's talk about Session Difficulty. At the beginning of a Scenario, the GM should determine whether the scenario will be Very Easy, Easy, Normal, Hard, or Very Hard. This carries with it mechanical consequences. A Very Easy Scenario grants all PCs +2 Fate Points at the start of the scenario. A Easy Scenario grants +1 Fate Point. A Hard Scenario gives the GM a number of Fate Points equal to the number of PCs, and a Very Hard Scenario gives the GM a number of Fate Points equal to *twice* the number of PCs. Normal Scenarios have no changes. This decision should be made for each Scenario, and should be adjusted to match what is fun for the group. If the group enjoys Easy scenarios, then stick with that. If the group is unsure, try the easiest difficulty and adjust from there. A scenario that is easily blown through but can be completed to the end is more fun than a frustrating scenario that ends with multiple TPKs. In addition, if your group contains any newbie players, consider granting them an extra Fate Point, and tell them to follow the lead of veteran players. Difficulty can, of course, come from other avenues, such as giving the PCs higher ranked enemies to fight, or more Props to deal with. However you decide to challenge your players, always ere on the side of fun. V.a. PROPS Within a scene, everything that is not a character, an enemy, or an item is classified as a Prop. For instance, if on a rainy day a PC is loitering in a guild hall, everything other than the PC and their items--the beds and chairs, the walls, the doors, the ceiling, and even the rain outside--is considered to be a Prop. The following are rules for Props, and specific Props may be found in the Enemy List. While any scene may include any number of Props, it is recommended that Props that directly affect characters, such as Traps or Scene Effects (but not passive Props such as walls or locked doors, even if they're inconveniently placed) be kept to no more than three. • Detection Difficulty, Analyze Difficulty, Disable Difficulty These numbers specify the difficulty level of related checks. The roll must beat the specified number. In the case of "Auto", any attempt to perform the action automatically succeeds (one doesn't need to roll Perception to identify that a wall is a wall). In the case of "N/A", the action is not possible. • Concealed Props If a Prop does not have Detection Difficulty: Auto, it is [Concealed] when it first appears in the scene. [Concealed] is an Other Status that behaves like [Hidden]. • Terrain This type of Prop is placed on the ground like a floor tile. Typically, these kinds of Props cannot be destroyed, do not move, and will not block movement. Terrain does not block line of sight. In addition, characters with [Flying] are not affected by Terrain. • Wall This type of Prop represents a tall construction of some type such as a wall or fence. Typically it will occupy an entire square on the encounter map. Walls may block line of sight, or may produce a special effect when a PC's line of sight reaches or passes through them. Note that not much discussion of Line of Sight exists in the LHTRPG book. It's assumed that if you are able to see the target at all, you have line of sight. • Space This type of Prop represents some phenomenon occupying the volume of a square itself, such as darkness or mist. Spaces may block line of sight, or may produce a special effect when a PC's line of sight reaches or passes through them. • Object This type of Prop represents desks, rocks, trees, or other objects present in a scene that are not classified as another type of Prop but cannot be carried in an Inventory Slot. Objects may block line of sight, or may produce a special effect when a PC's line of sight reaches or passes through them. If the question arises of where in a square an Object is located, assume it is in the center. • Scene Effect This type of Prop represents scene-wide effects such as a dark night, a rain storm, or a blizzard. Typically, they directly affect every character present in the scene. • Trap Props with this tag will inflict some kind of harmful effect when the activation requirement is triggered (see below). Traps do not exist in a vacuum, and must be set upon a Terrain, Wall, Space, Object, or Scene Effect Prop present in the scene, in accordance with which of those Props shares a tag with the Prop. • Natural, Mechanical, Magical These tags specify the origin of the Prop. [Natural] Props are the earth itself, weather phenomena, and so forth. [Mechanical] Props are man-made floors, objects, or mechanisms. [Magical] Props are phenomena created by magical power. • Variable When this tag is present, it allows the GM to assign either the [Natural], [Mechanical], or [Magical] tags to the Prop. This is done in accordance to the scenario's setting (for instance a man-made flamethrower trap might be out of place in a forest dungeon), and may also be designed with certain enemy capabilities in mind (such as the Kobold Tactics special ability). • Passable This tag applies only to Wall Props. If this tag is present, characters can pass through the wall freely, although the Prop may be activated as a result of doing so. • Touch An activation condition of Props. In the case of Terrain and Space Props, this condition activates whenever a character enters the square the Prop is in. In the case of Object and Wall Props, the player must explicitly tell the GM that they are touching it, or the GM must decide such a thing has happened. • Stay This tag applies only to Terrain, Space, and Scene Effect Props. If a character is present in the same square as the Prop when the Cleanup Phase occurs, then the condition activates. • Activate: (Timing) This additional effect can be activated if a character spends an action with the necessary Timing. It is necessary to touch the Prop to do this. • Arrange The GM is encouraged to modify this Prop to suit their purposes. They may change the name, effect, rank, or anything else. Props typically list balanced ways to increase the efficacy of certain Props. • Destroyable Props Some Props, especially Objects and Walls, may have HP and Defense statistics. Damage can be inflicted on these Props, and they can become [Incapacitated]. An [Incapacitated] Prop is broken and immediately stops producing any effect it had. The Defense of a Prop is both its Physical and Magical Defense. • Wide Props A single Prop may be expanded to occupy multiple squares on an encounter map. For example, it is possible to create a Flame Floor that occupies a 2x2 space and will damage anyone standing in any of those four squares. Moving from one square of the Prop to another will activate it again just as if it were entered for the first time. To make it obvious, a Wide Prop still counts as only one Prop, which has rules implications both for destroyable Props, and for purposes of counting how many direct Props you may have in a scene. V.b. ENEMIES Enemies are creatures that are hostile to the PCs and other Adventurers. Ranging from particularly vicious rodents to terrifying dragons, these enemies will engage in combat with the party, offering the main source of conflict in any game of LHTRPG. • Enemy Rank This number represents an enemy's overall strength. Most enemies are considered to be approximately equal in strength to an equally ranked PC. Therefore, when designing encounters, one monster of equal rank to the PCs, per PC, should be present in the scene. Four CR3 PCs mean four CR3 enemies. However, there are exceptions to this rule. Enemies with the [Mob], [Boss], and [Gimmick] tags have a different level of strength from other enemies of the same rank. For details on those, see below. • Enemy Base Stats Enemies have ability scores, but not base stats. If base stats are necessary for some reason, multiply the corresponding ability score by 3. • Enemy Attributes Enemies have Evasion and Resistance specified, which are used just like they are for PCs. However, if it is necessary for an enemy to make another kind