Kalos Mechanism 4e EN:GM Resources
This chapter provides additional information for the game moderator. Warning: spoilers follow.
Behind The Scenes
If this were a full game: This is where the game author would describe the secrets of the setting. Some typical section headings could be "Lost History", "Society Of The Hidden Folk", "Precursor Technology", and so on.
Villains
Villains can be written up the same way as player characters, but they do not have to be. You can abbreviate the abilities of villains based on their areas of focus and their Power level.
XXX Table
Failure
A failed attempt may not give the character the result they wanted, but it should not mean the game grinds to a halt. Rather than having a failed attempt be a dead end, it could mean that the desired outcome has a greater cost, or perhaps the desired outcome has undesirable side effects. Whatever the end result, failure should never make the game less interesting.
Expert Tip: It's okay to say "so-and-so happens", without requiring (or allowing) anyone to roll.
For example, Inspector Dupuis is trying to intimidate a low-level gangster into revealing details about the organization's plans to distribute a dangerous, highly experimental drug. Sadly, Inspector Dupuis's player rolls poorly, and the gangster is not impressed. Rather than having this be the end of this line of inquiry, the GM has several options.
- Quid pro quo: The gangster will give Dupuis the information, but only if Dupuis gives the gangster something in exchange. This could be something as prosaic as money, but it could be something more interesting, such as information about a rival organization or a favour to call in later.
- Red herring: The gangster tells Dupuis what they want to hear, but the information is not true or it leads Dupuis off on a wild goose chase. If the gangster is clever, they may send Dupuis after a rival organization that has been causing problems.
- Stirring the pot: Dupuis gets the information, but their activities attract attention. A rival organization learns of the drug as a result of Dupuis' activities, and they try to beat Dupuis to the prize. Alternately, the rival organization might use Dupuis as a stalking horse, allowing Dupuis and the gang to fight each other so that the rival organization will have an easier time taking the spoils from the winner.
- Alerting the enemy: Dupuis gets the information, but the gang learns of Dupuis's interest in their activities and they begin to make preparations. It could even be that the gangster was intended to be captured by Dupuis all along, in order to set them up for an ambush!
Cultural Motivations
The motivations of individuals are often at odds with the motivations of the culture to which they belong. An individual may be kind and compassionate, even as their civilization systematically commits genocide and destroys entire ecosystems in their quest for expansion. This is a paradox.
If you would like to randomly determine a culture's motivations, roll 2d6 and consult the table below.
| Roll 2d6 | Complexity |
|---|---|
| 2-7 | Roll once on Table 2 |
| 8-10 | Roll twice on Table 2 |
| 11 | Roll three times on Table 2 |
| 12 | Schism: roll once on table 2, and see the note below |
Schism: The society is divided into two opposing and mutually antagonistic cultures. Roll on Table 2, and make a note of the roll and its opposite. The majority of the society has the first motivation rolled, but a significant minority has the opposing motivation. For example, the opposing motivation of "adventure" is "security".
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Hostile Environments
A hostile environment makes everything more difficult. A character in a hostile environment typically incurs a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV), in addition to any other effects of the hostile environment.
| Environment | Effect |
|---|---|
| Darkness | The character fails any Mental Combat attack rolls |
| Dehydration | One Health per day |
| Exhaustion | One Endurance per day |
| Exposure | One Health per six hours |
| Falling | Damage based on the distance fallen |
| Fire | Damage based on heat and intensity; Terrifying Attack |
| Poisons | One Health per minute or less |
| Pressure | One Health per minute |
| Radiation | One Endurance per week |
| Starvation | One Endurance per week |
| Suffocation | One Health per minute |
| Underwater | A long period spent underwater may have other effects |
| Vacuum | One Health per minute |
| Zero-G | Long-term weightlessness may have other effects |
Darkness
Darkness, fog, rain, blizzards, and other visual impediments can make combat much more difficult. Unless they have Blindfighting or Blindsight, a character who can't see incurs a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV), and they fail any Mental Combat attack rolls.
Dehydration
A character who goes more than 24 hours without drinking begins to suffer the effects of dehydration. If a character is suffering from dehydration, they incur a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV). Additionally, they lose one Health per day until they are rehydrated or until their Health is reduced to zero. Once the character is rehydrated, their Health is restored at the same rate it was lost.
