51 W SIDE BY SIDE Requirements: you must have mastered the Wayfarer Class, and must have acquired the Faitfhul Companion Skill. When your companion deals damage, they deal 5 extra damage. When your companion performs a Check, you may spend 1 Fabula Point and invoke one of your companion's Traits in order to let them reroll one or both dice (as per the rules on page 46 of the Core Rulebook). After you use the Faithful Companion Skill to have your companion perform an action during your turn, you may choose one option (after the companion's action has been resolved): you and your companion each recover 10 Mind Points; or the first time you or your companion perform a Check before the end of your next turn, that Check gains a bonus equal to 【your Skill Level in Faithful Companion】. SILENT HUNTER Requirements: you must have mastered one or more Classes among Rogue, Sharpshooter, and Weaponmaster, and must have acquired the High Speed Skill. When you use the High Speed Skill to perform a free attack with a weapon belonging to the bow, spear, or thrown Category, the attack deals extra damage equal to 【your Skill Level in the High Speed Skill, multiplied by 5】. Additionally, when you attack one or more creatures with a weapon that belongs to the bow, spear, or thrown Category, those creatures cannot perform free attacks until the end of the current turn. SKILLFUL DOSAGE Requirements: you must have mastered one or more Classes among Gourmet, Loremaster, Merchant, and Tinkerer. Potions and delicacies you create, as well as spells you cast, can now cause creatures to recover Hit Points and Mind Points beyond their maximum HP and MP scores. This cannot cause a creature's current HP and/or MP to go above 150% of the respective maximum scores; at the end of each scene, if the current Hit Points and/or Mind Points of a creature are still above their maximum scores, they become equal to the maximum score.
52 W SPECIALTY OF THE HOUSE Requirements: you must have mastered the Gourmet Class. When you acquire this Heroic Skill, choose three different tastes among bitter, salty, sour, sweet, and umami. Then, choose three different effects among the following: w You deal 20 (choose one: dark, light) damage to each of this delicacy's targets. This amount increases to 30 damage if you are level 30 or higher. Choose the type of this effect when you acquire this Heroic Skill. w During the next turn of each of this delicacy's targets, all damage they deal becomes (choose one: dark, light) and its type cannot change. Choose the type of this effect when you acquire this Heroic Skill. w For each of this delicacy's targets, if they are affected by one or more spells with a duration of "Scene", instead they are no longer affected by any of those spells. w Choose yourself or an ally you can see. For each of this delicacy's targets, the next time that target performs an attack or cast an offensive spell (r) before the end of this scene, they must include the chosen creature among the targets of that attack or spell (if able). w Each of this delicacy's targets suffers enraged. w Each of this delicacy's targets suffers poisoned. w Each of this delicacy's targets recovers 30 Hit Points and 30 Mind Points, or 40 Hit Points and 40 Mind Points if you are level 30 or higher. w Each of this delicacy's targets recovers from a single status of their choice. w Each of this delicacy's targets recovers from dazed, enraged, and shaken. w Each of this delicacy's targets recovers from poisoned, slow, and weak. When you create a delicacy using exactly 3 ingredients during a conflict, if each ingredient matches a different taste among those chosen when you acquired this Heroic Skill, you may ignore all of that delicacy's normal effects. If you do, you may instead apply one, two, or all the effects you chose when you acquired this Heroic Skill. W
53 W STRENGTH OF FIVE WELLSPRINGS Requirements: you must have mastered the Invoker Class. After you perform an invocation during a conflict, you and up to one ally you can see increase one of your Attributes' die sizes by one (up to a maximum of d12). This increase lasts until the end of the scene or until you use this Skill again, and the Attribute is based on the wellspring you invoked: air (Insight), earth (one Attribute of your choice), fire (Dexterity), lightning (Might), or water (Willpower). WISE COUNSEL Requirements: you must have mastered one or more Classes among Commander (see High Fantasy Atlas, page 140), Loremaster, and Orator. When you perform a Support Check, if the leader of the Group Check can hear and understand you, you may use 【INS + INS】【, INS + WLP】, or 【WLP + WLP】 instead of the normal Attributes required by the Support Check. Describe how you offer your advice! Additionally, when you use the teamwork option (see Core Rulebook, page 76) to support another Player Character's Check during their turn in a conflict scene, you may spend 10 Mind Points. If you do, choose up to two of the following benefits: w That character recovers 20 Mind Points. w That character recovers from dazed, enraged and shaken. w At the end of that character's turn, choose one option: perform a free attack with a weapon you have equipped; or immediately perform the Spell action for free, casting a spell whose total MP cost is equal to or lower than 20. w If that character succeeds on their Check and the Check allows them to fill or erase one or more sections of a Clock, they may fill or erase 1 additional section of it. "Silver Fork Style, Secret Technique: Spaghetti Spinner!"
54 W HEROIC STYLE SKILLS W The following Heroic Skills provide additional support to builds and playstyles that have been widely requested, underrepresented, or could use a bit more nuance. w None of these Heroic Skills require mastery of a specific Class; thus, you can acquire them whenever you master any Class, provided you fulfill all the listed requirements. w A Player Character can only have up to one Heroic Style Skill, and no two characters in the same group can share the same Heroic Style Skill. w As an optional rule, you might let each Player Character gain their Style Skill at character creation. If you do, characters who have no interest in a Style Skill can instead pick a Heroic Skill tied to one of their starting Classes. Obviously, this option makes the party a bit stronger than normal – one way to address this is to have each Player Character skip the first Heroic Skill they would normally gain. LIST OF HEROIC STYLE SKILLS Heroic Skill Requirements Effect summary Agile Defender Style Dodge 2+ Become a defensive character based on Dexterity. Blast Gladiator Style Bone Crusher Elementally imbue enemies with Bone Crusher. Bullet Deflection Style Dexterity and/or Insight d10+ Negate and deflect ranged attacks with swords. Charged Punch Style Withstand Boost the first brawling attack after Withstand. Detonation Style Basic Alchemy Improve damage potions. Duelist Style Able to equip martial melee weapons Fight with a single one-handed melee weapon. Fūma Shuriken Style Barrage Send your two-handed thrown weapons spinning. Gunslinger Style Ranged Weapon Mastery 2+ Unleash three attacks from a one-handed firearm. Heightened Element Style 2+ spells that deal damage Change the damage type of spells and improve them.
55 W LIST OF HEROIC STYLE SKILLS Heroic Skill Requirements Effect summary Hidden Weapon Style Cheap Shot Seize the opportunity when an enemy's Vulnerability is hit. Humble Style Willpower d10+ Improves staves, improvised, and non-martial weapons. Iaidō Style Melee Weapon Mastery 2+ Sheathe your sword, then strike with unique effects. Investigator Style Flash of Insight Use your deductions in battle. Piercing Sorcery Style Cataclysm Concentrate Cataclysm upon a single target. Prophetic Defender Style Divination Become a defensive character based on Insight. Punishing Style Counterattack Improves Counterattacks. Ranger Style Resourceful Strengthen bows and trigger traps when a conflict begins. Reaper Style High Speed and/or Stolen Time Attack or cast a spell after you defeat an enemy. Scorpion Tail Style Dexterity d10+ Improves the reach and flexibility of flails. Seven Weapons Style Able to equip all martial weapons Gain benefits by fighting with weapons of many Categories. Skyspear Style Soaring Strike Jump high into the air before Soaring Strike with spears. Thaumaturge Style Healing Power and Cleanse and/or Heal Treat brawling weapons as arcane and cast Heal or Cleanse after attacks. Vortex Warrior Style Dexterity and/or Might d10+ Strike twice with heavy and sword weapons. If these Heroic Skills prove solid during playtest, it is possible they will be released in the future; for now, please enjoy them and provide feedback!