of check, like an Athletics Check, take the ability score it is based on (STR for Athletics) and roll Ability Score + 2D, just like a PC would. • Fixed Ability Scores Enemies may have thier ability scores and attributes specified like "7 (Fixed)". This means that when required to make a check using that ability score or attribute, they do not roll any dice, but simply use the specified value as the final result of their check. [Mob] and [Gimmick] enemies typically possess Fixed Ability Scores to ease the burden on the GM. Although Fixed Ability Scores do not require rolling any dice, checks made using them are otherwise treated the same as normal checks. For instance, [Timing: Before/After Check] actions can still be made in response to them, and failed [Dodge Checks] will still trigger the [Pursuit] and [Weakness] statuses. If it is necessary to add or subtract dice from a check made with a Fixed Ability Score, add or subtract +3 or -3 per die. • Identification Difficulty An enemy's name, rank, tags, and condition (all LS, BS, CS, and OS on them) are apparent just from looking at the enemy. However, for more detailed information, a PC must beat this difficulty with an Enemy Identification action. If the difficulty is "Auto", the enemy is already [Identified] when it first appears and it is not necessary to make a check. If the difficulty is "Impossible", it is not possible to learn detailed information about the enemy. • Hate Multiplier This number represents the power and fury of the enemy's ire, and will be written in a format such as "x2". It is applied to Hate Damage which the Hate Top receives when attacked. For further information, see IV.b. HATE. • Fate Points Some enemies, mainly Bosses, possess Fate Points. When the enemy possessing Fate Points appears, the GM may begin to use those Fate Points freely. These points are gained in addition to any that may come from the Session Difficulty (see above). The GM may spend their Fate Points exactly like PCs do. They may add a dice to any check before the check is rolled, re-roll a check after it has been made, use them to clear Bad Statuses from an enemy, or pay action costs. They may also be used for special Scenario Actions that may have been created beforehand. If uncertain how to use them, the best way is to wait for the Climax Phase, during the boss fight. Removing Bad Statuses is the fairest way to use them, but in the end, the GM should strive to create the most fun for the players. • Drop Items Drop Items are body parts belonging to an enemy or items that they commonly carry with them, and can be acquired when an enemy is defeated. The items the enemy drops are arranged on a table with rows numbering 1 to 6. When a PC defeats an enemy, they roll 1D, and acquire the drop corresponding to the result of the dice roll. This is known as a Drop Item Roll. Drop Item Rolls may also be delayed until after all enemies are defeated, and made by any player. Some items on the Drop Item Tables for each monster may have (Fixed) written next to them. These always drop when the enemy is defeated, regardless of the Drop Item Roll. Enemies that are placed in the scene after combat has begun, such as those summoned by Bosses, do not drop items. Each Drop Item is followed by its value in gold. The GM may choose to let the item immediately be exchanged for money at the time of acquisition. • Enemy Skills Enemies also have unique skills and actions available to them. For the most part these are treated just like player skills, however certain things may be omitted to save space in describing them. Enemy skills lack SR or Max Sr, and may not have tags, a cost, or a limit explicitly listed if there is none. Some skill descriptors like [Target: Self] and [Range: Close] that could be considered obvious are likely omitted, as well. • Enemy Tags The following is a selection of tags especially important for enemies. [Mob] Mob enemies are enemies that are uncommonly weak. In approximate terms, two [Mobs] are equal to a single PC of the same rank in power. Mobs are weaklings that appear in large numbers, so they generally have Fixed Ability Scores and Drop Items to save work for the GM. [Gimmick] Enemies with the [Gimmick] tag are actually traps or mechanical devices that are represented using the enemy rules. They are typically immobile and can be [Incapacitated] with a successful Prop Disable action. Gimmicks do not deal Hate Damage, but Hate Under characters do not get a defense bonus against them, either. The GM may wish to ignore Hate and roll a die to randomly determine who the Gimmick will attack. Gimmicks are weaker than other enemies. Two [Gimmicks] are about as strong as a single PC of equal rank. Like Props, [Gimmicks] should be given a [Natural], [Mechanical], or [Magical] origin tag as appropriate. [Boss] Boss enemies are overwhelmingly strong. In approximate terms, a single Boss enemy rivals 3-4 PCs of equal rank. They make an excellent addition to any Climax Phase. [Night Vision] Enemies with the Night Vision tag can see even in places where there is no light. When a [Darkness] Prop is present and affecting a character, enemies with [Night Vision] treat them as if no [Darkness] was present. [Aquatic] Enemies with the Aquatic tag are at home in the water and can move through it easily. They do not receive penalties from [Liquid] Props and are not affected by the [Swimming] status. V.c. EXHAUSTION Exhaustion in LHTRPG represents the party's resources being depleted over time. There are four individual Exhaustion Tables: Stamina, Energy, Item, and Money. To use the table, the player rolls 1d6 and compares their result to the table, suffering the listed effect. Player skills can affect the roll, as can certain other things in the scenario. When and where to use the Exhaustion Table is entirely up to the GM. However, note that Exhaustion, particularly Stamina, is very obviously meant to be a way to balance the party's adventuring day. Food items and the like exist for a reason, to mitigate the Exhaustion. The GM should use Exhaustion fairly frequently, and not shy away from it; however, at the same time, being too punishing may impinge on the player's fun. Exhaustion is about enhancing that fun by providing a building challenge, not punishing the players. Find what works best for you. Stamina: Stamina Exhaustion is used after battles, or after long journeys, or after physical exertion of an extreme nature. A player may be made to roll on the Stamina Exhaustion table after Fumbling an Athletics or Endurance roll, for instance. Use this table when the PCs would be tired. Energy: This represents a player's mind being shocked and spirit sapped. Despair or horror, or even soul-crushing apathy, will weigh heavily on the PC's hearts. Use this table when the PCs suffer a tragic loss, or witness hardships or horrors above and beyond the norm. Item: Exhausting items comes from haste or nature's harsh effects. Escaping from an enemy camp, being chased through a city, or even going through a storm, will put a strain on the party's material resources, whether through simple loss or deprivation. Even just walking through the bad part of town might see some Item Exhaustion. Use this table when the PCs' would stand to lose material possessions. Money: Losing money is just a part of life. Sometimes Gathering Information (as per the action, see V.d. NON-COMBAT) may see the party spending too much on drinks at the tavern. Gambling, bribes, or just plain being stolen from may also tax the party's money. Use this table when the PCs may bad financial decisions or when some interaction with people would lighten their wallets. -- The Exhaustion Counter -- Several scenarios that the LHTRPG development team have produced include a Exhaustion Counter. This is a simple way to put pressure on PCs when they are in an exhausting, long-term situation, most notably dungeon crawling. When the party could spend multiple turns going through a dungeon, not just fighting, then an Exhaustion Counter might