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The Character Archaic FRP (Vol 1: The Primer)

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The Character Archaic FRP (Vol 1: The Primer)

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Precis Intermedia

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The Character Archaic is a low-cost, fast-paced, easy to learn, and expandable fantasy roleplaying system.

This first volume has been designed to explain the rules and allow you to create basic characters, which can be done in minutes by thinking up a good descriptive paragraph to build Primary Attributes, Compound Attributes (descriptors, skills, etc.), and Special Attributes (if applicable). All characters begin play as fresh adventurers, inching closer to becoming veterans in a variety of ways. There are no classes to limit the type of hands-on experience, research, or artistry performed between adventures.

The basic system utilizes two six-sided dice with a difficulty scale to approximate how hard each task is (unless pitted directly against an opponent). Standardized degrees of success can be used to describe the outcomes of most tasks, but also directly affect It has a definite structure yet certain degree of openness for players to choose their own skills and talents, and the gamemaster to impose his own bonuses and penalties through descriptive conditions. There is no claim that this is better than what came before or that it is revolutionary. It is simply my take on fantasy, and a natural evolution of my design process, inspired by elements from genreDiversion, MasterBook, Story Engine, and other Precis Intermedia titles. It is the system that I want to run and hope others can appreciate it.

Bear in mind that this is the first volume. It is a primer for the game system. The four basic fantasy races (called cultures) are included, as is everything you need to start playing. This volume, however, does not contain any rules for magic, as that is intended to be included in the next volume along with more cultures and other material. This is not the end product, rather a first step into a new set of rules and style of design.

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Reviews (1)

Discussions (2)

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Justin W February 20, 2021 7:58 am UTC

PURCHASER

This looks fun. I do like the player driven attributes, and the way Cultures are handled. Looking forward to more of this, especially how magic works in the system. Is it intentional that Halflings have a net +1 bonus in Compound Attributes?

Brett B February 20, 2021 8:46 am UTC

PUBLISHER

Sorry, the Halfling somehow lost a compound attribute. An updated file is available.

Justin W February 20, 2021 9:01 am UTC

PURCHASER

Cool. I am also wrapping my head around combat. Am I right in thinking that if you make one attack, block or parry, it’s +2 Difficulty (which seems odd), then +3 of making two, +4 if making 3 etc ?

Justin W February 20, 2021 9:15 am UTC

PURCHASER

And Parry or block seems quite harsh, imposing at least -3 on an attack, at least -3 on your next initiative roll, and you can’t attack next turn. Unless you have a great bonus to parry or block that doesn’t sound worth it.

Brett B February 20, 2021 2:09 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

One attack/parry is the norm without penalty. Any more than that is very tough, so a penalty is applied.

For parry, the difficulty is only applied to the opposing character's attack (the reason you would parry) and your next initiative (while you were prepared to parry an attack, it does slow you down a bit). it does not affect your ability to attack the following turn. Does that make more sense?

Brett B February 20, 2021 2:13 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

I'm not sure where you are getting a -3 penalty at the least. It depends on the parry/block bonus. Also, what may be confusing you is the term defending character -- read it as parrying/shield blocking character. Only entrenchment prevents you from attacking (the others allow for a counter-attack with penalty).

Justin W February 20, 2021 4:57 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Ah I think I may have read things differently:

Regarding parries. “parrying does mean that the character is not ready for an attack during the next turn.”

So does “ not ready for an attack” mean you can’t parry next turn? I read that as you can’t get ready to make an attack.

And now I reread the multi attack rule, I see that the penalty applies to attacks (when attacking) and to your next initiative (when parrying). However can you explain this to me as still puzzled:

Page 35: “The difficulty for each attack (or next initiative for parries/blocks) is modified by +2, plus +1 for each attack/parry beyond the first (the first would be +2, the second +3, and so on).”

By “the first would be +2” is that the first additional attack or parry? It doesn’t read like that.

Brett B February 20, 2021 5:24 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

“parrying does mean that the character is not ready for an attack during the next turn.” - meaning he gets a penalty to his next initiative, as the next bit explains.

You get one attack, parry, or block each turn without penalty. If you wish to do more each turn, it affects all of them during that 5 seconds. So, the first attack or parry/block would be +2 difficulty to hit or +2 next initiative, respectively. Increase that by +1 difficulty for successive one.

Clearer?

Justin W February 20, 2021 6:02 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Ah I see. The parrying sentence is just clarifying the Initiative penalty, not adding any further ruling. And the multi action makes sense now. If you decide you are going to make more than one attack , or more than one Block or Parry, you suffer the ascending Difficulty increase. As Parries and Blocks are reactive, would you make that decision the first time you are attacked each round?

Brett B February 20, 2021 6:17 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

Technically, yes. Picture it this way. I could stand ready to attack, block, or parry. If I choose to attack, I don’t really have time to react with a parry later in the turn. If I choose to parry, I could also choose to follow it up with a counter-attack, deferring that action until I am attacked. The gamemaster should have some input into the timing, so he would make the call as to what is possible, but the rules lay out the associated penalties and such.

Justin W February 20, 2021 7:18 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Great- many thanks. That’s a lot clearer now. Incidentally, regarding Initiative, what’s the difficulty for the test? As there is no pass or failure I was assuming you treat it as zero to make the Margin easier to compute.not sure how that works with Surprise though.

Brett B February 20, 2021 7:34 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

The default difficulty is always 10. The gamemaster may also wish to further penalize a character for a major failure on the roll.

Justin W February 20, 2021 8:00 pm UTC

PURCHASER

I see. So a surprised target would roll vs 16 instead then, using Wits? Or is the Formidable Wits roll surprised targets make to be able to defend each turn a separate test?

Brett B February 20, 2021 8:38 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

Just wits for initiative, whereas the Formidable task is like a reaction roll to allow him to apply his attribute/parry bonuses.