Character Creation

Roll stats. 3d6 down the line. Swap one pair of your choice. What you roll is your Score. Half your score minus five is its Modifier, round down.
Choose a Class
Choose Equipment and Starting Gear. (Coming soon)
Choose or roll your starting Traits
Give your character a Name

Stats

Strength

Modifier added to your Melee Attack rolls
Your Score determines how many Stowed items you may carry

Dexterity

Modifier added to your Ranged Attack rolls
Half your Score (rounded down) determines how many Readied items you may carry.

Constitution

Your Score determines your Death Saving throws
Your Score determines how many Wounds it takes to Kill you

Intelligence

Modifier added to your Initiative rolls
Modifier added to your Magic Attack rolls

Wisdom

Your Score determines your Mental Health

Charisma

Modifier added to reaction rolls
Your Score determines your followers' Morale

Inventory

Encumbrance

Don't glaze over yet, it's important and fun actually. All items are either Stowed or Readied, and take up a number of Slots of either according to their size and weight. You may only carry as many Slots worth of Stowed and Readied items as your Strength and Dexterity modifiers respectively allow, carrying over this limit will Encumber you, forcing you to carry extra items in your arms. While Encumbered you cannot roll to Attack or use Toughness Dice.

Slots

Some items are small enough that they take up no Slots at all- clothing and jewelry worn on the body, pins or lengths of wire, single beads, etc.

Items which can be held with other items take up a partial slot. Daggers and bucklers can be held in a hand that is holding another Partial item at the same time. Likewise, multiple of the same item can be placed into the same Inventory slot, up to the listed Partial Slot size; daggers take up 1/3 of a slot, allowing you to carry three daggers in the same inventory space. Regardless of slot size, only two different Partial items may be Held in the same hand.

On the other hand, items which take up more than one slot also exist, such as armor and two handed weapons.

Hands and Holding

You have two hands by default. Each hand may Hold a single Slot, most Items must be Held in order to be used. Items Held in your hands still take up Slots in your inventory. Items which take up two inventory slots must be Held with both hands to be used effectively. Items which are larger than two slots cannot be comfortably held in your hands- armor and kits of tools are hard to carry all at once if they aren't bundled into your backpack. Holding a Stowed item requires you to go digging in your Backpack as an Action first, whereas Readied items can easily be shifted into your Hand as a Free Action. A Held item can be shifted from Stowed to Readied as a Free Action, or vice versa.

Fighting Things

Actions

During battle, each Creature may take one Action and one Reaction and one Movement per round- as well as taking any number of Free Actions within reason. (Some creatures may have abilities or equipment that allow them to use more than one action or reaction per turn.) Actions and Movement take place in order according to the Phases of Initiative. Reactions may take place at any point in Initiative, interrupting other Actions if necessary. Some actions may cost both an Action and a Reaction or a Movement, depending on their effects. The actions available to characters vary based on their natural abilities and equipment, but those most commonly available to adventurers are listed below.

Talk (Free Action) - Chat as much as you'd like.
Attack (Action) - Make an Attack Roll against any Creature within range of your Held weapon/ability.
Maneuver (Action) - Make an Attack Roll against any Creature within range of your Held weapon/ability. This Attack does not deal Damage, and the target Creature cannot use their Toughness to assist their roll. If your Attack Roll is higher than their defense, instead of dealing damage you may enact one of the following effects.

Disarm - Choose any of the target Creature's Held or Readied items and force them to drop it from their Inventory. If you make your attack with an empty hand, you may automatically Hold the dropped item. Can be used to target enemy armor.
Harry - Another Creature within range may choose to take the Punish Reaction against the target.
Trip - The target Creature falls Prone, mounted targets take 1d6 fall damage.
Feint - The target Creature loses their Reaction for the Round.