be used. Every round that progresses, add +1 to the Counter. Whenever the party would make an Exhaustion Roll, use the Exhaustion Counter as a modifier. For instance, if the party takes two rounds to cross a precarious bridge, they would have Exhaustion Counter +2. If they then need to fight a group of goblins, after the fight they would all roll on the Stamina Exhaustion table, adding +2 to the roll. 1d6+2 gives a high chance of getting exhausted quickly! V.d. NON-COMBAT -- Attributes -- Athletics: This attribute is used for physical activities that test the condition of your body or your sense of balance. Examples are climbing a wall or jumping from a high place. It is also used for Scouting. Endurance: This attribute is used in situations such as laboring for a long time, enduring illness or a harsh environment, or dealing with suffocation or starvation. Disable: This attribute is used to disable mechanisms one understands the workings of, or to pick locks. Conversely, it can also be used to set traps. It is used in Prop Disable checks. A Prop cannot be disabled until it is Analyzed, whether that comes from using Prop Analyze, or the Prop has an Analysis Difficulty of Automatic. Operate: This attribute is used to operate ancient technology or magical implements, play musical instruments, or drive a vehicle such as a horse-drawn carriage or a ship. Perception: This attribute is used to notice small details and subtle signs in the environment, as well as to detect when people are telling lies. It is also used for Detect Unusual checks. Negotiation: This attribute is used during any situation where one must be deft with words, such as wehn making a request, telling believable lies, or simply to steer a conversation in the right direction. Analyze: This attribute is used to identify objects, comprehend the workings of machinery or traps, or break ciphers. It is used in Prop Analyze and Appraise Item checks. Knowledge: This attribute represents all kinds of knowledge and book learning not represented by other attributes, but particularly familiarity with the characteristics of monsters. It is used in Enemy Identification checks. Accuracy: Outside of combat, this attribute may be used for tasks that require precise aim such as throwing stones or operating siege equipment. Evasion: Outside of combat, this attribute can be used as a representation of one's physical agility and reaction speed. Resistance: Outside of combat, this attribute can be used as a representation of one's natural spiritual ability to resist magic. When making a check, GMs should refer to the following chart to get an idea of what kind of number the player needs to beat. Remember that the number must be beaten, not just met. CR | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 --------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----- Easy | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 --------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----- Average | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 --------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----- Hard | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 -- Sub Classes & Scenario Actions -- There are little to no mechanical effects associated with Sub Classes (for now), however a common trick used in many scenarios provided by the LHTRPG development team is to make "Scenario Actions" that have specific bonuses when used by certain Sub Classes. For instance, in the scenario provided in the book, there is a short forest exploration event. The forest is arranged like a board game, with several spaces lined up, some being blank, and some having events listed. To progress through this forest required using the 'Explore the Forest' action. PCs with the Pathfinder Sub Class gained a +2 bonus to the check. Similar Scenario Actions can be created by the GM ahead of time for any kind of event. For instance, in a battle scene, there may be a special Scenario Action to unleash a certain trap or environmental effect on enemies, or perhaps an action that allows unusual movement, such as swinging on a rope to make a [Safe Move] to a specific area. These actions might have bonuses from certain Sub Classes, or maybe even restricted to being only used by those Sub Classes, or modified somehow and made unique depending on the Sub Class of the PC. Tailor your Scenario Actions to your players, and remember that even though they are allowed to possess as many Sub Classes as they wish, PCs may only 'equip' one Sub Class at a time, done during Pre-Play. -- Connections & Unions -- Connections represent a character's contacts, whether they be friends, acquaintances, business partners, family, or otherwise. A Connection by itself has no mechanical value, however a Connection by its very existence is a declaration of interest by the player. For instance, if the player establishes a Connection with an NPC that you had intended to appear only once, this tells you, the GM, that the player liked that NPC, and perhaps they should return at some point. Unions are much the same as Connections, however they represent whole groups of people united by ideology, circumstance, or goals. Guilds, adventuring parties, government bodies, all are examples of a Union. The difference between the two is in the scale; a Union represents a wide number of Connections under one umbrella. However, Unions should also require more story justification for their existence. GMs can use Connections in a number of ways. Some may simply use them as RP hooks, and this is valid. Others may wish to offer a bit more mechanical advantage to them, which is also valid. They are a tool to enhance a player's immersion into the world, and GMs should feel free to be creative in employing their use. A few examples of mechanical benefits are as follows. 1) If a Connection is a crafter, such as a Swordsmith, a GM may allow the PC with that Connection to ask for magical items to be made for them, provided that they give the proper materials and gold (see V.f. MAGIC ITEMS). Conversely, perhaps they may ONLY craft magic items in this fashion, unless they have an appropriate Sub Class. 2) Certain Connections may possess special knowledge. When making a Gather Info check (see below), a useful Connection may provide a +2 bonus on that check. This is subject strictly to GM interpretation and the player's ability to sell the connection. 3) The 13th Age icon relationship rules may be bolted on to allow for serendipity to help a player out. Once per session, allow the player to roll 1D for each of their Connections. Rolling a 6 on any of the dice may indicate a benefit of some kind. Perhaps the Connection contacts the party to provide that helpful hint that points them in the right direction. Perhaps the Connection provides a helpful Prize. Or maybe even, in the heat of battle, struggling against a mighty foe, the PC remembers their friends, and gains extra Fate Points to see them through. (The above are purely house rules, meant to give the GM some ideas. These aren't in the book at all.) Finally, what the 'connection' for the Connection is can be informed with a ROC table! This is your character's view of the other person; it may not be reciprocated. In the case of 'Boss', also, you aren't necessarily employed by this person, you just want to work hard for their sake. Die Roll Relationship Explanation 1 Your Ward You want to protect this person. 2 Your Crush You love this person, but haven't told them. 1~2 3 Your Kindred Though not blood-related, they're like family. 4 Your Hero You idolize them. They're an example to you. 5 Your Reverend You have unshakeable respect for this person. 6 Your Companion This person is a trusted adventuring companion. - 1 Your Benefactor You owe them a debt you've yet to repay. 2 Your Rival One-sided, friendly, or vicious rivalry. 3~4 3 Your Interest You want to know more about them. 4 Your Friend You are fast friends with this person. 5 Your Ally You work with this person for a goal or principle. 