When I started working on this game back in 2017, one thing was already clear:
in a time when tabletop roleplaying games seemed dominated by dark fantasy
titles and gruesome, gritty tales of opportunistic characters steeped in
nihilism, I felt the need for a refreshing alternative.
I wanted a game of magical worlds and optimistic stories, steeped in the
wondrous aesthetics of the Japanese console RPGs that had left me speechless
as a kid. There was an element of nostalgia, sure, but it was accompanied by a
conscious need to write a game based on cooperation, hope, and mutual trust;
both in the stories it was meant to tell and in its very ruleset.
For its working title I went with "Fabula Ultima" — a Latin phrase that could
be translated as "Last Fable" or "Ultimate Story". Needless to say, this was a
tongue-in-cheek homage to what is probably the most notorious JRPG saga in
existence, and also my first encounter with the genre (Final Fantasy X, back
in 2001).
During the spring of 2018, my health condition unfortunately plummeted, and
the name "Fabula Ultima" took on a bit of an ominous ring. Luckily enough,
this ended up being nothing too serious — but that title had accompanied me
during those harsh months, so I decided to keep it for the final release.
After all, the whole point of the game was to tell tales of heroes who achieve
their goals by overcoming suffering and defeats, in the hopes of a better
future.
Working on Fabula Ultima was neither easy nor quick, but dozens of people have
given me the strength I needed over the years: some by supporting me via
Patreon, others simply sharing the game and playing with me. Testing and
experimenting, again and again, in a process of constant rebuild and
transformation that ultimately resulted in the book you are reading today;
speaking of which, my collaboration with Need Games was crucial. While the
release was announced during 2020, our conversations about the game date back
to 2018: Nicola has followed the project since its beginning, and sometimes I
really think he's enamoured with it more than I am!
Anyway, I've definitely written too much already: now it's time for the game
to speak on its own. All I ask of you is to let yourselves be swept into a
heroic adventure rife with hope, adversities, rebellion and emotions — and to
do so by trusting those who play with you, and being passionate about their
ideas.
To fight for what you believe in, because this is your story.
W ORIGIN AND INSPIRATIONS
Fabula Ultima is partially based on the tabletop roleplaying game
Ryuutama, written by Atsuhiro Okada and
published in English by Kotodama Heavy Industries.
This game was written and produced under advisement of, with permission from,
and with the complete final approval of, both Kotodama Heavy Industries and
Atsuhiro Okada. Please visit
http://www.kotohi.com for more information
about Ryuutama.
Among the countless sources of inspiration for this game I want to mention:
Jonathan Tweet & Rob Heinsoo's 13th Age; Alberto Tronchi's
Aegis; Christian Giffen's Anima Prime; D. Vincent Baker's
Apocalypse World; Takeshi Kikuchi & Studio F.E.A.R.'s
Arianrhod; John Harper's Blades in the Dark (from which
the Clock mechanic was directly derived); Luke Crane's
Burning Wheel; Rob Heinsoo, Andy Collins & James Wyatt's
Dungeons & Dragons: 4th Edition; Fred Hicks & Rob Donoghue's
Fate; Rikizō's Kamigakari; Junichi Inoue's
Tenra Bansho Zero; and Ron Edward's
Sword, Soul, and Sex collection of
supplements for Sorcerer.
SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My heartfelt thanks go to Davide Baravalle, Andrea Bergamelli, Gianluca
Candiago, Gaia Cardinali, Francesco Castelli, Alberto Ceirano, Lorenzo
Costamagna, Cryo, Nicola DeGobbis, Deshter, ExtantLily, Daniele Galliano, Alex
Grisafi, Andy Kitkowski, Chiara Listo, Andrea Lucca, Chris MacLean, Luca
Maiorani, Marco Munari, Enrico Orlandi, Alberto Orlandini, Marta Palvarini,
Andrea Parducci, Domenico Politi, Claudio Pustorino, Alec Rezanka, Matt
Sanchez, Aaron der Schaedel, Claudio Serena, Justin "Gyromitre" Solatges, Sara
"Kurolily" Stefanizzi, Marco Tarasconi, Alena Tincher, Triex, Erica Viotto,
and Giuseppe Vitale; to Lorenzo Magalotti, Moryo, Sascha Naderer e Catthy
Trinh for gifting shape and color to Fabula Ultima;
to Lara "Phenrir Mailoki" Arlotta, Michele "Sabaku no Maiku" Poggi and Marcus
"epicnamebro" Sanders for the excellent JRPG-themed content they tirelessly
create;
to my parents; and to all those who made this impossible project possible
through their support on Patreon!
Roleplaying games (abbreviated RPGs) are a particular type of game — they
originated as tabletop games, but are nowadays often played online as well.
In a roleplaying game, a group of people play together to create a story: they
do so by talking with each other, and that conversation is accompanied by the
use of rules and (typically) dice rolls, which help determine the outcome of
uncertain situations and guarantee that the story created reflects the
premises of the game — tension and fear for a horror game, adrenaline scenes
for an action game, deep and heartfelt character interaction for a romantic
game, and so on.
In Japan, this activity is also known as a "table talk role-playing game"
(TTRPG), specifically, because it relies so heavily on the conversation at the
table.
ROLES IN THE GAME
The people who play this game will fulfill different roles:
Game Master. Often abbreviated as GM, this person's role is
that of portraying the game world in which the protagonists of the story act
and live. As the protagonists establish goals and make choices, the Game
Master will challenge those goals and describe the consequences of their
actions.
You can find more about the Game Master's role on
page 26!
Player. Each of the remaining participants — two to five
people — will create a heroic protagonist and then control that character's
actions within the game world. Each protagonist is known as a Player
Character, generally abbreviated as PC.
Characters that are controlled by the Game Master, on the other hand, are
called Non-Player Characters, or NPCs.
You can find more about each Player's role on
page 24!
While it is true that the role of the Game Master is to present obstacles and
put the Player Characters in situations of risk and danger, their role is not
that of an adversary, but rather someone who aims to make the protagonists
shine throughout the story.
There is no "win condition" in this game: as long as you create a memorable
story and enjoy each other's company, you're all winning.
The Basics of Play
In the conversation, Players describe their characters' actions and choices:
"Isabelle raises her shield and guards your back!"
"I step forward and speak to the queen!"
"I run after the thief! Where did he go?"
Similarly, the Game Master describes what happens in the world and also
portrays the actions of every creature and character around the protagonists:
"The village looks calm, its white windmills turning lazily under the sun. "
"The king appears tired and struggles to speak, as if not in control of his
body. "
"The dragon turns his smoldering gaze towards you!"
Together, this is all known as roleplaying, and these events
will take place in your imagination — a space that is often called "the
fiction".
THE RULES
This is also a game, and that's where the rules come into play: much like in a
video game or board game, characters have scores and abilities representing
their strengths and weaknesses, and dice rolls will often be used to make a
situation's outcome a bit tense and unpredictable.
Unlike video games and board games however, the possibilities of a roleplaying
game are endless: there is no single approach to a situation and the story
will naturally emerge from your interactions and choices at the table.
This is a tale of heroes and darkness. Of great hope... and even greater
sacrifice.
BUT WHAT IS THIS GAME ABOUT?
There are many roleplaying games in the world, and we play them for different
reasons: many make us feel like heroes, some have us embroiled in dark
investigations and tragic tales, others will challenge our skills and tactical
mindset, and others make us reflect on heavy and important topics.
Fabula Ultima was designed to be a TTJRPG — a Table Talk JRPG, evoking the
feel and stories that can typically be found in classic console Japanese
roleplaying video games.
HEROIC AND FANTASTIC ACTION
In line with the genre that inspired it, this game doesn't concern itself with
realism or verisimilitude — instead, it deliberately embraces a light-hearted,
bizarre and "videogamey" feel, both in its tone and in its mechanics.
A GAME OF HEROES AND VILLAINS
This is a game about larger-than-life heroes and tragic antagonists. There is
no predetermined plot, scenario, or "adventure" — the heroes' actions,
motivations, and objectives will drive the story forward while the Game Master
reacts to their choices and places obstacles on their path, often in the form
of powerful villains with their own devious agendas, which will change time
and time again as the protagonists manage (or fail) to thwart their plans.
HEROIC DESTINY
The heroes of Fabula Ultima are destined to accomplish great deeds, and they
will only meet their end when the person who plays them deems it appropriate.
That said, the price of defeat will often prove steeper than death — a major
part of this game will be discovering how your heroes rise from their failures
and learn to work together in order to accomplish what they could never do on
their own.
Challenging Battles
Combat in Fabula Ultima is reminiscent of the console games that inspired it —
each character will have a few tricks up their sleeve, and only by properly
combining clever tactics and coordinating with your allies will you emerge
victorious... especially when fighting against bosses!
Your World
Fabula Ultima has no default or "canonical" world, and that's on purpose! Your
group will collaboratively create a custom world in which your tales will take
place.
That said, the world and characters you create must adhere to eight core
principles, known as the Eight Pillars — which you can find on the next page!
On the other hand, if you're not familiar with the classic tropes of Japanese
console roleplaying games, you can find a useful collection of inspirational
worlds starting on page 16!
"There is more than one side to each story..."
THE EIGHT PILLARS
The world in which your adventures will take place is not predetermined: its
cities, kingdoms, deities, and cultures are something your group will create
(take a look at World Creation on
page 148). This fantastic land will grow
organically as you explore and travel across it, adding new details and
unraveling ancient mysteries!
What ties all Fabula Ultima worlds together are The Eight Pillars.
ANCIENT RUINS AND HARSH LANDS
The world is an ancient and dangerous place: cities and villages are separated
by vast plains, scorching deserts, frozen peaks and impenetrable forests. The
land is dotted with crumbling fortresses and shrines devoted to deities whose
names have been lost to time. Past civilizations and ages of darkness have
left behind a world of powerful artifacts and cryptic legends, as well as
magical (and often dangerous) places.
A WORLD IN PERIL
Villages, castles, and city-states are among the few areas that aren’t
literally crawling with monsters, brigands, and hostile creatures. Far more
dangerous still are Villains, powerful antagonists casting their shadow over
the entire land. Cruel sorcerers, evil gods seeking reincarnation,
power-hungry emperors, perhaps even alien entities: there’s a single,
unspeakable terror behind the dangers of the world, and our heroes are bound
to cross its path sooner or later.
CLASHING COMMUNITIES
The world may be in danger, but its inhabitants are still divided by ancient
grudges: religious schisms, memories of war crimes, and the conflict between
magic and science are among the most common causes of enmity. Reuniting these
communities will be key to defeating the great evils of the world; the
protagonists should help them overcome their hostilities and see their
differences as blessings instead of obstacles.
EVERYTHING HAS A SOUL
All matter that forms the world, including its creatures, the earth, sky, sun,
and stars are part of a vast flow of spiritual energy. The origin, nature, and
function of this energy may vary depending on the world you create, but its
presence is undeniable and anyone possessing the ability to manipulate it (be
it through magic or science) is a force to be reckoned with.
YOUR WORLD COULD BE... HIGH FANTASY
Great castles whose crystal spires reach the sky, fleets of ornate airships
emerging from the clouds, vast stretches of enchanted forests, and ancient,
sprawling ruins brimming with magical golems and powerful artifacts. A High
Fantasy world is an ageless classic and the perfect fit for your Fabula Ultima
story.
HIGH FANTASY THEMES AND PROTAGONISTS
High fantasy stories often revolve around themes such as hope, friendship, and
fighting together against supernatural and world-ending threats.
Their protagonists often come from many different backgrounds:
The princess who lost her kingdom to the antagonist's army.
The veteran soldier who pledged to protect the people with her life.
The young, inexperienced hero from a remote village.
The dashing sky pirate with a heart of gold.
The old wizard mentor who spent his life searching for a legendary spell.
The dark knight seeking redemption for his crimes.
Together they must overcome their differences and disagreements, forging
strong bonds that will allow them to save the world from a terrible fate.
HIGH FANTASY LOCATIONS
Every location in a high fantasy world has some magical element to it: a
floating castle inside a volcano, a silver palace orbiting the moon, a forest
populated by fairies and natural spirits, a great tower built to reach the
gods and destroyed over a single night as a form of divine punishment.
Everything is bizarre and wondrous.
HIGH FANTASY MAGIC
Magic is abundant, omnipresent, and employed in a variety of ways and by a
variety of people, from powerful court wizards to traveling healers. Golems,
airships, and elementally-infused weapons are a common sight. However, the
most ancient and world-altering rituals have been lost to time, hidden within
sunken ruins or guarded by centuries-old monsters.
HIGH FANTASY ANTAGONISTS
In a high fantasy world, antagonists are larger-than-life figures with armies
and incredible magic at their disposal. Each of them is a dark and twisted
reflection of one or more of the protagonists: they are shadows that must be
confronted for the heroes to grow and eventually triumph. Towards the end of
the story, driven into a corner by the protagonists' actions, high fantasy
villains often resort to extreme measures and transform into divine or demonic
entities that defy space and time.
YOUR WORLD COULD BE... NATURAL FANTASY
Natural Fantasy Themes and Protagonists
Floating amidst a lush expanse of verdant forests, snow-capped mountains, and
crystal-clear lakes, small villages slumber peacefully, coexisting with the
beasts and elemental forces of the wilderness. Underneath it all lie the ruins
of mysterious past civilizations that once ruled this world of Natural
Fantasy.
Tales of natural fantasy often revolve around warmth and community, harmony
with nature and beasts, and the tragedy that befalls when the hearts of the
people grow so dark that they twist and corrupt the very places they live in.
Their protagonists are often very young and come from the same village:
The daughter of the village chief, seeking to prove her worth.
The apprentice blacksmith who saw a terrible creature in the forest.
The young hermit who stumbled upon the entrance to a magical ruin.
The witch who knows of a prophecy dating back to the Ancestors.
The wandering warrior who mistakenly angered a local spirit.
Together they must mend the hearts of their community and confront those who
stir sentiments of hatred and mistrust, to prevent this darkness from
corrupting the very balance of the world around them.
YOUR WORLD COULD BE... TECHNO FANTASY
Heavy rain falls from polluted clouds, clanking sounds over the brass and
steel pipework spreading from one building to another. Casting its shadow over
the rundown districts is the massive shape of an industrial chimney, the
factory below draining energy and power from the depths of this Techno Fantasy
world.
TECHNO FANTASY THEMES AND PROTAGONISTS
Stories unfolding in a techno fantasy world are often darker and more serious
in tone; they revolve around the exploitation of natural resources, unchecked
and ruthless scientific experimentation, and abuse of power from the wealthy
elite.
Their protagonists are often people fighting against injustice:
The scarred hero who had everything taken from her by the elite.
The last survivor from a line of magic users who sought harmony with the
world.
The former mercenary disgusted by his past actions.
The failed experiment who was abandoned by their cold-hearted creator.
The wealthy heir who realized her prosperity was built upon the ruin of
others.
Together, they engage a desperate struggle against those few who rule the
world and the hearts of its people.
TECHNO FANTASY LOCATIONS
Techno fantasy locations often take the form of a literal "above and below,"
where the shining palaces of the wealthy steal the very sun from the vast
majority of the people who struggle daily in the slums below. Outside the
cities lies a barren world drained of all life and beauty, turned grey by
human greed.
TECHNO FANTASY MAGIC
In a techno fantasy world, magic has largely been claimed by technology and
turned into yet another source of power, wealth, and warfare supremacy. The
stream of souls has been gravely wounded and corrupted, and the original ways
of magic were forgotten or — more likely — suppressed.
TECHNO FANTASY ANTAGONISTS
The antagonists of a techno fantasy world should represent the darkness of
modern society and the ruthlessness of industry and exploitation. Wealthy and
influential, they simultaneously base their authority on brute military force
and stolen magic or artifacts. But perhaps their most insidious quality is
that many people still see them as ideal leaders and miraculously self-made
saviors, and are willing to be exploited and oppressed every day in the vain
hope of gaining their favor. Left unchecked, their egotistical ambitions will
lead to magical cataclysms or full-scale war.
GAME MATERIALS
Among the best qualities of roleplaying games is that they generally do not
require particularly expensive materials beyond the rulebook — and you already
have that in your hands!
To play the game, you will need the following:
GAME SHEETS
These print-outs are used to keep track of important game information.
Character sheets are used to track information about each
Player Character. The first sheet contains most of the data, while the
second sheet will generally be needed once your character grows in power —
or if they learn to use magic.
The group sheet is shared by all participants, and it is
used to keep track of the characters, creatures, and locations they have
encountered. It also features a list of consumable items you will often use
during your travels, such as potions and antidotes.
The world sheet is generally managed by the Game Master and
used to record important information concerning your game world — kingdoms,
powerful characters, historical events, and great mysteries yet unsolved.
The map sheet features the map of your game world and is
used to calculate travel distances and mark the position of important
features such as cities, temples, fortresses, and ruins. You start the game
with only one map sheet, but might end up using more if you explore
uncharted territories.
If you have purchased this book, you probably already have a .pdf version of
each sheet; in case you don't, you can find them at fabulaultima.com.
PAPER, PENCILS, AND ERASERS
Most of the time, you will want to write on your sheets in pencil — this will
allow you to easily correct mistakes and update any information you have
recorded.
You will also need a few pieces of blank paper for quick sketching and notes.
The Players
If you are a Player, here's how you should approach the game:
READ THIS BOOK
Make sure to read the Introduction — hey, you’re already doing that! — learn
the Game Rules and familiarize yourself with the World Creation, Group
Creation, and Character Creation processes in the Press Start chapter.
You might want to steer clear of the Bestiary chapter, since your Game Master
will likely pit you against some of the creatures contained within it —
spoilers!
GATHER THE PROPER TOOLS
To play the game you will need pencils, erasers, a character sheet for your
hero, a shared group sheet, and your own set of polyhedral dice (d6, d8, d10,
d12, and d20).
If you can, pick up a spare set of dice and share them with everyone else at
the table.
CREATE THE GAME WORLD
Together with everyone else you will give birth to a fantastical setting,
populated by bizarre monsters, great mysteries, and powerful magic (see page
148).
While doing so, you must adhere to the Eight Pillars discussed on the previous
pages — but aside from that, you are free to come up with whatever regions,
characters, and legends you want!
CHOOSE AN ARCHETYPE FOR YOUR GROUP
Once you have created a game world for your story, you must choose the kind of
group your characters will form: will you be guardians of a miraculous
artifact, revolutionaries fighting against a corrupt empire, or perhaps heroes
who have been brought together by fate?
Talk with your Game Master and with the other Players and discuss the kind of
story you all want to tell — then, choose an appropriate group type!
For more information on group types, see
page 152.
INTRODUCTION
CREATE YOUR HEROIC CHARACTER
Keeping the unique characteristics of your group and world in mind, create the
Player Character (PC) you will control during gameplay. Discuss each
character’s role within your group, as well as any Bonds and relationships!
COOPERATE WITH EVERYONE ELSE
When playing the game, pay attention to what everybody else is saying and
remember to leave room for everyone to shine: each hero should get their time
in the spotlight. Do your best to cooperate with the other Players and make
sure your table environment is enjoyable and welcoming. Be curious and
enthusiastic, suggest goals for the group, and support each other!
CONTRIBUTE TO THE ONGOING STORY
Bring your energy and ideas to the table, creating a story by cooperating with
everyone else. If you want your character’s emotions and flaws to be a living
part of this shared tale, act accordingly: in Fabula Ultima, all participants
are equally responsible for the quality of the game experience.
See your character as the tool with which you will shape part of the ongoing
narrative.
PLAY AS A HERO
The protagonists of Fabula Ultima are heroes and adventurers, larger-than-life
characters with unique abilities and an epic — sometimes tragic — destiny.
When you play the game, keep this premise in mind: act heroically, don’t back
down from challenges, and try to make the world a better place. Sometimes, it
will make sense for your character to do something you wouldn't: this is part
of the beauty of roleplaying games — allow your character to lead you on this
journey of discovery!
PLAY TO CHANGE AND EVOLVE
Your character should be far from an immutable entity: while their past may be
complex and tragic, the way they will change and grow during play is far more
important.
Character evolution lies at the core of adventure: embrace it!
THE GAME MASTER
If you are the Game Master, here's how you should approach the game:
READ THIS BOOK
Make sure to read the Introduction — hey, you’re already doing that! — learn
the Game Rules and familiarize yourself with the World
Creation, Group Creation, and Character Creation processes in the Press Start
chapter. You should also pay special attention to the Game Master chapter and
learn how to consult the Bestiary.
GATHER THE PROPER TOOLS
To play the game you will need pencils, erasers, a world sheet for your game
world and a variable amount of map sheets, depending on the size of your
setting — you will likely only need one at the beginning, and then print some
more as the heroes explore the world. You will also need one or more sets of
polyhedral dice (d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20).
FOLLOW THE RULES
Learn the rules of the game and apply them as they are written. If you think
one or more elements should be altered, discuss the matter with everyone else.
Only change those elements if the entire group has agreed on how to do so.
TAKE PART IN WORLD, GROUP AND CHARACTER CREATION
Assist the Players during World Creation (page 148), Group Creation (page 152), and Character Creation (page 154). Use this time to ask lots of questions: what are the core themes of each
protagonist? What experiences tie them together? Do they have a common enemy?
Take note of everything — all of this will come back to help you create
engaging situations during gameplay.
BREATHE LIFE INTO THE GAME WORLD
Regardless of the game world you have created together, it falls upon your
shoulders to populate it with fantastic locations, dangerous monsters, and
powerful antagonists. Stay true to the Eight Pillars and make sure you build
on each Player Character’s personal themes and motivations. Whenever you think
a Player Character might know about a place or event, ask the corresponding
Player for creative input.
BREATHE LIFE INTO YOUR VILLAINS
Pay great attention when portraying the main antagonists of the game, and make
sure you stay true to their goals and motivations. Just as Fabula Ultima’s
protagonists are larger-than-life heroes, their adversaries are powerful and
formidable individuals, who often conceal terrible secrets. Do your best to
always portray their looming threat and keep the pressure high!
COOPERATE WITH EVERYONE ELSE
When playing the game, pay attention to what everybody else is saying and
encourage everyone to play an active role: each participant should get their
time in the spotlight. Do your best to cooperate with everyone else and make
sure the play environment is enjoyable and welcoming.
PLAY TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS
Never force the Players’ hand, and make sure not to “push” them towards a
specific event: let their actions and objectives guide you instead. Resist the
temptation to create a predetermined plot — let the heroes’ choices and
actions tell you what aspects of the story the Players really care about.
If you're used to other RPGs in which the Game Master controls the evolution
of the story and prepares scenes ahead of time, let go of that when playing
this game — here, you must only weave situations around what the Players
decide to do and add details to the world as required by the circumstances.
The game gives them plenty of tools to influence and shape the story, up to
and including the ability to alter plot elements you had previously
introduced. Embrace this creative flow!
ASK QUESTIONS, BUILD ON THE ANSWERS
Move the action forward by asking questions to everyone else. For example:
What will you do now? Where can you find this information? How do you feel
about what happened? Are you willing to risk your life for this? What will you
tell your mother?
Ask plenty of questions, then build on the Players’ answers.
LOOK FOR INSPIRATION
Stories, ideas, pictures, characters, music, and maps: make sure to take
advantage of all possible sources of inspiration.
GAME RULES
This chapter contains the core rules required to play Fabula Ultima.
This is probably the most important chapter in the book and one that should be
read with great attention, regardless of if you are the Game Master or a
Player.
Throughout this chapter the game’s mechanics are presented in the way that
felt most intuitive; however, sometimes you will have to jump between pages in
order to get the full picture of how things work. It won’t happen too often,
promise!
USEFUL ADVICE AND CHANGING THE RULES
Along the way, you will find that a large part of this chapter contains advice
on how to make the most out of this game's rules and mechanics. You will also
find that sometimes the very same situation can be resolved through different
methods — there’s some overlap between rules.
This is by design. Given the broad scope of the game and the many possible
scenarios, the rules must be flexible — but this also means you will have to
learn how and when to use them. That is why plenty of advice has been included
wherever possible: because this book is meant to be understood in the easiest
way possible so that the goals and intentions behind each rule are clear.
As you grow more familiar with the rules, you will probably want to change or
tweak some of them, and that’s perfectly fine. Nothing in this book was
written to be set in stone, but to be a functional game, whose components
interact with each other and work together to bring an epic, heroic and
fantastic tale to your gaming table. Because of this, make sure to think
carefully about the changes you make: they might influence a greater number of
elements than what you had anticipated. To make life easier, the book includes
a variety of optional rules that can be used to safely customize your play
experience.
Needless to say, whenever you want to change something, make sure to discuss
it with your game group: you shouldn’t change anything unless everyone agrees.
SCENES
In order to play the game, you must first understand the concept of scenes.
A scene is a segment of gameplay with a beginning and an end, focused around a
specific character, obstacle, or conflict.
Scenes are an easy way to split the game into manageable “time sections” and
also act as a “stage”: characters who are not part of the current scene may
not perform any kind of action to affect the story. It is the Game Master’s
responsibility to declare the beginning and end of each scene, but the Players
can ask the Game Master to set up specific scenes as well.
Generally, a scene flows like this:
Beginning the Scene
The Game Master introduces the scene and describes the situation (a process
known as framing the scene), especially the following:
Which characters are present on the scene (this is often self-evident).
The time and location of the scene.
Creatures, items or other elements that the characters may interact with.
Note: The GM should keep things simple — one or two sentences are
enough.
Playing the Scene
Player Characters interact with what is present on the scene, and their
actions and decisions push the story forward. The GM describes how the
environment and Non-Player Characters react, and adds details to the scene as
needed. Characters may also enter and/or leave the scene, provided the GM
agrees.
Additionally, there will be times when the outcome of a character’s action
needs to be determined by rolling dice (see Checks, on
page 38).
Ending the Scene
The Game Master can end the scene at any point, often wrapping things up with
a short description of what happens. You should generally end a scene when:
The situation has been resolved (for better or worse).
Gameplay has moved to a different time or location.
Once a scene has ended, another one will begin.
Once you start playing, you will find that scenes tend to flow naturally, so
you will rarely have to check whether a scene has ended.
That said, some rules and effects rely heavily on the scene structure: many
spells, for instance, last "until the end of the scene". Pay attention to
these!
CONFLICT SCENES
When the heroes’ goals clash with those of another faction, things can get
heated and the Game Master may declare the beginning of a conflict scene — be
it a battle, a breakneck chase, or a tense audience with a king. During a
conflict, the camera “zooms in” and the characters’ actions are tracked in
greater detail.
You can find more about conflicts starting on
page 58, but you should read the rules for
Checks first — they’re on
page 38.
INTERLUDE SCENES
There will be moments in the game where the story moves at a slower pace — a
trek across the plains, the long descent down a cavern, a night of rest in
town, or even a month spent waiting for an ally to recover. Instead of a
moment-by-moment scene, we can describe these situations as a sequence of
short frames that shows our heroes as they perform a variety of activities.
During an interlude scene (or "interlude"), each Player describes the general
task their character performs, whether it's searching the village for someone
or staying on the lookout for dangers in a dungeon. However, if a Player wants
to have a detailed interaction with someone or something, you should switch
back to a standard scene.
Interlude scenes are especially useful when characters want to pursue
long-term objectives, such as Projects (see
page 134), or to describe journeys (page 106).
GAME MASTER SCENES
If the Game Master wants, they may play a scene in which no Player Character
is present, and in which the Players are simply spectators, separate from
their characters.
These Game Master scenes can be used to foreshadow an event, introduce a
future threat or show a Villain in action: they work just like cut scenes in a
video game, or pre-title scenes in many movies and TV show episodes.
Game Master scenes are an excellent way to add depth to antagonists and
provide a sense of narrative tension.
Sessions and Campaigns
Now that you know how scenes work, let’s talk about sessions and campaigns.
SESSIONS
When combined, multiple scenes form a session.
Simply put, a session starts when you sit down to play and ends once you
decide to stop playing, usually because you have run out of time or think it
is appropriate to “pause the story” — perhaps once you've reached a suitably
dramatic cliffhanger!
A typical session of Fabula Ultima will last approximately four hours. The
more people in your group, the longer each session tends to be.
The contents of a game session generally end up being close to what you would
see in a single episode of a show: the protagonists explore a specific
location or situation and alter it in some way; this, in turn, influences a
larger overarching narrative — that of the campaign.
CAMPAIGNS
Just as multiple scenes form a session, multiple sessions form a campaign:
this term indicates your group’s overarching story, the heroic tale you are
all contributing to.
There is no set duration for a campaign: some people play a game for a couple
of weeks, others commit to it for years. When you sit down to play Fabula
Ultima for the first time, discuss how long you want to play — this will help
you plan a schedule.
That being said, Fabula Ultima is designed to shine over the course of
approximately twenty to fifty game sessions. If you want to speed things up,
there are rules for faster advancement on
page 230!
IMPORTANT RULES
ALLIES
Some effects in the game affect "allies". In game terms, an ally is simply
anyone who you consider to be your ally in the current scene. If an effect
specifically targets allies (and not simply creatures or characters), you
cannot use it on yourself.
ALWAYS ROUND DOWN
While playing, you will sometimes need to halve numbers or divide them by a
certain value. When this happens, always round down to a minimum of 0.
ADD, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY, DIVIDE
If you ever need to perform multiple operations on the same number, you must
do so in the following order:
additions → subtractions → multiplications →
divisions.
SPECIFIC BEATS GENERAL
If a specific element of the game contradicts a general rule, that specific
element will take precedence. Example: Normally, a Player Character cannot
equip two shields at the same time. However, the
Skill Dual Shieldbearer (page 197) allows you to do so!
TIMING ISSUES
Sometimes a rule or effect will cause multiple choices or effects to
trigger, and it will be important to know who gets to act first.
If all the choices and/or effects are controlled by the same person, that
person will choose in which order to apply them.
If the choices and/or effects are controlled by different Player
Characters, the Players controlling them agree on which order to apply
them in. If they cannot find an agreement, randomly determine who takes
precedence.
If some of the choices and/or effects are controlled by Player Characters
and others are controlled by Non-Player Characters, Player Characters
always go first.
ANATOMY OF A CHARACTER
In Fabula Ultima, all information pertaining to your character is tracked on a
character sheet. In order to better understand the rest of this chapter, it is
important that you familiarize yourself with the terms described below.
TRAITS
Each character has a total of three different Traits:
Identity. This is a short sentence that sums up your
character's general concept — something like "Sky Pirate" or "Queenless
Knight". You will choose your Identity when you create your character, and
may change it later on if you feel like your character has developed enough
that it is no longer fitting.
Theme. This is a strong ideal or sentiment that drives your
character's actions, such as Anger, Justice, or Ambition. This too is
something you will choose during character creation, and it can change as
your character evolves during play.
Origin. This is where the character comes from, their
homeland.
While playing, you will be able to invoke your character's Traits to improve
your odds when rolling dice.
Whenever your character gains a level, that level will be put in one of the
fifteen Classes available in this book: either to develop an already obtained
Class or start a new one. Each Class grants a variety of Skills and abilities,
and you choose which ones you want to invest in — even if you and another hero
share some Class choices, your characters will end up being very different in
how they are built and played.
Some Class Skills can be taken multiple times, becoming stronger or more
flexible whenever you do so. When the same Skill is taken multiple times, its
Skill Level — abbreviated as 【SL】 — will also increase. For
instance, if you take the Guardian's Fortress Skill twice (see
page 197), its 【SL】 will be equal to 2.
If you want to take a look at the various Classes and their Skills, you can
find them starting on page 176.
Attributes
A character's Attributes are an abstract representation of their training and
aptitudes in four different fields:
Dexterity (DEX) measures precision, coordination, finesse
and reflexes. You will need it to move cautiously, defend yourself from
attacks, craft objects, and fight using light weapons, bows, and firearms.
Insight (INS) represents observation, understanding, and
reasoning. It is important when investigating situations, casting spells,
and defending yourself from magic.
Might (MIG) is a measure of strength and fortitude. Most
heavy weapons rely on Might, and your ability to withstand pain and fatigue
is also tied to this Attribute in the form of Hit Points (see below).
Willpower (WLP) represents determination, charisma, and
discipline. You use your Willpower for diplomacy and persuasion, but it also
directly influences your ability to cast spells and use special Skills, in
the form of Mind Points (see below).
Each Attribute is represented by a die size, ranging from a six-sided die (d6)
up to a powerful twelve-sided die (d12). Some effects will temporarily alter
your Attribute die sizes: this is known as the current Attribute die size,
while your default size is called the base Attribute die size.
HIT POINTS, MIND POINTS, AND INVENTORY POINTS
These pools of points represent three different "resources" available to a
character:
Hit Points (HP): Represent a character's ability to
withstand pain and fatigue.
Mind Points (MP): Represent a character's focus and
concentration.
Inventory Points (IP): Are an abstract resource that
characters can spend to create consumable items "on the spot", such as
potions and antidotes.
DEFENSE AND MAGIC DEFENSE
These two parameters are mostly used during conflicts:
Defense: Represents a character's ability to avoid being
hit. It may represent dodging blows (typically for characters with high
Dexterity) as well as absorbing and deflecting them through a clever use of
shield and armor.
Magic Defense: Represents a character's ability to
anticipate and resist offensive spells and similar magical attacks. It is
mostly based on Insight.
INITIATIVE MODIFIER
This number indicates the character's ability to act quickly in a conflict
scene.
EQUIPMENT AND BACKPACK
A character can equip a variety of items: weapons, shields, armor, and even
powerful magical accessories. Everything that cannot be equipped — such as a
second suit of armor or a different shield — will be stored in your backpack.
Consumables and single-use items such as potions and elixirs, on the other
hand, are represented by your Inventory Points.
ZENIT
Zenit is the common currency used in the worlds of Fabula Ultima.
The hopes and fears of this land now rest on your shoulders. Ready or not,
this is your fate.
CHECKS
The word “Check” indicates a die roll based on a character's core Attributes:
Dexterity, Insight, Might,
and Willpower.
In general, characters must perform Checks:
When required by the game rules. Striking a target, casting
a spell, and using a Class Skill often requires a Check to determine success
or failure. Effects that do not explicitly call for a Check always succeed
automatically.
When asked by the Game Master. The Game Master has the
right to ask characters to perform Checks when attempting risky actions,
facing opposition, or reacting to danger. For the game to run smoothly, the
Game Master must learn when to ask for a Check and when not to do so (see
next page).
Note that only the Game Master can ask for a Check; Players may never do so.
A Check is presented as a formula indicating which dice you have to roll and
add up together. Checks always require you to roll exactly two dice.
Example: An 【INS + WLP】 Check performed by a
character with d6 Insight and d10 Willpower will result in that character
rolling a d6 and a d10 and adding them together, thus generating a total
Result between 2 and 16.
Some Checks will also require you to add or subtract a certain number from the
total you rolled:
Example: A Character performing a
【MIG + MIG】+5 Check will roll their Might die twice and then
add 5 to the Result.
CHECK TERMINOLOGY
The following terms are key to understanding how Checks work:
Modifier
Any numerical value that is added to or subtracted from a Check. If you
perform a <DEX + MIG> +2 Check, for instance, the
modifier is “+2”. If the modifier is added, it is a bonus; if it is
subtracted, it is a penalty.
Result
The final number generated by the Check, after applying any modifiers.
Difficulty Level (DL)
Abbreviated as DL. If the Result of the Check is greater than or equal to
this number, then the action is successful. The Difficulty Level for a Check
will either be set by the rules or chosen by the GM.
High Roll (HR)
Abbreviated as HR. It indicates the higher of the two dice rolled in a Check
and will be used to calculate various effects (typically weapon and spell
damage). For instance, if you roll d8 + d10 for a Check and the dice show a
6 and a 9, the HR for the Check will be 9.
CRITICAL SUCCESS
When both dice rolled during a Check show the same number, and that number is
6 or higher, the Result is a critical success. Another way to put this is that
you will score a critical success on a double 6, double 7, double 8, double 9,
double 10, double 11, or double 12. If you roll a critical success, your Check
is automatically successful and you get to apply the effects of an opportunity
(see next page).
FUMBLE
When both dice rolled during a Check show a 1, the Result is a fumble, which
is the exact opposite of a critical success: no matter the modifiers, a
fumbled Check is always a failure — not due to the character’s incompetence,
but because of some unfortunate twist. When you roll a fumble, whoever
controls your opposition in this scene gets an opportunity (see
next page).
When a Player Character rolls a fumble, they immediately earn 1 Fabula Point
(see page 96).
Opportunities
Opportunities are unexpected twists in the story — sometimes good, sometimes
bad.
When you spend an opportunity, you may pick an option from the list below or
come up with a different twist that fits the current scene. The Game Master
has final say on whether an opportunity is appropriate to the current
situation, and some spells and Skills will allow you to spend opportunities in
new and powerful ways.
Example: Valea the thief is hopping from roof to roof in an
attempt to shake off Count Eligor's mercenaries. The Game Master calls for a
【DEX + MIG】 Check and Valea rolls a 7 and a 7, a critical
success! The Player controlling Valea describes how she loses her pursuers and
chooses the Favor opportunity: her daring performance will earn
her the sympathy of the villagers, who were already fed up with the Count's
tyranny!
OPPORTUNITIES
Advantage
The next Check performed by you or an ally will receive a +4 bonus.
Affliction
A creature suffers dazed, shaken, slow or weak (see page 94).
Bonding
You create a Bond towards someone or something or add an emotion to one of
your existing Bonds (see page 56).
Faux Pas
Choose a creature present on the scene: they make a compromising statement
chosen by the person who controls them.
Favor
Your actions earn you someone's support or admiration.
Information
You spot a useful clue or detail. The Game Master may tell you what it is,
or ask you to introduce that detail yourself.
Lost Item
An item is destroyed, lost, stolen, or left behind.
Progress
You may fill or erase up to two sections on a Clock (see page 52).
Plot Twist!
Someone or something of your choice sutdenly appears on the scene.
Scan
You discover one Vulnerability (see page 92) or one Trait (see page 302) of a
creature you can see.
Unmask
You learn the goals and motivations of a creature of your choice.
DIFFICULTY LEVELS
A Check's Difficulty Level (DL) is a measure of how complex and risky a
certain operation can be. It abstracts several elements into a single number:
The amount of knowledge and expertise required to complete the operation.
Any helpful or hindering circumstances such as harsh weather conditions,
poor visibility, exhaustion, or supernatural influences.
The lack or presence of important resources (time, space, materials, etc.)
that are needed to achieve the character’s goal.
The kind of impact the action will have on the story, be it now or later.
In summary, Difficulty is an abstraction of how the current situation is
opposing or hindering the character. The true question you should ask yourself
when determining the Difficulty Level for a check, as indicated by the table
below, is “Who is likely to accomplish this?”
DETERMINING THE DIFFICULTY LEVEL FOR A CHECK
DL
Action Difficulty
Who is likely to accomplish this?
7
Easy
Anyone with a bit of training or natural talent.
10
Normal
A competent person, or a very talented one.
13
Hard
An expert or a prodigy.
16
Very Hard
Someone who is among the very best in that field.
GO WITH TEN
If you are the Game Master and find yourself stumped when choosing an
appropriate Difficulty Level for a Check, use 10: it is neither too low nor
too high, and it's easy to remember.
W CHECKS IN PLAY
Now that you know the mechanical process behind a Check, let's take a look at
how it will work in play.
Our heroes have been allowed before the High Master of Relde, a village whose
aid would prove invaluable in the struggle against Empress Almara's forces.
Since Relde's people are well-versed in philosophy and magic, everyone agrees
this negotiation should be handled by Brigid, the group's scholar.
Brigid's Player, Emil, describes her goal and approach: "Brigid doesn't like
to beat around the bush, so... I'll simply stand before the High Master and
explain that Almara's army is getting closer by the day. If the people of
Relde forbid them from crossing the mountain pass, the army will be forced to
take a longer route and we'll have more time to prepare for the battle and
evacuate the locals."
The Game Master nods. "Okay. Is there anything else you think you can use to
your advantage? This won't be easy, you're asking him to endanger his own
people."
"I... not really. But I'll add this: if he refuses, we still plan on fighting
the Empire, tooth and nail. Which means his village and the pass will probably
become a base of operations for the Imperial forces, sooner or later."
"I see. I was thinking Insight + Willpower for the Check, but you are almost
threatening him... so Willpower + Willpower seems better."
"Oh, I'm great at Willpower! So... thanks, I guess?"
"Yours is a bit of a risky play. If the Check fails, you'll probably be kicked
out of Relde. Still, Reldeans are keepers to many secrets and wouldn't want
them to fall into Imperial hands... because of that, the Difficulty Level is
just 10."
Brigid has a Willpower of d10, so she rolls 2d10 and adds them together...
only a 5!
It is normally the Game Master's role to describe the outcome of an action by
taking into account the character's stated goals and the Result of their
Check; however, taking a step back and asking for input can make for great
roleplay moments.
"That doesn't look good," the Game Master raises their eyebrows. "How about
you tell me where you messed up?"
"You know what? I think the problem is there's some bad blood between Relde's
'faculty' and my own. The High Master probably doesn't like that I'm implying
his people wouldn't stand a chance against the empire..."
"Oh, I like that a lot! But he doesn't. You're quickly escorted outside the
village."
SUCCESS AND FAILURE
Keep the following in mind when you describe the impact of a Check:
Never subvert the outcome. No matter the premise, the
outcome of the Check must be applied for what it is. No one at the table can
turn a failure into a success and vice versa: otherwise, why would dice be
rolled in the first place?
Relevant success. If a character succeeds at a Check, they
have confronted the odds and emerged victorious. The Game Master shouldn't
call for further Checks to “confirm” their success: they have earned it.
If you think an objective requires multiple Checks, use a Clock (see page 52).
No do-overs. Just like a success should not require further
confirmation, a failure means you can't "try again" unless the situation is
drastically altered in some way.
OPTIONAL: SUCCESS AT A COST
This rule allows Player Characters to turn failure into success, but it comes
at a steep price. When a character fails a Check, anyone may propose a success
at a cost. The Game Master can make adjustments to the cost as they see fit,
and then the Player who performed the Check can accept or refuse.
When determining whether a given cost would be appropriate, remember that it
should put the character in a rough spot or take something important away from
them. If a cost can be remedied with little effort, something is wrong.
Back to the previous example: The High Master might listen to Brigid's
reasons, but only if she publicly apologizes and admits that Relde's scholars
are better than her.
You cannot succeed at a cost if your character fumbled the Check. When you
succeed at a cost, the Check's High Roll and Result remain the same.
Invoking a Trait to Reroll Dice
Player Characters can attempt to turn the tide in their favor by calling upon
one of their core Traits: their Identity, Origin, and Theme.
For instance, a character might have Shadow Knight as their
Identity, Gaonia Empire as their Origin, and
Guilt as their Theme.
After performing a Check, a Player Character may spend 1 Fabula Point and
invoke one of their Traits to immediately pick up one or both dice and roll
them again, replacing the old roll with the new one. They may do so any number
of times as part of the same invocation, but each new reroll (of one or both
dice) will cost another Fabula Point.
You cannot invoke a Trait if your character fumbled the Check.
Example: Ricard the mage is rushing towards the docking
platform of Sorcerer Antigles’ airship. His companions, Edgar and Valea, are
held captive within the vessel. There are only a few seconds left before the
airship lifts off; Nadia (the Game Master) asks Ricard’s Player, Mark, to
perform a 【DEX + MIG】 Check with a
Difficulty Level of 13: given that Ricard only has a d6 in both Attributes,
the situation is pretty desperate.
Mark rolls the dice and gets a 6 and a 3, definitely not enough for him to
succeed. However, Ricard has 2 Fabula Points left. “Ricard's Identity is that
of a Young Traveling Mage, which isn't that useful here...” Mark frowns, “And
his Origin is Malorn Village... which doesn't help either. But... I could
still use my Theme!”
“Tell me more!” Nadia inquires.
“Well, Ricard's Theme is Belonging. He is terribly afraid of losing the
companions he has found, of being on his own again. I think this will push him
beyond his limits!”
“Okay! Makes sense. I imagine you're only going to reroll that 3, right?”
“Yeah, I'm hoping for a critical success here... oh wow! I just rolled another
6!!!”
"Which means you succeed automatically...! Care to describe the scene for us?"
Mark grins. "Sure! Oh, and by the way, here's the Fabula Point. So, the guards
patrolling the area see a thin boy wearing a pointy hat plunge himself from
the platform; but once the airship lifts off, there's someone clinging
desperately to the landing gear!... Uhm, I mean, airships do have a landing
gear, right?”
Players should describe their actions in a way that is coherent with their
Identity, Origin, or Theme if they want to spend a Fabula Point. Basically,
you shouldn't do this when it feels forced within the narration — but then
again, you as a Player have final say on how and when you spend your Fabula
Points.
INVOKING A BOND TO IMPROVE YOUR CHECK
Just like how a character's Traits can be used to reroll dice, Bonds — which
is to say, the feelings they harbor towards others — allows them to increase
the Result of Checks.
After performing a Check, a Player Character may spend 1 Fabula Point and
invoke one of their Bonds to add the strength of that Bond to the Result. For
more information about Bonds and their strength, see
page 56.
This can only be done once per Check.
Back to the previous example: Let's say Ricard invokes his Theme to reroll,
but the dice come up a 6 and a 5; unfortunately, this isn't enough. Mark has 1
Fabula Point left: he could spend it to reroll the 5 and hope for a critical
success, but there's a safer alternative: he decides to invoke his Bond with
Sorcerer Antigles himself. This is a Bond of inferiority (because Antigles is
a stronger mage) and hatred (because he devastated Ricard's village when he
stole the Dragonstone).
"I think I simply cannot allow him to take anyone else away from me. It won't
be like the last time... I will be there and I will stop him, no matter the
cost."
Nadia nods. "That's a strength 2 Bond, which means you get to 13 and succeed!"
A Bond should only be invoked when it makes sense — just like Traits, you
shouldn't invoke them if it feels forced.
"Scared, Princess? I'm glad. Only when properly scared can we show some good
measure of courage!"
Optional Rule: Invoking to Fail
If you use this optional rule, Players may invoke their character's Bonds and
Traits to intentionally fail Checks and earn Fabula Points.
Once per scene before making a Check, a Player may describe how the
character's Bonds or Traits prevent them from achieving success — this is
done instead of performing the Check itself.
The Check is then treated as an automatic failure with a Result and High
Roll equal to 0. Then, the character gains 1 Fabula Point.
You cannot invoke to fail on Support Checks (page 50), and you cannot succeed at a cost (page 45) on a Check you already invoked to fail.
ACCURACY CHECKS
This type of Check works like a normal Attribute Check, but it is performed
when a character wants to strike targets that are ready to defend themselves.
Each weapon lists a specific Accuracy formula; a Steel Dagger, for instance,
requires a roll of 【DEX + INS】 +1. The Difficulty Level is
generally equal to the target's Defense score.
When performing an Accuracy Check, the High Roll (HR) will be used to
determine how much damage you deal.
You can find more about attacks on
page 68 and weapons on
page 128.
MAGIC CHECKS
This type of Check works just like a normal Attribute Check too, but it is
used when a character wants to cast an offensive spell or perform a Ritual.
The Attributes will depend on the kind of magic used by the character.
When performing a Magic Check, the High Roll (HR) will sometimes be used to
determine the effectiveness of the spell cast.
You can find more about magic starting on
page 112.
OPPOSED CHECKS
This special kind of Attribute Check is the fastest way to determine the
outcome of a competition between characters, such as a race, a chase or a
debate.
Each character taking part in the Opposed Check performs the same Attribute
Check, with no Difficulty Level: whoever gets the highest Result is the
winner. In the case of a draw, the characters that rolled the same Result
simply repeat the Check until one of them emerges victorious.
During Opposed Checks, fumbles are the lowest possible Result and critical
successes are the highest possible Result. They generate opportunities as
normal; if two or more characters roll a fumble or a critical success, these
count as a draw and the Checks should be repeated.
Example: Montblanc the knight is struggling to free himself
from the formidable grasp of a dragon. The GM declares this is an Opposed
Check using 【DEX + MIG】.
Montblanc rolls d8 + d10, but the dragon boasts a powerful d12 + d12: when the
dice hit the table: Montblanc gets 8 and 8, while the dragon rolls 9 and 12.
Despite the dragon rolling a total of 21, Montblanc’s 16 is a critical
success: against all odds, the brave knight manages to escape the monster’s
deadly claws!
OPEN CHECKS
This particular kind of Attribute Check has no Difficulty Level: instead, the
Result tells us how well the character performed. These Checks are often used
when researching information, examining an area or recalling important lore.
