RPGStuck Player Handbook (Azure) 

Changelog here

Please note that RPGStuck and its rules aren’t supported by Wizards of the Coast or Andrew
Hussie. All rights reserved by Wizard of the Coast or Andrew Hussie. RPGStuck is a nonprofit
parody of the ruleset intended to function as a spinoff of the rules of DnD5e while providing a
gameplay in the style of ​Homestuck​.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 0: Preface
General Overview
Using This Book

Chapter 1: Introduction
How to Play
Using Dice
Making Rolls
Advantage and Disadvantage
Round Down
The Three Realms of Adventure

Chapter 2: Character Generation

Step by Step Character Generation
Identity
Personality & Backstory
Ability Scores
Ability Modifiers
Races and Racial Bonuses
Psionics
Pillars & Paths
Strife Specibus
Proficiency
Hit Points (HP)
Armor Class (AC)
Resistances
Initiative

Chapter 3: Ability Scores and Skills

Skills

Chapter 4: Adventuring
 Equipment
Alchemy
Weapons
Armor
Other Equipment
Building & Gates
Classes and Aspects
Movement
Special Types of Movement
The Environment
Vision and Light
Resting

Chapter 5: Combat
Combat Overview
Your Turn
Major Action
Movement
Minor Action
Full Round Actions
Free Actions
Reactions
Miscellaneous Actions
Damage and HP
Hit Points (HP)
Mounted Combat

Chapter 6: Leveling
Echeladder Rungs
Specializations

Chapter 7: Psionics

Psionic Powers
Using Psionics
Fighting a Psion

Chapter 8: God Tier

Option 1: Freeform
Resources
Scope
Attributes
 Channel
Fade
Guide
Know
Wield
Magnitude
Option 2: Scalable
Resources
Scope
Option 3: Mechanical
Resources
Scope

Appendix A: Status Conditions

Chapter 0: Preface 
General Overview 
Welcome to RPGStuck! RPGStuck is a homemade role-playing game modeled after the game
SBURB found in the popular webcomic ​Homestuck,​ and was created by a collection of users on
Reddit. Our home is at /r/RPGStuck, so feel free to drop by and say hi or message the mods!

RPGStuck is based off of Dungeons and Dragons but with a Homestuck play style, allowing you
to experience SBURB as any of the characters in Homestuck would. The rules are roughly
based off of the D&D 5e game engine, but there is a lot that we made ourselves too. We hope
the game system we created is easy to understand and that you can use it to create excellent
stories together and have a great deal of fun!

Remember, RPGStuck, like most role-playing games, is an ​exercise in collaborative creation​!

You and your fellow players will work together with your Dungeon Master to create epic stories
full of silly jokes and memorable drama. Yes, sometimes the dice may be cruel to you, but you
keep going! Your collective creativity will build worlds and create stories worth telling again and
again. Your imagination is key, and using whatever imagination you have will make the story
that much better. You don’t need to be a master storyteller or a brilliant artist, just aspire to
create and share what you made with others.

Above all else, this game is yours. The adventures you embark on, the friendships you make,
the memories you create, they are unique to you and your group. They are yours. Go forth now
and read the rules of the game, but remember that you and your DM are the ones that bring the
game to life, and that every DM and player has a different way they like to play. The worlds and
characters are nothing without the spark of life that you give them!
Enjoy!

Using This Book 

This handbook provides everything you need as a player for RPGStuck, including general rules
for how to play, instructions on how to create a character, how combat works, and much more!
However, in the end, it is up to the Dungeon Master how they would like to run the game so they
may wish to opt out of some rules or add a couple of their own. This is the ruleset that we made,
but you can use it as a starting point for your own ideas too!

The Introduction in Chapter 1 will give you what you need to know to get started with RPGStuck.
Chapter 2 will provide you with details on how to create your character for RPGStuck. The rest
of the chapters provide more detailed explanations of specific mechanics in the game like
combat or leveling up. You can also use the links in the Table of Contents above to navigate the
document.
Chapter 1: Introduction 

How to Play 
RPGStuck functions primarily as a dialogue between you and your Dungeon Master or other
players. Your ​Dungeon Master​ (DM) is the one that is responsible for putting together the world
and story in which your characters exist. Depending on the group, you may have a couple or
just one, but regardless, they’re the one you should turn to if you have questions! These rules
are a way to give structure to the story that you, your fellow players, and your DM will tell. Your
DM basically acts as a storyteller and a referee, describing the world around you and managing
the rules and mechanics of the game. Together, it is up to you and your fellow players to
uncover the story of the world, decide your goals, and hopefully emerge victorious!

The general structure of the game is that the DM will describe the environment or situation, and
you will respond with what you want your character will do. Sometimes it may seem obvious
what the solution to a problem is, sometimes you may need to work to figure out what you want
to do. The key part is that this is your time to shine! This part is where you provide depth to your
character and decide how your character interacts with the world around them. Do whatever you
want to and whatever you think your character would do in that situation. The DM then
determines the results of the players’ actions and narrates what you experience. Then you will
describe what your character thinks or does, and then it goes back and forth from there. Just as
your DM shouldn’t generally tell you what your character does (it’s your character after all!), try
not to describe the results of your character’s actions. You as a player might not be fully aware
of everything around you or the DM might have something special in store, so do not assume
you can say the results of your character’s actions. Dice rolls may need to be made, something
may interfere, or perhaps shenanigans! RPGStuck is very much a collaborative conversation
where you build a story together with your DM, so being in good communication with them is a
good foundation for an enjoyable session.

Using Dice 
Many of RPGStuck’s more specific rules rely on using ​dice​. If you need to roll dice, you can use
this website​, the dice roller on the official RPGStuck Discord, or even physical dice if you have
some. In this book, dice will most commonly be referred to by the letter d followed by a number.
For example, a d6 is a six-sided die and a d20 is a twenty-sided die. When you need to roll dice,
you will see a number in front of the d that tells you how many of that type of dice to roll, and
possible some modifiers afterwards. For example, “4d8 + 2” means to roll 4 eight-sided dice and
then add 2 to the result. You add up all of the dice and then depending on the rules, you use the
total to determine the outcome!

Making Rolls 
The twenty-sided die, or d20, is the most commonly used die in RPGStuck. In general,
whenever your character performs an action and you want to see if the action is successful or
not, you roll a d20! For most times when you will roll a d20 to perform an action, you will have a
modifier​ associated with that action that could provide a bonus or penalty to your roll depending
on how skilled your character is with that specific action. Every character and monster in the
game has six ​ability scores ​that these modifiers are generally derived from. These ability
scores and the ​ability modifiers ​derived from them are the basis of almost every single d20 roll
in the game. These, as well as much of the terminology you may encounter in this handbook will
be explained as you go.

d20s are most commonly used in ​attack rolls​ and ​skill checks​. In either case, you roll a d20,
then add your modifier in an appropriate ability and possibly your Proficiency bonus, and
compare the result to a target number. If the total is the target number or greater, you
accomplish what you were trying to do! Otherwise, you fail. Exactly tying the target number is
still a success.

Sometimes, the target number is a ​Difficulty Class​ set by the DM; this is most common in the
case of skill checks. For attack rolls, the target number is usually the ​Armor Class​ of the
creature you are attacking, though some attacks target the monster's Fortitude, Reflex, or Will
resistance ​instead. On some occasions, such as when attempting to grapple a creature, you
will roll an opposed skill check, meaning that some other creature rolls a skill check, and you roll
a check of your own using the other creature's result as the target number. Since you're the one
doing the comparison, you win ties!

Advantage and Disadvantage 

When you are told to roll with ​advantage ​instead of rolling a single d20, roll two d20 and ignore
the lower result. ​Disadvantage ​works the same way, except instead you ignore the higher die
and take the lower one. Neither advantage nor disadvantage stacks; if multiple effects would
give you advantage, only one of them applies, and likewise with effects that give disadvantage.
If you have both advantage and disadvantage on a roll, neither applies.

Round Down 
In general, whenever you are dealing with dice rolls, ability modifiers, reduced damage, or
anything else numerical in the game that could give you a fractional result, ​always​ round down.
This is a standard convention to both make numbers nicer by not having fractions floating
around, but also to make sure that rules are used consistently. Always round down.

The Three Realms of Adventure 

As a player, you can have your character do anything (or at least try) you can imagine! The
things your character can do in RPGStuck are generally broken down into three general
categories, and it’s important not to forget your options! All three of these types of activities can
be very useful or fun in a story; using as many as you can will likely make your adventure much
more interesting.
You can ​explore​. This primarily means physically traveling around in the world of your
character. You describe where you want to go, and your DM will describe the world around you.
It’s a new world, and there are sights to see, people to meet, and sites to explore.

Social interaction​ is also key in RPGStuck. If it was just your character alone in the world,
things could get boring pretty quickly, but thankfully that isn’t the case! Your DM may choose to
have a variety of ​non-player characters​ (NPCs) in the world for you to interact and talk with,
and you also have your fellow players! If you have the means to communicate with other
players, talking, or maybe even going adventuring together, is an excellent way to add another
layer of depth to your story. Meeting new people can be great fun, and when it comes to
shenanigans, two heads are better than one!

Combat​ is the last type of general activity. This could mean fighting monsters or maybe even
other players. Combat almost always involves damaging other creatures, but it doesn’t always
have to end in killing; combat can just as easily end in taking prisoners, forcing retreat,
interrogation, incapacitation, or diplomatic reconciliation.
Chapter 2: Character Generation
Step by Step Character Generation 
This chapter details each step you’ll need to create a character. The typical character sheet is
here​; make a copy of the document, and get started! You’ll want to make a checklist of the
following:

We also have a video tutorial ​here​!

● Identity:​ Who is the character? What are they like? What’s their backstory?
● Race:​ Is your character a human or a troll? If a troll, what blood caste?
● Ability Scores:​ What is your character capable of?
● Psionics: ​Can your character use psionic powers or not?
● Pillar:​ What sort of archetype does your character fit?
● Strife Specibi:​ What sort of weapons does your character use?
● Proficiencies:​ What is your character do well?
● Miscellaneous:​ All the little details!

Identity 
Your character needs an identity! Starting with a core concept for your character is a great place
to start to figure out how to begin creating them. Some characters are more rugged and
outdoorsy, others are acrobats, others scholars and scientists. Figure out what type of character
you want and then you can go from there. Here are some questions you can answer to get you
started! What race are they? Are they a human or a troll? What is your character’s gender? How
old are they? What do they look like? What is their chat handle? What defining personality traits
do they have? The race, and blood color if applicable, you choose for your character will affect
how well your character can do different things, so you can also hold off on deciding for sure
until you read the racial benefits below!

