Leveling[edit]
Milestone leveling, at next long rest
Ranged Weapons[edit]
Sarsei exists in the 1930s era. Bows and Crossbows are primarily decorative or for sport. Guns replace these ranged weapons, but mechanically use the standard 5e statblocks (with some minor tweaks to ranges):
| 5e Weapon | Sarsei Weapon | Damage | Ranges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blowgun | Blowgun | 1 | 10/40 ft |
| Dart | Dart-gun | 1d4 | 20/80 ft |
| Net | Net-Launcher | - | 20/80 ft |
| Sling | Derringer | 1d4 | 30/120 ft |
| Hand Crossbow | Revolver | 1d6 | 50/200 ft |
| Shortbow | Pistol | 1d6 | 60/240 ft |
| Light Crossbow | Lever-Action Rifle | 1d8 | 80/320 ft |
| Longbow | Semi-Auto Rifle | 1d8 | 100/400 ft |
| Heavy Crossbow | Scoped Bolt-Action Rifle | 1d10 | 150/600 ft |
Loading Property[edit]
Because of the time required to reload this weapon, you can fire only one piece of ammunition from it. Once fired, you must expend an action, bonus action, or usage of Extra Attack if you want to fire it again on the same turn, otherwise it may be fired again without any other action, on your next turn.
Advantage/Disadvantage[edit]
Advantage and Disadvantage resolve per-case. For instance, if you have two advantages and one disadvantage, you have advantage. If you had three disadvantages, you only roll regular disadvantage. If you believe your situation would give you advantage (or disadvantage) and it makes logical sense, I will probably allow it.
Multiple Skill Check Attempts[edit]
You may attempt skill checks multiple times, however there may be consequences. If, for instance, you were tasked to get in and out of a location without being detected, and you fail a check to pick a lock, there might be signs of your attempts, such as scuff marks, a broken tumbler, etc.
When your character is not in immediate danger and is not distracted, you may opt to take an extra round and 'Take 10', automatically rolling 10 on the d20.
When you have plenty of time, you are faced with no threats or distractions, and the skill being attempted carries no penalties for failure, you can 'Take 20'. Taking 20 means you are trying until you get it right, and it assumes that you fail many times before succeeding. This usually takes about 2 minutes, and will definitely show signs of your attempts.
Note, please, that Penalties are not Consequences. Penalties would be 'you broke the mechanism and now it can't be used', as opposed to 'You took too long, and now the guards found you'.
Stealth, Hide, Unseen[edit]
Stealth is always initiated by a roll, and will continue unless the party does something risky. Darting from hiding spot to hiding spot is probably fine. Rushing directly at an enemy probably isn't. If you alert an enemy to your location, it will search your last known location and the general area until it is certain the threat is gone.
Audible actions will reveal your location even if you are in stealth. Inaudible actions such as firing a bow or silenced weapon from a distance, casting a spell that does not originate from your location (because Sarseian spells do not have verbal components!), or even taking out an enemy in one action would not reveal your location.
Attacks made from stealth are automatic critical hits.
Money[edit]
Silver Standard, altered. Prices will be altered to fit a 1930s economy, roughly. The currency on Sarsei are called Talia, and are coins of different denominations, and effectively act like USD with tenths of a Talia as the minimum denomination.
Mechanically, just use your Gold tracker to keep track of whole Talia, and Silver to keep track of tenths.
Resting[edit]
You are allowed 2 short rests per day. Long rests require you to be in a secure or safe location (such as within a city, a fortified abandoned tower, etc). Quick Rule of thumb: If monsters could walk up and interrupt you, it won't be considered a safe location.
Death[edit]
A character will only die if BOTH of the following 2 events happen:
- You fail all 3 death saving throws
- Nobody can stabilize you after combat
Critically succeeding a death save counts for two successes. Critically failing only counts for 1 failure.
If you succeed at 3 death saving throws, you will come back up with 1 HP and 1 level of exhaustion. You can only do this once until you recover. If you go back down again, you immediately fail all 3 death saves.
If you have failed 3 death saves (either by going down a second time, or failing 3 to begin with), you can still be stabilized afterward by an ally. If you are in this state, you cannot regain consciousness until you have completed a long rest, even if something gives you HP. When you do regain consciousness, you are automatically at 5 levels of Exhaustion.
Certain locations will provide services for resurrection spells. Resurrection spells may be used even if the person is stabilized or even conscious. Resurrection spells (Revivify, Raise Dead, Reincarnate, etc) returns you to a normal living state, bypassing the required long rest and exhaustion. If you use these services, the resurrection will be provided first, and THEN you must pay them. If you do not pay within a reasonable time, people may put a bounty on your head.
Extra Attack[edit]
Extra Attack can be used for spells that are connected with an attack, however, your action MUST include a regular (melee or ranged) attack as part of the action that triggers Extra Attack.
Ranged vs Melee[edit]
Ranged Weapons add only your ability score (or whatever is normal for you).
Melee Weapons (that are not thrown) gain 1d4 extra elemental damage (your choice from your Sharinnah)
Bonus Action/Off Hand Attack[edit]
Off-hand attacks use your full bonus (+1 for Ranged, STR/DEX+1d4 for Melee)
Carry Weight, Push, Drag, Lift[edit]
For every step above, you octouple the weight. For every step below, you eighth the weight.
Carry is 15 * STR, multiplied by the size category based on the following table:
| Size Category | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Tiny | 1/64x |
| Small | 1/8x |
| Medium | 1x |
| Large | 8x |
| Huge | 64x |
| Gargantuan | 4096x |
Light/Dark[edit]
There are 5 Light levels. Bright, Dim, Darkness, Lightless, and Magical Darkness.
Bright light is equivalent to sunlight. Dim light is equivalent to Candle light. Darkness is equivalent to a moonless, starlight-only night. Lightless is equivalent to deep inside a cave with no light source. Magical Darkness is equivalent to Lightless, but magically caused. Abilities that affect vision such as Darkvision, work by increasing the perceived light level by 1 step. Creatures are always Seen except under Magical Darkness or Lightless levels.
Crits[edit]
Chunky Crits. Crits are your normal damage roll, plus max damage.
Critical Fumbles only will happen during situations where you are not in any danger, and times it may be humorous, such as during a minigame, etc.
Critical Successes/Failures for checks and saves do not mean instant success/failure. You can still succeed with a natural 1, and still fail with a natural 20.
Swarms[edit]
Flanking cannot be performed on swarms.
AoE attacks do double damage.
Learning Languages[edit]
Basic Conversational, with training aids/teaching: 6 months
Basic Conversational, without training aids: 12 months
Fluency, with training aids/teaching: 12 months
Fluency, without training aids: 48 months
Reduce these by half a month for each Intelligence point above 10
Increase these by half a month for each Intelligence point below 10
Learning Skills[edit]
Basic Knowledge (1/2 PB), with training aids/teaching: 3 months
Basic Knowledge (1/2 PB), without training aids: 6 months
Proficiency, with training aids/teaching: 6 months
Proficiency, without training aids: 12 months
Expertise (2x PB), with training aids/teaching: 24 months
Expertise (2x PB), without training aids: 48 months
Reduce these by half a month for each Intelligence point above 10
Increase these by half a month for each Intelligence point below 10