When you perform an Open Check, simply compare the Result with the table
below: rolling a 13 while studying an ancient painting means you manage to get
information worthy of an expert archaeologist, while rolling an 8 would only
net you basic hints of what the artist wanted to portray.
Result
Equates to...
7+
What could be accomplished by a person with a bit of training or talent.
10+
What could be achieved by someone competent or very talented.
13+
The work of an expert or true prodigy.
16+
A result worthy of being remembered in history.
SITUATIONAL MODIFIERS
If a character performs a Check while in a strongly advantageous or
disadvantageous position, the Game Master may impose a +2 bonus or -2 penalty
to the Result. For example: Princess Camilla is attempting to persuade the
Bandit Queen Remora to stop raiding the nearby village of Karsa; however,
Remora's lieutenant T oris is arguing against her. This is an Opposed Check,
but Camilla also offers Remora a single favor on behalf of her family.
Because of this, the Game Master grants Camilla a +2 bonus to her Check.
Most of the time you will not need to use situational modifiers — adjusting
the Difficulty Level will be more than enough. However, they can prove useful
when said Difficulty is established by the rules (such as with an Accuracy
Check) or during Opposed Checks (as shown by the example above).
If you are the Game Master, use situational modifiers to reward approaches
that take advantage of the opposition's Traits, personality and objectives.
GROUP CHECKS
Characters can choose to cooperate in order to increase their chance of
success within specific situations.
Group Checks are performed as follows:
The characters nominate a leader: this is the character who
will perform the final Check and determine the action’s outcome. Everyone
else acts as a supporting character.
Each supporting character performs a Support Check identical to the one the
leader will perform, but with a fixed Difficulty Level of 10. Fumbles and
critical successes rolled during Support Checks generate no opportunities,
but still count as automatic failures and successes.
Each supporting character that successfully performed their Check will grant
a +1 bonus to the leader's Check.
If any of the successful supporting characters have a Bond towards the
leader, the highest strength among those Bonds is also added to the leader's
Check. Remember, only add the single highest Bond strength.
The leader performs the final Check, which works as normal and may generate
opportunities in case of a fumble or critical success. The Check's outcome
affects everyone who took part in the Group Check.
Group Checks are extremely useful when two or more characters are performing
the same operation together; the Game Master always has final say on whether a
Group Check is possible or should be performed.
Example:
Three heroes are trying to persuade the Great Owl to grant them access to her
ancient library. The leader performs a DL 13
【INS + WLP】 Check, and the two supporting
characters perform 【INS + WLP】 Checks with a
Difficulty of 10. They both succeed, and one has a strength 2 Bond towards the
leader. Thus, the leader's Check will receive a total bonus equal to +4.
FREQUENTLY USED CHECKS
The table below contains a list of circumstances that might require a Check
and the typical Attributes that would be involved.
Situation
Suggested Check
Moving silently, hiding and acting unnoticed.
【DEX + DEX】
Avoiding a trap or finding a way to flee a collapsing building.
【DEX + INS】
Anticipating someone's movements and catching them by surprise.
【DEX + INS】
Completing a work of craftsmanship or repairing something.
【DEX + INS】
Moving gracefully to earn someone's attention.
【DEX + WLP】
Examining or investigating someone or something.
【INS + INS】
Remembering useful information about something.
【INS + INS】
Getting information from someone during a conversation.
【INS + WLP】
Persuading someone through authority or diplomacy.
【INS + WLP】
Hard work, such as lifting a portcullis or pushing a statue.
【MIG + MIG】
Resisting intense pain or fatigue.
【MIG + WLP】
Intimidating someone with your strength.
【MIG + WLP】
Optional Rule: Shared Attribute Choice
If you use this optional rule, Players can decide one of the Attributes
involved in each Check they perform, while the Game Master decides the other
(which can be the same Attribute or a different one).
This rule does not apply to Checks whose Attributes are already established by
the rules, such as Accuracy Checks.
Beneath the Crystal Temple slumbers the Great Dragon God, who once turned the
Babel Empire to ash.
CLOCKS
Also called timers, counters, trackers, or countdowns: Clocks are a useful
tool for tracking an evolving situation, an approaching danger, or the
characters' progress with a certain task.
Clocks are designed to handle complex activities that cannot be resolved with
a single Check and are a great tool for Game Masters to manage pacing within a
scene.
A Clock is a circle split into a number of sections, each of them representing
a step towards an objective being completed or an event taking place:
When the group infiltrates a guarded area and must not alert the
surveillance, failed Checks might fill a “High Alert!” Clock.
When the heroes realize they can't defeat a colossal foe in usual combat,
they might choose to adopt a different tactic: striking the stone columns
and causing the roof to collapse on top of the enemy! In this scenario, a
Clock can be used to keep track of how weakened the ceiling's support is;
once filled, the monster will be crushed under the debris!
When a powerful sorcerer performs a world-altering ritual, a Clock named
“arcane apocalypse” can be used to represent how much time is left to stop
him!
A Clock normally features four to twelve sections, depending on its
complexity. Clocks are generally created and managed by the Game Master, but
should be visible to everyone: this makes for tense and adrenaline inducing
play. They should also be tied to a specific obstacle, goal, or danger, but
not to a specific method or approach: this will allow characters to interact
with them in different ways. Let's take the collapsing ceiling described
above: characters could accomplish that by striking the pillars, pulverizing
them with magic, or even throwing an enemy against them!
CHAPTER ADVANCING A CLOCK
In general, Clocks advance through Checks:
Fill one section for a successful Check.
Fill an additional section if the Result of the Check surpassed the
Difficulty Level (or the opponent's Result in case of an Opposed Check) by 3
or more, or two additional sections if it was by 6 or more.
If the Check was a critical success, the corresponding opportunity may be
spent to fill two additional sections.
Vice versa, Clocks that represent a threat gradually fill as characters fail
Checks, especially if they fail them by a wide margin:
Fill one section for a failed Check.
Fill an additional section if the Result of the Check is lower than the
Difficulty Level (or the opponent's Result in case of an Opposed Check) by 3
or more, or two additional sections if it was by 6 or more.
If the Check was a fumble, the corresponding opportunity may be spent to
fill two additional sections.
Example: While sneaking her way through the monster-infested
corridors of an ancient castle, Valea rolls a 6 on a Check with Difficulty
Level 10. The Game Master fills two sections on the "Ambushed!" Clock — one
for her failure, and another because she failed the Check by three or more.
CLOCKS AND THE STORY
Clocks should always interact with what happens in the story. The Game Master
should use situational modifiers and adjust the Difficulty Level to represent
advantages or disadvantages derived from the Players' choices and the events
that are taking place in the scene.
everyone's progress, as explained under the Objective action (page 72). everyone's progress, as explained under the Objective action (page 72).
Bonds
Bonds are a source of power for our heroes. You already know that Bonds can
help improve Checks (page 47) or aid allies
during Group Checks (page 50), but some
Class Skills and even equipment effects will also benefit from Bonds.
EMOTIONS AND STRENGTH
Each Bond may feature up to three emotions from the following six:
Admiration. You believe you have much to learn from this
person and deeply respect them for their efforts and achievements.
Inferiority. You envy this person or feel like you would be
powerless against them. Their very presence frustrates you, acting as a
reminder of your failures.
Loyalty. This person has won your trust, or you believe in
their ideals. You are ready to endanger yourself to help or protect them.
Mistrust. You don't believe the words of this person and
doubt their intentions.
Affection. You have tender feelings for this person, be
they a love interest, a dear friend, or a member of your family.
Hatred. You can scarcely control yourself in the presence
of this person, and would do anything to see them broken and defeated.
The six emotions are combined into three pairings, and the same Bond may only
be connected to one emotion from each pairing:
Admiration or inferiority;
Loyalty or mistrust;
Affection or hatred.
For each emotion in a Bond, the strength of that Bond is increased by one (up
to a strength of 3 if you have an emotion in each pairing).
If you have the Dark Knight Belphegor among your Bonds and you feel
inferiority and hatred towards him, that Bond has a strength of 2.
CREATING A BOND
Bonds are generally created during resting scenes (page 91), through opportunities, or due to specific Skills. Whenever an effect in
the game allows you to "create a Bond", you may add a new Bond to your
character sheet and immediately tie a single emotion to it. This means that
all Bonds start with a strength of 1.
You can have Bonds towards characters, nations, kingdoms, organizations, and
even religions. You cannot have a Bond towards yourself.
STRENGTHENING A BOND OR CHANGING EMOTIONS
You can make your Bonds grow stronger by adding more emotions to them (up to a
maximum of three emotions, one per pairing). This is generally done during
resting scenes (see page 91), which will
also allow you to shift emotions around and adjust them to the more recent
developments in your story.
ERASING A BOND
If you already have six Bonds and want to create a new one, you must first
erase one of your existing Bonds. You must explain how your feelings and
perspective changed.
BONDS ARE STRONGER THAN DEATH
Even if a character dies or leaves your story, any Bonds other characters had
with them will remain until erased.
The Role of Bonds
Bonds make your character stronger while reminding you of their ties with the
rest of the world and its people.
Do not shy away from complex Bonds: feeling both affection and inferiority
towards someone, or hatred and admiration, can and will make your story more
memorable.
The best choice is often to let Bonds grow organically, while also reaping the
benefits that come from having many high-strength Bonds.
Determine which characters will actively take part in the conflict (be they
Player Charactesr or Non-Player Characters). Everyone else will be treated
as an extra and mostly fade into the background.
Discuss the goals of each participant. Player Characters should also declare
which items they have equipped at the start of the conflict.
Player Characters perform a {DEX + INS} Initiative Group Check
to determine which side acts first. The Difficulty Level for this Check
equals the highest Initiative among their adversaries.
If the Player Characters succeed, the first participant to act each round
(see step 5) will be someone from their side. If they fail, the first
participant to act during each round will be one of their foes.
The conflict is handled as a series of consecutive rounds: During each
round, the Player Characters' side and the enemy side alternate taking
turns, starting with one participant from the side who has the initiative.
Each turn allows for a single action.
You cannot choose to "pass" a turn.
If one side outnumbers the other, keep alternating turns as long as
possible, then let the side with the numerical advantage take the
remaining turns towards the end of the round.
Once all creatures have taken their actions, the round ends.
If the conflict continues, a new round begins: go back to
step 5.
The Game Master may declare the end of the conflict scene whenever they deem
it appropriate. This generally happens when one side achieves their goal or
objective, when all sides except one are unable or unwilling to continue, or
when the various factions find an acceptable compromise.
DETERMINE PARTICIPANTS
First, discuss which characters present on the scene will take on an active
role during the conflict, and which ones will fade into the background. Player
Characters are all generally expected to take part in the conflict, as are any
important antagonists — but there might be times in which some prefer to stay
away from the spotlight.
Example: The scholar Calliope has offered to help a young
bandit by the name of Randolph — she will act as his defendant in the upcoming
trial.
The Game Master decides to run the trial as a conflict scene: the participants
will be Calliope and Randolph as well as the prosecutor, a man known as Orbek.
Interestingly enough, only one other Player decides to have their character
take an active role: Montblanc the knight will lend his reputation to help
Randolph, while the thief Valea will avoid being seen on the scene — her
presence could undermine Calliope's credibility, and she already did her part
acquiring important evidence.
Everyone else — the bystanders, the guards, and even the judge herself — will
not be active participants. While the Game Master still describes their
reactions and behavior, those characters will not get to pursue their
objectives or influence the conflict.
New participants may also enter a conflict while it is already underway:
characters who wish to do so can join the scene at the end of a round (after
step 5).
DISCUSS GOALS
Each character involved in the conflict will have their reasons: perhaps you
want to steal a precious artifact, persuade the Queen of your good intentions,
or avoid becoming a monster's mid-afternoon snack. Your antagonists will have
goals of their own too, ranging from escaping unharmed to putting an end to
your ceaseless meddling.
During this step, each participant should make clear what their general goal
in the conflict will be, at least initially.
The Game Master is free to keep some of the antagonists' goals a secret —
suffice it to say, if a conflict takes place it's because at the very least
they don't want the heroes to achieve their own objectives!
INITIATIVE
A character's Initiative modifier indicates how likely they are to give their
side an edge when a conflict begins.
At the start of each conflict, the Player Characters perform an Initiative
Group Check: this is a Group Check (see
page 50) that relies on Dexterity and
Insight.
The Difficulty Level for the leader's Check is equal to the highest
Initiative Score among the heroes' adversaries; supporting characters
perform their Support Check against the standard Difficulty Level of 10.
Whether you act as the leader or as a supporting character in this Group
Check, remember to apply your Initiative modifier to your Result.
If the leader succeeds, this means the heroes seized initiative for this
conflict and the first participant to act during each round will be someone
from the Player Characters' side; if they fail, it means they have lost the
initiative for this conflict and the first participant to act during each
round will be one of their foes.
See the next page for an explanation of rounds and turns.
Example:
The warrior monk Silida and the mage Ricard are exploring the ruins of an old
waterway when they come across a bronze golem (page 330) barring their way!
The Game Master calls for an Initiative Group Check, and Ricard is happy to
have Silida be the leader. She only rolls a 6, but Ricard's Check is a 12
(even taking into account the -2 penalty caused by the armor he is wearing).
Silida's total is now 7, which is enough to reach the golem's initiative
score!
The Player Characters have seized the initiative, which means the first turn
of each round will belong to either Silida or Ricard.
Note that even if a new participant joins an ongoing conflict scene, they will
simply adapt to the existing initiative.
You can find more about actions starting on
page 66.
You can find more about actions starting on
page 66.
DYNAMIC TURN ORDER
Since turns do not belong to specific characters, you may switch the order of
your actions from round to round. For instance, a sorceress who took the last
turn during a round and found an enemy to be Vulnerable to her ice magic can
go first and finish them off quickly! This is a fundamental aspect of Fabula
Ultima's conflict gameplay, and groups that learn to coordinate their actions
will perform much better than those in which everyone is focusing on an
individual strategy.
THE ACTION ECONOMY
Much like any game that limits the amount of “moves” a character can perform
before their opponents get a chance to act, Fabula Ultima rewards you for
being clever in how resources are used.
If you are the Game Master, don't stage conflicts where one side is vastly
outnumbered: they will quickly be overwhelmed.
Some powerful creatures have the ability to take several turns during each
round — these are known as elites and champions (see
page 295). These creatures still follow
the normal rules for alternating turns, but take the place of multiple
normal foes.
OPTIONAL: ENEMY INITIATIVE
If you are the Game Master, it can be hard to remember which adversaries still
need to take their turn. An excellent solution is to have enemies take their
turns in descending initiative order, from fastest to slowest — simply write
that down and apply it to each round. This will make enemies slightly more
predictable, but also allows you to focus on more important aspects of the
conflict.
SPACE AND DISTANCES
In true console JRPG fashion, and in line with this game's cinematic approach,
conflict scenes assume characters to be able to reach each other quite easily.
There are a few important things to say about this:
ACTIONS AND DESCRIPTIONS
Keep distances and movements abstract in your descriptions. If you want to
rush past the golems and snatch a cursed grimoire from the wizard's hands,
for instance, you can roll for that right away — it doesn't matter whether
you were ten, twenty, or fifty steps away, all that matters is who, or what,
is going to try and stop you.
ATTACKS
The big difference between melee and ranged attacks isn't in the distance
they can cover, but in the various Skills they interact with and the
ability (or inability) to target flying enemies and similarly elusive
creatures.
When the martial artist in your group performs an attack that targets foes
who are in wildly different locations, you shouldn't question the
feasibility of it — if anything, the cool part is describing what the
attack looks like!
If you're thinking that fragile characters are made even more vulnerable
by this approach, you are partially right; but that's where the Guard
action (page 70) and the Protect and
Provoke Skills (pages 197 and 195) really shine — the ability to take a
blow for your comrades becomes critical to victory in battle.
SPLIT SCENES
If the conflict scene involves locations that are far away from each other
— say, if you are distracting the Pirate Queen with your conversational
skills while your allies silently board her ship — you must first choose
which characters will act in each location; then, proceed with the
conflict scene and "cut" between the different locations as prompted by
the initiative order.
Normally, characters in different locations will not be able to affect or
interact with each other, but sometimes the two conflict scenes will merge
into one as the characters eventually regroup.
OKAY , BUT...
There are situations in which distances and positions are supposed to play
an important role: what if there's a sniper atop a tower? What if a
terrible ritual tears open a chasm in the middle of the battlefield?
The advice boils down to the following:
Don't overcomplicate things. Play to this game's strengths, and avoid
situations in which suspension of disbelief becomes too strained.
Sometimes, experiment. If you want to introduce distance as an important
element in the game, treat it as a "puzzle" that can be solved in
creative ways while the conflict progresses. For instance, you might
make melee attacks useless in a battle between two flying galleons — at
that point, engaging in close combat would require approaching and
boarding the enemy ship... time for a Clock!
In the end, the most important thing to remember is that conflicts
shouldn't be resolved through careful movement and positioning, but
through clever use of the character's Skills and actions.
ACTIONS
The chart on the right summarizes the various actions available during a
conflict; these are explained in detail over the course of this section.
There's something important that should always be kept in mind when performing
an action: that action isn't just a simple gesture, it's the main focus of
your turn and a precise tactical choice. When you Attack, you perform a full
offensive maneuver; when you Study, you focus your attention and try to obtain
critical information, and so on.
MINOR ACTIVITIES
There are a lot of minor gestures and operations that can be performed on your
turn, alongside your main action; the Game Master has final say on what you
can accomplish, but you'll generally be able to squeeze in at least one of the
following:
Pick up an item from the ground and/or drop something you are holding.
When you pick up an accessory, a shield, or a weapon, you may immediately
equip it — provided you have a free slot and are able to equip the item in
question (for more information on this, see
page 122).
If you drop an equipped item, you will no longer have it equipped.
If you want to properly rearrange your gear, you must perform the
Equipment action.
Quickly throw an item you are holding to another character.
Perform a minor interaction with the environment: open an unlocked door,
pull a lever, or kick down a wooden plank to bridge a gap.
All of these may be performed before, after, and sometimes during the main
action of your turn — again, the Game Master is responsible for adjudicating
what is feasible during a single turn. Be generous whenever possible.
If what you're doing requires a Check, then it's probably your main action for
the turn.
Everything a character does to inject style and uniqueness in their actions
will virtually take no time — complex blade choreographies, magical chants,
the mixing of alchemical ingredients before throwing a potion and any
similarly flavorful descriptions should be encouraged, not penalized!
Action
Description
Attack
You perform a melee or ranged attack.
Equipment
You switch any number of equipped items with any number of items in your
backpack.
This action doesn't apply to armor.
Guard
Only once per turn. Until the start of your next turn:
You gain Resistance to all damage types.
You gain a +2 bonus to Opposed Checks.
You may cover another creature and prevent foes from
performing melee attacks against them.
Hinder
You perform a Check (DL 10) against an opponent. If you succeed, you
inflict dazed, shaken, slow, or weak upon
them.
Inventory
You spend Inventory Points to produce and immediately use a consumable
item.
Objective
You work towards accomplishing an objective within the conflict.
This will require an Attribute Check or Opposed Check.
Complex goals will often require a Clock.
Spell
You cast one of the spells you have learned.
Study
You attempt to gain information about someone or something.
This will generally require an 【INS + INS】 Open Check.
Skill
Some Skills require you to spend an action.
Other
You perform an action that is not covered by any of the above,
negotiating its resolution and effects with the Game Master.
Attack
A character may spend an action to perform an offensive maneuver using one
of the weapons they have available.
Choose a target for your attack.
You must know the position of the target and be able to see them.
You must be able to reach the target with the weapon you are using;
flying enemies, for instance, cannot be reached by melee attacks.
Perform an Accuracy Check using the formula indicated by the weapon
you are attacking with. The Difficulty Level is equal to the target’s
Defense score. If you succeed, you hit the target; if you fail, it
means they managed to anticipate, evade or negate your offensive.
A fumble indicates an automatic failure and a critical success means
you hit your target regardless of their Defense. They also generate
opportunities.
The Game Master may apply situational modifiers (+2 or -2) to your
Accuracy Check based on especially favorable or hindering
circumstances.
If you hit the target, you deal damage based on the formula indicated
by the weapon you attacked with. This will generally be a sum of your
Accuracy Check's High Roll and a fixed value based on the weapon's
power.
The target loses a number of Hit Points equal to the damage you dealt.
This may be modified by their Affinity with the damage type (page 92):
A Vulnerable target loses twice the normal amount of Hit Points.
A Resistant target loses half the normal amount of Hit Points.
An Immune target loses no Hit Points.
An Absorbing target recovers Hit Points equal to the damage
suffered.
Example: Our heroes are fighting a group of skeletons. Montblanc the knight
charges towards the nearest undead and swings his powerful waraxe. The
Accuracy Check requires a roll of 【MIG + MIG】, which in
Montblanc's case means rolling two d10s: the knight gets a 6 and a 9, for a
total of 15 — more than enough to hit the enemy’s Defense score of 11. The
waraxe deals damage equal to 【HR + 14】; since the highest of
the two dice was a 9, the total is 23 damage.
FREE ATTACKS
Some game effects allow you to perform free attacks. These follow the
procedure on the previous page but generally take place as part of a different
action.
A few Skills and effects might even let you perform a free attack with weapons
that aren't part of your equipped items!
MULTI
When you perform an attack with the multi property, you may select as many
different targets as the specific weapon or effect allows —
multi (2) lets you target up to two different creatures, for
instance. You perform a single Accuracy Check and compare it to the Defense of
every target, determining which of them were hit.
Rolling a critical success means you hit all your targets, while a fumble
means you miss all of them.
Finally, apply the normal damage calculation to each target.
TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING
When you perform the Attack action, if you have two weapons of the same
Category equipped (such as two swords or two firearms), you may declare that
you are attacking with both.
You perform the two attacks in any order you prefer and they may both be aimed
at the same target or different targets, but the following penalties apply:
Both attacks lose the multi property (if they had it) and cannot gain it.
When calculating damage for both attacks, the High Roll (HR) is always
treated as being equal to 0.
You cannot use two-weapon fighting when performing a free attack.
EQUIPMENT
When you use this action, you may store any number of your equipped items in
your backpack, and you may take any number of items from your backpack and
equip them. The only thing you can't equip or put away is armor — there's
simply not enough time for that during a single action. Still, the Game Master
might allow you to remove or equip a suit of armor if you spend several turns
on it.
Remember, equipped items are always at the ready: you don't need to perform
this action to start a battle with your equipped weapon drawn, for instance.
For more information on equipping items, see
page 122.
d GUARD
When using this action, you focus your attention on defending your teammates
and thwarting enemy tactics.
You gain all of the following benefits until the start of your next turn:
You gain Resistance to all damage types, regardless of their source (see
page 92 to learn more about damage
Affinities).
Whenever you perform an Opposed Check against another character in the
scene, you gain a +2 bonus to your Result
(regardless of who initiated the Check).
You may also choose to cover another creature present on the scene. If you
do, that creature cannot be targeted by melee attacks until the start of
your next turn — this effect will also end if you die, leave the scene, or
are knocked unconscious. You cannot cover a creature that is already
covering someone.
Even if you gain the ability to perform multiple actions during your turn (or
to perform the Guard action for free as part of another effect), the Guard
action can only be performed once per turn and its benefits never stack.
Hinder
You force an opponent into a disadvantageous position. This may represent a
variety of actions: a feint, a diversion, or even a stinging remark.
Once you have described your approach, you perform a Check against your
target, with a fixed Difficulty Level of 10 — the Game Master will determine
the relevant Attributes based on your description.
Example: Princess Camilla has challenged the Death Knight
Brandon to a duel. She circles the imposing warrior and attempts to put the
light of the sun behind her, hoping to dazzle him — the Game Master calls for
a DEX + INS Check.
If your Check succeeds, you inflict one of the following status effects upon
the loser: dazed, shaken, slow, or weak. Your choice.
For more information on status effects, see
page 94.
Back to the example above: Camilla gets a critical success and decides to
inflict slow on the Death Knight. She also generated an opportunity — which
she immediately spends to send Brandon's sword flying from his hand.
Inventory
You produce an item from your inventory and immediately use that item as part
of the same action: you might give a potion to one of your allies or slip them
a refreshing balm during a tense negotiation, for instance.
If the item you want to use requires you to be close to the target and
something or someone bars your way, the Game Master may ask for a Check.
If you use an item whose effects include a free attack against one or more
targets, you perform this free attack as part of the Inventory action.
The rules for Inventory Points are explained on
page 104.
Note that you can perform this action even if you have items equipped in both
hands.
Objective
You use this action when you want to make progress towards one of your goals
within the conflict — either one you had established at the start of the
scene, or one you just realized you want to achieve. You might make an attempt
at negotiation, sneak past a group of guards, begin work on a magical Ritual,
grab a target and try to immobilize them, pull a lever to activate a
mechanism, and so on.
O W Describe what you want to accomplish and how you intend
to approach it.
Needless to say, you can only pursue a goal if you have a reasonable way to
achieve it — the Game Master has final say on which actions
can be performed, but should do their best to allow a variety of different
approaches.
1
If your goal is simple enough—such as leaping past a chasm or climbing a
rope—you will likely accomplish it with a single successful
Check.
O W Since Objective gets you closer to what you want to
achieve within the conflict, it will always require a Check.
If your goal is opposed by another participant in the conflict scene, the
Check will be an Opposed Check against them. Even if multiple participants
can oppose you, only one of them will perform the Check — this should be the
most capable among your adversaries.
Otherwise, it will be an Attribute Check.
2
O W If your Check is successful, you alter the
Clock in your favor — which, based on the Clock in question,
means filling or erasing a certain number of sections, as previously explained
on page 53:
One section for succeeding.
An additional section for beating the Difficulty Level or the opponent's
roll by three (3) or more, or two additional sections for beating it by six
(6) or more.
3
Most of the time, your goal will be complex enough to involve the use of a
Clock — especially if achieving it brings you closer to
winning the conflict.
GOAL CLOCKS IN A CONFLICT SCENE
Example: In the depths of a magitech laboratory, the warrior monk Silida is
busy keeping a rampaging stone golem away from her allies — the mage Ricard
and the arcane fencer Nethis.
Seeing how Silida is having trouble withstanding the golem's powerful attacks,
Nethis decides to work on a new goal for this conflict: there are a variety of
magical crystals surrounding them, and she wants to channel their power into
the golem and overload its core, shutting down most of its functions.
Since Nethis can wield magic, the Game Master is okay with the plan and
establishes a six-section Clock: once completed, the golem's core will be
properly fried — the Game Master says she will handle this by permanently
decreasing all of the golem's Attribute dice by one size.
When you use Objective to intervene on a Clock, it is extremely important to
describe what your character does — the Game Master has final say on which
actions can influence the Clock.
Back to the previous example: The kind of effect Nethis wants to accomplish is
definitely magical — but does this mean Silida, being unable to cast spells,
cannot influence the Clock?
Absolutely not!
For instance, she might use Objective and strike at the golem's frontal plate,
which houses its core, to expose it and increase the flow of magical energy.
Maybe she won't fill as many sections (the Golem is pretty good at opposing
physical Checks, and this isn't exactly an optimal strategy), but it will
still help.
GOAL CLOCKS IN A CONFLICT SCENE
As the Game Master, you are responsible for assigning Clocks to goals and
determining how many sections they should have — use the table below as a
guideline.
For detailed examples of conflict goals and Clocks, see
page 78.
Sections
Objective
Once filled...
4
Minor
Provides a minor or temporary advantage.
6 to 8
Major
Provides a decisive and permanent advantage.
10 to 12
Resolutive
Allows you to win the conflict.
For more information on magic and spells, see
page 114.
For more information on magic and spells, see
page 114.
Some skills and effects require you to "use an action" to activate them; in
these cases, the Skill action must be performed. If you ever decide to use one
such Skill outside a conflict, it will generally require five to ten seconds.
OTHER
In addition to the ones listed above, characters might attempt all sorts of
creative actions within a turn, provided these aren't particularly complex or
time-consuming operations. The details and resolution of these unique actions
must be negotiated between the Player and the Game Master; most of the time,
the simple act of clearly stating what you want to accomplish and how you want
to do it will lead you to realize that an existing action is already the best
fit for it.
Conflicts generally represent fast-paced scenes in which characters have
limited ability to speak and discuss a complex plan or course of action, but
this shouldn’t apply to the Players who are controlling those same characters.
Always keep the following in mind:
First, the characters are heroes and adventurers. This means they have
likely discussed strategy and tactics before, perhaps around a campfire or
while marching through the woods; not to mention the fact that movies and TV
shows often portray heroes elaborating a strategy on the spot, as time
seemingly freezes.
Secondly, this approach makes for a more relaxed atmosphere at the table, in
line with the general optimistic tones of the game.
Ultimately, the choice of exactly how much dialogue and strategizing is
allowed during conflicts and similar situations rest on the shoulders of the
entire group: a “sweet spot” needs to be collectively found.
DIALOGUE AND TACTICS
TEAMWORK
When a character performs a Check during a conflict scene, any other character
that is able to help them and hasn’t already taken a turn during the current
round may choose to lend the active character a hand.
If anyone does, the Check turns into a Group Check (see
page 50), but with a few key differences:
Each helper becomes a supporting character in that Group Check, while the
active Player Character is treated as the leader.
Every Support Check is automatically successful.
Each character who supported the leader is then considered as having taken
their turn within the round — in other words, you can only help if you
haven't already taken your turn, and doing so will "burn" your ability to
act during that same round.
Choose wisely.
Note that this option can apply to any kind of Check,
including Accuracy Checks, Magic Checks, and Opposed Checks! This is a great
way to represent characters working together to overcome a powerful opponent —
when you can't strike a flying target with your sword, you might clear the
path for your archer or help them anticipate the enemy's movements!
ENDING A CONFLICT
As with any scene in the game, the Game Master has the right to declare the
ending of a conflict. This generally happens when one side has prevailed, when
everyone is no longer able to oppose them, or when the participants negotiate
some sort of truce.
Remember: once people find an agreement, there's no conflict anymore — until
they later regret or reconsider said agreement, at least.
Sometimes, the end of a conflict scene might mark the beginning of a
different one. It is not uncommon for a brutal battle to turn into a chase
as the losing side retreats, or a failed negotiation might turn to violence.
Some characters could even have this change as their conflict goal if they
excel at a specific type of situation instead of the current one.
When a conflict ends, all effects that last "until the end of the scene"
will also cease to be. Keep this in mind when deciding whether you should
switch to a different conflict or simply let the current conflict evolve in
a different direction.
In the end, remember that conflicts should only be used for high-stake moments
and aren't the default resolution method for every tense situation.
TURN-RELATED EFFECTS
Effects that concern themselves with "the start of a character's turn" or "the
end of a character's turn" follow a set of specific rules:
The effect ends automatically when the conflict scene reaches its
conclusion.
The effect also ends if you die, fall unconscious, or leave the scene.
If an effect begins, ends or recharges at the start or at the end of a
character's turn (such as the Guard action on
page 70 or the Protect Skill on
page 197), that effect also begins, ends
or recharges immediately if you help another character through teamwork (see
previous page).
If such an effect is somehow used outside a conflict scene (this doesn't
happen often, but it's still a possibility), it will last for a few seconds –
enough to influence the outcome of a single Check, generally.
While the explanation for the Objective action on
page 72 should give a pretty While the
explanation for the Objective action on
page 72 should give a pretty
CHAPTER CATCH THE THIEF
Heading towards their rooms in Caralon Castle, the heroes spot a suspicious
figure at the end of a corridor — and in their hands is the powerful artifact
known as the Skyglass, the most precious treasure of Caralon's royal
bloodline! The group immediately jumps into action, and a chase scene begins!
The Player Characters want to reach and stop the thief, which is a resolutive
goal; the Game Master sets this Clock at 10 sections. Possible actions would
be...
Use 【DEX + INS】 to anticipate the thief's movements and
cut them off.
Use 【DEX + MIG】 to bolt forward and grab the thief before
they get too far.
Use 【INS + INS】 to recall the layout of the palace
corridors and tell the nearby guards where you think the thief might be
heading.
If capable of casting spells, use 【INS + WLP】 to summon a
glowing orb that will follow the fleeing thief.
Use 【MIG + WLP 】 to intimidate the thief and cause them
to stumble or hesitate.
These Checks will be performed against the thief; once the Clock reaches 10,
the group will have cornered the mysterious figure — but this might lead to a
battle!
Similarly, the thief has a Clock of their own: thanks to a significant head
start on the heroes, the thief's Clock has 8 sections only. If the thief
manages to fill this Clock, they will flee the scene with the Skyglass!
CONVINCE THE QUEEN
The heroes need to persuade the Queen of Armorica that attacking the Imperial
forces tomorrow would be a suicidal maneuver. For some reason, the Queen's
advisor is stubbornly pushing for an immediate strike.
This is a resolutive goal and, given the importance of the scene, the Clock
should have 12 sections. Possible actions would be...
Use 【INS + WLP】 to present your reasons to the Queen. If
you have witnesses or items that reinforce your position, they will grant
you a +2 bonus.
Use 【INS + MIG】 to present a possible strategy and offer
your battle prowess to the Queen and her people, were she to reconsider
tomorrow's attack.
Use 【WLP + WLP】 to launch yourself into a passionate
speech, attempting to win the hearts of the bystanders. If you helped the
people of Armorica in the past, you will receive a +2 bonus.
Use 【INS + WLP】 to lure the advisor into saying too much.
To get a bonus on this Check, you might first Study the advisor and identify
his Traits and motives.
The majority of these Checks will be performed against the advisor, but the
third approach might also be made against the difficulty of "the room".
The advisor also has a Clock of his own which, once completed, will have the
heroes banished! This Clock has 12 sections — the same size as the heroes'.
AMBUSHES AND SURPRISE ROUNDS
Normally, initiative already takes care of which characters in a conflict
are more aware of their surroundings and can promptly react to danger;
however, if one side gets the jump on their foes, the Game Master may opt to
give those characters a free round of actions before anyone else can act.
This is known as a surprise round.
Warning: This optional rule greatly favors the ambushers;
a full round of actions is a massive advantage. If you don't like the
possibility of a character being defeated before even being able to
contribute to the conflict, don't use this rule.
If you are using Superiority Points, a surprise round can become even more
dangerous if the ambushers manage to overwhelm their foes with additional
actions.
See next page for the mechanics governing
Superiority Points.
PLAYERS OUTSIDE THE CONFLICT
If one or more Players are controlling no characters during a conflict
scene, they can still influence its outcome: once per conflict round after
any character performs a Check, a Player whose
character is not present on the scene can choose a single die rolled in that
Check and force it to be rerolled. Multiple Players can even work together
to have the same die be rerolled more than once.
The goal of this rule is to keep Players involved even when their characters
are absent from the conflict scene or have been defeated.
If you use this optional rule, describe how your character is "fighting in
spirit" alongside their ally and helping them overcome the challenge!
OPTIONAL CONFLICT RULES
Below you can find a few options for customizing conflict scenes in your
game. Any number of these can be adopted, as long as the entire group agrees
on them; you also have the option to use them only during specific conflicts
that you think would benefit from an additional tactical layer.
BATTLE SUPERIORITY
This optional rule adds another layer of strategy to battles and rewards the
clever use of elemental attacks and Affinities.
If you use this rule, all participants in the conflict gain access to a
special resource: Superiority Points. These points are shared
by the entire team, which means any Superiority Points you gain may be spent
by you or your allies.
Gaining Superiority Points
Characters can gain Superiority Points in four different ways:
Whenever you deal damage to one or more enemies, if one or more of those
enemies are Vulnerable to the damage you deal, your team gains 1 Superiority
Point.
Whenever you suffer damage, if you are Immune or Absorb that damage type,
your team gains 1 Superiority Point.
Whenever you roll a critical success, your team gains 1 Superiority Point.
Whenever you roll a fumble, the opposing team gains 1 Superiority Point.
A character may spend one Superiority Point to perform an additional action on
their turn, making this optional rule a dangerous addition!
Important Governing Rules
However, there are three important rules governing Superiority Points:
A character may only spend 1 Superiority Point per turn, regardless of the
number of Superiority Points available to their team.
Whenever your team is about to gain a Superiority Point, if the opposing
team has one or more Superiority Points, instead you will gain no
Superiority Point and they will lose one Superiority Point.
A team can never have more than 5 Superiority Points; any Superiority Points
in excess will simply be wasted.
Note: This rule is more advantageous to the Player Characters
than their enemies since Player Characters usually do not have damage
Vulnerabilities.
You might want to employ a tracker such as the one shown below, and move a
coin or token back and forth to remember how many points are available to each
team:
0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
A visual aid showing point tracking: 5 +5 +4 +3 +2 +1
Hit Points and Mind Points
In Fabula Ultima, a character’s general well-being is represented by two
parameters: Hit Points and Mind Points. If you are familiar with video games,
you will no doubt have encountered similar terms — but in this game, they work
a bit differently than what you might be used to.
HIT POINTS
Abbreviated as HP, this number indicates a character’s vital energy, fighting
spirit, and general body health, as well as their ability to take a beating
and withstand physical pain and fatigue. You should not see Hit Points as a
measure of a character's physical integrity, however — losing them does not
directly translate into wounds or severe physical harm.
One could describe Hit Points as a “shield” that protects characters from
suffering that final blow that would knock them out of a fight. Bruises, cuts,
and burns are all ways to portray this in the game fiction — the moment HP
gets to 0, however, is when we see the antagonist's blade find an opening and
tear through the hero's armor.
HP States
Current HP: This is how many Hit Points a character has at
the moment. This number can never go below 0, nor can it go above the
character’s maximum HP.
Maximum HP: A character’s current Hit Points can never be
brought above this value. If a character’s maximum HP value is 50 and they
currently have 40 HP, an item restoring 60 HP will still leave them at 50
HP, not 100.
Crisis: This number is equal to half of a character's
maximum HP, rounded down. If your current HP is at or below this number, you
are considered "in Crisis", which means you're having a bad day and it
shows. For instance, a character with 65 maximum HP will be in Crisis if
they have 32 Hit Points or less. Some game effects activate when you enter
Crisis, and others remain active as long as you are in Crisis.
0 HP: If a character’s current Hit Points reach 0, their
fighting spirit has broken. They will face different consequences depending
on their role in the story — a Player Character, a Villain, or a normal
Non-Player Character. For detailed information on what happens when a
character reaches 0 Hit Points, take a look at
page 86.
HIT POINTS AND MIND POINTS
MIND POINTS
Abbreviated as MP, this number measures a character’s inner force, magical
potential, and ability to focus. In the game, Mind Points are often spent to
fuel magic or to perform heroic feats that verge on the superhuman.
Current MP. This is how many Mind Points a character has at
the moment. This number can never go below 0, nor can it go above the
character’s maximum MP.
Maximum MP. A character’s current Mind Points can never be
brought above this value.
Spending MP. Spells require you to spend Mind Points to
cast them, as do several other abilities. You can only do so if you have
enough MP to pay for the full cost; for instance, you cannot cast a spell
with a cost of 10 MP if you only have 9 MP left.
0 MP. If a character’s current Mind Points reach 0, they
are mentally exhausted but suffer no other consequence — aside from being
unable to use spells and abilities that consume MP.
When a character’s Hit Points fall to 0, the dangers and harm they endured
have become unbearable. Will they break? Will they run?
Depending on their role within the story, defeated characters will have
different options available to them.
NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS
When a Non-Player Character’s Hit Points reach 0, that character loses all
will to fight. Whoever defeated them gets the right to determine their fate:
they may be:
Captured
Forced to flee
Knocked unconscious
Slain
Example: Yezma lands her final blow against a magically
tainted boar, reducing its Hit Points to 0. Now that the creature is defeated,
Yezma must decide its fate — she knows, however, that the great beast had
turned aggressive only because of the arcane corruption plaguing its mind and
body. Because of this, Yezma decides to spare the creature and simply scare it
off, in the hope of finding a way to restore its mind later on.
This being said, some creatures might simply be destroyed when reduced to 0
Hit Points — constructs such as golems and robots will cease to function,
elemental beings will vanish or dissipate, and undead often crumble to dust.
0 HIT POINTS
CHAPTER VILLAINS
Some Non-Player Characters are a bit more important than others — these are
Villains, the main antagonists in the story. You will find more information
about them starting on page 100, but what
you need to know right now is that they enjoy several privileges when compared
to normal NPCs.
When reduced to 0 Hit Points, a Villain must choose one of two options:
escaping or surrendering.
Escaping
Villains have a pool of special points, mirroring the Player Characters'
Fabula Points: these are called Ultima Points (see
page 101). When reduced to 0 Hit Points, a
Villain may spend 1 Ultima Point and safely disappear from the scene; the Game
Master describes how this happens.
Example: Held at gunpoint by the sky pirate Morgan, Commander
Duna grins and leaps from the airship's deck, plummeting towards the ocean
below. But when Morgan leans over the railing to see where the armored warrior
fell, he's clinging to a large winged salamander. "You win this battle,
pirate!" he shouts, before the powerful beast carries him away towards the
capital.
If a Villain has no Ultima Points left, they may still escape by escalating
into a more dangerous version of themselves (see
page 102).
Surrendering
The Villain surrenders and is treated as any other Non-Player Character; their
fate rests in the hands of those who defeated them. In general, a Villain will
only choose this option if it's the only choice they have left; if the Player
Characters show mercy to a Villain, they might even earn a new ally — this
would also be a spectacular way to introduce a new Player Character in the
group.
PLAYER CHARACTERS
Like Villains, Player Characters follow their own special rules. When reduced
to 0 Hit Points, a Player Character must either Sacrifice themselves or
Surrender.
SACRIFICE
When reduced to 0 Hit Points, a Player Character may give their life in order
to accomplish a seemingly impossible deed, such as putting an end to a
centuries-old curse, temporarily taking away a demigod's powers, or
single-handedly holding off a small army to make sure their allies can flee.
You may only sacrifice yourself if at least two of the following are true:
Your sacrifice would benefit a character you have a Bond towards.
You believe your sacrifice would make the world a better place.
The details of the sacrifice are negotiated between you and the Game Master —
you should narrate your heroic demise together. There is no fixed limit on
what a sacrifice may accomplish: you can and should go overboard with this,
especially as you will permanently lose your character.
It is important to note that Player Characters who sacrifice themselves have
accepted their death and normally cannot be brought back to life (see below),
because they peacefully became one with the stream of souls. It isn't a bad
way to go.
In the cosmology of Fabula Ultima, the spirits of the deceased generally
return to the stream of souls that permeates the world — but some might be
trapped by evil sorcery, transported to other dimensions, or even possess a
will strong enough to retain their identity after death.
The mechanics of the game do not give you the option of bringing characters
back to life for two main reasons: firstly, the death of a Player Character
should be meaningful; and secondly, the mystery of the afterlife should be
something you explore and shape together as part of your story.
RESURRECTION
GAME RULES
Chapter [Title implied by context]
Surrendering
Characters who surrender fall unconscious and become unable to act for the
remainder of the scene, even if their Hit Points are restored above 0. The
Game Master cannot kill a character who surrenders but may impose a narrative
consequence chosen from the list below or a consequence that makes sense
within the scene. If multiple characters surrender — or worse of all, if the
entire group gets wiped out! — the Game Master may impose separate
consequences or a single major consequence. They may also decide to bring the
consequences of your surrender into play later on!
Example: As the last hero bites the dust, Commander Kelta
grins. "I'd love to get rid of you once and for all, but I have a busy day.
You will never make it to the village in time! The Skyglass will shortly be in
the Empress' hands."
While surrendering will never kill your character, the Game Master can still
impose heavy consequences. Given the general mood of Fabula Ultima, however,
permanent or crippling injuries should be avoided.
Mechanics
Player Character Gain: When a Player Character chooses to
Surrender, they immediately gain 2 Fabula Points.
Recovery: At the start of the next scene in which they
appear, the Player Character regains consciousness and recovers an amount of
Hit Points equal to their Crisis score.
Sample Consequences of Surrendering
Darkness
You must change your Theme to one of the following: Anger, Doubt, Guilt, or
Vengeance — your choice.
Despair
The enemy gets to make a decisive move, or the heroes lose the faith and
approval of an important person or group.
Loss
Something incredibly precious, such as a magical artifact, a loved person,
or an ancient and important heirloom, is taken from you.
Resentment
You are forced to erase one of your Bonds and replace it with a Bond towards
a character chosen by the Game Master. This new Bond must be of hatred,
inferiority, or mistrust — your choice.
Separated
You are no longer with your allies. You might be captured, dragged away,
lost, or stranded in some unknown location.
"At the time, I could not disobey. No... I chose not to. But today, I
shall no longer allow you to do as you please!"
The Heroic Life
The heroic life can take a heavy toll on Player Characters; they often need to
rest and recover their energy. Depending on the location, characters have
access to different options for resting.
RESTING IN THE WILDERNESS
When far away from the safety of cities and villages, traveling on the road or
exploring a ruin, characters must have access to one of the following in order
to rest:
A magic tent (see page 104) created by
spending 4 Inventory Points. One tent is enough for the entire group.
Hospitality from someone friendly, usually in exchange for help or money.
A safe location where they run no risk of being attacked; perhaps a
consecrated temple, a secret room, the inside of an armored transport, or an
area protected by a magic circle.
RESTING INSIDE SETTLEMENTS
While in a village, town, or city, characters must have access to one of the
following in order to rest:
A room inside an inn, which will cost money (see Town Services on
page 125).
Hospitality from someone friendly, usually in exchange for help or money.
The Effects of Resting
When a Player Character rests, they enjoy the following benefits:
They recover all of their Hit Points and Mind Points.
They recover from all status effects.
Generally, resting requires four to six hours of inactivity. See Rests and
Pacing on the right for more information on the consequences of resting.
Resting
22GAME RULES
CHAPTER: BONDS AND RESTING SCENES
When the heroes rest, there is a chance for calmer, more intimate roleplaying
— this is known as a resting scene. During this type of scene, Players can
spend some time roleplaying conversations and describing what their characters
do while sitting near the campfire or relaxing around town.
At the end of a resting scene, each PC may do one of the following:
Create a new Bond towards someone or something.
Add a new emotion to an existing Bond.
Erase an emotion from an existing Bond and replace it with a different one.
When you add new Bonds or change their emotions, describe how and why your
character's view of others has shifted.
NON-PLAYER CHARACTER RECOVERY
These rules only apply to Player Characters; the Game Master always has full
control over Non-Player Character recovery times. In general, whenever an NPC
appears on a scene they are assumed to be at their full Hit Points and Mind
Points, and with no status effects.
While the rules for rests are very generous, spending too much time wrapped in
the warm blankets of an inn will allow whatever danger is approaching to make
the first move undisturbed.
Inactivity should never be without consequence. The Game Master may use Clocks
to keep the Players on their toes and foreshadow incoming threats, filling a
section at the end of each rest.
RESTS AND PACING
Damage Types
In Fabula Ultima, damage generally falls into one of the following types:
Physical
The most common damage, caused by weapons and impacts.
Air
Caused by supernatural winds and sky monsters.
Bolt
Caused by lightning and electricity.
Dark
Caused by undead and life-destroying magic.
Earth
Caused by supernatural tremors and earth spirits.
Fire
Caused by flames, magma or intense heat.
Ice
Caused by very low temperatures and frost magic.
Light
Caused by pure and untainted spiritual energy.
Poison
Caused by poison, infections and pollution.
Damage Affinities
Some creatures have a particular Affinity towards certain damage types, often
due to their Species — for instance, undead creatures are Vulnerable to light
damage.
Vulnerability
If a creature is Vulnerable towards a damage type, they will lose
twice the normal amount of Hit Points.
Resistance
If a creature Resists a damage type, they will only lose half the
normal amount of Hit Points.
Immunity
If a creature is Immune to a damage type, they will lose no Hit
Points.
Absorption
If a creature Absorbs a damage type, they will lose no Hit Points
and will instead recover an amount of Hit Points equal to the damage they
suffered.
Some game effects may cause you to gain a variety of Affinities: if a
character is both Vulnerable and Resistant to a specific type of damage, they
are treated as having no Affinity towards it. Immunity, on the other hand,
always supersedes both Resistance and Vulnerability: finally, Absorption
supersedes all other Affinities.
Damage
EXTRA DAMAGE
Some game effects let you deal "extra damage". These effects do not apply to
attacks or spells that deal no damage, only to those which already deal
damage.
CHANGING DAMAGE TYPES
There are a variety of game effects that change the type of damage dealt by a
spell or weapon. When this happens, the most recent effect “overwrites” any
previous changes — and when such an effect ends, damage will return to its
previous type.
Example: By default, a sword deals physical damage. If the
spell Soul Weapon (page 209) is cast on
that sword, it will deal light damage until the end of the scene. But if a
Cyclone infusion (page 214) is applied to
an attack, that attack will deal air damage — subsequent attacks will return
to dealing light damage.
