Core Rules BETA v 1.

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Beta Disclaimer!
This is an unfinished BETA document. More content ins still in design.

I am NOT currently looking for:

• Typo reports. Yes, there will be typos, they will be fixed before final release, no need to
report them at this point.

I AM currently looking for feedback on:

• Spells. Are there any critical utility spells you feel are missing? Particularly Arcane spells.
• Battle reports. The MOST valuable feedback I can get are actual battle reports after
playing. What was fun, what wasn't, honest/candid reactions from the players and GM.
• Confusing wording. Some wording may be imprecise or confusing. I want to know
about this!
• Fiddly rules. The goal of Nimble is to elminiate fiddly rules that don't contribute enough
to the fun to justify thier inclusion, take too many steps, are hard to remember, you can
see yourself needing to look up, etc. Report this please.
• Backgrounds. Are there any fantasies that are not well represented?

Questions or Feedback?
The best place to join in the beta testing is on the Nimble Discord server. Some (myself
included) will be doing live playtests, submitting battle reports, and brainstorming changes.

— Evan @ Nimble Co.

What makes a TTRPG Fun? Start Here
At least one player should familiarize them self
How to Play
A typical session will consist of 1 player (the Game
Drama & Tension. But not that alone! We can watch movies or read books to scratch that itch. What
makes TTRPGS so special is being able to create the drama and change the story by making meaningful with the base rules in this book (no need for Master, or GM) describing a scenario and the other
choices. Cool choices make RPGs fun! everyone to read through unless they really 3-5 players (the party of heroes) responding to it.
want to). The included adventure is designed to There are guidelines for smaller or larger groups
This is why “railroading” is so loathed. The “choices” that players make are stripped of any consequence. introduce the rules as you play. on page XX.
What happens in a railroaded campaign, happens regardless of the choices players make. If the number
(and quality) of choices is what makes RPGs fun, then being able to make more of those choices each If you are new to RPGs it’s recommended to start The GM will provide the needed information
time you and your friends get together should make it more fun. out at level 1 using one of the premade heroes. for the party to act on, as well as the interesting
Level 1 for all of the classes is designed to be easy challenges that make it a compelling adventure.
Neither is a TTRPG a video game that can calculate many steps needed to resolve a combat encounter. to pick up, giving a small flavor of the class and Any time the outcome of an action is difficult or
When a single attack takes half a dozen or more steps to find out how much damage it does, it’s tedious. introducing the rules gradually without being uncertain, the GM may call for a roll of the dice.
Needless conferring back & forth between players to resolve every choice, players losing agency of their overwhelming. Complexity and tactical depth is When in combat, so much is uncertain that there
character—all of this can put a damper on an otherwise fun game night. layered on as you level up and progress through are additional rules to provide structure for how to
an adventure. resolve the innumerable possible outcomes.
Rules should get out of the way and enable players to be creative and do cool things more often. That is
the goal of Nimble: freeing up players so they can pack more fun into each session. If you’re experienced with RPGs, feel free to create Ask Questions. Generally the more questions
your own hero from scratch using the Heroes that are asked, the more fun everyone will end up
– Evan @ Nimble Co. book. When building your hero, perhaps what will having.
have the largest impact on how you interact with
the world is your hero’s class. Start there. Then GM: The goblin points his scimitar at you menacingly
you can flesh out other important aspects of your while holding a hostage. What do you do?
character’s race, background, what languages you
know, as well as your stats and any equipment you Hero: Is there a chandelier or anything to swing from
have. You can do these steps in any order, filling in this room?
out your character sheet as you go.
GM: Yep, but at a quick glance it looks rickety.
Alternatively, if you want to jump right into the Would you like to take a closer look or just go for it?
deep end, your GM may start your adventure at
level 3, this is when a class is more fully fledged
and you get more heroic abilities!

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 Stats
Heroes have 5 main stats. Two of which are listed as Key Stats (most important to the
function of the class), and the rest are secondary stats. Whenever you see “KEY“ in an
ability or spell description, choose one of your Key Stats and use that number.
• STRENGTH (STR): Affects STR weapon damage, resistance to wounds, STR
saves, Might, Concentration checks, and carrying capacity.
• DEXTERITY (DEX): Affects DEX weapon damage, Armor, as well as the Stealth
and Sleight of Hand skills, and DEX saves.
• INTELLIGENCE (INT): Affects known languages, spellcasting, as well as the
Arcana, Examination, and Lore skills, as well as WILL saves.
• WISDOM (WIS): Affects Initiative, spellcasting, as well as the Naturecraft and
Perception skills, and WILL saves.
• CHARISMA (CHA): Affects social encounters, spellcasting, as well as the
Insight and Influence skills, and WILL saves.

Skills
Whenever a hero wants to interact with the world, they may want to use one of
their skills. A hero’s options certainly aren’t limited to these skills, but some of
the most common ways of interaction are included below:

Arcana (INT). Your understanding of magical phenomena, spells, and

enchantments. With Arcana, you can identify magical effects, decipher arcane
symbols, and discern the properties of magical items. It also grants insights into the
abilities and weaknesses of magical beings like Aberrations, Elementals, and Oozes.

HEROES
Examination (INT). Your aptitude for thorough analysis and deduction. Use
Examination to diagnose injuries, determine causes of death, uncover clues,
unravel the workings of traps or tinker with mechanical devices. It also grants
insights into the abilities and weaknesses of Constructs.

Influence (CHA). Your persuasiveness, charm, and ability to influence others

through charisma and cunning. Use Influence to convince or deceive people,
negotiate deals, build trust, win allies to your cause, or put on a captivating
performance.

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 Insight (CHA). Your ability to understand people and situations beyond the obvious. Use Insight would mark +2 in Sleight of Hand, and Stealth) and then may place 6 additional points (spread
to sense motives, detect lies, read hidden emotions, make sense of clues, and when faced with across at least 3 different skills), increasing skills as they choose. When a hero levels up they can place
uncertainty—you can sometime just “get” what is happening. Insight can also optionally be used 1 additional skill point wherever they choose, and move 1 point from one positive skill to another skill.
to retroactively change situations! Player: Oh no! I forgot to buy rope in the town. GM: Give me
an Insight check, maybe your hero would have thought about it.

Might (STR). Your raw physical power and ability to apply it effectively. Use Might for lifting
Skill Checks
When doing something challenging (convincing an NPC, spotting a hidden enemy, picking a lock,
heavy objects, breaking through obstacles, climbing, wrestling, and performing feats of strength etc.), the GM can ask a hero to make a particular skill check. To make a skill check roll 1d20 and add your
and endurance. skill to the result. This is compared to a number (the Difficulty Challenge or DC), that must be rolled
(or higher) to succeed, otherwise its a failure. The DC will vary depending on what is being attempted:
Lore (INT). Your understanding of the history of civilization, kingdoms, and religions. Use Lore • Spotting a large Ogre crouched behind a small bush might be a DC 8 Perception check.
to recall historical events, and grasp the significance of cultural practices. It extends to knowledge • A hidden doorway behind a bookcase might be a DC 12 Examination check.
of Celestials, Dragons, Fey, Fiends, Giants, Humanoids, and Undead, providing insights into their • Attempting to calm an injured Owlbear stuck in a trap may be a DC 16 Naturecraft check.
behavior, and abilities. • Intuiting the true intentions of a trained Spy may be a DC 18 Insight check.
• Disarming an ancient legendary magical trap might be a DC 20 Sleight of Hand check.
Naturecraft (WIS). Your expertise in wilderness survival, navigation, tracking, and the
handling of animals. Use Naturecraft to thrive in the wild, identify flora and fauna, and track
GMs: Reveal the DC or Keep it secret? Typically, a DC is hidden information for the GM only.
creatures with precision. It encompasses knowledge of Beasts, Monstrosities, and Plants, However, there can be times when letting the players know what the DC is before they roll can
providing insights into their behavior, habitats, and characteristics. really increase the drama of a moment. See the GM book for more info on how/when to call for a
skill check.

