Conquerors Without Number

Sword & Sorcery Adventures in Planetos

Introduction

Before reading further, the purpose and scope of this hack should be explained. I wasn't satisfied with any one system's ability to emulate the experience I wanted for roleplaying in the world of Ice and Fire. The books aren't the typical pulp adventures that inspired D&D, like Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser or Conan the Barbarian; they are much more focused on plotting, intrigue, and warfare (and the human heart in conflict with itself). However, the book "The World of Ice and Fire" elaborated on the exhaustive setting already presented in the books, and in particular, Essos struck me as a quintessential Sword & Sorcery setting. Dark rituals, ancient kingdoms, mysterious gods, decadent cities, bizarre humanoids, and hidden magic abundantly fill the setting.

So, I started thinking about what the system would need. Most characters in the books aren't strictly warriors, character's influence was bound to the amount of wealth, land and men they controlled, and being able to plan and maneuver your way between various organizations and factions is crucial to playing at the game of thrones. A few systems came to mind, but for the sort of play I'm interested in (and for their compatability), I looked into grafting on some of the systems of Sine Nomine's Stars Without Number onto Autarch's Adventurer Conqueror King System.

I like the catch all flexibility of SWN's skill system, but I'm going to preface that first and formost, they have been added for the purpose of abstract task resolution. I would advise against their use in dungeon and wilderness exploration, as any OSR system (ACKS included) is sufficient. Additionally, it might be tempting to overuse the social skills, so I want to emphasize that Reaction Rolls are plenty sufficient for negotiations, parley, and general roleplay. I included the skills specifically to resolve tasks that have dramatic effects, which most importantly carry a cost for failure and reward for success. Convincing the brothel owner to help you in a blackmail scheme might call for a talk or trade check, or falsifying the records to embezzle the King's treasury would call for an administer check: the former could just be resolved through roleplay, so DM discretion should determine if a check should be used, but the latter is abstract beyond the rules of the game and a check is thus necessary. When it comes to skills, less is more. They will be elaborated upon more ahead.

Character Classes are taken from ACKS (Fighter, Thief, Assassin, Barbarian, Bard, Explorer, & Venturer) and my custom class of Specialist. While there isn't a specific class for stewards, maesters, septons & septas, nobles, and mummers, through the use of ACKS' proficiencies, you can create a wide variety of characters with the unique skills of the characters in the books.

Grand Maester Pycelle is high level specialist with levels in Alchemy, Healing, and Knowledge. Ned Stark is a high level Fighter with Leadership, Command, Two Handed Weapon Fighting Style, Riding, and Military Strategy among others. Arya Stark might be a mid-level assassin with Weapon Finesse, Skulking, Riding, and Disguise. Hopefully these examples start to illuminate the variety of characters that can be represented.

I've found a simple way to incorporate Skills with Proficiencies (explained in the skills section), but it will be some time before I work out how to reconcile the faction system with the stronghold system. Most likely, they will just be disperate systems with Strongholds and Domains as the player facing system, and factions facing the DM as a way to liven the world. Adapting the SWN assets to low fantasy will take some work, and it is low priority, but I will be slowly working on them. Hopefully, Crawford's fantasy faction rules will released long before I spend too much time working on them.

Finally, psionics and magic: ASOIAF is very low magic, and much of it seems a lot more suitable to psionic mechanics than spellcasting mechanics (greensight, warging, dragon riding) and I will be using the Psionics section of SWN as a basis for them. Additionally, I am working on various rituals inspired by the rules in Carcosa. Blood sacrifice is overwhelmingly common in the magic we see in the books (Leeches with king's blood, paste made out of greenseer blood, burning a witch to hatch dragon eggs, wearing the faces of the dead). Finally, We also hear of sorcerers creating various hybrids. For this, the campaign rules in ACKS should be sufficient should players want to recreate dragons from firewyrms and wyverns.

Additional Reading

If you haven't read at least the five novels, I would go so far to say they are manditory before trying to roleplay in Planetos. The world is so rich, and the shows barely scratch the surface. The World of Ice and Fire should provide plenty of lore to inspire you to create an adventure, as well as serving as reference for the most notable locations. Green Ronin's ASOIAF Campaign Guide also has a lot of information on the world, though it is geared at recreating Westeros before the events of the books. Finally, Fire & Blood has a few key stories that really shed light on the horror of magic on Planetos.

Owning a copy of Adventurer, Conqueror, King System would be ideal, but any B/X retroclone would be sufficient for handling dungeon and hex crawling; ACKS does unify most checks to a d20, and uses a unique Ascending AC system (If you like the AC system, just subtract the Attack Bonus from 10 to determine your Attack Throw value). When I use ACKS, I just add 10 to all the AC values in the book, and use a standard ascending AC with 10 as the base AC: to hit = Str/Dex + Attack Bonus + Weapon bonus.

Stars Without Number has a free version online, but it's not very necessary to have on hand. It is a great resource. The beta versions of Worlds without Number are also useful resources but not necessary.

Backgrounds

Before becoming an adventurer and seeking to strike their own fortune, characters had some sort of ordinary life. A character's background will grant them an additional proficiency. As a variant rule, the backgrounds provide alternative values for starting gold and ability score dice. Typically, this is 3d6 across the board (x10 for starting gold). Next to the profession might be (gold 2, str 4, con 4) meaning they start with 2d6x10 gold, and roll 4d6 (dropping the lowest) for Strengh and Constitution when generating ability scores.

Background Table

d12	Background	d12	Background
1-50	Peasant	90-92	Merchant
51-65	Artisan	93-95	Acolyte
66-75	Sailor	96-97	Maester
76-85	Soldier	98-99	Cupbr./Handm.
86-90	Professional	100	Noble

Peasant/Slave

Labor (gold 2, str 4, con 4)

The most common life, you spent your early life doing honest work, toiling on someone else's land. Wouldn't the sweat be much sweeter if the land were your own?

Artisan

Craft (dex/str 4)

You likely learned the craft that one of your parents know, or were lucky enough to learn a trade by someone who took pity on you. A life spent honing your trade could be a comfortable one, albeit a repetitive one.

Sailor

Navigation or Sailing (dex 4/con 4)

Born in a coastal town, sailing was the obvious choice for a youth with an adventurous spirit. Nothing beats the wind in your hair and the salt spray in the air, except perhaps having your hands on the wheel.

Soldier

Fighting Style or Manual of Arms (str/dex 4, con 4)

Whether you were levied or bought, some noble invested in teaching you the ways of war. After surviving your first campaign, not having any trade to fall back on, you could take work as a guard or sellsword, but why die protecting another man's wealth?

Professional

Profession (gold 4, int 4)

While not quite a noble, your profession offered you an elevated status and good wealth, but while you might encounter nobles regularly, they make it plainly known that you are not one of them.

Merchant

Bargaining or Bribery (gold 5, int/cha 4)

Born into wealth, you learned the ins and outs of trade at a young age by shadowing your parents. As you grew up, you did the math; however much wealth you honestly dealt, it wont be enough to climb into nobility in your lifetime.

Acolyte

Theology (gold 2, int/wis 5)

At a young age you joined a religious order. Whether you joined voluntarily, like is custom in the Faith of the Seven, or you were purchased as a slave to serve a strange and foreign god, your early life was centered around serving the hierarchy of your religion. Along the way, you even learned a thing or two about what they believe.

Maester/Tutor

Knowledge/Language (int 5)

Likely the youngest child of a noble family, or a slave with exceptional aptitude, your life has been devoted to learning. But fate has spared you from your chain(s), and a life of learning from experience opened up for you.

Cupbearer / Handmaiden

Eavesdropping (gold 5, wis 4)

Likely a hostage to a foreign lord, you've spent your early life serving nobles, learning courtly ways while hiding from the spotlight of noble affairs. Though, all that you've learned would surely go to waste without a seat of your own.

Noble

Leadership or Command (gold 6, any 4, cha 4)

Fate smiled upon you, as you were born into the lap of luxury; the youngest child of a noble family. Far in the line of inheritance, but too ambitious to be relegated to a life of servitude, you've set out to earn your own seat among the lords.

Chooseable backgrounds

Fate might have dealt you a hand, but that doesn't mean you had to play the cards. A life of crime in Westeros often leads young men to serving at the wall, and many a youth wind up working at the oldest profession (Seduction). It should go without saying, that abandoning the Watch carries a penalty of death, and most that evade capture wind up as brigands in Westeros or sellswords in Essos. Opting into the Night's Watch grants the player to make a roll on the table below.

