Project: White Sword

My current system as of 18/10/2020, a mashup of Whitehack, Freebooters on the Frontier, and other miscellaneous rules.

Basic Rules
Whenever possible, players should overcome challenges by simply describing what their characters do. Task checks are only used to resolve risky situations that would be too time-consuming to describe, or involve immediate danger/interesting consequences.

When performing such a task roll, roll a d20, add 9 and any relevant ability score modifier, try to get 20 or higher.

• 30+. Epic Success. Two elements of a task doubled in effect/halved in cost.
• 25-29. Great Success. One element doubled in effect/halved in cost.
• 20-24. Success.
• 16-19. Failure. Attempt not successful.
• 11-15. Great Failure. Attempt not successful, incur a consequence other than that naturally ocurring from failing.
• 10 or less. Epic Failure. Attempt not successful, incur major consequences.

If either of the character's Facts are relevant to a task, roll with Advantage.

Some tasks are designated as trained, meaning that they are of a type that anyone without proper training is less likely to succeed at. Picking a lock, scaling a sheer surface without tools, knowing details about some summoning ritual, guessing the value of an art object, tracking an animal, etc.
Having no relevant Fact on your sheet when attempting such as task means you roll with Disadvantage. If the Fact is somewhere on your sheet, you roll a regular d20+9+ability mod roll. If a relevant Fact is listed under the ability score used, you roll with Advantage.

A roll may be further penalized if conditions are more difficult.
Making conditions easier may ignore the roll altogether (such as having a climbing kit when climbing). Most of the time this shouldn't be more difficult than Hard.

-2: Hard
-4: Very Hard
-6: Extremely Hard
-8: Sheer folly
-10: Inconceivable

Combat and Related Topics
Attack progression follows the same pattern as Whitehack's, but I have added +1 to all values.

Armors
Light Armor: 12
Medium Armor: 14
Heavy Armor: 16
Shields: +1 to AC. Can be sacrificed to negate one blow.

Initiative
Side-by-side initiative, with Phased Real-Time Combat.

 

Death and Dismemberment

Uses Jojiro's awesome table here:

The Classes

Fighter 

• Cleave. When killing something with a melee weapon, the Fighter may perform another attack to hit a foe standing next to it. Max number of cleavings is equal to character level.

• Combat Master. A Fighter can perform Stunts when attacking (such as Called Shot, Blind, Disarm, Trip, Throw, Bullrush, Overpower, etc) by making two attacks. Depending on the type of stunt the opponent may get a save or an opposed ability score check. If both attacks hits, it's successful. If only one succeeds, it's partially successful and/or comes with a cost. If both fail, the Fighter is instead afflicted by their own stunt. Note that the other classes may also perform this, but they do not get to deal weapon damage to their target if successful.
• Critical Master. A Fighter never needs to roll on the Fumble table, and may roll on the Critical Hit table if they roll a 20. 

Magic-User 
Magic-Users use a Mana system, paying mana points to memorize spells for safe casting, or saving them until later for spontaneous casting (see tenfootpolemic for system. They can also make magic items in exchange for time and money, and sacrifice memorized spells in order to deal damage or counter other spells.

Specialist 
A Specialist starts out as Specialised in their chosen Vocation, giving it a greater chance to be used. When properly equipped, and when rolling for a check or an attack that is in line with their Vocation, they always roll with Advantage (if performing a Stunt they may only apply advantage to one of the attacks).

When they try to do damage from an advantageous position in combat (such as attacking from behind/surprising an opponent, having higher ground, flanking an opponent, sure footing vs loose footing, etc), they may switch their Advantage on their attack roll to instead do double damage, if their Vocation is relevant to the situation. For example, a duellist might do this in a duel, while an assassin might do it when striking from the shadows.

Every level they get to assign two additional ability scores to their Facts. If a Fact is assigned to all six ability scores, the Specialist now counts as Specialised in that Fact

Character Creation

1. Choose class.

Fighter, Magic-User or Specialist.

2. Roll Ability Scores.

Roll 3d6 6 times to determine the six ability scores:

• Strength. Melee attacks, feats of strength.
• Dexterity. AC bonus, initiative.
• Constitution. Endurance, holding your breath, avoiding death.
• Intelligence. What your PC knows, magical strength.
• Perception. Awareness, ranged attacks, discovering hidden things.
• Charisma. Influence, hiring hireling.