Object Interaction (Action or Movement) - Use a Held item, or an Environmental item: drink a potion, scoop a dropped weapon off the ground, reload a weapon, scatter caltrops or ballbearings, open a door, etc.
Sprint (Action) - Move up to your Speed in a straight line.
Punish (Reaction) - If a Creature within range of your Held weapon Declares an Action or attempts to Move away from you for more than half their Speed, you may make an Attack Roll against them.
Protect (Reaction) - Choose an adjacent Creature that is being Attacked, roll your Defense Dice instead of theirs. Excess damage must be soaked by the original target's Toughness, not yours.
Pursue (Movement/Reaction) - If a Creature Moves away from you for less than half their Speed, you may follow them, up to your Speed.
Rearm (Action/Reaction) - Swap Held item to a readied item out of Initiative order.
Move (Movement) - Move up to your Speed in any direction, diagonal travel cost double.
Brace (Movement) - Plant your feet, gain a +2 to Defense Rolls for the Round.
Drop/Stand (Movement) - Drop Prone. While Prone you gain a flat +2 to your Defense against Ranged Attacks, but -2 to Defense against Melee Attacks. Prone Creatures move at half Speed.
Dodge (Action/Reaction/Movement) - Uses all of your Action, Reaction, and Movement to reposition, moving five feet in any direction or Dropping Prone. May interrupt Melee Attacks.
Declare (Action) - Declare a Special ability or Spell being cast from a Grimoire or Scroll- or go digging in your pack to Hold a Stowed item. Declared at the top of Initiative, takes effect at the end.

Attacking and Defending

Rolling to hit and to-damage are the same thing. Your Attack Roll uses the relevant Damage Dice size plus relevant Stat Modifier. Enemies oppose attacks with their Defense Dice; subtract the number shown on the Defense Dice from the Attack Dice to determine the damage taken by the target, then apply Toughness. Attacks Explode: rolling the maximum number on the dice lets you roll a second time, adding the two rolls together.

Injury

If a Creature takes damage and does not have any Toughness Dice remaining, or is incapable or unwilling to use them to soak the remaining damage, they are Injured. An injured character must roll a Constitution Save. On a success, they may choose to either Fall Unconscious with a Flesh Wound, or be Mutilated and remain standing. On a failure, they suffer both. Unconscious Creatures may be rescued by allies providing medical attention (Medical Kit) after a battle. Unconscious Creatures that are left to fend for themselves after a battle may make a second constitution save, dying on a failure, and waking after 2d12 hours on a success.

Mutilation

Nobody makes it out alive. Use the damage dealt by the attack that dropped the character to determine how bad it is. (Honestly just use this one from Coins and Scrolls, I'm only including mine because I'd feel guilty just ripping one from someone else.)

Flesh Wound : It will heal up nicely, with a steady hand to stitch it shut.
Scarred : Crooked nose, split lip, missing ear. Lucky, all told. -1 Charisma.
Maimed : Roll 1d6 (1-2) Head, lose an eye. Lose two and you'll go Blind. (3-4) Right or Left arm, they broken or sprained or have a cut tendon/muscle. You won't be using them until you're Healed. (5-6) Right or Left leg. Move at half speed with something or someone to lean on, quarter if you're limping without a crutch.
Bleeding Out: Roll 1d4. In that many rounds you will be dead, unless you receive medical attention from a Medicine Kit.
Gut Wound : Roll 1d6. You're going to die in that many days unless you're Healed.
Severed : Roll 1d6 (1-2) Head, instant death. (3-4) Right or Left arm. (5-6) Right or Left leg. Move at half speed with something or someone to lean on, crawl Prone without a crutch.
Agony : Cannot regain Toughness until Healed. Unable to exert much effort without crippling pain.
Doomed : Roll 1d4. In that many rounds you will be dead, unless you receive Healing. It looks really really bad.
Instant Death : Chopped in Half, Decapitated, there's no saving you. Resurrection Possible.
Awful : Not enough left to Resurrect.

Armor

Armor must be readied in order to grant its benefits. A shield must Readied and Held to grant its benefits.