Night's Watch

d12	Proficiency	d12	Proficiency
1	Tracking	7	Skulking
2	Riding	8	Caving
3	Mountaineering	9	Climbing
4	Passing w/o Trace	10	Labor
5	Mapping	11	Craft
6	Signaling	12	Profession

Table for Character Background

If you have a strong idea for where you wish your character to be from, by all means just choose. Far be it from me to quell you fantasy of being a Stark, but even if you pick your result for the d20, I'd strongly encourage you to roll on the second table. Might be more fun trying to marry into the Starks.

There are far more places than those represented here; consult the asoiaf wiki or A World of Ice and Fire to learn more. And if you are from Westeros, not which house would be your liege lord.

Assembling the party

At this point, you might be wondering how the heck this disparate group of people got together to go on an adventure. The easiest answer is that they met on a campaign. Military campaigns attract all sorts of people. Not just the soldiers march, but all sorts of folks have been known to tag along; feeding an army is hungry work, as is moving it.

Another idea is they are all expats in Essos. Expats often gravitate toward eachother; perhaps after a few months of drinking together at the same tavern in Pentos, you got heard a rumor about treasure in the ruins of Ghoyan Drohe.

It is also reasonable to roll once on the table for the whole party. Everyone could have grown up together in Wintertown, dreaming of someday living within Winterfell's great walls. Thus, you and your friends decided to do whatever it took to seek your wealth, and don't all the legends speak of Asshai being overflowing with gems?

Skills

To make a skill check, roll 2d6 and add the most relevant skill level and attribute modifier. If the total is equal or higher than the check’s difficulty, the check is a success. On a failure, the PC either can’t accomplish the feat at all or they achieve it at the cost of some further complication to the situation. The GM determines the specific outcome of a failure.

If the character doesn’t even have level-0 in the pertinent skill, they suffer a -1 penalty to the roll. In the case of particularly technical or esoteric skills they might not even be able to attempt the skill check at all.

Some checks might be suitable for more than one skill. A javelin-throwing contest might use Exert for being an athletic contest, or Warfare for involving a ranged weapon. In such cases the PC can use the best applicable skill. In other situations, a skill might seem peripherally relevant (using Pray to know where to hide in a church, or Sail to find a smuggler's hold on a ship). If this is the case, the difficulty will be increase by 2.

Note: In case you skipped the first page, Skills are included solely for abstract task resolution. Skill checks should be used sparingly, enough so to the point that the DM can document all skill checks from a single session. This is because a skill check should only be called for in situations where the success or failure is interesting or significant. For example, a character is advisor to a ruler and is asked to handle the logistics of the upcoming military campaign; the check is small and abstract but the results could have far reaching consequences.

Skill Check Difficulty & SP Success Reward

Target	Description	SP
6	A relatively simple task that is still more than the PC would usually be expected to managein their regular background. Anything easier than this isn’t worth a skill check.	1
8	A significant challenge to a competent professional that they’d still succeed at more often than not.	1
10	Something too difficult to be expected ofanyone but a skilled expert, and even they might fail.	2
12	Only a true master could expect to carry this off with any degree of reliability.	2
14+	Only a true master has any chance of achieving this at all, and even they will probably fail	3

Particularly helpful or hostile circumstances might give a bonus or penalty to the skill check. As a general rule, extremely bad circumstances or tools would apply up to a -2 penalty to the skill check, while a very good situation or the perfect set of tools might give up to a +2 bonus to the roll. Usually, no combination of modifiers should add more than +2 or -2 to any given skill check.

Even concept-related feats might require a skill check, however, if the situation is especially bad or the circumstances particularly hostile. The captain might have to make a Sail skill check to land a ship if they attempt it in the middle of a terrible storm, and a noble might have to make a Connect skill check to find shelter with an aristocratic relation if they’re currently wanted by the tyrant’s guards.

Skills and their uses

Administer: Manage an organization, handle paperwork, analyze records, and keep an institution functioning on a daily basis. Roll it for bureaucratic expertise, organizational management, legal knowledge, dealing with governments and rulers and understanding how institutions really work.

Convince: Convince other people of the facts you want them to believe. What they do with that conviction may not be completely predictable. Roll it to persuade, charm, or deceive others in conversation.

Craft: Create and repair devices both simple and complex. How complex will depend on your character’s background. Roll it to fix things, build things, and identify what something is supposed to do.

Exert: Apply trained speed, strength, or stamina in some feat of physical exertion. Roll it to run, jump, lift, swim, climb, throw, and so forth.

Heal: Employ medical and psychological treatment for the injured or disturbed. Roll it to cure diseases, stabilize the critically injured, treat psychological disorders, or diagnose illnesses.

Know: Know facts about academic or scientific fields. Roll it to understand ecologies, remember relevant history, solve mysteries, and know the basic facts about rare or esoteric topics.

Lead: Convince others to also do whatever it is you’re trying to do. Talk might persuade them that following you is smart, but Lead can make them do it even when they think it’s a bad idea. Roll it to lead troops in combat, convince others to follow you, or maintain morale and discipline.

Magic: Unlock the secrets of magical devices, perform arcane rituals, and read magical scripts.

Network: Find people who can be helpful to your purposes and get them to cooperate with you. Roll it to make useful connections with others, find people you know, know where to get illicit goods and services, and be familiar with foreign cultures and languages. You can use it in place of Talk for persuading people you find via this skill.

Notice: Spot anomalies or interesting facts about your environment. Roll it for searching places, detecting ambushes, spotting things, and reading the emotional state of other people.

Perform: Exhibit some performative skill. Roll it to dance, sing, orate, act, or otherwise put on a convincing or emotionally moving performance.

Pray: Beseech your god or gods for assistance, and attempt perform miracles. Also pertains to the knowledge of your religion, as well as other religions (+2 to difficulty)

Ride: Accomplish dificult feats of riding while on horseback (or other mountable beasts), and land vehicles. Also relates to the care of the animals and vehicles.

Sail: Use this skill to pilot ships, command crews, perform small repairs, and navigate.

Sneak: Move without drawing notice. Roll it for stealth, disguise, infiltration, manual legerdemain, pickpocketing, and the defeat of security measures.

Survive: Obtain the basics of food, water, and shelter in hostile environments, along with avoiding their natural perils. Roll it to handle animals, navigate difficult terrain, scrounge urban resources, make basic tools, and avoid wild beasts or gangs.

Trade: Find what you need on the market and sell what you have. Roll it to sell or buy things, figure out where to purchase hard-to-get or illicit goods, deal with customs agents, or run a business.

Work: Perform tasks related to more physical labor such as farming, logging, stonecutting, and fishing. Also relates to the care of livestock.

Improving Skills

A successful skill check grants the character a number of skill points related to the difficulty of the check (see table). Skill points are used to progress the level of a skill. To use their skill points, a character must spend downtime working on this skill, and pay twice their cost of living during this time. The DM should use their discretion in deciding if a location is suitable for training e.g. a maester wont be able to increase their Know rank in a backwater hamlet without any books.

Skill Progression

Rank	SP cost	Downtime Cost in Months
0	1	1
1	2	1
2	3	2
3	4	3
4	5	5

In addition to skill ranks, characters can also increase their ranks in a skill when they gain a proficiency. Every proficiency is tied to at least one skill; when you pick a proficiency, the related skill increases by 1 rank. If a proficiency has multiple related skills, you may choose which of the skills you wish to increase. Thus, when a 1st level character is created, they should have at least 3 skill ranks, and at least 2 proficiencies, depending on their Int modifier.

Proficiency lists

Every class has access to general proficiences and class specific proficiencies. These are gained at certain levels.

