1) Rolling attributes Roll 4d6 8 times, discarding the lowest die each time.

Re-roll all ones, and any roll that

totals 10 or less after removing the lowest die. Assign the top seven scores to the seven attributes
(STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA, POW), and discard the remaining score.

2) Vitality And Wound Points Characters in this system should be more wary in combat, which can turn
deadly in the space of a few lucky rolls. A very weak creature in this system tends to be tougher to
kill than in a standard d20 game, since its Constitution score is often higher than the number of hit
points it might have had. Very big creatures are also more durable, due to their size modifier. This is
reflected in the CR adjustments given in the variant rules. Creatures capable of dealing a large
amount of damage on a single hit become significantly more deadly in this system, since a lucky
attack roll can give a deadly blow to almost any character. Constitution damage is especially deadly
under this variant, since every point of Constitution damage reduces wound points by 1 and every 2
points of damage reduces vitality by a number of points equal to the characters HD. If a characters
Constitution is reduced to 0, he dies even if he has wound points remaining.
Vitality Points
Vitality points are a measure of a characters ability to turn a direct hit into a graze or a glancing blow with no
serious consequences. Like hit points in the standard d20 rules, vitality points go up with level, giving high-
level characters more ability to shrug off attacks. A 1st-level character gets the maximum vitality die result,
adding 1 Vitality point per level thereafter.
Wound Points
Wound points measure how much true physical damage a character can withstand. Damage reduces wound
points only after all vitality points are gone, or when a character is struck by a critical hit or Sneak Attack. A
character has a number of wound points equal to his current Constitution score.

When determining Hit Points at first level, use the characters Constitution as Wound Points, and the characters
class-based hit die + Con Bonus as Vitality Points. Instead of rolling the hit die, the character automatically
gains the maximum, but only adds 1 Vitality Point every time he levels up.

3) Critical Hits A critical hit only occurs on a Natural 20. There is no crit threat, no threat range, no keen blade.
A Critical Hit deals double rolled damage, but that damage is deducted directly from wound points rather
than from vitality points. Feats, magic effects, powers, and abilities that affect critical hits no longer exist.