Personality & Backstory 

This is the key stage where you have the opportunity to breathe life into your character.
Fleshing out your character through traits, mannerisms, habits, beliefs, fears, and flaws gives
your character depth and help you bring them to life beyond just a sheet of numbers. The more
depth your character has, the more enjoyable you will likely find role-playing them! Think of
general personality traits to describe your character, and then try and be more specific. Here are
some questions to get you started that will likely be helpful to answer:
● Personality traits: what are simple ways you can describe your character and set them
apart from others? What are things your character likes? Any significant things they’ve
done? How do they behave around others? What do they think of themselves?
Something like “my character is smart” is not a very helpful trait because it is generic and
applies to a lot of people. Instead, you could say something like “my character loves
 learning and has read her encyclopedia set front to back. Twice.” or something more
specific.
● Deeper traits: Are there any deep-seated beliefs about the world or others that your
character holds? What motivates or drives your character? Whom does your character
care about the most? What is your character’s goal or what do they strive for?
● Flaws: No character is perfect! Flaws add an extra layer of depth to your character. Do
they have any bad habits? What makes your character angry? Does your character have
any vices? What are they most scared of? What negative social traits do they have?
● Background: Where is your character from? What was their family/social life like? Do
they have any significant relationships, romantic or otherwise, prior to the start of the
game? Has your character developed any particular skills or interests over time? What is
an average day in the life of your character like?
● Why?​ Making simple assertions about your character’s personality is one thing, but the
best characters go deeper. ​Why​ is your troll character obsessed with FLARP? ​Because
she was bullied as a wriggler and FLARP gave her a means to escape from it.​ ​Why​ was
she bullied so much? ​Because she was an easy target and trolls are jerks.​ ​Why​ was she
an easy target? ​Because…​ Not only is asking ​why​ a great way to give the character
additional depth, you’ll sometimes find entirely new dimensions to the character that
way. As a general rule of thumb, if you can go six or seven ​why​’s deep, you’ve gone far
enough. If you get stuck before that point, you might want to review your answers so far.

With that in mind, let’s go over filling out the spreadsheet. This is a multi-step process, but don’t
be intimidated: the sheet automates most of the number-crunching, so you just need to slot in
your chosen values where appropriate. If you ever get lost, keep these rules in mind:
● You enter your ability scores and roll Hit Dice on the Stuff tab. Everything else related to
character creation is on the Character tab.
● If you can’t edit a box, it means its value is computed for you.
● If you truly can’t find something, Ctrl-F is the Find command.

First, make a copy of the spreadsheet linked above, then begin editing. Go to the character tab
(this is the default tab), and fill in their name, race, backstory, and personality. Their race
determines whether they are a human or troll, and if the latter, what blood color they are.

Then go to the Stuff tab and fill out the ability scores table. Every character begins with the
same basic ability scores: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, and 8. Assign one to each ability score, then
record its value in the Initial column. ​(For example, a character with a Finesse weapon might
allocate their 15 to Dexterity, while a psion might want their 15 in Intelligence instead.) ​Then,
find your race’s ability modifiers and record them in the Race column. You don’t need to worry
about the other columns for now.

After you have your race and ability scores settled, you’ll need to decide whether your character
is psionic or not! Your character may be a ​Major Psion​, a ​Minor Psion​, or ​Martial​. For ​Major
Psions​, psionic powers come with a host of special abilities, but at a cost. Alternately, you can
choose to be a ​Martial​, eschewing psionics to ignore these costs, or take a middle road as a
Minor Psion​ and blend both.

If you do decide to go psionic, check the ​Slots​ section of the racial bonuses table, then find the
gray shaded drop-down cell next to the Bonuses column. This cell is M15 on a standard
character sheet. Set this value to Full, ⅔, Half, or ⅓ as indicated by your race. If you are playing
a major psion, you also have access to major slots, so indicate that on cell M16.

Once you’ve chosen your character’s relation to psionics, add your known psionic powers to the
sheet, on the Characters tab, under ​Psionic Powers​. If you are a major psion, you know one
power fully, and you know a single subpower of a second power. If you are a minor psion, you
know one subpower of a single power. You are recommended to fill out the entire power, then
change the text’s color or the cell’s color to indicate you do not know it yet.

After finishing that, go do the same with ​Strife Specibi​, above the Psionic Powers section in the
character tab. Everyone knows two strife specibi. However, if you are a minor psion, you only
know a single special attack between the two specibi, and major psions neither know any nor
can learn them normally.

The next thing to choose is your ​Pillar​. There are four pillars that encompass four broad types
of characters, detailed below under ​Pillars and Paths​. This will give your character increased
abilities during character generation and as they increase in level. Each pillar has a set of
Milestones​, and one Milestone is gained immediately. Find the Pillars and Paths section on the
Character tab, then fill in your Pillar and Milestones in the first box. You are advised to fill out all
of them, then shade out or otherwise mark the rest of the milestones to indicate you haven’t
gotten them yet.

Coming back to the Stuff tab, it's time to roll your initial Hit Die. Look to the left of the sheet for a
section labeled "Hit Points", beginning on cell N2. First, check that the Size value is correct. If
you elected not to be a psion, it increases once, from 1d6 to 1d8. If you chose the Sentinel
Pillar, it increases as well, from 1d6 to 1d8 or from 1d8 to 1d10 as appropriate. Note this value.

Roll a Hit Die of the size you noted and put the result in the first gray box under Rolls (column
O). Do not add your Constitution modifier to this roll; the sheet will do it automatically for you.
You'll come back to this column to record your Hit Die rolls every time you level up.

Next, look next to the Pillars and Paths section, at the Skills section. Find the drop-down menu
under the column labeled “Prof” (short for “Proficiency”). Most characters are proficient in three
skills. Characters with the ​Skill Sage​ Specialist milestone are proficient in five skills instead.
Choose the skills you want your character to be proficient in, find the corresponding dropdown
menu in column N, and change it to a single filled-in square. The sheet will automatically
compute the rest. Your character is also proficient in a single ​Resistance​; find the Resistances
section at the top of the sheet, choose one to be proficient in, and mark it with a black square as
well.

Last comes your ​Armor​ and ​Weapons​. You'll need to give a name to your armor. Starting
"armor" is typically just standard clothing, so decide how your character dresses and summarize
it for the armor name. You'll also need to choose whether it's Light, Medium, or Heavy armor;
note that in the dropdown. Starting armor doesn't have any effects, so you can use the Effect
column for flavor text if you're so inclined. While you're at it, name your starting weapons in the
same way. Come back to row 44 at the top of the sheet, where you'll see three dropdowns. Set
these to the armor and weapons your named below.

Once you have all of these done, talk to your DM to make sure that you have everything taken
care of, and you’ll be all set!

What you don’t pick 

 
While you determine most things about your character, ​anything related to SBURB is at your
DM’s discretion. ​In practice, this means that your DM will choose your character’s land, title, and
dream moon.

Ability Scores 
Every character begins with the same array numbers that they can choose to allocate amongst
the six ability scores however they please. The standard array is

15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8

Assign one of these scores to each of the six ability scores. The higher the number in a stat, the
greater benefit the player derives from it and rolls related to it. Later, when you choose your
race, and even later in the game when you level up, these ability scores will increase and
change.

Ability Modifiers 
Rolls in RPGStuck generally depend on your ability ​modifiers​, not your ability ​scores​, and these
modifiers are what you add to rolls. Whenever anything in this manual references an ability like
CHA or STR or CON, it means the ability modifier. How to calculate modifiers from ability scores
is detailed in this ​table​, though the official character sheets does it automatically. Calculate the
modifiers for each of your ability scores and put the modifier in parentheses on your character
sheet.

If we’re building a Strength-based melee combatant, we might allocate our ability scores like
this:
● STR 15 (+2)
● DEX: 13 (+1)
● CON: 14 (+2)
● INT: 12 (+1)
● WIS: 8 (-1)
● CHA: 10 (+0)

Races and Racial Bonuses  

In conjunction with deciding your ability scores, you should choose a race! Depending on the
race you choose, your character will receive related bonuses and penalties to their ability scores
as well as special traits. In general, lower blood caste races receive bonuses to psionics and
fewer bonuses to ability scores, higher blood races receive severe penalties to psionics but
higher ability score improvements, and midbloods receive a compromise of these two.

The below table contains all of the racial traits for each race. The Slots column describes that
race’s ability to use psionics. The details on how psionics works is described in the next section,
but the number of ​slots​ a character has governs how frequently they can use psionic powers.
The Features column describes the ability score modifiers given by that race as well as all
special traits and abilities, which are explained below the table.

Color Slots Features

Burgundy Full +1 INT, Lowblood Ingenuity, Psionic Vulnerability

Bronze Full +1 WIS, Brave, Psionic Vulnerability

Gold Full +1 INT, +1 to a stat, Overdrive, Psionic Vulnerability

Lime Full +1 CHA, Pacify, Psionic Vulnerability

Olive 2/3 +2 DEX, Apex Predator

Jade 2/3 +2 CHA, Rainbow Drinker

Teal 2/3 +2 to a stat, Ready for Anything

Cerulean 2/3 +1 to CHA, +2 to a different stat, Killing Flair

Indigo Half +3 STR, Ruffiannihilate , Psionic Resistance

Purple Half +2 STR, +3 CON, -1 WIS, -1 INT, High Fever, Psionic Resistance

Violet Half +2 DEX, +2 CON, -1 CHA, Heritage, Psionic Resistance,

Amphibious

Fuchsia 1/3 +2 STR, +2 DEX, +2 CHA, Iron Will, Psionic Resistance,

Amphibious

Human Half +2 to a stat, +1 to two other stats, Quick to Learn, Psionic

Resistance

Psionic Vulnerability: ​Psionic powers targeting your Will resistance have advantage.

Psionic Resistance:​ Psionic powers targeting your Will resistance have disadvantage.

Amphibious:​ You have a swim speed of 30 feet, and can breathe in air and water.
Lowblood Ingenuity​:​ ​Choose one:
● Expanded Mind:​ Gain extra minor slots equal to your Proficiency bonus.
● Intelligent Fighter:​ Once per attack, you may choose to add your psionic casting
modifier to a weapon damage roll. You may do this 2P times per long rest.

Brave​:​ Once per round, as a free action, gain another major action this turn. You then lose your
next major action and your next minor action after this turn. You may do this P times per long
rest.

Overdrive:​ ​ Once per strife, before you make an attack roll, as a free action you may double
your Proficiency bonus for that roll.

Pacify​:​ As a major action, make a Charisma check against the Will resistance of a target within
60 feet. If you break resistance, they are Charmed for one minute (10 rounds). You may do this
once per short rest per target.

Apex Predator​: Before making an attack against a Blinded or Restrained target, or while you
are Hidden, you may move up to 10 feet towards the attack’s target as a free action. You may
then add your Proficiency bonus to the attack’s damage roll.

Rainbow Drinker​:​ If you would die, roll 1d20 + CON + level. If the result is 20 or higher, you
become a rainbow drinker instead of dying. The transformation has no visual cues. You count
as Undead and gain the following:
● Choose one physical and one mental ability. Increase your scores in those abilities by 2.
● Base movement speed is increased by 10 feet.
● As a major action, you may make a melee attack using your strength modifier to hit
against a Grappled, Incapacitated, or Prone living creature or corpse.
○ If they hit, deal Pd10 damage and gain that much HP.
○ If the target is willing, the attack automatically hits.
○ If the target is dead, the attack automatically hits, and you may choose to gain an
amount of HP equal your Constitution score (not modifier) instead of Pd10.
● You may shed bright light in a 10 foot radius and dim light in a 60 foot radius. The light
can be turned on and off as a free action.

Ready for Anything: ​P times per long rest, if you Dash during your turn, you may ready a basic
weapon attack or damaging at-will subpower as a free action. This readied attack does not cost
a reaction and deals half damage.

Killing Flair: ​Once per strife, as a free action, you may raise the damage dice of one attack by
one size. If this attack misses, it deals damage equal to your level. If this attack kills the target,
you gain an additional major action. If this does not kill the target, all attacks against you have
advantage to hit until the start of your next turn.
Ruffiannihilate​: Once per strife, as a minor action, you may raise all damage dice on your next
turn by one size.

