Save Casts and Combat
956 Words
# SAVING THROWS AND COMBAT
## SAVING THROWS
Saving throws represent a character's ability to avoid or resist various hazards, from poison and magic to traps and dragon breath. In Vearth RPG, we use the traditional five categories of saving throws from Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.
### TYPES OF SAVING THROWS
1. **Paralyzation, Poison, or Death Magic**
- Used against poisons, paralysis effects, and instant death spells
- Important for survival against assassins, venomous creatures, and necromancers
- White Star Sorcerers gain bonuses against death magic due to their connection to life forces
2. **Rod, Staff, or Wand**
- Used against magical effects from these devices
- Critical when facing enemy spellcasters with magical implements
- Black Star Sorcerers gain bonuses against these saves due to their knowledge of magical items
3. **Petrification or Polymorph**
- Used to resist transformation effects
- Important when facing medusas, basilisks, or transmutation spells
- Dwarves have natural resistance to these effects
4. **Breath Weapon**
- Used against dragon breath, elemental blasts, and similar area attacks
- Often allows for half damage on a successful save
- Determines survival against the most powerful creatures in Vearth
5. **Spell**
- Used against most magical effects not covered by other categories
- The most commonly used saving throw
- Different races have varying resistances to specific spell types
### SAVING THROW TABLES
Each class has its own saving throw table that improves as characters gain levels. In general:
- Fighters have strong saves against physical effects (Paralyzation, Breath Weapons)
- Magic-Users/Wizards have strong saves against spells
- Clerics have balanced saves across all categories
- Thieves have good saves against traps and devices but are vulnerable to magic
### ABILITY SCORE MODIFIERS
Certain ability scores provide bonuses to specific saving throws:
- Wisdom provides bonuses against mind-affecting spells
- Dexterity may improve saves against area effects
- Constitution improves poison saves
### SPECIAL RACIAL BONUSES
Several races have inherent resistance to certain effects:
- Dwarves receive a +1 bonus per 3.5 points of Constitution against magic and poison
- Elves have 90% resistance to sleep and charm spells
- Halflings have magic resistance similar to dwarves
- Gnomes gain bonuses against illusions
- Quabbits gain +2 against illusion spells due to their cosmic intuition
### THE THREE TIMES BACK PRINCIPLE
The Three Times Back principle can influence saving throws in Vearth:
- Characters with significantly positive Spiritual Balance may gain a +1 to +3 bonus on saving throws against evil effects
- Characters with significantly negative Spiritual Balance may suffer a -1 to -3 penalty against good or holy effects
- These modifiers are not fixed but applied by the Dungeon Lord based on the character's current Spiritual Balance
## COMBAT
Combat in Vearth follows the traditional AD&D system with additions specific to the world's unique features.
### INITIATIVE
1. **Rolling Initiative**
- Each side rolls 1d6 to determine which acts first
- Individual initiative optional: each participant rolls 1d6
- Dexterity modifiers apply to individual initiative
2. **Surprise**
- Surprise check: 1-3 on 1d6 indicates surprise
- Surprised creatures lose their actions for 1 round
- Some races have bonuses against being surprised (Elves, Quabbits)
3. **Mount Companions**
- Sorcerers and their mounts may act on the same initiative or separately
- Bond Rating influences coordination - higher ratings allow seamless combined actions
### COMBAT ROUNDS
Each combat round represents approximately 1 minute and consists of:
1. Determine initiative
2. Resolve actions in initiative order
3. End of round effects (spell durations, etc.)
### ATTACK ROLLS
To make an attack:
1. Roll 1d20 and add attack bonuses
2. Compare to target's Armor Class (AC)
3. If the roll equals or exceeds the target's AC, the attack hits
### DAMAGE
Damage is determined by:
1. Weapon type (each has a specific damage die)
2. Strength bonuses for melee weapons
3. Dexterity bonuses for missile weapons
4. Special weapon properties and magical bonuses
5. Critical hits (natural 20) may cause maximum or double damage (Dungeon Lord's discretion)
### ARMOR CLASS
Armor Class (AC) represents how difficult a target is to hit:
- Base AC is 10
- Lower numbers are better (traditional descending AC system)
- Armor, shields, and Dexterity all improve AC
- Magical protection provides additional AC bonuses
### SPECIAL COMBAT OPTIONS
#### MOUNTED COMBAT
- Sorcerers on their mount companions gain height advantage against smaller opponents
- White Star Sorcerers can cast techniques while mounted without penalty
- Black Star Sorcerers gain advantage on attack rolls when coordinating with their mount companions
- Bond Rating determines available combat maneuvers
#### COSMIC BALANCE EFFECTS
- Areas of strong cosmic harmony enhance White Star techniques
- Areas with concentrated knowledge or shadow influence strengthen Black Star techniques
- Neither tradition is inherently stronger; effectiveness depends on environment
#### THREE TIMES BACK IN COMBAT
The Three Times Back principle manifests in combat through:
- Natural 1s on attack rolls may result in negative effects for those with negative Spiritual Balance
- Natural 20s may yield additional benefits for those with positive Spiritual Balance
- These effects are subtle and cumulative rather than immediately game-changing
### DEATH AND DYING
When a character reaches 0 hit points:
- They fall unconscious and begin dying
- Death occurs at -10 hit points
- Characters lose 1 hit point per round unless stabilized
- Healing magic can revive a character if applied before death
#### SPIRITUAL BALANCE AND DEATH
- Characters with significantly positive Spiritual Balance may linger at -10 hit points for 1d6 rounds before dying
- Characters with significantly negative Spiritual Balance may suffer additional penalties when revived
- The Three Times Back principle ensures that one's life choices influence one's death and potential resurrection
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