Each slot of armor increases your Defense Dice's size by one. An unarmored character has no Defense Dice. (Dice Sizes in order: d0, d4, d6, d8, d10, d12) A d12 is the largest the Defense Dice can be.

I leave the economics of pricing this stuff in Hacksilver as an exercise for the GM, because I'm lazy.

Gambeson (d4) 1 slot
Leather (d6) 2 slots
Chain (d8) 3 slots
Scale (d10) 4 slots
Plate (d12) 5 slots
Buckler (Flat +1 to Defense roll) Partial slot
Shield (Flat +2 to Defense roll) 1 slot
Pavis Shield (Flat +2 to Defense roll) 2 slots, can be Planted as an Object Interaction to set it in place and free your Hands

Toughness:

All characters begin play with at least one Toughness Dice, which represents their ability to whether the rigors of an adventurous life. Toughness Dice are most commonly used to soak Damage from an enemy's successful Attack Roll. After your Defense Roll is subtracted from the enemy's Attack Roll, you can choose to roll as many of your Toughness Dice as you feel necessary. The sum of your Toughness Dice is subtracted from the damage. Any time Toughness Dice are rolled, for any reason, any that show a 5 or a 6 are Exhausted. Exhausted Toughness dice can't be used again until you've eaten a full meal (At least two of: Hot, with Meat, in a Locked Room, or with Alcohol,) and slept at least 6 hours.

Weapons:

Bare Hand, no slots, (1 damage), Nonlethal
Claws, Gauntlets, Knuckles, 1/2 slot, (1d4) Light, Free Hand
Staff, Club, Flail, 1 slot, (1d6) +2 to Disarm against enemy Armor and Shields
Torch, 1 slot, (1d6) Terror
Falchion, Hand Axe, Arming Sword, 1 slot, (1d8)
Longsword, Greataxe, Claymore, 2 slots, (2d6)
Polearm, Bohemian Earspoon, Halberd, 2 slots, (1d10) Brace, Long
Whip, 1 slot, (1d4) Dexterous, Long, Terror, Nonlethal
Spear, 1 slot, (1d6) Brace, Long
Javelin, 1/2 slot (1d6) Thrown (30 ft.)
Dagger, 1/3 slot, (1d4) Light, Thrown (10 ft.) +2 to Melee Attack against Prone targets
Boomerang, 1 slot, (1d4) Light, Thrown (30 ft.) Delay, Ignores shields
Bomb, 1/3 slot, (1d8) Thrown (30 ft.) Blast, Delay, Must be armed with an Object Interaction to be used
Firebomb, 1/3 slot, (1d8) Thrown (30 ft.) Blast, Terror, Must be armed with an Object Interaction to be used
Heavy Crossbow, 3 slots, (2d10) Ranged (300 ft.) Reload, Blast, Must be planted as an Object Interaction to be used

Ammunition - 1 slot each

Crossbow, 2 slots, (1d10) Ranged (100 ft.) Can be kept Loaded while Readied or Stowed

Ammunition - 1/3 slot each

Hand Crossbow, 1/2 slot, (1d6) Ranged (30 ft.) Light

Ammunition - 1/6 slot each

Longbow, 2 slots, (1d10) Ranged (100 ft.) Brace, cannot be used from Horseback

Ammunition - 1/6 slot each

Shortbow, 1 slot, (1d6) Ranged (60 ft.) Cannot be used with a shield

Ammunition - 1/6 slot each

Sling, 1/2 slot, (1d4) Light, Ranged (30 ft.) Can be used with shield

Ammunition - 1/32 slot each, ordinary stones, don't even bother tracking them

Brace: Weapons with this quality may be used to Punish enemies Moving inside their range while you use the Brace Movement action. Brace weapons deal +2 damage from a mounted position.

Blast: Weapons with this quality affect all Creatures within 5 ft, not just their target.

Delay: Weapons with this quality strike one round after they are used on the same Phase.