Proficiencies gained per level

Class	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14
Fighter	C+G	-	C	-	G	C	-	-	C+G	-	-	C	G	-
Thief	C+G	-	-	C	G	-	-	C	G	-	-	C	G	-
Specialist	C+G	C	-	C	G	C	-	C	G	C*	-	C*	-	C+G

General Proficiency List: Adventuring, Alchemy, Animal Husbandry, Animal Training, Art, Bargaining, Caving, Collegiate Wizardry, Craft, Diplomacy, Disguise, Endurance, Engineering, Gambling, Healing, Intimidation, Knowledge, Labor, Language, Leadership, Lip Reading, Manual of Arms, Mapping, Military Strategy, Mimicry, Naturalism, Navigation, Performance, Profession, Riding, Seafaring, Seduction, Siege Engineering, Signaling, Survival, Theology, Tracking, Trapping

Assassin Proficiency List(F): Acrobatics, Alchemy, Alertness, Arcane Dabbling, Blind Fighting, Bribery, Cat Burglary, Climbing, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (disarm, incapacitate), Contortionism, Disguise, Eavesdropping, Fighting Style, Gambling, Intimidation, Mimicry, Precise Shooting, Running, Seduction, Skirmishing, Skulking, Sniping, Swashbuckling, Trap Finding, Weapon Finesse

Bard Proficiency List(T): Acrobatics, Art, Bargaining, Beast Friendship, Combat Trickery (disarm), Command, Diplomacy, Eavesdropping, Elven Bloodline, Fighting Style, Healing, Knowledge, Language, Leadership, Lip Reading, Magical Engineering, Magical Music, Mimicry, Mystic Aura, Performance, Precise Shooting, Prestidigitation, Running, Seduction, Skirmishing, Swashbuckling, Weapon Finesse

Barbarian Proficiency List(F): Alertness, Ambushing, Armor Training*, Beast Friendship, Berserkergang, Blind Fighting, Climbing, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (force back, knock down, overrun, wrestling), Command, Endurance, Fighting Style, Martial Training, Mountaineering, Passing Without Trace, Precise Shooting, Riding, Running, Seafaring, Skirmishing, Sniping, Survival, Swashbuckling, Weapon Finesse

Explorer Proficiency List(F): Alertness, Ambushing, Beast Friendship, Blind Fighting, Climbing, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (disarm, knock down), Eavesdropping, Endurance, Fighting Style, Land Surveying, Mapping, Mountaineering, Naturalism, Navigation, Passing Without Trace, Precise Shooting, Riding, Running, Seafaring, Skirmishing, Sniping, Survival, Swashbuckling, Trapping, Weapon Finesse

Fighter Proficiency List(F): Acrobatics, Alertness, Berserkergang, Blind Fighting, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (disarm, force back, knock down, overrun, sunder), Command, Dungeon Bashing, Endurance, Fighting Style, Gambling, Intimidation, Leadership, Manual of Arms, Military Strategy, Precise Shooting, Riding, Running, Siege Engineering, Skirmishing, Survival, Swashbuckling, Weapon Finesse

Specialist Proficiency List(S): Acrobatics, Alchemy, Animal Husbandry, Animal Training, Art, Bargaining, Caving, Collegiate Wizardry, Craft, Diplomacy, Disguise, Endurance, Engineering, Gambling, Healing, Intimidation, Knowledge, Labor, Language, Leadership, Lip Reading, Manual of Arms, Mapping, Military Strategy, Mimicry, Naturalism, Navigation, Performance, Profession, Riding, Seafaring, Seduction, Siege Engineering, Signaling, Survival, Theology, Tracking, Trapping

Thief Proficiency List(T): Acrobatics, Alertness, Arcane Dabbling, Blind Fighting, Bribery, Cat Burglary, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (disarm, incapacitate), Contortionism, Diplomacy, Fighting Style, Gambling, Intimidation, Lip Reading, Lockpicking, Mapping, Precise Shooting, Riding, Running, Seafaring, Skirmishing, Skulking, Sniping, Swashbuckling, Trap Finding, Weapon Finesse

Venturer Proficiency List(T): Alertness, Ambushing, Arcane Dabbling, Bargaining, Climbing, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (disarm, incapacitate), Command, Gambling, Intimidation, Language, Leadership, Lip Reading, Magical Engineering, Mapping, Mountaineering, Navigation, Passing Without Trace, Precise Shooting, Profession, Riding, Running, Seafaring, Signaling, Skirmishing, Swashbuckling, Weapon Finesse

Proficiencies

Acrobatics Exert, Perform

The character is trained to jump, tumble, somersault, and free-run around obstacles. The character gains +2 to saving throws where agility would help avoid the situation, such as tilting floors and pit traps. In lieu of moving during a round, the character may attempt a proficiency throw of 20+ to tumble behind an opponent in melee. The proficiency throw required for the tumble is reduced by 1 per level of experience the character possesses. If successful, the character is behind his opponent. The opponent can now be attacked with a +2 bonus to the attack throw, and gains no benefit from his shield. Thieves and others eligible to backstab an opponent gain their usual +4 on the attack throw and bonus to damage. Characters with an encumbrance of 6 stone or more may not tumble. Note that elven nightblades automatically begin play with this ability as part of their class.

Adventuring

The character is well-equipped for a life of adventure. He knows how to clean and sharpen weapons, saddle and ride a horse, set up a camp, and search for a secret door. He has a rough idea of the value of common coins, trade goods, gems, and jewelry. All player characters are assumed to have Adventuring for purposes of the proficiency throws of standard adventuring tasks.

Alchemy Know, Craft

The character can identify common alchemical substances, potions, and poisons with a proficiency throw of 11+. If the character takes this proficiency twice, he can work as an apothecary or alchemical assistant. If the character takes this proficiency three times, he is an alchemist himself, as described under Hiring Specialists.

Alertness Notice

The character gains a +4 bonus on any proficiency throws to hear noises and detect secret doors. With a proficiency throw of 18+ he can notice secret doors with just casual observation. He gains a +1 bonus to avoid surprise.

Ambushing Survive, Sneak

When the character attacks with surprise, he gets a +4 bonus on his attack throws and deals double damage on the attack. This proficiency does not stack with the ability of thieves (or related classes) to backstab.

Animal Husbandry Survive, Work

The character has the ability to treat wounds and diagnose illnesses in animals. A proficiency throw of 11+ enables the character to identify whether a disease is magical or mundane, and if mundane, diagnose it. With clean, sanitary conditions and bed rest, an animal under treatment of the character automatically regains an extra 1d3 hit points per day. If the character selects Animal Husbandry twice, he can neutralize poison or cure disease, or cure light wounds with a proficiency throw of 18+, attempting once per day per animal. If the character selects Animal Husbandry three times, he can neutralize poison, cure disease, or cure serious wounds with a proficiency throw of 14+, once per day per animal,

and can cure mortal wounds with a proficiency throw of 18+, once per day per animal. At any one time, a character can treat three animals, plus an additional one each time Animal Husbandry is selected.

Animal Training Survive, Work

The character knows how to breed, groom, and train a particular type of animal. The animal can be taught simple tricks or orders. A character who wants to train two or more different animal types must choose this proficiency more than once. A character with proficiency in training an animal may choose a fantastic creature of a similar type with this proficiency. For example, a bear trainer could learn to train owlbears, or a horse trainer learn to train pegasi. Regardless of the type, animals must begin their training while still young. It take a minimum of one month to tame a wild animal. It takes a minimum of one month to teach a tame animal one trick. Thereafter additional tricks can be taught at half the time per trick. An animal can be taught a maximum of 2d4 different tasks or tricks. The animal trainer will only learn the animal’s limit when he reaches it.

Arcane Dabbling Magic

The character may attempt to use wands, staffs, and other magic items only useable by mages. At level 1, the character must make a proficiency throw of 18+ or the attempt backfires. The proficiency throw required reduces by 2 per level, to a minimum of 3+. Note that bards automatically begin play with this ability as part of their class.

Art Craft

The character can create a particular type of art (e.g., painting, sculpture, mosaic). The character must choose the type of art at the time he chooses the proficiency. He can spend more proficiency selections to have several types of art proficiencies. The character is considered an apprentice in his field. He can create 10gp per month of artwork, and can identify masterwork items, rare materials, and famous artisans with a proficiency throw of 11+. If a character selects the same field of art twice, he is considered a journeyman in his trade. He can create 20gp per month of artwork, and supervise up to 3 apprentices, increasing their productivity by 50%. If he selects the same craft three times, he is considered a master of his field. He can create 40gp per month of artwork, and supervise up to 2 journeymen and 4 apprentices, increasing their productivity by 50%. He could work as a specialist in this field of art (as described in the Hiring Specialists section).

Bargaining Trade

The character gets the best deals available for goods, services, and information. Any items the character purchases costs 10% less than the listed price and any items he sells go for 10% more than the listed price. If both the buyer and seller have the Bargaining proficiency, the opposed Bargainers should make reaction rolls. Whichever character scores the higher result gets the discount. A character may select Bargaining multiple times if desired. Each time the proficiency is selected, the character receives a +2 bonus on his reaction roll when negotiating with other bargainers.

Beast Friendship Survive, Know The character is well-schooled in the natural world. He can identify plants and fauna with a proficiency throw of 11+, and understands the subtle body language and moods of birds and beasts (though they may not understand the character). He gains +2 to all reaction rolls when encountering normal animals, and can take animals as henchmen.

