Ars Memoria is a role playing game that requires a narrator and a cast of actors to use game mechanics and role play as characters. The narrator (referred to as the GM), describes the setting and serves as the God of the fiction, where the actors are extensions of the players enacting free will. [[Glossary]] [[Conditions]] For those new to ttrpgs: (yap here later..) For those accustomed to ttrpgs: (yap here later...) # Dice #dice A primary game mechanic of Ars Memoria is using dice to resolve probabilities. The narrator may use dice of any number of faces to resolve probabilities in a manner they see fit. The two main dice used by the actors are the D20 and the D6. The D20 is the accuracy die. This die represents a percentage array in increments of 5%, and is used for resolving checks involving variance. The D6 is the Magnitude die, and is often used for measuring the intensity of an action that has variance. Both of these dice are typically modified by a characters aptitude in something, which is represented by their ranks in paths or their stat values, or by the narrarator's discretion. Non-variable force multipliers such as a critical hit, will have a flat multiplier applied to the magnitude, and will not use the magnitude D6 dice. Variable force multipliers such as chemical chain reactions, or high variance proximity based damage will use the magnitude D6 or multiple as a multiplier. #Dc When rolling an accuracy die, the success threshold is measured by the DC set by the narrator. The DC is calculated by the rank of a stat, or a rank in a path of the actor compared to the rank of the task. Tasks are measured in magnitudes of 1-6 similar to that of paths The narrator will call for a check in a stat or from a selection of stats if the task is generic enough to not require the character to have ranks within a specific path. The DC of a check that is the same rank as the stat or path is 10, meaning a 10 or higher must be rolled. For each rank the actor possesses above the rank of the task, the DC is reduced by 5 For each rank the actor possesses below the rank of the task, the DC is increased by 5 The rank of a task is representative of the difficulty of that task to be performed by the average person, from 1 being possible for an amateur increasing asymptotically to rank 6 which would be difficult to impossible to perform by most people. Possessing a rank 2 in a stat or path would result in a rank 5 task having a DC of 25 which is impossible to roll on a D20 dice without traits or circumstances that could increase the value of the rolled result. # Measurements #measurements 1m = 1 measure: roughly between 1 meter - 5 feet (linear measurement), usually used as a single tile on a scene map 1km = 1 square of 1,000 m on each side, roughly equal to 1 mile, usually used as a single tile on a territory map 1pm = 10 km, usually used as a single tile on a region map diagonal movement is not considered lengthier than any of the sides of the square, as a radius is measured as a square. #StandardTemplates: [[Distance template]] [[Speed template]] # Scenes #scenes There are 2 primary types of scenes. 1) Narrative scene: Actors have the freedom to switch between acting out their characters, and discussing among themselves outside of character. Time is loosely kept track of. 2) Active scenes. Actors are limited to small quantities of time, usually in increments of 6 seconds, to make actions and decisions. Time is kept track of heavily. #downtime: daily activity and light activity. You have free usage of rest activities that are not strictly limited to once per full rest. Artists may use an art of lesser rank than their maximum as a light activity. Retraining. Change a selection you have made within a rank for a duration of light activity per rank that the selection is in. ## Narrative Scenes # Action Scenes #Actions Action types: Actions are declared when the player's turn in the round begins. Prefix actions are declared along with an action. If any dice are rolled, a suffix action may be declared after the result. The prefix, action, suffix procedure may then be responded to by an opponent with a reaction. On the opponents round a player may respond to the prefix, action, suffix procedure by declaring a reaction of their own. One action may be taken on your round, and one reaction may be taken on the opponents round. A: Actions - An action is the time allotted for a technique with the use time of 1 action. Actions occupy the span of 3 seconds. RA: Reactions - Reactions are used during an opponents turn in combat, and similarly occupy the span of 3 seconds. SA: suffix action - a suffix action is an action whose effects are added after the effects of the action. PA: prefix action - a prefix action is an action whose effects are added prior to the effects of the action. #Combat Turn order is decided by the actors at the beginning of the story, and may be changed during resting or downtime Whichever party took the inciting action will go first in the turn order. Attack actions: D20 precision or other path check is made vs evasion. D6 magnitude is rolled, if result is equal to or less than targets armor the damage is glancing and halved, if the result is 6 the damage is a critical hit and