Damage from dehydration is not restored by rest and recuperation. A character with Environmental Immunity is unaffected by dehydration.
Exhaustion
A character who goes more than 24 hours without sleep begins to suffer the effects of sleep deprivation. If a character is suffering from sleep deprivation, they incur a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV). Additionally, they lose one Endurance per day until they get a night's rest or until their Endurance and Health are reduced to zero. Once the character gets a night's rest, their Endurance and Health are restored at the same rate they were lost.
A character with Environmental Immunity is unaffected by exhaustion.
Exposure
Exposure to extreme heat or cold makes even ordinary tasks more difficult. If a character is suffering from exposure, they incur a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV). Additionally, they lose one Health per six hours until they return to a comfortable environment, or until their Health is reduced to zero. Once the character returns to a comfortable environment, their Health is restored at the same rate it was lost.
Damage from extremes of heat and cold is not restored by rest and recuperation. A character with Environmental Immunity is unaffected by extreme temperatures.
Falling
A falling character faces two challenges: being weightless, and landing. First, they suffer the effects of being weightless. If they do not have the Zero-G Combat gift, they incur a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV). Second, landing abruptly is a normal attack which deals points of Health damage. The damage a fall deals depends on the distance fallen: 1d6, plus one point of damage for each five meters fallen, up to a maximum of 1d6+20. Protective gear, or particularly soft or yielding surfaces, can provide Damage Resistance to a falling character.
| Distance (m) | Damage |
|---|---|
| 5 | 1d6+1 |
| 10 | 1d6+2 |
| 15 | 1d6+3 |
| 20 | 1d6+4 |
| 25 | 1d6+5 |
| 30 | 1d6+6 |
| 35 | 1d6+7 |
| 40 | 1d6+8 |
| 45 | 1d6+9 |
| 50 | 1d6+10 |
| 55 | 1d6+11 |
| 60 | 1d6+12 |
| 65 | 1d6+13 |
| 70 | 1d6+14 |
| 75 | 1d6+15 |
Fire
If a character is on fire, they incur a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV). Additionally, fire is treated as a normal attack which deals points of Health damage. The damage a fire deals depends on its heat and intensity. Protective gear -- even improvised gear, such as a wet blanket -- can provide Damage Resistance to a burning character. Finally, fire is terrifying. A character on fire must cower or flee (their choice) until they use a standard action to make a successful Presence + Athletics roll against 8 + Power Level of the attack (or the Equipment Level of the weapon). If the character on fire has Mental Resistance, they may add it to this roll.
| Fire | Damage |
|---|---|
| Campfire, torch | 1d6+1 |
| Burning building | 1d6+2 |
| Molten lava | 1d6+3 |
Poisons
Poisons and pathogens are substances which disrupt biological processes when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism. Immediately after exposure, a poisoned character must attempt a moderately difficult (DV 12) Brawn + Athletics roll. If the target has Alteration Resistance, they may add it to this roll. If the Brawn + Athletics roll is successful, the character takes no damage from the poison and suffers only incidental side-effects such as nausea. If the Brawn + Athletics roll is not successful, the character has succumbed to the poison.
If a character has been poisoned, they incur a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV). Additionally, their Health is reduced by one.
Periodically thereafter, the character must attempt another Brawn + Athletics roll (once per round for very potent poisons, once an hour for very weak poisons, and once a minute for other poisons, at the GM's discretion). Each failed Brawn + Athletics roll results in another loss of one Health. This continues until the character successfully makes a Brawn + Athletics roll, until they are administered the appropriate treatment, or until their Health is reduced to zero. Once the character is no longer poisoned, their Health is restored at the same rate it was lost.
Some poisons and pathogens have additional effects, such as blindness or paralysis.
Damage from poisons and pathogens is not restored by rest and recuperation until the poison or pathogen itself is cured. A character with Environmental Immunity is unaffected by poisons and pathogens.
Pressure
If a character is exposed to extreme atmospheric pressure, they incur a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV). Additionally, they lose one Health per minute until they return to a pressurized atmosphere, or until their Health is reduced to zero. Once the character returns to a normal atmosphere, their Health is restored at the same rate it was lost.
