Kalos Mechanism 4e EN:Introduction

Contents

What Is This?

Kalos Mechanism is an open roleplaying game system. If you have an idea for a game -- the setting, the history, the conflicts, the kinds of characters, the kinds of adventures you think would be fun to play... all of the important things, in other words -- here is a game system you can plop that on top of and run with it.

If this were a full game: This is where the game author would describe the "elevator pitch" for their game. What it is, what makes it different, and why you will have fun playing it.

What Is An "Open Game"?

Simply put, an "open game" is one that you may adapt and share, as long as everyone else can do the same with what you create. To that end, the text used in this document is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. You are free to:

• Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
• Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially

The licensor (that's us) cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.

What Is A "Roleplaying Game"?

Roleplaying involves taking on a persona or character and making decisions based on what that character would do in a given situation. Maybe those decisions aren't the most tactically advantageous, but that's part of the fun of roleplaying.

Games have rule systems that govern conflicts, and which determine whether a character is successful when they attempt something. This is what you are reading now. In most games, there is some random element to make the game more fun. Kalos Mechanism uses two six-sided dice (2d6).

If you would like to read more about who plays roleplaying games, and why and where they play them, check out The Escapist -- The Five Ws of RPGs.

The Players

In a roleplaying game, each player adopts a persona called a player character, or PC. The player characters are imaginary people who inhabit the fictional universe of the game.

In many ways, the player is like an actor who chooses their own part and writes their own lines as the play progresses. The game moderator sets the stage and introduces the characters to their world, but the story is driven by the player characters.

The Game Moderator

The game moderator, or GM, creates the story and portrays everyone that the player characters encounter during their adventures. These are called non-player characters, or NPCs. The players help create the adventure by responding to the challenges the GM presents and by pursuing the PCs' own goals. This dynamic creative process creates a story which neither the game moderator nor the players could have created alone.

Ground Rules

Be Cooperative

A roleplaying game is fundamentally a cooperative activity. The players are not in competition with the GM nor with each other. The goal of a role-playing game is to experience fun stories and to entertain everyone at the table.

Expert Tip: Making the game fun is everyone's responsibility.

• Encourage each other: If someone does something cool, or has a great idea, let them know. It will make them feel good, and it will let people know what kind of game you find fun.
• Embrace setbacks: Don't get frustrated if things are going badly. Recovering from a setback makes the victory sweeter.
• Be considerate: Don't hog the spotlight. Take turns being the center of attention.
• Don't play a jerk: Being "true to your character" is not an excuse.
• Respect everyone's boundaries: If a topic or a certain plot element makes any of the players uncomfortable, respect that and avoid it. Consider using John Stavropoulos' X-Card, particularly if the players are new to each other.

Use Common Sense

If something in the rules violates the way you think your game should work, then override it. If the rules permit something ridiculous, or would prevent something completely ordinary, then override them.

Expert Tip: Don't use the rules unless you need to.

In fact, if you can play a fun game session without referring to the written rules, you should. Saying "it works like this" is often a better solution than flipping through a rulebook for an answer.

Avoid Rule Arguments

Sooner or later, there will be a difference of opinion among the players regarding what a rule means, or how a rule should be implemented. The time for rule discussions is between games, not during a game. If a rule discussion sidetracks the game, the game moderator should make an executive decision and table additional discussion for later.

Core Mechanics

Attributes

Each character has seven attributes which describe their basic physical and mental abilities.

• Agility: coordination, ranged combat fighting ability, and general flexibility
• Brawn: physical might, hand-to-hand fighting ability, and general hardiness
• Presence: determination, mental combat fighting ability, and general empathy
• Reason: ability to analyze data, draw conclusions from the facts at hand, and solve problems
• Power Level: technological might, alien potency, psychic potential, and so on
• Endurance: a character's ability to physically and mentally exert themselves
• Health: a character's ability to withstand physical hardship and injury

See the Attributes chapter for more information.

