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Introduction
Legal & License
Warrior, Rogue & Mage System Reference Document ©2015 Michael Wolf. Some rights reserved. The following attribution must be provided in your text, wherever you put your own copyright, in the same size as your copyright text: This work is based on Warrior, Rogue & Mage (found at http://www.stargazergames.eu/), created by Michael Wolf, and licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
What is Warrior, Rogue & Mage?
WR&M is a simple, lightweight role playing game that allows a group of players and a game master (GM) to experience epic adventures in a fantasy world filled with conflict, monsters and wondrous magic. Although WR&M uses the three archetypal roles of classic role playing games in its title, it doesn’t make use of classes.
Players can freely create characters as they see fit without having to press them into the tight corset of character classes. Warrior, Rogue and Mage are actually the characters’ basic attributes, which measure their capabilities in combat, stealth and academics respectively.
This book assumes you are familiar with tabletop RPGs. If you have no idea how a tabletop role playing game is supposed to work, ask your geek friends; they’ll probably know.
Characters
Each player has to create a character in order to play. The player character is his or her representation in the game world. The characters played by the game master are called non-player characters or NPCs. All characters in WR&M are described by their three basic attributes, skills, talents and various other values, which will be explained in detail in this chapter.
Attributes
WR&M uses three basic attributes to describe a character: Warrior, Rogue and Mage. Each attribute is usually ranked from 0 to 6, but monsters and veteran characters may have higher values. If an attribute is ranked at 0 you can't use any related skills. And in the case of the Mage attribute you can't cast even the simplest spell.
- A character with a high rank in Warrior is the born fighter: strong, tough, fearless. Characters with a low rank in this attribute lack these abilities.
- Someone with a high Rogue attribute is witty, stealthy and quick with his feet and mind.
- A highly ranked Mage attribute is a sign of intelligence, strength of will and mental discipline.
Each player character starts with 10 attribute levels that may be freely distributed between the three attributes. No attribute may start higher than 6 though. While highly specialized characters are possible, a well-rounded character with a few levels in each attribute probably works best for new players.
Skills
Each character is also further detailed by a couple of skills. Skills are abilities a character has learned over the years like Riding or Thievery. Skills are not ranked like attributes though. You either have learned a skill, or you don't. Each character starts with three skills of the players choice. Please note that you can't choose a skill if the relevant attribute is ranked at level 0!
Talents
Talents give player characters special abilities that set them apart from mere commoners. You don't have to roll the dice in order to use talents. As soon as a character has acquired a new talent he gets access to a special ability. Some talents may be taken several times.
Hitpoints, Fate and Mana
Hitpoints are a measure of how many hits a character may sustain before going down. A character with 0 HP is considered dead or dying.
Fate can be used to save one's life in certain situations, or take over some narrative control from the GM.
Mana is the raw magical energy that is used by Mages to cast magic spells. Characters can't perform any magic when their Mana is depleted.
Each character starts with Hitpoints equal to 6 plus his Warrior attribute, Fate equal to his Rogue attribute and Mana equal to two times his Mage attribute. You start with at least 1 Fate if your Rogue attribute is at level 0, though.
Armor and Defense
Each character has a Defense stat that is equal to 4 plus half the sum of his Warrior and Rogue attributes rounded down. Worn armor and shields grants a bonus to Defense but raise the Mana cost of spells by their Armor Penalty (AP).
Rules Mechanics
Basic Task Resolution
Every time a character wants to perform an action which has a chance of failing, the GM may ask the player to roll the dice to determine the outcome of said action. The basic task resolution method is the attribute check.
The GM picks the appropriate attribute and decides how difficult the task at hand is. Then the player rolls one six-sided die (also called d6) and adds the relevant attribute's level to the roll's result. If the character knows any skills that might help in that situation, he may add 2 to his result.
The final result is then compared to the difficulty level set by the GM. If the result is equal or higher the task was successful. If not, the task failed.
Optional: If a character knows more than one skill that could be used in a given situation, the GM may allow the player to add another 2 to the result.
Exploding Die
Whenever a player rolls a 6, the die may "explode". This means, the player may roll again and add the second result. If the second result is another 6, you roll again. Only damage rolls and attribute checks where the character owns an appropriate skill are subject to this rule.
Automatic Success
When the risk of failing is extremely low, or the task is only of minor importance to the story, and the character has the appropriate skill, the GM may decide that no roll is necessary.