IMPROVISING DAMAGE
Damage is generally dealt by weapons, spells, or special abilities, but there
can be other situations in which characters might be harmed, such as falling
from a bridge or being buried under a pile of debris. The Game Master should
use the table below to determine the amount of damage suffered in similar
occasions. The damage type will vary depending on the circumstances, of
course.
Level
Minor Damage
Heavy Damage
Massive Damage
5+
10
30
40
20+
20
40
60
40+
30
50
80
Sources of damage such as traps and hazards cannot kill a Player Character
unless they choose to sacrifice themselves; this should be portrayed as a
sudden stroke of luck or as a consequence of the character’s heroic resolve.
Example: Montblanc falls into a river of lava and is reduced
to 0 Hit Points. He surrenders and manages to land on a floating rock, but
passes out because of the heat. The current drags him away, separating him
from the group.
Characters — be they PCs or NPCs — can suffer status effects during play.
These will often be a consequence of attacks and spells.
Status Effect Description
Dazed Temporarily reduces your Insight die size by one.
Enraged Temporarily reduces your Dexterity and Insight die
sizes by one.
Poisoned Temporarily reduces your Might and Willpower die
sizes by one.
Shaken Temporarily reduces your Willpower die size by one.
Slow Temporarily reduces your Dexterity die size by one.
Weak Temporarily reduces your Might die size by one.
CUMULATIVE STATUS EFFECTS
Different status effects that influence the same Attribute will stack — for
instance, being both dazed and enraged reduces your Insight die size by two.
That said, your Attributes cannot be reduced below a d6 size.
If a character is suffering from a status effect and receives that same status
effect again, nothing happens.
RECOVERING FROM STATUS EFFECTS
Status effects can be healed through resting or via specific spells, Skills,
or items.
STATUS EFFECT IMMUNITY
If a character is immune to a given status effect, they cannot suffer it — if
they become immune to that status effect while they have it, then they
immediately recover from that status effect.
Status Effects
The six status effects are an abstract representation of a character’s
diminished abilities. Poisoned can represent being drunk or sick, shaken
might be caused by fear or hallucinations, slow can come from ice magic as
well as especially sticky ooze, and so on.
Many other afflictions could be treated as their own status effect, such as
being asleep or petrified: however, these are not status effects and behave
in a different way. Instead of reducing a character’s game statistics, they
affect the way that character can act within the game world. Petrified
creatures, for instance, will be unable to act.
When dealing with similar effects, rely on logic and on what makes sense
given the circumstances. Unless established by the game rules, it is the
Game Master’s job to decide which events translate to status effects and
which are handled as narrative elements.
STATUS EFFECT... OR MAYBE NOT?
W
Fabula Points
Fabula Points represent the Player Characters’ ability to influence destiny
and stem directly from their heroic nature and the hardships they face.
FABULA POINTS AT CHARACTER CREATION
Each newly created character automatically receives 3 Fabula Points; any other
Fabula Points must be gained during play.
GAINING FABULA POINTS
There are four main ways a Player Character can gain Fabula Points, plus a
fifth optional method:
If a Player Character has no Fabula Points at the start of a session, they
immediately receive 1 Fabula Point.
Whenever a Player Character rolls a fumble on a Check, they immediately
receive 1 Fabula Point.
Whenever a Villain makes an entrance during a scene — even if it is a Game
Master scene, where the Player Characters are not present — each Player
Character will immediately receive 1 Fabula Point.
For more information on Villains, see
page 100.
Whenever a Player Character is reduced to 0 Hit Points and decides to
Surrender, that character immediately receives 2 Fabula Points.
Whenever a Player Character invokes one of their Bonds or Traits to
automatically fail a Check (as per the optional rule on
page 47), that character immediately
receives 1 Fabula Point.
There is no upper limit to a character’s Fabula Points. In short, you are free
to hoard them in preparation for an “important occasion” — however, spending
Fabula Points is one of the main ways you will gain Experience Points and
increase your level in the game (see
page 226).
Thus, saving them up will slow down the growth of the entire group.
As a Player, you can spend 1 Fabula Point to make a statement about the story.
You get to shape part of the world, its people, and its creatures, to fill in
the "grey areas" and generate an opportunity for action, tweak a detail in
your favor... or even introduce a convenient plot twist!
If you want to change or add new details to a character, location, or item
that has already been established — such as a character, location, or item
the Game Master described or introduced — you will first need the Game
Master's permission.
If your alteration directly affects another Player Character — for instance,
if you are establishing there is a bounty on the head of one of your
companions — you will first need permission from the corresponding Player.
You cannot use this option to contradict a statement previously made by
yourself or by another participant.
You cannot use this option to cause mechanical changes such as gaining or
altering a Skill, switching a creature's Vulnerabilities, or inflicting a
status effect on one or more enemies. The Game Master might decide that the
element you introduced grants a mechanical advantage, but that's their call
to make, not yours.
If you introduce a new Non-Player Character this way, that character will
still be under the Game Master's control.
As with any freeform tool, this option is very powerful and may be used in a
variety of ways and "intensities" — some Players will just add a useful item
on the scene, others will come up with entire new locations and place them on
the world map.
When you sit down to play, discuss what you feel comfortable with — but do
your best to embrace the adventurous (and sometimes over-the-top) nature of
this rule.
Example 1
After defeating the Mirror Golem in the depths of the forest ruins, the heroes
recover a strange ivory disc bearing mysterious inscriptions. No one among
them knows how to read this ancient language; a Player decides to spend 1
Fabula Point to state his character knows of an elderly scholar living in the
countryside nearby, who might be able to help.
Since this statement does not contradict anything previously stated by the
Game Master or by another Player, it becomes automatically true — the Player
marks the position of the scholar's tower on the map.
Example 2: Our heroes are searching for a massive dragon across the rocky
hills surrounding Ildefort.
They finally track the monster down to a large cavern. At that point, a
Player declares she wants to spend 1 Fabula Point to state
that the creature is asleep — this will make it easier to get the drop on
them.
The dragon is a creature introduced by the Game Master, which
means the Player needs permission in order to make a
statement about them. The GM is okay with this, but points
out that this is no "magical sleep" and that the group will have to make
Checks in order to avoid waking up the dragon.
Example 3: Seven years ago, the warrior-sorceress Daige deserted the imperial
army.
Now Daige finds herself back in the imperial capital, leading an infiltration
team determined to steal the Soul Crystal from the Empress' clutches.
While gathering information in the streets, Daige and her comrade Valincor
realize they are being followed by a city guard: the
Player controlling Daige, Hannah, spends 1 Fabula Point and
reveals that their pursuer is actually a member of her former unit, Ramis. He
was never a fan of imperial cruelties but remained in the army to feed his
family. Since the city guard was a character introduced by the
Game Master, Hannah needs permission — this is a huge change
to the scene, but the GM is intrigued and agrees to it.
From now on, the Game Master will still control Ramis — but
the heroes have gained a new and useful contact within the capital. However,
Ramis still has a weakness: what will he do if his family is threatened?
Ultima Points are the dark mirror to Fabula Points. When a Villain is
introduced, the Game Master must also decide whether that character is a
minor, major, or supreme Villain — the GM can keep this a secret or openly
reveal it.
How Villains Receive Ultima Points
Minor (5)
Enemy commanders, unique and infamous monsters, and antagonists causing
trouble in small settlements.
Major (10)
Tyrants, powerful mages, legendary creatures, and entities that threaten
entire countries.
Supreme (15)
Archdemons, immortal entities, and alien deities bent on destruction or
domination.
SPENDING ULTIMA POINTS
A Villain has three options for spending Ultima Points:
Escape (1 Point)
A Villain may spend 1 Ultima Point to safely leave the scene — the Game
Master describes how they do so, perhaps leaving a few henchmen behind to
"keep the heroes company".
Invoke Trait (1 Point)
After performing a Check, a Villain may spend 1 Ultima Point to invoke one
of their Traits and reroll one or both dice (this follows the same rules
seen on page 46).
Recovery (1 Point)
A Villain may use an action and spend 1 Ultima Point to recover from all
status effects and also recover 50 Mind Points.
While Player Characters can gain Fabula Points in several ways, Villains
cannot recharge their Ultima Points — in a way, they represent the Villain's
determination and will to pursue their objectives. A Villain with no
remaining Ultima Points is no longer a Villain and becomes equivalent to any
other NPC; alternatively, they may choose to escalate (see next page).
ESCALATION
At any time during play, the Game Master may declare that a Villain has
transformed into a new version of themselves — one with greater powers and
darker ambitions. Narratively speaking, this is the moment in which the
Villain rejects a chance at redemption and grows even more obsessive in the
pursuit of their goal. The heroes forced them into a corner, and the results
have proven catastrophic.
A minor Villain can become a
major Villain.
A major Villain can become a
supreme Villain.
A supreme Villain cannot grow any more powerful.
Following this transformation, the character is treated as an entirely new
Villain; the first time they appear during a scene, their Ultima Points will
reset to a value appropriate to their new role in the story.
If a Villain has no Ultima Points left and is reduced to 0 Hit Points, they
may immediately escalate while still on the scene; this will allow them to
recharge their Ultima Points and no longer be forced to surrender (page 87).
If a Villain escalates while on the scene, they are immediately treated as a
new Villain and thus award each Player Character 1 Fabula Point.
VILLAIN AND FABULA POINTS
Whenever a Villain makes an entrance during a scene, each Player Character
gains 1 Fabula Point.
Rules for Fabula Points
Multiple identities. If a Villain has more than one
identity, the heroes only receive Fabula Points when they appear using
their "antagonist persona". Once the deception is exposed, however, they
will begin awarding Fabula Points every time they appear on a scene,
whether disguised or else.
Multiple Villains. If two or more Villains appear during
the same scene, each Player Character will gain 1 Fabula Point per
Villain, up to a maximum of 3 Fabula Points per Player Character earned
this way during the same scene.
Back-to-back scenes with Villains. If a Villain's
presence extends for several consecutive scenes, the Player Characters
only gain 1 Fabula Point at the beginning, and no additional Fabula Points
for the following scenes.
Whenever the heroes are running low on Fabula Points, the Game Master should
run a Game Master scene and show a Villain in action — this is a great way
to push the story forward while also giving the heroes a bit more "fuel".
General Guidance
Great evil is born when good intentions are met with mistrust and despair.
When choosing whether a Villain will escalate, the Game Master should
consider the antagonist's importance within the story, their personality,
and the way the heroes chose to confront them: a Villain's escalation shows
that the heroes might win a conflict but still make the situation worse.
Most of the time it's best to simply let a Villain be defeated: maybe their
resolve is broken, maybe they even realized they were wrong and will turn
into an ally.
Escalating your Villains sparingly will make them more memorable and also
ensure that Players feel like their actions have an impact on the world.
In general, you should only have two to four escalations per campaign.
SHOULD THIS VILLAIN ESCALATE?
104
W
Player Characters have an abstract reserve of useful gear and consumable
items, represented by Inventory Points (IP).
A character can normally carry a maximum of 6 Inventory Points; however, some
Classes and special Skills will increase this limit.
SPENDING INVENTORY POINTS
Whenever you need a consumable item from the list below, you may spend an
appropriate amount of Inventory Points to produce it from your bag and apply
its effect — all Inventory Points spent this way must come from the same
character.
Once created, the item must be used immediately and is destroyed in the
process; you cannot create it and then "save it for later".
The table below lists the default inventory objects available in the game;
this information is also present on your group sheet for easier reference. The
sheet also features blank spaces where you can write custom inventory items
that are unique to your world!
The Tinkerer Class (page 210) can use
Inventory Points in a variety of ways.
ITEM
IP COST
EFFECT
Potions
Elixir 3
One creature recovers 50 Mind Points.
Remedy 3
One creature recovers 50 Hit Points.
Tonic 2
One creature recovers from a single status effect.
Utility
Elemental Shard 2 One creature suffers 10 damage of a type of your
choice (air, bolt, earth, fire, or ice).
Magic
Tent 4 Allows the entire group to rest in the wilderness.
INVENTORY POINTS
RECHARGING INVENTORY POINTS
Characters can recharge their Inventory Points when they are in a town,
village, or other locations that allow them to purchase useful gear: the cost
is 10 zenit for every Inventory Point they want to recharge.
At the Game Master’s discretion, characters may also recharge some of their
Inventory Points in particular circumstances, such as stumbling upon an
adventurer’s backpack or being rewarded by a village for their help with local
troubles.
A character’s current Inventory Points can never go above their maximum
Inventory Points — there is always a limit to how much can be carried
comfortably.
SHARING INVENTORY POINTS
Characters are not allowed to redistribute Inventory Points among themselves.
GEAR AND TOOLS
All Player Characters are assumed to be carrying any gear and tools
appropriate to their Identity or befitting their role as adventurers: there’s
no need to keep track of torches, ropes, blankets and so on.
If a character needs a basic adventuring item, they will have it.
However, sometimes a character will need an item that is a bit uncommon or
doesn't really fit their Identity. When this happens, the Game Master may
allow the character to spend some Inventory Points (generally 2 to 4) in order
to "miraculously" pull the item in question out of their backpack.
Example: A character whose Identity is “Princess of Thieves”
will surely carry some quality lockpicks in her bag; on the contrary, a noble
knight will probably have to spend a couple Inventory Points to pull them out
of his backpack.
Items created this way are not immediately destroyed, but characters should
not be allowed to sell them for a price higher than five times their IP cost.
For instance, an item that costs 2 IP to create should sell for 10 zenit at
most.
Note: While tools and similar gear might allow you to perform
an otherwise impossible operation, they never grant any mechanical benefit.
While conflicts may be the most memorable moments of a game session, the
exploration of the game world is another major aspect of Fabula Ultima. At the
beginning of the game, your group will create the world together (see World
Creation, on page 148); however, this does
not mean you know everything about it. While you may be familiar with the main
regions and cities, there are plenty of discoveries — and dangers! — awaiting
our heroes.
TRAVELING ACROSS THE WORLD MAP
When a group embarks on a journey, the Game Master makes use of the map sheet
to track their movements. The basic unit of this system is the travel day: it
is the average distance covered during a single day on the map (assuming the
characters are traveling on foot). The length of one travel day when using
your map sheet must be established by the group during World Creation.
For each travel day required by the journey, perform the following steps:
JOURNEYS AND TRA VELS
For the sake of simplicity, travel days should always be rounded up to the
next whole number — a journey taking two and a half days is rounded up to
three days, for instance.
The Game Master always has final say on how many travel days a journey will
take.
W: The Game Master determines the threat level of the areas
traversed by the group (see next page). If more than a single threat level
is present, only apply the highest.
1W: Unless stopped by an encountered danger, the characters
proceed to the next travel day (go back to step 1) or reach their
destination.
3O: Perform a travel roll by rolling the die appropriate to
the chosen threat level.
On a 6 or higher, the group encounters a danger!
On a 1, the group makes an unexpected discovery!
The Game Master decides the location of each danger and discovery; if you
need, mark its position on your map sheet.
Sample Areas Threat Level Travel Roll
Area
Threat Level
Travel Roll
Within villages, cities and guarded areas
Minimal
d6
Prairies, patrolled roads, countrysides
Low
d8
Forests, hills, rivers
Medium
d10
Vast forests, mountains, open sea, swamps
High
d12
Deserts, frozen wastes, jungles, volcanoes
Very High
d20
Needless to say, a frequently patrolled area under enemy control will count as
a High or Very High danger, just like a
prairie overrun by hostile monsters.
The Game Master has final say on the threat level for a given travel day.
Example
A group of heroes are leaving the village of Relde for the Kanka Hills, where
they must search for an old mining tunnel that supposedly leads to the lair of
a wise water serpent.
Liz (the Game Master) takes a look at the map and determines that the
characters will need one travel day to reach the hills, and another travel day
to explore the surrounding area in order to find the tunnel entrance.
For the first travel day, the group will cross prairies (d8) and hills (d10).
Since only the highest die has to be taken into account, Liz should roll a
d10. However, there is talk of a gang of bandits roaming the prairie: she
decides this should raise the threat level to High (d12). The
die comes up a 7: a danger!
Liz has the group encounter a band of four brigands, accompanied by a Grey
Howler (a wolf-like creature). Following a quick conflict, the Player
Characters manage to fend off the attackers.
Before moving on to the next travel day, the heroes choose to use a Magic Tent
and rest, regaining their energies.
Finally, Liz rolls for the second travel day, spent exploring the hills in
search of the fabled mine: this time, the die rolled is only a d10... and she
rolls a 1! After giving it some thought, Liz describes the PCs finding an
entrance to the ancient tunnels... but they are not alone! They meet a
traveling merchant by the name of Lily, who wishes to be escorted through the
mine: she seeks an audience with the serpent herself, and will reward them
with goods or information for it!
DANGERS
Characters should generally be able to overcome a danger through a series of
Checks or a conflict scene.
Examples of Dangers
An area plagued by extreme weather conditions, such as sandstorms or bitter
cold.
A polluted swamp filled with toxic miasma and ravenous undead.
A ferocious and territorial monster, or a group of hostile creatures.
A sudden, unfortunate encounter with a rival or antagonist.
The risk of losing an important item.
If you need to determine damage dealt by a danger, use the table below:
Level
Minor Damage
Heavy Damage
Massive Damage
5+
10
30
40
20+
20
40
60
40+
30
50
80
Status effects are another good consequence for dangers: for instance, the
polluted swamp mentioned above might inflict poisoned.
World Map Management
While playing, the Game Master is free to add new landmarks, settlements and
similar features to the map sheet whenever they feel appropriate. This usually
happens when the group encounters a new point of interest or dangerous area,
or when they learn about it from someone.
Players can also add new features and locations to the map by spending a
Fabula Point to add a new story element, as explained on
page 98.
Attribution
UPDATING THE WORLD MAP
DISCOVERIES
Discoveries don’t happen that often, so the Game Master should make sure each
and every one of them is unique and useful.
The entrance to an ancient ruin: is it guarded? What treasures are hidden
here?
A merchant caravan or a group of helpful creatures.
A secluded village or safe haven unknown to most.
A precious item or piece of information.
Remember that a discovery is always a good thing: even if it’s a dangerous
location, the reward it conceals should more than make up for it.
The first airship pilot, Oona Sabine,
vanished during a flight over the Whisperwoods.
The concept of a “dungeon” is a common trope in any type of RPG, tabletop and
digital alike. Generally, a dungeon is frequently — but not always! — a
labyrinthine environment, inhabited by hostile creatures... and often
concealing valuable treasures and powerful magical items, or acting as an evil
antagonist's lair.
In Fabula Ultima, the term “dungeon” is used to indicate a somewhat complex
location that is worthy of being explored. It could be an abandoned mill
turned into a brigand hideout, a witch’s castle, or a network of waterways
guarded by ancient golems.
Most of the time, the dungeon itself won’t be that important: why the heroes
are there and what can be found within it is what really matters. Other times,
a dungeon can be a powerful way to tell a story about those who inhabited it —
and maybe hint at some obscure truths or provide an answer to some of the game
world's mysteries.
EXPLORING DUNGEONS
Depending on the size and importance of the dungeon in question, the Game
Master may adopt any of the following methods:
Dungeon scenes. The exploration is run as a succession of
key moments rather than an inch-by-inch search of the dungeon. This works
best when the layout of the dungeon is mostly irrelevant and all that
matters is what lies in its depths. This approach is identical to default
gameplay: the heroes discuss their actions and describe what they do, the
Game Master describes what goes on around them, and Checks and conflicts
take place as normal.
Detailed exploration. The entire dungeon can be explored in
its every nook and cranny. This approach can be quite time-consuming and
should only be used if the structure and details of the place tell an
important story. For this method to work, the GM should carefully prepare
the layout of the dungeon beforehand — reserve it for locations that you're
sure the PCs will explore.
Interlude. The exploration is narrated as an interlude
scene, with maybe a single Group Check establishing whether the Player
Characters encounter any obstacles or dangers before they reach the depths
of the dungeon. Use this approach if you are short on time and if the
dungeon isn't particularly important — the typical occasion would be a minor
location discovered while traveling.
Additional advice on how the Game Master should prepare material for dungeons
can be found starting on page 258.
DUNGEONS
DANGER CLOCKS
The Game Master can use Clocks to keep track of incoming threats in the
dungeon. These Danger Clocks should feature a number of section based on the
urgency of the threat they represent:
Eight sections for a threat that isn't immediately obvious
and will only come true with time — something like "crumbling temple" or
"magitech system failure".
Six sections for a threat that is quite obvious and likely
to happen after a while — such as "wandering monsters" or "poisonous fog".
Four sections for a threat that is urgent and very likely
to happen — something like "surrounded" or "high alert" in a dungeon
brimming with hostile creatures.
The Game Master may fill a Danger Clock as a consequence of failed Checks, as
well as when an event would make the threat more likely, such as when the PCs
spend time searching a room, make noise, rest inside the dungeon or draw
unwanted attention.
Different Danger Clocks will be triggered by different actions and events, of
course — casting a spell might fill an "arcane overload" Clock, while
searching a room is unlikely to affect it.
As the Clock fills, the Game Master should foreshadow the incoming danger:
once it is completely filled, that threat will become active in full, and the
heroes will be forced to deal with it one way or another.
The worlds of Fabula Ultima are innately magical, bound together on an atomic
level by a stream of eternal souls. Because of this, many creatures can wield
magic, manipulating soul energy to create supernatural effects.
SPELLS AND RITUALS
Magic in Fabula Ultima falls within one of two categories: spells or Rituals.
Spells represent codified magic formulas developed to
protect warriors and travelers: their applications are primarily offensive
or defensive. They can be learned easily and only require a brief gesture to
cast, but lack flexibility.
Rituals, on the other hand, are complex magical effects
designed to overcome a specific obstacle: whenever a Ritual is performed, it
will always be started from scratch and take several minutes to complete.
While powerful and extremely flexible, Rituals consume large amounts of Mind
Points and require difficult Magic Checks; additionally, failing a Ritual will
cause the magic to spiral out of control. While these downsides can be
mitigated through time, effort, and complex procedures, the truth remains that
Ritual magic is a powerful resource... but one that should be used sparingly.
The mechanics governing spells and Rituals can be found in the next pages.
MAGIC DISCIPLINES
This book features a total of six disciplines: Arcanism, Chimerism,
Elementalism, Entropism, Ritualism, and Spiritism. Five of these correspond to
a specific Class: Arcanist, Chimerist, Elementalist, Entropist, and Spiritist,
whilst Ritualism is available to all of these Classes, except for Arcanists.
ARCANISM
Arcanists can project a large portion of their soul outside their bodies,
forcing it to resonate with the power left behind by ancient divine entities
known as Arcana, and manifest a fragment of their power. To access an
Arcanum’s power, one must first earn their favor: this often involves
completing some sort of trial, quest, or mission.
Arcanism is a peculiar discipline that does not feature spells, but instead
follows its own unique mechanics (see the Arcanist Class on
page 176). Arcanism Rituals are also
possible through the Arcane Rituals Skill.
MAGIC
Chimerism
Chimerists gain their powers from the souls of beasts and monsters; they
search for creatures able to cast spells and attempt to mimic the same
effects.
Chimerism features both spells and Rituals. However, Chimerist spells must be
learned from creatures (see the Spell Mimic Skill on
page 183).
Elementalism
Elementalists can control the stream of souls that binds the four core
elements of creation: air, earth, fire, and water. They can also influence any
of their combinations and manifestations, such as magma, blizzards, deserts,
or clouds.
Elementalism features both spells and Rituals.
Entropism
Entropists go beyond the stream of souls found in the world and reach for the
vast expanse of nothingness between stars. Their chaotic magic defies logic,
twisting time and space and dissipating souls, matter, and magical energy.
Entropism features both spells and Rituals.
Ritualism
Contrary to most other magical disciplines, Ritualism features no spells and
can only be used in Ritual form. It is a catch-all term for Rituals performed
to manipulate, sense, bind or unleash magical energy present within a
location, item, mechanism, or relic.
From a certain point of view, magitech could be considered a combination of
Ritualism and technology.
Spiritism
Spiritists can manipulate the raw energy found within the souls of living
creatures, influencing their emotions and manipulating their vital force: a
power both miraculous and frightening.
Spiritism features both spells and Rituals.
Spells can belong to any of the following disciplines: Chimerism,
Elementalism, Entropism, and Spiritism. The remaining two disciplines,
Arcanism and Ritualism, do not feature any spells.
Spell Format
Each spell description uses the format below and contains a variety of
information:
Example Spell Metadata
Ignisrr 10 × T | Up to three creatures |
Instantaneous
You unleash a searing barrage against your foes, conjuring flames out of thin
air. Each target hit by this spell suffers
【HR + 15】 fire damage.
Opportunity: Each target hit by this spell suffers shaken.
Spell Components
The Name and Type: The name of the spell, and whether it is
an offensive spell (rr). See page 116 for more information on
offensive spells.
Mind Point Cost: The cost of the spell in Mind Points. To
cast a spell, you must have enough MP to pay its cost; additionally, some
spells allow you to spend more MP to increase the number of targets or
strengthen the effect. For instance, a spell with a cost of 10 × T will cost
you 10 Mind Points per target; the final amount of Mind Points required to
cast a spell is known as the total MP cost.
Targets: The targets that can be affected by the spell.
Most spells can target a certain number of creatures, but others may affect
different targets (such as weapons).
Target Specification: A target of "Self" means the caster
will use the spell on themselves, while a target of "Special" indicates that
the spell functions in a unique way described in its text, usually affecting
a variety of creatures or elements present on the scene.
Duration: The duration of the spell. Either
"Instantaneous", meaning that the spell takes effect immediately and then
dissipates, or "Scene", meaning that the spell creates an ongoing effect
lasting until the end of the scene it was cast in.
Effect Description: The effect of the spell, often preceded
by a flavorful description. This description has no mechanical relevance,
but can help you understand the concept behind the spell and customize its
appearance in order to fit your character.
Opportunity Effect: Spells that require a Magic Check often
feature an opportunity effect. If you roll a critical success on your Magic
Check, you may spend the corresponding opportunity to trigger this effect.
Spells
Casting a Spell
To cast a spell, you must fulfill the following prerequisites:
You must be free to move your body. You can be holding items in your hands,
as long as you can move your arms.
You must be able to speak and pronounce the invocation.
You must have enough Mind Points to pay for the spell’s total MP cost,
including any additional MP used to enhance its effect.
Unless you are casting a spell with a target of Self or
Special, you must be able to see your targets.
If all of the above are true, you may cast the spell.
Declare which spell you want to cast among those your character has learned,
and what its effect will be.
If required, choose the targets for your spell.
Perform the magical gestures and pronounce the formula — remember that any
nearby creatures will see and hear you.
Magic Checks
If the spell is an offensive spell, you must also perform a Magic Check.
Elementalism, Entropism, and Spiritism Checks rely on
【INS + WLP 】, while Chimerism may choose between
【INS + WLP】 or 【MIG + WLP】.
Non-offensive spells are automatically successful and require no Check.
Fumbles and critical successes on Magic Checks generate opportunities as
normal.
Spend the required amount of Mind Points.
Apply the effects of the spell.
While the effects of spells and disciplines are defined by the rules of the
game, the way they manifest in your world is something that can vary from one
character to another, and another great opportunity to inject personality into
each of your heroes.
A druid or witch might conjure magical branches blossoming into fruits or
flowers that produce the effects of the spell.
A spellblade might channel magic through precise blade movements.
A sorcerer might summon a swarm of imps or pixies to torment their enemies
and assist their allies.
If you can use magic, spend some time during each session describing what your
spells look like!
DESCRIBING YOUR MAGIC
By acquiring specific Classes and Skills, characters may gain the ability to
use Ritual magic belonging to different disciplines.
Each branch of Ritual magic grants you influence over different aspects of the
world:
Discipline Magic
Arcanism
【WLP + WLP】 Produce a magical effect based on the Arcana you have bound.
Chimerism
【INS + WLP】 or 【MIG + WLP】 Enhance your senses, see through the eyes of
an animal, quell the fury of a monster.
Elementalism
【INS + WLP】 Walk on water, shape rock, snuff out fires, cause a rainstorm
or summon powerful cyclones.
Entropism
【INS + WLP】 Cause the decay of physical matter, twist the flow of time,
teleport creatures or items.
Ritualism
【INS + WLP】 Extract magic from an object, activate a soul circuit, sense
the presence of magic.
Spiritism
【INS + WLP】 Sense the presence and feelings of creatures, put someone to
sleep or embolden their heart.
The full process for casting Rituals is described on the next page. Remember
that Ritual magic should never be able to accomplish any of the following:
Causing direct damage. The Ritual can still deal collateral damage — if you
open a chasm below your enemies' feet, they are bound to suffer some kind of
harm. When establishing collateral damage dealt by a Ritual, use the table
on page 93.
Inflicting or removing status effects.
Causing characters to lose or gain HP , MP , IP , Fabula Points or Ultima
Points.
Replicating the mechanical benefits of an existing spell or Skill (however,
narrative effects such as teleportation of flight are okay, even if some
Skills do grant them).
Generating creatures or equipment, or granting them permanent abilities.
Aside from these, most Rituals are fair game — but the stronger the effect you
seek, the more tragic the consequences will be if your Ritual goes wrong.
RITUALS
22GAME RULES
The Ritual
The Ritual is cast following the normal procedure for a spell (page 115), but it always requires a Magic Check which must meet or exceed a
Difficulty Level based on the Ritual's potency (see below). The Check will
rely on the Attributes indicated by the Ritual's discipline (see page on the
left).
If you succeed, the Ritual has the desired effect; if you fail, the Game
Master will describe how its effects have been twisted in a catastrophic way.
Procedure for Casting The Ritual
Determine Goal: Describe what you want to accomplish with
your Ritual and declare which area or creatures you want to affect.
Game Master Ruling: The Game Master has final say on
whether a given effect can be accomplished, as well as which Ritual
discipline it falls within.
Calculate Cost: By consulting the Area and Potency tables
below, the Game Master determines the Ritual's total cost in Mind Points
(MP).
Potency Table
Potency
MP
DL
Examples
Minor
20
7
Create a flash of light, block a passage, shatter a glass.
Medium
30
10
Create an illusion, treat an illness, locate someone or something, sense
emotions, provide short-term energy.
Major
40
13
Sense thoughts, influence emotions, dispel a curse, temporarily alter
the weather, provide long-term energy.
Extreme
50
16
Weaken a divine entity, prevent a catastrophe, cause a week-long change
in a creature or location.
Area Table
Area
Multiplier
Examples / Scope
Individual
×1
A human-sized creature, a door, a tree, a weapon.
Small
×2
A few human-sized creatures, a large creature, a small clearing, a room,
a railway car, a hut.
Large
×3
A crowd, a small forest, an airship or galleon, a castle hall, a house,
a giant creature.
Huge
×4
A fortress, a lake, a mountaintop, a village, a city block.
Group Check (page 50), and the character who
performs the Ritual will act as Group Check (page 50), and the character who performs the Ritual will act as
GAME RULES
Potency Clock
The following describes the attributes associated with different levels of
magical potency:
Ritual magic can certainly be attempted during a conflict scene, but you will
first need to gather enough magical energy.
The process is as follows:
Use the Objective action to begin the Ritual — perform
steps 1 and 2 of the flowchart on
page 119, determining the Ritual's
discipline, area and potency.
A Ritual Clock is immediately created with a number of sections based on
the Ritual's potency — see the table above. Now that this Clock is part of
the scene, anyone can interact with it through the Objective action. Like
any use of the Objective action, the Game Master will be the one
adjudicating which Attributes should be used for the Check, as well as
whether it has a fixed Difficulty Level or is an Opposed Check. The caster
can perform the first Check to fill some sections the Clock as part of the
Objective action they used to begin the Ritual.
Once the Clock is filled, the character who initiated the Ritual may use
an action to perform step 3 of the flowchart on
page 119; to do so, they will spend
the appropriate Mind Points and perform the Magic Check for the Ritual,
whose Difficulty Level is determined by the Ritual's potency (see above).
The outcome of the Check will reveal whether the Ritual is successful or
its effects are twisted catastrophically.
Regardless of which fantastic world your adventures take place in, your heroes
will likely find themselves purchasing and selling items. This section covers
the basics of the economy and provides you with useful lists of items and
prices.
ZENIT
The common currency of all Fabula Ultima worlds is zenit, a gold coin whose
shape and size may vary from region to region. While prices may rise and fall
depending on where you are, zenit is universally accepted.
On average, 5 z pays for a decent meal, 10 z will be enough to rent a room for
the night in town, and 100 z can fetch you a bronze shield.
EQUIPPED ITEMS AND ITEMS IN YOUR BACKPACK
As shown on the character sheet, a Player Character can equip a limited number
of items on their body:
You have one equipment slot for your armor.
You have a main hand equipment slot, where you can equip a one-handed weapon
or a two-handed weapon. While you have a two-handed weapon equipped here,
that weapon will also take up your off-hand slot (see below).
You have an off-hand equipment slot, where you can equip a one-handed weapon
or a shield.
You have one equipment slot for your accessory.
Any item you have that is not equipped goes in your backpack. There is no set
limit to how many items you can carry this way, as long as it makes sense. The
Game Master has final say on what you can and cannot carry this way.
If you ever find yourself in need of transporting large and heavy items over
long distances, consider purchasing a transport (see
page 125).
It takes a few moments to find items stored inside a backpack: during a
conflict, for example, you will need to spend an action searching for them. On
the other hand, items you have equipped are readily accessible, but also more
exposed to the risk of being damaged or stolen.
An item stored in your backpack does not grant you any of its properties. If
you want it to “work”, you must equip it!
ECONOMY AND ITEMS
22GAME RULES
HOW TO GET NEW ITEMS
There are plenty of occasions for characters to acquire gear and equipment:
villages and towns will always have one or more stores dedicated to weapons,
armor, and useful accessories. This doesn’t mean a character can simply walk
into a shop in the middle of nowhere and expect to purchase a magical
crossbow, however: while basic weapons, armor, and shields should be available
in most settlements, rare items should only be found in unique stores, hidden
within the most dangerous of ruins, guarded by powerful monsters or offered as
a reward for heroic deeds.
If you are the Game Master, see
page 266 for rules and guidelines on how
to create rare items, as well as several lists of premade items. A list of
basic items can be found starting on
page 130.
There are three main ways treasure and magical items can be handled during a
Fabula Ultima campaign.
When you start playing, you should discuss which of the methods below you want
to adopt; you can always change your decision later on after a few sessions.
Methods for Handling Treasure
Classic. The GM hands out rewards as they see fit. This is
probably the most common solution, but it puts a lot of responsibility on
the GM's shoulders.
Survey. The Game Master asks everyone about the kind of
items they'd like their characters to find or use — perhaps the ninja would
like to wear an intimidating han'nya mask (page 286), or the brawler can't wait to get her hands on a pair of fuel knuckles
(page 272). Using this method, the GM
has a useful list of items they can pick from when handing out rewards.
Wishlist. This is an uncommon approach, but it can be
interesting. Each Player writes a list of items they would like their
character to find over the course of their career — these can be chosen from
the lists of rare items in the Game Master chapter, or designed from scratch
following the guidelines presented there. Then, whenever the group finds
some kind of treasure or receives a reward, the Players themselves can pick
from those lists and narrate what the item is — as well as why it was there.
REWARDS
Selling Items
Provided you can find someone willing to buy it, an item will sell for roughly
half its original price. This amount may be modified by the item’s quality and
condition: none will want the rusted, mud-caked axes picked up in the old
tunnels.
The Game Master always has final say on whether you are able to sell a given
item and how many zenit you can make from it; sometimes it will also be
possible to barter or carry out duties in exchange for goods.
Artifacts
Player Characters will sometimes come into possession of incredibly powerful
magic items, known as artifacts (see
page 288). Given their nature, artifacts
should never be purchased or sold: no amount of riches can do them justice.
Entire kingdoms could go to war for a chance to obtain them.
Services and Transports
Prices and availability for animals, vehicles, lodging, and such may vary
depending on your game world. The following lists are meant to be a guideline
for the Game Master when establishing prices.
When it comes to transports, the list includes generic entries for mounts,
cars, vessels, airships and such. Each transport can carry a certain number of
passengers and increases the distance you can cover within a single travel
day.
Transport Rules
Terrestrial transports can only travel on land.
Aquatic transports can travel on water surfaces.
Submarine transports can travel above and underwater.
Flying transports can travel in the skies.
Vehicle Costs:
If you purchase a vehicle hauled by animals, their cost is included in its
price.
There is no need to keep track of animal fodder or fuel.
Mounts acquired this way have no stats and will not fight. If you want to
ride a creature into battle, take a look at the Wayfarer's Skill Faithful
Companion (page 217).
SERVICE COST DESCRIPTION
Town Services
Recharge Inventory 10 z: Recharges a character's Inventory
Points by one.
Full Rest (village) 5 z: Allows one person to rest for one
night.
Full Rest (town) 10 z: Allows one person to rest for one
night.
Full Rest (city) 20 z: Allows one person to rest for one
night.
Travel Services
Land Transportation 10 z: Allows one person to travel for one
day.
Water Transportation 20 z: Allows one person to travel for
one day.
Air Transportation 40 z: Allows one person to travel for one
day.
TRANSPORT COST PASSENGERS DISTANCE
Mounts
Terrestrial 200 z: One or two ×2
Aquatic 500 z: Approximately six ×2
Submarine 1000 z: Approximately six ×2
Flying 2000 z: Approximately six ×3
Vehicles
Terrestrial 600 z: Approximately six ×2
Aquatic 2000 z: Approximately ten ×2
Submarine 4000 z: Approximately ten ×2
Flying 8000 z: Approximately twenty ×3
There are four categories of items that can be equipped: accessories, armors,
shields and weapons. Each item can be basic or rare (with the exception of
accessories, which are always rare).
MARTIAL ITEMS (E)
Items marked with the (E) symbol can only be equipped by characters who have
acquired certain specific Classes.
Darkblade allows you to equip martial melee weapons and
martial armor.
Fury allows you to equip martial melee weapons and martial
armor.
Guardian allows you to equip martial armor and martial
shields.
Sharpshooter allows you to equip martial ranged weapons and
martial shields.
Weaponmaster allows you to equip martial melee weapons and
martial shields.
Characters who do not have the appropriate Classes can still carry a martial
item, but they are unable to equip it and enjoy its benefits.
ACCESSORIES
Accessories are useful magical items that bestow special abilities upon those
who wear them. Accessories are always considered rare items.
Each accessory entry uses the format below and contains a variety of
information:
ACCESSORY COST
Crested Helm 1000 z
You gain a +1 bonus to your Accuracy Checks.
The general structure includes:
The accessory's name.
The accessory's cost in zenit.
Any special abilities the item bestows while equipped.
The Game Master can find a list of sample accessories starting on
page 285.
ARMORS
Armor offers improved protection to its wearer.
Armor Entry Format
Each armor entry uses the format below and contains a variety of information:
Example Structure:
Sage Robe | 200 z | DEX die +1 | INS die +2 -2 | No Quality.
Brigandine E | 150 z | 10 | INS die -2 | No Quality.
Field Descriptions
The Name and Type: The armor's name, and whether it is a
martial armor (E).
Cost: The armor's cost in zenit.
Defense/Magic Defense Calculation: The formula used to
calculate the wearer's Defense and Magic Defense. This will either be a
fixed number, such as 10 for the Brigandine above, or a bonus that must be
added to your current Dexterity die size (for Defense) or Insight die size
(for Magic Defense). For instance, if you have a Dexterity of d8 and an
Insight of d10, wearing a sage robe will give you a Defense score of 9 and a
Magic Defense score of 12.
Base Stats Rule: If you are not wearing any armor at all,
your Defense will simply be equal to your Dexterity die size and your Magic
Defense will simply be equal to your Insight die size.
Initiative Penalty: The penalty to Initiative Group Checks
caused by the armor. Martial armors usually impose heavier penalties. If you
are not wearing any armor at all, your Initiative will suffer no penalty.
Special Abilities: Any special abilities the item bestows
while equipped.
Examples
For a list of all the basic armors available in the game, see
page 132.
W SHIELDS
Shields must be equipped in a character's off-hand slot and further enhance
defenses.
Each shield entry uses the format below and contains a variety of information:
SHIELD COST DEFENSE M. DEFENSE INITIATIVE
Runic Shield E 150 z +2 +2 -
No Quality.
Understanding Shield Information
The shield's name, and whether it is a martial shield (E).
The shield's cost in zenit.
The increase to Defense and Magic Defense granted by the shield. This is in
addition to any benefits granted by the armor you may have equipped.
For a list of all the basic shields available in the game, see
page 133.
Armor Concepts
Martial and non-martial armors influence a character's Defense and Magic
Defense scores in different ways.
Remember that regardless of which armor you are wearing, shields always add to
it — if you have a free slot, it's never a bad idea to equip a shield.
Lighter armors give you Defenses based on your current
Dexterity and Insight die sizes plus a small bonus. They are great if your
Attributes are already high, but can become less effective if you suffer
status effects.
Martial armors set your Defense score to a fixed value,
regardless of your current Dexterity die size. They offer reliable
protection, but also take a heavy toll on your Initiative.
ARMOR AND DEFENSES
WEAPONS
Weapons are divided into ten Categories: arcane, bow, brawling, dagger,
firearm, flail, heavy, spear, sword, and thrown.
Weapon Entry Format
Each weapon entry uses the format below and contains a variety of information:
WEAPON COST ACCURACY DAMAGE
Example: Rapier E 200 z 【DEX + INS】 +1 【HR + 6】 physical
One-handed w Melee w No Quality.
Components Explained
The weapon’s name, and whether it is a martial weapon (E).
The weapon’s cost in zenit.
The Attributes and formula used for Accuracy Checks when performing attacks
with the weapon.
The formula used to calculate damage dealt by the weapon, and the type of
damage it deals — generally physical, but rare weapons might deal special
types of damage such as fire or dark. Remember that HR stands for High Roll
— the highest of the two dice you rolled during the Accuracy Check.
Whether the weapon requires one hand or two hands; if you can equip the
weapon in one hand slot, you can use your other hand slot to equip another
one-handed weapon or a shield.
Whether it is a melee weapon or a ranged weapon.
Any special abilities the item bestows while equipped.
You do not have to keep track of ammunition for ranged weapons: once you
purchase the item, you're simply assumed to have enough on your person to
fight with.
For a list of all the basic weapons available in the game, see the next page.
A NOTE ON UNARMED STRIKES
Among the various weapons available in the game, one is the unarmed strike
(see next page). These are the character's empty hands, and while they do
count as one-handed weapons, they are automatically "equipped" whenever a hand
slot is empty. Basically, an empty hand slot also counts as an unarmed strike.
Legends tell of a sword capable of striking fear in the hearts of Dragons and
Wyrms.
WEAPON LISTINGS
(Metadata: Cost | Accuracy | Damage)
Staff Category
Staff100 z[WLP + WLP] [HR + 6] physical
Two-handed w Melee w No Quality.
Tome100 z[INS + INS] [HR + 6] physical
Two-handed w Melee w No Quality.
Bow Category
Crossbow150 z[DEX + INS] [HR + 8] physical
Two-handed w Ranged w No Quality.
Shortbow200 z[DEX + DEX] [HR + 8] physical
Two-handed w Ranged w No Quality.
Brawling Category
Unarmed Strike[DEX + MIG] [HR + 0] physical
One-handed w Melee w Automatically equipped in each empty hand slot.
Improvised (Melee)[DEX + MIG] [HR + 2] physical
One-handed w Melee w Breaks after the attack.
Iron Knuckle150 z[DEX + MIG] [HR + 6] physical
One-handed w Melee w No Quality.
Dagger Category
Steel Dagger150 z[DEX + INS] +1 [HR + 4] physical
One-handed w Melee w No Quality.
Firearm Category
Pistol E250 z[DEX + INS] [HR + 8] physical
One-handed w Ranged w No Quality.
Flail Category
Chain Whip150 z[DEX + DEX] [HR + 8] physical
Two-handed w Melee w No Quality.
BASIC WEAPONS
22GAME RULES
Heavy Category
Iron Hammer
Stats: 200 z 【MIG + MIG】 【HR + 6】 physical
One-handed w Melee w No Quality.
Broadaxe E
Stats: 250 z 【MIG + MIG】 【HR + 10】 physical
One-handed w Melee w No Quality.
Waraxe E
Stats: 250 z 【MIG + MIG】 【HR + 14】 physical
Two-handed w Melee w No Quality.
Spear Category
Light Spear E
Stats: 200 z 【DEX + MIG】 【HR + 8】 physical
One-handed w Melee w No Quality.
Heavy Spear E
Stats: 200 z 【DEX + MIG】 【HR + 12】 physical
Two-handed w Melee w No Quality.
Sword Category
Bronze Sword E
Stats: 200 z 【DEX + MIG】 +1 【HR + 6】 physical
One-handed w Melee w No Quality.
Greatsword E
Stats: 200 z 【DEX + MIG】 +1 【HR + 10】 physical
Two-handed w Melee w No Quality.
Katana E
Stats: 200 z 【DEX + INS】 +1 【HR + 10】 physical
Two-handed w Melee w No Quality.
Rapier E
Stats: 200 z 【DEX + INS】 +1 【HR + 6】 physical
One-handed w Melee w No Quality.
Thrown Category
Improvised (Ranged)
Stats: 【DEX + MIG】 【HR + 2】 physical
One-handed w Ranged w Breaks after the attack.
Shuriken
Stats: 150 z 【DEX + INS】 【HR + 4】 physical
One-handed w Ranged w No Quality.
132 W BASIC ARMOR AND SHIELDS
BASIC ARMORS
ARMORCOSTDEFENSEM. DEFENSEINITIATIVE
Armor Listings
No Armor - DEX size INS size -
No Quality.
Silk Shirt 100 z DEX size INS size +2 -1
No Quality.
Travel Garb 100 z DEX size +1 INS size +1 -1
No Quality.
Combat Tunic 150 z DEX size +1 INS size +1 -
No Quality.
Sage Robe 200 z DEX size +1 INS size +2 -2
No Quality.
Brigandine E 150 z 10 INS size -2
No Quality.
Bronze Plate E 200 z 11 INS size -3
No Quality.
Runic Plate E 250 z 11 INS size +1 -3
No Quality.
Steel Plate E 300 z 12 INS size -4
No Quality.
Contextual Information
Chapter Info: W | CHAPTER
BASIC SHIELDS
Bronze Shield
Cost: 100 z | Defense: +2 | M. Defense: - | Initiative: -
No Quality.
Runic Shield
Cost: 150 z | Defense: +2 | M. Defense: +2 | Initiative: -
No Quality.
The most massive shield in the world is the Adamantower, forged with the hide
of an extremely rare and dangerous beast.
Much like how spellcasters gain access to Ritual magic, characters with the
Tinkerer Class (page 210) may start
Projects and work on a variety of custom inventions — love potions, walking
magitech shields, or even majestic airships.
Projects
Projects work as follows:
Describe the invention's effects, how it operates, what kind of energy it
requires, and the specific benefits it provides. The Game Master has final
say on whether a given invention is feasible in your circumstances.
By consulting the area, potency, and uses tables (see next page), the GM
determines the invention's total cost in materials, to be paid immediately.
For inventions of medium or higher potency, the Game Master also describes a
necessary special ingredient or material. This item cannot simply be
purchased and should become the focus of one or two sessions.
To complete the Project, you must reach an amount of progress equal to one
for every 100 zenit of material costs (minimum one progress required).
At the end of each day, the Project will advance as follows:
+1 progress for every Player Character who worked on the Project today.
+1 extra progress for every Player Character with one or more levels in
the Tinkerer Class who worked on the Project today.
Once the required amount of progress is reached, the invention is created!
If you can generate more progress in a day than what is currently needed to
complete the Project, you may have it ready within a few hours instead.
If an invention is complex enough — such as a magitech motorcycle equipped
with a cannon, acting as both a vehicle and a weapon — the Game Master is
free to split the Project into two or more separate inventions, each
requiring its own individual development process.
You may negotiate a terrible flaw with the Game Master — perhaps the
invention must be recharged at regular intervals, is unreliable, cumbersome,
or extremely loud. This flaw reduces the total cost of the Project by 25%.
22GAME RULES
CHAPTER
Potency Base Cost
The invention can...
Minor (100 zenit)
Provide light, transport people or cargo on land or water, obtain some limited
form of protection.
Medium (200 zenit)
Travel underwater, contain a spell, relay sound or speech, perform a specific
operation in place of the inventor, provide short-term energy.
