Iosue
Legend
The book then covers advice on four subjects: playing NPCs, judging Action Checks, playing Monsters, and Ending the Session.
Playing NPCs: The game explains that while technically "NPC" includes all characters controlled by the GM, in practice it doesn't include most monsters, which can be thought of as pieces on a board. Therefore, throughout the book, NPC refers only to characters important to the PCs' story. The book advises that the GM therefore put their efforts in making such NPCs memorable. Only NPCs that go on adventures with the PCs need to have a character sheet, and the book recommends that Fellows rules be used for such NPCs.
Judging Action Checks: As a general rule, the GM should tell a PC attempting an Action Check what the target number is, unless the PC shouldn't know if they succeeded or not. In some cases, a GM might make a Check for a character in secret, when asking for a role might give the PCs too much information. However, it cautions that this should be kept to a minimum, lest the players feel they don't have control of their characters. It also gives advice for "exceptional" checks, which we might call "improvised checks". Generally, the GM can try to map that to a particular skill. When a player is attempting something that doesn't seem to map to any one skill, but the character might have some kind of ability to do it, the game suggests making a check with Adventurer Level + a relevant ability score. The example given is that two characters are caught in an avalanche. The GM improvises a check by asking the characters to make a Ranger Level + Agility Check. One character has the Ranger Skill Package, and can do this, but the other character would have to make a bare 2d6 roll. The non-Ranger player alternatively suggests that they give up trying to escape, and instead dig into the snow and create a breathing space for themselves, to make it easier for the other character to find them. The GM asks for an Adventurer Level + Ability check, and if the character succeeds, he will get more time for the other player to find him.
Playing monsters: Here the game gives a concrete concept for encounter building: the PCs are assumed to win in combat (this does not necessarily mean they are assumed to accomplish the scenario!). Therefore the measure of the GMs skill is their ability to lose while maintaining excitement. An evenly matched combat, or something near that, should be attempted so that the GM can lose while providing the players with a sense of tension and the opportunity for enjoy thinking about tactics.
In terms of concrete advice, the book suggests a climatic battle, and 1 to 3 battles before that, adjusted for the style of game and level of the players. For the last, it suggests that for beginners, a few more battles can be stimulating, while a more mystery-solving game with fewer combats might appeal to more advanced players. For choosing the number and level of characters, it suggests as a standard guideline that a final climatic battle the boss monster should be 1 or 2 levels above the average adventurer level of the party. The number of enemies should be the same as the members of the party. Strengthening the boss monster with a Sword Shard is also recommended.
For the non-climatic battles, monsters of the same level and number as the party should be used, possibly with a boss monster that is one level higher (no Sword Shard).
For how to play monsters in combat, monsters have an intelligence level that should inform how they fight. Those with "low" or "animal intelligence" attack random targets. Those with "human" or "high intelligence," will know such tactics as focused fire, or targeting the healer. However, they may still make mistakes due to arrogance, carelessness, or bad information. The game suggests considering this pragmatically, as players will not enjoy the battles so much if foolish monsters fight unnaturally tactically, or if an intelligent enemy fights inefficiently.
Ending the Session: The GM should determine if the PCs accomplished the objectives of the scenario. The objectives may not be entirely clear in the beginning, or may even change in the course of the scenario, but the GM's decision should such that the players can get behind it. Achieving the scenario objectives is worth 1,000 XP, while not achieving the objectives is worth 500 XP. PCs also receive 50 XP per auto-fail, and bonus XP from defeating monsters (monster level x 100). The any Sword Shards retrieved can be turned in for 1d6 Prestige Points/Shard, or sold for 200 G. Gamel (money) must be split among the party, but each member receives the number of Prestige Points shown by the dice.
There is also a table providing basic guidelines for adventure rewards, additional treasure rewards, and Sword Shards per person by level. By the rules, Guilds do not give advances on rewards to characters. They will instead provide items which the players can pay for later. But the reason for this rule is amusing: it's to prevent the game from being delayed because the players get money and then immediately go shopping. As such, the GM is free to provide advances at his own discretion.
After all rewards are given, the players develop their characters, spending any XP on Skill Packages, and getting their 1 point bonus to an ability score. This encourages players to think about they want to further develop their characters, and incentivizes continuing on in a campaign.
