MankQuest Player Rules

MankQuest 1.5 Players' Rules:

A Game System for all:

The vision for Mank Quest is to make a table top gaming system that's suitable for all players in our gaming group. Every game system we've tried we've found flaws with, rules we don't like, too many rules.

-Simple rules - easy to grasp, quick to learn, minimal looking things up in books. This doesn't mean we can't have lots of material, it just all has to be simple.

-Open Ended - allow options for anything the player's imaginations could conceive of.

-Everyone can contribute - Write up a new rules. We can experiment with different variations on the rules system and vote on which elements we want to keep or change.

The Core Mechanic:

Mank Quest's Core Mechanic is similar to Hero Quest. When attacking or making a skill check, you roll a number of 6 sided dice. Generally, rolls of 4, 5, and 6 are hits or successes, and 1, 2, and 3 are misses or failures. The roll required for success could change depending on the difficulty of the task being performed or using certain skills and abilities.

Turns:

On Your Turn, you get one Primary Action, one Secondary Action and any number of Free Actions, which can be taken in any order. Some actions are Full Turn Actions take up both your Primary and Secondary actions.

Primary Actions:

-Attack: Make an attack with a weapon in your main hand or a two handed weapon. Roll your attack dice, rolls of 4, 5, 6 are hits, each does 1 HP damage. The target rolls it's defence dice, each roll of 5 or 6 cancels out 1 HP worth of damage. If the attack rolls no hits, or if the defender's dice all cancel out the attacks hits, no damage is dealt.

-Cast a Spell: Spend the required magic points to cast a spell you know.

-Hustle: Roll 1d6 for every 2 Mobility you have (rounding down, so level 3 mobility rolls only 1 die) , move that many squares. Typically used with a Move Secondary action to go a little further.

Primary or Secondary Actions:

-Off Hand Attack: Attack with a weapon equipped in your off hand. Typically paired with a Main Hand weapon attack.

-Slam: a punch, kick, head butt, body check or shield bash. Roll one attack dice for each point of strength, add 1/2 your ranks in brawling. Spikes add +1 to a slam attack.

-Loot: Pick up any number of items of value from a fallen foe, treasure chest, or disarmed trap.

Secondary Actions:

-Move: Roll your mobilty dice, move a number of squares equal to the number rolled.

Free Actions: While you can take any number of free actions during your turn, you may only do each Free Action once per turn. For example, you couldn't start your turn with a sword and shield equipped, switch to a bow , attack, and then change back to your sword and shield before the end of your turn, that would be 2 gear changes in the same turn.

-Change Gear: Switch out the items held in your main hand and off hand

-Drink a potion: Drink a potion to recover HP or MP. There is no limit to the number of potions you can drink in a single turn.

-Kick open an unlocked door: Done duing a move or hustle, you burst through an unlocked door. Can be dangerous, as some doors are trapped, or have monsters on the other side of them.

-Step: Move 1 square (no diagonals). This action is only available if it's the only movement you take on your turn, a Move or Hustle action

-Toss an item: Throw an item to an ally or open square, up to 5 squares away.

-Talk: you open your mouth and words come out!

Attacking and Defending:

Attacking: The attacker declares his attack, stating the weapon he's attacking with, the target he's attacking and any special abilities or modifiers to the roll. Attack dice are rolled, generally (but not always) 4,5,6 are hits, 1,2,3 are misses. The Defender then rolls his defence or resistance dice, and each 5 or 6 he rolls cancels out one of the attacker's hits. There are 3 types of Attacks:

Mellee Weapon Attacks: (close or reach): Strength + Weapon Damage + Other modifiers from skills or spells. If you have an ally in reach range of the target (flanking), you get 1 extra attack dice.

Ranged Weapon Attacks: (line of sight or a number of squares) Dexterity + Weapon Damage + Other modifiers from skills or spells. Partailly obstructed line of sight grants the defender +1 defense.

Magic Attacks: Intellect + Spell Damage + Other modifiers from skills or spells. Partailly obstructed line of sight grants the defender +1 Resistance.

Defence: defends against Mellee and Ranged Weapon attacks. Dexterity + Head armour + Body armour + Feet armour + sheild

Resistance: defends against Mellee and Ranged Magic Attacks. Intellect + Runes of Warding + Warding Accessories

Range:

All types of attacks have range.

Close: 1 square directly North, South, East, or West of the player

Reach: Includes squares directly N, S, E, or W, as well as squares diagonal (NE, NW, SE, SW) from the player

# of Squares: A set number of squares away from the player, count diagonals in the same way you would move to the target square.

Line of Sight: An unlimited distance, so long as it's not around corners. If you can't see you can't use line of sight weapons. Friendly target's dont obstruct.

Cover: If there is an obstacle that partially obstructs line of sight for a ranged attack, the defender gains +1 to defense or resistance. Obstacles can be in the form of rough terrain, corners, or other enemies. If you are standing close to a square of terrain that provides cover, your target doesn't get the defensive bonus from cover unless he has cover from another square in the line of sight.