Dexterous: Can be used like a Free Hand for the sake of Maneuvers and Object Interactions

Free Hand: Weapons with this quality function as partial Slots, but allow a full Slot item to be held instead of just another Partial Slot item.

Light: Weapons with this quality can be used to attack twice. So long as you are holding two Light weapons, you may use both to attack, even during different phases, for the cost of one Action.

Terror: Weapons with this quality provoke a Morale test for the enemy side after successfully injuring a target, or an individual morale test when used to Feint against an individual enemy, at the top of the next round.

Initiative:

Initiative is Phased. At the top of each Round all sides involved roll a d6, Modified by their respective leader's Intelligence. Winners act first each Phase/bullet, then losers act before moving to the next phase. IE: A loser with a polearm makes a Melee attack before a winner with a dagger.

1. Re-roll Initiative and Check Morale

2. Declared Actions (Action)

Casters must declare Spells. Casters are considered to be casting the spell for the rest of the phase, until the spell actually takes effect at the end.
Monsters must declare special attacks - Breath Weapons, Banshee Wails, etc.
Go digging in your pack for a Stowed item (Main Action)
Declared actions can be aborted at any time, but do not refund the action spent.

3. Hold Readied items (Free Action)

4. Object Interactions (Action or Movement)

5. Ranged Attacks (Action)

Crossbows and Firearms
Light Weapons
Heavy Weapons

6. Move, Brace or Drop/Stand (Movement)

7. Melee Attacks (Action)

Long Weapons first
Light Weapons
One-Handed Weapons and Bare Hands
Heavy/Two-Handed Weapons

8. Declared Actions Finish (Free Action)

Traits

Pick 2 Traits at Character creation, or Roll 3 at random.