High Fever:​ Choose one:

● Berserk: ​P times per long rest, you can enter a berserker rage as a free action for 1
minute (10 rounds), gaining temporary hit points equal to the sum of your Constitution
modifier and half your level. While in this rage, your weapon and psionic attacks have
+1d4 to the attack roll and damage dice raised one size.
● Chucklevoodoo: ​P times per long rest, you can cast the minor slot version of the
Hypnotize subpower from Dominating Mind Control. When casting in this way, you use
Charisma as your psionic casting stat.

Heritage: ​You have a special item that you inherited from your ancestor. This item is treated as
if it were a Tier 1 alchemized item, and so may have a minor special effect. Work with your DM
to design an item of appropriate power level for the session.

Iron Will: ​Once per short rest, when an attack would break your resistance, you treat it as if it
failed to break resistance.

Quick to Learn:​ Gain a bonus Step at level 5.

Psionics 

You need to decide whether or not your character will be capable of using psionic powers!
There are three psionic disciplines: ​Major Psion​, ​Minor Psion​, and ​Martial​. A Major Psion
uses psionics as their primary method of strife, is more effective at using them, and knows more
powers. However, in exchange they are more susceptible to psionics being used against them,
and are less effective at using traditional weapons. A Martial character focuses entirely on other
modes of strife besides psionics and suffer none of the penalties of being psionic. A Minor Psion
takes the middle road, incurring some penalties but being proficient in using both weapons and
psionics together.

You can find a list of psionic powers in the ​Psionics Document​!

If your character is psionic, they may expend ​slots​ to fuel their powers. Each ​power​ contains
several ​subpowers​, each of which has one or more ​modes​. A mode may be ​at-will​, meaning
your character can cast it as many times as you’d like, or it may consume a ​minor slot ​or a
major slot​, which can only be restored by resting. Your race determines how many slots you
have; however, only major psions naturally gain major slots. If your character is psionic, you are
strongly encouraged to choose a ​psionic focus​, an object that your character uses to manifest
their powers. A focus is always optional, but provides a means for a psionic character to
enhance their powers through alchemy. Your focus may be any object that makes thematic
sense, except that it may not also be a weapon or armor.
Major Psion:​ Y​ our character focuses on the arcane energies that are psionic potential. They
have come at the cost of some of your physical capabilities, but their versatile power suits you
well. As a major psion, your character gains the following benefits and penalties:
● You have both major slots and minor slots, as described in the Psionics chapter.
● Your Will resistance suffers. Powers targeting your Will resistance generally have
advantage. If they already have advantage against you, you suffer a -2 penalty to your
Will resistance in addition to the power having advantage. If powers targeting your Will
resistance normally have disadvantage, perhaps because you are human, this
advantage cancels that out.
● You have 2 powers.
○ You know all subpowers from one of these powers.
○ You know one subpower from the other power, and may learn an additional
subpower from this power each time you gain a Step (see Pillars and Paths
below).
● You can not use any weapon special attacks (see Strife Specibus below).
● All weapon damage dice are reduced one size. (For example, a weapon that normally
uses a d6 for its damage dice uses a d4 instead if wielded by a major psion.)
● At level 8, you may choose a Psionic Specialization (see ​Specializations​).

Minor Psion:​ Your character strikes a balance between psionic and physical prowess. You are
more versatile, able to adapt your talents to the situation. While maybe not being as powerful in
either individual area as others may be, you learn to grow and adapt with time. As a minor
psion, your character gains the following benefits and penalties:
● You have minor slots as detailed in the Psionics chapter, but have no major slots.
● Your Will resistance suffers. Psionics targeting your Will resistance have advantage. If
they already have advantage against you, you suffer a -2 penalty to your Will resistance
in addition to the power having advantage.
● You know one power and you know one subpower from it.
● You know one weapon special attack (see Strife Specibus below).
● Whenever you gain a Step (see Pillars and Paths below), you gain ​one​ of the following
additional benefits:
○ Learn a subpower from a power you know.
○ Learn a weapon special attack from a weapon you have a specibus for.
● At level 8, you may choose either a Psionic Specialization or a Martial Specialization
(see ​Specializations​).

Martial:​ Your character eschews mental prowess in favor of physical prowess. The physical and
mental frailty of psions is not for you; instead you hone your skills and are able to work a
weapon with ease and power. As a non-psion, your character gains the following benefits and
penalties:
● You know no powers or subpowers and have no minor or major slots.
● You know all special attacks for the weapons which you have the strife specibus for (see
strife specibus section below)
 ● All your Hit Dice increase by one size.
● At level 8, you may choose a Martial Specialization (see ​Specializations​)

Details on how psionics are used and the list of available powers and subpowers are given in
Chapter 7: Psionics​.

Pillars & Paths 

Pillars and Paths are RPGStuck’s version of the standard RPG class system. At character
creation, choose a Pillar for your character. Choose wisely, as you will not be able to change
your pillar. There are four Pillars: ​Striker​, ​Sniper​, ​Sentinel​, and ​Specialist​. Each Pillar has its
own ​Milestones ​and ​Paths ​associated with it. You start with the first Milestone from your Pillar,
and gain your next Milestone the second, fourth, and six time you take a Step in a Path
associated with your Pillar.

You take your first Step at level 3, and take an additional Step every three levels thereafter. You
may take Steps from ​any​ Path, you may take them in any order, you may skip Steps, and you
are under no obligation to take all the Steps from a Path. You ​may​, of course, if you want to, but
you’re also free to mix and match. However, ​once you have taken even a single Step in a
Keystone Path, you may not take Steps in any other Keystone Path.​ A full list of Pillars,
Milestones, Paths, and Steps can be found in the ​Pillars and Paths Document​.

Major and minor psions learn an additional subpowers or special attacks for each Step they
take. If they have multiple powers or strife specibi, they must choose a single power or strife
specibus for which they learn something new.

Strife Specibus 

A ​strife specibus​ is the game abstraction that your character will use to store and interact with
their weaponry throughout the game.As in ​Homestuck​, a specibus has a ​kind​ - anything from
hammerkind to golfballkind - and can only store weapons belonging to that kind.

Your character begins the game with up to two specibi. You are only considered proficient in
weapons for which you have an appropriate specibus, so choose carefully. Switching between
your specibi requires a minor action, but switching between weapons in the same specibus is a
free action.

You can find a list of pre-made specibi in the ​Weapons Document​. You may freely rename and
reskin weapons, perhaps turning wandkind into needlekind or clubkind into skilletkind, but any
functional changes or completely new weapons must be approved by your Dungeon Master.

Proficiency 

Proficiency ​describes extra training, familiarity, talent, or experience your character has in a
particular area. This is represented by your ​proficiency bonus​, often abbreviated ​P​. Your
proficiency modifier starts at +2 and increases as your character levels up. This is detailed in
Chapter 6: Leveling​. You always add your proficiency modifier to the following:
● Attack rolls (​not​ damage rolls) for weapons you have a strife specibus for
● Psionic attack rolls
● Checks for skills you are proficient in
● Resistances which you are proficient in

Your character starts with proficiency in 3 skills (5 if you chose the Skill Sage option from the
Specialist pillar). Mark these on your character sheet. Your character is also proficient in one
resistance of your choice (see below).

Hit Points (HP) 

Hit Points ​determine how much physical damage your character can withstand before falling
unconscious and dying. You will have a maximum number of hit points for your character that
you can never go above, and the HP you have will drop every time your character takes
damage. When you hit zero hp you fall unconscious and could die! You can heal hit points (up
to your maximum) by resting or other means.

To determine a character’s initial maximum hit points, roll 10+1d6+CON. If you chose the
Sentinel pillar or are a martial character, the 1d6 hit die is raised one step to 1d8, to
10+1d8+CON for your initial hit points. If you are both, it is raised two steps to 1d10, for
10+1d10+CON.

Armor Class (AC) 

​ he higher your AC,
Armor class​ is your likelihood to not be hit by a physical attack in combat.​ T
the harder it will be for enemies to hit you! Your base AC is 10+DEX, but as you level up, you
may gain equipment to change this scaling (detailed in the ​Armor​ section), or your DEX may
increase, raising your AC.

Resistances 
In addition to their Armor Class, your character has three secondary defenses, called
resistances​: Fortitude, Reflex, and Will. As with Armor Class, monsters, traps, and other effects
that target a resistance must make a roll against your score in that resistance. If the dangerous
effect rolls lower, you are unaffected.

Your ​Fortitude​ resistance describes your ability to shrug off harmful physical effects through
physical toughness, such as being concussed or poisoned. Your Fortitude resistance is equal to
10+STR+CON.

Your ​Reflex​ resistance describes your ability to deftly avoid sudden effects targeted at you,
combining the mental acuity to recognize threats such as explosives or traps and the physical
celerity to avoid them. Your Reflex resistance is equal to 10+DEX+INT.

Your ​Will ​resistance describes your ability to resist external mental influences, such as fear or
mind control. Your Will resistance is equal to 10+WIS+CHA.
Initiative 
Initiative is equal to your Dexterity modifier, although other bonuses can be added to it. Initiative
is used to determine who acts first and in what order during combat. See the ​Combat Step by
Step​ section for more details on how combat works.

Chapter 3: Ability Scores and Skills 

Skills 
Skills represent a character’s proficiency in a specific type of task. Your total skill modifier for a
skill check is equal to your ability score modifier of the appropriate skill; if you are proficient in
that skill, you also add your proficiency modifier.

Strength-based skills
● Athletics:​ Athletics describes your training in sustained, arduous physical activities,
such as climbing a rocky cliff, quickly ascending a steep slope, and so on, and is used in
grappling. Feats of raw strength such as smashing through a wall are a simple Strength
check instead.

Constitution-based skills
● Endurance: ​Endurance describes your ability to stave off ill effects and push yourself
beyond normal physical limits over a long period of time, such as pushing onwards
through harsh weather, staving off hunger, or holding your breath for long periods of
time. More acute, short-term challenges like avoiding throwing up or pain are simply a
Constitution check.

Dexterity-based skills
● Acrobatics: ​Acrobatics encompasses tasks involving deft body movements, such as
escaping a grapple, performing flips and dives, and keeping balance on a slippery
surface. It does ​not r​ eflect your ability to avoid attacks, which is covered by your Armor
Class and Reflex resistance, nor your ability to strike with a weapon, which is simply an
attack roll.
● Sleight of Hand: ​Sleight of Hand is your ability to perform small actions without others
noticing, such as switching two player cards, pickpocketing someone, or hiding a dagger
up your sleeve. Sleight of Hand checks can sometimes be opposed by the target’s
Perception or Insight.
● Stealth:​ Stealth encompasses concealment and passing unnoticed. Stealth is both
keeping yourself visually hidden and audibly silent. Stealth checks are usually opposed
by Perception checks from the creatures you are trying to conceal yourself from. When
one player is attempting to remain unnoticed, they must make a stealth check any time
they perform an action which could allow other creatures to detect them, opposed by a
 Perception check by any creature aware of the Stealth check being made. If a creature
isn’t aware, the Stealth check is instead opposed by their passive Perception.