Unopposed Check
If the task at hand is not actively opposed, the player has to beat a difficulty level determined by the GM.
| Difficulty | DL |
|---|---|
| Easy | 5 |
| Routine | 7 |
| Challenging | 9 |
| Hard | 11 |
| Extreme | 13 |
Opposed Check
When two characters are in direct competition, the opposed check method is used. The DL of the active character is determined by a roll made by the passive character.
Example: A thief wants to sneak past a guard unnoticed. The guard then rolls a d6 and adds his Mage attribute and the +2 bonus if he owns the Awareness skill to the result. This result then is the DL for the thief's attribute check.
Optional: Instead of rolling, you can just add 3 to the relevant attribute (and the skill bonus) to get the DL.
Circumstantial Modifiers
There are circumstances which can make tasks harder or easier to perform than usual: The lack of tools makes it harder to craft something, a master crafted weapon grants a bonus to an attack, or bad lighting conditions make it easier to hide in the shadows. The GM may add circumstantial modifiers to any DL if appropriate.
Using Fate
A character can spend one of his Fate points to do the following (GM approval needed):
- Ignore an attack that would have killed the character
- Change a minor detail in the game world. (e.g., your character knows the NPC, or there is a shop with the equipment you need).
- Reroll a single die roll or add +2 to a single check
Fate doesn't regenerate automatically, so players are advised not to waste their Fate. GMs are meant to grant players Fate for heroic actions, good role playing and certain goals their characters achieved.
Combat
Initiative & Actions
Whenever combat occurs, player characters and non-player characters act in turns. At the start of combat, the sequence in which the two sides in the conflict act is determined. This is called initiative. In most cases common sense dictates the initiative. If unsure roll a die for each side. The side with the higher result acts first.
Optional: A character with the Awareness skill may add +2 to the initiative roll.
Combat Actions
Combat turns are pretty short, so characters can only perform a few actions. Running a short distance, drawing a weapon, attacking a foe, casting a spell are reasonable actions that can be performed during one turn.
Attack Roll
When a character tries to hit another character in close or ranged combat, his player has to roll the dice to determine if he has hit. Attack rolls work like any other attribute check but the DL is always the target's Defense stat plus any applicable modifiers.
Attack rolls are subject to the "exploding die" rule if the character has the appropriate skill and that each additional success after the first adds +1 to the damage caused. Please refer to the Magic chapter for magic attacks.
Example: A thief wants to backstab a guard with a dagger. The skill list determines that when using a dagger the Rogue attribute applies. The thief knows this skill, so he may also add the +2 modifier to his attack roll.
Damage and Healing
After having scored a hit, you determine the damage caused. Damage is determined by the weapon used. See the weapon list for details. Please note that damage rolls are always subject to the "exploding die" rule.
The victims hitpoints are reduced by a number of points equal to the damage caused. If the hitpoints drop to 0, the character is dead or dying. A character's HP may never drop below 0.
Optional: Characters who were reduced to under half their maximum hitpoints are considered seriously wounded and get a -3 modifier on all checks.
Healing
A character heals hitpoints equal to his highest attribute per day of rest. Only light activities are allowed during that time. If a character takes part in a combat, chase or a similar activity he may only heal a single hitpoint that day. Characters with the Herbalism skill may use his abilities to speed up healing. When treated by such a character, you get +2 HPs per day of rest.
Magic
Using Magic
Characters with a Mage attribute of 1 or higher have access to spells. Spells can be found or bought. These spells must first be transferred to a character's personal spell book before they can be used.
To cast a spell from the book, the character has to make a roll versus the DL or the spell. If successful, his mana pool is reduced by the amount listed for the spell.
Magic Implement
A character who wants to focus on magic usually owns a magic implement (staff, gauntlet, ring, etc.). Magic implements are used to store spells that the magic user can later cast without having to spend any mana from his personal pool.
Magic implements have to be charged with mana before they can be used. As long as it is powered it also grants a thaumaturgy bonus equal to its level. An implement can hold 10 mana per level of the item.
For each mana stored in the implement, the caster has to spend two from his personal pool. Implements may be charged in multiple sessions.
A character can only store spells he knows in a magic implement. A magic implement can store spells up to its level (e.g., a level 3 implement may store one 3rd circle spell, or one 2nd and one 1st, or three 1st circle spells).