6 Your Enigma They're so different; you want to understand. - 1 Your Boss You want to work hard for this person. 2 Your Pupil You want to guide this person in some way. 5~6 3 Your Co-Worker You have a business relationship with them. 4 Your Neighbor You live near this person, and make small talk. 5 Your Customer You buy or sell from this person regularly. 6 Your Family You are never lonely when around them. 7 - GM's Choice -- Gather Info & Negotiation -- Legwork is often seen in TRPGs, and Log Horizon is no exception. PCs may wish to perform a Gather Information action in order to investigate something specific or learn about current events. There is no set attribute used for Gather Info. Any attribute may be used, so long as the PC justifies the use. Some examples might be asking the bartender at a local tavern, which requires a Negotiation check. If they attempt to search documents or their own memories, Knowledge works. Attempting to glean clues from the environment around them may need Analyze. The GM's permission is necessary in any case, but being liberal is recommended. Negotiation Checks, whether on their own, or as part of a Gather Info action, are special because they typically require an opposed roll, rather than beating a set difficulty. The GM may still use a difficulty if desired. -- Acquiring New Personal Data During a Session -- Connections, Unions, and new Sub Classes are normally acquired by the players using Log Tickets during After Play. However, there may be times during which a player wishes to acquire them during a session. For instance, they may want to form a Connection to an NPC they've just met, or join a guild they are interacting with. At appropriate times such as this, the players may make their desire known to the GM. The GM may also permit 'temporary' Connections, Unions, and Sub Classes to be acquired in such situations. These do not require spending a Log Ticket. However, they last only for the duration of the scenario, and are lost during After Play. If a player changes their mind and wishes not to lose them, they may choose to spend a Log Ticket during After Play to permanently acquire them at that time. When a player acquires a new Sub Class during play, they may choose to switch to it at that time. There is no hard limit on the amount of temporary Personal Data that may be acquired, but the GM may wish to limit it to 1-2 times per PC per scenario to keep things manageable. V.e. TREASURE PCs get loot as they adventure. Each time a player is rewarded (usually with money or items, but it can be any kind of reward), it is known as a Prize. The total number of Prizes the PCs should be awarded per scenario is equal to the number of PCs x 3, plus an additional Prize per event in the Middle Phase. For example, if there are 4 PCs, and there is one battle event during the Middle Phase, the PCs should receive a total of [(4 x 3) + 1] = 13 Prizes. Note that each individual player does not have to receive three Prizes each; the amount listed is the total amount the PCs as a party should receive. How the PCs split the loot is up to them. A Prize's value should be roughly equivalent to one roll on the Treasure Table. -- Treasure Table -- The Treasure Table (located in the Item List spreadsheet) provides GMs with an easy tool to gauge what kind of value a Prize should have. Since what items PCs can use is dependent on their CR, so too must their rewards match. The Treasure Table is provided not to be a literal end-all-be-all of items, but rather to provide general ideas of what value the PCs should be getting. The Treasure Table can be used two ways, by average or by roll. In the case of a roll, a PC should be elected to make a roll (or the scenario may dictate it). The PC rolls 2d6 + (average of party's CR x 5). For instance, a party of CR1 PCs would roll 2d6 + 5. In the case of an average, use [7 + (average of party's CR x 5)]. This allows for quick reference by GMs, but GMs should keep in mind that some players may have abilities that affect Treasure Rolls. Not every Treasure Roll should be a roll, but neither should they all be averages. Random rolls also increase the fun of a scenario. The Treasure Table is divided into three parts: Money, Materials, and Valuables. Any of these can be used for any roll or Prize, and the GM should choose based on what would be logical for the scenario. If uncertain, use Valuables, or Money if the PCs have no inventory space left. -- Log Tickets -- Log Tickets are rewarded to each player at the end of a scenario. Keep in mind they are awarded to players, not characters. They do not take up inventory slots of any kind, and are tracked separately from any kind of inventory. The number of Log Tickets that should be rewarded are described below. For PCs: 1 Character Rank Up Ticket; 1 Ticket of any type per event For GMs: 1 Character Rank Up Ticket; a number of Treasure Tickets = # of PCs, and 2 Tickets of any other type per event. -- Magic Items as Prizes -- If the GM desires, a magic item can be granted as a Prize. The magic item can substitute for a gold reward of up to 3/4ths of its value. For example, a 750G reward can be changed to a 1,000G magic item. -- Selling Loot and Equipment -- Items with [Valuable] [Core Material] and [Magic Catalyst] may be sold for full listed price. a [Valuable] (100G) item is sold for 100G. In addition, magic items are sold for full price. Items not mentioned, particularly old equipment PCs may be selling, are sold at 1/10th cost. For instance, an item worth 110G would sell for 11G. V.f. MAGIC ITEMS Items with special abilities are known as Magic Items. Magic Items are further broken down into two different categories: Prefixed Items, and Named Items. A Prefixed Item is a basic item that has had some kind of enhancement placed upon it, and its name changed to reflex the effect. For instance, a 'Flame Long Sword' would deal damage with the [Flame] tag. Note that even though they're called Prefixed Items, the item doesn't necessarily need to be prefixed. The above sword could just as easily be called 'Long Sword of Flame'. Named Items by contrast are unique items with unique stats and abilities. They may be based on a certain item, like a Long Sword, but typically will have better stats, and a better special effect. Magic Items regardless of type all possess a tag, called its Magic Grade, which represents the level of magic the item is imbued with. Think of it akin to the color of an item in a typical MMO (green, blue, purple, etc). The tags are written like [M3], and range from [M1] to [M7]. Items of grade [M1] to [M3] are called Magic Items, [M4] to [M6] are Artifacts, and [M7] are Phantasmals. Each magic item, whether Prefixed, or Named, has a recipe involved in making it. For Named Items, these recipes are complex, and require a Core Material. It may also require several base items, Magic Catalysts, and money. For Prefixed Items, typically all that is required are Magic Catalysts, a single base item, and money. Core Materials are special items that are typically only received by defeating special enemies, boss enemies, or through treasure rolls. Named Item recipes typically specify which Core Material it requires--not just any will do. By contrast, a Magic Catalyst can be more easily obtained, and regardless of its name, so long as it has the [Magic Catalyst] tag with the appropriate rating, it can be used. -- Prefixed Item Rank Limit -- A special rule that applies only to Prefixed Items is that a character only receives the special effect of the Prefixed Item, if the item's rank is within CR-5. For example, a CR8 character could not use any Prefixed Items of Rank 3 or lower. This rule prevents the 'golfbag of low level items' being abused. -- Acquiring Magic Items -- Magic Items may be awarded as Prizes, as mentioned above. Players may also purchase them, but only if allowed by the GM. Optionally, the GM may also allow characters with production Sub Classes to 'craft' magic items, whether those be PCs, or