DARK SUN for Basic Roleplaying[house rules]

Core Characteristics Changes1.Dark Sun BRP will use a traditional D&D characteristic line up:Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma (see the notes on Intelligence vs. Wisdom). 2.Will is derived from WIS. Will(power) is figured like any other characteristic roll (WIS x 5). Will represents your character's discipline, ability to resist/cope with certain things (it will not replace certain resistance rolls, though), and to remain stoic in dire/horrific situations. A will roll might enable a character to carry on when his or her physical body is weary and broken (at DM discretion). 3.POW is now a derived trait. POW is = WIS+CHA/2. Power favors the wise and the bold. POW is also stated to be tied significantly to intuition and leadership in the rulebook. 4.APP and EDU are not used. Education is as scarce as water on Athas so I've decided not to use it. Appearance has been replaced by Charisma. I was throwing around the idea of using Appearance as a side dish but it would have no real mechanical effect so physical appearance is purely descriptive (but perhaps reasonably a by-product of your CHA, though not necessarily). Core characteristic values interpretation (based on a average) 3: Abysmal; critically lacking, probably dangerously so 4-5: Awful; heavily hindering 6-7: Poor; possibly burdensome 8-9: Mediocre; below average 10-11: Average 12-13: Good; above average 14-15: Excellent; related abilities are notably sharper 16-17: Outstanding; very distinguished among the commonplace 18: Prodigious; near the apex of natural ability

human

A character cannot have a score higher than 18 or lower than 3 upon creation (although as adventurers a given ability score below 6 will not be allowed unless it's tied to a character concept). I'm not too concerned about balance, not everyone is equal. Most races use a very similar scale for mental and physical characteristics, with averages differing depending on the species. For example, an average human's strength would be considered below average for a mul, while it would be considered above average for an elf.

Intelligence vs. Wisdom

In game definitions, Intelligence represents your character's ability to reason, analyze, learn, and solve problems. Wisdom represents insight, intuition, judgment, and abstract cognition. Intelligence follows sequential lines of logic

(A>B>C>D...), whereas wisdom processes information aberrantly (A>D>4>$...). If a logical framework is known to two people, one can explain to the other how he did something within that framework and the other should be able to follow along (INT). When abstract framework is used in the same manner, the point may not come across as clearly because WIS may use leaps and encryptions that are only significant to the person explaining how they arrived at a certain conclusion. Another way to look at the differences would be: "Intelligence tells you what the problem is, how complex it is, and how to solve it. Wisdom tells you whether or not you should solve the problem and what the problem implies outside of its context." Or simply: "Intelligence asks, 'What?' Wisdom asks, 'Why?'". Roleplaying a character with distinctively different INT and WIS attributes can best be explained in a scene. Imagine there are four adventurers. A fighter (low INT, low WIS), a thief (high INT, low WIS), a cleric (low INT, high WIS), and a wizard (high INT, high WIS). The four adventurers come across a tripwire trap while traveling through a trade-route in a forest. The thief spots the trap, and the party contemplates what to do. The fighter approaches the trap and comes up with three options, bash the trap, go around the trap, or set off the trap with something (figuring they'll all be fine). The fighter's low INT is reflected in the limited number of options he can come up with to deal with the practical dimension of the trap. His low WIS hinders his ability to see how there may be connections between the object of his attention and a larger scope. The fighter's low WIS also hinders his ability to see many different consequences of his actions, such as something as simple as bashing the trap to destroy it might just set it off anyway. The thief approaches the trap and sees several options immediately. Because of his high INT, the thief thinks he may be able to disarm the trap without setting it off, and without making it look like it was sabotaged. The thief also sees the possibility that he could re-rig the trap to go off when the original trap-setter returns to check on it. The thief's higher INT gives him more options when dealing with the trap. He can come up with more complex ideas with what to do with it. But the thief, like the fighter, may fail to see the trap in a global context, how it relates to him and his allies, and why the trap is there in the first place. The cleric might see the same options the fighter sees when dealing with the trap. But the cleric isn't much concerned about that. He has already figured that the thief will come up with more options than he. The cleric's mind starts seeking the meaning of the trap. At first this might be in the form of questions: "Who set this trap? Why did they place it here? Is it intended for us or for someone else? Is the trap's purpose to delay/ kill / capture / distract?" In order to answer these questions, the cleric considers the information available to him. It is crude, so it probably wasn't their nemesis Morta, as he would try more elaborate and deadly traps. It's able is to wound several weaker people, so this is set with malicious intent. They are traveling on a road used very often, so it probably isn't for the party specifically. In the

