Introduction
Fragments is a role playing game. You, as players, will have infinite options before you as you set out into new and untold worlds. You will use the abilities of your characters and your own cunning to Investigate mysteries and fight great foes.
Games of Fragments are run by a Game Master and played by several Players. While there can be any number of Players, the game functions best with 3 or 4 Players.
Game Masters are responsible for building a living world for the Players to interact with and explore. Game Masters might draw maps, act as non-player characters (NPCs), and Control the Players Enemies in battle, but most importantly the Game Master is responsible for guiding the narrative of the game. Some games may have a very rigid narrative that the Players must act within, others may be more freeform, allowing Players to find and work around problems as they see fit. Finding the appropriate balance is one of the most difficult aspects of Game Mastering.
Players act as characters in the world. Each character has their own unique set of abilities that allow them to solve problems in different ways, as well as their own personality and backstory. It is the job of the Player to act as this character in a way that cooperatively adds to the narrative with the other Players.
Games of Fragments are run by a Game Master and played by several Players. While there can be any number of Players, the game functions best with 3 or 4 Players.
There is no "winning" in Fragments, the Goal of the game is to explore the world, overcome challenges, defeat Enemies, and build a story of adventure for your characters.
General Rules
While there are many rules in the game for how different things work there are a few guiding rules that preside over all others.
The GM runs the game
The GM runs the game and if they make a ruling about something at the table that is the ruling. At the end of the day they are the one Running the game and they get to decide how the game works.
Specific > General
If there seems to be a conflict in the rules this is usually the result of a specific rule outlining an exception to a general rule. If the specific rule applies to your situation use that, if not, use the general rule.
Round down
There are a number of situations in Fragments where you may need to divide a number where you are left with a decimal or fraction. In these situations always Round down to the nearest whole number.
Be respectful
More important than any one rule at the table is to remember that this is a game played between real people. Be respectful of the other people playing.
While there are many things that make a world interesting most important are the Creatures that inhabit it. A Creature is any living Human, Beast, or Magical Creature.
Humans - the Players and NPCs in the game. They can take Feats from the Human and Common Feat lists.
Beasts - Animals and monsters out in the world. Beasts can take Feats from the Beast and Common Feat lists.
Magical Creatures - powerful beings boasting both monstrous physiques and Human ingenuity. Magical Creatures can take Feats from the Human, Beast, and Common Feat lists.
Creatures may be considered Enemies or Allies by other Creatures.
An Enemy is any Creature that you consider an Enemy.
An Ally is any Creature you consider an Ally that is willing to also consider you an Ally. You are not your own Ally. (NPCs will consider you an Ally if they are Friendly or Loyal to you, or if it is in their best interest to do so)
Creature Basics
While Creatures will vary wildly in both Power and style they all share the same basic types of Attributes and types.
Level - Level represents the overall Power of a Creature. A Creature is often nearly twice as powerful as a Creature just one Level lower.
Attribute - Attributes represent the basic Attributes of a Creature. They are used to calculate most of your stats and are often prerequisites for Feats.
Strength - Strength (STR) represents your Strength and Size. It is used to determine things like HP, Melee Attacks, and Damage.
Dexterity - Dexterity (DEX) represents your Speed and agility. It is used to determine things like your Physical Defense, Ranged Attacks, and Speed. When using Armor your Max DEX is reduced. If you would have a higher DEX than the max DEX of your Armor you treat your DEX as though it were the max DEX of the Armor.
Essence - Essence (ESS) represents your ability to mentally influence the world. It is used to determine things like your Energy and Spell Attacks.
Mind - Mind (MND) represents your mental fortitude. It is used to determine things like your Mental Defense.
Hit Points - Hit Points (HP) is the amount of health you have. Taking Damage causes you to lose an equal amount of HP. If you Reach 0 HP you are Incapacitated. If your HP is a negative number equal to, or greater than your max HP you die. Your maximum HP is equal to your Level x (10+STR), but can be increased further through Feats. If an Effect increases your Max HP it does not necessarily increase your current HP.
Physical Defense - Physical Defense represents how hard you are to hit. Your Physical Defense is equal to 10+Level+DEX, but this can be increased with Gear and Feats.
Mental Defense - Mental Defense represents how resistant your Mind is. Your Mental Defense is equal to 10+Level+MND, but can be increased further with Feats.
Energy - Energy is the amount of magical Power you have. While Casting Spells or activating other unique abilities requires certain Feats anyone can spend Energy to activate a magical item. You maximum Energy is equal to your Level + ESS, but can be increased further through Feats. Effects that increase your ESS will increase your maximum Energy, but not necessarily your current Energy. As you spend Energy during the game you may need to spend Actions to Focus, replenishing your Energy.
Energy - Energy is the amount of magical Power you have. While Casting Spells or activating other unique abilities requires certain Feats anyone can spend Energy to activate a magical item. You maximum Energy is equal to your Level + MND, but can be increased further through Feats. Effects that increase your MND will increase your maximum Energy, but not necessarily your current Energy. As you spend Energy during the game you may need to spend Actions to Focus, replenishing your Energy.
Speed - Speed is how fast you normally Move in one Action. Your Speed is equal to your DEX x 5ft.