Conditions:

Conditions are temporarily effects that can be placed on a creature. Most conditions can have up to 3 counters stacked on a single target. More counters stacked doesn't nessessarily make the condition is any worse, and some conditions are harmless with only one one or two counters stacked. Different conditions have different methods of being removed.

When condition counters are applied to a target from an enemy's attack or trap, the defending creature may roll his resistance to cancel 1 counter per success.

Aloft: (stack 10) You are TOTALLY flying! You're 1 square up for each Aloft Counter. 1 counter, you avoid all rough and hazardous terrain. 2 counters, can only attack and be attacked with ranged or reach attacks. 3 or more counters, can only attack and be attacked with ranged attacks. Each point of damage taken removes 1 aloft counter. Taking 3 or more points of damage from a single blow removes all aloft counters, and you take falling damage (1 HP for every 2 squares fallen). Flying requires effort, each turn, you must Flap, Hover, or Glide (see Flight Ability). If you are ensnared or asleep while aloft, you won't be able to take either of these actions, and you'll drop like a stone. If you find yourself aloft and you don't have the flight ability, you fall.

Blind: (Stack 3)You can't see. Attack and Defense rolls of any kind only succeed on rolls of 6. Line of sight and ranged attacks are impossible. 1 or 2 counters: Roll INT, each success removes 1 blind counter. 3 counters: Blind Counters can only be removed with Healing. Instant Cure: If you're blind because it's dark, try turning on a lights!

Bound: (Stack 3) Your upper body is tied up, and you can take no actions except moving until you are freed. You also lose your Dexterity bonus to defense. 1 counter: your off hand is unusable. attacks with 2 handed weapons aren't possible. 2 counters: your main hand and off hand are unusable. Any action that would require the use of you hands is impossible. 3 counters: you're bound so tightly you can't even struggle, you will have be untied by someone else. Escape: Primary Action. Roll Dexterity, remove 1 entangled counter per success Instant Cure: Teleport (must be cast by someone else).

Engulfed: (Stack 3) You're on fire, taking 1 damage for each Engulfed counter at the beginning of each turn. Primary Action: Stop, Drop and Roll: Roll Dexterity, remove 1 Engulfed Counter per success. Remove Engulfted counters with Healing, Instant Cure: Douse with water from square within reach (Primary Action), move to a square with water.

Ensnared: (Stack 3) You are held in place, you are unable to move, but you can still take other actions. 1 counter: -1 Mobility, 2 counters: -2 Mobility, 3 counters: You can't move from the square you're in. Escape: Primary Action. Roll Dexterity, remove 1 Ensnared counter from yourself or a close target for each success. Instant Cure: Teleport

Fatigued: (Stack 3)You're tired! Fatigue counters accumulate by going without sleep (1 counter per day) and by extended periods of strenuous excercise. 1 counter: You're tired (Harmless). 2 counters: -1 Mobility, -1 Attack. 3 counters, -1 Attack, -1 Defense, -1 Intellect, -1 Mobility, every hour, roll 1d6. if you roll a 1, you fall asleep with 3 sleep counters. Cure: spend 3 rest points remove 1 fatigue counter.

Hidden: (Stack 10) You are out of sight, and cannot be the target of attacks (though area attacks and harmful terrain can skill hurt you). Attacking or moving instantly removes all Hidden counters. Enemies searching for you cancel one Hidden counter per successful perception dice rolled. You may have up to 10 hidden counters on you

Hungry: (Unlimited Stack) Gain 1 hunger counter for each day you go without food. 1, 2 counters: Harmless. 3 counters: Temporarily lower your max HP by 1 for each day you've gone without food. Remove counters by eating. If your max HP goes to zero, you are dead from starvation.

Intoxicated: (stack 10) You're unter the influence of drugs or alcohol. 1 counter: Slightly buzzed (Harmless). 2 counters: Inebriated, -1 Intellect. 3 counters: Totally wasted!, -1 Intellect, -1 Dexterity, roll 1 dice for each drunk counter, if you roll a 1, you pass out drunk (1 sleep counter)

Oil Soaked: You're soaked in oil, exposure to open flame will cause you to become engulfed, instantly turning all your Oil Soaked counters into Engulfed counters (No resistance). Wash: Primary Action: Roll Intellect, remove 1 Oil Soaked counter from yourself or a close target. Counters wear off at a rate of 1 per hour.

Poisoned: (Stack 10) You're poisoned, taking 1 damage at the end of each turn. Each time you take damage from poison, remove 1 poison counter. Additional poison counters don't add to this damage. Remove Poison Counters with healing.