Intelligence-based skills
● Engineering: ​Engineering encompasses technological background and efficacy in
building, constructing, and working with technological devices. This could be
synthesizing chemicals, rewiring an electronic alarm, programming a computer, building
a complex rope and pulley system, or designing an architectural structure (see ​Building
& Gates​).
● Investigation: ​Investigation describes how well you are able to piece together clues,
make inferences, and logically deduce things. Investigation checks could be made to
figure out how to disarm a trap mechanism, infer that public dormitory style housing
could mean a fairly regimented society, and so on. Think detective work.
● Occult: ​Occult represents knowledge about psionics and magic, as well as other
mysterious and hidden knowledge. You could make an Occult check to attempt to
deduce the function of a magic item, identify a psionic power, or decipher some
information related to the Horrorterrors. Certain weapons have powerful ​exhaustion
moves​ which are usually tied to your Occult skill.

Wisdom-based skills
● Animal Handling:​ Animal Handling is your ability to interact with animals, and how well
you can calm them, teach them, and direct them to do what you wish them to do.
● Concentration: ​Concentration is mostly applicable to maintaining concentration on a
task while under physical duress. It can also involve focusing on repetitive, boring tasks.
● Insight:​ Insight is your ability to read people and situations to uncover true intentions.
Insight involves listening and reading body language, and is often used to determine if
someone is lying, or to predict someone’s next move or ulterior motivations.
● Medicine:​ Medicine is your ability to diagnose and effectively treat wounds.
● Perception:​ Perception is your awareness of your surroundings. This encompasses
things such as noticing hidden creatures or objects, finding traps, or eavesdropping.
● Sanity: ​Sanity represents your ability to resist harmful influences and retain your sense
of self in the midst of traumatic circumstances. Sanity checks do not make your
character immune to such effects, but may affect the degree to which you are affected. A
sanity check might be required if you look into the Furthest Ring, see a horrific murder
scene, or attempt to avoid going Grimdark or Trickster. A Sanity check is not intended for
mind-affecting instances covered by your Will resistance, such as being Frightened or
Intimidated.
● Survival:​ Survival is your ability to survive in the wild, including finding safe food,
navigation, making effective shelters, tracking creatures, avoiding natural hazards, and
predicting weather.

Charisma-based skills
● Deception:​ Deception describes your ability to convince others a falsehood is true. This
could be outright lying, feinting in combat, visually disguising yourself, or mimicking
another creature. Deception is often opposed by the target’s Insight or Perception.
Deception is also used for the Deceive minor action in combat.
● Intimidation:​ Intimidation is used to scare others and present yourself as more
threatening. This could be attempting to threaten someone, attracting attention in
combat, scaring others away, or other hostile actions. Intimidation is also used for the
Intimidation minor action in combat.
● Performance:​ Performance is your ability to put on a public display, either through some
form of speech, musical performance, dance, acting, romance, or other entertainment.
Performance is also used for the Inspiration action in combat.
● Persuasion: ​Persuasion is your ability to influence people in good faith without
deception. This includes using logical arguments to convince someone, etiquette to help
someone be more friendly to you, or make cordial requests. It may also be used for
small talk, schmoozing, or flirting if circumstances call for such things, for the Charm
minor action in combat, and to Motivate allies before a fight.
Chapter 4: Adventuring 

Equipment  

Alchemy 
Alchemizing items is done at the Alchemiter, using grist. Every item has a ​Tier​, which describes
how powerful the item is. Item tiers can range from 0 (mundane items like paper, shaving
cream, or starting weapons) to 1 (minor special effects) to 10 (powerful endgame artifacts). The
Tier also describes how much and what types of grist will be required to make the item.

You start with 20 Build Grist. This is already present on the character sheet, and will get you
started in building up your house when the time comes.

Weapons 
The weapons your character is allowed to use is dictated by their strife specibus. The ​Strife
Specibus List​ details the available strife specibi, and your character’s weapons will fit into
these categories. They detail how much damage the weapons do, as well as special attacks
and maneuvers possible with each type. This is not a comprehensive list of all possible
weapons. Most weapons not on this list are physically similar to one that is (for example a knife
is not listed but a dagger is), so you should use the specibus for that listed weapon. If you have
extenuating circumstances where you think none of these apply to your character, talk with your
DM.

Every weapon allows the addition of one stat’s modifier to attack and damage rolls. The given
damage of a weapon is for a tier 0 weapon. Every two tiers’ increase to a weapon gives it an
additional damage die. The explicit formula for Quality (Q), the number of damage dice, is equal
to half the Tier plus one [(T/2)+1], capping out at 6 dice at T10.

Armor 
Armor is a catch-all term for any type of protective gear that you happen to start with, or
alchemize on your own.

Unlike weapons, armor scales on the Tier of the item, rather than Quality.

There are three types of armor, each of which scale differently, and are more suited to different
character builds.

Light:​ Light armor provides an AC bonus equal to ½ the Armor Tier + DEX​.​ Light armor,
naturally, is best suited for pure Dexterity builds, where your growth in the single stat will quickly
outstrip how quickly your armor is upgraded. This is the only type of armor that allows you to
add your Dexterity modifier with no other caveats.

Medium: ​Medium armor provides an AC bonus equal to the Armor Tier + the lower of either
STR or DEX. Medium armor is best for more balanced builds, where your Strength and
Dexterity will be similar, if not identical due to its method of scaling, the extra .5 AC per tier
makes up for having to build two stats.

Heavy: ​Heavy armor provides an AC bonus equal to 4 + the lowest of the following two
numbers: the Armor Tier, and the highest of CON or STR. It also gives you disadvantage on
Stealth checks. Heavy armor is best for focusing on Strength or Constitution. You gain a large
flat bonus on AC compared to the other armor types, and as long as you keep your Strength or
Constitution at the same level as your armor tiers, then you will gain AC at about the same rate
as Medium. When you upgrade your armor to tier 4/8, the base amount is increased from +4 to
+5/+6 respectively.

Although you may occasionally be able to wear two different types of armor at once (For
instance, a special protective amulet and a set of mythical chainmail), you will only get the AC
bonus of the highest-tiered piece of armor you are currently wearing, and the penalties
associated with the heaviest piece. So, for instance, if you were wearing a Tier 8 Translucent
Petaldress (light armor) of the Ragrippers along with a Tier 2 Stylish Black Liquorice Fedora
(also light armor), you would only gain the +4 AC bonus from the dress, rather than a combined
+5.

Other Equipment 
You may encounter a wide variety of other equipment in your adventures! Be they consumable
items that give you stat boosts, healing potions, mysterious devices, devious software, or
something else altogether, these are up to your DM to describe to you!

Building & Gates 

There is a sequence of 7 gates above every player’s house; to reach these gates your server
player must use your Build Grist to build your home up to these gates. House progression is
measured in a series of 14 tiers, every second tier contains a new gate, however, you will also
gain Room Points (RP) as you build up, which will allow you to spend grist to build certain
helpful rooms in your home. This progression is detailed further in the ​Housebuilding Document​.

All of this build grist need not be spent at the same time, however. Some can be built at one
point, and then more added later. Make sure you keep a running total of how much grist has
been spent building your house up! In building, 1 build grist translates to roughly 1 foot of
additional house height.
Normally, the odd numbered gates take the player to increasingly challenging locations in their
land (culminating in the seventh gate leading to the player’s denizen) and the even numbered
gates take the player backwards in the connection chain (the second gate leading to their
server’s house, the fourth to their server’s server’s house, etc.).

Classes and Aspects 

Every SBURB player has a mythological role, commonly referred to as a ​title ​or c ​ lasspect​. This
role’s title is comprised of two parts: a class and an aspect. The aspect is a force of reality over
which the player has power, while their class describes the player’s role in the session and how
they channel their aspect.

The DM determines the player characters’ titles.​ ​While players are encouraged to express your
thoughts to your DM and work with them, during character creation and the early stages of the
session, titles are ultimately at the DM’s discretion. It should be kept a secret from the player
until they work out the details to discover their role!

This is, obviously, a bit of work on the DM’s end to figure out what classpect best fits their
players. The ​Classes and Aspects​ document details the different classes and aspects that
Homestuck ​uses.
The ultimate manifestation of a title is entry into the ​god tiers​, which begin when a SBURB
player dies upon a ​quest bed ​corresponding to their aspect. God tier powers are many and
varied, but the newly deified character is entitled to at least the following:
● The character gains a fly speed equal to their base movement speed.
● 1d4 hours after the character dies, their corpse resurrects and the character gains the
benefits of a long rest. The character’s clothing is repaired, if applicable. The character
fails to reincarnate if the character’s death was sufficiently heroic or an example of
karmic justice.

Movement 
Every player character has a speed of 30 ft. (10 meters) unless specified otherwise. This
denotes how far the character can travel in a single move action in combat (Described in the
Combat chapter under move action).

Special Types of Movement 

Climbing/Swimming
While climbing or swimming, all distance takes twice the effort to travel, meaning that moving 5
ft. (1.66 Meters) climbing up a hill takes up 10 ft. (3.33 Meters) of movement, so that any
movement takes up an additional unit of speed per foot.

Jumping
Assuming a 10 foot running start beforehand, a character can jump a horizontal distance a
number of feet equal to their strength score. A character can jump a vertical distance equal to
3+(Strength modifier) feet, also assuming the 10 foot running start. If there is no charge
beforehand they instead jump half of that distance.

All movement used this way uses a regular amount of movement. In certain circumstances, the
DM may ask the player for an Athletics check to jump a greater distance than permitted under
these rules.

Stealth
As long as a character is moving slowly (1/2 of their speed) and is not openly visible, they can
attempt to move stealthily to avoid detection.

Noticing Threats
The higher a character’s Passive Perception (10+Perception Modifier) the more likely they are
to notice hidden threats or enemies. While at a speed faster than 30 ft., players take a -5
penalty to their passive perception.

Surprise
Upon entering combat, the DM determines if one or more parties or individuals participating are
surprised. If surprised, the creature skips its first round of combat.

The Environment 

Falling:
At the end of a fall a creature takes 1d6 damage for every 10 feet it fell.

Hitting Obstacles and Being Thrown

If a creature is pushed sideways and impacts with a hard surface before it stops its movement, it
takes 1d6 damage for every 10 feet it would have continued moving had the obstacle not been
present. For example, if a titachnid would push a creature back 35 feet but the creature hits a
wall after 10 feet, the 25 feet of movement it was unable to move deals 2d6 damage.

Suffocating:
A creature can hold its breath for 1+CON modifier minutes. When a creature runs out of breath
it can survive for a number of rounds equal to its CON mod (minimum 1). At the start of its next
turn after the aforementioned number of rounds has passed, it drops to 0 HP and is dying.

Cover:
While under cover, a creature has increased defences. When you have ½ cover, you have +2
to AC and Reflex. When you have ¾ cover, you have +4 to AC and Reflex. With full cover, you
are completely untargetable and out of sight.
You have ½ cover if the intervening object covers at least half your body, three-fourths for ¾
cover, and completely for full cover. The cover in question only applies for you if the attack
originates from the opposite side of it. It also does not apply to any creatures standing within 5
feet of their attacker. If you have multiple pieces of cover, only the most protective one applies.

If, at the beginning of your turn, you cannot be perceived against all enemies within the strife,
you are Hidden (see the condition).

Vision and Light 

The most fundamental tasks of playing SBURB—noticing danger, finding hidden objects, hitting
an underling during strife, and targeting psionic powers, to name just a few— rely heavily on a
character’s ability to see. Darkness and other effects that obscure vision can prove a significant
hindrance.