Mana Regeneration
A character gets back his full mana pool for a good night's sleep and receives mana equal to his Mage attribute for one hour of meditation. Magic potions may also regenerate mana.
Casting Spells & Spell Circles
In order to cast spells a character needs at least Mage level 1. The thaumaturgy skill is helpful, but not necessary. The range of all spells is the line of sight if the spell description does not say otherwise. Spells are divided into four circles. A caster that wears armor needs to add the AP of the armor worn to the mana cost.
| Circle | Mana Cost | DL |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1 | 5 |
| 2nd | 2 | 7 |
| 3rd | 4 | 9 |
| 4th | 8 | 13 |
Mana Burning
A spell caster may choose to burn additional mana to improve the spell's effects. Each level of mana burn costs half the initial mana cost and raises the spells DL by one. The effects of the mana burn are listed with each spells description. Please note that you have to use mana from your personal pool for mana burning even if you cast a spell from an implement.
Sustaining Spells
If a spell can be sustained, it's listed in the spells description. In order to sustain a spell over longer period of time, the caster has to concentrate which penalizes all of his actions by a modifier of -1. The mana cost for sustaining the spell is listed with the spell's description.
Variant: Warrior, Rogue, & Scholar
If you want to run a more low-magic game, you can make the following changes: The Mage attribute is replaced by the Scholar attribute. All skills that used Mage before now use the Scholar attribute.
In order to cast spells a character needs to buy a new talent called “Spellcaster” which gives access to 1st circle spells. Spell casting works as usual. All other talents that affect your magic abilities need Spellcaster as a prerequisite now. When the character levels up, he can acquire “Advanced Spellcaster” which grants him access to the remaining spell circles.
Spell List
1st Circle Spells
2nd Circle Spells
3rd Circle Spells
4th Circle Spells
Equipment
Each character starts with 200 silver pieces (SP) to purchase equipment. Every character can wield every weapon. Spellcasting characters may wear armor, but the armor penalty of the armor worn raises the mana cost of each spell cast.
Weapons
| Weapon | Skill | Damage | Cost (SP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axe | Axes | 1d6 | 5 |
| Bow | Bows | 1d6 | 4 |
| Crossbow | Bows | 1d6+3 | 8 |
| Dagger | Daggers | 1d6-2 | 2 |
| Dragon pistol | Firearms | 1d6+4 | 18 |
| Dragon rifle | Firearms | 2d6 | 25 |
| Halberd | Axes | 1d6 | 7 |
| Longbow | Bows | 1d6+2 | 8 |
| Mace | Blunt | 1d6 | 5 |
| Spear | Thrown | 1d6 | 3 |
| Staff | Blunt | 1d6 | 2 |
| Sword | Swords | 1d6 | 5 |
| Throwing star | Thrown | 1d6-2 | 2 |
| Two-handed weapon | * | 2d6 | 10 |
| Warhammer | Blunt | 1d6 | 5 |
Bow: Max range 80 yards. DL for target 40+ yards away increased by 4. 10 arrows = 2 SP.
Crossbow: Takes one turn to reload. 10 bolts = 2 SP.
Dagger: Thrown or melee. Thrown skill max range 20 yards.
Dragon pistol: Max range 20 yards. DL for target 10+ yards away increased by 4. Reload takes one turn. 10 shots = 4 SP.
Dragon rifle: Max range 40 yards. DL for target 20+ yards away increased by 4. Reload takes one turn. 10 shots = 4 SP.
Halberd: Reach of 2 yards.
Longbow: Max range 120 yards. DL for target 60+ yards away increased by 4. 10 arrows = 2 SP.
Spear: Max range 20 yards. Melee uses Spear skill.
Throwing star: Max range 20 yards.
Two-handed weapon: Swords, axes, maces and warhammers exist in larger versions. Appropriate skill used.
Armor
| Armor | Defense | Armor Penalty (AP) | Cost (SP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clothes | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Padded cloth | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| Leather | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| Scale | 3 | 2 | 23 |
| Lamellar | 4 | 3 | 35 |
| Chain | 5 | 4 | 70 |
| Light plate | 6 | 5 | 90 |
| Heavy plate | 7 | 5 | 120 |
| Golem armor | 8 | * | * |
| Small shield | +1 | +2 | 5 |
| Large shield | +2 | +4 | 12 |
| Tower shield | +3 | +6 | 15 |
Light and heavy plate: Plate armor must be fitted to the wearer. Ill-fitted plate armor reduces all rolls by 2.