doubled. #targeting Undetected: cant target. Hidden: cant sense, but able to be aware of if previously detected, Obscured: partial sense. Increased evasion equal to subtlety modifier Detected: full awareness # Characters #Progression Character progression is determined by the investment of talent points into paths. Some paths are independent from others, while others are reliant on the investment into prior paths such as class paths. #paths are a table that progresses from rank 1 to 6 Each rank of path contains Techniques and Traits, as well as Talents providing optional Techniques and Traits Increasing a rank in a specialization requires an amount of Talent points equal to the rank you are attempting to acquire Paths are nested inside parent paths as follows: - Archetype - Archetype skills - Classes - Stats - Stat skills - Creature Types - Adaptations - General Paths #Talents Talents are either Traits or Techniques that can be acquired by spending the appropriate talent point Talents are found throughout paths as optional choices for talent point investment #Talentpoints Talent points are classified by 3 categories: Body, Mind, and Soul. To gain an initial rank in an archetype, class from within that archetype, or path from within that class or archetype, that you did not start with costs 1 of each of body, mind, and soul talent points. #attributes You have 3 core attributes known as body, mind, and soul. Each attribute has two corresponding stats, and each of those stats have two corresponding skills, for a total of two stats per attribute and 4 skills per attribute. The value of the attribute is equal to the highest value of one of the two corresponding stats. #stats Your stats are as follows, per their correspondence with their attribute Mind: Intelligence and Dexterity Body: Wisdom and Strength Soul: Charisma and Constitution Your stat values are determined by your constellation chosen at character creation. #constellations Constellations are an array of 3 clusters of 2 values. These values are assigned to either stat from within the attribute listed in the constellation. #skills skills are the ability to express your stats in a more detailed manner. When asked to make a stat check, you may elect to use the trait or technique of a corresponding skill instead. If the scenario permits, the technique associated with the skill may be used of your own volition. Each skill is has four degrees of progression within the skill, beginning at Novice and increasing to Adept, Expert and finally Master. This is the only form of character progression that is not categorized by having a rank associated with it. Skill training is the term for investing talent points to increase your level of training in the skill. How you are able to invest talent points is shown in the description of your current level of training in that skill. #primaryResources Your primary resources are Focus, Stamina, Mana, and Health or hit-points. - #focus:Your focus is a value determined by the sum of your mental stats, with a minimum of 1 focus. Focus is a resource that may be spent to reroll a d20 that you have rolled, before the result is revealed. This is a technique available to all characters and is referred to as focusing. Focus is also used as a currency for a variety of techniques. - #stamina:Stamina is a value determined by the sum of your physical stats, with a minimum of 1 Stamina. Stamina is a resource that may be spent to reroll a d20 you have rolled, after the result has been revealed. This is a technique available to all characters and is referred to as "exerting". Stamina is also used as a currency for a variety of techniques. - #mana: Your mana is a value that is determined by the sum of your soul stats, with a minimum of 1 mana. Mana is used as a resource to interact with magic, and as a currency for the Magic skill. - #health:Your health starts at a base of 6 and is increased by 2 for each rank of through various traits Bonded Resources: Some Traits or Techniques allow for the bonding of a resource. When a resource is bonded, the value used in the bond is inaccessible for the duration of the bond, and does not return until the Trait or Technique that was used allows you to be able to restore the resource that was bonded. Resource Recovery can be found within the [[Recuperation]] skill. # Definitions #StandardDefinitions Object: an object is an entity that can be distinguished from it's surroundings. Creatures: A creature is an object that follows all of the rules and definitions pertaining to objects, as well as all rules and definitions that specifically pertain to creatures. Creatures as typically animate objects. #Vision There are two factors of vision: - General Vision, which encompasses the visual abilities of the viewer. - Targeted vision, which encompasses the attentive vision the viewer has toward a specific target #TargetedVision There are the following stages of targeted vision. - Targetable - you may select the object or point as a target. - obscured - you may select the object or point as a target, but will suffer an accuracy penalty. - hidden - you may not select the target, but can function with the knowledge that the target might be there. - undetectable - you may not select the target