MLPFMTORPG My Little Pony Fantasy Multiplayer Text Only Role Playing Game First Edition, version 1.3 MLPFMTORPG is a simple roleplaying system for creating and playing epic fantasy adventures set in the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic universe and settings inspired by it. We’re not here to recreate the show, and we’re not trying to reskin a pre-existing highly-complex RPG system, and we’re certainly not out to make money off of MLP:FIM or claim any of it as ours. We just want you to have fun. These are not unbreakable rules, just guidelines for ideas. Change the rules as you need for your specific campaigns, and please share any ideas you have! BASICSPick a race and class, roll ten-side dice (d10). That’s it! Quick Character CreationThese are the basic properties of a character in MLPFMTORPG. Name: Your character’s identity. We recommend rolling dice or using the Seventh Sanctum Magical Legend Pony Generator to draft a quick concept for characters if you’re strapped for ideas or time. TABLE OF CONTENTS Autocrit — Critical — Minimum — Roll Modifiers Default — Partial Result — Supercrit — Unnatural Crit Crystal — Earth — Pegasus — Unicorn Buffalo — Diamond Dog — Donkey — Goat — Griffon — Zebra Bard — Cleric — Knight — Mage — Necromancer Paladin — Rogue — Shaman — Tracker Damage and Helplessness — Hits and Wounds — Helpless Sequence of Combat — Combat Action — Counterattack Pets and Minions — Controlling and Rolling Catalyst Weapons — Dual Wielding — Enchanted Weapons — Fencing Great Weapons — Unarmed Combat — Shields — Weapon Quality ROLLING10-sided dice (d10s) are used to resolve the success of all actions, from negotiating a conversation to landing a blow in combat. If you intend to play on a reasonably fast-paced chan-style imageboard that doesn’t have a dice function, you can use the last digit of your post number to simulate dice rolls. If you use post numbers, treat 0 as 10. Standard RulesThese are the standard rules that every adventure in MLPFMTORPG should use. You can adjust it to your liking using the Optional Rules provided in the next section, or modify them as you like to fit your campaign and player’s tastes. AutocritSome skills can autocrit. Any successful roll with an autocrit is treated as a critical success. CriticalAn unmodified roll of 1 or 10 always incurs a critical result, creating dramatic and extreme changes to your circumstances. Some skills have increased critical range and can score a critical success on 9+, or even score a critical failure on 2-. Some skills have special effects that occur on a critical roll. Normally, criticals can only occur if the original unmodified roll landed in the critical range (see Unnatural Crits). MinimumEvery roll must meet or exceed a minimum value (or Min) to be counted as success. Normally, the minimum is 6+. Changes to circumstances can adjust Min up or down; a difficult task could be 8+, while an easy one might be 3+. Some skills have special effects that require a specific Min. Remember that Min is noted as the minimum value followed by a + plus symbol. Example rolls and corresponding minimums
Roll ModifiersIn addition to changes to Min, specific skills, talents, and other favorable conditions can add bonuses to your roll; for example, a +1 bonus means a roll of 5 is treated as a result of 6. On the flipside, unfavorable conditions like injuries, distractions, and opposing forces can inflict penalties, subtracting from your roll. Normally, even if the modifiers change your result into a critical value, criticals occur only if the original unmodified roll landed in critical range (see Unnatural Crits). Remember that a bonus or penalty is a + plus or - minus symbol followed by the modifier. Optional RulesGame Masters can rebalance their campaigns using these optional rules. GMs can choose to implement these at the start of a campaign, and introduce or remove them as needed. DefaultDefault allows adventure to progress more smoothly with fewer hindrances to the players. By defaulting to the Min value, a player can automatically succeed at a task as though they had rolled the Min value. This should only be used for situations where the PCs are under no duress and are free to work on something for as long as they can (ex: exploring a nonhostile city, crafting an item, picking a lock in a secure location, etc). Players may also choose to default to critical success, but getting these kinds of results should cost them an increased amount of time and resources, and also requires the PCs to be under no duress whatsoever. Partial ResultFor a more nuanced game, the GM can rule that successes and failures have varying intensities based on their difference to Min. For example, for a Min of 6+ a roll of 6 would mean only a partial success that had very poor results, while a roll of 8 would be a solid success; in the same situation, a roll of 5 would incur a partial failure that still accomplishes the goal at a bare minimum, a roll of 4 is a straight failure, and a 2 would be an abysmal failure without being critical to the point of backfiring on the PCs. SupercritGMs can include dramatic effects for certain critical rolls. Roll modifiers applied to a critical roll can amplify the effect of the critical roll beyond what a regular critical roll would incur. Successive critical rolls can also incur amplified effects. Note that these work for both critical successes and failures. Unnatural CritUnnatural crits dramatically alter the difficulty of a campaign, usually in the players’ favor. Roll modifiers applied to a roll count towards critical range; for example, a roll of 7 with a +3 modifier counts as a critical