On a related topic, the Rogues Sneak Attack special ability has also been modified. Rather than dealing extra
damage, the Sneak Attack is treated as if it were a called shot (at no penalty to-hit), which bypasses Vitality
exactly like a Critical Hit. It is not doubled, however, unless the Rogue rolls a Natural 20 on his attack. In other
words, a successful Sneak Attack deals the normal, rolled damage directly to Wound Points in whatever side or
rear location (when hit locations are used) is selected. This can give the Rogue a chance to bypass armour
protection, as well.
Injury And Death
Vitality and wound points together measure how hard a character is to hurt and kill. The damage from each
successful attack and each fight accumulates, dropping a characters vitality point or wound point total until he
runs out of points.
Nonlethal Damage
This system doesnt differentiate between lethal and nonlethal damage until all Vitality Points are gone. Attacks
and effects that normally deal nonlethal damage reduce vitality points, except on a critical hit, in which case
they reduce wound points.
0 Vitality Points
At 0 vitality points, a character can no longer avoid taking real physical damage. Any additional damage he
receives reduces his wound points.
0 Wound Points
Wound points cannot drop below 0; any damage that would cause a characters wound point total to drop below
0 simply causes the character to have 0 wound points. At 0 wound points, a character is disabled and must
attempt a DC 15 Fortitude save. If he succeeds on the save, he is merely disabled. If he fails, he falls
unconscious and begins dying.
Disabled
A disabled character is conscious, but can barely move, and cannot take any standard action. Performing any
standard action (or any other action the GM deems strenuous, including some free actions such as casting a
quickened spell) worsen the characters condition to dying (unless it involved healing; see below).
Dying
A dying character is unconscious and near death. Each round on his turn, a dying character must make a
Fortitude save (DC 10, +1 per turn after the first) to become stable. If the character fails the save, he dies.
If the character succeeds on the save by less than 5, he does not die but does not improve. He is still dying and
must continue to make Fortitude saves every round. If the character succeeds on the save by 5 or more but by
less than 10, he becomes stable but remains unconscious. If the character succeeds on the save by 10 or more,
he becomes conscious and disabled. Another character can make a dying character stable by succeeding on a
DC 15 Heal check as a standard action (which provokes attacks of opportunity).
Stable Characters and Recovery
A stable character is unconscious. Every hour, a stable character must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10, +1
per hour after the first) to remain stable. If the character fails the save, he becomes dying. If the character
succeeds on the save by less than 5, he does not get any worse, but does not improve. He is still stable and
unconscious, and must continue to make Fortitude saves every hour. If the character succeeds on the save by 5
or more, he becomes conscious and disabled. An unaided stable, conscious character at 0 wound points has a
10% chance to start recovering wound points naturally that day. Once an unaided character starts recovering
wound points naturally, he is no longer in danger of dying.
Recovering with Help
A dying character can be made stable with a DC 15 Heal check (a standard action that provokes attacks of
opportunity). One hour after a tended, dying character becomes stable, roll d%. He has a 10% chance of
regaining consciousness, at which point he becomes disabled. If he remains unconscious, he has the same
chance to regain consciousness every hour. Even while unconscious, he recoverd wound points naturally,
becoming conscious and able to resume normal activity when his wound points rise to 1 or higher.
Special Damage Situations
The vitality point system changes the way some special damage effects work.
Coup de Grace
A coup de grace functions normally in that it automatically hits and scores a critical hit (and thus the damage
dealt is applied to the targets wound points). If the defender survives the damage, he must make a Fortitude
save (DC 10 + the amount of damage dealt) or die.
Healing
After taking damage, a character can recover vitality and wound points through natural healing (over the course
of hours or days), or by magic. In any case, a character cant regain vitality points or wound points above his
full normal totals.
Natural Healing
Characters recover vitality points at a rate of one vitality point per hour per character level. With a full nights
rest, a character recovers 1 wound point per character level (minimum 1 per night), or twice that amount with
complete bed rest for 24 hours. Any significant interruption during the rest period prevents the character from
healing that night.
Assisted Healing
A character who provides long-term care doubles the rate at which a wounded character recovers lost vitality
and wound points.

NPCs And Monsters

Vitality points may be only granted to the heroic classes, such as the standard character classes and various
prestige classes. The NPC classesadept, aristocrat, commoner, expert and warriordo not necessarily grant
vitality points (either at 1st level or thereafter). Such characters have wound points equal to their Constitution
score. Thus, a typical 1st-level orc warrior may have no vitality points and 12 wound points. All damage dealt to
such creatures is applied to their wound points.
Most monsters, on the other hand, have both wound points and vitality points. For Small, Medium and Large
creatures, a monsters wound point total is equal to its current Constitution score. Creatures smaller or larger
than that have their wound point total multiplied by a factor based on their size, as indicated on the table.
A monsters vitality point total is equal to the number of hit points it would normally have, based on its type and
Constitution score. The GM may choose not to assign vitality points to creatures that pose little or no threat to
PCs, such as domesticated herd animals.
Creatures without Constitution Scores
Some creatures, such as undead and constructs, do not have Constitution scores. If a creature has no
Constitution score, it has no vitality points. Instead, it has wound points equal to the number of vitality points it
would have based on its HD and type. Such creatures are never fatigued or stunned by wound damage.
Bonus Hit Points
If a creature would have bonus hit points based on its type, these are treated as bonus wound points. (For
example, a Medium construct gets 20 bonus wound points.) The same holds true for any permanent effect that
increases a characters hit point total (such as the Toughness feat, which adds 3 to the characters wound point
total).
Damage Reduction
Damage reduction functions normally, reducing damage dealt by attacks.
Fast Healing
Creatures with fast healing regain vitality points at an exceptionally fast rate, usually 1 or more vitality points
per round, as given in the creatures description (for example, a vampire has fast healing 5). If a creature with
fast healing has no Constitution score, fast healing restores lost wound points instead. The same doesnt apply to
creatures that have no vitality points but do have a Constitution score (such as a human warrior or domestic
animal). Such creatures gain no benefit from fast healing.
Regeneration
All damage dealt to creatures with regeneration is vitality point damage, even in the case of critical hits. The
creature automatically heals vitality point damage at a fixed rate per round, as given in the entry (for example, a
troll has regeneration 5). Excess damage does not reduce its wound points. Certain attack forms, typically fire
and acid, automatically deal wound damage to a regenerating creature, though it may attempt a Fortitude save
(DC 10 + damage dealt) to convert this to vitality damage, which it can regenerate normally. Otherwise,
regeneration functions as described in the standard rules and in individual monster descriptions.
Monster Challenge Ratings
Increase the CR of any Gargantuan or Colossal creature by +1, unless the creature does not have a Constitution
score.
Monsters with fractional CRs move up to the next highest fraction. The kobold (ordinarily CR 1/4) becomes CR
1/3, for example, while the goblin (normally CR 1/2) becomes CR 1.