Perception (WIS). Your overall awareness and allowing you to notice subtle details in your
surroundings. Use Perception to spot hidden objects, detect secret passages, sense subtle
environmental changes, and sense when you’re being followed or observed. It encompasses
your ability to pick up on non-obvious cues, and the presence of hidden threats. Advantage & Disadvantage
If you are ever in a situation where things are strongly in your favor, the GM may allow you to make
Sleight of Hand (DEX). Your ability to use of your hands in clever or sneaky ways. Use Slight of a roll with Advantage: To do this, roll 1 additional die and remove the lowest. Alternatively if the
Hand for activities such as picking locks, piloting vehicles, card tricks, stealing or planting items, situation is grim or your idea a long shot, you may have to roll with disadvantage (removing the
and any other task that requires precise hand movements and quick reflexes. highest die instead).
You may accumulate multiple stacks of advantage or disadvantage, in this case roll & remove
Stealth (DEX). Your proficiency in remaining unseen and moving silently. Use Stealth to an additional lowest/highest die for each stack.1 stack of advantage will cancel out 1 stack of
hide from enemies, slip past guards, evade detection, and move without attracting attention. disadvantage before rolling. When there is a tie, removing dice from left to right always results
It encompasses your ability to blend into shadows, conceal your presence in plain sight, and in the preferred outcome.
navigate environments without making a sound.
The GM also may allow up to 1 other hero to Help (pg xx) with any skill check if they can

Skill Points
reasonably explain how they can do so (a Berserker with -2 in Arcana likely couldn’t help with
identifying an arcane symbol). If a hero ever has such a great idea or the situation calls for it,
At level 1, a hero marks their stat bonuses into each of their respective skills (e.g., a hero with +2 DEX the GM may allow a hero to succeed automatically with no roll required.

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 Saves Hit Dice
Hit Dice (HD) represent a hero’s stamina. They range from a d6 for fragile classes to a d12 for
Some spells, abilities, and other dangers test a creature’s physical prowess or constitution (STR
save), speed or balance (DEX save), or mental fortitude (WILL save). To make a save, roll 1d20 and sturdier ones. All heroes start with 1 HD at level 1, gaining 1 more each time they level up. HD
add your relevant stat. Each save effect has a DC that must be rolled (or higher) to save, otherwise are typically spent during Short Rests to regain Hit Points and can also fuel special abilities.
it is a failure. A natural 20 always saves regardless of other modifiers. Save effects ignore Armor, During a Long Rest, heroes regain a number of Hit Dice equal to their STR (min 1).
do not crit, but neither do they miss on a damage roll of 1.

• STR Save. When subjected to forced movement, poison, frigid temperatures or the ability Speed & Distance
A hero’s speed is how fast they can move. Often play is done on a grid with 1 inch squares or
to hold onto a cliff in a windstorm.
• DEX Save. When you need to dive for cover in an explosion, stay on your feet while hexagons representing 5 ft. each. So when a hero with a 30 ft. speed moves, they travel up to
running across an icy floor or balancing on the edge of a building. 6 spaces horizontally or diagonally.
• WILL Save. (The highest of your INT, WIS, or CHA). When you need to resist mind
altering effects, illusions, charm, fear or other psychic forces. Alternate Options. For a quicker, more loose game you can forego the grid and
measure typical movement roughly from pinky to thumb. Slightly less for players
with large hands (or slower characters), a bit more for our tiny-handed friends (or
Heroes and Saves faster characters).
Each hero has 1 advantaged save (+), 1 disadvantaged save (–), and 1 neutral save. For instance
a Berserker (STR+, WILL–) would roll all of his STR saves with advantage and all of his WILL saves
with disadvantage. If preferred, you can use a more abstracted system of movement just as well. Use close, medium,
and long range. 1 move can traverse from long range to medium; medium to close; and vice versa.
Melee or touch abilities are close range, spells and weapons with range of 20–60 ft. are medium
The DC for effects that heroes cause is always 10+KEY. range, beyond that is long range.

As always, the GM will adjudicate unclear situations and which creatures are affected by abilities
• A save DC of 8 is easy • A save DC of 16 is hard
with an area of effect.
• A save DC of 12 is moderate • A save DC of 20+ is extremely hard

Armor Hit Points & Dying

Your Hit Points (HP) represent your ability to take damage and keep on going. Taking damage
Represents your hero’s ability dodge or block damage from monster attacks. Your Armor reduces
lowers your HP. When you drop to 0 HP, gain 1 Wound (see below) and are dying. While dying,
incoming damage only when you use the Defend reaction (see page 16).
actions are is limited to 1, Concentration is broken, you are at risk of further serous harm:
Defend Yourself! If you’re standing right next to a baddie with an axe and you’re not doing
anything to defend yourself, chances are, you’re going to get axed! • Attacking/casting spells causes 1 Wound unless you make a DC 10 STR save.
• Taking damage while dying causes 2 Wounds, a crit causes 3 instead.

Initiative
How quickly you can perceive and react to danger. Mark your WIS bonus and any applicable
Temporary HP
Some abilities or effects may grant Temporary HP (Temp HP), these are reduced first when
taking damage. If a hero with Temp HP would gain more, instead of adding them together,
class or racial bonuses here.
they choose which amount to use. Temp HP expire on a Long Rest.

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 Wounds
Wounds are serious injuries you’ve taken, they are long term gauge of how close you are to death.
Languages
All heroes speak Common by default, some backgrounds will grant another language.
Each Wound imposes a –1 to d20 rolls when outside of combat only. HP can usually be recovered
Additionally each point of INT grants an additional language known.
quickly, but Wounds may take many days of resting to fully recover from (usually 1/Long Rest).
Common Languages
Death • Common. Most intelligent creatures speak common to some extent.
A hero dies when they take their maxium number of wounds (typically 6). There are few ways
• Dwarvish. Typically spoken by Dwarves, Gnomes, and Giants.
to revive a hero who has died, but they come at a cost. A soul can be coaxed back to the realm
• Elvish. Typically spoken by Elves, Fey, and Sylvan creatures.
of the living only so many times before becoming untethered or worse...
• Goblin. Typically spoken by Goblins and Orcs.

Alternate Dying Rules. For a more challenging or “old school” style of game, reduce the maxi-
mum number of wounds a hero gets. Anywhere from a maximum of 5 wounds for slightly harder,
Exotic Languages
all the way down to 0 wounds for a very lethal game! • Infernal. Typically spoken by a variety of Fiends
• Thieves’ Cant. Known by scoundrels of various backgrounds.
• Celestial. Typically spoken by Celestial beings.

Money
Currency is made up of Copper (cp), Silver (sp) and Gold pieces (gp). 1 gold = 10 silver; 1
•
•
Draconic. Dragons, Dragonkin, Kobolds.
Primordial. Elementals & Ancient Beings.
• Undercommon. The common language of underworld dwellers.
silver = 10 copper and each hero starts with 2d4x10 gp to buy their starting equipment
Most small towns will have equipment and items worth 50 gp or less. You’ll need to adventure GROFWINT DRAGLON! Speaking the language of other creatures may open doors and enable
to larger towns or cities or find a traveling merchant to purchase more valuable pieces of options otherwise impossible. A heroic party, armed to the teeth, and not knowing a language, is
frequently met with hostility.
equipment.

Real world value. The value of copper, silver, and gold can be difficult for players to grasp.
These guidelines can help: 1 cp is roughly equivalent to $1, 1 sp is roughly equivalent to $10,
1 gp is roughly equivalent to $100. A village laborer could earn 1 cp/day, or 3–4 gp/year. A
moderately skilled worker could earn 1 sp/day, or 30–40 gp/year. A well-to-do merchant could
earn 1 gp per day, or 300–400 gp/year.
• A small introductory village quest could be worth 1–50 gp per character. (level 1–2)
• A mid-sized town quest could be worth 50–500 gp per character (levels 2–4).
• A large city quest could be worth 500–5,000 gp per character (levels 4–10).
• A REALM-sized quest could be worth 5,000–50,000+ gp per character (levels 10+).

But my character is a wealthy noble! That’s fine, but your character only has access to this
amount of gold for now. Why your wealth is currently inaccessible is up to you and your GM; unlock-
ing your full riches could be a great quest!