Berserkergang Warcraft, Exert

The character may enter a berserker rage. While enraged, he gains a +2 bonus to attack throws and becomes immune to fear. However, the character has a -2 penalty to AC and cannot retreat from combat. Once it has begun, a berserker rage cannot be ended until combat ends.

Blind Fighting Notice

The character can fight a target without being able to see it. Blind Fighting is typically used when the character is in darkness or when the target is outside the range of his sight. A character with this proficiency suffers only a -2 penalty on attack throws when blinded or fighting invisible enemies instead of the base -4 penalty.

Bribery Trade

The character is exceptionally skilled at bribing officials with gifts of money or merchandise. Offering a bribe permits an additional reaction roll during encounters, with the throw modified by the size of the bribe. As a general rule, a bribe equal to one day’s pay for the target provides a +1 bonus, a week’s pay provides a +2 bonus, and a month’s pay provides a +3 bonus. Only one bribe can be attempted per target in any given situation.

Caving Survive

The character has learned to keep a map in his head of where he is when exploring underground caves, cavern complexes, and rivers. On a proficiency throw of 11+, the character with this proficiency will be able to automatically know the route he has taken to get where he is, if he was conscious at the time.

Cat Burglary Sneak, Exert

The thief knows how to deftly move across narrow and precarious surfaces. He may balance on thin ledges or tight ropes by making a proficiency throw to climb walls. If the thief falls while climbing, the player may make a second proficiency throw with a -4 penalty in order to catch himself and prevent any damage.

Climbing Exert, Survive

The character can climb cliffs, branchless trees, walls, and other sheer surfaces, without climbing aids, as a thief of his class level.

Collegiate Wizardry Know, Magic

The character has received formal magical education from a wizard’s guild. He can automatically identify arcane symbols, spell signatures, trappings, and grimoires of his own order, and can recognize those of other orders or traditions with a proficiency throw of 11+. Rare or esoteric traditions may be harder to recognize (Judge’s discretion). A character may select this proficiency additional times.

Combat Reflexes Exert, Notice

True warriors never hesitate in combat. The character gains a +1 bonus on surprise rolls and initiative rolls. This bonus does not apply when casting spells.

Combat Trickery Warcraft

The character is a cunning and tricky fighter. Pick a special maneuver from any one of the following: Disarm, Force Back, Incapacitate, Knock Down, Overrun, Sunder, or Wrestle.When the character attempts this special maneuver in combat, the normal penalty for attempting the maneuver is reduced by 2 (e.g. from -4 to -2), and his opponent suffers a -2 penalty to his saving throw to resist the special maneuver.

See Special Maneuvers in Chapter 6 for more details. A character may take Combat Trickery multiple times, selecting an additional special maneuver to learn each time.

Command Lead

The character has mastered the art of command. His authority inspires men to follow him into danger. The character’s henchmen and mercenaries receive a +2 bonus to morale. Morale is explained in Hirelings, Henchmen, Mercenaries, and Specialists.

Contortionism Exert, Perform

The character is extremely flexible, able to squeeze or fold his body in ways that seem humanly impossible, including squeezing between bars and escaping chains and restraints. He may make a proficiency throw of 18+ each round to escape from bonds or to slip between the bars of a portcullis.

Craft Craft

The character has studied under a guild craftsman, such as an armorer, bowyer, jeweler, leatherworker, smith, shipwright, or weaponsmith. The character is considered an apprentice in his trade. He can manufacture 10gp per month of goods, and can identify masterwork items, rare materials, and famous artisans with a proficiency throw of 11+. The character must choose the craft at the time he chooses the proficiency. He can spend more proficiency selections to have several types of craft proficiencies. If a character selects the same craft twice, he is considered a journeyman in his trade. He can manufacture 20gp per month of goods, and supervise up to 3 apprentices, increasing their productivity by 50%. If he selects the same craft three times, he is considered a master craftsman. He can manufacture 40gp per month, and supervise up to 2 journeymen and 4 apprentices, increasing their productivity by 50%. He could work as a specialist in this craft (as described in the Hiring Specialists section). Note that dwarven craftpriests automatically begin play with this proficiency at the “journeyman” rank as part of their class.

Diplomacy Convince, Lead

The character is smooth tongued and familiar with protocol. He receives a +2 bonus on all reaction rolls when he attempts to parley

Disguise Sneak, Perform

The character can make someone look like someone else through make-up and clothing. A successful Disguise requires a proficiency throw of 11+. Someone who is intimately familiar with the subject of the disguise may throw 14+ to see through it, adding their Wisdom modifier to their die roll.

Divine Blessing Pray

The character knows how to propitiate the gods and gain their favor. He gains a +2 bonus to all saving throws.

Divine Health Pray

The character knows how to purify his body and soul. He is immune to all forms of disease, including magical diseases caused by spells, mummies, or lycanthropes.

Dungeon Bashing: Exert

The character is hardened to the heavy lifting and physical labor involved in dungeon exploration. The character receives a +4 bonus on throws to open doors and similar acts of brute strength.

Dwarven Brewing: Know, Craft

The character knows the secrets of the famed beer and ale of the dwarves. Because of his familiarity with mixology, he may make a proficiency throw of 11+ to determine the magical properties of a potion or oil on taste. He gains a +4 bonus to proficiency throws to craft alcoholic beverages.

Eavesdropping: Sneak, Notice

The character can hear noises as a thief of his class level.

Endurance Exert, Work

The character is nearly tireless. He does not need to rest every 6 turns. He can force march for one day without penalty, plus one additional day for each point of Constitution bonus.

Engineering Work, Craft

The character is skilled in planning, designing, and constructing castles, towers, roads, and so forth. Any character with this skill can evaluate constructions the party is passing through to assess what shape they are in, when and by whom they were built, etc., with a proficiency throw of 11+. Each time this proficiency is taken, the character can supervise 25,000gp worth of permanent construction. A character who has taken this proficiency four times is the equivalent of the engineer specialist described in the Specialists section.

Familiar Know, Magic

The character gains a familiar, a magical animal companion. The familiar will be a creature appropriate to the character’s alignment and other powers (as determined by the Judge). The familiar always has a number of Hit Dice and maximum hit points equal to ½ its master’s own; Intelligence equal to its master’s Intelligence; and a number of general and class proficiencies equal to its masters, selected from its master’s class list. The familiar can always understand any languages spoken by its master, and the character will be able to understand the familiar’s speech, though no one else will without resorting to speak with animals. The familiar is utterly loyal to its master and will fight for him, perform services, and generally obey his commands. While the familiar is within 30', the character receives +1 on saving throws, but if the familiar is ever killed, the character must save versus Death or instantly take damage equal to the familiar’s maximum total hit points. A character does not gain a new familiar if it is slain until he has gained a level of experience.

Fighting Style Warcraft, Exert

The character chooses to become proficient in a particular fighting style, such as two weapon fighting or weapon and shield. Because of his familiarity with the fighting style, a proficient character may draw his weapon(s) and/or ready his shield without having to give up an opportunity to move or attack. In addition, each fighting style provides a special bonus when the character is fighting in that style. The fighting styles and their bonuses are listed below.

Style	Bonus
Pole Weapons	+1 to Initiative
Missile Weapons	+1 to Hit
Single Weapon	+1 to Hit
Two Weapons	+1 to Hit
Two-Handed Weapons	+1 to damage
Weapon and Shield	+1 to AC

Bonuses are in addition to the standard bonuses for fighting in the given manner. For instance, a character with weapon and shield fighting style proficiency gains a total improvement to his AC of 2 points. A character may take this proficiency multiple times, selecting an additional fighting style each time. If a character has two fighting styles that might be applicable in a given fight, he may only apply the bonus for one style in any given round. For example, if a character armed with a spear and a shield has both the pole weapon and weapon and shield fighting style proficiencies, he must choose between +1 initiative rolls or +1 to AC, but not both.

Gambling Connect, Trade

The character has the ability to win money in games of skill (competitive card games) and betting. He can earn 1d6gp per month as a professional gambler. The character can select Gambling additional times if desired, increasing his monthly income by 1d6gp with each selection. If multiple characters with Gambling proficiency face each other in a game of skill and betting, they should each roll the appropriate number of d6s as if measuring their monthly gambling income. Whichever gambler rolls the higher total has won the first round (hand, trick, etc.) Losers must either exit the game or increase their bet by rolling the dice again and adding it to the total. This continues until no gambler is willing to increase the bet, at which time the gambler with the highest cumulative total wins the game. The losers must each pay the winner the total amount of their rolls. If all gamblers agree, the game can be for higher stakes. This can be as simple as multiplying the total rolled by 5, 10, or even 1,000+, or as complex as requiring the loser to turn over domains and castles.