Major (400 zenit)
Fly, alter the nature of an area for a short time, cancel the effects of a
spell, possess minor intelligence, fight alongside the inventor, provide
long-term energy, capture or immobilize the target.
Extreme (800 zenit)
Alter the nature of an area for a long time, contain the power of a demon,
prevent a catastrophe, possess a full intelligence and personality.
Area Multiplier
The effects of the invention may affect...
Individual ×1: A human-sized creature, a door, a tree, or a
weapon.
Small ×2: A group of human-sized creatures, a large
creature, a small clearing, a room, a railway car, or a hut.
Large ×3: A crowd, a small forest, an airship or galleon, a
castle hall, a house, or a giant creature.
Huge ×4: A fortress, a lake, the top of a mountain, a
village, or a city block.
Uses Multiplier
Once activated, the invention...
Consumable ×1: Can never be used again unless the inventor
creates a different copy of it.
Permanent ×5: Remains available for multiple uses in
different situations.
Remember that the Game Master has the right to split any particularly complex
or powerful inventions into several Projects, each with its own costs and
requirements.
If you happen to gather precious materials during your adventures, you may
use them to pay for the costs of a Project. The Game Master has final say on
which materials and ingredients can help you cover the cost of a Project.
If the Game Master requests a given ingredient or material because of the
invention's potency (as described under step 3 of the flowchart on page
134), said ingredient or material cannot also be used to pay for the
Project's costs.
HIRING HELPERS
If an inventor wants to increase the daily amount of progress, or if they
want to work on multiple Projects at the same time, they may want to hire
helpers.
Each helper is a competent worker or assistant who will ask for a pay
equal to half of the Project’s total cost.
Each helper will generate 1 additional progress at the end of each day.
The sticky core found inside Elemental Slimes can be used to produce several
forms of energy.
The rules for Projects are very flexible, but they are designed to allow
characters to create something unique and never seen before, not to craft
items that can normally be found or purchased, such as equipment — they
should be used to provide innovative solutions to problems and obstacles.
If the character wants to create multiple copies of an invention, each is
a separate Project. Turning inventions into easy-to-produce items will
inevitably break the game. For Tinkerers who want to customize equipment,
look at the Heroic Skill Upgrade (page 217).
Projects require time: if the group focuses on a long Project, Villains
will certainly not sit idly.
Interlude scenes are perfect for narrating a Project's development.
HOW TO USE PROJECTS
SAMPLE PROJECTS
INVENTION POTENCY AREA USE
The "Discovery"
Major Large Permanent
Total Project Cost: 6000 zenit; Progress Required: 60; Flaw: None.
A large airship that can transport up to fifty people. It provides no
additional firepower or protection — armaments, barriers, and so on would
all be considered separate Projects and can be subsequently added to the
airship's base chassis.
Gatling Golem
Major Individual Permanent
Total Project Cost: 1500 zenit; Progress Required: 15; Flaw: Yes.
A semi-intelligent floating weapon. This golem will act after the inventor's
turn during conflict scenes, dealing minor physical damage to a single
target. However, it is extremely loud and highly experimental: enemies may
spend an opportunity to disable it until the end of the scene.
Mag Boots
Medium Individual Permanent
Total Project Cost: 1000 zenit; Progress Required: 10; Flaw: None.
A pair of magnetic boots that allows the wearer to safely attach themselves
to metallic surfaces, possibly walking on walls or even ceilings.
Magitech Suit
See below See below See below
Total Project Cost: 1750 zenit; Progress Required: 17; Flaw: Yes.
An advanced four-legged armor fueled by magitech energy.
The pilot has Resistance to fire damage and physical damage.
The pilot can use the Attack action to unleash a searing heat ray causing
minor fire damage. It is a ranged attack and requires a
【DEX + INS】 Accuracy Check.
The pilot also suffers Vulnerability to bolt damage.
Given the complexity and power of this invention, the Game Master splits it
into two separate Projects: the armor itself and then its heat cannon, both
with medium potency, individual area, and permanent use.
The inventor added a flaw to one of the Projects (Vulnerability to bolt
damage) in order to partially reduce the cost.
When activated and driven into the ground, this large rune-inscribed spike
will prevent all creatures on the scene (friends and foes alike, which is
an important flaw) from casting spells or performing Rituals. This effect
lasts until the end of the scene or until the negator itself is destroyed
(probably a six-sections Clock).
A single vial of hyper-concentrated fire elemental essence. When
shattered, it unleashes a vortex of flames and deals minor fire damage to
every creature in a vast area. Flammable items of small size might also be
set on fire.
An alchemical vial containing enough gas to fill a room, putting everyone
to sleep for a few hours — they will still awaken if harmed, slapped or
shaken vigorously enough, but they will sleep through loud noises.
A magical mask that allows the wearer to breathe underwater.
GROUP DYNAMICS
A SAFE PLAY ENVIRONMENT
In line with the JRPG genre that inspiration has been drawn from, Fabula
Ultima’s tones are heroic and optimistic, despite the occasional presence of
tragic or darker scenes — especially when Villains are involved. The general
expectation is that scenes will not be particularly gritty or morbidly
described, even when death is involved — but since you never know what might
hurt the sensibility of the people playing, here is a list of tools and “good
practices”.
Mutual trust and respect. This should go without saying,
but respecting the people you are playing with is key to a good experience —
and the same applies to putting your trust in them. Roleplaying games are a
highly social activity, and it is perfectly normal for people to get a bit
tense and emotional during dramatic moments, but mutual trust and respect
are the main foundation for good play. Whatever happens between characters
in your story, the people at the table must be good to each other.
The game and its fiction must not replace human interaction.
If someone's behavior bothers anyone, that issue must be solved outside the
game. There’s nothing wrong with pausing a session to get things sorted and
going back to it once you’ve found an agreement. Do not, under any
circumstance, use the game as a tool for proving your point or influencing
someone's behavior.
Lines and Veils. These terms were coined by Ron Edwards in
Sex and Sorcery, and they are practical safety tools with a history of good
results. Before or during the game, you may declare that you are drawing a
line or veiling a situation or action.
When you draw a line, you are saying that you don't want this element in
the game. It won't happen, it didn't happen, and your shared story will
never talk about that.
When you veil, you are saying that while the element is present, you don't
want it to be expressly depicted or brought into the spotlight. It's still
a part of your world and will influence your character's actions, but it
will take place "behind the scenes".
These tools are especially useful if you’re playing with people you’ve never
met before, but keep them in mind even when you’re with old-time friends.
Every single person has something that makes them uncomfortable, sometimes to
an unbearable degree — overly detailed descriptions of violence, portrayals of
unhealthy relationships, or even something you believe is commonplace but
somehow left a scar on them.
When playing the game, one of your duties is to create a safe environment —
don’t insist on asking why something made someone uncomfortable: instead, ask
them how they’d prefer this type of scene or situation to be handled from now
on.
Secrets
It is not uncommon for a Player Character to hide secrets from their
companions, be it their past misdeeds or their burning love for an antagonist.
While it's perfectly fine for characters to have secrets, Players should
instead keep things transparent and work together to get the most out of the
situation.
By telling your group "My character looks like they want to be friends with
you, but she actually hates you because of what happened in Galatea" you are
empowering everyone at the table, including yourself: now that this facet of
your hero is known, it will be possible to build upon it and create drama.
Never forget that this game relies on a collaborative storytelling effort:
disclosing your character's secrets means giving your fellow Players a chance
to make things interesting — do not think of it as "letting your guard down".
Leaving the Group
There might come a moment when you feel like your character has been fully
explored; they have faced their fears, achieved their goals, and found who or
what they were looking for, with the campaign not yet reaching its end.
When this happens, you are free to announce that your character will be
leaving the group — you should do so between sessions and also come up with a
replacement character. Then, at the beginning of the following session,
describe your character's epilogue and agree on how and why your new character
joins the group.
If you want to temporarily retire a character but retain the ability to
bring them back later on during the campaign, you should discuss it with the
rest of your group.
Whenever a new character (or a previously retired character) joins the
group, they should have the same level and XP as the character they are
replacing. If the character is a returning character, the Player should
briefly describe what they did while away from the rest of the group.
Regardless of how many Player Characters are owned by a Player, that Player
may only control a single PC at once. The Game Master has final say on when
you can "switch characters"—generally between sessions or after resting in
town.
Needless to say, you can only switch to a different character if that
character is somewhere nearby or has the means to reach the rest of the group.
ABSENT PLAYERS
We all have busy lives, and sometimes this means one or more people will be
unable to take part in a session.
When this happens, the simplest option is often to reschedule the session for
a different date. Just pick another day to meet — in the meantime, you can
play another game with whoever is present!
On the other hand, if you are determined to run a session even if one or more
participants are absent — and you should do this only if whoever's missing is
okay with it — each absent Player chooses one of the following for their
character:
I'll join you later. Your character will remain in town (or
somewhere safe) and carry on some kind of task. This is a good chance to
gather information, purchase items, and work on Projects. Discuss what your
character does with the Game Master.
Your character will join the rest of the group at the beginning of the next
session; describe how you got there.
I'll be in your care. For this session, your character will
be controlled by the rest of the group as a whole (excluding the Game
Master). While controlled by the group, your character cannot spend Fabula
Points and will automatically surrender if reduced to 0 Hit Points. The Game
Master should be cautious when applying consequences to characters belonging
to absent Players, and everyone else should do their best to protect them.
Regardless of which option you choose for your character, the following apply:
Your character will not gain Fabula Points while absent from a session.
Your character will gain Experience Points as normal at the end of the
session. This might cause your character to level up (see
page 226).
As soon as you take part in a session again, you will be able to gain and
spend Fabula Points as normal.
The nature of this world is not one of absolutes.
144
W
W
CHAPTER
This chapter contains the rules for starting your Fabula Ultima game. Within
the following pages you will discover how to create your game world, give your
group a core theme, build your very own characters, and finally, begin play
with a prologue.
SESSION ZERO
While reading this chapter on your own is an excellent idea, the steps require
everyone in your group to be present. This meeting, also known as session
zero, is meant to establish the basics of the setting in which your adventures
will take place, along with the themes you want to explore and the heroes you
will portray.
For the Game Master: This is a great time to learn about
the Player Characters and start thinking about interesting scenarios,
locations, and antagonists. Make sure to ask lots of questions and take
plenty of notes.
For the Players: This is where you cooperate with everyone
else to create your very own world and characters. It is a chance to inject
it with your own fantasy ideas, be it a particular aesthetic, a magical
technology, or a terrifying danger.
Needless to say, there will be many occasions to leave your mark on the world
you will create; however, think of this moment as the root of your play
experience, from which everything else will grow, evolve, and blossom.
WAIT, I’VE CHANGED MY MIND!
The sections of this chapter are presented in a specific order, but you are
free to go back to any step and revise the choices whenever you feel the need.
For instance, when creating your character, you might come up with an idea for
a cool location and mark it on the world map. Or you could end up with a band
of heroes that suits a different type of group from the one you had previously
selected.
You are building the foundations of your campaign... take your time!
Now that you've gathered together, there are a few things to discuss before
you begin creating your world and characters. For each topic, read the
questions and discuss your choices as a group.
COMMITMENT AND EXPECTATIONS
The first thing you should discuss is the amount of time and effort everyone
will be able to dedicate to the game. This will help set expectations and
avoid issues later on during play.
Will you play for a set amount of sessions, or are you simply going to start
playing and see where the story leads you?
How often will you play? Weekly, monthly, twice per month?
The game is designed around sessions of approximately four hours, but how
long do you expect your sessions to be? If your sessions are shorter or
longer, remember to check for Experience Points approximately every four
hours (see page 226).
If there are missing Players, will you reschedule the session, or will you
play nonetheless? Which solution will you adopt for the missing Players'
characters?
This is a game with a relatively broad scope: depending on the kind of world
and characters you create, the campaign's tone and themes can vary quite a
bit. Because this is a shared storytelling experience, you need to be on the
same page or at least lay a solid foundation — you can always discuss changes
later.
What kind of tone do you expect during the narration? Would you prefer a
heavily dramatic tale dealing with complex situations and emotions, or would
you rather tell a fantastical story where good and evil are easily told
apart?
Are there any themes you strongly wish to explore during play?
Will the heroes be best friends from the start, or are you okay with moments
of crisis and disagreements within the party? How will you resolve these
contrasts?
When describing scenes and actions, are you okay with over-the-top anime
descriptions or would you prefer a heroic but more fable-like approach?
Much like tone and themes, this game allows you to customize its rules and
play it with a varying degree of mechanical challenge and optimization.
Are you adopting any of the optional rules presented in the book? Pay
special attention to optional rules for conflicts (page 82) and advancement (page 230).
How "hardcore" do you expect your game experience to be? Are you aiming for
mechanical optimization with your characters? Do you expect the Game Master
to design extremely challenging adversaries? Or are you here for a relaxing
experience that takes minimal focus?
SAFETY
Roleplaying games tend to get us emotionally and personally involved. It's
their beauty, but it also leaves us vulnerable. Make sure to discuss whatever
descriptions, situations, scenes, and story elements might make you
uncomfortable. Everyone should indicate any lines and veils (page 140) that they want to apply during sessions; it can be a good idea to handle
this anonymously to preserve the privacy of the participants.
In particular, you should make sure to discuss:
The depiction of violence. By default, Fabula Ultima
expects little elements of gore and blood: much like in classic JRPGs, death
is portrayed as a character kneeling or vanishing in a cloud of spiritual
particles — but still talk about the kind of scenes and descriptions people
are okay with.
The nature of evil. Story elements such as mind control,
the persecution of a minority, or violent imperialism are all common tropes
in tabletop games, but for some, they are very real and tangible threats.
Strive to make sure the game is a safe space.
Romances, relationships, and sexuality. These elements are
another trope of JRPG stories, which often feature romances between main
characters. Discuss if people are comfortable with this and exactly to what
degree.
As you play the game, you will probably reconsider some of your previous
decisions. When this happens, talk about it with the group and find a new
agreement.
Remember: you win roleplaying games by creating a memorable
story and having a great time together!
WORLD CREATION
Your first step is the shared creation of the game world (also known as a
“setting”) in which your characters’ adventures will take place. This process
involves both the Game Master and the Players and provides everyone with a
strong foundation for heroes, antagonists, creatures, and events.
You will need the world sheet and the map sheet.
The flowchart on the next page describes the world creation process. If you
want, give your setting a name: even something as simple as Earth, Gaia or The
Planet will work fine... we do the same in our real world, after all!
As explained on page 14, all Fabula Ultima
worlds share some core elements — the Eight Pillars. When creating your
setting, keep those elements in mind! Pay special attention to the following:
Souls. Everything living and unliving is connected by the
stream of souls. Some worlds might feature machinery fueled by soul energy,
while in other settings, spiritual corruption might give birth to monstrous
creatures. Discuss what people generally know about souls in your world.
Conflicts and struggles. The cultures populating your world
haven’t been able to unite themselves under a single banner. Their motives
can range from centuries-old rivalries, ideological or religious strife,
misunderstandings, perhaps even the cruelties of one nation against the
other. Drawing inspiration from the real world can be a good idea, as it is
(unfortunately) rife with turmoil and injustice.
A fantastical, diverse world. When creating your setting,
you shouldn’t concern yourself with realism, verisimilitude, or historical
accuracy. A city-state inspired by ancient Greece might be bordering with a
flying fortress, guarded by warriors clad in Song Dynasty-style armor and
practicing a form of alchemy similar to that of the Italian Renaissance. What really matters is for each location's appearance to reflect the
themes and emotions it will embody within your story.
The flowchart presents the world creation steps in a more intuitive order, but
you’re always free to go back and make adjustments when needed.
The most important part is that everyone can share ideas freely. Whenever a
step states that “each person should contribute an element”, that doesn’t mean
they must come up with it entirely on their own: as with any other aspect of
this game, dialogue and communication are key to a good experience!
World Building Prompts
Create the major kingdoms and nations of your world, mark their borders
on the map and discuss their relations: mutual trust, strained
alliances, or open conflict?
Each person at the table should contribute at least one kingdom or nation
during this step, providing some details about their customs, beliefs,
industry, denizens, and creatures.
Choose a shape for your world: is it round, flat, or are the regions
floating amidst the clouds? Could it be donut-shaped, in typical JRPG
fashion?
You might even decide that the shape of your world is yet to be
discovered!
Grab a map sheet that fits your concept (or draw a custom map; just
make sure to leave plenty of blank space for settlements and
locations).
Your world can span more than one sheet, of course — but let’s keep things
simple for now. Remember to establish the length of a travel day on the
map (see page 106).
What is the role of magic and technology in your setting?
Are you living in an age of industrial development, or is it more
Renaissance-like?
Is magic seen as a form of science, or mostly as a great mystery?
Discuss the major historical events that shaped your world into what it
is.
Each person at the table should contribute at least one important event
that dramatically altered the history of your setting.
What are the great enigmas and mysteries of the world?
The questions left unanswered, and the truths that are now
indistinguishable from legend?
Each person at the table should contribute at least one mystery of the
world that they want to explore over the course of the group’s adventures.
What terrible threats cast a shadow over your world?
Environmental disasters, furious deities, power-hungry empires, or perhaps
even clouds of corrupting miasma that are enveloping and consuming the
land?
Each person at the table should contribute a threat, preferably something
that is endangering the future of entire nations. The Game Master will
base a majority of their villains and antagonists on these worldwide
threats.
World Creation Tables
Feel free to use the tables on these pages whenever you're running short on
ideas during world creation.
Magic and Technology (roll a d20 or choose)
Below are 20 potential concepts for magic and technology that can influence
your setting:
1. Magitech disturbs the natural balance.
2. Those who can wield magic carry a unique brand on their
bodies.
3. Magic is inherited through bloodline.
4. The advent of magic is very recent.
5. The Ancients lived in harmony with magical creatures.
6. All magic in the world comes from a single sacred
location.
7. The world is kept together by some ancient and powerful
magic.
8. Technology is an offense to the gods.
9. The world is a science-fiction dystopia where magic is
experimented on.
10. Magic is a gift from the gods.
11. Magic comes from another dimension.
12. There are parts of the world where no people are born
who can use magic.
13. Airships revolutionized travel and war.
14. Magic is largely a forbidden art.
15. Spellcasters are trained in academies and then hired by
nobles.
16. Steam engines are commonplace and great golems join
armies in battle.
17. In the past, the world was almost destroyed.
18. Magic was taught by dragons.
19. Monsters are born from the restless souls of the dead.
20. Magic comes from ancient crystals.
All these options can be applied to the entire world or to a specific
nation or region. For instance, steam engines might be a common sight in one
continent and reviled as heresy by a neighbouring country, or magic might be
an ancient art in one region and a recent discovery somewhere else.
Kingdoms and Nations (roll a d8 or choose)
Use these concepts to define the political structure of your setting:
1. Empire
2. Kingdom
3. Villages
4. City-state
5. Union
6. Holy Kingdom
7. Tribes
8. Protectorate
Location Names
Acheron
Agartha
Alexandria
Alfheim
Aquileia
Argus
Asteride
Avalon
Babel
Beregand
Burgo
Calibar
Ceren
Colvand
Crescentia
Cymur
Dagda
Delos
Doma
Dunova
Edessa
Endell
Entigea
Ertha
Feror
Galatea
Garaphis
Ghizal
Harkell
Holne
Ildefort
Ittia
Jeriva
Kemes
Koga
Korinth
Lacria
Londinium
Luxor
Malaba
Megara
Megido
Nara
Nethis
Olcressia
Oskara
Platea
Pirithia
Pemble
Quivira
Regalia
Relde
Rimea
Roston
Salazar
Samitra
Silea
Sotera
Tartarus
Terisia
Thule
Torren
Ulyan
Ur
Valica
Veleia
Xanadu
Yade
Yssira
Zepro
Historical Events, Mysteries and Threats (roll a d20 or choose)
The death of an important figure.
Monsters are restless and aggressive.
A meteor will hit the planet.
The ocean levels are rising.
The discovery of uncharted lands.
An ancient evil is being reborn.
The world is transforming.
The destruction of the moon.
Visitors from another world.
People have grown apathetic.
The rise of a new military power.
Gods are forsaking the world.
A legendary monster appears.
The world is plunged into darkness.
The discovery of uncharted lands.
Technological advancement.
A dimensional gate opens.
The loss of important knowledge.
A new religion is spreading.
The world is dying.
Each of these options can work as an event, mystery or threat — it's up to you
how you want to use it!
This is a world that teeters on the verge of tragedy.
Its hope must be rekindled.
Group Creation
Unlike the creation process for your game world, group creation isn't
particularly structured — in fact, it’s mostly about establishing the
fundamental themes of your early adventures. When you select a group type, you
are saying “Hey, this is how we want to explore the world we just created —
we’d really like our shared story to mostly focus on these aspects of it.”
Additionally, your choice of group will inform the kind of heroes you will
make during the next step of session zero. Don’t take it as a restriction:
instead, see it as a useful reference to go back to whenever you are unsure
about your character concepts.
You can even give your group a name — such as the
Brotherhood of the Griffin or the
Queenshields.
If you are the Game Master, treat this step as a precious opportunity to learn
what kind of situations, stories, and antagonists everyone is excited about!
BROUGHT TOGETHER BY FATE
You find yourselves working together because of the circumstances. Despite
this being a common trope in classic fantasy tales, it is actually the most
difficult to pull off since your group will lack a precise goal: you must work
with each other during play to build a web of relationships (Bonds become
incredibly important).
If you choose this premise, it may be a good idea to switch to a different
type of group once your characters have developed a common goal.
What emotional or familial connections exist between your characters?
Have your characters met in the past? Are there any tensions or rivalries?
What do you have in common? Beliefs, enemies, past experiences?
GUARDIANS
One of the Player Characters is a Chosen One, a person tasked with a mission
that could change the very fate of the world. Everyone else in your group has
sworn, by duty or by choice, to protect the Chosen One during their travels.
What bonds, ties or rivalries exist between each guardian and the Chosen
One?
What is your mission? Who gave it to you? Do the authorities approve of it?
Why does the Chosen One need protection? Who or what threatens their
mission?
CHAPTER HEROES OF THE RESISTANCE
You are the last line of defense against a terrible power, a darkness that
threatens to envelop the known world — such as a power-hungry kingdom or an
oppressive empire. The fate of many lies within your hands.
Why is this daunting task up to you? Have you fought against this enemy
before?
Which factions helped you, and which ones betrayed or opposed you?
Who are the most infamous among the enemy leaders and followers?
REVOLUTIONARIES
You form a small force that fights tooth and nail against a dominant power: it
might be a tyrannical government, a military occupation, or even a ruthless
industrial company. Society and security forces probably consider you
criminals or terrorists.
What is the price your character paid for their insubordination?
Which factions promised you their help? Which factions might oppose you?
What are your enemies’ crimes, and why is no one else opposing them?
SEEKERS
You are desperately searching for someone or something — a powerful witch, an
ancient relic, a legendary location, or even a long-lost technological marvel.
What you seek is the world’s last hope, or at least, you think it is.
What is it you are trying to prevent or remedy? What are you looking for?
What do you know of your mission? Who or what gave you this information?
Who doesn't want you to find what you seek?
What prompted each of you to join this mission?
CHARACTER CREATION
Grab some blank character sheets because it is time to create Player
Characters!
While this might look like something you can do on your own, it is actually
better for all participants (Game Master included) to go through this step
together: while each hero belongs to the person controlling them, these
characters are destined to be adventuring together, which means they should
have some “chemistry” from the very beginning!
Character Creation is presented as a series of steps, similarly to World
Creation; you are not, however, bound to take these steps in this exact order.
You can go back and modify your choices anytime during the process.
Characters are normally created at level 5; see
page 229 for higher-level PCs.
Character Creation Steps
Identity: Choose or create your character's Identity: a
short sentence that briefly summarizes how they see themselves at the
moment.
Theme: Choose or create your character's Theme: a strong
ideal, emotion or feeling that dominates your character's actions.
Origin: Choose or create your character's Origin: the place
they hail from. You may select a location on your world sheet or add a new
one.
Classes and Levels: Choose two or three Classes and
distribute your initial five levels among them. Take note of the free
benefits and Skills gained.
Attributes: Determine the base die size of your character's
four Attribute scores: Dexterity, Insight, Might, and
Willpower.
Calculations: Calculate your starting Hit Points, Mind
Points, Inventory Points, Defense, Magic Defense, and Initiative modifier.
Equipment/Savings: Use a starting budget of 500 zenit to
purchase equipment, then add any leftovers to a roll of 2d6 × 10 to
determine initial savings.
Describe your character and choose their name and pronouns!
CREATE YOUR IDENTITY
This is your first step, and to say it will influence each and every following
choice would be an understatement. Your character’s Identity is a short
sentence that quickly summarizes how they currently see themselves.
When you create your Identity, keep an eye on the list of available Classes
(see page 160) and make sure there is a
combination of two or three Classes that fits your Identity. If you really
can’t find what you need, try adjusting your Identity and adapting it to fit
one of the available combinations.
Here are a few examples of good identities:
Royal Knight.
Queen of the Desert Thieves.
Battle Priestess of the Old Faith.
Warrior Princess of the Moon People.
Elderly Amnesiac Sorcerer.
Former Imperial Strategist.
Freedom-fighting Brawler.
Magitech Scientist.
Tormented Veteran.
One-eyed Samurai.
Keep in mind that you can invoke your Identity to give yourself an edge when
making Checks: pick something that will prove useful in play.
Over the course of your adventures, you will be able to change your Identity:
a Captain of the Crimson Reapers might redeem herself and change her Identity
to that of a Knight of the White Flame, for instance. This is a good thing: it
means your character has grown into someone different!
Example: Robert is creating his first character.
Previously, he and the rest of her group worked on their game world: a land in
early industrial development, where magic is tied to family bloodlines.
They are going to be heroes of the resistance, fighting against a
technological empire that seeks to imprison anyone who can channel magic.
Robert’s character, Camilla, is going to be the (supposedly) last surviving
member of Platea's royal dynasty.
Contrary to her older brothers and sisters, Camilla never developed any
magical ability: however, she has been trained as a knight and diplomat.
Camilla's Identity is going to be “The Last Princess of Platea”.
While talking with the rest of her group, Robert points out that he’s open to
Camilla discovering her “latent magical powers” over the course of the game.
IDENTITY CREATION TABLES
You may roll a d6 and d20 or choose entries from these tables to create your
Identity.
Core Concept (roll or choose; up to two)
d20
d20
d20
1. Knight
1. Bodyguard
1. Animated Puppet
2. Bounty Hunter
2. Bandit
2. Scavenger
3. Martial Artist
3. Factory Worker
3. Rebel Agent
4. Treasure Hunter
4. Student
4. Warrior Mage
5. Alien
5. Painter
5. Noble
6. Priest/ess
6. Magitech Engineer
6. Duelist
7. Professor
7. Archer
7. Monster Hunter
8. Samurai
8. Occultist
8. Medic
9. Bard
9. Paladin
9. Shapeshifter
10. Soldier
10. Monk
10. Pirate
11. Inventor
11. Gunslinger
11. Gambler
12. Smuggler
12. Black Knight
12. Rōnin
13. Automaton
13. Alchemist
13. Mercenary
14. Ninja
14. Airship Pilot
14. Cook
15. Diplomat
15. Spy
15. Commander
16. Thief
16. Templar
16. Sniper
17. King/Queen
17. Mechanic
17. Athlete
18. Mage
18. Dancer
18. Healer
19. Gladiator
19. Cannoneer
19. Demon Hunter
20. Prince/ss
20. Merchant
20. Abomination
CHOOSE OR CREATE YOUR THEME
Each Player Character in Fabula Ultima is defined by a primary Theme, a strong
ideal or emotion driving their actions and choices. If you had to build an
entire scene around your character, their Theme would be its dominant focus.
If this is your first character, it is strongly suggested that you pick your
Theme from the list below. Otherwise, you can create something new and unique:
discuss this choice with the rest of your group and make sure it creates
interesting situations.
When you choose a Theme, describe how it applies to your character — what is
their Ambition? What Duty are they bound by? Who will be the target of their
Vengeance?
Suggested Themes
Ambition: You strive to prove your worth to yourself and/or
others.
Anger: You are a ticking bomb, always on the brink of rage.
Belonging: You are afraid of being alone, forgotten or
abandoned.
Doubt: You need to find the answer to a burning question.
Duty: You live to fulfill a promise you made or obey an
order you received.
Guilt: You wish to atone for your past mistakes.
Hope: You seek a better world for yourself and/or others.
Justice: You always side with the weak and defenseless.
Mercy: You wish to help others, regardless of their past
misdeeds.
Vengeance: You seek to bring retribution upon someone or
something.
Just like with your Identity, pick something that will prove useful in play,
and remember that you will be able to change your Theme over the course of the
game.
Vengeance could be a fitting Theme for Camilla, but Robert doesn’t want her to
be consumed by bitterness and a grudge. The young hero's true goal is to
create a land where her people can live in accordance with their customs and
traditions, which the Empire has outlawed: therefore, Camilla's Theme will be
Hope.
CHOOSE OR CREATE YOUR ORIGIN
All heroes come from somewhere: this is their Origin. It might be a humble
village, a great city, or even something more fantastical such as a palace in
the depths of the ocean, the Moon’s surface, or an entirely different solar
system.
You may pick a location that is already present on the map sheet or create a
new one. Just like your Identity and Theme, your Origin may be invoked to
reroll one or both dice during a Check. However, you will normally be unable
to change your Origin in play — unless you suddenly discover you come from an
entirely different place and your memories are fake, which is a fantasy trope
as well.
Robert came up with the concept for Platea while creating Camilla; because of
this, Platea must be added to the map sheet. Robert chooses an area in the
South and describes Platea as a once-peaceful and bright citadel atop a cliff
overseeing a vast lake. Right now, the city has been seized by the Empire.
In Fabula Ultima, your character's species and heritage has no mechanical
impact unless you want it to — perhaps their Identity is that of a Fallen
Elven Prince, or some of their Class Skills can be explained as a consequence
of their unique anatomy or bloodline.
FANTASY SPECIES
CHOOSE TWO TO THREE STARTING CLASSES
Your character begins play at level 5. This means you will have five levels to
distribute among any of the fifteen available Classes. Your character must
have at least two Classes when they begin play, and no more than three.
Entries describing each Class can be found starting on
page 176, but the table below offers a
quick summary of their individual focus.
Classes
Arcanist Summon magical avatars of ancient, godlike
entities.
Chimerist Learn spells from creatures and speak with
beasts.
Darkblade Unleash dark attacks and draw power from Bonds.
Elementalist Wield the destructive power of the elements.
Entropist Channel the dark energy of the Cosmos.
Fury Provoke enemies and hit harder when damaged.
w Allows you to equip martial melee weapons
and armors.
Guardian Protect your allies and fight clad in heavy armor.
w Allows you to equip martial armor and
shields.
Loremaster Be a master of knowledge and support your
allies.
Orator Use your words to gain allies and influence
conflicts.
Rogue Seize opportunities and steal unique items from
enemies.
Sharpshooter Excel at ranged combat and negate ranged
attacks.
w Allows you to equip martial ranged weapons
and shields.
Spiritist Support your allies with magic and cast light
spells.
Tinkerer Craft inventions and use Inventory Points in new
ways.
Wayfarer Be a master explorer and join forces with a loyal
companion.
Weaponmaster Excel at melee combat and counter melee
attacks.
w Allows you to equip martial melee weapons
and shields.
Classic Characters starting on
page 172: these level 5 archetypes
Classic Characters starting on
page 172: these level 5 archetypes
Attribute Dice Mechanics
Each of a Player Character’s main Attributes (Dexterity, Insight, Might, and
Willpower) is represented by a die size, from a minimum of d6 to a maximum of
d12.
Bigger die sizes indicate a more trained Attribute or a stronger natural
talent.
Attributes Defined
Dexterity measures precision, coordination, finesse and
reflexes.
Insight represents observation, understanding and
reasoning.
Might is a measure of strength, resilience and physical
fortitude.
Willpower represents determination, charisma and the
ability to influence others.
Character Profile Selection
Choose one of the following profiles for your hero, then distribute the
corresponding die sizes among their four Attributes (on your character sheet,
these should be written in the “base size” column).
Jack of All Trades: d8, d8, d8, d8
Average: d10, d8, d8, d6
Specialized: d10, d10, d6, d6
Example Application:
Camilla is very insightful (Insight d10), fairly agile and determined
(Dexterity d8 and Willpower d8), but not particularly imposing (Might d6).
When allocating Attribute dice, you should take into account your choices
of Classes and Skills!
CHAPTER CALCULATE YOUR HIT POINTS AND MIND POINTS
Your maximum Hit Points and Mind Points are
calculated as follows:
Your maximum Hit Points are equal to your total character level + five times
your character’s base Might die size.
Your Crisis score is equal to half your maximum Hit Points, rounded down.
Your maximum Mind Points are equal to your total character level + five times
your character’s base Willpower die size.
Your character begins the game with full Hit Points and Mind Points.
These values may be further modified by your character’s choices of Class,
Skills and equipment.
Note that while some game elements might temporarily alter the die size of
your Attributes, this will never increase or decrease your Hit Points and Mind
Points.
Example Calculation
Camilla has 40 maximum Hit Points (level 5 + five times her Might of 6 + an
additional 5 Hit Points granted by the Weaponmaster Class) and 50 maximum Mind
Points (level 5 + five times her Willpower of 8 + an additional 5 Mind Points
granted by the Orator Class).
Camilla's Crisis score is 20.
CALCULATE YOUR INVENTORY POINTS
Your maximum Inventory Points are calculated as follows:
Your maximum Inventory Points are equal to 6.
Your character begins the game with full Inventory Points.
Note that this number may be further modified by your character’s choices of
Class, Skills and equipment.
Since neither Orator nor Weaponmaster increase maximum Inventory Points,
Camilla has 6 maximum Inventory Points.
CALCULATE YOUR DEFENSE, MAGIC DEFENSE AND INITIATIVE
Your Defense and Magic Defense scores are calculated as follows:
Your Defense is equal to your current Dexterity die size.
Your Magic Defense is equal to your current Insight die size.
Your Initiative modifier is equal to 0.
Your defenses will be further influenced by the armor and shields you are
wearing; your Initiative modifier will also be influenced by your choice of
armor.
Note that some game elements might temporarily alter your Attribute die sizes,
which will affect your Defense and Magic Defense (since these are based on the
current Attribute die size, not your base Attribute die size).
Camilla has a Defense score of 8, a Magic Defense score of 10 and no
Initiative modifier. Later on, her equipment choices will modify these
numbers.
PURCHASE STARTING EQUIPMENT
You get a total budget of 500 zenit to purchase equipment with. By default,
you can only purchase basic weapons and basic armor and shields; these items
are listed on the next four pages for easy reference. If you want to purchase
rare items (page 266) or transports (page 125), discuss it with the rest of your group.
To purchase a martial (E) item, you must first be able to equip it — a benefit
granted by specific Classes:
Darkblade allows you to equip martial melee weapons and
martial armor.
Fury allows you to equip martial melee weapons and martial
armor.
Guardian allows you to equip martial armor and martial
shields.
Sharpshooter allows you to equip martial ranged weapons and
martial shields.
Weaponmaster allows you to equip martial melee weapons and
martial shields.
Write any items you purchase on your sheet and take note of their effects;
remember that ranged weapons do not require you to track ammunition.
33PRESS START
W
CHAPTER
The Weaponmaster Class
The Weaponmaster Class allows Camilla to equip martial melee weapons and
shields.
Robert spends 200 zenit on a rapier (which relies on Camilla's Dexterity and
Insight), 150 zenit on a runic shield (a +2 bonus to both defenses is very
good!) and another 100 zenit on a travel garb.
Robert writes all these items on Camilla's sheet, noting how her armor and
shield increase Defense and Magic Defense by three points (Defense 11 and
Magic Defense 13) but also give her an Initiative modifier of -1.
Needless to say, you are free to alter the name of any item that doesn't fit
your character's concept — for instance, your bronze sword might become a
scimitar or your silk vest might become a kimono.
If none of the basic weapon options fit your character concept and your group
is okay with it, you may use the rules for creating rare weapons found on page
268. However, remember that by default, starting weapons don't have any
Quality and always deal physical damage. You may ignore one or both
limitations as long as the rest of your group agrees on it (and you have
enough zenit to afford the improvements).
ROLL FOR INITIAL SAVINGS
Your character begins play with an amount of zenit equal to 2d6 × 10 (for
instance, rolling an 8 on the dice means you begin with 80 zenit).
Any left-over zenit from the previous step is added to these initial savings!
Robert rolls 2d6 × 10 and gets 60 zenit, which are added to the 50 zenit left
from the previous step — for a total of 120 zenit in initial savings.
GAIN YOUR STARTING FABULA POINTS
Each Player Character enters play with 3 Fabula Points.
WEAPON COST ACCURACY DAMAGE
Arcane Category
Staff 100 z 【WLP + WLP】 【HR + 6】 physical
Two-handed w Melee w No Quality.
Tome 100 z 【INS + INS】 【HR + 6】 physical
Two-handed w Melee w No Quality.
Bow Category
Crossbow 150 z 【DEX + INS】 【HR + 8】 physical
Two-handed w Ranged w No Quality.
Shortbow 200 z 【DEX + DEX】 【HR + 8】 physical
Two-handed w Ranged w No Quality.
Brawling Category
Unarmed Strike - 【DEX + MIG】 【HR + 0】 physical
One-handed w Melee w Automatically equipped in each empty hand slot.
Remember: A starting character gets 500 zenit to purchase equipment
with.
The weapons, armors, and shields you choose during character creation will
accompany you for quite a few levels, so make sure they work well with the way
you built your character.
Useful Tips
Choose a main weapon that complements your choice of Attributes. Ideally,
you want to be able to roll at least 1d10 + 1d8 for Accuracy. More accurate
weapons, such as swords and daggers, can compensate for low Attributes.
Even if your character tends to rely on spells, purchase a weapon for them
to use when low on Mind Points — a dagger, a staff, or a tome.
While lighter armors increase your Defense score (which would otherwise be
equal to your Dexterity size), martial (E) armors replace that score with a
fixed value. This can make quite the difference: even if you have a low
Dexterity or suffer a status effect, your Defense score will not be
affected.
The bonus to Defenses granted by shields still applies, of course: a character
with d8 Dexterity wearing a brigandine and wielding a bronze shield will have
a Defense score of 12, for instance.
SHOPPING ADVICE
NAME AND FINISHING TOUCHES
Give your character a name, note their pronoun(s), and briefly describe what
they look like to the rest of the group!
It may seem counterintuitive for this step to be the last one, but there’s a
good reason: it’s easier to choose a name once you have a good grasp of your
character's appearance and abilities.
On the next page, you can find a chart with a variety of names that work
particularly well for a Fabula Ultima game; however, if your world is inspired
by specific folklore or mythology, you should research fitting naming
conventions and come up with something more appropriate!
Now that Camilla is ready, Robert describes her to the rest of the group: she
has greyish brown hair and deep blue eyes, and her demeanor showcases her
strong will — it's almost impossible to be around her and not feel inspired!
Her clothes are light and comfortable, perfect for traveling, and she fights
with an elegant rapier and a small elbow shield inscribed with a circle of
defensive runes.
Arcanists can fall into a deep trance and temporarily project a considerable
portion of their soul outside the body, giving it physical form. Surrounded by
this magical shroud, the Arcanist gains a variety of supernatural abilities;
these summoned forms are said to be manifestations of the ancestral souls
belonging to mythical entities of legend, known as the Arcana.
In some worlds, the Arcana are even worshipped as deities.
Attribution
The Arcana
MERGING WITH AN ARCANUM
When you summon an Arcanum, you gain its merge benefits; those benefits last
until the Arcanum is dismissed (see below).
You cannot summon an Arcanum while already merged with one; you must first
dismiss the current Arcanum.
DISMISSING AN ARCANUM
An Arcanum can be dismissed in several ways:
Once the current scene ends, all Arcana are automatically dismissed.
If you die or fall unconscious while merged with an Arcanum, they are
dismissed.
If you leave the scene while merged with an Arcanum, they are dismissed.
You may willingly dismiss your Arcanum: this doesn't require an action, but
during a conflict it can only be done on your turn, before or after an
action.
DISMISS EFFECTS
Most Arcana have a powerful dismiss effect, which may only be activated when
you willingly dismiss the Arcanum as described above — if the Arcanum is
dismissed for any other reason, the dismiss effect cannot be triggered.
If the dismiss effect of an Arcanum deals damage, it will deal 10 extra
damage if you are level 20 or higher, or 20 extra damage if you are level 40
or higher.
You are also free to ignore the dismiss effect if you don't want to use it.
DOMAINS
Each Arcanum is associated with a few key concepts or domains. The Game Master
should use these to establish the trials needed to bind the Arcanum, and to
adjudicate Rituals performed through the Ritual Arcanism Skill.
If you create new Arcana for your world, make sure to associate them with
domains that allow for interesting Rituals.
ARCANUM OF THE FORGE
Domains: fire, heat, metal.
You have Resistance to fire damage.
Any fire damage you deal ignores Resistances.
When you dismiss this Arcanum, choose Forge or
Inferno:
Forge. You create a basic armor, shield or weapon of your
choice (see pages 130 to 133). If you select this option again, the
previously created item vanishes. If you create a weapon this way, it deals
fire damage instead of physical.
Inferno. Choose any number of creatures you can see: each
of them suffers 30 fire damage. This damage ignores Resistances.
ARCANUM OF THE FROST
Domains: cold, ice, silence.
You have Resistance to ice damage and are immune to enraged.
Any ice damage you deal ignores Resistances.
Ice Age. Choose any number of creatures you can see: each of
them suffers 30 ice damage. This damage ignores Resistances.
ARCANUM OF THE GATE
Domains: space, travel, void.
You have Resistance to dark damage.
You gain a +1 bonus to your Magic Defense.
When you dismiss this Arcanum, choose Oblivion or
Warp:
Oblivion. Choose any number of creatures you can see: each
of them suffers 30 dark damage. This damage ignores Resistances.
Warp. You teleport yourself and up to five other nearby
willing creatures to a location you previously visited, if that location is
within 1 travel day.
cc Work with your group and create custom Arcana for your world!
MERGE DISMISS MERGEDISMISS MERGEDISMISS
180 W
ARCANUM OF THE GRIMOIRE
Domains: knowledge, revelations, understanding.
You are able to read, write, speak and understand all languages.
You treat your Insight as if it were one die size higher (up to a maximum
of d12).
Oracle
You ask the Game Master a single question. The Game Master must answer
truthfully, describing the vision shown to you by the Grimoire.
Once used, this dismiss effect will not be available until the next dawn.
Furthermore, the same question may never be asked more than once. The Game
Master has final say on which questions are too similar to be asked again.
ARCANUM OF THE OAK
Domains: earth, plants, poison.
You have Resistance to earth and poison damage and are immune to poisoned.
Whenever you recover Hit Points, you recover 5 extra Hit Points.
Blossom
Choose any number of creatures you can see (you may also choose yourself):
each of them recovers from the poisoned status effect and recovers 40 Hit
Points. This amount increases to 50 Hit Points if you are level 20 or
higher, or to 60 Hit Points if you are level 40 or higher.
ARCANUM OF THE SKY
Domains: fog, rain, storms.
You have Resistance to air and bolt damage.
Weather Prediction
You may use an action to accurately predict weather conditions for the next
day within a range of two travel days — the Game Master will tell you what
the weather conditions will be.
Thunderstorm
Choose any number of creatures you can see: each of them suffers 30 bolt
damage. This damage ignores Resistances.
MERGE DISMISS
ARCANUM OF THE SWORD
Domains: conquest, heroism, leadership.
Your attacks deal 5 extra damage, and all damage dealt by your attacks is
treated as having no type (thus being unaffected by damage Affinities). Damage
dealt by your attacks cannot gain a type as long as you are merged with this
Arcanum.
When you perform an attack, you may have that attack gain the multi (any
number of targets) property. If you do, this Arcanum will be automatically
dismissed after the attack is resolved (this is not considered a willing
dismiss).
ARCANUM OF THE TOWER
Domains: judgment, protection, sacrifice.
When you summon this Arcanum, choose a damage type: air, bolt, dark, earth,
fire, or ice. Until this Arcanum is dismissed, each of your allies present on
the scene has Resistance to the chosen damage type (you do not gain this
Resistance).
Judgment
Choose any number of creatures you can see: each of them suffers 30 light
damage. This damage ignores Resistances.
ARCANUM OF THE WHEEL
Domains: destiny, speed, time.
You are immune to slow.
You gain a +1 bonus to your Defense.
Time Freeze
Choose any number of creatures you can see: each of them suffers slow. If a
creature chosen this way is already slow, that creature will instead perform
one fewer action during their next turn (to a minimum of 0 actions).
The Merge
Legends tell of a long-lasting passion between the Sword and the Tower... a
passion that often erupted into war.
CHIMERIST FREE BENEFITS
Permanently increase your maximum Mind Points by 5.
You may perform Rituals whose effects fall within the Ritualism discipline.
CHIMERIST SKILLS
CONSUME (çç5)
After you deal damage to one or more creatures with a spell, if you have an
arcane dagger or flail weapon equipped, you recover
【SL × 2】 Mind Points.
FERAL SPEECH
You can communicate with creatures of the beast, monster and plant Species.
PATHOGENESIS
When you deal damage to one or more creatures with one of your Chimerist
spells, each of those creatures that share their Species with the creature you
originally learned that spell from suffers poisoned.
RITUAL CHIMERISM
You may perform Rituals whose effects fall within the Chimerism discipline.
When you acquire this Skill, choose 【INS + WLP】 or
【MIG + WLP】. From now on, your Chimerism Rituals will use
the chosen Attributes for the Magic Check.
SPELL MIMIC (çç10)
When you see a creature belonging to the beast, monster or plant Species cast
a spell, you may immediately choose to learn that spell as a Chimerist spell
of your own: if you do, record the Species of the creature you learned it
from.
When you first acquire this Skill, choose 【INS + WLP】 or
【MIG + WLP】. From now on, your offensive (rr) Chimerist
spells will use the chosen Attributes for the Magic Check, regardless of the
Attributes used by the creature you learned the spell from.
You may have up to 【SL + 2】 different Chimerist spells
memorized this way. If you want to memorize a new Chimerist spell but are
already at your limit, you must forget one of your old spells and replace it
with the new spell.
Story Prompts
Who taught you the art of Chimerism? Is your mentor human or monstrous?
Can people and monsters live in harmony, or are they bound to threaten each
other?
What does your magic look like?
Are there many practicing your art, or are you the exception?
DARKBLADE
Today you shall know the full extent of my suffering.
Darkblades
Darkblades are somber and powerful warriors who hide a sorrowful past. Due to
tragic experiences on the battlefield or in personal life, their souls have
developed an affinity for pain and shadow energy.
An unlikely hero to say the very least, a Darkblade may now sacrifice their
lifeforce to unleash mighty attacks and is able to draw resolve, power and
even knowledge from the suffering they experience.
Details
Name: DARKBLADE
Power Level: 184
ALSO Associated With
Avenger
Black Knight
Death Knight
File Metadata
DARKBLADE FREE BENEFITS
Permanently increase your maximum Hit Points by 5.
Gain the ability to equip martial melee weapons and martial armor.
DARKBLADE SKILLS
AGONY (çç5)
After you deal damage to one or more creatures, if you have a Bond towards
at least one of those creatures, you may recover
【SL × 2】 Hit Points and 【SL × 2】 Mind
Points.
DARK BLOOD
As long as you are in Crisis, you have Resistance to dark damage and poison
damage.
HEART OF DARKNESS
Once per scene upon entering Crisis, you may choose a specific creature you
can see that you don't have a Bond towards. If you do, create a Bond of
hatred towards that creature.
PAINFUL LESSON (çç3)
After another creature causes you to lose Hit Points (with an attack, a
spell or any other method), you may immediately perform the Study action on
that creature (see page 74) for free. If
you do, gain a bonus equal to 【SL】 to your Check.
Remember, you can study the same aspect of a creature only once.
SHADOW STRIKE (çç5)
You have learned to channel your vital force into your attacks. You may use
an action to perform a Shadow Strike: roll your current Might die and lose
an amount of Hit Points equal to
【the number rolled on your Might die】. If this didn't
reduce your Hit Points to 0, you may perform a free attack with a weapon you
have equipped: if this attack hits one or more targets, it deals extra
damage equal to
【SL + the number rolled on your Might die 】. However, all
damage dealt by this attack becomes dark and its damage type cannot be
changed.
Character Reflection Prompts
What tragic experience awakened your abilities?
Many would regard your powers as evil. How do you feel about them?
What do your weapons and fighting style look like?