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 Leveling Up
The GM should allow the Heroes to level up whenever they complete a level appropriate adventure.
Inventory Slots
Each hero has inventory slots equal to 10 + STR to carry equipment and loot. 1 inventory slot
At level 1 this may be as simple as clearing some angry rats out of a basement or rescuing can hold: a shield, a one-handed weapon, armor, a quiver of 20 arrows, a stack of javelins or
someone from the woods. A simple task that should generally take no more than a couple hours darts, 500gp, or 2 potions. A two-handed weapon or other similarly bulk item takes 2 slots.
of play time, or half a day of in-game time. Each subsequent level appropriate adventure will
generally take longer. Alternatively: Your GM may allow you to carry what you want without the bookkeeping. So long
as you’re reasonable!
Levels 2-5 you might level up after each session or every other session; days or weeks of in-game
time. Levels 6-12 after approximately every 2 or 3 sessions, or months/years of in-game time;
and beyond that you reach the rarified heights of truly epic heroes; leveling up perhaps only
every 3-5+ sessions or years/decades of in-game time. When a hero gains a level:
Equipment Proficiency
Heroes can use any equipment they like; however, each character class has a list of weapons
and armor types they are most skilled with.
• HP Increase. Roll your Hit Die with advantage and add that to your maximum HP. • Weapons used without proficiency cannot crit and roll with disadvantage.
• More Endurance. Your Hit Die max increases by 1 (it is usually equal to your level). • Defending while wearing armor worn without proficiency costs 1 additional Action.
• More Skilled. Gain 1 skill point, and you may move 1 positive skill point to a different skill.
• Class Features. Gain new class features for your level. This may mean increasing your
mana pool, new spells, or even selecting a new subclass!
• Other Adjustments. If any of your base stats increase, remember to adjust other
Magical Items
elements of your character sheet as needed (skills, damage, initiative, armor, mana,
languages, etc).
& Attunement
In order to use some magical items, they may first require Attunement: the synchronization of
a soul and item. A character must hold and concentrate on a magical item during a Short Rest

Multiclassing
Generally it is not recommended to pick a different class as you level up. However, if your GM
to attune to it. Most magical items can only be attuned to 1 character at a time.

A character can be attuned to INT magical items at one time (min 1).
wants to allow for some additional creativity for experienced players (and potentially broken
combos!) add multiclassing as a variant rule.

When they level up, heroes may choose any class. For example when a level 4 Berserker levels
up, he could pick Commander, and take the level 1 Commander features instead of the level
5 Berserker features. He would have 4d12 hit dice and a single d10 hit die. A hero should use
the saves of whichever class has the highest level.

“Broken” can be fun! Planning, building, optimizing and “breaking” a class build IS the fun for
many people. The GM may want to make the game substantially more challenging if multiclassing
is allowed. The GM also reserves the right to veto any particularly degenerate, unfun, or implausi-
ble combo for the sake of the story and overall fun of the table. If this happens, well done! Your hero
was too powerful for reality.

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 C O M B AT
Heroic Actions
Heroes get 3 Actions to attack, move around the battlefield, cast spells, etc. on their turn. Generally
doing any single thing in combat will cost 1 Action. Some abilities are free and do not cost take
an Action to perform. Some very strong spells or special abilities may take more time and thus cost
more Actions. All 3 Actions recharge at the END of your turn, so there’s no need to save them up.
Spend them all on your turn and when you’re done, you get them all back Use your Actions to:

Attack
Roll the die listed on the weapon, ability, or spell and deal that much damage
to a chosen target. Rolling a 1 means the attack misses, it deals no damage and
has no other effect. or attacks with multiple dice, the die that lands the leftmost
is called the Primary Die, it determines whether the attack is a hit, miss, or crit.

Exploding Critical Hits. Any time you get the highest number on a Primary Die, that is a critical
hit (crit). When a hero lands a crit, that attack ignores the monster’s Armor (see pg. XX). The Primary
Die is also rolled again and added to the total. There is no limit to how many times this damage can
stack, except your luck!

Rushed Attacks. A hero may attack more than once on their turn, but these additional attacks are
rushe , i osin stac o isa anta e or each a itional attac a ter the first increasin the
chance to miss and lowering the average damage for subsequent attacks. Any spells that can harm
an enemy counts toward Rushed Attacks.

Cast Spells
Casting a spell requires a hero to have 1 hand free (or a held spellcasting focus),
the ability to speak, and may require Mana as well (a spell’s mana cost is equal
to its spell tier, cantrips cost no mana). Upcasting Spells. Some spells have
greater effect when additional Mana is spent on them. A hero can upcast a
spell only up to the tier they have unlocked.

Assess
A great way to include RP moments into combat. If you need more
information, or an edge in combat, a hero can use an Action to make a skill
check to uncover information, spot a weakness or damage vulnerability,
intuit enemy tactics/plans, etc.

Example: A DC 18 Arcana check could reveal the weaknesses/mechanics of a relevant magical

creature; a DC 22 Examination check might reveal an enemy’s soft underbelly, lowering their Armor
by one step for a round.

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 Move Help
A character can use an Action to move up to their speed. This movement can Grant an ally advantage on an attack, skill check, or saving throw if you can
be broken up with other Actions if desired, and a hero can use multiple Actions reasonably explain to the GM how you could help in a given situation (limit
to Move multiple times in one turn. When in Difficult Terrain, movement of one help reaction for each roll). The GM may call for a skill check or grant
speed is halved. advantage automatically, depending on how good the idea is. A fantastic way
to bring role-playing and creativity into a combat encounter!
Forced Movement. Any time a character’s movement is forced (shoving, knockback, etc.), if that

Starting Combat
movement is halted by anything in the environment, they take 1d6 bludgeoning damage for each
5 ft. square the movement was cut short. If they hit another creature, both take this damage.

A combat encounter begins when the GM tells the party to “Roll Initiative!” Each player will roll
1d20 and add their Initiative bonus. If the result is a single digit, that character starts combat

Heroic Reactions
Reactions are Actions performed when it is not your turn. A hero can perform each reaction no
with 1 Action, if the result is 2 digits they start combat with 2, and a result of 20+ (or a natural
20) nets you all 3 Actions! Regardless of what a hero rolls on Initiative, at the end of their turn
they gain all 3 Actions back.
more than 1/round, and they will start their turn with that many fewer Actions. The Reactions are:
Surprise. Occasionally a party may maneuver themselves so adeptly that their enemy is
Defend completely caught off guard. In this case the GM may grant the party advantage on initiative
Reduce damage from any single attack by your Armor whenever you use this or in extreme cases they may not need to roll initiative at all—the GM can allow each Hero will
reaction. At the GM’s discretion, some damage may not be avoidable (i.e., start their first turn with all 3 Actions.
psychic damage, or some areas of effect).
Merely being hidden or punching first is not sufficient to gain surprise. If an enemy is on
Interpose guard or at all aware of your presence they cannot be surprised. If the party is surprised, they may
If an ally within 10 ft. would be struck with an attack, you can push them out roll with disadvantage or in extreme cases automatically start combat with only 1 Action.
of the way and become the new target of the attack. You enter their square
and move them to an adjacent square of your choice. Turn Order. When combat begins, by default, Heroes go first. Whichever player is ready
first (or whichever makes the most sense story-wise) goes first, with play proceeding around
Can I Interpose and Defend at the same time? Yes! As long as you have enough Actions to the table clockwise. The GM can hold all of the monster’s turns to the end of the round or
spend. You won’t, however, be able to do either reaction again until your next turn is over since interleave their turns between the hero’s turns as the story demands. A monster (or monster
each of those is limited to 1/round.
group) should act at the same time each round.

Opportunity Attack Playing virtually? You can go alphabetically, in webcam order, or however else is easiest to track!
A melee attack made with disadvantage when an adjacent enemy moves
away. Common monsters do not make opportunity attacks, only heroes and nc u e e e fle e. If 2 players want to strategically switch their turns for
legendary monsters (e.g., bosses) can use them. one round to facilitate teamwork or a execute a tactical plan, the GM can allow this at his/her
discretion. This should be done only occasionally though to avoid slowing the game down or
losing track of who has gone or not.

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 Acting Over Multiple Turns
For abilities that cost more than 1 Action, your Actions can be spent over multiple turns in combat
Conditions
Some attacks, traps, spells, or other effects can also inflict conditions—usually negative effects
as long as concentration is maintained and you cannot spend Actions (you may do free Actions). other than damage. Some condition are temporary, lasting as little as a single round, others may
last until cured some way. Some can be ended by using an Action to make an appropriate save.
Example: Book, the Mage, wants to cast Pyroclasm (3 Actions), but only has 1 action left. He’ll • Blinded. Can’t see. Attacks against it have advantage, and its attacks have disadvantage.
s en ction on this turn, an on his ne t turn s en ore to finish castin the s ell
• Bloodied. At half HP or less.
• Charmed. Sees the charmer as an ally. Charmer has advantage on social interactions with them.

