Modifiers
A Modifier is: A numerical addition or subtraction to a Roll or DC that increases or decreases the chance of success.
Whenever a creature is the target of any attack, spell or ability there will be modifiers that affect either the roll made by the attacker or defender. These modifiers are representative of a culmination of that creature's innate defenses, equipment, abilities and how difficult they are to Hit and Damage.
The following is a list of modifiers that are regularly used in combat and skill challenges.
Lighting Conditions
Some creatures, such as Humans, can only see clearly in certain lighting conditions. When Creating a Character and you select a Species, that Species will list any abilities to see in various light conditions, other than Well Lit or Bright. When a creature has no Traits related to Vision, they are considered to have "Standard Vision". Some Creatures, such as those with Dark or Night Vision, will have negative modifiers when attempting to perform actions in bright lighting conditions.
When Playing a Character with Standard Vision, refer to the below table for any modifiers.
Lighting Conditions Table
| Smoke/Fog | Darkness | Dim Lighting | Well Lit | Bright Lighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -5 and Disadvantage to All Perception and Investigation Skill Checks and Attack Rolls while in or vs Creatures in or on the other side of Smoke or Fog are made with Disadvantage. | -2 and Disadvantage to All Perception and Investigation Skill Checks and Attack Rolls Made in or vs Creatures in Darkness are made with a -2 Modifier. | -2 to All Perception and Investigation Skill Checks made in Dim Lighting | No Modifier | +2 to All Perception and Investigation Skill Checks. |
Weather Conditions
Severe weather can affect various aspects of combat and gameplay. For instance: A rapid frost may cause metal weapons to become frozen to a wielder's hand, heavy rain can cause creatures to lose their footing and become wet, high winds can affect the trajectory of a projectile and so on.
| Weather Condition | Modifiers and Effects |
|---|---|
| Severe Frost | Creatures must use their Action to stop wielding Metal Weapons in order to equip another weapon or item in that hand. |
| Blizzard | -5 and Disadvantage to All Perception, Investigation Skill Checks and Attack Rolls Made in Blizzard Conditions. 1 Frost Damage per Round of Exposure. |
| Sandstorm | -5 and Disadvantage to All Perception, Investigation Skill Checks and Attack Rolls Made in Sandstorm Conditions. 1 Puncture Damage per Round of Exposure. |
| Heavy Rain | Creatures suffer from the Soaked Condition after 2 Consecutive Rounds of Exposure in Heavy Rain. All exposed ground becomes Hazardous Terrain with a Dexterity DC of 10 until the rain stops. Creatures moving on this terrain that Fail are Immediately knocked prone and end their movement. |
| Ice Storm | Creatures suffer from the Frozen Condition after 6 Consecutive Rounds of Exposure in an Ice Storm. All exposed ground becomes Hazardous Terrain with a Dexterity DC of 12 until the Ice Storm stops. Creatures moving on this terrain that Fail are Immediately knocked prone and end their movement. |
| Lightning Storm | Creature’s wearing Metal Armor or Wielding Metal weapons Attract Lighting that strikes 1 Tall Structure, Metal object or Item, Armor, Weapon or Equipment worn or carried by a creature. There is an equal chance for any object being struck in the Round, thus any creature wearing multiple Lightning Attracting Instances has a higher likelihood of being struck for each additional Instance. Hit : If a Creature, Object or Structure is Struck Directly it receives an additional 3d8 Electrical Damage and is Stunned for one Round if it is a Creature. Creatures up to 1 Meter Away must pass a DC 14 Dexterity Saving Throw or receive Full Damage, creatures that pass instead receive half damage. Lightning deals 6d8 Electrical Damage to all creatures, objects and structures in the area. Creatures that fail the Saving Throw are also Dazed for one round. Un-Equipped Flammables in the area automatically ignite and begin Burning for 2d6 Burn Damage until extinguished or destroyed. |
| High Winds | All Ranged Attack Rolls are made with a Situational -2 Modifier. All Flying Movement is considered to be made through Rough Terrain while in High Wind Conditions. |
| Acid Rain | 1 Acid Damage per Round of Exposure. |
| Tornado | All Ranged Attack Rolls are made with a Situational -4 Modifier. All Melee Attack Rolls are made with a Situational -2 Modifier. All Flying and Melee Movement is considered to be made through Rough and Hazardous Terrain while in Tornado Conditions. Must Pass a DC 14 DEX Saving Throw to Avoid 1d4 Puncture Damage Per Movement Made. Must Pass a DC 14 CON Saving Throw to Avoid 1d4 Meters Forced Movement in the Direction of the Tornadoes spiral. |
| Hurricane | All Ranged Attack Rolls are made with a Situational -4 Modifier. All Melee Attack Rolls are made with a Situational -2 Modifier. All Flying and Melee Movement is considered to be made through Rough and Hazardous Terrain while in Hurricane Conditions. Must Pass a DC 14 DEX Saving Throw to Avoid 1d4 Puncture Damage Per Movement Made. Must Pass a DC 14 CON Saving Throw Each Round spent in Hurricane Conditions to Avoid 1d4 Meters Forced Movement in the Direction of the Hurricanes Wind Gust. |
Size
Attacking a Creature that is much Larger or Smaller than oneself will apply a Situational Modifier to Hit. Use the Table below as a reference.