56 W AGILE DEFENDER STYLE Requirements: you must have Skill Level 2 or higher in Dodge (see Rogue). As long as you have no shields and no martial armor equipped, you gain all of the following benefits: w You may ignore the MP cost of the Provoke Skill (see Fury). w You may ignore the MP cost of the Peacock Dance (see Dancer). w You may use the Protect Skill (see Guardian) even if you have not acquired it. w Your Magic Defense score is increased by 【your Skill Level in Dodge】. Additionally, your maximum Hit Points and Crisis score are now calculated based on your base Dexterity die size, instead of your base Might die size. BLAST GLADIATOR STYLE Requirements: you must have acquired the Bone Crusher Skill (see Weaponmaster). Choose one damage type among air, bolt, dark, earth, fire, ice, light, physical, and poison. When you use the Bone Crusher Skill on one or more creatures, you may have each of those creatures become imbued until the end of the scene. After one or more imbued creatures lose Hit Points, each of those creatures stops being imbued and you deal an amount of damage of the chosen type equal to 【2 + (twice your Skill Level in Bone Crusher)】 to them. The type of this damage cannot be changed; this effect deals 5 extra damage if you are level 20 or higher, or 10 extra damage if you are level 40 or higher; it also deals an additional 5 extra damage if you have a brawling or firearm weapon equipped, or if you have a weapon module (see Pilot) equipped. W
57 W BULLET DEFLECTION STYLE (inspired by Tails on Discord!) Requirements: you must have a Dexterity base die size of d10 or higher and/or an Insight base die size of d10 or higher. After a creature you can see performs a ranged attack, you may spend an amount of Mind Points equal to 【5 + the Result of their Accuracy Check】 in order to have the attack fail automatically against all targets. If you do and that Accuracy Check's High Roll is an even number, you may have one creature you can see lose an amount of Hit Points equal to that High Roll. You can only use this Skill if you have a weapon of the sword Category equipped, and it has no effect if the Accuracy Check was a critical success. CHARGED PUNCH STYLE Requirements: you must have acquired the Withstand Skill (see Fury). When you perform the Guard action and activate the Withstand Skill, you may choose one brawling weapon you have equipped. If you do, choose one option: double the High Roll when determining damage of the next attack you perform with the chosen weapon before the end of your next turn; or if the next attack you perform with the chosen weapon before the end of your next turn would have its High Roll treated as being equal to 0 when determining damage, instead you may use its normal value. DETONATION STYLE Requirements: you must have acquired the basic Alchemy benefit from the Gadget Skill (see Tinkerer). When you use your Alchemy to create a potion, you can always select effects 3 to 8 (you can treat those effects as if they had "Any" in the "Die" column of the table). If the potion is advanced or superior, its damage ignores Resistances. When you succeed on a Check to advance or turn back a Clock, if your approach relied on explosives, gunpowder or pyrotechnics, you may fill or erase 1 additional section of that Clock.
58 W DUELIST STYLE Requirements: you must be able to equip martial melee weapons. As long as you have a one-handed melee weapon equipped in your main hand slot, if that weapon is not an unarmed strike and you have an unarmed strike equipped in your off-hand slot, you gain the following benefits: w When you deal damage with a weapon that is not an unarmed strike, you may double your Accuracy Check's High Roll when determining the attack's damage. If you do, you cannot use this option again until the beginning of your next turn. w During conflicts, you ignore the MP cost of the following Skills: Bladestorm, Breach, Condemn, Encourage, and Provoke (see Fury, Orator, and Weaponmaster). These benefits do not apply to weapon modules (see Pilot). FŪMA SHURIKEN STYLE Requirements: you must have acquired the Barrage Skill (see Sharpshooter). During a conflict, you may use an action to perform a free attack with a two-handed thrown custom weapon you have equipped. If you do, that attack gains the multi (2) property (which can still be enhanced to 3 via the Barrage Skill); if the attack hits one or more creatures, you may send your equipped weapon spinning. At the start of your turn, if your equipped weapon is still spinning, it stops spinning and you choose up to two options: every enemy present on the scene loses 5 Hit Points; or every enemy present on the scene loses 5 Mind Points; or every enemy present on the scene suffers slow; or fill or erase 1 section of a Clock. The amount of Hit Points and/ or Mind Points lost increases to 10 if you are level 30 or higher. Your weapon stops spinning immediately if you no longer have it equipped, if you perform another attack with it, if you use the Crossfire Skill (see Sharpshooter), or if the scene ends. W
59 W GUNSLINGER STYLE Requirements: you must have Skill Level 2 or higher in Ranged Weapon Mastery (see Sharpshooter). You may use an action to perform up to three consecutive free attacks with a onehanded firearm weapon equipped in your main hand slot (against the same target or different targets). If you do, all attacks performed this way follow the rules for two-weapon fighting: they lose the multi property and cannot gain it, and you treat the High Roll of each Accuracy Check as being equal to 0 when determining damage. Additionally, if any attack made this way misses, you lose your rhythm and cannot perform the remaining attacks. You may use this Skill only if you have a one-handed firearm weapon equipped in your main hand slot, if that weapon is not a weapon module (see Pilot) whose text says "A personal vehicle with this module enabled cannot have any other weapon modules enabled", and if your off-hand slot is empty or contains an unarmed strike. HEIGHTENED ELEMENT STYLE Requirements: you must have learned two or more spells that deal damage. Choose a damage type among air, bolt, dark, earth, fire, ice, light, physical, and poison. When you deal damage with a spell, you may change that damage's type to the one you have chosen; and as long as a spell you cast deals damage of the chosen type, that spell deals 5 extra damage and all its damage ignores Resistances. HIDDEN WEAPON STYLE Requirements: you must have acquired the Cheap Shot Skill (see Rogue). Choose a status effect among dazed, shaken, slow, and weak. After one or more enemies you can see lose Hit Points due to damage dealt by one of your allies, if at least one of them is Vulnerable to the type of damage dealt by your ally, you may choose one of those enemies. If you do, that enemy loses an amount of Hit Points equal to 【half your level + (twice your Skill Level in Cheap Shot)】 and also suffer the chosen status effect. Once you use this Skill during a conflict, you may not use it again until the beginning of your next turn.