Healing Heal

The character is especially skilled at treating wounds and diagnosing illnesses among humans and demihumans. A proficiency throw of 11+ enables the character to identify whether a disease is magical or mundane, and if mundane, diagnose it. A patient under treatment of Healing naturally heals an extra 1d3 hit points each day. If the character selects Healing twice, he can neutralize poison, cure disease, or cure light wounds with a proficiency throw of 18+, once per day per patient. If the character selects Healing three times, he can neutralize poison, cure disease, or cure serious wounds with a proficiency throw of 14+, once per day per patient. A character with Healing proficiency can use the healing herbs listed in the Equipment chapter (e.g. blackwort, comfrey, goldenrod, and woundwort) to heal additional damage or gain a bonus on his proficiency throws. In any one day, a character can supervise three different patients, plus an additional one each time Healing is selected.

Illusion Resistance Notice, Magic

The character is as hard to fool as the most cynical dwarf. The character receives +4 bonus on saving throws to disbelieve magical illusions.

Intimidation Convince, Perform The character knows how to bully others to get what he wants. He receives a +2 bonus on all reaction rolls when implicitly or explicitly threatening violence or dire consequences. The targets must be 5 HD or less, or the character and his allies must outnumber or grossly outrank the targets.

Knowledge Know

The character has made a specialized study of a particular field, such as architecture, astrology, geography, history, mathematics, metaphysics, natural history, natural philosophy, or political economy. The character can usually make his living by acting as an expert on the subject. With a proficiency throw of 11+, the character can recall expert commentary or information relating to his area of knowledge. The character must choose his area of knowledge at the time he chooses the proficiency. He can spend more proficiency selections to have several different areas of knowledge. If a character selects the same knowledge twice, he is an expert in the subject and can train students and write books on the topic. If he selects the same subject three times, he could work as a sage of the subject (as described in Specialists).

Labor Work, Exert

The character is highly proficient at a particular type of physical labor, such as bricklaying, farming, mining, or stonecutting. The character can make his living off his labors, earning 3-12gp per month. With a proficiency throw of 11+, the character can interpret information in light of his skill. A character may learn other labor proficiencies by taking this proficiency multiple times. Labor does not require enough skill to be able to be improved by taking this proficiency multiple times.

Land Surveying Know, Survive

The character is an expert at surveying the land around him. With a proficiency throw of 11+, the character can predict dangerous sinkholes, deadfalls, collapses, or rock slides when the character enters the area. In dungeons, an explorer with Land Surveying gains a +4 bonus to his throws to escape detection due to his ability to find the best cover.

Language Know, Barter

This proficiency enables the character to learn to speak, read, and write an additional language (pick one). The character’s level of literacy with the new language is determined by his Intelligence. Characters with an Intelligence of 8 or less are generally illiterate. However, this proficiency can be taken by a character with a low Intelligence (8 or less) in order to become literate in a language the character already speaks.

Laying on Hands Pray, Magic

The character can heal himself or another by laying on hands once per day. The character can restore 2 hit points per experience level. A character may take this proficiency multiple times. Each time it is taken, the character may lay on hands an additional time per day.

Leadership Lead, Convince

The character is an inspirational authority figure who earns great loyalty. The character may hire one more henchman than his Charisma would otherwise permit, and the base morale score of any domain he rules is increased by 1. Domain morale is explained in the Campaign chapter.

Lip Reading Notice, Convince

The character can “overhear” conversations spoken in a language he understands. If the subject of his lip reading is not speaking clearly in bright light, the character may need to make a successful proficiency throw to hear noise in order to determine if he gleans the appropriate information. Characters with Lip Reading proficiency receive a +1 bonus to carousing and spying hijinks. See Hideouts and Hijinks in Chapter 7 for more information on carousing and spying.

Lockpicking Sneak, Craft

The character is an expert with locks and receives a +2 bonus on proficiency throws to open locks. He may open a lock in one round (rather than one turn) by making a successful proficiency throw to open locks with a -4 penalty.

Loremastery Know, Perform

The character is knowledgeable on a variety of esoteric subjects. At level 1, the character may make a proficiency throw of 18+ to decipher occult runes, remember ancient history, or identify a historic artifact. The proficiency throw required reduces by 1 per level. Note that bards automatically begin play with this proficiency as part of their class.

Magical Engineering Know, Craft

The character has specialized knowledge of magical items. He gains a +1 to magical research throws. He can recognize most common magical items after careful investigation with a proficiency throw of 11+, but is unable to recognize uncommon or unique magical items, to divine command words, to distinguish trapped or cursed items from safe ones, or to assess the specific bonus or number of charges remaining in an item. This proficiency can be selected multiple times, each time adding an additional +1 bonus to magical research throws and reducing the proficiency throw required to recognize common items by 4.

Magical Music Perform, Know

The character can perform music that can serenade those who are potentially attracted to the character (as a charm person spell) or tame savage beasts (as a sleep spell). The character must succeed on an appropriate Performance proficiency throw to use Magical Music. If successful, the charm or sleep effect begins immediately and lasts until the character stops performing. If the character performs for a full turn (10 minutes), the effect has the duration of the spell. Magical music has no effect if used against creatures that are already in combat.

Manual of Arms Warcraft, Riding

The character has the ability to train soldiers in military discipline, physical fitness, and weapon drill. If the character selects Manual of Arms once, he can earn 30gp per month training light infantry. It takes 1 month to turn raw recruits into light infantry. If the character also selects Riding, he can also train light cavalry (taking 3 months). If he also selects Fighting Style (Missiles), he can train crossbowmen (1 month), bowmen (2 months), or longbowmen (3 months). Manual of Arms combined with Riding and Fighting Style (Missiles) allows the character to train horse archers (6 months). If the character selects Manual of Arms twice, he earns 60gp per month and can train heavy infantry (1 month). Two ranks of Manual of Arms combined with Riding allow the character to train heavy cavalry (6 months). Two ranks of Manual of Arms combined with Riding and Fighting Style (Missiles) allows the character to train cataphract cavalry (12 months). The character can train up to 60 soldiers during each training period.

Mapping Know, Craft

The character can understand and make maps, even if he cannot read or write. With a proficiency throw of 11+, the character can interpret or draft complicated layouts or map an area by memory. This proficiency can be selected multiple times.

Military Strategy Lead, Warcraft

The character has studied the art of war and the methods of the great captains. He can recognize famous historical battles, generals, and weapons with a proficiency throw of 11+. Forces under his command receive a +1 bonus to initiative rolls in mass combat. This proficiency may be selected multiple times, each time adding an additional +1 bonus to mass combat initiative, to a maximum of +3

Mimicry Survive, Perform

The character can imitate animal calls and foreign language accents. With a proficiency throw of 11+, the character’s mimicry (e.g. imitating the screech of a hoot owl or a noise from some other animal) is so authentic as to fool listeners into believing they have heard the actual animal. This proficiency can be selected multiple times.

Mountaineering Exert, Survive

The character can use mountaineering gear to climb difficult mountains and cliff faces, and to rig lines to enable non-climbers to tackle those faces as well, as a thief of their class level. This proficiency does not allow the character to climb sheer surfaces during combat or without extensive gear.

Mystic Aura Magic, Perform

The character has learned to project his magical powers in a way that causes awe in those that share the character’s presence. He gains a +2 bonus to reaction rolls to impress and intimidate people he encounters. If this bonus results in a total of 12 or more, the subjects act as if charmed while in his presence.

Naturalism Know, Survive

The character is knowledgeable of common plant and animal life forms in terrain typical to his background. The character is familiar with edible and poison foods, healing herbs, and signs of unnatural danger (such as unusual quiet, atypical animal behavior, etc.) in his known terrain with a proficiency throw of 11+. This proficiency can be selected multiple times.

Navigation Sail, Survive

The character can take the position of the sun and stars to determine roughly where he is. He gains a +4 bonus on proficiency throws to avoid getting lost in the wilderness. He can serve as a navigator on a seagoing vessel as described in Specialists.