A given area might be lightly or heavily obscured. In a ​lightly obscured​ area, such as dim light,
patchy fog, or a forest, creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely
on sight.

A ​heavily obscured​ area—such as darkness, opaque fog, or a dense jungle—blocks vision

entirely. A creature in a heavily obscured area effectively cannot be seen. The presence or
absence of light in an environment creates three categories of illumination: bright light, dim light,
and darkness.

Bright light​ lets most creatures see normally. Even a gloomy day on Prospit provides bright
light, as do torches, lanterns, a blast of pyrokinetic fire or flash of electrokinetic lightning, and
other sources of illumination within a limited radius. Most lands, Prospit, and locations that bask
in Skaia's light are considered to be in bright light.

Dim light​, also called half light, creates a ​lightly obscured​ area. An area of dim light is usually
a boundary between a source of bright light, such as a torch, and surrounding darkness. The
soft light of twilight and dawn also counts as dim light. A creature wandering shady alleyways in
Derse may find themselves subject to dim light conditions.

Darkness​ creates a ​heavily obscured​ area. Characters face darkness outdoors at night
(unless there's a particularly strong source of light to aid them), within the confines of an unlit
dungeon or a subterranean vault, or in an area of magical darkness. Those foolhardy enough to
wander the Furthest Ring or The Veil without a light source will find themselves wandering in
darkness.

When you attack a target that you can’t see, you have disadvantage on the attack roll. This is
true whether you’re guessing the target’s location or you’re targeting a creature you can hear
but not see. If the target isn’t in the location you targeted, you automatically miss, but the DM
typically just says that the attack missed, not whether you guessed the target’s location
correctly.

Resting 

Vitality Gel
Vitality Gel is dropped at the end of a strife, slightly healing the player. This Gel heals the player
for their Hit Die average + CON modifier + Tier of the highest tier creature in the strife. This Gel
has no effect if the player is at zero hit points.

Short Rest
A short rest is up to an hour of calm, non intensive activities,ie. reading, napping, sitting around,
etc. The time spent resting is determined by how many hit dice they spend during it. A
character has a number of Hit Dice (HD) equal to their level. The length of a short rest is 1 hour
or (60 minutes) x (HD spent/ HD max). Example: if you have 10 HD max and want to spend 4
HD, 4/10 is 40%. (60 minutes) x (40%) = a 24 minute short rest.

If you were interrupted 15 minutes in, you were only able to spend 2 HD. (Keep in mind that
these calculations will only be needed if the player or DM wishes to be specific with time spent)

(60 minutes) x (#%) = 15 minutes

15/60 = 25%
25% of 10HD = 2.5, rounded down to 2 HD

During a short rest a player may spend HD to regain 1d6 (d8 for martials or sentinels, d10 if
both) + CON hit points per HD.
Additionally, the player may reduce ability damage to any one ability score by a single point per
HD spent. If the character is psionic, they regain one minor slot per HD spent. You do not regain
minor slots when HD are spent outside of a rest.
Any effects, abilities, resources, or etc. that rely on a short rest only work if the player spends at
least P hit dice during this time. If they do so, they can also reduce their exhaustion level by
one.
Major slots can only be restored through long rests.

Long Rest
A long rest is a period of downtime 8 hours or longer, during which a player sleeps or performs
non strenuous activity. If this is interrupted by an hour or longer of walking or other such
strenuous activity then the rest provides no benefit.
At the end of a long rest a player regains all lost HP and all lost hit dice. If the player is also a
psion, they regain all expended slots (including major slots if applicable). Any ability damage or
levels of exhaustion a player has is removed. A player can only benefit from one long rest per
24 hours and must have at least 1 hp to gain the benefits of the rest.

Chapter 5: Combat 

Sometimes, you just have to break some heads.​ RPGStuck's combat mechanics are derived
from Dungeons and Dragons, but it has some significant differences, so it's a good idea to study
these rules even you're familiar with other tabletop RPGs.

Combat Overview 
Combat in RPGstuck is broken up into ​rounds​. Each round represents six seconds of time.
Rounds are broken up into ​turns​; typically, each creature has one turn per round, and only acts
on their own turn. While turns are played out in sequence, they all “happen” during the same six
seconds; this helps turn the chaos of a battle into something manageable.

Creatures take turns in ​initiative order​. At the beginning of combat, every combatant makes an
initiative roll ​(the DM makes rolls on the monsters’ behalf, and is encouraged to lump identical
creatures into one roll for everyone’s convenience). An initiative roll is typically 1d20 + DEX, but
some features, such as the Seize the Initiative step, can modify initiative rolls. After all
combatants have rolled initiative, the creature with the highest result goes first in the initiative
order, the creature with the second-highest result goes second, and so on.

In the event of a tie between creatures on the same side, those creatures may resolve the tie
however they see fit, with the DM resolving ties between monsters on the monsters’ behalf. In
the event of a tie between opposed creatures, use the creatures’ Dexterity scores as a
tiebreaker. If the creatures have the same Dexterity score, flip a coin.

After the initiative order has been determined, the first round of combat begins. If some
combatants are not aware of each other, this first round is a ​surprise round​. A creature may
only act in a surprise round if all its enemies are unaware of it. If there are multiple such
creatures, then they act according to the initiative order as normal. Once any surprise round is
over, the combat proceeds in initiative order until one side is defeated or concedes.

Your Turn 
On your turn, you have a collection of actions that you can choose to spend how you wish.
Unless otherwise noted, you only have ​one​ of each type of action. The types of actions are:
 ● Major Action
● Minor Action
● Move
● Free Action
● Reaction

Major Action 
The major action is the main part of any character’s turn, and each character only gets one per
round. Below are listed the different possible uses of a major action.

● Attack:​ As a major action, attack a target. You roll 1d20 + ability score modifier +
Proficiency bonus. If you roll the target’s AC or higher, you successfully hit the target and
the DM will ask you to roll damage, which is dependent on the attack. There are multiple
types of attacks, as listed below.
○ Attacks can qualify as melee or ranged.
■ Melee attacks, unless stated otherwise, have a default range of 5 feet.
■ Ranged attacks can have two ranges, listed in parentheses with a slash,
such as (50/120). The first is the normal range, the second is the
maximum range. Any attacks beyond normal range have disadvantage,
and any attacks beyond maximum range automatically fail, with no
effects. Additionally, ranged attacks have disadvantage if the target is
within 5 feet of you.
○ Attacks can qualify as a weapon attack or psionic attack.
■ Weapon attacks are made with a strife specibus, and deal physical
damage.
■ Psionic attacks are made with a psionic power, and deal psionic damage.
■ There is also true damage, which ignores any form of damage resistance
or reduction, but not immunity.
○ Typically, if you cannot see your target, you have disadvantage to hit them.
Consult the Vision and Light section in the previous chapter for more details.

● Unarmed Attack:​ As a major action, you can choose to make a melee attack with an
unarmed punch instead of a weapon. Such an unarmed strike requires one free hand,
uses your Strength modifier to hit, and deals 1+STR damage (minimum 1).

● Psionic Ability:​ As a major action, you can use a psionic power. You specify the
subpower and slot level used, then follow its effects as stated in the subpower. If the
subpower is an attack, it will follow the Attack guidelines above and specify whether the
attack ties/breaks the target’s AC or a resistance to successfully hit them. If the
subpower is not an attack, you must have line of sight to the target or area affected by
the power, unless stated otherwise.
● Grappling:​ Using a major action, you may attempt to grapple a creature. Using at least
one free hand you try to seize the target by making an Athletics check contested by the
opponent’s Athletics or Acrobatics check (their choice). If you succeed the target is
grappled. The default range for grappling is 5 feet, unless specified otherwise.
1. While dragging or carrying a grappled creature your move speed is
halved.
2. A grappled creature can use its Major Action to attempt to escape, to do
so it must succeed on an Athletics or Acrobatics check contested by your
Athletics check.
3. See the section on conditions for the grappled condition
4. There are three categories of grappling sizes that determine whether a
given creature can be grappled.
a. Normal creatures (Small, Medium size) can be grappled as
normal.
b. XL creatures (Large, Huge size) require two checks to grapple it,
both checks made with the same major action.
c. Titanic creatures (Gargantuan size) cannot be grappled, but can
be climbed with an Athletics check to reach weak spots.

● Shove:​ You can use your major action to shove a creature. The creature must be no
more than one size larger than you and must be within your reach. you make an
Athletics check contested by the opponent’s Athletics or Acrobatics check (their choice),
if you succeed then you may push the target up to 5 feet away from you or render them
prone. If you push the target, for every 5 points by which you beat the opposing check,
you push them an additional 5 feet.

● Special Abilities: ​GT powers, path Steps and pillar Milestones, some items, or other
special effects may allow you to activate special abilities. These often require a major
action to use, and will depend on the ability.

● Minor Action:​ You can choose to downgrade your major action into a minor action.

● Dash: ​As a major action you can double your remaining speed for this turn.

● Dodge: ​You focus on avoiding attacks entirely. Any attacks made against you against
AC and effects targeting your Reflex resistance have disadvantage until the beginning of
your next turn.

● Brace: ​Any psionic powers used against you are at a disadvantage until the start of your
next turn.

● Disturb:​ As an attack action, but if you hit you deal minimum possible damage. If your
target is a psion and tries to use a power at any point before the beginning of your next
 turn, they have to succeed on a Constitution check where the DC is equal to 10+damage
dealt. If they fail the check, the power fizzles, causing it to have no effect but still
consume a slot if one was spent to use the power.

● Help:​ Use your action to assist another creature. It gains advantage on its next roll to
perform the action you are assisting it with. Alternatively, you can assist an ally in
attacking a creature within 5 feet of you. The next attack roll an ally makes against that
creature before the beginning of your next turn has advantage.

● Inspire:​ Use your words or actions to inspire your allies to action. As a major action,
make a Performance check. All allies within 100 feet that can see or hear you
(depending on what it is you are doing to inspire) receive a bonus to weapon and psionic
attack damage equal to a number of d4s equal to the tens digit of your check. (<10: no
effect, 10-19: +1d4 damage, 20-29: +2d4 damage, etc.) This bonus lasts until the start
of your next turn.

● Ready: ​You hold off on your action to use it later in the round, during another player’s
turn. Determine a trigger and an Action. When the trigger activates you can spend your
reaction to complete said action. If the action you have readied can not be completed for
some reason when it is triggered, or if the trigger never occurs, you fail to perform the
action.

● Search:​ You devote your attention to noticing or finding something. The DM may have
you roll a Perception or an Investigation check, depending on the nature of your search.

Movement  
Each round during your turn, as a move action, you move, spending a foot of movement speed
per foot moved. Normally, a character will have 30 feet of movement speed they may spend per
turn. You are allowed to break up your movement as you please between various actions you
take on your turn, so long as the total distance you move does not exceed your movement
speed.

● Alternate Modes of Movement: ​If you have two different movement speeds (say the
normal 30 ft. walking speed but also a 50 ft. fly speed from special boots), you may
alternate between the modes of travel as you wish. However, at no point can the total
distance traveled ever exceed the maximum movement speed of the current movement
mode you are using. For example, if you have a fly speed of 50 feet and a walk speed of
30 feet, you may walk 10 feet, then fly 15 feet, then walk 5 feet, and end your movement
by flying another 20 feet. You could not, however, fly 30 feet then walk 5 feet afterwards.
○ Actions that increase or restore your movement speed, such as Dashing, also
applies the same to your maximum movement speed across all modes.
 ● Difficult Terrain: ​Moving through areas where it is difficult to move, such as through
boulder strewn canyons, thick foliage, steep staircases, makes any movement take up
an additional unit of speed per foot (10 move speed per 5 ft. of movement).