Are there many practicing your art, or are you the exception?
"Today you shall know the full extent of my suffering."
Elementalist
ALSO: Battle Mage, Geomancer, Sorcerer
ELEMENTALIST
Ignore the warnings of this World at your own risk.
An Elementalist has learned to channel the souls that flow within the basic
elements of creation: Air, Earth, Fire and Water. Some of them develop complex
spells to contain the powerful energies of nature; others seek its protection
in harmony and communion.
Elemental magic can be highly destructive, causing damage and inflicting
negative status effects. Due to this, there are many who would covet an
Elementalist’s abilities... often for nefarious purposes.
ELEMENTALIST FREE BENEFITS
Permanently increase your maximum Mind Points by 5.
You may perform Rituals whose effects fall within the Ritualism discipline.
ELEMENTALIST SKILLS
CATACLYSM (çç3)
When you cast an instantaneous spell, if you have an arcane weapon equipped,
you may increase the spell's total MP cost by up to 【SL × 10】 Mind Points.
If you do so and the spell deals damage to one or more creatures, it will deal
5 extra damage to each creature for every 10 Mind Points by which you
increased its total MP cost.
ELEMENTAL MAGIC (çç10)
Each time you acquire this Skill, learn one Elementalist spell (see next two
pages).
Offensive (rr) Elementalist spells use 【INS + WLP】 for the Magic Check.
MAGICAL ARTILLERY (çç3)
When you cast an offensive ( rr) spell, if you have an arcane weapon equipped,
you gain a bonus to your Magic Check equal to 【SL × 2】.
RITUAL ELEMENTALISM
You may perform Rituals whose effects fall within the Elementalism
discipline.
Elementalism Rituals use 【INS + WLP】 for the Magic Check.
SPELLBLADE (çç4)
When you cast an offensive ( rr) spell targeting a single creature, if the
spell has a total Mind Point cost of 【SL × 10】 or lower and you have one or
more bow, brawling, dagger, flail, spear or sword weapons equipped, you may
choose one of those weapons. If you do, your Magic Check for the spell will
use the chosen weapon's Accuracy Check formula; for instance, the Magic Check
for an Elementalist spell cast through a bronze sword (page 131) will be 【DEX + MIG】 +1 instead of 【INS + WLP】.
Questions
Who trained you in the way of the Elements?
Your magic can be devastating... are you afraid of yourself?
Elemental magic is often used in war. Did you serve in the military?
What does your magic look like?
Option: Ignore the warnings of this World at your own risk.
ELEMENTALIST SPELLS
SPELL
Elemental Shroud
Cost: 5
Targets: T
Duration: Up to three creatures
Action: Scene
You weave magical energy and protect the targets from the fury of the
elements.
Choose a damage type: air, bolt, earth, fire or ice. Until this spell ends,
each target gains Resistance against the chosen damage type.
Elemental Weapon
Cost: 10
Targets: One weapon
Duration: Scene
You imbue a weapon with elemental energy. Choose a damage type: air, bolt,
earth, fire, or ice. Until this spell ends, all damage dealt by the weapon
becomes of the chosen damage type.
If you have that weapon equipped while you cast this spell, you may
perform a free attack with it as part of the same action.
This spell can only be cast on a weapon equipped by a willing creature.
Flare
Cost: rr 20
Targets: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
You channel a single ray of fire towards your foe, its temperature so high
that it will pierce through most defenses. The target suffers
【HR + 25】 fire damage.
Damage dealt by this spell ignores Resistances.
Fulgur
Cost: rr 10
Targets: × T
Duration: Up to three creatures
Action: Instantaneous
You weave electricity into a wave of crackling bolts. Each target hit by
this spell suffers 【HR + 15】 bolt damage.
Opportunity: Each target hit by this spell suffers dazed.
Glacies
Cost: rr 10
Targets: × T
Duration: Up to three creatures
Action: Instantaneous
You coat your foes under a thick layer of frost. Each target hit by this
spell suffers 【HR + 15】 ice damage.
Opportunity: Each target hit by this spell suffers slow.
Iceberg
Cost: rr 20
Targets: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
A pillar of ice magic envelops your foe, suddenly dropping their body
temperature to a critical level. The target suffers
【HR + 25】 ice damage.
Damage dealt by this spell ignores Resistances.
Spell Catalogue
Ignis
Metadata: rr 10 × T | Up to three creatures |
Instantaneous
You unleash a searing barrage against your foes, conjuring flames out of
thin air. Each target hit by this spell suffers
【HR + 15】 fire damage.
Opportunity: Each target hit by this spell suffers shaken.
Soaring Strike
Metadata: 10 | Self | Instantaneous
The wind carries your strikes across the battlefield. You may immediately
perform a free attack with a melee weapon you have equipped. This attack
may target creatures that can only be targeted by ranged attacks.
If you used a weapon belonging to the brawling or spear Category for
this attack, it deals 5 extra damage.
If you hit a flying target with this attack, you may force them to land
immediately.
Terra
Metadata: rr 10 × T | Up to three creatures |
Instantaneous
Spires of jagged rock erupt from the ground beneath your foes, closing
around them. Each target hit by this spell suffers
【HR + 15】 earth damage. This spell cannot target
creatures who are flying, floating, falling, or otherwise in mid-air.
Opportunity: Each target hit by this spell performs one fewer
action on their next turn (to a minimum of 0 actions).
Thunderbolt
Metadata: rr 20 | One creature | Instantaneous
You send lightning striking at your foe. The target suffers
【HR + 25】 bolt damage.
Damage dealt by this spell ignores Resistances.
Ventus
Metadata: rr 10 × T | Up to three creatures |
Instantaneous
You summon the power of winds against your enemy. Each target hit by this
spell suffers 【HR + 15】 air damage.
Opportunity: Each flying target hit by this spell is forced to
land immediately.
Vortex
Metadata: 10 | Self | Scene
A roaring gale surrounds you, blowing away arrows and bullets. Until this
spell ends, you gain a +2 bonus to your Defense against ranged attacks.
Entropist
Also related:Astromancer, Chaos Mage, Gambler
Description
High above the stars, where their lights do not shine, lies a bottomless void
where life and souls wither and transform in unfathomable ways. This realm is
a non-reality, an endless expanse of chaos impervious to the laws of time,
space, and probability.
Lore
Entropists refer to this realm as the Cosmos, the Heavens, or quite simply as
Lady Luck: they are among the few gifted with the ability to channel its
reality-bending energies.
Quote
The cold between the stars... it does not frighten me.
CHAPTER
ENTROPIST FREE BENEFITS
Permanently increase your maximum Mind Points by 5.
You may perform Rituals whose effects fall within the Ritualism discipline.
ENTROPIST SKILLS
ABSORB MP (çç5)
After you suffer damage, you may immediately recover
【SL × 2】 Mind Points.
ENTROPIC MAGIC (çç10)
Each time you acquire this Skill, learn one Entropist spell (see next two
pages).
Note: Offensive (rr) Entropist spells use 【INS + WLP】 for the Magic
Check.
LUCKY SEVEN
You have a lucky number; at the beginning of each session, that number is 7.
Once per scene after you perform a Check, you may replace the value shown on
one of the dice you rolled with your lucky number (even if this would give an
impossible Result, such as a value of 7 on a d6). If you do, the replaced
value becomes your new lucky number.
RITUAL ENTROPISM
You may perform Rituals whose effects fall within the Entropism discipline.
Entropism Rituals use 【INS + WLP】 for the Magic Check.
STOLEN TIME (çç4)
During a conflict, you may use an action to interfere with the flow of time
by spending up to 【SL × 5】 Mind Points. For every 5 Mind
Points you spend this way, choose one option:
One creature you can see suffers slow;
One creature you can see recovers from slow;
One creature you can see may immediately perform the Equipment action for
free;
Choose one ally you can see who has yet to take a turn during this round:
that ally may take their turn immediately after yours during this round.
Note: Each option can only be chosen once per use of this Skill.
Background Questions
Who taught you to channel the reality-bending powers of the Cosmos?
What do you know of the Cosmos? Are they the end of reality, or a new
beginning?
What does your magic look like?
Are there many practicing your art, or are you the exception?
Spell List
Acceleration
Cost: 20 | Type: One creature |
Scene:
You bend the fabric of time. Until this spell ends, the target gains the
ability to perform a single additional action during each of their turns.
Once the target has performed a total of two additional actions granted by
this spell, this spell ends.
Anomaly
Cost: 20 | Type: One creature |
Scene:
You alter the very nature of your target. Until this spell ends, if the
target would suffer damage of a type they Absorb or are Immune to, they are
instead treated as if they were Vulnerable to that damage type. Once that
happens, this spell ends.
Dark Weapon
Cost: 10 | Type: One equipped weapon |
Scene:
You imbue a weapon with dark energy. Until this spell ends, all damage dealt
by the weapon becomes of the dark type. If you have that weapon equipped
while you cast this spell, you may perform a free attack with it as part of
the same action.
This spell can only be cast on a weapon equipped by a willing
creature.
Dispel
Cost: 10 | Type: One creature |
Instantaneous:
You release a wave of negative energy and cleanse all magic from a creature.
If the target is affected by one or more spells with a duration of Scene,
they are no longer affected by any of those spells instead.
Divination
Cost: 10 | Type: Self |
Scene:
You glimpse briefly into the future. Until this spell ends, after a creature
you can see performs a Check, if it was not a fumble nor a critical success,
you may force that creature to reroll both dice. Once you have forced two
rerolls this way, this spell ends.
Drain Spirit
Cost: 5 | Type: One creature |
Instantaneous:
You consume a creature's psyche. The target loses 【HR + 15】 Mind Points.
Then, you recover an amount of Mind Points equal to half the Mind Points
loss they suffered (if the loss was reduced to 0 in some way, you recover
none).
Drain Vigor
Cost: 10 | Type: One creature |
Instantaneous:
You steal another creature's life force. The target suffers 【HR + 15 】
dark damage. Then, you recover an amount of Hit Points equal to half the Hit
Points loss they suffered (if the loss was reduced to 0 in some way, you
recover none).
Gamble up to 20
Type: Special
Target: Instantaneous
You summon a vortex of chaotic energy. Roll your current Willpower die once
for every 10 Mind Points spent while casting this spell, then keep the single
die you prefer: the number on that die determines the effects of this spell.
1: You lose half of your current Hit Points and half of
your current Mind Points.
2-3: Each creature present on the scene, including
yourself, suffers poisoned.
4-6: Each creature present on the scene, including
yourself, suffers slow.
7-8: Choose up to three creatures you can see: each of them
recovers 50 Hit Points and also recovers from all status effects.
9+: Choose any number of creatures you can see: each of
them suffers 30 damage. The damage type is determined randomly by rolling a
d6:
1. air
2. bolt
3. dark
4. earth
5. fire
6. poison
Mirror 10
Type: One creature
Scene Duration: Until this spell ends
You twist the laws of magic. Until this spell ends, if an offensive spell is
cast on the target, the creature who cast that offensive spell will be
targeted in their stead (any other targets of the offensive spell will be
targeted as normal). Once that happens, this spell ends.
Omega rr 20
Type: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
You invoke doom on your foe, turning strength into frailty. The target loses
an amount of Hit Points equal to
【20 + half the target's level】.
Stop rr 10
Type: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
You trap a foe inside a circle of altered time and space. The target will
perform one fewer action on their next turn (to a minimum of 0 actions).
Umbra rr 10 × T
Type: Up to three creatures
Duration: Instantaneous
A storm of dark energy turns matter into ash. Each target hit by this spell
suffers 【HR + 15】 dark damage.
Opportunity: Each target hit by this spell suffers weak.
Notes
Spells marked with rr are offensive spells and require Magic Checks!
FURY FREE BENEFITS
Permanently increase your maximum Hit Points by 5.
Gain the ability to equip martial melee weapons and martial armor.
FURY SKILLS
ADRENALINE (çç5)
As long as you are in Crisis, you deal 【SL × 2】 extra
damage (be it with attacks, spells, Arcana, items or any other method).
FRENZY
Your Accuracy Checks with brawling, dagger, flail and thrown weapons trigger a
critical success if both dice show the same number (and the Check is not a
fumble).
INDOMITABLE SPIRIT (çç4)
When you spend one or more Fabula Points, you get an additional benefit —
choose one option: you recover 【SL × 5】 Hit Points; or you
recover 【SL × 5】 Mind Points; or you recover from a single
status effect of your choice.
PROVOKE (çç5)
You may use an action and spend 5 Mind Points to perform an Opposed
【MIG + WLP】 Check against a creature you can see — describe
how you taunt them! If you succeed, the target suffers enraged and is
compelled to focus their attention on you (their attacks and offensive spells
must include you among the targets if possible). This compulsion ends if you
fall unconscious or leave the scene, if the creature is no longer enraged, or
if they are successfully provoked by someone else.
You gain a bonus equal to 【SL】 to your
【MIG + WLP】 Checks for this Skill.
WITHSTAND (çç5)
When you perform the Guard action, if you choose not to provide cover to
another creature, you recover Hit Points equal to
【SL, multiplied by the highest strength among your Bonds】
and choose Might or Willpower: you treat the chosen Attribute as being one die
size higher (up to a maximum of d12) until the end of your next turn.
— Character Prompts —
Do you rely on your burning passion, or do you strive to keep it under
control?
There’s that one thing that always makes you lose it. What is it?
In the past, your lack of control had tragic consequences. What have you
lost?
What do your weapons and fighting style look like?
I'll just have to become stronger than you!
Related Roles
Paladin
Soldier
Yōjinbō
GUARDIAN
Proud and selfless, Guardians are individuals who know the value of
life... and are willing to sacrifice themselves for a person, nation or
ideal they have sworn to protect. They are often extraordinary and
impressive individuals, such as valiant soldiers or veterans scarred by a
thousand battles.
While some Guardians may appear loud and boisterous, many are simply
masking the tormented memory of those they failed to protect.
"Let me be your shield."
CHAPTER GUARDIAN FREE BENEFITS
Permanently increase your maximum Hit Points by 5.
Gain the ability to equip martial armor and martial shields.
GUARDIAN SKILLS
BODYGUARD
If you perform the Guard action and choose to provide cover to another
creature, that creature gains Resistance to all damage types until the start
of your next turn.
DEFENSIVE MASTERY (çç5)
As long as you have a shield or a martial armor equipped, all damage you
suffer is reduced by 【SL】 (applied before
damage Affinities).
DUAL SHIELDBEARER
You may now equip a shield in your main hand slot. As long as you have two
shields equipped, you gain the benefits of both items and may treat them as
the following combined two-handed melee brawling weapon:
WEAPON
ACCURACY
DAMAGE
Two Shields
【MIG + MIG】
【HR + 5】 physical
Deals extra damage equal to your 【SL】 in defensive mastery (above).
FORTRESS (çç5)
Permanently increase your maximum Hit Points by 【SL × 3】.
PROTECT
When another creature is threatened by an attack, spell or other danger, you
may take their place (any Checks that are part of the danger will be performed
against you; you may declare the use of this Skill before or after the Checks
have been made). If the danger already affected you, it affects you twice
(resolve both instances separately); you also cannot protect multiple
creatures from the same danger. If you use this Skill during a conflict, you
cannot use it again until the start of your next turn.
Optional Quests/Interrogation Points
Who or what is it you would gladly give your life to protect?
Are you, or have you ever been, the servant of a Lady or Lord? What were
they like?
What is it you were unable to protect? What have you lost?
Equipment Detail: Using what as your armor and/or shield?
LOREMASTER FREE BENEFITS
Permanently increase your maximum Mind Points by 5.
LOREMASTER SKILLS
FLASH OF INSIGHT (çç3)
When you roll a 13 or higher on a Check performed to investigate a creature,
item or location — this includes using the Study action during a conflict —
you may ask the Game Master up to 【SL】 questions concerning the subject of
your investigation. You may ask these questions immediately or save them for
later; whenever you ask one of these questions, the Game Master will answer
truthfully and you will describe your character's deductive process.
This Skill may only be used once on the same creature, item or
location.
FOCUSED (çç5)
Permanently increase your maximum Mind Points by 【SL × 3】.
When you perform an Open Check using 【INS + INS】, you gain a bonus equal to
【SL】 on that Check (this only applies to Open Checks).
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
When you perform an Accuracy Check, you may replace one of the Attribute dice
with Insight (such as 【INS + INS】 for a pistol or 【INS + MIG】 for a
waraxe).
QUICK ASSESSMENT (çç6)
At the start of a conflict, you may spend up to 【SL × 5】 Mind Points. For
every 5 Mind Points you spend this way, choose one option: choose a creature
you can see and the GM reveals one of their Traits; or name a damage type and
choose a creature you can see, and the GM reveals that creature's Affinity
towards that damage type.
TRAINED MEMORY
You may perfectly recall the details of any scene you have visited within the
past week. You can "go back in time" within your mind in order to examine and
investigate such scenes again — your Flash of Insight Skill will apply to
these memories as well.
Character Background Exploration
Who is (or was) your mentor? What is (or was) your relationship with them?
Did you attend an academy or college? What kind of people did you meet
there?
There is this centuries-old mystery you’re obsessed with. What is it?
Is it true that some things are better left buried beneath the sands of
time?
"Ah, I knew this was going to happen."
ORATOR
Some are graceful and ever-smiling, others are subtle and witty: Orators are
as good at reading someone’s heart as they are at rounding up allies for their
cause, sometimes unintentionally.
The words of an Orator may rekindle spirits or plunge their opponents into
despair: over the centuries, some Orators' talents have brought entire nations
to ruin... and just as many have granted fallen kingdoms a chance to rise from
their very ashes.
"Words are only as good as the actions that follow them."
ORATOR FREE BENEFITS
ORATOR SKILLS
CONDEMN (çç4)
You may use an action and spend 5 Mind Points to perform an Opposed
[INS + WLP] Check against a creature that can hear and
understand you — describe your accusations! If you succeed, the target loses
[SL × 10] Mind Points and suffers dazed or shaken (your
choice).
You gain a bonus equal to [SL] to your
[INS + WLP] Checks for this Skill.
ENCOURAGE (çç6)
During a conflict, you may use an action and spend 5 Mind Points to choose
another creature that can hear and understand you. That creature recovers
[SL × 5] Hit Points and chooses Dexterity, Insight, Might, or
Willpower: they treat the chosen Attribute as being one die size higher (up to
a maximum of d12) until the start of your next turn.
MY TRUST IN YOU (çç2)
After another Player Character who is able to hear you performs a Check, you
may spend 1 Fabula Point and invoke one of their Traits or Bonds in order to
let them reroll dice or improve the Result of the Check (following the normal
rules). Then, if you have a Bond towards that character, they recover
[SL × 10] Mind Points.
PERSUASIVE (çç2)
When you successfully perform a Check to fill or erase sections of a Clock, if
your approach relied on charm, diplomacy, deception or intimidation, you may
spend up to [SL × 20] Mind Points. If you do, fill or erase
an additional section of that Clock for every 20 Mind Points you spend this
way.
UNEXPECTED ALLY
You may use an action and spend 1 Fabula Point to choose a non-hostile
creature able to hear and understand you. If you do, that creature becomes
helpful towards you so long as you are kind and respectful to them and your
requests are reasonable.
Reflections
Do you think everyone can be persuaded? Is it true that everyone has a
price?
You thought someone was on your side, but they betrayed you. Who are they?
How do you feel about manipulating people, even if it is for a good cause?
In the past, your words ended up putting you in trouble. What happened?
Words are only as good as the actions that follow them.
Rogues: The Archetype
Be they criminals, rebels or spies, Rogues are more than willing to play dirty
in order to get what they want. Rogues are generally quick, witty and elusive:
while a few of them are infamous for being mostly concerned with their
personal wealth and profit, many see themselves as fighting against injustice,
tyranny, or social exclusion.
Tragically, it is quite common for Rogues to end up being painted as threats
by those same people they fight for.
Related Archetypes
Bandit
Ninja
Thief
I will find my own justice.
CHAPTER CHAPTER
ROGUE FREE BENEFITS
Permanently increase your maximum Inventory Points by 2.
ROGUE SKILLS
CHEAP SHOT (çç5)
When you hit a creature with an attack, if the attack only targeted that
creature and they are suffering from one or more status effects, you may have
it deal extra damage equal to 【SL + the number of status effects on the
creature】.
DODGE (çç3)
As long as you have no shields and no martial armor equipped, your Defense
score is increased by 【SL】.
HIGH SPEED (çç3)
At the start of a conflict, you may spend 10 Mind Points. If you do, choose
one option and apply it before the start of the first round: perform a free
attack with a weapon you have equipped; or perform a Hinder or Objective
action. You also gain a bonus equal to 【SL】 to all Checks you perform as
part of the chosen option.
SEE YOU LATER
You may use an action and spend 1 Fabula Point to vanish from the current
scene, reappearing whenever you want during a different scene in which another
Player Character is present. Describe how you escaped and miraculously got
here!
SOUL STEAL (çç5)
You may use an action to perform a 【DEX + WLP】 Check against the Magic
Defense of a creature you can see. If you succeed and the target is a soldier,
you recover 【SL】 Inventory Points; if they are an elite or champion, the GM
gives you the target’s soul treasure, an item worth an amount of zenit equal
to or lower than 【the target's level multiplied by 30, or by 50 if they are a
Villain】. This soul treasure will appear inside your backpack; a creature can
be successfully stolen from with this Skill only once.
You gain a bonus equal to 【SL】 to your 【DEX + WLP】 Checks for this Skill.
CHARACTER BACKGROUND
What drives you? Is it desire, vengeance, or a burning need for freedom?
Are you part of a criminal gang or guild, or do you work on your own?
Is there a place you can call home? Or is it true that, in the end, we all
die alone?
What is the most important rule in your personal code?
SHARPSHOOTER
A majority of Sharpshooters are exceptionally good at dealing with threats
from a carefully calculated distance; others are brave, skilled or reckless
enough to engage their foes at point-blank.
While many of these skilled snipers are battle-hardened soldiers, some have
turned to a life of piracy, bounty hunting or banditry. A few have put their
abilities at the service of the people, or use them to protect a sacred or
forbidden site from intruders.
Related Classes
Archer
Gunslinger
Sniper
"Flee to the other end of the world; my arrow shall find you."
Spiritist
Related Terms
ALSO: Healer, Priest, Witch
"Show me the truths of your heart."
Definition
Spiritists have developed a powerful connection with the raw aspects of
soul: emotion, energy, life, and death. They wield power both miraculous and
frightening, and are quite often affiliated with cults or religions.
Nature of Abilities
Several worlds see the powers of Spiritism as gifts from a deity or proof
that a person's heart is pure; however, there is no definite proof of these
abilities coming from anything but discipline, empathy, and focus.
SPIRITIST BENEFITS AND SKILLS
Free Benefits
Permanently increase your maximum Mind Points by 5.
You may perform Rituals whose effects fall within the Ritualism discipline.
SPIRITIST SKILLS
HEALING POWER (çç2)
When you cast a spell that targets one or more allies, if you have an arcane
weapon equipped, you may have each of those allies recover an amount of Hit
Points equal to
【SL, multiplied by the number of Bonds you have】. This
healing is separate from any healing caused by the effects of the spell.
RITUAL SPIRITISM
You may perform Rituals whose effects fall within the Spiritism discipline.
Spiritism Rituals use 【INS + WLP】 for the Magic Check.
SPIRITUAL MAGIC (çç10)
Each time you acquire this Skill, learn one Spiritist spell (see next two
pages). Offensive Spiritist spells use 【INS + WLP】 for the
Magic Check.
SUPPORT MAGIC
When you cast a spell that targets one or more allies, if you have an arcane
weapon equipped, you may choose one of those allies you have a Bond towards.
If you do, that ally gains a bonus to the next Check they perform during the
current scene; this bonus is equal to the strength of your Bond towards them.
VISMAGUS
When you cast a spell, if you don't have enough Mind Points to pay for its
total cost, you may choose to spend twice as many Hit Points instead. You
cannot use this Skill if doing so would reduce you to 0 Hit Points. If a spell
cast this way would cause you to recover Hit Points, you instead recover no
Hit Points (the spell functions normally on any other target).
Background Prompts
Where does your magic come from? What are your beliefs concerning life and
death?
How do you feel about manipulating other people’s emotions and vital energy?
What do you think of religion? Are you part of a specific cult, church or
institution?
What does your magic look like?
Show me the truths of your heart.
SPIRITIST SPELLS
Aura
Cost: 5 × T | Targets: Up to three creatures
| Duration: Scene
You project your soul outside your body and direct it to surround the targets,
shielding them from dangerous magic. Until this spell ends, each target may
treat their Magic Defense as being equal to 12 against any effects that target
it (they are still free to use their normal Defense score if higher than 12).
Awaken
Cost: 20 | Targets: One creature |
Duration: Scene
You allow a creature to focus their vital energy into accomplishing what they
previously could not. Choose one Attribute: Dexterity, Insight, Might, or
Willpower. Until this spell ends, the target treats the chosen Attribute as if
it were one die size higher (up to a maximum of d12).
Barrier
Cost: 5 × T | Targets: Up to three creatures
| Duration: Scene
You project your soul outside your body and weave it into a barrier to protect
the targets from attacks. Until this spell ends, each target may treat their
Defense as being equal to 12 against any effects that target it (they are
still free to use their normal Defense score if higher than 12).
Cleanse
Cost: 5 × T | Targets: Up to three creatures
| Duration: Instantaneous
You strengthen and purify the soul energy coursing through your companions.
Each target recovers from all status effects.
Enrage
Cost: rr 10 | Targets: One creature |
Duration: Instantaneous
You cause a creature to lose any semblance of temper and act brazenly. The
target suffers enraged and cannot perform the Guard or Spell actions during
their next turn.
Hallucination
Cost: rr 5 × T | Targets: Up to three
creatures | Duration: Instantaneous
You alter the senses of your enemies, causing them to experience bizarre or
frightening hallucinations. Choose dazed or shaken: you inflict the chosen
status effect on each target hit by this spell.
I like to think that what we have today was not a gift from the Gods.
Tinkerers possess exceptional ingenuity and are known for their eccentric and
marvelous inventions. They travel the world in an endless search for lost
theories and ancient machinery, eyes glimmering whenever they witness the
wonders of architecture and engineering.
In a way, Tinkerers could be seen as the ultimate dreamers and rebels,
challenging the very rules of nature and society in their pursuit of a better
future.
TINKERER FREE BENEFITS
Permanently increase your maximum Inventory Points by 2.
You may initiate Projects.
TINKERER SKILLS
EMERGENCY ITEM
Once per conflict scene, if you are in Crisis, you may perform an additional
action on your turn. This action must be the Inventory action.
GADGETS (çç5)
When you first acquire this Skill, choose a gadget type: alchemy, infusions
or magitech (see next four pages). You gain its basic benefits.
Whenever you take this Skill again, choose one option: you gain the basic
benefits of a new gadget type; or you gain the advanced benefits of a gadget
type whose basic benefits you already obtained; or you gain the superior
benefits of a gadget type whose advanced benefits you already obtained.
POTION RAIN (çç2)
When you create a potion that restores a single creature's HP and/or MP, you
may have it affect up to 【SL】 additional creatures. If you do, the potion
only restores half the normal amount of HP and MP to each creature.
SECRET FORMULA (çç5)
When you create a potion or magisphere whose effects restore HP and/or MP,
each restored amount is increased by 【SL × 5】.
When you create an elemental shard, potion or magisphere that deals damage,
that item deals 【SL】 extra damage.
VISIONARY (çç5)
When you work on a Project, up to 【SL × 100】 zenit of material costs are
automatically paid; additionally, you generate an additional 【SL】 progress
every day. If multiple characters with this Skill work on the same Project,
the effects will be cumulative.
Character Inspiration Questions
Did you learn your craft from someone? What is your relationship with them?
What have you lost in the pursuit of progress and innovation?
Is your craft something revolutionary, or is it an established field of
work?
When an item or effect is created through your abilities, what does it look
like?
I like to think that what we have today was not a gift from the Gods.
ALCHEMY
Also: Chemistry, Bombs, Mutations.
You may perform the Inventory action to rapidly craft a potion with powerful
but somewhat unpredictable effects. When you do so, choose one type of mix
among those you have unlocked (basic, advanced or superior) and spend the
appropriate amount of Inventory Points.
MIX
Level
IP Cost
Description
Basic
3
Roll two d20s and assign one to target and one to effect.
Advanced
4
Roll three d20s and assign one to target and one to effect.
Superior
5
Roll four d20s and assign one to target and one to effect.
When you create a mix, roll the amount of twenty-sided dice indicated by that
mix, then assign one of those rolls to the target table (below) and one to the
effect table (on the right). Discard all remaining dice, then describe the
effects of the mix!
Example:
You spend 5 Inventory Points for a superior mix and roll four twenty-sided
dice. You roll 3, 14, 9 and 4. You might assign 14 to target and 9 to effect
to grant yourself and all allies Resistance to air and fire; or you could go
on the offensive and assign 9 to target and 4 to effect to deal bolt damage to
a single enemy; or even assign 9 to target and 14 to effect to inflict four
status effects on that foe!
Whatever your choice, the two dice you don't assign will be discarded.
The two effects marked with "Any" on the effect table are always available and
can be chosen if none of the available effects appeal to you.
TARGET
1-6
... you or one ally you can see that is present on the scene.
7-11
... one enemy you can see that is present on the scene.
When you successfully hit one or more targets with an attack, you may spend 2
Inventory Points to produce a special infusion and apply the corresponding
effect to that attack (if the attack had the multi property, apply the effects
of the infusion to each target).
You cannot apply more than one infusion to the same attack; producing and
using an infusion are both part of the action you used to attack with the
weapon.
INFUSION EFFECT
Basic Infusions
Cryo The attack deals 5 extra damage, and its damage
becomes ice.
Pyro The attack deals 5 extra damage, and its damage
becomes fire.
Volt The attack deals 5 extra damage, and its damage
becomes bolt.
Advanced Infusions
Cyclone The attack deals 5 extra damage, and its damage
becomes air.
Exorcism The attack deals 5 extra damage, and its damage
becomes light.
Seismic The attack deals 5 extra damage, and its damage
becomes earth.
Shadow The attack deals 5 extra damage, and its damage
becomes dark.
Superior Infusions
Vampire
Choose one option: you recover an amount of HP equal to half the HP loss
suffered by the target of the attack; or you recover an amount of MP equal
to half the HP loss suffered by the target of the attack.
This infusion can only be used if the attack targeted a single
creature.
Venom The attack deals 5 extra damage, its damage becomes
poison, and each creature hit by the attack suffers poisoned.
MAGITECH
Also: Engineering, Golemcraft, Robotics.
This invention type grants a variety of different benefits.
d MAGITECH OVERRIDE (Basic)
You may use an action and spend 10 Mind Points to perform an Opposed
[INS + INS] Check against a nearby
soldier-rank construct you can see (the Game Master must tell you who is a
valid target). If you succeed, you gain control of the creature until the end
of the scene (the Game Master gives you its profile). You may only control one
construct at any given time, but may set it free whenever you want; the
construct is also set free as soon as it is harmed by you or by one of your
allies. Once free, the construct is again in control of its actions and might
turn against you.
d MAGICANNON (Advanced)
You may perform the Inventory action and spend 3 Inventory Points to create a
firearm weapon known as a magicannon (see below). The magicannon will crumble
to pieces as soon as you use create a new magicannon. When you create a
magicannon, choose the type of damage it deals (air, bolt, earth, fire, ice,
or physical).
WEAPON STATS
ACCURACY: MAGICANNON
[DEX + INS] +1
DAMAGE:[HR + 10]
TYPE: Two-handed, Ranged, No Quality.
d MAGISPHERES (Superior)
You develop three magisphere prototypes; each of them can replicate a spell
chosen from the following lists: Elementalist, Entropist and Spiritist. The
spells you choose may come from the same list or different lists.
You also develop two more prototypes upon reaching level 20, and another two
upon reaching level 40 (the same applies if you already reached those levels).
You may perform the Inventory action and spend 2 Inventory Points to create a
magisphere and immediately perform the Spell action for free, casting one of
the spells you have developed a prototype for. The spell follows the normal
rules (including MP costs and Magic Checks) and the magisphere is destroyed
upon use.
Wayfarer
ALSO: Adventurer, Explorer, Treasure Hunter
W A YFARER
Borders are a trick of the mind.
Nomads searching for a fabled continent, explorers braving the wilds, grizzled
hunters and travelers have one thing in common: they are Wayfarers.
While a majority of heroes travel the world during their adventures, Wayfarers
live for the journey. They are always eager to visit new places and learn from
others.
In the eyes of a Wayfarer, the wilderness is neither foe nor an ally, but
rather a stern teacher who can reveal many forgotten truths.
WAYFARER FREE BENEFITS
Permanently increase your maximum Inventory Points by 2.
WAYFARER SKILLS
FAITHFUL COMPANION (çç5)
Together with the rest of your group, design a level 5 beast, construct,
elemental or plant creature (see
page 302) that becomes your companion.
This creature has no Initiative score and does not level up, can have up
to two basic attacks, gains a bonus equal to 【SL】 to Accuracy Checks and
Magic Checks, and their maximum Hit Points are equal to 【(SL multiplied
by the companion's base Might die size) + half your level】.
Your companion doesn't get a turn during conflicts, but on your turn you
can use an action to have the companion perform an action (only once per
turn). If you leave a scene, your companion leaves with you.
If your companion falls to 0 Hit Points, they flee and rejoin you at the
start of the next scene in which you are present, with HP equal to their
Crisis score. When you rest, your companion also gains the full benefits
of resting.
RESOURCEFUL (çç4)
You recover 【SL】 Inventory Points after each travel roll (see
page 106).
TAVERN TALK (çç3)
When you rest inside an inn or tavern, you may ask the Game Master up to
【SL】 questions about your surroundings and the people who live here; the
Game Master will answer truthfully and you describe how you gathered the
information.
TREASURE HUNTER (çç2)
When your group journeys on the world map, you will make a discovery on a
roll of 【SL + 1】 or lower on the travel roll (instead of only on a 1).
WELL-TRAVELED
You reduce the die rolled for your travel rolls by one size (to a
minimum of d6).
If multiple characters have this Skill, the effects are not cumulative.
WEAPONMASTER
Associated Disciplines: Fighter, Rōnin, Warrior
Weaponmasters spend years upon years honing their close combat arts. Most of
them display remarkable skill with a variety of weapons; others have trained
to become one with a specific armament.
Many Weaponmasters follow and protect someone out of love or loyalty, but
there are also those who tirelessly wander the world seeking worthy opponents,
legendary magical weapons, or capable teachers.
The wiser blades remain unsheathed.
WEAPONMASTER FREE BENEFITS
Permanently increase your maximum Hit Points by 5.
Gain the ability to equip martial melee weapons and martial shields.
WEAPONMASTER SKILLS
BLADESTORM
When you perform a melee attack, you may spend 10 Mind Points to choose one
option: the attack gains multi (2); or you increase the attack's multi
property by one, up to a maximum of multi (3).
BONE CRUSHER (çç4)
When you hit one or more targets with a melee attack that would deal damage,
you may have the attack deal no damage. If you do, choose one option: inflict
dazed on each target hit by the attack; or inflict weak on each target hit by
the attack; or each target hit by the attack loses 【SL × 10】 Mind Points.
Describe your maneuver!
BREACH (çç3)
You may use an action and spend 5 Mind Points to perform a free attack with a
melee weapon you have equipped. This attack must target a single creature. If
the attack is successful, it deals no damage and you choose one option: you
destroy one shield equipped by the target; or you destroy the target's
equipped armor; or whenever the target suffers damage from a source before the
start of your next turn, that source deals 【SL × 2】 extra damage to them.
COUNTERATTACK
After an enemy hits or misses you with a melee attack, if the Result of their
Accuracy Check was an even number, you may perform a free attack against that
enemy (after their attack has been fully resolved). This attack must be a
melee attack and must have that enemy as its only target; treat your High Roll
(HR) as 0 when calculating damage dealt by this attack.
MELEE WEAPON MASTERY (çç4)
You gain a bonus equal to 【SL】 to all Accuracy Checks with melee weapons.
Character Background
Relationship Prompts:
What is your relationship with weapons? Are they mere objects, or something
more?
Is battle something you seek, or something you strive to avoid?
Are you, or have you ever been, the servant of a Lady or Lord? What were
they like?
What do your weapons and fighting style look like?
PROLOGUES
Now that you have built your world together, chosen the focus of your group
and created a cast of heroes, it is time for you to begin play!
The early part of your first session will be dedicated to a prologue — a few
scenes that introduce the protagonists and tells us where their story begins.
It is also a great moment to answer some of the questions posed by your Class
and group choices.
Once you get past the prologue, your adventures are supposed to evolve in a
natural way: the Player Characters choose objectives and make choices, and the
Game Master presents obstacles and challenges for them to overcome while also
populating the world with new creatures and characters. When you sit down to
play for the first time it's easy to be unsure of where to begin. To help,
there is a list of tables that generate some context for a starting scene
appropriate to your group choice.
THE QUESTIONS
You will notice that each entry on the prologue tables lists a few questions
designed to help you paint the initial scene. Said questions can be answered
by anyone at the table — whoever has a cool idea should simply go ahead and
suggest it. Once you have built the starting premise together, you can all
slip into your roles — each Player takes control of their character, and the
Game Master takes control of the rest of the game world.
Optional Rule: Starting Bonds
Sometimes it will make sense for a Player Character to already have strong
feelings towards someone else — perhaps they hate the Avalonian Empire or are
loyal to their family. If you use this optional rule, each Player Character
begins play with one Bond (with a single emotion).
This optional rule is excellent for shorter campaigns since these generally
give you less time to build Bonds between characters;
it is also perfect for groups in which two or more heroes already know each
other, share some form of rivalry, or belong to opposite factions — this is
the kind of dramatic relationships you want to see in play!
OPTIONAL: STARTING BONDS
BROUGHT TOGETHER BY FATE
Roll a d6 or choose one option that appeals to your group:
You are all traveling aboard the same vessel or transport, or as part of the
same caravan, when suddenly you are attacked!
Why are you
traveling as part of this group? Who or what is attacking you? What do they
seek?
You have been summoned before a figure of authority or great power.
Who
sent for you? Why were you chosen? Were you brought here against your will?
Do any of you already know this person?
In the aftermath of a terrible battle, an unknown menace appears. Heroes on
both sides must face this new and powerful entity.
Were you
fighting on opposite sides? Have any of you encountered this entity before?
Will you work together?
You are confined within a prison or dungeon — you will be executed
tomorrow.
Why were you imprisoned? Are you innocent or guilty?
Can you escape on your own, or will you need someone's help?
Some of you are here to steal someone or something precious. The rest were
hired to protect that very same "treasure". But there is something weird
going on...
Who hired you? Who or what is the treasure? Was this
all a setup?
People from a variety of countries and organizations have set out to
investigate a bizarre phenomenon. You are among them.
Why are you
here? Were you sent by someone else? What are your theories and beliefs
concerning this phenomenon?
GUARDIANS
Roll a d6 or choose one option that appeals to your group:
During a ceremony before your departure, a dark force suddenly reveals
itself. The life of the Chosen One is in danger!
What is this dark power?
Why was the Chosen One left unprotected?
Did someone betray you?
On your way to the first destination of your long pilgrimage, you find
yourselves under attack! Someone clearly wants to stop you...
Where are you headed to, and why?
Who or what is attacking?
You stand before the entrance of a centuries-old network of tunnels, a
dark and dangerous path leading past the mountains.
What lies beyond the mountains?
What is forcing you to take this path?
Do you know anything about those who dug these tunnels?
You are guests of a longtime, wealthy friend of the Chosen One when
suspicious tales about your host reach your ears.
Who can be trusted?
Who is this friend, and what do the rumors say about them?
Who gave you this information?
What makes it at least partially believable?
You are moments away from fulfilling your mission when a powerful entity
appears before you — your chance is gone and you must fight to protect the
Chosen One.
Who or what is this entity, and how can they be here?
Were you betrayed?
Who can help you find another way?
The people of a town or village are in need of help — and the Chosen One
might be the only person capable of providing it.
What threatens these people, and why is the Chosen One the only person
that can help?
Should you focus on your mission instead?
HEROES OF THE RESISTANCE
Roll a d6 or choose one option that appeals to your group:
You were the last hope of a town or village — but unfortunately, the enemy
is overwhelming you. Fire and smoke rise towards the sky. Who or what is
attacking the town? Does anyone you know live here? How can you save these
innocent lives?
It was supposed to be an easy mission, but now the enemy has surrounded you!
What is this place, and what was your mission here? Did someone betray you?
You are attending the speech of a notorious official. Surrounding you is a
large crowd, including several armed soldiers. Who is this person, and what
are they saying? Are they a possible ally, or a threat to your already
desperate efforts?
You find yourselves in the aftermath of a crushing defeat, broken and
without hope. What happened? How can the enemy be so strong? What are your
plans now?
You have managed to secure an audience with an influential figure. Who is
this person, and how can they help your cause? Who gave you their name?
You are organizing the defense of a small village and preparing the locals
as best as you can — the enemy will be here tomorrow. Why is the enemy
headed here? What is it that they want? And can these people really put up a
fight against their forces?
EXPERIENCE AND LEVELS
In Fabula Ultima, a character’s power is measured by their level: starting
characters enter the game at level 5, and the upper limit for a character is
level 50.
GAINING EXPERIENCE POINTS
In order to increase their level and grow in power, a Player Character must
earn Experience Points, abbreviated as XP.
At the end of each game session, your character will gain a variable amount of
Experience Points, as summarized on your character sheet:
Your character will automatically gain 5 XP. This ensures you achieve some
progress regardless of what happened during the session.
Your character will also gain an amount of XP equal to the amount of Ultima
Points spent by Villains during the session. If the Villains spent lots of
these, it means they didn't pull their punches — and adversity will make you
grow. Because of this, it is a good idea to keep track of spent Ultima
Points by placing tokens inside a bowl or cup.
Finally, your character will gain an amount of XP equal to the amount of
Fabula Points spent by the group during the session, divided by the number
of Player Characters that took part in the session. Whenever you spend
Fabula Points, you are making both yourself and your companions grow
stronger! Just like Ultima Points, you should keep track of spent Fabula
Points by placing the corresponding tokens inside a bowl or cup — and
remember, you don't have to keep track of which character spent them.
Additionally, a list of optional rules for advancement can be found on page
230. Use them to customize your game!
Adopting the blitz, embodiment, or MVP optional rules will cause characters
to grow faster. You might want to no longer award the automatic 5 Experience
Points per session. Discuss this with your group.
When the game refers to "a session", it means a segment of gameplay lasting
approximately four hours. If your sessions are shorter or longer than that,
you might want to "check for Experience Points" every four hours of play.
CHAPTER TRACKING EXPERIENCE AND GAINING LEVELS
When you gain Experience Points, keep track of them on your character sheet:
After gaining XP at the end of a session, you have a chance to increase your
level: If you have 10 or more Experience Points, you must
spend ten of those points and increase your character level by one — you keep
any Experience Points in excess. Note that regardless of how many Experience
Points you have, even if they are multiples of ten, you may only gain one
level per session this way.
GAINING A NEW CHARACTER LEVEL
For each new level your character gains, they receive several benefits:
You may change your character's Identity and/or Theme.
Increase your maximum Hit Points and Mind Points by one point each. Note
that this does not affect your current Hit Points and Mind Points.
If you just reached level 20 or 40, choose one of your Attributes and
increase its base die size by one step, up to a maximum of d12.
You increase the level of one of your character’s Classes by one, or you
gain your first level in a Class you didn’t already have (see next page).
This is the only way you can ever increase your Attributes; whenever you do
so, some of your other statistics might change (see next page).
Important Limitations
There are, however, two important limitations when leveling up:
You can never have more than ten levels in a Class. Once you put the tenth
level in a Class, that Class has been mastered (which grants you a Heroic
Skill, as explained on the next page) and you can no longer invest levels
into it.
You can never have more than three non-mastered Classes. If you want to
further diversify your character, you must first master some of the Classes
you acquired.
EXPERIENCE POINTS
INCREASING YOUR ATTRIBUTES
When you increase one of your four Attributes, keep in mind it might influence
your maximum Hit Points, maximum Mind Points, Defense and Magic Defense:
Your maximum Hit Points are equal to your total character level + five times
your character’s base Might die size. Your Crisis score is equal to half
your maximum Hit Points, rounded down.
Your maximum Mind Points are equal to your total character level + five
times your character’s base Willpower die size.
Your Defense is equal to your current Dexterity die size.
Your Magic Defense is equal to your current Insight die size.
Note that these numbers may further be modified by your character’s choices of
Class, Skills and equipment.
PUTTING LEVELS IN CHARACTER CLASSES
Just like when you created your character, putting a level in a Class allows
you to acquire one of its Class Skills — either a Skill you don’t have, or one
that you have but may be acquired multiple times (çç).
Your level in any given Class can never exceed 10. When you bring a Class up
to level 10, you have mastered it: acquire one Heroic Skill of your choice
(see page 232). Note that this Heroic Skill will be in addition to the Class Skill you
normally acquire by investing the tenth level in that Class.
If a Skill can be acquired multiple times, it will also indicate how many
times you can acquire it, such as (çç5) for a Skill that can be acquired up
to five times, or (çç10) for a Skill that can be acquired up to ten times.
If you put a level in a Class you didn’t previously have, you also gain the
free benefits granted by that Class. Mixing and matching a variety of
Classes can be useful — just don’t forget to master some of them!
OPTIONAL ADVANCEMENT RULES
[Note: The following rules are optional additions for campaign play.]
BLITZ
Player Characters will gain additional Experience at the end of each battle in
which all enemies fled or were reduced to 0 Hit Points. The amount gained by
each character will be equal to 【5 minus the number of rounds elapsed during
the battle 】; this means that any battle concluded during the sixth round
will grant no additional Experience, while a battle that was completed during
the first round will award five XP to each participant.
These additional Experience Points are gained by all characters who took
part in the battle (even if they surrendered or fled at a certain point).
Combine this with Superiority Points (page 83) for a highly tactical game!
It's good if: You like your battles to be intensely tactical,
and you're okay with your campaign mostly revolving around combat. If you
choose this optional rule, the Game Master will have to spend some more time
making sure each encounter is challenging but also allows for clever
strategies.
BOOSTER
Each Player Character will automatically gain a level at the end of each
session (in addition to normal advancement).
It's good if: Your campaign will be relatively short, if the
Players like to have plenty of new tricks every session, and if you don't mind
turning your game into a quickly escalating spiral of mayhem.
Depending on the campaign, you might want to use one or more of the optional
rules. You can also introduce new advancement rules halfway through the
campaign, or stop using them if you realize they are doing more harm than
good.
What's important for you to understand is that the optional XP rules you apply
will inevitably shift the focus of your game: after all, people generally tend
to do what they're rewarded for.
33PRESS START
CHAPTER EMBODIMENT
Embodiment
The group will vote for the Player who better embodied their character's
Identity and/or Theme during the session — the chosen Player's character gains
an additional 2 XP. If two or more Players are tied, they will each gain this
bonus Experience!
A few rules apply however:
You cannot be awarded this bonus XP twice in a row.
You cannot vote for yourself or for the Game Master.
If you are using this optional rule as well as MVP (see below), the two
rewards must go to different Players. Vote for Embodiment before you vote for
MVP.
It's good if: You like to roleplay intense scenes and you
don't run the risk of a single person outshining everyone else or making
things uncomfortable by stealing the spotlight all the time. If you see this
happening, you should stop using this option.
CHAPTER MVP
MVP
The group will vote for a Most Valuable Player at the end of each session —
the chosen Player's character gains an additional 2 XP. If two or more Players
are tied, they will each gain this bonus Experience!
Just like with Embodiment, you cannot be awarded this bonus XP twice in a row,
and you cannot vote for yourself or the Game Master.
If you are using this optional rule as well as Embodiment (see above), the two
rewards must go to different Players. Vote for Embodiment before you vote for
MVP.
It's good if: Your group wants to reward proactive Players
who take a hit for the team or turn the tables on their adversaries.
LEVEL GAPS
If you use the Embodiment or MVP optional rules, some characters might end up
being a few levels above others. The system won't suffer unless this gap is
five or greater, but you should carefully discuss whether the optional rules
are fostering a healthy play environment.
If someone is frustrated by these rules, even if it's only one person, you
should stop using them.
ADVERSITY
Requirements: You must have mastered the Darkblade Class.
As long as you are suffering from one or more status effects, you gain a +1
bonus on all Checks for every status effect you are suffering from, and you
deal 2 extra damage for every status effect you are suffering from (be it
with attacks, spells, Arcana, items or any other method).