end, the cleric decides this trap indicates it is probably set to ambush a random group of travelers. But he still doesn't have a clue on what to do about it! The wizard, the only one of the four with both high INT and WIS, ponders the trap. He probably comes to most of the conclusions all of the others did, but he goes a bit further. The wizard tries to find the best way to tie both the need for a solution for the trap, and aims to understand the context of the trap in relation to other things (things not so obvious). He is likely to take the advice of the thief, the insight of the cleric, and the courage of the fighter into account. He devises a plan to have the thief rig the trap, and shortly thereafter the party will hide. The fighter will trigger the trap with a projectile, while the wizard summons an illusion of an injured (and wealthy-looking) merchant. If the crude trap-setters come out to collect their prize the four will ambush them to teach them a lesson for leaving traps on a well-traveled road.

Optional Rules used in DARK SUN BRP (page 383)Characters & Character Creation:Choosing Characteristic values (page 16; although I might use rough conversions for current characters) Non-human characters (obviously) Total Hit Points (page 30) Freeform Professions (page 41; start with 325 skills, and INTx10 personal skills) Fate Points (page 176; use basic system only) Fatigue levels (see below) ENC levels (see Classic Fantasy's ruling below) Skill Category Bonuses (see below) (page 31) Literacy (page 67) Skill ratings over 100% (page 175 and 198) Initiative Rolls (page 188; d10+DEX and/or POW) Power Use in the Action Phase (page 189) Attacks and Parries over 100% (page 198) Dodging missile weapons (page 198; missiles within reason) Alignment (see my custom HR below)

Skills:

Combat:

Misc:

Custom House rulesFatigue levelsCharacters must make stamina rolls after doing strenuous activity. However,

instead of points we will use levels of fatigue, based on how much punishment your character takes. The levels are: Fresh, Winded (-5%), Tired (-10%), Weary (-20%), Exhausted (Difficult), Collapsed (Impossible), and Unconscious (No Actions). The variables in parenthesis represent the fatigue level's penalty to all rolls. Stamina calls will be at DM discretion. Sometimes a character might not get a stamina roll if the activity or trigger is especially or inevitably taxing (such as going several hours without water in the dangerous Athasian heat). Being fatigued also penalizes a character's MOV, generally in small intervals or by DM discretion. u mad?

Encumbrance LevelsEvery physical item has an ENC value. Generally, 1 ENC = 1 kilogram. But more accurately, 1 ENC = 1/6 of a SIZ point. ENC isn't measured so much by absolute weight than it is by how difficult an item is to handle/carry. note: MAX load doesn't represent the maximum weight your character can lift, but simply the max. weight he can carry and still move and fight with.

Unloaded (up to 0.5 x STR). Easy Stamina Rolls only required for typical

(or greater) exertion Light Load (up to 1.0 x STR). Easy Stamina Rolls only required for typical (or greater) exertion. Moderate Load (up to 1.5 x STR) Normal Stamina Rolls required for typical (or greater) exertion. Heavy Load (up to 2.0 x STR). Easy stamina rolls required for casual exertion. Difficult Stamina Rolls required for Typical (or greater) exertion. -2 MOV score. Extreme Load (up to 2.5 x STR). Normal Stamina rolls required for casual exertion. Typical exertion automatically fatigues the character one level. Exceptional exertion only allowed at GMs discretion, and costs multiple fatigue levels. -4 MOV score. Maximum Load (up to 3 x STR). Difficult Stamina rolls required for casual exertion. Typical exertion automatically fatigues the character one level. Exceptional exertion only allowed at GMs discretion, and costs multiple fatigue levels. -8 MOV score.