Rolling Dice

When a character attempts a task, the player must roll dice to see if the character succeeds. The player rolls two six-sided dice (2d6) and adds them together. The player adds this to the character's appropriate attribute (Agility, Brawn, etc.) and skill (Diplomacy, Ranged Combat, etc.). This total is the character's Action Value, or AV. If the character has appropriate equipment, they may add their Equipment Level to their Action Value, but only up to their skill level.

If the character is actively competing against an opponent, the Difficulty Value, or DV, is equal to 8 plus the opponent's appropriate attribute and skill. The opponent's equipment helps them just as it helps the player characters, up to their skill level.

2d6	vs	8
+ [Attribute] + [Skill]		+ [Attribute] + [Skill]
+ [Equipment (up to Skill)]		+ [Equipment (up to Skill)]

If no one is actively working against the character, the GM sets the Difficulty Value (DV). Moderately difficult tasks have a difficulty of 12 (DV 12). More difficult tasks have a higher difficulty.

If the character's Action Value equals or exceeds the DV (Defense Value or Difficulty Value) assigned by the GM, the character's attempt succeeds.

Expert Tip: On a tie, the character who initiated the action wins the contest.

Rolling dice is covered in more detail in the Actions chapter.

Bonuses And Penalties

If something significantly aids or impedes a character, the GM may apply a skill bonus (+Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, +Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV) or a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV).

Only the highest bonus applies, but penalties are cumulative, to a maximum of -6.

Some examples of circumstances which grant a skill bonus are being invisible or behind cover, being prone in ranged combat, and being part of a team (see Working Together). If a character has more than one bonus, only the highest bonus applies.

Some examples of circumstances which impose a skill penalty are attempting to disarm or takedown a target, being prone in hand-to-hand combat, being blinded or in the dark, being distracted or surprised, and being underwater or weightless. If a character has more than one penalty, the penalties are cumulative, to a maximum of -6.

A character making an attack may trade accuracy for safety, or vice versa, to a maximum of +6/-6. For example, a character may choose to gain a +4 AV bonus at the cost of a -4 DV penalty until the beginning of their next turn. Alternatively, a character making an attack may trade accuracy for damage, or vice versa, to a maximum of +6/-6. For example, a character may choose to incur a -2 AV penalty in order to gain a +2 damage bonus if the attack is successful. A character can even do both, if the GM permits it.

Finally, a character may use a standard action to dodge. A dodging character gains double the normal defensive skill bonus (+Template:KM4 MAJOR BONUS DV), but incurs double the normal skill penalty (-Template:KM4 MAJOR BONUS AV).

Damage

If the attacker's roll succeeds, the player rolls for damage based on the character's Power Level (1d6 + Power Level) or on the Equipment Level of the weapon (1d6 + Equipment Level). The target's resistance (Damage Resistance, Alteration Resistance, or Mental Resistance) is deducted from the points of damage.

1d6	minus	3
+ [Equipment Level]		+ [Equipment Level]
or [Power Level]		or [Power Level]
of the attack		of the target's resistance

If the attack is a normal attack, the remaining points of damage are deducted from the target's Health (or Endurance, if it is a stunning attack).

If the attack is a mental attack or an alteration attack, divide the remaining damage points in half (round down, even if the fraction is more than one-half, to a minimum of 1). Roll damage and deduct resistance before dividing.

Rounding

When a number is divided, round down, even if the fraction is more than one-half, to a minimum of 1. For game purposes, half of 5 is 2, and half of 1 is 1.

Glossary

action types

There are four types of actions a character may take: move action, standard action, quick action, and free action.

Action Value (AV)

2d6 + [Attribute] + [Skill] + [Equipment (up to Skill)]; Action Value (AV) is compared to Difficulty Value (DV) to determine if the action is successful.

Agility

Coordination, ranged combat fighting ability, and general flexibility.

Alteration Resistance

The amount the defender subtracts from the points of alteration damage rolled by the attacker; the remaining points of alteration damage are halved.

attribute

The five basic character traits: Agility, Brawn, Presence, Reason, and Power Level.