60 W HUMBLE STYLE Requirements: you must have a Willpower base die size of d10 or higher. When you acquire this Heroic Skill, choose two different Attributes among Dexterity, Insight, Might, and Willpower: when you perform an Accuracy Check with a nonmartial weapon, you may replace the required Attributes with those you have chosen. As long as you have two or fewer weapons equipped, your attacks with non-martial weapons deal 5 extra damage and you may also treat those weapons as belonging to the spear and sword Categories for the sake of Skills that require it; this benefit does not apply to unarmed strikes, weapon modules (see Pilot), twin shields (see Guardian), and magicannon (see Tinkerer). As long as the only weapon you have equipped is a staff (see Core Rulebook, page 130), you apply all of the above benefits but may also treat that staff as belonging to the brawling and heavy Categories for the sake of Skills that require it, and your attacks with it deal an additional 5 extra damage. Additionally, when you perform an attack using an improvised weapon, you deal 5 extra damage and may have that weapon not be destroyed after the attack. IAIDŌ STYLE Requirements: you must have Skill Level 2 or higher in Melee Weapon Mastery (see Weaponmaster). Once per turn during a conflict, if you have exactly one weapon equipped and that weapon is a two-handed sword or a weapon module (see Pilot) belonging to the sword Category, you may use an action to enter a iaidō stance. While in your iaidō stance, you gain a bonus equal to 【your Skill Level in Melee Weapon Mastery】 to your Defense and Magic Defense scores. When an enemy you can see begins their turn, if you are in your iaidō stance, you may exit it to perform a free attack with a weapon belonging to the sword Category you have equipped. This attack must include that enemy among its targets and you choose up to two options: the attack deals extra damage equal to 【2 + (twice your Skill Level in Melee Weapon Mastery)】; or fill or erase 1 section of a Clock if the attack hits all its targets; or the attack can target creatures that cannot be targeted by melee attacks; or damage dealt by the attack ignores Resistance and Immunity; or each creature hit by the attack cannot perform free attacks until the end of the current turn. You automatically exit iaidō stance at the start of your turn, or if you no longer have the same sword weapon equipped or have more than one weapon equipped. W
61 W INVESTIGATOR STYLE Requirements: you must have acquired the Flash of Insight Skill (see Loremaster). When you perform a Check to examine a creature, item or location during a conflict scene, you may memorize the High Roll of that Check. When a source deals damage to one or more creatures you can see, you may forget one of your memorized High Rolls to choose one option: that source deals extra damage to each creature equal to the forgotten High Roll; or reduce damage dealt by that source to each creature by an amount equal to the forgotten High Roll (before applying Affinities). You automatically forget all memorized High Rolls at the end of each scene. PIERCING SORCERY STYLE Requirements: you must have acquired the Cataclysm Skill (see Elementalist). Once per turn, when you use the Cataclysm Skill to empower an offensive spell (r) with a target of "Up to three creatures", if that spell targets only one creature, you may double the extra damage granted by Cataclysm. If you do, you may choose up to two options: damage dealt by the spell ignores Resistances; or if the target of the spell is flying, you force them to land immediately; or the target of the spell suffers dazed; or the target of the spell cannot perform the Guard action during their next turn. PROPHETIC DEFENDER STYLE Requirements: you must have learned the Divination spell (see Entropist). When a source causes one or more allies present on the scene to lose Hit Points, if you are affected by your Divination spell, you may reduce its number of available forced rerolls by 1 to transfer part of the consequences of that timeline unto yourself. If you do, you suffer all those Hit Point losses in place of those allies, as separate instances (you cannot choose to suffer only some of them; for instance, if a source causes you and two of your allies to lose 20 Hit Points each, using this effect causes you to lose 20 HP, then 20 HP, and finally another 20 HP). Then, if your Divination spell has no remaining forced rerolls, your Divination spell ends. Additionally, your maximum Hit Points and Crisis score are now calculated based on your base Insight die size, instead of your base Might die size.
62 W W PUNISHING STYLE Requirements: you must have acquired the Counterattack Skill (see Weaponmaster). When you perform the Guard action, if you choose not to provide cover to another creature, you gain the following benefits until the start of your next turn: w You may use the Counterattack Skill even when the Result of the enemy's Accuracy Check is an odd number. w When you perform a free attack with Counterattack, if the triggering attack hit you, you deal 5 extra damage. RANGER STYLE Requirements: you must have acquired the Resourceful Skill (see Wayfarer). At the start of a conflict scene, you may spend 20 Mind Points to reveal you set traps in the surrounding area and choose a status effect among dazed, shaken, slow, and weak: if you do, every enemy present on the scene suffers the chosen status effect, then every enemy present on the scene whose current Insight die size is equal to or lower than yours loses an amount of Hit Points and Mind Points equal to 【your Skill Level in Resourceful, multiplied by 5】. These amounts increase by 5 if you are level 20 or higher, or by 10 if you are level 40 or higher. Additionally, your attacks with bows deal extra damage equal to 【1 + your Skill Level in Resourceful】 as long as you have no martial armor equipped. REAPER STYLE Requirements: you must have acquired the High Speed Skill (see Rogue) and/or the Stolen Time Skill (see Entropist). You gain a +5 bonus to your Accuracy Checks and Magic Checks for attacks and offensive spells (r) that include one or more enemies in Crisis among the targets. When you cause one or more enemies to reach 0 Hit Points and Surrender, you recover from all status effects and may choose one option: perform a free attack with a weapon you have equipped, and that attack deals 5 extra damage; or immediately perform the Spell action for free, casting an offensive spell (r) with a total MP cost equal to or lower than 20 without paying its MP cost. This attack or spell must target a single enemy; once you use this Skill during a conflict, you may not use it again until the beginning of your next turn.
63 W SCORPION TAIL STYLE Requirements: you must have a Dexterity base die size of d10 or higher. Your attacks with weapons belonging to the flail Category may target flying creatures and deal 5 extra damage as long as it is not your turn. After a creature you can see performs a ranged attack, you may spend an amount of Mind Points equal to 【5 + the total Result of their Accuracy Check】 in order to have the attack fail automatically against all targets. You can only use this Skill if you have a weapon belonging to the flail Category equipped, and it has no effect if the Accuracy Check was a critical success. SEVEN WEAPONS STYLE Requirements: you must be able to equip martial melee weapons, and must also be able to equip martial ranged weapons. You may use an action and spend 7 Mind Points to perform a free attack with a weapon you have equipped. This attack must target a single creature; if the attack hits, you treat your High Roll as 0 when calculating damage and may perform the Equipment action for free after it has been resolved. Then, you may perform another free attack with a weapon you have equipped who doesn't share any Category with the weapon you used for your first attack. This attack must also target a single creature; if it hits, you treat your High Roll as 0 when calculating damage, and may perform the Equipment action for free after it has been resolved. When you attack with a weapon that doesn't share a Category with any weapon you previously attacked with during this scene, you gain 1 Sequence Point (if the weapon is treated as belonging to two or more Categories due to Skills or effects, you gain that many Sequence Points and are then treated as if you had already attacked with all of those Categories during this scene). Once per scene at the start of your turn, if you have 7 or more Sequence Points, you may spend all your Sequence Points to choose one enemy you can see: that creature loses 7 Hit Points. If you do, you may immediately repeat this process up to 6 more times, for a maximum of 49 Hit Points lost (by a single enemy or different enemies, provided it happens in 7 HP increments). You lose all Sequence Points at the end of each scene.
64 W W SKYSPEAR STYLE Requirements: you must have learned the Soaring Strike spell (see Elementalist). You unlock the hidden art of aerial spear combat, learning the Skyjump spell. Skyjump MP: 10 Target: Self Duration: Scene You become one with the speed and strength of wind. Until this spell ends, your melee attacks can target creatures that can only be targeted by ranged attacks, and no other creature present on the scene is able to see you. On your turn, if you are under the effects of this spell and able to perform the Spell action, you must use your first available action to perform the Spell action and cast the Soaring Strike spell, ignoring its MP cost. If you do and the weapon used belongs to the spear Category, the free attack granted by Soaring Strike gains multi (2) and deals another 5 extra damage. This spell ends after the free attack is resolved. You may only cast this spell if you have a spear weapon equipped, and only if you have also learned the Soaring Strike spell. THAUMATURGE STYLE Requirements: you must have acquired the Healing Power Skill, and must have learned the Cleanse and/or Heal spells (see Spiritist). As long as you have one or more brawling weapons equipped, you may treat them as also belonging to the arcane Category for the purpose of Skills and effects that require it. You may use an action to perform a free attack with an arcane weapon you have equipped; this attack must target a single enemy. If the attack is successful, treat your High Roll (HR) as 0 when determining damage dealt by it; after the attack has been resolved, if it was successful, you may immediately perform the Spell action for free, casting the Cleanse spell or the Heal spell on a single target of your choice (you must have learned the spell and must pay its MP cost).