Passing Without Trace Sneak, Survive

The character leaves no sign of his passing over wilderness terrain, and may not be tracked. For every 3 levels of experience, the character may cover the tracks of an additional traveling companion

Performance Performance

The character can act, dance, sing, recite poetry, tell stories, or play musical instruments in a skilled manner. The character chooses the type of performance that his character knows, and the character can take the proficiency several times in order to know multiple types of performance. The character is considered an apprentice in his style. He can earn 10gp per month from his performances, and can identify famous performers, masterpieces, and rare instruments with a proficiency throw of 11+.

If a character selects the same type of performance twice, he is considered a journeyman in his trade. He can earn 20gp per month from his performances, and lead a troupe of up to 3 apprentices, increasing their productivity by 50%. If he selects the same type of performance three times, he is considered a master of his field. He can earn 40gp per month from his performances, and lead a troupe of up to 2 journeymen and 4 apprentices, increasing their productivity by 50%. Note that bards automatically begin play with this ability at the apprentice level as part of their class.

Precise Shooting Warcraft

The character may conduct missile attacks against opponents engaged in melee at a -4 penalty to his attack throw. A character may take this proficiency multiple times. Each time the proficiency is taken, the penalty to attack opponents in melee is reduced by 2. Characters without this proficiency cannot attack opponents engaged in melee with missile attacks.

Prestidigitation Sneak, Performance

The character can magically accomplish simple illusions and sleight of hand tricks suitable for impressing peasants, such as lighting a candle or shuffling cards, at will. The character must be able to perform the task physically, and be free to speak and gesture. He may use magical sleight-of-hand to pick pockets as a thief of one half his class level.

Profession Administer

The character is highly skilled at a civil profession, such as actuary, banker, chamberlain, judge, lawyer, librarian, merchant, restaurateur, scribe, or seneschal. The character is considered an apprentice in his profession. He can earn 25gp per month for his services, and can make expert commentary on subjects pertaining to his profession with a proficiency throw of 11+. The character must choose the profession at the time he chooses the proficiency. He can spend more proficiency selections to have several types of profession proficiencies. If a character selects the same profession twice, he is considered a licensed practitioner of his profession. He can earn 50gp per month for his services, and supervise up to 3 apprentices, increasing their productivity by 50%. If he selects the same profession three times, he is considered a master of his profession. He can earn 100gp per month, and supervise up to 2 practitioners and 4 apprentices, increasing their productivity by 50%.

Prophecy Pray, Magic

The character is subject to premonitions and dreams of the past and future. The Judge will make these visions both cryptic and useful. Once per week, the character can commune (as the spell).

Riding Ride

The character knows not only the care and feeding of a riding animal, but also how to handle it under difficult circumstances, such as using a weapon from its back. For each type of animal, this proficiency must be selected separately. This proficiency is not required to simply ride a domesticated animal under non-combat conditions

Running Exert

The character’s base movement speed is increased by 30' when wearing chainmail or lighter armor.

Seafaring Sail

The character can crew large sailing ships or galleys. If a character selects this proficiency twice, he can serve as a captain on a seagoing vessel, as described in Specialists. If he selects this proficiency three times, he is a master mariner. When tacking, a master mariner’s ship has its movement rate reduced by only one category rather than by two (as described in the Wilderness Adventures section), and his ship’s chance to evade is increased by +5.

Seduction Convince, Perform

The character is either naturally alluring or a practiced seducer. He always receives a +2 bonus on reaction rolls with others who are potentially attracted to the character.

Sensing Evil Pray, Magic

At will, the character can detect evil (as the spell) up to 60' away by concentrating. Each use takes a turn. Sensing Power: The character can detect spellcasters within 60' and estimate their level of power relative to his own. He can tell when arcane magic has been used within the last 24 hours within the same vicinity. (The character cannot necessarily sense whether an item is magic, unless it has been used in the last 24 hours.) Each use takes a turn.

Siege Engineering Warcaft, Craft

The character is highly skilled in the construction and placement of temporary defensive works such as ditches, pits, fields of stakes, and simple wooden and earthen barricades. He also knows how to operate heavy war machines and siege engines such as ballistae, catapults, rams, bores, and siege towers. If the proficiency is taken a second time, then the character has the knowledge to construct heavy war machines, siege engines, and siege towers as well as use them.

Signaling Survive, Know

The character knows how to transmit messages to other signaling specialists of the same military force, culture, trade guild, or other organization. This is similar to learning an additional language. The character must specify the style and culture of signals that he has learned when he takes this proficiency. Examples of signals include naval flags, cavalry trumpets, or smoke signals.

Skirmishing Warcraft, Exert

The character may withdraw or retreat from melee combat without declaring the intention to do so at the start of the melee round. Characters without this proficiency must declare defensive movement before initiative dice are rolled. See Defensive Movement in Chapter 6.

Skulking Sneak

The character excels at moving furtively and finding concealment. He receives a +2 bonus on proficiency throws to hide in shadows and move silently.

Sniping Warcraft, Sneak

If otherwise eligible to ambush or backstab his opponent, the character may do so using ranged weapons at up to short range.

Soothsaying Pray, Magic The character is subject to premonitions and dreams of the past and future. The Judge will make these visions both cryptic and useful. Once per week, the character can contact higher plane (as the spell).

Survival Survive

The character is an expert at hunting small game, gathering fruits and vegetables, and finding water and shelter. The character forages enough food to feed himself automatically, even when on the move, so long as he is in a fairly fertile area. If he is trying to supply more than one person, he must make a proficiency throw (as described in Wilderness Adventures), but gains a +4 bonus on the roll.

Swashbuckling Warcraft

The character gains a +1 bonus to Armor Class if wearing gambeson (leather) or less and able to move freely. At level 7, this bonus increases to +2, and at level 13 the bonus increases to +3.

Theology Pray, Know

The character has received formal religious instruction at a seminary or monastery, and is a member of the church hierarchy. He can automatically identify religious symbols, spell signatures, trappings, and holy days of his own faith, and can recognize those of other faiths with a proficiency throw of 11+. Rare or occult cults may be harder to recognize (Judge’s discretion). Note that dwarven craftpriests automatically begin play with this ability as part of their class. This proficiency can be selected multiple times.

Trap Finding Notice

The character is an expert trap finder, receiving a +2 bonus on proficiency throws to find and remove traps. He may find a trap in one round (rather than one turn) by making a successful proficiency throw with a -4 penalty.

Tracking Survive, Notice

The character can follow tracks with a proficiency throw of 11+. The Judge should increase or decrease the chance of success depending on the circumstances: +2 if tracking 2-4 creatures; +4 if tracking 4-8 creatures; +6 if tracking 8-16 creatures; +8 if tracking 17+ creatures; +4 if trail is through soft/ muddy ground; -8 if the trail is through hard/rocky ground; -4 for bad lighting; -1 per 12 hours of good weather since trail was made; -4 per hour of rain/snow since trail was made. Characters move at half speed while tracking.

Trapping Craft, Survive

The character can build simple pits, snares, and deadfalls capable of capturing creatures up to the size of an elephant (such as giants, ogres, wyverns, etc). With a proficiency throw of 11+ the snare is built properly. The character can also detect and disable simple wilderness pits, snares, deadfalls, etc., as a thief of his class level. This proficiency provides no abilities with regard to mechanical traps in a dungeon, or magical traps of any sort.

Wakefulness Exert

The character requires only four hours of sleep to be rested each night.

Weapon Finesse Warcraft

When attacking with one-handed melee weapons, the character may use his Dexterity modifier instead of his Strength modifier on his attack throw.

Bloodlines

Certain abilities manifest themselves among many bloodlines. Some families have preternatural resistance to the cold or heat; in Essos, entire families were wiped out by greyscale, while others were completely unaffected. More ominously, a few families are known to produce a warg or a greenseer every few generations.

The last step of character creation is to make a Bloodline roll. This can be made on the Powers or Traits table.

Bloodline Power Roll

Wisdom	Roll Adjustment	d100 Roll	Result
1-8	-8	1-91	No abilities
9-12	-4	92,94,96,98	Warging
13-15	+1	93,95,97,99	Greensight
16-18	+2	100	Choose and roll again

If you roll total is great than 91, you character gains the applicable Power at level-0. If you roll the same Power twice, increase its level by 1.

Bloodline Trait Roll

Trait	Effect	d100 roll
Heat Resistance	Fire Damage halved, +1 Breath save	Even #s starting with 9
Cold Resistance	Ice Damage Halved, +1 Petrify Save	Odd #s starting with 9
Poison Resistance	Poison Damage Halved, +1 Poison Save	Even #s starting with 8
Magical Resistance	+1 Spell Saves	Odd #s starting with 8

Bloodline Powers and Techniques

Every character who obtains level-0 proficiency in a Bloodline Ability gains access to its core technique; such characters with forthwith be designated as psychics. Core techniques improve naturally as the psychic improves their skill level. The skill increases by 1 level for every two levels the character increases.