Damage from extreme atmospheric pressure is not restored by rest and recuperation. A character with Environmental Immunity is unaffected by high pressure.
Radiation
When ionizing radiation interacts with cells, it can cause damage to the cells and genetic material. Twenty-four hours after exposure to ionizing radiation, a character must attempt a moderately difficult (DV 12) Brawn + Athletics roll. If the target has Alteration Resistance, they may add it to this roll. If the Brawn + Athletics roll is successful, the character takes no damage from the radiation and suffers only incidental side-effects such as nausea. If the Brawn + Athletics roll is not successful, the character has developed acute radiation syndrome (ARS), also known as radiation sickness or radiation poisoning.
If a character has developed acute radiation syndrome, they incur a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV). Additionally, their Health is reduced by one.
Periodically thereafter, the character must attempt another Brawn + Athletics roll (once per hour for very intense radiation, once a week for very mild radiation, and once a day for other radiation, at the GM's discretion). Each failed Brawn + Athletics roll results in another loss of one Health. This continues until the character successfully makes a Brawn + Athletics roll, until they are administered the appropriate treatment, or until their Health is reduced to zero. Once the character no longer has acute radiation syndrome, their Health is restored at the same rate it was lost.
Some radiation may have additional effects, such as blindness or paralysis.
Damage from acute radiation syndrome is not restored by rest and recuperation. A character with Environmental Immunity is unaffected by ionizing radiation.
Starvation
A character who goes more than one week without eating begins to suffer the effects of starvation. If a character is suffering from starvation, they incur a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV). Additionally, they lose one Endurance per week until they resume a normal diet or until their Endurance and Health are reduced to zero. Once the character has resumed a normal diet, their Health is restored at the same rate it was lost.
Damage from starvation is not restored by rest and recuperation. A character with Environmental Immunity is unaffected by starvation.
Suffocation
If a character needs to breath but is unable to do so, they suffer the effects of suffocation. If a character is suffocating, they incur a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV). Additionally, they lose one Health per minute until they can breathe freely again or until their Health is reduced to zero. Once the character is able to breathe normally, their Health is restored at the same rate it was lost.
Damage from suffocation is not restored by rest and recuperation. A character with Environmental Immunity is unaffected by suffocation.
Underwater
If a character is underwater and does not have the Underwater Combat gift, they incur a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV). A long period spent underwater may have other effects.
Vacuum
If a character is exposed to vacuum, they suffer the effects of suffocation. Exposure to the vacuum of space does not make a character freeze solid, at least not initially. Most organics will bruise badly due to ebullism, and they will eventually freeze, but they will be long dead from suffocation by that point.
Zero-G
If a character is weightless and does not have the Zero-G Combat gift, they incur a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV). Long-term weightlessness may have other effects.
Mass
Specific items may vary greatly from the typical mass listed here.
| Power Level | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| 1 | x100 |
| 2 | x200 |
| 3 | x500 |
| 4 | x1,000 |
| 5 | x2,000 |
| 6 | x5,000 |
| 7 | x10,000 |
| 8 | x20,000 |
| 9 | x50,000 |
| 10 | x100,000 |
Speed
Specific items may vary greatly from the typical speed listed here.
| Object | Speed | Athletics |
|---|---|---|
| Human, avg running | 10 km/h | 2 |
| Human, max running | 45 km/h | 4 |
| fast submarine | 80 km/h | 5 |
| fast animal | 120 km/h | 6 |
| arrow | 240 km/h | 7 |
| fast vehicle | 320 km/h | 7 |
| fast helicopter | 400 km/h | 7 |
| tornado wind | 480 km/h | 7 |
| terminal velocity | 530 km/h | 8 |
| bullet train | 560 km/h | 8 |
| airplane | 810 km/h | 8 |
| pistol bullet | 1,100 km/h | 9 |
| sound | 1,200 km/h | 9 |
| supersonic airplane | 1,900 km/h | 9 |
| rifle bullet | 3,100 km/h | 10 |
| superjet | 9,700 km/h | 11 |
| escape velocity | 40,000 km/h | 13 |
| rocket | 48,000 km/h | 13 |
Athletics: Minimum Athletics for this speed (without powers)