NPCs the PCs have formed Connections with. For instance, a character with the Swordsmith Sub Class could construct [Blade] and [Katana] items. In the case of purchasing and crafting, the following rules are used. Creating a Named Item is simple; each comes with their own recipe. Assemble all items, then pay the Construction cost. All items in the recipe are consumed, and then the Named Item is produced. The Named Item then also obtains the [Soulbound] tag. Creating a Prefixed Item is a little more complex. Step 1: Choose a Prefix. Prefixes can be found in the Item List. Take note that certain Prefixes may only apply to certain item Tags. These must be obeyed. Step 2: Choose a Base Item to apply the Prefix to. Step 3: Name the new Prefixed Item. Step 4: Add the [Mn] (Magic Grade) tag. Step 5: Determine quality and quantity of Magic Catalysts. The grade of the Magic Catalyst is equivalent to the Item Rank of the base item. For instance, enchanting Ring Mail, a rank 1 [Heavy Armor], requires [Magic Catalyst 1]. The number of required Magic Catalysts depends on the Magic Grade tag, determined by the chosen Prefix. For instance, applying the Hardened Prefix to the Ring Mail would be [M2], therefore, you would require [Magic Catalyst 1] x2. Step 6: Pay the cost The Construction cost is equal to the amount you would have paid for the Magic Catalysts. For instance, two Magic Catalyst 1's would cost 30G total, so the Construction cost would be 30G. A table to help determine costs can be found at the bottom of the Magic Items sheet in the Item List. After this, all items used in construction are consumed, and you acquire the Prefixed Item. -- Example of Prefix Construction -- I want to craft a magic item with the Recovery prefix. I choose to apply this prefix to the Bracer base item. I will call it the Recovery Bracers. The Recovery Bracers now have the tags: [Accessory] [Gloves] [M3] Since the Bracer item is Item Rank 1, and because the Recovery prefix stipulates it is a Magic Grade 3 [M3], I need three [Magic Catalyst 1]. The Bracer item costs 60G, the three Magic Catalyst 1's cost 45G total, and the Construction cost would also be 45G. Total, I would pay 150G for this item. When equipped, the Recovery Bracers grant me +1 Attack Power and +5 Recovery. VI. REFERENCE VI.a. STATUSES There are four types of statuses: Life Status, Bad Status, Combat Status, and Other Status. Specific rules for each type will be explained in their own entries. -- Life Status -- Statuses that relate directly to the vitality of a character are known as Life Statuses, or LS. In general, LS are removed during After Play at the same time HP damage is, with exceptions noted in the individual descriptions below. Fatigue - A status that represents worsening physical condition as a result of lengthy excursions, fierce battles, or deprivation. - Fatigue always has a Rating, which is written like [Fatigue: n]. If a character with Fatigue would receive more Fatigue, add the Ratings together. - Fatigue reduces the afflicted character's Max HP by its Rating. - If a character would be reduced to 0 Max HP by Fatigue, they immediately become Incapacitated and cannot recover from Incapacitated until their Max HP becomes at least 1. - Fatigue is cured by Items, particularly those with the [Food] tag, and other things like resting at an Inn. If the Rating becomes 0, Fatigue is erased. During After Play or at the GM's discretion, Fatigue is erased. Weakness - This status expresses vulnerability to a certain kind of damage, or all damage. - Weakness always has a Rating, and in most cases, a Condition that stipulates what tag interacts with the Weakness. If the condition is Flame and the rating is 5, it's written like [Weakness (Flame): 5]. - When a character with Weakness is targeted by an attack and fails their [Dodge Check], and the damage of that attack meets the condition specified, the character will take additional direct damage equal to the status's Rating. If there is no condition specified (such as with [Weakness: 3]), the Weakness will deal additional damage on any successful attack. - Multiple Weaknesses may be inflicted on a character. [Weakness (Flame): 15] [Weakness: 10] and [Weakness (Flame): 10] may all exist on the same character. However, a single effect can only place a single instance of Weakness at a time. - If a character affected by Weakness fails their [Dodge Check] and could be damaged by multiple Weaknesses, only the one with the highest Rating applies. For instance, in the above example, a Flame attack would trigger 15 direct damage, and any other attack would trigger 10. Incapacitated - A character who has been reduced to 0 HP is unable to fight. - Incapacitated characters are always in the [Post-Action] state and cannot take any actions or make any checks, nor use [Hinder], until they recover from the status. - Incapacitation does not remove any other Status, but they are not affected by Hate rules, and cannot become [Hate Top] or [Hate Under]. However, like their current Statuses, their Hate remains unchanged. - If a character somehow is Incapacitated while above 0 HP, their HP immediately drops to 0. - Characters that are Adventurers recover from Incapacitated automatically at the end of a scene, and have their HP restored to maximum (note: only at the end of the scene; if they recover from it mid-combat, they do not recover max HP). - Characters that are enemies or People of the Land or similar become Dead at the end of the scene they're rendered Incapacitated in. However, the GM may waive this for story purposes. Dead - Characters that are Dead cease to exist in the game world, at least for the duration of the current Scene. - A Dead Adventurer will be revived at the end of the scene with 1 HP. That is, they revive with [Fatigue: (MAX HP - 1)]. - In Log Horizon, dead Adventurers would return the Revive Point in the city they most recently visited when revived. For the purposes of facilitating smooth play, in this game it is assumed characters automatically regroup with the party between scenes. The GM may specify a different time or place for revival if they want. - The consequence of death for revived PCs is that they lose a small portion of their memories of the previous world (Earth.) This is not modeled by game rules, but players are encouraged to roleplay it. -- Bad Status -- Temporary conditions usually seen only in combat, Bad Statuses, or BS, are varied and come with different removal conditions. Staggered - An intense pain or pressure, material or immaterial, has overwhelmed the character. - A Staggered character takes a -1D penalty to all [Timing: Major] and [Timing: Main Process] actions. - Characters naturally recover from Staggered at the end of their Main Process. - Outside of battle, Staggered is removed after a single penalty, or at GM's discretion. Dazed - Shock has rendered the character in a mental daze, or made them feel numb. - A Dazed character takes a -1D penalty to Opposed Checks where they are the defender in that check, and cannot perform actions with [Timing: Before/After Check] in reaction to Opposed Checks they are defending against. In addition, they cannot [Hinder]. - Characters naturally recover from Dazed at the end of their Main Process. - Outside of battle, Dazed is removed after a single penalty, or at GM's discretion. Rigor - Being knocked off-balance, fallen down, or restrained somehow. - A character with Rigor cannot perform any action with the [Movement] tag. In addition, they cannot use [Hinder]. - A character must use either a Minor Action or a Major Action to recover from Rigor. - Outside of battle, Rigor is removed after a single penalty, or at GM's discretion. Confusion - A character has been blinded, or had their mind scrambled by a spiritual attack, or even been beguiled by an enemy's charms. Losing track of the current situation, their guard is lowered, and they attract more attention. - A Confused character takes a -1D penalty to all checks. At the beginning of each of their