roll of 10. An unmodified roll of 1 is still a critical failure, and penalties can also pull rolls down into critical failure range. RACESThe first step to creating a character is usually choosing their race. All kinds of intelligent creatures exist in the MLP:FIM universe, and you can choose any race and class combination. Every race has a racial skill. PonyPonies are the most common and prolific race, many of them spread across the kingdom of Equestria and realms beyond. Ponies are distinct in encompassing several subtypes populating all echelons of society. A pony manifests a “cutie mark” on their flanks that symbolizes their special talents. CrystalResidents and descendants of the ancient Crystal Empire, the emotions of Crystal Ponies are said to be reflected on all of Equestria. Crystal Emotions: passive; when you roll a critical success, your rolls next turn receive a +1 bonus. When you roll a critical failure, your rolls next turn receive a -1 penalty. EarthSturdy, tough and often big. Can move, lift, and carry heavier weights than other races. Tough: passive; Earth ponies take 1 additional hit before becoming helpless as well as 1 extra wound once they become helpless, for a total of 6 hits and 6 wounds without other modifiers. They can also lift, carry and move heavier objects than unicorns or pegasi. PegasusSpeedy and adventurous. Can fly freely when they’re not carrying too much weight. Pegasus Flight: Pegasi can fly, and get a +1 bonus to actively evade and dodge midair. Flight is about as taxing as running at full speed. UnicornNoble and intelligent. Can levitate objects with telekinesis and cast magic. Unicorn Catalyst: passive; a unicorn’s horn counts as a catalyst for spellcasting. Unicorn Telekinesis: spell; manipulate objects through sheer force of will. Complex tasks and heavier objects may require more focus. BuffaloHardy desert dwellers, a buffalo's charge is as strong as their connection to the land. They are big, lumbering things with thick muscle and bones. Huge: passive; if a buffalo has more than one hit remaining till helpless, any effect that would normally render a character helpless instead reduces a buffalo to one hit remaining. Diamond DogSubterranean gorilla dogs with a taste for gems. Burrowing: Diamond dogs can dig tunnels and holes with ease, setting traps, moving unseen and fleeing in unexpected directions. DonkeySimilar to earth ponies in a physical sense, if somewhat less bulky and far more stubborn. Unbreakable Will: passive; famously stubborn, donkeys are immune to mind control, domination, intimidation and suggestion. GoatA curious sight in the lands of ponies, some say they are distantly related to the dread ram Grogar. Goatcraft: passive; Min -1 for all climbing and agility rolls, and can use anything as food, including non-food items. GriffonHalf eagle, half lion. Flight-capable and larger than ponies, they can carry more weight while flying, but tire quickly when doing so. Griffon Flight: Griffons can fly, and have a +1 bonus to divebomb attacks from high altitude. This is about as taxing as running at full speed. ZebraHailing from a faraway land, zebras are knowledgeable in natural healing and shamanism. They are often regarded with suspicion by ponies. Heightened Senses: passive; +1 to perception-based rolls (spotting, searching, listening, etc) CLASSES & SKILLSA character’s class is the archetype for their abilities and role in a world of high adventure. Characters start with five (5) Skill Points to spend on class skills. When using most skills, you must roll a dice to determine the result. Spellcaster classes begin play with a catalyst of some kind to channel their spells, such as a holy symbol, fetish, wand, or power crystal. A unicorn’s horn counts as a catalyst. Reading Skill EntriesSkills are constructed in the following format: Name: tags; description Skills have a name that identifies them, tags for a shorthand understanding of common mechanics concerning their usage, and a description giving the purpose and appropriate usage for the skill. TagsAutomatic: no roll is needed when you take this action; the skill works whenever you activate it. This skill still takes up your turn as a normal action would. Instant: no roll is needed when you take this action, the skill works whenever you activate it. In addition, you can use up to one other skill in the same turn as an Instant skill. Once Per: rather than a recharge, this skill can be used once per given time period (a combat encounter, an in-game day, or even once per game session). Skills that are listed as once per combat may be used outside of combat, recharging at GM’s discretion. Passive: no action or roll is needed, this skill is always in effect Recharge #: you must wait # combat turns after activating this skill before you activate it again; most skills begin recharging when they are activated, while some recharge only after the duration of their effect ends. Skills listed with recharge may be used outside of combat, recharging at GM’s discretion. Requires: this skill requires some condition to be met, such as wielding a specific weapon type Spell: this is a magic spell, and may be subject to special rules for spellcasting Weapon: this skill can use your weapon’s properties, such as roll modifiers MulticlassesYou can also choose to mix two classes to create a multiclass character. A multiclass character starts with three (3) Skill Points to spend on skills from the two classes they chose, and also gains a unique title and skill depending on which two classes they chose. For full descriptions and information, refer to this chart of multiclass descriptions and skills: goo.gl/Wd25h Reference grid for multiclass combinations