65 W VORTEX WARRIOR STYLE Requirements: you must have a Dexterity base die size of d10 or higher, and/or a Might base die size of d10 or higher. When you perform the Attack action with a melee weapon that belongs to the heavy or sword Category, if you have no other weapon equipped, you may perform two separate attacks instead of one. If you do, both attacks follow the rules for two-weapon fighting: each attack loses the multi property and cannot gain it, and you treat the High Roll of each Accuracy Check as being equal to 0 when determining damage. Additionally, both attacks performed this way must target the same creature; if the first attack is successful, the second attack's Accuracy Check will trigger a critical success if both dice show the same number (and the Check is not a fumble). Note that this Heroic Skill does not stack with a custom weapon's quick customization (you will still only perform two attacks).
66 W ARCANIST FREE BENEFITS w Permanently increase your maximum Hit Points or Mind Points by 5 (your choice). ARCANIST SKILLS ARCANE REGENERATION (ç6) After you willingly dismiss an Arcanum you are merged with, if you are in Crisis, you and every ally present on the scene recover 【SL × 5】 Hit Points. BIND AND SUMMON You may bind Arcana to your soul and summon them later. When you encounter a new Arcanum, the Game Master will reveal what you must do in order to bind them. You may use an action and spend 30 Mind Points to summon the power of one of the Arcana you have previously bound (see next page). If you take this Skill at character creation, you begin play with one Arcanum bound to you (you may choose it from the sample Arcana or create it with your group). Any further Arcana must be obtained through exploration and story progression. PHANTOM STRENGTH (ç6) When you perform a pulse, before resolving its effects, you may choose to have all damage you deal ignore Affinities until the end of this turn. If you do, the next time you deal damage before the end of this turn, you deal 【SL + 4】 extra damage. QUICK SUMMONING (ç2) When you summon an Arcanum on your turn during a conflict, choose up to two options: reduce its MP cost by 【SL × 5】; and/or after you summon the Arcanum, if you are merged with it, immediately perform its pulse. If you choose at least one option, you cannot willingly dismiss that Arcanum until the start of your next turn; if you choose both options, that Arcanum's dismiss effect will not be available for this summoning. RITUAL ARCANISM You may perform Rituals of the Arcanism discipline, as long as their effects fall within the domains of one or more Arcana you have bound (see next pages). Arcanism Rituals use 【WLP + WLP】 for the Magic Check. ALSO: Avatar, Chosen, Summoner W ARCANIST (rework draft)
67 W This is an attempt at an alternate version of the Arcanist Class after 2+ years of extensive feedback about how it felt in play. It is not the current official version of the Class. MERGING WITH AN ARCANUM When you summon an Arcanum, you gain their 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 If you are merged with an Arcanum, they will be automatically dismissed at the end of the scene, if you die or fall unconscious, or if you leave the scene. You may also willingly dismiss the Arcanum you are currently merged with: this never requires an action, but during a conflict it can only be done on your turn, before or after an action. PULSE AND DISMISS EFFECTS In addition to their merge effects, most Arcana also grant the Arcanist a pulse effect and a dismiss effect. w As long as you are merged with a given Arcanum, you may use an action to unleash that Arcanum's pulse effect. You may only do so during a conflict scene, and only once per turn. w When you willingly dismiss an Arcanum, you may use their dismiss effect - if the Arcanum is dismissed for any other reason, this effect cannot be used. You are also free to ignore a dismiss effect if you don't want to use it. w If a pulse or dismiss effect deals damage, it will deal 5 extra damage if you are level 20 or higher, or 10 extra damage if you are level 40 or higher. Some effects follow unique rules, explained within the Arcanum's text. DOMAINS Each Arcanum is associated with a few key concepts or domains. The Game Master should use these to establish the trials or conditions needed for the Arcanum to lend their power, and to adjudicate Rituals performed through the Ritual Arcanism Skill once that Arcanum has been bound.
68 W W ANTIKYTHERA The enigmatic custodian of time and space. Domains: space, time, void. MERGE KALEIDOSCOPE VEIL After you lose Hit Points due to damage, if that damage has a type and that type is not physical, you gain Resistance to that damage type and lose any previous Resistance granted by this effect. When this Arcanum is dismissed, you lose any Resistance gained through this effect. PULSE BINARY STARS You deal 10 fire damage to a creature you can see; then, you deal 10 ice damage to a creature you can see (the same or a different one). DISMISS SPACETIME SUBTRACTION Choose one option: every enemy present on the scene suffers slow; or every enemy present on the scene who is suffering from slow will perform one fewer action during their next turn (to a minimum of 0 actions); or you teleport yourself and up to five other nearby allies you can see to a location you visited in the past, provided that location is within 1 travel day of your position. Once the second or third option is chosen, this dismiss effect will not be available until the next dawn. NEW SAMPLE ARCANA A big part of Arcanist's charm is creating new Arcana for use in your campaign, and this rework aims to make any conversions from the old formula as painless as possible. Most of the time, it will be enough to reduce any damage or healing granted by dismiss effect by 10, and to add a pulse effect with power close to those you see in these examples – if the original Arcanum granted the ability to perform a given action or effect once per turn, make that its pulse. Some of the original Arcana also didn't have a dismiss effect, and they must be reworked to include it so that there is still a downside when using Quick Summoning (for a useful example of this process, see how Arcanum of the Sword was converted into Nimue). ARCANA, OLD AND NEW
69 W BANSHEE The ominous tyrant lord of winds. Domains: birds, storms, winds. MERGE IMPENDING CATASTROPHE You have Resistance to air damage, and when you deal air or physical damage, you deal extra damage equal to your current Whirlwind Points. When this Arcanum is dismissed, you lose all Whirlwind Points. PULSE ZEPHYR BLADES You deal 10 air damage to each of up to two creatures you can see. Then, you gain 1 Whirlwind Point, or 2 Whirlwind Points if you dealt damage to only one creature. DISMISS HURRICANE SCREECH You deal an amount of air damage equal to 【the amount of Whirlwind Points you lost by dismissing this Arcanum, multiplied by 5】 to every enemy present on the scene. This damage ignores Resistances. CALADRIUS The winged master of healing magic. Domains: exorcism, healing, sunlight. MERGE PROTECTIVE GAZE When you summon this Arcanum, choose a status effect: dazed, enraged, poisoned, shaken, slow, or weak. As long as you are merged with this Arcanum, you and every ally present on the scene are immune to the chosen status effect. PULSE CLEANSING SUNLIGHT Choose one option: you deal 10 light damage to each of up to two creatures you can see; or one creature you can see recovers from all status effects. DISMISS HEALING FEATHERS You and every ally present on the scene recover 30 Hit Points. This amount increases to 40 if you are level 20 or higher, or to 50 if you are level 40 or higher.