Carrying Capacity - You can carry an amount of Bulk equal to your STR. Every Size larger than Medium you are doubles your Carrying Capacity and every Size smaller halves it.
Initiative - A Creature rolls Initiative at the beginning of combat to determine Turn order. Your Bonus to Initiative is equal to Level+DEX. Ties are Determined at random.
Skills - Your Skills represent your ability to interact with the world outside of combat.
Feats - Feats are special abilities that grant you unique powers and can improve your stats. Feats are seperated into the lists Human, Beast, and Common. Each Feat may have a number of prerequisites including Level, Minimum Attributes, and other Feats. To select a Feat you must have access to the list it is on as well as all the prerequisites.
Skill Feats - Are similar to Feats, but Focus on improving your out of combat Skills.
Resistance - A Creature that is resistant to a certain Type of Damage takes less Damage from sources of that Type equal to the value of its Resistance. (This is expressed as Resist Type VALUE. For example, Resist Fire 5 would reduce Fire Damage by 5) If you would gain the same Type of Resistance from different sources these Resistances are added together. If a source deals Damage that would be reduced by multiple forms of Resistance (ei Resist Fire 5 and Resist All 2) these Effects stack.
Vulnerability - A Creature that is Vulnerable to a certain Type of Damage takes more Damage from sources of that Type equal to the value of its Vulnerability. (This is expressed as Vuln Type VALUE. For example, Vuln. Fire 5 would increase Fire Damage by 5) If you would gain the same Type of Vulnerability from different sources these Vulnerabilities are added together. If a source deals Damage that would be increased by multiple forms of Vulnerability (ei Vuln. Fire 5 and Vuln All 2) these Effects stack.
Immunity - A Creature that is Immune to a certain Type of Damage it takes no Damage from that Type.
Scars - A Scar is a permanent negative Effect that a Creature may get when it rolls on the Incapacitation table. (Scars are often the opposite of Feats)
Reach - Your Reach is the distance from you in which you can hit a Creature with a Melee Attack. Reach for a Medium Size Creature is 5ft but larger or smaller Creatures may have different Reach. Your Reach can also be extended through Feats.
Size - A Creature's Size determines how much space it takes up.
Gold - Gold is the primary long term resource in the game. It can be used to buy and sell goods and services as well as determine your Level if using the "Purchasing levels" method of leveling.
Taking Damage causes a Creature to lose an equal amount of HP. Damage is most often caused by Attacks, but can also be caused by Falling, conditions, or other sources. There are 7 types of Damage: Physical, Acid, Cold, Electric, Fire, Poison, and Bleed
Physical Damage - By default most Damage a Creature takes is Physical Damage. This most commonly includes melee and Ranged Attacks or fall Damage
Acid Damage - Acid Damage is dealt by corrosive chemicals. It is often caused by Spells, breath Weapons, Bombs, or Creatures with elemental Attacks
Cold Damage - Cold Damage is dealt by extreme low temperatures. It is often caused by Spells, breath Weapons, Bombs, or Creatures with elemental Attacks
Electric Damage - Electric Damage is dealt by powerful Electric charges. It is often caused by Spells, breath Weapons, Bombs, or Creatures with elemental Attacks
Fire Damage - Fire Damage is dealt by extreme high temperatures. It is often caused by Spells, breath Weapons, Bombs, or Creatures with elemental Attacks
Poison Damage - Poison Damage is dealt by the Poisoned condition at the start of the Creatures Turn.
Bleed Damage - Bleed Damage is dealt by the Bleeding condition at the start of a Creatures Turn.
Checks and Modifiers
Checks - Any roll to determine whether an Action succeeds or fails is a Check. If a roll is equal to or greater than the DC the Check succeeds. For opposed rolls the Creature that initiated the roll is the one making the Check and the other Creatures roll is used to set the DC.
DC - The number required to succeed a Check. In opposed rolls the DC is equal to the result of the other Creatures roll.
Bonuses - Bonuses increase statistics of your character. Many Bonuses increase your Physical Defense, Mental Defense, or Attack rolls. Bonuses stack allowing you to specialize in whatever best suits your character.
Penalties - Penalties decrease statistics of your character. For example a Size Penalty to your Attack roll would decrease the total of your roll by that amount. Penalties of the same Type do not stack, the Penalties with the greater Effect applies. (Many Penalties do not have a Type and do stack)
Advantage - Roll an additional d20 and take the better result. Multiple Instances of Advantage stack. Advantage is canceled by Disadvantage. There are many abilities that grant Advantage in a specific circumstance, but it can also be given any time the GM thinks the situation is particularly advantageous.
Disadvantage - Roll roll an additional d20 and take the worse result. Multiple Instances of Disadvantage stack. Disadvantage is canceled by Advantage. There are many abilities that grant Disadvantage in a specific circumstance, but it can also be given any time the GM thinks the situation is particularly disadvantageous.
Critical Success - When a roll exceeds the DC of a Check by 10 or more it is a Critical Success.
Range Increment - Ranged or Thrown Weapons take a Penalty on Ranged Attacks depending on the distance of the Attack. If the Attack is within one Range Increment it takes no Penalty. If it is greater than one Range Increment the Attack takes a -1 Penalty, if it is beyond two Range Increments it takes a -2 Penalty, and so on.