4) Melee classes (Fighter, Ranger, Paladin, Barbarian, martial Clerics, etc.) automatically receive the benefit of
the Weapon Finesse feat, choosing to use their Dexterity bonus or Strength bonus at will. Clerics of non-martial
dieties and all other spell-casting classes follow the standard rule that bases melee attack bonus on Strength
unless they choose the Weapon Finesse feat; Rogues automatically use the opposite, basing melee attack bonus
on Dexterity, rather than Strength, unless they choose the Weapon Finesse feat.

5) Attributes now include Power (POW). Magic is based on the Power score. Spell-casting classes have a Magic
Point Pool (which may have various names, based on the type and background, such as Faith, Mana, etc), which
is based on the sum of their POW, their relevant other attribute (CHA, WIS, INT), and their level. Thus, a
Bards Faith score is his POW+CHA+Level, and a Wizards Mana is his POW+INT+Level.

Spells cost MP (Magic Points) to cast. When the spell-caster runs out of MP, he can use Power to fuel spells, but
Power takes double the normal time to recover compared to MP, and the character must recover all used POW
before he can begin regaining MP. This is the only way for non-spell-casters to use items that depend on the use
of Power and do not include charges or an inherent source of POW or MP. One point of Power equals two MP
for a spell-caster; non-spell-casters count one point of Power as equal to one Magic Point.

Many magic items no longer power themselves, but tap the owners POW or MP pool in order to work. For
example, a warrior with a +1 sword will probably actually possess a sword with Bladesharp 1, which draws on
his innate POW score to fuel the effect when he uses it. A Ranger, as a spell-caster, would be able to use his MP
pool instead, losing 1 MP from his pool every time he used the sword, but retaining his full Power. Scrolls
automatically draw their Power from the user. Spell-casters with no experience with scrolls must roll Wisdom in
order to use their MP pool instead.

6) Armor As Damage Reduction In the abstract d20 combat system, a characters armor defends him by
reducing the chance that an attack will deal damage. That system simplifies the realities of battle in order to
streamline combat resolution. An attack that fails due to a characters armor or natural armor doesnt really
fail to connect, but rather fails to connect with enough force to deal any damage. (Thats why touch attacks
ignore a characters armor and natural armorthe touch attack only needs to connect to deliver its effect,
and need not actually breach the targets armor.)
Armour Class has been altered. Armour now provides no protection from being hit; instead, it absorbs damage.
AC is now based on Touch AC Dexterity, Dodge, and anything else that naturally reduces likelihood of an
attack connecting still do so, factoring into the to-hit roll. Armour bonus, armour type, and other factors
affecting the armours ability to protect the wearer now affect the damage blocked or absorbed.

