Alchemy System

[This system is a work in progress and not yet released.]

Overview

Ephimoria uses a strict RPG and roll-based approach to combat following a 20-sided die (d20). The three main elements that dictate everything are health points (HP), special points (SP), and movement distance (MVT). Your race, type of special ability, special events, and any artifacts or relics will all affect your character and their resource maximums.

Damage is based on the damage type (e.g. fire, frost) and will have an optional damage dice attached to it - you may choose to either use the average damage or roll. If you choose to roll you must take the rolled result. The standard hit DC in Ephimoria is DC10. In order to land a hit in most circumstances, players must meet or exceed a 12 on a d20. On a 'natural' 20, a character does not roll and instead delivers their maximum damage to the target, ignoring armor and resistance. In RP, you are considered to have struck a weak point such as an armor joint or soft spot.

If a character's HP hits 0, they are knocked unconscious. SP represents your individual resource pool for magical abilities. Certain creatures, races, and other things have natural resistances, immunities and/or vulnerabilities. To find these, they have to be researched and field tested to learn the truth.

For DM's looking for a place to start, much of how the system works exists in our DM's Guide & Regulations for Dummies.

Outside of combat, the combat system is passive and serves no purpose.

Game Modes

In events, the game mode is determined by the DM, and can comes in one of two different flavors. Ephimoira's combat system is not written with PVP as its primary focus as it is primarily a PVE server. When possible and feasible, it is discouraged to initiate rolled combat.

Story Mode

In a story mode event, the combat system is used as a backup, and a more honor based way of combat takes precedent; combat is fast paced and fluid to keep the story moving. Dice rolls and mechanics are limited, giving players more agency over their emotes as well as any damage their character takes. However, players should be encouraged to still suffer wounds when appropriate and act fairly in regards to their ability to dodge or resist damage. If a disagreement arises or if the situation calls for it, story mode combat ends. Story mode events are prevalent where combat isn't expected, isn't high-intensity or is only for narrative purposes.

Standard Mode

In standard mode, the combat system takes center-stage and all rules are enforced. In this mode, almost everything comes down to dice rolls and numbers. Though the mechanics of the system take precedence, very creative emotes and replies can lead to special bonuses given by the DM, much like in story mode. You are encouraged to still emote your attacks and act in a manner that is both sensible and believable, however damage and wounds are dictated by clearly defined rules. These events generally have more combat or higher intensity where strategy, decision making and cooperation is key to survival.

Turn Order & Actions

Turn Order

Combat scenarios have an established turn order. In PVP, turn order is agreed upon by participating parties, otherwise turn order is determined by the DM. (Turn order may be established in any number of ways that is agreed upon by all parties, but unless something changes, such as combat ending, it generally will not change once it is established.)

Actions

Each turn you may take up to one of each of the following action types in any order.

Primary Action

A flexible action you may use to perform an attack, magical or mundane. You may only take one attack action per turn. Alternatively, you may also use this action to perform an additional secondary action or movement action (see below). When two allied characters are standing on opposite sides of an enemy their hit DC has a -2 modifier.

• Disengage: Move away from a hostile target without taking an opportunity attack.

• Defend: A character may spend their primary action to bolster their defence. The next attack directed at that character has a DC +3 modifier. Subsequent attacks reduce the DC modifier by 1 each time until racial base. (+3, +2, +1, 0)

Secondary Action

A lesser action that covers interactions with the world around you. (e.g. opening doors, removing an item from your inventory, pulling a lever (Wrong lever!), consuming a consumable). You may forgo a secondary action to move half your MVT.

• Removing an item from inventory and consuming an item each require their own secondary action, however, this does allow you to continue fighting while prepping a consumable. To do both in one turn would require the use of your primary action.

Movement Action

A movement action allows you to move the number of blocks determined by your race’s MVT. You may spend both your primary and secondary action for additional movement. If all actions are spent on movement you are considered to be sprinting.

Reaction

Some abilities utilise a reaction. A reaction is an action taken in response to a predetermined trigger. Reactions may only trigger once per round.

• Opportunity attack: When a character (or monster) moves out of one block range of a hostile, the hostile may use their reaction to make a standard attack action.

• Cover: A character may use their reaction to dive for cover in response to a ranged attack. If there is no cover within 3 blocks, the character simply dives to the ground. Diving for cover grants a DC modifier of +2 however, the covering player loses their primary action the following turn.

Special Actions

Less common actions that fall outside of those defined above.

Hold Action

Instead of taking a primary action, you may instead hold your action. A 'hold action' allows you to prepare to take an action outside of your turn. You must specify in advance what the action you are preparing is and what trigger you are waiting for. (For example, holding an attack action to ambush an unsuspecting enemy when they emerge from a door.)