AMBIDEXTROUS
You may apply the benefits of two-weapon fighting (page 69) to weapons belonging to different categories, even if one is a melee
weapon and the other is a ranged weapon (such as a dagger and a firearm, for
instance).
ARCANE ECHOES
Requirements: You must have mastered the Arcanist Class.
When you successfully perform a Check to fill or erase one or more sections
of a Clock, if the domains of one or more Arcana you have bound are
applicable to the Check in question, you may fill or erase an additional
section of that Clock.
The Game Master has final say on whether a given domain applies or not.
CHIMERIC MASTERY
Requirements: You must have mastered the Chimerist Class.
Choose two creature Species among construct, demon, elemental, and undead.
You can now use spell mimic to learn spells from creatures of the chosen
Species.
This Heroic Skill may be acquired up to twice, each time selecting two
Species from the list above.
Whenever you acquire this Skill, you also increase your upper limit for
memorized Chimerist spells by 2.
COMET
Requirements: You must have mastered the Entropist Class.
You learn the ultimate Entropist spell: Comet.
MP:
50
Target:
Special
Duration:
Instantaneous
You rip open a large portal to the Cosmos, calling down astral debris from the
gaping void. Choose one option: one creature you can see
suffers 60 damage; or you choose any number of creatures you can see, and each
of them suffers 40 damage. These amounts increase by 5 if you are level 20 or
higher, or by 10 if you are level 40 or higher.
Damage dealt by this spell has no type (thus being unaffected by damage
Affinities).
DEEP POCKETS
Requirements: You must have mastered the Tinkerer Class.
When you spend Inventory Points, you spend 1 less Inventory Point (minimum 1).
DISARMING RHETORIC
Requirements: You must have mastered the Orator Class.
During a conflict scene, you may use an action and choose a soldier-rank
creature that can hear and understand you (the Game Master must tell you who
is a valid target). If that creature is shaken or in Crisis, you may spend an
amount of Mind Points equal to
【20 + half that creature's level】 to have them peacefully leave
the conflict.
Describe how you convince them to desist.
EXTRA HP
Permanently increase your maximum Hit Points by 10. The amount of additional
HP increases to 20 if you are level 40 or higher.
EXTRA IP
Permanently increase your maximum Inventory Points by 4.
EXTRA MP
Permanently increase your maximum Mind Points by 10.
The amount of additional MP increases to 20 if you are level 40 or higher.
EXTRA SPELLS
When you acquire this Skill, learn any two spells from one of the
following lists: Elementalist, Entropist, or Spiritist. Both spells chosen
this way must come from the same list, and they follow the standard rules
for casting spells of that Class.
HEARTBREAKER
Requirements: You must have mastered the Darkblade Class.
When you hit a creature with an attack, if that attack only targeted that
creature and you have a Bond towards them, you may choose to spend half of
your current Hit Points, rounded down. If you do, the attack deals extra
damage equal to
10 multiplied by the strength of your Bond towards the target.
You may use this Skill only on your turn during a conflict, and only once
per turn.
HEROIC COMPANION
Requirements: You must have mastered the Wayfarer Class,
and must have acquired the Faithful Companion Skill.
Your bond with your companion grows stronger.
Benefits Gained:
The companion's maximum Hit Points increase by 10.
Choose one of the companion's Attributes: Dexterity, Insight, Might, or
Willpower. The chosen Attribute is permanently increased by one die size
(up to a maximum size of d12).
The companion gains an additional Skill. When you reach level 40, or if
you have already reached it, the companion gains an additional Skill.
Make sure to discuss your Skill choices with the Game Master and the
other Players.
HOPE
Requirements: You must have mastered the Spiritist Class.
MP: 40 | Target: Special | Duration: Instantaneous
You rekindle the flames of courage and hope within a defeated hero. Choose a
Player Character who surrendered but is still present on the scene: that
Player Character immediately regains consciousness and recovers an amount of
Hit Points equal to their Crisis score. Note that this spell will not undo the
consequences of the character's surrender and is of no use if the character
left the scene as part of their surrender — such as if they were captured and
dragged away, or if they were trapped in a parallel dimension, and so on.
A Player Character may only be affected by this spell once per scene; if a
character is brought back into the conflict by this spell and is subsequently
reduced to 0 Hit Points again, they must sacrifice themselves or surrender as
per the normal rules (including a new consequence and 2 more Fabula Points if
they surrender).
MATHEMAGIC
Requirements: You must have mastered the Loremaster Class.
When you cast a spell with a target of "One creature", you may double the
spell's total MP cost. If you do, choose an Attribute (Dexterity, Insight,
Might, or Willpower) and a die size (d6, d8, d10 or d12). The spell now
targets all creatures present on the scene whose current Attribute die size
matches your choice, regardless of whether they are friends or foes (you might
even end up targeting yourself). The effects of the spell are fully applied to
every target.
If the spell is an offensive spell, it follows the normal rules: you perform a
single Magic Check and confront it with the Magic Defense of each target to
determine who is hit by the spell.
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MONKEY GRIP
Requirements: You must have mastered the Fury Class.
You may equip two-handed weapons belonging to the flail, heavy, spear, or
sword Categories in a single hand slot. This allows you, for instance, to
enjoy the benefits of two-weapon fighting (page 69) while wielding a pair of two-handed weapons, or to equip a two-handed
weapon in your main hand slot and a shield in your off-hand slot.
PERFECT AIM
Requirements: You must have mastered the Sharpshooter Class,
and must have acquired the Warning Shot Skill.
When you hit one or more creatures with a ranged attack and choose to deal no
damage in order to gain the benefits of the Warning Shot Skill, you may choose
two options instead of one (for instance, you could inflict both shaken and
slow on each creature, or inflict a status effect on each creature while also
lowering their Mind Points).
PILLAGE
Requirements: You must have mastered the Rogue Class, and
must have acquired the Soul Steal Skill.
When you use the Soul Steal Skill, you may target any number of creatures at
the same time (you perform a single Check and compare it to the Magic Defense
of each creature you are attempting to steal from).
POWERFUL SHOT
Requirements: You must have mastered the Sharpshooter Class.
When you hit one or more creatures with a ranged attack, that attack deals 5
extra damage to each creature. The amount of extra damage increases to 10 if
you are level 40 or higher.
POWERFUL SPELL
Requirements: You must have mastered one or more Classes
among the following: Chimerist, Elementalist, Entropist, or Spiritist.
When you cast a spell that deals damage to one or more creatures, that spell
deals 5 extra damage to each creature. The amount of extra damage increases to
10 if you are level 40 or higher.
POWERFUL STRIKE
Requirements: You must have mastered one or more Classes
among the following: Fury or Weaponmaster.
When you hit one or more creatures with a melee attack, that attack deals 5
extra damage to each creature. The amount of extra damage increases to 10 if
you are level 40 or higher.
PREDICTABLE!
Requirements: You must have mastered the Loremaster Class.
During a conflict, you may use an action and spend 20 Mind Points to
anticipate the upcoming moves of a creature you can see, as long as you know
two or more of that creature's Traits. If you do so, choose one type of action
among the following:
Attack
Guard
Objective
Spell
Skill
Until the start of your next turn, the creature must spend 20 Mind Points
whenever they wish to perform that action. If they can't, they must perform a
different action.
RAMPART
Requirements: You must have mastered the Guardian Class.
During the first round of each conflict scene, you have Resistance to all
damage types and cannot suffer status effects (you do not recover from
preexisting status effects, however). These benefits only last until the end
of the first round.
"Rest now, sister. For too long I asked you to protect me. Today, it is I
who shall be strong for the both of us."
REPETITION
Requirements: You must have mastered the Orator Class.
Once per turn during a conflict, after you use the Condemn Skill or the
Encourage Skill, you may immediately perform that same Skill again (on the
same target or a different one). You must still pay the Mind Point cost for
the second use of the Skill.
REVELATION
Requirements: You must have mastered the Arcanist Class.
You make contact with an unknown Arcanum and bind it to your soul. This
Arcanum must be something you design together with the rest of the group; as
long as you live, no one else in your world will be able to bind that Arcanum.
Once per scene while you are merged with an Arcanum, you may use an action and
spend 2 Fabula Points to trigger that Arcanum's dismiss effect (if any)
without dismissing them. Doing so does not trigger the Arcane Circle Skill (page 177).
STATUS IMMUNITY
Requirements: You must have mastered the Wayfarer Class.
You become completely immune to a single status effect of your choice.
TEMPEST STRIKE
Requirements: You must have mastered the Weaponmaster Class.
When you perform a melee attack with the multi property, if you choose to
target only one creature, the attack deals 5 extra damage if the attack had
multi (2), or 10 extra damage if the attack had multi (3 or higher).
UNBREAKABLE
Requirements: You must have mastered the Guardian Class.
Once per scene when you are about to be reduced to 0 Hit Points, you may
instead choose to withstand the pain and be reduced to exactly 1 Hit Point.
UPGRADE
Requirements: You must have mastered the Tinkerer Class.
Once per rest, you may choose one option:
Add a Quality to a single weapon, armor, or shield that doesn't have one;
or
Replace the current Quality of a single weapon, armor, or shield with a
different Quality.
When you use this Skill, you must select a Quality from the default list for
that item type as long as the cost modifier associated with that ability is
+1000 zenit or lower. Then, you must spend an amount of zenit equal to twice
the cost modifier of the chosen ability. The modified item will be ready at
the end of the rest; you may only modify one item per rest.
The default list of weapon abilities can be found on
page 269, while the default list of armor
and shield abilities can be found on
page 280.
VANISH
Requirements: You must have mastered the Rogue Class.
When you hit one or more creatures with an attack, you may spend 1 Fabula
Point. If you do, each of those creatures will be unable to perform any action
that requires them to be able to see you until the start of your next turn.
VOLCANO
Requirements: You must have mastered the Elementalist Class.
Ultimate Elementalist Spell: Volcano
MP:
40
Target:
Special
Duration:
Instantaneous
You channel the fury of the planet into a powerful wave of fire and magma.
Choose one option:
One creature you can see suffers 50 fire damage; or
Any number of creatures you can see, and each of them suffers 30 fire
damage.
These amounts increase by 5 if you are level 20 or higher, or by 10 if you are
level 40 or higher.
Damage dealt by this spell ignores Resistances and Immunities.
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GAME MASTER
This chapter contains advice and procedures for Fabula Ultima Game Masters.
Your main job as a Game Master is breathing life into the world your group has
created. Together, you have planted the seeds of your campaign: now you must
tend to those seeds and help everything blossom.
While the Players are responsible for portraying heroic characters and
steering the direction of the story by establishing goals and making
decisions, your duty is to portray the rest of the world and challenge the
protagonists: the resulting conflicts and struggles are what makes the game
memorable.
NO ONE IS BORN A GM
When it comes to being a capable Game Master, experience is key. No amount of
painstakingly precise notes and preparation can save you from mistakes or
experiencing a lackluster game session — and that’s okay. Even the most
experienced Game Masters and Players make mistakes, and sometimes there will
be issues outside the game that prevent your group from having a good time.
Take those mistakes and learn from your experiences, get the entire group
involved in the creative process, and combine all of this with the advice
provided throughout this chapter. By doing this, it will help everyone both
enjoy playing the game and developing an incredible story.
HOW TO USE THIS CHAPTER
What you will find in the following pages is a variety of tools designed to
make your life as a Game Master easier. Read this chapter carefully before
playing the game, and come back to read it again after one or two sessions.
Many things will be clearer once you have experienced how the game works in
play.
Part of these have been summarized on
page 26 of the Introduction chapter, but Part
of these have been summarized on page 26 of
the Introduction chapter, but
DURING SESSION ZERO
Once your group is ready to start a new journey in Fabula Ultima, make sure
to:
Help everyone else. Help everyone find useful information
in the book, offer ideas and prompt everyone to take this new world into
their hands. You are not here to tell them a story; you are here to help
them write their own.
Ask questions. When a Player picks a certain option for
their character, have them tell everyone more about it — where did they
learn this? What's their combat style? Why did they choose this specific
Theme? The questions provided by each Class entry can be a huge help;
remember to jot down notes so that you'll remember the Players' answers
later. (Everyone always ends up forgetting something important, and notes
help!)
Stir the creative juices. Show your enthusiasm for the
Players' choices and encourage them to add new narrative elements and make
the world their own. Consider using music and artwork to get everyone in
the right "mood", but make sure these elements aren't distracting.
Think about threats and Villains. As your group defines
the history of your world and the initial situation of the prologue, start
thinking about the first antagonists they will meet. You can find further
advice on Villains starting on
page 254. It is often a good
idea to showcase an early Villain during the prologue itself or shortly
afterward — if possible, pick someone the heroes have already recognized
as a threat and use this antagonist to get the action moving; save the
subtler Villains for later!
Keep track of changes. While building the premises of the
story, the group might suddenly realize some previous choices no longer
make sense. Since you will be the one keeping track of all information
concerning the game world, make sure to update your notes whenever a
change is approved by the group.
Start things off with a bang. Don't be afraid to set some
high stakes during the prologue — while slow buildups can work, an
explosive beginning is often more memorable. Perhaps we first meet our
heroes while they're being chased by a huge monster, or hours away from
being executed for treason.
Do your best to keep everyone engaged and on their toes from the very start!
DURING PLAY
During each session, adhere to the following principles:
Portray a wondrous world. Give your NPCs unique quirks and add memorable
touches to every location, but don't get bogged down by details. Keep the
descriptions short and then let everyone ask questions.
Manage information. A big part of your job during each session has to do
with information — you will be asked plenty of questions, from the shape of
a room to a person's behavior. You decide whether the characters know such
information (based on simple observation or on who they are) or if a Check
is required — the dice will determine how much the character knows about
someone or something, or if they at least know where they could find that
information.
Seek input from others. If something is relevant to a character's role in
the story (especially their Classes and Identities), you should ask for the
Player's input — let them establish facts about the shared game world.
React to the heroes' choices. Be ready to adapt to the heroes' actions and
goals; leave them free to adopt whatever strategy they choose, but apply the
consequences of those strategies and don't pull your punches.
Enforce transparency. Make sure everyone at the table knows what's at stake
when they perform Checks or choose a specific course of action.
Keep the pressure high. Whatever the Player Characters want to achieve,
someone or something will block their path. Heroes should never have enough
time to do everything — put them in front of hard choices. Use Clocks to
show impending threats and make sure Villains play an active role in the
story.
Think cinematically. Describe situations and actions as if they were
cutscenes from a videogame — keep things moving and make sure everything
feels vivid and dynamic. This is especially important during conflict
scenes, when the strategic aspect of the game is at its peak: mechanics and
descriptions go hand in hand.
Start and end scenes. When you feel like a scene has been resolved, propose
to end it. If anyone still wants to do something, they should tell you —
otherwise, move on with the story.
Design interesting battles. Avoid "filler battles" and focus on intense and
dramatic confrontations with powerful antagonists. See
page 292 for more.
CHAPTER BETWEEN SESSIONS
When preparing for the next session, you should:
Think about the heroes' choices. Reflect upon the actions
and choices made by the Player Characters during the previous sessions and
come up with a variety of possible situations, threats and antagonists. Keep
the heroes' objectives in mind and think about how you can build interesting
conflicts and struggles around them. This is less about writing tons of
scenes and dialogue, and more about going for a walk with some cool music
and envisioning amazing sequences in your head.
Think about what the Villains are doing. Villains are the
most powerful forces opposing the Player Characters' actions, and you should
spend some time considering what their short and long-term plans are. You
should also make sure to update a Villain's level and abilities so that they
can properly challenge the Player Characters during conflict scenes.
Ask the Players what their goals and objectives are. As you
prepare for the next session, contact the Players and ask them about their
plans. Will they storm the Emperor's palace? Are they going to search the
depths of the Azure Cave? Or do they plan to gather clues to prove someone's
innocence? Knowing the general focus of the coming session will help you
save time and make the most out of your preparation; ask these questions at
the end of a session, when recent events are still fresh in everyone's
memory.
Design new creatures. Sooner or later, the creatures in the
Bestiary will no longer suit your needs — whenever you have time, use the
rules on page 302 to create new
creatures and adversaries for your campaign, mainly focusing on the kind of
territory the group is currently traversing. This will become increasingly
easier as you play the game: not only will you grow more familiar with the
rules, but you will also better understand the Player Characters' abilities.
If you don't get any immediate use out of a creature you designed, don't
worry too much — you can always tweak it a little bit and bring it back
later when the occasion arises!
Look for inspiration. Watch movies and TV series, read
comics and books, play video games and search for inspiring artwork online.
Exposing yourself to a variety of different stories and aesthetics is a
great way to make each session feel unique — you'll never run out of ideas.
The Prince of Megara has fallen gravely ill.
Rumor has it he was aiding the Olcressian Rebellion.
See page 302 for the rules concerning
creature design.
See page 302 for the rules concerning
creature design.
DARKBLADE
If someone picks the Darkblade as the core concept for their character, the
tragedy that awakened their powers should play a major role in the story. Have
the Player talk about it, then create scenes that bring back echoes of that
dark past.
Due to their ability to negate dark damage, undead are extremely resilient
to a Darkblade's Shadow Strike. Keep this in mind when designing battles.
There might come a time when the Darkblade can finally leave their past
behind. When this happens, you might have their Skills "flipped" — maybe
they can now create Bonds of affection with Heart of Hope and unleash light
damage with Celestial Strike. Discuss this option with the Player and see if
it's something that interests them.
ELEMENTALIST
Elemental magic is mostly focused around dealing damage of several types:
when you design battles, make sure this ability gets to shine. Create
adversaries that absorb certain elements and are vulnerable to others, so
that the Elementalist’s contribution may be key to victory.
Given its raw power, elemental magic is often used in battle. If this type
of spellcaster is common in your setting, it probably contributed to shaping
the history of warfare. This is something you should discuss with your
Elementalist Player.
ENTROPIST
Entropic magic is deeply tied to death, chaos and oblivion. It can be easily
seen as "villainous” magic, but the Player Characters are heroes. Create
situations in which this contrast becomes important!
Entropists are among the few characters capable of dealing damage with no
type, causing direct HP loss, limiting enemy actions, and granting allies
additional turns. Create conflicts where these abilities can prove vital.
Ritual Entropism can achieve incredible effects, such as altering time and
space. These Rituals are expensive and dangerous, but a Player Character is
still free to attempt them; just remember that failure will be
proportionally devastating.
FURY
Anger and passion are the core elements of a Fury. Build scenes in which
acting upon instinct can be detrimental, and always show the consequences of
violence or recklessness. There’s a reason Furies are seen as ticking bombs by
most people around them, and some might feel unsafe when a Fury is present.
In battle, hit the Fury hard — they are quite resilient and can deal serious
damage when in Crisis. Hurt them, and they will hurt you back twice as hard.
Given their temper, Furies are generally well-known in their land of
origin... they do tend to cause trouble, after all. Discuss the Fury’s
“reputation” with the Player.
GUARDIAN
Create occasions for heroism and situations in which a Guardian must choose
between themselves and others. Particularly interesting are the moments in
which a Guardian has the ability to protect someone who was once their enemy
— what will they do?
Keep in mind the Protect Skill only works on one target at a time — a threat
affecting an entire area will force the Player to make difficult decisions.
Build on this.
A Guardian adversary risking their life to protect a Villain (out of loyalty
or even love) can make for an especially tragic figure — one the heroes may
respect.
LOREMASTER
When a Loremaster Player asks you a question, remember — they are supposed
to know a little bit about everything. Be generous when handing out
information to them, and remember to often involve them in the description
of a scene or location. Let them showcase their knowledge by adding details
to a place, item, or person.
If a Loremaster acquires the Quick Assessment Skill, make sure to reveal
useful Traits when they use it. Revealing the "winged" Trait on a dragon
feels like a cheap move, while Traits like "coward" or "loyal" are much more
interesting and useful.
GAME MASTER GUIDE
CHAPTER ORATOR
Orators are assumed to draw attention. Maybe they look good, maybe they’re
naturally charismatic, or maybe there’s some other reason — you should ask the
Player.
Words are powerful. They can save people just as much as they can bring
ruin. Never forget to show an Orator the consequences of their threats and
promises, and remember that some will be envious or wary of their charm and
popularity.
When an Orator uses Condemn, ask them what they say. If their argument is
especially strong or weak, apply a situational modifier to their Check (+2
if they have some leverage, -2 if they're in over their head).
Unexpected Ally is a powerful Skill, but it's no "mind control". If the
character abuses the target's loyalty and trust, the benefit will quickly be
lost. Make it clear to the Orator if they're asking too much of their
newfound ally.
CHAPTER ROGUE
Whatever ideals spur a Rogue into action can often be twisted and manipulated.
It is dreadfully easy for a rebel to turn into an oppressor, and the heroes of
the past were often treated like criminals during their own time.
Most people will be wary of helping a Rogue, especially if they belong to a
criminal guild or organization. Discuss these details of the setting with
your Rogue Player — perhaps they have their very own secret language and
hideouts!
The Rogue’s Soul Steal Skill allows them to gain precious items that embody
the essence of their adversaries. Said items should tell a story about the
creature they originated from: for instance, a particularly spiteful and
envious adversary might have a flesh eater sword (see
page 278) as its soul treasure, since it
represents how their sentiments are gnawing at their very spirit. On the
other hand, a ruthless person that only cares about wealth might harbor a
cold yet valuable diamond.
Remember that items acquired this way are in addition to normal game rewards
(page 264). Because of this, the group
will inevitably gain access to more options and wealth than normal — but
that’s part of what makes a Rogue special. Don’t be afraid to give the Player
Characters some new toys!
"Goddess of Law? How fitting! As a thief, I'll defend my right to disobey
until the very end!"
TINKERER
Technology can be powerful and terrifying. Build situations related to the
dangers of ruthless and unethical progress and challenge the Tinkerer to prove
why their view of science is different.
Tinkerers excel at crafting inventions and are an amazing Class for the more
creative Players. Be ready to work with your Tinkerer when coming up with
inventions, and work with them to establish unique Inventory Items available
in your world!
Tinkerer are very flexible: they have access to all damage types and can
provide excellent support with healing items. Remember this when designing
battles.
WAYFARER
Given how frequent discoveries can become if your group includes a Wayfarer
with the Treasure Hunter and/or Well-traveled Skills, it may be a good idea
to prepare a quick list of interesting discoveries that may come useful in a
pinch.
When short on ideas, turn to the Wayfarer Player and ask them to tell you
more about the local area, the terrain, and the creatures that live there.
Then, build on their answers during the session!
The Faithful Companion Skill is a powerful option that brings a whole new
character into the party. Design the creature together with the Player, and
don't be afraid to adjust its stats along the way if you see that it's too
underwhelming or if it outshines the rest of the party. The best companions
are those that support the group!
WEAPONMASTER
In times of war, capable warriors are an asset. In times of peace, they are a
threat. The feats of a Weaponmaster will surely earn them respect... and
attract trouble.
Consider introducing a rival Weaponmaster in the campaign — a recurring foe
with their own beliefs and peculiar combat style.
Most Weaponmasters learned from an exceptional mentor. Creating this figure
in collaboration with the Player and giving them a role in the story, as an
ally or an unexpected antagonist, can add depth to the character.
THE ART OF VILLAINS
If the Player Characters represent a heroic and positive force in the world,
Villains are the opposite. Being the Game Master, it is your responsibility to
create, introduce, and portray these characters.
You already know about what differentiates a Villain from a typical Non-Player
Character in terms of rules: that is to say, the access to Ultima Points. This
section, on the other hand, contains advice on what you should focus on when
creating and portraying an antagonist within the story.
So, let’s get to it: what makes a good Villain?
GOALS
This is the most important aspect of any antagonist: they want to accomplish
something. Be it reshaping the world, exacting revenge upon those who made
them suffer, or conquering a neighboring region, Villains must have goals.
Goals are extremely useful for you as a Game Master: when you don’t know how a
Villain would act or react to a given situation, look at their goals and you
will most likely find an answer.
Minor Villains generally have simple or at least very
personal goals, such as saving someone's life, stealing a magical artifact,
or seizing control of a village.
Major Villains should have complex goals that can affect a
large number of people, such as conquering a kingdom, or destroying a divine
being.
Supreme Villains have goals that can affect the entire
world and change the laws of reality: rewinding time, erasing soul energy,
or even becoming a deity.
Remember that Villains can also escalate: perhaps a young wizard (minor
Villain) suddenly realizes he must steal magical energy from an entire country
to revive a loved one, thus becoming a major Villain. Then, when the attempt
fails — likely due to the Player Characters’ intervention — the desperate
wizard seeks a way to merge with the deities of time and space, erasing
reality and creating a timeline that never was... a fitting and tragic goal
for a supreme Villain.
Having some Villains turn into allies throughout the campaign is just as
important: this encourages Players to seek dialogue with their adversaries and
to consider both sides of a situation, instead of simply assuming that
everyone is either good or evil.
GAME MASTER
PRESSURE
Your Villains should actively work towards their goals. If the Player
Characters spend an extended amount of time resting or taking care of issues
that are not related to an antagonist’s plans, then that antagonist will not
sit idly and wait for the heroes to do something: they will get closer to
their objective.
When a Villain’s plans advance, you must always clearly communicate it to the
Players — perhaps with an appropriate Game Master scene, or through rumors and
conversations the heroes have with NPCs in the game world. Don’t just surprise
them with a casual “Oh yeah, did I mention this guy you didn’t know about has
successfully rewritten reality?”
If you plan on having multiple Villains in your campaign at the same time — or
if you play at very irregular intervals and it's hard to remember everything —
consider using Clocks to track the progress of each Villain’s
goals.
The more complex or dramatic objectives will require larger Clocks:
Minor Villains should have Clocks with 4 to 6 sections.
Major Villains should have Clocks with 8 to 10 sections.
Supreme Villains should have Clocks with 10 to 12 sections.
If the Player Characters manage to foil the Villain’s plans, the current Clock
will reset to 0 or possibly be replaced with an entirely different one,
representing how the antagonist is now seeking to achieve the same end through
a different method.
AN UNEXPECTED SIDE
Never create one-dimensional antagonists. Villains should have a deeper layer,
a tragic or at least unexpected side to them: perhaps they genuinely think
they are doing the world a favor, they have their own reasons for forsaking
everyone else, or they feel trapped in a path of ruin and are simply waiting
for someone to stop them. Maybe an antagonist is so honorable that they will
fully heal the heroes before a battle!
This doesn’t mean the PCs should necessarily sympathize with all Villains — a
few will be beyond redemption. But even then, dark emotions must come from
somewhere... and upon discovering those tragic roots, Player Characters will
see that antagonist under a different light, and perhaps even find a way to
help them realize that what they're doing is harmful.
THE DARK MIRROR
If you think about the most memorable villains in movies, comics, and games,
you will soon find that many of them share a peculiar quality: in one or more
ways, they are polar opposite to the hero(es) of the tale.
Where the heroes are a group, the antagonist feels alone and abandoned.
Where the heroes fight for justice, the antagonist now believes that justice
is an illusion, and that the world belongs to those strong enough to take
it.
Where the heroes are willing to give up their life for the cause, the
antagonist is frightened by death.
Where the heroes believe in second chances, the antagonist has been denied
one.
Where the heroes represent hope, the antagonist represents despair.
When you create a Villain, try to think about at least one aspect of their
character that makes them the dark reflection of one or more Player
Characters.
As you introduce that antagonist and whenever they are part of a scene, focus
on portraying that they are a negation of what the heroes stand for, or as a
grim warning to what they might become if they ever lose their way.
STYLE AND MANNERISM
Spend a few minutes thinking about how a Villain speaks, acts, moves and
dresses. Are they dashing and refined, or do they care little for appearances?
Do they wear a specific uniform? Do all of their henchmen emulate them?
Please note that “mannerism” has nothing to do with acting Skills or the
ability to do different voices — it means that each Villain should behave in a
peculiar and recognizable way, and you should describe that. Then again, if
you’re good at coming up with unique accents and your group enjoys it — and
provided those accents do not mirror harmful stereotypes — then feel free to
take advantage of that Skill!
CHAPTER CONFLICT ABILITIES
When you create an antagonist, consider how they will behave during conflicts.
Each Villain has one or more preferred conflict types: some might favor
social occasions; others may prefer to engage the heroes in battle. The most
obnoxious antagonists are the ones that avoid conflict scenes at all costs —
but even then, Ultima Points aren't an infinite resource.
To properly challenge the heroes, Villains should be elites or champions
(see page 295) or be accompanied by some
allies: this is to ensure they can perform multiple actions during each
conflict round.
Because of their importance, a battle against a Villain should be treated as
a boss fight (see
page 300 for details on how to design
one).
Powerful antagonists might also be protected by a “plot armor” that prevents
Player Characters from fighting them unless they have a specific item, spell,
or other assets at their disposal. Generally you don’t want to overdo this —
one or two such “tricks” over the course of the entire campaign are more than
enough.
AND FINALLY, A DRAMATIC ENTRANCE
A Villain’s entrance should be an intense moment that sets the tone for their
role in the story. Think of it as a video game cutscene: you get a few seconds
to show your audience what this Villain looks like and hint at the kind of
forces and weapons at their disposal — soldiers, forgotten technology,
powerful magic, or a healthy dose of supernatural strength.
During your preparation stage before a session, it may be helpful to focus on
the reveals key moments — you have to condense everything important in a
couple of sentences. It should be something like this:
Approaching with heavy footfalls, the figure rests a hand on a sword the likes
of which you’ve never seen... a delicate gesture, but her grip is steady.
“It appears we are here for the same reason,” she says. “Unfortunately, I
cannot let you have that which I need. Stand back, and no one shall be
injured.”
With a few words, you have communicated that this is likely a proud and
honorable adversary who is also very determined. That sword of hers? That’s
bad news!
"When you chose to fight not to protect your people, but to prove them
wrong... that is what made you a villain."
Dungeons
Page 110 provides guidelines on how to manage dungeon exploration while
playing — but what about preparing those dungeons? How much information will
you need? Should you have a map of the location ready?
To make sure this is clear from the beginning: dungeons aren't necessarily a
thing in Fabula Ultima, and you might run an entire campaign without the
Player Characters ever entering one.
A dungeon generally covers one or more of the following functions:
Slowly eroding the heroes' resources before an important confrontation by
having them face several weaker enemies.
Telling more about a character, place or people.
Rewarding careful exploration with hidden treasures that may prove useful in
the dungeon itself or a future situation.
If a dungeon isn't doing any of these, you probably shouldn't have it in your
game: "dungeons for the sake of dungeons" is never a good idea.
Prepared and Improvised
The first distinction we should make is between prepared dungeons (the ones
you thought about before the session started) and improvised dungeons (the
ones that were introduced as part of the current session).
While prepared dungeons can be more complex, the ones you have to improvise on
the spot will necessarily be simpler — but simple doesn't mean boring.
A prepared dungeon allows for all three modes of exploration; most of the
time you will rely on dungeon scenes or detailed exploration (page 110), but if the layout of the place isn't important you might even get it
done with an interlude scene.
An improvised dungeon, on the other hand, will rarely allow for detailed
exploration (unless you have a dungeon archive ready; see
page 261) and generally fall in the
middle between dungeon scenes and interludes.
Note that this distinction has nothing to do with the importance of the
dungeon: a key strategic location might be unexpectedly introduced halfway
through a session, and you might know about a minor ruin along the road with
no plot relevance weeks before you play through its exploration. Don't worry,
we'll deal with this too.
IS THIS DUNGEON IMPORTANT?
Some locations in your game will naturally be more important than others. The
evil sorcerer's tower in which he hides the Crystal of Balance? That's
certainly more important than the sewers connecting the capital to the
countryside, and yet both might be turned into dungeons.
If a location will be a key part of your session and you know about it in
advance, simply decide the style of exploration (scenes, detailed, or
interlude) and prepare accordingly (see next page).
If a location is important and you have to improvise it, only mention the
most important details and cut to the chase. Interlude scenes are your best
friend, and you should focus on the core reason the Player Characters are
here: if there are obstacles in their way, ask for a Group Check and use it
to determine whether the PCs reach their objective unhindered or must
overcome a challenge. Keep things short and maybe end the exploration with a
challenging battle against a Villain!
Still, if you feel like this location deserves more attention, you can pause
or end the session and explain that you need some time to prepare.
If a location isn't particularly important and you have time to prepare it,
carefully consider whether you should do so. You will often be fine
describing how the heroes traverse the location (a) and maybe calling for
one or two Checks — failure might mean getting lost (especially important if
the heroes are in a hurry) or encountering some hostile creatures.
Finally, if a location isn't important and you have to improvise, you should
keep things as simple as possible. Just describe the place and have the
heroes confront a challenge — a mechanism, a negotiation, or a battle — in
order to reach whatever is hidden here.
As you might have noticed already, the core elements of a dungeon are:
Its style and aesthetics — what it looks and feels like.
What can be found inside — an objective or a threat.
What obstacles must be overcome in order to traverse the dungeon.
This is true regardless of the chosen exploration style; the difference lies
simply in the level of detail and complexity.
Preparing a Dungeon
If you have time to prepare a dungeon and know that the Player Characters will
explore it, the following process generally works well:
Think about the general look and mood of the dungeon: Is it
a spooky ruin, a lavish castle, or perhaps a network of ancient tunnels?
Sketch a rough map of the dungeon: This doesn't need to be
pretty, but does need to be functional. You're the only person that will use
it, so make sure your notes are clear (especially if you plan on using the
dungeon weeks or even months from now). If you're short on ideas, the
internet is filled with awesome dungeon designs — there's nothing wrong with
drawing inspiration from them.
Place rewards (see
page 264) in your dungeon: These may be
magic items, currency, or even Inventory Points. Try to avoid placing most
of the rewards in the same room (you should encourage exploration).
Place obstacles and threats (traps, puzzles, hostile
creatures) in your dungeon, preferably so that they guard or prevent access
to rewards.
When you prepare an obstacle or threat, do not determine in advance how
the Player Characters might approach it. That's for them to decide.
Avoid swarming the heroes with a large number of weak enemies; instead,
focus on two or three challenging encounters (see
page 292 for more).
If the reward is an item, the creature guarding it might use it in
battle.
Think about one or two Danger Clocks appropriate for your
dungeon, their size and what will happen if they are filled — will the
heroes be ambushed? Is there a magical surveillance system? Will the tunnels
be flooded by lava?
Determine the focal point of your dungeon (an antagonist, a
precious artifact, a vital piece of information) and choose its location.
Most of the time you will want to place this element far away from the
entrance, but you might also make it relatively easy to reach (in this case,
the rest of the dungeon will feature "optional content").
THE DUNGEON ARCHIVE
If you and your group are particularly fond of detailed dungeon exploration,
and if your schedule allows for it, you might want to prepare your own dungeon
archive.
This is straightforward: whenever you have some time, jot down a few notes
about potential dungeons — a notebook is fine, but you might also choose to
keep them on your device or inside the cloud storage. Then, whenever you need
to "improvise" a dungeon, you can instead grab one from your archive. You'll
probably need to make a few adjustments on the fly, but it's easier than
having to come up with everything on the spot.
When preparing dungeons for your archive, keep the following in mind:
Flexibility. Make sure your prepared dungeons can fit a
variety of situations and environments. This will largely depend on your
group's campaign world, but each dungeon should be appropriate for at least
two or three areas in your world map.
Internet is your friend. Download, print or save a variety
of dungeon maps from videogames and other tabletop games (but make sure you
only do so for your personal use).
You can of course draw your own dungeon layouts: an activity some find very
relaxing, but one that can prove quite time-consuming as well. Be mindful
about how you spend your effort!
Connections. One of the advantages when preparing several
dungeons ahead of time is that you can tie some or all of them together in
many ways. You could design a set of four temples, each tied to a natural
element, and place them all over the map; or you could have one dungeon
contain clues to the position of another.
The biggest risk when relying on the dungeon archive is to "shoehorn" a
dungeon you prepared into a location, or to refrain from an otherwise cool and
unique improvised design just because it feels safer to use a prepared dungeon
instead.
As the Game Master, it is your responsibility to find a balance between
prepared and improvised dungeons — both have their pros and cons.
DUNGEON GENERATION TABLES
If you're in need of inspiration when creating a dungeon (whether improvising
or preparing it in advance), you may roll d20s or choose options from the
tables on the following pages!
Example Entry
A millenary presence ensures the dead buried within the Necropolis of
Basitrale rest undisturbed.
Dungeon Concept Ideas
Dungeon Concepts
Pyramid or ziggurat.
Tower of sorcery.
Network of caverns or tunnels.
Ancient ship or airship.
Inside a magitech colossus.
Lost city.
Great cathedral.
Castle or fortress.
Steam-powered factory.
Luxurious mansion.
Monster colony.
Petrified forest.
Forgotten labyrinth.
Legendary island.
Underwater shrine.
Inside an enormous creature.
Another planet or dimension.
Sewers.
Prison.
Focal Element
A blessed weapon.
An apocalyptic mechanism.
A legendary monster.
A way to commune with an Arcanum.
The egg of a divine creature.
The access to a hidden city.
A world-altering relic or magic.
The pulsing heart of a villain.
A kidnapped person.
A powerful witch or wizard.
Vital information for the heroes.
A forbidden ritual or spell.
The leader of a hostile faction.
An ancient and wise creature.
Forgotten lore.
A magitech war prototype.
An elemental crystal.
An evil deity or demon.
A portal to another world.
44 GAME MASTER
Population
1. Failed magical experiments.
2. Bandits or outlaws.
3. Dreams and nightmares.
4. Scholars and researchers.
5. Manifestations of elemental energies.
6. Ferocious beasts.
7. Priests and religious followers.
8. Creatures from another world.
9. Drakes and great lizards.
10. Magically tainted beasts.
11. Angelic creatures.
12. Magitech constructs.
13. Bizarre plant monstrosities.
14. Trained soldiers or warriors.
15. Swarms of deadly insects.
16. Golems and gargoyles.
17. Undead horrors.
18. Worshippers of an ancient deity.
19. Demons and hellbeasts.
20. Loyal servants or bodyguards.
Quirks
1. Crumbling sections.
2. Surges of elemental magic.
3. Steam pipes and furnaces.
4. Moving corridors and staircases.
5. Beautiful decorations.
6. Warped time and space.
7. Runes and magic circles.
8. Secret passageways and elevators.
9. A constant, haunting melody.
10. Tombs and catacombs.
11. Shifting gravity or floating areas.
12. Extremely high surveillance.
13. Magical mirrors.
14. Rivers and waterfalls.
15. Toxic fog or clouds of spores.
16. Extreme heat or extreme cold.
17. Sudden wind currents.
18. Underwater sections.
19. Pools of acid or lava.
20. Overgrown vegetation.
REWARD FREQUENCY
On average, the chart is based on the idea that a group will receive
approximately one reward per session (as in, every four or five hours of
play). This is not a hard rule and more of a guideline: there will be some
sessions in which characters do not receive rewards in the form of fancy
items, but instead develop connections or retrieve a powerful artifact. That
table is there to help you, not to constrain you.
CREATING INTERESTING REWARDS
Here are a few things you will want to keep in mind when creating rewards:
Learn what your Players want. If you catch a Player saying
they’d like a specific item for their character, take notes — you can
include that item in a future reward. Consider a Survey or Wishlist, as
explained on page 123.
Items that tell a story. When placing a given item among
the rewards found by the characters, consider what it says about the
surrounding area and its inhabitants. Who brought the crystal rod to this
shrine? Why did the ancient wyvern guard a ring with no apparent value?
Here and there. When the occasion arises and it doesn't
feel forced, split your reward into smaller mini-rewards tied to different
places, creatures, or threats. The Classic example would be a dungeon with
several hidden treasures.
Foreshadowing. This is a classic in JRPGs, and something
you will either love or hate. What you could do is hand out rewards that
will prove useful in future battles, such as a silver talon (page 272) in a dungeon crawling with undead creatures that are Vulnerable to its
light damage.
Adopting this method will surely make your sessions feel more “videogamey”,
but it's a matter of taste. Discuss this choice with the rest of your group.
ROGUES AND SOUL STEAL
Player Characters who put levels in the Rogue Class will likely acquire the
Soul Steal Skill, which allows them to extract items from powerful enemies.
Items obtained this way are in addition to normal rewards.
DESIGNING RARE ITEMS
Over the course of the game, you will often need to come up with a rare
item—perhaps it’s part of a reward, a lost treasure, an arcane weapon
extracted from the soul of a demon or monster, or even a peculiar object sold
by a merchant. In such instances, you may:
Choose an existing Rare Item. This is the simplest
solution! Pick one of the sample items presented in this section. Make sure
to choose something appropriate to the situation, such as a mjolnir hammer
for a storm demon.
Create a new Rare Item. Follow the guidelines presented in
this section to create a new rare item. Sometimes you can take an existing
item and simply change the type of damage it deals, or have it grant a
different bonus, but it's encouraged that you try to come up with items that
resonate with how and where they were found.
Rare items can and should tell their own story!
BE CAREFUL WITH BONUSES
Items that grant a bonus to a specific type of Check, as well as items that
grant an increase to Defense or Magic Defense, are especially powerful: that
is because Fabula Ultima features a relatively "flat" math progression when it
comes to Checks. Even an innocuous-looking +1 bonus can make a huge
difference; because of this, avoid granting characters too many rare items
whose special abilities enhance Accuracy Checks, Magic Checks, Defense or
Magic Defense.
In general, a character should not be given the opportunity to equip more than
two such items at any given time. Feel free to give out more, but make sure
these are mutually exclusive options: should you equip the Crested Helm that
gives a +1 bonus to Accuracy Checks, or the Pointy Yellow Hat that gives a +1
bonus to Magic Checks?
AVOID COPYING EXISTING SPELLS OR SKILLS
When you create a Quality for a rare item, try to avoid copying the effects of
a Skill or spell that is unique to a specific Class. Instead, look at which
Skills the Player Characters have acquired and give them items that synergize
well with those, or that provide useful (if pricey) alternatives when those
same Skills would otherwise be ineffective.
CHAPTER
44GAME MASTER
WHAT TO DO IF YOU MESSED UP
If you realize an item is much stronger than you had anticipated, do not
worry. Resist the temptation to take the item away from the group; you should
also avoid simply making the item useless by creating situations in which it
never makes a difference. Instead, talk with the Players and explain what you
did wrong, then adjust the effects of the item together.
With this optional rule, Player Characters may pay a blacksmith or artisan to
add a Quality to armor, shields, or weapons that doesn't have one, or to
replace an item's Quality with a different one (remember, an item can only
have one Quality).
The Player selects a Quality from the default list for that item type as long
as the cost modifier associated with that ability is +1000 zenit or lower.
Then, the character must spend an amount of zenit equal to twice the cost
modifier associated with the chosen ability: once this is done, the process
generally takes one day per item. Multiple characters may of course pool their
money together to purchase the more expensive abilities.
Example: T o replace a weapon's current Quality with Multi
(page 269), you must spend 2000 zenit. To
replace it with Resistance, you must spend 1400 zenit.
The default list of weapon abilities can be found on
page 269, while the default list of armor
and shield abilities can be found on
page 280.
If a Player Character acquires the
Upgrade Heroic Skill (page 237), they will gain access
to this optional rule by default.
OPTIONAL: BUYING QUALITIES
44GAME MASTER
QUALITY COST EFFECT
Defensive Qualities
Antistatus +500 z: You are immune to a single status
effect.
Resistance +700 z: You have Resistance to a single damage
type (not physical damage).
Amulet +800 z: You gain a +1 bonus to Magic Defense.
Bulwark +800 z: You gain a +1 bonus to Defense.
Dual Resistance +1000 z: You have Resistance to two
damage types (not physical damage).
Swordbreaker +1000 z: You have Resistance to physical
damage.
Immunity +1500 z: You have Immunity to a single damage
type (not physical damage).
Omnishield +2000 z: You gain a +1 bonus to Defense and
Magic Defense.
Perfect Health +2000 z: You are immune to all status
effects.
Offensive Qualities
Magical +100 z: The weapon targets Magic Defense instead
of Defense.
Hunter +300 z: The weapon deals 5 extra damage to
creatures of a particular Species.
Piercing +400 z: Damage dealt by the weapon ignores
Resistances.
Dual Hunter +500 z: The weapon deals 5 extra damage to
creatures belonging to one of two particular Species.
Multi +1000 z: Attacks with the weapon have multi (2).
Status +1500 z: Each target hit by the weapon suffers
(choose one: dazed, shaken, slow, weak).
Status Plus +2000 z: Each target hit by the weapon
suffers (choose one: enraged, poisoned).
The Elves at Smolderheart Peak are rumored to craft weapons capable of
banishing demons.
SAMPLE RARE ARCANE WEAPONS
WEAPON
COST
ACCURACY
DAMAGE
🗡️
Blessed Mace
200 z
【WLP + WLP】
【HR + 2】light
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ No Quality.
🗡️
Encyclopedia
600 z
【INS + INS】
【HR + 6】physical
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You are immune to dazed.
🗡️
Ars Goetia
800 z
【INS + INS】
【HR + 6】light
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You gain a +2 bonus to Magic Checks against demons, as well as a
+2 bonus to Opposed Checks against demons.
🗡️
Ferula
1050 z
【INS + WLP】
【HR + 2】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You gain a +1 bonus to your Magic Checks.
🗡️
Tyrant's Scepter
1200 z
【WLP + WLP】
【HR + 6】dark
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Whenever you hit one or more creatures with this weapon, each of them loses
10 Mind Points.
🗡️
Cultes des Ghoules
1400 z
【INS + INS】
【HR + 6】air
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ When you hit one or more creatures with this weapon, you may recover 5 Hit
Points.
🗡️
Caduceus
1600 z
【WLP + WLP】
【HR + 6】physical
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Spells you cast whose effects restore Hit Points will restore 5 extra Hit
Points.
🗡️
Necronomicon
1800 z
【INS + WLP】+1
【HR + 6】dark
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ When you hit one or more creatures with an offensive (⚡) spell, each of them
suffers shaken.
🗡️
Yellow Book
2100 z
【INS + INS】
【HR + 6】physical
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Spells you cast deal 5 extra damage.
🗡️
Rafflesia Staff
2200 z
【WLP + WLP】
【HR + 10】poison
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ When you hit one or more creatures with an offensive (⚡) spell, each of them
suffers poisoned.
SAMPLE RARE BOW WEAPONS
WEAPON
COST
ACCURACY
DAMAGE
🗡️
Hand Crossbow
150 z
【DEX + INS】
【HR + 4】physical
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ No Quality.
🗡️
Composite Bow
250 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 8】physical
Two-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ No Quality.
🗡️
Siegebreaker◆
750 z
【DEX + INS】
【HR + 12】physical
Two-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ Damage dealt by this weapon ignores Resistances.
🗡️
Yoichi
900 z
【DEX + DEX】+1
【HR + 8】air
Two-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ You are immune to shaken.
🗡️
Thundering Bow
1000 z
【DEX + DEX】
【HR + 8】bolt
Two-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ You have Resistance to bolt damage.
🗡️
Looting Bow
1250 z
【DEX + INS】
【HR + 8】fire
Two-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ When you reduce a creature to 0 Hit Points with this weapon, you may
immediately recover 2 Inventory Points.
🗡️
Gatling Crossbow◆
1350 z
【DEX + INS】
【HR + 12】physical
Two-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ Attacks with this weapon have multi (2).
🗡️
Dragontrap Bow◆
1500 z
【DEX + DEX】
【HR + 12】earth
Two-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ When you hit a flying target with this weapon, you may force that target to
land immediately.
🗡️
Frozen Envy◆
1500 z
【DEX + DEX】
【HR + 12】ice
Two-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ When you hit one or more creatures with this weapon, if you have at least
one Bond of inferiority, you may recover 5 MP.
🗡️
Gorgon Eye◆
2000 z
【DEX + DEX】
【HR + 12】poison
Two-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ Each target hit by this weapon suffers slow.
🗡️
Artemis◆
2100 z
【DEX + DEX】+1
【HR + 12】light
Two-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ You have Immunity to dark damage.
Sample Rare Brawling Weapons
SAMPLE RARE BRAWLING WEAPONS
WEAPON
COST
ACCURACY
DAMAGE
🗡️
Nekode
250 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 6】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ No Quality.
🗡️
Hellfist
350 z
【DEX + MIG】
【HR + 6】dark
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Attacks with this weapon target Magic Defense.
🗡️
Frozen Grasp
750 z
【DEX + MIG】
【HR + 6】ice
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You are immune to enraged.
🗡️
Bear Paw◆
850 z
【DEX + MIG】
【HR + 10】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You are immune to weak.
🗡️
Fuel Knuckle
950 z
【DEX + MIG】
【HR + 6】fire
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You have Resistance to fire damage.