70 W W DAHAKA The slithering prince of desert sands. Domains: earth, poison, sandstorms. MERGE HARDENED SCALES You have Resistance to earth damage and are immune to poisoned. Your melee attacks can target flying creatures. PULSE NUMBING BITE You deal 10 poison damage to each of up to two creatures you can see. Then, each creature who lost Hit Points due to this damage suffers slow. DISMISS TECTONIC CRUSH You deal 20 earth damage to every enemy present on the scene who isn't flying, floating, falling, or otherwise in mid-air. This damage ignores Resistances, and also ignores Immunities and Absorptions of creatures afflicted by slow. KUZUNOHA The fierce protector of witches and beasts. Domains: animals, lightning, sorcery. MERGE MANTLE OF THE WHITE FOX You have Resistance to bolt damage, and all bolt damage dealt by you and by every ally present on the scene ignores Resistances. You can communicate with creatures of the beast, monster, and plant Species. PULSE CRACKLING SIGIL Choose one option: you perform a free attack with a weapon you have equipped; or you immediately perform the Spell action for free, casting an offensive (r) spell with a total Mind Point cost of 20 or lower. If this attack or spell deals damage, you may change its type to bolt. DISMISS ROARING THUNDERBOLTS You deal 20 bolt damage to every enemy present on the scene. This damage ignores Resistances; each creature who lost Hit Points due to this damage suffers dazed.
71 W LILITH She who wages war against Celestial Spheres. Domains: chaos, rebellion, revelation. MERGE WINGS OF EDEN You have Resistance to dark and light damage. You may never have more than 10 Gnosis Points, and you lose all Gnosis Points when this Arcanum is dismissed. PULSE CLAWS OF THE FALLEN You perform a free attack with a weapon you have equipped; if it is a melee attack, it can target flying creatures. This attack deals extra damage equal to your current Gnosis Points, and an additional 5 extra damage against creatures who Absorb light damage or are Immune to it. After this attack is resolved, you gain 1 Gnosis Point for every creature who lost Hit Points due to its damage. DISMISS PARADISE LOST Every enemy present on the scene loses an amount of Hit Points equal to 【the amount of Gnosis Points you lost by dismissing this Arcanum, multiplied by 5】. This Hit Point loss increases by 10 against Villains; additionally, it increases by 10 if you are level 20 or higher, or by 20 if you are level 40 or higher.
72 W W LORELEI The serene and inscrutable fey ruler of the glaciers. Domains: cold, ice, silence. MERGE SUBZERO SILENCE You have Resistance to ice damage and are immune to enraged. When you deal damage, you may change its type to ice. PULSE WINTER MELODY You deal 10 ice damage to each of up to two creatures you can see. Then, each creature who lost Hit Points due to this damage suffers weak. DISMISS GLACIER'S DISDAIN You deal 20 ice damage to every enemy present on the scene. This damage ignores Resistances; each creature who lost Hit Points due to this damage also loses an equal amount of Mind Points. NIMUE The wielder of ninety-nine swords. Domains: conquest, heroism, leadership. MERGE ROYAL ARMAMENTS When you deal damage, you deal 5 extra damage; all damage you deal loses its type and cannot gain a type (thus being unaffected by damage Affinities). PULSE ARONDIGHT You perform a free attack with a weapon you have equipped. This attack targets Magic Defense instead of Defense. DISMISS GORDIAN SLICE One creature you can see loses 30 Hit Points, or 40 Hit Points if you are level 30 or higher. Then, if that creature is not a Villain and their current Hit Points are equal to or lower than your Crisis score, you reduce that creature to 0 Hit Points.
73 W QILIN The elusive herald of wisdom and good fortune. Domains: knowledge, prosperity, temperance. MERGE ENLIGHTENED SERENITY You treat your Insight as if it were one die size higher (up to a maximum of d12). PULSE STEPS OF PROSPERITY Choose one option: one ally you can see treats their Insight as if it were one die size higher (up to a maximum of d12) until the start of your next turn; or you immediately perform the Spell action for free, casting a non-offensive (r) spell with a total Mind Point cost of 10 or lower without paying its MP cost. DISMISS ORACLE You ask the Game Master a single question. The Game Master must answer truthfully, describing the vision shown to you by this Arcanum. Once used, this dismiss effect will not be available until the next dawn. SERAPH The guardian of one hundred gates. Domains: judgment, protection, sacrifice. MERGE GENTLE BASTION When you summon this Arcanum, choose a damage type: air, bolt, dark, earth, fire, ice, or poison. As long as you are merged with this Arcanum, your allies present on the scene have Resistance to the chosen type (you do not gain this Resistance). PULSE EXORCISM BOLT Choose one option: you deal 20 light damage to a creature you can see; or one creature you can see that is affected by one or more spells with a duration of "Scene" is no longer affected by any of those spells instead. DISMISS TWILIGHT OF JUDGMENT You deal 20 light damage to every enemy present on the scene. This damage ignores Resistances and Immunities.
74 W W TUBALCAIN The blazing guardian of the forge. Domains: fire, heat, metal. MERGE BLESSINGS OF THE ANVIL You have Resistance to fire damage, and fire damage you deal ignores Resistances. When you deal damage, you may change its type to fire. PULSE FORGE HAMMER Choose one weapon you have equipped; you may change that weapon's Category (see Core Rulebook, page 129) to another Category of your choice until the end of your next turn. Then, perform a free attack with that weapon: this attack gains multi (2). DISMISS MOLTEN WAVE Choose one option: you deal 20 fire damage to every enemy present on the scene, and this damage ignores Resistances; or, until the start of your next turn all damage dealt by you and your allies present on the scene becomes fire and its type cannot be changed. VANAGANDR The dark wolf of the End Times. Domains: death, despair, hunger. MERGE SHROUD OF HUNGER You have Resistance to dark damage, and all damage you deal ignores Resistances. PULSE DEVOURER OF MEN You deal 10 dark damage to each of up to two creatures you can see. This effect deals 5 extra damage against humanoids. DISMISS DEVOURER OF GODS You deal 30 dark damage to a creature you can see; this damage ignores Resistances and Immunities. Then, if that creature is in Crisis and lost Hit Points due to this damage, you recover an amount of Hit Points equal to half the HP loss they suffered.