As a psychic improves their skill level in a discipline, they may also learn other techniques, special tricks and abilities they’ve refined through practice.

Each time they improve a skill level, they can pick a new technique from that discipline. Most techniques have a minimum skill level associated with them, and the PC can’t pick a technique which requires a higher skill level than they’ve mastered.

They also cannot “save” technique picks for later, either. They must be chosen immediately after improving the skill. No special training is required to choose them when a PC is able to pick a new technique. Other techniques exist that are more esoteric in nature, and may require a trainer to educate the PC in their principles before they can be learned.

Effort

Bloodline powers are fueled by Effort, a measure of the psychic’s mental focus, energy, and power. A psychic’s maximum Effort total is equal to one plus their Wisdom modifier, plus their highest bloodline skill score. Thus, a character with a Wisdom modifier of +2 and Bloodline skill of Warging-0 would have a maximum Effort score of 3. If he were to then improve his Warging skill to level-1, his Effort would become 4.

Effort is “Committed” to fuel a bloodline power. Some Commitment is relatively short-term, lasting only as long as the power is in effect. Other powers require that the Effort be Committed for the full scene, while the most powerful might require it be Committed for the rest of the day. Once the Commitment period is over, the Effort returns to the psychic. All Effort is refreshed after a good night’s rest. Whenever a power requires you to Commit Effort, you commit a number of points equal to the Power's level.

Over Exertion

Psychics can push past their limits by “torching”, intentionally ignoring their limits. Torching is an Instant action that can be performed once per round. It provides a free point of Effort that lasts for the rest of the day, even if this point puts a psychic over the maximum allowed. Every time the psychic torches, however, they have to roll on the torching result table below.

Over Exertion

d6 Roll	Effect
1-2	Lower Wisdom by 1
3-4	Lower Constitution by 1
5	Lower any stat by 1
6	No effect

Psychics reduced below a Wisdom score of 3 go violently insane and become “feral”; those reduced below scores of 0 in other attributes likewise become dead or nonviable as player characters. There is no available cure for brain damage caused by torching, Feral psychics are exceptionally dangerous, as their form of brain damage invariably results in violent, psychotic behavior and terrifying hallucinations. Worse still, they can torch with impunity thereafter, as the MES energies have already burnt a clear path through what remains of their sanity. Feral psychics have effectively unlimited Effort with what powers they have obtained. There is no known cure for a feral psychic.

Greensight

-Flavor Text here-

Core Technique - Green Dreams

Level-0:The greenseer routinely has prophetic dreams. At the start of the adventuring day, the DM rolls a d6, concealing the result; on a 6, the greenseer interprets the dreams correctly. Roll a d20 and tell them the value. At any point during the adventuring day, the greenseer can choose to apply the recorded roll in place of another roll , before it is rolled; if the greenseer interpreted incorrectly, make the roll as normal. If this is used proactively in combat, it costs the greenseer their action in that round; if it is used reactively, it costs the greenseer their next upcoming action.

Level-1: Same as above, but the greenseer succeeds on a 5

Level-2: Same as above, but the greenseer succeeds on a 4

Level-3: Same as above, but the greenseer succeeds on a 3

Level-4: Same as above, but the greenseer succeeds on a 2

Greensight Powers

Dream Reading - Level 1

The greenseer makes a Greensight Check. On a 10+, they discover if their interpretation was correct. On a 12+, they correctly interpret their dream if they hadn't initially.

Signs and Symbols - Level 2

The dreams that come to you are veiled in the language of the unconcious; you can understand the dream on a level deeper than you could verbalize. Make a Greensight Check; on a 8+ the DM will change the next missed attack made by you or an ally into a hit. On a 10+, the DM will change the next successful attack made by an enemy into a miss. On a 12+, the change the next failed save of you or an ally into a success. On a 14+, change the next successful save of an enemy into a failure.

Prophetic Visions - Level 3

Grander than the common green dreams, a greenseer will occaisionally have a vision in a state that is deeper than dream. Instead of affecting a d20 roll, a correctly interpretted green dream can instead be a applied to a 2d6 roll (Skill Checks, Morale, Reations Rolls).

Dreamwalker - Level 4

The greenseer is now well travelled in the realm of dream, now able to choose what they dream about, in hopes of unlocking greater knowledge. Tell you DM what you wish to dream about. It could be a NPC, a magic item, a room in a dungeon, etc... On a 12+, the DM must answer a Yes or No Question related to the dream subject. On a 16+ the DM must answer any question related to the subject. If for any reason, the DM refuses to answer, the greenseer is refunded their effort.

Warging

-Flavor Text here-

Note: A failed warging check causes the target to be immune to any subsequent attempts at warging into the target.

Core Technique - Warging

Level-0: The warg can bond with a friendly animal following a successful Warging Check. The animal is easy to train to follow simple commands, and the warg can understand the animal as if he were the same species. While unconcious, the warg may experience the senses of the bonded animal instead of dreaming. The animal must have 1 HD or less.

Level-1: The warg's bonded animal will now fight alongside its warg. The Warg may willingly enter into the mind of it's bonded animal, entering a trance where they can no longer move act, or sense in their own body.

Level-2: The warg can now completely control their bonded animal while sleeping. While awake, the warg can telepathically command their bonded animal to follow a simple command

Level-3: The warg can completely control their bonded animal while in a trance.

Level-4: The Warg can now enter the mind of a human with a successful Warging Check. So long as the warg maintains their trance, they can sense through the target human. The warg must know the exact location of their target, thus it's most easily accomplished through sight.

Wild Mind - Level 1

The warg can enter into the mind of an animal they are not bonded with, entering their trance. They can sense anything the animal senses. The warg can stay stay in the mind of the animal indefinitely, so long as the trance is maintained

Mental Saddle - Level 1

The warg can control their bonded animal completely while in a trance for up to d3 hours.

Skin Jumper - Level 2

The warg can enter into the mind of a wild animal. The animal can resist with a successful save vs. spells. If it fails, you enter a trance and can control that animal completely for up to d3 hours.

Entranced - Level 2

The warg can reach out to a human or animal, and place them in a catatonic state. The target can resist with a successful save vs. spells. If unsuccessful, the warg enters into a trance and so does the target. Neither sense anything nor can take any actions until the warg

Second Skin - Level 3

The warg can bond with a second animal. The target animal makes a save vs. spells, adding its hit die to the total.

Two Bodies, One Mind - Level 3

The warg can enter and control a bonded animal without entering into a trance for d4 hours.

Abomination - Level 4

The warg can enter a trance and take control of a human. Make a Warging check ; If successful, the target is under the control for 6d10 minutes. Whether or not this check is sucessful, the target makes a save vs. spells. On a success, the target is aware that their mind has been invaded or become aware that something preternatural has happened to them (if the warging check failed.

Warging Check

DC	Animals	Human
6	1HD	<1HD
8	2-3 HD	1-2 HD
10	4-5 HD	3-4 HD
12	6-7 HD	4-5 HD
14+	8+ HD*	6+ HD^

*DC = 6+ # of HD, ^DC = 8+#HD

Spells for Planetos

The magic in Planetos is very different from the classic Vancian Magic of D&D, however, there are a few spells which have effects that do fit the world. If and how they are implemented are up to you; I've outlined some rituals in the religion section that can serve as inspiration, but artifacts and potions also seem fitting.

Charm Person, ESP, Locate Object, Clairvoyance, Charm Monster, Wizard Eye, Animate Dead, Geas, Augury, Speak with Animals,

Religions

Generic Religion Skills

Seek Refuge - Pray-1

A devout follower may seek refuge with other followers of their religion. This might include a place to sleep and a simple meal, A reaction roll, modified by both the characters Charisma mod and Pray score should be made for more complicated requests, such as helping the character hide or finding them safe passage from the city.

Draw a Hungry Crowd - Pray 2

Zealots can preach in a busy market square, or outside of their place of worship. Make a Pray Check. This can be modified by coming prepared with 10gp worth of bread to distribute to the crowd (people to assist with the distribution), or by good role play. The zealout draws a number of people equal to 10 times the score of the Pray Check.