Hiding & Stealth

• Dazed. A dazed creature loses 1 Action.
• Frightened. Disadvantage on rolls while the source of its fear is nearby. Moving closer to
To hide, a creature must be outside line of sight of any enemy and then use an Action to make the source of fear is treated as difficult terrain.
a Stealth check (roll 1d20 and add your Stealth skill). A result of less than 10 is a failure to hide. • Grappled/Restrained. Cannot move. Attacks against it have advantage. DEX or STR save
n a success, this is the DC to be found. The first attack you make while hidden is made with ends (Action). orced movement or incapacitation of the grappler can end it as well.
advantage, ending the hidden condition. If this attack kills the enemy and you are not in line • Incapacitated. Can’t do anything. Attacks against the creature have advantage and melee
of sight of any other enemy, you may remain hidden instead. attacks that hit are automatic crits. Identical to Paralyzed, Stunned, and Unconscious.
• Invisible. Cannot be seen by normal means, although noise, scent, or tracks may be detected.

Dual Wielding
The creature’s attacks have advantage and attacks against the creature have disadvantage.
• e e . Incapacitated. Also has all the benefits and drawbacks of being a rock Immune
Heroes may wield two Light weapons at the same time. Instead of attacking with a mainhand to most damage except from large explosions or a determined pick (or similar tool).
and offhand weapon separately, 1/round roll both weapon dice and choose either result. You • Poisoned. Disadvantage on rolls.
may dual wield 1-handed weapons without the Light property if your STR is 3 or greater. • Prone. Speed is halved and disadvantage on attacks. Melee attacks against them have
advantage, ranged attacks have disadvantage. Spend 15 ft. of movement to stand up.

Concentration
• Taunted. Disadvantage on attacks except against the most recent taunter.

Some spells have a long lasting effect and require Concentration to be maintained to continue their Other minor statuses: (e.g., Burning, Distracted, Slowed) These minor statuses are described
when they are used. Some spells and abilities have additional effects against such targets.
effect. Whenever a character is crit while concentrating, they must make a Concentration check: a
DC 10 STR save. Failing this means concentration is broken and the spell ceases. Concentration is
automatically broken whenever a character drops to 0 hp.
Grappling
Weapon Properties
A creature can use an Action to attempt to Grapple a creature of the same size or smaller. They
both make their choice of a DEX or STR save.
• Range. Attacks can be made from afar, if an enemy is adjacent to you, your ranged
attacks are made with disadvantage.
• Reach. How close an enemy must be to targeted by a melee attack. Typically 5 ft. Cover
A creature that is partially obscured from line of sight (e.g., a bush or desk) has half cover and
• Reload. Some weapons require extra Actions to reload before they can be fired again.
• Thrown. A melee weapon that can be at range. nce thrown, you no longer have it imposes 1 stack of disadvantage. A creature mostly obscured from line of sight, ( e.g., standing
• Vicious. Roll 1 additional die whenever you roll critical hit damage. behind a tree, within an arrow slit) has 3/ cover and imposes 2 stacks of disadvantage.

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 Additional Optional Rules
If your playgroup likes extra little tactical nuggets, you can try out these additional variants to Sucker Punch
add some more spice to your game. A character standing up from prone gives enemies the chance to take opportunity attacks. This
makes sense story-wise and adds tactical depth.
Small Groups
A GM and a single hero can play with the aid of a sidekick. Sidekicks are an NPC that the hero’s Playing Dead
player controls during combat and the GM controls outside of combat. Sidekicks get 2 Actions Whenever a Hero drops to 0 hp they can attempt to play dead by making a contested
and are always 1 level below the hero character. If the main hero dies, the sidekick can be Influence check (or other skill check as the situation demands).
upgraded 1 level, and hire his own sidekick to keep the adventure going! A GM can optionally
allow one or two sidekicks with a Party of 2-3 heroes as well. Inspiration
Whenever a player does something memorable (role play a great moment, make everyone
Large Groups laugh, miss an attack multiple times in a row, or otherwise engages in desired behavior etc.),
Adventures are typically balanced for parties of 3-5 players. Playing with very large groups the GM can grant them Inspiration. The ability to reroll any single die they roll in the future.
(6-10+ heroes) can be made far more manageable simply by limiting each hero’s Actions to 2 Inspiration expires after Long Rests if unused.
instead of 3. No other rebalancing needs be done.
Retreat
Critical Healing It’s a dangerous world out there, some encounters will be very dangerous or even deadly—not
Treat healing just like an attack roll. Rolling the maximum is a critical heal (rolling again just every encounter is necessarily going to be “level appropriate.” Any player may call for a retreat
like a critical hit), rolling 1 is a failure to heal (note: this variant is FUN for the right group that on their turn, and if the party agrees—unless there is a good reason story-wise that a party
enjoys big, dramatic, swingy moments). Consider increasing the die by one step if you use this couldn’t escape (e.g., they are trapped in nets and completely surrounded by a band of nasty
variant. kobolds) the GM can allow the party to retreat from the fight.

I Have the High Ground! The GM will give each player a chance to describe what they do to escape the losing fight, it
A character that is on moderately higher ground than their target gains +1 damage on may involve casting a spell to cover their tracks, using a special piece of equipment, a skill
attacks (e.g., standing on the higher slope of a hill or on a desk). If a character is much higher check or simply describing. Reasonable consequences may follow, for example: an additional
than their target (e.g., in a tree or flying and shooting to the ground) they gain a +2 to their Wound, taking damage as you flee, failing whatever quest you were on. If the retreat ideas are
damage. particularly good, the GM may allow the party to escape without additional consequence. The
embarrassment of retreating is often punishment enough for heroes!
I… had the High Ground
Taking a critical hit while at a height may cause a character to fall down. A reasonable STR save Boons
may be called for, but a weak kobold may just fall automatically. Very dramatic! A GM might choose a boon (see the GM’s guide) that befits a heroes’ conduct when they level up
instead of a stat increase. It is the player’s choice to take the boon or the stat increase.
Thrown Potions
Treat potions like ranged attacks (30/60 range). Roll the potion dice as normal, choosing one
ahead of time as the Primary Die. The potion misses on a 1, otherwise it heals for half as much
since some splashes away and is wasted.

20 21
 Short Rests
Short Rests require at least 15 minutes to catch your breath and tend to your wounds, but could
also be a full night spent camping under the stars. Upon completing a Short Rest, you may expend
any number of Hit Dice to regain HP equal to the sum rolled. If you rest at least 6 hours with food
and sleep, roll the Hit Dice with advantage.

Long Rests
Long Rests require at least 6 hours of sleep in a safe place designated by your DM, typically
lodging at an inn; but could also be at a secret oasis, a well-stocked cabin in the woods, near a
sacred shrine, or the like. Camping in the open wilderness or in a dungeon is not sufficient for
gaining the benefits of a Long Rest.

After a Long Rest, Heroes recover all of their HP, Mana (and other class specific resources), a number
of Hit Dice equal to their STR (min 1) and heal 1 Wound. Long Rests are a great opportunity for
downtime as well.

Downtime
Downtime consists of generally safe moments in a town between adventures. These are
moments to recuperate from a long adventure, meet NPCs, collect rumors, buy & sell, research,

RESTING &
prepare for upcoming adventures, train different skills, pursuing one’s own personal goals,
fleshing out back stories—anything to better connect with the story and its stakes.

It need not take up a lot of time at the table, it may simply be a few minutes asking questions

DOWNTIME
and narrating what happens. When heroes better connect with the people of the world around
them stories can often have more meaning. It opens opportunities to make friends, enemies,
be betrayed, have competitions, spend money, show off, and give depth & personality to the
characters you are playing.

Rest for how long?! If your table prefers to largely skip downtime activities, and narrate past a
week of resting, that’s okay too!

LODGING. The cheapest rooms at an inn save you money but may lead to complications. On the
other hand, some inns may allow you to pay a premium for a nicer room, giving you a Temporary
Boon. Typical Prices (each person/day) Poor (1 sp), Comfortable (5 gp), Lavish (5 gp) Gain one
Temporary Boon the following day.