Artful Dodger : Your Toughness Dice only exhaust on 6's, so long as you aren't wearing armor. Shields are fine.
Brick Shithouse : +6 Stowed Inventory Slots.
Psychopath : People dying doesn't bother you at all. +2 to Attack rolls against Creatures fighting in self defense.
Pugilist : Your Bare Hands deal 1d6 damage and count as Light weapons.
Blind : You can't see. Using ranged weapons is impossible. Fighting with Melee Weapons requires rigid coordination. A lifetime of living with disability has made you capable of functioning as an adventurer.
Boon Companion : You have a Dire Wolf, Horse, or Shark that loves and trusts you. So long as you are alive, you can bring it back to life at the cost of exhausting one Toughness Dice. You may shrink this creature down into a one inch tall version of itself and keep it in your pocket.
Chosen : Begin play with a Magical Sword of the Dungeon Master's choice. Whilst uninjured you may fire Sword Beams, treating your Sword as a Ranged Weapon with a range of 15 ft. Someone evil is coming to kill you and everyone who knows you.
Dog : You have a base speed of 60 ft. You may use your Mouth like a single Hand, and Bite for 1d6 damage. Other members of your party understand you via body language. Armor must be tailor made.
One Handed : Flip a coin to determine if it was your left or right. Thieves lose their left, deserters lose their right. People don't treat you very well no matter which you lost, no matter how you lost it. A lifetime of living with disability has made you capable of functioning as an adventurer.
Sense of Smell : You can smell whether or not meat is safe to eat or water safe to drink. You can tell if someone is sick or cursed before they can. You can smell oil traps, liars, undead, Demons, and blood. If any of these things have been in a room you're in you know how long it has been.
Telepath : You may speak directly into other Creature's minds within 100 feet. Simple images can also be transferred. You do not have to see the Creatures, but you must know they are there. Willing creatures may share their eyesight with you.
Transgender : Self-Made. People who you've never met have opinions about you. You cannot be polymorphed, mutated, or transfigured against your will.
Leper : Your Bare Hands gain the Terror trait. Most creatures will go out of their way to avoid you.
Crop : Gain an extra 2 Readied Slots inside your stomach.
Ghoulthirst : Undead don't want to eat you. Eating people doesn't bother you at all. May substitute Fresh Bloody Meat for Hot Food.
Lucky : The first time you would be killed or be permanently mutilated, you aren't.
Nobody There : You have no shadow, footprints, scent, or warmth. People forget your face and name within hours of meeting you. Your mind cannot be read, you don't set off alarms or magic traps, and you cannot be accurately drawn or photographed.
Trick Magic Item : You can ignore Curses, Qualifiers, Drawbacks, or Magic Locks that prevent the use of a magic item. If an item has limited charges, you can Exhaust a Toughness Dice instead of a charge at a one to one ratio.
Talks to Animals : You can talk to Animals.
Healthy: +1 Toughness Dice.
Jack : +2 to all stats.
Branded : Undead, Devils, and other creatures of darkness attack you first. Others can use your life as a bargaining chip with them.
Spitter : You may spit any liquid with pinpoint accuracy within 60 ft, including your own saliva. You can fill your mouth with enough liquid at a time that you can extinguish a torch. So long as you don't swallow, the inside of your mouth is immune to damage.
Sickly : Your Toughness Dice exhaust on 4's as well as 5's and 6's. Other Creatures don't consider you a threat until you actually attack them.
Paranoid : Immune to poison, venom, disease, and being killed in your sleep
Princely : Enemies want you alive
Robot : Your bare skin counts as plate armor. You do not eat or breathe. You cannot willingly harm a Human, or through inaction allow one to come to harm. You must obey all commands given by a Human, unless they would violate the first law. You must protect yourself, unless doing so would violate the first or second law. Becoming fully submerged in water kills you instantly.
Third Arm, Prehensile Tail, Juggler : Third Hand to Hold items with
Fast Hands : Object Interactions are a Free Action
Elf : May substitute Fresh Water for Alcohol and Sunlight for food. You do not take fall damage or set off pressure plates.
Dwarf : May substitute Fungus for Hot Food and sleep in armor. Immune to pit and spike traps.
Ogre : May hold 2 Slots worth of items in each hand.
Orc : +2 to Attack. Everyone you meet hates you enough to act on it.
Vampire : Garlic and Holy symbols are Terror weapons against you, and you must roll a Toughness Dice every round you stand in Daylight. May substitute blood for both Alcohol and Hot Food. Creatures you feed upon fall into helpless lethargy for a day. The only thing that can kill you for good is being decapitated, staked through the heart, then left out in the sunlight to burn.
Hobbit : May only hold 1/2 Slots worth of items in each hand- One-Handed weapons count as Two Handed weapons. Can attempt to Disarm/Steal once each Round as a Free Action.
Lizard: Your bare skin counts as leather armor and you can breathe underwater. Your bare hands are claws that deal 1d6 damage.
Centaur : Always Horseback.
Starseed : Acid blood, Albino. Walk on water, walls, and ceilings, but not floors.
Monkey's Paw : You have one wish left. The last few didn't go so well.
Explosive : You may choose to Explode as a Free Action, dealing 4d10 damage to everything within 15 feet of you and killing yourself immediately.
Skinwalker : You can wear the skins of other living things. Only close family or friends can tell. Does not change your stats.
Wings : Fly 30 feet in any direction as a Move action. Each time you do so, you must roll a Toughness Dice. You may not fly if you are encumbered or wearing more than leather armor.
Second Head : Survive decapitation. Once.
Wheelchair Bound : Without the use of your lower body, generating the force required to fight with Melee weapons larger than a dagger is impossible- unless they have the Brace quality. Without your wheelchair or another mount you fall Prone. A lifetime of living with disability has made you capable of functioning as an adventurer.
Firebreather : You have a Breath Weapon, you may exhale a 25 ft cone of fire at will. You must declare this attack as typical. Roll as many Toughness Dice as you wish, the Attack Roll of your breath weapon is equal to their sum.

So Long as Men Die

Thursday, January 22, 2026

Heartbreaker, WIP