● Being Prone: ​You can drop prone without expending any of your movement, however
standing up from prone costs half of your move speed. You may, however, crawl while
prone, but doing so makes any movement take up an additional unit of speed per 5 feet.
So crawling through difficult terrain, for example, would cost 15 move speed per 5 feet of
movement.

● Moving Around Other Creatures: ​You can move through a non hostile creature’s
space. By contrast, you may only move through or end your turn in a hostile creature’s
space if it is two or more sizes larger than you.

Creature Size:

Size Space Height

Small 2.5 x 2.5 ft. 2~4 ft.

Medium 5 x 5 ft. 4~8 ft.

Large 10 x 10 ft. 8~16 ft.

Huge 15 x 15 ft. 16~32 ft.

Gargantuan 20 x 20 ft. 32+ ft.

Note:​ creatures need not be exactly this size or shape (this chart describes creatures roughly
the same size in all dimensions). This generally describes the space they occupy and control
and can be approximated depending on the shape of the creature.

Minor Action 
Minor actions encompass other smaller activities that a character can take during their turn. As
with major actions, each character only has one minor action per turn.

● Two-Weapon Fighting: ​After making an attack with the Combo property as a major
action, you can use your minor action to make a second attack with the Combo property,
 using a weapon held in your other hand. You do not add your modifier to damage on the
second attack.
○ Note that a minor action can only be used to attack in this manner if the major
action was used to attack with the other hand. A minor action cannot be used to
attack with reduced damage in conjunction with a different major action.
○ If you used your major action to perform an unarmed strike and have your other
hand free, you can use your other hand for a second strike using the above rules.

● Captchalogue/Decaptchalogue an Item:​ As following the rules of your modus you may

captchalogue an item within reach, or alternatively decaptchalogue an item from your
sylladex into a free hand(s).

● Inventory Ejection: ​Throw everything in your inventory at an enemy. Typically

lightweight items deal 1d2 damage, medium weight deal 1d4 and heavy deal 1d6, per
item.

● Inventory Usage: ​You can take out or put in an item into your sylladex which does not
follow the logical order of your sylladex. In order to resolve the error your sylladex shall
eject or pick up items which would be required to make it work. For example with FiFo -
decaptchalogueing an item 2 cards in would result in your sylladex ejecting the first card
in before you pull out the second card in order to re shuffle. Or FiLo captchalogueing
something to 2 blank cards in would result in you captchaloguing the object, and then
the nearest item to you (searching in an increasing outwards radius) being
captchalogued.

● Charm: ​Attempt to convince an enemy to do something. Make a Persuasion check,

opposed by an enemy’s Insight roll. If the enemy is a beast or counted as one, you must
use Animal Handling instead. You take a -5 penalty if you or your allies have damaged
the creatures within the past round. If you succeed then the enemy considers your
proposal, and is likely to agree with you, assuming your proposition is reasonable.

● Inspire:​ Use your words or actions to inspire your allies to action. Make a Performance
check. All allies within 100 feet that can see or hear you (depending on what it is you are
doing to inspire) receive a bonus to weapon and psionic attack damage equal to the tens
digit of your check. (<10: no effect, 10-19: +1 damage, 20-29: +2 damage, etc.) This
bonus lasts until your next turn.

● Intimidation: ​Attempt to scare your enemies into submission. Make an Occult or

Intimidation check targeting an enemy’s Will resistance. If you break their resistance, the
enemy receives a penalty to its attack rolls equal to the tens digit of your Intimidation
check until the end of its next turn.
 ● Deceive: ​Obfuscate your actions and slip past your enemy’s guard. Make an
Investigation, Insight, or Deception check targeting an enemy’s Will resistance. If you
break their resistance, until the beginning of your next turn you receive a bonus to your
attack rolls against that target equal to the tens digit of your Deception check.

● Special Effects: ​Path and pillar features, items, or other sources may grant your
character the ability to perform some smaller supplemental ability. These frequently
require a minor action, but will depend on the ability.

● Stances:​ Some abilities, notably from Path steps, allow you to enter a Stance as a minor
action. Stances can grant you effects for as long as the stance is active. Some stances
may be activated through other means, such as a reaction or free action. You may only
have one active stance at a time.

Full Round Actions 

● Special Abilities: ​Special abilities from items, weapons, steps, or otherwise may grant
you the ability to do something as a full round action. This means it requires ​all​ of your
major, minor, and move actions for this round.
○ It does not retroactively apply to any additional actions you may gain. For
example, if you would gain a major action after using a full-round action, you can
use that major action as normal.

Free Actions 
You have as many free actions per round as you wish. Free actions are used to perform very
minor or rapid tasks. Most free actions are usable at any time, but some will specify that they
are only usable on your turn.

● Speech:​ You may speak to creatures quickly, as long as you do not give a long speech.
DM’s discretion determines how much speech is appropriate.

● Interacting with Objects: ​Trivial actions such as opening a door while you move or
taking a drink of something can be done in tandem with your movement or major action
for free. It is the DM’s discretion whether or not an activity counts as trivial enough to be
free.

Reactions 
You have one reaction per round. You can use your reaction on anyone’s turn, and your
reaction use replenishes at the beginning of your turn. Reactions are used to perform an action
in response to something a different creature does.
 ● Readied Action: ​If you spent your major action to ready an action and the trigger you
set when you readied the action occurs, you may spend your reaction to carry out the
action you readied.

● Block​: Certain strife specibi and steps can provide you with a Block, which can be used
to reduce an attack roll against AC by a certain amount.

● Special Abilities: ​Many path and pillar features, as well as some other sources, may
grant your character the ability to perform an action in response to something in the
environment. These frequently take a reaction to use, but will depend on the ability.

Miscellaneous Actions 
Sometimes you can perform tasks that take longer than a full-round action.

● Motivate:​ Bolster your allies to see them through hardships. Make an Engineering,
Medicine, or Persuasion check that takes 10 minutes. All allies within 100 feet that can
hear you receive temporary hit points equal to the tens digit of your check times your
proficiency modifier. These temporary hit points expire in one hour.

Damage and HP 

Hit Points (HP) 

Hit Points ​determine how much physical damage your character can withstand before falling
unconscious and dying. You have a maximum number of hit points for your character that you
can never go above, and the number of HP you have will drop every time your character takes
damage.

When you hit zero hit points, you fall unconscious and could die! You can heal hit points by
resting or other means.

As you level up, you will gain additional maximum hit points equal to your HD+CON.

Temporary Hit Points: ​Temporary hit points can be gained from a variety of sources, and they
represent a short term burst of health. Temporary hit points have a finite duration, and after that
time expires any remaining temporary HP vanish. Even if a character is at full hit points, they
can still gain temporary HP.

Unless otherwise stated, temporary hit points last one hour.

Temporary HP are kept track of in a separate pool from normal HP, and if a character has
temporary HP, any damage they take first removes temporary HP before removing normal HP if
there is any damage left.
If a character already has temporary HP and an effect grants them additional temporary HP,
they do not stack​. If the new effect grants more temporary HP than the creature already has,
then the new temporary HP completely replace the old. Otherwise the new effect does not grant
any temporary HP.

Critical Hits: ​When you score a critical hit (roll a 20 on a d20, before modifiers) you get to roll
extra damage dice against the target. Roll every damage dice twice to calculate your critical
damage.
For example, instead of rolling 1d4 for damage roll 2d4. Instead of rolling 10d2 for damage, roll
20d2.
Effects that boost crit range increase the range of numbers on which a critical hit is scored. For
example, a +2 to crit range allows critical hits to be scored on 18-20, not 20.
You do not double any modifiers to the damage, only the base dice rolled.

Ability Damage:​ Some creatures don’t damage characters in the traditional way, but inflict
ability damage, reducing a character’s ability scores. Ability damage lasts until the creature
takes a long rest.
● Constitution Damage:​ Players are highly recommended to use Current Hit Points on
their character sheet when tracking Constitution damage. ​It will lower player’s maximum
hit points, but their current hit points should remain unchanged unless it exceeds their
maximum, in which case it is lowered until it is equal the new maximum hit point total.
○ Removing Constitution damage should not affect a player’s current hit points.

Maximum Hit Point Reduction:​ A few creatures and abilities target your maximum hit points
instead. Lost maximum hit points are returned at the end of a long rest.

Damage Resistances and Vulnerability:​ Resistance to a type of damage means that it is only
half as effective against you. Vulnerability means that it is twice as effective against you.

Zero Hit Points:

● Instant Death:​ When you take damage at 0 HP or if you are reduced to 0 HP and there
is damage remaining, if the damage is equal to your maximum hit points, you die
instantly.

● Falling Unconscious: ​If damage reduces you to 0 HP but fails to kill you instantly, you
instead fall unconscious (see appendix) at 0 HP and will need to begin making death
saving throws at the start of each of your turns. This unconsciousness ends if you
restore any HP.

● Death Saving Throws:​ Whenever you start your turn with 0 HP and are not stabilized,
you must make a CON check DC 10. If you succeed then you gain one death save
success, if you fail you get one failure. At three failures you die and at 3 successes you
 stabilize at 0 HP. Rolling a 1 counts as two failures. Rolling a 20 immediately stabilizes
and you gain 1 HP.
○ Taking further damage: ​If you take damage while already at 0 hit points, you
automatically gain one death saving throw failure and remain at 0 HP. If the
attack was a critical hit, then you instead gain 2 death saving throw failures.

● Stabilizing A Creature: ​In addition to rolling 3 successes on death saving throws, a

creature can also be stabilized by another creature using a major action to make a DC
10 Medicine check. On a success the creature is stabilized and unconscious, and
regains 1d4 hp after one hour. A creature that is stabilized remains unconscious at 0 HP
but no longer makes death saving throws. If a stable creature takes any damage, it is no
longer stable and must start making death saving throws again, starting from scratch.

Knocking a Creature Out: ​You may choose to knock a creature unconscious and stable
instead of killing it when using melee attacks when it would be reduced to 0 HP or below by your
attack.

Zero Ability Score:​ If any of your ability scores are reduced to zero, you die instantly.

Mounted Combat 
Riding Eligibility: ​You may ride a willing creature of at least one size category larger than you
(a Medium rider may ride a Large creature) that is standing adjacent, unless otherwise noted. It
takes a minor action to take control of a mount. Creatures that are neutral to you require a DC
(10+Creature’s Tier) Animal Handling check every minute to ride it and make it perform actions.
Friendly creatures have advantage on the check. Hostile creatures cannot be ridden.

Mounted Movement: ​While mounted, the rider uses the mount’s movement speed instead of
theirs. Mounting and dismounting requires half of the rider’s move speed. The rider must use a
major action to direct the mount to take a major or minor action (such as attack). Directing the
mount to move is a minor action that requires one free hand. Additionally, your movement
cannot be broken up (using some move speed before and after major actions, for example)

Staying On: ​When a mounted creature is subjected to forced movement while being ridden, the
rider must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity check or fall off the mount and land Prone adjacent to
it. If the rider is knocked Prone while mounted, they must make the same check. If the mount is
knocked Prone, the rider can use a reaction to dismount as it falls and land on their feet
adjacent to the mount. Otherwise, they are dismounted and fall Prone adjacent to it. If the rider
is hit with forced movement, they are automatically dismounted and moved the appropriate
distance.