🗡️
Silver Talon
1100 z
【DEX + DEX】
【HR + 6】light
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You gain a +1 bonus to Magic Defense.
🗡️
Old Bandages
1250 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 6】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You have Resistance to dark and poison damage.
🗡️
Storm Fist
1300 z
【MIG + MIG】
【HR + 6】bolt
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Attacks with this weapon have multi (2).
🗡️
Lobster Claw◆
1950 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 10】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Each target hit by this weapon suffers slow.
🗡️
Dozer Glove◆
2000 z
【MIG + MIG】
【HR + 10】earth
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Each target hit by this weapon suffers dazed.
🗡️
Venom Claw
2250 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 6】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Each target hit by this weapon suffers poisoned.
🗡️
God Hand◆
2550 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 10】light
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Damage dealt by this weapon ignores Immunities.
SAMPLE RARE DAGGER WEAPONS
WEAPON
COST
ACCURACY
DAMAGE
🗡️
Latrodectus
250 z
【DEX + INS】+1
【HR + 4】poison
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ No Quality.
🗡️
Heart Knife
550 z
【DEX + WLP】
【HR + 4】light
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Deals 5 extra damage to demons.
🗡️
Atom Slicer
600 z
【DEX + DEX】+1
【HR + 4】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Damage dealt by this weapon ignores Resistances.
🗡️
Silent Edge
700 z
【DEX + DEX】
【HR + 4】air
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You are immune to slow.
🗡️
Spell Sever
850 z
【DEX + INS】+1
【HR + 4】dark
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ When you hit a creature with this weapon, if the attack had a
single target, you may choose a single spell with a duration of Scene affecting the target
and end its effects on that creature.
🗡️
Assassin's Blade
1000 z
【DEX + INS】+1
【HR + 4】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Deals 5 extra damage to targets who are in Crisis.
🗡️
Gourmet Cutter
1350 z
【DEX + INS】+1
【HR + 8】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ When you hit one or more creatures with this weapon, you may recover 5
Hit Points.
🗡️
Barbed Knife
1650 z
【DEX + INS】+1
【HR + 4】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Each target hit by this weapon suffers shaken.
🗡️
Cold Finger
1950 z
【DEX + INS】+1
【HR + 8】ice
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Each target hit by this weapon suffers weak.
🗡️
Hornet
2200 z
【DEX + DEX】+1
【HR + 4】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Attacks with this weapon have multi (3).
🗡️
Frantic Nail
2450 z
【INS + INS】+1
【HR + 8】fire
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Each target hit by this weapon suffers enraged.
SAMPLE RARE FIREARM WEAPONS
WEAPON
COST
ACCURACY
DAMAGE
🗡️
Revolver◆
300 z
【DEX + DEX】
【HR + 8】physical
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ No Quality.
🗡️
Istinggar◆
350 z
【DEX + INS】+1
【HR + 12】physical
Two-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ No Quality.
🗡️
Spellshot◆
400 z
【INS + INS】
【HR + 8】physical
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ Attacks with this weapon target Magic Defense.
🗡️
Diamond Pistol◆
650 z
【DEX + INS】+1
【HR + 8】physical
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ Deals 5 extra damage to constructs.
🗡️
Headhunter◆
800 z
【DEX + INS】
【HR + 8】physical
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ Deals 5 extra damage to targets you have a Bond of hatred
towards.
🗡️
Comet Gun◆
950 z
【DEX + INS】+1
【HR + 8】dark
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ You are immune to dazed.
🗡️
Bunker Cannon◆
1050 z
【DEX + INS】
【HR + 12】physical
Two-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ You gain a +1 bonus to Defense.
🗡️
Alchemusket◆
1300 z
【DEX + INS】
【HR + 8】poison
Two-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ Potions you create with your Inventory Points deal 5 extra damage and
restore 5 extra Hit Points.
🗡️
Calamity◆
1550 z
【DEX + INS】
【HR + 16】fire
Two-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ Attacks with this weapon have multi (2).
🗡️
Freezing Shot◆
1850 z
【DEX + INS】
【HR + 8】ice
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ Each target hit by this weapon suffers slow.
🗡️
Quatermain◆
2600 z
【DEX + INS】+1
【HR + 12】air
Two-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ Deals extra damage equal to the difference between your current and maximum
Inventory Points.
SAMPLE RARE FLAIL WEAPONS
WEAPON
COST
ACCURACY
DAMAGE
🗡️
Old Whip
650 z
【DEX + DEX】
【HR + 8】physical
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Deals 5 extra damage to beasts and monsters.
🗡️
Dusk Star
750 z
【DEX + DEX】
【HR + 4】dark
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You are immune to shaken.
🗡️
Witchbane
800 z
【DEX + DEX】+1
【HR + 8】physical
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Damage dealt by this weapon reduces the target's Mind Points instead
of their Hit Points. If the target's Mind Points reach 0, any excess damage is applied to their Hit
Points as normal.
🗡️
Salamander
1000 z
【DEX + MIG】
【HR + 8】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You have Resistance to fire damage.
🗡️
Nunchaku
1100 z
【DEX + MIG】
【HR + 8】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You gain a +1 bonus to Defense.
🗡️
Dominatrix
1200 z
【DEX + WLP】
【HR + 8】fire
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You gain a +2 bonus to Accuracy Checks and Magic Checks against
enraged targets.
🗡️
Whipblade◆
1400 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 12】physical
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Attacks with this weapon have multi (2).
🗡️
Silk Wire◆
1450 z
【DEX + DEX】
【HR + 12】physical
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You have Resistance to physical damage.
🗡️
Kusarigama
1650 z
【DEX + DEX】
【HR + 8】physical
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Each target hit by this weapon suffers slow.
🗡️
Jormungand◆
2400 z
【DEX + MIG】
【HR + 12】dark
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Attacks with this weapon have multi (3).
🗡️
Koi Whisker◆
2800 z
【DEX + WLP】
【HR + 12】physical
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You have Immunity to dark and light damage.
SAMPLE RARE HEAVY WEAPONS
WEAPON
COST
ACCURACY
DAMAGE
🗡️
Bardiche◆
350 z
【MIG + MIG】+1
【HR + 14】physical
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ No Quality.
🗡️
Artisan's Mallet
450 z
【INS + MIG】
【HR + 6】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Deals 5 extra damage to constructs.
🗡️
Beowulf◆
550 z
【MIG + MIG】
【HR + 10】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Deals 5 extra damage to monsters.
🗡️
Belly of the Beast◆
650 z
【MIG + MIG】
【HR + 14】poison
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Deals 5 extra damage to humanoids.
🗡️
Forest Hatchet◆
750 z
【MIG + MIG】
【HR + 10】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Deals 5 extra damage to beasts and plants.
🗡️
Adamanthammer◆
1050 z
【MIG + MIG】
【HR + 14】physical
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You gain a +1 bonus to Defense.
🗡️
Aura Hammer◆
1350 z
【MIG + MIG】
【HR + 14】light
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Attacks with this weapon have multi (2).
🗡️
Gravity Mace◆
1850 z
【MIG + MIG】
【HR + 14】earth
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Each target hit by this weapon suffers slow.
🗡️
Mjolnir◆
1850 z
【MIG + MIG】
【HR + 10】bolt
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Each target hit by this weapon suffers dazed.
🗡️
Wyrmwing◆
2050 z
【MIG + MIG】
【HR + 18】fire
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You have Immunity to fire damage.
🗡️
Soul of Pillage◆
2550 z
【MIG + MIG】
【HR + 18】dark
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Each target hit by this weapon suffers enraged.
🗡️
Winter Kolossus◆
2550 z
【MIG + MIG】
【HR + 18】ice
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You gain a +1 bonus to Defense and Magic Defense.
Sample Rare Spear Weapons
WEAPON
COST
ACCURACY
DAMAGE
🗡️
Dragontongue◆
500 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 12】fire
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Attacks with this weapon target Magic Defense.
🗡️
Rocinante◆
500 z
【DEX + MIG】
【HR + 8】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Deals 1 extra damage per status effect you have.
🗡️
Serpent Spear◆
800 z
【DEX + MIG】
【HR + 16】physical
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Damage dealt by this weapon ignores Resistances.
🗡️
Halberd◆
1000 z
【DEX + MIG】
【HR + 12】physical
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You gain a +1 bonus to Defense.
🗡️
Narwhalhorn◆
1200 z
【DEX + MIG】
【HR + 12】ice
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You have Resistance to ice damage.
🗡️
Brave Glaive◆
1300 z
【MIG + WLP】
【HR + 12】earth
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ As long as you have at least three Bonds of loyalty or
affection, you gain a +1 bonus to Defense and Magic Defense.
🗡️
Morrigan◆
1400 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 12】dark
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ When you hit one or more creatures with this weapon, you may recover 10
Mind Points.
🗡️
Gae Bolg◆
1800 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 12】physical
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ If you roll a critical success on an Accuracy Check with this
weapon, you may spend that opportunity to deal 10 extra damage.
🗡️
Longinus◆
2000 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 16】physical
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Each target hit by this weapon suffers weak.
🗡️
Nine-teeth Rake◆
2500 z
【DEX + MIG】
【HR + 16】poison
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You Absorb poison damage.
🗡️
Gungnir◆
3000 z
【DEX + MIG】
【HR + 16】light
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You have Immunity to fire and ice damage.
Sample Rare Sword Weapons
WEAPON
COST
ACCURACY
DAMAGE
🗡️
Zweihänder◆
400 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 14】physical
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ No Quality.
🗡️
Falling Rain◆
450 z
【DEX + DEX】+1
【HR + 10】ice
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Attacks with this weapon target Magic Defense.
🗡️
Flamberge◆
500 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 10】fire
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ No Quality.
🗡️
Elegant Edge◆
700 z
【DEX + INS】+1
【HR + 6】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You are immune to enraged.
🗡️
Joyeuse◆
900 z
【MIG + WLP】+1
【HR + 10】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You are immune to shaken.
🗡️
Deathblade◆
1000 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 6】dark
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Deals 5 extra damage if you are in Crisis.
🗡️
Gunsword◆
1000 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 10】physical
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ This weapon can target flying creatures.
🗡️
Main Gauche◆
1000 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 6】physical
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You gain a +1 bonus to Defense.
🗡️
The Rikizo◆
1200 z
【DEX + INS】+1
【HR + 10】physical
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Deals 2 extra damage for each Class you have mastered.
🗡️
Flesh Eater◆
1300 z
【MIG + MIG】
【HR + 10】poison
One-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Deals 5 extra damage to weak targets.
🗡️
Kusanagi◆
1500 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 14】air
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ Attacks with this weapon have multi (2).
🗡️
Excalibur◆
2300 z
【MIG + WLP】+1
【HR + 10】light
Two-handed ◆ Melee ◆ You are immune to all status effects.
SAMPLE RARE THROWN WEAPONS
WEAPON
COST
ACCURACY
DAMAGE
🗡️
Crescent Edge
350 z
【DEX + INS】
【HR + 4】light
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ Attacks with this weapon target Magic Defense.
🗡️
Meteor Star
350 z
【DEX + INS】+1
【HR + 4】fire
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ No Quality.
🗡️
Throwing Axe
350 z
【DEX + MIG】
【HR + 8】physical
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ No Quality.
🗡️
Boomerang
750 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 4】physical
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ Deals 5 extra damage to beasts and monsters.
🗡️
Wind Dancer
850 z
【DEX + WLP】
【HR + 8】air
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ Damage dealt by this weapon ignores Resistances.
🗡️
Acupuncturer
950 z
【DEX + INS】+1
【HR + 8】physical
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ You are immune to poisoned.
🗡️
Blue Pinwheel
950 z
【DEX + INS】
【HR + 4】ice
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ You have Resistance to ice damage.
🗡️
Crone's Needle
1050 z
【DEX + INS】+1
【HR + 4】earth
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ You have Resistance to dark damage.
🗡️
Chakram
1250 z
【DEX + MIG】+1
【HR + 4】physical
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ Attacks with this weapon have multi (2).
🗡️
Vajra
2050 z
【DEX + WLP】+1
【HR + 8】bolt
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ Each target hit by this weapon suffers shaken.
🗡️
Dark Orbit
2250 z
【DEX + INS】
【HR + 4】dark
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ You gain a +1 bonus to Defense and Magic Defense.
🗡️
Hive Dart
2300 z
【DEX + DEX】
【HR + 4】poison
One-handed ◆ Ranged ◆ Each target hit by this weapon suffers poisoned.
DESIGNING RARE ARMORS AND SHIELDS
Creating a rare armor or shield is much simpler. Pick one of the items from
the lists on pages 132 to 133 and add a single Quality to it, which will
increase its price by a variable amount, as shown by the table below.
Once again, feel free to come up with new and unique special abilities for
rare armors and shields, using these as a reference.
QUALITY
Defensive Qualities
Antistatus +500 z: You are immune to a single status
effect.
Resistance +700 z: You have Resistance to a single damage
type (not physical damage).
Dual Resistance +1000 z: You have Resistance to two damage
types (not physical damage).
Swordbreaker +1000 z: You have Resistance to physical
damage.
Immunity +1500 z: You have Immunity to a single damage type
(not physical damage).
Perfect Health +2000 z: You are immune to all status
effects.
Enhancement Qualities
Initiative Up +500 z: You gain a +4 bonus to your
Initiative modifier.
Accuracy Up +1000 z: You gain a +1 bonus to your Accuracy
Checks.
Magic Up +1000 z: You gain a +1 bonus to your Magic Checks.
Vitality Up +1000 z: When you recover HP, you recover 5
extra HP.
Healing Up +1500 z: Spells you cast that whose effects
restore Hit Points will restore 5 extra Hit Points.
Spell Up +2000 z: Spells you cast deal 5 extra damage.
Weapon Up +2000 z: Your attacks with (choose one: melee,
ranged) weapons deal 5 extra damage.
44GAME MASTER
Chapter CHAPTER
SAMPLE RARE ARMORS
Slimy Jacket
Cost: 600 z
DEX die +1
INS die +1
M. DEFENSE -1
You are immune to poisoned.
Fox Garb
Cost: 650 z
DEX die +1
INS die +1
M. DEFENSE -
You are immune to slow.
Shadow Tunic
Cost: 650 z
DEX die +1
INS die +1
M. DEFENSE +4
You gain a +4 bonus to your Initiative modifier (already included).
Desperado Coat
Cost: 750 z
DEX die +1
INS die +1
M. DEFENSE -1
When you use the Barrage Skill (see Sharpshooter Class,
page 205), the MP cost is
halved.
Butler Uniform
Cost: 800 z
DEX die +1
INS die +2
M. DEFENSE -2
When a potion or magisphere created with your Inventory Points restores
Hit Points, it restores 5 extra Hit Points.
Maid Uniform
Cost: 800 z
DEX die +1
INS die +2
M. DEFENSE -2
When a potion or magisphere created with your Inventory Points restores
Mind Points, it restores 5 extra Mind Points.
Bandit Jacket
Cost: 900 z
DEX die +1
INS die +1
M. DEFENSE -1
You gain a +1 bonus to Accuracy Checks with daggers.
Crystal Plate
Cost: 900 z
E
DEX die 1
INS die -3
You have Resistance to dark damage.
Valkyrie Wings
Cost: 900 z
E
DEX die 1
INS die +1
M. DEFENSE -3
When you cast the Soaring Strike spell (see Elementalist Class, page
189), the MP cost is halved.
Armor of Heroes
Cost: 1000 z
E
DEX die 1
INS die -4
Critical successes rolled on Accuracy Checks and Magic Checks for
attacks and offensive (rr) spells that include you among their targets
do not generate opportunities.
Item Equipment Listings
Page 282 | ITEM COST DEFENSE M. DEFENSE INITIATIVE
Black Belt
1000 z DEX die INS die -
Your attacks with brawling weapons deal 5 extra damage.
Meditation Robe
1000 z DEX die +1 INS die +2 -2
Whenever you recover Mind Points, you recover 5 extra Mind Points.
Archmage Robe
1200 z DEX die +1 INS die +2 -2
You gain a +1 bonus to your Magic Checks.
Automaton Suit
E 1250 z 11 INS die +1 -3
You have Immunity to earth and poison damage, but Vulnerability to bolt
damage.
Adamantorso
E 1300 z 12 INS die -4
You have Resistance to physical damage.
Ardent Yoroi
E 1300 z 12 INS die -4
You gain a +1 bonus to your Accuracy Checks.
Demongrin
E 1500 z 12 INS die -4
After a creature hits you with a melee attack, you deal 5 fire damage to
that creature (after the attack has been resolved).
Bio Plate
E 1700 z 11 INS die -3
You have Immunity to poison damage.
White Tunic
1700 z DEX die +1 INS die +2 -2
Spells you cast whose effects restore Hit Points will restore 5 extra Hit
Points.
Granny Vest
2000 z DEX die INS die +2 -1
As long as you have this armor equipped, you treat your Willpower as if it
were one die size higher (up to a maximum of d12).
Black Tunic
2200 z DEX die +1 INS die +2 -2
Spells you cast deal 5 extra damage.
Red Tunic
2500 z DEX die INS die +2 -1
You are treated as having an arcane weapon equipped for the sake of Skills
that require it.
CHAPTER SAMPLE RARE SHIELDS
Available Shields
ITEM
COST
DEFENSE
M. DEFENSE
INITIATIVE
Aegis, Fulgur
800 z +2
-
-
You have Resistance to bolt damage.
Aegis, Gelum
800 z +2
-
-
You have Resistance to ice damage.
Aegis, Gorgonis
800 z +2
-
-
You have Resistance to poison damage.
Aegis, Ignis
800 z +2
-
-
You have Resistance to fire damage.
Aegis, Lux
800 z +2
-
-
You have Resistance to light damage.
Aegis, Terra
800 z +2
-
-
You have Resistance to earth damage.
Aegis, Umbra
800 z +2
-
-
You have Resistance to dark damage.
Aegis, Ventus
800 z +2
-
-
You have Resistance to air damage.
Demonshield
E 950 z +2
+2
+2
After a creature deals damage to you, if you are in Crisis, you may have
that creature suffer shaken.
Shield of Spring
E 1150 z +2
+2
+2
Whenever you recover Hit Points, you recover 5 extra Hit Points.
Seraph Shield
E 2050 z +2
+2
+2
As long as you are in Crisis, you are immune to all status effects.
Adamantower
E 2500 z +3
+3
+3
You gain a +1 bonus to Defense and Magic Defense (already included).
DESIGNING ACCESSORIES
When you create an accessory, simply decide on which ability it will grant —
you can pick from the list below or come up with one that seems appropriate.
The price of the item is determined by its Quality. When creating accessories,
experiment with a variety of custom effects that reflect the item's nature and
origin. You will see that many of the sample accessories in the following
pages have unique abilities that are not present on the table below — that is
because the best accessories are the ones that give slightly quirky benefits
or encourage unconventional strategies.
QUALITY COST EFFECT
Defensive Qualities
Antistatus: 500 z - You are immune to a single status
effect.
Resistance: 700 z - You gain Resistance to a single damage
type (not physical damage).
Amulet: 800 z - You gain a +1 bonus to Magic Defense.
Bulwark: 800 z - You gain a +1 bonus to Defense.
Dual Resistance: 1000 z - You have Resistance to two damage
types (not physical damage).
Swordbreaker: 1000 z - You have Resistance to physical
damage.
Immunity: 1500 z - You have Immunity to a single damage
type (not physical damage).
Omnishield: 2000 z - You gain a +1 bonus to Defense and
Magic Defense.
Perfect Health: 2000 z - You are immune to all status
effects.
Enhancement Qualities
Damage Change: 300 z - All damage dealt by your weapons,
spells, and Skills becomes of a specific type.
Initiative Up: 500 z - If you have this item equipped at
the start of a conflict, you gain a +4 bonus to your Initiative modifier.
CHAPTER
Enhancement Qualities (continued)
Accuracy Up 1000 z
You gain a +1 bonus to your Accuracy Checks.
Magic Up 1000 z
You gain a +1 bonus to your Magic Checks.
Vitality Up 1000 z
Whenever you recover Hit Points, you recover 5 extra Hit Points.
Healing Up 1500 z
Spells you cast whose effect restores Hit Points will restore 5 extra Hit
Points.
Spell Up 2000 z
Spells you cast deal 5 extra damage.
Weapon Up 2000 z
Your attacks with (choose one: melee, ranged) weapons deal 5 extra damage.
SAMPLE ACCESSORIES
Explorer's Belt 500 z
You gain a +4 bonus to your Initiative modifier.
Gloves, Elegant 500 z
You are immune to dazed.
Gloves, Rough 500 z
You are immune to weak.
Gloves, Silky 500 z
You are immune to slow.
Gloves, Warm 500 z
You are immune to shaken.
Rookie's Boots 600 z
When you roll a fumble, if you have less than 10 Experience Points, you
may immediately gain 1 Experience Point.
ACCESSORY COST
Han'nya Mask
700 z
All damage you deal to shaken creatures ignores Resistances.
Pendant, Amber
700 z
You have Resistance to earth damage.
Pendant, Amethyst
700 z
You have Resistance to dark damage.
Pendant, Diamond
700 z
You have Resistance to light damage.
Pendant, Emerald
700 z
You have Resistance to poison damage.
Pendant, Opal
700 z
You have Resistance to air damage.
Pendant, Ruby
700 z
You have Resistance to fire damage.
Pendant, Sapphire
700 z
You have Resistance to ice damage.
Pendant, Topaz
700 z
You have Resistance to bolt damage.
Ring of Sorcery
800 z
You gain a +1 bonus to Magic Defense.
Wanderer's Boots
900 z
When your group makes a discovery while traveling, you may immediately gain
1 Fabula Point.
Crested Helm
1000 z
You gain a +1 bonus to your Accuracy Checks.
ARTIFACTS
While rare items allow you to customize your character, artifacts are the
objects your entire campaign will revolve around. They don’t just grant you a
bonus to Checks, improved damage or a way to ignore status effects: no,
artifacts are so powerful that they draw the attention of the major factions
in your world.
Artifacts cannot be sold or purchased, except for truly ludicrous prices — and
even then, there aren’t many who are willing to part with such powerful
objects.
ARTIFACTS IN YOUR GAME
There are no rules for designing an artifact: its fantastic effects should go
way beyond those of typical spells and magical items, and are only limited by
what you as the Game Master think would be appropriate. Needless to say, you
can’t have a new artifact pop up every other session — each story arc should
feature one or two at most.
Make sure your artifacts are important elements of the ongoing story at the
table, and not just “super powerful magical toys”.
ASTROSCOPE
A large globe filled with stars and swirling clouds.
Anyone who rests their hand atop this powerful artifact and gazes upon the
swirling energy within can manipulate the cycle of day and night within a
range of 1 travel day; they may also modify weather conditions in the same
area (wind, blizzards, snow, clouds, and so on). This functions identically to
an Entropism (for day and night) or
Elementalism (for weather conditions) Ritual,
but this artifact does not consume Mind Points and the user does not need to
have mastered any of the magical disciplines in question.
Artifact Descriptions
BLACK BLOOD
A large vial filled with an oily and sticky black substance.
It is said this liquid was gathered from a tainted spring in the depths of
the earth. Those who drink it gain a peculiar ability: when killed, their
spirit will not return to the stream of souls that permeates the world.
Instead, they will retain their conscience and remain bound to the land of
the living.
Why anyone would choose such a fate remains a mystery, however...
DEAD MAN'S ZENIT
It resembles an ancient gold coin, save for the skull on its back. Easily
lost or misplaced, this unassuming gold coin appears worn by age. Many who
see the shining skull on its flip side would laugh it out as a coinsmith's
prank, but old sailors would urge them to let the thing sink to the bottom
of the ocean: an old legend tells of an indestructible golden coin whose
bearer may command an army of ghostly pirates in exchange for their own
soul.
FINAL FEATHER
This beautiful feather shines with the colors of the rainbow. Countless
scholars have debated the nature and origin of this forearm-sized feather
but were unable to find an answer. Only two things are certain: it's the
last of its kind, and several legends suggest it can be crushed into a light
powder that can resurrect a recently fallen creature.
Up until now, no one has gathered the courage to put that legend to the
test, especially because it would mean destroying the feather.
HELM OF THOUGHTS
Fashioned from the skull of an unknown beast, this helm is surprisingly
light. Whoever wears this artifact can effortlessly sense the surface
thoughts and emotions of surrounding people. By focusing their attention and
using an action, the wearer can read the thoughts of a specific living
creature. While using the dreadful power of this artifact, the target only
feels a faint tingling sensation at the base of their skull, unaware that
their mind is being read.
W ROD OF RISING EARTH
A forearm-sized staff made of brass-like metal.
This powerful artifact comes from an era of lost technology. Its core body is
made of a nigh-indestructible and extremely light metal known as orichalcum,
encasing a gem formed by crystalized earth spirits. When placed in the center
of a structure known as "an orichalcum ring", whose nature and construction is
yet unknown, the rod may lift entire landmasses from the ground and cause them
to float and move.
SOULREND
The hyper-sharp edge glows with ominous light...
Resembling the lower portion of a shattered greatsword, this artifact is
almost useless in an actual fight: its true power lies somewhere else. If the
correct sequence of stances and movements are performed, the wielder may
isolate a single consciousness present in the stream of souls and sever it
from the flow. This is a Ritualism effect of extreme potency, made easier if
the soul in question belongs to someone who recently passed, if they were of
especially strong character, or if the wielder of Soulrend had a deep personal
bond with them.
Depending on the outcome of the Check, the soul might only be temporarily
severed or even become unable to return to the spiritual stream, doomed to
gradually vanish into oblivion or trapped in eternal torment.
TOME OF THE GATE
A hefty grimoire. Sometimes, the crimson eye on its cover seems to move...
The pages of this ancient-looking book are filled with unreadable gibberish
and unsettling pictures, portraying nightmarish creatures in their adoration
of the sky.
If bathed in the light of a full moon, the ink begins to glow a reddish hue
and rises from the pages, twisting into a network of writhing tendrils that
tear at reality. This artifact opens a path to the cosmos, which will close at
daybreak.
DESIGNING BATTLES
As the Game Master, your role is to create battles that challenge the Player
Characters and enrich the story. The following pages will provide you with a
variety of tools and guidelines that will help with the mechanical side — but
first, there are a few important points you should try to remember.
Relevant battles. A battle takes place when two sides are
at odds and resort to violence in order to achieve their goals. Battles
should be meaningful: they should build upon what previously happened in the
story, add new interesting characters or plot elements and move things
forward in some important way.
People, not numbers. Characters are more than their stats.
They have emotions, a personality, their own lives and goals — when they
fight, they do so for a reason. Even the ones that aren't the focus of your
story should be treated as more than disposable, faceless pawns.
More than the sum of its parts. There are a variety of
elements that can alter the threat posed by a situation — the options
available to Player Characters, for instance, or the particular synergy
between two monsters. Once you add the environment, the whim of the dice and
the occasional use of Ritual magic into the mix, you can see that there is
no way to foresee the outcome of a battle — and that’s okay. Being the GM
has nothing to do with being “in control”, but rather with your ability to
react to unexpected situations. Battles are just like that — sometimes,
things will get weird, or the heroes will steamroll their foe. Don’t sweat
it too much.
Balance. While the advice in the coming pages is geared
towards building a somewhat balanced challenge, remember that there’s
nothing wrong with an easy battle every once in a while, or the occasional
super-hard boss fight. Just don’t make those the norm, or they'll lose their
charm!
More importantly, respect the Players' expectations and what you discussed
during session zero (see page 147), and
design battles in accordance with what you agreed upon in terms of challenge
and complexity.
Take your time. When the heroes decide to fight an enemy
for which you don’t have any combat stats ready, it’s perfectly okay to
pause the game and take your time to design those creatures. The rules on
page 302 have been designed specifically
to make this process as smooth and fast as possible; once you have
familiarized yourself with them, creating new adversaries will only take a
few minutes.
And there’s always the Bestiary, of course!
HOW MANY BATTLES?
In Fabula Ultima, battles will often take a heavy toll on the characters'
resources. On average, a group of Player Characters can face any one of the
following before needing to rest or recharge Inventory Points:
Three easy battles.
Two normal battles, or one normal battle and one easy battle.
One hard battle.
See the next page for easy, normal, and hard battles.
PARTY LEVEL AND ENEMY LEVELS
When designing a battle, you should start by considering which Player
Characters are present on the scene and calculating their Party Level.
The Party Level is equal to the highest character level among the Player
Characters that will take part in the battle. For instance, a group that
includes two level 10 PCs and one level 12 PC will have a Party Level of 12.
Enemy Level Guidelines
If an enemy's level is... Then that enemy...
Lower than the Party Level: Is probably too weak.
Within 5 levels of the Party Level: Should make for an easy
fight.
Within 10 levels of the Party Level: Should make for a
challenging fight.
Greater than the Party Level by 11+: Is probably too
strong.
The creature profiles in the Bestiary (page 319) are organized in five-level increments, which should give a good range of
enemies for your battles.
CREATURE RANKS
Adversaries in Fabula Ultima may be soldiers, elites, or champions.
SOLDIERS
A soldier-rank foe is roughly on par with a Player Character of its level.
Creatures in the Bestiary are all soldiers — for instance, a level 15 Cactroll
(page 348) would approximately be as
strong as a level 15 Player Character.
Creatures designed following the rules found on
page 302 are also soldiers.
The basic assumption is that, when putting together a battle, you should
involve a number of enemy soldiers based on the following guidelines:
Challenge
Number of Soldiers
Easy Battle
Equal to the number of Player Characters minus one.
Normal Battle
Equal to the number of Player Characters.
Hard Battle
Equal to the number of Player Characters plus one.
If the PCs are accompanied by helpful NPCs who get their own full turn during
the conflict, each of these allies should be counted as an additional Player
Character.
To spice things up, soldiers can be strengthened into elites and champions.
44GAME MASTER
CHAPTER
CREATING AN ELITE
Elite creatures count as two soldiers of the same level.
If you want to turn a soldier into an elite, do the following:
Hit Points: Double the creature's maximum Hit Points.
Skills: The creature gains one Skill of your choice. This
may be an NPC Skill (see page 306) or a
Skill taken from a character Class.
Turns: During conflict scenes, an elite performs two turns
per round.
Initiative: The creature increases their Initiative score
by 2 points.
CREATING A CHAMPION
Champion creatures can replace any number of soldiers of the same level.
If you want to turn a soldier into a champion, do the following:
Hit Points: Multiply the creature's maximum Hit Points by
the number of soldiers they are replacing.
Mind Points: Double the creature's maximum Mind Points.
Skills: The creature gains a number of additional Skills of
your choice equal to the number of soldiers replaced. These may be NPC
Skills (see page 306) or Skills taken
from a character Class.
Turns: During conflict scenes, a champion performs a number
of turns per round equal to the number of soldiers they are replacing.
Initiative: The creature increases their Initiative score
by 1 point for every soldier they are replacing.
Remember that while elites and champions can perform more than one turn per
round, they must still do so while alternating with the Player Characters —
that is, they will not perform back-to-back turns if at least one Player
Character has yet to act during the round.
Story Snippet
The Petrified Woods are the Great Behemoth's hunting grounds.
And yet, some who encountered it were strangely spared.
LEVELS AND RANKS
Use levels and ranks as "sliders" to adjust the challenge posed by a battle.
Example: When designing a battle involving three level 10 Player Characters,
two level 10 soldiers would make for an extremely easy encounter, while a
level 20 champion replacing four soldiers would be feasible but particularly
challenging. Anything between those two extremes would be fair game — with a
battle against three level 15 soldiers being the most “average” option.
IDEAL LENGTH
In Fabula Ultima, a conflict should ideally last three to four rounds. Keep
this in mind when you design your battles.
If you want to think in terms of damage, this means that on average, a
successful enemy attack should do damage equal to one third of an average
Player Character's Hit Points. Similarly, a PC's average attack should do
damage equal to one third of an average soldier-rank enemy's Hit Points.
DAMAGE TYPES
When designing a battle, consider what types of damage the group has access
to:
Combine adversaries with different Vulnerabilities and Resistances.
Grant powerful adversaries the ability to alter their Vulnerabilities and
Resistances.
If a creature has a Vulnerability that two or more characters in the group
can exploit, balance this out by enhancing their Defense, Magic Defense, or
Hit Points.
If a creature has a large amount of Hit Points (as champions often do), give
them at least one Vulnerability that the party can use to their advantage.
Make it so that Player Characters cannot simply apply the same highest-damage
option over and over during battles — that can get boring fast.
GAME MASTER
CHAPTER INFORMATION AND HINTS
Even if the heroes face a powerful foe, it is incredibly important for the
battle to be transparent. It is your job as GM to communicate the following
clearly:
Crisis. Always make sure to tell the Players if an enemy is
in Crisis, and give hints if this caused it to gain new abilities or change
its damage Affinities.
Damage Affinities. If a creature takes damage, tell the
Players what the corresponding Affinity is — Vulnerable, Resistant, and so
on. Inform the Players again if they use the same damage type and the
creature's Affinity has changed.
Changes in attacks and abilities. When a creature uses an
ability, if its effects have changed during the scene, make sure the Players
know.
"Charged attacks". If an enemy is about to use a powerful
attack — the kind that the Player Characters should Guard against! — you
should describe them charging their energy at the start of the round, and
only unleash the attack later so that the group can prepare for it.
Always allow the group to make informed tactical choices.
RANDOM TARGETING
This is the default method of choosing targets in Fabula Ultima, and it frees
you from the responsibility of picking targets for enemy attacks. Simply
assign a number to each member of the Player Character's side, and determine
the targets of attacks, spells and Skills by rolling dice.
SWARMS
If the Player Characters find themselves battling a great number of identical
creatures and you want them to feel powerful, treat all those creatures as a
single swarm.
Examples of swarms may be a horde of drooling zombies, a cloud of deadly
insects, or even an entire unit of trained magitech gunners.
If you want to turn a creature into a swarm, just do it — mechanically the
creature will be the same, it is simply “described” as a multitude of smaller
beings within the narrative of the scene.
OBSTACLES AND GIMMICKS
You may add extra complexity to your battles by including:
Defenders. Some creatures might completely shield an ally
from attacks; characters must either defeat these defenders or find a way to
circumvent them (probably through a Clock of some kind, generally eight to
ten sections).
Limited options. Some adversaries might only be susceptible
to specific actions until the heroes manage to alter the situation in some
way.
Gimmicks. Some battles might require characters to perform
actions in a certain order or use specific damage types to disable their
enemies' most powerful attacks. For instance, a golem might be unable to
unleash its lightning beam if struck by bolt damage while charging its
elemental coils.
Waves. This is a common situation in video games. Each wave
consists of a group of about three to five enemies; defeating one wave
causes the following wave to arrive on the scene, turning the battle into a
war of attrition. If you want to make things easier for the Player
Characters, give them a round to regroup and recover between each of the
waves.
Reinforcements. You might have new enemies join the battle
at the end of each round. These enemies should have simple attacks and be
relatively easy to defeat. You should establish a limit beyond which no new
enemies will be added to the scene until some have been defeated.
Regardless of which options you choose, you should design battles to challenge
the heroes' ability to work as a team: don't shut down any of their Skills
completely, but rather push them towards experimenting with what their
characters can do in ways that are different from the strategies they
previously adopted.
OBSTACLES AND GIMMICKS
You may add extra complexity to your battles by including:
Defenders. Some creatures might completely shield an ally
from attacks; characters must either defeat these defenders or find a way to
circumvent them (probably through a Clock of some kind, generally eight to
ten sections).
Limited options. Some adversaries might only be susceptible
to specific actions until the heroes manage to alter the situation in some
way.
Gimmicks. Some battles might require characters to perform
actions in a certain order or use specific damage types to disable their
enemies' most powerful attacks. For instance, a golem might be unable to
unleash its lightning beam if struck by bolt damage while charging its
elemental coils.
Waves. This is a common situation in video games. Each wave
consists of a group of about three to five enemies; defeating one wave
causes the following wave to arrive on the scene, turning the battle into a
war of attrition. If you want to make things easier for the Player
Characters, give them a round to regroup and recover between each of the
waves.
Reinforcements. You might have new enemies join the battle
at the end of each round. These enemies should have simple attacks and be
relatively easy to defeat. You should establish a limit beyond which no new
enemies will be added to the scene until some have been defeated.
Regardless of which options you choose, you should design battles to challenge
the heroes' ability to work as a team: don't shut down any of their Skills
completely, but rather push them towards experimenting with what their
characters can do in ways that are different from the strategies they
previously adopted.
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
Any battle can be made more interesting by adding environmental effects. You
should try to introduce such features after one or two sessions to grow
familiar with the combat rules before experimenting with them!
Here are some examples of environmental effects; the damage they deal should
be based on the table on page 93.
ELEMENTAL AURA
This effect grants all creatures a Resistance or Vulnerability to a specific
type of damage (such as a cursed cathedral granting everyone Resistance to
light damage, or ocean water granting Resistance to fire but Vulnerability to
bolt).
RISING DANGER
This effects adds one or more elements of increasing danger to the scene;
perhaps the site of the battle is cursed and causes a new penalty at the end
of each round (such as MP loss, a status effect, or direct HP loss). This puts
a timer on the battle and forces the heroes to take risks in order to defeat
the enemy quickly.
TRAPS AND HAZARDS
A natural danger or a mechanical contraption might deal damage to some
creatures at the end of each round, or to any character that performs a
specific action. Typical examples are poisonous fogs, lightning storms, or
magical anomalies.
UNSTABLE AREA
The battlefield might react to specific actions, dealing damage to all
participants or to randomly selected characters. For instance, explosive
barrels might detonate whenever a fire-based spell is cast or a fire-based
attack is performed.
When you introduce an environmental effect, you should allow Player Characters
to find ways to disable it or turn its effects against their adversaries. This
will normally require filling a Clock through the Objective action.
as a minor Villain and given a pool of Ultima Points (see
page 101). as a minor Villain and given a
pool of Ultima Points (see page 101). and
can use the Guardian's Protect Skill (page 197). The left pincer is and can use the Guardian's Protect Skill (page 197). The left pincer is
GAME MASTER GUIDANCE
CHAPTER
MULTIPLE PHASES
You might design a boss fight where the main enemy, once reduced to 0 Hit
Points, transforms into a more powerful version that is a completely new
creature, with its Hit Points and Mind Points fully restored.
The creature will only be considered "defeated" (and thus choose between
escaping and surrendering) once all phases have been reduced to 0 Hit Points.
When you design a battle with multiple phases, the first one should be more of
a warm-up (generally a normal or even easy challenge) and the “true” fight
should only begin once the villain has transformed. If you want to go for the
ultimate challenge, you could build a three-phase battle that goes from easy
to normal and then culminates with a hard fight!
If you do this, it can be a good idea to give the heroes a free round of
actions to prepare themselves between one phase and the other.
Just be mindful that a multi-phase battle can take a long time — plan
accordingly and make sure you have time for it during the session!
ROUTINES
You can give the boss battle a routine: the creatures perform actions in the
same order, round after round. This option makes the battle slightly easier to
manage as the Game Master, while also making it feel very video game-y.
It's not for everyone, but it can be an interesting solution to experiment
with.
BE PREPARED
One final piece of advice: since crafting an interesting and challenging boss
fight can take up to half an hour of work, prepare stats for your Villains and
potential bosses in advance.
Updating an enemy to match the level of your group is much quicker than having
to come up with the whole battle on the spot.
DESIGNING NPCs
While running the game, you will sometimes find yourself in need of an NPC
whose statistics aren't already provided by the bestiary. When this happens,
you have two possible choices:
Reskin. The process known as “reskinning” consists of
taking an NPC of the appropriate level and simply describing them as
something different, with minor modifications. For instance, if you need a
dragon for your session but your group is level 9, you could use a drake
(which is level 10) and grant it the ability to fly since the rest of the
monster's profile is already fitting.
Create from scratch. The alternative is to build your own
NPC. This process normally takes ten to fifteen minutes, and possibly longer
at high levels.
Over the course of this section, you will learn how to build a soldier-rank
NPC from scratch; please keep in mind that, while this system gives you clear
guidelines, the challenge posed by a given NPC will vary greatly depending on
the Player Characters' Skills, equipment, and current resources!
Character Concept
Think about the NPC's role in the world and pick four Traits that make them
unique: a personality, a need or instinct, or even a specific quirk of their
nature. Much like a Player Character's Identity, Theme and Origin, an NPC's
Traits help you portray them as a three-dimensional being. Villains may also
invoke their Traits to reroll Checks (page 46).
Building the Profile
Distribute one of the following arrays among the NPC's
Attributes:
Jack of All Trades: d8, d8, d8, d8
Standard: d10, d8, d8, d6
Specialized: d10, d10, d6, d6
Super Specialized: d12, d8, d6, d6
Upon reaching levels 20, 40, and 60, the NPC chooses one of its
Attributes and increases it by one die size (to a maximum of d12).
Choose the NPC's level: From a minimum of 5 to a maximum of
60.
Choose the NPC’s Species: beast, construct, demon,
elemental, humanoid, monster, plant, or undead. Each Species has its own
rules. You can find more information about Species on the upcoming pages.
NPC Character Sheet Mechanics
Calculate the NPC's Secondary Scores
Initiative equal to {base Dexterity die size + base Insight
die size}, divided by 2. Remember to apply penalties due to armor.
Maximum HP equal to {twice the NPC's level} + {five times
the NPC's base Might die size}.
Crisis score equal to half the NPC's maximum HP.
Maximum MP equal to {the NPC's level} + {five times the
NPC's base Willpower die size}.
Defense equal to the NPC's current Dexterity die size.
Magic Defense equal to the NPC's current Insight die size.
Basic Attacks
The NPC may have any number of basic attacks—these can be melee
($) or ranged (aa).
Basic attacks start with the following profile:
(Attack Name) {Attribute + Attribute} {HR + 5} (type) damage.
The Accuracy Checks for these attacks may rely on any Attributes you choose,
such as {INS + WLP} or {MIG + MIG}, and you are free to choose whatever damage
type seems more appropriate.
Basic attacks may also be modified by Skills (see below); if an NPC can equip
weapons, these too will count among the creature's basic attacks.
Choosing the NPC’s Skills
Each NPC receives a basic number of free Skills based on their Species (see
next page), plus:
They gain an additional Skill every ten levels.
They may gain any number of extra Skills by taking an equal number of
Vulnerabilities. Vulnerability to physical damage grants two Skills.
Skills may be NPC Skills (page 306) or
come from character Classes.
Level Bonuses
NPCs gain a bonus to Accuracy Checks and Magic Checks equal to {their level,
divided by ten and rounded down to a minimum of 0}.
Furthermore, all NPCs that are level 20 or higher deal 5 extra damage with
their attacks and spells. This bonus increases to 10 extra damage for NPCs
level 40 or higher, and 15 extra damage for NPCs of level 60.
NPC SPECIES
An NPC must belong to one of the following eight Species.
BEAST
Starting Skills: 4
Beasts are feral creatures with animal intelligence. While their shape is
sometimes twisted by magic, they generally do not use spells.
Examples: Giant rat, sun bear, warrior ant.
Rules: Beasts cannot acquire the Use Equipment Skill.
CONSTRUCT
Starting Skills: 2
Constructs are artificial beings animated by the power of souls, often
crafted by alchemists, mages, or scientists.
Examples: Gargoyle, golem, magitech soldier.
Rules: Constructs are Immune to poison damage, Resistant
to earth damage, and immune to poisoned.
DEMON
Starting Skills: 3
Demons are incarnations of legends and beliefs. Despite possessing a body,
they are not truly alive. Some may even reincarnate when slain.
Examples: Boogeyman, devil, imp.
Rules: Demons are Resistant to two damage types of your
choice.
ELEMENTAL
Starting Skills: 2
Elementals are tangible manifestations of the great forces of nature. Some
of them are sentient, but many are devoid of thought.
Examples: Nymph, phoenix, titan.
Rules: Elementals are Immune to poison damage, Immune to
a second damage type of your choice, and immune to poisoned.
Creature Template Information
44GAME MASTER | 305
CHAPTER
HUMANOID
Starting Skills: 3
This is a broad category, a catch-all term for intelligent creatures who
tend to live in communities and rely on tools and equipment.
Examples:
Bandit
kobold
ogre.
Rules: Humanoids always gain the Use Equipment Skill for
free.
MONSTER
Starting Skills: 4
Monsters are magical beasts, generally quite intelligent and gifted with
supernatural powers. Their features are often bizarre.
Examples:
Basilisk
dragon
mimic.
Rules: Monsters have no special rules.
PLANT
Starting Skills: 3
Far from being typical vegetation, these plants have evolved into
dangerous predators due to mutation or magical influence.
Examples:
Alraune
dragontrap
treant.
Rules: Plants are immune to dazed, shaken and enraged,
and Vulnerable to (choose one: air, bolt, fire, ice) damage.
UNDEAD
Starting Skills: 2
Undead may be corpses reanimated through magic or restless spirits unable
to peacefully return to the stream of souls that forms creation.
Examples:
Mummy
skeleton
zombie.
Rules: Undead are Immune to dark and poison damage,
immune to poisoned, and Vulnerable to light damage.
Additionally, when an effect (such as an Arcanum, a potion or a spell)
would cause an undead creature to recover Hit Points, whoever controls
that effect may instead have the undead lose half as many Hit Points.
Rising from the Dark Side of the Moon is the Tower of Orichalcum, where
the first monster was born.
NPC SKILLS
What follows is a list of common NPC Skills. You are encouraged to create your
own custom Skills, using these as a guideline.
Remember that your goal when designing a Non-Player Character is to provide a
memorable encounter and an interesting challenge. Keep the PC’s strengths and
weaknesses in mind, and make sure to create synergies between the NPC’s
attacks and abilities!
Each Skill can be taken more than once, with the exception of Skills marked as
limited. That said, you are encouraged to go for variety whenever possible.
CRISIS EFFECT
As long as they are in Crisis, your creature gains a special benefit or
ability.
Examples are:
Your NPC's damage Affinities change.
Damage dealt by your NPC ignores Resistances (or maybe even Immunities).
One or more of your NPC's attacks gain multi (2).
Since this Skill will only activate when the creature is already severely
damaged, it's okay for the effects to be quite strong.
DAMAGE ABSORPTION
Choose any one damage type your NPC is already Resistant or Immune to: they
gain Absorption towards the chosen damage type.
This Skill is perfect for elemental creatures that may grow stronger when
struck by attacks matching their element and should generally be accompanied
by one or two Vulnerabilities that can be exploited by clever Player
Characters.
DAMAGE IMMUNITY
Your NPC gains Immunity to one damage type of your choice they were not
Vulnerable to. Be careful when making a creature Immune to physical damage
since it’s the most common damage type during the early levels.
GAME MASTER
Chapter 307
DAMAGE RESISTANCE
Your NPC gains Resistance to two damage types of your choice. If you
choose a type the NPC was Vulnerable to, they don't become Resistant to
it: instead, they simply lose the corresponding Vulnerability (only
Vulnerabilities caused by the NPC's Species can be removed this way).
FINAL ACT (LIMITED)
When reduced to 0 HP, your NPC can immediately perform some sort of
special action or attack. Self-destructing robots and exploding fire
elementals are great classics.
Take some liberty with this Skill, making it powerful but also a hindrance
for the NPC’s allies. If this Skill deals damage, it should be minor (see
page 93).
FLYING (LIMITED)
Your NPC has the ability to fly or levitate. In addition to the obvious
narrative benefits, creatures on the ground cannot reach your NPC with
melee attacks as long as your NPC is in mid-air (but your NPC can perform
melee attacks against targets who are on the ground).
Limitation 1: If the NPC suffers damage of a type they
are Vulnerable to, they are immediately forced to land and lose the
benefits of this Skill until the end of the round, when they will
automatically resume flight. Your NPC may also be forced to land by
spending an opportunity.
Limitation 2: As long as it is in Crisis, the NPC loses
all benefits granted by this Skill.
IMPROVED DAMAGE
Choose one of your NPC's attacks or spells: it now deals 5 extra damage.
If you acquire this Skill multiple times, you must always apply it to a
different source of damage.
Caution: Be careful when using this Skill to increase
damage dealt by attacks with multi.
IMPROVED DEFENSES
Choose one option:
Your NPC gains a +2 bonus to Defense and a +1 bonus to Magic Defense.
Your NPC gains a +1 bonus to Defense and a +2 bonus to Magic Defense.
This Skill can be taken only twice, and its effects are cumulative with
those granted by equipment and other Skills.
Improved Hit Points
Your NPC's maximum Hit Points are increased by 10.
This Skill is excellent for creatures that need to compensate for low
defenses or damage Vulnerabilities.