Sleep: It is nappy time. You're unable to take any actions, you lose your Dexterity bonus to your defense, and your defense and resistance rolls only succeed on 6's. If there is a noisy battle going on during his turn, the victim rolls INT, removing 1 sleep counter for each 6 rolled. After the last sleep counter has been removed, the victim wakes up and resumes taking normal actions on his next turn. Awaken: Primary Action (performed by an ally close range): Roll intellect, remove 1 sleep counter per success (4,5,6). Instant Cure: sleeper takes damage.

Drama Dice:

Each day, you start with at least 1 Drama Dice. Additional Drama Dice may be aquired through an exceptionally comfortable night's rest (see Resting) or performing heroic deeds. Spend your drama dice by adding them to any dice roll you make, even after the roll has been made, but before it's been resolved (Examples: You make an attack and it misses, spend your drama dice to try to hit. You make a skill check and you get 2 successess when you need 3, use Drama Dice to get that extra success). You can use drama dice for virtually any roll, Attacking, Defending, or skill checks.

The most Drama Dice you can have at one time is 5. Unspent Drama Dice disappear at a rate of 2 per day, but the minimum number of Drama Dice you can have following a Rest is 1.

Resting:

When you rest, you get a certain number of Rest points, determined by how comfortable your rest is. Spend 1 Rest point to regain 1 HP or 1 MP while you rest. Once you're at full HP and MP, you may spend 5 rest points and to gain a bonus Drama Dice.

Camping: 5 resting points

Basic Inn Stay: 10 gold. 10 resting points

Luxury Inn Stay: 50g, 15 resting points

Some items my add rest points when camping. Carrying the right camping gear can make a night of camping in a dungeon equivilent to an Inn Stay.

Bed Roll: camping +1

Tent: camping set up 1/2 hour +1 rest point

Campfire: camping +1

Food: Snack / Meal / Feast / Ration / Iron Ration: +1 to +3

Bath: camping: dip in nearby body of water, or use hygene kit +1

Getting Lucky: +5 rest points

Spending Resting Points:

Recover HP/MP - 1 rest point per HP or MP

Remove Fatigue Counters: -3 rest points per counter.

Extra Drama Dice - 5 rest points. You always get at least 1 Drama Dice after a rest period, without spending any rest points.

Dungeon Perils:

Dungeons are fraught with peril. Otherwise they'd just be basements. That's not to say basements can't have some danger in them, dungeons just have more. Why settle for less?

Dangers come in the form of traps, hazards, and monsters.

Traps: A trap is deliberately set to cause harm to any creature foolish enough to walk into it. They're carefully hidden, so it's usually safest to Search for traps (perception skill) as you make your way through a dungeon. Usually once a trap has been sprung, it's no longer a threat, but some traps can be reset.

Hazards: Specific Hazards have specific ways to be avoided, but otherwise, they all function in much the same way: When you step on a hazardous square, you take 1 damage. If a square you're standing on becomes hazardous, you take 1 damage. If you begin your turn on a square that is hazardous, you take 1 damage.

Pits and Cliffs: Falling causes 1 damage per 10 feet (2 levels) fallen.

Rough Terrain:Can come in many different forms, but it always has the same effect: when you move onto a square of rough terrain, it counts as moving 2 squares. Examples: Shallow water, rocky ground, deep snow, underbrush, debris, dead bodies.

Equipment:

Equipment Slots:

Main Hand: Your main weapon. A 2 Handed weapon takes up both your Main Hand and Off Hand slots.

Off Hand: Typically holds a back up weapon, a shield, or a light source. A 2 Handed weapon takes up both your Main Hand and Off Hand slots. Attacking with a weapon in your offhand weapon is a secondary action.

Once per turn, as a free action, you may change out the equipment in both your main hand and off hand with equipment from your inventory, or another main hand / off hand set. Changing equipment on Head, Body, and Feet slots is a primary action and is typically done out of combat.

Head: This is where you wear head gear, like hats and helmets. You can only wear one item on your head at a time.

Body: This is where you wear armour. You can only wear one suit of armour at a time.

Feet: This is where you wear shoes and boots. You can only wear one pair of shoes or boots at a time.

Changing out equipment in Head, Body, and Feet slots is a primary action, and may not be done while in combat.

Inventory: You have 10 inventory slots to carry items. Equipped items do not count towards this.

Stacking Items: Some identical items, like potions, arrows, rope, may be stacked in your inventory, taking up a single inventory slot. Items listed with stack values are sold individually, not in stacks (one dagger costs 25 gold, a stack of 10 daggers would cost 250 gold). If an item does not have a stack value, each identical item of this type carried takes up it's own inventory slot.

Accessories:

Characters have 3 slots to equip accessories in. Accessories are not the same as Equipmnt. Accessories are small items with a single bonus, where as some equipment may offer bonuses for Defense Dice, Attributes, and Resistance. Bonuses from Runes of Warding can't be added to accessories like they are added to other equipment, but they can serve as an accessory's sole function, granting a +1 to resistance.