Next up, a look at the Sample Scenario included in Rulebook I.
Playing NPCs: The game explains that while technically "NPC" includes all characters controlled by the GM, in practice it doesn't include most monsters, which can be thought of as pieces on a board. Therefore, throughout the book, NPC refers only to characters important to the PCs' story. The book advises that the GM therefore put their efforts in making such NPCs memorable. Only NPCs that go on adventures with the PCs need to have a character sheet, and the book recommends that Fellows rules be used for such NPCs.
Judging Action Checks: As a general rule, the GM should tell a PC attempting an Action Check what the target number is, unless the PC shouldn't know if they succeeded or not. In some cases, a GM might make a Check for a character in secret, when asking for a role might give the PCs too much information. However, it cautions that this should be kept to a minimum, lest the players feel they don't have control of their characters. It also gives advice for "exceptional" checks, which we might call "improvised checks". Generally, the GM can try to map that to a particular skill. When a player is attempting something that doesn't seem to map to any one skill, but the character might have some kind of ability to do it, the game suggests making a check with Adventurer Level + a relevant ability score. The example given is that two characters are caught in an avalanche. The GM improvises a check by asking the characters to make a Ranger Level + Agility Check. One character has the Ranger Skill Package, and can do this, but the other character would have to make a bare 2d6 roll. The non-Ranger player alternatively suggests that they give up trying to escape, and instead dig into the snow and create a breathing space for themselves, to make it easier for the other character to find them. The GM asks for an Adventurer Level + Ability check, and if the character succeeds, he will get more time for the other player to find him.
Playing monsters: Here the game gives a concrete concept for encounter building: the PCs are assumed to win in combat (this does not necessarily mean they are assumed to accomplish the scenario!). Therefore the measure of the GMs skill is their ability to lose while maintaining excitement. An evenly matched combat, or something near that, should be attempted so that the GM can lose while providing the players with a sense of tension and the opportunity for enjoy thinking about tactics.
In terms of concrete advice, the book suggests a climatic battle, and 1 to 3 battles before that, adjusted for the style of game and level of the players. For the last, it suggests that for beginners, a few more battles can be stimulating, while a more mystery-solving game with fewer combats might appeal to more advanced players. For choosing the number and level of characters, it suggests as a standard guideline that a final climatic battle the boss monster should be 1 or 2 levels above the average adventurer level of the party. The number of enemies should be the same as the members of the party. Strengthening the boss monster with a Sword Shard is also recommended.
For the non-climatic battles, monsters of the same level and number as the party should be used, possibly with a boss monster that is one level higher (no Sword Shard).
For how to play monsters in combat, monsters have an intelligence level that should inform how they fight. Those with "low" or "animal intelligence" attack random targets. Those with "human" or "high intelligence," will know such tactics as focused fire, or targeting the healer. However, they may still make mistakes due to arrogance, carelessness, or bad information. The game suggests considering this pragmatically, as players will not enjoy the battles so much if foolish monsters fight unnaturally tactically, or if an intelligent enemy fights inefficiently.
Ending the Session: The GM should determine if the PCs accomplished the objectives of the scenario. The objectives may not be entirely clear in the beginning, or may even change in the course of the scenario, but the GM's decision should such that the players can get behind it. Achieving the scenario objectives is worth 1,000 XP, while not achieving the objectives is worth 500 XP. PCs also receive 50 XP per auto-fail, and bonus XP from defeating monsters (monster level x 100). The any Sword Shards retrieved can be turned in for 1d6 Prestige Points/Shard, or sold for 200 G. Gamel (money) must be split among the party, but each member receives the number of Prestige Points shown by the dice.
There is also a table providing basic guidelines for adventure rewards, additional treasure rewards, and Sword Shards per person by level. By the rules, Guilds do not give advances on rewards to characters. They will instead provide items which the players can pay for later. But the reason for this rule is amusing: it's to prevent the game from being delayed because the players get money and then immediately go shopping. As such, the GM is free to provide advances at his own discretion.
After all rewards are given, the players develop their characters, spending any XP on Skill Packages, and getting their 1 point bonus to an ability score. This encourages players to think about they want to further develop their characters, and incentivizes continuing on in a campaign.
Next up, a look at the Sample Scenario included in Rulebook I.