Combat Conditions:​ Mounts share the same initiative as the rider. Shove actions against it
have disadvantage unless the creature shoving it is two sizes larger than the mount. Successful
Shoves on the rider will dismount them, knocking them off their mount and onto the closest
available square on the opposite side of the shoving creature. If the rider is rendered
Unconscious while mounted, and there are no allies present, the mount will attempt to abscond.

When a mounted creature is attacked, either rider or mount may be designated as the target.
The rider and mount combo cannot be grappled except by a creature two sizes larger than the
mount. They can still be grappled individually, and a grappled rider no longer gains the benefits
of being mounted. Mounts and their riders do not benefit from partial cover, and have
disadvantage on Stealth checks unless the mount is made for such.

While mounted, you can use a two-handed melee weapon with one hand, but all attacks with it
have their damage dice reduced by one size. If you move more than your base movement
speed as a move action while mounted, all ranged attacks made beyond 10 feet that turn have
a -4 to hit. If you make a ranged attack while mounted, you can only move up to your base
movement speed with your move action that turn.

Chapter 6: Leveling 
As characters go on adventures, explores, fights monsters, and delves through dungeons, they
gain experience. This is represented by a pool of ​Experience Points​ (XP) that is kept track as a
running total over the course of the game. When your total XP reaches particular thresholds,
your character gains an ​Echeladder Rung​. XP is gained primarily through combat, but can also
be awarded by DM discretion for achieving goals, reaching particular milestones, exploring, or
other reasons. ​(A note to DMs: Rewarding more or less “story XP” is a great way to tweak the
focus of the session.)

Echeladder Rungs 
When you gain an Echeladder Rung, be sure to update your character sheet. Gaining a rung
grants you several benefits:
● You gain a +1 bonus to one of your six standard ability scores, potentially increasing the
corresponding ability modifier. No ability score may be raised above 30 in this manner. If
your Constitution modifier increases, you retroactively gain Hit Points equal to your
echeladder rung before you leveled up, as if your Constitution modifier had always been
that high. (The official character sheets handle this automatically.).
● Roll your Hit Die and add your Constitution modifier. Your current and maximum HP
increase by this value. Your Hit Points will always increase by a minimum of 1 HP.
● If you gained an Echeladder Rung that is a multiple of 3, then you gain a Path Step.
Consult the list of Paths in the ​Pillars and Paths document​ ​to select one. If you are
human, you also gain a Step upon reaching level 5.
 ● When you enter level 7 and every 6 levels thereafter, your Proficiency bonus increases
by 1.
● When you enter level 8, you gain a ​Specialization​.

The total XP thresholds required to gain each Echeladder Rung are detailed in the table below.
It is not possible for a character to achieve any rungs past Rung 30 as that is the top of their
echeladder. A character reaching the top of their echeladder ceases to gain XP. The table
below details the bonuses obtained at each rung and the total amount of XP required for each
rung.

Rung Total Benefits Rung Total Benefits Rung Total XP Benefits

XP XP

1 0 Pillar 11 730 21 5,165 Step

2 20 12 910 Step 22 6,065

3 50 Step 13 1,160 +1 to 23 7,190

Proficiency
Bonus

4 90 14 1,460 24 8,540 Step

5 140 Bonus Step 15 1,780 Step 25 10,040 +1 to Proficiency

(Humans only) Bonus

6 200 Step 16 2,180 26 11,740

7 270 +1 to Proficiency 17 2,660 27 13,615 Step

Bonus

8 355 Specialization 18 3,110 Step 28 15,665

9 460 Step 19 3,660 +1 to 29 17,915

Proficiency
Bonus

10 580 20 4,340 30 20,365 Step

Specializations 
At level 8, you choose a ​specialization​. If you are a Major Psion, you may choose one of the
Psionic Specializations, if you are a Martial you may choose one of the Martial Specializations,
and if you are a Minor Psion you may choose either one Psionic Specialization or one Martial
Specialization.

Psionic Specializations:
● Blastmage: ​Once per round, when you cast a damaging psionic power, you may add
your psionic casting modifier to the damage roll. This does not stop you from using other
features that would let you add your psionic casting modifier to damage.
● Psiblade: ​Once per round, when you land a weapon attack against an enemy monster,
you may roll 1d6. If you roll a 6, you regain 1 minor slot.
● Clarity: ​Once per long rest, as a major action, make a Concentration check. Divide the
result by ten and round down. You regain that many minor slots. If the result was greater
than 30, you also get a major slot if you can. Clarity can be used once per long rest.
● Advanced Mastery: ​You gain 1 major slot. This may allow a minor psion to gain a major
slot.
● Meditation:​ When you spend a HD to restore HP during a short rest, if the result on the
die is greater than your current number of available slots, you regain a slot.
● Muscle Mage: ​All your psionic powers are now melee range. Your psionic casting stat
becomes Strength.
● Lasting:​ All your powers that have a duration of one round or longer last for twice as
long.

Martial Specializations:
● Savant:​ Choose one skill in which you are proficient. Your proficiency modifier for this
skill is now doubled. You cannot become savant in a skill more than once.
● Resilience:​ Choose one resistance in which you are not proficient. You are now
proficient in that resistance.
● Celerity:​ Gain +P to any initiative checks you make.

Chapter 7: Psionics 
Psionic Powers 
Broadly speaking, each psionic power has several ​subpowers​, which are groupings of closely
related abilities called ​modes​. If a psion knows a subpower, they know all that subpower’s
modes. The power itself sets its range, handedness, and any special properties, while the cost
cost to use it and damage dice (if applicable) are set by individual modes.

A comprehensive list of powers, subpowers, and modes can be found in the ​Psionics
Document​.
Using Psionics 
Psionics is managed using ​slots​. The number of slots your character has available is
determined by your level, by your race, and by whether you are a major or minor psion. Psionic
powers can be cast ​at-will​ without expending a slot, by expending a more powerful ​minor slot​,
or by expending a ​major slot​ for even greater effect. What kind of slot is needed depends on
the mode being cast The number of slots available to your character is given in the following
table.

As a reminder, major slots are only available to major psions.

Number of minor slots Number of Major slots

Level
Lowblood Midblood Highblood Fuchsia Level Slots
(“Full”) (“⅔”) /Human (“⅓”)

1 2 1 1 1
1 0
3 3 2 1 1

5 4 3 2 1
5 1
7 5 3 2 2

9 6 4 3 2

11 7 5 3 2 10 2

13 8 5 4 3

15 9 6 4 3

17 10 7 5 3 15 3

19 11 7 5 4

21 12 8 6 4
20 4
23 13 9 6 4

25 14 9 7 5
25 5
27 15 10 7 5

29 16 11 8 6 30 6

When you use a power, you specify the subpower and slot level. If the subpower is an attack,
you use your psionic casting modifier for the ability score modifier, and it will specify if you roll
against the target’s AC or a resistance to successfully hit the target. The subpower will also
specify if it has an action cost besides or in place of a major action. If you expend a slot to use a
subpower and it is unsuccessful, the slot is still expended.

If a subpower has a casting time beyond a full-round action, it requires a major action to be
used every turn to continue casting to completion, or the subpower fails with no effects. The
power has no effect unless the cast is completed. However, any slots used while casting are not
expended until the cast is completed.

A psionic power usually requires at least one free hand. This is waived if the caster is using that
hand to hold a ​psionic focus, ​an item chosen at character creation that the character uses to
focus their powers. A psionic focus provides a means for a psionic character to upgrade their
powers through alchemy. Your focus may be any object that makes thematic sense, except that
it may not also be a weapon or armor.

Fighting a Psion 
All psionic powers which are not attacks require line of sight to their target, unless specified
otherwise. Psionic attacks are subject to the same difficulties as normal attacks when they can’t
see their target. Additionally, certain strife specibi, subpowers, and Steps have effects that
Disrupt a psion’s focus, impairing their ability to use their powers in some way.

Chapter 8: God Tier

Your character will have a class and aspect just as in canon Homestuck! While you are free to
express to your DM in the early stages of your session’s organization any preferences or
thoughts you may have about your character’s classpect, in the end it is completely up to the
DM to choose and should be kept a secret from you until your character works out details in the
session! The ​Classes and Aspects​ document details the different classes and aspects that
RPGStuck uses.

There is no one defined system for using God Tier abilities in RPGStuck, as the
interpretation of classes, aspects, and uses of said abilities depend on the DM.​ Some see
titles as a challenge for the player to meet, some see titles as an extension of the psychology of
the player’s character, and some see titles as a way to just give the players cool abilities and a
new wardrobe. ​This is one of the most subjective parts of Homestuck.

Keep in mind two players with the same title may have entirely different power sets, related to
their builds and personalities. For example, a Knight of Void, one who actively exploits Void,
may have the ability to create miniature black holes, or can sneak into the Void to catch
enemies by surprise. Both are examples of the character actively exploiting void, however, they
have vastly different utilities. The DM will read and classpect your character, and although you
may discuss abilities with them,​ the DM will have the final say on your character’s God Tier
abilities.

Due to the large amount of subjectivity involved in mythological roles, there are multiple ways to
approach the topic of God Tier abilities. The scope of said abilities can vary from very specific
and predefined abilities, to freeform yet DM-approved gestures that shape the world around the
player. However, there are a few parts of the system that are generally agreed upon: the class
describes what the player does to the aspect, which is an abstract and general concept. God
Tier powers usually manifest at a gate, a dungeon, a certain level, or a meaningful character
development. ​Listed below are a few examples of systems for God Tier abilities; this
should in no way be taken as absolute. These system examples may be mixed or altered
by the DM at their discretion.

Option 1: Freeform 

Resources 
Upon dying on your Quest Bed, your character gains two resources: ​Attribute Points​ [AP], and
Energy​. Your character starts with 3 AP and 3 Energy, and gains more AP and Energy through
specific one-time milestones called Quests, such as facing a moment of personal development,
fulfilling your land quest, facing your ​Choice​, or successfully manifesting your mythological role.
An example table is below.

Quest Reward

Die on your quest bed and ascend. Flight, 3 AP, 3 Energy, and 1 Signature Move.
Recover Energy on a short rest. Cool God
Tier pyjamas.

Face ​The Choice 1 AP, 1 Energy, and 1 Signature Move.

Fulfill your land quest 1 AP, 1 Energy, and 1 Signature Move.

Have your guardian die for good 1 AP, or 1 Energy.

Have a moment of great personal growth 1 AP. 1 Energy or 1 Signature Move.

Successfully manifest your Mythological 1 AP, 1 Energy or 1 Signature Move.

Role
Scope 
God Tier abilities are freeform under this system, but a bonus is applied to Signature Moves.
Signature Moves​ are predefined and pre-discussed actions your character can take for God
Tier abilities for a bonus to success rolls. Signature Moves should be named with one to three
words, be related to either your class or aspect, and should be something your character can do
with their power.