Main Processes, they also increase their Hate by +1. - A character must use a Major Action to recover from Confusion. - Outside of battle, Confusion is removed after a single penalty, or at GM's discretion. Decay - The character is bleeding, poisoned, on fire, being shocked or eaten by acid--any effect that causes their health to continuously decrease. - Decay always has a Rating, which is written like [Decay: n]. If a character with Decay would receive another Decay effect, only the Decay with the highest Rating is applied, and all others are discarded. - A character with Decay takes damage equal to the Rating of the Decay during the Cleanup Process of every round. - A character must use a Major Action to recover from Decay. - Outside of battle, Decay is removed after a single penalty, or at GM's discretion. Pursuit - Certain enchantments and skillfully interwoven attacks may leave a character's guard open, making it easier to inflict higher damage on them. - Pursuit always has a Rating, which is written like [Pursuit: n]. A character can be affected by multiple instances of Pursuit called stacks. [Pursuit: 15] [Pursuit: 10] and [Pursuit: 10] may all coexist on the same character. - When a character affected by Pursuit is targeted by an attack and they fail their [Dodge Check], they will take additional direct damage equal to the Rating of the Pursuit effect on them. If multiple stacks exists, only the Pursuit with the highest Rating is triggered. The triggered Pursuit is then immediately removed, but all other stacks of Pursuit remain. Afflicted - A character's conditions weigh more heavily on them. - The Afflicted status has no effects of its own, however, it prevents the removal of certain other Bad Statuses, until it is removed first. - If an effect would remove the [Staggered] [Dazed] [Confused] [Weakness] or [Overconfident] conditions from a character with Afflicted, then those statuses are immediately re-applied. - A character must use either a Minor Action or a Major Action to recover from it. Only then can the listed Bad Statuses also be removed. - Outside of battle, Afflicted is removed after a single penalty, or at GM's discretion. Overconfident - Brimming with foolish arrogance, throwing caution to the wind, a character is more likely to make a disastrous mistake. - During any check the affected character makes, if any single die rolled comes up as a natural 1, the check immediately counts as a Fumble. - When a character with Overconfident loses 1 or more HP, they automatically recover from that status. - Outside of battle, Overconfident is removed after a single penalty, or at GM's discretion. -- Combat Status -- Statuses that confer advantages in battle are known as Combat Statuses, or CS. If a skill or other effect would affect someone with a CS, the target may choose not to receive that effect. Combat Statuses last until the end of the scene unless otherwise specified. In addition, players may use an Instant Action to remove any or all CS on them at any time. Regen - A character's injuries automatically heal over time with regenerative power. - Regen always has a Rating, which is written like [Regen: n]. - A character affected by Regen recovers HP equal to the Rating of the Regen effect on them during the Cleanup Process of each round. - If a character with Regen would receive another Regen effect, only the effect with the highest Rating applies. Cancel - This status represents a character's resistances to certain kinds of damage. - Cancel always has a Rating, and in most cases, a Condition that stipulates what tag interacts with the status. If the condition is Flame and the Rating is 10, then it is written like [Cancel (Flame): 10]. - When a character with Cancel would be damaged by an attack, and the damage type meets the condition specified by the Cancel effect, the damage will be reduced by the Rating of the Cancel. If there is no condition specified (such as with [Cancel: 3]), all damage will be reduced by the Rating. - Multiple Cancel effects may be on a character, including those with the same Condition. For example, [Cancel (Flame): 15] [Cancel: 10] and [Cancel (Flame): 5] may coexist. However, a single effect can only place a single instance of Cancel at a time. - If a character affected by multiple Cancel effects takes damage, and could potentially reduce the damage using more than one of those Cancels, only the Cancel with the highest Rating is triggered. For instance, in the above example, a Flame attack would do 15 less damage, while any other attack would do 10 less. Barrier - A magical barrier that nullifies and absorbs damage. - Barrier always has a Rating, which is written like [Barrier: n]. - When a character with Barrier would take damage, that damage is first applied to the Barrier effect, and the Rating is reduced by the amount of damage applied. If the Rating of the Barrier reaches 0, the Barrier effect is removed, and the character takes any remaining damage to their HP. - If a character with Barrier would be affected by another Barrier, only the effect with the highest Rating is applied, and any others are discarded. -- Other Status -- Other Statuses, or OS, are various statuses that are not necessarily related to combat. Swimming - A status that represents a character being in water deep enough to impede movement (as decided by the GM). - A character who is Swimming takes a -1D penalty to all checks, and cannot [Hinder] the movement of other characters who are not also Swimming. Flying - Soaring through the sky, the character is in flight. - A Flying character ignores the effects of Props with the [Terrain] tag, and a Flying character cannot be [Hindered] by characters who aren't also Flying. - The height of flight is arbitrary, but assume around 1 to 2 meters. In combat, characters cannot fly high enough to escape the range of melee attacks. Dual Wielding - A character fighting with a weapon in each hand. The character must have a weapon equipped to both Hand Slots to gain this status. - Even the status active, a character must specify *one* weapon to make an attack with, they cannot attack with both weapons. In a sense, one weapon becomes the main weapon, and the other a sub weapon. - The character gains the Accuracy and Initiative modifiers of both weapons, but ONLY can use the Attack (or Magic) Power and Range of their main weapon. Hidden - A character who has disappeared from others' sight. - A Hidden character cannot be targeted by actions performed by any character other than themselves. However, if a square is targeted by an action that doesn't require further selection (for instance, Target: Area (All)), the Hidden status does not protect them. - A Hidden character cannot [Hinder] others without losing Hidden, but they also cannot be [Hindered] by those who don't realize they're there. - A Hidden character can be discovered with a Detect Unusual action. If such an action is made, the Hidden character makes an Athletics Check, and the check serves as their Detection Difficulty. If the Detect Unusual action's check exceeds this number, the Hidden status is removed from the character. - A character can lose Hidden through any of these means, as well: • [Normal Move] or [Safe Move] • Performing a Major Action during their Main Process • Becoming [Hate Top] • Dealing or receiving damage • The scene ending Concealed - Works mostly like Hidden, except this status is used for Props. The only real difference is that Props do not make an Athletics Check, they already have a Detection Difficulty. Identified - An enemy that has been identified through an Identification Check made against it. - When Identified, the GM must provide certain information about that enemy. The enemy's name, rank, tags, and condition (all LS, BS, CS, and OS on them) are apparent just from looking at the enemy. When Identified, in addition to the above, the GM must reveal whether the enemy's Physical or Magical Defense is lower (or if they are equal), their Hate Multiplier, and the details of