75 W The various Heroic Skills available to Arcanists need minor to no changes. w Arcane Echoes (Core Rulebook) can be kept identical. w Auramancer's Refraction (Playtest Materials) can be kept identical. w Grand Summoning (High Fantasy Atlas) can be kept largely identical, but the summoned Arcanum also obtains the pulse benefits in your stead, and can use the Skill action to perform said pulse. However, Grand Summoning can only be used when an Arcanum is summoned without Quick Summoning. w Revelation (Core Rulebook) changes to the version below: REVELATION Requirements: you must have mastered the Arcanist Class. You make contact with a previously unknown Arcanum, which you design together with the rest of your group, and bind that Arcanum to your soul (feel free to make it a bit stronger than normal, since it was obtained through a Heroic Skill). For as long as you live, no one else in your world will be able to bind that Arcanum. When you summon an Arcanum, if you are in Crisis and choose both options of the Quick Summoning Skill, you only suffer the first penalty (the dismiss effect of the summoned Arcanum will be available for this summoning). HEROIC SKILLS
76 W The following pages contain a list of possible changes I have been considering for the rules, Classes, and Skills found in the Core Rulebook. Once again, these are not the official versions of these mechanics; rather, this is a collection of ideas, experimentations and alternatives resulting from years of feedback (yes, you might have started playing Fabula only recently, but the core rulebook was written between 2018 and 2020... lessons have been learned in the meantime). In short, providing feedback on these options and reworks will help me as well as Need Games evaluate future errata and influence possible upcoming editions of the game, years from now. Thank you for your time and interest in Fabula Ultima! INITIATIVE Page 61. Initiative was never truly useful; a leftover from a previous initiative system that failed to evolve into something truly interesting, and a "futile" roll of dice. Conflict scenes now follow a simple rule for determining which side goes first: if the conflict features no Villains, the heroes' side wins initiative. If the conflict features one or more Villains, the enemy side wins initiative. This change has consequences throughout the system. w Rules and effects that affect initiative no longer exist. w Armor no longer gives initiative penalties; this makes the travel garb and combat tunic identical, so the combat tunic's stats should be changed to +2 Defense and no bonus to Magic Defense. Its cost can remain at 150 zenit. w NPCs no longer have Initiative, so elite and champion foes do not increase it. DARKBLADE FREE BENEFITS Page 185. More access to martial ranged weapons is good, and Shadow Strike never required melee weapons specifically. The second free benefit becomes "Gain the ability to equip martial armor, and choose one: gain the ability to equip martial melee weapons; or gain the ability to equip martial ranged weapons." CORE BOOK REWORKS W
77 W AGONY (ç5) Darkblade Skill, page 185. The amount of HP and MP regain granted to dual or triple weapon users spiraled out of control far too quickly. Limiting it to once per turn, and only to enemies, makes it a lot more reasonable and in line with the original design expectations, removing the lure of "cheesy" strategies that harm allies. The Skill's initial text becomes: "Once per turn (including other creatures' turns), after you deal damage to one or more enemies, if you have..." SPELLBLADE (ç3) Elementalist Skill, page 187. A few boosts and more flexibility in terms of weapon Categories, without changing the core (single target magic through weapon stats). When you cast an offensive (r) spell that targets a single creature and has a total Mind Point cost of 【SL × 20】 or lower, you may choose a non-arcane weapon among those you have equipped. If you do, your Magic Check for the spell gains a bonus equal to 【SL】 and uses the chosen weapon's Accuracy Check formula (for instance, casting a spell through a bronze sword when you have Skill Level 2 in Spellblade will cause the Magic Check to be 【DEX + MIG】+3 instead of 【INS + WLP】). Additionally, if the Magic Check relies on Dexterity, the spell deals 【SL × 2】extra damage. SOARING STRIKE Elementalist Spell, page 188. Swords should have been included. The extra damage granted by the spell now also applies to swords. VORTEX > RIFT AND VORTEX Elementalist Spell, page 189. Old Vortex was terribly situational. Vortex becomes an air-based equivalent of the Flare/Iceberg/Thunderbolt spells. Add Rift, which follows the same rules but deals earth damage. version 1.5
78 W STOLEN TIME (ç4) Entropist Skill, page 191. The Skill is now cheaper and less action-intensive, and requires less investment. It is also more in line with the "time thief" design intent. You may use an action and spend 10 Mind Points to perform a free attack with a weapon you have equipped. This attack must target a single creature; if the attack is successful, that creature suffers slow. Then, if that creature was already slow, you may choose up to two options: the attack deals 【SL + 1】 extra damage; or the target of the attack loses 【SL × 10】 Mind Points; or one creature you can see recovers from slow; or one ally you can see who is yet to take their turn during this round may take their turn immediately after yours. ACCELERATION Entropist Spell, page 192. The original version was too good, good enough to be a non-choice and put a lot of pressure on anyone who picked this Class. Acceleration 20 One creature Scene At the end of each of their turns, the target may choose one option: perform a free attack; or immediately perform the Spell action for free, casting a spell with a total MP cost equal to or lower than 10 (paying its MP cost). Once the same creature has performed any two options this way, this spell ends. DARK WEAPON Entropist Spell, page 192. This shouldn't have the same cost as Elemental Weapon. The cost of this spell is now 5 MP. DRAIN SPIRIT Entropist Spell, page 192. The spell was not impactful enough. The amount of Mind Points lost by the target is now 【HR + 20】, not 【HR + 15】. OMEGA Entropist Spell, page 193. This spell wasn't good enough for its cost. The cost of this spell is now 15 MP. W
79 W BODYGUARD > RETALIATION (ç5) Guardian Skill, page 197. Bodyguard was passive and routine-inducing. This new skill encourages an active playstyle, and allows mastery for non-armor/shield users. After you use the Protect Skill during a conflict, the next time you deal damage before the end of your next turn, you deal 【SL × 2】 extra damage. FORTRESS (ç4) Guardian Skill, page 197. The scaling is now simpler to calculate. The HP increase becomes 【SL × 5】, and this Skill's maximum Skill Level is now 4. FOCUSED (ç6) Loremaster Skill, page 199. The scaling is now simpler to calculate. The MP increase becomes 【SL × 5】, the bonus to 【INS + INS】 Open Checks remains equal to 【SL】, and this Skill's maximum Skill Level is now 6. CONDEMN (ç5) Orator Skill, page 201. Improved to make it more palatable, clarified it can only be used during conflicts and automatically affects the target. Max SL now 5. During a conflict, you may use an action and spend 10 Mind Points to choose one enemy who can hear and understand you. If you do, that enemy loses 【SL × 10】 Mind Points and you choose one option: that enemy suffers dazed and shaken; or the next time a source deals damage to that enemy during this scene, it deals extra damage to that enemy equal to 【5 + (SL × 5)】 (multiple Condemns are not cumulative). ENCOURAGE (ç5) Orator Skill, page 201. A general boost was needed. Note that the Skill is no longer limited to conflicts only. Max SL now 5. You may use an action and spend 10 Mind Points to have one ally who can hear and understand you recover 【SL × 10】 Hit Points. If you do, choose Dexterity, Insight, Might, or Willpower: until the end of the scene, or until you use this Skill on that ally again, they treat the chosen Attribute as being one die size higher (up to a maximum of d12).
80 W CHEAP SHOT (ç5) Rogue Skill, page 203. Support for characters who do not two-weapon fight. 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 that creature, multiplied by two if your attack's High Roll is not equal to 0)】. SOUL STEAL (ç5) Rogue Skill, page 203. Minor tweak to avoid confusion. The Skill now says "During a conflict, you may use an action..." at the start. CROSSFIRE Sharpshooter Skill, page 207. The MP cost was too manageable and spammable. The MP cost for this Skill is now 【5 + the Result of their Accuracy Check】. HAWKEYE (ç5) Sharpshooter Skill, page 207. The extra damage from the first option was too low compared to the action cost, and just like with Breach, I tried to provide an option for greatly increased damage at the cost of forgoing elemental Vulnerabilities. When you perform the Guard action and choose not to cover another creature, you may spend 10 Mind Points to choose one option: the next ranged attack you perform before the end of your next turn deals 【5 + (SL × 5)】 extra damage, and all its damage ignores Resistances and Vulnerabilities; or you immediately perform a free attack with a bow or firearm weapon you have equipped, treating your High Roll as being equal to 0 when determining damage. W
81 W HEALING POWER (ç2) Spiritist Skill, page 207. The recovery was too weak in early game. The recovery granted by the Skill becomes equal to 【3 + (SL, multiplied by the number of Bonds you have)】. AURA AND BARRIER Spiritist Spells, page 208. The old values did not scale well with enemy bonuses. Both spells have the following text added: "This score increases to 13 if you are level 20 or higher, or to 14 if you are level 40 or higher." SOUL SHROUD New Spiritist spell, page 209. Soul Shroud 5 × T Up to three creatures Scene Choose a damage type: dark, light, or poison. Until this spell ends, each target gains Resistance to the chosen damage type. SOUL WEAPON Spiritist Spell, page 209. This shouldn't have the same cost as Elemental Weapon. The cost of this spell is now 5 MP. EFFECTS (ALCHEMY) Tinkerer gadgets, page 213. The always-available effects were a bit too weak to justify the cost in Inventory Points. The first effect should say "As effect 3, but with poison damage."; the second effect should say "... recovers 30 Hit Points and 30 Mind Points."