Improved Initiative (Limited)
Your NPC gains a +4 bonus to their Initiative score.
Reaction
Your NPC reacts to a specific trigger (such as being missed by an attack, or
hit by an offensive spell). Examples are:
Performs an attack after being missed by a melee attack.
Deals minor damage when hit by an offensive spell.
Recovers some Mind Points when damaged.
Special Attack
Choose one of your NPC's attacks and add a special effect. Examples are:
The attack gains multi (2).
The attack targets Magic Defense instead of Defense.
The target suffers a status effect.
The target is trapped, swallowed or captured. Breaking free will likely
require filling a Clock of variable size — generally four to six sections.
The attack deals more damage to targets suffering from status effects.
The attack allows your NPC to recover HP equal to half the HP loss it
causes.
If the target was dazed or shaken, your NPC controls the target's next
action.
If the target was slow or weak, the attack petrifies them.
The attack prevents the target from performing a specific action on their
next turn.
The attack grants your creature some kind of bonus that lasts until their
next turn.
Some effects are much more powerful than others. When you choose an effect
for this Skill, compare it with other creatures of a similar level in the
Bestiary. Take into account how effective the attack will be in this
particular situation as well.
GAME MASTER
SPECIALIZED
Choose one option:
Your NPC gains a +3 bonus to all Accuracy Checks.
Your NPC gains a +3 bonus to all Magic Checks.
Your NPC gains a +3 bonus to Opposed Checks in a specific context.
This Skill can be taken up to three times, but never for the same type of
Check.
SPELLCASTER
Choose one option:
Your NPC learns one spell and increases their maximum Mind Points by 10.
Your NPC learns two spells.
NPCs may learn spells from Classes or from the list of NPC Spells on the next
page.
Offensive (rr) spells cast by NPCs may use 【MIG + WLP 】 or 【INS + WLP 】
for the Magic Check.
STATUS EFFECT IMMUNITY
Your NPC becomes immune to any two status effects of your choice.
UNIQUE ACTION
Your NPC may perform the Skill action to generate a unique effect. Examples
are:
Your NPC's next attack or spell will deal 10 extra damage.
Your NPC changes "stance", swapping or altering their damage Affinities.
Your NPC calls for reinforcements (these adversaries should be very weak).
USE EQUIPMENT (LIMITED)
Your NPC gains one accessory slot, one armor slot, one main hand slot, and one
off-hand slot. Soldier enemies should only be equipped with Basic Items; elite
and champion adversaries, on the other hand, should often use Rare Items. If
an NPC loses a weapon they have equipped, any Skills assigned to the
corresponding basic attack should be transferred to their unarmed strikes.
NPC SPELLS
When you give a Non-Player Character one of these spells, rename it and tweak
its effects to suit your needs — most spells are already customizable,
allowing you to choose between status effects or damage types: you make this
choice when designing your NPC.
For instance, you might give a creature Cursed Breath from
the list below, choose ice damage and the slow status effect and rename it to
Frozen Spear.
SPELL
MP
TARGET
DURATION
Area Status
20
Special Instantaneous Choose any number of creatures you can see:
each of them suffers (choose one: dazed, shaken, slow, weak).
Breath
5
One creature Instantaneous The target suffers 【HR + 10】 (choose
type) damage.
Curse
5
One creature Instantaneous The target suffers (choose one: dazed,
shaken, slow, weak).
Curse XL
10
One creature Instantaneous The target suffers (choose two: dazed,
shaken, slow, weak).
Cursed Breath
10
One creature Instantaneous The target suffers 【HR + 15】 (choose
type) damage and suffers (choose one: dazed, shaken, slow, weak).
Devastation
30
Special Instantaneous Choose any number of creatures you can see:
each of them suffers 30 (choose type) damage. You may only cast this
spell once per turn.
Note: This spell should only be given to champion and elite creatures level
30 or higher, and said creatures can only cast this spell during their last
turn in the round.
GAME MASTER
(Page Identifier: 311 W)
Spells and Abilities
Lick Wounds
Cost: 5 | Target: Self |
Duration: Instantaneous
You recover 20 Hit Points. This amount increases to 30 Hit Points if you are
level 20 or higher, to 40 Hit Points if you are level 40 or higher, or to 50
Hit Points if you are level 60 or higher.
Life Theft
Cost: rr 10 | Target: One creature |
Duration: Instantaneous
The target suffers 【HR + 15】 (choose type) damage. Then, you recover an
amount of Hit Points equal to half the Hit Point loss they suffered.
Mind Theft
Cost: rr 10 | Target: One creature |
Duration: Instantaneous
The target suffers 【HR + 15】 (choose type) damage. Then, you recover an
amount of Mind Points equal to half the Hit Point loss they suffered.
Poison
Cost: rr 10 | Target: × T |
Scope: Up to three creatures |
Duration: Instantaneous
Each target hit by this spell suffers poisoned.
Quicken
Cost: 20 | Target: One creature |
Duration: Instantaneous
The target may immediately perform a free attack with a weapon they have
equipped (or with a basic attack, if the target is an NPC).
Rage
Cost: rr 10 | Target: × T |
Scope: Up to three creatures |
Duration: Instantaneous
Each target hit by this spell suffers enraged.
Shell
Cost: 10 | Target: Self |
Duration: Scene
Until this spell ends, you gain Resistance to physical damage.
War Cry
Cost: 10 | Target: × T |
Scope: Up to three creatures |
Duration: Scene
Until this spell ends, each target gains a +1 bonus to Accuracy Checks.
Weaken
Cost: rr 10 | Target: One creature |
Duration: Scene
Until this spell ends, the target suffers 5 extra damage from all sources
that deal (choose type) damage.
ANGELA, THE FIRE MAGE
In today's session, the group is investigating traces of a mysterious
organization that has been stealing rare magic tomes and gathering
"suspicious" ingredients. The Player Characters have managed to locate one of
the group's hideouts, nestled within the blackened and mossy remains of an old
watchtower. Unfortunately, they weren't exactly subtle in their search, and a
nasty surprise awaits them: Angela, one of the organization's founding members
and a capable pyromancer, has been informed of their arrival and will confront
them directly.
This just happened, and the GM asks everyone to give them a few minutes in
order to come up with a suitable battle. There isn't much time, so they try to
be as fast as possible while creating something that provides an interesting
challenge.
Player Character Level Assessment: First of all, the Game
Master looks at the Player Characters' levels. Two of them are level 10, one
is level 9, and another is level 11. This means the adversaries should range
from level 10 to level 20, on average.
Angela's Design Parameters: Since Angela acts as the
biggest threat in this situation, it makes sense for her to be level 20.
She's a humanoid creature, which means she can equip items
and gets three starting Skills, and she is considered a minor Villain, which
means she has access to 5 Ultima Points.
The GM also plans on making her an elite or a champion, but for now she will
be built as a soldier.
Personality and Traits: Angela is a capable mage with a
strong personality, so she is given the following Traits: ambitious,
arrogant, knowledgeable, and ruthless. She will be easily provoked and stop
at nothing to protect the organization's interests, which includes
destroying all evidence in the hideout if given no other choice.
Attributes: When it comes to her Attributes, the choice is
easy: a d10 in Willpower, and a d8 in every other Attribute (normally one of
her Attributes should be a d6, but Angela is level 20 and gets to raise one
of her Attributes by one die size).
Combat Equipment & Attacks: Close combat won't be Angela's
strong suit, but the GM takes into account her humanoid advantages and
equips her with a
(ferula, page 270), a rare
weapon that boosts her Magic Checks. The GM decides to give her another
basic attack that showcases her frequent use of fire magic; this will be a
ranged attack that relies on 【INS + WLP】 and deals 5 fire
damage. The attack is named "flame dart".
Since an adversary level 20 or higher deals 5 extra damage with attacks and
spells, Angela's staff will deal a total of 【HR + 7】 damage and
her flame dart will deal a total of 【HR + 10】 damage, making
her a bit more dangerous.
SAMPLE BOSS DESIGNS
Game Master Report
Now comes the fun part: Skills. Since Angela is level 20 and her Species is
humanoid, she will start with a total of five Skills because she is being
built as a soldier. If she is made an elite or a champion, she'll get a few
more.
First, Angela is a mage and that needs to be taken care of. The GM gives her
the Spellcaster Skill. When a character takes that Skill,
they can either learn two spells, or learn one spell and increase their
maximum MP by 10. The GM takes the Spellcaster Skill twice
and gives Angela three spells, plus a slight bump to her Mind Points.
But which spells should be chosen? She's a pyromancer and a dark mage, so she
should get something from Elementalist and Entropist —
Drain Vigor and Ignis feel appropriate. When
it comes to her third spell, the GM goes with Flare. The idea
is that the heroes will feel threatened by Angela, and a damage spell like
this will surely leave an impression. All three spells also deal 5 extra
damage due to Angela being level 20.
There are three Skills available, so the GM keeps it simple and takes
Damage Resistances against dark and fire damage, then
Special Attack twice, making her "flame dart" target Magic
Defense instead of Defense and inflict weak.
Character Build Sheet - Angela
Since she's level 20, Angela gains a +2 bonus to Accuracy
Checks and Magic Checks.
The GM writes that down.
Finally, Angela is given some physical protection in the form of a sage
robe, bringing her Defense to 9 and her Magic Defense to 10. Her Initiative
score will be 6, and her maximum HP and MP will both be equal to 80.
Were Angela a soldier-rank adversary, she'd be done. But that isn't the case.
The heroes confront her inside a magical laboratory, so she'll have a few
magical allies to support her; there isn't much time, so the GM relies on a
creature already present in the Bestiary: the arcane lantern (page 328).
Since they don't want to make the battle too overwhelming and there are four
Player Characters in the group, the GM makes Angela an elite accompanied by
two arcane lanterns (renamed as "Angela's arcane lanterns").
Unfortunately, the Lanterns are only level 5 — a bit too weak. They could be
made level 10, or the GM could do something different. They know the
lanterns are rather easy to dispatch, being Vulnerable to physical damage,
so they give Angela a huge supply and then add an extra effect upon defeat.
They take away the lanterns' Mana Transfer action and replace it with
Mana Burst: when an arcane lantern drops to 0 HP, it shatters
in a wave of spiritual energy and restores 10 Mind Points to all characters
present on the scene, be they friends or foes. When this happens, a new
lantern will join the battle at the end of each round (up to a maximum of
three lanterns in the battle at any time).
This creates an interesting dynamic: the Player Characters can focus their
actions on Angela and risk being swarmed by lanterns, or take out the
constructs but gradually restore Angela's MP, giving her the opportunity to
cast more spells.
Finally, Angela is going to be made an elite; this means she will get two
turns per round, she will double her maximum Hit Points (bringing her to a
rather resilient 160), and she will get an additional Skill. She also gets a
+2 bonus to her Initiative score.
The GM is pretty happy with the battle as it is, but thinks the extra Skill
should reflect just how determined Angela is to put an end to the heroes'
meddling: when she enters Crisis for the first time, she will channel her
magic in an attempt to destroy the laboratory — this will be represented by a
six-sections Clock, named "ashes to ashes", which will automatically increase
by 1 at the start of each of Angela's turns. The Player Characters can of
course use the Objective action to turn back this Clock, but the only way to
preserve the evidence in the hideout is to both reduce the Clock to 0 and
defeat Angela or force her to leave the scene.
Ferula w [INS + WLP] +2
w [HR + 7] physical damage.
Flame Dart w
[INS + WLP] +2 w
[HR + 10] fire damage and the target
suffers weak. (This attack targets Magic Defense.)
Spells
Drain Vigor w
[INS + WLP] +3 w 10 MP w One creature w
Instantaneous. The target suffers
[HR + 15] dark damage and Angela recovers
Hit Points equal to half the Hit Point loss caused by this spell.
Flare w
[INS + WLP] +3 w 20 MP w One creature w
Instantaneous. The target suffers
[HR + 30] fire damage. This damage
ignores Resistances.
Ignis w
[INS + WLP] +3 w 10 × T MP w Up to three
creatures w Instantaneous. Each target suffers
[HR + 20] fire damage. Opportunity: Each
target suffers shaken.
Angela's Arcane Lantern
Type: CONSTRUCT
Typical Traits: glowing, helpful, magical, tiny.
Attributes
DEX d8
INS d8
MIG d6
WLP d10
Core Stats
HP: 40 | MP: 20 | Init: 8
DEF: +1 | M.DEF: +2
Basic Attacks
Elemental Discharge w
[DEX + INS] w
[HR + 5] damage. When Angela's arcane
lantern performs this attack, roll a d6 to determine the damage type: 1-2
bolt; 3-4 fire; 5-6 ice.
Special Rules
Construct The lantern is immune to poisoned.
Mana Burst When reduced to 0 HP, Angela's arcane
lantern explodes in a wave of magical energy. When this happens, every other
creature present on the scene recovers 10 Mind Points.
Bestiary (page 326), the thornfish catches
the GM's eye: it's level 10 and a Bestiary (page 326), the thornfish catches the GM's eye: it's level 10 and a
The thornshark dives underwater and can no longer be targeted by attacks
(spells and other effects can still be used against it). This benefit lasts
until the start of the Thornshark's next turn, or until the Thornshark loses
any amount of Hit Points.
Special Rules
Crisis Effect: As long as the thornshark is in Crisis, the
Ocean Jet attack gains multi (2).
Flying: Creatures on the ground cannot reach the thornshark
with melee attacks as long as it is in mid-air (but the thornshark can
perform melee attacks against targets on the ground with no penalties).
If the thornshark suffers damage of a type it is Vulnerable to, it is
immediately forced to land and temporarily loses the benefits of this
Skill — the Thornfish resumes flight at the end of the round. The
thornshark may also be forced to land by spending an opportunity.
As long as it is in Crisis, the Thornshark loses all benefits granted by
this Skill.
318
BESTIARY
This final chapter details a variety of NPCs that the Game Master may use as
reference when designing adversaries during the first 20 levels of the game,
but further supplements will add even more — in the meantime, make sure to
experiment with the rules for NPC design (page 302) and come up with unique adversaries!
SPECIES AND LEVELS
This chapter features a section for each NPC Species, in alphabetical order:
beasts, constructs, demons, elementals, humanoids, monsters, plants, and
undead.
Within each section, NPCS are listed based on their level, from lowest to
highest, in five-levels increments — level 5, level 10, level 15, level 20,
and so on.
All NPCS listed in this chapter are soldiers (not elites or champions).
STUDYING A NON-PLAYER CHARACTER
If you want to know more about an NPC's profile, perform an
【INS + INS】 Open Check — during a conflict scene, the Study
action is what you're looking for.
The Game Master will reveal the corresponding amount of information:
Result 10+: The NPC's Rank, Species, maximum HP, and
maximum MP.
Result 13+: All the above, plus Traits, Attributes,
Defense, Magic Defense, Affinities.
Result 16+: All the above, plus basic attacks and spells.
The Game Master may apply a +2 bonus or -2 penalty for creatures that are
especially common or hard to find. Once you perform the check, that is what
you know — the same character cannot retry the Check, regardless of if they
encounter a different NPC that would feature the same profile. However, you
can still study different aspects of the creature (such as desires and
motivations); if the NPC changes profile, perhaps through a transformation or
a change of phase, they can be studied again.
Creature Profile Guide
Chapter Title Placeholder
d 1. NAME, LEVEL AND SPECIES
At the top of the creature profile, you will find the creature's name, their
level (ranging from a minimum of 5 to a maximum of 60), and finally their
Species.
d 2. DESCRIPTION AND TYPICAL TRAITS
Each profile features a short description of the creature, followed by a list
of typical (but not universal) Traits for that type of creature. The Game
Master should always consider these Traits when portraying the creature or
adjudicating the consequences of actions — a peaceful creature is more likely
to listen to reason than an aggressive one, for instance.
Villains can also spend Ultima Points to invoke Traits and reroll dice (page
101).
d 3. ATTRIBUTES
This line provides you with the creature's main and secondary statistics:
Dexterity (DEX), Insight (INS), Might (MIG) and Willpower (WLP)
are all listed using the creature's base die size. Status effects and
various abilities may temporarily influence these die sizes.
HP indicates the creature's maximum Hit Points, followed by
their Crisis score.
MP indicates the creature's maximum Mind Points.
Init. indicates the creature's Initiative score. This
calculation already takes all relevant bonuses and penalties into account,
such as those from armor or Skills.
d 4. DEFENSES
This section lists the creature's defensive statistics:
Defense (DEF) may be listed as a fixed number (if the
creature is wearing martial armor) or as a bonus to be added to their
current Dexterity die size.
Magic Defense (M.DEF) is always listed as a bonus to be
added to the creature's current Insight die size.
These scores already take into account any benefits granted by shields and
Skills.
5. DAMAGE AFFINITIES
Here you can find the creature's Affinity towards each of the nine damage
types in the game, in this order: physical, air, bolt, dark, earth, fire, ice,
light, poison.
Empty field means the creature has no Affinity regarding
the damage type in question.
VU means the creature is Vulnerable to the damage type in
question, thus doubling the Hit Point loss.
RS means the creature is Resistant to the damage type in
question, thus halving the Hit Point loss.
IM means the creature is Immune to the damage type in
question, thus negating the Hit Point loss.
AB means the creature Absorbs the damage type in question,
thus recovering Hit Points equal to the damage suffered.
For more information on damage and Affinities, see
page 92.
6. BASIC ATTACKS
This section lists the creature's main attacks using the format below:
$ Attack Name w 【Accuracy Check】 w 【Damage Calculation】 type damage. aa Attack Name w 【Accuracy Check】 w 【Damage Calculation】 type damage.
$ or aa indicates whether the attack is melee or ranged.
【Accuracy Check】 indicates which Attributes must be
rolled for the Accuracy Check.
【Damage Calculation】 indicates how to calculate the
damage dealt by the attack, generally by adding the High Roll and a fixed
value, as well as the type of damage dealt by the attack. Some attacks deal
no damage.
Many attacks have secondary effects or follow special rules, such as targeting
Magic Defense instead of Defense. Secondary effects are listed after the
damage calculation (if any) and only take place if the attack was successful
unless otherwise noted.
CHAPTER 7. SPELLS
Some creatures can cast spells. The format is as follows:
h Spell Name w 【Magic Check】 w MP cost w Target w Duration.
Spell effect.
Key definitions:
w h indicates that this is a spell and requires the Spell
action.
w If rr is present next to the spell's name, it is
an offensive spell.
w【Magic Check】 indicates which Attributes must be rolled for
the Magic Check (if the spell is an offensive spell).
w MP cost indicates the spell's cost in Mind Points.
w Target indicates the spell's possible target or targets.
w Duration indicates whether the spell is instantaneous or
lasts for the scene.
Finally, the effects of the spell are described in the text. If the spell
features an opportunity option, it will be listed here. Some spells have
effects that change if the creature casting them is a higher level — this is
mentioned in the text.
DEX d8 INS d6 MIG d10 WLP d8 HP 60 w 30 MP 45 Init. 7
DEF +2 M.DEF +1 ' a b aa RS EE RS ff VU ii VU l b
BASIC ATTACKS
Mandible Slash w 【DEX + MIG】 w 【HR + 5】 poison damage
and the target suffers weak.
Cutter Ball w 【DEX + MIG】 w 【HR + 5】 physical damage.
If the cutterpillar performed the Guard action during its previous turn,
this attack deals 5 extra damage.
SPECIAL RULES
Roll Up w When the cutterpillar performs the Guard
action, it gains Immunity to physical damage until the start of its next
turn.
GIANT RAT Lv 5 w BEAST
Large rats dwelling in sewers and tunnels. Their bite can cause violent
fevers, but they are easily scared away by fire.
Typical Traits: afraid of fire, fast, hungry, vicious.
DEX d12 INS d8 MIG d6 WLP d6 HP 40 w 20 MP 35 Init. 14
DEF +0 M.DEF +0 ' a b a EE RS ff VU i l bb RS
BASIC ATTACKS
Bad Bite w 【DEX + MIG】 w 【HR + 5】 physical damage and
the target suffers poisoned.
SPECIAL RULES
Cornered Rat w As long as it is in Crisis, the rat gains
a +3 bonus to all Checks.
Quick w When the giant rat fills or erases sections of a
Clock related to escaping or pursuing, it may fill or erase an additional
section.
55 BESTIARY
GREY HOWLER
Lv 5 w BEAST
Often trained as guardians, these large canines can prove extremely loyal to
their owners and companions.
Vicious Bite w 【DEX + MIG】 +3 w 【HR + 10】 physical
damage.
SPECIAL RULES
Protect: When another character is in danger, the grey
howler may choose to take their place (see the Protect Skill on
page 197).
VAMPIRE BAT
Lv 5 w BEAST
Unlike normal bats, these oversized predators often attack people and animals.
They are surprisingly intelligent.
Typical Traits: afraid of light, aggressive, loud, smart.
DEX d10
INS d8
MIG d6
WLP d8
HP 50 w 25 MP
45 Init. 9
DEF +0 M.DEF +0 ' aa VU b a EE RS f i l bb RS
BASIC ATTACKS
Blood Drinker w 【DEX + DEX】 w 【HR + 5】 physical damage.
Then, the vampire bat recovers an amount of HP equal to half the HP loss
suffered by the target.
Screech w 【DEX + WLP】 w 【HR + 5】 air damage and the
target suffers dazed.
SPECIAL RULES
Flying: See
page 307 for the detailed effects of
this Skill.
BOMBARD ANT Lv 10 w BEAST
These human-sized ants are an extension of their Queen's will — a mysterious
creature dwelling in the depths of the earth.
Ant Slam w 【DEX + MIG】 +1 w 【HR + 10】 physical
damage.
Ant Cannon w 【DEX + INS】 +1 w 【HR + 5】 physical
damage and the target suffers dazed.
Special Rules
Burrow
When the bombard ant takes the Guard action, if it is standing on dirt,
sand, or rock, it gains a +2 bonus to Defense and becomes Vulnerable to
earth damage until the start of its next turn.
Empty Mind
The bombard ant is immune to dazed and enraged.
THORNFISH Lv 10 w BEAST
Barely longer than an outstretched arm, these fishes use their fins to fly
across brief distances and carry a vicious bite.
White Maw (Requires [DEX + MIG]): Deals +5 physical
damage and the target suffers weak.
Spells
Iceberg (Cost: 20 MP): Targets one creature, instant
action. The target suffers 【HR + 30】 ice damage. This damage ignores
Resistances.
Lick Wounds (Cost: 5 MP): Self, instant action. The white
howler recovers 30 Hit Points (40 if level 40+, 50 if level 60+).
Special Rules
Regal Aura: Allies of the white howler are immune to
shaken.
ARCANE LANTERN Lv 5 w CONSTRUCT
Mages often keep these creatures as magical repositories. In a pinch, the
lanterns can even help in battle.
Typical Traits: glowing, helpful, magical, tiny.
Stats
DEX d8 INS d8 MIG d6 WLP d10 HP 40 w 20 MP 55 Init. 8
DEF +1 M.DEF +2 ' VU a b a EE RS ff RS ii RS l bb IM
Basic Attacks
Elemental Discharge
Damage: {DEX + INS} w {HR + 5} damage. When the arcane
lantern performs this attack, roll a d6 to determine the damage type: 1-2
bolt; 3-4 fire; 5-6 ice.
Other Actions
Mana Transfer
The arcane lantern may use an action and spend up to 10 Mind Points to choose
another creature it can see. That creature recovers an equal amount of Mind
Points.
Special Rules
Construct: The lantern is immune to poisoned.
CLATTERCLOWN Lv 10 w CONSTRUCT
A discarded toy jester inhabited by loathsome spirits. Perhaps it is simply
looking for someone to play with?
Typical Traits: creepy, loud, small, vengeful.
Stats
DEX d8 INS d10 MIG d8 WLP d6 HP 60 w 30 MP 50 Init. 13
DEF +0 M.DEF +0 ' aa VU b a EE RS ff RS i l bb IM
Basic Attacks
Jester Kick
Damage: {DEX + INS} +1 w {HR + 5} physical damage. This
attack deals 5 extra damage against dazed or shaken targets.
Spells
Dancing Jester
20 MP w Special w Instantaneous. The clatterclown chooses any number of
creatures it can see: each of them suffers shaken.
Special Rules
Construct: The clatterclown is immune to poisoned.
GARGOYLE
Lv 10 w CONSTRUCT
Despite their weight, gargoyles can levitate using their moderate magical
powers. They make for excellent guardians.
Typical Traits
Bound to a location
Cunning
Floating
Vigilant
Statistics
DEX
d10
INS
d8
MIG
d8
WLP
d6
HP
70 w 35
MP
50
Init.
9
Defenses
DEF: +0
M.DEF: +0
Basic Attacks
Stone Claws w 【DEX + MIG】 +1 w 【HR + 5】 physical damage.
This attack targets Magic Defense.
Spells
Stone Barrage w 【MIG + WLP】 +1 w 10 MP w One creature w
Instantaneous. The target suffers 【HR + 15】 earth damage and suffers
dazed.
Special Rules
Construct: The gargoyle is immune to poisoned.
Flying: See
page 307 for the detailed effects of
this Skill.
MAGITECH TROOPER
Lv 10 w CONSTRUCT
A suit of armor animated by soul energy. Immensely powerful in battle, but its
strategies tend to be very predictable.
Typical Traits
Loyal
Predictable
Ruthless
Vigilant
Statistics
DEX
d8
INS
d8
MIG
d10
WLP
d6
HP
80 w 40
MP
40
Init.
5
Defenses
DEF: 11
M.DEF: +0
Equipment
waraxe, bronze plate.
Basic Attacks
Axe Strike w 【MIG + MIG】 +1 w 【HR + 14】 physical damage
and the target suffers slow.
Special Rules
Construct: The magitech trooper is immune to poisoned.
Exposed Core: As long as it is in Crisis, the magitech
trooper loses Resistance to fire and ice damage and all damage dealt by its
Axe Strike becomes bolt.
BRONZE GOLEM Lv 15 w CONSTRUCT
These clockwork automatons are often employed as guardians by aristocrats and
merchants. They are imposing but slow.
DEX d10 INS d8 MIG d8 WLP d6 HP 80 w 40 MP 45 Init. 9
DEF +0 M.DEF +0 ' aa VU bb VUa EE RS ff IM ii VU l bb IM
BASIC ATTACKS
Razor Dive: w 【DEX + DEX】 +1 w 【HR + 10】 physical
damage. After performing this attack, the razorbird loses all benefits
granted by the Flying Skill until the start of its next turn.
Gatling Gun: w 【DEX + INS】 +1 w 【HR + 5】 physical
damage. This attack has multi (2).
Scorch Rocket: w 【DEX + INS】 +1 w 【HR + 10】 fire
damage.
SPECIAL RULES
Construct: The razorbird is immune to poisoned.
Fast & Furious: The razorbird is immune to slow and weak.
Flying: See
page 307 for the detailed effects of
this Skill.
FOREST GOLEM Lv 20 w CONSTRUCT
Druids and witches often weave together these creatures and order them to
guard sacred locations.
DEX d6 | INS d6 | MIG d12 |
WLP d10 | HP 110 w 55 MP 80 |
Init. 6
DEF +0 | M.DEF +0
BASIC ATTACKS
Bark Claws w
{MIG + MIG} +2 w
{HR + 10} physical damage. This
attack has multi (2).
Life Blast w
{DEX + MIG} +2 w
{HR + 15} light damage.
SPELLS
Dispel w 10 MP w One creature w Instantaneous. If the
target is affected by one or more spells with a duration of "Scene", instead
they are no longer affected by any of those spells.
Spore Breath w
{MIG + WLP} +2 w 10 MP w One
creature w Instantaneous. The target suffers
{HR + 15} poison damage and
suffers weak.
Vine Burst w 20 MP w Special w Instantaneous. The golem
chooses any number of creatures it can see: each of them suffers shaken.
SPECIAL RULES
Construct w The forest golem is immune to poisoned.
Design Notes for Constructs
The once-resplendent waters of the Dagda Oasis now run dry. The Golem attacks
all that approach. When designing a construct boss, you might separate it into
parts (such as a sturdy central body supported by telescopic limbs), or have
it expose its magitech core when in Crisis, increasing its elemental damage
but also lowering defenses and unlocking new Vulnerabilities.
CONSTRUCT BOSSES
And if there's a Magitech Tinkerer in the party, they might even be able to
take control of a soldier-rank limb and force the boss to punch itself in the
face! Those are the kind of scenes your group will remember.
DEMONS
IMP Lv 5 w DEMON
The weakest of demons. Imps originate from the dark thoughts of a single
person or small community. They are cowards.
DEX d8 INS d8 MIG d6 WLP d10 HP 50 w 25 MP 55 Init. 8
DEF +0 M.DEF +0 ' a b aa RS E ff IM ii RS ll VU b
BASIC ATTACKS
Freezing Nails w 【DEX + WLP】 w 【HR + 5】 ice damage.
This attack targets Magic Defense.
SPELLS
Enrage r w 【INS + WLP】 w 10 MP w One creature w
Instantaneous. The target suffers enraged and cannot perform the Guard or
Spell actions on their next turn.
Shell w 10 MP w Self w Scene. Until this spell ends, the
imp gains Resistance to physical damage.
LIGHTNING WHEEL Lv 10 w DEMON
Born from the fears of travelers, these cruel demons ride inside a large
wooden wheel surrounded by lightning.
Typical Traits: bright, cackling, cruel, fast.
DEX d12 INS d6 MIG d6 WLP d8 HP 60 w 30 MP 60 Init. 9
DEF +0 M.DEF +0 ' a bb ABaa RS EE VU f i l b
BASIC ATTACKS
Sharp Turn w 【DEX + MIG】 +1 w 【HR + 10】 physical
damage.
SPELLS
Fulgur r w 【INS + WLP】 +1 w 10 × T MP w Up to three
creatures w Instantaneous. Each target suffers 【HR + 15】 bolt damage.
Opportunity: Each target suffers dazed.
SPECIAL RULES
Quick w When the lightning wheel fills or erases sections
of a Clock related to escaping or pursuing, they may fill or erase two
additional sections.
SHADOW HOWLER Lv 15 w DEMON
This massive dog is said to appear when a great catastrophe is about to take
place — they are not evil but mere harbingers of tragedy.
Tangle of Vipers w
【DEX + INS】 +5 w
【HR + 15】 poison damage.
Cold Glare w 【DEX + WLP】 +5
w 【HR + 10】 ice damage and the target
cannot perform the Objective action on their next turn. This attack targets
Magic Defense.
Spells
Brain Melt rr w
【INS + WLP】 +2 w 5 × T MP w Up to three
creatures w Instantaneous. Each target loses 【HR + 10】 Mind Points.
Special Rules
Eloquent w The echidna gains a +3 bonus to Opposed Checks
during social occasions.
ACORN PIXIE
Lv 5 w ELEMENTAL
These fairies gather in places where life force flows untainted. If said
energy becomes corrupted, their minds may grow clouded by rage.
Typical Traits: curious, glowing, kind, playful.
Statistics
DEX: d10
INS: d6
MIG: d6
WLP: d10
HP: 40
MP: 20
Init: 8
Basic Attacks
Sharp Needle w {DEX + DEX} w {HR + 5} physical damage. This
attack deals 5 extra damage against slow targets.
Spells
Entangle w {INS + WLP} w 5 MP w One creature w
Instantaneous. The target suffers slow.
Heal w 10 × T MP w Up to three creatures w Instantaneous.
Each target recovers 40 Hit Points (50 if level 20+, 60 if level 40+).
Special Rules
Elemental: The acorn pixie is immune to poisoned.
Flying: See
page 307 for the detailed effects of
this Skill.
CHAOS SHARD
Lv 5 w ELEMENTAL
A fragment of negative energy given form. It is largely mindless, generally
feeding on decaying matter and residual arcane energy.
DEX d8 INS d6 MIG d12 WLP d8 HP 110 w 55 MP 60 Init. 7
DEF +0 | M.DEF +0 | AA VU
bb | RSa EE IM f i l bb IM
Basic Attacks
Rock Charge w 【DEX + MIG】 +2 w 【HR + 15】 physical
damage. This attack has multi (2). If this attack misses any of its targets,
the cragboar loses a minor amount (20) of Hit Points.
Rock Tusk w 【MIG + MIG】 +2 w 【HR + 10】 physical damage.
Spells
h Rock Barrage rr w 【MIG + WLP】 +2 w 10 MP w One creature
w Instantaneous. The target suffers 【HR + 20】 earth damage and
suffers dazed.
h Terra rr w 【MIG + WLP】 +2 w 10 × T MP w Up to three
creatures w Instantaneous. Each target suffers 【HR + 20】 earth
damage. This spell cannot target creatures who are flying, floating,
falling, or otherwise in mid-air.
Opportunity: Each target performs one fewer action on
their next turn (to a minimum of 0 actions).
Other Actions
S Angry Snort w On its next turn, the cragboar must perform
Stone Charge, and each target hit by that attack will suffer shaken.
Special Rules
Elemental w The cragboar is immune to poisoned.
While elementals aren't too common as bosses, they make for great minions.
Using pairs of "opposing" elementals, such as fire and ice, makes it so that
the group must vary their strategy and attacks — because what hurts one
elemental will heal the other, and vice versa.
Elemental Minions
HUMANOIDS
BRIGAND Lv 5 w HUMANOID
A common sight on less-patrolled roads, brigands take advantage of lone
travelers and small caravans.
DEX d8 INS d8 MIG d8 WLP d8 HP 60 w 30 MP 45 Init. 5
DEF 11 M.DEF +0 ' a b a E f i l b
Equipment: heavy spear, crossbow, bronze plate.
Basic Attacks
Heavy Spear: w 【DEX + MIG】 w 【HR + 12】 physical damage.
Crossbow: w 【DEX + INS】 w 【HR + 8】 physical damage.
Special Rules
Defensive Formation: The guard gains a +1 bonus to Defense
and Magic Defense as long as there are one or more other guards in the
conflict.
Protect: When another character is in danger, the guard may
choose to take their place (see the Protect Skill on
page 197).
W HIVEKIN Lv 10 w HUMANOID
Half-bee, half-human, these creatures have a long tradition of arts and
craftsmanship but tend to be quite reclusive.
Typical Traits: buzzing, industrious, lover of beauty,
secretive.
Statistics
DEX
d10
INS
d8
MIG
d8
WLP
d6
HP
70 w 35
MP
50
Init.
11
DEF
+1
M.DEF
+2
Equipment
katana
sage robe
Basic Attacks
$ Hiveblade w [DEX + INS] +5 w
[HR + 10] physical damage.
Spells
Bee Dance w 20 MP w One creature w Instantaneous. The
target may immediately perform a free attack with a weapon they have
equipped (or with a basic attack, if the target is an NPC).
Special Rules
Flying: See
page 307 for the detailed effects of
this Skill.
MERCENARY Lv 10 w HUMANOID
Mercenaries are experts at survival and combat. Their abilities and
equipment make them a dangerous threat.
Typical Traits: competent, grim, jaded, ruthless.
Statistics
DEX
d8
INS
d8
MIG
d8
WLP
d8
HP
60 w 30
MP
50
Init.
5
DEF
11
M.DEF
+1
Equipment
bronze sword
pistol
runic plate
Basic Attacks
$ Bronze Sword w [DEX + MIG] +5 w
[HR + 11] physical damage.
aa Pistol w [DEX + INS] +4 w
[HR + 8] physical damage.
Other Actions
Charged Attack: The mercenary's next attack gains multi (2)
and ignores Resistances.
SNIPER
Snipers provide support fire from the back lines or take out key targets for
the army. They are rather unfit for close combat.
Decorated Staff w 【WLP + WLP】 +2 w 【HR + 11】 physical
damage.
Spells
Fulgur rr w 【INS + WLP】 +5 w 10 × T MP w Up to three
creatures w Instantaneous. Each target suffers 【HR + 20】 bolt damage. Opportunity:
Each target suffers dazed.
Heal w 10 × T MP w Up to three creatures w Instantaneous.
Each target recovers 40 Hit Points (50 if level 20+, 60 if level 40+).
Fiendish-looking soldiers were seen inspecting the Great Crater Lake. What
could they be searching for?
CAIT SITH Lv 5 w MONSTER
When a cat dies in winter, a spirit might take possession of the body,
transforming them into a magical Cait Sith.
Typical Traits: curious, playful, smart, tiny.
DEX d8 INS d8 MIG d6 WLP d10 HP 40 w 20 MP 65 Init. 12
DEF +1 M.DEF +2 ' a bb VUa E ff RS ii RS l bb VU
BASIC ATTACKS
Scratch w 【DEX + MIG】 w
【HR + 5】 physical damage.
SPELLS
Heat Control
rr w 【INS + WLP】 w 15 MP w One creature w
Scene.
The cait sith chooses fire or ice. Until this spell ends, the target suffers
5 extra damage from all sources that deal damage of the chosen type.
DREADMOTH Lv 5 w MONSTER
A large carrion-eating moth, its translucent wings are covered in poisonous
spores that cause terrible vertigo.
Typical Traits: creepy, flying, hairy, smelly.
DEX d10 INS d6 MIG d8 WLP d8 HP 60 w 30 MP 55 Init. 8
DEF +0 M.DEF +0 ' a b a E ff VU ii RS l bb RS
BASIC ATTACKS
Moth Bite w 【DEX + MIG】 w
【HR + 10】 physical damage.
SPELLS
Poison Cloud
rr w 【MIG + WLP】 w 10 × T MP w Up to three
creatures w Instantaneous.
Each target suffers poisoned.
SPECIAL RULES
Flying w See
page 307 for the detailed effects of
this Skill.
55 BESTIARY
MELLOW OOZE
Lv 5 W Monster
Mellow oozes often live in symbiosis with larger monsters. They can be
easily recognized due to their unique noise: pwih, pwih!
Typical Traits:
Glowing
Soft
Terribly cute
Warm
Stats: DEX d8 INS d6 MIG d10 WLP d8 HP 60 w 30 MP 55
Init. 7
Defense: DEF +1 M.DEF +2 '' RS a bb RSa E ff RS ii RS l
bb VU
Abilities
BASIC ATTACKS
Mellow Lick w 【DEX + MIG】 w 【HR + 10】 physical
damage.
Mellow Woosh w 【DEX + INS】 w 【HR + 5】 air damage.
SPELLS
Mellow Dance (10 MP, One creature, Instantaneous). The
target recovers 30 Hit Points (40 if level 20+, 50 if level 40+, 60 if
level 60+) and also recovers from one status effect of the mellow ooze's
choice.
DRAKE
Lv 10 W Monster
Despite being the weakest among dragons, drakes are nonetheless formidable
opponents; luckily, they are also very lazy.
Typical Traits:
Heavy
Hungry
Lazy
Scaly
Stats: DEX d8 INS d8 MIG d10 WLP d6 HP 70 w 35 MP 50
Init. 8
Defense: DEF +2 M.DEF +1 ' a b a E ff IM i l bb VU
Abilities
BASIC ATTACKS
Bite w 【MIG + MIG】 +4 w 【HR + 10】 physical damage.
SPELLS
Dragonbreath (10 MP, One creature, Instantaneous). The
target suffers 【HR + 15】 fire damage and suffers shaken.
HEXEYE Lv 10 w MONSTER
A winged, one-eyed monstrosity feared for its cursed gaze. Some say it was
born from the eye of a dead witch.
Stats: DEX d10 INS d6 MIG d8 WLP d8 HP 60 w 30 MP 60 Init. 12
DEF +0 M.DEF +0 ' aa RS bb VUa EE RS f i ll VU b
BASIC ATTACKS
Claw w 【DEX + MIG】 +1 w 【HR + 10】 physical damage.
Chaos Glare w 【DEX + WLP】 +1 w 【HR + 5】 dark damage. If
the target is dazed, they will perform one fewer action on their next turn (to
a minimum of 0 actions).
SPELLS
Doomgaze rr w 【MIG + WLP】 +4 w 10 MP w One creature w
Instantaneous. The target suffers dazed and weak.
SPECIAL RULES
Flying w See page 307 for the detailed
effects of this Skill.
HYDROZOA Lv 10 w MONSTER
Every slithering tentacle of these bizarre, floating jellyfish monsters is
filled with a powerful neurotoxin.
This attack targets Magic Defense instead of Defense. Each target hit by
this attack suffers slow; if a target is already slow, they must instead
succeed on a DL 10 【MIG + WLP】 Check or be turned to stone — healing a
petrified creature is an adventure in and of itself.
Toxic Peck (w 【DEX + MIG】 +4 w 【HR + 10】 poison
damage.)
MIMIC
Devious shapeshifters that can disguise themselves as objects. Some say they
are divine punishment for greedy adventurers.
DEF +1 M.DEF +2 '' RS aa RS b aa RS EE VU f i ll RS bb VU
Basic Attacks
Mimic Claw (w 【DEX + MIG】 +4 w 【HR + 5】 physical
damage.)
If the mimic ambushed an unsuspecting target, this attack deals double
damage.
Item Steal (w 【DEX + INS】 +4 w 【HR + 5】 physical
damage.)
Each target hit by this attack loses 2 Inventory Points.
Special Rules
Shapeshifting: As long as it remains transformed, the mimic
is identical to the object it copied — except for a single disturbing and/or
unusual detail which the Game Muster must include when describing them.
Drakes make for exceptionally loyal companions.
Friends for all life...
ALRAUNE
Lv 5 w PLANT
Tiny but malicious, these plants are known for bringing terrible misfortune
to anyone they encounter.
Typical Traits: creepy, fast, malevolent, tiny.
DEX d10 | INS d8 | MIG d6 | WLP d8 | HP 50 | w 25 MP 45 | Init. 9
DEF +0 M.DEF +0 (Stats/Resistances listed in the original raw text block
follow here.)
BASIC ATTACKS
Vine Slap w 【DEX + MIG】 w 【HR + 5】 physical damage.
This attack deals 5 extra damage to shaken targets.
Alraune Scream w 【WLP + WLP】 w No damage and the target
suffers shaken. This attack targets Magic Defense and has no effect on
targets unable to hear the alraune.
SPECIAL RULES
Plant: The alraune is immune to dazed, enraged, and
shaken.
CURSED PUMPKIN
Lv 5 w PLANT
The wrathful remains of carved pumpkins, thrown away at the end of an old
autumn festival. Frequent protagonists of horror tales.
Typical Traits: furious, rotting, small, smelly.
DEX d8 | INS d8 | MIG d8 | WLP d8 | HP 50 | w 25 MP 55 | Init. 8
DEF +1 M.DEF +2 (Stats/Resistances listed in the original raw text block
follow here.)
BASIC ATTACKS
Rotten Bite w 【DEX + MIG】 +3 w 【HR + 5】 poison
damage.
SPELLS
Pumpkin Puke rr w 【MIG + WLP】 w 10 MP w One creature w
Scene. Until this spell ends, the target suffers 5 extra damage from all
sources that deal poison damage.
SPECIAL RULES
Plant: The cursed pumpkin is immune to dazed, enraged,
and shaken.
BESTIARY
PESTERVINE Lv 10 w PLANT
A tangle of vines surrounding a thorny core that vertically splits into a
bottomless maw. Some say it was a failed experiment.
DEX d10 INS d8 MIG d8 WLP d6 HP 60 w 30 MP 40 Init. 9
DEF +0 M.DEF +0 ' aa VU b aa IM EE RS ff VU i l bb RS
BASIC ATTACKS
Corrupting Vines w 【DEX + DEX】 +1 w 【HR + 5】 physical
damage and the target suffers weak. As long as they are weak, the target
cannot perform the Guard action.
Dark Bite w 【DEX + MIG】 +1 w 【HR + 10】 dark damage.
SPECIAL RULES
Plant: The pestervine is immune to dazed, enraged, and
shaken.
SHROOMKIN Lv 10 w PLANT
These squat, lumbering creatures are generally peaceful, but might become
aggressive if their bogs are contaminated.
DEX d6 INS d8 MIG d10 WLP d8 HP 70 w 35 MP 60 Init. 7
DEF +2 M.DEF +1 ' a b aa RS EE RS f ii VU l b
BASIC ATTACKS
Shroom Slap w 【DEX + MIG】 +1 w 【HR + 5】 physical
damage.
SPELLS
Spore Belch rr w 【MIG + WLP】 +1 w 10 MP w One creature w
Instantaneous. The target suffers 【HR + 15】 poison damage and suffers
dazed.
SPECIAL RULES
Plant: The shroomkin is immune to dazed, enraged, and
shaken.
Wide Cap: When the shroomkin performs the Guard action,
it may choose another creature. That creature gains Resistance to all
damage types until the start of the shroomkin's next turn.
CACTROLL
Lv 15 w PLANT
These towering cacti spend most of their days standing still amidst the desert
dunes, but become much more active at night.
Typical Traits: creepy, hulking, territorial, water
sensitive.
Moisture Drain: rr w 【MIG + WLP】 +1 w 10 MP w
One creature w Instantaneous.
The target suffers 【HR + 15】 poison damage. Then, the cactroll
recovers an amount of Hit Points equal to half the Hit Points loss suffered by
the target.
OTHER ACTIONS
Cactroll Juice: The cactroll heals from slow and weak.
Then, the cactroll performs Thorn Barrage as a free attack.
SPECIAL RULES
Plant: The cactroll is immune to dazed, enraged, and
shaken.
Game Commentary
The dragontrap's Dragoneater, on the next page, is a good example of how
complex you can make an attack in this game, with a custom Clock for keeping
track of trapped characters. Don't do this too often, and when you do, make
sure it's the main gimmick of that battle.
COMPLEX ATTACKS: Additionally, it should be mentioned that
effects such as this one requires additional judgment calls from the Game
Master — would a character be able to see a swallowed ally and target them
with a spell, for instance? As the GM, if you introduce a creature with
complex attacks, make sure the group properly understands what they're up
against.
DRAGONTRAP
Lv 20
Description
These colossal plants have a well-earned name: their maws are large enough
to engulf the limbs of an adult dragon. These are, however, more often used
to capture and digest animals and humanoids.
The only good news about these monstrosities is that they are deeply rooted
in the ground — you can run away from them, assuming you escape their lethal
vines.
Type and Traits
Typical Traits: colossal, hungry, patient, rooted in
place.
Stats
DEX d8 INS d8 MIG d10 WLP d8 HP 90 w 45 MP 60 Init. 8
DEF +0 M.DEF +0
Attacks and Abilities
Basic Attacks
Dragoneater w
【MIG + MIG】 +5 w
【HR + 10】 physical damage. If a
target hit by this attack is weak, they are swallowed by the dragontrap: a
swallowed creature will suffer minor (20) physical damage at the beginning
of each of the dragontrap's turns and can perform no actions except for
Objective (with the goal of freeing themselves).
Lashing Vines w
【DEX + MIG】 +5 w
【HR + 15】 air damage and the target
suffers weak.
Spells
Numbing Gas w
【MIG + WLP】 +2 w 10 × T MP w Up to
three creatures w Instantaneous. Each target loses half of their current
Mind Points.
Pre-digestion w
【MIG + WLP】 +2 w 10 MP w One creature
w Scene. Until this spell ends, the target suffers 10 extra damage from
all sources that deal physical damage.
Special Rules
Plant: The dragontrap is immune to dazed, enraged, and
shaken.
UNDEAD
DREAD URN Lv 5
A sepulchral urn, filled with old bones and inhabited by a restless soul
fueled by envy towards the living.
Staff w 【WLP + WLP】 +1 w 【HR + 6】 physical damage and the mage
recovers 5 MP.
Spells
Umbra rr w 【INS + WLP】 +1 w 10 × T MP w Up to three creatures w
Instantaneous. Each target suffers 【HR + 15】 dark damage. Opportunity: Each
target suffers shaken.
Special Rules
Undead w The skeletal mage is immune to poisoned and HP
recovery may harm them (page 305).
SKELETAL SOLDIER
Usually found guarding ancient ruins or serving a necromancer, these creatures
are ruthless and capable combatants.
DEF +0 M.DEF +0 ' aa VU b aa IM E ff VU i ll VU bb IM
Basic Attacks
Grave Claw w 【MIG + WLP】 +5 w 【HR + 10】 earth damage.
Each target hit by this attack suffers slow; if a target is already slow,
they become Vulnerable to all damage types until they recover from the slow
status effect.
Special Rules
Ancient Curse w When reduced to 0 HP , the mummy crumbles
to dust and utters a powerful curse: all living creatures present on the
scene suffer shaken and weak.
Empty Mind w The mummy is immune to dazed, enraged, and
shaken.
Undead w The mummy is immune to poisoned and HP recovery
may harm it (page 305).
SHACKLED SOUL
Level: 20 w UNDEAD
Spirits whose tormented existence made it impossible to find peace in the
afterlife sometimes transform into powerful ghosts.