22 23
 Melee Weapons

EQUIPMENT
ITEM DAMAGE PROPERTIES COST

Dagger 1d4+DEX Piercing Light, Reach 5 ft., Thrown 20 ft. 3 gp

Whip 1d4+DEX Slashing Light, Reach 10–15 ft., Vicious 5 gp
Hand Scythe 1d4+DEX Slashing Reach 5 ft., Vicious 10 gp
Mace 1d6+STR Bludgeoning Reach 5 ft. 2 gp
Hand Axe 1d6+STR Slashing Light, Reach 5 ft., Thrown 20 ft. 6 gp
Short Sword 1d6+STR Slashing or 1d6+DEX piercing Light, Reach 5 ft. 8 gp
Staff 1d8+DEX Bludgeoning 2-handed, Reach 5 ft. 8 gp
Rapier 2d4+DEX Piercing Reach 5 ft. 30 gp
Longsword 1d8+STR Slashing Reach 5 ft. 40 gp
Glaive 1d10+STR Slashing 2-handed, Reach 5-10 ft. 40 gp
Pike 1d10+STR Piercing 2-handed, Reach 5-10 ft. 40 gp
Lucerne Hammer 1d10+STR Bludgeoning 2-handed, Reach 5-10 ft. 40 gp
Greatmaul 1d12+STR Bludgeoning 2-handed, Reach 5 ft. 80 gp
Greataxe 2d6+STR Slashing 2-handed, Reach 5 ft. 100 gp
Greatsword 3d4+STR Slashing/Piercing 2-handed, Reach 5 ft., Vicious 120 gp

Ranged Weapons
ITEM DAMAGE PROPERTIES COST

Sling 1d4+DEX Bludgeoning 2-handed, Range 10-80 ft. 2 gp

Javelin 1d6+STR Piercing Range 10-30 ft. (stack of 3) 5 gp
Throwing Hammers 1d6+STR Bludgeoning Range 10-30 ft. (stack of 6) 5 gp
Shortbow 1d6+DEX Piercing Range 10-80 ft. 10 gp
Longbow 1d8+DEX Piercing Range 10-120 ft. 30 gp
Crossbow 1d12+DEX Piercing Reload: 1 Action, Range 5-50 ft. (Req. 2 STR) 20 gp
Handheld Ballista 1d20+ DEX Piercing Reload: 2 Actions, Range 5-50 ft. (Req. 3 STR) 80 gp

24 25
Armor Adventuring Equipment
ITEM ARMOR COST ITEM PROPERTIES COST

ROBES Healing Potion (1 Action) Heal 2d4+4 HP 50 gp

Common Clothing DEX 5 sp Greater Healing Potion (1 Action) Heal 3d6+6 HP 150 gp
Adventurer’s Clothing 2+DEX 5 gp Supreme Healing Potion (1 Action) Heal 4d8+8 HP 450 gp
Minor Enchantment 3+DEX 50 gp Crowbar It’s LIKE a key 1 gp
Major Enchantment 4+DEX 1,000 gp Vial of Pitch ERY flammable 1 gp
Rope (50 ft.) You always need rope 1 gp
LEATHER
Chain (10 ft.) Like rope, but stronger (and heavy) 5 gp
Cheap Hides 3+DEX 1 gp
Bucket Also works as a hat in a pinch 1 sp
Ox Hide 4+DEX 20 gp
Padlock & key Lock it or lose it. 1 gp
Studded Leather (Req 1 STR) 5+DEX 300 gp
Mirror For medusas AND spinach teeth. 2 gp
Wyrmhide (Req 1 STR) 6+DEX 2,000 gp
Telescope Arrr. 10 gp
MAIL
Magnifying glass Make the small, big. 5 gp
Rusty Mail Scraps 7+DEX (max 2) 5 gp
Chalk Not JUST for kids 1 cp
Chain Shirt (Req 2 STR) 9+DEX (max 2) 60 gp
Shovel Sometimes you need a hole dug. 5 sp
Scale Mail (Req 3 STR) 12+DEX (max 2) 700 gp
Pulley Pull down, go up. 5 sp
Dragonscale (Req 3 STR) 15+DEX (max 2) 3,000 gp
Grappling Hook or climbing or catching BIG fish. 1 gp
PLATE
Whistle VERY loud. 1 gp
Rusty Plate (Req 2 STR) 10 10 gp Saw For cutting lumber 1 gp
Half Plate (Req 3 STR) 14 200 gp Soap Useless 1 sp
Full Plate (Req 4 STR) 18 2,000 gp Strange Plant Who knows? 5 sp
Mithril Plate (Req 4 STR) 22 5,000 gp Shiny Object Worthless, but VERY pretty 1 sp

SHIELDS Lock Picks Just in case... 1 gp

Leather Buckler 1 2 gp Lantern & Oil For when its dark 3 gp

Iron Shield (Req 2 STR) 2 30 gp Bell For service 1 gp

Tower Shield (Req 3 STR) 3 500 gp Dice LOTS of fun 5 cp

Dragon Shield (Req 3 STR) 4 3000 gp Blanket Warm & fuzzy 5 gp

Hunting Trap Snap snap, don’t lose a finger 5 gp

26 27
 Common Races
Your race, lineage, or ancestry — this is how your character was born and how others see you at
first glance. You may be a dwarf, raised in the mines under the mountain with countless other
dwarves, or you may be an elf raised by goblins It’s up to you to choose how your character
began. Choose 1 race and add its bonus to your character sheet.

Human (Medium)
ound in every terrain and environment, their curiosity and ambition drive them to explore
and adapt. Their curiosity and ambition drive them to every corner of the world, making them a
ubiquitous and versatile race.
Adaptable. +1 to all skills. +1 to Initiative.

Elf (Medium)
Elves epitomize swiftness grace, their tall slender forms belie their innate speed, grace, and
wit. ormidable in both diplomacy and combat. Elves strike swiftly, often preventing the worst
by acting first.
Swiftness & grace. +3 to Initiative.

Flavor is free. ant to lay a tout al in instea o a uc y one cute u an instea o

a table s lon as the is on boar , o or it

Dwarf (Medium)
Dwarf, in the old language means stone. You are resilient, solid, stout. Even when driven to
exhaustion, you will not falter. orgoing speed, you are gifted with physical vitality, and a belly that
can handle the finest and worst consumables this world has to offer.
Stout. +2 max Hit Dice, +1 max Wounds, 5ft. Speed.

RACE &
Halfling (Small)
ind of like a human, but smaller (except for the feet). Where does our luck come from Well...you
know what they say about rabbits We’ve got feet for days compared to them. Imagine the amount

BACKGROUND
of luck you could fit into these bad boys
Lucky. Whenever you would fail a save, you can choose to succeed instead. 1/Long Rest.

28 29
 Exotic Races
Your setting may or may not support these races, check with your GM first before selecting one.

Bunbun (Small)
Bunbun are agile and unpredictable, using their powerful legs to leap great distances and
catch foes off guard. acing a Bunbun means contending with an opponent who can strike
from unexpected angles and swiftly reposition themselves in the heat of battle.
Bunny Legs. (1/encounter). You can hop up to your speed in any direction for free after
Defending (after damage is dealt).

Dragonborn (Medium)
The soul of a dragon burns within you, the scales of your body like forged steel. You are a kiln and
your heritage the coals that stoke your flames. To be dragonkin is to call upon your fury, to speak in
the tongue of your ancestors, and infuse unbridled fury into your actions.
Draconic Infusion. May infuse an attack with draconic energy, dealing additional damage equal
to your level divided among any number of targets you’ve damaged this turn (ignoring armor).
Recharges whenever you long rest or gain the dying condition.

Flavor is free. Want to be a Frog-folk instead of a Bunbun? A Flameborn Dragon? Makes sense!
A winged Fairy instead of a Birdfolk? Sure! A Badgerfolk instead of a Stoatling? As long as it makes
sense and your GM is game, go for it!

What about Half–Races? Mix the character races however makes sense in your world. You can
pick one racial bonus and use it instead of both, or use both half as effectively or half as often.

Kobold (Small)
Small, often maniacal and dragon obsessed, kobolds thrive in the shadows, finding ingenious ways
to survive despite their diminutive size. Their cute appearance masks a tenacity, underestimated
by many, kobolds prove time and again that even the smallest among us can wield great power.
The Cuteness. orce an enemy to reroll an attack against you 1/encounter. +3 to Influence
friendly characters. Advantage on skill checks related to dragons.

Tiefling (Medium)
Said to have been born from the union of man and fiend, tieflings often find themselves
outcasts in society. Yet, they embody determination in the face of adversity. Their ancestors
didn’t emerge from the depths of the Everflame to succumb to minor setbacks
Flameborn. Your Neutral save is Advantaged instead.