their Skills. Analyzed - This status expresses that a Prop or Item has been investigated using a successful Prop Analysis or Item Appraisal check. The GM must reveal all data about the Prop or Item to the players when requested. Absent From Scene - This status expresses that a character is not appearing in the current scene. A character that is not present in the scene cannot be the target of any action or take any actions themselves. Pre-Action, Post-Action, Standby - See III.b. ROUND PROGRESSION for explanations of these statuses. Hate Top, Hate Under - See IV.b. HATE for explanations of these statuses. VI.b. TAGS AND OTHER TERMS - Tags - Log Horizon contains a long list of tags, which are essentially shorthand rules. Some tags denote mechanical interaction, for instance the [Flame] tag on an attack will tell you that the attack interacts with the Weakness and Cancel statuses, and possibly some other things as well. The [Spear] tag on an item informs those who can equip [Spears] that they can equip that item, while if [Spear] appears on an attack, it requires an equipped [Spear] to use it. Same with [Ranged Attack]--the attack requires a ranged weapon to perform. A good deal of these tags are identifiable with common sense, and only exist to show what rules interact with each other. Some, however, do in fact have more meaning. For this early access document, we are ONLY going to list those few tags that require explanation. For the rest, just apply common sense and you'll be fine. [Style] - This tag refers to styles of fighting that often require the use of specific equipment. - Only one skill with the [Style] tag can benefit a character at any given time. If they have multiple Styles, and satisfy the usage requirements of more than one, they must choose one Style to have active. They may change which Style is active by declaring the use of another Style as their Setup Process action. [Stance] - This tag refers to actions that affect one's basic abilities during battle. - Only one action with the Stance tag can benefit a Character at any given time. If they use an action with the Stance tag while they already have a Stance active, the effect of the previous Stance disappears. [Training] - This tag refers to skills that represent conditioning or training that has enhanced the character's basic abilities. - At CR1, a character can acquire no more than two skills with this tag. - At CR11, a character can acquire a total of three Training skills. - At CR21, a character can acquire a total of four Training skills. - These limitations do not apply to the Skill Ranks of those skills, only the total amount of those skills actually acquired. [Harmony] - This tag refers to special skills used by the Bard class. - Skills with the Harmony tag potentially remain in effect until the end of the Scene, but by default only one Harmony skill can be active at a given time. If a character uses an action with the [Harmony] tag while they already have the maximum number of them active, they must choose to end one of the previous Harmony skills. - If multiple Harmony skills of the same type are in effect, each target can only gain the effect of one of the skills. [Servant Summon] - This tag refers to special skills used by the Druid and Summoner classes. - Skills with the Servant Summon tag potentially remain in effect until the end of the Scene, but by default only one Servant Summon skill can be active at a given time. If a character uses an action with the [Servant Summon] tag while they already have the maximum number of them active, they must choose to end one of the previous Servant Summon skills. - If multiple Servant Summon skills of the same type are in effect, each target can only gain the effect of one of the skills. [Enchantment] - This tag refers to special skills used by the Enchanter class. - Skills with the Enchantment tag potentially remain in effect until the end of the Scene, but by default only *two* Enchantment skills can be active at a given time. If a character uses an action with the [Enchantment] tag while they already have the maximum number of them active, they must choose to end one of the previous Enchantment skills. - If multiple Enchantment skills of the same type are in effect, each target can only gain the effect of one of the skills. [Swift] - This tag refers to actions that boost the number of actions you take. - At most, only one action with the [Swift] tag can ever be taken during the Briefing Scene, and during each Process. (This tag is explicitly a limiter skill so that conniving Kannagi, say, can't give themselves six Setup Process actions.) [Preparation] - This tag refers to actions that are performed in preparation for an upcoming battle. - Actions with the Preparation tag, in addition to their specified timing, can be used prior to combat with [Timing: Briefing.] If an action with the Preparation tag is performed with [Timing: Briefing], this does not consume the Character's action during the Briefing Scene (however, the same action cannot be performed multiple times.) [Scout] - This tag refers to actions that gather information in preparation for battle. - When an action with the Scout tag is used during the Briefing Stage, it will provide information on the next Scene (typically a Combat Scene.) However, the gathered information represents the Scene only at its beginning. Reinforcements, some Props (such as traps or weather,) and other factors that change during the Scene will not have additional information provided concerning them. - If the GM believes the situation does not allow for information to be adequately gathered, they may restrict the information provided or disallow the action entirely. - While performing actions with this tag, there is a possibility that the enemies may become aware they are being observed. This will be detailed in the official release document. [Consumable] - When an item with the Consumable tag is used, the item is lost. You drink the potion, eat the food, or the scroll burns up with magic energy, and it cannot be reused. Another will have to be located. - In an exception to the rule against performing the same action twice, multiple items with the Consumable tag may be used during a single process or during the Briefing Stage. - Conditional Skill Terms - Conditionals are terms, usually in bold, usually written in skill effect descriptions. They may also be called 'riders'. The conditions must be met for the listed effect to take place. (CRn) - For this additional effect to occur, your CR must be n or higher. (SRn) - For this additional effect to occur, the SR of the skill must be n or higher. [Hate Top] - For this additional effect to occur, you must be [Hate Top] when the use of this action is declared. [Hate Under] - For this additional effect to occur, you must be [Hate Under] when the use of this action is declared. [Hate n] - For this additional effect to occur, you must choose to increase the Hate Cost of the action by n when the use of the action is declared. [Fate n] - For this additional effect to occur, you must pay an additional cost of n Fate Points when the use of this action is declared. [Minor] - For this additional effect to occur, you must perform the action with [Timing: Move] or [Timing: Major]. You gain the benefit of the additional effect when the use of the action is declared. - If the action is [Timing: Move] you lose one Minor Action immediately after performing it. - If the action is [Timing: Major] you lose one Minor Action immediately before performing it. - If you do not have a Minor Action to lose, you may not invoke the additional effect. [Self: Tag/Status/Other] - For this additional effect to occur, you must have the specified Tag or Status or satisfy the otherwise specified condition. [Target: Tag/Status/Other] - For this additional effect to occur, the target of the action must have the specified Tag or Status, or satisfy the otherwise specified condition. [Critical] - For this additional effect to occur, you must