Armour now has three stats that describe its ability to protect a wearer: Bounce, Armour Value, and Armour
Points. An attack which successfully strikes the wearer for damage equal to or less than the Bounce does no
damage, being deflected without damaging the armour. An attack which strikes for more damage than the
Bounce will be absorbed by the armour for damage to the armour itself, with any damage above the armour
value being applied to the wearer. For instance, a blow for 8 points on a fighter in a suit of hard leather armour
will break down like this: 1 point subtracted (Bounce), 3 points damage to the suit (leaving 13 Armour Points),
and 4 points of damage to the character. Armour Points are the total number of points of Armour Value the suit
can absorb before becoming useless. Below is the table of armours available. Depending on the milieu, some
armours may not be available in a given game.
COST MAX ARMOUR SPELL SPEED SPEED WEIGHT
DEX PENALTY FAILURE (30 ft.) (20 ft.) & WT ARMOUR ARMOUR
ARMOUR BONUS CAT BOUNCE VALUE PTS
3SP 8 0 0 30 20 5/LT
CLOTH / QUILTED CLOTH / PADDED ARMOUR / PADDING 0 1 3
5 SP 8 0 0 30 20 5/LT
PADDED JACK / GAMBESON (torso only) 1 2 6
8 SP 8 0 0 30 20 5/LT
BATTLE CLOAK (padded armour cloak) 1 2 6
8 GP 8 0 0 30 20 7/LT
SOFT LEATHER, Light 1 2 6
SOFT LEATHER, Medium 10 GP 7 0 5% 30 20 10/LT
1 2 8
SOFT LEATHER, Heavy 12 GP 7 0 10 30 20 12/LT
1 3 12
15 GP 6 0 10 30 20 15/LT
HARD LEATHER 1 3 16
25 GP 5 -1 15 30 20 15/LT
STUDDED LEATHER (Studs sewn onto leather) 2 4 16
35 SP 4 -3 20 15 15/LT
HIDE 1 3 15
20 GP 6 -1 30 20 20/LT
CUIR-BOUILLI, THIN 2 3 18
25 GP 5 -2 25 20 25/MED
CUIR-BOUILLI, THICK 3 5 20
30 GP 6 -2 30 20 20/LT
BEZAINTED (Coins or Rings studded to leather) 2 5 25
50 GP 6 -1 30 20 21/LT
THIEF BEZAINTED (layered, silenced rings sewn onto leather ) 3 5 25
15 GP 7 -2 30 20 10/LT
BREASTPLATE, LEATHER, W/ METAL PLATE (torso only) 1st # leather, 2nd # metal 1 / 4 3 / 6 12 / 36
50 GP 5 -2 30 20 25/LT
SCALE, Light (scales sewn to hard leather) 3 6 24
60 GP 4 -3 25 20 30/LT
JAZERAINT(Overlapping scales sewn to hard/soft leather) 4 6 24
75 GP 3 -4 25 20 35/MED
SCALE, Heavy 5 6 36
40 GP 7 -1 5 30 20 10/LT
JACK / COAT OF PLATES (Pair of Plates) (torso only) 3 5 25
50 GP 7 -1 5 30 20 15/LT
ARMOURED SURCOAT/TABARD (falls to knees, surcoat sleeveless, tabard sleeved) 3 5 25
45 GP 7 -1 5 30 20 10/LT
BRIGANDINE(Plates inside two layers of backing) (torso only) 3 5 30
210 GP 2 -6 35 30 20 40/MED
LAMELLAR(Splints/Scales tied together) 4 5 30
 200 GP 0 -7 40 30 20 45
SPLINT (lamellar over padding) 4 5 35
100 GP 5 -4 25 30 20 25/LT
RING MAIL 4 6 36
250 GP 6 -3 20 30 20 25/LT
THIEF MAIL (layered, silenced rings/studs/ bezants sewn onto leather, encased in additional layers) 5 6 42
150 GP 2 -5 30 20 15 30/MED
CHAIN MAIL (4-1 pattern) 5 7 49
75 GP 6 -2 20 30 20 20/LT
BISHOPS MANTLE (chainmail cloak; light chain, 3-to-1 pattern) 4 6 36
75 GP 5 -1 15 30 20 15/LT