Golem armor: Created by armor smiths of a bygone era. Incredibly tough, grants a bonus of 1d6 to all weapon damage. Casting is impossible when using golem armor. (Rumors say some golem armors act as magical implements). Not available for sale.
General Equipment
Adventurer’s Kit: Contains flint and tinder, a water flask, a blanket, a bed roll and a small tent.
Torch: Can be used as an improvised weapon. Use Blunt skill. Damage is 1d6-2 for unlit, 1d6-1 for lit. Flammable enemies may be set ablaze.
Magic Items
Game Mastering
Running WR&M
WR&M leaves a lot of room for interpretation. Not everything is covered, and GM fiat plays a major role. It’s a perfect toolbox; if something is missing, add it. If something bothers you, change it or drop it.
Start Slow, Then Go Epic
Start things slow to get a feel for the rules and lethality of combat. Avoid total party kills in the first session. Later, turn it up. WR&M is epic fantasy with powerful artifacts and lost technologies.
GM Rulings Instead of Rules
It's much faster if the GM makes rulings during a dispute. Lengthy discussions destroy the mood. The GM always has the last word. Look it up after the game if it still bothers you.
Setting the Mood with Music
Playing epic music (movie/game soundtracks, heavy metal, horror) in the background enhances the mood and immersion, as long as everyone is comfortable with it.
Character Advancement
Characters don’t have levels or experience points. The GM decides when they advance (usually after a successful adventure). When advancing, they may do the following:
- Raise one attribute by one.
- Add 1d6 to either HP or Mana (Optional: Add exactly 3 points instead of rolling)
- Gain an additional skill
- Gain a talent (Talents should be harder to get, perhaps requiring a sidequest/trainer)
Non-Combat Hazards
| Hazard | Damage |
|---|---|
| Fall | 1d6 per 3 yards of fall |
| Suffocation/drowning | 1d6 per round |
| Mild poison | 1d3 initial, 1 dam./rnd. until successful Warrior check vs. DL 7. |
| Lethal poison | 1d6 initial, 2 dam./rnd. until successful Warrior check vs. DL 11. |
| Fire | 1d6 per round exposed to flames |
App. 1: Skills & Talents
Skills
| Skill | Attribute | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Athletics | Warrior | Training in swimming, running and jumping. |
| Axes | Warrior | Training with axes and polearms. |
| Blunt Weapons | Warrior | Training in all blunt weapons incl. maces and staves. |
| Riding | Warrior | Training in riding on horses and other common mounts. |
| Spears | Warrior | Training with spears and lances. |
| Swords | Warrior | Training with all kinds of swords, including two-handed ones. |
| Unarmed | Warrior | Training with unarmed fighting. |
| Acrobatics | Rogue | Dancing, contortion, climbing, tightrope walking, tumbling. |
| Bows | Rogue | Skill for using bows and crossbows. |
| Daggers | Rogue | Training with daggers and knives. |
| Firearms | Rogue | Training in the usage of exotic firearms. |
| Thievery | Rogue | Training in roguish arts like picking locks and pockets. |
| Thrown Weapons | Rogue | Proficiency with thrown weapons like shuriken. |
| Alchemy | Mage | Training in creating potions and salves. |
| Awareness | Mage | Measure of a characters awareness of his surroundings. |
| Herbalism | Mage | Knowledge of plants. Can heal critically wounded. |
| Hermeticism | Mage | Skilled with arcane spells and rituals. |
| Lore | Mage | General knowledge. |
| Thaumaturgy | Mage | Proficiency with divine spells. |
Talents
App. 2: Optional Rules
Non-human Player Characters
Racial talents: Exceptional Attribute (Mage), Sixth Sense, Weak
Racial talents: Exceptional Attribute (Warrior), Craftsman, No Talent for Magic
Racial talents: Exceptional Attribute (Rogue), Hunter, Weak
Racial talents: Natural Armor (Defense 2), Tough as Nails, Outcast
Racial talents: Tinkerer, Lucky Devil, Weak
Racial talents: Berserker, Exceptional Attribute (Warrior), Outcast
Racial Talents
Dual-wielding & Multiple Attacks
If GM approves, taking the "Double Attack" talent (requires Dual-wielding) allows an additional attack with the off-hand weapon in one round. Both weapons must be of the same type (both melee or both ranged). Cannot dual-wield two-handed weapons.