82 W MAGITECH OVERRIDE > MINOR MAGISPHERES Tinkerer gadgets, page 215. Magitech Override was usually useless, except for the times where it turned a hard battle into an easy one. It was a mistake. Choose two spells from the following lists: Elementalist, Entropist, and Spiritist. The spells you choose can come from the same list or different lists; you develop a magisphere prototype for each spell chosen this way (this does not count as having learned the spells for the sake of Skills and other effects). 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). MAGICANNON Tinkerer gadgets, page 215. A small, but much needed touch-up. You may perform the Inventory action and spend 2 Inventory Points to create a firearm weapon known as a magicannon (see below) and destroy any magicannon you previously created. If you do so and your hand slots are empty, you may immediately equip the magicannon and perform a free attack with it. Every time you create a magicannon, choose whether it is a melee or ranged weapon, and also what damage type it deals (air, bolt, earth, fire, ice, or physical). WEAPON ACCURACY DAMAGE Magicannon 【DEX + INS】 +1 【HR + 12】 Two-handed w Melee or Ranged w Cannot have Qualities. MAGISPHERES > SUPERIOR MAGISPHERES Tinkerer gadgets, page 215. The old progression was both forced and excessive. Choose three new spells from the lists provided by the minor magispheres benefit and develop a magisphere prototype for each of them. The spells you choose can come from the same list or from different lists (this does not count as having learned the spells for the sake of Skills and other effects). W
83 W BREACH (ç4) Weaponmaster Skill, page 219. This change is tied to the choice of removing NPCs' ability to equip items (see next pages), and also the general wish for "non-elemental" fighter builds to be a thing. You may use an action and spend 10 Mind Points to perform a free attack with a melee weapon you have equipped; this attack must target only one creature. If the attack is successful, choose one option: the attack deals 【SL × 5】 extra damage, and all damage dealt by it ignores Resistances and Vulnerabilities; or the attack deals no damage and, until the start of your next turn, whenever an ally deals damage to the target, that ally deals 【2 + (SL × 2)】 extra damage to them. If you are playing with the High Fantasy Heroic Skill Pulverizing Strike, its effect changes to "When you use the Breach Skill, if you attack with a melee weapon belonging to the heavy Category, you may treat your Skill Level in the Breach Skill as being 2 points higher (to a maximum of 6)." ADVERSITY Page 234. This Heroic Skill was too strong. As long as you are suffering from one or more status effects, you gain a +1 bonus on all Checks you perform for every status effect you are suffering from (up to a maximum of +3), and you also deal 2 extra damage for every status effect you are suffering from (be it with attacks, spells, Arcana, items, or any other method; up to a maximum of 6 extra damage). AMBIDEXTROUS Page 234. This Heroic Skill was in serious need of some love. 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). As long as you have exactly two weapons equipped and they share no Categories with each other, you gain a +2 bonus to Defense and the second attack you perform during each of your turns deals 5 extra damage.
84 W COMET Heroic Skill, page 235. I am moving towards global effects that do not allow the user to not damage/cause effects on selected targets. The spell's text becomes: Comet 50 Special Istantaneous Choose one option: you deal 60 damage to one enemy you can see; or you deal 40 damage to every enemy you can see. This damage increases 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 ignoring damage Affinities). MATHEMAGIC Heroic Skill, page 237. The original was very confusing in how it worked. When you cast a spell with a target of "One creature", you may choose an Attribute (Dexterity, Insight, Might, or Willpower) and a die size (d6, d8, d10, or d12). If you do, the spell's target becomes "Every creature present on the scene whose current die size in that Attribute matches your choice" and its total Mind Point cost is doubled. Additionally, all mentions of "the target" in the spell's text are replaced with "each target"; or they are replaced with "one or more targets" if the spell is Anomaly, Dispel, Mercy, or Mirror. When the spell ends on one or more of its targets, it automatically ends on all its targets. If you cast an offensive (r) spell this way, you perform a single Magic Check and confront it with the Magic Defense of each target. Note: this version assumes you are using Acceleration's reworked version. MONKEY GRIP Heroic Skill, page 238. Official version is a "strictly worse" Powerful Strike 99% of the time, aside for super specific cases. Also added firearms. You may now equip two-handed weapons belonging to the firearm, flail, heavy, spear, and sword Categories within a single hand slot. Additionally, the first attack you perform with a two-handed weapon during each turn deals 5 extra damage, and its damage ignores Resistances. W
85 W RAMPART Heroic Skill, page 239. This heroic skill needed a boost to match Unbreakable. Once per conflict scene, at the beginning of a round, if you have a martial armor or a shield equipped, you may spend 20 Mind Points. If you do, you and every ally present on the scene have Resistance to all damage types and cannot suffer status effects until the end of the round (this does not let you recover from preexisting status effects). STATUS IMMUNITY > FAST LEARNER Heroic Skill, page 240. The original Status Immunity was boring and underwhelming, and Wayfarer deserves better. Fast Learner is an homage to the classic "Mime" . Once per conflict scene when another Player Character you can see performs the Skill or Spell action to cast a spell or activate a Skill or Heroic Skill, if you have not learned or acquired that spell or Skill, you can temporarily learn or acquire that spell or Skill until the end of the scene. If you acquire a Skill this way, you are treated as having 1 Skill Level in it, and you do not gain any of the additional benefits you would normally acquire when gaining that Skill through character progression: for instance, you would not create a new companion by temporarily acquiring the Faithful Companion Skill (see page 217), nor would you learn any volumes, keys, or tones by temporarily acquiring the Magichant Skill (see High Fantasy Atlas, page 137). TEMPEST STRIKE Heroic Skill, pag. 240. An increase in damage was very much needed. When you perform a melee attack with the multi property, if the attack targets only one creature, it deals 10 extra damage if it has multi (2), or 15 extra damage if it has multi (3 or higher); if instead the attack targets two or more creatures, it deals 5 extra damage to each of them.