BYRNIE (short-sleeved shirt, comes to waist) 5 7 49
90 GP 4 -2 20 30 20 20/LT
HAUBERGEON (sleeveless shirt, falls to mid-thigh) 5 7 49
120 GP 4 -2 20 30 20 25/MED
HAUBERK (sleeved shirt, falls to mid-thigh) 5 7 49
200 GP 3 -6 35 30 20 35/MED
6-1 pattern Chain 6 7 56
225 GP 3 -6 35 25 20 35/MED
AUGMENTED CHAIN 6 9 63
275 GP 1 -6 35 25 20 35/MED
BANDED CHAIN 6 9 72
250 GP 3 -6 35 25 20 35/MED
BAR CHAIN 6 8 64
300 GP 2 -6 35 25 20 35/MED
COMBINED CHAIN (Lamellar Mail) 7 9 81
225 GP 1 -7 40 20 15 40/MED
DOUBLE CHAIN 5 8 64
350 GP 5 -2 20 30 20 25/LT
FINE MESH CHAIN 5 8 56
400 GP 0 -8 45 20 15 40/HVY
KINGS MAIL (8-TO-2 pattern) 6 9 90
100 GP 5 -4 25 30 20 25/LT
LIGHT CHAIN (Lighter rings, 3-to-1 pattern) 4 6 42
275 GP 4 -6 35 25 20 35/MED
SCALE MAIL 7 9 72
375 GP 0 -9 50 20 15 50/VH
TRIPLE CHAIN 7 9 90
200 GP 3 -4 25 20 15 30/MED
CUIRASS / BREASTPLATE 7 8 80
250 GP 3 -3 30 30 20 30/MED
LAMINATED / SEGMENTED ARMOUR (Articulated overlapping strips) 5 9 90
600 GP 0 -7 40 20 15 50/HVY
HALF PLATE (Mail) 8 10 100
900 GP 0 -6 45 20 15 65/HVY
PLATE MAIL 8 10 100
1,000 GP 2 -6 35 25 20 40/HVY
FULL PLATE, Light 8 11 110
FULL PLATE, Medium 1,200 GP 1 -7 35 20 15 45/HVY
8 11 121
FULL PLATE, Heavy 1,500 GP 11 -8 35 20 15 50/VH
8 12 132
1,800 GP 2 -6 35 25 20 40/HVY
FIELD PLATE 8 12 120
DWARVEN BATTLE PLATE 4,000 GP 3 -5 30 25 20 40/HVY 9 13 130
DWARVEN CHAIN 600 GP 3 -4 30 30 20 25/LT 6 9 81
DWARVEN INTERLOCKING SCALE 300 GP 6 -1 20 30 20 20//LT 6 7 56
DWARVEN LAMELLAR MAIL 900 GP 1 -5 30 30 20 30/MED 8 10 90
DWARVEN WAR PLATE 6,000 GP 2 -6 40 20 15 60/VH 10 14 140
ELVEN AUGMENTED MAIL - 5 -4 5 30 20 25/LT 8 11 110
ELVEN BRIGANDINE/JACK/COAT OF PLATES 200 GP 8 0 5 30 20 7/LT 4 6 60
ELVEN CHAIN - 5 -3 5 30 20 20/LT 7 10 100
5 -3 5 30 20 10/LT
ELVEN BYRNIE (short-sleeved shirt, comes to waist) 7 10 100
5 -3 5 30 20 12/LT
ELVEN HAUBERGEON (sleeveless shirt, falls to mid-thigh) 7 10 100
5 -3 5 30 20 15/LT
ELVEN HAUBERK (sleeved shirt, falls to mid-thigh) 7 10 100
ELVEN FINE MESH CHAIN - 7 0 5 30 20 17/LT 7 10 100
ELVEN LAMELLAR MAIL - 4 -4 5 30 20 25/MED 9 11 110
ELVEN LEATHER 75 GP 8 0 0 30 20 7/LT 2 4 20
ELVEN LIGHT BREAST PLATE - 5 -2 5 30 20 20/LT 9 10 100
ELVEN LIGHT CHAIN 500 GP 6 -3 5 30 20 20/LT 6 7 70
ELVEN LEAF MAIL - 6 0 5 30 20 10/LT 3 5 25
ELVEN RING MAIL 500 GP 6 -3 5 30 20 20/LT 5 7 70
ELVEN SCALE - 7 0 5 30 20 18/LT 7 8 80
ELVEN STUDDED LEATHER 100 GP 6 -4 5 30 20 25/MED 9 11 110
ELVEN THIEF / MAGE MAIL - 7 -2 5 30 20 15/LT 5 7 70
HALFLING CHAIN (Light, 3-to-1 pattern chain) 120 GP 6 -3 25 30 20 20/LT 4 5 40
60 GP 6 0 15 30 20 10/LT
HALFLING BYRNIE (short-sleeved shirt, comes to waist) (Light, 3-to-1 pattern chain) 4 5 40
80 GP 6 -1 20 30 20 15/LT
HALFLING HAUBERGEON (sleeveless shirt, falls to mid-thigh) (Light, 3-to-1 pattern chain) 4 5 40
100 GP 6 -1 20 30 20 20/LT
HALFLING HAUBERK (sleeved shirt, falls to mid-thigh) (Light, 3-to-1 pattern chain) 4 5 40

