Rolls
Die Pool
Chronicles of Mæva uses a primarily d-10 system. The player rolls a number of dice equal to the number of points they have in the die pool. Generally, skill checks/attacks involve a Base Attribute + Talents or special abilities use Base Power + Specialization. Saving Throws mostly involve Attributes + Attributes. Various traits, rotes, expertise, and specializations can affect this pool.
Difficulty and Threshold
Base difficulty to succeed in Chronicles of Mæva is 8. Any die rolled above that is considered a success die. There is a hidden threshold for each roll, known by the GM depending on the difficulty of the action. Thresholds can be as little as 1 success and the upper limit tends to be around 5--although there are exceptions. If the threshold for a roll is not met, it is considered a failed roll. Various traits, rotes, expertise, and specializations can affect roll difficulty and threshold.
Exploding Dice
Typically, on a unadjusted roll of 10, the die "explodes." This means the player gets to add another die to their die pool for each 10 they roll. Various traits, rotes, expertise, and specializations can lower or increase the explosion value.
Roll Results
Failure roll results are broken into two of categories: A Critical Failure is when a 1 is rolled and no successes. These are tragic and devistating results that may force an Injury, Damage, Integrity Check, or other terrible outcome. Failures are just that, not succeeding in roles. This occurs when a success threshold is not met. Do note that just because an 8+ is rolled on a die does not mean the success threshold is met. Depending on the roll, skill, or power this too can cause bad effects or consequences itself, but not as bad as a Critical Failure. Successes are broken down into Marginal, Moderate, Full, and Critical: If you barely succeed meeting threshold, you have a limited or Marginal success (1). The effect works, but it may not have the full damage or intention behind it. A Moderate success (2-3) typically gets the job done as intended, but there may be a future or immediate consequence against a skilled opponent or high level negotiator. A Full Success (3-4), grants the player with what they expected, without twists but also without tweaks. A Critical Success is the golden ticket. Upon reaching 5+ threshold, the player gets expanded effects, damage or results that benefits them or the party as a whole.
Critical Successes/Failures
In addition to the above breakdown Critical Successes and Failures have an added benefit. The frustration of a Crit Fail can enrage the character, granting them a point of Adrenaline. Furthermore, the player is granted a Destiny Point and Beat for the Critical Fail. The emboldenment of a Crit Success can put the character on a roll, granting them a point of Adrenaline. Furthermore, the player is granted a Destiny Point and Beat for the Critical Success.
Fuel
Each template has its own fuel, both internal and external. In addition to fueling abilities, each template can use their fuel to lower the difficulty of a success.
Willpower
The force of will one has to go on and not be overcome by a situation. Whenever a template needs to make an Integrity Check, they roll again the current willpower. Willpower can be used to add three dice to a roll.
Adrenaline and RUSH
Adrenaline is gained with the emboldenment of success or the frustration of defeat. As it is gained, it can be used to gain advantage on a roll and lower the threshold for explosions. Skilled party members have learned to harness the moment to assist each other in powerful BLITZ attacks. Legend has it that truly heroic individuals have learned to harness their Adrenaline to complete a RUSH--a legendary skill that is unique to their fighting style, template and abilities.
Heroic/Villainic Shifts
Shifts are earned in two cases. Each MVPC winner gets a Heroic Shift. As the world balances, so do Shifts. A hero uses a Heroic shift to create a cinematic success roll or force an enemy to fail a roll. Once used, it adds to the Villainic Shift pool, which is the same to be used by the GM to forward the goals of the antagonists. Shifts cannot be used to oppose one another.
Momentum/Threat
Similar to inspiration, this adds dice to the party as a whole based off of certain situations. It's opposite, Threat, can be used to subtract dice from the pool.
Changing Destiny
Health, Soak, Weapons
Health Types
There are three types of health, for players they have 15 bashing, 10 lethal and 5 aggravated healthblocks. As one of the lower blocks fills, it will bleed into the next block. Once the final block of Aggravated damage is taken, the character is knocked unconscious.
Healing
For every short rest, players can roll Medicine + Stamina and regain half that health back either in Bashing or by downgrading Lethal damage. A player can only have 2 short rests before they require a long rest, A long rest a player can make either a Stamina + Medicine check. Or they may opt to roll Resolve + Stamina halved to downgrade Lethal or Aggravated damage. Different templates have access to a multitute of Rotes and abilities that allow to alter or empower normal healing.
Soak and Armor
In addition to health, players--depending on template and role--may opt to wear armor to help soak damage. There are also a myriad of mystical abilities and talents that can increase or automatically downgrade certian types of damage.
Weapons and Damage
When dealing damage with non-magical weapons, they will do Bashing damage. Even a very good mundane weapon will still do Bashing, as Bashing in this system is synonymous with physical harm. Some weapons, gadgets, or Rotes, especially magical ones, will tend towards Lethal damage. Massive fireball burns, acidic breath, and electrocution tend to deal damage that is much harder to heal than a mere sword wound. The worst damage is that to a person's essence. Some artefacts, curses, and entropy based magics can do damage that no normal healer could fix.
Beats and Experience
Beats are essential 1/5 of an experience point. Why do they exist? Because, unlike Experience beats are awarded to players for a variety of reasons during and after gameplay. Whether a player gets a critical success or failure, gets an MVPC vote, sticks to their character's demeanor or nature in an intense situation, or does something incredibly creative, these can all be situations on which a player is granted a Beat. The GM will assign Beats both in session and after gameplay. A typical session will end with 4-15 beats per player. Experience is a standard per session granting for all attending party members as they move forward through the adventure for completing goals and defeating enemies. A typical session can result in 1-3 experience per player.
Integrity
When using a template based ability, a player will have to make an integrity roll. Depending on the template, players will receive a variety of Scars if they acquire Dependency (10) or Faithlessness (0). The Integrity track will then reset to Balanced (5). Once a Scar is received, it will have to be eliminated via time or roleplay over a series of sessions, or even a specialized quest.
Bonds
Traveling together has taught many adventurers to rely on their friends when situtations are dire or advantageous. As they get used to each other's skillsets and tactics, the truly advanced adventurer can create a BLITZ, or special ability that can be utilized with Adrenaline. Bonds are built with MVPC votes--each vote a player makes for another is added to their Bond total-- or if those players complete an Arc of the story together.
Destiny
Roleplaying is cooperative in nature and sometime there is something, somebody, or somewhere that a player would like to see added to the world. This is highly encouraged and rarely are ideas--no mater how crazy--off the tabel granting that are not hurtful/triggering to other players, the audience or general sensibilities. Sometimes serial numbers will have to be shaved off due to copyright, but iykyk. For every Critical Success/Failure you can add Destiny points, think of these as Yes And-ing a Flashback, helpful NPC, or magic item into the world that will help the players achieve--or hinder--their goals.