Size Table
| Attacking Creature Size | Vs Tiny | Vs Small | Vs Medium | Vs Large | Vs Huge | Vs Giant | Vs Massive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiny | 0 | 0 | +1 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +3 |
| Small | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +1 | +2 | +2 |
| Medium | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +1 | +2 |
| Large | -1 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +1 |
| Huge | -2 | -1 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 |
| Gigantic | -2 | -2 | -1 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gargantuan | -3 | -2 | -2 | -1 | -1 | 0 | 0 |
Materials
Buildings and inanimate objects are all made of materials and those materials have various strengths and resistances. This is reflected in their Damage Resistance per Hit and their HP. Damage Resistance is a Trait that is typically reserved for objects and structures and negates an amount of damage equal to the the Damage Resist listed. Most material types are Vulnerable to one or more types of damage, and receive double damage when dealt damage of that type.
How Much in Centimeters? As a rough guide in the Altered Realms Multiverse: A centimeter is about the width of a fingernail, a typical doorway is about a meter wide, Average bones are considered to be 1-2 centimeters thick, A standard home wall is about 10 centimeters thick, a pane of glass is roughly 1 centimeter thick, Castle walls average about 2-5 meters thick, Wooden planks are usually 4 centimeters thick and the average tree is between 30 centimeters and 2 meters thick.
When damaging objects, structures or specific areas via a Targeted Attack refer to the table below to establish how much damage is needed to break, destroy or sever the target material or item.
Materials Table
| Material | Damage to Destroy Per Meter | Damage to Destroy Per Centimeter | Damage Vulnerability | Damage Resistance Per Hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper | 10 | 1 | Burn | 0 |
| Fabric | 20 | 2 | Burn | 0 |
| Glass | 30 | 3 | Puncture, Blunt | 0 |
| Flesh | 40 | 4 | Slash | 0 |
| Sand | 40 | 4 | Kinetic | 0 |
| Soil | 50 | 5 | Kinetic | 0 |
| Wood | 50 | 5 | Burn | 1 |
| Plastic | 60 | 6 | Burn | 1 |
| Tin | 60 | 6 | Blunt | 2 |
| Bone | 70 | 7 | Blunt | 3 |
| Stone | 80 | 8 | Blunt | 3 |
| Copper | 80 | 8 | Puncture | 4 |
| Ceramic | 90 | 9 | Blunt | 5 |
| Bronze | 90 | 9 | Puncture | 6 |
| Epoxy | 90 | 9 | Burn | 6 |
| Iron | 100 | 10 | None | 8 |
| Steel | 120 | 12 | None | 10 |
| Titanium | 130 | 13 | None | 11 |
| Diamond | 150 | 15 | None | 12 |
* The vulnerabilities and Resistances of Materials worn or contained by a creature do not come into play unless specifically targeted.
Improvised Armor
Any item worn and used to protect oneself that was not designed specifically to do so, is considered to be Improvised Armor. This includes things like a bucket on the head or a boiler plate strapped to the chest.
The main factors that determine the effectiveness and equipping requirements of improvised armor are its size, material and the skill roll made to secure or modify the item into armor.
Creatures cannot equip armor that is too Small for them. Creatures can Equip armors that are 1 size too Large for them but no Larger.
Improvised Armor Table
| Material | Small Item Armor Points | Medium Item Armor Points | Large or Larger Item Armor Points | AC Bonus | Skill Roll DC to Fashion into Armor | Armor Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass, Pottery, Fabric, Softwood | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 10 | Light |
| Leather | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 11 | Light |
| Wood | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 12 | Medium |
| Hardwood | 4 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 14 | Medium |
| Soft Metal | 5 | 7 | 12 | 4 | 16 | Heavy |
| Hard Metal | 6 | 9 | 15 | 5 | 18 | Heavy |
Improvised Shields
Any item held and used to protect oneself that was not designed specifically to do so, is considered to be an Improvised Shield. This includes things like pots, pans, platters, lids, chairs, etc.
The main factors that determine the effectiveness and wielding requirements of an improvised shield is its size and material.