30 31
 Goblin (Small)
Green, cunning, and perpetually vilified, goblins thrive on the edge of chaos. With each
challenge they face, they reveal a new trick from their sleeves. For a goblin, vanishing into the
shadows is not just a skill—it’s an identity. After all, what kind of goblin would you be if you
couldn’t slip away unnoticed?
Shifty. Can move 10 ft. for free (ignoring difficult terrain) after you become the target of an
attack or negative effect (after damage is dealt).

Orc (Medium)
Just when you think you’ve bested a mighty Orc, you’ve merely succeeded in rousing their
anger. Engaging in combat with an Orc is no endeavor for the weak–willed. While others may
cower before death’s approach, Orcs boldly defy its grasp.
Relentless. Any time you would gain the Dying condition, you may set your HP to your
character level instead. 1/Long Rest.

Birdfolk (Medium)
Birdfolk find sanctuary not in stone or chains, but within the boundless expanse of the sky.
However, the gift of flight comes with a delicate price—hollow bones, and commensurate frailty.
Winged. You have a fly speed as long as you are wearing Leather or lighter armor.
Hollow Bones. Critical hits against you are Vicious. Forced movement affects you twice as much.

Stoatling (Small)
Stoatlings may be small, but they’re far from weak. With fierce determination and warrior
hearts, they can take down foes many times their size. Their agility and tenacity let them
exploit larger enemies’ weaknesses, turning their size into a lethal advantage.
Small but Ferocious. Whenever you make a single target attack against a larger creature,
roll 1 additional d6 for each size it is larger than you. They do the same.

Planarbeing (Medium)
You are not from this plane of existence, your soul in not as strongly tethered to it as others.
But with this vulnerability comes power, the ability to temporarily shift from one plane to
another in times of dire need.
Planeshift. Whenever you Defend you can instead gain 1 Wound to temporarily phase out of
the material plane and ignore the damage. –2 maximum Wounds.

Oozeling/Construct (Medium)
What even is a “people“ anyway? If you can squish yourself into a pair of pants, or swing a
sword, like everyone else, why CAN’T you be a people too?!
Odd Constitution. Your Hit Dice always heal you for the maximum amount. Magical healing
always heals you for the minimum amount.

32 33
 Spells
There are 6 main schools of magic, each with their own basic spells called cantrips and 9 tiers
of more powerful spells. As heroes level up they may gain access to higher tiers of spells.
Heroes can cast any spells from the schools that they know within the tiers they have unlocked.

Spells and Mana. More powerful spells require a portion of the spellcaster’s life force to fuel:
Mana. A spell’s mana cost is equal to it tier. Cantrips cost no mana.

Fire Spells. Deal high, consistent, damage at medium range. Some fire spells can inflict the
burning condition and gain additional destructive effects against burning enemies.

Ice Spells. Deal medium damage with a focus on controlling the battlefield and protecting
the spellcaster. Some Ice spells have additional effects against slowed or prone targets.

Slowed. Any creature that has their actions or movement negatively impacted is considered
slo e a e , ra le , rone, in i ficult terrain

Lightning Spells. Deal the most damage at extreme range but when a spell fails to strike the
target some lightning spells fail to find ground and damage the spellcaster instead.

Necrotic Spells. Summon horrible minions or manipulate and trap their targets. Some risky
necrotic spells prey upon damaged creatures, sapping their very life force but frequently, fail to
distinguish between friend or foe.

Radiant Spells. Can obliterate the unholy, the fearful, and those who would dare harm you.
Other spells can protect, mend wounds, and can even restore creatures back to life.

Wind Spells. Aid in moving friend and foe alike around the battlefield. They can also slice
and cut through entire groups of foes and viciously deal extra damage on critical hits.

SPELLS
Arcane Spells. These are general spells that any spellcaster can utilize, though each one has
different effects depending on what spell schools the caster knows. A spellcaster can choose
ARTIST: ANNIE GERARD

any or all of the modes available to them with a single casting of an arcane spell.

34 35
 Fire Spells
CANTRIP Flame Dart TIER 5 Fiery Embrace
1 ACTION Deal 1d10 fire damage to any target within 60 ft. Inflicts burning on crit. 2 ACTIONS (Concentration, up to 1 minute.) All other creatures within 30 ft. are burning.
High Levels: +5 damage every 5 levels. While burning this way, ALL damage resistance is suppressed and immunity is
reduced to resistance.
CANTRIP Enchant Weapon Upcasting: +10 ft. radius for each additional mana spent.
1 ACTION A weapon you hold is enchanted with magical flame for 1 minute or until you
let go. Its damage becomes a 1d10 + your level and inflicts burning on crit. TIER 7 Living Inferno
3 ACTIONS You become a pillar of living flame. Until the end of your next turn gain the
TIER 1 Consume Flame effects of Flaming Barrier. At the end of this turn and your next turn, cast
2 ACTIONS Deal 4d10 fire damage to a burning target within 60 ft., ending the condition. Pyroclasm for free.
Upcasting: +2d10 damage for each additional mana spent. Upcasting: +10 ft. speed for the duration for each additional mana spent.

TIER 2 Heart’s Fire TIER 9 Dragonform

1 ACTION Give an ally within 60 ft. an extra Action. Upcasting: Add 20 ft. range for each 6 ACTIONS You take the form of a Huge Red Dragon. Gain 3 Actions, 10xLevel Temp HP, a
additional mana spent. flying speed of 80 ft., Armor equal to your level, and:

TIER 3 Flame Barrier • Tooth & Claw. Action: Reach 10 ft., 1d20 + Level slashing damage.
1 ACTION (Reaction, when you would defend) Defend for free, until the start of your Inflicts burning, ignores armor.
next turn, melee attackers against take KEY fire damage and gain burning. • Immolating Breath. 2 Actions: 60-ft. cone. DC 20 DEX save, Level d6
Upcasting: + EY damage for each additional mana spent. fire damage, half on save. Burning targets fail.

TIER 4 Pyroclasm You can maintain this form for as long as the Temp HP granted by this spell
3 ACTIONS ther creatures within 15 ft. of you take 6d10 fire damage on a failed DEX remain (max. 10 minutes). When it ends, you drop to 0 hp and are dying.
save, half on save. Burning creatures automatically fail.
Upcasting: +5 ft. to the explosion radius for each additional mana spent.

Half on save. This means if creature makes the save, they take only halve
damage and no other effects.

36 37
 Ice Spells TIER 4
2 ACTIONS
Icebound Aura
(Concentration, up to 1 minute.) The space within 0 ft. of you is difficult
CANTRIP Ice Lance terrain. You and one ally within range are immune to this effect.
1 ACTION Deal 1d6 cold damage to a target within 90 ft. Advantage against creatures Upcasting: +2 targets for each additional mana spent.
that are slowed. High Levels: +3 cold damage every 5 levels.
TIER 5 Glacier Strike
3 ACTIONS Choose a 10x10 ft. area within 90 ft. of you. Targets in the area suffer 8d6
Slowed. Any creature with actions or movement hampered is slowed; e.g.,
Da ed, Grappled, Prone, Difficult Terrain. cold damage, targets adjacent to that area take half as much. The entire area
permanently becomes difficult terrain.
Upcasting: +5 ft. initial square for each additional mana spent.
CANTRIP Biting Fog
1 ACTION (Concentration, up to 1 minute.) Create a 10 ft. opaque cube of icy fog TIER 8 Cryotomb
adjacent to you. Creatures in it take 1d6 cold damage when you create it and 3 ACTIONS A creature within 0 ft. is entombed in ice on a failed STR save. While
at the end of their turn. High Levels: +3 damage every 5 levels. entombed they are incapacitated and immune to damage. This lasts as long
as you survive, or until it melts or is destroyed by natural means. The creature
TIER 1 Glacial Shard may repeat the save once every 10 days. Huge or larger creatures have
2 ACTIONS Deal 3d6 cold damage to a target within 90 ft. On a critical hit a medium advantage on the save, a Small or smaller creature, disadvantage.
or smaller target is knocked prone. Advantage against slowed creatures. Upcasting: +5 spell save DC for each additional mana spent.
Upcasting: Increase the size by 1 and +1d6 for each additional mana spent.
TIER 9 Arctic Annihilation
TIER 2 Frost Shield 3 ACTIONS Any number of ob ects or willing creatures you choose within 0 ft., are
1 ACTION (Reaction, when you would defend) Increase your Armor by one of your Key encased in ice, incapacitated and immune to all damage and negative effects
attributes for this round, then Defend for free. until the start of their next turn. All other creatures and ob ects within this
Upcasting: +Key Armor for each additional mana spent. radius take 20d6 cold damage. Any surviving creatures who took this damage
must make a STR save or be stunned 1 round. nce you cast this spell, you
TIER 3 Frost Nova must Long Rest for 1 week before using it again.
2 ACTIONS Creatures within 15 ft. of you take 4d6 cold damage. The area is difficult terrain
until the end of your next turn. Surviving creatures must make a DEX save or Save spells. Spells that trigger a save (e.g., Frost Nova, Arctic Annihilation) do
fall prone; creatures that were already prone are stunned for their next turn. not miss on a 1, cannot crit, and ignore armor.
Upcasting: +5 ft. radius for each additional mana spent.