86 W UPGRADE Heroic Skill, page 241. The restrictions and costs on this Skill were unjustified. When you rest, you may choose any number of armors, shields, and/or weapons among those owned by your group. For each item chosen this way, you may either add a Quality to it (if it doesn't have one) or replace its current Quality with a different one. These Qualities must come from the list of default Qualities available for items of that type, and must have an associated cost modifier of +1000 zenit or lower. At the end of the rest, you must pay an amount of zenit equal to the total sum of those cost modifiers, reduced by 【your Skill Level in Visionary, multiplied by 100】. If you do, the items will be modified according to your choices. 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. VOLCANO > ULTIMAGIC Heroic Skill, page 241. Many Players felt the mandatory fire element constraining. The Volcano Heroic Skill is now named Ultimagic, and allows the choice of a damage type among air, bolt, earth, fire, and ice when acquired. The spell's text becomes: Ultimagic 40 Special Istantaneous Choose one option: you deal 50 damage of the type you have chosen to one enemy you can see; or you deal 30 damage of the type you have chosen to every enemy you can see. This damage increases 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 Immunities and Resistances. RARE WEAPON ACCURACY Designing rare weapons, page 268. The inability for weapons that start with a +1 to improve the inherent bonus to Accuracy devalues them compared to the rest. The third bullet point in step 3 should say: "You may add a +1 bonus to the weapon's Accuracy Check, or improve its existing bonus by 1 point. If you do, increase its cost by 100 zenit; this cannot bring the weapon's bonus above +2." W
87 W RARE WEAPON ADDITIONAL DAMAGE Designing rare weapons, page 268. The 4 damage increase for 200 zenit was too abrupt and, while simple, it became accessible way too early. The fourth bullet point in step 3 is removed. Add a step 5, which says: "Finally, the weapon's damage modifier is increased by 2 for every 1000 zenit of its cost (for instance, a rare weapon worth 1500 zenit and based on a steel dagger deals 【HR + 6】 damage)." Additionally, the rule that automatically made any weapon with a damage modifier of +10 or higher into a martial weapon is removed. To convert existing rare weapons, simply reduce the cost of any weapon whose damage is higher than their base version by 200, then reduce their damage formula by 4, and finally increase their damage formula by [(cost/1000) x 2]. If a weapon is given a new Quality via something like the Upgrade Heroic Skill, make sure to update the weapon's cost and also its damage bonus. DESIGNING NPCs Pages 303 and after. These changes are the result of years of people giving NPCs extremely overpowered equipment, or designing them mostly with PC Skills that are not really designed to work on NPCs; additionally, this makes it so a foe cannot be easily disarmed without some sort of Clock. Obviously, this change must be accompanied by the rework of the Breach Skill (see previous pages). There is also a modification to the bonus to Accuracy/Magic. w The Use Equipment Skill no longer exists. Humanoids have 4 free initial Skills, just like Monsters. They may wield equipment, from a narrative standpoint, but mechanically these are just normal basic attacks, spells, or unique actions. w NPCs can no longer choose Class Skills, only NPC Skills. Effects such as the Protect Skill (see Grey Howler, page 325), can be recreated via the "Reaction" NPC Skill, for instance. w The automatic bonus to Accuracy Checks and Magic Checks for NPCs becomes equal to their level divided by 20, not by 10. The Specialist Skill should be used to give NPCs an edge against particularly high Defense scores, but the current form of the passive increase makes non-optimized investment into Defenses too irrelevant.
88 W DEVASTATION NPC Spells, page 310. The effect has been uniformed to Comet and Ultimagic. The spell's text now says: "You deal 30 (choose type) damage to every enemy present on the scene." instead of "Choose any number of creatures you can see: each of them suffers 30 (choose type) damage." QUICKEN NPC Spells, page 310. This spell was too pricey. The cost of this spell is now 10 MP. STUDYING A NON-PLAYER CHARACTER Page 319. These changes allow more groups to examine foes with ease without investing heavily into Insight or Loremaster, and it also make it so the tiers are the same as standard Open Checks. Instead of being revealed at 10+, 13+ and 16+, the various degrees of NPC data are revealed at 7+, 10+, and 13+. W
89 W d BATTLE SUPERIORITY This optional rule was already problematic with the core rules, but as the game grew, it just became completely broken. It had to be reworked. This optional rule adds another layer of strategy to battles and rewards a clever, nonimpulsive use of elemental attacks and Affinities. If you use this rule, Player Characters (and only Player Characters) gain access to a special game resource called Superiority Points, which allows them to enter a special state known as boost. w When a Player Character deals damage to one or more enemies, if one or more of those enemies are Vulnerable to the damage dealt and none of them are Immune or Absorb it, the group gains 1 Superiority Point. A Player Character can only generate Superiority Points during their turn, and only once per turn. w When a Player Character deals damage to one or more enemies, if at least one of those enemies is Immune to or Absorbs that damage, the group loses all Superiority Points and any boosted characters lose their boost. Additionally, every creature on the Player Characters' side who is yet to take a turn during the current round loses the ability to do so; any turn-based effects will not end, begin, or recharge, but if any of those creatures were Guarding and/or covering someone else, those benefits end. If this happens during a Player Character's turn, that turn also ends immediately. At the end of each round, all boosted Player Characters lose their boost; then, if the group has a number of Superiority Points equal to or higher than the number of Player Characters currently in the conflict (ignoring PCs who left the scene, surrendered, or sacrificed themselves), they lose all Superiority Points and each of those Player Characters becomes boosted. w On their turn, a boosted character can perform an additional action; if they do so, they lose their boost. w Boosted characters lose their boost at the end of the scene. To make this optional rule shine, the Game Master should combine enemies with diametrically opposite Affinities, employ a lot of adversaries with Immunities and Absorptions, and also grant each boss they design the ability to alter their Affinities at least once over the course of the conflict.
90 W d PRESSURE AND STAGGER This is a new optional rule that introduces a sort of break/stagger system. Under this optional rule, Vulnerabilities do not immediately increase Hit Point loss; instead, they can be exploited to pressure enemies up to a breaking point, where they become staggered and become Vulnerable to most damage types, in addition to losing their actions for the rest of the round. If you use this rule, every enemy faced in battle enters the scene with an empty Pressure Clock and with pressure points: a variable amount of weapon Categories that are especially useful against them (the Categories are arcane, bow, brawling, dagger, firearm, flail, heavy, spear, sword, thrown). w A soldier has a 2-section Pressure Clock and two pressure points. w An elite has a 4-section Pressure Clock and two pressure points. w A champion has a Pressure Clock with a number of sections equal to 【2 + twice the number of soldiers they replace】, and four pressure points. Rules for Pressure Clocks are described below. FILLING A PRESSURE CLOCK An enemy's Pressure Clock can be filled as per the normal rules (Opportunities, Objective actions and more), or through effects that explicitly mention Pressure Clocks. Not only that, it can also be filled in the following ways: w When a non-staggered enemy loses Hit Points due to damage of a type they are Vulnerable to, that enemy does not lose twice the normal amount of Hit Points as described on page 92 of the Core Rulebook; instead, their Pressure Clock fills by 1 section, or by 2 sections if the HP loss they suffered is equal to or higher than 【10 + half that enemy's level】. For instance, the Clock of a level 25 enemy will fill by 2 sections if they lose 22 or more Hit Points from the blow. w When a non-staggered enemy loses Hit Points due to damage dealt by an attack with a weapon, if one or more of that weapon's Categories fall within that enemy's pressure points, their Pressure Clock fills by 1 section. These two effects are not cumulative; if an attack qualifies for both, only apply the first effect (thus ignoring pressure points). W
91 W EMPTYING A PRESSURE CLOCK An enemy's Pressure Clock can only be emptied at the end of a round in which they've been staggered (see below), or through effects that explicitly mention Pressure Clocks. Be careful, however, because these effects can be very frustrating. STAGGERED ENEMIES As soon as an enemy's Pressure Clock becomes full, that enemy becomes staggered. A staggered enemy suffers the following penalties: w The enemy cannot take turns; any remaining turns they had available during the current round are simply wasted. If an enemy becomes staggered during their own turn, that turn ends immediately. w The enemy treats their neutral (-) and Resistance (RS) Affinities as if they were Vulnerabilities instead, and all their Vulnerabilities (the preexisting ones as well as those gained from stagger) function as normal, causing double Hit Point loss. w Any effects based on the enemy's turns will not end, begin, nor recharge. However, if this enemy was Guarding and/or covering someone else, their Guard is broken and all those benefits end immediately. At the end of each round, each staggered enemy erases all sections of their Pressure Clocks and stop being staggered; due to this, it can be wise to wait a little bit and stagger a foe at the beginning of a new round to get the most out of it. ADDITIONAL ADVICE If you use this optional rule, consider the following: w An enemy's pressure points can be revealed just like Affinities: anything that can reveal Vulnerabilities, such as an Open Check or the Loremaster's Quick Assessment Skill, can also be used to learn pressure points. w You can create special rare items whose Qualities improve the user's ability to fill Pressure Clocks, or grant additional benefits or damage against staggered foes.