Metagame Analysis: Armor as DR

Its pretty easy to see the effect of this variant system: attacks hit more often, but do less damage. What does
that really mean? Low-level combat tends to be less dangerous for armored characters. Although their ACs are
lower (and thus their chance of being damaged is higher), this is more than offset by the reduced damage
suffered by attacks.
7) Entry-level, Prestige, Core, and Heirarchical classes Some classes are pretty much the same as the core
and prestige classes familiar to players. Others are Heirarchical, meaning that, like Prestige classes, the
character must first qualify for the class. An Entry-level class is a version of a Core class that begins the
heirarchical progression. Right now, the heirarchical classes are Druidic, and the entry-level classes are Bard
and Ranger. Druids are not available to start. A player must first progress as a Bard or Ranger, then as a Fili or
Ovate Druid before finally becoming a full-fledged Druid.

8) Classes available Aside from Druid, the book classes are available, albeit with some changes. The Druid is
now the end of an heirarchical progression. Rangers and Bards have been re-written to begin the Druidic
progression of classes. PHB bards have been renamed as Minstrels in most milieus, Crossains in a Celtic
campaign. PHB Rangers have been renamed Trackers, Foresters, Woodsmen, Scouts, and various other names
for different variations, depending on the players choices. Barbarians as written seem to me to be essentially
Vikings, and so the class has been renamed as Viking Barbarian, allowing for more-civilised Vikings and for
non-Viking variant Barbarian classes. If you want to play a non-Viking Barbarian, such as American Indian,
Zulu Warrior, or other ideas, well discuss what changes to make to the base class.
Monks are based on Oriental archetypes, and therefore are not available in Occidental milieus. Certain legends
in the Western cultures lend themselves to characters with similar abilities, but with different cutlural names and
backgrounds. Talk to me about what you want to play. In a Western-based game, however, the term Monk
refers to a usually-cloistered monotheistic, ascetic cleric that would probably be of limited use as a PC..

9) Rage My opinion of berserkers and the Rage ability is rather low. Chewing wooden shields and frenzying
before a battle would have been impressive in primitive tribal warfare, but useless against disciplined troops
trained relentlessly to work as a unit. It was as stupid as football jocks preening for cheerleaders today.
Therefore, Rage now takes a -4 to AC (and, in accordance with historical accuracy, the berzerker must be naked
or nearly so trousers are acceptable, but NO armour whatsoever, other than a shield, may be worn.), and the
ban on Dex/Cha/Int skills during Rage has been extended to Balance and Escape Artist. The ban on feats
includes Weapon Finesse. With any weapon that is not Simple, the barbarian loses -1 to-hit due to lack of self-
control.