38 39
 Lightning Spells
TIER 4 Electrickery
CANTRIP Zap 2 ACTIONS (Reaction, when another creature within 120 ft. takes an action) Switch the
1 ACTION Deal 2d8 Lightning damage to a target within 120 ft. If this misses, the places of one willing creature and another creature in range. If one was the target
lightning fails to find ground and strikes you instead. High Levels: +4 of an attack or effect, the other becomes the new target. An unwilling target
damage every 5 levels. makes a WILL save to resist. Costs 2 Mana and 1 Action while charged or dying.
Upcasting: +1 spell save DC for each additional mana spent.
CANTRIP Electrical Discharge
1 ACTION Inerrantly deal 2d8 lightning damage to all other creatures within 10 ft. of TIER 5 Electrocharge
you. (This can only be cast if you are charged, ending the condition) 3 ACTIONS (Concentration, up to 1 minute) A target you touch gains +1 max Action, +5
High Levels: + damage every 5 levels. Armor, double Speed, and advantage on DEX saves. Upcasting: +1 minute
duration for each additional mana spent.
Charged. When you take lightning damage you are charged for 1 minute.
TIER 6 Ride the Lightning
TIER 1 Arc Lightning 3 ACTIONS You temporarily turn into a living bolt of lightning and strike with
2 ACTIONS Deal 3d8 lightning damage to a target within 120 ft. The bolt also strikes the thunderous noise. Teleport up to 120 ft. away to a spot you can see. If a willing
next closest creature to your target. If this attack misses, the lightning fails to creature occupies that spot, you change places with them. Creatures within 15
find ground and strikes you instead. ft. take 10d8 lightning damage and must make a STR save or also be hurled
Upcasting: +1d8 for each additional mana spent. back 20 ft., knocked prone, and deafened for 1 day. If a creature fails by 10 or
more, they are also stunned for 1 round. Upcasting: +60 ft. range and +10
Next closest. If you or an ally is the next closest, they are hit! If 2 creatures are damage for each additional mana spent.
equally close, the GM can roll for it or select the one wearing the most metal.
TIER 9 Seething Storm
TIER 2 Alacrity 3 ACTIONS (Concentration, up to 1 min. Costs 3 Actions to maintain each turn.) You are
FREE nce, before your initiative roll, add one of your EY stats to your roll. enveloped in a 20 ft. radius cloud of tempestuous storm that follows you;
Upcasting: +1 to your initiative per additional mana spent. you gain a flying speed and move for free 1/round; and attacks against you
are made with disadvantage. Up to 6 different creatures you choose within
TIER 3 Chain Lightning the area are unerringly struck by a bolt of lightning, taking 10d8 lightning
3 ACTIONS A 10ft. wide, 60 ft. long bolt of lightning originates from you, dealing 5d8 damage (a creature can only be struck once per round).
lightning damage to all creatures in the area on a failed DEX save, half
damage on save. Creatures wielding a large amount of metal automatically fail Each round you maintain concentration, the storm grows in radius by 10 ft.
(e.g., wearing metal armor, or wielding a 2-handed metal weapon). and the number of bolts of lightning increases by 2. Once you cast this spell,
Upcasting: +1d8 for each additional mana spent. you must Long Rest for 1 week before you can use it again.

40 41
 Necrotic Spells TIER 5 Fester Wounds
3 ACTIONS Damaged creatures within 20 ft. take 6d12 necrotic damage on a failed STR
CANTRIP Entice save, made with disadvantage while bloodied (below half their maximum
1 ACTION On a failed WILL save, a target within 60 ft. takes 1d6 necrotic damage and HP). Upcast: +1d12 damage for each additional mana spent.
moves 10 ft. nearer to you. Repeat until they save or cannot move any longer.
High Levels: +3 damage every 5 levels. TIER 6 Unspeakable Word
3 ACTIONS A target within 60 ft. dies on a failed WILL save. If they succeed, you gain the
CANTRIP Withering Touch Dying condition. The target has disadvantage if they are bloodied, advantage if
1 ACTION Touch a target and deal 1d12 necrotic damage. They are considered undead they are unharmed. Upcast: +1 save DC for each additional mana spent.
until the end of your next turn. High Levels: +6 damage every 5 levels.
TIER 8 Creeping Death
TIER 1 Shadow Trap [this spell in development] 3 ACTIONS Deal 8d12 necrotic damage to a creature within 60 ft. If this kills the creature,
2 ACTIONS [Conditional area control spell. 3d12 necrotic damage.] it violently erupts and you MUST deal the same amount of damage to another
Upcast: +1d12 damage for each additional mana spent. creature within 60 ft. of it that has not yet been damaged by this effect. Repeat
until a creature survives this damage or no other creatures are in range.
TIER 2 Voidcloak
2 ACTIONS (Concentration, up to 1 minute.) Wrap yourself in horrifying living shadow.
Melee attacks against you have disadvantage and whenever a creature would
make a melee attack against you, they first take 1d12 necrotic damage. Shadowmancer Only
Upcast: +1d12 damage for each additional mana spent.
CANTRIP Shadow Blast
TIER 3 Vampiric Greed 1 ACTION Deal 1d12+CHA Necrotic damage to a target within 60 ft. 1/round.
3 ACTIONS Deal 4d12 damage to all creatures within 5 ft., heal HP equal to the damage
done. Any surviving creatures make a STR save, you gain 1 wound for each CANTRIP Summon Shadow
creature that saves. Upcast: +1 save DC for each additional mana spent. 1 ACTION Summon a d12 shadow minion adjacent to yourself (max INT minions
summoned this way).
TIER 4 Greater Shadow
3 ACTIONS Summon a 5d12 Greater Shadow minion (max 1) adjacent to you. When it dies, it Your shadow minions follow the normal minion rules: They have 1 hp, miss
explodes into five shadow minions (see Summon Shadow)—place them anywhere on a 1, and do not crit. Additionally, 1/turn as an Action you may command
within 20 ft. Upcast: +1d12 damage, +1 shadow for each additional mana spent. ALL of your minions to move up to 30 ft. and attack an adjacent target. They
abandon you immediately outside of combat.