Improvised Shield Tables
| Size | Cover Granted | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Small | None | 1 Hand |
| Medium | 1/2 | 2 Hands |
| Large or Larger | Full | 2 Hands and DC 14+ Athletics Skill Roll |
| Material | Small Item Armor Points | Medium Item Armor Points | Large or Larger Item Armor Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glass, Pottery, Fabric, Softwood | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Leather | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Wood | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| Hardwood | 4 | 8 | 12 |
| Soft Metal | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| Hard Metal | 6 | 12 | 18 |
Meat Shield
When a creature has another creature Grappled and they are targeted by a ranged or melee attack they may, as a Reaction, Roll an Athletics or Acrobatics Skill Roll that Meets or Exceeds the Attack Roll to cause the creature they currently have grappled to be the target of the Attack Roll, rather than themselves.
Improvised Weapons
Any item used to fight that was not designed specifically to do so, is considered to be an improvised weapon. This includes things like candlesticks, table legs and chairs. Improvised weapon attacks are made with a fate die added and deal damage based solely off of their material and size.
As a point of reference: Small items fit in one hand, Medium require one or two hands and large always require two hands to wield. The Narrator decides the damage type, but it is most commonly Blunt or Puncture. Most improvised weapons are not durable and will break after multiple uses.
Improvised Weapons Table
| Material | Size | Damage | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood | Small | 1d2 | 1 |
| Wood | Medium | 1d4 | 2 |
| Wood | Large | 1d6 | 3 |
| Stone | Small | 1d4 | 3 |
| Stone | Medium | 1d6 | 4 |
| Stone | Large | 1d8 | 5 |
| Metal | Small | 1d4 | 5 |
| Metal | Medium | 1d8 | 6 |
| Metal | Large | 1d12 | 7 |
Contested Rolls
Contested Rolls require a Contested Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intellect, or Wisdom roll. When called for, both individuals roll a d20 and add the applicable Attribute Modifier. The initiator always decides what Attribute is being used for the contested roll and the defender always wins ties.
A contested roll might be called for in an arm wrestle, footrace or other form of friendly competition.
Melee Attack Bonus
Whenever you make a melee attack you will add your melee attack bonus to the d20 roll. Your melee attack bonus is derived from your strength or dexterity modifier(depending on weapon type). If you are trained to wield that weapon, you also add your training modifier to the attack roll.
Ranged Attack Bonus
Whenever you make a ranged attack you will add your ranged attack bonus to the d20 roll. Your ranged attack bonus is derived from your dexterity or strength modifier(depending on weapon type). If you are trained to wield that weapon, you also add your training modifier to the attack roll.
Casting Bonus
Whenever you cast a spell that is an attack you will add your casting bonus to the d20 roll. Your casting bonus is derived from your Wisdom, Intellect or Charisma modifier(depending on caster type) and combined with your Training Bonus.
Destiny Die
When a creature or player adds a Destiny Die on a roll they may roll 2 d20's and use whatever result is higher.
Fate Die
When a creature or player adds a Fate Die on a roll they must roll 2 d20's and use whatever result is lower.
Cramped
While cramped, creatures add a Fate Die on all dexterity saving throws and Weapon Attacks made using weapons with the "Long" Trait.
Large creatures are considered to be cramped in any space smaller than 4 meters wide or tall.
Medium creatures are considered to be cramped in any space smaller than 2 meters wide or tall.
Small creatures are considered to be cramped in any space smaller than 1 meter wide or tall.
Critical Hit
A critical hit is a roll of 20 on a d20 when using any rolled targeted attack or ability. When a player character crits on an attack roll of any kind they deal maximized damage on that attack and may roll an additional die/dice of damage. If there were any bonus dice attached to the attack they are also maximized and may be rolled again as part of the critical hit.
Critical Miss
A critical miss is a roll of 1 on a d20 when using any rolled targeted attack or ability. When a player critically misses on an attack roll of any kind they automatically miss the attack and provoke Reaction Attacks from any enemies in Melee Range.
Resistance
Resistance is always attached to a particular damage type. A creature or vessel could have multiple Resistances. Resistance halves the damage received of the listed type for each instance of damage received. For example: if an attack were to deal 6 slash damage and 11 burn damage, for a total of 17, assuming the target has resistance to burn damage, they would instead receive 6 slash damage and 5 burn damage, for a total of 11. If that same attack was made three times, resistance to burn damage would halve the burn damage for each individual attack.
Vulnerable
Vulnerable is always attached to a particular damage type. A creature or vessel could have multiple Vulnerabilities. Vulnerable doubles the damage received of the listed type for each instance of damage received. For example: if an attack were to deal 6 slash damage and 11 burn damage, for a total of 17, if the target is vulnerable to slash damage they would instead receive 12 slash damage and 11 burn damage, for a total of 23. If that same attack was to hit three times, vulnerable to slash damage would double the slash damage for each individual attack.