If the total of all ability score modifiers is less than zero, then discard the character and begin the process again. Assign these scores as you wish.

Ability Score Modifiers
3 - 3
4 - 5 - 2
6 - 8 - 1
9 - 12 0
13 - 15 + 1
16 - 17 + 2
18 + 3

3. Pick Facts.
A new character begins with 3 Facts about themselves, which are broad groupings of knowledge, skill, contacts and loyalties. These facts may be described in one word or sentence. Facts allow the PC to roll certain rolls with Advantage if the task is relevant to that fact. For example, in a scene where a  PC is trying to sneak by a guard into a mansion, a Thief would have advantage on their Dexterity check to sneak inside, while a Bouncer might not have the same luck.

The Facts

• Species. Pick this if you want to play as a non-human. Your PC is going to be familiar with their country of origin, speak the local language and know who the rulers are.
• Vocation. What was your PC's calling before they became an adventurer (e.g Wizard, Barbarian, or simply Swine Herder.)? Your Vocation doesn't have to be in line with your class, and may also be something they still practice. Vocations are especially important to Specialists, since they
• Affliation. Which connections do your PC have to a organisation/social structures? This could be a guild, military company, secret society, school, religion, loyalty or bond of blood. A PC's Affliation can give allies, special knowledge, languages, equipment, sanctuary and help them out in trouble, but may also come with enemies and/or responsibilities

For each Fact, one ability score is assigned to it.

The default race of a PC is human, but players can choose to play as whatever, in return for putting that Facts in two ability scores, but taking on a negative trait that will complicate their life.

Characters gain new Facts as they level:

• Fighters and Magic-Users: Level 4,7 and 10
• Specialists: 3, 5, 7, and 9.

 

4. Get Equipment 

New PC's start with one free weapon, one item related to their Vocation, along with 1d4 torches, 1d4 rations and one random item.

5. Come up with Name, Descriptor, Backstory
You get 20 seconds to think up your character's name, their appearance or backstory.

 

Encumbrance
A character can carry 12 items. There are three categories of items: Tiny, Light and Heavy.

Light items take up one slot, Heavy items take up two slots, while Tiny items don't take up any slot at all, just write them to the side of your slots. Items can't be stacked. 

If you need to get out something you weren’t holding in your hands already, roll 2d6 and score equal to or higher than its position on your inventory list. If you succeed you can pull it out and do what you intended. Otherwise you spend your entire action finding it. Double 1s always fail. Note that having things near the top of your inventory list is advantageous, so put things you’ll rarely need in a hurry, like armour and money, near the bottom. If you find yourself carrying more than twelve items, you suffer -4 to all rolls due to the inconvenient weight. If you are carrying 18 items or more, in addition to -4 to all rolls you can't move at all and count as surprised for anyone wanting to attack you.

 

Gaining a Level 
After the game, the GM awards XP to all PC's based on how much the party achieved:

• Showed up to the game. 1 XP
• Overcame a difficult challenge. 2 XP
• Overcame an impressive challenge beyond their expected ability. 3 XP
  

Then everyone everyone asks these questions as a group:

1. Did we discover something new and exciting about the setting?
2. Did we defeat a dangerous enemy or overcome a difficult obstacle?
3. Did we acquire some memorable booty?

For each "yes", you get 1 XP.

 
Finally, XP is gained by stashing treasure as per the Freebooter's rule. 100 coins = 1 XP.

XP requirement is calculated as such: 5+(current level*5)
Once you have enough XP to level up, follow the procedure below:

1. Roll for your new HP.
2. Reduce your saving throw by 1.
3. One Fact may be moved to another ability score.
4. At level 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10, you may increase one of your ability scores by 1. Max is 18.
5. If you are a Fighter, increase your base attack bonus by 1. You may gain a new Fact or Talent at level 4, 7 and 10.
6. If you are a Specialist, you may add two of your Facts to an ability score, and also gain a new Fact at level 3, 5, 7 and 9.
7. If you are a Magic-User, you gain one new spell of a level you are able to cast. You gain a new Fact at level 4, 7 and 10.
8. If you reach level 10, you have the option of acquiring an Aspect as per the default Whitehack rule.