Game Systems/Mechanics
Rolling Dice: Any roll over a 15 is an automatic failure. Said failure may be re-rolled if the character has rerolls (see below). A roll of 18 is an automatic failure that cannot be rerolled. In addition, a roll of 18 means that any item/ingredients/whatever the character was using for that action are ruined/destroyed. Items with the "Unique" trait (see below) are exempt from this effect.
I will be using some of the optional rules from "the ultimate skill". The most important right now is the "normal skill maximum" rule: skill levels above 13- cost double for each level. Following the book, I will as a result of this make "skill level" powers rare, typically associated with equipment.
I will also be using the rule that failure by 4 or more will hold greater consequences than just a simple "fail", and the "extraordinary feats" rule.
Hit Locations: I'm going to leave this up to the characters: discuss on the discussion page. I will use hit locations if you all want, or not: If not, things will go a bit quicker, but be less flashy. If we do, things will be less predictable/more chaotic, but there will be more dramatic "turns of the tide", for and against the characters.
Rerolls: every level of the "luck" power gives one reroll per session.
Equipment: I've made some errors on this, so I'd like to summarize here. All equipment must have the OAF disadvantage. It does NOT have to have the "independent" disad. If your equipment breaks, is lost, or stolen, you may replace it for free when you get somewhere you could reasonably do this. Also, weapons/equipment should not give bonuses beyond those laid out in equipment books without GM permission.
Buy Back: characters may "sell back" any equipment they no longer need, including magic and/or attuned items. Note, however, that you may never buy replacement magical items in this way: magical items must be found/looted as generated by the GM. Also, obviously (see below) attuned items cannot be bought with this XP. Finally, the XP cannot be spent on anything other than gear, and must be spent immediately when the item is "sold back".
Unique: sometimes, villains/treasure chests/allies/monsters will happen to yield a particularly rare or high quality item to the group. Examples would be any item of dwarf manufacture, spellbooks, or powerful magic items. Such items have the "unique" trait. This trait functions as the trait "independent", but is worth -3 and confers the benefits above under the "rolling dice" section.
Attunement: Magic permeates Amora, but only the dwarves have learned how to bend it into a set shape inside an object. However, items used for great deeds or involved in great events naturally draw magical power into themselves. This process has been named "attunement" by magical scholars, to differentiate it from the actual creation of a magic item as practiced by the dwarves.
the characters are, whether they know it or not, involved in great events. as such, their items will become attuned to them. what this amounts to is that characters may spend up to 5 points a session giving gear that they have had for AT LEAST one full session prior (ie, you can't have acquired it that session) special bidness, subject to GM approval.
Intent: characters may use items they find until the end of the scene without paying character points. At the end of that scene, they can buy the item and keep it. If the character doesn't have enough XP, but wishes to buy the item at the end of the night, they can "commit" to buying it: they can't use it for the rest of the session, but they will add it to their character sheet at the end of the night. Alternatively, a character may "pre-buy" items with XP from the end of the night during a session at the penalty of -1 XP.
Crude items there is a difference between something well maintained/made for use and something found in a ditch. Any item that has not been manufactured recently by someone with the appropriate skill (notably "weaponsmith") or maintained in a state of readiness (such as items plucked off immediately defeated foes) is considered crude. Crude items break on any auto-fail (16, 17, or 18) and suffer a -1 to OCV AND a -1 DC. Thus, characters can replace lost/broken weapons anywhere, in theory ("hey look, a spear in this dead skeleton on an ancient battlefield!" or "I rip a mighty branch off this tree to make a new club"), but these weapons are inherently not balanced/sharpened/conditioned for use.
Armor: armor will cause DCV/DEX penalties as per the rulebook. characters may take penalty skill levels to offset this.
Death: we will use the optional rules for bleeding in which characters below zero body slowly lose body. If you are at minus your total body, you are dead. No resurrection spells exist in Amora, currently. If you die, once you are done being upset/sad/angry, you should make a new character of equal value to your dead character: you may request an equal number of unique items as your previous character had from the GM (though you don't have to take them if you don't like the ones the GM offers you). THE GROUP HOOK RESTRICTIONS STILL APPLY FOR LATER ADDITIONS.
Rules: we will use Hero system rules: what is in the book is the rules, yo. When optional rules are in question, it is my call how we run it. If we aren't sure, the rules are ambiguous, etc, it is my call how we run it.
Query: Please discuss the "laying down the law" mechanic on the talk page: I designed it in the hopes of limiting rules disputes, but several players have voiced concerns that this will make things worse. I'm happy to scrap it, but that means more of me, fallible, mortal me, making rules calls. You have been warned.