When you use your God Tier power, otherwise known as Manifesting your Mythological Role,
you must first decide which one of the attributes you are Manifesting, and if you’re executing
one of your Signature Moves. Spend 1 Energy for the base and add or subtract Energy based
on Magnitude, roll 1d20 per AP you have invested in the given Attribute, and an additional 2d20
if you’re using a Signature Move. If you have zero AP in the given Attribute, roll 2d20 and use
the lowest one.
With all of the d20s rolled, you choose the highest one and consult the following table:
● 18+ Whatever you set out to do happens.
● 12+ Whatever you set out to do happens, but you suffer some sort of complication.
● Otherwise, your manifestation fails.

Attributes
Freeform God Tier abilities are divided into Attributes, or general categories of ability based on
what form your power will take. Each time you gain an Attribute Point, invest it into one of the
following specific Attributes.

Channel 
Channel operates on a larger scale than any other Attribute. It is loud and slow, and capable of
doing what no other Attribute can. Channeling can take anywhere from a minute to the timespan
of the entire session. Examples of Channeling include John’s wind drill, Roxy creating the
matriorb, and Aradia summoning an army of doomed selves.

Fade 
Defensive options. Become nothing, divert attention. Examples of Fading include Roxy hiding in
the Void, and John turning into Breath.

Guide 
Supportive options. Help others (with their mythological role) and enable them beyond their
wildest dreams. An example of Guiding is Calliope guiding Roxy to create the Matriorb.

Know 
Knowledge options. Things that you have no other way of knowing than relying on your
Mythological Role. Usually related to instincts. An example of Knowing is Jade knowing how
long it would take to cross the Yellow Yard.
Wield 
Quickly and directly wield the powers related to your role. Everything not covered by the other
Attributes. Almost always takes a major action. An example of Wielding is almost every attack in
[S] Collide.

Magnitude 
Magnitude is an optional guideline on how powerful a Manifestation is. Choose the spots on the
sliding scales of Distance (​or​ Area, for ranged attacks) and Time Required, and add or subtract
energy costs based on the numbers. If a number is negative, you get bonus dice instead.

Distance

-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

Whisper Touch Melee 60 feet Vision Session Unlimited

Area

-1 0 1 2 3 4 5

Small Orb One 10 foot 30 foot All of a Unaided A planet

Person radius radius strife vision

Time Required

4 3 2 1 0 -1 -2

An hour 10 minutes A minute Three Major Minor Free action

rounds Action Action

An example of a Signature Move under this freeform system:

ARMY OF ONE:​ Channel. Distance 2, Time 3. Launch a mass attack on an enemy using an
army of doomed timeline selves.

Option 2: Scalable 

Resources 
Upon discovering your first ability, you gain a resource pool called the ​Aspect Pool​ [AP], which
is named after your aspect (e.g. a Life Player would have a Life Pool), and made of a number of
d6s equal to your level. Abilities draw from the AP with any number of dice, rolling them
separately. A 6 or 5 on a die counts as a success, a 4 or 3 being a half-success, and a 2 or 1
being a failure. The AP is completely replenished on a long rest, and replenished by P dice on a
short rest.

Scope 
Abilities under this system should be designed to be scalable, as multiple dice from the AP can
be used at once on the same ability. The more successes rolled, the more powerful the ability
will be. When using an ability, draw a chosen number of dice from the AP, and roll them all
independently. Count the number of successes and half-successes, and compare them against
the number of successes or half-successes required to use the power.

An example of a power under this scalable system:

PHASE SHIFT: ​For one success on the d6, the Thief of Space may vanish into another plane
as a minor action. This plane looks exactly like our plane, though everything is grayscale and
covered in a ghostly shimmer, and the Thief is the only inhabitant of it. This phase shift lasts up
to 1 minute after the success, and the Thief may end it at any time before that as a free action.
Any additional successes rolled extend the duration by one minute. While phase-shifted, the
Thief’s base movement speed is doubled.

Option 3: Mechanical

Resources 
Upon discovering your first ability, you gain a resource called ​Aspect Points​ [AP], which are
named after your aspect (e.g. a Life Player would have Life Points). You have a maximum AP
equal to 2P. AP are used to activate God Tier abilities, which cost a specific number of AP. You
regain all AP after a long rest, and also regain 1 AP for every Hit Die you spend.

Scope 
Abilities under this system are best when specifically defined, using a set number of AP for each
specific ability, akin to the resource systems used in many Keystone Paths. These abilities
should complement the player’s build, or make up for weaknesses within it. When scalable, they
should be scalable with values such as P or the player’s level, so as to not cause imbalance
between players. They should be gained at key points along the player’s development, or that of
the session. Suggestions include:

● At significant milestones or events (such as the Choice, the Reckoning, etc) as

determined by the DM.
● When the player has completed their 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th gates.
● Every two Steps gained.
 ● Whenever the player’s Proficiency bonus increases (levels 7, 13, 19, and 25).

An example of a power under this mechanical system:

MINOR THEFT:​ Spend 1 Time Point as a reaction to rob a creature of their minor actions. Until
the end of the strife or when the creature dies, that creature has one less minor action per turn,
and you have one more minor action per turn.

   
Appendix A: Status Conditions 

Aegis
• A creature with aegis reduces all damage taken by the score listed with the condition.
• Unless specified, aegis lasts indefinitely, and stacks with itself from other sources.
• As it is a form of damage reduction, true damage ignores aegis.

Blinded
• A blinded creature can’t see and automatically fails any ability check that requires sight.
• Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature’s attack rolls have
disadvantage.

Charmed
• A charmed creature can't attack the charmer or target the charmer with harmful abilities or
magical effects.
• The charmer has advantage on any ability check to interact socially with the creature.

Crippled
• A crippled creature has its movement speed reduced by the score listed with the condition.

Dazed
• A dazed creature loses its minor action on its turn.

Deafened
• A deafened creature can’t hear and automatically fails any ability check that requires hearing.

Disrupted
• A disrupted creature has disadvantage to psionic attacks and concentration checks.
• Attacks targeting Will resistance have advantage against a disrupted creature.

Exhausted
• A creature can suffer from varying degrees of exhaustion, as noted by their level of
exhaustion. A creature’s level of exhaustion can vary between 0 and 10.
• Any effect that causes a creature to be exhausted does so by giving additional levels of
exhaustion. If a creature already has levels of exhaustion and is subject to another effect that
causes exhaustion, their level of exhaustion increases by the amount specified in the effect.
• As the level of exhaustion increases, the penalties suffered by the creature cumulatively
increase. A creature suffers the penalties given in its current level of exhaustion as well as all
penalties described for lower levels.
• An effect that removes exhaustion reduces a creature’s level of exhaustion as given in the
effect’s description. Exhaustion is reduced by one level after a short rest, and reduced to zero
after a long rest.
Levels of Exhaustion
➢ Level 0 - Not exhausted, no penalties.
➢ Level 1 - Penalty of -1 to all ability and skill checks, attack rolls, and psionic rolls equal to
the level of exhaustion.
➢ Level 2 - Penalty raised to -2.
➢ Level 3 - Penalty raised to -3.
➢ Level 4 - Movement speed halved, penalty raised to -4.
➢ Level 5 - Penalty raised to -5.
➢ Level 6 - Hit point maximum halved, penalty raised to -6.
➢ Level 7 - Penalty raised to -7.
➢ Level 8 - Movement speed reduced to zero, penalty raised to -8.
➢ Level 9 - Unconscious at zero hit points but stable, penalty raised to -9.
➢ Level 10 - Death, penalty raised to -10.

Faded
• A faded creature reduces their resistances by the score listed with the condition.
• The condition does not stack unless specified otherwise. If a newly applied fade is higher in
value (at maximum stacks, if it has any) than the current fade condition, the new one overwrites
the old one.
• The condition is removed after a short rest.

Fire
• Targets that are on fire take 1d4 true damage per round at the start of each of their turns.
• Targets on fire can spend a minor action to douse the fire with an easily accessible source of
water or a major action to smother the fire through other means.

Frightened
• A frightened creature has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while the source of
its fear is within line of sight.
• The creature can’t willingly move closer to the source of its fear.

Grappled
• A grappled creature’s speed becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed.
• The condition ends if the grappler is incapacitated (see the condition).
• The condition also ends if an effect removes the grappled creature from the reach of the
grappler or grappling effect, such as when a creature is hurled away by the Push power.

Hidden
• In order to target a Hidden creature, the attacker must succeed on a Perception check
opposed by the Hidden creature’s Stealth check.
• When a Hidden creature makes an attack or grapples, they may make a Stealth check
opposed by the target or targets’ Perception roll(s). If they succeed, they gain advantage to hit.
• Moving faster than 1/2 your movement speed or making an attack ends the Hidden condition.
• Unless specified otherwise, if a creature perceives you and it is not your turn, the Hidden
condition ends.

Incapacitated
• An incapacitated creature can’t take actions or reactions.

Invisible
• An invisible creature is impossible to see without the aid of magic or a special sense. For the
purpose of hiding, the creature is heavily obscured. The creature’s location can be detected by
any noise it makes or any tracks it leaves.
• Attack rolls against the creature have disadvantage, and the creature’s attack rolls have
advantage.

Paralyzed
• A paralyzed creature is incapacitated (see the condition) and can’t move or speak.
• Attack rolls against the creature have advantage. If it hits versus Fortitude or Reflex, they
automatically hit instead.
• Any attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.

Petrified
• A petrified creature is transformed, along with any non-magical object it is wearing or carrying,
into a solid inanimate substance (usually stone). Its weight increases by a factor of ten, and it
ceases aging.
• The creature is incapacitated (see the condition), can’t move or speak, and is unaware of its
surroundings.
• Attack rolls against the creature have advantage. If it hits versus Fortitude or Reflex, they
automatically hit instead.
• The creature has resistance to all damage.
• The creature is immune to poison and disease, although a poison or disease already in its
system is suspended, not neutralized.

Poisoned
• A poisoned creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.

Prone
• A prone creature’s only movement option is to crawl, unless it stands up and thereby ends the
condition. Standing up costs half of the creature’s movement speed.
• The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls against targets within 5 feet.
• An attack roll against the creature has advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.
Otherwise, the attack roll has disadvantage.
• Flying creatures that are knocked prone no longer fly, and fall.

Restrained
• A restrained creature’s speed becomes 0, and it can’t benefit from any bonus to its speed.
• Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature’s attack rolls have
disadvantage.

Rupture
• A ruptured creature takes increased damage equal to the score listed with the condition
whenever they take damage.
• The condition does not stack unless specified otherwise. If a newly applied rupture is higher in
value (at maximum stacks, if it has any) than the current rupture condition, the new one
overwrites the old one.
• The condition is removed after a short rest.

Stance
• A creature with a stance has additional effects conferred to it by its stance.
• A creature can only have one stance active at any time.

Stunned
• A stunned creature is incapacitated (see the condition), can’t move, and can speak only
falteringly.
• Attack rolls against the creature have advantage. If it hits versus Fortitude or Reflex, they
automatically hit instead.

Sundered
• A sundered creature reduces their armor class by the score listed with the condition.
• The condition does not stack unless specified otherwise. If a newly applied sunder is higher in
value (at maximum stacks, if it has any) than the current sunder condition, the new one
overwrites the old one.
• The condition is removed after a short rest.

Unconscious
• An unconscious creature is incapacitated (see the condition), can’t move or speak, and is
unaware of its surroundings
• The creature drops whatever it’s holding and falls prone.
• Attack rolls against the creature have advantage. If it hits versus Fortitude or Reflex, they
automatically hit instead.
• Any attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.