AV

Action Value: 2d6 + [Attribute] + [Skill] + [Equipment (up to Skill)].

base move

Move up to the base distance permitted by Agility, Brawn, or a movement power.

base attribute

An attribute when the character is fully healed and not impaired in any way.

bonus

A number added to an Action Value (AV), a Defense Value (DV), or a damage roll. Only the highest bonus applies.

[Brackets]

Text in [Brackets] indicates that it is replaced by some other value, such as an attribute

Brawn

Physical might, hand-to-hand fighting ability, and general hardiness.

character point

Spent to buy attributes, skills, and special abilities for a character.

damage

1d6 + the Equipment Level or the Power Level of the attack, minus 3 + the Equipment Level or the Power Level of the target's resistance.

Damage Resistance

The amount the defender subtracts from the points of normal damage rolled by the attacker.

Defense Value (DV)

8 + [Attribute] + [Skill] + [Equipment (up to Skill)]; Action Value (AV) is compared to Defense Value (DV) to determine if the attack is successful.

Difficulty Value (DV)

12 (Moderate), 15 (Remarkable), 18 (Extreme), 21 (Inconceivable); Action Value (AV) is compared to Difficulty Value (DV) to determine if the action is successful.

dodge

-6 AV, +6 DV; dodging requires a standard action.

DV

Defense Value: 8 + [Attribute] + [Skill] + [Equipment (up to Skill)].

Difficulty Value: 12 (Moderate), 15 (Remarkable), 18 (Extreme), 21 (Inconceivable).

Endurance

Ability to physically and mentally exert oneself (Brawn + Presence).

free action

An action that takes little or no time and which can be performed at any time, as often as the GM deems reasonable.

game moderator (GM)

The player who sets the story in motion, plays everyone and everything in the game other than the PCs, and arbitrates any disputes.

gift

An exceptional ability that a normal person can have, but that most people do not have.

GM

Game moderator: the player who sets the story in motion, plays everyone and everything in the game other than the PCs, and arbitrates any disputes.

Health

Ability to withstand physical hardship and injury (Agility + Brawn).

max move

Base move x 6; requires a move action.

Mental Resistance

The amount the defender subtracts from the points of mental damage rolled by the attacker; the remaining points of mental damage are halved.

move action

Move up to the max distance permitted by Agility, Brawn, or a movement power.

non-player character (NPC)

A fictional character controlled by the game moderator.

NPC

Non-player character: a fictional character controlled by the game moderator.

PC

Player character: a fictional character controlled by a player.

penalty

A number subtracted from an Action Value (AV), a Defense Value (DV), or a damage roll. Penalties are cumulative.

player

A living, breathing person playing the game.

player character (PC)

A fictional character controlled by a player.

power

An ability beyond what is possible for normal people.

Power Level

Technological might, alien potency, psychic potential, and so on.

Presence

Determination, mental combat fighting ability, and general empathy.

quick action

An action that takes little or no time and which can be performed when it is the character's turn to act in the round, as often as the GM deems reasonable.

Reason

Ability to analyze data, draw conclusions from the facts at hand, and solve problems.

round

One round is six seconds, give or take, giving us ten rounds per minute. During a round, each character gets a turn.

scene

A scene typically starts when the characters arrive at a place, and ends when they leave.

sentient

Capable of perception, problem solving, self-awareness, and anticipation of future events; a creature which is sentient; a person.

skill

Allows a character to apply their attributes to solve a problem or accomplish a task.

skill bonus

+Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, +Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV; only the highest bonus applies.

skill penalty

-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV; penalties are cumulative.

skill roll

Rolling dice and determining the outcome; see the Actions chapter.

sprint

Move farther than the character's base move, up to the max distance permitted by Agility, Brawn, or a movement power.

standard action

An attempt to perform one task, before, during, or after the character moves.

success

An Action Value (DV) that equals or exceeds the Difficulty Value (DV).

turn

During their turn, a character can use a move action, a standard action, and one or more quick actions.