Beseech God - Pray-3

In desparation, the most devout turn to their god. As an action, a character can pray to their deity, beseeching for their aid. Make a Pray Check for the character. On a 14+, aid the player in some way. It can be big and obvious if that's your taste, or subtle to the point they assume the check failed. On a success, make a note to increase the score by 1 on the next attempt the character makes to Beseech God.

Haruspexy - Pray-4

A follower of a religion that practices blood sacrifice may make an offering to their god in the form of a sacrifice, to then read the entrails (or blood) of the victim. The sacrifice gives the character a Green Dream, as described in the Greensight section; their dream is of a level equal to their Pray-level. A small animal (rat, pigeon) grants them the effects of Dream Reading. A medium animal (goose,coyote) grants them the effects of Signs and Symbols, a large animal (horse, bull) grants them prophetic visions, and a human grants them Dreamwalking. This sacrifice must be made in accordance with their religions rituals and on an alter consecrated to their god.

Prayer in Isolation - Pray-4

Religions that do not practice blood rituals often seclude their clergy in prayer. A religious site with monastic cells will host devotees to retreat for 1g per day. The outcome is identical to haruspexy, but with the increments of effectiveness being related to the number of weeks spent in prayer (1-4).

The Burning Wheel

Pyrotechnics - Performance-1

Using a concoction of alchemical substances (Costing 10gp), a redmage can produce sparks, smoke, or flame. The red priest must make a Perform Check of 6+ to convince onlookers of their magic (Though, a character with Notice-2 or higher can make an opposed check to potentially see through the ruse).

The purpose of this can be myriad: drawing a crowd, intimidation, distraction, or whatever else a player comes up with. Sparks make noise, smoke may obscure, and fire may ignite.

Burning Blade - Warcraft-2

A special oil (only available in markets I or II for 25g) can be applied to the blades of a weapon. The weapons attacks will deal an additional point of damage, and can ignite pitch or military oil on contact. Additionally, morale checks made by mundane enemies are made with -1 modifier when fighting against your burning blade.

Pyrography - Pray-3

Functions as Prophetic Vision Requires the sacrifice of at least one person, burned at the stake. On a Pray Check of 12+, can function as Dreamwalker (Greensight ability). Every additional person burned for the ritual decreases the skill check DC by 1, to a minimum of 6

Last Kiss - Pray-4

A funeral rite performed by red priests upon the dead. Roll a d6; the target recovers that many hit points and is alive if it raises them above 0. On a 5 or 6, the red priest loses a point from their con score; on a 3-4, they lose a point from their Wis scor; on a 2, the red priest chooses the ability; on a 1, they suffer no ill effect.

Maesters

A character with at least a +1 bonus to intelligence may enter the citadel. The Cost of attendance is per month.

accounting, anatomy, architecture, astronomy, dragonlore, forensics, healing, herblore, higher mysteries, history, mathematics, navigation, raven lore and training, warcraft

Black iron - Ravenry - Animal Training

Bronze - Navigation - Navigation

Copper - History - Knowledge (History)

Electrum - Astrology - Knowledge (Astrology)

Yellow Gold - Economics - Profession (Banker)

Iron - Warcraft - Military Strategy

Pale steel - Smithing - Craft (Smith)

Silver - Medicine and Healing (Healing)

Valyrian Steel - Magic - Collegiate Wizardy

Brass - Geography - Land Surveying

Lead - Alchemy - Alchemy

Pewter -

Platinum - Foreign Cultures & Languages?

Red Gold - Midwifery & Animal Husbandery?

Steel - Politics?

Tin - Philosophy

Example Characters

Noblewoman, Level 9 Specialist

Noble. Leadership, Riding, Animal Training (Hawks), Seduction, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Performance (Lyre), Language (High Valyrian), Eavesdropping.

Lead:1 , Survive:0, Notice:0, Perform:2, Know:0, Ride:0

Kingsguard, Level 9 Fighter

Noble. Command, Riding, Lip Reading, Intimidation, Fighting Style (Weapon & Shield), Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (Disarm)

Lead:0, Convince:0, Notice:2, Warcraft:1, Ride:0

Bravo, Level 9 Assassin

Sailor. Seafaring, Gambling, Intimidation, Seduction, Weapon Finesse, Swashbuckling, Fighting Style (Two Weapon), Combat Trickery (Disarm)

Sail: 0, Connect: 0, Perform: 1, Warcraft:3

Dothraki Horselord, Level 5 Barbarian

Soldier. Fighting Style (Bow), Riding, Manual of Armsx2, Precise Shooting, Command

Ride:2, Warcraft:1, Lead:0,

Night's Watch Initiate, Level 1 Explorer

Night's Watch Deserter. Mountaineering, Signaling, Ambushing

Jousting

The sport of sers, many a knight spends much of their days in peace journeying across the lands from tourney to tourney.

The rules are quite simple: jousts are resolved by an opposed Check. Before the the tilt, the rider chooses picks one of six combiniations of Skill and Ability; both combatants announce their choice simultaneously and roll (alternatively, use specific colored dice). The higher roll wins. On a tie, consult the Beats column to resolve.

Jousting Table

Skill	Ability	Beats	Dice
Warfare	STR/DEX	Exert	White
Riding	STR/WIS	Warfare	Red
Exert	STR/CON	Riding	Black

The formula for the Check is Skill + Ability + Magic Armor + Dice ; yes, your armor can make a difference but you might not want to use it. Traditionally, Westerosi jousts award the horse and armor of the loser to the victor. All chivalrous knights, of course, will ransom the horse and armor back to the defeated, so that magic armor will cost thousands of gold to ransom back in a loss.

Example: Dunk the Tall has Ride-0, Warfare-1, and an Exert-3 while Aerion Brightflame has Ride-2, Warfare-3, Exert-1. Dunk rolls an 6 on two black dice (indicating Exert), while Aerion rolls a 8 on two red dice (indicating Ride). Dunk chooses to add Con (+3) to his score, Aerion Opts for Wis (+1). Aerion and Dunk both score 12 on the joust, but warfare trumps exert in a paper-scissors-rock fashion, and Aerion unhorses Dunk.

Some optional rules:

Best of X: have each roll correspond to a set number of tilts instead of one roll for the whole match. First to a set number wins takes the match. However, if one outscores another by 7, then they are immediately declared the winner, as they have unhorse their opponent.

Trial by seven: essentially a 7 on 7 joust to the best of three. On the first loss, a knight is unseated (they can't choose the ride skill anymore), and on the second loss the a knight is eliminated. The side with the last man standing is the winner. I would suggest the DM come ready with their 21 needed totals to expedite the joust.

Melee

A wild and raucous event where a large number of combatants compete in a last-man-standing, winner take all. Commoners rejoice: the melee is an event open to those of common birth, and defeat comes with no cost! Some tourney's might demand an entrance fee, but many of the smaller ones are happy to let people compete for free, to fill out the ranks.

Melee Table

Skill	Ability	Modifier
Warfare	STR/DEX	+1
Sneak	STR/WIS	-1
Exert	STR/CON	0

Unlike the head to head nature of Jousting, the Melee is a chaotic flurry of steel; for expediencie's sake, the skill roll is a d12 instead of 2d6. There is also a a modifier based on the skill tactic, as seen in the table. Because tourney weapons are blunted, the effect of armor is inconsequential to the bout and thus is not used.

As with jousts, it is best to come prepared with numbers. For most NPCS, I would just assume they choose warfare (and at least have Warfare-1) and have a +1 in strength or dex, for a total of +3. 1 in every 10 ought to have +4, 1 in 25 + 5, 1 in 50 +6. Consider increasing these values for tournaments with great prestige

Example: A 50 man melee is hosted at King's Landing. Thoros of Myr has a strength mod of +2 and Warfare-2. He rolls an 11 for a score of 16. Yohn Royce has a strength mod of +1 and Warfare-3 but rolled a 10. Of the other 48 combatants, the highest score was a 15, thus Thoros wins the melee with a 16, and Royce ties for second with...Patrek Mallister

Variant: Mounted Melee

Combatants have their horses. Replace Sneak with Ride, which has a +1 modifier.

Cookie Tastiness

Armor	Bludgeoning	Chopping	Piercing	Slashing	Monster
Plate	d6	d6	d3	d3	Dragonscale
Brigandine	d6	d6	d3	d4
Chainmail	d6	d6	d6	d4
Ringmail	d6	d6	d6	d4
Gambeson	d6	d8	d8	d6
Leather	d8	d8	d8	d6
Unarmored	d8	d8	d8	d8

Damage Dice	Damage Modifier
d12	+3
d10	+2
d8	+1
d6	0
d4	-1