Cross-Class SkillsThese skills can be taken by any character, regardless of class. Cross-Class skills may not be suited for every class, however. 1 point BardEntertainers by trade, bards travel in search of new tales and new adventures to partake in. Most commonly armed with light weapons like rapiers or knives, as well as their musical instruments. 1 point 2 points 3 points ClericSpellcaster. Clerics support their allies and crush the unworthy using the force of their spirit and a firm belief in causes greater than themselves. Though many Clerics draw their power from deity worship, an equal number are empowered by personal ideology. Often armed with blunt weapons like maces, staves or large holy icons. 1 point 2 points 3 points KnightClad in armour and armed with both an iron will and an iron blade, knights excel at protecting others and themselves from harm. Knights are martial masters, able to wield every variety of weapon but most commonly armed with swords, axes, polearms, and shields. 1 point 2 points 3 points MageSpellcaster. Magic is useful for everyday work, though some train to become devastatingly powerful mages instead. When forced to fight without magic, most mages rely on staves, daggers or heavier spellbooks for self defense. 1 point 2 points 3 points NecromancerSpellcaster. Everypony lives, not everypony truly dies. If death seems like too much to deal with, a necromancer is the one to call when you need to hug grandma one last time. Or when you need some zombies to take hits for you. Necromancers often favour symbolic weapons like scythes and sickles, though many also fall back on the more traditional staves and daggers. 1 point 2 points 3 points PaladinSpellcaster. Paladins smite their foes with great power and spirit, fueled by inner fire and a firm belief in their cause. Though many Paladins draw power from worshiping a deity, just as many choose a path of their own making. Most Paladins favor large weapons like greatswords, warhammers, battle axes or larger holy books tied to sticks. 1 point 2 points 3 points RogueThieves, assassins and dwellers of shadow, rogues prefer to remain hidden and strike when least expected. They often prefer easy to hide weapons like dagger or knives, as well as throwing knives and hidden blades. 1 point 2 points 3 points ShamanSpellcaster. While only mages wield spells and only the devout wield divine power, all can turn to the elements of nature itself for help. Often the tools of the shaman double as his weapons, including ritual knives, staves, heavy ornaments or small totem poles. 1 point 2 points 3 points TrackerTrackers live off the land and love it. They know nature like the back of their forelimb, and can thrive in situations that would drive many others to giving up or endless whining. Trackers are masters of ranged weapons such as bows and crossbows, but often also carry survival tools like knives or axes. 1 point 2 points 3 points TALENTSEvery character has a talent that represents special training and focus or a natural ability that makes them incredibly good at some kind of action, activity, or ability. The typical talent is a +2 bonus to one of a character’s class skills; with the GM’s approval, players may create a talent bonus appropriate for the character they want to make. A pony character with a Talent manifests a cutie mark on their flanks symbolizing the talent. Here are some examples of the most common types of talents that might be chosen for a character:
COMBATBig adventure comes with tons of fun, often in the form of violent encounters with hostile NPCs. Combat is typically resolved through determining initiative, attacks and counterattacks, rendering opponents helpless, and ultimately killing your enemies. Damage and HelplessnessIn summary, the typical amount of damage a character can take in combat is: 5 hits while standing to render a character helpless; this resets to 0 when they recover and 5 wounds while helpless to kill a character, which remain until healed Hits and WoundsHits are generally superficial damage, representing wear-and-tear and reduced endurance; they can be restored easily with the Heal spell, a healing action, or with a short rest. Wounds are more persistent injuries and deep bodily damage; taking too many wounds will kill a character. Wounds can be quickly restored using a Heal spell, but otherwise require significant effort and time, even days, to be patched up. Some skills and effects, such as the Cross-Class skill Defense Mastery, can grant your character additional hits. HelplessA character that takes too many hits becomes helpless; powerful blows and some skills can instantly render a character helpless. A helpless character or an ally must roll (usually Min 6+) to recover and continue fighting. While helpless, a character is immobile and cannot take many actions, and most attacks against them incur wounds. Rolling a critical failure to recover from helplessness deals a wound of damage to you, and each turn you remain helpless the range for critical failure increases by 1, up to 4-, beyond which you automatically take a wound for remaining helpless. If you are reduced to 1 wound, you no longer automatically take wounds unless attacked, but you cannot roll to recover. Sequence of CombatCombat takes place in turns, a short period of time enough for a single action such as casting a spell, issuing orders, or executing a daring maneuver. Each turn, the players declare the action their characters will take. Combat ActionA character in combat can perform an action: a normal attack with their weapons, using a skill, or some