Skill Category BonusesEach skill category will receive small bonuses based on your core characteristics. Because I've added wisdom and charisma, the primary and secondary attributes will need to be changed. Use the same table on page 31 for your bonuses/penalties, but use my revised skill-attribute list to determine where those values go: Category Combat skills Communication skills Manipulation skills Mental skills Primary DEX INT DEX INT Secondary Negative INT, STR WIS, CHA INT, STR WIS

Perception skills Physical skills

WIS DEX

INT, CON STR, CON

SIZ

AlignmentAlignment should be determined by a character's actions, and not the other way around. We're going to use the alignment system presented in BRP's 'Classic Fantasy' (page 11), albeit with some modification. Every character will have two alignment sections: moral and ethic. On the moral scale, there's good, neutral, and evil. And on the ethic scale, there's law, neutral, and chaos. When your character commits to certain actions, the DM will have the player check the box beside a corresponding alignment. This alignment experience will function identically to skill experience. When the time comes to roll to gain alignment points in the checked boxes, his player will roll a d100% + 1/2 WIS to the roll (instead of INT, as normal experience rolls use). Rolling over the current number of points in a given alignment area will reward his character with the appropriate amount of earned alignment points. Actions will grant a number of points depending on the severity of the act; usually 1-6 points, determined by discussion but ultimately the DM. You will also need to roll to determine if you lose a certain amount of points in the other alignment pools when this happens. To do this, roll the opposite way for the other two alignment pools (i.e.: rolling below the amount of points indicates an alignment shift, instead of above). Subtract 1/2 WIS to the result, instead of adding it. If you roll under the amount of your current points in that alignment pool, subtract a designated amount of points in the other alignment pools. You will normally lose half of the amount of points you earned/would have earned in the first roll. This point shift represents your character's identification with his actions, and his ability to understand them in relation to his sense of self and how he projects himself to others. Failing to earn points in an alignment roll may mean that the action didn't significantly affect him or his image, perhaps the action went under the radar or the character denies it/blocks it out. Perhaps the character didn't really understand or consider the implications of his actions at all. Some actions are very difficult to ignore or shake off, like cold-blooded murder. Such rolls might be made as difficult ones (double your d100% result) or require no roll at all. Example: Bill, a lawful neutral mercenary, is paid to guard and strictly maintain a small post on the outskirts of the city. Bill has no problem attending to it dutibly. One day, he spots a woman in the distance who appears to be in very bad shape, struggling to make it to the city. He considers remaining at his post, but the woman looks strangely like his deceased wife, whom he had lost years ago due to illness. Seeming to strike a chord within him, Bill decides he's going to abandon his post and see what he can do to help the woman. He does so and she collapses in front of him when he paces over to speak to her. Bill then decides that he will carry her into town, so that she can get help and rest safely. At this point, the DM would likely tell Bill's player to check beside the

'good' box on his character sheet (for taking the collapsed woman into the city for help), and to place a check beside the 'chaos' box (for abandoning his post, effectively going against his work contract). When the DM calls for it, Bill's player will roll an alignment check on each scale separately. He rolls a d100% for his moral check and gets 49 (with this 1/2 WIS added in). Since his 'good' score is 25, Bill has earned it an increase. The DM adjudicates that the action was fairly noble, so he awards Bill 4 points in 'good', bringing it to 29. Now, Bill's player must roll inversely for 'neutral' and 'evil'. Assuming he gets a result that's lower than both scores (with 1/2 WIS deducted from the roll), he would lose 2 points in both 'neutral' and 'evil'. This is just one d100% roll and covers both 'neutral' and 'evil'. The same process will be repeated for the ethic scale. Moral scale Good = Welfare of others is paramount. You take some sort of action that helps someone else, without harming anyone or causing suffering. Evil = Welfare of self is paramount. You take some sort of action to advance yourself at the suffering and expense of someone else. Neutral = Welfare of self is paramount, but not at the expense of others. You may take actions to help others not out of altruism, but for advancing yourself. You may take actions that help those close to you. Ethic scale Law = Honor, trustworthiness, reliability, obedience to authority/discipline. Collectivistic. Chaos = Freedom, adaptibility, flexibility, subject to whims. Individualistic. Neutral = Adoption of both law and chaos, or rejection of the extremes. Begin play with '25' in the two alignment pools that you think corresponds to your character's personality, and '10' in all the rest. These values will increase/decrease over time depending on your moral and ethical decisions, but it's best to remember that most people are consistent and don't often act in extremes (however as adventurers you will probably have to from time to time). Your actions may build yourself a reputation among strangers and peers, and may also affect your standing with certain groups and factions. Also, certain magical items and entities and places may require you to be of a certain alignment, perhaps extremely of that alignment to use them and/or gain effects from them, positive or negative. Therefore, Alignment is abstractly palpable, much like a character's POW characteristic.