roll a Critical on the action check. [Fumble] - For this additional effect to occur, you must roll a Fumble on the action check. (Effect) - As a bonus of using the skill, this additional effect occurs regardless of the results of the action check (it happens hit or miss). (Success) - For this additional effect to occur, the Action Check of this action must be successful. - Additionally, if the action is an attack that deals HP damage, it must deal at least one point of damage for the action to be considered successful. (Failure) - For this additional effect to occur, a required check (typically but not always that of the associated action) must have just failed. - If the check was an Opposed Check with multiple targets (Target: Area (P) for instance), the check must have failed against all targets. [Result n] - For this additional effect to occur, the result of the Action Check must exceed n. If a Critical is rolled, the effect occurs regardless of the final result. (Extra) - When you perform this action, you may make an additional check as specified. If the check is successful, the additional effect occurs. - If the original action check was an Opposed Check, the opponent of the check does not need to roll again. The additional check must beat their original roll to be successful. - If the original action had multiple targets (Target: Area (P) for instance), the additional effect may be attempted against only one of those targets unless otherwise specified. The target must be one which the original Action Check succeeded against; you may not target an enemy you failed to hit. - The additional check does not affect the original action. Even if the additional check fails, the action is not considered a failure, and (Failure) conditions do not trigger. - Additional, if this action is an attack, even if the additional Check succeeds, this is not considered a failed Defense Check on the part of the target. [nD: (requirement)] - When this condition is listed, roll n dice upon performing the action. If the roll satisfied the specified requirement, the additional effect occurs. - For example, [2D: 10 or above] is fulfilled when 10 or above is rolled on two dice. [1D: 6] is fulfilled only if 6 is rolled on a single die. - If a single action lists this condition more than once, roll the dice only once and evaluate all the conditions using this roll. - Other Terms - Guest - An NPC which may have attributes and skills like PCs do, although generally they only have the level of detail required by the scenario. For example, an NPC who needs to be protected during combat may have HP and defense stats. Extra - An NPC that doesn't have any stats. The cannot make checks and if a character wishes to do something to them, with the GM's approval that action automatically succeeds. For instance, a player deciding to knock the Extra out will not need to roll for that. However, the GM's permission is always needed in these instances. VII. Tips This section includes some things we've picked up on in playing our own games of LHTRPG. For the Premium Release, we will be including direct translations from the Official FAQ. For now, make do with some friendly advice! 1) This game is about having fun! Do what the group thinks is fun. If easy combat is your thing, give more Fate Points (as per the Scenario Difficulty rules). If hard combat is what you crave, give the GM more Fate Points, and take a glance at our wiki page (listed at the top) for GM EX Powers, as well as rules on how to make your own enemies! 2) Nothing, save the Barrier effect, can reduce the efficacy of Direct Damage unless it specifically says so. The Monk skill Hard Body, for instance, or the Guardian skill Iron Bounce, do not reduce Direct Damage. 3) When an effect has a Cost of 'Hate n', that means you gain that much Hate. Costs are always to your detriment. Even if the tank wants more Hate to stay Hate Top, having high Hate means they take more Hate Damage. So, raise that Hate! 4) When you use effects like Monk's Tiger Echo Fist that do not remove stacks of Pursuit in conjunction with abilities like Monk's Aerial Rave, it means that ALL of the triggered stacks are not removed. Yes, this is crazy, but it's in the Official FAQ. 5) For GMs, try to include Mobs in a lot of fights. A lot of classes have abilities specifically geared to Mobs, and if there are no Mobs in a fight, those abilities are dead weight. It makes the players feel cool, too. 6) Similarly for GMs, the Treasure List is just a suggestion. So long as you keep to the idea that the party should receive (# of PCs x 3) amount of Prizes, and that each Prize has a rough value equivalent to (Average of Party's CR x5) + 7 on the Treasure Table, then you can play around with what the party might get. The Treasure Table just helps you get a feel for what the rewards should be. 7) Players cannot combine the Magic Power of a Staff weapon and a Magic Stone. If they want to do something like that, tell them to look at Sigil Guard. 8) Allow players to make Overskills/EX Skills for themselves, and work with them to balance it. Consider it like the OUT from 13th Age; their one unique thing, only this has mechanical benefits. Whatever it is, it should be a show stopper, maybe restricted to 1/Scenario, and don't be afraid to make them burn all of their Fate Points to use it (with a minimum Fate Point cost, of course.) 9) Samurai's Split-Second Awareness says to treat your Dodge Check as if it had been successful. This means exactly what it says. What would have happened if, instead of failing the Dodge Check, the Samurai had been successful? No damage, not even Hate/Pursuit/Weakness Damage, and no Hate loss. However, if for some reason an effect would trigger on a successful Dodge Check, then that triggers. 10) The Human tag says Human, but it actually means any of the Eight Good Races. So feel free to make the Player-Killer Samurai an Elf, Half-Alv, Dwarf, Werecat, Wolf Fang, Foxtail, or Race of Ritual instead if you like. Enemies with this tag can have the [Adventurer] or [Lander] tag as you see fit. 11) When you use Covering, Long Range Cover, Trap Cover, Protect, or even Take Over, you take ALL damage that the person you're protecting would have taken. So for instance, if for some reason you Cover the Hate Top, you would take their Hate Damage, even though you are not Hate Top. 12) Be liberal with the Exhaustion Table, particularly the Stamina table. Use it after every combat, after anything that seems tiring, whatever. The Exhaustion Table is very obviously meant to be the primary "wear" on the party's resources. Think of it like the LHTRPG replacement for Healing Surges, or even Vancian Casting. Players have skill selections and even items to mitigate Exhaustion; make them use those! 13) Look at the Information Sheet on the Item List! That table up top, the one that says Equippable Tags? That is essentially your class's 'Proficiencies'. You can ONLY equip items with the listed tags, though you need only be able to equip one of them (so Sorcerers can equip Light items, but not Blades, meaning they can use Short Swords, but not Falchions, and so on.) This also means that if you can equip something, it doesn't matter if it's One-Handed or Two-Handed. So, Clerics can totally use two-handed blades! 14) You possess two Inventory Slots, no matter what Bag you might have equipped. Bags *add* on to this number. So a character fresh out of chargen, with the Backpack that gives +5 Inventory Slots, will have 7 total Inventory Slots. Also, if you get a Bag item that has the [One-Handed] or [Accessory] tags, that Bag can be equipped to those slots, in addition to the bag in your Bag Slot! 15) Keep in mind that you can only take two Training skills until you hit CR11. More to the point, keep in mind that not all Training skills are General skills. Weapon Mastery is notable for being a Combat skill, not a General skill. This is important for when you're deciding on what to take between you 3 Combat and 1 General skill at chargen.