42 43
 Radiant Spells
CANTRIP Rebuke ft. that has crit you or an ally. This damage cannot be reduced or mitigated by
1 ACTION Deal 1d6 radiant damage to a target within 20 ft., ignoring armor. Deal any means. Upcast: +10 ft. range for each additional mana spent.
double damage against undead or the cowardly (those behind cover).
High Levels: +1d6 radiant damage every 5 levels. TIER 6 Sacrifice
2 ACTIONS Reduce yourself to 0 hp. You can not have more than 0 hp until you Long Rest.
CANTRIP True Strike Heal a number of hp equal to your maximum hp, divided as you choose to any
1 ACTION Give yourself or an ally within 10 ft. insight into an enemy’s defenses. They number of other creatures within 60 ft. You may revive a creature that has died
gain advantage on the next attack they make until the end of their next turn. in the past minute if you give them at least 20 hp (healing 2 Wounds from
High Levels: This spell gain +5 ft. range every 5 levels. them), provided they have not been revived by this means before. Upcast:
+30 ft. range for each additional mana spent.
TIER 1 Heal
1 ACTION Touch a creature and heal it 1d6+KEY HP. TIER 9 Redeem
Upcast: For each additional mana spent choose one: +1 Target, +30 ft. (Casting Time: 24 hours. Requires a diamond worth at least 10,000 gp which
range, +1d6 healing. If 5+ mana is spent, you may also heal 1 negative this spell consumes.) Revive any number of deceased creatures within 1 mile
condition (e.g., blind, deaf, 1 wound, etc.). that have died in the past year, provided they have not died of old age or been
revived with this spell before.
TIER 2 Warding Bond
2 ACTIONS Designate a willing creature as your ward for 1 hour. They take half damage
from all attacks, you are attacked for the other half. Upcast: +1 hour duration
for each additional mana spent.
SHEPHERD ONLY
TIER 3 Shield of Justice TIER 1 Summon Lifebinding Spirit
1 ACTION (Reaction, when you would defend) Defend for free. You reflect Radiant 1 ACTION Call forth a spirit companion that faithfully follows you wherever you go. It is
damage back at the attacker equal to the amount blocked, ignoring Armor.
immune to damage and other harmful effects. It lasts until you cast this spell
Upcast: +5 Armor for each additional mana spent.
again, Long Rest, or until it has healed a number of times equal to the mana
spent to summon it.
TIER 4 Vengeance
2 ACTIONS (Can only target a creature that crit you or an ally since your last turn) Deal
Action: It attacks or heals a creature within 20 ft. of you.
2d12+20 radiant damage to a creature within 30 ft. ignoring Armor & Cover.
It attacks for 1d6+WIS radiant damage (ignoring armor),
Upcast: Add 1d12 for each additional mana spent.
or heals for the same amount.
Upcast: Increase its die size by 1 (max d12) for each
TIER 5 CONDEMN additional mana spent.
2 ACTIONS (Can only target a creature that reduced an ally to 0 HP or attacked a dying ally
since your last turn) Unerringly deal 50 radiant damage to a creature within 5

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 Wind Spells TIER 5
3 ACTIONS
Updraft
Choose a 25 ft. square area within 60 ft., enemy creatures there must roll a
DEX save until they succeed. For each time they failed they are whisked into
CANTRIP Razor Wind
the air 30 ft. landing prone at the end of your turn (falling damage is 1d6
1 ACTION Deal 1d4 slashing damage to up to 2 adjacent targets within 90 ft. Vicious
damage per 10 ft.). Upcasting: +1 spell save DC for each additional mana
(roll an additional die whenever this crits). High Levels: +2 damage every 5
spent.
levels.

Breath of Life TIER 6 Thousand Cuts

CANTRIP
3 ACTIONS Target a creature within 90 ft. and roll 12d4. Roll all 4s again, adding them to
1 ACTION Restore 1 HP to a dying creature within 30 ft. High Levels: +10 ft. range
the damage done, repeat until no 4s remain. Also damages all enemies within
every 5 levels.
5 ft. of your target. Upcasting: +5 ft. radius for each additional mana spent.
TIER 1 Blustery Gale
2 ACTIONS Deal 3d4 slashing damage to a target within 90 ft. Move a medium or smaller
TIER 7 Boisterous Gale
3 ACTIONS You and up to 12 allies gain a flying speed of 60 ft., can move up to their
target 5 ft. Advantage against flying or small/tiny targets and move them twice
speed for free once each round, and ranged attacks have disadvantage against
as far. Vicious. Upcasting: Increase the movement by 5 ft. or move a creature
you. Upcasting: +1 minute or +2 targets for each additional mana spent.
1 size category larger for each additional mana spent.

TIER 2 Barrier of Wind

1 ACTION (Reaction, when you would defend) Ranged attacks have disadvantage against
you until the start of your next turn (including the triggering attack), then Songweaver Only
Defend for free. Upcasting: +2 Armor for each additional mana spent.
CANTRIP Songweaver’s Inspiration
TIER 3 Fly 1 ACTION (Reaction, when an ally within 60 ft. rolls any dice.) Allow an ally to reroll any
2 ACTIONS (Concentration, up to 10 minutes.) A gust of living wind lifts a target you single die (must keep either result). You can use this ability CHA, times before
touch effortlessly into the air. They gain a flying speed of 60 ft. for the duration. needing to Long Rest.
Upcasting: +1 target for each additional mana spent.
CANTRIP Vicious Mockery
TIER 4 Eye of the Storm 1 ACTION Range 60 ft. 1d4+INT psychic damage ignores armor. The target’s next attack
3 ACTIONS Enemies within 15 ft. of you take 6d4+10 slashing damage. You may move is made with disadvantage (+3 damage every 5th level).
any surviving creatures anywhere within 5 ft. of the storm’s radius on a failed
STR save. Upcasting: +5 ft radius for each additional mana spent.

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 Arcane Cantrips
[Likely will have 1-2 additional arcane spells. looking for feedback]

These are general spells that any spellcaster can utilize, though each one has different effects
depending on what spell schools the caster knows. If a spellcaster knows more than 1 spell
school and casts an arcane spell they can choose any or all of the modes available to them with
a single casting.

Aethercraft
• Fire: Generate a single minor visual illusion but it generates no light of its own, or make
something warmer.
• Ice: Generate a small invisible illusion capable of being felt or make something cooler.
• Lightning: Generate a series of steady or flashing lights of any color you choose.
• Necrotic: Soil a surface with blood, filth, or other disgusting things.
• Radiant. Clean a small amount of dirt or stains on an item, or repair a small tear or break
in a non magical item.
• Wind: Generate a smell, sound, or gentle breeze.

Arcane Hand
• Fire: Ignite a small, unheld, flammable item near you.
• Cold: Freeze, thaw, or move a bath-sized amount of water near you.
• Lightning: Loudly teleport a tiny, unheld item to yourself.
• Necrotic: Dig Grave. Shape or move a body-sized plot of earth.
• Radiant: Cause a small or tiny item you can see to brightly glow with radiant light.
• Wind: Helpful gust. Gently move a tiny unheld item near you in any direction.

Thaumaturgy
• Fire: Speak with haste. Temporarily gain the ability to speak much faster than normally
possible.
• Ice: Crystal Clear. You make your voice resonate with the clarity of ice, making it
impossible for your words to be misinterpreted.
• Lightning: Thunderous voice. Your voice is temporarily far louder than normally
possible or boost other vocal effects.
• Necrotic: Honeyed words. Speak with a hidden subtext so that allies hear one
message, and enemies hear another.
• Radiant. Bringer of peace. Your voice rings in such a way that would inspire the angry
or fearful to be calmed.
• Wind: Whispered on the wind. You whisper a message into the wind and it will be
secretly carried to a specified target within 1 mile.

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 Backgrounds
How you were raised, a key feature or personality trait, your job before adventuring, etc. Choose
Adventuring Motivation
The world is a dangerous place, people don’t usually just “go adventuring“ without some reason.
1 and add it to your character sheet. What’s yours? Choose an adventuring motivation (or work with your GM to come up with your own):

So Dumb I’m Smart Sometimes. (Req. zero or negative INT) Once per day you can reroll an I owe a life debt to someone in my party.
INT related skill check. Once per Long Rest you may reroll a WILL save.
I owe a LOT of money to some very dangerous people.
Back Out of Retirement. You’ve forgotten more than most adventurers these days know! Talk
with your GM, what made you come out of retirement? I need to grow in power to defeat someone who has wronged me.
• Let’s see if I remember how to do this... You may gain 1 Wound to use an ability or
cast a spell as if you were 1 level higher. I am searching for a way to bring a loved one back from the dead.
• These old bones. Your age has long since started to show, your maximum Wounds is
reduced by 1. I am trying to get back home.

What? I’ve been around. 1/per location (or at the GM’s discretion). You happen to know JUST the I am searching for the man who killed my father.
person who has the information you’re looking for, or could get you out of a jam, and... Roll 1d20.
• 1–5. They want you dead. I was polymorphed into another kind of creature by a grumpy wizard.
• 6–12: You owe them money.
• 13–19: They can be convinced to help you.. [This page still in development]
• 20: They are your biggest fan/are madly in love with you.

Wild One. Whether it is the sticks or flowers in your hair, or your smell, or the way you carry
yourself, wild creatures are less frightened of you and more willing to aid you. +1 Naturecraft.

Made a BAD choice. Double (or triple) your starting gold. Gain an (incredibly powerful) enemy
who wants their money back. Talk with your GM, what did you do and who hates you now?

Survivalist. You never run out of your own personal rations. Anything can be food if you try
hard enough! Advantage against poison saves. +1 max Hit Die.

[Many more are coming]

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