Mounted / Vehicle Combat
Make a maneuver check (e.g., riding) to perform combat actions. Success allows action. Failure means falling or crashing. Driving straight isn't a maneuver unless fighting.
Example DLs: Walk (-), Canter (5), Gallop (9), Tight Turn (7), Sudden Stop (9), Jump Obstacle (7).
Ritual Magic
With GM approval, casters can perform ritual magic for higher circle spells. Takes a long time. If minimum time is spent, casting DL reduced by 1. Double time = DL reduced by 2.
| Circle | Minimum Time | Max Participants |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1 min | 3 |
| 2nd | 5 min | 6 |
| 3rd | 15 min | 9 |
| 4th | 1 hour | 12 |
Multiple casters can pool mana. Blood Mages can convert participant HP to Mana (x2 mana gained for sacrifices).
App. 3: Bestiary
Defense listed is unarmored. Armor/shield bonuses in parenthesis.
Common NPCs
W:2, R:3, M:5 | HP: 8, Mana: 10 | Def: 6
Skills: Alchemy, Blunt, Thaum.
Talents: Familiar
Spells: Frostburn, Healing Hand
W:5, R:3, M:2 | HP: 11, Mana: 4 | Def: 10 (+2 leather)
Skills: Axes, Bows, Riding
Weapons: Axe, crossbow.
W:2, R:2, M:1 | HP: 8, Mana: 2 | Def: 6
Simple clothes, knife.
W:3, R:5, M:2 | HP: 9, Mana: 4 | Def: 10
Skills: Daggers, Thievery, Thrown
Talents: Dual-wield
Weapons: Dagger, shuriken.
W:3, R:3, M:5 | HP: 12, Mana: 10 | Def: 6
Skills: Alchemy, Blunt, Lore, Thaum.
Talents: Familiar, Channeller
Spells: Frostburn, Healing Hand, Lightning
W:6, R:2, M:3 | HP: 16, Mana: 6 | Def: 10 (+6 plate, +1 shield)
Skills: Lore, Polearms, Riding, Swords
Talents: Leadership, Henchman
W:3, R:3, M:5 | HP: 12, Mana: 10 | Def: 6
Skills: Awareness, Blunt, Lore
Talents: Champion
Spells: Healing Hand, Create Food/Water
W:5, R:3, M:2 | HP: 10, Mana: 4 | Def: 10 (+3 scale, +2 shield)
Skills: Athletics, Firearms, Swords
Weapons: Sword, dragon rifle.
W:5, R:3, M:2 | HP: 11, Mana: 4 | Def: 10 (+3 scale)
Skills: Bows, Polearms, Swords
Weapons: Halberd, sword, crossbow.
Animals
Attack: 2x paws 1d6+4, Bite 2d6
Attack: Beak (no explode) 1d6/2
Attack: 2x claws 1d6+2, Bite 1d6+3
Attack: 2x claws (no explode) 1d6/2
Attack: Bite (no explode) 1d6
Attack: Fire spray (Rogue) 1d6, 10 yards
Attack: Bite 1d6+2
Attack: Venomous bite 1d6-2 (mild poison)
Attack: Bite 1d6
Attack: Venomous bite 1d6+2 (mild poison)
Attack: Bite (no exp.) 1d6
Warhorse: +1d6+4 HP, trample 2d6
Attack: Bite (no exp.) 1d6/2 + poison
Attack: Bite 1d6
Attack: Bite 1d6+3
Magical Creatures & Undead
Attack: Bite 1d6+3, 2x claws 1d6+2
Attack: Bite 1d6+1, 2x claws 1d6, flame breath (Rogue) 2d6
Attack: 2x stone fist 2d6+2
Attack: steel fist 2d6 or normal weapons
Attack: steel fist 2d6
Ignores half damage from all but blunt/axes.
App. 4: Character Creation Summary
- Distribute 10 attribute levels among the three attributes Warrior, Rogue, and Mage. No attribute may be higher than six.
- Pick three skills
- Pick one talent
- (Optional : Choose a non-human race and write down racial talents)
- Calculate HP, Fate, Mana and Defense:
- Purchase starting equipment for 250 SP.
- Fill out character sheet.