other action. Automatic skills require an action to use, but require no roll. Instant skills require no roll, and allow up to one other skill to be used in the same turn. Passive skills and effects require no roll nor action, and grant their bonus at all times. CounterattackCharacters taking combat action leave themselves open to counterattack; if their roll fails (5- by default), they may be struck by a counterattack and take damage accordingly. Roll 5: 0 Hits Taken — Roll 4: 1 Hit — Roll 3: 2 Hits — Roll 2: 3 Hits — Roll 1: Instantly Helpless Pets and MinionsSkills such as Raise Dead allow the player to take a pet or minion. Normally, a character can have up to one pet at a time; for one skill point, they can take the Pet Mastery skill to increase the number of pets they control by one (see Cross-Class Skills above). Controlling and RollingCharacters can control their minions at the same time they take other actions. Each minion rolls separately for its action. If the player chooses, they can use one roll to determine the results of all minions they control. Player vs PlayerWhen friendship is no longer magic and players must turn against each other, the GM can step aside and let players make dice rolls, determine the results, and react to each action appropriately. In PvP combat, failed rolls don’t incur counterattack damage. The GM may intervene if PvP combat is no longer tenable, so play nice! To help speed up combat, you should stay down after being rendered helpless three times in PvP, regardless of wounds. EQUIPMENT AND ITEMSThe right equipment can be the difference between success and failure, life and death. Before you send your character out into the world, make sure to select some armor, weapons, and other tools to give them the extra edge they’ll need. Spellcasting CatalystsAs described above, spellcaster classes such as the Mage and Shaman require a catalyst to help them channel their magical power into specific forms and effects. Without a catalyst, a character cannot cast skills with the spell tag. A catalyst can be just about any kind of item, from a religious symbol to an item of great sentiment, or even a weapon or piece of armor, typically inscribed with magical runes and symbols. You must be touching your catalyst and have it visible and exposed to the target(s) for spellcasting to work. Inventory, Items, and ToolsNopony would go out on an adventure without some adventuring gear. Usually this includes things like food rations, rope, camping supplies, personal items, and crafting tools. Choose a few items that are appropriate to your character’s interests and the dangers they expect to see. Special WeaponsAdventurers can take weapon types or find weapons with unique properties allowing different methods and means of attack. Special weapon properties do not apply to the use of skills unless otherwise noted. Catalyst WeaponsSome weapons double as spellcasting catalysts and can be used to cast spells. Unless the weapon is also spellbound (see below), it does not grant the ability to cast any spells on its own. Dual WieldingLight weapons are perfect for use in pairs or with a second light weapon. Doing so requires great skill, but can yield impressive results if done well. Light weapons include: daggers, katars, rapiers, small hammers and maces, sickles, and shortswords. If using a pair of weapons, you can use Dual Wielding instead of a normal attack. Dual Wielding: weapon; make two rolls to attack twice; if either is a critical miss, both attacks miss. Enchanted WeaponsWith enough skill or money, weapons can be enchanted to become stronger than mundane counterparts, but often with a drawback. Example enchantments:
FencingA character can use a single weapon to gain Min-1 for their normal attack rolls (6+ by default, now 5+). A character using Fencing cannot use Dual Wielding, Great Weapons, or Shields. Great WeaponsHeavier than most weapons, Great Weapons require more strength to wield, but offer far greater damage potential at increased risk. A great weapon user can use Cleave or Power Attack instead of a normal attack. Cleave: weapon; attack multiple targets within range that are close to each other. Every additional target increases the chance of a critical miss (attacking 2 targets crit fails on 2-; attacking 5 targets crit fails on 5-; etc) Power Attack: weapon; counts 9+ as a critical hit, 2- as a critical miss. Unarmed CombatA character fighting without a weapon cannot cause wounds with normal attacks, but can still do so by using skills. A character whose special talent is unarmed combat may deal wounds without a weapon. ShieldsA character wearing a shield gains +1 hit of damage before becoming helpless (if you had 5, you now have 6, etc). You cannot use Dual Wielding, Fencing, or Great Weapons while wearing a shield. Discarding or destroying the shield removes the bonus immediately. Weapon QualityWeapons of exceptional quality or condition add modifiers to normal attack rolls. Skills with the weapon keyword apply weapon quality to their rolls. +2: epic or legendary, the result of magical endowment or divine power Unique ItemsUnique items are inhabited by a will of their own. They can gain a variety of special properties, like a bonus against certain types of targets (undead, elemental, larger/smaller than the user, etc), but will turn on the wielder or deactivate their powers if they are used or treated in ways the item deems unacceptable (used to harm the living, allowed to rust, not told a bedtime story, and so on). The exact properties of a unique item are left to the GM to create and describe. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||